Folio 6b

…such as a sick person being healed by his prayer; the earth caving in, earthquakes and floods occurring in certain places; plague being driven out by prayer from a place where it has broken out; wild beasts and birds being made subject.*1

Another is the state of the soothsayers. Before the mission of the Prophet, peace be upon him, the soothsayers used to give news of strange things and of things to come; the story of Satih is recorded in the histories. With the blessed coming of the Prophet, peace be upon him, these states ceased, and the soothsayers were no longer able to give news of things beyond the ordinary and of strange matters.*1

Before the mission of the Prophet, the tribe of the jinn used to rise to the sky and overhear certain news from the angels, and since they were in accord and union with the soothsayers, they would pass it on to them. God the Exalted barred them: whenever they sought to rise, they were driven off by fire hurled from the sky. That is why in our time the soothsayers lie in their reports, and no credence is given them.

Another is the evil eye: if an eye marvels at a thing and looks at it with a gaze of wonder, it is especially deadly.

Another is the strange gifts that are given to certain souls alone at the moment of their creation and are not found in others.

It is told that in former times there was a people in the land of India: whoever marched against them would without fail fall ill, the whole army would sicken and turn back. Alexander wished to go to that city. «It is not possible,» they said, «the soldiers will fall ill.» Thereupon he reflected and said: «God knows best, but the cause must be this:*2

when that people set their minds on this deed, they withdraw from the world and spend their concentrated will on this one thought. Their will is this: they fix an image in the mind and make the people sick. The remedy is this: let us go against them with drums, shawms and trumpets, so that their minds are distracted and we may win the victory.» He gave the order, and they gathered every drum and musical instrument there was in his army.*3

Having all kinds of musical suites played, he advanced in that direction. And indeed the people were distracted by the sound of the music and their will could not be gathered to a point; however much they bent their will, it had no effect at all. Alexander won the victory and took the country. It is also told that in Isfahan a certain man, through the science of the stars, became exceedingly…