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4
457-506

  • Again, when the moon is born from the Hindú, Night, a light falls upon every window.
  • Count the light of those hundred houses as one, for the light of this (house) does not remain (in existence) without (the light of) the other.
  • So long as the sun is shining on the horizon, its light is a guest in every house;
  • Again, when the spiritual Sun sets, the light in all the houses disappears. 460
  • This is (only) a parable of the Light, not a (complete) similitude; for you (it is) a true guide, for the enemy (of the Light) a highwayman.
  • That evil-natured person resembles the spider: he weaves stinking veils (cobwebs).
  • Of his own gossamer he made a veil over the Light: he made the eye of his apprehension blind.
  • If one takes hold of a horse's neck, he gains advantage; and if he takes hold of its leg, he receives a kick.
  • Do not mount the restive horse without a bridle: make Reason and Religion your leader, and farewell. 465
  • Do not look scornfully and contemptuously on this quest, for in this Way there is (need of) self-denial and grievous anguish to (men's) souls.
  • The rest of the Story of the building of the Farther Mosque.
  • When Solomon began the building—holy like the Ka’ba, august like Miná—
  • In his building were seen splendour and magnificence: it was not frigid (dull and lifeless) like other buildings.
  • From the first, every stone in the building—(every stone) that was broken off from the mountain—was saying clearly, “Take me along!”
  • As from the water and earth of the house (bodily tenement) of Adam, (so) did light shine forth from the pieces of mortar. 470
  • The stones were coming without carrier, and those doors and walls had become living.
  • God saith that the ‘wall of Paradise is not lifeless and ugly like (other) walls;
  • Like the door and wall of the body, it is (endowed) with intelligence: the house (Paradise) is living since it belongs to the King of kings.
  • Both tree and fruit and limpid water (take part) with the in habitant of Paradise in conversation and discourse,
  • Because Paradise has not been fashioned out of (the builder’s) materials; nay, but it has been fashioned out of (good) deeds and intentions. 475
  • This edifice has been (made) of dead water and earth, while that edifice has arisen from living piety.
  • This (edifice) resembles its foundation (which is) full of defect, and that (edifice resembles) its foundation, which is knowledge and action.
  • Both throne and palace and crown and robes are (engaged) in question and reply (conversation) with the inhabitant of Paradise.
  • The carpet (there) is folded without the farrash (carpet- spreader); the house (Paradise) is swept without the broom.
  • Behold the house of the heart: it was disordered by (worldly) cares: without sweeper it was swept (clean) by a (vow of) repentance. 480
  • Its throne moved along without carrier; its door-ring and door became (sweet-sounding like) musician and singer.
  • The life of the everlasting Abode (Paradise) exists in the heart: since it comes not on to my tongue, what is the use (of my attempting to describe it)?
  • When Solomon went into the Mosque every morning to guide the servants (of God) in the right way,
  • He would give exhortation, sometimes by speech and melody and harmony, sometimes by act—I mean, a bowing or (service of) prayer.
  • The exhortation of act draws people more powerfully, for it reaches the soul of every one that hath hearing and (also) the deaf. 485
  • In that (kind of exhortation) the conceit of princedom is less (than in the other kind): the impression made by it upon the (prince’s) followers is strong.
  • Story of the beginning of the Caliphate of ‘Uthmán, may God be well-pleased with him, and his sermon expounding that the doer who exhorts by deeds is better than the speaker who exhorts by words.
  • The story (told) of ‘Uthmán is that he mounted the pulpit: when he obtained the Caliphate, he made hot haste (to mount it).
  • (’Twas) the pulpit of the Chief (Mohammed), which had three steps: Abú Bakr went and seated himself on the second step.
  • ‘Umar, in his reign, (sat) on the third step in order to show reverence for Islam and the (true) Religion.
  • (When) the reign of ‘Uthmán arrived, he, that man of praised (blessed) fortune, went up on to the top of the throne (pulpit) and seated himself. 490
  • Then a person given to idle meddling questioned him, saying, “Those two did not sit in the Prophet's place:
  • How, then, hast thou sought to be higher than they, when thou art inferior to them in rank?”
  • He replied, “If I tread on the third step, it will be imagined that I resemble ‘Umar;
  • (And if) I seek a seat on the second step, thou wilt say, ‘’Tis (the seat of) Abú Bakr, and (therefore) this one too is like him.’
  • This top (of the pulpit) is the place of Mustafá (Mohammed): no one will imagine that I am like that (spiritual) King.” 495
  • Afterwards, (seated) in the preaching-place, that loving man kept silence till near the (time of the) afternoon-prayer.
  • None dared to say “Come now, preach!” or to go forth from the mosque during that time.
  • An awe had settled (descended) on high and low (alike): the court and roof (of the mosque) had become filled with the Light of God.
  • Whoever possessed vision was beholding His Light; the blind man too was being heated by that Sun.
  • Hence, by reason of the heat, the blind man's eye was perceiving that there had arisen a Sun whose strength faileth not. 500
  • But this heat (unlike the heat of the terrestrial sun) opens the (inward) eye, that it may see the very substance of everything heard.
  • Its heat has (as effect) a grievous agitation and emotion, (but) from that glow there comes to the heart a joyous (sense of) freedom, an expansion.
  • When the blind man is heated by the Light of Eternity, from gladness he says, “I have become seeing.”
  • Thou art mightily well drunken, but, O Bu ’l-Hasan, there is a bit of way (to be traversed ere thou attain) to seeing.
  • This is the blind man's portion from the Sun, (and) a hundred such (portions); and God best knoweth what is right. 505
  • And he that hath vision of that Light—how should the explanation of him (his state) be a task (within the capacity) of Bú Síná?