Page 18 - La Noche del Destino

because they are poor, whereas God is rich. What then has God to gain by making demands of His creation? Ibn 'Arabi continues:"
Traducción:
"Según el relato que sigue, Dios tocó entonces al visionario con la palma de Su mano e Ibn 'Arabí audazmente dirigió a Él la Suya, observando primero que los gobernantes humanos exigen a sus súbditos porque son pobres, mientras que Dios es rico. Entonces ¿qué tiene que ganar Dios exigiendo a Su creación? Ibn 'Arabí continúa:"
"He [God] smiled and replied: 'What do you want?' I answered: 'Authorise me to go to Paradise [i.e. directly and without rendering accounts]'. He gave me His authorisation."
Traducción:
"Él [Dios] sonrió y respondió: '¿Qué es lo que quieres?' Respondí: 'Autorízame para ir al Paraíso [es decir directamente y sin rendir cuentas]'. Él me dio Su autorización."
"Then I saw my sister Umm Sa'd. I said to Him: 'And my sister Umm Sa'd!' He replied: 'Take her with you'. Then I saw my sister Umm 'Ala'. I said to Him: 'And her as well?' He replied: 'Her as well!' I said to Him: 'And my wife Umm 'Abd al-Rahman?'9"
Traducción:
"Luego vi a mi hermana Umm Sa'd. Le dije a Él: 'Y mi hermana Umm Sa'd! ' Él respondió: 'Llévala contigo'. Entonces vi a mi hermana Umm 'Ala'. Le dije a Él: '¿Y a ella también?' Respondió: '¡A ella también!' Le dije: 'Y a mi esposa Umm' Abd alRahman? '9"
"Ibn 'Arabi claims that God gave permission also for his wife and for another lady of his acquaintance, until he asked for all his friends and relations to be allowed to enter Paradise without rendering accounts, as well as any others for whom God chose to give permission. In the end he says: 'I [only] took with me everyone who fell within my gaze (God alone can count them): those whom I knew and those whom I did not know. I made them go in front of me, keeping behind them so as to prevent them becoming lost on the way.'10 The named persons for whom Ibn 'Arabi intercedes in this vision are all women and this fits with his perception that women are capable of reaching the highest levels of spirituality. Holy women are known to have played an important role in providing him with spiritual guidance at an early age during his time in Seville. They included Fatima bint Ibn al-Muthanna, an elderly lady living in extreme poverty, and Shams Umm al- Fuqara', whom he encountered at Marchena of the Olives, a citadel outside Seville. He recollects of Shams: 'She usually concealed her spiritual state, although she would often reveal something of it to me in secret because she knew of my own attainment, which gladdened me.'11"
Traducción:
"Ibn 'Arabí afirma que Dios también le dio permiso a su esposa y a otra señora conocida, hasta que pidió por todos sus amigos y parientes para que se les permitiera entrar al Paraíso sin rendir cuentas, así como a cualquier otra persona a quien Dios eligió dar permiso. Al final, dice: 'Yo [solo] llevé conmigo a todos los que abarqué con mi mirada (solo Dios puede contarlos): aquellos a
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