LETTER 36: RESOLVING DIFFICULTIES THROUGH INVOCATORY PRAYER AND THE RECITATION OF QURANIC VERSES

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate!

Brother Shamsuddin may God accept your prayer! There is some disagreement as to whether it is more praiseworthy to pray or to re- main silent. The time-honored command [i.e., to pray) is preferable. Some say that prayer within one's soul is worship because of the saying Invoking God is the essence of worship. It is better to actually carry out something that is an act of worship than to put it aside, even if the petition is not answered and the worshiper himself does not attain prosperity. At some point the worshiper will need to show his firm resolve, for prayer is a disclosure of his own indigence and need before God.

It is related that, Khwaja Hazim Araj said: Not being able to pray is harder for me than being deprived of the necessities of life! There is a group that says that being silent is the original divine command, and that assent to what has precedence is more praiseworthy. Imam Wasti used to say: It is better to choose whatever was established from the beginning. It is also better than collating the contents of books of various periods. The Prophet, reporting what God communicated to him, has said: I give more to the person who is al sorbed in remembrance of Me and refrains from asking questions than to those who perpetually question Me. Those renowned for their learning have discerned that divine guidance is to be gleaned from both these sayings; they say that the more praiseworthy is that which has been deemed more appropriate for a particular time.

In many states of the soul, invocatory prayers are more beneficial than maintaining silence. This is quite fitting. On other occasions, maintaining silence is better than praying, and that also is fitting. What a person perceives should be grasped in the proper time, for knowledge of the opportune moment cannot be learned except at the moment itself! If someone's heart is inclined toward calling upon God, then he will find prayer more satisfying, while if he is inwardly disposed to peace, he will find it preferable to remain quiet. People have said that it is necessary to respect a person's own particular condition. If he finds a great deal of expansion through invocatory prayer, then it is the best thing for him, but if, at the time of prayer, he experiences hindrance and contraction within his own heart, it would be better for him to abandon such prayer and remain quiet. If, at any particular time, he does experience a small degree of either expansion, or restriction and contraction, then both praying and remaining quiet are of equal value. If it happens that mystical knowledge is predominant in someone at a particular time, it would be better for him to pray, because prayer is worship within one's own soul. If, on the other hand, a person is more impelled to the state of mystical contemplation, then it would be better for him to keep quiet and remain in that state.

This is an exposition of the various sayings of the revered ones on the topic of which is more excellent, prayer or silence. It should be examined carefully. One will discover what is good and gain some profit from it. There is much information and advice concerning this affair. According to the Prophet, its meaning is that, really and truly, when a servant calls upon the name of the Lord, and the Lord loves him, He says: O Gabriel, look after him well! Fulfill the command relating to his needs, for it pleases Me to harken to his plea. It also has to be said that when a servant calls upon the name of the Lord, but considers him as his enemy, He says: O Gabriel, look after the needs of the one I do not love, so that he might think I listen to him.

It is related that Yahya ibn Sa'id ibn al-Qattan saw God in a dream and said: O God, I have cried out to You many times, but You have not replied. He said to me: O Yahya, I like to hear your voice! It is also related that the Prophet said: My soul is in His mighty hand so that whenever I call upon the Lord and He is angry with me, He shuns me. The second time that I call, He does the same thing. The third time God replies through an angel: Be resolute, my servant, because you call on no one besides Me! I tell you; this is the real reason why I answer you. It has been reported that Khwaja Yahya Mu'az Razi used to speak like this during his intimate prayer with God: O God, however much I call upon You, 1 remain a sinner, and however much I do not call upon You, you remain generous!

O Lord, if You were to unsheathe the sword of your anger from its scabbard of Justice, then the sinless prophets and angels closest to You would prefer not to exist rather than to have to face Your anger! If, on the other hand, you were to bestow the treasure of Your Mer- cy, then the infidels of Rome and India would don cool garments and offer up their hearts and souls. If, in conformity with Your Apostle, we do not bind stones on our stomachs, neither have we opposed him or thrown stones at him. Accept my devotion, even if it is defective, for You do not drive a hard bargain! Forgive my sins, though they be many, for You seek nothing in anger. We have not been faithful servants, yet we are Your servants. We are troubled and distracted by many works. We have sinned against You, but we also fly to You for protection. Although we are full of faults, still we belong to You!

O God, you have punishment in store for those who deny Your dominion, but what will You visit upon those who are firmly established in You? O Almighty One, the proud are at loggerheads with You, but would You drive away those who pursue faith in peace? You need nothing, and that is why we fear. Yet You do cherish your servants, and in that lies our hope. Those devoted to You have become bashful; give them constancy! Sinners have become grief-stricken; do not restrict them or trample them under foot! Be forgiving, and do not twist our ear! O Lord, even though we are unworthy, your messenger frees us in Your sight, and thus we become worthy of Your generosity, which alone frees us from the fire of hell! Even if we do not strike manfully, drawn up in battle array, at least each day we prostrate ourselves five times at Your door! You have forgiven sins much worse than ours, do not disappoint us! If You accept the defective worship of anybody, do not dismiss us on account of our deficient worship! If You were not our friend, who could tread the long path through this world? If You did not become our advocate, who would remove our name from the list of the unfortunate? What profit would our condemnation be for You? Forgive us today! Why should You wait until tomorrow? [Two invocatory prayers follow, one of which reads:]

It is proper for You to forgive and bestow favors, falling down and trembling belong to me! Show my lost heart the way! Make me sparkle like a gem in the sight of men! When You accepted me, my defects were changed to assets, but when You abandoned me, my virtues became vices. Bind me to Yourself. Remove me from dreams! Make meathirst for You! Do not give me water!

It is related that Khwaja Sufyan ibn Aniiyah used to say that one should never give up praying on account of sins and faults, for God- may He be praised and exalted-accepted even the prayer of Satan, that abomination of creatures and instigator of infidelity, when he said: O Lord, leave me alone until the Last Day! The word came: You have been left alone! Hence there is great hope that the Lord, who heard the prayers of Satan, the foremost infidel, will also listen to the prayer of a sinful believer who calls upon Him!

If you inquire about the benefit of prayer, recalling that what is predestined must come to pass, then the answer is that you should know that even averting some calamity through prayer is itself de- creed by God! Prayer is the cause of this aversion because it attracts the divine mercy, which acts like a shield warding off arrows. The result of acknowledging the Lord and His decree should not be that one does not seek advice or, after sowing, not give water. They say that if the decree of grief comes first, other things will strengthen it. What- ever is decreed for man is commensurate with its cause. Examine carefully the removal of a cause, and anxiety about contradictions in the divine plan will evaporate. Now it is necessary to cast a quick glance at prayer and petitions.

If you pray, do so three times. Act in a similar way if you have petitions to make. Ibn Mas'ud relates that the Prophet, when he used to pray and when he would make some request, did so three times. One word more should be noted, namely, that at the beginning of prayer and petitions, one should say the canonical prayer and, at the completion of both prayer and petition, one should perform the canonical prayer as well, just as Abu Sa'id Darrani did and had his hopes fulfilled. [Some Quranic chapters are then quoted for recitation to resolve particular difficulties]

God will preserve from all sadness, adversity and misfortune until the following Friday, anyone who, after the Friday prayer, and be- fore commencing any work, recites seven times the opening chapter of the Quran and the one hundred and twelfth chapter on Unity, as well as the last two chapters (113 and 114) of the Quran. For the removal of what is irksome, let the sixty-second chapter on Congregational Prayer be recited every evening. After works of supererogation and extolling God, let a person retire somewhere and, holding his hands aloft, say one hundred times: O Master, O Master! and he will receive whatever he desires from the Lord. If he says these one thousand times, all his needs will certainly be met.

O brother, although despair is not pleasing to God, hope is acceptable to Him. Because He delights in the hope of His creature, actually being hopeful is an even higher state, since His promise to par don all sins is well known: God forgives all sins (Q39:53).

Since the Lord has promised forgiveness, why should I experience fear on account of sins?

O brother, look at one of the explanations of the revelation, O My servants who have sinned! (Q39:53). He does not say, O you who served Me, nor O you who have repented, nor O you who have been pious (cf. Q2:278). This good news is enough for all of you and for all the sinners of the world.

O brother, those noted for being faithful, sober, abstinent, and devoted to God look within themselves and consider that what has been achieved results from their own efforts, but the black-faced sinners, miserable and ashamed of the very blackness of their complex- ions, do not lift up their heads in either this world or the next, as has been said: He is more gracious to the weaker.

I do not lack hope in Your presence, even though my sins be many, since it is Your forgiveness and mercy Which now and, in the world, to come are my refuge!

Peace!

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate!

Brother Shamsuddin may God accept your prayer! There is some disagreement as to whether it is more praiseworthy to pray or to re- main silent. The time-honored command [i.e., to pray) is preferable. Some say that prayer within one's soul is worship because of the saying Invoking God is the essence of worship. It is better to actually carry out something that is an act of worship than to put it aside, even if the petition is not answered and the worshiper himself does not attain prosperity. At some point the worshiper will need to show his firm resolve, for prayer is a disclosure of his own indigence and need before God.

It is related that, Khwaja Hazim Araj said: Not being able to pray is harder for me than being deprived of the necessities of life! There is a group that says that being silent is the original divine command, and that assent to what has precedence is more praiseworthy. Imam Wasti used to say: It is better to choose whatever was established from the beginning. It is also better than collating the contents of books of various periods. The Prophet, reporting what God communicated to him, has said: I give more to the person who is al sorbed in remembrance of Me and refrains from asking questions than to those who perpetually question Me. Those renowned for their learning have discerned that divine guidance is to be gleaned from both these sayings; they say that the more praiseworthy is that which has been deemed more appropriate for a particular time.

In many states of the soul, invocatory prayers are more beneficial than maintaining silence. This is quite fitting. On other occasions, maintaining silence is better than praying, and that also is fitting. What a person perceives should be grasped in the proper time, for knowledge of the opportune moment cannot be learned except at the moment itself! If someone's heart is inclined toward calling upon God, then he will find prayer more satisfying, while if he is inwardly disposed to peace, he will find it preferable to remain quiet. People have said that it is necessary to respect a person's own particular condition. If he finds a great deal of expansion through invocatory prayer, then it is the best thing for him, but if, at the time of prayer, he experiences hindrance and contraction within his own heart, it would be better for him to abandon such prayer and remain quiet. If, at any particular time, he does experience a small degree of either expansion, or restriction and contraction, then both praying and remaining quiet are of equal value. If it happens that mystical knowledge is predominant in someone at a particular time, it would be better for him to pray, because prayer is worship within one's own soul. If, on the other hand, a person is more impelled to the state of mystical contemplation, then it would be better for him to keep quiet and remain in that state.

This is an exposition of the various sayings of the revered ones on the topic of which is more excellent, prayer or silence. It should be examined carefully. One will discover what is good and gain some profit from it. There is much information and advice concerning this affair. According to the Prophet, its meaning is that, really and truly, when a servant calls upon the name of the Lord, and the Lord loves him, He says: O Gabriel, look after him well! Fulfill the command relating to his needs, for it pleases Me to harken to his plea. It also has to be said that when a servant calls upon the name of the Lord, but considers him as his enemy, He says: O Gabriel, look after the needs of the one I do not love, so that he might think I listen to him.

It is related that Yahya ibn Sa'id ibn al-Qattan saw God in a dream and said: O God, I have cried out to You many times, but You have not replied. He said to me: O Yahya, I like to hear your voice! It is also related that the Prophet said: My soul is in His mighty hand so that whenever I call upon the Lord and He is angry with me, He shuns me. The second time that I call, He does the same thing. The third time God replies through an angel: Be resolute, my servant, because you call on no one besides Me! I tell you; this is the real reason why I answer you. It has been reported that Khwaja Yahya Mu'az Razi used to speak like this during his intimate prayer with God: O God, however much I call upon You, 1 remain a sinner, and however much I do not call upon You, you remain generous!

O Lord, if You were to unsheathe the sword of your anger from its scabbard of Justice, then the sinless prophets and angels closest to You would prefer not to exist rather than to have to face Your anger! If, on the other hand, you were to bestow the treasure of Your Mer- cy, then the infidels of Rome and India would don cool garments and offer up their hearts and souls. If, in conformity with Your Apostle, we do not bind stones on our stomachs, neither have we opposed him or thrown stones at him. Accept my devotion, even if it is defective, for You do not drive a hard bargain! Forgive my sins, though they be many, for You seek nothing in anger. We have not been faithful servants, yet we are Your servants. We are troubled and distracted by many works. We have sinned against You, but we also fly to You for protection. Although we are full of faults, still we belong to You!

O God, you have punishment in store for those who deny Your dominion, but what will You visit upon those who are firmly established in You? O Almighty One, the proud are at loggerheads with You, but would You drive away those who pursue faith in peace? You need nothing, and that is why we fear. Yet You do cherish your servants, and in that lies our hope. Those devoted to You have become bashful; give them constancy! Sinners have become grief-stricken; do not restrict them or trample them under foot! Be forgiving, and do not twist our ear! O Lord, even though we are unworthy, your messenger frees us in Your sight, and thus we become worthy of Your generosity, which alone frees us from the fire of hell! Even if we do not strike manfully, drawn up in battle array, at least each day we prostrate ourselves five times at Your door! You have forgiven sins much worse than ours, do not disappoint us! If You accept the defective worship of anybody, do not dismiss us on account of our deficient worship! If You were not our friend, who could tread the long path through this world? If You did not become our advocate, who would remove our name from the list of the unfortunate? What profit would our condemnation be for You? Forgive us today! Why should You wait until tomorrow? [Two invocatory prayers follow, one of which reads:]

It is proper for You to forgive and bestow favors, falling down and trembling belong to me! Show my lost heart the way! Make me sparkle like a gem in the sight of men! When You accepted me, my defects were changed to assets, but when You abandoned me, my virtues became vices. Bind me to Yourself. Remove me from dreams! Make meathirst for You! Do not give me water!

It is related that Khwaja Sufyan ibn Aniiyah used to say that one should never give up praying on account of sins and faults, for God- may He be praised and exalted-accepted even the prayer of Satan, that abomination of creatures and instigator of infidelity, when he said: O Lord, leave me alone until the Last Day! The word came: You have been left alone! Hence there is great hope that the Lord, who heard the prayers of Satan, the foremost infidel, will also listen to the prayer of a sinful believer who calls upon Him!

If you inquire about the benefit of prayer, recalling that what is predestined must come to pass, then the answer is that you should know that even averting some calamity through prayer is itself de- creed by God! Prayer is the cause of this aversion because it attracts the divine mercy, which acts like a shield warding off arrows. The result of acknowledging the Lord and His decree should not be that one does not seek advice or, after sowing, not give water. They say that if the decree of grief comes first, other things will strengthen it. What- ever is decreed for man is commensurate with its cause. Examine carefully the removal of a cause, and anxiety about contradictions in the divine plan will evaporate. Now it is necessary to cast a quick glance at prayer and petitions.

If you pray, do so three times. Act in a similar way if you have petitions to make. Ibn Mas'ud relates that the Prophet, when he used to pray and when he would make some request, did so three times. One word more should be noted, namely, that at the beginning of prayer and petitions, one should say the canonical prayer and, at the completion of both prayer and petition, one should perform the canonical prayer as well, just as Abu Sa'id Darrani did and had his hopes fulfilled. [Some Quranic chapters are then quoted for recitation to resolve particular difficulties]

God will preserve from all sadness, adversity and misfortune until the following Friday, anyone who, after the Friday prayer, and be- fore commencing any work, recites seven times the opening chapter of the Quran and the one hundred and twelfth chapter on Unity, as well as the last two chapters (113 and 114) of the Quran. For the removal of what is irksome, let the sixty-second chapter on Congregational Prayer be recited every evening. After works of supererogation and extolling God, let a person retire somewhere and, holding his hands aloft, say one hundred times: O Master, O Master! and he will receive whatever he desires from the Lord. If he says these one thousand times, all his needs will certainly be met.

O brother, although despair is not pleasing to God, hope is acceptable to Him. Because He delights in the hope of His creature, actually being hopeful is an even higher state, since His promise to par don all sins is well known: God forgives all sins (Q39:53).

Since the Lord has promised forgiveness, why should I experience fear on account of sins?

O brother, look at one of the explanations of the revelation, O My servants who have sinned! (Q39:53). He does not say, O you who served Me, nor O you who have repented, nor O you who have been pious (cf. Q2:278). This good news is enough for all of you and for all the sinners of the world.

O brother, those noted for being faithful, sober, abstinent, and devoted to God look within themselves and consider that what has been achieved results from their own efforts, but the black-faced sinners, miserable and ashamed of the very blackness of their complex- ions, do not lift up their heads in either this world or the next, as has been said: He is more gracious to the weaker.

I do not lack hope in Your presence, even though my sins be many, since it is Your forgiveness and mercy Which now and, in the world, to come are my refuge!

Peace!