Bounties of the Gracious God — Page 18
18 to save myself from indecencies, I would have given them a true and befitting reply. They did their utmost to put me into trouble, so that the grace I have received from the Gracious God may be lost. But all their endeavours were frustrated, and as a result of this frustration, they turned away on their heels. Whenever they cast the net of their self-devised wile and deception on me, my Lord, in His grace and mercy, helped me get myself released from it, and then ultimately they were caused to become the low- est of the low. We avenged from the malevolent enemies without having taken my case before the juries and the rulers. They had sought my disgrace, but I received eminence and honour. They desired my death and even published a prophecy in this regard, but my Lord gave me the glad tiding that I would live up to the age of eighty [years] or more, and He granted me a following, a progeny and comfort. He facilitated me in all my tasks and pro- tected me from every hardship. My condition among the people was such as if I walked among serpents and beasts of the jungle, yet my Lord walked in front of me like a guardian and accompa- nied me in that wilderness. How can I then truly thank my Lord who granted me salvation from all tribulations? I lament my ina- bility to thank Him enough. Alas! My opponents do not realize that liars do not receive divine support, nor are their words the words of piety or wisdom. Do you know of a liar for whom the heavens and the earth bore witness with manifest signs, which caused the power of Satan to wane and caused him to become overawed by the grandeur of the truth and made him disappear like a snake that seeks refuge in its burrow when hit by a stone? What is more, the darkness of this age too is beseeching the