THE VISION WAS GRANTED

 
There lived a saint Syed Hasan Rasul-mema who was well-known as an adept in giving spiritual aspirants a vision of the Prophet Mohammed. His wife once requested him to give her, too, such a vision. The saint agreed and asked her to prepare herself by bathing and adorning herself with beautiful garments and jewellery as befitting a bridal occasion. The wife was delighted and busied herself accordingly.

In the meanwhile, her brother came to the house and the saint said to him: "Go and see what your sister is doing. Is it befitting her age that she occupies herself thus? I have become old now and indifferent to such enticements. Is she thinking of marrying again?"

The brother was shocked to find his sister in fact dressed like a bride and taunted her: "Are you in your proper senses? What is the meaning of making yourself up as a bride at your age? You must be surely mad. Or perhaps your husband is right and you are thinking of a second marriage."

The saint's wife crumpled up completely at being made to look such a fool, and in a fit of anger and intense disappointment, she shattered her bangles, tore her clothes and burst into uncontrollable tears and wails. After a time, she became exhausted and fell into sleep; and in that sleep she had a vision of the Prophet Mohammed.

She woke very cheerful and happy, and told her husband of the experience. But she asked him why he had treated her as he did. He replied: "You had pride in your heart. You never really believed that I was capable of giving to anyone a vision of the Prophet. In the situation I created, you were humiliated, and as soon as that occurred, the vision was granted. In the same way the aspirant never achieves the Goal as long as the ego is active within him in any form."