(3141) The sleeper dreams of the sore pangs of thirst, the water is nearer unto him than the neck-vein.

Story of the ascetic who, notwithstanding his destitution and numerous family, was rejoicing and laughing in a year of drought whilst the people were dying of hunger. They said to him, “What is the occasion for joy ? It is an occasion for a hundred tears.” “For me at any rate it is not,” he replied.

(3242) Even as that ascetic was laughing in a year of drought, while all folk were weeping.

(3243) So they said to him, “What is the occasion for laughter, the drought has uprooted the true believers ?

(3244) Mercy has closed its eyes to us : the plain is burnt by the fierce sun.

(3245) Crops and vineyards and vines are standing black: there is no moisture in the earth, neither up nor down.

(3246) The people are dying from this drought and torment by tens and hundreds like fish far from the water.

(3247) You are taking no pity on the Moslems; the true believers are kinsmen and one body fat and flesh.

(3249) He replied, “In your eyes this is a drought, to my eye this earth is like Paradise."

(3250) I am beholding in every desert and everywhere ears of wheat in abundance, reaching up to the waist;

(3251) The wilderness full of ears of wheat in waves by the east-wind, greener than the leek.

Story of the sons of ‘Uzayr, who were making inquiries about their father from their father. “Yes,” he replied, “I have seen him: he is coming.” Some recognised him and became unconscious, others did not recognise him and said, “He has only announced : what is this unconsciousness ?”

(3271) Like the sons of Uzayr who came into the thoroughfare, asking news of their father.

(3272) They had grown old, while their father had been made young. Then suddenly their father met them.

(3273) So they inquired of him, saying, “O wayfarer, we wonder if you have news of our Uzayr;

(3274) For someone told us that to-day that man of authority would arrive from abroad after we had given up hope.”

(3275) “Yes,” he replied, “he will arrive after me.” That one rejoiced when he heard the good tidings,

(3276) Crying, “Joy to you, O bringer of the good news !” But the other recognised and fell unconscious,

(3277) Saying, “What occasion is there for good tidings, O scatterbrain, when we have fallen into the mine of sugar ?”

(3278) To Opinion it is good tidings, whereas in the sight of Reason it is ready cash, because the eye of Opinion is veiled by missing.

(3279) It is pain to the infidels and glad news to the faithful, but in the eye of the seer it is immediate experience.

(3280) Inasmuch as the lover is intoxicated at the moment of immediacy, he is necessarily superior to infidelity and faith.

(3281) Indeed, both infidelity and faith are his door-keeper; for he is the kernel, while infidelity and religion are his two rinds.

(3282) Infidelity is the dry peel that has averted its face; faith, again, is the peel that has gained a delicious flavour.

(3283) The place for the dry peels is the fire; the peel attached to the spiritual kernel is sweet.

(3284) The kernel itself is above the grade of “sweet”: it is above “sweet” because it is the dispenser of deliciousness.

(3331) That Guide will cause verdure to grow from your earth: he is not inferior to the hoof of the horse of Gabriel.

(3332) You will be made greenery; you will be made fresh anew, if you become the dust of the horse of a Gabriel.

(3322) The child’s intellect said, “Attend school”; but it cannot learn by itself.

(3323) The sick man’s intellect leads him to the physician; but his intellect is not successful in curing him.

(3327) If you are seeking priceless pearls, enter the houses by their doors.

(3328) Keep knocking that door-ring and stand at the door: there is no way for you in the direction of the vault of heaven.

(3376) The eye of the camel is very luminous because he eats thorns for the sake of the light of his eye.

Story of the mule’s complaining to the camel, “I often fall on my face when going along, while you seldom do so: why is this?” and the camel’s answer to him.

(3377) One day a mule saw a camel, since he had been put into a stable with him.

(4378) He said, “I often fall on my face in hill and road and in market and street.

(3379) Particularly from the top of the mountain to the bottom I come down on my head every moment from terror.

(3380) You do not fall on your face: why is it ? Or maybe in truth your pure spirit is destined to felicity.

(3381) I come down on my head every instant and strike my knees : by that slipping I make muzzle and knees all bloody.

(3382) My pack-saddle and trappings become awry on my head, and I always get a beating from the muleteer;

(3383) Like the unintelligent man who, from corrupt understanding, in sin continually breaks penitence.

(3385) He constantly comes down on his head, like a lame horse, for his load is heavy and the road is stones.

(3389) O camel, you who are a type of the true believer do not fall on your face, nor do you turn up your nose.

(3390) What have you that you are so untouched by bane and free from stumbling and do not fall on your face ?”

(3391) He said, “Though every felicity is from God, there are many differences between me and you.

(3392) I have a high head, my eyes are high: lofty vision is a protection against injury.

(3393) From the top of the mountain I see the mountain’s base; I see every hollow and level, fold by fold,

(3394) Just as that most noble prince saw his future destiny till the day of death.

(3395) That person of goodly qualities knows at the present time what will happen after twenty years.

(3404) Another thing is that my eye is clearer; another, that my nature is purer,

(3406) You are one of the children of adultery: without doubt the arrow flies crookedly when the bow is bad.”

(3407) The mule said, “You have spoken the truth, O camel.” This he said and filled his eye with tears.

(3408) He wept awhile and fell at his feet and said, “O chosen of the Lord of men,

(3409) What harm will it do if you, by your blessedness, will receive me into your service ?”

(3470) But if you become acquainted with this pure water, which is the Word of God and spiritual,

(3471) All distress will vanish from the soul, and the heart will find its way to the Rose-garden,

(3472) Because everyone who catches a scent of the mystery of the scriptures flies into an orchard with a running brook.

(3473) Or do you suppose that we see the face of the Saints (Imams) as it is ?

(3474) Hence the Prophet remained in astonishment, saying, “How are the true believers not seeing my face ?

(3475) How are the people not seeing the light of my face, which has borne away the prize from the orient sun ?

(3476) And if they are seeing, wherefore is this perplexity ?”— until a revelation came, saying, “That face is in concealment.

(3540) That appears in the form of inversion from the top of the pear-tree: come down, O youth !

(3541) The pear-tree is the tree of existence: while you are there, the new appears old.

(3542) While you are there, you will see a thorn-brake full of the scorpions of wrath and full of snakes.

(3543) When you come down, you will behold, free of cost, a world filled with rose-cheeked nurses.

(3561) Descend from the pear-tree on which at present you have become giddy-eyed and giddy-faced.

(3562) This is the primal egoism and self-existence wherein the eye is awry and squinting.

(3563) When you come down from this pear-tree, your thoughts and eyes and words will no more be awry.

(3564) You will see that this has become a tree of fortune, its boughs reaching to the Seventh Heaven.

(3565) When you come down and part from it, God in His mercy will cause it to be transformed.

(3566) On account of this humility shown by you in coming down, God will bestow on yours eye true vision.

(3567) If true vision were easy and facile, how should Mustafa have desired it from the Lord ?

(3568) He said, “Show me each part from above and below such as that part is in Your sight.”

(3569) Afterwards go up the pear-tree which has been transformed and made verdant by the command, “Be.”

(3570) This tree has become like the tree connected with Moses, inasmuch as you have transported your baggage towards Moses.

(3571) The fire makes it verdant and flourishing; its boughs cry “Lo, I am God.”

(3572) Beneath its shade all your needs are fulfilled : such is the Divine alchemy.

The diverse modes and stages of the nature of Man from the beginning.

(3637) First he came into the clime of inorganic things, and from the state of inorganic things he passed into the vegetable state.

(3638) Years he lived in the vegetable state and did not remember the inorganic state because of the opposition;

(3639) And when he passed from the vegetable into the animal state, the vegetable state was not remembered by him at all,

(3640) Save only for the inclination which he has towards that, especially in the season of spring and sweet herbs.

(3646) Again, the Creator, whom you know, was leading him from the animal towards humanity.

(3647) Thus did he advance from place to place, till he has now become intelligent and wise and mighty ?

(3648) He has no remembrance of his former intelligences; from this intelligence also there is a migration to be made by him,

(3649) That he may escape from this intelligence full of greed and self-seeking and may behold a hundred thousand intelligences most marvellous.

(3651) From that sleep they will bring him back again to wakefulness that he may mock at his state.

(3655) Till on a sudden there shall rise the dawn of Death and he shall be delivered from the darkness of opinion and falsehood.

(3656) Laughter at those sorrows of his will take possession of him when he sees his permanent abode and dwelling-place.

(3657) Everything good or evil that you see in your sleep will be made manifest, one by one, on the Day of the Congregation.

(3661) Know that in the hour of your awakening your tears and grief and sorrow and lamentation will turn to (Spiritual) joy.

An ant, walking on a piece of paper, saw the pen writing and began to praise the pen.

(3721) A little ant saw a pen on a paper, and told this mystery to another ant,

(3722) Saying, “That pen made wonderful pictures like sweet basil and beds of lilies and roses.”

(3723) The other ant said, “That artist is the finger, and this pen is actually the derivative and the sign.”

(3724) A third ant said, “It is the work of the arm, by whose strength the slender finger depicted it.”

(3725) In this fashion it was carried upward till a chief of the ants, was a little bit sagacious,

(3726) Said, “Do not regard this accomplishment as proceeding from the form, which becomes unconscious in sleep and death.

(3727) Form is like a garment or a staff : figures do not move except by means of intellect and spirit.”

(3728) He was unaware that without the controlling influence of God that intellect and heart would be inert.

(3729) If He withdraws His favour from it for a single moment, the acute intellect will commit follies.

(3744) A spiritual priority, unqualified and unconditioned: Have you seen the prior and the posterior without duality ?

(3748) Therefore be dumbfounded without nay or yea, in order that a litter may come from Mercy to carry you.

(3749) Forasmuch as you are too dull to apprehend these wonders, if you say “yea” you will be straying from the truth;

(3750) And if you say “nay,” the “nay” will be-head you: on account of that “nay” Wrath will shut your window.

(3751) Be, then, only dumbfounded and distraught, nothing else that God’s aid may come in from before and behind.

(3752) When you have become dumbfounded and crazed and non-existent, you have said with mute eloquence, “Lead us.”

(3754) Because the mighty shape is for the unbeliever; when you have become helpless, it is mercy and kindness.

How Gabriel, on whom be peace, showed himself to Mustafa, God bless and save him.

(3755) Mustafa said in the presence of Gabriel, “Even as your shape is, O friend,

(3756) Show it to me sensibly and visibly, that I may behold you as spectators.”

(3757) He replied, “You cannot and have not the power to endure it; the sense is weak and frail: it would be too painful for you.

(3758) "Show yourself,” said he, “that this body may perceive to what an extent the senses are frail and without resources.”

(3768) When he persisted, he displayed a little the awful majesty by which a mountain would be reduced to dust.

(3769) A single royal wing covered the east and the west: Mustafa became senseless from awe.

(3770) When Gabriel saw him senseless from fear and dread, he came and drew him into his arms.

(3771) That awe is the portion of aliens, while this fond affection is freely bestowed on friends.

(3772) Kings, when seated on the throne, have formidable guardsmen with swords in their hands,

(3773) Staves and lances and scimitars, so that lions would tremble in awe;

(3774) The shouts of sergeants with their maces, by the terror of which souls are enfeebled.

(3798) The foam of Ahmad was torn by that sight, his sea surged up for love of the foam.

(3799) The moon is entirely a bounteous light-diffusing hand: if the moon have no hand, let it have none !

(3800) If Ahmad should display that glorious pinion, Gabriel would remain dumbfounded forever.

(3801) When Ahmad passed beyond the Lote-tree and his place of watch and station and farthest limit,

(3802) He said to him, “Listen; fly after me.” He said, “Go, go; I am no longer your companion.”

(3803) He answered him, saying, “Come, O destroyer of veils : I have not yet advanced to my zenith.”

(3804) He replied, “O my illustrious friend, if I take one flight beyond this limit, my wings will be consumed.”

(3805) This tale of the elect losing their senses in the most elect is amazement on amazement.

(3806) Here all unconsciousness is play. How long will you keep possession of your soul ? For it is abandoning your soul.

(3807) O “Gabriel,” though you are noble and revered, you are neither the moth nor the candle.

(3808) When the candle calls at the moment of illumination, the soul of the moth does not shrink from burning.

Ya Ali Madad