The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 560
AN ADDENDUM MY LIFE, ANCESTORS, AND BRETHREN IN FAITH 559 perfume of His pleasure. We shall pour Our spirit into him, and he will be sheltered under the shadow of God. He will grow rapidly in stature and will be the means of procuring the release of those held in bondage. His fame will spread to the ends of the earth and people will be blessed through him. He will then be raised to his spiritual station in heaven. This is a matter decreed. Blessed is Allah who is the Best Reckoner. "¹ I saw in a dream that I had saddled my horse for some particular purpose though I did not know whither I was bound and for what pur- pose. I had a feeling in my heart that I was preparing for something very 1. The Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, fore- told* that the Promised Messiah would marry and have children. In this is an indication that Allah would grant him a righteous son who would resemble his father, not reject him, and would be among the honored servants of Allah. The secret in this is that Allah does not give glad tidings to prophets and saints about progeny except when He has ordained the birth of righteous ones. And this is the glad tiding that I was given years ago, even before this claim, so that Allah might make me known through this sign in the eyes of those who are discerning and who eagerly awaited the Messiah. As for the burial of the Messiah in the grave of the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as mentioned in this hadith, this is a sealed secret and a concealed mystery that none knows except those who receive knowledge from their Lord among the honored recipients of divine revelation. The re- ality is that Allah the Exalted has made the grave of His Prophet connected to Paradise; they are two branches from the tree of the Light of Truth, nei- ther separating from the other, and they are two means of attaining hidden radiance that reaches those who attain. It has been the practice of Allah the Exalted that He brings the grave of the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, near to the deceased believer just as He brings Paradise near as a provision from Him, and He is the Best of Providers. So when a servant who has attained closeness and purity with Allah the Exalted dies, he is brought near to the grave of the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and to Paradise according to the measure of this closeness and purity in faith. Thus, he who is most intense in closeness and purity is nearest to the grave of the Messenger of Allah, as if he has en- tered it and is lying beside the Seal of Prophets. So take this date, and beware of the burning coal. And know that the Messiah has descended upon this earth just as the Dajjal has emerged in it, so do not be among those who bring ill fortune. Author *Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, vol. 2, Kitābul-Fitan, Bāb Nuzūl ‘Īsā™ª, Hadith 5508, pub- lished by Dār Arqam, Beirut, Lebanon [Publisher]