Consider the difference

in our actions and God's actions.

We often ask, "Why did you do that?"

or "Why did I act like that?"

We do act, and yet everything we do

is God's creative action.

We look back and analyze the events

of our lives, but there is another way

of seeing, a backward-and-forward-at-once

vision, that is not rationally understandable.

Only God can understand it.

Satan made the excuse, YOU caused me to fall,

whereas Adam said to God, We did this 

to ourselves.  After this repentance,

God asked Adam, Since all is within

my foreknowledge, why didn't you

defend yourself with that reason?

Adam answered, I was afraid,

and I wanted to be reverent.

Whoever acts with respect will get respect.

Whoever brings sweetness will be served almond cake.

Good women are drawn to be with good men.

Honor your friend,

Or treat him rudely,

and see what happens!

Love, tell an incident now

that will clarify this mystery

of how we act freely, and are yet

compelled.  One hand shakes with palsy.

Another shakes because you slapped it away.

Both tremblings come from God,

but you feel guilty for the one,

and what about the other?

These are intellectual questions.

The spirit approaches the matter

differently.  Omar once had a friend, a scientist,

Bu'l-Hakam, who was flawless at solving

empirical questions, but he could not follow Omar

into the area of illumination and wonder.

Now I return to the text, "And He is with you,

wherever you are," but when have I ever left it!

Ignorance is God's prison.

Knowing is God's palace.

We sleep in God's unconsciousness.

We wake in God's open hand.

We weep God's rain.

We laugh God's lightning.

Fighting and peacefulness

both take place within God.

Who are we then

in this complicated world-tangle,

that is really just the single, straight

line down at the beginning of ALLAH?

Nothing.

We are