[For] those who responded to God and the Messenger after the wounds had afflicted them those who did good among them and feared shall be a great wage. [The meaning of the tenth form verb] “to respond” istijāba has an element of merit and superiority over [the meaning of the fourth form verb] “to answer” ijāba. This is an allusive distinction rather than [a distinction] required [linguistically] by the Arabic. It [means] that they respond will- ingly not under compulsion. They respond to God without [their response] entailing the bearing of a difficulty. Rather [they respond] by the directive of the heart's core ishārat al-qalb and the love of the heart fuÌād and the choice of the spirit rūḥ and find delight in bearing [God's] decree ḥukm. So the response to the Real [comes] from recognizing the reality of His existence bi-l-taḥaqquq bi-wujūdihi and the response to the Messenger عليه السلام [comes] from taking on character traits as prescribed by [God's] limits bi-takhalluq bi-ḥudūdihi. The response of the Real [comes] from the quintessence of the truth of lordship bi-l-ṣafāÌ fī ḥaqqi al-rubūbiyya and the response of the Messenger عليه السلام [comes] from fidelity in upholding ser- vanthood bi-l-wafāÌ fī iqāmati al-ʿubūdiyya. After the wounds had afflicted them: [This refers to] the beginning of their transactions before the appearance of the lights of disclosure to their hearts and the smiling of the realities in their innermost selves. Those who did good among them: “Doing good is that you worship God as if you see Him”-and this is witnessing mushāhada and fear of God taqwā-”for if you do not see Him He sees you”-and this is awareness [of God watching you] murāqaba in the state of spiritual struggle mujāhada. A great wage for novices later li-ahli al-bidāyati muÌajjalan and for adepts now wa-li-ahli al-nihāyati muʿajjalan.
