him with the best exhortations, and made known to him what he needed to know. He [the youth] reached a degree of gnosis, sincerity, strength of certainty, and worship of Allah, Lord of the worlds, within the period I saw him. Were I to explain what occurred between him and the sheikh, the explanation would grow long, but the little suffices for the much.

Then the Hijazi turned to the sheikh and said to him: "O my master, I would love for you to make known to me: from which place are you, in which town were you born, to which place did you travel, and how was the beginning of your affair until you arrived in this place where you are?" The sheikh said: "If I mentioned to you some of what you asked me about, the discourse would grow long and the book¹ would widen. But I shall mention to you what is easy. Know that I am a man from the countryside (sawād) of Kufa. I traveled to the furthest lands of Yemen, to the lands of India, and to the furthest lands of China. Then I returned, heading for Kufa. I met a virtuous master living in that place; he drew me to himself, and the matter continued to circulate between me and him and the discussion was renewed until I knew from him what I knew and attained from him what I attained. Among what I transmitted was that which cannot be mentioned. This is my story."

The Hijazi said: "O sheikh, I have not seen any wisdom you mentioned, nor any exhortation you gave, nor any parable, except that it is inscribed in the Quran." The sheikh said, with anger manifest in his face: "O Hijazi, you are in a great error regarding your affair." The Hijazi asked: "And how is that, my master?" The sheikh said: "We do not doubt that the Quran is from Allah, uttered by the Messenger of Allah. Is it permissible that there be found of speech, wisdom, exhortations, parables, and guidance a speech that is more magnificent and noble than the speech of Allah — Exalted Glory —? Allah — Exalted Glory — said: «Is not Allah the most just of judges?»² So what wisdom could be above the Creator? And Allah — Exalted Glory — said: «Profound