Chapter VIII: Self-Examination and Self-Accounting
(14) Some sage said: I went once to the great saint Fateh Mosalli and saw him shedding tears stretching out his hands. I saw even that tears oozed out even from his fingers. On coming near him, I found that tears mixed with blood were comming out of his eyes. I asked hirt: O Fateh, tell me by God why are you shedding tears mixed, With blood? He said: Had you not asked me about it in the namfe'of God, I would not have told it to you. It is a fact that tears mixed with blood are coming out of my eyes. It is on account of my shortcomings in divine services that I am shedding tears mixed with blood. Only tears are no expliation for this. When the great saint died, I saw him in dream one night and asked him: How have God treated with you? He said: He has forgiven me. I asked him: What has He done for your tears? He said: My Lord has given me the status of nearness and said to me: O Fateh, the reward of your tears is near Me. I said: I shed tears for my shortcomings in duties towards you. He asked me: What is the cause of shedding blood? I said: My Ikhlas has not come only by shedding tears. He said to me: O Fateh, what necessity have you got in this for all actions? By My glory, no defect was written in your book of deeds for the last 40 years.
(15) There is a story that a group of people went astray during a journey and passed by a saint who was doing divine
350 THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES Vol-IV
service in a lonely place apart from the society of men. They called him and when he was about to come out of his sanctuary, they told him: O pious man, we have come here being astray. Show us the right path. He hinted at the sky with his head. They understood what he hinted at and asked him: We are asking you some questions. He said: Ask but don't ask many questions, as this time will never return and life will never comeback, and the Great searcher (death) is coming soon. At this, the people were astonished and asked him: O pious man, on what condition will the people come on the Day of Resurrection? He said: On their Niyyat. They asked: Give us more admonition. He said: Take provision in preparation to your journey as the thing which takes you to your God is good provision. Thereafter he showed them thecorrectpathandenteredhissanctuary.