When the Grand Master took a step into the empire, and fourteen battlements fell from the castle of Caesar. In the Kaaba, there were 360 idols and all of them fell on their faces. From the four corners of the world, the call arose, “The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished away” [17:81]. The pearl of prophethood settled down on the carpet of exaltedness and the pavilion of messenger hood was pitched on the face of the earth, its ropes reaching from the east to the west of the world. The mask was lifted from the face of beauty, and because of the scattering of sweet words, the world was filled with pearls and gems and adorned and trimmed with the noble character traits of the noble. Thus he said, “I was sent out with the all-comprehensive words to complete the noble character traits.”
Say: If you love God. The beginning of this verse goes back to what the Folk of the Tariqah call togetherness and dispersion. You love God is dispersion, and God will love you in togetherness. You love God is to serve the Shariah, and God will love you is the generosity of the Haqiqah. Service on the part of the servant rises up to God. To this alludes the verse, “To Him ascend the goodly words” [35:10]. Generosity on the part of God comes down to the servant. To this alludes the verse, “We placed a tie on their hearts” [18:14].
Whatever comes from the servant is dispersion—defective in motive and joined with scatteredness. Whatever comes from God is togetherness—pure of motive and free of every fault.
In the meaning of togetherness and dispersion, this verse is like the verse in which the Lord of the Worlds says, “When Moses came to Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him” [7:143]. Moses came is the same as dispersion, and His Lord spoke to him is the same as togetherness. Dispersion is the attribute of the folk of variegation, and togetherness is the attribute of the folk of stability.
Moses was in the station of variegation. Do you not see that when God spoke to him, he went from state to state, changed, and was variegated? For no one could gaze on His face. Muṣṭafā was one of the folks of stability and stood in togetherness itself. At the time of vision and conversation, he remained in the state of resoluteness and stability, not one hair of his body changing. The fruit of Moses’ path in dispersion was this: “And We brought him near as a confidant” [19:52]. The fruit of Muṣṭafā’s attraction in togetherness itself was this: “Then He drew close, so He came down” [53:8]. In other words, “The Compeller, the Exalted Lord, drew close, so He came down.” In such a way did the Messenger interpret it.
His words, “Follow me; God will love you”: What a great difference between these words of the Beloved [Muḥammad], and those of the Bosom Friend [Abraham]: “Whoso follows me belongs to me” [14:36]. Love and bosom friendship are as far apart as these two sayings. The Bosom Friend said, “Whoever follows in my tracks belongs to me.” The Beloved said, “Whoever follows in my tracks is God’s beloved.” There is no state higher than friendship, there are no days sweeter than the days of friendship.
