Malfuzat – Volume I — Page 27
Malfuzat - Volume I 27 of Allah be upon him, begins to be reflected in it. This occurs when, after much spiritual effort and purification, no traces of filth and impurity remain. It is then that this rank is conferred upon an individual. Every believer is to a degree in need of such cleansing. No believer can attain salvation until they become a mir- ror. A seeker of God polishes themselves of their own accord and bears difficulty by virtue of their own effort. But a person absorbed in God is thrown into tribu- lation. God Himself refines such a person and bestows upon them the qualities of a mirror by subjecting them to countless forms of adversity and affliction. In actuality, the end result of a seeker of God and one who is absorbed in God are the same. There are two aspects which relate to the righteous: the spiritual quest and spiritual magnetism. Faith in the Unseen As I have mentioned above, righteousness requires a certain degree of forced ef- fort. This is why Allah Almighty states: هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِيْنَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِالْغَيْبِ It is a guidance for the righteous; who believe in the unseen. This implies a sort of intentionally exerted labour. In comparison to witnessing something, belief in the unseen requires a kind of extra effort. Therefore, a mut- taqi (or a righteous person) must, to a certain degree, make an intentional strug- gle. For when such a person attains the rank of a salib (or a virtuous servant), the unseen no longer remains hidden to such a person. A stream gushes forth from within such a one and reaches God. An individual of this nature witnesses God and His love with their eyes. وَمَنْ كَانَ فِي هَذِةٍ أَعْمَى فَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ أَعْمَى 2 And whoso is blind in this world will be blind in the Hereafter. From this it is evident that until a person attains enlightenment in this world they shall never be able to see the countenance of God. And so, the task of a righteous one is to prepare diverse collyriums, which may rid them of the spiritual cataracts in their eyes. Now, this demonstrates that a muttaqi is blind at first and they attain light through various forms of effort and purification. When such a person gains al-Baqarah, 2:3-4 Bani Isra'il, 17:73