Читать книгу The Mesnevi - Maulana Jalal al-Din Rumi - Страница 68

A certain rich merchant of Qonya, a disciple, as was his wife, of Jelāl’s, went to Mekka one year for the pilgrimage.

On the day when the victims are slaughtered, the lady had a dish of sweetmeat prepared, and sent some of it in a china bowl to Jelāl, to be eaten at dinner. She made the request that, when he partook of the food, he would favour her absent husband with his remembrance, his prayers, and his blessing.

Jelāl invited his disciples to the feast; and all ate of the lady’s sweetmeat to repletion. But the bowl still remained full.

Jelāl then said: “Oh, he too must partake of it.” He took the bowl, ascended to the terraced roof of the college with it, returning immediately empty-handed. His friends asked him what he had done with the bowl and the food. “I have handed them,” said Jelāl, “to her husband, whose property they are.” The company remained bewildered.

In due course of time, the pilgrims from Qonya returned home from Mekka; and out of the baggage of the merchant, the china bowl was produced, and sent in to the lady, who was much astonished at sight of it. She inquired of her husband how he had become possessed of that identical dish. He replied: “Ah! I also am at a loss to know how it happened. But, on the eve of the slaughter of the victims, I was seated in my tent, at ‘Arafāt, with a company of other pilgrims, when an arm projected into the tent, and placed this dish before me, filled with sweetmeat. I sent out servants to see who had brought it to me; but no one was found.” The lady at once inferred the truth, and guessed what had happened. Her husband was more and more astonished at such miraculous power.

Next day, husband and wife went to Jelāl, stood bare-headed before him, wept for joy, and related what had occurred. He answered:

“The whole thing is the effect of your trust and belief. God has merely made use of my hand as the instrument wherewith to make manifest His power.”