In the language of the recognizers and the path of the chevaliers, this killing and fighting is another way station of the travelers and another state of the lovers. However, as long as you have not been killed by the sword of struggle in the path of the Shariah and you have not been burned by the fire of love, you will not be allowed to enter by this gate. Take care not to believe that fire is simply the lamp that you know and nothing more; or that killing is simply the state that you know. Those killed by the Real are one thing, those killed by the throat are something else. Being burned by the fire of punishment is one thing, being burned by the fire of love is something else.
2:190 And fight in the path of God those who fight against you, but do not transgress. God loves not the transgressors.
Think! “How should I have known that this is the smoke of the burning brand’s fire? I fancied that wherever there is fire there is a lamp. How should I have known that in friendship the sin belongs to the killed and the judge gives refuge to the adversary!? How should I have known that the bewilderment of union with You is the path, and he who is drowned in You seeks You all the more?”
One day Shiblī went into the desert. He saw forty men, distracted, impassioned, and overcome by this talk. Each of them had gone into the desert, a brick under his head, his life has reached the gullet. The tenderness of affinity appeared in Shiblī’s breast and he said, “O God, what do You want from them? You have placed the burden of pain on their hearts, You have struck fire in their haystacks. Will You now kill them all with the sword of jealousy?” His secret core was addressed with the words, “I will kill them. Once I kill them, I will pay them the wergild.”
Shiblī said, “What is the wergild?”
The address came, “When someone is killed by the sword of My majesty, his wergild is the vision of My beauty.”
