289

was possible therein; because lie says : '' Yon place
' * was at once so contiguous to me, that no che-
4C rub or no divine missioned prophet ever found
" himself in such a situation." The time of a
prophet is a universal one, and Is free from tem-
porariness : this time has neither priority nor
posteriority—

" With .thy Lord there is neither morning nor evening."

Except this, the noble tradition has no meaning,
which is also evident from the obvious Interpreta-
tion, and moreover included In the state of perfec-
tion and constitution of Muhammed (peace and bles-
sing upon him!). 'But, in the sense which they
attribute to the words, a deficiency Is necessarily
Implied. The state of the lord of the world (Mu-
hammed) Is always In'the perfection of unity; this
Is the best to adopt, at times in a particular, and at
times in a general qualification. There is also an-
other interpretation which the Shaikhs (the mercy
of the most High be upon them) gave to these words:
inasmuch as the gradations of these Saints are infi-
nite. Thus In the work nefhdt ul ins, " the fragrant
*' gales of mankind/'l the opinion of the Shaikhs is
stated to be, that some of the saints are without a
mark and without an attribute, and the perfection
of a state, and the utmost degree to which Saints

1 See page 96, note 1.
v. in. • 19