How Moses, on whom be peace, took offence at the prayer of the shepherd.
Moses saw a shepherd on the way, who was saying, “O God who choosest (whom Thou wilt),
Where art Thou, that I may become Thy servant and sew Thy shoes and comb Thy head?
That I may wash Thy clothes and kill Thy lice and bring milk to Thee, O worshipful One;
That I may kiss Thy little hand and rub Thy little foot, (and when) bedtime comes I may sweep Thy little room,
O Thou to whom all my goats be a sacrifice, O Thou in remembrance of whom are my cries of ay and ah!”
The shepherd was speaking foolish words in this wise. Moses said, “Man, to whom is this (addressed)?”
He answered, “To that One who created us; by whom this earth and sky were brought to sight.”
“Hark!” said Moses, “you have become very backsliding (depraved); indeed you have not become a Moslem, you have become an infidel.
What babble is this? what blasphemy and raving? Stuff some cotton into your mouth!
The stench of your blasphemy has made the (whole) world stinking: your blasphemy has turned the silk robe of religion into rags.
Shoes and socks are fitting for you, (but) how are such things right for (One who is) a Sun?
If you do not stop your throat from (uttering) these words, a fire will come and burn up the people.
If a fire has not come, (then) what is this smoke? Why has your soul become black and your spirit rejected (by God)?
If you know that God is the Judge, how is it right for you (to indulge in) this doting talk and familiarity?
Truly, the friendship of a witless man is enmity: the high God is not in want of suchlike service.
To whom are you saying this? To your paternal and maternal uncles? Are the body and (its) needs among the attributes of the Lord of glory?
(Only) he that is waxing and growing drinks milk: (only) he that has need of feet puts on shoes.
And if these words (of yours) are (meant) for His servant, of whom God said, ‘He is I and I myself am he’;
(For him) of whom He (God) said, ‘Verily, I was sick and thou didst not visit Me,’ (that is), ‘I became ill, not he (the sick man) alone’;
(For him) who has become seeing by Me and hearing by Me— this (talk of yours) is foolish nonsense even in regard to that servant.
To speak irreverently to one chosen of God causes the heart (spirit) to perish and keeps the page (record) black.
If you should call a man ‘Fátima’—though men and women are all of one kind—
He will seek to murder you, so far as it is possible (for him), albeit he is good-natured and forbearing and quiet.
(The name) Fátima is (a term of) praise in regard to women, (but) if you address it to a man, ’tis (like) the blow of a spearhead.
Hand and foot are (terms of) praise in relation to us; in relation to the holiness of God they are pollution.
(The words) He begat not, He was not begotten are appropriate to Him: He is the Creator of begetter and begotten.
Birth is the attribute of everything that is (a) body: whatever is born is on this side of the river,
Because it is of (the world of) becoming and decay and (is) contemptible: it is originated and certainly requires an Originator.”
He (the shepherd) said, “O Moses, thou hast closed my mouth and thou hast burned my soul with repentance.”
He rent his garment and heaved a sigh, and hastily turned his head towards the desert and went (his way).
