the attributes of perfection, and found that they were all in the Agent
and proceeded from him, and that he was worthy of them more than any to
whom they should be ascribed.
Also he searched all the attributes of defects, and saw him free from
them and void of them. And how was it possible for him to be otherwise,
since the notion of imperfection is nothing but mere privation or what
depends upon it.
How should he in any degree partake of privation, who is a most simple
being, the very essence himself, and giving a being to everything that
exists, and besides whom there is no existence. _For He is the
Existence, He is the Absolute, He is the Perfection, He is the Beauty,
He is the Glory, He is the Power, He is the Knowledge, He is He, and all
Things perish beside Him._ (Koran.)
FIFTH SEPTENARY.
_Hayy is completely taken up with the Contemplation of the Superior
Intellectual World._
Thus far he had advanced in his knowledge by the end of the _fifth
septenary_ from his birth, that is when he was thirty-five years old.
And the consideration of this supreme being was then so fixed in his
mind that it hindered him to think of any other thing, so that he forgot
altogether the consideration of their existence and of their nature,
until in the end it came to this, that as soon as he cast his eyes upon
any thing of any kind whatsoever, he at once saw in it the prints of
this Agent, and in a moment his thoughts were diverted from the Creature
and transferred to the Creator, so that his heart was altogether
withdrawn from thinking on this inferior world, which contains the
objects of sense (inferior sensible world), and entirely taken up with
the contemplation of the superior intellectual world.
_Hayy examines all his Senses and Faculties._
Having now attained the knowledge of this supreme being of permanent
existence, which has no cause of its own existence, but itself is the
cause of the existence of all other things, he was next desirous to know
by what means he came to this knowledge and by what faculty he had
apprehended this being.
Therefore he first examined all his senses, viz. his hearing, seeing,
smelling, tasting, and feeling, and saw that all these apprehended
nothing but what was bodily or what is in the body.
For the hearing apprehended nothing but sounds, and these arose from the
agitation of the air, by the friction of bodies. The sight apprehends
colours, the smelling odours; the taste savours, the touch temperatures
of the body, hardness and softness, roughness and smoothness. Nor does
the imagination apprehend anything which has not length, breadth, and
thickness.
Now all these things which are thus apprehended are the adjuncts of
bodies, and our senses apprehend nothing else, because they are
faculties diffused through our bodies and divided according to the
division of bodies, and therefore cannot apprehend anything else but
divisible body. For as this faculty is diffused through the visible
body, it must necessarily, whenever it apprehends anything, be divided
as the faculty is divided. Therefore every faculty which is seated in
the body can apprehend nothing except a body, or what is inherent in a
body.
Now it has already been shown that this necessarily existent being is
free from all material qualities in any respect, and consequently cannot
be apprehended except by something which is neither matter nor any
faculty inherent in matter, or in any way dependent upon it, neither
within it nor without it, neither joined to it nor separated from it.
It appeared also to him that he apprehended this supreme being, and that
he gained a firm knowledge of it by that which was his own essence. It
was therefore clear to him that his essence was something incorporeal
without any material quality; and whatever material thing he apprehended
by his outward sense, was not in reality his essence; but that it was
something of an incorporeal substance, whereby he apprehended that
absolute and perfect being that is necessarily and of itself existent.
Having thus learnt that his real essence was not a corporeal substance
perceived by his senses and compassed about by his skin, his body seemed
to him something altogether contemptible, and so he wholly addicted
himself to the contemplation of that noble essence whereby he
apprehended that noble and necessarily existent being. Then he
considered within himself, whether this noble essence could possibly be
dissolved, corrupted, and vanish altogether, or whether it were of
perpetual duration.
Now he knew that corruption and dissolution were properties of bodies,
and consisted in putting off one form and putting on another; as for
instance when water is changed into air and air into water, or when
herbs are turned into earth or ashes, and earth into herbs--for this is
the true notion of corruption. But an incorporeal being, independent of
body and altogether free therefrom, cannot be liable to corruption.
Having thus quite assured himself that his real essence could not be
corrupted, he desired to know in what condition it would be itself when
it left the body and was separated therefrom; but now he knew that it
was not so, until the body was no longer a fit instrument for its use.
Therefore weighing in his mind all his apprehensive faculties, he saw
that every one of them apprehended its object, sometimes potentially,
sometimes actually--as when the eye is shut or turns itself away from
the visible object, it is potentially apprehensive--which means, though
it does not actually apprehend it at present, yet is able to do so for
the time to come. And when the eye is open and turned toward the effect,
it is actually apprehensive, which means, it apprehends it at present.
And so it is with all the other faculties.
Furthermore he saw that if any of these faculties never actually
apprehended its proper object, yet so long as it is potentially
apprehensive, it has no desire to apprehend any particular object,
because it has no knowledge thereof, as is seen in a man who is born
blind. But if it did ever actually apprehend, and becomes afterwards
potentially apprehensive, it is inclined to apprehend its object
actually, because it has been acquainted with the object and is intent
upon it, as a man, who has before enjoyed his sight, continually desires
visible objects after he is blind; and the more glorious, perfect, and
beautiful the object is, the more his desire increases and the greater
is his grief for the loss.
So if we can find out anything which has an unlimited perfection,
infinite beauty, brightness and splendour, that does not proceed from
it, then he who is deprived of the sight and knowledge of that thing,
after having once known it, must necessarily suffer inexpressible
anguish, so long as he remains destitute thereof; whereas he that has it
continually present before him, must needs enjoy uninterrupted delight,
perpetual felicity, boundless joy and gladness.
HAYY RETURNS TO THE SENSIBLE WORLD.
As to the end of his story, I will tell you all about it, with the help
of God.
When _Hayy_ returned to the Sensible World, after his digression into
the Divine World, he began to loathe the burden and troubles of this
mortal life on earth, and to be filled with a most earnest and
passionate desire of the life to come; and he strove to return to the
same state in the same way as at first, until he attained thereto with
less labour than he had done formerly. And he continued in it the second
time longer than at the first.
Then he returned to the Sensible World; and then again he sought to
re-enter into that state of speculation, and found it easier than the
first and second time, and continued therein much longer.
In this way it grew easier and easier unto him, and his remaining
therein became longer and longer, until at last he could attain it
whenever he desired, and remain therein as long as he pleased, except
when the necessity of his body required it. Those necessities, however,
he had restrained within so narrow a compass that a narrower could
hardly be imagined.
And, while in this state he often wished that God, the Almighty and
Glorious, would altogether detach him from this body of his that called
him away from that place, so that he might wholly and continually give
himself up to his delight, and might be freed from all that pain and
grief with which he was afflicted, as often as he was forced to turn his
mind from that state to attend on his bodily necessities.
SEVENTH SEPTENARY.
_Asal and Salaman appear on the Scene._
Thus he continued in this state until he had passed the _seventh
septenary_ of his age, that is, until he was fifty years of age. Then it
happened that he made the acquaintance of Asal. And the account of this
meeting with him we shall now relate, with the help of God.
They report that there is an Island near unto that where _Hayy Ibn
Yokdhan_ was born--according to one of those two different accounts as
to the manner of his birth--unto which had retired one of those pious
sects that had for its founder some of the ancient Prophets (the Mercy
of God be upon them!), a sect which used to discourse on all things that
had a new existence in nature and by way of parables to represent their
images to the imagination, so that their impressions fixed themselves in
the minds of men. This sect spread itself in that Island and began to
prevail and become famous, till at length the King himself entered it
and forced his subjects also to adhere to it.
Now there were born in that same Island two men of great endowments and
excellence, great lovers of goodness--their names were _Asal_ and
_Salaman_. Meeting with this sect, they embraced it most heartily,
addressing themselves to the punctual observance of all its precepts and
the continuous exercise of the works required thereby; and to that end
they entered into a bond of friendship with each other. They studiously
made careful inquiries into the passages contained in the law of that
sect, amongst others on the descriptions of God, the Almighty and the
most Glorious, and His angels; on the resurrection, and the rewards and
punishments of a future life.
_Nature and Character of Asal and Salaman._
Now, of the two _Asal_ was the one who made a deeper search into the
inside of things, was more given to studying mystical meanings and
senses of words, and diligently endeavoured to interpret them.
_Salaman_, on the other hand, his fellow student, mostly observed the
outward things, never troubling himself about such interpretations, and
abstained from a curious search and speculation of things. Apart from
this difference, however, both were constant in performing those
ceremonies prescribed, and strove to fight against their unruly passions
and affections.
_Further Differences of Asal and Salaman._
Now, in this law there were contained some sayings which seemed to
exhort and encourage men to affect retirement and a solitary life, and
to intimate that salvation and happiness were to be attained thereby;
other sayings, again, seemed to encourage men unto conversation and
fellowship and applying themselves to embrace human society.
_Asal_ addicted himself wholly to retirement, and he preferred those
sayings which tended thereunto, seeing that he was by nature inclined to
perpetual contemplation, and searching into the meanings of things; for
he had great hopes of attaining to his ends by selecting a solitary
life.
_Salaman_, however, applied himself to conversation and human society
and those sayings of the law that tended that way, because he had a
natural aversion to contemplation and more subtle inquiries into things;
and it occurred to him that society and company tended to drive away
evil thoughts, and banished that diversity of opinions which intruded
themselves into his mind and kept him from attending the motions and
suggestions of evil spirits. And in the end their disagreement on this
particular point caused them to depart one from another.
_Asal repairs to Hayy's Island._
Now _Asal_ had heard of that Island wherein it is reported that Hayy
grew up. He knew the fruitfulness and conveniences thereof and the
health-giving temper of its air, so that it would afford him such a
resting-place as he wished to find. He decided, therefore, to go
thither and to withdraw himself from company and society for the
remainder of his days.
Therefore, gathering all his goods together, with a part thereof he
hired a ship to convey him to that Island, whilst the rest he
distributed among the poor people. Then he took his farewell from his
friend Salaman and went abroad. The mariners transported him safely unto
the Island, set him ashore, and departed.
There he continued serving God, the Almighty and Glorious, sanctifying
him and meditating upon his glorious names and attributes, without being
in any way interrupted or disturbed. When he felt hungry he took of the
fruits of the Island or he got by hunting as much as satisfied his
hunger.
In this state he remained for some time, enjoying the greatest possible
pleasure and complete tranquillity of mind, arising out of the
communication he had with his Lord; and every day experiencing his
favours and most precious gifts, he easily brought to his hand such
things as he wanted and were necessary for his support, which confirmed
his belief in him and gave him great comfort.
_Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ in the meantime was wholly taken up with sublime
speculations, and never stirred out of his cave but once a week, to take
unto him such food as most readily presented itself. Thus it happened
that _Asal_ did not light upon him at first. For walking round the
utmost parts of the Island, and compassing the extremes thereof, he
neither met any man nor could he perceive the footsteps of any one:
which increased his gladness of mind, and he was delighted with what he
had proposed unto himself--that was solitude and retirement.
_Hayy and Asal meet._
At last it came to pass at a certain time that, _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_
stepping out of his cell to look out for some food in the same place to
which _Asal_ had retired, they spied one another.
_Asal_, for his part, had no doubt but that the man he saw was some
religious person given to solitude who had retired into that Island as
he had done himself. He was afraid, therefore, lest if he should come up
to him and make himself known, it might spoil his meditation, and thus
become an impediment to him in accomplishing his desires.
But, as for _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, he could not imagine what it was: for of
all the creatures he had ever beheld in his life, there was none that
resembled him in the least.
Now _Asal_ was clothed in a black coat, made up of hair and wool, which
he fancied was a natural cover; at which _Hayy_ stood a long time in
utter wonder and astonishment. Thereupon _Asal_, being afraid lest he
should disturb his meditation and divert his attention therefrom, turned
his back and fled. _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ ran after him, driven by an innate
desire to know and find out the truth of things.
When he saw, however, that _Asal_ fled from him with all his might in
such haste, he retired a little into the background and hid himself
there, so that _Asal_ thought he had gone off altogether and gone far
away from that place where he had seen him. _Asal_ therefore began to
betake himself, as his custom was, unto his prayers and reading, to
invocation and weeping, to supplication and complaining, and these
exercises had quite turned him away from any other thing.
_Hayy catches hold of Asal._
In the meantime _Hayy_ drew near little by little, while _Asal_ did not
perceive him at all, until at length he came so near as to hear his
reading and the prayers he uttered. He also took notice of his humble
gesture and his weeping, whence he heard a pleasant voice, consisting of
words quite distinct, such as he had never observed before in any kind
of animals. Then, beholding his shape and lineaments, he observed that
he was of the same form with himself. He was satisfied that the coat
with which he was clothed was not a natural skin, but an artificial
habit like unto his own clothing. And when he observed the decency and
comeliness of his behaviour and his supplication and weeping, he did not
at all question but that he was one of the Essences, which had the
knowledge of the _True One_.
Therefore, he felt a passionate desire to get acquainted with him, to
find out what was the matter with him and what was the cause of that
weeping and supplication. Thereupon he came nearer unto him, until
_Asal_, observing it, took to his heels again. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_,
endowed with vigour and power, both of knowledge and body, bestowed upon
him by God--pursued him with all his might, till at last he overtook
him, seized him, and held him fast that he could not make again his
escape from him.
_Hayy and Asal stroke one another._
Thereupon, when _Asal_ looked upon him and beheld him clothed with the
skins of wild beasts with the hair on, and his own hair so long that it
covered part of his body, and observed his great swiftness and strength,
he was greatly afraid of him and began to pacify him by stroking him,
and to entertain him in words. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ did not understand
a word of what he said nor knew any of his meaning, only he perceived
the tokens of his fear and endeavoured to allay his fear with such
voices as he had learned from some of the animals: he gently stroked his
hand, his head, and the sides of his neck, and showed kindness unto him
and expressed much gladness and joy, till at last _Asal's_ fear was
assuaged, and he perceived that he intended no evil to him.
_Hayy and Asal try to understand each other._
Now _Asal_, in his earnest desire to obtain the knowledge of things, had
studied most languages and was skilful of them. So he began to speak to
_Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, and to interrogate him concerning his condition in
every tongue he knew, and asked him questions concerning his doings and
ways of life, and took pains to make himself understood by him. But it
was all in vain: for _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, taking notice of all this,
stood all the time wondering at what he heard, being quite at a loss to
know what it all meant. He observed only the serenity of his countenance
and manifest signs of goodwill. Thus they stood wrapped in wonder,
looking at one another.
_Asal makes Hayy eat of his food._
Now _Asal_ had by him some of the remainder of the food which he had
brought along with him, from the inhabited Island from whence he came.
This he offered now to _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, but he did not know what it
was; for he had never seen anything of that kind before. Then _Asal_,
eating some of it himself, invited _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ to take some of it
with him. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ bethought himself of those laws which
he had prescribed to himself concerning the taking of his food, and
seeing he knew not the nature of those things that were set before him,
and whether it was lawful for him or not to partake thereof, restrained
himself from eating. Whereupon _Asal_ continued urging him on and kindly
invited him thereunto.
_Hayy Ibn Yokdhan at last joins Asal at dinner, but repents afterwards._
At last _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, being desirous and very anxious to get
acquainted with him, and, besides, being afraid that in continuing to
insist on his refusal, he might alienate his affections from him,
ventured to partake of that meat and to eat thereof. But as soon as he
had tasted it and found it very pleasant to his taste, he recognised
that he had done amiss by breaking his contract and the resolution and
promises he had made to himself concerning his diet. Thus he became
greatly repentant of what he had done, and had a mind of withdrawing
himself from _Asal_, and to betake himself unto his former state by
endeavouring to return to his former exercise of sublime speculation.
_Asal becomes Hayy's Companion and Teacher._
When he found that this intellectual vision did not immediately return
to him, he thought it best to remain with _Asal_ in the sensible world,
until he had thoroughly satisfied himself as to his condition, so that
afterwards there might remain no further inclination towards him, and
then he might return to his former state and apply himself to his former
contemplation without any interruption. So he joined himself to the
company and fellowship of _Asal_: and when _Asal_ saw that he could not
speak, he was fully assured that no danger could arise to his religion
by keeping company with him; and besides he had hopes that it might come
to pass that he should teach him Language, Knowledge, and Religion, when
he should obtain a very great reward and a nearer approach unto God.
So _Asal_ began to teach him to speak, first by showing him particular
things, and pronouncing their names, and by repeating them often unto
him he made him to pronounce them again, which he presently did, until
he had taught him all names, and so by degrees he advanced him so far
that he could speak in a very short time.
_Hayy enlightens Asal on his Inner Life._
Then _Asal_ began to interrogate him concerning his condition, and from
whence he had come into that Island. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, in his
reply, told him that he knew nothing of his own origin, nor of any
father or mother that he had, but only that Roe that brought him up.
Then he described to him his whole state and manner of living, from
beginning to end, and what progress he had made in knowledge, until he
had attained to that degree of conjunction with God.
Then _Asal_ heard from him the declaration of those truths which he
related, of those essences which are separated from the sensible world
and which have the knowledge of the _Essence_, of that _True One_--the
Almighty and Glorious--and heard him give an account of the _Essence_ of
that _True One_--the Almighty and Glorious--with all his attributes, and
had described to him as far as it was possible for him to describe that
which he had witnessed when he had reached the joys of those that are
joined unto God, and the torments and griefs of those that are separated
from him.
_Asal_ then had no doubt but that all those things which were delivered
in his law, concerning the commandment of that Almighty and Glorious
God, his angels and books, his messengers and the last day, Paradise and
Hell--all these were resemblances of what _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ had seen.
And the eyes of his heart were opened, and his mind was enlightened,
when he saw that the things which he apprehended and discerned by
reason, and that which he had received by tradition ("the Original and
the Copy"), agreed very well together. And now the ways of mystical
interpretation became easy unto him, nor was there anything difficult or
remained dark of those precepts which he had received that was not now
quite plain and perspicuous.
In this way his intellectual faculty grew strong and vigorous, and he
began to look upon _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ with such admiration and respect
that he greatly reverenced him, and assured himself that he was _one of
the Saints of God, such as were not molested with any fear upon them,
and who shall not suffer through pain_. (Koran.)
Thereupon he made himself ready to wait upon him, to imitate him, and to
follow his admonitions in the performance of such works as did occur
unto him, in those legal things which formerly he had learned in his
religion.
_Asal tells Hayy of the Island from whence he had come._
Then _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ began to enquire of him concerning his condition
and his manner of living, and _Asal_ gave him an account of the state
of that Island from whence he had come--what kind of people inhabited
it, and what sort of life they led before that religious sect which we
mentioned came among them, and how it was now, since his coming
thereinto.
He also gave him an account of all those things that were delivered in
the law, concerning the description of the divine world, of Paradise and
the fire of Hell (Gehenna), of the awakening and resurrection of
mankind, of their gathering unto Judgment, of the account then to be
given up, of the scales wherein the actions of men should be weighed,
and the way through which they were to pass.