________________
MYSTICISM OF DARVISHES: MAGIC
135
them, hold them between their teeth, and end by cooling them in their mouths. All stoically bear up against the pain which they experience with apparent gaiety. Some time after this the Shaikh walks round and breathes upon the wounds of each of them, rubs them with saliva, recites prayers over them and promises them speedy cures. It is said that twenty-four hours afterwards nothing is to be seen of their wounds.
After the Rifā'īs, the Sa'dis have also the reputation of performing miracles, pretty much of the same sort. To them are ascribed powers especially to handle snakes as they please.
Maulānā Jalal-ud-din the founder of the Maulvi Order could through his spiritual power become invisible to ordinary sight, and would, when absorbed in pious and fervid love for Allah rise upwards in the air and was more than once prevented from entirely disappearing from amongst his devoted companions only by means of music.
MAGIC E. Rehatsek in a paper entitled 'Magic' published in the Journal of The Royal Asiatic Society, Bombay, 1879 says:
"Spiritual magic is either licit or illicit, i. e. divine or Satanic; but there is yet a third kind, which, although it does not belong to the former, can nevertheless not be classed with the latter; most of its branches are however considered licit, and it has been called natural magic (or Simya).
Divine Magic-"There are also prayers, the recitation of which will procure the aid of genii, but everything is accomplished by appropriately uttering the great names of God. The ineffable name was engraved on the Seal ring of Solomon* (Sulaiman) and by means of it he subjected to his dominion not only genii and men, but animals and the powers of nature. This greatest name (Ism-e-a'zam) is revealed only to few holy men, and others must content themselves with the lesser ones,
* Muhr-e-Sulaiman i.e. Sulaiman's or Solomon's scal consisted of two inverted triangles forming the Tantrik Şatkoņa.
Jain Education International 2010_03
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org