---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,transcriber's ,note3 ,this version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects4 ,italics are delimited with the #8' character as italic4 ,superscripted characters are indicated with #8' and1 if multiple characters are raised1 they are bracketed with #8 '4 ,bold fonts are used in the index entries to indicate the primary entries in the text4 ,footnotes have been moved to follow the paragraphs in which they are referenced4 ,there is an editorial list of corrections and additions4 ,these1 along with the errors they mention1 are retained in this version4 ,minor errors1 deemed attributable to the printer1 have been corrected4 ,please see the transcriber's note at the end of this text for details4 8,e4 ,j4 ,w4 ,,gibb ,,memorial0 ,,series4 ,,vol4 ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,kashf ,,al-,,ma,j,b ,,the ,,oldest ,,persian ,,treatise ,,on ,,fiism ,,by #8,,al ,b4 #8,,uthm,n ,,al-,,jull,b ,,al-,,hujw,r ,,translated ,,from ,,the ,,text ,,of ,,the ,,lahore ,,edition1 ,,compared ,,with ,,mss4 ,,in ,,the ,,india ,,office ,,and ,,british ,,museum4 ,,by ,,reynold ,a4 ,,nicholson1 ,,litt4,d4 ,,lecturer ,,in ,,persian ,,in ,,the ,,university ,,of ,,cambridge2 ,,formerly ,,fellow ,,of ,,trinity ,,college4 ,,and ,,printed ,,for ,,the ,,trustees ,,of ,,the 8,e4 ,j4 ,w4 ,,gibb ,,memorial04 ,,volume ,,xvii4 ,,leyden3 ,e4 ,j4 ,,brill1 ,,imprimerie ,,orientale4 ,,london3 ,,luzac ,,co41 #df ,,great ,,russell ,,street4 #aiaa4 ,,printed ,,by ,,stephen ,,austin ,,and ,,sons1 ,,ltd4 ,,hertford4 8,e4 ,j4 ,w4 ,,gibb ,,memorial0 ,,series4 ,,published1 #a4 ,the ,bbar-nma1 reproduced in facsimile from a ,,ms4 belonging to the late ,sir ,slr ,jang of aydarbd1 and edited with ,preface and ,indexes1 by ,mrs4 ,beveridge1 #aije4 7,out of print47 #b4 ,an abridged translation of ,ibn ,isfandiyr's ,history of abaristn1 by ,edward ,g4 ,browne1 #aije4 ,price #hs4 #c4 ,translation of al-,khazraj's ,history of the ,rasl ,dynasty of ,yaman1 with introduction by the late ,sir ,j4 ,redhouse1 now edited by ,e4 ,g4 ,browne1 ,r4 ,a4 ,nicholson1 and ,a4 ,rogers4 ,vols4 ,i and ,,ii of the ,translation1 #aijf1 #aijg4 ,price #gs4 each4 ,vol4 ,,iii1 containing the ,annotations1 #aijh4 ,price #es4 7,vol4 ,,iv1 containing the ,text1 in the ,press47 #d4 ,umayyads and ,abbsids3 being the ,fourth ,part of ,jurj ,zaydn's ,history of ,islamic ,civilisation1 translated by ,professor ,d4 ,s4 ,margoliouth1 ,d4,litt41 #aijg4 ,price #es4 #e4 ,the ,travels of ,ibn ,jubayr1 the late ,dr4 ,william ,wright's edition of the ,arabic text1 revised by the late ,professor ,m4 ,j4 de ,goeje1 #aijg4 ,price #fs4 #f4 ,yqt's ,dictionary of ,learned ,men1 entitled ,irshdu'l-arb il ma#8rifati'l-adb1 or ,mu#8jamu'l-,udab3 edited from the ,bodleian ,,ms4 by ,professor ,d4 ,s4 ,margoliouth1 ,d4,litt4 ,vols4 ,i1 ,,ii1 #aijg1 '#ji4 ,price #hs4 each4 ,vol4 ,,iii1 part #a1 #aiaj4 ,price #es4 7,further volumes in preparation47 #g4 ,the ,tajribul-,umam of ,ibn ,miskawayh3 reproduced in facsimile from ,,mss4 ,nos4 #caaf-caba of y ,sofia1 with ,preface and ,summary by the ,principe di ,teano4 ,vol4 ,i 7to ,a4,h4 #cg71 #aiji4 ,price #gs4 7,further volumes in preparation47 #h4 ,the ,marzubn-nma of ,sadud-,dn-i-,warwn1 edited by ,mrz ,muammad of ,qazwn1 #aiji4 ,price #hs4 #i4 ,textes persans relatifs la secte des ourofs publis1 traduits1 et annots par ,clment ,huart1 suivis d'une tude sur la religion des ourofs par 8,feylesouf ,riz01 #aiji4 ,price #hs4 #aj4 ,the ,mujam f ,mayri ,ashril-,ajam of ,shams-i-,qays1 edited from the ,british ,museum ,,ms4 7,or4 #bhad7 by ,edward ,g4 ,browne and ,mrz ,muammad of ,qazwn1 #aiji4 ,price #hs4 #aa4 ,the ,chahr ,maqla of ,nim-i-,ar-i-,samarqand1 edited1 with notes in ,persian1 by ,mrz ,muammad of ,qazwn1 #aiaj4 ,price #hs4 #ab4 ,introduction l',histoire des ,mongols de ,fadl ,allah ,rashid ed-,din par ,e4 ,blochet1 #aiaj4 ,price #hs4 #ac4 ,the ,dwn of assn b4 ,thbit 7d4 ,a4,h4 #ed71 edited by ,hartwig ,hirschfeld1 ,ph4,d41 #aiaj4 ,price #es4 #ad4 ,the ,tarkh-i-,guzda of amdullh ,mustawf of ,qazwn1 reproduced in facsimile from an old ,,ms41 with ,introduction1 ,indices1 etc41 by ,edward ,g4 ,browne4 ,vol4 ,i4 ,text4 #aiaj4 ,price #aes4 #ae4 ,the ,earliest ,history of the ,bbs1 composed before #aheb1 by jji ,mrz ,jn of ,kshn1 edited from the unique ,paris ,,ms4 7,suppl4 ,persan1 #ajga7 by ,edward ,g4 ,browne4 ,price #hs4 #af4 ,the ,tarkh-i-,jabn-gush of ,alud-,dn ,a ,malik-i-,juwayn1 edited from seven ,,mss4 by ,mrz ,muammad of ,qazwn4 ,price #hs4 #ag4 ,a translation of the ,kashf al-,majb of ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb al-,hujwr1 the oldest ,persian manual of fiism1 by ,r4 ,a4 ,nicholson4 ,price #hs4 ,,in ,,preparation4 ,the ,history of the ,mongols1 from the ,jmiut-,tawrkh of ,rashdud-,din ,falullh1 beginning with the account of ,ogoty1 edited by ,e4 ,blochet1 comprising3-- ,tome ,i3 ,histoire des tribus turques et mongoles1 des anctres de ,tchinkkiz-,khan depuis ,along-,goa1 et de ,tchinkkiz-,khan4 ,tome ,,ii3 ,histoire des successeurs de ,tchinkkiz-,khan1 d',ougde ,tmour-,kaan1 des fils apanags de ,tchinkkiz-,khan1 et des gouverneurs ,mongols de ,perse d',houlagou ,ghazan4 7,sous presse47 ,tome ,,iii3 ,histoire de ,ghazan1 d',oldjatou1 et de ,abou-,sad4 ,an abridged translation of the ,iyul-,mulk1 a ,persian ,history of ,sstn by ,shh usayn1 from the ,british ,museum ,,ms4 7,or4 #bggi71 by ,a4 ,g4 ,ellis4 ,the geographical part of the ,nuzhatul-,qulb of amdullh ,mustawf of ,qazwn1 with a translation1 by ,g4 ,le ,strange4 ,the ,futu ,mir wal-,maghrib wal-,andalus of ,abul-,qsim ,abdur-,ramn b4 ,abdullh b4 ,abdul-akam al-,qurash al-,mir 7d4 ,a4,h4 #beg71 edited by ,professor ,c4 ,c4 ,torrey4 ,the ,qbs-nma1 edited in the original ,persian by ,e4 ,edwards4 ,tarkhu ,mir1 the ,history of ,egypt1 by ,ab ,umar ,muammad b4 ,ysuf al-,kind 7d4 ,a4,h4 #cej71 edited from the unique ,,ms4 in the ,british ,museum 7,add4 #bc1cbd7 by ,a4 ,rhuvon ,guest4 7,in the ,press47 ,the ,ansb of as-,samn1 reproduced in facsimile from the ,british ,museum ,,ms4 7,or4 #bc1cee71 with ,indices by ,h4 ,loewe4 7,in the ,press47 ,the poems of four early ,arabic poets4 ,in two parts3--7#a7 ,the ,dwns of mir b4 a-ufayl and ,abd b4 al-,abra1 edited by ,sir ,charles ,j4 ,lyall1 ,k4,c4,s4,i42 7#b7 ,the ,dwns of a-ufayl b4 ,awf and irimm b4 akm1 edited by ,f4 ,krenkow4 ,the ,kitbul-,raddi al ahli l-bidai wal-ahwi of ,makl b4 al-,mufaal al-,nasaf 7d4 ,a4,h4 #cah71 edited from the ,bodleian ,,ms4 ,pocock #bga1 with introductory ,essay on the ,sects of ,islam1 by ,g4 ,w4 ,thatcher1 ,m4,a4 ,a monograph on the ,southern ,dialects of ,kurdish1 by ,e4 ,b4 ,soane4 ,this ,volume is one of a ,series published by the ,trustees of the 8,e4 ,j4 ,w4 ,,gibb ,,memorial04 ,the ,funds of this ,memorial are derived from the interest accruing from a sum of money given by the late ,,mrs4 ,,gibb of ,glasgow1 to perpetuate the ,memory of her beloved son ,,elias ,,john ,,wilkinson ,,gibb1 and to promote those researches into the ,history1 ,literature1 ,philosophy1 and ,religion of the ,turks1 ,persians1 and ,arabs to which1 from his youth upwards1 until his premature and deeply lamented death in his #deth year on ,december #e1 #aija1 his life was devoted4 99 8,the worker pays his debt to ,death2 ,his work lives on1 nay1 quickeneth40 ,the following memorial verse is contributed by ,abdul-aqq mid ,bey of the ,imperial ,ottoman ,embassy in ,london1 one of the ,founders of the ,new ,school of ,turkish ,literature1 and for many years an intimate friend of the deceased4 8,e4 ,j4 ,w4 ,,gibb ,,memorial40 ,,original ,,trustees4 ,,jane ,,gibb1 died ,november #bf1 #aijd1 ,e4 ,g4 ,,browne1 ,g4 ,,le ,,strange1 ,h4 ,f4 ,,amedroz1 ,a4 ,g4 ,,ellis1 ,r4 ,a4 ,,nicholson1 ,e4 ,,denison ,,ross1 ,,and ,,ida ,w4 ,e4 ,,ogilvy ,,gregory 7formerly ,,gibb71 appointed #aije4 ,,clerk ,,of ,,the ,,trust4 ,,julius ,,bertram1 #ad ,suffolk ,street1 ,pall ,mall1 ,,london1 ,s4,w4 ,,publishers ,,for ,,the ,,trustees4 ,e4 ,j4 ,,brill1 ,,leyden4 ,,luzac ,,co41 ,,london4 ,,corrections ,,and ,,additions4 ,page #b1 penult4 ,for 7p4 #c7 read 7p4 #a74 p4 #c1 line #ad and l4 #cj4 ,for 7p4 #c7 read 7p4 #a74 p4 #d1 l4 #ah4 ,for 7p4 #c7 read 7p4 #a74 p4 #d1 l4 #bf4 ,for just as the veil destroys revelation 7mukshafat7 read just as veiling destroys the unveiled object 7mukshaf74 p4 #f1 l4 #d and l4 #af4 ,for 7p4 #c7 read 7p4 #a74 p4 #ea1 l4 #f4 ,for ,parg read ,burk or ,purg1 and correct the note accordingly4 ,see ,guy ,le ,strange1 ,the ,lands of the ,eastern ,caliphate1 p4 #bib4 p4 #ed1 l4 #bh4 ,for the infectious cankers of the age read the cankers which infect age after age4 p4 #he1 l4 #ai4 ,for 7sib al-qulb7 read 7il-qulb74 1 8sober10 is the antithesis of maghlb1 8enraptured40 p4 #abg1 l4 #ag4 ,for ,,al-,,in,k read ,,al-,,an,k4 p4 #acj1 l4 #bg4 ,although some writers give 8,abu l-asan0 as the kunya of ,nr1 the balance of authority is in favour of 8,abu l-usayn04 p4 #aca1 n4 #b4 ,add1 ,see ,goldziher in ,,zdmg41 #fa1 #ge ff41 and a passage in ,yqt's ,irshd al-,arb1 ed4 by ,margoliouth1 vol4 iii1 pt4 i1 #aec1 #c ff42 cited by ,goldziher in ,,jras4 for #aiaj1 p4 #hhh4 p4 #adj1 l4 #ai4 ,for ,,ab ,,mu,,ammad ,,abdall,h read ,,ab ,,abdall,h4 p4 #aee1 l4 #bf4 ,omit ,b4 before ,,dulaf4 p4 #afi1 l4 #a4 ,omit ,b4 before ,,al4 p4 #agc1 l4 #aa4 ,for ,pdshh-i read ,pdishh-i4 p4 #ahb1 l4 #bf4 ,shhmurgh is probably a mistake for siyh murgh1 8a blackbird40 ,cf4 my edition of the ,tadhkirat al-,awliy1 ii1 #bei1 #bc4 p4 #beg1 l4 #a4 ,for tal read tal4 p4 #cbc1 l4 #aj4 ,for ,mi read ,ma4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter4 ,,pages4 ,translator's ,preface xvii-xxiv ,author's ,introduction #a-i ,i4 ,on the ,affirmation of ,knowledge #aa-ah ,,ii4 ,on ,poverty #ai-bi ,,iii4 ,on fiism #cj-dd ,,iv4 ,on the ,wearing of ,patched ,frocks #de-eg ,v4 ,on the ,different ,opinions held concerning ,poverty #eh-fa and ,purity ,,vi4 ,on ,blame 7,malmat7 #fb-i ,,vii4 ,concerning their ,imms who belonged to the #gj-d ,companions ,,viii4 ,concerning their ,imms who belonged to the ,house #ge-hj of the ,prophet ,,ix4 ,concerning the ,people of the ,veranda 7,ahl-i #ha-b uffa7 ,x4 ,concerning their ,imms who belonged to the #hc-g ,followers 7al-,tbin7 ,,xi4 ,concerning their ,imms who lived subsequently to #hh-afj the ,followers down to our day ,,xii4 ,concerning the principal fs of recent times #afa-ga ,,xiii4 ,a brief account of the modern fs in different #agb-e countries ,,xiv4 ,concerning the ,doctrines held by the different #agf-bff sects of fs ,,xv4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,first ,veil3 ,concerning the #bfg-gg ,gnosis of ,god 7marifat ,allah7 ,,xvi4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,second ,veil3 ,concerning #bgh-he ,unification 7tawd7 ,,xvii4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,third ,veil3 ,concerning ,faith #bhf-ij ,,xviii4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,fourth ,veil3 ,concerning #bia-i ,purification from ,foulness ,,xix4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,fifth ,veil3 ,concerning #cjj-ac ,prayer 7al-alt7 ,,xx4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,sixth ,veil3 ,concerning ,alms #cad-ai 7al-zakt7 ,,xxi4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,seventh ,veil3 ,on ,fasting #cbj-e 7al-awm7 ,,xxii4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,eighth ,veil3 ,concerning the #cbf-cc ,pilgrimage ,,xxiii4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,ninth ,veil3 ,concerning #ccd-ff ,companionship1 together with its ,rules and ,principles ,,xxiv4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,tenth ,veil3 explaining their #cfg-ib phraseology and the definitions of their terms and the verities of the ideas which are signified ,,xxv4 ,the ,uncovering of the ,eleventh ,veil3 ,concerning #cic-dbj ,audition 7sam7 ,,preface4 ,this translation of the most ancient and celebrated ,persian treatise on fiism will1 ,i hope1 be found useful not only by the small number of students familiar with the subject at first hand1 but also by many readers who1 without being ,orientalists themselves1 are interested in the general history of mysticism and may wish to compare or contrast the diverse yet similar manifestations of the mystical spirit in ,christianity1 ,buddhism1 and ,islam4 ,the origin of fiism and its relation to these great religions cannot properly be considered here1 and ,i dismiss such questions the more readily because ,i intend to deal with them on another occasion4 ,it is now my duty to give some account of the author of the ,kashf al-,majb1 and to indicate the character of his work4 ,abu l-asan ,al b4 ,uthmn b4 ,al al-,ghaznaw al-,jullb al-,hujwr#a was a native of ,ghazna in ,afghanistan4#b ,of his life very little is known beyond what he relates incidentally in the ,kashf al-,majb4 ,he studied fiism under ,abu l-,fal ,muammad b4 al-asan al-,khuttal#c 7p4 #aff71 who was a pupil of ,abu l-asan al-ur 7ob4 #cga ,a4,h471 and under ,abu l-,abbs ,amad b4 ,muammad al-,ashqn or al-,shaqn#d 7p4 #afh74 ,he also received instruction from ,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn#e 7p4 #afi7 and ,khwja ,muaffar#f 7p4 #agj71 and he mentions a great number of ,shaykhs whom he had met and conversed with in the course of his wanderings4 ,he travelled far and wide through the ,muammadan empire from ,syria to ,turkistn and from the ,indus to the ,caspian ,sea4 ,among the countries and places which he visited were dharbyajn 7pp4 #eg and #daj71 the tomb of ,byazd at ,bism 7p4 #fh71 ,damascus1 ,ramla1 and ,bayt al-,jinn in ,syria 7pp4 #id1 #afg1 #cdc71 s and ,uzkand 7p4 #bcd71 the tomb of ,ab ,sad b4 ,abi l-,khayr at ,mihna 7p4 #bce71 ,merv 7p4 #dja71 and the ,jabal al-,buttam to the east of ,samarcand 7p4 #djg74 ,he seems to have settled for a time in ,irq1 where he ran deeply into debt 7p4 #cde74 ,it may be inferred from a passage on p4 #cfd that he had a short and unpleasant experience of married life4 ,finally1 according to the ,riy al-,awliy1 he went to reside at ,lahore and ended his days in that city4 ,his own statement1 however1 shows that he was taken there as a prisoner against his will 7p4 #ia71 and that in composing the ,kashf al-,majb he was inconvenienced by the loss of the books which he had left at ,ghazna4 ,the date of his death is given as #def ,a4,h4 7#ajfc-d ,a4,d47 or #dfd ,a4,h4 7#ajga-b ,a4,d471 but it is likely that he survived ,abu l-,qsim al-,qushayr1 who died in #dfe ,a4,h4 7#ajgb ,a4,d474 ,rieu's observation 7,cat4 of the ,persian ,,mss4 in the ,british ,museum1 i1 #cdc7 that the author classes ,qushayr with the fs who had passed away before the time at which he was writing1 is not quite accurate4 ,the author says 7p4 #afa73 8,some of those whom ,i shall mention in this chapter are already deceased1 and some are still living40 ,but of the ten fs in question only one1 namely1 ,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn1 is referred to in terms which leave no doubt that he was alive when the author wrote4 ,in the ,safnat al-,awliy1 ,no4 #ga1 it is stated that ,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn died in #dej ,a4,h4 ,if this date were correct1 the ,kashf al-,majb must have been written at least fifteen years before ,qushayr's death4 ,on the other hand1 my ,,ms4 of the ,shadhart al-,dhahab records the death of ,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn under the year #dfi ,a4,h41 a date which appears to me more probable1 and in that case the statement that the author survived ,qushayr may be accepted1 although the evidence on which it rests is mainly negative1 for we cannot lay much stress on the fact that ,qushayr's name is sometimes followed by the ,moslem equivalent for 8of blessed memory04 ,i conjecture1 then1 that the author died between #dfe and #dfi ,a4,h4#g ,his birth may be placed in the last decade of the tenth or the first decade of the eleventh century of our era1 and he must have been in the prime of youth when ,sultan ,mamd died in #dba ,a4,h4 7#ajcj ,a4,d474 ,the ,risla-i ,abdliyya1#h a fifteenth century treatise on the ,muammadan saints by ,yaqb b4 ,uthmn al-,ghaznaw1 contains an anecdote1 for which it would be hazardous to claim any historical value1 to the effect that al-,hujwr once argued in ,mamd's presence with an ,indian philosopher and utterly discomfited him by an exhibition of miraculous powers4 ,be that as it may1 he was venerated as a saint long after his death1 and his tomb at ,lahore was being visited by pilgrims when ,bakhtwar ,khn wrote the ,riy al-,awliy in the latter half of the seventeenth century4 ,footnote #a3 ,jullb and ,hujwr were two suburbs of ,ghazna4 ,evidently he resided for some time in each of them4 ,footnote #b3 ,notices occur in the ,nafat al-,uns1 ,no4 #cgg2 the ,safnat al-,awliy1 ,no4 #bih 7,eth's ,cat4 of the ,persian ,,mss4 in the ,library of the ,india ,office1 i1 col4 #cjd72 the ,riy al-,awliy1 ,or4 #agde1 f4 #adj;a 7,rieu's ,cat4 of the ,persian ,,mss4 in the ,british ,museum1 iii1 #ige74 ,in the khtimat al-ab on the last page of the ,lahore edition of the ,kashf al-,majb he is called arat-i ,dt ,ganj-bakhsh ,al al-,hujwr4 ,footnote #c3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #cgf4 ,through al-,khuttal1 al-ur1 and ,ab ,bakr al-,shibl the author of the ,kashf al-,majb is spiritually connected with ,junayd of ,baghdd 7ob4 #big ,a4,h474 ,footnote #d3 ,ibid41 ,no4 #cge4 ,the nisba ,shaqqn or ,shaqn is derived from ,shaqqn1 a village near ,nshpr4 ,footnote #e3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #cfg4 ,footnote #f3 ,ibid41 ,no4 #cfh4 ,footnote #g3 ,the date #dfe ,a4,h4 is given by zd in his biographical work on the famous men of ,balgrm1 entitled ,mathir al-,kirm4 ,footnote #h3 ,see ,eth's ,cat4 of the ,persian ,,mss4 in the ,india ,office ,library1 ,no4 #aggd 7#b74 ,the author of this treatise does not call al-,hujwr the brother of ,ab ,sad b4 ,abi l-,khayr1 as ,eth says1 but his spiritual brother 7birdar-i aqqat74 ,in the introduction to the ,kashf al-,majb al-,hujwr complains that two of his former works had been given to the public by persons who erased his name from the title-page1 and pretended that they themselves were the authors4 ,in order to guard against the repetition of this fraud1 he has inserted his own name in many passages of the present work4 ,his writings1 to which he has occasion to refer in the ,kashf al-,majb1 are-- #a4 ,a dwn 7p4 #b74 #b4 ,minhj al-dn1 on the method of fiism 7p4 #b74 ,it comprised a detailed account of the ,ahl-i uffa 7p4 #hj7 and a full biography of usayn b4 ,manr al-allj 7p4 #aec74 #c4 ,asrr al-khiraq wa l-mant1 on the patched frocks of the fs 7p4 #ef74 #d4 ,kitb-i fan baq1 composed 8in the vanity and rashness of youth0 7p4 #fj74 #e4 ,a work1 of which the title is not mentioned1 in explanation of the sayings of usayn b4 ,manr al-allj 7p4 #aec74 #f4 ,kitb al-bayn li-ahl al-iyn1 on union with ,god 7p4 #bei74 #g4 ,bar al-qulb 7p4 #bei74 #h4 ,al-,riyat li-uqq ,allah1 on the ,divine unity 7p4 #bhj74 #i4 ,a work1 of which the title is not mentioned1 on faith 7p4 #bhf74 ,none of these books has been preserved4 ,the ,kashf al-,majb1#i which belongs to the later years of the author's life1 and1 partly at any rate1 to the period of his residence in ,lahore1 was written in reply to certain questions addressed to him by a fellow-townsman1 ,ab ,sad al-,hujwr4 ,its object is to set forth a complete system of fiism1 not to put together a great number of sayings by different ,shaykhs1 but to discuss and expound the doctrines and practices of the fs4 ,the author's attitude throughout is that of a teacher instructing a pupil4 ,even the biographical section of the work 7pp4 #gj-age7 is largely expository4 ,before stating his own view the author generally examines the current opinions on the same topic and refutes them if necessary4 ,the discussion of mystical problems and controversies is enlivened by many illustrations drawn from his personal experience4 ,in this respect the ,kashf al-,majb is more interesting than the ,risla of ,qushayr1 which is so valuable as a collection of sayings1 anecdotes1 and definitions1 but which follows a somewhat formal and academic method on the orthodox lines4 ,no one can read the present work without detecting1 behind the scholastic terminology1 a truly ,persian flavour of philosophical speculation4 ,footnote #i3 ,its full title is ,kashf al-majb li-arbb al-qulb 7jj ,khalfa1 v1 #bae74 ,although he was a ,sunn and a anafite1 al-,hujwr1 like many fs before and after him1 managed to reconcile his theology with an advanced type of mysticism1 in which the theory of 8annihilation0 7fan7 holds a dominant place1 but he scarcely goes to such extreme lengths as would justify us in calling him a pantheist4 ,he strenuously resists and pronounces heretical the doctrine that human personality can be merged and extinguished in the being of ,god4 ,he compares annihilation to burning by fire1 which transmutes the quality of all things to its own quality1 but leaves their essence unchanged4 ,he agrees with his spiritual director1 al-,khuttal1 in adopting the theory of ,junayd that 8sobriety0 in the mystical acceptation of the term is preferable to 8intoxication04 ,he warns his readers often and emphatically that no fs1 not even those who have attained the highest degree of holiness1 are exempt from the obligation of obeying the religious law4 ,in other points1 such as the excitation of ecstasy by music and singing1 and the use of erotic symbolism in poetry1 his judgment is more or less cautious4 ,he defends al-allj from the charge of being a magician1 and asserts that his sayings are pantheistic only in appearance1 but condemns his doctrines as unsound4 ,it is clear that he is anxious to represent fiism as the true interpretation of ,islam1 and it is equally certain that the interpretation is incompatible with the text4#aj ,notwithstanding the homage which he pays to the ,prophet we cannot separate al-,hujwr1 as regards the essential principles of his teaching1 from his older and younger contemporaries1 ,ab ,sad b4 ,abi l-,khayr and ,abdallh ,anr4#aa ,these three mystics developed the distinctively ,persian theosophy which is revealed in full-blown splendour by ,fard al-dn ,ar and ,jall al-dn ,rm4 ,footnote #aj3 ,the author's view as to the worthlessness of outward forms of religion is expressed with striking boldness in his chapter on the ,pilgrimage 7pp4 #cbf-i74 ,footnote #aa3 ,many passages from the ,kashf al-,majb are quoted1 word for word1 in ,jm's ,nafat al-,uns1 which is a modernized and enlarged recension of ,abdallh ,anr's abaqt al-fiyya4 ,the most remarkable chapter in the ,kashf al-,majb is the fourteenth1 8,concerning the ,doctrines held by the different sects of fs10 in which the author enumerates twelve mystical schools and explains the special doctrine of each4#ab ,so far as ,i know1 he is the first writer to do this4 ,only one of the schools mentioned by him1 namely1 that of the ,malmats1 seems to be noticed in earlier books on fiism2 such brief references to the other schools as occur in later books1 for example in the ,tadhkirat al-,awliy1 are probably made on his authority4 ,the question may be asked1 8,did these schools really exist1 or were they invented by al-,hujwr in his desire to systematize the theory of fiism80 ,i see no adequate ground at present for the latter hypothesis1 which involves the assumption that al-,hujwr made precise statements that he must have known to be false4 ,it is very likely1 however1 that in his account of the special doctrines which he attributes to the founder of each school he has often expressed his own views upon the subject at issue and has confused them with the original doctrine4 ,the existence of these schools and doctrines1 though lacking further corroboration1#ac does not seem to me incredible2 on the contrary1 it accords with what happened in the case of the ,mutazilites and other ,muammadan schismatics4 ,certain doctrines were produced and elaborated by well-known ,shaykhs1 who published them in the form of tracts or were content to lecture on them until1 by a familiar process1 the new doctrine became the pre-eminent feature of a particular school4 ,other schools might then accept or reject it4 ,in some instances sharp controversy arose1 and the novel teaching gained so little approval that it was confined to the school of its author or was embraced only by a small minority of the f brotherhood4 ,more frequently it would1 in the course of time1 be drawn into the common stock and reduced to its proper level4 ,dr4 ,goldziher has observed that fiism cannot be regarded as a regularly organized sect within ,islam1 and that its dogmas cannot be compiled into a regular system4#ad ,that is perfectly true1 but after allowing for all divergences there remains a fairly definite body of doctrine which is held in common by fs of many different shades and is the result of gradual agglomeration from many different minds4 ,footnote #ab3 ,a summary of these doctrines will be found in the abstract of a paper on 8,the ,oldest ,persian ,manual of fiism0 which ,i read at ,oxford in #aijh 7,trans4 of the ,third ,international ,congress for the ,history of ,religions1 i1 #bic-g74 ,footnote #ac3 ,some of al-,hujwr's twelve sects reappear at a later epoch as orders of dervishes1 but the pedigree of those orders which trace their descent from ancient fs is usually fictitious4 ,footnote #ad3 ,,jras41 #aijd1 p4 #acj4 ,it is probable that oral tradition was the main source from which al-,hujwr derived the materials for his work4 ,of extant treatises on fiism he mentions by name only the ,kitb al-,luma by ,ab ,nar al-,sarrj1 who died in #cgg or #cgh ,a4,h4 ,this book is written in ,arabic and is the oldest specimen of its class4 ,through the kindness of ,mr4 ,a4 ,g4 ,ellis1 who has recently acquired the sole copy that is at present known to ,orientalists1 ,i have been able to verify the reading of a passage quoted by al-,hujwr 7p4 #cda71 and to assure myself that he was well acquainted with his predecessor's work4 ,the arrangement of the ,kashf al-,majb is partially based on that of the ,kitb al-,luma1 the two books resemble each other in their general plan1 and some details of the former are evidently borrowed from the latter4 ,al-,hujwr refers in his notice of ,marf al-,karkh 7p4 #aad7 to the biographies of fs compiled by ,ab ,abd al-,ramn al-,sulam and ,abu l-,qsim al-,qushayr4 ,although he does not give the titles1 he is presumably referring to ,sulam's abaqt ,al-fiyya and ,qushayr's ,risla4#ae ,the ,kashf al-,majb contains a ,persian rendering of some passages in the ,risla of ,qushayr1 with whom al-,hujwr seems to have been personally acquainted4 ,a citation from ,abdallh ,anr occurs on p4 #bf4 ,footnote #ae3 ,cf41 however1 p4 #aad1 note4 ,manuscripts of the ,kashf al-,majb are preserved in several ,european libraries4#af ,it has been lithographed at ,lahore1 and ,professor ,schukovski of ,st4 ,petersburg is now1 as ,i understand1 engaged in preparing a critical text4 ,the ,lahore edition is inaccurate1 especially in the spelling of names1 but most of its mistakes are easy to emend1 and the text agrees closely with two ,,mss4 in the ,library of the ,india ,office 7,nos4 #aggc and #aggd in ,eth's ,catalogue71 with which ,i have compared it4 ,i have also consulted a good ,,ms4 in the ,british ,museum 7,rieu's ,catalogue1 i1 #cdb74 ,the following abbreviations are used3 ,l4 to denote the ,lahore edition1 ,i4 to denote the ,india ,office ,,ms4 #aggc 7early seventeenth century71 ,j4 to denote the ,india ,office ,,ms4 #aggd 7late seventeenth century71 and ,b4 to denote the ,british ,museum ,,ms4 ,or4 #bai 7early seventeenth century74 ,in my translation ,i have1 of course1 corrected the ,lahore text where necessary4 ,while the doubtful passages are few in number1 there are1 ,i confess1 many places in which a considerable effort is required in order to grasp the author's meaning and follow his argument4 ,the logic of a ,persian f must sometimes appear to ,european readers curiously illogical4 ,other obstacles might have been removed by means of annotation1 but this expedient1 if adopted consistently1 would have swollen the volume to a formidable size4 ,footnote #af3 ,see ,eth's ,cat4 of the ,persian ,,mss4 in the ,india ,office ,library1 i1 col4 #igj1 where other ,,mss4 are mentioned1 and ,blochet1 ,cat4 des manuscrits persans de la ,bibliothque ,nationale1 i1 #bfa 7,no4 #dja74 ,the ,english version is nearly complete1 and nothing of importance has been omitted1 though ,i have not hesitated to abridge when opportunity offered4 ,arabists will remark an occasional discrepancy between the ,arabic sayings printed in italics and the translations accompanying them3 this is due to my having translated1 not the original ,arabic1 but the ,persian paraphrase given by al-,hujwr4 ,,reynold ,a4 ,,nicholson4 ,,kashf ,,al-,,ma,j,b4 ,,introduction4 ,,in ,,the ,,name ,,of ,,god1 ,,the ,,merciful1 ,,the ,,compassionate4 ,o ,lord1 bestow on us mercy from ,thyself and provide for us a right course of action6 ,praise be to ,god1 who hath revealed the secrets of ,his kingdom to ,his ,saints1 and hath disclosed the mysteries of ,his power to ,his intimates1 and hath shed the blood of ,lovers with the sword of ,his glory1 and hath let the hearts of ,gnostics taste the joy of ,his communion6 ,he it is that bringeth dead hearts to life by the radiance of the perception of ,his eternity and ,his majesty1 and reanimates them with the comforting spirit of knowledge by divulging ,his ,names4 ,and peace be upon ,his ,apostle1 ,muammad1 and his family and his companions and his wives6 ,al b4 ,uthmn b4 ,al al-,jullb al-,ghaznaw al-,hujwr 7may ,god be well pleased with him67 says as follows3-- ,i have asked ,god's blessing1 and have cleared my heart of motives related to self1 and have set to work in accordance with your invitation--may ,god make you happy6--and have firmly resolved to fulfil all your wishes by means of this book4 ,i have entitled it 8,the ,revelation of ,the ,mystery04 ,knowing what you desire1 ,i have arranged the book in divisions suitable to your purpose4 ,now ,i pray ,god to aid and prosper me in its completion1 and ,i divest myself of my own strength and ability in word and deed4 ,it is ,god that gives success4 ,,section4 ,two considerations have impelled me to put my name at the beginning of the book3 one particular1 the other general4#ag ,as regards the latter1 when persons ignorant of this science see a new book1 in which the author's name is not set down in several places1 they attribute his work to themselves1 and thus the author's aim is defeated1 since books are compiled1 composed1 and written only to the end that the author's name may be kept alive and that readers and students may pronounce a blessing on him4 ,this misfortune has already befallen me twice4 ,a certain individual borrowed my poetical works1 of which there was no other copy1 and retained the manuscript in his possession1 and circulated it1 and struck out my name which stood at its head1 and caused all my labour to be lost4 ,may ,god forgive him6 ,i also composed another book1 entitled 8,the ,highway of ,religion0 7,minhj al-,dn71 on the method of fiism--may ,god make it flourish6 ,a shallow pretender1 whose words carry no weight1 erased my name from the title page and gave out to the public that he was the author1 notwithstanding that connoisseurs laughed at his assertion4 ,god1 however1 brought home to him the unblessedness of this act and erased his name from the register of those who seek to enter the ,divine portal4 ,footnote #ag3 ,the author's meaning appears to be that one consideration has a special reference to connoisseurs and competent persons1 while the other has a general reference to the public at large4 ,as regards the particular consideration1 when people see a book1 and know that its author is skilled in the branch of science of which it treats1 and is thoroughly versed therein1 they judge its merits more fairly and apply themselves more seriously to read and remember it1 so that both author and reader are better satisfied4 ,the truth is best known to ,god4 ,,section4 ,in using the words 8,i have asked ,god's blessing0 7p4 #c71 ,i wished to observe the respect due to ,god1 who said to ,his ,apostle3 8,when you read the ,koran1 take refuge with ,god from the stoned ,devil0 7,kor4 xvi1 #ajj74 8,to ask blessing0 means 8to commit all one's affairs to ,god and to be saved from the various sorts of contamination04 ,the ,prophet used to teach his followers to ask a blessing 7istikhrat7 just as he taught them the ,koran4 ,when a man recognizes that his welfare does not depend on his own effort and foresight1 but that every good and evil that happens to him is decreed by ,god1 who knows best what is salutary for him1 he cannot do otherwise than surrender himself to ,destiny and implore ,god to deliver him from the wickedness of his own soul4 ,,section4 ,as to the words 8,i have cleared my heart of all motives related to self0 7p4 #c71 no blessing arises from anything in which selfish interest has a part4 ,if the selfish man succeeds in his purpose1 it brings him to perdition1 for 8the accomplishment of a selfish purpose is the key of ,hell02 and if he fails1 he will nevertheless have removed from his heart the means of gaining salvation1 for 8resistance to selfish promptings is the key of ,paradise01 as ,god hath said3 8,whoso refrains his soul from lust1 verily ,paradise shall be his abode0 7,kor4 lxxix1 #dj-a74 ,people act from selfish motives when they desire aught except to please ,god and to escape from ,divine punishment4 ,in fine1 the follies of the soul have no limit and its manuvres are hidden from sight4 ,if ,god will1 a chapter on this subject will be found at its proper place in the present book4 ,,section4 ,now as to the words 8,i have set to work in accordance with your invitation1 and have firmly resolved to fulfil all your wishes by means of this book0 7p4 #c71 since you thought me worthy of being asked to write this book for your instruction1 it was incumbent on me to comply with your request4 ,accordingly it behoved me to make an unconditional resolution that ,i would carry out my undertaking completely4 ,when anyone begins an enterprise with the intention of finishing it1 he may be excused if imperfections appear in his work2 and for this reason the ,prophet said3 8,the believer's intention is better than his performance40 ,great is the power of intention1 through which a man advances from one category to another without any external change4 ,for example1 if anyone endures hunger for a while without having intended to fast1 he gets no recompense 7thawb7 for it in the next world2 but if he forms in his heart the intention of fasting1 he becomes one of the favourites of ,god 7muqarrabn74 ,again1 a traveller who stays for a time in a city does not become a resident until he has formed the intention to reside there4 ,a good intention1 therefore1 is preliminary to the due performance of every act4 ,,section4 ,when ,i said that ,i had called this book 8,the ,revelation of the ,mystery0 7p4 #c71 my object was that the title of the book should proclaim its contents to persons of insight4 ,you must know that all mankind are veiled from the subtlety of spiritual truth except ,god's saints and ,his chosen friends2 and inasmuch as this book is an elucidation of the ,way of ,truth1 and an explanation of mystical sayings1 and an uplifting of the veil of mortality1 no other title is appropriate to it4 ,essentially1 unveiling 7kashf7 is destruction of the veiled object1 just as the veil destroys revelation 7mukshafat71 and just as1 for instance1 one who is near cannot bear to be far1 and one who is far cannot bear to be near2 or as an animal which is generated from vinegar dies when it falls into any other substance1 while those animals which are generated from other substances perish if they are put in vinegar4 ,the spiritual path is hard to travel except for those who were created for that purpose4 ,the ,prophet said3 8,everyone finds easy that for which he was created40 ,there are two veils3 one is the 8veil of covering0 7ijb-i rayn71 which can never be removed1 and the other is the 8veil of clouding0 7ijb-i ghayn71 which is quickly removed4 ,the explanation is as follows3 one man is veiled from the ,truth by his essence 7dht71 so that in his view truth and falsehood are the same4 ,another man is veiled from the ,truth by his attributes 7ifat71 so that his nature and heart continually seek the ,truth and flee from falsehood4 ,therefore the veil of essence1 which is that of 8covering0 7rayn71 is never removed4 ,rayn is synonymous with khatin 7sealing7 and ab 7imprinting74 ,thus ,god hath said3 8,by no means3 but their deeds have spread a covering 7rna7 over their hearts0 7,kor4 lxxxiii1 #ad72 then ,he made the sense of this manifest and said3 8,verily it is all one to the unbelievers whether thou warnest them or no2 they will not believe0 7,kor4 ii1 #e72 then he explained the cause thereof1 saying3 8,god hath sealed up their hearts0 7,kor4 ii1 #f74 ,but the veil of attributes1 which is that of 8clouding0 7ghayn71 may be removed at times1 for essence does not admit of alteration1 but the alteration of attributes is possible4 ,the f ,shaykhs have given many subtle hints on the subject of rayn and ghayn4 ,junayd said3 ,al-rayn min jumlat al-waant wa l-ghayn min jumlat al-khaart1 8,rayn belongs to the class of abiding things and ghayn to the class of transient things40 ,waan is permanent and khaar is adventitious4 ,for example1 it is impossible to make a mirror out of a stone1 though many polishers assemble to try their skill on it1 but a rusty mirror can be made bright by polishing2 darkness is innate in the stone1 and brightness is innate in the mirror2 since the essence is permanent1 the temporary attribute does not endure4 ,accordingly1 ,i have composed this book for polishers of hearts which are infected by the veil of 8clouding0 but in which the substance of the light of the ,truth is existent1 in order that the veil may be lifted from them by the blessing of reading it1 and that they may find their way to spiritual reality4 ,those whose being is compounded of denial of the truth and perpetration of falsehood will never find their way thither1 and this book will be of no use to them4 ,,section4 ,now with reference to my words 8knowing what you desire1 ,i have arranged the book in divisions suitable to your purpose0 7p4 #c71 a questioner cannot be satisfied until he makes his want known to the person whom he interrogates4 ,a question presupposes a difficulty1 and a difficulty is insoluble until its nature is ascertained4 ,furthermore1 to answer a question in general terms is only possible when he who asks it has full knowledge of its various departments and corollaries1 but with a beginner one needs to go into detail1 and offer diverse explanations and definitions2 and in this case especially1 seeing that you--,god grant you happiness6--desired me to answer your questions in detail and write a book on the matter4 ,,section4 ,i said1 8,i pray ,god to aid and prosper me0 7p4 #c71 because ,god alone can help a man to do good deeds4 ,when ,god assists anyone to perform acts deserving recompense1 this is truly 8success given by ,god0 7tawfq74 ,the ,koran and the ,sunna attest the genuineness of tawfq1 and the whole ,moslem community are unanimous therein1 except some ,mutazilites and ,qadarites1 who assert that the expression tawfq is void of meaning4 ,certain f ,shaykhs have said1 ,al-tawfq huwa l-qudrat ala l-at inda l-istiml1 8,when a man is obedient to ,god he receives from ,god increased strength40 ,in short1 all human action and inaction is the act and creation of ,god3 therefore the strength whereby a man renders obedience to ,god is called tawfq4 ,the discussion of this topic1 however1 would be out of place here4 ,please ,god1 ,i will now return to the task which you have proposed1 but before entering on it ,i will set down your question in its exact form4 ,,section4 ,the questioner1 ,ab ,sad al-,hujwr1 said3 8,explain to me the true meaning of the ,path of fiism and the nature of the #8stations' 7maqmt7 of the fs1 and explain their doctrines and sayings1 and make clear to me their mystical allegories1 and the nature of ,divine ,love and how it is manifested in human hearts1 and why the intellect is unable to reach the essence thereof1 and why the soul recoils from the reality thereof1 and why the spirit is lulled in the purity thereof2 and explain the practical aspects of fiism which are connected with these theories40 ,,answer4 ,the person questioned1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb al-,hujwr--may ,god have mercy on him6--says3-- ,know that in this our time the science of fiism is obsolete1 especially in this country4 ,the whole people is occupied with following its lusts and has turned its back on the path of quietism 7ri71 while the ulam and those who pretend to learning have formed a conception of fiism which is quite contrary to its fundamental principles4 ,high and low alike are content with empty professions3 blind conformity has taken the place of spiritual enthusiasm4 ,the vulgar say1 8,we know ,god10 and the elect1 satisfied if they feel in their hearts a longing for the next world1 say1 8,this desire is vision and ardent love40 ,everyone makes pretensions1 none attains to reality4 ,the disciples1 neglecting their ascetic practices1 indulge in idle thoughts1 which they call 8contemplation04 ,i myself 7the author proceeds7 have already written several books on fiism1 but all to no purpose4 ,some false pretenders picked out passages here and there in order to deceive the public1 while they erased and destroyed the rest2 others did not mutilate the books1 but left them unread2 others read them1 but did not comprehend their meaning1 so they copied the text and committed it to memory and said3 8,we can discourse on mystical science40 ,nowadays true spiritualism is as rare as the ,philosopher's ,stone 7kibrt-i amar72 for it is natural to seek the medicine that fits the disease1 and nobody wants to mix pearls and coral with common remedies like shalth#ah and daw al-misk4#ai ,in time past the works of eminent fs1 falling into the hands of those who could not appreciate them1 have been used to make lining for caps or binding for the poems of ,ab ,nuws and the pleasantries of ,ji4 ,the royal falcon is sure to get its wings clipped when it perches on the wall of an old woman's cottage4 ,our contemporaries give the name of 8law0 to their lusts1 pride and ambition they call 8honour and learning01 hypocrisy towards men 8fear of ,god01 concealment of anger 8clemency01 disputation 8discussion01 wrangling and foolishness 8dignity01 insincerity 8renunciation01 cupidity 8devotion to ,god01 their own senseless fancies 8divine knowledge01 the motions of the heart and affections of the animal soul 8divine love01 heresy 8poverty01 scepticism 8purity01 disbelief in positive religion 7zandaqa7 8self-annihilation01 neglect of the ,law of the ,prophet 8the mystic ,path01 evil communication with time-servers 8exercise of piety04 ,as ,ab ,bakr al-,wsi said3 8,we are afflicted with a time in which there are neither the religious duties of ,islam nor the morals of ,paganism nor the virtues of ,chivalry0 7alm-i dhawi l-uruwwa74 ,and ,mutanabb says to the same effect3--#bj 8,god curse this world6 ,what a vile place for any camel-rider to alight in6 ,for here the man of lofty spirit is always tormented40 ,footnote #ah3 ,an electuary used as a remedy for paralysis of the tongue or mouth4 ,footnote #ai3 ,see ,dozy1 ,supplment1 under daw4 ,footnote #bj3 ,mutanabb1 ed4 by ,dieterici1 p4 #ffb1 l4 #d from foot4 ,,section4 ,know that ,i have found this universe an abode of ,divine mysteries1 which are deposited in created things4 ,substances accidents1 elements1 bodies1 forms1 and properties--all these are veils of ,divine mysteries4 ,from the standpoint of ,unification 7tawd7 it is polytheism to assert that any such veils exist1 but in this world everything is veiled1 by its being1 from ,unification1 and the spirit is held captive by admixture and association with phenomenal being4 ,hence the intellect can hardly comprehend those ,divine mysteries1 and the spirit can but dimly perceive the marvels of nearness to ,god4 ,man1 enamoured of his gross environment1 remains sunk in ignorance and apathy1 making no attempt to cast off the veil that has fallen upon him4 ,blind to the beauty of ,oneness1 he turns away from ,god to seek the vanities of this world and allows his appetites to domineer over his reason1 notwithstanding that the animal soul1 which the ,koran 7xii1 #ec7 describes as 8commanding to evil0 7ammratun bi l-s71 is the greatest of all veils between ,god and ,man4 ,now ,i will begin and explain to you1 fully and lucidly1 what you wish to know concerning the 8stations0 and the 8veils01 and ,i will interpret the expressions of the technicologists 7ahl-i ani71 and add thereto some sayings of the ,shaykhs and anecdotes about them1 in order that your object may be accomplished and that any learned doctors of law or others who look into this work may recognize that the ,path of fiism has a firm root and a fruitful branch1 since all the f ,shaykhs have been possessed of knowledge and have encouraged their disciples to acquire knowledge and to persevere in doing so4 ,they have never been addicted to frivolity and levity4 ,many of them have composed treatises on the method of fiism which clearly prove that their minds were filled with divine thoughts4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,on ,,the ,,affirmation ,,of ,,knowledge4 ,god hath said1 describing the savants 7ulam73 8,of those who serve ,god only the savants fear ,him0 7,kor4 xxxv1 #be74 ,the ,prophet said3 8,to seek knowledge is obligatory on every ,moslem man and woman20 and he said also3 8,seek knowledge even in ,china40 ,knowledge is immense and life is short3 therefore it is not obligatory to learn all the sciences1 such as ,astronomy and ,medicine1 and ,arithmetic1 etc41 but only so much of each as bears upon the religious law3 enough astronomy to know the times 7of prayer7 in the night1 enough medicine to abstain from what is injurious1 enough arithmetic to understand the division of inheritances and to calculate the duration of the idda1#ba etc4 ,knowledge is obligatory only in so far as is requisite for acting rightly4 ,god condemns those who learn useless knowledge 7,kor4 ii1 #if71 and the ,prophet said3 8,i take refuge with ,thee from knowledge that profiteth naught40 ,much may be done by means of a little knowledge1 and knowledge should not be separated from action4 ,the ,prophet said3 8,the devotee without divinity is like a donkey turning a mill10 because the donkey goes round and round over its own tracks and never makes any advance4 ,some regard knowledge as superior to action1 while others put action first1 but both parties are wrong4 ,unless action is combined with knowledge1 it is not deserving of recompense4 ,prayer1 for instance1 is not really prayer1 unless performed with knowledge of the principles of purification and those which concern the qibla1#bb and with knowledge of the nature of intention4 ,similarly1 knowledge without action is not knowledge4 ,learning and committing to memory are acts for which a man is rewarded in the next world2 if he gained knowledge without action and acquisition on his part1 he would get no reward4 ,hence two classes of men fall into error3 firstly1 those who claim knowledge for the sake of public reputation but are unable to practise it1 and in reality have not attained it2 and secondly1 those who pretend that practice suffices and that knowledge is unnecessary4 ,it is told of ,ibrhm b4 ,adham that he saw a stone on which was written1 8,turn me over and read60 ,he obeyed1 and found this inscription3 8,thou dost not practise what thou knowest2 why1 then1 dost thou seek what thou knowest not80 nas b4 ,mlik says3 8,the wise aspire to know1 the foolish to relate40 ,he who uses his knowledge as a means of winning power and honour and wealth is no savant4 ,the highest pinnacle of knowledge is expressed in the fact that without it none can know ,god4 ,footnote #ba3 ,the period within which a woman1 who has been divorced or whose husband has died1 may not marry again4 ,footnote #bb3 ,the point to which a ,moslem turns his face when worshipping1 viz4 the ,kaba4 ,,section4 ,knowledge is of two kinds3 ,divine and ,human4 ,the latter is worthless in comparison with the former1 because ,god's knowledge is an attribute of ,himself1 subsisting in ,him1 whose attributes are infinite2 whereas our knowledge is an attribute of ourselves1 subsisting in us1 whose attributes are finite4 ,knowledge has been defined as 8comprehension and investigation of the object known01 but the best definition of it is this3 8,a quality whereby the ignorant are made wise40 ,god's knowledge is that by which ,he knows all things existent and non-existent3 ,he does not share it with ,man3 it is not capable of division nor separable from ,himself4 ,the proof of it lies in the disposition of ,his actions 7tartb-i filash71 since action demands knowledge in the agent as an indispensable condition4 ,the ,divine knowledge penetrates what is hidden and comprehends what is manifest4 ,it behoves the seeker to ,contemplate ,god in every act1 knowing that ,god sees him and all that he does4 ,story4 ,they relate that a leading man in ,bara went to his garden4 ,by chance his eye fell upon the beautiful wife of his gardener4 ,he sent the fellow away on some business and said to the woman3 8,shut the gates40 ,she replied3 8,i have shut them all except one1 which ,i cannot shut40 ,he asked3 8,which one is that80 8,the gate10 said she1 8that is between us and ,god40 ,on receiving this answer the man repented and begged to be forgiven4 tim al-,aamm said3 8,i have chosen four things to know1 and have discarded all the knowledge in the world besides40 ,he was asked3 8,what are they80 8,one10 he answered1 8is this3 ,i know that my daily bread is apportioned to me1 and will neither be increased nor diminished2 consequently ,i have ceased to seek to augment it4 ,secondly1 ,i know that ,i owe to ,god a debt which no other person can pay instead of me2 therefore ,i am occupied with paying it4 ,thirdly1 ,i know that there is one pursuing me 7i4e4 ,death7 from whom ,i cannot escape2 accordingly ,i have prepared myself to meet him4 ,fourthly1 ,i know that ,god is observing me2 therefore ,i am ashamed to do what ,i ought not40 ,,section4 ,the object of human knowledge should be to know ,god and ,his ,commandments4 ,knowledge of 8time0 7ilm-i waqt7#bc1 and of all outward and inward circumstances of which the due effect depends on 8time01 is incumbent upon everyone4 ,this is of two sorts3 primary and secondary4 ,the external division of the primary class consists in making the ,moslem's profession of faith1 the internal division consists in the attainment of true cognition4 ,the external division of the secondary class consists in the practice of devotion1 the internal division consists in rendering one's intention sincere4 ,the outward and inward aspects cannot be divorced4 ,the exoteric aspect of ,truth without the esoteric is hypocrisy1 and the esoteric without the exoteric is heresy4 ,so1 with regard to the ,law1 mere formality is defective1 while mere spirituality is vain4 ,footnote #bc3 8,time0 7waqt7 is used by ,muammadan mystics to denote the spiritual state in which anyone finds himself1 and by which he is dominated at the moment4 ,the expression ilm-i waqt occurs again in the notice of ,ab ,sulaymn al-,drn 7chapter x1 ,no4 #ag71 where waqt is explained as meaning 8the preservation of one's spiritual state04 ,according to a definition given by ,sahl b4 ,abdallah al-,tustar1 waqt is 8search for knowledge of the state1 i4e4 the decision 7ukm7 of a man's state1 which exists between him and ,god in this world and hereafter04 ,the ,knowledge of the ,truth 7aqqat7 has three pillars-- 7#a7 ,knowledge of the ,essence and ,unity of ,god4 7#b7 ,knowledge of the ,attributes of ,god4 7#c7 ,knowledge of the ,actions and ,wisdom of ,god4 ,the ,knowledge of the ,law 7,sharat7 also has three pillars-- 7#a7 ,the ,koran4 7#b7 ,the ,sunna4 7#c7 ,the ,consensus 7ijm7 of the ,moslem community4 ,knowledge of the ,divine ,essence involves recognition1 on the part of one who is reasonable and has reached puberty1 that ,god exists externally by ,his essence1 that ,he is infinite and not bounded by space1 that ,his essence is not the cause of evil1 that none of ,his creatures is like unto ,him1 that ,he has neither wife nor child1 and that ,he is the ,creator and ,sustainer of all that your imagination and intellect can conceive4 ,knowledge of the ,divine ,attributes requires you to know that ,god has attributes existing in ,himself1 which are not ,he nor a part of ,him1 but exist in ,him and subsist by ,him1 e4g4 ,knowledge1 ,power1 ,life1 ,will1 ,hearing1 ,sight1 ,speech1 etc4 ,knowledge of the ,divine ,actions is your knowledge that ,god is the ,creator of mankind and of all their actions1 that ,he brought the non-existent universe into being1 that ,he predestines good and evil and creates all that is beneficial and injurious4 ,knowledge of the ,law involves your knowing that ,god has sent us ,apostles with miracles of an extraordinary nature2 that our ,apostle1 ,muammad 7on whom be peace671 is a true ,messenger1 who performed many miracles1 and that whatever he has told us concerning the ,unseen and the ,visible is entirely true4 ,,section4 ,there is a sect of heretics called ,sophists 7,sfisiyn71 who believe that nothing can be known and that knowledge itself does not exist4 ,i say to them3 8,you think that nothing can be known2 is your opinion correct or not80 ,if they answer 8,it is correct01 they thereby affirm the reality of knowledge2 and if they reply 8,it is not correct01 then to argue against an avowedly incorrect assertion is absurd4 ,the same doctrine is held by a sect of heretics who are connected with fiism4 ,they say that1 inasmuch as nothing is knowable1 their negation of knowledge is more perfect than the affirmation of it4 ,this statement proceeds from their folly and stupidity4 ,the negation of knowledge must be the result either of knowledge or of ignorance4 ,now it is impossible for knowledge to deny knowledge2 therefore knowledge cannot be denied except by ignorance1 which is nearly akin to infidelity and falsehood2 for there is no connexion between ignorance and truth4 ,the doctrine in question is opposed to that of all the f ,shaykhs1 but is commonly attributed to the fs in general by people who have heard it and embraced it4 ,i commit them to ,god1 with ,whom it rests whether they shall continue in their error4 ,if religion takes hold of them1 they will behave more discreetly and will not misjudge the ,friends of ,god in this way and will look more anxiously to what concerns themselves4 ,although some heretics claim to be fs in order to conceal their own foulness under the beauty of others1 why should it be supposed that all fis are like these pretenders1 and that it is right to treat them all with disdain and contumely8 ,an individual who wished to pass for learned and orthodox1 but really was devoid of knowledge and religion1 once said to me in the course of debate3 8,there are twelve heretical sects1 and one of them flourishes amongst those who profess fiism0 7mutaawwifa74 ,i replied3 8,if one sect belongs to us1 eleven belong to you2 and the fs can protect themselves from one better than you can from eleven40 ,all this heresy springs from the corruption and degeneracy of the times1 but ,god has always kept ,his ,saints hidden from the multitude and apart from the ungodly4 ,well said that eminent spiritual guide1 ,al b4 ,bundr al-ayraf#bd3 8,the depravity of men's hearts is in proportion to the depravity of the age40 ,now in the following section ,i will cite some sayings of the fs as an admonition to those sceptics towards whom ,god is favourably inclined4 ,footnote #bd3 ,a famous f of ,nshpr1 who died in #cei ,a4,h4 7,nafat1 ,no4 #aah74 ,,section4 ,muammad b4 ,fal al-,balkh says3 8,knowledge is of three kinds--from ,god1 with ,god1 and of ,god40 ,knowledge of ,god is the science of ,gnosis 7ilm-i marifat71 whereby ,he is known to all ,his prophets and saints4 ,it cannot be acquired by ordinary means1 but is the result of ,divine guidance and information4 ,knowledge from ,god is the science of the ,sacred ,law 7ilm-i sharat71 which ,he has commanded and made obligatory upon us4 ,knowledge with ,god is the science of the 8stations0 and the 8,path0 and the degrees of the saints4 ,gnosis is unsound without acceptance of the ,law1 and the ,law is not practised rightly unless the 8stations0 are manifested4 ,ab ,al ,thaqaf#be says3 ,al-ilm ayt al-qalb min al-jahl wa-nr al-ayn min al-ulmat1 8,knowledge is the life of the heart1 which delivers it from the death of ignorance3 it is the light of the eye of faith1 which saves it from the darkness of infidelity40 ,the hearts of infidels are dead1 because they are ignorant of ,god1 and the hearts of the heedless are sick1 because they are ignorant of ,his ,commandments4 ,ab ,bakr ,warrq of ,tirmidh says3 8,those who are satisfied with disputation 7kalm7 about knowledge and do not practise asceticism 7zuhd7 become zindqs 7heretics72 and those who are satisfied with jurisprudence 7fiqh7 and do not practise abstinence 7wara7become wicked40 ,this means that ,unification 7tawd71 without works1 is predestination 7jabr71 whereas the assertor of ,unification ought to hold the doctrine of predestination but to act as though he believed in free will1 taking a middle course between free will and predestination4 ,such is the true sense of another saying uttered by the same spiritual guide1 viz43 8,unification is below predestination and above free will40 ,footnote #be3 ,also a native of ,nshpr4 ,he died in #cbh ,a4,h4 7,nafat1 ,no4 #bdh74 ,lack of positive religion and of morality arises from heedlessness 7ghaflat74 ,well said that great master1 ,yay b4 ,mudh al-,rz3 8,avoid the society of three classes of men--heedless savants1 hypocritical ,koran-readers1 and ignorant pretenders to fiism40 ,the heedless savants are they who have set their hearts on worldly gain and paid court to governors and tyrants1 and have been seduced by their own cleverness to spend their time in subtle disputations1 and have attacked the leading authorities on religion4 ,the hypocritical ,koran-readers are they who praise whatever is done in accordance with their desire1 even if it is bad1 and blame whatever they dislike1 even if it is good3 they seek to ingratiate themselves with the people by acting hypocritically4 ,the ignorant pretenders to fiism are they who have never associated with a spiritual director 7pr71 nor learned discipline from a shaykh1 but without any experience have thrown themselves among the people1 and have donned a blue mantle 7kabd71 and have trodden the path of unrestraint4 ,ab ,yazd ,bism says3 8,i strove in the spiritual combat for thirty years1 and ,i found nothing harder to me than knowledge and its pursuit40 ,it is more easy for human nature to walk on fire than to follow the road of knowledge1 and an ignorant heart will more readily cross the ,bridge 7ir7 a thousand times than learn a single piece of knowledge2 and the wicked man would rather pitch his tent in ,hell than put one item of knowledge into practice4 ,accordingly you must learn knowledge and seek perfection therein4 ,the perfection of human knowledge is ignorance of ,divine knowledge4 ,you must know enough to know that you do not know4 ,that is to say1 human knowledge is alone possible to ,man1 and humanity is the greatest barrier that separates him from ,divinity4 ,as the poet says3-- ,al-ajzu an daraki l-idrki idrku ,wa l-waqfu f uruqi l-akhyri ishrku4 8,true perception is to despair of attaining perception1 ,but not to advance on the paths of the virtuous is polytheism40 ,he who will not learn and perseveres in his ignorance is a polytheist1 but to the learner1 when his knowledge becomes perfect1 the reality is revealed1 and he perceives that his knowledge is no more than inability to know what his end shall be1 since realities are not affected by the names bestowed upon them4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,on ,,poverty4 ,know that ,poverty has a high rank in the ,way of ,truth1 and that the poor are greatly esteemed1 as ,god said3 87,give alms7 unto the poor1 who are kept fighting in ,god's cause and cannot go to and fro on the earth2 whom the ignorant deem rich forasmuch as they refrain 7from begging740#bf ,and again3 8,their sides are lifted from their beds while they call on their ,lord in fear and hope0 7,kor4 xxxii1 #af74 ,moreover1 the ,prophet chose poverty and said3 8,o ,god1 make me live lowly and die lowly and rise from the dead amongst the lowly60 ,and he also said3 8,on the day of ,resurrection ,god will say1 #8,bring ye ,my loved ones nigh unto ,me2' then the angels will say1 #8,who are ,thy loved ones8' and ,god will answer them1 saying1 #8,the poor and destitute4'0 ,there are many verses of the ,koran and ,traditions to the same effect1 which on account of their celebrity need not be mentioned here4 ,among the ,refugees 7,muhjirn7 in the ,prophet's time were poor men 7fuqar7 who sat in his mosque and devoted themselves to the worship of ,god1 and firmly believed that ,god would give them their daily bread1 and put their trust 7tawakkul7 in ,him4 ,the ,prophet was enjoined to consort with them and take due care of them2 for ,god said3 8,do not repulse those who call on their ,lord in the morning and in the evening1 desiring ,his favour0 7,kor4 vi1 #eb74 ,hence1 whenever the ,prophet saw one of them1 he used to say3 8,may my father and mother be your sacrifice6 since it was for your sakes that ,god reproached me40 ,footnote #bf3 ,kor4 ii1 #bgd4 ,god1 therefore1 has exalted ,poverty and has made it a special distinction of the poor1 who have renounced all things external and internal1 and have turned entirely to the ,causer2 whose poverty has become their pride1 so that they lamented its going and rejoiced at its coming1 and embraced it and deemed all else contemptible4 ,now1 ,poverty has a form 7rasm7 and an essence 7aqqat74 ,its form is destitution and indigence1 but its essence is fortune and free choice4 ,he who regards the form rests in the form and1 failing to attain his object1 flees from the essence2 but he who has found the essence averts his gaze from all created things1 and1 in complete annihilation1 seeing only the ,all-,one he hastens towards the fullness of eternal life 7ba-fan-yi kull andar ruyat-i kull ba-baq-yi kull shitft74 ,the poor man 7faqr7 has nothing and can suffer no loss4 ,he does not become rich by having anything1 nor indigent by having nothing3 both these conditions are alike to him in respect of his poverty4 ,it is permitted that he should be more joyful when he has nothing1 for the ,shaykhs have said3 8,the more straitened one is in circumstances1 the more expansive 7cheerful and happy7 is one's 7spiritual7 state10 because it is unlucky for a dervish to have property3 if he 8imprisons0 anything 7dar band kunad7 for his own use1 he himself is 8imprisoned0 in the same proportion4 ,the friends of ,god live by means of ,his secret bounties4 ,worldly wealth holds them back from the path of quietism 7ri74 ,story4 ,a dervish met a king4 ,the king said3 8,ask a boon of me40 ,the dervish replied3 8,i will not ask a boon from one of my slaves40 8,how is that80 said the king4 ,the dervish said3 8,i have two slaves who are thy masters3 covetousness and expectation40 ,the ,prophet said3 8,poverty is glorious to those who are worthy of it40 ,its glory consists in this1 that the poor man's body is divinely preserved from base and sinful acts1 and his heart from evil and contaminating thoughts1 because his outward parts are absorbed in 7contemplation of7 the manifest blessings of ,god1 while his inward parts are protected by invisible grace1 so that his body is spiritual 7rn7 and his heart divine 7rabbn74 ,then no relation subsists between him and mankind3 this world and the next weigh less than a gnat's wing in the scales of his poverty3 he is not contained in the two worlds for a single moment4 ,,section4 ,the f ,shaykhs differ in opinion as to whether poverty or wealth is superior1 both being regarded as human attributes2 for true wealth 7ghin7 belongs to ,god1 who is perfect in all ,his attributes4 ,yay b4 ,mudh al-,rz1 ,amad b4 ,abi l-awr1 rith al-,musib1 ,abu l-,abbs b4 ,a1 ,ruwaym1 ,abu l-asan b4 ,simn1#bg and among the moderns the ,grand ,shaykh ,ab ,sad ,falallah b4 ,muammad al-,mayhan1 all hold the view that wealth is superior to poverty4 ,they argue that wealth is an attribute of ,god1 whereas poverty cannot be ascribed to ,him3 therefore an attribute common to ,god and ,man is superior to one that is not applicable to ,god4 ,i answer3 8,this community of designation is merely nominal1 and has no existence in reality3 real community involves mutual resemblance1 but the ,divine attributes are eternal and the human attributes are created2 hence your proof is false40 ,i1 who am ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 declare that wealth is a term that may fitly be applied to ,god1 but one to which ,man has no right2 while poverty is a term that may properly be applied to ,man1 but not to ,god4 ,metaphorically a man is called 8rich01 but he is not really so4 ,again1 to give a clearer proof1 human wealth is an effect due to various causes1 whereas the wealth of ,god1 who ,himself is the ,author of all causes1 is not due to any cause4 ,therefore there is no community in regard to this attribute4 ,it is not allowable to associate anything with ,god either in essence1 attribute1 or name4 ,the wealth of ,god consists in ,his independence of anyone and in ,his power to do whatsoever ,he wills3 such ,he has always been and such ,he shall be for ever4 ,man's wealth1 on the other hand1 is1 for example1 a means of livelihood1 or the presence of joy1 or the being saved from sin1 or the solace of contemplation2 which things are all of phenomenal nature and subject to change4 ,footnote #bg3 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #bia1 where his 8name of honour0 is given as ,abu l-usayn4 ,furthermore1 some of the vulgar prefer the rich man to the poor1 on the ground that ,god has made the former blest in both worlds and has bestowed the benefit of riches on him4 ,here they mean by 8wealth0 abundance of worldly goods and enjoyment of pleasures and pursuit of lusts4 ,they argue that ,god has commanded us to be thankful for wealth and patient in poverty1 i4e4 patient in adversity and thankful in prosperity2 and that prosperity is essentially better than adversity4 ,to this ,i reply that1 when ,god commanded us to be thankful for prosperity ,he made thankfulness the means of increasing our prosperity2 but when ,he commanded us to be patient in adversity ,he made patience the means of drawing nigh unto ,himself4 ,he said3 8,verily1 if ye return thanks1 ,i will give you an increase0 7,kor4 xiv1 #g71 and also1 8,god is with the patient0 7,kor4 ii1 #adh74 ,the ,shaykhs who prefer wealth to poverty do not use the term 8wealth0 in its popular sense4 ,what they intend is not 8acquisition of a benefit0 but 8acquisition of the ,benefactor02 to gain union 7with ,god7 is a different thing from gaining forgetfulness 7of ,god74 ,shaykh ,ab ,sad#bh--;,god have mercy on him6--says3 8,poverty is wealth in ,god0 7al-faqr huwa l-ghin billh71 i4e4 everlasting revelation of the ,truth4 ,i answer to this1 that revelation 7mukshafat7 implies the possibility of a veil 7ijb72 therefore1 if the person who enjoys revelation is veiled from revelation by the attribute of wealth1 he either becomes in need of revelation or he does not2 if he does not1 the conclusion is absurd1 and if he does1 need is incompatible with wealth2 therefore that term cannot stand4 ,besides1 no one has 8wealth in ,god0 unless his attributes are permanent and his object is invariable2 wealth cannot coincide with the subsistence of an object or with the affirmation of the attributes of human nature1 inasmuch as the essential characteristics of mortality and phenomenal being are need and indigence4 ,one whose attributes still survive is not rich1 and one whose attributes are annihilated is not entitled to any name whatever4 ,therefore 8the rich man is he who is enriched by ,god0 7al-ghan man aghnhu llh71 because the term 8rich in ,god0 refers to the agent 7fil71 whereas the term 8enriched by ,god0 denotes the person acted upon 7mafl72 the former is self-subsistent1 but the latter subsists through the agent2 accordingly self-subsistence is an attribute of human nature1 while subsistence through ,god involves the annihilation of attributes4 ,i1 then1 who am ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 assert that true wealth is incompatible with the survival 7baq7 of any attribute1 since human attributes have already been shown to be defective and subject to decay2 nor1 again1 does wealth consist in the annihilation of these attributes1 because a name cannot be given to an attribute that no longer exists1 and he whose attributes are annihilated cannot be called either 8poor0 or 8rich02 therefore the attribute of wealth is not transferable from ,god to ,man1 and the attribute of poverty is not transferable from ,man to ,god4 ,footnote #bh3 ,see ,chapter ,,xii1 ,no4 #e4 ,all the f ,shaykhs and most of the vulgar prefer poverty to wealth for the reason that the ,koran and the ,sunna expressly declare it to be superior1 and herein the majority of ,moslems are agreed4 ,i find1 among the anecdotes which ,i have read1 that on one occasion this question was discussed by ,junayd and ,ibn ,a4 ,the latter maintained the superiority of the rich4 ,he argued that at the ,resurrection they would be called to account for their wealth1 and that such an account 7isb7 entails the hearing of the ,divine ,word1 without any mediation1 in the form of reproach 7itb73 and reproach is addressed by the ,beloved to the lover4 ,junayd answered3 8,if ,he will call the rich to account1 ,he will ask the poor for their excuse2 and asking an excuse is better than calling to account40 ,this is a very subtle point4 ,in true love excuse is 8otherness0 7bgnag7 and reproach is contrary to unity 7yagnag74 ,lovers regard both these things as a blemish1 because excuse is made for some disobedience to the command of the ,beloved and reproach is made on the same score2 but both are impossible in true love1 for then neither does the ,beloved require an expiation from the lover nor does the lover neglect to perform the will of the ,beloved4 ,every man is 8poor01 even though he be a prince4 ,essentially the wealth of ,solomon and the poverty of ,solomon are one4 ,god said to ,job in the extremity of his patience1 and likewise to ,solomon in the plenitude of his dominion3 8,good servant that thou art60#bi ,when ,god's pleasure was accomplished1 it made no difference between the poverty and the wealth of ,solomon4 ,footnote #bi3 ,kor4 xxxviii1 #bi1 #dd4 ,the author says3 8,i have heard that ,abu l-,qsim ,qushayr--,god have mercy on him6--said3 #8,people have spoken much concerning poverty and wealth1 and have chosen one or the other for themselves1 but ,i choose whichever state ,god chooses for me and keeps me in2 if ,he keeps me rich ,i will not be forgetful1 and if ,he wishes me to be poor ,i will not be covetous and rebellious4'0 ,therefore1 both wealth and poverty are ,divine gifts3 wealth is corrupted by forgetfulness1 poverty by covetousness4 ,both conceptions are excellent1 but they differ in practice4 ,poverty is the separation of the heart from all but ,god1 and wealth is the preoccupation of the heart with that which does not admit of being qualified4 ,when the heart is cleared 7of all except ,god71 poverty is not better than wealth nor is wealth better than poverty4 ,wealth is abundance of worldly goods and poverty is lack of them3 all goods belong to ,god3 when the seeker bids farewell to property1 the antithesis disappears and both terms are transcended4 ,,section4 ,all the f ,shaykhs have spoken on the subject of poverty4 ,i will now cite as many of their sayings as it is possible to include in this book4 ,one of the moderns says3 ,laysa l-faqr man khal min al-zd3 innama l-faqr man khal min al-murd1 8,the poor man is not he whose hand is empty of provisions1 but he whose nature is empty of desires40 ,for example1 if ,god gives him money and he desires to keep it1 then he is rich2 and if he desires to renounce it1 he is rich no less1 because poverty consists in ceasing to act on one's own initiative4 ,yay b4 ,mudh al-,rz says3 ,al-faqr khawf al-faqr1 8,it is a sign of true poverty that1 although one has reached the perfection of saintship and contemplation and self-annihilation1 one should always be dreading its decline and departure40 ,and ,ruwaym says3 ,min nat al-faqr ifu sirrihi wa-iynatu nafsihi wa-adu faratihi1 8,it is characteristic of the poor man that his heart is protected from selfish cares1 and that his soul is guarded from contaminations1 and that he performs the obligatory duties of religion30 that is to say1 his inward meditations do not interfere with his outward acts1 nor vice vers2 which is a sign that he has cast off the attributes of mortality4 ,bishr f says3 ,afal al-maqmt itiqd al-abr ala l-faqr ila l-qabr1 8,the best of #8stations' is a firm resolution to endure poverty continually40 ,now poverty is the annihilation of all 8stations03 therefore the resolution to endure poverty is a sign of regarding works and actions as imperfect1 and of aspiring to annihilate human attributes4 ,but in its obvious sense this saying pronounces poverty to be superior to wealth1 and expresses a determination never to abandon it4 ,sibl says3 ,al-faqr man l yastaghn bi-shayin dna llh1 8,the poor man does not rest content with anything except ,god10 because he has no other object of desire4 ,the literal meaning is that you will not become rich except by ,him1 and that when you have gained ,him you have become rich4 ,your being1 then1 is other than ,god2 and since you cannot gain wealth except by renouncing 8other01 your 8you-ness0 is a veil between you and wealth3 when that is removed1 you are rich4 ,this saying is very subtle and obscure4 ,in the opinion of advanced spiritualists 7ahl-i aqqat7 it means3 ,al-faqr an l yustaghn anhu1 8,poverty consists in never being independent of poverty40 ,this is what the ,pr1 i4e4 ,master ,abdallh ,anr#cj--may ,god be well-pleased with him6--meant when he said that our sorrow is everlasting1 that our aspiration never reaches its goal1 and that our sum 7kulliyyat7 never becomes non-existent in this world or the next1 because for the fruition of anything homogeneity is necessary1 but ,god has no congener1 and for turning away from ,him forgetfulness is necessary1 but the dervish is not forgetful4 ,what an endless task1 what a difficult road6 ,the dead 7fn7 never become living 7bq71 so as to be united with ,him2 the living never become dead1 so as to approach ,his presence4 ,all that ,his lovers do and suffer is entirely a probation 7minat72 but in order to console themselves they have invented a fine-sounding phraseology 7ibrat muzakhraf7 and have produced 8stations0 and 8stages0 and a 8path04 ,their symbolic expressions1 however1 begin and end in themselves1 and their 8stations0 do not rise beyond their own genus1 whereas ,god is exempt from every human attribute and relationship4 ,abu l-asan ,nr says3 ,nat al-faqr al-sukn inda l-adam wa l-badhl inda l-wujd2 and he says also3 ,al-iirb inda l-wujd1 8,when he gets nothing he is silent1 and when he gets something he regards another person as better entitled to it than himself1 and therefore gives it away40 ,the practice enunciated in this saying is of great importance4 ,there are two meanings3 7#a7 ,his quiescence when he gets nothing is satisfaction 7ri71 and his liberality when he gets something is love 7maabbat71 because 8satisfied0 means 8accepting a robe of honour0 7qbil-i khilat71 and the robe of honour is a token of proximity 7qurbat7 whereas the lover 7muibb7 rejects the robe of honour inasmuch as it is a token of severance 7furqat72 and 7#b7 his quiescence when he gets nothing is expectation of getting something1 and when he has got it1 that 8something0 is other than ,god3 he cannot be satisfied with anything other than ,god2 therefore he rejects it4 ,both these meanings are implicit in the saying of the ,grand ,shaykh1 ,abu l-,qsim ,junayd3 ,al-faqr khuluww al-qalb an al-ashkl1 8,when his heart is empty of phenomena he is poor40 ,since the existence of phenomena is 8other0 7than ,god71 rejection is the only course possible4 ,shibl says3 ,al-faqr bar al-bal wa-baluhu kulluhu izzun1 8,poverty is a sea of trouble1 and all troubles for ,his sake are glorious40 ,glory is a portion of 8other04 ,the afflicted are plunged in trouble and know nothing of glory1 until they forget their trouble and regard the ,author thereof4 ,then their trouble is changed into glory1 and their glory into a spiritual state 7waqt71 and their spiritual state into love1 and their love into contemplation1 so that finally the brain of the aspirant becomes wholly a centre of vision through the predominance of his imagination3 he sees without eye1 and hears without ear4 ,again1 it is glorious for a man to bear the burden of trouble laid upon him by his ,beloved1 for in truth misfortune is glory1 and prosperity is humiliation4 ,glory is that which makes one present with ,god1 and humiliation is that which makes one absent from ,god3 the affliction of poverty is a sign of 8presence01 while the delight of riches is a sign of 8absence04 ,therefore one should cling to trouble of any description that involves contemplation and intimacy4 ,junayd says3 ,y mashar al-fuqar innakum turafna billh wa-tukra-mna lillh fa-nur kayfa taknna maa a llh idh khalawtum bihi1 8,o ye that are poor1 ye are known through ,god1 and are honoured for the sake of ,god3 take heed how ye behave when ye are alone with ,him10 i4e4 if people call you 8poor0 and recognize your claim1 see that you perform the obligations of the path of poverty2 and if they give you another name1 inconsistent with what you profess1 do not accept it1 but fulfil your professions4 ,the basest of men is he who is thought to be devoted to ,god1 but really is not2 and the noblest is he who is not thought to be devoted to ,god1 but really is4 ,the former resembles an ignorant physician1 who pretends to cure people1 but only makes them worse1 and when he falls ill himself needs another physician to prescribe for him2 and the latter is like one who is not known to be a physician1 and does not concern himself with other folk1 but employs his skill in order to maintain his own health4 ,one of the moderns has said3 ,al-faqr adamun bil wujdin1 8,poverty is not-being without existence40 ,to interpret this saying is impossible1 because what is non-existent does not admit of being explained4 ,on the surface it would seem that1 according to this dictum1 poverty is nothing1 but such is not the case2 the explanations and consensus of the ,saints of ,god are not founded on a principle that is essentially non-existent4 ,the meaning here is not 8the not-being of the essence01 but 8the not-being of that which contaminates the essence02 and all human attributes are a source of contamination3 when that is removed1 the result is annihilation of the attributes 7fan-yi ifat71 which deprives the sufferer of the instrument whereby he attains1 or fails to attain1 his object2 but his not-going to the essence 7adam-i rawish ba-ayn7 seems to him annihilation of the essence and casts him into perdition4 ,footnote #cj3 ,the celebrated mystic of ,hert1 who died in #dha ,a4,h4 ,see ,professor ,browne's ,literary ,history of ,persia1 vol4 ii1 p4 #bfi4 ,i have met with some scholastic philosophers who1 failing to understand the drift of this saying1 laughed at it and declared it to be nonsense2 and also with certain pretenders 7to fiism7 who made nonsense of it and were firmly convinced of its truth1 although they had no grasp of the fundamental principle4 ,both parties are in the wrong3 one ignorantly denies the truth1 and the other makes ignorance a state 7of perfection74 ,now the expressions 8not-being0 7adam7 and 8annihilation0 7fan71 as they are used by fs1 denote the disappearance of a blameworthy instrument 7lat-i madhmm7 and disapproved attribute in the course of seeking a praiseworthy attribute2 they do not signify the search for non-reality 7adam-i man7 by means of an instrument which exists4 ,dervishhood in all its meanings is a metaphorical poverty1 and amidst all its subordinate aspects there is a transcendent principle4 ,the ,divine mysteries come and go over the dervish1 so that his affairs are acquired by himself1 his actions attributed to himself1 and his ideas attached to himself4 ,but when his affairs are freed from the bonds of acquisition 7kasb71 his actions are no more attributed to himself4 ,then he is the ,way1 not the wayfarer1 i4e4 the dervish is a place over which something is passing1 not a wayfarer following his own will4 ,accordingly1 he neither draws anything to himself nor puts anything away from himself3 all that leaves any trace upon him belongs to the essence4 ,i have seen false fs1 mere tonguesters 7arbb al-lisn71 whose imperfect apprehension of this matter seemed to deny the existence of the essence of poverty1 while their lack of desire for the reality of poverty seemed to deny the attributes of its essence4 ,they called by the name of 8poverty0 and 8purity0 their failure to seek ,truth and ,reality1 and it looked as though they affirmed their own fancies but denied all else4 ,every one of them was in some degree veiled from poverty1 because the conceit of fiism 7pindr-i n adth7 betokens perfection of saintship1 and the claim to be suspected of fiism 7tawall-yi tuhmat-i n adth7 is the ultimate goal1 i4e4 this claim belongs only to the state of perfection4 ,therefore the seeker has no choice but to journey in their path and to traverse their 8stations0 and to know their symbolic expressions1 in order that he may not be a plebeian 7mm7 among the elect4 ,those who are ignorant of general principles 7awmm-i ul7 have no ground to stand on1 whereas those who are ignorant only as regards the derivative branches are supported by the principles4 ,i have said all this to encourage you to undertake this spiritual journey and occupy yourself with the due fulfilment of its obligations4 ,now in the chapter on fiism ,i will explain some of the principles and allegories and mystic sayings of this sect4 ,then ,i will mention the names of their holy men1 and afterwards elucidate the different doctrines held by the fi ,shaykhs4 ,in the next place1 ,i will treat of the ,verities1 ,sciences1 and ,laws of fiism4 ,lastly1 ,i will set forth their rules of discipline and the significance of their 8stations01 in order that the truth of this matter may become clear to you and to all my readers4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,on ,,fiism4 ,god1 ,almighty and ,glorious1 has said3 8,and those who walk meekly on the earth1 and when the ignorant speak to them answer #8,peace'10 7shall be rewarded with the highest place in ,paradise74#ca ,and the ,apostle has said3 8,he that hears the voice of fs 7ahl al-taawwuf7 and does not say ,amen to their prayer is inscribed before ,god among the heedless40 ,the true meaning of this name has been much discussed and many books have been composed on the subject4 ,some assert that the f is so called because he wears a woollen garment 7jma-i f72 others that he is so called because he is in the first rank 7aff-i awwal72 others say it is because the fs claim to belong to the ,ab-i uffa1#cb with whom may ,god be well-pleased6 ,others1 again1 declare that the name is derived from af 7purity74 ,these explanations of the true meaning of fiism are far from satisfying the requirements of etymology1 although each of them is supported by many subtle arguments4 af 7purity7 is universally praised1 and its opposite is kadar4 ,the ,apostle--on whom be peace6--said3 8,the afw 7pure part1 i4e4 the best7 of this world is gone1 and only its kadar 7impurity7 remains40 ,therefore1 since the people of this persuasion have purged their morals and conduct1 and have sought to free themselves from natural taints1 on that account they are called fs2 and this designation of the sect is a proper name 7az asmi-yi alm71 inasmuch as the dignity of the fs is too great for their transactions 7mumalt7 to be hidden1 so that their name should need a derivation4 ,in this age1 however1 ,god has veiled most people from fiism and from its votaries1 and has concealed its mysteries from their hearts4 ,accordingly some imagine that it consists merely in the practice of outward piety without inward contemplation1 and others suppose that it is a form and a system without essence and root1 to such an extent that they have adopted the view of scoffers 7ahl-i hazl7 and theologians 7ulam71 who regard only the external1 and have condemned fiism altogether1 making no attempt to discover what it really is4 ,the people in general1 blindly conforming to this opinion1 have erased from their hearts the quest for inward purity and have discarded the tenets of the ,ancients and the ,companions of the ,prophet4 ,verily1 purity is characteristic of the iddq1#cc if thou desirest a true f--because purity 7af7 has a root and a branch3 its root being severance of the heart from 8others0 7aghyr71 and its branch that the heart should be empty of this deceitful world4 ,both these are characteristic of the ,greatest iddq1 7the ,caliph7 ,ab ,bakr ,abdallh b4 ,ab ,qufa1 with whom may ,god be well-pleased6 ,he is the leader 7imm7 of all the folk of this ,path4 ,footnote #ca3 ,kor4 xxv1 #fd4 ,footnote #cb3 ,see ,chapter ,,ix4 ,footnote #cc3 ,the name zaddq 7an ,aramaic word meaning 8righteous07 was given to the ascetics and spiritual adepts among the ,manichans4 ,its ,arabic equivalent1 siddq1 which means 8veracious01 is a term that is frequently applied to fs4 ,the author then relates how1 on ,muammad's decease1 when ,umar threatened to decapitate anyone who asserted that the ,prophet was dead1 ,ab ,bakr stepped forth and cried with a loud voice3 8,whoever worships ,muammad1 let him know that ,muammad is dead2 but whoever worships ,muammad's ,lord1 let him know that ,,he is living and dieth not40 ,those who regarded ,muammad with the eye of mortality ceased to venerate him as soon as he departed from this world1 but to those who regarded him with the eye of reality his presence and absence were alike1 because they attributed both to ,god2 and looked1 not at the particular change which had come to pass1 but at the ,author of all change2 and venerated ,muammad only in proportion as ,god honoured him2 and did not attach their hearts to anyone 7except ,god72 and did not open their eyes to gaze upon mankind1 inasmuch as 8he that beholdeth mankind waneth1 but he that returneth unto ,god reigneth0 7man naara ila l-khalq halak wa-man rajaa ila l-aqq malak74 ,and ,ab ,bakr showed that his heart was empty of this deceitful world1 for he gave away all his wealth and his clients 7mawl71 and clad himself in a woollen garment 7gilm71 and came to the ,apostle1 who asked him what he had left for his family4 ,ab ,bakr replied3 8,only ,god and ,his ,apostle40 ,all this is characteristic of the sincere f4 ,i said that af 7purity7 is the opposite of kadar 7impurity71 and kadar is one of the qualities of ,man4 ,the true f is he that leaves impurity behind4 ,thus1 human nature 7bashariyyat7 prevailed in the women of ,egypt as they gazed1 enraptured1 on the wondrous beauty of ,ysuf 7,joseph71 on whom be peace6 ,but afterwards the preponderance was reversed1 until at last they beheld him with their human nature annihilated 7ba-fan-yi bashariyyat7 and cried3 8,this is no human being0 7,kor4 xii1 #ca74 ,they made him their object and gave expression to their own state4 ,hence the ,shaykhs of this ,path--,god have mercy on them6--have said3 ,laysa l-af min ifat al-bashar lianna l-bashar madar wal-madar l yakhl min al-kadar1 8,purity is not one of the qualities of ,man1 for ,man is clay1 and clay involves impurity1 and ,man cannot escape from impurity40 ,therefore purity bears no likeness to acts 7afl71 nor can the human nature be destroyed by means of effort4 ,the quality of purity is unrelated to acts and states1 and its name is unconnected with names and nicknames--purity is characteristic of the lovers 7of ,god71 who are suns without cloud--because purity is the attribute of those who love1 and the lover is he that is dead 7fn7 in his own attributes and living 7bq7 in the attributes of his ,beloved1 and their 8states0 resemble the clear sun in the opinion of mystics 7arbb-i l74 ,the beloved of ,god1 ,muammad the ,chosen ,one1 was asked concerning the state of ritha4 ,he answered3 ,abd nawwara llh qalbahu bi l-mn1 8,he is a man whose heart is illumined by the light of faith1 so that his face shines like the moon from the effect thereof1 and he is formed by the ,divine light40 ,an eminent f says3 iy al-shams wal-qamar idha shtarak namdhajun min af al-ubb wa l-tawd idha shtabak1 8,the combination of the light of the sun and moon1 when they are in conjunction1 is like the purity of ,love and ,unification when these are mingled together40 ,assuredly1 the light of the sun and moon is worthless beside the light of the ,love and ,unification of ,god ,almighty1 and they should not be compared2 but in this world there is no light more conspicuous than those two luminaries4 ,the eye cannot see the light of the sun and moon with complete demonstration4 ,during the sway of the sun and moon it sees the sky1 whereas the heart 7dil7 sees the empyrean 7arsh7 by the light of knowledge and unification and love1 and while still in this world explores the world to come4 ,all the ,shaykhs of this ,path are agreed that when a man has escaped from the captivity of 8stations0 7maqmt71 and gets rid of the impurity of 8states0 7awl71 and is liberated from the abode of change and decay1 and becomes endowed with all praiseworthy qualities1 he is disjoined from all qualities4 ,that is to say1 he is not held in bondage by any praiseworthy quality of his own1 nor does he regard it1 nor is he made self-conceited thereby4 ,his state is hidden from the perception of intelligences1 and his time is exempt from the influence of thoughts4 ,his presence 7ur7 with ,god has no end and his existence has no cause4 ,and when he arrives at this degree1 he becomes annihilated 7fn7 in this world and in the next1 and is made divine 7rabbn7 in the disappearance of humanity2 and gold and earth are the same in his eyes1 and the ordinances which others find hard to keep become easy to him4 ,here follows the story of ritha1 who declared that he had true faith in ,god4 ,the ,prophet asked3 8,what is the reality of thy faith80 ritha replied3 8,i have cut off and turned myself away from this world1 so that its stones and its gold and its silver and its clay are equal in my sight4 ,and ,i have passed my nights in wakefulness and my days in thirst until methinks ,i see the ,throne of my ,lord manifest1 and the people of ,paradise visiting one another1 and the people of ,hell wrestling with one another0#cd 7or1 according to an alternative reading3 8making sudden attacks on one another074#ce ,the ,prophet said1 repeating the words thrice3 8,thou knowest1 therefore persevere40 ,footnote #cd3 ,yataran4 ,b4 has yatadawn1 and in marg4 yatasran4 ,the true reading is yatawawn1 8barking 7or #8growling'7 at one another40 ,cf4 ,lisn1 xix1 #cdc1 #c4 ,footnote #ce3 ,yataghwarn4 ,this is the reading of ,j41 ,i4 has yatawarn1 ,l4 yatawadn1 ,b4 yataghmazn1 and in marg4 yatafwazn4 8f0 is a name which is given1 and has formerly been given1 to the perfect saints and spiritual adepts4 ,one of the ,shaykhs says3 ,man affhu l-ubb fa-huwa fin wa-man affhu l-abb fa-huwa fiyyun1 8,he that is purified by love is pure1 and he that is absorbed in the ,beloved and has abandoned all else is a #8f'40 ,the name has no derivation answering to etymological requirements1 inasmuch as fiism is too exalted to have any genus from which it might be derived2 for the derivation of one thing from another demands homogeneity 7mujnasat74 ,all that exists is the opposite of purity 7af71 and things are not derived from their opposites4 ,to fs the meaning of fiism is clearer than the sun and does not need any explanation or indication4 ,since 8f0 admits of no explanation1 all the world are interpreters thereof1 whether they recognize the dignity of the name or no at the time when they learn its meaning4 ,the perfect1 then1 among them are called f1 and the inferior aspirants 7libn7 among them are called ,mutaawwif2 for taawwuf belongs to the form tafaul1 which implies 8taking trouble0 7takalluf71#cf and is a branch of the original root4 ,the difference both in meaning and in etymology is evident4 ,purity 7af7 is a saintship with a sign and a relation 7riwyat71 and fiism 7taawwuf7 is an uncomplaining imitation of purity 7ikyatun lil-af bil shikyat74 ,purity1 then1 is a resplendent and manifest idea1 and fiism is an imitation of that idea4 ,its followers in this degree are of three kinds3 the f1 the ,mutaawwif1 and the ,mustawif4 ,the f is he that is dead to self and living by the ,truth2 he has escaped from the grip of human faculties and has really attained 7to ,god74 ,the ,mutaawwif is he that seeks to reach this rank by means of self-mortification 7mujhadat7 and in his search rectifies his conduct in accordance with their 7the fs'7 example4 ,the ,mustawif is he that makes himself like them 7the fs7 for the sake of money and wealth and power and worldly advantage1 but has no knowledge of these two things4#cg ,hence it has been said3 ,al-mustawif inda l-fiyyat ka-l-dhubb wa-inda ghayrihim ka-l-dhib1 8,the ,mustawif in the opinion of the fs is as despicable as flies1 and his actions are mere cupidity2 others regard him as being like a wolf1 and his speech unbridled 7b afsr71 for he only desires a morsel of carrion40 ,therefore the f is a man of union 7ib wul71 the ,mutaawwif a man of principles1 7ib ul71 and the ,mustawif a man of superfluities 7ib ful74 ,he that has the portion of union loses all end and object by gaining his end and reaching his object2 he that has the portion of principle becomes firm in the 8states0 of the mystic path1 and steadfastly devoted to the mysteries thereof2 but he that has the portion of superfluity1 is left devoid of all 7worth having71 and sits down at the gate of formality 7rasm71 and thereby he is veiled from reality 7man7 and this veil renders both union and principle invisible to him4 ,the ,shaykhs of this persuasion have given many subtle definitions of fiism which cannot all be enumerated1 but we shall mention some of them in this book1 if ,god will1 who is the ,author of success4 ,footnote #cf3 ,examples of this signification of the form tafaul are given in ,wright's ,arabic ,grammar1 vol4 i1 p4 #cg1 ,rem4 b4 ,footnote #cg3 ,viz41 purity 7af7 and fiism 7taawwuf74 ,,section4 ,dhu l-,nn1 the ,egyptian1 says3 ,al-f idh naaqa bna nuquhu an al-aqiq wa-in sakata naaqat anhu l-jawri bi-qa al-aliq1 8,the f is he whose language1 when he speaks1 is the reality of his state1 i4e4 he says nothing which he is not1 and when he is silent his conduct explains his state1 and his state proclaims that he has cut all worldly ties20 i4e4 all that he says is based on a sound principle and all that he does is pure detachment from the world 7tajrd72 when he speaks his speech is entirely the ,truth1 and when he is silent his actions are wholly 8poverty0 7faqr74 ,junayd says3 ,al-taawwuf natun uqma l-abd fhi qla natun li-l-abd am li-l-aqq faqla nat al-aqq aqqatan wa-nat al-abd rasman1 8fiism is an attribute wherein is ,man's subsistence40 ,they said3 8,is it an attribute of ,god or of mankind80 ,he replied3 8,its essence is an attribute of ,god and its formal system is an attribute of mankind20 i4e4 its essence involves the annihilation of human qualities1 which is brought about by the everlastingness of the ,divine qualities1 and this is an attribute of ,god2 whereas its formal system involves on the part of ,man the continuance of self-mortification 7mujhadat71 and this continuance of self-mortification is an attribute of ,man4 ,or the words may be taken in another sense1 namely1 that in real ,unification 7tawd7 there are1 correctly speaking1 no human attributes at all1 because human attributes are not constant but are only formal 7rasm71 having no permanence1 for ,god is the agent4 ,therefore they are really the attributes of ,god4 ,thus 7to explain what is meant71 ,god commands ,his servants to fast1 and when they keep the fast ,he gives them the name of 8faster0 7im71 and nominally this 8fasting0 7awm7 belongs to ,man1 but really it belongs to ,god4 ,accordingly ,god told ,his ,apostle and said3 ,al-awm l wa-ana ajz bihi1 8,fasting is mine10 because all ,his acts are ,his possessions1 and when men ascribe things to themselves1 the attribution is formal and metaphorical1 not real4 ,and ,abu l-asan ,nr says3 ,al-taawwuf tarku kulli ain li-l-nafs1 8fiism is the renunciation of all selfish pleasures40 ,this renunciation is of two kinds3 formal and essential4 ,for example1 if one renounces a pleasure1 and finds pleasure in the renunciation1 this is formal renunciation2 but if the pleasure renounces him1 then the pleasure is annihilated1 and this case falls under the head of true contemplation 7mushhadat74 ,therefore renunciation of pleasure is the act of ,man1 but annihilation of pleasure is the act of ,god4 ,the act of ,man is formal and metaphorical1 while the act of ,god is real4 ,this saying 7of ,nr7 elucidates the saying of ,junayd which has been quoted above4 ,and ,abu l-asan ,nr also says3 ,al-fiyyat humu lladhna afat arwuhum fa-r fi l-aff al-awwal bayna yadayi l-aqq1 8,the fs are they whose spirits have been freed from the pollution of humanity1 purified from carnal taint1 and released from concupiscence1 so that they have found rest with ,god in the first rank and the highest degree1 and have fled from all save ,him40 ,and he also says3 ,al-f alladh l yamlik wa-l yumlak1 8,the f is he that has nothing in his possession nor is himself possessed by anything40 ,this denotes the essence of annihilation 7fan71 since one whose qualities are annihilated neither possesses nor is possessed1 inasmuch as the term 8possession0 can properly be applied only to existent things4 ,the meaning is1 that the f does not make his own any good of this world or any glory of the next world1 for he is not even in the possession and control of himself3 he refrains from desiring authority over others1 in order that others may not desire submission from him4 ,this saying refers to a mystery of the f's which they call 8complete annihilation0 7fan-yi kull74 ,if ,god will1 we shall mention in this work1 for your information1 the points wherein they have fallen into error4 ,ibn al-,jall#ch says3 ,al-taawwuf aqqatun l rasm lahu1 8fiism is an essence without form10 because the form belongs to mankind in respect to their conduct 7mumalt71 while the essence thereof is peculiar to ,god4 ,since fiism consists in turning away from mankind1 it is necessarily without form4 ,and ,ab ,amr ,dimashq says3 ,al-taawwuf ruyat al-kawn bi-ayn al-naq1 bal gha al-arf an al-kawn1 8fiism is3 to see the imperfection of the phenomenal world 7and this shows that human attributes are still existent71 nay1 to shut the eye to the phenomenal world0 7and this shows that human attributes are annihilated2 because the objects of sight are phenomena1 and when phenomena disappear1 sight also disappears74 ,shutting the eye to the phenomenal world leaves the spiritual vision subsistent1 i4e4 whoever becomes blind to self sees by means of ,god1 because the seeker of phenomena is also a self-seeker1 and his action proceeds from and through himself1 and he cannot find any way of escaping from himself4 ,accordingly one sees himself to be imperfect1 and one shuts his eye to self and does not see2 and although the seer sees his imperfection1 nevertheless his eye is a veil1 and he is veiled by his sight1 but he who does not see is not veiled by his blindness4 ,this is a well-established principle in the ,path of aspirants to fiism and mystics 7arbb-i man71 but to explain it here would be unsuitable4 ,and ,ab ,bakr ,shibl says3 ,al-taawwuf shirkun liannahu iynat al-qalb an ruyat al-ghayr wa-l ghayr1 8fiism is polytheism1 because it is the guarding of the heart from the vision of #8other'1 and #8other' does not exist40 ,that is to say1 vision of other 7than ,god7 in affirming the ,unity of ,god is polytheism1 and when 8other0 has no value in the heart1 it is absurd to guard the heart from remembrance of 8other04 ,and usr says3 ,al-taawwuf af al-sirr min kudrat al-mukhlafat1 8fiism is the heart's being pure from the pollution of discord40 ,the meaning thereof is that he should protect the heart from discord with ,god1 because love is concord1 and concord is the opposite of discord1 and the lover has but one duty in the world1 namely1 to keep the commandment of the beloved2 and if the object of desire is one1 how can discord arise8 ,and ,muammad b4 ,al b4 al-usayn b4 ,al b4 ,ab lib--may ,god be pleased with them all6--says3 ,al-taawwuf khulqun fa-man zda alayka fi l-khulq zda alayka fi l-taawwuf1 8fiism is goodness of disposition3 he that has the better disposition is the better f40 ,now goodness of disposition is of two kinds3 towards ,god and towards men4 ,the former is acquiescence in the ,divine decrees1 the latter is endurance of the burden of men's society for ,god's sake4 ,these two aspects refer to the seeker 7lib74 ,god is independent of the seeker's acquiescence or anger1 and these two qualities depend on consideration of ,his ,unity4 ,and ,ab ,muammad ,murtaish says3 ,al-f l yasbiqu himmatuhu khawatahu1 8,the f is he whose thought keeps pace with his foot10 i4e4 he is entirely present3 his soul is where his body is1 and his body where his soul is1 and his soul where his foot is1 and his foot where his soul is4 ,this is the sign of presence without absence4 ,others say1 on the contrary3 8,he is absent from himself and present with ,god40 ,it is not so3 he is present with himself and present with ,god4 ,the expression denotes perfect union 7jam al-jam71 because there can be no absence from self so long as one regards one's self2 when self-regard has ceased1 there is presence 7with ,god7 without absence4 ,in this particular sense the saying closely resembles that of ,shibl3 ,al-f l yar fi l-drayn maa llh ghayra llh1 8,the f is he that sees nothing except ,god in the two worlds40 ,in short1 human existence is 8other01 and when a man does not see 8other0 he does not see himself2 and becomes totally void of self1 whether 8self0 is affirmed or denied4 ,and ,junayd says3 ,al-taawwuf mabniyyun al thamn khil al-sakh wa l-ri wa l-abr wa l-ishrat wa l-ghurbat wa-labs al-f wa l-siyat wa l-faqr amma l-sakh fa-li-,ibrhm wa-amma l-ri fa-li-,isml wa-amma l-abr fa-li-,ayyb wa-amma l-ishrat fa-li-,zakariyy wa-amma l-ghurbat fa-li-,yay wa-amma labs al-f fa-li-,ms wa-amma l-siyat fa-li-s wa-amma l-faqr fa-li-,muammad alla llhu alayhi wa-sallama wa-alayhim ajman1 8fiism is founded on eight qualities exemplified in eight ,apostles3 the generosity of ,abraham1 who sacrificed his son2 the acquiescence of ,ishmael1 who submitted to the command of ,god and gave up his dear life2 the patience of ,job1 who patiently endured the affliction of worms and the jealousy of the ,merciful2 the symbolism of ,zacharias1 to whom ,god said1 #8,thou shalt not speak unto men for three days save by signs' 7,kor4 iii1 #cf71 and again to the same effect1 #8,when he called upon his ,lord with a secret invocation' 7,kor4 xix1 #b72 the strangerhood of ,john1 who was a stranger in his own country and an alien to his own kin amongst whom he lived2 the pilgrimhood of ,jesus1 who was so detached therein from worldly things that he kept only a cup and a comb--the cup he threw away when he saw a man drinking water in the palms of his hands1 and the comb likewise when he saw another man using his fingers instead of a toothpick2 the wearing of wool by ,moses1 whose garment was woollen2 and the poverty of ,muammad1 to whom ,god ,almighty sent the key of all the treasures that are upon the face of the earth1 saying3 #8,lay no trouble on thyself1 but procure every luxury by means of these treasures2' and he answered3 #8,o ,lord1 ,i desire them not2 keep me one day full-fed and one day hungry4'0 ,these are very excellent principles of conduct4 ,footnote #ch3 ,so ,j4 ,the ,lahore edition has ,ibn al-,jall1 ,i4 ,ibn al-,jullb4 ,see ,chapter ,x1 ,no4 #cd4 ,and ur says3 ,al-f la yjadu bada adamihi wa-l yudamu bada wujdihi1 8,the f is he whose existence is without non-existence and his non-existence without existence10 i4e4 he never loses that which he finds1 and he never finds that which he loses4 ,another meaning is this1 that his finding 7yft7 has no not-finding 7n-yft71 and his not-finding has no finding at any time1 so that there is either an affirmation without negation or a negation without affirmation4 ,the object of all these expressions is that the f's state of mortality should entirely lapse1 and that his bodily feelings 7shawhid7 should disappear and his connexion with everything be cut off1 in order that the mystery of his mortality may be revealed and his various parts united in his essential self1 and that he may subsist through and in himself4 ,the effect of this can be shown in two ,apostles3 firstly1 ,moses1 in whose existence there was no non-existence1 so that he said3 8,o ,lord1 enlarge my breast and make my affair easy unto me0 7,kor4 xx1 #bf1 #bg72 secondly1 the ,apostle 7,muammad71 in whose non-existence there was no existence1 so that ,god said3 8,did not ,we enlarge thy breast80 7,kor4 xciv1 #a74 ,the one asked for adornment and sought honour1 but the other was adorned1 since he had no request to make for himself4 ,and ,al b4 ,bundr al-ayraf of ,nshpr says3 ,al-taawwuf isq al-ruyat li-l-aqq hiran wa-binan1 8fiism is this1 that the f should not regard his own exterior and interior1 but should regard all as belonging to ,god40 ,thus1 if you look at the exterior1 you will find an outward sign of ,god's blessing1 and1 as you look1 outward actions will not have the weight even of a gnat's wing beside the blessing of ,god1 and you will cease from regarding the exterior2 and again1 if you look at the interior1 you will find an inward sign of ,god's aid1 and1 as you look1 inward actions will not turn the scale by a single grain in comparison with the aid of ,god1 and you will cease from regarding the interior1 and will see that all belongs to ,god2 and when you see that all is ,god's1 you will see that you yourself have nothing4 ,muammad b4 ,amad al-,muqr#ci says3 ,al-taawwuf istiqmat al-awl maa l-aqq1 8fiism is the maintenance of right states with ,god10 i4e4 8states0 do not seduce the f from his 7right7 state1 nor cast him into wrong1 since he whose heart is devoted to the ,author of states 7muawwil-i awl7 is not cast down from the rank of rectitude nor hindered from attaining to the ,truth4 ,footnote #ci3 ,died in #cff ,a4,h4 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #ccb4 ,,section4 ,maxims of ,conduct 7mumalt74 ,ab af addd of ,nshpr says3 ,al-taawwuf kulluhu dbun li-kulli waqtin adabun wa-li-kulli maqmin adabun wa-li-kulli lin adabun fa-man lazima db al-awqt balagha mablagh al-rijl fa-man ayyaa l-db fa-huwa badun min aythu yaunnu l-qurb wa-marddun min aythu yaunnu l-qabl1 8fiism consists entirely of behaviour2 every time1 place1 and circumstance have their own propriety2 he that observes the proprieties of each occasion attains to the rank of holy men2 and he that neglects the proprieties is far removed from the thought of nearness 7to ,god7 and is excluded from imagining that he is acceptable to ,god40 ,the meaning of this is akin to the dictum of ,abu l-asan ,nr3 ,laysa l-taawwuf rusman wa-l ulman wa-lkinnahu akhlqun1 8fiism is not composed of practices and sciences1 but it is morals10 i4e4 if it consisted of practices1 it could be acquired by effort1 and if it consisted of sciences1 it could be gained by instruction3 hence it is morals1 and it is not acquired until you demand from yourself the principles of morals1 and make your actions square with them1 and fulfil their just claims4 ,the distinction between practices 7rusm7 and morals 7akhlq7 is this1 that practices are ceremonial actions proceeding from certain motives1 actions devoid of reality1 so that their form is at variance with their spirit1 whereas morals are praiseworthy actions without ceremony or motive1 actions devoid of pretension1 so that their form is in harmony with their spirit4 ,murtaish says3 ,al-taawwuf usn al-khulq1 8fiism is good nature40 ,this is of three sorts3 firstly1 towards ,god1 by fulfilling ,his ,commandments without hypocrisy2 secondly1 towards men1 by paying respect to one's superiors and behaving with kindness to one's inferiors and with justice to one's equals1 and by not seeking recompense and justice from men in general2 and thirdly1 towards one's self1 by not following the flesh and the devil4 ,whoever makes himself right in these three matters is a good-natured man4 ,this which ,i have mentioned agrees with a story told of isha the veracious 7iddiqa7--may ,god be well-pleased with her6 ,she was asked concerning the nature of the ,apostle4 8,read from the ,koran10 she replied1 8for ,god has given information in the place where ,he says3 #8,use indulgence and order what is good and turn away from the ignorant' 7,kor4 vii1 #aih740 ,and ,murtaish also says3 ,hdh madhhabun kulluhu jiddun fa-l takhlihu bi-shayin min al-hazl1 8,this religion of fiism is wholly earnest1 therefore do not mix jest with it1 and do not take the conduct of formalists 7mutarassimn7 as a model1 and shun those who blindly imitate them40 ,when the people see these formalists among the aspirants to fiism in our time1 and become aware of their dancing and singing and visiting the court of sultans and quarrelling for the sake of a pittance or a mouthful of food1 their belief in the whole body of fs is corrupted1 and they say3 8,these are the principles of fiism1 and the tenets of the ancient fs were just the same40 ,they do not recognize that this is an age of weakness and an epoch of affliction4 ,consequently1 since greed incites the sultan to acts of tyranny1 and lust incites the savant to commit adultery and fornication1 and ostentation incites the ascetic to hypocrisy1 and vanity incites the f also to dance and sing--you must know that the evil lies in the men who hold the doctrines1 not in the principles on which the doctrines are based2 and that if some scoffers disguise their folly in the earnestness of true mystics 7arr71 the earnestness of the latter is not thereby turned to folly4 ,and ,ab ,al ,qarmni#dj says3 ,al-taawwuf huwa l-akhlq al-raiyyat1 8fiism is good morals40 ,approved actions are such that the creature in all circumstances approves of ,god1 and is content and satisfied4 ,abu l asan ,nr says3 ,al-taawwuf huwa l-urriyyat wa-l-futuwwat wa-tark al-taklf wa-l-sakh wa-badhl al-duny1 8fiism is liberty1 so that a man is freed from the bonds of desire2 and generosity10 i4e4 he is purged from the conceit of generosity2 8and abandonment of useless trouble10 i4e4 he does not strive after appurtenances and rewards2 8and munificence10 i4e4 he leaves this world to the people of this world4 ,footnote #dj3 ,,ij4 ,qazwn4 ,b4 ,ab ,al ,kirmnshh ,quraysh4 ,the ,shaykh in question is probably ,muaffar ,kirmnshh ,qarmn 7,nafat1 ,no4 #bgj74 ,and ,abu l-asan ,fshanja#da--may ,god have mercy on him6--says3 ,al-taawwuf al-yawma smun wa-l aqqatun wa-qad kna aqqatan wa-la sman1 8,to-day fiism is a name without a reality1 but formerly it was a reality without a name10 i4e4 in the time of the ,companions and the ,ancients--may ,god have mercy on them6--this name did not exist1 but the reality thereof was in everyone2 now the name exists1 but not the reality4 ,that is to say1 formerly the practice was known and the pretence unknown1 but nowadays the pretence is known and the practice unknown4 ,footnote #da3 ,generally written 8,fshanj04 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #bgi4 ,i have brought together and examined in this chapter on fiism a number of the sayings of the ,shaykhs1 in order that this ,path may become clear to you--,god grant you felicity6--and that you may say to the sceptics3 8,what do you mean by denying the truth of fiism80 ,if they deny only the name it is no matter1 since ideas are unrelated to things which bear names2 and if they deny the essential ideas1 this amounts to a denial of the whole ,sacred ,law of the ,apostle and his praised qualities4 ,and ,i enjoin you in this book--,god grant you the felicity with which ,he has blessed ,his ,saints6--to hold these ideas in due regard and satisfy their just claims1 so that you may refrain from idle pretensions and have an excellent belief in the fs themselves4 ,it is ,god that gives success4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,on ,,the ,,wearing ,,of ,,patched ,,frocks 7,muraqqat74 ,know that the wearing of a muraqqaa 7patched frock7 is the badge of aspirants to fiism4 ,the wearing of these garments is a ,sunna 7custom of the ,prophet71 for the ,apostle said3 ,alaykum bi-labs al-f tajidna alwat al-mn f qulbikum4 ,and1 further1 one of the ,companions says3 ,kna l-nab salla llh alayhi wa-sallama yalbasu l-f wa-yarkabu l-imr4 ,and1 moreover1 the ,apostle said to isha3 ,l tuayyii l-thawb att turaqqihi4 ,he said3 8,see that ye wear woollen raiment1 that ye may feel the sweetness of faith40 ,and it is related that the ,apostle wore a garment of wool and rode on an ass1 and that he said to isha3 8,o isha1 do not let the garment be destroyed1 but patch it40 ,umar1 the son of ,khab1 wore1 it is said1 a muraqqaa with thirty patches inserted on it4 ,of ,umar1 too1 we are told that he said3 8,the best garment is that which gives the least trouble0 7ki manat-i n sabuktar buvad74 ,it is related of the ,commander of the ,faithful1 ,al1 that he had a shirt of which the sleeves were level with his fingers1 and if at any time he wore a longer shirt he used to tear off the ends of its sleeves4 ,the ,apostle also was commanded by ,god to shorten his garments1 for ,god said3 8,and purify thy garments0 7,kor4 lxxiv1 #d71 i4e4 shorten them4 ,and asan of ,bara says3 8,i saw seventy comrades who fought at ,badr3 all of them had woollen garments2 and the greatest iddq 7,ab ,bakr7 wore a garment of wool in his detachment from the world0 7tajrd74 asan of ,bara says further3 8,i saw ,salmn 7al-,fris7 wearing a woollen frock 7gilm7 with patches40 ,the ,commander of the ,faithful1 ,umar b4 al-,khab1 and the ,commander of the ,faithful1 ,al1 and ,harim b4 ayyn relate that they saw ,uways ,qaran with a woollen garment on which patches were inserted4 asan of ,bara and ,mlik ,dnr and ,sufyn ,thawr were owners of woollen patched frocks4 ,and it is related of the ,imm ,ab anfa of ,kfa--this is written in the ,history of the ,shaykhs composed by ,muammad b4 ,al akm ,tirmidh--that he at first clothed himself in wool and was on the point of retiring from the world1 when he saw in a dream the ,apostle1 who said3 8,it behoves thee to live amidst the people1 because thou art the means whereby my ,sunna will be revived40 ,then ,ab anfa refrained from solitude1 but he never put on a garment of any value4 ,and ,dwud 1 who was one of the veritable adepts among the aspirants to fiism 7yak az muaqqiqn-i mutaawwifa71 enjoined the wearing of wool4 ,and ,ibrhm the son of ,adham came to visit the most venerable ,imm ,ab anfa1 clad in a garment of wool4 ,the latter's disciples looked at him with contempt and disparagement1 until ,ab anfa said3 8,our lord ,ibrhm b4 ,adham has come40 ,the disciples said3 8,the ,imm utters no jests3 how has he gained this lordship80 ,ab anfa replied3 8,by continual devotion4 ,he has been occupied in serving ,god while we have been engaged in serving our own bodies4 ,thus he has become our lord40 ,it may well be the case that at the present day some persons wear patched frocks and religious habits 7muraqqat khiraq7 for the sake of public honour and reputation1 and that their hearts belie their external garb2 for there may be but one champion in a host1 and in every sect the genuine adepts are few4 ,people1 however1 reckon as fs all who resemble the fs even in a single rule4 ,the ,apostle said3 ,man tashabbaha bi-qawmin fa-huwa minhum1 8,he that makes himself akin to a party either in conduct or in belief1 is one of that party40 ,but while some regard only the outward forms of their practice1 others direct attention to their spirit of inward purity4 ,those who wish to associate with aspirants to fiism fall into four classes3 7#a7 ,he whose purity1 enlightenment1 subtlety1 even balance of temperament1 and soundness of character give him insight into the hearts of the fs1 so that he perceives the nearness of their spiritual adepts to ,god and the loftiness of their eminent men4 ,he joins himself to them in hope of attaining to the same degree1 and the beginning of his novitiate is marked by revelation of 8states0 7kashf-i awl71 and purgation from desire1 and renunciation of self4 7#b7 ,he whose health of body and continence of heart and quiet peace of mind enable him to see their outward practice1 so that he fixes his gaze on their observance of the holy law and of the different sorts of discipline1 and on the excellence of their conduct3 consequently he seeks to associate with them and give himself up to the practice of piety1 and the beginning of his novitiate is marked by self-mortification 7mujhadat7 and good conduct4 7#c7 ,he whose humanity and custom of social intercourse and goodness of disposition cause him to consider their actions and to see the virtue of their outward life3 how they treat their superiors with respect and their inferiors with generosity and their equals as comrades1 and how untroubled they are by thoughts of worldly gain and contented with what they have2 he seeks their society1 and renders easy to himself the hard path of worldly ambition1 and makes himself at leisure one of the good4 7#d7 ,he whose stupidity and feebleness of soul--his love of power without merit and of distinction without knowledge--lead him to suppose that the outward actions of the fs are everything4 ,when he enters their company they treat him kindly and indulgently1 although they are convinced that he is entirely ignorant of ,god and that he has never striven to advance upon the mystic path4 ,therefore he is honoured by the people as if he were a real adept and is venerated as if he were one of ,god's saints1 but his object is only to assume their dress and hide his deformity under their piety4 ,he is like an ass laden with books 7,kor4 lxxii1 #e74 ,in this age the majority are impostors such as have been described4 ,accordingly1 it behoves you not to seem to be anything except what you really are4 ,it is inward glow 7urqat7 that makes the f1 not the religious habit 7khirqat74 ,to the true mystic there is no difference between the mantle 7ab7 worn by dervishes1 and the coat 7qab7 worn by ordinary people4 ,an eminent ,shaykh was asked why he did not wear a patched frock 7muraqqaa74 ,he replied3 8,it is hypocrisy to wear the garb of the fs and not to bear the burdens which fiism entails40 ,if1 by wearing this garb1 you wish to make known to ,god that you are one of the elect1 ,god knows that already2 and if you wish to show to the people that you belong to ,god1 should your claim be true1 you are guilty of ostentation2 and should it be false1 of hypocrisy4 ,the fs are too great to need a special garment for this purpose4 ,purity 7af7 is a gift from ,god1 whereas wool 7f7 is the clothing of animals4 ,the f ,shaykhs enjoined their disciples to wear patched frocks1 and did the same themselves1 in order that they might be marked men1 and that all the people might keep watch over them3 thus if they committed a transgression1 every tongue would rebuke them1 and if they wished to sin while clad in this garment1 they would be held back by shame4 ,in short1 the muraqqaa is the garb of ,god's saints4 ,the vulgar use it merely as a means of gaining worldly reputation and fortune1 but the elect prefer contumely to honour1 and affliction to prosperity4 ,hence it is said 8the muraqqaa is a garb of happiness for the vulgar1 but a mail-coat 7jawshan7 of affliction for the elect40 ,you must seek what is spiritual1 and shun what is external4 ,the ,divine is veiled by the human1 and that veil is annihilated only by passing through the 8states0 and 8stages0 of the mystic ,way4 ,purity 7af7 is the name given to such annihilation4 ,how can he who has gained it choose one garment rather than another1 or take pains to adorn himself at all8 ,how should he care whether people call him a f or by some other name8 ,,section4 ,muraqqaas should be made with a view to ease and lightness1 and when the original cloth is torn a patch should be inserted4 ,there are two opinions of the ,shaykhs as to this matter4 ,some hold that it is improper to sew the patch on neatly and accurately1 and that the needle should be drawn through the cloth at random1#db and that no trouble should be taken4 ,others again hold that the stitches should be straight and regular1 and that it is part of the practice of the dervishes to keep the stitches straight and to take pains therein2 for sound practice indicates sound principles4 ,footnote #db3 ,literally1 8in whatever place it raises its head40 ,now ,i1 who am ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 asked the ,grand ,shaykh1 ,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn at s1 saying3 8,what is the least thing necessary for a dervish in order that he may become worthy of poverty80 ,he replied3 8,a dervish must not have less than three things3 first1 he must know how to sew on a patch rightly2 second1 he must know how to listen rightly2 third1 he must know how to set his foot on the ground rightly40 ,a number of dervishes were present with me when he said this4 ,as soon as we came to the door each one began to apply this saying to his own case1 and some ignorant fellows fastened on it with avidity4 8,this10 they cried1 8is poverty indeed10 and most of them were hastening to sew patches on nicely and to set their feet on the ground correctly2 and everyone of them imagined that he knew how to listen to sayings on fiism4 ,wherefore1 since my heart was devoted to that ,sayyid1 and ,i was unwilling that his words should fall to the ground1 ,i said3 8,come1 let each of us say something upon this subject40 ,so everyone stated his views1 and when my turn came ,i said3 8,a right patch is one that is stitched for poverty1 not for show2 if it is stitched for poverty1 it is right1 even though it be stitched wrong4 ,and a right word is one that is heard esoterically 7ba-l71 not wilfully 7ba-munyat71 and is applied earnestly1 not frivolously1 and is apprehended by life1 not by reason4 ,and a right foot is one that is put on the ground with true rapture1 not playfully and formally40 ,some of my remarks were reported to the ,sayyid 7,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn71 who said3 8,al has spoken well--,god reward him60 ,the aim of this sect in wearing patched frocks is to alleviate the burden of this world and to be sincere in poverty towards ,god4 ,it is related in the genuine ,traditions that ,jesus1 son of ,mary--,god bless him6--was wearing a muraqqaa when he was taken up to heaven4 ,a certain ,shaykh said3 8,i dreamed that ,i saw him clad in a woollen patched frock1 and light was shining from every patch4 ,i said3 #8,o ,messiah1 what are these lights on thy garment8' ,he answered3 #8,the lights of necessary grace2 for ,i sewed on each of those patches through necessity1 and ,god ,almighty hath turned into a light every tribulation which ,he inflicted on my heart4'0 ,i saw in ,transoxania an old man who belonged to the sect of ,malmats4 ,he neither ate nor wore anything in which human beings had a hand4 ,his food consisted of things thrown away by men1 such as putrid vegetables1 sour gourds1 rotten carrots1 and the like4 ,his clothes were made of rags which he had picked up from the road and washed3 of these he had made a muraqqaa4 ,and ,i have heard that among the mystics of recent times there was an old man of flourishing condition 7qaw l7 and of excellent character1 living at ,marv al-,rd1 who had sewn so many patches1 without taking pains1 on his prayer-rug and cap1 that scorpions brought forth their young in them4 ,and my ,shaykh--may ,god be well pleased with him6--wore for fifty-one years a single cloak 7jubba71 on which he used to sew pieces of cloth without taking any pains4 ,i have found the following tale among the anecdotes of the 7holy7 men of ,irq4 ,there were two dervishes1 one a votary of the contemplative life 7ib mushhadat71 and the other a votary of the purgative life 7ib mujhadat74 ,the former never clothed himself except in the pieces of cloth which were torn off by dervishes in a state of ecstasy 7sam7 from their own garments1 while the other used for the same purpose only the pieces torn off by dervishes who were asking forgiveness3 thus the outward garb of each was in harmony with his inward disposition4 ,this is observance of the 8state0 7ps dshtan-i l74 ,shaykh ,muammad b4 ,khaff wore a coarse woollen frock 7pals7 for twenty years1 and every year he used to undergo four fasts of forty days' duration 7chilla71 and every forty days he would compose a work on the mysteries of the ,sciences of the ,divine ,verities4 ,in his time there was an old man1#dc one of the adepts learned in the ,way 7arqat7 and the ,truth 7aqqat71 who resided at ,parg#dd in ,frs and was called ,muammad b4 ,zakariyy4#de ,he had never worn a muraqqaa4 ,now ,shaykh ,muammad b4 ,khaff was asked3 8,what is involved in wearing a muraqqaa1 and who is permitted to do so80 ,he replied3 8,it involves those obligations which are fulfilled by ,muammad b4 ,zakariyy in his white shirt1 and the wearing of such a frock is permitted to him40 ,footnote #dc3 ,this story is related in ,ar's ,tadhkirat al-,awliy 7pt4 ii1 p4 #abe1 l4 #ag sqq471 where it is expressly said that the old man was not 8learned in the ,way04 ,footnote #dd3 ,i4 in margin has ,park4 ,the ,nuzhat al-,quhb gives the name as 7,bark71 and refers it to a village in the district of ,kirmn4 ,footnote #de3 ,b41 ,i41 and ,j4 have ,dhakariyy 7,zakariyya71 ,l4 4 ,the ,,mss4 of the ,tadhkirat al-,awliy vary between ,dhakr and 4 ,,section4 ,it is not the way of the fs to abandon their customs4 ,if they seldom wear garments of wool at the present day1 there are two reasons for this fact3 7#a7 that wools have deteriorated 7pashmh shrda shuda ast7 and the animals 7which produce wool7 have been carried off from one place to another by raiders2 and 7#b7 that a sect of heretics has adopted the woollen garment as a badge 7shir74 ,and it is praiseworthy to depart from the badge of heretics1 even although one departs at the same time from a traditional practice 7sunna74 ,to take pains 7takalluf7 in sewing muraqqaas is considered allowable by the fs because they have gained a high reputation among the people2 and since many imitate them and wear muraqqaas1 and are guilty of improper acts1 and since the fs dislike the society of others than themselves--for these reasons they have invented a garb which none but themselves can sew1 and have made it a mark of mutual acquaintance and a badge4 ,so much so that when a certain dervish came to one of the ,shaykhs wearing a garment on which the patch had been sewn with too wide stitches 7kha ba-pahn warda bd7 the ,shaykh banished him from his presence4 ,the argument is that purity 7af7 is founded on delicacy of nature and fineness of temperament1 and undoubtedly crookedness in one's nature is not good4 ,it is natural to disapprove of incorrect actions1 just as it is natural to derive no pleasure from incorrect poetry4 ,others1 again1 do not trouble themselves about clothes at all4 ,they wear either a religious habit 7ab7 or an ordinary coat 7qab71 whichever ,god may have given them2 and if ,he keeps them naked1 they remain in that state4 ,i1 who am ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 approve of this doctrine1 and ,i have practised it in my journeys4 ,it is related that ,amad b4 ,kharya wore a coat when he visited ,ab ,yazd1 and that ,shh b4 ,shuj wore a coat when he visited ,ab af4 ,this was not their usual dress1 for sometimes they wore a muraqqaa and sometimes a woollen garment or a white shirt1 as it might happen4 ,the human soul is habituated to things1 and fond of custom1 and when anything has become habitual to the soul it soon grows natural1 and when it has grown natural it becomes a veil4 ,hence the ,apostle said3 ,khayr al-iym awm akh ,dwud alayhi l-salm1 8,the best of fasts is that of my brother ,david40 ,they said3 8,o ,apostle of ,god1 what kind of fast is that80 ,he replied3 8,david used to keep his fast one day and break it on the next day10 in order that his soul should not become accustomed either to keeping the fast or to breaking it1 for fear that he might be veiled thereby4 ,and1 as regards this matter1 ,ab mid ,dstn#df of ,merv was the most sound4 ,his disciples used to put a garment on him1 but those who wanted it used to seek him out when he was at leisure and alone1 and divest him of it2 and he would never say to the person who put it on him3 8,why do you put it on80 nor to the person who took it off3 8,why do you take it off80 ,moreover1 at the present day there is at ,ghazna--may ,god protect it6--an old man with the sobriquet ,muayyad1 who has no choice or discrimination with respect to his clothes2 and he is sound in that degree4 ,footnote #df3 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #cej4 ,now1 as to their garments being mostly blue 7kabd71 one of the reasons is that they have made wandering 7siyat7 and travelling the foundation of their ,path2 and on journeys a white garment does not retain its original appearance1 and is not easily washed1 and besides1 everyone covets it4 ,another cause is this1 that a blue dress is the badge of the bereaved and afflicted1 and the apparel of mourners2 and this world is the abode of trouble1 the pavilion of affliction1 the den of sorrow1 the house of parting1 the cradle of tribulation3 the 7f7 disciples1 seeing that their heart's desire is not to be gained in this world1 have clad themselves in blue and have sat down to mourn union 7with ,god74 ,others behold in the practice 7of devotion7 only imperfection1 in the heart only evil1 in life only loss of time3 therefore they wear blue2 for loss 7fawt7 is worse than death 7mawt74 ,one wears blue for the death of a dear friend1 another for the loss of a cherished hope4 ,a dervish was asked why he wore blue4 ,he replied3 8,the ,apostle left three things3 poverty1 knowledge1 and the sword4 ,the sword was taken by potentates1 who misused it2 knowledge was chosen by savants1 who were satisfied with merely teaching it2 poverty was chosen by dervishes1 who made it a means of enriching themselves4 ,i wear blue as a sign of mourning for the calamity of these three classes of men40 ,once ,murtaish was walking in one of the quarters of ,baghdd4 ,being thirsty1 he went to a door and asked for a drink of water4 ,the daughter of the householder brought him some water in a jug4 ,murtaish was smitten with her beauty and would not leave the spot until the master of the house came to him4 8,o sir10 cried ,murtaish1 8she gave me a drink of water and robbed me of my heart40 ,the householder replied3 8,she is my daughter1 and ,i give her to you in marriage40 ,so ,murtaish went into the house1 and the wedding was immediately solemnized4 ,the bride's father1 who was a wealthy man1 sent ,murtaish to the bath1 where they took off his patched frock 7muraqqaa7 and clothed him in a night-dress4 ,at nightfall he rose to say his prayers and engage in solitary devotion4 ,suddenly he called out1 8,bring my patched frock40 ,they asked1 8,what ails you80 ,he answered1 8,i heard a voice within1 whispering3 #8,on account of one disobedient look ,we have removed thy muraqqaa1 the garb of piety1 from thy body3 if thou lookest again ,we shall remove the raiment of intimacy from thy heart4'0 ,only two kinds of men are fitted to wear the muraqqaa3 7#a7 those who are cut off from the world1 and 7#b7 those who feel a longing for the ,lord 7mushtqn-i mawl74 ,the f ,shaykhs observe the following rule4 ,when a novice joins them1 with the purpose of renouncing the world1 they subject him to spiritual discipline for the space of three years4 ,if he fulfil the requirements of this discipline1 well and good2 otherwise1 they declare that he cannot be admitted to the ,path 7arqat74 ,the first year is devoted to service of the people1 the second year to service of ,god1 and the third year to watching over his own heart4 ,he can serve the people only when he places himself in the rank of servants and all other people in the rank of masters1 i4e4 he must regard all1 without any discrimination1 as being better than himself1 and must consider it his duty to serve all alike2 not in such a way as to deem himself superior to those whom he serves1 for this is manifest perdition and evident fraud1 and is one of the infectious cankers of the age 7az ft-i zamna andar zamna yak nast74 ,and he can serve ,god ,almighty only when he cuts off all his selfish interests relating either to this world or to the next1 and worships ,god absolutely for ,his sake alone1 inasmuch as whoever worships ,god for any thing's sake worships himself and not ,god4 ,and he can watch over his heart only when his thoughts are collected and cares are dismissed from his heart1 so that in the presence of intimacy 7with ,god7 he preserves his heart from the assaults of heedlessness4 ,when these three qualifications are possessed by the novice1 he may wear the muraqqaa as a true mystic1 not merely as an imitator of others4 ,now as to the person who invests the novice with the muraqqaa1 he must be a man of rectitude 7mustaqm al-l7 who has traversed all the hills and dales of the ,path1 and tasted the rapture of 8states0 and perceived the nature of actions1 and experienced the severity of the ,divine majesty and the clemency of the ,divine beauty4 ,furthermore1 he must examine the state of his disciples and judge what point they will ultimately reach3 whether they will retire 7rjin71 or stand still 7wqifn71 or attain 7blighn74 ,if he knows that some day they will abandon this ,path1 he must forbid them to enter upon it2 if they will come to a stand1 he must enjoin them to practise devotion2 and if they will reach the goal1 he must give them spiritual nourishment4 ,the f ,shaykhs are physicians of men's souls4 ,when the physician is ignorant of the patient's malady he kills him by his art1 because he does not know how to treat him and does not recognize the symptoms of danger1 and prescribes food and drink unsuitable to his disease4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,the shaykh in his tribe is like the prophet in his nation40 ,accordingly1 as the prophets showed insight in their call to the people1 and kept everyone in his due degree1 so the ,shaykh likewise should show insight in his call1 and should give to everyone his proper spiritual food1 in order that the object of his call may be secured4 ,the adept1 then1 who has attained the perfection of saintship takes the right course when he invests the novice with the muraqqaa after a period of three years during which he has educated him in the necessary discipline4 ,in respect of the qualifications which it demands1 the muraqqaa is comparable to a winding-sheet 7kafan73 the wearer must resign all his hopes of the pleasures of life1 and purge his heart of all sensual delights1 and devote his life entirely to the service of ,god and completely renounce selfish desires4 ,then the ,director 7,pr7 ennobles him by clothing him in that robe of honour1 while he on his part fulfils the obligations which it involves1 and strives with all his might to perform them1 and deems it unlawful to satisfy his own wishes4 ,many allegories 7ishrt7 have been uttered concerning the muraqqaa4 ,shaykh ,ab ,mamar of ,ifahn has written a book on the subject1 and the generality of aspirants to fiism display much extravagance 7ghuluww7 in this matter4 ,my aim1 however1 in the present work is not to relate sayings1 but to elucidate the difficulties of fiism4 ,the best allegory concerning the muraqqaa is this1 that its collar 7qabba7 is patience1 its two sleeves fear and hope1 its two gussets 7tirz7 contraction and dilation1 its belt self-abnegation1 its hem 7kurs7#dg soundness in faith1 its fringe 7farwz7 sincerity4 ,better still is the following3 8,its collar is annihilation of intercourse 7with men71 its two sleeves are observance 7if7 and continence 7imat71 its two gussets are poverty and purity1 its belt is persistence in contemplation1 its hem 7kurs7 is tranquillity in 7,god's7 presence1 and its fringe is settlement in the abode of union40 ,when you have made a muraqqaa like this for your spiritual self it behoves you to make one for your exterior also4 ,i have composed a separate book on this subject1 entitled 8,the ,mysteries of ,patched ,frocks and ,means of ,livelihood0 7,asrr al-khiraq wa-l-mant71 of which the novice should get a copy4 ,footnote #dg3 ,this conjectural translation of kurs was suggested to me by ,colonel ,ranking4 ,the dictionaries give no explanation of the word as it is used here4 ,if the novice1 having donned the muraqqaa1 should be forced to tear it under compulsion of the temporal authority1 this is permissible and excusable2 but should he tear it of free will and deliberately1 then according to the law of the sect he is not allowed to wear a muraqqaa in future1 and if he do so1 he stands on the same footing as those in our time who are content to wear muraqqaas for outward show1 with no spiritual meaning4 ,as regards the rending of garments the true doctrine is this1 that when fs pass from one stage to another they immediately change their dress in thankfulness for having gained a higher stage2 but whereas every other garment is the dress of a single stage1 the muraqqaa is a dress which comprises all the stages of the ,path of poverty and purity1 and therefore to discard it is equivalent to renouncing the whole ,path4 ,i have made a slight allusion to this question1 although this is not the proper place for it1 in order to settle the particular point at issue2 but1 please ,god1 ,i will give a detailed explanation of the principle in the chapter on rending 7kharq71 and in the revelation of the mystery of 8audition0 7sam74 ,furthermore1 it has been said that one who invests a novice with the muraqqaa should possess such sovereign mystical powers that any stranger on whom he looks kindly should become a friend1 and any sinner whom he clothes in this garment should become a saint4 ,once ,i was travelling with my ,shaykh in dharbyajn1 and we saw two or three persons wearing muraqqaas1 who were standing beside a wheat-barn and holding up their skirts in the hope that the farmer would throw them some wheat4 ,on seeing this the ,shaykh exclaimed3 8,those are they who have purchased error at the price of true guidance1 but their traffic has not been profitable0 7,kor4 ii1 #ae74 ,i asked him how they had fallen into this calamity and disgrace4 ,he said3 8,their spiritual directors were greedy to gather disciples1 and they themselves are greedy to collect worldly goods40 ,it is related of ,junayd that he saw at the ,bb al-q#dh a beautiful ,christian youth and said3 8,o ,lord1 pardon him for my sake1 for ,thou hast created him exceeding fair40 ,after a while the youth came to ,junayd and made profession of ,islam and was enrolled among the saints4 ,ab ,al ,siyh was asked3 8,who is permitted to invest novices with the muraqqaa80 ,he replied3 8,that one who oversees the whole kingdom of ,god1 so that nothing happens in the world without his knowledge40 ,footnote #dh3 ,a gate in the eastern quarter of ,baghdd4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,on ,,the ,,different ,,opinions ,,held ,,concerning ,,poverty ,,and ,,purity4 ,the ,doctors of the ,mystic ,path are not agreed as to the respective merits of ,poverty 7faqr7 and ,purity 7afwat74 ,some hold that ,poverty is more perfect than ,purity4 ,poverty1 they say1 is complete annihilation in which every thought ceases to exist1 and ,purity is one of the 8stations0 7maqmt7 of ,poverty3 when annihilation is gained1 all 8stations0 vanish into nothing4 ,this is ultimately the same question as that touching ,poverty and ,wealth1 which has already been discussed4 ,those who set ,purity above ,poverty say that ,poverty is an existent thing 7shay ast mawjd7 and is capable of being named1 whereas ,purity is the being pure 7af7 from all existing things3 af is the essence of annihilation 7fan71 and ,poverty is the essence of subsistence 7baq73 therefore ,poverty is one of the names of 8stations01 but ,purity is one of the names of perfection4 ,this matter has been disputed at great length in the present age1 and both parties have resorted to far-fetched and amazing verbal subtleties2 but it will be allowed on all sides that ,poverty and ,purity are not mere words and nothing else4 ,the disputants have made up a doctrine out of words and have neglected to apprehend meanings3 they have abandoned discussion of the ,truth4 ,negation of arbitrary will they call negation of essence1 and affirmation of desire they regard as affirmation of essence4 ,the ,mystic ,path is far removed from such idle fictions4 ,in short1 the ,saints of ,god attain to a place where place no longer exists1 where all degrees and 8stations0 disappear1 and where outward expressions fall off from the underlying realities1 so that neither 8spiritual delight0 7shurb7 is left1 nor 8taste0 7dhawq71 nor 8sobriety0 7aw71 nor 8effacement0 7maw74 ,these controversialists1 however1 seek a forced name with which to cloak ideas that do not admit of being named or of being used as attributes2 and everyone applies to them whatever name he thinks most estimable4 ,now1 in dealing with the ideas themselves1 the question of superiority does not arise1 but when names are given to them1 one will necessarily be preferred to another4 ,accordingly1 to some people the name of ,poverty seemed to be superior and of greater worth because it is connected with renunciation and humility1 while others preferred ,purity1 and held it the more honourable because it comes nearer to the notion of discarding all that contaminates and annihilating all that has a taint of the world4 ,they adopted these two names as symbols of an inexpressible idea1 in order that they might converse with each other on that subject and make their own state fully known2 and there is no difference of opinion in this sect 7the fs71 although some use the term 8,poverty0 and others the term 8,purity0 to express the same idea4 ,with the verbalists 7ahl-i ibrat71 on the contrary1 who are ignorant of the true meaning of these ideas1 the whole question is an affair of words4 ,to conclude1 whoever has made that idea his own and fixed his heart upon it1 heeds not whether they call him 8,poor0 7faqr7 or 8,pure0 7f71 since both these appellations are forced names for an idea that cannot be brought under any name4 ,this controversy dates from the time of ,abu l-asan ,sumnn4 ,he1 on occasions when he was in a state of revelation 7kashf7 akin to subsistence 7baq71 used to set ,poverty above ,purity2 and on being asked by spiritualists 7arbb-i man7 why he did so1 he replied3 8,inasmuch as ,i naturally delight in annihilation and abasement1 and no less in subsistence and exaltation1 ,i prefer ,purity to ,poverty when ,i am in a state akin to annihilation1 and ,poverty to ,purity when ,i am in a state akin to subsistence2 for ,poverty is the name of subsistence and ,purity that of annihilation4 ,in the latter state ,i annihilate from myself the sight 7consciousness7 of subsistence1 and in the former state ,i annihilate from myself the sight of annihilation1 so that my nature becomes dead both to annihilation and to subsistence40 ,now this1 regarded as an explanation 7ibrat71 is an excellent saying1 but neither annihilation nor subsistence can be annihilated3 every subsistent thing that suffers annihilation is annihilated from itself1 and every annihilated thing that becomes subsistent is subsistent from itself4 ,annihilation is a term of which it is impossible to speak hyperbolically4 ,if a person says that annihilation is annihilated1 he can only be expressing hyperbolically the non-existence of any vestige of the idea of annihilation2 but so long as any vestige of existence remains1 annihilation has not yet come to pass2 and when it has been attained1 the 8annihilation0 thereof is nothing but self-conceit flattered by meaningless phrases4 ,in the vanity and rashness of youth ,i composed a discourse of this kind1 entitled the 8,book of ,annihilation and ,subsistence0 7,kitb-i ,fan ,baq71 but in the present work ,i will set forth the whole matter with caution1 please ,god the ,almighty and ,glorious4 ,this is the distinction between ,purity and ,poverty in the spiritual sense4 ,it is otherwise when ,purity and ,poverty are considered in their practical aspect1 namely1 the denuding one's self of worldly things 7tajrd7 and the casting away of all one's possessions4 ,here the real point is the difference between ,poverty 7faqr7 and ,lowliness 7maskanat74 ,some ,shaykhs assert that the ,poor 7faqr7 are superior to the ,lowly 7miskn71 because ,god has said1 8the poor who are straitened in the way of ,allah1 unable to go to and fro on the earth0 7,kor4 ii1 #bgd73 the ,lowly possess means of livelihood1 which the ,poor renounce3 therefore ,poverty is honour and ,lowliness abasement1 for1 according to the rule of the ,mystic ,path1 he who possesses the means of livelihood is base1 as the ,apostle said3 8,woe befall those who worship the dnr and the dirhem1 woe befall those who worship garments with a nap60 ,he who renounces the means of livelihood is honoured1 inasmuch as he depends on ,god1 while he who has means depends on them4 ,others1 again1 declare the ,lowly to be superior1 because the ,apostle said3 8,let me live lowly1 and let me die lowly1 and raise me from the dead among the lowly60 whereas1 speaking of ,poverty1 he said1 8,poverty is near to being unbelief40 ,on this account the ,poor are dependent on a means1 but the ,lowly are independent4 ,in the domain of ,sacred ,law1 some divines hold that the ,poor are those who have a sufficiency 7s4ib bulgha71 and the ,lowly those who are free from worldly cares 7mujarrad72 but other divines hold the converse of this view4 ,hence the name 8f0 is given to the ,lowly by followers of the ,path 7ahl-i maqmt7 who adopt the former opinion3 they prefer ,purity 7afwat7 to ,poverty4 ,those fs who accept the latter view prefer ,poverty to ,purity1 for a similar reason4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,on ,,blame 7,malmat74 ,the path of ,blame has been trodden by some of the f ,shaykhs4 ,blame has a great effect in making love sincere4 ,the followers of the ,truth 7ahl-i aqq7 are distinguished by their being the objects of vulgar blame1 especially the eminent ones of this community4 ,the ,apostle1 who is the exemplar and leader of the adherents of the ,truth1 and who marches at the head of the lovers 7of ,god71 was honoured and held in good repute by all until the evidence of the ,truth was revealed to him and inspiration came upon him4 ,then the people loosed their tongues to blame him4 ,some said1 8,he is a soothsayer20 others1 8,he is a poet20 others1 8,he is a madman20 others1 8,he is a liar20 and so forth4 ,and ,god says1 describing the true believers3 8,they fear not the blame of anyone2 that is the grace of ,god which ,he bestows on whomsoever ,he pleases2 ,god is bounteous and wise0 7,kor4 v1 #ei74 ,such is the ordinance of ,god1 that ,he causes those who discourse of ,him to be blamed by the whole world1 but preserves their hearts from being preoccupied by the world's blame4 ,this ,he does in ,his jealousy3 ,he guards ,his lovers from glancing aside to 8other0 7ghayr71 lest the eye of any stranger should behold the beauty of their state2 and ,he guards them also from seeing themselves1 lest they should regard their own beauty and fall into self-conceit and arrogance4 ,therefore ,he hath set the vulgar over them to loose the tongues of blame against them1 and hath made the 8blaming soul0 7nafs-i lawwma7 part of their composition1 in order that they may be blamed by others for whatever they do1 and by themselves for doing evil or for doing good imperfectly4 ,now this is a firm principle in the ,way to ,god1 for in this ,path there is no taint or veil more difficult to remove than self-conceit4 ,god in ,his kindness hath barred the way of error against ,his friends4 ,their actions1 however good1 are not approved by the vulgar1 who do not see them as they really are2 and they themselves do not regard their works of mortification1 however numerous1 as proceeding from their own strength and power3 consequently they are not pleased with themselves and are protected from self-conceit4 ,whoever is approved by ,god is disapproved by the vulgar1 and whoever is elected by himself is not among the elect of ,god4 ,thus ,ibls was approved by mankind and accepted by the angels1 and he was pleased with himself2 but since ,god was not pleased with him1 their approval only brought a curse upon him4 ,adam1 on the other hand1 was disapproved by the angels1 who said3 8,wilt ,thou place there on the earth one who will do evil therein80 7,kor4 ii1 #bh71 and was not pleased with himself1 for he said3 8,o ,lord1 we have done ourselves a wrong0 7,kor4 vii1 #bb72 but since ,god was pleased with him1 the disapproval of the angels and his own displeasure bore the fruit of mercy4 ,let all men1 therefore1 know that those accepted by us are rejected by the people1 and that those accepted by the people are rejected by us4 ,hence the blame of mankind is the food of the friends of ,god1 because it is a token of ,divine approval2 it is the delight of the saints of ,god1 because it is a sign of nearness to ,him3 they rejoice in it even as other men rejoice in popularity4 ,there is a ,tradition1 which the ,apostle received from ,gabriel1 that ,god said3 8,my friends 7saints7 are under ,my cloak3 save ,me1 none knoweth them except ,my friends40 ,,section4 ,now blame 7malmat7 is of three kinds3 it may result 7#a7 from following the right way 7malmat-i rst raftan71 or 7#b7 from an intentional act 7malmat-i qad kardan71 or 7#c7 from abandonment of the law 7malmat-i tark kardan74 ,in the first case1 a man is blamed who minds his own business and performs his religious duties and does not omit any practice of devotion3 he is entirely indifferent to the behaviour of the people towards him4 ,in the second case a man is greatly honoured by the people and pointed out among them3 his heart inclines to the honour in which he is held1 and becomes attached to those by whom it is bestowed3 he wishes to make himself independent of them and devote himself wholly to ,god2 therefore he purposely incurs their blame by committing some act which is offensive to them but which is no violation of the law3 in consequence of his behaviour they wash their hands of him4 ,in the third case1 a man is driven by his natural infidelity and erroneous beliefs to abandon the sacred law and abjure its observances1 and say to himself1 8,i am treading the path of blame30 in this case his behaviour depends on himself alone4 ,he who follows the right way and refuses to act hypocritically1 and refrains from ostentation1 pays no heed to the blame of the vulgar1 but invariably takes his own course3 it is all one to him what name they call him by4 ,i find among the anecdotes 7of holy men7 that one day ,shaykh ,ab hir aram was seen in the bazaar1 riding a donkey and attended by one of his disciples4 ,some person cried out1 8,here comes that old freethinker60 ,the indignant disciple rushed at the speaker1 trying to strike him1 and the whole bazaar was filled with tumult4 ,the ,shaykh said to his disciple3 8,if you will be quiet1 ,i will show you something that will save you from trouble of this sort40 ,when they returned home1 he bade the disciple bring a certain box1 which contained letters1 and told him to look at them4 8,observe10 he said1 8how the writers address me4 ,one calls me #8the ,shaykh of ,islam'1 another #8the pure ,shaykh'1 another #8the ascetic ,shaykh'1 another #8the ,shaykh of the two ,sanctuaries'1 and so on4 ,they are all titles1 there is no mention of my name4 ,i am none of these things1 but every person gives me the title which accords with his belief concerning me4 ,if that poor fellow did the same just now1 why should you quarrel with him80 ,he who incurs blame purposely and resigns honour and withdraws from authority is like the ,caliph ,uthmn who1 although he possessed four hundred slaves1 one day came forth from his plantation of date-palms carrying a bundle of firewood on his head4 ,on being asked why he did this1 he answered3 8,i wish to make trial of myself40 ,he would not let the dignity which he enjoyed hinder him from any work4 ,a similar tale related of the ,imm ,ab anfa will be found in this treatise4 ,and a story is told about ,ab ,yazd1 that1 when he was entering ,rayy on his way from the ijz1 the people of that city ran to meet him in order that they might show him honour4 ,their attentions distracted him and turned his thoughts away from ,god4 ,when he came to the bazaar1 he took a loaf from his sleeve and began to eat4 ,they all departed1 for it was the month of ,raman4 ,he said to a disciple who was travelling with him3 8,you see6 as soon as ,i perform a single article of the law1#di they all reject me40 ,in those days it was necessary1 for incurring blame1 to do something disapproved or extraordinary2 but in our time1 if anyone desires blame1 he need only lengthen a little his voluntary prayers or fulfil the religious practices which are prescribed3 at once everybody will call him a hypocrite and impostor4 ,footnote #di3 ,ab ,yazd1 being at that time on a journey1 was not legally bound to observe the fast4 ,he who abandons the law and commits an irreligious act1 and says that he is following the rule of 8blame01 is guilty of manifest wrong and wickedness and self-indulgence4 ,there are many in the present age who seek popularity by this means1 forgetting that one must already have gained popularity before deliberately acting in such a way as to make the people reject him2 otherwise1 his making himself unpopular is a mere pretext for winning popularity4 ,on a certain occasion ,i was in the company of one of these vain pretenders4 ,he committed a wicked act and excused himself by saying that he did it for the sake of blame4 ,one of the party said1 8,that is nonsense40 ,he heaved a sigh4 ,i said to him3 8,if you claim to be a ,malmat and are firm in your belief1 this gentleman's disapproval of what you have done ought to encourage you to persevere2 and since he is seconding you in your chosen course1 why are you so unfriendly and angry with him8 ,your behaviour is more like pretence than pursuit of blame4 ,whoever claims to be guided by the ,truth must give some proof of his assertion1 and the proof consists in observing the ,sunna 7,ordinances of the ,prophet74 ,you make this claim1 and yet ,i see that you have failed to perform an obligatory religious duty4 ,your conduct puts you outside the pale of ,islam40 ,,section4 ,the doctrine of ,blame was spread abroad in this sect by the ,shaykh of his age1 amdn ,qar4 ,he has many fine sayings on the subject4 ,it is recorded that he said3 ,al-malmat tark al-salmat1 8,blame is the abandonment of welfare40 ,if anyone purposely abandons his own welfare and girds himself to endure misfortune1 and renounces his pleasures and familiar ties1 in hope that the glory of ,god will be revealed to him1 the more he is separated from mankind the more he is united to ,god4 ,accordingly1 the votaries of ,blame turn their backs on that thing1 namely welfare 7salmat71 to which the people of this world turn their faces1 for the aspirations of the former are ,unitarian 7wadn74 ,amad b4 ,ftik relates that usayn b4 ,manr1 in reply to the question 8,who is the f80 said3 8,he who is single in essence0 7wadn al-dht74 amdn also said concerning ,blame3 8,it is a hard way for the vulgar to follow1 but ,i will tell one part thereof3 the ,malmat is characterized by the hope of the ,murjites and the fear of the ,qadarites40 ,this saying has a hidden meaning which demands explanation4 ,it is the nature of man to be deterred by popularity more than any other thing from seeking access to ,god4 ,consequently he who fears this danger is always striving to avoid it1 and there are two perils which confront him3 firstly1 the fear that he may be veiled from ,god by the favour of his fellow-creatures2 and secondly1 the fear of committing some act for which the people will blame him and thereby fall into sin4 ,accordingly1 the ,malmat must1 in the first instance1 take care to have no quarrel with the people for what they say of him1 either in this world or the next1 and for the sake of his own salvation he must commit some act which1 legally1 is neither a great sin 7kabra7 nor a trivial offence 7aghra71 in order that the people may reject him4 ,hence his fear in matters of conduct is like the fear of the ,qadarites1 and his hope in dealing with those who blame him is like the hope of the ,murjites4 ,in true love there is nothing sweeter than blame1 because blame of the ,beloved makes no impression on the lover's heart3 he heeds not what strangers say1 for his heart is ever faithful to the object of his love4 8',tis sweet to be reviled for passion's sake40 ,this sect 7the fs7 are distinguished above all creatures in the universe by choosing to be blamed in the body on account of the welfare of their souls2 and this high degree is not attained by the ,cherubim or any spiritual beings1 nor has it been reached by the ascetics1 devotees1 and seekers of ,god belonging to the nations of antiquity1 but it is reserved for those of this nation who journey on the path of entire severance from the things of the world4 ,in my opinion1 to seek ,blame is mere ostentation1 and ostentation is mere hypocrisy4 ,the ostentatious man purposely acts in such a way as to win popularity1 while the ,malmat purposely acts in such a way that the people reject him4 ,both have their thoughts fixed on mankind and do not pass beyond that sphere4 ,the dervish1 on the contrary1 never even thinks of mankind1 and when his heart has been broken away from them he is as indifferent to their reprobation as to their favour3 he moves unfettered and free4 ,i once said to a ,malmat of ,transoxania1 with whom ,i had associated long enough to feel at my ease3 8,o brother1 what is your object in these perverse actions80 ,he replied3 8,to make the people non-existent in regard to myself40 8,the people10 ,i said1 8are many1 and during a lifetime you will not be able to make them non-existent in regard to yourself2 rather make yourself non-existent in regard to the people1 so that you may be saved from all this trouble4 ,some who are occupied with the people imagine that the people are occupied with them4 ,if you wish no one to see you1 do not see yourself4 ,since all your evils arise from seeing yourself1 what business have you with others8 ,if a sick man whose remedy lies in abstinence seeks to indulge his appetite1 he is a fool40 ,others1 again1 practise the method of ,blame from an ascetic motive3 they wish to be despised by the people in order that they may mortify themselves1 and it is their greatest delight to find themselves wretched and abased4 ,ibrhm b4 ,adham was asked1 8,have you ever attained your desire80 ,he answered3 8,yes1 twice2 on one occasion ,i was in a ship where nobody knew me4 ,i was clad in common clothes and my hair was long1 and my guise was such that all the people in the ship mocked and laughed at me4 ,among them was a buffoon1 who was always coming and pulling my hair and tearing it out1 and treating me with contumely after the manner of his kind4 ,at that time ,i felt entirely satisfied1 and ,i rejoiced in my garb4 ,my joy reached its highest pitch one day when the buffoon rose from his place and super me minxit4 ,on the second occasion ,i arrived at a village in heavy rain1 which had soaked the patched frock on my body1 and ,i was overcome by the wintry cold4 ,i went to a mosque1 but was refused admittance4 ,the same thing happened at three other mosques where ,i sought shelter4 ,in despair1 as the cold strengthened its grip on my heart1 ,i entered a bathhouse and drew my skirt close up to the stove4 ,the smoke enveloped me and blackened my clothes and my face4 ,then also ,i felt entirely satisfied40 ,once ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 found myself in a difficulty4 ,after many devotional exercises undertaken in the hope of clearing it away1 ,i repaired--as ,i had done with success on a former occasion--to the tomb of ,ab ,yazd1 and stayed beside it for a space of three months1 performing every day three ablutions and thirty purifications in the hope that my difficulty might be removed4 ,it was not1 however2 so ,i departed and journeyed towards ,khursn4 ,one night ,i arrived at a village in that country where there was a convent 7khnaqh7 inhabited by a number of aspirants to fiism4 ,i was wearing a dark-blue frock 7muraqqa-i khishan71 such as is prescribed by the ,sunna2#ej but ,i had with me nothing of the f's regular equipment 7lat-i ahl-i rasm7 except a staff and a leathern water-bottle 7rakwa74 ,i appeared very contemptible in the eyes of these fs1 who did not know me4 ,they regarded only my external habit and said to one another1 8,this fellow is not one of us40 ,and so in truth it was3 ,i was not one of them1 but ,i had to pass the night in that place4 ,they lodged me on a roof1 while they themselves went up to a roof above mine1 and set before me dry bread which had turned green1 while ,i was drawing into my nostrils the savour of the viands with which they regaled themselves4 ,all the time they were addressing derisive remarks to me from the roof4 ,when they finished the food1 they began to pelt me with the skins of the melons which they had eaten1 by way of showing how pleased they were with themselves and how lightly they thought of me4 ,i said in my heart3 8,o ,lord ,god1 were it not that they are wearing the dress of ,thy friends1 ,i would not have borne this from them40 ,and the more they scoffed at me the more glad became my heart1 so that the endurance of this burden was the means of delivering me from that difficulty which ,i have mentioned2 and forthwith ,i perceived why the ,shaykhs have always given fools leave to associate with them and for what reason they submit to their annoyance4 ,footnote #ej3 ,i4 adds in margin 8for travellers04 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,concerning ,,their ,,im,,ms ,,who ,,belonged ,,to ,,the ,,companions4 #a4 ,,the ,,caliph ,,ab ,,bakr1 ,,the ,,veracious 7al-iddq74 ,he is placed by the f ,shaykhs at the head of those who have adopted the contemplative life 7mushhadat71 on account of the fewness of the stories and traditions which he related2 while ,umar is placed at the head of those who have adopted the purgative life 7mujhadat71 because of his rigour and assiduity in devotion4 ,it is written among the genuine ,traditions1 and is well known to scholars1 that when ,ab ,bakr prayed at night he used to recite the ,koran in a low voice1 whereas ,umar used to recite in a loud voice4 ,the ,apostle asked ,ab ,bakr why he did this4 ,ab ,bakr replied3 8,he with whom ,i converse will hear40 ,umar1 in his turn1 replied3 8,i wake the drowsy and drive away the ,devil40 ,the one gave a token of contemplation1 the other of purgation4 ,now purgation1 compared with contemplation1 is like a drop of water in a sea1 and for this reason the ,apostle said that ,umar1 the glory of ,islam1 was only 7equivalent to7 a single one of the good deeds of ,ab ,bakr 7hal anta ill asanatun min asanti ,ab ,bakr74 ,it is recorded that ,ab ,bakr said3 8,our abode is transitory1 our life therein is but a loan1 our breaths are numbered1 and our indolence is manifest40 ,by this he signified that the world is too worthless to engage our thoughts2 for whenever you occupy yourself with what is perishable1 you are made blind to that which is eternal3 the friends of ,god turn their backs on the world and the flesh which veil them from ,him1 and they decline to act as if they were owners of a thing that is really the property of another4 ,and he said3 8,o ,god1 give me plenty of the world and make me desirous of renouncing it60 ,this saying has a hidden sense1 viz43 8,first bestow on me worldly goods that ,i may give thanks for them1 and then help me to abstain from them for ,thy sake1 so that ,i may have the treble merit of thanksgiving and liberality and abstinence1 and that my poverty may be voluntary1 not compulsory40 ,these words refute the ,director of mystical practice1 who said3 8,he whose poverty is compulsory is more perfect than he whose poverty is voluntary2 for if it be compulsory1 he is the creature 7anat7 of poverty1 and if it be voluntary1 poverty is his creature2 and it is better that his actions should be free from any attempt to gain poverty for himself than that he should seek to acquire it by his own effort40 ,i say in answer to this3 ,the creature of poverty is most evidently that person who1 while enjoying independence1 is possessed by the desire for poverty1 and labours to recover it from the clutches of the world2 not that person who1 in the state of poverty1 is possessed by the desire for independence and has to go to the houses of evildoers and the courts of governors for the sake of earning money4 ,the creature of poverty is he who falls from independence to poverty1 not he who1 being poor1 seeks to become powerful4 ,ab ,bakr is the foremost of all mankind after the prophets1 and it is not permissible that anyone should take precedence of him1 for he set voluntary poverty above compulsory poverty4 ,this doctrine is held by all the f ,shaykhs except the spiritual ,director whom we have mentioned4 ,zuhr relates that1 when ,ab ,bakr received the oaths of allegiance as ,caliph1 he mounted the pulpit and pronounced an oration1 in the course of which he said3 8,by ,god1 ,i never coveted the command nor desired it even for a day or a night1 nor ever asked ,god for it openly or in secret1 nor do ,i take any pleasure in having it40 ,now1 when ,god causes anyone to attain perfect sincerity and exalts him to the rank of fixity 7tamkn7 he waits for ,divine inspiration1 that it may guide him2 and according as he is bidden1 he will be either a beggar or a prince1 without exercising his own choice and will4 ,thus ,ab ,bakr1 the ,veracious1 resigned himself to the will of ,god from first to last4 ,hence the whole sect of fs have made him their pattern in stripping themselves of worldly things1 in fixity 7tamkn71 in eager desire for poverty1 and in longing to renounce authority4 ,he is the ,imm of the ,moslems in general1 and of the fs in particular4 #b4,,the ,,caliph ,,umar ,b4 ,,al-,,kha,b4 ,he was specially distinguished by sagacity and resolution1 and is the author of many fine sayings on fiism4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,the ,truth speaks by the tongue of ,umar20 and again1 8,there have been inspired relaters 7muaddathun7 in the peoples of antiquity1 and if there be any such in my people1 it is ,umar40 ,umar said3 8,retirement 7uzlat7 is a means of relieving one's self of bad company40 ,retirement is of two sorts3 firstly1 turning one's back on mankind 7ir az khalq71 and secondly1 entire severance from them 7inqi az shn74 ,turning one's back on mankind consists in choosing a solitary retreat1 and in renouncing the society of one's fellow-creatures externally1 and in quiet contemplation of the faults in one's own conduct1 and in seeking release for one's self from intercourse with men1 and in making all people secure from one's evil actions4 ,but severance from mankind is a spiritual state1 which is not connected with anything external4 ,when a person is severed from mankind in spirit1 he knows nothing of created beings and no thought thereof can take possession of his mind4 ,such a person1 although he is living among the people1 is isolated from them1 and his spirit dwells apart from them4 ,this is a very exalted station4 ,umar followed the right path herein1 for externally he lived among the people as their ,commander and ,caliph4 ,his words show clearly that although spiritualists may outwardly mix with mankind1 their hearts always cling to ,god and return to ,him in all circumstances4 ,they regard any intercourse they may have with men as an affliction sent by ,god2 and that intercourse does not divert them from ,god1 since the world never becomes pure in the eyes of those whom ,god loves4 ,umar said3 8,an abode which is founded upon affliction cannot possibly be without affliction40 ,the fs make him their model in wearing a patched frock 7muraqqaa7 and rigorously performing the duties of religion4 #c4 ,,the ,,caliph ,,uthm,n ,b4 ,,aff,n4 ,it is related by ,abdallh b4 ,rab and ,ab ,qatda as follows3 8,we were with the ,commander of the ,faithful1 ,uthmn1 on the day when his house was attacked4 ,his slaves1 seeing the crowd of rebels gathered at the door1 took up arms4 ,uthmn said3 #8,whoever of you does not take up arms is a free man4' ,we went forth from the house in fear of our lives4 asan b4 ,al met us on the way1 and we returned with him to ,uthmn1 that we might know on what business he was going4 ,after he had saluted ,uthmn and condoled with him he said3 #8,o ,prince of the ,faithful1 ,i dare not draw sword against ,moslems without thy command4 ,thou art the true ,imm4 ,give the order and ,i will defend thee4' ,uthmn replied3 #8,o my cousin1 go back to thy house and sit there until ,god shall bring ,his decree to pass4 ,we do not wish to shed blood4'0 ,these words betoken resignation in the hour of calamity1 and show that the speaker had attained the rank of friendship with ,god 7khullat74 ,similarly1 when ,nimrod lit a fire and put ,abraham in the sling 7pala7#ea of a catapult1 ,gabriel came to ,abraham and said1 8,dost thou want anything80 ,he answered1 8,from thee1 no40 ,gabriel said1 8,then ask ,god40 ,he answered1 8,since ,he knows in what plight ,i am ,i need not ask ,him40 ,here ,uthmn was in the position of the ,friend 7,khall7#eb in the catapult1 and the seditious mob was in the place of the fire1 and asan was in the place of ,gabriel2 but ,abraham was saved1 while ,uthmn perished4 ,salvation 7najt7 is connected with subsistence 7baq7 and destruction 7halk7 with annihilation 7fan73 on this topic something has been said above4 ,the fs take ,uthmn as their exemplar in sacrificing life and property1 in resigning their affairs to ,god1 and in sincere devotion4 ,footnote #ea3 ,arabic kiffat4 ,see ,dozy1 ,supplment1 ii1 #dgf4 ,footnote #eb3 ,abraham is called by ,moslems 8the ,friend of ,god0 7al-,khall74 #d4 ,,the ,,caliph ,,al ,b4 ,,ab ,,lib4 ,his renown and rank in this ,path 7of fiism7 were very high4 ,he explained the principles 7ul7 of ,divine truth with exceeding subtlety1 so that ,junayd said3 8,al is our ,shaykh as regards the principles and as regards the endurance of affliction10 i4e4 in the theory and practice of fiism2 for fs call the theory of this ,path 8principles0 7ul71 and its practice consists entirely in the endurance of affliction4 ,it is related that some one begged ,al to give him a precept 7waiyyat74 ,al replied3 8,do not let your wife and children be your chief cares2 for if they be friends of ,god1 ,god will look after ,his friends1 and if they are enemies of ,god1 why should you take care of ,god's enemies80 ,this question is connected with the severance of the heart from all things save ,god1 who keeps ,his servants in whatever state ,he willeth4 ,thus ,moses left the daughter of ,shuayb#ec in a most miserable plight and committed her to ,god2 and ,abraham took ,hagar and ,ishmael and brought them to a barren valley and committed them to ,god4 ,both these prophets1 instead of making wife and child their chief care1 fixed their hearts on ,god4 ,this saying resembles the answer which ,al gave to one who asked what is the purest thing that can be acquired4 ,he said3 8,it is that which belongs to a heart made rich by ,god0 7ghan al-qalb billh74 ,the heart that is so enriched is not made poor by having no worldly goods nor glad by having them4 ,this subject really turns on the theory regarding poverty and purity1 which has been already discussed4 ,al is a model for the fs in respect to the truths of outward expressions and the subtleties of inward meanings1 the stripping one's self of all property either of this world or of the next1 and consideration of the ,divine providence4 ,footnote #ec3 ,moses is said to have married one of the daughters of ,shuayb4 ,see ,kor4 xxviii1 #bb-h1 where ,shuayb1 however1 is not mentioned by name4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,concerning ,,their ,,im,,ms ,,who ,,belonged ,,to ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,the ,,prophet4 #a4 ,,asan ,b4 ,,al4 ,he was profoundly versed in fiism4 ,he said1 by way of precept3 8,see that ye guard your hearts1 for ,god knows your secret thoughts40 8,guarding the heart0 consists in not turning to others 7than ,god7 and in keeping one's secret thoughts from disobedience to the ,almighty4 ,when the ,qadarites got the upper hand1 and the doctrine of ,rationalism became widely spread1 asan of ,bara wrote to asan b4 ,al begging for guidance1 and asking him to state his opinion on the perplexing subject of predestination and on the dispute whether men have any power to act 7istiat74 asan b4 ,al replied that in his opinion those who did not believe in the determination 7qadar7 of men's good and evil actions by ,god were infidels1 and that those who imputed their sins to ,god were miscreants1 i4e4 the ,qadarites deny the ,divine providence1 and the ,jabarites impute their sins to ,god2 hence men are free to acquire their actions according to the power given them by ,god1 and thus our religion takes the middle course between free-will and predestination4 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that when asan b4 ,al was seated at the door of his house in ,kfa1 a ,bedouin came up and reviled him and his father and his mother4 asan rose and said3 8,o ,bedouin1 perhaps you are hungry or thirsty1 or what ails you80 ,the ,bedouin took no heed1 but continued to abuse him4 asan ordered his slave to bring a purse of silver1 and gave it to the fellow1 saying3 8,o ,bedouin1 excuse me1 for there is nothing else in the house2 had there been more1 ,i should not have grudged it to you40 ,on hearing this1 the ,bedouin exclaimed3 8,i bear witness that thou art the grandson of the ,apostle of ,god4 ,i came hither to make trial of thy mildness40 ,such are the true saints and ,shaykhs who care not whether they are praised or blamed1 and listen calmly to abuse4 #b4 ,,usayn ,b4 ,,al ,he is the martyr of ,karbal1 and all fs are agreed that he was in the right4 ,so long as the ,truth was apparent1 he followed it2 but when it was lost he drew the sword and never rested until he sacrificed his dear life for ,god's sake4 ,the ,apostle distinguished him by many tokens of favour4 ,thus ,umar b4 al-,khab relates that one day he saw the ,apostle crawling on his knees1 while usayn rode on his back holding a string1 of which the other end was in the ,apostle's mouth4 ,umar said3 8,what an excellent camel thou hast1 ,o father of ,abdallh60 ,the ,apostle replied3 8,what an excellent rider is he1 ,o ,umar60 ,it is recorded that usayn said3 8,thy religion is the kindest of brethren towards thee10 because a man's salvation consists in following religion1 and his perdition in disobeying it4 #c4 ,,al ,b4 ,,usayn ,b4 ,,al1 ,,called ,,zayn ,,al-,,bid,n4 ,he said that the most blessed man in this world and in the next is he who1 when he is pleased1 is not led by his pleasure into wrong1 and when he is angry1 is not carried by his anger beyond the bounds of right4 ,this is the character of those who have attained perfect rectitude 7kaml-i mustaqmn74 usayn used to call him ,al the ,younger 7,al ,aghar74 ,when usayn and his children were killed at ,karbal1 there was none left except ,al to take care of the women2 and he was ill4 ,the women were brought unveiled on camels to ,yazd b4 ,muwiya--may ,god curse him1 but not his father6--at ,damascus4 ,some one said to ,al3 8,how are ye this morning1 ,o ,al and ,o members of the ,house of ,mercy80 ,al replied3 8,we are in the same position among our people as the people of ,moses among ,pharaoh's folk1 who slaughtered their sons and took their women alive2 we do not know morning from evening on account of the reality of our affliction40 ,the author then relates the well-known story of ,hishm b4 ,abd al-,malik's encounter with ,al b4 usayn at ,mecca--how the ,caliph1 who desired to kiss the ,black ,stone but was unable to reach it1 saw the crowd immediately make way for ,al and retire to a respectful distance2 how a man of ,syria asked the ,caliph to tell him the name of this person who was held in so great veneration2 how ,hishm feigned ignorance1 for fear that his partisans should be shaken in allegiance to himself2 and how the poet ,farazdaq stepped forward and recited the splendid encomium beginning--#ed 8,this is he whose footprint is known to the valley of ,mecca1 ,he whom the ,temple knows1 and the unhallowed territory and the holy ground4 ,this is the son of the best of all the servants of ,god1 ,this is the pious1 the elect1 the pure1 the eminent40 ,hishm was enraged and threw ,farazdaq into prison4 ,al sent to him a purse containing #ab1jjj dirhems2 but the poet returned it1 with the message that he had uttered many lies in the panegyrics on princes and governors which he was accustomed to compose for money1 and that he had addressed these verses to ,al as a partial expiation for his sins in that respect1 and as a proof of his affection towards the ,house of the ,prophet4 ,al1 however1 begged to be excused from taking back what he had already given away2 and ,farazdaq at last consented to receive the money4 ,footnote #ed3 ,twenty-five verses are quoted4 #d4 ,,ab ,,ja,,far ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,al ,b4 ,,usayn ,,al-,b,,qir4 ,some say that his 8name of honour0 was ,ab ,abdallh4 ,his nickname was ,bqir4 ,he was distinguished for his knowledge of the abstruse sciences and for his subtle indications as to the meaning of the ,koran4 ,it is related that on one occasion a king1 who wished to destroy him1 summoned him to his presence4 ,when ,bqir appeared1 the king begged his pardon1 bestowed gifts upon him1 and dismissed him courteously4 ,on being asked why he had acted in this manner1 the king replied3 8,when he came in1 ,i saw two lions1 one on his right hand and one on his left1 who threatened to destroy me if ,i should attempt to do him any harm40 ,in his explanation of the verse1 8,whosoever believes in the ght and believes in ,god0 7,kor4 ii1 #beg71 ,bqir said3 8,anything that diverts thee from contemplation of the ,truth is thy ght40 ,one of his intimate friends relates that when a portion of the night had passed and ,bqir had finished his litanies1 he used to cry aloud to ,god3 8,o my ,god and my ,lord1 night has come1 and the power of monarchs has ceased1 and the stars are shining in the sky1 and all mankind are asleep and silent1 and the ,ban ,umayya have gone to rest and shut their doors and set guards to watch over them2 and those who desired anything from them have forgotten their business4 ,thou1 ,o ,god1 art the ,living1 the ,lasting1 the ,seeing1 the ,knowing4 ,sleep and slumber cannot overtake ,thee4 ,he who does not acknowledge that ,thou art such as ,i have described is unworthy of ,thy bounty4 ,o ,thou whom no thing withholds from any other thing1 whose eternity is not impaired by ,day and ,night1 whose doors of ,mercy are open to all who call upon ,thee1 and whose entire treasures are lavished on those who praise ,thee3 ,thou dost never turn away the beggar1 and no creature in earth or heaven can prevent the true believer who implores ,thee from gaining access to ,thy court4 ,o ,lord1 when ,i remember death and the grave and the reckoning1 how can ,i take joy in this world8 ,therefore1 since ,i acknowledge ,thee to be ,one1 ,i beseech ,thee to give me peace in the hour of death1 without torment1 and pleasure in the hour of reckoning1 without punishment40 #e4 ,,ab ,,mu,,ammad ,,ja,,far ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,,diq4 ,he is celebrated among the f ,shaykhs for the subtlety of his discourse and his acquaintance with spiritual truths1 and he has written famous books in explanation of fiism4 ,it is related that he said3 8,whoever knows ,god turns his back on all else40 ,the gnostic 7rif7 turns his back on 8other0 7than ,god7 and is cut off from worldly things1 because his knowledge 7marifat7 is pure nescience 7nakirat71 inasmuch as nescience forms part of his knowledge1 and knowledge forms part of his nescience4 ,therefore the gnostic is separated from mankind and from thought of them1 and he is joined to ,god4 8,other0 has no place in his heart1 that he should pay any heed to them1 and their existence has no worth for him1 that he should fix the remembrance of them in his mind4 ,and it is related that he said3 8,there is no right service without repentance1 because ,god hath put repentance before service1 and hath said1 ,those who repent and serve0 7,kor4 ix1 #aac74 ,repentance 7tawbat7 is the first of the 8stations0 in this ,path1 and service 7ibdat7 is the last4 ,when ,god mentioned the disobedient ,he called them to repentance and said1 8,repent unto ,god together0 7,kor4 xxiv1 #ca72 but when ,he mentioned the ,apostle ,he referred to his 8servantship0 7ubdiyyat71 and said1 8,he revealed to ,his servant that which ,he revealed0 7,kor4 liii1 #aj74 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that ,dwud came to ,jafar diq and said3 8,o son of the ,apostle of ,god1 counsel me1 for my mind is darkened40 ,jafar replied3 8,o ,ab ,sulaymn1 thou art the ascetic of thy time3 what need hast thou of counsel from me80 ,he answered3 8,o son of the ,apostle1 thy family are superior to all mankind1 and it is incumbent on thee to give counsel to all40 8,o ,ab ,sulaymn10 cried ,jafar1 8,i am afraid that at the ,resurrection my grandsire will lay hold on me1 saying1 #8,why didst not thou fulfil the obligation to follow in my steps8' ,this is not a matter that depends on authentic and sure affinity 7to ,muammad71 but on good conduct in the presence of the ,truth40 ,dwud began to weep and exclaimed3 8,o ,lord ,god1 if one whose clay is moulded with the water of ,prophecy1 whose grandsire is the ,apostle1 and whose mother is ,fima 7,batl7--if such a one is distracted by doubts1 who am ,i that ,i should be pleased with my dealings 7towards ,god780 ,one day ,jafar said to his clients3 8,come1 let us take a pledge that whoever amongst us shall gain deliverance on the ,day of ,resurrection shall intercede for all the rest40 ,they said3 8,o son of the ,apostle1 how canst thou have need of our intercession since thy grandsire intercedes for all mankind80 ,jafar replied3 8,my actions are such that ,i shall be ashamed to look my grandsire in the face on the ,last ,day40 ,to see one's faults is a quality of perfection1 and is characteristic of those who are established in the ,divine presence1 whether they be prophets1 saints1 or apostles4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,when ,god wishes a man well1 ,he gives him insight into his faults40 ,whoever bows his head with humility1 like a servant1 ,god will exalt his state in both worlds4 ,now ,i shall mention briefly the ,people of the ,veranda 7,ahl-i uffa74 ,in a book entitled 8,the ,highway of ,religion0 7,minhj al-,dn71 which ,i composed before the present work1 ,i have given a detailed account of each of them1 but here it will suffice to mention their names and 8names of honour04 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,concerning ,,the ,,people ,,of ,,the ,,veranda 7,ahl-i uffa74 ,know that all ,moslems are agreed that the ,apostle had a number of ,companions1 who abode in his ,mosque and engaged in devotion1 renouncing the world and refusing to seek a livelihood4 ,god reproached the ,apostle on their account and said3 8,do not drive away those who call unto their ,lord at morn and eve1 desiring ,his face0 7,kor4 vi1 #eb74 ,their merits are proclaimed by the ,book of ,god1 and in many traditions of the ,apostle which have come down to us4 ,it is related by ,ibn ,abbs that the ,apostle passed by the ,people of the ,veranda1 and saw their poverty and their self-mortification and said3 8,rejoice6 for whoever of my community perseveres in the state in which ye are1 and is satisfied with his condition1 he shall be one of my comrades in ,paradise40 ,among the ,ahl-i uffa#ee were ,bill b4 ,rab1 ,salmn al-,fris1 ,ab ,ubayda b4 al-,jarr1 ,abu l-,yaqn ,ammr b4 ,ysir1 ,abdallh b4 ,masd al-,hudhal1 his brother ,utba b4 ,masd1 ,miqdd b4 al-,aswad1 ,khabbb b4 al-,aratt1 uhayb b4 ,sinn1 ,utba b4 ,ghazwn1 ,zayd b4 al-,khab1 brother of the ,caliph ,umar2 ,ab ,kabsha1 the ,apostle's client2 ,abu l-,marthad ,kinna b4 al-usayn al-,adaw2 ,slim1 client of ,hudhayfa al-,yamn2 ,ukksha b4 ,mian2 ,masd b4 ,rab al-,fris2 ,ab ,dharr ,jundab b4 ,junda al-,ghifr2 ,abdallh b4 ,umar2 afwn b4 ,bay2 ,ab ,dard ,uwaym b4 mr2 ,ab ,lubba b4 ,abd al-,mundhir2 and ,abdallh b4 ,badr al-,juhan4 ,footnote #ee3 ,i have corrected many of the following names1 which are erroneously written in the ,persian text1 by reference to various ,arabic works4 ,shaykh ,ab ,abd al-,ramn ,muammad b4 al-usayn al-,sulam1#ef the traditionist 7naqql7 of fiism and transmitter of the sayings of the f ,shaykhs1 has written a separate history of the ,ahl-i uffa1 in which he has recorded their virtues and merits and names and 8names of honour04 ,he has included among them ,misa b4 ,uththa b4 ,abbd1 whom ,i dislike because he began the slanders about isha1 the ,mother of the ,believers4 ,ab ,hurayra1 and ,thawbn1 and ,mudh b4 al-rith1 and ,sib b4 ,khalld1 and ,thbit b4 ,wadat1 and ,ab s ,uwaym b4 ,sida1 and ,slim b4 ,umayr b4 ,thbit1 and ,abu l-,yasar ,kab b4 ,amr1 and ,wahb b4 ,maqal1 and ,abdallh b4 ,unays1 and ajjj b4 ,umar al-,aslam belonged to the ,ahl-i uffa4 ,now and then they had recourse to some means of livelihood 7taalluq ba-sabab kardand71 but all of them were in one and the same degree 7of dignity74 ,verily1 the generation of the ,companions was the best of all generations2 and they were the best and most excellent of mankind1 since ,god bestowed on them companionship with the ,apostle and preserved their hearts from blemish4 ,footnote #ef3 ,see ,brockelmann1 i1 #bjj4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,concerning ,,their ,,im,,ms ,,who ,,belonged ,,to ,,the ,,followers 7al-,tbin74 #a4 ,,uways ,,al-,,qaran4 ,he lived in the time of the ,apostle1 but was prevented from seeing him1 firstly by the ecstasy which overmastered him1 and secondly by duty to his mother4 ,the ,apostle said to the ,companions3 8,there is a man at ,qaran1 called ,uways1 who at the ,resurrection will intercede for a multitude of my people1 as many as the sheep of ,raba and ,muar40 ,then turning to ,umar and ,al1 he said3 8,you will see him4 ,he is a lowly man1 of middle height1 and hairy2 on his left side there is a white spot1 as large as a dirhem1 which is not from leprosy 7pst71 and he has a similar spot on the palm of his hand4 ,when you see him1 give him my greeting1 and bid him pray for my people40 ,after the ,apostle's death ,umar came to ,mecca1 and cried out in the course of a sermon3 8,o men of ,najd1 are there any natives of ,qaran amongst you80 ,they answered1 8,yes02 whereupon ,umar sent for them and asked them about ,uways4 ,they said3 8,he is a madman who dwells in solitude and associates with no one4 ,he does not eat what men eat1 and he feels no joy or sorrow4 ,when others smile he weeps1 and when others weep he smiles40 ,umar said3 8,i wish to see him40 ,they replied3 8,he lives in a desert1 far from our camels40 ,umar and ,al set out in quest of him4 ,they found him praying1 and waited until he was finished4 ,he saluted them and showed them the marks on his side and the palm of his hand4 ,they asked his blessing and gave him the ,apostle's greeting1 and enjoined him to pray for the ,moslem people4 ,after they had stayed with him for a while1 he said3 8,you have taken trouble 7to see me72 now return1 for the ,resurrection is near1 when we shall see each other without having to say farewell4 ,at present ,i am engaged in preparing for the ,resurrection40 ,when the men of ,qaran came home1 they exhibited great respect for ,uways4 ,he left his native place and came to ,kfa4 ,one day he was seen by ,harim b4 ayyn1 but after that nobody saw him until the period of civil war4 ,he fought for ,al1 and fell a martyr at the battle of iffn4 ,it is related that he said3 8,safety lies in solitude10 because the heart of the solitary is free from thought of 8other01 and in no circumstances does he hope for anything from mankind4 ,let none imagine1 however1 that solitude 7wadat7 merely consists in living alone4 ,so long as the ,devil associates with a man's heart1 and sensual passion holds sway in his breast1 and any thought of this world or the next occurs to him in such a way as to make him conscious of mankind1 he is not truly in solitude2 since it is all one whether he takes pleasure in the thing itself or in the thought of it4 ,accordingly1 the true solitary is not disturbed by society1 but he who is preoccupied seeks in vain to acquire freedom from thought by secluding himself4 ,in order to be cut off from mankind one must become intimate with ,god1 and those who have become intimate with ,god are not hurt by intercourse with mankind4 #b4 ,,harim ,b4 ,,ayy,n4 ,he went to visit ,uways ,qaran1 but on arriving at ,qaran he found that ,uways was no longer there4 ,deeply disappointed1 he returned to ,mecca1 where he learned that ,uways was living at ,kfa4 ,he repaired thither1 but could not discover him for a long time4 ,at last he set out for ,bara and on the way he saw ,uways1 clad in a patched frock1 performing an ablution on the banks of the ,euphrates4 ,as soon as he came up from the shore of the river and combed his beard1 ,harim advanced to meet him and saluted him4 ,uways said3 8,peace be with thee1 ,o ,harim b4 ayyn60 ,harim cried3 8,how did you know that ,i am ,harim80 ,uways answered3 8,my spirit knew thy spirit40 ,he said to ,harim3 8,keep watch over thy heart0 7alayka bi-qalbika71 i4e4 8,guard thy heart from thoughts of #8other'04 ,this saying has two meanings3 7#a7 8,make thy heart obedient to ,god by self-mortification01 and 7#b7 8,make thyself obedient to thy heart04 ,these are two sound principles4 ,it is the business of novices 7murdn7 to make their hearts obedient to ,god in order to purge them from familiarity with vain desires and passions1 and sever them from unseemly thoughts1 and fix them on the method of gaining spiritual health1 on the keeping of the commandments1 and on contemplation of the signs of ,god1 so that their hearts may become the shrine of ,love4 ,to make one's self obedient to one's heart is the business of adepts 7kmiln71 whose hearts ,god has illumined with the light of ,beauty1 and delivered from all causes and means1 and invested with the robe of proximity 7qurb71 and thereby has revealed to them ,his bounties and has chosen them to contemplate ,him and to be near ,him3 hence ,he has made their bodies accordant with their hearts4 ,the former class are masters of their hearts 7ib al-qulb71 the latter are under the dominion of their hearts 7maghlb al-qulb72 the former retain their attributes 7bqi l-ifat71 the latter have lost their attributes 7fni l-ifat74 ,the truth of this matter goes back to the words of ,god3 ,ill bdaka minhumu l-mukhlana1 8,except such of them as are ,thy purified 7chosen7 servants0 7,kor4 xv1 #dj74 ,here some read mukhlina instead of mukhlana4 ,the mukhli 7purifying one's self7 is active1 and retains his attributes1 but the mukhla 7purified7 is passive1 and has lost his attributes4 ,i will explain this question more fully elsewhere4 ,the latter class1 who make their bodies accordant with their hearts1 and whose hearts abide in contemplation of ,god1 are of higher rank than those who by their own effort make their hearts comply with the ,divine commandments4 ,this subject has its foundation in the principles of sobriety 7ahw7 and intoxication 7sukr71 and in those of contemplation 7mushhadat7 and self-mortification 7mujhadat74 #c4 ,,asan ,,of ,,ba,,ra4 ,his 8name of honour0 was ,ab ,al2 according to others1 ,ab ,muammad or ,ab ,sad4 ,he is held in high regard and esteem by the fs4 ,he gave subtle directions relating to the science of practical religion 7ilm-i mumalat74 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that a ,bedouin came to him and asked him about patience 7abr74 asan replied3 8,patience is of two sorts3 firstly1 patience in misfortune and affliction2 and secondly1 patience to refrain from the things which ,god has commanded us to renounce and has forbidden us to pursue40 ,the ,bedouin said3 8,thou art an ascetic2 ,i never saw anyone more ascetic than thou art40 8,o ,bedouin60 cried asan1 8my asceticism is nothing but desire1 and my patience is nothing but lack of fortitude40 ,the ,bedouin begged him to explain this saying1 8for said he thou hast shaken my belief40 asan replied3 8,my patience in misfortune and my submission proclaim my fear of ,hell-fire1 and this is lack of fortitude 7jaza72 and my asceticism in this world is desire for the next world1 and this is the quintessence of desire4 ,how excellent is he who takes no thought of his own interest6 so that his patience is for ,god's sake1 not for the saving of himself from ,hell2 and his asceticism is for ,god's sake1 not for the purpose of bringing himself into ,paradise4 ,this is the mark of true sincerity40 ,and it is related that he said3 8,association with the wicked produces suspicion of the good40 ,this saying is very apt and suitable to the people of the present age1 who all disbelieve in the honoured friends of ,god4 ,the reason of their disbelief is that they associate with pretenders to fiism1 who have only its external forms2 and perceiving their actions to be perfidious1 their tongues false1 their ears listening to idle quatrains1 their eyes following pleasure and lust1 and their hearts set on amassing unlawful or dubious lucre1 they fancy that aspirants to fiism behave in the same manner1 or that this is the doctrine of the fs themselves1 whereas1 on the contrary1 the fs act in obedience to ,god1 and speak the word of ,god1 and keep the love of ,god in their hearts and the voice 7sam7 of ,god in their ears1 and the beauty of ,divine contemplation in their eyes1 and all their thoughts are fixed on the gaining of holy mysteries in the place where ,vision is vouchsafed to them4 ,if evildoers have appeared among them and have adopted their practices1 the evil must be referred to those who commit it4 ,anyone who associates with the wicked members of a community does so through his own wickedness1 for he would associate with the good if there were any good in him4 #d4 ,,sa,d ,b4 ,,al-,,musayyib4 ,it is said that he was a man of devout nature who made a show of hypocrisy1 not a hypocrite who pretended to be devout4 ,this way of acting is approved in fiism and is held laudable by all the ,shaykhs4 ,he said3 8,be content with a little of this world while thy religion is safe1 even as some are content with much thereof while their religion is lost10 i4e4 poverty without injury to religion is better than riches with heedlessness4 ,it is related that when he was at ,mecca a man came to him and said3 8,tell me a lawful thing in which there is nothing unlawful40 ,he replied3 8,praise 7dhikr7 of ,god is a lawful thing in which there is nothing unlawful1 and praise of aught else is an unlawful thing in which there is nothing lawful10 because your salvation lies in the former and your perdition in the latter4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,concerning ,,their ,,im,,ms ,,who ,,lived ,,subsequently ,,to ,,the ,,followers 7al-,tbin7 ,,down ,,to ,,our ,,day4 #a4 ,,ab,b ,,al-,,ajam4 ,his conversion 7tawbat7 was begun by asan of ,bara4 ,at first he was a usurer and committed all sorts of wickedness1 but ,god gave him a sincere repentance1 and he learned from asan something of the theory and practice of religion4 ,his native tongue was ,persian 7ajam71 and he could not speak ,arabic correctly4 ,one evening asan of ,bara passed by the door of his cell4 abb had uttered the call to prayer and was standing1 engaged in devotion4 asan came in1 but would not pray under his leadership1 because abb was unable to speak ,arabic fluently or recite the ,koran correctly4 ,the same night1 asan dreamed that he saw ,god and said to ,him3 8,o ,lord1 wherein does ,thy good pleasure consist80 and that ,god answered3 8,o asan1 you found ,my good pleasure1 but did not know its value3 if yesternight you had said your prayers after abb1 and if the rightness of his intention had restrained you from taking offence at his pronunciation1 ,i should have been well pleased with you40 ,it is common knowledge among fs that when asan of ,bara fled from ajjj he entered the cell of abb4 ,the soldiers came and said to abb3 8,have you seen asan anywhere80 abb said3 8,yes40 8,where is he80 8,he is in my cell40 ,they went into the cell1 but saw no one there4 ,thinking that abb was making fun of them1 they abused him and called him a liar4 ,he swore that he had spoken the truth4 ,they returned twice and thrice1 but found no one1 and at last departed4 asan immediately came out and said to abb3 8,i know it was owing to thy benedictions that ,god did not discover me to these wicked men1 but why didst thou tell them ,i was here80 abb replied3 8,o ,master1 it was not on account of my benedictions that they failed to see thee1 but through the blessedness of my speaking the truth4 ,had ,i told a lie1 we both should have been shamed40 abb was asked3 8,with what thing is ,god pleased80 ,he answered3 8,with a heart which is not sullied by hypocrisy10 because hypocrisy 7nifq7 is the opposite of concord 7wifq71 and the state of being well pleased 7ri7 is the essence of concord4 ,there is no connexion between hypocrisy and love1 and love subsists in the state of being well pleased 7with whatever is decreed by ,god74 ,therefore acquiescence 7ri7 is a characteristic of ,god's friends1 while hypocrisy is a characteristic of ,his enemies4 ,this is a very important matter4 ,i will explain it in another place4 #b4 ,m,,lik ,b4 ,d,n,r4 ,he was a companion of asan of ,bara4 ,dnr was a slave1 and ,mlik was born before his father's emancipation4 ,his conversion began as follows4 ,one evening he had been enjoying himself with a party of friends4 ,when they were all asleep a voice came from a lute which they had been playing3 8,o ,mlik6 why dost thou not repent80 ,mlik abandoned his evil ways and went to asan of ,bara1 and showed himself steadfast in repentance4 ,he attained to such a high degree that once when he was in a ship1 and was suspected of stealing a jewel1 he no sooner lifted his eyes to heaven than all the fishes in the sea came to the surface1 every one carrying a jewel in its mouth4 ,mlik took one of the jewels1 and gave it to the man whose jewel was missing2 then he set foot on the sea and walked until he reached the shore4 ,it is related that he said3 8,the deed that ,i love best is sincerity in doing10 because an action only becomes an action in virtue of its sincerity4 ,sincerity bears the same relation to an action as the spirit to the body3 as the body without the spirit is a lifeless thing1 so an action without sincerity is utterly unsubstantial4 ,sincerity belongs to the class of internal actions1 whereas acts of devotion belong to the class of external actions3 the latter are completed by the former1 while the former derive their value from the latter4 ,although a man should keep his heart sincere for a thousand years1 it is not sincerity until his sincerity is combined with action2 and although he should perform external actions for a thousand years1 his actions do not become acts of devotion until they are combined with sincerity4 #c4 ,,ab ,,al,m ,,ab,b ,b4 ,,sal,m#eg ,,al-,r4 ,he was a companion of ,salmn ,fris4 ,he related that the ,apostle said3 8,the believer's intentions are better than his acts40 ,he had flocks of sheep1 and his home was on the bank of the ,euphrates4 ,his religious ,path 7arq7 was retirement from the world4 ,a certain ,shaykh relates as follows3 8,once ,i passed by him and found him praying1 while a wolf looked after his sheep4 ,i resolved to pay him a visit1 since he appeared to me to have the marks of greatness4 ,when we had exchanged greetings1 ,i said3 #8,o ,shaykh6 ,i see the wolf in accord with the sheep4' ,he replied3 #8,that is because the shepherd is in accord with ,god4' ,with those words he held a wooden bowl under a rock1 and two fountains gushed from the rock1 one of milk and one of honey4 #8,o ,shaykh6' ,i cried1 as he bade me drink1 #8how hast thou attained to this degree8' ,he answered3 #8,by obedience to ,muammad1 the ,apostle of ,god4 ,o my son6 the rock gave water to the people of ,moses1#eh although they disobeyed him1 and although ,moses is not equal in rank to ,muammad3 why should not the rock give milk and honey to me1 inasmuch as ,i am obedient to ,muammad1 who is superior to ,moses8' ,i said3 #8,give me a word of counsel4' ,he said3 #8,do not make your heart a coffer of covetousness and your belly a vessel of unlawful things4'0 ,footnote #eg3 ,l4 ,aslam4 ,footnote #eh3 ,kor4 vii1 #afj4 ,my ,shaykh had further traditions concerning him1 but ,i could not possibly set down more than this 7andar waqt-i man q bd bsh az n mumkin na-shud71 my books having been left at ,ghazna--may ,god guard it6--while ,i myself had become a captive among uncongenial folk 7dar miyn-i njinsn7 in the district of ,lahwur1 which is a dependency of ,mltn4 ,god be praised both in joy and sorrow6 #d4 ,,ab ,,zim ,,al-,,madan4 ,he was steadfast in poverty1 and thoroughly versed in different kinds of self-mortification4 ,amr b4 ,uthmn al-,makk1 who shows great zeal on his behalf 7andar amr-i way ba-jidd bshad71 relates that on being asked what he possessed he answered3 8,satisfaction 7ri7 with ,god and independence of mankind40 ,a certain ,shaykh went to see him and found him asleep4 ,when he awoke he said3 8,i dreamed just now that the ,apostle gave me a message to thee1 and bade me inform thee that it is better to fulfil the duty which is owed to one's mother than to make the pilgrimage4 ,return1 therefore1 and try to please her40 ,the person who tells the story turned back and did not go to ,mecca4 ,this is all that ,i have heard about ,ab zim4 #e4 ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,w,,si4 ,he associated with many of the ,followers and with some of the ancient ,shaykhs1 and had a perfect knowledge of fiism4 ,it is related that he said3 8,i never saw anything without seeing ,god therein40 ,this is an advanced stage 7maqm7 of ,contemplation4 ,when a man is overcome with love for the ,agent1 he attains to such a degree that in looking at ,his act he does not see the act but the ,agent only and entirely1 just as when one looks at a picture and sees only the painter4 ,the true meaning of these words is the same as in the saying of ,abraham1 the ,friend of ,god 7,khall7 and the ,apostle1 who said to the sun and moon and stars3 8,this is my ,lord0 7,kor4 vi1 #gf-h71 for he was then overcome with longing 7shawq71 so that the qualities of his beloved appeared to him in everything that he saw4 ,the friends of ,god perceive that the universe is subject to ,his might and captive to ,his dominion1 and that the existence of all created things is as nothing in comparison with the power of the ,agent thereof4 ,when they look thereon with longing1 they do not see what is subject and passive and created1 but only the ,omnipotent1 the ,agent1 the ,creator4 ,i shall treat of this in the chapter on ,contemplation4 ,some persons have fallen into error1 and have alleged that the words of ,muammad b4 ,wsi1 8,i saw ,god therein10 involve a place of division and descent 7makn-i tajziya ull71 which is sheer infidelity1 because place is homogeneous with that which is contained in it1 and if anyone supposes that place is created the contained object must also be created2 or if the latter be eternal the former also must be eternal3 hence this assertion entails two evil consequences1 both of which are infidelity1 viz41 either that created things are eternal 7qadm7 or that the ,creator is non-eternal 7mudath74 ,accordingly1 when ,muammad b4 ,wsi said that he saw ,god in things1 he meant1 as ,i have explained above1 that he saw in those things the signs and evidences and proofs of ,god4 ,i shall discuss in the proper place some subtle points connected with this question4 #f4 ,,ab ,,an,,fa ,,nu,m,n ,b4 ,,th,,bit ,,al-,,kharr,z4 ,he is the ,imm of ,imms and the exemplar of the ,sunnites4 ,he was firmly grounded in works of mortification and devotion1 and was a great authority on the principles of fiism4 ,at first he wished to go into seclusion and abandon the society of mankind1 for he had made his heart free from every thought of human power and pomp4 ,one night1 however1 he dreamed that he was collecting the bones of the ,apostle from the tomb1 and choosing some and discarding others4 ,he awoke in terror and asked one of the pupils of ,muammad b4 ,srn#ei 7to interpret the dream74 ,this man said to him3 8,you will attain a high rank in knowledge of the ,apostle and in preserving his ordinances 7sunnat71 so that you will sift what is genuine from what is spurious40 ,another time ,ab anfa dreamed that the ,apostle said to him3 8,you have been created for the purpose of reviving my ordinances40 ,he was the master of many ,shaykhs1 e4g4 ,ibrhm b4 ,adham and ,fuayl b4 ,iy and ,dwud and ,bishr f4 ,footnote #ei3 ,a well-known divine1 who died in #aaj ,a4,h4 ,see ,ibn ,khallikn1 ,no4 #egf4 ,an extant work on the interpretation of dreams is attributed to him 7,brockelmann1 i1 #ff74 ,in the reign of the ,caliph ,manr a plan was formed to appoint to the office of ,cadi one of the following persons3 ,ab anfa1 ,sufyn ,thawr1 ,misar b4 ,kidm1 and ,shuray4 ,while they were journeying together to visit ,manr1 who had summoned them to his presence1 ,ab anfa said to his companions3 8,i will reject this office by means of a certain trick1 ,misar will feign to be mad1 ,sufyn will run away1 and ,shuray will be made ,cadi40 ,sufyn fled and embarked in a ship1 imploring the captain to conceal him and save him from execution4 ,the others were ushered into the presence of the ,caliph4 ,manr said to ,ab anfa3 8,you must act as ,cadi40 ,ab anfa replied3 8,o ,commander of the ,faithful1 ,i am not an ,arab1 but one of their clients2 and the chiefs of the ,arabs will not accept my decisions40 ,manr said3 8,this matter has nothing to do with lineage3 it demands learning1 and you are the most eminent doctor of the day40 ,ab anfa persisted that he was unfit to hold the office4 8,what ,i have just said shows it10 he exclaimed2 8for if ,i have spoken the truth ,i am disqualified1 and if ,i have told a falsehood it is not right that a liar should be judge over ,moslems1 and that you should entrust him with the lives1 property1 and honour of your subjects40 ,he escaped in this way4 ,then ,misar came forward and seized the ,caliph's hand and said3 8,how are you1 and your children1 and your beasts of burden80 8,away with him10 cried ,manr1 8he is mad60 ,finally1 ,shuray was told that he must fill the vacant office4 8,i am melancholic10 said he1 8and light-witted10 whereupon ,manr advised him to drink ptisanes and potions 7adah-yi muwfiq nabdhh-yi muthallath7 until his intellect was fully restored4 ,so ,shuray was made ,cadi1 and ,ab anfa never spoke a word to him again4 ,this story illustrates not only the sagacity of ,ab anfa1 but also his adherence to the path of righteousness and salvation1 and his determination not to let himself be deluded by seeking popularity and worldly renown4 ,it shows1 moreover1 the soundness of blame 7malmat71 since all these three venerable men resorted to some trick in order to avoid popularity4 ,very different are the doctors of the present age1 who make the palaces of princes their qibla and the houses of evildoers their temple4 ,once a doctor of ,ghazna1 who claimed to be a learned divine and a religious leader1 declared it heresy to wear a patched frock 7muraqqaa74 ,i said to him3 8,you do not call it heretical to wear robes of brocade1#fj which are made entirely of silk and1 besides being in themselves unlawful for men to wear1 have been begged with importunity1 which is unlawful1 from evildoers whose property is absolutely unlawful4 ,why1 then1 is it heretical to wear a lawful garment1 procured from a lawful place1 and purchased with lawful money8 ,if you were not ruled by inborn conceit and by the error of your soul1 you would express a more judicious opinion4 ,women may wear a dress of silk lawfully1 but it is unlawful for men1 and only permissible 7mub7 for lunatics4 ,if you acknowledge the truth of both these statements you are excused 7for condemning the patched frock74 ,god save us from lack of fairness60 ,footnote #fj3 ,the text has jma-i ashsh dbaq4 ,apparently the former word should be written 8khashsh04 ,it is described in ,vullers's ,persian ,dictionary as 8a kind of garment04 ,yay b4 ,mudh al-,rz relates as follows3 8,i dreamed that ,i said to the ,apostle1 #8,o ,apostle of ,god1 where shall ,i seek thee8' ,he answered3 #8,in the science of ,ab anfa4'0 ,once1 when ,i was in ,syria1 ,i fell asleep at the tomb of ,bill the ,muezzin1#fa and dreamed that ,i was at ,mecca1 and that the ,apostle came in through the gate of the ,ban ,shayba1 tenderly clasping an old man to his bosom in the same fashion as people are wont to carry children2 and that ,i ran to him and kissed the back of his foot1 and stood marvelling who the old man might be2 and that the ,apostle was miraculously aware of my secret thought and said to me1 8,this is thy ,imm and the ,imm of thy countryman10 meaning ,ab anfa4 ,in consequence of this dream ,i have great hopes for myself and also for the people of my country4 ,it has convinced me1 moreover1 that ,ab anfa was one of those who1 having annihilated their natural qualities1 continue to perform the ordinances of the sacred law1 as appears from the fact that he was carried by the ,apostle4 ,if he had walked by himself1 his attributes must have been subsistent1 and such a one may either miss or hit the mark2 but inasmuch as he was carried by the ,apostle1 his attributes must have been non-existent while he was sustained by the living attributes of the ,apostle4 ,the ,apostle cannot err1 and it is equally impossible that one who is sustained by the ,apostle should fall into error4 ,footnote #fa3 ,bill b4 ,rab1 the ,prophet's ,muezzin1 was buried at ,damascus4 ,when ,dwud had acquired learning and become a famous authority1 he went to ,ab anfa and said to him3 8,what shall ,i do now80 ,ab anfa replied3 8,practise what you have learned1 for theory without practice is like a body without a spirit40 ,he who is content with learning alone is not learned1 and the truly learned man is not content with learning alone4 ,similarly1 ,divine guidance 7hidyat7 involves self-mortification 7mujhadat71 without which contemplation 7mushhadat7 is unattainable4 ,there is no knowledge without action1 since knowledge is the product of action1 and is brought forth and developed and made profitable by the blessings of action4 ,the two things cannot be divorced in any way1 just as the light of the sun cannot be separated from the sun itself4 #g4 ,,abdall,h ,b4 ,,mub,,rak ,,al-,,marwaz4 ,he was the ,imm of his time and consorted with many eminent ,shaykhs4 ,he is the author of celebrated works and famous miracles4 ,the occasion of his conversion is related as follows3 ,he was in love with a girl1 and one night in winter he stationed himself at the foot of the wall of her house1 while she came on to the roof1 and they both stayed gazing at each other until daybreak4 ,when ,abdallh heard the call to morning prayers he thought it was time for evening prayers2 and only when the sun began to shine did he discover that he had spent the whole night in rapturous contemplation of his beloved4 ,he took warning by this1 and said to himself3 8,shame on thee1 ,o son of ,mubrak6 ,dost thou stand on foot all night for thine own pleasure1 and yet become furious when the ,imm reads a long chapter of the ,koran80 ,he repented and devoted himself to study1 and entered upon a life of asceticism1 in which he attained such a high degree that once his mother found him asleep in the garden1 while a great snake was driving the gnats away from him with a spray of basil which it held in its mouth4 ,then he left ,merv and lived for some time in ,baghdd1 associating with the f ,shaykhs1 and also resided for some time at ,mecca4 ,when he returned to ,merv1 the people of the town received him with friendship and founded for him a professorial chair and a lecture hall 7dars majlis nihdand74 ,at that epoch half the population of ,merv were followers of ,tradition and the other half adherents of ,opinion1 just as at the present day4 ,they called him ,ra al-farqayn because of his agreement with both sides1 and each party claimed him as one of themselves4 ,he built two convents 7rib7 at ,merv--one for the followers of ,tradition and one for the followers of ,opinion--which have retained their original constitution down to the present day4 ,afterwards he went back to the ijz and settled at ,mecca4 ,on being asked what wonders he had seen1 he replied3 8,i saw a ,christian monk 7rhib71 who was emaciated by self-mortification and bent double by fear of ,god4 ,i asked him to tell me the way to ,god4 ,he answered1 #8,if you knew ,god1 you would know the way to ,him4' ,then he said1 #8,i worship ,him although ,i do not know him1 whereas you disobey ,him although you know ,him1' i4e4 #8knowledge entails fear1 yet ,i see that you are confident2 and infidelity entails ignorance1 yet ,i feel fear within myself4' ,i laid this to heart1 and it restrained me from many ill deeds40 ,it is related that ,abdallh b4 ,mubrak said3 8,tranquillity is unlawful to the hearts of the ,saints of ,god10 for they are agitated in this world by seeking ,god 7alab7 and in the next world by rapture 7arab72 they are not permitted to rest here1 while they are absent from ,god1 nor there1 while they enjoy the presence1 manifestation1 and vision of ,god4 ,hence this world is even as the next world in their eyes1 and the next world even as this world1 because tranquillity of heart demands two things1 either attainment of one's aim or indifference to the object of one's desire4 ,since ,he is not to be attained in this world or the next1 the heart can never have rest from the palpitation of love2 and since indifference is unlawful to those who love ,him1 the heart can never have rest from the agitations of seeking ,him4 ,this is a firm principle in the path of spiritual adepts4 #h4 ,,ab ,,al ,,al-,,fu,,ayl ,b4 ,,iy4 ,he is one of the paupers 7alk7 of the fs1 and one of their most eminent and celebrated men4 ,at first he used to practise brigandage between ,merv and ,bward1 but he was always inclined to piety1 and invariably showed a generous and magnanimous disposition1 so that he would not attack a caravan in which there was any woman1 or take the property of anyone whose stock was small2 and he let the travellers keep a portion of their property1 according to the means of each4 ,one day a merchant set out from ,merv4 ,his friends advised him to take an escort1 but he said to them3 8,i have heard that ,fuayl is a ,god-fearing man20 and instead of doing as they wished he hired a ,koran-reader and mounted him on a camel in order that he might read the ,koran aloud day and night during the journey4 ,when they reached the place where ,fuayl was lying in ambush1 the reader happened to be reciting3 8,is not the time yet come unto those who believe1 that their hearts should humbly submit to the admonition of ,god80 7,kor4 lvii1 #ae74 ,fuayl's heart was softened4 ,he repented of the business in which he was engaged1 and having a written list of those whom he had robbed he satisfied all their claims upon him4 ,then he went to ,mecca and resided there for some time and became acquainted with certain saints of ,god4 ,afterwards he returned to ,kfa1 where he associated with ,ab anfa4 ,he has handed down relations which are held in high esteem by ,traditionists1 and he is the author of lofty sayings concerning the verities of fiism and ,divine ,knowledge4 ,it is recorded that he said3 8,whoever knows ,god as ,he ought to be known worships ,him with all his might10 because everyone who knows ,god acknowledges ,his bounty and beneficence and mercy1 and therefore loves ,him2 and since he loves ,him he obeys ,him so far as he has the power1 for it is not difficult to obey those whom one loves4 ,accordingly1 the more one loves1 the more one is obedient1 and love is increased by true knowledge4#fb ,it is related that he said3 8,the world is a madhouse1 and the people therein are madmen1 wearing shackles and chains40 ,lust is our shackle and sin is our chain4 ,footnote #fb3 ,here the author relates two anecdotes illustrating the devotion of ,muammad4 ,fal b4 ,rab relates as follows3 8,i accompanied ,hrn al-,rashd to ,mecca4 ,when we had performed the pilgrimage1 he said to me1 #8,is there any man of ,god here that ,i may visit him8' ,i replied1 #8,yes1 there is ,abd al-,razzq ann4'#fc ,we went to his house and talked with him for a while4 ,when we were about to leave1 ,hrn bade me ask him whether he had any debts4 ,he said1 #8,yes1' and ,hrn gave orders that they should be paid4 ,on coming out1 ,hrn said to me1 #8,o ,fal1 my heart still desires to see a man greater than this one4' ,i conducted him to ,sufyn b4 ,uyayna4#fd ,our visit ended in the same way4 ,hrn gave orders to pay his debts and departed4 ,then he said to me1 #8,i recollect that ,fuayl b4 ,iy is here2 let us go and see him4' ,we found him in an upper chamber1 reciting a verse of the ,koran4 ,when we knocked at the door1 he cried1 #8,who is there8' ,i replied1 #8,the ,commander of the ,faithful4' #8,what have ,i to do with the ,commander of the ,faithful8' said he4 ,i said1 #8,is there not an ,apostolic ,tradition to the effect that no one shall seek to abase himself in devotion to ,god8' ,he answered1 #8,yes1 but acquiescence in ,god's will 7ri7 is everlasting glory in the opinion of quietists3 you see my abasement1 but ,i see my exaltation4' ,then he came down and opened the door1 and extinguished the lamp and stood in a corner4 ,hrn went in and tried to find him4 ,their hands met4 ,fuayl exclaimed1 #8,alas6 never have ,i felt a softer hand3 't will be very wonderful if it escape from the ,divine torment4' ,hrn began to weep1 and wept so violently that he swooned4 ,when he came to himself1 he said1 #8,o ,fuayl1 give me a word of counsel4' ,fuayl said3 #8,o ,commander of the ,faithful1 thy ancestor 7,abbs7 was the uncle of ,muaf4 ,he asked the ,prophet to give him dominion over men4 ,the ,prophet answered1 8,o my uncle1 ,i will give thee dominion for one moment over thyself10 i4e4 one moment of thy obedience to ,god is better than a thousand years of men's obedience to thee1 since dominion brings repentance on the ,day of ,resurrection' 7al-imrat yawm al-qiymat nadmat74 ,hrn said1 #8,counsel me further4' ,fuayl continued3 #8,when ,umar b4 ,abd al-,azz was appointed ,caliph1 he summoned ,slim b4 ,abdallh and ,raj b4 ayt1 and ,muammad b4 ,kab al-,qura1 and said to them1 8,what am ,i to do in this affliction8 for ,i count it an affliction1 although people in general consider it to be a blessing40 ,one of them replied3 8,if thou wouldst be saved to-morrow from the ,divine punishment1 regard the elders of the ,moslems as thy fathers1 and their young men as thy brothers1 and their children as thy children4 ,the whole territory of ,islam is thy house1 and its people are thy family4 ,visit thy father1 and honour thy brother1 and deal kindly with thy children48' ,then ,fuayl said3 #8,o ,commander of the ,faithful1 ,i fear lest that handsome face of thine fall into ,hell-fire4 ,fear ,god1 and perform thy obligations to ,him better than this4' ,hrn asked ,fuayl whether he had any debts4 ,he answered1 #8,yes1 the debt which ,i owe to ,god1 namely1 obedience to ,him2 woe is me1 if ,he call me to account for it6' ,hrn said1 #8,o ,fuayl1 ,i am speaking of debts to men4' ,he replied1 #8,god be praised6 ,his bounty towards me is great1 and ,i have no reason to complain of ,him to ,his servants4' ,hrn offered him a purse of a thousand dinars1 saying1 #8,use the money for some purpose of thine own4' ,fuayl said1 #8,o ,commander of the ,faithful1 my counsels have done thee no good4 ,here again thou art behaving wrongly and unjustly4' ,hrn exclaimed1 #8,how is that8' ,fuayl said1 #8,i wish thee to be saved1 but thou wouldst cast me into perdition3 is not this unjust8' ,we took leave of him with tears in our eyes1 and ,hrn said to me1 #8,o ,fal1 ,fuayl is a king indeed4'0 ,footnote #fc3 ,he died in #baa ,a4,h4 ,see ,ibn ,khallikn1 ,no4 #dji4 ,footnote #fd3 ,died in #afh ,a4,h4 ,see ,ibn ,khallikn1 ,no4 #bff4 ,all this shows his hatred of the world and its people1 and his contempt for its gauds1 and his refusal to abase himself before worldlings for the sake of worldly gain4 #i4 ,,abu ,l-,,fay ,,dhu ,l-,n,n ,b4 ,,ibr,h,m ,,al-,,mi,r4 ,he was the son of a ,nubian1 and his name was ,thawbn4 ,he is one of the best of this sect1 and one of the most eminent of their hidden spiritualists 7ayyrn71 for he trod the path of affliction and travelled on the road of blame 7malmat74 ,all the people of ,egypt were lost in doubt as to his true state1 and did not believe in him until he was dead4 ,on the night of his decease seventy persons dreamed that they saw the ,apostle1 who said3 8,i have come to meet ,dhu l-,nn1 the friend of ,god40 ,and after his death the following words were found inscribed on his forehead3 ,this is the beloved of ,god1 who died in love of ,god1 slain by ,god4 ,at his funeral the birds of the air gathered above his bier1 and wove their wings together so as to shadow it4 ,on seeing this1 all the ,egyptians felt remorse and repented of the injustice which they had done to him4 ,he has many fine and admirable sayings on the verities of mystical knowledge4 ,he says1 for example3 8,the gnostic 7rif7 is more lowly every day1 because he is approaching nearer to his ,lord every moment10 inasmuch as he thereby becomes aware of the awfulness of the ,divine ,omnipotence1 and when the majesty of ,god has taken possession of his heart1 he sees how far he is from ,god and that there is no way of reaching ,him2 hence his lowliness is increased4 ,thus ,moses said1 when he conversed with ,god3 8,o ,lord1 where shall ,i seek ,thee80 ,god answered3 8,among those whose hearts are broken40 ,moses said3 8,o ,lord1 no heart is more broken and despairing than mine40 ,god answered3 8,then ,i am where thou art40 ,accordingly1 anyone who pretends to know ,god without lowliness and fear is an ignorant fool1 not a gnostic4 ,the sign of true knowledge is sincerity of will1 and a sincere will cuts off all secondary causes and severs all ties of relationship1 so that nothing remains except ,god4 ,dhu l-,nn says3 8,sincerity 7idq7 is the sword of ,god on the earth3 it cuts everything that it touches40 ,now sincerity regards the ,causer1 and does not consist in affirmation of secondary causes4 ,to affirm the latter is to destroy the principle of sincerity4 ,among the stories told of ,dhu l-,nn ,i have read that one day he was sailing with his disciples in a boat on the ,river ,nile1 as is the custom of the people of ,egypt when they desire recreation4 ,another boat was coming up1 filled with merry--makers1 whose unseemly behaviour so disgusted the disciples that they begged ,dhu l-,nn to implore ,god to sink the boat4 ,dhu l-,nn raised his hands and cried3 8,o ,lord1 as ,thou hast given these people a pleasant life in this world1 give them a pleasant life in the next world too60 ,the disciples were astonished by his prayer4 ,when the boat came nearer and those in it saw ,dhu l-,nn1 they began to weep and ask pardon1 and broke their lutes and repented unto ,god4 ,dhu l-,nn said to his disciples3 8,a pleasant life in the next world is repentance in this world4 ,you and they are all satisfied without harm to anyone40 ,he acted thus from his extreme affection towards the ,moslems1 following the example of the ,apostle1 who1 notwithstanding the ill-treatment which he received from the infidels1 never ceased to say3 8,o ,god6 direct my people1 for they know not40 ,dhu l-,nn relates that as he was journeying from ,jerusalem to ,egypt he saw in the distance some one advancing towards him1 and felt impelled to ask a question4 ,when the person came near he perceived that it was an old woman carrying a staff 7ukkza#fe71 and wearing a woollen tunic 7jubba74 ,he asked her whence she came4 ,she answered3 8,from ,god40 8,and whither goest thou80 8,to ,god40 ,dhu l-,nn drew forth a piece of gold which he had with him and offered it to her1 but she shook her hand in his face and cried3 8,o ,dhu l-,nn1 the notion which thou hast formed of me arises from the feebleness of thy intelligence4 ,i work for ,god's sake1 and accept nothing unless from ,him4 ,i worship ,him alone and take from ,him alone40 ,with these words she went on her way4 ,footnote #fe3 ,according to a marginal gloss in ,i1 ukkza is a tripod on which a leathern water-bottle is suspended4 ,the old woman's saying that she worked for ,god's sake is a proof of her sincerity in love4 ,men in their dealings with ,god fall into two classes4 ,some imagine that they work for ,god's sake when they are really working for themselves2 and though their work is not done with any worldly motive1 they desire a recompense in the next world4 ,others take no thought of reward or punishment in the next world1 any more than of ostentation and reputation in this world1 but act solely from reverence for the commandments of ,god4 ,their love of ,god requires them to forget every selfish interest while they do ,his bidding4 ,the former class fancy that what they do for the sake of the next world they do for ,god's sake1 and fail to recognize that the devout have a greater self-interest in devotion than the wicked have in sin1 because the sinner's pleasure lasts only for a moment1 whereas devotion is a delight for ever4 ,besides1 what gain accrues to ,god from the religious exercises of mankind1 or what loss from their non-performance8 ,if all the world acted with the veracity of ,ab ,bakr1 the gain would be wholly theirs1 and if with the falsehood of ,pharaoh1 the loss would be wholly theirs1 as ,god hath said3 8,if ye do good1 it is to yourselves1 and if ye do evil1 it is to yourselves0 7,kor4 xvii1 #g72 and also3 8,whoever exerts himself in religion does so for his own advantage4 ,verily1 ,god is independent of created beings0 7,kor4 xxix1 #e74 ,they seek for themselves an everlasting kingdom and say1 8,we are working for ,god's sake02 but to tread the path of love is a different thing4 ,lovers1 in fulfilling the ,divine commandment1 regard only the accomplishment of the ,beloved's will1 and have no eyes for anything else4 ,a similar topic will be discussed in the chapter on ,sincerity 7ikhl74 #aj4 ,,ab ,,is,q ,,ibr,h,m ,b4 ,,adham ,b4 ,,man,r4 ,he was unique in his ,path1 and the chief of his contemporaries4 ,he was a disciple of the ,apostle ,khir4 ,he met a large number of the ancient f ,shaykhs1 and associated with the ,imm ,ab anfa1 from whom he learned divinity 7ilm74 ,in the earlier part of his life he was ,prince of ,balkh4 ,one day he went to the chase1 and having become separated from his suite was pursuing an antelope4 ,god caused the antelope to address him in elegant language and say3 8,wast thou created for this1 or wast thou commanded to do this80 ,he repented1 abandoned everything1 and entered on the path of asceticism and abstinence4 ,he made the acquaintance of ,fuayl b4 ,iy and ,sufyn ,thawr1 and consorted with them4 ,after his conversion he never ate any food except what he had earned by his own labour4 ,his sayings on the verities of fiism are original and exquisite4 ,junayd said3 8,ibrhm is the key of the 7mystical7 sciences40 ,it is related that he said3 8,take ,god as thy companion and leave mankind alone10 i4e4 when anyone is rightly and sincerely turned towards ,god1 the rightness of his turning towards ,god requires that he should turn his back on mankind1 inasmuch as the society of mankind has nothing to do with thoughts of ,god4 ,companionship with ,god is sincerity in fulfilling ,his commands1 and sincerity in devotion springs from purity of love1 and pure love of ,god proceeds from hatred of passion and lust4 ,whoever is familiar with sensual affections is separated from ,god1 and whoever is separated from sensual affections is dwelling with ,god4 ,therefore thou art all mankind in regard to thyself3 turn away from thyself1 and thou hast turned away from all mankind4 ,thou dost wrong to turn away from mankind and towards thyself1 and to be concerned with thyself1 whereas the actions of all mankind are determined by the providence and predestination of ,god4 ,the outward and inward rectitude 7istiqmat7 of the seeker is founded on two things1 one of which is theoretical and the other practical4 ,the former consists in regarding all good and evil as predestined by ,god1 so that nothing in the universe passes into a state of rest or motion until ,god has created rest or motion in that thing2 the latter consists in performing the command of ,god1 in rightness of action towards ,him1 and in keeping the obligations which he ,has imposed4 ,predestination can never become an argument for neglecting ,his commands4 ,true renunciation of mankind is impossible until thou hast renounced thyself4 ,as soon as thou hast renounced thyself1 all mankind are necessary for the fulfilment of the will of ,god2 and as soon as thou hast turned to ,god1 thou art necessary for the accomplishment of the decree of ,god4 ,hence it is not permissible to be satisfied with mankind4 ,if thou wilt be satisfied with anything except ,god1 at least be satisfied with another 7ghayr7 for satisfaction with another is to regard unification 7tawd71 whereas satisfaction with thyself is to affirm the nullity of the ,creator 7tatl74 ,for this reason ,shaykh ,abu l-asan ,sliba#ff used to say that it is better for novices to be under the authority of a cat than under their own authority1 because companionship with another is for ,god's sake1 while companionship with one's self is calculated to foster the sensual affections4 ,this topic will be discussed in the proper place4 ,ibrhm b4 ,adham tells the following story3 8,when ,i reached the desert1 an old man came up and said to me1 #8,o ,ibrhm1 do you know what place this is1 and where you are journeying without provisions and on foot8' ,i knew that he was ,satan4 ,i produced from the bosom of my shirt four dniqs--the price of a basket which ,i had sold in ,kfa--and cast them away and made a vow that ,i would perform a prayer of four hundred genuflexions for every mile that ,i travelled4 ,i remained four years in the desert1 and ,god was giving me my daily bread without any exertion on my part4 ,during that time ,khir consorted with me and taught me the ,great ,name of ,god4 ,then my heart became wholly empty of #8other' 7ghayr740 ,footnote #ff3 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #cdg1 where he is called ,abu l-usayn ,sliba4 #aa4 ,,bishr ,b4 ,,al-,,rith ,,al-,f4 ,he associated with ,fuayl and was the disciple of his own maternal uncle1 ,al b4 ,khashram4 ,he was versed in the principal1 as well as the derivative1 sciences4 ,his conversion began as follows4 ,one day1 when he was drunk1 he found on the road a piece of paper on which was written3 8,in the name of ,god1 the ,compassionate1 the ,merciful40 ,he picked it up with reverence1 perfumed it1 and laid in a clean place4 ,the same night he dreamed that ,god said to him3 8,o ,bishr1 as thou hast made ,my name sweet1 ,i swear by ,my glory that ,i will make thy name sweet both in this world and the next40 ,thereupon he repented and took to asceticism4 ,so intensely was he absorbed in contemplation of ,god that he never put anything on his feet4 ,when he was asked the reason of this1 he said3 8,the ,earth is ,his carpet1 and ,i deem it wrong to tread on ,his carpet while there is anything between my foot and ,his carpet40 ,this is one of his peculiar practices3 in the concentration of his mind on ,god a shoe seemed to him a veil 7between him and ,god74 ,it is related that he said3 8,whoever desires to be honoured in this world and exalted in the next world1 let him shun three things3 let him not ask a boon of anyone1 nor speak ill of anyone1 nor accept an invitation to eat with anyone40 ,no man who knows the way to ,god will ask a boon of human beings1 since to do so is a proof of his ignorance of ,god3 if he knew the ,giver of all boons1 he would not ask a boon from a fellow-creature4 ,again1 the man who speaks ill of anyone is criticizing the decree of ,god1 inasmuch as both the individual himself and his actions are created by ,god2 and on whom can the blame for an action be thrown except on the agent8 ,this does not apply1 however1 to the blame which ,god has commanded us to bestow upon infidels4 ,thirdly1 as to his saying1 8,do not eat of men's food10 the reason is that ,god is the ,provider4 ,if ,he makes a creature the means of giving you daily bread1 do not regard that creature1 but consider that the daily bread which ,god has caused to come to you does not belong to him but to ,god4 ,if he thinks that it is his1 and that he is thereby conferring a favour on you1 do not accept it4 ,in the matter of daily bread one person does not confer on another any favour at all1 because1 according to the opinion of the orthodox1 daily bread is food 7ghidh71 although the ,mutazilites hold it to be property 7milk72 and ,god1 not any created being1 nourishes mankind with food4 ,this saying may be explained otherwise1 if it be taken in a profane sense 7majz74 #ab4 ,,ab ,,yaz,d ,,ayf,r ,b4 ,s ,,al-,,bis,m4 ,he is the greatest of the ,shaykhs in state and dignity1 so that ,junayd said3 8,ab ,yazd holds the same rank among us as ,gabriel among the angels40 ,his grandfather was a ,magian1 and his father was one of the notables of ,bism4 ,he is the author of many trustworthy relations concerning the ,traditions of the ,apostle1 and he is one of the ten celebrated ,imms of fiism4 ,no one before him penetrated so deeply into the arcana of this science4 ,in all circumstances he was a lover of theology and a venerator of the sacred law1 notwithstanding the spurious doctrine which has been foisted on him by some persons with the object of supporting their own heresies4 ,from the first1 his life was based on self-mortification and the practice of devotion4 ,it is recorded that he said3 8,for thirty years ,i was active in self-mortification1 and ,i found nothing harder than to learn divinity and follow its precepts4 ,but for the disagreement of divines ,i should have utterly failed in my endeavour4 ,the disagreement of divines is a mercy save on the point of ,unification40 ,this is true indeed1 for human nature is more prone to ignorance than to knowledge1 and while many things can be done easily with ignorance1 not a single step can be made easily with knowledge4 ,the bridge of the sacred law is much narrower and more dangerous than the ,bridge 7ir7 in the next world4 ,therefore it behoves thee so to act in all circumstances that1 if thou shouldst not attain a high degree and an eminent station1 thou mayst at any rate fall within the pale of the sacred law4 ,even if thou lose all else1 thy practices of devotion will remain with thee4 ,neglect of those is the worst mischief that can happen to a novice4 ,it is related that ,ab ,yazd said3 8,paradise hath no value in the eyes of lovers1 and lovers are veiled 7from ,god7 by their love10 i4e4 ,paradise is created1 whereas love is an uncreated attribute of ,god4 ,whoever is detained by a created thing from that which is uncreated1 is without worth and value4 ,created things are worthless in the eyes of lovers4 ,lovers are veiled by love1 because the existence of love involves duality1 which is incompatible with unification 7tawd74 ,the way of lovers is from oneness to oneness1 but there is in love this defect1 that it needs a desirer 7murd7 and an object of desire 7murd74 ,either ,god must be the desirer and ,man the desired1 or vice vers4 ,in the former case1 ,man's being is fixed in ,god's desire1 but if ,man is the desirer and ,god the object of desire1 the creature's search and desire can find no way unto ,him3 in either case the canker of being remains in the lover4 ,accordingly1 the annihilation of the lover in the everlastingness of love is more perfect than his subsistence through the everlastingness of love4 ,it is related that ,ab ,yazd said3 8,i went to ,mecca and saw a ,house standing apart4 ,i said1 #8,my pilgrimage is not accepted1 for ,i have seen many stones of this sort4' ,i went again1 and saw the ,house and also the ,lord of the ,house4 ,i said1 #8,this is not yet real unification4' ,i went a third time1 and saw only the ,lord of the ,house4 ,a voice in my heart whispered1 #8,o ,byazd1 if thou didst not see thyself1 thou wouldst not be a polytheist 7mushrik7 though thou sawest the whole universe2 and since thou seest thyself1 thou art a polytheist though blind to the whole universe4' ,thereupon ,i repented1 and once more ,i repented of my repentance1 and yet once more ,i repented of seeing my own existence40 ,this is a subtle tale concerning the soundness of his state1 and gives an excellent indication to spiritualists4 #ac4 ,,ab ,,abdall,h ,,al-,,rith ,b4 ,,asad ,,al-,,mu,,sib4 ,he was learned in the principal and derivative sciences1 and his authority was recognized by all the theologians of his day4 ,he wrote a book1 entitled ,riyat1#fg on the principles of fiism1 as well as many other works4 ,in every branch of learning he was a man of lofty sentiment and noble mind4 ,he was the chief ,shaykh of ,baghdd in his time4 ,it is related that he said3 ,al-ilm bi-arakt al-qulb f mulaat al-ghuyb ashraf min al-amal bi-arakt al-jawri1 i4e4 he who is acquainted with the secret motions of the heart is better than he who acts with the motions of the limbs4 ,the meaning is that knowledge is the place of perfection1 whereas ignorance is the place of search1 and knowledge at the shrine is better than ignorance at the door3 knowledge brings a man to perfection1 but ignorance does not even allow him to enter 7on the way to perfection74 ,in reality knowledge is greater than action1 because it is possible to know ,god by means of knowledge1 but impossible to attain to ,him by means of action4 ,if ,he could be found by action without knowledge1 the ,christians and the monks in their austerities would behold ,him face to face and sinful believers would have no vision of ,him4 ,therefore knowledge is a ,divine attribute and action a human attribute4 ,some relaters of this saying have fallen into error by reading al-amal bi-arakt al-qulb1#fh which is absurd1 since human actions have nothing to do with the motions of the heart4 ,if the author uses this expression to denote reflection and contemplation of the inward feelings1 it is not strange1 for the ,apostle said3 8,a moment's reflection is better than sixty years of devotion10 and spiritual actions are in truth more excellent than bodily actions1 and the effect produced by inward feelings and actions is really more complete than the effect produced by outward actions4 ,hence it is said3 8,the sleep of the sage is an act of devotion and the wakefulness of the fool is a sin10 because the sage's heart is controlled 7by ,god7 whether he sleeps or wakes1 and when the heart is controlled the body also is controlled4 ,accordingly1 the heart that is controlled by the sway of ,god is better than the sensual part of ,man which controls his outward motions and acts of self-mortification4 ,it is related that rith said one day to a dervish1 ,kun lillh wa-ill l takun1 8,be ,god's or be nothing10 i4e4 either be subsistent through ,god or perish to thine own existence2 either be united with ,purity 7afwat7 or separated by ,poverty 7faqr72 either in the state described by the words 8,bow ye down to ,adam0 7,kor4 ii1 #cb7 or in the state described by the words 8,did there not come over ,man a time when he was not anything worthy of mention80 7,kor4 lxxvi1 #a74 ,if thou wilt give thyself to ,god of thy own free choice1 thy resurrection will be through thyself1 but if thou wilt not1 then thy resurrection will be through ,god4 ,footnote #fg3 ,its full title is ,riyat li-uqq ,allah1 8,the observance of what is due to ,god40 ,footnote #fh3 ,this reading is given in the abaqt al-fiyya of ,ab ,abd al-,ramn al-,sulam 7,british ,museum ,,ms41 ,add4 #ah1ebj1 f4 #ac;a74 #ad4 ,,ab ,,sulaym,n ,d,,wud ,b4 ,,nu,,ayr ,,al-4 ,he was a pupil of ,ab anfa and a contemporary of ,fuayl and ,ibrhm b4 ,adham4 ,in fiism he was a disciple of abb ,r4 ,he was deeply versed in all the sciences and unrivalled in jurisprudence 7fiqh72 but he went into seclusion and turned his back on authority1 and took the path of asceticism and piety4 ,it is related that he said to one of his disciples3 8,if thou desirest welfare1 bid farewell to this world1 and if thou desirest grace 7karmat71 pronounce the takbr#fi over the next world10 i4e4 both these are places of veiling 7places which prevent thee from seeing ,god74 ,every kind of tranquillity 7farghat7 depends on these two counsels4 ,whoever would be tranquil in body1 let him turn his back on this world2 and whoever would be tranquil in heart1 let him clear his heart of all desire for the next world4 ,it is a well-known story that ,dwud used constantly to associate with ,muammad b4 al-asan1#gj but would never receive the ,cadi ,ab ,ysuf4 ,on being asked why he honoured one of these eminent divines but refused to admit the other to his presence1 he replied that ,muammad b4 al-asan had become a theologian after being rich and wealthy1 and theology was the cause of his religious advancement and worldly abasement1 whereas ,ab ,ysuf had become a theologian after being poor and despised1 and had made theology the means of gaining wealth and power4 ,it is related that ,marf ,karkh said3 8,i never saw anyone who held worldly goods in less account than ,dwud 2 the world and its people had no value whatsoever in his eyes1 and he used to regard dervishes 7fuqar7 as perfect although they were corrupt40 ,footnote #fi3 ,the takbr1 i4e4 the words ,allah akbar1 8,god is most great10 is pronounced four times in ,moslem funeral prayers4 ,footnote #gj3 ,muammad b4 al-asan and ,ab ,ysuf were celebrated lawyers of the anafite school4 ,see ,brockelmann1 i1 #aga4 #ae4 ,,abu ,l-,,asan ,,sar ,b4 ,,mughallis ,,al-,,saqa4 ,he was the maternal uncle of ,junayd4 ,he was well versed in all the sciences and eminent in fiism1 and he was the first of those who have devoted their attention to the arrangement of 8stations0 7maqmt7 and to the explanation of spiritual 8states0 7awl74 ,most of the ,shaykhs of ,irq are his pupils4 ,he had seen abb ,r and associated with him4 ,he was a disciple of ,marf ,karkh4 ,he used to carry on the business of a huckster 7saqa-firsh7 in the bazaar at ,baghdd4 ,when the bazaar caught fire1 he was told that his shop was burnt4 ,he replied3 8,then ,i am freed from the care of it40 ,afterwards it was discovered that his shop had not been burnt1 although all the shops surrounding it were destroyed4 ,on seeing this1 ,sar gave all that he possessed to the poor and took the path of fiism4 ,he was asked how the change in him began4 ,he answered3 8,one day abb ,r passed my shop1 and ,i gave him a crust of bread1 telling him to give it to the poor4 ,he said to me1 #8,may ,god reward thee6' ,from the day when ,i heard this prayer my worldly affairs never prospered again40 ,it is related that ,sar said3 8,o ,god1 whatever punishment ,thou mayst inflict upon me1 do not punish me with the humiliation of being veiled from ,thee10 because1 if ,i am not veiled from ,thee1 my torment and affliction will be lightened by the remembrance and contemplation of ,thee2 but if ,i am veiled from ,thee1 even ,thy bounty will be deadly to me4 ,there is no punishment in ,hell more painful and hard to bear than that of being veiled4 ,if ,god were revealed in ,hell to the people of ,hell1 sinful believers would never think of ,paradise1 since the sight of ,god would so fill them with joy that they would not feel bodily pain4 ,and in ,paradise there is no pleasure more perfect than unveiledness 7kashf74 ,if the people there enjoyed all the pleasures of that place and other pleasures a hundredfold1 but were veiled from ,god1 their hearts would be utterly broken4 ,therefore it is the custom of ,god to let the hearts of those who love ,him have vision of ,him always1 in order that the delight thereof may enable them to endure every tribulation2 and they say in their orisons3 8,we deem all torments more desirable than to be veiled from ,thee4 ,when ,thy beauty is revealed to our hearts1 we take no thought of affliction40 #af4 ,,ab ,,al ,,shaq,q ,b4 ,,ibr,h,m ,,al-,,azd4 ,he was versed in all the sciences--legal1 practical1 and theoretical--and composed many works on various branches of fiism4 ,he consorted with ,ibrhm b4 ,adham and many other ,shaykhs4 ,it is related that he said3 8,god hath made the pious living in their death1 and hath made the wicked dead during their lives10 i4e41 the pious1 though they be dead1 yet live1 since the angels utter blessings on their piety until they are made immortal by the recompense which they receive at the ,resurrection4 ,hence1 in the annihilation wrought by death they subsist through the everlastingness of retribution4 ,once an old man came to ,shaqq and said to him3 8,o ,shaykh1 ,i have sinned much and now wish to repent40 ,shaqq said3 8,thou hast come late40 ,the old man answered3 8,no1 ,i have come soon4 ,whoever comes before he is dead comes soon1 though he may have been long in coming40 ,it is said that the occasion of ,shaqq's conversion was this1 that one year there was a famine at ,balkh1 and the people were eating one another's flesh4 ,while all the ,moslems were bitterly distressed1 ,shaqq saw a youth laughing and making merry in the bazaar4 ,the people said3 8,why do you laugh8 ,are not you ashamed to rejoice when everyone else is mourning80 ,the youth said3 8,i have no sorrow4 ,i am the servant of a man who owns a village as his private property1 and he has relieved me of all care for my livelihood40 ,shaqq exclaimed3 8,o ,lord ,god1 this youth rejoices so much in having a master who owns a single village1 but ,thou art the ,king of kings1 and ,thou hast promised to give us our daily bread2 and nevertheless we have filled our hearts with all this sorrow because we are engrossed with worldly things40 ,he turned to ,god and began to walk in the way of the ,truth1 and never troubled himself again about his daily bread4 ,afterwards he used to say3 8,i am the pupil of a youth2 all that ,i have learned ,i learned from him40 ,his humility led him to say this4 #ag4 ,,ab ,,sulaym,n ,,abd ,,al-,,ra,m,n ,b4,,atiyya ,,al-,d,r,n4 ,he was held in honour by the fs and was 7called7 the sweet basil of hearts 7rayn-i dilh74 ,he is distinguished by his severe austerities and acts of self-mortification4 ,he was versed in the science of 8time0 7ilm-i waqt7#ga and in knowledge of the cankers of the soul1 and had a keen eye for its hidden snares4 ,he spoke in subtle terms concerning the practice of devotion1 and the watch that should be kept over the heart and the limbs4 ,it is related that he said3 8,when hope predominates over fear1 one's #8time' is spoilt10 because 8time0 is the preservation of one's 8state0 7l71 which is preserved only so long as one is possessed by fear4 ,if1 on the other hand1 fear predominates over hope1 belief in ,unity 7tawd7 is lost1 inasmuch as excessive fear springs from despair1 and despair of ,god is polytheism 7shirk74 ,accordingly1 the maintenance of belief in ,unity consists in right hope1 and the maintenance of 8time0 in right fear1 and both are maintained when hope and fear are equal4 ,maintenance of belief in ,unity makes one a believer 7mumin71 while maintenance of 8time0 makes one pious 7mu74 ,hope is connected entirely with contemplation 7mushhadat71 in which is involved a firm conviction 7itiqd72 and fear is connected entirely with purgation 7mujhadat71 in which is involved an anxious uncertainty 7iirb74 ,contemplation is the fruit of purgation1 or1 to express the same idea differently1 every hope is produced by despair4 ,whenever a man1 on account of his actions1 despairs of his future welfare1 that despair shows him the way to salvation and welfare and ,divine mercy1 and opens to him the door of gladness1 and clears away sensual corruptions from his heart1 and reveals to it the ,divine mysteries4 ,footnote #ga3 ,see note on p4 #ac4 ,amad b4 ,abi l-awr relates that one night1 when he was praying in private1 he felt great pleasure4 ,next day he told ,ab ,sulaymn1 who replied3 8,thou art a weak man1 for thou still hast mankind in view1 so that thou art one thing in private and another in public40 ,there is nothing in the two worlds that is sufficiently important to hold man back from ,god4 ,when a bride is unveiled to the people1 the reason is that everyone may see her and that she may be honoured the more through being seen1 but it is not proper that she should see anyone except the bridegroom1 since she is disgraced by seeing anyone else4 ,if all mankind should see the glory of a pious man's piety1 he would suffer no harm1 but if he sees the excellence of his own piety he is lost4 #ah4 ,,ab ,,ma,f ,,ma,r,f ,b4 ,f,r,z ,,al-,,karkh4 ,he is one of the ancient and principal ,shaykhs1 and was famed for his generosity and devoutness4 ,this notice of him should have come earlier in the book1 but ,i have placed it here in accordance with two venerable persons who wrote before me1 one of them a relater of traditions and the other an independent authority 7ib taarruf7--,i mean ,shaykh ,ab ,abd al-,ramn al-,sulam1 who in his work adopts the arrangement which ,i have followed1 and the ,master and ,imm ,abu l-,qsimal-,qushayr1 who has put the notice of ,marf in the same order in the introductory portion of his book4#gb ,i have chosen this arrangement because ,marf was the master of ,sar ,saqa and the disciple of ,dwud 4 ,at first ,marf was a non-,moslem 7bgna71 but he made profession of ,islam to ,al b4 ,ms al-,ri1 who held him in the highest esteem4 ,it is related that he said3 8,there are three signs of generosity--to keep faith without resistance1 to praise without being incited thereto by liberality1 and to give without being asked40 ,in men all these qualities are merely borrowed1 and in reality they belong to ,god1 who acts thus towards ,his servants4 ,god keeps unresisting faith with those who love ,him1 and although they show resistance in keeping faith with ,him1 ,he only increases ,his kindness towards them4 ,the sign of ,god's keeping faith is this1 that in eternity past ,he called ,his servant to ,his presence without any good action on the part of ,his servant1 and that to-day ,he does not banish ,his servant on account of an evil action4 ,he alone praises without the incitement of liberality1 for ,he has no need of ,his servant's actions1 and nevertheless extols him for a little thing that he has done4 ,he alone gives without being asked1 for ,he is generous and knows the state of everyone and fulfils his desire unasked4 ,accordingly1 when ,god gives a man grace and makes him noble1 and distinguishes him by ,his favour1 and acts towards him in the three ways mentioned above1 and when that man1 as far as lies in his power1 acts in the same way towards his fellow-creatures1 then he is called generous and gets a reputation for generosity4 ,abraham the ,apostle possessed these three qualities in very truth1 as ,i shall explain in the proper place4 ,footnote #gb3 ,this statement is not accurate4 ,the notice of ,marf ,karkh is the fourth in ,qushayr's list of biographies at the beginning of his treatise on fiism1 and stands between the notices of ,fuayl b4 ,iy and ,sar ,saqa4 ,in the abaqt al-fiyya1 by ,ab ,abd al-,ramn al-,sulam1 the notice of ,marf comes tenth in order1 but occupies the same position as it does here in so far as it is preceded by the article on ,ab ,sulaymn ,drn and is followed by the article on tim al-,aamm4 ,it appears from the next sentence that al-,hujwr intended to place the life of ,marf between those of ,dwud and ,sar ,saqa 7,nos4 #ad and #ae71 but neither of the two above-mentioned authorities has adopted this arrangement4 #ai4 ,,ab ,,abd ,,al-,,ra,m,n ,,tim ,b4 ,,ulw,n#gc ,,al-,a,,amm4 ,he was one of the great men of ,balkh and one of the ancient ,shaykhs of ,khursn1 a disciple of ,shaqq and the teacher of ,amad ,kharya4 ,in all his circumstances1 from beginning to end1 he never once acted untruthfully1 so that ,junayd said3 8tim al-,aamm is the veracious one 7iddq7 of our time40 ,he has lofty sayings on the subtleties of discerning the cankers of the soul and the weaknesses of human nature1 and is the author of famous works on ethics 7ilm-i mumalt74 ,it is related that he said3 8,lust is of three kinds--lust in eating1 lust in speaking1 and lust in looking4 ,guard thy food by trust in ,god1 thy tongue by telling the truth1 and thine eye by taking example 7ibrat740 ,real trust in ,god proceeds from right knowledge1 for those who know ,him aright have confidence that ,he will give them their daily bread1 and they speak and look with right knowledge1 so that their food and drink is only love1 and their speech is only ecstasy1 and their looking is only contemplation4 ,accordingly1 when they know aright they eat what is lawful1 and when they speak aright they utter praise 7of ,god71 and when they look aright they behold ,him1 because no food is lawful except what ,he has given and permits to be eaten1 and no praise is rightly offered to anyone in the eighteen thousand worlds except to ,him1 and it is not allowable to look on anything in the universe except ,his beauty and majesty4 ,it is not lust when thou receivest food from ,him and eatest by ,his leave1 or when thou speakest of ,him by ,his leave1 or when thou seest ,his actions by ,his leave4 ,on the other hand1 it is lust when of thy own will thou eatest even lawful food1 or of thy own will thou speakest even praise of ,him1 or of thy own will thou lookest even for the purpose of seeking guidance4 ,footnote #gc3 ,,lij4 have 9999,arabic 4 #bj4 ,,ab ,,abdall,h ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,idr,s ,,al-,,sh,,fi4 ,while he was at ,medna he was a pupil of the ,imm ,mlik1 and when he came to ,irq he associated with ,muammad b4 al-asan4 ,he always had a natural desire for seclusion1 and used to seek an intimate comprehension of this way of life1 until a party gathered round him and followed his authority4 ,one of them was ,amad b4 anbal4 ,then ,shfi became occupied with seeking position and exercising his authority as ,imm1 and was unable to retire from the world4 ,at first he was not favourably disposed towards aspirants to fiism1 but after seeing ,sulaymn ,r and obtaining admission to his society1 he continued to seek the truth wherever he went4 ,it is related that he said3 8,when you see a divine busying himself with indulgences 7rukha7 no good thing will come from him10 i4e4 divines are the leaders of all classes of men1 and no one may take precedence of them in any matter1 and the way of ,god cannot be traversed without precaution and the utmost self-mortification1 and to seek indulgences in divinity is the act of one who flees from self-mortification and prefers an alleviation for himself4 ,ordinary people seek indulgences to keep themselves within the pale of the sacred law1 but the elect practise self-mortification to feel the fruit thereof in their hearts4 ,divines are among the elect1 and when one of them is satisfied with behaving like ordinary people1 nothing good will come from him4 ,moreover1 to seek indulgences is to think lightly of ,god's commandment1 and divines love ,god3 a lover does not think lightly of the command of his beloved4 ,a certain ,shaykh relates that one night he dreamed of the ,prophet and said to him3 8,o ,apostle of ,god1 a tradition has come down to me from thee that ,god hath upon the earth saints of diverse rank 7awtd awliy abrr740 ,the ,apostle said that the relater of the tradition had transmitted it correctly1 and in answer to the ,shaykh's request that he might see one of these holy men1 he said3 8,muammad b4 ,idrs is one of them40 #ba4 ,,the ,,im,m ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,anbal4 ,he was distinguished by devoutness and piety1 and was the guardian of the ,traditions of the ,apostle4 fs of all sects regard him as blessed4 ,he associated with great ,shaykhs1 such as ,dhu l-,nn of ,egypt1 ,bishr al-f1 ,sar al-,saqa1 ,marf al-,karkh1 and others4 ,his miracles were manifest and his intelligence sound4 ,the doctrines attributed to him to-day by certain ,anthropomorphists are inventions and forgeries2 he is to be acquitted of all notions of that sort4 ,he had a firm belief in the principles of religion1 and his creed was approved by all the divines4 ,when the ,mutazilites came into power at ,baghdd1 they wished to extort from him a confession that the ,koran was created1 and though he was a feeble old man they put him to the rack and gave him a thousand lashes4 ,in spite of all this he would not say that the ,koran was created4 ,while he was undergoing punishment his izr became untied4 ,his own hands were fettered1 but another hand appeared and tied it4 ,seeing this evidence1 they let him go4 ,he died1 however1 of the wounds inflicted on that occasion4 ,shortly before his death some persons visited him and asked what he had to say about those who flogged him4 ,he answered3 8,what should ,i have to say8 ,they flogged me for ,god's sake1 thinking that ,i was wrong and that they were right4 ,i will not claim redress from them at the ,resurrection for mere blows40 ,he is the author of lofty sayings on ethics4 ,when questioned on any point relating to practice he used to answer the question himself1 but if it was a point of mystical theory 7aqiq7 he would refer the questioner to ,bishr f4 ,one day a man asked him3 8,what is sincerity 7ikhl780 ,he replied3 8,to escape from the cankers of one's actions10 i4e4 let thy actions be free from ostentation and hypocrisy and self-interest4 ,the questioner then asked3 8,what is trust 7tawakkul780 ,ahmad replied3 8,confidence in ,god1 that ,he will provide thy daily bread40 ,the man asked3 8,what is acquiescence 7ri780 ,he replied3 8,to commit thy affairs to ,god40 8,and what is love 7maabbat780 ,ahmad said3 8,ask this question of ,bishr f1 for ,i will not answer it while he is alive40 ,amad b4 anbal was constantly exposed to persecution3 during his life by the attacks of the ,mutazilites1 and after his death by the suspicion of sharing the views of the ,anthropomorphists4 ,consequently the orthodox ,moslems are ignorant of his true state and hold him suspect4 ,but he is clear of all that is alleged against him4 #bb4 ,,abu ,l-,,asan ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,abi ,l-,,aw,r4 ,he was one of the most eminent of the ,syrian ,shaykhs and is praised by all the leading fs4 ,junayd said3 8,amad b4 ,abi l-awr is the sweet basil of ,syria 7raynat al-,shm740 ,he was the pupil of ,ab ,sulaymn ,drn1 and associated with ,sufyn b4 ,uyayna and ,marwn b4 ,muwiya the ,koran-reader 7al-,qr74#gd ,he had been a wandering devotee 7sayy74 ,it is related that he said3 8,this world is a dunghill and a place where dogs gather2 and one who lingers there is less than a dog1 for a dog takes what he wants from it and goes1 but the lover of the world never departs from it or leaves it at any time10 ,at first he was a student and attained the rank of the ,imms1 but afterwards he threw all his books into the sea1 and said3 8,ye were excellent guides1 but it is impossible to occupy one's self with a guide after one has reached the goal10 because a guide is needed only so long as the disciple is on the road3 when the shrine comes into sight the road and the gate are worthless4 ,the ,shaykhs have said that ,amad did this in the state of intoxication 7sukr74 ,in the mystic ,path he who says 8,i have arrived0 has gone astray4 ,since arriving is non-accomplishment1 occupation is 7superfluous7 trouble1 and freedom from occupation is idleness1 and in either case the principle of union 7wul7 is non-existence1 for both occupation and its opposite are human qualities4 ,union and separation alike depend on the eternal will and providence of ,god4 ,hence it is impossible to attain to union with ,him4 ,the terms 8nearness0 and 8neighbourhood0 are not applicable to ,god4 ,a man is united to ,god when ,god holds him in honour1 and separated from ,god when ,god holds him in contempt4 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 say that possibly that eminent ,shaykh in using the word 8union0 7wul7 may have meant 8discovery of the way to ,god01 for the way to ,god is not found in books2 and when the road lies plain before one no explanation is necessary4 ,those who have attained true knowledge have no use for speech1 and even less for books4 ,other ,shaykhs have done the same thing as ,amad b4 ,abi l-awr1 for example the ,grand ,shaykh ,ab ,sad ,falallh b4 ,muammad al-,mayhan1 and they have been imitated by a number of formalists whose only object is to gratify their indolence and ignorance4 ,it would seem that those noble ,shaykhs acted as they did from the desire of severing all worldly ties and making their hearts empty of all save ,god4 ,this1 however1 is proper only in the intoxication of commencement 7ibtid7 and in the fervour of youth4 ,those who have become fixed 7mutamakkin7 are not veiled 7from ,god7 by the whole universe3 how1 then1 by a sheet of paper8 ,it may be said that the destruction of a book signifies the impossibility of expressing the real meaning 7of an idea74 ,in that case the same impossibility should be predicated of the tongue1 because spoken words are no better than written ones4 ,i imagine that ,amad b4 ,abi l-awr1 finding no listener in his fit of ecstasy1 wrote down an explanation of his feelings on pieces of paper1 and having amassed a large quantity1 did not regard them as suitable to be divulged and accordingly cast them into the water4 ,it is also possible that he had collected many books1 which diverted him from his devotional practices1 and that he got rid of them for this reason4 ,footnote #gd3 ,marwn b4 ,muwiya al-,fazr of ,kfa died in #aic ,a4,h4 ,see ,dhahab's abaqt al-uff1 ed4 by ,wstenfeld1 p4 #fc1 ,no4 #dd4 ,al-,qr is probably a mistranscription of al-,fazr4 #bc4 ,,ab ,,mid ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,kha,r,,ya ,,al-,,balkh4 ,he adopted the path of blame 7malmat7 and wore a soldier's dress4 ,his wife1 ,fima1 daughter of the ,amr of ,balkh1 was renowned as a f4 ,when she desired to repent 7of her former life71 she sent a message to ,amad bidding him ask her in marriage of her father4 ,amad refused1 whereupon she sent another message in the following terms3 8,o ,amad1 ,i thought you would have been too manly to attack those who travel on the way to ,god4 ,be a guide 7rhbar71 not a brigand 7rhbur740 ,amad asked her in marriage of her father1 who gave her to him in the hope of receiving his blessing4 ,fima renounced all traffic with the world and lived in seclusion with her husband4 ,when ,amad went to visit ,byazd she accompanied him1 and on seeing ,byazd she removed her veil and talked to him without embarrassment4 ,amad became jealous and said to her3 8,why dost thou take this freedom with ,byazd80 ,she replied3 8,because you are my natural spouse1 but he is my religious consort2 through you ,i come to my desire1 but through him to ,god4 ,the proof is that he has no need of my society1 whereas to you it is necessary40 ,she continued to treat ,byazd with the same boldness1 until one day he observed that her hand was stained with henna and asked her why4 ,she answered3 8,o ,byazd1 so long as you did not see my hand and the henna ,i was at my ease with you1 but now that your eye has fallen on me our companionship is unlawful40 ,then ,amad and ,fima came to ,nshpr and abode there4 ,the people and ,shaykhs of ,nshpr were well pleased with ,amad4 ,when ,yay b4 ,mudh al-,rz passed through ,nshpr on his way from ,rayy to ,balkh1 ,amad wished to give him a banquet1 and consulted with ,fima as to what things were required4 ,she told him to procure so many oxen and sheep1 such and such a quantity of sweet herbs1 condiments1 candles1 and perfumes1 and added1 8,we must also kill twenty donkeys40 ,amad said3 8,what is the sense of killing donkeys80 8,oh60 said she1 8when a noble comes as guest to the house of a noble the dogs of the quarter have something too40 ,byazd said of her3 8,whoever wishes to see a man disguised in women's clothes1 let him look at ,fima60 ,and ,ab af addd says3 8,but for ,amad b4 ,kharya generosity would not have been displayed40 ,he has lofty sayings to his credit1 and faultless utterances 7anfs-i muhadhdhab71 and is the author of famous works in every branch of ethics and of brilliant discourses on mysticism4 ,it is related that he said3 8,the way is manifest and the truth is clear1 and the shepherd has uttered his call2 after this if anyone loses himself1 it is through his own blindness10 i4e41 it is wrong to seek the way1 since the way to ,god is like the blazing sun2 do thou seek thyself1 for when thou hast found thyself thou art come to thy journey's end1 inasmuch as ,god is too manifest to admit of ,his being sought4 ,he is recorded to have said3 8,hide the glory of thy poverty10 i4e41 do not say to people1 8,i am a dervish10 lest thy secret be discovered1 for it is a great grace bestowed on thee by ,god4 ,it is related that he said3 8,a dervish invited a rich man to a repast in the month of ,raman1 and there was nothing in his house except a loaf of dry bread4 ,on returning home the rich man sent to him a purse of gold4 ,he sent it back1 saying1 #8,this serves me right for revealing my secret to one like you4' ,the genuineness of his poverty led him to act thus40 #bd4 ,,ab ,,tur,b ,,askar ,b4 ,,al-,,usayn ,,al-,,nakhshab ,,al-,,nasaf4 ,he was one of the chief ,shaykhs of ,khursn1 and was celebrated for his generosity1 asceticism1 and devoutness4 ,he performed many miracles1 and experienced marvellous adventures without number in the desert and elsewhere4 ,he was one of the most noted travellers among the fs1 and used to cross the deserts in complete disengagement from worldly things 7ba-tajrd74 ,his death took place in the desert of ,bara4 ,after many years had elapsed he was found standing erect with his face towards the ,kaba1 shrivelled up1 with a bucket in front of him and a staff in his hand2 and the wild beasts had not touched him or come near him4 ,it is related that he said3 8,the food of the dervish is what he finds1 and his clothing is what covers him1 and his dwelling-place is wherever he alights10 i4e4 he does not choose his own food or his own dress1 or make a home for himself4 ,the whole world is afflicted by these three items1 and personal initiative therein keeps us in a state of distraction 7mashghl7 while we make efforts to procure them4 ,this is the practical aspect of the matter1 but in a mystical sense the food of the dervish is ecstasy1 and his clothing is piety1 and his dwelling-place is the ,unseen1 for ,god hath said1 8,if they stood firm in the right path1 ,we should water them with abundant rain0 7,kor4 lxxii1 #af72 and again1 8and fair apparel2 but the garment of piety1 that is better0 7,kor4 vii1 #be72 and the ,apostle said1 8,poverty is to dwell in the ,unseen40 #be4 ,,ab ,,zakariyy ,,ya,y ,b4 ,,mu,,dh ,,al-,r,z4 ,he was perfectly grounded in the true theory of hope in ,god1 so that ur says3 8,god had two ,yays1 one a prophet and the other a saint4 ,yay b4 ,zakariyy trod the path of fear so that all pretenders were filled with fear and despaired of their salvation1 while ,yay b4 ,mudh trod the path of hope so that he tied the hands of all pretenders to hope40 ,they said to ur3 8,the state of ,yay b4 ,zakariyy is well known1 but what was the state of ,yay b4 ,mudh80 ,he replied3 8,i have been told that he was never in the state of ignorance 7jhiliyyat7 and never committed any of the greater sins 7kabra740 ,in the practice of devotion he showed an intense perseverance which was beyond the power of anyone else4 ,one of his disciples said to him3 8,o ,shaykh1 thy station is the station of hope1 but thy practice is the practice of those who fear40 ,yay answered3 8,know1 my son1 that to abandon the service of ,god is to go astray40 ,fear and hope are the two pillars of faith4 ,it is impossible that anyone should fall into error through practising either of them4 ,those who fear engage in devotion through fear of separation 7from ,god71 and those who hope engage in it through hope of union 7with ,god74 ,without devotion neither fear nor hope can be truly felt1 but when devotion is there this fear and hope are altogether metaphorical2 and metaphors 7ibrat7 are useless where devotion 7ibdat7 is required4 ,yay is the author of many books1 fine sayings1 and original precepts4 ,he was the first of the ,shaykhs of this sect1 after the ,orthodox ,caliphs1 to mount the pulpit4 ,i am very fond of his sayings1 which are delicately moulded and pleasant to the ear and subtle in substance and profitable in devotion4 ,it is related that he said3 8,this world is an abode of troubles 7ashghl7 and the next world is an abode of terrors 7ahwl71 and ,man never ceases to be amidst troubles or terrors until he finds rest either in ,paradise or in ,hell-fire40 ,happy the soul that has escaped from troubles and is secure from terrors1 and has detached its thoughts from both worlds1 and has attained to ,god6 ,yay held the doctrine that wealth is superior to poverty4 ,having contracted many debts at ,rayy1 he set out for ,khursn4 ,when he arrived at ,balkh the people of that city detained him for some time in order that he might discourse to them1 and they gave him a hundred thousand dirhems4 ,on his way back to ,rayy he was attacked by brigands1 who seized the whole sum4 ,he came in a destitute condition to ,nshpr1 where he died4 ,he was always honoured and held in respect by the people4 #bf4 ,,ab ,,af ,,amr ,b4 ,s,,lim#ge ,,al-,n,,sh,p,r ,,al-,,add,d4#gf ,he was an eminent f1 who is praised by all the ,shaykhs4 ,he associated with ,ab ,abdallh al-,abward and ,amad b4 ,kharya4 ,shh ,shuj came from ,kirmn to visit him4 ,he did not know ,arabic1 and when he went to ,baghdd to visit the ,shaykhs there1 his disciples said to one another3 8,it is a great shame that the ,grand ,shaykh of ,khursn should need an interpreter to make him understand what they say40 ,however1 when he met the ,shaykhs of ,baghdd1 including ,junayd1 in the ,shnziyya ,mosque1 he conversed with them in elegant ,arabic1 so that they despaired of rivalling his eloquence4 ,they asked him3 8,what is generosity80 ,he said3 8,let one of you begin and declare what it is40 ,junayd said3 8,in my opinion generosity consists in not regarding your generosity and in not referring it to yourself40 ,ab af replied3 8,how well the ,shaykh has spoken6 but in my opinion generosity consists in doing justice and in not demanding justice40 ,junayd said to his disciples3 8,rise6 for ,ab af has surpassed ,adam and all his descendants 7in generosity740 ,his conversion is related as follows4 ,he was enamoured of a girl1 and on the advice of his friends sought help from a certain ,jew living in the city 7shristn7 of ,nshpr4 ,the ,jew told him that he must perform no prayers for forty days1 and not praise ,god or do any good deed or form any good intention2 he would then devise a means whereby ,ab af should gain his desire4 ,ab af complied with these instructions1 and after forty days the ,jew made a talisman as he had promised1 but it proved ineffectual4 ,he said3 8,you have undoubtedly done some good deed4 ,think60 ,ab af replied that the only good thing of any sort that he had done was to remove a stone which he found on the road lest some one might stumble on it4 ,the ,jew said to him3 8,do not offend that ,god who has not let such a small act of yours be wasted though you have neglected ,his commands for forty days40 ,ab af repented1 and the ,jew became a ,moslem4 ,footnote #ge3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #dd1 has 8,salama04 ,qushayr calls him ,umar b4 ,maslama4 ,footnote #gf3 ,so ,,lij4 ,b4 has 8al-addd01 which is the form generally used by his biographers4 ,ab af continued to ply the trade of a blacksmith until he went to ,bward and took the vows of discipleship to ,ab ,abdallh ,bward4 ,one day1 after his return to ,nshpr1 he was sitting in his shop listening to a blind man who was reciting the ,koran in the bazaar4 ,he became so absorbed in listening that he put his hand into the fire and1 without using the pincers1 drew out a piece of molten iron from the furnace4 ,on seeing this the apprentice fainted4 ,when ,ab af came to himself he left his shop and no longer earned his livelihood4 ,it is related that he said3 8,i left work and returned to it2 then work left me and ,i never returned to it again10 because when anyone leaves a thing by one's own act and effort1 the leaving of it is no better than the taking of it1 inasmuch as all acquired acts 7aksb7 are contaminated1 and derive their value from the spiritual influence which flows from the ,unseen without effort on our part2 which influence1 wherever it descends1 is united with the choice of ,man and loses its pure spirituality4 ,therefore ,man cannot properly take or leave anything2 it is ,god who in ,his providence gives and takes away1 and ,man only takes what ,god has given or leaves what ,god has taken away4 ,though a disciple should strive a thousand years to win the favour of ,god1 it would be worth less than if ,god received him into favour for a single moment1 since everlasting future happiness is involved in the favour of past eternity1 and ,man has no means of escape except by the unalloyed bounty of ,god4 ,honoured1 then1 is he from whose state the ,causer has removed all secondary causes4 #bg4 ,,ab ,,li ,,amd,n ,b4 ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,um,,ra ,,al-,,qa,r4 ,he belonged to the ancient ,shaykhs1 and was one of those who were scrupulously devout4 ,he attained the highest rank in jurisprudence and divinity1 in which sciences he was a follower of ,thawr4#gg ,in fiism he was a disciple of ,ab ,turb ,nakhshab and ,al ,narbd4 ,when he became renowned as a theologian1 the ,imms and notables of ,nshpr urged him to mount the pulpit and preach to the people1 but he refused1 saying3 8,my heart is still attached to the world1 and therefore my words will make no impression on the hearts of others4 ,to speak unprofitable words is to despise theology and deride the sacred law4 ,speech is permissible to him alone whose silence is injurious to religion1 and whose speaking would remove the injury40 ,on being asked why the sayings of the early ,moslems were more beneficial than those of his contemporaries to men's hearts1 he replied3 8,because they discoursed for the glory of ,islam and the salvation of souls and the satisfaction of the ,merciful ,god1 whereas we discourse for the glory of ourselves and the quest of worldly gain and the favour of mankind40 ,whoever speaks in accordance with ,god's will and by ,divine impulsion1 his words have a force and vigour that makes an impression on the wicked1 but if anyone speaks in accordance with his own will1 his words are weak and tame and do not benefit his hearers4 ,footnote #gg3 ,the words madhhab-i ,thawr dsht may refer either to ,ab ,thawr ,ibrhm b4 ,khlid1 a pupil of al-,shfi1 who died in #bdf ,a4,h41 or to ,sufyn al-,thawr4 ,see ,ibn ,khallikn1 ,no4 #adc4 #bh4 ,,abu ,l-,,sar ,,man,r ,b4 ,,amm,r4 ,he belonged to the school of ,irq1 but was approved by the people of ,khursn4 ,his sermons were unequalled for beauty of language and elegance of exposition4 ,he was learned in all the branches of divinity1 in traditions1 sciences1 principles1 and practices4 ,some aspirants to fiism exaggerate his merits beyond measure4 ,it is related that he said3 8,glory be to ,him who hath made the hearts of gnostics vessels of praise 7dhikr71 and the hearts of ascetics vessels of trust 7tawakkul71 and the hearts of those who trust 7mutawakkiln7 vessels of acquiescence 7ri71 and the hearts of dervishes 7fuqar7 vessels of contentment1 and the hearts of worldlings vessels of covetousness60 ,it is worth while to consider that whereas ,god has placed in every member of the body and in every sense a homogeneous quality1 e4g41 in the hands that of seizing1 in the feet that of walking1 in the eye seeing1 in the ear hearing1 ,he has placed in each individual heart a diverse quality and a different desire1 so that one is the seat of knowledge1 another of error1 another of contentment1 another of covetousness1 and so on3 hence the marvels of ,divine action are in nothing manifested more clearly than in human hearts4 ,and it is related that he said3 8,all mankind may be reduced to two types--the man who knows himself1 and whose business is self-mortification and discipline1 and the man who knows his ,lord1 and whose business is to serve and worship and please ,him40 ,accordingly1 the worship of the former is discipline 7riyat71 while the worship of the latter is sovereignty 7riysat73 the former practises devotion in order that he may attain a high degree1 but the latter practises devotion having already attained all4 ,what a vast difference between the two6 ,one subsists in self-mortification 7mujhadat71 the other in contemplation 7mushhadat74 ,and it is related that he said3 8,there are two classes of men3 those who have need of ,god--and they hold the highest rank from the standpoint of the sacred law--and those who pay no regard to their need of ,god1 because they know that ,god has provided for their creation and livelihood and death and life and happiness and misery3 they need ,god alone1 and having him are independent of all else40 ,the former1 through seeing their own need1 are veiled from seeing the ,divine providence1 whereas the latter1 through not seeing their own need1 are unveiled and independent4 ,the former enjoy felicity1 but the latter enjoy the ,giver of felicity4 #bi4 ,,ab ,,abdall,h ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,im ,,al-,,in,k4 ,he lived to a great age and associated with the ancient ,shaykhs1 and was acquainted with those who belonged to the third generation after the ,prophet 7atb al-tbin74 ,he was a contemporary of ,bishr and ,sar1 and a pupil of rith ,musib4 ,he had seen ,fuayl and consorted with him4 ,it is related that he said3 8,the most beneficial poverty is that which you regard as honourable1 and with which you are well pleased10 i4e41 the honour of the vulgar consists in affirmation of secondary causes1 but the honour of the dervish consists in denying secondary causes and in affirming the ,causer1 and in referring everything to ,him1 and in being well pleased with ,his decrees4 ,poverty is the non-existence of secondary causes1 whereas wealth is the existence of secondary causes4 ,poverty detached from a secondary cause is with ,god1 and wealth attached to a secondary cause is with itself4 ,therefore secondary causes involve the state of being veiled 7from ,god71 while their absence involves the state of unveiledness4 ,this is a clear explanation of the superiority of poverty to wealth4 #cj4 ,,ab ,,mu,,ammad ,,abdall,h ,b4 ,,khubayq4 ,he was an ascetic and scrupulously devout4 ,he has related trustworthy traditions1 and in jurisprudence1 as well as in the practice and theory of divinity1 he followed the doctrine of ,thawr1 with whose pupils he had associated4 ,it is recorded that he said3 8,whoever desires to be living in his life1 let him not admit covetousness to dwell in his heart10 because the covetous man is dead in the toils of his covetousness1 which is like a seal on his heart2 and the sealed heart is dead4 ,blessed is the heart that dies to all save ,god and lives through ,god1 inasmuch as ,god has made ,his praise 7dhikr7 the glory of men's hearts1 and covetousness their disgrace2 and to this effect is the saying of ,abdallh b4 ,khubayq3 8,god created men's hearts to be the homes of ,his praise1 but they have become the homes of lust2 and nothing can clear them of lust except an agitating fear or a restless desire40 ,fear and desire 7shawq7 are the two pillars of faith4 ,when faith is settled in the heart1 praise and contentment accompany it1 not covetousness and heedlessness4 ,lust and covetousness are the result of shunning the society of ,god4 ,the heart that shuns the society of ,god knows nothing of faith1 since faith is intimate with ,god and averse to associate with aught else4 #ca4 ,,abu ,l-,q,,sim ,,al-,,junayd ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,al-,,junayd ,,al-,,baghd,d4 ,he was approved by externalists and spiritualists alike4 ,he was perfect in every branch of science1 and spoke with authority on theology1 jurisprudence1 and ethics4 ,he was a follower of ,thawr4 ,his sayings are lofty and his inward state perfect1 so that all fs unanimously acknowledge his leadership4 ,his mother was the sister of ,sar ,saqa1 and ,junayd was the disciple of ,sar4 ,one day ,sar was asked whether the rank of a disciple is ever higher than that of his spiritual director4 ,he replied3 8,yes2 there is manifest proof of this3 the rank of ,junayd is above mine40 ,it was the humility and insight of ,sar that caused him to say this4 ,as is well known1 ,junayd refused to discourse to his disciples so long as ,sar was alive1 until one night he dreamed that the ,apostle said to him3 8,o ,junayd1 speak to the people1 for ,god hath made thy words the means of saving a multitude of mankind40 ,when he awoke the thought occurred to him that his rank was superior to that of ,sar1 since the ,apostle had commanded him to preach4 ,at daybreak ,sar sent a disciple to ,junayd with the following message3 8,you would not discourse to your disciples when they urged you to do so1 and you rejected the intercession of the ,shaykhs of ,baghdd and my personal entreaty4 ,now that the ,apostle has commanded you1 obey his orders40 ,junayd said3 8,that fancy went out of my head4 ,i perceived that ,sar was acquainted with my outward and inward thoughts in all circumstances1 and that his rank was higher than mine1 since he was acquainted with my secret thoughts1 whereas ,i was ignorant of his state4 ,i went to him and begged his pardon1 and asked him how he knew that ,i had dreamed of the ,apostle4 ,he answered3 #8,i dreamed of ,god1 who told me that ,he had sent the ,apostle to bid you preach4'0 ,this anecdote contains a clear indication that spiritual directors are in every case acquainted with the inward experiences of their disciples4 ,it is related that he said3 8,the speech of the prophets gives information concerning presence 7ur71 while the speech of the saints 7iddqn7 alludes to contemplation 7mushhadat740 ,true information is derived from sight1 and it is impossible to give true information of anything that one has not actually witnessed1 whereas allusion 7ishrat7 involves reference to another thing4 ,hence the perfection and ultimate goal of the saints is the beginning of the state of the prophets4 ,the distinction between prophet 7nab7 and saint 7wal71 and the superiority of the former to the latter1 is plain1 notwithstanding that two heretical sects declare the saints to surpass the prophets in excellence4 ,it is related that he said3 8,i was eagerly desirous of seeing ,ibls4 ,one day1 when ,i was standing in the mosque1 an old man came through the door and turned his face towards me4 ,horror seized my heart4 ,when he came near ,i said to him1 #8,who art thou8 for ,i cannot bear to look on thee1 or think of thee4' ,he answered1 #8,i am he whom you desired to see4' ,i exclaimed1 #8,o accursed one6 what hindered thee from bowing down to ,adam8' ,he answered1 #8,o ,junayd1 how can you imagine that ,i should bow down to anyone except ,god8' ,i was amazed at his saying this1 but a secret voice whispered3 #8,say to him1 ,thou liest4 ,hadst thou been an obedient servant thou wouldst not have transgressed ,his command4' ,ibls heard the voice in my heart4 ,he cried out and said1 #8,by ,god1 you have burnt me6' and vanished40 ,this story shows that ,god preserves ,his saints in all circumstances from the guile of ,satan4 ,one of ,junayd's disciples bore him a grudge1 and after leaving him returned one day with the intention of testing him4 ,junayd was aware of this and said1 replying to his question3 8,do you want a formal or a spiritual answer80 ,the disciple said3 8,both40 ,junayd said3 8,the formal answer is that if you had tested yourself you would not have needed to test me4 ,the spiritual answer is that ,i depose you from your saintship40 ,the disciple's face immediately turned black4 ,he cried1 8,the delight of certainty 7yaqn7 is gone from my heart10 and earnestly begged to be forgiven1 and abandoned his foolish self-conceit4 ,junayd said to him3 8,did not you know that ,god's saints possess mysterious powers8 ,you cannot endure their blows40 ,he cast a breath at the disciple1 who forthwith resumed his former purpose and repented of criticizing the ,shaykhs4 #cb4 ,,abu ,l-,,asan ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,,al-,n,r4 ,he has a peculiar doctrine in fiism and is the model of a number of aspirants to fiism1 who follow him and are called ,nrs4 ,the whole body of aspirants to fiism is composed of twelve sects1 two of which are condemned 7mardd71 while the remaining ten are approved 7maqbl74 ,the latter are the ,musibs1 the ,qars1 the ayfrs1 the ,junayds1 the ,nrs1 the ,sahls1 the akms1 the ,kharrzs1 the ,khaffs1 and the ,sayyrs4 ,all these assert the truth and belong to the mass of orthodox ,moslems4 ,the two condemned sects are1 firstly1 the ulls1#gh who derive their name from the doctrine of incarnation 7ull7 and incorporation 7imtizj71 and with whom are connected the ,slim sect of anthropomorphists2#gi and secondly1 the alljs1 who have abandoned the sacred law and have adopted heresy1 and with whom are connected the ,ibats#hj and the ,friss4#ha ,i shall include in this book a chapter on the twelve sects and shall explain their different doctrines4 ,footnote #gh3 ,b4 has 8the ulmns01 i4e4 the followers of ,ab ulmn of ,damascus4 ,see ,shahristn1 ,haarbrcker's translation1 ii1 #dag4 ,footnote #gi3 ,the ,slims are described 7ibid47 as 8a number of scholastic theologians 7mutakallimn7 belonging to ,bara04 ,footnote #hj3 8,ibat0 or 8,ib0 signifies 8one who regards everything as permissible04 ,footnote #ha3 ,see the eleventh section of the fourteenth chapter4 ,nr took a praiseworthy course in rejecting flattery and indulgence and in being assiduous in self-mortification4 ,it is related that he said3 8,i came to ,junayd and found him seated in the professorial chair 7muaddar74 ,i said to him3 #8,o ,abu l-,qsim1 thou hast concealed the truth from them and they have put thee in the place of honour2 but ,i have told them the truth and they have pelted me with stones1'0 because flattery is compliance with one's desire and sincerity is opposition to it1 and men hate anyone who opposes their desires and love anyone who complies with their desires4 ,nr was the companion of ,junayd and the disciple of ,sar4 ,he had associated with many ,shaykhs1 and had met ,amad b4 ,abi l-awr4 ,he is the author of subtle precepts and fine sayings on various branches of the mystical science4 ,it is related that he said3 8,union with ,god is separation from all else1 and separation from all else is union with ,him10 i4e41 anyone whose mind is united with ,god is separated from all besides1 and vice vers3 therefore union of the mind with ,god is separation from the thought of created things1 and to be rightly turned away from phenomena is to be rightly turned towards ,god4 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that once ,nr stood in his chamber for three days and nights1 never moving from his place or ceasing to wail4 ,junayd went to see him and said3 8,o ,abu l-asan1 if thou knowest that crying aloud to ,god is of any use1 tell me1 in order that ,i too may cry aloud2 but if thou knowest that it avails naught1 surrender thyself to acquiescence in ,god's will1 in order that thy heart may rejoice40 ,nr stopped wailing and said3 8,thou teachest me well1 ,o ,abu l-,qsim60 ,it is related that he said3 8,the two rarest things in our time are a learned man who practises what he knows and a gnostic who speaks from the reality of his state10 i4e41 both learning and gnosis are rare1 since learning is not learning unless it is practised1 and gnosis is not gnosis unless it has reality4 ,nr referred to his own age1 but these things are rare at all times1 and they are rare to-day4 ,anyone who should occupy himself in seeking for learned men and gnostics would waste his time and would not find them4 ,let him be occupied with himself in order that he may see learning everywhere1 and let him turn from himself to ,god in order that he may see gnosis everywhere4 ,let him seek learning and gnosis in himself1 and let him demand practice and reality from himself4 ,it is related that ,nr said3 8,those who regard things as determined by ,god turn to ,god in everything10 because they find rest in regarding the ,creator1 not created objects1 whereas they would always be in tribulation if they considered things to be the causes of actions4 ,to do so is polytheism1 for a cause is not self-subsistent1 but depends on the ,causer4 ,when they turn to ,him they escape from trouble4 #cc4 ,,ab ,,uthm,n ,,sa,d ,b4 ,,ism,l ,,al-,r4 ,he is one of the eminent fs of past times4 ,at first he associated with ,yay b4 ,mudh2 then he consorted for a while with ,shh ,shuj of ,kirmn1 and accompanied him to ,nshpr on a visit to ,ab af1 with whom he remained to the end of his life4 ,it is related on trustworthy authority that he said3 8,in my childhood ,i was continually seeking the ,truth1 and the externalists inspired me with a feeling of abhorrence4 ,i perceived that the sacred law concealed a mystery under the superficial forms which are followed by the vulgar4 ,when ,i grew up ,i happened to hear a discourse by ,yay b4 ,mudh of ,rayy1 and ,i found there the mystery that was the object of my search4 ,i continued to associate with ,yay until1 on hearing reports of ,shh ,shuj ,kirmn from a number of persons who had been in his company1 ,i felt a longing to visit him4 ,accordingly ,i quitted ,rayy and set out for ,kirmn4 ,shh ,shuj1 however1 would not admit me to his society4 #8,you have been nursed1' said he1 #8in the doctrine of hope 7raj71 on which ,yay takes his stand4 ,no one who has imbibed this doctrine can tread the path of purgation1 because a mechanical belief in hope produces indolence4' ,i besought him earnestly1 and lamented and stayed at his door for twenty days4 ,at length he admitted me1 and ,i remained in his society until he took me with him to visit ,ab af at ,nshpr4 ,on this occasion ,shh ,shuj was wearing a coat 7qab74 ,when ,ab af saw him he rose from his seat and advanced to meet him1 saying1 #8,i have found in the coat what ,i sought in the cloak 7ab74' ,during our residence in ,nshpr ,i conceived a strong desire to associate with ,ab af1 but was restrained from devoting myself to attendance on him by my respect for ,shh ,shuj4 ,meanwhile ,i was imploring ,god to make it possible for me to enjoy the society of ,ab af without hurting the feelings of ,shh ,shuj1 who was a jealous man2 and ,ab af was aware of my wishes4 ,on the day of our departure ,i dressed myself for the journey1 although ,i was leaving my heart with ,ab af4 ,ab af said familiarly to ,shh ,shuj1 #8,i am pleased with this youth2 let him stay here4' ,shh ,shuj turned to me and said1 #8,do as the ,shaykh bids thee4' ,so ,i remained with ,ab af and experienced many wonderful things in his company40 ,god caused ,ab ,uthmn to pass through three 8stations0 by means of three spiritual directors1 and these 8stations01 which he indicated as belonging to them1 he also made his own3 the 8station0 of hope through associating with ,yay1 the 8station0 of jealousy through associating with ,shh ,shuj1 and the 8station0 of affection 7shafaqat7 through associating with ,ab af4 ,it is allowable for a disciple to associate with five or six or more directors and to have a different 8station0 revealed to him by each one of them1 but it is better that he should not confuse his own 8station0 with theirs4 ,he should point to their perfection in that 8station0 and say3 8,i gained this by associating with them1 but they were superior to it40 ,this is more in accordance with good manners1 for spiritual adepts have nothing to do with 8stations0 and 8states04 ,to ,ab ,uthmn was due the divulgation of fiism in ,nshpr and ,khursn4 ,he consorted with ,junayd1 ,ruwaym1 ,ysuf b4 al-usayn1 and ,muammad b4 ,fal al-,balkh1 and no ,shaykh ever derived as much spiritual advantage from his directors as he did4 ,the people of ,nshpr set up a pulpit that he might discourse to them on fiism4 ,he is the author of sublime treatises on various branches of this science4 ,it is related that he said3 8,it behoves one whom ,god hath honoured with gnosis not to dishonour himself by disobedience to ,god40 ,this refers to actions acquired by ,man and to his continual effort to keep the commandments of ,god1 because1 even though you recognize that it is worthy of ,god not to dishonour by disobedience anyone whom ,he has honoured with gnosis1 yet gnosis is ,god's gift and disobedience is ,man's act4 ,it is impossible that one who is honoured with ,god's gift should be dishonoured by his own act4 ,god honoured ,adam with knowledge3 ,he did not dishonour him on account of his sin4 #cd4 ,,ab ,,abdall,h ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,ya,y ,,al-,,jall4 ,he associated with ,junayd and ,abu l-asan ,nr and other great ,shaykhs4 ,it is recorded that he said3 8,the mind of the gnostic is fixed on his ,lord2 he does not pay attention to anything else10 because the gnostic knows nothing except gnosis1 and since gnosis is the whole capital of his heart1 his thoughts are entirely bent on vision 7of ,god71 for distraction of thought produces cares1 and cares keep one back from ,god4 ,he tells the following story3 8,one day ,i saw a beautiful ,christian boy4 ,i was amazed at his loveliness and stood still opposite him4 ,junayd passed by me4 ,i said to him1 #8,o master1 will ,god burn a face like this in ,hell-fire8' ,he answered3 #8,o my son1 this is a trick of the flesh1 not a look by which one takes warning4 ,if you look with due consideration1 the same marvel is existent in every atom of the universe4 ,you will soon be punished for this want of respect4' ,when ,junayd turned away from me ,i immediately forgot the ,koran1 and it did not come back to my memory until ,i had for years implored ,god to help me and had repented of my sin4 ,now ,i dare not pay heed to any created object or waste my time by looking at things40 #ce4 ,,ab ,,mu,,ammad ,,ruwaym ,b4 ,a,,mad4 ,he was an intimate friend of ,junayd4 ,in jurisprudence he followed ,dwud4#hb and he was deeply versed in the sciences relating to the interpretation and reading of the ,koran4 ,he was famed for the loftiness of his state and the exaltedness of his station1 and for his journeys in detachment from the world 7tajrd71 and for his severe austerities4 ,towards the end of his life he hid himself among the rich and gained the ,caliph's confidence1 but such was the perfection of his spiritual rank that he was not thereby veiled from ,god4 ,hence ,junayd said3 8,we are devotees occupied 7with the world71 and ,ruwaym is a man occupied 7with the world7 who is devoted 7to ,god740 ,he wrote several works on fiism1 one of which1 entitled ,ghala al-,wjidn1#hc deserves particular mention4 ,i am exceedingly fond of it4 ,one day he was asked1 8,how are you80 ,he replied3 8,how is he whose religion is his lust and whose thought is 7fixed on7 his worldly affairs1 who is neither a pious ,god-fearing man nor a gnostic and one of ,god's elect80 ,this refers to the vices of the soul that is subject to passion and regards lust as its religion4 ,sensual men consider anyone to be devout who complies with their inclinations1 even though he be a heretic1 and anyone to be irreligious who thwarts their desires1 even though he be a pietist4 ,this is a widely spread disease at the present time4 ,god save us from associating with any such person6 ,ruwaym doubtless gave this answer in reference to the inward state of the questioner1 which he truly diagnosed1 or it may be that ,god had temporarily allowed him to fall into that condition1 and that he described himself as he then was in reality4 ,footnote #hb3 ,dwud of ,ifahn1 the founder of the hirite school 7,brockelmann1 i1 #ahc74 ,footnote #hc3 i4e4 8,the ,error of ,ecstatic ,persons04 #cf4 ,,ab ,,ya,q,b ,y,,suf ,b4 ,,al-,,usayn ,,al-,r,z4 ,he was one of the ancient ,shaykhs and great ,imms of his age4 ,he was a disciple of ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian1 and consorted with a large number of ,shaykhs and performed service to them all4 ,it is related that he said3 8,the meanest of mankind is the covetous dervish and he who loves his beloved1 and the noblest of them is the veracious 7al-iddq740 ,covetousness renders the dervish ignominious in both worlds1 because he is already despicable in the eyes of worldlings1 and only becomes more despicable if he builds any hopes on them4 ,wealth with honour is far more perfect than poverty with disgrace4 ,covetousness causes the dervish to incur the imputation of sheer mendacity4 ,again1 he who loves his beloved is the meanest of mankind1 since the lover acknowledges himself to be very despicable in comparison with his beloved and abases himself before her1 and this also is the result of desire4 ,so long as ,zulaykh desired ,ysuf1 she became every day more mean3 when she cast desire away1 ,god gave her beauty and youth back to her4 ,it is a law that when the lover advances1 the beloved retires4 ,if the lover is satisfied with love alone1 then the beloved draws near4 ,in truth1 the lover has honour only while he has no desire for union4 ,unless his love diverts him from all thought of union or separation1 his love is weak4 #cg4 ,,abu ,l-,,asan ,,sumn,n ,b4 ,,abdall,h ,,al-,,khaww4 ,he was held in great esteem by all the ,shaykhs4 ,they called him ,sumnn the ,lover 7al-,muibb71 but he called himself ,sumnn the ,liar 7al-,kadhdhb74 ,he suffered much persecution at the hands of ,ghulm al-,khall1#hd who had made himself known to the ,caliph and courtiers by his pretended piety and fiism4 ,this hypocrite spoke evil of the ,shaykhs and dervishes1 hoping to bring about their banishment from ,court and to establish his own power4 ,fortunate indeed were ,sumnn and those ,shaykhs to have only one adversary of this sort4 ,in the present day there are a hundred ,ghulm al-,khalls for every true spiritualist1 but what matter8 ,carrion is fit food for vultures4 ,when ,sumnn gained eminence and popularity in ,baghdd1 ,ghulm al-,khall began to intrigue4 ,a woman had fallen in love with ,sumnn and made proposals to him1 which he refused4 ,she went to ,junayd1 begging him to advise ,sumnn to marry her4 ,on being sent away by ,junayd1 she came to ,ghulm al-,khall and accused ,sumnn of having attempted her virtue4 ,he listened eagerly to her slanders1 and induced the ,caliph to command that ,sumnn should be put to death4 ,when the ,caliph was about to give the word to the executioner his tongue stuck in his throat4 ,the same night he dreamed that his empire would last no longer than ,sumnn's life4 ,next day he asked his pardon and restored him to favour4 ,sumnn is the author of lofty sayings and subtle indications concerning the real nature of love4 ,on his way from the ijz the people of ,fayd requested him to discourse to them about this subject4 ,he mounted the pulpit1 but while he was speaking all his hearers departed4 ,sumnn turned to the lamps and said3 8,i am speaking to you40 ,immediately all the lamps collapsed and broke into small bits4 ,it is related that he said3 8,a thing can be explained only by what is more subtle than itself3 there is nothing subtler than love3 by what1 then1 shall love be explained80 ,the meaning of this is that love cannot be explained because explanation is an attribute of the explainer4 ,love is an attribute of the ,beloved1 therefore no explanation of its real nature is possible4 ,footnote #hd3 ,ab ,abdallh ,amad b4 ,muammad b4 ,ghlib b4 ,khlid al-,bar al-,bhil1 generally known as ,ghulm ,khall1 died in #bge ,a4,h4 ,he is described by ,abu l-,masin 7,nujm1 ii1 #gi1 #a ff47 as a traditionist1 ascetic1 and saint4 ,according to the ,tadhkirat al-,awliy 7ii1 #dh1 #d ff471 he represented to the ,caliph that ,junayd1 ,nr1 ,shibl1 and other eminent fs were freethinkers and heretics1 and urged him to put them to death4 #ch4 ,,abu ,l-,,faw,,ris ,,sh,h ,,shuj ,,al-,,kirm,n4 ,he was of royal descent4 ,he associated with ,ab ,turb ,nakhshab and many other ,shaykhs4 ,something has been said of him in the notice of ,ab ,uthmn al-r4 ,he composed a celebrated treatise on fiism as well as a book entitled ,mirt al-ukam4#he ,it is recorded that he said3 8,the eminent have eminence until they see it1 and the saints have saintship until they see it10 i4e41 whoever regards his eminence loses its reality1 and whoever regards his saintship loses its reality4 ,his biographers relate that for forty years he never slept2 then he fell asleep and dreamed of ,god4 8,o ,lord10 he cried1 8,i was seeking ,thee in nightly vigils1 but ,i have found ,thee in sleep40 ,god answered3 8,o ,shh1 you have found ,me by means of those nightly vigils3 if you had not sought ,me there1 you would not have found ,me here40 ,footnote #he3 i4e4 8,the ,mirror of the ,sages04 #ci4 ,,amr ,b4 ,,uthm,n ,,al-,,makk4 ,he was one of the principal fs1 and is the author of celebrated works on the mystical sciences4 ,he became a disciple of ,junayd after he had seen ,ab ,sad ,kharrz and had associated with ,nibj4#hf ,he was the ,imm of his age in theology4 ,it is related that he said3 8,ecstasy does not admit of explanation1 because it is a secret between ,god and the true believers40 ,let men seek to explain it as they will1 their explanation is not that secret1 inasmuch as all human power and effort is divorced from the ,divine mysteries4 ,it is said that when ,amr came to ,ifahn a young man associated with him against the wish of his father4 ,the young man fell into a sickness4 ,one day the ,shaykh with a number of friends came to visit him4 ,he begged the ,shaykh to bid the singer 7qawwl7 chant a few verses1 whereupon ,amr desired the singer to chant-- ,m l maritu wa-lam yaudn id ,minkum wa-yamrau abdukum fa-adu4 8,how is it that when ,i fell ill none of you visited me1 ,though ,i visit your slave when he falls ill80 ,on hearing this the invalid left his bed and sat down1 and the violence of his malady was diminished4 ,he said3 8,give me some more40 ,so the singer chanted-- ,wa-ashaddu min mara alayya uddukum ,wa-uddu abdikum alayya shaddu4 8,your neglect is more grievous to me than my sickness2 ,it would grieve me to neglect your slave40 ,the young man's sickness departed from him4 ,his father permitted him to associate with ,amr and repented of the suspicion which he had harboured in his heart1 and the youth became an eminent f4 ,footnote #hf3 ,sad 7,ab ,abdallh7 b4 ,yazd al-,nibj4 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #hf4 #dj4 ,,ab ,,mu,,ammad ,,sahl ,b4 ,,abdall,h ,,al-,,tustar4 ,his austerities were great and his devotions excellent4 ,he has fine sayings on sincerity and the defects of human actions4 ,the formal divines say that he combined the ,law and the ,truth 7jamaa bayn al-sharat wa l-aqqat74 ,this statement is erroneous1 for the two things have never been divided4 ,the ,law is the ,truth1 and the ,truth is the ,law4 ,their assertion is founded on the fact that the sayings of this ,shaykh are more intelligible and easy to apprehend than is sometimes the case4 ,inasmuch as ,god has joined the ,law to the ,truth1 it is impossible that ,his saints should separate them4 ,if they be separated1 one must inevitably be rejected and the other accepted4 ,rejection of the ,law is heresy1 and rejection of the ,truth is infidelity and polytheism4 ,any 7proper7 separation between them is made1 not to establish a difference of meaning1 but to affirm the ,truth1 as when it is said3 8,the words there is no god save ,allah are ,truth1 and the words ,muammad is the ,apostle of ,allah are ,law40 ,no one can separate the one from the other without impairing his faith1 and it is vain to wish to do so4 ,in short1 the ,law is a branch of the ,truth3 knowledge of ,god is ,truth1 and obedience to ,his command is ,law4 ,these formalists deny whatever does not suit their fancy1 and it is dangerous to deny one of the fundamental principles of the ,way to ,god4 ,praise be to ,allah for the faith which ,he has given us6 ,and it is related that he said3 8,the sun does not rise or set upon anyone on the face of the earth who is not ignorant of ,god1 unless he prefers ,god to his own soul and spirit and to his present and future life10 i4e41 if anyone cleaves to self-interest1 that is a proof that he is ignorant of ,god1 because knowledge of ,god requires abandonment of forethought 7tadbr71 and abandonment of forethought is resignation 7taslm71 whereas perseverance in forethought arises from ignorance of predestination4 #da4 ,,ab ,,mu,,ammad ,,abdall,h ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,al-,,fa,l ,,al-,,balkh4 ,he was approved by the people of ,irq as well as by those of ,khursn4 ,he was a pupil of ,amad b4 ,kharya1 and ,ab ,uthmn of ra had a great affection for him4 ,having been expelled from ,balkh by fanatics on account of his love of fiism1 he went to ,samarcand1 where he passed his life4 ,it is related that he said3 8,he that has most knowledge of ,god is he that strives hardest to fulfil ,his commandments1 and follows most closely the custom of ,his ,prophet40 ,the nearer one is to ,god the more eager one is to do ,his bidding1 and the farther one is from ,god the more averse one is to follow ,his ,apostle4 ,it is related that he said3 8,i wonder at those who cross deserts and wildernesses to reach ,his ,house and ,sanctuary1 because the traces of ,his prophets are to be found there3 why do not they cross their own passions and lusts to reach their hearts1 where they will find the traces of their ,lord80 ,that is to say1 the heart is the seat of knowledge of ,god and is more venerable than the ,kaba1 to which men turn in devotion4 ,men are ever looking towards the ,kaba1 but ,god is ever looking towards the heart4 ,wherever the heart is1 my ,beloved is there2 wherever ,his decree is1 my desire is there2 wherever the traces of my prophets#hg are1 the eyes of those whom ,i love are directed there4 ,footnote #hg3 ,so in all the texts4 #db4 ,,ab ,,abdall,h ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,al ,,al-,,tirmidh4 ,he is the author of many excellent books which1 by their eloquence1 declare the miracles vouchsafed to him1 e4g41 the ,khatm al-,wilyat1#hh the ,kitb al-,nahj1#hi the ,nawdir al-,ul1#ij and many more1 such as the ,kitb al-,tawd#ia and the ,kitb ,adhb al-,qabr#ib3 it would be tedious to mention them all4 ,i hold him in great veneration and am entirely devoted to him4 ,my ,shaykh said3 8,muammad is a union pearl that has no like in the whole world40 ,he has also written works on the formal sciences1 and is a trustworthy authority for the traditions of the ,prophet which he related4 ,he began a commentary on the ,koran1 but did not live long enough to finish it4 ,the completed portion is widely circulated among theologians4 ,he studied jurisprudence with an intimate friend of ,ab anfa4 ,the inhabitants of ,tirmidh call him ,muammad akm1 and the akms1 a f sect in that region1 are his followers4 ,many remarkable stories are told of him1 as for instance that he associated with the ,apostle ,khir4 ,his disciple1 ,ab ,bakr ,warrq1 relates that ,khir used to visit him every ,sunday1 and that they conversed with each other4 ,it is recorded that he said3 8,anyone who is ignorant of the nature of servantship 7ubdiyyat7 is yet more ignorant of the nature of lordship 7rubbiyyat710 i4e41 whoever does not know the way to knowledge of himself does not know the way to knowledge of ,god1 and whoever does not recognize the contamination of human qualities does not recognize the purity of the ,divine attributes1 inasmuch as the outward is connected with the inward1 and he who claims to possess the former without the latter makes an absurd assertion4 ,knowledge of the nature of lordship depends on having right principles of servantship1 and is not perfect without them4 ,this is a very profound and instructive saying4 ,it will be fully explained in the proper place4 ,footnote #hh3 8,the ,seal of ,saintship40 ,footnote #hi3 8,the ,book of the ,highway40 ,footnote #ij3 8,choice ,principles40 ,footnote #ia3 8,the ,book of ,unification40 ,footnote #ib3 8,the ,book of the ,torment of the ,tomb40 #dc4 ,,ab ,,bakr ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,umar ,,al-,,warr,q4 ,he was a great ,shaykh and ascetic4 ,he had seen ,amad b4 ,kharya and associated with ,muammad b4 ,al4 ,he is the author of books on rules of discipline and ethics4 ,the f ,shaykhs have called him 8,the ,instructor of the ,saints0 7muaddib al-awliy74 ,he relates the following story3 8,muammad b4 ,al handed to me some of his writings with the request that ,i should throw them into the ,oxus4 ,i had not the heart to do so1 but placed them in my house and came to him and told him that ,i had carried out his order4 ,he asked me what ,i had seen4 ,i replied1 #8,nothing4#8 ,he said1 #8,you have not obeyed me2 return and throw them into the river4' ,i returned1 doubting the promised sign1 and cast them into the river4 ,the waters parted and a chest appeared1 with its lid open4 ,as soon as the papers fell into it1 the lid closed and the waters joined again and the chest vanished4 ,i went back to him and told him what had occurred4 ,he answered1 #8,now you have thrown them in4' ,i begged him to explain the mystery4 ,he said3 #8,i composed a work on theology and mysticism which could hardly be comprehended by the intellect4 ,my brother ,khir desired it of me1 and ,god bade the waters bring it to him4'0 ,it is related that ,ab ,bakr ,warrq said3 8,there are three classes of men--divines 7ulam7 and princes 7umar7 and dervishes 7fuqar74 ,when the divines are corrupt1 piety and religion are vitiated2 when the princes are corrupt1 men's livelihood is spoiled2 and when the dervishes are corrupt1 men's morals are depraved40 ,accordingly1 the corruption of the divines consists in covetousness1 that of the princes in injustice1 and that of the dervishes in hypocrisy4 ,princes do not become corrupt until they turn their backs on divines1 and divines do not become corrupt until they associate with princes1 and dervishes do not become corrupt until they seek ostentation1 because the injustice of princes is due to want of knowledge1 and the covetousness of divines is due to want of piety1 and the hypocrisy of dervishes is due to want of trust in ,god4 #dd4 ,,ab ,,sa,,id ,a,,mad ,b4 ,s ,,al-,,kharr,z4 ,he was the first who explained the doctrine of annihilation 7fan7 and subsistence 7baq74 ,he is the author of brilliant compositions and sublime sayings and allegories4 ,he had met ,dhu l-,nn of ,egypt1 and associated with ,bishr and ,sar4 ,it is related that concerning the words of the ,apostle1 8,hearts are naturally disposed to love him who acts kindly towards them10 he said3 8,oh6 ,i wonder at him who sees none acting kindly towards him except ,god1 how he does not incline to ,god with his whole being10 inasmuch as true beneficence belongs to the ,lord of phenomenal objects and is conferred only upon those who have need of it2 how can he who needs beneficence from others bestow it upon anyone8 ,god is the ,king and ,lord of all and hath need of none4 ,recognizing this1 the friends of ,god behold in every gift and benefit the ,giver and ,benefactor4 ,their hearts are wholly taken captive by love of ,him and turned away from everything else4 #de4 ,,abu ,l-,,asan ,,al ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,,al-,i,,fah,n4 ,according to others1 his name is ,al b4 ,sahl4 ,he was a great ,shaykh4 ,junayd and he wrote exquisite letters to one another1 and ,amr b4 ,uthmn ,makk went to ,ifahn to visit him4 ,he consorted with ,ab ,turb and ,junayd4 ,he followed a praiseworthy ,path in fiism and one that was peculiarly his own4 ,he was adorned with acquiescence in ,god's will and self-discipline1 and was preserved from mischiefs and contaminations4 ,he spoke eloquently on the theory and practice of mysticism1 and lucidly explained its difficulties and symbolical allusions4 ,it is related that he said3 8,presence 7ur7 is better than certainty 7yaqn71 because presence is an abiding state 7waant71 whereas certainty is a transient one 7khaart710 i4e41 presence makes its abode in the heart and does not admit forgetfulness1 while certainty is a feeling that comes and goes3 hence those who are 8present0 7irn7 are in the sanctuary1 and those who have certainty 7mqinn7 are only at the gate4 ,the subject of 8absence0 and 8presence0 will be discussed in a separate chapter of this book4 ,and he said also3 8,from the time of ,adam to the ,resurrection people cry1 #8,the heart1 the heart6' and ,i wish that ,i might find some one to describe what the heart is or how it is1 but ,i find none4 ,people in general give the name of #8heart' 7dil7 to that piece of flesh which belongs to madmen and ecstatics and children1 who really are without heart 7bdil74 ,what1 then1 is this heart1 of which ,i hear only the name80 ,that is to say1 if ,i call intellect the heart1 it is not the heart2 and if ,i call spirit the heart1 it is not the heart2 and if ,i call knowledge the heart1 it is not the heart4 ,all the evidences of the ,truth subsist in the heart1 yet only the name of it is to be found4 #df4 ,,abu ,l-,,asan ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,ism,l ,,khayr ,,al-,,nass,j4 ,he was a great ,shaykh1 and in his time discoursed with eloquence on ethics and preached excellent sermons4 ,he died at an advanced age4 ,both ,shibl and ,ibrhm ,khaww were converted in his place of meeting4 ,he sent ,shibl to ,junayd1 wishing to observe the respect due to the latter4 ,he was a pupil of ,sar1 and was contemporary with ,junayd and ,abu l-asan ,nr4 ,junayd held him in high regard1 and ,ab amza of ,baghdd treated him with the utmost consideration4 ,it is related that he was called ,khayr al-,nassj from the following circumstance4 ,he left ,smarr1 his native town1 with the intention of performing the pilgrimage4 ,at the gate of ,kfa1 which lay on his route1 he was seized by a weaver of silk1 who cried out3 8,you are my slave1 and your name is ,khayr40 ,deeming this to come from ,god1 he did not contradict the weaver1 and remained many years in his employment4 ,whenever his master said 8,khayr60 he answered1 8,at thy service0 7labbayk71 until the man repented of what he had done and said to ,khayr3 8,i made a mistake2 you are not my slave40 ,so he departed and went to ,mecca1 where he attained to such a degree that ,junayd said3 8,khayr is the best of us0 7,khayr khayrun74 ,he used to prefer to be called ,khayr1 saying3 8,it is not right that ,i should alter a name which has been bestowed on me by a ,moslem40 ,they relate that when the hour of his death approached1 it was time for the evening prayer4 ,he opened his eyes and looked at the ,angel of ,death and said3 8,stop6 ,god save thee6 ,thou art only a servant who has received ,his orders1 and ,i am the same4 ,that which thou art commanded to do 7viz4 to take my life7 will not escape thee1 but that which ,i am commanded to do 7viz4 to perform the evening prayer7 will escape me3 therefore let me do as ,i am bidden1 and then do as thou art bidden40 ,he then called for water and cleansed himself1 and performed the evening prayer and gave up his life4 ,on the same night he was seen in a dream and was asked3 8,what has ,god done to thee80 ,he answered3 8,do not ask me of this1 but ,i have gained release from your world40 ,it is related that he said in his place of meeting3 8,god hath expanded the breasts of the pious with the light of certainty1 and hath opened the eyes of the possessors of certainty with the light of the verities of faith40 ,certainty is indispensable to the pious1 whose hearts are expanded with the light of certainty1 and those who have certainty cannot do without the verities of faith1 inasmuch as their intellectual vision consists in the light of faith4 ,accordingly1 where faith is certainty is there1 and where certainty is piety is there1 for they go hand in hand with each other4 #dg4 ,,ab ,,amza ,,al-,,khur,s,n4 ,he is one of the ancient ,shaykhs of ,khursn4 ,he associated with ,ab ,turb1 and had seen ,kharrz4#ic ,he was firmly grounded in trust in ,god 7tawakkul74 ,it is a well-known story that one day he fell into a pit4 ,after three days had passed a party of travellers approached4 ,ab amza said to himself3 8,i will call out to them40 ,then he said3 8,no2 it is not good that ,i seek aid from anyone except ,god1 and ,i shall be complaining of ,god if ,i tell them that my ,god has cast me into a pit and implore them to rescue me40 ,when they came up and saw an open pit in the middle of the road1 they said3 8,for the sake of obtaining ,divine recompense 7thawb7 we must cover this pit lest anyone should fall into it40 ,ab amza said3 8,i became deeply agitated and abandoned hope of life4 ,after they blocked the mouth of the pit and departed1 ,i prayed to ,god and resigned myself to die1 and hoped no more of mankind4 ,when night fell ,i heard a movement at the top of the pit4 ,i looked attentively4 ,the mouth of the pit was open1 and ,i saw a huge animal like a dragon1 which let down its tail4 ,i knew that ,god had sent it and that ,i should be saved in this way4 ,i took hold of its tail and it dragged me out4 ,a heavenly voice cried to me1 #8,this is an excellent escape of thine1 ,o ,ab amza6 ,we have saved thee from death by means of a death'0 7i4e4 a deadly monster74 ,footnote #ic3 ,see ,no4 #dd4 ,he was asked1 8,who is the stranger 7gharb780 ,he replied1 8,he who shuns society10 because the dervish has no home or society either in this world or the next1 and when he is dissociated from phenomenal existence he shuns everything1 and then he is a stranger2 and this is a very lofty degree4 #dh4 ,,abu ,l-,,abb,s ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,masr,q4 ,he was one of the great men of ,khursn1 and the ,saints of ,god are unanimously agreed that he was one of the ,awtd4 ,he associated with the ,qub1 who is the pivot of the universe4 ,on being asked to say who the ,qub was1 he did not declare his name but hinted that ,junayd was that personage4 ,he had done service to the ,forty who possess the rank of fixity 7ib tamkn7 and received instruction from them4 ,it is related that he said3 8,if anyone takes joy in aught except ,god1 his joy produces sorrow1 and if anyone is not intimate with the service of his ,lord1 his intimacy produces loneliness 7washat710 i4e41 all save ,him is perishable1 and whoever rejoices in what is perishable1 when that perishes becomes stricken with sorrow2 and except ,his service all else is vain1 and when the vileness of created objects is made manifest1 his intimacy 7with them7 is wholly turned to loneliness3 hence1 the sorrow and loneliness of the entire universe consist in regarding that which is other 7than ,god74 #di4 ,,ab ,,abdall,h ,,mu,,ammad#id ,b4 ,,ism,l ,,al-,,maghrib4 ,in his time he was an approved teacher and a careful guardian of his disciples4 ,both ,ibrhm ,khaww and ,ibrhm ,shaybn were pupils of his4 ,he has lofty sayings and shining evidences1 and he was perfectly grounded in detachment from this world4 ,it is related that he said3 8,i never saw anyone more just than the world3 if you serve her she will serve you1 and if you leave her she will leave you10 i4e4 as long as you seek her she will seek you1 but when you turn away from her and seek ,god she will flee from you1 and worldly thoughts will no more cling to your heart4 ,footnote #id3 ,,lb4 have 8,amad04 #ej4 ,,ab ,,al ,,al-,,asan ,b4 ,,al ,,al-,j,,zaj,n4 ,he wrote brilliant works on the science of ethics and the detection of spiritual cankers4 ,he was a pupil of ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 and a contemporary of ,ab ,bakr ,warrq4 ,ibrhm ,samarqand was a pupil of his4 ,it is related that he said3 8,all mankind are galloping on the race-courses of heedlessness1 relying upon idle fancies1 while they suppose themselves to be versed in the ,truth and to be speaking from ,divine revelation40 ,this saying alludes to natural self-conceit and to the pride of the soul4 ,men1 though they are ignorant1 have a firm belief in their ignorance1 especially ignorant f's1 who are the vilest creatures of ,god1 just as wise fs are the noblest4 ,the latter possess the ,truth and are without conceit1 whereas the former possess conceit and are without the ,truth4 ,they graze in the fields of heedlessness and imagine that it is the field of saintship4 ,they rely on fancy and suppose it to be certainty4 ,they go about with form and think it is reality4 ,they speak from their own lust and think it is a ,divine revelation4 ,this they do because conceit is not expelled from a man's head save by vision of the majesty or the beauty of ,god3 for in the manifestation of ,his beauty they see ,him alone1 and their conceit is annihilated1 while in the revelation of ,his majesty they do not see themselves1 and their conceit does not intrude4 #ea4 ,,ab ,,mu,,ammad ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,al-,,usayn ,,al-,,jurayr4 ,he was an intimate friend of ,junayd1 and also associated with ,sahl b4 ,abdallh4 ,he was learned in every branch of science and was the ,imm of his day in jurisprudence1 besides being well acquainted with theology4 ,his rank in fiism was such that ,junayd said to him3 8,teach my pupils discipline and train them60 ,he succeeded ,junayd and sat in his chair4 ,it is related that he said3 8,the permanence of faith and the subsistence of religions and the health of bodies depend on three qualities3 satisfaction 7iktif7 and piety 7ittiq7 and abstinence 7itim73 if one is satisfied with ,god1 his conscience becomes good2 and if one guards himself from what ,god has forbidden1 his character becomes upright2 and if one abstains from what does not agree with him1 his constitution is brought into good order4 ,the fruit of satisfaction is pure knowledge of ,god1 and the result of piety is excellence of moral character1 and the end of abstinence is equilibrium of constitution40 ,the ,apostle said1 8,he that prays much by night1 his face is fair by day10 and he also said that the pious shall come at the ,resurrection 8with resplendent faces on thrones of light04 #eb4 ,,abu ,l-,,abb,s ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,sahl ,,al-,,mul4 ,he was always held in great respect by his contemporaries4 ,he was versed in the sciences of ,koranic exegesis and criticism1 and expounded the subtleties of the ,koran with an eloquence and insight peculiar to himself4 ,he was an eminent pupil of ,junayd1 and had associated with ,ibrhm ,mristn4 ,ab ,sad ,kharrz regarded him with the utmost veneration1 and used to declare that no one deserved the name of f except him4 ,it is related that he said3 8,acquiescence in natural habits prevents a man from attaining to the exalted degrees of spirituality10 because natural dispositions are the instruments and organs of the sensual part 7nafs71 which is the centre of 8veiling0 7ijb7 whereas the spiritual part 7aqqat7 is the centre of revelation4 ,natural dispositions become attached to two things3 firstly1 to this world and its accessories1 and secondly1 to the next world and its circumstances3 to the former in virtue of homogeneousness1 and to the latter through imagination and in virtue of heterogeneousness and non-cognition4 ,therefore they are attached to the notion of the next world1 not to its true idea1 for if they knew it in reality1 they would break off connexion with this world1 and nature would then have lost all her power and spiritual things would be revealed4 ,there can be no harmony between the next world and human nature until the latter is annihilated1 because 8in the next world is that which the heart of man never conceived04 ,the worth 7khaar7 of the next world lies in the fact that the way to it is full of danger 7khaar74 ,a thing that only comes into one's thoughts 7khawir7 has little worth2 and inasmuch as the imagination is incapable of knowing the reality of the next world1 how can human nature become familiar with the true idea 7ayn7 thereof8 ,it is certain that our natural faculties can be acquainted only with the notion 7pindsht7 of the next world4 #ec4 ,,abu ,l-,,mugh,,th ,,al-,,usayn ,b4 ,,man,r ,,al-,,all,j4 ,he was an enamoured and intoxicated votary of fiism4 ,he had a strong ecstasy and a lofty spirit4 ,the f ,shaykhs are at variance concerning him4 ,some reject him1 while others accept him4 ,among the latter class are ,amr b4 ,uthmn al-,makk1 ,ab ,yaqb ,nahrajr1 ,ab ,yaqb ,aqa1 ,al b4 ,sahl ,ifahn1 and others4 ,he is accepted1 moreover1 by ,ibn ,a1 ,muammad b4 ,khaff1 ,abu l-,qsim ,narbd1 and all the moderns4 ,others1 again1 suspend their judgment about him1 e4g4 ,junayd and ,shibl and ,jurayr and ur4 ,some accuse him of magic and matters coming under that head1 but in our days the ,grand ,shaykh ,ab ,sad b4 ,abi l-,khayr and ,shaykh ,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn and ,shaykh ,abu l-,abbs ,shaqn looked upon him with favour1 and in their eyes he was a great man4 ,the ,master ,abu l-,qsim ,qushayr remarks that if al-allj was a genuine spiritualist he is not to be banned on the ground of popular condemnation1 and if he was banned by fiism and rejected by the ,truth he is not to be approved on the ground of popular approval4 ,therefore we leave him to the judgment of ,god1 and honour him according to the tokens of the ,truth which we have found him to possess4 ,but of all these ,shaykhs only a few deny the perfection of his merit and the purity of his spiritual state and the abundance of his ascetic practices4 ,it would be an act of dishonesty to omit his biography from this book4 ,some persons pronounce his outward behaviour to be that of an infidel1 and disbelieve in him and charge him with trickery and magic1 and suppose that usayn b4 ,manr allj is that heretic of ,baghdd who was the master of ,muammad b4 ,zakariyy#ie and the companion of ,ab ,sad the ,carmathian2 but this usayn whose character is in dispute was a ,persian and a native of ,bay1 and his rejection by the ,shaykhs was due1 not to any attack on religion and doctrine1 but to his conduct and behaviour4 ,at first he was a pupil of ,sahl b4 ,abdallh1 whom he left1 without asking permission1 in order to attach himself to ,amr b4 ,uthmn ,makk4 ,then he left ,amr b4 ,uthmn1 again without asking permission1 and sought to associate with ,junayd1 but ,junayd would not receive him4 ,this is the reason why he is banned by all the ,shaykhs4 ,now1 one who is banned on account of his conduct is not banned on account of his principles4 ,do you not see that ,shibl said3 8,al-allj and ,i are of one belief1 but my madness saved me1 while his intelligence destroyed him08 ,had his religion been suspected1 ,shibl would not have said3 8,al-allj and ,i are of one belief40 ,and ,muammad b4 ,khaff said3 8,he is a divinely learned man0 7lim-i rabbn74 ,al-allj is the author of brilliant compositions and allegories and polished sayings in theology and jurisprudence4 ,i have seen fifty works by him at ,baghdd and in the neighbouring districts1 and some in ,khzistn and ,frs and ,khursn4 ,all his sayings are like the first visions of novices2 some of them are stronger1 some weaker1 some easier1 some more unseemly than others4 ,when ,god bestows a vision on anyone1 and he endeavours to describe what he has seen with the power of ecstasy and the help of ,divine grace1 his words are obscure1 especially if he expresses himself with haste and self-admiration3 then they are more repugnant to the imaginations1 and incomprehensible to the minds1 of those who hear them1 and then people say1 8,this is a sublime utterance10 either believing it or not1 but equally ignorant of its meaning whether they believe or deny4 ,on the other hand1 when persons of true spirituality and insight have visions1 they make no effort to describe them1 and do not occupy themselves with self-admiration on that account1 and are careless of praise and blame alike1 and are undisturbed by denial and belief4 ,footnote #ie3 ,the famous physician ,ab ,bakr ,muammad b4 ,zakariyy al-,rz1 who died about #cbj ,a4,h4 ,see ,brockelmann1 i1 #bcc4 ,it is absurd to charge al-allj with being a magician4 ,according to the principles of ,muammadan orthodoxy1 magic is real1 just as miracles are real2 but the manifestation of magic in the state of perfection is infidelity1 whereas the manifestation of miracles in the state of perfection is knowledge of ,god 7marifat71 because the former is the result of ,god's anger1 while the latter is the corollary of ,his being well pleased4 ,i will explain this more fully in the chapter on the affirmation of miracles4 ,by consent of all ,sunnites who are endowed with perspicacity1 no ,moslem can be a magician and no infidel can be held in honour1 for contraries never meet4 usayn1 as long as he lived1 wore the garb of piety1 consisting in prayer and praise of ,god and continual fasts and fine sayings on the subject of ,unification4 ,if his actions were magic1 all this could not possibly have proceeded from him4 ,consequently1 they must have been miracles1 and miracles are vouchsafed only to a true saint4 ,some orthodox theologians reject him on the ground that his sayings are pantheistic 7ba-mani-yi imtizj ittid71 but the offence lies solely in the expression1 not in the meaning4 ,a person overcome with rapture has not the power of expressing himself correctly2 besides1 the meaning of the expression may be difficult to apprehend1 so that people mistake the writer's intention1 and repudiate1 not his real meaning1 but a notion which they have formed for themselves4 ,i have seen at ,baghdd and in the adjoining districts a number of heretics who pretend to be the followers of al-allj and make his sayings an argument for their heresy 7zandaqa7 and call themselves alljs4 ,they spoke of him in the same terms of exaggeration 7ghuluww7 as the ,rfis 7,shites7 apply to ,al4 ,i will refute their doctrines in the chapter concerning the different f sects4 ,in conclusion1 you must know that the sayings of al-allj should not be taken as a model1 inasmuch as he was an ecstatic 7maghlb andar l-i khud71 not firmly settled 7mutamakkin71 and a man needs to be firmly settled before his sayings can be considered authoritative4 ,therefore1 although he is dear to my heart1 yet his 8path0 is not soundly established on any principle1 and his state is not fixed in any position1 and his experiences are largely mingled with error4 ,when my own visions began ,i derived much support from him1 that is to say1 in the way of evidences 7barhn74 ,at an earlier time ,i composed a book in explanation of his sayings and demonstrated their sublimity by proofs and arguments4 ,furthermore1 in another work1 entitled ,minhj1 ,i have spoken of his life from beginning to end2 and now ,i have given some account of him in this place4 ,how can a doctrine whose principles require to be corroborated with so much caution be followed and imitated8 ,truth and idle fancy never agree4 ,he is continually seeking to fasten upon some erroneous theory4 ,it is related that he said3 ,al-alsinat mustaniqt tata nuqih mustahlikt1#if i4e4 8speaking tongues are the destruction of silent hearts04 ,such expressions are entirely mischievous4 ,expression of the meaning of reality is futile4 ,if the meaning exists it is not lost by expression1 and if it is non-existent it is not created by expression4 ,expression only produces an unreal notion and leads the student mortally astray by causing him to imagine that the expression is the real meaning4 ,footnote #if3 ,literally1 8,the tongues desire to speak1 7but7 under their speech they desire to perish40 #ed4 ,,ab ,,is,q ,,ibr,h,m ,b4 ,a,,mad ,,al-,,khaww4 ,he attained a high degree in the doctrine of trust in ,god 7tawakkul74 ,he met many ,shaykhs1 and many signs and miracles were vouchsafed to him4 ,he is the author of excellent works on the ethics of fiism4 ,it is related that he said3 8,all knowledge is comprised in two sentences3 #8do not trouble yourself with anything that is done for you1 and do not neglect anything that you are bound to do for yourself1'0 i4e41 do not trouble yourself with destiny1 for what is destined from eternity will not be changed by your efforts1 and do not neglect ,his commandment1 for you will be punished if you neglect it4 ,he was asked what wonders he had seen4 8,many wonders10 he replied1 8but the most wonderful was that the ,apostle ,khir begged me to let him associate with me1 and ,i refused4 ,not that ,i desired any better companion1 but ,i feared that ,i should depend on him rather than on ,god1 and that my trust in ,god would be impaired by consorting with him1 and that in consequence of performing a work of supererogation ,i should fail to perform a duty incumbent on me40 ,this is the degree of perfection4 #ee4 ,,ab ,,amza ,,al-,,baghd,d ,,al-,,bazz,z4 ,he was one of the principal f scholastic theologians 7mutakallimn74 ,he was a pupil of rith ,musib1 and associated with ,sar and was contemporary with ,nr and ,khayr ,nassj4 ,he used to preach in the ,rufa mosque at ,baghdd4 ,he was versed in ,koranic exegesis and criticism1 and related ,apostolic ,traditions on trustworthy authority4 ,it was he who was with ,nr when the latter was persecuted and when ,god delivered the fs from death4 ,i will tell this story in the place where ,nr's doctrine is explained4 ,it is recorded that ,ab amza said3 8,if thy #8self' 7nafs7 is safe from thee1 thou hast done all that is due to it2 and if mankind are safe from thee1 thou hast paid all that is due to them10 i4e41 there are two obligations1 one which thou owest to thy 8self0 and one which thou owest to others4 ,if thou refrain thy 8self0 from sin and seek for it the path of future salvation1 thou hast fulfilled thy obligation towards it2 and if thou make others secure from thy wickedness and do not wish to injure them1 thou hast fulfilled thy obligation towards them4 ,endeavour that no evil may befall thy 8self0 or others from thee3 then occupy thyself with fulfilling thy obligation to ,god4 #ef4 ,,ab ,,bakr ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,m,s ,,al-,w,,si4 ,he was a profound theosophist1 praiseworthy in the eyes of all the ,shaykhs4 ,he was one of the early disciples of ,junayd4 ,his abstruse manner of expression caused his sayings to be regarded with suspicion by formalists 7iriyn74 ,he found peace in no city until he came to ,merv4 ,the inhabitants of ,merv welcomed him on account of his amiable disposition--for he was a virtuous man--and listened to his sayings2 and he passed his life there4 ,it is related that he said3 8,those who remember their praise of ,god 7dhikr7 are more heedless than those who forget their praise10 because if anyone forgets the praise1 it is no matter2 but it does matter if he remembers the praise and forgets ,god4 ,praise is not the same thing as the object of praise4 ,neglect of the object of praise combined with thought of the praise approximates to heedlessness more closely than neglect of the praise without thought4 ,he who forgets1 in his forgetfulness and absence1 does not think that he is present 7with ,god71 but he who remembers1 in his remembrance and absence from the object of praise1 thinks that he is present 7with ,god74 ,accordingly1 to think that one is present when one is not present comes nearer to heedlessness than to be absent without thinking that one is present1 for conceit 7pindsht7 is the ruin of those who seek the ,truth4 ,the more conceit1 the less reality1 and vice vers4 ,conceit really springs from the suspiciousness 7tuhmat7 of the intellect1 which is produced by the insatiable desire 7nahmat7 of the lower soul2 and holy aspiration 7himmat7 has nothing in common with either of these qualities4 ,the fundamental principle of remembrance of ,god 7dhikr7 is either in absence 7ghaybat7 or in presence 7ur74 ,when anyone is absent from himself and present with ,god1 that state is not presence1 but contemplation 7mushhadat72 and when anyone is absent from ,god and present with himself1 that state is not remembrance of ,god 7dhikr71 but absence2 and absence is the result of heedlessness 7ghaflat74 ,the truth is best known to ,god4 #eg4 ,,ab ,,bakr ,b4 ,,dulaf ,b4 ,,ja,,dar ,,al-,,shibl4 ,he was a great and celebrated ,shaykh4 ,he had a blameless spiritual life and enjoyed perfect communion with ,god4 ,he was subtle in the use of symbolism1 wherefore one of the moderns says3 8,the wonders of the world are three3 the symbolical utterances 7ishrt7 of ,shibl1 and the mystical sayings 7nukat7 of ,murtaish1 and the anecdotes 7ikyt7 of ,jafar48#ig ,at first he was chief chamberlain to the ,caliph1 but he was converted in the assembly-room 7majlis7 of ,khayr al-,nassj and became a disciple of ,junayd4 ,he made the acquaintance of a large number of ,shaykhs4 ,it is related that he explained the verse 0,tell the believers to refrain their eyes0 7,kor4 xxiv1 #cj7 as follows3 8,o ,muammad1 tell the believers to refrain their bodily eyes from what is unlawful1 and to refrain their spiritual eyes from everything except ,god10 i4e4 not to look at lust and to have no thought except the vision of ,god4 ,it is a mark of heedlessness to follow one's lusts and to regard unlawful things1 and the greatest calamity that befalls the heedless is that they are ignorant of their own faults2 for anyone who is ignorant here shall also be ignorant hereafter3 8,those who are blind in this world shall be blind in the next world0 7,kor4 xvii1 #gd74 ,in truth1 until ,god clears the desire of lust out of a man's heart the bodily eye is not safe from its hidden dangers1 and until ,god establishes the desire of ,himself in a man's heart the spiritual eye is not safe from looking at other than ,him4 ,footnote #ig3 ,see ,no4 #eh34 ,it is related that one day when ,shibl came into the bazaar1 the people said1 8,this is a madman40 ,he replied3 8,you think ,i am mad1 and ,i think you are sensible3 may ,god increase my madness and your sense60 i4e41 inasmuch as my madness is the result of intense love of ,god1 while your sense is the result of great heedlessness1 may ,god increase my madness in order that ,i may become nearer and nearer to ,him1 and may ,he increase your sense in order that you may become farther and farther from ,him4 ,this he said from jealousy 7ghayrat7 that anyone should be so beside one's self as not to separate love of ,god from madness and not to distinguish between them in this world or the next4 #eh4 ,,ab ,,mu,,ammad ,,ja,,far ,b4 ,,nu,,ayr ,,al-,,khuld4 ,he is the well-known biographer of the ,saints4 ,one of the most eminent and oldest of ,junayd's pupils1 he was profoundly versed in the various branches of fiism and paid the utmost respect to the ,shaykhs4 ,he has many sublime sayings4 ,in order to avoid spiritual conceit1 he attributed to different persons the anecdotes which he composed in illustration of each topic4 ,it is related that he said3 8,trust in ,god is equanimity whether you find anything or no10 i4e41 you are not made glad by having daily bread or sorrowful by not having it1 because it is the property of the ,lord1 who has a better right than you either to preserve or to destroy3 do not interfere1 but let the ,lord dispose of ,his own4 ,jafar relates that he went to ,junayd and found him suffering from a fever4 8,o ,master10 he cried1 8tell ,god in order that ,he may restore thee to health40 ,junayd said3 8,last night ,i was about to tell ,him1 but a voice whispered in my heart1 #8,thy body belongs to ,me3 ,i keep it well or ill1 as ,i please4 ,who art thou1 that thou shouldst interfere with ,my property4'0 #ei4 ,,ab ,,al ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,al-,q,,sim ,,al-,r,,db,r4 ,he was a great f and of royal descent4 ,many signs and virtues were vouchsafed to him4 ,he discoursed lucidly on the arcana of fiism4 ,it is related that he said3 8,he who desires 7murd7 desires for himself only what ,god desires for him1 and he who is desired 7murd7 does not desire anything in this world or the next except ,god40 ,accordingly1 he who is satisfied with the will of ,god must abandon his own will in order that he may desire1 whereas the lover has no will of his own that he should have any object of desire4 ,he who desires ,god desires only what ,god desires1 and he whom ,god desires desires only ,god4 ,hence satisfaction 7ri7 is one of the 8stations0 7maqmt7 of the beginning1 and love 7maabbat7 is one of the 8states0 7awl7 of the end4 ,the 8stations0 are connected with the realization of servantship 7ubdiyyat71 while ecstasy 7mashrab7 leads to the corroboration of ,lordship 7rubbiyyat74 ,this being so1 the desirer 7murd7 subsists in himself1 and the desired 7murd7 subsists in ,god4 #fj4 ,,abu ,l-,,abb,s ,q,,sim ,b4 ,,al-,,mahd#ih ,,al-,,sayy,r4 ,he associated with ,ab ,bakr ,wsi and derived instruction from many ,shaykhs4 ,he was the most accomplished 7araf7 of the fs in companionship 7ubat7 and the most sparing 7azhad7 of them in friendship 7ulfat74 ,he is the author of lofty sayings and praiseworthy compositions4 ,it is related that he said3 8,unification 7al-tawd7 is this3 that nothing should occur to your mind except ,god40 ,he belonged to a learned and influential family of ,merv4 ,having inherited a large fortune from his father1 he gave the whole of it in return for two of the ,apostle's hairs4 ,through the blessing of those hairs ,god bestowed on him a sincere repentance4 ,he fell into the company of ,ab ,bakr ,wsi1 and attained such a high degree that he became the leader of a f sect4 ,when he was on the point of death1 he gave directions that those hairs should be placed in his mouth4 ,his tomb is still to be seen at ,merv1 and people come thither to seek what they desire2 and their prayers are granted4 ,footnote #ih3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #afg1 has 8,qsim b4 al-,qsim al-,mahd04 #fa4 ,,ab ,,abdall,h ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,khaf,f4 ,he was the ,imm of his age in diverse sciences4 ,he was renowned for his mortifications and for his convincing elucidation of mystical truths4 ,his spiritual attainments are clearly shown by his compositions4 ,he was acquainted with ,ibn ,a and ,shibl and usayn b4 ,manr and ,jurayr1 and associated at ,mecca with ,ab ,yaqb ,nahrajr4 ,he made excellent journeys in detachment from the world 7tajrd74 ,he was of royal descent1 but ,god bestowed on him repentance1 so that he turned his back on the glories of this world4 ,he is held in high esteem by spiritualists4 ,it is related that he said3 8,unification consists in turning away from nature10 because the natures of mankind are all veiled from the bounties and blind to the beneficence of ,god4 ,hence no one can turn to ,god until he has turned away from nature1 and the 8natural0 man 7ib ab7 is unable to apprehend the reality of ,unification1 which is revealed to you only when you see the corruption of your own nature4 #fb4 ,,ab ,,uthm,n ,,sa,d ,b4 ,,sall,m ,,al-,,maghrib4 ,he was an eminent spiritualist of the class who have attained 8fixity0 7ahl-i tamkn71 and was profoundly versed in various departments of knowledge4 ,he practised austerities1 and is the author of many notable sayings and excellent proofs concerning the observation of spiritual blemishes 7ruyat-i ft74 ,it is related that he said3 8,whenever anyone prefers association with the rich to sitting with the poor ,god afflicts him with spiritual death40 ,the terms 8association0 7ubat7 and 8sitting with0 7mujlasat7 are employed1 because a man turns away from the poor only when he has sat with them1 not when he has associated with them2 for there is no turning away in association4 ,when he leaves off sitting with the poor in order to associate with the rich1 his heart becomes dead to supplication 7niyz7 and his body is caught in the toils of covetousness 7z74 ,since the result of turning away from mujlasat is spiritual death1 how should there be any turning away from ubat8 ,the two terms are clearly distinguished from each other in this saying4 #fc4;,,abu ,l-,q,,sim ,,ibr,h,m ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,ma,m,d ,,al-,,na,r,b,d4 ,he was like a king in ,nshpr1 save that the glory of kings is in this world1 while his was in the next world4 ,original sayings and exalted signs were vouchsafed to him4 ,himself a pupil of ,shibl1 he was the master of the later ,shaykhs of ,khursn4 ,he was the most learned and devout man of his age4 ,it is recorded that he said3 8,thou art between two relationships3 one to ,adam1 the other to ,god4 ,if thou claim relationship to ,adam1 thou wilt enter the arenas of lust and the places of corruption and error2 for by this claim thou seekest to realize thy humanity 7bashariyyat74 ,god hath said3 #8,verily1 he was unjust and foolish' 7,kor4 xxxiii1 #gb74 ,if1 however1 thou claim relationship to ,god1 thou wilt enter the stations of revelation and evidence and protection 7from sin7 and saintship2 for by this claim thou seekest to realize thy servantship 7ubdiyyat74 ,god hath said3 #8,the servants of the ,merciful are those who walk on the earth meekly' 7,kor4 xxv1 #fd748 ,relationship to ,adam ends at the ,resurrection1 whereas the relationship of being a servant of ,god subsists always and is unalterable4 ,when a man refers himself to himself or to ,adam1 the utmost that he can reach is to say3 0,verily1 ,i have injured myself8 7,kor4 xxviii1 #ae72 but when he refers himself to ,god1 the son of ,adam is in the same case as those of whom ,god hath said3 0,o ,my servants1 there is no fear for you this day0 7,kor4 xliii1 #fh74 #fd4 ,,abu ,l-,,asan ,,al ,b4 ,,ibr,h,m ,,al-,u,r4 ,he is one of the great ,imms of the fs and was unrivalled in his time4 ,he has lofty sayings and admirable explanations in all spiritual matters4 ,it is related that he said3 8,leave me alone in my affliction6 ,are not ye children of ,adam1 whom ,god formed with ,his own hand and breathed a spirit into him and caused the angels to bow down to him8 ,then ,he commanded him to do something1 and he disobeyed4 ,if the first of the wine-jar is dregs1 what will its last be80 ,that is to say3 8,when a man is left to himself he is all disobedience1 but when ,divine favour comes to his help he is all love4 ,now regard the beauty of ,divine favour and compare with it the ugliness of thy behaviour1 and pass thy whole life in this40 ,i have mentioned some of the ancient fs whose example is authoritative4 ,if ,i had noticed them all and had set forth their lives in detail and had included the anecdotes respecting them1 my purpose would not have been accomplished1 and this book would have run to great length4 ,now ,i will add some account of the modern fs4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,concerning ,,the ,,principal ,f,s ,,of ,,recent ,,times4 ,you must know that in our days there are some persons who cannot endure the burden of discipline 7riyat7 and seek authority 7riysat7 without discipline1 and think that all fs are like themselves2 and when they hear the sayings of those who have passed away and see their eminence and read of their devotional practices they examine themselves1 and finding that they are far inferior to the ,shaykhs of old they no longer attempt to emulate them1 but say3 8,we are not as they1 and there is none like them in our time40 ,their assertion is absurd1 for ,god never leaves the earth without a proof 7ujjat7 or the ,moslem community without a saint1 as the ,apostle said3 8,one sect of my people shall continue in goodness and truth until the hour of the ,resurrection40 ,and he said also3 8,there shall always be in my people forty who have the nature of ,abraham40 ,some of those whom ,i shall mention in this chapter are already deceased1 and some are still living4 #a4 ,,abu ,l-,,abb,s ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,,al-,,qa,b4 ,he associated with the leading ,shaykhs of ,transoxania4 ,he was famed for his lofty spiritual endowments1 his true sagacity1 his abundant evidences1 ascetic practices1 and miracles4 ,ab ,abdallh ,khayy1 the ,imm of abaristn1 says of him3 8,it is one of ,god's bounties that ,he has made a person who was never taught able to answer our questions about any difficulty touching the principles of religion and the subtleties of ,unification40 ,although ,abu l-,abbs ,qab was illiterate 7umm71 he discoursed in sublime fashion concerning the science of fiism and theology4 ,i have heard many stories of him1 but my rule in this book is brevity4 ,one day a camel1 with a heavy burden1 was going through the market-place at mul1 which is always muddy4 ,the camel fell and broke its leg4 ,while the lad in charge of it was lamenting and lifting his hands to implore the help of ,god1 and the people were about to take the load off its back1 the ,shaykh passed by1 and asked what was the matter4 ,on being informed1 he seized the camel's bridle and turned his face to the sky and said3 8,o ,lord6 make the leg of this camel whole4 ,if ,thou wilt not do so1 why hast ,thou let my heart be melted by the tears of a lad80 ,the camel immediately got up and went on its way4 ,it is stated that he said3 8,all mankind1 whether they will or no1 must reconcile themselves to ,god1 or else they will suffer pain10 because1 when you are reconciled to ,him in affliction1 you see only the ,author of affliction1 and the affliction itself does not come2 and if you are not reconciled to ,him1 affliction comes and your heart is filled with anguish4 ,god having predestined our satisfaction and dissatisfaction1 does not alter ,his predestination3 therefore our satisfaction with ,his decrees is a part of our pleasure4 ,whenever anyone reconciles himself to ,him1 that man's heart is rejoiced2 and whenever anyone turns away from ,him1 that man is distressed by the coming of destiny4 #b4 ,,ab ,,al ,,asan ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,,al-,,daqq,q4 ,he was the leading authority in his department 7of science7 and had no rival among his contemporaries4 ,he was lucid in exposition and eloquent in speech as regards the revelation of the way to ,god4 ,he had seen many ,shaykhs and associated with them4 ,he was a pupil of ,narbdi#ii and used to be a preacher 7tadhkr kard74 ,it is related that he said3 8,whoever becomes intimate with anyone except ,god is weak in his 7spiritual7 state1 and whoever speaks of anyone except ,god is false in his speech10 because intimacy with anyone except ,god springs from not knowing ,god sufficiently1 and intimacy with ,him is friendlessness in regard to others1 and the friendless man does not speak of others4 ,footnote #ii3 ,see ,chapter ,,xi1 ,no4 #fc4 ,i heard an old man relate that one day he went to the place where al-,daqqq held his meetings1 with the intention of asking him about the state of those who trust in ,god 7mutawakkiln74 ,al-,daqqq was wearing a fine turban manufactured in abaristn1 which the old man coveted4 ,he said to al-,daqqq3 8,what is trust in ,god80 ,the ,shaykh replied3 8,to refrain from coveting people's turbans40 ,with these words he flung his turban in front of the questioner4 #c4 ,,abu ,l-,,asan ,,al ,b4 ,a,,mad ,,al-,,khurq,n4 ,he was a great ,shaykh and was praised by all the ,saints in his time4 ,shaykh ,ab ,sad visited him1 and they conversed with each other on every topic4 ,when he was about to take leave he said to al-,khurqn3 8,i choose you to be my successor40 ,i have heard from asan ,muaddib1 who was the servant of ,ab ,sad1 that when ,ab ,sad came into the presence of al-,khurqn1 he did not speak another word1 but listened and only spoke by way of answering what was said by the latter4 asan asked him why he had been so silent4 ,he replied3 8,one interpreter is enough for one theme40 ,and ,i heard the ,master1 ,abu l-,qsim ,qushayr1 say3 8,when ,i came to ,khurqn1 my eloquence departed and ,i no longer had any power to express myself1 on account of the veneration with which that spiritual director inspired me2 and ,i thought that ,i had been deposed from my own saintship40 ,it is related that he said3 8,there are two ways1 one wrong and one right4 ,the wrong way is ,man's way to ,god1 and the right way is ,god's way to ,man4 ,whoever says he has attained to ,god has not attained2 but when anyone says that he has been made to attain to ,god1 know that he has really attained40 ,it is not a question of attaining or not attaining1 and of salvation or non-salvation1 but one of being caused to attain or not to attain1 and of being given salvation or being not given salvation4 #d4 ,,ab ,,abdall,h ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,al1 ,,generally ,,known ,,as ,,al-,d,,st,n4 ,he resided at ,bism4 ,he was learned in various branches of science1 and is the author of polished discourses and fine symbolical indications4 ,he found an excellent successor in ,shaykh ,sahlag1 who was the ,imm of those parts4 ,i have heard from ,sahlag some of his spiritual utterances 7anfs71 which are very sublime and admirable4 ,he says1 for example3 8,unification1 coming from thee1 is existent 7mawjd71 but thou in unification art non-existent 7mafqd710 i4e4 unification1 when it proceeds from thee1 is faultless 7durust71 but thou art faulty in unification1 because thou dost not fulfil its requirements4 ,the lowest degree in unification is the negation of thy personal control over anything that thou hast1 and the affirmation of thy absolute submission to ,god in all thy affairs4 ,shaykh ,sahlag relates as follows3 8,once the locusts came to ,bism in such numbers that every tree and field was black with them4 ,the people cried aloud for help4 ,the ,shaykh asked me3 #8,what is all this pother8' ,i told him that the locusts had come and that the people were distressed in consequence4 ,he rose and went up to the roof and looked towards heaven4 ,the locusts immediately began to fly away4 ,by the hour of the afternoon prayer not one was left1 and nobody lost even a blade of grass40 #e4 ,,ab ,,sa,d ,,fa,,lall,h ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,,al-,,mayhan4 ,he was the sultan of his age and the ornament of the ,mystic ,path4 ,all his contemporaries were subject to him1 some through their sound perception1 and some through their excellent belief1 and some through the strong influence of their spiritual feelings4 ,he was versed in the different branches of science4 ,he had a wonderful religious experience and an extraordinary power of reading men's secret thoughts4 ,besides this he had many remarkable powers and evidences1 of which the effects are manifest at the present day4 ,in early life he left ,mihna 7,mayhana7 and came to ,sarakhs in order to study4 ,he attached himself to ,ab ,al ,zhir1 from whom he learned in one day as much as is contained in three lectures1 and he used to spend in devotion the three days that he had saved in this manner4 ,the saint of ,sarakhs at that time was ,abu l-,fal asan4 ,one day1 when ,ab ,sad was walking by the river of ,sarakhs1 ,abu l-,fal met him and said3 8,your way is not that which you are taking3 take your own way40 ,the ,shaykh did not attach himself to him1 but returned to his native town and engaged in asceticism and austerities until ,god opened to him the door of guidance and raised him to the highest rank4 ,i heard the following story from ,shaykh ,ab ,muslim ,fris3 8,i had always10 he said1 8been on unfriendly terms with the ,shaykh4 ,once ,i set out to pay him a visit4 ,my patched frock was so dirty that it had become like leather4 ,when ,i entered his presence1 ,i found him sitting on a couch1 dressed in a robe of ,egyptian linen4 ,i said to myself3 #8,this man claims to be a dervish 7faqr7 with all these worldly encumbrances 7aliq71 while ,i claim to be a dervish with all this detachment from the world 7tajrd74 ,how can ,i agree with this man8' ,he read my thoughts1 and raising his head cried3 #8,o ,ab ,muslim1 in what dwn have you found that the name of dervish is applied to anyone whose heart subsists in the contemplation of ,god8' i4e4 those who contemplate ,god are rich in ,god1 whereas dervishes 7fuqar7 are occupied with self-mortification4 ,i repented of my conceit and asked ,god to pardon me for such an unseemly thought40 ,and it is related that he said3 8fiism is the subsistence of the heart with ,god without any mediation40 ,this alludes to contemplation 7mushhadat71 which is violence of love1 and absorption of human attributes in realizing the vision of ,god1 and their annihilation by the everlastingness of ,god4 ,i will discuss the nature of contemplation in the chapter which treats of the ,pilgrimage4 ,on one occasion ,ab ,sad set out from ,nshpr towards s4 ,while he was passing through a mountainous ravine his feet felt cold in his boots4 ,a dervish who was then with him says3 8,i thought of tearing my waist-cloth 7fa7 into two halves and wrapping them round his feet2 but ,i could not bring myself to do it1 as my fa was a very fine one4 ,when we arrived at s ,i attended his meeting and asked him to tell me the difference between suggestions of the ,devil 7wasws7 and ,divine inspiration 7ilhm74 ,he answered3 #8,it was a ,divine inspiration that urged you to tear your fa into two pieces for the sake of warming my feet2 and it was a diabolic suggestion that hindered you from doing so4'0 ,he performed a whole series of miracles of this kind which are wrought by spiritual adepts4 #f4 ,,abu ,l-,,fa,l ,,mu,,ammad ,b4 ,,al-,,asan ,,al-,,khuttal4 ,he is the teacher whom ,i follow in fiism4 ,he was versed in the science of ,koranic exegesis and in traditions 7riwyt74 ,in fiism he held the doctrine of ,junayd4 ,he was a pupil of ur#ajj and a companion of ,srawn1 and was contemporary with ,ab ,amr ,qazwn and ,abu l-asan b4 ,sliba4 ,he spent sixty years in sincere retirement from the world1 for the most part on ,mount ,lukm4 ,he displayed many signs and proofs 7of saintship71 but he did not wear the garb or adopt the external fashions of the fs1 and he used to treat formalists with severity4 ,i never saw any man who inspired me with greater awe than he did4 ,it is related that he said3 8,the world is but a single day1 in which we are fasting10 i4e41 we get nothing from it1 and are not occupied with it1 because we have perceived its corruption and its 8veils0 and have turned our backs upon it4 ,once ,i was pouring water on his hands in order that he might purify himself4 ,the thought occurred to me3 8,inasmuch as everything is predestined1 why should free men make themselves the slaves of spiritual directors in the hope of having miracles vouchsafed to them80 ,the ,shaykh said3 8,o my son1 ,i know what you are thinking4 ,be assured that there is a cause for every decree of ,providence4 ,when ,god wishes to bestow a crown and a kingdom on a guardsman's son 7awn-bacha71 ,he gives him repentance and employs him in the service of one of ,his friends1 in order that this service may be the means of his obtaining the gift of miracles40 ,many such fine sayings he uttered to me every day4 ,he died at ,bayt al-,jinn1 a village situated at the head of a mountain pass between ,bniys#aja and the river of ,damascus4 ,while he lay on his death-bed1 his head resting on my bosom 7and at that time ,i was feeling hurt1 as men often do1 by the behaviour of a friend of mine71 he said to me3 8,o my son1 ,i will tell thee one article of belief which1 if thou holdest it firmly1 will deliver thee from all troubles4 ,whatever good or evil ,god creates1 do not in any place or circumstance quarrel with ,his action or be aggrieved in thy heart40 ,he gave no further injunction1 but yielded up his soul4 ,footnote #ajj3 ,see ,chapter ,,xi1 ,no4 #fd4 ,footnote #aja3 ,l4 ,bniyn1 ,,ij4 ,mniyn4 #g4 ,,abu ,l-,q,,sim ,,abd ,,al-,,kar,m ,b4 ,,haw,,zin ,,al-,,qushayr4 ,in his time he was a wonder4 ,his rank is high and his position is great1 and his spiritual life and manifold virtues are well known to the people of the present age4 ,he is the author of many fine sayings and exquisite works1 all of them profoundly theosophical1 in every branch of science4 ,god rendered his feelings and his tongue secure from anthropomorphism 7ashw74 ,i have heard that he said3 8,the f is like the disease called birsm1 which begins with delirium and ends in silence2 for when you have attained #8fixity' you are dumb48 fiism 7afwat7 has two sides3 ecstasy 7wajd7 and visions 7numd74 ,visions belong to novices1 and the expression of such visions is delirium 7hadhayn74 ,ecstasy belongs to adepts1 and the expression of ecstasy1 while the ecstasy continues1 is impossible4 ,so long as they are only seekers they utter lofty aspirations1 which seem delirium even to those who aspire 7ahl-i himmat71 but when they have attained they cease1 and no more express anything either by word or sign4 ,similarly1 since ,moses was a beginner 7mubtad7 all his desire was for vision of ,god2 he expressed his desire and said1 0,o ,lord1 show me that ,i may behold ,thee0 7,kor4 vii1 #aci74 ,this expression of an unattained desire seemed like delirium4 ,our ,apostle1 however1 was an adept 7muntah7 and firmly established 7mutamakkin74 ,when his person arrived at the station of desire his desire was annihilated1 and he said1 8,i cannot praise ,thee duly40 #h4 ,,abu ,l-,,abb,s ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,mu,,ammad ,,al-,,ashq,n4 ,he was an ,imm in every branch of the fundamental and derivative sciences1 and consummate in all respects4 ,he had met a great number of eminent fs4 ,his doctrine was based on 8annihilation0 7fan71 and his recondite manner of expression was peculiarly his own2 but ,i have seen some fools who imitated it and adopted his ecstatic phrases 7shah74 ,it is not laudable to imitate even a spiritual meaning3 mark1 then1 how wrong it must be to imitate a mere expression6 ,i was very intimate with him1 and he had a sincere affection for me4 ,he was my teacher in some sciences4 ,during my whole life ,i have never seen anyone1 of any sect1 who held the religious law in greater veneration than he4 ,he was detached from all created things1 and only an ,imm of profound insight could derive instruction from him1 on account of the subtlety of his theological expositions4 ,he always had a natural disgust of this world and the next1 and was constantly exclaiming3 ,ashtah adaman l wujd lahu1 8,i long for a non-existence that has no existence40 ,and he used to say in ,persian3 8,every man has an impossible desire1 and ,i too have an impossible desire1 which ,i surely know will never be realized1 namely1 that ,god should bring me to a non-existence that will never return to existence40 ,he wished this because 8stations0 and miracles are all centres of veiling 7i4e4 they veil man from ,god74 ,man has fallen in love with that which veils him4 ,non-existence in desire of vision is better than taking delight in veils4 ,inasmuch as ,almighty ,god is a ,being that is not subject to not-being1 what loss would ,his kingdom suffer if ,i become a nonentity that shall never be endowed with existence8 ,this is a sound principle in a real annihilation4 #i4 ,,abu ,l-,q,,sim ,b4 ,,al ,b4 ,,abdall,h ,,al-,,gurg,n 7may ,god prolong his life for the benefit of us and of all ,moslems674 ,in his time he was unique and incomparable4 ,his beginning 7ibtid7 was very excellent and strong1 and his journeys were performed with punctilious observance 7of the sacred law74 ,at that time the hearts of all initiates 7ahl-i dargh7 were turned towards him1 and all seekers 7libn7 had a firm belief in him4 ,he possessed a marvellous power of revealing the inward experiences of novices 7kashf-i wqia-i murdn71 and he was learned in various branches of knowledge4 ,all his disciples are ornaments of the society in which they move4 ,please ,god1 he will have an excellent successor1 whose authority the whole body of fs will recognize1 namely1 ,ab ,al al-,fal b4 ,muammad al-,frmadh 7may ,god lengthen his days671#ajb who has not omitted to fulfil his duty towards his master1 and has turned his back on all 7worldly7 things1 and through the blessings of that 7renunciation7 has been made by ,god the spiritual mouthpiece 7zabn-i l7 of that venerable ,shaykh4 ,footnote #ajb3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #dbh4 ,one day ,i was seated in the ,shaykh's presence and was recounting to him my experiences and visions1 in order that he might test them1 for he had unrivalled skill in this4 ,he was listening kindly to what ,i said4 ,the vanity and enthusiasm of youth made me eager to relate those matters1 and the thought occurred to me that perhaps the ,shaykh1 in his novitiate1 did not enjoy such experiences1 or he would not show so much humility towards me and be so anxious to inquire concerning my spiritual state4 ,the ,shaykh perceived what ,i was thinking4 8,my dear friend10 he said1 8you must know that my humility is not on account of you or your experiences1 but is shown towards ,him who brings experiences to pass4 ,they are not peculiar to yourself1 but common to all seekers of ,god40 ,on hearing him say this ,i was utterly taken aback4 ,he saw my confusion and said3 8,o my son1 ,man has no further relation to this ,path except that1 when he is attached to it1 he imagines that he has found it1 and when he is deposed from it he clothes his imagination in words4 ,hence both his negation and his affirmation1 both his non-existence and existence1 are imagination4 ,man never escapes from the prison of imagination4 ,it behoves him to stand like a slave at the door and put away from himself every relation 7nisbat7 except that of manhood and obedience40 ,afterwards ,i had much spiritual conversation with him1 but if ,i were to enter upon the task of setting forth his extraordinary powers my purpose would be defeated4 #aj4 ,,ab ,a,,mad ,,al-,,mu,,affar ,b4 ,a,,mad ,b4 ,,amd,n4 ,while he was seated on the cushion of authority 7riysat71 ,god opened to him the door of this mystery 7fiism7 and bestowed on him the crown of miracles4 ,he spoke eloquently and discoursed with sublimity on annihilation and subsistence 7fan baq74 ,the ,grand ,shaykh1 ,ab ,sad1 said3 8,i was led to the court 7of ,god7 by the way of servantship 7bandag71 but ,khwja ,muaffar was conducted thither by the way of lordship and dominion 7khwjag710 i4e4 8,i attained contemplation 7mushhadat7 by means of self-mortification 7mujhadat71 whereas he came from contemplation to self-mortification04 ,i have heard that he said3 8,that which great mystics have discovered by traversing deserts and wildernesses ,i have gained in the seat of power and pre-eminence 7blish adr740 ,some foolish and conceited persons have attributed this saying of his to arrogance1 but it is never arrogant to declare one's true state1 especially when the speaker is a spiritualist4 ,at the present time ,muaffar has an excellent and honoured successor in ,khwja ,amad4 ,one day1 when ,i was in his company1 a certain pretender of ,nshpr happened to use the expression3 8,he becomes annihilated and then becomes subsistent40 ,khwja ,muaffar said3 8,how can subsistence 7baq7 be predicated of annihilation 7fan78 ,annihilation means #8not-being'1 while subsistence refers to #8being'3 each term negates the other4 ,we know what annihilation is1 but when it is not1 if it becomes #8being'1 its identity 7ayn7 is lost4 ,essences are not capable of annihilation4 ,attributes1 however1 can be annihilated1 and so can secondary causes4 ,therefore1 when attributes and secondary causes are annihilated1 the ,object invested with attributes and the ,author of secondary causes continues to subsist3 ,his essence does not admit of annihilation40 ,i do not recollect the precise words in which ,muaffar expressed his meaning1 but this was the purport of them4 ,now ,i will explain more clearly what he intended1 in order that it may be more generally understood4 ,a man's will 7ikhtiyr7 is an attribute of himself1 and he is veiled by his will from the will of ,god4 ,therefore a man's attributes veil him from ,god4 ,necessarily1 the ,divine will is eternal and the human will phenomenal1 and what is eternal cannot be annihilated4 ,when the ,divine will in regard to a man becomes subsistent 7baq ybad71 his will is annihilated and his personal initiative disappears4 ,but ,god knows best4 ,one day ,i came into his presence1 when the weather was extremely hot1 wearing a traveller's dress and with my hair in disorder4 ,he said to me3 8,tell me what you wish at this moment40 ,i replied that ,i wished to hear some music 7sam74 ,he immediately sent for a singer 7qawwl7 and a number of musicians4 ,being young and enthusiastic and filled with the ardour of a novice1 ,i became deeply agitated as the strains of the music fell on my ear4 ,after a while1 when my transports subsided1 he asked me how ,i liked it4 ,i told him that ,i had enjoyed it very much4 ,he answered3 8,a time will come when this music will be no more to you than the croaking of a raven4 ,the influence of music only lasts so long as there is no contemplation1 and as soon as contemplation is attained music has no power4 ,take care not to accustom yourself to this1 lest it grow part of your nature and keep you back from higher things40 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,a ,,brief ,,account ,,of ,,the ,,modern ,f,s ,,in ,,different ,,countries4 ,i have not space enough to give biographies of them all1 and if ,i omit some the object of this book will not be accomplished4 ,now1 therefore1 ,i will mention only the names of individual fs and leading spiritualists who have lived in my time or are still alive1 excluding the formalists 7ahl-i rusm74 #a4 ,,syria ,,and ,,ir,q4 ,shaykh ,zak b4 al-,al was an eminent ,shaykh4 ,i found him to be like a flash of love4 ,he was endowed with wonderful signs and evidences4 ,shaykh ,ab ,jafar ,muammad b4 al-,mib al-aydaln was one of the principal aspirants to fiism4 ,he discoursed eloquently on theosophy and had a great fondness for usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj71 some of whose works ,i have read to him4 ,shaykh ,abu l-,qsim ,sudd#ajc was a director who mortified himself and led an excellent spiritual life4 ,he cared tenderly for dervishes and had a goodly belief in them4 ,footnote #ajc3 ,,ij4 ,suds1 ,b4 ,sundus4 #b4 ,f,,rs4 ,the ,grand ,shaykh1 ,abu l-asan b4 ,sliba1#ajd spoke with the utmost elegance on fiism and with extreme lucidity on ,unification 7tawd74 ,his sayings are well known4 ,the ,shaykh and ,director 7murshid7 ,ab ,isq b4 ,shahriyr was one of the most venerable fs and had complete authority4 ,shaykh ,abu l-asan ,al b4 ,bakrn was a great mutaawwif1 and ,shaykh ,ab ,muslim was highly esteemed in his time4 ,shaykh ,abu l-,fat b4 ,sliba is an excellent and hopeful successor to his father4 ,shaykh ,ab lib was a man enraptured by the words of the ,truth4 ,i have seen all these except the ,grand ,shaykh1 ,ab ,isq4 ,footnote #ajd3 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #cdg1 where he is called ,abu l-usayn ,sliba4 #c4,,quhist,n1 ,,dharb,,yaj,n1 ,,abarist,n1 ,,and ,,kish4#aje ,shaykh ,faraj1#ajf known as ,akh ,zanjn1 was a man of excellent disposition and admirable doctrine4 ,shaykh ,badr al-,dn is one of the great men of this sect1 and his good deeds are many4 ,pdshh-i ,tib was profoundly versed in mysticism4 ,shaykh ,ab ,abdallh ,junayd was a revered director4 ,shaykh ,ab hir ,makshf was one of the eminent of that time4 ,khwja usayn ,simnn is an enraptured and hopeful man4 ,shaykh ,sahlag was one of the principal f paupers 7alk74 ,amad1 son of ,shaykh ,khurqn1 was an excellent successor to his father4 ,adb ,kumand was one of the chief men of the time4 ,footnote #aje3 ,b4 ,kumish4 ,footnote #ajf3 ,the texts have 9999,arabic or 9999,arabic1 but see ,nafat1 ,no4 #aga4 #d4 ,,kirm,n4 ,khwja ,al b4 al-usayn al-,srgn was the wandering devotee 7sayy7 of his age and made excellent journeys4 ,his son1 akm1 is held in honour4 ,shaykh ,muammad b4 ,salama was among the eminent of the time4 ,before him there have been hidden saints of ,god1 and hopeful youths and striplings are still to be found4 #e4 ,,khur,s,n 7where now is the shadow of ,god's favour74 ,the ,shaykh and ,mujtahid ,abu l-,abbs was the heart of spiritualism 7sirr-i man7 and had a goodly life4 ,khwja ,ab ,jafar ,muammad b4 ,al al-awr is one of the eminent theosophists of this sect4 ,khwja ,ab ,jafar ,turshz was highly esteemed4 ,khwja ,mamd of ,nshpr was regarded as an authority by his contemporaries4 ,he was eloquent in discourse4 ,shaykh ,muammad ,mashq had an excellent spiritual state and was aglow with love4 ,khwja ,rashd ,muaffar1 the son of ,ab ,sad1 will1 it may be hoped1 become an example to all fs and a point to which their hearts will turn4 ,khwja ,shaykh ,amad ammd of ,sarakhs was the champion of the time4 ,he was in my company for a while1 and ,i witnessed many wondrous experiences that he had4 ,shaykh ,amad ,najjr ,samarqand1 who resided at ,merv1 was the sultan of his age4 ,shaykh ,abu l-asan ,al b4 ,ab ,al al-,aswad was an excellent successor to his father1 and was unique in the sublimity of his aspiration and the sagacity of his intelligence4 ,it would be difficult to mention all the ,shaykhs of ,khursn4 ,i have met three hundred in that province alone who had such mystical endowments that a single man of them would have been enough for the whole world4 ,this is due to the fact that the sun of love and the fortune of the f ,path is in the ascendant in ,khursn4 #f4 ,,transoxiana4 ,the ,khwja and ,imm1 honoured by high and low1 ,ab ,jafar ,muammad b4 al-usayn#ajg al-aram1 is an ecstatic 7mustami7 and enraptured man1 who has a great affection towards the seekers of ,god4 ,khwja ,ab ,muammad ,bnghar#ajh had an excellent spiritual life1 and there was no weakness in his devotional practices4 ,amad lq was the ,shaykh of his time4 ,he renounced forms and habits4 ,khwja rif was unparalleled in his day4 ,al b4 ,isq was venerated and had an eloquent tongue4 ,i have seen all these ,shaykhs and ascertained the 8station0 of each of them4 ,they were all profound theosophists4 ,footnote #ajg3 ,,ij4 ,al-asan4 ,footnote #ajh3 ,this nisba is variously written 8,bnghar0 and 8,byghaz04 #g4;,,ghazna4 ,abu l-,fal b4 al-,asad was a venerable director1 with brilliant evidences and manifest miracles4 ,he was like a flash of the fire of love4 ,his spiritual life was based on concealment 7talbs74 ,isml al-,shsh was a highly esteemed director4 ,he followed the path of 8blame0 7malmat74 ,shaykh ,slr-i abar was one of the f divines and had an excellent state4 ,shaykh ,ab ,abdallh ,muammad b4 al-akm1 known as ,murd1 was a ,god-intoxicated man1 and was not rivalled by any contemporary in his own line4 ,his state was hidden from the vulgar1 but his signs and evidences were conspicuous1 and his state was better in companionship 7ubat7 than in casual meeting 7ddr74 ,shaykh ,sad b4 ,ab ,sad al-,ayyr was a recorder 7fi7 of ,apostolic ,traditions4 ,he had seen many ,shaykhs and was a man of powerful spirituality and great knowledge1 but he took the way of concealment and did not exhibit his true character4 ,khwja ,abu l-,al ,abd al-,ram b4 ,amad al-,sughd is honoured by all fs1 and my heart is well-disposed towards him4 ,his spiritual state is excellent1 and he is acquainted with various branches of science4 ,shaykh ,awad ,qaswarat b4 ,muammad al-,jardz has a boundless affection for fs and holds every one of them in reverence4 ,he has seen many ,shaykhs4 ,in consequence of the firm convictions of the people and divines of ,ghazna1 ,i have good hope that hereafter persons will appear in whom we shall believe1 and that those wretches 7pargandagn7 who have found their way into this city and have made the externals of fiism abominable will be cleared out1 so that ,ghazna will once more become the abode of saints and venerable men4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,concerning ,,the ,,doctrines ,,held ,,by ,,the ,,different ,,sects ,,of ,f,s4 ,i have already stated1 in the notice of ,abu l-asan ,nr1 that the fs are divided into twelve sects1 of which two are reprobated and ten are approved4 ,every one of these ten sects has an excellent system and doctrine as regards both purgation 7mujhadat7 and contemplation 7mushhadat74 ,although they differ from each other in their devotional practices and ascetic disciplines1 they agree in the fundamentals and derivatives of the religious law and ,unification4 ,ab ,yazd said3 8,the disagreement of divines is a mercy except as regards the detachment 7tajrd7#aji of ,unification02 and there is a famous tradition to the same effect4 ,the real essence of fiism lies amidst the traditions 7akhbr7 of the ,shaykhs1 and is divided only metaphorically and formally4 ,therefore ,i will briefly divide their sayings in explanation of fiism and unfold the main principle on which the doctrine of each one of them is based1 in order that the student may readily understand this matter4 ,footnote #aji3 i4e4 the detachment of all phenomenal attributes from the ,unity of ,god4 #a4,,the ,,mu,,sib,s4 ,they are the followers of ,ab ,abdallh rith b4 ,asad al-,musib1 who by consent of all his contemporaries was a man of approved spiritual influence and mortified passions 7maqbl al-nafas maqtl al-nafs71 versed in theology1 jurisprudence1 and mysticism4 ,he discoursed on detachment from the world and ,unification1 while his outward and inward dealings 7with ,god7 were beyond reproach4 ,the peculiarity of his doctrine is this1 that he does not reckon satisfaction 7ri7 among the 8stations0 7maqmt71 but includes it in the 8states0 7awl74 ,he was the first to hold this view1 which was adopted by the people of ,khursn4 ,the people of ,irq1 on the contrary1 asserted that satisfaction is one of the 8stations01 and that it is the extreme of trust in ,god 7tawakkul74 ,the controversy between them has gone on to the present day4#aaj ,discourse on the true nature of ,satisfaction and the explanation of this doctrine4 ,in the first place ,i will establish the true nature of satisfaction and set forth its various kinds2 then1 secondly1 ,i will explain the real meaning of 8station0 7maqm7 and 8state0 7l7 and the difference between them4 ,satisfaction is of two kinds3 7a7 the satisfaction of ,god with ,man1 and 7b7 the satisfaction of ,man with ,god4 ,divine satisfaction really consists in ,god's willing that ,man should be recompensed 7for his good works7 and in ,his bestowing grace 7karmat7 upon him4 ,human satisfaction really consists in ,man's performing the command of ,god and submitting to ,his decree4 ,accordingly1 the satisfaction of ,god precedes that of ,man1 for until ,man is divinely aided he does not submit to ,god's decree and does not perform ,his command1 because ,man's satisfaction is connected with ,god's satisfaction and subsists thereby4 ,in short1 human satisfaction is equanimity 7istiw-yi dil7 towards ,fate1 whether it withholds or bestows1 and spiritual steadfastness 7istiqmat7 in regarding events1 whether they be the manifestation of ,divine ,beauty 7jaml7 or of ,divine ,majesty 7jall71 so that it is all one to a man whether he is consumed in the fire of wrath or illuminated by the light of mercy1 because both wrath and mercy are evidences of ,god1 and whatever proceeds from ,god is good in ,his eyes4 ,the ,commander of the ,faithful1 ,husayn b4 ,al1 was asked about the saying of ,ab ,dharr ,ghifr3 8,i love poverty better than riches1 and sickness better than health40 usayn replied3 8,god have mercy on ,ab ,dharr6 but ,i say that whoever surveys the excellent choice made by ,god for him does not desire anything except what ,god has chosen for him40 ,when a man sees ,god's choice and abandons his own choice1 he is delivered from all sorrow4 ,this1 however1 does not hold good in absence from ,god 7ghaybat72 it requires presence with ,god 7ur71 because 8satisfaction expels sorrows and cures heedlessness01 and purges the heart of thoughts relating to other than ,god and frees it from the bonds of tribulation2 for it is characteristic of satisfaction to deliver 7rahndan74 ,footnote #aaj3 ,according to ,qushayr 7#aje1 #ba ff47 the ,irqs held the doctrine which is here ascribed to the ,khursns1 and vice vers4 ,from the standpoint of ethics1 satisfaction is the acquiescence of one who knows that giving and withholding are in ,god's knowledge1 and firmly believes that ,god sees him in all circumstances4 ,there are four classes of quietists3 7#a7 those who are satisfied with ,god's gift 7a71 which is gnosis 7marifat72 7#b7 those who are satisfied with happiness 7num71 which is this world2 7#c7 those who are satisfied with affliction 7bal71 which consists of diverse probations2 and 7#d7 those who are satisfied with being chosen 7iif71 which is love 7maabbat74 ,he who looks away from the ,giver to the gift accepts it with his soul1 and when he has so accepted it trouble and grief vanish from his heart4 ,he who looks away from the gift to the ,giver loses the gift and treads the path of satisfaction by his own effort4 ,now effort is painful and grievous1 and gnosis is only realized when its true nature is divinely revealed2 and inasmuch as gnosis1 when sought by effort1 is a shackle and a veil1 such gnosis is non-cognition 7nakirat74 ,again1 he who is satisfied with this world1 without ,god1 is involved in destruction and perdition1 because the whole world is not worth so much that a friend of ,god should set his heart on it or that any care for it should enter his mind4 ,happiness is happiness only when it leads to the ,giver of happiness2 otherwise1 it is an affliction4 ,again1 he who is satisfied with the affliction that ,god sends is satisfied because in the affliction he sees the ,author thereof and can endure its pain by contemplating ,him who sent it2 nay1 he does not account it painful1 such is his joy in contemplating his ,beloved4 ,finally1 those who are satisfied with being chosen by ,god are ,his lovers1 whose existence is an illusion alike in ,his anger and ,his satisfaction2 whose hearts dwell in the presence of ,purity and in the garden of ,intimacy2 who have no thought of created things and have escaped from the bonds of 8stations0 and 8states0 and have devoted themselves to the love of ,god4 ,their satisfaction involves no loss1 for satisfaction with ,god is a manifest kingdom4 ,,section4 ,it is related in the ,traditions that ,moses said3 8,o ,god1 show me an action with which1 if ,i did it1 ,thou wouldst be satisfied40 ,god answered3 8,thou canst not do that1 ,o ,moses60 ,then ,moses fell prostrate1 worshipping ,god and supplicating ,him1 and ,god made a revelation to him1 saying3 8,o son of ,imrn1 ,my satisfaction with thee consists in thy being satisfied with ,my decree10 i4e4 when a man is satisfied with ,god's decrees it is a sign that ,god is satisfied with him4 ,bishr f asked ,fuayl b4 ,iy whether renunciation 7zuhd7 or satisfaction was better4 ,fuayl replied3 8,satisfaction1 because he who is satisfied does not desire any higher stage10 i4e4 there is above renunciation a stage which the renouncer desires1 but there is no stage above satisfaction that the satisfied man should wish for it4 ,hence the shrine is superior to the gate4 ,this story shows the correctness of ,musib's doctrine1 that satisfaction belongs to the class of 8states0 and ,divine gifts1 not to the stages that are acquired 7by effort74 ,it is possible1 however1 that the satisfied man should have a desire4 ,the ,apostle used to say in his prayers3 8,o ,god1 ,i ask of ,thee satisfaction after the going forth of ,thy ordinance 7al-ri bad al-qa710 i4e4 8keep me in such a condition that when the ordinance comes to me from ,thee1 ,destiny may find me satisfied with its coming04 ,here it is affirmed that satisfaction properly is posterior to the advent of ,destiny1 because1 if it preceded1 it would only be a resolution to be satisfied1 which is not the same thing as actual satisfaction4 ,abu l-,abbs b4 ,a says3 8,satisfaction is this1 that the heart should consider the eternal choice of ,god on behalf of ,his creature10 i4e4 whatever befalls him1 he should recognize it as the eternal will of ,god and ,his past decree1 and should not be distressed1 but should accept it cheerfully4 rith ,musib1 the author of the doctrine1 says3 8,satisfaction is the quiescence 7sukn7 of the heart under the events which flow from the ,divine decrees40 ,this is sound doctrine1 because the quiescence and tranquillity of the heart are not qualities acquired by ,man1 but are ,divine gifts4 ,and as an argument for the view that satisfaction is a 8state01 not a 8station01 they cite the story of ,utba al-,ghulm1 who one night did not sleep1 but kept saying3 8,if ,thou chastise me ,i love ,thee1 and if ,thou have mercy on me ,i love ,thee10 i4e4 8the pain of ,thy chastisement and the pleasure of ,thy bounty affect the body alone1 whereas the agitation of love resides in the heart1 which is not injured thereby04 ,this corroborates the view of ,musib4 ,satisfaction is the result of love1 inasmuch as the lover is satisfied with what is done by the ,beloved4 ,ab ,uthmn r says3 8,during the last forty years ,god has never put me in any state that ,i disliked1 or transferred me to another state that ,i resented40 ,this indicates continual satisfaction and perfect love4 ,the story of the dervish who fell into the ,tigris is well known4 ,seeing that he could not swim1 a man on the bank cried out to him3 8,shall ,i tell some one to bring you ashore80 ,the dervish said1 8,no40 8,then do you wish to be drowned80 8,no40 8,what1 then1 do you wish80 ,the dervish replied3 8,that which ,god wishes4 ,what have ,i to do with wishing80 ,the f ,shaykhs have uttered many sayings on satisfaction1 which differ in phraseology but agree in the two principles that have been mentioned4 ,the distinction between a 8,state0 7l7 and a 8,station0 7maqm74 ,you must know that both these terms are in common use among fs1 and it is necessary that the student should be acquainted with them4 ,i must discuss this matter here1 although it does not belong to the present chapter4 8,station0 7maqm7 denotes anyone's 8standing0 in the ,way of ,god1 and his fulfilment of the obligations appertaining to that 8station0 and his keeping it until he comprehends its perfection so far as lies in a man's power4 ,it is not permissible that he should quit his 8station0 without fulfilling the obligations thereof4 ,thus1 the first 8station0 is repentance 7tawbat71 then comes conversion 7inbat71 then renunciation 7zuhd71 then trust in ,god 7tawakkul71 and so on3 it is not permissible that anyone should pretend to conversion without repentance1 or to renunciation without conversion1 or to trust in ,god without renunciation4 8,state0 7l71 on the other hand1 is something that descends from ,god into a man's heart1 without his being able to repel it when it comes1 or to attract it when it goes1 by his own effort4 ,accordingly1 while the term 8station0 denotes the way of the seeker1 and his progress in the field of exertion1 and his rank before ,god in proportion to his merit1 the term 8state0 denotes the favour and grace which ,god bestows upon the heart of ,his servant1 and which are not connected with any mortification on the latter's part4 8,station0 belongs to the category of acts1 8state0 to the category of gifts4 ,hence the man that has a 8station0 stands by his own self-mortification1 whereas the man that has a 8state0 is dead to 8self0 and stands by a 8state0 which ,god creates in him4 ,here the ,shaykhs are at variance4 ,some hold that a 8state0 may be permanent1 while others reject this view4 rith ,musib maintained that a 8state0 may be permanent4 ,he argued that love and longing and 8contraction0 7qab7 and 8expansion0 7bas7 are 8states03 if they cannot be permanent1 then the lover would not be a lover1 and until a man's 8state0 becomes his attribute 7ifat7 the name of that 8state0 is not properly applied to him4 ,it is for this reason that he holds satisfaction to be one of the 8states01 and the same view is indicated by the saying of ,ab ,uthmn3 8,during the last forty years ,god has never put me in a #8state' that ,i disliked40 ,other ,shaykhs deny that a 8state0 can be permanent4 ,junayd says3 8#8,states' are like flashes of lightning3 their permanence is merely a suggestion of the lower soul 7nafs740 ,some have said1 to the same effect3 8#8,states' are like their name10 i4e4 they vanish almost as soon as they descend 7taillu7 on the heart4 ,whatever is permanent becomes an attribute1 and attributes subsist in an object which must be more perfect than the attributes themselves2 and this reduces the doctrine that 8states0 are permanent to an absurdity4 ,i have set forth the distinction between 8state0 and 8station0 in order that you may know what is signified by these terms wherever they occur in the phraseology of the fs or in the present work4 ,in conclusion1 you must know that satisfaction is the end of the 8stations0 and the beginning of the 8states03 it is a place of which one side rests on acquisition and effort1 and the other side on love and rapture3 there is no 8station0 above it3 at this point mortifications 7mujhadt7 cease4 ,hence its beginning is in the class of things acquired by effort1 its end in the class of things divinely bestowed4 ,therefore it may be called either a 8station0 or a 8state04 ,this is the doctrine of ,musib as regards the theory of fiism4 ,in practice1 however1 he made no difference1 except that he used to warn his pupils against expressions and acts which1 though sound in principle1 might be thought evil4 ,for example1 he had a 8king-bird0 7shhmurgh71 which used to utter a loud note4 ,one day ,ab amza of ,baghdd1 who was rith's pupil and an ecstatic man1 came to see him4 ,the bird piped1 and ,ab amza gave a shriek4 rith rose up and seized a knife1 crying1 8,thou art an infidel10 and would have killed him if the disciples had not separated them4 ,then he said to ,ab amza3 8,become a ,moslem1 ,o miscreant60 ,the disciples exclaimed3 8,o ,shaykh1 we all know him to be one of the elect saints and ,unitarians3 why does the ,shaykh regard him with suspicion80 rith replied3 8,i do not suspect him3 his opinions are excellent1 and ,i know that he is a profound ,unitarian1 but why should he do something which resembles the actions of those who believe in incarnation 7ulliyn7 and has the appearance of being derived from their doctrine8 ,if a senseless bird pipes after its fashion1 capriciously1 why should he behave as though its note were the voice of ,god8 ,god is indivisible1 and the ,eternal does not become incarnate1 or united with phenomena or commingled with them40 ,when ,ab amza perceived the ,shaykh's insight1 he said3 8,o ,shaykh1 although ,i am right in theory1 nevertheless1 since my action resembled the actions of heretics1 ,i repent and withdraw40 ,may ,god keep my conduct above suspicion6 ,but this is impossible when one associates with worldly formalists whose enmity is aroused by anyone who does not submit to their hypocrisy and sin4 #b4 ,,the ,,qa,r,s4 ,they are the followers of ,ab li amdn b4 ,amad b4 ,umra al-,qar1 a celebrated divine and eminent f4 ,his doctrine was the manifestation and divulgation of 8blame0 7malmat74 ,he used to say3 8,god's knowledge of thee is better than men's knowledge10 i4e4 thy dealings with ,god in private should be better than thy dealings with men in public1 for thy preoccupation with men is the greatest veil between thee and ,god4 ,i have given some account of al-,qar in the chapter on 8,blame04 ,he relates the following story3 8,one day1 while ,i was walking in the river-bed in the ra quarter of ,nshpr1 ,i met ,n1 a brigand famous for his generosity1 who was the captain of all the brigands of ,nshpr4 ,i said to him1 #8,o ,n1 what is generosity8' ,he replied1 #8,my generosity or yours8' ,i said1 #8,describe both4' ,he replied3 #8,i put off the coat 7qab7 and wear a patched frock and practise the conduct appropriate to that garment1 in order that ,i may become a f and refrain from sin because of the shame that ,i feel before ,god2 but you put off the patched frock in order that you may not be deceived by men1 and that men may not be deceived by thee3 accordingly1 my generosity is formal observance of the religious law1 while your generosity is spiritual observance of the ,truth4'0 ,this is a very sound principle4 #c4 ,,the ,,ayf,r,s4 ,they are the followers of ,ab ,yazd ayfr b4 s b4 ,surshn al-,bism1 a great and eminent f4 ,his doctrine is rapture 7ghalabat7 and intoxication 7sukr74 ,rapturous longing for ,god and intoxication of love cannot be acquired by human beings1 and it is idle to claim1 and absurd to imitate1 anything that lies beyond the range of acquisition4 ,intoxication is not an attribute of the sober1 and ,man has no power of drawing it to himself4 ,the intoxicated man is enraptured and pays no heed to created things1 that he should manifest any quality involving conscious effort 7taklif74 ,the f ,shaykhs are agreed that no one is a proper model for others unless he is steadfast 7mustaqm7 and has escaped from the circle of 8states02 but there are some who allow that the way of rapture and intoxication may be trodden with effort1 because the ,apostle said3 8,weep1 or else make as though ye wept60 ,now1 to imitate others for the sake of ostentation is sheer polytheism1 but it is different when the object of the imitator is that ,god may perchance raise him to the rank of those whom he has imitated1 in accordance with the saying of the ,apostle3 8,whoever makes himself like unto a people is one of them40 ,and one of the ,shaykhs said3 8,contemplations 7mushhadt7 are the result of mortifications 7mujhadt740 ,my own view is that1 although mortifications are always excellent1 intoxication and rapture cannot be acquired at all2 hence they cannot be induced by mortifications1 which in themselves never become a cause of intoxication4 ,i will now set forth the different opinions of the ,shaykhs concerning the true nature of intoxication 7sukr7 and sobriety 7aw71 in order that difficulties may be removed4 ,discourse on ,intoxication and ,sobriety4 ,you must know that 8intoxication0 and 8rapture0 are terms used by spiritualists to denote the rapture of love for ,god1 while the term 8sobriety0 expresses the attainment of that which is desired4 ,some place the former above the latter1 and some hold the latter to be superior4 ,ab ,yazd and his followers prefer intoxication to sobriety4 ,they say that sobriety involves the fixity and equilibrium of human attributes1 which are the greatest veil between ,god and ,man1 whereas intoxication involves the destruction of human attributes1 like foresight and choice1 and the annihilation of a man's self-control in ,god1 so that only those faculties survive in him that do not belong to the human genus2 and they are the most complete and perfect4 ,thus ,david was in the state of sobriety2 an act proceeded from him which ,god attributed to him and said1 8,david killed ,goliath0 7,kor4 ii1 #beb73 but our ,apostle was in the state of intoxication2 an act proceeded from him which ,god attributed to ,himself and said1 8,thou didst not throw1 when thou threwest1 but ,god threw0 7,kor4 viii1 #ag74 ,how great is the difference between these two men6 ,the attribution of a man's act to ,god is better than the attribution of ,god's act to a man1 for in the latter case the man stands by himself1 while in the former case he stands through ,god4 ,junayd and his followers prefer sobriety to intoxication4 ,they say that intoxication is evil1 because it involves the disturbance of one's normal state and loss of sanity and self-control2 and inasmuch as the principle of all things is sought either by way of annihilation or subsistence1 or of effacement or affirmation1 the principle of verification cannot be attained unless the seeker is sane4 ,blindness will never release anyone from the bondage and corruption of phenomena4 ,the fact that people remain in phenomena and forget ,god is due to their not seeing things as they really are2 for if they saw1 they would escape4 ,seeing is of two kinds3 he who looks at anything sees it either with the eye of subsistence 7baq7 or with the eye of annihilation 7fan74 ,if with the eye of subsistence1 he perceives that the whole universe is imperfect in comparison with his own subsistence1 for he does not regard phenomena as self-subsistent2 and if he looks with the eye of annihilation1 he perceives that all created things are non-existent beside the subsistence of ,god4 ,in either case he turns away from created things4 ,on this account the ,apostle said in his prayer3 8,o ,god1 show us things as they are10 because whoever thus sees them finds rest4 ,now1 such vision cannot be properly attained except in the state of sobriety1 and the intoxicated have no knowledge thereof4 ,for example1 ,moses was intoxicated2 he could not endure the manifestation of one epiphany1 but fell in a swoon 7,kor4 vii1 #aci73 but our ,apostle was sober2 he beheld the same glory continuously1 with ever-increasing consciousness1 all the way from ,mecca1 until he stood at the space of two bow-lengths from the ,divine presence 7,kor4 liii1 #i74 ,my ,shaykh1 who followed the doctrine of ,junayd1 used to say that intoxication is the playground of children1 but sobriety is the death-field of men4 ,i say1 in agreement with my ,shaykh1 that the perfection of the state of the intoxicated man is sobriety4 ,the lowest stage in sobriety consists in regarding the powerlessness of humanity3 therefore1 a sobriety that appears to be evil is better than an intoxication that is really evil4 ,it is related that ,ab ,uthmn ,maghrib1 in the earlier part of his life1 passed twenty years in retirement1 living in deserts where he never heard the sound of a human voice1 until his frame was wasted and his eyes became as small as the eye of a sack-needle4 ,after twenty years he was commanded to associate with mankind4 ,he resolved to begin with the people of ,god who dwelt beside ,his ,temple1 since by doing so he would gain a greater blessing4 ,the ,shaykhs of ,mecca were aware of his coming and went forth to meet him4 ,finding him so changed that he hardly seemed to be a human creature1 they said to him3 8,o ,ab ,uthmn1 tell us why you went and what you saw and what you gained and wherefore you have come back40 ,he replied3 8,i went because of intoxication1 and ,i saw the evil of intoxication1 and ,i gained despair1 and ,i have come back on account of weakness40 ,all the ,shaykhs said3 8,o ,ab ,uthmn1 it is not lawful for anyone after you to explain the meaning of sobriety and intoxication1 for you have done justice to the whole matter and have shown forth the evil of intoxication40 ,intoxication1 then1 is to fancy one's self annihilated while the attributes really subsist2 and this is a veil4 ,sobriety1 on the other hand1 is the vision of subsistence while the attributes are annihilated2 and this is actual revelation4 ,it is absurd for anyone to suppose that intoxication is nearer to annihilation than sobriety is1 for intoxication is a quality that exceeds sobriety1 and so long as a man's attributes tend to increase he is without knowledge2 but when he begins to diminish them1 seekers 7of ,god7 have some hope of him4 ,it is related that ,yay b4 ,mudh wrote to ,ab ,yazd3 8,what do you say of one who drinks a single drop of the ocean of love and becomes intoxicated80 ,byazd wrote in reply3 8,what do you say of one who1 if all the oceans in the world were filled with the wine of love1 would drink them all and still cry for more to slake his thirst80 ,people imagine that ,yahy was speaking of intoxication1 and ,byazd of sobriety1 but the opposite is the case4 ,the man of sobriety is he who is unable to drink even one drop1 and the man of intoxication is he who drinks all and still desires more4 ,wine being the instrument of intoxication1 but the enemy of sobriety1 intoxication demands what is homogeneous with itself1 whereas sobriety takes no pleasure in drinking4 ,there are two kinds of intoxication3 7#a7 with the wine of affection 7mawaddat7 and 7#b7 with the cup of love 7maabbat74 ,the former is 8caused0 7mall71 since it arises from regarding the benefit 7nimat72 but the latter has no cause1 since it arises from regarding the benefactor 7munim74 ,he who regards the benefit sees through himself and therefore sees himself1 but he who regards the benefactor sees through ,him and therefore does not see himself1 so that1 although he is intoxicated1 his intoxication is sobriety4 ,sobriety also is of two kinds3 sobriety in heedlessness 7ghaflat7 and sobriety in love 7maabbat74 ,the former is the greatest of veils1 but the latter is the clearest of revelations4 ,the sobriety that is connected with heedlessness is really intoxication1 while that which is linked with love1 although it be intoxication1 is really sobriety4 ,when the principle 7al7 is firmly established1 sobriety and intoxication resemble one another1 but when the principle is wanting1 both are baseless4 ,in short1 where true mystics tread1 sobriety and intoxication are the effect of difference 7ikhtilf71 and when the ,sultan of ,truth displays his beauty1 both sobriety and intoxication appear to be intruders 7ufayl71 because the boundaries of both are joined1 and the end of the one is the beginning of the other1 and beginning and end are terms that imply separation1 which has only a relative existence4 ,in union all separations are negated1 as the poet says-- 8,when the morning-star of wine rises1 ,the drunken and the sober are as one40 ,at ,sarakhs there were two spiritual directors1 namely1 ,luqmn and ,abu l-,fal asan4 ,one day ,luqmn came to ,abu l-,fal and found him with a piece 7of manuscript7 in his hand4 ,he said3 8,o ,abu l-,fal1 what are you seeking in this paper80 ,abu l-,fal replied3 8,the same thing as you are seeking without a paper40 ,luqmn said3 8,then why this difference80 ,abu l-,fal answered3 8,you see a difference when you ask me what ,i am seeking4 ,become sober from intoxication and get rid of sobriety1 in order that the difference may be removed from you and that you may know what you and ,i are in search of40 ,the ayfrs and ,junayds are at variance to the extent which has been indicated4 ,as regards ethics1 the doctrine of ,byazd consists in shunning companionship and choosing retirement from the world1 and he enjoined all his disciples to do the same4 ,this is a praiseworthy and laudable ,path4 #d4 ,,the ,,junayd,s4 ,they are the followers of ,abu l-,qsim al-,junayd b4 ,muammad1 who in his time was called the ,peacock of the ,divines 7s al-,ulam74 ,he is the chief of this sect and the ,imm of their ,imms4 ,his doctrine is based on sobriety and is opposed to that of the ayfrs1 as has been explained4 ,it is the best known and most celebrated of all doctrines1 and all the ,shaykhs have adopted it1 notwithstanding that there is much difference in their sayings on the ethics of fiism4 ,want of space forbids me to discuss it further in this book3 those who wish to become better acquainted with it must seek information elsewhere4 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that when usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj7 in his rapture broke off all relations with ,amr b4 ,uthmn 7al-,makk7 and came to ,junayd1 ,junayd asked him for what purpose he had come to him4 usayn said3 8,for the purpose of associating with the ,shaykh40 ,junayd replied3 8,i do not associate with madmen4 ,association demands sanity2 if that is wanting1 the result is such behaviour as yours in regard to ,sahl b4 ,abdallh ,tustar and ,amr40 usayn said3 8,o ,shaykh1 sobriety and intoxication are two attributes of ,man1 and ,man is veiled from his ,lord until his attributes are annihilated40 8,o son of ,manr10 said ,junayd1 8you are in error concerning sobriety and intoxication4 ,the former denotes soundness of one's spiritual state in relation to ,god1 while the latter denotes excess of longing and extremity of love1 and neither of them can be acquired by human effort4 ,o son of ,manr1 in your words ,i see much foolishness and nonsense40 #e4 ,,the ,n,r,s4 ,they are the followers of ,abu l-asan ,amad b4 ,muammad ,nr1 one of the most eminent and illustrious f divines4 ,the principle of his doctrine is to regard fiism 7taawwuf7 as superior to poverty 7faqr74 ,in matters of conduct he agrees with ,junayd4 ,it is a peculiarity of his 8path0 that in companionship 7ubat7 he prefers his companion's claim to his own1 and holds companionship without preference 7thr7 to be unlawful4 ,he also holds that companionship is obligatory on dervishes1 and that retirement 7uzlat7 is not praiseworthy1 and that everyone is bound to prefer his companion to himself4 ,it is related that he said3 8,beware of retirement6 for it is in connexion with ,satan2 and cleave to companionship1 for therein is the satisfaction of the ,merciful ,god40 ,now ,i will explain the true nature of preference1 and when ,i come to the chapter on companionship and retirement ,i will set forth the mysteries of the subject in order to make it more generally instructive4 ,discourse on ,preference 7thr74 ,god said3 8,and they prefer them to themselves1 although they are indigent0 7,kor4 lix1 #i74 ,this verse was revealed concerning the poor men among the ,companions in particular4 ,the true nature of preference consists in maintaining the rights of the person with whom one associates1 and in subordinating one's own interest to the interest of one's friend1 and in taking trouble upon one's self for the sake of promoting his happiness1 because preference is the rendering of help to others1 and the putting into practice of that which ,god commanded to ,his ,apostle3 8,use indulgence and command what is just and turn away from the ignorant0 7,kor4 vii1 #aih74 ,this will be explained more fully in the chapter on the rules of companionship4 ,now1 preference is of two kinds3 firstly1 in companionship1 as has been mentioned2 and secondly1 in love4 ,in preferring the claim of one's companion there is a sort of trouble and effort1 but in preferring the claim of one's beloved there is nothing but pleasure and delight4 ,it is well known that when ,ghulm al-,khall persecuted the fs1 ,nr and ,raqqm and ,ab amza were arrested and conveyed to the ,caliph's palace4 ,ghulm al-,khall urged the ,caliph to put them to death1 saying that they were heretics 7zandiqa71 and the ,caliph immediately gave orders for their execution4 ,when the executioner approached ,raqqm1 ,nr rose and offered himself in ,raqqm's place with the utmost cheerfulness and submission4 ,all the spectators were astounded4 ,the executioner said3 8,o young man1 the sword is not a thing that people desire to meet so eagerly as you have welcomed it2 and your turn has not yet arrived40 ,nr answered3 8,yes2 my doctrine is founded on preference4 ,life is the most precious thing in the world3 ,i wish to sacrifice for my brethren's sake the few moments that remain4 ,in my opinion1 one moment of this world is better than a thousand years of the next world1 because this is the place of service 7khidmat7 and that is the place of proximity 7qurbat71 and proximity is gained by service40 ,the tenderness of ,nr and the fineness of his saying astonished the ,caliph 7who was informed by a courier of what had passed7 to such a degree1 that he suspended the execution of the three fs and charged the chief ,cadi1 ,abu l-,abbs b4 ,al1 to inquire into the matter4 ,the ,cadi1 having taken them to his house and questioned them concerning the ordinances of the ,law and the ,truth1 found them perfect1 and felt remorse for his indifference to their fate4 ,then ,nr said3 8,o ,cadi1 though you have asked all these questions1 you have not yet asked anything to the point1 for ,god has servants who eat through ,him1 and drink through ,him1 and sit through ,him1 and live through ,him1 and abide in contemplation of ,him3 if they were cut off from contemplating ,him they would cry out in anguish40 ,the ,cadi was amazed at the subtlety of his speech and the soundness of his state4 ,he wrote to the ,caliph3 8,if the fs are heretics1 who in the world is a ,unitarian80 ,the ,caliph called them to his presence and said3 8,ask a boon40 ,they replied3 8,the only boon we ask of thee is that thou shouldst forget us1 and neither make us thy favourites nor banish us from thy court1 for thy favour and displeasure are alike to us40 ,the ,caliph wept and dismissed them with honour4 ,it is related that ,nfi#aaa said3 8,ibn ,umar#aab desired to eat a fish4 ,i sought through the town1 but did not find one until several days had passed4 ,having procured it1 ,i gave orders that it should be placed on a cake of bread and presented it to him4 ,i noticed an expression of joy on his face as he received it1 but suddenly a beggar came to the door of his house and he ordered the fish to be given to him4 ,the servant said3 #8,o master1 you have been desiring a fish for several days2 let us give the beggar something else4' ,ibn ,umar replied3 #8,this fish is unlawful to me1 for ,i have put it out of my mind on account of a ,tradition which ,i heard from the ,apostle3 ,whenever anyone feels a desire and repels it and prefers another to himself1 he shall be forgiven4'8 ,footnote #aaa3 ,a well-known traditionist1 who died about #abj ,a4,h4 ,footnote #aab3 ,abdallh1 son of the ,caliph ,umar4 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that ten dervishes lost their way in the desert and were overtaken by thirst4 ,they had only one cup of water1 and everyone preferred the claim of the others1 so that none of them would drink and they all died except one1 who then drank it and found strength to escape4 ,some person said to him3 8,had you not drunk1 it would have been better40 ,he replied3 8,the ,law obliged me to drink2 if ,i had not1 ,i should have killed myself and been punished on that account40 ,the other said3 8,then did your friends kill themselves80 8,no10 said the dervish2 8they refused to drink in order that their companions might drink1 but when ,i alone survived ,i was legally obliged to drink40#aac ,footnote #aac3 ,here follow two stories illustrating the same topic3 the first relates how ,al slept in the ,prophet's bed on the night of the latter's emigration from ,mecca1 when the infidels were seeking to slay him2 the second1 how on the battle-field of ,uud the wounded ,moslems1 though parched with thirst1 preferred to die rather than drink the water which their comrades asked for4 ,among the ,israelites there was a devotee who had served ,god for four hundred years4 ,one day he said3 8,o ,lord1 if ,thou hadst not created these mountains1 wandering for religion's sake 7siyat7 would have been easier for ,thy servants40 ,the ,divine command came to the ,apostle of that time to say to the devotee3 8,what business have you to interfere in ,my kingdom8 ,now1 since you have interfered1 ,i blot your name from the register of the blest and inscribe it in the register of the damned40 ,on hearing this1 the devotee trembled with joy and bowed to the ground in thanksgiving4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,o fool1 it is not necessary to bow down in thanksgiving for damnation40 8,my thanksgiving10 the devotee replied3 8is not for damnation1 but because my name is at least inscribed in one of ,his registers4 ,but1 ,o ,apostle1 ,i have a boon to ask4 ,say unto ,god1 #8,since ,thou wilt send me to ,hell1 make me so large that ,i may take the place of all sinful ,unitarians1 and let them go to ,paradise4'0 ,god commanded the ,apostle to tell the devotee that the probation which he had undergone was not for the purpose of humiliating him1 but to reveal him to the people1 and that on the ,day of ,resurrection both he and those for whom he had interceded would be in ,paradise4 ,i asked ,amad ammd of ,sarakhs what was the beginning of his conversion4 ,he replied3 8,once ,i set out from ,sarakhs and took my camels into the desert and stayed there for a considerable time4 ,i was always wishing to be hungry and was giving my portion of food to others1 and the words of ,god--#8,they prefer them to themselves1 although they are indigent' 7,kor4 lix1 #i7--were ever fresh in my mind2 and ,i had a firm belief in the fs4 ,one day a hungry lion came from the desert and killed one of my camels and retired to some rising ground and roared4 ,all the wild beasts in the neighbourhood1 hearing him roar1 gathered round him4 ,he tore the camel to pieces and went back to the higher ground without having eaten anything4 ,the other beasts--foxes1 jackals1 wolves1 etc4--began to eat1 and the lion waited until they had gone away4 ,then he approached in order to eat a morsel1 but seeing a lame fox in the distance he withdrew once more until the new-comer had eaten his fill4 ,after that1 he came and ate a morsel4 ,as he departed he spoke to me1 who had been watching from afar1 and said3 #8,o ,amad1 to prefer others to one's self in the matter of food is an act only worthy of dogs3 a man sacrifices his life and his soul4' ,when ,i saw this evidence ,i renounced all worldly occupations1 and that was the beginning of my conversion40 ,jafar ,khuld says3 8,one day1 when ,abu l-asan ,nr was praying to ,god in solitude ,i went to overhear him1 for he was very eloquent4 ,he was saying1 #8,o ,lord1 in ,thy eternal knowledge and power and will ,thou dost punish the people of ,hell1 whom ,thou hast created2 and if it be ,thy inexorable will to make ,hell full of mankind1 ,thou art able to fill that ,hell and all its limbos with me alone and to send them to ,paradise4' ,i was amazed by his speech1 but ,i dreamed that some one came to me and said3 #8,god bids thee tell ,abu l-asan that he has been forgiven on account of his compassion for ,god's creatures and his reverence for ,god4'0 ,he was called ,nr because when he spoke in a dark room the whole room was illuminated by the light 7nr7 of his spirituality4 ,and by the light of the ,truth he used to read the inmost thoughts of his disciples1 so that ,junayd said3 8,abu l-asan is the spy on men's hearts 7jss al-qulb748 ,this is his peculiar doctrine4 ,it is a sound principle1 and one of great importance in the eyes of those who have insight4 ,nothing is harder to a man than spiritual sacrifice 7badhl-i r7 and to refrain from the object of his love1 and ,god hath made this sacrifice the key of all good1 as ,he said3 0,ye shall never attain to righteousness until ye give in alms of that which ye love0 7,kor4 iii1 #hf74 ,when a man's spirit is sacrificed1 of what value are his wealth and his health and his frock and his food8 ,this is the foundation of fiism4 ,some one came to ,ruwaym and asked him for direction4 ,ruwaym said3 8,o my son1 the whole affair consists in spiritual sacrifice4 ,if you are able for this1 it is well2 if not1 do not occupy yourself with the futilities 7turraht7 of the fs10 i4e4 all except this is futile2 and ,god said3 8,do not call dead those who are slain in the way of ,god4 ,nay1 they are living0 7,kor4 ii1 #adi74 ,eternal life is gained by spiritual sacrifice and by renunciation of self-interest in fulfilling ,god's commandment and by obedience to ,his friends4 ,but from the standpoint of gnosis 7marifat7 preference and free choice are separation 7tafriqat71 and real preference consists in union with ,god1 for the true basis of self-interest is self-abandonment4 ,so long as the seeker's progress is connected with acquisition 7kasb7 it is pernicious1 but when the attracting influence 7jadhb7 of the ,truth manifests its dominion all his actions are confounded1 and he loses all power of expression2 nor can any name be applied to him or any description be given of him or anything be imputed to him4 ,on this subject ,shibl says in verse-- 8,i am lost to myself and unconscious1 ,and my attributes are annihilated4 ,to-day ,i am lost to all things3 ,naught remains but a forced expression40 #f4 ,,the ,,sahl,s4 ,they are the followers of ,sahl b4 ,abdallh of ,tustar1 a great and venerable f1 who has been already mentioned4 ,his doctrine inculcates endeavour and self-mortification and ascetic training1 and he used to bring his disciples to perfection in self-mortification 7mujhadat74 ,it is related in a well-known anecdote that he said to one of his disciples3 8,strive to say continuously for one day1 #8,o ,allah6 ,o ,allah6 ,o ,allah6' and do the same next day and the day after that10 until he became habituated to saying those words4 ,then he bade him repeat them at night also1 until they became so familiar that he uttered them even during his sleep4 ,then he said3 8,do not repeat them any more1 but let all your faculties be engrossed in remembering ,god40 ,the disciple did this1 until he became absorbed in the thought of ,god4 ,one day1 when he was in his house1 a piece of wood fell on his head and broke it4 ,the drops of blood which trickled to the ground bore the legend 8,allah6 ,allah6 ,allah60 ,the 8path0 of the ,sahls is to educate disciples by acts of self-mortification1 and austerities2 that of the amdns#aad is to serve and reverence dervishes2 and that of the ,junayds is to keep watch over one's spiritual state 7murqaba-i bin74 ,footnote #aad3 ,the followers of amdn al-,qar1 who are generally called ,qars4 ,the object of all austerities and acts of self-mortification is resistance to the lower soul 7nafs71 and until a man knows his lower soul his austerities are of no use to him4 ,now1 therefore1 ,i will explain the knowledge and true nature of the lower soul1 and in the next place ,i will lay down the doctrine concerning self-mortification and its principles4 ,discourse touching the true nature of the ,lower ,soul 7nafs7 and the meaning of ,passion 7haw74 ,you must know that nafs1 etymologically1 is the essence and reality of anything1 but in popular language it is used to denote many contradictory meanings1 e4g4 8spirit01 8virility0 7muruwwat71 8body01 and 8blood04 ,the mystics of this sect1 however1 are agreed that it is the source and principle of evil1 but while some assert that it is a substance 7ayn7 located in the body1 as the spirit 7r7 is1 others hold it to be an attribute of the body1 as life is4 ,but they all agree that through it base qualities are manifested and that it is the immediate cause of blameworthy actions4 ,such actions are of two kinds1 namely1 sins 7ma7 and base qualities 7akhlq-i dan71 like pride1 envy1 avarice1 anger1 hatred1 etc41 which are not commendable in law and reason4 ,these qualities can be removed by discipline 7riyat73 e4g41 sins are removed by repentance4 ,sins belong to the class of external attributes1 whereas the qualities above mentioned belong to the class of internal attributes4 ,similarly1 discipline is an external act1 and repentance is an internal attribute4 ,a base quality that appears within is purged by excellent outward attributes1 and one that appears without is purged by laudable inward attributes4 ,both the lower soul and the spirit are subtle things 7laif7 existing in the body1 just as devils and angels and ,paradise and ,hell exist in the universe2 but the one is the seat of good1 while the other is the seat of evil4 ,hence1 resistance to the lower soul is the chief of all acts of devotion and the crown of all acts of self-mortification1 and only thereby can ,man find the way to ,god1 because submission to the lower soul involves his destruction and resistance to it involves his salvation4#aae ,footnote #aae3 ,here the author cites ,kor4 lxxix1 #dj1 #da2 ii1 #ha 7part of the verse72 xii1 #ec2 and the ,traditions3 8,when ,god wishes well unto ,his servant ,he causes him to see the faults of his soul10 and 8,god said to ,david1 #8,o ,david1 hate thy soul1 for ,my love depends on thy hatred of it4'0 ,now1 every attribute needs an object whereby it subsists1 and knowledge of that attribute1 namely1 the soul1 is not attained save by knowledge of the whole body1 which knowledge in turn demands an explanation of the qualities of human nature 7insniyyat7 and the mystery thereof1 and is incumbent upon all seekers of the ,truth1 because whoever is ignorant of himself is yet more ignorant of other things2 and inasmuch as a man is bound to know ,god1 he must first know himself1 in order that by rightly perceiving his own temporality he may recognize the eternity of ,god1 and may learn the everlastingness of ,god through his own perishableness4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,he who knows himself already knows his ,lord10 i4e41 if he knows himself as perishable he knows ,god as everlasting1 or if he knows himself as humble he knows ,god as ,almighty1 or if he knows himself as a servant he knows ,god as the ,lord4 ,therefore one who does not know himself is debarred from knowledge of all things4 ,as regards the knowledge of human nature and the various opinions held on that topic1 some ,moslems assert that ,man is nothing but spirit 7r71 of which this body is the cuirass and temple and residence1 in order to preserve it from being injured by the natural humours 7abyi71 and of which the attributes are sensation and intelligence4 ,this view is false1 because a body from which the soul 7jn7 has departed is still called 8a human being0 7insn72 if the soul is joined with it it is 8a live human being01 and if the soul is gone it is 8a dead human being04 ,moreover1 a soul is located in the bodies of animals1 yet they are not called 8human beings04 ,if the spirit 7r7 were the cause of human nature1 it would follow that the principle of human nature must exist in every creature possessed of a soul 7jn-dr72 which is a proof of the falsity of their assertion4 ,others1 again1 have stated that the term 8human nature0 is applicable to the spirit and the body together1 and that it no longer applies when one is separated from the other2 e4g41 when two colours1 black and white1 are combined on a horse1 it is called 8piebald0 7ablaq71 whereas the same colours1 apart from each other1 are called 8black0 and 8white04 ,this too is false1 in accordance with ,god's word3 8,did there not come over ,man a space of time during which he was not a thing worthy of mention80 7,kor4 lxxvi1 #a73 in this verse ,man's clay1 without soul--for the soul had not yet been joined to his body--is called 8,man04 ,others aver that 8,man0 is an atom1 centred in the heart1 which is the principle of all human attributes4 ,this also is absurd1 for if anyone is killed and his heart is taken out of his body he does not lose the name of 8human being02 moreover1 it is agreed that the heart was not in the human body before the soul4 ,some pretenders to fiism have fallen into error on this subject4 ,they declare that 8,man0 is not that which eats and drinks and suffers decay1 but a ,divine mystery1 of which this body is the vesture1 situated in the interfusion of the natural humours 7imtizj-i ab7 and in the union 7ittid7 of body and spirit4 ,to this ,i reply1 that by universal consent the name of 8human being0 belongs to sane men and mad1 and to infidels and immoral and ignorant persons1 in whom there is no such 8mystery0 and who suffer decay and eat and drink2 and that there is not anything called 8,man0 in the body1 either while it exists or after it has ceased to exist4 ,god ,almighty has given the name of 8,man0 to the sum of the substances which ,he compounded in us1 excluding those things which are not to be found in some human beings1 e4g4 in the verses 8,and ,we have created ,man of the choicest clay10 etc4 7,kor4 xxiii1 #ab-ad74 ,therefore1 according to the word of ,god1 who is the most veracious of all who speak the ,truth1 this particular form1 with all its ingredients and with all the changes which it undergoes1 is 8,man04 ,in like manner1 certain ,sunns have said that ,man is a living creature whose form has these characteristics1 and that death does not deprive him of this name1 and that he is endowed with a definite physiognomy 7rat-i mahd7 and a distinct organ 7lat-i mawsm7 both externally and internally4 ,by 8a definite physiognomy0 they mean that he has either good or ill health1 and by 8a distinct organ0 that he is either mad or sane4 ,it is generally allowed that the more sound 7a7 a thing is1 the more perfect it is in constitution4 ,you must know1 then1 that in the opinion of mystics the most perfect composition of ,man includes three elements1 viz4 spirit1 soul1 and body2 and that each of these has an attribute which subsists therein1 the attribute of spirit being intelligence1 of soul1 passion1 and of body1 sensation4 ,man is a type of the whole universe4 ,the universe is the name of the two worlds1 and in ,man there is a vestige of both1 for he is composed of phlegm1 blood1 bile1 and melancholy1 which four humours correspond to the four elements of this world1 viz4 water1 earth1 air1 and fire1 while his soul 7jn71 his lower soul 7nafs71 and his body correspond to ,paradise1 ,hell1 and the place of ,resurrection4 ,paradise is the effect of ,god's satisfaction1 and ,hell is the result of ,his anger4 ,similarly1 the spirit of the true believer reflects the peace of knowledge1 and his lower soul the error which veils him from ,god4 ,as1 at the ,resurrection1 the believer must be released from ,hell before he can reach ,paradise and attain to real vision and pure love1 so in this world he must escape from his lower soul before he can attain to real discipleship 7irdat71 of which the spirit is the principle1 and to real proximity 7to ,god7 and gnosis4 ,hence1 whoever knows ,him in this world and turns away from all besides and follows the highway of the sacred law1 at the ,resurrection he will not see ,hell and the ,bridge 7ir74 ,in short1 the believer's spirit calls him to ,paradise1 of which it is a type in this world1 and his lower soul calls him to ,hell1 of which it is a type in this world4 ,therefore it behoves those who seek ,god never to relax their resistance to the lower soul1 in order that thereby they may reinforce the spirit and the intelligence1 which are the home of the ,divine mystery4 ,,section4 ,as regards what has been said by the ,shaykhs concerning the lower soul1 ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian says3 8,vision of the lower soul and its promptings is the worst of veils10 because obedience to it is disobedience to ,god1 which is the origin of all veils4 ,ab ,yazd ,bism says3 8,the lower soul is an attribute which never rests save in falsehood10 i4e4 it never seeks the ,truth4 ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh says3 8,you wish to know ,god while your lower soul subsists in you2 but your lower soul does not know itself1 how should it know another80 ,junayd says3 8,to fulfil the desires of your lower soul is the foundation of infidelity10 because the lower soul is not connected with1 and is always striving to turn away from1 the pure truth of ,islam2 and he who turns away denies1 and he who denies is an alien 7bgna74 ,ab ,sulaymn ,drn says3 8,the lower soul is treacherous and hindering 7one who seeks to please ,god72 and resistance to it is the best of actions40 ,now ,i come to my main purpose1 which is to set forth the doctrine of ,sahl concerning the mortification and discipline of the lower soul1 and to explain its true nature4 ,discourse on the ,mortification of the ,lower ,soul4 ,god has said3 8,those who strive to the utmost 7jhad7 for ,our sake1 ,we will guide them into ,our ways0 7,kor4 xxix1 #fi74 ,and the ,prophet said3 8,the 7mujhid7 is he who struggles with all his might against himself 7jhada nafsahu7 for ,god's sake40 ,and he also said3 8,we have returned from the lesser war 7al-jihd al-aghar7 to the greater war 7al-jihd al-akbar704 ,on being asked1 8,what is the greater war80 he replied1 8,it is the struggle against one's self0 7mujhadat al-nafs74 ,thus the ,apostle adjudged the mortification of the lower soul to be superior to the ,holy ,war against unbelievers1 because the former is more painful4 ,you must know1 then1 that the way of mortification is plain and manifest1 for it is approved by men of all religions and sects1 and is observed and practised by the fs in particular2 and the term 8mortification0 7mujhadat7 is current among fs of every class1 and the ,shaykhs have uttered many sayings on this topic4 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh ,tustar carries the principle to an extreme point4 ,it is related that he used to break his fast only once in fifteen days1 and he ate but little food in the course of his long life4 ,while all mystics have affirmed the need of mortification1 and have declared it to be an indirect means 7asbb7 of attaining contemplation 7mushhadat71 ,sahl asserted that mortification is the direct cause 7illat7 of the latter1 and he attributed to search 7alab7 a powerful effect on attainment 7yft71 so that he even regarded the present life1 spent in search1 as superior to the future life of fruition4 8,if10 he said1 8you serve ,god in this world1 you will attain proximity to ,him in the next world3 without that service there would not be this proximity3 it follows that self-mortification1 practised with the aid of ,god1 is the direct cause of union with ,god40 ,others1 on the contrary1 hold that there is no direct cause of union with ,god1 and whoever attains to ,god does so by ,divine grace 7fal71 which is independent of human actions4 ,therefore1 they argue1 the object of mortification is to correct the vices of the lower soul1 not to attain real proximity1 and inasmuch as mortification is referred to ,man1 while contemplation is referred to ,god1 it is impossible that one should be caused by the other4 ,sahl1 however1 cites in favour of his view the words of ,god3 8,those who strive to the utmost for ,our sake1 ,we will guide them into ,our ways0 7,kor4 xxix1 #fi71 i4e4 whoever mortifies himself will attain to contemplation4 ,furthermore1 he contends that inasmuch as the books revealed to the ,prophets1 and the ,sacred ,law1 and all the religious ordinances imposed on mankind involve mortification1 they must all be false and vain if mortification were not the cause of contemplation4 ,again1 both in this world and the next1 everything is connected with principles and causes4 ,if it is maintained that principles have no causes1 there is an end of all law and order3 neither can religious obligations be justified nor will food be the cause of repletion and clothes the cause of warmth4 ,accordingly1 to regard actions as being caused is ,unification 7tawd71 and to rebut this is ,nullification 7tal74 ,he who asserts it is proving the existence of contemplation1 and he who denies it is denying the existence of contemplation4 ,does not training 7riyat7 alter the animal qualities of a wild horse and substitute human qualities in their stead1 so that he will pick up a whip from the ground and give it to his master1 or will roll a ball with his foot8 ,in the same way1 a boy without sense and of foreign race is taught by training to speak ,arabic1 and take a new language in exchange for his mother tongue2 and a savage beast is trained to go away when leave is given to it1 and to come back when it is called1 preferring captivity to freedom4#aaf ,therefore1 ,sahl and his followers argue1 mortification is just as necessary for the attainment of union with ,god as diction and composition are necessary for the elucidation of ideas2 and as one is led to knowledge of the ,creator by assurance that the universe was created in time1 so one is led to union with ,god by knowledge and mortification of the lower soul4 ,footnote #aaf3 ,here follows an account of the mortification which the ,prophet imposed on himself4 ,i will now state the arguments of the opposing party4 ,they maintain that the verse of the ,koran 7xxix1 #fi7 cited by ,sahl is a hysteron proteron1 and that the meaning of it is1 8,those whom ,we guide into ,our ways strive to the utmost for ,our sake40 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,not one of you shall be saved by his works40 8,o ,apostle10 they cried1 8not even thou80 8,not even ,i10 he said1 8unless ,god encompass me with ,his mercy40 ,now1 mortification is a man's act1 and his act cannot possibly become the cause of his salvation1 which depends on the ,divine ,will1 as ,god hath said3 8,whomsoever ,god wishes to lead aright1 ,he will open his breast to receive ,islam1 but whomsoever ,he wishes to lead astray1 ,he will make his breast strait and narrow0 7,kor4 vi1 #abe74 ,by affirming ,his will1 ,he denies the 7effect of the7 religious ordinances which have been laid upon mankind4 ,if mortification were the cause of union ,ibls would not have been damned1 or if neglect of mortification were the cause of damnation ,adam would never have been blessed4 ,the result hangs on predestined grace 7inyat71 not on abundance of mortification4 ,it is not the case that he who most exerts himself is the most secure1 but that he who has most grace is nearest to ,god4 ,a monk worshipping in his cell may be far from ,god1 and a sinner in the tavern may be near to ,him4 ,the noblest thing in the world is the faith of a child who is not subject to the religious law 7mukallaf7 and in this respect belongs to the same category as madmen3 if1 then1 mortification is not the cause of the noblest of all gifts1 no cause is necessary for anything that is inferior4 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 say that the difference between the two parties in this controversy lies in expression 7ibrat74 ,one says1 8,he who seeks shall find10 and the other says1 8,he who finds shall seek40 ,seeking is the cause of finding1 but it is no less true that finding is the cause of seeking4 ,the one party practises mortification for the purpose of attaining contemplation1 and the other party practises contemplation for the purpose of attaining mortification4 ,the fact is that mortification stands in the same relation to contemplation as ,divine blessing 7tawfq71 which is a gift from ,god1 to obedience 7at73 as it is absurd to seek obedience without ,divine blessing1 so it is absurd to seek ,divine blessing without obedience1 and as there can be no mortification without contemplation1 so there can be no contemplation without mortification4 ,man is guided to mortification by a flash of the ,divine ,beauty1 and inasmuch as that flash is the cause of the existence of mortification1 ,divine guidance 7hidyat7 precedes mortification4 ,now1 as regards the argument of ,sahl and his followers that failure to affirm mortification involves the denial of all the religious ordinances which have come down in the books revealed to the ,prophets1 this statement requires correction4 ,religious obligations 7taklf7 depend on ,divine guidance 7hidyat71 and acts of mortification only serve to affirm the proofs of ,god1 not to effect real union with ,him4 ,god has said3 8,and though ,we had sent down the angels unto them and the dead had spoken unto them and ,we had gathered before them all things together1 they would not have believed unless ,god had so willed0 7,kor4 vi1 #aaa71 for the cause of belief is ,our will1 not evidences or mortification4 ,accordingly1 the revelations of the ,prophets and the ordinances of religion are a means 7asbb7 of attaining to union1 but are not the cause 7illat7 of union4 ,so far as religious obligations are concerned1 ,ab ,bakr was in the same position as ,ab ,jahl1 but ,ab ,bakr1 having justice and grace1 attained1 whereas ,ab ,jahl1 having justice without grace1 failed4 ,therefore the cause of attainment is attainment itself1 not the act of seeking attainment1 for if the seeker were one with the object sought the seeker would be one1 and in that case he would not be a seeker1 because he who has attained is at rest1 which the seeker cannot be4 ,again1 in reference to their argument that the qualities of a horse are altered by mortification1 you must know that mortification is only a means of bringing out qualities that are already latent in the horse but do not appear until he has been trained4 ,mortification will never turn a donkey into a horse or a horse into a donkey1 because this involves a change of identity2 and since mortification has not the power of transforming identity it cannot possibly be affirmed in the presence of ,god4 ,over that spiritual director1 namely1 ,sahl1 there used to pass a mortification of which he was independent and which1 while he was in the reality thereof1 he was unable to express in words4 ,he was not like some who have made it their religion to talk about mortification without practising it4 ,how absurd that what ought to consist wholly in action should become nothing but words6 ,in short1 the fs are unanimous in recognizing the existence of mortification and discipline1 but hold that it is wrong to pay regard to them4 ,those who deny mortification do not mean to deny its reality1 but only to deny that any regard should be paid to it or that anyone should be pleased with his own actions in the place of holiness1 inasmuch as mortification is the act of ,man1 while contemplation is a state in which one is kept by ,god1 and a man's actions do not begin to have value until ,god keeps him thus4 ,the mortification of those whom ,god loves is the work of ,god in them without choice on their part3 it overwhelms and melts them away2 but the mortification of ignorant men is the work of themselves in themselves by their own choice3 it perturbs and distresses them1 and distress is due to evil4 ,therefore1 do not speak of thine own actions while thou canst avoid it1 and never in any circumstances follow thy lower soul1 for it is thy phenomenal being that veils thee from ,god4 ,if thou wert veiled by one act alone1 thou mightest be unveiled by another1 but since thy whole being is a veil thou wilt not become worthy of subsistence 7baq7 until thou art wholly annihilated4 ,it is related in a well--known anecdote that usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj7 came to ,kfa and lodged in the house of ,muammad b4 al-usayn al-,alaw4 ,ibrhm ,khaww also came to ,kfa1 and1 having heard of al-allj1 went to see him4 ,al-allj said3 8,o ,ibrhm1 during these forty years of your connexion with fiism1 what have you gained from it80 ,ibrhm answered3 8,i have made the doctrine of trust in ,god 7tawakkul7 peculiarly my own40 ,al-allj said3 8,you have wasted your life in cultivating your spiritual nature3 what has become of annihilation in ,unification 7al-fan fi l-tawd780 i4e4 8trust in ,god is a term denoting your conduct towards ,god and your spiritual excellence in regard to relying on ,him3 if a man spends his whole life in remedying his spiritual nature1 he will need another life for remedying his material nature1 and his life will be lost before he has found a trace or vestige of ,god04 ,and a story is told of ,shaykh ,ab ,al ,siyh of ,merv1 that he said3 8,i saw my lower soul in a form resembling my own1 and some one had seized it by its hair and gave it into my hands4 ,i bound it to a tree and was about to destroy it1 when it cried out1 #8,o ,ab ,al1 do not trouble yourself4 ,i am ,god's army 7lashkar-i khudyam73 you cannot reduce me to naught4'0 ,and it is related concerning ,muammad b4 ,ulyn of ,nas1 an eminent companion of ,junayd1 that he said3 8,in my novitiate1 when ,i had become aware of the corruptions of the lower soul and acquainted with its places of ambush1 ,i always felt a violent hatred of it in my heart4 ,one day something like a young fox came forth from my throat1 and ,god caused me to know that it was my lower soul4 ,i cast it under my feet1 and at every kick that ,i gave it1 it grew bigger4 ,i said3 #8,other things are destroyed by pain and blows3 why dost thou increase8' ,it replied3 #8,because ,i was created perverse3 that which is pain to other things is pleasure to me1 and their pleasure is my pain4'0 ,shaykh ,abu l-,abbs ,shaqn1 who was the ,imm of his time1 said3 8,one day ,i came into my house and found a yellow dog lying there1 asleep4 ,thinking it had come in from the street1 ,i was about to turn it out4 ,it crept under my skirt and vanished40 ,shaykh ,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn1 who to-day is the ,qub--may ,god prolong his life6--relates1 speaking of his novitiate1 that he saw his lower soul in the form of a snake4 ,a dervish said3 8,i saw my lower soul in the shape of a mouse4 #8,who art thou8' ,i asked4 ,it answered3 #8,i am the destruction of the heedless1 for ,i urge them to evil1 and the salvation of those who love ,god1 for if ,i were not with them in my corruption they would be puffed up with pride in their purity4'0 ,all these stories prove that the lower soul is a real substance 7ayn71 not a mere attribute1 and that it has attributes which we clearly perceive4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,thy worst enemy is thy lower soul1 which is between thy two sides40 ,when you have obtained knowledge of it you recognize that it can be mastered by discipline1 but that its essence and substance do not perish4 ,if it is rightly known and under control1 the seeker need not care though it continues to exist in him4 ,hence the purpose of mortifying the lower soul is to destroy its attributes1 not to annihilate its reality4 ,now ,i will discuss the true nature of passion and the renunciation of lusts4 ,discourse on the true nature of ,passion 7haw74 ,you must know that1 according to the opinion of some1 passion is a term applied to the attributes of the lower soul1 but1 according to others1 a term denoting the natural volition 7irdat-i ab7 whereby the lower soul is controlled and directed1 just as the spirit is controlled by the intelligence4 ,every spirit that is devoid of the faculty of intelligence is imperfect1 and similarly every lower soul that is devoid of the faculty of passion is imperfect4 ,man is continually being called by intelligence and passion into contrary ways4 ,if he obeys the call of intelligence he attains to faith1 but if he obeys the call of passion he arrives at error and infidelity4 ,therefore passion is a veil and a false guide1 and man is commanded to resist it4 ,passion is of two kinds3 7#a7 desire of pleasure and lust1 and 7#b7 desire of worldly honour and authority4 ,he who follows pleasure and lust haunts taverns1 and mankind are safe from his mischief1 but he who desires honour and authority lives in cells 7awmi7 and monasteries1 and not only has lost the right way himself but also leads others into error4 ,one whose every act depends on passion1 and who finds satisfaction in following it1 is far from ,god although he be with you in a mosque1 but one who has renounced and abandoned it is near to ,god although he be in a church4 ,ibrhm ,khaww relates this anecdote3 8,once ,i heard that in ,rm there was a monk who had been seventy years in a monastery4 ,i said to myself3 #8,wonderful6 ,forty years is the term of monastic vows3 what is the state of this man that he has remained there for seventy years8' ,i went to see him4 ,when ,i approached1 he opened a window and said to me3 #8,o ,ibrhm1 ,i know why you have come4 ,i have not stayed here for seventy years because of monastic vows1 but ,i have a dog foul with passion1 and ,i have taken my abode in this monastery for the purpose of guarding the dog 7sagbn71 and preventing it from doing harm to others4' ,on hearing him say this ,i exclaimed3 #8,o ,lord1 ,thou art able to bestow righteousness on a man even though he be involved in sheer error4' ,he said to me3 #8,o ,ibrhm1 how long will you seek men8 ,go and seek yourself1 and when you have found yourself keep watch over yourself1 for this passion clothes itself every day in three hundred and sixty diverse garments of godhead and leads men astray4'8 ,in short1 the devil cannot enter a man's heart until he desires to commit a sin3 but when a certain quantity of passion appears1 the devil takes it and decks it out and displays it to the man's heart2 and this is called diabolic suggestion 7wasws74 ,it begins from passion1 and in reference to this fact ,god said to ,ibls when he threatened to seduce all mankind3 0,verily1 thou hast no power over ,my servants0 7,kor4 xv1 #db71 for the devil in reality is a man's lower soul and passion4 ,hence the ,apostle said3 8,there is no one whom his devil 7i4e4 his passion7 has not subdued except ,umar1 for he has subdued his devil40 ,passion is mingled as an ingredient in the clay of ,adam2 whoever renounces it becomes a prince and whoever follows it becomes a captive4 ,junayd was asked3 8,what is union with ,god80 ,he replied3 8,to renounce passion10 for of all the acts of devotion by which ,god's favour is sought none has greater value than resistance to passion1 because it is easier for a man to destroy a mountain with his nails than to resist passion4 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian said3 8,i saw a man flying through the air1 and asked him how he had attained to this degree4 ,he answered3 #8,i set my feet on passion 7haw7 in order that ,i might ascend into the air 7haw74'0 ,it is related that ,muammad b4 ,fal al-,balkh said3 8,i marvel at one who goes with his passion into ,god's ,house and visits ,him3 why does not he trample on his passion that he may attain to ,him80 ,the most manifest attribute of the lower soul is lust 7shahwat74 ,lust is a thing that is dispersed in different parts of the human body1 and is served by the senses4 ,man is bound to guard all his members from it1 and he shall be questioned concerning the acts of each4 ,the lust of the eye is sight1 that of the ear is hearing1 that of the nose is smell1 that of the tongue is speech1 that of the palate is taste1 that of the body 7jasad7 is touch1 and that of the mind is thought 7andshdan74 ,it behoves the seeker of ,god to spend his whole life1 day and night1 in ridding himself of these incitements to passion which show themselves through the senses1 and to pray ,god to make him such that this desire will be removed from his inward nature1 since whoever is afflicted with lust is veiled from all spiritual things4 ,if anyone should repel it by his own exertions1 his task would be long and painful4 ,the right way is resignation 7taslm74 ,it is related that ,ab ,al ,siyh of ,merv said3 8,i had gone to the bath and in accordance with the custom of the ,prophet ,i was using a razor 7pubis tondend caus74 ,i said to myself3 #8,o ,ab ,al1 amputate this member which is the source of all lusts and keeps thee afflicted with so much evil4' ,a voice in my heart whispered3 #8,o ,ab ,al1 wilt thou interfere in ,my kingdom8 ,are not all thy limbs equally at ,my disposal8 ,if thou do this1 ,i swear by ,my glory that ,i will put a hundredfold lust and passion in every hair in that place4'0 ,although a man has no power over what is vicious in his constitution1 he can get an attribute changed by ,divine aid and by resigning himself to ,god's will and by divesting himself of his own power and strength4 ,in reality1 when he resigns himself1 ,god protects him2 and through ,god's protection he comes nearer to annihilating the evil than he does through self-mortification1 since flies are more easily driven away with an umbrella 7mikanna7 than with a fly-whisk 7midhabba74 ,unless ,divine protection is predestined to a man1 he cannot abstain from anything by his own exertion1 and unless ,god exerts ,himself towards a man1 that man's exertion is of no use4 ,all acts of exertion fall under two heads3 their object is either to avert the predestination of ,god or to acquire something in spite of predestination2 and both these objects are impossible4 ,it is related that when ,shibl was ill1 the physician advised him to be abstinent4 8,from what shall ,i abstain80 said he1 8from that which ,god bestows upon me1 or from that which ,he does not bestow8 ,it is impossible to abstain from the former1 and the latter is not in my hands40 ,i will discuss this question carefully on another occasion4 #g4 ,,the ,,ak,m,s4 ,they are the followers of ,ab ,abdallh ,muammad b4 ,al al-akm al-,tirmidh1 who was one of the religious leaders of his time and the author of many works on every branch of exoteric and esoteric science4 ,his doctrine was based on saintship 7wilyat71 and he used to explain the true nature of saintship and the degrees of the saints and the observance of the proper arrangement of their ranks4 ,as the first step towards understanding his doctrine1 you must know that ,god has saints 7awliy71 whom ,he has chosen out of mankind1 and whose thoughts ,he has withdrawn from worldly ties and delivered from sensual temptations2 and ,he has stationed each of them in a particular degree1 and has opened unto them the door of these mysteries4 ,much might be said on this topic1 but ,i must briefly set forth several points of capital importance4 ,discourse on the ,affirmation of ,saintship 7wilyat74 ,you must know that the principle and foundation of fiism and knowledge of ,god rests on saintship1 the reality of which is unanimously affirmed by all the ,shaykhs1 though every one has expressed himself in different language4 ,the peculiarity of ,muammad b4 ,al 7al-akm7 lies in the fact that he applied this term to the theory of fiism4 ,walyat means1 etymologically1 8power to dispose0 7taarruf71 and wilyat means 8possession of command0 7imrat74 ,walyat also means 8lordship0 7rubbiyyat72 hence ,god hath said3 8,in this case the lordship 7al-walyat7 belongs to ,god who is the ,truth0 7,kor4 xviii1 #db71 because the unbelievers seek ,his protection and turn unto ,him and renounce their idols4 ,and wilyat also means 8love0 7maabbat74 ,wal may be the form fal with the meaning of mafl1 as ,god hath said3 8,and ,he takes charge of 7yatawall7 the righteous0 7,kor4 vii1 #aie71 for ,god does not leave ,his servant to his own actions and attributes1 but keeps him under ,his protection4 ,and wal may be the form fal1 equivalent to fil1 with an intensive force1 because a man takes care 7tawall kunad7 to obey ,god and constantly to fulfil the obligations that he owes to ,him4 ,thus wal in the active meaning is 8one who desires0 7murd71 while in the passive meaning it denotes 8one who is the object of ,god's desire0 7murd74 ,all these meanings1 whether they signify the relation of ,god to ,man or that of ,man to ,god1 are allowable1 for ,god may be the protector of ,his friends1 inasmuch as ,he promised ,his protection to the ,companions of the ,apostle1 and declared that the unbelievers had no protector 7mawl74#aag ,and1 moreover1 ,he may distinguish them in an exclusive way by ,his friendship1 as ,he hath said1 8,he loves them and they love ,him0 7,kor4 v1 #ei71 so that they turn away from the favour of mankind3 ,he is their friend 7wal7 and they are ,his friends 7awliy74 ,and ,he may confer on one a 8friendship0 7wilyat7 that enables him to persevere in obedience to ,him1 and keeps him free from sin1 and on another a 8friendship0 that empowers him to loose and bind1 and makes his prayers answered and his aspirations effectual1 as the ,apostle said3 8,there is many a one with dirty hair1 dust-stained1 clad in two old garments1 whom men never heed2 but if he were to swear by ,god1 ,god would verify his oath40 ,it is well known that in the ,caliphate of ,umar b4 al-,khab1 the ,nile1 in accordance with its usual habit1 ceased to flow2 for in the time of ,paganism they used annually to adorn a maiden and throw her into the river to make it flow again4 ,umar therefore wrote on a piece of paper3 8,o river1 if thou hast stopped of thy own will1 thou doest wrong1 and if by command of ,god1 ,umar bids thee flow48 ,when this paper was thrown in1 the ,nile resumed its course4 ,footnote #aag3 ,kor4 xlvii1 #ab4 ,my purpose in discussing saintship and affirming its reality is to show you that the name of saint 7wal7 is properly applied to those in whom the above-mentioned qualities are actually present 7l7 and not merely reputed 7ql74 ,certain ,shaykhs formerly composed books on this subject1 but they became rare and soon disappeared4 ,now ,i will commend to you the explanation given by that venerable spiritual director who is the author of the doctrine--for my own belief in it is greater--in order that much instruction may be gained1 not only by yourself1 but also by every seeker of fiism who may have the good fortune to read this book4 ,,section4 ,you must know that the word wal is current among the vulgar1 and is to be found in the ,koran and the ,apostolic ,traditions3 e4g41 ,god hath said1 0,verily1 on the friends 7awliy7 of ,god no fear shall come1 and they shall not grieve8 7,kor4 x1 #fc72 and again1 0,god is the friend 7wal7 of those who believe0 7,kor4 ii1 #beh74 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,among the servants of ,god there are some whom the prophets and martyrs deem happy40 ,he was asked3 8,who are they8 ,describe them to us that perchance we may love them40 ,he replied3 8,those who love one another1 through ,god's mercy1 without wealth and without seeking a livelihood3 their faces are luminous1 and they sit on thrones of light2 they are not afraid when men are afraid1 nor do they grieve when men grieve40 ,then he recited3 8,verily1 on the friends of ,god no fear shall come1 and they shall not grieve0 7,kor4 x1 #fc74 ,furthermore1 the ,apostle said that ,god said3 8,he who hurts a saint 7wal7 has allowed himself to make war on ,me40 ,these passages show that ,god has saints 7awliy7 whom ,he has specially distinguished by ,his friendship and whom ,he has chosen to be the governors of ,his kingdom and has marked out to manifest ,his actions and has peculiarly favoured with diverse kinds of miracles 7karmt7 and has purged of natural corruptions and has delivered from subjection to their lower soul and passion1 so that all their thoughts are of ,him and their intimacy is with ,him alone4 ,such have been in past ages1 and are now1 and shall be hereafter until the ,day of ,resurrection1 because ,god has exalted this 7,moslem7 community above all others and has promised to preserve the religion of ,muammad4 ,inasmuch as the traditional and intellectual proofs of this religion are to be found among the divines 7ulam71 it follows that the visible proof is to be found among the ,saints and elect of ,god4 ,here we have two parties opposed to us1 namely1 the ,mutazilites and the rank and file of the ,anthropomorphists 7ashwiyya74 ,the ,mutazilites deny that one ,moslem is specially privileged more than another2 but if a saint is not specially privileged1 neither is a prophet specially privileged2 and this is infidelity4 ,the vulgar ,anthropomorphists allow that special privileges may be conferred1 but assert that such privileged persons no longer exist1 although they did exist in the past4 ,it is all the same1 however1 whether they deny the past or the future1 since one side of denial is no better than another4 ,god1 then1 has caused the prophetic evidence 7burhn-i nabaw7 to remain down to the present day1 and has made the ,saints the means whereby it is manifested1 in order that the signs of the ,truth and the proof of ,muammad's veracity may continue to be clearly seen4 ,he has made the ,saints the governors of the universe2 they have become entirely devoted to ,his business1 and have ceased to follow their sensual affections4 ,through the blessing of their advent the rain falls from heaven1 and through the purity of their lives the plants spring up from the earth1 and through their spiritual influence the ,moslems gain victories over the unbelievers4 ,among them there are four thousand who are concealed and do not know one another and are not aware of the excellence of their state1 but in all circumstances are hidden from themselves and from mankind4 ,traditions have come down to this effect1 and the sayings of the ,saints proclaim the truth thereof1 and ,i myself--,god be praised6--have had ocular experience 7khabar-i iyn7 of this matter4 ,but of those who have power to loose and to bind and are the officers of the ,divine court there are three hundred1 called ,akhyr1 and forty1 called ,abdl1 and seven1 called ,abrr1 and four1 called ,awtd1 and three1 called ,nuqab1 and one1 called ,qub or ,ghawth4 ,all these know one another and cannot act save by mutual consent4 ,here the vulgar may object to my assertion that they know one another to be saints1 on the ground that1 if such is the case1 they must be secure as to their fate in the next world4 ,i reply that it is absurd to suppose that knowledge of saintship involves security4 ,a believer may have knowledge of his faith and yet not be secure3 why should not the same hold good of a saint who has knowledge of his saintship8 ,nevertheless1 it is possible that ,god should miraculously cause the saint to know his security in regard to the future life1 while maintaining him in a state of spiritual soundness and preserving him from disobedience4 ,the ,shaykhs differ on this question for the reason which ,i have explained4 ,those belonging to the four thousand who are concealed do not admit that the saint can know himself to be such1 whereas those of the other class take the contrary view4 ,each opinion is supported by many lawyers and scholastics4 ,ab ,isq ,isfarin#aah and some of the ancients hold that a saint is ignorant of his saintship1 while ,ab ,bakr b4 ,frak#aai and others of the past generation hold that he is conscious of it4 ,i ask the former party1 what loss or evil does a saint suffer by knowing himself8 ,if they allege that he is conceited when he knows himself to be a saint1 ,i answer that ,divine protection is a necessary condition of saintship1 and one who is protected from evil cannot fall into self-conceit4 ,it is a very common notion 7sukhan-i sakht miyna7 that a saint1 to whom extraordinary miracles 7karmt7 are continually vouchsafed1 does not know himself to be a saint or these miracles to be miracles4 ,both parties have adherents among the common people1 but opinion is of no account4 ,footnote #aah3 ,see ,ibn ,khallikn1 ,no4 #d4 ,footnote #aai3 ,see ,ibn ,khallikn1 ,no4 #fba2 ,brockelmann1 i1 #aff4 ,the ,mutazilites1 however1 deny special privileges and miracles1 which constitute the essence of saintship4 ,they affirm that all ,moslems are friends 7awliy7 of ,god when they are obedient to ,him1 and that anyone who fulfils the ordinances of the ,faith and denies the attributes and vision of ,god and allows believers to be eternally damned in ,hell and acknowledges only such obligations as are imposed by ,reason1 without regard to ,revelation1 is a 8friend0 7wal74 ,all ,moslems agree that such a person is a 8friend01 but a friend of the ,devil4 ,the ,mutazilites also maintain that1 if saintship involved miracles1 all believers must have miracles vouchsafed to them1 because they all share in faith 7mn71 and if they share in what is fundamental they must likewise share in what is derivative4 ,they say1 further1 that miracles may be vouchsafed both to believers and to infidels1 e4g4 when anyone is hungry or fatigued on a journey some person may appear in order to give him food or mount him on an animal for riding4 ,if it were possible1 they add1 for anyone to traverse a great distance in one night1 the ,apostle must have been that man2 yet1 when he set out for ,mecca1 ,god said1 8,and they 7the animals7 carry your burdens to a land which ye would not have reached save with sore trouble to yourselves0 7,kor4 xvi1 #g74 ,i reply3 8,your arguments are worthless1 for ,god said1 #8,glory to ,him who transported ,his servant by night from the sacred mosque to the farther mosque'0 7,kor4 xvii1 #a74 ,miracles are special1 not general2 but it would have been a general instance if all the ,companions had been miraculously conveyed to ,mecca1 and this would have destroyed all the principles of faith in the unseen4 ,faith is a general term1 applicable to the righteous and the wicked alike1 whereas saintship is special4 ,the journey of the ,companions to ,mecca falls under the former category1 but inasmuch as the case of the ,apostle was a special one1 ,god conveyed him in one night from ,mecca to ,jerusalem1 and thence to a space of two bow-lengths from the ,divine presence2 and he returned ere the night was far spent4 ,again1 to deny special privileges is manifestly unreasonable4 ,as in a palace there are chamberlains1 janitors1 grooms1 and viziers1 who1 although they are equally the king's servants1 are not equal in rank1 so all believers are equal in respect of their faith1 but some are obedient1 some wise1 some pious1 and some ignorant4 ,,section4 ,the ,shaykhs1 every one1 have given hints as to the true meaning of saintship4 ,now ,i will bring together as many of these selected definitions as possible4 ,ab ,al ,jzajn says3 8,the saint is annihilated in his own state and subsistent in the contemplation of the ,truth3 he cannot tell anything concerning himself1 nor can he rest with anyone except ,god10 because a man has knowledge only of his own state1 and when all his states are annihilated he cannot tell anything about himself2 and he cannot rest with anyone else1 to whom he might tell his state1 because to communicate one's hidden state to another is to reveal the secret of the ,beloved1 which cannot be revealed except to the ,beloved himself4 ,moreover1 in contemplation it is impossible to regard aught except ,god3 how1 then1 can he be at rest with mankind8 ,junayd said3 8,the saint hath no fear1 because fear is the expectation either of some future calamity or of the eventual loss of some object of desire1 whereas the saint is the son of his time 7ibn waqtihi73 he has no future that he should fear anything2 and as he hath no fear so he hath no hope1 since hope is the expectation either of gaining an object of desire or of being relieved from a misfortune1 and this belongs to the future2 nor does he grieve1 because grief arises from the rigour of time1 and how should he feel grief who is in the radiance of satisfaction 7ri7 and the garden of concord 7muwfaqat780 ,the vulgar imagine this saying to imply that1 inasmuch as the saint feels neither fear nor hope nor grief1 he has security 7amn7 in their place2 but he has not security1 for security arises from not seeing that which is hidden1 and from turning one's back on 8time02 and this 7absence of security7 is characteristic of those who pay no regard to their humanity 7bashariyyat7 and are not content with attributes4 ,fear and hope and security and grief all refer to the interests of the lower soul1 and when that is annihilated satisfaction 7ri7 becomes an attribute of ,man1 and when satisfaction has been attained his states become steadfast 7mustaqm7 in vision of the ,author of states 7muawwil71 and his back is turned on all states4 ,then saintship is revealed to his heart and its meaning is made clear to his inmost thoughts4 ,ab ,uthmn ,maghrib says3 8,the saint is sometimes celebrated 7mashhr71 but he is not seduced 7maftn710 and another says3 8,the saint is sometimes hidden 7mastr71 but he is not celebrated40 ,seduction consists in falsehood3 inasmuch as the saint must be veracious1 and miracles cannot possibly be performed by a liar1 it follows that the saint is incapable of being seduced4 ,these two sayings refer to the controversy whether the saint knows himself to be such3 if he knows1 he is celebrated1 and if he does not know1 he is seduced2 but the explanation of this is tedious4 ,it is related that ,ibrhm b4 ,adham asked a certain man whether he desired to be one of ,god's saints1 and on his replying 8,yes01 said3 8,do not covet anything in this world or the next1 and devote thyself entirely to ,god1 and turn to ,god with all thy heart40 ,to covet this world is to turn away from ,god for the sake of that which is transitory1 and to covet the next world is to turn away from ,god for the sake of that which is everlasting3 that which is transitory perishes and its renunciation becomes naught1 but that which is everlasting cannot perish1 hence its renunciation also is imperishable4 ,ab ,yazd was asked3 8,who is a saint80 ,he answered3 8,that one who is patient under the command and prohibition of ,god10 because the more a man loves ,god the more does his heart revere what ,he commands and the farther is his body from what ,he forbids4 ,it is related that ,ab ,yazd said3 8,once ,i was told that a saint of ,god was in such and such a town4 ,i set out to visit him4 ,when ,i arrived at his mosque he came forth from his chamber and spat on the floor of the mosque4 ,i turned back without saluting him1 and said to myself3 #8,a saint must keep the religious law in order that ,god may keep him in his spiritual state4 ,had this man been a saint his respect for the mosque would have prevented him from spitting on its floor1 or ,god would have preserved him from marring the grace vouchsafed to him4' ,the same night ,i dreamed that the ,apostle said to me1 #8,o ,ab ,yazd1 the blessing of that which thou hast done is come to thee4' ,next day ,i attained to this degree which ye behold40 ,and ,i have heard that a man who came to visit ,shaykh ,ab ,sad entered the mosque with his left foot foremost4 ,the ,shaykh gave orders that he should be dismissed1 saying3 8,he who does not know how to enter the house of the ,friend is not suitable for us40 ,some heretics who have adopted this perilous doctrine assert that service of ,god 7khidmat7 is necessary only while one is becoming a saint1 but that after one has become a saint service is abolished4 ,this is clearly wrong4 ,there is no 8station0 on the way to the ,truth where any obligation of service is abolished4 ,i will explain this matter fully in its proper place4 ,discourse on the ,affirmation of ,miracles 7karmt74 ,you must know that miracles may be vouchsafed to a saint so long as he does not infringe the obligations of the religious law4 ,both parties of the orthodox ,moslems agree on this point1 nor is it intellectually impossible1 because such miracles are a species of that which is predestined by ,god1 and their manifestation does not contradict any principle of the religious law1 nor1 on the other hand1 is it repugnant to the mind to conceive them as a genus4 ,a miracle is a token of a saint's veracity1 and it cannot be manifested to an impostor except as a sign that his pretensions are false4 ,it is an extraordinary act 7fil nqi-i dat71 performed while he is still subject to the obligations of religion2 and whoever is able1 through knowledge given him by ,god1 to distinguish by the method of deduction what is true from what is false1 he too is a saint4 ,some ,sunns maintain that miracles are established1 but not to the degree of an evidentiary miracle 7mujizat#abj73 they do not admit1 for example1 that prayers may be answered and fulfilled1 and so forth1 contrary to custom4 ,i ask in reply3 8,what do you consider wrong in the performance by a true saint1 while he is subject to religious obligations1 of an act which violates custom80 ,if they say that it is not a species of that which is predestined by ,god1 this statement is erroneous2 and if they say that it is a species of that which is predestined1 but that its performance by a true saint involves the annulment of prophecy and the denial of special privileges to the prophets1 this assertion also is inadmissible1 since the saint is specially distinguished by miracles 7karmt7 and the prophet by evidentiary miracles 7mujizt72 and inasmuch as the saint is a saint and the prophet is a prophet1 there is no likeness between them to justify such precaution4 ,the pre-eminence of the prophets depends on their exalted rank and on their being preserved from the defilement of sin1 not on miracles or evidentiary miracles or acts which violate custom4 ,all the prophets are equal so far as they all have the power of working such miracles 7ijz71 but some are superior to others in degree4 ,since1 then1 notwithstanding this equality in regard to their actions1 some prophets are superior to others1 why should not miracles 7karmt7 which violate custom be vouchsafed also to the saints1 although the prophets are superior to them8 ,and since1 in the case of the prophets1 an act which violates custom does not cause one of them to be more exalted or more specially privileged than another1 so1 in the case of the saints1 a similar act does not cause a saint to be more specially privileged than a prophet1 i4e4 the saints do not become like in kind 7hamsn7 to the prophets4 ,this proof will clear away1 for reasonable men1 any difficulties that this matter may have presented to them4 8,but suppose10 it may be said1 8that a saint whose miracles violate custom should claim to be a prophet40 ,i reply that this is impossible1 because saintship involves veracity1 and he who tells a falsehood is no saint4 ,moreover1 a saint who pretends to prophesy casts an imputation on 7the genuineness of7 evidentiary miracles1 which is infidelity4 ,miracles 7karmt7 are vouchsafed only to a pious believer1 and falsehood is impiety4 ,that being so1 the miracles of the saint confirm the evidence of the prophet4 ,there is no difficulty in reconciling the two classes of miracles4 ,the apostle establishes his prophecy by establishing the reality of evidentiary miracles1 while the saint1 by the miracles which he performs1 establishes both the prophecy of the apostle and his own saintship4 ,therefore the veracious saint says the same thing as the veracious prophet4 ,the miracles of the former are identical with the evidentiary miracles of the latter4 ,a believer1 seeing the miracles of a saint1 has more faith in the veracity of the prophet1 not more doubt1 because there is no contradiction between the claims made by them4 ,similarly1 in law1 when a number of heirs are agreed in their claim1 if one of them establishes his claim the claim of the others is established2 but not so if their claims are contradictory4 ,hence1 when a prophet adduces evidentiary miracles as evidence that his prophecy is genuine1 and when his claim is confirmed by a saint1 it is impossible that any difficulty should arise4 ,footnote #abj3 ,the name mujizat is given to a miracle performed by a prophet1 while one performed by a saint is called karmat4 ,discourse on the difference between ,evidentiary ,miracles 7mujizt7 and ,miracles 7karmt74 ,inasmuch as it has been shown that neither class of miracles can be wrought by an impostor1 we must now distinguish more clearly between them4 ,mujizt involve publicity and karmt secrecy1 because the result of the former is to affect others1 while the latter are peculiar to the person by whom they are performed4 ,again1 the doer of mujizt is quite sure that he has wrought an extraordinary miracle1 whereas the doer of karmt cannot be sure whether he has really wrought a miracle or whether he is insensibly deceived 7istidrj74 ,he who performs mujizt has authority over the law1 and in arranging it he denies or affirms1 according as ,god commands him1 that he is insensibly deceived4#aba ,on the other hand1 he who performs karmt has no choice but to resign himself 7to ,god's will7 and to accept the ordinances that are laid upon him1 because the karmt of a saint are never in any way incompatible with the law laid down by a prophet4 ,it may be said3 8,if evidentiary miracles are the proof of a prophet's veracity1 and if nevertheless you assert that miracles of the same kind may be performed by one who is not a prophet1 then they become ordinary events 7mutd73 therefore your proof of the reality of mujizt annuls your argument establishing the reality of karmt40 ,i reply3 8,this is not the case4 ,the karmat of a saint is identical with1 and displays the same evidence as1 the mujizat of a prophet3 the quality of ijz 7inimitability7 exhibited in the one instance does not impair the same quality in the other instance40 ,when the infidels put ,khubayb on the gallows at ,mecca1 the ,apostle1 who was then seated in the mosque at ,medna1 saw him and told the ,companions what was being done to him4 ,god also lifted the veil from the eyes of ,khubayb1 so that he saw the ,apostle and cried1 8,peace be with thee60 and ,god caused the ,apostle to hear his salutation1 and caused ,khubayb to hear the ,apostle's answer4 ,now1 the fact that the ,apostle at ,medna saw ,khubayb at ,mecca was an evidentiary miracle1 and the fact that ,khubayb at ,mecca saw the ,apostle at ,medna was likewise an extraordinary act4 ,accordingly there is no difference between absence in time and absence in space2 for ,khubayb's miracle 7karmat7 was wrought when he was absent from the ,apostle in space1 and the miracles of later days were wrought by those who were absent from the ,apostle in time4 ,this is a clear distinction and a manifest proof that karmt cannot possibly be in contradiction with ijz 7miracles performed by a prophet74 ,karmt are not established unless they bear testimony to the truth of one who has performed a mujizat1 and they are not vouchsafed except to a pious believer who bears such testimony4 ,karmt of ,moslems are an extraordinary miracle 7mujizat7 of the ,apostle1 for as his law is permanent so must his proof 7ujjat7 also be permanent4 ,the saints are witnesses to the truth of the ,apostle's mission1 and it is impossible that a miracle 7karmat7 should be wrought by an unbeliever 7bgna74 ,footnote #aba3 ,b4 omits the words 8that he is insensibly deceived04 ,on this topic a story is related of ,ibrhm ,khaww1 which is very apposite here4 ,ibrhm said3 8,i went down into the desert in my usual state of detachment from worldly things 7tajrd74 ,after ,i had gone some distance a man appeared and begged me to let him be my companion4 ,i looked at him and was conscious of a feeling of repugnance4 ,he said to me3 #8,o ,ibrhm1 do not be vexed4 ,i am a ,christian1 and one of the bians among them4 ,i have come from the confines of ,rm in the hope of being thy companion4' ,when ,i knew that he was an unbeliever1 ,i regained my equanimity1 and felt it more easy to take him as my companion and to fulfil my obligations towards him4 ,i said3 #8,o monk1 ,i fear that thou wilt suffer from want of meat and drink1 for ,i have nothing with me4' #8,o ,ibrhm1' said he1 #8is thy fame in the world so great1 and art thou still concerned about meat and drink8' ,i marvelled at his boldness and accepted him as my companion in order to test his claim4 ,after journeying seven days and nights we were overtaken by thirst4 ,he stopped and cried3 #8,o ,ibrhm1 they trumpet thy praise throughout the world4 ,now let me see what privileges of intimacy 7gustkhh7 thou hast in this court 7i4e4 to what extent thou art a favourite with ,god71 for ,i can endure no more4' ,i laid my head on the earth and cried3 #8,o ,lord1 do not shame me before this unbeliever1 who thinks well of me6' ,when ,i raised my head ,i saw a dish on which were placed two loaves of bread and two cups of water4 ,we ate and drank and went on our way4 ,after seven days had passed ,i resolved to test him ere he should again put me to the proof4 #8,o monk1' ,i said1 #8now it is thy turn4 ,let me see the fruits of thy mortification4' ,he laid his head on the earth and muttered something4 ,immediately a dish appeared containing four loaves and four cups of water4 ,i was amazed and grieved1 and ,i despaired of my state4 #8,this has appeared1' ,i said1 #8for the sake of an unbeliever3 how can ,i eat or drink thereof8' ,he bade me taste1 but ,i refused1 saying1 #8,thou art not worthy of this1 and it is not in harmony with thy spiritual condition4 ,if ,i regard it as a miracle 7karmat71 miracles are not vouchsafed to unbelievers2 and if ,i regard it as a contribution 7manat7 from thee1 ,i must suspect thee of being an impostor4' ,he said3 #8,taste1 ,o ,ibrhm6 ,i give thee joy of two things3 firstly1 of my conversion to ,islam 7here he uttered the profession of faith71 and secondly1 of the great honour in which thou art held by ,god4' #8,how so8' ,i asked4 ,he answered3 #8,i have no miraculous powers1 but my shame on account of thee made me lay my head on the earth and beg ,god to give me two loaves and two cups of water if the religion of ,muammad is true1 and two more loaves and cups if ,ibrhm ,khaww is one of ,god's saints4'0 ,then ,ibrhm ate and drank1 and the man who had been a monk rose to eminence in ,islam4 ,now1 this violation of custom1 although attached to the karmat of a saint1 is identical with the evidentiary miracles which are wrought by prophets1 but it is rare that in a prophet's absence an evidence should be vouchsafed to another person1 or that in the presence of a saint some portion of his miraculous powers should be transferred to another person4 ,in fact1 the end of saintship is only the beginning of prophecy4 ,that monk was one of the hidden 7saints71 like ,pharaoh's magicians4 ,ibrhm confirmed the ,prophet's power to violate custom1 and his companion also was endeavouring both to confirm prophecy and to glorify saintship2 a purpose which ,god in ,his eternal providence fulfilled4 ,this is a clear difference between karmat and ijz4 ,the manifestation of miracles to the saints is a second miracle1 for they ought to be kept secret1 not intentionally divulged4 ,my ,shaykh used to say that if a saint reveals his saintship and claims to be a saint1 the soundness of his spiritual state is not impaired thereby1 but if he takes pains to obtain publicity he is led astray by self-conceit4 ,discourse on the performance of miracles belonging to the evidentiary class by those who pretend to godship4 ,the ,shaykhs of this sect and all orthodox ,moslems are agreed that an extraordinary act resembling a prophetic miracle 7mujizat7 may be performed by an unbeliever1 in order that by means of his performance he may be shown beyond doubt to be an impostor4 ,thus1 for example1 ,pharaoh lived four hundred years without once falling ill2 and when he climbed up to any high ground the water followed him1 and stopped when he stopped1 and moved when he moved4 ,nevertheless1 intelligent men did not hesitate to deny his pretensions to godship1 inasmuch as every intelligent person acknowledges that ,god is not incarnate 7mujassam7 and composite 7murakkab74 ,you will judge by analogy the wondrous acts related of ,shaddd1 who was the lord of ,iram1 and ,nimrod4 ,similarly1 we are told on trustworthy authority that in the last days ,dajjl will come and will claim godship1 and that two mountains will go with him1 one on his right hand and the other on his left2 and that the mountain on his right hand will be the place of felicity1 and the mountain on his left hand will be the place of torment2 and that he will call the people to himself and will punish those who refuse to join him4 ,but though he should perform a hundredfold amount of such extraordinary acts1 no intelligent person would doubt the falsity of his claim1 for it is well known that ,god does not sit on an ass and is not blind4 ,such things fall under the principle of ,divine deception 7istidrj74 ,so1 again1 one who falsely pretends to be an apostle may perform an extraordinary act1 which proves him an impostor1 just as a similar act performed by a true apostle proves him genuine4 ,but no such act can be performed if there be any possibility of doubt or any difficulty in distinguishing the true claimant from the impostor1 for in that case the principle of allegiance 7bayat7 would be nullified4 ,it is possible1 moreover1 that something of the same kind as a miracle 7karmat7 may be performed by a pretender to saintship who1 although his conduct is bad1 is blameless in his religion1 inasmuch as by that miraculous act he confirms the truth of the ,apostle and manifests the grace of ,god vouchsafed to him and does not attribute the act in question to his own power4 ,one who speaks the truth1 without evidence1 in the fundamental matter of faith 7mn71 will always speak the truth1 with evidence and firm belief1 in the matter of saintship1 because his belief is of the same quality as the belief of the saint2 and though his actions do not square with his belief1 his claim of saintship is not demonstrably contradicted by his evil conduct1 any more than his claim of faith could be4 ,in fact1 miracles 7karmt7 and saintship are ,divine gifts1 not things acquired by ,man1 so that human actions 7kasb7 cannot become the cause of ,divine guidance4 ,i have already said that the saints are not preserved from sin 7mam71 for sinlessness belongs to the prophets1 but they are protected 7maf7 from any evil that involves the denial of their saintship2 and the denial of saintship1 after it has come into being1 depends on something inconsistent with faith1 namely1 apostasy 7riddat73 it does not depend on sin4 ,this is the doctrine of ,muammad b4 ,al akm of ,tirmidh1 and also of ,junayd1 ,abu l-asan ,nr1 rith ,musib1 and many other mystics 7ahl-i aqiq74 ,but those who attach importance to conduct 7ahl-i mumalt71 like ,sahl b4 ,abdallh of ,tustar1 ,ab ,sulaymn ,drn1 amdn ,qar1 and others1 maintain that saintship involves unceasing obedience 7at71 and that when a great sin 7kabra7 occurs to the mind of a saint he is deposed from his saintship4 ,now1 as ,i have stated before1 there is a consensus of opinion 7ijm7 among ,moslems that a great sin does not put anyone outside the pale of faith2 and one saintship 7wilyat7 is no better than another4 ,therefore1 since the saintship of knowledge of ,god 7marifat71 which is the foundation of all miracles vouchsafed by ,divine grace 7karmath71 is not lost through sin1 it is impossible that what is inferior to that in excellence and grace 7karmat7 should disappear because of sin4 ,the controversy among the ,shaykhs on this matter has run to great length1 and ,i do not intend to record it here4 ,it is most important1 however1 that you should know with certainty in what state this miraculous grace is manifested to the saint3 in sobriety or intoxication1 in rapture 7ghalabat7 or composure 7tamkn74 ,i have fully explained the meaning of intoxication and sobriety in my account of the doctrine of ,ab ,yazd4 ,he and ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian and ,muammad b4 ,khaff and usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj7 and ,yay b4 ,mudh ,rz and others hold that miracles are not vouchsafed to a saint except when he is in the state of intoxication1 whereas the miracles of the prophets are wrought in the state of sobriety4 ,hence1 according to their doctrine1 this is a clear distinction between mujizt and karmt1 for the saint1 being enraptured1 pays no heed to the people and does not call upon them to follow him1 while the prophet1 being sober1 exerts himself to attain his object and challenges the people to rival what he has done4 ,moreover1 the prophet may choose whether he will manifest or conceal his extraordinary powers1 but the saints have no such choice2 sometimes a miracle is not granted to them when they desire it1 and sometimes it is bestowed when they do not desire it1 for the saint has no propaganda1 so that his attributes should be subsistent1 but he is hidden and his proper state is to have his attributes annihilated4 ,the prophet is a man of law 7ib shar71 and the saint is a man of inward feeling 7ib sirr74 ,accordingly1 a miracle 7karmat7 will not be manifested to a saint unless he is in a state of absence from himself and bewilderment1 and unless his faculties are entirely under the control of ,god4 ,while saints are with themselves and maintain the state of humanity 7bashariyyat71 they are veiled2 but when the veil is lifted they are bewildered and amazed through realizing the bounties of ,god4 ,a miracle cannot be manifested except in the state of unveiledness 7kashf71 which is the rank of proximity 7qurb72 and whoever is in that state1 to him worthless stones appear even as gold4 ,this is the state of intoxication with which no human being1 the prophets alone excepted1 is permanently endowed4 ,thus1 one day1 ritha was transported from this world and had the next world revealed to him2 he said3 8,i have cut myself loose from this world1 so that its stones and its gold and its silver and its clay are all one to me40 ,next day he was seen tending asses1 and on being asked what he was doing1 he said3 8,i am trying to get the food that ,i need40 ,therefore1 the saints1 while they are sober1 are as ordinary men1 but while they are intoxicated their rank is the same as that of the prophets1 and the whole universe becomes like gold unto them4 ,shibl says-- 8,gold wherever we go1 and pearls ,wherever we turn1 and silver in the waste40 ,i have heard the ,master and ,imm ,abu l-,qsim ,qushayr say3 8,once ,i asked barn about the beginning of his spiritual experience4 ,he told me that on one occasion he wanted a stone from the river-bed at ,sarakhs4 ,every stone that he touched turned into a gem1 and he threw them all away40 ,this was because stones and gems were the same to him1 or rather1 gems were of less value1 since he had no desire for them4 ,and ,i have heard ,khwja ,imm ,khazin at ,sarakhs relate as follows3 8,in my boyhood ,i went to a certain place to get mulberry leaves for silkworms4 ,when it was midday ,i climbed a tree and began to shake the branches4 ,while ,i was thus employed ,shaykh ,abu l-,fal b4 al-asan passed by1 but he did not see me1 and ,i had no doubt that he was beside himself and that his heart was with ,god4 ,suddenly he raised his head and cried with the boldness of intimacy3 #8,o ,lord1 it is more than a year since ,thou hast given me a small piece of silver 7dng7 that ,i might have my hair cut4 ,is this the way to treat ,thy friends8' ,no sooner had he spoken than ,i saw all the leaves and boughs and roots of the trees turned to gold4 ,abu l-,fal exclaimed3 #8,how strange6 ,the least hint that ,i utter is a backsliding 7hama tar-i m r ast74 ,one cannot say a word to ,thee for the sake of relieving one's mind4'0 ,it is related that ,shibl cast four hundred dnrs into the ,tigris4 ,when asked what he was doing1 he replied3 8,stones are better in the water40 8,but why10 they said1 8don't you give the money to the poor80 ,he answered3 8,glory to ,god6 what plea can ,i urge before ,him if ,i remove the veil from my own heart only to place it on the hearts of my brother ,moslems8 ,it is not religious to wish them worse than myself40 ,all these cases belong to the state of intoxication1 which ,i have already explained4 ,on the other hand1 ,junayd and ,abu l-,abbs ,sayyr and ,ab ,bakr ,wsi and ,muammad b4 ,al of ,tirmidh1 the author of the doctrine1 hold that miracles are manifested in the state of sobriety and composure 7aw tamkn71 not in the state of intoxication4 ,they argue that the saints of ,god are the governors of ,his kingdom and the overseers of the universe1 which ,god has committed absolutely to their charge3 therefore their judgments must be the soundest of all1 and their hearts must be the most tenderly disposed of all towards the creatures of ,god4 ,they are mature 7rasdagn72 and whereas agitation and intoxication are marks of inexperience1 with maturity agitation is transmuted into composure4 ,then1 and only then1 is one a saint in reality1 and only then are miracles genuine4 ,it is well known among fs that every night the ,awtd must go round the whole universe1 and if there should be any place on which their eyes have not fallen1 next day some imperfection will appear in that place2 and they must then inform the ,qub1 in order that he may fix his attention on the weak spot1 and that by his blessing the imperfection may be removed4 ,as regards the assertion that gold and earth are one to the saint1 this indifference is a sign of intoxication and failure to see truly4 ,more excellent is the man of true sight and sound perception1 to whom gold is gold and earth is earth1 but who recognizes the evil of the former and says3 8,o yellow ore6 ,o white ore6 beguile some one else1 for ,i am aware of your corruptedness40 ,he who sees the corruptedness of gold and silver perceives them to be a veil 7between himself and ,god71 and ,god will reward him for having renounced them4 ,contrariwise1 he to whom gold is even as earth is not made perfect by renouncing earth4 ritha1 being intoxicated1 declared that stones and gold were alike to him1 but ,ab ,bakr1 being sober1 perceived the evil of laying hands on worldly wealth1 and knew that ,god would reward him for rejecting it4 ,therefore he renounced it1 and when the ,apostle asked him what he had left for his family he answered1 8,god and ,his ,apostle40 ,and the following story is related by ,ab ,bakr ,warrq of ,tirmidh3 8,one day ,muammad b4 ,al 7al-akm7 said that he would take me somewhere4 ,i replied3 #8,it is for the ,shaykh to command4' ,soon after we set out ,i saw an exceedingly dreadful wilderness1 and in the midst thereof a golden throne placed under a green tree beside a fountain of running water4 ,seated on the throne was a person clad in beautiful raiment1 who rose when ,muammad b4 ,al approached1 and bade him sit on the throne4 ,after a while1 people came from every side until forty were gathered together4 ,then ,muammad b4 ,al waved his hand1 and immediately food appeared from heaven1 and we ate4 ,afterwards ,muammad b4 ,al asked a question of a man who was present1 and he in reply made a long discourse of which ,i did not understand a single word4 ,at last the ,shaykh begged leave and took his departure1 saying to me3 #8,go1 for thou art blest4' ,on our return to ,tirmidh1 ,i asked him what was that place and who was that man4 ,he told me that the place was the ,desert of the ,israelites 7th-i ,ban ,isrl7 and that the man was the ,qub on whom the order of the universe depends4 #8,o ,shaykh1' ,i said1 #8how did we reach the ,desert of the ,israelites from ,tirmidh in such a brief time8' ,he answered3 #8,o ,ab ,bakr1 it is thy business to arrive 7rasdan71 not to ask questions 7pursdan74'8 ,this is a mark1 not of intoxication1 but of sanity4 ,now ,i will mention some miracles and stories of the fs1 and link thereto certain evidence which is to be found in the ,book 7the ,koran74 ,discourse concerning their ,miracles4 ,the reality of miracles having been established by logical argument1 you must now become acquainted with the evidence of the ,koran and the genuine ,traditions of the ,apostle4 ,both ,koran and ,tradition proclaim the reality of miracles and extraordinary acts wrought by saints4 ,to deny this is to deny the authority of the sacred texts4 ,one example is the text1 0,and ,we caused the clouds to overshadow you and the manna and the quails to descend upon you0 7,kor4 ii1 #ed74 ,if any sceptic should assert that this was an evidentiary miracle 7mujizat7 of ,moses1 ,i raise no objection1 because all the miracles of the saints are an evidentiary miracle of ,muammad2 and if he says that this miracle was wrought in the absence of ,moses1 although it occurred in his time1 and that therefore it was not necessarily wrought by him1 ,i reply that the same principle holds good in the case of ,moses1 when he quitted his people and went to ,mount ,sinai1 as in the case of ,muammad2 for there is no difference between being absent in time and being absent in space4 ,we are also told of the miracle of af b4 ,barkhiy1 who brought the throne of ,bilqs to ,solomon in the twinkling of an eye 7,kor4 xxvii1 #dj74 ,this cannot have been a mujizat1 for af was not an apostle2 had it been a mujizat1 it must have been wrought by ,solomon3 therefore it was a karmat4 ,we are told also of ,mary that whenever ,zacharias went into her chamber he found winter fruits in summer and summer fruits in winter1 so that he said3 8#8,whence hadst thou this8' ,she answered1 #8,it is from ,god'0 7,kor4 iii1 #cb74 ,everyone admits that ,mary was not an apostle4 ,furthermore1 we have the story of the men of the cave 7ab al-kahf71 how their dog spoke to them1 and how they slept and turned about in the cave 7,kor4 xviii1 #ag74 ,all these were extraordinary acts1 and since they certainly were not a mujizat1 they must have been a karmat4 ,such miracles 7karmat7 may be1 for example1 the answering of prayers through the accomplishment of wishes conceived by one who is subject to the religious law 7ba-ul-i umr-i mawhm andar zamn-i taklf71 or the traversing of great distances in a short time1 or the appearance of food from an unaccustomed place1 or power to read the thoughts of others1 etc4 ,among the genuine ,traditions is the story of the cave 7adth al-ghr71 which is told as follows4 ,one day the ,companions of the ,apostle begged him to relate to them some marvellous tale of the ancient peoples4 ,he said3 8,once three persons were going to a certain place4 ,at eventide they took shelter in a cave1 and while they were asleep a rock fell from the mountain and blocked the mouth of the cave4 ,they said to one another1 #8,we shall never escape from here unless we make our disinterested actions plead for us before ,god4' ,so one of them began3 #8,i had a father and mother and ,i had no worldly goods except a goat1 whose milk ,i used to give to them2 and every day ,i used to gather a bundle of firewood and sell it and spend the money in providing food for them and myself4 ,one night ,i came home rather late1 and before ,i milked the goat and steeped their food in the milk they had fallen asleep4 ,i kept the bowl in my hand and stood there1 without having eaten anything1 until morning1 when they awoke and ate2 then ,i sat down4' #8,o ,lord' 7he continued71 #8if ,i speak the truth concerning this matter1 send us deliverance and come to our aid6'0 ,the ,apostle said3 8,thereupon the rock moved a little and a crevice appeared4 ,the next man said3 #8,there was a beautiful blind girl1 with whom ,i was deeply in love1 but she would not listen to my suit4 ,i managed to send to her a hundred and twenty dnrs with a promise that she should keep the money if she would be mine for one night4 ,when she came the fear of ,god seized my heart4 ,i turned from her and let her keep the money4' ,he added1 #8,o ,god1 if ,i speak the truth1 deliver us6'0 ,the ,apostle said3 8,then the rock moved a little further and the crevice widened1 but they could not yet go forth4 ,the third man said3 #8,i had some labourers working for me4 ,when the work was done they all received their wages except one1 who disappeared4 ,with his wages ,i bought a sheep4 ,next year there were two1 and in the year after that there were four1 and they soon became a large flock4 ,after several years the labourer returned and asked me for his wages4 ,i said to him1 8,go and take all these sheep2 they are your property40 ,he thought ,i must be mocking him1 but ,i assured him that it was true1 and he went off with the whole flock4' ,the narrator added1 #8,o ,lord1 if ,i speak the truth1 deliver us6'0 8,he had scarcely finished10 said the ,apostle1 8when the rock moved away from the mouth of the cave and let the three men come forth40#abb ,it is related that ,ab ,sad ,kharrz said3 8,for a long time ,i used to eat only once in three days4 ,i was journeying in the desert1 and on the third day ,i felt weak through hunger4 ,a voice from heaven cried to me1 #8,dost thou prefer food that will quiet thy lower nature1 or an expedient that will enable thee to overcome thy weakness without food8' ,i replied1 #8,o ,god1 give me strength6' ,then ,i rose and travelled twelve stages without meat or drink40 ,it is well known that at the present day the house of ,sahl b4 ,abdallh at ,tustar is called the ,house of the ,wild ,beasts 7bayt al-sib71 and the people of ,tustar are agreed that many wild beasts used to come to him1 and that he fed and tended them4 ,abu l-,qsim of ,merv tells the following story3 8,as ,i was walking on the seashore with ,ab ,sad ,kharrz1 ,i saw a youth clad in a patched frock and carrying a bucket 7rakwa71 to which an ink-bottle was fastened4 ,kharrz said3 #8,when ,i look at this youth he seems to be one of the adepts 7rasdagn71 but when ,i look at his ink-bottle ,i think he is a student4 ,let me question him4' ,so he accosted the youth and said1 #8,what is the way to ,god8' ,the youth answered3 #8,there are two ways to ,god3 the way of the vulgar and the way of the elect4 ,thou hast no knowledge of the latter1 but the way of the vulgar1 which thou pursuest1 is to regard thine own actions as the cause of attaining to ,god1 and to suppose that an ink-bottle is one of the things that interfere with attainment4'0 ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian says3 8,once ,i embarked in a ship voyaging from ,egypt to ,jidda4 ,among the passengers was a youth wearing a patched frock4 ,i was eager to be his companion1 but he inspired me with such awe that ,i did not venture to address him1 for his spiritual state was very exalted and he was constantly engaged in devotion4 ,one day a certain man lost a purse of jewels1 and suspicion fell on this youth4 ,they were about to maltreat him1 but ,i said1 #8,let me question him courteously4' ,i told him that he was suspected of theft and that ,i had saved him from maltreatment4 #8,and now1' ,i said1 #8what is to be done8' ,he looked towards ,heaven and spoke a few words4 ,the fishes came to the surface of the sea1 each with a jewel in its mouth4 ,he took a jewel and gave it to his accuser2 then he set his foot on the water and walked away4 ,thereupon the real thief dropped the purse1 and the people in the ship repented40 ,ibrhm ,raqq#abc is related to have said3 8,in my novitiate ,i set out to visit ,muslim ,maghrib4 ,i found him in his mosque1 acting as precentor4 ,he pronounced al-amd incorrectly4 ,i said to myself1 #8,my trouble has been wasted4' ,next day1 when ,i was going to the bank of the ,euphrates to perform the religious ablution1 ,i saw a lion asleep on the road4 ,i turned back1 and was faced by another lion which had been following me4 ,hearing my cry of despair1 ,muslim came forth from his cell4 ,when the lions saw him they humbled themselves before him4 ,he took the ear of each one and rubbed it1 saying1 #8,o dogs of ,god1 have not ,i told you that you must not interfere with my guests8' ,then he said to me3 #8,o ,ab ,isq1 thou hast busied thyself with correcting thy exterior for the sake of ,god's creatures1 hence thou art afraid of them2 but it has been my business to correct my interior for ,god's sake1 hence ,his creatures are afraid of me4'0 ,one day my ,shaykh set out from ,bayt al-,jinn to ,damascus4 ,heavy rain had begun to fall1 and ,i was walking with difficulty in the mire4 ,i noticed that the ,shaykh's shoes and clothes were perfectly dry4 ,on my pointing this out to him1 he said3 8,yes2 ,god has preserved me from mud ever since ,i put unquestioning trust in ,him and guarded my interior from the desolation of cupidity40 ,once an experience occurred to me which ,i could not unravel4 ,i set out to visit ,shaykh ,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn at s4 ,i found him alone in his chamber in the mosque1 and he was expounding precisely the same difficulty to a pillar1 so that ,i was answered without having asked the question4 8,o ,shaykh10 ,i cried1 8to whom art thou saying this80 ,he replied3 8,o son1 ,god just now caused this pillar to speak and ask me this question40 ,in ,farghna1 at a village called ,ashltak1#abd there was an old man1 one of the ,awtd of the earth4 ,his name was ,bb ,umar#abe--;all the dervishes in that country give the title of ,bb to their great ,shaykhs--and he had an old wife called ,fima4 ,i went from ,uzkand to see him4 ,when ,i entered his presence he said3 8,why have you come80 ,i replied3 8,in order that ,i might see the ,shaykh in person and that he might look on me with kindness40 ,he said3 8,i have been seeing you continually since such and such a day1 and ,i wish to see you as long as you are not removed from my sight40 ,i computed the day and year3 it was the very day on which my conversion began4 ,the ,shaykh said3 8,to traverse distance 7sipardan-i masfat7 is child's play3 henceforth pay visits by means of thought 7himmat72 it is not worth while to visit any person 7shakh71 and there is no virtue in bodily presence 7ur-i ashb740 ,then he bade ,fima bring something to eat4 ,she brought a dish of new grapes1 although it was not the season for them1 and some fresh ripe dates1 which cannot possibly be procured in ,farghna4 ,on another occasion1 while ,i was sitting alone1 as is my custom1 beside the tomb of ,shaykh ,ab ,sad at ,mihna1 ,i saw a white pigeon fly under the cloth 7fa7 covering the sepulchre4 ,i supposed that the bird had escaped from its owner1 but when ,i looked under the cloth nothing was to be seen4 ,this happened again next day1 and also on the third day4 ,i was at a loss to understand it1 until one night ,i dreamed of the saint and asked him about my experience4 ,he answered3 8,that pigeon is my good conduct 7af-yi mumalat71 which comes every day to my tomb to feast with me 7ba-mundamat-i man740#abf ,i might adduce many more of these tales without exhausting them1 but my purpose in this book is to establish the principles of fiism4 ,as regards derivatives and matters of conduct books have been compiled by the traditionists 7naqqln71 and these topics are disseminated from the pulpit by preachers 7mudhakkirn74 ,now ,i will give1 in one or two sections1 an adequate account of certain points bearing on the present discussion1 in order that ,i may not have to return to it again4 ,footnote #abb3 ,here follow 7#a7 a ,tradition1 related by ,ab ,hurayra1 of three infants who were miraculously endowed with speech3 7a7 ,jesus1 7b7 a child who exculpated the monk ,jurayj 7,george7 when he was falsely accused by a harlot1 7c7 a child who divined the characters of a horseman and a woman4 7#b7 ,a story of ,zida1 the handmaid of the ,caliph ,umar3 how a knight descended from heaven and gave her a message from ,riwn1 the keeper of ,paradise1 to the ,prophet2 and how1 when she could not lift a bundle of firewood from a rock on which she had laid it1 the ,prophet bade the rock go with her and carry the firewood to ,umar's house4 7#c7 ,a story of ,al b4 al-aram1 who1 having been sent on a warlike expedition by the ,prophet1 walked dry-shod across a river with his company4 7#d7 ,a story of ,abdallh b4 ,umar1 at whose bidding a lion decamped and left the way open for a party of travellers4 7#e7 ,a story of a man who was seen sitting in the air1 and when ,abraham asked him by what means he had obtained such power1 replied that he had renounced the world and that ,god had bestowed on him an aerial dwelling-place where he was not disturbed by any thought of mankind4 7#f7 ,a story of the ,caliph ,umar1 who was on the point of being killed by a ,persian1 when two lions suddenly appeared and caused the assassin to desist4 7#g7 ,a story of ,khlid b4 ,wald1 who said 8,bismillah0 and drank a deadly poison1 which did him no harm4 7#h7 ,a story1 related by asan of ,bara1 of a negro who turned the walls of a tavern into gold4 7#i7 ,a story1 related by ,ibrhm b4 ,adham1 of a shepherd who smote a rock with his staff and caused water to gush forth4 7#aj7 ,a story of a cup which pronounced the words 8,glory to ,god0 in the hearing of ,ab ,dard and ,salmn ,fris4 ,footnote #abc3 ,died in #cbf ,a4,h4 ,see ,abu l-,masin1 ,nujm1 ii1 #bhd1 #ac4 ,footnote #abd3 ,l4 4 ,,ij4 4 ,footnote #abe3 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #cea4 ,footnote #abf3 ,here the author tells the story1 which has already been related 7p4 #adb supra71 of ,ab ,bakr ,warrq1 who was commanded by ,muammad b4 ,al of ,tirmidh to throw some of the latter's mystical writings into the ,oxus4 ,discourse on the ,superiority of the ,prophets to the ,saints4 ,you must know that1 by universal consent of the f ,shaykhs1 the saints are at all times and in all circumstances subordinate to the prophets1 whose missions they confirm4 ,the prophets are superior to the saints1 because the end of saintship is only the beginning of prophecy4 ,every prophet is a saint1 but some saints are not prophets4 ,the prophets are constantly exempt from the attributes of humanity1 while the saints are so only temporarily2 the fleeting state 7l7 of the saint is the permanent station 7maqm7 of the prophet2 and that which to the saints is a station 7maqm7 is to the prophets a veil 7ijb74 ,this view is held unanimously by the ,sunn divines and the f mystics1 but it is opposed by a sect of the ashwiyya--the ,anthropomorphists 7mujassima7 of ,khursn--who discourse in a self-contradictory manner concerning the principles of ,unification 7tawd71 and who1 although they do not know the fundamental doctrine of fiism1 call themselves saints4 ,saints they are indeed1 but saints of the ,devil4 ,they maintain that the saints are superior to the prophets1 and it is a sufficient proof of their error that they declare an ignoramus to be more excellent than ,muammad1 the ,chosen of ,god4 ,the same vicious opinion is held by another sect of ,anthropomorphists 7mushabbiha71 who pretend to be fs1 and admit the doctrines of the incarnation of ,god and ,his descent 7into the human body7 by transmigration 7intiql71 and the division 7tajziya7 of ,his essence4 ,i will treat fully of these matters when ,i give my promised account of the two reprobated sects 7of fs74 ,the sects to which ,i am now referring claim to be ,moslems1 but they agree with the ,brahmans in denying special privileges to the prophets2 and whoever believes in this doctrine becomes an infidel4 ,moreover1 the prophets are propagandists and ,imms1 and the saints are their followers1 and it is absurd to suppose that the follower of an ,imm is superior to the ,imm himself4 ,in short1 the lives1 experiences1 and spiritual powers of all the saints together appear as nothing compared with one act of a true prophet1 because the saints are seekers and pilgrims1 whereas the prophets have arrived and have found and have returned with the command to preach and to convert the people4 ,if any one of the above-mentioned heretics should urge that an ambassador sent by a king is usually inferior to the person to whom he is sent1 as e4g4 ,gabriel is inferior to the ,apostles1 and that this is against my argument1 ,i reply that an ambassador sent to a single person should be inferior to him1 but when an ambassador is sent to a large number of persons or to a people1 he is superior to them1 as the ,apostles are superior to the nations4 ,therefore one moment of the prophets is better than the whole life of the saints1 because when the saints reach their goal they tell of contemplation 7mushhadat7 and obtain release from the veil of humanity 7bashariyyat71 although they are essentially men4 ,on the other hand1 contemplation is the first step of the apostle2 and since the apostle's starting-place is the saint's goal1 they cannot be judged by the same standard4 ,do not you perceive that1 according to the unanimous opinion of all the saints who seek ,god1 the station of union 7jam7 belongs to the perfection of saintship8 ,now1 in this station1 a man attains such a degree of rapturous love that his intelligence is enraptured in gazing upon the act of ,god 7fil71 and in his longing for the ,divine ,agent 7fil7 he regards the whole universe as that and sees nothing but that4 ,thus ,ab ,al ,rdbr says3 8,were the vision of that which we serve to vanish from us1 we should lose the name of servantship 7ubdiyyat70 for we derive the glory of worship 7ibdat7 solely from vision of ,him4 ,this is the beginning of the state of the prophets1 inasmuch as separation 7tafriqa7 is inconceivable in relation to them4 ,they are entirely in the essence of union1 whether they affirm or deny1 whether they approach or turn away1 whether they are at the beginning or at the end4 ,abraham1 in the beginning of his state1 looked on the sun and said3 8,this is my ,lord10 and he looked on the moon and stars and said3 8,this is my ,lord0 7,kor4 vi1 #gf-h71 because his heart was overwhelmed by the ,truth and he was united in the essence of union4 ,therefore he saw naught else1 or if he saw aught else he did not see it with the eye of 8otherness0 7ghayr71 but with the eye of union 7jam71 and in the reality of that vision he disavowed his own and said3 8,i love not those that set0 7,kor4 vi1 #gf74 ,as he began with union1 so he ended with union4 ,saintship has a beginning and an end1 but prophecy has not4 ,the prophets were prophets from the first1 and shall be to the last1 and before they existed they were prophets in the knowledge and will of ,god4 ,ab ,yazd was asked about the state of the prophets4 ,he replied3 8,far be it from me to say6 ,we have no power to judge of them1 and in our notions of them we are wholly ourselves4 ,god has placed their denial and affirmation in such an exalted degree that human vision cannot reach unto it40 ,accordingly1 as the rank of the saints is hidden from the perception of mankind1 so the rank of the prophets is hidden from the judgment of the saints4 ,ab ,yazd was the proof 7ujjat7 of his age1 and he says3 8,i saw that my spirit 7sirr7 was borne to the heavens4 ,it looked at nothing and gave no heed1 though ,paradise and ,hell were displayed to it1 for it was freed from phenomena and veils4 ,then ,i became a bird1 whose body was of ,oneness and whose wings were of ,everlastingness1 and ,i continued to fly in the air of the ,absolute 7huwiyyat71 until ,i passed into the sphere of ,purification 7tanzh71 and gazed upon the field of ,eternity 7azaliyyat7 and beheld there the tree of ,oneness4 ,when ,i looked ,i myself was all those4 ,i cried3 #8,o ,lord1 with my egoism 7man-yi man7 ,i cannot attain to ,thee1 and ,i cannot escape from my selfhood4 ,what am ,i to do8' ,god spake3 #8,o ,ab ,yazd1 thou must win release from thy 8thou-ness0 by following ,my beloved i4e4 7,muammad74 ,smear thine eyes with the dust of his feet and follow him continually4#80 ,this is a long narrative4 ,the fs call it the ,ascension 7mirj7 of ,byazd2#abg and the term 8ascension0 denotes proximity to ,god 7qurb74 ,the ascension of prophets takes place outwardly and in the body1 whereas that of saints takes place inwardly and in the spirit4 ,the body of an apostle resembles the heart and spirit of a saint in purity and nearness to ,god4 ,this is a manifest superiority4 ,when a saint is enraptured and intoxicated he is withdrawn from himself by means of a spiritual ladder and brought near to ,god2 and as soon as he returns to the state of sobriety all those evidences have taken shape in his mind and he has gained knowledge of them4 ,accordingly1 there is a great difference between one who is carried thither in person and one who is carried thither only in thought 7fikrat71 for thought involves duality4 ,footnote #abg3 ,a full account of ,byazd's ascension is given in the ,tadhkirat al-,awliy1 i1 #agb ff4 ,discourse on the ,superiority of the ,prophets and ,saints to the ,angels4 ,the whole community of orthodox ,moslems and all the f ,shaykhs agree that the prophets and such of the saints as are guarded from sin 7maf7 are superior to the angels4 ,the opposite view is held by the ,mutazilites1 who declare that the angels are superior to the prophets1 being of more exalted rank1 of more subtle constitution1 and more obedient to ,god4 ,i reply that this is not as you imagine1 for an obedient body1 an exalted rank1 and a subtle constitution cannot be causes of superiority1 which belongs only to those on whom ,god has bestowed it4 ,ibls had all the qualities that you mention1 yet he is universally acknowledged to have become accursed4 ,the superiority of the prophets is indicated by the fact that ,god commanded the angels to worship ,adam2 for the state of one who is worshipped is higher than the state of the worshipper4 ,if they argue that1 just as a true believer is superior to the ,kaba1 an inanimate mass of stone1 although he bows down before it1 so the angels may be superior to ,adam1 although they bowed down before him1 ,i reply3 8,no one says that a believer bows down to a house or an altar or a wall1 but all say that he bows down to ,god1 and it is admitted by all that the angels bowed down to ,adam 7,kor4 ii1 #cb74 ,how1 then1 can the ,kaba be compared to ,adam8 ,a traveller may worship ,god on the back of the animal which he is riding1 and he is excused if his face be not turned towards the ,kaba2 and1 in like manner1 one who has lost his bearings in a desert1 so that he cannot tell the direction of the ,kaba1 will have done his duty in whatever direction he may turn to pray4 ,the angels offered no excuse when they bowed down to ,adam1 and the one who made an excuse for himself became accursed40 ,these are clear proofs to any person of insight4 ,again1 the angels are equal to the prophets in knowledge of ,god1 but not in rank4 ,the angels are without lust1 covetousness1 and evil2 their nature is devoid of hypocrisy and guile1 and they are instinctively obedient to ,god2 whereas lust is an impediment in human nature2 and men have a propensity to commit sins and to be impressed by the vanities of this world2 and ,satan has so much power over their bodies that he circulates with the blood in their veins2 and closely attached to them is the lower soul 7nafs71 which incites them to all manner of wickedness4 ,therefore1 one whose nature has all these characteristics and who1 in spite of the violence of his lust1 refrains from immorality1 and notwithstanding his covetousness renounces this world1 and1 though his heart is still tempted by the ,devil1 turns back from sin and averts his face from sensual depravity in order to occupy himself with devotion and persevere in piety and mortify his lower soul and contend against the ,devil1 such a one is in reality superior to the angel who is not the battle-field of lust1 and is naturally without desire of food and pleasures1 and has no care for wife and child and kinsfolk1 and need not have recourse to means and instruments1 and is not absorbed in corrupt ambitions4 ,a ,gabriel1 who worships ,god so many thousands of years in the hope of gaining a robe of honour1 and the honour bestowed on him was that of acting as ,muammad's groom on the night of the ,ascension--how should he be superior to one who disciplines and mortifies his lower soul by day and night in this world1 until ,god looks on him with favour and grants to him the grace of seeing ,himself and delivers him from all distracting thoughts8 ,when the pride of the angels passed all bounds1 and every one of them vaunted the purity of his conduct and spoke with an unbridled tongue in blame of mankind1 ,god resolved that ,he would show to them their real state4 ,he therefore bade them choose three of the chief among them1 in whom they had confidence1 to go to the earth and be its governors and reform its people4 ,so three angels were chosen1 but before they came to the earth one of them perceived its corruption and begged ,god to let him return4 ,when the other two arrived on the earth ,god changed their nature so that they felt a desire for food and drink and were inclined to lust1 and ,god punished them on that account1 and the angels were forced to recognize the superiority of mankind to themselves4#abh ,in short1 the elect among the true believers are superior to the elect among the angels1 and the ordinary believers are superior to the ordinary angels4 ,accordingly those men who are preserved 7mam7 and protected 7maf7 from sin are more excellent than ,gabriel and ,michael1 and those who are not thus preserved are better than the ,recording ,angels 7afaa7 and the noble ,scribes 7kirm-i ktibn74 ,footnote #abh3 ,see ,kor4 ii1 #if ff4 ,something has been said on this subject by every one of the ,shaykhs4 ,god awards superiority to whom ,he pleases1 over whom ,he pleases4 ,you must know that saintship is a ,divine mystery which is revealed only through conduct 7rawish74 ,a saint is known only to a saint4 ,if this matter could be made plain to all reasonable men it would be impossible to distinguish the friend from the foe or the spiritual adept from the careless worldling4 ,therefore ,god so willed that the pearl of ,his love should be set in the shell of popular contempt and be cast into the sea of affliction1 in order that those who seek it may hazard their lives on account of its preciousness and dive to the bottom of this ocean of death1 where they will either win their desire or bring their mortal state to an end4 #h4,,the ,,kharr,z,s4 ,they are the followers of ,ab ,sad ,kharrz1 who wrote brilliant works on fiism and attained a high degree in detachment from the world4 ,he was the first to explain the state of annihilation and subsistence 7fan baq71 and he comprehended his whole doctrine in these two terms4 ,now ,i will declare their meaning and show the errors into which some have fallen in this respect1 in order that you may know what his doctrine is and what the fs intend when they employ these current expressions4 ,discourse on ,subsistence 7baq7 and ,annihilation 7fan74 ,you must know that annihilation and subsistence have one meaning in science and another meaning in mysticism1 and that formalists 7hiriyn7 are more puzzled by these words than by any other technical terms of the fs4 ,subsistence in its scientific and etymological acceptation is of three kinds3 7#a7 a subsistence that begins and ends in annihilation1 e4g4 this world1 which had a beginning and will have an end1 and is now subsistent2 7#b7 a subsistence that came into being and will never be annihilated1 viz4 ,paradise and ,hell and the next world and its inhabitants2 7#c7 a subsistence that always was and always will be1 viz4 the subsistence of ,god and ,his eternal attributes4 ,accordingly1 knowledge of annihilation lies in your knowing that this world is perishable1 and knowledge of subsistence lies in your knowledge that the next world is everlasting4 ,but the subsistence and annihilation of a state 7l7 denotes1 for example1 that when ignorance is annihilated knowledge is necessarily subsistent1 and that when sin is annihilated piety is subsistent1 and that when a man acquires knowledge of his piety his forgetfulness 7ghaflat7 is annihilated by remembrance of ,god 7dhikr71 i4e41 when anyone gains knowledge of ,god and becomes subsistent in knowledge of ,him he is annihilated from 7entirely loses7 ignorance of ,him1 and when he is annihilated from forgetfulness he becomes subsistent in remembrance of ,him1 and this involves the discarding of blameworthy attributes and the substitution of praiseworthy attributes4 ,a different signification1 however1 is attached to the terms in question by the elect among the fs4 ,they do not refer these expressions to 8knowledge0 7ilm7 or to 8state0 7l71 but apply them solely to the degree of perfection attained by the saints who have become free from the pains of mortification and have escaped from the prison of 8stations0 and the vicissitude of 8states01 and whose search has ended in discovery1 so that they have seen all things visible1 and have heard all things audible1 and have discovered all the secrets of the heart2 and who1 recognizing the imperfection of their own discovery1 have turned away from all things and have purposely become annihilated in the object of desire1 and in the very essence of desire have lost all desires of their own1 for when a man becomes annihilated from his attributes he attains to perfect subsistence1 he is neither near nor far1 neither stranger nor intimate1 neither sober nor intoxicated1 neither separated nor united2 he has no name1 or sign1 or brand1 or mark4 ,in short1 real annihilation from anything involves consciousness of its imperfection and absence of desire for it1 not merely that a man should say1 when he likes a thing1 8,i am subsistent therein10 or when he dislikes it1 that he should say1 8,i am annihilated therefrom02 for these qualities are characteristic of one who is still seeking4 ,in annihilation there is no love or hate1 and in subsistence there is no consciousness of union or separation4 ,some wrongly imagine that annihilation signifies loss of essence and destruction of personality1 and that subsistence indicates the subsistence of ,god in ,man2 both these notions are absurd4 ,in ,india ,i had a dispute on this subject with a man who claimed to be versed in ,koranic exegesis and theology4 ,when ,i examined his pretensions ,i found that he knew nothing of annihilation and subsistence1 and that he could not distinguish the eternal from the phenomenal4 ,many ignorant fs consider that total annihilation 7fan-yi kulliyyat7 is possible1 but this is a manifest error1 for annihilation of the different parts of a material substance 7nat7 can never take place4 ,i ask these ignorant and mistaken men3 8,what do you mean by this kind of annihilation80 ,if they answer1 8,annihilation of substance0 7fan-yi ayn71 that is impossible2 and if they answer1 8,annihilation of attributes10 that is only possible in so far as one attribute may be annihilated through the subsistence of another attribute1 both attributes belonging to ,man2 but it is absurd to suppose that anyone can subsist through the attributes of another individual4 ,the ,nestorians of ,rm and the ,christians hold that ,mary annihilated by self-mortification all the attributes of humanity 7awf-i nst7 and that the ,divine subsistence became attached to her1 so that she was made subsistent through the subsistence of ,god1 and that ,jesus was the result thereof1 and that he was not originally composed of the stuff of humanity1 because his subsistence is produced by realization of the subsistence of ,god2 and that1 in consequence of this1 he and his mother and ,god are all subsistent through one subsistence1 which is eternal and an attribute of ,god4 ,all this agrees with the doctrine of the anthropomorphistic sects of the ashwiyya1 who maintain that the ,divine essence is a locus of phenomena 7maall-i awdith7 and that the ,eternal may have phenomenal attributes4 ,i ask all who proclaim such tenets3 8,what difference is there between the view that the ,eternal is the locus of the phenomenal and the view that the phenomenal is the locus of the ,eternal1 or between the assertion that the ,eternal has phenomenal attributes and the assertion that the phenomenal has eternal attributes80 ,such doctrines involve materialism 7dahr7 and destroy the proof of the phenomenal nature of the universe1 and compel us to say that both the ,creator and ,his creation are eternal or that both are phenomenal1 or that what is created may be commingled with what is uncreated1 and that what is uncreated may descend into what is created4 ,if1 as they cannot help admitting1 the creation is phenomenal1 then their ,creator also must be phenomenal1 because the locus of a thing is like its substance2 if the locus 7maall7 is phenomenal1 it follows that the contents of the locus 7ll7 are phenomenal too4 ,in fine1 when one thing is linked and united and commingled with another1 both things are in principle as one4 ,accordingly1 our subsistence and annihilation are attributes of ourselves1 and resemble each other in respect of their being our attributes4 ,annihilation is the annihilation of one attribute through the subsistence of another attribute4 ,one may speak1 however1 of an annihilation that is independent of subsistence1 and also of a subsistence that is independent of annihilation3 in that case annihilation means 8annihilation of all remembrance of other01 and subsistence means 8subsistence of the remembrance of ,god0 7baq-yi dhikr-i aqq74 ,whoever is annihilated from his own will subsists in the will of ,god1 because thy will is perishable and the will of ,god is everlasting3 when thou standest by thine own will thou standest by annihilation1 but when thou art absolutely controlled by the will of ,god thou standest by subsistence4 ,similarly1 the power of fire transmutes to its own quality anything that falls into it1 and surely the power of ,god's will is greater than that of fire2 but fire affects only the quality of iron without changing its substance1 for iron can never become fire4 ,,section4 ,all the ,shaykhs have given subtle indications on this subject4 ,ab ,sa'd ,kharrz1 the author of the doctrine1 says3 8,annihilation is annihilation of consciousness of manhood 7ubdiyyat71 and subsistence is subsistence in the contemplation of ,godhead 7ilhiyyat710 i4e41 it is an imperfection to be conscious in one's actions that one is a man1 and one attains to real manhood 7bandag7 when one is not conscious of them1 but is annihilated so as not to see them1 and becomes subsistent through beholding the action of ,god4 ,hence all one's actions are referred to ,god1 not to one's self1 and whereas a man's actions that are connected with himself are imperfect1 those which are attached to him by ,god are perfect4 ,therefore1 when anyone becomes annihilated from things that depend on himself1 he becomes subsistent through the beauty of ,godhead4 ,ab ,yaqb ,nahrajr says3 8,a man's true servantship 7ubdiyyat7 lies in annihilation and subsistence10 because no one is capable of serving ,god with sincerity until he renounces all self-interest3 therefore to renounce humanity 7damiyyat7 is annihilation1 and to be sincere in servantship is subsistence4 ,and ,ibrhm b4 ,shaybn says3 8,the science of annihilation and subsistence turns on sincerity 7ikhl7 and unity 7wid--iyyat7 and true servantship2 all else is error and heresy10 i4e41 when anyone acknowledges the unity of ,god he feels himself overpowered by the omnipotence of ,god1 and one who is overpowered 7maghlb7 is annihilated in the might of his vanquisher2 and when his annihilation is rightly fulfilled on him1 he confesses his weakness and sees no resource except to serve ,god1 and tries to gain ,his satisfaction 7ri74 ,and whoever explains these terms otherwise1 i4e4 annihilation as meaning 8annihilation of substance0 and subsistence as meaning 8subsistence of ,god 7in ,man701 is a heretic and a ,christian1 as has been stated above4 ,now ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 declare that all these sayings are near to each other in meaning1 although they differ in expression2 and their real gist is this1 that annihilation comes to a man through vision of the majesty of ,god and through the revelation of ,divine omnipotence to his heart1 so that in the overwhelming sense of ,his majesty this world and the next world are obliterated from his mind1 and 8states0 and 8stations0 appear contemptible in the sight of his aspiring thought1 and what is shown to him of miraculous grace vanishes into nothing3 he becomes dead to reason and passion alike1 dead even to annihilation itself2 and in that annihilation of annihilation his tongue proclaims ,god1 and his mind and body are humble and abased1 as in the beginning when ,adam's posterity were drawn forth from his loins without admixture of evil and took the pledge of servantship to ,god 7,kor4 vii1 #aga74 ,such are the principles of annihilation and subsistence4 ,i have discussed a portion of the subject in the chapter on ,poverty and fiism1 and wherever these terms occur in the present work they bear the meaning which ,i have explained4 #i4,,the ,,khaf,f,s4 ,they are the followers of ,ab ,abdallh ,muammad b4 ,khaff of ,shrz1 an eminent mystic in his time and the author of celebrated treatises on various branches of fiism4 ,he was a man of great spiritual influence1 and was not led by his lusts4 ,i have heard that he contracted four hundred marriages4 ,this was due to the fact that he was of royal descent1 and that after his conversion the people of ,shrz paid great court to him1 and the daughters of kings and nobles desired to marry him for the sake of the blessing which would accrue to them4 ,he used to comply with their wishes1 and then divorce them before consummation of the marriage4 ,but in the course of his life forty wives1 who were strangers to him 7bgna71 two or three at a time1 used to serve him as bed-makers 7khdimn-i firsh71 and one of them--she was the daughter of a vizier--lived with him for forty years4 ,i have heard from ,abu l-asan ,al b4 ,bakrn of ,shrz that one day several of his wives were gathered together1 and each one was telling some story about him4 ,they all agreed sese nunquam eum vidisse libidini obsequentem4 ,hitherto each of them had believed that she was peculiarly treated in this respect1 and when they learned that the ,shaykh's behaviour was the same towards them all1 they were astonished and doubted whether such was truly the case4 ,accordingly1 they sent two of their number to question the vizier's daughter1 who was his favourite1 as to his dealings with her4 ,she replied3 8,when the ,shaykh wedded me and ,i was informed that he would visit me that night1 ,i prepared a fine repast and adorned myself assiduously4 ,as soon as he came and the food was brought in1 he called me to him and looked for a while first at me and then at the food4 ,then he took my hand and drew it into his sleeve4 ,from his breast to his navel there were fifteen knots 7aqd7 growing out of his belly4 ,he said1 #8,ask me what these are'2 so ,i asked him and he replied1 #8,they are knots made by the tribulation and anguish of my abstinence in renouncing a face like this and viands like these4' ,he said no more1 but departed2 and that is all my intimacy with him40 ,the form of his doctrine in fiism is 8absence0 7ghaybat7 and 8presence0 7ur74 ,i will explain it as far as possible4 ,discourse on ,absence 7ghaybat7 and ,presence 7ur74 ,these terms1 although apparently opposed to each other1 express the same meaning from different points of view4 8,presence0 is 8presence of the heart01 as a proof of intuitive faith 7yaqn71 so that what is hidden from it has the same force as what is visible to it4 8,absence0 is 8absence of the heart from all things except ,god0 to such an extent that it becomes absent from itself and absent even from its absence1 so that it no longer regards itself2 and the sign of this state is withdrawal from all formal authority 7ukm-i rusm71 as when a prophet is divinely preserved from what is unlawful4 ,accordingly1 absence from one's self is presence with ,god1 and vice vers4 ,god is the lord of the human heart3 when a divine rapture 7jadhbat7 overpowers the heart of the seeker1 the absence of his heart becomes equivalent to its presence 7with ,god72 partnership 7shirkat7 and division 7qismat7 disappear1 and relationship to 8self0 comes to an end1 as one of the ,shaykhs has said in verse-- 8,thou art the ,lord of my heart1 ,without any partner3 how1 then1 can it be divided80 ,inasmuch as ,god is sole lord of the heart1 ,he has absolute power to keep it absent or present as ,he will1 and1 in regard to the essence of the case1 this is the whole argument for the doctrine of ,his favourites2 but when a distinction is made1 the ,shaykhs hold various opinions on the subject1 some preferring 8presence0 to 8absence01 while others declare that 8absence0 is superior to 8presence04 ,there is the same controversy as that concerning sobriety and intoxication1 which ,i have explained above2 but these terms indicate that the human attributes are still subsistent1 whereas 8absence0 and 8presence0 indicate that the human attributes are annihilated3 therefore the latter terms are in reality more sublime4 8,absence0 is preferred to 8presence0 by ,ibn ,a1 usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj71 ,ab ,bakr ,shibl1 ,bundr b4 al-usayn1 ,ab amza of ,baghdd1 ,sumnn ,muibb1 and a number of the ,shaykhs of ,irq4 ,they say3 8,thou thyself art the greatest of all veils between thee and ,god3 when thou hast become absent from thyself1 the evils implicit in thy being are annihilated in thee1 and thy state undergoes a fundamental change3 the #8stations' of novices become a veil to thee1 and the #8states' of those who seek ,god become a source of mischief to thee2 thine eye is closed to thyself and to all that is other than ,god1 and thy human attributes are consumed by the flame of proximity to ,god 7qurbat74 ,this is the same state of #8absence' in which ,god drew thee forth from the loins of ,adam1 and caused thee to hear ,his exalted word1 and distinguished thee by the honorary robe of ,unification and the garment of contemplation2 so long as thou wert absent from thyself1 thou wert present with ,god face to face1 but when thou becamest present with thine own attributes1 thou becamest absent from thy proximity to ,god4 ,therefore thy #8presence' is thy perdition4 ,this is the meaning of ,god's word1 #8,and now are ye come unto us alone1 as ,we created you at first'0 7,kor4 vi1 #id74 ,on the other hand1 rith ,musib1 ,junayd1 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh1 ,ab ,jafar addd1#abi amdn ,qar1 ,ab ,muammad ,jurayr1 ur1 ,muammad b4 ,khaff1 who is the author of the doctrine1 and others hold that 8presence0 is superior to 8absence04 ,they argue that inasmuch as all excellences are bound up with 8presence01 and as 8absence0 from one's self is a way leading to 8presence0 with ,god1 the way becomes an imperfection after you have arrived at the goal4 8,presence0 is the fruit of 8absence01 but what light is to be found in 8absence0 without 8presence08 ,a man must needs renounce heedlessness in order that1 by means of this 8absence01 he may attain to 8presence02 and when he has attained his object1 the means by which he attained it has no longer any worth4 8,the #8absent' one is not he who is absent from his country1 ,but he who is absent from all desire4 ,the #8present' one is not he who hath no desire1 ,but he who hath no heart 7no thought of worldly things71 ,so that his desire is ever fixed on ,god40 ,footnote #abi3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #bja4 ,it is a well-known story that one of the disciples of ,dhu l-,nn set out to visit ,ab ,yazd4 ,when he came to ,ab ,yazd's cell and knocked at the door ,ab ,yazd said3 8,who art thou1 and whom dost thou wish to see80 ,he answered3 8,ab ,yazd40 ,ab ,yazd said3 8,who is ,ab ,yazd1 and where is he1 and what thing is he8 ,i have been seeking ,ab ,yazd for a long while1 but ,i have not found him40 ,when the disciple returned to ,dhu l-,nn and told him what had passed1 ,dhu l-,nn said3 8,my brother ,ab ,yazd is lost with those who are lost in ,god40 ,a certain man came to ,junayd and said3 8,be present with me for a moment that ,i may speak to thee40 ,junayd answered3 8,o young man1 you demand of me something that ,i have long been seeking4 ,for many years ,i have been wishing to become present with myself a moment1 but ,i cannot2 how1 then1 can ,i become present with you just now80 ,therefore1 8absence0 involves the sorrow of being veiled1 while 8presence0 involves the joy of revelation1 and the former state can never be equal to the latter4 ,shaykh ,ab ,sad says on this subject-- ,taqashshaa ghaymu l-hajri an qamari l-ubbi ,wa-asfara nru l-ubi an ulmati l-ghaybi4 8,the clouds of separation have been cleared away from the moon of love1 ,and the light of morning has shone forth from the darkness of the ,unseen40 ,the distinction made by the ,shaykhs between these two terms is mystical1 and on the surface merely verbal1 for they seem to be approximately the same4 ,to be present with ,god is to be absent from one's self--what is the difference8--and one who is not absent from himself is not present with ,god4 ,thus1 forasmuch as the impatience of ,job in his affliction did not proceed from himself1 but on the contrary he was then absent from himself1 ,god did not distinguish his impatience from patience1 and when he cried1 8,evil hath befallen me0 7,kor4 xxi1 #hc71 ,god said1 8,verily1 he was patient40 ,this is evidently a judgment founded on the essential nature of the case 7ukm ba-ayn74 ,it is related that ,junayd said3 8,for a time ,i was such that the inhabitants of heaven and earth wept over my bewilderment 7ayrat72 then1 again1 ,i became such that ,i wept over their absence 7ghaybat72 and now my state is such that ,i have no knowledge either of them or of myself40 ,this is an excellent indication of 8presence04 ,i have briefly explained the meaning of 8presence0 and 8absence0 in order that you may be acquainted with the doctrine of the ,khaffs1 and may also know in what sense these terms are used by the fs4 #aj4 ,,sayy,r,s4 ,they are the followers of ,abu l-,abbs ,sayyr1 the ,imm of ,merv4 ,he was learned in all the sciences and associated with ,ab ,bakr ,wsi4 ,at the present day he has numerous followers in ,nas and ,merv4 ,his school of fiism is the only one that has kept its original doctrine unchanged1 and the cause of this fact is that ,nas and ,merv have never been without some person who acknowledged his authority and took care that his followers should maintain the doctrine of their founder4 ,the ,sayyrs of ,nas carried on a discussion with those of ,merv by means of letters1 and ,i have seen part of this correspondence at ,merv2 it is very fine4 ,their expositions are based on 8union0 7jam7 and 8separation0 7tafriqa74 ,these words are common to all scientists and are employed by specialists in every branch of learning as a means of rendering their explanations intelligible1 but they bear different meanings in each case4 ,thus1 in arithmetic jam denotes the addition and tafriqa the subtraction of numbers2 in grammar jam is the agreement of words in derivation1 while tafriqa is the difference in meaning2 in law jam is analogy 7qiys7 and tafriqa the characteristics of an authoritative text 7ift-i nu71 or jam is the text and tafriqa the analogy2 in divinity jam denotes the essential and tafriqa the formal attributes of ,god4#acj ,but the fs do not use these terms in any of the significations which ,i have mentioned4 ,now1 therefore1 ,i will explain the meaning attached to them by the fs and the various opinions of the ,shaykhs on this subject4 ,footnote #acj3 ,for the distinction between ift-i dht and ift-i fil see ,dozy1 ,supplment1 ii1 #haj4 ,discourse on ,union 7jam7 and ,separation 7tafriqa74 ,god united all mankind in ,his call1 as ,he says1 8,and ,god calls to the abode of peace02 then ,he separated them in respect of ,divine guidance1 and said1 8and guides whom ,he willeth into the right way0 7,kor4 x1 #bf74 ,he called them all1 and banished some in accordance with the manifestation of ,his will2 ,he united them all and gave a command1 and then separated them1 rejecting some and leaving them without succour1 but accepting others and granting to them ,divine aid2 then once more he united a certain number and separated them1 giving to some immunity from sin and to others a propensity towards evil4 ,accordingly the real mystery of union is the knowledge and will of ,god1 while separation is the manifestation of that which ,he commands and forbids3 e4g41 ,he commanded ,abraham to behead ,ishmael1 but willed that he should not do so2 and ,he commanded ,ibls to worship ,adam1 but willed the contrary2 and ,he commanded ,adam not to eat the corn1 but willed that he should eat it2 and so forth4 ,union is that which ,he unites by ,his attributes1 and separation is that which ,he separates by ,his acts4 ,all this involves cessation of human volition and affirmation of the ,divine will so as to exclude all personal initiative4 ,as regards what has been said on the subject of union and separation1 all the ,sunns1 except the ,mutazilites1 are in agreement with the f ,shaykhs1 but at this point they begin to diverge1 some applying the terms in question to the ,divine ,unity 7tawd71 some to the ,divine attributes1 and some to the ,divine acts4 ,those who refer to the ,divine ,unity say that there are two degrees of union1 one in the attributes of ,god and the other in the attributes of ,man4 ,the former is the mystery of ,unification 7tawd71 in which human actions have no part whatever2 the latter denotes acknowledgment of the ,divine ,unity with sincere conviction and unfailing resolution4 ,this is the opinion of ,ab ,al ,rdbr4 ,those1 again1 who refer these terms to the ,divine attributes say that union is an attribute of ,god1 and separation an act of ,god in which ,man does not co-operate1 because ,god has no rival in ,godhead4 ,therefore union can be referred only to ,his substance and attributes1 for union is equality in the fundamental matter 7al-taswiyat fi l-al71 and no two things are equal in respect of eternity except ,his substance and ,his attributes1 which1 when they are separated by expository analysis 7ibrat tafl71 are not united4 ,this means that ,god has eternal attributes1 which are peculiar to ,him and subsist through ,him2 and that ,he and ,his attributes are not two1 for ,his ,unity does not admit difference and number4 ,on this ground1 union is impossible except in the sense indicated above4 ,separation in predicament 7al-tafriqat fi l-ukm7 refers to the actions of ,god1 all of which are separate in this respect4 ,the predicament of one is being 7wujd72 of another1 not-being 7adam71 but a not-being that is capable of being2 of another1 annihilation 7fan71 and of another subsistence 7baq74 ,there are some1 again1 who refer these terms to knowledge 7ilm7 and say that union is knowledge of the ,divine ,unity and separation knowledge of the ,divine ordinances3 hence theology is union and jurisprudence is separation4 ,one of the ,shaykhs has said1 to the same effect3 8,union is that on which theologians 7ahl al-ilm7 are agreed1 and separation is that on which they differ40 ,again1 all the f mystics1 whenever they use the term 8separation0 in the course of their expositions and indications1 attach to it the meaning of 8human actions0 7maksib71 e4g4 self-mortification1 and by 8union0 they signify 8divine gifts0 7mawhib71 e4g4 contemplation4 ,whatever is gained by means of mortification is 8separation01 and whatever is solely the result of ,divine favour and guidance is 8union04 ,it is ,man's glory that1 while his actions exist and mortification is possible1 he should escape by ,god's goodness from the imperfection of his own actions1 and should find them to be absorbed in the bounties of ,god1 so that he depends entirely on ,god and commits all his attributes to ,his charge and refers all his actions to ,him and none to himself1 as ,gabriel told the ,apostle that ,god said3 8,my servant continually seeks access to ,me by means of works of supererogation until ,i love him2 and when ,i love him1 ,i am his ear and his eye and his hand and his heart and his tongue3 through ,me he hears and sees and speaks and grasps10 i4e41 in remembering ,me he is enraptured by the remembrance 7dhikr7 of ,me1 and his own 8acquisition0 7kasb7 is annihilated so as to have no part in his remembrance1 and ,my remembrance overpowers his remembrance1 and the relationship of humanity 7damiyyat7 is entirely removed from his remembrance3 then ,my remembrance is his remembrance1 and in his rapture he becomes even as ,ab ,yazd in the hour when he said3 8,glory to me6 how great is my majesty60 ,these words were the outward sign of his speech1 but the speaker was ,god4 ,similarly1 the ,apostle said3 8,god speaks by the tongue of ,umar40 ,the fact is that when the ,divine omnipotence manifests its dominion over humanity1 it transports a man out of his own being1 so that his speech becomes the speech of ,god4 ,but it is impossible that ,god should be mingled 7imtizj7 with created beings or made one 7ittid7 with ,his works or become incarnate 7ll7 in things3 ,god is exalted far above that1 and far above that which the heretics ascribe to ,him4 ,it may happen1 then1 that ,god's love holds absolute sway over the heart of ,his servant1 and that his reason and natural faculties are too weak to sustain its rapture and intensity1 and that he loses all control of his power to act 7kasb74 ,this state is called 8union04#aca ,herewith are connected all extraordinary miracles 7ijz7 and acts of miraculous grace 7karmt74 ,all ordinary actions are 8separation01 and all acts which violate custom are 8union04 ,god bestows these miracles on ,his prophets and saints1 and refers ,his actions to them and theirs to ,himself1 as ,he hath said3 8,verily1 they who swear fealty unto thee1 swear fealty unto ,god0 7,kor4 xlviii1 #aj71 and again3 8,whosoever obeys the ,apostle has obeyed ,god0 7,kor4 iv1 #hb74 ,accordingly1 ,his saints are united 7mujtami7 by their inward feelings 7asrr7 and separated 7muftariq7 by their outward behaviour1 so that their love of ,god is strengthened by the internal union1 and the right fulfilment of their duty as servants of ,god is assured by their external separation4 ,a certain great ,shaykh says-- 8,i have realized that which is within me1 and my tongue hath conversed with ,thee in secret1 ,and we are united in one respect1 but we are separated in another4 ,although awe has hidden ,thee from the glances of mine eye1 ,ecstasy has made ,thee near to my inmost parts40#acb ,the state of being inwardly united he calls 8union01 and the secret conversation of the tongue he calls 8separation02 then he indicates that both union and separation are in himself1 and attributes the basis 7qida7 of them to himself4 ,this is very subtle4 ,footnote #aca3 ,here the author illustrates the meaning of 8union0 and 8separation0 by the action of ,muammad when he threw gravel in the eyes of the unbelievers at ,badr1 and by that of ,david when he slew ,goliath4 ,see p4 #ahe supra4 ,footnote #acb3 ,the last words are corrupt and unmetrical in all the texts4 ,i have found the true reading1 1 in a ,,ms4 of the ,kitb al-,luma by ,ab ,nar al-,sarrj1 which has recently come into the possession of ,mr4 ,a4 ,g4 ,ellis4 ,,section4 ,here ,i must notice a matter of controversy between us and those who maintain that the manifestation of union is the denial of separation1 because the two terms contradict each other1 and that when anyone passes under the absolute sway of ,divine guidance he ceases to act and to mortify himself4 ,this is sheer nullification 7tal71 for a man must never cease to practise devotion and mortify himself as long as he has the possibility and power of doing so4 ,moreover1 union is not apart from separation1 as light is apart from the sun1 and accident from substance1 and attribute from object3 therefore1 neither is self-mortification apart from ,divine guidance1 nor the ,truth from the ,law1 nor discovery from search4 ,but mortification may precede or follow ,divine guidance4 ,in the former case a man's tribulation is increased1 because he is in 8absence0 7ghaybat71 while in the latter case he has no trouble or pain1 because he is in 8presence0 7harat74 ,those to whom negation is the source 7mashrab7 of actions1 and to whom it seems to be the substance 7ayn7 of action1 commit a grave error4 ,a man1 however1 may attain such a degree that he regards all his qualities as faulty and defective1 for when he sees that his praiseworthy qualities are vicious and imperfect1 his blameworthy qualities will necessarily appear more vicious4 ,i adduce these considerations because some ignorant persons1 who have fallen into an error that is closely akin to infidelity1 assert that no result whatever depends upon our exertion1 and that inasmuch as our actions and devotions are faulty and our mortifications are imperfect a thing left undone is better than a thing done4 ,to this argument ,i reply3 8,you are agreed in supposing that everything done by us has an energy 7fil71 and you declare that our energies are a centre of defect and a source of evil and corruption3 consequently you must also suppose that things left undone by us have an energy2 and since in both cases there is an energy involving defect1 how can you regard that which we leave undone as better than that which we do80 ,this notion evidently is a noxious delusion4 ,here we have an excellent criterion to distinguish the believer from the infidel4 ,both agree that their energies are inherently defective1 but the believer1 in accordance with ,god's command1 deems a thing done to be better than a thing left undone1 while the infidel1 in accordance with his denial of the ,creator 7tal71 deems a thing left undone to be better than a thing done4 ,union1 then1 involves this--that1 although the imperfection of separation is recognized1 its authority 7ukm7 should not be let go2 and separation involves this--that1 although one is veiled from the sight of union1 he nevertheless thinks that separation is union4 ,muzayyin the ,elder#acc says in this sense3 8,union is the state of privilege 7khuiyyat7 and separation is the state of a servant 7ubdiyyat71 these states being indissolubly combined with each other10 because it is a work of the privileged state to fulfil the duties of servantship2 therefore1 although the tediousness and painfulness of self-mortification and personal effort may be removed from one who performs all that is required of him in this respect1 it is impossible that the substance 7ayn7 of self-mortification and religious obligation should be removed from anyone1 even though he be in the essence of union1 unless he has an evident excuse that is generally acknowledged by the authority of the religious law4 ,now ,i will explain this matter in order that you may better understand it4 ,footnote #acc3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #ahh4 ,union is of two kinds3 7#a7 sound union 7jam-i salmat71 and 7#b7 broken union 7jam-i taksr74 ,sound union is that which ,god produces in a man when he is in the state of rapture and ecstasy1 and when ,god causes him to receive and fulfil ,his commandments and to mortify himself4 ,this was the state of ,sahl b4 ,abdallh and ,ab af addd and ,abu l-,abbs ,sayyr1 the author of the doctrine4 ,ab ,yazd of ,bism1 ,ab ,bakr ,shibl1 ,abu l-asan ur1 and a number of great ,shaykhs were continually in a state of rapture until the hour of prayer arrived2 then they returned to consciousness1 and after performing their prayers became enraptured again4 ,while thou art in the state of separation1 thou art thou1 and thou fulfillest the command of ,god2 but when ,god transports thee ,he has the best right to see that thou performest ,his command1 for two reasons3 firstly1 in order that the token of servantship may not be removed from thee1 and secondly1 in order that ,he may keep ,his promise that ,he will never let the law of ,muammad be abrogated4 8,broken union0 7jam-i taksr7 is this3 that a man's judgment becomes distraught and bewildered1 so that it is like the judgment of a lunatic3 then he is either excused from performing his religious obligations or rewarded 7mashkr7 for performing them2 and the state of him who is rewarded is sounder than the state of him who is excused4 ,you must know1 in short1 that union does not involve any peculiar 8station0 7maqm7 or any peculiar 8state0 7l71 for union is the concentration of one's thoughts 7jam-i himmat7 upon the object of one's desire4 ,according to some the revelation of this matter takes place in the 8stations0 7maqmt71 according to others in the 8states0 7awl71 and in either case the desire of the 8united0 person 7ib jam7 is attained by negating his desire4 ,this holds good in everything1 e4g41 ,jacob concentrated his thoughts on ,joseph1 so that he had no thought but of him2 and ,majnn concentrated his thoughts on ,layl1 so that he saw only her in the whole world1 and all created things assumed the form of ,layl in his eyes4 ,one day1 when ,ab ,yazd was in his cell1 some one came and asked3 8,is ,ab ,yazd here80 ,he answered3 8,is anyone here except ,god80 ,and a certain ,shaykh relates that a dervish came to ,mecca and remained in contemplation of the ,kaba for a whole year1 during which time he neither ate nor drank1 nor slept1 nor cleansed himself1 because of the concentration of his thoughts upon the ,kaba1 which thereby became the food of his body and the drink of his soul4 ,the principle in all these cases is the same1 viz4 that ,god divided the one substance of ,his love and bestows a particle thereof1 as a peculiar gift1 upon every one of ,his friends in proportion to their enravishment with ,him2 then ,he lets down upon that particle the shrouds of humanity and nature and temperament and spirit1 in order that by its powerful working it may transmute to its own quality all the particles that are attached to it1 until the lover's clay is wholly converted into love1 and all his actions and looks become so many indispensable conditions of love4 ,this state is named 8union0 alike by those who regard the inward meaning and those who regard the outward expression4 usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj7 says in this sense3 8,thy will be done1 ,o my ,lord and ,master6 ,thy will be done1 ,o my purpose and meaning6 ,o essence of my being1 ,o goal of my desire1 ,o my speech and my hints and my gestures6 ,o all of my all1 ,o my hearing and my sight1 ,o my whole and my element and my particles60 ,therefore1 to one whose qualities are only borrowed from ,god1 it is a disgrace to affirm his own existence1 and an act of dualism 7zunnr7 to pay any heed to the phenomenal universe2 and all created objects are despicable to his soaring thought4 ,some have been led by their dialectical subtlety and their admiration of phraseology to speak of 8the union of union0 7jam al-jam74 ,this is a good expression as phrases go1 but if you consider the meaning1 it is better not to predicate union of union1 because the term 8union0 cannot properly be applied except to separation4 ,before union can be united it must first have been separated1 whereas the fact is that union does not change its state4 ,the expression1 therefore1 is liable to be misunderstood1 because one who is 8united0 does not look forth from himself to what is above or to what is below him4 ,do not you perceive that when the two worlds were displayed to the ,apostle on the night of the ,ascension he paid no heed to anything8 ,he was in 8union01 and one who is 8united0 does not behold 8separation04 ,hence ,god said3 8,his gaze swerved not1 nor did it stray0 7,kor4 liii1 #ag74 ,in my early days ,i composed a book on this subject and entitled it ,kitb al-bayn li-ahl al-iyn1#acd and ,i have also discussed the matter at length in the ,bar al-qulb#ace in the chapter on 8,union04 ,i will not now burden my readers by adding to what ,i have said here4 ,footnote #acd3 8,the ,book of ,exposition for ,persons of ,intuition40 ,footnote #ace3 8,the ,sea of ,hearts40 ,this sketch of the doctrine of the ,sayyrs concludes my account of those f sects which are approved and follow the path of true theosophy4 ,i now turn to the opinions of those heretics who have connected themselves with the fs and have adopted fiistic phraseology as a means of promulgating their heresy4 ,my aim is to expose their errors in order that novices may not be deceived by their pretensions and may guard themselves from mischief4 #aa4 ,,the ,,ul,l,s4 ,of those two reprobate sects which profess to belong to fiism and make the fs partners in their error1 one follows ,ab ulmn of ,damascus4#acf ,the stories which his adherents relate of him do not agree with what is written about him in the books of the ,shaykhs1 for1 while the fs regard him as one of themselves1 these sectaries impute to him the doctrines of incarnation 7ull7 and commixture 7imtizj7 and transmigration of spirits 7naskh-i arw74 ,i have seen this statement in the book of ,muqaddas1#acg who attacks him2 and the same notion of him has been formed by theologians1 but ,god knows best what is the truth4 ,the other sect refer their doctrine to ,fris1#ach who pretends to have derived it from usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj71 but he is the only one of usayn's followers who holds such tenets4 ,i saw ,ab ,jafar aydaln#aci with four thousand men1 dispersed throughout ,irq1 who were alljs2 and they all cursed ,fris on account of this doctrine4 ,moreover1 in the compositions of al-allj himself there is nothing but profound theosophy4 ,footnote #acf3 ,see note1 p4 #aca4 ,footnote #acg3 ,the nisba ,muqaddas or ,maqdis belongs to a number of ,moslem writers4 ,i do not know which of them is intended here4 ,footnote #ach3 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #agh4 ,footnote #aci3 ,this person1 whom the author has already mentioned at the beginning of ,chapter ,,xiii1 is not identical with the f of the same name who was a contemporary of ,junayd 7,nafat1 ,no4 #aig74 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 say that ,i do not know who ,fris and ,ab ,hulmn were or what they said1 but anyone who holds a doctrine conflicting with ,unification and true theosophy has no part in religion at all4 ,if religion1 which is the root1 is not firmly based1 fiism1 which is the branch and offspring of religion1 must with more reason be unsound1 for it is inconceivable that miracles and evidences should be manifested except to religious persons and ,unitarians4 ,all the errors of these sectaries are in regard to the spirit 7r74 ,now1 therefore1 ,i will explain its nature and principles according to the ,sunn canon1 and in the course of my explanation ,i will notice the erroneous and delusive opinions of the heretics in order that your faith may be strengthened thereby4 ,discourse on the ,spirit 7al-r74 ,you must know that knowledge concerning the existence of the spirit is intuitive 7darr71 and the intelligence is unable to apprehend its 7the spirit's7 nature4 ,every ,moslem divine and sage has expressed some conjectural opinion on this point1 which has also been debated by unbelievers of various sorts4 ,when the unbelievers of ,quraysh1 prompted by the ,jews1 sent ,nar b4 al-rith to question the ,apostle concerning the nature and essence of the spirit1 ,god in the first place affirmed its substance and said1 8,and they will ask thee concerning the spirit02 then ,he denied its eternity1 saying1 8,answer1 #8,the spirit belongs to that which 7i4e4 the creation of which7 my ,lord commanded'0 7,kor4 xvii1 #hg74 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,the spirits are hosts gathered together3 those that know one another agree1 and those that do not know one another disagree40 ,there are many similar proofs of the existence of the spirit1 but they contain no authoritative statement as to its nature4 ,some have said that the spirit is the life whereby the body lives1 a view which is also held by a number of scholastic philosophers4 ,according to this view the spirit is an accident 7ara71 which at ,god's command keeps the body alive1 and from which proceed conjunction1 motion1 cohesion4 and similar accidents by which the body is changed from one state to another4 ,others1 again1 declare that the spirit is not life1 but that life does not exist without it1 just as the spirit does not exist without the body1 and that the two are never found apart1 because they are inseparable1 like pain and the knowledge of pain4 ,according to this view also the spirit is an accident1 like life4 ,all the f ,shaykhs1 however1 and most orthodox ,moslems hold that the spirit is a substance1 and not an attribute2 for1 so long as it is connected with the body1 ,god continually creates life in the body1 and the life of ,man is an attribute and by it he lives1 but the spirit is deposited in his body and may be separated from him while he is still living1 as in sleep4 ,but when it leaves him1 intelligence and knowledge can no longer remain with him1 for the ,apostle has said that the spirits of martyrs are in the crops of birds3 consequently it must be a substance2 and the ,apostle has said that the spirits are hosts 7jund71 and hosts are subsistent 7bq71 and no accident can subsist1 for an accident does not stand by itself4 ,the spirit1 then1 is a subtle body 7jism laf71 which comes and goes by the command of ,god4 ,on the night of the ,ascension1 when the ,apostle saw in ,heaven ,adam1 ,joseph1 ,moses1 ,aaron1 ,jesus1 and ,abraham1 it was their spirits that he saw2 and if the spirit were an accident1 it would not stand by itself so as to become visible1 for it would need a locus in substances1 and substances are gross 7kathf74 ,accordingly1 it has been ascertained that the spirit is subtle and corporeal 7jasm71 and being corporeal1 it is visible1 but visible only to the eye of intelligence 7chashm-i dil74 ,and spirits may reside in the crops of birds or may be armies that move to and fro1 as the ,apostolic ,traditions declare4 ,here we are at variance with the heretics1 who assert that the spirit is eternal 7qadm71 and worship it1 and regard it as the sole agent and governor of things1 and call it the uncreated spirit of ,god1 and aver that it passes from one body to another4 ,no popular error has obtained such wide acceptance as this doctrine1 which is held by the ,christians1 although they express it in terms that appear to conflict with it1 and by all the ,indians1 ,tibetans1 and ,chinese1 and is supported by the consensus of opinion among the ,shites1 ,carmathians1 and ,ismls 7,biniyn71 and is embraced by the two false sects abovementioned4 ,all these sectaries base their belief on certain propositions and bring forward proofs in defence of their assertion4 ,i ask them this question3 8,what do you mean by #8eternity' 7qidam78 ,do you mean the pre-existence of a non-eternal thing1 or an eternal thing that never came into being80 ,if they mean the pre-existence of a non-eternal thing1 then there is no difference between us in principle1 for we too say that the spirit is non-eternal 7mudath71 and that it existed before the body1 as the ,apostle said3 8,god created the spirits two thousand years before the bodies40 ,accordingly1 the spirit is one sort of ,god's creatures1 and ,he joins it to another sort of ,his creatures1 and in joining them together ,he produces life through ,his predestination4 ,but the spirit cannot pass from body to body1 because1 just as a body cannot have two lives1 so a spirit cannot have two bodies4 ,if these facts were not affirmed in ,apostolic ,traditions by an ,apostle who speaks the truth1 and if the matter were considered purely from the standpoint of a reasonable intelligence1 then the spirit would be life and nothing else1 and it would be an attribute1 not a substance4 ,now suppose1 on the other hand1 they say that the spirit is an eternal thing that never came into being4 ,in this case1 ,i ask3 8,does it stand by itself or by something else80 ,if they say1 8,by itself10 ,i ask them1 8,is ,god its world 7lam7 or not80 ,if they answer that ,god is not its world1 they affirm the existence of two eternal beings1 which is contrary to reason1 for the eternal is infinite1 and the essence of one eternal being would limit the other4 ,but if they answer that ,god is its world1 then ,i say that ,god is eternal and ,his creatures are non-eternal3 it is impossible that the eternal should be commingled with the non-eternal or made one with it1 or become immanent in it1 or that the non-eternal should be the place of the eternal or that the eternal should carry it2 for whatever is joined to anything must be like that to which it is joined1 and only homogeneous things are capable of being united and separated4 ,and if they say that the spirit does not stand by itself1 but by something else1 then it must be either an attribute 7ifat7 or an accident 7ara74 ,if it is an accident1 it must either be in a locus or not4 ,if it is in a locus1 its locus must be like itself1 and neither can be called eternal2 and to say that it has no locus is absurd1 for an accident cannot stand by itself4 ,if1 again1 they say that the spirit is an eternal attribute--and this is the doctrine of the ulhs and those who believe in metempsychosis 7tansukhiyn7--and call it an attribute of ,god1 ,i reply that an eternal attribute of ,god cannot possibly become an attribute of ,his creatures2 for1 if ,his life could become the life of ,his creatures1 similarly ,his power could become their power2 and inasmuch as an attribute stands by its object1 how can an eternal attribute stand by a non-eternal object8 ,therefore1 as ,i have shown1 the eternal has no connexion with the non-eternal1 and the doctrine of the heretics who affirm this is false4 ,the spirit is created and is under ,god's command4 ,anyone who holds another belief is in flagrant error and cannot distinguish what is non-eternal from what is eternal4 ,no saint1 if his saintship be sound1 can possibly be ignorant of the attributes of ,god4 ,i give praise without end to ,god1 who hath guarded us from heresies and dangers1 and hath bestowed on us intelligence to examine and refute them by our arguments1 and hath given us faith in order that we may know ,him4 ,when men who see only the exterior hear stories of this kind from theologians1 they imagine that this is the doctrine of all aspirants to fiism4 ,they are grossly mistaken and utterly deceived1 and the consequence is that they are blinded to the beauty of our mystic knowledge and to the loveliness of ,divine saintship and to the flashes of spiritual illumination1 because eminent fs regard popular applause and popular censure with equal indifference4 ,,section4 ,one of the ,shaykhs says3 8,the spirit in the body is like fire in fuel2 the fire is created 7makhlq7 and the coal is made 7man740 ,nothing can be described as eternal except the essence and attributes of ,god4 ,ab ,bakr ,wsi has discoursed on the spirit more than any of the f ,shaykhs4 ,it is related that he said3 8,there are ten stations 7maqmt7 of spirits3 7#a7 the spirits of the sincere 7mukhlin71 which are imprisoned in a darkness and know not what will befall them2 7#b7 the spirits of pious men 7prs-mardn71 which in the heaven of this world rejoice in the fruits of their actions and take pleasure in devotions1 and walk by the strength thereof2 7#c7 the spirits of disciples 7murdn71 which are in the fourth heaven and dwell with the angels in the delights of veracity1 and in the shadow of their good works2 7#d7 the spirits of the beneficent 7ahl-i minan7 which are hung in lamps of light from the ,throne of ,god1 and their food is mercy1 and their drink is favour and proximity2 7#e7 the spirits of the faithful 7ahl-i waf71 which thrill with joy in the veil of purity and the station of electness 7iif72 7#f7 the spirits of martyrs 7shahdn71 which are in ,paradise in the crops of birds1 and go where they will in its gardens early and late2 7#g7 the spirits of those who yearn 7mushtqn71 which stand on the carpet of respect 7adab7 clad in the luminous veils of the ,divine attributes2 7#h7 the spirits of gnostics 7rifn71 which1 in the precincts of holiness1 listen at morn and eve to the word of ,god and see their places in ,paradise and in this world2 7#i7 the spirits of lovers 7dstn71 which have become absorbed in contemplation of the ,divine beauty and the station of revelation 7kashf71 and perceive nothing but ,god and rest content with no other thing2 7#aj7 the spirits of dervishes1 which have found favour with ,god in the abode of annihilation1 and have suffered a transformation of quality and a change of state40 ,it is related concerning the ,shaykhs that they have seen the spirit in different shapes1 and this may well be1 because1 as ,i have said1 it is created1 and a subtle body 7jism laf7 is necessarily visible4 ,god shows it to every one of ,his servants1 when and as it pleases ,him4 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 declare that our life is wholly through ,god1 and our stability is through ,him1 and our being kept alive is the act of ,god in us1 and we live through ,his creation1 not through ,his essence and attributes4 ,the doctrine of the animists 7riyn7 is entirely false4 ,belief in the eternity of the spirit is one of the grave errors which prevail among the vulgar1 and is expressed in different ways1 e4g4 they use the terms 8soul0 and 8matter0 7nafs hayl71 or 8light0 and 8darkness0 7nr ulmat71 and those f impostors speak of 8annihilation0 and 8subsistence0 7fan baq71 or 8union0 and 8separation0 7jam tafriqa71 or adopt similar phrases as a fair mask for their infidelity4 ,but the fs abjure these heretics1 for the fs hold that saintship and true love of ,god depend on knowledge of ,him1 and anyone who does not know the eternal from the non-eternal is ignorant in what he says1 and the intelligent pay no attention to what is said by the ignorant4 ,now ,i will unveil the portals of the practice and theory of the fs1 furnishing my explanation with evident proofs1 in order that you may the more easily comprehend my meaning1 and that any sceptic possessed of insight may be led back into the right way1 and that ,i may thereby gain a blessing and a ,divine reward4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,first ,,veil3 ,,concerning ,,the ,,gnosis ,,of ,,god 7marifat ,allah74 ,the ,apostle said3 8,if ye knew ,god as ,he ought to be known1 ye would walk on the seas1 and the mountains would move at your call40 ,gnosis of ,god is of two kinds3 cognitional 7ilm7 and emotional 7l74 ,cognitional gnosis is the foundation of all blessings in this world and in the next1 for the most important thing for a man at all times and in all circumstances is knowledge of ,god1 as ,god hath said3 8,i only created the genii and mankind that they might serve ,me0 7,kor4 li1 #ef71 i4e4 that they might know ,me4 ,but the greater part of men neglect this duty1 except those whom ,god hath chosen and whose hearts ,he hath vivified with ,himself4 ,gnosis is the life of the heart through ,god1 and the turning away of one's inmost thoughts from all that is not ,god4 ,the worth of everyone is in proportion to gnosis1 and he who is without gnosis is worth nothing4 ,theologians1 lawyers1 and other classes of men give the name of gnosis 7marifat7 to right cognition 7ilm7 of ,god1 but the f ,shaykhs call right feeling 7l7 towards ,god by that name4 ,hence they have said that gnosis 7marifat7 is more excellent than cognition 7ilm71 for right feeling 7l7 is the result of right cognition1 but right cognition is not the same thing as right feeling1 i4e4 one who has not cognition of ,god is not a gnostic 7rif71 but one may have cognition of ,god without being a gnostic4 ,those of either class who were ignorant of this distinction engaged in useless controversy1 and the one party disbelieved in the other party4 ,now ,i will explain the matter in order that both may be instructed4 ,,section4 ,you must know that there is a great difference of opinion touching the gnosis and right cognition of ,god4 ,the ,mutazilites assert that gnosis is intellectual and that only a reasonable person 7qil7 can possibly have it4 ,this doctrine is disproved by the fact that madmen1 within ,islam1 are deemed to have gnosis1 and that children1 who are not reasonable1 are deemed to have faith4 ,were the criterion of gnosis an intellectual one1 such persons must be without gnosis1 while unbelievers could not be charged with infidelity1 provided only that they were reasonable beings4 ,if reason were the cause of gnosis1 it would follow that every reasonable person must know ,god1 and that all who lack reason must be ignorant of ,him2 which is manifestly absurd4 ,others pretend that demonstration 7istidll7 is the cause of knowledge of ,god1 and that such knowledge is not gained except by those who deduce it in this manner4 ,the futility of this doctrine is exemplified by ,ibls1 for he saw many evidences1 such as ,paradise1 ,hell1 and the ,throne of ,god1 yet they did not cause him to have gnosis4 ,god hath said that knowledge of ,him depends on ,his will 7,kor4 vi1 #aaa74 ,according to the view of orthodox ,moslems1 soundness of reason and regard to evidences are a means 7sabab7 to gnosis1 but not the cause 7illat7 thereof3 the sole cause is ,god's will and favour1 for without ,his favour 7inyat7 reason is blind4 ,reason does not even know itself3 how1 then1 can it know another8 ,heretics of all sorts use the demonstrative method1 but the majority of them do not know ,god4 ,on the other hand1 whenever one enjoys the favour of ,god1 all his actions are so many tokens of gnosis2 his demonstration is search 7alab71 and his neglect of demonstration is resignation to ,god's will 7taslm72 but1 in reference to perfect gnosis1 resignation is no better than search1 for search is a principle that cannot be neglected1 while resignation is a principle that excludes the possibility of agitation 7iirb71 and these two principles do not essentially involve gnosis4 ,in reality ,man's only guide and enlightener is ,god4 ,reason and the proofs adduced by reason are unable to direct anyone into the right way4 ,if the infidels were to return from the place of ,judgment to this world1 they would bring their infidelity back with them 7cf4 ,kor4 vi1 #bh74 ,when the ,commander of the ,faithful1 ,al1 was asked concerning gnosis1 he said3 8,i know ,god by ,god1 and ,i know that which is not ,god by the light of ,god40 ,god created the body and committed its life to the spirit 7jn71 and ,he created the soul 7dil7 and committed its life to ,himself4 ,hence1 inasmuch as reason and human faculties and evidences have no power to make the body live1 they cannot make the soul live1 as ,god hath said3 8,shall he who was dead and whom ,we have restored to life and to whom ,we have given a light whereby he may walk among men44480 7,kor4 vi1 #abb71 i4e4 8,i am the ,creator of the light in which believers are illumined04 ,it is ,god that opens and seals the hearts of men 7,kor4 xxxix1 #bc2 ii1 #f73 therefore ,he alone is able to guide them4 ,everything except ,him is a cause or a means1 and causes and means cannot possibly indicate the right way without the favour of the ,causer4 ,he it is that imposes the obligation of piety1 which is essentially gnosis2 and those on whom that obligation is laid1 so long as they are in the state of obligation1 neither bring it upon themselves nor put it away from themselves by their own choice3 therefore ,man's share in gnosis1 unless ,god makes him know1 is mere helplessness4 ,abu l-asan ,nr says3 8,there is none to point out the way to ,god except ,god ,himself3 knowledge is sought only for due performance of ,his worship40 ,no created being is capable of leading anyone to ,god4 ,those who rely on demonstration are not more reasonable than was ,ab lib1 and no guide is greater than was ,muammad2 yet since ,ab lib was preordained to misery1 the guidance of ,muammad did not avail him4 ,the first step of demonstration is a turning away from ,god1 because demonstration involves the consideration of some other thing1 whereas gnosis is a turning away from all that is not ,god4 ,ordinary objects of search are found by means of demonstration1 but knowledge of ,god is extraordinary4 ,therefore1 knowledge of ,him is attained only by unceasing bewilderment of the reason1 and ,his favour is not procured by any act of human acquisition1 but is miraculously revealed to men's hearts4 ,what is not ,god is phenomenal 7mudath71 and although a phenomenal being may reach another like himself he cannot reach his ,creator and acquire ,him while he exists1 for in every act of acquisition he who makes the acquisition is predominant and the thing acquired is under his power4 ,accordingly1 the miracle is not that reason should be led by the act to affirm the existence of the ,agent1 but that a saint should be led by the light of the ,truth to deny his own existence4 ,the knowledge gained is in the one case a matter of logic1 in the other it becomes an inward experience4 ,let those who deem reason to be the cause of gnosis consider what reason affirms in their minds concerning the substance of gnosis1 for gnosis involves the negation of whatever is affirmed by reason1 i4e4 whatever notion of ,god can be formed by reason1 ,god is in reality something different4 ,how1 then1 is there any room for reason to arrive at gnosis by means of demonstration8 ,reason and imagination are homogeneous1 and where genus is affirmed gnosis is denied4 ,to infer the existence of ,god from intellectual proofs is assimilation 7tashbh71 and to deny it on the same grounds is nullification 7tal74 ,reason cannot pass beyond these two principles1 which in regard to gnosis are agnosticism1 since neither of the parties professing them is ,unitarian 7muwaid74 ,therefore1 when reason is gone as far as possible1 and the souls of ,his lovers must needs search for ,him1 they rest helplessly without their faculties1 and while they so rest they grow restless and stretch their hands in supplication and seek a relief for their souls2 and when they have exhausted every manner of search in their power1 the power of ,god becomes theirs1 i4e4 they find the way from ,him to ,him1 and are eased of the anguish of absence and set foot in the garden of intimacy and win to rest4 ,and reason1 when it sees that the souls have attained their desire1 tries to exert its control1 but fails2 and when it fails it becomes distraught2 and when it becomes distraught it abdicates4 ,then ,god clothes it in the garment of service 7khidmat7 and says to it3 8,while thou wert independent thou wert veiled by thy faculties and their exercise1 and when these were annihilated thou didst fail1 and having failed thou didst attain40 ,thus it is the allotted portion of the soul to be near unto ,god1 and that of the reason is to do ,his service4 ,god causes ,man to know ,him through ,himself with a knowledge that is not linked to any faculty1 a knowledge in which the existence of ,man is merely metaphorical4 ,hence to the gnostic egoism is utter perfidy2 his remembrance of ,god is without forgetfulness1 and his gnosis is not empty words but actual feeling4 ,others1 again1 declare that gnosis is the result of inspiration 7ilhm74 ,this also is impossible1 because gnosis supplies a criterion for distinguishing truth from falsehood1 whereas the inspired have no such criterion4 ,if one says1 8,i know by inspiration that ,god is in space10 and another says1 8,i know by inspiration that ,he is not in space10 one of these contradictory statements must be true1 but a proof is necessary in order to decide where the truth lies4 ,consequently1 this view1 which is held by the ,brahmans and the inspirationists 7ilhmiyn71 falls to the ground4 ,in the present age ,i have met a number of persons who carried it to an extreme and who connected their own position with the doctrine of religious men1 but they are altogether in error1 and their assertion is repugnant to all reasonable ,moslems and unbelievers4 ,if it be said that whatever conflicts with the sacred law is not inspiration1 ,i reply that this argument is fundamentally unsound1 because1 if inspiration is to be judged and verified by the standard of the sacred law1 then gnosis does not depend on inspiration1 but on law and prophecy and ,divine guidance4 ,others assert that knowledge of ,god is intuitive 7arr74 ,this also is impossible4 ,everything that is known in this way must be known in common by all reasonable men1 and inasmuch as we see that some reasonable men deny the existence of ,god and hold the doctrines of assimilation 7tashbh7 and nullification 7tal71 it is proved that knowledge of ,god is not intuitive4 ,moreover1 if it were so1 the principle of religious obligation 7taklf7 would be destroyed1 for that principle cannot possibly be applied to objects of intuitive knowledge1 such as one's self1 the heaven and the earth1 day and night1 pleasure and pain1 etc41 concerning the existence of which no reasonable man can have any doubt1 and which he must know even against his will4 ,but some aspirants to fiism1 considering the absolute certainty 7yaqn7 which they feel1 say3 8,we know ,god intuitively10 giving the name of intuition to this certainty4 ,substantially they are right1 but their expression is erroneous1 because intuitive knowledge cannot be exclusively restricted to those who are perfect2 on the contrary1 it belongs to all reasonable men4 ,furthermore1 it appears in the minds of living creatures without any means or evidence1 whereas the knowledge of ,god is a means 7sabab74 ,but ,master ,ab ,al ,daqqq and ,shaykh ,ab ,sahl ulk#adj and his father1 who was a leading religious authority at ,nshpr1 maintain that the beginning of gnosis is demonstrative and that its end is intuitive1 just as technical knowledge is first acquired and finally becomes instinctive4 8,do not you perceive10 they say1 8that in ,paradise knowledge of ,god becomes intuitive8 ,why should it not become intuitive in this world too8 ,and the ,apostles1 when they heard the word of ,god1 either immediately or from the mouth of an angel or by revelation1 knew ,him intuitively40 ,i reply that the inhabitants of ,paradise know ,god intuitively in ,paradise1 because in ,paradise no religious obligation is imposed1 and the ,apostles have no fear of being separated from ,god at the last1 but enjoy the same security as those who know ,him intuitively4 ,the excellence of gnosis and faith lies in their being hidden2 when they are made visible1 faith becomes compulsory 7jabr71 and there is no longer any free will in regard to its visible substance 7ayn71 and the foundations of the religious law are shaken1 and the principle of apostasy is annulled1 so that ,balam#ada and ,ibls and ,bar#adb cannot properly be described as infidels1 for it is generally allowed that they had knowledge of ,god4 ,the gnostic1 while he remains a gnostic1 has no fear of being separated from ,god2 separation is produced by the loss of gnosis1 but intuitive knowledge cannot conceivably be lost4 ,this doctrine is full of danger to the vulgar4 ,in order that you may avoid its evil consequences you must know that ,man's knowledge and his gnosis of ,god depend entirely on the information and eternal guidance of the ,truth4 ,man's certainty in gnosis may be now greater and now less1 but the principle of gnosis is neither increased nor diminished1 since in either case it would be impaired4 ,you must not let blind conformity enter into your knowledge of ,god1 and you must know ,him through ,his attributes of perfection4 ,this can be attained only through the providence and favour of ,god1 who has absolute control of our minds4 ,if ,he so will1 ,he makes one of ,his actions a guide that shows us the way to ,himself1 and if ,he will otherwise1 ,he makes that same action an obstacle that prevents us from reaching ,him4 ,thus ,jesus was to some a guide that led them to gnosis1 but to others he was an obstacle that hindered them from gnosis2 the former party said1 8,this is the servant of ,god10 and the latter said1 8,this is the son of ,god40 ,similarly1 some were led to ,god by idols and by the sun and moon1 while others were led astray4 ,such guides are a means of gnosis1 but not the immediate cause of it1 and one means is no better than another in relation to ,him who is the author of them all4 ,the gnostic's affirmation of a means is a sign of dualism 7zunnr71 and regard to anything except the object of knowledge is polytheism 7shirk74 ,when a man is doomed to perdition in the ,preserved ,tablet1 nay1 in the will and knowledge of ,god1 how can any proof and demonstration lead him aright8 ,the most high ,god1 as ,he pleases and by whatever means ,he pleases1 shows ,his servant the way to ,himself and opens to him the door of gnosis1 so that he attains to a degree where the very essence of gnosis appears alien 7ghayr7 and its attributes become noxious to him1 and he is veiled by his gnosis from the object known and realizes that his gnosis is a pretension 7daw74 ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian says3 8,beware lest thou make pretensions to gnosis10 and it has been said in verse-- 8,the gnostics pretend to knowledge1 ,but ,i avow ignorance3 that is my knowledge40 ,therefore do not claim gnosis1 lest thou perish in thy pretension1 but cleave to the reality thereof1 that thou mayest be saved4 ,when anyone is honoured by the revelation of the ,divine majesty1 his existence becomes a plague to him and all his attributes a source of corruption4 ,he who belongs to ,god and to whom ,god belongs is not connected with anything in the universe4 ,the real gist of gnosis is to recognize that to ,god is the kingdom4 ,when a man knows that all possessions are in the absolute control of ,god1 what further business has he with mankind1 that he should be veiled from ,god by them or by himself8 ,all such veils are the result of ignorance4 ,as soon as ignorance is annihilated1 they vanish1 and this life is made equal in rank to the life hereafter4 ,footnote #adj3 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #cgc4 ,footnote #ada3 ,see ,baydw on ,kor4 vii1 #agd4 ,footnote #adb3 ,see ,goldziher ,landberg1 ,die ,legende vom ,mnch ,bar 7#ahif71 and ,m4 ,hartmann1 ,der heilige ,bar in ,der ,islamische ,orient 7#aije71 i1 #bc-h4 ,,section4 ,now1 for instruction's sake1 ,i will mention some of the numerous sayings which the ,shaykhs have uttered on this subject4 ,abdallh b4 ,mubrak says3 8,gnosis consists in not being astonished by anything10 because astonishment arises from an act exceeding the power of the doer1 and inasmuch as ,god is omnipotent it is impossible that a gnostic should be astonished by ,his acts4 ,if there be any room for astonishment1 one must needs marvel that ,god exalts a handful of earth to such a degree that it receives ,his commands1 and a drop of blood to such an eminence that it discourses of love and knowledge of ,him1 and seeks vision of ,him1 and desires union with ,him4 ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian says3 8,gnosis is in reality ,god's providential communication of the spiritual light to our inmost hearts10 i4e41 until ,god1 in ,his providence1 illuminates the heart of ,man and keeps it from contamination1 so that all created things have not even the worth of a mustard-seed in his heart1 the contemplation of ,divine mysteries1 both inward and outward1 does not overwhelm him with rapture2 but when ,god has done this1 his every look becomes an act of contemplation 7mushhadat74 ,shibl says3 8,gnosis is continual amazement 7ayrat740 ,amazement is of two kinds3 7#a7 amazement at the essence and 7#b7 amazement at the quality4 ,the former is polytheism and infidelity1 because no gnostic can possibly be in doubt concerning the essential nature of ,god2 but the latter is gnosis1 because the quality of ,god lies beyond reason's scope4 ,hence a certain one said3 8,o ,guide of the amazed1 increase my amazement60 ,in the first place1 he affirmed the existence of ,god and the perfection of ,his attributes1 and recognized that ,he is the object of men's search and the accomplisher of their prayers and the author of their amazement2 then he asked for increase of amazement and recognized that in seeking ,god the reason has no alternative between amazement and polytheism4 ,this sentiment is very fine4 ,it may be1 again1 that knowledge of ,god's being involves amazement at one's own being1 because when a man knows ,god he sees himself entirely subdued by the ,divine omnipotence2 and since his existence depends on ,god and his non-existence proceeds from ,god1 and his rest and motion are produced by the power of ,god1 he becomes amazed1 saying3 8,who and what am ,i80 ,in this sense the ,apostle said3 8,he who knows himself has come to know his ,lord10 i4e4 he who knows himself to be annihilated knows ,god to be eternally subsistent4 ,annihilation destroys reason and all human attributes1 and when the substance of a thing is not accessible to reason it cannot possibly be known without amazement4 ,ab ,yazd said3 8,gnosis consists in knowing that the motion and rest of mankind depend on ,god10 and that without ,his permission no one has the least control of ,his kingdom1 and that no one can perform any action until ,he creates the ability to act and puts the will to act in his heart1 and that human actions are metaphorical and that ,god is the real agent4 ,muammad b4 ,wsi says1 describing the gnostic3 8,his words are few and his amazement perpetual10 because only finite things admit of being expressed in words1 and since the infinite cannot be expressed it leaves no resource except perpetual amazement4 ,shibl says3 8,real gnosis is the inability to attain gnosis10 i4e4 inability to know a thing1 to the real nature of which a man has no clue except the impossibility of attaining it4 ,therefore1 in attaining it1 he will rightly take no credit to himself1 because inability 7ajz7 is search1 and so long as he depends on his own faculties and attributes1 he cannot properly be described by that term2 and when these faculties and attributes depart1 then his state is not inability1 but annihilation4 ,some pretenders1 while affirming the attributes of humanity and the subsistence of the obligation to decide with sound judgment 7taklf ba-iat-i khib7 and the authority maintained over them by ,god's proof1 declare that gnosis is impotence1 and that they are impotent and unable to attain anything4 ,i reply3 8,in search of what thing have you become so helpless80 ,impotence 7ajz7 has two signs1 which are not to be found in you3 firstly1 the annihilation of the faculties of search1 and secondly1 the manifestation of the glory of ,god 7tajall74 ,where the annihilation of the faculties takes place1 there is no outward expression 7ibrat72 and where the glory of ,god is revealed1 no clue can be given and no discrimination is conceivable4 ,hence one who is impotent does not know that he is so1 or that the state attributed to him is called impotence4 ,how should he know this8 ,impotence is other than ,god1 and the affirmation of knowledge of other than ,god is not gnosis2 and so long as there is room in the heart for aught except ,god1 or the possibility of expressing aught except ,god1 true gnosis has not been attained4 ,the gnostic is not a gnostic until he turns aside from all that is not ,god4 ,ab af addd says3 8,since ,i have known ,god1 neither truth nor falsehood has entered my heart40 ,when a man feels desire and passion he turns to the soul 7dil7 in order that it may guide him to the lower soul 7nafs71 which is the seat of falsehood2 and when he finds the evidence of gnosis1 he also turns to the soul in order that it may guide him to the spirit1 which is the source of truth and reality4 ,but when aught except ,god enters the soul1 the gnostic1 if he turns to it1 commits an act of agnosticism4 ,there is a great difference between one who turns to the soul and one who turns to ,god4 ,ab ,bakr ,wsi says3 8,he who knows ,god is cut off from all things1 nay1 he is dumb and abject 7kharisa wa-nqamaa710 i4e4 he is unable to express anything and all his attributes are annihilated4 ,so the ,apostle1 while he was in the state of absence1 said3 8,i am the most eloquent of the ,arabs and non-,arabs02 but when he was borne to the presence of ,god1 he said3 8,i know not how to utter ,thy praise40 ,answer came3 8,o ,muammad1 if thou speakest not1 ,i will speak2 if thou deemest thyself unworthy to praise ,me1 ,i will make the universe thy deputy1 that all its atoms may praise ,me in thy name40 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,second ,,veil3 ,,concerning ,,unification 7tawd74 ,god said1 8,your ,god is one0 7,kor4 xvi1 #bc72 and again1 8,say1 #8,god is one'0 7,kor4 cxii1 #a74 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,long ago there was a man who did no good work except that he pronounced ,god to be one4 ,when he was dying he said to his folk3 #8,after my death burn me and gather my ashes and on a windy day throw half of them into the sea1 and scatter half of them to the winds of the earth1 that no trace of me may be left4' ,as soon as he died and this was done1 ,god bade the air and the water keep the ashes which they had received until the ,resurrection2 and when ,he raises that man from the dead1 ,he will ask him why he caused himself to be burnt1 and he will reply3 #8,o ,lord1 from shame of ,thee1 for ,i was a great sinner1' and ,god will pardon him40 ,real unification 7tawd7 consists in asserting the unity of a thing and in having a perfect knowledge of its unity4 ,inasmuch as ,god is one1 without any sharer in ,his essence and attributes1 without any substitute1 without any partner in ,his actions1 and inasmuch as ,unitarians 7muwaidn7 have acknowledged that ,he is such1 their knowledge of unity is called unification4 ,unification is of three kinds3 7#a7 ,god's unification of ,god1 i4e4 ,his knowledge of ,his unity2 7#b7 ,god's unification of ,his creatures1 i4e4 ,his decree that a man shall pronounce ,him to be one1 and the creation of unification in his heart2 7#c7 men's unification of ,god1 i4e4 their knowledge of the unity of ,god4 ,therefore1 when a man knows ,god he can declare ,his unity and pronounce that ,he is one1 incapable of union and separation1 not admitting duality2 that ,his unity is not a number so as to be made two by the predication of another number2 that ,he is not finite so as to have six directions2 that ,he has no space1 and that ,he is not in space1 so as to require the predication of space2 that ,he is not an accident1 so as to need a substance1 nor a substance1 which cannot exist without another like itself1 nor a natural constitution 7ab71 in which motion and rest originate1 nor a spirit so as to need a frame1 nor a body so as to be composed of limbs2 and that ,he does not become immanent 7ll7 in things1 for then ,he must be homogeneous with them2 and that ,he is not joined to anything1 for then that thing must be a part of ,him2 and that ,he is free from all imperfections and exalted above all defects2 and that ,he has no like1 so that ,he and ,his creature should make two2 and that ,he has no child whose begetting would necessarily cause ,him to be a stock 7al72 and that ,his essence and attributes are unchangeable2 and that ,he is endowed with those attributes of perfection which believers and ,unitarians affirm1 and which ,he has described ,himself as possessing2 and that ,he is exempt from those attributes which heretics arbitrarily impute to ,him2 and that ,he is ,living1 ,knowing1 ,forgiving1 ,merciful1 ,willing1 ,powerful1 ,hearing1 ,seeing1 ,speaking1 and ,subsistent2 and that ,his knowledge is not a state 7l7 in ,him1 nor ,his power solidly planted 7albat7 in ,him1 nor ,his hearing and sight detached 7mutajarrid7 in ,him1 nor ,his speech divided in ,him2 and that ,he together with ,his attributes exists from eternity2 and that objects of cognition are not outside of ,his knowledge1 and that entities are entirely dependent on ,his will2 and that ,he does that which ,he has willed1 and wills that which ,he has known1 and no creature has cognisance thereof2 and that ,his decree is an absolute fact1 and that ,his friends have no resource except resignation2 and that ,he is the sole predestinator of good and evil1 and the only being that is worthy of hope or fear2 and that ,he creates all benefit and injury2 and that ,he alone gives judgment1 and ,his judgment is all wisdom2 and that no one has any possibility of attaining unto ,him2 and that the inhabitants of ,paradise shall behold ,him2 and that assimilation 7tashbh7 is inadmissible2 and that such terms as 8confronting0 and 8seeing face to face0 7muqbalat muwjahat7 cannot be applied to ,his being2 and that ,his saints may enjoy the contemplation 7mushhadat7 of ,him in this world4 ,those who do not acknowledge ,him to be such are guilty of impiety4 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 said at the beginning of this chapter that unification consists in declaring the unity of a thing1 and that such a declaration cannot be made without knowledge4 ,the ,sunns have declared the unity of ,god with true comprehension1 because1 seeing a subtle work and a unique act1 they recognized that it could not possibly exist by itself1 and finding manifest evidences of origination 7udth7 in every thing1 they perceived that there must be an ,agent who brought the universe into being--the earth and heaven and sun and moon and land and sea and all that moves and rests and their knowledge and speech and life and death4 ,for all these an artificer was indispensable4 ,accordingly1 the ,sunns1 rejecting the notion that there are two or three artificers1 declared themselves satisfied with a single artificer who is perfect1 living1 knowing1 almighty1 and unpartnered4 ,and inasmuch as an act requires at least one agent1 and the existence of two agents for one act involves the dependence of one on the other1 it follows that the ,agent is unquestionably and certainly one4 ,here we are at variance with the dualists1 who affirm light and darkness1 and with the ,magians1 who affirm ,yazdn and ,ahriman1 and with the natural philosophers 7abiiyn71 who affirm nature and potentiality 7quwwat71 and with the astronomers 7falakiyn71 who affirm the seven planets1 and with the ,mutazilites1 who affirm creators and artificers without end4 ,i have briefly refuted all these vain opinions in a book1 entitled ,al-,riyat li-uqq ,allah1#adc to which or to the works of the ancient theologians ,i must refer anyone who desires further information4 ,now ,i will turn to the indications which the ,shaykhs have given on this subject4 ,footnote #adc3 8,the ,observance of what is due to ,god40 ,,section4 ,it is related that ,junayd said3 8,unification is the separation of the eternal from that which was originated in time10 i4e4 you must not regard the eternal as a locus of phenomena1 or phenomena as a locus of the eternal2 and you must know that ,god is eternal and that you are phenomenal1 and that nothing of your genus is connected with ,him1 and that nothing of ,his attributes is mingled in you1 and that there is no homogeneity between the eternal and the phenomenal4 ,this is contrary to the above-mentioned doctrine of those who hold the spirit to be eternal4 ,when the eternal is believed to descend into phenomena1 or phenomena to be attached to the eternal1 no proof remains of the eternity of ,god and the origination of the universe2 and this leads to materialism 7madhhab-i dahriyn74 ,in all the actions of phenomena there are proofs of unification and evidences of the ,divine omnipotence and signs which establish the eternity of ,god1 but men are too heedless to desire only ,him or to be content only with keeping ,him in remembrance4 usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj7 says3 8,the first step in unification is the annihilation of separation 7tafrd710 because separation is the pronouncement that one has become separated from imperfections 7ft71 while unification is the declaration of a thing's unity3 therefore in isolation 7fardniyyat7 it is possible to affirm that which is other than ,god1 and this quality may be ascribed to others besides ,god2 but in unity 7wadniyyat7 it is not possible to affirm other than ,god1 and unity may not be ascribed to anything except ,him4 ,accordingly1 the first step in unification is to deny 7that ,god has7 a partner 7shark7 and to put admixture 7mizj7 aside1 for admixture on the way 7to ,god7 is like seeking the highway with a lamp 7mizj andar minhj chn alab-i minhj bshad ba-sirj74 ,and ur says3 8,our principles in unification are five3 the removal of phenomenality1 and the affirmation of eternity1 and departure from familiar haunts1 and separation from brethren1 and forgetfulness of what is known and unknown40 ,the removal of phenomenality consists in denying that phenomena have any connexion with unification or that they can possibly attain to ,his holy essence2 and the affirmation of eternity consists in being convinced that ,god always existed1 as ,i have already explained in discussing the saying of ,junayd2 and departure from familiar haunts means1 for the novice1 departure from the habitual pleasures of the lower soul and the forms of this world1 and for the adept1 departure from lofty stations and glorious states and exalted miracles 7karmt72 and separation from brethren means turning away from the society of mankind and turning towards the society of ,god1 since any thought of other than ,god is a veil and an imperfection1 and the more a man's thoughts are associated with other than ,god the more is he veiled from ,god1 because it is universally agreed that unification is the concentration of thoughts 7jam-i himam71 whereas to be content with other than ,god is a sign of dispersion of thought 7tafriqa-i himmat72 and forgetfulness of a thing which is known or unknown means the unification of that thing1 for unification denies whatever the knowledge of mankind affirms about it2 and whatever their ignorance affirms about it is merely contrary to their knowledge1 for ignorance is not unification1 and knowledge of the reality of unification cannot be attained without denying the personal initiative 7taarruf7 in which knowledge and ignorance consist4 ,a certain ,shaykh relates3 8,while ur was speaking to an audience1 ,i fell asleep and dreamed that two angels came down from ,heaven and listened for some time to his discourse4 ,then one said to the other1 #8,what this man says is the theory 7ilm7 of unification1 not unification itself 7ayn74' ,when ,i awoke he was explaining unification4 ,he looked at me and said1 #8,o ,so-and-so1 it is impossible to speak of unification except theoretically4'0 ,it is related that ,junayd said3 8,unification is this1 that one should be a figure 7shakh7 in the hands of ,god1 a figure over which ,his decrees pass according as ,he in ,his omnipotence determines1 and that one should be sunk in the seas of ,his unity1 self-annihilated and dead alike to the call of mankind to him and his answer to them1 absorbed by the reality of the ,divine unity in true proximity1 and lost to sense and action1 because ,god fulfils in him what ,he hath willed of him1 namely1 that his last state should become his first state1 and that he should be as he was before he existed40 ,all this means that the ,unitarian in the will of ,god has no more a will of his own1 and in the unity of ,god no regard to himself1 so that he becomes like an atom as he was in the eternal past when the covenant of unification was made1 and ,god answered the question which ,he ,himself had asked1 and that atom was only the object of ,his speech4#add ,mankind have no joy in such a one that they should call him to anything1 and he has no friendship with anyone that he should respond to their call4 ,this saying indicates the annihilation of human attributes and perfect resignation to ,god in the state when a man is overpowered by the revelation of ,his majesty1 so that he becomes a passive instrument and a subtle substance that feels nothing1 and his body is a repository for the mysteries of ,god1 to whom his speech and actions are attributed2 but1 unconscious of all as he is1 he remains subject to the ordinances of the religious law1 to the end that the proof of ,god may be established4 ,such was the ,apostle when on the night of the ,ascension he was borne to the station of proximity2 he desired that his body should be destroyed and his personality be dissolved1 but ,god's purpose was to establish ,his proof4 ,he bade the ,apostle remain in the state that he was in2 whereupon he gained strength and displayed the existence of ,god from out of his own non-existence and said1 8,i am not as one of you4 ,verily1 ,i pass the night with my ,lord1 and he gives me food and drink02 and he also said1 8,i am with ,god in a state in which none of the cherubim nor any prophet is capable of being contained with me40 ,it is related that ,sahl b4 ,abdallh said3 8,unification is this1 that you should recognize that the essence of ,god is endowed with knowledge1 that it is not comprehensible nor visible to the eye in this world1 but that it exists in the reality of faith1 infinite1 incomprehensible1 non-incarnate2 and that ,he will be seen in the next world1 outwardly and inwardly in ,his kingdom and ,his power2 and that mankind are veiled from knowledge of the ultimate nature of ,his essence2 and that their hearts know ,him1 but their intellects cannot reach unto ,him2 and that believers shall behold ,him with their 7spiritual7 eyes1 without comprehending ,his infinity40 ,this saying includes all the principles of unification4 ,and ,junayd said3 8,the noblest saying concerning unification is that of ,ab ,bakr3 #8,glory to ,god1 who has not vouchsafed to ,his creatures any means of attaining unto knowledge of ,him except through impotence to attain unto knowledge of ,him4'0 ,many have mistaken the meaning of these words of ,ab ,bakr and suppose that impotence to attain to gnosis is the same thing as agnosticism4 ,this is absurd1 because impotence refers only to an existing state1 not to a state that is non-existent4 ,for example1 a dead man is not incapable of life1 but he cannot be alive while he is dead2 and a blind man is not incapable of seeing1 but he cannot see while he is blind4 ,therefore1 a gnostic is not incapable of gnosis so long as gnosis is existent1 for in that case his gnosis resembles intuition4 ,the saying of ,ab ,bakr may be brought into connexion with the doctrine of ,ab ,sahl ulk and ,master ,ab ,al ,daqqq1 who assert that gnosis is acquired in the first instance1 but finally becomes intuitive4 ,the possessor of intuitive knowledge is compelled and incapable of putting it away or drawing it to himself4 ,hence1 according to what ,ab ,bakr says1 unification is the act of ,god in the heart of ,his creature4 ,shibl says3 8,unification veils the ,unitarian from the beauty of ,oneness10 because unification is said to be the act of ,man1 and an act of ,man does not cause the revelation of ,god1 and in the reality of revelation that which does not cause revelation is a veil4 ,man with all his attributes is other than ,god1 for if his attributes are accounted ,divine1 then he himself must be accounted ,divine1 and then ,unitarian1 unification1 and the ,one become1 all three1 causes of the existence of one another2 and this is precisely the ,christian ,trinity4 ,if any attribute prevents the seeker of ,god from annihilating himself in unification1 he is still veiled by that attribute1 and while he is veiled he is not a ,unitarian1 for all except ,god is vanity4 ,this is the interpretation of 8,there is no god but ,god04#ade ,footnote #add3 ,kor4 vii1 #aga4 ,footnote #ade3 ,here the author cites an anecdote of ,ibrhm al-,khaww and al-allj which has been related above4 ,see p4 #bje4 ,the ,shaykhs have discussed at large the terms by which unification is denoted4 ,some say that it is an annihilation that cannot properly be attained unless the attributes subsist1 while others say that it has no attribute whatever except annihilation4 ,the analogy of union and separation 7jam tafriqa7 must be applied to this question in order that it may be understood4 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 declare that unification is a mystery revealed by ,god to ,his servants1 and that it cannot be expressed in language at all1 much less in high-sounding phrases4 ,the explanatory terms and those who use them are other than ,god1 and to affirm what is other than ,god in unification is to affirm polytheism4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,third ,,veil3 ,,concerning ,,faith 7mn74 ,the ,apostle said3 8,faith is belief in ,god and ,his angels and ,his 7revealed7 books40 ,etymologically1 faith 7mn7 means verification 7tadq74 ,concerning its principles in their application to the religious law there is great discussion and controversy4 ,the ,mutazilites hold that faith includes all acts of devotion1 theoretical as well as practical3 hence they say that sin puts a man outside the pale of faith4 ,the ,khrijites1 who call a man an infidel because he commits a sin1 are of the same opinion4 ,some declare that faith is simply a verbal profession1 while others say it is only knowledge of ,god1 and a party of ,sunn scholastics assert that it is mere verification4 ,i have written a separate work explaining this subject1 but my present purpose is to establish what the f ,shaykhs believe4 ,they are divided on this question in the same way as the lawyers of the two opposite sects4 ,some of them1 e4g4 ,fuayl b4 ,iy and ,bishr f and ,khayr al-,nassj and ,sumnn al-,muibb and ,ab amza of ,baghdd and ,muammad ,jurayr and a great number of others1 hold that faith is verbal profession and verification and practice2 but others1 e4g4 ,ibrhm b4 ,adham and ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian and ,ab ,yazd of ,bism and ,ab ,sulaymn ,drn and rith ,musib and ,junayd and ,sahl b4 ,abdallh of ,tustar and ,shaqq of ,balkh and tim ,aamm and ,muammad b4 al-,fal of ,balkh and a number besides1 hold that faith is verbal profession and verification4 ,some lawyers1 i4e4 ,mlik and ,shfi and ,amad b4 anbal1 maintain the former view1 while the latter opinion is supported by ,ab anfa and usayn b4 ,fal of ,balkh and the followers of ,ab anfa1 such as ,muammad b4 al-asan1 ,dwud 1 and ,ab ,ysuf4 ,the difference between them is entirely one of expression and is devoid of substance1 as ,i will now briefly explain1 in order that no one may be charged with contradicting the principle of faith because he takes the one view or the other in this dispute4 ,,section4 ,you must know that the orthodox ,moslems and the fs are agreed that faith has a principle 7al7 and a derivative 7far71 the principle being verification in the heart1 and the derivative being observance of the 7,divine7 command4 ,now the ,arabs commonly and customarily transfer the name of a principle to a derivative by way of metaphor1 e4g4 they call the light of the sun 8the sun04 ,in this sense the former of the two parties mentioned above apply the name of faith to that obedience 7at7 by which alone a man is made secure from future punishment4 ,mere verification 7i4e4 belief71 without performance of the ,divine commands1 does not involve security4 ,therefore1 since security is in proportion to obedience1 and obedience together with verification and verbal profession is the cause of security1 they bestowed on obedience the name of faith4 ,the other party1 however1 asserted that gnosis1 not obedience1 is the cause of security4 ,obedience1 they said1 is of no avail without gnosis1 whereas one who has gnosis but lacks obedience will be saved at the last1 although it depends on the will of ,god whether he shall be pardoned by ,divine grace or through the intercession of the ,apostle1 or whether he shall be punished according to the measure of his sin and then be delivered from ,hell and transported to ,paradise4 ,therefore1 since those who have gnosis1 although they are sinners1 by reason of their gnosis do not remain for ever in ,hell1 while those who have only works without gnosis do not enter ,paradise1 it follows that here obedience is not the cause of security4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,none of you shall be saved by his works40 ,hence in reality1 without any controversy among ,moslems1 faith is gnosis and acknowledgment and acceptance of works4 ,whoever knows ,god knows ,him by one of ,his attributes1 and the most elect of ,his attributes are of three kinds3 those connected with ,his beauty 7jaml7 and with ,his majesty 7jall7 and with ,his perfection 7kaml74 ,his perfection is not attainable except by those whose perfection is established and whose imperfection is banished4 ,there remain beauty and majesty4 ,those whose evidence in gnosis is the beauty of ,god are always longing for vision1 and those whose evidence is ,his majesty are always abhorring their own attributes and their hearts are stricken with awe4 ,now longing is an effect of love1 and so is abhorrence of human attributes1 because the lifting of the veil of human attributes is the very essence of love4 ,therefore faith and gnosis are love1 and obedience is a sign of love4 ,whoever denies this neglects the command of ,god and knows nothing of gnosis4 ,this evil is manifest among the aspirants to fiism at the present day4 ,some heretics1 seeing their excellence and persuaded of their high degree1 imitate them and say3 8,trouble only lasts while you do not know ,god3 as soon as you know ,him1 all the labour of obedience is removed from the body40 ,but they are wrong4 ,i reply that when you know ,him1 the heart is filled with longing and ,his command is held in greater veneration than before4 ,i admit that a pious man may reach a point where he is relieved from the irksomeness of obedience through the increase of ,divine aid 7tawfq71 so that he performs without trouble what is troublesome to others2 but this result cannot be achieved without a longing that produces violent agitation4 ,some1 again1 say that faith comes entirely from ,god1 while others say that it springs entirely from ,man4 ,this has long been a matter of controversy among the people in ,transoxania4 ,to assert that faith comes entirely from ,god is sheer compulsion 7jabr71 because ,man must then have no choice2 and to assert that it springs entirely from ,man is pure free-will1 for ,man does not know ,god except through the knowledge that ,god gives him4 ,the doctrine of unification is less than compulsion and more than free-will4 ,similarly1 faith is really the act of ,man joined to the guidance of ,god1 as ,god hath said3 8,whomsoever ,god wishes to lead aright1 ,he will open his breast to receive ,islam2 and whomsoever ,he wishes to lead astray1 ,he will make his breast strait and narrow0 7,kor4 vi1 #abe74 ,on this principle1 inclination to believe 7girawish7 is the guidance of ,god1 while belief 7girawdan7 is the act of ,man4 ,the signs of belief are these3 in the heart1 holding firmly to unification2 in the eye1 refraining from forbidden sights and looking heedfully on evidences2 in the ear1 listening to ,his word2 in the belly1 being empty of what is unlawful2 in the tongue1 veracity4 ,hence those persons 7who assert that faith comes entirely from ,god7 maintain that gnosis and faith may increase and diminish1 which is generally admitted to be false1 for if it were true1 then the object of gnosis must also be liable to increase and diminution4 ,accordingly1 the increase and diminution must be in the derivative1 which is the act2 and it is generally agreed that obedience may diminish and increase4 ,this does not please the anthropomorphists 7ashwiyn7 who imitate the two parties mentioned above1 for some of them hold that obedience is an element of faith1 while others declare that faith is a verbal profession and nothing else4 ,both these doctrines are unjust4 ,in short1 faith is really the absorption of all human attributes in the search of ,god4 ,this must be unanimously acknowledged by all believers4 ,the might of gnosis overwhelms the attributes of agnosticism1 and where faith exists agnosticism is banished1 for1 as it is said3 8,a lamp is of no use when the dawn rises40 ,god hath said3 8,kings1 when they enter a city1 ruin it0 7,kor4 xxvii1 #cd74 ,when gnosis is established in the heart of the gnostic1 the empire of doubt and scepticism and agnosticism is utterly destroyed1 and the sovereignty of gnosis subdues his senses and passions so that in all his looks and acts and words he remains within the circle of its authority4 ,i have read that when ,ibrhm ,khaww was asked concerning the reality of faith1 he replied3 8,i have no answer to this question just now1 because whatever ,i say is a mere expression1 and it behoves me to answer by my actions2 but ,i am setting out for ,mecca3 do thou accompany me that thou mayest be answered40 ,the narrator continues3 8,i consented4 ,as we journeyed through the desert1 every day two loaves and two cups of water appeared4 ,he gave one to me and took the other for himself4 ,one day an old man rode up to us and dismounted and conversed with ,ibrhm for a while2 then he left us4 ,i asked ,ibrhm to tell me who he was4 ,he replied3 #8,this is the answer to thy question4' #8,how so8' ,i asked4 ,he said3 #8,this was ,khir1 who begged me to let him accompany me1 but ,i refused1 for ,i feared that in his company ,i might put confidence in him instead of in ,god1 and then my trust in ,god 7tawakkul7 would have been vitiated4 ,real faith is trust in ,god4'0 ,and ,muammad b4 ,khaff says3 8,faith is the belief of the heart in that knowledge which comes from the ,unseen10 because faith is in that which is hidden1 and it can be attained only through ,divine strengthening of one's certainty1 which is the result of knowledge bestowed by ,god4 ,now ,i will come to matters of practice and will explain their difficulties4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,fourth ,,veil3 ,,concerning ,,purification ,,from ,,foulness4 ,after faith1 the first thing incumbent on everyone is purification 7ahrat7 and the performance of prayer1 i4e4 to cleanse the body from filth and pollution1 and to wash the three members1#adf and to wipe the head with water as the law prescribes1 or to use sand in the absence of water or in severe illness4 ,purification is of two kinds3 outward and inward4 ,thus prayer requires purification of the body1 and gnosis requires purification of the heart4 ,as1 in the former case1 the water must be clean1 so in the latter case unification must be pure and belief undefiled4 ,the fs are always engaged in purification outwardly and in unification inwardly4 ,the ,apostle said to one of his ,companions3 8,be constant in ablution1 that thy two guardian angels may love thee10 and ,god hath said3 8,god loves those who often repent and those who purify themselves0 7,kor4 ii1 #bbb74 ,and the ,apostle used to say in his invocations3 8,o ,god1 purify my heart from hypocrisy40 ,even consciousness of the miraculous grace 7karmt7 vouchsafed to him he regarded as an affirmation of other than ,god1 for in unification it is hypocrisy 7nifq7 to affirm other than ,god4 ,so long as a disciple's eye is obscured by a single atom of the miracles of the ,shaykhs1 from the standpoint of perfection that atom is a potential veil 7between him and ,god74 ,hence ,ab ,yazd said3 8,the hypocrisy of gnostics is better than the sincerity of disciples10 i4e4 that which is a 8station0 7maqm7 to the novice is a veil to the adept4 ,the novice desires to gain miracles1 but the adept desires to gain the ,giver of miracles4 ,in short1 the affirmation of miracles1 or of anything that involves the sight of other than ,god1 appears hypocrisy to the people of the ,truth 7the fs74 ,accordingly1 what is noxious to the friends of ,god is a means of deliverance for all sinners1 and what is noxious to sinners is a means of salvation for all infidels1 because1 if infidels knew1 as sinners know1 that their sins are displeasing to ,god1 they would all be saved from infidelity2 and if sinners knew1 as the friends of ,god know1 that all their actions are defective1 they would all be saved from sin and purged of contamination4 ,therefore1 outward and inward purification must go together2 e4g41 when a man washes his hands he must wash his heart clean of worldliness1 and when he puts water in his mouth he must purify his mouth from the mention of other than ,god1 and when he washes his face he must turn away from all familiar objects and turn towards ,god1 and when he wipes his head he must resign his affairs to ,god1 and when he washes his feet he must not form the intention of taking his stand on anything except according to the command of ,god4 ,thus he will be doubly purified4 ,in all religious ordinances the external is combined with the internal2 e4g4 in faith1 the tongue's profession with the heart's belief4 ,the method of spiritual purification is to reflect and meditate on the evil of this world and to perceive that it is false and fleeting1 and to make the heart empty of it4 ,this result can be attained only by much self-mortification 7mujhadat71 and the most important act of mortification is to observe the external rules of discipline 7db-i hir7 assiduously in all circumstances4 ,it is related that ,ibrhm ,khaww said3 8,i desire ,god to give me an everlasting life in this world1 in order that1 while mankind are engrossed in the pleasures of the world and forget ,god1 ,i may observe the rules of religion amidst the affliction of the world and remember ,god40 ,and it is related that ,ab hir aram lived forty years at ,mecca1 and went outside of the sacred territory whenever he purified himself1 because he would not pour the water which he had used for that purpose on ground that ,god had called ,his4 ,when ,ibrhm ,khaww was ill of dysentery in the congregational mosque at ,rayy1 he performed sixty complete ablutions in the course of a day and night1 and he died in the water4 ,ab ,al ,rdbr was for some time afflicted with distracting thoughts 7wasws7 in purification4 8,one day10 he said1 8,i went into the sea at dawn and stayed there till sunrise4 ,during that interval my mind was troubled4 ,i cried out3 #8,o ,god1 restore me to spiritual health6' ,a voice answered from the sea3 #8,health consists in knowledge4'0 ,it is related that when ,sufyn ,thawr was dying1 he purified himself sixty times for one prayer and said3 8,i shall at least be clean when ,i leave this world40 ,they relate of ,shibl that one day he purified himself with the intention of entering the mosque4 ,he heard a voice cry3 8,thou hast washed thy outward self1 but where is thy inward purity80 ,he turned back and gave away all that he possessed1 and during a year he put on no more clothes than were necessary for prayer4 ,then he came to ,junayd1 who said to him3 8,o ,ab ,bakr1 that was a very beneficial purification which you have performed2 may ,god always keep you purified60 ,after that1 ,shibl engaged in continual purification4 ,when he was dying and could no longer purify himself1 he made a sign to one of his disciples that he should purify him4 ,the disciple did so1 but forgot to let the water flow through his beard 7takhll-i masin74 ,shibl was unable to speak4 ,he seized the disciple's hand and pointed to his beard1 whereupon the rite was duly performed4 ,and it is also related of him that he said3 8,whenever ,i have neglected any rule of purification1 some vain conceit has always arisen in my heart40 ,and ,ab ,yazd said3 8,whenever a thought of this world occurs to my mind1 ,i perform a purification 7ahrat72 and whenever a thought of the next world occurs to me1 ,i perform a complete ablution 7ghusl710 because this world is non-eternal 7mudath71 and the result of thinking of it is legal impurity 7adath71 whereas the next world is the place of absence and repose 7ghaybat rm71 and the result of thinking of it is pollution 7janbat73 hence legal impurity involves purification and pollution involves total ablution4 ,one day ,shibl purified himself4 ,when he came to the door of the mosque a voice whispered in his heart3 8,art thou so pure that thou enterest ,my house with this boldness80 ,he turned back1 but the voice asked3 8,dost thou turn back from ,my door8 ,whither wilt thou go80 ,he uttered a loud cry4 ,the voice said3 8,dost thou revile me80 ,he stood silent4 ,the voice said3 8,dost thou pretend to endure ,my affliction80 ,shibl exclaimed3 8,o ,god1 ,i implore ,thee to help me against ,thyself40 ,footnote #adf3 ,the face1 hands1 and feet4 ,the f ,shaykhs have fully discussed the true meaning of purification1 and have commanded their disciples not to cease from purifying themselves both outwardly and inwardly4 ,he who would serve ,god must purify himself outwardly with water1 and he who would come nigh unto ,god must purify himself inwardly with repentance4 ,now ,i will explain the principles of repentance 7tawbat7 and its corollaries4 ,chapter concerning ,repentance and its ,corollaries4 ,you must know that repentance 7tawbat7 is the first station of pilgrims on the way to the ,truth1 just as purification 7ahrat7 is the first step of those who desire to serve ,god4 ,hence ,god hath said3 8,o believers1 repent unto ,god with a sincere repentance0 7,kor4 lxvi1 #h74 ,and the ,apostle said1 8,there is nothing that ,god loves more than a youth who repents02 and he also said1 8,he who repents of sin is even as one who has no sin02 then he added1 8,when ,god loves a man1 sin shall not hurt him10 i4e4 he will not become an infidel on account of sin1 and his faith will not be impaired4 ,etymologically tawbat means 8return01 and tawbat really involves the turning back from what ,god has forbidden through fear of what ,he has commanded4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,penitence is the act of returning0 7al-nadam al-tawbat74 ,this saying comprises three things which are involved in tawbat1 namely1 7#a7 remorse for disobedience1 7#b7 immediate abandonment of sin1 and 7#c7 determination not to sin again4 ,as repentance 7tawbat7 involves these three conditions1 so contrition 7nadmat7 may be due to three causes3 7#a7 fear of ,divine chastisement and sorrow for evil actions1 7#b7 desire of ,divine favour and certainty that it cannot be gained by evil conduct and disobedience1 7#c7 shame before ,god4 ,in the first case the penitent is tib1 in the second case he is munb1 in the third case he is awwb4 ,similarly1 tawbat has three stations1 viz41 tawbat1 through fear of ,divine punishment2 inbat1 through desire of ,divine reward2 and awbat1 for the sake of keeping the ,divine command4 ,tawbat is the station of the mass of believers1 and implies repentance from great sins 7kabrat72#adg and inbat is the station of the saints and favourites of ,god 7awliy muqarrabn72#adh and awbat is the station of the prophets and apostles4#adi ,tawbat is to return from great sins to obedience2 inbat is to return from minor sins to love2 and awbat is to return from one's self to ,god4 ,repentance 7tawbat7 has its origin in the stern prohibitions of ,god and in the heart's being aroused from the slumber of heedlessness4 ,when a man considers his evil conduct and abominable deeds he seeks deliverance therefrom1 and ,god makes it easy for him to repent and leads him back to the sweetness of obedience4 ,according to the opinion of orthodox ,moslems and all the f ,shaykhs1 a man who has repented of one sin may continue to commit other sins and nevertheless receive ,divine recompense for having abstained from that one sin2 and it may be that through the blessing of that recompense he will abstain from other sins4 ,but the ,bahsham#aej sect of the ,mutazilites hold that no one can properly be called repentant unless he avoids all great sins1 a doctrine which is absurd1 because a man is not punished for the sins that he does not commit1 but if he renounces a certain kind of sin he has no fear of being punished for sins of that particular kind3 consequently1 he is repentant4 ,similarly1 if he performs some religious duties and neglects others1 he will be rewarded for those which he performed and will be punished for those which he neglected4 ,moreover1 if anyone should have repented of a sin which he has not the means of committing at the moment1 he is repentant1 because through that past repentance he has gained contrition 7nadmat71 which is a fundamental part of repentance 7tawbat71 and at the moment he has turned his back on that kind of sin and is resolved not to commit it again1 even though he should have the power and means of doing so at some future time4 ,as regards the nature and property of repentance1 the f ,shaykhs hold diverse opinions4 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh 7al-,tustar7 and others believe that repentance consists in not forgetting your sins1 but always regretting them1 so that1 although you have many good works to your credit1 you will not be pleased with yourself on that account2 since remorse for an evil action is superior to good works1 and one who never forgets his sins will never become conceited4 ,junayd and others take the opposite view1 that repentance consists in forgetting the sin4 ,they argue that the penitent is a lover of ,god1 and the lover of ,god is in contemplation of ,god1 and in contemplation it is wrong to remember sin1 for remembrance of sin is a veil between ,god and those who contemplate ,him4 ,this controversy goes back to the difference of opinion concerning mortification 7mujhadat7 and contemplation 7mushhadat71 which has been discussed in my account of the doctrine of the ,sahls4 ,those who hold the penitent to be self-dependent regard his forgetfulness of sin as heedlessness1 while those who hold that he is dependent on ,god deem his remembrance of sin to be polytheism4 ,moses1 while his attributes were subsistent1 said1 8,i repent towards ,thee0 7,kor4 vii1 #adj71 but the ,apostle1 while his attributes were annihilated1 said1 8,i cannot tell ,thy praise40 ,inasmuch as it behoves the penitent not to remember his own selfhood1 how should he remember his sin8 ,indeed1 remembrance of sin is a sin1 for sin is an occasion of turning away from ,god1 and so is the remembrance of it or the forgetting of it1 since both remembrance and forgetfulness are connected with one's self4 ,junayd says3 8,i have read many books1 but ,i have never found anything so instructive as this verse3-- #8,idh qultu m adhnabtu qlat mujbatan aytuka dhanbun l yuqsu bihi dhanbu4' ,when ,i say3 #8,what is my sin8' she says in reply3 #8,thy existence is a sin with which no other sin can be compared4'8 ,in short1 repentance is a ,divine strengthening and sin is a corporeal act3 when contrition 7nadmat7 enters the heart the body has no means of expelling it2 and as in the beginning no human act can expel repentance1 so in the end no human act can maintain it4 ,god hath said3 0,and ,he turned 7tba7 unto him 7,adam71 for ,he is the ,disposer towards repentance 7al--tawwb71 the ,merciful0 7,kor4 ii1 #ce74 ,the ,koran contains many texts to the same effect1 which are too well known to require citation4 ,footnote #adg3 ,cf4 ,kor4 lxvi1 #h4 ,footnote #adh3 ,cf4 ,kor4 l1 #cb4 ,footnote #adi3 ,cf4 ,kor4 xxxviii1 #dd4 ,footnote #aej3 ,text1 4 ,see ,shahristn1 ,haarbrcker's translation1 i1 #hj4 ,repentance is of three kinds3 7#a7 from what is wrong to what is right1 7#b7 from what is right to what is more right1 7#c7 from selfhood to ,god4 ,the first kind is the repentance of ordinary men2 the second kind is the repentance of the elect2 and the third kind of repentance belongs to the degree of ,divine love 7maabbat74 ,as regards the elect1 it is impossible that they should repent of sin4 ,do not you perceive that all the world feel regret for having lost the vision of ,god8 ,moses desired that vision and repented 7,kor4 vii1 #adj71 because he asked for it with his own volition 7ikhtiyr71 for in love personal volition is a taint4 ,the people thought he had renounced the vision of ,god1 but what he really renounced was his personal volition4 ,as regards those who love ,god1 they repent not only of the imperfection of a station below the station to which they have attained1 but also of being conscious of any 8station0 or 8state0 whatsoever4 ,,section4 ,repentance does not necessarily continue after the resolution not to return to sin has been duly made4 ,a penitent who in those circumstances returns to sin has in principle earned the ,divine reward for repentance4 ,many novices of this sect 7the fs7 have repented and gone back to wickedness and then once more1 in consequence of an admonition1 have returned to ,god4 ,a certain ,shaykh relates that he repented seventy times and went back to sin on every occasion1 until at the seventy-first time he became steadfast4 ,and ,ab ,amr b4 ,nujayd#aea tells the following story3 8,as a novice1 ,i repented in the assembly-room of ,ab ,uthmn r and persevered in my repentance for some while4 ,then ,i fell into sin and left the society of that spiritual director1 and whenever ,i saw him from afar my remorse caused me to flee from his sight4 ,one day ,i met him unexpectedly4 ,he said to me3 #8,o son1 do not associate with your enemies unless you are sinless 7mam71 for an enemy will see your faults and rejoice4 ,if you must sin1 come to us1 that we may bear your affliction4' ,on hearing his words1 ,i felt surfeited with sin and my repentance was established40 ,a certain man1 having repented of sin1 returned to it and then repented once more4 8,how will it be10 he said1 8if ,i now turn to ,god80 ,a heavenly voice answered1 saying3 8,thou didst obey ,me and ,i recompensed thee1 then thou didst abandon ,me and ,i showed indulgence towards thee2 and if thou wilt return to ,me1 ,i will receive thee40 ,footnote #aea3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #bha4 ,,section4 ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian says3 8,ordinary men repent of their sins1 but the elect repent of their heedlessness10 because ordinary men shall be questioned concerning their outward behaviour1 but the elect shall be questioned concerning the real nature of their conduct4 ,heedlessness1 which to ordinary men is a pleasure1 is a veil to the elect4 ,ab af addd says3 8,man has no part in repentance1 because repentance is from ,god to ,man1 not from ,man to ,god40 ,according to this saying1 repentance is not acquired by ,man1 but is one of ,god's gifts1 a doctrine which is closely akin to that of ,junayd4 ,abu l-asan ,bshanj says3 8,when you feel no delight in remembering a sin1 that is repentance10 because the recollection of a sin is accompanied either by regret or by desire3 one who regrets that he has committed a sin is repentant1 whereas one who desires to commit a sin is a sinner4 ,the actual sin is not so evil as the desire of it1 for the act is momentary1 but the desire is perpetual4 ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian says3 8,there are two kinds of repentance1 the repentance of return 7tawbat al-inbat7 and the repentance of shame 7tawbat al-istiy73 the former is repentance through fear of ,divine punishment1 the latter is repentance through shame of ,divine clemency40 ,the repentance of fear is caused by revelation of ,god's majesty1 while the repentance of shame is caused by vision of ,god's beauty4 ,those who feel shame are intoxicated1 and those who feel fear are sober4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,fifth ,,veil3 ,,concerning ,,prayer 7al-alt74 ,etymologically1 prayer 7namz7 means remembrance 7of ,god7 and submissiveness 7dhikr inqiyd71 but in the correct usage of lawyers the term is specially applied to the five prayers which ,god has ordered to be performed at five different times1 and which involve certain preliminary conditions1 viz43 7#a7 purification outwardly from filth and inwardly from lust2 7#b7 that one's outward garment should be clean and one's inner garment undefiled by anything unlawful2 7#c7 that the place where one purifies one's self should be outwardly free from contamination and inwardly free from corruptness and sin2 7#d7 turning towards the qibla1 the outward qibla being the ,kaba and the inward qibla being the ,throne of ,god1 by which is meant the mystery of ,divine contemplation2 7#e7 standing outwardly in the state of power 7qudrat7 and inwardly in the garden of proximity to ,god 7qurbat72 7#f7 sincere intention to approach unto ,god2 7#g7 saying 8,allah akbar0 in the station of awe and annihilation1 and standing in the abode of union1 and reciting the ,koran distinctly and reverently1 and bowing the head with humility1 and prostrating one's self with abasement1 and making the profession of faith with concentration1 and saluting with annihilation of one's attributes4 ,it is recorded in the ,traditions that when the ,apostle prayed1 there was heard within him a sound like the boiling of a kettle4 ,and when ,al was about to pray1 his hair stood on end and he trembled and said3 8,the hour has come to fulfil a trust which the heavens and the earth were unable to bear40#aeb ,footnote #aeb3 ,here the author cites a description given by tim al-,aamm of his manner of praying4 ,,section4 ,prayer is a term in which novices find the whole way to ,god1 from beginning to end1 and in which their stations 7maqmt7 are revealed4 ,thus1 for novices1 purification takes the place of repentance1 and dependence on a spiritual director takes the place of ascertaining the qibla1 and standing in prayer takes the place of self-mortification1 and reciting the ,koran takes the place of inward meditation 7dhikr71 and bowing the head takes the place of humility1 and prostration takes the place of self-knowledge1 and profession of faith takes the place of intimacy 7uns71 and salutation takes the place of detachment from the world and escape from the bondage of 8stations04 ,hence1 when the ,apostle became divested of all feelings of delight 7mashrib7 in complete bewilderment1 he used to say3 8,o ,bill1 comfort us by the call to prayer40 ,the f ,shaykhs have discussed this matter and each of them occupies a position of his own4 ,some hold that prayer is a means of obtaining 8presence0 with ,god 7udr71 and others regard it as a means of obtaining 8absence0 7ghaybat72 some who have been 8absent0 become 8present0 in prayer1 while others who have been 8present0 become 8absent04 ,similarly1 in the next world where ,god is seen1 some1 who are 8absent01 when they see ,god shall become 8present01 and vice vers4 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 assert that prayer is a ,divine command and is not a means of obtaining either 8presence0 or 8absence01 because a ,divine command is not a means to anything4 ,the cause of 8presence0 is 8presence0 itself1 and the cause of 8absence0 is 8absence0 itself4 ,if prayer were the cause or means of 8presence01 it could be performed only by one who was 8present01 and if it were the cause of 8absence01 one who was 8absent0 would necessarily become 8present0 by neglecting to perform it4 ,but inasmuch as it must be performed by all1 whether they be 8present0 or 8absent01 prayer is sovereign in its essence and independent4 ,prayer is mostly performed and prescribed by those who are engaged in self-mortification or who have attained to steadfastness 7istiqmat74 ,thus the ,shaykhs order their disciples to perform four hundred bowings in prayer during a day and night1 that their bodies may be habituated to devotion2 and the steadfast likewise perform many prayers in thanksgiving for the favour which ,god has bestowed upon them4 ,as regards those who possess 8states0 7arbb-i awl71 their prayers1 in the perfection of ecstasy1 correspond to the 8station0 of union1 so that through their prayers they become united2 or again1 when ecstasy is withdrawn1 their prayers correspond to the 8station0 of separation1 so that thereby they become separated4 ,the former1 who are united in their prayers1 pray by day and night and add supererogatory prayers to those which are incumbent on them1 but the latter1 who are separated1 perform no more prayers than they need4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,in prayer lies my delight10 because prayer is a source of joy to the steadfast4 ,when the ,apostle was brought nigh unto ,god on the night of the ,ascension1 and his soul was loosed from the fetters of phenomenal being1 and his spirit lost consciousness of all degrees and stations1 and his natural powers were annihilated1 he said1 not of his own will1 but inspired by longing3 8,o ,god1 do not transport me to yonder world of affliction6 ,do not throw me under the sway of nature and passion60 ,god answered3 8,it is ,my decree that thou shalt return to the world for the sake of establishing the religious law1 in order that ,i may give thee there what ,i have given thee here40 ,when he returned to this world1 he used to say as often as he felt a longing for that exalted station3 8,o ,bill1 comfort us by the call to prayer60 ,thus to him every time of prayer was an ,ascension and a new nearness to ,god4 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh says3 8,it is a sign of a man's sincerity that he has an attendant angel who urges him to pray when the hour of prayer is come1 and wakes him if he be asleep40 ,this mark 7of sincerity7 was apparent in ,sahl himself1 for although he had become palsied in his old age he used to recover the use of his limbs whenever the hour of prayer arrived2 and after having performed his prayers he was unable to move from his place4 ,one of the ,shaykhs says3 8,four things are necessary to him who prays3 annihilation of the lower soul 7nafs71 loss of the natural powers1 purity of the inmost heart1 and perfect contemplation40 ,annihilation of the lower soul is to be attained only by concentration of thought2 loss of the natural powers only by affirmation of the ,divine majesty1 which involves the destruction of all that is other than ,god2 purity of the inmost heart only by love2 and perfect contemplation only by purity of the inmost heart4 ,it is related that usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj7 used to lay upon himself the obligation of performing four hundred bowings of prayer in a day and a night4 ,on being asked why he took so much trouble in the high degree which he enjoyed1 he answered3 8,pain and pleasure indicate your feelings1 but those whose attributes are annihilated feel no effect either of pleasure or of pain4 ,beware lest you call remissness maturity and desire of the world search for ,god40 ,a certain man relates3 8,i was praying behind ,dhu l-,nn4 ,when he began to pronounce the takbr1 he cried #8,allah akbar' and fell in a swoon like a lifeless body40 ,junayd1 after he had grown old1 did not omit any item of the litanies 7awrd7 of his youth4 ,when he was urged to refrain from some of these supererogatory acts of devotion to which his strength was unequal1 he replied that he could not abandon at the last those exercises which had been the means of his acquiring spiritual welfare at the first4 ,it is well known that the angels are ceaselessly engaged in worship1 because they are spiritual and have no lower soul 7nafs74 ,the lower soul deters men from obedience1 and the more it is subdued the more easy does the performance of worship become2 and when it is entirely annihilated1 worship becomes the food and drink of ,man1 even as it is the food and drink of the angels4 ,abdallh b4 ,mubrak says3 8,in my boyhood ,i remember seeing a female ascetic who was bitten by a scorpion in forty places while she was praying1 but no change of expression was visible in her countenance4 ,when she had finished1 ,i said3 #8,o mother1 why didst not thou fling the scorpion away from thee8' ,she answered3 #8,ignorant boy6 dost thou deem it right that while ,i am engaged in ,god's business ,i should attend to my own8'0 ,abu l-,khayr ,aqa#aec had a gangrene in his foot4 ,the physicians declared that his foot must be amputated1 but he would not allow this to be done4 ,his disciples said3 8,cut it off while he is praying1 for at that time he is unconscious40 ,the physicians acted on this advice4 ,when ,abu l-,khayr finished his prayers he found that his foot had been amputated4#aed ,footnote #aec3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #bei4 ,footnote #aed3 ,here follows a story1 already related in the notice of ,ab ,bakr 7p4 #gj71 concerning the different manner in which ,ab ,bakr and ,umar recited the ,koran when they performed their prayers4 ,some fs perform obligatory acts of devotion openly1 but conceal those which are supererogatory in order that they may escape from ostentation 7riy74 ,anyone 7they say7 who desires that others should take notice of his religious practices becomes a hypocrite2 and if he says that although other people see his devotions he himself is unconscious of them1 that too is hypocrisy4 ,other fs1 however1 exhibit both their obligatory and supererogatory acts of devotion1 on the ground that ostentation is unreal and piety real3 therefore1 it is absurd to hide reality for the sake of unreality4 8,do not let any thought of ostentation 7they say7 enter your heart1 and worship ,god wherever you will40 ,the ,shaykhs have observed the true spirit of the rules of devotional practice1 and have enjoined their disciples to do the same4 ,one of them says3 8,i travelled for forty years1 and during that time ,i did not miss a single public service of prayer1 but was in some town every ,friday40 ,the corollaries of prayer belong to the stations of love1 of which ,i will now set forth the principles in full4 ,chapter concerning ,love and matters connected therewith4 ,god hath said1 8,o believers1 whosoever among you apostatize from their religion1 ,god will assuredly bring in their stead a people whom ,he will love and who will love ,him0 7,kor4 v1 #ei72 and ,he hath also said1 8,some men take idols beside ,god and love them as they love ,god1 but the believers love ,god best0 7,kor4 ii1 #afj74 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,i heard ,gabriel say that ,god said1 #8,whoever despises any of ,my friends has declared war against ,me4 ,i do not hesitate in anything as ,i hesitate to seize the soul of ,my faithful servant who dislikes death and whom ,i dislike to hurt1 but he cannot escape therefrom2 and no means whereby ,my servant seeks ,my favour is more pleasing to ,me than the performance of the obligations which ,i have laid upon him2 and ,my servant continuously seeks ,my favour by works of supererogation until ,i love him1 and when ,i love him ,i am his hearing and his sight and his hand and his helper4'0 ,and the ,apostle also said1 8,god loves to meet those who love to meet ,him1 and dislikes to meet those who dislike to meet ,him02 and again1 8,when ,god loves a man ,he says to ,gabriel1 #8,o ,gabriel1 ,i love such and such a one1 so do thou love him'2 then ,gabriel loves him and says to the dwellers in ,heaven1 #8,god loves such and such a one1' and they love him too2 then he bestows on him favour in the earth1 so that he is loved by the inhabitants of the earth2 and as it happens with regard to love1 so does it happen with regard to hate40 ,maabbat 7love7 is said to be derived from ibbat1 which are seeds that fall to the earth in the desert4 ,the name ubb 7love7 was given to such desert seeds 7ibb71 because love is the source of life just as seeds are the origin of plants4 ,as1 when the seeds are scattered in the desert1 they become hidden in the earth1 and rain falls upon them and the sun shines upon them and cold and heat pass over them1 yet they are not corrupted by the changing seasons1 but grow up and bear flowers and give fruit1 so love1 when it takes its dwelling in the heart1 is not corrupted by presence or absence1 by pleasure or pain1 by separation or union4 ,others say that maabbat is derived from ubb1 meaning 8a jar full of stagnant water01 because when love is collected in the heart and fills it1 there is no room there for any thought except of the beloved1 as ,shibl says3 8,love is called maabbat because it obliterates 7tam7 from the heart everything except the beloved40 ,others say that maabbat is derived from ubb1 meaning 8the four conjoined pieces of wood on which a water-jug is placed1 because a lover lightly bears whatever his beloved metes out to him--honour or disgrace1 pain or pleasure1 fair treatment or foul04 ,according to others1 maabbat is derived from abb1 the plural of abbat1 and abbat is the core of the heart1 where love resides4 ,in this case1 maabbat is called by the name of its dwelling-place1 a principle of which there are numerous examples in ,arabic4 ,others derive it from abb1 8bubbles of water and the effervescence thereof in a heavy rainfall10 because love is the effervescence of the heart in longing for union with the beloved4 ,as the body subsists through the spirit1 so the heart subsists through love1 and love subsists through vision of1 and union with1 the beloved4 ,others1 again1 declare that ubb is a name applied to pure love1 because the ,arabs call the pure white of the human eye abbat al-insn1 just as they call the pure black 7core7 of the heart abbat al-qalb3 the latter is the seat of love1 the former of vision4 ,hence the heart and the eye are rivals in love1 as the poet says3 8,my heart envies mine eye the pleasure of seeing1 ,and mine eye envies my heart the pleasure of meditating40 ,,section4 ,you must know that the term 8love0 7maabbat7 is used by theologians in three significations4 ,firstly1 as meaning restless desire for the object of love1 and inclination and passion1 in which sense it refers only to created beings and their mutual affection towards one another1 but cannot be applied to ,god1 who is exalted far above anything of this sort4 ,secondly1 as meaning ,god's beneficence and ,his conferment of special privileges on those whom ,he chooses and causes to attain the perfection of saintship and peculiarly distinguishes by diverse kinds of ,his miraculous grace4 ,thirdly1 as meaning praise which ,god bestows on a man for a good action 7than-yi jaml74#aee ,footnote #aee3 ,cf4 ,qushayr 7,cairo1 #acah ,a4,h471 #agj1 #ad sqq4 ,some scholastic philosophers say that ,god's love1 which ,he has made known to us1 belongs to those traditional attributes1 like ,his face and ,his hand and ,his settling ,himself firmly on ,his throne 7istiw71 of which the existence from the standpoint of reason would appear to be impossible if they had not been proclaimed as ,divine attributes in the ,koran and the ,sunna4 ,therefore we affirm them and believe in them1 but suspend our own judgment concerning them4 ,these scholastics mean to deny that the term 8love0 can be applied to ,god in all the senses which ,i have mentioned4 ,i will now explain to you the truth of this matter4 ,god's love of ,man is ,his good will towards him and ,his having mercy on him4 ,love is one of the names of ,his will 7irdat71 like 8satisfaction01 8anger01 8mercy01 etc41 and ,his will is an eternal attribute whereby ,he wills ,his actions4 ,in short1 ,god's love towards ,man consists in showing much favour to him1 and giving him a recompense in this world and the next1 and making him secure from punishment and keeping him safe from sin1 and bestowing on him lofty 8states0 and exalted 8stations0 and causing him to turn his thoughts away from all that is other than ,god4 ,when ,god peculiarly distinguishes anyone in this way1 that specialization of ,his will is called love4 ,this is the doctrine of rith ,musib and ,junayd and a large number of the f ,shaykhs as well as of the lawyers belonging to both the sects2 and most of the ,sunn scholastics hold the same opinion4 ,as regards their assertion that ,divine love is 8praise given to a man for a good action0 7than-yi jaml bar banda71 ,god's praise is ,his word 7kalm71 which is uncreated2 and as regards their assertion that ,divine love means 8beneficence01 ,his beneficence consists in ,his actions4 ,hence the different views are substantially in close relation to each other4 ,man's love towards ,god is a quality which manifests itself in the heart of the pious believer1 in the form of veneration and magnification1 so that he seeks to satisfy his ,beloved and becomes impatient and restless in his desire for vision of ,him1 and cannot rest with anyone except ,him1 and grows familiar with the remembrance 7dhikr7 of ,him1 and abjures the remembrance of everything besides4 ,repose becomes unlawful to him and rest flees from him4 ,he is cut off from all habits and associations1 and renounces sensual passion and turns towards the court of love and submits to the law of love and knows ,god by ,his attributes of perfection4 ,it is impossible that ,man's love of ,god should be similar in kind to the love of ,his creatures towards one another1 for the former is desire to comprehend and attain the beloved object1 while the latter is a property of bodies4 ,the lovers of ,god are those who devote themselves to death in nearness to ,him1 not those who seek ,his nature 7kayfiyyat71 because the seeker stands by himself1 but he who devotes himself to death 7mustahlik7 stands by his ,beloved2 and the truest lovers are they who would fain die thus1 and are overpowered1 because a phenomenal being has no means of approaching the ,eternal save through the omnipotence of the ,eternal4 ,he who knows what is real love feels no more difficulties1 and all his doubts depart4 ,love1 then1 is of two kinds--7#a7 the love of like towards like1 which is a desire instigated by the lower soul and which seeks the essence 7dht7 of the beloved object by means of sexual intercourse2 7#b7 the love of one who is unlike the object of his love and who seeks to become intimately attached to an attribute of that object1 e4g4 hearing without speech or seeing without eye4 ,and believers who love ,god are of two kinds--7#a7 those who regard the favour and beneficence of ,god towards them1 and are led by that regard to love the ,benefactor2 7#b7 those who are so enraptured by love that they reckon all favours as a veil 7between themselves and ,god7 and by regarding the ,benefactor are led to 7consciousness of7 ,his favours4 ,the latter way is the more exalted of the two4 ,,section4 ,among the f ,shaykhs ,sumnn al-,muibb holds a peculiar doctrine concerning love4 ,he asserts that love is the foundation and principle of the way to ,god1 that all 8states0 and 8stations0 are stages of love1 and that every stage and abode in which the seeker may be admits of destruction1 except the abode of love1 which is not destructible in any circumstances so long as the way itself remains in existence4 ,all the other ,shaykhs agree with him in this matter1 but since the term 8love0 is current and well known1 and they wished the doctrine of ,divine love to remain hidden1 instead of calling it 8love0 they gave it the name of 8purity0 7afwat71 and the lover they called 8f02 or they used the word 8poverty0 7faqr7 to denote the renunciation of the lover's personal will in his affirmation of the ,beloved's will1 and they called the lover 8poor0 7faqr74 ,i have explained the theory of 8purity0 and 8poverty0 in the beginning of this book4 ,amr b4 ,uthmn ,makk says in the ,kitb-i ,maabbat#aef that ,god created the souls 7dilh7 seven thousand years before the bodies and kept them in the station of proximity 7qurb71 and that he created the spirits 7jnh7 seven thousand years before the souls and kept them in the degree of intimacy 7uns71 and that he created the hearts 7sirrh7 seven thousand years before the spirits and kept them in the degree of union 7wal71 and revealed the epiphany of ,his beauty to the heart three hundred and sixty times every day and bestowed on it three hundred and sixty looks of grace1 and ,he caused the spirits to hear the word of love and manifested three hundred and sixty exquisite favours of intimacy to the soul1 so that they all surveyed the phenomenal universe and saw nothing more precious than themselves and were filled with vanity and pride4 ,therefore ,god subjected them to probation3 ,he imprisoned the heart in the spirit and the spirit in the soul and the soul in the body2 then ,he mingled reason 7aql7 with them1 and sent prophets and gave commands2 then each of them began to seek its original station4 ,god ordered them to pray4 ,the body betook itself to prayer1 the soul attained to love1 the spirit arrived at proximity to ,god1 and the heart found rest in union with ,him4 ,the explanation of love is not love1 because love is a feeling 7l71 and feelings are never mere words 7ql74 ,if the whole world wished to attract love1 they could not2 and if they made the utmost efforts to repel it1 they could not4 ,love is a ,divine gift1 not anything that can be acquired4 ,footnote #aef3 8,the ,book of ,love40 ,,section4 ,concerning excessive love 7ishq7 there is much controversy among the ,shaykhs4 ,some fs hold that excessive love towards ,god is allowable1 but that it does not proceed from ,god4 ,such love1 they say1 is the attribute of one who is debarred from his beloved1 and ,man is debarred from ,god1 but ,god is not debarred from ,man3 therefore ,man may love ,god excessively1 but the term is not applicable to ,god4 ,others1 again1 take the view that ,god cannot be the object of ,man's excessive love1 because such love involves a passing beyond limits1 whereas ,god is not limited4 ,the moderns assert that excessive love1 in this world and the next1 is properly applied only to the desire of attaining the essence1 and inasmuch as the essence of ,god is not attainable1 the term 7ishq7 is not rightly used in reference to ,man's love towards ,god1 although the terms 8love0 7maabbat7 and 8pure love0 7afwat7 are correct4 ,they say1 moreover1 that while love 7maabbat7 may be produced by hearing1 excessive love 7ishq7 cannot possibly arise without actual vision3 therefore it cannot be felt towards ,god1 who is not seen in this world4 ,the essence of ,god is not attainable or perceptible1 that ,man should be able to feel excessive love towards ,him2 but ,man feels love 7maabbat7 towards ,god1 because ,god1 through ,his attributes and actions1 is a gracious benefactor to ,his friends4 ,since ,jacob was absorbed in love 7maabbat7 for ,joseph1 from whom he was separated1 his eyes became bright and clear as soon as he smelt ,joseph's shirt2 but since ,zulaykh was ready to die on account of her excessive love 7ishq7 for ,joseph1 her eyes were not opened until she was united with him4 ,it has also been said that excessive love is applicable to ,god1 on the ground that neither ,god nor excessive love has any opposite4 ,,section4 ,i will now mention a few of the innumerable indications which the f ,shaykhs have given as to the true nature of love4 ,master ,abu l-,qsim ,qushayr says3 8,love is the effacement of the lover's attributes and the establishment of the ,beloved's essence10 i4e4 since the ,beloved is subsistent 7bq7 and the lover is annihilated 7fn7 the jealousy of love requires that the lover should make the subsistence of the ,beloved absolute by negating himself1 and he cannot negate his own attributes except by affirming the essence of the ,beloved4 ,no lover can stand by his own attributes1 for in that case he would not need the ,beloved's beauty2 but when he knows that his life depends on the ,beloved's beauty1 he necessarily seeks to annihilate his own attributes1 which veil him from his ,beloved2 and thus in love for his ,friend he becomes an enemy to himself4 ,it is well known that the last words of usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj7 on the scaffold were asb al-wjid ifrd al-wid1 8,it is enough for the lover that he should make the ,one single10 i4e4 that his existence should be cleared away from the path of love and that the dominion of his lower soul should be utterly destroyed4 ,ab ,yazd ,bism says3 8,love consists in regarding your own much as little and your ,beloved's little as much40 ,this is how ,god ,himself deals with ,his servants1 for ,he calls 8little0 that which ,he has given to them in this world 7,kor4 iv1 #gi71 but calls their praise of ,him 8much0--8the men and women who praise ,god much0 7,kor4 xxxiii1 #ce7--;in order that all ,his creatures may know that ,he is the real ,beloved1 because nothing is little that ,god bestows on ,man1 and all is little that ,man offers to ,god4 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh al-,tustar says3 8,love consists in embracing acts of obedience 7munaqat al-t7 and in avoiding acts of disobedience10 because a man performs the command of his beloved more easily in proportion to the strength of love in his heart4 ,this is a refutation of those heretics who declare that a man may attain to such a degree of love that obedience is no longer required of him1 a doctrine which is sheer heresy4 ,it is impossible that any person1 while his understanding is sound1 should be relieved of his religious obligations1 because the law of ,muammad will never be abrogated1 and if one such person may be thus relieved why not all8 ,the case of persons overcome with rapture 7maghlb7 and idiots 7math7 is different4 ,it is possible1 however1 that ,god in ,his love should bring a man to such a degree that it costs him no trouble to perform his religious duties1 because the more one loves ,him who gives the command the less trouble will he have in executing it4 ,when the ,apostle abandoned himself entirely to devotion both by day and night1 so that his blessed feet became swollen1 ,god said3 8,we have not sent down the ,koran to thee in order that thou shouldst be miserable0 7,kor4 xx1 #a74 ,and it is also possible that one should be relieved of the consciousness of performing the ,divine command1 as the ,apostle said3 8,verily1 a veil is drawn over my heart1 and ,i ask forgiveness of ,god seventy times daily10 i4e4 he asked to be forgiven for his actions1 because he was not regarding himself and his actions1 that he should be pleased with his obedience1 but was paying regard to the majesty of ,god's command and was thinking that his actions were not worthy of ,god's acceptance4 ,sumnn ,muibb says3 8,the lovers of ,god have borne away the glory of this world and the next1 for the ,prophet said1 #8,a man is with the object of his love4'0 ,therefore they are with ,god in both worlds1 and those who are with ,god can do no wrong4 ,the glory of this world is ,god's being with them1 and the glory of the next world is their being with ,god4 ,yay b4 ,mudh al-,rz says3 8,real love is neither diminished by unkindness nor increased by kindness and bounty10 because in love both kindness and unkindness are causes1 and the cause of a thing is reduced to nothing when the thing itself actually exists4 ,a lover delights in the affliction that his beloved makes him suffer1 and having love he regards kindness and unkindness with the same indifference4 ,the story is well known how ,shibl was supposed to be insane and was confined in a madhouse4 ,some persons came to visit him4 8,who are you80 he asked4 ,they answered3 8,thy friends10 whereupon he pelted them with stones and put them to flight4 ,then he said3 8,had you been my friends1 you would not have fled from my affliction40 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,sixth ,,veil3 ,,concerning ,,alms 7al-zakt74 ,alms is one of the obligatory ordinances of the faith4 ,it becomes due on the completion of a benefit2 e4g41 two hundred dirhems constitute a complete benefit 7nimat tamm71 and anyone who is in possession of that sum ought to pay five dirhems2 or if he possesses twenty dnrs he ought to pay half a dnr2 or if he possesses five camels he ought to pay one sheep1 and so forth4 ,alms is also due on account of dignity 7jh71 because that too is a complete benefit4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,verily1 ,god has made it incumbent upon you to pay the alms of your dignity1 even as ,he has made it incumbent upon you to pay the alms of your property02 and he said also3 8,everything has its alms1 and the alms of a house is the guest-room40 ,alms is really thanksgiving for a benefit received1 the thanks being similar in kind to the benefit4 ,thus health is a great blessing1 for which every limb owes alms4 ,therefore healthy persons ought to occupy all their limbs with devotion and not yield them to pleasure and pastime1 in order that the alms due for the blessing of health may be fully paid4 ,moreover1 there is an alms for every spiritual blessing1 namely1 outward and inward acknowledgment of that blessing in proportion to its worth4 ,thus1 when a man knows that the blessings bestowed upon him by ,god are infinite1 he should render infinite thanks by way of alms4 ,the fs do not consider it praiseworthy to give alms on account of worldly blessings1 because they disapprove of avarice1 and a man must needs be extremely avaricious to keep two hundred dirhems in his possession for a whole year and then give away five dirhems in alms4 ,since it is the custom of the generous to lavish their wealth1 and since they are disposed to be liberal1 how should almsgiving be incumbent upon them8 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that a certain formal theologian1 wishing to make trial of ,shibl1 asked him what sum ought to be given in alms4 ,shibl replied3 8,where avarice is present and property exists1 five dirhems out of every two hundred dirhems1 and half a dnr out of every twenty dnrs4 ,that is according to thy doctrine2 but according to mine1 a man ought not to possess anything1 in which case he will be saved from the trouble of giving alms40 ,the divine asked3 8,whose authority do you follow in this matter80 ,shibl said3 8,the authority of ,ab ,bakr the ,veracious1 who gave away all that he possessed1 and on being asked by the ,apostle what he had left behind for his family1 answered1 #8,god and ,his ,apostle4'0 ,and it is related that ,al said in an ode-- 8,almsgiving is not incumbent on me1 ,for how can a generous man be required to give alms80 ,but it is absurd for anyone to cultivate ignorance and to say that because he has no property he need not be acquainted with the theory of almsgiving4 ,to learn and obtain knowledge is an essential obligation1 and to profess one's self independent of knowledge is mere infidelity4 ,it is one of the evils of the present age that many who pretend to be pious dervishes reject knowledge in favour of ignorance4 ,the author says3 8,once ,i was giving devotional instruction to some novices in fiism and was discussing the chapter on the poor-rate of camels 7adaqat al-ibil7 and explaining the rules in regard to she-camels that have entered on their third or second or fourth year 7bint-i labn bint-i makh iqqa74 ,an ignorant fellow1 tired of listening to my discourse1 rose and said3 #8,i have no camels3 what use is this knowledge to me8' ,i answered3 #8,knowledge is necessary in taking alms no less than in giving alms3 if anyone should give you a she-camel in her third year and you should accept her1 you ought to be informed on this point2 and even though one has no property and does not want to have any property1 he is not thereby relieved from the obligation of knowledge4'0 ,,section4 ,some of the f ,shaykhs have accepted alms1 while others have declined to do so4 ,those whose poverty is voluntary 7ba-ikhtiyr7 belong to the latter class4 8,we do not amass property10 they say1 8therefore we need not give alms2 nor will we accept alms from worldlings1 lest they should have the upper hand 7yad-i uly7 and we the lower 7yad-i sufl748 ,but those who in their poverty are under ,divine compulsion 7mutarr7 accept alms1 not for their own wants but with the purpose of relieving a brother ,moslem of his obligation4 ,in this case the receiver of alms1 not the giver1 has the upper hand2 otherwise1 the words of ,god1 0,and ,he accepteth the alms0 7,kor4 ix1 #aje71 are meaningless1 and the giver of alms must be superior to the receiver1 a belief which is utterly false4 ,no2 the upper hand belongs to him who takes something from a brother ,moslem in order that the latter may escape from a heavy responsibility4 ,dervishes are not of this world 7duny71 but of the next world 7uqb71 and if a dervish fails to relieve a worldling of his responsibility1 the worldling will be held accountable and punished at the ,resurrection for having neglected to fulfil his obligation4 ,therefore ,god afflicts the dervish with a slight want in order that worldlings may be able to perform what is incumbent upon them4 ,the upper hand is necessarily the hand of the dervish who receives alms in accordance with the requirement of the law1 because it behoves him to take that which is due to ,god4 ,if the hand of the recipient were the lower hand1 as some anthropomorphists 7ahl-i ashw7 declare1 then the hands of the ,apostles1 who often received alms due to ,god and delivered it to the proper authority1 must have been lower 7than the hands of those who gave the alms to them74 ,this view is erroneous2 its adherents do not see that the ,apostles received alms in consequence of the ,divine command4 ,the religious ,imms have acted in the same manner as the ,apostles1 for they have always received payments due to the public treasury4 ,those are in the wrong who assert that the hand of the receiver is the lower and that of the giver is the higher4 ,chapter on ,liberality and ,generosity4 ,in the opinion of theologians liberality 7jd7 and generosity 7sakh71 when regarded as human attributes1 are synonymous2 but ,god1 although ,he is called liberal 7jawd71 is not called generous 7sakh71 because ,he has not called ,himself by the latter name1 nor is ,he so called in any ,apostolic ,tradition4 ,all orthodox ,moslems are agreed that it is not allowable to apply to ,god any name that is not proclaimed in the ,koran and the ,sunna3 thus ,he may be called knowing 7lim71 but not intelligent 7qil7 or wise 7faqh71 although the three terms bear the same signification4 ,hence ,god is called liberal1 since that name is accompanied by ,his blessing2 and ,he is not called generous1 since that name lacks ,his blessing4 ,men have made a distinction between liberality 7jd7 and generosity 7sakh71 and have said that the generous man discriminates in his liberality1 and that his actions are connected with a selfish motive 7ghara7 and a cause 7sabab74 ,this is a rudimentary stage in liberality1 for the liberal man does not discriminate1 and his actions are devoid of self-interest and without any secondary cause4 ,these two qualities were exhibited by two ,apostles1 viz41 ,abraham1 the ,friend of ,god 7,khall71 and ,muammad1 the ,beloved of ,god 7abb74 ,it is related in the genuine ,traditions that ,abraham was accustomed not to eat anything until a guest came to him4 ,once1 after three days had passed without the arrival of a guest1 a fire--worshipper appeared at the door1 but ,abraham1 on hearing who he was1 refused to give him entertainment4 ,god reproached him on this account1 saying3 8,wilt not thou give a piece of bread to one whom ,i have nourished for seventy years80 ,but ,muammad1 when the son of tim visited him1 spread his own mantle on the ground for him and said3 8,honour the noble chieftain of a people when he comes to you40 ,abraham's position was generosity1 but our ,apostle's was liberality4 ,the best rule in this matter is set forth in the maxim that liberality consists in following one's first thought1 and that it is a sign of avarice when the second thought prevails over the first2 for the first thought is unquestionably from ,god4 ,i have read that at ,nshpr there was a merchant who used regularly to attend the meetings held by ,shaykh ,ab ,sad4 ,one day a dervish who was present begged the ,shaykh to give him something4 ,the merchant had a dnr and a small piece of clipped money 7qura74 ,his first thought was3 8,i will give the dnr10 but on second thoughts he gave the clipped piece4 ,when the ,shaykh finished his discourse the merchant asked3 8,is it right for anyone to contend with ,god80 ,the ,shaykh answered3 8,you contended with ,him3 ,he bade you give the dnr1 but you gave the clipping40 ,i have also read that ,shaykh ,ab ,abdallh ,rdbr came to the house of a disciple in his absence1 and ordered that all the effects in the house should be taken to the bazaar4 ,when the disciple returned he was delighted that the ,shaykh had behaved with such freedom1 but he said nothing4 ,his wife1 however1 tore off her dress and flung it down1 saying3 8,this belongs to the effects of the house40 ,the husband exclaimed3 8,you are doing more than is necessary and showing self-will40 8,o husband10 said she1 8what the ,shaykh did was the result of his liberality3 we too must exert ourselves 7takalluf kunm7 to display liberality40 8,yes10 replied the husband1 8but if we allow the ,shaykh to be liberal1 that is real liberality in us1 whereas liberality1 regarded as a human quality1 is forced and unreal40 ,a disciple ought always to sacrifice his property and himself in obedience to the command of ,god4 ,hence ,sahl b4 ,abdallh 7al-,tustar7 said3 8,the f's blood may be shed with impunity1 and his property may be seized40 ,i have heard the following story of ,shaykh ,ab ,muslim ,fris3 8,once 7he said7 ,i set out with a number of people for the ijz4 ,in the neighbourhood of ulwn we were attacked by ,kurds1 who stripped us of our patched frocks4 ,we offered no resistance4 ,one man1 however1 became greatly excited1 whereupon a ,kurd drew his scimitar and killed him1 notwithstanding our entreaties that his life might be spared4 ,on our asking why he had killed him he answered3 #8,because he is no f and acts disloyally in the company of saints3 such a one is better dead4' ,we said3 #8,how so8' ,he replied3 #8,the first step in fiism is liberality4 ,this fellow1 who was so desperately attached to these rags that he quarrelled with his own friends1 how should he be a f8 ,his own friends1 ,i say1 for it is a long time since we have been doing as you do1 and plundering you and stripping you of worldly encumbrances4'0#aeg ,a man came to the house of asan b4 ,al and said that he owed four hundred dirhems4 asan gave him four hundred dnrs and went into the house1 weeping4 ,they asked him why he wept4 ,he answered3 8,i have been remiss in making inquiry into the circumstances of this man1 and have reduced him to the humiliation of begging40 ,ab ,sahl ulk never put alms into the hand of a dervish1 and always used to lay on the ground anything that he gave4 8,worldly goods10 he said1 8are too worthless to be placed in the hand of a ,moslem1 so that my hand should be the upper and his the lower40#aeh ,i once met a dervish to whom a ,sultan had sent three hundred drachms of pure gold4 ,he went to a bath-house1 and gave the whole sum to the superintendent and immediately departed4 ,i have already discussed the subject of liberality in the chapter on preference 7thr71 where ,i have dealt with the doctrine of the ,nrs4 ,footnote #aeg3 ,here follows a story of ,abdallh b4 ,jafar and an ,abyssinian slave1 who let a dog eat the whole of his daily portion of food4 ,footnote #aeh3 ,here the author relates three short anecdotes illustrating the liberality of ,muammad4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,seventh ,,veil3 ,,on ,,fasting 7al-awm74 ,god hath said3 8,o believers1 fasting is prescribed unto you0 7,kor4 ii1 #agi74 ,and the ,apostle said that he was informed by ,gabriel that ,god said3 8,fasting is mine1 and ,i have the best right to give recompense for it0 7al-awm l wa-ana ajz bihi71#aei because the religious practice of fasting is a mystery unconnected with any external thing1 a mystery in which none other than ,god participates3 hence its recompense is infinite4 ,it has been said that mankind enter ,paradise through ,god's mercy1 and that their rank therein depends on their religious devotion1 and that their abiding therein for ever is the recompense of their fasting1 because ,god said3 8,i have the best right to give recompense for it40 ,junayd said3 8,fasting is half of the ,way40 ,i have seen ,shaykhs who fasted without intermission1 and others who fasted only during the month of ,raman3 the former were seeking recompense1 and the latter were renouncing self-will and ostentation4 ,again1 ,i have seen others who fasted and were not conscious of anyone and ate only when food was set before them4 ,this is more in accordance with the ,sunna4 ,it is related that the ,apostle came to isha and afa1 who said to him3 8,we have kept some dates and butter 7ays7 for thee40 8,bring it10 said he2 8,i was intending to fast1 but ,i will fast another day instead40 ,i have seen others who fasted on the 8white days0 7from the #acth to the #aeth of every month71 and on the ten 7last nights7 of the blessed month 7,raman71 and also during ,rajab1 ,shabn1 and ,raman4 ,others ,i have seen who observed the fast of ,david1 which the ,apostle called the best of fasts1 i4e4 they fasted one day and broke their fast the next day4 ,once ,i came into the presence of ,shaykh ,amad ,bukhr4 ,he had a dish of sweetmeat 7alw7 before him1 from which he was eating1 and he made a sign to me that ,i should do the same4 ,as is the way of young men1 ,i answered 7without consideration7 that ,i was fasting4 ,he asked why4 ,i said3 8,in conformity with such and such a one40 ,he said3 8,it is not right for human beings to conform with human beings40 ,i was about to break my fast1 but he said3 8,since you wish to be quit of conformity with him1 do not conform with me1 for ,i too am a human being40 ,fasting is really abstinence1 and this includes the whole method of fiism 7arqat74 ,the least degree in fasting is hunger1 which is ,god's food on earth1 and is universally commended in the eye of the law and of reason4 ,one month's continual fasting is incumbent on every reasonable ,moslem who has attained to manhood4 ,the fast begins on the appearance of the moon of ,raman1 and continues until the appearance of the moon of ,shawwl1 and for every day a sincere intention and firm obligation are necessary4 ,abstinence involves many obligations1 e4g41 keeping the belly without food and drink1 and guarding the eye from lustful looks1 and the ear from listening to evil speech about anyone in his absence1 and the tongue from vain or foul words1 and the body from following after worldly things and disobedience to ,god4 ,one who acts in this manner is truly keeping his fast1 for the ,apostle said to a certain man1 8,when you fast1 let your ear fast and your eye and your tongue and your hand and every limb20 and he also said1 8,many a one has no good of his fasting except hunger and thirst40 ,footnote #aei3 ,the usual reading is ajz1 8,i give recompense10 but the ,persian translation1 ba-jaz-yi n man awltaram1 is equivalent to ana ajz bihi4 ,i dreamed that ,i saw the ,apostle and asked him to give me a word of counsel1 and that he replied3 8,imprison thy tongue and thy senses40 ,to imprison the senses is complete self-mortification1 because all kinds of knowledge are acquired through the five senses3 sight1 hearing1 taste1 smell1 and touch4 ,four of the senses have a particular locus1 but the fifth1 namely touch1 is spread over the whole body4 ,everything that becomes known to human beings passes through these five doors1 except intuitive knowledge and ,divine inspiration1 and in each sense there is a purity and an impurity2 for1 just as they are open to knowledge1 reason1 and spirit1 so they are open to imagination and passion1 being organs which partake of piety and sin and of felicity and misery4 ,therefore it behoves him who is keeping a fast to imprison all the senses in order that they may return from disobedience to obedience4 ,to abstain only from food and drink is child's play4 ,one must abstain from idle pleasures and unlawful acts1 not from eating lawful food4 ,i marvel at those who say that they are keeping a voluntary fast and yet fail to perform an obligatory duty4 ,not to commit sin is obligatory1 whereas continual fasting is an apostolic custom 7which may be observed or neglected74 ,when a man is divinely protected from sin all his circumstances are a fast4 ,it is related by ,ab ala al-,mlik that ,sahl b4 ,abdallh of ,tustar was fasting on the day of his birth and also on the day of his death1 because he was born in the forenoon and tasted no milk until the evening prayer1 and on the day of his decease he was keeping a fast4 ,but continual fasting 7rza-i wil7 has been forbidden by the ,apostle1 for when he fasted continually1 and his ,companions conformed with him in that respect1 he forbade them1 saying3 8,i am not as one of you3 ,i pass the night with my ,lord1 who gives me food and drink40 ,the votaries of self-mortification assert that this prohibition was an act of indulgence1 not a veto declaring such fasts to be unlawful1 and others regard them as being contrary to the ,sunna1 but the fact is that continuance 7wil7 is impossible1 because the day's fast is interrupted by night or1 at any rate1 does not continue beyond a certain period4 ,it is related that ,sahl b4 ,abdallh of ,tustar used to eat only once in fifteen days1 and when the month of ,raman arrived he ate nothing until the ,feast1 and performed four hundred bowings in prayer every night4 ,this exceeds the limit of human endurance1 and cannot be accomplished by anyone without ,divine aid1 which itself becomes his nourishment4 ,it is well known that ,shaykh ,ab ,nar ,sarrj1#afj the author of the ,luma1#afa who was surnamed the ,peacock of the ,poor 7s al-fuqar71 came to ,baghdd in the month of ,raman1 and was given a private chamber in the ,shnziyya mosque1 and was appointed to preside over the dervishes until the ,feast4 ,during the nightly prayers of ,raman 7tarw7 he recited the whole ,koran five times4 ,every night a servant brought a loaf of bread to his room4 ,when he departed1 on the day of the ,feast1 the servant found all the thirty loaves untouched4 ,al b4 ,bakkr relates that af ,mis ate nothing in ,raman except on the fifteenth day of that month4 ,we are told that ,ibrhm ,adham fasted from the beginning to the end of ,raman1 and1 although it was the month of ,tammz 7,july71 worked every day as a harvester and gave his wages to the dervishes1 and prayed from nightfall to daybreak2 they watched him closely and saw that he neither ate nor slept4 ,it is said that ,shaykh ,ab ,abdallh ,khaff during his life kept forty uninterrupted fasts of forty days1 and ,i have met with an old man who used annually to keep two fasts of forty days in the desert4 ,i was present at the death-bed of ,dnishmand ,ab ,muammad ,bnghar2 he had tasted no food for eighty days and had not missed a single occasion of public worship4 ,at ,merv there were two spiritual directors2 one was called ,masd and the other was ,shaykh ,ab ,al ,siyh4 ,masd sent a message to ,ab ,al1 saying3 8,how long shall we make empty pretensions8 ,come1 let us sit fasting for forty days40 ,ab ,al replied3 8,no2 let us eat three times a day and nevertheless require only one purification during these forty days40 ,the difficulties of this question are not yet removed4 ,ignorant persons conclude that continuance in fasting is possible1 while physicians allege that such a theory is entirely baseless4 ,i will now explain the matter in full4 ,to fast continuously1 without infringing the ,divine command1 is a miracle 7karmat74 ,miracles have a special1 not a general1 application3 if they were vouchsafed to all1 faith would be an act of necessity 7jabr7 and gnostics would not be recompensed on account of gnosis4 ,the ,apostle wrought evidentiary miracles 7mujizt7 and therefore divulged his continuance in fasting2 but he forbade the saints 7ahl-i karmat7 to divulge it1 because a karmat involves concealment1 whereas a mujizat involves revelation4 ,this is a clear distinction between the miracles performed by ,apostles and those performed by saints1 and will be sufficient for anyone who is divinely guided4 ,the forty days' fasts 7chilla7 of the saints are derived from the fast of ,moses 7,kor4 vii1 #ach74 ,when the saints desire to hear the word of ,god spiritually1 they remain fasting for forty days4 ,after thirty days have passed they rub their teeth2 then they fast ten days more1 and ,god speaks to their hearts1 because whatever the prophets enjoy openly the saints may enjoy secretly4 ,now1 hearing the word of ,god is not compatible with the subsistence of the natural temperament3 therefore the four humours must be deprived of food and drink for forty days in order that they may be utterly subdued1 and that the purity of love and the subtlety of the spirit may hold absolute sway4 ,footnote #afj3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #cec4 ,footnote #afa3 8,brilliancies40 ,naf4 entitles it 4 ,chapter on ,hunger and matters connected with it4 ,hunger sharpens the intelligence and improves the mind and health4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,make your bellies hungry and your livers thirsty and your bodies naked1 that perchance your hearts may see ,god in this world40 ,although hunger is an affliction to the body1 it illumines the heart and purifies the soul1 and leads the spirit into the presence of ,god4 ,to eat one's fill is an act worthy of a beast4 ,one who cultivates his spiritual nature by means of hunger1 in order to devote himself entirely to ,god and detach himself from worldly ties1 is not on the same level with one who cultivates his body by means of gluttony1 and serves his lusts4 8,the men of old ate to live1 but ye live to eat40 ,for the sake of a morsel of food ,adam fell from ,paradise1 and was banished far from the neighbourhood of ,god4 ,he whose hunger is compulsory is not really hungry1 because one who desires to eat after ,god has decreed the contrary is virtually eating2 the merit of hunger belongs to him who abstains from eating1 not to him who is debarred from eating4 ,kattn#afb says3 8,the novice shall sleep only when he is overpowered by slumber1 and speak only when he must1 and eat only when he is starving40 ,according to some1 starvation 7fqa7 involves abstention from food for two days and nights2 others say three days and nights1 or a week1 or forty days1 because true mystics believe that a sincere man 7diq7 is only once hungry in forty days2 his hunger merely serves to keep him alive1 and all hunger besides is natural appetite and vanity4 ,you must know that all the veins in the bodies of gnostics are evidences of the ,divine mysteries1 and that their hearts are tenanted by visions of the ,most ,high4 ,their hearts are doors opened in their breasts1 and at these doors are stationed reason and passion3 reason is reinforced by the spirit1 and passion by the lower soul4 ,the more the natural humours are nourished by food1 the stronger does the lower soul become1 and the more impetuously is passion diffused through the members of the body2 and in every vein a different kind of veil 7ijb7 is produced4 ,but when food is withheld from the lower soul it grows weak1 and the reason gains strength1 and the mysteries and evidences of ,god become more visible1 until1 when the lower soul is unable to work and passion is annihilated1 every vain desire is effaced in the manifestation of the ,truth1 and the seeker of ,god attains to the whole of his desire4 ,it is related that ,abu l-,abbs ,qab said3 8,my obedience and disobedience depend on two cakes of bread3 when ,i eat ,i find in myself the stuff of every sin1 but when ,i abstain from eating ,i find in myself the foundation of every act of piety40 ,the fruit of hunger is contemplation of ,god 7mushhadat71 of which the forerunner is mortification 7mujhadat74 ,repletion combined with contemplation is better than hunger combined with mortification1 because contemplation is the battle-field of men1 whereas mortification is the playground of children4 ,footnote #afb3 ,nafaht1 ,no4 #bae4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,eighth ,,veil3 ,,concerning ,,the ,,pilgrimage4 ,the pilgrimage 7ajj7 is binding on every ,moslem of sound mind who is able to perform it and has reached manhood4 ,it consists in putting on the pilgrim's garb at the proper place1 in standing on ,araft1 in circumambulating the ,kaba1 and in running between af and ,marwa4 ,one must not enter the sacred territory without being clad as a pilgrim 7b irm74 ,the sacred territory 7aram7 is so called because it contains the ,station of ,abraham 7,maqm-i ,ibrhm74 ,abraham had two stations3 the station of his body1 namely1 ,mecca1 and the station of his soul1 namely1 friendship 7khullat74 ,whoever seeks his bodily station must renounce all lusts and pleasures and put on the pilgrim's garb and clothe himself in a winding-sheet 7kafan7 and refrain from hunting lawful game1 and keep all his senses under strict control1 and be present at ,araft and go thence to ,muzdalifa and ,mashar al-arm1 and pick up stones and circumambulate the ,kaba and visit ,min and stay there three days and throw stones in the prescribed manner and cut his hair and perform the sacrifice and put on his 7ordinary7 clothes4 ,but whoever seeks his spiritual station must renounce familiar associations and bid farewell to pleasures and take no thought of other than ,god 7for his looking towards the phenomenal world is interdicted72 then he must stand on the ,araft of gnosis 7marifat7 and from there set out for the ,muzdalifa of amity 7ulfat7 and from there send his heart to circumambulate the temple of ,divine purification 7tanzh71 and throw away the stones of passion and corrupt thoughts in the ,min of faith1 and sacrifice his lower soul on the altar of mortification and arrive at the station of friendship 7khullat74 ,to enter the bodily station is to be secure from enemies and their swords1 but to enter the spiritual station is to be secure from separation 7from ,god7 and its consequences4#afc ,footnote #afc3 ,here follows the story of ,abraham and ,nimrod which has occurred before1 p4 #gc4 ,muammad b4 al-,fal says3 8,i wonder at those who seek ,his temple in this world3 why do not they seek contemplation of ,him in their hearts8 ,the temple they sometimes attain and sometimes miss1 but contemplation they might enjoy always4 ,if they are bound to visit a stone1 which is looked at only once a year1 surely they are more bound to visit the temple of the heart1 where ,he may be seen three hundred and sixty times in a day and night4 ,but the mystic's every step is a symbol of the journey to ,mecca1 and when he reaches the sanctuary he wins a robe of honour for every step40 ,ab ,yazd says3 8,if anyone's recompense for worshipping ,god is deferred until to-morrow he has not worshipped ,god aright to-day10 for the recompense of every moment of worship and mortification is immediate4 ,and ,ab ,yazd also says3 8,on my first pilgrimage ,i saw only the temple2 the second time1 ,i saw both the temple and the ,lord of the temple2 and the third time ,i saw the ,lord alone40 ,in short1 where mortification is1 there is no sanctuary3 the sanctuary is where contemplation is4 ,unless the whole universe is a man's trysting-place where he comes nigh unto ,god and a retired chamber where he enjoys intimacy with ,god1 he is still a stranger to ,divine love2 but when he has vision the whole universe is his sanctuary4 8,the darkest thing in the world is the ,beloved's house without the ,beloved40 ,accordingly1 what is truly valuable is not the ,kaba1 but contemplation and annihilation in the abode of friendship1 of which things the sight of the ,kaba is indirectly a cause4 ,but we must recognize that every cause depends on the author of causes 7musabbib71 from whatever hidden place the providence of ,god may appear1 and whencesoever the desire of the seeker may be fulfilled4 ,the object of mystics 7mardn7 in traversing wildernesses and deserts is not the sanctuary itself1 for to a lover of ,god it is unlawful to look upon ,his sanctuary4 ,no2 their object is mortification in a longing that leaves them no rest1 and eager dissolution in a love that has no end4 ,a certain man came to ,junayd4 ,junayd asked him whence he came4 ,he replied3 8,i have been on the pilgrimage40 ,junayd said3 8,from the time when you first journeyed from your home have you also journeyed away from all sins80 ,he said3 8,no40 8,then10 said ,junayd1 8you have made no journey4 ,at every stage where you halted for the night did you traverse a station on the way to ,god80 ,he said3 8,no40 8,then10 said ,junayd1 8you have not trodden the road stage by stage4 ,when you put on the pilgrim's garb at the proper place did you discard the attributes of humanity as you cast off your ordinary clothes80 8,no40 8,then you have not put on the pilgrim's garb4 ,when you stood on ,araft did you stand one instant in contemplation of ,god80 8,no40 8,then you have not stood on ,araft4 ,when you went to ,muzdalifa and achieved your desire did you renounce all sensual desires80 8,no40 8,then you have not gone to ,muzdalifa4 ,when you circumambulated the ,temple did you behold the immaterial beauty of ,god in the abode of purification80 8,no40 8,then you have not circumambulated the ,temple4 ,when you ran between af and ,marwa did you attain to the rank of purity 7af7 and virtue 7muruwwat780 8,no40 8,then you have not run4 ,when you came to ,min did all your wishes 7munyath7 cease80 8,no40 8,then you have not yet visited ,min4 ,when you reached the slaughter-place and offered sacrifice did you sacrifice the objects of sensual desire80 8,no40 8,then you have not sacrificed4 ,when you threw the stones did you throw away whatever sensual thoughts were accompanying you80 8,no40 8,then you have not yet thrown the stones1 and you have not yet performed the pilgrimage4 ,return and perform the pilgrimage in the manner which ,i have described in order that you may arrive at the station of ,abraham40 ,fuayl b4 ,iy says3 8,i saw at ,mount ,araft a youth who stood silent with bowed head while all the people were praying aloud1 and ,i asked him why he did not pray like them4 ,he answered that he was in great distress1 having lost the spiritual state 7waqt7 which he formerly enjoyed1 and that he could by no means cry aloud unto ,god4 ,i said3 #8,pray1 in order that through the blessings of this multitude ,god may accomplish thy desire4' ,he was about to lift up his hands and pray1 when suddenly he uttered a shriek and died on the spot40 ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian says3 8,at ,min ,i saw a young man sitting quietly while the people were engaged in the sacrifices4 ,i looked at him to see what he was doing4 ,he cried3 #8,o ,god1 all the people are offering sacrifice4 ,i wish to sacrifice my lower soul to ,thee2 do ,thou accept it4' ,having spoken1 he pointed with his forefinger to his throat and fell dead--may ,god have mercy on him60 ,pilgrimages1 then1 are of two kinds3 7#a7 in absence 7from ,god7 and 7#b7 in presence 7of ,god74 ,anyone who is absent from ,god at ,mecca is in the same position as if he were absent from ,god in his own house1 and anyone who is present with ,god in his own house is in the same position as if he were present with ,god at ,mecca4 ,pilgrimage is an act of mortification 7mujhadat7 for the sake of obtaining contemplation 7mushhadat71 and mortification does not become the direct cause of contemplation1 but is only a means to it4 ,therefore1 inasmuch as a means has no further effect on the reality of things1 the true object of pilgrimage is not to visit the ,kaba1 but to obtain contemplation of ,god4 ,chapter on ,contemplation4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,make your bellies hungry and your livers thirsty and leave the world alone1 that perchance ye may see ,god with your hearts02 and he also said1 8,worship ,god as though thou sawest ,him1 for if thou dost not see ,him1 yet ,he sees thee40 ,god said to ,david3 8,dost thou know what is knowledge of ,me8 ,it is the life of the heart in contemplation of ,me40 ,by 8contemplation0 the fs mean spiritual vision of ,god in public and private1 without asking how or in what manner4 ,abu l-,abbs b4 ,a says in reference to the words of ,god3 8,as to those who say1 #8,our ,lord is ,god1' and who become steadfast0 7,kor4 xli1 #cj71 i4e4 8they say #8,our ,lord is ,god' in self-mortification and they #8become steadfast' on the carpet of contemplation04 ,there are really two kinds of contemplation4 ,the former is the result of perfect faith 7ihhat-i yaqn71 the latter of rapturous love1 for in the rapture of love a man attains to such a degree that his whole being is absorbed in the thought of his ,beloved and he sees nothing else4 ,muammad b4 ,wsi says3 8,i never saw anything without seeing ,god therein10 i4e4 through perfect faith4 ,this vision is from ,god to ,his creatures4 ,shibl says3 8,i never saw anything except ,god10 i4e4 in the rapture of love and the fervour of contemplation4 ,one sees the act with his bodily eye and1 as he looks1 beholds the ,agent with his spiritual eye2 another is rapt by love of the ,agent from all things else1 so that he sees only the ,agent4 ,the one method is demonstrative 7istidll71 the other is ecstatic 7jadhb74 ,in the former case1 a manifest proof is derived from the evidences of ,god2 in the latter case1 the seer is enraptured and transported by desire3 evidences and verities are a veil to him1 because he who knows a thing does not reverence aught besides1 and he who loves a thing does not regard aught besides1 but renounces contention with ,god and interference with ,him in ,his decrees and ,his acts4 ,god hath said of the ,apostle at the time of his ,ascension3 8,his eyes did not swerve or transgress0 7,kor4 liii1 #ag71 on account of the intensity of his longing for ,god4 ,when the lover turns his eye away from created things1 he will inevitably see the ,creator with his heart4 ,god hath said3 8,tell the believers to close their eyes0 7,kor4 xxiv1 #cj71 i4e4 to close their bodily eyes to lusts and their spiritual eyes to created things4 ,he who is most sincere in self-mortification is most firmly grounded in contemplation for inward contemplation is connected with outward mortification4 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh of ,tustar says3 8,if anyone shuts his eye to ,god for a single moment1 he will never be rightly guided all his life long10 because to regard other than ,god is to be handed over to other than ,god1 and one who is left at the mercy of other than ,god is lost4 ,therefore the life of contemplatives is the time during which they enjoy contemplation 7mushhadat73 time spent in seeing ocularly 7muyanat7 they do not reckon as life1 for that to them is really death4 ,thus1 when ,ab ,yazd was asked how old he was1 he replied3 8,four years40 ,they said3 8,how can that be80 ,he answered3 8,i have been veiled 7from ,god7 by this world for seventy years1 but ,i have seen ,him during the last four years3 the period in which one is veiled does not belong to one's life40 ,shibl cried in his prayers3 8,o ,god1 hide ,paradise and ,hell in ,thy unseen places1 that ,thou mayest be worshipped disinterestedly40 ,one who is forgetful of ,god nevertheless worships ,him1 through faith1 because human nature has an interest in ,paradise2 but inasmuch as the heart has no interest in loving ,god1 one who is forgetful of ,god is debarred from contemplating ,him4 ,the ,apostle told isha that he did not see ,god on the night of the ,ascension1 but ,ibn ,abbs relates that the ,apostle told him that he saw ,god on that occasion4 ,accordingly1 this remains a matter of controversy2 but in saying that he did not see ,god the ,apostle was referring to his bodily eye1 whereas in saying the contrary he was referring to his spiritual eye4 ,since isha was a formalist and ,ibn ,abbs a spiritualist1 the ,apostle spoke with each of them according to their insight4 ,junayd said3 8,if ,god should say to me1 #8,behold ,me1' ,i should reply1 #8,i will not behold ,thee1' because in love the eye is other 7than ,god7 and alien3 the jealousy of other-ness would prevent me from beholding ,him4 ,since in this world ,i was wont to behold ,him without the mediation of the eye1 how should ,i use such mediation in the next world88 0,truly1 ,i envy mine eye the sight of ,thee1 ,and ,i close mine eye when ,i look on ,thee40 ,junayd was asked3 8,do you wish to see ,god80 ,he said3 8,no40 ,they asked why4 ,he answered3 8,when ,moses wished1 he did not see ,him1 and when ,muammad did not wish1 he saw ,him40 ,our wishing is the greatest of the veils that hinder us from seeing ,god1 because in love the existence of self-will is disobedience1 and disobedience is a veil4 ,when self-will vanishes in this world1 contemplation is attained1 and when contemplation is firmly established1 there is no difference between this world and the next4 ,ab ,yazd says3 8,god has servants who would apostatize if they were veiled from ,him in this world or in the next10 i4e4 ,he sustains them with perpetual contemplation and keeps them alive with the life of love2 and when one who enjoys revelation is deprived of it1 he necessarily becomes an apostate4 ,dhu l-,nn says3 8,one day1 when ,i was journeying in ,egypt1 ,i saw some boys who were throwing stones at a young man4 ,i asked them what they wanted of him4 ,they said3 #8,he is mad4' ,i asked how his madness showed itself1 and they told me that he pretended to see ,god4 ,i turned to the young man and inquired whether he had really said this4 ,he answered3 #8,i say that if ,i should not see ,god for one moment1 ,i should remain veiled and should not be obedient towards ,him4'0 ,some fs have fallen into the mistake of supposing that spiritual vision and contemplation represent such an idea 7rat7 of ,god as is formed in the mind by the imagination either from memory or reflection4 ,this is utter anthropomorphism 7tashbh7 and manifest error4 ,god is not finite that the imagination should be able to define ,him or that the intellect should comprehend ,his nature4 ,whatever can be imagined is homogeneous with the intellect1 but ,god is not homogeneous with any genus1 although in relation to the ,eternal all phenomenal objects--subtle and gross alike--are homogeneous with each other notwithstanding their mutual contrariety4 ,therefore contemplation in this world resembles vision of ,god in the next world1 and since the ,companions of the ,apostle 7ab7 are unanimously agreed that vision is possible hereafter1 contemplation is possible here4 ,those who tell of contemplation either in this or the other world only say that it is possible1 not that they have enjoyed or now enjoy it1 because contemplation is an attribute of the heart 7sirr7 and cannot be expressed by the tongue except metaphorically4 ,hence silence ranks higher than speech1 for silence is a sign of contemplation 7mushhadat71 whereas speech is a sign of ocular testimony 7shahdat74 ,accordingly the ,apostle1 when he attained proximity to ,god1 said3 8,i cannot tell ,thy praise10 because he was in contemplation1 and contemplation in the degree of love is perfect unity 7yagnag71 and any outward expression in unity is other-ness 7bgnag74 ,then he said3 8,thou hast praised ,thyself10 i4e4 ,thy words are mine1 and ,thy praise is mine1 and ,i do not deem my tongue capable of expressing what ,i feel4 ,as the poet says3 8,i desired my beloved1 but when ,i saw him ,i was dumbfounded and possessed neither tongue nor eye40 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,ninth ,,veil3 ,,concerning ,,companionship1 ,,together ,,with ,,its ,,rules ,,and ,,principles4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,good manners 7usn al-adab7 are a part of faith40 ,and he also said3 8,my ,lord corrected me 7addaban7 and gave me an excellent correction40 ,you must know that the seemliness and decorum of all religious and temporal affairs depends on rules of discipline 7db71 and that every station in which the various classes of mankind are placed has its own particular rule4 ,among men good manners consist in the observance of virtue 7muruwwat72 as regards religion they consist in the observance of the ,apostolic custom 7sunna72 and as regards love they consist in the observance of respect 7urmat74 ,these three categories are connected with each other1 because one who is without virtue does not comply with the custom of the ,apostle1 and whoever fails to comply with the custom of the ,apostle does not observe due respect4 ,in matters of conduct the observance of discipline is the result of reverence for the object of desire2 and reverence for ,god and ,his ordinances springs from fear of ,god 7taqw74 ,anyone who disrespectfully tramples on the reverence that is due to the evidences of ,god has no part or lot in the ,path of fiism2 and in no case are rules of discipline neglected by seekers of ,god1 because they are habituated to such rules1 and habit is second nature4 ,it is impossible that a living creature should be divested of its natural humours3 therefore1 so long as the human body remains in existence men are bound to keep the rules of obedience to ,god1 sometimes with effort 7takalluf7 and sometimes without effort3 with effort when they are #8sober'1 but when they are #8intoxicated' ,god sees that they keep the rules4 ,a person who neglects the rules cannot possibly be a saint1 for 8good manners are characteristic of those whom ,god loves04 ,when ,god vouchsafes a miracle to anyone1 it is a proof that ,he causes him to fulfil the duties of religion4 ,this is opposed to the view of some heretics1 who assert that when a man is overpowered by love he is no longer subject to obedience4 ,i will set forth this matter more lucidly in another place4 ,rules of discipline are of three kinds4 ,firstly1 those which are observed towards ,god in unification 7tawd74 ,here the rule is that one must guard one's self in public and private from any disrespectful act1 and behave as though one were in the presence of a king4 ,it is related in the genuine ,traditions that one day the ,apostle was sitting with his legs drawn in 7py gird74 ,gabriel came and said3 8,o ,muammad1 sit as servants do in their master's presence40 rith ,musib is said never to have leaned his back against a wall1 by day or night1 for forty years1 and never to have sat except on his knees4 ,on being asked why he gave himself so much trouble he replied3 8,i am ashamed to sit otherwise than as a servant while ,i am contemplating ,god40 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 was once in a village called ,kamand1#afd at the extremity of ,khursn4 ,there ,i saw a well-known and very excellent man1 whose name is ,adb-i ,kamand4 ,for twenty years he had never sat down except in his prayers1 when he was pronouncing the profession of faith4 ,i inquired the reason of this1 and he answered that he had not yet attained such a degree that he should sit while contemplating ,god4 ,ab ,yazd was asked by what means he had gained so high spiritual rank4 ,he answered3 8,by good companionship with ,god10 i4e4 by keeping the rules of discipline and behaving in private as in public4 ,all human beings ought to learn from ,zulaykh how to observe good manners in contemplating the object of their adoration1 for when she was alone with ,joseph and besought him to consent to her wishes1 she first covered up the face of her idol in order that it might not witness her want of propriety4 ,and when the ,apostle was borne to ,heaven at the ,ascension1 his observance of discipline restrained him from paying any regard either to this world or to the next4 ,footnote #afd3 ,kumand1 according to ,nafat1 ,no4 #cgi4 ,the second kind of discipline is that which is observed towards one's self in one's conduct1 and which consists in avoiding1 when one is in one's own company1 any act that would be improper in the company of one's fellow-creatures or of ,god1 e4g41 one must not utter an untruth by declaring one's self to be what one is not1 and one must eat little in order that one may seldom go to the lavatory1 and one must not look at anything which it is not decent for others to see4 ,it is related that ,al never beheld his own nakedness1 because he was ashamed to see in himself what he was forbidden to see in others4 ,the third kind of discipline is that which is observed in social intercourse with one's fellow-creatures4 ,the most important rule for such intercourse is to act well1 and to observe the custom of the ,apostle at home and abroad4 ,these three sorts of discipline cannot be separated from one another4 ,now ,i will set them forth in detail as far as possible1 in order that you and all my readers may follow them more easily4 ,chapter on ,companionship and matters connected therewith4 ,god hath said3 8,verily1 the merciful ,god will bestow love on those who believe and do good works0 7,kor4 xix1 #if71 i4e41 ,he will love them and cause them to be loved1 because they do their duty towards their brethren and prefer them to themselves4 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,three things render thy brother's love toward thee sincere3 that thou shouldst salute him when thou meetest him1 and that thou shouldst make room for him when he sits beside thee1 and that thou shouldst call him by the name that he likes best40 ,and ,god said1 8,the believers are brethren3 therefore reconcile your two brethren0 7,kor4 xlix1 #aj72 and the ,apostle said1 8,get many brethren1 for your ,lord is bashful 7ay7 and kind3 ,he will be ashamed to punish ,his servant in the presence of his brethren on the ,day of ,resurrection40 ,but companionship must be for ,god's sake1 not for the purpose of gratifying the lower soul or any selfish interest1 in order that a man may be divinely rewarded for observing the rules of companionship4 ,mlik b4 ,dnr said to his son-in-law1 ,mughra b4 ,shuba3 8,if you derive no religious benefit from a brother and friend1 abandon his society1 that you may be saved10 i4e4 associate either with one who is superior or with one who is inferior to yourself4 ,in the former case you will derive benefit from him1 and in the latter case the benefit will be mutual1 since each will learn something from the other4 ,hence the ,apostle said1 8,it is the whole of piety to instruct one who is ignorant20 and ,yay b4 ,mudh 7al-,rz7 said1 8,he is a bad friend to whom you need to say1 #8,remember me in thy prayers'0 7because a man ought always to pray for anyone with whom he has associated even for a moment72 and he is a bad friend with whom you cannot live except on condition of flattering him 7because candour is involved in the principle of companionship72 and he is a bad friend to whom you need to apologize for a fault that you have committed 7because apologies are made by strangers1 and in companionship it is wrong to be on such terms74 ,the ,apostle said3 8,a man follows the religion of his friend3 take heed1 therefore1 with whom you form a friendship40 ,if he associates with the good1 their society will make him good1 although he is bad2 and if he associates with the wicked1 he will be wicked1 although he is good1 because he will be consenting to their wickedness4 ,it is related that a man said1 while he was circumambulating the ,kaba1 8,o ,god1 make my brethren good60 ,on being asked why he did not implore a boon for himself in such a place1 he replied3 8,i have brethren to whom ,i shall return2 if they are good1 ,i shall be good with them1 and if they are wicked1 ,i shall be wicked with them40 ,the f ,shaykhs demand from each other the fulfilment of the duties of companionship and enjoin their disciples to require the same1 so that amongst them companionship has become like a religious obligation4 ,the ,shaykhs have written many books explaining the rules of f companionship2 e4g41 ,junayd composed a work entitled ,ta al-irdat1#afe and ,amad b4 ,kharya of ,balkh another1 entitled ,al-,riyat bi-uqq#aff ,allah1#afg and ,muammad b4 ,al of ,tirmidh another1 entitled db al-murdn4#afh ,other exhaustive treatises on this subject have been written by ,abu l-,qsim al-akm1#afi ,ab ,bakr al-,warrq1 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh 7al-,tustar71 ,ab ,abd al-,ramn al-,sulam1 and ,master ,abu l-,qsim ,qushayr4 ,all those writers are great authorities on fiism1 but ,i desire that my book should enable anyone who possesses it to dispense with other books and1 as ,i said in the preface1 be sufficient in itself for you and for all students of the f doctrine4 ,i will now classify in separate chapters their various rules of discipline relating to conduct4 ,footnote #afe3 8,the ,rectification of ,discipleship40 ,footnote #aff3 ,so all the texts1 instead of the correct li-uqq4 ,footnote #afg3 8,the ,observance of what is due to ,god40 ,footnote #afh3 8,rules of ,conduct for ,disciples40 ,footnote #afi3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #abi4 ,chapter concerning the ,rules of ,companionship4 ,since you have perceived that the most important thing for the novice is companionship1 the fulfilment of its obligations is necessarily incumbent on him4 ,solitude is fatal to the novice1 for the ,apostle said1 8,satan is with the solitary1 but he is farther away from two who are together20 and ,god hath said1 8,there is no private discourse among three persons but ,god is the fourth of them0 7,kor4 lviii1 #h74 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that a disciple of ,junayd imagined that he had attained to the degree of perfection1 and that it was better for him to be alone4 ,accordingly he went into retirement and withdrew from the society of his brethren4 ,at nightfall a camel used to appear1 and he was told that it would take him to ,paradise2 on mounting it1 he was conveyed to a pleasant demesne1 with beautiful inhabitants and delicious viands and flowing streams1 where he stayed till dawn2 then he fell asleep1 and on waking found himself at the door of his cell4 ,these experiences filled him with pride and he could not refrain from boasting of them4 ,when ,junayd heard the story he hastened to the disciple's cell1 and having received from him a full account of what had passed1 said to him3 8,to-night1 when you come to that place1 remember to say thrice1 #8,there is no strength or power but in ,god1 the ,high1 the ,great4'0 ,the same night he was carried off as usual1 and though in his heart he did not believe ,junayd1 by way of trial he repeated those words thrice4 ,the crew around him shrieked and vanished1 and he found himself seated on a dunghill in the midst of rotten bones4 ,he acknowledged his fault and repented and returned to companionship4 ,the principle of the fs in companionship is that they should treat everyone according to his degree4 ,thus they treat old men with respect1 like fathers2 those of their own sort with agreeable familiarity1 like brothers2 and young men with affection1 like sons4 ,they renounce hate1 envy1 and malice1 and do not withhold sincere admonition from anyone4 ,in companionship it is not permissible to speak evil of the absent1 or to behave dishonestly1 or to deny one another on account of any word or deed1 because a companionship which is begun for ,god's sake should not be cut short by human words or acts4 ,the author says3 8,i asked the ,grand ,shaykh ,abu l-,qsim ,gurgn what obligations were involved in companionship4 ,he replied3 #8,it involves this1 that you should not seek your own interest2 all the evils of companionship arise from selfishness4 ,solitude is better for a selfish man4 ,he who neglects his own interests and looks after the interests of his companion hits the mark in companionship4'0 ,a certain dervish relates as follows3 8,once ,i set out from ,kfa to visit ,mecca4 ,on the way ,i met ,ibrhm ,khaww and begged him to let me accompany him4 ,he said3 #8,in companionship it is necessary that one should command and the other should obey3 which do you choose8' ,i answered3 #8,you be the commander4' ,he said3 #8,now do not fail to comply with my orders4' ,when we arrived at the halting-place1 he bade me sit down1 and himself drew water from the well and1 since the weather was cold1 he gathered sticks and kindled a fire1 and whenever ,i attempted to do anything he told me to sit down4 ,at nightfall it began to rain heavily4 ,he took off his patched frock and held it over my head all night4 ,i was ashamed1 but could not say a word on account of the condition imposed on me4 ,when morning came1 ,i said3 #8,to-day it is my turn to be commander4' ,he said3 #8,very well4' ,as soon as we reached the halting-place1 he began to perform the same menial offices as before1 and on my telling him not to disobey my orders he retorted that it was an act of disobedience to let one's self be served by one's commander4 ,he continued to behave in this way until we arrived at ,mecca2 then ,i felt so ashamed that ,i fled from him4 ,he espied me1 however1 at ,min and said to me3 #8,o son1 when you associate with dervishes see that you treat them in the same fashion as ,i treated you4'0 ,dervishes are divided into two classes3 residents 7muqmn7 and travellers 7musfirn74 ,according to the custom of the ,shaykhs1 the travelling dervishes should regard the resident ones as superior to themselves1 because they go to and fro in their own interest1 while the resident dervishes have settled down in the service of ,god3 in the former is the sign of search1 in the latter is the token of attainment2 hence those who have found and settled down are superior to those who are still seeking4 ,similarly1 the resident dervishes ought to regard the travelling ones as superior to themselves1 because they are laden with worldly encumbrances1 while the travelling dervishes are unencumbered and detached from the world4 ,again1 old men should prefer to themselves the young1 who are newer to the world and whose sins are less numerous2 and young men should prefer to themselves the old1 who have outstripped them in devotion and service4 ,,section4 ,culture 7adab7 really means 8the collection of virtuous qualities01 though in ordinary language anyone is called 8cultured0 7adb7 who is acquainted with ,arabic philology and grammar4 ,but the fs define culture as 8dwelling with praiseworthy qualities01 and say that it means 8to act with propriety towards ,god in public and private02 if you act thus1 you are 8cultured01 even if you are a foreigner 7i4e4 a non-,arab71 and if not1 you are the opposite4 ,those who have knowledge are in every case more honoured than those who have intelligence4 ,a certain ,shaykh was asked3 8,what does culture involve80 ,he said3 0,i will answer you by quoting a definition which ,i have heard1 #8,if you speak1 your speech will be sincere1 and if you act1 your actions will be true4' ,an excellent distinction has been made by ,shaykh ,ab ,nar ,sarrj1 the author of the ,luma1 who says3 8,as regards culture 7adab71 there are three classes of mankind4 ,firstly1 worldlings1 whose culture mainly consists in eloquence and rhetoric and learning and knowledge of the nightly conversations 7asmr#agj7 of kings and ,arabic poetry4 ,secondly1 the religious1 whose culture chiefly consists in disciplining the lower soul and correcting the limbs and observing the legal ordinances and renouncing lusts4 ,thirdly1 the elect 7i4e4 the fs71 whose culture consists for the most part in spiritual purity and keeping watch over their hearts and fulfilling their promises and guarding the #8state' in which they are and paying no heed to extraneous suggestions and behaving with propriety in the positions of search 7for ,god71 in the states of presence 7with ,god71 and in the stations of proximity 7to ,god740 ,this saying is comprehensive4 ,the different matters which it includes are discussed in several places in this book4 ,footnote #agj3 ,another reading is asm1 8names10 but ,i find asmr in the ,,ms4 of the ,kitb al-,luma belonging to ,mr4 ,a4 ,g4 ,ellis1 where this passage occurs on f4 #fc;a4 ,chapter on the ,rules of ,companionship affecting ,residents4 ,dervishes who choose to reside1 and not to travel1 are bound to observe the following rules of discipline4 ,when a traveller comes to them1 they must meet him joyfully and receive him with respect and treat him like an honoured guest and freely set before him whatever food they have1 modelling their behaviour upon that of ,abraham4 ,they must not inquire whence he has come or whither he is going or what is his name1 but must deem that he has come from ,god and is going to ,god and that his name is 8servant of ,god02 then they must see whether he desires to be alone or in company3 if he prefers to be alone1 they must give him an empty room1 and if he prefers company1 they must consort with him unceremoniously in a friendly and sociable manner4 ,when he lays his head on his pillow at night the resident dervish ought to offer to wash his feet1 but if the traveller should not allow him to do this and should say that he is not accustomed to it1 the resident must not insist1 for fear of causing him annoyance4 ,next day1 he must offer him a bath and take him to the cleanest bath available and save his clothes from 7becoming dirty in7 the latrines of the bath1 and not permit a strange attendant to wait upon him1 but wait upon him zealously in order to make him clean of all stains1 and scrape 7bikhrad7 his back and rub his knees and the soles of his feet and his hands3 more than this he is not obliged to do4 ,and if the resident dervish has sufficient means1 he should provide a new garment for his guest2 otherwise1 he need not trouble himself1 but he should clean his guest's clothes so that he may put them on when he comes out of the bath4 ,if the traveller remains two or three days1 he should be invited to visit any spiritual director or ,imm who may be in the town1 but he must not be compelled to pay such visits against his inclination1 because those who seek ,god are not always masters of their own feelings2 e4g41 ,ibrhm ,khaww on one occasion refused to accompany ,khir1 who desired his society1 for he was unwilling that his feelings should be engaged by anyone except ,god4 ,certainly it is not right that a resident dervish should take a traveller to salute worldly men or to attend their entertainments1 sick-beds1 and funerals2 and if a resident hopes to make travellers an instrument of mendicancy 7lat-i gad7 and conduct them from house to house1 it would be better for him to refrain from serving them instead of subjecting them to humiliation4 ,among all the troubles and inconveniences that ,i have suffered when travelling none was worse than to be carried off time after time by ignorant servants and impudent dervishes of this sort and conducted from the house of such and such a ,khwja to the house of such and such a ,dihqn1 while1 though apparently complaisant1 ,i felt a great dislike to go with them4 ,i then vowed that1 if ever ,i became resident1 ,i would not behave towards travellers with this impropriety4 ,nothing derived from associating with ill-mannered persons is more useful than the lesson that you must endure their disagreeable behaviour and must not imitate it4 ,on the other hand1 if a travelling dervish becomes at his ease 7munbasi7 with a resident and stays for some time and makes a worldly demand1 the resident is bound immediately to give him what he wants2 but if the traveller is an impostor and low-minded1 the resident must not act meanly in order to comply with his impossible requirements1 for this is not the way of those who are devoted to ,god4 ,what business has a dervish to associate with devotees if he needs worldly things8 ,let him go to the market and buy and sell1 or let him be a soldier at the sultan's court4 ,it is related that1 while ,junayd and his pupils were sitting occupied in some ascetic discipline1 a travelling dervish came in4 ,they exerted themselves to entertain him and placed food before him4 ,he said3 8,i want such and such a thing besides this40 ,junayd said to him3 8,you must go to the bazaar1 for you are a man of the market1 not of the mosque and the cell40 ,once ,i set out from ,damascus with two dervishes to visit ,ibn al-,muall1#aga who was living in the country near ,ramla4 ,on the way we arranged that each of us should think of the matter concerning which we were in doubt1 in order that that venerable director might tell us our secret thoughts and solve our difficulties4 ,i said to myself3 8,i will desire of him the poems and intimate supplications 7munjt7 of usayn b4 ,manr 7al-allj740 ,one of my companions said1 8,i will desire him to pray that my disease of the spleen 7il7 may become better20 and the other said1 8,i will wish for sweetmeat of different colours0 7alw-yi bn74 ,as soon as we arrived1 ,ibn al-,muall commanded that a manuscript of the poems and supplications of usayn should be presented to me1 and laid his hand on the belly of the invalid so that his illness was assuaged1 and said to the other dervish3 8,parti-coloured sweetmeat is eaten by soldiers 7awnn72 you are dressed as a saint1 and the dress of a saint does not accord with the appetite of a soldier4 ,choose one or the other40 ,footnote #aga3 ,i4 ,ibn al-,al4 ,in short1 the resident is not obliged to pay attention to the travelling dervish unless the latter's attention is paid entirely to ,god4 ,if he is devoted to his own interests1 it is impossible that another should help him to gratify his selfishness1 for dervishes are guides 7rhbarn71 not brigands 7rhburn71 to each other4 ,so long as anyone perseveres in a selfish demand1 his friend ought to resist it1 but when he renounces it1 then his friend ought to satisfy it4 ,in the ,traditions of the ,apostle it is related that he made a brotherhood between ,salmn 7al-,fris7 and ,ab ,dharr ,ghifr1 both of whom were leading men among the ,people of the ,veranda 7ahl-i uffa7 and eminent spiritualists4 ,one day1 when ,salmn came to visit ,ab ,dharr at his house1 ,ab ,dharr's wife complained to him that her husband neither ate by day nor slept by night4 ,salmn told her to fetch some food1 and said to ,ab ,dharr3 8,o brother1 ,i desire thee to eat1 since this fasting is not incumbent on thee40 ,ab ,dharr complied4 ,and at night ,salmn said3 8,o brother1 ,i beg thee to sleep3 thy body and thy wife have a claim upon thee1 as well as thy ,lord40 ,next day ,ab ,dharr went to the ,apostle1 who said3 8,i say the same thing as ,salmn said yesterday3 verily1 thy body has a claim upon thee40 ,inasmuch as ,ab ,dharr had renounced his selfish pleasures1 ,salmn persuaded him to gratify them4 ,whatever you do on this principle is sound and impregnable4 ,once1 in the territories of ,irq1 ,i was restlessly occupied 7tpk mkardam7 in seeking wealth and squandering it1 and ,i had run largely into debt4 ,everyone who wanted anything turned to me1 and ,i was troubled and at a loss to know how ,i could accomplish their desires4 ,an eminent person wrote to me as follows3 8,beware lest you distract your mind from ,god by satisfying the wishes of those whose minds are engrossed in vanity4 ,if you find anyone whose mind is nobler than your own1 you may justly distract your mind in order to give peace to his4 ,otherwise1 do not distract yourself1 since ,god is sufficient for ,his servants40 ,these words brought me instant relief4 ,chapter concerning their ,rules in ,travel4 ,when a dervish chooses to travel1 not to reside1 he ought to observe the following rules4 ,in the first place1 he must travel for ,god's sake1 not for pleasure1 and as he journeys outwardly1 so he should flee inwardly from his sensual affections2 and he must always keep himself in a state of purity and not neglect his devotions2 and his object in travelling must be either pilgrimage or war 7against infidels7 or to see a 7holy7 site or to derive instruction or to seek knowledge or to visit a venerable person1 a ,shaykh1 or the tomb of a saint2 otherwise his journey will be faulty4 ,and he cannot do without a patched frock and a prayer-rug and a bucket and a rope and a pair of shoes 7kafsh7 or clogs 7nalayn7 and a staff3 the patched frock to cover his nakedness1 the prayer-rug to pray on1 the bucket to cleanse himself with1 and the staff to protect him from attacks and for other purposes4 ,before stepping on the prayer-rug he must put on his shoes or clogs in a state of purity4 ,if anyone carries other articles1 for the sake of keeping the ,sunna 7,apostolic custom71 such as a comb and nail-scissors and a needle and a little box of antimony 7mukula71 he does right4 ,if1 however1 anyone provides himself with more utensils than those which have been mentioned1 we have to consider in what station he is3 if he is a novice every article will be a shackle and a stumbling-block and a veil to him1 and will afford him the means of showing self-conceit1 but if he is a firmly grounded adept he may carry all these articles and more4 ,i heard the following story from ,shaykh ,ab ,muslim ,fris b4 ,ghlib al-,fris4 8,one day 7he said7 ,i paid a visit to ,shaykh ,ab ,sad b4 ,abi l-,khayr ,falallh b4 ,muammad4 ,i found him sleeping on a couch with four cushions 7takht chahr-blish71 one of his legs thrown across the other2 and he was dressed in fine ,egyptian linen 7diqq ,mir74 ,my garment was so dirty that it resembled leather1 and my body was emaciated by austerities4 ,on looking at ,ab ,sad a feeling of scepticism overcame me4 ,i said to myself3 #8,he is a dervish1 and so am ,i1 yet he is in all this luxury and ,i in this sore tribulation4' ,he immediately divined my thoughts and was aware of my vainglory4 #8,o ,ab ,muslim1' said he1 #8in what dwn have you read that a self-conceited man is a dervish8 ,since ,i see ,god in all things1 ,god sets me on a throne1 and since you see yourself in everything1 ,god keeps you in affliction3 my lot is contemplation1 while yours is mortification4 ,these are two stations on the ,way to ,god1 but ,god is far aloof from them both1 and a dervish is dead to all stations and free from all states4' ,on hearing these words my senses forsook me1 and the whole world grew dark in my eyes4 ,when ,i came to myself ,i repented1 and he accepted my repentance4 ,then ,i said3 #8,o ,shaykh1 give me leave to depart1 for ,i cannot bear the sight of thee4' ,he answered1 #8,o ,ab ,muslim1 you speak the truth2' then he quoted this verse3-- #8,that which my ear was unable to hear by report ,my eye beheld actually all at once4'0 ,the travelling dervish must always observe the custom of the ,apostle1 and when he comes to the house of a resident he should enter his presence respectfully and greet him2 and he should first take off the shoe on his left foot1 as the ,apostle did2 and when he puts his shoes on1 he should first put on the shoe belonging to his right foot2 and he should wash his right foot before his left2 and he should perform two bowings of the head by way of salutation 7in prayer7 and then occupy himself with attending to the 7religious7 duties incumbent on dervishes4 ,he must not in any case interfere with the residents1 or behave immoderately towards anyone1 or talk of the hardships which he may have suffered in travelling1 or discourse on theology1 or tell anecdotes1 or recite traditions in company1 for all this is a sign of self-conceit4 ,he must be patient when he is vexed by fools and must tolerate their irksomeness for ,god's sake1 for in patience there are many blessings4 ,if residents or their servants bid him go with them to salute or visit the townspeople1 he must acquiesce if he can1 but in his heart he ought to dislike paying such marks of respect to worldlings1 although he should excuse the behaviour of his brethren who act thus4 ,he must take care not to trouble them by making any unreasonable demand1 and he must not drag them to the court of high officials with the purpose of seeking an idle pleasure for himself4 ,travelling1 as well as resident1 dervishes must always1 in companionship1 endeavour to please ,god1 and must have a good belief in each other1 and not speak ill of any comrade face to face with him or behind his back1 because true mystics in regarding the act see the ,agent1 and inasmuch as every human being1 of whatever description he may be--faulty or faultless1 veiled or illuminated--belongs to ,god and is ,his creature1 to quarrel with a human act is to quarrel with the ,divine ,agent4 ,chapter concerning their ,rules in ,eating4 ,men cannot dispense with nourishment1 but moral virtue requires that they should not eat or drink in excess4 ,shfi says3 8,he who thinks about that which goes into his belly is worth only that which comes out of it40 ,nothing is more hurtful to a novice in fiism than eating too much4 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that ,ab ,yazd was asked why he praised hunger so highly4 ,he answered3 8,because if ,pharaoh had been hungry he would not have said1 #8,i am your ,supreme ,lord1' and if ,qrn 7,korah7 had been hungry he would not have been rebellious40 ,thalaba#agb was praised by all so long as he was hungry1 but when he ate his fill he displayed hypocrisy4 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh 7al-,tustar7 said3 8,in my judgment1 a belly full of wine is better than one full of lawful food40 ,on being asked the reason of this he said3 8,when a man's belly is filled with wine1 his intellect is stupefied and the flame of lust is quenched1 and people are secure from his hand and tongue2 but when his belly is filled with lawful food he desires foolishness1 and his lust waxes great and his lower soul rises to seek her pleasures40 ,the ,shaykhs have said1 describing the fs3 8,they eat like sick men1 and sleep like shipwrecked men1 and speak like one whose children have died40 ,footnote #agb3 ,see ,bayw on ,kor4 ix1 #gf4 ,it is an obligatory rule that they should not eat alone1 but should unselfishly share their food with one another2 and when seated at table they should not be silent1 and should begin by saying 8,in ,god's name02 and they should not put anything down or lift anything up in such a way as to offend their comrades1 and they should dip the first mouthful in salt1 and should deal fairly by their friends4 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh 7al-,tustar7 was asked about the meaning of the verse3 8,verily ,god enjoins justice and beneficence0 7,kor4 xvi1 #ib74 ,he replied3 8,justice consists in dealing fairly with one's friend in regard to a morsel of food1 and beneficence consists in deeming him to have a better claim to that morsel than yourself40 ,my ,shaykh used to say3 8,i am astonished at the impostor who declares that he has renounced the world1 and is anxious about a morsel of food40 ,furthermore1 the f should eat with his right hand and should look only at his own morsel1 and while eating he should not drink unless he is extremely thirsty1 and if he drinks he should drink only as much as will moisten his liver4 ,he should not eat large mouthfuls1 and should chew his food well and not make haste2 otherwise he will be acting contrary to the custom of the ,apostle1 and will probably suffer from indigestion 7tukhama74 ,when he has finished eating1 he should give praise to ,god and wash his hands4 ,if two or three or more persons belonging to a community of dervishes go to a dinner and eat something without informing their brethren1 according to some ,shaykhs this is unlawful and constitutes a breach of companionship1 but some hold it to be allowable when a number of persons act thus in union with each other1 and some allow it in the case of a single person1 on the ground that he is not obliged to deal fairly when he is alone but when he is in company2 consequently1 being alone1 he is relieved of the obligations of companionship and is not responsible for his act4 ,now1 the most important principle in this matter is that the invitation of a dervish should not be refused1 and that the invitation of a rich man should not be accepted4 ,dervishes ought not to go to the houses of rich men or beg anything of them3 such conduct is demoralizing for fs1 because worldlings are not on confidential terms 7maram7 with the dervish4 ,much wealth1 however1 does not make a man 8rich0 7duny-dr71 nor does little wealth make him 8poor04 ,no one who acknowledges that poverty is better than riches is 8rich01 even though he be a king2 and anyone who disbelieves in poverty is 8rich01 even though he be reduced to want4 ,when a dervish attends a party he should not constrain himself either to eat or not to eat1 but should behave in accordance with his feelings at the time 7bar ukm-i waqt74 ,if the host is a congenial person 7maram71 it is right that a married man 7mutaahhil7 should condone a fault2 and if the host is uncongenial1 it is not allowable to go to his house4 ,but in any case it is better not to commit a fault1 for ,sahl b4 ,abdallh 7al-,tustar7 says3 8,backsliding is abasement0 7al-zillat dhillat74 ,chapter concerning their ,rules in ,walking4 ,god hath said3 8,and the servants of the ,merciful are they who walk on the earth meekly0 7,kor4 xxv1 #fd74 ,the seeker of ,god1 as he walks1 should know at each step he makes whether that step is against ,god or of ,god3 if it is against ,god1 he must ask for pardon1 and if it is of ,god1 he must persevere in it1 that it may be increased4 ,one day ,dwud had taken some medicine4 ,they said to him3 8,go into the court of this house for a little while1 in order that the good result of the medicine may become apparent40 ,he replied3 8,i am ashamed that on the ,day of ,judgment ,god should ask me why ,i made a few steps for my own selfish pleasure4 ,god ,almighty hath said3 #8,and their feet shall bear witness of that which they used to commit'8 7,kor4 xxxvi1 #fe74 ,therefore the dervish should walk circumspectly1 with his head bowed in meditation 7murqabat71 and not look in any direction but in front4 ,if any person meets him on the way1 he must not draw himself back from him for the sake of saving his dress1 for all ,moslems are clean1 and their clothes too2 such an act is mere conceit and self-ostentation4 ,if1 however1 the person who meets him is an unbeliever1 or manifestly filthy1 he may turn from him unobtrusively4 ,and when he walks with a number of people1 he must not attempt to go in front of them1 since that is an excess of pride2 nor must he attempt to go behind them1 since that is an excess of humility1 and humility of which one is conscious is essentially pride4 ,he must keep his clogs and shoes as clean as he can by day in order that ,god1 through the blessings thereof1 may keep his clothes 7clean7 by night4 ,and when one or more dervishes are with anyone1 he should not stop on the way 7to talk7 with any person1 nor should he tell that person to wait for him4 ,he should walk quietly and should not hurry1 else his walk will resemble that of the covetous2 nor should he walk slowly1 for then his walk will resemble that of the proud2 and he should take steps of the full length 7gm-i tamm nihad74 ,in fine1 the walk of the seeker of ,god should always be of such a description that if anyone should ask him whither he is going he should be able to answer decisively3 0,verily1 ,i am going to my ,lord3 ,he will direct me0 7,kor4 xxxvii1 #ig74 ,otherwise his walking is a curse to him1 because right steps 7khaawt7 proceed from right thoughts 7khaart73 accordingly if a man's thoughts are concentrated on ,god1 his feet will follow his thoughts4 ,it is related that ,ab ,yazd said3 8,the inconsiderate walk 7rawish-i b murqabat7 of a dervish is a sign that he is heedless 7of ,god71 because all that exists is attained in two steps3 one step away from self-interest and the other step firmly planted on the commandments of ,god40 ,the walk of the seeker is a sign that he is traversing a certain distance1 and since proximity to ,god is not a matter of distance1 what can the seeker do but cut off his feet in the abode of rest8 ,chapter concerning their ,rules of ,sleeping in travel and at home4 ,there is a great difference of opinion among the ,shaykhs on this subject4 ,some hold that it is not permissible for a novice to sleep except when he is overpowered by slumber1 for the ,apostle said3 8,sleep is the brother of ,death10 and inasmuch as life is a benefit conferred by ,god1 whereas death is an affliction1 the former must be more excellent than the latter4 ,and it is related that ,shibl said3 8,god looked upon me and said1 #8,he who sleeps is heedless1 and he who is heedless is veiled4'0 ,others1 again1 hold that a novice may sleep at will and even constrain himself to sleep after having performed the ,divine commands1 for the ,apostle said3 8,the ,pen does not record 7evil actions7 against the sleeper until he awakes1 or against the boy until he reaches puberty1 or against the madman until he recovers his wits40 ,when a man is asleep1 people are secure from his mischief and he is deprived of his personal volition and his lower soul is prevented from gaining its desires and the ,recording ,angels cease to write2 his tongue makes no false assertion and speaks no evil of the absent1 and his will places no hope in conceit and ostentation2 8he does not possess for himself either bane or boon or death or life or resurrection40 ,hence ,ibn ,abbs says3 8,nothing is more grievous to ,ibls than a sinner's sleep2 whenever the sinner sleeps1 ,ibls says1 #8,when will he wake and rise up that he may disobey ,god8'0 ,this was a point of controversy between ,junayd and ,al b4 ,sahl al-,ifahn4 ,the latter wrote to ,junayd a very fine epistle1 which ,i have heard1 to the effect that sleep is heedlessness and rest is a turning away from ,god3 the lover must not sleep or rest by day or by night1 otherwise he will lose the object of his desire and will forget himself and his state and will fail to attain to ,god1 as ,god said to ,david1 8,o ,david1 he who pretends to love ,me and sleeps when night covers him is a liar40 ,junayd said in his reply to that letter3 8,our wakefulness consists in our acts of devotion to ,god1 whereas our sleep is ,god's act towards us3 that which proceeds from ,god to us without our will is more perfect than that which proceeds from us to ,god with our will4 ,sleep is a gift which ,god bestows on those who love ,him40 ,this question depends on the doctrine of sobriety and intoxication1 which has been fully discussed above4 ,it is remarkable that ,junayd1 who was himself a 8sober0 man1 here supports intoxication4 ,seemingly1 he was enraptured at the time when he wrote and his temporary state may have expressed itself by his tongue2 or1 again1 it may be that the opposite is the case and that sleep is actually sobriety1 while wakefulness is actually intoxication1 because sleep is an attribute of humanity1 and a man is 8sober0 so long as he is in the shadow of his attributes3 wakefulness1 on the other hand1 is an attribute of ,god1 and when a man transcends his own attribute he is enraptured4 ,i have met with a number of ,shaykhs who agree with ,junayd in preferring sleep to wakefulness1 because the visions of the saints and of most of the apostles occurred during sleep4 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,verily1 ,god takes pride in the servant who sleeps while he prostrates himself in prayer2 and ,he says to ,his angels1 #8,behold ,my servant1 whose spirit is in the abode of secret conversation 7najw7 while his body is on the carpet of worship4'0 ,the ,apostle also said3 8,whoever sleeps in a state of purification1 his spirit is permitted to circumambulate the ,throne and prostrate itself before ,god40 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that ,shh ,shuj of ,kirmn kept awake for forty years4 ,one night he fell asleep and saw ,god1 and afterwards he used always to sleep in hope of seeing the same vision4 ,this is the meaning of the verse of ,qays of the ,ban mir#agc-- 8,truly ,i wish to sleep1 although ,i am not drowsy1 ,that perchance thy beloved image may encounter mine40 ,footnote #agc3 ,generally known as ,majnn1 the lover of ,layl4 ,see ,brockelmann1 i1 #dh4 ,other ,shaykhs whom ,i have seen agree with ,al b4 ,sahl in preferring wakefulness to sleep1 because the apostles received their revelations and the saints their miracles while they were awake4 ,one of the ,shaykhs says3 8,if there were any good in sleep there would be sleep in ,paradise10 i4e41 if sleep were the cause of love and proximity to ,god1 it would follow that there must be sleep in ,paradise1 which is the dwelling-place of proximity2 since neither sleep nor any veil is in ,paradise1 we know that sleep is a veil4 ,those who are fond of subtleties 7arbb-i lif7 say that when ,adam fell asleep in ,paradise ,eve came forth from his left side1 and ,eve was the source of all his afflictions4 ,they say also that when ,abraham told ,ishmael that he had been ordered in a dream to sacrifice him1 ,ishmael replied3 8,this is the punishment due to one who sleeps and forgets his beloved4 ,if you had not fallen asleep you would not have been commanded to sacrifice your son40 ,it is related that ,shibl every night used to place in front of him a bowl of salt water and a needle for applying collyrium1 and whenever he was about to fall asleep he would dip the needle in the salt water and draw it along his eyelids4 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 have met with a spiritual director who used to sleep after finishing the performance of his obligatory acts of devotion2 and ,i have seen ,shaykh ,amad ,samarqand1 who was living at ,bukhr3 during forty years he had never slept at night1 but he used to sleep a little in the daytime4 ,this question turns on the view taken of life and death4 ,those who prefer death to life must prefer sleep to waking1 while those who prefer life to death must prefer waking to sleep4 ,merit belongs1 not to the man who forces himself to keep awake1 but to the man who is kept awake4 ,the ,apostle1 whom ,god chose and whom ,he raised to the highest rank1 did not force himself either to sleep or to wake4 ,god commanded him1 saying3 8,rise and pray during the night1 except a small part3 half thereof or less0 7,kor4 lxxiii1 #b-c74 ,similarly1 merit does not belong to the man who forces himself to sleep1 but only to the man who is put to sleep4 ,the ,men of the ,cave did not constrain themselves to sleep or to wake1 but ,god threw slumber upon them and nourished them without their will4 ,when a man attains to such a degree that his will no longer exists1 and his hand is withdrawn from everything1 and his thoughts are averted from all except ,god1 it matters not whether he is asleep or awake3 in either case he is full of honour4 ,now1 as regards the sleep of the novice1 he ought to deem that his first sleep is his last1 and repent of his sins and satisfy all who have a claim against him2 and he ought to perform a comely purification and sleep on his right side1 facing the qibla2 and having set his worldly affairs in order1 he ought to give thanks for the blessing of ,islam1 and make a vow that if he should wake again he will not return to sin4 ,one who has set his affairs in order while he is awake has no fear of sleep or of death4 ,a well-known story is told of a certain spiritual director1 that he used to visit an ,imm who was engrossed in maintaining his dignity and was a prey to self-conceit1 and that he used to say to him3 8,o ,so-and-so1 you must die40 ,this offended the ,imm1 for 8why 7he said7 should this beggar be always repeating these words to me80 ,one day he answered3 8,i will begin to-morrow40 ,next day when the spiritual director came in the ,imm said to him3 8,o ,so-and-so1 you must die40 ,he put down his prayer-rug and spread it out1 and laid his head on it and exclaimed1 8,i am dead10 and immediately yielded up his soul4 ,the ,imm took warning1 and perceived that this spiritual director had been bidding him prepare for death1 as he himself had done4 ,my ,shaykh used to enjoin his disciples not to sleep unless overpowered by slumber1 and when they had once awaked not to fall asleep again1 since a second sleep is unlawful and unprofitable to those who seek ,god4 ,chapter concerning their ,rules in ,speech and ,silence4 ,god hath commanded ,his servants to speak well1 e4g4 to acknowledge ,his lordship and to praise ,him and to call mankind to ,his court4 ,speech is a great blessing conferred on ,man by ,god1 and thereby is ,man distinguished from all other things4 ,some interpreters of the text1 8,we have honoured the sons of ,adam0 7,kor4 xvii1 #gb71 explain it as meaning 8by the gift of speech04 ,nevertheless1 in speech there are also great evils1 for the ,apostle said3 8,the worst that ,i fear for my people is the tongue40 ,in short1 speech is like wine3 it intoxicates the mind1 and those who begin to have a taste for it cannot abstain from it4 ,accordingly1 the fs1 knowing that speech is harmful1 never spoke except when it was necessary1 i4e4 they considered the beginning and end of their discourse2 if the whole was for ,god's sake1 they spoke2 otherwise they kept silence1 because they firmly believed that ,god knows our secret thoughts 7cf4 ,kor4 xliii1 #hj74 ,the ,apostle said3 8,he who keeps silence is saved40 ,in silence there are many advantages and spiritual favours 7fut71 and in speech there are many evils4 ,some ,shaykhs have preferred silence to speech1 while others have set speech above silence4 ,among the former is ,junayd1 who said3 8,expressions are wholly pretensions1 and where realities are established pretensions are idle40 ,sometimes it is excusable not to speak although one has the will to do so1 i4e4 fear becomes an excuse for not speaking in spite of one's having the will and the power to speak2 and refusal to speak of ,god does not impair the essence of gnosis4 ,but at no time is a man excused for mere pretension devoid of reality1 which is the principle of hypocrites4 ,pretension without reality is hypocrisy1 and reality without pretension is sincerity1 because 8he who is grounded in eloquence needs no tongue to communicate with his ,lord04 ,expressions only serve to inform another than ,god1 for ,god ,himself requires no explanation of our circumstances1 and others than ,god are not worth so much that we should occupy ourselves with them4 ,this is corroborated by the saying of ,junayd1 8,he who knows ,god is dumb10 for in actual vision 7iyn7 exposition 7bayn7 is a veil4 ,it is related that ,shibl rose up in ,junayd's meeting-place and cried aloud1 8,o my object of desire60 and pointed to ,god4 ,junayd said3 8,o ,ab ,bakr1 if ,god is the object of your desire1 why do you point to ,him1 who is independent of this8 ,and if the object of your desire is another1 ,god knows what you say3 why do you speak falsely80 ,shibl asked ,god to pardon him for having uttered those words4 ,those who put speech above silence argue that we are commanded by ,god to set forth our circumstances1 for the pretension subsists in the reality1 and vice vers4 ,if a man continues for a thousand years to know ,god in his heart and soul1 but has not confessed that he knows ,god1 he is virtually an infidel unless his silence has been due to compulsion4 ,god has bidden all believers give ,him thanks and praise and rehearse ,his bounties1 and ,he has promised to answer the prayers of those who invoke ,him4 ,one of the ,shaykhs has said that whoever does not declare his spiritual state is without any spiritual state1 since the state proclaims itself4 8,the tongue of the state 7lisn al-l7 is more eloquent than my tongue1 ,and my silence is the interpreter of my question40 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that one day when ,ab ,bakr ,shibl was walking in the ,karkh quarter of ,baghdd he heard an impostor saying3 8,silence is better than speech40 ,shibl replied3 8,thy silence is better than thy speech1 but my speech is better than my silence1 because thy speech is vanity and thy silence is an idle jest1 whereas my silence is modesty and my speech is knowledge40 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 declare that there are two kinds of speech and two kinds of silence3 speech is either real or unreal1 and silence is either fruition or forgetfulness4 ,if one speaks truth1 his speech is better than his silence1 but if one speaks falsehood1 his silence is better than his speech4 8,he who speaks hits the mark or misses it1 but he who is made to speak is preserved from transgression40 ,thus ,ibls said1 8,i am better than he0 7,kor4 xxxviii1 #gg71 but ,adam was made to say1 8,o ,lord1 we have done wrong unto ourselves0 7,kor4 vii1 #bb74 ,the missionaries 7diyn7 of this sect are permitted or compelled to speak1 and shame or helplessness strikes them dumb3 8he whose silence is shame1 his speech is life40 ,their speech is the result of vision1 and speech without vision appears to them despicable4 ,they prefer silence to speech so long as they are with themselves1 but when they are beside themselves their words are written on the hearts of men4 ,hence that spiritual director said3 8,he whose silence to ,god is gold1 his speech to another than ,god is gilt40 ,the seeker of ,god1 who is absorbed in servantship1 must be silent1 in order that the adept1 who proclaims ,lordship1 may speak1 and by his utterances may captivate the hearts of his disciples4 ,the rule in speaking is not to speak unless bidden1 and then only of the thing that is bidden2 and the rule in silence is not to be ignorant or satisfied with ignorance or forgetful4 ,the disciple must not interrupt the speech of spiritual directors1 or let his personal judgment intrude therein1 or use far-fetched expressions in answering them4 ,he must never tell a lie1 or speak ill of the absent1 or offend any ,moslem with that tongue which has made the profession of faith and acknowledged the unity of ,god4 ,he must not address dervishes by their bare names or speak to them until they ask a question4 ,it behoves the dervish1 when he is silent1 not to be silent in falsehood1 and when he speaks1 to speak only the truth4 ,this principle has many derivatives and innumerable refinements1 but ,i will not pursue the subject1 lest my book should become too long4 ,chapter concerning their ,rules in ,asking4 ,god hath said3 8,they ask not men with importunity0 7,kor4 ii1 #bgd74 ,any one of them who asks should not be repulsed1 for ,god said to the ,apostle3 8,do not drive away the beggar0 7,kor4 xciii1 #aj74 ,as far as possible they should beg of ,god only1 for begging involves turning away from ,god to another1 and when a man turns away from ,god there is danger that ,god may leave him in that predicament4 ,i have read that a certain worldling said to ,rbia ,adawiyya#agd3 8,o ,rbia1 ask something of me that ,i may procure what you wish40 8,o sir10 she replied1 8,i am ashamed to ask anything of the ,creator of the world2 how1 then1 should ,i not be ashamed to ask anything of a fellow-creature80 ,it is related that in the time of ,ab ,muslim1 the head of the 7,abbsid7 propaganda1 an innocent dervish was seized on suspicion of theft1 and was imprisoned at ,chahr q4#age ,on the same night ,ab ,muslim dreamed that the ,apostle came to him and said3 8,god has sent me to tell you that one of ,his friends is in your prison4 ,arise and set him free40 ,ab ,muslim leapt from his bed1 and ran with bare head and feet to the prison gate1 and gave orders to release the dervish1 and begged his pardon and bade him ask a boon4 8,o prince10 he replied1 8one whose ,master rouses ,ab ,muslim at midnight1 and sends him to deliver a poor dervish from affliction--how should that one ask a boon of others80 ,ab ,muslim began to weep1 and the dervish went on his way4 ,some1 however1 hold that a dervish may beg of his fellow-creatures1 since ,god says3 8,they ask not men with importunity10 i4e4 they may ask but not importune4 ,the ,apostle begged for the sake of providing for his companions1 and he said to us3 8,seek your wants from those whose faces are comely40 ,footnote #agd3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #egh2 ,ibn ,khallikn1 ,no4 #bcj4 ,footnote #age3 ,a village1 mentioned by ,ibn al-,athr 7x1 #dbh1 #bd71 in the vicinity of ,baghdd4 ,the f ,shaykhs consider begging to be permissible in three cases4 ,firstly1 with the object of freeing one's mind from preoccupation1 for1 as they have said1 we should not attach so much importance to two cakes of bread that we should spend the whole day and night in expecting them2 and when we are starving we want nothing else of ,god1 because no anxiety is so engrossing as anxiety on account of food4 ,therefore1 when the disciple of ,shaqq visited ,byazd1 and in answer to ,byazd's question as to the state of ,shaqq informed him that he was entirely disengaged from mankind1 and was putting all his trust in ,god1 ,byazd said3 8,when you return to ,shaqq1 tell him to beware of again testing ,god with two loaves3 if he is hungry1 let him beg of his fellow-creatures and have done with the cant of trust in ,god40 ,secondly1 it is permissible to beg with the object of training the lower soul4 ,the fs beg in order that they may endure the humiliation of begging1 and may perceive what is their worth in the eyes of other men1 and may not be proud4 ,when ,shibl came to ,junayd1 ,junayd said to him3 8,o ,ab ,bakr1 your head is full of conceit1 because you are the son of the ,caliph's principal chamberlain and the governor of ,smarr4 ,no good will come from you until you go to the market and beg of everyone whom you see1 that you may know your true worth40 ,shibl obeyed4 ,he begged in the market for three years1 with ever decreasing success4 ,one day1 having gone through the whole market and got nothing1 he returned to ,junayd and told him4 ,junayd said3 8,now1 ,ab ,bakr1 you see that you have no worth in the eyes of men3 do not fix your heart on them4 ,this matter 7i4e4 begging7 is for the sake of discipline1 not for the sake of profit40 ,it is related that ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian said3 8,i had a friend who was in accord with ,god4 ,after his death ,i saw him in a dream1 and asked him how ,god had dealt with him4 ,he answered that ,god had forgiven him4 ,i asked him3 #8,on account of what virtue8' ,he replied that ,god raised him to his feet and said3 #8,my servant1 you suffered with patience much contumely and tribulation from base and avaricious men1 to whom you stretched out your hands3 therefore ,i forgive you4'0 ,thirdly1 they beg from mankind because of their reverence for ,god4 ,they recognize that all worldly possessions belong to ,god1 and they regard all mankind as ,his agents1 from whom--not from ,god ,himself--they beg anything that is for the benefit of the lower soul2 and in the eyes of one who beholds his own want1 the servant that makes a petition to an agent is more reverent and obedient than he that makes a petition to ,god4 ,therefore1 their begging from another is a sign of presence and of turning towards ,god1 not a sign of absence and of turning away from ,him4 ,i have read that ,yay b4 ,mudh 7al-,rz7 had a daughter1 who one day asked her mother for something4 8,ask it of ,god10 said the mother4 8,i am ashamed10 the girl replied1 8to ask a material want from ,him4 ,what you give me is ,his too and is my allotted portion40 ,the rules of begging are as follows3 ,if you beg unsuccessfully you should be more cheerful than when you succeed1 and you should not regard any human creature as coming between ,god and yourself4 ,you should not beg of women or market-folk 7ab-i aswq71 and you should not tell your secret to anyone unless you are sure that his money is lawful4 ,as far as possible you should beg unselfishly1 and should not use the proceeds for worldly show and for housekeeping1 or convert them into property4 ,you should live in the present1 and let no thought of the morrow enter your mind1 else you will incur everlasting perdition4 ,you should not make ,god a springe to catch alms1 and you should not display piety in order that more alms may be given to you on account of your piety4 ,i once met an old and venerable f1 who had lost his way in the desert and came1 hunger-stricken1 into the market-place at ,kfa with a sparrow perched on his hand1 crying3 8,give me something for the sake of this sparrow60 ,the people asked him why he said this4 ,he replied3 8,it is impossible that ,i should say #8,give me something for ,god's sake6' ,one must employ the intercession of an insignificant creature to obtain worldly goods48 ,this is but a small part of the obligations involved in begging4 ,i have abridged the topic for fear of being tedious4 ,chapter concerning their ,rules in ,marriage and ,celibacy and matters connected therewith4 ,god hath said3 0,they 7women7 are a garment unto you and ye are a garment unto them0 7,kor4 ii1 #ahc74 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,marry1 that ye may multiply2 for ,i will vaunt you against all other nations on the ,day of ,resurrection1 even in respect of the still-born40 ,and he said also3 8,the women who bring the greatest blessing are they who cost least to maintain1 whose faces are comeliest1 and whose dowries are cheapest40 ,marriage is permitted to all men and women1 and is obligatory on those who cannot abstain from what is unlawful1 and is a sunna 7i4e4 sanctioned by the custom of the ,apostle7 for those who are able to support a family4 ,some of the f ,shaykhs hold marriage to be desirable as a means of quelling lust1 and acquisition 7of sustenance7 to be desirable as a means of freeing the mind from anxiety4 ,others hold that the object of marriage is procreation2 for1 if the child dies before its father1 it will intercede for him 7before ,god71 and if the father dies first1 the child will remain to pray for him4#agf ,the ,apostle said3 8,women are married for four things3 wealth1 nobility1 beauty1 and religion4 ,do ye take one that is religious1 for1 after ,islam1 there is nothing that profits a man so much as a believing and obedient wife who gladdens him whenever he looks on her40 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,satan is with the solitary10 because ,satan decks out lust and presents it to their minds4 ,no companionship is equal in reverence and security to marriage1 when husband and wife are congenial and well-suited to each other1 and no torment and anxiety is so great as an uncongenial wife4 ,therefore the dervish must1 in the first place1 consider what he is doing and picture in his mind the evils of celibacy and of marriage1 in order that he may choose the state of which he can more easily overcome the evils4 ,the evils of celibacy are two3 7#a7 the neglect of an ,apostolic custom1 7#b7 the fostering of lust in the heart and the danger of falling into unlawful ways4 ,the evils of marriage are also two3 7#a7 the preoccupation of the mind with other than ,god1 7#b7 the distraction of the body for the sake of sensual pleasure4 ,the root of this matter lies in retirement and companionship4 ,marriage is proper for those who prefer to associate with mankind1 and celibacy is an ornament to those who seek retirement from mankind4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,go3 the recluses 7al-mufarridn7 have preceded you40 ,and asan of ,bara says3 8,the lightly burdened shall be saved and the heavily laden shall perish40 ,ibrhm ,khaww relates the following story3 8,i went to a certain village to visit a reverend man who lived there4 ,when ,i entered his house ,i saw that it was clean1 like a saint's place of worship4 ,in its two corners two niches 7mirb7 had been made2 the old man was seated in one of them1 and in the other niche an old woman was sitting1 clean and bright3 both had become weak through much devotion4 ,they showed great joy at my coming1 and ,i stayed with them for three days4 ,when ,i was about to depart ,i asked the old man1 #8,what relation is this chaste woman to you8' ,he answered1 #8,she is my cousin and my wife4' ,i said1 #8,during these three days your intercourse with one another has been very like that of strangers4' #8,yes1' said he1 #8it has been so for five and sixty years4' ,i asked him the cause of this4 ,he replied3 #8,when we were young we fell in love1 but her father would not give her to me1 for he had discovered our fondness for each other4 ,i bore this sorrow for a long while1 but on her father's death my father1 who was her uncle1 gave me her hand4 ,on the wedding-night she said to me3 8,you know what happiness ,god has bestowed upon us in bringing us together and taking all fear away from our hearts4 ,let us therefore to-night refrain from sensual passion and trample on our desires and worship ,god in thanksgiving for this happiness40 ,i said1 8,it is well40 ,next night she bade me do the same4 ,on the third night ,i said1 8,now we have given thanks for two nights for your sake2 to-night let us worship ,god for my sake40 ,five and sixty years have passed since then1 and we have never touched one another1 but spend all our lives in giving thanks for our happiness4'0 ,accordingly1 when a dervish chooses companionship1 it behoves him to provide his wife with lawful food and pay her dowry out of lawful property1 and not indulge in sensual pleasure so long as any obligation towards ,god1 or any part of ,his commandments1 is unfulfilled4 ,and when he performs his devotions and is about to go to bed1 let him say1 as in secret converse with ,god3 8,o ,lord ,god1 ,thou hast mingled lust with ,adam's clay in order that the world may be populated1 and ,thou in ,thy knowledge hast willed that ,i should have this intercourse4 ,cause it to be for the sake of two things3 firstly1 to guard that which is unlawful by means of that which is lawful2 and secondly1 vouchsafe to me a child1 saintly and acceptable1 not one who will divert my thoughts from ,thee40 ,it is related that a son was born to ,sahl b4 ,abdallh al-,tustar4 ,whenever the child asked his mother for food1 she used to bid him ask ,god1 and while he went to the niche 7mirb7 and bowed himself in prayer1 she used secretly to give him what he wanted1 without letting him know that his mother had given it to him4 ,thus he grew accustomed to turn unto ,god4 ,one day he came back from school when his mother was absent1 and bowed himself in prayer4 ,god caused the thing that he sought to appear before him4 ,when his mother came in she asked1 8,where did you get this80 ,he answered1 8,from the place whence it comes always40 ,footnote #agf3 ,here a story is told of the ,caliph ,umar1 who asked ,umm ,kulthm1 the ,prophet's granddaughter1 in marriage from her father ,al4 ,the practice of an ,apostolic rule of life must not lead the dervish to seek worldly wealth and unlawful gain or preoccupy his heart1 for the dervish is ruined by the destruction of his heart1 just as the rich man is ruined by the destruction of his house and furniture2 but the rich man can repair his loss1 while the dervish cannot4 ,in our time it is impossible for anyone to have a suitable wife1 whose wants are not excessive and whose demands are not unreasonable4 ,therefore many persons have adopted celibacy and observe the ,apostolic ,tradition3 8,the best of men in latter days will be those who are light of back10 i4e4 who have neither wife nor child4 ,it is the unanimous opinion of the ,shaykhs of this sect that the best and most excellent fs are the celibates1 if their hearts are uncontaminated and if their natures are not inclined to sins and lusts4 ,the vulgar1 in gratifying their lusts1 appeal to the ,apostle's saying1 that the three things he loved in the world were scent1 women1 and prayer1 and argue that since he loved women marriage must be more excellent than celibacy4 ,i reply3 8,the ,apostle also said that he had two trades1 namely1 poverty 7faqr7 and the spiritual combat 7jihd73 why1 then1 do ye shun these things8 ,if he loved that 7viz4 marriage71 this 7viz4 celibacy7 was his trade4 ,your desires have a greater propensity to the former1 but it is absurd1 on that ground1 to say that he loves what you desire4 ,anyone who follows his desires for fifty years and supposes that he is following the practice of the ,apostle is in grave error40 ,a woman was the cause of the first calamity that overtook ,adam in ,paradise1 and also of the first quarrel that happened in this world1 i4e4 the quarrel of ,abel and ,cain4 ,a woman was the cause of the punishment inflicted on the two angels 7,hrt and ,mrt72 and down to the present day all mischiefs1 worldly and religious have been caused by women4 ,after ,god had preserved me for eleven years from the dangers of matrimony1 it was my destiny to fall in love with the description of a woman whom ,i had never seen1 and during a whole year my passion so absorbed me that my religion was near being ruined1 until at last ,god in ,his bounty gave protection to my wretched heart and mercifully delivered me4 ,in short1 fiism was founded on celibacy2 the introduction of marriage brought about a change4 ,there is no flame of lust that cannot be extinguished by strenuous effort1 because1 whatever vice proceeds from yourself1 you possess the instrument that will remove it3 another is not necessary for that purpose4 ,now the removal of lust may be effected by two things1 one of which involves self-constraint 7takalluf7 while the other lies outside the sphere of human action and mortification4 ,the former is hunger1 the latter is an agitating fear or a true love1 which is collected by the dispersion of 7sensual7 thoughts3 a love which extends its empire over the different parts of the body and divests all the senses of their sensual quality4 ,amad ammd of ,sarakhs1 who went to ,transoxania and lived there1 was a venerable man4 ,on being asked whether he desired to marry1 he answered3 8,no1 because ,i am either absent from myself or present with myself3 when ,i am absent1 ,i have no consciousness of the two worlds2 and when ,i am present1 ,i keep my lower soul in such wise that when it gets a loaf of bread it thinks that it has got a thousand houris4 ,it is a great thing to occupy the mind3 let it be anxious about whatsoever you will40 ,others1 again1 recommend that neither state 7marriage or celibacy7 should be regarded with predilection1 in order that we may see what the decree of ,divine providence will bring to light3 if celibacy be our lot1 we should strive to be chaste1 and if marriage be our destiny1 we should comply with the custom of the ,apostle and strive to clear our hearts 7of worldly anxieties74 ,when ,god ordains celibacy unto a man1 his celibacy should be like that of ,joseph1 who1 although he was able to satisfy his desire for ,zulaykh1 turned away from her and busied himself with subduing his passion and considering the vices of his lower soul at the moment when ,zulaykh was alone with him4 ,and if ,god ordains marriage unto a man1 his marriage should be like that of ,abraham1 who by reason of his absolute confidence in ,god put aside all care for his wife2 and when ,sarah became jealous he took ,hagar and brought her to a barren valley and committed her to the care of ,god4 ,accordingly1 a man is not ruined by marriage or by celibacy1 but the mischief consists in asserting one's will and in yielding to one's desires4 ,the married man ought to observe the following rules4 ,he should not leave any act of devotion undone1 or let any 8state0 be lost or any 8time0 be wasted4 ,he should be kind to his wife and should provide her with lawful expenses1 and he should not pay court to tyrants and governors with the object of meeting her expenses4 ,he should behave thus1 in order that1 if a child is born1 it may be such as it ought to be4 ,a well-known story is told of ,amad b4 arb of ,nshpr1 that one day1 when he was sitting with the chiefs and nobles of ,nshpr who had come to offer their respects to him1 his son entered the room1 drunk1 playing a guitar1 and singing1 and passed by insolently without heeding them4 ,amad1 perceiving that they were put out of countenance1 said3 8,what is the matter80 ,they replied3 8,we are ashamed that this lad should pass by you in such a state40 ,amad said3 8,he is excusable4 ,one night my wife and ,i partook of some food that was brought to us from a neighbour's house4 ,that same night this son was begotten1 and we fell asleep and let our devotions go4 ,next morning we inquired of our neighbour as to the source of the food that he had sent to us1 and we found that it came from a wedding-feast in the house of a government official40 ,the following rules should be observed by the celibate4 ,he must not see what is improper to see or think what is improper to think1 and he must quench the flames of lust by hunger and guard his heart from this world and from preoccupation with phenomena1 and he must not call the desire of his lower soul 8knowledge0 or 8inspiration01 and he must not make the wiles 7bu l-ajab7 of ,satan a pretext 7for sin74 ,if he acts thus he will be approved in fiism4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,tenth ,,veil3 ,,explaining ,,their ,,phraseology ,,and ,,the ,,definitions ,,of ,,their ,,terms ,,and ,,the ,,verities ,,of ,,the ,,ideas ,,which ,,are ,,signified4 ,those employed in every craft and business1 while discussing its mysteries with one another1 make use of certain words and expressions of which the meaning is known only to themselves4 ,such expressions are invented for a double purpose3 firstly1 in order to facilitate the understanding of difficulties and bring them nearer to the comprehension of the novice2 and secondly1 in order to conceal the mysteries of that science from the uninitiated4 ,the fs also have technical terms for the purpose of expressing the matter of their discourse and in order that they may reveal or disguise their meaning as they please4 ,i will now explain some of these terms and distinguish between the significations attached to various pairs of words4 l and ,waqt4 ,waqt 7time7 is a term with which fs are familiar1 and concerning which much has been said by the ,shaykhs1 but my object is to establish the truth1 not to give long explanations4 ,waqt is that whereby a man becomes independent of the past and the future1 as1 for example1 when an influence from ,god descends into his soul and makes his heart collected 7mujtami7 he has no memory of the past and no thought of that which is not yet come4 ,all people fail in this1 and do not know what our past has been or what our future will be1 except the possessors of waqt1 who say3 8,our knowledge cannot apprehend the future and the past1 and we are happy with ,god in the present 7andar waqt74 ,if we occupy ourselves with to-morrow1 or let any thought of it enter our minds1 we shall be veiled 7from ,god71 and a veil is a great distraction 7pargandag740 ,it is absurd to think of the unattainable4 ,thus ,ab ,sad ,kharrz says3 8,do not occupy your precious time except with the most precious of things1 and the most precious of human things is the state of being occupied between the past and the future40 ,and the ,apostle said3 8,i have a time 7waqt7 with ,god1 in which none of the cherubim nor any prophet rivals me10 that is to say1 8in which the eighteen thousand worlds do not occur to my mind and have no worth in my eyes40 ,therefore1 on the night of the ,ascension1 when the kingdom of earth and heaven was arrayed before him in all its beauty1 he did not look at anything 7,kor4 liii1 #ag71 for ,muaf was noble 7azz71 and the noble are not engrossed save by that which is noble4 ,the 8times0 7awqt7 of the ,unitarian are two3 one in the state of loss 7faqd7 and one in the state of gain 7wajd71 one in the place of union and one in the place of separation4 ,at both these times he is overpowered 7maqhr71 because both his union and his separation are effected by ,god without such volition or acquisition on his part as would make it possible to invest him with any attribute4 ,when a man's power of volition is cut off from him1 whatever he does or experiences is the result of 8time0 7waqt74 ,it is related that ,junayd said3 0,i saw a dervish in the desert1 sitting under a mimosa-tree in a hard and uncomfortable spot1 and asked him what made him sit there so still4 ,he answered3 #8,i had a 8time0 and lost it here2 now ,i am sitting and mourning4' ,i inquired how long he had been there4 ,he answered3 #8,twelve years4 ,will not the ,shaykh offer up a prayer 7himmat kunad7 on my behalf1 that perchance ,i may find my 8time0 again8' ,i left him10 said ,junayd1 0and performed the pilgrimage and prayed for him4 ,my prayer was granted4 ,on my return ,i found him seated in the same place4 #8,why1' ,i said1 #8do you not go from here1 since you have obtained your wish8' ,he replied3 #8,o ,shaykh1 ,i settled myself in this place of desolation where ,i lost my capital3 is it right that ,i should leave the place where ,i have found my capital once more and where ,i enjoy the society of ,god8 ,let the ,shaykh go in peace1 for ,i will mix my dust with the dust of this spot1 that ,i may rise at the ,resurrection from this dust which is the abode of my delight4' ,no man can attain to the reality of 8time0 by exerting his choice1 for 8time0 is a thing that does not come within the scope of human acquisition1 that it should be gained by effort1 nor is it sold in the market1 that anyone should give his life in exchange for it1 and the will has no power either to attract or to repel it4 ,the ,shaykhs have said1 8,time is a cutting sword10 because it is characteristic of a sword to cut1 and 8time0 cuts the root of the future and the past1 and obliterates care of yesterday and to-morrow from the heart4 ,the sword is a dangerous companion3 either it makes its master a king or it destroys him4 ,although one should pay homage to the sword and carry it on one's own shoulder for a thousand years1 in the moment of cutting it does not discriminate between its master's neck and the neck of another4 ,violence 7qahr7 is its characteristic1 and violence will not depart from it at the wish of its master4 l 7state7 is that which descends upon 8time0 7waqt7 and adorns it1 as the spirit adorns the body4 ,waqt has need of l1 for waqt is beautified by l and subsists thereby4 ,when the owner of waqt comes into possession of l1 he is no more subject to change and is made steadfast 7mustaqm7 in his state2 for1 when he has waqt without l1 he may lose it1 but when l attaches itself to him1 all his state 7rzgr7 becomes waqt1 and that cannot be lost3 what seems to be coming and going 7mad shud7 is really the result of becoming and manifestation 7takawwun uhr71 just as1 before this1 waqt descended on him who has it4 ,he who is in the state of becoming 7mutakawwin7 may be forgetful1 and on him who is thus forgetful l descends and waqt is made stable 7mutamakkin72 for the possessor of waqt may become forgetful1 but the possessor of l cannot possibly be so4 ,the tongue of the possessor of l is silent concerning his l1 but his actions proclaim the reality of his l4 ,hence that spiritual director said3 8,to ask about l is absurd10 because l is the annihilation of speech 7maql74 ,master ,ab ,al ,daqqq says3 8,if there is joy or woe in this world or the next world1 the portion of waqt is that 7feeling7 in which thou art40 ,but l is not like this2 when l comes on a man from ,god1 it banishes all these feelings from his heart4 ,thus ,jacob was a possessor of waqt3 now he was blinded by separation1 now he was restored to sight by union1 now he was mourning and wailing1 now he was calm and joyful4 ,but ,abraham was a possessor of l3 he was not conscious of separation1 that he should be stricken with grief1 nor of union1 that he should be filled with joy4 ,the sun and moon and stars contributed to his l1 but he1 while he gazed1 was independent of them3 whatever he looked on1 he saw only ,god1 and he said3 8,i love not them that set0 7,kor4 vi1 #gf74 ,accordingly1 the world sometimes becomes a hell to the possessor of waqt1 because he is contemplating absence 7ghaybat7 and his heart is distressed by the loss of his beloved2 and sometimes his heart is like a ,paradise in the blessedness of contemplation1 and every moment brings to him a gift and a glad message from ,god4 ,on the other hand1 it makes no difference to the possessor of l whether he is veiled by affliction or unveiled by happiness2 for he is always in the place of actual vision 7iyn74 l is an attribute of the object desired 7murd71 while waqt is the rank of the desirer 7murd74 ,the latter is with himself in the pleasure of waqt1 the former with ,god in the delight of l4 ,how far apart are the two degrees6 ,maqm and ,tamkn1 and the difference between them4 ,maqm 7station7 denotes the perseverance of the seeker in fulfilling his obligations towards the object of his search with strenuous exertion and flawless intention4 ,everyone who desires ,god has a station 7maqm71 which1 in the beginning of his search1 is a means whereby he seeks ,god4 ,although the seeker derives some benefit from every station through which he passes1 he finally rests in one1 because a station and the quest thereof involve contrivance and design 7tarkb la71 not conduct and practice 7rawish mumalat74 ,god hath said3 8,none of us but hath a certain station0 7,kor4 xxxvii1 #afd74 ,the station of ,adam was repentance 7tawbat71 that of ,noah was renunciation 7zuhd71 that of ,abraham was resignation 7taslm71 that of ,moses was contrition 7inbat71 that of ,david was sorrow 7uzn71 that of ,jesus was hope 7raj71 that of ,john 7the ,baptist7 was fear 7khawf71 and that of our ,apostle was praise 7dhikr74 ,they drew something from other sources by which they abode1 but each of them returned at last to his original station4 ,in discussing the doctrine of the ,musibs1 ,i gave a partial explanation of the stations and distinguished between l and maqm4 ,here1 however1 it is necessary to make some further remarks on this subject4 ,you must know that the ,way to ,god is of three kinds3 7#a7 maqm1 7#b7 l1 7#c7 tamkn4 ,god sent all the prophets to explain the ,way and to elucidate the principle of the different stations4 ,one hundred and twenty-four thousand apostles1 and a few over that number1 came with as many stations4 ,on the advent of our ,apostle a l appeared to those in each station and attained a pitch where all human acquisition was left behind1 until religion was made perfect unto men1 as ,god hath said3 8,to-day ,i have perfected your religion for you and have completed ,my bounty unto you0 7,kor4 v1 #e72 then the tamkn 7steadfastness7 of the steadfast appeared2 but if ,i were to enumerate every l and explain every maqm1 my purpose would be defeated4 ,tamkn denotes the residence of spiritual adepts in the abode of perfection and in the highest grade4 ,those in stations can pass on from their stations1 but it is impossible to pass beyond the grade of tamkn1 because maqm is the grade of beginners1 whereas tamkn is the resting-place of adepts1 and maqmt 7stations7 are stages on the way1 whereas tamkn is repose within the shrine4 ,the friends of ,god are absent 7from themselves7 on the way and are strangers 7to themselves7 in the stages3 their hearts are in the presence 7of ,god71 and in the presence every instrument is evil and every tool is 7a token of7 absence 7from ,god7 and infirmity4 ,in the epoch of ,paganism the poets used to praise men for noble deeds1 but they did not recite their panegyric until some time had elapsed4 ,when a poet came into the presence of the person whom he had celebrated1 he used to draw his sword and hamstring his camel and then break his sword1 as though to say3 8,i needed a camel to bring me from a far distance to thy presence1 and a sword to repel the envious who would have hindered me from paying homage to thee3 now that ,i have reached thee1 ,i kill my camel1 for ,i will never depart from thee again2 and ,i break my sword1 for ,i will not admit into my mind the thought of being severed from thy court40 ,then1 after a few days1 he used to recite his poem4 ,similarly1 when ,moses attained to tamkn1 ,god bade him put off his shoes and cast away his staff 7,kor4 xx1 #ab71 these being articles of travel and ,moses being in the presence of ,god4 ,the beginning of love is search1 but the end is rest3 water flows in the river-bed1 but when it reaches the ocean it ceases to flow and changes its taste1 so that those who desire water avoid it1 but those who desire pearls devote themselves to death and fasten the plummet of search to their feet and plunge headlong into the sea1 that they may either gain the hidden pearl or lose their dear lives4 ,and one of the ,shaykhs says3 8,tamkn is the removal of talwn40 ,talwn also is a technical term of the fs1 and is closely connected in meaning with tamkn1 just as l is connected with maqm4 ,the signification of talwn is change and turning from one state to another1 and the above-mentioned saying means that he who is steadfast 7mutamakkin7 is not vacillating 7mutaraddid71 for he has carried all that belongs to him into the presence of ,god and has erased every thought of other than ,god from his mind1 so that no act that passes over him alters his outward predicament and no state changes his inward predicament4 ,thus ,moses was subject to talwn3 he fell in a swoon 7,kor4 vii1 #aci7 when ,god revealed ,his glory to ,mount ,sinai2 but ,muammad was steadfast3 he suffered no change1 although he was in the very revelation of glory from ,mecca to a space of two bow-lengths from ,god2 and this is the highest grade4 ,now tamkn is of two kinds--one referring to the dominant influence of ,god 7shhid-i aqq71 and the other referring to the dominant influence of one's self 7shhid-i khud74 ,he whose tamkn is of the latter kind retains his attributes unimpaired1 but he whose tamkn is of the former kind has no attributes2 and the terms effacement 7maw71 sobriety 7aw71 attainment 7laq71 destruction 7maq71#agg annihilation 7fan71 subsistence 7baq71 being 7wujd71 and not-being 7adam7 are not properly applied to one whose attributes are annihilated1 because a subject is necessary for the maintenance of these qualities1 and when the subject is absorbed 7mustaghriq7 he loses the capacity for maintaining them4 ,footnote #agg3 ,maq denotes annihilation of a man's being in the essence of ,god1 while maw denotes annihilation of his actions in the action of ,god 7,jurjn1 ,tarft74 ,muarat and ,mukshafat1 and the difference between them4 ,muarat denotes the presence of the heart in the subtleties of demonstration 7bayn71 while mukshafat denotes the presence of the spirit 7sirr7 in the domain of actual vision 7iyn74 ,muarat refers to the evidences of ,god's signs 7yt71 and mukshafat to the evidences of contemplation 7mushhadt74 ,the mark of muarat is continual meditation upon ,god's signs1 while the mark of mukshafat is continual amazement at ,god's infinite greatness4 ,there is a difference between one who meditates upon the ,divine acts and one who is amazed at the ,divine majesty3 the one is a follower of friendship1 the other is a companion of love4 ,when the ,friend of ,god 7,abraham7 looked on the kingdom of heaven and meditated on the reality of its existence1 his heart was made 8present0 7ir7 thereby3 through beholding the act he became a seeker of the ,agent2 his 8presence0 7ur7 made the act a proof of the ,agent1 and in perfect gnosis he exclaimed3 8,i turn my face with true belief unto ,him who created the heavens and the earth0 7,kor4 vi1 #gi74 ,but when the ,beloved of ,god 7,muammad7 was borne to ,heaven he shut his eyes from the sight of all things2 he saw neither ,god's act nor created beings nor himself1 but the ,agent was revealed to him1 and in that revelation 7kashf7 his desire increased3 in vain he sought vision1 proximity1 union2 in proportion as the exemption 7tanzh7 of his ,beloved 7from all such conceptions7 became more manifest to him the more did his desire increase2 he could neither turn back nor go forward1 hence he fell into amazement4 ,where friendship was1 amazement seemed infidelity1 but where love was1 union was polytheism1 and amazement became the sole resource1 because in friendship the object of amazement was being 7hast71 and such amazement is polytheism1 but in love the object of amazement was nature and quality 7chignag71 and this amazement is unification 7tawd74 ,in this sense ,shibl used always to say3 8,o ,guide of the amazed1 increase my amazement60 for in contemplation 7of ,god7 the greater one's amazement the higher one's degree4 ,the story of ,ab ,sad ,kharrz and ,ibrhm b4 ,sad ,alaw#agh is well known--how they saw a friend of ,god on the seashore and asked him 8,what is the ,way to ,god80 and how he answered that there are two ways to ,god1 one for the vulgar and one for the elect4 ,when they desired him to explain this he said3 8,the way of the vulgar is that on which you are going3 you accept for some cause and you decline for some cause2 but the way of the elect is to see only the ,causer1 and not to see the cause40 ,the true meaning of these anecdotes has already been set forth4 ,footnote #agh3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #ae4 ,qab and ,bas1 and the difference between them4 ,qab 7contraction7 and bas 7expansion7 are two involuntary states which cannot be induced by any human act or banished by any human exertion4 ,god hath said3 8,god contracts and expands0 7,kor4 ii1 #bdf74 ,qab denotes the contraction of the heart in the state of being veiled 7ijb71 and bas denotes the expansion of the heart in the state of revelation 7kashf74 ,both states proceed from ,god without effort on the part of ,man4 ,the qab of gnostics is like the fear of novices1 and the bas of gnostics is like the hope of novices4 ,this is the sense in which the fs use the terms qab and bas4 ,some ,shaykhs hold that qab is superior in degree to bas1 for two reasons3 7#a7 it is mentioned before bas in the ,koran1 7#b7 qab involves dissolution and oppression1 whereas bas involves nutrition and favour3 it is undoubtedly better to dissolve one's humanity and oppress one's lower soul than to foster and favour them1 since they are the greatest veil 7between ,man and ,god74 ,others1 again1 hold that bas is superior to qab4 ,the fact1 they say1 that qab is mentioned before bas in the ,koran shows the superiority of bas1 for the ,arabs are accustomed to mention in the first place that which is inferior in merit1 e4g4 ,god hath said3 8,there is one of them who injures his own soul1 and one who keeps the middle way1 and one who outstrips the others in good works by the permission of ,god0 7,kor4 xxxv1 #bi74 ,moreover1 they argue that in bas there is joy and in qab grief2 gnostics feel joy only in union with the object of knowledge1 and grief only in separation from the object of desire1 therefore rest in the abode of union is better than rest in the abode of separation4 ,my ,shaykh used to say that both qab and bas are the result of one spiritual influence1 which descends from ,god on ,man1 and either fills the heart with joy and subdues the lower soul or subdues the heart and fills the lower soul with joy2 in the latter case contraction 7qab7 of the heart is expansion 7bas7 of the lower soul1 and in the former case expansion of the heart is contraction of the lower soul4 ,he who interprets this matter otherwise is wasting his breath4 ,hence ,byazd said3 8,the contraction of hearts consists in the expansion of souls1 and the expansion of hearts in the contraction of souls40 ,the contracted soul is guarded from injury1 and the expanded heart is restrained from falling into defect1 because jealousy is the rule in love1 and contraction is a sign of ,god's jealousy2 and it is necessary that lovers should reproach one another1 and expansion is a sign of mutual reproach4 ,it is a well-known tradition that ,john wept ever since he was born1 while ,jesus smiled ever since he was born1 because ,john was in contraction and ,jesus in expansion4 ,when they met ,john used to say1 8,o ,jesus1 hast thou no fear of being cut off 7from ,god780 and ,jesus used to say1 8,o ,john1 hast thou no hope of ,god's mercy8 ,neither thy tears nor my smiles will change the eternal decree of ,god40 ,uns and ,haybat1 and the difference between them4 ,uns 7intimacy7 and haybat 7awe7 are two states of the dervishes who travel on the ,way to ,god4 ,when ,god manifests ,his glory to a man's heart so that ,his majesty 7jall7 predominates1 he feels awe 7haybat71 but when ,god's beauty 7jaml7 predominates he feels intimacy 7uns73 those who feel awe are distressed1 while those who feel intimacy are rejoiced4 ,there is a difference between one who is burned by ,his majesty in the fire of love and one who is illuminated by ,his beauty in the light of contemplation4 ,some ,shaykhs have said that haybat is the degree of gnostics and uns the degree of novices1 because the farther one has advanced in the presence of ,god and in divesting ,him of attributes the more his heart is overwhelmed with awe and the more averse he is to intimacy1 for one is intimate with those of one's own kind1 and intimacy with ,god is inconceivable1 since no homogeneity or resemblance can possibly exist between ,god and ,man4 ,if intimacy is possible1 it is possible only with the praise 7dhikr7 of ,him1 which is something different from ,himself1 because that is an attribute of ,man2 and in love1 to be satisfied with another than the ,beloved is falsehood and pretension and self-conceit4 ,haybat1 on the other hand1 arises from contemplating greatness1 which is an attribute of ,god1 and there is a vast difference between one whose experience proceeds from himself through himself and one whose experience proceeds from the annihilation of himself through the subsistence of ,god4 ,it is related that ,shibl said3 8,for a long time ,i used to think that ,i was rejoicing in the love of ,god and was intimate with contemplation of ,him3 now ,i know that intimacy is impossible except with a congener40 ,some1 however1 allege that haybat is a corollary of separation and punishment1 while uns is the result of union and mercy2 therefore the friends of ,god must be guarded from the consequences of haybat and be attached to uns1 for uns involves love1 and as homogeneity is impossible in love 7of ,god71 so it is impossible in uns4 ,my ,shaykh used to say3 0,i wonder at those who declare intimacy with ,god to be impossible1 after ,god has said1 #8,verily ,my servants1' and #8,say to ,my servants'1 and #8,when ,my servants shall ask thee'1 and #8,o ,my servants1 no fear shall come on you this day1 and ye shall not grieve' 7,kor4 xliii1 #fh74 ,a servant of ,god1 seeing this favour1 cannot fail to love ,him1 and when he has loved he will become intimate1 because awe of one's beloved is estrangement 7bgnag71 whereas intimacy is oneness 7yagnag74 ,it is characteristic of men to become intimate with their benefactors1 and inasmuch as ,god has conferred on us so great benefits and we have knowledge of ,him1 it is impossible that we should talk of awe40 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 say that both parties in this controversy are right1 because the power of haybat is exerted upon the lower soul and its desires1 and tends to annihilate human nature1 while the power of uns is exerted upon the heart and tends to foster gnosis in the heart4 ,therefore ,god annihilates the souls of those who love ,him by revealing ,his majesty and endows their hearts with everlasting life by revealing ,his beauty4 ,the followers of annihilation 7fan7 regard haybat as superior1 but the followers of subsistence 7baq7 prefer uns4 ,qahr and ,luf1 and the difference between them4 ,these two expressions are used by the fs in reference to their own state4 ,by qahr 7violence7 they signify the reinforcement given to them by ,god in annihilating their desires and in restraining the lower soul from its concupiscence2 and by luf 7kindness7 they signify ,god's help towards the subsistence of their hearts and towards the continuance of contemplation and towards the permanence of ecstasy in the degree of steadfastness 7istiqmat74 ,the adherents of luf say ,divine grace 7karmat7 is the attainment of one's desire1 but the others say that ,divine grace is this--that ,god through ,his will should restrain a man from his own will and should overpower him with will-lessness 7bmurd71 so that if he were thirsty and plunged into a river1 the river would become dry4 ,it is related that in ,baghdd were two eminent dervishes1 the one a believer in qahr and the other a believer in luf1 who were always quarrelling and each preferring his own state to that of his neighbour4 ,the dervish who preferred luf set out for ,mecca and entered the desert1 but never reached his destination4 ,no news of him was heard for many years1 but at last he was seen by a traveller on the road between ,mecca and ,baghdd4 8,o my brother10 he said1 8when you return to ,irq tell my friend at ,karkh that if he wishes to see a desert1 with all its hardships1 like ,karkh of ,baghdd1 with all its marvels1 let him come here1 for this desert is ,karkh to me60 ,when the traveller arrived at ,karkh he delivered this message to the other dervish1 who said3 8,on your return1 tell him that there is no superiority in the fact that the desert has been made like ,karkh to him1 in order that he may not flee from the court 7of ,god72 the superiority lies in the fact that ,karkh1 with all its wondrous opulence1 has been made to me like a painful desert1 and that nevertheless ,i am happy here40 ,and it is related that ,shibl said1 in his secret converse with ,god3 8,o ,lord1 ,i will not turn from ,thee1 although ,thou shouldst make the heaven a collar for my neck and the earth a shackle for my foot and the whole universe athirst for my blood40 ,my ,shaykh used to say3 8,one year a meeting of the saints of ,god took place in the midst of the desert1 and ,i accompanied my spiritual director1 ur1 to that spot4 ,i saw some of them approaching on camels1 some borne on thrones1 and some flying1 but ur paid no heed to them4 ,then ,i saw a youth with torn shoes and a broken staff4 ,his feet could scarcely support him1 and his head was bare and his body emaciated4 ,as soon as he appeared ur sprang up and ran to meet him and led him to a lofty seat4 ,this astonished me1 and afterwards ,i questioned the ,shaykh about the youth4 ,he replied3 #8,he is one of ,god's saints who does not follow saintship1 but saintship follows him2 and he pays no attention to miracles 7karmt74'0 ,in short1 what we choose for ourselves is noxious to us4 ,i desire only that ,god should desire for me1 and therein preserve me from the evil thereof and save me from the wickedness of my soul4 ,if ,he keep me in qahr ,i do not wish for luf1 and if ,he keep me in luf ,i do not wish for qahr4 ,i have no choice beyond ,his choice4 ,nafy and ,ithbt1 and the difference between them4 ,the ,shaykhs of this ,path give the names of nafy 7negation7 and ithbt 7affirmation7 to the effacement of the attributes of humanity by the affirmation of ,divine aid 7tayd74 ,by negation they signify the negation of the attributes of humanity1 and by affirmation they mean the affirmation of the power of the ,truth1 because effacement 7maw7 is total loss1 and total negation is applicable only to the attributes2 for negation of the essence is impossible while the ,universal 7kulliyyat7 subsists4 ,it is necessary1 therefore1 that blameworthy attributes should be negated by the affirmation of praiseworthy qualities1 i4e4 the pretension to love of ,god is negated by affirmation of the reality1 for pretension is one of the vanities of the lower soul4 ,but the fs1 when their attributes are overpowered by the might of the ,truth1 habitually say that the attributes of humanity are negated by affirming the subsistence of ,god4 ,this matter has already been discussed in the chapter on poverty and purity and in that on annihilation and subsistence4 ,they say also that the words in question signify the negation of ,man's choice by the affirmation of ,god's choice4 ,hence that blessed one said3 8,god's choice for ,his servant with ,his knowledge of ,his servant is better than ,his servant's choice for himself with his ignorance of his ,lord10 because love1 as all agree1 is the negation of the lover's choice by affirmation of the ,beloved's choice4 ,i have read in the ,anecdotes that a dervish was drowning in the sea1 when some one cried3 8,brother1 do you wish to be saved80 ,he said3 8,no40 8,then do you wish to be drowned80 8,no40 8,it is a wonder that you will not choose either to die or to be saved40 8,what have ,i to do with safety10 said the dervish1 8that ,i should choose it8 ,my choice is that ,god should choose for me40 ,the ,shaykhs have said that negation of one's own choice is the least grade in love4 ,now1 ,god's choice has no beginning in time and cannot possibly be negated1 but ,man's choice is accidental 7ara7 and admits of negation1 and must be trodden under foot1 that the eternal choice of ,god may subsist for ever4#agi ,there has been much debate on this matter1 but my sole aim is that you should know the signification of the terms used by the fs4 ,i have mentioned some of these1 e4g41 jam and tafriqa1 and fan and baq1 and ghaybat and ur1 and sukr and aw1 in the chapter treating of the doctrines of the fs1 and you must look there for the explanation of them4 ,footnote #agi3 ,here the author refers to the example of ,moses1 whose prayer for vision of ,god was refused 7,kor4 vii1 #aci71 because he was exercising his own choice4 ,musmarat and ,mudathat1 and the difference between them4 ,these terms denote two states of the perfect f4 ,mudathat 7conversation7 is really spiritual talk conjoined with silence of the tongue1 and musmarat 7nocturnal discourse7 is really continuance of unrestraint 7inbis7 combined with concealment of the most secret thoughts 7kitmn-i sirr74 ,the outward meaning of musmarat is a spiritual state 7waqt7 existing between ,god and ,man at night1 and mudathat is a similar state1 existing by day1 in which there is exoteric and esoteric conversation4 ,hence secret prayers 7munjt7 by night are called musmarat1 while invocations made by day are called mudathat4 ,the daily state is based on revelation 7kashf71 and the nightly state on occupation 7satr74 ,in love musmarat is more perfect than mudathat1 and is connected with the state of the ,apostle1 when ,god sent ,gabriel to him with ,burq and conveyed him by night from ,mecca to a space of two bow-lengths from ,his presence4 ,the ,apostle conversed secretly with ,god1 and when he reached the goal his tongue became dumb before the revelation of ,god's majesty1 and his heart was amazed at ,his infinite greatness1 and he said3 8,i cannot tell ,thy praise40 ,mudathat is connected with the state of ,moses1 who1 seeking communion with ,god1 after forty days came to ,mount ,sinai and heard the speech of ,god and asked for vision of ,him1 and failed of his desire4 ,there is a plain difference between one who was conducted 7,kor4 xvii1 #a7 and one who came 7,kor4 vii1 #aci74 ,night is the time when lovers are alone with each other1 and day is the time when servants wait upon their masters4 ,when a servant transgresses he is reprimanded1 but a lover has no law by the transgression of which he should incur blame1 for lovers cannot do anything displeasing to each other4 ,ilm al-,yaqn and ,ayn al-,yaqn and aqq al-,yaqn1 and the difference between them4 ,according to the principles of theology1 all these expressions denote knowledge 7ilm74 ,knowledge without certain faith 7yaqn7 in the reality of the object known is not knowledge1 but when knowledge is gained that which is hidden is as that which is actually seen4 ,the believers who shall see ,god on the ,day of ,judgment shall see ,him then in the same wise as they know ,him now3 if they shall see ,him otherwise1 either their vision will be imperfect then or their knowledge is faulty now4 ,both these alternatives are in contradiction with unification 7tawd71 which requires that men's knowledge of ,god should be sound to-day and their vision of ,god should be sound to-morrow4 ,therefore certain knowledge 7ilm-i yaqn7 is like certain sight 7ayn-i yaqn71 and certain truth 7aqq-i yaqn7 is like certain knowledge4 ,some have said that ayn al-yaqn is the complete absorption 7istighrq7 of knowledge in vision1 but this is impossible1 because vision is an instrument for the attainment of knowledge1 like hearing1 etc43 since knowledge cannot be absorbed in hearing1 its absorption in vision is equally impossible4 ,by ilm al-yaqn the fs mean knowledge of 7religious7 practice in this world according to the ,divine commandments2 by ayn al-yaqn they mean knowledge of the state of dying 7naz7 and the time of departure from this world2 and by aqq al-yaqn they mean intuitive knowledge of the vision 7of ,god7 that will be revealed in ,paradise1 and of its nature4 ,therefore ilm al-yaqn is the rank of theologians 7ulam7 on account of their correct observance of the ,divine commands1 and ayn al-yaqn is the station of gnostics 7rifn7 on account of their readiness for death1 and aqq al-yaqn is the annihilation-point of lovers 7dstn7 on account of their rejection of all created things4 ,hence ilm al-yaqn is obtained by self-mortification 7mujhadat71 and ayn al-yaqn by intimate familiarity 7munasat71 and aqq al-yaqn by contemplation 7mushhadat74 ,the first is vulgar1 the second is elect1 and the third is super-elect 7kh al-kh74 ,ilm and ,marifat1 and the difference between them4 ,theologians have made no distinction between ilm and marifat1 except when they say that ,god may be called lim 7knowing71 but not rif 7gnostic71 inasmuch as the latter epithet lacks ,divine blessing4 ,but the f ,shaykhs give the name of marifat 7gnosis7 to every knowledge that is allied with 7religious7 practice and feeling 7l71 and the knower of which expresses his feeling2 and the knower thereof they call rif4 ,on the other hand1 they give the name of ilm to every knowledge that is stripped of spiritual meaning and devoid of religious practice1 and one who has such knowledge they call lim4 ,one1 then1 who knows the meaning and reality of a thing they call rif 7gnostic71 and one who knows merely the verbal expression and keeps it in his memory without keeping the spiritual reality they call lim4 ,for this reason1 when the fs wish to disparage a rival they call him dnishmand 7possessing knowledge74 ,to the vulgar this seems objectionable1 but the fs do not intend to blame the man for having acquired knowledge1 they blame him for neglecting the practice of religion1 because the lim depends on himself1 but the rif depends on his ,lord4 ,this question has been discussed at length in the chapter entitled 8,the ,removal of the ,veil of ,gnosis01 and ,i need not say any more now4 ,sharat and aqqat1 and the difference between them4 ,these terms are used by the fs to denote soundness of the outward state and maintenance of the inward state4 ,two parties err in this matter3 firstly1 the formal theologians1 who assert that there is no distinction between sharat 7law7 and aqqat 7truth71 since the ,law is the ,truth and the ,truth is the ,law2 secondly1 some heretics1 who hold that it is possible for one of these things to subsist without the other1 and declare that when the ,truth is revealed the ,law is abolished4 ,this is the doctrine of the ,carmathians 7,qarmia7 and the ,shites and their satanically inspired followers 7muwaswisn74 ,the proof that the ,law is virtually separate from the ,truth lies in the fact that in faith belief is separate from profession2 and the proof that the ,law and the ,truth are not fundamentally separate1 but are one1 lies in the fact that belief without profession is not faith1 and conversely profession without belief is not faith2 and there is a manifest difference between profession and belief4 aqqat1 then1 signifies a reality which does not admit of abrogation and remains in equal force from the time of ,adam to the end of the world1 like knowledge of ,god and like religious practice1 which is made perfect by sincere intention2 and sharat signifies a reality which admits of abrogation and alteration1 like ordinances and commandments4 ,therefore sharat is ,man's act1 while aqqat is ,god's keeping and preservation and protection1 whence it follows that sharat cannot possibly be maintained without the existence of aqqat1 and aqqat cannot be maintained without observance of sharat4 ,their mutual relation may be compared to that of body and spirit3 when the spirit departs from the body the living body becomes a corpse and the spirit vanishes like wind1 for their value depends on their conjunction with one another4 ,similarly1 the ,law without the ,truth is ostentation1 and the ,truth without the ,law is hypocrisy4 ,god hath said3 8,whosoever mortify themselves for ,our sake1 ,we will assuredly guide them in ,our ways0 7,kor4 xxix1 #fi73 mortification is ,law1 guidance is ,truth2 the former consists in a man's observance of the external ordinances1 while the latter consists in ,god's maintenance of a man's spiritual feelings4 ,hence the ,law is one of the acts acquired by ,man1 but the ,truth is one of the gifts bestowed by ,god4 ,another class of terms and expressions are used by the fs metaphorically4 ,these metaphorical terms are more difficult to analyse and interpret1 but ,i will explain them concisely4 aqq4 ,by aqq 7truth7 the fs mean ,god1 for aqq is one of the names of ,god1 as ,he hath said3 8,this is because ,god is the ,truth0 7,kor4 xxii1 #f74 aqqat4 ,by this word they mean a man's dwelling in the place of union with ,god1 and the standing of his heart in the place of abstraction 7tanzh74 ,khaart4 ,any judgments of separation 7akm-i tafrq7 that occur to the mind4 ,waant4 ,any ,divine meanings that make their abode in the heart4 ams4 ,negation of a substance of which some trace is left4 ,rams4 ,negation of a substance1 together with every trace thereof1 from the heart4 ,aliq4 ,secondary causes to which seekers of ,god attach themselves and thereby fail to gain the object of their desire4 ,wasi4 ,secondary causes to which seekers of ,god attach themselves and thereby gain the object of their desire4 ,zawid4 ,excess of lights 7spiritual illumination7 in the heart4 ,fawid4 ,the apprehension by the spirit of what it cannot do without4 ,malja4 ,the heart's confidence in the attainment of its desire4 ,manj4 ,the heart's escape from the place of imperfection4 ,kulliyyat4 ,the absorption 7istighrq7 of the attributes of humanity in the ,universal 7kulliyyat74 ,lawi4 ,affirmation of the object of desire1 notwithstanding the advent of the negation thereof 7ithbt-i murd b wurd-i nafy-i n74 ,lawmi4 ,the manifestation of 7spiritual7 light to the heart while its acquirements 7fawid7 continue to subsist4 awli4 ,the appearance of the splendours of 7mystical7 knowledge to the heart4 awriq4 ,that which comes into the heart1 either with glad tidings or with rebuke1 in secret converse 7with ,god7 at night4 ,laif4 ,a symbol 7ishrat71 presented to the heart1 of subtleties of feeling4 ,sirr4 ,concealment of feelings of love4 ,najw4 ,concealment of imperfections from the knowledge of other 7than ,god74 ,ishrat4 ,giving information to another of the object of desire1 without uttering it on the tongue4 m4 ,addressing anyone allusively1 without spoken or unspoken explanation 7b ibrat ishrat74 ,wrid4 ,the descent of spiritual meanings upon the heart4 ,intibh4 ,the departure of heedlessness from the heart4 ,ishtibh4 ,perplexity felt in deciding between truth and falsehood4 ,qarr4 ,the departure of vacillation from the reality of one's feeling4 ,inzij4 ,the agitation of the heart in the state of ecstasy 7wajd74 ,another class of technical terms are those which the fs employ1 without metaphor1 in unification 7tawd7 and in setting forth their firm belief in spiritual realities4 lam4 ,the term lam 7world7 denotes the creatures of ,god4 ,it is said that there are #ah1jjj or #ej1jjj worlds4 ,philosophers say there are two worlds1 an upper and a lower1 while theologians say that lam is whatever exists between the ,throne of ,god and the earth4 ,in short1 lam is the collective mass of created things4 ,the fs speak of the world of spirits 7arw7 and the world of souls 7nufs71 but they do not mean the same thing as the philosophers4 ,what they mean is 8the collective mass of spirits and souls04 ,mudath4 ,posterior in existence1 i4e4 it was not and afterwards was4 ,qadm4 ,anterior in existence1 i4e4 it always was1 and its being was anterior to all beings4 ,this is nothing but ,god4 ,azal4 ,that which has no beginning4 ,abad4 ,that which has no end4 ,dht4 ,the being and reality of a thing4 ifat4 ,that which does not admit of qualification 7nat71 because it is not self-subsistent4 ,ism4 ,that which is not the object named 7ghayr-i musamm74 ,tasmiyat4 ,information concerning the object named4 ,nafy4 ,that which entails the non-existence of every object of negation4 ,ithbt4 ,that which entails the existence of every object of affirmation4 ,siyyn4 ,the possibility of the existence of one thing with another4 iddn4 ,the impossibility of the existence of one thing simultaneously with the existence of another4 ,ghayrn4 ,the possibility of the existence of either of two things1 notwithstanding the annihilation of the other4 ,jawhar4 ,the basis 7al7 of a thing2 that which is self-subsistent4 ,ara4 ,that which subsists in jawhar 7substance74 ,jism4 ,that which is composed of separate parts4 ,sul4 ,seeking a reality4 ,jawb4 ,giving information concerning the subject-matter of a question 7sul74 usn4 ,that which is conformable to the 7,divine7 command4 ,qub4 ,that which is not conformable to the 7,divine7 command4 ,safah4 ,neglect of the 7,divine7 command4 ulm4 ,putting a thing in a place that is not worthy of it4 ,adl4 ,putting everything in its proper place4 ,malik4 ,he with whose actions it is impossible to interfere4 ,another class of terms requiring explanation are those which are commonly used by the fs in a mystical sense that is not familiar to philologists4 ,khir4 ,by khir 7passing thought7 the fs signify the occurrence in the mind of something which is quickly removed by another thought1 and which its owner is able to repel from his mind4 ,those who have such thoughts follow the first thought in matters which come directly from ,god to ,man4 ,it is said that the thought occurred to ,khayr ,nassj that ,junayd was waiting at his door1 but he wished to repel it4 ,the same thought returned twice and thrice1 whereupon he went out and discovered ,junayd1 who said to him3 8,if you had followed the first thought it would not have been necessary for me to stand here all this time40 ,how was ,junayd acquainted with the thought which occurred to ,khayr8 ,this question has been asked1 and has been answered by the remark that ,junayd was ,khayr's spiritual director1 and a spiritual director cannot fail to be acquainted with all that happens to one of his disciples4 ,wqia4 ,by wqia they signify a thought which appears in the mind and remains there1 unlike khir1 and which the seeker has no means whatever of repelling3 thus they say1 khaara al qalb1 8it occurred to my mind10 but waqaa f qalb1 8it sank into my mind40 ,all minds are subject to khir 7passing thought71 but wqia is possible only in a mind that is entirely filled with the notion of ,god4 ,hence1 when any obstacle appears to the novice on the ,way to ,god1 they call it 8a fetter0 7qayd7 and say3 8,a wqia has befallen him40 ,philologists also use the term wqia to signify any difficult question1 and when it is answered satisfactorily they say1 wqia all shud1 8the difficulty is solved40 ,but the mystics say that wqia is that which is insoluble1 and that whatever is solved is a khir1 not a wqia1 since the obstacles which confront mystics are not unimportant matters on which varying judgments are continually being formed4 ,ikhtiyr4 ,by ikhtiyr they signify their preference of ,god's choice to their own1 i4e4 they are content with the good and evil which ,god has chosen for them4 ,a man's preference of ,god's choice is itself the result of ,god's choice1 for unless ,god had caused him to have no choice1 he would never have let his own choice go4 ,when ,ab ,yazd was asked1 8,who is the prince 7amr780 he replied1 8,he to whom no choice is left1 and to whom ,god's choice has become the only choice40 ,it is related that ,junayd1 having caught fever1 implored ,god to give him health4 ,a voice spoke in his heart3 8,who art thou to plead in ,my kingdom and make a choice8 ,i can manage ,my kingdom better than thou4 ,do thou choose ,my choice instead of coming forward with thine40 ,imtin4 ,by this expression they signify the probation of the hearts of the saints by diverse afflictions which come to them from ,god1 such as fear1 grief1 contraction1 awe1 etc4 ,god hath said3 8,they whose hearts ,god hath proved for piety's sake3 they shall win pardon and a great reward0 7,kor4 xlix1 #c74 ,this is a lofty grade4 ,bal4 ,by bal 7affliction7 they signify the probation of the bodies of ,god's friends by diverse troubles and sicknesses and tribulations4 ,the more severely a man is afflicted the nearer does he approach unto ,god1 for affliction is the vesture of the saints and the cradle of the pure and the nourishment of the prophets4 ,the ,apostle said1 8,we prophets are the most afflicted of mankind20 and he also said1 8,the prophets are the most afflicted of mankind1 then the saints1 and then other men according to their respective ranks40 ,bal is the name of a tribulation1 which descends on the heart and body of a true believer and which is really a blessing2 and inasmuch as the mystery thereof is concealed from him1 he is divinely recompensed for supporting the pains thereof4 ,tribulation that befalls unbelievers is not affliction 7bal71 but misery 7shaqwat71 and unbelievers never obtain relief from misery4 ,the degree of bal is more honourable than that of imtin1 for imtin affects the heart only1 whereas bal affects both the heart and the body and is thus more powerful4 ,taall4 ,imitation of praiseworthy people in word and deed4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,faith is not acquired by taall 7adorning one's self with the qualities of others7 and tamann 7wishing71 but it is that which sinks deep into the heart and is verified by action40 ,taall1 then1 is to imitate people without really acting like them4 ,those who seem to be what they are not will soon be put to shame1 and their secret character will be revealed4 ,in the view of spiritualists1 however1 they are already disgraced and their secret character is clear4 ,tajall4 ,the blessed effect of ,divine illumination on the hearts of the blest1 whereby they are made capable of seeing ,god with their hearts4 ,the difference between spiritual vision 7ruyat ba-dil7 and actual vision 7ruyat-i iyn7 is this1 that those who experience tajall 7manifestation of ,god7 see or do not see1 according as they wish1 or see at one time and do not see at another time1 while those who experience actual vision in ,paradise cannot but see1 even though they wish not to see2 for it is possible that tajall should be hidden1 whereas ruyat 7vision7 cannot possibly be veiled4 ,takhall4 ,turning away from distractions which prevent a man from attaining to ,god4 ,one of these is the present world1 of which he should empty his hands2 another is desire for the next world1 of which he should empty his heart2 a third is indulgence in vanity1 of which he should empty his spirit2 and a fourth is association with created beings1 of which he should empty himself and from the thought of which he should disengage his mind4 ,shurd4 ,the meaning of shurd is 8seeking restlessly to escape from 7worldly7 corruptions and veils02 for all the misfortunes of the seeker arise from his being veiled1 and when the veil is lifted he becomes united with ,god4 ,the fs apply the term shurd to his becoming unveiled 7isfr7 and his using every resource for that purpose2 for in the beginning1 i4e4 in search1 he is more restless2 in the end1 i4e4 in union1 he becomes more steadfast4 ,qud4 ,by qud 7aims7 they signify perfect resolution to seek the reality of the object of search4 ,the aims of the fs do not depend on motion and rest1 because the lover1 although he be at rest in love1 is still pursuing an aim 7qid74 ,in this respect the fs differ from ordinary men1 whose aims produce in them some effect outwardly or inwardly2 whereas the lovers of ,god seek ,him without any cause and pursue their aim without movement of their own1 and all their qualities are directed towards that goal4 ,where love exists1 all is an aim4 ,iin4 ,by this term they mean that ,god makes a man faultless through the annihilation of all his selfish interests and sensual pleasures1 and transforms in him the attributes of his lower soul1 so that he becomes selfless4 ,this degree belongs exclusively to the prophets1 but some ,shaykhs hold that it may be attained by the saints also4 ,iif4 ,this signifies that ,god makes a man's heart empty to receive the knowledge of ,himself1 so that ,his knowledge 7marifat7 diffuses its purity through his heart4 ,in this degree all believers1 the vulgar as well as the elect1 are alike1 whether they are sinful or pious or saints or prophets1 for ,god hath said3 8,we have given the ,book as a heritage unto those of our servants whom ,we have chosen 7iafayn73 some of them are they who injure their own souls2 some are they who keep the mean2 and some are they who excel in good works0 7,kor4 xxxv1 #bi74 ,iilm4 ,the manifestations 7tajalliyt7 of ,god which cause a man to be entirely overpowered by a merciful probation 7imtin71 while his will is reduced to naught4 ,qalb-i mumtaan1 8a proved heart10 and qalb-i mualam1 8a destroyed heart10 bear the same meaning1 although in the current usage of f phraseology iilm is more particular and exquisite than imtin4 ,rayn4 ,a veil on the heart1 i4e4 the veil of infidelity and error1 which cannot be removed except by faith4 ,god hath said1 describing the hearts of the unbelievers 7,kor4 lxxxiii1 #ad73 8,by no means1 but what they used to do hath covered their hearts0 7rna al qulbihim74 ,some have said that rayn cannot possibly be removed in any manner1 since the hearts of unbelievers are not capable of receiving ,islam1 and those who do receive it must have been1 in the foreknowledge of ,god1 true believers4 ,ghayn4 ,a veil on the heart which is removed by asking pardon of ,god4 ,it may be either thin or dense4 ,the latter is for those who forget 7,god7 and commit great sins2 the former is for all1 not excepting saint or prophet4 ,did not the ,apostle say1 8,verily1 my heart is obscured 7yughnu al qalb71 and verily ,i ask pardon of ,god a hundred times every day40 ,for removing the dense veil a proper repentance is necessary1 and for removing the thin veil a sincere return to ,god4 ,repentance 7tawbat7 is a turning back from disobedience to obedience1 and return 7ruj7 is a turning back from self to ,god4 ,repentance is repentance from sin3 the sin of common men is opposition to ,god's command1 while the sin of lovers 7of ,god7 is opposition to ,god's will3 therefore1 the sin of common men is disobedience1 and that of lovers is consciousness of their own existence4 ,if anyone turns back from wrong to right1 they say1 8,he is repentant 7tib720 but if anyone turns back from what is right to what is more right1 they say1 8,he is returning 7ib748 ,all this ,i have set forth in the chapter on repentance4 ,talbs4 ,they denote by talbs the appearance of a thing when its appearance is contrary to its reality1 as ,god hath said3 0,we should assuredly have deceived them 7lalabasn alayhim7 as they deceive others0 7,kor4 vi1 #i74 ,this quality of deception cannot possibly belong to anyone except ,god1 who shows the unbeliever in the guise of a believer and the believer in the guise of an unbeliever1 until the time shall come for the manifestation of ,his decree and of the reality in every case4 ,when a f conceals good qualities under a mask of bad1 they say3 8,he is practising deception 7talbs710 but they use this term in such instances only1 and do not apply it to ostentation and hypocrisy1 which are fundamentally talbs1 because talbs is not used except in reference to an act performed by ,god4 ,shurb4 ,the fs call the sweetness of piety and the delight of miraculous grace and the pleasure of intimacy shurb 7drinking72 and they can do nothing without the delight of shurb4 ,as the body's drink is of water1 so the heart's drink is of 7spiritual7 pleasure and sweetness4 ,my ,shaykh used to say that a novice without shurb is a stranger to 7i4e4 unacquainted with the duties of7 the novitiate1 and that a gnostic with shurb is a stranger to gnosis1 because the novice must derive some pleasure 7shurb7 from his actions in order that he may fulfil the obligations of a novice who is seeking ,god2 but the gnostic ought not to feel such pleasure1 lest he should be transported with that pleasure instead of with ,god3 if he turn back to his lower soul he will not rest 7with ,god74 ,dhawq4 ,dhawq resembles shurb1 but shurb is used solely in reference to pleasures1 whereas dhawq is applied to pleasure and pain alike4 ,one says dhuqtu l-alwat1 8,i tasted sweetness10 and dhuqtu l-bal1 8,i tasted affliction20 but of shurb they say1 sharibtu bi-kasi l-wal1 8,i drank the cup of union10 and sharibtu bi-kasi l-wudd1 8,i drank the cup of love10 and so forth4#ahj ,footnote #ahj3 ,this distinction between shurb and dhawq is illustrated by citations from the ,koran1 viz41 lii1 #ai2 xliv1 #di2 and liv1 #dh4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,the ,,uncovering ,,of ,,the ,,eleventh ,,veil3 ,,concerning ,,audition 7sam74 ,the means of acquiring knowledge are five3 hearing1 sight1 taste1 smell1 and touch4 ,god has created for the mind these five avenues1 and has made every kind of knowledge depend on one of them4 ,four of the five senses are situated in a special organ1 but one1 namely touch1 is diffused over the whole body4 ,it is possible1 however1 that this diffusion1 which is characteristic of touch1 may be shared by any of the other senses4 ,the ,mutazilites hold that no sense can exist but in a special organ 7maall-i makh71 a theory which is controverted by the fact that the sense of touch has no such organ4 ,since one of the five senses has no special organ1 it follows that1 if the sense of touch is generally diffused1 the other senses may be capable of the same diffusion4 ,although it is not my purpose to discuss this question here1 ,i thought a brief explanation necessary4 ,god has sent ,apostles with true evidences1 but belief in ,his ,apostles does not become obligatory until the obligatoriness of knowing ,god is ascertained by means of hearing4 ,it is hearing1 then1 that makes religion obligatory2 and for this reason the ,sunns regard hearing as superior to sight in the domain of religious obligation 7taklf74 ,if it be said that vision of ,god is better than hearing ,his word1 ,i reply that our knowledge of ,god's visibility to the faithful in ,paradise is derived from hearing3 it is a matter of indifference whether the understanding allows that ,god shall be visible or not1 inasmuch as we are assured of the fact by oral tradition4 ,hence hearing is superior to sight4 ,moreover1 all religious ordinances are based on hearing and could not be established without it2 and all the prophets on their appearance first spoke in order that those who heard them might believe1 then in the second place they showed miracles 7mujiza71 which also were corroborated by hearing4 ,what has been said proves that anyone who denies audition denies the entire religious law4 ,chapter on the ,audition of the ,koran and kindred matters4 ,the most beneficial audition to the mind and the most delightful to the ear is that of the ,word of ,god1 which all believers and unbelievers1 human beings and pers alike1 are commanded to hear4 ,it is a miraculous quality of the ,koran that one never grows weary of reading and hearing it1 so that the ,quraysh used to come secretly by night and listen to the ,apostle while he was praying and marvel at his recitation1 e4g41 ,nar b4 al-rith1 who was the most elegant of them in speech1 and ,utba b4 ,raba1 who was bewitchingly eloquent1 and ,ab ,jahl b4 ,hishm1 who was a wondrous orator4 ,one night ,utba swooned on hearing the ,apostle recite a chapter of the ,koran1 and he said to ,ab ,jahl3 8,i am sure that these are not the words of any created being40 ,the pers also came and listened to the ,word of ,god1 and said3 8,verily1 we heard a marvellous recitation1 which guides to the right way2 and we shall not associate anyone with our ,lord0 7,kor4 lxxii1 #a-b74aha ,it is related that a man recited in the presence of ,abdallh b4 anala3 8,they shall have a couch of ,hell-fire1 and above them shall be quilts thereof0 7,kor4 vii1 #ci74 ,abdallh began to weep so violently that1 to quote the narrator's words1 8,i thought life would depart from him40 ,then he rose to his feet4 ,they bade him sit down1 but he cried3 8,awe of this verse prevents me from sitting down40 ,it is related that the following verse was read in the presence of ,junayd3 8,o believers1 why say ye that which ye do not80 7,kor4 lxi1 #b74 ,junayd said3 8,o ,lord1 if we say1 we say because of ,thee1 and if we do1 we do because of ,thy blessing3 where1 then1 is our saying and doing80 ,it is related that ,shibl said1 on hearing the verse 8,and remember thy ,lord when thou forgettest0 7,kor4 xviii1 #bc71 8,remembrance 7of ,god7 involves forgetfulness 7of self71 and all the world have stopped short at the remembrance of ,him20 then he shrieked and fell senseless4 ,when he came to himself1 he said3 8,i wonder at the sinner who can hear ,god's ,word and remain unmoved40 ,a certain ,shaykh says3 8,once ,i was reading the ,word of ,god1 #8,beware of a day on which ye shall be returned unto ,god' 7,kor4 ii1 #bha74 ,a heavenly voice called to me1 #8,do not read so loud2 four pers have died from the terror inspired in them by this verse'40 ,a dervish said3 8,for the last ten years ,i have not read nor heard the ,koran except that small portion thereof which is used in prayer40 ,on being asked why1 he answered3 8,for fear lest it should be cited as an argument against me40 ,one day ,i came into the presence of ,shaykh ,abu l-,abbs ,shaqn and found him reading3 8,god propoundeth as a parable an owned slave who hath naught in his power0 7,kor4 xvi1 #gg71 and weeping and shrieking1 so that he swooned and ,i thought he was dead4 8,o ,shaykh10 ,i cried1 8what ails thee80 ,he said3 8,after eleven years ,i have reached this point in my set portion of the ,koran and am unable to proceed farther40 ,abu l-,abbs b4 ,a was asked how much of the ,koran he read daily4 ,he answered3 8,formerly ,i used to read the whole ,koran twice in a day and night1 but now after reading for fourteen years ,i have only reached the ,srat al-,anfl40#ahb ,it is related that ,abu l-,abbs ,qab said to a ,koran-reader1 8,recite10 whereupon he recited3 8,o noble one1 famine hath befallen us and our people1 and we are come with a petty merchandise0 7,kor4 xii1 #hh74 ,he said once more1 8,recite10 whereupon the reader recited3 8,if he stole1 a brother of his hath stolen heretofore0 7,kor4 xii1 #gg74 ,abu l-,abbs bade him recite a third time1 so he recited3 8,no blame shall be laid upon you this day3 ,god forgiveth you10 etc4 7,kor4 xii1 #ib74 ,abu l-,abbs cried3 8,o ,lord1 ,i am more unjust than ,joseph's brethren1 and ,thou art more kind than ,joseph3 deal with me as he dealt with his wicked brethren40 ,footnote #aha3 ,after a further eulogy of the inimitable style of the ,koran1 the author relates the story of ,umar's conversion4 ,footnote #ahb3 ,the chapter of the ,spoils1 a title given to the eighth chapter of the ,koran4 ,all ,moslems1 pious and disobedient alike1 are commanded to listen to the ,koran1 for ,god hath said3 8,when the ,koran is recited hearken thereto and be silent that perchance ye may win mercy0 7,kor4 vii1 #bjc74ahc ,and it is related that the ,apostle said to ,ibn ,masd3 8,recite the ,koran to me40 ,ibn ,masd said3 8,shall ,i recite it to thee1 to whom it was revealed80 ,the ,apostle answered3 8,i wish to hear it from another40 ,this is a clear proof that the hearer is more perfect in state than the reader1 for the reader may recite with or without true feeling1 whereas the hearer feels truly1 because speech is a sort of pride and hearing is a sort of humility4 ,the ,apostle also said that the chapter of ,hd had whitened his hair4 ,it is explained that he said this because of the verse at the end of that chapter3 8,be thou steadfast1 therefore1 as thou hast been commanded0 7,kor4 xi1 #aad71 for ,man is unable to be really steadfast in fulfilling the ,divine commandments1 inasmuch as he can do nothing without ,god's help4#ahd ,footnote #ahc3 ,here the author quotes a number of ,koranic verses in which the faithful are enjoined to listen heedfully to the recitation of the sacred volume1 or are rebuked for their want of attention4 ,footnote #ahd3 ,i have omitted here a story related by ,ab ,sad al-,khudr concerning ,muammad's interview with a party of destitute refugees 7muhjirn71 to whom the ,koran was being read4 ,,section4 ,zurra b4 ,ab ,awf1 one of the chief ,companions of the ,apostle1 while he was presiding over the public worship1 recited a verse of the ,koran1 uttered a cry1 and died4 ,ab ,jafar ,juhan1#ahe an eminent ,follower1 on hearing a verse which li ,murr#ahf read to him1 gave a loud moan and departed from this world4 ,ibrhm ,nakha#ahg relates that while he was passing through a village in the neighbourhood of ,kfa he saw an old woman standing in prayer4 ,as the marks of holiness were manifest on her countenance1 he waited until she finished praying and then saluted her in hope of gaining a blessing thereby4 ,she said to him1 8,dost thou know the ,koran80 ,he said1 8,yes40 ,she said1 8,recite a verse40 ,he did so1 whereupon she cried aloud and sent her soul forth to meet the vision of ,god4 ,amad b4 ,abi l-awr relates the following tale4 8,i saw in the desert a youth1 clad in a coarse frock1 standing at the mouth of a well4 ,he said to me3 #8,o ,amad1 thou art come in good time1 for ,i must needs hear the ,koran1 that ,i may give up my soul4 ,read me a verse4' ,god inspired me to read1 #8,verily1 those who say1 8,god is our ,lord10 and then are steadfast' 7,kor4 xli1 #cj74 #8,o ,amad1' said he1 #8by the ,lord of the ,kaba thou hast read the same verse which an angel was reading to me just now1' and with these words he gave up his soul40 ,footnote #ahe3 ,,bi4 ,ab ,juhayn1 ,j4 ,ab ,juhan4 ,footnote #ahf3 ,sharn1 abaqt al-,kubr1 i1 #fj4 ,footnote #ahg3 ,ibn ,khallikn1 ,no4 #a4 ,chapter on the ,audition of ,poetry1 etc4 ,it is permissible to hear poetry4 ,the ,apostle heard it1 and the ,companions not only heard it but also spoke it4 ,the ,apostle said1 8,some poetry is wisdom20 and he said1 8,wisdom is the believer's lost she-camel3 wherever he finds her1 he has the best right to her20 and he said too1 8,the truest word ever spoken by the ,arabs is the verse of ,labd1 #8,everything except ,god is vain1 ,and all fortune is inevitably fleeting4'0 ,amr b4 al-,shard#ahh relates that his father said3 8,the ,apostle asked me whether ,i could recite any poetry of ,umayya b4 ,abi l-alt1 so ,i recited a hundred verses1 and at the end of each verse he cried1 #8,go on6' ,he said that ,umayya almost became a ,moslem in his poetry40 ,many such stories are told of the ,apostle and the ,companions4 ,erroneous views are prevalent on this subject4 ,some declare that it is unlawful to listen to any poetry whatever1 and pass their lives in defaming their brother ,moslems4 ,some1 on the contrary1 hold that all poetry is lawful1 and spend their time in listening to love-songs and descriptions of the face and hair and mole of the beloved4 ,i do not intend to discuss the arguments which both parties in this controversy bring forward against each other4 ,the f ,shaykhs follow the example of the ,apostle1 who1 on being asked about poetry1 said3 8,what is good thereof is good and what is bad thereof is bad10 i4e41 whatever is unlawful1 like backbiting and calumny and foul abuse and blame of any person and utterance of infidelity1 is equally unlawful whether it be expressed in prose or in verse2 and whatever is lawful in prose1 like morality and exhortations and inferences drawn from the signs of ,god and contemplation of the evidences of the ,truth1 is no less lawful in verse4 ,in fine1 just as it is unlawful and forbidden to look at or touch a beautiful object which is a source of evil1 so it is unlawful and forbidden to listen to that object or1 similarly1 to hear the description of it4 ,those who regard such hearing as absolutely lawful must also regard looking and touching as lawful1 which is infidelity and heresy4 ,if one says1 8,i hear only ,god and seek only ,god in eye and cheek and mole and curl10 it follows that another may look at a cheek and mole and say that he sees and seeks ,god alone1 because both the eye and the ear are sources of admonition and knowledge2 then another may say that in touching a person1 whose description it is thought allowable to hear and whom it is thought allowable to behold1 he1 too1 is only seeking ,god1 since one sense is no better adapted than another to apprehend a reality2 then the whole religious law is made null and void1 and the ,apostle's saying that the eyes commit fornication loses all its force1 and the blame of touching persons with whom marriage may legally be contracted is removed1 and the ordinances of religion fall to the ground4 ,foolish aspirants to fiism1 seeing the adepts absorbed in ecstasy during audition 7sam71 imagined that they were acting from a sensual impulse and said1 8,it is lawful1 else they would not have done so10 and imitated them1 taking up the form but neglecting the spirit1 until they perished themselves and led others into perdition4 ,this is one of the great evils of our time4 ,i will set it forth completely in the proper place4 ,footnote #ahh3 ,b4 al-,rashd4 ,chapter on the ,audition of ,voices and ,melodies4 ,the ,apostle said1 8,beautify your voices by reading the ,koran aloud20 and ,god hath said1 8,god addeth unto ,his creatures what ,he pleaseth0 7,kor4 xxxv1 #a71 meaning1 as the commentators think1 a beautiful voice2 and the ,apostle said1 8,whoso wishes to hear the voice of ,david1 let him listen to the voice of ,ab ,ms al-,ashar40 ,it is stated in well-known traditions that the inhabitants of ,paradise enjoy audition1 for there comes forth from every tree a different voice and melody4 ,when diverse sounds are mingled together1 the natural temperament experiences a great delight4 ,this sort of audition is common to all living creatures1 because the spirit is subtle1 and there is a subtlety in sounds1 so that when they are heard the spirit inclines to that which is homogeneous with itself4 ,physicians and those philosophers who claim to possess a profound knowledge of the truth have discussed this subject at large and have written books on musical harmony4 ,the results of their invention are manifest to-day in the musical instruments which have been contrived for the sake of exciting passion and procuring amusement and pleasure1 in accord with ,satan1 and so skilfully that 7as the story is told7 one day1 when ,isq of ,mawil#ahi was playing in a garden1 a nightingale1 enraptured with the music1 broke off its song in order to listen1 and dropped dead from the bough4 ,i have heard many tales of this kind1 but my only purpose is to mention the theory that the temperaments of all living creatures are composed of sounds and melodies blended and harmonized4 ,ibrhm ,khaww says3 8,once ,i came to an ,arab tribe and alighted at the hospitable abode of one of their chiefs4 ,i saw a negro lying1 shackled and chained1 at the tent door in the heat of the sun4 ,i felt pity for him and resolved to intercede with the chief on his behalf4 ,when food was brought for my entertainment ,i refused to eat1 knowing that nothing grieves an ,arab more than this4 ,the chief asked me why ,i refused1 and ,i answered that ,i hoped his generosity would grant me a boon4 ,he begged me to eat1 assuring me that all he possessed was mine4 #8,i do not want your wealth1' ,i said1 #8but pardon this slave for my sake4' #8,first hear what his offence was1' the chief replied1 #8then remove his chains4 ,this slave is a camel-driver1 and he has a sweet voice4 ,i sent him with a few camels to my estates1 to fetch me some corn4 ,he put a double load on every camel and chanted so sweetly on the way that the camels ran at full speed4 ,they returned hither in a short time1 and as soon as he unloaded them they died one after another4' #8,o prince1' ,i cried in astonishment1 #8a nobleman like you does not speak falsely1 but ,i wish for some evidence of this tale4' ,while we talked a number of camels were brought from the desert to the wells1 that they might drink4 ,the chief inquired how long they had gone without water4 #8,three days1' was the reply4 ,he then commanded the slave to chant4 ,the camels became so occupied in listening to his song that they would not drink a mouthful of water1 and suddenly they turned and fled1 one by one1 and dispersed in the desert4 ,the chieftain released the slave and pardoned him for my sake40 ,footnote #ahi3 ,aghn1 #e1 #eb-aca4 ,we often see1 for example1 how camels and asses are affected with delight when their drivers trill an air4 ,in ,khursn and ,irq it is the custom for hunters1 when hunting deer 7h7 at night1 to beat on a basin of brass 7asht7 in order that the deer may stand still1 listening to the sound1 and thus be caught4 ,and in ,india1 as is well known1 some people go out to the open country and sing and make a tinkling sound1 on hearing which the deer approach2 then the hunters encircle them and sing1 until the deer are lulled to sleep by the delightful melody and are easily captured4 ,the same effect is manifest in young children who cease crying in the cradle when a tune is sung to them1 and listen to the tune4 ,physicians say of such a child that he is sensible and will be clever when he grows up4 ,on the death of one of the ancient kings of ,persia his ministers wished to enthrone his son1 who was a child two years old4 ,buzurjmihr1#aij on being consulted1 said3 8,very good1 but we must make trial whether he is sensible10 and ordered singers to sing to him4 ,the child was stirred with emotion and began to shake his arms and legs4 ,buzurjmihr declared that this was a hopeful sign and consented to his succession4 ,anyone who says that he finds no pleasure in sounds and melodies and music is either a liar and a hypocrite or he is not in his right senses1 and is outside of the category of men and beasts4 ,those who prohibit music do so in order that they may keep the ,divine commandment1 but theologians are agreed that it is permissible to hear musical instruments if they are not used for diversion1 and if the mind is not led to wickedness through hearing them4 ,many traditions are cited in support of this view4 ,thus1 it is related that isha said3 8,a slave-girl was singing in my house when ,umar asked leave to enter4 ,as soon as she heard his step she ran away4 ,he came in and the ,apostle smiled4 #8,o ,apostle of ,god1' cried ,umar1 #8what hath made thee smile8' ,the ,apostle answered1 #8,a slave-girl was singing here1 but she ran away as soon as she heard thy step4' #8,i will not depart1' said ,umar1 #8until ,i hear what the ,apostle heard4' ,so the ,apostle called the girl back and she began to sing1 the ,apostle listening to her40 ,many of the ,companions have related similar traditions1 which ,ab ,abd al-,ramn al-,sulam has collected in his ,kitb al-,sam#aia2 and he has pronounced such audition to be permissible4 ,in practising audition1 however1 the f ,shaykhs desire1 not permissibility as the vulgar do1 but spiritual advantages4 ,licence is proper for beasts1 but men who are subject to the obligations of religion ought to seek spiritual benefit from their actions4 ,once1 when ,i was at ,merv1 one of the leaders of the ,ahl-i adth#aib and the most celebrated of them all said to me3 8,i have composed a work on the permissibility of audition40 ,i replied3 8,it is a great calamity to religion that the ,imm should have made lawful an amusement which is the root of all immorality40 8,if you do not hold it to be lawful10 said he1 8why do you practise it80 ,i answered3 8,its lawfulness depends on circumstances and cannot be asserted absolutely3 if audition produces a lawful effect on the mind1 then it is lawful2 it is unlawful if the effect is unlawful1 and permissible if the effect is permissible40 ,footnote #aij3 ,the vizier of ,khusraw ,nshrwn1 the great ,ssnian king of ,persia 7#eca-gh ,a4,d474 ,footnote #aia3 ,the ,book of ,audition4 ,footnote #aib3 8,the followers of ,tradition0 as opposed to 8the followers of ,opinion0 7ahl-i ray74 ,chapter on the ,principles of ,audition4 ,you must know that the principles of audition vary with the variety of temperaments1 just as there are different desires in various hearts1 and it is tyranny to lay down one law for all4 ,auditors 7mustamin7 may be divided into two classes3 7#a7 those who hear the spiritual meaning1 7#b7 those who hear the material sound4 ,there are good and evil results in each case4 ,listening to sweet sounds produces an effervescence 7ghalayn7 of the substance moulded in ,man3 true 7aqq7 if the substance be true1 false 7bil7 if the substance be false4 ,when the stuff of a man's temperament is evil1 that which he hears will be evil too4 ,the whole of this topic is illustrated by the story of ,david1 whom ,god made ,his vicegerent and gave him a sweet voice and caused his throat to be a melodious pipe1 so that wild beasts and birds came from mountain and plain to hear him1 and the water ceased to flow and the birds fell from the air4 ,it is related that during a month's space the people who were gathered round him in the desert ate no food1 and the children neither wept nor asked for milk2 and whenever the folk departed it was found that many had died of the rapture that seized them as they listened to his voice3 one time1 it is said1 the tale of the dead amounted to seven hundred maidens and twelve thousand old men4 ,then ,god1 wishing to separate those who listened to the voice and followed their temperament from the followers of the truth 7ahl-i aqq7 who listened to the spiritual reality1 permitted ,ibls to work his will and display his wiles4 ,ibls fashioned a mandoline and a flute and took up a station opposite to the place where ,david was singing4 ,david's audience became divided into two parties3 the blest and the damned4 ,those who were destined to damnation lent ear to the music of ,ibls1 while those who were destined to felicity remained listening to the voice of ,david4 ,the spiritualists 7ahl-i man7 were conscious of nothing except ,david's voice1 for they saw ,god alone2 if they heard the ,devil's music1 they regarded it as a temptation proceeding from ,god1 and if they heard ,david's voice1 they recognized it as being a direction from ,god2 wherefore they abandoned all things that are merely subsidiary and saw both right and wrong as they really are4 ,when a man has audition of this kind1 whatever he hears is lawful to him4 ,some impostors1 however1 say that their audition is contrary to the reality4 ,this is absurd1 for the perfection of saintship consists in seeing everything as it really is1 that the vision may be right2 if you see otherwise1 the vision is wrong4 ,the ,apostle said3 8,o ,god1 let us see things as they are40 ,similarly1 right audition consists in hearing everything as it is in quality and predicament4 ,the reason why men are seduced and their passions excited by musical instruments is that they hear unreally3 if their audition corresponded with the reality1 they would escape from all evil consequences4 ,the people of error heard the word of ,god1 and their error waxed greater than before4 ,some of them quoted 8,the eyes attain not unto ,him0 7,kor4 vi1 #ajc7 as a demonstration that there shall be no vision of ,god2 some cited 8,then ,he settled ,himself on the throne0 7,kor4 vii1 #eb7 to prove that position and direction may be affirmed of ,him2 and some argued that ,god actually 8comes01 since ,he has said1 8,and thy ,lord shall come and the angels rank by rank0 7,kor4 lxxxix1 #bc74 ,inasmuch as error was implanted in their minds1 it profited them nothing to hear the ,word of ,god4 ,the ,unitarian1 on the other hand1 when he peruses a poem1 regards the ,creator of the poet's nature and the ,disposer of his thoughts1 and drawing an admonition therefrom1 sees in the act an evidence of the ,agent4 ,thus he finds the right way even in falsehood1 while those whom we have mentioned above lose the way in the midst of truth4 ,,section4 ,the ,shaykhs have uttered many sayings on this subject4 ,dhu l-,nn the ,egyptian says3 8,audition is a ,divine influence 7wrid al-aqq7 which stirs the heart to seek ,god3 those who listen to it spiritually 7ba-aqq7 attain unto ,god 7taaqqaqa71 and those who listen to it sensually 7ba-nafs7 fall into heresy 7tazandaqa740 ,this venerable f does not mean that audition is the cause of attaining unto ,god1 but he means that the auditor ought to hear the spiritual reality1 not the mere sound1 and that the ,divine influence ought to sink into his heart and stir it up4 ,one who in that audition follows the truth will experience a revelation1 whereas one who follows his lower soul 7nafs7 will be veiled and will have recourse to interpretation 7tawl74 ,zandaqa 7heresy7 is a ,persian word which has been ,arabicized4 ,in the ,arabic tongue it signifies 8interpretation04 ,accordingly1 the ,persians call the commentary on their ,book ,zand ,pzand4#aic ,the philologists1 wishing to give a name to the descendants of the ,magians1 called them zindq on the ground of their assertion that everything stated by the ,moslems has an esoteric interpretation1 which destroys its external sense4 ,at the present day the ,shites of ,egypt1 who are the remnant of these ,magians1 make the same assertion4 ,hence the word zindq came to be applied to them as a proper name4 ,dhu l-,nn1 by using this term1 intended to declare that spiritualists in audition penetrate to the reality1 while sensualists make a far-fetched interpretation and thereby fall into wickedness4 ,shibl says3 8,audition is outwardly a temptation 7fitnat7 and inwardly an admonition 7ibrat73 he who knows the mystic sign 7ishrat7 may lawfully hear the admonition2 otherwise1 he has invited temptation and exposed himself to calamity10 i4e4 audition is calamitous and a source of evil to anyone whose whole heart is not absorbed in the thought of ,god4 ,ab ,al ,rdbr said1 in answer to a man who questioned him concerning audition3 8,would that ,i were rid of it entirely60 because ,man is unable to do everything as it ought to be done1 and when he fails to do a thing duly he perceives that he has failed and wishes to be rid of it altogether4 ,one of the ,shaykhs says3 8,audition is that which makes the heart aware of the things in it that produce absence0 7m fh mina l-mughayyibt71 so that the effect thereof is to make the heart present with ,god4 ,absence 7ghaybat7 is a most blameworthy quality of the heart4 ,the lover1 though absent from his ,beloved1 must be present with him in heart2 if he be absent in heart1 his love is gone4 ,my ,shaykh said3 8,audition is the viaticum of the indigent3 one who has reached his journey's end hath no need of it10 because hearing can perform no function where union is2 news is heard of the absent1 but hearing is naught when two are face to face4 ur says3 8,what avails an audition that ceases whenever the person whom thou hearest becomes silent8 ,it is necessary that thy audition should be continuous and uninterrupted40 ,this saying is a token of the concentration of his thoughts in the field of love4 ,when a man attains so high a degree as this he hears 7spiritual truths7 from every object in the universe4 ,footnote #aic3 ,see ,professor ,browne's ,literary ,history of ,persia1 i1 #ha4 ,chapter on the various opinions respecting ,audition4 ,the ,shaykhs and spiritualists hold different views as to audition4 ,some say that it is a faculty appertaining to absence1 for in contemplation 7of ,god7 audition is impossible1 inasmuch as the lover who is united with his ,beloved fixes his gaze on ,him and does not need to listen to him2 therefore1 audition is a faculty of beginners which they employ1 when distracted by forgetfulness1 in order to obtain concentration2 but one who is already concentrated will inevitably be distracted thereby4 ,others1 again1 say that audition is a faculty appertaining to presence 7with ,god71 because love demands all2 until the whole of the lover is absorbed in the whole of the ,beloved1 he is deficient in love3 therefore1 as in union the heart 7dil7 has love and the soul 7sirr7 has contemplation and the spirit has union and the body has service1 so the ear also must have such a pleasure as the eye derives from seeing4 ,how excellent1 though on a frivolous topic1 are the words of the poet who declared his love for wine6 8,give me wine to drink and tell me it is wine4 ,do not give it me in secret1 when it can be given openly10#aid i4e41 let my eye see it and my hand touch it and my palate taste it and my nose smell it3 there yet remains one sense to be gratified1 viz4 my hearing3 tell me1 therefore1 this is wine1 that my ear may feel the same delight as my other senses4 ,and they say that audition appertains to presence with ,god1 because he who is absent from ,god is a disbeliever 7munkir71 and those who disbelieve are not worthy to enjoy audition4 ,accordingly1 there are two kinds of audition3 mediate and immediate4 ,audition of which a reciter 7qr7 is the source is a faculty of absence1 but audition of which the ,beloved 7yr7 is the source is a faculty of presence4 ,it was on this account that a well-known spiritual director said3 8,i will not put any created beings1 except the chosen men of ,god1 in a place where ,i can hear their talk or converse with them40 ,footnote #aid3 ,ab ,nuws1 ,die ,weinlieder1 ed4 by ,ahlwardt1 ,no4 #bi1 verse #a4 ,chapter concerning their different grades in the reality of ,audition4 ,you must know that each f has a particular grade in audition and that the feelings which he gains therefrom are proportionate to his grade4 ,thus1 whatever is heard by penitents augments their contrition and remorse2 whatever is heard by longing lovers increases their longing for vision2 whatever is heard by those who have certain faith confirms their certainty2 whatever is heard by novices verifies their elucidation 7of matters which perplex them72 whatever is heard by lovers impels them to cut off all worldly connexions2 and whatever is heard by the spiritually poor forms a foundation for hopelessness4 ,audition is like the sun1 which shines on all things but affects them differently according to their degree3 it burns or illumines or dissolves or nurtures4 ,all the classes that ,i have mentioned are included in the three following grades3 beginners 7mubtadiyn71 middlemen 7mutawassin71 and adepts 7kmiln74 ,i will now insert a section treating of the state of each of these three grades in regard to audition1 that you may understand this matter more easily4 ,,section4 ,audition is an influence 7wrid7 proceeding from ,god1 and inasmuch as this body is moulded of folly and diversion the temperament of the beginner is nowise capable of 7enduring7 the word of ,god1 but is overpoweringly impressed by the descent of that spiritual reality1 so that some lose their senses in audition and some die1 and there is no one whose temperament retains its equilibrium4 ,it is well known that in the hospitals of ,rm they have invented a wonderful thing which they call angalyn2#aie the ,greeks call anything that is very marvellous by this name1 e4g4 the ,gospel and the books 7wa7 of ,mn 7,manes74 ,the word signifies 8promulgation of a decree0 7ihr-i ukm74 ,this angalyn resembles a stringed musical instrument 7rd az rdha74 ,the sick are brought to it two days in the week and are forced to listen1 while it is being played on1 for a length of time proportionate to the malady from which they suffer2 then they are taken away4 ,if it is desired to kill anyone1 he is kept there for a longer period1 until he dies4 ,everyone's term of life is really written 7in the tablets of destiny71 but death is caused indirectly by various circumstances4 ,physicians and others may listen continually to the angalyn without being affected in any way1 because it is consonant with their temperaments4 ,i have seen in ,india a worm which appeared in a deadly poison and lived by it1 because that poison was its whole being4 ,in a town of ,turkistn1 on the frontiers of ,islam1 ,i saw a burning mountain1 from the rocks of which sal-ammoniac fumes 7nawshdur7 were boiling forth2#aif and in the midst of that fire was a mouse1 which died when it came out of the glowing heat4 ,my object in citing these examples is to show that all the agitation of beginners1 when the ,divine influence descends upon them1 is due to the fact that their bodies are opposed to it2 but when it becomes continual the beginner receives it quietly4 ,at first the ,apostle could not bear the vision of ,gabriel1 but in the end he used to be distressed if ,gabriel ever failed to come1 even for a brief space4 ,similarly1 the stories which ,i have related above show that beginners are agitated and that adepts are tranquil in audition4 ,junayd had a disciple who was wont to be greatly agitated in audition1 so that the other dervishes were distracted4 ,they complained to ,junayd1 and he told the disciple that he would not associate with him if he displayed such agitation in future4 8,i watched that dervish10 says ,ab ,muammad ,jurayr1 8during audition3 he kept his lips shut and was silent until every pore in his body opened2 then he lost consciousness1 and remained in that state for a whole day4 ,i know not whether his audition or his reverence for his spiritual director was more perfect40 ,it is related that a man cried out during audition4 ,his spiritual director bade him be quiet4 ,he laid his head on his knee1 and when they looked he was dead4 ,i heard ,shaykh ,ab ,muslim ,fris b4 ,ghlib al-,fris say that some one laid his hand on the head of a dervish who was agitated during audition and told him to sit down3 he sat down and died on the spot4 ,raqq#aig relates that ,darrj#aih said3 8,while ,ibn al-,q#aii and ,i were walking on the bank of the ,tigris between ,bara and ,ubulla1 we came to a pavilion and saw a handsome man seated on the roof1 and beside him a girl who was singing this verse3-- #8,my love was bestowed on thee in the way of ,god2 ,thou changest every day3 it would beseem thee better not to do this4' ,a young man with a jug and a patched frock was standing beneath the pavilion4 ,he exclaimed3 #8,o damsel1 for ,god's sake chant that verse again1 for ,i have only a moment to live2 let me hear it and die6' ,the girl repeated her song1 whereupon the youth uttered a cry and gave up his soul4 ,the owner of the girl said to her1 #8,thou art free1' and came down from the roof and busied himself with preparations for the young man's funeral4 ,when he was buried all the people of ,bara said prayers over him4 ,then the girl's master rose and said3 #8,o people of ,bara1 ,i1 who am so-and-so1 the son of so-and-so1 have devoted all my wealth to pious works and have set free my slaves4' ,with these words he departed1 and no one ever learned what became of him40 ,the moral of this tale is that the novice should be transported by audition to such an extent that his audition shall deliver the wicked from their wickedness4 ,but in the present age some persons attend meetings where the wicked listen to music1 yet they say1 8,we are listening to ,god20 and the wicked join with them in this audition and are encouraged in their wickedness1 so that both parties are destroyed4 ,junayd was asked3 8,may we go to a church for the purpose of admonishing ourselves and beholding the indignity of their unbelief and giving thanks for the gift of ,islam80 ,he replied3 8,if you can go to a church and bring some of the worshippers back with you to the ,court of ,god1 then go1 but not otherwise40 ,when an anchorite goes into a tavern1 the tavern becomes his cell1 and when a haunter of taverns goes into a cell1 that cell becomes his tavern4 ,an eminent ,shaykh relates that when he was walking in ,baghdd with a dervish1 he heard a singer chanting-- 8,if it be true1 it is the best of all objects of desire1 ,and if not1 we have lived a pleasant life in it40 ,the dervish uttered a cry and died4 ,ab ,al ,rdbr says3 8,i saw a dervish listening attentively to the voice of a singer4 ,i too inclined my ear1 for ,i wished to know what he was chanting4 ,the words1 which he sang in mournful accents1 were these3-- #8,i humbly stretch my hand to him who gives food liberally4' ,then the dervish uttered a loud cry and fell4 ,when we came near him we found that he was dead40 ,a certain man says3 8,i was walking on a mountain road with ,ibrhm ,khaww4 ,a sudden thrill of emotion seized my heart1 and ,i chanted-- #8,all men are sure that ,i am in love1 ,but they know not whom ,i love4 ,there is in ,man no beauty ,that is not surpassed in beauty by a beautiful voice4' ,ibrhm begged me to repeat the verses1 and ,i did so4 ,in sympathetic ecstasy 7tawjud7 he danced a few steps on the stony ground4 ,i observed that his feet sank into the rock as though it were wax4 ,then he fell in a swoon4 ,on coming to himself he said to me3 #8,i have been in ,paradise1 and you were unaware4'8 ,i once saw with my own eyes a dervish walking in meditation among the mountains of dharbyajn and rapidly singing to himself these verses1 with many tears and moans3-- 0,by ,god1 sun never rose or set but thou wert my heart's desire and my dream4 ,and ,i never sat conversing with any people but thou wert the subject of my conversation in the midst of my comrades4 ,and ,i never mentioned thee in joy or sorrow but love for thee was mingled with my breath4 ,and ,i never resolved to drink water1 when ,i was athirst1 but ,i saw an image of thee in the cup4 ,and were ,i able to come ,i would have visited thee1 crawling on my face or walking on my head40 ,on hearing these verses he changed countenance and sat down for a while1 leaning his back against a crag1 and gave up his soul4 ,footnote #aie3 4 ,footnote #aif3 ,the mountains referred to are the ,jabal al-,buttam1 to the east of ,samarcand4 ,see ,g4 ,le ,strange1 ,the ,lands of the ,eastern ,caliphate1 p4 #dfg4 ,footnote #aig3 ,,ij4 ,duqq4 ,qushayr1 who relates this story 7#ahd1 #bb71 has 8al-,raqq04 ,the nisba ,duqq refers to ,ab ,bakr ,muammad al-,dnawar 7,nafat1 ,no4 #bbi71 while ,raqq probably denotes ,ibrhm b4 ,dwud al-,raqq 7ibid41 ,no4 #aid74 ,footnote #aih3 ,nafat1 ,no4 #bjg4 ,footnote #aii3 ,so ,qushayr4 ,the ,persian texts have or 4 ,in the commentary on ,qushayr by ,zakariyy al-,anr the name is written al-,f4 ,,section4 ,some of the f ,shaykhs have objected to the hearing of odes and poems and to the recitation of the ,koran in such a way that its words are intoned with undue emphasis1 and they have warned their disciples against these practices and have themselves eschewed them and have displayed the utmost zeal in this matter4 ,of such objectors there are several classes1 and each class has a different reason4 ,some have found traditions declaring the practices in question to be unlawful and have followed the pious ,moslems of old in condemning them4 ,they cite1 for example1 the ,apostle's rebuke to ,shrn1 the handmaid of assn b4 ,thbit1 whom he forbade to sing2 and ,umar's flogging the ,companions who used to hear music2 and ,al's finding fault with ,muwiya for keeping singing-girls1 and his not allowing asan to look at the ,abyssinian woman who used to sing and his calling her 8the ,devil's mate04 ,they say1 moreover1 that their chief argument for the objectionableness of music is the fact that the ,moslem community1 both now and in past times1 are generally agreed in regarding it with disapproval4 ,some go so far as to pronounce it absolutely unlawful1 quoting ,abu l-rith ,bunn1 who relates as follows3 8,i was very assiduous in audition4 ,one night a certain person came to my cell and told me that a number of seekers of ,god had assembled and were desirous to see me4 ,i went out with him and soon arrived at the place4 ,they received me with extraordinary marks of honour4 ,an old man1 round whom they had formed a circle1 said to me3 #8,with thy leave1 some poetry will be recited4' ,i assented1 whereupon one of them began to chant verses which the poets had composed on the subject of separation 7from the beloved74 ,they all rose in sympathetic ecstasy1 uttering melodious cries and making exquisite gestures1 while ,i remained lost in amazement at their behaviour4 ,they continued in this enthusiasm until near daybreak1 then the old man said1 #8,o ,shaykh1 art not thou curious to learn who am ,i and who are my companions8' ,i answered that the reverence which ,i felt towards him prevented me from asking that question4 #8,i myself1' said he1 #8was once ,azrl and am now ,ibls1 and all the rest are my children4 ,two benefits accrue to me from such concerts as this3 firstly1 ,i bewail my own separation 7from ,god7 and remember the days of my prosperity1 and secondly1 ,i lead holy men astray and cast them into error4' ,from that time 7said the narrator7 ,i have never had the least desire to practise audition40 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 have heard the ,shaykh and ,imm ,abu l-,abbs al-,ashqn relate that one day1 being in an assembly where audition was going on1 he saw naked demons dancing among the members of the party and breathing upon them1 so that they waxed hot4 ,others1 again1 refuse to practise audition on the ground that1 if they indulged in it1 their disciples would conform with them and thereby run a grave risk of falling into mischief and of returning from penitence to sin and of having their passions violently roused and their virtue corrupted4 ,it is related that ,junayd said to a recently converted disciple3 8,if you wish to keep your religion safe and to maintain your penitence1 do not indulge1 while you are young1 in the audition which the fs practise2 and when you grow old1 do not let yourself be the cause of guilt in others40 ,others say that there are two classes of auditors3 those who are frivolous 7lh7 and those who are divine 7ilh74 ,the former are in the very centre of mischief and do not shrink from it1 while the latter keep themselves remote from mischief by means of self-mortification and austerities and spiritual renunciation of all created things4 8,since we0 7so say the persons of whom ,i am now speaking7 8belong to neither of these two classes1 it is better for us to abstain from audition and to occupy ourselves with something that is suitable to our state40 ,others say3 8,inasmuch as audition is dangerous to the vulgar and their belief is disturbed by our taking part in it1 and inasmuch as they are unable to attain to our degree therein and incur guilt through us1 we have pity on the vulgar and give sincere advice to the elect and from altruistic motives decline to indulge in audition40 ,this is a laudable course of action4 ,others say3 8,the ,apostle has said1 #8,it contributes to the excellence of a man's ,islam if he leaves alone that which does not concern him4' ,accordingly1 we renounce audition as being unnecessary1 for it is a waste of time to busy one's self with irrelevant things1 and time is precious between lovers and the ,beloved40 ,others of the elect argue that audition is hearsay and its pleasure consists in gratification of a desire1 and this is mere child's play4 ,what value has hearsay when one is face to face8 ,the act of real worth is contemplation 7of ,god74 ,such1 in brief1 are the principles of audition4 ,chapter on ,wajd and ,wujd and ,tawjud4 ,wajd and wujd are verbal nouns1 the former meaning 8grief0 and the latter 8finding04 ,these terms are used by fs to denote two states which manifest themselves in audition3 one state is connected with grief1 and the other with gaining the object of desire4 ,the real sense of 8grief0 is 8loss of the ,beloved and failure to gain the object of desire01 while the real sense of 8finding0 is 8attainment of the desired object04 ,the difference between azan 7sorrow7 and wajd is this1 that the term azan is applied to a selfish grief1 whereas the term wajd is applied to grief for another in the way of love1 albeit the relation of otherness belongs only to the seeker of ,god1 for ,god ,himself is never other than ,he is4 ,it is impossible to explain the nature of wajd1 because wajd is pain in actual vision1 and pain 7alam7 cannot be described by pen 7qalam74 ,wajd is a mystery between the seeker and the ,sought1 which only a revelation can expound4 ,nor is it possible to indicate the nature of wujd1 because wujd is a thrill of emotion in contemplation of ,god1 and emotion 7arab7 cannot be reached by investigation 7alab74 ,wujd is a grace bestowed by the ,beloved on the lover1 a grace of which no symbol can suggest the real nature4 ,in my opinion1 wajd is a painful affection of the heart1 arising either from jest or earnest1 either from sadness or gladness2 and wujd is the removal of a grief from the heart and the discovery of the object that was its cause4 ,he who feels wajd is either agitated by ardent longing in the state of occultation 7ijb71 or calmed by contemplation in the state of revelation 7kashf74 ,the ,shaykhs hold different views on the question whether wajd or wujd is more perfect4 ,some argue that1 wujd being characteristic of novices 7murdn71 and wajd of gnostics 7rifn71 and gnostics being more exalted in degree than novices1 it follows that wajd is higher and more perfect than wujd2 for 7they say7 everything that is capable of being found is apprehensible1 and apprehensibility is characteristic of that which is homogeneous with something else3 it involves finiteness1 whereas ,god is infinite2 therefore1 what a man finds is naught but a feeling 7mashrab71 but what he has not found1 and in despair has ceased to seek1 is the ,truth of which the only finder is ,god4 ,some1 again1 declare that wajd is the glowing passion of novices1 while wujd is a gift bestowed on lovers1 and1 since lovers are more exalted than novices1 quiet enjoyment of the gift must be more perfect than passionate seeking4 ,this problem cannot be solved without a story1 which ,i will now relate4 ,one day ,shibl came in rapturous ecstasy to ,junayd4 ,seeing that ,junayd was sorrowful1 he asked what ailed him4 ,junayd said1 8,he who seeks shall find40 ,shibl cried1 8,no2 he who finds shall seek40 ,this anecdote has been discussed by the ,shaykhs1 because ,junayd was referring to wajd and ,shibli to wujd4 ,i think ,junayd's view is authoritative1 for1 when a man knows that his object of worship is not of the same genus as himself1 his grief has no end4 ,this topic has been handled in the present work4 ,the ,shaykhs agree that the power of knowledge should be greater than the power of wajd1 since1 if wajd be more powerful1 the person affected by it is in a dangerous position1 whereas one in whom knowledge preponderates is secure4 ,it behoves the seeker in all circumstances to be a follower of knowledge and of the religious law1 for when he is overcome by wajd he is deprived of discrimination 7khib71 and is not liable to recompense for good actions or punishment for evil1 and is exempt from honour and disgrace alike3 therefore he is in the predicament of madmen1 not in that of the saints and favourites of ,god4 ,a person in whom knowledge 7ilm7 preponderates over feeling 7l7 remains in the bosom of the ,divine commands and prohibitions1 and is always praised and rewarded in the palace of glory2 but a person in whom feeling preponderates over knowledge is outside of the ordinances1 and dwells1 having lost the faculty of discrimination1 in his own imperfection4 ,this is precisely the meaning of ,junayd's words4 ,there are two ways3 one of knowledge and one of action4 ,action without knowledge1 although it may be good1 is ignorant and imperfect1 but knowledge1 even if it be unaccompanied by action1 is glorious and noble4 ,hence ,ab ,yazd said1 8,the unbelief of the magnanimous is nobler than the ,islam of the covetous20 and ,junayd said1 8,shibl is intoxicated2 if he became sober he would be an ,imm from whom people would benefit40 ,it is a well-known story that ,junayd and ,muammad#bjj b4 ,masrq and ,abu l-,abbs b4 ,a were together1 and the singer 7qawwl7 was chanting a verse4 ,junayd remained calm while his two friends fell into a forced ecstasy 7tawjud71 and on their asking him why he did not participate in the audition 7sam7 he recited the word of ,god3 8,thou shall think them 7the mountains7 motionless1 but they shall pass like the clouds0 7,kor4 xxvii1 #ij74 ,tawjud is 8taking pains to produce wajd01 by representing to one's mind1 for example1 the bounties and evidences of ,god1 and thinking of union 7ittil7 and wishing for the practices of holy men4 ,some do this tawjud in a formal manner1 and imitate them by outward motions and methodical dancing and grace of gesture3 such tawjud is absolutely unlawful4 ,others do it in a spiritual manner1 with the desire of attaining to their condition and degree4 ,the ,apostle said1 8,he who makes himself like unto a people is one of them10 and he said1 8,when ye recite the ,koran1 weep1 or if ye weep not1 then endeavour to weep40 ,this tradition proclaims that tawjud is permissible4 ,hence that spiritual director said3 8,i will go a thousand leagues in falsehood1 that one step of the journey may be true40 ,footnote #bjj3 ,apparently a mistake for ,amad b4 ,muammad4 ,see ,nafat1 ,no4 #hc4 ,chapter on ,dancing1 etc4 ,you must know that dancing 7raq7 has no foundation either in the religious law 7of ,islam7 or in the path 7of fiism71 because all reasonable men agree that it is a diversion when it is in earnest1 and an impropriety 7laghw7 when it is in jest4 ,none of the ,shaykhs has commended it or exceeded due bounds therein1 and all the traditions cited in its favour by anthropomorphists 7ahl-i ashw7 are worthless4 ,but since ecstatic movements and the practices of those who endeavour to induce ecstasy 7ahl-i tawjud7 resemble it1 some frivolous imitators have indulged in it immoderately and have made it a religion4 ,i have met with a number of common people who adopted fiism in the belief that it is this 7dancing7 and nothing more4 ,others have condemned it altogether4 ,in short1 all foot-play 7py-bz7 is bad in law and reason1 by whomsoever it is practised1 and the best of mankind cannot possibly practise it2 but when the heart throbs with exhilaration and rapture becomes intense and the agitation of ecstasy is manifested and conventional forms are gone1 that agitation 7itirb7 is neither dancing nor foot-play nor bodily indulgence1 but a dissolution of the soul4 ,those who call it 8dancing0 are utterly wrong4 ,it is a state that cannot be explained in words3 8without experience no knowledge40 ,looking at youths 7adth74 ,looking at youths and associating with them are forbidden practices1 and anyone who declares this to be allowable is an unbeliever4 ,the traditions brought forward in this matter are vain and foolish4 ,i have seen ignorant persons who suspected the fs of the crime in question and regarded them with abhorrence1 and ,i observed that some have made it a religious rule 7madhhab74 ,all the f ,shaykhs1 however1 have recognized the wickedness of such practices1 which the adherents of incarnation 7ulliyn7--may ,god curse them6--have left as a stigma on the saints of ,god and the aspirants to fiism4 ,but ,god knows best what is the truth4 ,chapter on the ,rending of ,garments 7fi l-kharq74 ,it is a custom of the fs to rend their garments1 and they have commonly done this in great assemblies where eminent ,shaykhs were present4 ,i have met with some theologians who objected to this practice and said that it is not right to tear an intact garment to pieces1 and that this is an evil4 ,i reply that an evil of which the purpose is good must itself be good4 ,anyone may cut an intact garment to pieces and sew it together again1 e4g4 detach the sleeves and body 7tana7 and gusset 7tirz7 and collar from one another1 and then restore the garment to its original condition2 and there is no difference between tearing a garment into five pieces and tearing it into a hundred pieces4 ,besides1 every piece gladdens the heart of a believer1 when he sews it on his patched frock1 and brings about the satisfaction of his desire4 ,although the rending of garments has no foundation in fiism and certainly ought not to be practised in audition by anyone whose senses are perfectly controlled--for1 in that case1 it is mere extravagance--nevertheless1 if the auditor be so overpowered that his sense of discrimination is lost and he becomes unconscious1 then he may be excused 7for tearing his garment to pieces72 and it is allowable that all the persons present should rend their garments in sympathy with him4 ,there are three circumstances in which fs rend their garments3 firstly1 when a dervish tears his own garment to pieces through rapture caused by audition2 secondly1 when a number of his friends tear his garment to pieces at the command of a spiritual director on the occasion of asking ,god to pardon an offence2 and thirdly1 when they do the same in the intoxication of ecstasy4 ,the most difficult case is that of the garment thrown off or torn in audition4 ,it may be injured or intact4 ,if it be injured1 it should either be sewed together and given back to its owner or bestowed on another dervish or torn to pieces1 for the sake of gaining a blessing1 and divided among the members of the party4 ,if it be intact1 we have to consider what was the intention of the dervish who cast it off4 ,if he meant it for the singer1 let the singer take it2 and if he meant it for the members of the party1 let them have it2 and if he threw it off without any intention1 the spiritual director must determine whether it shall be given to those present and divided among them1 or be conferred on one of them1 or handed to the singer4 ,if the dervish meant it for the singer1 his companions need not throw off their garments in sympathy1 because the cast-off garment will not go to his fellows and he will have given it voluntarily or involuntarily without their participation4 ,but if the garment was thrown off with the intention that it should fall to the members of the party1 or without any intention1 they should all throw off their garments in sympathy2 and when they have done this1 the spiritual director ought not to bestow the garment on the singer1 but it is allowable that any lover of ,god among them should sacrifice something that belongs to him and return the garment to the dervishes1 in order that it may be torn to pieces and distributed4 ,if a garment drops off while its owner is in a state of rapture1 the ,shaykhs hold various opinions as to what ought to be done1 but the majority say that it should be given to the singer1 in accordance with the ,apostolic tradition3 8,the spoils belong to the slayer20 and that not to give it to the singer is to violate the obligations imposed by fiism4 ,others contend--and ,i prefer this view--that1 just as some theologians are of opinion that the dress of a slain man should not be given to his slayer except by permission of the ,imm1 so1 here1 this garment should not be given to the singer except by command of the spiritual director4 ,but if its owner should not wish the spiritual director to bestow it1 let no one be angry with him4 ,chapter on the ,rules of ,audition4 ,the rules of audition prescribe that it should not be practised until it comes 7of its own accord71 and that you must not make a habit of it1 but practise it seldom1 in order that you may not cease to hold it in reverence4 ,it is necessary that a spiritual director should be present during the performance1 and that the place should be cleared of common people1 and that the singer should be a respectable person1 and that the heart should be emptied of worldly thoughts1 and that the disposition should not be inclined to amusement1 and that every artificial effort 7takalluf7 should be put aside4 ,you must not exceed the proper bounds until audition manifests its power1 and when it has become powerful you must not repel it but must follow it as it requires3 if it agitates1 you must be agitated1 and if it calms1 you must be calm2 and you must be able to distinguish a strong natural impulse from the ardour of ecstasy 7wajd74 ,the auditor must have enough perception to be capable of receiving the ,divine influence and of doing justice to it4 ,when its might is manifested on his heart he must not endeavour to repel it1 and when its force is broken he must not endeavour to attract it4 ,while he is in a state of emotion1 he must neither expect anyone to help him nor refuse anyone's help if it be offered4 ,and he must not disturb anyone who is engaged in audition or interfere with him1 or ponder what he means by the verse 7to which he is listening71#bja because such behaviour is very distressing and disappointing to the person who is trying 7to hear74 ,he must not say to the singer1 8,you chant sweetly20 and if he chants unmelodiously or distresses his hearer by reciting poetry unmetrically1 he must not say to him1 8,chant better60 or bear malice towards him1 but he must be unconscious of the singer's presence and commit him to ,god1 who hears correctly4 ,and if he have no part in the audition which is being enjoyed by others1 it is not proper that he should look soberly on their intoxication1 but he must keep quiet with his own 8time0 7waqt7 and establish its dominion1 that the blessings thereof may come to him4 ,i1 ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,jullb1 think it more desirable that beginners should not be allowed to attend musical concerts 7samh71 lest their natures become depraved4 ,these concerts are extremely dangerous and corrupting1 because women on the roofs or elsewhere look at the dervishes who are engaged in audition2 and in consequence of this the auditors have great obstacles to encounter4 ,or it may happen that a young reprobate is one of the party1 since some ignorant fs have made a religion 7madhhab7 of all this and have flung truth to the winds4 ,i ask pardon of ,god for my sins of this kind in the past1 and ,i implore ,his help1 that ,he may preserve me both outwardly and inwardly from contamination1 and ,i enjoin the readers of this book to hold it in due regard and to pray that the author may believe to the end and be vouchsafed the vision of ,god 7in ,paradise74 ,footnote #bja3 ,the text of this clause is uncertain4 ,i have followed ,b4's reading1 murd-i r badn bayt-i bi-na-sanjad1 but ,i am not sure that it will bear the translation given above4 ,l4 has badn niyyat-i 1 and ,j4 badn nisbat-i 4 ,,index4 ,i4 ,,names ,,of ,,persons1 ,,peoples1 ,,tribes1 ,,sects1 ,,and ,,places4 ,a4 ,aaron1 #bfb4 ,abbs1 uncle of the ,prophet1 #ii4 ,abdallh ,anr1 #bf4 ---- b4 ,badr al-,juhan1 #ha4 ---- b4 anala1 #cid4 ---- b4 ,jafar1 #cai4 ---- b4 ,khubayq4 ,see ,ab ,muammad ,abdallh b4 ,khubayq4 ---- b4 ,masd al-,hudhal1 #ha4 ---- b4 ,mubrak1 #ie-g1 #bgd1 #cjc4 ---- b4 ,rab1 #gc4 ---- b4 ,umar1 #ha1 #aia1 #bcb4 ---- b4 ,unays1 #hb4 ,abd al-,razzq ann1 #ih4 ,abel1 #cfd4 ,abraham1 #dj1 #gc1 #gd1 #ia1 #aae1 #afa1 #bcb1 #bcg1 #beb1 #bfb1 #cag1 #cah1 #cbf1 #cbg1 #cbh1 #cdb1 #cec1 #cfe1 #cgj1 #cga1 #cgc4 ---- the ,station of1 #cbf1 #cbh4 ,abu l-,abbs1 #agc4 ---- ,amad b4 ,masrq1 #adf-g4 ---- ,amad b4 ,muammad al-,ashqn1 #aej1 #afh1 #bjf1 #cie1 #dab4 ---- ,amad b4 ,muammad al-,qab1 #afa1 #cbe1 #cie4 ---- ,amad b4 ,muammad b4 ,sahl al-mul1 #adi-ej4 ---- b4 ,al1 #aia4 ---- b4 ,aa1 #ba1 #bc1 #aej1 #aeh1 #ahj1 #bdi1 #ccj1 #cie1 #dae4 ---- ,qsim b4 al-,mahd al-,sayyr1 #aeg-h1 #bbh1 #bea-fj4 ,abu l-,abbs ,qab4 ,see ,abu l-,abbs ,amad b4 ,muammad al-,qaab4 ---- ,sayyr4 ,see ,abu l-,abbs ,qsim b4 al-,mahd al-,sayyr4 ---- ,shaqni4 ,see ,abu l-,abbs ,amad b4 ,muammad al-,ashqn4 ,ab ,abdallh al-,abward 7,bward71 #abc1 #abd4 ---- ,amad b4 im al-,ank1 #abg4 ---- ,amad b4 ,yay al-,jall1 #cg1 #acd-e4 ---- al-rith b4 ,asad al-,musib1 #ba1 #ajh-i1 #abg1 #aed1 #agf-hc1 #bbe1 #bdi1 #bhf1 #cjg1 #cce4 ---- ,junayd1 #agc4 ---- ,khaff4 ,see ,ab ,abdallh ,muammad b4 ,khaff4 ---- ,khayy1 #afa4 ---- ,muammad b4 ,al al-,dstn1 #afd4 ---- ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 #df1 #ada-b1 #adg1 #bjj1 #baj-da1 #cch4 ---- ,muammad b4 al-,fal al-,balkh1 #af1 #acd1 #adj-a1 #bjh1 #cbg4 ---- ,muammad b4 al-akm1 known as ,murd1 #age4 ---- ,muhmmad b4 ,isml al-,maghrib1 #adg4 ---- ,muammad b4 ,khaff1 #ej1 #ea1 #aej1 #aea1 #aeh1 #bbf1 #bdg-ea1 #bij1 #cbc4 ---- ,rdbr1 #cah4 ,ab ,abd al-,ramn tim b4 ,ulwn al-,aamm1 #ac1 #aae1 #bhf1 #cjj4 ---- ,muammad b4 al-usayn al-,sulam1 #ha1 #ajh1 #dja4 ,ab ,amad al-,muaffar b4 ,amad b4 amdn1 #agj-a4 ,abu l-,al ,abd al-,ram b4 ,amad al-,sughd1 #age4 ,ab ,al al-,daqqq4 ,see ,ab ,al asan b4 ,muammad al-,daqqq4 ---- al-,fal b4 ,muammad al-,frmadh1 #afi4 ---- al-,fuayl b4 ,iy1 #ic1 #ig-ajj1 #ajc1 #aje1 #aji1 #aad1 #abg1 #agi1 #bhf1 #cbh4 ---- al-asan b4 ,al al-,jzajn1 #adg-h1 #baf4 ---- asan b4 ,muammad al-,daqqq1 #afb-c1 #bgb1 #bhd1 #cgj4 ---- al-,jzajn4 ,see ,ab ,al al-asan b4 ,al al-,jzajn4 ---- ,muammad b4 al-,qsim al-,rdbr1 #aeg1 #bcg1 #bec1 #bic1 #djd1 #dji4 ---- ,qarmn1 #dc4 ---- al-,rdbr4 ,see ,ab ,al ,muammad b4 al-,qsim al-,rdbr4 ---- ,shaqq b4 ,ibrhm al-,azd1 #aaa-ab1 #aae1 #bhf1 #ceh1 #cei4 ---- ,siyh1 #eg1 #bje1 #bji1 #cbc4 ---- ,thaqaf1 #af4 ---- ,zhir1 #afe4 ,ab ,amr ,dimashq1 #ch4 ---- b4 ,nujayd1 #bih4 ---- ,qazwn1 #aff4 ,ab ,bakr1 the ,caliph1 #ca1 #cb1 #de1 #gj-b1 #ajb1 #bjd1 #bbi1 #bhd1 #cjd1 #cae4 ---- ,dulaf b4 ,jadar al-,shibl1 #be1 #bg1 #ch1 #ci1 #acg1 #add1 #aej1 #aea1 #aee-f1 #aeh1 #aei1 #aie1 #baj1 #bbg1 #bbh1 #bdi1 #beg1 #bge1 #bgf1 #bhd1 #bic1 #bid1 #cje1 #cac1 #cae1 #ccj1 #cca1 #cea1 #cec1 #cef1 #cei1 #cgd1 #cgf1 #cgh1 #cid1 #djd1 #dad1 #dae4 ---- b4 ,frak1 #bad4 ---- ,muammad al-,dnawar1 #djh4 ---- ,muammad b4 ,ms al-,wsi1 #h1 #aed-e1 #aeg1 #aeh1 #bbh1 #bea1 #bfe1 #bgg4 ---- ,muammad b4 ,umar al-,warrq1 #ag1 #ada1 #adb-c1 #adg1 #bbi1 #bce1 #cch4 ---- ,muammad b4 ,zakariyy al-,rz1 #aej4 ,ab ,bakr al-,warrq4 ,see ,ab ,bakr ,muammad b4 ,umar al-,warrq4 ---- al-,wsi4 ,see ,ab ,bakr ,muammad b4 ,ms al-,wsi4 ,ab ,dard ,uwaym b4 mir1 #ha1 #bcb4 ,ab ,dharr ,jundab b4 ,junda al-,ghifr1 #ha1 #agg1 #agh1 #cdd4 ,abu l-,fal b4 al-,asad1 #age4 ---- b4 al-asan1 #afe1 #ahh1 #bbg4 ---- ,muammad b4 al-asan al-,khuttal1 #aff-g4 ,abu l-,fat b4 ,sliba1 #agc4 ,abu l-,fawris ,shh b4 ,shuj al-,kirmn1 #eb1 #abc1 #acb1 #acc1 #ach1 #ceb4 ,abu l-,fay ,dhu l-,nn b4 ,ibrhm al-,mir1 #cf1 #ajj-c1 #aag1 #acf1 #adc1 #bjj1 #bjh1 #bbf1 #bcc1 #bej1 #bge1 #bhf1 #bih1 #bii1 #cjc1 #cbi1 #ccb1 #cei1 #djd4 ,ab af ,amr b4 ,slim al-,nshpr al-addd1 #da1 #eb1 #abj1 #abc-d1 #acb1 #acc1 #acd1 #beg1 #bgf1 #bih4 ---- al-addd4 ,see ,ab af ,amr b4 ,slim al-,nshpr al-addd4 ,ab alm abb b4 ,salm al-,r1 #ij-a1 #aji1 #aaj4 ,ab mid ,amad b4 ,kharya al-,balkh1 #eb1 #aae1 #aai-ba1 #abc1 #adj1 #adb1 #cch4 ---- ,dstn1 #eb4 ,ab ,hamza al-,baghdd1 #add1 #aed1 #ahb1 #ahc1 #aij1 #bdi1 #bhf4 ---- al-,khursn1 #adf4 ,ab anfa1 #df1 #fe1 #ib-e1 #ih1 #ajc1 #aji1 #ada1 #bhf4 ,abu l-rith ,bunn1 #daa4 ,abu l-asan ,amad b4 ,abi l-awr1 #ba1 #aac1 #aah-ai1 #aca1 #cig4 ---- ,amad b4 ,muammad al-,nr1 #bf1 #cf1 #cg1 #db1 #dc1 #acj-b1 #acd1 #acg1 #add1 #aed1 #agf1 #ahi-ie1 #bbe1 #bfi4 ---- ,al b4 ,ab ,al al-,aswad1 #agd4 ---- ,al b4 ,amad al-,khurqn1 #afc1 #agc4 ---- ,al b4 ,bakrn1 #agb1 #bdg4 ---- ,al b4 ,ibrhm al-ur1 #ch1 #dj1 #abb1 #aej1 #afj1 #aff1 #bdi1 #beg1 #bha1 #bhb1 #cgh1 #dje4 ,abu l-asan ,al b4 ,muammad al-,ifahn1 #adb-d1 #aej1 #cea1 #cec4 ---- ,bshanj 7,fshanja71 #dd1 #bii4 ---- al-,khurqn4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,al b4 ,amad al-,khurqn4 ---- ,muammad b4 ,isml ,khayr al-,nassj1 #add-e1 #aed1 #aee1 #bhf1 #chg4 ---- al-,nr4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,amad b4 ,muammad al-,nr4 ---- b4 ,sliba1 #ajd1 #aff1 #agb4 ---- ,sar b4 ,mughallis al-,saqa1 #aaj-aa1 #aad1 #aag1 #abg1 #abh1 #abi1 #aca1 #adc1 #add1 #aed4 ---- b4 ,simn1 #ba4 ---- ,sumnn b4 ,abdallh al-,khaww1 #ei1 #acf-h1 #bdi1 #bhf1 #cjh1 #cab4 ,ab zim al-,madan1 #ia4 ,ab ulmn1 #aca1 #bfj1 #bfa4 ,ab ,hurayra1 #hb1 #bcb4 ,ab s ,uwaym b4 ,sida1 #hb4 ,ab ,isq ,ibrhm b4 ,adham b4 ,manr1 #ab1 #df1 #fh1 #ic1 #ajc-e1 #aji1 #aaa1 #bag1 #bcb1 #bhf1 #cbc4 ---- ,ibrhm b4 ,amad al-,khaww1 #adg1 #aec-d1 #bje1 #bjg1 #bbb1 #bbc1 #bhe1 #bhi1 #bib1 #bic1 #cci1 #cdb1 #cfb1 #cii1 #daj4 ---- ,isfarin1 #bad4 ---- b4 ,shahriyr1 #agb1 #agc4 ,ab ,jafar addd1 #bdi4 ---- ,juhan1 #cif4 ---- ,muammad b4 ,al al-awr1 #agc4 ---- ,muammad b4 ,al b4 usayn al-,bqir1 #gg-h4 ---- ,muammad b4 al-usayn al-aram1 #agd4 ---- ,muammad b4 al-,mib al-aydaln1 #agb1 #bfj4 ---- ,turshz1 #agc4 ,ab ,jahl1 #bjd1 #cid4 ,ab ,kabsha1 #ha4 ,abu l-,khayr ,aqa1 #cjd4 ,ab ,lubba b ,abd al-,mundhir1 #ha4 ,abu l-,masin1 #acg1 #bcc4 ,ab ,maf ,marf b4 ,frz al-,karkh1 #aaj1 #aac-ae1 #aag4 ,ab ,mamar1 of ,ifahn1 #ef4 ,abu l-,marthad ,kinna b4 al-usayn al-,adaw1 #ha4 ,ab ,muammad ,abdallh b4 ,khubayq1 #abh4 ---- ,amad b4 al-usayn al-,jurayr1 #adh-i1 #aej1 #aeh1 #bdi1 #bhf1 #djh4 ---- ,bnghar1 #agd1 #cbc4 ---- ,jafar b4 ,muammad diq1 #gh-hj4 ---- ,jafar b4 ,nuayr al-,khuld1 #aee1 #aef-g1 #aic4 ---- ,murtaish1 #ci1 #db1 #dc1 #ec1 #ed1 #aee4 ---- ,ruwaym b4 ,amad1 #ba1 #be1 #acd1 #ace-f1 #aid ---- ,sahl b4 ,abdallh al-,tustar1 #ac1 #aci-dj1 #adh1 #aea1 #ahi1 #aie-baj1 #bbe1 #bcc1 #bdi1 #beg1 #bhc1 #bhf1 #bif1 #cjb1 #caa1 #cah1 #cbb1 #ccj1 #cch1 #cdh1 #cdi1 #cfc4 ,ab ,ms al-,ashar1 #cii4 ,ab ,muslim1 #ceh4 ---- ,fris b4 ,ghlib al-,fris1 #afe1 #agb1 #cai1 #cdf1 #djh4 ,ab ,nar al-,sarrj1 #bee1 #cbc1 #cda4 ,ab ,nuws1 #h1 #djf4 ,abu l-,qsim1 of ,merv1 #bcc4 ---- ,abd al-,karm b4 ,hawzin al-,qushayr1 #bd1 #aad1 #abc1 #aej1 #afc1 #afg-h1 #agg1 #bbg1 #cjf1 #caa1 #ccd1 #djh4 ---- ,al b4 ,abdallh al-,gurgn1 #di1 #aej1 #afi-gj1 #bjf1 #bcd1 #cci4 ---- al-,gurgn4 ,see ,abu l-,qsim ,al b4 ,abdallh al-,gurgn4 ---- al-akm1 #cch4 ---- ,ibrhm b4 ,muammad b4 ,mamd al-,narbd1 #aej1 #aei-fj1 #afb4 ---- ,junayd1 #e1 #bc1 #bg1 #ci1 #eg1 #gd1 #ajc1 #ajf1 #aaj1 #aae1 #aah1 #abc1 #abd1 #abh-cj1 #aca1 #acb1 #acd1 #ace1 #acg1 #ach1 #adc1 #add1 #ade1 #adg1 #adh1 #adi1 #aej1 #aea1 #aed1 #aef1 #aeg1 #aff1 #ahb1 #ahe-i1 #aid1 #bjj1 #bjf1 #bjh1 #baf1 #bbe1 #bbh1 #bdi1 #bej1 #bea1 #bfj1 #bha1 #bhb1 #bhd1 #bhf1 #bic1 #bif1 #big1 #bii1 #cjc1 #cjg1 #cbj1 #cbh1 #cca1 #cch1 #cci1 #cdc1 #cea1 #ceb1 #cee1 #cef1 #cei1 #cfh1 #chg1 #chh1 #cid1 #djh1 #dji1 #dab1 #dad1 #dae4 ,abu l-,qsim ,narbd4 ,see ,ab l-,qsim ,ibrhm b4 ,muammad b4 ,mamd al-,narbd4 ---- ,qushayr4 ,see ,abu l-,qsim ,abd al-,karm b4 ,hawzin al-,qushayr4 ---- ,sudd1 #agb4 ,ab ,qatda1 #gc4 ,ab ,sahl ulk1 #bgb1 #bhd1 #cai4 ,ab ,sad1 the ,carmathian1 #aej4 ---- b4 ,abi l-,khayr ,falallh b4 ,muammad al-,mayhan1 #ba1 #bb1 #aai1 #aej1 #afc1 #afd-f1 #agj1 #bah1 #bce1 #bej1 #cah1 #cdf4 ---- ,amad b4 s4 al-,kharrz1 #ach1 #adc1 #adf1 #adi1 #bcb1 #bcc1 #bda-f1 #cfh1 #cgd4 ---- al-,hujwr1 #f4 ---- al-,kharrz4 ,see ,ab ,sad ,amad b4 s4 al-,kharrz4 ---- al-,khudr1 #cif4 ,ab li amdn b4 ,amad b4 ,umra al-,qar1 #ff1 #abe-f1 #ahc-d1 #aie1 #bbe1 #bdi4 ,abu l-,sar ,manr b4 ,ammr1 #abf-g4 ,ab ,sulaymn ,abd al-,ramn b4 ,aiyya al-,drn1 #ac1 #aab-ac1 #aad1 #aah1 #bjj1 #bbe1 #bhf4 ---- al-,drn4 ,see ,ab ,sulaymn ,abd al-,ramn b4 ,aiyya al-,drn4 ---- ,dwud b4 ,nuayr al-1 #df1 #gi1 #ic1 #ie1 #aji-aj1 #aad1 #bhf1 #cej4 ,ab hir aram1 #fd1 #bib4 ---- ,makshf1 #agc4 ,ab ala al-,mlik1 #cbb4 ,ab lib1 father of the ,caliph ,al1 #bfi4 ,ab lib1 ,shaykh1 #agc4 ,ab ,thawr ,ibrhm b4 ,khlid1 #abe4 ,ab ,turb ,askar b4 al-usayn al-,nakhshab1 #aba-b1 #abe1 #ach1 #adc1 #adf4 ,ab ,ubayda b4 al-,jarr1 #ha4 ,ab ,uthmn al-r4 ,see ,ab ,uthmn ,sad b4 ,isml al-r4 ,ab ,uthmn al-,maghrib4 ,see ,ab ,uthmn ,sad b4 ,sallm al-,maghrib4 ---- ,sad b4 ,isml al-r1 #acb-d1 #ach1 #adj1 #ahj1 #aha1 #bih4 ---- ,sad b4 ,sallm al-,maghrib1 #aeh-i1 #ahf1 #bag4 ,ab ,yaqb ,aqa1 #aej4 ---- ,nahrajr1 #aej1 #aeh1 #bde4 ---- ,ysuf b4 al-usayn al-,rz1 #acd1 #acf4 ,abu l-,yaqn ,ammr b4 ,ysir1 #ha4 ,abu l-,yasar ,kab b4 ,amr1 #hb4 ,ab ,yazd ayfr b4 s al-,bism1 #ag1 #eb1 #fe1 #fh1 #ajf-h1 #abj1 #agf1 #ahd-h1 #bjj1 #bag1 #bbf1 #bch1 #bej1 #bed1 #beg1 #beh1 #bge1 #bhf1 #bia1 #bic1 #caa1 #cbg1 #cca1 #ccb1 #cce1 #cdg1 #cea1 #cei1 #cge1 #chh1 #dae4 ,ab ,ysuf1 the ,cadi1 #aaj1 #bhf4 ,ab ,zakariyy ,yay b4 ,mudh al-,rz1 #ag1 #ba1 #be1 #id1 #abj1 #abb-c1 #acb1 #acc1 #ahg1 #bbf1 #cab1 #ccg1 #cfj4 ,adam1 #fc1 #aji1 #abd1 #acj1 #add1 #aei1 #afj1 #bjh1 #bci1 #bdj1 #bdi1 #beb1 #bfb1 #big1 #cbd1 #cec1 #cee1 #ceg1 #cfc1 #cfd1 #cga1 #chc4 dharbyajn1 #eg1 #agc1 #daj4 ,adb ,kamand 7,kumand71 #agc1 #cce4 ,ahl-i adth1 #dja4 ,ahl-i ray1 #dja4 ,ahl-i uffa1 #hj1 #ha-b1 #cdd4 ,see ,ab-i uffa4 ,amad1 ,khwja1 #agj4 ---- b4 ,abi l-awr4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,amad b4 ,abi l-awr4 ---- b4 im al-,ank4 ,see ,ab ,abdallh ,amad b4 im al-,ank4 ---- ,bukhr1 #cba4 ---- b4 ,ftik1 #ff4 ---- ammd1 #agd1 #aic1 #cfd4 ---- b4 anbal1 #aaf1 #aag-ah1 #bhf4 ---- b4 arb1 #cfe1 #cff4 ---- lq1 #agd4 ---- b4 ,kharya4 ,see ,ab mid ,amad b4 ,kharya al-,balkh4 ---- b4 ,masrq4 ,see ,abu l-,abbs ,amad b4 ,masrq4 ,amad ,najjr ,samarqand1 #agd1 #cec4 ,ahriman1 #bhj4 isha1 #db1 #de1 #hb1 #cbj1 #cca1 #dja4 ,akh ,zanjn1 #agc4 ,al b4 al-aram1 #bcb4 ,al b4 ,ab lib1 #de1 #gd1 #hc1 #hd1 #aeb1 #aib1 #bfi1 #cjj1 #cae1 #ccf1 #cfa1 #daa4 ,al ,aghar1 #gf4 ---- b4 ,bakkr1 #cbc4 ---- b4 ,bundr al-ayraf1 #af1 #da4 ---- b4 usayn b4 ,al1 called ,zayn al-bidn1 #gf-g4 ---- b4 al-usayn al-,srgn1 #agc4 ---- b4 ,isq1 #agd4 ---- b4 ,khashram1 #aje4 ---- b4 ,ms al-,ri1 #aad4 ---- ,narbd1 #abe4 ---- b4 ,sahl al-,ifahn4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,al b4 ,muammad al-,ifahn4 ,amr b4 al-,shard1 #cig4 ---- b4 ,uthmn al-,makk1 #ia1 #ach-i1 #adc1 #aej1 #aea1 #ahi1 #cji4 mul1 #afb4 ,anas b4 ,mlik1 #ab4 ,anthropomorphists1 #aag1 #aah1 #aca1 #bac1 #bcf1 #bhi1 #caf4 ,see ashwiyya4 ,araft1 #cbf1 #cbh4 rif1 ,khwja1 #agd4 af b4 ,barkhiy1 #bcj4 ,ab al-kahf1 #bcj4 ,see ,cave1 men of the4 ,ab-i uffa1 #cj4 ,see ,ahl-i uffa4 ,ashltak1 #bcd4 ,ar1 ,fard al-,dn1 #ea4 ,awad ,qaswarat b4 ,muammad al-,jardz1 #age4 ,azrl1 #dab4 ,b4 ,bb al-q1 #eg4 ---- ,umar1 #bcd4 ,badr1 #de1 #bee4 ---- al-,dn1 #agc4 ,baghdd1 #ec1 #eg1 #if1 #ajh1 #aaj1 #aag1 #abc1 #abi1 #acg1 #aej1 #aea1 #aeb1 #aed1 #cbc1 #cef1 #ceh1 #cgh1 #dji4 ,bahshams1 a sect of the ,mutazilites1 #bie4 ,balam1 #bgc4 ,balkh1 #ajc1 #aab1 #aae1 #aai1 #abj1 #abc1 #adj1 #bhf4 ,bniys1 #afg4 ,ban ,shayba1 gate of the1 #id4 ---- ,umayya1 #gh4 ,bqir4 ,see ,ab ,jafar ,muammad b4 ,al b4 usayn al-,bqir4 ,bar1 #bgc4 ,bara1 #ac1 #hd1 #aba1 #aca1 #djh1 #dji4 ,biniyn1 #bfc4 ,batl1 #gi4 ,bward1 #ig4 ,byazd al-,bism4 ,see ,ab ,yazd ayfr b4 s al-,bism4 ,bay1 #aej4 ,bayw1 #bgc1 #cdh4 ,bayt al-,jinn1 #afg1 #bcd4 ---- al-sib1 at ,tustar1 #bcc4 ,bill b4 ,rab1 #ha1 #id1 #cja1 #cjb4 ,bilqs1 #bcj4 ,bishr b4 al-rith al-f1 #be1 #ic1 #aje-f1 #aag1 #abg1 #adc1 #agi1 #bhf4 ,bism1 #ajf1 #afd1 #bhf4 ,brahmans1 #bcf1 #bga4 ,bukhr1 #cec4 ,bundr b4 al-usayn1 #bdi4 ,burq1 #chj4 ,buzurjmihr1 #dja4 ,c4 ,cain1 #cfd4 ,carmathians1 #bfc1 #chc4 ,cave1 the men of the1 #bcj1 #ced4 ,chahr q1 #ceh4 ,china1 #aa4 ,chinese1 #bfc4 ,christians1 #bdd1 #bfc4 ,d4 ,dajjl1 #bbd4 ,damascus1 #gf1 #id1 #aca1 #afg1 #bcd1 #bfj1 #cdc4 ,darrj1 #djh4 al-,dstn4 ,see ,ab ,abdallh ,muammad b4 ,al al-,dstn4 ,david1 #eb1 #ahe1 #aig1 #bee1 #cbj1 #cbi1 #ceb1 #cga1 #cii1 #djb1 #djc4 ,dwud of ,ifahn1 #ace4 ---- al-4 ,see ,ab ,sulaymn ,dwud b4 ,nuayr al-4 ,dhahab1 #aah4 ,dhu l-,nn4 ,see ,abu l-,fay ,dhu l-,nn b4 ,ibrhm al-,mir4 ,dnr1 #hi4 ,duqq1 #djh4 ,e4 ,egypt1 #cb1 #ajj1 #aja1 #adc1 #bcc1 #ccb1 #djd4 ,euphrates1 the1 #hd1 #ij1 #bcd4 ,eve1 #cec4 ,f4 ,fal b4 ,rab1 #ih1 #ajj4 ,faraj1 ,shaykh1 #agc4 ,farazdaq1 #gg4 ,farghna1 #bcd1 #bce4 ,fris1 #bfj1 #bfa4 ,friss1 #aca1 #bfj4 ,frs1 #ea1 #aea1 #agb4 ,fima1 daughter of the ,prophet1 #gi4 ---- wife of ,amad b4 ,kharya1 #aai1 #abj4 ---- wife of ,bb ,umar1 #bcd1 #bce4 ,fayd1 #acg4 ,fuayl b4 ,iy4 ,see ,ab ,al al-,fuayl b4 ,iy4 ,g4 ,gabriel1 #gc1 #ajf1 #bcg1 #bdj1 #bda1 #bed1 #cjd1 #cje1 #cbj1 #cce1 #chj1 #djh4 ,ghazna1 #ec1 #ia1 #id1 #age4 ,ghulm al-,khall1 #acg1 #aij4 ,goliath1 #ahe1 #bee4 ,h4 abb1 name of ,muammad1 #cag4 ---- al-,ajam1 #hh-i4 ---- al-,r4 ,see ,ab alm abb b4 ,salm al-,r4 af ,mi1 #cbc4 afa1 #cbj4 ,hagar1 #gd1 #cfe4 ajjj1 #hh4 ---- b4 ,umar al-,aslam1 #hb4 akm b4 ,al b4 al-usayn al-,srgn1 #agc4 akms1 #acj1 #ada1 #baj-da4 allj4 ,see usayn b4 ,manr al-allj4 alljs1 #aca1 #aeb1 #bfj4 amdn ,qar4 ,see ,ab li amdn b4 ,amad b4 ,umra al-,qar4 amdns1 #aie4 ,see ,qars4 ,harim b4 ayyn1 #de1 #hd-e4 rith al-,musib4 ,see ,ab ,abdallh al-rith b4 ,asad al-,musib4 ritha1 #cc1 #bbg1 #bbi4 ,hrn al-,rashd1 #ih1 #ii1 #ajj4 ,hrt1 #cfd4 asan b4 ,al1 #gc1 #ge-f1 #cai1 #daa4 ---- of ,bara1 #de1 #df1 #ge1 #hf-g1 #hh1 #hi1 #bcb1 #cfb4 ---- ,muaddib1 #afc4 ashwiyya1 ashwiyn1 #bac1 #bcf1 #bdd1 #bhi4 ,see ,anthropomorphists4 assn b4 ,thbit1 #daa4 tim al-,aamm4 ,see ,ab ,abd al-,ramn tim b4 ,ulwn al-,aamm4 ---- 1 #cah4 ,hert1 #bf4 ijz1 the1 #fe1 #if1 #acg1 #cai4 ra quarter of ,nshpr1 #ahc4 ,hishm b4 ,abd al-,malik1 #gg4 ,hd1 #cif4 ,hudhayfa al-,yamn1 #ha4 ulmns1 #aca1 #bfj4 ulls1 #aca1 #ahc1 #bfj-f1 #daf4 ulwn1 #cai4 usayn b4 ,al1 #gf1 #agg1 #agh4 ---- b4 ,fal1 #bhf4 ---- b4 ,manr al-allj1 #ff1 #aej-c1 #aeh1 #agb1 #ahi1 #bje1 #bbf1 #bdi1 #bei1 #bfj1 #bha1 #bhe1 #cjc1 #caa1 #cdd4 ---- ,simnn1 ,khwja1 #agc4 ur4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,al b4 ,ibrhm al-ur4 ,i4 ,ibats1 #aca4 ,ibls1 #fc1 #abi1 #acj1 #bjh1 #bci1 #beb1 #bfh1 #bgc1 #cea1 #ceg1 #djb1 #djc1 #dab4 ,ibn ,abbs1 #ha1 #cca1 #cea4 ---- ,a4 ,see ,abu l-,abbs b4 ,a4 ---- al-,athr1 #ceh4 ---- al-,jall4 ,see ,ab ,abdallh ,amad b4 ,yay al-,jall4 ---- ,khallikn1 #ib1 #ih1 #abe1 #bad1 #ceh1 #cif4 ---- ,masd1 #cif4 ---- al-,muall1 #cdc1 #cdd4 ---- al-,q1 #djh4 ---- ,umar4 ,see ,abdallh b4 ,umar4 ,ibrhm b4 ,adham4 ,see ,ab ,isq ,ibrhm b4 ,adham b4 ,manr4 ---- b4 ,dwud al-,raqq1 #djh4 ---- ,khaww4 ,see ,ab ,isq ,ibrhm b4 ,amad al-,khaww4 ---- ,mristn1 #adi4 ---- ,nakha1 #cif4 ---- ,raqq1 #bcc4 ---- b4 ,sad ,alaw1 #cgd4 ---- ,samarqand1 #adg4 ---- b4 ,shaybn1 #bdf4 ---- ,shaybni1 #adg4 ,imrn1 #agi4 ,india1 #bdc1 #djj1 #djg4 ,indians1 #bfc4 ,iram1 #bbd4 ,irq1 #aaj1 #aaf1 #abf1 #adj1 #agb1 #agg1 #bdi1 #bfj1 #cde1 #djj4 ,ifahn1 #ach4 ,isq of ,mawil1 #cii4 ,ishmael1 #dj1 #gd1 #beb1 #cec4 ,isml al-,shsh1 #age4 ,ismls1 #bfc4 ,israelites1 #aib4 ---- desert of the1 #bbi4 ,j4 ,jabal al-,buttam1 #djh4 ,jabarites1 #ge4 ,jacob1 #beh1 #caj1 #cgj4 ,jafar al-,khuld4 ,see ,ab ,muammad ,jafar b4 ,nuayr al-,khuld4 ---- diq4 ,see ,ab ,muammad ,jafar b4 ,muammad diq4 ,ji1 #h4 ,jerusalem1 #aja1 #bae4 ,jesus1 #dj1 #ej1 #bcb1 #bdd1 #bfb1 #bgc1 #cga1 #cge1 #cgf4 ,jews1 #bfa4 ,jidda1 #bcc4 ,job1 #bd1 #dj1 #bea4 ,john the ,baptist1 #dj1 #cga1 #cge1 #cgf4 ,see ,yay b4 ,zakariyy4 ,joseph1 #cb1 #beh1 #bfb1 #caj1 #cce1 #cfe1 #cie4 ,junayd4 ,see ,abu l-,qsim ,junayd4 ,junayds1 #acj1 #ahe-i1 #aie4 ,jurayj1 #bcb4 ,jurayr4 ,see ,ab ,muammad ,amad b4 al-usayn al-,jurayr4 ,jurjn1 #cgc4 ,k4 ,kaba1 the1 #ab1 #aba1 #ada1 #bci1 #bdj1 #beh1 #cjj1 #cbf1 #cbg1 #cbi1 #ccg1 #cig4 ,kamand 7,kumand71 #cce4 ,karbal1 #gf4 ,karkh1 #cef1 #cgh4 ,kattn1 #cbe4 ,khabbb b4 al-,aratt1 #ha4 ,khair4 ,see ,khir4 ,khaffs1 #acj1 #bdg-ea4 ,khlid b4 ,wald1 #bcb4 ,khall1 #gc1 #ia1 #cag4 ,see ,abraham4 ,khrijites1 #bhf4 ,kharrz4 ,see ,ab ,sad ,amad b4 s al-,kharrz4 ,kharrzs1 #acj1 #bda-f4 ,khayr al-,nassj4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,muammad b4 ,isml ,khayr al-,nassj4 ,khazin1 ,imm1 #bbg4 ,khir1 #ajc1 #ada1 #adb1 #aec1 #bij1 #cdb4 ,khubayb1 #bba4 ,khursn1 #fi1 #aae1 #aba1 #abc1 #abf1 #acd1 #adj1 #adf1 #aea1 #aei1 #agc1 #agd1 #agg1 #bcf1 #cce1 #djj4 ,khurqn1 #afc4 ,khurqn4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,al b4 ,amad al-,khurqn4 ,khusraw4 ,see ,nshrwn4 al-,khuttal4 ,see ,abu l-,fal ,muammad b4 al-asan al-,khuttal4 ,khzistn1 #aea4 ,kirmn1 #ea1 #abc1 #acb1 #acc1 #agc4 ,kish1 #agc4 ,korah1 #cdg4 ,kfa1 #df1 #ge1 #hd1 #ih1 #ajd1 #aah1 #ade1 #bje1 #cci1 #cfj1 #cif4 ,kumish1 #agc4 ,l4 ,labd1 #cig4 ,lahwur1 #ia4 ,layl1 #beh1 #cec4 ,lukm1 ,mount1 #aff4 ,luqmn of ,sarakhs1 #ahh4 ,m4 ,magians1 #bhj1 #djd4 ,mamd1 ,khwja1 #agd4 ,majnn1 #beh1 #cec4 ,malmats1 #ej1 #fb-i4 ,mlik1 the ,imm1 #aaf1 #bhf4 ,mlik b4 ,dnr1 #df1 #hi-ij1 #ccg4 ,mn 7,manes71 #djg4 ,manichans1 #ca4 ,manr1 the ,caliph1 #ic4 ---- b4 ,ammr4 ,see ,abu l-,sar ,manr b4 ,ammr4 ,maqm-i ,ibrhm1 #cbf4 ,maqdis1 #bfj4 ,marf ,karkh4 ,see ,ab ,maf ,marf b4 ,frz al-,karkh4 ,mrt1 #cfd4 ,marv al-,rd1 #ej4 ,marwa1 #cbf1 #cbh4 ,marwn b4 ,muwiya1 #aah4 ,mary1 the ,virgin1 #bcj1 #bdd4 ,mashar al-arm1 #cbf4 ,masd1 spiritual director1 #cbc4 ---- b4 ,rab al-,fris1 #ha4 ,mayhana1 #afd1 #bce4 ,mecca1 #gg1 #hc1 #hd1 #hg1 #ia1 #id1 #if1 #ih1 #ajg1 #ade1 #aeh1 #ahf1 #aib1 #bae1 #bba1 #beh1 #bij1 #bib1 #cbf1 #cbg1 #cbi1 #cci1 #cdj1 #cgb1 #cgh4 ,medna1 #aaf1 #bba4 ,merv1 #eb1 #if1 #ig1 #aed1 #aeh1 #agd1 #bje1 #bji1 #bea1 #cbc1 #dja4 ,michael1 #bda4 ,mihna4 ,see ,mayhana4 ,min1 #cbf1 #cbh1 #cbi1 #cdj4 ,miqdd b4 al-,aswad1 #ha4 ,misar b4 ,kidm1 #ic4 ,misa b4 ,uththa b4 ,abbd1 #hb4 ,moses1 #dj1 #da1 #gd1 #gf1 #ij1 #aja1 #afg1 #agi1 #bcj1 #bfb1 #bif1 #big1 #cbd1 #ccb1 #cga1 #cgb1 #chj1 #cha4 ,mudh b4 al-rith1 #hb4 ,muwiya1 the ,caliph1 #daa4 ,muayyad1 #ec4 ,muar1 #hc4 ,mughra b4 ,shuba1 #ccg4 ,muhjirn1 #ai1 #cif4 ,muammad1 the ,prophet1 #a1 #d1 #h1 #aa1 #ae1 #ai1 #ca1 #cb1 #cc1 #cf1 #dj1 #da1 #db1 #dd1 #de1 #df1 #eb1 #ec1 #fb1 #gj1 #gb1 #gf1 #gi1 #hj1 #ha1hb1 #hc1 #ij1 #ia1 #ib1 #ic1 #id1 #ie1 #ih1 #ii1 #ajj1 #aja1 #aaf1 #aag1 #abg1 #abi1 #adj1 #ada1 #aeh1 #ahe1 #ahf1 #aib1 #bjj1 #bjb1 #bji1 #baa1 #bac1 #bae1 #bba1 #bbb1 #bbc1 #bbe1 #bbi1 #bcj1 #bca1 #bcb1 #bcf1 #bch1 #bed1 #bee1 #beh1 #bei1 #bfa1 #bfi1 #bhc1 #bhg1 #cab1 #cae1 #cag1 #cah1 #cai1 #cbd1 #ccj1 #cca1 #ccb1 #ccc1 #ccf1 #cdd1 #cdf1 #cdh1 #cec1 #ceh1 #cfe1 #cga1 #cgb1 #cgc1 #chj1 #cha1 #cid1 #cif1 #cig1 #dja1 #djh1 #daa4 ,see ,traditions of the ,prophet4 ,muammad b4 ,amad al-,muqr1 #da4 ---- b4 ,al akm4 ,see ,ab ,abdallh ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh4 ---- b4 ,al b4 al-usayn b4 ,al b4 ,ab lib1 #ch4 ---- b4 ,fal al-,balkh4 ,see ,ab ,abdallh ,muammad b4 al-,fal al-,balkh4 ---- akm4 ,see ,ab ,abdallh ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh4 ---- b4 al-asan1 #aaj1 #aaf1 #bhf4 ---- b4 al-usayn al-,alaw1 #bje4 ---- b4 ,kab al-,qura1 #ii4 ---- b4 ,khaff4 ,see ,ab ,abdallh ,muammad b4 ,khaff4 ---- ,mashq1 #agd4 ---- b4 ,masrq1 #dae4 ---- b4 ,salama1 #agc4 ---- b4 ,srn1 #ib4 ---- b4 ,ulyn1 #bjf4 ---- b4 ,wsi1 #ia-b1 #bgf1 #ccj4 ---- b4 ,zakariyy1 #ea4 ,see ,ab ,bakr ,muammad b4 ,zakariyy al-,rz4 ,musibs1 #acj1 #agf-hc1 #cga4 ,mujassima1 #bcf4 ,mltn1 #ia4 ,muqaddas1 #bfj4 ,murd1 #age4 ,murjites1 #ff1 #fg4 ,murtaish4 ,see ,ab ,muammad ,murtaish4 ,mushabbiha1 #bcf4 ,muslim ,maghrib1 #bcc1 #bcd4 ,muaf1 #ii1 #cfh4 ,see ,muammad1 the ,prophet4 ,mutanabb1 #h4 ,mutazilites1 #f1 #ajf1 #aag1 #aah1 #bac1 #bae1 #bci1 #bec1 #bfh1 #bhj1 #bhf1 #bie1 #cic4 ,muaffar1 ,khwja4 ,see ,ab ,amad al-,muaffar b4 ,amad b4 amdn4 ---- ,kirmnshh ,qarmn1 #dc4 ,muzayyin the ,elder1 #beg4 ,muzdalifa1 #cbf1 #cbh4 ,n4 ,nar b4 al-rith1 #bfa1 #cid4 ,nfi1 #aia4 ,najd1 #hc4 ,nas1 #bjf1 #bea4 ,nestorians1 #bdd4 ,nibj1 #ach4 ,nile1 the river1 #aja1 #baa1 #bab4 ,nimrod1 #gc1 #bbd1 #cbg4 ,nshpr1 #af1 #da1 #abj1 #abc1 #abd1 #abe1 #acc1 #acd1 #aei1 #afe1 #agj1 #agd1 #ahc1 #bgb1 #cah1 #cfe4 ,noah1 #cga4 ,n1 a brigand1 #ahc4 ,nr4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,amad b4 ,muammad al-,nr4 ,nrs1 #acj1 #ahi-ie4 ,nshrwn1 #dja4 ,o4 ,oxus1 the river1 #adb1 #bce4 ,p4 ,pdishh-i ,tib1 #agc4 ,pharaoh1 #gf1 #ajb1 #bbc1 #bbd1 #cdg4 ,prophet1 the ,house of the1 #ge4 ,purg1 #ea4 ,q4 ,qadarites1 #f1 #ff1 #fg1 #ge4 ,qarmia1 #chc4 ,see ,carmathians4 ,qaran1 #hc1 #hd4 ,qrn1 #cdg4 ,qars1 #acj1 #ahc-d4 ,see amdns and ,malmats4 ,qays of the ,ban mir1 #cec4 ,quhistn1 #agc4 ,quraysh1 #bfa1 #cid4 ,qushayr4 ,see ,abu l-,qsim ,abd al-,karm b4 ,hawzin al-,qushayr4 ,r4 ,raba1 #hc4 ,rbia ,adawiyya1 #ceh4 ,rfis1 #aeb4 ,raj b4 ayt1 #ii4 ,ramla1 #cdc4 ,raqqm1 #aij4 ,raqq1 #djh4 ,rayy1 #fe1 #abj1 #abc1 #acc1 #bic4 ,riwn1 #bcb4 ,rm1 #bjg1 #bbb1 #bdd1 #djg4 ,rufa mosque1 #aed4 ,ruwaym4 ,see ,ab ,muammad ,ruwaym b4 ,amad4 ,s4 bians1 #bbb4 af1 #cbf1 #cbh4 afwn b4 ,bay1 #ha4 ,sahl b4 ,abdallh al-,tustar4 ,see ,ab ,muammad ,sahl b4 ,abdallh al-,tustar4 ,sahlag1 ,shaykh1 #afd1 #agc4 ,sahls1 #acj1 #aie-baj1 #bif4 ,sib b4 ,khalld1 #hb4 ,sad b4 ,ab ,sad al-,ayyr1 #age4 ---- b4 al-,musayyib1 #hg4 ,slr-i abar1 #age4 li ,murr1 #cif4 ,slim1 #ha4 ---- b4 ,abdallh1 #ii4 ---- b4 ,umayr b4 ,thbit1 #hb4 ,slims1 #aca4 ,salmn al-,fris1 #de1 #ha1 #ij1 #bcb1 #cdd4 ,samarcand1 #adj1 #djh4 ,smarr1 #ade1 #cei4 ,sarah1 #cfe4 ,sarakhs1 #afd1 #afe1 #agd1 #aic1 #bbg1 #cfd4 ,sar al-,saqa4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,sar ,mughallis al-,saqa4 ,sayyrs1 #acj1 #bea-fj4 ,shaddd1 #bbd4 al-,shfi1 #aaf1 #abe1 #bhf1 #cdg4 ,shh b4 ,shuj4 ,see ,abu l-,fawris ,shh b4 ,shuj al-,kirmn4 ,shahristn1 #aca1 #bie4 ,shaqq of ,balkh4 ,see ,ab ,al ,shaqq b4 ,ibrhm al-,azd4 ,sharn1 #cif4 ,shibl4 ,see ,ab ,bakr ,dulaf b4 ,jadar al-,shibl4 ,shites1 #aeb1 #bfc1 #chc1 #djd4 ,shrz1 #bdg4 ,shrn1 #daa4 ,shuayb1 #gd4 ,shnziyya mosque1 #abc1 #cbc4 ,shuray1 #ic1 #id4 iffn1 #hd4 ,sinai1 ,mount1 #bcj1 #cgb1 #cha4 ir1 #ah1 #ajg1 #aii4 ,srawn1 #aff4 ,solomon1 #bd1 #bcj4 ,sophists1 #ae4 ,sfisiyn1 #ae4 ,sufyn ,thawr1 #df1 #ic1 #ajc1 #abh1 #bic4 ---- b4 ,uyayna1 #ih1 #aah4 uhayb b4 ,sinn1 #ha4 ,sulaymn ,r1 #aaf4 ,sumnn al-,muibb4 ,see ,abu l-asan ,sumnn b4 ,abdallh al-,khaww4 ,syria1 #id1 #aah1 #agb4 ,t4 barn1 #bbg4 abaristn1 #afa1 #afc1 #agc4 al-,tbin1 #hc1 #hh4 ayfrs1 #acj1 #ahd-h1 #ahi4 ,thbit b4 ,wadat1 #hb4 ,thalaba1 #cdh4 ,thawbn1 #hb4 ---- name of ,dhu l-,nn1 #ajj4 ,tibetans1 #bfc4 ,tigris1 #ahj1 #djh4 ,th-i ,ban ,isrl1 #bbi4 ,tirmidh1 #ag1 #ada1 #bbi4 ,transoxania1 #ej1 #fg1 #afa1 #agd1 #bhh1 #cfd4 ,turkistn1 #djg4 s1 #di1 #afe1 #aff1 #bcd4 ,tustar1 #aie1 #bbe1 #bcc4 ,u4 ,ubulla1 #djh4 ,uud1 #aib4 ,ukksha b4 ,mian1 #ha4 ,umar b4 ,abd al-,azz1 #ii4 ---- b4 al-,khab1 the ,caliph1 #ca1 #de1 #gj1 #gb-c1 #gf1 #ha1 #hc1 #bjh1 #baa1 #bab1 #bcb1 #bed1 #cjd1 #cfa1 #cid1 #dja1 #daa4 ,umayya b4 ,abi l-alt1 #cig4 ,umm ,kulthm1 #cfa4 ,utba b4 ,ghazwn1 #ha4 ---- al-,ghulm1 #ahj4 ---- b4 ,masd1 #ha4 ---- b4 ,raba1 #cid4 ,uthmn1 the ,caliph1 #fe1 #gc-d4 ,uways al-,qaran1 #de1 #hc-d4 ,uzkand1 #bcd4 ,w4 ,wahb b4 ,maqal1 #hb4 ,y4 ,yay b4 ,mudh al-,rz4 ,see ,ab ,zakariyy ,yay b4 ,mudh al-,rz4 ,yay b4 ,zakariyy1 #abb4 ,see ,john the ,baptist4 ,yazdn1 #bhj4 ,yazd b4 ,muwiya1 #gf4 ,ysuf1 #cb1 #acf4 ,see ,joseph4 ---- b4 al-usayn4 ,see ,ab ,yaqb ,ysuf b4 al-usayn al-,rz4 ,z4 ,zacharias1 #dj1 #bcj4 hirite school of law1 #ace4 ,zida1 #bcb4 ,zakariyy al-,anr1 #djh4 ,zak b4 al-,al1 #agb4 ,zayd b4 al-,khab1 #ha4 ,zayn al-bidn1 #gf4 ,zuhr1 #ga4 ,zulaykh1 #acf1 #caj1 #cce1 #cfe4 ,zurra b4 ,ab ,awf1 #cif4 ,,ii4 ,,subjects1 ,,oriental ,,words1 ,,and ,,technical ,,terms4 ,arabic and ,persian words are printed in italics4 ,in their arrangement no account is taken of the definite article al4 ,a4 ab1 #dh1 #eb1 #acc4 abad1 #chf4 ,abdl1 #bad4 ,abrr1 #bad4 ,actions1 the ,divine1 #ad4 adab1 db1 #ccd1 #cda4 db-i hir1 #bib4 adam1 #bh1 #afh1 #bec1 #cgc4 damiyyat1 #bdf1 #bed4 adl1 #chg4 ft1 #bha4 aghyr1 #ca4 adth1 #daf4 ahl-i dargh1 #afi4 ---- aqiq1 #bbe4 ---- aqqat1 #be4 ---- aqq1 #fb1 #djb4 ---- ashw1 #caf1 #daf4 ---- himmat1 #afg4 ---- ibrat1 #ei4 ahl al-ilm1 #bec4 ahl-i man1 #djc4 ---- maqmt1 #fa4 ---- minan1 #bfe4 ---- mumalat1 #bbe4 ---- rusm1 #agb4 ---- waf1 #bfe4 arr1 #dc4 awl1 #cc1 #aaj1 #aeg1 #agg4 ,see l and ,states of ,mystics4 ib1 #cia4 ajz1 #bgf4 akhlq1 #db4 ,akhyr1 #bad4 aliq1 #afe1 #chd4 lam1 #che1 #chf4 lat-i mawsm1 #aii4 lim1 #chb1 #chc4 lim-i rabbn1 #aea4 ,alms1 #cad-ag4 amr1 #chh4 amn1 #baf4 anfs1 #afd4 angalyn1 #djg4 ,angels1 #bci-da1 #cjb1 #cjc1 #cea4 ,annihilation1 #bj1 #bc1 #be1 #bh1 #cf1 #cg1 #dj1 #dh1 #eh-fj1 #ie1 #agj1 #aga1 #bje1 #bda-f4 ,see fan4 aql1 #cji4 ara1 #bfa1 #bfd1 #chf4 arbb-i awl1 #cjb4 ---- l1 #cb4 ---- laif1 #cec4 ---- man1 #ch1 #ei4 rif1 #gi1 #ajj1 #bfe1 #bfg1 #chb-c1 #dad4 arsh1 #cc4 ,ascension of ,byazd1 #bch4 ---- of ,muammad1 #ahf1 #bae1 #bdj1 #bei1 #bfb1 #bgg1 #bhc1 #cjb1 #ccj1 #cca1 #ccf1 #cfh4 ---- of ,prophets and ,saints1 #bch4 ,asceticism1 #ag1 #cg1 #hf4 ,see ,mortification and zuhd4 ,asking1 rules in1 #ceg-fj4 asrr1 #bee4 ,association4 ,see ,companionship4 ---- with the wicked1 #hf4 ,attributes1 the ,divine1 #ab1 #ad1 #ba1 #cf1 #beb1 #bec1 #bgi1 #bhh4 awbat1 #bie4 awliy1 #baj1 #baa1 #bab1 #bae1 #bie4 ,see ,saints4 awrd1 #cjc4 ,awtd1 #adf1 #bad1 #bbh1 #bcd4 awwb1 #bie4 yt1 #cgc4 ayyr1 #ajj4 ayn1 #adi1 #aga1 #aif1 #bjf4 ayn al-yaqn1 #cha-b4 azal1 #chf4 azaliyyat1 #bch4 ,b4 ,bb1 a title given to f ,shaykhs1 #bcd4 badhl-i r1 #aid4 bal1 #chh1 #chi4 baq1 #bc1 #eh1 #ei1 #gc1 #adc1 #agj1 #aga1 #ahe1 #bje1 #bda-f1 #bec1 #bff1 #cgc1 #cgg1 #chj4 bq1 #bf1 #cb1 #he1 #caa4 bashariyyat1 #cb1 #aei1 #bag1 #bbf1 #bcg4 bas1 #aha1 #cgd-f4 bayn1 #cef1 #cgc4 bgna1 #bjj1 #bbb4 bgnag1 #bd1 #ccc1 #cgg4 ,begging1 #aje4 ---- rules in1 #ceg1 #cfj4 birsm1 #afg4 ,blame1 the doctrine of1 #fb-i1 #ahc-d4 ,see malmat1 ,malmats1 ,qars4 ,blue garments1 worn by fs1 #ec4 ,c4 ,cave1 story of the1 #bca4 ,celibacy1 #cfj-f4 chignag1 #cgd4 chilla1 #ea1 #cbd4 ,companionship1 #ahi1 #aij1 #ccd-de4 ,see ubat4 ,contemplation1 #gj1 #ia1 #ib1 #aje1 #afe1 #aga1 #bja-e1 #cjj1 #cbg1 #cbi-cc1 #cdf4 ,see mushhadat4 ,covetousness1 #abh1 #acf1 #bag4 ,d4 dahr1 #bdd4 dahriyn1 #bha4 ,daily bread1 #ajf1 #aeg4 ,dancing1 #daf4 dnishmand1 #chb4 arr1 #bfa1 #bga4 daw1 #bgd4 daw al-misk1 #h4 ,dervishes1 #adb1 #adc1 #adf1 #afe4 ,see faqr and fuqar4 ---- resident1 #cdj-e4 ---- travelling1 #cdj1 #cde-g4 dht1 #e1 #chf4 dhawq1 #eh1 #cib4 dhikr1 #hg1 #abf1 #abh1 #aed1 #aee1 #bdb1 #bed1 #cjj1 #cja1 #cjg1 #cga1 #cgf4 ddr1 #age4 iddn1 #chf4 dil1 #cc1 #add1 #cji4 ,directors1 spiritual1 #ee-g1 #abh1 #abi1 #acc1 #acd1 #aff1 #afi1 #cja1 #cec1 #ced1 #ceg1 #chg1 #djh1 #dah1 #dai4 ,divines1 #aaf1 #adb1 #adc1 #bac4 ,see ulam4 ---- disagreement of the1 #ajf1 #agf4 ,dreams1 #hh1 #ia1 #ib1 #ic1 #id1 #ajj1 #aaf1 #abi1 #ach1 #ade1 #bah1 #bhb1 #cba1 #ceh1 #cei4 ,dualism1 #bei1 #bgc1 #bhj4 dstn1 #bfe1 #chb4 ,e4 ,eating1 rules in1 #cdg-i4 ,ecstasy1 #ach1 #aeb1 #afg4 ,see ,intoxication and sam and wajd4 ,essence1 the ,divine1 #ad4 ,f4 fal1 #bja4 fil1 #bcg4 ,faith1 #bbe1 #bhf-ij4 falakiyn1 #bhj4 fan1 #bh1 #cg1 #eh1 #gc1 #adc1 #afh1 #agj1 #ahe1 #bje1 #bda-f1 #bec1 #bff1 #cgc1 #cgg1 #chj4 ,see ,annihilation4 fan-yi ayn1 #bdd4 ---- kull1 #cg4 ---- kulliyyat1 #bdc4 fn1 #bf1 #cb1 #cc1 #caa4 fqa1 #cbe4 faqd1 #cfh4 faqr1 #bj1 #ei1 #fj1 #afe1 #cji4 ,see ,dervishes4 faqr1 #cf1 #fj1 #aji1 #ahi1 #cji1 #cfd4 ,see ,poverty4 farghat1 #aji4 fardniyyat1 #bha4 ,fasting1 #cf1 #eb1 #bja1 #cbj-e4 fawid1 #chd1 #che4 ,fear1 #aab1 #aac1 #abb1 #abh4 fikrat1 #bci4 fil1 #bcg1 #bef4 ,free will1 #ag1 #bhh4 ,see ,predestination4 ,frocks1 patched1 worn by fs1 #de-eg4 ,see muraqqat4 fuqar1 #ai1 #aaj1 #abf1 #adb1 #afe4 furqat1 #bf4 fut1 #cee4 ,g4 ,garments1 the rending of1 #ef1 #eg1 #dag-ah4 ,generosity1 #aad1 #abc1 #abd1 #ahc1 #ahd1 #cag-ai4 ghaflat1 #ag1 #aee1 #ahg1 #bdb4 ghalabat1 #ahd1 #bbf4 ghan4 ,see ghin4 gharb1 #adf4 ,ghawth1 #bad4 ghaybat1 #aee1 #agh1 #bdh-ea1 #bef1 #cja1 #cgj1 #chj1 #dje4 ghayn1 #e1 #cia4 ghayr1 #fb1 #aje1 #bcg1 #bgd4 ghayrn1 #chf4 ghayrat1 #aef4 ghin1 #ba1 #bb1 #bc1 #gd4 ghusl1 #bic4 gilm1 #cb1 #de4 girawish1 #bhi4 ,gnosis1 #af1 #ajj1 #acd1 #adj1 #bfg-gg1 #cbe1 #cib4 ,see marifat4 ,grace4 ,see fal1 inyat1 karmat4 ,h4 adath1 #bic4 hadhayn1 #afg4 ir1 #cgc4 arat1 #bef4 ajj1 #cbf4 ,see ,pilgrimage4 l1 #di1 #ej1 #aab1 #agg1 #ahj-c1 #bcf1 #bdb1 #bdc1 #beh1 #bfg1 #cji1 #cfg-gj1 #cga1 #cgb1 #chb1 #dae4 ,see ,states of mystics and awl4 l1 #bfg4 ll1 #bdd1 #bed1 #bgi4 aqiq1 #aag4 aqqat1 #ad1 #ea1 #adi1 #chc-d4 ,see ,truth1 the4 aqq1 #chd1 #djd4 ,see ,truth1 the4 aqq al-yaqn1 #cha1 #chb4 ashw1 #afg4 hast1 #cgd4 haw1 #aif1 #bjg1 #bjh4 haybat1 #cgf1 #cgg4 ayrat1 #bge4 azan1 #dac4 ,hell1 the result of ,god's anger1 #aii4 hidyat1 #ie1 #bjc1 #bjd4 ijb1 #bb1 #adi1 #bcf1 #cbe1 #cgd1 #dad4 ,see ,veils1 spiritual4 ijb-i ghayn1 #e4 ijb-i rayn1 #d1 #e4 himmat1 #aee1 #bce4 ,hope1 #aab1 #aac1 #abb1 #acc4 ubb1 #cje1 #cjf4 ur1 #cc1 #abi1 #add1 #aee1 #agh1 #bdh-ea1 #cja1 #cgc1 #chj4 udth1 #bhj4 ull1 #aca1 #bfj4 ,hunger1 #cbd1 #cbe4 urmat1 #ccd4 urqat1 #dg4 usn1 #chf4 huwiyyat1 #bch4 uzn1 #cga4 ,hypocrisy1 #hg1 #hi1 #bia1 #bib1 #cjd4 ,i4 ib1 #aca4 ibdat1 #gi4 ibrat1 #bjc1 #bgf1 #che4 ibtid1 #aai1 #afi4 idda1 #aa4 ijz1 #bai1 #bba1 #bbc1 #bee4 ijm1 #ad1 #bbe4 ikhl1 #ajc1 #aag1 #bdf4 ikhtiyr1 #aga1 #big1 #caf1 #chh4 ilhiyyat1 #bde4 ilhm1 #aff1 #bga4 ilhmiyn1 #bga4 ilm1 #ajc1 #bfg1 #cha1 #chb-c1 #dae4 ,see ,knowledge4 ilm-i marifat1 #af4 ---- mumalat1 #hf1 #aae4 ---- sharat1 #af4 ---- waqt1 #ac1 #aab4 ilm al-yaqn1 #cha1 #chb4 ilm1 #bfg4 m1 #che4 mn1 #bbe1 #bhf-ij4 imtin1 #chh1 #chi1 #cij4 imtizj1 #aca1 #aeb1 #bed1 #bfj4 inbat1 #aha1 #bie1 #cga4 inyat1 #bjc1 #bfh4 inbis1 #chj4 ,incarnation1 #ib1 #bcf1 #bfj-f4 ,see ull4 ,indulgences1 #aaf4 insn1 #aig4 insniyyat1 #aig4 ,inspiration1 #bga4 ,intention1 the power of1 #d4 intibh1 #che4 intiql1 #bcf4 ,intoxication1 spiritual1 #bbf-i1 #bdh1 #ceb4 ,see sukr4 inzij1 #che4 irdat1 #aii1 #cjg4 ishrat1 #ef1 #abi1 #aee1 #che1 #djd4 ishq1 #caj4 ishtibh1 #che4 ism1 #chf4 istidll1 #bfh4 istidll1 #ccj4 istidrj1 #bba1 #bbd4 iif1 #bfe1 #cij4 istighrq1 #cha1 #che4 istikhrat1 #c4 iilm1 #cij4 iin1 #cij4 istiqmat1 #ajd1 #agg1 #cja1 #cgg4 istiat1 #ge4 istiw1 #cjg4 thr1 #ahi-ie4 ithbt1 #cgi1 #chj1 #chf4 ittid1 #aeb1 #aih1 #bed4 ittil1 #dae4 iyn1 #cef1 #cgj1 #cgc4 ,j4 jabr1 #ag1 #bgb1 #bhh1 #cbd4 ,see ,predestination4 jadhb1 #aie4 jadhbat1 #bdh4 jadhb1 #ccj4 jall1 #agg1 #bhh1 #cgf4 jam1 #bcg1 #bch1 #bea-fj1 #bff1 #bhe1 #chj4 ,see ,union with ,god4 jam-i himmat 7himam71 #beh1 #bhb4 jam al-jam1 #ci1 #bei4 jam-i salmat1 #beg4 jam-i taksr1 #beg1 #beh4 jaml1 #agg1 #bhh1 #cgf4 jn1 #aig1 #aii1 #cji4 janbat1 #bic4 jawb1 #chf4 jawhar1 #chf4 jihd1 #cfd4 al-jihd al-akbar1 #bjj4 jism1 #chf4 jubba1 #ej1 #ajb4 jd1 #cag4 ,k4 kabra1 #bbe1 #bie4 kabd1 #ag4 kadar1 #cj1 #cb4 kafsh1 #cde4 kalm1 #ag1 #cjg4 kaml1 #bhh4 kmil1 #he1 #djg4 karmat1 karmt1 #aji1 #agg1 #bac1 #bad1 #bah-ce1 #bee1 #bhb1 #bia1 #cbc1 #cbd1 #cgg1 #cgi4 ,see ,miracles4 kasb1 #bh1 #aie1 #bbe1 #bed4 kashf1 #d1 #dg1 #ei1 #aaa1 #bbf1 #bfe1 #cgd1 #chj1 #dad4 khnaqh1 #fi4 kharq1 #eg1 #dag4 khashsh1 #id4 kh al-kh1 #chb4 khaar1 #e1 #adi4 khaart1 #add1 #chd4 khir1 #chg1 #chh4 khatm1 #e4 khawir1 #adi4 khawf1 #cga4 khidmat1 #aia1 #bah1 #bga4 khirqat1 #dg4 khib1 #dae4 khullat1 #gc1 #cbf4 khuiyyat1 #beg4 kibrt-i amar1 #g4 kitmn-i sirr1 #chj4 ,knowledge1 #aa-ah1 #ajh4 ,see ilm4 ---- of ,god4 ,see ,gnosis and marifat4 kulliyyat1 #bf1 #cgi1 #che4 ,l4 laq1 #cgc4 laif1 #che4 ,law1 the1 #ad1 #ae1 #aci1 #adj4 ,see sharat4 lawi1 #che4 lawmi1 #che4 ,liberality1 #cag-ai4 lisn al-l1 #cef4 ,love1 ,divine1 #bc1 #bd1 #cb1 #cc1 #cd1 #ch1 #fg1 #ajb1 #ajc1 #ajg1 #acf1 #acg1 #ach1 #aef1 #aeg1 #ahj1 #ahg1 #baa1 #beh1 #bhh1 #big1 #cjd-ac1 #ccj1 #cca1 #cgf1 #cgg1 #cij1 #dje4 ,see maabbat4 ,lust1 #aae1 #abh1 #bjh1 #bji1 #bdj4 luf1 #cgg-i4 ,m4 madhhab-i ,thawr1 #abe4 mafqd1 #afd4 maghlb1 #bdf1 #cab4 ---- al-qulb1 #he4 ,magic1 #aea1 #aeb4 maabbat1 #bf1 #aag1 #aeg1 #agh1 #ahg1 #baa1 #big1 #cje1 #cjf1 #caj4 maall1 #bdd4 mafz1 #bbe1 #bci1 #bda4 maq1 #cgc4 maram1 #cdi4 maw1 #ei1 #cgc1 #cgi4 maksib1 #bed4 malmat1 #fb-i1 #id1 #ajj1 #aai1 #age1 #ahc-d4 malik1 #chg4 malja1 #chd4 ,man1 the constitution of1 #aih1 #aii4 man1 #bch4 man1 #ce4 manj1 #che4 maqm1 maqmt1 #g1 #cc1 #eh1 #aaj1 #aeg1 #agg1 #ahj-c1 #bcf1 #beh1 #bfe1 #bia1 #cja1 #cgj-c4 ,see ,stations of the ,mystic ,path4 maqhr1 #cfh4 mardn1 #cbg4 marifat1 #af1 #gi1 #aeb1 #agh1 #aid1 #bbe1 #bfg-gg1 #cbf1 #chb-c1 #cij4 ,see ,gnosis4 ,marriage1 #cfj-f4 mashrib1 #cja4 mashrab1 #dad4 maskanat1 #fj4 mam1 #bbe1 #bda1 #bih4 math1 #cab4 mawaddat1 #ahg4 mawhib1 #bed4 mawjd1 #afd4 minat1 #bf4 ,miracles1 #aeb1 #afh1 #bac1 #bad1 #bae1 #bah-ce1 #cbc1 #cbd4 ,see karmat4 mirj1 #bch4 miskn1 #fj4 mizaj1 #bha4 ,mortification1 #aie-baj1 #bef1 #beg1 #cdf4 ,see mujhadat4 mumalt1 #cj1 #ch1 #da4 munasat1 #chb4 muyanat1 #cca4 mubtad1 #afg1 #djg4 mutarr1 #caf4 mufarrid1 #cfb4 muftariq1 #bee4 muarat1 #cgc1 #cgd4 mudathat1 #chj1 #cha4 muawwil-i awl1 #da4 mudath1 #ib1 #bfc1 #bgj1 #bic1 #chf4 muibb1 #bf4 mujhadat1 #ce1 #cf1 #dg1 #ej1 #gj1 #he1 #ie1 #aac1 #abg1 #agj1 #agf1 #ahb1 #ahd1 #aie-baj1 #bib1 #bif1 #cbe1 #cbi1 #chb4 ,see ,mortification4 mujlasat1 #aei4 mujarrad1 #fa4 mujizat1 #bai-bf1 #bcj1 #cbd1 #cid4 mujtami1 #bee1 #cfg4 mukshafat1 #d1 #bb1 #cgc-d4 mukhla1 #he4 mukhli1 #he1 #bfe4 mukula1 #cde4 munjt1 #cdd1 #chj4 munb1 #bie4 muntah1 #afh4 muqarrabn1 #d1 #bie4 mqin1 #add4 muraqqat1 #de-eg1 #fi1 #gc1 #id4 murd1 #he1 #ajg1 #aeg1 #baa1 #bfe1 #cgj1 #dad4 murshid1 #agb4 muruwwat1 #cbh1 #ccd4 musabbib1 #cbg4 musfirn1 #cdj4 musmarat1 #chj1 #cha4 mushhadat1 #cg1 #ej1 #gj1 #he1 #ie1 #aac1 #abg1 #abi1 #aee1 #afe1 #agj1 #agf1 #ahd1 #bja1 #bcg1 #bge1 #bhj1 #bif1 #cbe1 #cbi1 #cgc1 #chb4 ,see ,contemplation4 mushtq1 #bfe4 ,music1 #cii-dac4 mustaghriq1 #cgc4 mustahlik1 #cjh4 mustami1 #agd1 #djb4 mustaqm1 #ahd1 #cfi4 mustawif1 #ce4 mutaahhil1 #cdi4 mutakallim1 #aca1 #aed4 mutakawwin1 #cfi4 mutamakkin1 #aai1 #aeb1 #afh1 #cfi1 #cgb4 mutaraddid1 #cgb4 mutaawwif1 #cd1 #ce1 #agb4 mutaawwifa1 #af4 mutawassi1 #djg4 muwaid1 #bgj1 #bgh4 ,n4 nab1 #abi4 nadam1 #bid4 nadmat1 #bie1 #bif1 #big4 nafs1 #adi1 #aed1 #ahb1 #aif-baj1 #bdj1 #bgg1 #cjc1 #djd4 ,see ,soul1 the lower4 nafs-i lawwma1 #fb4 nafy1 #cgi1 #chj1 #chf4 najw1 #ceb1 #che4 nakirat1 #gi1 #agh4 nalayn1 #cde4 namz1 #cjj4 ,name1 the great1 of ,god1 #aje4 ,names of ,god1 #cag1 #chb4 naskh-i arw1 #bfj4 nifq1 #hi1 #bia4 ,novices1 discipline of1 #ed1 #aie1 #cja1 #cjb1 #cch1 #ced4 numd1 #afg4 ,nuqab1 #bad4 ,o4 ,obedience1 #he1 #ij1 #bhg1 #bhh1 #caa1 #cab4 ,p4 pals1 #ea4 ,pantheism1 #bdc1 #bdf4 ,see ull1 ittid1 imtizj1 fan1 tawd1 ,union with ,god4 ,paradise1 of no account1 #ajg1 #aaa2 the effect of ,god's satisfaction1 #aii4 prs-mardn1 #bfe4 ,passion1 #bjg-aj4 ,see haw4 ,patience1 #hf4 ,persecution of fs1 #acg1 #adj1 #aed1 #aij1 #aia4 ,pilgrimage1 the1 #ajg1 #cbf-i4 pindsht1 #aej1 #aee4 pr1 #ag1 #ee4 ,poetry1 the hearing of1 #cig1 #cih4 ,poets1 the pre-,islamic1 #cgb4 ,polytheism1 #ch1 #aac1 #acb4 ,see shirk4 ,poverty1 practical1 #fj2 spiritual1 #ai-bi1 #di1 #eh-fa1 #aba1 #abg1 #cdi2 voluntary and compulsory1 #ga1 #caf4 ,see faqr4 ,praise of ,god4 ,see dhikr4 ,prayer1 #aa1 #cjj-d4 ,predestination1 #ag1 #ajd1 #bjc1 #bji1 #baj1 #bgc4 ,see jabr4 ,prophets1 miracles of the1 #bai-bf4 ,see mujizat4 ---- the1 superior to the ,saints1 #abi1 #bai1 #bce-i4 ---- and ,saints1 the1 superior to the ,angels1 #bci-da4 ,purgation1 #gj4 ,see ,mortification4 ,purification1 #bia-d4 ,purity1 spiritual1 #eh-fa4 ,see saf and afwat4 ,q4 qab1 #dh1 #eb1 #acc1 #ahc4 qab1 #aha1 #cgd-f4 qadar1 #ge4 qadm1 #ib1 #bfb1 #chf4 qahr1 #cfi1 #cgg-i4 qarr1 #che4 qawwl1 #aci1 #aga1 #dae4 qayd1 #chg4 qibla1 #ab1 #cjj1 #cja1 #ced4 qidam1 #bfc4 qub1 #chg4 qudrat1 #cjj4 ,quietism4 ,see ri and tawakkul4 ,quietists1 four classes of1 #agh4 qurb1 #he1 #bbf1 #bch1 #cji4 qurbat1 #bf1 #aia1 #bdi1 #cjj4 qud1 #cij4 ,qub1 #adg1 #bjf1 #bad1 #bbh1 #bbi4 quwwat1 #bhj4 ,r4 rabbn1 #ba1 #cc4 rhib1 #if4 raj1 #acc1 #cga4 rakwa1 #fi4 rams1 #chd4 raq1 #daf4 rasdagn1 #bbh1 #bcc4 rasm1 #ce1 #cf4 ,rationalism1 #ge4 ,see ,mutazilites1 ,qadarites4 rayn1 #e1 #cia4 ,renunciation1 #gj1 #ga1 #ajd4 ,see ,asceticism and thr and zuhd4 ,repentance1 #bid-i4 ,see tawbat4 ,resignation1 #gc4 ,see taslm and ri4 ribt1 #if4 ri1 #g1 #bj1 #bf1 #hi1 #ia1 #ii1 #aag1 #abf1 #aeg1 #agg-hj1 #ahb1 #bag1 #bdf4 riddat1 #bbe4 riy1 #cjd4 riyat1 #aif1 #bjb4 rubbiyyat1 #ada1 #aeg1 #baj4 r1 #aif1 #aig1 #bfa4 rn1 #bj4 riyn1 #bff4 ruj1 #cia4 rukha1 #aaf4 rusm1 #db4 ruyat1 #chi4 ,see ,vision4 ruyat-i ft1 #aei4 rza-i wil1 #cbb4 ,s4 alk1 #ig1 #agc4 abr1 #hf4 ,sacrifice1 spiritual1 #aid4 ,see thr4 diq1 #cbe4 af1 #cj1 #ca1 #cb1 #cd1 #ce1 #dh1 #eb1 #eh1 #cbh4 ,see ,purity4 safah1 #chg4 afwat1 #eh1 #aji1 #afg1 #cji1 #caj4 ,see ,purity4 i l-qulb1 #he4 ib jam1 #beh4 ---- shar1 #bbf4 ---- sirr1 #bbf4 ---- ab1 #aeh4 saw1 #eh1 #he1 #ahd-h1 #bbh1 #cgc1 #chj4 ,see ,sobriety4 ,saints1 the1 #fc1 #aaf1 #abi1 #acj1 #ach1 #baj-da1 #bie4 ,saintship1 definitions of1 #baf-ah4 sakh1 #cag4 alt1 #cjj4 sam1 #ej1 #eg1 #aga1 #cic-dbj4 satr1 #chj4 awm1 #cf1 #cbj4 sayy1 #aah1 #agc4 ,self-conceit1 #fb1 #fc1 #adh1 #aee1 #aef1 #bad1 #cdf4 ,self-knowledge1 #aig4 ,selfishness1 #c4 ,see nafs4 ,senses1 the five1 #bji1 #cba1 #cbb1 #cic4 shafaqat1 #acd4 shahdat1 #ccc4 shhid1 #bfe1 #cgc4 shahwat1 #bjh4 ,see ,lust4 shalth1 #h4 shaqwat1 #chi4 sharat1 #ad1 #af1 #chc-d4 ,see ,law1 the4 sha1 #afh4 shawhid1 #dj4 shawq1 #ib1 #abh4 ,shaykhs1 the f1 character of the1 #ee-g4 shirk1 #aac1 #bgc4 ,see ,polytheism4 shurb1 #eh1 #cib4 shurd1 #chi1 #cij4 iddq1 #ca1 #de1 #aae1 #abi1 #acf4 idq1 #aja4 ifat1 #e1 #aha1 #bfd1 #chf4 ,silence1 rules in1 #cee4 ,sin1 #aif1 #bbe1 #bhf1 #bid-i4 ,sincerity1 #hi1 #aja1 #ajc1 #bia4 sirr1 #cji1 #ccc1 #cgc1 #che4 siyat1 #ec1 #aib4 siyyn1 #chf4 ,sleep1 #aji4 ,sleeping1 rules in1 #cea-d4 ,sobriety1 spiritual1 #bbf-i1 #bdh1 #ceb4 ,see aw4 ,solitude1 #ajc1 #ahh1 #cch4 ,see uzlat and wadat4 ,soul1 the lower or animal1 #i1 #aif-baj1 #cbe4 ,see nafs4 ,speech1 rules in1 #cee4 ,spirit1 the1 #aif-bjj1 #bfa-f4 ,see r4 ,states of mystics1 #ac1 #cb1 #cc1 #da1 #dg1 #ee1 #ahj-c1 #bdi1 #cjh1 #cfg-gj4 ,see awl and l4 ,stations of the mystic ,path1 #bf1 #cc1 #eh1 #acc1 #afh1 #ahj-c1 #bdi1 #cjb1 #cjh1 #cgj-a4 ,see maqm4 sul1 #chf4 f and fiism1 definitions of1 #cd-dd1 #afe4 ---- origin of the name1 #cj4 ---- sects1 the twelve1 #acj1 #agf-bff4 ubat1 #aeg1 #aei1 #age1 #ahi4 ,see ,companionship4 sukr1 #he1 #aah1 #ahd-h1 #chj4 ,see ,intoxication4 ,sunna1 the1 #f1 #ad1 #bc1 #df1 #ccd1 #cde1 #cfa4 rat-i mahd1 #aii4 ,t4 at1 #bjc1 #bbe1 #bhg4 ab1 #e4 biiyn1 #bhj4 abyi1 #aig4 tadbr1 #adj4 tafrd1 #bha4 tafriqat 7tafriqa71 #aid1 #bcg1 #bea-fj1 #bff1 #bhe1 #chj4 ght1 #gh4 taall1 #chi4 ahrat1 #bia-d4 tib1 #bie1 #cia4 tajall1 #bgf1 #chi1 #cij4 tajrd1 #de1 #fj1 #aba1 #ace1 #aeh1 #afe1 #agf1 #bbb4 tajziya1 #bcf4 takalluf1 #ea1 #cah1 #ccd1 #cfd1 #dai4 takawwun1 #cfi4 takbr1 #aji1 #cjc4 takhall1 #chi4 takhll-i masin1 #bic4 taklf1 #ahd1 #bjd1 #bgb1 #cic4 alab1 #ig1 #bja4 talbs1 #age1 #cia-ib4 lib1 #cd1 #ci1 #afi4 talwn1 #cgb4 tamkn1 #ga1 #gb1 #adg1 #aeh1 #bbf1 #bbh1 #cgj-c4 ams1 #chd4 tansukhiyn1 #bfd4 tanzh1 #bch1 #cbf1 #cgd1 #chd4 taqw1 #ccd4 arab1 #ig4 arq1 #ij4 tarqat1 #ea1 #ed1 #cba4 aarruf1 #bhb4 taawwuf1 #ce1 #ahi4 tadq1 #bhf4 tashbh1 #bgj1 #bga1 #bhj1 #ccb4 taslm1 #adj1 #bji1 #bfh1 #cga4 tasmiyat1 #chf4 tal1 #ajd1 #bjb1 #bef1 #beg1 #bgj1 #bga4 tawjud1 #daj1 #dac-af4 tawakkul1 #ai1 #aag1 #abf1 #adf1 #aec1 #agg1 #aha1 #bje1 #bij4 awli1 #che4 awriq1 #che4 tawbat1 #gi1 #hh1 #aha1 #bid-i1 #cga1 #cia4 tawfq1 #f1 #bjc1 #bhh4 tawd1 #i1 #ag1 #cf1 #ajd1 #ajg1 #aac1 #aeh1 #agb1 #bjb1 #bje1 #bcf1 #bec1 #bgh-he1 #cce1 #cgd1 #cha1 #che4 tawl1 #djd4 tayd1 #cgi4 ,technical terms of the fs1 #cfg-ib4 than-yi jaml1 #cjf1 #cjg4 thawb1 #d1 #adf4 ,time1 mystical meaning of1 #ac4 ,see waqt4 ,traditions of the ,prophet1 #d1 #ai1 #bj1 #cj1 #df1 #eb1 #ee1 #fj1 #fa1 #fc1 #gj1 #gb1 #hj1 #ij1 #ii1 #ajh1 #aaf1 #abb1 #adc1 #adh1 #afa1 #afh1 #agi1 #ahd1 #ahf1 #aib1 #aig1 #bjj1 #bjb1 #bjh1 #baa1 #bab1 #bcj1 #bca1 #bcb1 #bed1 #bfa1 #bfb1 #bfc1 #bfg1 #bge1 #bgg1 #bgh1 #bhc1 #bhg1 #bia1 #bid1 #bif1 #cjj1 #cja1 #cjb1 #cjd1 #cje1 #cab1 #cad1 #cbj1 #cba1 #cbb1 #cbd1 #cbi1 #ccc1 #ccd1 #cce1 #ccf1 #ccg1 #cch1 #cdd1 #cea1 #ceb1 #cee1 #ceh1 #cfa1 #cfb1 #cfc1 #cfd1 #cfh1 #cha1 #chh1 #chi1 #cia1 #cif1 #cig1 #cih1 #cii1 #dja1 #djc1 #dac1 #dae1 #dah4 ,transmigration of spirits1 #bfj1 #bfb-d4 ,travel1 #cde-g4 ,trinity1 the ,christian1 #bhe4 ,trust in ,god1 #aae1 #aeg1 #afc1 #cei4 ,see tawakkul4 ,truth1 the1 #aci1 #adj4 ,see aqq and aqqat4 ,u4 ubdiyyat1 #gi1 #ada1 #aeg1 #aei1 #bcg1 #bde1 #beg4 ukkza1 #ajb4 ulam1 #g1 #aa1 #ca1 #bac1 #chb4 ,see ,divines4 ulfat1 #aeh1 #cbf4 ,unification1 #ajf1 #aeh1 #afd1 #agf1 #bgh-he1 #bhi1 #bia4 ,see tawd4 ,union with ,god1 #aah1 #aai1 #aca1 #afc1 #bja1 #bjb-e1 #bjh1 #cjb4 ,see fan1 jam1 ur4 ,unity of ,god1 the4 ,see ,unification4 uns1 #cja1 #cji1 #cgf-g4 ul1 #gd4 uzlat1 #gb1 #aij4 ,v4 ,veils1 spiritual1 #d1 #e1 #h1 #i1 #aaa1 #afh1 #bjj1 #bdi1 #cca1 #ccb4 ,see ijb4 ,vigils1 #ach4 ,vision1 spiritual1 #ch1 #aaa1 #ahe1 #ahf1 #ccb1 #cha1 #chb1 #chi1 #cic1 #djc4 ,visions1 #aea1 #afg4 ,w4 wadniyyat1 #bha4 wadat1 #hd4 widiyyat1 #bdf4 washat1 #adg4 wajd1 #afg1 #cfh1 #che1 #dac-af1 #dai4 walyat1 #baj4 wal1 #abi1 #baa1 #bab1 #bae4 ,walking1 rules in1 #cdi-ea4 wqia1 #chg1 #chh4 waqt1 #ac1 #bg1 #cbi1 #cfg-gj1 #chj1 #dai4 wara1 #ag4 wrid1 #che1 #djd1 #djg4 wasi1 #chd4 wal1 #cji4 wasws1 #aff1 #bjh1 #bic4 waan1 #e4 waant1 #add1 #chd4 ,way to ,god1 the1 #aba1 #bcc1 #bfi1 #bgj1 #bgd1 #cga4 ,wealth1 spiritual1 #ba-c1 #eh1 #abc1 #abg4 wilyat1 #baj1 #baa1 #bbe4 ,wool1 garments of1 #cj1 #cb1 #dj1 #de1 #df1 #ea4 wujd1 #bec1 #cgc1 #dac-af4 wul1 #aah1 #aai4 ,y4 yad-i sufl1 #caf4 yad-i uly1 #caf4 yft1 #bja4 yagnag1 #bd1 #ccc1 #cgg4 yaqn1 #acj1 #add1 #bdh1 #bgb1 #ccj1 #cha4 ,z4 zaddq1 #ca4 hiriyn1 #aed1 #bda4 zakt1 #cad-ag4 zand pzand1 #djd4 zandaqa1 #h1 #aeb1 #djd4 zawid1 #chd4 zindq1 #ag1 #djd4 zuhd1 #ag1 #agi1 #aha1 #cga4 uhr1 #cfi4 ulm1 #chg4 zunnr1 #bei1 #bgc4 ,,iii4 ,,books4 ,a4 db al-murdn1 by ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 #cch4 ,asrr al-khiraq wa l-mant1 by ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,hujwr1 #ef4 ,b4 ,bar al-qulb1 by ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,hujwr1 #bei4 ,g4 ,ghala al-wjidn1 by ,ruwaym1 #ace4 ,gospel1 the1 #djg4 ,k4 ,khatm al-wilyat1 by ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 #ada4 ,kitb adhb al-qabr1 by ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 #ada4 ,kitb al-bayn li-ahl al-iyn1 by ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,hujwr1 #bei4 ,kitb-i fan baq1 by ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,hujwr1 #fj4 ,kitb al-luma1 by ,ab ,nar al-,sarrj1 #bee1 #cbc1 #cda4 ,kitb-i maabbat1 by ,amr b4 ,uthmn al-,makk1 #cji4 ,kitb al-nahj1 by ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 #ada4 ,kitb al-sam1 by ,ab ,abd al-,ramn al-,sulam1 #dja4 ,kitb al-tawd1 by ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 #ada4 ,koran1 the1 #f1 #ad1 #ai1 #bc1 #gj1 #gg1 #hh1 #if1 #ig1 #ih1 #aag1 #abd1 #ace1 #adi1 #bcj1 #cjj1 #cja1 #cjd1 #cjg1 #cag1 #cbc1 #cid-g1 #daa1 #dae4 ,koran1 citations from the1 #c1 #e1 #i1 #aa1 #ai1 #bb1 #bd1 #cj1 #cb1 #dj1 #da1 #db1 #de1 #dg1 #eg1 #fb1 #fc1 #gd1 #gh1 #gi1 #ha1 #he1 #ij1 #ia1 #ig1 #ajb1 #ajc1 #aji1 #abb1 #aef1 #aei1 #afj1 #afg1 #ahe1 #ahf1 #aij1 #aic1 #aid1 #aig1 #aih1 #bjj1 #bja1 #bjb1 #bjd1 #bjh1 #baj1 #baa1 #bab1 #bae1 #bcj1 #bcg1 #bch1 #bci1 #bda1 #bdf1 #bdi1 #bea1 #beb1 #bee1 #bfa1 #bfg1 #bfh1 #bfi1 #bgc1 #bgh1 #bhc1 #bhi1 #bia1 #bid1 #bie1 #bif1 #big1 #cjd1 #caa1 #cab1 #caf1 #cbj1 #cbd1 #ccj1 #ccf1 #cch1 #cdh1 #cdi1 #cej1 #ced1 #cee1 #ceg1 #cfj1 #cfh1 #cgj1 #cga1 #cgb1 #cgc1 #cgd1 #cge1 #cgg1 #chj1 #cha1 #chd1 #chh1 #cij1 #cia1 #cib1 #cid-g1 #cii1 #djc1 #dae4 ,koran1 commentary on the1 by ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 #ada4 ,l4 ,luma4 ,see ,kitb al-luma4 ,m4 ,minhj al-dn1 by ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,hujwr1 #b1 #hj1 #aec4 ,mirt al-ukam1 by ,shh b4 ,shuj al-,kirmn1 #ach4 ,n4 ,nafat al-uns1 by ,jm1 #af1 #ba1 #da1 #dc1 #dd1 #afi1 #agb1 #agc1 #bcd1 #bdi1 #beg1 #bfj1 #bih1 #cjd1 #cbc1 #cbe1 #cce1 #cch1 #ceh1 #cgd1 #djh1 #dae4 ,nawdir al-ul1 by ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 #ada4 ,nuzhat al-qulb1 by amdallh ,mustawf1 #ea4 ,r4 ,riyat1 by rith al-,musib1 #ajh4 al-,riyat bi-uqq ,allah1 by ,amad b4 ,kharya1 #cch4 al-,riyat li-uqq ,allah1 by ,al b4 ,uthmn al-,hujwr1 #bhj4 ,t4 abaqt al-uff1 by ,dhahab1 #aah4 abaqt al-fiyya1 by ,ab ,abd al-,ramn al-,sulam1 #ajh1 #aad4 ,tadhkirat al-awliy1 by ,ar1 #ea1 #acg1 #bch4 ,tarft1 by ,jurjn1 #cgc4 ,tarkh-i mashyikh 7,history of the f ,shaykhs71 by ,muammad b4 ,al al-,tirmidh1 #df4 ,ta al-irdat1 by ,junayd1 #cch4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,transcriber's ,note ,occasional lapses of punctuation in the various indexes have been silently corrected4 ,other errors deemed most likely to be the printer's have been corrected1 and are noted here4 ,the references are either to the page and line1 or1 where three numbers are employed1 to the line within a footnote in the original4 #b4bh ,the truth is best known to ,god ,god4 ,added4 #ci4cc fa-li-,yay wa-amm_/a labs ,replaced4 #hb4ba ,abu l-,marthad ,kinna b4 al-u_/sayn ,replaced4 #ia4aj ,amr b4 ,uthmn al-,makk ,restored4 #if4cf yet ,i feel fear within myself'4_/4' ,transposed4 #ajh4a4a ,riyat li-uqq ,all_/ah ,replaced4 #ada4e4a 8,the ,book of ,unification40 ,missing4 #aic4ag 8_/#8,they prefer them to themselves1 444 ,replaced4 #bjj4bg 7al-jihd al-akbar704 ,added4 #aic4ah 444 although they are indigent0_/' ,replaced4 #bbi4bc ,afterwards ,muammad b4 ,al asked a question ,inserted4 #dcf4bi khus_/iyyat1 #beg4 ,replaced4