by D. N. Carter
“Then perhaps we can arrange that,” Attar said quietly as he looked at Paul intently as if searching out his every thought. “Saladin himself tries to live by the principles he has himself been taught of tolerance, prosperity, love of knowledge and peace over war…and he has helped greatly in maintaining the renowned al-Azhar University, today the most venerable orthodox institution in the Muslim world. It is where the great Mansur al-Hallaj spent some time. He was a Persian mystic, revolutionary writer and teacher of Sufism, who wrote exclusively in Arabic. He is of course most famous for his poetry, accusation of heresy and for his execution at the orders of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Muqtadir after a long, drawn-out investigation.”
“I am sure I heard Firgany speak of this man…in regard to the Templars and Ashashin but I cannot recall exactly what…but why was he executed if he was a man of peace?” Paul commented.
“That does not surprise me, Firgany speaking of him,” Attar said and paused for a moment. “He was executed for heresy and claiming to be God, though that was not what he claimed at all. You see, he said ‘I saw my Lord with the eye of the heart’ and ‘I asked, “who are you?” He replied, “You”’. That statement drew much attention and condemnation. He was also a prominent figure in Alevism and Bektashism, famous for his saying of ‘I am the Truth’, ‘Anal Haq’, which is confused by orthodox Muslims for a claim to divinity. Sufi Muslims link this quote to the Qur’an verse 50:16 where it says ‘And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and we are closer to him than his jugular vein’. I am sure these sayings sound familiar to you…almost identical to some Christian sayings, yes?” Attar asked.
Tenno shrugged his shoulders as Paul shook his head yes.
“Similar yes,” Paul replied quietly.
1 - 5
“Al-Hallaj was born around 858 in your calendar in the Fars province of Persia to a cotton-carder. Hallaj actually means cotton-carder in Arabic. His grandfather was a Zoroastrian and his father lived a simple life, and this form of lifestyle greatly interested the young Al-Hallaj. As a youngster he memorised the Qur’an and would often retreat from worldly pursuits to join other mystics in study. Al-Hallaj was originally a Hanbali Sufi Muslim and later turned to be a Qarmatian Batiniyya. He later married and made a pilgrimage to Makkah, or Mecca as you call it, where he stayed for one year, facing the mosque, in fasting and total silence. After his stay at the city, he travelled extensively and wrote and taught along the way. He travelled as far as India and Central Asia gaining many followers, many of whom accompanied him on his second and third trips to Makkah. After this period of travel, he settled down in the Abbasid capital of Baghdad. During his early lifetime he was a disciple of Junayd Baghdadi and Amr al-Makki, but was later rejected by them both. Sahl al-Tustari was also one of Al-Hallaj’s early teachers. But as you can probably guess, amongst other Sufis, Al-Hallaj was an anomaly. Many Sufi masters felt that it was inappropriate to share mysticism with the masses, yet Al-Hallaj openly did so in his writings and through his teachings and consequently he made enemies. This was exacerbated by occasions when he would fall into trances which he attributed to being in the presence of God. During one of these trances, he would utter Anā l-Ḥaqq, ‘I am The Truth’, which was taken to mean that he was claiming to be God, since al-Ḥaqq, ‘the Truth’, is one of the Ninety Nine Names of Allah. In another controversial statement, al-Hallaj claimed ‘There is nothing wrapped in my turban but God’ and similarly he would point to his cloak and say, Mā fī jubbatī illā l-Lāh ‘There is nothing in my cloak but God’. This type of mystical utterance is known as shath and it was statements like these that led to a long trial, and his subsequent imprisonment for eleven years in a Baghdad prison. He was publicly executed on March 26th, AD 922.”
“Why do you tell us of this man?” Tenno asked bluntly.
“Why…because it was during the spectacular rise of the Fatimids here, together with the influence of their underground networks, which provoked the largely orthodox Abbasid rulers in Mesopotamia to launch a campaign against ‘heresy’ as they saw it here. With the backing of the strictly orthodox scholars and the legalists of the more exoteric religion, Mansur al-Hallaj was condemned to death. He had penetrated the outer shell that is exoteric Islam, to reveal the inner core. He realised illumination, fana, or what the Sufis know as ‘death to one’s self’ and ‘passing away in the Divine Beloved’, exclaiming ‘I am He whom I love, and He whom I love is. We are two spirits dwelling in one body. When thou seest me thou seest Him, And when thou seest Him, thou seest us both.’ Viewed in mainstream Islamic law, such a declaration is indeed shocking and forbidden. However, understood esoterically it is nothing less than the sentiment of an illumined mystic. Hallaj further offended the legalists with such statements as ‘To claim to know Him is ignorance, to persist in serving Him is disrespectful, to forbid yourself to struggle with him is folly, to allow yourself to be misled by his peace is stupid, to discourse on his attributes is to lose the way.’ So as you can see, he was bound to upset the larger community of the exoteric faithful…and I would caution you that Christians are just as guilty within their exoteric behaviour and condemnations.”
“So what happened to Hallaj…I mean how was he executed?” Paul asked, intrigued.
“As said, he was publicly executed in Baghdad in AD 922 of your calendar which attracted large and sympathetic crowds but he was nevertheless scourged, gibbeted and finally decapitated. As he was near to death, he prayed for mercy…mercy for his executioners. Years after his murder he was openly hailed by Sufis, dissident Muslims, and even some orthodox writers, as a martyr of exoteric incomprehension. But his legacy is great and far reaching. For many years Hallaj had travelled widely and I can tell you that the rumours that he presided over a secret network of missionaries and wandering Sufis was true. Three decades after Mansour al-Hallaj stood upon the gallows in Baghdad, a secret society emerged in the Iraqi city of Basra. Like the Fatimids, the group, known as the Brethren of Purity, or Ikwan as-Safa, dedicated themselves to the pursuit of science as well as political action. They published a veritable encyclopaedia of existing knowledge. Their works covered such subjects as philosophy, theology, astrology, metaphysics, cosmology and the natural sciences, including botany and zoology. The brotherhood recognised truth wherever found, accepting the wisdom in other religions. A seeker of truth must ‘shun no science, scorn no book, nor cling fanatically to a single creed’. They attempted to compile a common doctrine of Islamic esotericism beginning with self-knowledge and the emancipation of the soul from materialism leading to a return to God. The first letter of the brotherhood restated the Sufi axiom of ‘He who knows himself, knows his Lord’. Condemned as ‘heretical’ and burnt by the authorities, their writings enjoyed a wide influence, even reaching Europe.” [84]
“I know…for I have seen their writings…in my father’s study and in Niccolas’s crypt library…where he taught me much also about Sufi mysticism, but he called the Brethren of Purity the Brethren of Sincerity,” Paul remarked and shook his head slightly. His mind flashed back to a small stone carving set upon the far wall of his father’s study with the very words ‘He who knows himself, knows his Lord’. Was there no end to the surprises he kept learning about his father? he pondered momentarily.
“You okay, Paul?” Theodoric asked after a few minutes sat in silence.
“Yes…just my mind wondering back to past events, that is all. Please Attar…will you continue?” Paul replied and looked across at Attar.
“My pleasure…and yes, the Brethren of Purity is but another name for the Brethren of Sincerity,” Attar said and smiled before continuing. “Knowledge is power, yes…you have heard this statement before?” Paul nodded yes. “Good. Traditional esotericism is at one and the same time doctrine and practice. It implies for the whole of the being, body, soul and spirit a fundamentally different way of existence. Running through all cultures are the threads of an ‘underground’ primordial tradition. In our current
‘Dark Age’ of banality and materialism this great spiritual tradition is well concealed, and for good reason lest it is destroyed forever. That which in Europe tries to pass itself off as ‘secret’, ‘occult’ or ‘esoteric’ knowledge is at best vain foolishness, at worst a dangerous counterfeit, a deadly parody of the universal supreme Truth. Nevertheless all things have their reason for being. But as experience has taught me, and as Reynald was all too prone to in his impatience, a newcomer to the vast quantity of occult literature, browsing randomly, will be met with puzzlement and sure enough, impatience and frustration will take over. He or she will only see jumbled together the smallest of drops of all cultures, and occasional fragments of philosophy…perhaps profound but almost certainly subversive to right living in the society in which one finds oneself, and consequently they reject it as nonsense for the feeble and weak minded only. They become its greatest critics. For every fragment of truth there is always a huge cloud of confusion, ignorant speculation and falsity. In the present age of strife, this confusion, ignorance and falsehood is important because it permits the genuine Ancient Secret Tradition to remain hidden and protected. This is something your father knows only too well. We do not need ever more ‘new truths’ but a mutual open and free system that allows a rediscovery of that primordial revelation forgotten or parodied by the ignorant. For, as we Sufis say, ‘everything that comes from the Eternal One yearns to return to Him.’ And Paul, here in what was once the former ancient sacred place known as Heliopolis…here you can learn just exactly what that means,” Attar said quietly and looked across toward the dining area to see if Alisha was visible. “And if you allow me…and Theodoric of course, we can start that learning whenever you are ready.”
Tenno shifted in his chair and looked at Attar with a frown of suspicion.
“You can come along too,” Theodoric said seeing the expression upon Tenno’s face.
“Come along to where?” Alisha asked as she entered the room closely followed by Nyla carrying several long sheets of silk and linen.
“Yes…where?” Sister Lucy then asked folding her arms as she stood behind Alisha and stared hard at Theodoric.
Paul stood up.
“To the university here…and…and that is it,” he blurted out.
“Look, Paul…look at these wonderful silks…can we purchase them… please,” Alisha asked excitedly as she approached Paul, holding out a bright blue silk for him to feel.
Paul felt the silk and looked at Alisha as she smiled at him, her eyes ablaze with an excitement he had not seen in a long while. He caught sight of Theodoric standing up and winking at him as he mouthed he would leave, pulling Attar up physically as he moved beside him. All looked to the open doors into the small courtyard as Percival appeared looking awkward, his hands held together as he stepped inside.
“Sorry…I was just wondering if…if Nyla was free now…to talk to, that is all,” he asked and raised his hands quickly.
All turned and looked at Nyla. She smiled and blushed.
“Time for bed I think,” Theodoric said aloud, Sister Lucy immediately hitting his arm as he walked near to her pulling Attar with him. “Bed for some of us…I mean us…not you two, I mean,” he said pointing to Percival then Nyla in turn.
“Move!” Sister Lucy ordered and ushered him and Attar into the dining hall.
“I shall retire also,” Tenno said as he stood up slowly, nodded at Percival and walked toward the open doors. “We shall continue this discussion in the morrow…yes?” he asked, looking at Paul.
“Yes, yes we shall,” Paul answered.
Tenno left the room as Percival and Nyla looked at each other, smiling. Alisha finally noticed how they were staring at each other. She pulled Paul’s arm to follow her and led him toward the dining hall.
“Please, we shall be away to our chambers. Feel free to stay and acquaint yourselves more…if that is what you wish?” she asked Nyla.
Nyla shook her head partly embarrassed but also pleased as Percival stood silently with a large grin upon his face just as Ishmael stood beside her.
“I shall wait for you in the main hallway…to escort you home safely when you have finished with Percival,” Ishmael said quietly to Nyla and bowed his head.
Alisha and Paul looked at Nyla and Percival as they moved towards each other. Alisha looked up at Paul and smiled having seen the clear affection Nyla and Percival had for each other. She flicked one of the silks over Paul’s shoulder and silently beckoned him to follow her as she clasped his hand.
Chapter 51
Not All you Fight are your Enemy
Port of La Rochelle, France, Melissae Inn, spring 1191
“It beggars belief that we fight at all,” Gabirol remarked and rubbed his right hand through his thick dark hair, looking puzzled.
“Indeed. ’Tis why Paul and many other knights questioned much…not their faith in God, but certainly their faith in their leaders,” the old man replied.
“I am interested in what kind of ships Paul went on to help design then?” the Genoese sailor asked and sat back in his chair.
“Well, he and Alisha as well as the rest of the group all seemed to settle into a regular and settled routine. Sister Lucy had been overjoyed at being present for Arri’s first birthday and she was already planning for his second. Tenno insisted on escorting Paul to and from his work daily but eventually conceded to taking it in turns with Ishmael, whilst Theodoric helped Alisha and Nyla start up and grow their new textile business,” the old man explained and smiled.
“And what of Thomas, his men and Percival?” the wealthy tailor asked.
“Percival spent most of his days training and learning from Thomas and his men. They all in turn helped train with Husam’s naval fleet and doing regular patrols to the west for all pilgrims, both Muslim and Christian, against some of the many undesirable elements and pirates along the Nile and Red Sea routes.”
“So Percival did not get lucky with that Nyla then?” Simon asked bluntly.
“Lucky,” the old man answered and paused. “I can tell you he and Nyla grew very close, very quickly. Percival would often escort her and sure enough, they both fell deeply in love.”
“Ah that is nice to hear,” Sarah said and sighed with a large smile as she rested her chin upon her hands.
“Hey, don’t forget that Percival hides a secret…,” Peter interrupted loudly and raised his eyebrows.
“Oh yes…will you reveal what secret?” Sarah asked the old man.
“By the end of this tale you will all know…but at that time, well, it was a time of relative ease…peaceful even and when rumour grew that Saladin was seeking a truce again, it cheered all. And Arri,” the old man said and shook his head smiling as if he was thinking back upon happy memories. “He grew so fast it was frightening. Tenno had him sat upon Adrastos, causing Paul heart failure on several occasions, as his little body sat up high…he did fall once, but Tenno caught him instantly.”
“What happened with that Sufi mystic then…Attar?” Peter asked.
“Oh he lived in Fustat mainly and frequently met Paul after work as Husam’s main residency and dry docks were as you know situated there.
“And the pyramids…did Paul go exploring?” the farrier asked.
“Every day Paul could see the pyramids. He walked around them with Alisha escorted by Theodoric and Tenno, and Attar took Paul around the other pyramids several times alone…not that Alisha knew at the time of course,” the old man explained.
“Yes, but what about any ships he helped design…or was he just a draughtsman like all the others?” the Genoese sailor asked again, interrupting.
“True to his word, Husam gave Paul total freedom to experiment and design as he felt inspired. Paul learnt very fast and had a natural instinct in what worked and what did not…and the calculations necessary came easy to him. And despite Reynald’s constant raids and truce breaking, at least peace remained in the city. Paul tried daily to recall every detail of Kratos’s sh
ip and after several months he had a working plan drawn up, which drew a lot of sceptical doubts from Husam’s other ship architects and designers, but Husam saw merit in his design and commissioned one to be built, if only to test Paul’s theory.”
“Was that wise…copying Kratos’s vessel which was obviously far more advanced than anything we have. It could have tipped the balance of naval power in favour of Muslim forces?” the Hospitaller asked.
“Yes, it could have…but like all those who try to build a flying vessel based upon the study of birds, they nevertheless do not succeed do they? Besides, as I said, Saladin managed to secure a truce through Raymond and Balian in the latter part of 1180…one that Saladin genuinely hoped would hold.”
“I suppose…but it was still a risk, yes?” the Hospitaller replied.
“You would be surprised to learn how much technology and engineering both sides shared with each other…,” the old man replied and shook his head. “You know, I can tell you that there are those in Outremer who wished to maintain the status quo, so that neither side would get the advantage and that hopefully one day they would actually join as one…the greatest strength in fighting your enemy, is to exploit his weakness we were taught, yet as I say, by sharing much of each other’s knowledge, it balanced the power both sides had. It was done that way to avoid total and absolute extinction of the other’s belief…”
“That is mad. If we had the opportunity to totally wipe Islam off the face of the earth, we should have done so…surely?” the farrier remarked, perplexed.
“And if it had gone the other way?” the Templar commented and looked at the old man then the farrier.
“Precisely! Besides, there are truths in both faiths,” the old man said softly. “Paul made sure he kept himself up to date on all the political machinations and developments that were ongoing…and he kept a special ear out for any mention or hint of Turansha…which was to come soon enough.”