3156. The beauteous face is in love with the mirror: it (such a face) is a polisher of the soul and (a kindler) of the fear of God in (men's) hearts.

How the guest came to Joseph(hazrat Yousuf), on whom be peace, and how Joseph demanded of him a gift and present on his return from abroad.

3157. The loving friend came from the ends of the earth and became the guest of Joseph the truthful.

3158. For they had been well acquainted in childhood, reclining (together) on the sofa of acquaintance.

3170. He (Joseph) said, “Now, O so-and-so, what traveller's gift hast thou brought for me?”

3171. To come empty-handed to the door of friends is like going without wheat to the mill.

How the guest said to Joseph, “I have brought thee the gift of a mirror, so that whenever thou lookest in it thou wilt see thine own fair face and remember me.”

3192. Joseph said, “Come, produce the gift.”

3193. “How many a gift,” said he, “did I seek for thee! No (worthy) gift came into my sight.

3194. How should I bring a grain (of gold) to the mine? How should I bring a drop (of water) to the (Sea of) ‘Umán?

3197. I deemed it fitting that I should bring to thee a mirror like the (inward) light of a (pure) breast.

3198. That thou mayst behold thy beauteous face therein, O thou who, like the sun, art the candle of heaven.

3199. I have brought thee a mirror, O light (of mine eyes), so that when thou seest thy face thou mayst think of me.”

3200. He drew forth the mirror from beneath his arm: the fair one's business is with a mirror.

3201. What is the mirror of Being? Not-being. Bring not-being (as your gift), if you are not a fool.

3309. Kill all animals for the sake of man, kill all mankind for the sake of Reason.

3310. What is Reason? The Universal Intelligence of the man (prophet or saint) endowed with reason. Partial reason is reason (too), but it is infirm.

3311. All the animals that are wild (unfriendly) to man are inferior to the human animal.

3446. The sciences of the mystics bear them (aloft); the sciences of sensual men are burdens to them.

3447. When knowledge strikes on the heart (is acquired through mystical experience), it becomes a helper (yárí); when knowledge strikes on the body (is acquired through the senses), it becomes a burden (bárí).

3448. God hath said, “(Like an ass) laden with his books”: burdensome is the knowledge that is not from Himself.

3449. The knowledge that is not immediately from Himself does not endure, (it is) like the tire woman's paint.

3450. But when you carry this burden well, the burden will be removed and you will be given (spiritual) joy.

3456. Hast thou ever seen a name without the reality (denoted by the name)? Or hast thou plucked a rose (gul) from the (letters) gáf and lám of (the word) gul?

3457. Thou hast pronounced the name: go, seek the thing named. Know that the moon is on high, not in the water of the stream.

3458. If thou wouldst pass beyond name and letter, oh, make thyself wholly purged of self.

3459. Like (polished) iron, lose the ferruginous colour; become in thy ascetic discipline (like) a mirror without rust.

3460. Make thyself pure from the attributes of self, that thou mayst behold thine own pure untarnished essence.

3461. And behold within thy heart (all) the sciences of the prophets, without book and without preceptor and master.

3462. The Prophet said, “Amongst my people are some who are one with me in nature and aspiration:

3463. Their spirits behold me by the same light by which I am beholding them.”

3465. Know the secret of “In the evening I was a Kurd”; read the mystery of “In the morning I was an Arab.”

3492. They that burnish (their hearts) have escaped from (mere) scent and colour: they behold Beauty at every moment without tarrying.

3493. They have relinquished the form and husk of knowledge, they have raised the banner of the eye of certainty.

3494. Thought is gone, and they have gained light: they have gained the throat (core and essence) and the sea (ultimate source) of gnosis.

3495. Death, of which all these (others) are sore afraid, this people (the perfect Súfís) are holding in derision.

3496. the hurt falls on the oyster-shell, not on the pearl.

3497. Though they have let go grammar (nahw) and jurisprudence (fiqh), yet they have taken up (instead) mystical self-effacement (mahw) and spiritual poverty (faqr).

3499. (They receive) a hundred impressions from the empyrean and the starry sphere and the void: what impressions? Nay, ’tis the very sight of God.

How suspicion was thrown upon Luqmán by the slaves and fellow-servants who said that he had eaten the fresh fruit which they were bringing (to their master).

3584. In the eyes of his master, amongst (in comparison with) the (other) slaves, Luqmán was despicable on account of his body (outward aspect).

3585. He (the master) used to send the slaves to the garden, that fruit might come (be brought to him) for his pleasure.

3586. Amongst the slaves Luqmán was (despised) like a parasite; (he was) full of (spiritual) ideas, dark-complexioned as night.

3587. Those slaves, being impelled by greed, ate the whole of the fruit with enjoyment.

3588. And told their master that Luqmán had eaten it, (whereupon) the master became bitter and sorely displeased with Luqmán.

3589. When Luqmán inquired (and ascertained) the cause (of this), he opened his lips to reproach his master.

3590. “O sire,” said Luqmán, “an unfaithful servant is not approved in the sight of God.

3591. Put us all to the test, O noble sir: give us our fill of hot water (to drink).

3592. And afterwards make us run into a great plain, thou being mounted and we on foot.

3593. Then behold the evil-doer, (behold) the things that are done by Him who revealeth mysteries!”

3594. The master gave the servants hot water to drink, and they drank it in fear (of him).

3595. Afterwards he was driving them into the plains, and they were running amidst the cornfields.

3596. From distress they began to vomit: the (hot) water was bringing up the fruit from them.

3597. When Luqmán began to vomit from his navel (belly), there was coming up from within him (only) the pure water.

3598. Inasmuch as Luqmán's wisdom can show forth this, then what must be the wisdom of the Lord of existence!

3599. On the day when all the inmost thoughts shall be searched out, there will appear from you something latent, (the appearance of) which is not desired.

3600. When they shall be given hot water to drink, all the veils will be cut asunder (torn off) from that which is abhorred.

2604. The wicked women to the wicked men is wisdom: the ugly is the mate and fitting (consort) for the ugly.

3605. Whatever, then, you wish to mate with, go, become absorbed in the loved (object), and assume its shape and qualities.

3606. If you wish for the light, make yourself ready to receive the light; if you wish to be far (from God), become self-conceited and far.

3607. And if you wish (to find) a way out of this ruined prison, do not turn your head away from the Beloved, but bow in worship and draw nigh.

3612. God is wishing that even His despairing ones should not avert their faces (refrain) from this worship (of Him).

3613. Even on the ground of a hope they become ennobled: for a few days (a short time) they are running at its stirrup (following Divine worship).

Story of Prophet Solomon The duality of a man in the form of a fisherman, Prophet Solomon.

3618. A young man on the bank of a river thought (to himself), “Our fisherman (here) is Solomon.

3619. (But) if this is he, why is he alone and disguised? And if not, why has he the aspect of Solomon?”

3620. Thus thinking, he remained in two minds until Solomon (once more) became king and absolute ruler.

3621. The demon departed and fled from his (Solomon's) kingdom and throne: the sword of his fortune shed that devil's blood.

3622. He put the ring upon his finger, the hosts of demons and peris assembled.

3623. The men came to look, amongst them he who had the fancy (that the fisherman was Solomon in disguise).

3624. When he opened his (Solomon's) hand and saw the ring, his pondering and seeking (to decide rightly) vanished all at once.

3625. Anxiety occurs (only) at the time when that (object of desire) is hidden: this searching is after the unseen.

3626. Whilst he was absent, fancy waxed strong in his breast: as soon as he was present, his fancy departed.

3628. (God said), “I want (what is signified by the words) they believe in the unseen.

3633. Service (performed) in absence (through faith in the unseen) is fair and comely; when service is demanded (by God from us), ‘tis pleasing (to Him) that the absent should be remembered (that we should remember to perform what is due to Him, though He is unseen).

3642. O brother, refrain from speech: God himself will make manifest the knowledge that is with Him (in His possession).

3643. Witness enough for the sun is its face: what thing is the greatest witness (of all)? God.”

3651. (Whether they be like) the new moon or the moon seven days old or the full moon, every angel has his (particular) rank in respect of light and (spiritual) worth.

3652. Every angel, according to their (different) degrees, has (a portion of) that radiance, consisting of three or four (pairs of) luminous wings.

3653. Just as the wings of human intellects, amongst which there is great difference (in quality).

3654. Hence the associate of every human being in good and evil is that angel whose dignity is corresponding to his or hers.

3687. What is agony of spirit? To advance towards death and not grasp the Water of Life. 3690. In the dark night seek that (shining) Day: put in front (follow) the darkness consuming Reason.

3691. In the evil-coloured night there is much good: the Water of Life is the mate of darkness.