The Need for the Imam — Page 27
D ar u rat-ul-Imam 27 does not in any way tarnish their purity and chastity. The Satan, in keeping with his age-old method of plan- ting doubts, mischievously made a request to Jesus as , which his pious nature spontaneously rejected and re- fused to accept. This did not in any way detract him from his lofty station. Do not villains sometimes speak in the presence of kings? It was thus, in spiritual terms, that Satan put his word into his heart. Jesus as did not accept this satanic inspiration and simply rejected it. This was indeed something praiseworthy. To criticise it is a folly and amounts to ignorance of spiritual phi- losophy. Not every saint or sufi can repel and expose the filth of satanic suggestion as Jesus as did with the whip of his light. Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani ra 26 says, ''I too received a satanic inspiration once. Satan said: 'O Abdul Qadir! all your prayers are accepted. From now on whatsoever is forbidden to others is lawful to you. You are even exempt from obligatory prayers. Do whatever you please. ' At this, I said, 'Be off O Satan! how can something that was not permissible for the Holy Prophet sa be permissible for me!' After this, Satan disappeared from my sight along with his golden throne. " Now, when even a man of God and a unique human like Abdul Qadir ra received a satanic inspira- 26 Abdul Qadir Jilani: (d. 1166) Sufi, saint and jurist. [Publishers]