‘Moses in front of the burning bush’,

painted around 1920 by Gebhard Fugel (1863–1939),

Freising Diocesan Museum, Germany.

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Today’s sharing from the Blue House of Via-HYGEIA, is a contribution by our friend Emir Abdulkadir Inanç with two quotes from Emir Abd El Kader. Quote I is from popular tradition and quote II is from Mawaqif 166, ‘Le Livre Des Haltes’, Emir Abdelkader, French translation by A. Penot. English translation by the contributor. More to come soon!

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I. ‘I have searched for God by all His gates, yet once I arrived at each gate I found a crowd, indescribably large, standing by them as God has numerous gates. Inconceivable the number of people waiting at the gate of prayer. A great number of people at the gate of charity. Everywhere, everywhere was full of people at the gate of fasting. I believed that I would never enter God’s abode. I was discouraged and suddenly my heart told me: “Go see the gate of humility.” Elhamdulillah, Elhamdulillah! I entered immediately for there was no one.’

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I. ‘J’ai cherché Dieu par toutes les portes, mais arrivé à chacune d’elles, j’ai trouvé une foule de gens indescriptibles, car Dieu a de nombreuses portes. A celle de la prière, c’est inimaginable le nombre de personnes qui attendaient ! A celle de l’aumône, j’en ai aussi aperçu un grand nombre. A celle du jeûne, partout, partout, une foule énorme ! J’ai cru que jamais je n’entrerais chez Dieu. J’étais découragé, lorsque mon coeur me dit :”Va voir la porte de l’humilité.” El Hamdoullillah, el hamdoullillah ! Je suis rentré immédiatement, car il n’y avait personne.’

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II. ‘If you are veiled, know that the veil is not what you see, but what you do not see, and if your veil is removed, know that the mirror is not what you see, but that which you do not see anymore!’

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II. ‘Si tu es voilé, sache que le voile n’est pas ce que tu vois, mais bien ce que tu ne vois pas; et si le voile t’est ôté, sache encore que le miroir n’est pas ce que tu vois, mais ce que tu ne vois plus!’

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