Thus, you must know and realize that Allah — Exalted Glory — sees you; He is with you wherever you look, so look how you wish; He is with you wherever you grasp, so take what you wish; and He is with you wherever you strive, so strive wherever you wish. Let your inward be like your outward; purify your heart from wickedness, doubts, and suspicion; purify your body from impurities, defilements, and adversaries; and improve your actions with forbearance, tranquility, and dignity. If you do that, you shall know the path of your maturity." I asked him: "If I demand of my soul all that you mentioned and act by it, from whom then should I seek the landmarks of my religion?" He said: "From one whom you find to be like your own soul. Have you not heard what was related from our Master al-Sadiq — Exalted Glory —?" I said: "What is it?"

He said: His — Exalted Glory — saying: "Whosoever dies and did not know a guiding Imam to guide him to the gnosis of Allah — Exalted Glory — and did not take from him the landmarks of his religion, has died a death of ignorance (jāhiliyya)."

And Allah — Exalted Glory — said: «Then let man look at his food»¹. its meaning is: that he should look to [the one] from whom he hears the landmarks of his religion.

Then he ceased his speech to me and rose to pray. I rose, bid him farewell, and departed, struggling with the soul, demanding of it what he commanded me, and wrestling with it over his conditions and what he mentioned to me. I sought one in whom I would find those praiseworthy traits to lead me on the path to the city and from whom I could take the landmarks of my religion. I spent a long time and found no one.

One day, while I was sitting in one of the houses of the agents, I saw a man reciting Surah Al-Baqarah until he reached His — Exalted Glory — saying: «He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has