Life of Ahmad — Page 359
as THE ESSENCE OF ISLAM 359 another and the same is favourably looked upon, by God. And just as the "So it be" of God always produces the desired result without fail, the "So it be" of such a person in that best moment does not go unfulfilled. And, as I have just mentioned, the real cause of these powerful miracles is the reflection of Divine attributes on account of the most intimate union of a holy man with God, the Almighty. Such a person is always used as a medium for the manifestations of divinity. God who is the true Beloved, raising the intervening curtains, embraces him on account of his extreme nearness and, being bliss Himself, He blesses thereby his words, movements, food, clothes, time, place and everything connected with him. Then everything that touches him becomes blessed. The threshold of his house is full of bliss. Bliss pours like rain upon the doors of his home and he enjoys its sweet fragrance. When he undertakes a journey, God is with him with all His blessings. When he comes home, he brings a river of heavenly light along with him. In short, none knows him fully except God. It should also be clearly understood that after the realisation of the stage of self- annihilation, Fan a according to the mystics, and Istiq a mat (steadfastness) according to the Holy Quran, the stages of Baq a and Liq a immediately follow. Fan a means total