If the light of the divine disposition was polluted with the...

If the light of the divine disposition was polluted with the formal and spiritual impurities, it would be at a distance from the court of the Proximity and “the Presence of Love” [ hadrat-i uns ] in proportion to its pollution, until the light of disposition completely goes out, and the kingdom becomes altogether Satanic, and its inside and outside, secret and open, are put at the disposal of Satan.

Thus, Satan becomes its heart, ear (hearing), eye (seeing), hand, and leg, and all his other organs become Satanic. If somebody reaches this stage take refuge in Allah from it he becomes absolutely wretched and will never see the face of happiness. Between these two limits there are so many stages which only Allah, the Exalted, knows.

Whoever is nearer to the horizon of prophethood, is of “those on the right hand” [ ashāb-i yamīn ], and whoever is nearer to the satanic horizon, is of “those on the left hand” [ ashāb-i yasār ]. It should be noted, however, that even after the pollution of the inborn disposition, it is possible to purify it. As long as man is still in this world he can get out of Satan's domain and can easily join the party of Allah's angels, who are the soldiers of the divine mercy.

The reality of jihād-i nafs [self-struggle] which, according to the Messenger of Allah ( s ), is more meritorious than struggling against the enemies of the religion, and is the greater jihād [^3] is this getting out of Satan's domain and entering the domain of Allah's soldiers. So, the first stage of purity is the observance of divine laws and the obedience to Allah's commands. The second stage is to be adorned with virtuous morals and faculties.

The third stage is the purity of the heart, which means submitting the heart to Allah, after which the heart becomes luminous, or rather it becomes of the world of light and a degree of divine light. The luminosity of the heart flows to other organs and inner powers, and the whole kingdom turns into light, and light upon light, till the heart becomes divine and godly and the Divinity [ hadrat-i lāhūt ] manifests in all the inner and outer stages.