Chapter VI: Love, Longing, Contentment
Answer. That can be known by sign. The Prophet said: When God loves a servant. He throws him into dangers and difficulties. When he loves him with full love, He purifies him making him sincere. He was asked: What is the meaning of making him sincere? He said: God does not leave for him his family and property. So the sign of love of God for His servant is that He makes him separate from others and God comes in between him and other people and things.
Once the Prophet Jesus Christ was asked: Why do you not purchase an ass to ride upon? He said: I am more honorable than God's making me engaged to an ass. There is a tradition: When God loves a servant, He examines him by dangers and
Voj-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 277
difficulties. If, he keeps patience at them, He chooses him. If he remains satisfied, he chooses him. A certain learned man said: When you love God and see that He is giving you dangers and difficulties, know that he wishes to purify you. A certain pilgrim of religion said to his spiritual guide: Give me hints of love. He said : O dear son, has God examined you by any of your dear ones and have you loved him by forsaking Him? He said: No, He said: Don't be greedy for love as He does not give it to anybody without examining him. The Prophet said: God appoints an admonisher over His servant and a warner over his heart so that he may enjoin him and prohibit him. The Prophet said: When God wishes good to a servant. He shows his faults to him. The meaning of God's love is that He takes responsibility of his open and secrets deeds upon Himself. He admonishes him makes tadbir of his actions, makes his conduct and character beautiful, engages his bodily limbs in to action, helps him in his open and secret affairs, concentrates his thoughts and anxieties into one centre, creates in him hatred towards the world, makes him separate from others, gives him taste in his invocation in solitude and lifts His screen from him. These are the signs of God's love for him.
SIGNS OF MAN'S LOVE FOR GOD
Know, O readers, that everybody claims love for God, but love is a very difficult task. Love is a tree the foundation of which is firmly rooted and its branches extend in to the horizon and the fruits appear in mind, tongue and bodily limbs. The existence of love is found from these things as the existence of fire is found from vapour and of tree from fruits.