THE SIXTY-FIRST DISCOURSE On pausing before taking any action until its permissibility is clear

Every believer is charged with hesitation and scrutiny at the time of the arrival of portions, in receiving and accepting them until the commandment of law declares them permissible and the Divine knowledge sanctions them as the portion, as the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said: "Verily the believer scrutinises and the hypocrite pounces upon (anything that comes to him)." The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: "A believer is hesitant." And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) still further said: "Discard whatever causes doubt in your mind and accept what does not cause such a doubt." So a believer hesitates at every item of food and drink and dress, and affairs of marriage and all other things which are made accessible to him so he will not accept any of these unless a decision is given to him in favour of its permissibility and acceptability by the commandment of law, if one is in the state of piety; or unless a decision is given for him in this regard by the inner commandment if one is in the state ofwilayat, or unless a decision is given to him in this regard by the Divine knowledge if one is in the state of abdal and ghauth, as also by the act of God which is the very destiny and this last state is the state of annihilation. Then comes another state in which one receives whatever comes to one and is made accessible to one, provided it is not taken exception to by the commandment of law or the inner commandment or the Divine knowledge; but if these object to any of these things one refrains from receiving it and discards it. This is contrary to the former state in which hesitation and delay are predominant whereas in the second, the acceptance, reception and the use of the acquired thing is predominant. Still further comes to him a third state in which remains just reception and use of the acquired thing among the blessings without any interference of any of the three things. This is the reality of annihilation and in this state the believer becomes immune from all calamities and infringement of the bounds of law and all evils are kept away from him, as God, the Exalted says: . Thus (it was) that We might turn away from him evil and indecency. Surely he was one of Our chosen servants (12:24). So the servant of God becomes protected against all infringements of the bounds of law like one who has been entrusted with His permission with all affairs, and who is given absolute power in all permissible things in order to make good easily accessible to him. All that comes to him in this position has been cleared for him of all calamities and distresses and difficulties in this world and in the hereafter, and is in perfect accord with the purpose of God and His pleasure and act, and there is no state above this and this is the goal. This is meant for the chiefs of the great awliya who are purified and are pure, possessors of secrets — people who have attained to the threshold of the state which belongs to prophets (blessings of God be upon them all).