Being freed from the snares and pitfalls of the nafs

by a wise Pīr who is a spiritual healer. [2.4.2]

2-2528 Nothing will slay the fleshly soul except the shadow (protection) of the Pīr:
grip tightly the skirt of that slayer of the flesh.

2-2529 When you grip it tightly, that is done with God’s help: whatever strength
comes into you is the effect of His drawing you towards Him.

3-2547 The intellect, chasing spiritual truth, prevails over your doggish fleshly soul
only when the Shaykh is its helper.

3-2550 when he (the dragon) approaches the Saint who is close to God, his tongue, a
hundred ells619 long, is shortened.

3-2551 He has a hundred tongues, and each of them has a hundred languages: his
deceit and cunning cannot be described.

3-2553 He deceives all in the city except the king: he cannot ambush the wise king.

3-2554 The fleshly soul has glorification of God on its tongue, and the Qur’ān in its
right hand; but in its sleeve she has dagger and sword.

3-2555 Do not believe her Qur’ān and hypocritical ostentation, do not make yourself
its confidant and comrade;

3-2556 For it will take you to the tank to perform the ritual ablution, and will throw
you to its bottom.

3-2560 The common folk of the city do not know the deceit of the fleshly soul and of
the body: she (the fleshly soul) is not subdued except by Divine inspiration in
the heart.

3-2561 Everyone who is her congener becomes her friend, except, to be sure, the
David who is your Shaykh;

3-2562 For he has been transformed, and anyone whom God has seated in the abode of
the heart, he (that person) no longer remains the body’s congener.

3-2563 All the other people are made ill by that which lies in ambush within them: it is
certain that illness associates with illness.

3-2693 As you are sick from the samūm620 of the carnal soul; whatever you may take,
you are the instrument for infecting it with disease.

3-2698 Remove the disease: when the disease is eradicated, every old tale will become
new to you.

619
Any of several historical units of measure corresponding roughly to the length of the arm.
620
A very hot, poisonous wind, blowing from the desert.

228