THE CLIC O ETEN PIITULITY Library of the Grea Spiritual asters resident and ublisher Kevin Lynch, CS DORL BORD dtor-inChief Richard J ayne ditoral Consultant wer H. Pf Pfessr essr ad De f S al aly y adae Pg Pgram ram Fr Frdham dh am U erst ersty y B r, N. N.Y Y
John BooyPrfessr f Chrh sry, Esal Dy Sh, Cambrdge, Mass. Joseh P Pffessr essr f Kabal Kaba l lah he Deame f esh esh hgh, ebre Uersy, Jersaem, sael lber DebaerePrfessr f he sry f Sray, regra Uesty, Rme aly Louis DurT Rggs Pfess Phlshy f Relg, Yae Uersy, Ne ae C Rozanne derEee \e Pres det, Cstea Pbas, Kaamaz, Mh ircea l adePrfe Prfess ssr r he Dea Dearme rme f he sry f Relgs, Uesty f Cag, Chag, l nne remaneTeaher, Edr ad We :e Yk .Y d roeich Prfe Prfess ssr r f he stry f he Ear Ea r y ad a d Karfr ie Karfr ied Medea C Pret Thelgal Semay Pre rhur Greensssa Prfessr e Deartme f Reg Regs s Thght, Thght, Uersy Uer sy f Pesyaa Pesy aa Phadeha Phade ha Pa. Sanley S Harak a Dea f y Crss reek Orhdx Semary, Brke, Mass Jean L erc Prf Prfes ess s, , sttte sttte f S rtuay and an d se f Relg Relgs s Psyhgy, Psyhgy, rega rega Uesty U esty R tay igue Le no ila i la Pfess Mesamea Cuture ad agag agages es Naa Uersy Uer sy f Mex Mex Uers U ersty ty y e. George aloney Drer J XX Eumea Ceter, Fdam Uesy, Bx, :Y
-Associae Professor of isorical heoogy nd isory of Christinity, Universiy of Chicago Divinity School, Chigo, Ill -Professor of Churh sory, ordhm Universiy, Bronx, NY, and Professor of Ptristics and Church istory, St. ldimirs Seminry, ucahoe, NY -Professor of smics Deprtment of Reigion emple University, Phidelphi, P., nd Visiting Professor, Harvard University Cambridge, M k -Director, nsititue fuer Spetmitteter nd Reformation Universitaet Tuebingen, West Germny. z-Professor of Anthropology, University of e exico Albuquerque N Mex.; elow, he Center for Advnced Study, Stanord, Calif kk-Professor, Deprtment of Religious Studies Unversity of Caliornia San Brbr, Calif kSterling Professor of istory nd Religious Studes le University New ven, Conn. z Professor Islmic hought Deprtment o ea Estern nguges nd Civiition, University of Chicgo, Chicgo, Il -Professor of ndu Muslim Culture, Havrd University, Cmbidge, Mss. -Assistant Professor of New estment Studies nd Spirituity, esuit School of heoogy, ereley, Calif -homs Wtson Professor of Religion, Adjunct Professor of Phiosophy, Syrcuse University, Sycuse, Y -Pesident, University of Dalls, Iving exas. Mon of Mount Savior Monstery Pine City, N C. -Generl Editor, ndboo of oth meican ndins, Smithsonin nstitution Washington, DC -Pofesso of heoogy, Univesity o Chicago Divinity School Chicgo, Ill. -Willim B Kenan Pofesso in nthopology, he Cente fo Advaned Study, University of Viginia Chlottesville, V. -elow of Pembroe Colege, xfod Splding ecturer in sten thodox Studies xford Univesity, Englnd.
Other me n th ere J ul an o Norwi Norwihh SHOWNGS Jao Bohm THE WAY O CHRIS a a h m an o Bra B rat ta avv HE T ALES Grory G rory o y a HE LIFE OF SES Bonavntur TH E SOULS SOULS JOR JOR NEY I NO GOD THE T HE TREE OF LI FE FE and THE L FE OF ST ST F R ACS Wiliam Law A S E R I O S C AL L T O A D E O T AD AD HOLY HO LY L I F E and HE SPRIT OF LO\E A A rah ra h a m I a a Koo K ookk HE LIGHTS OF PETECE LIGHS OF HOLI ESS ESS H E RAL RAL PR I CI PLES PLES ESS AYS a n d POES In Ata Illah THE BOOK OF W S D D and Kwaja Adullah An An ari a ri I ATE COERS A O S Johann Arndt TR CH RI STI AIT ITY Y Riha Ri hard rd o S itor THE WEL E P A R ARCH S HE YS YS I C AL AR K B O K H R E E O F T H E R I Y Orin AN EX H R T AT I O O ARY R D O M P R AY E R AD S ELECTED ELECTED W R KS Cathrin o Gnoa PRGATIO AD PRGATORY THE SPIRIAL DIALGE at atv v o rth rt h Amr m r ia i a n S p i r i t u a l i ty o th th Eat Ea trn rn ood ooda and nd • SCRED Y YH H S D R E AS A S \ I S O S SPEE SP EECH CH ES ES H E AL I G FOR L AS R I ALS ALS A AD D CEREMO CE REMO I ALS ra o Avila TH E I TEROR C ASTLE Ap Ap a y pti pt i S p i r t u a iy i y • TREATISES AD LETERS F L ACTANTI CTANTI US AD AD SO OF T T I E R EDER EDER J O ACH I O F FIORE HE F R ACISCA CISCA SP IR IT A IT ALS LS S A\O \O AR L A At At h a n a iu i u TH E LI FE OF AO AO NY A LEER T A ARC RCEL ELLI LI US US Cathrin o Sina H E DI ALO GUE Sharauddin Manri TH E H NDRED LETER LETERSS Martin Luthr • THEOLOGI THEOLOGI A GER GER ANIC ANIC A Na Na t iv iv oam oa mri ria ann S p i r t u a l ty t y AC AC E Y H S D I SC URS ES ES SORES DOCTRNES HYMNS POES FR HE AZTEC Y UC ATEC C CHE HE AY A AD OTH E R S ACRED CR ED RADITIONS Symon th w Tholoian H E DIS CRSE CRSESS
O O O O O BY
J EE BY
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PU P W K • M • TT
Cor At The art i t Gloria Ort z, i a native of Cali Colombia. Curren tl y a free ance de igne and arti t in Manhattan M . Ort studi ed art at Mar ymount Colege i n Tarrytown New York and ha s shown her paintings in Bogot and New Yo k.
Din: Barini P & o In Coprt© 1980 T i iona r Soit o St. Pa u t Apot i n t Stat o w York Al rit r rd. o pat o ti ook ma rprodud or tranm ittd in a n orm or a n man ltroni or manal i n udn potoopin rordi n o an information tora and rtrial tm itout prmiion in wri tin from t pu l r i ra r o Conr Catalo Card umr 032 IS BN 08091 2 3 3 12Par) 0809 103 1 3-3 Clot ) Pul i d Pauli t Pr 545 I land Road Ram .J . 07446 Printd and ound in t Unitd Stat f Amria
Contents RFC FOROR ROUCO HE L AD ORK OHY ALDN IBN AL'ARAB HS HSORCAL AND SPIRAL CONEX THE BEZELS OSDO HIS HOGH H BLS OF WS OM PREFACE THE SDO ODNIY N THE ORD O ADA HE SD01 O EXPRAION N HE ORD OSEH I HE ISD0 OEXALAON IN HE ORD OF :OAH \" HE ISD01 O HOLNESS IN HE ORD OE:OCH \ HE SD01 O RAPTROS LOE N THE ORD OABRAHA \ HE SD0 O REALTY IN THE ORD OSAAC \I HE SD0 OSBLTY IN HE ORD OF SH1AEL \ THE SD01 OSPIRT I HE ORD OJACOB X HE ISD01 OLGH IN THE ORD OF OSEPH X THE SD01 OF TY N HE ORD OF HD X THE SD01 OOPENNG N HE ORD OSLH
XI XVI
1 1
1 9 9 1
119 1 19
X THE WSDO F THE HEART IN THE WRD OF SH'AIB XII THE WSDM F ASTERY N THE WRD F LT X\ THE WISD F DESTNY N THE WRD OF EZRA X\ THE ISDM F PROPHECY N THE WRD OF JESS X\ THE WO F CMPASSIN IN THE WRD OF SOLO X\ THE WSDOM OF BEING IN THE WRD F DA\ X\I THE WSD01 OF BREATH N THE WRD F JAH XIX THE WSDO F THE NSEEN IN THE WRD F JB XX THE WSD OF MAJESTY IN THE WRD OF JOH XX THE WISD OF DIN IN THE WRD OF ZAARAH XXII THE WSDOM OF INTMACY N THE WORD OF ELIAS XX THE SDO F \RTE THE WRD OF LQMA XX\ THE WSDM F LEADERSHP N THE WORD OF ARON XX\ THE WSDO OF EINENCE THE WORD OF �10SES XX THE WSDO F RSORCE TH WO OF HLID XX\ THE WSDO OF SGLARIY TH WO OF HA�1�1AD
9
BBLOGRH
XS
dtor of ths ole RLH US was born n n W llerby Engand. He hods an Honors degree n Classca rabc and a h.. n slac Mystcs both fro the Un versty of London rng the year he worked a a Research ssstant at the Unversty of Ca lforna Lo ngees. Snce 1 he ha taght rabc and slac Stdes n the Schoo of Orental Stdes at the Un versty of rha f rstly as ec trer and crrently as senor lectrer. rng ths erod he has done research n slac ystcs n genera and n the work of Mhy a ln bn a l rab n artcar n ths connecton he ha ent erods of t e n Morocco and rkey stdyng reevant anscrts n he rodced a transaton of two of bn alrabs atobograhcal works together wth ntrodcton and notes enttled Sus of Andalusa blshed by George llen & Unwn and later b lshed n rench by Edtons Orentales of Pars. n addton he con trbted the frst art of a Swss book on the rab world as alo several artcles on slac qestons blshed n varos ornals H e ha resented aers at varos conferences n England and Eroe on the sbject of slac srtalty rng the ast ten years he has been nvted to take art n any nterrelgos conltatons notably at St Georges Hose Wndsor n and Crrently he s artclarly nterested n t he sybolc a nd archetyal sgnfcance of the enn e n sac ystcs
X
hor of he reface TUS BURCKHRT he so of he faos Swiss sclor Carl Brchardt was bor 9 lorece lhogh at firs he fo owed i his father's fooses as a scltor ad illsrator sice chidhood he had bee srogly attraced o orieta ar This i teres ed h o a heoreical sdy of easer docres ad o reeated so ors saic cories. He was a ges of he ace iversiy i ez. fer stdyig the history of art ad orieal lagages a the Uiversiy of Basle for severa years he becae the drecor of a ewly foded bshig hose he U rs GrafVerag which secalzed i facsiil e editios of acie i l iaed a scris The Book of Kells The ndane Gospels The Amosan la. He trasaed severa ysical wors fro rabic o rech [b alrabs Wsdom of the Pophets, bdlKar alls The Peect an The etes of a Su aste. He also wrote several boos o tra ditioal ar [Saced At n East and West ad At of slam anguage and eanng] as well as hree voles he seres Aodes of the Spt o Chartres Sea ad ez 9 r Brchard was aoited to U SCO to wor o the reservaio of the aciet ciy of ez H e colaboraed o the World of sa estval i Lodo i 9 ad ore recely has acted as a advisor for the laig of a ew iversty ear Meah
PREFACE
t ay we be aked why ayoe hod eter a agic web to foow the tran of thoght which ice it both ytica atre ad rabc tye wi away rea very foregn to or own Why ot et the exert take the trobe to anaye thi work which wa conidered abtre eve by oe of the athor' conteorarie? To a of that the rey ay be given becae trth one and it i iritay coforting to dicover it hdde nder the ot divere aearance. Ovioy we are eak ing here of irita and eterna trth a nd not of that whoy externa trth whch can be eared by cience. We recognie eterna, nvera trth becae we find t in th e very deth of o r ow beng n or heart The ony book worth or attention are thoe whch rg fro the heart and in trn ea to the heart, the Sfi te , and by the word heart' they do not ean the orce of ychoogica feei ng bt oething ch ore rofond eart' can be ndertood a the very center of or ychohyca beng a the eetingace of o ad ind or ore reciey a the foca oint where the ind whch in itef a knowedge or ight i refected in the rror of the o. We have aticated the oe of the rincia thee of the book of b rab a work concerned eentay with the roe of vario rohet in reveation. bn rab nae oe rohet a of who are entioned in the Koran each one i a a vee of d vine Wido wh ich, owing to thi fact take o han natre wth X
PREFACE
s latns al the whe reanng ne and ndvsbe n tself Water derves s cr fr he vessel that hds t, Sf aJnad anans. hs law whch laces n stn the ght f revelatn and a lan whch reflects and cnfnes , s reeaed n every leve f he acrcs and crcs f the wrd and f an w we begn t srse the rance f ths thery fr rhec revea tn We shd n t here ha the wrds rhet and Prh ecy' d n cnvy recsely he sae deas n he hree nthestc relgns. n Chrsan ty esecally a rhet s ne wh fretells he ftre and, re exacy nnnces th e c ng f Chrst w ac crdng he Koran each rhet, ncldng Chrs s a essenger sent by Gd t a arclar ee hs vew deends n a ceran elts and reses that the rhet has reached the srta heghts f han nare and ha he s, l ke Ada, "Gd's reresen tave n earth. he Koran laces he rhes sde hstry w thn the frae wrk f the ntaran essage f s a t seaks n bth genera and nersal ers as were s rhes rn the ga fr Ada t Mhaed and nclde nt ny the rhets and atrarchs f he Od esaent, b als an ndefne nber f essengers sen by Gd ancen Arabc an nnArabc natns. he Bbe str s lnked t vars rhets reaear n art n the Koran b redced ther essenal featres and as t were, crystalzed n sybc accnts bn Arab reles n hese facts fr the Kran t cse what cld be caled a stdy f he rhes. hs s a cenral hee n he Koran whch gves frst lace t the stres f the rhets. t s f eqal rtance t Sfc sraly n whch dfferen rhes crresnd t vars srtal tyes and cnseqeny t dfferent avenes f arach Gd he thees centraly geher wth he s rta l sce f the athr stfes bn Arabs cntentn tha he Prhet had rdered h n a drea t rdce he bk Beels of Wdom s nt altgether sde he sce f r dscssn draw a carsn beween bn Arbs stdy f the rhes and the re resentatns dne by Chrsta n scltrs n the rtals f th Gthc cathedras ntably the nrhern drway f Chartres whch das fr the sae erd as Beel of Wsdom he sacred densn f th characters s carabe n bth tradtns. hey dffer, hwer,
PRECE
snce n the Chrsan sde the statues k t the central fgure f Chrst. reer they are a lcated n he rth sde f the sanc tuary s as t recall that ther ace s n the shadw f the Old estaent befre the rsng f the s rtua Su n wh s Ch rst bn rabs study f the rhets ges beynd the ffcal the lgy f sla and des nt hestate t shatter t wth such deas as absute dv nty whch s unattanable n the ne hand and relatve dvnty n the ther whch des nt exstsnce t s nt f Gd utsde the larty between Creatr and creature. s study als cnta ns hs thery f rttyes r unchangng essences whch have n exstence n ure Beng but nevertheless refract t n the fr f n nu erable ssbltes bn rabs thnkng s fundaentaly Platnc; thus t s nt surrsng that n hs day he was gven the surnae Sn f Plat [I at aart fr hs ttle suree aster [ash-hekh alak ar. s thught has a secal sta and lacks a certan chesn because t s a bendng f ntelectual secuatn n the true sense f the wrd spelare t refect n ntelectual realty beynd the reach f the senses ths reflectn s accan ed by ecstatc v sns w seculatn s answerable t bectve knwledge whe ecstatc vsn derves fr subectve and ystcal nsratn Such nsra tn s nt hwever n any sense unrea. Setes t he tw surces f knwedge cncde an d br ng t the text an extrardnary srtual deth hs s true f the frst chater dealng wth da n whch the frst sentencevery lng wth any nterectnssuarzes the entre Sufc thery n Gds an festatn n the wrld. he text begns wth a arahrase f a dvne utterance well knwn n Msle esters that can be translated as was a hdden treasure wh lnged t be knwn therefre created the wrld. bn rab cntnues wth a arahrase f hs wn When Gd wshed t cnsder the essences f s tt les f erfectn whse nuber s nexhaustbleand f yu refer yu can als say when e wshed t cnsder s wn essencen a glbal bect whch beng brught nt exstence sus u the whle d vne rder n rder thereby t anfest s ystery t sef. . bn rab cents: fr Bengs vsn f tself wthn t self s dfferent fr that bta ned fr anther realty whch Beng uses l ke a rrr Beng s ade knwn t tself n the fr resutng fr the ace f the vsn ths fr exsts wth the lan f reflec X
PREFACE
ton and the lght whh s refleted n t Usng ths rnle as a startng ont, th athor, stll wrtng n the sae sentene seaks of the reaton of da and hs reevng the breath of the dvne Srt. hn he says: "nd ths s sly the realzaton of the caa ty that sh a for ossesses ha vng been revosly dsosed, t receves the nexhastbe orng ot of the essental reveaton . . . He nds the yle wth these words Otsde the dvne Realty, there s only one re recever bt ths recever hself srngs fro the otorng of th Most Hgh for the whole of realty, fro begn nng to end oes fro God alone and t s to H that t retrns as wel l . ed to rohet revelaton, ths consderaton ndates that dvne Wsdo s ade known accordng to the recent who takes on the han for of ths or that rohet. he recevng rohet h sef s of dvne orgn nasch as he s dentfed essentally and n an nfathoable way wth the rototye of the rohet. hs law of recrocty between d vne revelaton and ts han recent a lso exlans the dversty as wel as the transcendent n ty of relgons. n ths case the recetve for whch nvtes and o es the dvne lght to reveal tsef n one way and not another s the redsoston nherent n a erta n setor of han ty. n order to avod al l snde rstandng we shold ont ot that the works wrten by Mhy an bn alrab do not ha ve the n qalfed aroval of al l Sfs or Mosle contelatves w are not seakng here of "otsders who totally reect Sfs n ts eta hysal denson n the books of bn rab and artcarly n hs evelatons eceved at Mecca alutuhat al-mekkyah whch s an accont of raclos exerences there s a qaly ch lke heady wne and ertan Sfc asters are afrad of ts effect on novces sod ke to enton a ersona reco lton aong these l nes When as 2 and l vng n Fez n the od qarter where radonal style an d cloth ng wer stl l n evdence contd aong y frends several ebers of the Sfc classes. hey were rerd any fro aong sklled workrs bt aso ncldd aong ther adherents en who wer earned n the scences whch wer taght at th an ent Mose n versy lrawyn Both gros freenty sok wth great veneraton of the wrtngs of Ibn rab who thy calld ash-hekh alakar the sree aster] t that te h od ty ws fll of sovenrs of the grea Sf who had vsd on svral occ
PAC
sons nd e here soe of he reaes d os ysrous sral en of hs e cae o kow he lce o whch bn rab wod ofe whdraw o ray and ede was a sall osqe saed o far fro he cera baaar and had whn a foa called a a/khe/ "he foan of he horses, waer fro whch fled a large ond The osqe s on wo levels, for Ser ad ner ad s eghtsded nare s bl over he adacen narrow ae. n Fez here are also enclosed gardens, srronded by hgh walls lke he one where b rab sed o ee hs frends One day whle browsg aong he bookshos oose he grea osqe and nversy dscovered a coy of he sevenvole work utuhat a/-ekkyah [evelatons eceved at Mecca] he greates nd os elaborate of he wrngs of hekh alakar Whle agg hrogh, y eyes fell o a ls of les rosg a descrton of all he sra stages eadng o he hghes non bogh the work and carryn g y heavy load fond y way back hrogh he narrow sreets of he ancen cy. On he way chanced o eet y fred Mohaed ben Makhlf, a dervsh wth he rofle of a hawk and a searchng glance He edaely gessed wha was carry ng. "Wha are yo gong o do wth tha? he asked e s ch oo advanced for yo. Wha yo need s a rer [of he srtal lfe] " n ha case he book shall rean on y shelf ntl a wse enogh o sdy . "When yo are wse, yo wll no longer need he book. "Who wa s t wren for hen? " For en who can see throgh wal ls b do no do so, or even wsh o. Ts Brckhard
XV
FOREWORD
h uU al-kam or Bezels of Wsdom wrttn n th latr yars of bn a Arabs f was cary ntndd to srv as a sm m ng of th Andalsan mastr's mystca tachngs and as sch t s n dobtdly on of h s most mortant works da ng as t dos wth all th m ajor thms of hs hghly orgna and normosly n flntal thoght Th work was robaby comosd largly n amascs whr bn aArab snt most of th last tn yars of hs f. ortnaty a manscrt coy of th work xsts whch bars hs sgnatr of aroval. Bng a synotc work th sty s vry concntratd and condnsd mak ng t a cl ary dffclt work to translat nto anothr langag n a way whch maks som sort of sns to th nonArabc sakng and nonMslm radr. Wh t s by no mans as comrhnsv as hs mon mntl Mean evelations whch stl xsts n an atograh manscrt n volms t ro vds mor mmdat accss to n ndrstandng of th ovrall schm and attrn of h s doctrn and ths mor than othrs of hs works rovds th stdnt wth a nq oortnty to com t gr s wth hs tach ngs as a who. n dong so th stdnt s awar that n gral ng wth th comlxt s of bn alA rabs thoght h s da n g wth an ntlcta and s rta hnomnon whch mor than any othr n t h world of sam br ngs togthr n a wondrf synthss a mlttd of srta tradtons and sotrc lor both s XV
FOWOD
ai and nonslaic, and the inflences of which have ereated deely not only into all sbseqent Sf thinking bt also into the fabric of Christian ysticis. ndeed as an exression of rofond insights into the very fndaentals of or han sirital exerience the Beels of Wsdom can have few eqals in the sirita liter atre of the word.
INTROUCTION
HE LE N WORK O U H Y L N BN LRB he ahor of the u al-�kam or he Bezel of Wdom was born on he wenysevenh of Raadan n A.H. , or he sevenh of gs, .D. n the townsh of Mrca n San , whch was rled a he e by M�a ad b. Mardansh H s fl nae was M�a ad b. b. M�aad bn a rab a' al , whch ndcas ha he cae of an ancent rab lneage. Hs faher, who ay have been chef nser to bn Mardansh was clearly a wll known and nflental fgre n the felds of olcs and learnng. he fay sees also to have been a strongly relgos one snce hree of hs nces becae fol lowers of the Sf Way. Wth the defea of bn Mardansh at the hands of the ohads, bn alrab's faly took the recaton of ovng to Sev ll e where thanks o he agnanty of the rler hs faher very soon estabshed a ronent oston n the socety of that cty. When all hs haened, bn alrab was ony eght years old. t was n Sevlle ha he began hs fora edcaton beng sent o st at the f of he conte orary asters of radtonal learnng. ong the sbects he sded a hs te were the ran and s exegess the radons of he Prohet rabc graar a nd cooston and sac Law. bn a rab has left s qt a deta ld accont of h s asters and the sbecs he sded. Hs edcaon s have been sccessfl snce edied by
Badai
XX 1222
INTRODUCTION
he later obaed eloyet as a secretary o the goveror of Se ve abot ths te he arred a grl of a good fay caled Marya. oratey ths ew wfe was aso well acqated wth e of great ety ad clearly shared wth her hsbad hs asrato to follow the Sf ath thogh b arab dd ot becoe forally tated to the Sf Way t l he was twety years of age t sees clear esecally fro the accot he hsef gves s of hs srta asters that he had ket freqet coay wth the Sfs ad stded ther teach gs fro a early age.3 Oe ght also dedce fro h s wrtgs that he yothfl b al rab had attaed to cosderable srtal sght whl e stl h s tees. Ths s show ost strkgly b arab's ow accot of a eetg arraged by hs father betwee h ad the ceebraed h osoher verroes4 set a good day Cordova at the hose of b aWald b Rsd verroes. He had exressed a desre to eet wth e erso sce he had heard of certa revelatos had receved whe rereat ad had show cosderable asoshe cocerg he. coseqece y father who was oe of hs cose freds ook e wth h o he retex of bsess order to gve b Rshd the oortty of akg y acqaace was a he e a beardless yoth s etered the hose the hlosoher rose o greet e wh al the sgs of fredless ad affecto ad ebraced e The he sad to e "es ad showed lea sre o seeg that I had derstood h. o he other had beg aware of the otve for hs leasre reed "o! Uo ths b Rshd drew back fro e hs color chaged ad he seeed to dobt what he had thoght of e. He he t to e the folowg qeso "What solto have yo fod as a rest of ystcal lao ad dve srao oes agree wh what s arrved a by seclatve thogh reled e ad o. Betwee the ea ad the ay the srts take her flght beyod atter ad he ecks detach theselves fro ther bods. t th 2 C Fuh a-maah I, 27. . C u ofndaua a R J i d 7 Fuh 5 .
bn Rhd becae ale nd w hi reble a he ut ered he forla here i no ower ave fro God. Thi wa becase he had ndertood y a lion. Thi aage ao reve a characeriic of bn alrab tha i eviden in any of his wriing naely a ree efconfidence that ofen ade h i i noleran of he achieveens of ohers ring the rocess of his sirita a renticeshi he t have stdied any bect of a ysica nare aong the the eta hsica docri nes of he Sfis cosology esoteric exegesi a nd er has he ore occt sciences sch as asrology a nd alchey here is certainly ch evidence of hi acqainance with sch atter hrogho his works hogh ch of thi s learning ay have been received fro irita asters in a fora way he s aso have cled ch fro exale and constant association with exerts in these sbects. n addition to th e ore theoretical si de of th e Mysic Way bn arab and hi felow disciles were ndobtedly rged by their teacher to ctivate and racice the rite and ethods of he orders. These wold have inclded freqent invocation rayer fast i ng n ight vigi retrea and eriod of editaion Sch earnin g and the accoanying ractices ofen ed to exeriences of a sersen sory natre any of which bn alrab cai to have had dring his ife. n order to encorage sch exerience bn alrab even whi e he was sti l a yong an in Sevile wod send ong hor in the ceeteries co ning with t he irit o f the dead. he yong an was no ordina ry dicie however and the selfconfidence already referred to together with a growing sense of his own irital athority ofen creaed a rather diffict relationshi between hi and hi s asters On one occasion he disagreed wih h is Shaikh alryan regarding he sirita sate f a certain eron Later in a vision he was correced e hi self readily adis hat he was a novice at he ie. wo of bn a lrab's sirital eachers at thi ie deserve secia ention since nsaly erhas they were woen both of the considerably advanced in age when he becae heir dicile. One of the was Shas who ived in Marchena the oher Faia of Cordova. Of he later he says " served as a d iscie one o he lover of God a gnostic a lady of Seville caled Fai int alMthann . Fut I p 186. Cf al Su of ndaua p 6.
3
INRODUCTION
who ived i Cordova. served her for several years, she beng over ni etyfive years of age . . . with y ow hads built a hut for her of reeds, as high as she was in which she lived util she died. She used to say to e a your siritual other ad the light of your earthly other.' "7 ore detai led accout of bn al rabs exeri ences at this tie ay be had i y translation of his own account of ths eriod of his ife, us of ndalusa Toward the end of ths eriod bn arab's own reutation as an authorty on siritua atters was growing ad he felt hiself ore and ore able to disute on atters of doctrine wth well estab li shed shaikhs. He ays " had heard that a certain shaikh of the order i ndalusia had denied the ossibility of assuing the attribute of selfsufficiency. On this oint disuted with hi frequently in front of his stdents, nti he finally cae round to y oint of view on the atter. 8 Soetie in the 9s bn alrab left his natve shore ad traveled in orth frca, sending his tie ostly in Tunis, where he took the oortunity of studyng The Dong of the andals by bn yi the Sufi l eader of the rebell ion agai nst the loravids i n the garve. He later wrote a arge coentary on this work 0 uring his stay in Tunis he vsited and consulted with a ny Sufi shaikhs t is ossible that he e t the faous Shaikh b Madya n at th is ti e. bn arab returned to Seville fro Tunis after a relatvely short ti e erhas because of olitica t roubles in the region. On his return to Sevlle he had one of those aarently chance ystical en counters that characterize so any of his sirital reationshs Whie he had been in Tnis he had coosed a oe about which he told no one. On y return to Seville . a colete stranger cae to e and recited word for word, the oe had coosed athough had not written t out for anyone. aked hi who had coosed the ines, and he relied that they were by Muhaad bn arab Then asked h when he had learned the, ad he entoned the very day on which had 7 . . 1.
Sus of d/usi . 1
id. . 1 utht . . Ka usu ga, s] 1
TRODUCIO
coosed the, dese he gre dstace then asked h who had reced he o h o learn H e sad, "One ng ht ws sng a sesson of he breh ren the easte art of Sev lle when a strager who looked ke a endcant cae a nd sa wh s fter conversng wth s he rected he nes to s. e ked he so ch ha we wroe he down a nd asked h who had coosed the, to whch he reled that he were beng coosed by bn ara n the oratory of bn ahann. e od h that we had never heard of sch a lace, to wh ch he reled that t was n ns where hey had s been coosed 1 bo ths te he ade a lgrage to a shrne at Rota on the coas, afer whch he traveed once agan to orth frca ths te to Fez where he heard news of the lohad vctory over the Chrstan ares at larcos n 9. conversaton he had n Fez at ths t e hels t lstrate soe of the ore abstrse asects of ystca learn ng wth whch bn alra was conversant, that of the scence of nbers ad etters " asked a certa n an of God what he thoght of he vcory] He sad God rosed Hs ostle a vctory ths ear n Hs Book . n the words, "Srey we have gven to yo a clear vcory; the gad tdngs beng n the wo words "cear vctory at�an munan] consder the s total of the nercal vale of he leters' hs dd and fond that the toal cae o 591 [ the year of he vctory]'' 12 he folowng year he was back n Sevle stdyng the Tradons of he rohet wth hs ncle By ths t e he was ch soght after by asrans o srtal learn ng a nd any of the woldbe ds ces who vsted h treated h wth what, bn arab thogh, was excessve foraty t s a n nterestng gse nto h s character o read hs accont of the way n whch he red to odfy ther a roach o h Seakng of one artclar eetng, he says, "Ther resec for e revented the fro ben g relaxed, and they were al very correc and slent; so soght a eans of akng he ore reaxed sayng o y hos, May brng yor attenton to a coos on of e enttled Gudance n Floutng the sual Courteses and exond a chater fro o yo He sad ha he wold very ch
u p. ut \ p. 1
5
ITRODUCTIO
le hear . the pshed my f h s lap ad ld him mas sage t wherep hey dersd my meag and behaved n a mre relaed maner A year later he rered Fez primarly t sped me the msqes ad shri es i meditan b al s gaher wh her me f he spr al ab he r eperiece n he Way. Drng hs say he had a strange eperece f spacelessess. O anher ccas whi le meeti g wih sme hers i a garde he cams have met he spral Pe f he age. 5 Oce mre he epe rieced a grwg sese f his wn spral ahry ad als f his specia sas n he spirial hierarchy He says f his learned f he Sea f hammada Sanhd in Fez in he year 9 whe Gd acqaned me wih hs idetity ad revealed me his mar. 6 He laer had a vis n whch i was revealed hi m ha he himself was he Seal This say rh Africa hwever was als c shr by he hrea f persec by he Amhad rlers wh were begining sspect he Sf rders f fmening ressance her regme n deed a ths ime relas bewee he Sfis ad he plcal rlers were ese and easy sice he frmer fe regarded he laer as srpers f legimae samic ahriy ad ffenders agais he Sacred Law. The advce generally give by he shai hs t their dsciples was have as lle d wh rers as pssible. his bgraphical seches f his masers bn alArab ells f he ccasn when he re fsed ea fd he Sla f Cea had prvded fr a Sfi gaher ig which refsal alms resled in his arres 8 He as descrbes he behavr f ne f his shaihs wh was parcarly ppsed he rers f he day. b a l Arab prbably spe he e w years r s hi s a ive And alsia visng frends and a grwin g nmber f his wn disciples2 Smeime dring his perd he aended he fnera res f he phspher Averres whm he had me as a yng by. Aver res had ded Marraesh ad his bdy was brgh Crdva fr 3 . . 20.
\ p. 3. p . \ p p 1 p. [this volume]. Su of Adlus p. 2. p 1 2 Fu� p 0
6
IRODUCO
bra. Le ms Sis b b was rahe sepca f he vale f phi lsphica speclai ad ths s efeced i li es he cmpsed a he ime f he fe: his is he mm ad hese hs wrs ld tha ew wheher hs hpe were realied. 2 Th e ear 2 fd b a rab i Marraesh where he spe sme ime wih a cera b abbs f Cea. 22 was drg his isit wha s w Mrcc tha b alrab received he cal rael the Eas hle i arraesh he had a visi which he as d g Fez where he wld mee a certa M ham mad aar hm he was t accmpay t he easer slamic ads2 O rechig Fez b arab me alar ad they raveed geher i faith ad hpe the rad t Egypt. O the way they visited Biah ad is vsig felw Sfis ad ld frieds. 24 hey did t lier hweer pressig wih their rey il they reached Egpt where they sayed lexadria ad Cai r. b al rab's cmpai aar died there2 ad afer a bref stay b arab cted h is rey ale t the hy city f Mecca. He had bee lg he Hly Ciy befre he repai f his spirital learig ad ahry spread amg he mre pis fami l es f ecca ad he was s beig received wih hr ad re spec by the ms leared f its ciizes. Frems amg hem was b Sha hi r b Rstam whse bea ifl ad gifed daghter was t isp re b al rab t wrte a fie cleci f mysical pery he Interpreter of Desres, which was later lead t accsais ha he had write sesal ve petry. 26 Oe sspects that the relaish ip bewee b arab ad this yg wma had smethig f he qal ity f tha betwee Dae ad Beatrice ad i serves l srae a strg appreciai f he femii e i hi m at eas i is spirial aspec his sgh i he spiral sigifcace f the fem e is ms evde i he as chaper f he preset wr where he iter prets the sag f the Prphet Three thigs his wrld have bee made belved me wme perfme ad prayer.2 He says f he ady qesti Ths shah had a virgi dagher a sleder 4 5
I p. Ill, p 46. Ftt \ I, p 7 p 4. an a-a�· q B ee p
INTODUCTION
cd w captvated al w led n e wse pesence gave ster t gaterngs w amazed a se was wt and avsed te senses f a w beeld er . . se was a sage amng te sages f te Hy Paces.28 dbt wle bn aArab was stayng n Mecca, e wld ave vsted te aaba egarly t perfrm te rtes and med tatn On tw tese ccasns e ad mprtant eperences tat egtened s sprtal awaeness and cnrmed m n s een g tat e enjyed a specal sprtal stats n te csmc sceme f t ngs. e frst epeence was a vsn te Eternal Yt w repesents s t spea, te fsn f ppstes te ccdea pps rum n wse wleness a tensns a re reslved2 s acetype as me recently, been te bject f stdy by C. G. Jng and s scl. e secnd vsn cnmed tat t was e w was te Seal M ammadan Sa ntd 0 t s certanl y te t say tat r te S wld bn aArab lds a vey specal pace, beng always e fered t as te Greatest Sa [alShakh alakbar] n can tere be any dbt tat s nfence n a late geneatns Ss as been enrms and crcal especaly trg te wr translated ere and as The Mecca Revelas [alFu� alMakkyyah. Hwee te relatnsps tat were t case sc nflence lay st n te te Dng ts tme bn alArab wld als ave been deeply en gaged n stdy and wrtng. ndeed, e began te cmpstn f s mnmental The Mecca Revelas at ts tme He als cmpleted esser wrs, ncldng te bgrapcal setces f s Andalsan mastes 2 n 2 bn aArab let te Hy Cty and traveed t Bagdad stayng tere nly brefy bere gng n t Msl were e spent a yea r s n stdy and wtn g te eslt wc was s osul Rev elas n te esterc sgncance abltn and payer Als we e was at Msl e was ntated r te td tme 8 Taju alashq -8 Fut�t pp. -8 Cf F , h �y y h h h s tees a fo h Bk fH 0 Futt I pp 8- Cf 6 ulhd Ca Sus f dalusa ul . �urd �lla 6 Sus f dalusa p
ITRUCTI
B te ear 126 Ibn rab arrve n Car t spen sme me w frens. Hs reputatn wever a gne befre m an s n ne a recmene m e relgus autes f Car. e learne nes f c enunce s ecngs an es suc an een a ppular reacn prmse t reaten s er lfe5 One mus unersan a muc f wa Ibn alAa taug fr te benef f s fel lw Sufs ws unpalaable eerc aues, seem ng as unermne slamc veres. Even a cur sry su f The Bezels f isdm wll suffce sw clearly w grea as e gul f between e nsgs f e Anal usan maser an e receve nerpreatns f Isamc crne 6 s sr f anag nsm Ibn aArabs eacngs as cnnue wn e presen a n certan crces f te usm Wr snce al mystcal eper ence tens t epress self wen t es s n terms fen abrrent mns frmly fe wn rg crnal lms Ibn alArabs fe a save, wever, by e mey nercessn f a fren n u ns w wre a leer f recmmenan e Egypan ruler e yyub, alalk al A .8 Unersanaby epresse an upset by ese evelpmen s, Ibn arab lef Egypt an reurne e mre apprecave sc ey f ecca ere ake up s stues nce mre an t renew l frens ps. Afer sme twelve mnts r s e ravele by way f lepp Asa nr, arrvng n e cty f Knya n 1 2 1 Once mre te maser's by nw frmable reputatn wen befre m, s at e was receve w grea nr an genersty by e ruer f Knya, Kay Kaus. I s tl f Ibn aArab a e gave away te e pensve use alle m by Kay Kaus as al ms a beggar4 n a very sr me e peple an Sufs f Knya k e new y arre maser er earts, an was as a ru f e sprual cnacs e mae ere a s nfluence became mnant n all aer Sufsm wn e preen ay. e key fgure n s prcess was e lcal scpe f Ibn alArab, � ar aDn a naw,4 w 5 u� 1\" p 560. ap . ala ork r l ad ao a h pr r I a rop. u l\' p. 560 Id I I, p . 40 Id, 1\ p. 560 4 oar o h Bz of dom f a Lrar, 4H5H
9
RUC
wre eensvely as a cmmenar n bn alArab's eac ngs an w, by is laer cntacts wit suc twering epnents rienal Suism as Jal an Rm,4 2 epe brng abut tat remarable synesis riena an Anausian Susm wic was laer t flw er in wriers lie Ab aarm alJl4 Aer quite a sr say bn aArab prceee nrtwar rug ayseri an Swas war Armenia, returning suwar, rug H arran, t arrive i n B aga nce mre in 1 2 1 1 On is traves n nrern regns bn aArab relaes at e saw te Euprates rzen ver s a wle caravans cul mve acrss i4 n Baga e a a sr, silen meeng wit te celebrate aur e Kwledge fhe Myscal Sceces [ Awr al-ma r Umar aSurawar, at e en wic e laer escribe bn alArab as an cean i vine rus.45 n 2 2 ay aus nya wre im seeing is avce regarng te prper reament is Crisian subects, an bn aArabs reply is very reveal ng e nnmysica sie s caracter, since e avise ay aus im pse n tem e ull rgr s lamc Law regaring te resrctn teir public wrsp. (Ts leter serves iusrate an imprant aspec Susm at s n wiely uners, namely a, wile reacing beyn Law an crine in eir nwar searc r eperence te v ne Realy, ey nevereess recgnize te necessity law an crine r e Aer a Alepp in 121 bn alArab reurne Mecca in 2 1 t eal wit te criicisms, wic were cntnui ng is clectin mystca ve pems, The Ierpreer f Desres Relgius scars bjece em as bein g i napprprate t reigus feeli ngs being, tey sa, t eric r pius sensibiiies. bn aArab ere re cmpse a u l cmmentary eplainng e in nr meani ng f is verses. n er eense e wre, Al ur pems are relae i vi ne rus in varus rms, suc as lve emes eugy te names an attrbues wmen, e names rvers, places, an sar 47 During e ne ew mnts i is psibe at bn a rab visi . . .
u thr the ceebrated th;, D C. R �chon, Stds Isl sts rdg 1 . Ftt Ill . R. �cholon "LejRAS 1 1 Ftt 1\ Ftht II p . e s ths vu
1
INRUCIN
e ea a Jersalem Hwever 1 2 5 e was ce aga Asa r meetg w Kay Kas at Malatya were e seems t ae spet mc f te et fr t fve years strctg a sper vsg s may scples8 Drg te year 2 2 - 2 2 e was Alepp were a prevs rer a earler reae m wt great r. ee e creas g respect a cfece sw t b a Arab b mre a e rler seems ave wrsee s rea sps w jeals rsts a telgas by reas f te grwg fece s respect etale Hs w rrat w sc me emerges several ccass frm te pages f s bs. Frm e year 1 2 2 3 s ea vember 2 b a rab by w prbably easte frm s may travels s pr gs erary p a e sacrfces f s callg avaage f a ffer by alMal a l 22] t settle Damascs Ts rers s aAsraf cte t s pprt b alArab after s fa ers ea. Drg ts per f sem ret reme e maser se s me t fs te massve Mecca Revelas a s majr clect f pery te Dw Mre reevat ly was rg s me a e wrte The Bezels f Wsdm as te sypss f s teac gs. s far as we ca tel b alArab marre tree tmes te crse f s lfe frst Maryam w e e was stll a yg ma Se vle5 sec Fama e ager f a Mecca blema5 a r a ame lay te agter f a jge Damascs5 He a tree cre Sa aD br Malatya 2 2 1 a e 258 m aD w e 1268 a a ager Zaab. Of tese we w y a Fama was e mter f m alD. te Fu� b aArab reates a very tcg meetg wt s yg ager We arrve a e meet g pace we w a grp f pepe w were wt me t l fr tem te Syra carava. y agter cagt sgt f me a cre Mter teres my fater Te er mter le a saw me te s tace Za ab we calg Teres my fater Tere's my fa er . We reace er se age a trew er arms ab me st g Faer Faer 5 5 . 2 53.
Mhrt brr II p I Cf Ss ofdus p 15 e e aove p t, \ p. 55. Id. I\ p d \ p
NRUCN
Ag bn alArabs pyscal ffspring may ave been mdes, s spirital and terary legacy s n Amng te many Sfis w ave sg epress ter i nsigts and eperiences n wriing, bn alArab was, peraps, e ms prlfic f a l avng cntribt ed signfcany t every aspect f Sfi tgt, bt qaltativey and qanatvely. He mself lists n fewer tan 1 tles.54 Wl e s re a t many f nt ms f ese tles are reatvely sm all and mnr wrs, e lst neverteless, ncldes tat massive cmpendim f Si epsitn, The Mecca Revelas w c by tself wld ave been cnsdered a mar cntrbtn 55 Unfrtn atey, mst f ese wrs est day ny n manscrp frm, sme f tem in bn al Arabs wn and, very few avng been prnted, even fewer edited, and st l fewer ranslaed n nnArabic la ngages. Terefre te prprtn f bn alArabs wrs availabe t te nnArabc reader is very small Of te tw mst mprtant and defin i ive wrs, The Mecca Revelas and The Beels f Wsdm nly a partal translatin f te latter by T Brcardt, La Sagesse des Prphees56 ad been pbised nt l te present ransatn. Transa tns f smal sectns f The Mecca Revelas est as qtatins n ter wrs n bn aArab Cnsderng tat te AH 1 9 prntng f ts wr cntans ver , pages, a transatin f te wle wr wd ndeed be a dantng tas. Partal r wle translatns f smal ler and less general wrs are t be fnd n Asin Palacs £/ Islam Crsaad [Madrd, 1 9 1 , n vars nm bers f Eudes Trad elles and in A. effreys Reader Islam Te Hage, 19]. My w n cntrbn [befre te present translatn], Sus f Adalusa s bgrapical and n really cncerned wi s teacngs.57 Of e printings and edins bn alArabs wrs, the mst read ly avalable are Au aMakkyyah The Mecca Revelas] [printed AH 1, 1 19 and 19 A A. Affs editin f te !U! alkam the present wr] [Cair, 1 9] H S. yberg Kleere Schre des Ib a/- A rab [Leden, 1919, Rasl bul Arab [Hyde abadDeccan 19], and the Taum a-Ashwq [Ber, 11. mru y 'Arb of \\orks," i the l of h cly of·rs xr ry, \l Pr Cr · 2 h E k f 1uem Isanbul cotis h• y r h Pr, h r h Frenh Wido f h rhs y Culmymur hr ,
IRUCI
Bks n bn aArabs system f tgt and spirital teac ngs are als rater few. By far te best f tese especialy fr te present wrk is ts's Cparave Sudy f Key Phlsphcal Cn ceps Sus and Tas 8 wic s a very trg and penetrating std f The Bezels f sd A prfnd stdy f certain im prtant temes n bn a l Arabs tgt is H Crbin s Creave Iagnan he Sus f Ibn rab Lndn 19] S H asr as prvided a er sefl stdy f bn aArab n Three Musl Sages Harvard 96] T mre plspica lly riented stdies are A A Afi fis The \scal Phlsphy f uhd Dn bnul Arab Cambrdge 99] and S A. Hsa in s The Panhesc Mns f Ibn a rab Lare 9.
t s cear frm te atr f tese wrks imself tat is wrt ngs are nt smply te rest f lng mental and ntel ectal deliberatins bt rater tat f nspiratin and mystical experiences wic makes te task f translating is writi ngs a nd f i nterpreting wat e wrtes a frmdable ne He says n wat ave written a ve nev er ad a set prpse as ter wrters Flases f divine inspiratn sed t cme pn me and al mst verwelm me s tat cld nly pt tem frm my mind by cmmi ttng t paper wat tey revealed t me. f my wrks evince any frm f cmpsitin it was ni nten tnal. Sme wrks wrte at te cmmand f Gd sent t me in seep r trg mystical revelatn Smetmes te pressre f mystical revelatn was s strng tat e fet cmpelled t fns a wrk befre taking any rest Fr exampe e camed tat is lya al-abdl was written i n te space f a n r60 tat The Beels f Ws d was all revealed t m i n a single dream and tat wil e engaged n writing The Meccan Revelans e ad filled tree ntebks a day Wat bn alArab is claimng ere is tat is written wrks are as mc te reslt f spirital revelatn as f is wn tgt prcess es te m picatin beng tat any attempt t treat wat e wrte as a pispy r delgy s dmed t failre He wd f crse ave admtted tat te angage in wic e epressed is inspira tns wed mc t te i ntelectal terminlgy f te day edcated as it was by te vars tradtinal and ctral inflences t wic e was epsed trgt s fe Ts wever nly makes te at a I he Keo I ue o Cul u ral ad i ui tc udie . I roducio o i Memoadum 0. Id
3
INTRODUCTION
tmpt at tptati ad cassificati th m dffclt that by fig th may trs f familiar wds xpssis symbs ad idas may s asly as ly ls sgh s ghtt f th frst frst f his pric pri c H S H STO STO CAL CAL A D S P TAL COT COTE E T h s wrs wrs as i hi s lif l if b aArab aArab bstrd bstrdss th wrd f sSfism l i a clsss clsss ad i dg d g s s b gs iamic mysticism r Sfism chsi i t t h phm f f st stic ic spirita spiritalili ty i i slam t y ad chs drawig drawi g as h ds ds that t hat grat grat gac gacyy f sl amic am ic spirt aity ai ty which wh ich h hritd, ad castig hs w pcar sp al lat gratis f Sfis M tha ths, h brgs tgthr i his writigs a whl whl walth walth f spiital spiita l ad tlcta tlcta discip li s s that i i hi s w spci spcial al way h ss ss t wld tgth tgthr r i t t a systm syst m f thght ta ta b l t y y fr fr ts vsal vsalty ty ad badth badth bt als fr fr its i ts prf prfdi d i ty ad ptati it th ctra isss f hma xpric H brght t hs h s tas ta s t ly ly a grat st st f tadtial tadti al a d mystical la ig ad xpic bt als i stiv g fr stis t th grat grat df d fficlts ic lts ht ht i th divi di vihma hma igma, a qt bl bl liat li at ggs ad rgiaty f mid t is idd th cmbati f ths tw th gs that ma ma ss ay attmpt attm pt t t fly ly cmpr cmp rhd th th Sfi Sfi mastr s s trard trard i ari ly di fficlt ic lt Histicaly spaig b aArabs if ccrrd tward th d f a majr phas f samic dvlpmt that y ight yars aftr hs dath th Mgl ivasis f th Frtl Crsct dalt dalt a trrb trrbl l blw t slamc slam c civ lizat lizat i th East, East, s hat i a ss ss th gra gratt gathri gathrig g tgthr tgthr f sla s lami micc spiita spiit a la ig i th witt ws f b alArab, bf th strm f plitca, scia ad cltral phaval, bcms fr latr lss scr gratis a ivalabl src f spiita ispiat b aArab prsts a clm c lm ati ati t ly l y ff Sf Sf psti psti bt as, as, i a v vy sg s gficat ficat way f samc sa mc i tlctal tlctal p pssi H was, was , hwvr hwvr t ly ly a li li btw btw has ha s slam sl amic ic civi ci vi lizat lizat ad a th, th, bt als a lsm mr r impr i mprtatl tatlyy rr h S S ra diti tslfa sstia li btw h slamic sriality f h Wst ad that f th Orital wrd, btw wd lcd m by th Casscal ad Classical hra ad th h il cd mr by th acit acit ra a a sit sit ad h h m act f th i du wld
4
IRUIN
his hi s li n was was rg rged ed as w hve h ve a ready eady i dicated, dicated, whe Ibn a Ara A rab b wet t spend the secn secndd ha his hi s lilie i n the Ea East stee r Isamic Is amic wrld and, mre particlarly whe his travels t him rthward it Aatlia, t y ich wld becme later the hme te great Jall al Rm6 re speciically, the i was created th rgh rgh the meeti meetig g f the Andal Anda lsia siann master with his devted devted discidi sciple i n nya, adr a a a aw aw62 It was was the latter la tter's 's ct ctact actss i later ears ith many f te mst celebrated Persia Sfis that esr s red the cnt cntin in i g presec presecee I b alA rab rab's 's spirit spi rit in the bdy bdy Sism Alnaw Alna w was later late r t t becme becme the spi rita rita master f f tb al alShr ad Fahr al arq bth mar cntribtrs t Oriental Sism He was as a cse friend Ja al Rm hse hse mnmenta mnment a hnw6 did s mc t encrage the flwer i ng Sf S fi spiri spi rit tal ality ity i I ran and beynd beynd Apart rm rm te vita vi ta meet meet ing f master and disciple i ya b alArab als ad cntact tt h with Umar Um ar Shi hb h b aln aln alShra a lShrawar ward d hi mself a mar mar i nfle ce in Sfi circles, and with Ibn aFrid perhaps the greatest mystica pet Arab sam6 sa m6 Athgh bn a lArab lArab spent spent s many ma ny years in the East he was nt frg frgtt tten en i n the western western samic sam ic wrld since, t hrg the medi m Ab alasan alShdhil and his rder6 his infence has been been fet fet th rght rght west western ern slam sla m dwn t the present present day Te in flence f the Anda An dasi sia a master, hwever hwever as spread bebend the cnfi cnfi nes f f the Islam Is lamic ic wrld t t tch ch,, amng amn g thers, thers, n less a igre than Dante Asin Palacis in his ctrversial b Islm d he Dve Cmedy 66 sees t shw that certain elements in the wr Dante indicate the infence f Ibn aArab, albeit secndhad dee deed d it is i s hardly srprisi sr prising ng that the ideas a nd image i magess s in fential a man as bn alArab shld have percated int the mystical andd petic an petical al ima i mager geryy f f Erpe at a time ti me whe wh e the i f f ence f f MsM slim Spain, in general, was very cnsiderable Whether afected by ud h h mu vl vl rdr r h l g rh . D D ud r chl d D 5. h kd kd h rm cmm al -7 'iy 'iyyah, I d rld h The Meca Reelatios cm r h m al-7 mr ugh g r m h mr mr dr dr h 5 D 5 rdr g c nd h ddl E E d .
5
NRUCN
sc ifleces t, te celebrated Gema mystic Meiste Ec art tagt a frm f Cistia mystical telgy tat i certai re spects beas a striig resemblace t te mistic teacigs f b alAab. Te Gema master, lie te Adalsia master, als fell fl f te te eigi ei gis s atrities atrities f i s day All i all, te ctibti f b alAab t slamic mystical tgt ad devti devti was grea ad etesi ve, bt bt i ti me ad a rea, s tat tee tee is ady a dy a Sfi Sfi rder r teacer sice is is time tim e t i flec e ced by is perspeci perspecive. ve. TH E BEZEL BE ZELSS O O W SDOM Te wr wr f b alArab a lArab er e re preseted preseted i taslati ta slati i s ca lled i te rigi rigial al A abic abic Fu!U li teraa lly trasated trasated is The Fu!U!! al�kam al� kam wic liter Bezels f he Wsdms sdms Te atte traslai is t literal ad is cm besme i Eglis. caig te traslati The Bezels f f Wsdm am flwi l wigg R. R. A icls, si ce ii is e ly l y Egis ile i le a a ce accately accatel y trasates te Arabic ti tle ad a d cveys cveys adeqately adeqately te i et et f te wr. B Brrcad c ad as called cal led is is patial tra tra s lati f e wr i t rec La Sagesse des Pphees 6 te te Egis Egi s vesi f wic is ei led The ti les d The Wsdm f he he Pphe Pphess 6 8 W ile tese tiles ideed cvey, i a geeal way te rigia Arabic ad te ie ti f te a, ey d cvey t te Aabic reader te pecise meaig b aArab wised cvey by calig is wr Fuss al-�kam Te Arabic wd fa!! wic is te sigla gl a frm frm ffu!! f fu!! meas te beze r settig i wic te gem, e gaved wit a ame, wil be se mae a seal ig. is e ta te wd wd ca a s be be sed t dete te gem i tsef, tsef, bt a a is t wat is iteded ee by te at. By calig is w u!! al-�kam b a l Aab meas ta eac eac prpe, afer wm w m eac cap c apter ter is eti e ti-ed, is e ma settig settig i wic te gems gemsee f eac id f wis dm is set, ts maig f eac ppet te sie sig, selecti, selecti , f a paic pa icla la aspect aspect f Gd's wisdm wis dm Tis Ti s is epr ep ressd essd i ae way i te capter eadigs F eampe e tite f t first first capter is Te Te Wisdm f Divi Di vii iy y i e Wd Wd f f da dam. m. 7 , 5 68. Bhara Pa I 7 6 . .
6
NTRUCTIN
ts t s caper caper t e dvne dv ne r r wsdm s epress epressed ed r se se n e e frm frm r wrd f dam dam beng n s cnte, s t spea, a d v ne t tera tera nce f a pa rtcl ar wsdm. n ts case case te Wrd Wrd s eqva len t te beze n te man tte. e tet ave sed n transatng ts wr s te ecellent mans man scrpt cr pt fr frm te Evaf se sem m n stanb, stanb , . 1 9 3 3 , wc, accrdng t a certfcate f atentcty ncrprated n te manscrpt, was wrtten dwn by n less a persn tat Sadr aln alnaw and sgned by te atr, bn aArab, n te year A 6370
preparngg te te translatn tra nslatn ave a ls sed sed severa f f te many m any n preparn cmmenta res n n ts t s wr wr by bn a lArabs lArabs d scpes a nd fl fllwers lwers Sh� 'l !! l�ik [Car 1 2 ] ; ey are frst, secnd l-Fkk by Sadr aln alnaw [Ysf Aga Lbrary n Knya, 858]; trd, Albls's Sh Sh�� jwhi jw hi l l u!! [Car, aJm [Car, [Car, 1 1 3 2 ] 1 1 3 2 and frt, te Shr� f aJm Tese cmmentares ave nt, wever, been sed as qtatns n te f ftntes t te transl tra nslat atn, n, snce s nce te t e ntent ntentn n s t t let te t e atr spea spea fr fr mself as as m c as pssb pssbe. e. As bn a lArab lArab says n te t e prefa preface ce t t te wr, e cmpsed cmpsed he dr ng te year D 62 [ H . 12 after e ad set Bezels f f Wisdm drng tled n Damascs He says, saw te t e Apstle Apstle f f Gd n a vsta v stan n granted t t me dr ng n g te latter latter part part f te mnt Marram n te year 62 n te cty f f Damascs Damascs He H e ad n s and a b and e sad t me Ts s s te b b f te bezels bezels f Wsdm ta t aee t an andd brng br ng t t men tat tey tey mg m g benef beneftt frm frm t. reped, A l bede bedence nce s de t Gd a nd Hs A pstle t sall be as we are cmmanded. terefre carred t e ws made pre my ntentn, and devted my prpse t te pbls ng f ts t s b, b, js j stt as te Apstle ad ad dwn, d wn, wtt w tt a ny addtn add tn r sbtractn. sbtractn. Weter ts t s means tat bn alAra al Arab b s cla cl a mng m ng tat e t t dwn dw n wat ad been dctated t t m n te vsn, v sn, r weter e ep ressed essed 7. C. Oman Yaha Hsto t lassato de /oee db abi Damascus 1 I, 27 7 5 5
INRUCIN
th e prncpal themes themes in h s wn wn way, i s nt cear cear Sff Sffice it i t t sa y that the wr, apart frm ts arrangement int twentyseven chapters, lacs any eal system r gan ganzatn zatn f i ts sbect matter m atter the tt t te e sg s ggests, gests, the intentin f the wr is t present par A s the ticlar aspects f the divine wisdm within the cntext f the ives and persns f twentyseven prphets7 Althgh the first f the twentyseven chapters is cncerned with Adam the frst f the prphets accrding t slam and the last with Mammad, the prphets prphets n between between are nt arran ged in any chr ch rnlgical rder rder n deed they d nt seem seem t be be arran ar rangged accrdi accrding ng t a ny particla partic larr pat tern. n sme cases, fr exampe the chapters cncerned with ah, Mses, and Jess, the teach teachn n g is related specif specifically ically t the the l ves and tterances f thse prphets as recrded recrded in i n the t he ran, r a n, wh i e i n th ers ther the re wd seem t t be be very l tte rel rel atinsh ati nship ip between the prph et whse name appears n the chapter heading and the tpcs discssed n the chapter itself Whatever may have been the circmstances f its cmpsitin mprtant resm r synpss synpss f he Beels f Wsdm is c learly a mst i mprtant bn aArab's prncipal themes and, as sch, deserves sers attentin and carefl stdy, and mst be cnted as perhaps his greatest wr, apart frm the mch arger and mre diffse Mecca Revela s 7 Distribted thrght the wr are the man tpcs f his teachng, the natre f Gd and man and ther relatinshp, the divine Mercy, the Creative maginatin, and s frth Hwever, t s precsel precselyy becase becase the athr at hr tri ed t i ncde s many c ard ardna nall pi pi nts nts i n sch a reatvely reatve ly shrt wr i n sch an h aphazard way way that tha t he Be els f Wsdm is very difficlt t nderstand, let alne transate n the langag la ngagee f a nther clt cl trre The T he synptical charac ch aracter ter f the wr wr als leads bn aArab t great cncentratin f expressin n the ne hand h and,, and a nd t extremes extremes f exegesis exegesis n the ther. ndeed, t is mystical exegesis, smetmes f a startlng and sal ind that is the dminant featre f this wr, sce thrh t t bn a Arab Arab draws heavily n q ranc ra nc materia l t t i lstrate lstrate hs pnts. n cmmn with many ther Sfi wrters, he appraches he qranc text in a way d d fferent frm frm tha f the mre fa m li r eer e er- c cmmentatrs. That is t say he deas wth the et the emise that every verse f the ran has many mre mn h h
ao ao p . 1 3 o p. 1 2 .
8
RU
bvis e i i ary bel ieve, ieve, w w see seess meely e a migt be bvis e sface f tigs Beea e sface accrig t e Sfs tee tee lies li es a cea f meai g bt sble a spi ital, ital , a is acce acces s sible sib le l l t ts tsee ws wsee i e eye s pe pe wee by iv ie i e gac gacee by pper traig7 I tis way te Sfi csies tat e qrac e acts s t spea as a mirrr te eaer i at e lae wl peceive i i ly wat is w spiial sate pemis im t see. Ts e mystic eegee claims t see i e sace tets meaigs ta ae apparet t ay mtals. I The eels f Ws te caper a I b aAab aA ab g ges es ee step step dm especia l ly f te a aca ac aly ly i erpes veses fm te last pat f ah as meaig te vey ppsite f wat te ws appea mea.7 F eam e ample ple i tepet tepetig ig te ws ws f te Q a LI, 24] " I t ly l y creas creases es e ppe ppess ss ss c fsi, e see seess tem t em a s meai mea ig g I y i crease creasess tse tse w ppess ppess tei w sl s by selfei selfeial al i spiita perpleiy. w it is qie clea fm te ctet f tis vese tat sc a itepeati c ave bee aive at y by cmpleely gg e cte a as te meaig te ws "ppess "ppesss s a "cf "c fs s a ave ve tgt t gt te t e Q a 7 6 Hee we see Ib I b a l Aab a i s ms "pevese " pevese i fcig ci g te isse iss e f te t e Oeess f Beig accg t wic al ctast a ppsiti is eslve eslve i te de de a ppsi psi um um I mc te same spiit Ib aAab s t afai i The Beels epess s ieas ways eqall eq allyy acc acceptable eptable t t te ef Wisdm, t epess ligis li gis esabismet esabismet.. Oe O e as ly ly t meti is teatmet teatmet f sc ieas as te appae appae t cf cfct betwee betwee te vie Wil Wi l a a e i vie vi e Wis Cm Cmma,77 ma,77 te vey vey i i te esti esti g a ca llegig lleg ig ti f "e g ceae i belie78 a te sggesti i te as cape, tat it is i wma tat ma may mst pefecty ctemplate G,7 t see ta a w lie tis wl be pe all mae f misite pretat a misestaig Tis s becase, e last aalysis te mplicats f Ib alAabs teacgs sc sbjects ae i ag a ge f f eai g te t e eae eae fa fa bey bey te fam il ia ia be bess f tai C. Crin etve Igto Chap 2 ad 3 7 . ee e e pp 80 80 7 ee pp. 808. 77 e ee p. 1 1 7. 78. ee p 137 7. ee p. 27
19
INRUCIN
tia Isl am it rea ms f spirital iversality a irect experi ece i which gmatic certai ies sffer the rmets f the mystical perplexity mete abve I the athr's efese, it ms be sai hat sch wrs as The Beels f Wsdm were certay t itee fr pbc csmp, bt rather fr his felw Sfis, wh ew hw ea with the apparet thegical agers mpicit i it Ib aArab ew beter tha mst the essetally icmmicabe a re f mystica experece, 8 a t is clear frm his etter f avce he rler ay as tha he recgize fy the vaity a eces sy f Isamic ctre a law8 Ths cras a apparet c flict, betwee arg mystical epress a a mre sber cai s lusrate tw pems The Beels f Wsdm. I t he frst he tters what appears t be pre heresy the lie I wrship Him a He wrships me,82 whie i the sec he wars agaist spirital ifat wih the wrs Be the serva f the Lr, t the lr f the servat.8 Despte this hwever, Ib alArab, le her Sfs befre him a lie eiser Echar Christem, was fte the bject f ereme suspc a passiae eciati, as rig hs visi t Ca r i .8 Hwever, espite the bte prfity a rgiality f this imprta wr there is eyg tha he veral impress he reaer is e f a lac f prper rgazati a cti ity As has alreay bee bserve, the s bject mater f ms f he chap ters bears tle r relat the ame f the prphet i the title Iee, here is fe b scat cect betwee he sbjecs s csse a chapter a the partic ar Wism f the ttle. t hi the chapers as there is fte a csierabe measre f iscti uity i he pics eal wih. The mai themes f his thugh ccur agai a agai frm chapter t chapter i a rather haphazar way It is fr hese reass that have trie, i my rctry tes slate frm each chaper he mst mprtat themes a rce thm withi the ctet f his w hght. I a i the geeral l ac f rga zat the reaer is als lely t be srely tre by the evs a trtuus mehs Ib a 80 81 82. 83 84
C. Futhat I ee b e . I ee . ee . 103 e e bve, .
3
0
TRUCTl
rab empys n cmmenng n and neeing n n y maera frm he Q and e lsehee b als he asscaed mean ngs f the abic rds hemselves ll in all The Bezels f isdm is a diffc and epei ng wr eqrn cnsderabe patience sbley and maginain frm he reader wh ms be prepared t fllw the Sfi maser alng all he trs lleays f his hgh and epsn. everheless, he r als affrds many prfnd and fen amaing nsighs i nt he deeper a nd mre recndie aspecs f mysical eperience and epres sn. s recmmended ha he reade refer freqenly he qr anic passages qed in sch a pecemeal fashin n his wr n r der frm a cearer picre f he cnte. H S THOGHT n y aemp a he pesen i me, defne h e nare f bn al rab's hgh r assess s significance ms, f necessiy be a enaie ne si nce n real ly saisfacry apprecian f hi s sysem f msical hgh wil be pssble n he mmense as f eding and inerpreng hs many sil npblished wrs is nearer t cm plein, r a leas nl an ehasive sdy has been made f The ecc Reels A hgh he was w h db, a h n er f gea sare and alhgh here has cme dwn s a cnsderable crps f his wrs cmparaively ile sdy has been deved hm The sden f bn alArab has appach wha has been said f him previsly wih cain and be cnsanly awa re f he pr visinal nare f hi s wn cnc sns. A J Arbery smmed p he sain very wel when he sad, When all is said and dne, hwever remai ns ndspably re ha hrgh research n his he greaes mysca ge nis f slam is s ll in is nfancy and here are few sbjecs n he whe field f hman sdes mre aracve he sden r mre ely yield mpran resls bn Arab may be cmpared an nepred mna n pea Mch f ee aboe p
NRUCN
he erriory on a sides is known, b i ha s ye o be eer mine by wha precise pahs he way o he smm les, or n wha emoe heighs hose fona ns spring ha wel ino he mghy ver of al sbseqen mysica hogh, Msm and Chrisian alike. 6 In more recen years his siaon has been improved somewha by he ecel len work of H. Corbin and zz. hs neglec of one who is ndenably one of he greaes figres n he sim mysica raiion and probaby one of he words greaes myscs is a cros one in view of he fac ha so mch more aenion has been given o oher grea eponens of Sfism, sch as Ghaz an Rm he reason for his negec can probably be race o he dan ing nare of he ask facing he wolbe eponen. irs of all , here is he enomos cops of wrien maerial, no only by he maser hi msef, b also by he many commenaors an iscpes who came afe him. Secon hee is he bewilerng iversiy an rchness of hs sorces an, las, he varey of levels a which he epresses hs eachings eflecing his briian o rigi nal iy of hogh ogehe wih his profon spiria eperience. he firs reqires of he sden boh a goo knowege of he Arabic langage an a horogh acqai nance wh Sfsmno o speak of ime he secon reqires a easonabe knowlege of comparave myscism, eopaonism, asroogy a lchemy an some of he oher more obscre sciences of he Mie Ages he as reqies, f no an acal epeence of he mysic pah, hen a eas some rea sympahy an insgh ino is premises and aims. bn alArabs wo main sorces were, by hs own admssion, he Q ran an he aions of he rophe Mamma. In hs he folowe esablishe Sfi pracice and, by so ong confrms he s m origins of hs inspraion hese sorces however, he freely nerpree, boh lngisicaly and heologicay corroborae hs spra eperience. In common wih oher Islamc hnker of he ime, wheher philosophers or heologans he as heaviy fo many of his erms and conceps on he eoplaoc wes inc An Intrdutn t th 1/istr f Susm rd 2 p 87 ee aove p 1
IRUCT
ng the celebrted and rongl trbted oo of so HH he reatonshp, hoever, beteen the org n connotatons of the ter nd those he gae them s st ll b no means establshed. s an nt at ed Sf, he also drew mch nspraon from boh ndalsan and Eastern eponents of the Sf tradton Of he former he mos promnent were Ibn Barrajn and Ibn alrf, 0 whl e of he latter alTrmdh aalj,2 and alBstm are freqen qoted b hm Wthn he pale of orthodo Isam, the Mash's and the shars eerted some inflence on hs thnkng, whle among he less orthodo he varos schools of the smal s and he Brehren of rt seem to have left some mark. lthogh not defin tel esabl shed s qe possble hat bn al rab sed maeral from he Jewsh wrters of the Kabbalstc tra dton especall n hs sdes on he msical sg nfcance of he leers of the alphabet S m larl, some of h s cosmologcal deas wod seem o gges some acqantance wh the Gnosc tradton n Chrstant nother possble sorce of nspraton b one hat has been ltle sded s ha of the varos schools of Hndsm and perhaps Bddhsm. Both H nd and Bddhs deas ms be assmed to have nfltraed nto the M slm word and s of parcar n terest to note tha an rabc verson of a ersan ranslaion of a Sanskrt work on Tanrc Yoga has been attr bted o bn arab6 I n ths connecon also, h s mporan heor o f the Creave magnaton bears a strkng resemblance o he Hnd concep of my I s ceran tre that a comparave sd of Hnd an d Sf mea phscs ofen prodces some srprs ng paral lels l l of hese sorces and n fences appear n varios gses wh 88 9 90 9 92 1922
n a a eoplaonc ard een o h e la e Ennead o Plo n. Ded 36 C Mhsin mjis ed. n Palacio Par 933 Kitb tm -iy, ed . ahya Bert 96 C. �anon Psion d -Hoyn Ibn Mnou Hj 2 o Par
C. R. C. Zaehner Hindu nd Muim Myticim, ondon 960 C . i Mytic Phioophy p. 83 C. �. Hoten tgbe obi Bonn 1926, pp 397-0 Mirt mn unedted C C. Bockelann Gechihte der rbischen Litetu, p. 79 97 C H. Con Cetive Imgintion in the u m of Ibn A rbi ondon 970 9 C. R C Zaehne Hindu nd Musim Myticim ondon 960 93 9 9 96
3
TRUCTI
n hs works where they become grst to th e mll of hs ow n ne en ncton of vson of the Oneness of Beng [wa�da ak-wuj. It re res only generl srey of h s works t o relze th he mnged o combne n hmself he gens nd resorces of he phlosopher, he poe he rmrge he occls he heologn, nd he prc cl scec. He combnes he sc holstc epertse of Ghzl wth the poec mgery of Ibn r the mephyscl drng of lllj wh he s ngent orhodoy of lM�sb he bsrc cegores of he eoplonss wh he drmtc mgnon of Rm, nd he bsrse scence of he Kbbs wth he prccl wsdom of he sprtl gde. / A fhe dffclty pesents tsef n delng wth he wngs of Ib n Ab nd h s he degee to whch he nevbly esned hmself n epessng cer n of hs epeences o dsgsed hem n elpcl lngge o vod seos chges of heesy fom he egos tho es. H e efes o hs when h e sys Ths knd of sp l nsgh nd knowedge ms be hdden fom the moy of men by eson of ts sb my o ts dephs e f echng n d the dnges nvoled ge. Too ofen vos sdes on Ibn lAbs hogh hve been lm ted o one o nothe spec of hs tech ng o he eclson o nsffcen ppecon of ohe dmensons. Ths A. A Aff n d T tz n he dffeen wys, see n hm pedomnnly phlo sophc hnke whle H. Cobn n hs vey mey ppecton of Ibn Arb's nve nd mg ntve gens does no fly ecog nze hs ndobedy pecse nd systemc mnd. 00 As hs been he cse wh myscs of ohe tdtons so lso wh Ibn Ab, esen schols hve oo often ted, rthe nsccessflly o jdge hm by he cte of onl phosophy nd o ndesnd h conceps whn th fmewok, gnong n the pocess hs own feen ccsm of onl ppoches o ey nd fogeng h most nonesten elgos tdons hve vey dffeent pespectes fom o own. The vey systemc wy n whch he epessed h des, h s se of fm phlosophc tems nd hs ofen penly phlosphc t n of hogh hve ed ce n schols o sppose h he ws pmly phlosophe whees on hs own smony he ws fst nd foemos mysc. Theefoe n ttemn o m A-Fna/mushahdh Rsai nur 1 00. e e 1 3 99
2
c
I .
TRUCT
compehense pcte f Ibn alrab cntbn t amc hgh ne ms take nt cnsderatn al aect f t, and nt m concentae n tha whch s mmedaely fa ml ar Abe al t he mtca and theefe epeentl menn nderlng the hoe of Ibn alAab's wk that mt necesaly poe the geatest bstace t any thoogh compehensn of h eachngs snce the mt essental epeence f ta mysees , b he e nate f he cae, ncommncable ecept, n the last anass, to those who have shared n he same a smar eperence. Ths s f cse, the dlemma faced by all nonpatcpant stdents of mstcsm n whateve tadton Ibn alAab hmself daws attenton to ths n The ecc Revelos: Knowledge of mystcal states can only be had by acal epeence, n can the eason f man de fne t, n arve at any cognzance of t by dedcton, as s also the case wth knowledge of the taste of hney, the btteness of patence, the bss f seal nn, love, passon dese, all of whch can not possby be known ness one be popely qalfed o epeence them dectly 0 Ths means n effect, that howeve god nes knowedge of abc slam, hsty, compaatve el gon may be one mst eal ze, n tyng to ndestand bn alAab's thght that all the etenal and elatvey fam l a foms of hs epston , dawn g as he dd on the ntel lectal koe of the perod, ae n moe than vehces of epesson mpefect ones at that, f the ealtes he clamed t have epeenced t remans, havng epla ned the many factors to be taken nt ac cnt n stdyng Ibn aAab to consder the man themes f hs teachng ndeed those themes that domnate The Bezels o Wsdom whch he compsed as a synpss f h s pncpa deas Of hs man themes, he one that pedomnates ove the rest and t whch they are sbrdnate s that of the Oneness f Beng w�d lw The concept of the Oneness f Beng s an alembacng one, n that al l bn alArabs othe concepts are bt facets f t, jst as he wod say that all dstncton, dfference, and cnflct ae bt apparent facets of a s ngle and nqe ea ty the seamless gament f Beng whose eaty ndeles all dervatve beng and ts epeence Cean Sf wtes seem th n k that there s an m potant d ffeence between hs cncept f the Oneness of Beng and that f 01
ut�at l p
3.
5
NRUCTN
wahat a/-shh o he Oneness of eception having ega o a ve y m potant tenson in hman experience beween perception an beng sbject an obect the knowe an the object of knowlege 02 Ib aAab howeve n coning the tem wa�at a/-wj [Oneness of Beng i no i nten to make any ist nction b by choosing he wo wj o convey the meann g of he Oneness of both Be ng an ecepon in he pefec an complee nion of the one an on ly Reaiy a/-�aqq. This is becase he Arabic oo wo wajaa caies boh ieas ha of bein g an heefoe objecivity an hat of percep on an heefoe sbjectiviy both of which he sees a be ng one in the Reay. 0 Of h is sole an essenal y ni ffeeniae Reai y Ibn aAab oes not se he wo A/l or Go since to speak of i viny as is evien in hs wok is also o impy ha which is no ivine an hs o inoce fferentiaion poariy ension an imatey conlic atally since the expeience of ffeentiaion an poaiy is nevtably an aspect of he whoe an compete Real i y an snce we ae as hman beings paenly a par of hat aspec Ibn aAab necessaily spens mch of he ime wing abo he macocosmic an mcrocosmc mplcaions of hat aspec of the Re aliy the vne an he nonivine he sbsanta an he accena he exisen an he nonexsent an so foth He s howeve con stanly ening fom sch consieaions of a iffeenal nate o hi s grea nerly ng concep of he sole pefec an compee Reay which is s own sole Being an is own sole ecepton of s own Be ng a concep sccncty expesse in the Hin erm sachanana [BengConscosnessBliss. As has aleay been menione in erning o his concep bn aAab ofen makes saements ha scanalze hose of the el gios whose otook s i evocaby fixe n an aie of isincon an ffeenaon 0 This characterisic an fnamena concep of Ibn aArab has le Wesern scholas a vaos imes o caegorie o o aemp o caegorize his teachings n ffeen ways. Many have cale him a panhes whle ohes have perhaps moe accraely assigne he erm monsm o his hogh. Ahogh helpfl in cea n ways his sor o categorzaon accong o Wesern crea mpees aher 02 C. \ludd, Rla a h ald d h uaddd wahda h uh d Isla arerly 2 5 , 1 9 4 l - 1 0 ee Lae rab-Enlsh Lecon ajada 1 04 a, 9
6
ITRUCTI
th an ait in ndertanding hi iion of Rel ity. o y that he w a pantheit i to ignore hi often trongy tranendental vew of dvi nit hat he a of the retionhip between the Como and God i that the Como i not nd annot be other than God, not that it God or tht God the Como Hi dotrine of the Onene of Be n ereption mean that the ole whole Reaity i far more than the m of it part or apet and ht, however th ing may eem from the tandpoint of di fferentiated being or pereption al being noth ing other than It Beng, and all pereption, however limited, nothing other than he erept ion in a partlar mode ithin the ontet of the Real , however, there i eternally being plaed the great drama of poarity with al it impliit eperiene of reationhip affinity, tenon, and onflit. The orignal emergene of the priniple of differentiation within the Reaity i aonted for by the Sf aordin g to the Holy Traditon: I wa a hidden trea e, and longed to be known, o I reated the Como. Thi tradition indiate that the primordial and fndamental polarization to take plae within the Reaity i that of Selfonione, that i to ay the origina Selfpolarization of the Reality into bjet and objet, knower and known Thi i by no mean a impe a it ond, ine t i not a qeton of the one being ative and dominant wh ile the latter i paive and dominated, a often tend to be amed n or onioneoriented oiety, bt there i rather a relationhip of mtal onditioni ng goi ng on by whih eah, at one, eperiene and determine the other rthermore, beae eah of the pole i nothn g other than the Realiy, eah m imply, potentialy and laently, the other wihin i elf. The proe of Sepoarization then one by whih eah pro et ono the other what i laent of the other within itelf There i of ore, at thi tage, no real otherne, ine i i a ae of divine Selfonione for whih the priniple of otherne mply for Selfrealization, a i the ae with hman elfawarene In dealing wih thi mater, a alo it omi and h man reverberation, I bn aA rab often e the image of the mrror i n attemping to ep lan th proe. 0 ore importantly, however, he e two other powerfl image, he one more maine and the other ditinty emnine in i onnoation The fir of thee image i ha of he Creaive Imaginaion or 10; Cf.
p
69
2
INRUCN
khal by whch the essentially atent images of reaity are projected onto the creen of the llsion of otherness so that the dvine might perceve tsef as object 06 hs ths maginaton s no less tha n the nk between the Rea as perceiver and k nower and the Real as object and what is to be known between the creator and the created worh iped and worshiper. 0 t is indeed that whch effects the apparent alenation of the Real as consciosness from the Real as becoming and as sch may be said to be the very principle of creation itself creation that i in the sense of polarization in ivinis snce for bn aArab nothing s ltimately other than the Reaity 0 ndeed for Ibn aArab there is no sch thing as creatio ex nihilo i n the sa sene snce all that s ths cased apparently to eist derves from their essences impicit within the divine knowing whch athogh they may be noneistent are nevertheless of the Reality 0 n being released i nto eistence by the Creatve magination they become confirmed by being recognized by the divine Sbject jst as the concioness implicit essentaly withot beng fnds its own corroboraton in the affirmation by created being of the Spreme Conscosness. Distant echoes of this orginal and fndamental Creative magination n the h man sphere are the dreamng of the sleep er the vson of the craftsman and the fantasies of the Water M tty he second striking image bn aArab ses to ilstrate the orginal process of Selfrealization s simlarly inspired by the Holy radition qoted above althogh in this case the mage s more earthy and immediate Having stated that the orign of the dvine longing to be known is love he goes on to descrbe the precreatve state of the Reality as one of aniety or distress karb of a primord a labor pressing for birth and ma nifestation of an origi nal rge to over fow to por ot i nto patent ei stence the realities atent withn . 0 his birth mage is reinforced when bn aArab descrbes the releving of the distress as a breathng or sghing tana which at once epresses and relieves the dstress He goes on however to cal thi s creatve and eistentia ehalation the Breath of the Mercifl C p 2 h c I ra hu gh h hrughy ud d H Cr h rativ Imagiatio i th sm of I d 9. 1 0 7 tt II 1 1 08 Id 10 p 6 I 0 1 Id 06
8
ITRUCTI
fs -�] nd Ibn r with his keen nsiht int the menins o Arbic roos cnnot have been nawar o th bsic mean in o the root � whch is the womb the mean in merc bein derivatie. ndeed, or him the term mercy �h] did not simpl denote an attitde or eelin o compassion a sally nderstood bt rather the ery principe o cretion by which al created h ns est and by hich al the latent potentialities wthin the diine mind re released into actaity as obects o the di vin perception and tness or Ibn aArab, then love and mercy, both o hch reqire poarity and relationship, that is to say they reqire another an obect lie at the center o the creative process How eer as to complete the crcle o Selreal ization, the love and com pssion or "the other eads nevitaby to the longing or ren ion, or the obliteration o otherness in oneness Ths the bipolarzaton o the Reality into divne sbect and "created object leads once more o eidentiication in the One Real bt this time enriched and enhanced by the eperence o Selconscosness Ths also the ercy operates in two directions otwardly n creating the necessar object o the dvine love which Mercy is caled �m, and inwardl y n reestablish ing the original synthesis o the Rea li ty wh ich is caled �m. 4 Althogh the latter is also a movement o ove a longi ng or renion, it nevertheless threatens the otherness o the object, ths appearing to the obect in its otherness as wrath and destrcton 5 Ths we ha ve here that eternal enigma and parado, the reverberations o which are maniest in all h man relationshi ps o the doble and inevitable necessty o otherness and nonotherness or love whether divine or hman which creates the tension necessary r the eperence and awareness o Selconsciosness whether di ine or hman. As we shal see however, divine Selconsciosness or identity is Selsbsstent wherea hman identiy i trly otherre ated et another mage sed by Ibn alArab and one he shares with man y other slim and Si writers, is that o the divine en eqat I Ftt p 3 0 e e ek o e be i u bei cc ied o [ladhdhah 3 It s i eu i u w ee i ek d o ee e ucociou ooic idei iec. C p 90 1 C. p 0 6 u d i ced i e an [ 5 5) e e -ubi e [a-yy
29
NRUC:
ed wth the nversa nelec of Helenistic philosophy and the Table whch was eqated wth Universal atre. n al hese i m ages Ibn alArab as a slm mysc naraly regards he con scosness poe as acve and dominan and herefore primarly divine and he becomng poe as passive and dependen so ha the reaonshp beween he Cosmos as creaed objec and God as creang sbjec s envisaged whin he conet of he pariarchal perspec ive n whch woman as he hman image of nversa are is aways seen as being dervaive from and dependen on man as he hman agen of he Spiri n ceran passages however i s cear ha I bn a Arab was well aware ha wi h n he cone of he primordia poariy he dependence as beween he wo poes is ma and no as onesided as radional aides compeled hm o sgges. This awareness is more obvios when he wries on he sb jec of he Oneness of Being This eads o a consderaion of he varos erms bn a Arab ses i n dscssing he maers o ned above When speakn g of he Reay w h n he cone of he Oneness of Being or of he Reaiy as conrased wih ha which magines fasey ha s real or ha i s oher or separae from he Reai y he cals lqq he Rea he Reay he Tre] . When he is wriing abo he Reaiy as polar ed no he spra or i nelleca pole and he cosmic or esenia poe h e cals he former God [Allh or he Creaor /-Khliq] and he aer creaon [khlq or he Cosmos / /. The erm Allh s aso he Spreme ae he ame of names which as he ile of di viny esabshes he whole qay of he reaionship beween he wo poes he one beng div ne and necessary whle he oher is nondivine and coningen. The oher ames represen he nfinie as pecs or modes of he reaionship n is i nfnie varey of qal ies 20 The erm Allh, however when sed precsey by bn a Arab s no he same as he Realiy snce as he wod say dvniy as sch s n a sae of ma dependence wih ha which affrms or worsh ips as divine 2 The same s re of he erm Lord whch denoes rs r bd u'a : d 22. 1 8 I - ds u s s suc rcs us aHaqq d ./h s ss I s s d s d 9 p 20. 2. 2 . 93
30
IRU
nt the niesal pstin f the Ceat Gd vsvis cati n Cms, bt athe the prtclar ostion of a paticla aspect f Gd isis a patcla, nddal creatn s that, while / is the God f creation as a whole the d dentes ivate and speca elatonship between a partc lar ceatre and its coresponding achetpe n dvns The stats f rd, howeve, ike that f dvinity is dependent on the eistence f the s lave servant [bd] since domin ion eqres what is dmnated and ths has n fnction otside the contet f the platy discssed abve. ndeed, all sch distnctins are nrea as far as the Oneness f Being is concerned, somethi ng f whch bn alArab neve tres of remi ndin g hs eade. Anthe f his mprtant themes that elate t the primdial polaity f DvinityCsms is his in certain qates, hghl y cntvesal teachngs on the sbect of the Dvine Will . This he divides i nto two aspects o modes, one of which he calls the W ll shh] and the other the Wish [/-rdh )22 Alternatively, he cals the fist the Ceatve Command [/r kw] and the secnd the Obgating Command [/-r /k].2 The Will f Gd, as ppsed t the Wsh of God, is the i nfi nitely creative power that effects the endless becm ng of the primordial othe in all the cmpeity f ts aspects and der vations t is ndeed the vlitve aspect of the ceating Mecy, and evethng it wil ls cmes nt eistence, there bein g n qestn, n the case f the Wl f bedience o disbedence, bein g prely e stentia in ts effects. The Wsh f Gd, however, the Obigating Command, s cncerned not so mch w th creatin as with ei ntegaton and concentatn. This Obigati ng Cmmand has everyth ng t do with bedience and dsobedience, since cnfmity with the Divine ish is the sine qa nn f salvatin, which s to say the salvaton f man, whose place n bn aArabs scheme wi ll be cnsidered bew t is cea fom this tha this nion of te wo modes of he Dvne Wi l imples cnsideable tenson between he tw mdes and pesents thelgy wh a majr pard. n her wds, whe the i s dedcated cosmic acaly, iespecve f s mplicains fr fath, moray or ehics, the Wish demands the recognitin of cerain tths and behavo apprpate sch recgnition, the ne sevng he eistena pe of he Real y, he oher the sapenia or spiial poe. 2 2 . ee p 90. 2 3 ee p 83.
3
INRUCIN
Like very closely with these two ieas is a nother par of cocepts, amely that of Destiy [lqdr an Decree lqd the atter beng that power whch etermi nes what sha be an ot be i existence, whe the former etermes more exactly when, where, an how sch coming into exstence will be. In certan respects, therefore the cocepts of Desty a Decree may be regare as moes of the vne W ll an Wsh, especialy the former. Ths, Destny a Decree may be sai to concer more the realizaton of the creatve process in actalty while the Wll an the Wsh are con cerne with the sbjectve ntetion to create 2 At frst glance ths theory of creation might seem to be ny eterm nistic an to leave no room for freeom of acto or etermiation by the creatre, especaly ma. It is therefore very necessary for any proper nerstaning of Ibn alArab's thogh in ths regar to bear wo hngs always in min The first of these s his con cep of he late essences or archetypes, a the seco is the fnamena a allpervaing concept, areay iscsse, of he Oneness of Beng25 It is he cocept of he laet esseces tha there es he mysery of free w an ivine omniscience. Inee this concept is one of the most im portan of Ib alArab's cotribons o Sfi meaphyscs. The laen essences are the poentia, atent, oexistet ieas or archeypes, whin the vne cosciosess of al l actal, apparen, create hi gs i he proece Cosmos Ths each create, exisent thi ng s not somethng in itself iepeent a isolae b rather the existenia becomng or ac alizaon of a essetial, potetal, a laent reaity tha, hen w hin the iv ine conscosness, consttes, so o speak the ner obect of Sefknowlege, he essenial core of ve iey Once again , the exsen hing an is latent archetype form ye aother pola rity of mal epenence, snce the former epens erly on the ater for its real ity an essece, w hile he aer epes on he ormer for is becomi ng an exsence hs, he oe is the oter an the other he i nner moe of the oe real object. 26 Since, therefore, each one of s, as create bengs aso has eteral a essential beng dv an since, n or esseta aency w cano be anyhing oher han wha Go s an, frhermore as con 1 2 Cf 6 5 25 aov 26 Cf 6
5
3
IRUIN
stitents of th e nne object of Hi s k nowede we contte to wht He knos Hi msef to bewhich knowledge, in tn i nfos the diine il and Deceee theefoe shae n the most essenti way b or inetbe essentialty in the divine fee wi As Ibn a ab sas qoting the an ti mately and oiginay in divinis the esponsibit fo wat w ae and ow we ae fals on s sice, in o ltent essences it s we oselves wo contbte to the dvine kno·ng te \e data tat s te basis on wc God odans te na te and tem of o becoming and eistence. 2 Of cose as has been mentioned above, tis vew of o own etenal answerability asses te te ndifferentiated a nd i naenable ealty of te Oneness of Beng in whc the woe dialectic of selfote is fsed into te n imagi nabe and i nepessbe eperience of te Rea ty. Connected t tis qestion of eistencelatency s te fte concept of etenal pedsposition [isid wic means tat eac ceated ting n its state of estence is a nd can b e no ore o ess tan t i s etenay pedisposed to be or become i aeernis 1 29 I n elation to te Obigating Com mand as opposed to te Creative Command, tis means fo eample as te ran itsef indicates tat ony tose wil eed te call to God wo are from eternity, predisposed to do so wic dea wold seem to make nonsense of any notion of divine pnisment and rewad. 3 0 Te concept of pedisposition owever, s closey linked wit te noton of o mplicit and essentia particpation in te foming of or own destny witin t e cosmic contet Ts we mortals n or appaent state of oterness and sepaation wile seem ingy pawns of te divne Wil ae n realty and essentialy none oter tan He Wo wills In al these pairs of concepts n teir poa i nteelationsps we can perceive anote aspect of te original polarizaton wit in te Di vine Self or te Reality, and tat is te paradoical and problematc tension between te d ivine Selfmanifestaton o Teopany taja//i] and te divne Selfresevaton o occltation between the oning to eperience Itself as object and oter and the nsstence on maintanng nqeness and singlarity of identity or between te ge to por ot Its infnite possbility nto actality and the necessity to re 17 1 130
id u n 7 e ao h oume p 6 See P 17 un 1 0 1 1
33
NRUCN
tan the absolte na lienabilty of ts Tth. This tension is ndeed the tension between poazation and nonpoaization between an abso te consciosness that wod contain al l object latently and essentay wthin tself and an nfinte becoming that wod absob al sbject nto the nfinite pocess of Selfactalizaton. Ths the abso te sbect is etenay seeking to define and ode the infnite becomng of the object wth a view to an ni hilating its otheness while the inf ni te object s etenaly stving to relatvize and involve the absote knowi ng of the sbject with the i ntenton of ending its detach ment eedess to say all these tensons togethe with all the comple mtal eperience they enta il are at once esoved in a nd a harmonos pat of the Reality tself. These observatons lead natray to a consideation of the sbect of man i n bn aArabs thoght since withn the context of the dvinecosmic poarity man and especialy the erfect Man consti ttes the alimportant i nk or medim between the two poles of Re aty the sthms brzkh] as bn alArab cals him Having caled man the l ink however it i s necessary to point ot that any l i nk is impotant ony so long as it seves to effect commncaton and eationshp between things that are real in themselves the link itself havng no meaning pe se except by efeence to the th ngs it in ks. Ths man consideed in himsef and by himself is an absrdty while assmng enomos significance when considered wthin the context of the poaty GodCosmos. The hman condition then considered not as somethi ng in itself bt only wi th in the proper fame of refeence is at once epresenta tive of both poles and of the intereationship between them all of which confers on it potentially the most impotant stats of al in that as link it constittes so to speak the mcocosmc experience of the Realty tself. On the other ha nd when falsely regarded as an en tity in itself t s none of these things and an absdity Ths man may be said to combine in himself simltaneosy the possblity of spreme significance and tter insignificance st as he combines n himself a stong sense of the Absote and the Infi nte wthot bei ng eithe Half anima and half angel he seves to tansm t to the Cos mos the tth of the divine sbect wh e also actng as he eecting image of the cosmic object to the d ivine obseve As the fi s he s Gods agent and vicegeent while as the second he is obedient 3 1 . C. Mytcal Phloophy p 82
34
IRUCI
slae s represenative of Heen, as mopece of te dvne ord, man is male, e as representae of Eart, man is femae, so a s as Eart or e Cosmos came fort from God te Creaor, so did Ee, te woman come fort from Adam 2 At e eart of s many, oever, man is bot vicegerent and slave, male and fe mae, spir al a nd sensal in one man selfood, being never eier one ecsie or completely Watever is degree of spi rtal at ainmen man remains, in s man natre, forever a save, and waeer e degree of is i nvovement in te Cosmos e remai ns, i n s man spiri t an agen, a nd it is i s carge never to forget eiter aspect on pan of absrdity and notngness t is precisely te erfect an wo perfectly combnes witn i mself in a rmony H eav en and Eart wit in te conet of e realization of e Oneness of Being wo is at once te eye by wic te divine sbject sees Him sef and te perfectly polised mirror tat perfectly reflects te divin igt. Te erfec Man is, s, tat indvidal man being wo real izes in i mself te reai y of te saying tat ma n is created i n God's image wo combnes n is mcrocosmic seood bot te macrocos mic object and d ivin e consciosness, being tat eart wic, micro cosmicaly, conains al tings essentialy, and in wic te Reality eernally redscovers ts woleness He s also, at once e orginal and ltimate man wose arcetype and potential for reaization is i nnate in every man being. 6 Most man beings, owever are cagt p in te crrents of tension and interreatonsip between te two poles, wic meet and strgge in te man state, forever forgeting, in teir vicerega sense of identity, tat tey are aso created saves, and always sirkng in teir cosmic animality, teir responsibil ty as sprita beings. As a spirital being, man sares wit God, in Wose image e is created, in te divine power to create, as aso in te power to articlate and give epression o knowledge and consciosness. As regards creave power man's sare in it is twofod rst, at te anima evel, s natra instincts rge im, for te most part nconsciosly and 32. C . 277 33 C n Creatie Imagnatin . 23 34. . 88 3 C 148. 3.
35
RU
invoun tariy into the cosmic process of i fe and death Second at the spirita and intelecta level mans i nteligence prompts him to mpress on the Cosmos the forms and images of hs own imagination and awareness In the case of high spirital attainment this hman ca paci ty may become a mcrocosmc channel of the d vine creative act. This spirita power s cal ed by bn alArab himmh a word that s rather diffict to translate accrately into English 37 ts reflection at the prely mental evel is the ab ty to concentrate mental energy on an obect or station with the ntenton of controling t or determinng ts deveopment. This concept s aso linked with that of the magination in that it also nvolves the a blity to create by concentra tion an i n ner mage of what one i ntends or wold wish to realie ob ctvey. 38 n the case of most men this abil ity goes no frther than the skill invoved n mpressng a form or image on cosmic matter and does not etend to the ability to brng abot the estence obectively of ones inner mage. n other words for most people no matter how they concentrate on the wishimage it rema ns a dream and a fa ntasy and no more n the Tbetan mystical tradton however certain adepts ca m t o be able to materialize nner mages wh en they eert intense concentration on them for a prolonged period 3 t is this de gree of creative imaginatve power that s most like the concept of himmh whch bn alArab attribtes to the sant or man of ad vanced spirital attanment 0 n other words when the individal consciosness has been reintegrated into its divine sbect by fath and sbmission and when the mind and spirt have been strengthened and refined by asceticism and selfdenal the concentrative pow er of the saint s broght into algnment wth the divne creative power to effect new condtions and states in the Cosmos states that often appear miraclos or paranormal Sch phenomena as biocaton telekinesis abnorma adtory and sensory powers and communcation with the dead a re among the camed effects of sch powers However being hman and not divine the saint can maitan sch effects only for imted perods. The dvie himmh on the othr hand is maintained eteraly at every leve and vry stanc 137 Cn reative Imagination pp. ee al h vl p SH 1 38. d pp 1 71 83 ee al h vle p 1 1 3 C. W Y EvanWe The Tibetan Book of the reat rtion % p. n. I 140 See p. 1 8 al u ofAnus pp 3 9
6
I I I I since anthin that ceases o receie the di ine attenton ceases therefore to eist at a l. I bn alrab as e aare of he great da ners n herent in the possession of sch power and wh le encorag ng its deveopment as spiri tal attainment was ery carefl to warn his fe low Sfis agai nst an eotstical preoccpation with its often miraclos effects rging them raher to abjre any resdal ndivda nterest they mght hae n sch power as tre slaves of God 2 This faci lty of hmmah toether ith other sde effects of the spirta path reslted in mch abse and deception among the wodbe grs of hs day. 3 The concept of the erfect Ma n may frther be elaborated in the contet of its partcar hman manfestations. As has been men toned the erfect Man is that hman individal who has perfectly realized the f sprtal potenta of the hman state, who has realized i n h i mself and his eperience the Oneness of Being that nderlies al the apparent mltiplcty of eistence The concept of the erfect an is, however, in tsef more of a spirita archetype than an actal hman condition. Its principa ma nifestaton in the hman ndiidal s that of Sainthood or wlyah wthin the contet of which al other sprtal fnctions are performed Ibn alAra lays partclar emphass on the fact that the Arabic word for a saint a is a lso one of the ames of God, the riend a-Wa] as if to stress the very ntimate connecton between Santhood and divin ity In other words the tte of sant, strictly speaking may be conferred only on one whose indivdal identity has become spiritaly annhiated in the Spreme Identity who has become the frend of One whose "friendship a ows of no sense of othe rness This is the one who sees beyond "the God created in belef, beyond the conficts and tensions implicit n cosmic and hman compleity and variety to the ndifferentiated trth of the everpresent eality. o Ibn alArab, indeed, Islam proper is nothing other than the trth and eperence of the saint, al actal religons beng particlar manfestatons of it He does, however maintain that the Islam broght by the rophet M�a mmad as the fi na and synoptic version of he Isam of nivesal Sainthood now enshrines that trth most 14 1 12 14 3 +. 145
See p 1 0 2 See p C. R ihoo, The tc of Iam do 14 hap See p 1 See p 1
NRUC
efecty. 6 he most i motant atcla fnctons of the sant ae, when he s so aonted those of ohet [b and aoste [rsl] the offce of rohet being higher than that of aostle Ths al rohets and aostles are sants and all rohets are aostles, while not a aostes are rohets The ohet s one who has sec al knowledge of the nseen, whle the aostle i s one who s aware of a secal resonsbiity toward the commn ty to whch he has been sent. The rohet may ether be the brnger of a new disensaton or m ay fncton wthin an estng one. Whatever the case may be, it is the santhood of the rohet or the aostle that aone confers valdty on the more artclar fnctions. Th s, as the ran says, every rohet and aostle br ngs not only a scrtre, bt also dervng from his sanctty wsdom that s the wsdom of realzaton Jst as the rohet M �ammad s regarded by sam as the last or Sea of the ohets so Ibn alArab hmself clamed to have had vsonary evdence that he was the Seal of M�ammadan Santhood. 0 To nderstand the mean ng of ths term one mst frst nderstand that by the word M�ammadan bn aArab does not mean smly what ertans to the artclar earthly msson of the rohet M�ammad bt rather wth the Srt of M�ammad or ght of M �ammad, whc h he eqates wth the whoe r ncile of rohecy, regarded as havi ng been erfectly manifested n the rohet Mhammad Ths the Seal of Mhammadan Santhood carries a doble sgnificance, n that he embodes not only the wsdom inheent n the fnal mission of the rohet M�ammad bt aso and more m ortantly, the secial n versa wsdom nheren t in the eitome of the M�ammadan Srit Ths, althogh there may be many sants after the Seal, whether of the M �am madan tradton or other wse, it s he who is the clmnaton of that secia and essental Santhood associated wth M�ammad as the name eci ar to the notion of the erfect Man a nd as that Srt of which al rohetic and aostoc mssons a re ma n festations Ths then, s the Sea l which Ibn aArab claimed to be, althogh there were and ae many who 46. 14 48 9 0
uha l 4 See p. 69 See 68. C n II uha l 3 83 9 I i d I 64.
38
ITRUCTIN
od dispte tht am. here is no dspting, however, the t tha -hkh kb possessed nsal sprital gfts and nsights, whih hae penetrated deepy i nto the abr o Ilami spirtaty. s has been stressed many t mes above the nderying theme to hih Ibn alrab is lways retrning and whih s impit n al h s teahings s that of the Oneness of Beingereption One may be forgien, howeer, in readng throgh his many works, for eelng that one is being drawn deeper and deeper into a spirital mae o frightening omplety, a ompleity that n the ight of the fndamental theme seems somehow strangey nneessary and perhaps e\en rrelevant On the one hand one is ever being remnded o the apervading presene of the Realty, and on the other hand o the poem o interreligios onflit. In other words, one beomes more and more onsios that the whole edfie o Ibn alArab's hoght is itsef polarized jst as many of h s seondary themes are ha raterized by pola rity. Ths, whle anhored i n the omi nant theme of the Oneness o Beng as the origna and eternal trth to whih all other onsderatons are related, he leads his reader throgh all the ompleity of the implations and ramiiatons inherent in the aborginal desire of the Reality to know I tsel, striving as he does to aptre the most distant reverberations a nd reletions o the divi ne Love, on the ery edge of nothngness In doing so he presents s with that most bafling of mysteries the reatonship between reality and ll sion between what is apparent and what is, and between knowing and not knowing. However, as I bn alArab hi mself demonstrates in deing for eample, wth the onept of the "God reated i n belief, the soton to the mystery s by no means as si mple as rejeting il sion and afirming reaity, sine it is lear from the whoe system of h s thoght that the prnple of sion or appeara ne, far rom bei ng a prely negative onept, is a n i mportant aset of the Realitys onsiosness of Itse This is not to say that this same priniple, rom ertai n viewpoints is not onstntly th reatening deepton a nd alention2 Th s parado s nowhere more vividy i n evidene than i n a story I bn alA rab tes abot one o his A ndal sian shai khs This man had met someone at the Kaabah in Mea who had asked h m whether he knew what had broght them both to that plae. When he asked the C. 7
39
NRUCN
ma n to epai n he repied Heedessness my brother! and th en h e wept. 3 n other words the idea th at one has to trave to Mea to be nearer to God or ndeed that one mst travel the Sf path to beome one wth Him s an ision albeit a neessary one As bn a Arab ponted ot on nmeros oasions the notion that we an ever be in a state of separation from God so that it shold be neessary for s to make orselves nearer to Him is an ision sine we wold have no being or onsiosness however apparently separate were we anythng other than the ealty. He is saying t herefore that t s not a ase of the S fi strivn g to reah a goal from whh he is in real ity distant bt only that h e is trying to realize and beome aware of a oneness and dentity that is ineorably and eternally real. The qestion then arises as to why the illson of separation whih has then to be panstakingly seen throgh arises at all or more to the point why t s apable of eertng sh power over s and why the whole phenomenon of reigon and mystiism is neessary. The answer to that qeston lies in the prmordi al tension inherent in the polarization of the Reality nto knower and known in the inherent neessty for apparent separaton n that polarization and i n the inevitaby spital bas of bn aArab hmself referred to above althogh he was always ready to admit that in the words of the ran There an be no refge from God bt in Hm and Wherever yo trn there is the fae of God 4 Ths tmately whether we throw orselves nto the nfnite oean of osmi llsion in onformty wth the allreating Wll or whether we annihilate or identity in the abso lte trth of His identty in onformity with the alommandng Wish we an never be n reality other than the Real on pai n of absrdity erhaps the best e to bn alArabs vison of the natre of th ings s to be fond n a nother paradoal bt nonetheless profo nd sayin g of his He said t is part of the perfetion of Ben that thee is mperfeton n it That is to say that Reality to be real mst embae wthi n its realty both the w holeness that ndes a oss biities nding the parta and inomplete and the efeton ha eldes all bt the highest and t he best As has been ned bve he impiations of this idea as of the onept of lson wee not ssed 3 u ofdlu, 3 4 See aoe . 2 . u X . ?a ll . 307
40
NTRUCTIN
b he relgios hories o I n Ar's me, nor shold he he epeced he represenies of a ishorened religios radiion to accep he from her pon o ew, extremey dangeros implicions of hs each ings on he din Wi. I n rting his srey o he mai n hemes of In al Ara's hogh am conscios of he fc h I have no explored he many pares nd si milartes in oher traditions, nor relaed his ideas spe cificall o earler Sfi wriers. The ommission is i ndeed deliberae, si nce I consider ha hs sysem of hogh is origina enogh o meri presenaion who he frher complicaton o detailed religos, phiosophical, and mysical comparsons hat, while of great inerest for he der history of Islamic hogh, are for he most par of relael ie assisance in nderstandng the way in which Ibn aArab himslf saw the natre of reality As has been mentioned aboe alhogh his erminology and the neleca modes he ses are ofen cearly raceable o other sorces, neverheless the particlar way in which he ses the erms and the models o express h is ideas is n essence pec liarly hi s own .
6 See aoe p. 3 1 . . See aoe, p 3 .
1
PREFACE
In te name of God te Compassonate, te Mercf. raise be t o God Wo as sen t down t e [revelations] o f Wsdom pon te earts of te logoi in a n iqe and di rect way from te Sta ton of Eternty een tog te sects and commnities may vary be case of te varety of te nations May God bless and protect im wo provdes te aspiratons from t e treasres of bonty and mni ficience �am mad and is family I saw te Apostle of God in a visitation granted to me dri ng te later part of te mon of M arram in te year 62 in te city of Damascs He ad in is and a book and e said to me Tis is te book of te Beels of Wsdom take it and brng it to men tat tey mg benefit from it. I sad Al l obedence is de to God a nd Hi s poste it sal be as we are commanded. I tereore carried ot te ws, made pre my ntention and devoted my prpose to te pblsng of tis book even as te Apostle ad laid down, witot any addton or sbtraction I asked of God tat, bot i n tis mater and n all condions He migt nmber me among tose of His servants over wom Satan as no atorty Also tat n all my and may write n al my onge may er and in all my eart may conceal He mig favor me wt His deposiion and sprital nspiration for my mind and His proectve spport ta I may be a transmitter and not a composer, so tat tose of te Folk wo read i t may be sre tat i comes from te Sation of Sanctification and tat it s tterly free 45
IBN AARAB
rom all h e prposes of he lower sol, whi ch are ever prone o decei ve I hope ha he Realy, havng heard my sppicaon wil heed my cal for I have no se forh here anyhng excep wha was se befoe me, nor have I wrien in his book agh b wha was reveaed o me. o ye am I a prophe or an apose b merely an heir prepaing for he Hereafer. I is from God, so hear And o God do yo rern When yo hear wha I bring, earn! Then wh ndersandng see he deails n he whoe And a lso see hem as pa of he whole Then gve i o hose Who seek i and sin no hs s he Mercy ha Encompasses yo so extend i From God I hope o be of hose who are aided and accep aid, of hose bond by he pre Law of M �ammad who accep o be bon d a nd by i bind May He gaher s wi h H im as He has made s o be of Hi s com mn iy
46
CH ATER I
THE WISDOM OF DIVINITY IN THE WORD OF ADAM
ITRODUCTORY OTE Th s hapter, as the tie sggests s largey onerned wit h the reationshp between Adam, who here symbolzes the arheype o hma nki nd, and God More partilarly i is onerned wth Adams fntion n the reative proess, as the prinple o ageny, transmis sion, reeion, and, i ndeed, as the very reason for the reaton of the Cosmos The hapter also dssses the natre of angels and the rela ionship beween pairs o onepts essential to he nderstandng o the reatve proess, sh as niversalndividal, neessaryontingen, frstlast, oerin ner, lghtdarkness and a pprovaanger Ibn alA rab opens the hapter, however, with the sbet o the divine ames and her relatonshp with the divine Essene By he term "ames, he means the ames o God he ame Allh being the spreme ame. These ames serve essentaly, to desribe he innte and omple modaiies of the polarity GodCosmos The spreme ae tsef, as beng tha o God Hmself, learly desrbes the overal and niversal natre of tha relatonsh p, namely ha i s God ho is the real, the Sesfiient, whle the Cosmos is essentaly, nreal and ompleey dependent By the term "Essene dht] he means what the divine beng is n Itself, beyond any poarty or relaionship with a osmos This term shold no be onfsed
4
B N A ARAB
with the Reaity whch denotes rather that priordal Being and etenal erception which nites both polarity and nonpolaty. Ths the aes incldng the spree ae, have elevance or ean ng only withn the contet of the polarty Div inityCosos, and Ada epesents precsely that princple whch at once ediates and resoves the whole eperience of that polaity, being that vital link withot which the whole occrrence of dvne Selfconsciosness wold not be possibe Ibn alArab goes on to i lstrate this Adaic fncton with one of hs favorite ages, that of the irror by which he seeks to eplan the ystery ofthe reflecton of reality n the o of i llsion I n ths sbtle i age there are two eleents, the irror itsef and the observ ng sbect who sees hi s own iage reflected in the irror as object. Ada, being the linkng facor in he process of reflecion and ecognition of the reflecton, is representatve of both the irror and the observing sbect, the rror tsef being a sybol of the receptiv ty and eflectivity of cosic natre and the observng sbect being God Hiself Ths, Ada s described by Ibn alArab as the very principe of reflection and the spirit of the [reflected for However, Ibn alArab was not thi nki ng of the specialy coated gass ir rors of or day, bt rather of the h ighy polished etal rror of his own tie. Sch irrors served to ilstrate beter the etaphyscal probes wth which he was dealing To begn with sch rrors had to be kept polshed in order to preserve their reflectve qalities and, ftheore t reqied great skll by the craftsan to ake a perfectly flat srface. With sch a irror, therefore there was al ways he possiblty of srface deteroration and distoton hs, so long as the irror was perfectly polished and at, the observing sbect ght see his own for or age perfectly reflected on its srace n whch case the otherness of the irror itsef is redced to ni n the observing consciosness, or even effaced copletey o the etent, however that the irror reflects a dled or dstoed ae it anfests ts own otherness and detracts fo he identity o iag and sbject I ndeed, the dstorted and perect ae resent sothng aien to the sbject, who then ay beco in volved in efo to prove and perfect the irror so that he iht achv a or rfect selfconsciosness hs in he ror w have a very t y bol of the divnecosic polarity At on t o th relationhi cosic atre thretens to borb and aili t ec n infinity and copleity of his creative , whi a th othr t
48
THE BEZELS F I
di vi ne Sbect seems to ann h late atre n the reassertion of identi ty, ech bei ng at once another and nonother. Adam, as the archetype of hmankind, is therefore in his essenial natre at once the medi m of sight by which the observin Sbject behods Hs own cosmic image or reflecton and the medim of reflection by hch the cosmic other is restored to Itself. As medi m therefore, it is Adam who s the very princi pe of the polar reationshp, and who, as sch, knows the ames of God, which he is ordered in the ran to teach to the a nges. h sbjects of the angelc state has aways been a problematic one for theology. or Ibn aArab the angels seem to have been pa rticarations of di vi ne power, whether creative or recreative, beings who wh le close to the di vine presence nevertheless had no share in the physica a nd forma a ctality o f cosmic creation Ths, they a re prey sprtal beings, qite nlike the bipolar and synthetic Adami c beng who alone of al creation, shares in the Selfcnsciosness of the Reality Similary the anima creation, as particlariation of prely cosmc life lies otside the niqely synthetic eperience of the hman state Another image Ibn aArab employs in this chapter and which s particla rly approprate to this work, is that of the sealri ng In this mage, man is see as the seal that seals and protects the cosmic trea sre hose of God and on which is stamped the sig net of its Owner. Ths Adam, as ma n, is the receptive wa that bears the image of the allembracing and spreme ame of God, the breaki ng of which seal meas the end of al cosmic becomi ng However, as has been pointed ot above, while i the mai inssting on the eternal spremacy of the cognitive and volitive pole Ibn a Arab aways retrns, as in this chapter, to the nderlying mtalty of the polar eperence, i keeping with t e f ndamental con cept of the Oneness of Beng Ths, as he points ot here, the term orgn is meanngless withot assming the eistence of what is orgnated, and so on with all poar concepts iclding the terms God and Lord, whch are significant oly if the corresponding terms worshper and slave are mpied. I n keepng wth this basic premise of Ib n aArabs thoght, it is not srprsing to find that his notion of the Devil or Satan is somewhat different from that of ordnary theoogy. I ndeed, he sees the dabolc priciple in two ways. irst it is for him that principe which resists the Sefrealiing rge to create the ownother object and in 49
B N A ARAB
sss on h e sole rgh o pre spiri and ranscendence, this be ng the reason for Saan's refsal o obey God's command o prosrae hm sel o Adam from jealosy for he negriy of pre spri Second i s also ha prncple which nssts on he separae realty of cosmc lfe and sbsance and whch denes all prmacy o he Sprt. n oher words, is ha principe which wod seek o nss on he separae realty of eher pole a he epense o he oher and hs o impair the orgnal wholeness of he divine eperience as he Reali y by ry ing o sever the allimporant lnk beween own and "oher and consgn each o maly eclsive isolaon n absrdiy THE WSDO O D NTY T H E WOD O A D A The Realy wanted o see the essences of Hs Mos Beaf ames or o p anoher way, o see H is own Essence, n an al ln clsve objec encompassing he whole [dvine] Command, whch, qaled by esence, wold reveal o Hm Hs own mysery or he seeng of a hi ng, iself by iself, is not he same as s see ng iself n a noher, as it were n a m rror for appears to iself n a form ha s nvesed by he location of he vison by tha which wold on ly appear o gven he esence of he locaon and s [he locaon's] seldsclosre o The Realiy gave esence o he whoe Cosmos a firs as an ndffereniaed hi ng who anyh ng of h e spr n , so ha i t was l ke a n nposhed m rror s n h e nare o h e dv ne deermi naton ha He does no set o a ocaon ecep o receve a d v ne sprt which is also caled [in he ran he brehg o hm The aer is noth ing other han he com ng no operaon of he ndffereniaed orms nnae dsposion o receve he nehasble overowng of Sefreveaion, whch has aways been and wl ever be There is ony that whch s recepve and he recepve has been ony from the mos Holy Sperabnda nce of he Realiy, or al power o ac [all i ntatve s rom Him, n he begnn n g and at he end. Al l command derives from Hm, eve n as begns wh Hm I Qura X X 1 C. id 10.
50
H E BEZELS F S
s te ivine] Commn reqire [by its very natre te reflective caracteristic of te mirror of te Cosmos, an Aam was te very principle of reflection for tat mirror an te spirit of tat form, wi le te angels were ony certain faclties of tat form wic was te form of te Cosmos c le i n te terminology of te olk, te Great n In relation to it te angels are as te psycic an pysica fac lties in te man formation Eac of tese [cosmic] fac lties or poers is \eie [from knowi ng te wole] by its own self [being lim ite b its relative i niviality], so tat it cannot know anyti ng tat ecels it. It also caims tat it as te qalfication for every ig posi tion an ealte aboe wit Go by virte of its participation n te ivine Syntesis eri ving bot from te Spere of Div inity an te Rea ity of Realities an finally, wit respect to te formation assm ing tese caracteristics, from te eigencies of te Universa l at re, wic contains an comprises al te receptvties of te Cosmos, i ger an ower. is [knowlege] cannot be arrive at by te ntel lect by means of any rational togt process, for tis kin of perception comes on ly by a ivine iscosre from w c is ascertai ne te origin of te forms of te Cosmos receiving te spi rts. e [abovementione] for mation is cal le Man an iceRegent [of Go. As for te first term it stems from te niversality of is formation an te fact tat e embraces al te reai ties. or te Reaty, e is as te ppil is for te eye trog wic te act of seeing takes place. s e is cal le s meaning bot man an ppi] for it is by im tat te Reality looks on His creation an bestows te Mercy [of existence] on tem. He s an, te transient [in is form], te eterna [ n is essence] e is te perpeta, te everlasting, te [at once] iscrimi nati ng an nifyin g or It is by is estence tat t e Cosms sbsists an e is, in relation to te Cosmos, as te sea l is to te ring, te seal being tat pace wereon is engrave te token wit wic te King seals is treasre So e is cale te iceRegent, for by im Go preserves His creation as te sea preserves te kings treasre So long as te king's sea is on it no one ares to open it ecept by is permission te seal being [as it were] a regent i n carge of te kngom Even so is te Cosmos preserve so ong as te erect Man remai ns in t. Do yo not see tat wen e sal cease to be present in it an wen te seal [on te treasry] of te lower worl is broken, none of wat te Reaity preserve wil enre an al of it will epart, eac part
5
B AARAB
hereo becomng renied wth every other par ater which] he whole will be transerred o the inal Abode where he Perec Man wl be he sea orever. Al l the ames consti ng he Divine Image are mani es i n he hman ormaion so that this i normaion enoys a degree by which it encompasses a nd negraes all esence. I t is o this eason tha God hods he concsve argment against he angels [i n thei poest at Hs command to prosate to Adam]. So take cae o God wans yo by the eampe of anothe and conside carely rom whence he aaigned one s chaged o the anges dd not gasp the meanin g o he fomation o Gods Regent no did they ndersa nd he essenia sevitde demanded by he Plane o Realiy. or none knows anyhng of the Reality save that whi ch i s ise mplc in he Essence o the Realty]. he anges do not enoy he comprehensveness o Adam and comprehend only those Dvne ames peca to them by which hey gloriy a nd sanciy the Reality, nor ae they aware that God has am es of whch t hey k now nothi ng and by which they cannot gloi y H im no are they abe to sanctfy Hm wth the [complete sancti fcation of Adam. he condtion and lmtaton beng wha s, they said concening his omaion Wi You p i i oe who wi work mishi i i? meanng hs ebeion, which is pecsely wha they themselves ev nce fo what they say of Adam applies eqally to heir own ade owad the Reality B fo the fact ha he own fomation mposes this lmitation of knowedge] they wold not have sad wha hey said concen ing Adam b hey ae no awae of his I they i ndeed knew thei own essential] selves they wold know hei limitaion and if that wee so they wold have been spared he m isaken terance]. hermoe hey wold not have pess ed i n he challenge by cal li ng attenton o the own [ moe estic ed glorication o God as also thei [ li mited] sanctfcation Adam enshi nes dvne ames the angels have no pa i n no ae hey able o gloriy he i Lord by hem o by them to ealt H tanscendence as Adam does. God eponds he whole affai to s so hat we migh bea t in mnd a nd lean om i h e pope atde towad I i m a nd ls we ignoantly ant what [lttle] ndivdally esctd nh n 3. Ibid. 3.
5
T H E B EZ ELS F IS .
derstandin e mh he reled. ndeed, how cn w k cas cocern somethin the relit o which we have ot eperieced and concern n which we he no kowede, wtho pos orsees to rdce his dine insrcon concernin the anes] is one o he s b which the Reity instrcs His most trsed serns, His represenes e s now rern to his isdom. Know that the niversals, ee hoh he have no anibe idivd al eisence in hemseves, et are conceved o and known n the mi nd this s cerain . hey ar as manest as reards ndividal eisence whle mposin her eecs on all sch e sence deed ndivda e istence s nohin oher han an oter man estation] o them, that is to say, the iersas. I n themselves they are aways intel ibles. hey are m anest as ben ndiidal beins and they are nmanest as ben prely] ntelibe. Every ndividal eistence s dependen on the niversals, which can ever] be dsassociaed from he inelec, nor ca they est ndividaly i n sch a way that t hey wod cease to be inell ible. Whether the nd dal ben s deerm ned emporarily or no, is reationshp, i n boh cases, s one and the same. However, the n iersa and the ndvda l bein may share a common determin i pri nci ple accordn as the essent ial realties o the i ndividal beins demand, as or eample in] the relationship between knowlede and he knower or ife and the lvi n. Lfe is an ntelible reality as also knowlede, each ben disinshed rom the oher. h s, concernn the Reaity, we say that He has ie and knowlede and also that He s Lvin and Knowin his we also say o an ad the anes. he real ty o knowlede s aways one, as is the realty o fe, and the relaionship o each respectively o the knower and he livi remains always] the same. Concernin the knowlede o the Realty we say that it is eternal, whereas of man's knowlede we say that it s continent Consder then how attachmet to the determi nan renders somethi n he teliible reaiy conent and consider the nterdependece o the nversals and ndividal eistence. or, even as knowede determines one who apples it as ben a kower, so also does the one hs descrbed determne knowlede as be n continent n the case o the contnet kower], and eternal in the case o the Eeral One, both determi ni n and determined. rther, even thoh the nivesas ae ntelibe, they enjoy no eal eistence, esti only insofar as hey determne eistent be 53
BN A'ARAB
ing, j st a they themseves are determined n any relationshi p with indvdal eisence As manifest in indvidal eisence they may admi of beng in a sense] deermi ned, bt they admi of no pariclarzain r d visin, this being m possibe. They are essenia l ly presen n each hing hey qalify, as hma nity i present n every hman being, whie no beng particlarized or divided according to the n mber f indivdal bengs in whch they are man ifesed], remainng prely ntelgible If, therefore, it is esablshed hat here is an i nterrelaionsh ip beween ha whch has ndivida eistence and hat which has no, the later beng nneistent relations the interconnection between one individa being and anoher is he more comprehensible becase hey have a eas, indivdal eisence in common whereas in the frmer nstance here is no nifying element It is established that the originated is completely] dependent on ha which brngs it abo, for s posibily. Its eistence is entirely] derived frm something ther than itsef the connecton in this case being one of dependence It is therefore necessary hat tha which is the sppor of orginated estence] shold be essentialy and necessarily by tself, sefsffcient and i ndependen of any other. This i is ha besows eisence from ts own essenial Being on dependen e istence, n his way becomng reaed to i rthermore since the former, becase of its essence reqires he later the dependen, h e aer has i n a cerain sense] necessary bei ng. Also, s nce ts dependence on that from whch it was ma ni fesed is implici in] is own essence i follows ha the originaed shld conform o al he ames and aribes of he case orign, ecep ha of Selfsfficient B eing, which does not belong to orignated eience, si nce wha necessary being has derives enre ly frm her than itself Know hat f what has been said concerning he manifesain f the orginaed] in he form of he originaor be re, i clear ht God draws or atention to what s orginated a a ad t knwedg of Hm and says in the ran tha He wl hw rt H gn i. Ths He sggess that knowledge of Him s frd in kwl edge of orselves Whenever we ascribe any qaity t Hm w r orselves represenaive ha qaliy cp b h lt f H s Sefsffcen Beng. Si nce we know H m h g ev and b. XS
54
T H E BEELS F S M
from orsees we attrbte to Hm ll we attrbte to orsee t for th reason that the dne revelatons come to thrgh the moths of the Interpreters [the prophets] for He decrbe Hme to s throgh s If e wtness Hm we wtness orseves and when He sees s He loos on Hmself There s no dobt that we are as ndvdas and tyes many a nd that thogh representatves of a s nge realty we now defnte that there s a factor dstngshng one ndvda from another bt for whch mtpl cty wold not be [ mplct] n the One. In the same a een f we descrbe orseves as He descrbes H m self n al possble aspects there wold stll reman an nevtable factor of dstncton [between Hm and s] Ths [factor] s or dependence on H m for estence whch, n or case derves entrey from H m becase we are orgnated whle He s free of al dependence whatsoeer. Ths s He rghty called the One wthot begnnng, the ncent of Das contradctng al prorty n the sense of estence startng from nonestence or, althogh He s the rst no tempo ral prorty may be attrbted of Hm Ths He s called also the Last Een f He were the rst n the sense of beng the frstdetermned estence He cold not be caled the Last n ths sense, snce contngent beng has no end, beng nfnte He s called the Last only n the sense that al realty, thogh reaty be attrbted to s s Hs. Hs nalty s essentaly [mplct] n H s rorty as s H s rorty essentally [ mpct] n H s naty Know aso that the Reaty has descrbed Hmself as beng the Oter nd the I nner [Manfest and U nma nfest] He broght the Cosmos nto beng as constttng an nseen real m and a sensory rem so that we m ght perceve the I nner throgh or nseen and the Oter throgh or sensory aspect. He has also attrbted of Hmself pleasre and wrath havng cre ated the Cosmos as [epress ng] both fear and hope fear of Hs wrath and hope for Hs pleasre. He has aso descrbed Hmsef as beng possessed of beaty and majesty ha vng created s as comb nng awe [of Hs majesty] and ntmacy and so on wth all Hs attrbtes and ames He has epressed ths poarty of qaltes [n the ran as beng Hs Ha nds devoted to the creaton of the erfect Man who ntegrates n hmself all Cosmc reates and ther ndvda manfestatons. . d XXX7
55
B N A 'ARAB
he Cosmos i s he sensory ream [boh sbe and gross] a nd the icegeen s nseen. or ths reason the Rer [God] s veiled, s nce the Reay has described Himself as being hdden in veils of dark ness which are he nara forms and by veis of light, whch a re the sbtle spiits he Cosmos conssts of tha which s gross and that which is sbe and is therefore, in both aspects, he vel [coveri ng its [own] tre sef reai ty] or the Cosmos does no perceve the Real iy as He perceives Hmself nor can t ever not be veled, knowing itself to be distnct from i ts Creator and dependent on Hi m. I ndeed, t has no par i n he dv ne Sefsfficency [of being] of the Reality, nor wl t ever attain to that. In this sense the Realty can never be known by cosmic beng in any way, since orgnated beng has no part n that Selfsffciency]. God n ites the polarty of qalties ony in Adam, to confer a disncon on hm Ths He says o Lcfer, Wh preven you from pro ring o one whom I hve reed wih my wo hnd Wha prevents Lcifer is he vey fac ha he [man nies [in himself] he wo modes, the [orgnated] Cosmos and the [orignatng and orgi nal ] Reaiy, which are Hs wo hands. As for Lcifer, he is ony a part of he Cosmos and has no share i n his Synhesis by v re of which Adam is he Regen. Were he ot mani fest n the Cosmos] in the form of Him Whom he represents, he wod no be he Regen, and were he no o comprse al hat hs dependent cha rges reqre or were he nable to meet all the r reqire mens, he wold no be he Regen. In shor, he Regency s fittng only for the erfec Man. His oter form He composed of the cosmic realies and forms, whil e his nne r form He composed to match His Own form Ths He says n the Sacred Traditon, "I am his hearing and hs sgh7 and not, " I am his eye and his ear, n order to show the distnction between the two forms the mperceptible and the perceptble] Likewse He is [i mplcit] n every cosm ic being according as he essential reality [manifested in ha being reqres t, providing it s nder stood that no oher beng enoys he Synhesis of di vi ne realt ies] possessed by the Regent It s only by virte of his Synhesis hat he is speror [to al other beings. . id 7 B XXX
56
TH E B EZELS OF ISOM
ee it not th at the Reaity pemeates al beins a fo n Hi qaitatie fom] a nd wee t not fo th e nteliible ealities n [essenti detemnaton wold be manifest i n indvidal bi ns. hs, the dependence of the Cosmos on the Reaty fo its estence i a n essentia facto l is dependent [pon anothe], naght is independent, Ths is the pe tth we speak it ot planly If I menton One, Sefsffcient ndependent, o will know to hom efe. ll is bond p wth al thee is no escapng Ths bond, so conside ca ef y what say. o ae now acqanted wth the isdom invoved in the copo eal fomation of Adam, his ote fom as yo have become acqanted with the spiital fomation of Adam, his in ne fom, namey, that he is the Reaity [as egads the latte] and that he is ceate [as egads the fome] o have also leaned to know hs ank as the al synthesii ng [fom] by which he meits the [divi ne] Regency Adam is that single sol that singe spiital essence fom which hmankind was ceated as He says, M ar yor Lord Who rad yo from a gl ol ad rad from ma, o ha from hm boh hr id forh may m ad wom. Hs saying Far yor Lord means Make yo ote [ta nsent] seves a potecton fo yo Lod [yo nne essential eaity], and make yo inne [eality] which is yo Lod a potection fo yo ote selves. Al ceation amr] involves cense [negaton] and pase [affmation], so be Hs potecton as egads cens e as be ng elative bengs] and make Hm yo potection as egads pase [as being identifi ed with the Adamc eaty, so that yo ae of those who act popey and ae possessed of knowledge Then He, Most Hgh and Goos, cased Adam to look on al He had deposited i n h m and he ld it n H s Hands [Active a nd passive Essential and foma], in the fst Hand the Cosmos and in the othe Adam a nd his seed, epondn g thei degees hen God eveaed to me, in my nnemost cente, what He had deposited in o geat pogento, ecoded in this book only that 8
ran " : 1
5
B N A ARAB
which h e dictated o me, ot a I was gie, si ce o book cold cotai al of it or ye the Cosmos as ow eistig. Of what I witessed [i he spirit] ad of hat, what I recorded i this book as laid dow by the rophe, are he foowig chapters: II III I v I II III IX X X XII XII XI X XI XII XIII XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII XXI XX XXI XXII
he Wisdom of Diviiy i the Word of Adam he Wisdom of Epiratio i the Word of Seth he Wisdom of Ealtatio i the Word of oah he Wisdom of Holi ess i the Word of Eoch he Wisdom of Raptros Love i the Word of Abraham he Wisdom of Reality i the Word of Isaac he Wisdom of Sblimity i the Word of Ishmae he Wisdom of Spirit i the Word of acob he Wisdom of Ligh i the Word of oseph he Wisdom of Uity i the Word of H d he Wisdom of Ope ig i the Word of i� he Wisdom of the Heart i the Word of Shaib he Wisdom of Mastey i the Wod of Lot he Wisdom of Destiy i the Word of Ea he Wisdom of ophecy i the Wod of ess he Wisdom of Compassio i the Wod of Solomo he Wisdom of Bei g i the Word of David he Wisdom of B eath i the Wod of oah he Wisdom of the Usee i he Wod of ob he Wisdom of Maesy i the Word of oh he Wi sdom of Domi io i the Wod of Zakaiah he Wisdom of I ti macy i the Wod of Eias he Wi sdom of ite i the Wod of Lqm he Wisdom of Leadeship i the Wod of Aao he Wisdom of Emiece i the Wod of Moses he Wisdom of Resoce i the Wod of Khlid he Wisdom of Si glarity i he Word of Mhammad
he sea of each Wisdom is he Wod assigd t hae sticted mysef i what I have writte coceig the diie maifestaios of] Wisdom i this book to what i cofimed i hat
58
H BZLS OF WSDOM
respect n te eavenly Book. ave transcribed faitflly according as was vocsafed to me. Even ad wised to add to it wold not ave been able to do so since te pane [from wic it came wold preven anytng of te kind. God i t is Wo grants sccess and e is ole Lord.
C H A E R I I
HE WISDOM OF EXPIRAION IN HE WORD OF SEH
ITRODUCTORY OTE he chapter na med after Seth dea wi th two man topc, that of divine giving and the bject of the repective fnction of the Seal of Saint and the Seal of Apotle In connection with the firt of thee topic, I bn aArab toche alo on the bject o atency and predi poition and the poibi ity of knowng one own predpoition In the frt part of the chapter he deal with the qetion of divne gving and faor He divide the divine givng n vario way and dice the whole reationhip between reqetng and gving i n repone to a reqet, whether ttered or mplicit. h firt topic of the chapter provide, perha p a cl e to he ti te of the chapter, Th Widom of Expirio i th Word of Sth The Arabc word ed for "epration i rom the root fkh, which lt erally mean "to blow. ow, the divine gift pr eceence ha of eitence itef, the brngng abot o which i cloey reled o n alArab concept of the creating Mercy, whch creiity i fen termed the Breath of the Mercifl [f -rm(] In her wrd the blowing referred to n the ttle i precey tht otgng jc tion npred by the divine deire for Selfconcone which, frm
60
TH E B EELS F ISM
the standoint of eated e stene, i s the s ee at of di i n ging and geneosit, al othe ta gifts of God being asets f that oiginal gift of eistene sne eah patla gift to a atila eate sees on o onf tha existentia ovenant by whh God aff s he ontologia signfiane of the Cosos t is the niesa gift of beo ng tha is th gft of the Essene, while the gift of the aes s the pata anifestaion of hat spee Selfgivng of God bn alAab ets to this thee in the hapte on the ophet Daid. As aeady entoned, this notion of divine giving is losely eated b b n a Aab o the onept of atent pedispositi on i di s. his means that the qaity and nate of one's existene as eate, in genea and in detal, ay be no oe o less than that whih it is etenally pedsposed to be in one's latent essene theoe, not onl y the gift o esponse bt also the aking of the e qest tsel f is deteined by the latent pedisposition to do so Awaeness o knowledge of what one s disposed to be i eeris is fo bn alAab, an essental pat of what he als mrh o gno ss, sine it nvolves the knowledge of oneself that is, at the sae tie, knoedge of the divine Reality of whih one is, latenty and essentialy, inesapably an aspet, whih is the eaning of the sayng Whosoeve knows hiself, knows his od { nosis, aoding to o atho, is not the aqi ed knowi ng of pofan e leanng, bt athe, as the Aabi oo sggests, an ediate eognition and gasp not of soething n ew o sange bt athe of the state and stats of thngs as they eay ae, have always been and etenally wil be, whh knowledge is inbon in an bt late oveed ove and ob sed by he spta gnoane enoaged by peopation wh epheea and paal dat o t is peisely this gnosis, whih is potentia in all hankind, hat is the eaized spital hetage of the sai nts, pophes and apos les and patlaly of the Seal hself. ndeed, it s the noaive ognton of the efe Man who peeives all dffeene and identity in tes of the Reaiy, othe han whih nothing s o exists bn alAab onldes this hapte wth a ios pediion onening the fate of an as defined in his teahngs He says that the as te han, in the lne of Seth, wi l be bon i n Chi na and that he wil have an elde siste. He goes on to pophesy tha heeafte en wll beoe as beasts, beeft of spiit and aw, ntl the ong
6
AAA o he Hor. h he indicae ha ha pariclar h man ynhei o piri and nare o which we are a a par wil come o an end and h l nk be broken. HE WIS DO O EXIRAIO I H E WORD O S EH Know ha he divine gi and avor manie n he ream o deermined being wheher hrogh H ervan or no are divided in wo kind gi o he Eence and g o he ame a here are hoe gi [beowed n anwer o a peciic reqe and hoe given n a nwer o a general reqe here are hoe gi alo ha are beowed wiho a ny reqe wheher hey derive rom he Eence or he ame. An eample o a reqe or omehing peciic i one who ay Lord gran o me ch and ch pecyi ng omehng o he eclon o any hing ele. An eample o a genera reqe i one who ay, "G ran o me wha Yo know o be in my inere wheher or my ble or phyca being. hoe who ak are o wo kind: he ir knd i rged o make a reqe by a naral eagerne or n ws rd hsy whe he econd kind i moved o make he reqe becae he know ha here are cerain hng wih God ha canno n accordance wih he divi ne recence be obaned ecep by akng or hem He ay [o hi melf, erhap wha we are abo o ak or rom God i o hi kind. h hi reqe i by way o aking l accon o he po biiie inheren in he divine Command he h ng aked or. He can no know wha i n he knowedge o God nor can he know hi own eernally deermined predipoiion o receive or o be a each nan aware o one [eerna] predpoon i oe o he mo di c k nd o knowledge. Indeed were i no or ha wh which he predipoiion imbe he reqe he wold no make he reqe a al. or hoe praccing he reence o God who do no aly know h he mo hey aa n o i o know i her predipoion a he i me [o recevng or aki ng]. hi i becae by rao o hir preence wih God hey know wha he Reay bw on hem a ran
6
TH E B EZES F ISM
tha me and he know tha he recee t onl becase f hr prdsposton to recee t he are of wo knds those who knw thr predsposon b knowng what he recee, he thers knowng what he [wl] receve b knowng ther predsposon. Of these the latter s the more complete knowedge of the predsposton There are aso those who ask, not becase of an natral mplse, nor et throgh knowledge of the possbtes, bt smpl to conform wth Gods command, Call pon and I wll answr yo 0 Sch a one s em nent a servant for n sch a sppl caton there s no trace of senterest the concern beng d rected solel to conformt wth the behest of h s aster. If hs state necesstates a reqest on h s part, he asks for more servanthood, whereas f t necesstates s lence and resg naton he s slent Job and others were sorel tred bt the dd not ask that ther aflcton from God be lfted from them. At a ater tme ther state necesstated ther makng sch a reqest and God answered them. The speed or tardness n grant ng what s reqested depends entre on the measre apponted for t wth God If a reqest s m ade at st the rght moment for t the response s swft bt f ts tme s not et de, ether n ths lfe or ntl the net fe, the response wll be postponed ntl that tme. B ths s meant the grantng of the thng re qested, not the prncple of dvne response, whch s alwas "I am here, so consder we As regards or reference to those gfts bestowed wthot an reqes beng made, I meant a reqest that s artcated, for n the case of an [dvne] acton [gft] there m st be a reqest a recpent], whether t be epressed n words or s nherent n the state or predsposton Smarl the prasng of God sal means ts artcaton, whereas n the nner sense the prase s necesstaed b the sprtal] state, for that whch mpels o to prase God s that essenta element n o that bnds o to a Dvne ame whether epressng Hs actvt or transcendence The servant s not aware of hs preds poston bt onl of the sprt al state, whch he knows as that whch mpels hm, snce knowledge of the predsposton s the most hdden Those who [receve God's gfts and] do not make a reqest omt to make a reqest onl becase the know that God possesses, n respect d. XL:6 . id. 8 6
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B N A'ARAB
of tem, predetermining knowledge. Tey ave made temselves ever ready to receive watever comes from Hi m a nd ave wtdrawn completey from teir separative selves and teir ai ms. Of tese persons tere are tose wo know tat God's knowledge of tem, in all tei r states corresponds to wat tey temselves are in teir state of preeistent latency. Tey know tat te Reaity wl bestow on tem ony tat wc ter latent essences contrbte to H m as being wat H e knows H mself to be]. Ts tey know te origin of Gods predetermin ing knowledge concerning tem Of te olk tere are none iger or more intitive tan tis kind [wo do not ask for tey ave grasped te mystery of te dv ine remeas rement Tis grop is tsef divided into two parts tose wo possess tis knowledge in a general way and tose wo ave a detaied knowledge, te latter [knowledge beng more eevated and complete I n tis case e knows wat God knows concerning mself, eiter becase God informs im of wat is essence as contrbted to His knowledge of im, or becase God a s revealed to im is essence in al its i nfi nite flctatons of spirtal state Ti s is iger tan te genera knowedge Sc a one, n respect of is knowledge of imself, knows imself as God knows im , si nce te object of knowedge] s te same n bot cases However, i n respect of s creatreiness, is knowedge is noting bt a favor from God, one of a m lt itde of predetermi ned sprital] states [i nerent in s essence. Te recpient of sc a revelation recognzes tis fact wen God sows to im te states [iner ent] in is essence for it s not possibe for a creatre wen God sows to m te states of is essence, on wic te created form will be cast, to look on t as te Realty looks on te latent essences in ter state of nonbeing si nce tey are form less attribtions of te Essence If al of ts i s nderstood, we can say tat tis party n knowedge, as between God and te servant is a divine favor predetermined for tat servant. In tis regard s His sayng, [ ry yo] we ko hh ofyo srve], 2 wic bears a very eact meann, qite oter tan tat magned by tose wo ave o dirct eerence [of te divine mysteries]. Concerning ts verse, the most te transcendentast cold say sing te igest of menta owrs, wold be tat te [apparent] temporaity n God's knowlede s d to ts dependence [on creatres ecept tat e man an te distc 1 2 id \ 1 .
64
TH E BEZES OF ISO
t n o th e noled ro th ssn nd s s th den den to it and not o th ssn By ths h is dstnihd ro h tr knor o God the reint o rlation Retrnng o th sbj o th din gits ha ardy ainand tha ths st ether fro the Essn or ro th D n as s or aors or ts o h rst kind, thy an rl on ro a diin Selrvlaion hih ors only n a or onorn to th essential predspos ion o the ripient o sh a rvelaon Ths the rpin ss nohng other than his on or n he i rror o th Realty. He does no s th Reality sl, hh i s no possibl ahogh h knos tha t h ay se on ly his tre o n . s i n the ase o a rror and th bholder, he sees h for n t bt does not see the irror tself, dspt his knoldg that he ss only his on a nd other ags by ea ns of it God aks this oparison so that th repent of a dvin Slrevelation shold ko tha t is not Hi Who he sees The ana logy of a irror s he osest and os fahfl one for a vson of a d v n Selrvlation . Try, hen yo look at yorsel in a irror, to see he rror sl and yo i l find that yo a nno do so So h i s thi s h as hat soe have onded that the age pereived is stated be een the rror and he eye o th beholder. This represents he graest knoledge they are apabe of on he sbt. The ater is in fat] as e have onded and e have deat ith t also in The e evelos. 3 yo have eperiened h s n he sprit] yo have eperind as h as s possble or a reaed beng, so do not seek nor eary yorsl in any aeps to proeed higher than ths or hre is nothing higher nor is here beyond he point yo have reahed agh eept he pre ndeerned, naniested Abso l e] n yor seeing yor tr sel, He s yor irror and yo are His i rror n hh He sees His aes and thr dterinations, h ih are nothing other than H sel. The hole ater s prone to intray and abgiy. So o s her are ho pross ignorane as part of ther knoledg, ainaining h Ab Bakr] hat (To raise ha one anno kno God s to kno. ' There are others ro aong s, hoever ho kno b ho do no say sh things thir knol 3 h 162f 14 C a r aarj Kb ama ed icl, 1 3 rac text
6
B N A ARAB
ede inin n them ilence rather than [profeion] o f inorance Th i the hhet knowlede of God poeed ony by the Sea of Apote and the Seal of Sain.5 Th, none of he prophe and apotle can attain to t ecept from the Niche of the Sea of Apotle, nor ae any of he aint able to attain to it ecept from the Niche of the Sea of Sai nt, o that n effect, none of the apotle can attain to i, when they do o ecep from the Niche of the Sea of Sant. Th becae the office of apotle and prophe [by prophet mean the briner of Sacred Law come to an end, while Sainthood never ceae. Th the apotle a bein alo ain, aain only o wha we have mentoned from the Niche of the Sea of Sai nt th bein even more the cae with the eer aint or, athoh the Sea of San follow the Law broht by the Seal of Apotle, th doe not n any way d mi nh hi aton or contradct what we have ad, nce he , in one ene, below the apotle and, in anoher ene hiher. What we have maintained here i pported by event nder or own dpenaton a when Umar j dment wa the beter one in repect of he prioner taken at Badr, a alo n the maer of he pollnaion of palm. t i no neceary for one who i perfec to be perior i n every thn and at every level, nce men of the Spirt have reard only to precedence in the deree of the knowlede of God, whch i ther ole] aim A for the pain phenomena of created bein, they do not concern themeve wth ch t h n Therefore, mark well wha we have aid The Prophet likened the offce of prophet o a wal of brick complete ecept for one brick e hmelf wa he miin brick owever, whie the Prophet aw the lack of one brick the Seal of Sant perceived that two brck were min. The brck of he wall were of ver and old. Since he aw h melf a fil l n th e ap, it the Seal of San t who th e wo brick and who coplee he wa The reaon for hi een two brick i tha, otwadly he follow he Law of the Seal of Apotle, repreented by the ilver brick. Th hi oter apect and the r le hat he adhere o n i. nwardly, however, he receve directly from God what he appear [twardy to follow, becae he perceive the divine Command a i [n it eence repreented by the oden brick He deive h knowee C a-imdh tb khatm aa ed . aha eu 9 C iame, Mhamma 9 p 1 .
66
THE BEZELS F IS1
fro the sae sore s the anel who reveals it to th Aotl f yo ha\e nderstood y alsions yo have att ned to the ost bnefiil now lede. 7 Eery prophet fro Ada nti the last of the prophets derves what he has fro the Sea of Prophets even thoh he coes ast i n his teporal physca anfestation for in hs [essentia] reality he has al as eisted. The Prophet sad was a prophet when Ada was between the water and the lay 8 wh ile other prophets becae sch only when they were sent forth [on the r issions] n the sae way the Sea l of Saints was a saint when Ada was between the water and the clay while other saints becae saints only when they had acqred all the necessary dvine qalities since God has caed iself h Frid [/W h Prisd O The Seal of Apostles as ben a lso a saint has the sae reatonshp to the Sea of Sai nts as the other prophets and a postes have to h for he is sant a poste and prophet As for the Seal of Saints he is the Saint the eir the one whose nowlede derves fro the Sorce the one who beholds al evels [of Ben Ths sainthood is aon the ecellencies of the Seal of Apostles �aad first of the Co nty [of apostles and Lord of en as bein he who opened the ate to intercession Th is atter s a state peclar to hi and not coon [to all apostles t is in this state that he precedes even t he Div ine Naes, since the ercif does not ntercede with the Avener, in the case of those sorely tried, nti in tercession has been ade [to t. t is in the atter of in tercession that M�aad has attaned to preei nence. Whoever coprehends the levels and sations wi l not find it dffclt to nderstand this. As for favors derivn fro the Naes of God they are of two inds: a pre ercy sch as a ood peasre in the world that leaves no tant on the Day of Resrrection, which is bestowed by [God the ercifl or a ied ercy sch as an eviltastin edicne that brins reef which s a ift of God in s Divi nity athoh in is Dvinity e always bestows is ifts throh the ed of one of the holders of the Naes. Soetes God bestows a ift on is servant n is Nae the ercifl in wh ch case the ift wil be free of al l that is contrary to 1. Cf. Bur I 8. Iid. I II . 1 Qun II28.
6
B N AARAB
he ervant natre at the tme or of anythin hat miht fail him Somei me God ive in i Nam e he Encompain o that the ef fec i nvera while at other tme e ive i n i Name the Wie to erve te bet interet of i evant. e may ive in i Name he Betowe in whic e ve an nolicited] favor o tha the ecipient i nder no oblaton to ender thank o to pefom wok o met the favo e may ive n i Name the Powefl in whch cae i action i n accodance with the eqiement of the ta on. e may ive in i Name the ove in which e conde the ation or tae a it i at he time f pnihment i merited e w l [ nde thi N ame] potect the evant fom it and if no pnih ment meted e potect from a ate that wold nc pnh ment. n thi way ae ch evant [the ai nt] poken of a bein i mmne and protected from in]. The ive i God a Keepe of the teae [of G ace] which only e dipene accordi n to a pe cibed meae thoh the appopiate Nme. H bstows [appropr atly o all H has ratd20 in i Name the Jt and imila atbte. The Name of God ae nfnie becae they ae known by all ha deive fom them whch infi nite even thoh they deive [l timately fom [known nmbe of oce which ae the matice o abode of the Name Cetainly thee i bt one Realiy which embace a thee attibton and eation caled the D vine a me. T Reaity ant that evey Name n fintey ma nifet hold have it own ealty by which to be ditinihed fom evey othe Name. Thi dtnhin eaty i the eence of the Name [the Name it elf] not that which it may have in common wih oher]. n te ame way evey divne i ft ditinihed fom evey othe by t own ndividal qality; fo even thoh a deve fom a nle oce it i evident that one ift i not he ame a anohe The cae of that i the mtal d itnction of the Na me thee ben no reetition on the Plane of Divinity with all t etenivene hi i he indiptable tth. Sch wa the knowede poeed by Seth and i hi i hat move evey othe p t epein thi knd of th ece e i t of the Sea fo hi piita contten come diecly fom od and not fom any othe piit the t i from hi it te Seal 2. id. XX
68
TH E B EZELS F S
that al other spi ris derie the ir substance, even thouh he Sal ay not e aware o the act while n the physca ody n respect hi essential realit and his [spiritual] rank he knows it al esentay, whereas n the od he is ignorant o i He at once knows and does not now, tain on hsef the attruton of oppostes as does the Source tsef as ein a once the ajestic and the Beautiful the anifet and the na nfest, the F rst and the ast, thi [ ] ein his own essence He knows and does not know, he is aware and he s not aware he perceives and yet does not per ce\e t is ecause o this knowedge that Seth s so naed, his nae eanng Gift of God. n his hand s the key to the [divine] gifts in al heir arey and their relations. God bestowed hi on Ada, as his frst unconditonal gift, bestowing hi as cong fro Ada hiself, snce the son is the inner reaity of the father, issuing fro hi and to hi returning Thus t is nothi ng alien to hi that coes [as Gods gft] He whose understand ing is i nspired by God wil l k now ths ndeed every git n the anifested u nverse is after this fashion. There is noh n g n a nyone fro God as other] and there is nothing n anyone but what coes fro his own self, however various the fors. Though this be the eternal truth of the atter, none knows it [di rectly] save certain of the e ite of the saints Should you eet one who possesses such knowledge you ay have coplete confidence in hi or he is a rare ge aong the elite of the Fok. henever a gnostic receves a spiritua ntuition n which he looks on a for that brings h new spiritual knowledge and new spiriual graces [he should know that the or he contepates s other than the t ree own essenelf, for it s hs own self that he wil the fruits of his knowledge n the although the pace or plane i n whch he sees his iage effects certai n cha nges n the i age in accordance wth the intrnsic reality of that plane. n hs way soeth ing bg appears sal l i n a sall irror, long in a long irror, and oving n a ovng rror. t ay produce the i nverson o this iage fro a particular plane or it ay produce an exactly corresponding iage right reflecting rght [and let relecting left] However it is ore usual wth irrors for the right to reflec the left. n contradiction to this, however, the right soeties reflects the rght and reversion takes place All this apples [equally to the 6
BN AARAB
des and properties of the pane i n which the divi ne Selfreveation ccrs, whch we have copared to a irror hoever has knowedge of his [eterna] predispostion knows what [divie gifts] he wi ll receve, although not every one who knows what he wil l receive knows aso hs predispostion except after he has receved even thogh he ay know it n a general way Certai theorsts of weak i ntel lect, having agreed that God does what He wils go on to state things aout God that contradict s d and the trth hey go so far as to deny conti gency as a so self sfficiet and relatve essenta ein g he one who truly k nows conf rs contngency and knows its pa ne he knows what is the contn gent and in what way it s so, even though it e in its essence self suficient [necessary] y virtue of soethi ng other than t as aso he knws] in what way its [source] ay e considered as other, when it akes it selfsufficent [necessary]. Only those possessing speca knowledge of God understand ths n detai. t wl e in the l ne of Seth that the ast true an wil e orn, eari ng his ysteries of dvine sdo], nor wil s uch e orn after hi. He will e the Sea of Offspring. here wi ll e orn with h a sister who w ill e orn efore hi , so that h s head wl l e at her feet He will e orn in the land of China and wi speak the language f that and. Sterlity will then overcoe the en and wen of this land and, although there wil e uch consorting, there wil e no ringing forth of children [as true en] He will cal the to God without success and when God has taken hi and those of his tie who elieved, the others wil reain lving like easts with no sense of right and wrong, gven over to the aw of the [ower nature de void of inteect and Sacred aw. The ast Hour wil overtake the
0
C H A P R
HE WISDOM OF EXALAION IN HE WORD OF NOAH
NTRODUCTORY NOT his is perhaps he os d ffcul and conroversial of h e chapers of he Bezels of Wisdom y reason of he unusual and exraordinary inerpreaions of he Q ran ha feaure in i Cerain y fro he sandpoin of exoerc heology n alAra's approach o he qu ranic aeria in his chaper is a es reckless and a wors, flagrany hereical he chaper is also unusual aong he chapers of his wor in ha i no only confines is sujec aer o he siua ion of he Prophe oah, na ed in he le u draws aos al is quoaional aerial fro he Srh of oah in e Q ran Thus his chaper s in effec a coenary on he ssues raised n ha Srh he suaon descried n he Srh concerns oah's aeps o persuade his people of heir folly and wcedness in worshiping heir dols and of he urgen necessy o repen and recognze he ranscede u niy of he rue God hroughou he Srh oah cals on God o vind cae h ad o punish his heedless and suorn coneporares aAra uses hs suaion no so uch o confr he righness of oah u raher o explore and expound on a whole seres of poar conceps, he relaonshp of which he discusses fro he po of view of he Oneness of Being
B N AARAB
He egis y di scuss g the tesio etwee the otio of trascedece ad that of iaece o copaaility, ad it ecoes clear o readg further ito the chapter that he regards Noah as represetative of the forer ad the people of Noah as coitted to the latter vew. The expaatio ealy i the chapter that oth positios are utuay reated ad caot, popey e cosidered i isolatio fro each other aso akes it cear that he egards oth sides of the dispute i the ra ot as right o wog, ut as oth ecessariy represetig the two fudaetal odalities of divie Sefexperi ece as eig, at oe ad the sae tie, ivolved i ad assiilated ito Cosc ceatio ad uttely eoved fro ad eyod it deed, al l the othe pa rs of cocepts he discusses i the chapter ae deived fo this pair. He goes o to coside the cocepts outei e, fospi it ad elaorates yet agai o the sayig of the Prophet, hoso kows hi self kows hi s od with the cea ipl icatio that the Adaic eig, as isth us as created i the iage of the Reality, is the icrocosic sythesis of fo a d spirit, ei g the spirit of the for ad the for of the spirit the sae vei, alAra i duges i his tedecy to aipulate Aaic roots to llustrate a poit Thus he takes the word qun which derives fro the root qaaa ad teats it as if it derived fro the root qarana, eaig to correlate lik. He the cotrasts this ovel iterpetatio of the word with furqn so that we have the pair of cocepts, correatiodistictio, i other words that which o the oe had corelates God with cosic afestatio, ad o the other had asserts Hs asolute separatio fo it this cotext a lAa does ot regard the people of oah as ecessaily isguided, ut athe as expoets, aeit ucoscious oes, of the reaity of the dive Sefaifestato [tjl] i he everchagig uti plicity of cosi c fors iplyig that, had oah tepered h s extree trascedetais with a itte cocessio to d ve iaece, his people ght have ee ore esposive o hs exhortatios t is toward the ed of the chapter that a ras terretatios of quraic veses are, seeigy ost outraeus sice h sees deed to e suggestig eags diaetrcaly osed t those usualy accepted. short, he i terpets the wdoers i fidels, ad siers of he last verses of he rah o ah as sai s ad goscs drowg ad urig o i he ets l u
H E B EZ ELS F I SM
rthr in th as nd watrs o gnosi, wildrd n th dvin prpity o thir wrnss o th prdo o God. though t rst sight i ncoprhns nd xtrordn ry, such intrrtations would s to dirat ttpt on th prt o n r to donstrt, s vvidly s poss th ul l i lctions o th concpt o th Onnss o Bing, withn th contxt o whch ll possl oppositons nd conlicts r rsovd in th unignl holnss nd un ity o th Rl ity TH SDOM OF XALTATON N TH ORD OF NOAH For thos wo truly] know t divin Ralitis, t doctrin o transcndnc i poss rstriction a nd a itation [on th Rlty, or h wh ssrts that God is purly] trnscndnt is itr a ool or rogu, vn h a prossd lvr For, i h antains tt God is [purly transcndnt and xcluds al othr considrations, h acts ischvously nd isrprsnts t Rality nd ll th postls, it un wittingly. H iagins tat h s t on t truth, wil h hs [copltly] issd t rk, i ng lik thos wo liv in prt nd dny in prt t s known tt whn th Scrpturs spk o th Rlity ty spak in wy tat ylds to t gnraity o n t idiatly apprnt ning T lit, on th otr hand, undrstnd t anings nhrnt in that uttranc, in whtvr trs t is xprssd. Th trut is that th Rality is nist n vry crtd ing and in vry concpt, whl H is [t t sa ti] hiddn ro all undrstnding xcpt or on w o hods tha t t Cosos is H is or nd Hs dntity. Ts is th a, th Mni st, wil H s so un nstd Sprit th nanst. n tis sns H s, in rlaton to th an std ors o t Cosos, t Sprit tt dtri ns thos ors n any din tion o Man, is in nr and outr spct r oth to consdrd s s th cs with al ojcts o din iion. s or t Raliy, H ay dind y vry dintion or th ors o th Cosos r tlss nor can th dn tion o vry or known, 2 1 r, 1\:J ;O
3
BN A'ARAB
except insofar a s the fors are i plicit in the definition] of the Cos os hus a [true] definition of the Reality is ipossile for such a defin itin would depend on the ail ity to fu lly] define every for i n the Cosos which is ipossie Therefore a [coplete] definition of the Real ity is i possile t is si ilar in the case of one who professes the coparaiity of God without taking into consideration His incoparaiity so that he aso restricts and liits Hi and therefore does not know Hi He however w ho unites i n hi s knowledge of Go d oth transcendence and i anence in a coprehensive way i t not ein g possie to know such a thing in detail owing to the infinitude of Cosic fors knows Hi in a general way ut not in a detailed way as he ay know hi self generaly ut not in detai l n this connection the Prophet said Who [truly] knows hi self knows his ord linking together knowedge of God and knowl edge of the self God says We will how hem or ig o he horizo eaning the world outside you d i yorelve, sef here eaning your i nner essence i i beome ler o hem h He i he eliy 3 in that you are His for and He is your Spirit. You are in relation to Hi as your physica ody is to you He is in relation to you as the spi rit governin g your physica for. his definit ion of you takes account of you r outer and inner as pects for the for that reains when the governi ng spi rit is no long er present ay no onger e caled a an ut on ly a for rese ing a an there eing no rea difference etween it and the shape of wood or stone The nae a n ay e given to such a for ony figurativey not properly On the other hand the Reaity never withdraws fro the fors of the Cosos in any fundaental sense since the Cosos in its reality is [necessarily iplicit in the definition of the ivinity not erely figuratively as with a an when living in the ody ust as the outer for of Man gives praise with its tngue o its spirit and the soul that rules it so also did God case the Cosic For to give praise to Hi a lthough we cannot nderstand its pra y reasons of our inaiity to coprehend a the fors of the Cos A ll thi ngs are the tongues of the Rea ity giving e ressin to have ee le a hi aii 23 r 3
4
H E B EZELS F IS
the praise of the Rel ity God says Prais blogs o God Lod of h orlds 2 4 for all praise returns to Hi Who is both the Praiser and the Praised f ou insist only on His transcendence you restrict Hi, And you nsst only on His anence you li it Hi ou aintan both aspects you are rght An and a aster n the spiritual scences hoso would say He is two thi ngs is a polytheist, hile the one who isolates Hi tres to regulate Hi Beware of copari ng H f you profess duality And, if u nity, beware of aking Hi tra nscendent ou are not He and you are He and You see Hi i n the essences of thi ngs both boundless and l ited God says, Thr is agh lik o Him, asserting His transcen dence, and He says H is h Hrig, h Sig, 2 i plyng copari son On the other hand there are plicit in the frst quotation coparison [albet negative and dualty in the word "ike and in the second quotation transcendence and isoation are iplicit He alone being naed Had oah cobined the two aspects in su oning his people, they woud have responded to his call He appealed to their outer and nn er u nderstanding saying, sk yo Lod o shild yo Vrom yor sis for H is Forgivig 26 Then he said, I smmod hm by igh [i wrdly d by day [owrdly], b my smmos oly mad hm mor rs or] 2 He states that hs people turned a deaf ear to his su ons only because they knew innately] the proper way for the antaining God's ianence in any fors] to respond to his suons [ade fro the standpont of unity and transcendence Those who know God understand the allusion Noah akes in respect of [what he k nows to be the rea l state of hi s people i n that by baing the he prases the, since he knows the reason for ther not respondng positvely to h s su ons the reason being that hi s su I id ; . I i d I I 6. id 2 i d I:;
5
B AARAB
ons was ade n a sprt of dscrnaton seekng to oppose transcendence to anence] The whole trth s a conjuncton [l qr [qrn] as the whole revelaton and not a dscrnaton [ rqn rq] a chapter of the Q ran e, a part. 8 One who s frly estalshed n [hs knowledge of] the conjnc ton does not dwel on the dscrnaton for the forer [l-qrn] ncludes the dscrnaton the chapteroth aspects n ther appar nt opposton and not vce versa t s for ths reason that the Q rn the u non of the two aspects] was vouchsafed to Mu�aad and ths Co n ty whch s the est granted to anknd The quotaton Thr is non lik no Him29 cones the two aspects. Had Noah uttered th s k nd of sayng n sonng hs peope they would have responded [postvely] to h, for he woud have coned n the sn gle verse the tran scendental and anental odes nay even n ha a verse. Noah suoned hs people by nigh n that he appealed to ther ntellects and sprts, whch are unseen, and by dy, 30 n that he appeaed to the evdence of] ther externa senses. B ut he dd not unte the two as n the verse Thr is non lik no Him. 31 For ths reason ther nner selves gven to the anental aspect reco led [fro hs suons ecase o ts dscrnatory natre akng the even ore averse [oter]. Then he told the that he suoned the n order that God ght sheld the [fro the sn of excessve anence] and not to reveal [ncover] for the [Hs transcendence as an asolte Ths they understood fro h accordng to ther outer senses] so that hy p hir ngrs in hir rs nd rid o covr hm slvs wih hir clohs.2 Ths s an external for of sheldng to whch he had suoned the, athogh they responded lteraly y the r actons a nd not n h le srrender [to God's sheldng. n the verse Thr is non lik no Him s larty s at once ple d and dene d Becase o ths Mu �aad sad t hat h had een granted knowledge o God] ntegratng al Hs aspct u�aad 2 ibid. 1 ad I I I:2 Ir Ib ks t ( qaaa ratr ta qaa 2 Ibid, 1 1 . . Ibid. . 1 I bi d. I I . 2 Ibid 2 bi d I .
TH E BEZELS F S
unie oah] did not suon his people by gh and by dy 4 ut y n ght durng the day an n ne suons i plct i n the outer one] and dy during the night the outer truth eng iplicit n the inner]. oah n his wisdo sad to the He uses he heve o r upo ou opousy eaning intellectual knowledge and electon and hs provded you wh reserves [of weh ) 6 y which He reserves ou to Hsel. hen He does this you wll see your or in Hi. hoeer agnes that he sees the Reality Hisel ha s no gnosis he ha s gnoss who knows that it is h s own essental se l he sees hus a re the Folk diided into those who know and those who do not know. nd . hs oprg, eanng that which results ro ther ordinar dscurse thnking while what is required is the devoton o knowedge to conteplation far reoed ro the ruts o ordinary thought. I wll oly rese hem] loss8 and Ther ommere wll o p hem 9 eaning that that which they had withn their grasp and which they iagined to e thers departed fro the n respect of u�aad's hers He says Mke use of h over whh you hve bee ppoed reges. 40 n the case of Noah and his people] He says, He you o ke rusee oher h Me?4 By this H e conirs that, in thei r case the power was theirs God eng trustee for the whie in the case of the hes of Mu�aad they ae God's regents in His kingdom God eng oth Possessor and Trustee while they are pos sessors on ly n the sense that they a re regents hus the Realty s uler of he Kgdom as indicated y atTir idh.4 Ad hey hhed gre ospry, 4 eaning that suoni ng to God n one ode s in a sense] a decepton payed on the one su oned since God s no ore nonexistent in the first ode that o the one su oned than n the second I ll o God which is the de 6 . . 2
id. . id : id 12 id :21. id. id 6 id \ . id \ 2 C iid. 26. d :2.
B N AARAB
cepion tsel wih cler viio, ndcating that the whole both odes] beong o H. Thus they for their part responded to hi w h a decepon as he had suoned he wh one he he of uhaad knows that the su ons to God is not a suons to Hs pseity ssence but to Hi in respect o Hs aes odes] He says O he dy whe we will gher ogeher he gurdig oe i bd 45 ndcatng that they w ll coe beore God n the aebracng ae he erciul [no before God n Hs s ence. e know tha the Cosos s un der the rule of a divine ae tha akes all in guadng [guarded] n he decepton they say Do o bdo your god, eiher Wdd Suw Yghh or Y q, or Nr f hey had abandoned he hey would have becoe gnoan of the Realty to the extent tha they desered he for n every objec of woshp hee s a relecion o he Realty wheher i be ecognized o not. n he case of u�aads hes He says Your Lord h decreed h you ee o Him, 7 ean ng He has deei ned t The one who knows knows ho is worshped and n wha fo He s anfest o be woshped. He also knows ha the dsincion and ulipl iciy [of fos] ae eely lke pars of a sensible for or the powers of a spiiual age n deed n evey object of worsh p s n truth] God ho s worshped. The gnoant an iagnes the object o be nvested with divn y and wee not for such a noion neher he sone nor anyhing slar woud be an object of worshp Fo ths eason H e says Bid hem me hem. 48 Had hey done so hey would have caled he stones ees o sas Had they been asked who hey worshiped, they woud have sad a god and no God or he God. The an endowed wh knowledge does no agne hus u knows tha the objec of woshp s he vehcle of d vne a nfesation worhy of eveence wh le no estrcng hi sel f [o ha paticula obec] The gnoan an says We oly worhip hem h hey igh brig u erer o God. The an of knowedge says Your God i oly Oe o H 6
d ! d. . d 2 d. \ 2. d. I I . Id :.
8
TH E EZELS F S
it oseles to Hi howsoever He is anfest, nd ig gld tid in to those ho onel 0 that is, who conceal the fire of their lowly nature. hey oud say a god and not a nature [soethng ssie He also says, he he sed onfsio to n eaning that they have cused the to ecoe erexed n the face of the [aarent] utl icit of the One in resect of Hs asects and attriutions. It onl inreses the oppressos [i oio] 2 eaning those who oress theseves [y selfdenal] who nhert the Book o untary know edge]. hese are the frst of the three [categories [descri ed y God elsewhere] s nce He laces the seforessor efore the moderte oe and the doe of good works I osio4 that s n [srtualy selfeffacng] erle ity on the art of the h ers of u�aad who said, y ord ncrease y erlexty concerning You Whe it [the Se-eeltio of the Oe shies for the the proeed t whe it shies not euse of the ltipliit of forms] the stop i perplexit. 6 He who exerences ths erlexity is ceaselessy centered on the Pole [God], wh il e he who follows the long ath [to a distant God s aways turn ng asde fro the Suree] Goal to search after that whch s [eternaly] withn hi runni ng after agnaton as hs goal. He has a n [agnary startng oint and [ wha t he suoses to e] a goal and what lies etween the while for the Godcentered an there s no restrcton of egnn ing or end ossessng [as he does] the ost corehensve existence and eng the recient of [dvne truths and realtes Bese of their trsgressios 7 gong eyond theseves so that they drowned in the seas of the knowledge of God whch s what is eant y erlexty. Ad the were st ito the re 8 whch eans the sae as drownng accordi ng to the hers. Whe the ses swell 9 where the sae veral root is used to denote the heatng o an oven Nor will . . . . · . . 9
Id. Ibd. I Ibd. bd \3 . Ibd. : I nt be ble rc s s ng a . bd, I . b. Ibd .
9
B A' ARAB
thy d y hlprs prt from God 60 since their hepers are [in es ence] nothing other than God and they are a nnihilated in Hi forev er ee He to deiver the fro the seas of gnosis] onto the shore of ature He would e loweing the fro an einent stage [of spiitual attainent], that is, reatively einent although [in truth] al is Gods through God, indeed is God. Noh sid my Lord He did not say, " y God, ecause [God as] the od is fixed, whereas the Divinity is anifold accordi ng to the variety] of His aes and vry dy H s ggd i som mt tr 62 [God] as the ord denotes a constancy of ode without which the appea would not e appropriate my Lord] do ot lv [y of th dirs dwllg] upo Erth,6 [that is on the level of devotion to foral anifestation], eseeching that they e rought to the inner aspect of knowledge of essentia l Unity] n respect of Mu�aads heirs, it ight e said] f you let down a rope it would fall upon God [He eing elow and aove]64 and, Hs s wht s th Hvs d th Erth. 6 hen you are uried i it you wil e in it and it will e your covering, to t W wll rtur you d from it W wll rg you forth sod tim 66 ecause of the variety of aspects . . of th dirs 6 who sk to ovr thmslvs thir loths d put thirgrs ito thr rs, 68 seeking cover ecause he suoned the that He ight shield [forgive] the, which is a kind of covering. Dwllig 6 that is a ny of the at all so that the enefit ight e general as was the suons you spr thm, that is leave the [as they are thy will ofus your srvts 0 eaning that they will perpex the a nd cause the to depart fro their servanthood to assert] the ysteries of ordship in theselves, so that they wil consider theseves as ords after ei ng servants. They wi l i ndeed e servant e Id : 1 Id Id \: 3 Id I rmd \: a 1 1 Id : 7 Id, Id I7 Id I 7 Id I7
0
TH E BEZELS F I S
coe s ords. h ill ol g oh hey wl oy roduce d ake ma es o ho ak op og do] ha s oe who akes aes wha s hdde, ad o ho di 71 ha s oe who coceals wha s aes afer s a esao. They wll rg forh wha s hdde ad he coceal afer s aesao, so ha he ehoder wll e perpleed, o kowg wha he dscloser eds y hs aco or he cocealer y hs hough hey are [ ruh he sae. od hild giv 72 ha s cocea e [fro y separae sel ad cover or y sake [oher ha You ad reder y [relave sa ad sao ukowale [ You sce You are whou easure ou say hy do ot a God to th fll of Hi a 7 d pa rom whom derved aely he elec ad aure d hov t ho ha s, o y hear, lvg ha s cormg he dve coucaos, havg hmse receved hem d th lv oth meag he ellecs ad o, h souls d do ot ca th oppo hose d arkess who elog o he see, coceaed ehd dark vels, xcpt dtcto 74 ha s, a h lao [ God. They have coscousess o hemseves e cause her coempao of he face of he Realy asors hem o he excluso of her [searave selves Aog he hers s ememered he vese, All ph av H fac 7 he dtcto76 he aove verse ea g hs "ersh g. hoever wshes o ga access o he oah ysees us as ced o he Shere o he Su. These aers ae also deal wh our ook, h ol Rvlatio 77
Ibd. Ibd, I Ibd. \:1 4 l l tr tatns ar rm I S r'a, \III 6 Ibd I:. wrk a nt bn bld r s an atgra s n Istanb rad lla .
8
CAPTER V
THE WSDOM OF HOLNESS N THE WORD OF ENOCH
NTRODUCTORY NOTE o u dertad he gifcace for th chaper of he word holie i he le, i eceary o kow tha he eaig of the Arabc roo qadaa o be far reoved whch i hi cox ea he prua reoee of God fro he rael of he world or Coo To deorate he relevace o h otio urher, it u be poed ou ha o prually oreed reli giou radio he oio o priual reoee, i the ee of racedece cloey aociaed wh he oio o hegh or elevao, which i preciey he ai opic o dcuio i th chaper b aArab dvide he cocep o elevaio o wo kid, ele vao of poio, wh ich relae o coi c aciviy by he soul ad e evatio of degree which reae o he kowig o he pri e dcue ao he eag ad gcace of he er elevaio coeco wh God oher word, elevao of poio i accordg o a coic cae ad eevao o degree accod o a divi cale, alhough i oly God, a he worhiped eee i he pi y Creaorcreaio, ho ay be aid o be eevaed, i c h aiy ef i beyod ad, at he a e ebrac uch a ccp wheher be of poio or degree all deped o whh 8
TH E BEZELS F IS M
ies God as the One in th e sense of the nique, or as the One, the First of any This leads us on to the net suject deat with in the chapter nae that of the ystical theory of nu er Here he discusses the iplications or his teachings of considering the nuer one, either as the nuer par ecellence fro which all other nuers derive and of hich they are erely anifestations, or the n u er one as a unique reality in itself unreated to and eyond any possiility of ultiplication. For n aAra, this question relates once ore to the poarity God in Hi selfGod in the Cosos n other words, are we to see God as unique, and therefore as unrelating and unrelatale or as the relating and reated origin of all created existence n al A ra's answer is of cou rse, that oth perspectives are true o the Reaity Going on to discuss the relationship of cosic Nature with God, n alAra copares it to the fatherson and Adave reation ship y which he seeks to show that the Cosos deriving as it does fro God is essentially none other than He. He returns to these ana ogies later in the work However, as he poin ts out earlier in the chapter regarded fro the standpoint of the Reality tself there is no clear ias in favor of the Creator rather than creation si nce fro this standpoint we ay speak of a "created Creator and a "creating creation, as he hiself expresses it. The chapter ends with another look at the suject o the divine aes Since all the Naes that, as we have seen, serve to descrie the nature of the relationsh ip Creatorcreation are the Naes of God, which ter is itsef the u ni versal Na e, each particular nae ust needs express if only essentially al the other Naes wh ile in itsef denoting soe particuar aspect of the divine connection with the Cosos. Thus each particular creation in its own particular relationship with its ord as deterined y its own latent predisposition in iinis partakes in reaity in al possie creation, since even in its own particu larity it is, and cannot e, other than He TH WS DOM OF HO N SS TH WORD OF NOCH evation a y e attriuted in two ways, either wi th respect to position [created eing or to degree [of essential rea ty An exa pe 83
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f th e frer s prvided i H is sayig, W rad h to a hgh po to 78 he st eevated [csc] psit is that pit rd whch the Spheres revlve, which i s th e Sphere f the S where the spirit al fr f ch resides here revlve rd it seve higher Spheres ad seve lwer Spheres, eig fftee all. he h igher Spheres are thse f Ma rs, Jpiter, Satr, th e Ma ss, the Cstelatis, the Thre, ad the Seat. he lwer Spheres are thse f Ves, Mercry, the M, ther, Air, ater, ad arth. As eig the pivt f the Spheres he is eevated as regards psi t. As fr degree, t egs t the heirs f M�aad. Gd says, Yo ar th lvatd o ad God wth yo7 i t his e levati, si ce, al thugh He s far ave al psiti, He is t s respect f degree he the sl i s, ccered with activty, fears the lss f at taiet], He fllws wth His sayg, H wll ot ll yor dd fr acti seeks psiti whle wledge sees degree Gd uites the tw ds f elevat fr s e levat f psiti thrgh acti ad f degree th rgh kwledge he He says, rejectig ay sggesti f cpartership Hi s wrds God wth yo Exalt th a ofyor Lord th l 80 that is, eyd ay idea f partersh ip. Ma, aely the Perfect Ma, s the st elevated f existig ei gs ut his elevati depeds a elevat f psiti r de gree, t dervg it fr hsef [as a created eg] He is elevated ether ecase he ccupies a high psit [i t he csic rder] r e cause he has a hgh degree, the elevati residig the ad t i hi levat f psiti is as H e says, Th Mrcl talhd o th at 8 which is the hghest psiti. Aludg t elevati f degree, He says, All prh av H fac 82 ad All rvrt to H 8 ad Ca thr a god wth God?84 7 79. . . . . 4.
r'a I 7
Ib id. \ c al f llwg w qa s bid. \II I . Ibid. . Ibid. \ I I . Ibid. I 1 . Ibid. \ 6.
84
TH E BEELS F S
hen God sys, n e ase h o a hh poso 8 e cnnecs he adjectie hih o the non posion, whereas is sayin hen ou or sa o he anels a o o plac he h a een 6 refers to eleation of deree He lso say wh reference to the anels, e ou spla pe o a o of he elevae ones?8 connectin eevaon o the anels theselves. f his ascription were iplici in hei r ein anels, a anels wold share in it. Since however, it is no a eneral ascrption, even thoh hey are al deined as ein nels, we now that it refers o elevaion of deree with God. Siiarly in he case o he Caliphs, f their elevation were iplici n her ein en, al en wold parae o i. Since it is no eneral however, we now tha the elevaion elons o he deree The evaed is one of God's Beaif aes aove who or wha, since only He exists? ore elevaed han who or wha, since only He is and He is levaed in Hiself? n relaion to exis nce He is he very essence of exisn eins. Ths, in a cerain sense relaive ens ar e elevaed n heselves, since [i n rh hey are none oher han He and His eevaion i s asole and not relaive. This s ecase he [eerna essences are iale nanifest, nowin nohin of anifesed exstence and hey reain in ha sate despite all he ipliciy of anifesed fors. The ssence is niqe of the whole in the whole ltiplciy exiss only in respec of he divine aes, which are heselves prely reaionshps and hs no anifest [in heselves. a h is except he ssence which s levaed in sel , is elevaton en nrelaed o any other. Ths, ro this sandpont, there is no reative elevaion, althoh n respec of he aspects of exisence here is [a ceran diferentiation. Relaive elevaion exists in he niqe ssence only insofar as s anfes in] any aspecs. Ths, i n a certai n sense, it ay e sad ha H is no He and yo are not yo. AKharrz,88 who is an aspec of he Reality and one o His ones y which He expresses Hisef said, God canno e nown excep as ntin the opposies, n deerinin he hroh he. He is he Fi rs and the ast, the a niest and the n 8; I bd. I;7 86 Ibd, :0. 87 I bd. \' 7; 8 � A b d Kr ded n A.D. 899 f. lwr, Kshf lhb ln ndn 19 1
8
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manest, the ssence of all that is manifest and all that is not yet ma nfest, even as He s man ifestin Hmself Thus only He sees Hi m a nd on y He is h dden from H im for He is mani fest to Himself an d hidden from Hi msef t is none other th an He who bears th e name Ab Sad aKharrz and a ll the other names iven to relative beins. he nmanifest says "o when the Manfest says " am] and the Manifest says o when t he n manfest says "Only] am] Ths is the nature of opposition but the speaker and l istener [n both cases are One, the nique The Prophet sad " . . and what they told them selves 8 they bein the tellers the ones told and t he tell n known what was to be told The ssence is nique while the determinations are various This situation is well known since every man knows ths of h imsel, ben the form of the Realty The realites are minled [some with others. The numbers derive from the one accordin to the well known roupins s s, etc] Thus the one makes number possibe and n umber deploys the one Fu rthermore en umeration is possibe ony because of the existence of that which is enumerated. The tter may exst or not exist since somethin may be nonexstent physicaly but exst intelectualy Therefore there must be number a nd that whch can be nu mbered just as there must be the one to i ntiate the process by which it is itsel deveoped ach un it is a realty in itsef like nine or ten down to the lowest two] or upward ad iium althouh none o them are comprehen sive, each of them bein a particular] collection of ones. Two is unque and three and so on even thouh al are one n bein made up of ones] nor does a partcular n umber embrace other numbers [es sentia lly]. For the fact that al n umbers are collections of ones estab lishes at once that as bein dfferent collectons, they are [relatvely unique and that as bein all multipes of one they derve entirely from the one. nherent in all this are the twenty rous , , , , , 9 1 , , 9 1 , accordin to a paticula constuction Thus in sayn that a numbes are one rea ity, one must also say that the one s not the numbe [bein the oriin. hoever has understood what have ad about the nuer 9. Bur,
6
T H E BEZELS F ISM
nae that to den the is to air the wil know tht he t rnscendent Relity is [t the sae ie the relative creure even though the creature e distinct fro the Creator. he Reliy is at once the created Creator nd the creati ng creature Al this is ne s sence, at once n ique and any, so consider what it is you see. [saac said to his father], thr do o r odd or the son is the essence of the father Araha saw only hi s own self to e sacrficed h rod h wth ight r so that hat wh ich had appeared in huan for appeared as a ra, wh ereas it had appeared in the for of a son or, ore precisely, in a for distinguishin g father and son since the son is [i n reality he essence o the father H rtd ro t [d ol] t t 2 so that Ada's consort was noth ing oher than hi s [essenial] self Fro hi cae forh oth ate and chi ld for the [Creative] Coand is one in ul iplicity Who [else is the niversal Nature and who [else] is a nfest in her [an fors] We oserve that Nature suffers no loss in display ing [her fors] nor yet any increase in reassiilating the What is aniest is She Herself, ust as She is not what is anifest fro the standpoint of foral distinction. One particular an iestation is cold and dry, whi le anoher is hot and d ry. They are oth one as regards dryness, ut otherwise distinct Naure or rather the ssential Na tu re, is hat which u nites al l of the The natural order ay thus e regarded [at once] as [any] fors refected in a single irror o as a singe or refected in any irrors This noion causes nothing u confusion [to the senseound ind] ecause of the divisive natu re of is apprehension He who truly undestands what we are discussing here is not confused. ven i his knowledge is extended he exension is on y he result of the deterination of the locaion which is nothing oher han the iuale essence in respec of wh ich he Reaiy is [foraly] diversified within the heater [of His Selfrevelation] These ocaiona deerinants see to diversify Hi u i is He Who asors every deerinant , He Hisel eing deeri ned only y His Own Selfanifestaion There is naugh u He . ra \"12 1 id, \ 1. 2. Iid \ 1
8
IBN AARAB
n one sense he Realiy i s creaure, so cosider aoher He is no so relec ho grasps y saying, his percepion will no di or a y one grasp i save he e endowed wh percepion heher you asser u y or disincon, he Sel is Uni que As also he any ha are and ye are o He ho is evaed i n Hi sel enjoys ha [coplee] perecon i which a l reaies and relaiosh ps, deerined or undeerined, are i ersed, sice none o he ariues can possily apply o oher han He Ths eans all reaies and reaionships, wheher hey e, n he eyes o convenion, reason or law, praiseworhy or oherwise his applies oy o he Realiy as God he ae uniing all aes]. As or he Real iy as oher h an God as anesed i n soe place or or, hen quaiaive dspary [necessary] occurs, as e wee one ocaion and a noher. he or e a [synheic] or he Perec a], i eraces [essenialy] he essenial perecion, since is denical w h he universal] locaon in whch i is ani es The [aleracig oaliy inheren in he ae God is iplici i ha or, wh ich s a once no He and no oher han He A asi . s aludes o his in his ook h hddig of th adals where he says, very Dvne ae is invesed wih all he aes. Ths is ecause every ae iplies he ssence as well as he paricuar aspec i enshrines. Thereore, i nsoar as i i plies he ssence sel, i parakes o all he aes, whereas as evicig he paricuar aspec o he ssece i is disinc ad unique [relaivey] n his laer sense is diereniaed ro every oher ae, such as ord, Creaor, Fashoner and so on he orer sense he ae is [essenially he one aed, u oher han He as represening soe paricular aspec you have undersood he eevaion have discussed you will know ha is eevaion ne iher o posio or o degree. As reads he laer i s pecular o persons n power as sulans governor, i nisers, j udges and every holder o oice, e hey worhy o i or no Selsuicien elevaion is no o his kind is qui possil or
93. Fnd l n i mmn n t m try n ti wrk ms Y g 5 ski 1 3.
88
the most knowledgeable of men to be unde the contol of the most ignorant who haens to hold a owerful office The elevation of the ltte is entiely elative to the offce he holds, w hile the former is elevated in himself. When the holde of office ceases to hold it h s elevation ceses lso. This is not the case with a man of true knowledge
8
C HA PER
THE WIDOM OF RAPTUROU OVE IN THE WORD OF ABRAHAM
NRODUCTORY NOE Th e adtonal ile o h e Paiach Aaha s aKha/ whch is usualy anslaed as "he end. n alAa, howeve eads ino he wod one of he ohe devative eann gs of he oo kha//a hat of peeaion o peneaion Thus, in hs conex, Aaha's tle eans athe "he peeated one, peeated, tha s, y God The fiendshp, theefoe, is of the ost nti ae kind; ndeed it s, as he te of the chapte suggess, oe like aptuous ove y whch he love s wholly peeated y he eloved Ou auho goes on to use the exaple of Aaha to i llusate he pinciple of divine peeation n genea Thus, the Cosos and each of ts consiuens, s eing oaly eceptve to the dvine Coand, whoy eeated y he dvne agent as soehi ng iplict nd no exlici so tha the anfest coplexy and uipl ic ty of he Cosos conceal he alpevad ng ealy of God As usual howeve, he nsts on the utuaiy of his pncple of peeaon, snce, jus a God icly pesen in cosic ceaon, so is ceation plcty and entaly pesen n God This eads n a lAa on to pon out that the te "God and 90
TH E B EZELS OF S OM
Coss are i nerdependen, he nin o di vinty ein depednt on he non o that which wrships H. hus, neithr Gd nr he Cosos ay e nown, ecep in reain each ther. He s sayin herere, hat the Coss cann e prperly nwn r undrstod hou reerence o God, nr can the cncep divnity e cprehended wihou reerence o creation. Procedin to the su ec o our essenial latency i diviis he concludes hat, n nowin he Cosos, God is nowng Hi sel, and that, n nwing God, we, as creaures, now ourseves in essence. hus, i atis, we are he laen and essenia content o Hs nowledge o Hise, while, in e and space, He is the allpereatng sustance and reality o hich we are u apparent acets his propts hi to point ou hat n ew o h is we have no cause o lae God si nce, in rea liy, as ei ng noh n g other than what He nows Hisel to e, we deter ine wha we experence ou rselves to e, past present, or uture. n aAra goes on to renorce the concept o utual pereaion eween God and the Cosos y coparin g it with the process y whch consued ood ecoes one wth the consuer y the assiilaton o ts partices and sustances to the sustance o the one who eats it hus, di vi nty is the ex stential nourishent o the Cos os while t, in turn, is the archetypal nourishent o the dvine Selawareness ndeed the two poes wth whch he concludes this chapte express hs daring vision o utual ity very explicitly and i t was th s ind o expression on his par, o concepts shocing and un acceptae o ess exle inds that earned n alAra so uch opproriu a ong the regious scholars o h is ti e. H W SDOM O R APUROU S LOV N H WORD O ABR AHM Araha was called the niate [khal/ o God ecause he had eraced takhaala and penetrated a the Atriutes o the Divine ssence. he poet says have penetraed he course o the sprt withn e, And thus was the ntiae o God so caled n the sae way color pereaes that whch is colored provid ing it e understood that the accdent in relation to its sustance is 9
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not as the hng and he space t occupies or Araha was s o called ecause he Reality pereaed hs for. ther approach is vaid snce every deternation has an appropriate assignation eyond whch i does no pass o you no understand hat the Realy is anifest through the attrutes of reaive engs when He has infored us of tha Hisef even hrough ariutes of deficency and lae o you no un dersand that the creaed eing is anifest through the ariutes of the Realiy fro he frs o the as all of the eing appropriae o i even as he attrutes of created eings are appropriae to the Re ality The words Prai log to God4 ean tha every nstance of prase as respecti ng he one who praises or he one praised revers to o Him th [whol] mattr rvrt in which verse He eraces all [attriues] wihou reference o ther praseworthness or laeworthn ess al eing either the one or the oher. K now that whenever soehi ng pereaes anoher i is assued nto he other. Tha which pereates the agent is disguised y ha which s pereated the oject of pereaion Thus he ojec in his case is he a nifes whi e he agent is the u nanifes he hdden [ reality] The aer is as nourishent for he forer even as a pece of wool swels and expands ecause of he waer ha pereaes f on the other hand the Real iy s considered as eng he ani fes and he creaure as eing hidden whin Hi he creaure wl assue all he Naes of he Realiy H s hearing sigh all His rela ionships [odes] and His knowledge f however he creature is considered he ani fest and the Real ty the na nfes wh n hi hen he Real ity s n he hearng of the creaure as also in hs sght hand foot and all s facuies as decared n he wellknown oy Tradition of the Prophe.6 The ssence as eing eyond all hese reationshs s not a dvin ty. S nce all these reaonships orgnate n our eternaly un nifested essences is we [in our eernal laency] who ake H a diviny y eing hat through which e knows self as vne. Thus He is no known [as "God u nt we are known u�aad sad ho knows his [rue self knows hs ord eing the creatu re who knows God est. Ceran sages on th a 1 Ibd. : 3 . 6 abv, p . 6 ukh :3.
9
TH E B EZELS F IS
A id G h he sseted tht God cn nown tht n eeence to the ceted Cosos, t this is isten. It is t tht piod eten essence cn e nown t it cnno e knon s diinty uness knowedge o tht to which it cn e ted is ss ed o it is the dependent who con the independence o the ndependent Hoee futhe spitul ntuition wl evel tht tht which s necess to ffi His ivinty s none othe thn the Reity Hiself nd tht the Cosos [of ceted eings] is nothing oe thn His Seleeltion [to Hself] in the fos [deteined] y the etenly unniest essences, which could not possly exist ithot H. t wil evel so tht He n ifests Hi self vousy nd ol ccodn g to the [nh eent] eities nd sttes of the essences, of which s undestood togethe wth the k nowledge tht, n etion to us He is the ivinity A n spiitu intuition wil show yo ou fos niest in H, so tht soe of us e nfest to othes in the Relity know ech othe nd distinguish ech othe in Hi. Thee e those o us who hve spiitul knowedge of this ut ul ecognition in the Rei ty, whi le othes hve not expeienced the plne on which this occus. seek efuge in God lest e of the gnont. As esult of the st two intui tions t s known tht we e detened ony though ouseves [s essences] indeed, it is we who deteine ouselves though ouseves, which is the enin g o the wods God i th cocliv agmt 8 tht is, gnst the veied ones when they sk the Reity why He hs done with the thngs conty to thei own is Ad H mad thi aai dclt fo thm nd this is the tuth eveed to the gnostcs. Fo they see tht it i s not the Rety tht hs done with the wht is cl ed nd they see tht wht ws done wih he ce fo theselves, o His knowledge o the is ccodi ng to wht they e theselves [in thei eten essences. Thus the copn is nu l ified, the conclusve guent eining with God. t e sked wht is the pont o Hs sying Had H wihd H old hav gidd o all 100 we eply th he Had H in Had H wihd 97. 98. 99 .
C. F hhd Ghazal Unie Unknoable Go d 9. ran \: 9. d \II d. \'9
3
B N AL'ARAB
conveys he denial o a suggestion egading the i possle o He wills ony tha which is. Howeve accoding o aiona pinciples the sae coningency ay adit o a thng o is opposite, ut [in e ai y whcheve o he wo [altenatves] occu s is the one assigned o he conngency in is eenal essence The eaning o H wold hav gidd o s hat He woud have ade clea to you you unaniest ealies Howeve, i s no ganed o eveyone y God ha his spiitua sgh should e opened o peceive his essential ealty [in is latncy] thee ae hose who k now and hose who do not know. Fo his eason He did no wll a nd dd no gude the a, no wi He d so the sae apples to he wods H will 101 o how s He o wl w ha is no His l l s seldependen and is an essenial] aiution depen den on Hs Knowledge, which is [i n tun] dependent on he ojec o Hs Knowedge, whch is you and you essena saus Knowledge has no eect on he ojec o know ledge, wh le wha s known has an eect on knowedge, esowing on i o itse what it is The [scptual Reveaions wee ou ated in accodance wh wha hose addessed aid down as egads the etena easue o e sponse eenaly laen n he essences] and accoding o eason, whch oulaion does not [necessaily cono o what [diec] spiiual inution eveas. Thus, athough elieves ae any, gnosics endowed wh spitual inuition ae ew. hr ar o o t hav a kow tatio 102 whch s wha you ae in you etena laency and in accodance wih whch you ae anest n exisence i, n uh, you ealiy i ncl udes h e possiy o eing an ested. is ageed ha exsence ay e aued only o the Real ty and no o you you wi [ neveheess, as essence deeine His existence it is ageed ha you have exisence you ae aso a deeinan. Fo, even hough he Reality e the een e i is o Hi only o pou exsence upon you wh le you eain th e deinan and the deeined Theeoe paise none othe han yous a d ae none ohe h an yousel Pase is due t h e Real iy nly as pouing oth exsence, which ony He ay do, n you. You ae His noushen as estowng he coe s His SlKnowedge whie He s yous as estowng xistnc wha is s signed o you eing assigned aso H he de is t 1 1 I b d , \ : 1 3 id \ 6
94
T HE BEZELS F S
ou [ and fro ou to [what you H shal e Howevr yu ar cad the one who is chared ut He chares you ony in accordac with hat our essential unanfst rality ds Hi H s not so cal ed since He is not th oject He praises e and pras H, He worshps e and worship Hi. n stae o eistence confi r H As una n fest essence deny H He nows whil know naught of Hi aso know H and perceve Hi. here thn is Hi s Sefsuffcency Since help Hi and grant H Bss t s for ths that the Reaty crated For give content to His Knowledge and anfest Hi. h us did th e ssag co ts eanng fulfiled in e t was ecause Araha attaned to this rank y which he was cal led th n ate [of God] that hospiality ecae a [sacred] act n asarrah put h with chael [the Archangel] as a source of provi son provisions eing the food of those provided. 03 Food penetrates to the essence of the one fed pereating every part. So also with God although i n His case there are no parts ut on ly Divine Stations o ams though whch His ssence is ma nifest e ae His as has een shown, As also we elong to ouselves He has no other ecoing except i ne, e ae His and we are through ourselves hav two aspects H_a s not in y . of And we ae fo Hi as vessels.
3 ndr f a fi c d. A D . 3 Cf alac ea add 4
Abenmaaah y e
CHA PTER V
THE WISDOM OF REALITY I THE WORD OF ISAAC
NTRODUCTORY NOTE Thee vey i poan aspecs of bn aAabs hough a e di scussed i n his elaively sho chape. The fs of hese s he subec of he aginaion no so uch n is acocosic and ceaive sense as an iage of he di v ne Selfpoaizaion bu ahe n is iccos c and ecollecive sense The agnave faculy, whehe aco cosic o icocosic s seen as having wo funcons, he ne ceaive and exisenal he ohe ecollecve o eceaiona and spiiua. n he fs case he agnaive pcess absobs and involves consciousness div ine and h uan i n he ceaive u ge f csic becoing in all s nfnely fascinaing copley n he second case by a pocess of nepeaion and ealizain consciousness ediscoves and eesablshes is uliaely inalienable and abslue inegiy and uniy. n he huan individual sphee, he fs is ilusaed by he a n whose consciousness is al ways being aacd ouwad o aeial becs disspaed and absbed by a uipiciy of "neess whe he second is illusaed by he pesn wh absacs he objecs of sense aound hi einfce and cnfi his own conscious deniy The second pocess helps o lusae he quanic iew h 96
T HE BEZELS OF I SOM
Coo a e a te dplay o t o n, the ntent n tepetaton and contepaton o whch lead one, nevtay, ack toad the aoute ad u ntve tuth o God he pot en ade n the t at o th chate that coc o have two aect the etental ad ceate apect o coc actuaty, whch ee a to alenate and dpate ntegal concoune, and the ptu a and olc apect, whch at n eocun the ntellect on the achetpal and deal . n othe wod what one peceve wth one od and coc pecepton an age that on the one hand conceal t eental tuth, ut on the othe eveal that tuth to ptual pecepton. h latte ecepto eque the aty to eap o to peak o the outlowg to the n lowg cuent o the anaton, hch cuent eet n the cococ ynthe o the hu an tate o that an alone ale to ake th tanton. h ean that n addton to eng o oth ath and Heaven, an alo occu p a tal ad potant ddle gound the 'l l-thl o wold o lkenee n whch achetype yteouly ecoe tanated nto extent thng and though whch coc o ae tan oed nto ptual eencea utle, lud eal n whch t he cuent o coc cong and ptual entegaton eet and ngle The eap theeoe, that an ut ak n order that he ght ue coc age a a ean o ealzng h etenal dentty wth God pecely the act o t w whch ean "gong ack to t pncple, whch ean to peceve n coc o that apect whch pont yocay to the ceato God Thu, n hot coc or ae not what they ee, ut rather what they ea, not what they have ecoe ut what they are n tn Although ot coc o ae potental y daoc n the ene that n the extental apect, they ay encouage a n appaent aenaton and epaaton o the dvne pncpe, that o Mu�ad, a a partcula oal anetaton o the Peect Ma n who unalteay y oze the wholee o dvne Realty, can not e o The uect o the Peect Man and h anetaton n the o o u�aad natually ead on to the econd o n aAa uject n th chapte, that o the Heat. Accodng to a Holy Tadton the only thng that can contan God the Heart o the gnotc Th ecaue the eental Heat a oppoed to the phycal heat, pecely that ynthtc organ whch wthn the cococ context, yoze the un agnae ynthe o the Reaty te t undeentated wholene. he n h ntelect and pt an 9
I N AARAB
an aspec of God, n his body and ife an aspec of cosic creaion, and, in hs sou, a n aspec of he relaionshp beween God and he Cosos, is in his Hear hat an ay fuly realize his inexorable oneness with the Reality whch is he cocdta oppotom. The hrd and last subject dea with i n this chaper is ha of he hmmah or creaive force of the gnosc, tha faculy which enabes hi to li nk hs own parcula r power of creative i agination to the di vi ne creaive ag naion. As has been ndicaed esewhere, u ness this lnking goes togehe wi h oal sefeffaceen i n he Self, t ay lead o he illuson of sefdeification because of the seeingy irac ulous powers aendan on he deveopen of such power, abe ha he hu an hmmah can never be any thing but parial. H WSDOM OF RATY N T H W O RD O F S A A The ranso of a prophet is a beast slaughered as a sacrficial offering, But how can the bleaing of a a copae wih he speech of Ma n God the Mghy ade ghy he a for our sake or its sake, know not by wha easure o doubt ohe sacrificia beass fech a hi gher pice, Bu hey al are ess han a ra slaughered as an offerng. Woud tha knew how a ee a cae o be a subsiue for the ViceRegent of he Me rcifu Do you no peceive a ceai n logic in he aer The realizaion of ga ns and he d i nuton of loss o creaion is hi gher han he sone and afe i he plan, n a ceai n sense and accordng o cerain easues. Afer he plan coes senen being, all know hei Creato by a drect knowledge and on cea evidence As fo the one caled Ada he is bound by intelgence, thought and he garland of fai h. Concernin g his sa d Sahl, a gnosic lke ouselves, 0 Because we and hey are a he degree of spiritual vsion, Whoso has conteplaed wha have conteplaed 04 a autar d 3. Cf. ujwr Kash 3
98
TH E B EZELS F I S
i l say the sae as I, hehr n secre or open y. o not consder words conrary o ours nor sow seed n lnd sol . For the are the dea he du o who the sinless one spoke in he et of the ran no a God strengthen us and you hat A raha he ntiae sd to his son I a lp that I wa kllg o for acrc 0 he sate of sleep s the pane of he agnaton and Araha dd not nterpret wha he saw] for i was a ra that appeared n the for of Arahas son i n the drea wh e A raha eieved what he sa [at face aue. So his ord rescued his son fro Araha's sapprehension y the Great Sacrifice [of the ra] wh ich was the rue epresson of hs vison with God of which Araha was un aare he foral Selfrevelaton [of the Reaity] on the pane of he agination requres an addtiona knowedge y whch to appre hend what God intends y a partcular for Have you not consid ered what the Apostle of God said to Au Bakr concerning the nterpretaton of visions when h said was rght i n soe cases and staken in others Au Bakr asked h to acquaint h n whch of the he had een right and n whch wrong ut he did not tell h i . God says o Araha caling h Araham o lvd what o aw 06 and He does not say You were right concerning what ou saw naely [in seeng] your son ecause he did not in terpre wha he saw ut took t at its face val ue athough visons requre i nterpretaon. hus Josephs aster says o wll trprt th v o. 0 7 nterpretaton eans to pass fro he or o wha one sees o soethng eyond it hus were the cattle syols] for years of carcty and pleny. 0 8 Had he een true to the vision he would have kiled his son for he e eved that was hs son he saw ahough wh God i was nothing other than he Great Sacrfice in the for of his son. Because of this He saved h ecause of the istaken noion hat had entered Araha's ind. n reaiy t was not a ranso in Gods sigh [ut 10; Qran \10. 16. Id. \ : 10; I O i Id, I I:43 08. Cf id . I I4
AAA the sacrfce tsef]. The senses forulated the sacrifice and the aginaton produced the for of Arahas son. Had it een a ra he saw n the agnaton he would have interpreted t as his son or as soethng else. Then God says, hi i indd a ar tt 0 that is, a test of hs knowedge, whether he knew what interpretation was nec ssary n the context of vsion or not Araha knew that the per sectve of the agination required interpretation, ut was heedless on ths occasion] and dd not deal with the perspectve in the proper way. Thus, he eleved the vision as he saw it. aq aukhalad, 0 the a and author of the Mnad heard that the Apostle had said, hoever sees e i n sleep has seen in waking for the Devil cannot take y for upon hself. Accordingy Taq . ukhalad saw hi in sleep and the Prophet was givng h lk to drink He elieved the vision superfically, ad ade hi self voit to prove ts truth Had he penetrated to the eanin g of h s vison, the lk woud have een what t represented knowledge, ut God denied hi uch knowledge ecause he had dru nk it as il k. Have you not consdered that when the Prophet was rought a ow of lk i n a drea he said of it], drank of t unt l was copletey satated, ad the rest gave to Uar. t was said to hi , hat is yo ur in terpretation, Apostle of God? He sad Knowledge nor did he siply take t as i lk according to the for he saw, ecause of hs knowledge of the perspective of vision a nd the necessi ty to i nterpret what is seen t is wel known that the for of the Prophet perceved y the senses s u red in adinah and that the spiritua l for and s utle es sence have never een seen y anyone of anyone, nor yet his own, as is the case w th every spirit. The sp rt of the Prophet appears to one in the for of his ody when he died, aleit unaffected y decay deed, it is u�aad appearng as sprt in a corporea for rese ing the uried ody whch for Satan is unae to assu, as a protection fro God for the recipent of the vson. hus, whoer sees hi in ths way accepts fro h all he coands or fords and al he says, as he would accept hs precepts n ths word accordn t 09 Ibd 9 1 . n ndlsa n radt n t w dd n \ 7 jj lf, h 19 II, 79 azu I l l lm 1 . 1 nbl 1 .
00
TH E BEZELS F IS
hether he sense of the ords is eplcit or pl ct or n whtever sense the re f on he oher hand he gives hi soething is [for] s a aer for inerpreation f however that thin proves he se in the sensory world as in he iainaton the vision is one hat does not req uire in erpretation which is how Abraha he ni ae nd aq b ukhal lad dealt with what they sw Snce hen the vison has these two aspects and since God has ugh us b what he dd with Abraha and what He said to h h ich each ing is conneced to the station of Prophecy we know n respect o f a n vision w e ay have of the Reality i n a for unacceptable to he reason ha we us interpret that for in accordance ih a docrna concept of the Reality eiher fro the standpoint of he recipient of the vision or he [cosic] conext of the vson] or boh f however reason does not reect it we accept as we see even as we shal see he Reaity in the Hereafer. n ever abode [of being beco ng] he Unique the Merci ful has fors wheher hdden or an fes. f you say This is the Realy you have spoken he ruth if soehing oher you are inerpreng. Hs deernaon applies n every abode equal ly ndeed He is [ever] unfoldi ng His Real iy o creaon hen He anifess Hisef to he sgh reason rushes o brng proof against i [ Hi] He is accepted as anifested on the i nteecua plane as al so in the iaginaion bu di rec vison sees true Ab Yazd aBis said wth respec to ths station f he Throne and al hat surrounds i ultipied a hu ndred il lion tes were o be in one of the any corners of he H ear of he gnosic he woud not be aware of it. 3 This was he scope of Ab Yazd in the rea of corporeal fors say however ha were iitless exisence if is ii coud be iagined ogether with he essence ha brought i no existence to be pu into one of the corners of he Heart of the gnostic he woud have no consciousness of t is esab ished tha the Hear encopasses the Reaity bu hough it be fil led 1 1 3 -Bitm [d 4 wa a eleated etatic mti woe u erae ofte ofeded e eliiou etaliet C . C. Zaeer Hn an im y sm odo 10, 3 1 34 alo u w Kash 1010.
0
IBN AARAB
t thsts o, as A Yad ha s said e have al uded o h s saio as olows
He ho ceaes thgs Hiself, You copise al You ceate. hough You ceae egs wihou li wih Youself, You ae oth the Resicted ad he Allcopassig ee al he ceao of God in y hea, s il ia dawn woud no shine hee hoso eaces he Reaiy can conai al ceaues hat he s he ue siuaion, Heaing One vey an ceaes y hs facy n he aginave facuy ha which has exisence nowhee else, hs eng a coon faciliy he gosic howeve, y his Concenaon, ceates hat which has exsence eyod he ogn of he Concenaion, ndeed, he Concena ion coinues o ana is exsence, which depees in o way a all . Should he aenon of he gnosic e defleced fo he ai ntenace of wha he has ceaed, i wl cease o exis, uness he gnos c coads al panes of exsence], in which case such deflecion does no ase, since a all ies] he is pesen on soe plae o anohe hen he gnosic who has such a coand ceaes soehing y hs Concenaton, s anfes in h s fo on evey pae hi s case he fos [each on a d iffeent pane a nain each ohe, so ha if he gnosc is asen on a cean plane o planes, whie pesen on anohe o ohes, all he fos on all he plaes ae anaied y he fo o he plae o which hs aenion is given lack of aeio is neve oal, eihe wth he geeaity of en o he ele. Thus, have expounded hee a ysey ha he Fok have always guaded fo exposon, ecause i woud see o contadict hei cla o e one wih he Reaiy The Realiy s eve unatenve, whe he sevan s aways inaentive o soehg o othe ih espec o he aneance of soehng he has ceated, the gnosic ay say a the Realty, 4 u his antenance o that hing can not e copaed o he anenance execised y the Realy he dffeece etwee he wo we have aeady exlai ed ce to he exen ha he is inaenve to soe fo o it lae, he i 1 . h w pehp he t f tt f j > hh bht bt h exctn. ssg ! d>l s 1
0
T H E B EZELS F S0�
serant s distinct ro the Relity he ditinction reins een hen e tke accont o the act that ttention to a inle o on prticulr pne assures the aintennce o all the other or or this s antennce y ipication he aintenance y the Reality o Hs creation is of thi s kind, since He aintins ech or H ise [t l ti es. This hole qestion, as hae een tod has never pevosly een co itted to writi ng, ethe y e or any other nti now t is ndeed uniqe and withot precedent Take care lest yo foget ths, or that plane n hch yo reain present with the or ay e copared to the Book of whch God said, We have med othg the Book or t coprises al that has coe to pass [nto eing and all tha t has not coe to pass. Only he wl trly know what we have said hose essentia se is a nited totalit [ u ' ] For one who feas God, He il make a dscmato o hm 6 and he is as we have entioned in discssing the distincton etween servant and ord. Ths discri in ation is the lotiest discri i nation. At the te the servant s a ord, withot a dot, At the te the servant s a servant, ost certanly. servant, he enco passes the Reality, f ord, he is in a owly state As servant he perceives the essential sel An d hopes range widely fro h i As ord he sees al l creation, oth lower and h gher, aking deands on hi. n h sel he s qite nae to answer the ir deands, And for this reason yo ay see gnostics weeping So e the servant o a ord, not ord of a servant est yo fall nto Hel Fire.
1 1 tn \ I Hi bd \ 9
3
CHA PTR V
HE WISDOM OF SUBIMIY IN HE WORD OF ISHMAE
NTRODUCTORY NOT The an topic of this chapte is t he relationshp between the sevant and od whch epesents the paticlaization of n ivesal relatonship peviosly dscssed between God and the Cosos. Once again as wth the ter God the ter od n bn alArabs view has eani ng only within the context of ts elatonsh p wth th e concept of sevant Tha is t o say thee can be no lordshp o do nion witho sevde Ths as was explai ned n the ntrodcion his relatonship denoes he polary of servant as the paricla indivdal ceaed, exisen hing, and he od as he parcla aspect of God that ceaes and deterines the destiny of that thing accoding o is aen essential realy n God. hat folows fo hs is yet anothe of bn alAab's stateents that instills hoo ino the ind of the regios establishnt. He says ht bcase each creaed being is and cannot be other ha its ord detr nes as nfored by ts own eterna predspositio ch th s theefore necessaiy be as the ran pts it pasi to its ord rrespectve of whehe tha onologca approval apar o h n oed view as paise or blae reward or nsh h ord cannot bt approve of wha He has wil ed shod , nor cn h san 04
T H E BEZES F S M
in rea lity, disappoe of th e od who, n effect, deteri ns hi ny in accodance ith hat he hi self inevitay s in essence n alra goes on to pont out that odship is concept that deres fo the concept of the dvine aes which as we hve seen denote the infinite copleity and u ltipicity of particlar re latonships as aspects of the univesal ationshp etween God and the Cosos. hus i n a certain sense, each ord is a particular divine ae defining the qality of a particular aspectual relatonship thin the contet of the unversal relationshp that is qualfed y the unersa ae, God. Once agan the rad tion of the Prophet s quoted hoso knows hself knows his ord which is here i nter preted n the light of his view of the eationshp. hat s to say hoee knos h self as he is i divii knows his partcula r ord as agent of h s own release nto exstence. Here agai n n alAra seeks to ake clear the distinction eteen the ter God, which ipies poarity and relatonshp as also dualty triplcity and ultiplicity and the ter ssene, hich denotes the One in tself, Alone and utterly unique eyond the need for any polarizing otherness no atter how contngent hus, the notions of God and ord are not related to that of divine ssence oward the end of ths chapter n alAra having stressed the utualit of the ters servant and ord and the essential oneness of al the divi ne aes seeks also to correct any isapprehenson in the reader that the principle of distincton and dfference as etween concepts and the realties they denote is redundant or uniportant. A was sting for as whole and alanced a iew as possle he s here antainng that a whole and coplete view of the Realty of the wa thngs realy are deands that oth the truth of the oneness of universality and the trth of the oneness of singularty and unque ness e grasped together i n synthesis each correcting and copensat i ng the other as necessary aspects of the Real ity's experience of tself. hus athough fro one ewpoint the servant is the od s God is nothng othe than t he Realty fro the other standpoint the servant is not the ord is not God is no t the Reality i n the sense that each while nwardy and essentially n a state of inexorale identty wth every other nevertheess reserves to itsef validy and legitately wthin the context of Reality ts own special and pecu lar characteris tcs t is fo the gnostc therefore, as servant, to ecognze not only hs eternal dentty wth God as atent essence t aso that he is not 05
B N AARAB
a nd can neve e God as such that i t i s fo h i to woship an d fo God to e woshiped whateve hi s degee of attainent or gnosis Concluding the chapter n aAra expains that in accor dance with the quranic stateent that the divine ercy is stronger than the divine wath the notion of pu nishent in Hel, which signi fies a terifying sepaation fo God cannot ultiately e oe th an a secondary consequence of ignoance since all existent eings ultiately and finaly share in the ecy of essential reality in Hi. T H W S DO M O F S U B M T Y N TH WOD OF SH MA Know that that which is teed "God is One though the s sence and All though the Naes ach created eing is elated to God only as eing its particular od since its relationship to [God] as the Al is ipossile As egads the divine U nity thee is no place in it for one as eing one of any nor does it adit of any differenti ation o disti nction. His Unity in tegrates al in potentia lity Blessed is the one with who his ord is pleased i ndeed there is none ut is pleasing in the sight of his od since it is y hi that the ord aintains his ordship so that he is pleasing in the sight of his od and is lessed n this connection Sahl said n odship is a ystery, that ystery eing you which eans every eing and were it to cease the ordship would cease 7 Here he uses the wods were it to which ipy ipossiility since it wi not cease, nor yet the ordship since the eing exists ony y its ord. The eing always exists and the odship never ceases. One who is pleasi ng is loved so that all the oved one does is also loved i ndeed al l is pleasing si nce the ind ividu al eing itself does not act ut its ord in it Thus the eing is content that an action should e assigned to it and is pleased with that which is anifest in it and fro it y its ord. These actions are pleasi ng ecause every de o ake is pleased with what he does o akes and estows on his ac tion or work all that is necessary, as H bto o all H ha ratd ad 1 7 Cf. . C dcs f g s C· g f d 40. See . f ysicl hilosoph
06
H E BEZELS F IS
th gid 8 aking clear that it s He ho bestows on all He has created, so that it s neither ore nor ess than it shoud be shael was wel pleasng to his ord because he had coe to know what we have entioned just as every created being is wel pleas ng t does not ollow however that because a created beng is wl pleasing to his ord he is equaly o to the ord of soe other servant, snce he has his ordshp fro a source ebracing any not onl one. hus fro the totaity [of divine aspects] each beng is as sgned one particulary suited to t to be its ord hs [ord is as sgned fro God n H is aes] not fro [God] i n H is Un ity. For this reason the Fok are barred fro a divine Selfrevelation of His nity. ere you to ook on Hi through Hi [you should know that He s always lookng on Hiself by Hisef. ere you to ook on H through you, Hs Unity would vanish in your being ou he sae would be the case if you looked on H th rough Hi a nd th rough you his is because by positing yoursef i n th e pronoun yo look you are positing soething other than what is looked n th us estabishing a relaton between two things the observer and the th ng observed thereby nul lifying the U ni ty [which adts of no oth er], although [in reality] ony He sees Hiself alone through Hself. Here also there would appear to be observer and observed [but both are He]. t s not usual for one who is pleasing to be absoutely so unless al he anifests is fro the action of the one pleased wit hin hi sh ael was ore so than other beings in that the Real ity descrbes hi as being peasing to his ord. t is said to every tranqu il sou Rtr to yo Lord that s to ts own ord the one who suoned it which it knows apart fro al the others plad ad wll plag. Etr aog y rvat 20 insofar as they have the sae station. he servants entioned here are those who know ther ord, ost Hgh, reserving theselves to H and not to any other despite the [essentia Unity of al Being Ad tr to my Parad aah] 2 which is y coverng. My Paradse is none other than you for it is you who hide Me with your [individual self nor a 1 1 8 'a 0. 19. Ibd., I: 8 0 Ibd I9. 1. Ibd, I:0. He ere te rt Jaa wt te mea t be dden.
1
B N A-ARAB
known excep y you as you have eing only hrough Me Who knows you knows Me nor a known y anoher] as you also are no known. When you enter ino Hs Paradise you ener ino yourself hen you will know yourself with a gnosis other han that y which you knew your ord y knowing yourself hus you wll e possessed of wo kinds of gnosis firs knowing Hi as knowing your self secnd k nowi ng Hi t hrough you as Hi not as you. You are servant and you are ord For One for Who and in Who you are servant You are ord and you are servan For One Who rei nds of the covenan in His address. very paricular servantord reaionship s dissoved y every other such relatonship God is peased with Hs servants and they are well pleasing and they are pleased wih Hi and He is pleasing. hus he wo planes [servants and ords are conrasted like silars tha are [in a sense] opposed since no wo si ar th ings can un ite oherwise here would e no dstincion here is [n fact] only He Who is distinct nor is here any sii larity [with H ] n existence there s no si arity or dissi i la riy for here is ut One Rea y and a hi ng s no he opposie of itsef Naugh save he Reality reains no eing here is no arr vi ng a nd no eng afar Spriual vision confrs this for Have no seen agh t Hi when oked. hat i for o who ar Hi ord 22 eaning who fears] that h e Hi snce he knows the distincin eween servant and ord his is frther deonsraed o s y he fact ha so ein are gnoran of what for exape] know for her are ury diinctions etween servants as also ewen rds r it nt fr his di stincion one divi ne Nae wud e interreed in evry way as anoher. he Nae he Srengthener s nt undrtd in th sa way as the Nae he Aaser and n owevr fr th tanpoin of he nty every Na evi nc h h ence and i n 2 2 I i d C\
IOH
TH E B EZELS F I S
reaity, for the Oe naed is One hus the Strengthener is the aser n espet of the a ed One whereas the Stengthener is not the Aase n respet of its own [relatie reaity the sgnifaton eing different in oth of the. o not ook upon the Real ity, lest you astrat H i fro reation o not ook upon reation, lest you invest t with what is not the Reaity K now H as oth Coparale and noparale and so sit n the aode of truth Be n [a state f ntegraton if you wil, or e in [a state o d si naton if you w l. Then you wi l t hrough the Al, ahieve the vtors Crown if i ndeed a totaity reveas itself [to you as oin ing oth states o not pass away and do not susist nor yet anni h ate or sustan Th us eveation wi l not e granted you in respet of anothe nor wll you [as Lord] grant it in respet of another]. Prase is not oasioned y His eing true to His threat ut y Hs eing true to Hs proise [of Paradise]. ndeed the Plane of i vinity deands praise prased y tself [the Essene]. Thus t is prased through fathfulness to the proise [of Paradise] and not to the threat [of Hell], ndeed through His refraning fro Hs threat Do o hik ha God will fail i Hi pomi o Hi Apol 23 He does not say "His threat ut says further elsewhere W ovlook hi ogdoig 1 24 despite His threat in ths regard He praises shael for eing o hi pomi 1 25 Thus possiiity [ ntingeny eases in respet of the Reaity eause of ts [nherent] tendeny to proailty Only He ho is t rue to His prose sussts, or does His threat have any true ei ng. Even though they enter the aode of distress d, \:7 2 d., \ 2 5. Id 5
19
They have their pleasu re i n a delight Other than Heaven's delight but t hey are One in H im] The difference between the two being apparent i n hi s Self manifestation. t is called a n ahb because of its sweet taste, 6 ike a skin that preserves what is inside.
2. Here he un he dube enn f the r rn wen
0
CHAPR
THE WSDOM OF SPRT N THE WORD OF JACOB
N TRODUCTORY NO n aAra egns the chapter wth a discusson of his view of the natre of religion. n doing so, he inevitaly ecoes involved once again in the related concepts o archetypal latency and the tenson etween the d vine il and the dvne ish. Althogh relgios truth is dctated y God, the creatre according to his vew, has an essental part in its deterination and, a lthough higher spritua religion s prariy dedcated to the tru ph of the dv ne sh as expressed in God's revealed coands, the dvne il aso produces regous fors, however heterodox they ay see fro the orthodox vewpont. Another point that eerges ro his treatent o ths suject is that religion, as such, is concerned aost entirey wth the Reality as polarized n the reationshp GodCosos. He egins y divding religon nto two types, one that he cals the rel gon o God, and the other that he cals the regon of crea tures. The forer s ndeed the religion o sa as revealed n the Q ran, which n aAra regards, naturaly enough, as the su pree expresson of the dvin e ish or the Ogating Coand As an exape of the latter, he quotes the qu ranic reerence to the Chris tan nstitution of onasticis, whch plies that t s soethg the
BN AARAB
Chs Ch sans ans ceate ceatedd y themseves. n ndeed deed nn a Aa Aa would ncude nc ude a nonsamic elgons unde ths heading insofa as many of thei doctnes and pactices deviate appaently, fom the evealed quanic nom ot that such ceatueoiginated eligion coud eve, eay e contay to the dvne Wl which s the ceative oigin of al thngs whethe they e egaded y what he cas divine elgion as amewo a mewothy thy o not Futhemoe Fut hemoe,, s nce nce the ceatu ceatu es, consideed consideed as the cosmic manfestations of eena ealiies, ae the vey suff of God's knowledge they must e equay he deemnes of elgous foms and noms. no ms. Thus, whethe a el gion confoms confoms as i neviay nevia y us o o he divn di vnee Wil, o moe moe specif specificall icall y o o he divi ne Wsh, it is, unavoi un avoiday day,, of God and of us in i n God He fuhe fuhe d vdes el el gion i nto oue oue and nne elgion, he ou ou e ei ei ng conce concene nedd pimaily pima ily o ma ma ntai n the ds ncon and dif di ffeence etween he dvine and cosmic poes n thei ceative and Selfealzng elaionshp, while the nne s concened moe wh he ogna and ultimate oneness and identty of eing of God n the Cosmos Cos mos of the Cosmos Cosmos in God and a nd of o f oh in he Reaity. Reai ty. Both ypes ypes of eigio ei gion, n, the exoteic exoteic and the esotec, esotec, efe efect ctin ingg as they do fun fundadamenta poaies i divii a e necessay manifesaons of he Sefexpeence of the Rea Rea y Bo Boh h howeve, ae ae i n a stae stae of ension and confc confc wth each ohe a a he veal vea l and foma oma levels si nce he one would seem o conadct and heaen the ohe which tension n a Aa expeen expe ence cedd fi shand sha nd n Ca io Thee folows anohe discusson of he sujec of sameness and u n queness He ings this chape o a concusion wth a fascnaing insight n o he na ue of he eationshp ewee eweenn the i and the sh o Command omman d He ntoduc ntoduces es he suec y y point ng out that h phy phy can can effect his cue of he paien only y wokng wh and not agans aue snce eyond the appaisal of huan expeience sck ness and heath a e oh oh states states of atu a tue He then applies appli es ths lusaion to he sujec of he divine l and sh y opaing he Wi to atue, the Wish o he dese fo good healh, nd h apostle o the physcian What he is saying s that th il ike u u e, emac emaces es equaly, equa ly, wihou dis ncon what w cal cal a a ih and nfidel id elii ty wh w h le the aposte aposte is concend o poote poote h a f fa ith men. n ode to to do so so howeve he aposle aposle can o do ohe than tha n act in confomy no ony wih he divine sh u as wth th l
I
H E B E ZELS F S
hich eraces lso hat is ished y God hen cnsdrng th question of the effe effects and a nd resut of the apostoic reatent, reatent , however this this deterned deterned y the divi ne i ll in accord accordance, ance, once once agai agai n, w ith th nature of the latent predspositon of the ptent who ay according, persh or e e save saved d ndcat nd cating ing cearly he pola polarr tension that cn c n e reso resoe edd ony in he he ine i nepr pressi essile le Oneness of Being Bein g H SDO SD O O F SPR N H ORD O F J ACOB AC OB Religion is of two knds, the relgon of God and those who God has aught Hs religion and those who they have taugh and second second the regon of created en gs, whch wh ch God ack nowledges nowledges he religion of God is ha chosen y Hi and set y Hi at a level far aoe the religion of creation He says, Abraham noind it upon his sons as did did aob his son son [saying], [saying], my son so n God has has chos chosnn fo r y o u th r r lgio lgion n so di di no n o t sa sa as as subm su bmitting itting y o u rsl sls s to Him " whch eans folverse] has the defin defin e a rticle, na naely, ely, loing Hi 7 Relgon [i n ths verse] t s a known an d estalshed estalshed religio n He says, Th rligion with God is olowingg and oey oey ng [Hi , reliIslam [submission] 8 w hich eans folowin gon eann g yyoou r yieding to and su tting [to [to H i] Tha which coes fro God is he Dispensaon o which you su su it it yoursel yoursel f, which whi ch is reigion, reig ion, the Ho Holy ly Writ Wri t ei eing ng the the Dispensa Di spensa on God has esalished He who is arked y hs suission to wha God has lad down is the one who practces the relgion and a ntai ns ts practce, practce, who est estal al shes sh es ts practice practice as as he keeps up he [canoncal] prayer s s he servant w ho estalish estal ishees the practce of of he reigo e igonn and a nd God ho deterines its nature for your sussion is your action and the relgion is fro your ac since your eng lessed ay e ony hrough that which derves fro you yourself Thus, ust as our ac estaishes esta ishes your lessedness, so aso Hs H s acts estali esta lish sh the di di vne aes, whch acts are you eng orginated [relatve], so that only onl y in relaton elat on o Hs ef effects cts is He cal led a div di v niy ni y and only onl y in rea rea tion to your eff effec ects ts are you cal ca l ed lessed l essed Thus T hus does God equate you y ourr 1 7 . Q 1 3 . 8 Ibid., :19.
113
IBN AARAB
pos oston ton [ n th s respe respet t]] wth H Hs, s, when you antan ant an the t he prat prate e of of elgon and sut to what He has estalshed f God wls, we wll elaoate on ths pont after we have ex paned elgon as t s wth reaton, of whh God takes due aount A elgon s for God, fro you not H, exept as eng your Or O rgn He Most Hgh, says, o onnasticism was in i n troducd by by thm fo r th th rst rst tim tim 1 2 9 whh norporates] the revelatons of sdo that were not rought y the Apostle as [generally known n rngng the Message to the people fro God n the ustoary fashon 3 0 Sne the sdo and good apparent n t ae n haony wth the dvn d vnee dete detena nato tonn espe espet t ng the purpose purpose of evealed Sr Sr ptue t s n God's God's sght sght as that whh H e lad down [n Hs spensa spensaton ton],], al though H did no n o t prs prscr crib ib it fo r thm 1 1 Thus, sne God has, unknown to the, opened the door of Hs povdene and Mery to the heats, He auses the to extol what they have estalshed, apat apa t fro fro the t he ore fa fa l ar a r way rought rou ght y the Pophet and reo reoggnzed y dvne reveaton, seekng [y t] the peasue of God He says Thy do not n ot obsr it, 1 2 that s, those who estashed t and fo who t was estalshed, as it i t should should b obsrd obsrd,, xcpt to sk God Go d plas lasur ur 1 Thus, they eleve. W brought thos who blid1 n t thosee aong who ths way way thir rw rwaa rd, b u t ma m a ny of thm 1 that s, thos s pated, pated, ar depa ted ted fro fro susson su sson ar astr astraay, 1 6 that s they have depa to t and ts poper pate As fo those who have depated n ths way, God w not e wel dspose dsposedd toward toward the. the . Howeve, Howeve, a o o a nd [dv [dv ne] equ res res oede oedene ne The one oanded ethe oeys wllngly or opposes the oand As for the foer, no ore need e sad as fo the latter, the opposton y whh wh h he s governed governed dea nds of God one of two ourses, ourses, ethe nd ulgene and an d fog fog veness, or ensu re One of the th e ust take ta ke plae a 2 2 bd bd \ :2 7 0 g g tt te ran h te te g f d s f f d d s the ook ook an the iom [ e passim]. b rb s ss ss hs s d . ran, \27 2 bd 33 bd bd 3 . bd 3 bd
4
H E BEZELS F I S
cording as he requires it deserves t in hse, or the Reaty awas acts in accordance wth the servant as regards his acts and state. Thus, t is the essential state that aects [the decsion. n this t his way way reigion eig ion [a [ ayy e regarded regarded as a atter of requi requi tal ta l and an d recopense or what pleases and what does not please. Concerning reopense or the forer He says, God is plasd with thm and thy ith Hi 7 and concerning recopense for the latter, Whosor of ou o u op opprss prsss W ill caus him to x xprinc princ a sr sr p u n ish ish mnt n t. 8 His saing, orlook thir il dds9 is aso a recopense. Thus religion gi on is i s a for for o recopense ecopense for for the religion eli gion is sla sl a which whi ch eans suission so that one suits to what pleases and to what does not please wh ch i i nvoves recopens recopense e This Thi s s, then the outer aspect aspect of the suj ect. s for for its nner nn er and secret aspect, t i s a divi ne Selrev Selreveat eaton on i n the ir ror o f t h e existence existence of the Rea Rea lity. li ty. For the conti ngent ngent eings receve fo the Realty ony as they theselves in their essential states d ictate; they the y hav ha ve a for for every state, the t he fors varyi ng ac cording to the ariaton of their states as the Selfrevelation of the Real Reality ity dif di ffers accord accordng ng to the state Thus Th us t he servant is af a ffected ected n accordance with what he is n hself Thus also, only he estows good go od on hi sef and only onl y he evi ei ng his own enefacto enefactorr and chas tiser Therefore let hi not ae any ut hiself, nor praise any ut h self. self. God is th conclusi argumnt, 4 through His Knowledge o the, si nce nce knowledge knowledge s dependent dependent on that whch is known . A dep dep er truth in this atter s that the contingent eings are in the final anaysis, ana ysis, nonexistent since the only [ true true existence existence s s the existence of the Real Realit ityy in i n the fors of the states states in i n which whi ch the contngent en gs are in theselves theselves and n ther the r [eterna [eternay y latent essenc essences. es. So you shoud shou d know [that it s none other than the Reality ho undergoes pleasur pleasu re and pa n an andd that [i t s the the di vne v ne Sefreveation Sefreveation that th at s the result of every state, which is called consequence and penaty The sae apples as a result of good or evl, except that conventon calls the resu result lt rewar rewardd in the case o go good od a nd punishe puni shent nt in the case of . 8. 0
bd bd \' \' 9. bid. bid. \ bd. bd. \\ : . bd \:
15
IBN AARAB
evil n t h s sense sense th e religion migh mi gh t e caled or interp in terpre reted ted as a cus tom [] snce there efalls [the servant only that whch his own state demands and necessitates. The poet says "As was your custom ] with mm aHuwairith efore her. 4 That is to say say "your custom. The mean ng of a custo cu stom m s that t hat someth someth ng should revert to to ts origna l state, al though custom in the sense of repetition s not approprate to what we are concerned concerned with. However, custom custom is an ntel nteliigi gile le rea rea lility ty a nd a certain resemlance exsts etween the forms. For example, we k now that Zad Zad s the same same as Am r n resp respec ectt to their h umanity, uman ity, although n this nstance humanty does not occur twce for, f so, it woul d e e a mutpe m utpe thi ng and it s a single reality, reality, not a m utipicity. utipicity. e a lso know that Zaid is not the same as A mr in i n respect to their n divid di vidual uality. ity. Thus, Zaid as Zad i s not Amr as Amr Amr ecause ecause of their ndiv nd iv dual dua l denti tes tes O n the suface suface Zad woud appear to to e e a repli repl i ca of A mr, ut a true assessmen assessmentt shows this thi s not to e e true, there e e ing from one standpoint no repetiton, whie from another there is a certain repetiton n the same way we may speak of recompense in o n e sens sensee a nd deny t i n a nother, nother, si nce reco recomp mpen ense se s s itself one o f the states of contingent eing. Ths s a queston kept unexplaned y those who know kno w t as s s proper proper,, not ecause ecause they are ignorant of it ut ecause ecause it s an aspec aspectt of the mystery mystery of Premeasu Premeasurrement eme nt wh w h ch go govvens e ns ceated ceated eng. K now that just j ust as it may e said tha t the doct doctor or is the servant servant of atu a ture re,, so might migh t t also a lso e said that th at the ap a postles a nd heirs hei rs are the ser ser vants of the divine Command n general and, at the same time, servng the states of of contngent cont ngent engs. e ngs. Their Their service se rvice is one of the the own states that they are in in their [eternal] essences Consider what a wonderful th ng n g this th is s t must e u nderst nderstoo ood d howeve howeve that the ser ser-vantt in ths van th s case case li mts mt s his service to to that that whch wh ch accords accords with wi th the rules ru les governing what he serves, wth respect to state or speech Th e doc docto torr ma y e caled a servant servant of o f ature onl y if he woks woks n cooperation with her. ature has estalished n the ody of the patient a particular complex of conditons y which he s called sick. ere the doctor to assist her in that partcuar manifestatn h would serve ony to i ncreas ncreasee the sckness Ths, he restrai estrai ns her only m order to restore heath to hs patient Howevr heth is ls 11 Fm he mu-(s 7
T HE BE BEZES ZES F VIS VIS 01
ro atre whch conditon e had the settng o an oher cope of condions oposed o he estin one. hs h docor docor is no nott fu fuy] y] he h e servan servan of Na Na re re e eng ng her h er servan only onl y n the sense ha he woud e quie unale o cure the sick an and change his condit on ece ece y y ea ea ns of Naure. Naure. He serv serves es her n a pricu ar wa u no i n a genera way wh ch doe does not aply ap ly n n hs knd k nd of qeson In his wa he aposes and hers are like he docor who is a once oth the serv servan an and no no he servan servan of Naure as regards ther sering he Rea lity li ty.. The Real Realiy iy [ ani fess ess]] wo aspect aspectss i n deernng he state state of those those who w ho receve receve he d v ne Co Co an and. d. The ef effec of the Coand Coand on the servan servan s as he ill of he Reality deterines which s itself deeri deeri ned y y His K nowledg nowledge e whch is i s de deer er ned in rn ha which he ojec of His Knowledge esows of iself which s not anifest except in its iage for] Thu he aposle and he heir are servants of the divne Coand hrough he il u are no servans of he ll opposing [he ll] ll ] w h it [ he Coand Coand]] n order to secur securee the th e lessedne lessedness ss of he one cha rged rged o o oey oey ere he he servan servan of of he il i l he would wou ld no seek o advse or woud advse ony n accord no accordanc ancee wh it The aposle aposle as a s al so the heir is a doctor of souls copleely oed oeden en o he h e Coa Co and nd of God. Considering oh he Coand oan d of God a nd H is ll it ay e seen tha wha is coanded ay e contrary o His il si nce nce ony wha He w ilills ls akes place place whi ch s he reas reason on fo for the Coand. f He wlls wha He coands coands i i takes takes place and if He does no no wi wi wha He coands coands it does does not. Ths i s called [ord [ord narily] opposton and dsoedience sin]. The Th e apost aposte e is erely he t ransiter [of [of the Coand Coand].]. For For hs h s reason he [the Prophe] sad The Chaper Hd14 2 and s knd cased e grea anx a nx ey ey ecause of of heir of ofrep repeat eated ed saying sa ying Be up rig right as y o u he he been c o m man ma n ded ed Ths caused caused hi anxiey an xiey n aely the words as you hae been commanded for he dd no know wheher he Coan Coandd was in accor accordd wih wi h he ill and hus h us o o e e or whether t confct confcted ed wh he l and hs woud not e. None knows what he ill wll w ll s unt un t wha has wil led led takes takes place exc excep eptt one rec receve eve a sprua spr ua i ntuition ntu ition fro God ena li ng one o perceive perceive he essences essences of Ca Carr I . 3 Qur'a, I 1 I a a nt b bn b b r r t trn. trn.
N AARA
conti ngent eings in t heir eternal latency i n whic h case he ma y act in accordance with what he sees. This may happen to a very ew men in times o isolation rom others. He says I kow ot what w do with m or you 1 thus speaking openly o the vel [etween od and us]. This i s i ntended to convey that the Prophet has [unseen] k nowledge o certain th in gs.
Id. X\
8
CHAPR X
THE WISDOM OF LIGHT IN THE WORD OF JOSEPH
NTRODUCORY NOT Although h e chaper egins wh a dscusson of the sujec of the agination, wih special reference to he dreas and vsions of oseph, he a n hee of the chaper is, as t he tle suggess, the di vine ight and the cosic shadow uch of wha he says here regardi ng syols and the necessiy for heir interpretation is silar to aterial on the sae sujec in he chapter on saac [Chapter n aAra does, however ntroduce us here to another aspect of the suect of the agination naely its wofold character in the huan sae n other words an, as the icrocosic iage of the acrocos experiences the agnaive process oth as eing part of the greater creative process and also as havng within hself an iagnative faculty hus, as our author says, an experiences an agination within an agination, h is own icrocosic drea eing part of the greater acrocosic drea Here we are introduced to n aAras vew o he creatve stuation as a state o sleep in which the created Cosos is seen as the dvi ne drea of which huan experience is the cro cosic age. he whoe creatve situaion, thereore, whch requ res the device of the other to effect ts purpose, ay e vewed as a kind of divine dreaing n which the illuson of soethng that is not is presented to he divine consciousness as the reflecon of 9
IBN AARAB
s own possiil iy. The wakin sae in hs conex is he n alienale sae of he Oneness of Be n. he aor hee of his chaper s tha of he divine ih and he correspondn ae of the cosic shadow. ih is seen here as en yet anoher aency of creaion, slar to he Breah of he erciful, he ainaion, or the irror is hat power which i lluinaes or akes apparent he nonexsen and laen archeypes of Gods knowede as creaed Cosos n a certan sense, however, i is aso a syo for he diviny self as Creaor The i ae of he cos ic shadow is raher ore coplicated, snce n aAra vews is sinificance in wo ways. Firs, the shadow is seen as an ae of he Cosos iself, as ein n a ceran sense deached and apparenly separae fro God, while ein ulaely an asurdy wihou His h Second, t is seen as an iae of he un a ni fesed stae of the aten essences of the Cosos n dns. n oher words, he views he shadows qualy of darkness and oscu riy oh as an indcation of he apparen dsance of he Cosos fro God, as also s oscurin, y s fora coplexiy, of d vne reaiy and as a sy ol of the occu laton and nonexis ence of he uncreaed and unanifesed essences of he Cosos in God. Thus, he shadow, wheher as iae of the creaed or, as ye, uncreated Cosos is, in dfferent ways, nohng oher han God e her as refecin ae or as n heren conen of knowedge. Anoher way in which he ries o expain he relaionshp in his chaper is o use he neracon of i h and coor wheher as potentia and laten in is unil lui ned sae or as il lu ined n al s variety of shades so ilusratn he uua dependence of lih and color, of lih for its di ffereniaion and of color for is anifestaion. n al Ara concudes he chaper wih furher discussion re ardin he difference eween he Realiy as God i n is relaons hi p with creaed eings throuh His Naes, and the Realiy as ssence ha ranscends he whole creative process. HE WSDOM OF H N T HE WORD OF OSP Th e lh of h s luinous W isdo exends over h pan f h ainaon, which s he firs prnciple of rvlaon accordin t the people of Providence. 0
TH E BES F SM
ishah [God e plesed ith her said Reeltin ean with the Aposte of God as the erdicil i io n, wh ich wa [a clear] the reaking of dan eer ti e he saw it, there ei n no ocurity 4 ishahs knowedge ent no urthe r than th i She added that he hd een in this state for a period of si onths after which the Ane [Gariel] cae to hi. hat she did not know was that the Apost e of God had aid en sleep and when they died they shal awake46 al that is seen i n seep ein g of a si i lar nature although the condi tions are diferent She stated a period of si onths, whereas [in truth] his hoe earthly l ife was after this fashion, a drea within a drea . All thi ngs of this kind coe wit hin the real of the agination ecause of which they are interpreted That eans that soething tha t of itself has a certai n for a ppears in another for, so th at the interpreter proceeds fro the for seen y the dreaer to the for of the thi ng in itself if he is successful as for eape the appearance of knowledge in the for of i lk. Thus, he [the Apostle] proceeded in his interpretation fro the for of ik to the for of knowledge thus transposing [the real eaning of oth] fro one plane to an other the proper transposition of the ilk for eing to the for of knowledge. hen the Apostle used to receive a reveation he was withdrawn fro al usual sensations, covered with a cloak and [in all ut his ody asent fro a ll present hen the reveation ceased he was re stored [to the sensory world. hat he perceived [in this state] he per ceived ony in the plane of the agination ecept that he was not considered to e sleepin g n the sae way the appearance of the An ge to hi as a an was also fro the plane of the agination, since he [Gariel] is not a an ut an ange who took o hisef huan for. This [for] was transposed y the eholder with gnosis to its own true for He said, "t is Gariel who has coe to teach you your re igion he had also said Return the an's greeti ng callin g hi a an ecause of th e for i n which he appeared to the Then he said "This is Gariel 47 [this tie] taking into account the original for of the iaginative h u an for. He was right in oth cases, 5. Bkhr, . . I hae bee abe rae he rce h ra a hh f e e b S f ahr. 17
IBN AARAB
right fro th e viewpoint of th e physical eye and right also in that t was, wthout dout, Gariel. oseph said, I saw ln stars and th sun and moon prostrating bor m. 48 He saw hs rothes i n the fo of stas and saw h is fathe and au nt as the su n and the oon This is the viewpoint of oseph How eve had t een so fo the stand point of those seen, the a n festation of his others as stas and h is fathe and au nt as the sun and the oon woud have een accoding to thei wishes. Thus, snce they had no knowedge of what oseph saw, oseph's peception of what he saw] took place though h is own agnatve facul ty hen oseph told aco of his vision aco knew the situation an sad y son do not rlat your ision to your brothrs, lst thy conspir against you 49 Then he goes on to asolve his sons of conspracy and to lay it at Sa tan's doo, who is the vey essence of conspacy saying, Surly Satan is an crtain fo, 5 whch is outwadly so. uch late on oseph said, This is th original maning of my ision, which my Lord has mad tru 5 that s, He has ade it anfest to the senses eing peviousy in a fo fo the agination. Concen ng this, the Prophet u�aad sa en sleep, whle oseph said, y Lord has mad it tru, 52 si nce he in eation to what the Pophet sad] is in the position of one who deas that he has waked fo a dea and poceeds to intepet t. S uch a one does not know that he is stil aseep and dreaing, ut when he does wake he says saw such and such, which deang that had waked, intepeted. oseph's situation s si la to this Consde then the di ffeence etween the peception of u�aad and that of oseph when he sad This is th ral maning of my i sion, which my Lord has mad tru, 5 y which he eans sensile t could not e othe than sensi le, since the agination eals only n what is sensle. Conside aso how lofty is the knowledge of u �aads hes! e wil elaoate futhe on this plane, if God wl though oseph's words conceived n the spit of haad's in sight 8 50 5 5 5
Qan d 5 d bi d : 00 d bd
TH E B EZES F IS 0
Know hat what s other than he Reay which is cld h Cosos is n elaton o the Reay s a shadow is to h whch casts th shdow for t s the shadow of God this n he sa a s he elaion eteen Beng and he Cosos since the shadow s whout dou soethin sensile ha s povided thee is ha on hch the shadow ay appear snce f wee possle ha th heeon appeas shoud cease to e, the shadow would e an nelge and not soehing sensle and woud exs poenaly n the er hng that casts the shadow The hng on whch his dvne shadow caled he Cosos, ap peas s the etenaly latent] essences o contngent engs. The shad o is spread ou ove he, and he denty of] the shadow s k nown to he eent that t he Beng of the ognal ] ssence is extended upon t t s y Hs Nae, the ght that t s perceved Ths shadow ex ends ove he essences of conngen engs n he for of he unknown nseen. Have you not oseved that shadows tend to e lack whch ndcates ther peceptlty as egads content] y eason of the eote elatonshp etween the and the ogns f the souce of the shadow s whe, the shadow tself s sill so .e lack]. Do you no also oseve hat ountans dstant fo the oseve appea to e lack, whle eng n theselves othe than the colo seen The cause s only the dstance The sae s the case wth the ueness of the sky whch s also he effec of distance on the senses wth respect to nonlu nous odes n he sae way the essences of contngent engs ae no lunous en g nonexisen ale latent They ay not e desced as exsng ecause exstence s lght Futheoe even unous odes ae endeed y dstance sall to he senses, whch s anohe effec of dsance Such odes ae peceved y the senses as sall, whe eng n thes lves large. Fo ex aple the evdence s hat he sun s 16 tes the size of the ath, whle to the eye, s no lager than a sheld. Ths s also the effect of dsance o oe s known of the Cosos than s known fo a shadow oe s known of he Real iy han one knows of he oign of a nsofa as He has a shadow, He s known ut nsoar as the fo of the one castng the shadow s not peceived n the shadow the Realty s not known For hs reason we say tha he Reality s known to us n one sense and unknown n another
13
BN ALARAB
Hae you not seen how your Lord extends the shade; He so willed He would make it stay, ha is t would e n H i poentally which i s to say tha he Ra ly does no revea H self o the contingent engs eore He anifess His shadow he shadow eng [as ye] as those ei ngs ha have no een anifesed in exisence Then We made the sun as an indication of it, 1 which s His Nae he ght of which we have already spoken and y which he senses perceve for shad ows have no separae] exsence wihout ight. Then We take it back to Ourseles easily 6 only ecause is His shadow si nce fro Hi i is an ifest and to Hi the whoe anifesaion reu rns for the shadow is none oher han He. Al we perceve is nothi ng other han he eing of he Real y i n the essences of coningen eings. Wih reference to he deniy of he Reality it is s Beng whereas with reference to he varey of is ors t is he es sences of conngen engs us as i is always called a shadow y reason of the varety of fors so s i aways called he Cosos and oher han he Reaity. n respect of is uniy as the shadow [o God] it s the Reality eng he One he nique u in respec o he uliplcity of s fors i is the Cosos hereore understand and realize wha have elucdated for you. f wha we say i s rue he Cosos is u a anasy withou an y real exisence whi ch is another ean ng of h e aginaion Tha is o say you iagine ha it [he Cosos] is soehng separate an d selfsuffcen ousde he Reaiy whle n ruh is no so. Have you no oserved [in he case of he shadow] hat i is connected o he one who cass it and would not s ecoing disconnected e a surd s nce noth ng can e d scon neced fro isel Therefore know [ruy] your own self [essence] who you are what is your deny and wha your relaonsh ip with he Real y. Consder wel n wha way you are real and in what way [part of he Cosos as eing separae oher and so on. is n his respec tha the sages are eter han one anoher; so heed and learn! The Rea lity s in relation o a particuar shadow sa or are pure or purer as ligh n relaton o he glass ha separaes i fro the ehoder to who the ligh has he color of he glas whi le h 4. Ibd. XX'4 . Ibd bd XX 4
4
TH EES OF ISOM
lht itself h no [aicula colo hs is he et ionsh i we ou eaity nd ou od fo, if you wee o sy h ih is een ecuse of the een las ou would e iht viewn the situion t houh ou senses nd i f you wee o say ha t is not een, ideed it s cooless y deduction you woud also e igh as view i ng the sit uion thouh sound intellecual eason ng. ha which is seen a e sad o e liht pojeced fo a shadow which is he ass o a lunous shadow, accodn o is puity hus he of us ho has ealized in h i self the Rea lty a nifests the fo of the Realt o a geae eent than he who has not. hee ae those of u n ho the Reali has ecoe the heain siht and al l thei aculies and l s accod ing to signs taught us y evealed aw that tells us of God. 7 espie this the shadow [the individual] still exists essentially fo he ponoun used in the wods of the adition] his heain, ees to hi as shadow patculaly, since othe sevants ae not of this atanent Such a sevan is oe closely attached to the eing of he Realty than ohes. f hngs ae as we have decded know that you ae an iagina tion as s al that you egad as othe than youself an agnation A [elaive] exisence is an iaginaton withn an iagination the ony Real ty eng God as Sel f nd the ssence not i n espect of is aes his is ecause the aes have two connotations he fist connotaton is God Hi self Who is what is naed he second that y which one ae is distinguished fo anothe. hus the Fogivng is not n this sense the a nifest o the Un an ifest no is the Fi st the ast You ae al eady awae in what sense each ae is essenally evey othe ae and in what sense it is not a ny othe ae As eing essenially he ohe the ae s the Realiy whle as eng not he othe t s the agned Reality with which we ae hee concened. Gloy e o H Who Alone is evidence of Hi sef Alone nd ho s Selfsusising hee is naught in Bei ng ut is plicit in the dvine Uniy and hee s naught in the agination ut s ipl ici n [Cosic] utiplicity. Whoeve holds to uliplicity is [nvolved wh the Cosos the divine aes [in thei dstinctons], and the 7. Bu I8.
5
IB N A ARAB
cosic naes. hoever holds to th e Un ty is wi th the Real ity in Hi s ssence as Selfsuffcient eyond all worlds. Beng Selfsufficient e yond all worlds He is independent of and eyond all noinal relationshps, since the Naes, while iplying Hi as the ssence] also ipy the ealties naed, whose effects they anifest. ay: H God s On 8 in Hs [Unique] Self God th Etnal Rfug n espect of our dependence on Hi H bgts not, n His dentity or in relation to us no s H bgottn, as for the preceding verse H has no qual as for the preceding verse. Thus does He descrie Hiself and solates Hs ssence n the words God s On athough the u tiplicity anfest through His Attrutes is wel known aong us. e, for ou part, eget and are egotten we depend on Hi and we copete one with anothe However, the Unque One tanscends al these attrutes, having no need of the or of us ndeed, the Reality has no [true] descripton etter than t his chapte, a-Ikhl! 1 9 which was reveaed pecsey for this reason God's Un ity, in respect of the dv ne Na es that requre ou ex istence, s a u n ty of any, wh ile in respect of His coplete ndependence of the Naes and us, t is unity of ssence, for oth of which the Nae the One s used, so take note. God created shadows ying prostrate to right and left only as cues for you in knowing yourself and Hi, that you ight know who you are, your reationship wit h H , and His with you, and so that you ight understand how or according to which divine tuth a l that is other than G od is descried as eng copletey dependent on Hi as eing also u tually n tedependent Aso that you i ght know how and y what tuth God is descried as uttery i ndependent of en and all worlds, and ho w the Cosos is descri ed as oth u tually i ndependent with respect to its parts and utua ly dependent Without any dout, the Cosos is fundaentally dependent on causes, the greaes of which enoys the causaty of the Reality. he divne causality on whch the Cosos depends is the i vine aes, which are every Nae on which the Cosos depends, whether on a Nae anifested in] a cosos or the d vi ne ssence hicheve t e, it is essentally God no other Thus, He says, n, you ned of God h and h sn vrs o d hr m u hr II of h
Qu'a
5 Qu'a C .
6
s ttl whle e s the Se-sucent the Prased. 0 Besdes ths t s well nown that we are also mutually dependent Therefore, our true names are ods ames, sne all depends on Hm At the same tme our essental selves are H s shadow. H e s at one our dentty and not our dentty. We have paved the way for you, so consder!
160. Ibid., X XX\':1 5.
1 2
C HA PTE R X
TH WISDOM OF NITY IN TH WORD OF HD
NTRODUCTORY NOTE A lhough he a n subjec of he chaper on H d i s h e concep, quranc in origin of he Sraigh Pah he underlying hee is, as he ie suggests he original and uliae uualiy n oneness ha is he essenia l naure of realy. bn alArab uses he subjec of he Straight Pah o i nroduce his principal hee. Alhough he os obvious eaning of the words Straigh Pah in he ra n s as he pah o salvation, he char acerisicaly uses his idea o suppor his own ystcal hesis of the Oneness o Being This Pah s or h nohng oher han he way o ineorable return to he origi nl and undffereniaed sate o Oe ness tha is he Reality tsef. is in fac bn alArab's explanatio of anoher quranc quoatio "And o Hi s he evenual bec ng which eans tha all he infnie possblity o becoing un avodably reurns o s source in pure unary Being, and that the whole creaive device of poarity and otherness us eviably et away o reveal he unalered and unalerabe face of th Rty s bn a lArab says a he very begi ning of he chater, al things r whout excepion on his Path toward he ultia aiatn nt ony because al h i ngs are iescapably o h Raiy, bu als bcus he acor o he divine rah, whch would s away t cn
THE BEZES F ISOM
den in g creaed beins o erdiion and ei le is suordinae and ac cidena to he allpreailing erc, hich uiae gurantees heir essenil reaiy i is Thus, he daing and fscintin panora of cosic ors i n a l hei r conrdicions and ulti piciy which at once anies and obscure the ruth, is always wihin he ebrace of he diine ercy, howeer negaie and hereore wrahfu he secondar and accidenal effecs ay see Perhaps in his chapter ore han in any oher, bn alArab dries hoe, oer and oer again , using arious ana logies, he relentless ogic of his fundaenta thesis of he Oneness of Being ha nothing can eer be other than t Consequently, in other places he is swif to poin ou ha he concep of he Sraigh Path iself is decepie insofar as i suggests the possibiliy of distance and separation, whi ch is itself no ore han a deice the purpose of whi ch is o creae the poarity by which aone the diine ight enjoy H isef ndeed, the whoe exercise is as R suggests, like flying birds looing for air n a eer o the ceebraed heoogian aR [Hderabad ] bn a lArab goes so far as to say ha he ery differeniaion beween God and creation, so necessary to exoteric faith, is in fac, in fideliy since i t posits two entities Hi and us his underlyin g Oneness is succinctly expressed i n th is chapter when he says tha God is our ouer for [he Outer and also he in ner spirit of that for he nner], so that nothing reains of us as soething oher han He Ahough he has a great deal to say on this subjec both here and elsewhere, bn alA rab woud hae been he first to adi ha i is a subjec tha is essentiay, inexpressible, since huan language being huan and fora cannot by its ery naure adequately describe what transcends for, nor can huan reason be expeced o cope propery wih experiences and realities that erain o reas beyond he huan Muc h of wha he says on this paricular subect is herefore necessarily approxiate and inadequae o the realiy and experience he is rying to describe
H WSDOM OF UNY N H WORD OF HU D he Straight Path of God is not hi dden But ani fest uni ersaly 1 9
BN AL-ARAB
He is essenial ly i n al h ngs grea or sal gnoran of ruh or aware. hus does His Mercy ebrace al hings, Be hey ean or ghy No liing being is there but He will seie it by its forelock Surely my Lord is on a straight path16 All hings wak on he Sraigh Pah of her ord and, in this sense hey do no incur he divine Wrath nor are hey astray. This is because the divi ne Wrath l ike error is an acci dental [nonessenial] a ll h ngs seing u liaely fro he Mercy whch ebraces a l hings and whch has precedence. Al l ha s oher han he Reay s a being walking [dbbah] [on he Path] since each has a spirit and none proceeds [on the Pah] by sef but by a noher [God] poceeds [along he pah] following, accord ng o a [cerai n] deterin aion, Hi Who s on the Pah [he ord] would no be a pah bu for he pocession along i f he creature subits o you is [n truth] the Real y Who subts And f the Reality subits o you The created ay no foow H n tha Therefore realize what we say For al say is rue There is no created being Bu is endowed wh speech [expression] No s there aught created seen by he eye Bu is essentialy he Realy. ndeed, H e is hdden herein s fors bein g erely contaners. now ha he divi ne and gnostic sciences possessed by the Folk vary accoding o the varey of spirua capacies, ahough hey al se [ultiaey] fro one source. God Most High says, a his hearing by whi ch he hears and h is sigh by whic h he percei ves his hand wth which he akes and his foo by whch he oves aong 6 He sates ha He is, in Hs denity the i bs heseves hat ar he servan hi self even hough the deny s One a nd he ibs any 1 6 . a l56. 162 Bur LI38.
1 3
TH E BEZELS F S
For each li or organ there is a pa rticuar k nd o iritual knowl edge steing ro the one ource whch s anod in reect the any ls and organ, e·en a water, although a ingle reaty, ·aries in taste accordng to its location, soe eing sweet and plea ant, soe eing salty and racksh n spite o thi t reains una lter al ater in al condtons wth all the varetes o taste his wsdo is concerned with the knowledge reated to the eet reerred to n what the ost Hgh says concerning the spiritual nourishent estowed on thoe who propery uphold the Scriptures [d thy had obsrvd th Torah and th Gospl and that which is rald to thm from thir Lord thy would crtainly hav atn from abo th] ad from bnath thir ft 1 6 For the way which is the [Straght] Path, is there to e traveled along and walked on whch is not accoplished except y the eet t is only this particuar ki nd o esoteric knowledge that resuts in th is particuar insight into the leading Hi ho is on the Path y the orelocks with Hi s Ha nd And He drives the wrongdoers, 16 who erit the station to which He drives the y eans o the westerly wind y which He purges the o ther [separatist] seves He draws the along y their orelocks, while the wind drives the [ro ehind] to Hel, [the driver] eing none other than their own desres and i ncinations, and Hell the dstance they agned to e etween the and the Realty Since it i s He [their ord] ho dri es the to ths aode, they [in truth] attain nearness to Hi al distance and notion o Hell ceasing or the Thus they atta in [ in reality the lessing o nearness [to Hi in respect o what they have erted [in their eternal es sences], eing [eternaly wrongdoers; nor does He grant the this pleasurale station as a reey given git, since it s they theselves who adopt it according as their essentia realites have erited eternaly y ther deeds thus deterined ndeed, in perorng their deeds they are, nevertheless on the Path o their ord, thei r orelocks eng in the hand o the One thus qualiied thus, they do not walk [on their Path y theselves, ut under copulsion till they reach [their nearness to Hi] And W ar narr to him th dying than you but you do not s 6 the dying an havng sight ecause the covering has een . un \:. Cf bd XX8 5. Ibd. L\85
3
IB N AARAB
draw ack, a d his sight is sharp 66 his verse He does not spec fy a paricuar knd of person oe who is lessed raher than oe who s da ed Agai, W a na to him than his ugula in, 67 where o paricular an s specified. The div e proxi iy is cleary saed i Hs Reveato. o poxty is closer han ha Hs deniy shoud e he very ls and facules of he sevan, whch are he servan hiself For the servant is a aesed realiy n an illusory ceaon. For he elievers and e of spiitual vsion i s he creaon ha is surised and he Realiy ha is seen and perceved whle in he case of hose no i hese wo caegories is he Reay Who s suised and he ceation ha s seen and peceived y he senses he late are as he saly iter waer, whle he foer are as he swee peasan water, fi o drink. Men ay e divided i no wo groups The fis ravel a way hey know and whose desinaion hey know whch s her Sagh Pah he second goup ave a way hey do no know and of whose desiaio hey ae unawae which s equally he Sagh Pah. The gnosc cals on God wih spiiual pecepion, whi e he who is no a gnosc calls on H n gnorance and ound y a radi ion. Such a kowedge is a special oe seing fo th lowst of th low, 68 since he fee ae he owes par of he person wha s lower han tha eing he way eneah he He who knows tha he Realiy s he way knows he uh for i i n none oher han He ha you progress and rave, si nce here is naugh o e known save He since He is Being sef and herefoe also he aveer hiself. Furhe, here is no Knower save He so who ae you? Theefore, kow you rue realy and your way for he ruh has een ade cea o you on he tongue of he nerpreer [Mu�aad] if you wl oly under sand Hs is a rue word ha none undersands, save ha his under sandng e rue he Reali y has any relaions and any aspecs Have you no consdered d he peope of H d how hey said, This is a cloud com to ain upon us 6 thnkng wel of God ho is presen in wha His se rvan hi nks of Hi Bu God deached H sef fro wha hey said and told he of ha which s ore co 7 8.
ibid. Ibd Ibd \. I bid. \
3
HE BEZ ES F SM
lete and lot i n roity or when He cused the rn t o fl l on the t r·ed a boon to the earth and draught or the sd, wh the enjoed the fruts of that ran ony fro afar [beyond the grave] He said to he Ths s wh o h sogh o hsn on, wnd n hh s pnfl pnsh 70 aking the wnd [ an ndcton of what t conai ned by way of resite [r�h, si nce by He devered the fro he darkness of ther bodes, the roughness of ther aths and thei r [srtual] blackness. n this wnd there was an 'dhb unsh ent or seetness that s soethng they would delight n when the eerenced it even though caused the an by saratng the fro what was [rviously] fa li ar to the. He brought the he unishent [ in herent in her own eernal essences] and t was nearer o he [heir realities than hey iagi ned. All was desroyed by he coand of its ord and hy wr not o b sn n h mornng xp thr dwllings, 7 hat s, he r bodes i n hich thei r essential srits had dwel n other words he articuar relationsh of siri wth body ceased and he bodies conin ued v ing [the sir itless lfe of aeral being] the life accorded he by he Reality, tha life of wh ich the skn, the hands, the feet give evidence, as also the the is of he lashes a nd he hghs A ll his is conained i n Holy rt. God, os High, has described Hisef as ealous [ha augh should exist but Hise] and it is because of his hat He "forbade excesses, 7 which eans ha which is anifes and aaren As for that which is unan fes, i s [excessve for hi to who it s aarent n hsel] Thus, He forbade excesses [relave exstence], that s, He revened he real secret fro being known, naely hat He is the essenta Sef of hi ngs. He conceals t by oherness, whi ch s you [as beng no He] Oherness asserts hat the hearng [referred o i n the Tradition] s Zads heari ng, while he gnosic [who sees beyond that o the Oneness of Beng asserts tha t is he Realty Hself, and s ilarly wih he oher organs and facuies Not every one knows the Reaty, soe en excelling ohers according o [known srual ranks so that t s la in who is sueror [n ths resec and who s not Know ha when the Realiy reveaed to e and caused e o 17 bd 17 bd, \5 Z Cf bd, \.
133
B N AARAB
witness th e essental reaiti es of His apostles on who e peace] and rophets of huanity fro Ada to uaad peace and lessings e on al of the] at an assely in Cordova in the year 73 none addressed e fro aong the save Hd who infored e of the reason for their gathering together saw hi as a stout an fair of for sutle of converse a gnostic a discloser of the realites hat proved th s to e was the verse Thr s o walkg bg but draws t by ts forlock. urly my Lord s o th traght Path 74 hat greater td ngs could there e for creaton ndeed God rei nds us of His fa vor on us i n ringing this verse to us in the rn Then uaad who i ntegrates the whole copletes the tidi ngs n trans ttng to us the Traditon n whi ch it is said that the Real ity is essentia y the hearing of the servant th e gnostic the sight the hand the foot and the tongue i ndeed al l the senses 7 Further athough the spiri tual facultes are nearer than the outer senses He contented Hsef with what was ore dstant ut known nstead of what was coser ut u nknown God interprets as tidngs for us the words of His Prophet H d to his peope a nd the Aposte of God i nterprets for us God's words n the Tradition Thus knowedge is perfected in the hearts of those who have een granted knowledge ad o dy Our sgs sa th cocalrs [k ra] 1 76 For there are those who would concea the Gods signs even though they theselves possess knowledge of the out of envy rvalry and i nj ustice For our part whenever God has revealed or infored us through Holy Traditions] concerning H iself whether it assert Hs transcendence or coparaiity we a lways see t in ters of li itation The first li tation to which He sujects H self s The ark Cloud having no ar aove or eneath it 77 The Reaity was i n t efore He created Hs creation Then He says stablshd ms o th Thro 78 which aso represents a Selfltation He then y that He descended to the ower heaven also a l i tation He says further that he is in the Heaven and on the arth that He with us 7 . 7. 75. 7. 77 78
C S o dalsia . 2 Bh 8. 7. C fhat , nl, \' I 2 'a :5.
34
TH E BEZES F ISM
where·er e are, a nd finall that He is, in essence, us. e e li ited eings, nd th us He descries H i sef al ays y ways that rerent a itation on Hisef ven the verse hr is lik to Hi 7 constitutes a l itation if e regard the kfas sply ephtic s ince one ho is distinguished fro what is lited is hiself lited ecause he is not that th ng to deny al l [possiiity of i itation is tself a li itaton, the Asoute eing [in a sense] li ited y His Own Asoluteness I f e regard the kf as a second quaificaton, we lit Hi If e tae the erse hr is lik to Him 8 as denyng silarity e hae realized the tru sense and the intended ean ng, that He is essential al things Created things are liited even though ther i itations are various hu He is li ited y the li itation of every liited thing, each iitation eing a litation of the Reality He pereates through al eings caled created and originated, and were it nt the case, [relative] existence would not have a ny ean ing He s Beng Itself, the ssence of Being, H is th Prsrr of8 Hi s ssence nor does this preservation wry Him 8 2 In preserving al things, He is preserving His For, lest aught assue a for other than His For, whch is not possle. He is the oserver in the oserver and the oserved in the oserved the Cosos is His For and He s the governing Spirit of the Cosos which is the Great an [acrocos]. He is al Beco ng and He s the One y hose Becoing I ecoe, therefore I say He feeds On y eing, so we are odeed in His Iage. As also fro a certain aspect, I seek refuge in Hi fro H It was ecause of the ursting ful ness [of the essentia real ites i n th e undifferentiated ssence] that He reathed forth [the priordal creative ord ] He relates the Breath to the Merci ful, ecause y it He had ercy [assented] on the deand of the d vine odes for the creation of the fors of the Cosos, which are the anifest Realiy He eing the an ifest. He is also their in ner ssence ei ng aso the nanfest He is the Frst since He was when they were not and 9 .
d L d d . U7 d :5;
35
B N AARAB
also the ast, sce i their afestato He is their ssece the ast s he Maifest ad the First is the Uaifest Thus, H knows all thngs 8 as kowig Hiself. S ce He creaed he fors he Breath, ad there becae a ifes the doio of the relaios, called the Naes he divie co eco wih the Cosos s esabished, al beigs derivi g fro Hi He says, Ths day have reduced your relaioshp ad rased My coectio hat is, have ake away your relatoship to yourseves ad have retured you to your [proper] relaioship wih Me here are the righteous? They are those who ake God as their proeco, He beg their afest for, as beig he er reaty of ther aifested fors. Such a oe is the ighiest ad sroges of e i the eyes of all e The righteous oe is also he who akes hisef a protecio for God, as beig His for, sce he dity of God is, essece, the faculties of the servat. He akes what is tered the servat a protectio for what is cal led the Realty though percevg [he truth, aey hat boh are oe], so that the kower is cearly dstiguished fro the igorat Say Ar thos who know th sam as thos who do not know only thos wth tru nsght rct 1 8 that is, those who ook o the ier reality of a thig, which is the rea objec of kowedge regardig a hig. For oe who is egliget is ot superior to oe who is dil ige or is a hirelg to be copared with the serva f, the, God is a proec tio for the servat fro oe aspect, ad the servat for God i aother, you ay say of Beg what you wl eiher hat it is he creatio or that it is he Realty, or that it is at oce the creatio ad the Realty. gh a lso be sad hat here is et her creato or the Reality as oe ight adit o perpexy i the atter, sce y assgig degrees the diffcultes appear. But for the prcple of] tatio defig the Reality] the apostles would o have taght that the Reality rasfors Hisef i cosc fors or wo ld they have described Hi [at the sae tie] as absractg Hi self fro a fors The eye perceives augh but H Oy He is deteried [by Hiself] bd. \ bd. I.
36
THE BEZES F S0�
e are Hs y H we eit and H we are overned, And we are in His Presene at al ties n al sttes. Beause o ths [inetae i ittion y dein tion] He is oth de nied nd non alled i ncoprale and copared. He who ees the Relit ro His stndpont in Hi y Hi s a ntic. He who sees the Realit fro His standpo nt, n Hi ut with hief s the seer is not nostic He who does not see the Reality n this way ut epects to see Hi y hsel, i s inorant. n eneral ost en have perorce an individual concept [el ief o their ord which they ascrie to Hi and n whch they seek H So lon as the Reality s presented to the accordin to t they reconze Hi and ar Hi whereas presented n any other or the deny Hi ee fro Hi and treat Hi iproperly, hi e at the sae tie ani n that they are actin toward Hi it tiny. Oe who elieves [in the ordnary way] eieves only n a deit he has created in hiself snce a deity in elies s a [ental] construction. They see [ n what they eieve only theseves [as rel atie ei ns and ther own constructions wi th n theselves. Consider ths atter or as en know God [n ths world], so il they see H on the Day of Resurrection, the reason for which have infored you of. So, eware lest you restrict yoursel to a partic ular tenet [concernin the Reality] and so deny any other tenet [equaly reectn H], for you woud foreit uch ood, indeed you would orfeit the true knowlede of what is [the Reality]. There fore e copletey and utterly reeptive to al doctrinal fors for God ost Hih, is too Allerac n a nd Great to e coni ned wthin one creed rather than another, for He has said, Whrsor yo trn thr is th fa of God 1 8 without entionin any paticuar direction He states that there s the face of God the ace of a th n en its reaity By this He [ ntends to keep alert [spiritual y the Hearts o the nostics, lest the transient thins of this word deect the ro constant refection on this [truth] or no servant knows in which reath he wil e taken [fro this li fe], and it ay e that he e taken n a oent of heedlessness, so that he wil not e equal [in the Hereater to one taken in a oent o attentiveness The perect servant, I b , 1
3
B N AARAB
despite his knowedge of th is ruh concerni ng God's o nipresence, everheless ainains hi sef in his ouer and li i ted for, in [con sa prayer his face urned toward the Sacred Mosque, believing God to be i n hat direction when he prays he Sacred Mosque is in ruth representaive of a face of he Real ty, as in the verse Whrso r yo tu, thr is th fac of God 86 and [in facing i t] one is face o face wih God i n i. However do not el l yourself tha He i s i n that di rection only, bu rather aintain boh your [paricular] attitude [of worship in facing the Sacred Mosque and your [ore universa] atti tude of knowledge to the i possibi lity of confining His face to that paricuar direction it being erely one of any points toward which en turn God has ade i clear tha He is in every direction urned to, each of which represens a particular doctrinal perspective regarding Hi. Al a re [in soe sense] right i n their approach everyone who is righ receives his reward everyone who receives his reward is bessed and everyone who is blessed is well pleasing to his ord even though he ay be daned for a tie in the inal Abode or even] the people of Providence are sick and suffer pain in this word hough we know he to be blessed aong he olk of God Thus there are those servants of God who are afflicted with sufferigs in he afterlife in a place caled Hel Despite his those who possess knowedge and have spiritua insight into what realy is do not deny ha they wi ll enoy their own delig ht in hat place, whether by a re lief fro the pain they suffer which will be their delight, or [perhaps a separate deligh siilar o tha enoyed by the peope of Paradise; but God k nows best
1 b
138
CHAPR X
THE WISDOM OF OPENING IN THE WORD OF LI
NTRODCTORY NOT Two subjects are deat w it h i n th s rather short chapter The first is the concept of triplcty, whch bn a lArab sees as the basis of the creative process. The second concerns certain symbols assocated wth savation and damnation on the ast Day. n this chapter bn a lArab returns to the subject of nu mber be ng here concerned not with the relationship between u nity a nd multi plicty but rather with the process by which si ngul ar un ity proects itself nto the many, so that the many may exist as the i nfinite di versi fication of the One nity a lone is not creatve, but sufficient to itsef, not requ rng anyth ing beyond tse to preserve its absolute i ntegrity The One simpy i s there beng i n it no impcation of becoming or deveopment. Smilary with duaity unless there is a workng rela tonship between the two entites there are merely two si ngulars n ster le a nd contradictory isoation from each other. f there i s a relationship it is the connecting princpe that reates the two entties bnging their separate quaites together to form a third entty, born, so to speak of their u non. Put another way, ths s the am il a r trplcty of knoweknowledgeknown in wh ch the term knowedge as reationshi p brings together the receptive objectivity of the known a nd the active subjectvity of the knower to produce the prnc pe of knowledge itsel. Although not specfically stated here, t is man him 1 39
IBN AARAB
elf who is precsely he hi rd an d relaing eniy in he duaiy GodCosos eing a once he eeing pon of Heaven and arh and also ha eniy whic h syolizes heir union, poenialy n hi chaper, n alAra descries he concep of triplicity oewha differenly. ndeed as one igh expec, he descries a doule or polar ripliciy ha, on he side of he di vi ne pole, con is of he sngular ssence self, he Will or he urge o Selfaleraon, and he veral creaive coand Becoe! On he side of the coic pole he ripl iciy consiss of he laen essence, he heari ng or readi ness o e creaed and he coing into exisence in oedience to the creaive coand. Here the forer rpliciy is rrored y he ater, ogeher foring he coplee riplciy of he Realiy self whch consiss of ssenia Oneness, he urge o poariy and he actual experence of poariy which sef s eernaly eing resoved ack into he ssence. Once agan he s descriing in ers of trpiciy he process in diinis that he has elsewhere descried n ers of th e Breah of h e Mercifu l, he Creaive aginaion, he M i rror, and he ighshadow relaionship. n al of his he d ifficuly of adequae expression conceas wha is reay an atep o descrie a ipolary whin a greaer ipoariy Tha is o say, he creaive polarity hat creaes he oherness necessary for the Selfreaizaion of infnie possiiliy eernay i nheren in asoue u ny s sef, so o speak, one poe of he polariy ssenal nityipolariy, oh eeens of which relae and uni e o consiue he Reaiy n self n a l Ara reurns o his hee in he las chaper of his work n alAra concludes hs chaper wh a dcussion of he anifesaion of he i nner in he ouer, i lustraing his fro he quranic descripon of he effecs on he righeous and he sinners of he proise of Paradse and he hrea of Hel. He seeks o l ink h s secion o he firs y poining ou tha hese effecs ak pace n hree sages A he end of he chaper he rends he reader, ye again ha he ouer anifestaion of ans cosic exisence derives on ly ro his own nner and essentia predisposed deernati on H WS DOM F PN G N H W O R D F S . Aong His signs a re he rd ng ea Because of he variey of he path 140
H E B EZES I SM
Some ol low the true course h le others traverse trackless wastes. he ormer are possessed o true vison he latter have m ssed the way. o both there come rom God Reetions o nner realtes rom every sde. Kno, may God prosper you, that the Creatve Command is es sentaly based on unevenness n which triplcty is mplicit, snce three is the irst o the uneven numbers. t is rom ths dvine plane that the Cosmos s created He says, Whn W wsh a thng, W only say to t B and t s 8 here being he ssence he Wll, and the ord. ere no or the ssence, the Wil, which denotes he paricular endency o brng someh ng no being, and he Word B accom paning ha endency ha hng would not be. Furthermore, he rpe u nevenness s ma niest in that thing by which its being brough no beng and s being said o exs may be said to be true Ths prnc ple o un evenness consiutes s thngness, its hearing, and s obeyi ng o s Creaor's command to come into being The se hree aspecs o the creaure correspond to hree i n he Creator ts atent essence n its sae o nonexsence corresponds o he ssence o s Creaor, is hearing [recepi vity o he Wi o s Creator, and ts complia nce wth the Creave Command o His saying [Word] B t is He, and [as obeying he Command] he becoming is atribued to i ndeed were no able o come nto bei ng o itsel on receiv ing the Command [Word], i would no come o be. n ruh, was none oher than the hng isel ha brought tsel no being rom nonexstence when he Command was given . Thus the Realty esablshes that he coming nto being stems rom he t hng isel and no rom he Realty Who s the orign o he Command Th us He says o H mse Whn W wsh a thng [to b] Our Command s only that W say B " and it s. 1 88 Here He atribues he becoming o he hng itsel at the Command o God a nd God speaks rue his beng understood in he Command, jus as when one who s eared and obeyed commands his servan to sand, he servan sands obedenty. Wth respec to he standi ng o the servant, ony the com 87 Qpn \0 8 d
4
B N AARAB
and to do so eongs t o th e aster, th e standing e ng the servant's action and not that of the aster Thus, r ngng or coing in to ei ng s ased on a tripicity, or rather a ipolar trplcty, one eng of the Reality, the other of the ceature Ths [prncpe of triplicity] pervades to the existence of ideas arrived at y logical proofs Thus, a proof arrived at y syllo gs is ade up of three parts in a particular way that inevitaly yelds a resut F rst of al the person estalishes two preses, oth of which include two ters so that there are four ters. However one o the tes is present n oth preses to link the two together, so that there are [realy] th ree parts ecause of the repetiton of one ter n oth peises The proof coes nto eing when this partcular arrangeent occurs whch is the ndng of the two preses together y th repetiton of one ter, produci ng a tripiciy. The specia cond ton attendan t on this is that the ajor should e ore general than the iddle ter, or at least si ilar, i f the resul t is to e true, otherwise it wi ll e u ntrue. This ki nd of thing occurs i n creation, as when acts a re attr uted solely to the servan t wthout reference to God, or when coing into eing, with which we are concerned, is ascrid solely to God whie the Reaty ascries t to that to which B is addessed For exaple, if we wished to prove that the Cosos s caused we woud say, very orignated thing has a cause, in which we have the two ters orignated and cause. n the second prese we woud say The Cosos s origi nated, the ter origi nated ing repeated n oth preses The th ird ter s thereore Cosos, the concuson e ng that the Cosos has a cause. The sae ter naely cause, appears oth in the first prese and in the concluson The specal point is the repettion of the word orginated. The special condtion s the generaiy of he [occasioni ng] principe, whch is, n the case of the existence of the orignated [eng], the cause that as the aor ter, i s general with espect to the orgnatig of the Cosos fro God e have decided that every orgated eg has a cause whether the idde ter is si i ar to the ajor ter or whth er the latter is ore geneal than t and co within its prv enance and the concluson is true The pnciple o trplicty s thus apparent aso n the creatio o cocepts arived a y sylloic proofs. The origi of a ecog s thus trplicity r ths rean th sdo of �, whch God anifsted n dlayn th dstuctin 4
TH E BEZES F SM
o f h s people for h re days as no a n pros snce c ru n he cr hch God desroyed he so ha th ba strk do i th tts 89 On he frs of he hree days the face of he peope chaned color o elow on he second o red and on he hrd o ac. On he copleon of he h rd day her essena nau res ere read o receve he anfesaon of wckednss whn he hch afesaon s caled desrucon The elowng of he faces of he daned corresponds o he sh nng of he faces of he lessed as n Hs sayn g as on that da ll shg 9 seng] fro [he word] unveled whch eans a nfesed. In hs way he yellowness of her faces on he frs day sgnals he anfesaon of danaon n he people of l � Correspondng o he redness s wha He says concernng he lessed laughg 9 snce laugher s a cause of redness n he face eng n he case of he lessed a ros ness of he cheeks Correspondn o he lackenng of he skns of he daned s wha He says of he l essed] hat hey are joful, 192 eng he effec of joy on her coplexons as the lack ness n he case of the daned. Thus He uses he ter tdngs ush]9 for oh pares [he lessed and the daned ha s He els he hngs ha affec her coplexons causng he o change o a color other than he one hey had efore n he case of the lessed He says hr od brngs thm glad tdngs of m from H and Hs good plasur 9 whe n he case of the daned Brng thm tdngs of a panful punshmnt 9 each pary showng ouwardy the effecs of hs address on her souls Ths s ecause wha s outardly anfes only accords wh he nner effec of he sense of these words. n ruh hey heselves affect theselves even as hey theselves coe nto en of heselves n oedence he d vne Coand. God s th nal argumnt 96 hoever ruly] understand ths sdo and esalshes n . d l . 10 d. XXX 1 d. XXX. 12 d 1. Here he g bh eg f he r hr " g dgs k 1. 1r X 2 1 . 1 ;. d . 2 1 bd \ 1 .
143
B N AARAB
hsef ad realzes it reeases isef fro depedece o ohers ad kows that good ad ev coe to h oy fro hisef. By good ea wha s cosoace wh hs a, haroy wh hs aure ad disposito a d y evil what s cotrary to h s a ad coflc wh his ature ad disposito He who has such a kowedge [vsio] excuses al creaures regardig what they afest, eve though hey theselves ake o excuse, kowig as he does that all he u dergoes s fro hi self, as we have eoed prevousy to h e effec ha kowedge depeds o what s kow Thus, he says to h self whe soehg corary o is a efa lls h , "Your wo hads cas t he dye ad your ow outh reathed the reath [of your lfe] God speaks rue ad guides arght.
144
C HAPTER X
THE WISDOM OF THE HEART IN THE WORD OF SHU'AIB
NTRODUCTORY NOTE s he ile suggess n a lAra reurns i n h s chaper o the sujec of he Hear parcuarly he Hear of he gnostic. Ths con cep of he Hear is perhaps n he huan conex he os ipor tan of hs conceps nsofar as i corresponds n an as already enoned o he concep of he Realiy sef f n a genera way he Perfec a n syolizes he syn hesis of all aspects of eng i s h e Heart of th e Perfec Man ha paricularly syolizes his synhesis He draaically illusraes he wholeness of he Hear in say i ng ha i is capale of eraci ng he Realiy w hle he Mercy is no even hough he elsewhere accords o he princple of Mercy a see ingly siar capacy The reason or he greater capaciy of he Hear is ha whereas he Mercy is exclusvey concerned wih he copleenary processes o creaive anesaion and is resoluion no unit he Hear syolzes he w hoe experence of he Oneness o Beng as nclud ng no only he creaive process and is resouon ut aso hat naienale and unalerae aspec of he Realy whch knows nohing of cosc ecoi ng. This synhec wholeness of the Hear however s realized fuy ony in he Perfect Man reaning poental and laten n ost huan en gs For h e the Heart is ae to contai n usualy no ore han he parcuar ord as essentia de 145
B N AARAB
tem ne of th e patcula existence accoding to the pedispositon of their own latent essences. t is ony y gnosis, or the gradual seeng eyond formal mu lti picity, that the Heart is enaled to fulfi ts true function. n other words for most men, the function of the Hea rt re mains confined to the context of creatve ipolaity This leads n aAra on to discuss one of the most i nteresting of his ideas, the god ceated in elief whch of course rings i n the questio of the diversity of appoaches to truth and salvation. This suect enales hi m, i n his characterstic way, to relate his d scussion to the prophet Shua, after whom the chapter is named, since the root from whch this name is derived is shaaba, whch means to d verge Thus, since the Reality as God, the Supreme Name tran scends all its Names or aspects, the Heat of the ordnay man cannot see God or know God as such, ut only the God of his cedal eef which conforms to the Selfmanifestation of his ord to h m, which of course in turn conforms to what hi s own latent essence determnes should e the content of his elef n this way each mans elief re gardi ng the nature of God not only di ffers from the partcul ar elief of other men, ut is also, i nevitaly ut a min ute facet of what God is in Himself ach elief, determined as it is y essental predsposition, cannot e othe than what God is, ut neither, paradoxicaly can it e wholly faithful to the divine Truth t s only through the acquirn g of gnosis that the Heart can e made receptive, not only to the particular ord, ut also to the universality of God and ut mately to the Real ity tself. Since however knowledge of one's od as reflected in ones partcular el ef is part of knowledge of God and ultmately of the Real ty and since no man ever ceases to e the pa r tcuar exsting creature of his ord accoding to essental predeter mination, the gnostc, in experienci ng the greater viso of un iversal divinity may not deny his creatureliness nor efuse the oigatos of his particular determnation, si nce true gnosis reveals to the gos tc the ontoogical necessty of particular servathood as par of the nature of thngs. Fo the gnostic the only alternatve to creaure ness, however en ighteed, is precisely ann hilatio n God, not some false personal nflation n aAra concudes the chapter y deaing wth aoher f the concepts for whch he is famous, that of he renewa of ceation y Beaths He views the creaton of the Cosmos nether as a onceandforall act, nor as a continuous and develop ng pocess, ut athe as constantly ecurring acts of creaon and resoluon fom intant 46
T H E BEZES F I SM
to i nstant he huan syol here is the process of reathin, con sising of an i nhalation followed y exhalatio On a divine scae, in the case of he Breath of the erciful, each i haaion represents the resolution of he Cosos into the ssece, wh ile each exh alaion represens he creaion of the Cosos representing the wo currens of he divne ercy, the one releasing he archetypal desire for exisence, the other reaffiring he excusive integriy of he Asoute One. n realiy, however here is no eporal sequence here, u an eerna siuaneiy since at each instan the Cosos is and is not, is anifes and laen creaed and uncreated, is oher ad nonother in a ieess divine pulse a once creative and noncreai ng oher words he whole ecoing of he Cosos through he reahi ng out of he divine ercy is no seen y n a lAra as a long creaive ex halation in ie folowed y a correspondig resoving inhaation, ut rather as a situaion in which each instantaneous exhalation heralds and i cludes inh alaion and vice versa. As n AlAra poins ou in his chapter, he Asharie thologians also had a theory of instant creation and recreaion, while ainaining, u nike n AlAra, an asoute discon inu iy eween God and creaion he ain purpose ehind he Asharie theory sees o have een he reoval of any constraint whasoever on God's aiiy o do whatever He wishes, as aso to underine the structure of cause and effec without which reason and logic canno funcion The iporan difference eween the Asharites and a l Ara is that the atter i nsiss ha he Cosos, however apparently oher han God, canno, in reaity, e other than He, and that, as essentialy laen in diinis ysteriously is none oher than i s own Creaor THE W S DO OF TH E H A RT T H E W O RD O F S H U A B Know tha he Hear, y which ean he Heart of the gnostic derives fro he Div ine ercy while ei g ore eracing than it, since he Heart encopasses he Reaiy, exated e He, a nd the ercy does not. his is alluded o and supported in radition The Realiy s the suect and not the oject of he ercy, so ha the ater has no deterining power with respec o the Realiy n a ore particular way, one ight say hat God has descried Hiself 14
B N A-ARAB
a s the Breath [nafas, fro tans, which eans to cause respite or re ief t is a lso true that the dvne aes are i n a certain sense] the thng naed which is none other than He At the sae tie] they require the very reaties they estow which are the Cosos For Di vinity ua] plies and requires that which depends on it ust as ordship requres servanthood since neither woud have any ex istence or ean in g otherwise. he Reaity n ts Essence is eyond all need of the Cosos. ordship on the other hand does not enjoy such a position. The truth in ths atter ies etween the utua dependency plicit in ordship and the Selfsufficency of the Essence ndeed the ord s n its reaity and qualification none other than ths Essence. hen however differentiaton and opposition arise y virtue of the varous reationshps the Reality egns to descrie tself as the estower of copassion on His servants The Realty first expressed the Breath wh ich is called the reath of the ercful fro ordship y creating the Cosos which oth ordshp and al the aes require y their very nature. Fro this standpoint i is cear that the ercy eraces a thi ngs i ncudng t he Reaity Hisef eng ore or less as encopassing as the Heart in thi s respect So uch for that K now that the Reality as i s confred y Tradition n His Self an estaton trans utes Hisef in the fors know aso that when the Heart eraces the Reality it eraces none other than He snce it is as if the Reality ls the Heart. By ths is eant that when the Heart conteplates the Realty in ts Sefanifestation to it it is unae to conteplate anythng else whatever. The heart o the gnost c s in respect of its copass as A Yazd alBs has said ere the Throne and al it coprises to e placed one hun dred illion ties in the corner of the gnostics Heart he woud not e aware of t7 On this question Junayd said hen the contngent is i nked with the eterna l there is nothing eft of it 8 hus when the heart eraces the Eternal One how can it possiy e aware of what is contngent and created? Since the Selfanfestation of the Reaity is varae accordn to th e variety of th e fors th e Heart is necessary wde or est ictd 19 bv p 1 0 1 1. C. . bdKdr /1-Jrmayd, His l.fe l'esoalty tg 2 Et \T
48
TH E B EZES O F S
according to the for in which God nfests ise. he hert can coprise no ore than the for in which the Sefanifesation occurs for the Heart of the gnostic or the Perfect an s as the seting of the stone of the ri ng conforing to it n every way en circuar square, or a ny other shape accord ng to the shape of the stone tsef for the setting confors to the stone and not oherwise. hs s opposed y those who antain that the Reaty anfests Hisef n accordance with the predsposition of the servant. This is however not the case si nce the servant s a nest to the Reaity accordin to the for n which the Reaity anifests Hsef to hi Th e soution of this question rests on the fact that God anifests Hise in two ways an unseen anifestation and a sensie anfestation t is fro the forer type that the predsposition of the Heart is estowed eng the essentia Sefanifestation the very nature of which is to e unseen. This is the dvne dentity in accordance wih which He cas Hisef [in the rn] H. 99 This dentity s His aone in a and fro a eternity hen the predspostion coes to the Heart there is then anifest to it the sensie Sefan ifestation n the sensie word so that it sees H anfest in the for n which He anifests Hisef to it, as we have said. t s none other than God ho estows on the Heart its predisposition n accordance wth His saying, H bstows upon ything H has catd 200 Then He raises the ve etween Hisef and the servant and the servant sees H in the for of his eief ndeed He is the very content of the eief. Thus n ether the Heart nor the eye [of the Heart] sees anyth ing ut the for of its eef concerning the Reaty t is the Reaity contained n the eief whose for the Heart encopasses. t is ths Reaity that anifests tsef to the Hea rt so that it recognizes it. Thus the eye sees ony the creda Reaity and there are a great any eiefs. He who restricts the Reaity [to his own eief] denies Hi [when an ifested] i n other eefs affir ng Hi ony when He is anfest n his own eief He who does not restrct H thus does not deny Hi ut affirs Hs Reaity in every fora transfora ton worshipng Hi n H is i nfin te fors si nce there s no i it to the fors n whch He anifests Hisef. The sae is the case wih the gnosis of God there eing no it for the gnostc n this respect 1 an pa 2. bd XX:5.
49
IBN AARAB
Aways he gnosic s seekng ore knowledge of Hi sayng ord ncras m n knowldg. 0 The possilities are without end on oh sdes hat of the Asolute and tha of relative eing hen you consider Hs saying " a his foot wih which he walks his hand wth which he strikes and hs ongue wih which he speaks, 0 and a ll the other facul ies and eers n which they are suaed why do you ake the dstinction y sayng it is al he Reaty, or i is all creaed? is all created in a certain sense ut it is a lso he Real ity n another sense the Essence eing one After all in essence he for of a Selfanfesaion and that of the one who perceives t are the sae for He is [at once] the Selanifesting suject a nd he oec of ha anifesation Consider then how wonderfu is God in His dentty and n Hs relation to the Cosos in the realities nheent] n Hs Beautifu l aes ho s here and what thee? ho s here is what is there. He who is unversal is paticular And He ho is paricula s universal Thee s ut one Essence The igh o the Essence eng aso darkness. He who heeds these wods wll not Fal l i nto confusion. n truth, only h e knows what we say ho is possessed of spiitua powe [hmmah]. Surly n that s a rmndr for hm who has a hart 0 y reason of His [consan] ransfoaon through all the vaietes o fors and atrites nor does He say "for h who has an neec Ths s ecause the nelect restricts and seeks to define the truth wt hin a partcuar quaification whie in fact the Realty does not adi of such l iaion. s no a reinder o the ntelectuas and onges of doctrna forulations who contradct one another and denounce each oher . . . and thy ha no hlprs. 4 The god of one eliever has no vaidiy in respec to he god of 3 !
Ibid , XX I H. Hukharl LXXXIJ r 37 Ibid. 1 1 9
1 50
H E BEZES S
on h bis sohn ls h rr f a artcar f dfnds hat h bls and chans t, hil that hch h ls in dos not sor hi. t s cas of this tha h has n f fct on his oonnts f hs, als, hs nn drivs n assistanc fro h od foratd in his wn bif . th h o hlprs 2 This is bcas th Ral iy has dnid o th ds f crda for lations any ossibil ity of rndrn assistanc, si nc ach on s rstricd to tsf Boh h on assistd and th n wh assists ar [in trth] h Toal iy [a [of th Divin Nas. For th nostic th Ra lity s [always known and not [vr dnid Thos ho know in this world wi ll know in th Hrafr Fr this rason H says for on who is possssd of a hart, 26 naly, n ho n drsands h fora transforations of th Rality by adain hislf forally so tha fro or by hislf h knos h Sf [n trth] hs slf s not ohr than th divin dntty slf, as also no dtrind bin, now or in h ftr, is othr than His dnty H is th dniy tsf H [God] is th on who knows, th on who ndrstands and affi rs n hs ariclar for, j st as H s also h inoran on h ncorhndin, th nknown in tha [artic ar for This, hn is h lo of on who knows h Raity throh His Slfanifsaton and winssin Hi in th totaly of foral ossibiits This is hat s an by h sayin, for on possssd of hrt, 27 ha is, on who trns [toward th Rality] [taqlb in al th divrsity of th fors in whch H anifss Hislf2 As for h ol of fah who follow blndly th ttrancs of th rohs and aosls concrnin th Rality, not hos who savishly folow thin krs and thos who driv hir knowld fro n tctal rocsss thy ar rfrrd o in His sayin or gis r29 o wha God has said hroh th ls of t rohs. By hs s ant on wo ivs ar in witnss, i ndiatin th an of h ainaon and is s, a ldd to in th sayin of th Proht that yo shold worshi God as if yo sa H for God is in th qiblh of 20 20 20 20 ur 209 20
I 3 ere e ue e r e f the r f het al h t
Q'an, : Bukr 3
5
BN AARAB
he one who prays 2 1 ecause of ths he s a wtness [to God. t cannot be sad of one who folows the thnke and s bound by hs thoughts that he s one who ges ear 2 2 snce one who gves ea s also a wtness to what we have entoned And snce, as we have entoned, such a one s not a wtness, the vese quoted does not efer to h they are referred to n Gods say ng, when hose who are foowed w be ac qued of any assocaon wh hose who foow hem 2 The sae ay not be sad of the apostles wth respect to those who follow the. herefore Frend, realze the truth of ths Wsdo of the Heart that have set forth for you. As for ts speca connecton wth Sh uab t s because of ts n nuerable racatons [ashaub snce each and every ceed s a [partcular path. Thus, when the coverng [of ths earthly lfe] s drawn back everyone wl see what s dsclosed accordng to hs be efor he ght see what s contrary to hs belef regardng the dvne deternaton as He says, And here s mans o hem of God wha hey had no expeced o see 2 Such cases usually concern [dvne deternaton. Such a one s the utazte, who beleves that God w l carry out H s threat [to punsh the snner who des un repentant. When he des and s n fact granted ercy wth God snce [dvne] provdence has already decreed that he shoud not be punshed the utazlte fnds that God s Forgvng and ercful , so there s an fest to h of God that whch he had not consdered n hs beef As egads God n Hs dentty, certan of Hs servants have udged n ther beef that God s such and such, so that when the cov erng s eoved they see the for of the r beef whch s true, and they beeve n t When however the knot of bele s oosened belef ceases [to bnd h s heart and he knows once oe by [drect] con teplaton After hs sght has been sharpened, hs weaksghtedness does not recur Soe servants then] have God dscosed to the n vaous fors, other than those frst seen, snce [a partcular] Selanfestaton s never repeated. He then hods ths to be true wth espect to Hs dentty, so that here s mans o hem of God n Hs 2 1 1 . e qlh he d e rd wc slm s 2 1 2 an 7 2 1 d., 1. 2 bd. 7 2 . s r f tr dre f h s h z d c s gc w y w c - k f h
5
THE BES F ISOM
dentity ht th hd ot odrd 2 befoe the dwn ck of the e I. e hae discussed advnceent in the divine sciences in our Book of hophs27 whee e talk of those of the Od w hve et th i n sion ksh and wht w i prtd to the on this u tion tht the did not know eady he aing th in is tht such a one s alays adancin, althouh he is not aware of t by reason of the subtlety and fineness of the veil and the abiguity of fors as He sas It s brought to th n n bguous wy 2 1 8 t [the veil] is not the sae as the other for siilars in the sight of the gnostic, thogh siars, are also dfferent fro each other. hat is because he who has attained to realization sees ultipicity in the One, just as he knows that essential oneness is ipicit in the divine aes, een though their [indi vidal] reaities are various and ult ipe. t is a ltiplicity intelligible in the One in His ssence n anifestation t is discernible utipicity in a single essence, just as the Prial Substance is assued in the case of every for, which, despite the ultipicity and variety of fors, springs in reality fro a singe substance, its prial sbstance. He, therefore, who knows hself in this way knows his Lord, for He created hi i n His i age, i ndeed, He s his very identity and reaity t i s becase of ths that none of the scholars have atta ned to knowledge of the self and its real ity except those theosophists aong the essengers and the Sfis As for the theorists and thinkers aong the ancients, as also the schoastic theologians, in their talk abot the sol and its qiddity none of the have grasped its tre reality, and speculation wi l never grasp it. He who seeks to know it by theoretical speclation is fog ging a dead horse. Such are certainly of those whos ndor s awry n ths world but who onsdr tht thy do . He ho seeks to know this atter other than by its proper course will never grasp its trth How wonderful are the words of God concerning the Cosos and its ransforation according to he Breahs "in a new creation m a single essence. He said concernng a portion, nay os of the 216. Qu'a XXXX7 2 7. re e rr D 120 Pbhed Raa/ u ra derbad-Decca �o X X I I I . ura, : 2 5 . 2 1 Ibd. X\ 1 04.
13
B N A L'ARAB
Coos, Nay thy ar in th guis of a nw cration 0 They do no ndersand he renewal of he Creave Coand accordng o he Breahs. The Ashartes dd ndeed dscover for ceran thngs, naely accdens, as dd al so he Sophss for he Cosos as a whole How ever he speclave h nkers dsssed he al as gnoran t n fac, oh he Ashares and the Sophss were saken. As for he aer ahogh hey speak of he transforaton of he Cosos, hey fa o grasp he U n y of the Essence of he ssance hat asses hs for, tha canno e creaed who for] whle t [for] canno e coprehended wtho ssance]. Had they ade ha cear hey wod have reazed he rth of the aer As for he Ashares they dd no reaze that he whoe Cosos s a s of accdents so ha s ransfored n every draon snce he accden does no las for ore han one draon. Ths s an fest n the defn n g of h ngs, snce when they defn e a thng s e ng accdenal s evdent n ther dong so. Aso ha he accdens plct n ts defnon are nothn g oher han the ssance and s realty whch ssss of tsef As accdent, does no sss of tself, whereas he s of what does not sss of tsef s ha whch ssss of sef, jst as he poson aken n defnng the sstance ha ssss of tself, as also s assng accdents, s an essental defnton . There s no do ha the assng [of accdens] s sef an accdent, snce t canno occr excep n he case of a recpen, e case does no ssst of tsef t s essena o he sstance. Havng a poson s also an accden ha can only occr n respect of hat whch akes a poston does no ssst of self Nether the akng of a poson nor he asspon [of accdents] consttes anyhng addtona to he essence 'ain] of he defned ssance ecase he essental lts are nohng other han the hng defned and ts denty Ths ha whch does not last for two draons ecoes [n s] a thng ha lass for two, ndeed any d raons, and ha whch was no sefsssen ecoes once aga n selfsssent. They are not aware of wha they are aot, whle hey a n the 220 d 1 . 2 2 1 h h a doct f mm h d c d d m tt to tt d t h th bg d c qc o y logcl coct tw c f c d h f f e Phphy K d, 1, ch .
1 4
B
guise o a new reaton. A s o those to whom the h ighe worlds ae di slosed they see that od is ma nest i n evey Beath and that no [partiuar] elmaniestation is epeated They also see that evey elmaniestation at one provides a [new] reation and annihilates another ts an n hi lation s etintion at the [new] elmaniestation subsistene being what is given by the ol lowing [othe] elmaniestation so u ndestand.
C A PT R X
THE WISDOM OF MASTER IN THE WORD OF LOT
NTRODUCTORY NOT Accordin g to th e title th is chapter is concerned w it h the sject of mastery which term n the original Araic mpies possession and control. t ecomes evident however eary in the chapter, that what n aAra means y mastery is not physcal or vtal power ut rather spiritual power since such power is usualy acqired as he points ot not n the physcal vigor of youth ut at a more advanced age when physca power is decinng His discussion of the qu estion of mastery as llustrated y t he situation of the prophet ot eads n a l Ara on to yet another epositon on the suject of the spirital power of Concentration or hmmah n this chapter he s particulary concerned wth the reatonship etween this power and gnosis marah and how the attanmen of the laer severely re strcts and i mts the eercise of the former. n a cerai n sense, the two are aspects of spiritual aanmen he one dynamic he oher statc Gnosis however eing recolecive and cenripetal is sperior to spriual concenraion which is cre ative and cosmcaly oriented. He illusraes hs y elanng hat he prophes were reluctant to eercise he r hiah o rodce racles wi th a view to convinci ng the unelievers to accep the fah ecause ther gnosis made them aware ha, in realiy it is only Gd 1 56
TH ZS F S OM
h o gudes en to the ruth a nd furtherore tht He does so ccordi ng to Hs knowedge of the re ties which is itself eterna l i nfored b the latent a rchetpes of created beings. his s indeed the realztion b the gnostic that not onl the creatve power itself but also the principle of conscious identit that exercises it is n realit Gods power and Hs identit wh ich eans that an notion of indidul or personal a utono in the exercse of such power is nevtabl ilusor both in its conception and its result He concludes the chapter b rending hs reader once again that in realit t is we ourselves as being nothing other in divinis than that which God Hiself knows Hiself to be who deterine the nature of our created experence in the Cosos and the course of our destin TH WS DO O ASTRY TH WORD O LO aster iplies force and the aster [of a thing] is one who is forcefu a nd fir. One sas " astered the dough when one akes it fir is b aKha sas descrbing a th rust hand so astered it that ade the gaping wound pour forth So that one in front of t coud see through to the other sde. 222 That s to sa " hand ade a good ob of it nae the wound. This brings to ind Gods sang concerning Lot only I had some power over you, or had recourse o some rm suppor 22 3 The Apostle of God said " a God have erc upon brother Lot seeing that he had recourse to a fr support 4 B this he eans that he was with God Who is Forceful B the wordsrm suppor Lot eant his trbe and b the words Would ha I had some power he eant resstance which here eans that power of concentration peculiar to an The Aposte of God sad "Snce that tie that is fro the 2 2 2 . �1ar7uki, harh. a w a-hamah d A Amin ad A. Harn, Caro 1 1 , 1 . 2 . 2 2 . ra X0 224. Bhri, X: I 2 2 . ra X0
5
IB N AARAB
tie when ot said o r had recourse to some rm support 22 5 every proph et sent forth has encountered the opposition of his people and has een protected y his own trie,6 as in the case of Al and the Apostle of God. ot said only I had some power over you 227 ecause he had heard the saying of God s God Who created you n weakness as a fundaental characteristic then He brought about strength after weakness The strength occurs y the [divine] ringing aout eing an accidental strength hen He brought about after strength weakness and whte har22 ow the white hair pertai ns to the ringing aout while the weakness is a egession to the oginal nature of His creation as He says, Who created you n weakness. 229 Thus does He return hi to the state in which He created hi as He says, Then he s returned to a most gnoble state so that havng enjoyed knowledge he now knows nothng any more 230 Hee He indicates that he is restoed to the original weak ness since with respect to weakness the od an is uch ike a child. o prophet has ever een sen t un til he ha s copleted his fortieth year, at which tie decrease and weakness egin to set in Because of this he said, only I had power over you 2 3 which requires an ef fective power of concentration. Should you ask what prevented hi fro exercising such power effectivey seeing that it s evident in those of the folowers who are actively on the ay, and that the pophets ae ost entited to it would reply that while you are right [in one sense] you are istaken [in another That is ecause gnosis alows such a power no roo for aneuver his power of con centration decreasing as his gnosis grew stronger There are two reasons for this. The first is his confi ration of the status of servanthood and his awareness of the origina characteristic of his natural cre ation The second is [the truth of the essentia n ity of the One ho acts and that which is acted upon Thus he could not see anything [other] at which to di rect hi s power of concentration which prevent ed hi fro exerting it. n such a state of perception he realzed that his opponent had in no way deviated fro h is eality as it was in its state of essential latency and nonexistence. he opponent was there 22. 22. 22. 22. 230 2 3
Bkhr X:.
a X:0. I XXX: I I, X\0. , O
8
H E B EZES F I S
fore anfes in esence jus as he as n hs stae aency and noneistence. n no way was he rnsressn he is f his essenal reaiy, nor had he failed o ulfill his eernaly appined re Calln his ehaor oppostn s erey of accdenal ipor, seen hus only ecause of he vel ha oscures he eyes of en s Gd sas of he os of he kow o hey kow he exeals of his wod le bu ae heedess of he Heeae 2 2 hs s an nverson and relaes o heir sayn, Ou heas ae eveloped2 hat s o say y a coern hat prevents he fro raspin the aer as it is in rea t. hese and siilar th ins restrain the nosic fro actin freely n he word. he Shaikh A Adallh . id asked Shaikh A alSud alShil , 4 hy do you not exert your power o wh ch he replied, leave God to act for e as He wills havin in nd Hs sayn, Le Him be you age 2 and the aent is the one who acts for he knew Gods sayin Sped of ha wh whch We have echaged you.26 ow A Sud and oher nostics knew tha he atter in ha nd was no h s o dispose of as he w l led u tha it had o nly een enrused to h God was sayi n to h in effect "ith reard to this atter ha have put nto your chare and contro ake Me your aent therein. So d d A Sud oey th e coand of God and yelded the i nitiative to Hi . How then could any power of concen ration rea n to e exerted y one who [tr uly conteplaes on his aer, seein that such power s effective only y total concenra on, wh ch tsel s not withn the scope of the one exern it except wth reard to hat particuar thin on which his concentration is fixed ndeed i is precisely this nosis that prevens h i fro reachin such oa concentration, s nce the true nostic anfests h s no ss y weakness and lack of power. One of the Sustitutes7 sad to Shaikh Ad alRazzq 8 hen you have reeted Shaikh A Madyan ask hi how it s 22. d, XXX7. 2. Id. 88. 2 4 dple o he celeaed -Jl d. . D. 1 2;. 'an XXIII9. 26 d. \'7 2 . u ue a memer o ha p u al he rachy o a odeed ec eary o ma a com ordr. 2 8 a dc ple o M adya of Andaa p. 1 0 2 9. Pehap oe o he mo l ueal p ual mae o h me. e ded D 1 19 C. J J J Bar, Ve d cbre marabot Cd Abo eden, a 884.
1 9
B N AARAB
that whle nothng is possile fo us and any things ae ipos sile fo h it is we who aspie to hs station, whle he does not as pie to ous Ths was how it was with A adyan having attained to that staton and othes We, howeve, have attan ed to that station of incapacity and weakness oe copetely evetheless that is what the Susttute said to h. This atte s elated to the sae suect The Pophet speak ing of Gods decee fo hi said of th is staton I know not what will be done with me or with you I ollow only that which s revealed to me. 40 n this station the Aposte is govened y what is evealed to hi, having nothing oe than that f t was e veaed to h u nequivocally that he should act, he acted, ut if he was estai ned he held ack f he was given the choice, then he chose not to act, unless hs gnosis was deficient A aSud said to a tusty dscple, Ffteen yeas ago, God ganted e the feedo to act ut have not used t, thnking that it would see an affectaton. 4 This is popous talk We ouselves did not leave it aside fo such a eason which ipies choice n the atte, ut only ecause of pe fct gnoss fo gnosis does not leave the atte to choice, si nce, when the gnostic acts i n the wod th ough hs powe of concentation he does so only y divine coand and copusion not y his own choice We have no dout, howeve, ut that the ank of Aposteship equi es feedo o f action in ode to effect the acceptance of its ission Thus thee is evident in the aposte that which would confi hi s veacity wth his co unity and people, so that Gods dispensa tion ight ecoe anifest The sae is not the case with the sai nt The apostle howeve does not eque it otwadly, ut out of con sideation fo hs peope and not wishng to expose the too uch to the eftale Agueent (of God) 4 which woud destoy the pefeing to peseve the The apostle eaizes that when soething i aculous is shown to a gou p of peope soe will eieve what they see othes eazng what was happening, would eject it whie othes would connect it with agic and tickey, so that it would not esult n the desed confiation [of his ission] When theefoe the aostles gasped this and eaized that only he would elieve whose heat had een l 240. ran X \9. 24 I hae o ee ale to trae th utt . 242 C. ra \ 49
60
T H E BEZES F IS �1
ined od with the lht of faith nd that certan poe wd not see the l iht caled fath, t ecae ovos that rcl acti\t was seless. For ths reason the power of concentrtin was ept ro seen iracls, seein that ther effect was not universal n the hearts of those who wtnessed the n the case of the st erfect of apostles the wisest o creaton, the trest in state, od sas o i o gide those who yo wish to gide rather it is God o gides ho he wishes 2 43 Had the power een effectve, whch t usuall is without dout, then none woud have used t to ore efect than the poste of od, snce none enjoyed a reter and ore potent power than he a lthouh t could not effect the conversion of his unce l concernn who the verses we have entioned ere re\eaed. This s why He says of the poste that t is for h on l to procla t he essae. He says, is not yor task to gide the rather God gides who He pleases 244 n the Sra a!a! He dds, He ko·s best those that are rightly gided 2 4 that s, those who have iven H the knowlede of ther udance n ther state of nonexstence throuh ther latent essences Ths confirs the fact that knowlede s dependent on what s known snce he who s a eliever n his atent essentalty and n hs state of nonexstence ecoes anfest n that for n the state of ex stence od has earned fro h the fact that he would e thus. He says He knows best those that are rightly gided 246 n sayn ths He s real ly sayn t is not by e that the word is changed, 2 47 ecause what say s deterned y what know of My creaton and do no wrong y servants 24 that s, do not decree for the the infdelty that wll dan the and then requre of the what s not in their power to achieve ndeed, We treat the ony n accordance wth what We know of the n ther latent essentiaity] and what We know of the s what they ve Me of theselves as they are [n etern ty]. f there s any queston of wron, t s they who are the wrondoers Ths He says t is they who wrong themselves 249 t is not od Who has wroned the. "We only say to the what Our ssence has . . 7
d d d. d d. d d.
XX\" 5 2 . XX\ 5 X\ 1 25 :7
6
B N AARAB
give us to say to them ad Our Essece is too well kow to Us i its reality to say oe thig rather tha aother. We say oly what We kow We say for the utterace s to Ourselves from Ourselves ad it is for them to comply or ot oce they have heard Us. All is from Us ad from them t is leared from Us ad from them Eve if they are ot of Us Most surely We are of them So realize, fried, this Wisdom of mastery cocerig the Word of Lot, for it is part of goss. The mystery s ow clear to you Ad the matter is wel exp laied For that which is caled odd s eshried withi the eve
6
C PER XI
THE WISDOM OF DESTINY IN THE WORD OF EZRA
NTRODUCTORY N OTE Continui ng from te en d o f te last capter Ib n arab ere develops furter te teme of uman and cosmic destiny Indeed it is in tis capter in particuar tat e treats more fuy tan esewere in tis wor is teory of divine creative determination. s was suggested in te Introduction to tis translation te two con cepts of Decree qa and Destiny qadar] by wic Ibn arab sees to expain te way in wic created being is determined are very closey reated to te concepts of te di vi ne Wil mash ah and is [rdah] al tese concepts being temselves dependent on te underying concept of te eternal predisposition of te laent esences Te term "Decree qa derives from te rabic root qa wic means to carry out "o execute at is te carryi ng out of e divine Creative Command [amr] wic is iself te resu of te divine decision o creae [�ukm wic is promped by te inerent urge of e preexisten and laent essences o cosmic acuaizaion Tus te Decree i s a noer way of expressing e creative process iself e reeasing of e B rea of te Mercifu e proecion of e reflecting image but wit e extra dimension of inevitabiity and
163
BN AARAB
fat aompl is concept s not so muc concerned wit te wi l o r te urge to creae stemmng from te divine inner desire for Selfawareness but rater wit te fact of exstence itself and te n escap able consequence of becoming Te Decree is wat is willed te execution of te Wi togeter wit al te consequences tat flow from a execution wc consequences are none oter tan te nfinite elaboraon and manifestaton in existence of wat creaton s n its latency Desiny [qada] is so to speak a modification of te Decree in at t determines te mode and measure of ts becoming again as essential realtes dctate. Being concerned wit measure and propor to it deermines te wen were and ow of creation te parcular nsan of its manfestation te context and nature of its existence. us Desti y s concerned not so muc wit te unversal oupouring of te creative act bu rater wit te allotment to individual created beigs of te lmits of ter exstence tus cecking and indvdualy defining te creatve act. n a certain sense terefore Destiy reverses te current of te Decree and renders te Cos mos back to God Wo as te measure of al tings and tus knows and as power over all tings. According to bn AArab te mystery of Destiny is one only God knows properly, altoug mortal men may be granted some nsgt into teir own destiny wc knowledge itself s dependent on a predispostion to know t Suc knowledge as e says produces a perpexity of conflctng feelin gs of calm otal resignaton on te one and and of painfu anxety o e oter; calm resgnation to wat is utimatey ones own selfde termi ned destiny and an xiety at te apparent oterness of cosmc ex stece. Te oter maor subect of tis capter is Saintood [walyah] ere bn aArab points out tat te name te friend [alwa] is te only one God sares wit man so tat te saint s one who as realized a state of intimacy wt God wo as seen t roug te ve l of cosmic oterness to te essential identity who knows imsef like Abraam to be permeated by te dvine Reaty As aready metioned tis is te universal state at underies te moe li mited functions of te propet and te apostle. Tus eac prophe ad aostle we beng te bringer of formal revelation expressing he Wish f God is also te repository of an nner wisdom that expresses moe esoteric and paradoxcal in sgts.
4
H BZS F S
H E SDO OF DESI N N H E RD OF EZR no tt te Decree qaqa is God's determnation of ting wic s lmited to wat He nows of tem n tem nce H noledge of tings s dependent on wat tat wc may be nown gies to Hm from wat tey are [eternaly] in temseve esential. Destny qadar] is te precise tim ing of [te manifestaton and anni lation of tngs a tey are esental ly Ts ten i te very myter of Destny itselffor him who has a hear who hearkens and bears iess 250 for God has he las word 21 for te Determner n actualing His determnation complies wit te eence of te obect of His etermination in accordance wt te requirements of its essentia nature. Te ting determi ned in strict accordance wit its essential tte itelf determines te Determiner to determine concerning t b ta t wic t is essentially] since every governor s itself governed by tat in accordance wit wc it governs or determnes woever or watever te one governi ng may be. Terefore grasp ti point for Destny s unnown ony because of te intensity immedacy] of it manifestation and atoug greatly sougt after and ur gently pursued t is seldom recognized [for wat it is Know tat te a postles as apostles and not as saints or gnostics conform to te spiritual] level of teir commu nities. Te nowledge wit wc tey ave been sent s according to te needs of ter communites no more nor less since communities vary some needng more tan oters Tus in te same way do apotles vary i n te nowledge tey are sent wit accordng to te varety of communites. He says We have given some of hese aposles more han ohers 252 Just as te doctri nes and regulations deriving from teir ssences are varous accord ng to teir [eternal predisposition so He ay We have favored some of he prophes over ohers. 253 Of creaton God says God has favored some of you over ohers in he maer of provisions. 254 Provisons may be eiter spritual lie learnng or sensible e food and te 20 Quran 2 d. \19 22 d, 23 2 d \ 2. d. \
16
IBN AARAB
Reaiy ends i down only accordng o a nown measure o wic a creature s entiled si nce God has given o everyhng He has creaed 255 ad He sends down as He wlls 256 a d e wils only in accordance w wat e ow and by wa e determi ne. As we ave already said e nows ony wa is given o im to now by wat is nown. u te tmig [of Destny] uimately beongs to at wic is now wie e Decree nowedge Will and Wis depend on Des iny e mysery of Destiny is one of te most glorous nds of owedge ad God grants nsigt into it only to one wom e as eeced for perfect gnoss Knowedge of is mystery brings bot perfec repose ad errbe tormen for i brings e oppostes by wc God as described imself as Wratful and Approvg. t s by is mysery ta e divi ne Names poarize ts ru ods sway over bo e Absolute and e coningent and noing s more per fect powerfu and migty by reason of te otaliy of is dominion weter di rect o i ndi rec. Snce terefore e propets derive teir nowledge ony from a particular divne reveaion eir earts are si mple from e nellecual point of view nowng as ey do e defciency of e i ellec in is dscursve aspect wen i comes o te undersading of ings a ey reay are [essentially] Sm iarly verbal] comm u caio is also deficent in conveyng wa is only accessibe o drec experence u perfec nowledge is o be ad only troug a dvie Selfreveaton or wen God draws bac e vels from ear and eyes so a ey mi g perceive tings eernal and epemera no exsten and exisen impossible necessary or permissible as ey are n eir eernal realiy and esentialy. was because Ezra soug e special way a e i ncurred e condemnation relaed of im ad e sougt raer te divie nsi raon we ave mentioned e would no ave been codemned. is simpiciy of ear is sown by is sayig n anoer conecion How can God revve i erusalem aer is oblivon?25 i caracer i summed up in is sayng even as Abraam caracer i summed up in is saying Show me how you revive he dead. 25 Suc a reue de 2 2 . 27 . 2.
I b, 0 b. 7. b., 2 9 b :20.
TH E B EZES I SM
manded an atie resonse wi te Reaity ordingy made ev ident n im wen e says God causd hi to di o a hundd as and thn bought hi oth ai. 2 e said to im Bhod th ons how ha· joind th togth and thn cothd th in sh 2 I n tis way e ereied direty ow bodies grow fort wit immedate ertion. us e sowed m ow it was done e owever ad ased abut Destn w an be nown on y by a reveation of ti ngs in teir atent state and in teir nonexistene. It was not aorded im sine su nowedge s te rerogative of divine awareness It is sure absurd tat any oter tan e soud now su tings see ing tat it onerns te rimordia eys tat s te eys of te U n seen wi none nows save e2 God does owever i nform tose wom e wises of is servants about some of tese ti ngs. now tat tey are aed eys to indiate a state f oening wi i s te stae in wi te roess of bringng into exstene af fes ti ngs or if you refer te state n wi te aaity to ome ino exisene ataes o wat is destined to exs a state of wi on God may ave any rea exerene. at i s beause te eys of e Unseen are never manfesed or u nveied sine a aabty and atviy are God's artiuary Wo as absoute being unresred in an way en we earn tat te Reay rebued Ezra for is request on ernn g Desiny2 we may reai ze at i was a request for tis nd of awareness in artuar seeing as e was a aabiiy regarding wa is destined wi aabiity s reserved on y to i m Wo as absoue being. e soug tat wi no reaure may exeriene nor may e modaites [of tngs] be nown exet by diret exeene. en God sad to m Uness you desist I surey erase your name from te regster of roets e meant " wi derie you of e means o divine] ommuniation and resen tings o you as ey are manfesed wi wi our ony in aordane wi your own eterna] redisostion wi s te means by w di ret ereion s exeriened K now Ezra ta you may ereive ony wa you see to ereve as your [eterna] redisoson er 29 26 261 62
29 . \9 29
16
BN AARAB
ms f you do no h en you wl now that your predsposon does no permt that you should and hat it is something reserved to God. lhough God has given to everything e has created, e has nev ertheless no besowed on you hs parcular predsposiion. I i s not nheren n your creation; had t been so, e Who said He gves o ev eryhng He has creaed26 would have given it to you You should have refraned from such a reques of yourself, wihou needing a dvine refusal. Such was God's concern with Ezra, who new the tru th of he mater in one way bu was ignorant of t in another Know hat Saintship s an allinclusve and unversal funcion ha never comes to an end dedicated as t is o he universal communication [of dvne truh. s for the legislative function of Proph ecy and postleship, it came to an end in Mu�ammad fter him there wll no longer be any lawbringing prophet or community to receve such, nor any aposle bringing divine law. This statement is a terrble blow to the friends of God because it implies the cessaton of he experence of tota and perfect servanthood The specal name of "friend [of God] is not widely used of the servant n that he does not presume to share a name with his Lord, Who is God God m self s not caled by the names "prophet or "apostle, but e does call mself "friend and is so described e says, God s he frend of hose who beleve 264 and, He s he Frend he Praseworhy. 26 The name s aso often appled to Gods servants, alve and dead. Wih he comi ng o an end of the Prophecy a nd postleshi p, however, he ser van no onger has another name not applicable also o the Realiy. God, however, s ind to is servants and has lef for hem he universal Prophecy, which brngs no aw with i e has also lef o them the power of legislation through the exercse of indvidua udgement hd] concerning rues and regulatons. In addiion, he has bequeathed to them the heritage of egslation in the tradtion, "The learned are the heirs of he prophes2 This nherance involves he use of ndvdua udgment n certain rulings whch s a orm of legisation When the prophet speas on maters ha le ouside he scope 23 2 2 2
I. XX . Id 2. X I I2 ukh : 10
8
TH E BEZES F I SM
la w e is te speag as a sait ad a gotic, so tat s statio as a oer [of trut] is more complete ad perect ta tat as a aposte or lawgver. f you ear ay o te Fo ayig or trasmittig sigs from im to te effect tat Saitsip is iger ta Propecy, e meas oly wat we ave ust sad iewise i e says tat te sit is superior to te propet ad te aposte, e meas oly tat ti is so wit oe perso s is because te apostle, i is Sa tsip, is more perfect ta e s as a propet or a aposte It does ot mea tat ay sait comig after im is ger ta e, sice oe wo fol ows caot attai to te oe wo is followed, as regards tat wic e folows i im ere e ideed to affect suc a positio e woud o loger be a foower so uderstad. e Apostesip ad Propec stem from Sait sip ad learg Cosder ow God commads im o see a icrease owedge, raer a aytg ele saig Sa m Lord ncrease me n knowledge 26 ow te aw imposes certai oblgatios o perform some t gs ad forbids certai oter igs al of wic apply o is wold, wic wi l come to a ed. Saitsip o te oter ad is ot of a id ice, were o come o a ed, i would ed as suc as does te pos lesp. Ideed were t to ed i tis way i would cease o ave a ame. e fried sait] is a ame a is Gods eeraly, a aso oe tat ataces to s caracerisic of ad is reaized i is ser vas. Relaed to tis s s sayig o Ezra a uless e desised rom asg abou e aure of Desiy, e would erase is ame rom te regiser of Propecy, a e commad would come o im as a mafested revelaio, a e mi g o loger be ca led a prop et or a apostle but a e would coiue s Sasp We, owever, e aeda crcumstaces of is sae idicaed to im a e divi e] address to m was e form oa warig, e, experiecig a sae ad eedig te warg, realzed a i was a rea to deprve im of cera degrees of Saisip i s world, sice Propecy ad Apostlesp cosiue cera degrees of Sai si p us e mgt ow a e was superor to e sai wo as o legslag Propecy or Apostlesip. I te case of someoe asociaed wt some oter sae aso requrg te ra of propecy, would ave come as a promse ad o a reat 2. ra XX: I
69
B N A 'ARAB
Hs request s act acceptable snce te propet is a special id o sant wo nows by te circumstances of s state tat t would be absurd for a propet, avng ts special degree of Saint p, to approac wat e nows od woud ot approve of or to address imself to someting mpossible to attan n te case o one associated wt suc states and in wom tey are well establised His words, will surely erase your name from te register of propecy, come ort as a treat tat clearly i ndcates te sublim ity of an eternal degree [of Sai ntsi p] wi c is t at degree wi c remains to te propets and apostles i n te ereater were tere s no occasion for lawgving to any of od's creaton once tey ave entered eter i nto Paradise, or into te Fire. ave restrcted discussion on tis poin t to entry into te two states of Paradise and te F ire because of wat He as ordaned, on te Day of Resurrection, for tose wo lived between periods of reveation, for young cldren and te nsae, a l of wom He w l gater in a particular place, tere to do us tce, o punis wrongdong and to reward te good deeds of te peope o Paradise. Wen tey ave been gatered, apart rom oer men, no at place, He wi l send te bes one of em as a propet o te oters to presen a fre to tem and say, am te messenger of e Realiy o you. Some of em w ll en beieve in i m w le oers will reect m. Ten e w say to tem, Cast yourselves into s fire, or wicever of you obeys me will be saved and wll enter te arden, but woever dsobeys me and opposes my command will peris and become dwelers in te Fire Ten, tose wo obey im and trow temselves i nto e fre wi be bessed and gain eir reward, findin e ire cool and safe, wile ose wo disobey m w ill be worty of puni sment and w ll enter e fire, descending i no it wt eir contenous deeds so a ustice mig be done by od u pon His servants. Tus He says, On the day when the leg will be unovered 268 wc indcaes an imporan matter concernng e Hereater, they will be summoned to prostrate themselves 269 wic denotes obigaion ad le islaion. Some of tem will be abe o do it, w le oers wil l o Of e atter od as said, They will be summoned to prostrate themselves 28 X\2 2 b
0
and they will not be able to do it, st s crt n srnts ond tm ss nbl to comply it ods commnd l b J l nd ot rs Ts mc lstion l rmn in t rtr on t Dy o srrction bor t ntry i nto rdi s nd t i r. W tror rstrictd or trtmnt o tis sbct ris b to od.
270. bd 2 7 1 . C. ibd XX\5 Abu a wa one o e Popet mo peitent op
nen
11
CA PTER XV
TH WISDOM OF PROPHC IN TH WORD OF JSS
NTRODUCTORY NOTE he greaer part of hs hapter is onerned wih he vaious modes and manfesaons of the Spirit r�] and he way i i s i mpar ed o maer and form. n partiuar it is onerned with the ole of the Spiri n he reaion of Jesus and also his powers of reviva. So far in this wor bn alrab has spoen n terms of the Breath of he Merifu when dsussing he reatve at desrbed as a movemen of reef from i nner pressure withn he Realy he expresson of whih brings abou he exisene o the reaed Cosmos. owever i disussing he naure and aivty of he Sprit here he is onerned wih more partiuar aspes o hat spontaneous a o reative expiration he two most imporant words he uses in ths ontext are r� spr] and nafakha o blow]. n relaion to the pimordal Breah nafa] the former is ts one whe the atter desrbes a mode o its operation. he Spirit the root meanng o whih in rabi s osely relaed i meaing o he root nafaa learly deoes he lving reaty of God His ivig osiousess whih as he aive pole nflates insemiates irradates ad infms the dar passiviy o prma substae f original atue. hus i s also lea fom bn alab's teame o the subet hat he onepts of breathbowing seedimpregato ghtradiat ad
THE BEZES IS
wordenunciation re very closely reated in is mind a tey re in te spiritual ore of most reigiou tradiions I i probaby te ast of ese reaed concepts wordinform provides a cue o te title of is capter since te word for Propecy in rabic ubuwwah comes from e root aba wic means o inform, a prope ab being a paricular and special receptacle for te divine Word, ust as in a more uniersal sense e wole Cosmos [ /a ] i "informed [creaed by te divine Spirit, is muliple forms consiutin g clues a] from wic e intelligen ones mig learn [ ] e tru e concept of Spiriie is oer complement, e soul wic is its passive and experiential poleis complicaed by e fact a is manifesaion differs according to e exisenial eve a wic i is bing considered. us, te Spiri, a is source is ougt of as pure lig wile a e pysical evel i is manifest as te fire and ea of cosmic life represening, as i does e pulse of iferealiy e epression of Being a every evel of e divine creation Selfmani festaion source i is p ure Ideni yconsciousness bu as i reaces ou furer and furer it is experienced as commanding ord and impregnaing seed s e lsewere in tis wor, Ibn a rab speas of te reaion sip between e Spirit and Nature as being, so to spea, a parenta relationsi p on a macrocosmic scale i n wic e Spiri t is e Fater and ature e Moter Wile te former is viewed as acive, lu mi nous and commanding e later is toug of as passive dar and recepive, at primordial matrix wic is ever ready to receive te determning impress of e Spiri Sometimes ts relaionsi p is expressed in erms of te Un iversal I ntellec and e Universa Soul or in more quranic terms e Pen and e abe Peraps e bes way o explain te difference beween Naure and e Soul on e one and and beween Spiri and e I n el ect on e oter is ta e firs erm in bot cases is ontoogical wie e second erm is experien tial. us wile Nature may be said o be e realiy of passive receptivity e Soul denotes rater e experience of tat reality; similary, wie te Spiri denotes te realiy of acive rut te Inteect may be seen as te consciousness of being tat reality us, wiin te conex of creaion and Selfmanifesation we ave yet anoter expression of te poarity subectobec and eir mutua dependence In te uman or microcosmic context Ibn alrab il usrates a 173
N AARA
arcular a nd special insance of hi s reaionship in he case of Jesus who s the produc of boh Mary who personi fies the waer of Na ture and Gabrie who represens by hs blowing he seedword of the Spirit he creation of Jesus is a specia case i n hat unie mos men the Spiri mpregnaed Mary no through he on of a moral man bu di recly by he angelc i nsrument as n he cae of revela ion o Jesus himself as a prophe of God. is Prophecy however or "beng informed by he divine Word was not only verbal bu aso via in ha he sprtua l "blowin g of which he was a channe rans mits he divne Comm and i n al s modes hus by vi rue of he di rec means of hs being begoen Jesus was abe o communcae he dvne Sr no only verbaly bu a lso vialy since he Spiri en livens a every level. hus Jesus was in a specal way wha every man s poenially tha is o say a spiri enshrined wihn naura form whch is nohi ng oher han he Spir enshrned w hin is aure. hroughou he chaper I bn aArab s concerned as always o expan he paradox of "e and "oher han e o ry o mae clear n wha sense Je sus or for hat maer anyh ing i s hi msef raher han mself or to wha exen i is Jesus himself or God imsef who speas and re vves. hs of course is he quesion of he u nderying and consan ly recurrng heme of the Oneness of Being he essence of which he au hor finds himself unabe o expain saisfacorly because of he nheren olarizaion of language E W SDO O PR OPECY N E W O R D OF J ES U S From he waer of Mary or from he breah of Gabrel In he form of a moral fashoned of clay he Spirit came ino exisence in an essence Purged of Naure's aint which is cal led 22 Because of his his soourn was prolonged Enduring by decree more than a thouand year. A spr from none oher than God So ha he might raise the dead and bring orh bird om cay. 7 t r am r f. 1ra XXX:
1 4
T H E BEZES O I SOM
nd became orth o be aocied w it h i L B hich he eerd grea influence boh hgh and low God purifed hi m in body nd mde him r nscenden n the Spiri mng him ie imself in creating now ha i is a particular characerisic of he spiri hat ev erthng on \hich they descend become ai ve and life begin o perade i hus did aSmir arrogae o himself some of the i nfluence of he messenger Gabrie who is a spir273 When he realied tha i as Gabriel and knowing ha all he ouched would come aive aSmr snached some of i his power) eiher w ih his hand or wih his fngertips. Then he ransferred i o he [golden] caf so ha i belloed which is he sound cate ma e ad he fashioned i in some other form i would have made the appropriae sound such as he grumbli ng of he camel he bleating of lambs and sheep or he a rtculate speech of man. ow th e measure of li fe hat pervades a creaure is ca led divi ne hu man ity being [preeminenly he ocus in which the Spirit i nheres Thus humaniy is caled a spiri by virue of ha which inheres n . hen he trusty spirit whch was Gabrie presened isef o ary as a perfecly formed human she imagined that he was some ordnary man who desired to lie with her ccordingy she sought refuge from hm in God oally so tha e might rid her of hs attenions nowing ha o be forbidden274 Thus she atained o perfec presence with God which is he pervasion o the unseen spirit. ad he blown his spiri i no her at tha momen Jesus would have turned ou too sury for any to bear because of his mohers stae. hen he said o her am only a messenger of your Lord, come o gve you a pure boy,275 her anxiey subsided and she reaxed. I was at hat moment that he bew esus ino her. Gabrie was in fac ransmii ng God's word to Mary u st as an apostle ransmis is word to his community. God says He s Hs word deposed wh Mary, and a spr from Hmse276 Thus dd desire pervade Mary The body of Jesus was created 7 7 76.
Cf bd 9 Cf d., 7-
bid, 9 bid \ 7
5
B N AARAB
from te actual water of Mary an d te notiona water seed] of Ga brie nerent in te mosture of tat blowing snce breat from te vita body is most owing to te element of water in t n tis way the body of Jesus was brougt i nto being from a notonal and an ac tual water appearing in mortal form because of is moters [beng um an] and the appearance of Gabriel in um an form snce a l cre ation n ts human species occurs n the usual way Jesus came fort raisng te dead because e was a di vine sprt. In tis the quicening was of God wie te blowing itself came from esus ust as te blowin g was from Gabre w le te Word was of God s regards what was made apparent by is bowing Jesus raising of the dead was an actual bringng to life ust as he imself became manfest from the form of is mother His rasing of te dead owever was also notiona as coming from m since n trut it came from God. Tus e combnes bot [te notional and t e actual] by the real ity according to which he was created seeing as we have said that he was created of notiona and actual water. Tus bringing te dead to fe was attributed to im bot actually and notionaly Concerning the former it is said of him Ad He revives the dead 2 whie of the atter You will breathe ito it the clay] ad it will become a bird by God leave 28 ow that which reates to te words by God leave s it will become and not you will breathe The words you will blow may be considered to reate to tem by God leave] f t means that t will become a brd in a sensibe corporeal form The same s the case wit His saying You will cure the blid ad the leprous, and every th ng ese attributed to i m and to Gods permission as also by alluson such as s saying By y permissio, 2 9 and By God permissio 280 f te word permissio is connected wth You will blow ito28 then the one who bows s permitted to blow so tat the brd comes i nto being troug te one blowng but by God's permisson. f te one blowi ng does so wthout permisson then the comng into being of the bird s by Hs permission in wich case the word per77 . X : 7 \ 0 r hs here squ h r hch h d d by My peisn Th w by G ea·e hr J h ee he rs er 79 \: 0 . . \ : 0
16
T HE B EZES F SM
missio is related to te words it will beome ere i t not fo te fact tat actuality and ypotesis are bot present in te matter, te [re sulting] form woud not possess tese two aspects wc it as be cause te maeup of Jesus effects it. e umiity of Jesus was suc tat is community was com anded that the shold pa the poll-tax ompletel hmblig them seles 3 tat if ny one of tem were struc on one cee e sould offer aso te oter, and tat e sould not it bac or see retributon Tis aspect [of is teacing] derives from is moter, since woman is owly and umble, being under te man, bot teoretically and pysicaly s powers of revival, on te oter and derie from te bowing of Gabre n u man form, snce Jesus revied te dead n u man form ad Gabrie not come in u man form, but in some oter, weter animal, pant or mineral, Jesus woud ave been able to qu cen te dead ony by tang tat form to imsel f and a ppearng in it. Smilarly, ad Gabriel appeared n a luminous, incorporeal form, not going beyond is nature, Jesus would not ave been able to revie te dead witout first appearng in tat luminous natura form, and not n te elementa u man form derivi ng from is moter It used to be said of i m, wen e revived te dead, "t is e and yet not e. Bot te sigt of te observer and te mind of te in tellgent man were confused at seeing a mortal man bring te dead to lfe, ratonally as wel as pysically, wic is a dvine prerogative. e spectator woud be utterly bewildered to see a morta man per forming divine acts. Tis matter as led certain people to spea of incarnation and to say tat, n reviving te dead, e is God. erefore, tey are caled unbeievers concealers], being a form of concealment, since tey concea God Wo in real ty revives te dead, in te uman form of Jesus e as said, he are oncealers ubelievers] who sa that God is he es siah son of ar e real error and unbeief i n te ful l sense of te word is not n ter saying "e is God nor "te son of Mary, but in ter aving turned asde from God by ncuding [God in uman form] i n te matter of revivi ng te dead i n favor of a merey mortal form in teir saying [e is] the son of ar abeit tat e i s te son bid bid 9
177
BN AARAB
of Mary wthout doubt earng them one m ght hn that they at tr bued dv n ty to the form ma ng t the form tself but that s not he case havng n fac assered ha he d v ne deny s the subect n the human form whch was he son of Mary Thus they dsn gushed beween the form and ts determnaon bu dd not mae the form he same as the determn n g prncpe n the same way Ga bel was n mortal form at frst] wthout blowng no Mary then he blew [ no her. Thus the bow ng s dstngushed from the form snce although derves from he form t s not of ts essence So do he varous secs qua rre concern ng he nature of Jesus Consdered n hs [partcu lar mortal form one mght say that he s he son of May Consdered n hs form of humanty one mght say ha he s of Gabre whle consdered wth respec to the revval of the dead one m ght say that he s of God as Sprt. Thus one mg ht cal hm he Sp of God whch s o say ha lfe s manfest nto whomsoever he blows. Sometmes t mght be magned usng the passve parcple hat God s n hm sometmes hat an angel s n h m and at oher tmes mortalty and h umanty. e s ndeed accordng o that aspect of hs real ty] whch predomnates n the one who consders hm Th us he s at once] the Word of God the Sprt of God and the slave of God and such a [rple] manfesaton n sensble form be longs to no other. Every other man s atrbuted to hs formal father not o he one who blows s Spr nto human form God when e perfeced the hu man body as e says When pected hm 84 blew no h m of s spr arbung al spr n mans beng and essence to mself The case of Jesus s otherwse s nce the pefecon of hs body and h uma n form was ncluded n the blow ng of he spr by Gabrel nto Mary] whch s not so of other men l ceaues are ndeed words of God whch ae nexhausble stemmng as hey do from [he command Be, whch s the Word of God8 ow can he Wod be ar buted to God as e s n msef so that ts nature may never be nown or can God descend to the form of hm who says e so that the word Be may be sad o be the realty of the form o whch e descends and n whch e s m anfes Some gnoscs suor he former some the latter whe others are confused and do no knw wha s he tuth of he mate ! \: ; ., : .
18
H E BEZES F ISM
s matter s one tat can be nown onl y by d rect eperece as wt b azd alBsm wen e blew o an ant e ad lled and t came alve agan 28 t tat very moment e new Wo t was tat be so e blew [nto t]. I n tat respect e was e Jesus s for revval by nowledge from sprtua deat t s tat eternal sublme and lumnous dvne lfe of wc God says Who was dead ad e ade hm ale aga ad for whom We made a lgh where ih o walk amog me. 28 nyone wo revves a dead soul wt te lfe of nowledge relatng to some trut about God as tereby brougt m to lfe so tat e as a lgt by wc to wal among men tat s to say tose tat are formed le m. But for Hm and but for us at wc as become woud not be. We are servants n very trut nd t s God Wo s our master. But we are of Hs very essence so understand en say "man nd do not be deceved by (te term) "ma n For He as gven you a proof Be dvne (n essence) and be a creature (n form) nd you w l l be by God a compassonate one We ave gven Hm wat s manfest n us troug Hm s He as gven to us al so e wole affar s sared dvded Between Hm and us. He o nows by my eart Revved t wen He gave us lfe n Hm we were exstences essences nd nstances of tme. n us t s not permanent But only ntermttent (But t gves us l fe). corroborato of wat we ave sad regardng te comng to geter of te sprtual blowg wt te elemental morta form s tat te Realty descrbes Hmself as te Mercful Breat and tat al tat attaces to an attrbute n te case of sometng descrbed soud ad 26 Cf n 1 2 ra \
9
B N AARAB
here to tat attribute. You now tat t e breat n one breating is al tat t needs to be Terefore te Divine Breat is receptive to cosmic forms in reation to wc t is ie te Primordial Substance eng very Nature erself. e elements are a form of Nature ust as tat wic is above tem and wat tey generate wic is te sublime spirits tat are bove te seven eavens. s for te spirits of te seven eavens and ter essences derving as tey do from te smoke 2 tey te elements generate tey as also te anges wic come into being from eac eaven are eemental Tese angels are eementa wle te ones above tem are of Nature It is for ts reason tat God as described tem tat is te eavenly ost as being n confict Nature itsef beng selfcontradictory Indeed it is te Breat tat as rougt about te mutual confl ict among te di vine Names wic a re relationsips Consider owever ow te dvine Essence wc is beyond tis regme of confict s caracterized by utter Sefsufficency beyond al need o te Cosmos Because of tis te Cosmos as been set fort in te form of its Creator wc is noting oter tan te divine Brea. o te exen a i is o i is g we o e exten a it is cold and moist it s low ccording as t is dry it s fixed and does no move since precipiaion relates to cold and mosture. Consider ow te pysici an wen e wises to prescribe a potion for a patient loos frs a e sedenaion of e uri ne Wen e sees at it is pre cipitating e nows maturation is complete and prescribes e med c ne to acceerate te cure t only precipitaes because of is naura moistu re and coldness. God neads ts uman cay in is wo ands wic altouh bot are rigt ands are nevereless in opposion Tere is no concealing te dfference between tem even f it be ony tat tey are two separate ands snce naugt nfuences Nature except wht conforms to er and se is polarized; so e came oh wt wo ands. Wen e created im dam wt two ands e caed m basha moal um an because of e diec connecn mubshaah] suggested by te two ands ascried to im.28 his He did out concern for is umanind saying o e one who reusd to rstrate imself before m What estains you fo postat boe him 2 C d XL\:10 2 d. \' I
80
TH E BEZES F ISM
ho ha rad wh o hads ar _o oo prod [o do ta is before one o is elemental lie yourself or ar o o of h sb l os29 By e epe subime He means one o n is umnous maeup s beyond te elemens altoug e is naural Mans onl superiorty over oer creaures is in is being a bashar mora u man] for in s respec] e is superior to al ings creaed itou at direct connecon bsharah] i e Divne Presence] us man rans above e erresrial and ceesal angels e God as sipuaed a e sublime iger) angels are superior o man ind Woeer ises o no e divine Breat en le im first] no e Cosmos for Wo nos imself nos is Lord Wo is manfes in im n oer ords e Cosmos is manfesed in e diine Brea by ic God reieved e di vine Names from te disress ey experienced by e nonmanifestation of teir effecs. us e betos favor on mself by at e creaes i n is brea. I ndeed e first effec of e Brea is experienced only in e dvne Presence after ic i contin ues i s descen by a u niversa process of release don o e las ing to be created l l is essenialy in e Brea s lig is n essence in te dar before dan Knoledge of is] by inelecual] proof Is li e te emergence of daylig o one af asleep. e perceives a e spea of In a ay a gves im a clue o e Brea. Wat I say reeves m of anxiey s e reces e caper H rowd.291 I manifests isef o im o Comes seeing a coal from its fre e sees i as fre bu i is ig to ings and nigfarers Wen you undersand a I am saying You l no at you are indigen ad e oses] soug oer an a a fre] e ould ave seen i in i and no inversely. 9 bid, \"75 9 bid
8
B AARAB
Wen e Reaiy add ressed msef to tis Word of Jesus i n te staion of until We know 22 altoug e nows well] e ased im weer i was true or not tat certai n tings ad been attributed to Him nowing ful well wat ad transpired saying Did you say to the people ake me and my mother as gods rather than God 93 Now couresy requres tat te questioner be given an answer since wen e reveas mself to im n is sation and tis form wisdom dic ates tat e answer be given from te standpoin t of distinction [be ween speaer and te one spoen o but wit te reality of syntess cearly in vew. Jesus repied empasiing te divi ne transcendence ay You be exalted 24 sressing e You a word tat im plies encounter and dialogue. t is not or me tat is for me rater an You to say what have no right to say a is wat my identity [mgt] require but not my [atent essence. indeed, said such a thing You know o it because You are te [true] speaer and one wo uers a saemen knows wa e is saying You erefore are e ongue by wic speak as te postle as told us of s Lord wit respect o dvne communcation " am is ongue by wc e speaks2 us does e make s dentty te same as te tongue of te speaker attrbuti ng te speec o te servan en is devot ed servant competes te reply saying You know what is in my sou 2 te speaker beng n essence] God but do not know what is in it as orm.297 e denies knowledge o Jesus i n i s own identity bu t not as speaker or as possessor of [creative] effect en e says Surely You28 using a reinforcing pronoun to empase and confrm te folowng declaraton seeing ta none knows te Unseen except God. us n is repy] e dstinguises and syntesies sngularies and puralies broadens and narrows. Ten e says competng e answer told them only what You commanded me to say 2 so ndicatn by denal at t was e [wo said it e uttering [of e reply] re quires a certan courtesy toward te enqurer. ad e no answered 292 93. 294 29 296 297. 29. 99.
id Y J bid. \ 16 d. as al so the fol lowi ng quotaio n. Bukhr Y d. bd. d \" 1 .
8
T H E B EZES IS OM
a al he ould hae een considered deod o al knowede o he realies which is o course quite untrue o him. is sayn onl ha o coadd e o sa00 is s f to say ou are the seaker on m tongue and ou are i n truth] my very tonue Consider hen ho recise and sutle is his diine and sritual inti mation. So I said] orship od 0 e uses th e name llh ecause o the ariet of worsh iers in their acts of worshi and the diferent religious trditions e does not use one of the articular names u rather that ame which includes them all. Then he goes on to sy od and or ord 0 since t i certain that s relationsh wth one creature as ord is not the same as with a nother. For that reason he makes the distinction etween y Lord and yor Lord referrng searately to the seaker and the one soken to. hen he says only wha Yo commanded e o say 0 he lays the tress on himself as eing commanded which s his servanthood since a command s only given to one who t is suosed will com l hether he does so or not. Since the command descends accordng to the regme of ran ks everythin g maniested n a articular rank s affected y what is afforded it y the reality of that ran k Th e ran k o the ordered ha s a regimen that is a arent i n everythi ng or dered ust as the ran k of comm anding has a regimen aarent in everone who commands. When God says Esablsh prayer 04 e s at once] the Commander the one who oliges and the commanded. hen the servant rays my ord orgve me°5 he is the command er wh le the Realty s the commanded for what God requi res of is servant y s command is the same as that wh ich t he servant requ res of the Reaty y hi s comm and. For this reason [one might say] that every sulcation is nevitay resonded to even if it e delayed. For nstance certan eole under ogation when comma nded to ray mght not ray at that time ut ostone comance y rayng at another time although they are quite caale of raying at the tme Thus resonse is inevitale even if only y intenton Then he says I am concernng hm 06 not concerni ng myself together 00 0 02 0. 0 0 ; 06.
d d d. d d . d. X X \ h e o g ut
83
BN AARAB
wi tem as wen e said y Lord and your Lord, a witne o long a I remain with them s is because te propets bear wtness con cerning er com munites wi le tey are wi em e continued And when You caued me o de, tat s wen You raied me o Yourelf idng tem from me and me from tem You were he watcher over them, not in my maerial subsance but in ters ince You were ter sgt wic required supervision Man's con ciousness of mself is ndeed Gods consciousness of i m but e [Je us] as attrbuted tis consciousness to te name te Watcer referrng te consciousness to im e wises tereby to distnguis between mself and is Lord so a e may now at e s imsef a servant and tat God is msef as is Lord consdering imself as winess and God as e Wacer us i n relaion o msef Jesus uts s people first saying concernng hem a wne, while am with hem, 307 preferring tem out of courtesy e places tem last ow ever wen speaing of God i n sayng the Watcher over them, since te Lord is deserving of precedence en e sows tat God te Watcer bears also te nam e tat e used of imsef wen e sad concerning them a wtne. e says You are the Wtne of every thing, te word "every denoting generaty and te word "ti ng beng e mos unspecific of words. at i s be cause e s te wtness of everytng tat s witnessed according as te realiy of a ing dictates so sowing tat i is in fact God Wo is te wit ness concerning te people of Jesus n is sayng I wa a wtne concerning them while I wa with them. is is e winessing of God in te substance of Jesus avng confirmed tat e was is ongue earng and sigt.3 0 8 God speas of word of Jesus and a word of Mu�ammad s for being of Jesus t s because it is te utterance by Jesus of Gods communicaton concerning m in s Boo s for ts being of Mu �ammad t is because i appened to Mu�ammad n a partcuar place. e spent a wole nig repeatng it and noing else un il e breang of dawn You chatie them, then they are Your servant bu You forgie hem, then You are the ighty, he We. 309 e word "e as ao e 37 bd \ 7 o the follong quoon 3 Bkhri XXX:3 3. Q \
1 4
T E B EZES O F S0�
ord e s a ronoun of bene He as says I is he who dis blie 3 0 using te tird erson onoun te absence veiin tem from at is meant [b te gnotics by te witnessed ne o i present. He sas ou hasise he3 wit te ronoun o abence ic is naugt but te veil tat ides tem from God He terefore remnds tem of God before teir presence on te ast Day] so tat en tey are present te leaen may gai n control i n te doug and mae it ie Itself. For hey are You r servans 3 2 using te singu ar pronoun because of te unty by wic tey exist ere s no abasement greater tan tat o slaves seeing tey a·e no freedom o action wt respect to temselves. eir lot i determined by wat teir Master wants wit tem and e as no assocate in wat concerns tem; as e says Your servans wt te singular pronoun. By castisement is meant teir abasement and tere is none more abased tan tey because tey are slaves at te are abased s determined by teir essences. e means "You do not abase tem any more tan teir state of servitude requires You forgve hem3 3 tat is if you sed tem from te befallng of punisment tey deserve by teir contention or mae a coveri ng for tem to sield tem from it and avert t from tem You are he ghty34 te Averter te Protector Wen God bestows tis name on one of s servants e imsef is called te Strengtener al-mu zz] wile te recipient is called te migty al azz]. us God as Protector guards against te wises of God te venger te Castiser ere aso e uses a reinforcing pronoun to mae tings cear te verse being of te same ind as s saying Surely You ar h knower of he unseen thngs3 and Surely You were he Wather over them. 36 e also says Surely You are he ghty the Wse37 e words You chastse hem You forgve them became a n urgent question for te Propet Mu�ammad wic e repeated al 30 3 32 313 31 31 316 37
bd bid. bd. bid. bid bid bd bd,
X\:2 \ 1 1 8
\' 109 \ 1 7 \ : 1
85
IBN AARAB
nig untl daybrea, seeing an a nswer H ad e received te answer im mediatey, e woud no ave gone on repeaing e question God, or His part, se ou or m, in deail , al te reasons or teir being punsed, an d at eac one e would say to God You chate them then the are Your ervant but You orgve them then urel You are the ght the We. 3 Had e perceived in wat was set ort to m, any reason to tae God's sde, e woud ave pleaded against tem rater an or tem. God set ort to im wat tey deserved, to empasize te submission to God and te exposure to His orgive ness set ou in is verse It is sad tat wen God l ies te voce o Hs servant in is sup picaton o H m, He postpones te response, so tat e migt repeat it, not out o any averson but ou o love or m. So He is caed te Wise, and te Wse One is He Wo apportions tings to teir proper places and does not devate, concer ni ng tem, rom wat teir realiies troug teir atributes dictate and require, us e prase the We the Knowng 39 is in te proper order, wic te Propet reiterates in accordance wit a proound nowledge rom God Most H ig Woever recites it sould do so in tis m an ner, or remain appropriately sient. Wen God bets a servant to gve expression to some matter, He does so only ta He mgt respond to im and uill is need. ereore let no one in tat wat e as been made it or s late in comng. e im rater emulate e zeal o Gods Apostle, in respect o ts verse n al is states, so tat e may ear wt is inner or outer earing or in watever way God may cause im to ear H is response God blesses you wit a pysicaly expressed request, He wil cause you to ear Hs response wit te pysical ear, but i He blesses you wit an nner request ten He w l cause you to ear His response nwardly
3 8 bid \ 1 1 8 . 3 bid.
86
C PER X
THE WISDO OF COPASSION IN THE WORD OF SOLOON
NTRODUCTORY NOTE Once agai n i n ts capter bn alrab returns to one of is favoite subects tat of te divne Mercy. Generally speaing wen e tals of te divine Mercy e means te creatve Mercy tat generousy and n fintely bestows exstence on te latent essences in answer to te desire for divine Selfconsciousness ere owever e ponts out tat Mercy is impcit not only n te act of cosmic creation but also n te ann i lating revesa of tat act wc would e store all being to God alone. Te fist Mecy diects Gods attention [himmah to te ceation and m ai ntenance of is cosmc mage wi le te second Mercy refocuses al tat attention on mef alone n is perfect unqueness and Selfsufficiency. By te frst e freely gives of s power and conscousnes in eponse to te urge of te latent essences to reaie in exstence wat tey ae eternaly predisposed to become. By te second e gorously obges te Cosmos to recognie tat in itself t s notng oter tan e and to yeld ts beng bac to its sources n im Tus te second ind of Mercy is essentay synonymous wt te div ne Wrat w ile te f t is es sentialy te same as te divne Good Peasure It s wratful n te sense tat it sees to anniate te exstence of creatues and inflct on tem te pan of beng after al "oting wot mentonng. 8
B N AARAB
From a oter standpot te frst ercy s related to te concept of te dve Wl wle te secod s reated to te dve Ws te former beg concerned purely wt exstetal becomng wle te latter sees to ecourage te reawaen ng from te dream of cosmc extence to a clearer conscousness of s sole rgt to be owever eepng wt te ran [\':56 and radton Ibn aArab ponts out tat te second ercy s contaned wt n and subord nate to te frt so confrm ng te cont u ance of te polarty GodCosmo but ony wtn te cotext of te Oneness of te Realty snce te Como s but Its form e oter maor subect dscussed ere s tat of domo or mastery We ave see tat eac propet s seen as a partcular cane for te tramsso of te dve Sprt wc ntates e lvens ad etermes us ust as Jesus was favored wt te sprtua power to revve so was Soomo favored wt te sprtua power to effect canges n te way pyscal ad elementa tngs beaved addton to te usua verbal reveato a ny of t e propets tere fore transmt not ony te Word of God as usualy understood but aso some oter aspect or mode of te creatve and determn ng power of te Sprt In te case of Solomon Ibn alArab sayg tat e was granted wtout te need for specal dscplnes and partc ulary for msef te power to master and drect pyscal and ele mental forms e oter mportat subect dealt wt ts capter s tat of te concept of creaton from nstant to nstant wc we ave ds cussed n te note to Capter 2 E W I S DO M O F C O P A SS I ON N E ORD O F SOOON meann g te letter is from Solomon . . and tat s t e co tents of te etter are in he name of God he Compassionae he er cu/.320 Some ave supposed tat te name of Solomon ere gve precedence over te name of God but ts s ot o. ey ea o t n a way tat s not consonant wt Soomon no o ord. I deed ow coud wat tey say be approrate n vew of wat 320 an XX \ 30 r l d lq ded ere ld aer 17 an vv 1 5
T H E B EZE S F S0�
Blq y o it I bn sn spc tat i, reeul to er Perha tey are roted to ay uh t eaue horoe tore u te letter of te otle of God, altou e dd ot do o uti e ad read te letter ad acquaited imelf wt it cotet deed Blq woud ave doe te ame, ad e ot ee fitted for grace a e wa, or woud te lacig of i ame efore or ater te ame of God ave aved te letter from detructio Solomo etio two k d of Mercy, te mercy of uoligati giig ad te mecy of idig oligatio, wic are te Comaioate ad te eriful te Comaioate e give freely, ie a te erciful e id y oligatio, altoug te latter roceed from te former te Merciful eig imicit witi te omaioate. God a recried Mercy o imelf for i ervat i retur or t e act erformed y te ervat wic are metioed y God a a rigt God a imoed o i mef, o tat y toe act te ervat migt e deervig of Mercy tat i te mercy of oli gatio Serva t of t kid kow wel l wat art of temelve i te doer of te actio, ice uma actio i divided amog eigt memer ow God a ow tat e i [i real ity te idetity of eac of te memer, o tat e i te oly true aget, te orm aloe e logig to te ervat Ti idetity i im licit i im, tat i i i ame [of erva t aloe, ce God i te eece of wa t i maifet ad wat i called creature y wic te ame te Outer ad te Lat may accrue to te evat, eeig tat e wa ot ad te exited Si milarly, te ame te Ier ad te Fi rt are i ecaue i eig mafet ad actig are deedet o im. Tu, we you ee a creature, you are eeg te Firt ad te Lat te Outer ad te Ier Solomo wa y o mea unaware of t kowledge wic wa ideed a itegra art of tat "dom io accorded to no oe after im, at leat it eory maifetatio.3 Mu�ammad wa grated wat wa grated to Solomo, ut it wa ot outwardly ma ifet God gave M u�ammad ower over a demo tat came to m y gt to detroy im e ieed t ad tied it to a il ar of te moque utl mori g we te cidre of Mada layed wit it e ad rememered te ulcatio of Solomo, ad God ad cat t 3 2 . Ibd XX\ 2 322 . C. bd, XXX\ 3 323 Bkh \III:7.
89
IB N AARAB
ut but whereas Solomo exercised that power outwardly, Mu�am mad dd ot Solomo spoe of "a domio ad ot domiio as such ad we w that he wished for some domiio We also ow that others sha red with him i every aspect of the domiio God grated to hi m as we ow that he was especal ly privileged i that he eoyed that domio i ts totalty ad, as show by the traditio cocerig the demo, that he aloe exercised it outwardly ad Mu�a mmad ot sai d of the demo, "God caused m e to get the better of t,32 we would have said that whe he wet to seze it, Gd caused him to remember the prayer of Solomo so that he might ow that God was ot gvig him the power to sieze it s ce t was God Who cast it away Whe he said that God had caused h im to get the better of it we coclu de that, havg grated hm a certai freedom of acto w ith t God remided h im a d he remembered the prayer of Solomo, aquittig hi mself i a si mi lar ma er F rom this we may lear that what was deied to creatures after Solomo was the ma ifestato of the domi o] a ui versa way. Our oly am i discussig this poit is to expoud o the two i ds of Mercy tha t Solomo metioed the two words which i Arabic are al-rahmn ad a-rah. God bids [restricts the Mercy of obigatio ad ueashes the Mercy o givig i is sayig, y ercy encompasses every thng32 eve the divie Names, which are the real relatioships. deed e bestows o them by us, si ce we are the result of the Mercy of gvig o the divie N ames ad domi i cal relatioships he e made it bidi g o imself for us by our ma ifestatio, ad made us ow that e i our idetty, from which we mght ow that [i truth e imposed it o imself oly for i msef, sce the Mercy i ever outside i m. O whom therefore does e bestow, seei g that there is oly e Despite the oeess of the [origia] ssece, e mut, whe speaig of the various capacites of creatures i the scieces, express thigs varous detais so that e says that uch a oe is more leared tha aother his meas that t he scope of the dive Wish dah fal hrt of the scope of the divie owledge which hw the cmrtive ature of the divie Attributes, as wth the urrity f th c 2 id 3 2 . Qur'a \6
0
TH E BEZES F WIS 01
of his ish oer is poer similarl ith is hrin ad siht hus all the di ine ames are raded accordi ng to their retive mrits one ith another as is aso the case ith what is manifest in cr ation so that one ma sa that such a one is mor learned than another despite the oneness of he Essenc ust as in emphasiin a particuar ame one names i and describes i b all the Names such is also the case of a particular creature in that it ma be quai fied b a the qualities with hich it is normal compared. his is because ever part of the Cosmos is he totalit of the Cosmos in hat it is receptive to the realities of the disparate aspects of the Cosmos Thus the fact that the I dentit of God is he essence of Zaid and Am r does not conradict our saing that Zaid is less learned than Amr since the Identi is more perfect and noing in Amr han in Zaid he divine ames being nothing other than he Reait however much the ma var in merit. Thus God as he K noer is more uniersa in i s scope than as e Who wishes or as the Powerful albeit e is i msef and none other So friend do not now im in one context and be ignorant of im in another nor affi rm im i n one situation and den i m in another un less ou affi rm i m in an aspect in whi ch e affirms imself and den im in an aspect in which e denies i msef as in the verse in which denial and affirmation of imsef are brought ogether. e sas There is nothing like unto Him326 which is a denia nd He is the Hearer the Seer 3 2 7 which is an affirmation of imself with attributes atributable to al living creatures that hear and see There is always some living creaure in the world hidden from the awareness of some men which wil be manifest in the ereafter to a men i being the Abode of the iving3 28 as is also this ower world although its life is hidden from certain servants so that the distinction and variet of degrees among Gods srvants concerning what they grasp of the reai ties of the Cosmos ma y be demonstrated The Rea lit is more evident in one whose awareness is un iversa than in one who lacs such u niversalit so do not be deceived b the manifest disparity of created thi ngs] into gainsain g the one who as serts tha creation is none other than] the Identit of the Reality I have ust demonstrated the dispariy among the Names of God 326 bi, XI 32 Ibid 328 C. ibi XXIX:6
9
B N A ARAB
which you do not doubt are the Reality, their significance being in the O ne named by them, wh ich is none other than God, Most igh. ow then may Soomon give precedence to his name over the Name of God as they say he did seei ng that he is but a part of the whole created by the divi ne Mercy? Su rely The Compassonae, he er cul should have been put first to confirm the dependence of the one who receives the Mercy I ndeed, the putting first of one who should be ast and the putting ast of one who should be first in the position he merits runs counter to all accepted real ities n her wisdom and sublime nowledge, Bilqs does not mention the person who sent her the letter, so that her advisers might now that she was in touch with things the course of which they did not perceive. his is the way of God in the matter of dominion, since if the means of in formation comi ng to a ruer remain un nown to oth ers, the people of the ingdom are very cautious in exercising their free wi l and do not do so except i n matters that have first been con sidered for them by their ruer, thus being safe from the possible evi consequences of such free action Were it to be accorded to them by the one by whom the ruler is informed, they would treat wth him and honor hi m un ti they could do what they wanted, and the ruer would not hear of it She said A leer has been sen o me 3 2 9 without nami ng the sender as a matter of policy She had inherited the awe of her people and cose advisors, and so merited precedence over them As for the superiority of hum an over demonic nn earnng concerning he mysteries of disposition an d the speci al nature of th in gs, it may be nown from the measure of time, since the percepon of he eye330 is quicer han the action of one rising from his seat the movement of the eye in perceiving its obect being more rapid than that of the body in moving from its place hat is because th e time it taes for percepton to tae place is the same as it taes to reach its obect, no mater what the distance is between the perceiver and perceived, since t aes no more time for the eye to open than for its sight to reach the fixed stars st as the cosing of the eye taes no longer han the cesing of perception he rising of a person is not the same a nd is no as rid hus Asaf Ibn Barhyah proved better n this respect hn th Jinn , since his utterance and his acion too place in a single moment 9 bid \:9 0 bid \ :0
TH E B EZ ES OF I SDO1
In tat moment Solomon s w i t s eye te t ron o i f rmly set before im lest e soud imgine tt e was eing it while remaned in its own place wtout bei ng moved. We do not now of instanta neous trnsference. ndeed te cusin not to be and to be [of te trone appened in a way un nown to any but He Wo arsed us of it in His saying r confusion rgrding nw cr on 33 altoug tere was no apse of time in wic tey did not see at tey were looing at. If it is as we ave said ten te moment of its disappearance from its place is te same as its presence wit Soomon by vrtue of te renewa of creation by breats. o one as any nowledge of tis decree ndeed no one is aware of te fact in imself tat wt eac breat e s not and yet comes into be ng agan . Terefoe do not say "ten w c im plies a lapse of ti me for te word u in rabic implies a process of cause and effect n specfic ituations a s te poet says Lie te qui vering of te spear ten it soo33 2 ow te tme of its quivering is te same as tat of its sai ng He says "ten altoug tere is no lapse of ti me. Si mi lary w t te renewal of creation by breats te moment of te nonexstence of a ting is te very moment of te existence of its lie as wit te renewa of accdents accordi ng to te sarites Te matter of te obtaning of te t rone of Biqs is no different from most oter [teological questions except for tose wo ave i n ner nowledge of wat we ave said about it sas only merit in te matter was tat e effected te renewal in te court of Soomon One wo truy understands wat we ave said wll realze tat te trone covered no distance tat no and was folded up for it nor was it pen etrated. t appened by means of a foower of Solomon so tat it sould be sometng greater for Solomon in te earts of tose present tan for Blqs and er associates. Tat was because Soomon was a gft from God to Davd and He says And W gv o Dvid olomon.333 gft is te bestowa of sometng as a favor by te gver not a toen of agreement or reward Suc a divine gift is te compete favor te rrefutabe argument and te unmstaeable stamp Concerning is nowledge He says 3 3 1 b . : 5 . 3 2 h t b ble t trc h l try. 3 3 ran XXX\30
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And We caused oloon to understand t, 334 despite te contrary udg ment of David] atoug God granted tem bot udgment and nowledge35 David's nowledge was an acqu ired nowledge grant ed m ndrectly by God wile Solomons nowledge was Gods own nowedge on te mater e being te udge in te matter wiou intermedary since Soomon was imself te exposition of God of perfec eracty Lewse one wo stres and maes a rigt decison n a mater in wc God as ruled weter it be by s own effor or accordi ng o wa God as inspred is postle as two re wards we one wo maes a mistaen decision as only one te former aving used earni ng and udgmen. Now is Comm un ity of Muammad as been graned e ran of bot Soomon and Dad n te matter of udgment ow fin e a Communi ty it is! Wen B lqs saw er trone nowing te great distance i nvoled and e mpossby n er iew of is being moed in suc a sort time se said It s as t were t,33 6 so confirmi ng wat we ae said concernng e renewal of creaion by similars. is i and so con firms e dine] command snce you are in te moment of recreaion essentia lly] e same as you were before i Solomons directon concernng te paace was caracteristc of e perfecion of is nowedge Se was old Enter te alace, 337 wc was paed n perfectly smoot glass Wen se saw it se oug was a deep lae so se bared er legs338 so tat te water sould not reac er gown e ten explained to er tat te seeng of er rone was after e same man ner wi c did more tan ustce to e matter By tat e sowed er ow rigt se ad been n say ing It s as t were t 33 Ten se said Lord, surel I ave wronged own soul, so I subt wt oloon, a s te submsson of Solomon to God, Lord of te worlds 34 Se was yieldng to God te Lord of te worlds and not to Solomon mself wo s of te words Se was not restrcted in er yied ng no more tan are e apos tles in teir belef in God unle Parao wo said e Lord of oses bid XX : 9 C bid XX89 6 bid XX \ 2 bid XX \ : 8 bid bid XX\ 2 0 bid XX\:
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T H E B EZES F I SO
and aron 4 loug Paro sres o som nt in tis yding o Bi qs, s poer was wea and se d a ratr undertndin tan e n er ieldin to God a s because Prao ws subect to e pressure o te moment n sayin, I bliv in wa t Cidrn of Isra bliv n 4 so speciyin is bele dd so only because e eard te magcians say, concerning teir at n God, T Lord of oss and aron. 4 Te submission o Blqs was e same as tat o Solomon, sin at se sad wit ooon 44 olowng i m i n all te teacngs e beeed n In te same way, we are on e same Strat Pat our ord is on our orelocs being in is grasp, nor is it possble at we sould be separated rom m. We are wit im by impcaton and e is wit us by decaration since e as sad H is wit ou wrvr ou ar 45 e are wit im by te act tat e as us by te oreloc, and e is wit imsel werever e may tae us on is pat, evertng n te Cosmos beng on a straigt pat, wic s te pat o te Lord. Tus Bqs learned rom Solomon and said to God, t Lord of t worlds 4 6 wtout specyng any partcuar world s or te Power o sub ugation by wic Solomon was avored and made superior to oters, and te dominon God granted to im and to non e ater im, [ it s signicance les n t e act] t at i t proceeded rom im, as e says, W subjtd to i t wind, so tat it blw at is coand.47 Te matter o subection alone s not te point, snce God as said, And H as subjtd to ou all tat is in t Havn and t Eart, 34 8 and e as mentioned te subection o wind, stones and oter tin gs. Te point s tat tese tings occur not by our command bu by Gods Wat snges Solomon out [rom te rest o us], i you wi ll ony understand is tat e coud eect suc tings by personal command alone wtout te need or spiritua l concentration or te exertion o spiritual power. We say ts because we now tat cosmic bodies are susceptibe to te powers o souls raised to te sta 2 6 7 38
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tion of spiritual syntesis avng observed suc tings along te Way. Solomon owever ad ony to utter te command to watever e wised to subect witout te need for special states Kow may God assist bot you and us wit s Spirit tat suc a favor conerred on a servant does not affect any domi nion e migt eoy in te ereafter nor is it counted against im altoug Sooon ased for t from is Lord Experence of te Way requires tat Solomon soud be given in advance wat s eld n store for ot ers wo would be taen to tas if tey presumed to wis for it in te ereafter God said to im Ts s ouravor, 349 witout saying upon you or any oter going on to say o gv or wtold wtout rck onng350 From sprtual experence on te Way we learn tat is re quest for tat] was made at te command of is Lord Now wen a request s made by di v ne command te one wo requests is ful ly rewarded for is request e Creator fufls te need impl icit in wat is requested if e so wills or wtods it since te servant as performed wat God obliged im to do in obeyig is command regarding tat wic e requested from is Lord ad e made te request on is own initiative rater ta at is Lord's command e would ave caled i m to account for t T i s is te case n everytng requested of God as e sa id to ou r Propet M u�ammad ay, my Lord, ncras m n knowldg35 ccordingly e obeyed is Lord's command and was ever seeing more nowedge so tat wen e was brougt mi e would regard it as a symbol of nowledge e once dreamed tat e ad been given a bowl of mi l wic e dran giv ng wat was eft to Umar b. alKab. On beng ased ow e interpreted it e said tat e saw it as nowledge35 Similarly wen e was taen on te Nigt Journey te angel brougt m a vessel contanng mi and aoter wine e dran te mil and te angel said to i "ou ave attained to te prmordial state [of innate spi rtua ity] may God bless your Comm un ity by you. 353 Tus wenever ml a ppears [in a vision it is an mage of nowledge ust as Gabriel presented iself to Mary i n te guise of a wemade man. Wen Mu �ammad said l men are asleep and wen tey die 9 Ibd XXX \ : 39. 350. bd 3 5 . Ibd XX I 1 3 52 abal 3 5. 353. Bkh, X2,.
T H E BEZES IS M
te l aae34 e meant tat eerytng a man sees n t lie s of te same nd as tat wic one sleeing sees; in oter words an aartion tat requires nterretation l becoming s an magnaton nd n trut also a reality o truly comreends t s, Has attaned te mysteries of te Way. us en mi was offered to im e said "God bless us by t and ie us increase of t bcause e saw t as an image of nowledge i ncrease n c e ad been commanded to see Wen sometng oter ta n mi was offered, e would say God bless us by it and feed us wt wat s better tan t 35 God terefore, does not cal anyone to account n te ereafter for wat e as bestowed n an ser to commanded request Wen, owever, God bestows some ting n answer to a request not commanded by m, it s ten for God to call tat servant to account or not, as e wses artculary oe and esecially concerning nowedge, tat e wil not call to account, since is command to is Proet to see an ncrease in nowledge ales equal ly to is Communty. God as said, You ave in te otle of God an eellent eemlar 35 6 and wat fner examle is tere for one wo learns of God tan tis folowing by Mu �a mmad of Gods command] ad we exounded te staton of Solomon comletely you woud ave encountered sometng awesome, for most of te learned of ts Order are gnoran t of te staton of Solomon, nor s te matter as tey cla m it to be
3 . I ha no bn abl to ta h adt on 3 Dad, XX\:2 1 36. ua X X X I I : 2 1
9
C P E R XV I I
THE WISDOM OF BEING IN THE WORD OF DAVID
I NROD UCORY NOE e roet David lie all e roets wo feaure n is wor was e secal and arclar uman conex for some arcuar asec of di vine Wsdom I n is case i was e ersonal aonmen to e offce of vicegeren, wc funcon s n a general sense sared oenay by all mannd Man for Islam n general and Sufsm n aricular is as as already been menoned in e Introducion, a once e save and e aointed reresenative of God a niqe microcosmc creaton wo reflecs in s maeu bo e creaedness of te Comos and e creatvity of God, being of bo, ye beng neier of em comleey Man as afa [vicegeren], must not fal in s divne stewad s o remember dir] aways n Wose Name acts and commands being always in danger of e sin of sefdefcation or e associaon of imsef [sir w God as a searate identy. As is clear from is caer e office of vcegeren is of wo nd one concerned w maers sirtua and dvine e o dicted o e ordering of e Cosmos, e oe er and un veal te te ouer and resriced o a articua religou eritag e irt d reae o at n ner Wsdom menoned i n e
H E BEZES F SM
tit and to ece own in t e di ne Onene o Being e econd i related to te re\·elation o Scrpture tat urge an to goern a nd order te ny and comple concern o t world wic te ind it ic Dad a peronay in\eted according to te rn [XXXI I I : not i ndi recty by ome uman a utorty a i gener te cae, but d irecty by God i mel. Te outer icegerency granted only to certain propet and apote or to teir ucceor weter by appoi ntment electon or pro\idence aprt rom te genera vicegeency impcit in all uan poer and actit. Te in ne oce i granted oten i n a more direct a to certain aint wo are appointed to be pecial tranmitte o pritual power and autorty Tere i no doubt tat or Ibn arab te i nner icegerency wa te geate oice and n view o on pecal ene o pirtual miion e probably conidered tt e i me enoyed ti privi lege e i quic to point out, oweer tat uc a peron woud alway outwardy conorm to and pa alegiance to te Taditon o te propet o apotle unde woe dipenaton e wa ving Daid owee i te only ndividual appointed by name to ti oice and tu e enrne in i ie and peron tat paticular idom o goernance w ic tel a mode o te revelation o te Spirt in man Te capter end wit yet anoter dicuion regarding t e tenon between te diine Wi, a expreed in te Saced Law and te exitential Wll a manieted by wat actually appen n te Como. T E WISDO M O BEI NG I N T E W O R D O D AV I D Know tat ince Popecy and Apotlep are a pecial diine aor tee i no queton o any aqution o mert] I mean particulary te legilatie Propecy. i ao to tem in t repect are pure git and not in any ene reward or wic any compenaton wil be aed o tem i betowal on tem being a matter o aor and election e ay And We gave to i Isaac and acob, 35 meaning to Abraam te Friend. O Job e ay And We bestowed
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on im is people and wit tem teir like. 3 5 8 O f Moses e says And We gave im from our Mery is broter Aaron a propet 35 and oter simi lar exampes Tey were nvested from te beginning, and n all or most of ter states by is name te Bestower e says of David We gave to David of Ourselves bounty 3 not lining it wit any notion of a re turn to be demanded of im, nor s tere any suggestion tat t was granted as a reward or recompense Wen God demands tans, e demands it of te peope nor does e omit to menton David, so tat te people migt tan i m for wat e as bestowed on Davd I n Davds case it s te granting of a favor and a boon wile i n te case of is people a return is required, as e said Give tanks people of David for so w of my servants are tankfu/.6 If te propets gave tans to God for s favor and gifts to tem it was not sometng requred of tem by God, but someting tat cam e voluntarily from temselves as wen te Aposte stood u nti is legs became swolen gv ng tans to God for forgiv ing im is early and ater sins. Wen someone spoe to m on te matter, e said "Sall I not be a grateful servant?3 God said of Noa ndeed e wa a grateful ervant6 al bet tat few of God's servants are so Te first favor granted by God to David was tat e gave im a name, not one of te letters of wic is a connectng etter, by wic e cut m off from te world and informed us about m by s name aone te letters being dl a/ and waw. e named Muammad on te oter and wit a name containing letters of connection and discon nection, by wic e oined im to i mself and separated m from te world so combining i n is name bot states e did te same for David, but inwardly, not in is name Tis is wat especiay distinguises Muammad above David I mean te informaton concerni ng i m by is name. I n is case t s complete in every respect, a s i n te na me Amad, wic is of God's wsdom3 Concerning s favor on David, e also mentions te turnin 38 bd XXX\ :3 3 9 bd XX 3 360 Ibd XXXI\10 361 Ibd XXXI\13 362 Cf bd X L\ 2 Bkhr XIX :6 363 bd X\ 3 36 he ame hammad a a dl whh ds ct t th l ollow t I h aa ah Ib a a gags a h ars s l· e mbolm
T H E B EZ ES SM
back of t e mouais ad teir eatao e ealed Gd becuse of is eataio so tat teir actio migt coform wi is Simlarl i e case of te birds God graed m power ad aributed it o m. e also graed im wisdom ad te fal say affars Fial e greatest faor ad deree by wic God sied im out was ta e atrbuted te vcegerecy specficly o im wic e dd o do for ay oter uma altou tere were reets amog em. e said Dvd v ppontd o vcgrnt n t rt so d btn n wit trt nd foow not cprc 65 meaig ayi oter ta y ispiratio ta comes to your md i exercisig our udgme Lst t cs o to rr from t pt of God, 66 a is e ay revealed to te apostles e e admoises m sayi or tos o str from God pt w b svr pnsmnt, bcs t forgottn t d of rckonng. e does ot say f you stray frm y way you w ll be severely puised Soud it b poied out tat te vicegerecy of dam was also spec fied we reply tat it was ot as specific as Davds s ce e sai d oly I gong o pt vcgrnt o n Er o I m gong to mk dm vcgrnt n t Ert.6 Eve f e ad said it t s ot te same as sayig W v md o vcgrnt 69 as i te case of Dad ile te latter statemet is uambiguous te former is ot sce o furer meo is made of dam i wat follows to e effect tat t is e wo s te vcegeret specified by God erefore cosider carefully wat God ells us of is servas. Si mi arly i te case of braam te Fred e says I m gong to k o dr mm ofmn0 ot a vcegeret. I t migt be te case f we ew tat leadersip ere meas aso vcegerecy It cao be te same owever because e does ot specifically call it vice gerecy furter specficatio of e vcegerec of Davd is tat it is a vicegerecy of udgmet wc comes oly from God we e said o dg bwn mn wt trt wereas dam's vicegere cy was probably ot of tis ra dams regecy mig ave bee based o te fac tat e ad succeeded woever was tere before . 0 I
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an d not because e was God's representative to i s creaton wi t te d v ne power of udgment over tem f ndeed e was, so be it but we are ere concerned only wit wat s clearly specified. God as in te Eart, representatives apponted by im and tey are te apostes. As for te vcegerency at te present time, t derives from te apostles and not from God [directly] since tey udge ony by wat te Apostle as laid down for tem and no more tan tat ere is ere owever a subtle pont wic only people e ourseves grasp tat concerns te derving of crteria for udgment [directy] from wat was lad down for te Apostle. e one wo derves s vicegerency from te Apostle arrves at s udgments from te raditon of te A postle or by is own effort, aso n spred by tat radition. Among us owever are tose wo derive t directly] from God wo are vicegerents apponted by God i n te same way and wose critera come to tem n te same way as to te Aposte msef Suc people appear to folow te Apostle ony because teir udgment in no way contradcts m as wll be te case wt esus wen e will come down and udge, or as in te case of te Propet in s saying Toe ae tey wo God a guided, o foow tei guidance 7 Suc a person is specal and worty in wat e re al zes concernng te form of derivaton bein g in te same positon as te Apostle wo confrmed te Law of te apostles wo preceded m us we folow m in s confrmaton of tem, not te law revealed to tose before m. us te derivaton of udgment as vcegerent from God s te same as n te case of te Apostle. Speaing esotercaly, we would say of suc a one tat e is te vicegerent of God and speai ng exotercally tat e s a vicegerent of te Apos te of God. e Apostle died witout appontng a successor because e new tat someone woud later on receve te vicegerency from s Lord and become a vcegerent apointed by God d recty] abeit in conformty wt te revealed Law erefore wen e new tat e dd not see to preudge te matter God as vicegerents among s creatues wo tae rom te store of te Apostle and apostles wat tey ave temselves taen and tey now te importance of te precedng aposte because an aposte is aways open to new reveaton e viceeet mself owever is not open n ts way as e would e wee e a apot. 372 Ibd \':
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H E B EZE S F I S 0
en e egiate e propound only uc knowedge and judgment a conform to wat te pote wa given u outwardy, e i a folower not an equa, like te oter apotle. Conde ow te Jew beieved in and confirmed Jeu o long a tey tout tat e ad bougt no moe tn Moe a i n te cae of te egency toda n elation to te pote Wen, oweve, e enarged on o abogated a judgment etabled by Moe, eu beng an apotle, tey could not toleate tat, ince e wa contadictng tei peconcep tion about im Te Jew wee ignorant of te trut of te matte and o demanded i execution te toy being told to u by God in mgty Book. Being an apotle, e wa open to new eveation, eite i mt ing an etabied judgment o addng to t, l mitation be ing ometng added, witout doubt Te vcegeency today not of ti kind, ince only ruing arved at by peronal judgment may be imited or added to, not te Law pomugated on te lp of Mu�am mad Sometime a egent mgt ay ometng tat appea to contra dict ome taditon on a udgment and it migt be imagi ned tat ti tem fom peonal judgment, wie it doe not n uc a cae, te leade in queton not nwardy ue about te apotolic tadition, otewie e would judge accodin g to t f, ndeed, it te ot of tadtion tat i tanmitted by one onet man fom anote, uc a one i not immu ne fom fancy or notional t anmiion. Suc ting appen today to a vceegent a tey will appen alo to Jeu. Fo wen e come again, e wl aboli many etablied u ling baed on peonal judgment, caifying teeby te trut revealed to Mu �ammad, and not eat n te cae of commun ity eade contadcting eac ote on a inge evelaton. We know, of coue, tat, wee a evelaton to be ent on te matte, t woud agee wit one of te conflictng opinon, and tat woud be te divine udgment on te matte, all ee being cooborative, f confirmed by te Reality, o tat ti Comm un ty migt be eieved of te and tat God judg ment mgt be pead tougout it fo te ayin g, " f alegiance paid to two calip, ten kl te econd, t applie only to te oute viceegency, wc wed te wod.373 n deed, even if te two cal p agee togeter, one of tem mut be executed T i not te cae wit te ptual vice geency, in wc no kil l ng i involved, uc action being applcabe i m, XXX
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only o te outer form. Tis matter of i lli ng in te ouer caliae wic aloug it does no enoy e saus of e inn er neverteless is representaive of e posle of God if it be us mus be i nsired by e imagined possibi ly of wo gods; there were n them god apart from God the would brng about orrupton, 374 even if ey agreed to geer. However we now a if for e sae of argumen tey dis agreed e ruling of one of tem would be carried ou so tat e woud be e god raer an te oer. From s one may deduce ta every ruling carried ino effec n te world oday is e decision of God since i is only Gods de cisions at ave any effec in realiy even if it seems to go agains e ouer esabised ruing called te Law. Tat is because every ng at appens in e Cosmos is according to te rul ing of te di vne Wll and no [necessary] in accordance wi te rulings of esablsed Law even toug i ts very esablismen derives from e di vine Wil. ts establsment was brougt about in a particular way te divine Wl being concerned wi its confirmaion by acualza ton) but not w guaraneeing is being acted on. Te autoriy of e dvne Wil is immense so ta b lib aMa375 called it e Trone o e Essence since for self i deermi nes e effecveness of e divine decision ndeed noting occurs or fais o ccur in exsence witou e divine W i l. Wen te dvi ne Command ap pears o be contradicted by wat is caled "dsobedience i is because i is an indirec [roug e medium of propets or angels] command and not te Exisential Command. In te contex of te command of te divine W ill no one can ever oppose God in a nying He does. Ta may appen ony in e case of e ndirec command so undersand In ru e Will is concerned only o creae e ac tsef and is no concerned wi te agen. Tus i would be absurd or i no to come into being In particular i nsances owever it may be seen as disobeying Gods command wile in oers it is regarded as conform ng o His command e liciing praise or bame a e case may be. If en e mater s as we ave said ten a ll creatures come eventualy o felicity of waever ind i may be. is is explined by e fac a e Mercy embraces a ings and taes precedence over His Wrat at wic precedes gong fir. Wen meng condiioned by e later encounters i te ormer ten tae ver 37 Quan XXI 3 7 Did 99 th h la
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TH E B EZE S F S M
d te ercy touces t sice o oter as precedece Tis te is te meai g o te syig tat is ercy precedes is rat, coditioig ll tat comes ito cotact wit it sice t stds at te eetual goal tord wic all are traeig. Comig to it s ievtable , so tat te attai met o ercy ad te separatio rom Wrat is so ieitble. Te ercy govers everytig tat ecouters it, accordi g as eac tigs state dictates oee uderstads is witess to wat we say, But e wo does ot is assal ed by axety Tere is augt bu wat we ave metioed so trust, d be o our ow state wit respect to it. at we ave experieced o it we ave reearsed to you, d you ave rom us wat we ave give you s or t e "sotei g o ro,37 6 it meas tat ardeed earts are soteed by admoismet ad warig, as iro is soteed by re " Diculty reers to earts arder ta stoe, stoe beig split ad calcied, ot soteed by ire e soteed te iro or im oly so tat e could wor protective armor rom t, as a sig rom God oter words, someti g may be protected agast oly by i tsel, so tat oe is protected rom spears, swords ad ives by armor. Tus i te dispesatio o Mu� ammad, i t is said "I see reuge rom You i You so uderstad.377 Tis te is te mystery o te soteig o iro, ad e is te veger, te Merciul te Giver o grace.
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C PT E R X V II I
THE WISDOM OF BREATH IN THE WORD OF ONAH
I NTRODUCTORY NOTE name of te propet Jona is i n te title of tis capter be cause te story of te rescue of Jona from te belly of te wale and t spar ng by God of te citzens of Ni nee elps to l lustrate te ma in teme of te capter, wic s te special nature of te uan state and te portance of preserng its ife at a ll costs. s mentond in te Introduction Isla, in eping wit te sprt of all maor relgious tradtions, sees te uan state as a specal one beng as it is icrocosmic wic is to say tat it refects bot cosic and dne realites part angel part animal. Sufs descrbed an as te "Istus [bzk] betwn God a nd te Cosmos tat essential l n between te Creator and i s cration tat a l portant ediu by wic God percs msl as anistd in t e Cosos and b y wi c t e Cosos rcognizs its souce in God but wic in solaton witout ts cosmic or spritua rrnc is noting but a n absurdty Tus te uan state t pitoe o wc t Prct an is at once exteely pecous and to b alud abo al otr tat of exstnc and also patetc and nonnical n tat outsd t context of te GodCosos polarity it nitr on tin nor t otr i ndd, t s noting at al . 0
THE BEZES F S0
he gol o l h umn ie is the relition o the erecti nd completeness implicit and potental in the human tate tht ech hu man birth presents yet nother precious opportunity r the ulilment o ones orinal potental to be on the one hand, the fithul representtie of cosmic servanthood nd, on the other, the erect transmi tter of spirtual domnn hus, n this chapter Ibn arab is concerned to sho how important t is, both or God and or man to presere each human lfe, as ar as is possbe and to destroy it nly hen human actions eectively cancel the privlege attendant n that state. s our author says one o the aims of ths human opportunty shoud be to become, as far as possible the perfect instrument or Gods Seawareness in the relected image that is the Cosmos he best wa of doing this, indeed the best o all human acts, s the re membrance [] of God, not ony by mentioning is Name wth ones tongue alone, but by imbu ng every member and codtion with that remembrance since God is with and remembers everything that remem bers im. Con versey, that human bein g who completey for gets God has forgotten hmself that is his humanty, as being also diine so that he forfeits that state and becomes the lowest of the low [XC:] dissipated and dispersed in the nfnite mutiplicity of the Cosmos, snce it is only by that di vine spar wit hin him that he may preserve his unty and ntegrity as man. In concusion bn alrab discusses the subect of death tself and the states of the ftere. e maintains that death far from be ing an endsince how can that whch is in truth, nothin g other than e come to an endis rather the dispersal of the various elements and aspects mai ng up this human synthesis and their reassi miation each to ts own ind hus, the persona identity ad consciousness becomes fuly once again , what t aways has been n reality namely is dentity whi le the various constituent parts o the physical body revert to ther origina cosmi c states bei ng themseves no more than aspects of s Form hus there ca n be no loss or obl vion n an y real sense, seeing that all is nothing other than e Who never des Following on from the subect of death, Ibn a rab points out that since the dvine Wrath is subordinate to the divine Mercy, the pu nishment o ell in the ereafter cannot be eternal or unm itigated, seeing that a are ulti mately and inexoraby on the Straight Path obedient to the di vne Will and returning nesca paby to their source in im Our salvation, therefore, ies ult matey n the na lienabe re 0
B AARAB
al ty of t e Oneness of Being ccording to several of t e Sufi mas ters even Satan msef ad only te best motves for disobeyng God's command to prostrate before dam, n tat, perceiving only te epemeral in man, e could not bring imself to associate wat e saw as contngent wt God. Tus it is in trut only our ilusory percepton and experience of oterness tat is our pain, deat, and damnation E W ISDO OF B RE I N E W O R D O F J O N K now tat tis uman creation n a ts spiritual, pysical, and psycc perfection, was created by God in is own image and tat none but e as carge of its dissoution weter by s and, wc s aways te case, or by s command Woever taes t on i mself witout Gods command wrongs i s own sou, transgresses te bounds of God, and sees te destruction of im wose proper functioning God as ordered. Indeed, solicitude in carng for Gods servants s better tan illng tem from an excessive] zeal for God Davd desired to bui ld te oly ouse and dd so several imes. owever, every time e fnsed it, it fell down in ruins Wen e compained of tat to God, God revealed to i m, " My ouse sa l not be rased by te and of one wo as spt blood David ten sad Lord, was it not done in Your cause? God said to im, Indeed, but are tey not My servants? Ten Davd sad Lord, let i ten be bui t by one wo is of me God ten reveaed to m tat s son Soomon would bui ld t378 Te moral ere concerns te proper mai ntenance of tis uman ceation and tat its raising up s better tan ts destructon. ave you no considered ow God as ordaned te pol tax and te truce for deang wt enem es of te Fait so tat e m gt spare tem e says, inclin o pac inclin o i orslvs and rs in od 7 ave you not also consdered ow in te case of etalaton e nured pary s encouraged to exact a ransom or o forgve, and ha only f e refuses tese may te man be iled Indd, wen ere are many nured paries, one of wom is ready t accep paym 3 . Cf I aml, ha 6 37 n \ .
08
TH E BEZES F SM
wl e te oters nsst on eecution it is te former rater tan e later wose decision is accepted tus averting te deat of te wrongdoer. lso te postle said of te owner of e ong "I f e ls im e is en no better tan e. 8 God says rcopns of on il is a il lik i 8 referring o reaiaton as a n evil acton even toug it is legal bu wor forgivs and dos good, is rward is wi God, because e is in H is i mage So woever forgves and does not ki l wil be rewarded by H im i n Wose i mage e is since He as most rig to im avng created im for tat [to be in His mage is s because God is manifest in te name te Outer only troug is eistence tat woever prserves i m preserves God an is not blameworty in mself but only because of te act tat proceeds from m. Tis act s not te same as is uman] sef a nd it is of tis tat we are speaking. Atoug tere is no act [in trut but Gods some are considered worty of blame wie oters are praised o pronounce blame for ones own purpose is tself bameworty n Gods sigt since ony tat wic te Law bames is truly blameworty. Te censure of te Law is a w isdom tat onl y God or one wo He as taugt k nows ust as H e as ordai ned retaliation n te nterests of preservng umanknd and as a deterrent to one wo would transgress Gods bounds n ralaon r s l for ou, ou wo ar nllign 8 Suc are te ones wo perceive te essence of tings and wo ave discovered te secrets o Gods laws en you ave realzed tat God as care o ts uman creaton and its rearing you yourself soud care for t all te more wic will bring yo u felcty Tat is because wile a man stil l as life e as te opportunty to acieve tat perfection or wic e was created so tat woever tries to destroy im s seeking to prevent is acevi ng tat or wic e was made How fine was te say ng of te Aposte o God Sa ll I tell you of someting muc better tan engaging te enemy attacking tem and being attacked by tem; it s te remembrance o God384 at is because ony e wo remembers God properly appreciates te true wort of tis u man creation for it is God Wo is te compan ion of one wo remembers H im and te companion is perceved by te one 3 3! 32 33 3
lm X\ 32 r X. Ib Ib I I 9 :as'l, XX\2
09
B N AARAB
wo remembers I te rememberer does not perceive God Wo is is companion ten e is not a true rememberer since te remem brance o God lows trougou every par o e [rue] servant Tis does no mean one wo invoes im wi is tongue only so at ony e ongue perceives i m wic is not te same as te percep tion o e wole man. You sould try to understand e mystery implici in te remembrance o tose at are realy orgetu Indeed at part o e orgetul man wic invoes God s undoubedly present wit God and te one remembered is its companion Te orgeul person [as a woe] owever is no remembering and e does not accompany one wo is eedless Man i s muliple and no singe o essence wie God is single o Essence bu muiple wit respec to te divine Names. So also is man o many parts and te remembering by one part does not im ply e remembering by any oer par o im God is wit tat part wic is remembering im te res being described as orgetul I is necessary at tere sould be some part o a man tat is remembering God and wi wic God is presen so a e res o im migt survive by i s care [or tat on e part] Te Reality does not as dea ave carge o e desruction o is creaion since i is no a matter o exti nction so m uc as one o severance God taes im to imsel And to Him does te wole matter return. 85 Wen Go d taes i m o imse e asions or im a composite body not te pysical body o a ind appropriate o te ream o wic e as been transerred wic is a o eernal lie by virtue o e equii brium tere. Tere e wil never die nor will is pars be separated again . As or te dwellers in e F ire tey wi l i ndeed evenual ly aain to elicity but in te Fire itse si nce ate r te period o punismen te Fire must needs become coo and sae wic is te r e icity e eliciy o ose n e Fire aer te ulillmen o certain rigs o punisment] is simiar to tat o Abraam wen e was own ino e ire. e was torured by e sig o i and by wat e ws ac cusomed to tin o it being que sure a i was somein at woud arm anying a came near it bein g ignoran o ods ur pose i n it or im owever ater al ese [mena] orures e o nd t cool and sae despite wat e saw o its color and orm. o e eple ere it appeared as ire sowing a one and e same hn 35. ra X 3 3 .
0
H E B EZES F IS
may apper di fferently to te vrous observers of it Suc te Self manfestation of God. Eter one may say tat God manfests imself lie tat or tat te Cosmos being looed at and into is ie God in is Selfmanifestation It s various in te eye of te beolder according to te maeup of tat beolder or it is tat te maeup of te beolder s arious because of te variety of te man ifestation l tis is possble wit respect to te dvine] realities If it were te case tat any dead or lled person dd not return to God wen e ded God would not bring about te deat of anyone or command is execution l is wti n is grasp so tat tere can never be any [ rea] loss e commands executon and decrees deat secure in te nowedge tat s servant can never escape m but returns to m as n is saying To H doe the whole atter revert, 386 meaning tat all dsposal rests wit im te Dsposer nor s tere anyting not of is Essence out side im. Indeed s Identity is e essence of eac ting wc is wat nspred te words To H doe the whole atter revert
386 id X: 2
CPER X IX
THE WSDOM OF THE UNSEEN N THE WORD OF OB
I NRODU CORY NOE e capter open wit an explanaton o te al lembracng nature o e Realiy. It i pointed ou ta God to be ou nd not only n wat "g "above and loy but ao in wat i tradiionaly oug o a proane "ow beow and "benea o a wv you un, is fc of God 11]. u atoug e blowing breat and radiating gt o te Spirit en liven it cannot do o witout te receptive marix o te "water o aure wc underlie and upport te livng tructure o e Como Trone . ltoug te Spirit i te par o e life of Reaity lowly and paive ature i correpondngly te primordia tu o at lfe witout wic no orma lie i poible I ndeed according to te logc o Ibn alrab teacing tere i notng in extence at not alve n ome way or anoter ince tat wic noting oter an e cannot be dead e ay later in te cter we Como and creature a epemera lowy being are n rea ity i orm wie e i troug i a llpervadng Sr our ideny o tat ere i nong a al o wc can be aid ruly a i not e Beore going on to conider te ligt of Job nd t eon or u Ibn arab briey touce on e queon of uiiiu nd
T H E B EZ ES F I SO
ha rmo a beee t he two reat urre f omi eato ad die reiertio, betwee Hi rah ad H ompao He uet that the queio may be reoved oy i he ieffabe ee of Bei tef, but o i our huma e, oiati a it doe bewee the impeatve of the dvie ih ad the etive impuio of the reaive i, ad whih overemphai o what odered ood ievitaby aue mbaae wth repet to what i oidered bad a be hat ei by he i of God. I d iui Job ph, our author uet that ue paee i ot impy the tubbor refua o voie a ompai, bu raher tha i i the i e ie refua o be tempted by the i uio that ay other but God i abe to bri reief of ufferi. I deed, uppiaio o God i for him, o a of impatee but rather a diatio of he eea reiproiy bewee himef a d God, God i hm ad he God Furhermore, ufferi i a et ad a m uu from God o awa Hi erva to he reaity of thi reatiohip o hat faiure o repod wih uppiaio i aamou o heedee of Hi Reaiy E I S D OM OF E U N S E EN N E ORD OF JOB K ow ha h e eret o f fe permeae waer, whh i ief the or of he eeme ad he fou r uppor. hu di d God mae of t vy lvng tng 387 here i ohi , i deed tha o i vi, u a here i othi ha doe o i God' praie, eve if we do ot uderad i praie, exep by divie dioure. Oy he i v a offer praie herefore everyh i iv i ad everyhi ha i ori waer. Have you o oidered the hroe, how i ret o the waer ad deri ve fom i foa o he waer, whh uppor i from beeath he ame way, afer God had reated ma a a erva, he beame arroa ad apired to be above Him. pie of th God upport th erva ofe from beeah, iora a he of hmef auded to i h [h Prophet] ayi, "Eve if you et dow a rope wi fa u po God388 hi how ha God may be 37 XXI30 3. mdh \
13
B N A ARAB
thought of as below as a lso above i n s saying T t od bov tm 89 a nd is sayn g, H ovcoms Hs svnts 9 Al l be low and above beong to im. hus, the six directons are manfest only through man, who is in the i mage of he Me rciful here is no source of susenance bu t God. e said concerning a group of people t d onl bdd b t To nd t Gospl gong on to be less defnie and more general saying nd wt ws vld to tm fom t od, wh ich i ncludes al l udgments revealed through the aposes and inspired ones. e wen on o say t would v tn fom bov tm, referring to the sustenance from above attributed o i m, nd fom blow tt, 39 1 which is the sus tenance from beow that e atribues to imself on the lips of is postle, wh o transmts s word by s auhority. Were the hrone not on the water s exstence could not be maintained, snce the iving can be ep n being ony by fe Con sider how when someone ivng des a norma death the various parts of hs composition brea down an d hs powers a re exinguished God said to Job g wt ou foot, fo ts s wsng plc, 39 2 i n other words coo water, because of the extreme hea of h s pain whch God soothed with the coolness of the water hus, it is for medicine to lessen that which has ncreased and to increase that whch has grown less in order to ach eve an equi brum tha however can be achieved ony approx matey. We say approxmatey because evdence of the real ies i nd cates that the act of creaton, which occurs wth the breaths eternaly constues an mbaance in Nature hat might be caled a devation or ateration. Simi lary, n God there is a desire tha is an inclination toward the parcuar obect of desire to the excuson of any other. armony and equilibrum are everywhere sough bu never [truy] ach ieved We are thus denied the rue of equ ilib rum In the divine nowedge brought by the prophets, God s de scribed as pleased, angry, and by other atrbutes ow easure causes anger o cease, whi le anger brings leasure an end u ili rium might be said to be the mutua balance of easure nd anr owever one who s pleased with someone else s not aso nry 3 X\150 390 d. \ : 3 9 bd, \66 92 d. XXX\1142
4
THE BEZES O S \
wth im being thouht o s e r the thr, hh dts preferene It s the same the other rund. e int ths fr the benefit of anone o might thi tht te epe the re s ffer Gods rath eternally and neer enjoy Hs pleas re wh h hows the aldt of hat e hae sad If on the other had, a we have also sd, the dweller i the Fre wle remaing n the Fre, are eentua ll relieed of ter tortures then tat is leasure. ow wrath omes to an end wit the allevton of ther pain, snce the realty underyng pan s te same as the realty of anger, the a ngry one being a sufferer who is ony tryng to avenge mself on te objet of hs anger b hurtng im so tat e migt ga in rel ief by passin the sufferng he expere nes on to te objet of h s anger. hen one onsiders te Reality n Hs transcendence from the Cosmos, ten He is far removed from suh notions thus limited by hu man experene]. I f however the Real ity is te Identity of the Cosmos, then all determnatons are manfest from m and in im, as n is sayng, Te wole mtter revert to Him,9 in realty nd through spiritual dslosure, and Worip Him nd trut in Him, 94 from te standpont of veiled conscousness Indeed there is naught n te ream of possbility more wonderfu tan tis Cosmos wic s i n the image of te Meriful and wh God reated n order that is beng mgt beome manfest troug ts appearance. Liewise man became manfest troug te oming into being of te form of ature e are is outer form, wile Identity is te direting spirit of that form at diretion an be only n im and of im for e is the Frst, essentially, and te Last formaly. e is te Outer with respet to the hanging of determination and states, te I n ner with respect to dreting, and He knows everting 95 e is aware of everything and nows by direct perception, not by any dedutve thought proess just as spiritual awareness is not aheved by thougt Suh is true nowng all ese being guesswor and conje ture, and not nowledge in its true sense. Job therefore was given tat water to drin to reeve te anguis of s trst wi stemmed from te fatigue and d istress with wi Satan ad afflcted him In other words, he was too far re 393 Ibd X 2 3 39 Ibd 39 Ibd \' 0
15
IB AARAB
moved rom te realties to see tem as tey are te percepton o wic woud ave put im i nto a siuaion of proximy. Everying perceved is close o e eye even f i be pysically remoe for e sig maes conac wi by perception or else does no perceve it at all. Eiter ta or te obec self maes contact wi e si g Tere is erefore a cerain proximiy beween e perception and te perceived. Job owever atribued s aflicion o Satan al toug it was close o im saying Ta wic is far from me is cose o me by reason of s power wn me You now of course ta disance and proximy are relative notions avng no exisence in emseves despie te r quie defini e effecs on at wic is dis tan and near Know a ere is a mysery of God i n Job wom e as made a esson for us and recorded as a sory a is Communy of Mu am mad reads a i m ig earn wa i s i n it and become en nobled by conac wit is subect Job3 God commends Job for s patience in spte of s supplicaion m o remove te urt from i m. Now e supplicaion of a servan n no way detracts from is paience or s being a good servan as e says urel he wa reen n6 meaning a e urned bac o God and no to causes. l toug e Realty wors troug a cause and aloug te causes conribuing o e cessation of e ur may be many e Causer s sngle. Te resoring of e servan o e One Wo aleviaes e urt by causes s beter an aving resort o some paricular cause a mig no be in accord w God's nowedge concerning e ur e mg say God does no answer me wile e as no caled on i m aving merely resorted o a paricular cause a is not ordai ned for a period or momen. Job being a prope acted according o e wisdom of God nowng as e did a paience wic mos men regard as e resrai ning of te soul from complaint is no i med as we aso now o a bu s raer e resraining of e soul from compaint o wa is oer tan God no o God imsef Mos peope are msed n eir view a e one wo compains deracts from is acce ance of desiny ereby Ta is not e case snce i is not one's accepance of desny ta s mpared by compain to God or any oter so muc as one's accepance of e tng predesined Wa w ae been old owever does not concern te accepance o wt is de . bd. XXX\'1
TH E B EZLS F S
ned i nce the hurt itelf i that which i redetin ed nd nt detin itself ow Job knew that hat was mlct in the retrinin of the sou from complaint to God tha e might releve the afflctin w a resstance to dine compulsion [Such retance reveal an ino rance i n the person when God tests h m a to the rea l nature f what is afictng the sou so that he refrains from calin on God to end his pai n. n the vew of one who s trul aware one ouht to humle oneself and beg God to raise such a thing from one since for the n spired one that aleviation is an a leviation aso for God. God has ndeed described imself n terms of hurt when sas tos o would ut God nd H Apotl.9 What geater hurt is there for im than that e should tr ou with some afiction or station unknown to ou so that ou might beg im to releve it hen ou are heedess of im t is better that ou approach im with the sense of indigence which is our true conditon since b ou asking m to relieve ou the Reait msef is relieved ou beng i s outer form A certain gnostic was hungr and wept because of it at which someone who had no insight into such matters upbraided him to whch he repied "e made me hun gr on that might weep. e mean s that God tred hm with an affliction on so that he migh t ask m to relieve t which n no wa detracts from hs patience which is the restraining of the soul from complaint to what is other than God B other than God is meant some particular aspect of God snce e has specified a particular aspect the aspect of dentit b which ou should call on im to relieve our di stress and not b oth er aspects that are cal led "causes. The atter are noth ing other than e as constitutng the [principle of creatve particularization n imself n askng the dentit of God [God msef to lift the af fliction from h m, the gnotic is well awae that al l caues are i n im n particular wa. Th s wa of knowing ma be the privi ege of onl the dscreet among God's servants those worth to be entrusted with the mter ies of God for e has trust servants whom on e knows and who know each other. Thus we have counseled ou; so act and ask of m ma e be exated.
37 d XXXI I 7
1
C APTER XX
THE WISDOM OF MAESTY IN THE WORD OF OHN
NTRODUCTORY NOTE The name for Joh n n Arabic Ya�, provides b n aArab wih ye a noher opporuny o fi nd mysca sgni ficance i n he consrucion of words The Arabc name Ya� means as an ordinary mper fec ndicave verb form "he lives Wha he means s ha he faher in his case Zaariah ives on essenia lly in he son John or by exension ha each prophe lives on n he prophe who succeeds h m. n he case of aariah and John he physica and he spirual l nes of descen are combined. Tha is because as h e sees i he son represens so o spea the embodied essence or seed of his faher in whch embodimen boh his seed and his name are connued from one generaion o he nex and hus remembered As we have seen in discussing he various modal iies of he Spiri [Chap. 1 ] seedes sence ideaidentity and wordname are closey elaed conces al bei represening he spiriual reaiy a d ifferen leves of exisence Thus he physical deposiion of he seed in he waer of he mher to produce he son s also a concree symbo in he Sufi conex of he spiriual impaning of he divine Name no he woldly mind of he aspran by way of nia ng him no a new fe of he pii in order o perpeuae he invocaion [memory] of s ame [s 18
F sence or of t e nspiraton of Reelton into te irgin mi nd of te propet to produce new comm unty of fait nd rememrance ing te argument furter we come to e noion tt te son eter spritul or psica l is essentia lly identcl wit te fater t is tis noton tt underl ies te ditncton bn l Arab mes beteen Jon and Jesus since te relationip of te former to te Spirit i s indirect troug is fater, wle tt of te ltter is direct te spiritul seed ving been deposited wtout te intermedi ry of te uman male. For m , tis dsti ncton, wic e bses on ords from te ran [XX and XX: illustrates te difference between te lernng [lm] based fait of te believer nd te gnossbased eperience of dentty of te saintgnostc n te qur anc erses quoted, Jo n s blessed by God, in te tird person, wile Jesus as a toen of dentty, calls down te blessing on imself, after bearing witness to te i nnocence of s moter Mary, as being sym boi of te total receptivity of Nature to te act of te Sprt T E WS DOM OF M ESTY N T E W O RD O F J O N Ts i s te wisdom of precedence wit respect to names, since God names m Ya�y [on], wic is to say tat te memory of Za aria ies [ya�y) on troug im And We dd not nme nyone be fore m wt tt nme. 398 e combi ned i n mself bot te attribute of Propecy] nerent in al tose tat ave passed on, but wose memory lves on in a son and te distnction of being named n tat way. e named im Jon [Yay] a nd s faters] name l ives on l ie true nowledge, fo dam's memory lived on troug Set, Noa's troug Sem, and i ewise wt oer propets owever, God ad never, before on, combi ned a sefexplanatory name wit te attri bute except from conern fo Zaaria wen e said Gve me from Youre n er. 399 ere e plaes God before is son, ust as siya mentions te negbor [God] before te "ouse, sayng, my Lord, bu ldfor me] wt You dwellng n Prde. 400 9. 1'an XX7 99 Ibid XI X 00 bd X\ 1 yah t he na me adtnall ven h e w e haah
9
B N A L'ARAB
So God honored hm by fulfillng his need and named him by s attribute so that h s name became a remnder of what is proph et Zaarah had ased of im since he had stressed the cont nua nce of the remembrance of God in hs offspring, a son being the secret esence of his father wo wll nert from me nd from te people ofob40 being none other than the inheritance of the state of God's remembrance and supplication to m. Then e tels him of the wellbeing bestowed on him the day he was born, the day he would die and the day he woud be brought forth livng ere e uses the word "l ife, which is [the meaning of hs name and informs Zaariah of His bestowal of welbeing on his son Gods speech is true and concusve. If the [reveali ng Spirit had said Wellbeng be upon me te d I ws brn te d I wll de nd te d I m brougt fort lvng 402 t would better have expressed the [state of identity t is however, bet ter in that t combnes the noton of dentity and beef, which s less susceptbe to misinterpretation What was unusua and remarable in the case of Jesus was hs ablity to spea [in the cradle snce n maing him articuate God made hs nteligence perfect and effec tve. It does not fol low that everyone thus enabled to spea s sincere n what he says except one who s attested l e John. The divine wel lbeng bestowed on John is less susceptible to ambiguty wth respect to the divne concern for him than that of Jesus whch he pronounced on himself even though the stuaton indicates his proxmity to God and sinceriy in the matter since, in speaing i n the cradle, he was seeng ony to prove the nnocence of his mother Other evdence of thi s is the d riedup trun of the palm tree that dropped fresh fruit without being fertiized by the mae, ust as Mary bore Jesus wthout he normal sexual unon with a mae.43 Were some prophet to say that his sign and miracle wa that a certai n wa l should spea and were that wa to say that he was a a and that he was not the apostle of God, the sign by itelf woud be vaid and woud confirm hs apostesh no attenton being aid to what the wa ll actualy sad Si nce then such a possb liy [of msunderstandin s im icit in the speaing by Jesus n his cradle, when reerred to by hs moher 4 I X IX :6. 4 I. XIX:33. he ws ss i h ( 03 I. XIX 3
0
t di i n llbin bstod on Jon is lss biuous i n ti s r spct uc idnc tt is t srnt of God is ncssry bcus of tos tt ssrt tt is t son of God t spin in t crdl bin sufficint in itslf Tos o ssrt tt s propt lso rrd i s t srnt of God. Tr il l r in crtin possibilitis of isu ndrstndi n u ntil, in t futur is rcity it rspct to ll uttrd in t crdl ill bco clr so r li t toucd on r.
22 1
C PTER XXI
HE WISDOM OF DOMINION IN HE WORD OF ZAKARIAH
I NTRODUCTORY N OTE he ma i n theme o f ths chapter s the relaionshp beween the creative Mercy and the obects of its creatvity in genera and wth the d vine Name s in parcu lar The eternal essences of all possible created bei ngs contain ng essential ly as they do al the possible mu ltiplicity and complexity of cosmic state and experience yearn wth he yearning of God to become nowable as ex sting obects of he Sefconsciousness of the dv ne Subect s has aready been shown the response to hs yearning ths metacosmc labor is the relevng exhalaio n of the B reath of the M ercful whi ch releases the possblites i nherent n he laen essences into he nfi nte dispay of cosmc exstence. The fi rst thing that must ha ppen is or he Breah itsef to come into being afer whch the very prnciple of obectiviy must be established which Ibn arab calls thngness [saia] hus bringing abou the polarity Subectobect both un iersaly as d Cosmos and particularly as Lorderant. It s hi later obectivi ton o the thng as sevant as beng o th umot i mortanc fo any relatonshp between latent esence and exstential becoming that probaby prompts Ibn arab to ay a ltle later n he cha
T H E B EZES F IS01
er ha he god reaed i n eie is he firs reiie o h ey whih onep is ery losely relaed ha o rsrv f Chap . I ma seem srnge a firs h In arab shu f he diine ames as hings uni i is realied ha evryhin ha hs anhi ng o do wih he reaive a whih apears iu a oe ouside h e divine Essene a s someh i oher is heere iself inoed in oherness and herefore also in hingnes ow he iine ames as has already been menioned are preisey variou faes of he pri niple ha deermi nes he naure and qualiy of he relaionship wheher individuall as ordservan or universaly as GodCosmos They herefore sha re in he hi ngness of all exisenia faors. owever alhough various and many in exisene hey al name he One a med us as all essenes are essenialy is Essence he ineviable reurn o whch is he as of ha oher obigai ng "in haling ercy whh sees o resolve hingness in Ideniy and Uniqueness [f Chap Finaly ha Breah of divne relief wihou whih here wuld be no Cosmos o experiene is he d ireing Mi sress of all beoming harboring eernally he Mercy of reinegraion wihin erself. T E W I S D OM O F D O M I N IO N I N T E W O R D O F Z K R I K now ha he Mercy o f God encompasses everyhi ng exisen iall and in prini ple and ha he Wrah [of God exiss only y vir ue of God's ercy on i. is Mercy has preedene over is W rah whih is o say ha Mery is aribued o im before Wrah. Sine every laen essene has an exisene ha i ses from God is mery mus embrace every essene for he Mercy by whih e is Merifu l aeps he desire of he essene for exisene and s o reaes i. We herefore say ha is ery encompasses everyhin g exisen ially and in priniple. The divine Names are "h ings and sem from one essene. The firs obe of God's alenompassing Mercy is he hi ngness of ha essence which reaes he Mery hrough he Mery There 0. ein oe o h e di i ne �e
223
BN AARAB
fore te first obect of te Mercys encomassing is itself ten te ti ngness referred to and ten te tngness of every created beng to infinty weter of tis world or te next accidental or substan tial comlex or sm le witout any consideraton of urose or suit abty since te Dvine Mercy embraces existentially te suitable and u nsutable ai e As we ave mentoned n Te Meccan Revelatons only tat wc s nonexstent exerts infuence and not tat wc s exstent.45 f te latter seems to exert an nfuence i t i s only by t e autority of tat wc s nonexstent Tis nowledge is strange and te question ere consdered] s rarely discussed. Only men of imagnaton may understand it troug te sritua sensitvty tey ossess wle tose devoid of i magination are far from suc an u nderstand ing. Te Mercy of God flows in [al] created beings and courses troug te selves and essences Te ran of Mercy s te etome to tose wo erceive directly] Subime to tose of dscursive m inds Everytng designated by te Mercy is fortunate tere is ow ever notng tat is not so designated. n desgnating ti ngs te Mer cy creates tem every created ting being te obect of Mercy friend do not be distracted from grasing wat we are saying by wat you observe of afflicted eole or wat you may believe regard ing te torments of te ereafter wic eternally afflict te condemned. K now tat Mercy is nerent i n al creat ng so tat by te mercy bestowed on ain an was created [brougt into exstence] Mer cy s effectve n two ways: frst its effect by essence wc is te bringng nto existence of every created essence witout regard to urose or lac of it suitabilty or oterwise avng regard oy to te essence of every created ting as t is before beng brou ito existence ndeed t beolds it n ts atent state so tat t sees "te god created in beief as one of many atent otentalites on wc t bestows mercy by bringing it into exstence We tereore sy after te Mercy tself te god created in belef is te f rst reci nt 405
u 275276.
4
H BEZELS S
o erc ic s to d i t t e creatin f al ce Sc ond ts eect is] b etition sne te eled ne in teir , God to ae merc on tm we t truly nird ne a tt Gods erc reman it tem ey as t in Gos nm, yn God a\e mercy on us4 altu it is only t remainn o te erc t tem tat is e mercy upon tem e ercy as determi nng poer, wic rea ly belons ony to te realt conceived of as being inerent in a situaton, so tat t is in realit e erciful one te agent] snce God as mercy on His intended serants only by te Mercy. Wen it comes on tem, tey eperience its control in an mmediate way. e wom te Mercy re members, t as mercy upon e ctive Participle s bot r�im and rahm.
e determn ng power itself cannot be tougt of as a creation, s nce it is someti ng te [spiritua l] concepts of Name and attribute] require esentially ndeed te states (of te Names and attributes) cannot be sad to be existent or nonexistent n oter words tey are simpl relatonsps aving no true existence. Nor can tey be regarded as nonexistent wt respect to te determ in in g power seeng tat tat n wic nowledge resides is called a nower, wc is a state. us a nower is an essential reality attributed wit nowl edge t s not tat essence itself, nor te nowledge itself, tere beng in trut only nowledge and tat essence in wic te nowledge re sides Beng a nower is a state of tat essence brougt about by its being attri buted wit tis concept [of nowledge]. is attributon of nowledge appens to it so tat it is called a nower. us Mercy is in reality, an attribution of te Merciful tat necessitates contro being ndeed tat wic s mercful e Wo causes it to exist n te recipient of Mercy does not bring it nto existence to ave mercy on te recipient by t, but on y to ave mercy by it on tat wic resdes wtin t. God is not a locus for penomena, nor yet a ocus for te brnging of mercy into existence. e is te Merciful and te Mercifu is ony suc by te resdng of Mercy wtin it us s it confrmed tat e is te very Mercy tself ere are tose wit no insigt or attanment n ts matter wo dare not say eiter tat e s te Mercy tself or tat e is te at tribute tself but say tat e is not te realty essence of te a ttr 06 C an, XXII:0
5
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bute or of anyt ng ele ince i n tei r view te attribute of God are not He nor yet oter tan He Tat i becaue tey can neiter deny tem nor mae tem te ame a H imef. Tey terefore tu rn to ti expreon wc i quite a good one altoug ome oter would ave been cloer to te mar and le ambiguou to te effect tat te attribute ave no eential realty oter tan tat of Hm to Wom tey are attrbuted Tey are merey relationip and acription re atng te One to Wom tey are acribed wt ter nteligible e ence Atoug te Mercy i univera t in relation to eac Divine Na me di fferent o tat God i begged for Mercy by every one of H Name. Tu it i t e Mercy of God a in te word M Mer0 wc i alencompaing and it ra mification are a many a te di v ne Name temelve. It i not u nveral [but partcuar] in relation to a partcul ar dvne Name a one migt ay Lord ave mercy on me Suc i te cae alo wt oter divine Name o tat even in te cae of te Name te Avenger one eeing revenge migt ay Avenging One ave mercy on me. Tat becaue te Name are referring to te Eence tat i named wle referring in ter particuar] real ite to te variou idea tey bear Tu tey may al l be appealed to for Mercy i n tat tey a ll refer to te Eence named by eac Name and none oter but not n te ene by wc it i df ferent and dit nct from oter Name I ndeed n a ene] it i not ditinct from te oter nce for te uppliant it i a reference to te Eence ditnct from te oter only by it own eence te connotation given it by uage repreenting a reality ditinct in itelf from any oter even toug al of tem are ued to denote one named ence Tere i no doubt tat eac Name a an autority of it own to be conidered ut a conideration gven to te fact tat it refer ao to te named Eence In ti connection Ablim b. i40 8 aid tat eery Name depte it uniquene named by all te oter Name o tat wen one gve a Name preference one i qualifyng t by all te Name owever many tey a re or ow varou tei r realtie Mercy may be acquired in two way by obigation a n H ay ing I wll ordn t for tose wo re Godrng nd give ls4 togt 407 C. bd. \56 408 C abv 88 40 ra \ 1 56
6
r t t ntlctul nd prctcl qults H ttrbuts to tm or by dn rc c s unl ny umn] cton s n Hs syn My Mercy encmpasses everything so tt He might frgive yu yr earier and ater sins, nd "Do t you ll orn you. o lrn!
410. Ibd 4 1 1 . I b . X VIII:2. 42. Hanbal 492.
227
CHPTER XX
THE WISDOM OF INTIMACY IN THE WORD OF EIAS
NTRODCTORY NOTE bn rb i ntrodces s i n tis cpter to prticlrly i n teresting icrocosic spect o te ndent porty tt fetres so c in is tog t te se ie ining te tre nre o gnoss. Reed o e sprn poriy o odCosos trnscendenceinence is e corresponding n polrty o nrl desireintelec bo eeents o wic re cpbe o experiencing prt of te trt bo te Relity b not e syneic tr o e Oneness of Beng. Lter in te cpter e ses e word wh ncy delson] in pce o hhwh desire lst] wi le for he ntel ect e ses te sin gle word ql. nce ey pertn owever to te n ste neier spect o n experience s iself dvi ne b erey reflecs nd serves to nies sprn relte i eeping w te nre of tt ste Ts log te icrococ ode nd refection o te divine piri n is Wis or rei egrtin in e Essence te inelec cnno properly copreend eiter th ntre o its vil copl en nor e Onenes of whic t is cion b only rnscendenl nd inngbe veries ilry vtl desire or e rge o nsnctve experene loh it relects nd nifests te rgen i perve of e di vine Wl in nie ecng cnno coprehend eter te pricle o its entl coli 8
T HE B EZ ELS F SM
et or e ee wic bo re reoe but oy te cualiie of tural lfe Sice oweer te cree Mercy o e i i e ill ecopae e oblgatig ercy of te ii i e ua ieect a Ib alrab ay i rarey free of the ifluece of atural facy t i preciey e ua epreio of ta pri oral illusio of otere a uliplicity witou wich tere ou be o al eiece s te case of traceece a iaece Ib alArab poi out tat oerephai o te clai of eier atural esire or e eect resuls i te possbty of oly parial gosi wic i it perfeco is otig oer a i eiae kowlege a eperiece of te allsytesig Oeess of Beig o be a true go ic erefore i is o eoug as i e case of Elias o cocerate ecusiely o e itellect purge of ial urges a susceptibilities bu to eperiece also as fuly as possbe e ariculae u rge of ai al lfe eoi of toug a precept wic is afer all o g o er e i ie i fe of His or. Iee for ay rue rea iatio of e ful l poeia of e icrocosc stae e two aspecs of ua ex periece us work ogeter uual y te atural ife beg spre a coae by te ielect te tellect beig tepere a coitoe by life seeig te presece of te Realiy i bo as re flectig Hi Life i Spiri a Spirit i Life. or ose i wo oe aspect preoiates oer e oer te preoiag aspec act as a ei coealig te realties of te oter tus preetig ay true sio of te Rea ity owar te e of te capter e returs to e great ystica paraox pii te ocrie of te Oeess of Beig. He eo sraes i by sayig tat it is possble for a cause to be te efect of i ow effect a otio a logic o e usua ki fis ificul to say te east s paraox s ilustate by is otio of te latet es seces sice e creaure wo is cause to exist by te Creaor as e laet essetial cotet of Gos kowege tat wic causes Hi to becoe Go. H E WSDO O N ACY N E W O R D O EL A S Elias s te sae as s wo was a pope befoe Noa wo Go a raise to a ig rak He resies at te eart of te see 229
N A'ARA
cea bde wic i te u He wa et t te etteet f Baalbek. w Baal i e ae f a id ad Bek wa te ruler f a place e idl Baa be g pecia t it ruer Ela w wa dr ad a i wic e aw Mut Leba wic fr lubn eai g a eed pitg pe reea a fiery re wit trappg f fire. e e aw i e uted i t ad fet al ut fal away fr i . u b becae a iellec wiu ay u retai g ik w e trii g f te [lwer] ul . i Gd wa tracedet ta e ad alf te gi f Gd at becaue e i teect by itelf abrbg kwedge i t w way kw ly accrdg t te tracedetal ad tig f te aetal . y w Gd acquai t wt H Selfafetati tat it kwledge f Gd bece cplete eeg Hi a tracede w e apprprate ad a iaet we apprprate ad perceiig te dffui f Gd atura ad eleetal fr. deed e ee te Eece f e Reaity t be teir eece i i cpee gi wic te Law et dw fr Gd brg al facie beig deter ed by t gi r ti rea facie ae greater pwer ua akeup ta te tellect ice te elget a weer ature tellect eer free f facy ad iagat wat e decde deed facy i e greatet aurity i i wle ua fr rug t tere ce te reealed decree at ce cparg ad akg Hi tracedet By facy tey like Hi akig Hi tracedet ad by te telect tey ake Hi tracedet lkeig H i Eac i [extrcably] bud up w t te ter t at tracedece cat be uaffected by like g r ice era. He ay Tr s notng lk unto Hm 3 were He ake tracedet ad like. He ay al H s t Hrng, t ng u likeg Hief. Atug te frer ere i te greatet expre i f tracedece te wrd like w ta t i uaffected [i prci pe] by likei g. Hweer He kw Hielf bet ad ti te way He a expreed Hi elf. He ay furter t ord t Lord of mgt, b ltd bond wt t dsrb 5 at i ty decribe H y accrdig a ter teect dctate. He terfr put Hef beyd teir tece Hi tracedce bcu X L : I 4 4 id 1 d. XXX\170.
30
T H E EZELS F IS M
c i ece [i fct] i t H by reao f te aecy of e teec to grp c tig. e te revee ecree bri wat te fce etere Iee Go ever witot a tribte i c He fet a Scrptre atte a revea It i ccorace at at e peope act, Go avig betw o e H o Sefafeto a ey are aace to e aote a a eritace ey peak a Go' apote peak God knos bes ere o plce Hs essge 4 6 e wor God knos bes a be ee eiter of wo way. irt a precatve of e eger of Go a eco a bjecve o were o pace H i eage eac way revea g a parc ar] rt It i for t reao at e peak of ikee raceece a raceece i ikee Oce i eabie we et ow te coverg a raw te vei oer te ee of e kepic a te ogatit eve tog bot are for i ic Go aife Hief. e ae oere o raw e ei oer at te ipariy aog for regarg er reaie to receve te Sefafetao] ig becoe cear, a o ow tat He o afe Hef i a for oe o oy accorig to te egree of recepivty of a for, o a wat i aribe to Hi [by at for] i oy c a i reaity a ieret qaitie ctate Sc e cae wt oeoe wo a a vio of Go i eep a accept i a beig Go Hef wtot reervaio I ti cae te reate a iere qate of e for wc He afe eep pertai o e eeper. After eep wat wa ee we eepig gt be expree i ter of oeg oer wc w cope te i eect o recogze Go' traceece [beyo at for] If e oe wo terpre i a a of g a fat e it ee o eceariy be ie favor of race ece ce c a a ca accor wat wa e i e are of traceece a of ta wic He wa afet ce te a e Go reaity, b a [verba expreo for oe wo era wat I a takg abot Te piit a eece of i wio tat everytg ay be ivie ito at wic affec a ta wic affece, bot of wc are eote by cerai expreio. a wic affect i ev ery way every iace a i every iaio Go, wie at wc i affece i every way, ace a tao i te Coo e wat we ave poke of coe o yo te attac everyt g 16 Ibd \:1
3
N A-'ARA
to ts appropriae origi, for tat wic coes o yo is eviable a always erives fro soe origi j st as te vie Love sprigs fro e sperogatory acs perfore by His serva. is is a af fec tat occrs bewee at wic affects a a wic is affecte jst as Go is te earig, sig, a powers of te servat by vire of is Love is is a affect at is cofire te Di vie Law a caot be isisse, i f oe is a believer Oe of goo ieligece will eier be aware of a ivi e Selfaifestatio i te aral orer so tat e grasps wat we are sayig or, as a si a a believer, will siply believe i becase it appears i te �� 17 ere ca be o obtig e power of facy to prevail over e i ellecal eqirer o wat Go as brogt i tis sayig, sce e is a believer. As for oe w o is o a believer, e tries o overcoe facy w it facy, iagiig, i is raioal way, ta e as ivese Go wi wa ta Sefaifestaio accore to i i wa e saw tat case, kow to i, te facy will ever leave i, beig igorat of iself Cocerig tis Go says, Cll upon M nd wll nswr you, 8 a, Wn My srvnts sk concrnng M, tn m nr to r spond to t cll of t supplnt wn clls upon M 9 for He oes o aswer less tere be oe to call o Hi, eve og e essece of te spplia a of Hi Wo aswers i s te sae. ere is o real cofict iplic i e variey of fors ey are i fact wofol All tese fors are like te libs of Zai is qte cear at Zai is a sigle persoal realiy, a ta is a oes ot look like is foo, ea, eye, or eyebrow. oter wors e is lti ple a sigle, i ple i for a sigle i essece jst as a is, wio obt, oe i is essece We o ot obt at A r s ot Za or Ki or afar, or a e varios ival pars of tis oe essece are ifii te i existece. s Go, alog Oe i His Essece, is ltiple i fors a iivial parts f yo are a bel iever, yo will kow ta Go wi l aifes Hi sef o e Day of Resrrecio, i itally i a recogiable for, te i a for acceptable [to oriary belief], a fally back ito a for reaily recogie by beief], He aloe bei g rogot], Sefaifestig oe i evry for, alog it s obvios ta o for is o te sae as aoter. c cin raditi 1. X60. 9 bid 6
3
T H E B EZE LS F I S 0�
I is as if e sinle Essence were a mrror, so h wen e b server sees i n i e form of is beief abou God, e recognes and confirms i, bu f e sould see in i e docrnal formulaon of someone of anoer creed, e wi l reec i as if e were seei n n e mirror s form a nd en a of anoer e mi rrr s snle, wile e forms reeals] a re varous i n e eye of e observer one of e forms are n e mi rror woy, a loug he mi rror as an effec on e forms n one way, and no in anoer. For n sance, may mae e form loo smaler arger, aller, or broader hus as an effec on e r proporons, wic is aribuable o i, aloug suc canges occur ony d ue o e dfferen proporons of e m rrors emselves Loo en n o us one mirro, wiou considering mi rrors n general, for i is e same as your beoldi ng im] as being one Essence abe a e s beyond all need of e worlds s bei ng e divne Names, on e oer and, e is le mrros in e plura] I n wc divn e Na me ave you beeld yourself or wo is e one wo beolds? I s only e reali y of e Name a is manifes in e beolder us i is, f you w l bu u ndersand Do no disress yoursef nor fear for God oves courage, even if i be i n l in g a snae, wic snae is noing oer han yoursef. ow, o a snae, a snae is a snae in form and realiy nor s anying ied by isef. Even if e uman form is corrupible pysicaly, is [essenial] caacer will manain i, nor will e imaginaion dese . If is is ow ings are, en i s e guaranee, sreng and defense of e essences of ings] a nd wa seng is sronge an is? You magne, by fancy, a you ave i l led [yoursef], aloug e essenal] om suvives in e ineec and e fancy, according o is [orgina] definiion. Evidence of is is is sayng, You did not shoot •hn ou shot, but it ws God Who shot 420 e eye [of e observer] per ceved only e form of u�ammad, wc o e pysca sig cearly appeared o soo s is e form o wic God firsly denies e ac of soong, wic e en goes on o confrm in e ac, fi naly reaffi rmng a was God Wo so n e fom of Mu�am mad I n is maer, fa is very necessary, so consder is effecive ness in a God was sen down in a Muammadan fom. I s God msef o as relaed is o is serva s, no us, bu e imself ow is word is rue and o believe i is oblgaoy, weer one · bd. \1
33
N A L'ARA
grasps te sigificace of wat He as sai or ot, weter oe be a eare a or just a beievg usl A cato of te weakess of itellectual speculatio is te otio tat a cause caot be also] te effect of tat to wic it s a cause Suc is te juget of te itel lect wle i te sciece of ve Selfreveatio t is kow tat a cause ay be te effect of tat for wc t is a cause e juget of te itellect is sou provie tat te specuatio is cear a toroug. e ost tat te teectua wi l at to o tis atter, we e sees tat it cotraicts speculative eviece, i s tat te essece after it is establise tat t is oe i te ay as a cause, i soe for or oter, of a effect, caot be a effect to ts effect, so tat tat effect soul becoe its cause, wle t is stil a cause but tat its eteriatio becoes cage by ts trasforatio i fors so tat it ay tus becoe a effect to its ow effect, wic gt te becoe ts cause is te is as far as e wil go, we e perceves tat te atter oes ot agree wit is ratioal specu latio f suc s te case i te atter of causaity, wat scope ca itellectua specuatio ave oter ore fficult questos ere ave bee oe ore iteliget ta te apostles, Gos blessi gs be o te a wat tey brougt [to us] erve fro te vie ajesty ey iee cofire wat te itellect cofirs, but ae ore tat te i tellect is ot capable of graspig, t gs te itelect ecares to be absur except i te case of oe wo as a a ieate experiece of ivie aifestatio afterwars, left to isef, e is cofuse as to wat e as see. f e is a servat of is Lor, e refers is itelligece to Hi but if e s a servat of reaso, e reuces Go to its yarstick s appes oly so log as e s tis worly state, beg veile fro is oterworlly state tis wor e gostcs appear i tis wor as if tey were worlly fors, by reaso of its [apparet effect o te, but Go as tras fore te iwarly ito teir oterworly state, witout oubt. Veie i teir fors, tey reai ukow excet to oe wose ier sigt Go as ucovere to perceive [spiritua reaity or ay ayoe kow Go H s Sef afestatio except e b is oterworlly for. He as alreay bee gatere i [for te Hour tis worl, a is brougt fort i te grave, for e ca se a witess wat you caot, as eviece of Go's carg fr crta of His servats 34
TH E BEZES F I S0
ever e t cer t f r c G etabe tce te let k tat r a prpet befre a a a te rae up a et aga a a]. u G gae t . He let ece fr te real f tellect t tat f lut utl e bece a pure aa eperecg at every beat experece apart fr te to v on41 [a a j e e l k tat e a reale aalty Suc a e ay be recge by t g e frt t revelat tat e ee t be pue a reare te grave a ee te ea a a lv g te ub peakg a te ttg alkg. e ec g ube tat eve f e ate t peak f at e ee e cat . t t tat ake reale [t te full aalty. e ce a a cple a uc a experece but e t rea ub a t fully reae aaty e G etable e t tat reale y aalty t te ful a tg a ate t expre at a but cu t beg fferet fr te cat peak. e e a reale al t e ll be trafre t pure teect bereft f atura atter e e ll ee t g tat are at te urce f at afet atural fr a ll k a eate ay te rg f t [ve rege te fr f ature f e cver tat Nature te ae a te Breat f te ercfu te e a receve a great far. f ever e reale re ta at e ave ete uc g ll be eug t ct telect He l l te be e f te gtc a ll k expeetay [te trut f H ayg] You dd not k tm, but God kd tm, 4 2 ce t a y te a te trker kle te a He be tee fr All all te k l g a te tg appee u te gtc ee t g prc ple a fr beg c plete [ kg. f at t tat e ee te Beat f te ercful] e perfect a ell a cplete [ kg He ee ly G a beg tat c e ee percevg te eer t be te ae a te ee eug a G te gver f grace te Gu e.
41 bid \ 3 1 . bid., \ 1 7
35
C APER
THE WISDOM OF VIRTUE IN THE WORD OF U<N
NRODCORY NOE oter way Ib alArab a s of tryig to expai t e utuali ty a terepeece of te cocepts Go a Cosos is to escrbe te relatiosip alietary ters oo is tat wic is tak e to oes boy to be isseiate a assilate for te sustaig of life t te begg of tis capter e says tat we as creatures are foo for H a tat e s foo for us. I Hi vity as "Go [Ah He ees te susteace of our worsip slavery a cotgecy, wi e we our servatoo a creatu reiess ee te susteace of Hs sufficiecy reality a power. I Hi s essece a s te Sup ree etty [huwyyah He ees t e ouriset of our latet essetiality w le we our latecy ee te ouris et of Hs Coscousess Later te capter e akes clear te essetial i fferece be twee s ow view of te ature of ti gs a tat of sare te ology. Wile e agrees wit ter cocluso tat te Cosos i of oe substace e isagrees wit te otio ecessary to eoteric teology tat tat substace is ult atey a essetal y ter ta or separate fro te real ty of Go He coclues te capter wit yet aot cusio o te rlatio of ultipe parts to te Sigle sece tat eac art is 3
H BZLS F VISv
ote ta te ssece ic is, tr, te te ietity [ealty of eac part. H I SDO O I R I N H ORD O L N So te eity wis fo Hiself ssteace, e te wole of eistece s foo for Hi. So te eity wi s ssteace for s, e He ay be foo for s, as He wses Hs ill s His is, so say, Of t tat He as wille t, so it is wat is wi lle. He wises icease a He wses ecrease, But wat He wlls is agt bt wat s wlle. ere is tis fferece betwee te, so realie, tog fro aoter iew tey are essetia ly te sae Go as sai We brougt Luqmn te Wsdom, 43 a wosoeer s brogt te iso is grate a great boo Lq terefore was te possessor of a great boo, accorig to te ra a Go's ow witess Now iso ay be epresse [i wors or ay be epresse, as we Lq sai to is so, my son, consder ts tny mutrd eed, wc God would brng fort were t to be [dden n rock eter n even or ert. 4 is is a epresse wiso a e ly ta te brgig fort is Gos oig, wic is cofire by Go i His Book, te sayig ot beg attribte to te oe wo ttere it s for te epresse wiso, t s kow by te circstata l iicatos, te oe for wo te see s brogt fort ot beg etoe, s ce e i ot say to s so, Go will brig t fort for yo or for soeoe else He ae te brigig fort geeral a stae wat was brogt fort i te eaes or te eart to raw te atetio of e earer to His sayig, He s God n te evens nd te ert 5 By wat was epresse a wat was epresse, Lq realie tat Go is te essece of eerytg kow te kow beg a ore geeral ter ta te tig beig as efi e as possible. e e copletes te wiso a ffls t, so tat 2 XXX2. . bid XXX I ; bd
237
A'ARA
i ea ig ay be perfeced by sayi g urely, God Graou 426 is aso o f His grace ad ki dess tat He is t e essece of t e ti g owever aed or defied so tat it is referred o by is ae oly by coll usio ad usage. us oe speaks of te eave te eart te rock e tree e a ia te agel susteace or food te Essece of everyti g ad i everytig bei g Oe e Asaries ai tai tat e Cosos is substatially oo geeous beig oe substace wic is te sae as our sayg tat e ssece is oe.42 ey go o o say a its accidets are differ et wic is e sae as our sayig tat it is various ad utiple i is fors ad aribuios so a is pars] ig be distiguised oe fro aoter] Oe says of tis tat it is ot tat weter i or accideta ature or akeup Oe ay also say tat is is e sae as tat wit respect to subsace so tat te sae substace is ipici i defi i g every for ad akeup We say a i is oti g oer a God wie e Asaries cosider at wat is called a subsace eve if i is a realiy is o e Reaiy wic is wa is eat by tose wo u derstad d ivie reveatio ad aifestatio is e is e wisdo of His beig Gracious. e e Luq describes Hi as beig xperieced wic eas k owig by experiece as i His sayig We wll urely tet you untl We know, 28 idicatig kowledge by iediate exper ece God despite His kowledge of tigs as tey are speaks ere of Hi self as gai i g kowedge ad we caot dey wat God as stipuated of Hiself Here God is distiguisig betwee kowledge acquired by direct sesory] experiece ad absolue k owledge direct experiece beig resriced o te faculies He as said of Hisef tat He is te very powers of is servat i His sayig I a is earig wic i s oe o f e ervats faculies a s aso is sigt ad is togue foot ad ad wic are is ebers.42 It is o erely e facuties a are i voved bu also e li bs wic togeter cosiute te servat. us te essece of ta wc i caled serva is God wic is o o say a e serva iel i [e sae as te aster at is because te attribuios of e es sece are differeiated wic is ot rue of a o wic ey reer. 2 27 2 29
bid XXXI:6 f. . fs Te Poopy o t K l lar\'rd, 1 9i6 c h a . 2 n X I I I : 3 . hl LXXX3H
38
H E BEZELS S
I fact tere s tig but Hs Essece all attrbutis fr He is te Oe Essece ewe wt relatsips ascrpts, a attr butes It is f te Ws f Luq structig is s tat e use te tw aes Gcious t Expic430 t escrbe G is ws wul ae bee re perfect a e use te wr s t ete its beg i existence. G relates Luqs sayg tia, i te sese tat e eat tat tig ca a crease t Hi His sayng Go t Gcious t Expic s Gs w sayg, s ce G kew f Luq i eterity] tat e wul ave cplete te Ws a e uttee t i a re cplete way s fr His sayg, Ev it b t wigt of must s 43 1 t ccers te e wse f t s beg te sae as te spek e te H s sayi g Wov os a spck wight ofgood will s it o os spck wigt ofvil wil s it lso. 32 at w ees it] is te salest feee a te usta see s e sales e f f. Were tere aytig salle He wu ave bugt tat frt as H is sayi g Go is ot sy ofcoiig similitu b it gt big otig mo so 433 Beause H e kws a tee s tig saller ta a gat He says t big otig mo so eag ay salle s as als te verse te Capte f te Eatquake c cerg te spek], s te speec f G s u esa We kw at G wul t ave resticte H sel t te wegt f a speck a tere bee aytig sale but wul ave use t f yperble but G kws bes s fr s use f te ii utve f te w s, t is a u tive f ercy seeg tat e cusels cceig tgs a wil brg fecity, pvie e acts te A s f te ws f is cusel pribig i f ssocitig ytig wit Go fo suc octio is tibl wog 434 s a e ive bec f tis wrg wic e pyeist escbes as iv ie s but Oe Essece He s fact assciatg wt H wat s g ter an His Essece wic s te egt f grace e reas f s is ta ne w as spirtual] isg t igs as ey ae f te 30 3 1 . 32. 33. .
ran, XXX 16 bd bid XCI X8 Ibid 26. bid XXXI 3.
239
N A'ARA
rue reay of soeti ng wen it s fors appear varous i n te on e Es sence an oes no realie at tis variety occurs one Essece associaes one for wit te oter in tat state of oneess] a apportios to eac for a part of it Now concerning a associate it s well kown at tat wic isti nguses it fro tat wit wic it is associate is ot te sae as tat wit w ic t is associate since te latter s [s ilarly] istiguise [i soe way ere is ten o associae i n real ity since eac of te as soetig of its ow fro wc it is sa tat an assocation exists between te e reaso [for suc a assertion] is general assocation However if it is truly general en te i epenet activity of any paricular part a nnuls at general iy ay Call upon God or all upon te Merul. 45 is s te sprit of e atter
4 3 5 Ib, X\ 0
0
CH PTER XX
THE WISDOM OF LEADERSHIP IN THE WORD OF AARON
N TRODCTORY NOTE he creaive Mercy i oce aga a ubjec for icuio here b arab ay ha aro Prophehoo erive fro he ivie ercy which he goe o o lik wh he oher of boh Moe a aro ce oherhoo ore repreeaive of he creaive Mercy ha i faherhoo whch repree raher he ore wrahful obgaig ercy Earlier i he work he relae he cocep of oherhoo o Naure a faherhoo o he Spiri Thu he ifi e ercy of coc becoig all uxuriaig ul ipliciy a copexy of for i hough of i aeral a feiie er he very wor amah Mercy beig cloey reae o he wor aim wob whle he aboue Mercy of piriual reiegraio i all rigorou iplciy of prcpe i hough of i paera a acuie er oly aural however wihi he coex of a pariarcha raio he ale oae he feae he Spiri rule over aure a he Reaiy a Go ake preceece over h Realy a Coo he ex ai opc of hi chaper ha of ubjecio of he Coo o a a o Go a of he aial i a o he pr a fer poig ou ha i ar cao be ubjec o each oher ha a a a a hua beg cao be ubec o aoher a 41
N AARA
a ua, e ge t ditigui betwee ubjecti by fce f wi l ad ubecti by cicutace u, a a evat i ubject t te w il l f i Ld, wi le a a beig part f te C i cir cu tatially ubect t Gd. Sii larly, a i te cae f uteace ad cauality, tat wic ubject ay al be aid, i a cetai ee, t ubject t ubjecter u Gd, i Hi ceative ad gver i g le, i, t peak, epibe ad teefre ubject t te eed ad depedece f H ceat, ut a, i Hi kwedge f Hielf wete a Eece a C He i ubject t wat te latet e ece gi ve H t kw f Hi ef Nw we ce t wat i perap e f b aAab t daig ad pfud ccept, tat f divie pai [hw] i wd uually ued t dete blid pai, ipue wi, ifat uati ad dere f a t eartly kid Lki g re clely weve, at te vaiu eaig f te Aabic t, e eaie w ubtle a ccept we ae ee peeted wit. Ag te eai g f te t hw ae t fall eadg t die, t be wde ad deep, wid, ai, t blw pace, ad aby. e wle ee, terefre, f te wd, a iteded ee i tat f ptaeuly fallig paiately lve ulig eelf, like a uig gut f wid, it te deep epti e f te aby i experiece i ay b a lAab, uive al ad eceay t te wle t f wip, ice witut ti deperate urge by te we t tegate it part ad by te part t ege wit te wle tee wuld be lve wp affa t, e cu at f wic i te Oee f Beig b a lArab t ccept i udubtedly related t i ccept f divie Lve [�h] wc itelf ate way f decib ig te Beat f te ecifu, wic act repe t te divie e yeaig f Selfcciue ad tu pduce te ead lg utgig, bwig adati f te Spiit i uge dei e [hw] t fr ad elive te alecepive aby f te ati f al becig te wd te paate vewip tat pel a t affir te real ad etea i i bect f wi p tig but a eflect f te divie deie f te peet Reality kw tef a Object ad, avig kw telf, t ve telf t e pt f ecuati ice te wper, w eetially ti g te ta He, i ly wpig wat al t ta He b aAab cud t ave pced a e utable wd, cbig a it de te bt te ti f actv ctet ad ta f eceptive ctaie ce evey bject f lve wi i, a 4
TH E BEZELS F SM
sese a ass atg byss a eery worper or oer s a "eaog faler weter t be te Breat of e e Mercy releasg te tresure of ts esseces to te abyss of cosc esece or te u wors per pourg ou s ear o s ey Ib a lArab brgs ts capter to a e by statg soeg ery portat bo for s ow poso wt Isa a for te tegrty of y ystca trato at s at eery rue goc wle wry aware of te u restrcte uersa ty of trut as epresse so ofte ts work a of te o presece of te Realty a g eereless cofors ouwarly o e ocra for uatos a rtual practces of tat relgous spesato to wc s esty as ae subect by te t e a pace of s brt a l fe I oter wors s goss f t s true reeals to ot oly te ufferetate woleess of te Oeess of Beg fuaetal to l l beg a eperece of beg but also tat stcto ffereao teso a oteress are a escapable aspect of tat woleess wc at certa eels requ res ter ue recog to a coforty H E W I S DO O L EA DE RS H I P I N H E W O R D O A AR ON Kow tat t e estece of Aaro ere fro t e real of te e Mercy accorg o Hs sayg We bestowed on m eag Moses of ou me s bote Aon popet 6 Hs Prope oo ere fro e real of te e Mercy sce wle e was greater ta Moses age Moses was greaer a Propetoo It was because Aaro's Propetoo ere fro e e ercy tat Moses sa to s broter on of m mote aressg by referece o s oter a o s fater sce ercy pertas to te oer ore ta te fater a s ore profuse ts effect. But for ts ercy s e wou o ae e paece to per seere te rearg of er cre. e Aaro sa Do not eze me b m bed no m nd do not gve m enemes oon to glot ove me 8 l of ts s a breat 6. an XX. . bid. XX:. bid, \
43
B N AL'ARAB
ercy te reas beig tat ses a lke careully eug a e ables e a cas fr is as. Ha e e s e wu ae fu i e guiace a ercy a ey wu ae ae cear w e affair a agere a ccurre a a Aar was ce f e ercy was is brter sice e see i by e bear i iew f is peple because f is aace age a because Aar was er ta e Aars plea was a ac f kess t is brter sce is Prpet erie fr te ie ercy a y suc [csierae beair was be expece fr i. h e Aar sa ses Ifr lst you sould us m of dvd ing t ildrn of Isrl 39 hat is say ha yu igt ake e te cause f eir iis whic was i fact he wrsip f te calf Se f hse w wrspe it i s i eulai f aSir while hers hel back fr a s a hey ight csult ses the atter his retur. Aar feare a ses wul atribue teir i si i ses weer kew re f e ater ta Aar kwg wat i was ha the fllwers f te calf were reay wrspg beg aware ha G has raie ta e igt be wrsipe sae H i a e a at wat G ras sure y happes. His rebuke t is brer was because f his pusie rejeci f te affair as as his ack f aequacy t e ccasi] he gsc s te e wh sees G eerythig ee sees H as the essece f eerythig. us it was ses wh was eachg Aar alhugh he was yuger ta hs b rther. herefre we Aar sai ha hi he ure alSir a sai And wt v you to sy, mr?0 regarig s aci i akg e fr f a calf fr a eey te Del fasie fr he reasu res f the pepe hus seaig her hears fr the sake f heir weah esus sai the Chilre f Israel Chlre f Israel eery a's hear s where his wealh is. Le therefre yur wealth be i heae s ha yur ears ay be there as44 He ly ca ls the weal ml because it is sehg hat by ts ery a ture icles tumlu hears t s wrshi p beg by far he esre bec by reas f he heart's ee fr . Frs weer t eure a e fr f he caf wul uubely hae sap 39 Ibd XXH HO Ibd. XX9
H h \ 2 1
4
THE BEZELS SM
pea re a ot oses bee so u ic k to bur it . s great ea l e bure it a cast te ases of ta t for it t e sea. e e sai o aSir ook now pon or god 44 callig it a go to reifrce is structio kowig well tat it was a aspect of i ie aifestatio. He sai I will sl b it4 Hua aiality eercises a certai i fl uece o tat of te a i al by virtue of te fact tat Go as subecte it to a a ot least because is true] origi is ot aial e calf owever was ee ore subect sice wat s i a ate as o will of its ow a is at a's sposal wtout ay resistace o its part f a aial as te power to offer resistace t becoes obstiate agaist wat a wats fro it f t as o suc power or i f te as wis appes to coicie wit tat of te aia it ay te be le subissiel to coply wit is wis. Siilarly, e ike suc a aial ay be persuae to obey soe coa regarig tat by wic Go as raise i above te aials for te sake of soe gai e opes for fro is coplia ce. Suc gai i s soeties cale wages as i His sayig H as raisd so of o svral dgrs abov otrs 444 so tat so igt sbjct otrs 44 A a is subect to aoter oly i is ai ality ot i is uaity sice two si lars are utually exclusie. e superior a igt subect aoter by status troug wealt or reputatio tat is to say by is ua ity but te oter is subect to i weter troug fear or gree oly by is aiality a ot by is uaity. Oe siiar is ot subect to aoter i wc respect oe as oly to cosier te utua coflict aog aials by reaso of ter siilarity siilars beig utually excusie. is is wy He sai And H as aisd so of o abov otrs in dgr 446 te oe above ot beig as te oe below i egree. is sows tat subectio is a atter of egree. Subectio is of two kis te first beig te subecto of te wl to i wo subects by overpowerig te wil of] te subecte oe. i s s like te subectio of te slave by s aster eve if tey be alike i teir uaity or ike te subectio by te ruler of s subects us eve if te y are is equals i teir uaity e sub Qrn XX. + bd I a- ab has msqtd h ds he. h s hd ad e / ry brn t + bd \1 3. + Ibd X II 3. 6 Ibd. \' 32
5
AARA
ject te by egee Te eco i d i ubjectio b y cicutace, a wit te ubectio of a people to te ig wo oer teir affair, efeig te potectig te, figtig teir eeie, a pre ervig tei popety ad peo te cae of ti ubectio by crcutace te ubject [i a way] ubject teir ruer. Popely peaig, it i aled ubectio by ra wic ra gover i. oe ig tive fo teir ow ed wie ote reale te trut of te atter ad ow tat by a tey ae [i evitably] i ubjec tio to tei ow ubject becaue tey recogie teir powe a rigt [to tei evice] God eward uc a oe a He ewad toe wo ow tig a tey eay are Te recopee of uc a peo i icubet o God a beig ivolved i te affair of Hi evat. deed, te wole Coo ubject, by circutace, Oe Wo ca ot popey be caled ubjected, a He a ai, Evey day He buy h ome mae 44' Aao lac of effective power to retrai te folower of te caf by gaiig atey ove it, a oe did i a wio fro God ade aifet i te ceated wo, o tat He igt be woripe i evey fo deed, eve if tat fo diappea tereafte, it oe o oy afte it a bee fo it woriper, clote i ivity, o tat evey id of tig i [at oe tie] woipe a divie o doiat, a d evey itelliget peo ca ealie tat ti ut be te cae Notig i te Coo i woiped owever, except it a ue fo te woipe a certai ubi ity a eoy a cetai egree i i eat Tu God i caed Te Loy n degee, 448 a ot lofty i degee, ice He a ade ay egee i Oe Eece Tu ao He a odaied tat oe but He oul be woripe i ay diffeet degee, ad tat eac degee ould becoe a cotext for tat divie elfaifetatio i wic He i woriped Te geatet ad ot ubie of tee i paio, a He ay, Do you no conde m o ha ae h ao a a god9 t i, iee, te greatet object of woip ice otig ca be woripe witout t or can it be woiped witout Hi Eece. Cocerig ti ay By te trut of paio, urely paio beget paio Ad but fo paio i te eart it wou ot be woripe Ibid, L\ 9 48 Ibd, X L 5 9. Ibd, X L\3
246
HE BEZELS S
D yu n t cnsier w perfect an cplete s G's nwlege f ti ngs an w H e accplses His wll in te case f ne w wrsps s passn an aes f it a g He says God h cued h o e knowly 4 0 errr beng cnfusn us He sees tat te wrsper wrsips nly is passin because e is riven t bey its urge t wrsp watever e wrsips nee even s wr sip f G is tivate by passin since a e n passn fr te v ine Hiness wc is te wil l t lve e wul nt wrsip G r prefer H t anter e sae s te ase wit everyne w wrsip se sic fr an apts it as a g sne it s nly by passin tat e an regar it in tis way Every wrsper is uner te rule f passn. en te wrsper begins t see tat amng tse w wr sp te bets f wrsp are varus an tat te wrsiper f se partcuar bjet f wrsp auses tse w wrsip anyting else f n fety us tse w ave a ny awareness bee cnfuse because f te unversaity f ts passn inee te neness f passin being te sae n every wrsper God cued hm o e tat s He nfuse m oly n tat every wrsiper serves ny s passn by w alne e is ve t wrsp weter it nfrms t e are Law r nt e perfect gnsti is ne w regars every bet f wrs p as a anifestatin f G in wc He s wrsipe ey a a g altug ts prper nae igt be sne w anma man star r angel A tug tat igt be ts partcular name vinty presents a eve [f reality tat auses te wrsper t magne tat s s bet f wrsip n reality tis eve s te efmanfesan f G t te nsiusness f te wrsper f e be in tis pariuar me f anfestatn Because f s eran pepe gn ranty sa We ohp hem only h ey m u o God but callng tem gs wen ey sa Wod h ma he od no one God, uel h amazn ey were n reetng Hi but swe teir aaement beng te a ntn f muiple frs an te attributin f vni ty t te en te apsle ame an su ne te t ne G W al tug regne was nt 50 5 5 453
d d d XXXX d XXX\ 5
27
BN ALARAB
afire by te aving sown tat tey confire Hi an be ieve in H by teir wors We worsp tem only tt tey my brng us nerer to God, 454 knowing tat tose fors were of stone us te arguent was brougt against te wt His saying o, nme tem55 ey owever nae te only in suc a way as to suggest tat ter naes possesse a reality A or te gnostics wo know t ings as tey realy are tey ispay an attitue of reecton towar te worsip of fors because te r egree of knowlege akes te aware tat tey are by te autorty of te apostle i n wo tey beleve an troug wo tey are cale beievers subject to te rue of tie us espite teir awareness t at te poyteists o not worsip te fors teselves but only Go in te by te o nance of te vne Selfanifes taton ey scern in te ey are neverteless servants of [ter] ie. e reecter wo as no knowlege of ow He an fess H sef s copeely unaware of tis since te true gnostic es al tis ro te propet te apostle an eir eirs nstea e orers te polyteists o sun suc fors wenever te aposte of te te oes so. is tey o aerng to te aposle an seeki ng e love of Go as He says y: you love God ten follow me nd God wll love you 456 He is suonng o a go wo is eternaly resorte to universaly known but not seen gt cnnot rec Hm 457 bu He reces ll sgt, 458 by vrtue of Hs subtey an pereaion in e essence of ings e eyes canno see H jus as tey cannot see e spirs at govern teir sapes an outer fors He s te ubtle, te Epe renced 459 experience being ieae asing wc is His Seanfesaton at is n te fors. Bot ey an He are necessary jus as one wo sees H t oug is passion ust worsip H if only you woul copreen an to Go oes e pa ea
6 7 8 9
Ibid XXX IX: 3 Ibid XII 33 Ibid I31 Ibid \03 bd Ibid
48
CH APER XX
TH WISDOM OF EMINNC IN TH WORD OF MOSS
NRODCORY NOE is is a ery copex capter tat eals wi ay subects Certai i porta ees oweer esere special ote e firs of ese is te relaiosip ealt wi rougou e caper bewee oses a Parao e seco is e equally ierestig relaiosip bewee oses a alKir. Las e eals agai wit arious aspecs of e iie esire o create e Cosos i a oee of loe te ecessiy of cosic epeerality for e woeess of e Reaiy a e spiriual perplexiy experiece by e gosic wo ries to grasp te paraox of i i e poarity i Oeess I te ra Parao is te arceype of u beliei g arroga u ust a selfeifyi g a e supree exaple of te a wo kowig e rut of ie Uity i is eart eliberaely sup presses tat trut i orer to arrogae to iself te rigts a powers tat are propery Gos. He tus represets te uti ae abuse of te iceregal fucio of a by seekig to rule i s ow ae a to igore te Law of Heae is arrogace is sue up two wors i te ra kufr a ul, te first eaig te ei berae igorig or coceaet of rut for oes ow es te seco beig ta arbitrary oppressio a iustice wic is te allark of eery tyrat. I sort Parao is te eboiet or persoificatio 249
BN AARAB
o aked power witout pcple Correspodigly oses i te siuaio described i te ra repesets uma commitmet ad coformiy to divi e Law but witout te persoal powe to eforce i. us wie oses as spiritual ak ad autorty Parao as acual rak ad autoty i ts world llustratig oce more te paradoxcal tesio betwee te divie s as symbozed by o ses ad te divie ill as symbolized by Parao oter words Ib aAab s suggestg tat despite te apparet godessess of Paao, te actua ity of is power ca be otg ote ta a par ticula eazatio i te uma cotext of power as a fuctio of te dive l to create, te mplcatio beg ta iwady Pa ao kows te di vie trut but peforce fufis s cosmic fuctio accodace wit is ow pedsposto in divini, eve toug tat fuctio appeas etirely reprees ble fom te viewpoi t of te d vie is as expouded by oses us, te dia logue betwee oses ad Parao wc o te suface appears to be a smple cofro ato betwee rigt ad wog good ad evi l is i fact a act i te drama eteral ly beig played betwee te poar pricples of te cre atve l ad te sptual is of God. e wad rea ty of Paraos fait is reaffirmed at te poit of is deat. te case of te relatosip betwee oses ad a wc s te ame traditioaly assged to te uamed perso wom oses meets i te ra we ave ate a lustratio of te pere a tesio betwee te Saced Law epreseted by oses ad expessi g te di vie is ad te mystic or esoteric kowledge of te gosis tat perceives ot oly te ecessty fo ad valdity of tat Law but also te iescapable valdty ad ecessity of tose as pects of cosm c becmi g tat elude te Law, as a lso te sytesis of bot i te Oeess of Beig. oses as expoet of te revealed ord as Law fails to uderstad, o seems to eter te scope ad reevace of te dv e ll or te fudametal Oeess i w c te coflict Spritword is esoved A li o te oter ad wie peceivig tis fai lue o oses pat everteess respects is iritual a k as a propet, recogizg also te i evtabi y of apparet bias as beig ecessay to te tesio betwee ole of te divie Reality oter words tere are certai tg revealed by goi iwadly wic te propet ad aposte as te cae o Noa (Cap ) caot take accout of outwardy as epreetaive o e sprtua pole beig committed by is fucto to te rejecti of ev
250
T H E B EZE LS F S
erig beit acuaie by te i i t oe t cfr o e iie Wis. s as bee eioe before Ib a ra e ugg oee of creaio as beig ipelle by oe [�b i e i e oe yearig o r esire o kow iself o loe H a uli aely o uie wi Hi sef i e cosuao o Real iy s as ao bee eioe is loig oe owar Slf kolege by creag His cosic refleco plies iescapable ecessi of wa is calle e epeeral as a esseia eleet i e aaiet of a Selfrecogiio as beg a ecessary cosic forulao as objec of wa He is Hiself laey a es seia. is polariy of o e oe a e Cosos eseialy iplici i Goea a o te oer Go spru a ly ipic i coic fors wi al e seeigly irrecoclable esios a co flics iere i suc a polariy presets te ua iellec wi a rrible lea a ca be resolve oly by e greaes realia io of al l wic s o acqui re isig ito a experiece of te Oeess of Beig wareess of a polar utuaiy of GoCosos WisWill SpiriNaure rows e aspirat ito a stae of oerwelig perplexy �] i wc e ca oy row to i self leg go of a paral ceraities a si kig i to te ocea of ie realities us ai i laig iself oy o subsist i Hi . or suc a oe ere i s o we a He o ualiy or tesio bu oy we i Hi i us i I i a ieffable experece of Oeess. H E W SD O O E N E NC E N HE WORD O OSES e wiso of te saugter of te a le cil e because of Mo ses was a e life of eac boy kille becaue of i ig rever o i as sregt sce eac oe was kile as beig (poetialy) oses ere was o gorace te aer sice e life o eac boy kie because of i a o reer to Moses eac life beig pure a oce usullie by selfis ais a i e sae o e n deed460 oses was tus a fusio of eac life take s sea a 60 ran \' I : 1 72, ha th mda ta al t th Ral
5
B N AARAB
everytig prepare for eac c accorg to ts sprtual receptv ity [te rese i oses or oses, ts was a speca ive favor ot bestowe o ayoe before i e so of oses s afol a, f Go w ls, we wi cue ts capter as uc of t as te iv ie coa ctates to y Iee, tis s te frst te ave spoke of suc atters ro s b rt oses was a aaga of ay spirits a actve powers, te youger perso actg o te oer. Do you ot see ow te c acts o te oer perso a speca way, so tat te oler perso coes ow fro s posito of superiorty, plays a cat ters wit a opes s i to us, e s uer te cil's fluece witout realig t. urterore, te ci preoc cupies wt ts rearig a protecto, te supervso of s terest a te esurg tat otig gt cause t ax ety A ts eostrates te acto of te youger o te oer by v irte of te power of s [spirtua stato sice te c ls cotact wt s Lor s fairly recet, beg a ew creature e oer perso, o te oter a, is ore istat fro tat cotact Oe wo s closer to Go ex erts power over oe wo s furter fro H , j ust as te cofats of a kg we power over tose frter reove fro s presece. e Aposte of Go woul expose i self to te ra, u coverg s ea to t, sayig tat te ra a coe fres fro ts Lor Coser te, ow ajestc, suble, a clear s ou r Propets kowlege of Go Eve so, te ra a power over te best of uaty by v irtue of ts proxty to ts Lor lke a ive essary suoig i s essece, a slet way He expose self to t so tat e igt receve wat it a brougt fro its Lor to i Iee, e woul ot ave expose sef to t but for te ve beefit plcit ts cotat wt .4 6 s, te, s te essage of water fro wc Go create every l v g tg so uersta. As for te wiso reate to s [oses] be g pace te bas ket a beg cast o te waters,462 it is tat te basket represets is uaty we te waters represet te learg e acqure troug te eu of is boy, suc as s obtaie troug te faculty of speculatve tougt, of sesato a agatio, a l of wc accrue to te ua soul oy t roug te exstece of te eleetal boy. e te soul attaces to ts boy a s coae to act 6 C �lm X : 3 62 C Qura, XX39
5
TH EZELS F S
i it a i rect t G ts tese facu lties t it a e by whc t aciee te recti G wises fr t s at i which reses te traqillit f te Lr hus e ws ct the water tt e igt cqu ire by tese facu ties al k lerig G t i tat ee tug te irectig spirit was te ys ruer t i recte it l trug i G grate t te wers ir et i uaity a epresse ters f te basket i urac a leare all usis e sae is true f te Realty's recti f te Css s ce He irects it l by itself r by ts r is He es i te sae wa as te c epes te egeerig te fater f effcts ter causes f agreeets ter citis f atteste tigs tei r eiece a f real iable t gs ter realties A such tigs ae f te Css beg tig ter ta te Reality's wrkig i it wic He es ly trug it itsef. As r ur say g by its f it eas te fr f te Css by wic is eat te Beautul aes a subie attributes by wic te Reality s ae a escribe eever we ear e f His Naes we ay iscver its eaig a spirit te Css sice He irects te Css ly trug ts fr Terefre He as sai te creat f Aa w is te sy tetic k f te attributes f te ivie Presece wic is te Essece t te qualities a acts Surely G create Aa i His Ow iage63 Hi s iage beig ti g ter t a te ivie Pres ece I tis ble epite, wc is t Perfect a He create all te ive aes a rea lties wic issue frt f i t te acrcs utsie i G ae i a spi ri t f te Cs a subjecte t i w at is ig a lw by vrtue f te perfecti f is fr ust as tere is tig i te Css but gives Hi praise s tere is tig tat is t subject t tis a by reas f wat is i veste i i by te eality f is fr. G says He ubjected to you, crge from Hm tt n te even nd te ert, 6 s tat everytg te Css is subject t a. eve [truy kws tis is te Perfect a w ile wever kws it t is te aia a Outwarly, te pacig f ses i te basket a te castig f te basket te waters is a iage f estructi wile way 63 khrl L X X I X : 6 Qura, X L \ 1 3
53
A-ARA
t eat s escape deat. us, s e was spaed as t e suls ie s spaed te deat igace by eaig as He says or was dead igace, and We revved m by leaig and We gave m a lgt by wc to walk among men, wic s te guidace [s suc a one] lke one n darkness tat is e, never to emerge terrom 6 wic eas tat e wil eve be igtly guided, ad tat He as deceed is sul tat e suld ave gal t ai at [ue guidace eas beig guided t bewildeet tat e gt kw tat te wle aai [ Gd] s pepleity, wc eas petuba ti ad u ad lu is l ie. ee is abateet ad cessati but all is beg wt beig e sae s te case wit wate by wic te eat lives ad ves as i His sayig and t quvers i ts pega cy and swells i i ts bigg t, and brngs fort every joyous ar 66 at is t say tat it gives bit y t wat is lie it i Natue. is paiig is te plaity i eet i all tat is b aiest e ialy, te Beg Gd as a [cetai] u ti plicty ad divesity Naes because wat s a iest Hi te Css iately equies te ealties te divie Naes s tat by it te Css] ad by its Ceat te uty ultiplicity is cied espect t its essece it i s sge as te essece p di al su bstace s sige but t is u tiple i espect t te ute s it beas wti its essece. it is wit Gd i espect t te s His elaestati He is te teate te s te Css takig t accut His Uty H i s tis dvie teacig, sigt t wic is a secial av gate By G t wseve He wises. aa a is e ud i te wate by te te aa ale im ss Ms] m eaig wate ad s eag a te C s e ale i accdig as e ad m se t aet s by a tee at te wates edge. He i teded t k ll i, but i s wie was i spied by di v e wds, seeig tat Gd ad ceated e peecti as u Ppet said we e atbuted t e ad t ay te peecti usually eseved ales. e said t e usbad, Let m be a consolaton for you and me 6 it was at se was csled wt te peecti assiged t e as we ave said. 45 d 4 d XXI5 4 Id XXII
2 54
TH BEZELS OF S
Paroas consoaton a in th fait Gd ndwd im wi en e was [later] droned Go ook i t Hielf l ure and untained b an tant because He tok i in te ct f citment, before e could comi t an s in si n uiin to Gd] erases all tat as gone befre t. u He ade of i a yl of e loing care He a eow on womsoeer He wil l le nn sould despai r of e mercy of God, r on nfaf pop d spar of spr of God 468 Had Parao been despairing e would not ae astened to beliee i n God]. oes was as Paraos wfe ad sad of im a onsoaon o _o and m and pran a bn o s bo 46 for God benefted bo of tem b m een toug tey were not aware tat e was te propet at wose ands te kingdom and peope of Parao would come to destruction en God ad saed im from Parao His mor ar bam mpy 40 tat is empty of te aniety ta ad afficted er en God kept im fro being suckled until e migt be brougt to is own moter's breast, so tat He migt ake er pleasure n im complete. Suc s also te case wit knowledge of te Sacred Law He says For vryon of yo W av mad a way and a cor mnj] 4 tat is a pat [ra] wie mnjan mn- j ] means tat it came from tat way tis being an allusion to te source from wic it came wic is sustenance for te awabdng serant just as te branc of a tree feeds ony from its root us, wat s forbidden in one Law s permitted in anoter from te forma standpoint i does not mean tat it as always been permitted, since te dine Command is [aways] a new creaton tat is neer repeated so be aert is s ndcated in te case of oses, by s being denied a wetnurse is i s because te real moter s te one wo suckles te cld a nd not te one wo bears m. e oter wo bears i car res as a trust [from e fater], and e comes into beng in er and feeds on er enstrual blood all of wic appens inoutariy so tat se as no clam on i. I ndeed e feeds ony on tat wic woud kil er and make er il, were t not to discarge from er 48. Ibd X87 I bd XX\ :9 470. Ibid XX\ 1. 47 1 Ibd \48. In pn a man n mhj n alab h k d v ma d a d n lk mh j a ma g cm m
5
N A-ARA
e i gt say terefore tat te fetus as a clai o er seei g tat e fees o tat bloo a tus protects er fro te ar se igt suffer were it to reai isie er a ot iscarge fro er or be eate by te fetus. e weturse is ot ike tat for by er suck ig se prootes s li fe a survival eiberatey. is (volutary ot eroo) was provie by Go for oses fro te oter wo aso bore i . us oe oter ta te oter wo bore i was give te rigt to so tat se igt fi cosolatio also i rearg i a watcig i grow o er boso a se mig no grieve.72 us Go rescue i fro te stress of te basket a e pierce troug te arkess of ature by te ivie earig tat Go grate to i eve toug e ot [copetely] eerge fro it. Go tepte i ay tes testig i i ay situa tios so tat patiece wt Gos trials i gt be reaie i . e first test was is klig of te Egypta wic was ispire i i by Go a eposite is iost eart atoug e sef i ot kow it. He i ot realy ave ay terest i kilig i al toug e i ot esitate we Gos coa cae to . at is because te propet is warly protecte beig uaware of soe tig util Go ifors i of t. us we aKir kile te yout frot of i oses isapprove of tat forgetti g s ow k l ig of te gyptia. e alKir sai dd no do i on m own iniiaive 3 tryi g to apprise i of is rak before e was i self ifore tat e was altoug uaware of it protecte agaist ay teecy (cotrary to te ivie Wi). He aso sowe to i te s ki g of te vessel wic syboie estructio outwarly w e iwary it eat eliverace fro te acto of a pluerer ts e was givig i a copariso wit te basket by wic e a bee ecopasse i te water te outer aspect of wic was estructio elverace beg its ier sigificace His oter a oe it oy out of fear lest te estroyig a of Parao soul sacrifce i i is elpessess before er eyes espte wat Go a reveae to er to te effect tat se sou ot be aware [see Atoug se felt a strog urge to sucke se cast out o te 2 Id XX\ II I: 1 3 dnal y, h den w sd t l ne and ked y he mh 3 I d X\ 8 Khd s d lly h m gv h h me e and e le m ld n h h h v n hs an he m een e nd myal knwldg, h h ad d na ean n he aded h g s n
56
TH E BEZELS F WIS DO!t
waters e se er r s saet as t rerb ges t e es ot see te eart oes ot gree abut It s nt bcuse setg se cu see tat se er gree r ng as se a strog tat tat Go gt restre r becuse o er trust H us se lve wt ts eelg e espar ostg wt er so tt we se was sre b G se sa to erself Peraps ts s te esseger at wse ans Parao a e gyptas w be estroye us se ve t ts eelg a was cote wt t t beg als [a r oege e we e was soug [or e cre e a cte e left [at place] g outwarly afra w le warly seekg elerace sce all otvao sprgs ro love te bserver beg \erte fro ts by ts oer less pora causes. a s because e rg [o all otvato s te oveet o te Cosos out o ts sae o oexstece wc was ael] ul s exsece t beg so o speak a srrg fro oblty rest]. e oveet a s e cog o exsece o e Cosos s a oveet o ove s s sow by e postle of Go e sayg, I was a ukow reasure a loge o be kow44 so tat, bu or ts logg te Cosos woul o ave becoe a fes sef us ts ovee ro oexsece to exsece s e love o e Cre ator or t appe. Sl arly, te Cosos logs o beol self exstece as s aecy so a every respec, s vee fro e laecy of oexsece o exsece s a veet o ove by e Realy a e Cosos Perfeco s love for self so at Go's kowlege of Hself as beg beyo al ee o e worls s or Hsel aloe] ere reas oly e copleo of e egree of Selfkowege rug kowege of wa s epeeral wc ses fro e esseces of e Cosos we tey coe to exsece. e age of pereco s copete oly wt kowlege of bot te epeera a te eeral e rak o kowlege beg perecte oy by bo aspects. Slary te varous oter graes of exsece are perecte sce beg s ve to etera a oeeral or epeeral eral Beg s Gos be g or H sel w le eera beg s e beg of Go t e fors of e late Cosos s cal le epeeral because pars of t are a es to oers, wc beg s aes to t 4 I ha no abl ae h ado n
2
N A LARA
self i the fos of the Cosos us Beig is pefect, te wole oveet of te Cosos bei g te oveet of love fo pefectio, so udestad. Coside, e, ow He elieves te d istess of te divie Naes i te ack of e aifesatio of tei effects i te Cosos. is is because God loves eef, whic ay be acieved oly toug foa beig wee ig o low So is it cofed tat oveet is fo love tee beig o ovee i existece except fo love A oug soe of e leaed ae awae of tis, otes ae ade igo a of i by te i pact of oe ediate ccustaial factos ad ei i fuece ove e sou . Moses fea of te cosequeces of is ki lig e Egypta was ouwadly appae, aoug te fea coai ed wti tself te desie [love fo escape fo execuo Altoug e fled we e becae afaid, i eality e fled we e bega to desie escape fo Paao ad is desigs. He does ideed eio e oe iedi ate ad evidet cause of is fleeig, wic was [to te eal cause] as e bodily fo is to a a, e desie fo escape beig ip lici, j ust as te ua spit is iplici i e body o te beeft of te ay, te popets expess teselves o is ate a oute fasio, li i ed as tey ae by te udestadig of te eae is is because te apostles coside oly te geeal ity of e, beg wel l awae of ei level of udesadig Ou ow Popet said, co cei g te questo of level i te atte of woldly] gfts, "I wl give a ceai a a gif, eve oug I ay pefe aote, est God cast io te ie7 sice e cosdeed i weak of elligece ad isig ad goveed by geed ad ee stict us, e kowedge ey big s couced tes suiabe fo te lowest u destad g, so tat oe wo as o dept of udestadg ay go o fute ta t e outwad fos [of te essage], wode at is out e aifesaio ad ik at to be te futes] lii of kowledge O e oe ad oe of efied udesadig wo would pobe to te deps fo te peas of wisdo e deseves [to fid, says "is s te oute gaet of a kig us e exaies he quality of e gae ad te feess of is clot ad teeby eas e wo of te oe wo t coves so acqui i g kowedge deied o te ote, wo udestads otig of is Sice, heefoe, he popets apostes, ad ei eis kow at suc peope exis i te 475 Bkh 9
58
T E BEZES F I SDM
wol a a og eir o eoles ey stie t eress wa tey sa oely so as o coie w s uer a ulc wit wa s secal a iwa so at te seca eso wi uest wa te geeraiy uersta a oe as is aoriate a seca caacy wic siguises fro e oiay a wi le ose o o are carge o coey e kwlege are ctet wit is. is te is e wiso [ici i is Moses' sayg Ied om ou wen I ed ou;46 e i ot say "I fle f yu f a esie for safey a weeig. e e cae o Maya a fou w aes a obtined e o em wiu ay ayet ten e went bck o e de of Go a sai Lod I m in die need o te good ou ent down o e4 t us equati g is acto i obaii g water wt e goo ta Go a set ow o i seaki g of self as eig i i re ee f Go for te goo He as AlKir sowe to te wal beig reu ilt for otig a Moses cie i for ta t He te rei e i of is obtaig water wtout ayet a oter tigs e i ot etio util Mu�aa wse tat Moses wou kee quie a ot iterfere util Go a relate ter story to i so a e igt lear wat Moses a attae to witout beig aware of t Ha e bee aware of it [i isel e woul ot ae faie o recogie it i alKr wo Go a cofre to i as u rifie a equtae. Moses owever was uaware of Gos urifi cao of alKir a forgot te coitio e a lai ow f e were to fo low wic is a ercy for us wo are [frequety for getful of Gos coa. Ha Moses bee aware of it aKir woul ot ave sa to wt you ve no epeience o48 wic is to say a e kew igs of wc Moses a exeece as Mses kew tigs e i ot kow us e was j ust to Moses. As for te wso lict s artig fro alKir it s i Go's sayg Do wt te Apotle tell you to do nd in om wt e obid you 9 ose of te eare i Go wo kow te true wort of te Aostles a te aoste ee go o furter ta ts sayig. AlKr kowig tat Moses was a aostle of Go a careful aetio to wat e a sa so tat te rorieties 6. . 78. 47
an, X X \ ' 1 . Ibid XX\III. Ibid. X\"I I I 68. Ibd LIX:7.
59
IB N A-'ARAB
g be aae a s egas s posto v s vs a aposte. oses a to If I sk u nthing r thn d nt kp cpn with 8 e eefore appee a t e alKr sa This is th prting btwn nd u81 A s oses sa a o g eag o ore of s copay sce e ecoge te sgfcace of e ak ta a pope o ey ay futer copaosp oses teefore reae sle a ey pae copay Cose e e pereco of ese wo e k owege te aag of e ve popees as aso aKs par alty ecogg oses rak we e sa ave kowege fo Go a you o o ave j us as you ave kowlege fro Go a o ot possess Ts cocesso o oses kowege was by way of al levag e rao e a cause by sayg Hw cn u hv ptinc with tht f which u hv n princ82 wle kow g te of ess of s aposoc rak wc e self o ejoy Ts s releva o e Co u y of u�aa e story of e pol ao of e pal ees u� aa sa o s copa os You ave oe expeece a ] of wa ees o be oe s wol83 aloug ee s o oub at kowlege of a g s bee a goace of . Go teefoe exols H self as beg kowegeable abou al gs. Tus e Aposle ecoge ta s copaos wee oe kowegeable about e gs of ts wo of wc e a o experece sce suc gs are a ae of experece a ec coac a ua a a o e fo suc kowlege beg cocere w ore porat aers ave broug your aeo o a way of beavg a w l greatly beef you f you ra yourself o He aso sa Lrd hs givn n uthrit ea g te vcegeecy nd d n f th pstls, 8 eag e Aposes altoug o every apostle s a vcegeret Ts s because e vce gere bears te swor a s oe wo ssses a appots gov erors wereas e aposle s o suc s oy carge beg to coucae e essage w wc e s se. f e soul fg for a proect by e swor e e s bo a vcegee a a 480 Iid, XYI I:76 H Id, XYI7 42 Iid XII6 43 C. . c oMaad O C P 1 9 ; 5 3 1 4H4 Qan X X Y 2
60
H E EZELS O ISOM
aposle us jus as ot eer rohe is a aosle so no ry apostle is a icegeret wich is to say ta oio a ruers are o gie to eeroe s for te wiso iplicit i Paros quesio reg e ature of Go8 it lies te fact a was ot aske ou of ay igorace o s par but fro eperiece o see ow cosoa s aswer woul be wth is clai o be te Lors aosle Parao ke well e rak of aposle roug is kowege [of Go a e ul iferre fro oses aswer e veracity of is cla. He ase e questo i a isleaig way o acquai tose prese witout tei r kowig it of wat e iself was aware of i askg te questio e terefore oses aswere e way o oe wo kows Parao to preserve is postio pretee tat oses a ot aswere te questio propery] so ta it igt appear to tose preset wo were weak i uersaig a e kew ore ta oses erefore we oses aswere te queso i a way tat seee o o aswer wat was aske Parao kowg ta e wou l aswer i ta way sa o s eourage url, ts ssngr of ours s ad 6 tat s e is gorat of wa aske about s ce e oes o see bascally o kow e quesio was a va l oe sice te questio Wa t s cocere wt te reality o wat is sougt wic ust be real itself As for te i postio of efi itios i vovig geus a species tey are applicable to everytg ta aits of associatio. As for H Wo as o geus His realty H isef ust be quite oter ta tat i ay oter us te questo is a va oe accorg to te people of Go true ear g a sou itellgece a te aswer to t coul oly ave bee te oe tat oses gave Here is a great ystery sce e effectvely aswere oe wo a aske about te ost essetal of al efitios by coucg s aswer to cofor wt Hs ow attributio of Hiself to te cosic ors by wic He aifests Hiself or wc He s aiest It was as if e a sa aswer to is questio And wat s t Lord of t worlds? H e i Wo are afest te fors o te worls bot o g wic is te eaves a ow below wic is te eart ou ar crtan or by wic He is afest We tere 6 7
Ibd XX\ 2 3 And what i the Ld the wd? Ibd XX\ 2 7. Ibd XX\'2. Ibd
6
BN AARABi
fore Parao said to s entorage "rely e is mad, as we ave metioed Moses expained frter so tat Parao migt reognize is degee of divine k nowledge, a ltog e knew tat Parao knew it aleady Ts e said, Lord of te East and West 48 so ombining wat is apparent wit wat is idden te oter and te inner and wat s betwee tem, as n His saying, He knows everytng 0 Aso He says you are ntellgent, tat s, if yo are of tose wo restit te ntellet being restritve Te first pat of te answer s for te "ertain ones wo are te peope of nspiration and [tre] be ing sine He said to tem you are certan,4 in oter words te peope of i nspiration a nd [tre beng [t i s as if He were saying to tem] ave ony i nformed yo of wat yor i nner witness and es sential being ave made yo ertain of f yo are not of tis knd bt people of intelet, restriton, and limitation, ten answer yo wit te seond part for God is [also] present n yor inteletal proofs. oses sowed imself n bot aspets, so tat Parao m gt kow is virte and veraty. oses knew tat Parao knew or was gettin g to know tat bease e ad asked wat God was, st as e knew tat e ad not pt te qeston as te a nients did wen tey asked te qeston "Wat? Terefore, e answered m Had e togt oterwise e wod ave regarded te qeston as m istaken Ts, wen oses assoiated te one asked abot wit te Cosmos, Parao onvesed wit im i n ts fason n known to tose pres ent He sad, you ave a god oter tan me I will surely imprison you 4 ow, te ette sn in te word sn [prison] is a redndant letter n oter words [e was sayng], " wl srely over anna [onfse yo,4 for yo a nswered in s a way as to provoke me into saying wat sad to yo Yo m igt ave sad to me, Parao, yo are sowng yor gnorane i n treatenng me, bt ow an yo separate [s, essentialy, seei ng tat te Essene s One Paao s sayig [to i m], " t s only te ra nks tat dvde te Essene [apparently, albet tat te Essene annot i n real ity] be di vided o separated. y rank now is tat of de fato power over yo A tog am yo, es 48. Ibd XX\ 8. 40. Ibd L\3 4 1 . Ibd XX\ 8 42 Ibd XX\4. 43 Ibd XX\:2. 44 H n aain Ibn aab i ab h wn diin Jnn [ide ] m n in]
262
H E B EZ ES S
sentally am, neverteless, different from yo in rank Wen Moses nderstood tis e admitted s rigt, we saying to im tat e old not do it [wat e ad treatened] Paraos rank demonstrated to oses tat ad power and inflene over im bease God in te oter form of te rank of Parao ad power over tat rank in wi oses was manifest in tat sitation. oses ten said to im, by way of resisting s treat Wa I were o presen o you someng lear and u nambguous 45 to wi Prao old only reply, Presen en, you are ruful, 4 est e sold appear weak a nd nj st to s peope wo mi gt dobt im, a people wom e despised bt wo obeyed im urely ey are e eldoers, 4 tat is to say, tose wo refse to admit tat sond i ntellgene reqires te rejetion of wat Parao laimed wit s words. Tat is bease te intellet reaes a ertan imit, beyond w t annot go, wile one possessed of inspiration and ertainty a n proeed beyond tat limit Ts Moses prodes an answer tat a n be aepted, partilarly by one wo is erta n and i ntelligent o e as down s saf48 wi was n te form of Paraos rejetion of oses in resistng a response to is s mmons and Lo was a man s seren, 4 tat is a snake, nmistakaby Ts te disobedene of Parao] wi is evil, was anged into obedene, w is a good ting, as He says, God anged er evl deeds no good deeds, 500 tat is aording to [divine] jdgment Ts te jdgment is ere manfest in a partilar ting in a sngle sbstane, sne otwardy t is te staff and te sna ke As a snake, it devored te oter snakes like it, and as a staff it onsmed te oter staffs Ts Moses arg ment appeared sperior to tat of Parao, [as symbolized in te form of staffs snakes, and strands. Te magians ad strands, wi are smal treads, wile Moses ad none wi sows tat teir powers in relation to Moses power was as tat of strands to ge monta ns. Wen te magiians saw tat tey beame aware of Moses' degree of knowledge realizing tat wat tey wtnessed was not of mortal dong, or, if t were, it old only ave ome from one wose knowledge s free of a l fany and ambgty 9; 96. 97. 98 .
Qran XX\3
I b XX\3 1 . b. XX\. b XX\ 3 . Ib Ib. XX \7
263
N AARA
Ha ve faith, therefore, in the Lord of th e worlds, th e Lord of Mo ses and Aa ron, the Lord on Whom Moses and Aa ron cal led, snce the magicans reaized that the people were well aware that it was not Phaaoh on whom Moses had caled t was only becase Pharaoh was n a posion of power, the man of the momen and vicegerent by the sword, even thogh he had absed al l legal norms, that he said am your ges Lord° That s o say, " Even f all be Lords n a cetai n sense a m h gher by virte of the r e have been granted otward y ove yo. The magicians, realizing the trth of what he said, fa from denying it, confirmed it, saying You only udge n e ngs of is world; so pass udgmen, for e sae s yours 502 Ths, his sayng, am your ges lord, 03 was coect, si nce, even thogh he was [n es sence] God Hi msef, the form was that of Pharaoh By the divine Es sence [wthn hi m], bt i n the fom of falsehood, he ct off hands and feet and crcified people, so that ranks might be acqed that cold be acqred ony by sch action Cases can never be canceled be case the latent essences make them necessay They are manifest n existence ony n some fom o other accoding as their atent states dictate, there beng no way of changing he words logo of God, which are nothng other than the essences of created things. n re spect of ther latency n aeerns, they are called permanent while, in respect of their existence and ma nfestation, they are caled ephem era. One might say ha some gest has ony s come o s today, which does not mean that he had no existence before his appearance as a visior] Ths, God, in His mighty speech, says, which means His sending it forth despte its eternali ty, Wenever ere comes o em some new remnder from er Lord, ey lsen o casually, 50 and Wen ever ere comes o em some new remnder from e Mercul ey u asde from 505 The Mercif ony comes by Mecy and whoever trns aside from it may expect the penalty, which s a lack of Me rcy. Also is sayng, Ter fa wll no aval em wen ey see Our mg; e norm of God wc as been applied bore o Hs servans 06 excep 01. bi. LXXX2 02. Ib XX7 2 03 Ib. LXXX2. 0 bi XXI2. 0 bi. XX\. 06. Ib i X L.
64
T H E EZELS OF ISO�
e ee f Jn wic ecein e n en w i n benefi e in e Hereafer bu ean a i wil n ve e fr blae in i wrl.°7 u Para wa en ile eie i en fai, wic l l ve been e cae if e a been eran f yn in a en. e evience wever, nice a e wa n cerain ince e wace e believer walking ng e ry a a a aeare wen Me ruk e ea wi i aff. u, en e beleve, Para wa n cerai n f ercin, u nl ike e ng an w nly believe] a ea g n c i . e belie\e a e Cren f Irael beleve, alg e wa falely] eran a e wul be ave fr erucn Wa e wa er ain f curre, bu in a fr er an a e a we fr G ae fr e unien f e Hereafer n i l an a ae i by cre] a He ay Tod We w ve our bod, o tt ou gt be gn to toe tt come er ou, 0 8 le ele u ay a e a erey gne in ing if i fr a i aeare Alug ea, e wa viible in uual fr, a i ig be nwn a wa e He wa u ave b uwarly an inwarly One w i cnene be unie in e Hereaf er e n beieve waever ign e i given, nti te ee te pinu punient, 0 a i un ey eerence e unien f e Hereafer. i clear fr e ran a Para wa n f a in. e ay furer, bu G a e la wr, a alg ele in a e wa ane ere i n e ur uc a view. regar i ele a aner ry fr wic ere i n lace ere Knw a G e n ake a an w i ying, une e be a beiever infar a e vne warning a reace . Fr i rean uen ea an e kiing f a an unaware are abrre ie, in e cae f uen ea e inernal brea ecae bu e eerna brea e n ener i i n w ne w ie re wy]. i e ae wi ne w k lle unaware fr eale by being rck fr ben Suc a ern i aken n wa
7 f bd 9 Ibd, 2 Ibd 7
6
N A'ARA
ever sae of beief or nbelef he is in when he dies he ophet sad, He wi l be gahered in he stae he was in a deah5 he dy ng man, on the oher hand, is aware of deah and is sre abo what s happeni ng, so that he is taken in tha sae hs is becase kna o be become] is a word of being that is concerned wih he extenson of ime ony by associaon with saes A disincon mst be made, herefoe, beween an nbeliever who dies n a stae of awareness and one who is kl led nawares or des sdden ly as we have m enoned regardi ng sdden death As for the divne Selfevelaon a nd s speakn g i n the form of fre, i ocrred becase of he desre of Moses God revealed Himself o him] n the form of] hs desire, so hat he might approach and not trn away Had He revealed Himself to hm in any oher way, he wold have rned away becase of he concentration of his i nteest on a paiclar prpose f he had trned away his ac wold have rebonded on him and God wold have trned away from him aso He, however was a chosen and favored one, as indicaed by he fact that God revealed Himself to hm n the objec of] his desire n known to him As wih h e fire of Moses, he saw i as hs very need, Unknown to h m t was ndeed he very God 5
1 he n bee bl hs s g 5 1 1 ee bew, . 27
66
CH APER XX
THE WISDOM OF RESORCE IN THE WORD OF KHLID
NTRODUCTORY NOTE Two sbjecs re oched on i n hi s very shor chper Th e first is the sbject of the shms [brzk ht ntermediry wold set be ween life nd deh s lso between deh or nonexsence nd lfe. s h h lfwy hose beween Spii nd e between becomng nd enegrion, in which the inngble spiri becomes rns formed into physcl form nd i n which o h rogh whch forms re rnsfigred ino spirs s sbe world, neiher physc nor spr ht s he meeing pce of Heven nd Erh beween one cretive breh nd noher nd beween one drion nd noher. The oher sbject is h of ntention or wsh nd is flflmen, the qesion beng whether n nffilled nention or wsh mers he sme recompense s one ht is ff led cly. Accord ng to he Prophet �mmd, men will be dged ccordng o her intentons whch sggests tht hey do deserve eq recompense. n certn especs, inenon nd wish hve o do wih love nd desre whle flfillmen hs o do wih desny, both of which hve o do wh essentil predsposon. Wthin he context of the Oneness of Beng every wsh s His wsh whch cnno b be ffied i n some wy or noher 6
B N AARAB
HE W SDO O ESOCE HE WOD O H L D he wsdo o Khlid b Snn resides in the act tha n h i s is sion he aniested the Prophehood o the sths He claed ha he wold revea wha was there a the sh s] ony ater his deah was hereoe ordered ha he be dsinterred When he was asked abot he atter he revealed that its reien was in he or of his wold by whch t ay be known hat wha the aposles said i n her wordly lves was re was Khlds ai ha he whole world old beleve n wha he aposles old he so tha dvne Mercy shold be avai lable o al He was ennobled by he proxi iy o hi s son to ha t o M�aad kno wn tha God had sen h as a ercy o the worlds Ahoh Khlid was no hisel an aposle he soh to acqire as ch as possbe of he [allencopassin ercy o Mhaad's ssion He was no hiself coanded o deliver God's dispensaon b wished neverheless o benet ro it i n he s h s so ha h is knowlede o creaion h be reater H s peo ple however ailed hi A prophe does no speak o his people as ailn bt rather as alin hi n ha they dd no enable hi o fl fil l his prpose Did God then allow h o achieve he fil en o hi s wsh Whie here is no dob ha He did there is dobt as to whether he aaned o he obec o hs wsh which rases he qeson as to wheher he wsh or soeh n to happen is he sae as ts appenn or al n o happen n he Sacred Law here are any nsta nces tha spport sch an eqaion Ths one wo ries hard to atend he conreaonal prayer b sses i is rewarded as if he had atended t Sarly in he case o one who wod deary like to peror he ood deeds possbe to rich and wealthy en his reward s te sae as theirs However is he silary in inention or i acton sice hey cobne boh i nenion and ac The Prophet did no pronoce on eher one o he Owardly hey do no ee to be the ae Ths Khid b Snn soht o atan boh he wh and is ill en and hs reap wo rewards; b God know be
8
CHA PER XXII
THE WISDOM OF SINGULARITY IN THE WORD OF MUHAMMAD
NRODUCORY N OE he last chapter, named after t he Prophet Mu �ammad is, i n the man an extended commentary on the reported sayi ng of the Prophet hree thngs have been made beloved to me in this world of yours: women, perfume, a nd prayer, which, for bn aArab, serves to illustrate the underlying theme of triplcity in singularty a subjec already ouched on n Chaper As has been ponted out, this riplcty in si ngula rty is n sim ple terms the two fundamental poles of he GodCosmos poary the thrd factor of he relatonshp between the two, all three elements ben g unied in the neness of Be ng In the course of his commentary on the sayng of the Prophet, which contains hree symbolc elements, bn aArab makes some very remarkabe and daring statemens, he varous implications of which he does no ful ly develop, probably from fear of going too far, conscious as he was of he l mits imposed on h im by the nature of the spensaon to whch time and pace had commted him. For our ahor, the three elemens used n he saying of the Prophet are perfectly sited to the kind of interpretation and com mentary he intended, since each elemen s assocated wth a whole constellation of symboic meanngs, each of which helps to ilstrate some aspect or mode of triplcity and poarty. 69
B N AARAB
he wod woe very well epesets the varous aspects ad ature of the cosc poe, suggestg as it does ultipicity atue, for body, receptvity, fecudity, becoig, beauty, fasciatio shot the fee sybolizes, icrocosically ad theefoe i a vey succct way, the vey picpe of the projected ad ultifac eted i o of the cosic i age that reflects to the dv ie Subject the paoaic beauty of His Ow ifite possibilty to becoe, which s othig other tha Hs Ow essea Self, which He caot but ove ad desie ad to which He pours ad blows the Beath of His Me cy ad Spirit, but wh ch, i absobig the eergies of the di vie W il, aways threates the eiegative iperave of the dvie Wish Siilaly, i the hua cotex, the ale, as represetaive of the iitiatig Spit, is costaly beig atracted by the icrocosic feiie o pour his li fe ad eegy to her wold of cosic beco ig ad aual life expeece, theaeig always to divert hi fro h e reebrace of the Sprt Whose Na e he acts ad of he vcegeecy that s his patcula fuctio. s b a lab poits out this otal ivolvee i he coplex ad ultple deads of cosic life, sybolzed by absorpto sexua l u o, ca be correct ed ad purged oy by he purficato of eeberig ad rete graio to the world of he Sprt, sybolzed by the ajo abl uio afte such u o. However, j ust as the Cosos s othig oher tha He, origat ig i H, so also woa s othig oher ha a ad derivg fro hi, sybolizg fo hi therefoe, his ow servathood ad receptvity vis vs God s fo this easo that he says ha a a ay os perfecly coeplae God woa, sice, i he, he co eplates at oce his ow sevahood ad doiio ad uo wth he ay expeiece, i icrocosc ode, tha fusio of polar experiece whch is the Reality. ccodig o this vew of thigs the aacig beauty of woa, fa fro beg a sare to delude a, should ather becoe fo hi hat pefect eflectio as foal beau y, of his ow spritual ruth, beg, as she is, ha qu i essetial sig or clue [] fo which he igh bes lear to kow his ow tue self, which is, i u, to kow his Lord. he secod eee he sayig s pefue, which, epe setig as it does the elatig facto he tiplicity, is a vey suble ad flexible sybo ha eds i self o associao wih ih of h wo polar eleets Thus, perfue, aroa, o fraace s ha which a oce soothes ad ices, d rugs ad stiuaes ay d oe f 0
HE EZELS SM
he de h of wom or he erey of he cry d my eher hrpe or dll prl wree. hor h o erely phycl or ye erely prl eleme h ymbole oce boh he crre of he creve ercy d lo he prl ol h drw he hm pr bc o orce God. The word ed he Arbc b whch lo crre he de of oode, he ee h God l l ood wheher be he oode of wh he Wll effec whch my eem from he dpo of he Wh repreheble, or wheher be he pr oode of wh he Wh demd, whch my eem from he dpo of exel experece hrd d pfl The l eleme ymboz he r d refeco m , pryer whch ee o dver m fro he world of coc cocer d o me h oly re obe of from Whom he d o Whom he exorby rer A wh wome, h ow perfme o remd d cooe he wordwery ol. A pr of h commery o h y of h e Prophe b l Arb, re o h form ee o erpre he l c fere of he y h ow pecl wy d o me eo of dr d e oberve h he word for hree , lly he feme form d lo h he mcle o perfme plced bewee wo feme o wome d pryer h e, l hoh o pr he oo of cer fem e predom ce d co re. e oe o frher o oberve h my of he word Arbc h deoe ce or d eece re feme o. Th wold eem o be odd eo vew of h oherwe frm comm me o mcle b ecored by he prrch re of he lmc rdo Oe pec how ever, h h ypcl eo ye oher wy of expre he de h he creve ercy overrde d embrce he obl ercy of reero d h he pove d eel fco of he Comc experece overrde eve d ephemerl re. Th he creve ercy he word for whch Arbc feme d h cloe oco wh he word for womb, complee cocer wh comc becom d he clzo of fe pobly, my be hoh of feme he me wy h he d oo of he wordcre power hoh of fem e oher word he objec of owlede, wheher comc or ee, my be hoh of fem e, j he bjec or 271
BN A'ARAB
nwe, wete ceative Sefeaffiming, m ay be tugt f as mascui ne. Tus we are knwn as a femi ni ne aspect f te Reality, wete ute r in ne and we k nw as a masculi ne aspect f te Realty, weter utwardly r in wadly T H E W I S DO M O S I N U LA R T Y IN TH E WORD O M U H AMM AD His is te wisdm f singularity because e is te mst pefect ceatin f tis umankind, fr wic easn te wle affair [f cre atin begins and ends wit im He was a ppet wen Adam was still between te water and te clay5 and e is, by is elemental makeup te Seal f te Prpets fist f te tee singula nes ince a ll te si nguars derive fm it.5 3 H e was te cearest f evidence fr i s Lrd, aving been given te ttality f te divine wrds, wic are tse tings named by Adam, s tat e was te clsest f clues t is wn triplicity, e bein g im self a clue t imself5 4 Since, ten, is reaity was marked by primal singuarity and is makeup by tiplicity e said cncening lve wic is te gin f al existent bein g Tree tings ave been made beved t me n tis wrd f yurs, because f te triplicity inerent in im Ten e mentined wmen and perfume, and added tat e fund slace in praye.5 5 He begi ns by mentni ng wmen and leaves paye until last, be cause in te manifestatin f er essence, wman is a part f man w, mans knwledge f i mself cmes befe is knwedge f is Lrd te latte being te esut f te fme, accdi ng t is saying, Ws knws imsef, knws is Ld rm tis ne may undestand ete r tat ne is nt abe t knw and attain, wic i ne meaning, tat gnsis is pssible Accding t te fist [interpetatin] ne cannt knw nesef and cannt teefe, nw n Ld wile, accding t te secnd, ne may knw nesel and terefre nes Ld Atug Mammad was te mst bius ev 12 5 3 51. 55
Bkhr L X X \ " I I C aboe p. Ibd. a X X X \ "
HE B EZES IS 01
dence o hs ord, eery part o the Cosmos is a ce t ts n, hch s its ord, so ndestand. omen ere made beloved to hm and he had great affectn f them becase the hole alays s dra n toard ts part hs he eplans as comng from the Realty, n Hs sayng reardn th e mental hman makep d I breated into i o spiit5 d descrbes Hmself as havng a deep longing for contact th man hen He sas to those ho ong or H m], avd, I ong fr them even more. 7 That s a specal meetng He says frther, n a sayng on the ntchrst one of yo ll see hs ord nt he des I ndeed, t s hardly srprsing that one od] so descrbed shod be onged for. Ths God longs for those favored ones, seeng them and shng that they cold see Hm, a lthogh ther state does not permt that. It s lke Hs sayng, [ We wll test tem] untl We know,5 9 althogh He knos them] el. Ths, He longs for them] becase of ths speca qalty hch cannot be realzed except after death, hle the ongng for Hm s kept fresh by t, as He says, n the Sayn g of Hes taton, I do not hestate n hat do as mch as n takng the sol of y athfl servant. He hates death as mch as I hate to hrt hm bt he mst meet Me.5 0 He gives h m glad tdngs nstead of teng hm that he mst de est he become dstressed at the menton of death, athogh he may not meet God ntl after death, as he said, one of yo l see hs ord nt he des. He says, He mst meet e the longng of God ben g becase of ths attrbton. The Beloved longs to see me, And I long even more to see Hm The hearts beat fast, bt dest ny bars the ay, I groan n complant and so does He Snce He has expla ned that He breathed nto man of Hs sprt, He s yearnng n realty] for Hmsef. Consder then ho, becase of Hs sprt, Hs creaton s n Hs on mage Snce mans makep s composed of the for elements or h mors 6 Qran X\2. ; 7 I ha e n been able ae h ayin �lm ;1. \31 0. kh XXXI3
3
B AARAB
in th e bdy His breathi ng p rdces a bnng becase f th e ms tre in the bdy Ths by his maep mans spirit s a fre becase f whch Gd spe t Mses in the frm f fire in which He pt what he wished fr. Were his maep pey] natal hs spiit wld be f light. t is called "blwing becase t cmes frm the Breath f the Mecifl and it is by ths Breath which is the bwin g that his essence s manifest t is accding t the eternal predispsitn f the ne bwn nt that the flarng p s fire and nt lght the Breath f the Mercifl being deeply impicit in that by which man s man. Then Gd drew fth frm him a beng n his wn image called wman ad becase she appears in hs wn image the man feels a deep lngng f her as smething yeans fr itself while she feels nging f him as ne lngs fr that place t which ne belngs. hs wmen were made beved t him fr Gd lves that which He has created in Hs wn image and t which He made His angels prstrate in spite f thei great pwer ra and lfty natre rm that stemmed the affnity between Gd and man] and the dvie image is the greatest mst gis and perfect example f] affnity. hat is becase it is a syzygy that plarzes the being f the Reality jst as wma by he cmng nt beg plarizes hm an ity maing f it a syzygy. Ths we have a ternary Gd man and wman the ma yearning fr his Ld Wh is his rgin as wman yearns fr ma. His Ld made wme dea t hm st as Gd lves that whch is n His wn i mage. Lve arses nly f that frm which ne has nes being s that man lves that frm which he has his being which is the Realty whch is why he says "were made beved t me5 ad nt " lve drectly fm himsef. His ve s f his Lrd i n Whse image he s this being s even as regads his lve f his wife since he ves her hrgh Gds lve fr him after the dvine manner When a man lves a wman he sees nn with her hat is t say the mst cmplee i pssible i lve ad thee is in he elemenal sphere n greaer n in han hat between the sexes. t s precisey] becase sch desre pevades al hs pats ha man is cmmanded t perfrm he majr abt hs the pica is tal js as his annihilain in her was ta a the mmen cs mma Gd s jeals f hs sevat that he shd i d p lease i any b H m s He p fies h m by the abt s that he might nce agan behld H m in he ne in whm h was a ni hi laed si nc i is nne her han He Whm he ses n h. 4
H E BEZ ELS I S S
m n contemplates the Realt Real t n n omn he behod behod m] m ] When mn n a passe aspect, hle hen he conemplates m n hmsef, ben ben g th a fro from hch oman o man s manf ma nfes estt he ehold ehold m n a acace e asp aspec ectt When W hen hoever hoever he he co ntempate m n hmself, h mself, thut thut an regard to hat has come from hm, he behold m s ve o Hmself drectly. Hoever hs contemplaon the Rely n oman s th e most most complee and perfec perfectt becaus becausee h h ay ay he h e cn cn tempaes the Realty n both actve and passve mode hle by conempang the Realty only n hmself he beholds m n a pasve mode partcuary Because of ths the Aposte loved omen by reason of he possb s bllty ty of] of] per perfe fect ct contemplaton of the Realty n them t hem Contempla ontempl a ton of the th e Realty Real ty tho thout ut form forma a suppor su ppor s no poss possbe be snce sn ce God, n H s Essence s far far beyond al need of the Cosmos. Cosmos. S nce the t here refo fore re,, some frm of suppor s necessary the best and mos perfec nd s the conemplaton of God n omen. The greaest unon s that beeen man and oman, correspondng as t does to he urnng of God toard the one He has created n Hs on mage, to mae hm Hs vcegere vcegeren, n, so th a He H e mgh m gh behod behod H mself n hm. h m. Acco Accordng rdng ly He shaped hm balanced hm, and breathed Hs spr nto hm, h ch s Hs Breah Breah,, so ha h s ouer aspe aspect ct s crea creatt urely urely,, hle h le h s nner aspect s dvne Because of ths He descrbes t the spr] as beng beng the dspos dsposer er of ths huma hu ma n sructure by h ch Go Godd dipo of ting fro t vn hch s elevaton, to t rt 22 hch s he loest loest of the th e o beng he loest loest of the elem e lements ents H e cals hem omen [ni a ord ha has no sngular form The Apostle theref t herefor oree sad Three Th ree th th ngs have ha ve been made beoved beoved to me n hs ord omen . . 23 and not "oman havng regard to he fact that they came nto beng afer hm man] Indeed he ord n u means "comn g after after He says, potpo potpond nd o o n t [n [n 1 al so sell se lln ngg by by n tha s, by posti n inr n unbli2 as also ponemen Thus he says "omen. He loves them only because of her loer] rank and ther beng the repostory of passvty In re aton o h m they are are as he n versal at ue s s o God n hch h ch He revealed he forms of the Cosmos by drectng toard t the dvne 21 2. 3. 5
a , XXX\ XXX\ 1 n X X X I 5 a XXX\: 1 . rn IX37
5
B N A AAR ARAB AB
Wll and Cmmand, whch, at the level f elemental frms, s sym blied blied by cnugal cn ugal u nn, n n, [spritua [spr itua]] cncentratin cncentratin in the realm f u mnus sprits, and the rdering f premises tward a cnclusin [in the rea m f thught, thught, a l l which crr crres esp pnd nd t the cnsummatin f the Primrda Pr imrda Sngu S ngu larty n al these t hese aspect aspects s Whever Whever v ves es wmen wmen i n ths way way lves lves with wi th a di vne v ne lve, wh le he whse lve lve rr them is l mte m tedd t natur natu ra l lust lu st lacks al l [true] knwl k nwl edge that des des re r such a ne she sh e s mere frm, frm, devid f f sp rt, and even thugh that frm be ndeed imbued with sprt, it is absent fr ne wh w h appraches hs w w e r sme ther wman slely s lely t have ha ve hs peasure f her withut realizing Whse the peasure [realy] s hus, he des nt knw hmsef [truly] ust as a stranger des nt knw kn w h m ut u t he h e rev reveas eas hs dentity t him As they say say hey are ight n suppsng that am n lve, Only they knw nt wth whm am n lve 2 Such a m an s ea ea y] n n ve ve with peasue itself and, and , n cnsequence, cnsequence, ves ts epstry, whch is wman, the real truth and meaning f the act beng lst n hm f he knew the tuth, he wuld knw Whm t is he is enyn enyngg a nd Wh t is Wh is the enye enye then he wuld be perfec perfected ted.. ust as wman [ntlgcally] s f a lwer rank than man, accrdng t Hs saying, Men enjoy rn bove tem, 56 s als s the creat creat ure nei nei in i n rank ra nk t the Oe Wh fashned sh ned hm h m n his mag m age e despte hs beng made n Hs mage. By vrtue f the superrty by whch He is dstingushed m hm, He s abve a need f the Csms a add s the prma pr may agent, the frm frm mag magee beng an a n agent ny n a secn secndar daryy sense, since si nce the th e image i mage [man des nt have the prmapr macy, which belngs t Gd. The eterna essences ae smlary dstgushed gu shed acc accdn dn g t ther anks, a nd the gstc gstc alts t eveyt eveyt hn h n ts pper due. Thus it is that u�ammads lve fr wmen derive frm the dvine lve and because Gd Give to everyting He cre ted5 ted5 what s ts due, essentaly He gve t them accdi t mert fe fedd i n the eteal ly ped ped spse spsed d ece ece tht w hch h ch deseving 5 2 5 I hae ha e bee bee able ce h q 6 Qura :22 7 I bd bd 5.
6
T H E B EZELS F ISO
H plas womn fst bs thy ar th psty pssv ity st as th nvrsal tr by its fm ms fr ths things that driv thir bing from hr In rlity r is th B rth of th Mr M r l in whi w hih h ar n fdd th f f rms th hh h hr r a nd lowr Cosmos Cosmos bas ba s of th prvas prvason on th prss prssdd rh n th primor pri mordia dia Sbs S bstan tan parti partila larl rlyy in th r ra lm f th ls lsti ti bodis its fow bing diffrnt in spt of th stn f th m nos spi spi rts and aidnts. aidnts. Thn th Apostl gos on to giv prdn to th mnn or th maslin intndng to onvy thrby a spal nrn with wit h and prn of womn Ths Th s h says thalth th] and not sd for nmbrng n mbrng mas mas l n nons nons hs is r r thathah whih s sd markabl n that h aso mntons prfm whih s a masin non and th Aabs saly mak th maslin gndr prvail. Ths on wold say Th Fatimahs and Zaid wnt ot sing th thd prson maslin plal] and not th third prson mnn pral p ral I n this th is way thy giv prf prfr rn n to th masl in in no no n vn if thr is only on sh non togth wth svral fminn nons. ow a thogh thogh th Apostl was was an A rab h is hr hr giving spia at tntion to th signif signi fian ia n o th lov noi nd on h im si sing ng that h himslf dd not hoos that lov. It was God Who taght him what h knw not and Gods bonty on him was abndant. H thfor gav prdn to th minn ov th maslin by saying thalth. How knowldgab was th Apostl onrning spirital] ralits and how grat was his onrn fo popr prdn Frthrmor h mad th final trm payr] orspond to th first first womn womn]] in its it s fm fmii n i nty pan pa n g th th masl i n trm trm pr prffm] btwn thm. H bgins with womn and nds wth pray both of whh ar minin nons th masi non] prm omng om ng in btwn btwn thm thm as is th as with ts stnti stntial al bi ng sn s n man is plad btwn th Essn a minin non] from whih h is mani ma niffstd std and a nd woman woma n who wh o is man m ani is st tdd from from hi m. Ths h s bbtwn two mi mi ni n ntitis nti tis th on sbstant sbstantivy ivy fmi fmi ni n th oth oth r fmi nin ni n in ral ralty ty womn bin bin g fmini mi ni n in ra ra ity i ty whi l prayr prayr s not. Prm s plad btwn thm as Adam s sitatd btwn th Essn whih is th so o al istn and Ev whs istn stms from him thr trms sh as !ah attribt] and a pabilty] abi lty] ar ar f fm n n. I ndd ndd whatvr shoo shoo of thoght qudrah a yo adh to yo wi fnd mnin trms prominnt Evn th Casaists Casa ists say say that God is th th Cas ['illah of th Cosmos and ilah
N AARA AARA
i s feminine As for the wsdom of perfme and his pttng it after "women, it is becase of the aromas of generation in women, the most dei ghtf ghtf of perf perfm mes es being bein g [experience [experienced] d] wthin wt hin the embra e mbrace ce of the beoved, beoved, as as they say in i n the we known saying saying When Whe n M �ammad �amm ad was crea created ted a pre servant, he had no amb tion for eadership, bt contned prostrating and standing [before hs ord, a passve passve creation nti nti od e ffected ected Hi s prpose prpose]] i n hi m when He conferr conferred ed on h m a n active roe roe n t he ream of the B reaths eaths which a re the exce ent en t perfm perfmes es of existence] Ths, He made per per fme beoved to hm, pacing it after women He pays respect to the ran ks of od od in Hi s saying Lofy of nk e e Poeo Poeo of of e e Tone To ne seeing that He is estabshed on it by His name the Mercf so that everyth everyth n g encompassed encompassed by the Thr Th rone is affe affect cted ed by the di vi ne Mer cy, as He says, my Mecy encome ng t is the th e Th Th rone rone that e ncompass compasses es a thi ngs, wh ie the th e Mercf Mercf is i s ts occpant occpant by Whos Whosee reaity Mercy permeates the Cosmos, as we have expained many times, both both in this th is work a nd a so so in Te Meccn Meccn Reve Reve on o n [AFu [AFu � � od H mse f has has pt pt perfme , aso goo goodd ness] i n mkkyy]30 od the context context of conjga n on wth reference reference to to the i n nocenc ocencee of shah when He says Ev [modoou] women e fo ev men nd ev men e fo ev women ju good [weemeng] women e fo good men nd good men fo good wom wo men en wo wo e e n n nocen ce n of of w ey ey eege Ths He speaks of them as sweet smeing, snce speaking impes breath which is of the essence of aroma coming forth from the moth] moth ] sweety or of offe nsivey, according to i ts expression. expression. Ho How wever, being at sorce sorce d vi ne, t t is a sweet sme i ng and good good bt accordi accordi ng as it is approved of [by separative attitdes or dsapproved of, t may be considere consi deredd go good or bad bad Of ar a ric, ic, M �amma �a mmadd said, "t is i s a bsh whose odor detest3 he did not say " detest it. Ths it is not the thi t hi ng itse f that is to be detested, bt ony that which sses from from t Sch an aversion may be a qestion of cstom, natra antipathy, aw, defciency or something ese f then the dstincton between good and bad s to be made, then M�amad was ade to ove the good and not the bad. Now t s sad that the anges ae offended by 52. Iid. Iid. L: 5 52 Iid Iid \ 1 56. 50. C I pp 0 0 and 10. 5 1 . ra I\26. 52. ulim \76
28
H E B EZ ELS ELS F ISO
the bad odors arising fro the ptefton assoatd wth th ele mntal akep of man], sine he s ade of cl_ nd prid slie33 that is i s to say of vary n odors odors so that the ng n gls fnd h ep ep nnt n nt b his natr In smiar way, by its vry nate the dng etl is offndd by th odor of the ros, whh, althogh it has f a fine fi ne aroa, is aodoros to th dng betl Ths anyon of h a natr ssntaly and foraly, is rplsd by th trth when he hars t and an d rjos in fa lshood, lshood, as H says, Those who believe in flse hood nd no in God, dsribing th as losrs, e he loses who hve los heselves. 534 Anyon who annot t th good fro the bad has no prepto prepton n h Apostl of od was mad to lov only th good in eveythi th i ng, whh wh h is n rat raty] y] vrythi vrythi ng that that s s W ight ask] ask] whthr thr an b anything in th Cosmos that ss ony th good in v rthing and knows no bad W wod say that thr s not sin in th vry sor from whih th Cosmos is manifsted, whih s the Ra, Ra, w find avr avrson and lov th bad bing tha t whh is loathd loathd whi whi th good is that whih is ovd ow th Cosos is ratd] n ods imag aroosm and man has bn mad n both ags roos] so that thr annot b anythng that ss only on aspt pt of t hi ngs Thr ar ar rtai rtainl nl y thos th os who an d sting sti ngis ishh th goo goodd from th bad, that a thng is bad by sns] xprn and good by nonsnsa nons nsall xprin xpri n, , bt bt n whom wh om prpton prpton of th th goo goodd predo nats ovr prption of th bad. As for th ida that on ight rov th bad from ov from th Cosos of rat ratdd bing, i ng, sh a thng th ng is not possble, poss ble, sin th Mry of od nhrs in both th good and th bad rom its own standpoint th bad s good and th good bad. In dd, thr th r s s noth ng n g ggoo ood, d, b t sems, i n som way, bad bad to som som bad bad th n g, and vi vi vrsa. vrsa. As for th third lmnt by whih th snglarty s mad oplt it s prayr H said and my soa s n prayr,535 base t is a stat of] ontpaton bing an ntimat dsors btwn od and Hs srvant H says Rememb Rem embe e Me Me n d will will em emem embe be a n at of of worshi p qa qallyy dividd di vidd btwn btwn od od an andd you 536 s n tt is an His Hi s srvant, srvant, half ha lf for od and haf ha f for Hs H s srvant srvant as n th athori ath ori H 3 XV
53. I I XXI X:5 535 XXXVI: I 5 3 I I 1 5 .
279
B A ARAB
tatv tradt, "I av dvdd t prayr qually btw M ad My srvat, a alf fr M ad a af fr My srvat w may als av watvr asks.537 us w t srvat says [ rctg -ti�ah] In the Name of God the Compassionate the Mercu, 5 3 Gd s sayg, "My srvat s rmmbrg M W t srvat says says, My srvat srvat s pr p ras a s ra ra is is be to to God th o o rd of the o o rds rds Gd says, g M. M. W t srva srvatt says, Th Compassionat, th Mercu, Gd says, says, "M y srvat srvat s la udg ud g M. W t srvat srvat says says,, King on the a of Jud Judgmnt Gd says, "My srvat s glrfyg M ad as ydd y dd all t M. us us t wl wl f f t frst alf [f Ati�ah] b lgs t Gd. t srvat says, The do e orship and Thee do add Gd Gd says, s s s sa rd btw btw M ad a d My sr sr ask ask fo r hep hep,, a vat ad fr m s watvr asks, tus trducg a lmt f partc pat t ts t s vrs vrs. . W W t srvat srvat says says Gui Gu ide us u s on the the right right path path th path path of thos thos hom ou hav hav fa vo vor rd, d, a n d no n o t the path of of those ho have incu in cu rrd rrd Your You r rath, n o r of those those ho have go gone ne astra ast ra, , Gd says, "s [vrss] [vrss] ar rsrvd t my srvat w may av av wat wa t r asks asks us u s ts ts last las t vrss vrss ar a r fr fr t srva t al, a l, j ust as t f f rst s s blg ly t Gd Frm ts t s may raz ra z t cssty f rctg [t vrs], Pra Pra is is be be to to God the Lo L o rd of of the or o rds, ds, sc wv mts t as t pfmd t payr [prply], wc s sad btw Gd ad Hs srvat srvat Bg a dscurs, t s als a mmbac, sc wvr rmmbrs Gd sts wt Gd ad Gd wt m, as mtd t tadt tadt, , am t cmpa cmpa f m w rmmbrs rmmbrs M.53 w wv, wv, bg b g prcpt prcptv, v, s t ps psc c f t s rmm rmm brg, br g, ss s cmpa I suc a cas t s ctmplat ad vs, vs , trws trws d dss t s H H m Frm ts t pr p rayg ay g wll wl l b abl abl t asc asctta s s dgr dgr [f gss, gss, tat s t say wt s ab t s, t pray, ts way If cat s Hm, t lt m wrsp Hm as f saw Hm magg Hm t b t quibah du g s d scus cus, a d lt l t m st st mst mst ca cafu ly t wat Gd Gd m gt say t m sp sps s [t [t s s prayr If s a imm [lad] fr s w wd [f famly r cmmuty ad t agls prayg wt m, as, t prayr, th [sam] ak as t Apstl wc s t rpst Gd Idd vy w 5 3 7 ulm, 38 and he l lwng vee vee frm frm ar f h nng char f h 5 3 8 h and 3 C C ulm XL
80
TH BZLS F
prs s a , sce th e nels r eh h ry l as s stated the tradt.5 0 he he s d hr h wh prses Hm he s lett the ele ehd hm kw ht d has heard hm t hch the aels a thers reet wr r rd rs s the prase fr t s Gd Hmslf h s ay the te f Hs servat Gd hears hm wh rase Hm Csder the the slmty the rak f rayer ad t what deree f dty t rns the e wh perfrms t. Hwever the e h des nt atta t ctemplatve vs n hs prayer hs t reached ts smmt ad can nt fnd [tre slace t sce he cat see Hm wth hm he has dscrse. als he cat hear the Re alts respnse he cannt e lste careflly eh. deed he h s t preset wth Hs rd n prayer ether hear r see Hm s nt really prayn at all snce he des t lste ad atch [fr Gd] h le t lasts there s nth lke the prayer rte t prevent preccpat wth ther thns the prayer the mst effectve eement s the rememrace Gd y vrte f the wrds and actns t cmprses. e have hw ever descred the state f the Perfect an n prayer The eccan Reelaons [AFu� al-makkah 5 Gd has sad Surel he praer preens uch evl and sn, 53 seen that the ne pray s r dden t ccpy hmself wth aythn else whle he s eaed t. Bu he remembrance of God s greaer 5 that s t say that wth the cntext f prayer Gds rememern f Hs servant whe He respnds t hs reqest s reater Frthermre n the prayer the ser vants pras n Gd s reater than hs rememern Hm s ce al l maesty es t Gd Ths He says And God knows wha ou fash on, 5 and or who lsens and waches 56 The lsten derves frm Gds rememern Hs servant n prayer Ths the telle mvement y whch the Csms s trasfrmed frm nnexstence t exstence the prayer has al three phases a vertca mvemet n whch the ne prayn stads erect a hrzntal mvemet whch the prayn e ws ad a dw Bkh IX. The wod a pat o th e paye 2. C I p 48 and I I I pp. 227 Qan XXIX4. Id. . Iid bd 37.
8
B A'ARAB
wards oveet, wic is t e prostratio e oveet o a is vertically tat o te a ials is orizotaly, ta t o te pla ts dow ward wile iaiate tigs ave o real otio, sice a stoe oves oly i soe oter ti g oves it is sayig ad y solace was ade to be i prayer547 e does ot attribte tis to isel sice te Sereveatio o God to oe prayig coes ro God ad ot te oe wo is prayi g deed, ad e ot etioed tis by isel, God wold ave ordered i to pray witot te [solace o] H is Serevelatio to i Si ce tat cae to i as a avor te coteplative visio is also a avor He said, ad y solace was ade to be i prayer wic eas seeig te Belove, wic brigs solace to te eye o te over is is becase te word qurrah [solace] coes ro te word stqrr [ixig], so tat te lover eye igt be ixed [o te Beove to te exclsio o al ese t is or tis reaso tat lookig arod is ot peritted i prayer, becase i tis way Sata seeks to steal soetig ro te prayer o te servat, to dey to i te visio o is Beloved God were ideed te Belove o te oe wo is [aways] ookig arod i, e wold look, i is prayer o ly toward te qblah. Every a kows i i sel weter is worsip i s o tis kid or ot or an sees hmse well enough however man exuses he ma gve 54 ded eac a kows te alse i isel ro te tre sice o oe is (trly) igorat o is ow state, i t beig a atter o selexperiece at wic is called prayer as also aoter aspect i tat He a s coaded s to pray to H i a d as tod s tat He prays or s te prayer beig bot ro s ad ro Hi We it is God Wo prays, He does so i His ae te Last as coig ater te cre atio o te servat, beig ideed te God te servat creates i i sel ( i i s H eart), weter by is reaso o r trog t raditioa learig is is te God o belie wic is varios accordig to te predispositio ieret i tat particlar perso; as alJaid said, we asked abot te gosis o God ad te gostic e color o te water is te sae as tat o its cotaier54 wic i s a ost precise aswer sowig te atter as it is is te is te God Wo
547 a XXX\ 548 n LXX\ 4 4 hai R ai 346 27 42
8
H BZLS OF SDO�
pras fr us. ls, hen e pray, ar h na h a, i i he ae piti a e Wh prpr ha tha na ha i caue i e are nly a ur tat dicta and u nl n he fr ih hch e prvide , inc the prayi n al as as ehind the leader n he rac rack Gd ays, Evene of hem nows is own w of e nd e ion550 hich s ay it deree f ardine in rhiin it rd, as als i de f ealatn y hich it affir Gd' tran scendence accrdin t eterna predipiin nded, her i nhi ha des n epre is praie f its d and frvn rd. hi hy t he rsh p f the Css in deail, in each f it pars, s n undersd y an. n anther ay, he prnun in he phrae, His ise5 5 ay als refer t he ealin rvat n i ain chanin h e ay s read hee is nohing bu He es is ise eanin the praise f that thn hu the prnun in His is reurns ha hin y virtue f the prase uttered n in ha i eieved, i nce h e nl y praiin the Gd f h i elief h he has und t hiself hu, hatever deed he perfrs return t h sef. ndeed he s ny [in reaty] prain h elf nce th u du n praisin the prduc, ne is prasn its prducer its sa sfactrines, r therie reundin upn the ne h ade it Siiarly, the Gd f eef s ade fr the ne h ha reard fr ein hs n prductn s that hs prase fr that hich he e lieves in is elfprase. hat s hy he reects the [different] elef sene else alhuh he uld nt d s if he ere iparal he ner f thi private ect f rh ip hever, i uual ly inran in tha he is nt ect t ha sene ee eleves cncernin Gd. f he ere t understand truly hat AlJunaid aid reardn the cr f the ater ein tha f is cntai ner he uld a ll every eliever his elef an d uld recnie Gd n every fr and in every e ief Hi s attitude hever i s erely a atter f pini and nt knlede. hu, He ha aid " a n y servant's ntin f "552 hat s say tha He i anifes t hi ny in the fr f hi s eef hether it e universal r particular in nature he Gd
0. r'n XX\:. 1 . d., X\ wic read r nothng bt xlt H pr 2. Bkr XC\ .
8
A'ARA
of beliefs i s sbect to certai n l i mitations and it is this od Who is contained in Hi s servants Heart si nce the Absolte od canno be contai ned by anything, being the very Essence of everythng and of I tself I ndeed, one cannot say either hat it encompasses tself or hat it does not do so; so nderstand! od speas the trt h and He s the sole ide a long the Way
284
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PRIARY SOURCS M�aad B Is Sa�� vls ed. Keh eyden eyden 1 l. I ed ed T T J ynbl ynbl 1 99 99 d Ab Sua vs Car 9 Ghaz Ab d I�y ulm al- vls Ca Ca 1 99 9 9 Ibn aAab M�y aldn u al-ikam agraphed s. vka ses Isanbl n 19 d wh cenay by A A A Ca 19. Paaly ansaed by T Brckhard Sagss 9 ds pro prophts phts Pars 9 vs s --ut�t almakkiyyah Ca ll 1 9 v Schrt ds Ib A-rab ed. H. S. yber eyden 199. IbuArabi Hydeabad 9. of Adalusia ans R W. Asn he R� alquds alquds and -Durrat alkhirah ndn 19. al-ashwq Be 9. Ibn anba A�ad A�ad usad 1 vls. Car Car 99 99 1 9 9 . J J Abd aRa�n Shar� al fu al�ikam n he agn Ablss cenay Car l 1 1 Makk Ab lb @t al-qulb vs. Ca 191. M s s b. a aajj ajj Sa�� vs vs n Ca Ca A H. 1 9. 9.
285
ulus Ad aan ha� jawh a-n Cairo . as A Ad aamn nan Cairo 9 sn Ad aazz q ha� a fU a�kam Cairo H 1 na naw w adr a dr al al n A-Fkk ms Yusuf Yusu f Aga no n Bulq 1 sair Ad aarm A-Rah Cairo 19 rmid aakm akm Kb kham aawy aawy ed Yaya Beru 19. irmid Muammad . sml a�� vols Cairo 19 SECON SOUCES Afifi A. The Mya hoophy of Mhd n bn Aab Cam ridge 199 Arerr Arerry y A. J An nodon o he oy of m Oxford 19. Brockelmann C Gehhe de Aabhen ea vos Leyden 19199 Burckar Bu rckardt dt T, An nodon o one Laore 99 Corn H. Cea eave ve magn mag naon n he he m m of of b n A ab ab London 19. ardet ardet L and Anawa ti Mye mmane Paris 19. Hort Horten M Feag eagab abee ako ak ob Bonn 19 Hujwr Al Utmn Kahf a-ma�jb jb trans A. icolson London 1911 zutsu T. A Compaave dy of he Key hoopha Conep n Ara Tokyo Tokyo 1 9 9 m and Taom Te Ontoogy of n Ara J Ad aarm e / o m m e n ve trans T T Brckardt Brc kardt Par Par vee/e e/e trans 9 Lane E W Aabgh on Lo Lond ndon on 1 9 Lings M A an f he Tne Cey London 9. Masignon L a pao paonn d aoa aoayy n b n Mano Man o a a a/ a/j vols. Pars 9. er , Te Te Myser Myseryy of t e aa i n The Mee Papers P apers fro M e er te t e Era Era nos Year Year Book London London 9 9 asr asr S Thee Mm age arvard 19. icos icoson on A. The My of am London 19 ---de n am Mym Camridge 19
86
GRAPY
cs cs s s Isla Crstanzao drd 1 9 1 haza hazal l Un Un qe Un Un knowable kn owable o o Ld 1964 Wos . The Phlosophy of the Kalam d 196 Yy 0 st sto orre et et class classcat cato onn e / oevre bn bn A ra b Dmscus 94
r R C n an Mslm Mystcsm Lodo 196
287
INDEX TO TEXT eessar 54; ad oe g 254; eess of 1 3 3 ; of ea 1 24, 24, 12 5; relaive 57, 85 86, 92, 150; re 262; of 07 Beief 137, 149, 15, 152, 194, 224,
ron 58, 95, 200, 243248, 264 b l 159 brham 58, 87 9 1 -95, 99, 1 00, 0 1 ,
1 1 3 , 1 66 66 1 99 , 2 01 0 1 , 2 1 0 0 bu alS d 159 160 bu Bar 65, 99. bu Jah 1 7 1 bu ayan 1 5 9 , 1 60 60. d 3 2 am 8 7 2 9 9 2 7 2 , 2 7 7 7 ad ages 52; reao of 1 80 80,, 25 3; ad divii 5059; as mirror 5 1 ; as prpe 66; as ege 56, 57, 9 8 20 1 hma 200 shah 2 2 78 l 1 5 8 mr 1 9 1 , 2 3 2 The ncient of Days 55 2 , 5 3 , 6 7 7 8 5, 5 , 1 2 1 , 1 78 , nggels, 5 1 , 5 2, n 1 80 80,, 1 8 1 , 1 96, 20 204, 4, 23 8, 247 274, 27 4, 278, 279, 27 9, 280, 280, 28 ntichist 2 7 3 34, 1 36, 36 , postles 4 6 , 73, 1 16, 1 7, 1 34, 151, 152, 160, 161 165 168, 169, 170, 175, 94, 201, 202, 203, 214, 2 3 1 2 34, 34, 23 5, 247 247 258, 259, 26 260, 261 268; Seal of 66, 67 posles h p, 160, 68-169, 199 220, 2 59, 260. 260. saf Ibn Barhiyah 192, 93 shaites 154 92, 238 siyah 219.
Baal 230. Be 230 Being 99205; sole 3 5 , 1 5 0; 0; omg m g io 4 1 1 42 42 ; 6, 1 1 8 oige 5 5 , 7 0 , 1 1 5 , 1 1 6, 1 2 3 , 1 24 ; osmi 56; ad Cosmos 1 2 3 ; reaed 65 66, 66, 73 83 84, 92 , 93 , 1 06 1 07, 1 6, 130, 1 3 5, 224, 224, 225, 279; 279; essea 54, 70,, 262; Eeral 257; eise 70 5 3-54, 84, 2 39, 39, 272 ; of God 254, 2 5 ; idivida 53, 57, 106; Iself 1 3 2 of ma 178;
225 2 32 , 2 33 , 25 5, 265, 265 , 266 266 , 279, 279, 28 3 284 284 Bz of Wdom 4 5 Bqs 89, 192, 193, 194, 195. Bstm Bstm b b u Ya Ya al, 10, 102, 48, 179 Book of Thophn 1 5 3 . Breath 148, 153 154, 155, 193, 2 0 8 - 2 1 1 ; ve 1 8 0, 0, 1 8 1 , 2 7 5 ; a d e es ss s 174 176; of e Merf 135, 148, 179, 235, 243-244, 274, 277; eam of 278.
Caliphs 85 , 2 03 , 204 204 Chosroes 189 Comman reaive 8 7 , 1 4 1 , 1 54; 54; dve 50, 50, 5 1 52 , 62, 62, 63 66 66,
1 16, 1 17, 1 3 3, 5 9, 160 160 169 169 , 1 7 1 , 1 7 8, 182, 183 , 194 194 15, 197, 20 204, 4, 208, 208 , 2 1 1 , 2 52 255 259, 276, 282; Eiseia ad ea 1 8 3 Compassion 148, 179 188-197 The Compassionate 188 89, 192 280 Consciosness of God 184 of ma 84 247; of sef 8 1 Contempation 77 8 1 , 98, 98, 148, 148 , 59 59 2 75, 279, 279, 280 28 0 28 1 , 282 a d Beig Beig 1 2 3 ; ad Cosmos ad asal 126, 142, 253, 277 14 8 2 5, reaio of 55 4 1 , 148 279; depede of 126; ad divi diviee am am 78 25, 48, 54, e see f 50 57 257 258 esee 2 8 1 ; forms f 5 1 5 5 73, 74 74, 1 3 5, 1 36, 1 80, 2 54, 257, 257, 25 25 26 26 275 Gd 1 5 0, 277; a d Gd 0, 1 80 80 , 2 1 , 2 3 , 246, 262 25 27; ad c 278; a m 5 1 mm of 258 281; o 273 ad
88
14, 1 7 0, 1 96 , 256 204;
N
Ezr 8 , 1 6 5 1 7 1 AI-Fith.1h, 29.
re , 1 7 1 , 2 0, 0, 2 1 , 2 5 8 The ok 4 5 1 , 69, 1 2 2 17 , 1 3 1 38, 1 69
Gbel 121, 122 174, 175 76 177, 78, 96
Ghzl bu Hmi , 93 o e 3 1 , 2 4 Gno o ,, 69, 77, 8 8, 93 1 , 2, 3,
1 2 1 1 3 0, 0, 1 3 2 , 1 3 3 , 1 3 4 , 1 3 7 1 49 49, 1 11, 165 169 78, 185, 188, 2 1 7, 2 3 , 244, 244, 248, 248, 272 276, 276 , 28 28 foms of 234 of God 23, 282 ea ea t of, of, 1 37 47, 1 48 49 pefeon of, 16, 66 247 ad powe powe,, 1 8, 1 59, 59, 162 o agents of, 159 276 atbes o f, 4, , 68, 76, 79 88, 126, 133, 135 150, 166 178, 18, 190 19 1 , 2 14 14 22 22 225, 226 2 26,, 2 3 1 2 38, 38 , 2 39 2 6 1 bessg bessg of of, 1 86, 2 34 as Bea Beat t 148 148 1 55 27 3 a a o, o, 70 75 75 76, 76, 77 77 8, 1 32, 1 97, 97, 2 16, 2 7, 2 3 2, 24 24 ad ea eao, o, 1 14, 1 34, 142 142 1 3, 1 8, 8, 16 1, 1 65 65 1 66 , 168, 168, 1 7, 8 1 , 202, 20 2, 20 20 8, 252 2 5 4 , 273, 2 74 74 2 7 5 , 2 76 dspesato dspesato of, of, 1 6, 268 eff effeets ts of, of, 1 1 3 fae fae of, 84, 1 3 7, 1 38 fe fea of 55 , 57 , 1 3, 226 2 59 59 as Fs, Fs, 5 5, 69, 69, 8 , 1 25 1 35, 1 36, 36, 189 18 9 , 2 1 5 fogeess of 84, 186, 200, 22 7 2 83 fe fend ndss of 68 68,, 1 69 gofato of, 52, 124 280 g fs of, 6 3 , 64, 64, 67, 67, 68, 69, 69, 1 34, 165, 68, 189 93 196, 199, 200, 201 23 , 2 37, 2 2, 254 254 den d ent ty y of, 26 26 1 30 30 1 3 2, 1 36, 36, 1 49, 1 50 50 1 5 1 1 5 2 , 1 3 , 82 , 1 9 1 , 2 1 2 5 2 1 7 mag magee of 1 5 3, 208, 208, 20 209 2 1 5, 253 2 73 , 274, 274, 27 5, 2 76 76,, 279 279 mmaene of 74 7 76, 230 mate of, of, 9 1 , 95, 95, 99 99 , 1 0 1 jeaosy jeaosy of, of, 1 3 3, 2 74 74 kgdom kgdom of, 77 as Last, 55 69, 85, 25,
135, 136, 189, 21, 282 mta m tao os s to, 74, 7 1 34 1 3 , 1 38, 1 16 , 2 3 1 ongg ongg fo, 273 274 manfestatons of, 78 79, 8, 86 9, 1 42, 47 47 49 2, 1 5 1 78 78,, 1 79, 79, 1 82, 189, 189 , 2 0 9 , 2 2 1 5, 2 3 1 , 23 2, 238, 247 2 47,, 248 2 48,, 254 25 4 , 26 28 3 messe sse n ge s of, of, 2 3 1 , 268 Nate of, 26 1 , 262 ea eae ess ss to, 1 3 2, 2 2, 2, 248, 2 2 s e, 78, 1 6 6 a of of 1 29, 1 3 20 I , 248, 248, 28 28 peasng peasng of of, 5 , 8 8 , 1 1 4, 4, 1 1 5 2 4, 4, 2 1 5 pase pa se of of 45 , 63 74, 7 5 , 92, 94 94 9 19 19, 1 27 2 1 3 28 2 8 , 28 1 , 283 e s e n e of, 62, 1 3 2, 37, 1 8 1 , 2 5 3 Rege Regent nt of, 2, 22 260, 260, 26 1 , 264, 27, 28 emembae of 29 29, 2 , 22, 2 79 28, 28, 28 1 et o, o, 2 1 1 2 16 se seas as of, 45, 62 63, 67, 68, 18, 1 1 3, 1 3, 3, 32, 136, 138 142, 149, 152 167, 68, 169, 17, 178, 179 82 83, 84, 185, 186, 189, 191, 196, 197, 2 0 , 2 0 1 , 2 0 8, 8 , 2 1 2 1 3 2 7 , 2 , 22 5, 2 33 , 2 34, 34, 2 38, 246, 246, 26 264 4 274, 27 4, 2 79 79 2 8 1 2 83 , 2 84 sadow sadow of, 23, 124, 27 so of, 221 sbmsso to, 186, 194, 19, 25 5, 28 28 tan ks to, to, 20 20 tase tasede deee of of 6 3, 7 3 , 74 7 , 76 1 34, 2 30, 76 30 , 2 3 283 U ty ty of, of, 16, 107, 18, 12, 126, 24 e eed ed,, 6, 107, 1 1 8, 149 149 1 5 3 , 1 85, 2 3 1 as Wa W a t e 1 84 - 85 wtness to 52, 184, 185 wosp of 78, 138, 49 11, 183, 215, 244 246, 247, 248, 279, 280, 282, 283 wa of, 24 2 2 2 14, 2 , 22 3, 28 28 Ge 20 20, , 227, 23 , 2 38
He 1 , 1 14 1 47- 1 1 1 244
282 , 284 284 of ns nss, s, 1 3 7, 1 47 148, 149 Heven 1, 1 3 4 19, 23 7 2 4 4 21 27 5 seve seven, n, 1 8 8 222 222 3 e 13, 1 131 138
290
INEX
i H 83H9, 24 d 1913H. mlit 1 2 1 . wat Umm a- 1 1 6 aShl a Sd 19 16 aarrah 9. Qid dah 19 Qii al-Qim 8H, 226 dr 29, 23 235. maiati 9 99 I I 2,
1 11 122, 124, 125, 19 22, 23, 23 2 2 33 Pne of 1 2, 1 2 1 , 11. carat 1 . iratio 69, 166, 21, 24, 214 217 22, 256 262, 263 t ll ct 7, 6, 1 I 1 5 2 3, 2 3 1 , 232, 2 33 , 23 5, 262 263 nd noedge 5 1 , 77, 1 25 166, 8 , 2 34 nd uierss 5 3 tlliil 3 5, 1 1 6, 23 timac 58 , 2 29-23 5. 8, 8 , 98 1 3 99 lam 1 1 3, 1 1 5 hme 8, 1 6 1 . al 19, 244 265 sthms 268
o 58, 1 1 3 1 8 2 2, 1 99. a ar 2 32 . ralm 66 58, 1 4 1 86, 22, 23 , 22, 244. w 23 ob 5 8, 6 3, 99 2 1 3 2 1 . oh 5 8, 2 1 9- 2 2 1 . oah 58, 282 1 1 , 265 oph 8, 99, 1 2- 1 2 jgmt Dy of 28 ai al· 148, 282 283 Kh 58, 232 , 268. Kharr b Sa -, 86 Khatm Qai b. a· 5 Khir l-, 256, 259, 26. Ko�lg bsoute 2 38 cqu d
dn 161 H, H 2 26 i nd n 6 < 3 62 6 66 , , 6, 9, H 92 93, 9 9, 9H 1 1 3 2 3 6 I , H 1 1 1 1 6 1 162 165, 166, 16 19 H2, 19, 9 , 1 9, 29, 2 1 1 , 2 1 2 1 , 2 1 6 2 1 23 23 1 23H 2 22, 2 26 26 1, 262 26H, 2 2 H I fom od 26 inc 169 196, 19 nd kn 3, 9 1 3 2, 22 5 of w 255 imittin f 52 53, 2H d , 13 1 8 , 2 2 of ummd I I H, 122, 186, 197 252, 268, 27 f mystey 166 nd pection 5 1 ; pefection o 1 3, 1 66 23 5, 26; o pedsositins 62 63 , of Re ity 52 , 53 , 56, 64, 99, 1 5, 1 1 1 2 3 , 1 3 3 , 1 3 , 1 5 1 , I H2, 83 of sef 52 54 64, 4, 1 26 1 32, 1 53, 1 8 1 , 272, 282 siitu 69 93 , 1 3 symbo of 1 96, 197 un itry 79 of uni vess 5 3
Last D 185 L 46, 66, 125 168, 169, 22 23,
24, 29, 23, 232, 255, 268. Lahip 58, 243-248 Lght 58, 1 2 27 8 1 , 2 54, 2 4 of fi 61 Lor fe of 8, 214; goiction of 52; d God 8 6 d mn 1 2 , 1 pes ng of 16 1 7, 1 38 43 sving of 78, H, 1 3, 1 7 8, 1 48, 1 83, 2 4, 2 34 tnsedence o 52 Lot 58, 157-62 oe 58, 9-95, 186 232 233, 24H, 255 25, 258, 272, 274, 276, 27, 279 Lr 56 Lqm 58, 237-24
aroom 1 35, 279 aty 58, 2 19221 28 a lb al 16 1 24.
1 94, 2 38, 2 58 otget 5 3 o Cosmos 123, 181, 191
9
E Mn an ni iatin , 80 H I ; being 178 an d Cm 253 ceatin 57 208 209 213 deinitin , 73 7; and God,
5 55 79 5 126 127 36 37 0 15 2 1 0 25 273 274; Geat 5 1 1 3 5 and ndiiduait 1 16 ; knwedge 5 3; as maniestatin 52 54 55 aue 273 279 eet 5 52 55 56 8 88 1 9 253 28 I eectin o, 209 272 and Reait 77 3 95 12 135; siit 27 as \'iceRegent, 5 1 52 77 98 h M n fet 55 69 7 3 85 86 92 25 135 136 h Mn 87 88 M 1 7 1 75 1 76 1 77 1 78 220 25 s 58 157162 The Mcc R"ons, 65 22 277 28 Th Meiful 67 78 8 98 1 0 1 1 8 8 1 89 1 92 205 2 1 2 1 5 2 25 20 26 277 280; Bea o 1 35 8 1 79 23 5 243244 274 277 er 6 diine 11 130 152 57 18 205 223 22 225 226 243 24 255 26 268 278 27; as embracing 204 227 268 278; and existence, 5 1 ; and gi i ng 18 90; k inds o 89 190 226; o od, 143 and ames 67 19; object o, 224 obigating 189 190 226 and Reait, 147 ess 177 el 95 rcsm 279 rces 1 60 1 6 1 220 nssm 1 14 Moe, 58 181 94 195 200 203 243 24 26 251268 274 Th Mosul R·laons 8 1 Muhmmd 66 132 58 189 214 27 Communi 194 196 197 203 216 260 disensatin
o 205 om o 233 eis o 77 78 79 80 84 122; and law, 46 203 as od o en 67 and oses 259 name o 200; powe o, 1 6 1 10 and Q n 76 11 saings o 74 76 86 92
99 1 17 1 22 1 5 1 1 57 1 60 82 90 96 209 2 1 3 2 54 2 57 2 58 260 266 275 278 and singuait, 58 272284 spirit , 00 states o, 186 aditions o 56 92 125 33 3 17 148 90 202 80; and isions 45 58 121 Mkhll Tb l 100 101 Mult i p i it 55 78 79 85 87 1 6 125 126 153 238" 254 Muslim 232 234 M t ilite 152 M te 50 64 80 1 02 1 06 1 6 162 165 66 192 197 05 216 2 1 7 26 1 me, and Cosmos 78 25 48 25 258 diine 52 55 63 65
67 68 78 85 88 95 107 108 1 3 126 1 27 148 1 50 1 5 1 1 53 166 169 80 181 183 188 190 19 92 2 0 233 225 226 2 3 1 233 239 253 258 278 282; essences o 50 68 88 1 08 gits o 62 65 67 ininie 68 ma niestaion o, 52 5 68 80 254 and Reait, 92 12 25 191 2 233 253 uniquenes o 226 Ne 81 and eation, 1 58 2 1 da ness o 256 Dstin 69 Esentia, 87 15; m , 1 80 2 1 5 and �ec, 277 tai23nt5 , seant 1 1 6 7 1 75 niea 5 1 87 275 277 t J o n e 1 h 58 7381 200 21 22 235 bdin mmand 11 5 16 20 Gd, 5
7 1 70
292
3 1 3
IE
lt 9 90, 96 n 2 6 Etena, 3 nd God 06 09 30 9 2 nd utplt, 5, 79 26, 3, 23 and ae, 26 a nd ooston 6 Relt 0 " n t of
7 ! n t tn · 7 dne 3 7 2 n , 50, 2 9 2, 2 nt 53, 56 7 3 5 3 3 9 66 2 , 2 etnl 66 ae , ; o, 37 and et e 3, 07 0 09 3, 70 , 3 3 2 dentty of 3 2, 29. 5, 9 knowlede of, 52, 3 56, 6 9 5 7, 2 3, 3 3, Psso 6 , 2 7 2. t 9, 30, 3 32 34, 5, 3 7 5 , 2 3 ltaton 95 96 97, 20 , 2 of, 3 35 3, 50 a nfestatons o, 7 3 , 7 2, tne 2 6, 2 7, 3, 56 260. 93 95 0 7 2 5 , 3 5 , , 9-95 25-25, 26265. 9, 5 , 279 essenge of 70 Pl a n e, of Din 09, 4 of o of, 65 a nd pat 30 eistene, 02 of agnaton, peeates a 57 , 92 and 20 2 of Realty, 52. powe, 50 and sevans, 53, 34 l and an 274 a nd N aes sadow of, 23, 24 and 66 and atue, 0 of tansendene, 73, 7, 25 qualtes, 55, 56 and Realty, 27 tansfoaton of, 36, 50, 5 lte, 7, 239, 24 and tplty, 42 Por of onentaon, 60, 6 egion of eaed beings, 3 and dne 9 , 202, 2 30, 23 , 263 God, 3, 4, 5 pase of, and fan es, 2 30, 2 3 2 of 3 , 4, 3 Gabiel 75 and gnoss, 5, eoue, 5 , 26 9, 62 of ey, 2 25 and rreion 3 7 , 70, 7 , 2 3 2 . ales, 60, 6 of sous, 95 eelion 45 46, 54, 57 , 64 65 , 76, of subjugaton 95 94, 09, 4, 20, 2 , 3 , 32, Prr 3, 3, 90 26, 277, 34, 4, 60, 66, 67 69, 70, 27923. 20 , 202, 20, 2 4, 23 , 23 5, 23, Preispoiion 62 , 63, 65 , 70, 49, 256, 266, 275. 65, 67, 6, 276 22 Prophe 6-69 746, 99, Srifi 9 99, 00, 256. 2 9, 243, 2, 26 Snts 6, 69, 60, 65, 69 70 Seal Prophe 46, 9, 5 5, 65, 66, 67, 6, 70, , 200, 204, 24, of, 66, 67. Sntshp 670. 2 6, 2 9, 220, 22 , 229, 2 35, 243, 24, 255, 2 56, 25, 26 , 26, 27 2 l, 5, 4044. vton 70, 265 Seal of 66, 67, 272 Provine 4 2 0 3 , 5 2 Smir 7 5 , 244, 245. Sntifiton 52. Sn 45, 00, 2 2 2 5 2 6, 22 elt, 46 9 0 3 attbues of, 6, Srptur 7 3, 94 4, 3 3 3, 2 3 , 92, 25 3 and ausa ty, 26, Sel, onsousness, essenta, 69, 26 and Cosos, 50, 55, 56, 57, 77, 7, 0 3, 24, 27, 6 5 and 73 2 3, 24, 4, 2 5 253, 257, God, 07 knowedge, 52 54 64, 279 and eaton, 5 02 03 , 74, 26, 32, 53, , 272, 22 09, 32, 34, 36, 4 42, 66 29
NE
fKnowlede 94, 5, 257. lflimition 34 lfmniftion 87, 0, 48, 49, 50, 5 , 52 , 5 5 , 2 , 2 3 0, 2 3 , 2 2 , 2 4, 246, 247, 248, 2 54 lfrevltion 50, 65, 70, 79, 87, 93, 99, 07 5, 66, 2 34, 266, 28 2 lfubiten 2 5 Th efuffiient 54, 56, 57, 26, 7, 48, 80 th 58 , 62-70 2 9 hem 29 hu ib 8, 4755. in 68, 76, 7, 200, 2 27, 2 55, 2 8 iuliy 58, 72284 ole 282 oomon 58 88-97, 208 ophit 54 u , 7; le, 46, 230; estnng f, 2 6 2 7 phee f Dvny, 5 ; seven hghe 84; seven e 84; f Sun 8 , 84 piit f Csms, 3 5 ; nd fm 7 3 ; n d Gd, 78, 96, 27, 275 nd Jesus, 74, 75, 76, 220; men f, 66 ttion 235; f e Apstle, 60, 86; dvne, 95; f Eeny, 45; f knledge, 8 2; f pphey, 0 ; f Sn fn, 45; spul, 2 5 2 f synhess, 96; f ekess, 60. ubtne d des, 54; nd Csms 238; mdl, 5 3 , 80, 254, 277 ufi f ls e ol; 53. ubiue 59, 60 ymbo 96, 255, 256, 263, 276 ynhei 56 Theoophi 5 3 Throne 204, 2 3 2 4, 2 78 Timidhi · 77
Torh 3 , 2 4 Tnendene 52 23; dvne, 8 2; f Gd, 63, 73 74, 75, 76, 34, 2 3 0, 2 3 , 2 8 3 ; nd Jesus, 76; nd lmn, 7 3 ; nd ety, 7 3 , 8 7, 2 5 Tipiiy 4, 42, 272 Tu h l 98, 06 Unity 06, 07, 08, 25, 26, 2 9 3 8 Unive 53 The Unmniet 5 5 , 69, 7 3 , 8 5 , 86, 92, 25, 35, 36. Umr b Khb) 66, 00, 96 The Uneen 67 ; 8 2 , 2 2 7 Vitue 58 237240, 262 Viion 45, 98, 99, 00, 0, 22, 44, 5 3 , 2 3 0, 2 3 , 2 80, 2 8 , 2 8 2 ; Vedl, 2 Wy f th Wi fee, 92; f Gd, 70, 94, 4, 22, 4, 59, 66, 204, 235, 247, 2 52, 2 56, 2 76; f Ld, 24; f ely, 7; nd subjen, 245. Widom dvne, 70, 200, 26; epessed, 2 3 7 ; nd l, 209; m fess f, 58; uepessed, 237 Wih dvne, 66, 85, 90, 9, 97, 237, 2 53 , 254 Women 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278 W o d 5 , 5 , 4 , 7 5 , 7 6 2 3 Wohip f Gd, 78, 38, 49, 5, 83 , 2 5, 244, 246, 247, 248 279, 280, 282, 283; nd psson 24, 247, 248 Zid 9, 232, 277 Zkrih 58, 29, 220, 22327.
94
INDEX TO PREFACE, INTRODUCTIONS AN NO'ES
aron 21 AbdlKdr, , 148 Abham 90 164 b alAbbs of Cuta 7 Ab Jahl I 7 1 Ab Madan, 4 59 Adam xi, xiv, 8 50 83 208; as achetype 47 49 as Gd's representative, x 35 as wrd, 16 17 35 Aff, , 1 2 1 3 2 3 24 34 06 Amin, A. 57 Angls, 47 49 1 74 206 Aposls, 38 60 61 1 2 1 64 199 20 Arbrry, Aj , 2 1 Arhtyps, 32 3 5 3 7 47 49 9 1 97 I l l , 120 147 157 Ash'artes, 23 147 54 236 Ashraf al·, I I . sah, 2 1 9 Aomsm 1 54 Aut RW 2 Avrros 2 6 Aubid, 9 Badawi, A I Bargs j j ! 59 Baric, 7 Bing, xi, 198199 created, 3 2 1 57 163 164 222 dvne, 47
295
essental, 3 2 expeence f, 243; identity f 1 2 Oneness of, 19 24 2 5 26 27 30 3 1 3 2 33 35 3 7 39 4 8 7 1 7 3 1 1 3 2 0 1 2 8 1 29 45 174 199 208 23 228 229 242 243 252 267 269 and paity 1 3 and Realty, 40 Bezels of Wisdom, x, I I ; mptance f 18 and mystcism x, xvi 9 1 3 1 8 -2 1 2 5 ; organization f 1617 20 text f 17 t anslatn f 12 16 17 IH studies 13 17 21 Bibl, x. Blqs, 1 88 Bistm al, 23 107 Brat, 206 222 223 f the Mercful, 28 60 120 140 7 163 172 222 242 23 270 Brhrn of Purity, 2 3 Brocklmann, C, 23 Buddhsm, 2 3 Bukhr 56 67 86 92 1 2 1 1 2 5 1 30 1 34 1 50 151 !58 168 12 H4 ! 89 1 0 1 96 200 2 3 8 2 5 3 2 5H 2 7 2 2 7 3 2 8 1 2 8 3 Burckhardt, T, 12 16 Chrst, x i xi Chrisianty, x xii, xviii 10 16 20 22 23 I l l , 1 2
N
Command eive 3 33 4 3; God, 5 9 8 Oiging, 3 3 3 . Cmaon, 87 3 . Crn 3 9 22 23 24 8 35 3 . Csmos, ecom ng of, 9 4 45 47 24 250 70 27 ceon of, 7 3 5 47 49 7 9 9 47 7 73 87 98 23 49 n d God 27 3 3 32 34 47 48 83 90-9 97 98 4 5 2 0 4 57 4 8 2 27 222 223 228 23 242 252 29 270; nouishmen , 9 nd poity i 3 35 7 48 49 82 2 4 88 2 222 28 252 29 27 nd Reliy 4 shdo 9 2 Creaon, m, 7 35 47 49 72 9 47 72 73 87 249 nd Desny 4 nd determinism, 3 2 ; n d God, 32 33 35 3 83 9 9 2 !29 47 3 87 24 instnt to nstn 54 88 n d l ight 2 nd ve 252; nd mercy, 29 3 nd poly, 28 29 4 28 4 4 73 ecurrng 4 Creaor, ii, 3 3 35 83 97 2 47 229. Cmeeymo A, 2
49 presence of 49 9 nd punishmen 33 ; nd ed, 3 3 trnscendence of, 7 unity of 49 sdom , xv 7 8 orsh p of, 3; th of, 8 27 23 Domnon, 222 Daly, 5 39
Dane 7 5 . Dad, 97. Davd, !98!99 Decee, 32 33 3 4 Desny, 32 57 3 4 243 7 Dspensaon, 29 Dvny, e, xii cce 3 5 9 72 gifts of -2 ideny , 32 4 li ght of 3 5 9 2; ncence , 32 nd polriy 2 3 3 3 3 9 29 249 poer 3 5 3 49 5 7 8 7
Fama n aMhann (of Codova) 3 Fut! al-�kam, c. Bzels of Wsdom.
Eckhat, 2 Eas, 228-229 Emnence 24925 Enoch, 82 Essence, nd osmos, 47 divne, iii, 47 5 2 8-2 9 2 2 3 2 3 237 242 52 27 eenl, 2 2 2; gif , 243 self, 4; e, 32 9 04 5 2 4 4 47 3 87 229 23 noledge of, 9 of mn 05 Reiy 2 nd enegrton, 228 sprtul, 97 unmnfesed 2 Esoersm, i, 3 8 4 2 4 2 5. EvansWenz, W.Y, 3 Eve, 35 83 Exalaon, 7 Exence, ecm of, 3 3 4 cmc 4 !88 243 creed 8 3 s gif, 87 prculr, 4 Exotercsm, 9 8 7 9 2 3. Exaton, Eza, 3
Gae 74. Ghazl, 2 24 God d m 27 3 3 3 3 47 48 3 9 7 4 5 2 2 22 223 3 242 52 27 e sen c , iii 7 5 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 3 7 22 2 5 2 deniy 7 3
26
INEX
2 3 6 2 i ; iden w i h 90-91, 1 05, i, 2 1 2 2 , 1 9, 2 5 ; imge f 5 49, i2, l, 20i 2 5 , ; ede f 2i, 2 9 1 0 5 1 1 2 1 2 1 46 1 5 2 9 , 2 4 2 , 5 ; nd mn , 4 , 49 9i 9 29 1 64, 1 9 22 9, 24 1 2 , 2 l m ni fein f iii , 2, 146 206; meege f ii nme f 0, , 4i ue f I 146; One , 9 i 2 2 pemen of 90-91, 1 nd po ii 1 , i 4, 4, 49, 2, , 96, 1 1 2, 206, 222 228 252, 269; eli gio f I l l ; epon fm 40 i2, 82, 9i 106, 120; uni of l , 1 8 , 2 9 ; wdm of 6 i p f 2 , 49 8 2 , 9 06 26, 242 24 Gnoiim, , 2 6 1 , i 2 , , 9 i, 9 8 10 5, 145, 146, 1 56 1 5i, 2 19, 22 8, 229 24, 249 250. Guillue A 66 260.
Hjj Khlh, 00 Hlj l 2 2 4 1 0 2 Hnbl, 1 00 I 96, 22 Hn A 5 i H , uhmd l, H 9, 98 , 45 6 Hn 5 9i, 40, 249, 26i Hell 2 106 140, 20i H 2 2 4 , i . Hinum, 1 4 2 2 6 2 i l Holne, 2 Hon � 2 H, I 2 Huj l , 5 9 00 Huni SA 1 bn lAb ccepnce f xi , -1 2, 1 5, 1 6, 2, 22 24; dicipe f I , I , 2 2 ; fm i y f I, 2 , I I ; life of - 1 2 ; nd myicim xi xii 4 5, 10, 1 1 5 I , 20, 2 1 2 2 2 4, 2 5 , 1 2 , 2 29 ; uce
of
2 - ; i of � , I i 2 2 ; f xv x 2-4 -9 4 2 - 2 9 , i f 2-4 a ve +- I I
bn -Arbi f f a Jczds
of ism ; o f,
1 2
n i f 2 ; J
AI-Ftubt lmk:iyyb, xv x, · 2 I, 2, 2 2 5, 2, 2 9
, 4, 5 I , 2 24 /ilyt l l 1 ; Te 1terptc � of Dire i 1 .e1
Rltio f. •·Ftht l kkih t l- 1 '1 , 2 ; ol Re•eltion ; R 'i l ' 1 2 ; Sj of 1i 2 , , 4, 6 I I , 2 , 6, 4, I H , 1 59 'u 11 l hwq i, 8, 1 2. Ibn A, 2 Ibn Bj, 2 bn Fi 5 bn Mdnh, I Ibn Qiyi, 4 Illuion, 2 9 40 4, 9 2 2 1 , 229
Iinion, ee I 2 2 9, 9, 1 19, 14; d mn 98; n Re 2 m u Qi 1 1 ne nd deie 2 2 , 2 2 9 ; um 2 5 2 ; Unel , l nimy, 2 2 - 2 2 9 Iq Fkh ln l·, 1 5 Ia , 96 1 1 9 hml 04 Ilm eeim f i i eeiim f 9 , i l ; lw f , 1 2 nd m 9 206 n d myicim 9 2 22 2 5 , 4 , 2; d pe ii eliin f l ; nd in i iiiy of 4, 2 ; ey f xiii 9, 20, i I mli, 2 Ihmu, , i2, 2, 2i uu, 1 , 2 2 , 2 297
NE
J Jm l- 17 J ere A 1 . Jesus, 1 1 7 , 1 , 1 1 , 2 19 20 Jn al- 19 J d Km l-, 10 J 2 1 1 3 Jhn 1 2 1 9 Jnh 0 Je h 1 19 Jn CG Ju ie 1 2 Kals m 23 K Ks 9 1 0, K h l id , 27 Khrrz S'd al 5 Khidr 9, 20, 2 Kn· led e x 1 3 9 2 0 2 1 o God 2 7 , 2 , 3 3 , 9 1 , 1 0 , 1 1 2 , 120, 1 157, 29 22 2 o Reay 1 f se 1 9 1 , 1 05 , 1 Kn der ran Lane, EW . Law, , 10 0 199, 20
o
eaen 29 L ig h , 3 , 3 , 1 9, 2 1 2 d, 15 1 and reaon 3 eran o 20, 3 1 , 9 0, 1 0 , 2, 23, 22. L 1 Le , 9, 39, 90 22, 249, 252, 27. qmn 3-237 m x 2, 3, 9, 1 19 1 73 Mje , 2 1 Mlik alAdil, l- 9 , odo o 3, 3 , 2, 19, 19, 20 ad Cosos 1 2 2 dny o 207 and God 3 2 , 9, 97 9, 1 9, 1 1 9, 9 2 1 , 2 2 2 7 1 as Gods agen 34 19, 270 e o 07 as roosm x 34, 3, 3 7 9, 1 19 19, 29 nare of x
1 , 3 , 1 7 ere 34, 35, 37, 3, 1 , 9, 1 4, 20 ower o 3, 3 37, 17, 14 and Reay 40, 9 as seran (sae) 3435, 37 49 14, 9 1 3, 23. Mh , 23 Mr , 1 74, 19 Mgnn, L, 2 3 , 1 0 2 e 1 M hew, :2 1 , 2 Meie, , e Brea o 2, 0, 120, 140 147, 13, 172, 22, 242 243 20 reae 29, 3 1 , 0, 1 7 , 2 2 2 , 229, 24 1 , 2 1 dne 1, 10, 9, 14, 1, 1, 207, 223, 241 ad oe 29 ogag 29 2 1 , 2 7 1 and reay 129 14 e x 3, 23 32, . ee 1 Mi rm 9, 20, 2 270 a as x 34, 3, 3, 72, 97, 1 19, 19, 229 e x 3 3 , 9, 1 Mn im 1, 2 e 1 29251 . Mhmmd, x 1 7 , 1 7 1 00 lg o 3 as ere an 97 and sanood 37, 3 as Sea 1 ayngs o 7 , 72 2, 29, 2 7 1 and s ng ary 29-272 Tradons o , 7 9, 10, 1, 199 2. M ilii 0 , 1 39, 1 22 2 2 9, 0 Msm 100, 12, 203, 209 22, 73 27 0. M z il ie 12 e x 32 39, 1. M ism x , 19 rsan x 1 2 ad exerene , 2 1 9 ews 2 3 ad al Ara x x 4 0 3 1 1 , 0 , 2 2 1 229 and a , 1 2 2, 30 3 u r 3 d Sus 3, , 4 etan 3
98
NEX
Nuu al 1 7. Name g 6 1 ; f Gd 30 37 7 9 83 105 1 20 6 2 18 222 23; ees f 10 mes 30; Spreme 30 8 9 16; ersa 83 105. Na 209 272 275 279 282. Na S 1 3 . Naue 22 267 271 csmc 8 83 1 1 2 ad Gd 9 83; f Gd 18 16; f ma 18 35 157; s �er 1 3 2 1 ; rga 1 7 2; f rea 128 212 ad Sr 3 1 7 2 2 2 19 ersa 30 Neolatonim 22 23 2. Niholon R 0 5 16 37 65 85 Noah 1 8 19 1 2 . Ne S 2 Old eamen e e 1 39 1 7. ee f Beg 19 2 25 26 27 30 31 32 33 35 37 39 8 71 3 1 1 3 1 20 1 28 1 29 15 7 1 99 208 2 1 3 22 8 2 29 22 23 252 26 269; Essea 0; eerece f 252; f Gd 83 9 223; f erce 26 27 39 8; ad ary 29 250; ad Reaty 128 188; ad rascedece 228 Palaio An 1 2 1 5 23 95. Panheim 26-27. Pade 10. Phaaoh 2 9 29 25 0 Panism x Poinu 23 Polai a d crea 28 29 1 0 28 10 16 Creatr ad creat x 3 1 3 8 9 82 1 0 1 1 2 7 3 1 88 206 222 228 252 269; ad d v ty 26 29 3 1 3 3 96 29 29 ad lary 8; ad Rea 27-3 1 3 3 3 39 0 1 1 2
P�doiion 60 6 1 3 1 0 1 1 3 6 16 7 250 267 he Poh� cf uder �mmd Poe 1 6 20 38 61 16 17217 1 19 2 2 1 25 Qhn al 7 Quna Sad an al 9 1 1 7. Qun i 1 8 2 1 2 2 7 1 72 10 1 2 1 73 1 2 250 Quan 75 92; II 1 6 77 I : 20 79; II 25 153 II 26 239; 30 52 85 201 II 3 83 9 100; 57 161; 88 159; 115 0 1 3 1 38 2 1 3; : 16 80; : 1 1 7 1 78; 1 2 2 0 1 ; : 1 3 2 1 1 3 ; 1 5 2 2 79 1 66 1 5 2 ; 179 209; 86 63 232; 1 88 1 1 2 0 50; :228 26 :253 165; 255 29 135 257 168; 259 166 167; 260 166 272 61; II 1 68; I I I 9 1 1 3 ; I I I 2 1 1 3 ; III26 77; II:3 28; II: 38; II9 176 II:9 150 151 \ 5 87; \'133 9 \150 73; \'17 175 \':8 180 8 255; 66 31 2 \109 85; \: 1 10 76 1 77; \ 1 16 82; \' 1 17 82-185 ; \: 18 8 1 86; \' 1 1 9 1 1 5 ; \ :3 23 7 ; \' :3 8 10 3; \': 59 1 67; :6 2 1; \'8 199; '90 202 91 8 1 ; \ : 1 0 1 1 3 6 2 5 \ : 1 0 3 28; \ : 1 2 2 1 79 2 5; : 1 2 23 1 ; \ : 1 32 25; 19 93 5 1 3 1 60; I 3 3 33 ; 5 13; \:122 195; I50 23; 56 188 190 226 22 7 228; : 1 2 25 1 ; \ I I I 2 3 3 2 3 5 ; I 6 2 0 I2 13 I29 17; I37 2 5; I: 8 0 205; 90 1 95; :92 265; 97 265 98 265; 33 210 :56 130 13 57 1 3 5 13; 0 1 57 1 58
299
N
X l 1 1 2 , 1 7 X 1 2 3 , 84 92, 2 2 1 5 ; X :, 1 2 2 ; X l 5 1 2 2 X3 X87, 255; X100 1 2 2 X I 1 0 78 X I I 3 3 , 7 8 24; X\'27 33 X\47 109; X\'26 27 X\29, 17 273 X\'40 14 1; X\' :50, 2 14; X\70, 15; X\'71 165 X \ 2 5 , 1 6 1 X\' 2 7 7 X\15-44 1; X\'23 78 X' 44 1 95, 2 3 X\ 55 165; X\ 1 10, 240 X\ I I I6, 2 59; X76 260 X\'78 260 X \' 1 4, 1 5 3 X I X 5 2 1 XI X 220; XIX7, 2 19; XX 1 5 2 1 ; X I X 1 7-2 , 7 5 X X 1 9 175 XIX23-34, 220; XX33 21, 220; XX53, 200, 243 XIX54 109; XX57 84 85; XX5 7 XIX86 1 3 1 XX5 84 XX9, 252; XX50 6, 107 149 166 168, 276; XX55 80; XX 7 2, 264 XX88, 1 75 ; XX94, 243 244; XX95, 2; XX97, 245; XX 1 14 1 50, 1 69, 16; XXI2, 264 XXI22 204; XX30 23; XX37 62 XX:78-79, 14 XX79, 19; XX9 50; XXI5 25; XXI, 79; XXI109, 225 X X I I 1 8 , 1 8 3 ; X XI \ 2 6 2 7 8; XX\' , 283; XX\ 9 1 1 5; XX\45 124; XX\6 124; XX\70 263; XX\5, 264; XX\:21, 259, 260; XX\'23 26 XX\24, 26 2 XX\ 27, 261; XX\28, 262; XX29 262 XX\'30, 263; XX\3 263 XX\32, 263; XX12 263 XX\' 2, 1 89 2; XX\30 1; XX\'40 2; XX\42 194; XX\44, 14; XX\60 4 XX\107, 87; XX\9, 254 255 XX\'1, 2 5 5 ; X X\ I I 3 , 2 5 6; XX\III24, 259; XXI56, 1 6 7 1 X X\ I I 8 2 2 5 6 XX\II8 4; XXX45, 21
XXIX47, 13; XXIX52 279 XX X6 9 ; XXX7 1 59 XXX54 158; XXXI2, 237; XXXI3 239 XXXI16 237239 XXXI5, 275; X XX I I I 2 1 , 1 97 ; X XX I I I : 5 7 2 1 7 XXX \ 1 0 200 205 ; XXXI\'13 200 XXX\15, 27; XXX\3 2, 79; XXX\' 1 0 1 33 XXX\ : 102 87, 99 XXX\105 99; XXX\6 94 XXX\ 1 70 2 30; XXX\II5 27; XXX\III26 55, 56, 199 2 0 1 XXX\ 30, 193; XXX\ 3 5 1 89; XXX\II36, 95; XXX\I39 1 96; XXX\ 1 -44 2 1 6 XXX\I42, 24; XXX\II43 200; XXX\I75 85, 1; XXXX3, 78, 27 28 XXXX9, 36 XXXX47, 152 153 XL15, 246 278; XL53 7 XL60 63, 232; XL85 264 XLI53 54; XLI9, 176; X L I : 1 1 , 7 5 76, 1 3 5 , 1 9 1 , 2 3 0; XLI27 166; XLI28 67 16; XLI0 29; XLI\'10 180; XL\ 1 3 95 2 53 XL\2 3 246, 247; XL\ 9 1 8 1 60 X L\ 6, 109, 1 1 5 XL\':24 1 32 3 3; X L\ 2 5 1 3 3 ; X L\ 3 1 , 64 1 82 2 3 2 73 XL \ 3 5 84; XL \'II I2 200, 2 27; X'I I 2 5 15 X\II32, 245 5 154 13 L6 32; 22 32; 2, 1 1 ; 3 7 5 - 1 5 2 1 6 5 2 1 L\29 0, 246; 3 , 2 3 5 L\85, 1 3 1 ; ' 4, 15 \' 7 77 1 5; 27, 1 1 L\ 32, 22 IX7 25 X \ 1 , 2 1; X I , 3 X\ I I42 3 1 7, 1 7 1 XX2, 7; XX5 75 7 77 XX7, XXO 7.� X X 7 7 ; X X 2 7 7 XX:2 77 XX22 77 XX23 7 XX24, 1, 7 XX25, 7, XXI2, ;
300
INEX LX7 0 1 LI:, l LXX I I :9, 1 9 LXX L17 7 LX1 X 4 LXXX, J l ; LXX LXX9, L, 79 LXX, LXX7 17 LXXX 0 LXX:, 107 LXXX9, 107 LXXXIX0 107 X, , 07 C\'i:S l X7- 9 XI, 1 Quhi . R , 1 9. Rit coscosness o 9 9 an Cosmos 1 ne xv 10, , 0, , 0 5 as ssence 10 an Go xv , 10 , 1 , 1 , e , , 97 10, 1 , 145 14 an man 0, 7 an oaty 7, 9, 0 9, 40, , 1 1 , 9 70 esence o 7 9, 9, ny o , 9, 7, 0 7, 97 1 hoeness o 9 Rlign, 1 , 1 7 Rsou 7 eeo x x 1, 4, 174 1, 199 19 Rum, } l n 0 1 5 , 4, 19 Sints 7 , 0, 1 7 14 99, 19 Slih 1 9 Slton, 1 , 1 9, 07 Smul 0. Sj, b Ns l 5 Stn, 9 50, 0 Sciptu 199 Sl, o aostes 0 o hammaan Sanhoo , 0 o ohets Sftulton Slfconciousns wnss 7 9, 9 , 49, 0 14, 17 07, 4
Slfi 7 , 5 . Slfk, , 9 91 S•lf·mnifttin Slfitin 9. Slflii 7, , 9 9 1 1 Slfnitin . Slfsuffiiny, 17 . Slfubitnt 9 Sth 0. Shdhi, b Hn 5. Shm, Shhdi , 9 Sh Qutb l l 5. Shub, 1 Sgulity 97 Solomon, 17 Soul, x , 1 7 7 1 . Spiit, xv 0 50 17 1 74 1 , 1 , 1 , 9 4 1 , 5 7 70 71 as Fathe 1 7 , 4 1 o Mham ma . Spiitulity o sam 1 4 , 7 1 o Ssm x 9 0 a tanscenence . Sublimity, 104. Sufis, x, xv , 9 0 0 an eegess 1 19 an Go x an bn aAab xv xv , 4, 7 , 9, 1 14 0, 1, , , 9, 7 an La 10 metahyscs o an mystcsm 9 14 1 stay o x 9, 0, teachngs o 10 7 Way o , 40. Suhwd, Um l, 0, 1 Symbos, 1 1 9, 1 0, 1 9 147, 1 9 70 71 imidh 0 . imdh l·, . ipliity, 105 1 9, 1 40 9, 70. uth, 4 19, 14 157 4 49, 50 ut Shl l· 9. Unity, 1 , 1 9, 140 45 9 Uyni, Shkh ·,