Story: THE NAMÂZ WHICH FREED ONE FROM PRISON (II)

That very night he summoned the prison guard and asked him if there was anyone who was unjustly put in there. The prison guard said, “I couldn’t know. But there is somebody who is performing namâz and saying many prayers. He is weeping, too.” Upon this, he had the blacksmith brought to him. Asking him and then learning what was wrong, he apologized and requested, “Forgive me, please, and do accept these thousand silver coins as my gift upon you. Whenever you desire anything, whatsoever, just come to me!” The blacksmith said, “I have forgiven you and will accept your present. But I cannot come to you to ask for my wish.” When asked why, he said, “Would it become appropriate for me as a born slave to present my wishes to someone else, abandoning my Owner, Who has several times overturned the throne of such a sultan as you for the sake of such a poor person as me? By my supplications after ritual prayers, He saved me from many difficulties. He made me attain so many wishes of mine. How could I take refuge in someone else? While my Rabb has opened the door of His Treasure of Endless Mercy and spread His Table of Infinite Endowment for everybody, how can I have recourse to others? Who has asked and He has not given? One cannot attain if one does not know how to ask. If one does not enter His Presence with proper manners, one cannot attain His Mercy.