Читать книгу The Mesnevi - Maulana Jalal al-Din Rumi - Страница 56

A certain sheykh, son of a sheykh, and a man of great reputation for learning, came to Qonya, and was respectfully visited by all the people of eminence residing there.

It so happened that Jelāl and his friends were gone that day to a mosque in the country; and the new-comer, offended at Jelāl’s not hasting to visit him, made the remark in public: “Has Jelāl never heard the adage: ‘The newly-arrived one is visited’?”

One of Jelāl’s disciples chanced to be present, and heard this remark. On the other hand, Jelāl was expounding sublime truths in the mosque to his disciples, when suddenly he exclaimed, “My dear brother! I am the newly-arrived one, not thou. Thou and those like thee are bound to visit me, and so gain honour to yourselves.”

All his audience were surprised at this apostrophe; wondering to whom it was addressed. Jelāl then spake a parable: “One man came from Bagdād, and another went forth out of his house and ward; which of the two ought to pay the first visit to the other?”

All agreed in opinion that the man from Bagdād ought to be visited by the other. Then Jelāl explained, thus: “In reality, I am returned from the Bagdād of nulliquity, whereas this dearly beloved son of a sheykh, who has come here, has gone forth from a ward of this world. I am better entitled, therefore, to be visited than is he. I have been hymning in the Bagdād of the world of spirits the heavenly canticle: ‘I am the Truth,’ since a time anterior to the commencement of the present war, ere the truth obtained its victory.” The disciples expressed their concurrence, and rejoiced exceedingly.

By and by, the sheykh’s son was informed of this wonder. He at once arose, went on foot to visit Jelāl, uncovered his head, and owned that Jelāl was right. He further declared himself Jelāl’s disciple, and said: “My father enjoined me to put on ironed sandals, taking an iron-shod staff in my hand, and go forth in quest of Jelālu-’d-Dīn, since it is a duty of all to visit and reverence him who has spoken the truth and reposes on the truth. But the majesty of Jelāl is a hundredfold greater than what my father explained to me.”