Tadhkirah — Page 365
1896 365 mysteries of the friends of Allah. Deal kindly with people and have mercy on them. You are among them in the position of M u s a [Moses]. Then be steadfast against whatever they say and leave up to Me the punishment of those who reject from among those who were favoured. You are from Our water and they are from fashal. 402 When it is said to them: Believe as the good people have believed, they retort: ‘Shall we believe as the ignorant and foolish ones have believed?’ Take note, they are the foolish ones but they know it not. Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will then love you. It was said: Turn towards Allah; but you do not turn. And it was said: Overcome your doubts: but you overcome them not. All praise is to Allah, Who has made you Messiah, son of Mary. There is mischief here, then be steadfast like those of high resolve. Ruined are the two hands of Ab u Lahab and ruined is he. It was not for him to jump into this affair except with fear. Whatever afflicts you is from Allah. It is a trial from Allah so that He should 402 In the revelation: ‘You are from Our water and they are from ( fashal )’; by water is meant the water of faith, steadfastness, righteousness, loyalty, sincerity, and the love of God which is bestowed only by God. ( fashal ) means cowardice, which proceeds from Satan and is at the root of all faithlessness and viciousness. When steadfastness is lost a person leans towards sin. Thus cowardice proceeds from Satan and the water of righteous doctrine and pure conduct proceeds from God Almighty. When a child is conceived, if it is fortunate and destined to be righteous it is taken under the protection of R uh ul-Qudus [Spirit of Holiness] and if it is unfortunate and is destined to be vicious it is under the shadow of Satan. Satan has a part in it, and metaphorically it is called the progeny of Satan. And those who belong to God are attributed to Him; they have, in earlier scriptures, been metaphorically called sons of God. [Anj a m-e- A tham, pp. 56–57 footnote, R uha n i Khaz a ’in, vol. 11, pp. 56–57 footnote]