Advice of Scholars - SENDING OF ANXIETY AND DISASTERS UPON THE LOVERS

Hadrat Imâm-i Rabbânî says in the 99th letter of the second volume of his Maktûbât:

Hardships are the Beloved’s lasso. [It is a lasso thrown by the Beloved One to pull the lover to Himself]. It is like a whip protecting the lovers from looking at things other than the Beloved One. It makes the lovers return to the Beloved One. Then, anxiety and disasters should be sent upon the lovers. Disasters protect the lovers against the sin of being fond of things other than the Beloved One. Others are not worthy of this blessing. They pull the lovers to the Beloved One by force. They pull those whom they like through anxiety and disasters. And those whom they dislike they let free like vagabonds. Among them, he who is worthy of endless bliss will come round to the right course by himself, will strive hard, thus attaining favour and blessing. Let him who will not do so think of what is going to happen to him!

As it is seen, disasters will come abundantly upon the selected ones. Not so many of them will come upon those who strive and struggle. It is for this reason that our Prophet, leader of the selected, loved and honoured best by the liked and loved, stated, “No other prophet suffered as much as I have. ” Then, anxiety and disasters are such a skilled guide that they will unerringly make the lover attain to the Beloved One. They protect him from being blemished by looking at things other than the Beloved One. It is surprising that, if the lovers have treasures, millions, they will give away all of them to buy anxiety and disasters. And he who knows nothing of divine love will spend millions to rid the anxiety and disasters.

Another reason why disasters are sent is to distinguish the true lovers from those liars who pretend to love. A true lover takes pleasure from disasters, he gets happy. But a liar feels pain, complains. If he has tasted love, he does not feel real pain. His suffering is in appearance. Lovers distinguish these two kinds of pain from each other. For this reason, “A Walî will recognize a Walî,” has been said.