Iḵẖwanu-ṣ-safā, or Brothers of purity / translated from the Hindūstānī of Ikrām 'Alī, by John Platts; carried through tne press by Edward B. Eastwick.

  • Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʼ.
Date:
1875
    Let the learned be asked for the exposition of this (passage).” And so a learned doctor, in accordance with the king’s command, explained the purport of this text in the following manner:—“The day on which God (may He be exalted) formed Adam, was an auspicious one. The stars, each in its lofty man¬ sion, were shining forth brightly, and were most favourably disposed for the elementary principles to receive the forms impressed; hence the form came forth comely, the statue erect, and the limbs perfect.1 But the words rendered “ in the most perfect symmetry,” are shown by the following text to be capable of another interpretation :—“ God (may He be exalted) made man of moderate proportions,”2 neither very tall nor very short. The monarch observed that “such comely proportion and suitable¬ ness of the members, sufficed to prove superior excellence.” The animals urged, “ Such is our case, too. The Most High God has bestowed on us, too, limbs, each in proportion, and adapted to their use. As regards this excellence, we and they are on a par.” 1 Here the following words should be inserted, to agree with the Arabic version :—Badshah ne Icahd to yih unJce fazilat aur karamat aur iftikhar Ice luje kafi hai—Is par hakim Jinni ne kalid lekin, Sfc. 2 Al Koran; chap, lxxxii. (The Cleaving) verses 7 and 8. “ O, roan! what hath seduced thee against thy gracious Lord, who hath created thee, and put thee together, and rightly disposed thee 1 In what form lie pleased hath He fashioned thee.”—Sale's Translation. It will be observed that the Urdu translator omits the translation of the last six words of the Arabic.
    The men replied, “ Where is the proportionality of the members in your case? Yours are most for¬ bidding forms, disproportioned heights, ill-shaped and awkward legs. For among you is the camel, which has great height, a long neck, and a short tail; and the elephant, with a body of immense height, and bulk, and weight, two long tusks projecting beyond the mouth, large broad ears, and little bits of eyes; and the ox and buffalo, with long tails, thick horns, and no teeth in the upper jaw; and the fat-tailed ram, with heavy horns and fat buttocks. And there is the he-goat, which has a long beard, and is wanting in buttocks; and the hare, which has but little height and long ears. Similarly, there are many carnivorous and herbivorous beasts, and many birds, whose height and build are out of proportion, one member bearing no proportion to another.” On the instant of hearing this, one of the animals exclaimed, “Alas!1 that you should think so lightly of God’s handiwork! We are His creatures, and from Him proceed the comeliness and perfection of our members. To vilify us is, in reality, to vilify Him. Do you not know that God of His wisdom 1 Here again M. Ikram ’All has given his imagination full play. The whole of the passage, from “Alas” to “our members,” is pure invention! The Arabic has, “ Far is this from the truth! The most beautiful parts of our forms have escaped thee, and the justest proportions of them are hidden from thee. Dost thou not know, that when thou vilifiest the creature, thou in reality vilifiest the Creator?” &e. 2
    created everything for some special reason? None save the learned and Himself can comprehend His secret purpose” The same man hereupon observed, “ If you are the sage of the animals, perhaps you will inform us what the advantage is in making the camel’s neck long.” The animal replied, saying:—“ The reason is, because his legs were long. If his neck were short, it would be difficult for him to graze; so his neck has been formed long, that he may feed with advantage. Again, with the power of that same neck he rises up from the ground, and can apply his lips to, and scratch, any part of his body. In the same way, the elephant’s trunk is long, to supply the place of a neck; and his ears are large, to enable him to drive away flies and mosquitoes, so that none may enter his eyes and mouth; for this, by reason of his tusks, remains ever open; and his tusks are long, to the end that he may defend himself from harm from rapacious beasts. So the hare’s ears are made long, for the reason that, having a delicate body and a thin skin, she may cover herself with them in winter, and spread them out as a bed in summer. In short, God (may He be exalted) has bestowed on every animal such limbs as He saw fit. On this point, speaking by the mouth of the prophet Moses, He declares “ It was our Lord who bestowed on everything its form, and then guided it aright.”1 The purport of which is, that He gave to
    each creature the form which he saw best adapted to it, and then guided it into the right path. As to that which you consider beauty, and pride yourselves upon, and which you, in your arrogance, believe proves you our lords, and us your slaves,—it is erroneous. Beauty with each species is that which is admired among its own kind, and by reason of which its members become drawn one to another. This is the reason of the propagation of the species. For the fair form of one species is not admired in another. Each animal sets his heart on the female of his own kind, and does not covet the female of another, even if she be more beautiful. Thus man, too, desires his own kind. Those who are black do not approve of those who are white; and those who are white do not set their affections on those who are black.1 Thus, your beauty of form is not a consequence of your lordliness, that you should consider yourselves superior to us.” “ And as to your assertion that you possess keen¬ ness of perception in larger measure,2 it too is false. Certain of the animals have the perceptive faculties in greater perfection than you have. Such is the camel, which in spite of his having long legs, and a long neck, and a head raised aloft,3 is able, of dark nights, 1 A passage more suited to Oriental than European taste is here omitted. 2 See Note 26. The Urdu version had not made the man assert his superior keenness of perception. 3 Literally,—“ Which converses with the air.” The meaning of the
    by perceiving where his feet should be placed, to travel over almost impracticable roads; whereas, you stand in need of lamps and torches. Such, again, is the horse, which hears from afar the tread of any¬ one approaching. Oft has it happened that he has heard the approach of an enemy, and, rousing his master, has saved him from the foe. If an ox or an ass be taken but once on a strange road, and let loose, as soon as he is free he finds his way back to his crib without any trouble or bewilderment. (Whereas) you may have passed over a road ever so often, yet if occasion arise for you to travel that road again, you become perplexed, and lose your way. Sheep and goats bring forth hundreds of young in a night, and go forth to pasture on the (following) morning; yet when they return at eve, the young ones recognise their dams, and each dam recognises its own young. Whereas, if one of you return home after a short period of absence, the recollection of mother, sister, father, brother, has faded from his mind! Where, then, are the discernment and keen perception which you vaunt so much?1 If you possessed any under¬ expression which is given in “ Shakespear’s Dictionary,” will not apply here. The Arabic has “and an elevated head.” 1 Here an important passage has been omitted in the Urdu. The Arabic has, “ and as regards what you mentioned of your superior under¬ standings, why we perceive no trace or indication of it. For if ye pos¬ sessed superior understanding, ye would not boast, &e.” The Urdu is :— Aar cjhalaba-i-akl hi jiska turn nr zikr kii/d-uskd agar o ’alamat kuchh