I said to her, “Halt [qifī].” She said, “Qāf.”
She did not say, “I have halted,” thereby keeping the secret from the watchers. Nor did she say, “I will not halt,” thereby showing consideration for the heart.
Then He spoke with the lid on, not letting out the details, lest the secrets fall into the open and so that story would stay concealed.
Although the tongue of commentary does not speak of it, the folk of allusion says that it is likely that at the moment, say, “‘When you depart from me, do not forget my covenant. Even if awareness of me dwindles one day, do not prefer another over me.’ O Adam! Do not forget Our compact and do not choose anyone over Me.”
2:37 Then Adam received from his Lord some words.
2:40 O children of Israel! Remember My blessings with which I blessed you. And be loyal to My covenant; I will be loyal to your covenant. And of Me have dread.
This is from the Real’s gentleness, generosity, and loving-kindness toward the servants. He reminds them of His favor toward them: “I am the generous Lord, the thankful, the forgiver of the servants. I have come forth with kindness despite every disloyalty, I invite the servants to praise Me despite all their offenses, and I ask them to be grateful for My blessings.”
This is why He says to the children of Israel, “Remember My blessings! O children of Israel, be grateful for My blessings and recognize your duty toward Me so that you will be worthy of increase and have a good name and good fortune.”
There is a great difference between the children of Israel and this community. To them, He said, “Remember My blessings!” To this community, He said, “Remember Me!” [2:152]. He gave them blessings and He gave this community companionship. He kept those away from Himself by the witnessing of blessings, and He kept these with Himself by Graceful love. Original old Testaments verify the Histories, why it happened.
So remember Me; I will remember you [2:152]. Open a door so that I may open a door. Open the door of turning back so that I may open the door of good news: They turned back to God, and for them is good news [39:17]. Open the door of expending so that I may open the door of replacement: Whatever you expend, He will replace it [34:39]. Open the door of struggle so that I may open the door of guidance: Those who struggle in Us, We will guide them on Our paths [29:69]. Open the door of asking forgiveness so that I may open the door of forgiveness: And then asks forgiveness of God, he will find God forgiving, ever-merciful [4:110]. Open the door of gratitude so that I may open the door of increased blessings: If you give thanks, I will surely increase you [14:7]. My servant, come back to My covenant so that I may come back to your covenant: Be loyal to My covenant; I will be loyal to your covenant.”
It has been said that God has many covenants with His servant and, in each covenant in which the servant has loyalty, the Lord of the Worlds has loyalty as its counterpart. First is that the servant makes manifest the words of the Shahadah. Its counterpart from the Lord of the Worlds is the rightful due of blood and property. That is in His words, “When someone says ‘No god but God,’ his wealth and property are protected from Me.” The last is that if the servant keeps his gaze pure and watches over his thoughts, its counterpart from the Lord of the Worlds will be this: “I have prepared for My wholesome servants what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what has never passed into the heart of any mortal.”
Between that beginning and this end are many intermediaries, and these are God’s covenants with the servant in which the servant’s part is deeds and words, and God’s part is reward beyond reckoning.
And of Me have dread. This is the same as His saying, “And of Me be wary” [2:41]. Dread and wariness are two of the stations of the fearful. There are six degrees of fear in the road of the religion: the repenters, the worshipers, the renouncers, the knowers, the recognizers, and the sincerely truthful.
The repenters have fear, as He says: “They fear a day when eyes and hearts will be turned about” [24:37]. The worshipers have quaking: “Those whose hearts quake when God is remembered” [8:2]. The renouncers have dread: “They were supplicating Us in eagerness and dread” [21:90]. The knowers have fright: “The only ones of His servants who are frightened of God are the knowers” [35:28]. The recognizers have to tremble: “Surely those who tremble in fear of their Lord” [23:57]. The sincerely truthful have awe: “And God warns you of Himself” [3:28].
Fear is the fear of the repenters and beginners, the fortress of faith, and the cure-all and weapon for the person of faith. Anyone without this fear has no faith and has no way to security. Anyone who has it has faith in the same measure. Quaking is the fear of the living-hearted. It releases them from heedlessness, opens up the road of self-purification to them, and curtails their wishing.
The fear of the recognizers, which is trembling, appears from quaking. This is a fear that places no veil before supplication, no mask before perspicacity, and no wall before hope. It is a melting and killing fear that does not relax until this call is heard: “Fear not and grieve not, and rejoice!” [41:30].
Just as it happened to Moses at the Mount: And Moses lost consciousness thunderstruck [7:143]. Never say that this awe comes from threats; rather, it comes from being aware of the Compeller.
It is this that is alluded to in the Prophet’s words, “His veil is light. Were it removed, the glories of His face would burn away everything perceived by the eyes.”
