II. 5.
In the opinion of the Sufis, 'ilm-i-kiyam signifieth: —
A special 'ilm, wherein, in all movings and restings, outward and inward, the slave seeth God standing over him and observing him.
This sense is from the Kuran.
Hence, the slave keepeth himself adorned, outwardly and inwardly, with the garment of rules agreeing with the orders of God, and separated from the garment of opposition (to Him).
This is a precious 'ilm which, in Sufistic idiom, they call: — 'ilm-i-murakaba1 Who maketh it his inward habit, becometh delighted with all exalted makams and precious hals; the reverence and the fear of God become his teacher in all affairs as Muhammad hath said.
Sahl Abdu-l-lah Tastari mostly ordered his murids by this 'ilm of precept; and said: — Void of four things, be ye not.
i. 'ilm-i-kiyam, that ye may, in every hal, see God as witnesser and observer of you.
ii. the service of devotion, that ye may ever keep yourselves established in confirmity with devotion to Him.
iii. constantly ask God for the aid of His grace in respect of these two things, (i, ii).
iv. persevere in these three things till death; for, in these four things, are the good of this, and the next, world; and happiness inwardly and outwardly.
'Ilm-i-kiyam is the zikr of the heart at the time of motion limbs and resolution of the heart in respect to: —
(a) kiyam, on himself. (b) shuhud-i-hakk, on God.
So that in conformity with that ordered, the motion and the resolution may be.
This they call: — (a) zikr-i-fariza, the zikr of God's ordinance. (b) zikr-i-zaban, the zikr of the tongue. (c) zikr-i-fazilat, the zikr of excellence. Thus, they say
Yesterday is dead; to-morrow is not born; to-day is in the agonies of death. Who is engaged in the zikr of the past and of the future is in destruction.
The safety and the salvation of the people is in their being engaged in the ordinance of the time ('ilm-i-kiyam), with the practice of the pleasurable deed. Because, in this hal, theirs can be: —
breathing. rest. doing anything. favour.
Than other 'ilms, this 'ilm is: — more dear, more strange, more profitable.
Yours the service of that in surety whereof are included perpetual country and constant favour.
Who perpetually seeketh this fortune without preface, maketh severance of connections; without shunning the society of strangers, patience as to the opposition of nafs appeareth not.
II. 6.
Of the special Sufistic 'ilms, one is:—
' ilm-i-hal.
which consisteth —
in regarding the heart and considering the mystery of that state (which is between the slave and the Lord) by equalling the increase and the loss; by levelling powerfulness and feebleness by the touch-stone of proof, so that by observing truths and by preserving rule he may establish hal.
For, there is a rule for every hal in respect to its own nafs, according to: — (a) the time. (b) the makam.
Thus from the hal of riza, in respect to its nafs, is a rule, — the rest of nafs.
As to the calamities arising from God's order, according to the time when calamity
(a) increaseth is a rule,— the performance of thanks so long as the increase of the hal of riza and the folding of nafs in the folds of despair are not confirmed until the quality of independence and of pride becometh not evident. (b) ceaseth is a rule— asking God for help so that He may open the door of advance and of increase; may preserve nafs from motion; and (for desire of increase) may into the slave's heart, bring a desire shauk-exciting, and a shauk, affliction-mixing.
For the increase of the hal of riza is another order and rule in the stage (a) of concordance (with the orders of God), — riza and joy.
(b) of opposition,— denial and grief.
In each of these two stages, contrary to the rule of increase, is a rule for the decrease of the hal of riza.
Who regardeth the form of his own state between him and the Lord, according to its rule, according to every time and stage, is preserved; and, to the maturity of perfection and to the stage of men (devoted to God), reacheth. Who is careless of it is not secure of the robbers of the Path. This is an employment wherein if his life be expended, not discharged is its due.
The holy travellers of this Path are separate according to difference of power of capacity and of weakness thereof.
Some, in their nafs, know this difference of circumstances (joy and sorrow) and thereby discriminate between their increase and decrease.
Momently, in respect of a former moment they discover the difference of their hal.
Some discover this change at times; some in hours; some in days. Sahl Abdu-l-lah-i-Tastari hath said:— Safety, the slave gaineth not, save when he is learned in his hal and forgetteth it not; and, by it, is obedient to God.
They asked saying: —
What is the 'ilm-i-hal?
He said: —
Whose state with God is the abandoning of will and the negation of desire, ever regardeth this hal according to exigency; and ever abandoneth design; whenever in himself, he findeth inclination to a plan, he denieth it; what knoweth he but that it is the repeller of his hal.
Sahl hath by the abandoning of will made the speciality of the 'ilm-i-hal; because loftier than it, is no hal.
ii. 9.
'Ilm-i-yakin (the knowledge of certainty) signifieth —
The revelation of the light of hakikat in the state of concealment of humanity by the evidence of wajd (ecstasy) and of zauk (delight), not by the guidance of aki (reason) and hadis (report).
They call this light: — (a) beyond the veil,— the light of faith. (b) through the veil,— the light of yakin.
Verily, not more than one light — the light of faith,— is there when it becometh the heart's agent.
Without the veil of humanity, it is the light of yakin. As long as a residue of existence is, ever the cloud of the qualities of humanity go rising from the soul of humanity; and covereth the sun of hakikat (truth).
Sometimes, it becometh scattered; and by way of wajd, the heart from the flashing of the light gaineth zauk, as the cold-stricken one, on whom suddenly shineth, the sun's light from its splendour and warmth gaineth zauk (delight).
Regard the sun as the hakikat-i-haka'ik (the truth of truths) ; its light, like the flashing of hakikat, shining from outside the veil of the light of safety, manifested through the veil of the light of yakin; and the cold-stricken one, like that one veiled with the qualities of humanity in the light of faith.
Then is the light of faith ever firm; the light of yakin, sometimes flashing and bright, as in the hadis.
Yakin hath three degrees. Thus, as to the sun's existence, a person is void of doubt:—
i. by seeking guidance from beholding the sun's splendour and understanding its heat.
This is 'ilm-i-yakin. ii. by beholding the sun's body. This is ainu-l-yakin.
iii. by the dispersing of the eye's light in the sun's light.
This is hakku-l-yakin. Then —
(a) in 'ilmu-l-yakin, it is known, verified and evident.
(b) in ainu-l-yakin, it is manifest and witnessed.
(c) in hakku-l-yakin, a double way ariseth in consequence of —
the witnesser, the looker on;
the witnessed, the looked on.
Thus, the seer becometh the eye; the eye, the seer.
In the halof the residue of the composition, this sense (like lightning that cometh into flash and immediately expireth), appeareth not more than a moment to the perfect and to those joined with God.
If an hour it be left, the thread of composition looscneth; and the way of existence ariseth (and departeth).
Of yakin — (a) the root is 'ilmu-l-yakin.
(b) the branches are ainu-l-yakin and hakku-l-yakin. Faith hath many degrees, whereof one is yakin.
Yakin giveth the heart freedom from the perturbation of doubt: it, the shar' hath called faith as in the hadis.
What by way of adducing reasonable proof becometh known is far from 'ilm-i-yakin; because: —
(a) that (the adducing of reasonable proof) is the 'ilm of adducing proof.
(b) this (yakin) is the 'ilm of hal.
Not all at once, save by the rising of the sun of hakikat, becometh the darkness of doubt removed.
III. 2.
Nafs hath two meanings; — (a) nafs-i-shay (the nafs of a thing) which is the zat (essence) and the hakikat (truth) of a thing. Thus they say: —
“ By its own nafs, a certain thing is standing.” (b) nafs-i-natika-i-insani (the human rational nafs) which is the abstract of the graces of the body, which they call— the human natural soul, and a luminosity (which is bestowed on it from the lofty human soul) by which luminosity the body becometh the place of revelation of iniquity and of piety, as the Kuran hath said.
The ma'rifat of nafs is in all qualities difficult, for nafs hath the nature of the chameleon.
Momently appeareth a different colour; hourly cometh forth another form. It is the Harut of the Babil of existence; momently, another vanishing picture on water nafs expresseth, and beginneth another sorcery.
Hints as to the ma'rifat of nafs are (found) in the links and conditions of the ma'rifat of God.
The recognising of nafs in all its qualities, and the reaching to a knowledge of it is not the power of any created thing. Even so difficult, is the reaching to the substance of the ma'rifat of God; and even so, to the ma'rifat of nafs, as 'Ali hath said.
The names of nafs are: —
nafs-i-ammara, imperious nafs (concupiscence).
nafs-i-lawwama, reproaching nafs.
nafs-i-mutma'inna, restful nafs.
They call nafs: — (a) nafs-i-ammara
At the beginning, as long as under its sway, is existence.
(b) nafs-i-lawwama.
In the middle when obedient to the heart's sway it becometh, while is left yet some residue of the nafs of obstinacy whereon it ever reproacheth itself.
(c) nafs-i-mutma'inna.
At the end, when extirpated from it, become the veins of contention and of abhorrence; when from contention with the heart it gaineth rest, and becometh obedient to order; when to riza becometh changed its abhorrence.
In the beginning, when nafs is yet firm in the dwelling of nature, it ever wisheth to draw to its own low dwelling the ruh (soul) and the heart from the lofty region; and ever giveth to itself in their sight the splendour of a new decoration. As a broker, shaitan adorneth the worthless majesty of nafs; and restless for it maketh souls and hearts, so that he may make low the exalted soul, and polluted the purified heart.
Thus have said:— Sahl 'Abdu-l-lah. Abu Yazid. Junid.
The crowd who consider rational nafs and heart to be one, do so because at the end, they find nafs described with the description of rest and contentment (the spe-cialities of the heart).
The suspicion is that between the heart and rational nafs is no difference.
Nafs-i-mutma'inna is indeed another nafs. They know not that it is verily nafs-i-mutma'inna, which is stripped of the garment of vagrancy, and clad in the honour-robe of rest and of riza; and which hath taken the heart's colour.
Whenever, nafs-i-ammara taketh the heart's colour, the heart also taketh the soul's colour (and pursueth good deeds).
in. 3.
The source of the blameable qualities in man is nafs: the source of the laudable qualities is ruh (the soul).
The blameable qualities of nafs are ten: 1. hawa (desire).
Nafs desireth to advance as to its desires; to place in its bosom the desires of nature; to bind on its waist the girdle of its consent with desire and to hold God in partnership, as saith the Kalam-i-Majid.
This quality departeth not save by austerity and by love for God.
2. nifak (hypocrisy).
In many outward states, nafs is not concordant with its interior; not one before it, is man's being absent or his being present.
In man's presence, nafs praiseth and displayeth sincerity; in his absence, — just the contrary.
This quality departeth not save by the existence of sincerity.
3. riya (hypocrisy).
Ever in its bond, is nafs that, in man's sight, it may keep itself adorned with laudable qualities (though in God's sight through hypocrisy they are blameable) : — abundance of property and boasting thereof; violence, pride; independence.
Whatever is reprehensible before the people, nafs shunneth and concealeth,—
though in God's sight it be laudable:— fakr (poverty), submission, humility: laudable in God's sight; reprehensible in the people's estimation.
This departeth not save by knowledge of the paltry worth of the people as Junid and Abu Bakr Warak have said.
Nafs is a hypocrite like unto fire that revealeth the good quality (light), and concealeth the bad quality (consuming).
Although nafs revealeth the beautiful and concealeth the ugly, — it is not concealed save to those of defective vision.
It is like unto an old woman detestable of appearance, who adorneth herself with sumptuous apparel of varied colour and with henna. Only to boys, doth that decoration appear to be good; to the wise, abhorrence increaseth.
4. The claim to Godship, and obstinacy against God. Nafs ever desireth that people should praise it; should obey its orders; should love it above all; should of it be fearful and display the bond of dependence upon its mercy.
Thus against these orders, God cautioneth His own slaves.
These qualities depart not save by the glory of the qualities of God.
5. Pride and self-beholding.
Nafs ever looketh at its own beauteous qualities; regardeth with contentment the form of its own hal. The paltry benefaction that from it occurreth to another, it exalteth; for years forgetteth it not; and regardeth him as being immersed in obligation.
If to nafs, great benefaction cometh, it regardeth it as paltry and almost forgetteth it.
This is of the number of deadly sins as Muhammad hath said, and as is entered in the hadls.
This departeth not save through self-contempt. 6. Avarice and parsimony.
Whatever chattels of goods and of desire it gathereth, it letteth not go save through pride, or through fear of poverty (in the future).
When this quality is strong in nafs, from it springeth envy; for envy is the breeding of miserliness for the property of others.
If it see another with special favour, it seeketh his decline; when it gathereth power, hate appeareth.
Him, who with itself gaineth equality in affluence; whom it seeth distinguished for an excellence, whom it regardeth as the cause of a favour being refused,— his destruction, nafs ever desireth.
This departeth not save under the power of the light of yakin.
[The remainder of this list of blameable qualities of nafs is significantly damaged in the source scan, worsening through the end of the list. The gist of items 7–10 is nonetheless recoverable and reproduced conservatively below; a short closing footnote on the four natures could not be reliably reconstructed and is marked accordingly.]
7. Greediness and asking for more.
Nafs is ever in prolonged delights, and restricteth not itself. Never becometh full the stomach of its need.
It is like the moth that with the candle’s light contenteth not itself; by understanding the injury of its heat it becometh not warned; and casteth itself on the fire so that it becometh consumed.
As nafs suffereth calamity, so its greed for delight becometh greater. This departeth not save by zuhd (austerity) and by takwa (piety).
8. Levity and light-headedness.
Nafs resteth on nothing. When thoughts of lust and of desire arrive, it putteth not in the first place steadiness or delay; it immediately desireth to enact it; therefore in their proper place evident become not rest and motion, for its desire it displayeth celerity.
The sages have likened it to the spherical globe which they place on a court, plain and smooth. It is ever in motion.
This departeth not save by patience.
9. Haste to fatigue.
To nafs, fatigue of things quickly appeareth, and to it showeth the false idea that its being uplifted from the present state and its being employed in a following state will be its rest.
It knoweth not that the guidance of ideas like these will never convey it to its idea. Mostly, the form of occurrence is contrary to its purpose.
If it gain success, then everything that was pleasing becometh abhorrent to it. From this calamity it is impossible to escape save by the establishing of ordered thanks (to God).
10. Negligence.
As towards desire is haste, so towards devotion and good deeds is slothfulness. This disease departeth not save by great austerity and rigorous effort, which fighteth nature by coldness and dryness, and maketh it acceptable, of order, and gentle and smooth like tanned skins.
To each of these qualities of nafs, physicians of nafs (prophets and holy men, and their followers) have applied remedy.
These qualities are the mother of qualities, wherefrom many other qualities are derived. In respect of the branches, the lustful qualities are all sprung from the root of the four natures.
[the four natures and their qualities are illegible in source, ending in “… wetness.”]
III. 5.
The ma'rifat of the soul and the majesty of its understanding is lofty and inaccessible. Not attainable, is its acquisition with the noose of reason. It is asimurgh that hath its nest on the Kaf (Caucasus) of majesty; and as the prey of understanding entereth not the dwelling of writing.
It is a jewel that hath risen from the abyss of the ocean of grandeur; not possible, is the writing of its qualities by the scale of conjecture.
The Lords of revelation and the Masters of hearts (who are prefects of the mysteries of the hidden, and who have become free from the following of desire and from the servitude of nafs) have grudged explanation save by hint.
The most honoured existence, and the nearest evidence to God, — is the great soul2 which to Himself God hath joined.
Great Adam, the first khalifa, the interpreter of God, the key of existence, the reed of invention and the paradise of souls, — all signify the qualities of ruh (the soul) ; and the first prey that fell into the net of existence was the soul.
The will of the ancient one assigned it to His own khilafat in the world of creation; entrusted to it the keys of the treasuries of mysteries; dismissed it for sway in the world; opened to it a great river from the sea of life, — so that ever from it, it might seek aid of the bounty of life; might add to the parts of the universe; might convey the form of divine words from the establishment-place of collection (the Holy Existence) to the place of separation, (the world) might give, with the essence of abridgment, dignity in the essence of division. To it, God gave two glances of divine blessing: —
(a) One for beholding the majesty of kudrat. (b) The other for beholding the beauty of hikmat.
The first glance signifieth natural reason; its result is love for God. The second glance signifieth reason, common and low; its result is wholly nafs. Every bounty, the aid whereof the soul of increase seeketh from the essence of collection (God), — worthy of it, universal nafs becometh.
By reason of active deed, of passive deed and of power, of weakness,3 the attribute of male and of female appeareth; in the soul of increase and universal nafs, — the custom of love-making became confirmed by the link of temperament; by means of marriage, the races of worlds became existing; and by the hand of the midwife of Fate appeared in the apparent world.
Then all created beings are the outcome of nafs and of ruh (the soulj.
Nafs is the result of ruh; ruh, of order. Because by His own self, without any cause (whereto the order is the hint) God created the soul; and by means of ruh, (whereof creation is the hint) the crowd ot created beings.
Since it is necessary that every khalifa should be the comprehender of varied qualities, He clothed the God-like grace and the endless bounty of the soul, in the khilafat of creation, with the honour-robe of all names, and with the qualities of His own beauty and grandeur; and made it honoured in the chief seat of creation.
When the circle of causing to create reached accomplishment, in the mirror of the existence of dusty Adam, the soul became reflected; and in it, all the names and God-like qualities illuminated.
Spread abroad in lofty places, became the rumour of Adam's khilafat; and on the mandate of his khilafat came this royal seal; on the standard of his blessing, became revealed this Kuranic verse: — “To Adam, all names He made known.”4
In the grasp of his sway, they placed the gate of subduing and the eye of decreeing.
For his adoration, they ordered the angels; for that tranquillity (collectedness) was not the angels'.
Some of the angels are in the stage: —
(a) of jamal (beauty) only; they are the angels of kindness and of mercy.
(b) of jalal (grandeur) only; they are the angels of wrath, of mercy, and of vengeance.
By all names, Adam knew God; but the angels only by that name, which was their stage.
The existence in the material world
(a) of Adam became the stage of the form of ruh in the hidden world. (b) of Havva (Eve) became the stage of the form of nafs.
Havva's birth from Adam is like unto the birth of nafs from ruh (the soul) ; and the effects of the marriage of nafs and ruh, and the attraction of male and of female, became assigned to Adam and Havva.
Like to their issuing from ruh and nafs, came into existence the atoms of progeny (which were a deposit in Adam's back-bone) by the union of Adam and Havva.
The existence of Adam and Havva became the exemplar of the existence of ruh and nafs.
In every person of mankind, another exemplar becometh — by the union of ruh (in part) and of nafs (in part) transcribed from the exemplar of Adam and Havva.
Became produced the birth: — (a) of the heart from the two (soul and nafs).
(b) of the form of the male of the sons of Adam from the form of the universal soul.
(c) of the form of the female of the daughters of Eve from the form of universal nafs.
In the form of the female, no prophet hath been sent. Because by reason of sway in the souls of men; and by its effects in creation, prophecy hath the attribute of the male; and the means of revealing the mystery of prophecy is the soul suitable to the form (of man).
IV. 2.
In the idiom of the Sufis:— jam' signifies: — (a) the repelling of structures (creation). (b) the dropping of additions (worldly advantages). (c) the withdrawing of shuhud-i-hakk from creation.
tafraka signifies — the accepting of structures (creation); the confirming of devotion and of Godship; the separating of God from creation.
Jam' without tafraka is impiousness; tafraka without jam' is uselessness; jam' with tafraka is the very truth, for it hath the order of jam' joined to souls, and of tafraka to forms.
As long as the soul and the body are linked, the union of jam' and tafraka is of the requisites of existence.
The true Arif is ever joined: —
(a) to ruh (which is the dwelling of mushahida) in the essence of jam'
(b) to the body (which is the instrument of strife) in the makam of tafraka.
Thus have Junid and Wasiti written.
This state, the Sufis call jam'u-l-jam'
In devotion, who looketh: —
(a) at his own acquisition, is in tafraka. (b) at God's grace, is in jam'.
(c) at neither himself nor at his own deeds, is in jam'u-l-jam' (wholly effaced). Thus Abu Ali Dakkak and Junid have said.
Jam' signifies: —
the veiling and the concealment of the people in the superiority of zuhur va shuhud-i-hakk (revelation and manifestation of God).
tafraka signifies: —
the veiling and the concealment of God in the shuhud-i-wujud-i-khalk (manifestation of the existence of creation).
iv. 3.
Tajalli signifieth:—
the manifestation of the sun of the hakikat of God out from the clouds of humanity.
Istitar signifieth:—
the cloud of the light of hakikat in the revelation of the qualities of humanity.
Tajalli is of three kinds. 1. Tajalli-i-zat.
Its mark (if of the holy traveller's existence something hath remained) is the fana (effacement) of zat, and the annihilation of qualities in the glories of their lights. They call it “falling into a swoon,” as was the state of Musa, whom (by beholding taj-alli) they took out of himself and effaced.
When from God, he sought the appearance of zat5 he had not yet after fana reached baka; in conformity with the guidance ‘let me see,’ at the time of the tajalli of the light of zat on the Tur of the nafs of his existence, — the residue (which is the seeker of manifestation) of the qualities of his existence became effaced.
If from the residue of his existence, fana be wholly separated; and after the fana of existence, its truth be joined to absolute baka (God),— he seeth, by the light of the eternal, the zat of the eternal.
This is an honour-robe that they specially gave to Muhammad; and is a draught that they caused him to taste.
From desire for this cup, they cause to drop a draught into the jaw of the soul of the special ones of his followers.
This sense demandeth the exaltation of the wall (saint) above the nabi (prophet).
For the wali gaineth this rank not of himself, — nay by the perfection of his following the prophet.
2. Tajalli-i-sifat. If the Ancient Existence display tajalli: —
(a) with jalal, he is (on account of His glory, kudrat, and force) in khushu' and khuzu' (humility of heart and of limbs). (b) with jamal, he is (on account of His mercy, grace and blessing) joyous and loving.
The zat of the Eternal changeth not; but according to exigency of will, contrariety of capacity, are evident sometimes outwardly jalal (grandeur) and inwardly jamal (beauty) ; and sometimes the contrary thereto.
3. Tajalli-i-af'al. This signifies; —
The averting of one's glance from the deeds of other people; from them, the severing of additions of good and of evil, of profit, and of loss; the moderating of their praise and blame; of their acceptance and rejection (of one).
For the bare manifestation of divine deeds dismisseth to themselves the people from the addition of deeds.
To the holy traveller in the stages of travelling come in order: —
i. tajalli-i-af'al. ii. tajalli-i-sifat. iii. tajalli-i-zat.
Deeds are the effects of qualities; and, enfolded in zat, are qualities.
For the people, deeds are nearer than qualities; and qualities, nearer than zat.
They call: —
(a) the shuhud-i-tajalli-i-af'al (the manifestation of the glory of deeds), the muhazira (the being present).
(b) the shuhud-i-tajalli-i-sifat (the manifestation of the glory of qualities), the mukashifa (the manifestation).
(c) the shuhud-i-tajalli-i-zat (the manifestation of the glory of zat), the mushahida (the beholding). They call: —
muhazira, the hal of hearts,
mukashifa, the hal of mysteries,
mushahida, the hal of souls.
Cometh truly mushahida from a person, who is standing in the existence of the witnessed (God), not in his own. For the power of the glory of the light of eternity (God) is not of accidents (hadis).
So long as in the witnessed, the shahid (witnesser) is not effaced; and in it becometh not left, His mushahida one cannot make.
After beholding the effects of the flame of separation, and the violence of desire on Majnun's state, a party of the tribe of Majnun interceded with the tribe of Laila, they said: —
“What would it be if, a moment, Majnun's eye become illumined and anointed with the sight of Laila's beauty?”
The tribe of Laila said: —
“To this extent is no harm. But Majnun himself hath not the power of beholding Laila.”
At last, they brought Majnun; and uplifted a corner of Laila's tent. Immediately his glance fell on the fold of Laila's skirt, — senseless he fell. In short: —
The glory of God is the cause of the people being veiled; His being veiled is the cause of manifestation (of glory) of the people.
When God becometh glorified: —
(a) in His own deeds,— in them, the deeds of the people become veiled.
(b) in His zat, — in it, the zat, the qualities, and deeds of the people become veiled.
For the welfare of the world of hikmat and for enlarging the effects of mercy on His own special ones, — the Absolute Wise one (God) leaveth the residue of the qualities of lusts (which are the source of being veiled), so that, for them and for others, there may be mercy.
For them (the special ones), —
that by the occupations of lusts, they may remain persevering; and by permanency may acquire nearness (to God).
For others (the people in general), —
that annihilated in the essence of fana, and immersed in the sea of jama' they may not become; and that to others their existence may become a source of profit.
Some of the 'Ulama (who are Sufis) have said: —
The istighfar of Muhammad is the demand for this veil in order that he may not be immersed in the sea of shuhud; and that, by him through the link of humanity, men may be benefited.
IV. 4.
Wajd (wajdan) signifieth: —
(a) an event that from God arriveth, and turneth the heart from its own form to— great grief, or to great joy.
(b) a state wherein all the (mortal) qualities of the wajid become cut off; and his nature becometh painted with joy. The wajid (possessor of wajd) signifieth: —
One who hath not yet come forth from the veil of sensual qualities; and is, by his own existence, veiled from God's existence.
Sometimes in the veil of his existence, appeareth an opening whence a ray from the light of God's existence shineth and helpeth him. After that the veil becometh folded; and maujud (existence), lost.
Wajd is intermediate between the preceding disappearing and the following disappearing (of maujud).
Wujud signifieth: —
(a) that in the superiority of the light of the shuhud of maujud (the existence of God), wujud and wajid become lost and naught. (b) the quality of muhdas (accident).
(c) the existence of the quality of Kadim (the Ancient One, God). As Zu-n-Nun hath said.
When, out from hie own existence, the possessor of wajd is not effaced,— he is wajid; and standing in him, is wajd.
When out from his own existence, the possessor of wujud is wholly effaced; and in the existence of maujud is left standing — he is the zat of maujud (the existence of the existence of God) not the?at of wajid (or the zat of the slave).
Wajid signifieth: — One who is the disappearer of his existence. Thus, hath Shibll said.
Who, by the appearance of his own wajd, becometh veiled from the seeing of the wajd of the maujud (the existence of God), — in him joy cometh.
Who, by seeing the wajd of maujud (the existence of God), becometh deprived of the appearance of his own wajd, — from him descendeth the possibility of joy.
Thus, hath Junld said. Wajd is the preface to wujud.
In victory over the fortress of human wujud (existence) every wajd is like to a manjanik (catapult) established by the attraction of the divine world, so that, when the fortress of wujud (existence) is subdued, — it becometh the wajd of wujfld.
The end of wajd is the beginning of wujud. That is —
The wujud of wajd is the cause of the wajid's being deprived of existence, which is the condition of the wujud of maujud (the existence of the existence of God).
Thus have said: —
(a) Abu-l-Husain-i-Nuri.
(b) Shibli.
The taking away of the addition of wajd to self is the essence of accepting tauhid; and its addition to self is the essence of denying (tauhid). Thus hath Bayizid said.
As wajd is the preface to wujud, so tawajud (wajd-making,) is the preface to wajd.
Tawajud signifies:—
The asking for, and the attracting of wajd, by way of—
(a) tazakkur (repeating),
(b) tafakkur (reflecting).
(c) sincere resemblance to the man of wajd (in motion and in rest).
Although apparently tawajud is preparation; preparation is the opposite to sincerity, yet since the resolution of the mutavvajid, in this form of tawajud, is wholly inclination for acceptance of the aid of divine bounty; and (is) true offering for snuffing up divine odours,— it is not contrary to sincerity.
Thus, the sharfat hath permitted and ordered. The description of the man — (a) of the beginning is tawajud. (b) of the path is wajd. (c) of acquisition is wujud.
IV. 6.
To wakt, Sufis assign three meanings. Wakt may mean: —
a quality such as kabz (contraction), bast (expansion), sorrow or joy, — that prevaileth over the from exceeding superiority of hal, the possessor of this wakt cannot understand another hal.
So the possessor of the hal of kabz, with the superiority of the hal, is so impressed and filled that he flndeth an impression neither from the passed bast, nor from the coming bast. All his time, he seeth the wakt-i-hal; over the hal of others, according to his own hal, is his own sway which thus becometh the source of error.
Every hal concordant with his own hal, he decreeth as to its truth; otherwise, as to its falsity.
In this explanation, the sense of wakt is general, — both for the holy traveller, and for him who is not.
Wakt may mean: —
A hal that, by assault, appeareth from the ghaibat (the hidden) ; taketh by the superiority of its sway the holy traveller from his own hal; and maketh him submissive to its own order.
Special to the holy traveller, is this wakt and is a hint to the saying— “Son of his time is the Sufi.”
When they say “by the decree of wakt,” they mean:— That, by God's will, out of his own will, he is seized and veiled.
In respect of the order of “ other than God,” — whoshoweth contentment, cometh into strife (with God) ; and by its influence, is subdued. Hence they have said — “Wakt is the slaying sword.”
The sword hath two qualities, — one soft and smooth; the other the keen, cutting edge. Who displayeth to it softness and rubbeth it with gentleness — findeth from it softness; who displayeth to it roughness suffereth the wound of its violence.
Even so wakt hath two qualities — gentleness and wrathfulness. Agreement and concordance with it who maketh, enjoyeth its grace; repulsion and opposition to it, who maketh, becometh overpowered by its violence.
By the passing of God's purpose, wakt, is over all purposes and states the prevailer; and, according to its own decree, fashioneth them — like the sword, the severer.
Wakt may mean —
The present time, which is middle, between the past and the future.
[A clause is missing or illegible in the source scan before the following fragment.]
…slave. They say: — “Master of wakt is such a one.” That is: —
Being engaged in the performance of recitations of the present time, solicitude for a thing (which at that time may be important and best) keepeth him engaged from mention of the past, and from thinking of the future. Thus, his time, he loseth not.
In this wakt, decline is not passed save in connection with holy travellers, to whom, by reason of the talwin of hal, this wakt is sometimes existent and sometimes lost; and who, into the volume of credit, bring not the account of their own life save at the time when wakt is existent.
For those joined to God and for the companions of tamkin, this wakt is constant; and to it the path of decline is closed.
Thus, hath Shibli said.
The possessor of this wakt is issuer from beneath the sway of hal.
In the second sense, wakt is not powerful in him. Nay, he is powerful in wakt in the sense that he keepeth all wakt engaged in important affairs.
Some Sufis call the possessor of wakt: — The father of wakt, not the son of wakt.
Nafas signifieth: —
The succession of hal of mushahida (manifestation), whereto is joined the life of hearts of men of love, which is like unto the succession of breaths, whereto is conditioned the permanency of the life of bodies.
If for a moment from the path of the heart, the succession of fresh breath be cut off, — from the volume of natural heat, it becometh inflamed; if for a moment, from the essence of the desirous heart, the succession of shuhud, — from the violence of its thirst and rage, it consumeth with desire.
The difference between wakt (in the second sense) and nafas is this: —
Wakt is a hal in the place of languor and of stoppage; and an event in the pursuit, and in the observing, of mushahida (manifestation) and of ghaibat (concealment). Nafas is a hal ever free from languor and stoppage. Hence they have said: Wakt for the beginner, for the finisher, nafas.
IV. 7.
Shuhud signifieth
Being present. With whatever the heart is present, shahid (witness) of it, it is; and that thing is mashhud (witnessed) by it (the heart). If the heart be present with God, it is shahid (witness) of God: if the heart be present with the people, it is shahid of the people. The way of Sufis is: —
to call the mashhud (witnessed) shahid (witnesser) ; because with whatever the heart is present, that thing also is present with the heart.
For the sake of the unity of God and the plurality of the people, they mean: —
(a) by shahid (singular) God. (b) by shawahid (plural) the people.
(c) by shuhud (singular) being present with God; for ever is their heart shahid (witness) of, and hazir (present) with, God. Men of shuhud are two parties: —
(a) the companions, of murakaba (fearful contemplation).
(b) the lords of mushahida (manifestation).
Ghaibat is a description opposed to shuhud: —
(i) the blameable ghaibat, opposed to shuhud-i-hakk.
(ii) the laudable ghaibat, opposed to shuhud-i-khalk which (through the superiority of the shuhud-i-hakk) is of two kinds:—
(a) the ghaibat of beginners; the ghaibat of things felt.
(b) the ghaibat of the middle ones; the ghaibat of his own existence; this is the limit of ghaibat and the beginning of fana (effacement).
The stage of “ the last ones” is outside the hal of ghaibat. For ghaibat is the hal of that one, who hath not freed himself from the narrow place of existence; nor reached the amplitude of Absolute Existence (God) ; nor gained the limit as to ghaibat (the being hidden) and as to shahadat (the being present).
Men of blameable ghaibat are hidden from the shuhud-i-hakk by the shahid of the people: men of laudable ghaibat are hidden from the shuhud-i-khalk by the shahid of God.
To the man of perfection, they conceal neither the shuhud of God from the people; nor the shuhud of the people from God.
The observing of rules and the following of shuhud and of laudable ghaibat is for holy travellers and for men of talwin.
For those joined to God and for the established ones at rest is no hal save constant shuhud-i-hakk. For them is no ghaibat, laudable or blameable.
At the beginning of the superiority of hal, and at the time of manifestation of the good news of the morning of revelation, Shibli went before Junid; and present; was Junid's lawful spouse.
She wished to go behind the screen. Junid said: — Shibli is ghaib (hidden) ; be thou in thy place.
Even as Junid was speaking to her, Shibli wept. To his wife, Junid said: —
Now thou shouldest be concealed, for to sense Shibli hath come.
The state of beginners is: —
Ghaibat from the people in shuhud of the beloved; from out of it, “ the last ones ” have passed.
The tale of Zulaikha (Potiphar's wife), who, in love for Yusuf, had the degree of tamkin; and in shuhud of him became not gha'ib from the senses as her companions and reprovers (yet beginners in love for Yusuf and in the shuhud of his beauty), who, by the force of the hal of shuhud for him, were gha'ib from the senses; and were unaware of the cutting of their own hand (through the passion of love for him).
IV. 8.
Tajrid signifieth: —
Outwardly abandoning the desires of this world; and inwardly rejecting the compensation of the next world and of this world.
The true mujarrad: —
is one, who as to tajarrud (tajrid) from the world is not the seeker of compensation; nay the cause of tajarrud is propinquity to God.
Who outwardly abandoneth request of the world; and for it expecteth compensation, in this fleeting world, or in the next world, — freed from the world, verily hath not become; and is in the place of exchanging and trafficking.
In all his devotions, by worship only his gaze is on the performance of his rights to God, not on compensation nor on other desire.
Tafrid signifieth: —
the rejecting the increase of deeds of himself, and the concealing their appearance by regarding on himself God's favour and bounty.
Tajrid is the abandoning of the expectation of compensations.
Because whenhe knoweth the grace of tajrid and of devotion (to be) God's favour — not his own deed nor his own acquisition, —for it, he expecteth not compensation. Nay, immersed in God's favour, he seeth his own existence.
Tajrid in form is not necessary to tajrid; for possibly, in abandoning, he may be expectant of a compensation. So tafrid is not necessary to tajrid; for possibly, in abandoning hope of compensation, he seeth himself in the acquisition of entrance (to God).
IV. 9.
In the opinion of the Sufis, mahv signifieth the obliterating of the slave's existence.
Isbat signifieth: — the confirming (after mahv) of the slave's existence. Related to the will of the Eternal, are mahv and isbat.
[This passage, distinguishing mahv/isbat from fana/baka, is severely damaged in the source scan. Legible fragments are reproduced below; the connecting argument has not been guessed at.]
(see p. 93.)
Mahv hath three degrees: (i) the lowest degree, the mahv of blameable qualities and of dark deeds; (ii) the middle degree, the mahv of blameable and of laudable qualities; (iii) the highest degree, the mahv [illegible in source].
In opposition to every mahv is an isbat. Near to each other is the meaning of fana (effacement) and mahv (obliteration); of baka (permanency) and isbat (confirmation).
[illegible in source] The difference between mahv and fana, between baka and isbat, one cannot comprehend save by the aid of a Friend, and of gracious faith.
Thus the isbat of agreeable qualities and of beautiful deeds is not necessary after the mahv of misdeeds of natures and of the sins of deeds of the companions of purifying and of the Lords of glorying.
The fana of deeds and of qualities becometh not wholly acquired save after the fana of zat; but their mahv is not restricted to the mahv of zat.
Mahv and isbat are generally derived from fana and baka: because they practise not fana and baka, save the mahv of humanity and in the isbat of Godship.
[several lines illegible in source]
IV. 10.
[The opening lines of this section are also badly damaged in the source scan.]
[illegible in source — several lines describing the perpetuity of manifestation and the heart’s tranquillity in nearness to God, and distinguishing between manifestation and its opposite for the traveller who has, or has not, reached the world of zat]
Talwin is possible where numbering is possible.
The Lords of revelation of zat have passed the limit of talwin and reached to the stage of tamkin; because in zat by reason of His unity change appeareth not.
Escape from talwin is for that one whose heart ascendeth from the stage of the heart to the stage of the soul; cometh forth from beneath the sway of the numbering of qualities; and becometh a dweller in the open space of propinquity to Zat (God's existence).
When, from the stage of the heart to the stage of the soul, the heart arriveth, — from the stage of nafs to the stage of the heart, nafs emigrateth.
Talwin (which before was the heart's) becometh in this stage the accident of nafs through —
kabz (contraction), sorrow and fear; bast (expansion), joy and hope.
Nafs becometh the khalifa of the heart of the possessor of talwin.
By reason of the light of manifestation and the certainty of the existence of this talwin not being veiled, — this talwin is verily not the reviled tamkin.
So long as the custom of humanity is left, impossible is it that out of nature change should be wholly obliterated; but change excludeth not the possessor of tam-kin from the stage of resting.
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