Aslam

(4) Fourth sign is divine service in solitude. The fourth sign of love for God is to love to live with the Beloved in solitude, to invoke God, to recite His Book, to pray Tahajjud, to seek the treasures of fortune at night and to be engaged in divine service after cutting off all connections. The lowest position of love is to get pleasure of staying with the beloved in solitude and to gain the fortune of conversing with Him in private He who takes more pleasure in sleep and useless talks cannot claim love of God. Hazrat Ibrahim-bin-Adham was asked after he got down from the hillcok: Wherefrom have you come? He said: From love of God. Hazrat Daud is reported to have said: God said: Don't love anybody among My creation as I shall deprive two persons from My favours (1) He who slags in making divine service if delay is made in receiving rewards for good works. (2) He who forgets My favours and immerges himself in his low desires. The sign of this is that I leave him upon himself and keep him tied in worldly affairs. If anyone loves things other than God, keeps himself away proportionately from God and falls proportionately from His love.

Barkh was a black slave of Prophet Moses God said to Moses: Barkh is a good slave. He is dear to Me, but he has got one defect. He said: O Lord, what is his fault? He said: Morning breeze gives him pleasure and he enjoys it. He who loves Me does not find consolation in anything else.

It is reported that a certain worshiper did divine service for long in a forest. Some birds used to sing in a tree not far from him. Their songs gave him a great delight He said: Had my closet been near that tree. I would found pleasure in hearing their songs. He did accordingly. God revealed to the Prophet of that time: Tell that worshiper: You have attached yourself to created things, I will curb your position. You will not get it by your divine service.

There was some disease in the leg of a lover of God. When he was in prayer, a surgeon came and operated his leg. He did not get any pain whatsoever by that action of the physician. Katadah once recited this verse '-They have faith and their hearts find consolation in the remembrance of God." Behold, hearts get

Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 283

consolation in the rememberance of God". He said that the meaning of 'consolation' is pleasure and satisfaction. Hazrat Abu Bakr said: The pleasure which a man gets in the love of God keeps him away from searching the world and keeps him away from other men. Motarref-bin-Abu Bakr said: The lover is not tired of conversing with his Beloved. God revealed to Daud: He who claims My love after sleeping the whole night is a liar. Does not a lover like to meet with his beloved and remains with him always? I am with one who searches Me.