An elderly man said to a doctor, “My mind is weary, my intellect falters.” The doctor replied, “That weakness of mind is due to old age.” The old man then said, “My eyesight is dimming too.” The doctor responded, “Old age, venerable sir, is the cause.” When the man complained of severe back pain, the doctor stated, “Poor old man, it’s from old age!” He continued, “I cannot digest what I eat.” And the doctor declared, “Digestive weakness also stems from old age.”
The doctor said, “Yes, shortness of breath too is a consequence of old age. As one ages, two hundred ailments arise in humankind.” The old man, angered, retorted, “You foolish man! Is that all you have to say? Is this the only thing you’ve learned as a physician? You ignorant fellow, Allah has provided a remedy for every affliction; don’t you know this? You are a foolish donkey, with meager knowledge and a short mind, leaving you stranded on earth!”
The doctor responded, “O man of sixty, whose work is finished, this anger, this fury – it too is from old age!” All parts of the body weaken and wear out; patience diminishes. One cannot tolerate even two words, but instead shouts! Even a sip of water cannot be digested, but is vomited forth! Except for the elderly who are intoxicated with Allah.
He appears outwardly aged, yet he is a child in truth. What indeed are saints and prophets? If they did not manifest alongside good and evil, why would these base people harbor envy towards them?
If they did not know the subtle knowledge (yakin), why this aversion, this deceit, this animosity towards them? Were those who oppose them to know of resurrection after death and the Day of Judgment, how quickly would they cast themselves upon a sharp sword.
That pir smiles at you, but do not perceive it as such; for him there are hundreds of resurrections. Paradise, hell – all are parts of his being. Whatever you think, he is beyond that thought. He accepts whatever you think as non-existence, but what lies beyond the grasp of thought? That is Allah.
If one knows who resides within, why this arrogance at the door of the house? The foolish attempt to break the hearts of those with discerning souls in the Masjid of the Mighty. But it is a metaphor, you donkeys; this is the truth. The Mighty have no mosque except that of the heart. In the heart-mosques of the saints, where everyone prostrates, Allah resides. As long as the heart of an Allah-inspired one is not afflicted, Allah has never disgraced any community.
Those who engaged in battle with the prophets saw them only as bodies, considering them to be humans like themselves. You also possess the character of those first ones. How can you fear annihilation when you are like them? All the signs that were within them are also within you. Since you are of them, where will you find salvation?