Ibn Sina and What is “Not in the World”

Ibn Sina. Tales


Ibn Sina and What is “Not in the World”

    Whether it was so or not – there was no one in the world before God. In ancient times, there lived a powerful sultan in one country. He had a daughter, beautiful and virtuous, radiant like a ray of light. Over time, she grew up and became a bride. Suitors began to appear. Princes, nobles, and sons of wealthy people sought her hand, but the girl and her father replied to everyone: “We do not need money and wealth – praise be to Allah, we have enough gold and good. We want a learned man who would be wiser than all.”
    Not far from the sultan’s palace lived an old woman, and she had a son named Ibn Sina. No one in the world could compare to him in wisdom, for he had read many books and knew all that was written in them.
    One day, Ibn Sina said to his mother:
    – You know, mother, the suitor that the sultan needs is me. Go to him and propose for me his daughter.
    – Alright, – said the mother and went to the sultan.
    She kissed the ground before the throne and conveyed the words of her son to the sultan. The sultan turned to his daughter and asked:
    – What will you say to this woman’s son? The girl said:
    – Let her son come here, and we will see what he knows!
    The woman went and brought Ibn Sina. The girl addressed Ibn Sina:
    – They say you surpass all people in your knowledge? Is that true?
    – No, – the young man replied, – that is not so. The world is vast; perhaps somewhere else another person knows more than I do!
    The girl asked:
    – They say you have gathered in your memory the knowledge of all people? Is that true?
    – No, – said Ibn Sina. – I cannot know all that they know. There are people in the world who know much more than I do.
    The girl said:
    – They say you know something that no one knows? Is that true?
    Ibn Sina answered:
    – Yes, perhaps that is so.
    – What is it? – asked the girl.
    – I know that I know nothing! – replied the young man.
    At that moment, the sultan entered and asked his daughter:
    – So, is this young man wise?
    – Yes, – the girl replied, – I asked him several questions, and he gave correct answers!
    – I do not care about your questions and his answers, – said the sultan. – If this young man is indeed a sage, let him go and find out all about the creature called “Not in the World” and report to me.
    – I obey! – replied Ibn Sina.
    He returned home from the sultan’s palace and said to his mother:
    – Mother, prepare me some barley cakes and a jug of water. I am going in search of the creature “Not in the World”!
    Ibn Sina left the city and walked farsang three through the desert, and he saw an old man coming towards him. They greeted each other, and the old man asked:
    – O young man, where are you headed?
    – I am going to seek “Not in the World,” – replied Ibn Sina.
    – But you yourself acknowledge that the one you seek is not in the world, – the old man noted.
    – He is not for those who cannot find him. And he is called “Not in the World” only because people cannot find the way to him. This “Not in the World” is a div in the guise of a man. He knows the sciences of “kimia,” “simia,” “chemistry,” and “limia,” – replied Ibn Sina.
    The old man said:
    – O young man, do not tire yourself in vain, better return home.
    But Ibn Sina replied:
    – A wise man never sets out on a journey in vain, but if he has set out, he does not turn back halfway and goes until he reaches his goal.
    Having said this, Ibn Sina went further. He walked for days and nights, traversing deserts and crossing mountains. Finally, he reached the foot of the Pamirs. He looked around and noticed an entrance to a cave, and at the entrance sat a huge shaggy monster. This was the div.
    Ibn Sina approached, bowed to him, and the div asked him:
    – Who are you?
    – Ibn Sina.
    – I know you, – said the div. – But tell me, why have you come here?
    – I am seeking “Not in the World,” – replied Ibn Sina.
    – “Not in the World” is I, – said the div. – Oh, Ibn Sina! You have decided that you have become a sage and wanted to learn from me what you could not learn yourself. Know that knowledge is an endless sea, and you have not yet taken a sip from this sea.
    Then he took Ibn Sina by the ear, tucked him behind his belt like a knife, and carried him into the cave. And in the cave was the palace of the div, and there were countless rooms! The div entered the palace and shouted:
    – Merjana, come here! This man has come for me. Throw him into the pit and guard him. He, like those who came before him, will be our food. Many more people – even better than him! – will come to us for food…
    Merjana was the daughter of “Not in the World.” She threw Ibn Sina into a dry well and came every day to lower him bread and water. One day Ibn Sina said to her:
    – Oh, Merjana, I am very bored here, please give me a saz so that I can play it and sing.
    And Merjana loved playing the saz and singing very much. She went, got a saz, brought it to Ibn Sina, and every day, when “Not in the World” went out to the steppe, he would take the saz, play it, and sing songs. He played and sang so well that he won Merjana’s heart. One day Merjana said to Ibn Sina:
    – I like your art. You must play for me on the saz and sing songs every day.
    – And what will I get for this? – asked Ibn Sina.
    – I will free you from the dungeon!
    – No, – Ibn Sina objected, – if you release me, your father will immediately find out and rush after me faster than the wind, faster than lightning. You better help me become wise and measure knowledge and strength with your father.
    – Alright, – the girl replied, – I will bring my father’s book, give it to you – read and learn all that is written in it…
    Merjana gave Ibn Sina her father’s book, and he began to read it and memorize it. Then he took a kalam and paper from Merjana and copied the entire book at the bottom of the well. One early morning, when “Not in the World” had gone to the steppe, Ibn Sina turned into a dove and flew out of the cave. “Not in the World” looked at the sky and suddenly saw a dove there. “What if this is Ibn Sina?” – he thought.
    He hurried to the cave: one step forward – seven farsangs made. He rushed into the cave and asked Merjana:
    – Where is Ibn Sina?
    – He is in the prisoners’ well, – the girl replied nonchalantly.
    They approached the well, looked – and the well was empty!
    “Not in the World” exclaimed:
    – Wicked girl, you fell in love with this young man and revealed to him all that I knew!
    Having said this, the div turned into a falcon and flew after the dove. And the dove saw him, got scared, dashed into the palace of the shah, and hid in the folds of the shah’s daughter’s dress. Then the falcon took the form of a dervish, took a similar dove, came to the palace, and showed it to the princess:
    – The dove of my dove has flown in here – return her to me!
    Just as the girl was about to take the dove, it turned into a handful of millet and scattered on the ground. Then the dervish turned into a rooster and began to peck at the millet. At that moment, one of the millet grains slipped from under the girl’s feet, turned into a jackal, and the jackal ate the rooster.
    Thus, Ibn Sina managed to destroy “Not in the World.”
    The princess stood, unable to take her eyes off. Suddenly she saw that the jackal had turned into Ibn Sina. She rejoiced, and all who were there went and reported to the sultan. He came to his daughter and listened to Ibn Sina’s tale of his adventures. The sultan took his daughter’s hand, joined it with Ibn Sina’s hand, and asked him:
    – What else do you want?
    – Besides books, I need nothing! – replied Ibn Sina.
    Then the sultan gave his daughter all his books as her dowry instead of pearls, gold, and carpets.
    And Ibn Sina sent for Merjana and, when she was brought, gave her to his brother Mahmud in gratitude for her help.
    This is the tale of Ibn Sina, whose glory spreads throughout the world.