1.
On the last day but one of the period of the greater pilgrimage at Mekka, the eve of the Festival of Sacrifices, the ninth of the month of Zū-’l-Hijja, A.H. 717 (11th February, A.D. 1318), the Emīr ‘Ārif, and the historian Eflākī, his disciple, were together at Sultāniyya, in the north of Persia, the new capital of the great western Mogul empire.
They were visiting at the convent of a certain Mevlevī dervish, named Sheykh Suhrāb,[34] with sundry of the friends and saints, all of whom were engaged in the study of different books, at about the hour of midday, excepting ‘Ārif, who was enjoying a siesta.
Suddenly, ‘Ārif raised his head, and gave one of his loud, awe-inspiring shouts, which caused all present to tremble. Without a word, however, he again composed himself to sleep.
When he at length fully roused himself, and finally woke up from his sleep, Sheykh Eflākī ventured to inquire what it was that had disturbed him.
He answered: “I had gone in the spirit to pay a visit to the tomb of my great-grandfather, when there I saw the two Mevlevī dervishes, Nāsiru-’d-Dīn and Shujā’u-’d-Dīn Chanāqī, who had seized each other by the collar, and were engaged in a violent dispute and struggle. I called out to them to desist; and two men, with one pious woman, being there present, saw me.”
Eflākī at once made a note of this narrative, putting down the date and hour of the occurrence.
Some time afterwards, ‘Ārif returned to the land of Rome, and went to the town of Lādik (Laodicæa Combusta, not far from Qonya); and there they met the above-named Nāsiru-’d-Dīn. In the presence of all the friends, ‘Ārif asked Nāsir to relate to them the circumstances of his quarrel with Shujā‘.
Nāsir replied: “On the eve of the Festival of Sacrifices, I was standing at the upper end of the mausoleum, when Shujā’ came there, and committed an unseemly act, for which I reprehended him. He immediately collared me, and I him; when suddenly, from the direction of the feet of the holy Bahā Veled, the voice of ‘Ārif was heard shouting to us, and made us tremble. In awe thereat, we immediately embraced each other, and bowed in reverence. That is all I know of the matter.”
‘Ārif then addressed Eflākī, and said: “Pray relate to our friends what thou knowest thereof, that they may be edified.”