Aslam

He then asked the pen: O pen, you are constantly writing knowledge of many things in the soul of men, the knowledge with the help of will is giving strength and the strength is helping an action. What is the mystery? The pen said: Have you forgotten that reply you have received from the pen of the material world?
It placed responsibility on hand. He said: I have not forgotten it.
The pen said: My answer is like that pen of the material world.
Then he said : Have you heard that God created Adam of His own image? He said: I heard it. The pen then said: Then ask the angel of my right side about me. I am subject to him and he compels me to write. So there is no distinction between the pen of God and the pen of man regarding obedience, but there is difference in form.
He asked: Who is the angel by the right side? The pen said: Have you not heard this verse - The heavens are in His right hand? He said: Yes, I heard it. The pen said: All the pens of the material world are within His right hand and the angels move them.

Then he said that the right hand side is not like ours, their hands are not like ours, their fingers are not like our fingers.
When he asked the angel about pen, he said: The ans\ver from the material pen is like it. It depends on strength. Then he went to the world of power and strength and saw such a wonderful thing which is very significant in comparison with that of this world.
The strength said: I am an attribute only. Ask the owner of strength and power as it is the work of the owner of power and not of power. Then it was announced from behind the screen: He should not be asked what He does, but you will be asked what you do. He then lost his senses and when recovered exclaimed:
All praise is due to Thee, I return to thee, I rely on Thee. Thou art

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 205

All powerful. I fear nobody except Thee. O Lord, expand my breast, so that I may know Thee. Remove sluggishness from my tongue, so that I may praise Thee.