Irfan (Volume 1) IRFAAN 1

115-116

It is very difficult task to ascertain the real and original worth of the Zikr of Allah, the Name Allah and Fundamentals of Religion this Examination Hall of the world. It is quoted as is said that once the Sultan Alexander became fond of attaining Eternal-Life (and existence) by drinking the Aab-e-Hayaat (Elixir of life). Therefore, he, along with his companions went in search of Aab-e-Hayaat (Elixir of life) in the leadership of Hazrat Khizar Alaihis-Salaam. After traveling long, they reached such a Station where the sunlight could not reach. It was called the Ocean of Zulmaat where intense darkness prevailed all around. Unfortunately, Alexander and his companions were lost in this darkness and went astray of the leadership of Khizar Alaihis-Salaam. They have been wandering in this darkness for some period that they again got the opportunity of meeting Khizar Alaihis-Salaam who was returning after he had drunk the water of Aab-e-Hayaat. Since that was the time when they had exhausted the food stuff and provions of journey with them, finding no other way, it was decided to go out of the Ocean of Zulmaat and to return to homeland. Hazrat Khizar Alaihis-Salaam felt pity on their depravedness. Then he gave them a good advice and said that it was perhaps not in their destiny to drink Aab-e-Hayaat (Elixir of life) but he could tell them another thing of profit that whatever pebbles and stones they find under their feet, they should collect from that darkness in their bags and bring these with them by which they would become rich and wealthy in their country as these were all (red) Spinel (rubies), diamonds and precious gems. Listening to this, come companions believed in Hazrat Khizar Alaihis-Salaam and picked up some stones whereas the rest said that Hazrat Khizar Alaihis-Salaam already had made them perplexed (and puzzled) by making them wander here and there in the darkness and thus that effort of collecting stones would again prove useless. Therefore, they did not take anything. When they had crossed the Ocean of Darkness after traveling and had come in the bright place, they were very much surprised when they opened their bags that those heavy useless stones were not just pebbles and stones but those were precious (red) Spinels, Diamonds and Gemstones!

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Hence, those who has not taken any stone at all, were so much aggrieved and unhappy whereas those who had taken a few stones, they were also sad but those who had taken enough stones, they became rich and well off in the world. This is a parable, which nicely fits and reflects for the material life of the world. This world is the Ocean of Zulmaat and the Noor of the Name-Allah-the-Essence (Ism-e-Allah-Zaat ) is the Aab-e-Hayaat (Elixir of life) which is spurting from the Realm of Unseen in the desert of heart. Those blessed persons that are the special chosen People-of-Allah Almighty, who have been watered by this Water; they have become the example of Khizar in the form of Aulia and Messengers (of Allah) after becoming eternally existent. He, who drunk this Aab-e-Hayaat of the Noor of the Name-Allah-the-Essence (Ism-e-Allah-Zaat ), he attained the eternal and ever existing life. He lived till perpetuity through the Noor of Life of the Essence of Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty appointed them the guide and leader of the way for His Creation in both world and the Hereafter.

There is great difference between the Water of Khizar ,the Station of which is Zulmaat and our water;

Our water, that is the Name Allah, is better than the Aab-e-Hayaat as its fountainhead is Allah Almighty Himself.

[Hafez Sherazi]

And those who are deprived of this Aab-e-Hayaat, these guides and leaders advise them that O People! These Outwardly Fundamentals of Religion and the Religious Acts which feel heavy like useless stones in this Ocean of Darkness of World, you do not feel the value and worth of these here but you should pick these for the Bright World of the Abode of the Hereafter which is your original homeland where you will become to know that these stones are the (red) Spinel and Diamonds by which you will become very rich and wealthy in the Abode of Hereafter.