QUESTION II.
513
What is the union of necessary and contingent ?
What are ' near ' and ' far,' ' more' and ' less' ?
1
ANSWER II.
514
Hear of me a
discourse without ' more' or
' less,
'
It is by nearness that you become far from yourself.
515
As Being is manifested in not being,
From that too proceed
' near' and ' far,'
' more' and ' less.' 2
516
He is
' near
' on whom ' the light is shed,'
3
' Far
' is that not being which is distant from Being ;
517
If He makes to shine on you a light from Himself,
It delivers you from your own existence.
518
What profit to you is there in this non-existent existence,
Whence you have now fear and now hope ?
519
As man fears not him whom he knows,
It is infants who are frightened at shadows.
520
Fear remains not when you have started on your journey, 4
The Arab racer needs not the whip.
521
What fear will you have of the fires of hell,
When your soul and body are purged from existence ?
522
Let pure gold be burned in
the fire,
If it contains no alloy, what is there to burn ?
523
There is no obstacle in your
way but jomself,
But reflect well on your own illusory existence,
524
While you are cloaked in this self of yours,
The world is always as a veil before your eyes.
525
Then you are the lowest part of the circle of being,
Then are you most opposed to the point of unity ; 5
526
The phenomena of the world overpower you,
6
Thence like Satan you say " Who is like unto me ? "
527
Thence you say " I myself have free-will,"
" My body is the horse and my soul
the rider,"
528
" The reins of the body are in the hand of the soul,"
" The entire
direction thereof is given to me."
529
Know you not that all this is the road of the Magians,
7
All these lies and deception come from illusive existence ?
530
How, foolish
man, can free-will appertain
To a person whose essence is nothingness ?
531
Seeing that your being is all one with not being,
Say whence comes this free-will of yours ?
532
A man whose real existence is not of
himself,
Is neither good nor evil in his own essence. 8
533
Whom have you seen in the whole world
Who ever once acquired pleasure without pain ?
534
Who in fine ever attained all his
desires ?
Who continued ever at his pitch of perfection
?
9
535
Dignities are permanent, but men 'of dignity
Are subject to the sway of " The Truth." Allah is over all.
536
Recognise the "
working"
10
of " The Truth" in every place,
Place not foot beyond your own proper limits.
537
Ask of your own state what this free-will is,
And thence know who are the men of
free-will.
538
Every man whose faith is other than predestinarian,
Is according to the prophet even as a Gueber.
539
Like as those Guebers speak of Yezdan and Aherman,
So these ignorant fools say
' I
' and ' He.'
540
The attribution of actions to us is imaginary,
That attribution itself is but a play and a farce.
541
You existed not when your
actions were originated,
You were appointed to fulfil a certain purpose. 11
542
By the uncaused sovereign will of " The Truth,"
By His fore-knowledge giving absolute command,
543
There was predestined, before soul and body were,
For every man his appointed work ;
544
One was obedient for seven hundred thousand
years,
12
Yet afterwards bore the collar of curses on his neck.
545
Another after his transgression beheld the pure light,
When he repented, he obtained the name " Chosen ; " 13
546
And, more marvellous still, it was by Satan's disobedience
That Adam received mercy and pardon from " The Truth,"
14
547
Whilst through Adam's sin Satan was cursed.
O
wondrous actions of Thine without how or why !
548
The Divine Majesty
' regards not,'
15
Exalted high above fanciful reasonings.
549
How came it, foolish man, that from eternity
This man was to be Muhammad, and that Abu Jahl ?
16
550
He who speaks of how and why in connection with God
Like a polytheist speaks unworthily of His Majesty.
551
It becomes Him to ask how and why,
Cavils on the part of His slaves are unbecoming.
552
Godship consists entirely in sovereignty. 17
Causation is inapplicable to the acts of God,
553
Mercy and vengeance befit Godship ;
But slaveship lies in poverty and necessity,
554
The ' honour
' of man lies in being under compulsion,
18
Not in having a share in free-will.
555
Man has nothing whatever of himself,
Yet God asks him concerning good and evil. 19
556
Man has no free-will, but is under
compulsion:
Ah, poor creature, seeming to be free, yet a slave !
557
This is not injustice, but
true fore-knowledge and justice ;
This is not oppression, but pure mercy and
grace.
558
He has imposed on you the law for this cause,
That He has imparted to you of His essence.
20
559
Since you are impotent in the hands of " The Truth,"
Abandon and forsake this self of yours.
560
In " The All" you will obtain deliverance from self,
In " The Truth " you will become rich, Durvesh ! 21
561
Go, Soul of your father ! yield yourself to God's will,
Resign yourself to the Divine fore-ordinance.
