166 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. |April, 1912. 
After my father’s death twelve years more or less I 
devoted myself to teaching the religious and intellectual books. 
I went deep in each knowledge and went on attending the holy 
shrine of my father, and during those days I acquired success 
in Divinity and openness of heart, as well as a large share 
and ptidaoncagie et in sifiism; and ‘many many ecstatic dis- 
Gavin were ma 
After perusal ‘of the books of the four religions | and the 
principles of their jurisprudence as well as the Hadis that are 
their authority, the ways of the jurists well versed in tradi- 
tions, by thehelp of Divine light, proved i to my mind. 
After this I felt a longing for visiting the two respectable 
places of pilgrimage [Mecca and Madina], and at the end of 
the year 43, was honoured by Haj; in the year 44, I had 

of attendi the narration of is by sh Abt 
Tahir* (may his tomb be sanctified) aid by other reverend 
persons of the holy places. In the meantime I devoted my- 
p 
self to the illuminated shrine of the ei of mankind, the best 
prayer and everlasting benedictions be on Him, and received 
many graces. I had an enchanting association with the learned 
[men] and other residents of the holy places and put on the all- 
comprising gown of Shaikh Abii Tahir which may be called to 
comprehend all the garments of the Sufis. After performing 
ne at the end of this year I turned to my beloved home in 
he beginning of the year 45 and reached safe and sound on 
Friday, the on of Raja 
Speak ye of the aifts of God! The greatest gift on me 
is that I was svat with the robes of invention, and success 
Him) from God and [which He] taught. It is a science that 

author refers to the four classes of the Sunni sect, i.e. 
Hanafi, Sha, ae and Hanbali. The founder of Hanafi sect was 
al-Nu‘man bin Sabit. He was born at Kifa a.n. 
“ie AD. aching erie” ko at Baghdad a.n. 150, a.p. 767. The Shafi‘? 
sect was founded by Imam Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi‘i. He was 
bec at rere in Palestine aH. 150, ap. 767, and died at Cairo 
204, 819. The Maliki sect was founded by Imam Abt 
eAbdullah Malik bin Ans. He was born in Madina a.u. 94, A.D. 
716, and died there a.u. 179, ap. 795. The Hanbali sect was 
founded by Imam Abii ‘ Abdullah Ahmad bin Hanbal. He was born in 
Baghdad a.u. 164, A.p. 789, and died a.H 241, A.D. 855. 
is full name is Abi Tahir Muhammad bin Ibrahim al-Kurdi 
al-Madani, died a.H. 1145, a.p. 1732. Vide Insan al-‘ain, p. 13. 
