Guidance for Perceiving Minds — Page 5
5 truth from the abyss and place it in the heights. However, I was informed that debates there are forbidden, and laws are in place to prevent them. Consequently, I assumed that what was meant was to come from the land of Egypt and its people, who were con- templative, rich in knowledge, and fruitful. I believed that among them were individuals regarded as researchers and eloquent writ- ers, presuming they belonged to the contemplative group, rather than the hasty and unjust. This assumption led me to send my book I‘ j a zul-Mas ih to the editor of al-Man a r and his friends, hoping that they would extol its merits and give it the recognition it deserves. I chose to prioritise them over the scholars of the Two Holy Cities, the Levant, and the Ottoman Empire, hoping they would help me to unravel the complexities of thought and alleviate the concerns that burdened me. I sought their assistance in extinguishing the harm that was inflicted upon me, and I hoped they would help me in righteousness and piety. However, upon the book’s arrival to the proprietor of al-Man a r , along with other letters that needed responses, he failed to appreciate its value or benefit from its extraordinary vast knowledge. Instead, he chose to use his pen to wound and harm me, displaying traits of envious and arrogant people. He relentlessly began to harm and belittle me, showing no inclination towards respect, a trait befitting honourable indi- viduals. His intention was to cause me pain and tarnish my rep- utation in the eyes of the common people who are like cattle. In doing so, he descended from the heights of an impenetrable lighthouse straight into countless pains. He trampled over me like pebbles, and after the flames of mischief had been extinguished, he rekindled them. He said, what he had to say, yet like those who