"Let me taste, O You who are ever Glorified and Praised, ever sanctified and holy, the sweet delight and intimate converse of Come forward and fear not, for surely you are among those who are secure in the shelter of Allah."

 

  The Prayer for Spiritual Elevation and Protection, Ibn al 'Arabi,  as translated by Suha Taji-Farouki, Anqa Publishing, Oxford,  2006, P. 84

 

Commentary

 

The translator notes that this particular passage, taken from the Quran (28:31) is a continuation of the divine address to Moses from within the burning Bush:

"Cast down your staff!" And when he saw it quivering like a serpent, he turned round retreating, and did not turn back. "Moses, come forward and fear not; for surely you are among those who are secure."

 

 ibid, p. 112

 

It may seem a bit much to ascribe particular significance to this single word, but it was not chosen lightly. Individual words in sacred texts are often there to convey very exact meanings, not just a general idea of what took place. The translation of active experiential into passive ideological or philosophical principles is a consistent habit of the intellectual mind. Al 'Arabi's contention that one cannot understand such matters with the mind stems from exactly this issue.