Second Volume
During Omar’s time, the month of fasting arrived. Several people raced to the top of a mountain. They wished to witness the crescent moon of Ramadan, celebrate its appearance, and interpret it as a blessing. One person exclaimed, “O Omar, look! The crescent!” However, Omar gazed at the sky but could not see the moon. He said, “This moon is born from your imagination. Otherwise, I see the heavens better than you do. How could I fail to see such a clear crescent? Wet your hand and then look at the moon!” The man moistened his hand and wiped his brow, yet still couldn’t see the moon. “My lord, the moon has vanished!” Omar replied, “Indeed, a stray hair obscured your vision; it shot an arrow at you like a bowstring.” His path became crooked, so he falsely claimed to have seen the moon and brought forth a lawsuit. If a single stray hair becomes a veil to the sky, what will be your state when your entire being is distorted? Straighten every aspect of yourself according to truth. O seeker of the right path, do not draw back from that threshold! Just as the scales measure accurately, so too does the distortion in the scales diminish its value.
Those who weigh themselves against falsehoods fall into deficiency and their minds become confused. Be fierce against disbelievers; scatter earth upon the friendship of outsiders! Strike down the heads of strangers with a sword; return to yourself; do not act like a fox, but be a lion so that your friends are not severed from you due to their efforts! For thorns are enemies to this rose. Scatter fire upon the heads of wolves as one would scatter nigella seeds upon fire; for these wolves are the enemies of Joseph. Return to yourself, for Satan will say, ‘my father’s life,’ thus deceiving you with that curse.
This black-faced deceiver also did this to your father and confounded Adam. This raven is agile in the game of chess. Do not see a raven with half-closed eyes! For it knows so many tricks that they remain stuck like debris in its throat! That debris remains in throats. What is that debris? The love of status and wealth. O wavering winter, wealth is nothing but debris. But if it’s in your throat, it won’t allow you to drink the Water of Life. If your wealth were to be intercepted by a deceitful enemy, it would mean being cut off from one path after another, being led astray.
A thief stole a snake from a serpent charmer, considering it plunder out of foolishness. The serpent charmer escaped the venomous bite of his snake. The snake then made the thief weep and wail before killing him. Seeing that dead man, the serpent said, “It was my snake that killed him, taking his life.” I used to pray to find my snake so I could retrieve it from this thief; my heart desired to find my snake. Praise be to Allah that my prayer was not answered. I considered my unanswered prayer a loss, but it turned out to be beneficial to me.” Many prayers are nothing but the destruction of ruin. Purify them, and He will not accept them through His generosity.