Global and Historical Studies: China and the Islamic Middle East Reader

The pulse of modern life is economic and the fundamental princi­ple of economic production is individual independence. Its effect has penetrated ethics. Consequently the independence of the indi­vidual in the ethical field and the independence of property in the economic field bear witness to each other, thus reaffirming the the­ory [of such interaction]. Because of this [interaction], social mores and material culture have taken a great step forward.

In China, the Confucianists have based their teachings on their ethical norms. sons and wives possess neither personal individuality nor personal property. Fathers and elder brothers bring up their sons and younger brothers and are in turn supported by them. It is said in chapter thirty of the Book ef Rites that “While parents are living, the son dares not regard his person or property as his own.” [27:14] This is absolutely not the way to personal independence ….

In all modern constitutional states, whether monarchies or republics, there are political parties. Those who engage in party activities all express their spirit of independent conviction. They go their own way and need not agree with their fathers or husbands. When people are bound by the Confucian teachings of filial piety and obedience to the point of the son not deviating from the father’s way even three years after his death1 and the woman obeying not only her father and husband but also her son, how can they form their own political party and make their own choice? The movement of women’s participation in politics is also an aspect of women’s life in modern civilization. When they are bound by the Confucian teaching that “To be a woman means to submit,” that “The wife’s words should not travel beyond her own apartment,” and that “A woman does not discuss affairs outside the home,” would it not be unusual if they participated in politics?

In the West some widows choose to remain single because they are strongly attached to their late husbands and sometimes because they prefer a single life; they have nothing to do with what is called the chastity of widowhood. Widows who remarry are not despised by society at all. On the other hand, in the Chinese teaching of deco­rum, there is the doctrine of “no remarriage after the husband’s death.” It is considered to be extremely shameful and unchaste for a woman to serve two husbands or a man to serve two rulers. The Book of Rites also prohibits widows from wailing at night [XXVII: 21] and people from being friends with sons of widows. [IX:21] For the sake of their family reputation, people have forced their daughters-in-law to remain widows. These women have had no free­dom and have endured a most miserable life. Year after year these many promising young women have lived a physically and spiritually abnormal life. All this is the result of Confucian teachings of decorum [or rites].

In today’s civilized society, social intercourse between men and women is a common practice. Some even say that because women have a tender nature and can temper the crudeness of man, they are necessary in public or private gatherings. It is not considered improper even for strangers to sit or dance together once they have been introduced by the host. In the way of Confucian teaching, how­ever, “Men and women do not sit on the same mat,” “Brothers-and sisters-in-law do not exchange inquiries about each other,” “Married sisters do not sit on the same mat with brothers or eat from the same dish,” “Men and women do not know each other’s name except through a matchmaker and should have no social relations or show affection until after marriage presents have been exchanged,” “Women must cover their faces when they go out,” “Boys and girls seven years or older do not sit or eat together,” “Men and women have no social relations except through a matchmaker and do not meet until after marriage presents have been exchanged,” and “Except in religious sacrifices, men and women do not exchange wine cups.” Such rules of decorum are not only inconsistent with the mode of life in Western society; they cannot even be observed in today’s China.

Western women make their own living in various professions such as that of lawyer, physician, and store employee. But in the Con­fucian way, “In giving or receiving anything, a man or woman should not touch the other’s hand,” “A man does not talk about affairs inside [the household] and a woman does not talk about affairs out­side [the household],” and “they do not exchange cups except in sac­rificial rites and funerals.” “A married woman is to obey” and the husband is the standard of the wife. Thus the wife is naturally supported by the husband and needs no independent livelihood.

A married woman is at first a stranger to her parents-in-law. She has only affection but no obligation toward them. In the West parents and children usually do not live together; and daughters-in-­law, particularly, have no obligation to serve parents-in-law. But in the way of Confucius, a woman is to “revere and respect them and never to disobey day or night,” “A woman obeys, that is, obeys her parents-in-law,” “A woman serves her parent-in-law as she serves her own parents,” she “never should disobey or be lazy in carrying out the orders of parents and parents-in-law.” “If a man is very fond of his wife, but his parents do not like her, she should be divorced .” (In ancient times there were many such cases, like that of Lu Yii [1125-1210].) “Unless told to retire to her own apartment, a woman does not do so, ·and if she has an errand to do, she must get permis­sion from her parents-in-law.” This is the reason why the tragedy of cruelty to daughters-in-law has never ceased in Chinese society.

According to Western customs, fathers do not discipline grown­up sons but leave them to the law of the country and the control of society. But in the way of Confucius, “When one’s parents are angry and not pleased and beat him until he bleeds, he does not complain but instead arouses in himself the feelings of reverence and filial piety.”18 This is the reason why in China there is the saying, “One has to die if his father wants him to, and the minister has to perish if his ruler wants him to” …

Confucius lived in a feudal age. The ethics he promoted is the ethics of the feudal age. The social mores he taught and even his own mode of living were teachings and modes of a feudal age. The political institutions he advocated were those of a feudal age. The objec­tives, ethics, social norms, mode of living, and political institutions did not go beyond the privilege and prestige of a few rulers and aristocrats and had nothing to do with the happiness of the great masses. How can this be shown? In the teachings of Confucius, the most important element in social ethics and social life is the rules of decorum and the most serious thing in government is punishment. In chapter one of the Book of Rites, it is said that “The rules of deco­rum do not go down to the common people and the penal statutes do not go up to great officers.” (I:35] Is this not solid proof of the [true] spirit of the way of Confucius and the spirit of the feudal age?

The mother of Mencius lived in Zou in a house near a cemetery. When Mencius was a little boy he liked to play burial rituals in the cemetery, happily building tombs and grave mounds. His mother said to herself, “This is no place to bring up my son.”

She moved near the marketplace in town. Mencius then played merchant games of buying and selling. His mother again said, “This is no place to bring up my son.”

So once again she moved, this time next to a school house. Mencius then played games of ancestor sacrifices and practiced the common courtesies between students and teachers. His mother said, “At last, this is the right place for my son!” There they remained.

When Mencius grew up he studied the six arts of propriety, music, archery, charioteering, writing, and mathematics. Later he became a famous Confucian scholar. Superior men commented that Mencius’s mother knew the right influences for her sons. The Book of Songs says, “That admirable lady, what will she do for them!”

When Mencius was young, he came home from school one day and found his mother was weaving at the loom. She asked him, “Is school out already?”

He replied, “I left because I felt like it.”

His mother took her knife and cut the finished cloth on her loom. Mencius was startled and asked why. She replied, “Your neglecting your studies is very much like my cutting the cloth. The superior person studies to establish a reputation and gain wide knowledge. He is calm and poised and tries to do no wrong. If you do not study now, you will surely end up as a menial servant and will never be free from troubles. It would be just like a woman who supports herself by weaving to give it up. How long could such a person depend on her husband and son to stave off hunger? If a woman neglects her work or a man gives up the cultivation of his character, they may end up as common thieves if not slaves!”

Shaken, from then on Mencius studied hard from morning to night. He studied the philosophy of the master and eventually became a famous Confucian scholar, Superior men observed that Mencius’s mother understood the way of motherhood. The Book of Songs says, “That admirable lady, what will she tell them!”

After Mencius was married, one day as he was going into his private quarters, he encountered his wife not fully dressed. Displeased, Mencius stopped going into his wife’s room. She then went to his mother, begged to be sent home, and said, “I have heard that the etiquette between a man and a woman does not apply in their private room. But lately I have been too causal, and when my husband saw me improperly dressed, he was displeased. He is treating me like a stranger. It is not right for a woman to live as a guest; therefore, please send me back to my parents.”

Mencius’s mother called him to her and said, “It is polite to inquire before you enter a room. You should make some loud noise to warn anyone inside, and as you enter, you should keep your eyes low so that you will not embarrass anyone. Now, you have not behaved properly, yet you are quick to blame others for their impropriety. Isn’t that going a little too far?”

Mencius apologized and took back his wife. Superior men said that his mother understood the way to be a mother-in-law.

When Mencius was living in Qi, he was feeling very depressed. His mother saw this and asked him, “Why are you looking so low?”

“It’s nothing,” he replied.

On another occasion when Mencius was not working, he leaned against the door and sighed. His mother saw him and said, “The other day I saw that you were troubled, but you answered that it was nothing. But why are you leaning against the door sighing?”

Mencius answered, “I have heard that the superior man judges his capabilities and then accepts a position. He neither seeks illicit gains nor covets glory or high salary. If the dukes and princes do not listen to his advice, then he does not talk to them. If they listen to him but do not use his ideas, then he no longer frequents their courts. Today my ideas are not being used in Qi, so I wish to go somewhere else. But I am worried because you are getting too old to travel about the country.”

His mother answered, “A woman’s duties are to cook the five grains, heat the wine, look after her parents-in-law, make clothes, and that is all! Therefore, she cultivates the skills required in the women’s quarters and has no ambition to manage affairs outside of the house. The Book of Changes says, ‘In her central place, she attends to the preparation of the food.’ The Book of Songs says, ‘It will be theirs neither to do wrong nor to do good, I Only about the spirits and the food will they have to think.’ This means that a woman’s duty is not to control or to take charge. Instead she must follow the ‘three submissions.’ When she is young, she must submit to her parents. After her marriage, she must submit to her husband. When she is widowed, she must submit to her son. These are the rules of propriety. Now you are an adult and I am old; therefore, whether you go depends on what you consider right, whether I follow depends on the rules of propriety.”

Superior men observed that Mencius’s mother knew the proper course for women. The Book of Songs says, “Serenely she looks and smiles, I Without any impatience she delivers her instructions.”

1

3

Abu Hurairah said,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, was one day sitting outside among the people when a man came to him and asked, What is faith (Iman)? He said:

“Faith is that thou believe in Allah and His angels and in meeting with Him and (in) His messengers and that thou believe in being raised to life (after death).”

He asked, What is Islam? (The Prophet) said:

“Islam is that thou shalt worship Allah and not associate aught with Him and (that) thou keep up prayer and pay the zakat as ordained and fast in Ramadzan.”

He asked, What is ihsan (goodness)? (The Prophet) said:

“That thou worship Allah as if thou seest Him; for if thou see Him not, surely He sees thee.”

4

Ibn `Umar said,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“Islam is built on five (things), the bearing of witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and keeping up of prayer and the payment of zakat and the pilgrimage and fasting in Ramadzan.”

5

Anas reported on the authority of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, He said:
“None of you has faith unless he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”

Abū Mālik said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him,

“Purification is half the faith.”

9

Ibn ‘Umar said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“Prayer is not accepted without purification, nor (is) charity (accepted) out of what is acquired by unlawful means.

10

Abu Dharr said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

Pure earth serves the purpose of a Muslim’s ablution, though he may not find water for ten years. When he finds water, he should wash with it his body, for that is better.”

11

Sa’īd ibn Zaid said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“That man has not performed ablution who does not remember Allāh in doing it.”

11a

Yahyā al-Māzinī reported that

A man said to ‘Abd Allāh ibn Zaid, Canst thou show me how the Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, performed ablution? ‘Abd Allāh ibn Zaid said, Yes. So he sent for water and poured it over his hands and washed his hands twice, then he rinsed his mouth and sniffed water into his nose thrice, then he washed his face thrice, then he washed his hands up to the elbow twice, then he wiped his head with both his hands so that he carried them from the front and brought them back he began with his forehead until he carried them to his neck, then he brought them back to the place from which he had started then he washed his two feet.

12

It is reported about Ibn `Umar that he used to say,
The Muslims when they came to Madinah used to gather together and they made an appointment for prayers; no call was given for it. So they talked about it one day. Some of them said, Have a bell like the bell of the Christians; others said, Rather a bugle like the horn of the Jews; `Umar said, Would you not appoint a man who should sound a call for the prayer. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said, “O Bilal! get up and give a call for prayer.”

13

Abu Mahdhurah said,
I said, O Messenger of Allah! Teach me the way of delivering the adhan. He said, So he touched his forehead (and) said:

“Thou shouldst say:
`Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.’
Thou shouldst raise thy voice with it; then thou shouldst say,
`I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’
Thou shouldst lower thy voice with it; then thou shouldst raise thy voice with the bearing of witness,
`I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer, Come to prayer; Come to success, Come to success’.
Then if it is morning prayer, thou shouldst say,
`Prayer is better than sleep’, `Prayer is better than sleep’;
(Then thou shouldst say),
`Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, there is no God but Allah.'” 

14

Abū Hurairah reported that

A man entered the mosque, and the Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, (was) sitting in a corner of the mosque; …….. he said, Teach me, O Messenger of Allāh! He said:

“When thou risest for the prayer, then perform the ablution in a right manner, then turn thy face towards the Qiblah, then say Allāhu Akbar, then recite what thou canst afford of the Qur’ān, then bow down until thou art at rest in bowing down (rukū’), then raise thyself up until thou art firm in the standing posture, then fall down in prostration until thou art at rest in prostration, then raise thyself up until thou art at rest in sitting, then fall down in prostration until thou art at rest in prostration, then raise thyself up until thou art at rest in sitting; and, according to one report, then raise thyself up until thou art firm in the standing posture; then do this in the whole of thy prayer.”

15

‘Ubādah reported that

‘The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“There is no prayer for him who does not recite the Opening (chapter) of the Book.”

16

Abu Musa said,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, fell ill and his illness became severe; so he said:

“Tell Abu Bakr that he should lead the prayer for the people.”  . . . So the messenger came to him, and he (Abu Bakr) led the prayer for the people in the lifetime of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him.

17

Abu Hurairah said on the authority of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, (who said):

“There is a man who gives a charity and he conceals it so much so that his left hand does not know what his right hand spends.”

18 and 18a

Abu Hurairah reported,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“Removal from the way of that which is harmful is charity.” (B. 46 : 24.)

Jabir said,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“Every good deed is charity, and it is a good deed that thou meet thy brother with a cheerful countenance and that thou pour water from thy bucket into the vessel of thy brother.”

19

Abu Hurairah said,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“The man who exerts himself on behalf of the widow and the poor one is like the one who struggles in the way of Allah, or the one who keeps awake in the night (for prayers) and fasts during the day.”

20

Abu Musa reported,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“Sadaqah is incumbent on every Muslim.”

They (his companions) said, O Prophet of Allah! And (what about him) who has not got (anything to give)? He said:

 “He should work with his hand and profit himself and give in charity.”

They said, If he has nothing (in spite of this). He said:

“He should help the distressed one who is in need.”

They said, If he is unable to do this. He said:

“He should do good deeds and refrain from doing evil–this is charity on his part.”

21

Abū Hurairah reported,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“Fasting is an armour with which one protects oneself; so let not him (who fasts) utter immodest (or foul) speech, nor let him act in an ignorant manner; and if a man quarrels with him or abuses him, he should say twice, I am fasting. And by Him in Whose hand is my soul, the odour of the mouth of one fasting is sweeter in the estimation of Allāh than the odour of muskh–gives up his food and his drink and his (sexual) desire for MY sake; fasting is for Me and I will grant its reward; and a virtue brings reward ten times like it.”

Abū Hurairah said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“He who does not give up uttering falsehood and acting according to it, Allāh has no need of his giving up his food and his drink.”

22

‘Atā’ said,

One should break the fast on account of illness, whatever it may be, as Allāh has said. And Hasan and Ibrāhīm said, concerning the woman who gives suck and the one with child, when they fear about themselves or their child, they should break the fast, then fast on other days. And as to the very old man when he cannot bear fasting–Anas, after he became old, fed one who was needy, for a year or two daily with bread and meat, and broke the fast.

23

Ibn `Abbas reported,
Al-Aqra` asked the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, O Messenger of Allah! Is the pilgrimage to be performed every year or only once? He said :

“Only once; and whoever does it more than once, it is supererogatory.” 

24

Ibn `Umar reported about the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him,
A man asked him, What should a man wear in the state of ihram? He said:

He shall not wear shirt, nor turban, nor trousers, nor head-gear, nor any cloth dyed with wars or saffron; and if he does not find shoes, let him wear leather stockings, and he should cut them off so that they may be lower than the ankles.”

25

Ibn `Umar reported,
`Umar said, speaking of the Corner (the Black Stone), I call Allah to witness that I know that thou art a stone — thou canst not harm or profit; and if I had not seen the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, kissing thee, I would not have kissed thee, then he kissed it.

26

‘Alqamah said,

While I was going along with ‘Abd Allāh, he said, We were with the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, and he said:

“He who is able to marry should marry, for it keeps the eye cast down and keeps a man chaste; and he who cannot, should take to fasting, for it will have a castrating effect upon him.

27

Muhammad b. ‘Ali narrated on the authority of his father ‘Ali that Allah’s Apostle  on the Day of Khaibar prohibited forever the contracting of temporary marriage and eating of the flesh of domestic donkeys.

28

Jābir said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said When one of you asks a woman in marriage, then if he is able that he should look into what invites him to have her in marriage, he should do it.”

29

Mughīrah reported,

He made a proposal of marriage to a woman, and the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“See her, for this is more likely to bring about agreement between you.”

30

Abū Hurairah reported,

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said

“The widow shall not be married until she is consulted, and the virgin shall not be married until her consent is obtained.”

They said, O Messenger of Allāh! How shall her consent be obtained? He said. “(It is sufficient) that she remains silent.”5

31

Khansā’ reported,

Her father gave her away in marriage, and she was a thayyib, and she did not like it. So she came to the Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, and he annulled her marriage.

32

‘Ā’ishah said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“Select (fit) women (in respect of character) for your seed, and marry (your) equals and give (your daughters) in marriage to them.”

33

Abū Hurairah reported,

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“A woman is married on account of four things; on account of her wealth, and on account of (the nobility of) her family, and her beauty, and on account of her character, so attain success with the one possessing nobility of character.”

34

Ibn `Umar reported,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“With Allah, the most detestable of all things permitted is divorce.” 

35

Thauban said,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“Whatever woman asks for divorce from her husband without any harm, the sweet odour of paradise shall be forbidden to her.”

36

Ibn `Umar reported,
He divorced his wife while she was menstruating. `Umar mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, so the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, became displeased on account of this and said:

“He should take her back, then keep her until she is clean, then menstruates and (again) becomes clean; if it then appears to him that he should divorce her, he should divorce her while she is in a clean condition; before he approaches her. This is the `iddah as Allah has commanded it.

37

Ibn `Abbas said,
The (procedure of) divorce in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, in that of Abu Bakr and for two years in the caliphate of `Umar ibn al-Khattab, was that divorce uttered thrice (on one occasion) was considered as one divorce. Then `Umar said, People have made haste in a matter in which there was moderation for them; so we may make it take effect with regard to them. So he made it take effect with regard to them.

38

`Ali said,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, cursed the man who committed halalah and the one for whom halalah was committed.

39

Ibn al-Musayyab said,
When a person is found missing while fighting, his wife shall wait for one year.

40

Miqdam reported,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“No one eats better food than that which he eats out of the work of his hand.”

41

Ma`mar said,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said,

“Whoever withholds cereals that they may become scarce and dear, is a sinner.”

42

Hudhaifah said,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“The angels met the soul of a man from among those who were before you, (and) they said, Hast thou done any good? He said, I used to give respite to the one in easy circumstances and forgive one who was in straitened circumstances. So they forgave him.”

43

Sa`id ibn Huraith said,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“Whoever sells a house or a land yielding revenue, then he does not invest the price on a thing akin to it, he is not likely to be blessed therein.”

44

Abu Hurairah reported,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“Allah says, There are three persons whose adversary in dispute I shall be on the day of resurrection : a person who makes a promise in My name then acts unfaithfully, and a person who sells a free person then devours his price, and a person who employs a servant and receives fully the labour due from him then he does not pay his remuneration. 

45

abir reported,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, cursed the usurer and the man who pays usury and the writer of the transaction and the two witnesses thereof and he said:

“They are alike.”

46

Abu Hurairah reported,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him,

“Excess of water should not be withheld, arresting thereby the growth of herbage.

46b

Anas said,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“There is no Muslim who plants a tree or cultivates land, then there eat of it birds or a man or an animal but it is a charity for him.”

47

Ibn ‘Abbās said,

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“The man who takes back what he has gifted is like one who returns to his vomit.”

48

Usāmah said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“To whomsoever good is done and he says to the doer of it, May Allāh reward thee, he has done his utmost in praising.”

49

Sa’d ibn Abī Waqqās said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, used to visit me at Makkah, in the year of the Farewell pilgrimage, on account of (my) illness which had become very severe. So I said, My illness has become very severe and I have much property and there is none to inherit from me but a daughter, shall I then bequeath two-thirds of my property as a charity? He said, “No”. I said, Half? He said, “No”. Then he said:

“Bequeath one-third and one-third is much, for if thou leavest thy heirs free from want, it is better than that thou leavest them in want, begging of (other) people; and thou dost not spend anything seeking thereby the pleasure of Allāh but thou art rewarded for it, even for that which thou puttest into the mouth of thy wife.”

50

‘Amr ibn Shu’aib .reported,

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

Whoever holds illicit intercourse with a free woman or a slave-girl, the child (thus born) is illegitimate, and be does not inherit, nor is he inherited.”

51

Jābir said,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said:

“Of whatever thing a large quantity intoxicates, even a small quantity is prohibited.”

52

Salmān reported,

The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, said “The blessing of food is the washing of hands before it, and the washing of hands after it.”

53

Abū Sa’īd al-Khudrī said,

When the Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings of Allāh be on him, finished his meal, he used to say: “All praise is due to Allāh Who has given us to eat and to drink, and made us Muslims.”

54

Abu Hurairah said,
A man came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, and said, O Messenger of Allah! Who has the greatest right that I should keep company with him with goodness? He said,

“Thy mother”

He said, Who then? He said,

“Thy mother.”

He said, Who then? He said,

“Thy mother.”

He said, Who then? He said,

“Then thy father.”

55

Aswad said,
I asked `A’ishah, What did the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, do when in his house? She said, he served his wife, meaning that he did work for his wife.

56

Ibn `Umar reported,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he does him no injustice, nor does he leave him alone (to be the victim of another’s injustice); and whoever does the needful for his brother, Allah does the needful for him; and whoever removes the distress of a Muslim, Allah removes from him a distress out of the distresses of the day of resurrection; and whoever covers (the fault of) a Muslim, Allah will cover his sins on the day of resurrection.”

57

Abu Dharr said,
. . . . The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said to me:

“. . . Your slaves are your brethren, Allah has placed them under your control; so whoever has his brother under his control should feed him from what he eats and should give him clothes to wear from what he wears, and do not impose on them a task which should over-power them, and if you impose on them such a task, then help them (in doing it).”

58

`Abd Allah reported,

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“Surely truth leads to virtue, and virtue leads to paradise, and a man continues to speak the truth until he becomes thoroughly truthful; and surely falsehood leads to vice, and vice leads to the fire, and a man continues to tell lies until he is written down a great liar with Allah.”

59

Ibn `Umar reported,
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, say:

“Every one of you is a ruler and every one of you shall be questioned about those under his rule; the king is a ruler and he shall be questioned about his subjects; and the man is a ruler in his family and he shall be questioned about those under his care; and the woman is a ruler in the house of her husband, and she shall be questioned about those under her care; and the servant is a ruler so far as the property of his master is concerned, and he shall be questioned about that which is entrusted to him.”

60

Ibn `Umar reported,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“To hear and obey (the authorities) is binding, so long as one is not commanded to disobey (God); when one is commanded to disobey (God), he shall not hear or obey.”

61

Abu Hurairah reported,
He heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, say:

He who obeys me obeys Allah, and he who disobeys me disobeys Allah; and he who obeys the amir obeys me, and he who disobeys the amir disobeys me; and the imam is an armour for protection — the battle is fought for his defence and through him protection is sought. So if he commands the doing of duty to Allah and does justice, he has a reward for it; and if he does otherwise, he shall suffer the evil consequences of it.”

62

`Ali said,
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“Obedience is due only in that which is good.”

63

Abu Sa`id said,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:

“The most excellent jihad is the uttering of truth in the presence of an unjust ruler.”

64

Abu Burdah said,
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, sent Abu Musa and Mu`adh ibn Jabal to Yaman, and he appointed each one of them to govern a part of Yaman, and he said, Yaman was divided into two parts; then he said :

“Be gentle (to the people) and be not hard (on them), and make (them) rejoice and do not incite (them) to aversion.”

65

It is reported about `Umar that when he appointed his governors, he laid down upon them certain conditions:

You shall not ride a horse that is not of Arabian breed; you shall not eat bread made of fine flour; you shall not wear fine clothes; and you shall not shut your doors against the needs of the people. If you do any of these things, punishment shall descend on you.

Then he went forth with them to bid them farewell.

66

And with the same chain from the Prophet, peace be on
him, who said: No child is born without Satan touching him at
the moment it is born, so it begins to cry at the touch of Satan.
Excepted (Virgin) Mary and her son (Jesus).

67

Ibn Mas’ood reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says: There is not one of you who does not have a jinn appointed to be his constant companion. They said, and you too, O Messenger of Allah? He said, me too, but Allah has helped me and he has submitted, so that he only helps me to do good.”

68

’Abd Allah Ibn Maslama related to us from Malik, from ‘Abd Alah Ibn Dinar, from ‘Abd Allah Ibn ‘Umar- may God be pleased with them both- who said, ‘I saw the messenger of God- may God bless him and grant him peace!- pointing towards the East. And he said, ‘Right there, truly discord is right there. Yes, discord is from right there where the horn of Satan rises.’

69

Abu Kurayb Muhammad Ibn Al-‘Ala and Ishaq Ibn Ibrahim both said, ‘Abu Mu’awiya told us that al’A’mash related to us from Abu Sufyan from Jabir who said that the messenger of God- may God bless him and grant him peace!- said, ‘Iblis places his throne upon the waters. Then he sends forth his flying columns. To those who are best at sowing discord, he has granted a place close to him. One of them comes and says,’ I have done such and such’. Then he replies, ‘You have not accomplished anything.’ He said, “then another of them comes and says, ‘I did not leave him until I had caused division between him and his wife.’ He said, ‘Then Iblis brings him close to himself and says, ‘You have done well’

Article 1. We do not consider anyone to be an infidel on account of sin; nor do we deny his faith.

Article 2. We enjoin what is just and prohibit what is evil.

Article 3. What reaches you could not possibly have missed you; and what misses you could not possibly have reached you.

Article 4. We disavow none of the Companions of the Apostle of Allah; nor do we adhere to any of them exclusively.

Article 5. We leave the question of ‘Uthmān and ‘Alī to Allah, who knoweth the secret and hidden things.

Article 6. Insight in matters of religion is better than in-sight in matters of knowledge and law.

Article 7. Difference of opinion in the Community is a token of divine mercy.

Article 8. Whoso believeth all that he is bound to believe, except that he says, I do not know whether Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) do or do not belong to the Apostles, is an infidel.

Article 9. Whoso sayeth, I do not know whether Allah is in Heaven or on the earth, is an infidel.

Article 10. Whoso sayeth, I do not know (about) the punishment in the tomb, belongeth to the sect of the Jahmites, which goeth to perdition.

From Islam by John Williams

Man is a creature of emotion. Yet it is according to reason that husband and wife are joined together or put asunder. According to the rules of propriety which have been set down by the Sage, a gentleman should have both a primary wife and concubines as well. Even men from poor and humble families long to possess concubines. I am old and approaching the end of my life, but I have never had a concubine. I will carry regret for this into my grave.

My wife is jealous and has destroyed the Way of a good family. Yet this mother of five children is still in my house. For the past five years her conduct has become worse and worse day after day. She sees white as black and wrong as right. I never err in the slightest, yet she lies about me and nags me without end. It is like falling among bandits on the road, for I constantly encounter unpredictable disasters through this woman. Those who slander us good officials seem to have no regard for the deleterious effects this has on the welfare of the country. Likewise, those who indulge their jealousy seem to have no concern for the unjust strain this puts on other people’s lives.

Since antiquity it has always been considered a great disaster to have one’s household be dominated by a woman. Now this disaster has befallen me. If I eat too much or too little or if I drink too much or too little, she jumps all over me like the tyrant Hsia Chieh. If I play some affectionate joke on her, she will gossip about it to everyone. She glowers with her eyes and clenches her fists tightly in anger over things which are purely the product of her imagination. I feel a severe pang in my heart, as though something is poisoning my five viscera. Anxiety cuts so deeply that I can hardly bear to go on living. My rage is so great that I often forget the calamities I might cause.

When she is at home, she is always lounging in bed. After she gave birth to my principal heir, she refused to have any more children. We have no female servants at our home who can do the work of weaving clothes and rugs. Our family is of modest means and we cannot afford a man-servant, so I have to work myself like a humble commoner. My old friends see my situation and feel very sorry for me, but this woman has not the slightest twinge of sympathy or pity.

Wu Ta, you have seen our one and only female servant. She has no hairpins or hair ornaments. She has no make-up on her face, looks haggard, and is in bad shape. My wife does not extend the slightest pity to her, nor does she try to understand her. The woman flies into a rage, jumps around, and yells at her. Her screaming is so shrill that even a sugar-peddler’s concubine would be ashamed to behave in such a manner.

I should have sent this woman back long ago, but I was concerned by the fact that the children were still young and that there was no one else to do the work in our house. I feared that my children, Chiang and Pao, would end up doing servants’ work. Therefore I retained her. But worry and anxiety plunge like a dagger into my heart and cause me great pain. The woman is always screaming fiercely. One can hardly bear to listen to it.

Since the servant was so mistreated, within half a year her body was covered with scabs and scars. Ever since the servant became ill, my daughter Chiang has had to hull the grain and do the cooking, and my son Pao has had to do all sorts of dirty work. Watching my children struggle under such labor gives me distress.

Food and clothing are scattered all over the house. Winter clothes which have become frayed are not patched. Even though the rest of us are very careful to be neat, she turns the house into a mess. She does not have the manner of a good wife, nor does she possess the virtue of a good mother. I despise her overbearing aggressiveness, and I hate to see our home turned into a sty.

She relies on the power of Magistrate Cheng to get what she wants. She is always threatening people, and her barbs are numerous. It seems as if she carries a sword and lance to the door. Never will she make a concession, and it feels as if there were a hundred bows around our house. How can we ever return to a happy family life?

When the respectable members of our family try to reason with her, she flings insults at them and makes sharp retorts. She never regrets her scandalous behavior and never allows her heart to be moved. I realize that I have placed myself in a difficult position, and so I have started to plan ahead. I write you this letter lest I be remiss in keeping you informed of what is happening. I believe that I have just cause, and I am not afraid of criticism. Unless I send this wife back, my family will have no peace. Unless I send this wife back, my house will never be clean. Unless I send this wife back, good fortune will not come to my family. Unless I send this wife back, I will never again get anything accomplished. I hate myself for not having this made this decision while I was still young. The decision is now made, but I am old, humiliated, and poor. I hate myself for having allowed this ulcer to grow and spread its poison. I brought a great deal of trouble on myself.

Having suffered total ruin as the result of this family catastrophe, I am abandoning the gentry life to live as a recluse. I will sever relationships with my friends and give up my career as an official. I will stay at home all the time and concentrate on working my land to supply myself with food and clothing. How can I think of success and fame?

Translated by Lily Hwa

From the Google Books preview:

A
Nieh Ch’ueh asked Wang Ni, “Do you know what all things agree in calling right?”

“How would I know that?” said Wang Ni.

“Do you know that you don’t know it?”

“How would I know that?”

“Then do things know nothing?”

“How would I know that? However, suppose I try saying something. What way do I have of knowing that if I say I know something I don’t really not know it? Or what way do I have of knowing that if I say I don’t know something I don’t really in fact know it? Now let me ask you some questions. If a man sleeps in a damp place, his back aches and he ends up half paralyzed, but is this true of a loach? If he lives in a tree, he is terrified and shakes with fright, but is this true of a monkey? Of these three creatures, then, which one knows the proper place to live? Men eat the flesh of grass-fed and grain-fed animals, deer eat grass, centipedes find snakes tasty, and hawks and falcons relish mice. Of these four, which knows how food ought to taste? Monkeys pair with monkeys, deer go out with deer, and fish play around with fish. Men claim that Mao-ch’iang and Lady Li were beautiful, but if fish saw them they would dive to the bottom of the stream, if birds saw them they would fly away, and if deer saw them they would break into a run. Of these four, which knows how to fix the standard of beauty for the world? The way I see it, the rules of benevolence and righteousness and the paths of right and wrong are all hopelessly snarled and jumbled. How could I know anything about such discriminations?”

Nieh Ch’ueh said, “If you don’t know what is profitable or harmful, then does the Perfect Man likewise know nothing of such things?”

Wang Ni replied, “The Perfect Man is godlike. Though the great swamps blaze, they cannot burn him; though the great rivers freeze, they cannot chill him; though swift lightning splits the hills and howling gales shake the sea, they cannot frighten him. A man like this rides the clouds and mist, straddles the sun and moon, and wanders beyond the four seas. Even life and death have no effect on him, much less the rules of profit and loss!”

B
Once Chuang Chou dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn’t know he was Chuang Chou. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Chuang Chou. But he didn’t know if he was Chuang Chou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Chuang Chou. Between Chuang Chou and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things.

C
YOUR LIFE HAS A LIMIT but knowledge has none. If you use what is limited to pursue what has no limit, you will be in danger. If you understand this and still strive for knowledge, you will be in danger for certain! If you do good, stay away from fame. If you do evil, stay away from punishments. Follow the middle; go by what is constant, and you can stay in one piece, keep yourself alive, look after your parents, and live out your years.

Cook Ting was cutting up an ox for Lord Wen-hui. At every touch of his hand, every heave of his shoulder, every move of his feet, every thrust of his knee – zip! zoop! He slithered the knife along with a zing, and all was in perfect rhythm, as though he were performing the dance of the Mulberry Grove or keeping time to the Ching-shou music.

“Ah, this is marvelous!” said Lord Wen-hui. “Imagine skill reaching such heights!”

Cook Ting laid down his knife and replied, “What I care about is the Way, which goes beyond skill. When I first began cutting up oxen, all I could see was the ox itself. After three years I no longer saw the whole ox. And now – now I go at it by spirit and don’t look with my eyes. Perception and understanding have come to a stop and spirit moves where it wants. I go along with the natural makeup, strike in the big hollows, guide the knife through the big openings, and follow things as they are. So I never touch the smallest ligament or tendon, much less a main joint.

“A good cook changes his knife once a year-because he cuts. A mediocre cook changes his knife once a month-because he hacks. I’ve had this knife of mine for nineteen years and I’ve cut up thousands of oxen with it, and yet the blade is as good as though it had just come from the grindstone. There are spaces between the joints, and the blade of the knife has really no thickness. If you insert what has no thickness into such spaces, then there’s plenty of room – more than enough for the blade to play about it. That’s why after nineteen years the blade of my knife is still as good as when it first came from the grindstone.

“However, whenever I come to a complicated place, I size up the difficulties, tell myself to watch out and be careful, keep my eyes on what I’m doing, work very slowly, and move the knife with the greatest subtlety, until – flop! the whole thing comes apart like a clod of earth crumbling to the ground. I stand there holding the knife and look all around me, completely satisfied and reluctant to move on, and then I wipe off the knife and put it away.”

“Excellent!” said Lord Wen-hui. “I have heard the words of Cook Ting and learned how to care for life!”

D
Yen Ho, who had been appointed tutor to the crown prince, son of Duke Ling of Wei, went to consult Ch’u Po-yu. “Here is this man who by nature is lacking in virtue. If I let him go on with his unruliness I will endanger the state. If I try to impose some rule on him, I will endanger myself. He knows enough to recognize the faults of others, but he doesn’t know his own faults. What can I do with a man like this?”

“A very good question,” said Ch’u Po-yu. “Be careful, be on your guard, and make sure that you yourself are in the right! In your actions it is best to follow along with him, and in your mind it is best to harmonize with him. However, these two courses involve certain dangers. Though you follow along, you don’t want to be pulled into his doings, and though you harmonize, you don’t want to be drawn out too far. If in your actions you follow along to the extent of being pulled in with him, then you will be overthrown, destroyed, wiped out, and brought to your knees. If in your mind you harmonize to the extent of being drawn out, then you will be talked about, named, blamed, and condemned. If he wants to be a child, be a child with him. If he wants to follow erratic ways, follow erratic ways with him. If he wants to be reckless, be reckless with him. Understand him thoroughly, and lead him to the point where he is without fault.

“Don’t you know about the praying mantis that waved its arms angrily in front of an approaching carriage, unaware that they were incapable of stopping it? Such was the high opinion it had of its talents. Be careful, be on your guard! If you offend him by parading your store of talents, you will be in danger!

“Don’t you know how the tiger trainer goes about it? He doesn’t dare give the tiger any living thing to eat for fear it will learn the taste of fury by killing it. He doesn’t dare give it any whole thing to eat for fear it will learn the taste of fury by tearing it apart. He gauges the state of the tiger’s appetite and thoroughly understands its fierce disposition. Tigers are a different breed from men, and yet you can train them to be gentle with their keepers by following along with them. The men who get killed are the ones who go against them.

E
Carpenter Shih went to Ch’i and, when he got to Crooked Shaft, he saw a serrate oak standing by the village shrine. It was broad enough to shelter several thousand oxen and measured a hundred spans around, towering above the hills. The lowest branches were eighty feet from the ground, and a dozen or so of them could have been made into boats. There were so many sightseers that the place looked like a fair, but the carpenter didn’t even glance around and went on his way without stopping. His apprentice stood staring for a long time and then ran after Carpenter Shih and said, “Since I first took up my ax and followed you, Master, I have never seen timber as beautiful as this. But you don’t even bother to look, and go right on without stopping. Why is that?”

“Forget it – say no more!” said the carpenter. “It’s a worthless tree! Make boats out of it and they’d sink; make coffins and they’d rot in no time; make vessels and they’d break at once. Use it for doors and it would sweat sap like pine; use it for posts and the worms would eat them up. It’s not a timber tree – there’s nothing it can be used for. That’s how it got to be that old!”

After Carpenter Shih had returned home, the oak tree appeared to him in a dream and said, “What are you comparing me with? Are you comparing me with those useful trees? The cherry apple, the pear, the orange, the citron, the rest of those fructiferous trees and shrubs – as soon as their fruit is ripe, they are torn apart and subjected to abuse. Their big limbs are broken off, their little limbs are yanked around. Their utility makes life miserable for them, and so they don’t get to finish out the years Heaven gave them, but are cut off in mid-journey. They bring it on themselves – the pulling and tearing of the common mob. And it’s the same way with all other things.

“As for me, I’ve been trying a long time to be of no use, and though I almost died, I’ve finally got it. This is of great use to me. If I had been of some use, would I ever have grown this large? Moreover you and I are both of us things. What’s the point of this – things condemning things? You, a worthless man about to die-how do you know I’m a worthless tree?”

When Carpenter Shih woke up, he reported his dream. His apprentice said, “If it’s so intent on being of no use, what’s it doing there at the village shrine?”

“Shhh! Say no more! It’s only resting there. If we carp and criticize, it will merely conclude that we don’t understand it. Even if it weren’t at the shrine, do you suppose it would be cut down? It protects itself in a different way from ordinary people. If you try to judge it by conventional standards, you’ll be way off!”

F
What do I mean by a True Man? The True Man of ancient times did not rebel against want, did not grow proud in plenty, and did not plan his affairs. A man like this could commit an error and not regret it, could meet with success and not make a show. A man like this could climb the high places and not be frightened, could enter the water and not get wet, could enter the fire and not get burned. His knowledge was able to climb all the way up to the Way like this.

The True Man of ancient times slept without dreaming and woke without care; he ate without savoring and his breath came from deep inside. The True Man breathes with his heels; the mass of men breathe with their throats. Crushed and bound down, they gasp out their words as though they were retching. Deep in their passions and desires, they are shallow in the workings of Heaven.

The True Man of ancient times knew nothing of loving life, knew nothing of hating death. He emerged without delight; he went back in without a fuss. He came briskly, he went briskly, and that was all. He didn’t forget where he began; he didn’t try to find out where he would end. He received something and took pleasure in it; he forgot about it and handed it back again. This is what I call not using the mind to repel the Way, not using man to help out Heaven. This is what I call the True Man.

Since he is like this, his mind forgets; his face is calm; his forehead is broad. He is chilly like autumn, balmy like spring, and his joy and anger prevail through the four seasons. He goes along with what is right for things and no one knows his limit. Therefore, when the sage calls out the troops, he may overthrow nations but he will not lose the hearts of the people. His bounty enriches ten thousand ages but he has no love for men. Therefore he who delights in bringing success to things is not a sage; he who has affections is not benevolent; he who looks for the right time is not a worthy man; he who cannot encompass both profit and loss is not a gentleman; he who thinks of conduct and fame and misleads himself is not a man of breeding; and he who destroys himself and is without truth is not a user of men. Those like Hu Pu-hsieh, Wu Kuang, Po Yi, Shu Ch’i, Chi Tzu, Hsu Yu, Chi T’o, and Shen-t’u Ti-all of them slaved in the service of other men, took joy in bringing other men joy, but could not find joy in any joy of their own.

This was the True Man of old: his bearing was lofty and did not crumble; he appeared to lack but accepted nothing; he was dignified in his correctness but not insistent; he was vast in his emptiness but not ostentatious. Mild and cheerful, he seemed to be happy; reluctant, he could not help doing certain things; annoyed, he let it show in his face; relaxed, he rested in his virtue. Tolerant, he seemed to be part of the world; towering alone, he could be checked by nothing; withdrawn, he seemed to prefer to cut himself off; bemused, he forgot what he was going to say.

G
Yen Hui said, “I’m improving!”

Confucius said, “What do you mean by that?”

“I’ve forgotten benevolence and righteousness!”

“That’s good. But you still haven’t got it.”

Another day, the two met again and Yen Hui said, “I’m improving!”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’ve forgotten rites and music!”

“That’s good. But you still haven’t got it.”

Another day, the two met again and Yen Hui said, “I’m improving! ”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I can sit down and forget everything!”

Confucius looked very startled and said, “What do you mean, sit down and forget everything.’-”

Yen Hui said, “I smash up my limbs and body, drive out perception and intellect, cast off form, do away with understanding, and make myself identical with the Great Thoroughfare. This is what I mean by sitting down and forgetting everything.”

Confucius said, “If you’re identical with it, you must have no more likes! If you’ve been transformed, you must have no more constancy! So you really are a worthy man after all!  With your permission, I’d like to become your follower.”

H
Once, when Chuang Tzu was fishing in the P’u River, the king of Ch’u sent two officials to go and announce to him: “I would like to trouble you with the administration of my realm.”

Chuang Tzu held on to the fishing pole and, without turning his head, said, “I have heard that there is a sacred tortoise in Ch’u that has been dead for three thousand years. The king keeps it wrapped in cloth and boxed, and stores it in the ancestral temple. Now would this tortoise rather be dead and have its bones left behind and honored? Or would it rather be alive and dragging its tail in the mud?”

“It would rather be alive and dragging its tail in the mud,” said the two officials.”

Chuang Tzu said, “Go away! I’ll drag my tail in the mud!”

I
When Hui Tzu was prime minister of Liang, Chuang Tzu set off to visit him. Someone said to Hui Tzu, “Chuang Tzu is coming because he wants to replace you as prime minister!” With this Hui Tzu was filled with alarm and searched all over the state for three days and three nights trying to find Chuang Tzu. Chuang Tzu then came to see him and said, “In the south there is a bird called the Yuan‑ch’u ‑ I wonder if you’ve ever heard of it? The Yuan‑ch’u rises up from the South Sea and flies to the North Sea, and it will rest on nothing but the Wu‑t’ung tree, eat nothing but the fruit of the Lien, and drink only from springs of sweet water. Once there was an owl who had gotten hold of a half‑rotten old rat, and as the Yuan‑ch’u passed by, it raised its head, looked up at the Yuan‑ch’u, and said, `Shoo!’ Now that you have this Liang state of yours, are you trying to shoo me?”

J
IS THERE SUCH A THING as perfect happiness in the world or isn’t there? Is there some way to keep yourself alive or isn’t there? What to do, what to rely on, what to avoid, what to stick by, what to follow, what to leave alone, what to find happiness in, what to hate?

This is what the world honors: wealth, eminence, long life, a good name. This is what the world finds happiness in: a life of ease, rich food, fine clothes, beautiful sights, sweet sounds. This is what it looks down on: poverty, meanness, early death, a bad name. This is what it finds bitter: a life that knows no rest, a mouth that gets no rich food, no fine clothes for the body, no beautiful sights for the eye, no sweet sounds for the ear.

People who can’t get these things fret a great deal and are afraid – this is a stupid way to treat the body. People who are rich wear themselves out rushing around on business, piling up more wealth than they could ever use – this is a superficial way to treat the body. People who are eminent spend night and day scheming and wondering if they are doing right – this is a shoddy way to treat the body. Man lives his life in company with worry, and if he lives a long while, till he’s dull and doddering, then he has spent that much time worrying instead of dying, a bitter lot indeed! This is a callous way to treat the body.

Men of ardor are regarded by the world as good, but their goodness doesn’t succeed in keeping them alive. So I don’t know whether their goodness is really good or not. Perhaps I think it’s good – but not good enough to save their lives. Perhaps I think it’s no good – but still good enough to save the lives of others. So I say, if your loyal advice isn’t heeded, give way and do not wrangle. Tzu-hsu wrangled and lost his body. But if he hadn’t wrangled, he wouldn’t have made a name. Is there really such a thing as goodness or isn’t there?

What ordinary people do and what they find happiness in – I don’t know whether such happiness is in the end really happiness or not. I look at what ordinary people find happiness in, what they all make a mad dash for, racing around as though they couldn’t stop – they all say they’re happy with it. I’m not happy with it and I’m not unhappy with it. In the end is there really happiness or isn’t there?

I take inaction to be true happiness, but ordinary people think it is a bitter thing. I say: perfect happiness knows no happiness, perfect praise knows no praise. The world can’t decide what is right and what is wrong. And yet inaction can decide this. Perfect happiness, keeping alive – only inaction gets you close to this!

Let me try putting it this way. The inaction of Heaven is its purity, the inaction of earth is its peace. So the two inactions combine and all things are transformed and brought to birth. Wonderfully, mysteriously, there is no place they come out of. Mysteriously, wonderfully, they have no sign. Each thing minds its business and all grow up out of inaction. So I say, Heaven and earth do nothing and there is nothing that is not done. Among men, who can get hold of this inaction?

K
Chuang Tzu’s wife died. When Hui Tzu went to convey his condolences, he found Chuang Tzu sitting with his legs sprawled out, pounding on a tub and singing. “You lived with her, she brought up your children and grew old,” said Hui Tzu. “It should be enough simply not to weep at her death. But pounding on a tub and singing – this is going too far, isn’t it?”

Chuang Tzu said, “You’re wrong. When she first died, do you think I didn’t grieve like anyone else? But I looked back to her beginning and the time before she was born. Not only the time before she was born, but the time before she had a body. Not only the time before she had a body, but the time before she had a spirit. In the midst of the jumble of wonder and mystery a change took place and she had a spirit. Another change and she had a body. Another change and she was born. Now there’s been another change and she’s dead. It’s just like the progression of the four seasons, spring, summer, fall, winter.

“Now she’s going to lie down peacefully in a vast room. If I were to follow after her bawling and sobbing, it would show that I don’t understand anything about fate. So I stopped.”

Excerpts from Burton Watson’s translation

Excerpts from the Analects of Confucius

(translation by A. Charles Muller)

[2:2] The Master said: “The 300 verses of the Book of Odes can be summed up in a single phrase: ‘Don’t think in an evil way.’”

[2:3] The Master said: “If you govern the people legalistically and control them by punishment, they will avoid crime, but have no personal sense of shame. If you govern them by means of virtue and control them with propriety, they will gain their own sense of shame, and thus correct themselves.”

[2:4] The Master said: “At fifteen my heart was set on learning; at thirty I stood firm; at forty I was unperturbed; at fifty I knew the mandate of heaven; at sixty my ear was obedient; at seventy I could follow my heart’s desire without transgressing the norm.”

[2:5] Mengyi Zi asked about the meaning of filial piety. Confucius said, “It means ‘not diverging (from your parents).’” Later, when Fan Chi was driving him, Confucius told Fan Chi, “Mengsun asked me about the meaning of filial piety, and I told him ‘not diverging.’” Fan Chi said, “What did you mean by that?” Confucius said, “When your parents are alive, serve them with propriety; when they die, bury them with propriety, and then worship them with propriety.”

[2:7] Zi You asked about the meaning of filial piety. Confucius said, “Nowadays filial piety means being able to feed your parents. But everyone does this for even horses and dogs. Without respect, what’s the difference?”

[2:8] Zi Xia asked about filial piety. Confucius said, “What is important is the expression you show in your face. You should not understand ‘filial’ to mean merely the young doing physical tasks for their parents, or giving them food and wine when it is available.”

[2:13] Zi Gong asked about the character of the noble man. Confucius said, “First he practices what he preaches and then he follows it.”

[2:14] The Master said: “The noble man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing.”

[2:15] The Master said: “To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.”

[2:17] The Master said: “You, shall I teach you about knowledge? What you know, you know, what you don’t know, you don’t know. This is knowledge.”

[2:19] The Duke of Ai asked: “How can I make the people follow me?” Confucius replied: “Advance the upright and set aside the crooked, and the people will follow you. Advance the crooked and set aside the upright, and the people will not follow you.”

[2:20] Ji Kang Zi asked: “How can I make the people reverent and loyal, so they will work positively for me?” Confucius said, “Approach them with dignity, and they will be reverent. Be filial and compassionate and they will be loyal. Promote the able and teach the incompetent, and they will work positively for you.”

[7:4] During the Master’s leisure time he was relaxed and enjoyed himself.

[7:16] The Master said: “I can live with coarse rice to eat, water for drink and my arm as a pillow and still be happy. Wealth and honors that one possesses in the midst of injustice are like floating clouds.”

[7:17] The Master said: “If I could add several years to my life, I would have studied the Changes from the age of fifty and become free of error.”

[7:18] Topics which the Teacher regularly discussed were the Book of Odes, the Book of History, and the maintenance of propriety. These were the topics which he regularly discussed.

[7:19] The Duke of Sheh asked Zi Lu about Confucius. Zi Lu didn’t answer him. The Teacher said, “Why didn’t you just tell him that I am a man who in eagerness for study forgets to eat, in his enjoyment of it, forgets his problems and who is unaware of old age setting in?”

[7:20] The Master said: “I was not born with wisdom. I love the ancient teachings and have worked hard to attain to their level.”

[7:21] The master never discussed strange phenomena, physical exploits, disorder or ghost stories.

[7:22] The Master said: “When doing something together as a threesome, there must be one who will have something to teach me. I pick out people’s good and follow it. When I see their bad points, I correct them in myself.”

[7:26] The Master said: “I have not yet been able to meet a sage, but I would be satisfied to meet a noble man. I have not yet met a man of true goodness, but would be satisfied to meet a man of constancy. Lacking, yet possessing; empty, yet full; in difficulty yet at ease. How difficult it is to have constancy!”

[7:37] The Master said: “The noble man is always at ease with himself. The inferior man is always anxious.”

[11:24] Zi Lu (You), Zi Xi (Qiu), Zan You (Chi) and Gong Xihua (Dian) were sitting with the Master. Confucius said, “Although I am a day or so older than you fellows, forget about it for the time being. You are all always saying: ‘Our talents are unrecognized.’ Suppose your abilities were fully acknowledged. What would you do then?”

Zi Lu jumped to reply first, saying: “I would like to be in the position of the charge of a thousand-carriage state (a relatively small state) which was being threatened by the armies of the surrounding larger states, and suffering from crop failure. If I were in this position, within three years my people would be fearless and know how to take care of themselves.”

Confucius laughed at him.

He turned to Qiu and said, “What about you?”

Qiu said, “Let me have the government of a territory of 60 to 70 li, or maybe 50 to 60 li, for three years, and the people would have all they need. As for handling the affairs of ritual and music, I would seek the services of a noble man.”

“Chi, what about you?”

Chi said, “I cannot say I am capable of what the other two have proposed, though I would like to work toward it. At the services at the ancestral hall, or at the audiences with the Prince, I would like to serve as a minor assistant, dressed in the ceremonial gown and cap.”

“Dian, what about you?”

Dian set his lute down with its strings still ringing, and stood up. “What I would like to do,”he said, “is quite different from these three.”The Master said, “What harm can there be? Please speak as the others have.”

Dian said, “At the height of spring, all decked out in spring clothes, I would like to take five or six young men, and six or seven youngsters to go for a swim in the Yi river, enjoying the cool breeze at the Rain Dance Festival, and make our way back home, singing.”

Confucius sighed, and said, “Ah, lovely. I am with you, Dian (i.e. you are the man after my own heart).”

[4:9] “A shi (scholar, noble man) who is set on the way, but is ashamed of old clothes and coarse food, is not worth consulting.”

[8:21] The Master said: “Yu was flawless in character. Surviving on the simplest food and drink, yet perfect in his piety to the ancestral spirits. Normally wearing coarse clothing, he looked magnificent in his ceremonial cap and gown. Living in a humble abode, he exhausted himself in the excavation of drainage ways and canals. I cannot find a flaw in his character!”

[12:7] Zi Gong asked about government.

The Master said, “Enough food, enough weapons and the confidence of the people.”

Zi Gong said, “Suppose you had no alternative but to give up one of these three, which one would be let go of first?”

The Master said, “Weapons.”

Zi Gong said “What if you had to give up one of the remaining two which one would it be?”

The Master said, “Food. From ancient times, death has come to all men, but a people without confidence in its rulers will not stand.”

[13:10] The Master said: “If any of the rulers were to employ me, I would have control of the situation within a month, and would have everything straightened out within three years.”

[13:11] The Master said: “If good men were to govern a country for a hundred years, they could overcome cruelty and do away with killing. How true this saying is!”

[13:15] Duke Ding asked if there were a single phrase which could uplift a country.

Confucius replied: “Words in themselves cannot have such an effect. Nonetheless, there is a proverb which says, ‘Being a ruler is difficult, and being a minister is not easy.’ If you really understand the difficulties of rulership, might this not be enough to uplift a country?”

The Duke asked further: “Is this not close to the saying ‘there a single phrase which could ruin a country?’”

Confucius answered, “Again, words in themselves cannot have such an effect, but the people also have a proverb which says: ‘I do not enjoy ruling; I only enjoy people not disagreeing with me.’ Now if you are a good man and no one disagrees with you, it is fine. But if you are evil, and no one disagrees with you, perhaps you could destroy the country with a single utterance.”

[13:16] The Duke of She asked about government. Confucius said, “If you do it right, then those close to you will be happy, and those who are far away will come to you.”

[8:13] The Master said: “Be of unwavering good faith and love learning. Be steadfast unto death in pursuit of the good Way. Do not enter a state which is in peril, nor reside in one which people have rebelled. When the Way prevails in the world, show yourself. When it does not, then hide. When the Way prevails in your own state, to be poor and obscure is a disgrace. But when the Way does not prevail in your own state, to be rich and honored is a disgrace.”

[9:4] There were four things the master had eliminated from himself: imposing his will, arbitrariness, stubbornness and egotism.

[9:5] There was fear for the Master’s life when he was in the district of Guang. He said, “King Wen has already died, but his learning abides within me. If Heaven intended to destroy this ‘culture,’ then it would have been unattainable for later generations. If Heaven does not want to destroy this learning, what can the men of Guang do to me?”

[6:11] The Master said: “Hui was indeed a worthy! With a single bamboo bowl of rice and gourd-cup of water he lived in a back alley. Others could not have endured his misery, but Hui never changed from his happy disposition. Hui was a worthy indeed!”

[4:1] The Master said: “As for a neighborhood, it is its ren that makes it beautiful. If you choose to live in a place that lacks ren, how can you grow in wisdom?”

[4:5] Confucius said, “Riches and honors are what all men desire. But if they cannot be attained in accordance with the Way they should not be kept. Poverty and low status are what all men hate. But if they cannot be avoided while staying in accordance with the Way, you should not avoid them. If a noble man departs from his fundamental goodness, how can he be worthy of that name? A noble man never leaves his fundamental goodness for even the time of a single meal. In moments of haste he acts according to it. In times of difficulty or confusion he acts according to it.”

[4:11] The Master said: “The noble man cares about virtue; the inferior man cares about material things. The noble man seeks discipline; the inferior man seeks favors.”

[8:8] The Master said: “Be aroused by poetry; structure yourself with propriety, refine yourself with music.”

[8:9] The Master said: “You might force people act according a certain principle, but you won’t be able to force them to understand it.”

[4:15] The Master said: “Shan, my Way is penetrated by a single thread.” Ceng Zi said, “Yes.” When the Master left, some disciples asked what he meant. Ceng Zi said, “Our master’s Way is to be loyal and have a sense of reciprocity, and that’s it.”

[4:16] The Master said: “The noble man is aware of fairness, the inferior man is aware of advantage.”

[4:17] The Master said: “When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points.”

[4:18] The Master said: “When you serve your mother and father it is okay to try to correct them once in a while. But if you see that they are not going to listen to you, keep your respect for them and don’t distance yourself from them. Work without complaining.”

[12:2] Zhong Gong asked about the meaning of ren. The Master said: “When you are out in the world, act as if meeting an important guest. Employ the people as if you were assisting at a great ceremony. What you don’t want done to yourself, don’t do to others. Live in your town without stirring up resentments, and live in your household without stirring up resentments.” Zhong Gong said, “Although I am not so smart, I will apply myself to this teaching.”

[17:5] Zi Zhang asked Confucius about fundamental human goodness. Confucius said, “If you can practice these five things with all the people, you can be called a fundamentally good person.”

Zi Zhang asked what they were.

Confucius said, “Courtesy, generosity, honesty, persistence, and kindness. If you are courteous, you will not be disrespected; if you are generous, you will gain everything. If you are honest, people will rely on you. If you are persistent you will get results. If you are kind, you can employ people.”

[17:6] The Master said: “You, have you heard the six phrases about the six distortions?” You answered that he hadn’t. “Then stay a moment,” Confucius said, “and I will tell you.”

If you love being kind to others, but don’t like to study, then your kindness will be distorted into simplicity.

If you love wisdom, but don’t like to study, then your wisdom will be distorted into aimlessness.

If you love trustworthiness, but don’t like to study, then your trust will be distorted into harm.

If you love candor, but don’t like to study, your candor will be distorted into rudeness.

If you love boldness, but don’t like to study, your boldness will be distorted into unruliness.

If you love persistence, but don’t like to study, your persistence will be distorted into rashness.

[14:34] Someone said: “What do you think of the saying: ‘Repay harm with virtue’?”

Confucius replied, “Then how will you repay virtue? Repay harm with justice and repay virtue with virtue.”

[3:17] Zi Gong wanted to do away with the sacrifice of the sheep on the first of the month. Confucius said, “Ci, you love the sheep; I love the ceremony.”

[13:18] The Duke of She told Confucius: “In my land, there are righteous men. If a father steals a sheep, the son will testify against him.”

Confucius said, “The righteous men in my land are different from this. The father conceals the wrongs of his son, and the son conceals the wrongs of his father. This is the correct way!”

[11:12] Chi Lu asked about serving the spirits. Confucius said, “If you can’t yet serve men, how can you serve the spirits?”

Lu said, “May I ask about death?” Confucius said, “If you don’t understand what life is, how will you understand death?”

[17:15] The Master said: “Skillful speech and flattering expressions are seldom indicative of true goodness. ”

[17:17] The Master said: “I wish I could avoid talking.”

Zi Gong said, “Master, if you didn’t speak, what would we disciples have to pass on?”

Confucius said, “Does Heaven speak? Yet the four seasons continue to change, and all things are born. Does Heaven speak?”

1

O lovers, lovers, this day you and we are fallen into a whirlpool: who knows how to swim? Though the world’s torrent should overflow and every wave become like a dromedary, why shall the waterfowl worry? It is the bird of the air that should be anxious. Our faces are lighted up with gratitude, schooled as we are in wave and sea, inasmuch as ocean and flood are life-increasing to the fish. Elder, hand us a towel; water, let us plunge into you; Moses son of ‘Imrān, come, smite the water of the sea with your staff! This wind concocts in every head a different passion; let my passion be for yonder cupbearer, and you may have all the rest! Yesterday yon saki on the way snatched the caps of the drunkards; today he is giving yet more wine, preparing to strip us of our robes. O envy of the Moon and of Jupiter, with us, yet hidden from sight like a peri, gently, gently you are drawing me on—will you not say whither? Wherever you go, you are with me still, you who are my eyes and my brightness; if you will, draw me to drunkenness, if you will, transport me to annihilation. Know that the world is like Mount Sinai, and we like Moses are seekers; every moment an epiphany arrives and cleaves the mountain asunder.

One portion becomes green, one portion becomes narcissuswhite; one portion becomes a pearl, one portion ruby and amber. You who seek to behold Him, gaze upon this mountainchain of His. O mountain, what wind has blown upon you? We have become intoxicated with the echo. O gardener, gardener, why have you come to grapple with us? If we have carried off your grapes, you have carried off our purse!

2

Die now, die now, in this Love die; when you have died in this Love, you will all receive new life. Die now, die now, and do not fear this death, for you will come forth from this earth and seize the heavens.

Die now, die now, and break away from this carnal soul, for this carnal soul is as a chain and you are as prisoners. Take an axe to dig through the prison; when you have broken the prison you will all be kings and princes. Die now, die now before the beauteous King; when you have died before the King, you will all be kings and renowned. Die now, die now, and come forth from this cloud; when you come forth from this cloud, you will all be radiant full moons. Be silent, be silent; silence is the sign of death; it is because of life that you are fleeing from the silent one.

3

Little by little the drunkards congregate, little by little the wine-worshippers arrive. The heart-cherishers coquettishly come along the way, the rosy-cheeked ones are arriving from the garden. Little by little from the world of being and not-being the not-beings have departed and the beings are arriving. All with skirts full of gold as a mine are arriving for the sake of the destitute. The lean and sick from the pasturage of love are arriving fat and hale. The souls of the pure ones like the rays of the sun are arriving from such a height to the lowly ones. Blessed is that garden, where, for the sake of the Mary’s, new fruits are arriving even in winter. Their origin is grace, and their return is grace; even from the garden to the garden they are coming.

4

I beheld the lovely rosebower face, that eye and lamp of all brightness, That altar before which the soul prostrates, that gladness and place of security.

The heart said, “I will yield up my soul there, I will let go of being and selfhood.” The soul also joined in the concert and began to clap hands. Reason came and said, “What shall I say regarding this good fortune and sublime felicity, This scent of a rose that made upright as a cypress every back that was curved and bent double?” In love all things are transformed; Armenian is changed to Turk. Soul, you have attained to the Soul of the soul; body, you have abandoned bodihood. The ruby is the alms of our Beloved; the dervish eats the gold of the Rich; That Mary in anguish discovers anew dates fresh and ripe. Lest the eye of a stranger should fall upon it, do not show off your good deed to men; If your desire from faith is security, seek your security in seclusion. What is the place of seclusion? The house of the heart; become habituated to dwell in the heart; In the heart’s house is delivered that bowl of wholesome and everlasting wine. Be silent, and practise the art of silence; let go all artful bragging; For the heart is the place of faith, there in the heart hold fast to faithfulness.

5

Hark, for I am at the door! Open the door; to bar the door is not the sign of good pleasure. In the heart of every atom is a courtyard for You; until You unbar it, it will remain in concealment. You are the Splitter of Dawn, the Lord of the Daybreak; You open a hundred doors and say, “Come in!” It is not I at the door, but You; grant access, open the door to Yourself. Sulphur came to a fire; it said, “Come out to me, beloved! My form is not your form, but I am all you, my form is as a veil.

I become you in form and reality when you arrive, my form is blotted out in the encounter.” The fire replied, “I have come forth; why should I veil my face from my very self?” Hark, receive from me and deliver my message to all the companions and all the kinsmen. If it is a mountain, draw it like a straw; I have given you the quality of amber. My amber draws the mountain; did I not bring forth Mount H irā out of nonexistence? . I am wholly and completely within your heart; {come toward your own heart—Welcome! I am the heart-stealer and I take the heart,} for the pearl of the heart was born of my ocean. I move my shadow, otherwise how is it that my shadow is apart from me? But I transport it from its place so that, at the time of unveiling, its union may become manifest, So that it may realize that it is a branch of me, so that it may become separated from all other. Go to the saki and hear the rest of it, that he may tell you it with the tongue of immortality.

6

Today I beheld the beloved, that ornament of every affair; he went off departing to heaven like the spirit of Mustafā. The sun is put to shame by his countenance, heaven’s sphere is as confused as the heart; through his glow, water and clay are more resplendent than fire. I said, “Show me the ladder, that I may mount up to heaven.” He said, “Your head is the ladder; bring your head down under your feet.” When you place your feet on your head, you will place your feet on the head of the stars; when you cleave through the air, set your foot on the air, so, and come! A hundred ways to heaven’s air become manifest to you; you go flying up to heaven every dawning like a prayer.

7

Walk to the well.
Turn as the earth and the moon turn,
circling what they love.
Whatever circles comes from the center.

8

Grapes under feet that crush them
turn whichever way they are turned.

You ask why I turn around you?
Not around you, I turn around myself.

9

Gone, inner and outer,
no moon, no ground or sky.
Don’t hand me another glass of wine.
Pour it in my mouth.
I’ve lost the way to my mouth.

10

A secret turning in us makes the universe turn.
Head unaware of feet,
and feet of head.
Neither cares. They keep turning.

11

One day you will take me completely out of myself,
I’ll do what the angels cannot do.
Your eyelash will write on my cheek
the poem that hasn’t been thought of.

12

My turban, my robe, my head, those three
for less than a penny.
My self, my name, not to be mentioned,
less than nothing.

13

14

Two hands, two feet, two eyes, good, as it should be, but no separation of the Friend and your loving. Any dividing there makes other untrue distinctions like “Jew,” and “Christian,” and “Muslim.”

15

16

Don’t forget the nut, being so proud of the shell,
The body has its inward ways,

the five senses. They crack open,
and the Friend is revealed.

Crack open the Friend, you become
the All-One.

17

We don’t need wine to get drunk, or instruments and singing to feel ecstatic. No poets, no leaders, no songs, yet we jump around totally wild.

18

From the wet source someone cuts a reed to make a flute. The reed sips breath like wine, sips more, practicing. Now drunk, it starts the high clear notes.

19

Who ever saw such drunkards?
Barrels broken open, the ground and starry
ceiling soaked. And look,
this full glass in my hand.

20

During the day I was singing with you.
At night we slept in the same bed.
I wasn’t conscious day or night.
I thought I knew who I was,
but I was you.

21

The sufi opens his hands to the universe
and gives away each instant, free.
Unlike someone who begs on the street for money to survive,
a dervish begs to give you his life.

22

Drinking wine with you.
Getting warmer and warmer,
I think why not trade in this overcoat,
Made of leaves and dirt.
Then I look out the window.
For what?
Both worlds are here.

23

Today, like every other day, we wake up empty
and frightened. Don’t open the door to the study
and begin reading. Take down the dulcimer.

Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

24

They say that Paradise will be perfect with lots of clear white wine and all the beautiful women. We hold on to times like this then, since this is how it’s going to be.

Fasting

There’s hidden sweetness in the stomach’s emptiness.

We are lutes, no more, no less. If the soundbox

is stuffed full of anything, no music.

If the brain and belly are burning clean

with fasting, every moment a new song comes out of the fire.

The fog clears, and new energy makes you

run up the steps in front of you.

Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.

Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.

When you’re full of food and drink, Satan sits

where your spirit should, an ugly metal statue

in place of the Kaaba. When you fast,

good habits gather like friends who want to help.

Fasting is Solomon’s ring. Don’t give it

to some illusion and lose your power,

but even if you have, if you’ve lost all will and control,

they come back when you fast, like soldiers appearing

out of the ground, pennants flying above them.

A table descends to your tents,

Jesus’ table.

Expect to see it, when you fast, this table

spread with other food, better than the broth of cabbages.

Circumambulation

The wheel of heaven, with all its pomp and splendour, circles around God like a mill. My soul, circumambulate around such a Kaaba; beggar, circle about such a table. Travel like a ball around in His polo-field, inasmuch as you have become happy and helpless. Your knight and rook are circumambulating about the king, even though you move from place to place on this chessboard. He set on your finger the royal signet so that you might become a ruler having authority.

Whoever circumambulates about the heart becomes the soul of the world, heart-ravishing. The heart-forlorn becomes companion to the moth, he circles about the tip of the candle, Because his body is earthy and his heart of fire—congener has an inclination towards congener. Every star circles about the sky, because purity is the congener of purity. The mystic’s soul circles about annihilation, even as iron about a magnet, Because annihilation is true existence in his sight, his eyes having been washed clean of squinting and error…

Many of the above are excerpted from the larger collection by A. J. Arberry available on WikiSchool. Also available on the Internet Archive.

I have found the entire book online, but I looked through it and found each of the excerpts we read for class. For the most part, A in the reader refers to a piece pulled from section one on this book, B refers to a piece from section two, and so on.

https://terebess.hu/english/chuangtzu.html 

I can go through and pull these sections out and put them here if you would like.

China Unit

Biography of Yu Jang

Analects of Confucius (excerpts)

The Great Learning

Daodejing

Mencius

Hsun Tzu

Han Fei Tzu

Islam Unit

Quran Ahmed Ali translation, Yusuf Ali translation (HTML)
Hadith selections Fordham, Al-Mawrid

Layla and Majnun
Mystical Poems of Rumi (also in book form)

Democracy: Government by the People, Equality
The Egyptian Revolution
Social Justice in Islam
The New Renaissance
Stop Calling for a Muslim Enlightenment