Ali and Abù Bekr were both immersed in the search for truth. When Mahomet took refuge in the cave, Ali spent that night on the Prophet’s bed; he thus risked sacrificing his life to save that of the Most eminent of eminent men. On the other hand, Abù Bekr accompanied Mahomet into the cave, and thus staked his life for that of the Prophet. Both, then, in different ways, risked their lives for Him. Would you, then, be fanatical against these men, who each sacrificed their lives for their friend? If you are the man of this one or that one, if you feel sympathy for this one rather than that one, at least make it your calling, as they did, to sacrifice your life. Keep silent, and cease to grow zealous over these first khalifs. You know, O my son, Ali and Abù Bekr, and you are ignorant of what God, the spirit, and the soul are. Leave aside this historical fact, which is sealed, and be a man of truth day and night, like Râbiah. Râbiah was no woman; from head to foot she was worth a hundred men; the love of God wholly possessed her. She was ever immersed in the divine light; she was free from useless things and submerged in divine love.
Someone said to Râbiah: “Thou who art pleasing to God, tell me what is thy opinion of the companions of the Prophet?” “I can say nothing satisfactory about God,” she replied; “how could I speak of His companions? If I had not lost my soul and my spirit in God, I might give men a moment’s attention; but was it not I whose eye was pierced by a thorn while I was absorbed in contemplation, as I went on my way, and whose blood flowed from my eyes upon the earth without my perceiving it? She whose love for God is carried to such a degree, how could she concern herself with a man or a woman? Since I have failed to know myself, how could I know another by analogy?” Since thou art neither God nor a prophet in this path, withdraw thy hand from refusal and acceptance. Be neither dependent nor independent. Thou art a handful of earth; be content to be dust in this path. Since thou art but a handful of earth, speak as one of the earth; believe that all is pure, and speak in accordance with purity of heart.
Thus, for your part, decide nothing, restrain your tongue, be without fanaticism, and concern yourself with walking in the spiritual path. Set before your eyes what the first khalifes did; walk in peace and follow your way. Set your foot in truth like Abû Bekr; choose justice like Omar; act with gentleness and modesty like Osman; be an ocean of knowledge and goodness like Ali, or say nothing, follow my counsel in this matter, and go your way, or else lift your foot and act according to your own idea. Are you a man of sincerity like Abû Bekr, and of knowledge like Ali? No, you are a man of lust; you are unfaithful at every moment. Destroy, then, first your unfaithful soul, become a believer, and when you have made this lustful soul perish, you will be safe. In your fanaticism concerning the first khalifes, you grow excessively impassioned; you issue from yourself a prophetic mandate in favour of Ali; but you must not merely admit the precepts of the law: know what discourse you ought to hold concerning the friends of the Prophet. O God! the fanaticism of which I speak is not in me; preserve me from it for ever, purify my soul of it, and let this fault not be found in the book of my deeds!