Hallmarks of the Saints — Page 4
H AL L M AR KS OF T HE S AIN TS 4 Do you realize how close righteousness is to the death of man! When one reaches its apex and fully comprehends it, such indeed is the stage described as death by those who are granted cognition of God. Indeed, a righteous one is not afraid of satanic uproar and he deems the shedding of his blood in the way of Allah to be like a drink mixed with water from a mountain lake. The righteous have distinguishing signs by which they are recognized. O brave young people! There is no wal i [i. e. Friend of God] except the righteous. These are the very ones from whom a group is raised by Allah, the Gracious, for the reformation of mankind at the time of satanic mischief. Among their signs is that they are commissioned at the time of darkness which prevails all around. Their advent takes place when noble men and women have become exceedingly rare and the world is brimful of swine-natured and beastly people. There is an abundance of licentious people and a paucity of those who ََب َ الشيطانِ، جل واستوعبتها فهي املوت عند أهل العرفان. إن التّقي ّ ال خياف وحيسب انثعاب َ دمه يف هللا كشراب ٍ مُشَعْشَع ٍ ابلثِّغْبان. ولألتقياء عالمات يُعرَفون َِّ إال التقيّ، اي فتيان. منهم قوم يُرسَلون إلصالح الناس عند مفاسد يل َ هبا، وال و ّ اخلنّاس من هللا الرمحان. َّ فمِن عالماهتم أهنم يُبعثون عند ظالم حييط الزمان، ويظهرون إذا قل كثر رجال ٌ يـُبـَغْسِلون، وقَل الكرام والكرائم، وأتج ّلت اخلنازير والبهائم، و قوم يتهجّدون، وبقي الناس كَحَسْكَل ٍ ال يعلمون وال يعملون، وفسد الزمان