In The Name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate.

(1) The (spiritual) King, Husámu’ddín, who is the light of the stars, demands the beginning of the Fifth Book.

(6) It is wrong to praise you to the prisoners: I will tell in the assembly of the spiritual.

(9) The praiser of the Sun is pronouncing an encomium on himself, for, “My eyes are clear and not inflamed.”

(10) To blame the Sun of the world is to blame one’s self, for, “My eyes are blind and dark and bad.”

(11) Pity anyone in the world who has become envious of the fortunate Sun.

(15) Your dignity has transcended intellectual apprehension: in describing you the intellect has become an idle fool.

(16) Although this intellect is too weak to declare, one must weakly make a movement in that direction.

(17) Know that when the whole of a thing is unattainable the whole of it is not relinquished.

(18) If you cannot drink the flood-rain of the clouds, how can you give up water-drinking ?

(19) If you will not communicate the mystery, refresh apprehensions with the husk thereof.

(20) Spoken words are a husk in relation to you, but they are a good kernel for other understandings.

(21) The sky is low in relation to the empyrean; else, in respect of the earth-mound, it is exceedingly high.

(22) I will tell your description in order that they may take their way before they grieve at the loss of that opportunity.

(23) You are the Light of God and a mighty drawer of the soul to God. His creatures are in the darkness of vain imagination and opinion.

(24) Reverence is the necessary condition for this goodly Light to bestow a salve on these sightless ones.

(25) The ready sharp-eared man gains the Light—he who is not in love with darkness like a mouse.

(26) The weak-eyed ones that go about at night, how shall they make a circuit round the Cresset of the Faith ?

(29) He does not lift up branches like a date-palm: he has bored holes in the earth after the fashion of mice.

(30) This humankind have four heart-oppressing qualities: these four have become the gibbet of Reason.

Commenting on “Take four birds and turn them towards you.

(31) "O you whose intelligence is as the Sun, you are the Khalíl of the time: kill these four birds that infest the Way,

(32) Because each of them, crow-like, is plucking the eye from the intellect of the intelligent.

(33) The four bodily qualities resemble the birds of Khalíl: their slaughter makes way for the soul.

(34) O Khalíl, in the deliverance of good and bad, cut off their heads that the feet may escape from the barrier.

(35) You are all, and they all are parts of you: open, for their feet are your feet.

(36) By you the world is made a place abounding in spirit: a single cavalier becomes the support of a hundred armies.

(37) Inasmuch as this body is the abode of four dispositions, they are named the four mischief-seeking birds.

(38) If you wish the people to have everlasting life, cut off the heads of these four foul and evil birds,

(39) Revive them again in another sort, so that afterwards no harm will be done by them.

(40) The four immaterial birds which infest the Way have made their home in the hearts of the people.

(41) Since in this epoch you, O Vicegerent of God, art the commander of all righteous hearts,

(42) Cut off the heads of these four live birds and make everlasting the creatures that are not enduring forever.

(43) There is the duck and the peacock and the crow and the cock: these are a parable of the four dispositions in souls.

(44) The duck is greed, and the cock is lust; eminence is like the peacock, and the crow is desire.

(45) The crow’s object of desire is this, that he forms hopes and wishes for immortality or long life.

(46) The duck is greed, for her bill is always in the ground, seeking what is buried in the wet and dry.

(47) That gullet is never idle for a moment: ”Eat ! it listens to nothing of the ordinance save the command "Eat"

(48) "It is like the looter who digs up the house and very quickly fills his bag,

(49) Cramming into the bag good and bad, single pearls and chickpeas,

(50) Cramming dry and wet into the sack, for fear lest another enemy should arrive.

(51) Time presses, the opportunity is small, he is terrified: without delay he heaves it under his arm as speedily as possible.

(52) He has not confidence in his Sovereign that no enemy will be able to come forward.

(53) But the true believer, from his confidence in that Life, conducts his raid in a leisurely manner and with deliberation.

(54) He has no fear of missing his chance or of the enemy, for he recognises the King’s dominion over the enemy.

(55) He has no fear of the other fellow-servants coming to jostle him and gain the advantage,

(56) He perceived the King’s justice in restraining his followers so that none durst do violence to anyone.

(57) Consequently he does not hurry and is calm: he has no fear of missing his portion.

(58) He has much deliberation and patience and long-suffering; he is contented and unselfish and pure of heart,

(59) For this deliberation is the ray of the Merciful, while that haste is from the impulse of the Devil,

(60) Because the Devil frightens him away from poverty and kills the beast of burden, patience, by stabbing.

(61) Hear from Qur'an that the Devil in menace, is threatening you with hard poverty,

(62) That in haste you may eat foul things and take foul things, no generosity, no deliberation, no merit acquired by good works.

(63) Necessarily the infidel takes his food in seven bowels: his religion and spirit are thin and lean, his belly fat.

Concerning the occasion of the coming of the Tradition of Mustafá, the blessings of God be upon him, that the infidel takes his food in seven bowels, while the true believer takes his food in one bowel.

(64) The infidels became the guests of the Prophet: they came to the mosque at eventide,

(65) Saying, “We have come here as visitors seeking hospitality, O King, O you who are the entertainer of the inhabitants of the world.

(66) We are destitute and have arrived from afar: listen, shed your grace and light upon us !”

(67) He said, “O my friends divide, for you are filled with me and with my nature.”

(68) The bodies of every army are filled with the King; hence they would draw the sword against Majesty’s enemies.

(69) It is because of the King’s anger you draw the sword; otherwise, what anger do you have against your brothers ?

(70) The reflection of the King’s anger you are striking your innocent brother with a mace of ten kilos (mann's) weight.

(71) The King is one soul, and the army is filled with him : the spirit is like the water, and these bodies are the river-bed.

(72) If the water of the King’s spirit be sweet, all the river-beds are filled with the sweet water;

(74) Each Companion chose a guest. Amongst them, was one stout and incomparable.

(75) He had a huge body : no one took him along; he remained in the mosque like the dregs in a cup.

(76) As he was left behind by all, Mustafá took him away. In the herd there were seven goats that gave milk,

(77) For the goats used to stay in the house for milking in preparation for mealtime.

(78) That famishing giant son of a Ghuzz Turcoman devoured the bread and food and the milk of the seven goats.

(79) The whole household became enraged, for they all desired goat’s milk.

(80) He made his voracious belly like a drum: he consumed singly the portion of eighteen persons.

(81) At bed-time he went and sat in his room; then the maid angrily shut the door.

(82) She put in the door-chain from the outside, for she was angry with him and resentful.

(83) At midnight or dawn, when the infidel felt an urgent need and stomach-ache,

(84) He hastened from his bed towards the door, laying his hand on the door he found it shut.

(85) The cunning man employed various devices to open it, but the fastening did not give way.

(86) The urgency increased, and the room was narrow: he remained in dismay and without remedy and dumbfounded.

(87) He made shift and crept to sleep : in his slumber he dreamed that he was in a desolate place.

(88) Since a desolate place was in his mind, his sight went to a desolate place in his sleep.

(89) Dreaming he is alone, he squeezes out two huge lumps.

(90) When he awakens he knows that his covers are full of shit, and shakes with shame.

(91) My sleep is worse than my waking state.

(92) On one side I eat and on the other I excrete.

(93) He was crying, “Woe and alas ! Woe and alas !” even as the unbeliever in the depths of the tomb,

(94) Waiting to see when this night would come to an end, that the noise of the door in opening might rise,

(95) In order to flee like an arrow from the bow, lest anyone should see him in such a condition.

(96) The story is long: I will shorten it. The door opened: he was delivered from grief and pain.

How Mustafá opened the door of the room for his guest and concealed himself in order that he might not see the form of the person who opened it and be overcome with shame, but might go forth boldly.

(97) At dawn Mustafá came and opened the door: at dawn he gave the way to him who had lost the way.

(98) Mustafá opened the door and became hidden, in order that the afflicted man might not be ashamed,

(99) But might come forth and walk boldly away and not see the back or face of the door-opener.

(100) Either he became hidden behind something, or the skirt of God concealed him from him.

(101) The dye of Allaha sometimes makes covered And draws a mysterious veil over the beholder,

(102) So that he does not see the enemy at his side: the power of God is more than that, more.

(103) Mustafá was seeing all that happened to him in the night, but the command of the Lord restrained him

(104) From opening a way before the fault, so that he should not be cast into a pit by the disgrace.

(105) But it was the wisdom and the command of Heaven that he should see himself thus.

(106) There are many acts of enmity which are friendship, many acts of destruction which are restoration.

(107) A meddlesome fellow purposely brought the dirty bed-clothes to the Prophet,

(108) Saying, “Look ! Your guesthas done such a thing !” He smiled, a mercy to all created beings,

(109) And said, “Bring the pail here, that I may wash all with my own hand.”

(110) Every one jumped up, saying, “For God’s sake ! Our souls and our bodies are a sacrifice to you.

(111) We will wash this filth: do you leave it alone. This kind is hand’s work, not heart’s work.,

(112) O La-'amruk, God pronounced ‘life’; then He made you Vicegerent and seated you on the throne.

(113) We live for your service: as you are performing the service, what then are we ?”

(114) He said, “I know that, but this is an occasion; I have a deep reason for washing this myself.”

(115) They waited, saying, “This is the Prophet’s word,” till it should appear what these mysteries were.

(116) He was busily washing those filthy things, by God’s command exclusively, not from blind conformity and ostentation;

(117) For his heart was telling him, “Do you wash them, for herein is wisdom manifold.”

The cause of the guest’s return to the house of Mustafá, on whom be peace, at the hour when Mustafá was washing his befouled bed-rug with his own hand; and how he was overcome with shame and rent his garment and made lamentation for himself and for his plight.

(118) The wretched infidel had an amulet as a keepsake. He observed that it was lost, and became distracted.

(119) He said, “The room in which I lodged during the night— I left the amulet there unawares.”

(120) Though he was ashamed, greed took away his shame: greed is a dragon, it is no small thing.

(121) In quest of the amulet he ran hastily into the house of Mustafá and saw him,

(122) That Hand of God, cheerfully washing the filth by himself— far from him be the evil eye !

(123) The amulet vanished from his mind, and a great rapture arose in him: he tore his collar,

(124) Smiting his face and head with both hands, beating his pate against wall and door,

(125) In such a wise that blood poured from his nose and head, and the Prince took pity on him.

(126) He uttered shrieks, the people gathered round him: the infidel was crying, “O people; beware !”

(127) He smote his head, saying, “O head without understanding !” He smote his breast, saying, and “O bosom without light !”

(128) Prostrating himself, he cried, “O the whole earth, this despicable part is abashed on account of you.

(129) You, who are the whole, art submissive to His command; I, who am a part, am unjust and wicked and misguided.

(130) You, who are the whole, are humble and trembling in fear of God; I, who am a part, am in opposition and in rivalry.”

(131) At every moment he was turning his face to heaven, saying, “I have not the face, O qibla of the world !”

(132) When he had trembled and quivered beyond bounds, Mustafá clasped him in his arms,

(133) Quieted him and caressed him much and opened his eye and gave him knowledge.

(134) Till the cloud weeps, how should the garden smile ? Till the babe cries, how should the milk begin to flow ?

(135) The one-day-old babe knows the way: “I will cry that the kind nurse may come.”

(136) Do not you know that the Nurse of nurse’s gives no milk freely is without crying ?

(137) He has said, “Let them weep much.” Give ear, that the bounty of the Creator may pour forth the milk.

(143) You must have a weeping eye, like the little child: do not eat the bread, for that bread takes away your water.

(144) When the body is in leaf, on that account by day and night the bough, the soul, is shedding its leaves and is in autumn.

(145) The foliage of the body is the leaflessness of the soul. Be quick ! You must let this dwindle and that increase.

(146) Lend unto God, give a loan of this foliage of the body, that in exchange a garden may grow in your heart.

(147) Give a loan, diminish this food of your body, that there may appear the face of eye has not seen.

(148) When the body empties itself of dung, He fills it with musk and glorious pearls.

(149) He gives this filth and gets purity: his body enjoys He will purify you.

(150) The Devil frightens you, saying, “Listen and listen again ! You will be sorry for this and will be saddened.

(152) Eat this, it is hot and good for your health; and drink that for your benefit and as a cure,

(155) The vile Devil employs such menaces, and he chants a hundred spells over the people.

(157) "This,” says he “is of use to you against any sorrow and pain.” He said the same thing to Adam about an ear of wheat.

(167) Associate your intelligence with the intelligence of a friend: recite their affairs are taking counsel with each other, and practise it.

How Mustafá, on whom be peace, treated the Arab guest with loving kindness and calmed his distress and stilled the sobbing and lamentation for himself which he was making in his shame and penitence and fire of despair.

(168) This topic has no end. The Arab was astounded by the kindnesses of that King.

(169) He was nearly becoming crazed, his reason fled, but the hand of Mustafá’s reason drew him back.

(170) He said, “Come here.” He came in such fashion as one rises up from heavy slumber.

(171) "Come here,” said he, “do not lose your wits; listen, come to yourself, for there are things to be done with you here.”

(172) He threw water on his face, and he began to speak, saying, “O witness of God, recite the Testimony,

(173) That I may bear witness and go forth: I am weary of this existence and will go into the wilderness.”

(174) In this court of the Judge who pronounces the Decree we are for the purpose of our claim “Am not I your Lord ?” and “Yes”;

(175) For we said, “Yes,” and on trial our acts and words are the witnesses and evidence of that.

(176) Wherefore do we keep silence in the court of the Judge ? Have not we come to bear testimony ?

(177) How long, O witness, will you remain under detention in the court of the Judge ? Give your testimony betimes.

(178) You have been summoned here that you may give the testimony and show no disobedience;

(179) In your obstinacy you have sat down and closed hand and mouth in this confinement.

(180) Until you give that testimony, O witness, how will you escape from this court ?

(181) It is the affair of a moment. Perform and run away: do not make a short matter long to yourself.

(182) As you will, whether during a hundred years or in a moment, discharge this trust and acquit yourself.

Ya Ali Madad