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یہ صفحہ صرف وزنِ فاعلاتن فاعلاتن فاعلن (رمل مسدس محذوف یا وزن مثنوی) میں آنے والی نظمیں دکھاتا ہے۔
Explaining that the people of Hell are hungry and make lamentable entreaty to God, saying, “Cause our portions to be fat and let the provender reach us quickly, for we can endure no more.”
How Dhu ’l-Qarnayn went to Mount Qáf and made petition, saying, “O Mount Qáf, tell me of the majesty of the Attributes of God”; and how Mount Qáf said that the description of His majesty is ineffable, since (all) perceptions vanish before it; and how Dhu ’l-Qarnayn made humble supplication, saying, “Tell of His works that thou hast in mind and of which it is more easy for thee to speak.”
An ant, walking on a piece of paper, saw the pen writing and began to praise the pen. Another ant, which was more keen-sighted, said, “Praise the fingers, for I deem this accomplishment to proceed from them.” Another ant, more clear-sighted than either, said, “I praise the arm, for the fingers are a branch of the arm,” et cetera.
How Gabriel, on whom be peace, showed himself to Mustafá (Mohammed), God bless and save him, in his own shape; and how, when one of his seven hundred wings became visible, it covered the horizon (on all sides), and the sun with all its radiance was veiled over.
IN THE NAME OF GOD THE MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE
Commenting on “Take four birds and turn them towards thee.”
Concerning the occasion of the coming of the Tradition of Mustafá (Mohammed), the blessings of God be upon him, that the infidel takes his food in seven bowels, while the true believer takes his food in one bowel.
How Mustafá (Mohammed) opened the door of the room for his guest and concealed himself in order that he (the guest) might not see the form of the person who opened it and be overcome with shame, but might go forth boldly.
The cause of the guest's return to the house of Mustafá, on whom be peace, at the hour when Mustafá was washing his befouled bed-rug with his own hand; and how he was overcome with shame and rent his garment and made lamentation for himself and for his plight.
How Mustafá, on whom be peace, treated the Arab guest with loving kindness and calmed his distress and stilled the sobbing and lamentation for himself which he was making in his shame and penitence and fire of despair.
Explaining that (ritual) prayer and fasting and all (such) external things are witnesses to the inner light.
How the water cleanses all impurities and then is cleansed of impurity by God most High. Verily, God most High is exceeding holy.
How the water, after becoming turbid, entreats God Almighty to succour it.
The testimony of external acts and words to the hidden mind and the inner light.
Explaining that the light itself from within the illumined person bears witness to his light, without any act or word declaring it.
How Mustafá, on whom be peace, offered the Testimony (profession of the Faith) to his guest.
Explaining that the Light which is the food of the spirit becomes the food of the saint's body, so that it (his body) also becomes friendly with the spirit (according to the saying of the Prophet), “My satan hath accepted Islam at my hands.”
How the corporealists ignore the food of the spirit and tremble with anxiety for the vile food.
Comparison of the different practices and the various aspirations (of mankind) to the disagreement of those who at prayer-time endeavour to find the qibla (direction of Mecca) when it is dark, and to the search of divers (for pearls) at the bottom of the sea.
[Explanation of “Alas for the servants (of God)!”]
The reason why the name farají was first given to the garment known by that name.
Description of the Peacock and its nature, and the cause of its being killed by Abraham, on whom be peace.
Explaining that every one knows the mercy of God, and every one knows the wrath of God; and all are fleeing from the wrath of God and clinging to the mercy of God; but the Most High God has concealed wraths in mercy and mercies in wrath. This is God's mystification and disguise and contrivance to the end that the discerning who see by the Light of God may be separated from those who see (only) the present and the visible; for (He created death and life) that He might try you, which of you is most righteous in his works.
The diversity of intelligences in their nature as originally created; (a doctrine) opposed to (that of) the Mu‘tazilites, who assert that particular (individual) intelligences are originally equal, and that this superiority and diversity is the result of learning and training and experience.
Story of the Arab of the desert whose dog was dying of hunger, while his wallet was full of bread; he was lamenting over the dog and reciting poetry and sobbing and beating his head and face; and yet he grudged the dog a morsel from his wallet.
Explaining that no evil eye is so deadly to a man as the eye of self-approval, unless his eye shall have been transformed by the Light of God, so that “he hears through Me and sees through Me,” and (unless) his self shall have become selfless.
Commentary on “And verily those who disbelieve wellnigh cause thee to slip by their (malignant) eyes.”
Story of the Sage who saw a peacock tearing out his handsome feathers with his beak and dropping them (on the ground) and making himself bald and ugly. In astonishment he asked, “Hast thou no feeling of regret?” “I have,” said the peacock, “but life is dearer to me than feathers, and these (feathers) are the enemy of my life.”
Explaining that the purity and simplicity of the tranquil soul are disturbed by thoughts, just as (when) you write or depict anything on the surface of a mirror, though you may (afterwards) obliterate it entirely, (yet) a mark and blemish will remain (on the mirror).
In explanation of the saying of the Prophet, on whom be peace, “There is no monkery in Islam.”
Explaining that God (Himself) is the reward bestowed by Him for the (devotional) work of the lover.
Commentary on the saying of the Prophet, on whom be peace, “None ever died without wishing, if he was a righteous man, that he had died before he (actually) died, in order that he might sooner attain unto felicity; and if he was a wicked man, in order that his wickedness might be less.”
Explaining that the intellect and spirit are imprisoned in clay, like Hárút and Márút in the pit of Babylon.
The answer of the peacock to his interrogator.
Explaining that accomplishments and intellectual abilities and worldly wealth are enemies to (spiritual) life, like the peacock's feathers.
Description of the selfless ones who have become safe from their own vices and virtues; for they are naughted in the everlastingness of God, like stars which are naughted (vanish) in the Sun during the daytime; and he who is naughted hath no fear of bane and (is free from) danger.
Explaining that everything except God is devouring and devoured, like the bird that was in pursuit of a locust and occupied in chasing it and oblivious of the hungry hawk behind its own back, that was about to seize it. Now, O hunting and devouring man, be not secure against thine own hunter and devourer. Though with the sight of the (physical) eye thou seest him not, (yet) see him with the eye of serious consideration till the opening of the eye of the inmost heart (oculus cordis).
The reason why Khalíl (Abraham), on whom be peace, killed the crow, indicating (thereby) the subjugation of certain blameworthy and pernicious qualities in the disciple.
Prayer.
The Prophet, on whom be peace, said, “Pity three (classes of men): the mighty man of a people who is abased, and the rich man of a people who is impoverished, and a learned man whom the ignorant make sport of.”
Story of the young gazelle being confined in the donkey-stable, and how the donkey assailed the stranger, now with hostility and now with mockery, and how it was afflicted by (having to eat) dry straw which is not its (proper) food. And this is a description of the chosen servant of God amongst worldlings and those addicted to passion and sensuality; for “Islam (was) strange (when it first) appeared, and will become strange again, and blessed are the strangers.” The Messenger of Allah spake the truth.
Story of Muhammad Khwárizmsháh who took by war (force) the city of Sabzawár, where all (the inhabitants) are Ráfizís (extreme Shí‘ites). (When) they begged him to spare their lives, he said, “I will grant (you) security as soon as ye produce from this city a man named Abú Bakr and present him to me.”
The remainder of the Story of the gazelle in the donkey-stable.
Commentary on “Verily I saw seven fat kine which seven lean kine devoured.” God had created those lean kine with the qualities of hungry lions, to the end that they might devour the seven fat ones with avidity. Although (only) the forms of those kine were shown as phantoms in the mirror of dream, do thou regard the reality!
Explaining that the killing of the cock by Abraham, on whom be peace, signifies the subdual and subjugation of certain blameworthy and pernicious qualities in the heart of the disciple.
Commentary on “We created Man in the best (physical and mental) proportion, then We reduced him to the lowest of the low”; and on “And to whomsoever We grant long life, We cause him to relapse in constitution.”
Commentary on “The lowest of the low, except those who have believed and wrought good works; for they shall have a reward that is not cut off.”
Parable of the world (really) existent that appears non-existent and the world (really) non-existent that appears existent.