Powerful words

Before continuing with more quotes from ‘Bostan-e-Sadi’ by Shaikh Saadi (translation by Dr Khawaja Hameed Yazdani and published by Sang-e-Meel Publishers, Lahore), I would first like to mention a very nice article.

It was written by well-known analyst Zahid Hussain, and published in Dawn on February 12, 2020 under the title ‘Warning signs’.

It is a real masterpiece and Mr Hussain has analyzed in detail the self-proclaimed achievements of the PTI government. It is well worth reading.

Here follow some more meaningful quotes in praise of Allah. “He ordered the sun and the moon to travel (in orbits) from east to west and provided water to the people for sustenance. The earth was not stable, but shaky. He put huge mountains on it to make it stable (and provided routes/ways through them). It is He, and none other, who has let sperm grow into a beautiful soul.

“Who else is there who could do this beautiful thing? Nobody. A drop from the clouds falls into the sea/river and converts it into a beautiful pearl. In the same way pine trees grow. It is He who creates precious stones in the hearts of rocks and grows a beautiful red rose on the green branch of a plant. Not a grain of sand is hidden from Him. For Him there is no difference between the visible and the invisible. He provides food for snakes and ants who, otherwise, would be helpless. It is only He who can create something from nothing, nobody else can do so.

“He is the Almighty; He allows people to die and to be buried and later He will raise them again on the Day of Resurrection. The whole world is aware of His presence. His own presence is one of secrecy as He is perched on the throne at the highest place. People are not fully aware of His grand personality and of His great power. Nobody can know about His high pedestal/throne, nor can they fully understand His qualities.

“Thousands of boats have sunk in the tide without leaving a single piece of wood behind just like thousands of Sufis have lost their lives in their pursuit of knowledge of the power of the Almighty.

“I, Saadi, could not sleep for many nights because I was afraid that I would never be able to comprehend the power of the Lord. Knowledge of the Almighty includes the length and breadth of the earth and the oceans, which I could never comprehend. One can never reach that depth of knowledge about the Almighty, nor can your greatest wisdom ever comprehend His real power.

“You may read and understand the word ‘Subhan’ but you can never reach the Subhan belonging to your Lord. Allah’s pious people tried their best to understand the power of the Almighty, but they could not grasp His vast powers.

“One should remember that a horse cannot run in all places and sometimes one has to give up trying to do so. In the same way, all efforts and attempts will fail to enable you to grasp the powers of the Almighty. If a Sufi, a religious person, is lucky enough to understand the mysteries of the Almighty, it will be impossible for him to return to his original state without the consent of the Almighty. Furthermore, he will not be able to describe his condition to anyone.

“In this world you are either given an intoxicant (meaning you forget everything except the Almighty), or you become so entranced that you forget all worldly matters. Some people have covered the eyes of the eagle and/or burnt its feathers yet, despite the fact that it can fly to great heights, it is unable to understand the power and the mystery of the Almighty.

“Nobody can obtain or achieve the wealth of Qarun. If he did, he would perish just like Qarun did. If you desire to know the whole truth about the Almighty and go into a trance, the first lesson to be learnt is how to come out of it again. First think about clean and good things, then only think about the Almighty and how to reach Him. In that way you may be able to get near Him and you might sincerely believe in the oneness of the Almighty. If you walk on the road to the Almighty, you might be able to reach Him.

“Your wisdom cannot go beyond a certain point because your understanding cannot go beyond a certain limit towards understanding His attributes. In this world, only those who pray, and thereby go into a trance, can get near the Almighty. If you don’t follow the guide you will go astray. Many who followed this course and returned were no wiser at all because understanding the secrets of the Almighty was beyond their grasp.

“Anyone who discarded or ignored the advice of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) went astray and never reached their destination. Oh Saadi! Don’t be under the illusion that you can ignore the advice of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and reach the top of piety. You have to follow his advice to achieve that goal.

“In Surah Yasin of the Holy Quran (Ayat 6) it has been clearly stated that the mastery of the Almighty can be found in the reflection of everything. Just look at the leaves of the green trees and you will understand His power of creation. His signs are there in detail for those who understand.”

Email: dr.a.quadeer.khan@gmail.com