Masnavi 5.4

Story IV. Muhammad Khwarazm Shah and the Rafizis of Sabzawar (p. 411).

Muhammad Shah was the last prince but one of the Khwarazm dynasty of Balkh, to which family both the poet’s mother and grandmother belonged. He was the reigning prince in A.D. 1209, the year in which the poet’s father fled from Balkh, and was defeated by Chingiz Khan a year or two later. In one of his campaigns Muhammad Shah captured the city of Sabzawar, in Khorasan, which city was inhabited by Rafizis or rank Shi’as, naturally most obnoxious to a Sunni prince claiming descent from the first Khalif Abu Bakr. After the city was taken the inhabitants came out, and proceeded with all humility to beg their lives, offering to pay any amount of ransom and tribute that he might impose upon them. But the prince replied that he would spare their lives only on one condition, viz., that they produced from Sabzawar a man bearing the name Abu Bakr. They represented to him that it would be impossible to find in the whole city a single man bearing a name so hateful to the Shi’as; but the prince was inexorable, and refused to alter the conditions. So they went and searched all the neighbourhood, and at last found a traveller lying at the roadside at the point of death, who bore the name of Abu Bakr. As he was unable to walk, they placed him on a bier and carried him into the king’s presence. The king reproached them for their contempt and neglect of this pious Sunni, the only true heart amongst them, and reminded them of the saying of the Prophet, “God regards not your outward show and your wealth, but your hearts and your deeds.” In this parable, says the poet, Sabzawar is the world, the poor Sunni the man of God, despised and rejected of men, and the king is God Almighty, who seeks a true heart amongst evil men.

Satan’s snares for mankind (p. 413).

Thus spake cursed Iblis to the Almighty, “I want a mighty trap to catch human game withal.” God gave him gold and silver and troops of horses, Saying, “You can catch my creatures with these.” Iblis said, “Bravo!” but at the same time hung his lip, And frowned sourly like a bitter orange. Then God offered gold and jewels from precious mines To that laggard in the faith, Saying, “Take these other traps, O cursed one.” But Iblis said, “Give me more, O blessed Defender.” God gave him succulent and sweet and costly wines, And also store of silken garments. But Iblis said, “O Lord, I want more aids than these, In order to bind men in my twisted rope So firmly that Thy adorers, who are valiant men, May not, man-like, break my bonds asunder.” When at last God showed him the beauty of women, Which bereaves men of reason and self-control, Then Iblis clapped his hands and began to dance, Saying, “Give me these; I shall quickly prevail with

these!”

This is followed by comments on the text, “Of goodliest fabric we created man, and then brought him down to the lowest of the low, saving those who believe and do the things that are right;” and on the verses, — “If thou goest the road, they will show thee the road; If thou becomest naught, they will turn thee to being.”