Table of Contents

Introduction; Chapter 1 The lament of the reed-flute is a symbol of the soul’s sorrow at being Part ed from the Divine Beloved; Chapter 2 The king and the sick servant-girl, on the redemptive power of love; Chapter 3 The greengrocer and the parrot, on the dangers of false analogy; Chapter 4 The Jewish king and the Christians, on the peril of consorting with cunning hypocrites; Chapter 5 The lion and the beasts, on the true nature of trust in God; Chapter 6 Solomon and the Angel of Death; Chapter 7 The merchant and his parrot, on dying to live again; Chapter 8 The Bedouin and his wife, on the conflict between reason and passion; Chapter 9 The grammarian and the boatman; Chapter 10 The man who wanted to be tattooed, on the necessity of self-discipline; Chapter 11 The lion, the wolf and the fox, on the three faculties of man; Chapter 12 The man who said, ‘It is I’; Chapter 13 Joseph and the mirror; Chapter 14 Harut and Marut reproved; Chapter 15 The deaf man who visited a sick neighbour; Chapter 16 The Greek and the Chinese artists, on the difference between theologians and mystics; Chapter 17 Muhammad and the vision of Zaid, on concealing the secrets of God; Chapter 18 The fire that consumed Medina, on quenching lust; Chapter 19 Ali and the infidel who spat in his face, an example of chivalry; Chapter 20 The fall of Adam, and the true friend; Chapter 21 Omar and the man who thought he saw the new moon; Chapter 22 The man who stole a snake, on the answer to prayer; Chapter 23 Jesus and the dead bones, the fool’s prayer answered; Chapter 24 The Sufi and his unfaithful servant, on the peril of associating with evil companions; Chapter 25 The king and his falcon, on penitence; Chapter 26 The saint and the halwa, an example of true charity; Chapter 27 The Sufis and the dervish’s ass, on the mortal peril of greed; Chapter 28 The scoundrelly bankrupt and the Kurd, on the same; Chapter 29 The ruined house, on false happiness; Chapter 30 The man who killed his mother, on morti

About the Author

Arthur J. Arberry