بخش 137 - باز جواب گفتن آن کافر جبری آن سنی را کی باسلامش دعوت می‌کرد و به ترک اعتقاد جبرش دعوت می‌کرد و دراز شدن مناظره از طرفین کی مادهٔ اشکال و جواب را نبرد الا عشق حقیقی کی او را پروای آن نماند و ذلک فضل الله یتیه من یشاء

The Necessitarian infidel began his reply, by which that eloquent man (the Sunní) was confounded;

But if I relate all those answers and questions, I shall be unable to get on with this Discourse.

We have things of greater importance to say, whereby your understanding will obtain a better clue.

We have told (only) a little of that disputation, O fierce debater, (but) from a little (part) the principle of the whole is evident.

Similarly, there is a disputation, (which will continue) till mankind are raised from the dead, between the Necessitarians and the partisans of (absolute) Freewill.

If he (the disputant of either party) had been incapable of refuting his adversary, their (respective) doctrines would have fallen out of sight (would have failed to maintain themselves),

Since (in that case) they (the disputants) would not have had the means of escape (which consists) in replying (to their opponents), they would therefore have recoiled from the way of perdition (from their erroneous doctrines);

(But) inasmuch as their continuance in that course was (Divinely) destined, God feeds them with (logical) proofs,

In order that he (the disputant) may not be silenced by his adversary's difficult objection, and that he may be prevented from seeing his adversary's success,

So that these two-and-seventy sects may always remain in the world till the Day of Resurrection.

Since this is the world of darkness and occultation, the earth is necessary for (the existence of) the shadow.

These two-and-seventy (sects) will remain till the Resurrection: the heretic's talk and argument will not fail.

The high value of a treasury is (shown by the circumstance) that there are many locks upon it.

The greatness of the (traveller's) goal, O well-tried man, is (shown by) the intricate windings of the way and the mountain-passes and the brigands (infesting them).

The greatness of the Ka‘ba and its assembly-place is (shown by) the brigandage of the Beduins and the length of the desert (traversed by the pilgrims).

Every (religious) doctrine, every tenet, that is not praiseworthy is (like) a mountain-pass and a barrier and a brigand.

(For) he sees that both the opponents are firm in their doctrine: every sect is pleased with its own path.

If it has no reply (to the arguments brought against it), it will cling obstinately to the same formula till the Day of Resurrection,

Saying, “Our great authorities know the reply to this, although the right method (of answering) is hidden from us.”

The only muzzle for evil suggestions (of doubt) is Love; else, when has any one (ever) stopped (such) temptation?

Become a lover, seek a fair minion, hunt a waterfowl from river to river.

How will you get water (spirituality) from that one who takes your water away? How will you apprehend (the truth) from that one (who) consumes your (spiritual) apprehension?

In Love, (which is) glorious and resplendent, you will find intelligible things other than these intelligible things.

For by this (individual) intelligence you procure the means of subsistence, (while) by that other (universal intelligence) you make the tiers of Heaven a carpet (under your feet).

When you gamble away (sacrifice) your intelligence in love of the Lord, He gives you ten like unto it or seven hundred.

Those women (of Egypt), when they gambled away (sacrificed) their intelligences, sped onward to the pavilion of Joseph's love.

(Love which is) the cupbearer of life took away their intelligence in one moment: they drank their fill of wisdom all the rest of their lives.

O (dear) soul, Love alone cuts disputation short, for it (alone) comes to the rescue when you cry for help against arguments.

Eloquence is dumbfounded by Love: it dare not engage in altercation;

For he (the lover) fears that, if he answer back, a pearl (his inner experience) may fall out of his mouth.

He closes his lips tight against (uttering) good or evil (words) lest the pearl should fall from his mouth (and be lost),

Even as the Companion of the Prophet said, “Whenever the Prophet recited sections (of the Qur’án) to us,

At the moment of munificence that chosen Messenger would demand of us attentiveness and a hundred reverences.”

’Tis as when a bird is (perched) on your head, and your soul trembles for fear of its flitting,

So you dare not stir from your place, lest your beautiful bird should take to the air;

You dare not breathe, you suppress a cough, lest that humá should fly away;

And if any one speak sweet or sour (words) to you, you lay a finger on your lip, meaning, “Hush!”

Bewilderment is (like) that bird: it makes you silent: it puts the lid on the kettle and fills you with the boiling (of love).