How the Arab set his heart on (complying with) his beloved's request and swore that in thus submitting (to her) he had no (idea of) trickery and making trial (of her).
The man said, “Now I have ceased to oppose (thee): thou hast authority (to do what thou wilt): draw the sword from the sheath.
Whatsoever thou biddest me do, I will obey: I will not consider the bad or good result of it.
I will become non-existent in thy existence, because I am thy lover: love makes blind and deaf.”
The wife said, “Oh, I wonder if thou art (really) my friend, or whether thou art (bent on) discovering my secret by trickery?”
He said, “(No), by God who knows the thought most deeply hid, who out of dust created Adam pure (chosen above all),
Who, in the body three cubits long which He gave him, displayed everything that was contained in the tablets (of destiny) and the (world of) spirits.
Through his He (God) taught him (Adam) the Names (through his God-given knowledge) he at the very first gave instruction (to the angels) concerning everything that shall come to pass unto everlasting,
So that the angels became beside themselves (in amazement) at his teaching, and gained from his glorification (of God) a holiness other (than they possessed before).
The revelation that appeared to them from Adam was not (contained) in the amplitude of their heavens.
In comparison with the spaciousness of the range of that pure spirit (Adam), the expanse of the seven heavens became narrow.
The Prophet said that God has said, ‘I am not contained in the jar of “high” and “low” (spatial dimensions);
I am not contained in earth or heaven or even in the empyrean—know this for certain, O noble one;
(But) I am contained in the true believer's heart: oh, how wonderful! If thou seekest Me, search in those hearts.’
He (God) said (also), ‘Enter among My servants, thou wilt meet with a Paradise (consisting) of vision of Me, O God-fearing one.’
The empyrean, notwithstanding its wide (far-extending) light, when it beheld that (spirit of Adam), was confounded.
Truly, the magnitude of the empyrean is very great, but who (what) is form when reality has arrived?
Then the angels were saying (to Adam), ‘Before this (time) we had a friendship (with thee) on the dust of the earth.
On the earth we were sowing the seed of service (worship): we were marveling at that connexion,
Marvelling what connexion we had with that dust, inasmuch as our nature is of heaven.
(We said), Why (this) friendship in us, who are light, with darkness? How can light live with darkness?
O Adam, that friendship was owing to the scent of thee, because earth was the woof and warp of thy body.
From this place (the earth) thy earthly body was woven, in this place thy pure light was found.
This (light) that our souls have obtained from thy spirit shone erstwhile from the dust.
We were in the earth, and heedless of the earth, heedless of the treasure that lay buried there.
When He (God) bade us journey from that place of abode our palates were soured (we were bitterly grieved) by the change,
So that we were arguing (and saying), ‘O God, who will come in our stead?
Wilt Thou sell the splendour of the praise with which we glorify and magnify Thee for babble and palaver?’
The decree of God spread for us the carpet (of indulgence), (and He said), ‘Speak ye, in the way of boldness
(And) without fear, whatever comes upon your tongues, like only children with their father;
For what if these words (of yours) are unseemly? My mercy likewise is prior (superior) to My wrath.
In order to manifest this priority, O angel, I will put in thee incitement to perplexity and doubt,
That thou mayst speak and I not take offence at thee, (so that) none who denies My clemency may dare to utter a word.
Within My (infinite) clemency (the clemencies of) a hundred fathers and a hundred mothers at every moment are born and vanish.
Their clemency is (but) the foam of the sea of My clemency: the foam comes and goes, but the sea is (always) there.’’
What indeed shall I say? Compared with that pearl (Divine clemency) this oyster-shell (human clemency) is naught but the foam of the foam of the foam of foam.
By the truth of that foam, by the truth of that pure sea, (I swear) that these words (of mine) are not (meant to make) trial of thee and are not vain.
They are from (inspired by) love and sincerity and humbleness, (I swear) by the truth of that One to whom I turn.
If this affection (which I am showing) seems to thee a trial, do thou for one moment put the (supposed) trial (of thee) to the test.
Do not hide thy secret (but reveal it), in order that mine may be revealed: command anything that I am able to do.
Do not hide thy heart (but reveal it), in order that mine may be revealed and that I may accept whatever I am capable of (performing).
How shall I do? What remedy is in my power? Look what a plight my soul is in.”
