Precious Pearls — Page 100
102 One heart stoops down to prey upon the other! No path is shorter than the path of love; through this path The saliks 139 cross a thousand thorny wilds. (280) Friends! This is the only secret to find Him; This is the alchemy to obtain countless treasures. The dart of love never goes off its mark; O ye archers! Never become slothful in this respect. This is the only fire that could save you from the Fire 140 ; This is the water from which a hundred waterfalls emerge. With this, that Eternal Dear will meet you Himself; Through this, you will wear the garlands of God’s gnosis. That pure and excellent Book named the Discriminant 141 , It repeatedly gives the same tiding to the seeker. (285) They who deny this thing, they are extremely ignorant; Why call them men when they have the ass’ imprudence? Is this the only pride that Islam has over other religions That the entire matter of the Faith rests only on tales? Is the essence of the pure Quran only this dry piety? Is this the mole emerging after digging up this mountain? If Islam is only this, then the Community is lost; How to find the path if the Faith itself is dark and murky? Why do you twist your face like as the hopeless ones? Gates of bounties are opening; spread open your cloth. (290) What kind of people are you that you see a hundred Signs, But it’s the same obstinacy and prejudice, the same malice and enmity? Everything got fulfilled but you still remained imperfect; Though in the garden, the fruits of Faith are not your luck. See, how all the things have come to be fulfilled, that were Considered far-fetched based on intellect and perception. Pray think as to what my status was in those days When I made the announcement regarding the Braheen 142. Now think for a while as to how my fame has flourished; How my renown has spread so fast in every land. (295) Who knew me or what respect did I command in public? Which community showed any trust or love for me? What attracted people were wealth, learning and order; D ervish descent was also a means of respect and honour. But I was devoid of all those four and was unfortunate; I was a human excluded from any count or estimate. Then I got regarded a disbeliever cursed by the public; The decrees of disbelief made me an untrustworthy one; At this my God, remembering His words, made me The refuge of the world and a foundation for Faith. (300)