THE NINTH DISCOURSE On disclosure and contemplation

Such acts of God are manifested to the awliya and the abdal in the course of kashf (spiritual vision) and mushahida (spiritual experiences) as overwhelm the reasoning power of man and shatter to pieces all habits and customs. This manifestation is of two kinds — one of them is called jalal (majesty and glory) and the other jamal (gracefulness). The jalal produces a disquieting fear and creates a disturbing apprehension and overpowers the heart in such an awful manner that its symptoms become visible on the physical body. Thus it is narrated of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that during prayer a simmer very much like that of a boiling cauldron could be heard from his heart and this on account of the intensity of fear caused by his observing the Majesty of God, an experience which also revealed to him His glory. And similar things are reported from Prophet Abraham, the friend of God, and Umar, the Caliph (peace of God be on them both). The experience of God's graceful manifestation, however, is His reflection on the heart of man, producing light, joy, elegance, sweet words and loving conversation and glad tidings with regard to great gifts and high position and closeness to Himself, where all their affairs are to return eventually; and in the allotment of which in the beginning of time the pen of destiny became dried and which were decreed in the remote past. This is a favour from Him and a mercy and a confirmation meant for them in this world till the completion of the time which is appointed. This is done so that they may not exceed the limits of appropriate love in the sheer intensity of their desire for it and thereby their hearts may not break so that they meet with destruction or become weakened by their standing in servitude till there comes to them the time of certainty by which we mean death. He does this with them just out of kindness and mercy and regard and also by way of training their hearts out of affection because He is wise, knowing, gentle towards them and kind. So it is that it is related of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he used to say to Hazrat Bilal who used to sound the call for prayers: "Cheer our heart, 0 Bilal." What he meant was that he should sound the call of prayer so that the Holy Prophet might enter the state of prayer to experience those graceful manifestations of God which we have already discussed. This is why the Holy Prophet said, "And the coolness of my eyes has been reposed in prayer."