And thus it was that We aroused them, meaning, just like that real arousal and spiritual revival did We arouse them, that they might question one another, that is, that they might seek [to discover] among one another the significations deposited in their preparednesses, the truths hidden within their essences, that they might become perfected by exteriorising these and bringing them out into actuality, which is the beginning of attentiveness, what the Sufis call vigilance (yaqaẓa). One of them said, 'How long have you tarriedḍ': the interpretation of this has already been given, and it is the verifiers among them who were: They, who, said, 'Your Lord knows best how long you have tarried. Now send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city: this was the time of their coming to perceive, their gaining [of knowledge] and their perfection. The silver coin represents the principle forms of knowledge which they posssessed and which are not acquired, since it is through these [forms of knowledge] that mental truths are gained from the forms of true knowledge and [from] divine gnoses. The city represents is the locus for the coming together (ijtimāʿ), for companionship and training are unavoidable; or [it represents] the city of knowledge, as per his statement, peace be upon him, 'I am the city of knowledge and ʿAlī is its gate'. As for the fact that they only sent one of them, that is because the perfection of all is not dependent upon instruction and learning. Nay, the more noble perfection is that of knowledge. And so it suffices for one to gain knowledge in place of the group and to [then] alert the remainder, as God, exalted be He, says: Why should not a party of every section of them go forth so that they may become learned in religion and that they may warn their folk when they return to them [Q. 9:122] and let him see which is the purest food, which of its inhabitants is the most goodly and most excellent in terms of knowledge and purer than meddlesomeness, idle talk and superficial things (ẓawāhir) such as the art of contradiction and disputation and the like by which the soul cannot become stronger nor perfect itself, as in His saying neither nourishing nor availing against hunger.
