Anyone who follows in the tracks of the soul’s appetite in opposition to the Real’s command will be held back from the Real and not reach the appetite. Adam the chosen had not savored more than a taste from that prohibited tree when the whip of rebuke came down on his head and his state was changed. He did not completely satisfy the appetite, nor did God’s approval remain with him. When he looked again, he did not see the crown on his head, nor the robe on his body. At first, he had seen himself sitting on the throne of chosenness, leaning back on the cushion of vicegerency, adorned with the robes and trinkets of paradise. After this, he saw himself held back from all that, undressed and hungry, in need of one leaf of a tree.
7:22 And when they tasted the tree, their shameful parts were shown to them.
The command came: “O Adam! You were not able to enjoy all those blessings without suffering and toil. Now go to the house of tribulation and adversity and work, plant seeds, take pains, and be patient.” Adam said, “All of this is trifling if one day I am again given access to this Threshold.” He lamented at the pain in his heart and placed his need and incapacity on the palms of remorse.
7:23 “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If Thou dost not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.”
“O God, if we weep, weeping for You is sweet. If we lament over you, our lamenting is appropriate. O God, what comes from dust other than error? What is born from a defect other than disloyalty? And what comes from the generous other than loyalty? O God, we have come back with two empty hands. What would happen if You placed balm on the wounded? O God, You are the treasure of the poor, the traveling supplies of the distressed, the resource of the fleeing, the hand holder of the helpless. You created, so You saw the faulty jewel, but You selected it and bought it with all its faults. You lifted us up and no one said, ‘Lift up!’ Now that You have lifted up, don’t put down! Keep us in the shadow of gentleness and entrust us to none but Your bounty!”
