Chapter I: Repentance
The Prophet said: Be kind on three persons— (1) a learned man among the illiterate (2) a rich man among the poor and (3) an honourable man among the dishonourable persons. For this* reason the Prophets are the recipients of kindness among his followers as they suffered owing to the short intelligence of their followers. Those are tests from God for their examination and come from God according to destiny. For this reason, the Prophet said : Disasters fell upon the Prophets, then on the friends of God and then on the religious persons like them. Disaster came upon the Prophet Ayub so also on Noah as he was tested for a group of people. Whenever the harsh word of a person gave the Prophet sorrow, he used to say : God showed mercy on my brother Moses who had to suffer much more hardship than this, but he remained patient. When the Prophets were not secure from the enmity of the oppositionsts and when the friends of God and the learned were not save from the fools, the friends of God are not free from dangers and difficulties. They are also tested by trials.
They are driven out of towns and cities. They are blamed before
32
TAUBA VoI-IV
the ruling powers and some men attribute to them infidetlity.
The followers of Ma'aifat are known to the illiterate as fools.
When you have become aware of the truth of this subtle matter, believe then in the following words of the Prophet : The man who will come out last of all from Hell will get space ten times of the world. Be careful of believing only what your external sense organs can catch. If you only believe that, you will be an ass with two legs as you have got five senses and an ass also has got five senses. The Latifa or the subtle matter for which you are distinguished from an ass was presented to the heavens, earth and mountains but they refused to accept in and they were afraid of it. It is not of the material world and is outside the world governed by five senses. It is included within the spiritual world in which no lower animal can enter. He who neglects this valuable thing and keeps it as useless, ruins himself. So don't include yourself within those who forget God. He who does not know except the knowledge gained by five senses, forgets God as God is not to be known only by the five senses and God makes one forgetful of his soul who forgets God. He misuses the trust placed in him by God. He is worst than a beast, as a heart gets salvation after its death but the trust in him after his death will be returned to him.