22 - THIRD VOLUME, 7th LETTER

This letter was written to Muhibbullah Manqpûrî. It informs that it is necessary to endure the troubles caused by people:

May hamd be to Allâhu ta’âlâ and prayers be upon His beloved Prophet! I pronounce my benedictions over you and over all Muslims. My brother Muhibbullah’s honourable letter has arrived here to please us very much. It is necessary to endure people’s bothering you. There is nothing to do but to be patient with your relatives’ hurting you. Allâhu ta’âlâ commands His Beloved Prophet and declares in Ahkâf Sûra, “As the Ulul’azm ones of the Prophets were patient, you, too, be patient! Do not hurry to pray that they be tormented!” The most useful thing to those being there is the annoyance and trouble given to them by others there. You do not wish this blessing and abstain from it. Yes, he who is used to always eating sweet things will abstain from the healing, bitter medicine. I am at a loss as to what to say about this. Translation of a Persian couplet:

Though they may be coy, those who have fallen in love
Should get used not to coyness but to adversity!

You ask for permission to move to a place called Ilâhâbâd. “... Or recommend some other place. The hardships caused by the people here have become unbearable. I will go there and breathe freely for a while,” you say. Rukhsat, permission, can be given for this. But azîmat, that is, the better way, is to remain there and to be patient with and endure the difficulties. As you know, this season makes me feel enervated. That is why I write briefly. I send my salâm.

23 - SECOND VOLUME, 29th LETTER

This letter was written for the virtuous Shaikh Abdulhaq-i Dahlawî. It informs that the most valuable capital in this world is (formed by) sorrows and hardships and that the sweetest blessings are adversity and sufferings:

Hamd be to Allâhu ta’âlâ and salâm to those slaves of His whom He has chosen and loved! My Dear Sir. The coming of disasters may be unpleasant outwardly, but it is expected that they will be blessings. The world’s most valuable stock is (collected from) sorrows and afflictions. The most delicious food on the world’s meal table is (made up of) problems and calamities. These

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sweet blessings are covered with bitter medicine. Therefore, calamities and disasters are showered on the beloved ones. Those who are fortunate and wise see the sweets placed in them. They chew the bitter covers on them as if they were sweet. They take flavour from the bitter. Why shouldn’t they, since everything coming from the Beloved will be sweet. Those who are sick do not feel their taste. The heart’s sickness means its having fallen in love with somebody other than He. The fortunate ones take so much flavour from the troubles coming from the Beloved One that they do not taste the same flavour in His favours. Though both are coming from the Beloved One, the lover’s nafs does not get a share from the hardships. But His favours are wished by the nafs, too. Translation of an Arabic line:

May it do good to those who get the blessing!

O our Allah! Do not deprive us of the rewards of these hardships! After these, do not let us fall into faction! During these days when Islam is weak, your valuable being is a great blessing for Muslims. May Allâhu ta’âlâ give you safety and bless you with a long life! Wassalâm.