shall be his adversary.” His brother Jalal al-Din then added—after that pledge was made—“Whoever speaks against the Shaykh, we will discipline him.”(1) With that, they parted on friendly terms.

The Shaykh emerged while the people were waiting to hear good news. He reached his house accompanied by a large crowd, all of them elated and full of gladness. Through it all he remained composed, stout-hearted, certain of divine victory,(2) never looking to any human for support or relying on such assistance.

His opponents, however, had pursued their designs against him with the utmost zeal: they left no opportunity unused, seeking out anyone from whom they hoped for even the slightest aid.(3) They spoke of him with every sort of abuse, with matters so scandalous that a God-fearing person would be ashamed merely to repeat them—let alone to fabricate and embellish them. There is no power and no might except through Allah.

Those who conspired against him are well known to us and to everyone; their vile deed has become infamous. The same condemnation applies to anyone who helped them—whether by word, defamation, incitement, sending letters, issuing legal opinions, giving testimony, harming some of the Shaykh’s companions and supporters, or by insults, backbiting, and covert agitation. A great deal of this was perpetrated by many people.⦗73⦘(4)

And a number of the righteous and virtuous saw, during this incident and afterward, visions concerning the Shaykh