بخش 12 - عرضه کردن مصطفی علیه‌السلام شهادت را بر مهمان خویش

This discourse hath no end. Mustafá offered the Faith, and the youth accepted

That Testimony which hath ever been blessed and hath ever loosed the fastbound chains. He became a true believer. Mustafá said to him, “Be my guest to-night also.”

“By God,” said he, “I am thy guest unto everlasting. Wheresoever I be, to whatsoever place I go,

I am made living by thee and liberated by thee, and am thy doorkeeper (eating) at thy table in this world and in the next.

Whosoever chooses any but this choice table, in the end his gullet will be torn by the bone (of perdition).

Whosoever goes to the table of any but thee, know that the Devil shares his cup.

Whosoever departs from thy neighbourhood, without any doubt the Devil will become his neighbour;

And if without thee he go on a far journey, the wicked Devil is his fellowtraveller and table-companion;

And if his Shahnáz be got with child by him, the Devil is his partner in begetting it.”

O thou that glowest (with faith), God hath said in the Qur’án, “Share with them in their wealth and children.”

The Prophet, (who drew inspiration) from the Unseen, explained this (matter) clearly in his marvellous discourses with ‘Alí.

“O Prophet of Allah, thou hast displayed (the truth of) thy prophetic mission completely, like the cloudless sun.

Two hundred mothers never did (to their children) this which thou hast done (to me); Jesus by his (life-giving) spells never did (so much as this) to ‘Ázar (Lazarus).

Lo, through thee, my soul hath been delivered from death: if ‘Ázar was revived by that breath (of Jesus), yet he died again.”

The Arab became the Prophet's guest that night: he drank half the milk of a single goat and (then) closed his lips.

He (the Prophet) urged him to drink the milk and eat the scones. “By God,” said he, “in all sincerity I have eaten my fill.

This is not hypocrisy or affectation and artifice: I have become fuller than I was yesternight.”

All the people of the (Prophet's) house were left in astonishment (to think that) this lamp had been filled by this one drop of oil,

And that what is (only) a swift's (portion of) food should become the (means of) filling the belly of such an elephant.

Whispering arose amongst the men and women—“That man who has the body of an elephant eats as little as a fly!”

The greed and vanity of unbelief was overthrown: the dragon was satisfied with the food of an ant.

The beggar-like greediness of unbelief departed from him: the sweet food of the Faith made him stout and strong.

He who was quivering from ravenous hunger beheld, like Mary, the fruit of Paradise.

The fruit of Paradise sped to his body: his Hell-like belly gained repose.

The essence of the Faith is a mighty blessing and exceedingly delicious food, O thou who art content with naught of the Faith but the profession!