It is said that one day, Nader Shah went to meet Sayyed Haashem Khaarkan, one of the philosopher's of Najaf. He was called Khaarkan because he earned his living from stacking thorn bushes to sell for burning.
Nader told the Sayyed: "Wow, you have really made a sacrifice by forgetting the material world."
Sayyed Haashem said sheepishly: "On the contrary, you made the real sacrifice by forgetting the after-life!!!"
Nader Shah: King of Iran (1733-1747). A great conqueror and military genius, Nader rescued Iran from the chaos caused by the Afghan invasion (see the history page, chapter V). Nader invaded India and took many treasures from there, amongst them the famous Daryaaye Noor diamond.
Khaarkan: A job in old Iran. It required a man to spend most of a day in the steppes and desert, removing thorn bushes, stacking them on an animal, and bringing them to the Bazaar to sell to people who used them for fuel. It was among the hardest of the jobs and it suggested humility.
Najaf: City in Iraq, famous as a religious centre. The tomb of Emam Ali, the first Emam if Shia is in Najaf. For centuries, Najaf was the centre of religious studies for the Shia Muslims.
Created 22 Azar 1378/13 December 1999