The Ninth Letter

Concerning the incentive to seek the companionship of the righteous [suhbat al-abrar] and the fruits thereof, and to practice abstinence [zuhd] from this world.
 

My dear friend!

You must turn aside from the tempting urges of carnal appetites:

And follow not desire, lest  it lead you astray from Allah's path. (38:26)
wa la tattabi'i 'l-hawa  fa-yudilla-ka 'an sabili 'llah.

--and depart from the dwellings of heedless neglect:

And do not obey someone whose  heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance. (18:28)
wa la tuti' man aghfalna  qalba-hu 'an dhikri-na.

--and shun the companionship of hard-hearted folk:

But woe unto those whose  hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah.  (18:28)
 fa-wailun li'l-qasiyati  qulubu-hum min dhikri 'llah.

You must hear, with the ears of your heart, from the summoner of:

Respond to your Lord, before  there comes a day from Allah that cannot be turned back. (42:47)
 istajibu li-Rabbi-kum min  qabli an ya'tiya yawmun la maradda la-hu mina 'llah.

--the summons of:

Is not the time now ripe for  the hearts of those who believe to be humbled to the Remembrance of Allah? (57:16)
a-lam ya'ni li'lladhina amanu  an takhsha'a qulubu-hum li-dhikri 'llahi. 

You must wake up from the sleep of delusion:

And do not let the Deceiver  deceive you in regard to Allah. (31:33)
wa la yaghurranna-kum  bi-'llahi 'l-Gharur.

--in response to the admonition:

What, does man suppose that  he will be left to wander aimlessly? (75:36)
a-yahsabu 'l-insanu an  yutraka suda.

You must inquire about the stations of the people of present awareness:

Men whom neither commerce nor  trafficking diverts from the remembrance of Allah. (24:37)
rijalun la tulhi-him  tijaratun wa la bai'un 'an dhikri 'llahi.

You must journey toward the Ka'ba of the intended destination, on the foot of the head, in the desert of the dedication of:

And devote yourself to Him  with intense devotion. (73:8)
wa tabattal ilai-hi tabtila.

--with the traveling provision of:

Say "Allah!," then  leave them [to their idle prattling]. (6:91)
quli 'llahu thumma  dhar-hum[fi khawdi-him yal'abun].

--and on the riding camel of the commitment of:

And I commit my affair to  Allah. (40:44)
wa ufaw widu amri ila 'llah.

--with the caravan of the truthful people of:

And be with the faithful.  (9:119)
wa kunu ma'a 's-sadiqin.

You must pass beyond the dwellings of the vanities of the world of:

We have set all that is on  the earth as an adornment for it. (18:7)
inna ja'alna ma 'ala 'l-ardi  zinatan la-ha.  

--and keep a safe distance from the perilous roads of the temptations of

Your wealth and your children  are merely a temptation. (64:15)
innama amwalu-kum wa  awladu-kum fitna.

You must head for the routes that follow the courses of the guidance of:

This is surely a Reminder; so  whoever is willing, let him choose a way to his Lord. (73:19)
inna hadhihi tadhkira: fa-man  sha'a 'ttakhadha ila Rabbi-hi sabila.

--and offer a supplication with the tongue of the urgent need of:

Is it not He who answers the  distressed, when he calls unto Him? (27:62)
 am-man yujibu 'l-mudtarra  idha da'a-hu.

--by saying, in humble entreaty and with a sense of personal incapacity:

Guide us in the straight  path. (1:5)
ihdina 's-sirata 'l-mustaqim.

--until the herald of the ancient providential favor of:

As for the friends of Allah,  surely no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve. (10:62)
 a-la inna awliya'a 'llahi la  khawfun 'alai-him wa la hum yahzanun.

--comes to meet you with the good tidings of the salutation of:

"Peace!"-such is  the greeting from a Lord All-Compassionate. (36:58)
salam: qawlan min Rabbin  Rahim.

--and carries you on the packhorse [janiba] of:

Help from Allah and a victory  near at hand. (61:13)
 nasrun mina 'llahi wa fathun  qarib.

--and invites you to enter the Gardens of the bliss of:

So they returned with grace  and favor from Allah. (3:174)
 fa-'nqalabu bi-ni'matin mina  'llahi wa fadlin.

Then the breeze of the fragrant aroma of loving union [wisal] will blow from every side. The goblets of the drink of loving affection [mahabba] will be passed around by the hands of the cupbearers of the Unseen [suqat al-ghaib], and the bearer of direct witness [mushahid ash-shuhud] will declare:

Behold, this is a reward for  you. And your endeavor [upon earth] has found acceptance. (76:22)
inna hadha kana la-kum  jaza'an wa kana sa'yu-kum mashkura.

By night, the entertainer of intimate friendship [munadim al-uns] will weave the fascinating tale [samar] of:

And Allah spoke directly to  Moses. (4:164)
 wa kallama 'llahu Musa  taklima.

He will paint such a vivid picture, in his elaboration of the scenario of:

Then, when his Lord revealed  Himself to the mountain, [He caused it to crumble to dust]. (7:143)
fa-lamma tajalla Rabbu-hu  li'l-jabali ja'ala-hu dakkan.

--that his audience will experience, through the optic nerves of their perceptive faculties [nawazir 'uyun al-basa'ir], the delirious raptures [sakarat] of the spiritual states [halat] of:

And Moses fell down swooning.  (7:143)
wa kharra Musa sa'iqa.

Then, when they see for themselves the effects of the visions of:

Faces on that day will be  resplendent, looking toward their Lord. (75:22,23)
wujuhun yawma'idhin nadira:  ila Rabbi-ha nazira.

--they will confess their personal inadequacy, and they will say, in the spiritual language that needs no ordinary words [bi-lisan al-hal]:

The eyes do not perceive Him,  but He perceives the eyes. (6:103)
la tudriku-hu 'l-absaru wa  Huwa yudriku 'l-absar.

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