istswithoutmemoryherrememberAllahnorhisblaess.Allgreatmasters,intheirwork,seekthatprofoundvoidwithincolorandoutsidetime.Letmeexplaintoyouwhatitmeanstorememberthisdarkness,whichwasrevealedibythegreatmastersofold.

    ThreeStoriesonBlindnessandMemoryALIFInLami’iChelebi’sTurkishtranslationofthePersiaJami’sGiftsofIntimacy,whichaddressesthestoriesofthesaints,itiswrittenthatinthebookmaker’sworkshopofJihanShah,theruleroftheBlacksheepnation,therenownedmasterSheikhAliTabrizihadillustratedamagnifitversionofHüsrevandShirin.AcctowhatI’veheard,inthislegendarymanuscript,whichtookeleveoplete,themasterofmasterminiaturists,SheikhAli,displayedsuchtalentandskillandpaintedsuderfulpicturesthatonlythegreatestoftheoldmasters,Bihzad,couldhavematchedhim.Evenbeforetheilluminatedmanuscriptwashalffinished,JihanShahkhathewouldsoonpossessaspectacularbookwithoutequalinalltheworld.HethuslivedinfearandjealousyofyoungTallHasan,theruleroftheWhitesheepnation,anddeclaredhimhisaremy.Moreover,JihanShahquicklysehatthoughhisprestigewouldgrowimmenselyafterthebookwaspleted,aterversionofthemanuscriptcouldbemadeforTallHasan.Beihosetrulyjealousmenwhopoisonedhisowntewiththethought“Whatifothersetoknowsuchbliss?”JihanShahseoifthevirtuosominiaturistmadeanothercopy,oreveerversion,itwouldbeforhisaremyTallHasan.Thus,iopreventanyonebesideshimselffromowningthismagnifitbook,JihanShahdecidedtohavethemasterminiaturistSheikhAlikilledafterhe’dpletedthebook.Butagood-heartedCircassiayinhisharemadvisedhimthatblindierminiaturistwouldsu