The author also says, that knowing the true doctrine is knowing the unity of God. After this illustration, having in several sections exhibited an account of his own faith, and in some established it, he made in other sections a digression upon the creed of others, and the digressive sections are frequent; the proofs and disquisitions by controversy with regard to false religions, and the disquisitions by concordance with regard to the rightfulness of his own religion, are distinct from the totality of those arguments, which are between truth and falsehood, and the contrast between truth and falsehood, and that between small and great is made evident. The author further alleges, that in science there is truth and falsehood; but the distinguishing mark of truth is unity, and the distinguishing mark of falsehood is multiformity; unity is related to authoritative instruction, and multiformity is related to opinion; instruction belongs to the assembly, and the assembly to the Imám; opinion is allied with conflicting sects, and these agree with their chiefs. As for the separation of truth from falsehood, and the resemblance which truth has with falsehood, and for the distinction between what is consistent and what is absurd, on both sides, a balance ought to be formed in which every thing may be weighed.[614] The author moreover says, that we obtained the knowledge of this balance from the speeches of the witnesses, and whatever is compounded of negation and affirmation; and whatever is deserving negation is falsehood; and whatever is deserving affirmation is truth; and by this balance we weigh the good and bad, the sincere and the lying, and all contradictions; and the acute distinction and mystery of this speech is, that in the sentences each word relates to truth by proof of evidence, and unity and confirmation. The Imámate unites itself with prophecy in such a degree that prophecy, by the very nature of the Imámate, is prophecy; and this is the scope of the discourse in these topics of inquiry.
Besides, the author forbade the vulgar to dive deeply into science; and he prohibited the nobles the study of the books of the ancients, unless there was a person fit to master the particulars of their contents, and the comparative merits of the men who have delivered speeches. He also determined, with his companions in divinity, to say: illah illah Muhammed ast, “God is God the praise-worthy;” so you; but the adversaries say: illah illah akel ast, “God is God the wise;” that is, whatever is reason, every reason takes its direction towards the side of this leader (Muhammed); and as some of them raise these questions: “God Almighty is he present or not? one or many? knowing or ignorant? powerful or not?” An answer sufficiently strong is given, namely: illah ba illah Muhammed, “God by God is praiseworthy:”[615] as it is God who sent the prophet for leading the creatures, and the prophet is the leader of the creatures.
These sectaries are to be found in many places, but in great numbers in the navahi, “district,” of the eastern Kohistan, in the districts of Khita, of Káshghar, and Tibet. The author of this book saw, in the year of the Hejira 1054 (A. D. 1644), in Multan, one belonging to this sect, called Mír Alî Akbar, and heard frequently this account from his mouth: The Khalifs of the Ismâílíah maintained, during a long time, their dignity in the West. The lineage of the first Khalifs, according to the manner which is agreed upon among the Ismâílíah, is stated as follows: Khájah[616] Násir Túsi (of Tús) showed himself or really was, in his time, a professor of Ismâílísm. Muhammed al mahtadí ben Abd-ullah, ben Ahmed ben Muhammed, ben Ismâíl, ben Jâfr sádik, united the dignity of the Imámate with his own nobility, and declared that Mahdi, the last of the age, is represented in Muhammed ben Abd-ullah, and he quoted from the writing of Sádik, who said: “At the end of thirteen hundred years, the sun shall rise in the west.” They say that the word sun in this sentence alludes to Muhammed, son of Abd-ullah.[617] They give to Abú yazíd, who fell off from the lord (Sadik), the name of Antichrist (dajál).[618]
A great number of learned men are followers of the Ismâílíah: such was Amír Náśer Khusró, from among all learned poets, the contemporary of Ismâíl, surnamed Montáser, “the victorious.”[619] Amir Naser[620] was born in the year of the Hejira 359 (A. D. 969). When he arrived at the age of discernment and rectitude, he heard the voice of Hassen, teaching the morals of the Ismâílíah, in the time of the khalifat of the legitimate Imám Montáser;[621] he hastened from Khorassan to Egypt, where he dwelt seven years; every year he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and returned from thence; he was exceedingly devoted to the practice of the law. At last he went to Mecca, and returning by the way of Baśra (Bussora) he was disposed to go to Khorassan. Having fixed himself in Sabakh, he invited mankind to the khalifat of Manteśer, and to the religion of the Ismâíliah, and showed the way to it. Hence, a number of the enemies of the prophet’s descendants wished to destroy Amír Nás r Khusró. A prey to fear and terror, he concealed himself from mountain to mountain in Badakhshan,[622] and lived twenty years upon water and grass in inaccessible places. Some of the ignorant reckoned him a companion among the Ismâíliah Almutíah; others of the uninformed composed a book of regret on the subject of his alliance with the Almutíah which they supposed: the fact is that he, following the Ismâílíah of the West, kept no communication nor society with the Almútíah. This is what we have heard from the Ismâílíah with regard to Nás r, and what is also recorded in historical books.[623]
The Imáms of the Ismâílíah showed themselves very kind to all creatures. Thus Manśur, the son of Azíz, known under the name of Alhákem ba amra allah, an Ismáílah, ordered in Egypt that, for the convenience of purchase and sale, the doors of the shops should be kept open at night, and the windows of Cairo not shut, that besides torches should be lighted in the narrow streets the whole night, and the people freely move in the market places and squares. This lord was skilful in all sciences, and powerful in prodigies, like his glorious ancestor Muhammed Mokhtar. Thus he said: “in such a night, a misfortune will befall me:” and so it happened.[624]
The Imáms of the western Ismâílíah were all zealous in the practices of exterior worship, and an account of them is published in the historical books. The Ismâílíah of Iran are celebrated with the Ismâílíah of Kohistán and Rúdbár.[625] The first of the former was Hassan, son of Sábáh. As the account of him in the histories has been traced with the pen of partiality, therefore I shall endeavor to make a statement such as obtains credit among the Ismâílíah concerning him.[626]
The lineage of Hassan is connected with Muhammed Sabah Zamérí; his grandfather, who descended from the family of Sábah Zamérí, came from Yemen to Kúfa, from Kúfa to Kam, and from Kam to Ráí. His father is also said to have been Alí,[627] a person devout and learned in the religion of Ismâílísm; he found a livelihood in the country of Ráí. The judge of this province, Abú Muslem Rází, on account of the contrariety of religion, bore him enmity. At the time when the Imám Mavafek Níshápúrí, one of the most learned Sonnites, flourished in Khorássan, the father (Alí), in order to remove from the suspicions of the enemy, having brought his fortunate son to Níshápúr, into the society of the Imam Movafik, procured him the opportunity of being intent upon his own advantage, whilst he himself, seated in the corner of tranquillity, devoted himself to piety. He never permitted himself speech above the comprehension of the vulgar, for fear that any person might consider them speeches of heretics and infidels, and accuse him of impiety and irreligion. Hassan was a condisciple of Nizam al mulk, of Tús,[628] and Omar Khayám[629] of Níshápúr. As his glorious father had revealed to him that Nizám al Mulkh would rise to a high rank of worldly greatness, and Hassan to a great dignity, visible and invisible, therefore Hassan said to Nizam al mulk: “Whichever of us attains a high dignity, shall divide the fortune by him acquired between us three equally;” and in this sense they bound themselves by a covenant. When khájah became a vizir in the time of Alp Arselan,[630] then Hakím Omar Khayám came to him, and in the corner of contemplative retirement, devoted himself to the acquisition of virtues. Khojah took no notice of his arrival. Hassan expected that Nizam al mulk would call him to his presence; disappointed in this, he, during the reign of Alp Arslan, did not join Khajah, but in the time of Sultan Malik Shah[631] he presented himself in Níshápúr to Khajah, but the latter did not mind the covenant that he had made, nor introduce him to the assembly of the king. Helpless then, the Sayid al táífah, “the chief of the sect,” that is, Hassan, said to Khájah: “Thou belongest to the learned, and to the companions of certainty, and thou knowest that the world is a vile object; should such a meanness be allowable, that thou, on account of rank and the love of sway, shouldst exhibit thyself a violator of promises, and enter the number of those of whom it is said: ‘They break the covenant of God.’”
“Place the hand of faith into the girdle of promise,
And endeavor to be no breaker of thy word.”
Khájah, perplexed, brought him to the court of the Sultan, to whom he said much of Hassan’s sagacity, but also gave information that the man was violent, avaricious, inconsistent, and undeserving of confidence. As Hassan was learned, and an able man of business, therefore his piety and prudence made in a short time a great impression upon the mind of the Sultan, who, in many great and important affairs, acted according to his advice. As the Sultan thought that what Khâja had said of the inconsistency and avarice of Hassan’s character was mere falsehood, and on account of other disorder, some dissatisfaction with Khájah came into the Sultan’s mind. One day he asked Khájah: “In what time art thou able to settle a clear account, such as that of a collector of the receipts and charges of the empire?” Khájah replied: “In two years.” The Sultan said: “That is a long time.” Hassan took an engagement with the king that he would bring it to a conclusion in forty days, under the stipulation that, during this time, all the writers should be at his service. The Sultan gave his approbation to the proposal, and Hassan, faithful to his promise, settled in forty days the account of the finances of the empire with the utmost exactness. Khájah, on hearing this intelligence, was troubled. According to the account of some, a slave of Khájah, who was upon terms of friendship with a servant of Hassan, or according to others, Khájah himself, took the register from the hands of the servant, who was carrying the leaves of it outside the king’s hall,[632] and mutilated the register. The servant brought to Hassan the leaves, without minding their order and without mentioning to him the occurrence; therefore, at the time of presenting the register, Hassan found it mutilated, and intent upon arranging and putting it in order, confused the leaves. The Sultan was impatient to know the receipts, charges, and revenues of the country; but Hassan was not able to answer, and spoke with hesitation. The Sultan, being vexed at meeting with such delay, said: “What is the reason of these difficulties?” As he received no answer, suitable to his questions, he became agitated. Khájah Nizám ul mulk took the opportunity to say: “Intelligent persons, to complete this business, demanded a delay of two years; an ignorant man pretends that, to finish it, forty days are sufficient for this important work: his answer to any question can but be insignificant. I have formerly represented, that in his character there is a total levity, and that his speeches deserve no confidence.”[633] On this account, the Sultan was displeased. Hassan consequently betook himself to flight, and hastened to Rudbar, in which country he found refuge with Abed-ul Malik Atás, who was a follower of the Ismâílíah; from thence he went to Isfahán, and, from fear of the Sultan and of Khájah, he concealed himself in the house of the Ráis Abulfazil. One day, in the midst of conversation, it escaped from his tongue: “If I found two proper friends, I would put in confusion this Turk and his places.” The Ráís Abulfásil ascribed this speech to a derangement of the brain; and, without disclosing his idea to Hassan, he prepared for him aliments, such as are proper for strengthening the brain. Our Sáid Hassan, from his great sagacity, having perceived the intention of his mind, hastened from thence to another place, and afterwards took possession of the fort Almút.[634] The Ráis Abulfazil joined him. Our Sáid then said: “Is my brain deranged, or hast thou not seen how, as soon as I had found two proper friends, I have made good my word?”