9.
A certain Sheykh died at Qonya, who was rector of two different colleges. The prince who was the trustee of both, elected to nominate Husāmu-’d-Dīn as rector of one of them; and a great entertainment was prepared by the prince for the occasion.
Jelāl was informed of the arrangement, and he expressed the intention to bear himself Husām’s carpet to his new college, and himself spreading it for Husām in his new seat.
A certain brawler, a kinsman of Husām’s, Akhī Ahmed by name, was of the company; and he had felt nettled at Husām’s appointment. He came forward, snatched away Husām’s carpet, gave it to one of his companions to cast out of the building, and exclaimed: “We will not suffer this fellow to be installed here as Sheykh.”
Great confusion ensued. Several nobles of the Akhī clan, who were present, drew their swords and knives, a scene of blood appearing to be about to commence.
Jelāl now addressed the crowd, reproaching them for such behaviour. He told them that their family and college would not prosper, but that the Mevlevī order, founded by himself, and his lineal posterity would go on ever steadily increasing. He then related the following anecdote:—
“A certain Sheykh from Samarqand, Abū-’l-Lays by name, went on his travels for about twenty years, with a view to study, partly at Mekka. At length he set out on his return home, whither his reputation, as well as numerous disciples, had preceded him.
“Arrived at the outskirts of his native place, he went to the riverside to perform an ablution. There he found a number of women, occupied with laundry work. From among these, one old woman advanced, looked at him attentively, and then exclaimed: ‘Why, if here isn’t our little Abū-’l-Lays come back again! Go quickly, girls, and carry the news to our family.’
“The Sheykh returned forthwith to his party of fellow-travellers, and gave orders for their beasts to be at once reloaded for an immediate return to Damascus. On being questioned as to his reason for this sudden change of intention he answered: ‘My people still think of me as ”little Abū-l-Lays,” and will treat me with familiar indignity accordingly, esteeming me of small account, and thereby committing a grievous sin; for it is an incumbent duty on all to honour the learned and the wise. To respect them is to show reverence to the apostle of God, and to revere him is to serve the Creator.’
“Now, the truth was that, when a child, his father had always called him ‘little Abū-’l-Lays.’ But strangers would not so understand that term of endearment; they would think it one of too free and easy familiarity, and as likely to draw down on the city and its inhabitants the divine displeasure. It was not consistent with true affection to allow the possibility of such a visitation to occur.”