Setting Birds Free

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الطَّيْرِ يُرْسَلُ مِنَ الْبَلَدِ الْبَعِيدِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَرَهُ قَطُّ فَيَأْتِي فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ عُذَافِرٍ هُوَ يَأْتِي مَنْزِلَ صَاحِبِهِ مِنْ ثَلَاثِينَ فَرْسَخاً عَلَى مَعْرِفَتِهِ وَ حَسَبِهِ فَإِذَا زَادَتْ عَلَى ثَلَاثِينَ فَرْسَخاً جَاءَتْ إِلَى أَرْبَابِهَا بِأَرْزَاقِهَا[1].

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a bird which is set free in a faraway area and the bird has never seen it but it comes back. He (the Imam) said, ‘O ibn ‘Udha’fir, birds can come to the house of its owner from a distance of thirty farsakh (90 miles) because of its knowledge and environment, but i

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَا أَتَى مِنْ ثَلَاثِينَ فَرْسَخاً فَبِالْهِدَايَةِ وَ مَا كَانَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَبِالْأُكُلِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘That (bird) which comes back from a distance of thirty farsakh is because of guidance and from a distance of more than this is because of food.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الطَّيْرُ يَجِي‌ءُ مِنَ الْمَكَانِ الْبَعِيدِ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَجِي‌ءُ لِرِزْقِهِ.

‘It comes back because of its sustenance.’”

قُلْتُ الْحَمَامُ يُرْسَلْنَ مِنَ الْمَوَاضِعِ الْبَعِيدَةِ فَيَأْتِي وَ يُرْسَلْنَ مِنَ الْمَكَانِ الْقَرِيبِ فَلَا يَأْتِي فَقَالَ إِذَا انْقَطَعَ أُكُلُهُ فَلَا يَأْتِي.

‘When its sustenance in the area is depleted, then it does not come back.’”