Aslam

FOUR STAGES OF TAUHID: The first stage is like outer cover of a coconut, the second stage is the inner cover of a coconut, the third stage is the kernel of a coconut and the fourth stage is the oil of the kernel. The first stage of Tauhid is to utter by tongue "There is ho deity but God". The second stage is to confirm it by heart. The third stage is like kernel which can be seen by inner light or by way of Kashf. This is the stage of those who are near God. The fourth stage is like oil in kernel. He sees nothing but God. This is the stage of the truthful or it is called Fana-fi-Tauhid or to lose oheself in Tauhid. Even he forgets himself. In the first stage, a man is saved from sword by uttering only Kalima Tauhid. In the second stage, he believes the internal meaning. Such a class of the faithful are saved front e punishment of the next world. In the third stage, he sees nobody except God as the cause of action and the fourth stage is the utmost limit of Tauhid. In the second stage, breast is expanded by the light of Islam as God says. God expands the breasts of one for Islam whom He wants to guide. God says : He whose breast God

expands for Islam remains upon light from his Loard.

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Question. How can one in the highest stage not see but One, the source of all actions, while he sees the heaven and earth and all the things of the material world ? How can one become many?

Answer. Know, O dear readers that this affair appertains to the secret rnysteries of the spiritual world and it is not allowed to write these secrets. Arefs said that to disclose God's secrets is* infidelity and there is no connection of worldly knowledge with them. It is true that in the preliminary observation it is difficult to know mahy as one, but it is possible to explain them. The same thing becomes rnany things from one consideration and becomes one from another consideration. Body, life, hands, feet, bones etc> if looked at separately become many things of the same man arid if looked from another angle becomes one man composed of mahy thins. There are mahy person who see the same one man but do not think of his different organs at that time. The difference between these two things is that he thinks that he saw the whole man if he sees the face only of a drowning man. So only sight elf ah organ leads one to think that he saw the whole, man, Similarly is the case of the Creator and the created. They appear in many forms. One one consideration, they are one and on another consideration they are many.

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 199