Jelāl found the picture exceedingly beautiful, and gazed on it long
with the utmost pleasure. He then spake as follows:—
“These two beautiful portraits complain of you, saying that you are
not a faithful admirer of theirs, but are an untrue lover.” The artist
asked: “How?” Jelāl replied: “They say they are not supplied with food
and rest. On the contrary, they are kept sleepless every night, and
fasting every day. They complain: ‘Aynu-’d-Devla leaves us, sleeps
himself all night, and takes his meals by day, never remaining with us
to do as we do!’”
The artist remarked: “Food and sleep are to them impossibilities.
Neither have they speech, with which to say anything. They are mere
lifeless effigies.”
Jelāl now replied: “Thou art a living effigy. Thou hast acquired a
knowledge of various arts. Thou art the handiwork of a limner whose
hand has framed the universe, the human race, and all things on earth
and in heaven. Is it right that thou forsake Him, and enamour thyself
of an insignificant lifeless effigy? What profit is there in these
portraits? What advantage can accrue to thee from them?”
Touched by these reproaches, the artist vowed repentance of his sin,
and professed himself a Muslim.
86.
When the time of Jelāl’s death drew near, he cautioned his disciples
to have no fear or anxiety on that account; “for,” said he, “as the
spirit of Mansūr[22] appeared, a hundred and fifty years after his
death, to the Sheykh Ferīdu-’d-Dīn ‘Attār, and became the Sheykh’s
spiritual guide and teacher, so, too, do you always be with me,
whatever may happen, and remember me, so that I may show myself to you,
in whatever form that may be;--that I may always belong to you, and
ever be shedding in your breasts the light of heavenly inspiration. I
will simply remind you now that our dear Lord, Muhammed, the Apostle
of God, said to his disciples: ‘My life is a blessing unto you, and my
death will be a blessing unto you. In my life I have guided you, and
after my death I will send blessings on you.’”
Jelāl’s friends shed tears all, and broke out into sighs and
lamentations; but bowed their heads in reverence.
It is said that he gave directions to get ready his grave-clothes, and
that his wife, Kirā Khātūn, began to wail, tearing her clothes, and
exclaiming: “O thou light of the world, life of the human race; unto
whom wilt thou commit us? Whither wilt thou go?”
He answered her: “Whither will I go? Verily, I shall not quit your
circle.” She then asked: “Will there be another like unto thee, our
Lord? Will another become manifest?” He replied: “If there be, he
will be I.” After a while he added: “While in the body, I have two
attachments; one, to you; the other, to the flesh. When, by the grace
of the unique Spirit, I become disembodied,--when the world of unbodied
spirits, unity, and singleness, shall appear, my attachment to the
flesh will become attachment to you, and I shall then have but one sole
attachment.”
87.