Letters ( revised ) | THE TWENTY-EIGHTH LETTER | 416
(399-446)
“Whenever you come intending evil, I see you as a snake. Be careful!” I saw his predecessor many times like that. It means that the snake I saw clearly was a sign that their treachery would not only remain intentional but would take the form of actual aggression. For sure, this time their aggression was apparently minor and they wanted to minimize it, but encouraged and joined by an unscrupulous teacher, the District Officer ordered the gendarmes: “Bring the visitors here!” We were reciting the tesbihat following the prayers in the mosque. Anyway their intention was to make me angry so that I would react in the vein of the Old Said and drive them out in the face of such unlawful, purely arbitrary treatment. But the wretch did not know that Said would not defend himself with the broken piece of wood in his hand while on his tongue he had a diamond sword from the workbench of the Qur’an, indeed, he would have used the sword like that. But the gendarmes were sensible,  and since  no state,  no government  at all, disturbs people  in the mosque during prayer while performing their religious duties, they waited till the prayers and tesbihat were finished. The Officer was angry at this and sent the rural watchman after them saying: “The gendarmes don’t pay any attention to me.” But Almighty God did not force me to struggle with them.

So I make this recommendation to my brothers: so long as there is no absolute necessity, don’t bother yourselves with them. In keeping with the saying: “The best answer for the stupid is silence,” do not stoop to speak with them. But watch out, for like  showing  weakness  before  a  savage  animal  emboldens  its  attack,  to  show weakness  by  being  sycophantic  towards  those  with  the  consciences  of  beasts, encourages  them to be aggressive.  Friends  must be alert so that the supporters of atheism do not take advantage of other friends’ indifference and heedlessness.

 

Second Point

 

The verse:

 

And  incline  not  towards  those  who  do  wrong,  or  the  Fire  will  seize you,(11:113)

 

threatens in awesome and severe fashion not only those who support and are the tools of tyranny, but also those who have the slightest inclination towards it. For like consenting  to  unbelief  is  unbelief,  so  is  consenting  to  tyranny  and  wrongdoing, tyranny and wrong.

One of the people of attainment perfectly interpreted as follows one of the many jewels of the above verse:

 

One who assists tyranny is the world’s most despicable being; He is a dog, who receives pleasure from serving the unjust.


 

No Voice

Letters ( revised )