Rawżat aṣ-ṣafāʾ

Rawżat aṣ-ṣafāʾ fī sīrat al-anbiyāʾ w-al-mulūk w-al-khulafāʾ (روضة الصفا في سیرة الانبياء والملوك والخلفاء, ‘The Gardens of purity in the biography of the prophets and kings and caliphs’) or Rawdatu 's-safa is a Persian-language history of the origins of Islam, early Islamic civilisation, and Persian history by Mīr-Khvānd.

Quotes

• Another event of the night of the nativity took place when the Qoraish were holding a festival in honour of one of their idols, in whose temple they had at that time assembled, and were engaged in eating and drinking. They found, however, that their god had fallen to the ground, and set him up again; but as he was, a short time afterwards, again found prostrate on his face, the idolaters were much dismayed and erected him again. When they had done so the third time, a voice was heard from the cavity of the idol saying: All the regions of the earth, in the east and west, Respond to the nativity, whom its light strikes; And idolatry decreases, and the hearts of all The kings of the earth tremble with fear.

• The foolish old man went to Hobal, and after praising him as is the fashion of idolaters, he continued: “ This woman of the Bani Sa’ad says that she lost Muhammad, the son of A’bd-ul- Muttalleb ; restore him to her if it so pleaseth thee ; for she bemoans him as lost.” As soon as that misguided individual had pronounced these words Hobal fell prostrate on his face, and from the cavity of his statue the words were heard : “ What have I to do with Muhammad, who will be the cause of our destruction ? and Allah the Most High and Glorious, who alone is to be worshipped, will not abandon him. Tell the idolaters that he is the great sacrifice; that is to say, he will kill all, except those who will be so fortunate as to follow him.” ’

• The following are some of the [miraculous] events of that night, which became to everybody as plain as daylight : The disappearance of the water from the lake Sadah ; the overflowing of the river Samavah, which is one of the watercourses of Syria, and had been dry during one thousand years. … During that night also the palace of Naushirvan, the strength of which will be mentioned in the record of the Khalifate of Abu Ja’far Manssur the Abbaside, so trembled that fourteen of its pinnacles fell to the ground. This event filled the mind of Kesra with terror and apprehension, which, however, he did not communicate to anyone, until at last he one day convoked his intimate friends and courtiers, and wished to do so, when all of a sudden news arrived from Estakhar that the fire of the chief temple of Persia, which had been burning for a thousand years, had become extinguished. Having searched their historical books for the meaning of this sign, they found that it portended ‘ decline of power.’ At this information the smoke of amazement ascended into the receptacle of the brains of Naushirvan, and his dismay was much augmented. On that occasion the Mobed of Mobeds— i.e., the chief ecclesiastical dignitary of the Magi—represented that he had during that night seen fleet and obstinate camels in a dream, which were leading Arab horses until they had crossed the Tigris and dispersed in Persia.
  ...The king of the Beni Sasan— i.e., Naushirvan—has sent thee on account of the trembling of the palace, the decline of power, the extinction of the fires of Persia, and the dream of the Mobed of Mobeds!’ He further said : ‘ As soon as Muhammad the elect—u. w. b.—is sent, and the recital— i.e., reading of the Quran—begins, the river Samavah will flow, and the lake Savah will become exsiccated ; the fire of the chief temple of Persia will be extinguished, the dignity of the Persians, of the Syrians, and of Sattih will cease, i.e., the government of Persia will be destroyed, and Sattih, taking leave from the perishable, will hasten to the eternal abode.
  • About happenings (in mythology) during the time of the birth of Muhammad. About an Islamic myth allegedly foreshadowing the Muslim conquest of Persia.
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  • Rauzat-us-Safa, or Garden of Purity by Muhammad bin Khavendshah bin Mahmud translated into English by E. Rehatsek, first published 1893, Delhi Reprint 1982, Quoted in in Goel, S. R. (1993). Hindu temples: What happened to them. Vol. II