2. Al-Baqara

And confuse not truth with falsehood.Be careful not to mix truth and falsehood. Do not put truthfulness together with lying, the ap- proved together with the unapproved. I do not say not to recognize falsehood. You must recognize it so as to avoid it, and you must recognize truth so as go after it. MuṣṬafā said, �O God, show us truth as truth and provide us with choosing it, and show us falsehood as falsehood and provide us with avoiding it.�Concerning the verse, �And confuse not truth with falsehood,� the masters of the realities have said that the meaning is that you should not mix together the share of the soul and the food of the heart, for the two do not get along. The owner of the heart is elated at the rightful due of truth, but the servant of the soul is bound by the share of the soul. How can the two come together? This world is trifling and the next world precious. How can the two get along? Friendship with the Cre- ator is beginningless and endless felicity, but friendship with the created is a ready bane. How can the two come together? God has not given any man two hearts in his breast [33:4]. God-worship and self-worship are opposites. How can the two be brought together in one makeup?Love for both self and the loving Friend won't reach you.Want either this or that-you won't reach both.

And seek help in patience and the prayer, though it indeed is hard, except for the humble.The command came to him, �O Master, tell your community to have patience in their affairs so that they may reach what they desire. 'Patience is the key to relief.'�If someone does not have the patience of the Men, let him not come to the Men's playing field.You have not the legs of men-don't put on men's clothing!You have not the means of no means-don't brag of selflessness! [DS 491]Once that paragon of the world stepped into this playing field, he was not left for one hour without sorrow and grief. If he sat for a while cross-legged, the address came, �Sit like a servant!� If once he put a ring on his finger, the whip of rebuke would come down: �What, did you reckon that We created you aimlessly?� [23:115]. If once he placed his foot on the ground boldly, the command would come, �Walk not in the earth exultantly� [17:37]. When the work reached the limit and he was being tried from every corner, he sighed and said, �No prophet whatsoever has been tormented as I have been tormented.�The address came from the Exalted Presence, �O paragon! When someone's heart and spirit witness Me, will he complain of the burden of trial?� All the venom of grief in the treasuries of the Unseen was poured into one cup and placed in his hand, and then a curtain was lifted from his se- cret core: �O paragon! Drink all this venom while contemplating My beauty! And be patient with thy Lord's decree, for surely thou art in Our eyes [52:48].� The tongue of the state was saying,�Were the Beloved's hand to pour poison for me, poison from His hand would be sweet.*�Though Your hand is fire, it is my bed of roses.All that comes from You is sweet, whether healing or pain.�Though it indeed is hard, except for the humble. Humbleness is a stipulation of the prayer. It is a mark of the servant's need. The humble in the prayer are praised by the Real and chosen among the creatures. Prosperous are the faithful, those who are humble in their prayers [23:1-2]. Humble- ness in the prayer is both outward and inward.