The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 413
412 Α'ΙΝΑ-Ε-ΚΑMĀLĀT-E-ISLAM-DAFI UL-WASĀWIS to factors motivating such excitement. For instance, a man who is hostile to another man goes to sleep while excited with anger or feelings of enmity; then, perchance, his enemy may appear to him in a dream in the form of, say, a dog, a pig, or some other wild animal. He might surmise that his enemy is really a dog or a pig in the sight of God, but this idea of his would be wrong, for when feelings of enmity are prominent, the enemy very often appears in a dream in the shape of some wild animal or a snake. It is wrong to conclude therefrom that the man is really a bad man because he has appeared in that form. In fact, because in the estimation of the man who sees him in that form, he is like a wild animal, so he appears to him in the shape of a wild animal in his dream. So, what I mean is, that the man who sees a dream should be free from the promptings of his self and should go conduct the Istikhārah with a peaceful mind, with his heart turned entirely towards God, seeking only to find out the truth. I cannot give the assurance that everyone will necessarily see a dream in whatever good or bad state he may be, but regarding you I can say that if you perform the Istikhārah for forty days with your mind turned to God in accordance with the condi- tions laid down in the [book] Nishān-e-Āsmānī [The Heavenly Sign], I will address a prayer in your behalf. It would be well and good if this Istikhārah was performed in my presence so that I should be able to pay more attention to you. For you, it is not at all difficult; people sometimes go to perform non-obligatory Hajj for minor reasons, but here the reward is greater than the reward for non-obligatory Hajj, and if one is careless, there is the danger of incurring loss and harm because this Movement is heavenly and the commandment is emanating from God. A true dream demonstrates the signs of its own truth; it affects the heart as if a light has fallen upon it, and pierces