A man of lofty thoughts, whose eyes were fixed upon the spiritual path, would never accept a drink from anyone’s hand. Someone said to him: “O Thou who art in communion with God! Why wilt thou never accept a drink?” — “It is,” he replied, “because I see death standing before me, ready to seize as quickly as possible the draught I might accept. With such a prospect, the draught I should take would be poison to me. Under such circumstances, how can a draught be pleasant? It would not merely be a medicine for me, but…”
That which has but a moment’s stability is not worth half a denier, even were it the universe itself. How can one trust in a thing that lasts so little, and is even pure nothingness? If thou art animated by noble ambition, cease to take delight in the desire for a moment’s pleasure; and, when thy state is clouded by heedlessness, do not complain if it lasts but an instant. Thy pain and affliction are glorious, not degrading. The sufferings endured by the prophets are nothing beside Karbala. That which outwardly seemed a pain is, in truth, a treasure to the seer. A hundred favours come to thee at every moment; the whole world is filled for thee with heavenly blessings. Yet thou dost not remember these blessings; thou payest them no heed. Where is the token of thy love? From head to foot thou art nothing but a skin enclosing a darkened brain.