Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana, 1207-1273; Mevleviyeh; Sufi literature
[18] “_Satan, the Lapidated One_,” is the chief title of the accursed
one. Muslims believe that the “shooting stars” are missiles cast by
angels at demons who attempt to approach heaven for eavesdropping
purposes.
[19] I have not met with an explanation of this word in any Persian
dictionary. Literally it signifies _sugar-hanging_. In the Bahāri-‘Ajem
alone is it mentioned, with a distich from Hāfiz; but it is left
unexplained.
[20] Apparently a “_merman_” is intended.
[21] This is a much more poetical account of the origin of the
reed-flute than the pagan Greek myths of Orpheus and his lyre, Pan and
his pipe, for which no reasons are assigned.
[22] Mansūr, son of ‘Ammār, thus mentioned by D’Herbelot: “Scheikh des
plus considérés parmi les Musulmans. On le cite au sujet d’un passage
du chapitre Enfathar de l’Alcoran (lxxxii.), où Dieu est introduit
faisant ce reproche aux hommes: _Qu’est-ce qui vous rend si orgueilleux
contre votre maître qui vous fait tant de biens?_ (v. 6). Ce Scheikh
disait: Quand Dieu me fera ce reproche, je lui repondrai: _Le sont
ces biens et ces graces mêmes que vous me faites, qui me rendent si
superbe._” As Sheykh ‘Attār lived about A.H. 600, Mansūr must have died
about A.H. 400 (A.D. 1020). He is mentioned in No. 51, p. 68, of the
_Nafahātu-’l-Uns_.
[23] Khayru ’n nāsi, men yenfa’u ’n nāsa.—_Arabic Proverb._
[24] Khayru ’l kelāmi, qasīruhu ’l mufīdu.—_Arabic Proverb._
[25] _Thevr_ is the name of a tribe of Arabians, and of two hills, one
at Mekka, the other at Medīna; but the explanation of the term “_a
Thevr_ or _Sevr veil_” I have not met with.
[26] Saladin of European writings. The words mean: _the Fitness of the
Religion_ (of Islām).
[27] The Muslim world knows but one _Qaysar_ (Cæsar), the Emperor of
Rome (Old or New), which title is now borne by the Emperor of Austria.
[28] I have not met with any notice of Akhī-Turk.
[29] _The Honoured Elder_; by which Abū-Bekr is probably intended; but
see a note to the Preface of the Mesnevī.
[30] Juneyd and Bāyezīd of Bestām were two great doctors of mysticism;
the latter died in A.H. 234 or 261 (A.D. 848 or 874), and the former in
A.H. 297-8 (A.D. 909-10).
[31] These are two of the four orthodox schools of Islām; they differ
in certain details. There are reputed to be seventy-two schismatic or
heretical sects.
[32] This anecdote directly contradicts the foolish idea, so common in
Europe, that, in the religious system of Islām, women are held to have
no souls, and no hope of paradise.
[33] The Beauty of the Truth and of the Religion (of Islām).
[34] Europeanised Armenians have made this into _Zohrab_, as their own
family name.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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