The Story of Diamond

There lived a woodcutter in a small hut nearby a city busily occupied with his family. Though his means were meager he was very much contented. One day while he was passing through the forest he spotted a small piece of glass glittering in the sunlight. The cut glass was very clear, lustrous and sparkling. The woodcutter has somewhere heard the name "diamond" and its value. Thinking that this must be a diamond and the Mighty Lord has provided him with one he quickly picked it up and returned home. On seeing the woodcutter his wife became perplexed and asked him why he returned home so soon? Where is his stock? Had he lost it or someone had usurped it. The woodcutter replied his wife, do not get disturbed. Look! Lord God has provided me with a diamond. The wife said, "show me the diamond immediately, I am too anxious to see it. Taking his wife to the corner of the house he showed her the cut glass. On seeing it, excitedly she said, go and sell it. Our days of poverty and destitute are gone. Eventually Lord has granted us comfort and repose. The woodcutter said his wife, "listen to me, this is a large sized diamond. If I take this to the bazar, people would unnecessarily lay claim over it. Where is this woodcutter and whence this diamond? Certainly he has stolen it from somewhere. People would succeed in slandering me and we would be divested of our diamond as well as our lives. It is better to devise a plan to dispose this diamond, else we would get involved in trouble. Moreover we would be prejudiced in getting a fair price for this diamond. It is sensible to keep it safe and not to sell it without a mediator". Then the woodcutter kept the cut glass in a small box and wrapped the box in rags of blankets and placed the bundle in the lumber. With his meager resources he maintained his family for a few days. Then they starved for a couple of days and started searching for an intermediary to sell the diamond. One of his friends comforted him by directing him to a particular jeweler in the nearby city. The woodcutter went and found the place of the jeweler, his authority and the exalted position he occupies. He was surrounded by many people, some sitting and others standing with folded arms. There were other jewelers too, occupying their chairs and checking the quality of impeccable gems. On seeing this, the woodcutter stood aloof from the crowd, reverentially in the presence of the jeweler. The jeweler was wise, mystical and worthy of doing marvels. Gently he looked at the woodcutter, summoned and enquired after him. When the Sun casts its rays often it transforms stones into Rubies and Cornelians. The woodcutter replied, O Generous one, I am poor and indigent. Have come

to behold your feet. Sympathetically the jeweler paid him some money. Politely the woodcutter received the money and went home. With that money he maintained his family for a while, pledging his hope on the diamond he preserves. Again he went to the jeweler and hopefully stood in his presence to get himself addressed. This time also the jeweler gave him alms. For the third time the woodcutter went in the service of the jeweler. Respectfully, with folded arms, he prostrated before him and entreated the Master that he has been cherishing a hope from the feet of the Master. The jeweler said, O brother, tell me whatever you have to say. The woodcutter replied, this assembly is too crowded. People of both high and low are gathered here. If I could get a private audience I would consider myself more fortunate and shall be absolved of my request. Having endowed with a kind disposition, the jeweler took him to his private chamber. The woodcutter again reverentially prostrated before him and gave an account of his story. The jeweler said fear not my friend, go and bring your diamond here and I shall fetch a good price from the king. The woodcutter said, I am afraid of bringing it here. Please do take the trouble of visiting my home. The jeweler being blessed with piety and noble manners said, okay, let us proceed to your home, friend. Whoever is destined to be favored with a treasure of Divine Grace, he usually undergoes sufferings in this world. When Lord God wants to shower His Grace on someone, He merely adopts some means to exhibit it wherever He wants. The jeweler prepared his conveyance and arrived at woodcutter's home in a dignified manner. The woodcutter spread an old mat for him to sit, and, his family showed their obeisance to him. Where is your diamond, bring it here and I shall pronounce its price, said the jeweler. The woodcutter took down the sack from the lumber and started removing the rags. Mystified on seeing this, the jeweler silently thought, the diamond is a small thing, but how awful is its enormous padding. With what terrible and dreadful things have this woodcutter wrapped up the diamond. He should have at least spent a part of his reasoning. Finally the woodcutter opened the sack and taking out the small box, gave it to the jeweler. The jeweler opened the box and lo! What he sees is nothing but a cut glass. Though this is only a glass piece the poor woodcutter has fashioned his hope on it, the jeweler thought. If I tell him the truth, he would become very much despondent. He certainly might have heard the name "diamond and has held this glass piece thinking it a diamond. Let me keep this woodcutter as a novice and teach him the art of identifying a gemstone. Farsightedly the jeweler said, dear friend, very precious and of a rare distinction is your diamond. If I take this to the king, I fear he would demand it for a cheap price. On the other-hand, if the king seeks this diamond, we shall

get a better price. Till such an opportune time arrives keep this diamond securely and never look at it. Until then be at my service without any reservation and I shall look after your sustenance. Thus speaking the jeweler returned his home. Carrying out the counsel of the jeweler, the woodcutter packed the glass piece back, kept it in the lumber and hurried to the service of the Master. The jeweler took hold of the hands of the woodcutter and summoned all the jewelers to his side. Emphatically he said to them, this poor fellow has come to my service. Basically he is a woodcutter. Keep him always within your company and teach him the art of analyzing various jewels. Since everyone in the assembly was under the authority of the Master Jeweler they immediately commenced his lesson. Those lessons started yielding good result and profited him in learning the techniques. For a long period he was groomed in this fashion and attained distinction in his skill. After further a long period, the noble of descent, the jeweler, summoned all the jewelers and enquired whether the woodcutter has acquired the distinction of distinguishing various jewels. Everyone present replied, O Master, he is now an adept in his art. The Master went inside his chamber. When he came out he was carrying diamonds mixed with quartz and crystals. He gave this mixture to the woodcutter and asked him to find out whether these jewels are good or otherwise. After carefully examining it the woodcutter said there are quartz and crystals also in this mixture. The jeweler said now you separate the gemstones. The woodcutter showed him the pieces of gems and also the grit stones. The jeweler in order to test his knowledge said they all are pure and unalloyed stones. And you say some are diamonds and a few as quartz. The woodcutter said, O esteemed Master, the intrinsic value and real merit of each substance is thus established and revealed under scrutiny. The jeweler quietly complemented him saying now he has the talent to distinguish a precious stone from a pebble. After sometime the jeweler called the woodcutter and said that the king desires a large sized diamond. Go and bring your diamond and I shall sell it for a good price. Happily the woodcutter went his home, opened the pack and looked into the box. He found it is neither a crystal nor even quartz. It is but a piece of cut glass. With a sense of shame he remained in the ocean of remorse like a naked man remaining immersed in the water.

Ruefully he thought where am I? A mere woodcutter and whence the personality of jeweler's self? How could a crystal be equal with a diamond? I am a peasant and he a prince, I am ignoble and he of noble virtues, he is higher and me the low. How often I have lied to him about the diamond!!! By employing untruth as a ruse I became friendly with him. I lived

on his sustenance through untruth. How mean I am to summon his august presence in my home for the sake of a mere cut glass. What an enduring and tolerant person he is? Even after beholding the glass piece he gave me shelter. How kindly he adorned me in his tutelage. He never let my hopes shattered into despondency. Instead he taught me the art of lapidary. He showed me the way so that I am clear in my understanding. By transforming a woodcutter into a jeweler he indeed has made a beggar into a king. How could I appear before him? I am thoroughly mortified. Repenting on his follies the woodcutter remained at his home. The jeweler understood why the woodcutter has not returned with his diamond. He sympathized the poor woodcutter. He knew that shame has prevented the woodcutter in facing him. So he again went to the home of woodcutter and enquired him why has he not brought his diamond. Like a mortar of lime getting dissolved in water, the woodcutter prostrated in his feet. Tenderly the jeweler said, O friend indeed you have arrived at the fountainhead of truth, even though your journey started from assumption. It is the aspiration for the name of Diamond and its worth has shown you the Way. The love for the diamond has made you to seek the jeweler. From the jeweler you have learned the art by adopting the path of co-jewelers. The love for the diamond has made you attain an eminent position. Abandoning your false and pretentious knowledge you have adopted fidelity with fairness. He then took him away and made him a jeweler among jewelers. In fact the jeweler's role is only metaphorical, figurative. Whoever is granted the prime intellect by Lord God, all the hindrances are removed from his path, and his heart and soul is illumined with the Truth. Now listen to the wisdom of this parable. The cut glass, which the woodcutter carefully preserved, was the outward form of religion. The rags and box are the resemblance of formal worship. The endeavor to keep the glass piece safely is the faith; the dread of losing it is the steadfastness. The value of the diamond is the Grace and the Vision of Lord. How could anybody get a fair value without the mediation of an intercessor? When the woodcutter earnestly desired to sell the diamond he started to search for an intermediary. The friend who directed him to the jeweler is the worldly preceptor. The Lord in order to grant him His vision showed him to the Jeweler who is none other than the Spiritual Master. The Spiritual Master after noticing the sincerity and the quest to know the Truth prepared the woodcutter by his personal grace and favor. Unless and until the Master cast his grace the road to salvation is not to be found. Subsequently a novice can discern truth from falsehood. Whoever has the earnest desire to know the truth, even if he is deluded, the right way is shown to him.

Original diamond is the Essence of Prophet Mohammed in whose light the entire world is manifested. Light of Mohammed is the Light of God. Know in certainty that the same light is reflected in the soul of Adam. Therefore the original diamond is essentially the light of Perfect Man. The jeweler is the Perfect Master with whom the stations of the way can be traversed. The house of the jeweler is the soul of man and the house of the woodcutter is the body of man. When Qadre Alam embraced Badre Alam as his Master Jeweler Qadre Alam too has achieved the status of peer.