THE SECOND ASSEMBLY

In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

The narrator of the report said: Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqi related to us from al-Hasan ibn Harun al-Samarra'i, the scribe, who said: I returned to my residence feeling as though I possessed the entire world and its gardens, and I spent my night awaiting the dawn. When the morning shone, I went to his house and sat until the door was opened. When he saw me, he ordered me to enter. I entered, and he led me into another house and took me out to a vast courtyard. There was a garden and a platform (dakka), and there was a chest (ṣaft) upon which a curtain was lowered. From behind the curtain, a lamp was shining, and in front of the chest, a spring of water was flowing. There was the man standing in prayer. When he saw me, he shortened his prayer, stood up, and received me with the finest reception. He brought my seat near, raised my status, and asked about my condition. I informed him of the joy I was in and what I had attained and learned. I asked him to favor me with what he had heard from him.

He said: "With love and honor! Know, may Allah support you, that I was alone with him one day and found an opportunity, so I said: 'O my master, I have thought—may Allah make me your ransom—that you might favor me and make known to me things that fluctuate in my chest, and make it a praiseworthy favor; so please do so.' He said: 'With love and honor! Ask about whatever appears to you.' I said to him: 'O my master, tell me about things I have witnessed from you.' He asked: 'And what are they?' I said to him: 'I see you at certain times and your face changes, your color becomes pale, your character alters, and sadness and gloom appear upon you until I become suspicious of that. Then you return to your color and elation, and joy appears in your face until I think you are intoxicated with wine. What is the cause that necessitates this?'