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KHAYR, GOODNESS (I)

Hadrat Imâm-i Rabbânî says in the 15th letter of the third volume of his Maktûbât:

Hamd be to Allâhu ta’âlâ and salâm to those people beloved and chosen by Him! My dear sayyid brother! Listen with attention! I have heard that our good-willed brothers have had recourse to all kinds of remedies so that we might rid ourselves of our grief and that none has availed. The hadîth-i sherîf, “There is khayr, goodness in what Allâhu ta’âlâ creates and sends,” is well-known. Being human, for some time we sorrowed over the events that had befallen us; we felt annoyed. But after a few days, with the favour of Allâhu ta’âlâ, the sorrows and grievances disappeared, not a bit of them being left. They left their places to joy and relief; for, those who have been disturbing us have been wishing and doing what Allâhu ta’âlâ wills. Hence, it has been realized that it would be useless to feel sorry or grieved and that a person who claims to love Allâhu ta’âlâ must not feel so. For, the afflictions which the Will of the Beloved sends upon the lover must be, like the favours coming from Him, endearing and sweet to the lover. As the Beloved’s favours come sweet, so should His hurting. In fact, one must find more pleasure in the bitterness than in the sweetness coming from Him. For, pains and distresses do not please the nafs. The nafs does not like such things. When Allâhu ta’âlâ, who is beautiful in every respect and beautiful from every aspect, wills to hurt this slave of His, His Will must, certainly, come sweet to the slave. As a matter of fact, he must take delight in it. Because the wills and wishes of those who have been disturbing us concur with Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Will, because their will indicates the Will of the Beloved, what they will and do also is certainly beautiful and sweet.