How Adam, on whom be peace, marvelled at the perdition of Iblís and showed vanity.
One day Adam looked with contempt and scorn on Iblís who is damned.
He behaved with self-conceit and became self-approving: he laughed at the plight of accursed Iblís.
The jealousy of God cried out (against him)—“O chosen one, thou art ignorant of the hidden mysteries (of His providence).
If He should turn the fur inside out, He would tear up from root and bottom (even) the (firmest) mountain (of faith);
At that instant He would rend the veil of (put to shame) a hundred Adams and bring (to light) a hundred Devils newly converted to Islam.”
Adam said, “I repent of this look; I will not think so disrespectfully again.”
O Help of them that call for help, lead us (aright)! There is no (cause for) pride in knowledge or riches.
Do not let a heart stray that Thou hast guided by Thy grace, and avert the evil which the Pen has written.
Let the evil of Thy ordainment pass from our souls: do not cut us off from those who are well-pleased (with Thee).
There is naught more bitter than separation from Thee: without Thy protection there is naught but perplexity.
Our (worldly) goods waylay (and plunder) our (spiritual) goods: our bodies tear the garment (of spirituality) from our souls.
Inasmuch as (the evil wrought by) our hand devours (the good towards which we move) our foot, how shall any one save his soul without Thy security?
And (even) if (unaided) he save his soul from these awful dangers, he will (only) have saved a stock of misfortune and fear,
Because the soul, when it is not united with the Beloved, is blind and blue (miserable) with itself for ever.
When Thou wilt not give him admission (to Thy presence) —even suppose he has saved his soul, regard as dead the soul that would live without Thee.
If Thou art upbraiding Thy slaves, that is suitable to Thee, O Thou whose every wish is fulfilled.
And if Thou say that the sun and moon are scum, and if Thou say that the (straight) stature of the cypress is (bent) double,
And if Thou call the empyrean and the sky contemptible, and if Thou say that the mine and the sea are poor—
That is proper in reference to Thy perfection: Thine is the power of perfecting (all) mortalities,
For Thou art holy (and free) from danger and from non-existence: Thou art He that brings the non-existent ones into being and endows (them with existence).
He that made to grow can burn (destroy), because when He has torn, He can sew (mend).
Every autumn He burns (withers) the garden; (then) He makes to grow again the rose that dyes (the garden),
Saying, “O thou who wert withered, come forth, be fresh, once more be fair and of fair renown!”
The eye of the narcissus became blind: He restored it; the throat of the reed was cut: He himself fostered it again (and revived it).
Since we are made (by God) and are not makers, we are not (entitled to be anything) but humble and content.
We all are of the flesh and busy with fleshliness: if Thou call us not (to Thyself), we all are Ahrimans (Devils).
(If) we have been delivered from Ahriman, (it is only) because Thou hast redeemed our souls from blindness.
Thou art the Guide of every one that hath life: who (of what account) is the blind man without staff and guide?
Excepting Thee (alone), whatsoever is sweet or unsweet is man-destroying and the essence of fire.
Any one to whom fire is a refuge and support becomes both a Magian and a Zoroaster.
Everything except Allah is vain: verily the grace of Allah is a cloud pouring abundantly and continually.
