بخش 75 - حکمت در انی جاعل فی الارض خلیفة

Therefore He made a viceroy, one having a heart, to the end that he might be a mirror for His sovereignty;

So He endowed him with infinite purity (spiritual light), and then set up against him a contrary (in the form) of darkness.

He made two banners, white and black: one (was) Adam, the other (was) the Iblís (Devil) of the Way (to Him).

Between those two mighty camps (there was) combat and strife, and there came to pass what came to pass.

Likewise in the second period Hábíl (Abel) arose, and Qábíl (Cain) became the antagonist of his pure light.

Even so (were) these two banners of justice and iniquity (continuing to be raised) till in the course of time the period of Nimrod arrived.

He became the antagonist and adversary of Abraham, and those two armies waged war (against each other) and sought battle.

(At last) when He was displeased with the prolongation of the strife, His fire became the (means of) decision between the twain.

So He caused a fire to be His arbiter and servant, in order that the difficulty (controversy) of those two persons might be solved.

These two (contrary) parties (carried on the struggle) from period to period and from generation to generation, down to (the time of) Pharaoh and Godfearing Moses,

Between whom there was war for (many) years. When it passed (all) bounds and was causing excessive weariness,

God made the water of the sea His arbiter, that it might be left (to the sea to decide) which of these two should prevail.

So (it went on) till the period and time of Mustafá (Mohammed), (who contended) with Abú Jahl, the general of the army of iniquity.

Moreover He (God) appointed a servant for (the destruction of) Thamúd, (namely), the (awful) Cry that took away their lives.

Moreover He appointed a servant for (the destruction of) the people of ‘Ád, one that rises quickly and moves rapidly, that is (to say), the Wind.

Moreover He appointed a discerning servant for (the destruction of) Qárún (Korah): He endued the graciousness of the Earth with enmity,

So that the graciousness of the Earth turned entirely to wrath, and she bore Qárún and his treasure down to the abyss.

In the case of the food that is a pillar (support) for this body, bread is like a breastplate to repel the sword of hunger;

(Yet) when God puts a (motive of) wrath into your bread, that bread will stick in your gullet (and choke you) like a quinsy.

This garment that protects you from the cold—God gives it the temperature of intense frost,

So that this greatcoat on your body becomes cold as ice and biting as snow.

(This He does) in order that you may flee from the fox-fur and silk and take refuge from them with the intense cold.

You are not the (statutory) two qullas (ewers), you are (only) one ewer: you have forgotten the (Divine) chastisement inflicted by an overshadowing cloud.

In town and village, to (every) house and wall came the command of God, “Give no shade!

Do not ward off the rain and the (heat of the) sun!” so that the people went in haste to that Apostle (Shu‘ayb),

Crying, “We are dead for the most part: mercy, O Prince!” Read the rest of it in the book of commentary (on the Qur’án).

Since that deft-handed One made the rod (of Moses) a serpent, that instance is enough if you have any intelligence.

You possess (the faculty of) consideration, but it does not go deep (into the subject): it is a frozen spring and has stopped (flowing).

Hence the (Divine) Artist who depicts thoughts is saying, “Consider deeply, O (My) servant.”

He does not mean (to say), “Beat cold iron,” but (what He means is) “O (thou who art hard as) steel, devote thyself to David.”

If your body is dead, resort to Isráfíl; if your heart is frozen, repair to the sun of the Spirit.

Inasmuch as you have wrapped yourself in the garment of phantasy, lo, you will (soon) reach (the position of) the evil-minded sophist (sceptic).

Verily he was dispossessed of the kernel (which is) Reason: he was dispossessed of (true) perception and deprived of (immediate) experience.

Hark, O mouther, ’tis the hour for mumbling: if thou speak (clearly) to the people, ’tis a shameful exposure.

What is (the meaning of) im‘án? (It means) causing the spring to flow: when the spirit (ján) has escaped from the body, they call it rawán.

The philosopher whose spirit was delivered from the bondage of the body and began to wander (rawán) in the garden (of Reality)

Bestowed two (different) titles on these two (spirits) in order to distinguish (the one from the other). Oh, may his spirit be blest!

(Now hear a story) showing that if he who walks according to the (Divine) command wishes a rose to become a thorn, it will become that.