يَا أَحْمَدُ وُجُوهُ الزَّاهِدِينَ مُصْفَرَّةٌ مِنْ تَعَبِ...
يَا أَحْمَدُ وُجُوهُ الزَّاهِدِينَ مُصْفَرَّةٌ مِنْ تَعَبِ اللَّيْلِ وَ صَوْمِ النَّهَارِ وَ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ كِلَالٌ إِلَّا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى قُلُوبُهُمْ فِي صُدُورِهُمْ مَطْعُونَةٌ مِنْ كَثْرَةِ مَا يُخَالِفُونَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ قَدْ ضَمَّرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ مِنْ كَثْرَةِ صَمْتِهِمْ O Ahmad -saww ! Faces of the ascetics are paled from exhaustion of the night, and fasting of the day, and their tongues are feeble except from Zikr of Allah -azwj the Exalted.
Their hearts are stabbed in their chests from the frequency of their opposing their own whims. They have withered themselves from the frequency of their silence.
قَدْ أُعْطُوا الْمَجْهُودَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ- لَا مِنْ خَوْفِ نَارٍ وَ لَا مِنْ شَوْقِ جَنَّةٍ وَ لَكِنْ يَنْظُرُونَ فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى أَهْلٌ لِلْعِبَادَةِ كَأَنَّمَا يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى مَنْ فَوْقَهَا They give the efforts from themselves, neither from fear of fire, nor from yearning of Paradise, but they are looking into kingdoms of the skies and the earth, so they are knowing that Allah ‑azwj the Glorious and Exalted is rightful of the worship.
It is as if they are looking at the One -azwj above these!” قَالَ يَا رَبِّ هَلْ تُعْطِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي هَذَا He -saww said: ‘O Lord -azwj ! Will You -azwj be Giving this to anyone from my -saww community?’ قَالَ يَا أَحْمَدُ هَذِهِ دَرَجَةُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ الصِّدِّيقِينَ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ وَ أُمَّةِ غَيْرِكَ وَ أَقْوَامٌ مِنَ الشُّهَدَاءِ He -azwj Said: “O Ahmad -saww !
This is a rank of the Prophets -as , and the truthful from your -saww community, and other communities, and people from the martyrs!” قَالَ يَا رَبِّ أَيُّ الزُّهَّادِ أَكْثَرُ زُهَّادُ أُمَّتِي أَمْ زُهَّادُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ He -azwj Said: ‘O Lord -azwj !
Which of the ascetics are more, the ascetics of my -saww community or ascetics of the children of Israel?’ قَالَ إِنَّ زُهَّادَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي زُهَّادِ أُمَّتِكَ كَشَعْرَةٍ سَوْدَاءَ فِي بَقَرَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ He -azwj Said: “The ascetics of the children of Israel in (comparison) to ascetics of your -saww community are like a black hair in a white cow!” فَقَالَ يَا رَبِّ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ وَ عَدَدُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي He -saww said: ‘O Lord -azwj !
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