Possibly the most important point on which our wisdom focuses through the story of our master Joseph (pth) and which draws one’s attention, is the fact that it revolves around the purity of this noble master, as his illumination by God’s Light made him pure, beyond reproach, and accepted by Al’lah. So, how would it be concerning prophecy, which is the highest degree of humanity and just like the ever-flowing polar water which completely cleanses and purifies all that it touches: as does prophecy when it floods the spirit so that it will never again thirst after anything that is lowly.
Viewing Godly Providence through the insight whereby the viewer witnesses just one of His Supreme Attributes, he will be turned away from searching out the worthless things of this lower life that are far beneath it, and which trouble the heart if one is absorbed in seeking these inanities.
So what about the perfect true belief which promotes mankind to constantly seek the Godly Attributes until the point where he eventually discerns them by the Greatest
Attribute of God, ‘Al’lah’ [62]-whereby his belief becomes perfect as shown when the Envoy said, “He who comprehends the Godly Names shall enter Paradise.”
And what do you think of God’s Envoys who constantly focused their minds on the Almighty since the beginning of creation and, too, during their voyage lasting many thousands of years, without turning away for even a moment?
Here is our master Joseph, who doesn’t care about the external appearance, but rather, he sees by Al’lah’s Light which refines one’s heart. Similarly, Al’lah does not look at a man’s physical body but He sees directly into his heart.Then, if you pursue his story with that dissolute woman[63] (the prime minister’s wife) who offered herself to him when she was young and beautiful, you will find that she is far from obeying the Statutes of Al’lah. She did not love Joseph but she lusted after him so, her actions were no better than those of animals.
Then, what would he believe of her? Surely, there would be no need to think about it because the reality could be read clearly imprinted on her spirit and that reality was like a serpent slithering towards him ready to wind itself around him and give him a bite full of venom.
So, would he then embrace her without distinguishing between what was permissible and what was forbidden? Would he even draw near to her? Or would he push her away and distance himself as he was truly seeing the reality of her by Al’lah’s Light?
This is the fact that is born of this illustrious story, as it revealed that seeing by Al’lah’s Light protects its holder whatever corruption may surround him, and that is the recommendation of Al’lah’s Envoy (cpth) concerning this time when man’s religion could not be elevated unless he persisted in following the path which led to attainment of the true faith, which elevates the mind and provides the heart of its holder with certain witnessing of its realities and wisdom.
That is the essence of the religion obtained from Al’lah’s Envoy: to spare people from the baseness of this lower life and the people who practise such depravity.
So what about the scholar M. A. Sheikho?
Was he ever deceived by false shapes or seduced by beauty, even though he strived to keep his heart pure and avoid being infatuated with superficial beauty? On the contrary, he was far removed from that, for he always bore witness to the realities and depth of the Godly Presence, His sublime Paradises, and luminous Revelations. He demonstrated this quality with which Prophets and their companions, and all true believers who have been illuminated by God’s Light are characterized, and which raises their high position to an even higher level, the one to which the Angels eagerly aspired.
He was extremely brave, manly, and self-assured, nothing perturbed him and he feared no-one: he was possessed of oceans of equanimity and was never upset by difficult situations or criminal actions.
No doubt it is not as easy to be as brave as one might think, for it is the quality of true believers, as no creature could ever hold sway over the pure human being because it is Al’lah, the True and the Just, who conducts all matters and leads mankind along the straight path. Since our officer committed no fault nor trespass no-one could have a free hand to cause him ill: for Godly Justice ensures that if you cause harm to someone it will be returned to you. Equally good will always be recompensed with good. This type of person, who is a true believer, cares nothing at all for the forces of evil, however great their numbers or whatever weapons they might have.
That was the essence of Mohammad Amin’s tactics against violent criminals, and which is why the state charged him with taking on all the most difficult tasks, which would normally require numerous forces to resolve; yet he could solve these problems within a short while between the thought arising in his mind and his solving the problem, because of his true determination and boundless amounts of mercy and compassion.
Yes, his Provider gave him the strength, yet he also needed a positive and productive thought process, as thinking is both fruitful and creative.
He was now faced with a completely new task which entailed his squad attacking the local brothel, a situation which he has never come up against before.
As is well known, towards the end of its era, the Ottoman Empire was still an Islamic state with its time- held traditions, and in general it was against all corruptive practices.
And yet corruption had begun to flow insidiously through its veins and the Devil established itself in its depths; as it was forbidden to commit any form of corruption openly these sins were committed in secret and kept hidden. Therefore the state established what they referred to as ‘houses of deviation’ and continued to preserve the ritual religious expressions but was lenient with these shocking matters with respect to their effects upon its youth.
‘Houses of Ill Repute’, or brothels as they are now known, is one example of that corruption. Once the Turks had established them corruption spread and their empire came to end, as “Al’lah does not like corruption.”[64]
Due to his purity and virtue M. A. Sheikho had no previous knowledge of vice and the various natures of its practice, so no-one who knew anything whatsoever of these matters dared to mention them openly in his presence for they respected his chastity, high rank and perfection. Equally he was utterly ignorant of the low meaning of the word ‘brothel’, or of what might take place inside.
So, he had no knowledge of the existence of the local brothel, for his level of morality was far above being acquainted with such things. He thought it to be an illegal meeting place where ignorant men would frequently assemble to drink wine, which was forbidden by law at that time, in addition to its prohibition by statute. His mission was to arrest everyone he found in that ‘meeting place’ and have them imprisoned.
Throughout his life, he was certain that nothing was impossible as long as he resorted to His supporting Provider and asked for His Assistance.
Accordingly, he prepared his squad, dividing them into groups and allocated the various tasks of storming the house among them. As was his custom, he appointed himself as the spearhead in the attack, thinking (due to his moral purity and courage) that he should be the first to face any resistance and that there might be a dangerous exchange of fire.
In fact he expected it to be a tavern, one of the bars offering wine and bawdy song.
As previously stated, he was a broad-shouldered man of moderate stature, lithe body, fair hair and green eyes. The fullness of his face gave him a certain glow, emphasised by the redness of his cheeks. So, when he arrived with his squad at the illegal ‘meeting place’ or brothel, he was shocked at what he saw all around and about him because of his purity and the fact that he had never mingled with such low class people.
His men pointed at one of the brothels so, vigorously and strongly he smashed the door believing it to be the entrance to an illicit bar, yet suddenly he met a naked woman who, when she saw his handsome physique, shouted, ‘Are you our officer my love?’… and she threw herself upon him without delay!
No sooner had she embraced him than he lost consciousness and fell down motionless!
Yes indeed, our staunch-hearted officer collapsed, overcome by the enormity of what had just happened to him… and appeared to be dead! They took him to the hospital thinking him to be lifeless, but they realised that he was alive, as he came round at the hands of the soldiers who were treating him as a matter of urgency, even though they had originally thought him to be dead. He recovered consciousness, but was slow to recall the recent incident and he wondered what had happened and where he was.
The commandant was amazed at his reaction! He thought, ‘Truly, he is as pure as our master Joseph (pth), and certainly all those assigned to such missions previously, would have accepted this particular mission gladly and with a wicked smile, and evil thoughts would show clearly on their faces. If such a thing had happened to any other man, as happened to Mohammad Amin, he might well have responded to the devil’s call, broken his own bounds of chastity and sunk further and further into a bottomless pit.
Thereafter, the commandant decided never to charge this chaste officer with such a mission in the most corrupt of places as through this one incident he had come to understand the superior level of Officer Sheikho’s virtue and integrity.