Malfuzat – Volume II — Page 73
73 grows in rank, words become all the more insufficient to describe it. And then, prophethood is a station that is the most supreme rank or level that any person can attain. How then can it be described? I can say, only briefly and inadequate- ly, that when a human being abandons their base life, and separates themselves from this world just as a snake sloughs off its skin, the state of such a person becomes transformed. Such a one apparently walks about on the same earth, eats and drinks, and is subject to the law of nature, as are others, but despite all this, he is detached from this world; he continues to advance and progress until he finally reaches the point known as prophethood, where he converses with God Almighty. This converse begins when the person in question separates themselves from their own inner self and its relations, until ultimately forging a relationship with Allah the Exalted alone, after which it is with Him alone that the individual converses. Converse with the Inner Self The state of human beings is such that they can never remain idle or static, and the inner self cannot remain without engaging in some form of speech. If there is no one else with whom to converse, man will begin to speak with his own self or with Satan. On certain occasions, people will observe an individual to be com- pletely silent, but actually they are not quiet—such people will be engaged in a string of conversation with their inner self, and at times this exchange will go on for an extended period of time. This exchange is lengthened due to its satanic and shameless nature. This continuous ‘speech’ as it were, is either in the form of transgression conceptualised in the mind, or in the form of indecent and in- appropriate desires. It is impossible for one to free themselves of this until one abandons this base life. Also bear in mind that if an individual does not entertain this stream of desires and fancies for long, and if they arise in the heart as minor thoughts which quickly dissipate, then these will be forgiven. Sin is when an in- dividual allows this chain of ideas to continue for an extended period of time and becomes firm upon them, and it is for this that they will be held accountable. 1 When man repels these fancies which arise in the heart and does not allow them to continue for long, there is no doubt that they are worthy of being forgiven. However, when a person feels pleasure in their extended continuation and goes on increasing them, a person becomes accountable for these thoughts, because he 1 Al-Hakam , vol. 9, no. 11, dated 31 March 1905, pp. 5-6