th a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest."

CHAPTER V

FUDHAYL BEN AYAZ, THE HIGHWAYMAN
(D 803 AD)

In the beginning of his career Fudhayl ben Ayaz was a highwayman, and
used to pitch his tent on the plains between Merv and Abiwerd. He had
collected many other robbers round him; when they brought in booty, he,
as their chief, apportioned it. He never neglected saying the Friday
prayers, and dismissed any of his servants whom he found neglecting
them.

One day his men were lying in wait on the high road when a numerous
caravan arrived and fell into their clutches. In this caravan was a
merchant who had a large sum of money in his purse. Desirous of hiding
it, he fled towards the open plain; there he found a tent and a man
clothed in coarse garments seated in it. The merchant, having explained
the matter to him, was told to leave his money there. He did so, and
returned to the caravan. When he got there he saw that the robbers had
attacked it and taken all the goods, after having bound and laid on the
earth all the travellers. He ransomed them, and helped them to gather
together the remains of their property. When he returned to the tent he
found the robbers there dividing their booty. Seeing this, he said, "Woe
is me! Then he whom I trusted my money to was a robber." He was on the
point of departing when Fudhayl called out to him, "What is the matter?"
"I had come," he answered, "to take back my money which I had deposited
here." "Well," said Fudhayl, "you will find it where you placed it." The
merchant did so. "But," cried Fudhayl's companions, "we did not find any
coined money at all in this caravan; how is it that you hand over such a
large sum?" "This man," answered Fudhayl, "has trusted me in the
simplicity of his heart; now I, in the simplicity of my heart, trust in
the Lord; and just as I have justified the good opinion which the
merchant had of me, I hope the Lord will justify that which I have of
Him."

The conversion of Fudhayl to an ascetic life took place in the following
manner. As he was climbing over a wall to see a girl whom he loved, he
heard a voice pronounce this verse of the Koran: "Is not the time yet
come unto those who believe that their hearts should humbly submit to
the admonition of God?"[13] On this he exclaimed, "O Lord, that time is
come." He then went away from the place, and the appro