Jelāl found the picture exceedingly beautiful, and gazed on it long with the utmost pleasure. He then spake as follows:—
“These two beautiful portraits complain of you, saying that you are not a faithful admirer of theirs, but are an untrue lover.” The artist asked: “How?” Jelāl replied: “They say they are not supplied with food and rest. On the contrary, they are kept sleepless every night, and fasting every day. They complain: ‘Aynu-’d-Devla leaves us, sleeps himself all night, and takes his meals by day, never remaining with us to do as we do!’”
The artist remarked: “Food and sleep are to them impossibilities. Neither have they speech, with which to say anything. They are mere lifeless effigies.”
Jelāl now replied: “Thou art a living effigy. Thou hast acquired a knowledge of various arts. Thou art the handiwork of a limner whose hand has framed the universe, the human race, and all things on earth and in heaven. Is it right that thou forsake Him, and enamour thyself of an insignificant lifeless effigy? What profit is there in these portraits? What advantage can accrue to thee from them?”
Touched by these reproaches, the artist vowed repentance of his sin, and professed himself a Muslim.
86.
When the time of Jelāl’s death drew near, he cautioned his disciples to have no fear or anxiety on that account; “for,” said he, “as the spirit of Mansūr[22] appeared, a hundred and fifty years after his death, to the Sheykh Ferīdu-’d-Dīn ‘Attār, and became the Sheykh’s spiritual guide and teacher, so, too, do you always be with me, whatever may happen, and remember me, so that I may show myself to you, in whatever form that may be;—that I may always belong to you, and ever be shedding in your breasts the light of heavenly inspiration. I will simply remind you now that our dear Lord, Muhammed, the Apostle of God, said to his disciples: ‘My life is a blessing unto you, and my death will be a blessing unto you. In my life I have guided you, and after my death I will send blessings on you.’”
Jelāl’s friends shed tears all, and broke out into sighs and lamentations; but bowed their heads in reverence.
It is said that he gave directions to get ready his grave-clothes, and that his wife, Kirā Khātūn, began to wail, tearing her clothes, and exclaiming: “O thou light of the world, life of the human race; unto whom wilt thou commit us? Whither wilt thou go?”
He answered her: “Whither will I go? Verily, I shall not quit your circle.” She then asked: “Will there be another like unto thee, our Lord? Will another become manifest?” He replied: “If there be, he will be I.” After a while he added: “While in the body, I have two attachments; one, to you; the other, to the flesh. When, by the grace of the unique Spirit, I become disembodied,—when the world of unbodied spirits, unity, and singleness, shall appear, my attachment to the flesh will become attachment to you, and I shall then have but one sole attachment.”