[Explaining that when injury
befalls you from a creature of God,
he in reality is like
an
instrument.
The
gnostic is
he that refers (all
action) to God,
not to
the instrument;
and if
he refer
it
to the instrument formally, he does so not in ignorance but for a purpose. Thus Abú Yazíd, may God sanctify his spirit, said,
“During
all these years I have
never spoken to
any
creature or heard
any creature speak
to me;
but people fancy that I am speaking and listening to them, because they do not see the Most Great Speaker, of whom they in relation to me are (only) the echo.” The intelligent hearer pays no heed to
the
echo. There is a well-known proverb to this effect, (namely), “The wall said to the nail, ‘Why are you splitting me?’ The nail replied, ‘Look at him who is hitting me.’”]
Do not foolishly beg the spear for mercy: beg (mercy) of the King in whose hand it (the spear) is (held).
How shouldst you supplicate the spear and sword which are captives in the hand of that Exalted One?
1685. He is (like) Ázar in craftsmanship, and I am
the idol (made by Him): whatever instrument He may make
of
me, I become that.
If He make me a cup, I become a cup; and if He make me a dagger, I become a dagger. If He
make me a fountain, I give
water; and if He
make me fire, I give heat.
If He
make rain of me, I give
a cornstack; and if He
make an arrow of me, I dart into
the body.
If He make me a snake (márí), I emit
venom; and if He
make
me a friend (yárí), I do (kindly) service.
1690. I am
as a pen between His
two fingers: I am not a waverer in the ranks of obedience
(to Him).” He (Azrael) engaged
the Earth in (this) discourse, (and meanwhile) he snatched from the old Earth a handful (of clay).
(Deftly) like
a magician he snatched
it from the Earth, (whilst) the Earth was absorbed, like
those beside
themselves, in (listening to) his words.
He brought the inconsiderate clay to God: (he brought) the runaway (back) to school.
God said, “(I swear)
by
My resplendent knowledge, I will
make you the executioner of these (My)
creatures.”
1695. He replied, “O Lord, your creatures will regard me as their enemy when I strangle them at death.
do you deem it right, O exalted Lord, to make me hated and like a foe in appearance?”
He (God) said, “I will bring
into clear view certain causes,
(such as) fever and dysentery and
phrenitis and spear(-wounds);
For (so) I will
turn their attention from
you to the diseases and threefold causes (of death).”
He (Azrael) replied, “O Lord, there are also servants
(of Yours) who rend
(shatter the illusion of) causes, O Almighty.”
1700. Their eye pierces through the cause: by the grace of the Lord, it has passed beyond (all) veils.
It has
obtained the collyrium of Unity from the oculist of ecstasy and has
been delivered from
ailment and infirmity.
They do not look at fever and
dysentery and consumption: they do not admit these causes into their heart; For every one of these diseases has its
cure: when it
becomes incurable, that is
the act of the (Divine) Decree.
Know for certain that every disease
has
its cure, as (for example) a fur is the cure for the pain of cold;
1705. (Yet), when God wills that a man shall
be frozen, the cold penetrates even a hundred furs And puts into his body a tremor that will not be made better by (wrapping himself in) clothes or by (snuggling in) the house.
When the Decree comes, the physician is made foolish, and the medicine too loses its beneficial effect. How should the perception of the
(mystic) seer be veiled by these
(secondary) causes, which are a veil to catch the dolt?
When the eye is quite perfect, it sees the root (origin); when a man is squinteyed, it sees the branch
(derivative).
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