One of the oldest Qizilbash accounts describes the ascent of Shah Ismail through the dream of a dervish. Not all of the details are fantasy; some have historical roots. Two examples of historicity are the dagger, linking Shah Ismail to his Kurdish ancestry, and the details of Shah Ismail's appearance:
When the mid-day sun shone straight down upon him he perceived an Arab youth riding towards him, who coming up to him said: "Oh! Dervish, arise, for thou art not far from cultivated land." The dervish indicated by signs that he was too feeble to walk. The youth then took his hand, and no sooner was his hand in that of the youth than he felt all his strenghth return. So he arose and was led by the youth towards a hill; when they reached the summit of the hill he looked around and saw that as far as the eye could reach the plains were covered with vendure and roses and tulips, and that gold-embroidered tents and silk canopies had been spread out. Turning to his companion he said: "Oh! Arab youth, no one ever saw such a place as this in the deserts of Mekka and Najaf-i Ashraf. What place is this? and who is the lords of these tents and places?" The young Arab replied, "You will know afterward?" he then walked by the young man's side, until they came to a place, whose cupola out-rivalled the sun and the moon. They then entered, and a delightful apartment met his view, the like of which he had never seen. Golden thrones were arranged side by side, and on one of the thrones a person was seated whose face was covered with a veil. Dede Muhammad, placing his hands on his breast, made a salutation, whereupon an answer to his salutation came from the veiled one, who having bidden him be seated, ordered food to be brought for him. The like of this food he had never seen in his life before. They also brought some cold water, which Dede Muhammad drank, nor had he ever tasted such refreshing water. As soon as he has finished his repast, he saw that a party of men had entered, bringing a boy of about fourteen years of age, with red (surkh) hair, a white face, and dark-grey eyes; on his head was a scarlet cap. Being entered he made a salutation and stood still; the veiled youth then said to him: "Oh! Isma'il, the hour of your 'coming' (hurūc) has now arrived." The other replied: "It is for your Holiness to command." The prince then said: "Come forward." He came forward, and His Holiness taking his belt three times lifted it up and placed it on the ground again.
He then, with his own blessed hands, fastened on the girdle, and taking (Isma'il's) cap from his head, raised it and then replaced it. He wore a Kurdish belt-dagger; this His Holiness took from him and threw to the dervish, saying: "Keep this, for it will stand you in stead." His Holiness then told his servants to bring his own sword, which, when brought, he fastened with his own hands to the girdle of the child. Then he said "You may now depart." Having recited Fatiha he entrusted the child to the two or three persons who had brought him in. when they had taken the child away, he made a sign to the young Arab to lead the dervish back to his caravan; and having brought him to it, said: "This is the caravan from which you were separated." When Dede Muhammad saw the caravan he said: "Oh! Youth, tell me, for God's sake, who that prince was and who the child?" He replied: "Did you not know that the prince whom you saw was no other than the Lord of the Age [The twelfth Imam]?"
No comments:
Post a Comment