Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 17
11 November 1907 17 The second is hadithsun-nafs [whispering of the self ] which involves one’s personal desires and it has much to do with his own thoughts and ambitions just as the well-known saying goes, ‘A cat only dreams of cat food. ’ He only sees what he is already contemplating in his heart. One’s own ideas can become reve- lations or visions for him. As children dream from the story- books which they have read during the day and just as the same sentences that children have read in books during the daytime flow on their tongue [during their sleep] at night, the case is the same with hadithsun-nafs. The third are Satanic revelations. Satan casts various amaz- ing deceptions in these, sometimes showing a golden throne and sometimes—through a strange show of spectacles— making a variety of optimistic promises. Once Sayyed Abdul Qadir, may the mercy of Allah be upon him, was shown Satan [seated] upon his golden throne, saying: ‘I am your God. I have accepted your worship and henceforth, you don’t need to wor- ship. Things that are unlawful for others are hereby made law- ful for you. ’ Sayyed Abdul Qadir, may the mercy of Allah be upon him, replied: ‘Get thee hence, O Satan! How could the things that were unlawful for the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, be lawful for me?’ Thereupon Satan said, ‘O Abdul Qadir! You have escaped my hands through the superiority of your knowledge; other- wise, very few escape at this stage. ’ Hearing this Saeen [Alam Din] spoke up and asked ‘Where do I stand and what is my status and what is my condition?’ The Promised Messiah replied, ‘I don’t have any knowledge of which stage you are at. Do a lot of repentance and seek Allah’s forgiveness. ’