The Second Awakener – Page 8

teacher quaff without the least hesitation that holy draught from a silver cup, the use of which, according to the precepts of Islam, is forbidden to the faithful. I could not explain the motive which could have induced the Siyyid to manifest such profound reverence in the presence of that Youth – a reverence which even the sight of the shrine of the Siyyidu’sh-Shuhadá’

had failed to excite.

The Youth with the green turban: “Lo, the Truth is more manifest than the ray of light that has fallen upon that lap!”

Shaykh Hasan continues the story:

Three days later I saw the same Youth arrive and take His seat in the midst of the company of the assembled disciples of Siyyid Kázim. He sat close to the threshold, and with the same modesty and dignity of bearing I had witnessed before listened to the discourse of Siyyid Kázim. As soon as his eyes fell upon that Youth, the Siyyid discontinued his address and held his peace. Whereupon one of his disciples begged him to resume the argument which he had left unfinished. ”What more shall I say?” replied Siyyid Kázim, as he turned his face toward the Youth. “Lo, the Truth is more manifest than the ray of light that has fallen upon that lap!” I immediately observed that the ray to which the Siyyid referred had fallen upon the lap of that same Youth whom we had recently visited.

”Why is it,” that questioner enquired, “that you neither reveal His name nor identify His person?” To this Siyyid Kázim replied by pointing his finger to his own throat, implying that were he to divulge His name, they would both be put to death.

I had already heard my teacher observe that so great is the perversity of this generation, that were he to point out with his finger the Promised One and say: “He indeed is the Beloved, the Desire of your hearts and mine,” they would still fail to recognize and acknowledge Him. I saw the Siyyid actually point out with his finger the ray of light that had fallen on that lap, and yet none among those who were present seemed to apprehend its meaning.

⁵¹ Reference to Imám Husayn

⁵² Dawn-Breakers Chapter 2, p 25-27

⁵³ Dawn-Breakers Chapter 2, p28-29

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