The purpose for which God is called Samí‘ (Hearing) and Basír (Seeing).
215. God has called Himself Basír (Seeing), in
order that His seeing
you may at every moment be a deterrent (against sin).
God has called Himself Samí‘ (Hearing), in order that
you mavst close
your lips (and refrain) from foul speech.
God has called Himself ‘Alím (Knowing), in order
that you mayst fear
to meditate a wicked
deed.
These are
not proper names applicable to God: (proper names
are
merely designations), for even a negro
may have the name Káfúr (Camphor).
The Names (of
God) are derivative and
(denote) Eternal Attributes:
(they are) not
unsound like
(the doctrine of) the First
Cause.
220. Otherwise, it would be ridicule and mockery
and deception, (like calling) a deaf person
Samí‘ (Hearer) and blind
men
Ziyá (Radiance);
Or (as though) Hayí (Bashful) should be
the
proper name
of
an impudent fellow, or Sabíh
(Beautiful) the name of a hideous
blackamoor.
You may confer
the title of Hájjí (Pilgrim) or Ghází (Holy Warrior)
on a newborn child
for
the purpose of
(indicating his) lineage;
(But) if these
titles are used in praise,
they are not
correct unless he (the
person so described)
possess that (particular)
quality.
(Otherwise), it would be a ridicule
and mockery (so to use them),
or madness: God is clear of
(untouched by) what the unrighteous say.
225. I knew,
before (our meeting),
that you art good-looking but
evil-natured;
I knew,
before coming face to
face (with thee),
that by reason
of contumacy you art set fast in damnation.
When my eye is red in ophthalmia, I know it (the redness)
is
from the disease,
(even) if I do not
see it (the redness).
You deemedst me as a lamb without the shepherd, you thoughtest that I have none keeping watch (over
me).
The cause why lovers
have moaned in grief is that
they have rubbed their eyes malapropos.
230. They have regarded that Gazelle as being shepherdless, they have regarded that Captive
as (one who
may be taken) cost-free,
Till (suddenly) an arrow from the glance (of
Divine jealousy) comes
(descends) upon the heart,
(as though) to
say, ‘I am the Keeper: do not look wantonly.
How am I meaner
than a lamb, meaner
than a kid, that there
should not be a keeper
behind me? I have a Keeper whom it beseems to hold dominion: He
knoweth the wind that blows
upon me. Whether that
wind was cold
or hot, that
Knowing One is not unaware,
is not absent, O infirm
man.
235. The appetitive soul is deaf and blind to God: I with my heart was seeing
your blindness from
afar.
For eight years I did not inquire
after you at all, because I saw you (to
be) full of ignorance, fold on fold.
Why, indeed, should I inquire after one who is in t he bath-stove (of lust), and say (to him) ‘How art thou?’ when he is (plunged) headlong (in sensuality)?
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