Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. I — John Shaqi
Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. IEvliya Çelebi
History
Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. I
Evliya Çelebi
Caucasus, South -- Description and travel; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Description and travel; Turkey -- History
These are the men who came and went!
In this frail world (_dári fenà_) what have they done?
They came and went, what have they done?
At last to th’ endless world (_dári bakà_) they’re gone.
It is to this day celebrated throughout the world as an extraordinary
inscription, and is visited by travellers from Rúm (Greece), ’Arab
(Arabia), and ’Ajem (Persia). Some of them, who, in the expectation of
finding hidden treasures, began to work at these ancient buildings with
pickaxes like _Ferhád’s_, perished in the attempt, and were also buried
there. Some holy men make pilgrimages to this place barefoot on Friday
nights, and recite the chapter entitled Tekásur (Korán, chap. 102); for
many thousands of illustrious companions (of the Prophet) _Mohájirín_,
(who followed him in his flight), and _Ansárs_ (auxiliaries) are buried
in this place. It has been also attested by some thousands of the
pious, that this burial ground has been seen some thousands of times
covered with lights on the holy night of _Alkadr_ (_i.e._ sixth of
_Ramazán_).
In short, Seyyid Bábá Ja’fer, Hárúnu-r rashíd’s ambassador, having been
enraged, and taking offence at his not having been well received by the
king Ghirándó Míhál, reproached him bitterly, and suffered martyrdom
by poison in consequence of it. He was buried by Sheïkh Maksúd, who
received an order to that effect, in a place within the prison of
the infidels, where, to this day, his name is insulted by all the
unbelieving malefactors, debtors, murderers, &c. imprisoned there. But
when (God be praised!) Islámból was taken, the prison having likewise
been captured, the grave of Seyyid Ja’fer Bábá Sultán, in the tower of
the prison [the Bagno], became a place of pilgrimage, which is visited
by those who have been released from prison, and call down blessings in
opposition to the curses of the unbelievers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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