in the
flames of the undying Fire.

In like manner, it is related that on a certain day, one of the companions
of Sadiq complained of his poverty before him. Whereupon, Sadiq, that
immortal beauty, made reply: "Verily thou art rich, and hast drunk the
draught of wealth." That poverty-stricken soul was perplexed at the words
uttered by that luminous countenance, and said: "Where are my riches, I
who stand in need of a single coin?" Sadiq thereupon observed: "Dost thou
not possess our love?" He replied: "Yea, I possess it, O thou scion of the
Prophet of God!" And Sadiq asked him saying: "Exchangest thou this love
for one thousand dinars?" He answered: "Nay, never will I exchange it,
though the world and all that is therein be given me!" Then Sadiq
remarked: "How can he who possesses such a treasure be called poor?"

This poverty and these riches, this abasement and glory, this dominion,
power, and the like, upon which the eyes and hearts of these vain and
foolish souls are set,--all these things fade into utter nothingness in
that Court! Even as He hath said: "O men! Ye are but paupers in need of
God; but God is the Rich, the Self-Sufficing."(95) By 'riches' therefore
is meant independence of all else but God, and by 'poverty' the lack of
things that are of God.

Similarly, call thou to mind the day when the Jews, who had surrounded
Jesus, Son of Mary, were pressing Him to confess His claim of being the
Messiah and Prophet of God, so that they might declare Him an infidel and
sentence Him to death. Then, they led Him away, He Who was the Day-star of
the heaven of divine Revelation, unto Pilate and Caiaphas, who was the
leading divine of that age. The chief priests were all assembled in the
palace, also a multitude of people who had gathered to witness His
sufferings, to deride and injure Him. Though they repeatedly questioned
Him, hoping that He would confess His claim, yet Jesus held His peace and
spake not. Finally, an accursed of God arose and, approaching Jesus,
adjured Him saying: "Didst thou not claim to be the Divine Messiah? Didst
thou not say, 'I am the King of Kings, My word is the Word of God, and I
am the breaker of the Sabbath day?'" Thereupon Jesus lifted up His head
and said: "Beholdest thou not the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of
power and might?" These were His words, and yet consider how to outward
seeming He was devoid of all power except that inner power which was of
God and which had encomp