During the time of the great Byzantine Empire, one of the Byzantine emperors fell ill with a terrible disease that none of his doctors knew how to treat.
Messengers were sent to all countries to describe in detail the symptoms of this disease.
One messenger arrived at the school of the great al-Ghazali. The fame of this greatest Eastern Sufi sage reached Byzantium.
After listening to the messenger, al-Ghazali asked one of his students to go to Constantinople. When this man named al-Arif arrived at the Byzantine court, he was received with all kinds of honors, and the emperor asked him to carry out treatment. Sheikh al-Arif asked which medicines had already been used and which ones were intended to be used. Then he examined the patient.
Having completed the examination, al-Arif said that it was necessary to convene all the courtiers, and then he would be able to inform how the treatment should be carried out. When all the emperor's associates had gathered, the Sufi said:
“It is best for Your Imperial Majesty to use faith.”
“His Majesty cannot be blamed for a lack of faith, but faith does not help him in the least to heal,” objected the emperor’s confessor.
“In that case,” continued the Sufi, “I am forced to declare that there is only one means in the world to save the emperor, but it is so terrible that I do not even dare to name it.”
Then all the courtiers began to beg him, promise him wealth, threaten and flatter, and finally he said:
“The Emperor will be cured if he bathes in the blood of several hundred children no older than seven years old.”
When the fear and confusion caused by these words had somewhat subsided, the government advisers decided that this remedy should be tried. Some, however, said that no one had the right to take responsibility for such cruelty, prompted, moreover, by a stranger of dubious origin. The majority, however, were of the opinion that all means were fair when it came to saving the life of the great emperor, whom everyone adored and almost deified.
They convinced the emperor despite his resistance, declaring:
“Your Majesty, you have no right to refuse, because your death will be a greater loss for the empire than the death of all your subjects, not to mention your children.”
In the end, they managed to convince him. Decrees were immediately sent throughout the country that all Byzantine children no older than seven years old should be sent to Constantinople to be sacrificed there for the health of the emperor.
The mothers of the doomed children cursed the ruler - a monstrous villain who, for the sake of his salvation, decided to destroy their flesh and blood. Some women, however, prayed to God to grant health to the emperor before the terrible day of execution.
Meanwhile, every day the emperor felt more and more that he should under no circumstances allow such a terrible crime as the murder of small children. Remorse brought him terrible torment, which did not leave him day or night, finally he could not stand it and declared:
“I would rather die myself than allow the death of innocent creatures.”
As soon as he uttered these words, his illness began to weaken, and soon he completely recovered.
Superficial thinkers immediately decided that the emperor was rewarded for his good deed. Others like them explained his recovery by saying that God had mercy on the mothers of doomed children.
When Sufi al-Arif was asked about the reason for the healing of the sovereign, he said:
- Since he had no faith, he needed something of equal strength. Healing came to him thanks to his concentration, combined with the desire of the mothers, who offered fervent prayers for the emperor’s recovery before the terrible day of execution.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru