The Pen began to write. What did it write? It wrote: "Intercession is given to the prophets, miracles are given to the saints, love of God is given to the pious and paradise is given to the generous."

The Lord said to the Pen: "Write!" "What shall I write, oh my Lord?" "Write: Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim! (In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate)"

The Pen wrote the 'ba' (the first letter of the Besmela) of 'Bismillah' and light spread out from this letter, from the Throne to the farthest corner of the Universe. All was lit up by this light. The Pen wondered and asked the Lord: "What is this light?" The Lord answered: "This is the light which I wish to give to the Nation of Muhammad which will read these letters, I bestow it upon them from My endless Bounty." The Pen then wrote the next letter which was the 'sin'. The letter 'sin' has three peaks (teeth) and from each one of these a different kind of light issued forth: from the first peak a light which reached up to the Throne, from the second one a light which reached the Divine Court, and from the third a light which reached up to paradise (Jenna). "What is this Light, oh my Lord?" wondered the Pen. "There will be three groups among the Children of Adam. Firstly there will be those who vie with one another for the performance of good deeds; this means, those whose hidden reality is better than that which they show outwardly. The light of this group reaches up to the Divine Throne. Secondly, there is a group whose inner reality is on equal footing with their outer manifestation, and their light will reach up to the Divine Court. The third group are those who have wronged their own souls, that is to say, those whose outer aspect overcomes their inward reality. The light of this last group reaches up to paradise. (after they have been purged in hell)."

Again the Lord commanded the Pen to write. The Pen wrote 'mim' (the third letter of the Besmela). The light that this 'mim' effused illuminated the whole world. The Pen was so surprised that it opened its mouth wide, as wide as it could and remained stupefied for 2000 years. Then it asked: "What is this light?" "This is the light of Muhammad Mustafa * said the Lord. "'Mim' is the first letter of the name of Muhammad *, My Beloved, the Prince of Messengers and the Crown of all Creation. I have created the world for his sake alone." When the pen heard these words. it said, "Oh Lord, teach me to give him Salams! (Greatins or Peach)" The Lord taught the Pen to say: "As -Salamu 'alaika, ya Rasul-ullah!" (Peace be upon you, oh Messenger of Allah!) The Pen saluted him thus and waited silently, but no answer came to him.

Then it said, "Oh Lord, nobody answers me; Your Beloved, the Crown of Creation, does not return my Salams!" The Lord said, "Oh Pen, he is not yet created: if he were present at this moment, he would certainly return your greetins. But I will reply in his stead: Wa 'alaika as-Salam, ya Qalam (and Peace be upon you, oh Pen.)"

Therefore, it is a Sunna (commendable practice) to give Salams, and it is Wajib (obligatory) to return them. The first being ever them was the Lord of the Worlds. If one does not give Salams, it is not a great sin, but if one fails to return the Salams given, it is a sin the responsibility for which falls on every one present. Likewise, it is sufficient for one person in a group to return the greetings, one person may fulfill this obligation in the name of all present.

Then the Pen wrote "Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim" and it asked, "Oh Lord, what is this mighty Name?" The Lord answered "Name of Allah is for the People of Remembrance (Dhikr), those pious ones who are incessantly engaged in the Remembrance of their Lord and who vie with one another in the performance of of good works. The Name 'ar-Rahman' nourishes and sustains all who are in the world without distinction, be they Christians, Jew, unbelievers or others - they all receive their provisions from the manifestation of the Holy Name 'ar-Rahman'. 'Ar-Rahim' is reserved for the Muslim Nation on the Day of Judgement, as it is written:
"Peace - such is the greeting from a Lord All-Compassionate." (Ya Sin, 59)

All My servants' sins will be forgiven by the blessing of that Holy Name; whenever any action is begun with that phrase (Bismillahir-Rahman-ir-Rahim), the endeavour is blessed, and I grant My servant success and forgiveness for his failings."

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