Understanding Salat — Page 191
Qa‘dah 191 the situation. What did (that parrot) do so that you learned (something), prepared a trick, and burned us (with sorrow)?” The parrot answered, “She gave me advice by her (very) action, meaning, “Escape from (attachment to) elegance of voice and joyful expan- sion [of your breast in song]. Because your voice is keeping you in shackles. ” She herself acted dead for the sake of (sending me) this advice, Meaning, “O (you who) have become a singer to (both) com- moners and the elite: become ‘dead’ like me so that you may find deliverance!” ( Masnavi, Book 1, The Merchant and the Parrot, translation from dar-al- masnavi. org) After mentioning this story, Hadrat Nūruddīn ra said, Similarly, when we send peace and salutations on the prophets and on “the righteous servants of Allah” ( عِبَاد ِ هللا ِ الصَّالِحِيْنَ ), its purport is, “O souls that have attained salvation! O holy and chosen people of God! You have attained salvation and, having come in accordance with the verse, “Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him” (5:120), you have attained the nearness of God. Please, some- how tell us a way by which we can be saved from the bitterness and sins of this world and, becoming cho- sen, we can also come under the shade of the pleasure