GhazzaWs Alchemy of Happiness. 



93 



terate their faults, and to obtain pardon and forgiveness. 

 Filled with fear and dread, they became blind from their 

 tears ; from their long continuing perturbation and dis- 

 traction of mind, you would think they had lost the U3e of 

 their reason. As for the companions of the prophet, and 

 their immediate successors who were faithful witnesses 

 for the truth and the beloved of God, they were so afraid 

 in their suspiciousness of doing wrong, that they abstained 

 in their anxiety, from doing even what w*as lawful. Do 

 not these ignoramuses know that their degree of attain- 

 ment does not equal that of the prophets and apostles, and 

 that they are even at a great distance from them ? Why 

 then do they not shrink in fear and awe from the shining 

 vengeance of the glorious God ? 



If they urge, however, that the transgressions of the pro- 

 phets were doing them no injury, but that they were exer- 

 cising prudence and carefulness for the sake of other people, 

 we then reply, that you also ought to be careful, lest other 

 people seeing your actions, should imitate your example. 

 And if they respond, we do not belong to the rank of pro- 

 phets, that men should walk in our steps, or that any injury 

 should befall us, on account of the sins which they may 

 commit, we would again reply, that it is better that no in- 

 jury should come to you in consequence of the sins done 

 from imitating you ? than that injury should not befall the 

 prophets from the sins done in consequence of imitating 

 them ; for they are the praised and accepted servants of 

 God ; their earlier and their later sins have been pardoned, 

 and they are blessed in Paradise. Why, then, was it so 

 necessary that they should abstain from forbidden things, 

 from things of a doubtful nature and even from permitted 

 things? It is said that one day some ripe dates were 

 brought to the prophet, and he took one and put it in 

 his blessed mouth. But immediately a doubt entered his 

 mind, as to the manner in which the dates had been obtained, 



