Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 52
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications
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DECEMBER, 1928)
A DARA-SHIKOH LETTER
359
و اگر من نیستم - چه تقصیر مرا۔ قتل امام حسین اگر چہ مشیت ایزدیست۔ پس یزید در میان کیست - و اگر غیر مشیت است. پس معنی يفعل الله ما يشاء ويحكم ما یرید چیست - نبی مختار بجنگ کفار میرفت۔
افتاد - شکست در لشکر اسلام (می علمای ظاهری میگویند کہر تعليم صبر استمنتهي را تعليم جر درکار »
SARMAD'S REPLY.
(Pet.)
ایعزيزما انچه خوانده ایم فراموش کرده ایم إلا حدیث دوست کے تکرار میکنیم و
TRANSLATION.
Dana's Letter. My Pir and Preceptor,
Everyday [I] resolve to pay(my) respects [to you]. (It) remains unaccomplished. If I be I-wherefore is my intention of no account? If I be not—what is my fault? Though the murder of Imam Husayn was the Will of God : who was Yazid between God and Husayn]? If it was not the Divine Will, then what is the meaning of the Quranic verse] "God does whatever he wills, and commands whatever he intende"? The most excellent Prophet used to go to fight with the unbelievers : defeat was inflicted on the army of Islam. The exoteric scholars say it was meant as) an education in resignation. To the perfoot [fully educated) what education was necessary ?
Sarmad's Reply. My dear,
What we have read we have put away from the memory,
Save the discourse of the Friend which we reiterate. - At the outset Dara Sbikõh finds himself at a loss to make out why human desire is not sometimes fulfilled. The next question is the martyrdom of Husayn by order of Yazid. If it was pre-ordained and according to the Divine Will, why is Yazid condemned, as he was but a blind instrument in the hands of the Dispenser of all human destinies! The third and last query is about the defensive wars which the Prophet sometimes had to wage, and the repulse which his troops sustained. .
Sarmad who was deeply absorbed in Divine contemplation gave a characteristio reply by a Persian couplet.
It has been rendered, at my request, into verse by Mr. Johan van Manen, the prosent learned Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, thus
Forgotten has been what we read The Friend's Name only sung instead.
1 Tho words put between bralcote are not in the text,
