Jamaaled-din Ahmad Ardestani a.k.a Pir Jamaal (Beautiful Old Sage) or Jamaali was born in 9th century of Islam or 1400 (CE) in a small town called Kachoo Sang. From the style of verbiage we can deduce that he was Shiite. Obviously was polite and respectful to all companions and Caliphs of the Prophet, in contrast to today’s disrespectful & aggressive Shiites.

His book Mara-atol Afraad or “Reflections of Peerless Men” is an ensemble of 165 short letters written to someone very dear. My assumption is he wrote the letters to us the future Sufis.

In describing this unique book he has said, “Meaning of Mara-atol Afraad is to understand who is an individual & independent man or Fard (Peerless). Fard (Peerless) is someone that has nothing yet wealthy i.e. righteous. How can you know what is righteousness? What you practice as Taqwa (Righteousness) is nothing but absolute Shirk (Polytheism) which all amount to nothing but betrayal. The secrets of Taqwa (Righteousness) only the lovers know since they see nothing in the universe except the Beloved and within their eyes and mind nothing else (but the Beloved). To them, the universe is a nonbeing that exists now for sometime and soon it will be nonbeing again. Fard (Peerless) is someone who prepares for battle by himself; no one can match him even though he carries no sword, arrows, bow or spears. In other words he is an invisible warrior and no one can fight him, the entire world is after him and if they find him they will rain upon him countless arrows”.



Letter: 149-151   
Letter: 155    
Letter: 159     



© 2004-2002,  Dara O. Shayda