The Greatest Master Muhyiddin Ibn al-Arabi

The beloved Muhammad, may Allah grant him perfect peace, once revealed:

Allah has angels in constant search of persons who are practicing dhikr, the audible or inward repetition of the Divine Names. When one of them comes upon such a circle, intensely invoking and praising the Most High, this angel calls to the others: "Come to witness what you were divinely sent to witness." The angels surround the circle, wings extending into the heavens.

Their Lord, may He be glorified and magnified, asks them, even though His knowledge reaches infinitely beyond theirs: What are My servants chanting?

The angels reply: "They are exalting You, magnifying You, praising You, and glorfying You."

Do they see Me?

"No, or Lord, they do not see You."

What if they did see Me?

"If they saw You, they would intensify their worship of You, deepen their glorification of You, and increase their praise of You."

What are they asking of Me?

"They are asking for Paradise."

Have they seen it?

"No, O Lord, they have not seen it."

What if they did see it?

"If they saw Paradise, they would long for it with even greater ardor than before."

From what are they seeking refuge?

"From the Fire."

Have they seen it?

"No, O Lord, they have not seen it."

What if they saw it?

"If they saw the Fire, they would run even further from it, realizing its terrors even more completely."

O My angels, I take you as witnesses that I have forgiven the souls in this circle of remembrance.

An angel will say: "There is among them a certain one who is not truly part of them, entering their gathering for some other purpose."

The Lord will respond: They are all the people of remembrance, and every one of them will be blessed.

*This hadith, collected by the sage al-Bukhar, comes from the transmission of the intimate companion Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him.