How Khalíl (Abraham) answered Gabriel, when he asked him, “Have you any need ?”—“As regards need of you, no !”

(2974) "I am the Khalíl of the present time, and he is the Gabriel: I do not want him as a guide in calamity.

(2975) He did not learn respectfulness from noble Gabriel, who asked the Friend of God what was his wish,

(2976) Saying, ‘Have you a wish ? - that I may help; otherwise, I will flee and make a speedy departure.’

(2977) Abraham said, ‘No; go out of the way ! After direct vision the intermediary is an inconvenience.’

(2978) On account of this present life the messenger is a link for the true believers, because he is the intermediary.

(2979) If every heart were hearing the hidden revelation, how should there be in the world any words and sounds ?

(2980) Though he is lost in God and headless, yet my case is more delicate than that.

(2981) His act is the act of the king, but to my infirmity the good appears to be evil.”

(2982) That which is the very essence of grace to the common becomes wrath to the noble favourites.

(2983) Much tribulation and pain must the common endure in order that they may be able to perceive the difference;

(2984) For, O companion in the Cave, these intermediary words are, in the sight of one united, thorns, thorns, thorns.

(2985) Much tribulation and pain and waiting were needed in order that that pure spirit might be delivered from the words;

(2986) But some have become deafer to this echo; some, again, have become purified and have mounted higher.

(2994) Forms are the oil and the essential meaning is the light.

How Moses, besought the Lord, saying, “You did create creatures and destroy them,” and how the answer came.

(3001) Moses said, “O Lord of the Reckoning, You did create the form: how did You destroy it again ?”

(3003) God said, “I know that this question of yours is not from disbelief and heedlessness and idle fancy;

(3005) But you wish to discover in My actions the wisdom and hidden meaning of duration,

(3007) You have become a questioner on purpose to disclose to the common, albeit you are acquainted with it;

(3008) For this questioning is the half of knowledge, and this ability does not belong to every outsider.”

(3009) Both question and answer arise from knowledge, just as the thorn and the rose from earth and water.

(3012) That Kalím became an ignorant enquirer in order that he might make the ignorant acquainted with this mystery.

(3013) Let us too feign ourselves to be ignorant thereof and elicit the answer to it as strangers.

(3015) Then God spoke unto him, saying, “O you who possess the most excellent, since you have asked, come, hear the answer.

(3016) O Moses, sow some seed in the earth that you yourself may render justice to this.”

(3017) When Moses had sown and the seed-corn was complete and its ears had gained beauty and symmetry,

(3018) He took the sickle and was cutting that; then a voice from the Unseen reached his ear,

(3019) Crying, “Why do you sow and tend some seed-corn and are cutting it when it has attained to perfection ?”

(3020) He replied, “O Lord, I destroy and lay it low because straw is here and grain.

(3021) The grain is not suitable in the straw-barn; the straw likewise is bad in the wheat-barn.

(3022) It is not wisdom to mix these two: it makes necessary the separation in winnowing.”

(3023) He said, “From whom did you gain this knowledge, so that by means of the knowledge you did construct a threshing-floor ?”

(3024) He replied, “You, O God, gave me discernment.” He said, “Then how should I not have discernment ?”

(3027) It is necessary to make manifest this good and evil, just as to make manifest the wheat from the straw.

(3029) He said, “I was a hidden treasure”: listen ! Do not let your substance be lost : become manifest !

(3030) Your true substance is concealed in falsehood, like the taste of butter in the taste of buttermilk.

(3065) And you are running, for lifetimes, to the sagacious kings in quest of the interpretation thereof,

(3066) Saying, “Tell, what is the interpretation of that dream ?” To call such a mystery a “branch” is currishness.

(3068) There needs to be the elephant, in order that, when he sleeps supinely, he may dream of the land of Hindustan.

(3069) The ass does not dream of Hindustan at all: the ass has never journeyed from Hindustan to a foreign country.

(3070) There is need of the elephant-like and very robust spirit, that in sleep (concentration) it may be able to go speedily to Hindustan.

(3071) Because of desire the elephant remembers Hindustan; then by night that remembrance of his takes form.

(3072) "Remember Allah" is not a work of every rascal; "Return thou" is not on the foot of every reprobate.

(3073) But still do not you despair, be an Elephant; and if you are not an elephant, be in quest of transmutation.

(3078) Of this was Ibrahim son of Adham, who beheld in sleep, without veil, the unfolding of the spiritual Hindustan.

(3079) Of necessity, he burst the chains asunder and dashed his kingdom to pieces and disappeared.

(3080) The sign of beholding Hindustan is that he starts up from sleep and becomes mad.

(3081) He will scatter dust upon plans and will burst the links of the chains,

(3082) Even as the Prophet said of the light (Noor), that the sign thereof in breasts.

(3083) Is that he withdraws from the abode of delusion and also turns back from the abode of joy.

Story of the prince to whom the true kingdom displayed itself, “on the Day when a man shall flee from his brother and his mother and his father” became the object of his immediate experience; the kingdom of this earth-heap of the childish called “castle-taking,” the child that gains the victory mounts upon the earth-heap and says boastfully, “The castle belongs to me,” while the other children envy him; for earth is the pastime of boys. When the prince was delivered from the bondage of colours, he said, “I say that these coloured pieces of earth are just the same vile earth; I do not call them gold and satin and brocade: I have been delivered from this brocade (aksún) and have gone to that which is simple (yaksún).” “And We bestowed wisdom upon him whilst he was yet a boy”; it needs not the passing of years for the guidance of God: none speaks of the capacity to receive in the Power of Be, and it is.

(3085) A certain king had a young son, adorned with excellence within and without.

(3086) He dreamed that suddenly that son died : the pure pleasure of the world was changed, for the king, to dregs.

(3087) His water-skin was dried up by the heat of the fire, for because of the glow of the fire his tears remained not.

(3088) The king became so full of smoke and grief that sighs were finding no way into him.

(3089) He was about to die, his body became inert; his life had been left : the king awoke.

(3090) From awaking, there came to him a joy which he had not experienced in his life;

(3099) for weeping in dreams joy and gladness are in the interpretation, O gleeful man.

(3100) The king pondered, saying, “This sorrow, indeed, is past, but my soul has become suspicious of one of the same kind;

(3101) And if such a thorn enters my foot that the rose departs, I must have a keepsake.”

(3108) The wind is fierce and my lamp is a docked one : I will light another lamp from it,

(3109) So that maybe one complete will arise from them both, if that one lamp be put out by the wind,”

(3110) Like the gnostic who, for the sake of freedom from care, has lit the candle of the heart from this defective lamp of the body,

(3111) In order that, one day when this dies of a sudden, he may place before his eye the candle of the spirit.

(3112) He did not understand this; therefore in his heedlessness he applied the perishing candle to another perishable.

How the king brought his son a bride for fear of his race coming to an end.

(3113) It is necessary, then, to seek a bride for him, that from this marriage offspring may appear,

(3114) If this falcon returns to the state of mortality his young may become a falcon after the falcon,

(3115) If the form of this falcon go from here, his inward meaning may endure in his son.

(3116) On account of this, that renowned king, Mustafa, said, ‘The son is the marrow of his father.’

(3120) I too, for the purpose of the continuance of my race, will seek for my son a wife of good principles.

(3121) I will seek a girl who is the offspring of a righteous man, not the offspring of a stern-faced king.”

(3122) This righteous man (Imandaar) dis himself a king, he is free, he is not the prisoner of lust and gluttony.

(3138) The king prevailed and gave to him a maiden of goodly nature, belonging to the family of a righteous man.

(3139) Truly, she had none to rival her in loveliness: her face was brighter than the sun at morn.

(3140) Such was the maiden’s beauty; and her qualities were such that, on account of their excellence, they are not contained in description.

(3141) Make religion your prey, that in consequence there may come beauty and riches and power and advantageous fortune.

(3144) When the marriage with the family of the uncontentious righteous folk was achieved by the king,

(3145) By destiny a decrepit old witch, who was in love with the handsome and generous prince.

(3146) An old woman of Kabul - bewitched him with a sorcery of which the magic of Babylon would be envious.

(3147) The prince fell in love with the ugly hag, so that he abandoned his bride and the wedding.

(3148) A black devil and woman of Kabul suddenly waylaid the prince.

(3149) That stinking ninety year old hag left the prince neither wisdom nor understanding.

(3150) For a year the prince was captivated: the sole of the hag’s shoe was the place where he bestowed his kisses.

(3151) Association with the hag was mowing him, till through wasting away half a spirit remained.

(3152) Others had the headache on account of his weakness, he, from the intoxicating effect of the sorcery, was unconscious of himself.

(3153) This world had become a prison to the king, while this son was laughing at their tears.

(3154) The king became exceedingly desperate in the struggle: day and night he was offering sacrifice and giving alms,

(3155) For whatever remedy the father might apply, love for the old hag would always increase.

(3156) Then it became clear to him that that was absolutely a mystery, and that thenceforth his remedy was supplication.

(3157) He was prostrating himself in prayer, saying,

(3158) This poor wretch is burning like aloes-wood : take his hand, O Merciful and Loving One !”

(3159) Until, because of the “O Lord ! O Lord !” and lamentation of the king, a master-magician came from the road into his presence.

How the king’s prayer for the deliverance of his son from the witch of Kabul was granted.

(3160) He had heard from afar the news that that boy had been captivated by an old woman,

(3161) A crone who in witchery was unrivalled and secure from likeness and duality.

(3165) The king said to him, “This boy has passed out of control.” He said, “Look you, I am come as a potent remedy.

(3166) None of these sorcerers is equal to the old woman except me, the sagacious one, who have arrived from yonder shore.

(3167) Lo, by command of the Creator, I, like the hand of Moses, will utterly destroy her sorcery;

(3168) For to me this knowledge has come from yonder region, not from having been schooled in the sorcery which is held cheap.

(3169) I am come to undo her sorcery, so that the prince may not remain pale-faced.

(3173) He untied those heavy knots: then he gave to the king’s son a way out of the affliction.

(3174) The boy came to himself and with a hundred tribulations went running towards the throne of the king.

(3175) He made prostration and was beating his chin on the earth : the boy held in his arms a sword and winding-sheet.

(3176) The king ordered the city to be decorated, and the citizens and the despairing disappointed bride rejoiced.

(3177) The world revived once more and was filled with radiance: “Oh, what a wondrous difference between that day and to-day !”

(3178) The king made such a wedding-feast for him that sugared julep was before the dogs.

(3179) The old witch died of vexation and gave up her hideous face and nature to Malik.

(3180) The prince was left in amazement : “How did she rob me of understanding and insight ?”

(3181) He beheld a newly wedded bride like the beauteous moon, who was infesting the road of beauty against the fair ones.

(3182) He became senseless and fell on his face: for three days the heart vanished from his body.

(3183) Three days and nights he became unconscious of himself, so that the people were perturbed by his swoon.

(3184) By means of rose-water and remedies he came to himself: little by little, good and evil were apprehended by him.

(3185) After a year the king said to him jokingly in conversation, “O son, bethink you of that old friend,

(3186) Bethink you of that bedfellow and that bed : do not be so faithless and harsh !”

(3187) "Go to !” said he; “I have found the abode of joy; I am delivered from the pit of the abode of delusion.”

(3188) It is even so: when the true believer has found the way towards the Light of God, he averts his face from the darkness.

(3189) O brother, know that you are the prince born anew in the old world.

(3196) The sorceress, the World, is a mightily cunning woman: it is not in the power of the common to undo her sorcery;

(3208) Has not the Lamp of the peoples called this world and that world the two fellow-wives ?

(3197) And if understandings could undo her knot, how should God have sent the prophets ?

(3198) Listen; seek one whose breath is pure, a looser of knots, one who knows the mystery of God does what He wills.

(3199) She has imprisoned you, like a fish, in her net: the prince remained one year, and you sixty.

(3202) Her breathing has made these knots tight: seek, then, the breathing of the unique Creator,

(3203) In order that “I breathed of My spirit into him” may deliver you from this and say, “Come higher !”

(3223) The Light of that Countenance will deliver from the fire: listen, be not content with borrowed light.

Ya Ali Madad