Acanthia - 1907 Author:William Stigand Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ALLAH'S REPROOF OF ABRAHAM FOR INTOLERANCE From Sadfs " Gulistan." Allah's friend pitched his tent by a desert way, And entertained wayfarers every day, B... more »ut now seven days of a week had well past And never a stranger had shared his repast. On the eighth day, at dawn, the patriarch rose, And outside the tent-door with longing he throws His glance o'er the desert on every side. At length slowly wending the prophet espied An old man whose back like a willow was bent, With hair and beard white by time's frost besprent. Allah's friend then Marhubah in courtesy spoke, And said in the way of hospitable folk, " O light of mine eyes, turn in here and halt, And bless me by tasting of my bread and salt." The old man assented ; he knew the good heart Of his entertainer (may peace be his part!). The friends of the patriarch came then to greet The weary old pilgrim and gave him a seat. By clapping of hands as they sat on the ground, The meat-tray was brought, the guests ranged around- Bismi Allah devoutly from all lips was heard, Save from the grey pilgrim—from him not a word. Then said father Abraham, " Thou, my good friend, In spite of thine age hast thy manners to mend. For I ne'er saw an old man sit down to a feast And leave the Creator of all things unblessed." The old man replied, " All my words and my prayers I must make in the form which my fire-priest declares.' The prophet turned pale, for this man he then knew To be of the Guebers, sect blackest of hue. As soon of this horror the saint was aware, He drove the old miscreant forth to the air— For with unbelievers of presence impure, To sit down at table he could not endure. Then Gabriel the Angel appeared in the tent, And said to the prophet, " Me Allah has sent To give thee reproof for thy hardness of heart. It is not from ...« less