The prince was himself a disciple of Sheykh ... ’d-Dīn, of Bakharz (in
Khurāsān, about midway between Tūrshīz and Herāt), to whom he sent
a copy of the ode, to learn what the Sheykh would think of it. All
the learned men of Bakharz assembled round the Sheykh. He read the
ode attentively, and then burst out into exclamations of the wildest
delight and most fervid admiration, rending his garments, and acting
as though mad. At length he calmed down and said: “O wonderful man! O
thou champion of the Faith! Thou pole of the heavens and of the earth!
Verily, thou art a wonderful Sultan, who hast appeared on earth! In
good sooth, all the Sheykhs of bygone ages who were seers, have been
frustrated in not having seen this man! They would have supplicated the
Lord of Truth to allow them to meet him! But it was not to be; and this
mercy will last until the end of time, as has been sung:—
“A fortune, by the men of ancient times in dreams long sought,
Has been vouchsafed to modern men; without their efforts caught.”
“One ought to put on ironed shoes, and take in hand an ironed staff, to
set out at once and visit this great light. I make it a legacy to all
my friends to do so without the least delay, if they have the means
and the strength, so as to achieve the happiness and secure the honour
of making the acquaintance of this prince, so obtaining the grace and
favour of hearing him. His father, Bahā Veled, and his ancestors, were
great Sheykhs and most illustrious; their great progenitor having been
the first Caliph, Abū-Bekr, the glorious Confirmer of the truth spoken
by the Apostle of God. I am myself old and infirm, unequal to the
fatigues of travel. Otherwise, I would have walked, not on the soles of
my feet, but on the tips of my great toes, to visit that eminent man.”
The Sheykh’s eldest son, Muzahhiru-’d-Dīn, was there present. To him
the Sheykh addressed himself, saying: “My son, I do hope that thy eyes
will behold this sacred visage; and, if God so will, convey to him my
salutation and my respects.”
After the death of the old man, his son went to Rome, had the felicity
to see Jelāl, and presented his father’s message. He returned to
Bakharz; but it is said that a son of his lies buried at Qonya.
15.
Kirā Khātūn, the widow of Jelāl, is reported to have related to a
friend that there was in their household a candlestick of the height
of a man, before which Jelāl used to stand on foot the night through,
until daydawn, studying the writings of his father.
One night, a company of the genii, dwellers in the college where Jelāl
and his wife lived, appeared to her in a body, to complain of the
great inconvenience and suffering to which they were subjected by this
practice of Jelāl’s, and saying: “We can put up with it no longer. Take
care, lest we do a mischief to some one in the college.”
The lady reported this complaint of the genii to her husband. He merely
smiled, and took no further notice of the matter for several days.