43:67 Bosom friends on that day will be enemies of one another, except for the godwary.
Know that in reality God alone deserves friendship, no one else. This is because perfect beauty and never-ending majesty belong to Him, the beginningless Essence and everlasting attributes belong to Him, limitless existence and infinite munificence belong to Him, and non-instrumental knowledge and uncontrived power belong to Him.
Abū Bakr Ṣiddīq said, "When someone tastes of unmixed love for God, that prevents him from seeking this world and alienates him from all mankind." Whenever the limpidness of the Real's love settles down in someone's heart, the opacity of seeking this world and the acceptance of people packs its bags from his heart. If he then loves anyone among the people, it is because that person has an attachment to the Real or an affinity with the Real through His friendship. Whenever anyone has a friend, in reality he also loves his abode, lane, and neighborhood. The poet says,
My covenant is not because of love for earthly dust,
but for that in which the Beloved dwells.
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What I want from Your lane is Your face.
Friendship for the godwary and pious is what He says: "His friends are only the godwary" [8:34]. Love for God's Messenger is what he himself says: "Love me because of God's love!"
So, the final end of all loves is the perfection of the beauty of the Divine Presence. To this He alludes with His words, "Surely the final end is unto thy Lord" [53:42].
The mark of love is that whenever something reaches you that is disliked by your nature and makeup, you accept it gladly. Muṣ?afā said, "The foul odor of the fasting person's mouth is more fragrant with God than the aroma of musk." The altered smell from the mouth of the fasting person comes from the aroma of the pavilion of holiness. Consider it prior to all the perfumes of the world, for the Friend approves of it. Poets have said,
Were I poured poison from the Beloved's hand
poison from His hand would be sweet.
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The heart that You burn thanks You,
the blood that You shed boasts.
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The blood that You spill thanks You,
the heart that You scare praises You.
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The poison I drink in remembrance of You is sweet,
the mad see You and come to their senses.
It has also been said, "Whoever sees You recognizes, whoever recognizes clings, and whoever clings burns. The burnt one will not be burned again." Rather, he will be caressed with this call: