Hazrat Mir Muhammad Ismail (ra) — Page 80
80 At times, we find in the lines of Ḥaḍrat Mir Sahib ra , apparently conflicting emotions running concurrent ly. For instance, he says: I am the unworthy one who brought infamy to his elders; My wretchedness is alien to the clan of the noble Sād ā t. - [ Bukhār - e - Dil ] Yet, at another place he says: W ere I to lift this veil of profanity from my face, Saint s would rush to untie the laces of my shoes. - [ Bukhār - e - Dil ] To the casual reader, the above two couplets would appear to be in glaring contradicti on of each other. H owever, it is not at all unusual to be self - negating and yet confess one's bond with God. Neither is there any pretence in the first of these couplets nor is the second couplet born out of any arrogance. T he awareness of one's sins is the very basis of self - awareness, and the awareness of God's favours is the foundation of true gratitude. The seemingly conflicting streaks of intense love for God and His fear actually run parallel to each other in the heart of the true Ṣūfī. Of the two couplets, quoted above, the first one reveals the humbleness of a truly God - fearing person, while the second o ne depicts his cognizance of his own closeness to God. When he says “ Were I to lift this veil of profanity