Friday, March 26, 2010

Fable 4: What is hell?


Lal Shahbaz Qalandar was a Sufi saint. One winter he was once wandering in the desert with his friend Sheikh Baha ud-din Zakariya.Towards evening they started to build a fire to save themselves from the cold desert night. They gathered some dry wood. However they realised they had nothing with which to start a fire. Now Lal Shahbaz was a great saint who had achieved many supernatural powers. Hence Baha ud-din suggested that Lal Shahbaz turn himself into a falcon, fly to hell & bring back fire. Lal Shahbaz agreed & flew off in search of fires from hell. However he came back empty - handed. When questioned by Baha ud-din he replied "There is no fire in hell. Everyone who goes there brings their own fire, and their own pain, from this world"

Source: Nine Lives by William Dalrymple.[The Red Fairy]

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