The remainder of the story of Zayd (and what he said) in answer to the Prophet, on whom be peace.
This discourse hath no end. “Arise, O Zayd, and tie a shackle on the Buráq (steed) of thy rational spirit.
Since the rational spirit exposes faults, it is rending the curtains of concealment.
Concealment is desired by God for awhile. Drive away this drummer, bar the road!
Do not gallop, draw rein, ’tis better it (thy spirit) should be veiled; ’tis better that every one should be gladdened by his own fancy.
God is wishing that even His despairing ones should not avert their faces (refrain) from this worship (of Him).
Even on the ground of a hope they become ennobled: for a few days (a short time) they are running at its stirrup (following Divine worship).
He wishes that that mercy should shine upon all, on the evil and the good, because of the universality of His mercy.
God is wishing that every prince and captive should be hopeful and fearful and afraid.
This hope and fear are in the veil (separating the seen from the unseen), that they may be fostered behind this veil.
When thou hast rent the veil, where are fear and hope? Might and majesty and (the power to inflict) probation belong to the unseen.”
A young man on the bank of a river thought (to himself), “Our fisherman (here) is Solomon.
(But) if this is he, why is he alone and disguised? And if not, why has he the aspect of Solomon?”
Thus thinking, he remained in two minds until Solomon (once more) became king and absolute ruler.
The demon departed and fled from his (Solomon's) kingdom and throne: the sword of his fortune shed that devil's blood.
He put the ring upon his finger, the hosts of demons and peris assembled.
The men came to look, amongst them he who had the fancy (that the fisherman was Solomon in disguise).
When he opened his (Solomon's) hand and saw the ring, his pondering and seeking (to decide rightly) vanished all at once.
Anxiety occurs (only) at the time when that (object of desire) is hidden: this searching is after the unseen.
Whilst he was absent, fancy waxed strong in his breast: as soon as he was present, his fancy departed.
If the radiant sky is not without rain, neither is the dark earth without vegetation.
(God said), “I want (what is signified by the words) they believe in the unseen: on that account I have shut the window of the fleeting world.
If I open its window as on the day of the (last) trump, how should I say, ‘Dost thou see any clefts therein?’”
In order that in this darkness they may make endeavours (to find the way), they are turning, every one, their faces in some direction.
For awhile things are reversed: the thief brings the magistrate to the gallows,
So that many a sultan and man of lofty spirit becomes the slave of his own slave for awhile.
Service (performed) in absence (through faith in the unseen) is fair and comely; when service is demanded (by God from us), ‘tis pleasing (to Him) that the absent should be remembered (that we should remember to perform what is due to Him, though He is unseen).
Where (in what position) is one that praises the king in his presence, compared with one that is shamefaced in absence (from him)?
The governor of a fortress who, on the border of the kingdom, far from the sultan and the shadow (protection) of the sultanate,
Guards the fortress from enemies and will not sell it for boundless riches,
Who, though absent from the king on the outskirt of the frontiers, keeps faith (with him) like one who is present—
He in the king's sight is better than the rest who are serving in his presence and ready to devote their lives.
Therefore half an atom of regard to one's duty in absence is better than a hundred thousand fold observance thereof in presence.
Obedience (to God) and faith are praiseworthy now; after death, when all is plainly shown, they will be spurned.
“Inasmuch as the unseen and the absent and the veil are better, close thy mouth: ’tis better for us to be silent.
O brother, refrain from speech: God himself will make manifest the knowledge that is with Him (in His possession).
Witness enough for the sun is its face: what thing is the greatest witness (of all)? God.”
“Nay, speak I will, since both God and the angels and the men of learning are allied in setting forth (this truth).
God and the angels and those learned in the sciences (of divinity) bear witness that there is no Lord except Him who endureth for ever.”
Since God hath given testimony, who are the angels, that they should be associated in the testimony?
(They are associated) because unsound (weak) eyes and hearts cannot support the radiance and (clear) testimony of the Sun,
Like a bat, which cannot bear the glow of the sun and abandons hope.
Know, then, that the angels, as we also, are helpers (co-witnesses)—displayers of the sun in heaven—
Who say, “We have derived (our) light from a Sun, we have shone upon the weak, like vicegerents (of a mighty King).”
(Whether they be like) the new moon or the moon seven days old or the full moon, every angel has his (particular) rank in respect of light and (spiritual) worth.
Every angel, according to their (different) degrees, has (a portion of) that radiance, consisting of three or four (pairs of) luminous wings,
Just as the wings of human intellects, amongst which there is great difference (in quality).
Hence the associate of every human being in good and evil is that angel whose dignity is corresponding to his or hers.
The stars shine, for the sake of guidance, upon the dim-sighted man who cannot bear even (the light of) the moon.
