The story of ‘Á’isha, may God be well-pleased with her, how she asked Mustafá (Mohammed), on whom be peace, saying, “It rained to-day: since thou wentest to the graveyard, how is it that thy clothes are not wet?”
One day Mustafá went to the graveyard: he went with the bier of a man (who was one) of his friends.
He made the earth so that it filled his grave: he quickened his seed under the earth.
These trees are like the interred ones: they have lifted up their hands from the earth.
They are making a hundred signs to the people and speaking plainly to him that hath ears (to hear).
With green tongue and with long hand (fingers) they are telling secrets from the earth's conscience (inmost heart).
(Sunk in earth) like ducks that have plunged their heads in water, they have become (gay as) peacocks, though (in winter) they were (dark and bare) as crows.
If during the winter He imprisoned them (in ice and snow), God made those “crows” “peacocks” (in spring).
Although He put them to death in winter, He revived them by means of spring and gave (them) leaves.
The sceptics say, “This (creation), surely, is eternal: why should we fix it on a beneficent Lord?”
God, in despite of them, caused (spiritual) gardens and plots of sweet flowers to grow in the hearts of His friends.
Every rose that is sweet-scented within, that rose is telling of the secrets of the Universal.
Their scent, to the confusion of the sceptics, is going round the world, rending the veil (of doubt and disbelief).
The sceptics, (shrinking) from the scent of the rose like a beetle, or like a delicate (sensitive) brain at the noise of the drum,
Feign themselves to be occupied and absorbed, and withdraw their eyes from the flash and the lightning.
They withdraw their eyes, but no eye is there: the eye is that which sees a place of safety.
When the Prophet returned from the graveyard, he went to the Siddíqa and confided (in her).
As soon as the eye of the Siddíqa fell upon his countenance, she advanced and began to lay her hand on him,
On his turban and his face and his hair, on his collar and chest and arm.
Said the Prophet, “What art thou seeking so hastily?” She replied, “To-day rain fell from the clouds:
I am searching thy garments in quest (of moisture), I do not feel them wet with the rain. Oh, how wonderful!”
The Prophet said, “What wrap hast thou thrown over thy head?” Said she, “I made that ridá (plaid) of thine (serve as) a head- covering.”
He said, “O pure-bosomed one, that is why God revealed to thy pure eye the rain of the Unseen.
That rain is not from your clouds: there are other clouds and another sky.”
