The inner meaning of the recitation of the ablutionary prayers by one who performs the ritual ablution.
In the ritual
ablution, a separate
form of
prayer for each
member of the
body has been
handed down in Tradition.
When you snuff up water
into your nose, beg of the self-sufficient Lord the scent
of Paradise,
2215. In order
that that scent may
lead you towards
Paradise: the scent of the rose is the guide
to the rose-trees.
When you perform the
act of abstersion, the (proper)
form of prayer and
words is this: “O Lord,
cleanse me from this
(defilement).
My hand has reached
this place and
washed it,
(but) my hand
is weak (unable) to wash my spirit.
O You by whom the
spirit of the
unworthy is made
worthy, the hand of Thy bounty is reaching the spirits.
This (which) I, vile
(as
I am), have done was my limit (the
utmost within my power): do You make clean
that (which lies) beyond the limit, O gracious
One.
2220. O God, I have washed my skin
clean of ordure: do You
wash this beloved (spirit) clean of
worldly taints.”
A certain person used to say at the time of abstersion, “O God, let me smell the sweet odour of Paradise” instead of “O God, make me one of those who repent much, and make me one of those who purify themselves,” which is the (proper) form of prayer in abstersion; and he (also) used to recite the formula proper to abstersion at the time of rinsing his nose. A venerable man heard (him) and could not endure it.
A certain one said at the time of abstersion, “(O God), unite me with the scent of Paradise!”
(Thereupon) a person said, “You
have used a good formula, but you have missed the (proper) hole for the
prayer.
Since this
prayer was the formula applicable
to
the nose, why have
you
applied the nose-formula
to the arse?
One free (from sensuality) gets the odour of Paradise from his nose: how should
the odour of
Paradise come from
the
rump?”
2225. O you who have brought humility
into the presence of fools, and O you who
have brought pride into the presence
of (spiritual)
kings,
The pride shown to the base is goodly and
fitting. Take heed,
do not behave in the reverse manner: the
reverse thereof is (the cause of) your bondage.
The rose grew for the sake of the nostrils: sweet scent is the stipend of the nose, O churl.
The scent of the rose is for organs of smell, O bold
man: this hole below is not the place for that scent.
How should the
scent of Paradise come to
you from this place? If you requirest
the (sweet)
scent, seek it from its (proper) place.
2230. Likewise, “love
of country” is right, (but) first, O master,
know (what
really is) your country.
That sagacious fish said, “I will journey,
I will withdraw my
heart from their advice and
counsel.”
It is no time for counsel.
Hark, journey! Like ‘Alí, sigh (the secret)
into the well.
Very seldom
is
there found a fit
confidant for that sigh:
go
by night and let your movement be hidden, like (that
of) the night-patrol.
Set out from this lake
towards the sea: seek the sea and take leave of
this whirlpool.
2235. That wary (fish) made its breast o afoot (swam away) and was going from its perilous abode to the sea of light,
Like the deer of which
a dog is in
pursuit and which keeps
running so long as
there is a
single
nerve in its
body.
Hare’s sleep
(heedlessness) with the dog in
pursuit is a sin: how indeed
is sleep (dwelling) in
the eye of him who
has fear?
That fish
departed and took the
way to the sea: it took the far way
and the vast
expanse.
It suffered many afflictions,
and in the end it went
after all towards
safety and welfare.
2240. It cast
itself into the deep
Sea whose bound no
eye
can reach.
So when the fishermen brought
their net (to
the lake), the
half-intelligent
(fish) was bitterly grieved
thereat.
And said, “Alas, I have lost the opportunity: how did not I accompany that guide?
He went
off suddenly, but seeing
that he went I ought to have gone
after him in hot
haste.”
It is wrong to regret the
past: what is gone will not come back:
to remember it is of no avail.
Story of the captive bird which gave the (following) injunctions: do not feel sorrow for what is past, think about taking precaution for the present (need), and do not spend time in repenting.
2245. A certain man caught a bird by guile and
trap: the bird
said to him, “O noble
sire, You have eaten many oxen and sheep, you have sacrificed many camels;
You have
never in the
world been sated by
them, neither wilt
you be sated by my limbs.
Let me go,
that I may
bestow on you three counsels, that
you mayst perceive
whether I am wise or
foolish.
(I will give thee)
the first of
those counsels on
your hand, the second
of them on
your plastered roof,
2250. And the third
counsel I will give you on a
tree. (Let me go), for you wilt become fortunate through
these three counsels.
(As for) that saying
which is (to
be
said) on your hand,
it is this: ‘do not
believe an absurdity (when
you hearest it) from any one.’”
When it (the
bird) had uttered
the first grave
counsel on his palm, it became
free and went (to perch) on
the
wall (of his
house),
And said, “The second is,
‘do not grieve over (what
is) past: when
it has passed from
you, do not feel
regret for it.’”
After that, it said
to him, “In my body
is concealed a solitary
(large and precious)
pearl, ten dirhems in weight.
2255. By your soul's truth (as sure as you livest), that jewel was your fortune and the luck of your children.
You have missed the pearl, for it was not
your appointed lot (to gain
it)—a pearl the like of which is
not
in existence.”
Even as a woman
big with child keeps wailing at the time of parturition,
so
the Khwája began
to cry out clamorously.
The bird said to him, “Did not I admonish you, saying, ‘Let there be no grief
in you for what
passed yesterday’?
Since it is past
and gone, why
art you grieving? Either you
didst not understand my counsel or you art deaf.
2260. And (as
regards) the second
counsel I gave you,
(namely), ‘Do not from misguidedness put any belief in an absurd statement,’
O lion, I myself do not weigh ten dirhems: how
should the weight of ten dirhems
be within
me?”
The Khwája came
back to himself (recovered his wits) and said, “Hark, disclose the third
(piece of) excellent counsel.”
“Yes,” said the bird, “you
have made good use of those
(former counsels), that I should
tell
(you) the third counsel in vain!”
To give counsel to a sleepy
ignoramus is to scatter
seed in nitrous soil.
2265. The rent of folly
and ignorance does not admit
of being patched
up: do not give the seed
of wisdom to him (the fool), O
counsellor.
How the half-intelligent fish devised a means (of escape) and feigned to be dead.
The second fish said in the hour of tribulation, when he was left sundered
from the shadow
(protection) of the intelligent one,
“He has gone towards
the sea and is freed
from sorrow: such a good
comrade has been lost to me!
But I will
not
think of that and will attend to
myself: at this (present) time I will feign to be
dead. Then I will turn my belly upwards and
my
back downwards and will move on the water.
2270. I will move upon
it as weeds
move, not by swimming
as
a person (swimmer)
does. I will
become dead, I will commit myself
to the water:
to die before death is to be safe
from torment.”
To die before death
is to be safe, O youth:
even so has Mustafa
(Mohammad) commanded us. He
said, “Die, all of you, ere death
come, else ye will
die
with (the certainty of suffering) sore
afflictions (hereafter).”
He (the fish) died
in that manner and
threw his
belly upwards: the water
was carrying him, now alow, now
aloft.
2275. Every one of those pursuers (the fishermen) bore great
vexation (in his heart), saying, “AJas, the best fish is dead.”
He (the fish) was made glad by their
saying “Alas”: (he said to himself), “This trick
of mine has
come off, I am delivered from the sword.”
Then a worthy fisherman seized him and spat on him and flung him on the ground.
He (the
half-intelligent fish), rolling
over and over,
went secretly
into the water;
the (entirely)
foolish one remained (where
he was), moving to and fro in agitation.
That simpleton kept leaping about,
right and left, in order
that he might
save his skin by his own
efforts.
2280. They cast the net, and he (at
last) remained in the net:
foolish ness ensconced him in that fire (of
perdition).
On the top of the fire,
on the surface of a
frying-pan, he be
came the bedfellow of Folly. (There)
he was seething from the
heat of the
flames Reason was saving
to him, “Did not a warner come to thee?”
He, from the rack of torture and
tribulation, was replying like
the
souls of the unbelievers: they
said, “Yea.”
Then again he was saying, “If this time I escape from this neck-breaking affliction,
2285. I will not make my home except in a sea: I will not make a lake my dwelling-place.
I will seek the
boundless sea and become
safe: I will
go in safety
and welfare for ever.”
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