… I therefore reveal to you sacred and resplendent tokens from the planes of glory, to attract you into the court of holiness and nearness and beauty, and draw you to a station wherein you will see nothing in Creation save the Face of your Beloved One!

Peace be upon him who follows the Straight Path!

The true seeker hunts naught but the object of his quest, and the lover has no desire save union with his Beloved.

Nor shall seekers reach the goal unless they sacrifice all things. That is, whatever they have seen, and heard, and understood (before), all must they set at naught, that they may enter the Realm of the Spirit, which is the City of God!

Labor is needed, if we are to seek Him; ardor is needed, if we are to drink of the honey of reunion with Him; and if we taste of this cup, we shall cast away the world.

On this journey the traveler abides in every land and dwells in every region. In every face, the traveler seeks the beauty of the Friend and in every country looks for the Beloved. The traveler joins every company and seeks fellowship with every soul, that haply in some mind may uncover the secret of the Friend, or in some face may behold the beauty of the Loved One.

And if, by the help of God, the traveler finds on this journey a trace of the traceless Friend and inhales (His) fragrance… — then the traveler steps into the Valley of Love and become dissolved in the Fire of Love.

How strange that while the Beloved is as visible as the Sun, the heedless still hunt after tinsel and base metal!

Free yourself from that which your (worldly) passion desires; then advance unto your Lord!

Purify yourself from all else except Him — that you may surrender your life in His Love!

Poverty, as here referred to, signifies being poor in the things of the created world, rich in the things of God's world.

For when the true lover and devoted friend reaches the presence of the Beloved, the sparkling beauty of the Loved One and the fire of the lover's heart will kindle a blaze and burn away all veils and wrappings. Yea, all the lover has, from heart to skin, will be set aflame, so that nothing will remain save the Friend.

Draw back from the threshold of the True One if you still possess worldly qualities.

Verily we are from God, and to Him shall we return!

Nothing can befall us but that which God has destined for us.

… One of the prophets of God has asked: “O my Lord, how shall we reach You?” And the answer came, “Leave yourself behind — then can you approach Me!”

… Love is a Light that never dwells in a heart possessed by fear.

Peace be upon him who follows the Straight Path!

(Selected excerpts from [17])