First Instance of Wisdom

FIRST INSTANCE OF WISDOM: The conversation of the Prophet (UWBP) was such an elixir that a person who experienced it for one minute received lights of reality equivalent to years of spiritual journeying. For present in conversation is reflection and a being coloured. It is well-known that a truly exalted level may be reached by means of reflection and following and imitating, and through the sublime light of prophethood – like through allegiance to his sovereign and following him, a sultan’s servant may rise to a position so high a king cannot rise to it. It is by reason of this mystery that the greatest saints cannot reach the level of the Companions. Even saints like Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, who conversed many times with God’s Noble Messenger (UWBP) while awake, even if they do this and are honoured in this world with his company, they still cannot reach the Companions. For through the light of Muhammad’s (UWBP) prophethood, the Companions’ conversation was with him as Prophet. While the saints saw him (UWBP) after his death and conversed with him (UWBP) through the light of his sainthood. That is to say, the personification and appearance of God’s Noble Messenger (UWBP) is in respect of his sainthood, not in regard to his prophethood. Since that is so, however much higher the level of prophethood is to that of sainthood, one should differentiate between the two conversations to that degree.

Just how luminous an elixir was the Prophet’s (UWBP) company may be understood from the following: a primitive man so hard-hearted and savage he buried his daughter alive would come and be honoured with the Prophet’s (UWBP) conversation for an hour, and would acquire such kindness and compassion that he would not step on an ant. And an ignorant savage would converse with the Prophet (UWBP) for a day, then go to lands like China and India and instruct civilized peoples in the realities and guide them in perfections.

Second Reason

SECOND REASON: As is explained and proved in the discussion about interpretation of the law in the Twenty-Seventh Word, the vast majority of the Companions were at the highest level of human perfections. For at that time in the mighty revolution of Islam, good and truth appeared in all their beauty, and evil and falsehood, in all their ugliness, and they were felt physically. Such a difference was apparent between good and evil and such a distance opened up between truth and falsehood that they drew as distant from one another as belief is from unbelief, and even Hell is from Paradise. The Companions, who by nature possessed elevated emotions and were captivated by the highest morality and inclined towards dignity and virtue, would not voluntarily stretch out their hands to evil and falsehood, and so