31:12 And We gave Luqmān wisdom.
Know that wisdom is the correct activity or correct speech. Correct activity is to preserve the balance of interaction with self between fear and hope, with the people between tenderness and cajolery, and with the Real between awe and closeness.
Correct speech is that you do not mix levity with the mention of the Real, you preserve reverence, and you connect the end of every talk with its beginning.
The wise man is he who puts everything in its own place, does each work as is worthy of that work, and ties each thing to its equal. This wisdom comes forth from someone who renounces this world and perseveres in worship. Muṣṭafā said, “When someone is a renunciant in this world, God will give wisdom a home in his heart and bring his tongue to speak with it.”
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib said, “Vivify the hearts and seek for them the fine qualities of wisdom, for they become weary just as bodies become weary.”
It has been said, “Wisdom is God-given knowledge.”
It has also been saying, “It is the light that distinguishes between inspiration and Satanic disquiet.”
It was said to one of them, “Whence is born this light in the heart?”
He said, “From reflective thought and heedfulness, and these are bequeathed by sorrow and hunger.”
31:34 Surely God—He has knowledge of the Hour.
It is a sound report that a nomad came before Muṣṭafā and said, “O Messenger of God, when is the Hour?” At that moment the nomad was burning in love for the Real and the ocean of passion was boiling in his inwardness. He knew that knowledge of the time of the resurrection was not with Muṣṭafā, for this verse had come—“Surely God—He has knowledge of the Hour.” But in wishing to see the Real he wanted to talk, because of his passion’s pain and burning. He said, “O Messenger of God. There is a drink that I placed in the hand of my need several years ago, and the promise has been given that it will be drunk at the resurrection. When will the time come when I will drink it down and take my ease in contemplating the perfect beauty without end and beginning?”
Muṣṭafā knew where his pain was coming from and what its remedy would be. He said, “What have you done that you ask about that way station? How is it that you hope for it?” The nomad said, “I have not done much prayer and fasting, but I love God and the Messenger.” Muṣṭafā said, “A man will be with the one he loves.” Tomorrow, everyone will be with the one he loves today.
The evidence of having found friendship is throwing the two worlds into the ocean. The mark of realizing friendship is turning away from other than the Real. The beginning of friendship is a wound, and its end a lamp. The beginning of friendship is distress, its middle waiting, and its end vision.
What harm if you suffer for a hundred years
so long as you see the Friend in vision someday?
