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5
82-131

  • She put in (fastened) the door-chain from the outside, for she was angry with him and resentful.
  • At midnight or dawn, when the infidel felt an urgent need and stomach-ache,
  • He hastened from his bed towards the door, (but) laying his hand on the door he found it shut.
  • The cunning man employed various devices to open it, but the fastening did not give way. 85
  • The urgency increased, and the room was narrow: he remained in dismay and without remedy and dumbfounded.
  • He made shift and crept to sleep: in his slumber he dreamed that he was in a desolate place.
  • Since a desolate place was in his mind, his (inward) sight went thither in sleep.
  • Cum sese videret in loco vastato et vacuo, tanta necessitate coactus extemplo cacavit. [When he saw himself in an empty and desolate place, (being in) such need, he defecated in (that very) moment.]
  • Experrectus vidit stratum lecti in quo dormiverat sordibus plenum: pudore commotus insanire coepit. [He woke up and saw the bedclothes (in which he had slept) full of filth: he became crazy from (shame and) anguish.] 90
  • E corde ejus ascendunt centum gemitus propter tale opprobrium pulvere non coopertum. [A hundred groans arose from his inward (heart) because of such a disgrace not covered (up) by dust.]
  • “Somnus meus,” inquit, “pejor quam vigilia mea; hic enim edo, illic caco.” [“My sleep,” he said, “(is) worse than my wakefulness; because I eat here and I defecate there.”]
  • He was crying, “Woe and alas! Woe and alas!” even as the unbeliever in the depths of the tomb,
  • Waiting to see when this night would come to an end, that the noise of the door in opening might rise (to his ear),
  • In order to flee like an arrow from the bow, (for fear) lest any one should see him in such a condition. 95
  • The story is long: I will shorten it. The door opened: he was delivered from grief and pain.
  • 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.
  • At dawn Mustafá came and opened the door: at dawn he gave the way (means of escape) to him who had lost the way (of salvation).
  • Mustafá opened the door and became hidden, in order that the afflicted man might not be ashamed,
  • But might come forth and walk boldly away and not see the back or face of the door-opener.
  • Either he became hidden behind something, or the skirt (merciful palliation) of God concealed him from him (the infidel). 100
  • The dye of Allah sometimes makes (a thing to be) covered and draws a mysterious veil o’er the beholder,
  • So that he does not see the enemy at his side: the power of God is more than that, (yea), more.
  • Mustafá was seeing all that happened to him in the night, but the command of the Lord restrained him
  • From opening a way (of escape) before the fault (was committed), so that he (the infidel) should not be cast into a pit (of grief) by the disgrace (which he had incurred).
  • (Otherwise, Mustafá would have let him out in time), but it was the (Divine) wisdom and the command of Heaven that he should see himself thus (disgraced and confounded). 105
  • There be many acts of enmity which are (really) friendship, many acts of destruction which are (really) restoration.
  • A meddlesome fellow purposely brought the dirty bed-clothes to the Prophet,
  • Saying, “Look! Thy guest has done such a thing!” He smiled, (he who was sent as) a mercy to all created beings,
  • And said, “Bring the pail here, that I may wash all (clean) with my own hand.”
  • Every one jumped up, saying, “For God's sake (refrain)! Our souls and our bodies are a sacrifice to thee. 110
  • We will wash this filth: do thou leave it alone. This kind (of affair) is hand's work, not heart's work.
  • O La-‘amruk, God pronounced unto thee (the word) ‘life’; then He made thee (His) Vicegerent and seated thee on the throne.
  • We live for thy service: as thou (thyself) art performing the service, what then are we?”
  • He said, “I know that, but this is an (extraordinary) occasion; I have a deep reason for washing this myself.”
  • They waited, saying, “This is the Prophet's word,” till it should appear what these mysteries were. 115
  • (Meanwhile) he was busily washing those filthy things, by God's command exclusively, not from blind conformity and ostentation;
  • For his heart was telling him, “Do thou wash them, for herein is wisdom manifold.”
  • 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.
  • The wretched infidel had an amulet (which he carried) as a keepsake. He observed that it was lost, and became distracted.
  • He said, “The room in which I lodged during the night—I (must have) left the amulet there unawares.”
  • Though he was ashamed, greed took away his shame: greed is a dragon, it is no small thing. 120
  • In quest of the amulet he ran hastily into the house of Mustafá and saw him,
  • That Hand of God, cheerfully washing the filth by himself— far from him be the evil eye!
  • The amulet vanished from his mind, and a great rapture arose in him: he tore his collar,
  • Smiting his face and head with both hands, beating his pate against wall and door,
  • In such a wise that blood poured from his nose and head, and the Prince (Mohammed) took pity on him. 125
  • He uttered shrieks, the people gathered round him: the infidel was crying, “O people, beware!”
  • He smote his head, saying, “O head without understanding!” He smote his breast, saying, “O bosom without light!”
  • Prostrating himself, he cried, “O (thou who art) the whole earth, this despicable part is abashed on account of thee.
  • Thou, who art the whole, art submissive to His command; I, who am (but) a part, am unjust and wicked and misguided.
  • Thou, who art the whole, art humble and trembling in fear of God; I, who am (but) a part, am (engaged) in opposition and in rivalry.” 130
  • At every moment he was turning his face to heaven, saying, “I have not the face (to look towards thee), O qibla of the world!”