be subject to the course of time. Through a sacred power, it is to rise above time and see yesterday as present like today. The second is to traverse the distance of a year, to travel and turn, and come to yesterday. But still yesterday cannot be held; it leaves the person and departs. In just the same way, there are two ways of passing from the apparent to reality. The first is to be carried away directly on the attraction of reality and without entering the intermediate realm of the Sufi way, to find reality within the apparent itself. The second is to pass through many levels by spiritual journeying. For sure, the saints are successful in annihilating the soul and kill the evil-commanding soul, but they still cannot reach the Companions. Because, since the Companions’ souls had been purified and cleansed, by virtue of the many faculties within the soul they manifested to a greater degree the varieties of worship and thanks and praise. After the soul has been annihilated, the worship of the saints acquires a simpleness and plainness.

#### Third Aspect

Third Aspect: The Companions cannot be reached in regard to virtuous actions and good deeds pertaining to the hereafter. Because, just as in certain conditions in a frightening yet crucial post, a soldier may gain in one hour’s watch the virtue of a year’s worship, [^5] and by being hit by a bullet may rise in one minute to a station similar to a degree of sainthood that can only by gained in at least forty years; so too, the Companions’ service in the establishment of Islam and propagating the Qur’an’s decrees and their declaring war on the whole world for Islam was so elevated that others cannot reach one minute of it in a year. It may even be said that in that sacred service all their minutes were like the one minute of the martyred soldier. All their hours were like the one hour’s watch of a faithful soldier in some terrifying post in which the acts are few, but the recompense great and value high.

[^5]:See, Bukhārī, Jihād, 73; Muslim, Amāra, 163; Tirmidhī, Jihād, 2; Nasā’ī, Jihād, 39; Ibn Māja, Jihād, 7; Musnad, i, 62, 65-66, 75; ii, 177; iii, 468.

Indeed, since the Companions formed the first rank in the establishment of Islam and spreading of the lights of the Qur’an, in accordance with the rule, The cause is like the doer, [^6] a share of all the good works of all the Islamic community passes to them. The Islamic community saying “O God! Grant blessings to our master Muhammad and to his Family and Companions” shows that the Companions receive a share of the good works of their whole community.

[^6]:See, Muslim, Imāra, 133; Tirmidhī, ‘Ilm, 14; Abū Dā’ūd, Adab, 115; Musnad, iv, 120; v, 272-274, 357.

Furthermore, just as an insignificant characteristic in the root of a tree is