The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

5iS AL-MOTASIM [chap, lxvii.
A.H. 218- Magian doctrines, and for covert hostility to Islam. Princes
^^ from Soghd were summoned as witnesses. Two men in
Afshin tried rags, with scarrcd backs, were brought forward. " Knowest
^^"^o"
ande^emy" these?" Esked thc Wazir, who conducted the trial.
of Islam. " Yes," answered Afshin :
"
the intendants of a Mosque in
Soghd. They built it on the site of a temple which they
razed to the ground, after casting" out the idol from the
shrine. Now the treaty ran that all were free to follow each
his own religion ; and so, as breakers of the treaty, I caused
them to be scourged."— " And this golden jewelled book of
thine, wherein is blasphemy against the Most High?" "It
is a book," he replied, " inherited of my father, wherein is
the wisdom of the Easterns — good morals and also heresy
;
the first I used, the last I left alone." Other imputations
Afshm contended were worthless, as based on Magian
evidence. At last Mazyar deposed that Afshln's brother had
written a letter couched in opprobrious terms against the
whole Muslim race and their religion, and urging return to
the old Magian faith. " For what my brother wrote," said
Afshin, " I am not responsible ; but doubtless it was written
for expediency's sake, and to advance the conquests of the
Caliph by artifice, even as 'Abdallah doth in the regions
beyond." The chief Kadi, doubting the evidence, came to
no conviction on the charge of heresy, but sent Afshin back
handcuffed to his prison, where, not long after, partaking
His death, of a dish of fruit sent by the Caliph, he died.^ His body
226 A.H.
y^.g^^ hung up to public derision and then burned. Strange
rumours spread abroad of idols, jewelled figures, and Magian
books found in his hoiise ; but the excited Muslim mind
was ready to accept any tales regarding the Magians of the
day. Mazyar was scourged so cruelly that he sank under
the infliction. The trial of Afshin throws interesting light
upon the Caliph and his court, as well as showing the hold
which Magian doctrines and worship still retained, and the
toleration accorded to them, in the far East. The mass of
the people of Persia, though Muslim in name still clung
to their old faith, and, had an opportunit}' occurred, they
would no doubt have thrown off Islam and returned to it.
^
He acknowledged he was not circumcised, and stated personal
reasons for omission of the rite. The jewelled book was likely Magian ;
or possibly Buddhist.