A deceptive path can be illustrated by another example from the Quran. Hypocrites once played a similar game with the Prophet. They said, “Let us build a mosque to elevate the religion of Muhammad.” Yet, this was nothing more than hypocrisy. Through such a deceptive scheme, they built a mosque other than the Prophet’s, leveling its flooring, ceiling, and dome.
However, their intention was to separate the community. They implored the Prophet, prostrating themselves before him like camels. “O Messenger of Allah, please grace that mosque with your presence; let your footsteps bless it for generations until the Day of Judgment! May its days be fresh and vibrant, a refuge in times of hardship and poverty. We desire that if a traveler comes, they may find shelter, and in this abode of service, abundance.”
Thus, they hoped to increase the signs of religion, spreading it abroad; for even bitter experiences are sweet when shared with friends. “Honor it for a moment, purify us as you are pure, and we will be night. Let a moment of your beauty transform night into day, O sun that illuminates the nights!” Alas, if only they had spoken these words sincerely, and their desires were fulfilled! Sweet words coming from the mouth without heartfelt intention resemble greenery in dust – look at them from afar and pass by. These are not worth eating or smelling.
Do not go to the unfaithful; they are a broken bridge. A person of little knowledge who steps on it will break the bridge and fracture their foot. An army is defeated when three women-like men cause disarray. He arms himself like a warrior, entering the ranks of battle. The others trust him as a true friend, but when the hardships of war arise, they turn away. His flight breaks your spiritual strength. This discussion is long; it extends endlessly, and the purpose remains hidden. Let us pass on.
The people were reciting stories to the Prophet; they were riding the horse of lies and deceit. The merciful, compassionate Prophet smiled and simply said, “Alright.” He understood the work that needed to be done for that community, and he reassured those bringing news by saying it would be done. Their deceptions appeared before his eyes, one by one, as if seeing grains of dust. Yet, this generous Prophet could not hide the milk; that refined person praised the milk. For a hundred thousand deceptions and falsehoods, he closed his eyes at that moment.
The sea of generosity rightly declared, “I pity you more than you pity yourselves. I am like a man sitting on the edge of a blazing, bare fire. You rush towards it as moths. And I place moths with my own two hands.” At the hypocrites’ request, the Prophet began to walk in that direction, and then Allah’s effort cried out: “Do not listen to his voice; these deceivers have tricked you; all their words are deceptive.”
Their purpose is nothing but a blackened face. How can Jews and Christians be better than the most excellent religion? They built a bridge over the bridge of Hell, and they engaged in trickery with Allah’s game. Their intention was to sow discord among the Prophet’s companions. How does any opportunist recognize the excellence and grace of God? They intended to bring a Jewish man from Damascus. The Jews were intoxicated by the sermons of that Damascene Jew. The Prophet said, “I will come, but now we are on the road; we are going to war. I will go to that mosque when we return from war.” He dismissed them and went to war. Thus, he protected those wicked, deceitful people. Upon returning, the hypocrites came again, reminding him of his previous promise. Allah said, “O Prophet, speak clearly; even if it leads to war, reveal their betrayals.” The Prophet said, “Silence, you deceptive tribe, so I do not reveal your secrets,” and then revealed a few of their secrets. Immediately, their situation worsened. The hypocrites’ envoys began to say, “May we be spared!”
Each hypocrite placed a Mushaf on his lap and rushed to the Prophet with deceit, embarking on oaths. For an oath is a shield, and swearing is the habit of liars. A liar is not trustworthy in religion, so he breaks his oath every moment. The truthful do not need to swear; their eyes are clear. Breaking covenants and agreements is foolishness.
To be true to one’s oath and stand by it is the work of a pure person. The Prophet said: “Should I believe in your oaths or Allah’s oaths?” The hypocrites, with a Mushaf still in their hands, began to swear as if with the sanctity of their mouths: “For the sake of this true and pure word, we will build that mosque for the pleasure of Allah.
We have no trickery or scheme regarding this. We will only remember Allah there and worship Allah with a sincere heart.” The Prophet said: “Allah’s voice reaches your ears as other voices do. Truth has sealed your ears so you cannot hear Allah’s voice. Indeed, the voice of Allah is clearly reaching my ear; I am sifting sediment from chaff.” As it was with the blessed one, the true voice came to Moses from a tree – “I am Allah” – and light shone with that voice.
When they were helpless against the light of revelation, they began to swear again. Allah has said oaths are shields. A warrior does not abandon his shield! The Prophet openly refuted them and eloquently told them, “Undoubtedly, you are lying.”
When the Prophet broke his promise, doubt fell into the heart of one of the companions. Was the Prophet shaming such venerable, bearded, complete, and mighty men? Where is generosity, where is covering shame, where is modesty? How did the Prophet not cover tens of thousands of blemishes? Immediately, this objection arose again in his heart so that his face would not be disgraced, and he sought forgiveness.
Friendship with hypocrites tarnished the faithful as well, making them rebellious. Again, “O Allah, who knows all secrets with such subtlety, do not leave me persisting in my disbelief. My gaze is not in my hand, nor is my heart. Otherwise, I would burn my heart with passion at this moment.”
With this thought, he fell asleep and saw the hypocrites’ mosque overflowing with filth. The stones of the mosque were ruined and filthy. Black smoke was rising from them. The smoke entered his throat, burning his throat. He awoke from the smell of that bitter smoke and immediately prostrated himself and began to weep. “Allah, these are signs of disbelief.”
Anger and wrath are better than such tenderness that separates me from the light of faith.” The experts in metaphor work diligently, but their efforts are layered upon layers—each layer more superficial and empty. But the works of the truthful are always better and more appropriate.
The hypocrites had donned the finery of clothing to destroy the Kuba Mosque with hundreds of efforts. They were like the People of the Elephant. They built a Kaaba in Abyssinia, but Allah struck fire upon their Kabas.
Thereupon, they intended to destroy the Kaaba for revenge. Understand by reading the Quran! Those who are black-faced in religion have nothing but trickery, disorder, and war. Every companion saw a clear dream about the mosque, thus revealing the purpose of the hypocrites in building that mosque. If I were to tell these dreams one by one, even those who doubt would clearly understand the truth, but I am hesitant to reveal their secrets because prophets are gracious, and grace befits them.
They accepted the Sharia without following blind imitation; they did not take pre-paid money without testing it. The wisdom of the Quran is the lost treasure of the believer. Everyone knows his loss.
For example, if you had a camel and lost it, would you not set out to find it, and when you found it, wouldn’t you know it was your camel? In Arabic, “Dalle” refers to a camel that has been lost, escaped, or hidden somewhere. The caravan has arrived to load its cargo. But your camel is missing; it’s nowhere to be seen. Your lips are parched as you run back and forth, and the caravan is leaving. Night is also approaching.
You are lying on the fragrant ground, on the earth, searching for your camel. “Has anyone seen a camel escape from the stable this morning? Whoever tells me will receive so much money,” you begin to ask. Every low-down person laughs at you from under his mustache. One says, “We saw a camel going in that direction, towards the pasture.” Another says, “Oh, it had clipped ears.” Another says, “It was bald from mange.” Another says, “I saw it; it was one-eyed.” Another says, “I heard it was a Muslim.” To receive news, every common person tells hundreds of signs.
This is like: everyone praises the quality with a characteristic. The philosopher describes it in another way. The arguer refutes his words. Another criticizes both of them. Another suffers from hypocrisy. People assume that all of these belong to that village and each one tells stories related to this path. Know for certain that none of these are true. But not all of this herd is astray, because falsehood cannot be manifested without truth. The young man’s heart smells like gold but takes it.
How could you spend the heart if the world was not solid and valid? Could falsehood exist without truth? That falsehood is illuminated by truth. With the hope of truth, they take crookedness. They turn poison into sugar and drink it. What would a wheat seller do if wheat were not beautiful and sweet?
Therefore, all these words are false. Falsehoods are traps for the heart with the hope of truth, but they are nothing more than delusion and straying. But don’t say that they are all illusion. Because there is no dream without reality in the world. Allah is the night of power. The night of power is hidden among the nights so that people may spend every night in worship, just as Allah is hidden.
Young man, not every night is the night of power, but neither are all nights devoid of it. Among those wearing cloaks, there is a poor person devoted to Allah. Cling to him if that is your destiny! Where is the discerning believer who distinguishes the poor from the ruler? In this world, everything would not be flawless; otherwise, fabric merchants would all be fools.
If there were no flaws in everything, how could one recognize quality fabrics? If everything were flawed, what would be the use of expertise? Since everything is wood, there are no carpenters here. Saying that everything is true is foolishness, but saying that everything is false is also mischievous. The merchants of the prophets made a profit; the color and scent merchants lost!
The serpent appears like beautiful goods. Rub your eyes and look carefully! Do not envy this trade; see the ruin of Pharaoh and the people of Thamud!
Look at the sky many times. For Allah said, “Turn back to it and look.” Do not be satisfied with looking at this luminous dome once; look repeatedly, “Can you see a crack?” Allah told you, “Look at this beautiful sky like someone searching for flaws.” So, how about seeing this black earth, understanding, and appreciating it? How many times must one look!
How much effort must our minds exert to sift sediment from chaff? Winter and spring trials, the heat of summer, the blossoming spring, winds, clouds, lightning—all these are for the manifestation of events; for the earth with a colored face to bring forth the precious stone with its color in its place. This earth with a dark face, what treasures has it stolen from the treasure of grace?
The stage says, “Tell me everything you have taken!” If the earth—the thief—says, “I haven’t taken anything,” the stage will continue to jostle and bend it. The stage tells him sweet words sometimes; at other times, it tortures him with the worst torments. In this way, it strives to reveal hidden things with fear, grace, and terror.
Those springs are Allah’s generosity. Autumn is Allah’s warning. Winter is a spiritual cross saying, “O hidden thief, come out.” The heart of a warrior sometimes rejoices and sometimes shrinks; for our bodies—these water and earth, this clay—are unfaithful.
They are the thieves of the soul’s treasure. Almighty Allah says, “O valiant one, I have entrusted heat and cold, hardship, and pain to our bodies.” All these are for the manifestation of the soul’s treasure – fear, hunger, scarcity of wealth, illness of the body—these are all for distinguishing good from evil through promises and threats.
Because they mix truth and falsehood, because they pour heart money into this haram. To distinguish them, they have tested the layers of truth, seen what is needed so that they may know it.
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