A while back, I wrote about being content with the will of God under all circumstances — a state of being referred to in Arabic as being “raazi”. But peaceful though such a state must be, it is by no means the height of contentment. One may be accepting, as Job was, no matter the trials sent by God; but to experience every moment as the best possible world is another thing entirely. The contentment of being *raazi* is one of peace. One may not know how things will work out, but the soul is assured of the hand of God behind all things. Or one may not have everything he wants, but in his heart, he knows that even poverty can lead to riches. Beyond this is another state, called being *ghani*. To be *ghani* implies a wealth taken to the point of excess. One who knows this kind of contentment does not view poverty as a soulful emptiness; rather, to him the greatest emptiness is an abounding fullness. It is not a condition of peace, but of a joy which threatens all stability. If God who wears the cloak of the world in order to reveal Himself, then those who are *raazi* know it; but those who are *ghani* see it with their very eyes. Becoming *raazi* is one of the powers of faith, when one’s inward vision penetrates the Unseen. It’s like the peace of a farmer who has planted all of his crops, knowing from experience what must happen in time. It doesn’t matter that the seeds lie quiet under the ground; the farmer’s awareness spans time, it is not confined by the immediate. The deeper and fuller one’s awareness of such unseen processes, the less complaint there will be over particular, sudden forms. Being *ghani* is being present at the time of harvest. The real question being: why should time be necessary? Between the seed’s being planted, and fruit falling from the tree, our bodies must endure a requisite lapse of time. But the soul is, in theory, free of such limitations; its sentiments need not be dictated by the body. The two move in separate realms, although it seems natural for the body to set the pace of things. Time is like a someone telling a joke; once you get the punchline, you’ll laugh from the first word the next time you hear it. I believe God is unveiling Himself to us through the mechanism of the world — that the world exists to suit the nature of our understanding; but once we grasp where this tale is headed, we needn’t wait for all of the particulars. There can be a moment of insight, at which point further explanation is unnecessary. From that moment on there can be direct relation, like a painter with his brush once he grasps the principles of the art.