FIFTH POINT, consisting of three matters.

First Matter: True and harmful misfortune is that which affects religion. One should at all times seek refuge at the Divine Court from mis­fortune in matters of religion and cry out for help. But misfortunes that do not affect religion are not all misfortunes, when properly envisaged. Some of them are warnings from the Most Merciful One. If a shepherd throws a stone at his sheep when they trespass on another's pasture, they understand that the stone is intended as a warning to save them from a perilous action; full of gratitude they tum back. So too there are many apparent misfortunes that are Divine warnings and admonishments, others that constitute the penance of sin; and others again that dissolve man's state of neglect, remind him of his human helplessness and weakness, and thus inspire in him a form of tranquillity. As for the variety of misfortune that is illness, it is not at all a misfortune, as has already been said, but rather a favour from God and a means of purification. According to a cer­tain tradition, it is said that just as a tree drops its ripe fruit when shaken, so too do sins fall away through the shaking of fever.

Hazrat Ayyub (Upon whom be peace) did not pray in his supplication for the comfort of his soul, but rather sought cure for the purpose of worship, when disease was preventing his remembrances of God with his tongue and his meditation upon God in his heart. We too should make our primary intent, when making that supplication, the healing of the inward and spiritual wounds that arise from sinning.

As far as physical diseases are concerned, we may seek refuge from them when they hinder our worship. But we should seek refuge in a humble and supplicating fashion, not protestingly and plaintively. If we accept God as our Lord and Sus-tainer, then we must accept too all that He gives us in His capacity of Lord. To sigh and complain in a manner implying objection to Divine Deter­mining and Decree is a kind of criticism of Divine Determining, an accusation levelled against God's compassion. The one who criticizes Divine Deter­mining strikes his head against the anvil and breaks it. Whoever accuses God's mercy will inevitably be deprived of it. To use a broken hand to exact revenge will only cause further damage to the hand. So too a man who, afflicted with misfor­tune, responds to it with protesting complaint and anxiety, is only compounding his misfortune.

Second Matter: Physical misfortunes grow when they are seen to be large, and shrink when they are seen to be small. For example, a dream enters one's vision at night. If one pays it attention it swells up and grows; if one does not, it disappears. So too if one attempts to ward off an attacking swarm of bees, they will become more aggressive; whereas if one pays them no  attention they will disperse. Thus if one regards physical misfortunes as great and grants them importance, they will grow, and because of anx­iety pass from the body and strike root in the heart. The result will then be an inward affliction on which the outward misfortune fastens to per­petuate itself. But if the anxiety is removed by contentment with the Divine Decree and reliance on God, the physical misfortune will gradually decrease, dry up and vanish, just like a tree whose roots have been severed. I once composed the fol­lowing verses in description of this truth: