And they will be guided unto the goodly in speech. It has been said that this is to acknowledge one's sins and attest to His words, “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves” [7:23]. True speech and pure words are free of making claims, far from pride, and near to need. They are to attest to one's own incapacity, to acknowledge one's own sins, and to emulate Adam with burning and need in saying “We have wronged ourselves.” Sahl Tustarī said, “I looked at this affair and saw no path closer to God than need, and no veil thicker than making claims.” Look closely at the road of Iblis and you will only see making claims. Look closely at the road of Adam and you will see only need. O Iblis, what do you say? “I am better” [38:76]. O Adam, what do you say? “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves.” All the existent things were brought out from the concealment of nonexistence into the open space of the decree, but the plant of need grew from Adam's dust. He was made the object to whom the angels prostrated themselves. He was sat down on the throne of kingship and vicege- rency, and the proximate angels were made to stand before his throne, but he did not lose one iota of his need: “O Lord, this is all Your bounty. What is rightfully ours is this: Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. The seat of vicegerency is Your bestowal, but the gift of our makeup is Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves.” A great man said, “One day I sinned. I repented 300,000 times but I still see myself walking in danger from that sin.” You poor wretch! The men of this road waged a war against their own souls. This war will never have a way to peace, for they found that their own souls are the enemy of the religion. How can a man of the religion make peace with the religion's opposite? O soul mean in aspiration and deranged, whatever touchstone I use, you come up false.
