He [the catholicos] said...

He [the catholicos] said, “If the amir permits me, I would report to him something revealed by Allah to Christ.” He (Masab) turned his attention to him, and he (the catholicos) said, “Verily, Allah revealed to Christ, ‘It is not fitting for a sultan to become angry, for he commands and is obeyed, and it is not fitting for him to be hasty, for nothing eludes him, and it is not fitting for him to be unjust, for injustice is repulsed by him.’” Then Masab became embarrassed and was pleased with him.[^14] Allah said to Jesus, “O Jesus!

Verily I have granted unto you the poor and mercy upon them. You love them and they love you. They are satisfied with you as a leader and guide and you are satisfied with them as companions and followers. These are two of My characteristics. Whoever meets Me with these [characteristics] meets Me with the most pure of deeds which are most beloved by Me.”[^15] Verily Allah revealed to Jesus, “Then indeed be warned!

Otherwise you should be ashamed before Me to warn [preach to] the people.”[^16] It is reported that Nuf al-Bukali said, “I spent a night with the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (‘a). I saw that he often left his room to go outside and look at the sky. Once when he came back in, as usual, he said to me, ‘Are you asleep or awake?’ I said, ‘I am indeed awake, O Commander of the Faithful!

From the beginning of the night I have been watching you to see what you are doing.’ He said, ‘O Nuf! Blessed are the ascetics in this world, those who yearn for the other world, the people who spread Allah’s earth beneath them [to sleep on], who lean against its dust, whose motto is His book, whose maxim is supplicating Him, whose perfume is water, and who take the world on loan in the way of Christ. Verily, Allah, the Exalted, revealed to Jesus, “O Jesus!

Keep to the first way, keep to the manner of the messengers, say to your people, O brother of the warners, ‘Do not enter any of My houses except with pure hearts, clean hands and lowered eyes. I will not hear the prayer of any who supplicate Me if any of My servants is oppressed by him.

And I will not answer the prayer of any who has not fulfilled any of My rights over him.’”’”[^17] Allah revealed to Jesus, “Say to the Children of Israel, ‘Do not enter any of my houses unless with lowered eyes and clean hands.’ And inform them that verily, I will not answer the prayer of any of them while any of my creation is oppressed by them...”[^18] Allah said to Jesus (‘a), “O Jesus!