Hikaayat (lit. stories) refers to the morals and fables that are presented in the books of Da’wat. Many of these hikaayat are presented in the Rasail of Ikhwanus Safa. Below is an excerpt from the hikayat, “The Doves” (translated by Dr Shatha Almutawa) presented with illustrations by Tahera Vajihi. This narrative is about a magpie that gets caught up with a group of fighting doves. Below is an excerpt from the hikayaat.
It is said that a group of wild doves was flying in the air seeking their livelihood, and a magpie saw them and thought, “Why am I not with them? If I were, they might take me to a place where I might find sustenance.” The magpie joined the doves, and they arrived at a vast pasture. A hunter had gotten there first and set up his nets and buried his traps, placed in them many seeds, and hid in a place where he could not be seen. The doves said to each other, “Let’s go somewhere.”
The hikayat has been presented in e-book and downloadable PDF format.
