الْحِكَمُ الْعَطَائِيَّةُ
Al-Ḥikam al-ʿAṭāʾiyya
لِتَاجِ الدِّينِ ابْنِ عَطَاءِ اللَّهِ السَّكَنْدَرِيِّ (ت ٧٠٩هـ)
li-Tāj al-Dīn Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Allāh al-Iskandarī (d. 709 AH / 1309 CE)
٢٦٤ حِكْمَةً • الْمُكَاتَبَاتُ وَالْمَسْأَلَةُ • الْمُنَاجَاةُ الإِلٰهِيَّةُ
264 ḥikmatan • al-mukātabātu wa-l-masʾalatu • al-munājātu al-ʾilāhiyyatu
264 aphorisms • letters and response • intimate supplications
بَيَانُ هٰذِهِ الطَّبْعَةِ
bayānu hādhihi aṭ-ṭabʿati
About this edition
يَشْتَمِلُ هٰذَا الْمِلَفُّ عَلَى نَصِّ الْحِكَمِ الْمُتَدَاوَلِ كَامِلًا، وَعَلَى الْمُكَاتَبَاتِ الثَّلَاثِ، وَجَوَابِ الْمُؤَلِّفِ عَنْ مَعْنَى قُرَّةِ الْعَيْنِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ، وَالْمُنَاجَاةِ الإِلٰهِيَّةِ.
yashtamilu hādhā al-milaffu ʿalā naṣṣi al-ḥikami al-mutadāwali kāmilan, waʿalā al-mukātabāti ath-thalāthi, wajawābi al-muʾallifi ʿan maʿnā qurrati al-ʿayni fī aṣ-ṣalāti, wa-l-munājāti al-ʾilāhiyyati.
This volume contains the complete received text of the Aphorisms, the three letters, the author's response concerning the meaning of finding one's deepest joy in prayer, and the Intimate Supplications.
الْقِسْمُ الْأَوَّلُ: الْحِكَمُ
al-qismu al-ʾawwalu: al-ḥikamu
Part I: The Aphorisms
1. مِنْ عَلَامَةِ الِاعْتِمَادِ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ، نُقْصَانُ الرَّجَاءِ عِنْدَ وُجُودِ الزَّلَلِ.
min ʿalāmati al-iʿtimādi ʿalā al-ʿamali, nuqṣānu ar-rajāʾi ʿinda wujūdi az-zalali.
A sign that you rely on your deeds is that your hope diminishes when you stumble.
2. إِرَادَتُكَ التَّجْرِيدَ مَعَ إِقَامَةِ اللَّهِ إِيَّاكَ فِي الْأَسْبَابِ مِنَ الشَّهْوَةِ الْخَفِيَّةِ، وَإِرَادَتُكَ الْأَسْبَابَ مَعَ إِقَامَةِ اللَّهِ إِيَّاكَ فِي التَّجْرِيدِ انْحِطَاطٌ عَنِ الْهِمَّةِ الْعَلِيَّةِ.
ʾirādatuka at-tajrīda maʿa ʾiqāmati Allāhi ʾiyyāka fī al-ʾasbābi mina ash-shahwati al-khafiyyati, waʾirādatuka al-ʾasbāba maʿa ʾiqāmati Allāhi ʾiyyāka fī at-tajrīdi inḥiṭāṭun ʿani al-himmati al-ʿaliyyati.
Your desire to withdraw from worldly means while God keeps you among them is a hidden appetite; and your desire for worldly means while God keeps you in detachment is a fall from lofty spiritual aspiration.
3. سَوَابِقُ الْهِمَمِ لَا تَخْرِقُ أَسْوَارَ الْأَقْدَارِ.
sawābiqu al-himami lā takhriqu ʾaswāra al-ʾaqdāri.
Even the most far-reaching spiritual aspirations cannot breach the walls of divine decree.
4. أَرِحْ نَفْسَكَ مِنَ التَّدْبِيرِ. فَمَا قَامَ بِهِ غَيْرُكَ عَنْكَ لَا تَقُمْ بِهِ لِنَفْسِكَ.
ʾariḥ nafsaka mina at-tadbīri. famā qāma bihi ghayruka ʿanka lā taqum bihi linafsika.
Relieve yourself of self-directed planning. Do not take upon yourself what God has already undertaken for you.
5. اِجْتِهَادُكَ فِيمَا ضُمِنَ لَكَ وَتَقْصِيرُكَ فِيمَا طُلِبَ مِنْكَ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى انْطِمَاسِ الْبَصِيرَةِ مِنْكَ.
ijtihāduka fīmā ḍumina laka wataqṣīruka fīmā ṭuliba minka dalīlun ʿalā inṭimāsi al-baṣīrati minka.
Your striving for what has been guaranteed to you and your neglect of what has been required of you are evidence that your inner sight has been blinded.
6. لَا يَكُنْ تَأَخُّرُ أَمَدِ الْعَطَاءِ مَعَ الْإِلْحَاحِ فِي الدُّعَاءِ مُوجِبًا لِيَأْسِكَ. فَهُوَ ضَمِنَ لَكَ الْإِجَابَةَ فِيمَا يَخْتَارُهُ لَكَ لَا فِيمَا تَخْتَارُهُ لِنَفْسِكَ. وَفِي الْوَقْتِ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ لَا فِي الْوَقْتِ الَّذِي تُرِيدُ.
lā yakun taʾakhkhuru ʾamadi al-ʿaṭāʾi maʿa al-ʾilḥāḥi fī ad-duʿāʾi mūjiban liyaʾsika. fahuwa ḍamina laka al-ʾijābata fīmā yakhtāruhu laka lā fīmā takhtāruhu linafsika. wafī al-waqti alladhī yurīdu lā fī al-waqti alladhī turīdu.
Do not let a delay in receiving the gift, despite your persistent prayer, drive you to despair. He has guaranteed you an answer in the form He chooses for you, not the form you choose for yourself, and at the time He wills, not the time you will.
7. لَا يُشَكِّكَنَّكَ فِي الْوَعْدِ عَدَمُ وُقُوعِ الْمَوْعُودِ، وَإِنْ تَعَيَّنَ زَمَنُهُ؛ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ قَدْحًا فِي بَصِيرَتِكَ وَإِخْمَادًا لِنُورِ سَرِيرَتِكَ.
lā yushakkikannaka fī al-waʿdi ʿadamu wuqūʿi al-mawʿūdi, waʾin taʿayyana zamanuhu; liʾallā yakūna dhalika qadḥan fī baṣīratika waʾikhmādan linūri sarīratika.
Do not let the nonfulfillment of what was promised make you doubt the promise - even if its time has been specified - lest this impair your inner sight and extinguish the light of your innermost heart.
8. إِذَا فَتَحَ لَكَ وِجْهَةً مِنَ التَّعَرُّفِ فَلَا تُبَالِ مَعَهَا إِنْ قَلَّ عَمَلُكَ. فَإِنَّهُ مَا فَتَحَهَا لَكَ إِلَّا وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَعَرَّفَ إِلَيْكَ؛ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ التَّعَرُّفَ هُوَ مُورِدُهُ عَلَيْكَ وَالْأَعْمَالَ أَنْتَ مُهْدِيهَا إِلَيْهِ. وَأَيْنَ مَا تُهْدِيهِ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا هُوَ مُورِدُهُ عَلَيْكَ؟
ʾidhā fataḥa laka wijhatan mina at-taʿarrufi falā tubāli maʿahā ʾin qalla ʿamaluka. faʾinnahu mā fataḥahā laka ʾillā wahuwa yurīdu ʾan yataʿarrafa ʾilayka; ʾalam taʿlam ʾanna at-taʿarrufa huwa mūriduhu ʿalayka wa-l-ʾaʿmāla ʾanta muhdīhā ʾilayhi. waʾayna mā tuhdīhi ʾilayhi mimmā huwa mūriduhu ʿalayka?
When He opens for you a way of coming to know Him, do not worry if your deeds are few. He opened it only because He wants to make Himself known to you. Do you not know that this self-disclosure is His gift to you, whereas deeds are your offering to Him? What comparison is there between what you offer Him and what He bestows upon you?
9. تَنَوَّعَتْ أَجْنَاسُ الْأَعْمَالِ لِتَنَوُّعِ وَارِدَاتِ الْأَحْوَالِ.
tanawwaʿat ʾajnāsu al-ʾaʿmāli litanawwuʿi wāridāti al-ʾaḥwāli.
The forms of deeds vary because the spiritual influxes of inner states vary.
10. الْأَعْمَالُ صُوَرٌ قَائِمَةٌ، وَأَرْوَاحُهَا وُجُودُ سِرِّ الْإِخْلَاصِ فِيهَا.
al-ʾaʿmālu ṣuwarun qāʾimatun, waʾarwāḥuhā wujūdu sirri al-ʾikhlāṣi fīhā.
Actions are outward forms; their spirits are the presence within them of the secret of sincerity.
11. اِدْفِنْ وُجُودَكَ فِي أَرْضِ الْخُمُولِ، فَمَا نَبَتَ مِمَّا لَمْ يُدْفَنْ لَا يَتِمُّ نِتَاجُهُ.
idfin wujūdaka fī ʾarḍi al-khumūli, famā nabata mimmā lam yudfan lā yatimmu nitājuhu.
Bury your existence in the soil of obscurity, for whatever sprouts without having been buried never fully ripens.
12. مَا نَفَعَ الْقَلْبَ شَيْءٌ مِثْلُ عُزْلَةٍ يَدْخُلُ بِهَا مَيْدَانَ فِكْرَةٍ.
mā nafaʿa al-qalba shayʾun mithlu ʿuzlatin yadkhulu bihā maydāna fikratin.
Nothing benefits the heart like seclusion through which it enters the field of reflection.
13. كَيْفَ يُشْرِقُ قَلْبٌ صُوَرُ الْأَكْوَانِ مُنْطَبِعَةٌ فِي مِرْآتِهِ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَرْحَلُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُكَبَّلٌ بِشَهَوَاتِهِ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ حَضْرَةَ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ لَمْ يَتَطَهَّرْ مِنْ جَنَابَةِ غَفَلَاتِهِ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ يَرْجُو أَنْ يَفْهَمَ دَقَائِقَ الْأَسْرَارِ وَهُوَ لَمْ يَتُبْ مِنْ هَفَوَاتِهِ؟
kayfa yushriqu qalbun ṣuwaru al-ʾakwāni munṭabiʿatun fī mirʾātihi? ʾam kayfa yarḥalu ʾilā Allāhi wahuwa mukabbalun bishahawātihi? ʾam kayfa yaṭmaʿu ʾan yadkhula ḥaḍrata Allāhi wahuwa lam yataṭahhar min janābati ghafalātihi? ʾam kayfa yarjū ʾan yafhama daqāʾiqa al-ʾasrāri wahuwa lam yatub min hafawātihi?
How can a heart shine while the forms of created things are imprinted in its mirror? How can it journey to God while shackled by its appetites? How can it hope to enter God's Presence without cleansing itself of the major impurity of its heedlessness? How can it hope to understand the subtleties of the mysteries without repenting of its lapses?
14. الْكَوْنُ كُلُّهُ ظُلْمَةٌ، وَإِنَّمَا أَنَارَهُ ظُهُورُ الْحَقِّ فِيهِ، فَمَنْ رَأَى الْكَوْنَ وَلَمْ يَشْهَدْهُ فِيهِ أَوْ عِنْدَهُ أَوْ قَبْلَهُ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ فَقَدْ أَعْوَزَهُ وُجُودُ الْأَنْوَارِ، وَحُجِبَتْ عَنْهُ شُمُوسُ الْمَعَارِفِ بِسُحُبِ الْآثَارِ.
al-kawnu kulluhu ẓulmatun, waʾinnamā ʾanārahu ẓuhūru al-ḥaqqi fīhi, faman raʾā al-kawna walam yashhadhu fīhi ʾaw ʿindahu ʾaw qablahu ʾaw baʿdahu faqad ʾaʿwazahu wujūdu al-ʾanwāri, waḥujibat ʿanhu shumūsu al-maʿārifi bisuḥubi al-ʾāthāri.
The cosmos is entirely darkness; only God's manifestation within it illumines it. Whoever sees the cosmos but does not witness Him in it, with it, before it, or after it is bereft of light, and the suns of direct knowledge are veiled from him by the clouds of created effects.
15. مِمَّا يَدُلُّكَ عَلَى وُجُودِ قَهْرِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ أَنْ حَجَبَكَ عَنْهُ بِمَا لَيْسَ بِمَوْجُودٍ مَعَهُ.
mimmā yadulluka ʿalā wujūdi qahrihi subḥānahu ʾan ḥajabaka ʿanhu bimā laysa bimawjūdin maʿahu.
One sign of His overwhelming power - glory be to Him - is that He veils you from Himself with what has no existence alongside Him.
16. كَيْفَ يُتَصَوَّرُ أَنْ يَحْجُبَهُ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَظْهَرَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ! كَيْفَ يُتَصَوَّرُ أَنْ يَحْجُبَهُ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ الَّذِي ظَهَرَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ! كَيْفَ يُتَصَوَّرُ أَنْ يَحْجُبَهُ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ الَّذِي ظَهَرَ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ! كَيْفَ يُتَصَوَّرُ أَنْ يَحْجُبَهُ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ الَّذِي ظَهَرَ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ! كَيْفَ يُتَصَوَّرُ أَنْ يَحْجُبَهُ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ الظَّاهِرُ قَبْلَ وُجُودِ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ! كَيْفَ يُتَصَوَّرُ أَنْ يَحْجُبَهُ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ أَظْهَرُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ! كَيْفَ يُتَصَوَّرُ أَنْ يَحْجُبَهُ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ مَعَهُ شَيْءٌ! كَيْفَ يُتَصَوَّرُ أَنْ يَحْجُبَهُ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ! وَكَيْفَ يُتَصَوَّرُ أَنْ يَحْجُبَهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَوْلَاهُ مَا كَانَ وُجُودُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ! يَا عَجَبًا كَيْفَ يَظْهَرُ الْوُجُودُ فِي الْعَدَمِ! أَمْ كَيْفَ يَثْبُتُ الْحَادِثُ مَعَ مَنْ لَهُ وَصْفُ الْقِدَمِ!
kayfa yutaṣawwaru ʾan yaḥjubahu shayʾun wahuwa alladhī ʾaẓhara kulla shayʾin! kayfa yutaṣawwaru ʾan yaḥjubahu shayʾun wahuwa alladhī ẓahara bikulli shayʾin! kayfa yutaṣawwaru ʾan yaḥjubahu shayʾun wahuwa alladhī ẓahara fī kulli shayʾin! kayfa yutaṣawwaru ʾan yaḥjubahu shayʾun wahuwa alladhī ẓahara likulli shayʾin! kayfa yutaṣawwaru ʾan yaḥjubahu shayʾun wahuwa aẓ-ẓāhiru qabla wujūdi kulli shayʾin! kayfa yutaṣawwaru ʾan yaḥjubahu shayʾun wahuwa ʾaẓharu min kulli shayʾin! kayfa yutaṣawwaru ʾan yaḥjubahu shayʾun wahuwa al-wāḥidu alladhī laysa maʿahu shayʾun! kayfa yutaṣawwaru ʾan yaḥjubahu shayʾun wahuwa ʾaqrabu ʾilayka min kulli shayʾin! wakayfa yutaṣawwaru ʾan yaḥjubahu shayʾun walawlāhu mā kāna wujūdu kulli shayʾin! yā ʿajaban kayfa yaẓharu al-wujūdu fī al-ʿadami! ʾam kayfa yathbutu al-ḥādithu maʿa man lahu waṣfu al-qidami!
How could anything veil Him when He is the One who made everything manifest? How could anything veil Him when He manifests Himself through everything? How could anything veil Him when He is manifest in everything? How could anything veil Him when He manifests Himself to everything? How could anything veil Him when He was manifest before everything existed? How could anything veil Him when He is more manifest than everything? How could anything veil Him when He is the One beside whom there is nothing? How could anything veil Him when He is nearer to you than everything? How could anything veil Him when, were it not for Him, nothing would exist? How astonishing that existence should appear within nonexistence, or that what comes into being should stand alongside the One whose attribute is beginninglessness!
17. مَا تَرَكَ مِنَ الْجَهْلِ شَيْئًا مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُحْدِثَ فِي الْوَقْتِ غَيْرَ مَا أَظْهَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِيهِ.
mā taraka mina al-jahli shayʾan man ʾarāda ʾan yuḥditha fī al-waqti ghayra mā ʾaẓharahu Allāhu fīhi.
Whoever wants to bring about in the present moment something other than what God has disclosed in it has left no part of ignorance behind.
18. إِحَالَتُكَ الْأَعْمَالَ عَلَى وُجُودِ الْفَرَاغِ مِنْ رُعُونَاتِ النَّفْسِ.
ʾiḥālatuka al-ʾaʿmāla ʿalā wujūdi al-farāghi min ruʿūnāti an-nafsi.
Postponing deeds until you have free time is one of the lower self's foolish delusions.
19. لَا تَطْلُبْ مِنْهُ أَنْ يُخْرِجَكَ مِنْ حَالَةٍ لِيَسْتَعْمِلَكَ فِيمَا سِوَاهَا. فَلَوْ أَرَادَ لَاسْتَعْمَلَكَ مِنْ غَيْرِ إِخْرَاجٍ.
lā taṭlub minhu ʾan yukhrijaka min ḥālatin liyastaʿmilaka fīmā siwāhā. falaw ʾarāda la-staʿmalaka min ghayri ʾikhrājin.
Do not ask Him to bring you out of one state so that He may employ you in another. Had He willed, He could employ you without bringing you out.
20. مَا أَرَادَتْ هِمَّةُ سَالِكٍ أَنْ تَقِفَ عِنْدَ مَا كُشِفَ لَهَا إِلَّا وَنَادَتْهُ هَوَاتِفُ الْحَقِيقَةِ: الَّذِي تَطْلُبُ أَمَامَكَ. وَلَا تَبَرَّجَتْ ظَوَاهِرُ الْمُكَوَّنَاتِ إِلَّا وَنَادَتْهُ حَقَائِقُهَا: ﴿إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ﴾.
mā ʾarādat himmatu sālikin ʾan taqifa ʿinda mā kushifa lahā ʾillā wanādathu hawātifu al-ḥaqīqati: alladhī taṭlubu ʾamāmaka. walā tabarrajat ẓawāhiru al-mukawwanāti ʾillā wanādathu ḥaqāʾiquhā: ﴿ʾinnamā naḥnu fitnatun falā takfur﴾.
Whenever a spiritual traveler's aspiration would stop at what has been unveiled to it, the voices of Reality call out to him: 'What you seek lies ahead.' And whenever the outward charms of created things display themselves, their inner realities call out to him: 'We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve.'
21. طَلَبُكَ مِنْهُ اتِّهَامٌ لَهُ. وَطَلَبُكَ لَهُ غَيْبَةٌ مِنْكَ عَنْهُ وَطَلَبُكَ لِغَيْرِهِ لِقِلَّةِ حَيَائِكَ مِنْهُ وَطَلَبُكَ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ لِوُجُودِ بُعْدِكَ عَنْهُ.
ṭalabuka minhu ittihāmun lahu. waṭalabuka lahu ghaybatun minka ʿanhu waṭalabuka lighayrihi liqillati ḥayāʾika minhu waṭalabuka min ghayrihi liwujūdi buʿdika ʿanhu.
Your asking Him for something is an accusation against Him. Your seeking Him shows your absence from Him; your seeking what is other than Him comes from your lack of modesty before Him; and your asking anyone other than Him comes from your distance from Him.
22. مَا مِنْ نَفَسٍ تُبْدِيهِ إِلَّا وَلَهُ قَدَرٌ فِيكَ يُمْضِيهِ.
mā min nafasin tubdīhi ʾillā walahu qadarun fīka yumḍīhi.
No breath leaves you without His having a decree concerning you that He brings to pass.
23. لَا تَتَرَقَّبْ فَرَاغَ الْأَغْيَارِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ يَقْطَعُكَ عَنْ وُجُودِ الْمُرَاقَبَةِ لَهُ فِيمَا هُوَ مُقِيمُكَ فِيهِ.
lā tataraqqab farāgha al-ʾaghyāri faʾinna dhalika yaqṭaʿuka ʿan wujūdi al-murāqabati lahu fīmā huwa muqīmuka fīhi.
Do not wait until all that is other than God has cleared away; doing so cuts you off from watchful awareness of Him in the very state in which He has placed you.
24. لَا تَسْتَغْرِبْ وُقُوعَ الْأَكْدَارِ، مَا دُمْتَ فِي هَذِهِ الدَّارِ، فَإِنَّهَا مَا أَبْرَزَتْ إِلَّا مَا هُوَ مُسْتَحَقُّ وَصْفِهَا وَوَاجِبُ نَعْتِهَا.
lā tastaghrib wuqūʿa al-ʾakdāri, mā dumta fī hadhihi ad-dāri, faʾinnahā mā ʾabrazat ʾillā mā huwa mustaḥaqqu waṣfihā wawājibu naʿtihā.
Do not be surprised when troubles arise as long as you remain in this world; it reveals only what its nature merits and its description demands.
25. مَا تَوَقَّفَ مَطْلَبٌ أَنْتَ طَالِبُهُ بِرَبِّكَ وَلَا تَيَسَّرَ مَطْلَبٌ أَنْتَ طَالِبُهُ بِنَفْسِكَ.
mā tawaqqafa maṭlabun ʾanta ṭālibuhu birabbika walā tayassara maṭlabun ʾanta ṭālibuhu binafsika.
No aim you pursue by relying on your Lord is ever thwarted, and no aim you pursue by relying on yourself is ever made easy.
26. مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ النَّجَاحِ فِي النِّهَايَاتِ، الرُّجُوعُ إِلَى اللَّهِ فِي الْبِدَايَاتِ.
min ʿalāmāti an-najāḥi fī an-nihāyāti, ar-rujūʿu ʾilā Allāhi fī al-bidāyāti.
A sign of success at the end is turning to God at the beginning.
27. مَنْ أَشْرَقَتْ بِدَايَتُهُ أَشْرَقَتْ نِهَايَتُهُ.
man ʾashraqat bidāyatuhu ʾashraqat nihāyatuhu.
When someone's beginning shines, their ending will shine as well.
28. مَا اسْتُودِعَ فِي غَيْبِ السَّرَائِرِ ظَهَرَ فِي شَهَادَةِ الظَّوَاهِرِ.
mā ustūdiʿa fī ghaybi as-sarāʾiri ẓahara fī shahādati aẓ-ẓawāhiri.
Whatever is deposited in the unseen depths of the inner being appears in the visible testimony of outward conduct.
29. شَتَّانَ بَيْنَ مَنْ يَسْتَدِلُّ بِهِ أَوْ يَسْتَدِلُّ عَلَيْهِ. الْمُسْتَدِلُّ بِهِ عَرَفَ الْحَقَّ لِأَهْلِهِ، فَأَثْبَتَ الْأَمْرَ مِنْ وُجُودِ أَصْلِهِ. وَالِاسْتِدْلَالُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ عَدَمِ الْوُصُولِ إِلَيْهِ. وَإِلَّا فَمَتَى غَابَ حَتَّى يُسْتَدَلَّ عَلَيْهِ؟ وَمَتَى بَعُدَ حَتَّى تَكُونَ الْآثَارُ هِيَ الَّتِي تُوصِلُ إِلَيْهِ؟
shattāna bayna man yastadillu bihi ʾaw yastadillu ʿalayhi. al-mustadillu bihi ʿarafa al-ḥaqqa liʾahlihi, faʾathbata al-ʾamra min wujūdi ʾaṣlihi. wa-l-istidlālu ʿalayhi min ʿadami al-wuṣūli ʾilayhi. waʾillā famatā ghāba ḥattā yustadalla ʿalayhi? wamatā baʿuda ḥattā takūna al-ʾāthāru hiya allatī tūṣilu ʾilayhi?
What a difference there is between one who takes Him as proof and one who seeks proof of Him. The first recognizes that true existence belongs to its rightful Possessor and establishes the existence of every created thing from the existence of its Source. Seeking proof of Him comes from not having reached Him. Otherwise, when was He ever absent, so that proof would be needed to find Him? When was He ever distant, so that created effects would be what lead to Him?
30. ﴿لِيُنْفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِنْ سَعَتِهِ﴾: الْوَاصِلُونَ إِلَيْهِ. ﴿مَنْ قُدِرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُ﴾: السَّائِرُونَ إِلَيْهِ.
﴿liyunfiq dhū saʿatin min saʿatihi﴾: al-wāṣilūna ʾilayhi. ﴿man qudira ʿalayhi rizquhu﴾: as-sāʾirūna ʾilayhi.
"Let one of abundance spend from his abundance": those who have arrived at Him. "Whoever has his provision restricted": those still journeying to Him.
31. اِهْتَدَى الرَّاحِلُونَ إِلَيْهِ بِأَنْوَارِ التَّوَجُّهِ، وَالْوَاصِلُونَ لَهُمْ أَنْوَارُ الْمُوَاجَهَةِ، فَالْأَوَّلُونَ لِلْأَنْوَارِ، وَهَؤُلَاءِ الْأَنْوَارُ لَهُمْ؛ لِأَنَّهُمْ لِلَّهِ لَا لِشَيْءٍ دُونَهُ ﴿قُلِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ﴾.
ihtadā ar-rāḥilūna ʾilayhi biʾanwāri at-tawajjuhi, wa-l-wāṣilūna lahum ʾanwāru al-muwājahati, fa-l-ʾawwalūna li-l-ʾanwāri, wahaʾulāʾi al-ʾanwāru lahum; liʾannahum lillāhi lā lishayʾin dūnahu ﴿quli Allāhu thumma dharhum fī khawḍihim yalʿabūna﴾.
Those journeying to Him are guided by the lights of orientation, while those who have arrived possess the lights of face-to-face encounter. The former belong to the lights; the latter have the lights at their service, because they belong to God, not to anything short of Him: "Say: God. Then leave them to play in their vain discourse."
32. تَشَوُّفُكَ إِلَى مَا بَطَنَ فِيكَ مِنَ الْعُيُوبِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ تَشَوُّفِكَ إِلَى مَا حُجِبَ عَنْكَ مِنَ الْغُيُوبِ.
tashawwufuka ʾilā mā baṭana fīka mina al-ʿuyūbi khayrun min tashawwufika ʾilā mā ḥujiba ʿanka mina al-ghuyūbi.
Your desire to uncover the faults hidden within you is better than your desire to uncover the unseen realities veiled from you.
33. الْحَقُّ لَيْسَ بِمَحْجُوبٍ، وَإِنَّمَا الْمَحْجُوبُ أَنْتَ عَنِ النَّظَرِ إِلَيْهِ، إِذْ لَوْ حَجَبَهُ شَيْءٌ — لَسَتَرَهُ مَا حَجَبَهُ، وَلَوْ كَانَ لَهُ سَاتِرٌ — لَكَانَ لِوُجُودِهِ حَاصِرٌ، وَكُلُّ حَاصِرٍ لِشَيْءٍ — فَهُوَ لَهُ قَاهِرٌ ﴿وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ﴾.
al-ḥaqqu laysa bimaḥjūbin, waʾinnamā al-maḥjūbu ʾanta ʿani an-naẓari ʾilayhi, ʾidh law ḥajabahu shayʾun — lasatarahu mā ḥajabahu, walaw kāna lahu sātirun — lakāna liwujūdihi ḥāṣirun, wakullu ḥāṣirin lishayʾin — fahuwa lahu qāhirun ﴿wahuwa al-qāhiru fawqa ʿibādihi﴾.
God is not veiled; it is you who are veiled from seeing Him. If anything veiled Him, then what veiled Him would cover Him. If He had a covering, His existence would have a boundary; and whatever confines a thing dominates it. 'He is the Dominant over His servants.'
34. اُخْرُجْ مِنْ أَوْصَافِ بَشَرِيَّتِكَ عَنْ كُلِّ وَصْفٍ مُنَاقِضٍ لِعُبُودِيَّتِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِنِدَاءِ الْحَقِّ مُجِيبًا وَمِنْ حَضْرَتِهِ قَرِيبًا.
ukhruj min ʾawṣāfi bashariyyatika ʿan kulli waṣfin munāqiḍin liʿubūdiyyatika litakūna linidāʾi al-ḥaqqi mujīban wamin ḥaḍratihi qarīban.
Leave behind every trait of your human nature that conflicts with your servanthood, so that you may answer God's call and draw near to His Presence.
35. أَصْلُ كُلِّ مَعْصِيَةٍ وَغَفْلَةٍ وَشَهْوَةٍ الرِّضَا عَنِ النَّفْسِ، وَأَصْلُ كُلِّ طَاعَةٍ وَيَقَظَةٍ وَعِفَّةٍ عَدَمُ الرِّضَا مِنْكَ عَنْهَا. وَلَأَنْ تَصْحَبَ جَاهِلًا لَا يَرْضَى عَنْ نَفْسِهِ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تَصْحَبَ عَالِمًا يَرْضَى عَنْ نَفْسِهِ. فَأَيُّ عِلْمٍ لِعَالِمٍ يَرْضَى عَنْ نَفْسِهِ؟ وَأَيُّ جَهْلٍ لِجَاهِلٍ لَا يَرْضَى عَنْ نَفْسِهِ؟
ʾaṣlu kulli maʿṣiyatin waghaflatin washahwatin ar-riḍā ʿani an-nafsi, waʾaṣlu kulli ṭāʿatin wayaqaẓatin waʿiffatin ʿadamu ar-riḍā minka ʿanhā. walaʾan taṣḥaba jāhilan lā yarḍā ʿan nafsihi khayrun laka min ʾan taṣḥaba ʿāliman yarḍā ʿan nafsihi. faʾayyu ʿilmin liʿālimin yarḍā ʿan nafsihi? waʾayyu jahlin lijāhilin lā yarḍā ʿan nafsihi?
The root of every disobedience, heedlessness, and passion is satisfaction with the lower self; and the root of every obedience, wakefulness, and restraint is your dissatisfaction with it. Keeping company with an ignorant person who is dissatisfied with his lower self is better for you than keeping company with a learned person who is satisfied with his lower self. What real knowledge can a learned person who is satisfied with his lower self have? What ignorance can be attributed to an ignorant person who is dissatisfied with his lower self?
36. شُعَاعُ الْبَصِيرَةِ يُشْهِدُكَ قُرْبَهُ مِنْكَ، وَعَيْنُ الْبَصِيرَةِ يُشْهِدُكَ عَدَمَكَ لِوُجُودِهِ، وَحَقُّ الْبَصِيرَةِ يُشْهِدُكَ وُجُودَهُ، لَا عَدَمَكَ وَلَا وُجُودَكَ.
shuʿāʿu al-baṣīrati yushhiduka qurbahu minka, waʿaynu al-baṣīrati yushhiduka ʿadamaka liwujūdihi, waḥaqqu al-baṣīrati yushhiduka wujūdahu, lā ʿadamaka walā wujūdaka.
The ray of inner sight lets you witness His nearness to you. The eye of inner sight lets you witness your nonexistence before His existence. The truth of inner sight lets you witness His existence - not your nonexistence and not your existence.
37. كَانَ اللَّهُ وَلَا شَيْءَ مَعَهُ، وَهُوَ الْآنَ عَلَى مَا عَلَيْهِ كَانَ.
kāna Allāhu walā shayʾa maʿahu, wahuwa al-ʾāna ʿalā mā ʿalayhi kāna.
God was, and nothing was with Him; and He is now as He ever was.
38. لَا تَتَعَدَّ نِيَّةُ هِمَّتِكَ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ، فَالْكَرِيمُ لَا تَتَخَطَّاهُ الْآمَالُ.
lā tataʿadda niyyatu himmatika ʾilā ghayrihi, fa-l-karīmu lā tatakhaṭṭāhu al-ʾāmālu.
Do not let the aim of your spiritual aspiration turn to anything other than Him, for hopes do not pass beyond the Generous One.
39. لَا تَرْفَعَنَّ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ حَاجَةً هُوَ مُورِدُهَا عَلَيْكَ. فَكَيْفَ يَرْفَعُ غَيْرُهُ مَا كَانَ هُوَ لَهُ وَاضِعًا! مَنْ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ حَاجَةً عَنْ نَفْسِهِ فَكَيْفَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهَا عَنْ غَيْرِهِ رَافِعًا؟
lā tarfaʿanna ʾilā ghayrihi ḥājatan huwa mūriduhā ʿalayka. fakayfa yarfaʿu ghayruhu mā kāna huwa lahu wāḍiʿan! man lā yastaṭīʿu ʾan yarfaʿa ḥājatan ʿan nafsihi fakayfa yastaṭīʿu ʾan yakūna lahā ʿan ghayrihi rāfiʿan?
Never present to anyone other than Him a need that He Himself has brought upon you. How could anyone else remove what He has imposed? One who cannot remove a need from himself - how could he remove it from someone else?
40. إِنْ لَمْ تُحَسِّنْ ظَنَّكَ بِهِ لِأَجْلِ وَصْفِهِ، فَحَسِّنْ ظَنَّكَ بِهِ لِأَجْلِ مُعَامَلَتِهِ مَعَكَ، فَهَلْ عَوَّدَكَ إِلَّا حَسَنًا؟ وَهَلْ أَسْدَى إِلَيْكَ إِلَّا مِنَنًا؟
ʾin lam tuḥassin ẓannaka bihi liʾajli waṣfihi, faḥassin ẓannaka bihi liʾajli muʿāmalatihi maʿaka, fahal ʿawwadaka ʾillā ḥasanan? wahal ʾasdā ʾilayka ʾillā minanan?
If you cannot think well of Him because of His attributes, then think well of Him because of how He has treated you. Has He accustomed you to anything but goodness? Has He ever bestowed on you anything but favors?
41. الْعَجَبُ كُلُّ الْعَجَبِ مِمَّنْ يَهْرُبُ مِمَّنْ لَا انْفِكَاكَ لَهُ عَنْهُ، وَيَطْلُبُ مَا لَا بَقَاءَ لَهُ مَعَهُ ﴿فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَكِنْ تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ﴾.
al-ʿajabu kullu al-ʿajabi mimman yahrubu mimman lā infikāka lahu ʿanhu, wayaṭlubu mā lā baqāʾa lahu maʿahu ﴿faʾinnahā lā taʿmā al-ʾabṣāru walakin taʿmā al-qulūbu allatī fī aṣ-ṣudūri﴾.
Utter astonishment at one who flees from the One he can never escape, yet seeks what cannot last with him. "It is not the eyes that go blind; rather, it is the hearts within the breasts that go blind."
42. لَا تَرْحَلْ مِنْ كَوْنٍ إِلَى كَوْنٍ فَتَكُونَ كَحِمَارِ الرَّحَى؛ يَسِيرُ، وَالْمَكَانُ الَّذِي ارْتَحَلَ إِلَيْهِ هُوَ الَّذِي ارْتَحَلَ عَنْهُ. وَلَكِنِ ارْحَلْ مِنَ الْأَكْوَانِ إِلَى الْمُكَوِّنِ: ﴿وَأَنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الْمُنْتَهَى﴾.
lā tarḥal min kawnin ʾilā kawnin fatakūna kaḥimāri ar-raḥā; yasīru, wa-l-makānu alladhī irtaḥala ʾilayhi huwa alladhī irtaḥala ʿanhu. walakini irḥal mina al-ʾakwāni ʾilā al-mukawwini: ﴿waʾanna ʾilā rabbika al-muntahā﴾.
Do not travel from one created thing to another, or you will be like a mill donkey: it walks, yet the place it reaches is the very place it left. Instead, travel from created things to their Creator: "And the final destination is your Lord."
43. لَا تَصْحَبْ مَنْ لَا يُنْهِضُكَ حَالُهُ وَلَا يَدُلُّكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَقَالُهُ.
lā taṣḥab man lā yunhiḍuka ḥāluhu walā yadulluka ʿalā Allāhi maqāluhu.
Do not keep company with anyone whose state does not uplift you and whose words do not point you to God.
44. رُبَّمَا كُنْتَ مُسِيئًا فَأَرَاكَ الْإِحْسَانَ مِنْكَ صُحْبَتُكَ مَنْ هُوَ أَسْوَأُ حَالًا مِنْكَ.
rubbamā kunta musīʾan faʾarāka al-ʾiḥsāna minka ṣuḥbatuka man huwa ʾaswaʾu ḥālan minka.
You may be doing wrong, yet keeping company with someone in a worse state than yours makes you see yourself as doing good.
45. مَا قَلَّ عَمَلٌ بَرَزَ مِنْ قَلْبٍ زَاهِدٍ، وَلَا كَثُرَ عَمَلٌ بَرَزَ مِنْ قَلْبٍ رَاغِبٍ.
mā qalla ʿamalun baraza min qalbin zāhidin, walā kathura ʿamalun baraza min qalbin rāghibin.
No deed is small when it emerges from a heart detached from the world, and no deed is great when it emerges from a heart full of desire.
46. حُسْنُ الْأَعْمَالِ نَتَائِجُ حُسْنِ الْأَحْوَالِ، وَحُسْنُ الْأَحْوَالِ مِنَ التَّحَقُّقِ فِي مَقَامَاتِ الْإِنْزَالِ.
ḥusnu al-ʾaʿmāli natāʾiju ḥusni al-ʾaḥwāli, waḥusnu al-ʾaḥwāli mina at-taḥaqquqi fī maqāmāti al-ʾinzāli.
The beauty of actions is the fruit of beautiful spiritual states, and the beauty of spiritual states comes from being firmly established in the stations of divine bestowal.
47. لَا تَتْرُكِ الذِّكْرَ لِعَدَمِ حُضُورِكَ مَعَ اللَّهِ فِيهِ، لِأَنَّ غَفْلَتَكَ عَنْ وُجُودِ ذِكْرِهِ أَشَدُّ مِنْ غَفْلَتِكَ فِي وُجُودِ ذِكْرِهِ. فَعَسَى أَنْ يَرْفَعَكَ مِنْ ذِكْرٍ مَعَ وُجُودِ غَفْلَةٍ إِلَى ذِكْرٍ مَعَ وُجُودِ يَقَظَةٍ، وَمِنْ ذِكْرٍ مَعَ وُجُودِ يَقَظَةٍ إِلَى ذِكْرٍ مَعَ وُجُودِ حُضُورٍ، وَمِنْ ذِكْرٍ مَعَ وُجُودِ حُضُورٍ إِلَى ذِكْرٍ مَعَ وُجُودِ غَيْبَةٍ عَمَّا سِوَى الْمَذْكُورِ، ﴿وَمَا ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ﴾.
lā tatruki adh-dhikra liʿadami ḥuḍūrika maʿa Allāhi fīhi, liʾanna ghaflataka ʿan wujūdi dhikrihi ʾashaddu min ghaflatika fī wujūdi dhikrihi. faʿasā ʾan yarfaʿaka min dhikrin maʿa wujūdi ghaflatin ʾilā dhikrin maʿa wujūdi yaqaẓatin, wamin dhikrin maʿa wujūdi yaqaẓatin ʾilā dhikrin maʿa wujūdi ḥuḍūrin, wamin dhikrin maʿa wujūdi ḥuḍūrin ʾilā dhikrin maʿa wujūdi ghaybatin ʿammā siwā al-madhkūri, ﴿wamā dhalika ʿalā Allāhi biʿazīzin﴾.
Do not abandon remembrance because you are not present with God in it. Your heedlessness of remembrance itself is worse than your heedlessness while remembering Him. Perhaps He will raise you from remembrance with heedlessness to remembrance with wakefulness; from remembrance with wakefulness to remembrance with presence; and from remembrance with presence to remembrance in which you are absent from everything but the One remembered. "That is not difficult for God."
Qur’an, Ibrāhīm 14:20; the identical phrase occurs at Fāṭir 35:17.
48. مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ مَوْتِ الْقَلْبِ عَدَمُ الْحُزْنِ عَلَى مَا فَاتَكَ مِنَ الْمُوَافَقَاتِ، وَتَرْكُ النَّدَمِ عَلَى مَا فَعَلْتَهُ مِنْ وُجُودِ الزَّلَّاتِ.
min ʿalāmāti mawti al-qalbi ʿadamu al-ḥuzni ʿalā mā fātaka mina al-muwāfaqāti, watarku an-nadami ʿalā mā faʿaltahu min wujūdi az-zallāti.
Signs of the heart's death include failing to grieve over missed opportunities to obey God and failing to regret the slips you have committed.
49. لَا يَعْظُمِ الذَّنْبُ عِنْدَكَ عَظَمَةً تَصُدُّكَ عَنْ حُسْنِ الظَّنِّ بِاللَّهِ تَعَالَى، فَإِنَّ مَنْ عَرَفَ رَبَّهُ اسْتَصْغَرَ فِي جَنْبِ كَرَمِهِ ذَنْبَهُ.
lā yaʿẓumi adh-dhanbu ʿindaka ʿaẓamatan taṣudduka ʿan ḥusni aẓ-ẓanni billāhi taʿālā, faʾinna man ʿarafa rabbahu istaṣghara fī janbi karamihi dhanbahu.
Do not let a sin loom so large that it keeps you from thinking well of God Most High. Whoever knows his Lord sees his sin as small beside His generosity.
50. لَا صَغِيرَةَ إِذَا قَابَلَكَ عَدْلُهُ، وَلَا كَبِيرَةَ إِذَا وَاجَهَكَ فَضْلُهُ.
lā ṣaghīrata ʾidhā qābalaka ʿadluhu, walā kabīrata ʾidhā wājahaka faḍluhu.
No minor sin is minor when His justice confronts you, and no major sin is major when His grace meets you.
51. لَا عَمَلَ أَرْجَى لِلْقُلُوبِ مِنْ عَمَلٍ يَغِيبُ عَنْكَ شُهُودُهُ وَيُحْتَقَرُ عِنْدَكَ وُجُودُهُ.
lā ʿamala ʾarjā li-l-qulūbi min ʿamalin yaghību ʿanka shuhūduhu wayuḥtaqaru ʿindaka wujūduhu.
No deed inspires more hope in hearts than one you no longer see as your own and whose very existence seems insignificant to you.
52. إِنَّمَا أَوْرَدَ عَلَيْكَ الْوَارِدَ لِتَكُونَ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ وَارِدًا.
ʾinnamā ʾawrada ʿalayka al-wārida litakūna bihi ʿalayhi wāridan.
God sends the spiritual influx upon you only so that, through it, you may come to Him.
53. أَوْرَدَ عَلَيْكَ الْوَارِدَ لِيَتَسَلَّمَكَ مِنْ يَدِ الْأَغْيَارِ، وَلِيُحَرِّرَكَ مِنْ رِقِّ الْآثَارِ.
ʾawrada ʿalayka al-wārida liyatasallamaka min yadi al-ʾaghyāri, waliyuḥarriraka min riqqi al-ʾāthāri.
He sends the spiritual influx upon you to take you from the grasp of everything other than Him and to free you from enslavement to created effects.
54. أَوْرَدَ عَلَيْكَ الْوَارِدَ لِيُخْرِجَكَ مِنْ سِجْنِ وُجُودِكَ إِلَى فَضَاءِ شُهُودِكَ.
ʾawrada ʿalayka al-wārida liyukhrijaka min sijni wujūdika ʾilā faḍāʾi shuhūdika.
He sends you the spiritual influx to bring you out of the prison of your own existence into the open expanse of witnessing Him.
55. الْأَنْوَارُ مَطَايَا الْقُلُوبِ وَالْأَسْرَارِ.
al-ʾanwāru maṭāyā al-qulūbi wa-l-ʾasrāri.
Divine lights are the mounts that carry hearts and innermost secrets.
56. النُّورُ جُنْدُ الْقَلْبِ كَمَا أَنَّ الظُّلْمَةَ جُنْدُ النَّفْسِ، فَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَنْصُرَ عَبْدَهُ أَمَدَّهُ بِجُنُودِ الْأَنْوَارِ، وَقَطَعَ عَنْهُ مَدَدَ الظُّلَمِ وَالْأَغْيَارِ.
an-nūru jundu al-qalbi kamā ʾanna aẓ-ẓulmata jundu an-nafsi, faʾidhā ʾarāda Allāhu ʾan yanṣura ʿabdahu ʾamaddahu bijunūdi al-ʾanwāri, waqaṭaʿa ʿanhu madada aẓ-ẓulami wa-l-ʾaghyāri.
Light is the heart's army, just as darkness is the lower self's army. When God wills to grant His servant victory, He reinforces him with the armies of light and cuts off from him the reinforcements of darkness and all that is other than God.
57. النُّورُ لَهُ الْكَشْفُ، وَالْبَصِيرَةُ لَهَا الْحُكْمُ، وَالْقَلْبُ لَهُ الْإِقْبَالُ وَالْإِدْبَارُ.
an-nūru lahu al-kashfu, wa-l-baṣīratu lahā al-ḥukmu, wa-l-qalbu lahu al-ʾiqbālu wa-l-ʾidbāru.
Light discloses, inner sight judges, and the heart turns toward or turns away.
58. لَا تُفْرِحْكَ الطَّاعَةُ؛ لِأَنَّهَا بَرَزَتْ مِنْكَ، وَافْرَحْ بِهَا لِأَنَّهَا بَرَزَتْ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكَ ﴿قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ﴾.
lā tufriḥka aṭ-ṭāʿatu; liʾannahā barazat minka, wa-fraḥ bihā liʾannahā barazat mina Allāhi ʾilayka ﴿qul bifaḍli Allāhi wabiraḥmatihi fabidhālika falyafraḥū huwa khayrun mimmā yajmaʿūna﴾.
Do not let an act of obedience delight you because it came from you; delight in it because it came from God to you: "Say: In God's grace and mercy - let them rejoice in that. It is better than all they accumulate."
59. قَطَعَ السَّائِرِينَ لَهُ وَالْوَاصِلِينَ إِلَيْهِ عَنْ رُؤْيَةِ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَشُهُودِ أَحْوَالِهِمْ، أَمَّا السَّائِرُونَ فَلِأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَتَحَقَّقُوا الصِّدْقَ مَعَ اللَّهِ فِيهَا، وَأَمَّا الْوَاصِلُونَ فَلِأَنَّهُ غَيَّبَهُمْ بِشُهُودِهِ عَنْهَا.
qaṭaʿa as-sāʾirīna lahu wa-l-wāṣilīna ʾilayhi ʿan ruʾyati ʾaʿmālihim washuhūdi ʾaḥwālihim, ʾammā as-sāʾirūna faliʾannahum lam yataḥaqqaqū aṣ-ṣidqa maʿa Allāhi fīhā, waʾammā al-wāṣilūna faliʾannahu ghayyabahum bishuhūdihi ʿanhā.
God has cut off both those journeying toward Him and those who have arrived at Him from seeing their deeds and witnessing their spiritual states. The travelers have not yet realized complete sincerity with God in those deeds, while those who have arrived are made absent from them by witnessing Him.
60. مَا بَسَقَتْ أَغْصَانُ ذُلٍّ إِلَّا عَلَى بَذْرِ طَمَعٍ.
mā basaqat ʾaghṣānu dhullin ʾillā ʿalā badhri ṭamaʿin.
The branches of humiliation grow only from the seed of craving.
61. مَا قَادَكَ شَيْءٌ مِثْلُ الْوَهْمِ.
mā qādaka shayʾun mithlu al-wahmi.
Nothing leads you on like delusion.
62. أَنْتَ حُرٌّ مِمَّا أَنْتَ عَنْهُ آيِسٌ، وَعَبْدٌ لِمَا أَنْتَ لَهُ طَامِعٌ.
ʾanta ḥurrun mimmā ʾanta ʿanhu ʾāyisun, waʿabdun limā ʾanta lahu ṭāmiʿun.
You are free of whatever you no longer hope to obtain, and enslaved to whatever you still crave.
63. مَنْ لَمْ يُقْبِلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمُلَاطَفَاتِ الْإِحْسَانِ قِيدَ إِلَيْهِ بِسَلَاسِلِ الْاِمْتِحَانِ.
man lam yuqbil ʿalā Allāhi bimulāṭafāti al-ʾiḥsāni qīda ʾilayhi bisalāsili al-imtiḥāni.
Whoever does not turn to God in response to His gentle favors will be driven to Him in the chains of trial.
64. مَنْ لَمْ يَشْكُرِ النِّعَمَ فَقَدْ تَعَرَّضَ لِزَوَالِهَا، وَمَنْ شَكَرَهَا فَقَدْ قَيَّدَهَا بِعِقَالِهَا.
man lam yashkuri an-niʿama faqad taʿarraḍa lizawālihā, waman shakarahā faqad qayyadahā biʿiqālihā.
Whoever fails to give thanks for blessings exposes them to disappearance; whoever gives thanks for them secures them with their own tether.
65. خَفْ مِنْ وُجُودِ إِحْسَانِهِ إِلَيْكَ وَدَوَامِ إِسَاءَتِكَ مَعَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَلِكَ اسْتِدْرَاجًا لَكَ ﴿سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾.
khaf min wujūdi ʾiḥsānihi ʾilayka wadawāmi ʾisāʾatika maʿahu ʾan yakūna dhalika istidrājan laka ﴿sanastadrijuhum min ḥaythu lā yaʿlamūna﴾.
Beware that His continuing kindness to you, while your misconduct toward Him persists, may be a gradual enticement toward ruin: "We shall draw them on by degrees from where they do not know."
Qur’an, al-Aʿrāf 7:182; the identical phrase recurs at al-Qalam 68:44.
66. مِنْ جَهْلِ الْمُرِيدِ أَنْ يُسِيءَ الْأَدَبَ فَتُؤَخَّرَ الْعُقُوبَةُ عَنْهُ، فَيَقُولَ: لَوْ كَانَ هَذَا سُوءَ أَدَبٍ لَقَطَعَ الْإِمْدَادَ، وَأَوْجَبَ الْإِبْعَادَ، فَقَدْ يَقْطَعُ الْمَدَدَ عَنْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَشْعُرُ، وَلَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ إِلَّا مَنْعَ الْمَزِيدِ، وَقَدْ يُقَامُ مَقَامَ الْبُعْدِ وَهُوَ لَا يَدْرِي، وَلَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ إِلَّا أَنْ يُخَلِّيَكَ وَمَا تُرِيدُ.
min jahli al-murīdi ʾan yusīʾa al-ʾadaba fatuʾakhkhara al-ʿuqūbatu ʿanhu, fayaqūla: law kāna hadhā sūʾa ʾadabin laqaṭaʿa al-ʾimdāda, waʾawjaba al-ʾibʿāda, faqad yaqṭaʿu al-madada ʿanhu min ḥaythu lā yashʿuru, walaw lam yakun ʾillā manʿa al-mazīdi, waqad yuqāmu maqāma al-buʿdi wahuwa lā yadrī, walaw lam yakun ʾillā ʾan yukhalliyaka wamā turīdu.
It is part of the spiritual aspirant's ignorance to violate proper courtesy and then, when punishment is delayed, to say: "If this were truly bad conduct, it would have cut off divine support and brought about estrangement." Yet God may cut off support from him without his noticing, if only through denying him any increase. He may be placed at the station of remoteness without realizing it, if only by God's leaving him to whatever he wants.
67. إِذَا رَأَيْتَ عَبْدًا أَقَامَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِوُجُودِ الْأَوْرَادِ، وَأَدَامَهُ عَلَيْهَا مَعَ طُولِ الْإِمْدَادِ فَلَا تَسْتَحْقِرَنَّ مَا مَنَحَهُ مَوْلَاهُ؛ لِأَنَّكَ لَمْ تَرَ عَلَيْهِ سِيمَا الْعَارِفِينَ، وَلَا بَهْجَةَ الْمُحِبِّينَ، فَلَوْلَا وَارِدٌ مَا كَانَ وِرْدٌ.
ʾidhā raʾayta ʿabdan ʾaqāmahu Allāhu taʿālā biwujūdi al-ʾawrādi, waʾadāmahu ʿalayhā maʿa ṭūli al-ʾimdādi falā tastaḥqiranna mā manaḥahu mawlāhu; liʾannaka lam tara ʿalayhi sīmā al-ʿārifīna, walā bahjata al-muḥibbīna, falawlā wāridun mā kāna wirdun.
If you see a servant whom God Most High has established in regular devotions and kept constant in them through prolonged spiritual aid, do not belittle what his Master has granted him merely because you do not see on him the mark of those with direct knowledge or the radiance of the lovers. Without a spiritual influx, there would be no regular devotion.
68. قَوْمٌ أَقَامَهُمُ الْحَقُّ لِخِدْمَتِهِ، وَقَوْمٌ اخْتَصَّهُمْ بِمَحَبَّتِهِ، ﴿كُلًّا نُمِدُّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ وَهَٰؤُلَاءِ مِنْ عَطَاءِ رَبِّكَ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَاءُ رَبِّكَ مَحْظُورًا﴾.
qawmun ʾaqāmahumu al-ḥaqqu likhidmatihi, waqawmun ikhtaṣṣahum bimaḥabbatihi, ﴿kullan numiddu hāʾulāʾi wahāʾulāʾi min ʿaṭāʾi rabbika wamā kāna ʿaṭāʾu rabbika maḥẓūran﴾.
God establishes some people in His service and singles others out for His love: 'To each - these and those alike - We extend from your Lord's bounty, and your Lord's bounty is never withheld.'
69. قَلَّمَا تَكُونُ الْوَارِدَاتُ الْإِلَهِيَّةُ إِلَّا بَغْتَةً، لِئَلَّا يَدَّعِيَهَا الْعِبَادُ بِوُجُودِ الْاِسْتِعْدَادِ.
qallamā takūnu al-wāridātu al-ʾilahiyyatu ʾillā baghtatan, liʾallā yaddaʿiyahā al-ʿibādu biwujūdi al-istiʿdādi.
Divine spiritual influxes almost always come suddenly, so that servants cannot claim them on the basis of their own preparedness.
70. مَنْ رَأَيْتَهُ مُجِيبًا عَنْ كُلِّ مَا سُئِلَ، وَمُعَبِّرًا عَنْ كُلِّ مَا شَهِدَ، وَذَاكِرًا كُلَّ مَا عَلِمَ، فَاسْتَدِلَّ بِذَلِكَ عَلَى وُجُودِ جَهْلِهِ.
man raʾaytahu mujīban ʿan kulli mā suʾila, wamuʿabbiran ʿan kulli mā shahida, wadhākiran kulla mā ʿalima, fa-stadilla bidhalika ʿalā wujūdi jahlihi.
Whenever you see someone answering every question, expressing everything he has witnessed, and recounting everything he knows, take that as evidence of his ignorance.
71. إِنَّمَا جَعَلَ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ مَحَلًّا لِجَزَاءِ عِبَادِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؛ لِأَنَّ هَذِهِ الدَّارَ لَا تَسَعُ مَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُعْطِيَهُمْ، وَلِأَنَّهُ أَجَلَّ أَقْدَارَهُمْ عَنْ أَنْ يُجَازِيَهُمْ فِي دَارٍ لَا بَقَاءَ لَهَا.
ʾinnamā jaʿala ad-dāra al-ʾākhirata maḥallan lijazāʾi ʿibādihi al-muʾminīna; liʾanna hadhihi ad-dāra lā tasaʿu mā yurīdu ʾan yuʿṭiyahum, waliʾannahu ʾajalla ʾaqdārahum ʿan ʾan yujāziyahum fī dārin lā baqāʾa lahā.
God made the Hereafter the place where His believing servants are rewarded because this world cannot contain what He wishes to give them, and because He has held their worth too high to reward them in an abode that does not last.
72. مَنْ وَجَدَ ثَمَرَةَ عَمَلِهِ عَاجِلًا فَهُوَ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى وُجُودِ الْقَبُولِ آجِلًا.
man wajada thamarata ʿamalihi ʿājilan fahuwa dalīlun ʿalā wujūdi al-qabūli ʾājilan.
Finding the fruit of your work in this life is evidence that it will be accepted in the life to come.
73. إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَعْرِفَ قَدْرَكَ عِنْدَهُ فَانْظُرْ فِي مَاذَا يُقِيمُكَ.
ʾidhā ʾaradta ʾan taʿrifa qadraka ʿindahu fa-nẓur fī mādhā yuqīmuka.
If you want to know your standing with Him, look at what He keeps you engaged in.
74. مَتَى رَزَقَكَ الطَّاعَةَ وَالْغِنَى بِهِ عَنْهَا، فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكَ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً.
matā razaqaka aṭ-ṭāʿata wa-l-ghinā bihi ʿanhā, fa-ʿlam ʾannahu qad ʾasbagha ʿalayka niʿamahu ẓāhiratan wabāṭinatan.
When He grants you obedience and, through Him, freedom from dependence on it, know that He has lavished His blessings upon you, outwardly and inwardly.
75. خَيْرُ مَا تَطْلُبُهُ مِنْهُ مَا هُوَ طَالِبُهُ مِنْكَ.
khayru mā taṭlubuhu minhu mā huwa ṭālibuhu minka.
The best thing you can ask of Him is what He asks of you.
76. الْحُزْنُ عَلَى فُقْدَانِ الطَّاعَةِ مَعَ عَدَمِ النُّهُوضِ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ الْاِغْتِرَارِ.
al-ḥuznu ʿalā fuqdāni aṭ-ṭāʿati maʿa ʿadami an-nuhūḍi ʾilayhā min ʿalāmāti al-ightirāri.
Grieving over lost obedience while making no effort to resume it is a sign of self-deception.
77. مَا الْعَارِفُ مَنْ إِذَا أَشَارَ وَجَدَ الْحَقَّ أَقْرَبَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ إِشَارَتِهِ، بَلِ الْعَارِفُ مَنْ لَا إِشَارَةَ لَهُ لِفَنَائِهِ فِي وُجُودِهِ وَانْطِوَائِهِ فِي شُهُودِهِ.
mā al-ʿārifu man ʾidhā ʾashāra wajada al-ḥaqqa ʾaqraba ʾilayhi min ʾishāratihi, bali al-ʿārifu man lā ʾishārata lahu lifanāʾihi fī wujūdihi wa-nṭiwāʾihi fī shuhūdihi.
One with direct knowledge is not someone who, when he points toward God, finds Him nearer than the pointing itself. Rather, one with direct knowledge has no pointing at all, for his selfhood has vanished in His Being and he is wholly absorbed in witnessing Him.
78. الرَّجَاءُ مَا قَارَنَهُ عَمَلٌ، وَإِلَّا فَهُوَ أُمْنِيَّةٌ.
ar-rajāʾu mā qāranahu ʿamalun, waʾillā fahuwa ʾumniyyatun.
What is accompanied by action is hope; otherwise it is mere wishful thinking.
79. مَطْلَبُ الْعَارِفِينَ مِنَ اللَّهِ الصِّدْقُ فِي الْعُبُودِيَّةِ، وَالْقِيَامُ بِحُقُوقِ الرُّبُوبِيَّةِ.
maṭlabu al-ʿārifīna mina Allāhi aṣ-ṣidqu fī al-ʿubūdiyyati, wa-l-qiyāmu biḥuqūqi ar-rubūbiyyati.
What those with direct knowledge seek from God is sincerity in servanthood and fulfillment of all that His Lordship requires.
80. بَسَطَكَ كَيْ لَا يُبْقِيَكَ مَعَ الْقَبْضِ وَقَبَضَكَ كَيْ لَا يَتْرُكَكَ مَعَ الْبَسْطِ وَأَخْرَجَكَ عَنْهُمَا كَيْ لَا تَكُونَ لِشَيْءٍ دُونَهُ.
basaṭaka kay lā yubqiyaka maʿa al-qabḍi waqabaḍaka kay lā yatrukaka maʿa al-basṭi waʾakhrajaka ʿanhumā kay lā takūna lishayʾin dūnahu.
He grants you spiritual expansion so He will not leave you with contraction, and He gives you contraction so He will not leave you with expansion. Then He takes you beyond both so that you belong to nothing apart from Him.
81. الْعَارِفُونَ إِذَا بُسِطُوا أَخْوَفُ مِنْهُمْ إِذَا قُبِضُوا، وَلَا يَقِفُ عَلَى حُدُودِ الْأَدَبِ فِي الْبَسْطِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ.
al-ʿārifūna ʾidhā busiṭū ʾakhwafu minhum ʾidhā qubiḍū, walā yaqifu ʿalā ḥudūdi al-ʾadabi fī al-basṭi ʾillā qalīlun.
Those with direct knowledge are more fearful when granted expansion than when placed in contraction, for only a few remain within the bounds of proper courtesy during expansion.
82. الْبَسْطُ تَأْخُذُ النَّفْسُ مِنْهُ حَظَّهَا بِوُجُودِ الْفَرَحِ، وَالْقَبْضُ لَا حَظَّ لِلنَّفْسِ فِيهِ.
al-basṭu taʾkhudhu an-nafsu minhu ḥaẓẓahā biwujūdi al-faraḥi, wa-l-qabḍu lā ḥaẓẓa li-n-nafsi fīhi.
From expansion, the lower self takes its share through the joy it finds; in contraction, the lower self has no share.
83. رُبَّمَا أَعْطَاكَ فَمَنَعَكَ، وَرُبَّمَا مَنَعَكَ فَأَعْطَاكَ.
rubbamā ʾaʿṭāka famanaʿaka, warubbamā manaʿaka faʾaʿṭāka.
He may give you and thereby withhold from you; He may withhold from you and thereby give to you.
84. مَتَى فَتَحَ لَكَ بَابَ الْفَهْمِ فِي الْمَنْعِ، عَادَ الْمَنْعُ عَيْنَ الْعَطَاءِ.
matā fataḥa laka bāba al-fahmi fī al-manʿi, ʿāda al-manʿu ʿayna al-ʿaṭāʾi.
When He opens for you the door of understanding within withholding, the withholding itself becomes the very gift.
85. الْأَكْوَانُ ظَاهِرُهَا غِرَّةٌ وَبَاطِنُهَا عِبْرَةٌ، فَالنَّفْسُ تَنْظُرُ إِلَى ظَاهِرِ غِرَّتِهَا، وَالْقَلْبُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَاطِنِ عِبْرَتِهَا.
al-ʾakwānu ẓāhiruhā ghirratun wabāṭinuhā ʿibratun, fa-n-nafsu tanẓuru ʾilā ẓāhiri ghirratihā, wa-l-qalbu yanẓuru ʾilā bāṭini ʿibratihā.
Created things are outwardly a seductive deception and inwardly a lesson. The lower self looks at their deceptive exterior, while the heart looks at the lesson within them.
86. إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَكَ عِزٌّ لَا يَفْنَى، فَلَا تَسْتَعِزَّنَّ بِعِزٍّ يَفْنَى.
ʾidhā ʾaradta ʾan yakūna laka ʿizzun lā yafnā, falā tastaʿizzanna biʿizzin yafnā.
If you want an honor that never fades, do not seek honor in anything that fades.
87. الطَّيُّ الْحَقِيقِيُّ أَنْ تَطْوِيَ مَسَافَةَ الدُّنْيَا عَنْكَ حَتَّى تَرَى الْآخِرَةَ أَقْرَبَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْكَ.
aṭ-ṭayyu al-ḥaqīqiyyu ʾan taṭwiya masāfata ad-dunyā ʿanka ḥattā tarā al-ʾākhirata ʾaqraba ʾilayka minka.
The true folding of distance is to fold the span of this world away from yourself until you see the Hereafter as nearer to you than you are to yourself.
88. الْعَطَاءُ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ حِرْمَانٌ، وَالْمَنْعُ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِحْسَانٌ.
al-ʿaṭāʾu mina al-khalqi ḥirmānun, wa-l-manʿu mina Allāhi ʾiḥsānun.
A gift from created beings is deprivation, while God's withholding is beneficence.
89. جَلَّ رَبُّنَا أَنْ يُعَامِلَهُ الْعَبْدُ نَقْدًا فَيُجَازِيَهُ نَسِيئَةً.
jalla rabbunā ʾan yuʿāmilahu al-ʿabdu naqdan fayujāziyahu nasīʾatan.
Our Lord is far above letting a servant serve Him now while postponing the servant's reward.
90. كَفَى مِنْ جَزَائِهِ إِيَّاكَ عَلَى الطَّاعَةِ أَنْ رَضِيَكَ لَهَا أَهْلًا.
kafā min jazāʾihi ʾiyyāka ʿalā aṭ-ṭāʿati ʾan raḍiyaka lahā ʾahlan.
Reward enough for your obedience is that He deemed you worthy of obeying Him.
91. كَفَى الْعَامِلِينَ جَزَاءً مَا هُوَ فَاتِحُهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فِي طَاعَتِهِ، وَمَا هُوَ مُورِدُهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ وُجُودِ مُؤَانَسَتِهِ.
kafā al-ʿāmilīna jazāʾan mā huwa fātiḥuhu ʿalā qulūbihim fī ṭāʿatihi, wamā huwa mūriduhu ʿalayhim min wujūdi muʾānasatihi.
For those who act, reward enough is what He opens within their hearts as they obey Him and the intimacy with Him that He bestows upon them.
92. مَنْ عَبَدَهُ لِشَيْءٍ يَرْجُوهُ مِنْهُ، أَوْ لِيَدْفَعَ بِطَاعَتِهِ وُرُودَ الْعُقُوبَةِ عَنْهُ فَمَا قَامَ بِحَقِّ أَوْصَافِهِ.
man ʿabadahu lishayʾin yarjūhu minhu, ʾaw liyadfaʿa biṭāʿatihi wurūda al-ʿuqūbati ʿanhu famā qāma biḥaqqi ʾawṣāfihi.
Whoever worships Him for something he hopes to receive from Him, or to ward off punishment through obedience, has not upheld the due claim of His attributes.
93. مَتَى أَعْطَاكَ أَشْهَدَكَ بِرَّهُ، وَمَتَى مَنَعَكَ أَشْهَدَكَ قَهْرَهُ، فَهُوَ فِي كُلِّ ذَلِكَ مُتَعَرِّفٌ إِلَيْكَ، وَمُقْبِلٌ بِوُجُودِ لُطْفِهِ عَلَيْكَ.
matā ʾaʿṭāka ʾashhadaka birrahu, wamatā manaʿaka ʾashhadaka qahrahu, fahuwa fī kulli dhalika mutaʿarrifun ʾilayka, wamuqbilun biwujūdi luṭfihi ʿalayka.
When He gives to you, He shows you His graciousness; when He withholds from you, He shows you His irresistible power. In both, He is making Himself known to you and turning toward you through the presence of His subtle kindness.
94. إِنَّمَا يُؤْلِمُكَ الْمَنْعُ لِعَدَمِ فَهْمِكَ عَنِ اللَّهِ فِيهِ.
ʾinnamā yuʾlimuka al-manʿu liʿadami fahmika ʿani Allāhi fīhi.
Withholding hurts you only because you have not understood what God means by it.
95. رُبَّمَا فَتَحَ لَكَ بَابَ الطَّاعَةِ وَمَا فَتَحَ لَكَ بَابَ الْقَبُولِ، وَرُبَّمَا قَضَى عَلَيْكَ بِالذَّنْبِ فَكَانَ سَبَبًا فِي الْوُصُولِ.
rubbamā fataḥa laka bāba aṭ-ṭāʿati wamā fataḥa laka bāba al-qabūli, warubbamā qaḍā ʿalayka bi-dh-dhanbi fakāna sababan fī al-wuṣūli.
He may open for you the door of obedience without opening the door of acceptance; and He may decree that you fall into a sin which then becomes a means of arrival.
96. مَعْصِيَةٌ أَوْرَثَتْ ذُلًّا وَافْتِقَارًا خَيْرٌ مِنْ طَاعَةٍ أَوْرَثَتْ عِزًّا وَاسْتِكْبَارًا.
maʿṣiyatun ʾawrathat dhullan wa-ftiqāran khayrun min ṭāʿatin ʾawrathat ʿizzan wa-stikbāran.
A sin that bequeaths humility and spiritual poverty is better than an act of obedience that bequeaths self-importance and arrogance.
97. نِعْمَتَانِ مَا خَرَجَ مَوْجُودٌ عَنْهُمَا، وَلَا بُدَّ لِكُلِّ مُكَوَّنٍ مِنْهُمَا: نِعْمَةُ الْإِيجَادِ، وَنِعْمَةُ الْإِمْدَادِ.
niʿmatāni mā kharaja mawjūdun ʿanhumā, walā budda likulli mukawwanin minhumā: niʿmatu al-ʾījādi, waniʿmatu al-ʾimdādi.
Two blessings encompass every existent thing, and every created being necessarily depends on them: the blessing of being brought into existence and the blessing of being sustained.
98. أَنْعَمَ عَلَيْكَ أَوَّلًا بِالْإِيجَادِ، وَثَانِيًا بِتَوَالِي الْإِمْدَادِ.
ʾanʿama ʿalayka ʾawwalan bi-l-ʾījādi, wathāniyan bitawālī al-ʾimdādi.
He blessed you first by bringing you into existence, and then by continuously sustaining you.
99. فَاقَتُكَ لَكَ ذَاتِيَّةٌ، وَوُرُودُ الْأَسْبَابِ مُذَكِّرَاتٌ لَكَ بِمَا خَفِيَ عَلَيْكَ مِنْهَا، وَالْفَاقَةُ الذَّاتِيَّةُ لَا تَرْفَعُهَا الْعَوَارِضُ.
fāqatuka laka dhātiyyatun, wawurūdu al-ʾasbābi mudhakkirātun laka bimā khafiya ʿalayka minhā, wa-l-fāqatu adh-dhātiyyatu lā tarfaʿuhā al-ʿawāriḍu.
Your need is intrinsic to you. The needs that descend upon you merely remind you of the need that was hidden from you; passing conditions cannot remove an intrinsic need.
100. خَيْرُ أَوْقَاتِكَ وَقْتٌ تَشْهَدُ فِيهِ وُجُودَ فَاقَتِكَ، وَتُرَدُّ فِيهِ إِلَى وُجُودِ ذِلَّتِكَ.
khayru ʾawqātika waqtun tashhadu fīhi wujūda fāqatika, waturaddu fīhi ʾilā wujūdi dhillatika.
Your best moment is one in which you witness your utter need and are returned to the reality of your lowliness.
101. مَتَى أَوْحَشَكَ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ لَكَ بَابَ الْأُنْسِ بِهِ.
matā ʾawḥashaka min khalqihi fa-ʿlam ʾannahu yurīdu ʾan yaftaḥa laka bāba al-ʾunsi bihi.
Whenever He makes you feel estranged from His creation, know that He wants to open for you the door of intimacy with Him.
102. مَتَى أَطْلَقَ لِسَانَكَ بِالطَّلَبِ؛ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُعْطِيَكَ.
matā ʾaṭlaqa lisānaka bi-ṭ-ṭalabi; fa-ʿlam ʾannahu yurīdu ʾan yuʿṭiyaka.
When He frees your tongue to ask, know that He wants to give you.
103. الْعَارِفُ لَا يَزُولُ اضْطِرَارُهُ وَلَا يَكُونُ مَعَ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ قَرَارُهُ.
al-ʿārifu lā yazūlu iḍṭirāruhu walā yakūnu maʿa ghayri Allāhi qarāruhu.
One with direct knowledge never ceases to be in utter need and finds no resting place with anything other than God.
104. أَنَارَ الظَّوَاهِرَ بِأَنْوَارِ آثَارِهِ، وَأَنَارَ السَّرَائِرَ بِأَنْوَارِ أَوْصَافِهِ؛ لِأَجْلِ ذَلِكَ أَفَلَتْ أَنْوَارُ الظَّوَاهِرِ، وَلَمْ تَأْفُلْ أَنْوَارُ الْقُلُوبِ وَالسَّرَائِرِ؛ وَلِذَلِكَ قِيلَ: إِنَّ شَمْسَ النَّهَارِ تَغْرُبُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَشَمْسُ الْقُلُوبِ لَيْسَتْ تَغِيبُ.
ʾanāra aẓ-ẓawāhira biʾanwāri ʾāthārihi, waʾanāra as-sarāʾira biʾanwāri ʾawṣāfihi; liʾajli dhalika ʾafalat ʾanwāru aẓ-ẓawāhiri, walam taʾful ʾanwāru al-qulūbi wa-s-sarāʾiri; walidhalika qīla: ʾinna shamsa an-nahāri taghrubu bi-l-layli washamsu al-qulūbi laysat taghību.
He illuminates outward forms with the lights of His created effects, and innermost beings with the lights of His attributes. Thus the lights of outward forms set, while the lights of hearts and innermost beings do not. Hence it has been said: The sun of day sets at night, but the sun of hearts never disappears.
105. لِيُخَفِّفْ أَلَمَ الْبَلَاءِ عَلَيْكَ عِلْمُكَ بِأَنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ هُوَ الْمُبْلِي لَكَ. فَالَّذِي وَاجَهَتْكَ مِنْهُ الْأَقْدَارُ هُوَ الَّذِي عَوَّدَكَ حُسْنَ الْاِخْتِيَارِ.
liyukhaffif ʾalama al-balāʾi ʿalayka ʿilmuka biʾannahu subḥānahu huwa al-mublī laka. fālladhī wājahatka minhu al-ʾaqdāru huwa alladhī ʿawwadaka ḥusna al-ikhtiyāri.
Let your knowledge that He - glory be to Him - is the One testing you ease the pain of trial. The One from whom the decrees confronting you come is the same One whose choices for you have always been good.
106. مَنْ ظَنَّ انْفِكَاكَ لُطْفِهِ عَنْ قَدَرِهِ فَذَلِكَ لِقُصُورِ نَظَرِهِ.
man ẓanna infikāka luṭfihi ʿan qadarihi fadhalika liquṣūri naẓarihi.
Whoever imagines that His subtle kindness can be separated from His decree sees only imperfectly.
107. لَا يُخَافُ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَلْتَبِسَ الطُّرُقُ عَلَيْكَ؛ وَإِنَّمَا يُخَافُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الْهَوَى عَلَيْكَ.
lā yukhāfu ʿalayka ʾan taltabisa aṭ-ṭuruqu ʿalayka; waʾinnamā yukhāfu ʿalayka min ghalabati al-hawā ʿalayka.
What is feared for you is not that the paths may become confused, but that caprice may overpower you.
108. سُبْحَانَ مَنْ سَتَرَ سِرَّ الْخُصُوصِيَّةِ بِظُهُورِ الْبَشَرِيَّةِ، وَظَهَرَ بِعَظَمَةِ الرُّبُوبِيَّةِ فِي إِظْهَارِ الْعُبُودِيَّةِ.
subḥāna man satara sirra al-khuṣūṣiyyati biẓuhūri al-bashariyyati, waẓahara biʿaẓamati ar-rubūbiyyati fī ʾiẓhāri al-ʿubūdiyyati.
Glory be to the One who concealed the secret of special election beneath the appearance of human nature, and revealed the majesty of Lordship through the manifestation of servanthood.
109. لَا تُطَالِبْ رَبَّكَ بِتَأَخُّرِ مَطْلَبِكَ، وَلَكِنْ طَالِبْ نَفْسَكَ بِتَأَخُّرِ أَدَبِكَ.
lā tuṭālib rabbaka bitaʾakhkhuri maṭlabika, walakin ṭālib nafsaka bitaʾakhkhuri ʾadabika.
Do not call your Lord to account for the delay in what you seek; call your lower self to account for its delay in showing proper courtesy.
110. مَتَى جَعَلَكَ فِي الظَّاهِرِ مُمْتَثِلًا لِأَمْرِهِ، وَرَزَقَكَ فِي الْبَاطِنِ الْاِسْتِسْلَامَ لِقَهْرِهِ، فَقَدْ أَعْظَمَ الْمِنَّةَ عَلَيْكَ.
matā jaʿalaka fī aẓ-ẓāhiri mumtathilan liʾamrihi, warazaqaka fī al-bāṭini al-istislāma liqahrihi, faqad ʾaʿẓama al-minnata ʿalayka.
When He makes you outwardly obedient to His command and inwardly grants you surrender to His irresistible power, He has bestowed an immense favor upon you.
111. لَيْسَ كُلُّ مَنْ ثَبَتَ تَخْصِيصُهُ كَمُلَ تَخْلِيصُهُ.
laysa kullu man thabata takhṣīṣuhu kamula takhlīṣuhu.
Not everyone whose special election has been established has been fully purified.
112. لَا يَسْتَحْقِرُ الْوِرْدَ إِلَّا جَهُولٌ. الْوَارِدُ يُوجَدُ فِي الدَّارِ الْآخِرَةِ، وَالْوِرْدُ يَنْطَوِي بِانْطِوَاءِ هَذِهِ الدَّارِ. وَأَوْلَى مَا يُعْتَنَى بِهِ: مَا لَا يُخْلَفُ وُجُودُهُ. الْوِرْدُ هُوَ طَالِبُهُ مِنْكَ، وَالْوَارِدُ أَنْتَ تَطْلُبُهُ مِنْهُ. وَأَيْنَ مَا هُوَ طَالِبُهُ مِنْكَ مِمَّا هُوَ مَطْلَبُكَ مِنْهُ؟
lā yastaḥqiru al-wirda ʾillā jahūlun. al-wāridu yūjadu fī ad-dāri al-ʾākhirati, wa-l-wirdu yanṭawī bi-nṭiwāʾi hadhihi ad-dāri. waʾawlā mā yuʿtanā bihi: mā lā yukhlafu wujūduhu. al-wirdu huwa ṭālibuhu minka, wa-l-wāridu ʾanta taṭlubuhu minhu. waʾayna mā huwa ṭālibuhu minka mimmā huwa maṭlabuka minhu?
Only a fool belittles a regular devotional practice. A spiritual influx can still be found in the next world, while the devotional practice ends when this world ends. What deserves the greatest care is what cannot be replaced once it is gone. The devotional practice is what He asks of you, while the spiritual influx is what you ask of Him. How can what He asks of you compare with what you ask of Him?
113. وُرُودُ الْإِمْدَادِ بِحَسَبِ الْاِسْتِعْدَادِ.
wurūdu al-ʾimdādi biḥasabi al-istiʿdādi.
Spiritual aid arrives in accordance with one's readiness.
114. الْغَافِلُ إِذَا أَصْبَحَ يَنْظُرُ مَاذَا يَفْعَلُ، وَالْعَاقِلُ يَنْظُرُ مَاذَا يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِهِ.
al-ghāfilu ʾidhā ʾaṣbaḥa yanẓuru mādhā yafʿalu, wa-l-ʿāqilu yanẓuru mādhā yafʿalu Allāhu bihi.
Each morning, the heedless person looks at what he will do; the person of understanding looks at what God will do with him.
115. إِنَّمَا اسْتَوْحَشَ الْعُبَّادُ وَالزُّهَّادُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لِغَيْبَتِهِمْ عَنِ اللَّهِ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَلَوْ شَهِدُوهُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لَمْ يَسْتَوْحِشُوا مِنْ شَيْءٍ.
ʾinnamā istawḥasha al-ʿubbādu wa-z-zuhhādu min kulli shayʾin lighaybatihim ʿani Allāhi fī kulli shayʾin, falaw shahidūhu fī kulli shayʾin lam yastawḥishū min shayʾin.
Worshipers and ascetics feel estranged from everything only because they are absent from God in everything. If they witnessed Him in everything, nothing would make them feel estranged.
116. أَمَرَكَ فِي هَذِهِ الدَّارِ بِالنَّظَرِ فِي مُكَوَّنَاتِهِ، وَسَيَكْشِفُ لَكَ فِي تِلْكَ الدَّارِ عَنْ كَمَالِ ذَاتِهِ.
ʾamaraka fī hadhihi ad-dāri bi-n-naẓari fī mukawwanātihi, wasayakshifu laka fī tilka ad-dāri ʿan kamāli dhātihi.
He commanded you in this world to contemplate the things He brought into being, and in the next world He will unveil to you the perfection of His Essence.
117. عَلِمَ مِنْكَ أَنَّكَ لَا تَصْبِرُ عَنْهُ، فَأَشْهَدَكَ مَا بَرَزَ مِنْهُ.
ʿalima minka ʾannaka lā taṣbiru ʿanhu, faʾashhadaka mā baraza minhu.
He knew that you could not bear to be apart from Him, so He let you witness what comes forth from Him.
118. لَمَّا عَلِمَ الْحَقُّ مِنْكَ وُجُودَ الْمَلَلِ، لَوَّنَ لَكَ الطَّاعَاتِ. وَعَلِمَ مَا فِيكَ مِنْ وُجُودِ الشَّرَهِ، فَحَجَرَهَا عَلَيْكَ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَوْقَاتِ، لِيَكُونَ هَمُّكَ إِقَامَةَ الصَّلَاةِ لَا وُجُودَ الصَّلَاةِ، فَمَا كُلُّ مُصَلٍّ مُقِيمٌ.
lammā ʿalima al-ḥaqqu minka wujūda al-malali, lawwana laka aṭ-ṭāʿāti. waʿalima mā fīka min wujūdi ash-sharahi, faḥajarahā ʿalayka fī baʿḍi al-ʾawqāti, liyakūna hammuka ʾiqāmata aṣ-ṣalāti lā wujūda aṣ-ṣalāti, famā kullu muṣallin muqīmun.
Because God knew you were prone to boredom, He varied the acts of obedience for you. Knowing your tendency to excess, He restricted them to certain times, so that your concern would be to establish prayer, not merely to perform it - for not everyone who prays truly establishes prayer.
119. الصَّلَاةُ طُهْرَةٌ لِلْقُلُوبِ مِنْ أَدْنَاسِ الذُّنُوبِ، وَاسْتِفْتَاحٌ لِبَابِ الْغُيُوبِ.
aṣ-ṣalātu ṭuhratun li-l-qulūbi min ʾadnāsi adh-dhunūbi, wa-stiftāḥun libābi al-ghuyūbi.
Prayer purifies hearts of the defilements of sin and opens the gate to unseen realities.
120. الصَّلَاةُ مَحَلُّ الْمُنَاجَاةِ وَمَعْدِنُ الْمُصَافَاةِ؛ تَتَّسِعُ فِيهَا مَيَادِينُ الْأَسْرَارِ، وَتُشْرِقُ فِيهَا شَوَارِقُ الْأَنْوَارِ. عَلِمَ وُجُودَ الضَّعْفِ مِنْكَ فَقَلَّلَ أَعْدَادَهَا. وَعَلِمَ احْتِيَاجَكَ إِلَى فَضْلِهِ فَكَثَّرَ أَمْدَادَهَا.
aṣ-ṣalātu maḥallu al-munājāti wamaʿdinu al-muṣāfāti; tattasiʿu fīhā mayādīnu al-ʾasrāri, watushriqu fīhā shawāriqu al-ʾanwāri. ʿalima wujūda aḍ-ḍaʿfi minka faqallala ʾaʿdādahā. waʿalima iḥtiyājaka ʾilā faḍlihi fakaththara ʾamdādahā.
Prayer is the place of intimate conversation and the source of spiritual clarity. Within it, the expanses of inner mysteries open wide and radiant lights dawn. He knew your weakness, so He reduced the number of prayers; and He knew your need for His grace, so He multiplied the spiritual aid they bring.
121. مَتَى طَلَبْتَ عِوَضًا عَنْ عَمَلٍ، طُولِبْتَ بِوُجُودِ الصِّدْقِ فِيهِ، وَيَكْفِي الْمُرِيبَ وِجْدَانُ السَّلَامَةِ.
matā ṭalabta ʿiwaḍan ʿan ʿamalin, ṭūlibta biwujūdi aṣ-ṣidqi fīhi, wayakfī al-murība wijdānu as-salāmati.
Whenever you seek compensation for a deed, you will be required to show that it was truly sincere. For one who harbors doubt, simply emerging safe is enough.
122. لَا تَطْلُبْ عِوَضًا عَلَى عَمَلٍ لَسْتَ لَهُ فَاعِلًا، يَكْفِي مِنَ الْجَزَاءِ لَكَ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ أَنْ كَانَ لَهُ قَابِلًا.
lā taṭlub ʿiwaḍan ʿalā ʿamalin lasta lahu fāʿilan, yakfī mina al-jazāʾi laka ʿalā al-ʿamali ʾan kāna lahu qābilan.
Do not seek a reward for a deed of which you were not the true doer; reward enough is that He accepts it.
123. إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يُظْهِرَ فَضْلَهُ عَلَيْكَ، خَلَقَ وَنَسَبَ إِلَيْكَ.
ʾidhā ʾarāda ʾan yuẓhira faḍlahu ʿalayka, khalaqa wanasaba ʾilayka.
When He wishes to display His grace toward you, He creates the deed and then attributes it to you.
124. لَا نِهَايَةَ لِمَذَامِّكَ إِنْ أَرْجَعَكَ إِلَيْكَ، وَلَا تَفْرُغُ مَدَائِحُكَ إِنْ أَظْهَرَ جُودَهُ عَلَيْكَ.
lā nihāyata limadhāmmika ʾin ʾarjaʿaka ʾilayka, walā tafrughu madāʾiḥuka ʾin ʾaẓhara jūdahu ʿalayka.
There is no end to what deserves blame in you if He returns you to yourself, and no end to what can be praised in you if He displays His generosity toward you.
125. كُنْ بِأَوْصَافِ رُبُوبِيَّتِهِ مُتَعَلِّقًا، وَبِأَوْصَافِ عُبُودِيَّتِكَ مُتَحَقِّقًا.
kun biʾawṣāfi rubūbiyyatihi mutaʿalliqan, wabiʾawṣāfi ʿubūdiyyatika mutaḥaqqiqan.
Cling to the attributes of His Lordship, and fully realize the qualities of your servanthood.
126. مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَدَّعِيَ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ مِمَّا لِلْمَخْلُوقِينَ، أَفَيُبِيحُ لَكَ أَنْ تَدَّعِيَ وَصْفَهُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ؟
manaʿaka ʾan taddaʿiya mā laysa laka mimmā li-l-makhlūqīna, ʾafayubīḥu laka ʾan taddaʿiya waṣfahu wahuwa rabbu al-ʿālamīna?
He has forbidden you to claim what belongs to other created beings and is not yours. Would He then permit you to claim His own attribute, when He is Lord of all worlds?
127. كَيْفَ تُخْرَقُ لَكَ الْعَوَائِدُ وَأَنْتَ لَمْ تَخْرِقْ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ الْعَوَائِدَ؟
kayfa tukhraqu laka al-ʿawāʾidu waʾanta lam takhriq min nafsika al-ʿawāʾida?
How can the customary order be broken for you while you have not broken the habits of your lower self?
128. مَا الشَّأْنُ وُجُودُ الطَّلَبِ، إِنَّمَا الشَّأْنُ أَنْ تُرْزَقَ حُسْنَ الْأَدَبِ.
mā ash-shaʾnu wujūdu aṭ-ṭalabi, ʾinnamā ash-shaʾnu ʾan turzaqa ḥusna al-ʾadabi.
What matters is not simply making a request; what matters is being granted proper courtesy.
129. مَا طَلَبَ لَكَ شَيْءٌ مِثْلُ الْاِضْطِرَارِ، وَلَا أَسْرَعَ بِالْمَوَاهِبِ إِلَيْكَ مِثْلُ الذِّلَّةِ وَالْاِفْتِقَارِ.
mā ṭalaba laka shayʾun mithlu al-iḍṭirāri, walā ʾasraʿa bi-l-mawāhibi ʾilayka mithlu adh-dhillati wa-l-iftiqāri.
Nothing pleads more powerfully on your behalf than desperate need, and nothing brings gifts to you faster than humility and spiritual poverty.
130. لَوْ أَنَّكَ لَا تَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ إِلَّا بَعْدَ فَنَاءِ مَسَاوِيكَ وَمَحْوِ دَعَاوِيكَ لَمْ تَصِلْ إِلَيْهِ أَبَدًا؛ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يُوَصِّلَكَ إِلَيْهِ غَطَّى وَصْفَكَ بِوَصْفِهِ، وَنَعْتَكَ بِنَعْتِهِ، فَوَصَلَكَ إِلَيْهِ بِمَا مِنْهُ إِلَيْكَ، لَا بِمَا مِنْكَ إِلَيْهِ.
law ʾannaka lā taṣilu ʾilayhi ʾillā baʿda fanāʾi masāwīka wamaḥwi daʿāwīka lam taṣil ʾilayhi ʾabadan; walakin ʾidhā ʾarāda ʾan yuwaṣṣilaka ʾilayhi ghaṭṭā waṣfaka biwaṣfihi, wanaʿtaka binaʿtihi, fawaṣalaka ʾilayhi bimā minhu ʾilayka, lā bimā minka ʾilayhi.
If you could reach Him only after your faults had vanished and your claims had been erased, you would never reach Him. But when He wishes to bring you to Himself, He covers your qualities with His qualities and your attributes with His attributes. He joins you to Himself through what comes from Him to you, not through what goes from you to Him.
131. لَوْلَا جَمِيلُ سِتْرِهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَمَلٌ أَهْلًا لِلْقَبُولِ.
lawlā jamīlu sitrihi lam yakun ʿamalun ʾahlan li-l-qabūli.
Were it not for His gracious concealment, no deed would deserve acceptance.
132. أَنْتَ إِلَى حِلْمِهِ إِذَا أَطَعْتَهُ أَحْوَجُ مِنْكَ إِلَى حِلْمِهِ إِذَا عَصَيْتَهُ.
ʾanta ʾilā ḥilmihi ʾidhā ʾaṭaʿtahu ʾaḥwaju minka ʾilā ḥilmihi ʾidhā ʿaṣaytahu.
You need His forbearance more when you obey Him than when you disobey Him.
133. السِّتْرُ عَلَى قِسْمَيْنِ: سِتْرٌ عَنِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ، وَسِتْرٌ فِيهَا؛ فَالْعَامَّةُ يَطْلُبُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى السِّتْرَ فِيهَا خَشْيَةَ سُقُوطِ مَرْتَبَتِهِمْ عِنْدَ الْخَلْقِ، وَالْخَاصَّةُ يَطْلُبُونَ السِّتْرَ عَنْهَا خَشْيَةَ سُقُوطِهِمْ مِنْ نَظَرِ الْمَلِكِ الْحَقِّ.
as-sitru ʿalā qismayni: sitrun ʿani al-maʿṣiyati, wasitrun fīhā; fa-l-ʿāmmatu yaṭlubūna mina Allāhi taʿālā as-sitra fīhā khashyata suqūṭi martabatihim ʿinda al-khalqi, wa-l-khāṣṣatu yaṭlubūna as-sitra ʿanhā khashyata suqūṭihim min naẓari al-maliki al-ḥaqqi.
Divine covering is of two kinds: being shielded from disobedience, and having it concealed while committing it. Ordinary people ask God to conceal it, fearing the loss of their standing among others; the elect ask Him to shield them from it, fearing that they may lose their place in the sight of the True King.
134. مَنْ أَكْرَمَكَ إِنَّمَا أَكْرَمَ فِيكَ جَمِيلَ سِتْرِهِ، فَالْحَمْدُ لِمَنْ سَتَرَكَ، لَيْسَ الْحَمْدُ لِمَنْ أَكْرَمَكَ وَشَكَرَكَ.
man ʾakramaka ʾinnamā ʾakrama fīka jamīla sitrihi, fa-l-ḥamdu liman sataraka, laysa al-ḥamdu liman ʾakramaka washakaraka.
Whoever honors you is honoring only God's gracious concealment within you. Praise therefore belongs to the One who concealed your faults, not to the person who honored and thanked you.
135. مَا صَحِبَكَ إِلَّا مَنْ صَحِبَكَ وَهُوَ بِعَيْبِكَ عَلِيمٌ، وَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا مَوْلَاكَ الْكَرِيمُ.
mā ṣaḥibaka ʾillā man ṣaḥibaka wahuwa biʿaybika ʿalīmun, walaysa dhalika ʾillā mawlāka al-karīmu.
Your true companion is only one who accompanies you while fully aware of your faults - and that is none but your generous Master.
136. لَوْ أَشْرَقَ لَكَ نُورُ الْيَقِينِ لَرَأَيْتَ الْآخِرَةَ أَقْرَبَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنْ تَرْحَلَ إِلَيْهَا، وَلَرَأَيْتَ مَحَاسِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَقَدْ ظَهَرَتْ كِسْفَةُ الْفَنَاءِ عَلَيْهَا.
law ʾashraqa laka nūru al-yaqīni laraʾayta al-ʾākhirata ʾaqraba ʾilayka min ʾan tarḥala ʾilayhā, walaraʾayta maḥāsina ad-dunyā waqad ẓaharat kisfatu al-fanāʾi ʿalayhā.
If the light of certainty dawned for you, you would see the next world as too near to require a journey, and you would see the pall of extinction already cast over the beauties of this world.
137. مَا حَجَبَكَ عَنِ اللَّهِ وُجُودُ مَوْجُودٍ مَعَهُ، وَلَكِنْ حَجَبَكَ عَنْهُ تَوَهُّمُ مَوْجُودٍ مَعَهُ.
mā ḥajabaka ʿani Allāhi wujūdu mawjūdin maʿahu, walakin ḥajabaka ʿanhu tawahhumu mawjūdin maʿahu.
What veils you from God is not the existence of something alongside Him, but your imagining that anything exists alongside Him.
138. لَوْلَا ظُهُورُهُ فِي الْمُكَوَّنَاتِ مَا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهَا وُجُودُ إِبْصَارٍ. وَلَوْ ظَهَرَتْ صِفَاتُهُ اضْمَحَلَّتْ مُكَوَّنَاتُهُ.
lawlā ẓuhūruhu fī al-mukawwanāti mā waqaʿa ʿalayhā wujūdu ʾibṣārin. walaw ẓaharat ṣifātuhu iḍmaḥallat mukawwanātuhu.
Were He not manifest in created things, they could not be seen; and were His attributes fully manifest, created things would dissolve.
139. أَظْهَرَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ لِأَنَّهُ الْبَاطِنُ، وَطَوَى وُجُودَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لِأَنَّهُ الظَّاهِرُ.
ʾaẓhara kulla shayʾin liʾannahu al-bāṭinu, waṭawā wujūda kulli shayʾin liʾannahu aẓ-ẓāhiru.
He made everything manifest because He is the Hidden, and effaced the existence of everything because He is the Manifest.
140. أَبَاحَ لَكَ أَنْ تَنْظُرَ مَا فِي الْمُكَوَّنَاتِ، وَمَا أَذِنَ لَكَ أَنْ تَقِفَ مَعَ ذَوَاتِ الْمُكَوَّنَاتِ: ﴿قُلِ انْظُرُوا مَاذَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ﴾؛ فَتَحَ لَكَ بَابَ الْإِفْهَامِ، وَلَمْ يَقُلْ: انْظُرُوا السَّمَاوَاتِ؛ لِئَلَّا يَدُلَّكَ عَلَى وُجُودِ الْأَجْرَامِ.
ʾabāḥa laka ʾan tanẓura mā fī al-mukawwanāti, wamā ʾadhina laka ʾan taqifa maʿa dhawāti al-mukawwanāti: ﴿quli unẓurū mādhā fī as-samāwāti﴾; fataḥa laka bāba al-ʾifhāmi, walam yaqul: unẓurū as-samāwāti; liʾallā yadullaka ʿalā wujūdi al-ʾajrāmi.
He permitted you to consider what is within created things, but He did not permit you to stop at the things themselves: "Say, 'Look at what is in the heavens.'" He opened for you the door of understanding and did not say, 'Look at the heavens,' lest He direct you merely to physical bodies.
141. الْأَكْوَانُ ثَابِتَةٌ بِإِثْبَاتِهِ، وَمَمْحُوَّةٌ بِأَحَدِيَّةِ ذَاتِهِ.
al-ʾakwānu thābitatun biʾithbātihi, wamamḥuwwatun biʾaḥadiyyati dhātihi.
The created order is established by His establishing it, and effaced by the absolute oneness of His Essence.
142. النَّاسُ يَمْدَحُونَكَ لِمَا يَظُنُّونَهُ فِيكَ، فَكُنْ أَنْتَ ذَامًّا لِنَفْسِكَ لِمَا تَعْلَمُهُ مِنْهَا.
an-nāsu yamdaḥūnaka limā yaẓunnūnahu fīka, fakun ʾanta dhāmman linafsika limā taʿlamuhu minhā.
People praise you for what they imagine is in you; so blame your lower self for what you know of it.
143. الْمُؤْمِنُ إِذَا مُدِحَ اسْتَحْيَا مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى أَنْ يُثْنَى عَلَيْهِ بِوَصْفٍ لَا يَشْهَدُهُ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ.
al-muʾminu ʾidhā mudiḥa istaḥyā mina Allāhi taʿālā ʾan yuthnā ʿalayhi biwaṣfin lā yashhaduhu min nafsihi.
When a believer is praised, he feels ashamed before God that a quality should be attributed to him which he does not see in himself.
144. أَجْهَلُ النَّاسِ مَنْ تَرَكَ يَقِينَ مَا عِنْدَهُ لِظَنِّ مَا عِنْدَ النَّاسِ.
ʾajhalu an-nāsi man taraka yaqīna mā ʿindahu liẓanni mā ʿinda an-nāsi.
The most ignorant person is one who abandons the certainty of what he knows about himself in favor of other people's suppositions.
145. إِذَا أَطْلَقَ الثَّنَاءَ عَلَيْكَ وَلَسْتَ بِأَهْلٍ، فَأَثْنِ عَلَيْهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ.
ʾidhā ʾaṭlaqa ath-thanāʾa ʿalayka walasta biʾahlin, faʾathni ʿalayhi bimā huwa ʾahluhu.
When He causes praise to be voiced about you though you do not deserve it, praise Him as befits Him.
146. الزُّهَّادُ إِذَا مُدِحُوا انْقَبَضُوا لِشُهُودِهِمُ الثَّنَاءَ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ، وَالْعَارِفُونَ إِذَا مُدِحُوا انْبَسَطُوا لِشُهُودِهِمْ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْمَلِكِ الْحَقِّ.
az-zuhhādu ʾidhā mudiḥū inqabaḍū lishuhūdihimu ath-thanāʾa mina al-khalqi, wa-l-ʿārifūna ʾidhā mudiḥū inbasaṭū lishuhūdihim dhalika mina al-maliki al-ḥaqqi.
When ascetics are praised, they become inwardly constricted because they see the praise as coming from people. When those with direct knowledge are praised, they feel inwardly expanded because they see it as coming from the True King.
147. مَتَى كُنْتَ إِذَا أُعْطِيتَ بَسَطَكَ الْعَطَاءُ، وَإِذَا مُنِعْتَ قَبَضَكَ الْمَنْعُ، فَاسْتَدِلَّ بِذَلِكَ عَلَى ثُبُوتِ طُفُولِيَّتِكَ، وَعَدَمِ صِدْقِكَ فِي عُبُودِيَّتِكَ.
matā kunta ʾidhā ʾuʿṭīta basaṭaka al-ʿaṭāʾu, waʾidhā muniʿta qabaḍaka al-manʿu, fa-stadilla bidhalika ʿalā thubūti ṭufūliyyatika, waʿadami ṣidqika fī ʿubūdiyyatika.
Whenever receiving makes you expansive and being denied makes you constricted, take that as evidence that your spiritual childhood persists and that your servanthood lacks sincerity.
148. إِذَا وَقَعَ مِنْكَ ذَنْبٌ فَلَا يَكُنْ سَبَبًا لِيَأْسِكَ مِنْ حُصُولِ الْاِسْتِقَامَةِ مَعَ رَبِّكَ، فَقَدْ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ آخِرَ ذَنْبٍ قُدِّرَ عَلَيْكَ.
ʾidhā waqaʿa minka dhanbun falā yakun sababan liyaʾsika min ḥuṣūli al-istiqāmati maʿa rabbika, faqad yakūnu dhalika ʾākhira dhanbin quddira ʿalayka.
If you commit a sin, do not let it cause you to despair of attaining uprightness with your Lord; it may be the last sin decreed for you.
149. إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يُفْتَحَ لَكَ بَابُ الرَّجَاءِ فَاشْهَدْ مَا مِنْهُ إِلَيْكَ، وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يُفْتَحَ لَكَ بَابُ الْخَوْفِ فَاشْهَدْ مَا مِنْكَ إِلَيْهِ.
ʾidhā ʾaradta ʾan yuftaḥa laka bābu ar-rajāʾi fa-shhad mā minhu ʾilayka, waʾidhā ʾaradta ʾan yuftaḥa laka bābu al-khawfi fa-shhad mā minka ʾilayhi.
If you want the gate of hope to be opened for you, witness what comes from Him to you. If you want the gate of fear to be opened for you, witness what goes from you to Him.
150. رُبَّمَا أَفَادَكَ فِي لَيْلِ الْقَبْضِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَفِدْهُ فِي إِشْرَاقِ نَهَارِ الْبَسْطِ: ﴿لَا تَدْرُونَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ لَكُمْ نَفْعًا﴾.
rubbamā ʾafādaka fī layli al-qabḍi mā lam tastafidhu fī ʾishrāqi nahāri al-basṭi: ﴿lā tadrūna ʾayyuhum ʾaqrabu lakum nafʿan﴾.
In the night of contraction, you may receive a benefit you did not gain in the radiant day of expansion: "You do not know which of them benefits you more."
151. مَطَالِعُ الْأَنْوَارِ - الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَسْرَارُ.
maṭāliʿu al-ʾanwāri - al-qulūbu wa-l-ʾasrāru.
The horizons where lights arise are hearts and innermost secrets.
152. نُورٌ مُسْتَوْدَعٌ فِي الْقُلُوبِ مَدَدُهُ مِنَ النُّورِ الْوَارِدِ مِنْ خَزَائِنِ الْغُيُوبِ.
nūrun mustawdaʿun fī al-qulūbi madaduhu mina an-nūri al-wāridi min khazāʾini al-ghuyūbi.
A light is deposited in hearts, sustained by the light that flows from the treasuries of the unseen.
153. نُورٌ يَكْشِفُ لَكَ بِهِ عَنْ آثَارِهِ، وَنُورٌ يَكْشِفُ لَكَ بِهِ عَنْ أَوْصَافِهِ.
nūrun yakshifu laka bihi ʿan ʾāthārihi, wanūrun yakshifu laka bihi ʿan ʾawṣāfihi.
There is a light by which He unveils His created effects to you, and a light by which He unveils His attributes to you.
154. رُبَّمَا وَقَفَتِ الْقُلُوبُ مَعَ الْأَنْوَارِ كَمَا حُجِبَتِ النُّفُوسُ بِكَثَائِفِ الْأَغْيَارِ.
rubbamā waqafati al-qulūbu maʿa al-ʾanwāri kamā ḥujibati an-nufūsu bikathāʾifi al-ʾaghyāri.
Hearts may stop at spiritual lights, just as lower selves are veiled by the dense forms of what is other than God.
155. سَتَرَ أَنْوَارَ السَّرَائِرِ بِكَثَائِفِ الظَّوَاهِرِ؛ إِجْلَالًا لَهَا أَنْ تُبْتَذَلَ بِوُجُودِ الْإِظْهَارِ، وَأَنْ يُنَادَى عَلَيْهَا بِلِسَانِ الْاِشْتِهَارِ.
satara ʾanwāra as-sarāʾiri bikathāʾifi aẓ-ẓawāhiri; ʾijlālan lahā ʾan tubtadhala biwujūdi al-ʾiẓhāri, waʾan yunādā ʿalayhā bilisāni al-ishtihāri.
He concealed the lights of inner secrets beneath dense outward forms, honoring those lights too highly to let them be cheapened through display or proclaimed in the language of fame.
156. سُبْحَانَ مَنْ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ الدَّلِيلَ عَلَى أَوْلِيَائِهِ إِلَّا مِنْ حَيْثُ الدَّلِيلُ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَمْ يُوصِلْ إِلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُوصِلَهُ إِلَيْهِ.
subḥāna man lam yajʿali ad-dalīla ʿalā ʾawliyāʾihi ʾillā min ḥaythu ad-dalīlu ʿalayhi, walam yūṣil ʾilayhim ʾillā man ʾarāda ʾan yūṣilahu ʾilayhi.
Glory be to the One who made His friends known only through the same evidence by which He is known, and who brings to them only those whom He wishes to bring to Himself.
157. رُبَّمَا أَطْلَعَكَ عَلَى غَيْبِ مَلَكُوتِهِ، وَحَجَبَ عَنْكَ الْاِسْتِشْرَافَ عَلَى أَسْرَارِ الْعِبَادِ.
rubbamā ʾaṭlaʿaka ʿalā ghaybi malakūtihi, waḥajaba ʿanka al-istishrāfa ʿalā ʾasrāri al-ʿibādi.
At times He lets you glimpse His unseen dominion while keeping you from looking into His servants' secrets.
158. مَنِ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَسْرَارِ الْعِبَادِ، وَلَمْ يَتَخَلَّقْ بِالرَّحْمَةِ الْإِلَهِيَّةِ، كَانَ اطِّلَاعُهُ فِتْنَةً عَلَيْهِ، وَسَبَبًا لِجَرِّ الْوَبَالِ إِلَيْهِ.
mani iṭṭalaʿa ʿalā ʾasrāri al-ʿibādi, walam yatakhallaq bi-r-raḥmati al-ʾilahiyyati, kāna iṭṭilāʿuhu fitnatan ʿalayhi, wasababan lijarri al-wabāli ʾilayhi.
Whoever becomes privy to the secrets of God's servants but has not taken on the character of divine mercy will find that disclosure a trial and a cause that draws ruin upon him.
159. حَظُّ النَّفْسِ فِي الْمَعْصِيَةِ ظَاهِرٌ جَلِيٌّ، وَحَظُّهَا فِي الطَّاعَةِ بَاطِنٌ خَفِيٌّ، وَمُدَاوَاةُ مَا يَخْفَى صَعْبٌ عِلَاجُهُ.
ḥaẓẓu an-nafsi fī al-maʿṣiyati ẓāhirun jaliyyun, waḥaẓẓuhā fī aṭ-ṭāʿati bāṭinun khafiyyun, wamudāwātu mā yakhfā ṣaʿbun ʿilājuhu.
The lower self's stake in disobedience is obvious and plain, while its stake in obedience is inward and concealed; what lies hidden is difficult to remedy.
160. رُبَّمَا دَخَلَ الرِّيَاءُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَنْظُرُ الْخَلْقُ إِلَيْكَ.
rubbamā dakhala ar-riyāʾu ʿalayka min ḥaythu lā yanẓuru al-khalqu ʾilayka.
Ostentation may creep in through what people cannot see of you.
161. اِسْتِشْرَافُكَ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ الْخَلْقُ بِخُصُوصِيَّتِكَ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى عَدَمِ صِدْقِكَ فِي عُبُودِيَّتِكَ.
istishrāfuka ʾan yaʿlama al-khalqu bikhuṣūṣiyyatika dalīlun ʿalā ʿadami ṣidqika fī ʿubūdiyyatika.
Your eagerness for people to know of your special standing with God is evidence that your servanthood is not genuine.
162. غَيِّبْ نَظَرَ الْخَلْقِ إِلَيْكَ بِنَظَرِ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكَ، وَغِبْ عَنْ إِقْبَالِهِمْ عَلَيْكَ بِشُهُودِ إِقْبَالِهِ عَلَيْكَ.
ghayyib naẓara al-khalqi ʾilayka binaẓari Allāhi ʾilayka, waghib ʿan ʾiqbālihim ʿalayka bishuhūdi ʾiqbālihi ʿalayka.
Let awareness of people's gaze upon you vanish in awareness of God's gaze upon you, and become oblivious to their turning toward you by witnessing His turning toward you.
163. مَنْ عَرَفَ الْحَقَّ شَهِدَهُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَمَنْ فَنِيَ بِهِ غَابَ عَنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّهُ لَمْ يُؤْثِرْ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئًا.
man ʿarafa al-ḥaqqa shahidahu fī kulli shayʾin, waman faniya bihi ghāba ʿan kulli shayʾin, waman ʾaḥabbahu lam yuʾthir ʿalayhi shayʾan.
Whoever has direct knowledge of God witnesses Him in everything; whoever is annihilated in Him is absent from everything; and whoever loves Him prefers nothing to Him.
164. إِنَّمَا حَجَبَ الْحَقَّ عَنْكَ شِدَّةُ قُرْبِهِ مِنْكَ.
ʾinnamā ḥajaba al-ḥaqqa ʿanka shiddatu qurbihi minka.
What veils God from you is nothing but the intensity of His nearness to you.
165. إِنَّمَا احْتَجَبَ لِشِدَّةِ ظُهُورِهِ، وَخَفِيَ عَنِ الْأَبْصَارِ لِعِظَمِ نُورِهِ.
ʾinnamā iḥtajaba lishiddati ẓuhūrihi, wakhafiya ʿani al-ʾabṣāri liʿiẓami nūrihi.
He is veiled only by the intensity of His manifestation, and hidden from all eyes by the immensity of His light.
166. لَا يَكُنْ طَلَبُكَ تَسَبُّبًا إِلَى الْعَطَاءِ مِنْهُ فَيَقِلَّ فَهْمُكَ عَنْهُ، وَلْيَكُنْ طَلَبُكَ لِإِظْهَارِ الْعُبُودِيَّةِ وَقِيَامًا بِحُقُوقِ الرُّبُوبِيَّةِ.
lā yakun ṭalabuka tasabbuban ʾilā al-ʿaṭāʾi minhu fayaqilla fahmuka ʿanhu, walyakun ṭalabuka liʾiẓhāri al-ʿubūdiyyati waqiyāman biḥuqūqi ar-rubūbiyyati.
Do not ask as a means of bringing about His giving, lest your understanding of Him be diminished. Ask instead to express your servanthood and uphold the claims of His Lordship.
167. كَيْفَ يَكُونُ طَلَبُكَ اللَّاحِقُ سَبَبًا فِي عَطَائِهِ السَّابِقِ؟
kayfa yakūnu ṭalabuka al-lāḥiqu sababan fī ʿaṭāʾihi as-sābiqi?
How could your later asking cause His pre-eternal giving?
168. جَلَّ حُكْمُ الْأَزَلِ أَنْ يَنْضَافَ إِلَى الْعِلَلِ.
jalla ḥukmu al-ʾazali ʾan yanḍāfa ʾilā al-ʿilali.
The pre-eternal decree is far too exalted to be ascribed to secondary causes.
169. عِنَايَتُهُ فِيكَ لَا لِشَيْءٍ مِنْكَ وَأَيْنَ كُنْتَ حِينَ وَاجَهَتْكَ عِنَايَتُهُ وَقَابَلَتْكَ رِعَايَتُهُ؛ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي أَزَلِهِ إِخْلَاصُ أَعْمَالٍ وَلَا وُجُودُ أَحْوَالٍ، بَلْ لَمْ يَكُنْ هُنَاكَ إِلَّا مَحْضُ الْإِفْضَالِ وَعَظِيمُ النَّوَالِ.
ʿināyatuhu fīka lā lishayʾin minka waʾayna kunta ḥīna wājahatka ʿināyatuhu waqābalatka riʿāyatuhu; lam yakun fī ʾazalihi ʾikhlāṣu ʾaʿmālin walā wujūdu ʾaḥwālin, bal lam yakun hunāka ʾillā maḥḍu al-ʾifḍāli waʿaẓīmu an-nawāli.
His providential care for you is not due to anything on your part. Where were you when His care turned toward you and His protection came to meet you? In pre-eternity there were no sincere deeds and no spiritual states - only pure favor and immense bounty.
170. عَلِمَ أَنَّ الْعِبَادَ يَتَشَوَّفُونَ إِلَى ظُهُورِ سِرِّ الْعِنَايَةِ فَقَالَ ﴿يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ﴾ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ لَوْ خَلَّاهُمْ وَذَلِكَ لَتَرَكُوا الْعَمَلَ اعْتِمَادًا عَلَى الْأَزَلِ فَقَالَ ﴿إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾
ʿalima ʾanna al-ʿibāda yatashawwafūna ʾilā ẓuhūri sirri al-ʿināyati faqāla ﴿yakhtaṣṣu biraḥmatihi man yashāʾu﴾ waʿalima ʾannahu law khallāhum wadhalika latarakū al-ʿamala iʿtimādan ʿalā al-ʾazali faqāla ﴿ʾinna raḥmata Allāhi qarībun mina al-muḥsinīna﴾
God knew that His servants long to see the secret of providential care disclosed, so He said: "He singles out for His mercy whomever He wills." He also knew that, if He left them with that alone, they would abandon action in reliance on the pre-eternal decree, so He said: "Indeed, God's mercy is near to those who do good."
Qur’an, Āl ʿImrān 3:74; the same clause also occurs within 2:105.
Qur’an, al-Aʿrāf 7:56.
171. إِلَى الْمَشِيئَةِ يَسْتَنِدُ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ وَلَاتَسْتَنِدُ هِيَ إِلَى شَيْءٍ.
ʾilā al-mashīʾati yastanidu kullu shayʾin walātastanidu hiya ʾilā shayʾin.
Everything depends on the divine will, but the divine will depends on nothing.
172. رُبَّمَا دَلَّهُمُ الْأَدَبُ عَلَى تَرْكِ الطَّلَبِ اعْتِمَادًا عَلَى قِسْمَتِهِ وَاشْتِغَالًا بِذِكْرِهِ عَنْ مَسْأَلَتِهِ.
rubbamā dallahumu al-ʾadabu ʿalā tarki aṭ-ṭalabi iʿtimādan ʿalā qismatihi wa-shtighālan bidhikrihi ʿan masʾalatihi.
At times, spiritual courtesy leads them to refrain from asking: they trust His apportionment and are occupied with remembering Him rather than petitioning Him.
173. إِنَّمَا يُذَكَّرُ مَنْ يَجُوزُ عَلَيْهِ الْإِغْفَالُ، وَإِنَّمَا يُنَبَّهُ مَنْ يُمْكِنُ مِنْهُ الْإِهْمَالُ.
ʾinnamā yudhakkaru man yajūzu ʿalayhi al-ʾighfālu, waʾinnamā yunabbahu man yumkinu minhu al-ʾihmālu.
Only someone liable to overlook is reminded, and only someone capable of neglect is alerted.
174. وُرُودُ الْفَاقَاتِ أَعْيَادُ الْمُرِيدِينَ.
wurūdu al-fāqāti ʾaʿyādu al-murīdīna.
Each arrival of need is a feast day for spiritual seekers.
175. رُبَّمَا وَجَدْتَ مِنَ الْمَزِيدِ فِي الْفَاقَاتِ مَا لَا تَجِدُهُ فِي الصَّوْمِ وَالصَّلَاةِ.
rubbamā wajadta mina al-mazīdi fī al-fāqāti mā lā tajiduhu fī aṣ-ṣawmi wa-ṣ-ṣalāti.
You may find in times of need a spiritual increase that you do not find in fasting and prayer.
176. الْفَاقَاتُ بُسُطُ الْمَوَاهِبِ.
al-fāqātu busuṭu al-mawāhibi.
Times of need are the carpets on which divine gifts are spread.
177. إِنْ أَرَدْتَ وُرُودَ الْمَوَاهِبِ عَلَيْكَ صَحِّحِ الْفَقْرَ وَالْفَاقَةَ لَدَيْكَ ﴿إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ﴾.
ʾin ʾaradta wurūda al-mawāhibi ʿalayka ṣaḥḥiḥi al-faqra wa-l-fāqata ladayka ﴿ʾinnamā aṣ-ṣadaqātu li-l-fuqarāʾi﴾.
If you want divine gifts to flow in upon you, make your poverty and need before God genuine: "Alms are only for the poor."
178. تَحَقَّقْ بِأَوْصَافِكَ يُمِدَّكَ بِأَوْصَافِهِ، تَحَقَّقْ بِذُلِّكَ يُمِدَّكَ بِعِزِّهِ، تَحَقَّقْ بِعَجْزِكَ يُمِدَّكَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ، تَحَقَّقْ بِضَعْفِكَ يُمِدَّكَ بِحَوْلِهِ وَقُوَّتِهِ.
taḥaqqaq biʾawṣāfika yumiddaka biʾawṣāfihi, taḥaqqaq bidhullika yumiddaka biʿizzihi, taḥaqqaq biʿajzika yumiddaka biqudratihi, taḥaqqaq biḍaʿfika yumiddaka biḥawlihi waquwwatihi.
Realize the truth of your own attributes, and He will sustain you through His attributes. Realize your lowliness, and He will sustain you through His might; realize your helplessness, and He will sustain you through His power; realize your weakness, and He will sustain you through His enabling power and strength.
179. رُبَّمَا رُزِقَ الْكَرَامَةَ مَنْ لَمْ تَكْمُلْ لَهُ الِاسْتِقَامَةُ.
rubbamā ruziqa al-karāmata man lam takmul lahu al-istiqāmatu.
A miraculous gift may be bestowed on someone whose uprightness is not yet complete.
180. مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ إِقَامَةِ الْحَقِّ لَكَ فِي الشَّيْءِ: إِقَامَتُهُ إِيَّاكَ فِيهِ مَعَ حُصُولِ النَّتَائِجِ.
min ʿalāmāti ʾiqāmati al-ḥaqqi laka fī ash-shayʾi: ʾiqāmatuhu ʾiyyāka fīhi maʿa ḥuṣūli an-natāʾiji.
One sign that God has established you in a matter is that He keeps you steadily in it while its fruits come to pass.
181. مَنْ عَبَّرَ مِنْ بِسَاطِ إِحْسَانِهِ أَصْمَتَتْهُ الْإِسَاءَةُ، وَمَنْ عَبَّرَ مِنْ بِسَاطِ إِحْسَانِ اللَّهِ إِلَيْهِ لَمْ يَصْمُتْ إِذَا أَسَاءَ.
man ʿabbara min bisāṭi ʾiḥsānihi ʾaṣmatathu al-ʾisāʾatu, waman ʿabbara min bisāṭi ʾiḥsāni Allāhi ʾilayhi lam yaṣmut ʾidhā ʾasāʾa.
Whoever speaks from the standpoint of their own good conduct is silenced by wrongdoing; but whoever speaks from the standpoint of God's goodness toward them is not silenced when they do wrong.
182. تَسْبِقُ أَنْوَارُ الْحُكَمَاءِ أَقْوَالَهُمْ، فَحَيْثُ صَارَ التَّنْوِيرُ وَصَلَ التَّعْبِيرُ.
tasbiqu ʾanwāru al-ḥukamāʾi ʾaqwālahum, faḥaythu ṣāra at-tanwīru waṣala at-taʿbīru.
The lights of the sages precede their words: wherever illumination reaches, expression follows.
183. كُلُّ كَلَامٍ يَبْرُزُ وَعَلَيْهِ كِسْوَةُ الْقَلْبِ الَّذِى مِنْهُ بَرَزَ.
kullu kalāmin yabruzu waʿalayhi kiswatu al-qalbi alladhī minhu baraza.
Every utterance comes forth wearing the garb of the heart from which it emerged.
184. مَنْ أُذِنَ لَهُ فِي التَّعْبِيرِ فُهِمَتْ فِي مَسَامِعِ الْخَلْقِ عِبَارَتُهُ، وَجُلِّيَتْ إِلَيْهِمْ إِشَارَتُهُ.
man ʾudhina lahu fī at-taʿbīri fuhimat fī masāmiʿi al-khalqi ʿibāratuhu, wajulliyat ʾilayhim ʾishāratuhu.
When someone is given permission to speak, people understand their words, and the meaning of their allusions becomes clear to them.
185. رُبَّمَا بَرَزَتِ الْحَقَائِقُ مَكْسُوفَةَ الْأَنْوَارِ، إِذَا لَمْ يُؤْذَنْ لَكَ فِيهَا بِالْإِظْهَارِ.
rubbamā barazati al-ḥaqāʾiqu maksūfata al-ʾanwāri, ʾidhā lam yuʾdhan laka fīhā bi-l-ʾiẓhāri.
Spiritual truths may emerge with their lights eclipsed when you have not been given permission to disclose them.
186. عِبَارَاتُهُمْ إِمَّا لِفَيَضَانِ وُجْدٍ، أَوْ لِقَصْدِ هِدَايَةِ مُرِيدٍ، فَالْأَوَّلُ حَالُ السَّالِكِينَ، وَالثَّانِى حَالُ أَرْبَابِ الْمُكْنَةِ وَالْمُحَقِّقِينَ.
ʿibārātuhum ʾimmā lifayaḍāni wujdin, ʾaw liqaṣdi hidāyati murīdin, fa-l-ʾawwalu ḥālu as-sālikīna, wa-th-thānī ḥālu ʾarbābi al-muknati wa-l-muḥaqqiqīna.
Their words arise either because an inner spiritual experience overflows or because they intend to guide a seeker. The first is the state of those traveling the path; the second is the state of those firmly established and spiritually realized.
187. الْعِبَارَاتُ قُوتٌ لِعَائِلَةِ الْمُسْتَمِعِينَ وَلَيْسَ لَكَ إِلَّا مَا أَنْتَ لَهُ آكِلٌ.
al-ʿibārātu qūtun liʿāʾilati al-mustamiʿīna walaysa laka ʾillā mā ʾanta lahu ʾākilun.
Spiritual teachings are nourishment for the community of listeners, but only what you can digest is truly yours.
188. رُبَّمَا عَبَّرَ عَنِ الْمَقَامِ مَنِ اسْتَشْرَفَ عَلَيْهِ، وَرُبَّمَا عَبَّرَ عَنْهُ مَنْ وَصَلَ إِلَيْهِ وَذَلِكَ مُلْتَبِسٌ إِلَّا عَلَى صَاحِبِ بَصِيرَةٍ.
rubbamā ʿabbara ʿani al-maqāmi mani istashrafa ʿalayhi, warubbamā ʿabbara ʿanhu man waṣala ʾilayhi wadhalika multabisun ʾillā ʿalā ṣāḥibi baṣīratin.
One person may speak of a spiritual station after merely glimpsing it from afar, while another speaks after arriving there. The two are indistinguishable except to someone with inner sight.
189. لَا يَنْبَغِي لِلسَّالِكِ أَنْ يُعَبِّرَ عَنْ وَارِدَاتِهِ؛ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ يُقِلُّ عَمَلَهَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَيَمْنَعُهُ وُجُودَ الصِّدْقِ مَعَ رَبِّهِ.
lā yanbaghī li-s-sāliki ʾan yuʿabbira ʿan wāridātihi; faʾinna dhalika yuqillu ʿamalahā fī qalbihi wayamnaʿuhu wujūda aṣ-ṣidqi maʿa rabbihi.
A traveler on the path should not speak about their spiritual influxes, for doing so diminishes their effect in the heart and prevents true sincerity with their Lord from taking root.
190. لَا تَمُدَّنَّ يَدَكَ إِلَى الْأَخْذِ مِنَ الْخَلَائِقِ إِلَّا أَنْ تَرَى أَنَّ الْمُعْطِىَ فِيهِمْ مَوْلَاكَ، فَإِذَا كُنْتَ كَذَلِكَ فَخُذْ مَا وَافَقَكَ الْعِلْمُ.
lā tamuddanna yadaka ʾilā al-ʾakhdhi mina al-khalāʾiqi ʾillā ʾan tarā ʾanna al-muʿṭiya fīhim mawlāka, faʾidhā kunta kadhalika fakhudh mā wāfaqaka al-ʿilmu.
Do not reach out to take from created beings unless you see that your Master is the Giver through them. Once you see this, take only what knowledge permits.
191. رُبَّمَا اسْتَحْيَا الْعَارِفُ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ حَاجَتَهُ إِلَى مَوْلَاهُ لِاكْتِفَائِهِ بِمَشِيئَتِهِ فَكَيْفَ لَا يَسْتَحِي أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا إِلَى خَلِيقَتِهِ؟
rubbamā istaḥyā al-ʿārifu ʾan yarfaʿa ḥājatahu ʾilā mawlāhu li-ktifāʾihi bimashīʾatihi fakayfa lā yastaḥī ʾan yarfaʿahā ʾilā khalīqatihi?
A person of direct knowledge may feel too shy to present a need to their Master, content with His will - so how could they not be ashamed to present it to one of His creatures?
192. إِذَا الْتَبَسَ عَلَيْكَ أَمْرَانِ، فَانْظُرْ إِلَى أَثْقَلِهِمَا عَلَى النَّفْسِ فَاتَّبِعْهُ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَثْقُلُ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا مَا كَانَ حَقًّا.
ʾidhā at-tabasa ʿalayka ʾamrāni, fa-nẓur ʾilā ʾathqalihimā ʿalā an-nafsi fa-ttabiʿhu, faʾinnahu lā yathqulu ʿalayhā ʾillā mā kāna ḥaqqan.
When two courses of action leave you uncertain, look at which weighs more heavily on the lower self and follow it, for only what is true weighs heavily on it.
193. مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ اِتِّبَاعِ الْهَوَى الْمُسَارَعَةُ إِلَى نَوَافِلِ الْخَيْرَاتِ، وَالتَّكَاسُلُ عَنِ الْقِيَامِ بِالْوَاجِبَاتِ.
min ʿalāmāti ittibāʿi al-hawā al-musāraʿatu ʾilā nawāfili al-khayrāti, wa-t-takāsulu ʿani al-qiyāmi bi-l-wājibāti.
One sign of following caprice is rushing to perform optional good deeds while dragging your feet over obligatory duties.
194. قَيَّدَ الطَّاعَاتِ بِأَعْيَانِ الْأَوْقَاتِ لِئَلَّا يَمْنَعَكَ عَنْهَا وُجُودُ التَّسْوِيفِ، وَوَسَّعَ عَلَيْكَ الْوَقْتَ لِتَبْقَى لَكَ حِصَّةُ الِاخْتِيَارِ.
qayyada aṭ-ṭāʿāti biʾaʿyāni al-ʾawqāti liʾallā yamnaʿaka ʿanhā wujūdu at-taswīfi, wawassaʿa ʿalayka al-waqta litabqā laka ḥiṣṣatu al-ikhtiyāri.
God assigned acts of obedience to fixed times so that procrastination would not keep you from them, yet widened each time for you so that you would retain a measure of choice.
195. عَلِمَ قِلَّةَ نُهُوضِ الْعِبَادِ إِلَى مُعَامَلَتِهِ، فَأَوْجَبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وُجُودَ طَاعَتِهِ، فَسَاقَهُمْ إِلَيْهِ بِسَلَاسِلِ الْإِيجَابِ: «عَجِبَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ يُسَاقُونَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ بِالسَّلَاسِلِ».
ʿalima qillata nuhūḍi al-ʿibādi ʾilā muʿāmalatihi, faʾawjaba ʿalayhim wujūda ṭāʿatihi, fasāqahum ʾilayhi bisalāsili al-ʾījābi: “ʿajiba rabbuka min qawmin yusāqūna ʾilā al-jannati bi-s-salāsili”.
God knew how little His servants would rise to serve Him, so He made obedience obligatory for them and drove them to Himself with the chains of obligation: "Your Lord marvels at people who are led into Paradise in chains."
Hadith wording transmitted in al-Ḥikam; compare Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3010 and Sunan Abī Dāwūd 2677.
196. أَوْجَبَ عَلَيْكَ وُجُودَ طَاعَتِهِ، وَمَا أَوْجَبَ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا دُخُولَ جَنَّتِهِ.
ʾawjaba ʿalayka wujūda ṭāʿatihi, wamā ʾawjaba ʿalayka ʾillā dukhūla jannatihi.
He made obedience to Him obligatory for you, but in doing so He only made entry into His Paradise obligatory for you.
197. مَنِ اسْتَغْرَبَ أَنْ يُنْقِذَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ شَهْوَتِهِ، وَأَنْ يُخْرِجَهُ مِنْ وُجُودِ غَفْلَتِهِ، فَقَدِ اسْتَعْجَزَ الْقُدْرَةَ الْإِلَهِيَّةَ: ﴿وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُقْتَدِرًا﴾.
mani istaghraba ʾan yunqidhahu Allāhu min shahwatihi, waʾan yukhrijahu min wujūdi ghaflatihi, faqadi istaʿjaza al-qudrata al-ʾilahiyyata: ﴿wakāna Allāhu ʿalā kulli shayʾin muqtadiran﴾.
Whoever thinks it unlikely that God can deliver them from their desire and bring them out of heedlessness has judged divine power to be incapable: "God has power over all things."
198. رُبَّمَا وَرَدَتِ الظُّلَمُ عَلَيْكَ لِيُعَرِّفَكَ قَدْرَ مَا مَنَّ بِهِ عَلَيْكَ.
rubbamā waradati aẓ-ẓulamu ʿalayka liyuʿarrifaka qadra mā manna bihi ʿalayka.
Periods of darkness may come upon you so that He can show you the value of what He has graciously bestowed on you.
199. مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ قَدْرَ النِّعَمِ بِوِجْدَانِهَا عَرَفَهَا بِوُجُودِ فَقْدَانِهَا.
man lam yaʿrif qadra an-niʿami biwijdānihā ʿarafahā biwujūdi faqdānihā.
Whoever does not appreciate blessings while possessing them comes to appreciate them when they are lost.
200. لَا تُدْهِشْكَ وَارِدَاتُ النِّعَمِ عَنِ الْقِيَامِ بِحُقُوقِ شُكْرِكَ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا يَحُطُّ مِنْ وُجُودِ قَدْرِكَ.
lā tudhishka wāridātu an-niʿami ʿani al-qiyāmi biḥuqūqi shukrika, faʾinna dhalika mimmā yaḥuṭṭu min wujūdi qadrika.
Do not let the influx of blessings distract you from fulfilling the duties of gratitude, for that would diminish your spiritual worth.
201. تَمَكُّنُ حَلَاوَةِ الْهَوَى مِنَ الْقَلْبِ هُوَ الدَّاءُ الْعُضَالُ.
tamakkunu ḥalāwati al-hawā mina al-qalbi huwa ad-dāʾu al-ʿuḍālu.
When the sweetness of caprice takes firm hold in the heart, that is the intractable disease.
202. لَا يُخْرِجُ الشَّهْوَةَ مِنَ الْقَلْبِ إِلَّا خَوْفٌ مُزْعِجٌ أَوْ شَوْقٌ مُقْلِقٌ.
lā yukhriju ash-shahwata mina al-qalbi ʾillā khawfun muzʿijun ʾaw shawqun muqliqun.
Nothing drives desire from the heart except a fear that shakes it or a longing that leaves it restless.
203. كَمَا لَا يُحِبُّ الْعَمَلَ الْمُشْتَرَكَ، لَا يُحِبُّ الْقَلْبَ الْمُشْتَرَكَ، الْعَمَلُ الْمُشْتَرَكُ لَا يَقْبَلُهُ، وَالْقَلْبُ الْمُشْتَرَكُ لَا يُقْبِلُ عَلَيْهِ.
kamā lā yuḥibbu al-ʿamala al-mushtaraka, lā yuḥibbu al-qalba al-mushtaraka, al-ʿamalu al-mushtaraku lā yaqbaluhu, wa-l-qalbu al-mushtaraku lā yuqbilu ʿalayhi.
Just as God does not love a deed whose intention is shared with another, He does not love a heart whose devotion is divided. He does not accept the shared deed, and He does not turn toward the divided heart.
204. أَنْوَارٌ أُذِنَ لَهَا فِي الْوُصُولِ، وَأَنْوَارٌ أُذِنَ لَهَا فِي الدُّخُولِ.
ʾanwārun ʾudhina lahā fī al-wuṣūli, waʾanwārun ʾudhina lahā fī ad-dukhūli.
Some lights are permitted only to reach you; others are permitted to enter you.
205. رُبَّمَا وَرَدَتْ عَلَيْكَ الْأَنْوَارُ فَوَجَدَتِ الْقَلْبَ مَحْشُوًّا بِصُوَرِ الْآثَارِ فَارْتَحَلَتْ مِنْ حَيْثُ جَاءَتْ.
rubbamā waradat ʿalayka al-ʾanwāru fawajadati al-qalba maḥshuwwan biṣuwari al-ʾāthāri fa-rtaḥalat min ḥaythu jāʾat.
Lights may come to you, find the heart crammed with images of created things, and depart the way they came.
206. فَرِّغْ قَلْبَكَ مِنَ الْأَغْيَارِ يَمْلَأْهُ بِالْمَعَارِفِ وَالْأَسْرَارِ.
farrigh qalbaka mina al-ʾaghyāri yamlaʾhu bi-l-maʿārifi wa-l-ʾasrāri.
Empty your heart of everything other than God, and He will fill it with direct knowledge and divine secrets.
207. لَا تَسْتَبْطِئِ النَّوَالَ، وَلَكِنِ اسْتَبْطِئْ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ وُجُودَ الْإِقْبَالِ
lā tastabṭiʾi an-nawāla, walakini istabṭiʾ min nafsika wujūda al-ʾiqbāli
Do not think the gift is slow in coming; look instead at how slowly your own turning toward God arises.
208. حُقُوقٌ فِي الْأَوْقَاتِ يُمْكِنُ قَضَاؤُهَا، وَحُقُوقُ الْأَوْقَاتِ لَا يُمْكِنُ قَضَاؤُهَا، إِذْ مَا مِنْ وَقْتٍ يَرِدُ إِلَّا وَلِلَّهِ عَلَيْكَ فِيهِ حَقٌّ جَدِيدٌ، وَأَمْرٌ أَكِيدٌ، فَكَيْفَ تَقْضِي فِيهِ حَقَّ غَيْرِهِ وَأَنْتَ لَمْ تَقْضِ حَقَّ اللَّهِ فِيهِ.
ḥuqūqun fī al-ʾawqāti yumkinu qaḍāʾuhā, waḥuqūqu al-ʾawqāti lā yumkinu qaḍāʾuhā, ʾidh mā min waqtin yaridu ʾillā wa-lillāhi ʿalayka fīhi ḥaqqun jadīdun, waʾamrun ʾakīdun, fakayfa taqḍī fīhi ḥaqqa ghayrihi waʾanta lam taqḍi ḥaqqa Allāhi fīhi.
Duties assigned within particular times can be made up, but the duties belonging to each time cannot. No moment arrives without God having a new right over you and a firm command for you in it. How could you fulfill in it the duty of another moment when you have not fulfilled God's right in this one?
209. مَا فَاتَ مِنْ عُمُرِكَ لَا عِوَضَ لَهُ، وَمَا حَصَلَ لَكَ مِنْهُ لَا قِيمَةَ لَهُ.
mā fāta min ʿumurika lā ʿiwaḍa lahu, wamā ḥaṣala laka minhu lā qīmata lahu.
What has passed from your life cannot be replaced, and what you have gained from it is beyond price.
210. مَا أَحْبَبْتَ شَيْئًا إِلَّا كُنْتَ لَهُ عَبْدًا، وَهُوَ لَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ تَكُونَ لِغَيْرِهِ عَبْدًا.
mā ʾaḥbabta shayʾan ʾillā kunta lahu ʿabdan, wahuwa lā yuḥibbu ʾan takūna lighayrihi ʿabdan.
You never love anything without becoming its servant, and God does not wish you to serve anything other than Him.
211. لَا تَنْفَعُهُ طَاعَتُكَ وَلَا تَضُرُّهُ مَعْصِيَتُكَ، وَإِنَّمَا أَمَرَكَ بِهَذِهِ وَنَهَاكَ عَنْ هَذِهِ لِمَا يَعُودُ إِلَيْكَ.
lā tanfaʿuhu ṭāʿatuka walā taḍurruhu maʿṣiyatuka, waʾinnamā ʾamaraka bihadhihi wanahāka ʿan hadhihi limā yaʿūdu ʾilayka.
Your obedience does not benefit God, nor does your disobedience harm Him. He commanded the one and forbade the other only because their consequences return to you.
212. لَا يَزِيدُ فِي عِزِّهِ إِقْبَالُ مَنْ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَا يَنْقُصُ مِنْ عِزِّهِ إِدْبَارُ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ عَنْهُ.
lā yazīdu fī ʿizzihi ʾiqbālu man ʾaqbala ʿalayhi, walā yanquṣu min ʿizzihi ʾidbāru man ʾadbara ʿanhu.
The turning of those who turn to Him adds nothing to His glory, and the turning away of those who turn away detracts nothing from it.
213. وُصُولُكَ إِلَيْهِ وُصُولُكَ إِلَى الْعِلْمِ بِهِ، وَإِلَّا فَجَلَّ رَبُّنَا أَنْ يَتَّصِلَ هُوَ بِشَيْءٍ.
wuṣūluka ʾilayhi wuṣūluka ʾilā al-ʿilmi bihi, waʾillā fajalla rabbunā ʾan yattaṣila huwa bishayʾin.
Your arrival at Him is your arrival at direct knowledge of Him; otherwise, our Lord is far too exalted to be joined to anything.
214. قُرْبُكَ مِنْهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ مُشَاهِدًا لِقُرْبِهِ، وَإِلَّا فَمِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتَ وَوُجُودُ قُرْبِهِ.
qurbuka minhu ʾan takūna mushāhidan liqurbihi, waʾillā famin ʾayna ʾanta wawujūdu qurbihi.
Your nearness to Him is to witness His nearness; otherwise, what relation could you have to the reality of His nearness?
215. الْحَقَائِقُ تَرِدُ فِي حَالِ التَّجَلِّي مُجْمَلَةً، وَبَعْدَ الْوَعْيِ يَكُونُ الْبَيَانُ ﴿فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ﴾
al-ḥaqāʾiqu taridu fī ḥāli at-tajallī mujmalatan, wabaʿda al-waʿyi yakūnu al-bayānu ﴿faʾidhā qaraʾnāhu fa-ttabiʿ qurʾānahu, thumma ʾinna ʿalaynā bayānahu﴾
Spiritual realities arrive during self-disclosure in an undifferentiated form; after they have been consciously received, clarification comes: "Once We have recited it, follow its recitation; then it is for Us to make it clear."
216. مَتَى وَرَدَتِ الْوَارِدَاتُ الْإِلَهِيَّةُ عَلَيْكَ هَدَمَتِ الْعَوَائِدَ عَلَيْكَ ﴿إِنَّ الْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا﴾.
matā waradati al-wāridātu al-ʾilahiyyatu ʿalayka hadamati al-ʿawāʾida ʿalayka ﴿ʾinna al-mulūka ʾidhā dakhalū qaryatan ʾafsadūhā﴾.
Whenever divine spiritual influxes come upon you, they demolish the habits that rule you: "Indeed, when kings enter a town, they lay it waste."
217. الْوَارِدُ يَأْتِي مِنْ حَضْرَةِ قَهَّارٍ، لِأَجْلِ ذَلِكَ لَا يُصَادِمُهُ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا دَمَغَهُ: ﴿بَلْ نَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ﴾.
al-wāridu yaʾtī min ḥaḍrati qahhārin, liʾajli dhalika lā yuṣādimuhu shayʾun ʾillā damaghahu: ﴿bal naqdhifu bi-l-ḥaqqi ʿalā al-bāṭili fayadmaghuhu faʾidhā huwa zāhiqun﴾.
A spiritual influx comes from the Presence of the All-Subduing; that is why nothing confronts it without being crushed by it: "Rather, We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes it - and suddenly it vanishes."
218. كَيْفَ يَحْتَجِبُ الْحَقُّ بِشَيْءٍ، وَالَّذِي يَحْتَجِبُ بِهِ هُوَ فِيهِ ظَاهِرٌ وَمَوْجُودٌ حَاضِرٌ
kayfa yaḥtajibu al-ḥaqqu bishayʾin, wālladhī yaḥtajibu bihi huwa fīhi ẓāhirun wamawjūdun ḥāḍirun
How could God be veiled by anything when He is manifest, existent, and present in the very thing said to veil Him?
219. لَا تَيْأَسْ مِنْ قَبُولِ عَمَلٍ لَا تَجِدُ فِيهِ وُجُودَ الْحُضُورِ، فَرُبَّمَا قَبِلَ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا لَمْ تُدْرَكْ ثَمَرَتُهُ عَاجِلًا.
lā tayʾas min qabūli ʿamalin lā tajidu fīhi wujūda al-ḥuḍūri, farubbamā qabila mina al-ʿamali mā lam tudrak thamaratuhu ʿājilan.
Do not despair of a deed's acceptance because you find no presence with God in it. He may accept a deed whose fruit is not immediately perceived.
220. لَا تُزَكِّيَنَّ وَارِدًا لَا تَعْلَمُ ثَمَرَتَهُ، فَلَيْسَ الْمُرَادُ مِنَ السَّحَابَةِ الْإِمْطَارَ، وَإِنَّمَا الْمُرَادُ مِنْهَا وُجُودُ الْإِثْمَارِ.
lā tuzakkiyanna wāridan lā taʿlamu thamaratahu, falaysa al-murādu mina as-saḥābati al-ʾimṭāra, waʾinnamā al-murādu minhā wujūdu al-ʾithmāri.
Do not commend a spiritual influx before you know its fruit. The point of a cloud is not that it rains, but that it brings forth fruit.
221. لَا تَطْلُبَنَّ بَقَاءَ الْوَارِدَاتِ بَعْدَ أَنْ بَسَطَتْ أَنْوَارَهَا وَأَوْدَعَتْ أَسْرَارَهَا، فَلَكَ فِي اللَّهِ غِنًى عَنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَلَيْسَ يُغْنِيكَ عَنْهُ شَيْءٌ.
lā taṭlubanna baqāʾa al-wāridāti baʿda ʾan basaṭat ʾanwārahā waʾawdaʿat ʾasrārahā, falaka fī Allāhi ghinan ʿan kulli shayʾin, walaysa yughnīka ʿanhu shayʾun.
Do not demand that spiritual influxes remain after they have spread their lights and deposited their secrets. In God you have no need of anything else, but nothing can make you independent of Him.
222. تَطَلُّعُكَ إِلَى بَقَاءِ غَيْرِهِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى عَدَمِ وِجْدَانِكَ لَهُ وَاسْتِيحَاشُكَ بِفُقْدَانِ مَا سِوَاهُ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى عَدَمِ وُصْلَتِكَ بِهِ.
taṭalluʿuka ʾilā baqāʾi ghayrihi dalīlun ʿalā ʿadami wijdānika lahu wa-stīḥāshuka bifuqdāni mā siwāhu dalīlun ʿalā ʿadami wuṣlatika bihi.
Your longing for anything besides Him to endure is evidence that you have not found Him; your desolation at losing what is other than Him is evidence that you have no connection with Him.
223. النَّعِيمُ وَإِنْ تَنَوَّعَتْ مَظَاهِرُهُ إِنَّمَا هُوَ بِشُهُودِهِ وَاقْتِرَابِهِ، وَالْعَذَابُ وَإِنْ تَنَوَّعَتْ مَظَاهِرُهُ إِنَّمَا هُوَ بِوُجُودِ حِجَابِهِ، فَسَبَبُ الْعَذَابِ وُجُودُ الْحِجَابِ، وَإِتْمَامُ النَّعِيمِ بِالنَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِهِ الْكَرِيمِ.
an-naʿīmu waʾin tanawwaʿat maẓāhiruhu ʾinnamā huwa bishuhūdihi wa-qtirābihi, wa-l-ʿadhābu waʾin tanawwaʿat maẓāhiruhu ʾinnamā huwa biwujūdi ḥijābihi, fasababu al-ʿadhābi wujūdu al-ḥijābi, waʾitmāmu an-naʿīmi bi-n-naẓari ʾilā wajhihi al-karīmi.
Bliss, however varied its outward forms, lies only in beholding Him and experiencing His nearness. Torment, however varied its outward forms, lies only in being veiled from Him. Being veiled is therefore the cause of torment, while bliss is made complete by gazing upon His noble Face.
224. مَا تَجِدُهُ الْقُلُوبُ مِنَ الْهُمُومِ وَالْأَحْزَانِ فَلِأَجْلِ مَا مُنِعَتْهُ مِنْ وُجُودِ الْعِيَانِ.
mā tajiduhu al-qulūbu mina al-humūmi wa-l-ʾaḥzāni faliʾajli mā muniʿathu min wujūdi al-ʿiyāni.
Whatever worries and sorrows hearts experience arise because they have been denied direct witnessing.
225. مِنْ تَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ يَرْزُقَكَ مَا يَكْفِيكَ وَيَمْنَعَكَ مَا يُطْغِيكَ.
min tamāmi an-niʿmati ʿalayka ʾan yarzuqaka mā yakfīka wayamnaʿaka mā yuṭghīka.
Part of the perfection of His blessing upon you is that He provides what is enough for you and withholds what would lead you to excess.
226. لِيَقِلَّ مَا تَفْرَحُ بِهِ يَقِلُّ مَا تَحْزَنُ عَلَيْهِ.
liyaqilla mā tafraḥu bihi yaqillu mā taḥzanu ʿalayhi.
Let what you rejoice in be little, and what you grieve over will also be little.
227. إِنْ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ لَا تُعْزَلَ فَلَا تَتَوَلَّ وِلَايَةً لَا تَدُومُ لَكَ.
ʾin ʾaradta ʾan lā tuʿzala falā tatawalla wilāyatan lā tadūmu laka.
If you do not want to be dismissed, do not assume an authority that will not last for you.
228. إِنْ رَغَّبَتْكَ الْبِدَايَاتُ زَهَّدَتْكَ النِّهَايَاتُ، إِنْ دَعَاكَ إِلَيْهَا ظَاهِرٌ نَهَاكَ عَنْهَا بَاطِنٌ.
ʾin raghghabatka al-bidāyātu zahhadatka an-nihāyātu, ʾin daʿāka ʾilayhā ẓāhirun nahāka ʿanhā bāṭinun.
If beginnings make you desire worldly things, their endings make you renounce them. If an outward appearance invites you to them, an inward reality warns you away.
229. إِنَّمَا جَعَلَهَا مَحَلًّا لِلْأَغْيَارِ وَمَعْدِنًا لِوُجُودِ الْأَكْدَارِ تَزْهِيدًا لَكَ فِيهَا.
ʾinnamā jaʿalahā maḥallan li-l-ʾaghyāri wamaʿdinan liwujūdi al-ʾakdāri tazhīdan laka fīhā.
He made this world a place of constant change and a mine of troubles only to turn your desire away from it.
230. عَلِمَ أَنَّكَ لَا تَقْبَلُ النُّصْحَ الْمُجَرَّدَ، فَذَوَّقَكَ مِنْ ذَوَاقِهَا مَا سَهَّلَ عَلَيْكَ فِرَاقَهَا.
ʿalima ʾannaka lā taqbalu an-nuṣḥa al-mujarrada, fadhawwaqaka min dhawāqihā mā sahhala ʿalayka firāqahā.
He knew that you would not accept bare advice, so He made you taste enough of this world's bitterness to make parting from it easy for you.
231. الْعِلْمُ النَّافِعُ الَّذِي يَنْبَسِطُ فِي الصَّدْرِ شُعَاعُهُ، وَيَنْكَشِفُ بِهِ عَنِ الْقَلْبِ قِنَاعُهُ.
al-ʿilmu an-nāfiʿu alladhī yanbasiṭu fī aṣ-ṣadri shuʿāʿuhu, wayankashifu bihi ʿani al-qalbi qināʿuhu.
Beneficial knowledge is knowledge whose ray spreads through the breast and by which the heart's veil is lifted.
232. خَيْرُ الْعِلْمِ مَا كَانَتِ الْخَشْيَةُ مَعَهُ.
khayru al-ʿilmi mā kānati al-khashyatu maʿahu.
The best knowledge is that which is accompanied by reverent awe.
233. الْعِلْمُ إِنْ قَارَنَتْهُ الْخَشْيَةُ فَلَكَ، وَإِلَّا فَعَلَيْكَ.
al-ʿilmu ʾin qāranathu al-khashyatu falaka, waʾillā faʿalayka.
Knowledge, when accompanied by reverent awe, is for your benefit; otherwise, it counts against you.
234. مَتَى آلَمَكَ عَدَمُ إِقْبَالِ النَّاسِ عَلَيْكَ، أَوْ تَوَجُّهُهُمْ بِالذَّمِّ إِلَيْكَ، فَارْجِعْ إِلَى عِلْمِ اللَّهِ فِيكَ، فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا يُقْنِعُكَ عِلْمُهُ فِيكَ بِكَ، فَمُصِيبَتُكَ بِعَدَمِ قَنَاعَتِكَ بِعِلْمِهِ أَشَدُّ مِنْ مُصِيبَتِكَ بِوُجُودِ الْأَذَى مِنْهُمْ.
matā ʾālamaka ʿadamu ʾiqbāli an-nāsi ʿalayka, ʾaw tawajjuhuhum bi-dh-dhammi ʾilayka, fa-rjiʿ ʾilā ʿilmi Allāhi fīka, faʾin kāna lā yuqniʿuka ʿilmuhu fīka bika, famuṣībatuka biʿadami qanāʿatika biʿilmihi ʾashaddu min muṣībatika biwujūdi al-ʾadhā minhum.
Whenever people's failure to turn toward you, or their directing blame at you, causes you pain, return to God's knowledge of you. If His knowledge of you does not satisfy you, then your affliction in not being satisfied with His knowledge is worse than the affliction of the harm they cause you.
235. إِنَّمَا أَجْرَى الْأَذَى عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ كَيْ لَا تَكُونَ سَاكِنًا إِلَيْهِمْ، أَرَادَ أَنْ يُزْعِجَكَ عَنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى لَا يَشْغَلَكَ عَنْهُ شَيْءٌ.
ʾinnamā ʾajrā al-ʾadhā ʿalā ʾaydīhim kay lā takūna sākinan ʾilayhim, ʾarāda ʾan yuzʿijaka ʿan kulli shayʾin ḥattā lā yashghalaka ʿanhu shayʾun.
He lets harm reach you through their hands only so that you will not rest in them. He wants to unsettle you from everything, so that nothing distracts you from Him.
236. إِذَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَا يَغْفُلُ عَنْكَ، فَلَا تَغْفُلْ أَنْتَ عَمَّنْ نَاصِيَتُكَ بِيَدِهِ.
ʾidhā ʿalimta ʾanna ash-shayṭāna lā yaghfulu ʿanka, falā taghful ʾanta ʿamman nāṣiyatuka biyadihi.
If you know that Satan is never heedless of you, then do not be heedless of the One who holds your forelock in His hand.
237. جَعَلَهُ لَكَ عَدُوًّا لِيَحُوشَكَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ، وَحَرَّكَ عَلَيْكَ النَّفْسَ لِيَدُومَ إِقْبَالُكَ عَلَيْهِ.
jaʿalahu laka ʿaduwwan liyaḥūshaka bihi ʾilayhi, waḥarraka ʿalayka an-nafsa liyadūma ʾiqbāluka ʿalayhi.
He made Satan your enemy so that, through him, He might drive you toward Himself; and He stirred the lower self against you so that your turning to Him would endure.
238. مَنْ أَثْبَتَ لِنَفْسِهِ تَوَاضُعًا فَهُوَ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ حَقًّا، إِذْ لَيْسَ التَّوَاضُعُ إِلَّا عَنْ رِفْعَةٍ، فَمَتَى أَثْبَتَّ لِنَفْسِكَ تَوَاضُعًا فَأَنْتَ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ.
man ʾathbata linafsihi tawāḍuʿan fahuwa al-mutakabbiru ḥaqqan, ʾidh laysa at-tawāḍuʿu ʾillā ʿan rifʿatin, famatā ʾathbatta linafsika tawāḍuʿan faʾanta al-mutakabbiru.
Anyone who claims humility for himself is truly arrogant, since humbling oneself assumes that one first occupied a higher position. Whenever you credit yourself with humility, you are the arrogant one.
239. لَيْسَ الْمُتَوَاضِعُ الَّذِي إِذَا تَوَاضَعَ رَأَى أَنَّهُ فَوْقَ مَا صَنَعَ، وَلَكِنَّ الْمُتَوَاضِعَ الَّذِي إِذَا تَوَاضَعَ رَأَى أَنَّهُ دُونَ مَا صَنَعَ.
laysa al-mutawāḍiʿu alladhī ʾidhā tawāḍaʿa raʾā ʾannahu fawqa mā ṣanaʿa, walakinna al-mutawāḍiʿa alladhī ʾidhā tawāḍaʿa raʾā ʾannahu dūna mā ṣanaʿa.
The humble person is not someone who, after acting humbly, sees himself as above what he has done. The truly humble person sees himself as even lower than the humility he has shown.
240. التَّوَاضُعُ الْحَقِيقِيُّ هُوَ مَا كَانَ نَاشِئًا عَنْ شُهُودِ عَظَمَتِهِ وَتَجَلِّي صِفَتِهِ.
at-tawāḍuʿu al-ḥaqīqiyyu huwa mā kāna nāshiʾan ʿan shuhūdi ʿaẓamatihi watajallī ṣifatihi.
True humility is that which arises from witnessing His majesty and the self-disclosure of His Attribute.
241. لَا يُخْرِجُكَ عَنِ الْوَصْفِ إِلَّا شُهُودُ الْوَصْفِ.
lā yukhrijuka ʿani al-waṣfi ʾillā shuhūdu al-waṣfi.
Nothing takes you beyond your own attributes except witnessing His Attribute.
242. الْمُؤْمِنُ يَشْغَلُهُ الثَّنَاءُ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِنَفْسِهِ شَاكِرًا، وَتَشْغَلُهُ حُقُوقُ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِحُظُوظِهِ ذَاكِرًا.
al-muʾminu yashghaluhu ath-thanāʾu ʿalā Allāhi ʿan ʾan yakūna linafsihi shākiran, watashghaluhu ḥuqūqu Allāhi ʿan ʾan yakūna liḥuẓūẓihi dhākiran.
Praising God keeps the believer from crediting himself, and God's rights keep him from dwelling on his own interests.
243. لَيْسَ الْمُحِبُّ الَّذِي يَرْجُو مِنْ مَحْبُوبِهِ عِوَضًا وَيَطْلُبُ مِنْهُ غَرَضًا فَإِنَّ الْمُحِبَّ مَنْ يَبْذُلُ لَكَ، لَيْسَ الْمُحِبُّ مَنْ يُبْذَلُ لَهُ.
laysa al-muḥibbu alladhī yarjū min maḥbūbihi ʿiwaḍan wayaṭlubu minhu gharaḍan faʾinna al-muḥibba man yabdhulu laka, laysa al-muḥibbu man yubdhalu lahu.
A lover is not someone who hopes for a return from the Beloved or seeks some personal end from Him. The true Lover is the One who gives to you, not the one to whom you give.
244. لَوْلَا مَيَادِينُ النُّفُوسِ مَا تَحَقَّقَ سَيْرُ السَّائِرِينَ، إِذْ لَا مَسَافَةَ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ حَتَّى تَطْوِيَهَا رِحْلَتُكَ، وَلَا قَطِيعَةَ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ حَتَّى تَمْحُوَهَا وُصْلَتُكَ.
lawlā mayādīnu an-nufūsi mā taḥaqqaqa sayru as-sāʾirīna, ʾidh lā masāfata baynaka wabaynahu ḥattā taṭwiyahā riḥlatuka, walā qaṭīʿata baynaka wabaynahu ḥattā tamḥuwahā wuṣlatuka.
Were it not for the arenas of the lower self, the travelers' journey would never take place. There is no distance between you and Him for your journey to traverse, nor any separation for your connection to erase.
245. جَعَلَكَ فِي الْعَالَمِ الْمُتَوَسِّطِ بَيْنَ مُلْكِهِ وَمَلَكُوتِهِ لِيُعَلِّمَكَ جَلَالَةَ قَدْرِكَ بَيْنَ مَخْلُوقَاتِهِ، وَأَنَّكَ جَوْهَرَةٌ تَنْطَوِي عَلَيْهَا أَصْدَافُ مُكَوَّنَاتِهِ.
jaʿalaka fī al-ʿālami al-mutawassiṭi bayna mulkihi wamalakūtihi liyuʿallimaka jalālata qadrika bayna makhlūqātihi, waʾannaka jawharatun tanṭawī ʿalayhā ʾaṣdāfu mukawwanātihi.
He placed you in the intermediate world between His visible kingdom and His unseen dominion to teach you the grandeur of your rank among His creatures, and to show you that you are a jewel enclosed by the shells of all He has brought into being.
246. إِنَّمَا وَسِعَكَ الْكَوْنُ مِنْ حَيْثُ جِسْمَانِيَّتُكَ، وَلَمْ يَسَعْكَ مِنْ حَيْثُ ثُبُوتُ رُوحَانِيَّتِكَ.
ʾinnamā wasiʿaka al-kawnu min ḥaythu jismāniyyatuka, walam yasaʿka min ḥaythu thubūtu rūḥāniyyatika.
The cosmos contains you only in respect of your bodily nature; in respect of the reality of your spiritual nature, it cannot contain you.
247. الْكَائِنُ فِي الْكَوْنِ وَلَمْ تُفْتَحْ لَهُ مَيَادِينُ الْغُيُوبِ، مَسْجُونٌ بِمُحِيطَاتِهِ مَحْصُورٌ فِي هَيْكَلِ ذَاتِهِ.
al-kāʾinu fī al-kawni walam tuftaḥ lahu mayādīnu al-ghuyūbi, masjūnun bimuḥīṭātihi maḥṣūrun fī haykali dhātihi.
Anyone who exists in the cosmos but for whom the fields of the unseen have not been opened is imprisoned by his surroundings and confined within the structure of his own being.
248. أَنْتَ مَعَ الْأَكْوَانِ مَا لَمْ تَشْهَدِ الْمُكَوِّنَ، فَإِذَا شَهِدْتَهُ كَانَتِ الْأَكْوَانُ مَعَكَ.
ʾanta maʿa al-ʾakwāni mā lam tashhadi al-mukawwina, faʾidhā shahidtahu kānati al-ʾakwānu maʿaka.
You are with created things so long as you do not witness their Creator; once you witness Him, created things are with you.
249. لَا يَلْزَمُ مِنْ ثُبُوتِ الْخُصُوصِيَّةِ عَدَمُ وَصْفِ الْبَشَرِيَّةِ، إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْخُصُوصِيَّةِ كَإِشْرَاقِ شَمْسِ النَّهَارِ، ظَهَرَتْ فِي الْأُفُقِ وَلَيْسَتْ مِنْهُ، تَارَةً تُشْرِقُ شُمُوسُ أَوْصَافِهِ عَلَى لَيْلِ وُجُودِكَ، وَتَارَةً يَقْبِضُ ذَلِكَ عَنْكَ فَيَرُدُّكَ إِلَى حُدُودِكَ، فَالنَّهَارُ لَيْسَ مِنْكَ وَإِلَيْكَ وَلَكِنَّهُ وَارِدٌ عَلَيْكَ.
lā yalzamu min thubūti al-khuṣūṣiyyati ʿadamu waṣfi al-bashariyyati, ʾinnamā mathalu al-khuṣūṣiyyati kaʾishrāqi shamsi an-nahāri, ẓaharat fī al-ʾufuqi walaysat minhu, tāratan tushriqu shumūsu ʾawṣāfihi ʿalā layli wujūdika, watāratan yaqbiḍu dhalika ʿanka fayarudduka ʾilā ḥudūdika, fa-n-nahāru laysa minka waʾilayka walakinnahu wāridun ʿalayka.
The reality of spiritual distinction does not require the disappearance of human attributes. Such distinction is like the rising of the sun by day: it appears on the horizon but does not come from it. At times the suns of His Attributes shine upon the night of your existence; at other times He withdraws that light and returns you to your limits. The daylight neither comes from you nor belongs to you; it is a spiritual influx bestowed upon you.
250. دَلَّ بِوُجُودِ آثَارِهِ عَلَى وُجُودِ أَسْمَائِهِ، وَبِوُجُودِ أَسْمَائِهِ عَلَى ثُبُوتِ أَوْصَافِهِ، وَبِوُجُودِ أَوْصَافِهِ عَلَى وُجُودِ ذَاتِهِ، إِذْ مُحَالٌ أَنْ يَقُومَ الْوَصْفُ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَأَهْلُ الْجَذْبِ يَكْشِفُ لَهُمْ عَنْ كَمَالِ ذَاتِهِ، ثُمَّ يَرُدُّهُمْ إِلَى شُهُودِ صِفَاتِهِ، ثُمَّ يَرُدُّهُمْ إِلَى التَّعَلُّقِ بِأَسْمَائِهِ، ثُمَّ يَرُدُّهُمْ إِلَى شُهُودِ آثَارِهِ، وَالسَّالِكُونَ عَلَى عَكْسِ هَذَا، فَنِهَايَةُ السَّالِكِينَ بِدَايَةُ الْمَجْذُوبِينَ لَكِنْ لَا بِمَعْنًى وَاحِدٍ، فَرُبَّمَا الْتَقَيَا فِي الطَّرِيقِ، هَذَا فِي تَرَقِّيهِ وَهَذَا فِي تَدَلِّيهِ.
dalla biwujūdi ʾāthārihi ʿalā wujūdi ʾasmāʾihi, wabiwujūdi ʾasmāʾihi ʿalā thubūti ʾawṣāfihi, wabiwujūdi ʾawṣāfihi ʿalā wujūdi dhātihi, ʾidh muḥālun ʾan yaqūma al-waṣfu binafsihi, faʾahlu al-jadhbi yakshifu lahum ʿan kamāli dhātihi, thumma yarudduhum ʾilā shuhūdi ṣifātihi, thumma yarudduhum ʾilā at-taʿalluqi biʾasmāʾihi, thumma yarudduhum ʾilā shuhūdi ʾāthārihi, wa-s-sālikūna ʿalā ʿaksi hadhā, fanihāyatu as-sālikīna bidāyatu al-majdhūbīna lakin lā bimaʿnan wāḥidin, farubbamā at-taqayā fī aṭ-ṭarīqi, hadhā fī taraqqīhi wahadhā fī tadallīhi.
Through the existence of His effects, He points to the existence of His Names; through the existence of His Names, to the reality of His Attributes; and through the existence of His Attributes, to the existence of His Essence, since an attribute cannot possibly subsist by itself. To those drawn by divine attraction, He first unveils the perfection of His Essence; then He returns them to witnessing His Attributes, then to attachment to His Names, and then to witnessing His effects. Travelers on the path proceed in the opposite direction. The travelers' end is therefore the beginning of those who are drawn, though not in the same sense. The two may meet on the path, one ascending and the other descending.
251. لَا يُعْلَمُ قَدْرُ أَنْوَارِ الْقُلُوبِ وَالْأَسْرَارِ إِلَّا فِي غَيْبِ الْمَلَكُوتِ، كَمَا لَا تَظْهَرُ أَنْوَارُ السَّمَاءِ إِلَّا فِي شَهَادَةِ الْمُلْكِ.
lā yuʿlamu qadru ʾanwāri al-qulūbi wa-l-ʾasrāri ʾillā fī ghaybi al-malakūti, kamā lā taẓharu ʾanwāru as-samāʾi ʾillā fī shahādati al-mulki.
The true worth of the lights of hearts and innermost secrets is known only in the unseen dominion, just as the lights of the sky appear only in the visible world.
252. وِجْدَانُ ثَمَرَاتِ الطَّاعَاتِ عَاجِلًا بَشَائِرُ الْعَامِلِينَ بِوُجُودِ الْجَزَاءِ عَلَيْهَا آجِلًا.
wijdānu thamarāti aṭ-ṭāʿāti ʿājilan bashāʾiru al-ʿāmilīna biwujūdi al-jazāʾi ʿalayhā ʾājilan.
Tasting the fruits of acts of obedience now gives those who practice them glad tidings that reward awaits them hereafter.
253. كَيْفَ تَطْلُبُ الْعِوَضَ عَلَى عَمَلٍ هُوَ مُتَصَدِّقٌ بِهِ عَلَيْكَ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ تَطْلُبُ الْجَزَاءَ عَلَى صِدْقٍ هُوَ مُهْدِيهِ إِلَيْكَ.
kayfa taṭlubu al-ʿiwaḍa ʿalā ʿamalin huwa mutaṣaddiqun bihi ʿalayka? ʾam kayfa taṭlubu al-jazāʾa ʿalā ṣidqin huwa muhdīhi ʾilayka.
How can you seek compensation for a deed He has bestowed on you as an act of charity? How can you seek reward for sincerity He has given you as a gift?
254. قَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ أَنْوَارُهُمْ أَذْكَارَهُمْ، وَقَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ أَذْكَارُهُمْ أَنْوَارَهُمْ.
qawmun tasbiqu ʾanwāruhum ʾadhkārahum, waqawmun tasbiqu ʾadhkāruhum ʾanwārahum.
For some, their lights precede their acts of remembrance; for others, their acts of remembrance precede their lights.
255. ذَاكِرٌ ذَكَرَ لِيَسْتَنِيرَ قَلْبُهُ، وَذَاكِرٌ اسْتَنَارَ قَلْبُهُ فَكَانَ ذَاكِرًا.
dhākirun dhakara liyastanīra qalbuhu, wadhākirun istanāra qalbuhu fakāna dhākiran.
One person remembers God so that his heart may be illumined; another's heart has been illumined, and so he remembers God.
256. مَا كَانَ ظَاهِرُ ذِكْرٍ إِلَّا عَنْ بَاطِنِ شُهُودٍ أَوْ فِكْرَةٍ.
mā kāna ẓāhiru dhikrin ʾillā ʿan bāṭini shuhūdin ʾaw fikratin.
Every outward act of remembrance arises from an inward witnessing or reflection.
257. أَشْهَدَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَسْتَشْهِدَكَ، فَنَطَقَتْ بِأُلُوهِيَّتِهِ الظَّوَاهِرُ، وَتَحَقَّقَتْ بِأَحَدِيَّتِهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالسَّرَائِرُ.
ʾashhadaka min qabli ʾan yastashhidaka, fanaṭaqat biʾulūhiyyatihi aẓ-ẓawāhiru, wataḥaqqaqat biʾaḥadiyyatihi al-qulūbu wa-s-sarāʾiru.
He made you witness Him before calling on you to bear witness. Thus outward forms proclaimed His divinity, while hearts and innermost consciousness realized His absolute Oneness.
258. أَكْرَمَكَ بِكَرَامَاتٍ ثَلَاثٍ: جَعَلَكَ ذَاكِرًا لَهُ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُهُ لَمْ تَكُنْ أَهْلًا لِجَرَيَانِ ذِكْرِهِ عَلَيْكَ، وَجَعَلَكَ مَذْكُورًا بِهِ، إِذْ حَقَّقَ نِسْبَتَهُ لَدَيْكَ وَجَعَلَكَ مَذْكُورًا عِنْدَهُ فَتَمَّمَ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ.
ʾakramaka bikarāmātin thalāthin: jaʿalaka dhākiran lahu walawlā faḍluhu lam takun ʾahlan lijarayāni dhikrihi ʿalayka, wajaʿalaka madhkūran bihi, ʾidh ḥaqqaqa nisbatahu ladayka wajaʿalaka madhkūran ʿindahu fatammama niʿmatahu ʿalayka.
He honored you in three ways: He made you one who remembers Him - and without His grace, you would not have been worthy of having His remembrance flow through you. He made you known among people through association with Him, by making your special affiliation with Him manifest in you. And He made you remembered in His presence, thereby perfecting His blessing upon you.
259. رُبَّ عُمُرٍ اتَّسَعَتْ آمَادُهُ وَقَلَّتْ أَمْدَادُهُ، وَرُبَّ عُمُرٍ قَلِيلَةٌ آمَادُهُ كَثِيرَةٌ أَمْدَادُهُ.
rubba ʿumurin ittasaʿat ʾāmāduhu waqallat ʾamdāduhu, warubba ʿumurin qalīlatun ʾāmāduhu kathīratun ʾamdāduhu.
A life may extend across many years yet receive little spiritual support, while another life may have few years yet receive abundant support.
260. مَنْ بُورِكَ لَهُ فِي عُمُرِهِ أَدْرَكَ فِي يَسِيرٍ مِنَ الزَّمَنِ مِنْ مِنَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى مَا لَا يَدْخُلُ تَحْتَ دَوَائِرِ الْعِبَارَةِ، وَلَا تَلْحَقُهُ الْإِشَارَةُ.
man būrika lahu fī ʿumurihi ʾadraka fī yasīrin mina az-zamani min minani Allāhi taʿālā mā lā yadkhulu taḥta dawāʾiri al-ʿibārati, walā talḥaquhu al-ʾishāratu.
Whoever is blessed in his lifetime attains, in a short span of time, gifts from God Most High that no words can encompass and no allusion can reach.
261. الْخِذْلَانُ كُلُّ الْخِذْلَانِ أَنْ تَتَفَرَّغَ مِنَ الشَّوَاغِلِ، ثُمَّ لَا تَتَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ، وَتَقِلَّ عَوَائِقُكَ، ثُمَّ لَا تَرْحَلَ إِلَيْهِ
al-khidhlānu kullu al-khidhlāni ʾan tatafarragha mina ash-shawāghili, thumma lā tatawajjaha ʾilayhi, wataqilla ʿawāʾiquka, thumma lā tarḥala ʾilayhi
The very essence of being forsaken is to become free of distractions yet not turn to Him, and for your obstacles to diminish yet still not journey to Him.
262. الْفِكْرَةُ سَيْرُ الْقَلْبِ فِي مَيَادِينِ الْأَغْيَارِ.
al-fikratu sayru al-qalbi fī mayādīni al-ʾaghyāri.
Reflection is the heart's journey through the fields of all that is other than God.
263. الْفِكْرَةُ سِرَاجُ الْقَلْبِ، فَإِذَا ذَهَبَتْ فَلَا إِضَاءَةَ لَهُ.
al-fikratu sirāju al-qalbi, faʾidhā dhahabat falā ʾiḍāʾata lahu.
Reflection is the lamp of the heart; when it departs, the heart has no light.
264. الْفِكْرَةُ فِكْرَتَانِ: فِكْرَةُ تَصْدِيقٍ وَإِيمَانٍ، وَفِكْرَةُ شُهُودٍ وَعِيَانٍ؛ فَالْأُولَى لِأَرْبَابِ الِاعْتِبَارِ، وَالثَّانِيَةُ لِأَرْبَابِ الشُّهُودِ وَالِاسْتِبْصَارِ.
al-fikratu fikratāni: fikratu taṣdīqin waʾīmānin, wafikratu shuhūdin waʿiyānin; fa-l-ʾūlā liʾarbābi al-iʿtibāri, wa-th-thāniyatu liʾarbābi ash-shuhūdi wa-l-istibṣāri.
Reflection is of two kinds: reflection grounded in affirmation and faith, and reflection born of witnessing and direct vision. The first belongs to those who draw lessons; the second to those of witnessing and inner sight.
الْقِسْمُ الثَّانِي: الْمُكَاتَبَاتُ وَالْمَسْأَلَةُ
al-qismu ath-thānī: al-mukātabātu wa-l-masʾalatu
Part II: The Letters and the Response
الْمُكَاتَبَةُ الْأُولَى: السُّلُوكُ إِلَى حَضْرَةِ مَلِكِ الْمُلُوكِ
al-mukātabatu al-ʾūlā: as-sulūku ʾilā ḥaḍrati maliki al-mulūki
The First Letter: Journeying to the Presence of the King of Kings
أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ الْبِدَايَاتِ مَجَلَّاتُ النِّهَايَاتِ، وَإِنَّ مَنْ كَانَتْ بِاللَّهِ بِدَايَتُهُ كَانَتْ إِلَيْهِ نِهَايَتُهُ.
ʾammā baʿdu, faʾinna al-bidāyāti majallātu an-nihāyāti, waʾinna man kānat billāhi bidāyatuhu kānat ʾilayhi nihāyatuhu.
To proceed: beginnings are the places where endings are disclosed. Whoever begins with God ends with Him.
وَالْمُشْتَغَلُ بِهِ هُوَ الَّذِي أَحْبَبْتَهُ وَسَارَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ، وَالْمُشْتَغَلُ عَنْهُ هُوَ الْمُؤْثَرُ عَلَيْهِ.
wa-l-mushtaghalu bihi huwa alladhī ʾaḥbabtahu wasāraʿta ʾilayhi, wa-l-mushtaghalu ʿanhu huwa al-muʾtharu ʿalayhi.
What occupies you is what you have loved and hastened toward; what you are distracted from is what you have passed over in favor of something else.
وَمَنْ أَيْقَنَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَطْلُبُهُ صَدَقَ الطَّلَبَ إِلَيْهِ، وَمَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ الْأُمُورَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ انْجَمَعَ بِالتَّوَكُّلِ عَلَيْهِ.
waman ʾayqana ʾanna Allāha yaṭlubuhu ṣadaqa aṭ-ṭalaba ʾilayhi, waman ʿalima ʾanna al-ʾumūra biyadi Allāhi injamaʿa bi-t-tawakkuli ʿalayhi.
Whoever is certain that God seeks him becomes sincere in seeking Him, and whoever knows that all affairs are in God's hand becomes gathered through reliance on Him.
وَإِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ لِبِنَاءِ هَذَا الْوُجُودِ أَنْ تَنْهَدِمَ دَعَائِمُهُ وَأَنْ تُسْلَبَ كَرَائِمُهُ؛ فَالْعَاقِلُ مَنْ كَانَ بِمَا هُوَ أَبْقَى أَفْرَحَ مِنْهُ بِمَا هُوَ يَفْنَى.
waʾinnahu lā budda libināʾi hadhā al-wujūdi ʾan tanhadima daʿāʾimuhu waʾan tuslaba karāʾimuhu; fa-l-ʿāqilu man kāna bimā huwa ʾabqā ʾafraḥa minhu bimā huwa yafnā.
The structure of this existence must inevitably have its supports demolished and its treasures taken away. The intelligent person rejoices more in what endures than in what passes away.
قَدْ أَشْرَقَ نُورُهُ وَظَهَرَتْ تَبَاشِيرُهُ، فَصَدَفَ عَنْ هَذِهِ الدَّارِ مُغْضِيًا، وَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا مُوَلِّيًا؛ فَلَمْ يَتَّخِذْهَا وَطَنًا، وَلَا جَعَلَهَا سَكَنًا، بَلْ أَنْهَضَ الْهِمَّةَ فِيهَا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَصَارَ فِيهَا مُسْتَعِينًا بِهِ فِي الْقُدُومِ عَلَيْهِ.
qad ʾashraqa nūruhu waẓaharat tabāshīruhu, faṣadafa ʿan hadhihi ad-dāri mughḍiyan, waʾaʿraḍa ʿanhā muwalliyan; falam yattakhidhhā waṭanan, walā jaʿalahā sakanan, bal ʾanhaḍa al-himmata fīhā ʾilā Allāhi taʿālā, waṣāra fīhā mustaʿīnan bihi fī al-qudūmi ʿalayhi.
His light has dawned and its first signs have appeared, so he turns aside from this abode, averting his gaze, and turns away from it to depart. He neither takes it as a homeland nor makes it a dwelling; instead, while in it he raises his spiritual aspiration toward God Most High and seeks God's help in coming to Him.
فَمَا زَالَتْ مَطِيَّةُ عَزْمِهِ لَا يَقَرُّ قَرَارُهَا، دَائِمًا تَسْيَارُهَا، إِلَى أَنْ أَنَاخَتْ بِحَضْرَةِ الْقُدْسِ وَبِسَاطِ الْأُنْسِ، مَحَلِّ الْمُفَاتَحَةِ وَالْمُوَاجَهَةِ وَالْمُجَالَسَةِ وَالْمُحَادَثَةِ وَالْمُشَاهَدَةِ وَالْمُطَالَعَةِ.
famā zālat maṭiyyatu ʿazmihi lā yaqarru qarāruhā, dāʾiman tasyāruhā, ʾilā ʾan ʾanākhat biḥaḍrati al-qudsi wabisāṭi al-ʾunsi, maḥalli al-mufātaḥati wa-l-muwājahati wa-l-mujālasati wa-l-muḥādathati wa-l-mushāhadati wa-l-muṭālaʿati.
The mount of his resolve remains ever restless and constantly journeying until it kneels in the Presence of Holiness, upon the carpet of intimacy - the place of intimate disclosure, face-to-face encounter, companionship, conversation, witnessing, and contemplation.
فَصَارَتِ الْحَضْرَةُ مُعَشَّشَ قُلُوبِهِمْ، إِلَيْهَا يَأْوُونَ وَفِيهَا يَسْكُنُونَ.
faṣārati al-ḥaḍratu muʿashshasha qulūbihim, ʾilayhā yaʾwūna wafīhā yaskunūna.
The Presence then becomes the nesting place of their hearts: to it they take refuge, and within it they dwell.
فَإِنْ نَزَلُوا إِلَى سَمَاءِ الْحُقُوقِ أَوْ أَرْضِ الْحُظُوظِ فَبِالْإِذْنِ وَالتَّمْكِينِ وَالرُّسُوخِ فِي الْيَقِينِ؛ فَلَمْ يَنْزِلُوا إِلَى الْحُقُوقِ بِسُوءِ الْأَدَبِ وَالْغَفْلَةِ، وَلَا إِلَى الْحُظُوظِ بِالشَّهْوَةِ وَالْمُتْعَةِ، بَلْ دَخَلُوا فِي ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ بِاللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ وَمِنَ اللَّهِ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ.
faʾin nazalū ʾilā samāʾi al-ḥuqūqi ʾaw ʾarḍi al-ḥuẓūẓi fa-bi-l-ʾidhni wa-t-tamkīni wa-r-rusūkhi fī al-yaqīni; falam yanzilū ʾilā al-ḥuqūqi bisūʾi al-ʾadabi wa-l-ghaflati, walā ʾilā al-ḥuẓūẓi bi-sh-shahwati wa-l-mutʿati, bal dakhalū fī dhalika kullihi billāhi wa-lillāhi wamina Allāhi waʾilā Allāhi.
If they descend to the heaven of duties or the earth of personal shares, they do so with permission, firm establishment, and deep-rooted certainty. They do not descend to duties with poor courtesy and heedlessness, nor to personal shares with appetite and self-indulgence; rather, they enter all of it through God, for God, from God, and toward God.
﴿وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ﴾؛ لِيَكُونَ نَظَرِي إِلَى حَوْلِكَ وَقُوَّتِكَ إِذَا أَدْخَلْتَنِي، وَاسْتِسْلَامِي وَانْقِيَادِي إِلَيْكَ إِذَا أَخْرَجْتَنِي.
﴿waqul rabbi ʾadkhilnī mudkhala ṣidqin waʾakhrijnī mukhraja ṣidqin﴾; liyakūna naẓarī ʾilā ḥawlika waquwwatika ʾidhā ʾadkhaltanī, wa-stislāmī wa-nqiyādī ʾilayka ʾidhā ʾakhrajtanī.
"And say: My Lord, cause me to enter with a true entrance and cause me to leave with a true departure," so that when You bring me in I look to Your power and strength, and when You bring me out I surrender and yield to You.
﴿وَاجْعَلْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ سُلْطَانًا نَصِيرًا﴾؛ يَنْصُرُنِي وَيَنْصُرُ بِي، وَلَا يَنْصُرُ عَلَيَّ؛ يَنْصُرُنِي عَلَى شُهُودِ نَفْسِي، وَيُفْنِينِي عَنْ دَائِرَةِ حِسِّي.
﴿wa-jʿal lī min ladunka sulṭānan naṣīran﴾; yanṣurunī wayanṣuru bī, walā yanṣuru ʿalayya; yanṣurunī ʿalā shuhūdi nafsī, wayufnīnī ʿan dāʾirati ḥissī.
"And grant me, from Your own presence, a supporting authority" - one that grants me victory and makes me a means of victory, but never supports anything against me; one that gives me victory over witnessing my lower self and effaces me from the sphere of my sensory awareness.
الْمُكَاتَبَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ: أَقْسَامُ النَّاسِ فِي شُكْرِ الْخَالِقِ وَالْخَلْقِ
al-mukātabatu ath-thāniyatu: ʾaqsāmu an-nāsi fī shukri al-khāliqi wa-l-khalqi
The Second Letter: The Categories of People in Thanking the Creator and Created Beings
إِنْ كَانَتْ عَيْنُ الْقَلْبِ تَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَنَّ اللَّهَ وَاحِدٌ فِي مِنَّتِهِ، فَالشَّرِيعَةُ تَقْتَضِي أَنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ شُكْرِ خَلِيقَتِهِ.
ʾin kānat ʿaynu al-qalbi tanẓuru ʾilā ʾanna Allāha wāḥidun fī minnatihi, fa-sh-sharīʿatu taqtaḍī ʾannahu lā budda min shukri khalīqatihi.
Though the heart's eye sees that God alone bestows every favor, the Sacred Law requires that His creatures also be thanked.
وَإِنَّ النَّاسَ فِي ذَلِكَ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَقْسَامٍ:
waʾinna an-nāsa fī dhalika ʿalā thalāthati ʾaqsāmin:
In this respect, people fall into three categories:
غَافِلٌ مُنْهَمِكٌ فِي غَفْلَتِهِ، قَوِيَتْ دَائِرَةُ حِسِّهِ، وَانْطَمَسَتْ حَضْرَةُ قُدْسِهِ؛ فَنَظَرَ الْإِحْسَانَ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ، وَلَمْ يَشْهَدْهُ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ: إِمَّا اعْتِقَادًا فَشِرْكُهُ جَلِيٌّ، وَإِمَّا اسْتِنَادًا فَشِرْكُهُ خَفِيٌّ.
ghāfilun munhamikun fī ghaflatihi, qawiyat dāʾiratu ḥissihi, wa-nṭamasat ḥaḍratu qudsihi; fanaẓara al-ʾiḥsāna mina al-makhlūqīna, walam yashhadhu min rabbi al-ʿālamīna: ʾimmā iʿtiqādan fashirkuhu jaliyyun, waʾimmā istinādan fashirkuhu khafiyyun.
First is the heedless person immersed in heedlessness: the sphere of his senses has grown strong while his holy inner presence has been effaced. He sees kindness as coming from creatures and does not witness it as coming from the Lord of the worlds. If this is a matter of belief, his association of partners with God is open; if it is a matter of reliance, his association is hidden.
وَصَاحِبُ حَقِيقَةٍ غَابَ عَنِ الْخَلْقِ بِشُهُودِ الْمَلِكِ الْحَقِّ، وَفَنِيَ عَنِ الْأَسْبَابِ بِشُهُودِ مُسَبِّبِ الْأَسْبَابِ.
waṣāḥibu ḥaqīqatin ghāba ʿani al-khalqi bishuhūdi al-maliki al-ḥaqqi, wafaniya ʿani al-ʾasbābi bishuhūdi musabbibi al-ʾasbābi.
Second is a person of spiritual reality who becomes absent from creation by witnessing the True King and effaced from secondary causes by witnessing the Causer of causes.
فَهَذَا عَبْدٌ مُوَاجَهٌ بِالْحَقِيقَةِ، ظَاهِرٌ عَلَيْهِ سَنَاهَا، سَالِكٌ لِلطَّرِيقَةِ قَدِ اسْتَوْلَى عَلَى مَدَاهَا؛ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ غَرِيقُ الْأَنْوَارِ، مَطْمُوسُ الْآثَارِ، قَدْ غَلَبَ سُكْرُهُ عَلَى صَحْوِهِ، وَجَمْعُهُ عَلَى فَرْقِهِ، وَفَنَاؤُهُ عَلَى بَقَائِهِ، وَغَيْبَتُهُ عَلَى حُضُورِهِ.
fahadhā ʿabdun muwājahun bi-l-ḥaqīqati, ẓāhirun ʿalayhi sanāhā, sālikun li-ṭ-ṭarīqati qadi istawlā ʿalā madāhā; ghayra ʾannahu gharīqu al-ʾanwāri, maṭmūsu al-ʾāthāri, qad ghalaba sukruhu ʿalā ṣaḥwihi, wajamʿuhu ʿalā farqihi, wafanāʾuhu ʿalā baqāʾihi, waghaybatuhu ʿalā ḥuḍūrihi.
This servant has been brought face to face with spiritual reality, whose radiance shines upon him. He travels the path and has reached its furthest extent. Yet he is drowned in the lights and the created effects are effaced from him: his spiritual intoxication overcomes his sobriety, his gatheredness his differentiation, his effacement his abiding, and his absence his presence.
وَأَكْمَلُ مِنْهُ: عَبْدٌ شَرِبَ فَازْدَادَ صَحْوًا، وَغَابَ فَازْدَادَ حُضُورًا؛ فَلَا جَمْعُهُ يَحْجُبُهُ عَنْ فَرْقِهِ، وَلَا فَرْقُهُ يَحْجُبُهُ عَنْ جَمْعِهِ، وَلَا فَنَاؤُهُ يَصُدُّهُ عَنْ بَقَائِهِ، وَلَا بَقَاؤُهُ يَصُدُّهُ عَنْ فَنَائِهِ؛ يُعْطِي كُلَّ ذِي قِسْطٍ قِسْطَهُ، وَيُوَفِّي كُلَّ ذِي حَقٍّ حَقَّهُ.
waʾakmalu minhu: ʿabdun shariba fa-zdāda ṣaḥwan, waghāba fa-zdāda ḥuḍūran; falā jamʿuhu yaḥjubuhu ʿan farqihi, walā farquhu yaḥjubuhu ʿan jamʿihi, walā fanāʾuhu yaṣudduhu ʿan baqāʾihi, walā baqāʾuhu yaṣudduhu ʿan fanāʾihi; yuʿṭī kulla dhī qisṭin qisṭahu, wayuwaffī kulla dhī ḥaqqin ḥaqqahu.
More complete still is a servant who drinks and grows more sober, and who becomes absent yet grows more present. His gatheredness does not veil him from differentiation, nor differentiation from gatheredness; his effacement does not bar him from abiding, nor abiding from effacement. He gives everyone with a share his due and fulfills the right of everyone who has a right.
وَقَدْ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ لِعَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا، لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ بَرَاءَتُهَا مِنَ الْإِفْكِ عَلَى لِسَانِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: يَا عَائِشَةُ، اُشْكُرِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
waqad qāla ʾabū bakrin aṣ-ṣiddīqu raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhu liʿāʾishata raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhā, lammā nazalat barāʾatuhā mina al-ʾifki ʿalā lisāni rasūli Allāhi ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wasallama: yā ʿāʾishatu, ushkurī rasūla Allāhi ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wasallama.
When the revelation declaring Aisha innocent of the slander came upon the tongue of God's Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may God be pleased with him, said to her, may God be pleased with her: "Aisha, thank the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace."
فَقَالَتْ: وَاللَّهِ لَا أَشْكُرُ إِلَّا اللَّهَ.
faqālat: wallāhi lā ʾashkuru ʾillā Allāha.
She replied, "By God, I will thank no one but God."
دَلَّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى الْمَقَامِ الْأَكْمَلِ، مَقَامِ الْبَقَاءِ الْمُقْتَضِي لِإِثْبَاتِ الْآثَارِ؛ وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ﴾، وَقَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَشْكُرُ اللَّهَ مَنْ لَا يَشْكُرُ النَّاسَ».
dallahā ʾabū bakrin ʿalā al-maqāmi al-ʾakmali, maqāmi al-baqāʾi al-muqtaḍī liʾithbāti al-ʾāthāri; waqad qāla Allāhu taʿālā: ﴿ʾani ushkur lī waliwālidayka﴾, waqāla ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wasallama: “lā yashkuru Allāha man lā yashkuru an-nāsa”.
Abu Bakr directed her to the more complete station: the station of abiding, which requires affirming created effects. God Most High has said, "Give thanks to Me and to your parents," and the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever does not thank people does not thank God."
Qur’an, Luqmān 31:14 (quoted portion).
Hadith of Abū Hurayrah, Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4811; compare Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī 1954.
وَكَانَتْ هِيَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ مُصْطَلَمَةً عَنْ شَاهِدِهَا، غَائِبَةً عَنِ الْآثَارِ، فَلَمْ تَشْهَدْ إِلَّا الْوَاحِدَ الْقَهَّارَ.
wakānat hiya fī dhalika al-waqti muṣṭalamatan ʿan shāhidihā, ghāʾibatan ʿani al-ʾāthāri, falam tashhad ʾillā al-wāḥida al-qahhāra.
At that moment, however, she was overwhelmed beyond awareness of her own witnessing and absent from created effects, so she witnessed only the One, the All-Subduing.
جَوَابُهُ فِي مَعْنَى «وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلَاةِ»
jawābuhu fī maʿnā “wajuʿilat qurratu ʿaynī fī aṣ-ṣalāti”
His Response on the Meaning of "The Delight of My Eye Was Placed in Prayer"
وَسُئِلَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ: «وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلَاةِ»: هَلْ ذَلِكَ خَاصٌّ بِالنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أَمْ لِغَيْرِهِ مِنْهُ مَشْرَبٌ وَنَصِيبٌ؟ فَأَجَابَ:
wasuʾila raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhu ʿan qawlihi ṣalawātu Allāhi wasalāmuhu ʿalayhi: “wajuʿilat qurratu ʿaynī fī aṣ-ṣalāti”: hal dhalika khāṣṣun bi-n-nabiyyi ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wasallama, ʾam lighayrihi minhu mashrabun wanaṣībun? faʾajāba:
He was asked, may God be pleased with him, about the Prophet's words, God's blessings and peace be upon him, "The delight of my eye was placed in prayer": Was this exclusive to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, or may others also drink from it and receive a share? He answered:
إِنَّ قُرَّةَ الْعَيْنِ بِالشُّهُودِ عَلَى قَدْرِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ بِالْمَشْهُودِ؛ فَالرَّسُولُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْسَ مَعْرِفَةُ أَحَدٍ كَمَعْرِفَتِهِ، فَلَيْسَ قُرَّةُ عَيْنٍ كَقُرَّةِ عَيْنِهِ.
ʾinna qurrata al-ʿayni bi-sh-shuhūdi ʿalā qadri al-maʿrifati bi-l-mashhūdi; fa-r-rasūlu ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wasallama laysa maʿrifatu ʾaḥadin kamaʿrifatihi, falaysa qurratu ʿaynin kaqurrati ʿaynihi.
The eye's delight in witnessing is proportionate to one's direct knowledge of the One witnessed. No one's direct knowledge is like that of the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, so no delight of the eye is like his.
وَإِنَّمَا قُلْنَا إِنَّ قُرَّةَ عَيْنِهِ فِي صَلَاتِهِ بِشُهُودِهِ جَلَالَ مَشْهُودِهِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَدْ أَشَارَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ بِقَوْلِهِ: «فِي الصَّلَاةِ»، وَلَمْ يَقُلْ: «بِالصَّلَاةِ»، إِذْ هُوَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ لَا تَقَرُّ عَيْنُهُ بِغَيْرِ رَبِّهِ.
waʾinnamā qulnā ʾinna qurrata ʿaynihi fī ṣalātihi bishuhūdihi jalāla mashhūdihi; liʾannahu ʿalayhi as-salāmu qad ʾashāra ʾilā dhalika biqawlihi: “fī aṣ-ṣalāti”, walam yaqul: “bi-ṣ-ṣalāti”, ʾidh huwa ṣalawātu Allāhi wasalāmuhu ʿalayhi lā taqarru ʿaynuhu bighayri rabbihi.
We say that the delight of his eye within his prayer came through witnessing the majesty of the One he witnessed. He indicated this by saying "in prayer," not "through prayer," for his eye, God's blessings and peace be upon him, could find delight in none but his Lord.
Excerpt from the same hadith wording, Sunan al-Nasāʾī 3939–3940.
وَكَيْفَ وَهُوَ يَدُلُّ عَلَى هَذَا الْمَقَامِ وَيَأْمُرُ بِهِ مَنْ سِوَاهُ بِقَوْلِهِ: «اُعْبُدِ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ»؟
wakayfa wahuwa yadullu ʿalā hadhā al-maqāmi wayaʾmuru bihi man siwāhu biqawlihi: “uʿbudi Allāha kaʾannaka tarāhu”?
How could it be otherwise, when he points to this station and commands everyone else to realize it in his words, "Worship God as though you see Him"?
Quoted portion of the hadith of Jibrīl on iḥsān; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 8a; compare Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 50.
وَمُحَالٌ أَنْ يَرَاهُ وَيَشْهَدَ مَعَهُ سِوَاهُ.
wamuḥālun ʾan yarāhu wayashhada maʿahu siwāhu.
It is impossible to see Him while witnessing anything else alongside Him.
فَإِنْ قَالَ قَائِلٌ: قَدْ تَكُونُ قُرَّةُ الْعَيْنِ بِالصَّلَاةِ لِأَنَّهَا فَضْلٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَبَارِزَةٌ مِنْ عَيْنِ مِنَّةِ اللَّهِ، فَكَيْفَ لَا يَفْرَحُ بِهَا؟
faʾin qāla qāʾilun: qad takūnu qurratu al-ʿayni bi-ṣ-ṣalāti liʾannahā faḍlun mina Allāhi, wabārizatun min ʿayni minnati Allāhi, fakayfa lā yafraḥu bihā?
Someone might object: Prayer itself may delight the eye because it is a grace from God, emerging from the very source of God's favor. How could one not rejoice in it?
وَكَيْفَ لَا تَكُونُ قُرَّةُ الْعَيْنِ بِهَا؟
wakayfa lā takūnu qurratu al-ʿayni bihā?
How could the eye not find delight through it?
وَقَدْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ: ﴿قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا﴾.
waqad qāla subḥānahu: ﴿qul bifaḍli Allāhi wabiraḥmatihi fabidhalika falyafraḥū﴾.
For He, glory be to Him, has said, "Say: In God's grace and mercy - in that let them rejoice."
فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْآيَةَ قَدْ أَوْمَأَتْ إِلَى الْجَوَابِ لِمَنْ تَدَبَّرَ سِرَّ الْخِطَابِ؛ إِذْ قَالَ: ﴿فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا﴾، وَمَا قَالَ: فَبِذَلِكَ فَافْرَحْ.
fa-ʿlam ʾanna al-ʾāyata qad ʾawmaʾat ʾilā al-jawābi liman tadabbara sirra al-khiṭābi; ʾidh qāla: ﴿fabidhalika falyafraḥū﴾, wamā qāla: fabidhalika fa-fraḥ.
Know that the verse itself suggests the answer to anyone who reflects on the secret of its address. It says, "In that let them rejoice," but it does not say, "In that, rejoice."
يَا مُحَمَّدُ، قُلْ لَهُمْ: فَلْيَفْرَحُوا بِالْإِحْسَانِ وَالتَّفَضُّلِ، وَلْيَكُنْ فَرَحُكَ أَنْتَ بِالْمُتَفَضِّلِ، كَمَا قَالَ فِي الْآيَةِ الْأُخْرَى: ﴿قُلِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ﴾.
yā muḥammadu, qul lahum: falyafraḥū bi-l-ʾiḥsāni wa-t-tafaḍḍuli, walyakun faraḥuka ʾanta bi-l-mutafaḍḍili, kamā qāla fī al-ʾāyati al-ʾukhrā: ﴿quli Allāhu thumma dharhum fī khawḍihim yalʿabūna﴾.
Muhammad, tell them to rejoice in kindness and gracious favor, while you yourself rejoice in the One who bestows favor - as He says in another verse, "Say: God. Then leave them to play in their vain discourse."
الْمُكَاتَبَةُ الثَّالِثَةُ: مَرَاتِبُ النَّاسِ فِي الْفَرَحِ بِالْمِنَنِ
al-mukātabatu ath-thālithatu: marātibu an-nāsi fī al-faraḥi bi-l-minani
The Third Letter: The Degrees of People in Rejoicing at Divine Gifts
النَّاسُ فِي وُرُودِ الْمِنَنِ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَقْسَامٍ:
an-nāsu fī wurūdi al-minani ʿalā thalāthati ʾaqsāmin:
When divine gifts arrive, people fall into three categories:
فَرِحٌ بِالْمِنَنِ لَا مِنْ حَيْثُ مُهْدِيهَا وَمُنْشِئِهَا، وَلَكِنْ بِوُجُودِ مُتْعَتِهِ فِيهَا؛ فَهَذَا مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ، يَصْدُقُ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً﴾.
fariḥun bi-l-minani lā min ḥaythu muhdīhā wamunshiʾihā, walakin biwujūdi mutʿatihi fīhā; fahadhā mina al-ghāfilīna, yaṣduqu ʿalayhi qawluhu taʿālā: ﴿ḥattā ʾidhā fariḥū bimā ʾūtū ʾakhadhnāhum baghtatan﴾.
One person rejoices in the gifts, not because of the One who presents and originates them, but because he finds his own enjoyment in them. Such a person is among the heedless, and God's words apply to him: "Then, when they rejoiced in what they had been given, We seized them suddenly."
وَفَرِحٌ بِالْمِنَنِ مِنْ حَيْثُ إِنَّهُ شَهِدَهَا مِنَّةً مِمَّنْ أَرْسَلَهَا، وَنِعْمَةً مِمَّنْ أَوْصَلَهَا؛ يَصْدُقُ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ﴾.
wafariḥun bi-l-minani min ḥaythu ʾinnahu shahidahā minnatan mimman ʾarsalahā, waniʿmatan mimman ʾawṣalahā; yaṣduqu ʿalayhi qawluhu taʿālā: ﴿qul bifaḍli Allāhi wabiraḥmatihi fabidhalika falyafraḥū huwa khayrun mimmā yajmaʿūna﴾.
Another rejoices in the gifts because he witnesses them as a favor from the One who sent them and a blessing from the One who delivered them. God's words apply to him: "Say: In God's grace and mercy - in that let them rejoice. It is better than all they accumulate."
وَفَرِحٌ بِاللَّهِ؛ مَا شَغَلَهُ مِنَ الْمِنَنِ ظَاهِرُ مُتْعَتِهَا وَلَا بَاطِنُ مِنَّتِهَا، بَلْ شَغَلَهُ النَّظَرُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَمَّا سِوَاهُ، وَالْجَمْعُ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَا يَشْهَدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ؛ يَصْدُقُ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿قُلِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ﴾.
wafariḥun billāhi; mā shaghalahu mina al-minani ẓāhiru mutʿatihā walā bāṭinu minnatihā, bal shaghalahu an-naẓaru ʾilā Allāhi ʿammā siwāhu, wa-l-jamʿu ʿalayhi, falā yashhadu ʾillā ʾiyyāhu; yaṣduqu ʿalayhi qawluhu taʿālā: ﴿quli Allāhu thumma dharhum fī khawḍihim yalʿabūna﴾.
A third rejoices in God. Neither the outward pleasure the gifts provide nor the inward grace they embody occupies him. Rather, his gaze upon God and his complete gatheredness in Him occupy him to the exclusion of all else, so he witnesses none but Him. God's words apply to him: "Say: God. Then leave them to play in their vain discourse."
وَقَدْ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَى دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: «يَا دَاوُدُ، قُلْ لِلصِّدِّيقِينَ: بِي فَلْيَفْرَحُوا، وَبِذِكْرِي فَلْيَتَنَعَّمُوا».
waqad ʾawḥā Allāhu taʿālā ʾilā dāwuda ʿalayhi as-salāmu: “yā dāwudu, qul li-ṣ-ṣiddīqīna: bī falyafraḥū, wabidhikrī falyatanaʿʿamū”.
God Most High revealed to David, peace be upon him: "David, tell the utterly truthful: Let them rejoice in Me, and let them delight in remembering Me."
وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَجْعَلُ فَرَحَنَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ بِهِ، وَبِالرِّضَا مِنْهُ، وَأَنْ يَجْعَلَنَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْفَهْمِ عَنْهُ، وَأَلَّا يَجْعَلَنَا مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ، وَأَنْ يَسْلُكَ بِنَا مَسْلَكَ الْمُتَّقِينَ، بِمَنِّهِ وَكَرَمِهِ.
wallāhu taʿālā yajʿalu faraḥanā waʾiyyākum bihi, wa-bi-r-riḍā minhu, waʾan yajʿalanā min ʾahli al-fahmi ʿanhu, waʾallā yajʿalanā mina al-ghāfilīna, waʾan yasluka binā maslaka al-muttaqīna, bimannihi wakaramihi.
May God Most High make our joy and yours be in Him and in His good pleasure; may He make us people who understand what comes from Him, keep us from being among the heedless, and lead us on the path of the God-conscious, through His favor and generosity.
الْقِسْمُ الثَّالِثُ: الْمُنَاجَاةُ الإِلٰهِيَّةُ
al-qismu ath-thālithu: al-munājātu al-ʾilāhiyyatu
Part III: The Intimate Supplications
1. إِلَهِي، أَنَا الْفَقِيرُ فِي غِنَايَ، فَكَيْفَ لَا أَكُونُ فَقِيرًا فِي فَقْرِي؟
ʾilahī, ʾanā al-faqīru fī ghināya, fakayfa lā ʾakūnu faqīran fī faqrī?
My God, I am poor even in my wealth; how, then, could I not be poor in my poverty?
2. إِلَهِي، أَنَا الْجَاهِلُ فِي عِلْمِي، فَكَيْفَ لَا أَكُونُ جَهُولًا فِي جَهْلِي؟
ʾilahī, ʾanā al-jāhilu fī ʿilmī, fakayfa lā ʾakūnu jahūlan fī jahlī?
My God, I am ignorant even amid my knowledge; how could I not be utterly ignorant amid my ignorance?
3. إِلَهِي، إِنَّ اخْتِلَافَ تَدْبِيرِكَ وَسُرْعَةَ حُلُولِ مَقَادِيرِكَ مَنَعَا عِبَادَكَ الْعَارِفِينَ بِكَ عَنِ السُّكُونِ إِلَى عَطَاءٍ، وَالْيَأْسِ مِنْكَ فِي بَلَاءٍ.
ʾilahī, ʾinna ikhtilāfa tadbīrika wasurʿata ḥulūli maqādīrika manaʿā ʿibādaka al-ʿārifīna bika ʿani as-sukūni ʾilā ʿaṭāʾin, wa-l-yaʾsi minka fī balāʾin.
My God, the changes in Your directing and the swiftness with which Your decrees arrive keep Your servants who possess direct knowledge of You from resting in a gift or despairing of You in an affliction.
4. إِلَهِي، مِنِّي مَا يَلِيقُ بِلُؤْمِي، وَمِنْكَ مَا يَلِيقُ بِكَرَمِكَ.
ʾilahī, minnī mā yalīqu biluʾmī, waminka mā yalīqu bikaramika.
My God, from me comes what befits my baseness, and from You what befits Your generosity.
5. إِلَهِي، وَصَفْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِاللُّطْفِ وَالرَّأْفَةِ بِي قَبْلَ وُجُودِ ضَعْفِي؛ أَفَتَمْنَعُنِي مِنْهُمَا بَعْدَ وُجُودِ ضَعْفِي؟
ʾilahī, waṣafta nafsaka bi-l-luṭfi wa-r-raʾfati bī qabla wujūdi ḍaʿfī; ʾafatamnaʿunī minhumā baʿda wujūdi ḍaʿfī?
My God, You described Yourself as gentle and compassionate toward me before my weakness even existed; will You withhold that gentleness and compassion now that my weakness exists?
6. إِلَهِي، إِنْ ظَهَرَتِ الْمَحَاسِنُ مِنِّي فَبِفَضْلِكَ، وَلَكَ الْمِنَّةُ عَلَيَّ؛ وَإِنْ ظَهَرَتِ الْمَسَاوِئُ مِنِّي فَبِعَدْلِكَ، وَلَكَ الْحُجَّةُ عَلَيَّ.
ʾilahī, ʾin ẓaharati al-maḥāsinu minnī fabifaḍlika, walaka al-minnatu ʿalayya; waʾin ẓaharati al-masāwiʾu minnī fabiʿadlika, walaka al-ḥujjatu ʿalayya.
My God, if good qualities appear from me, they are through Your grace, and the favor is Yours over me; if faults appear from me, they are through Your justice, and Yours is the proof against me.
7. إِلَهِي، كَيْفَ تَكِلُنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي وَقَدْ تَوَكَّلْتَ لِي؟ وَكَيْفَ أُضَامُ وَأَنْتَ النَّاصِرُ لِي؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ أَخِيبُ وَأَنْتَ الْحَفِيُّ بِي؟ هَا أَنَا أَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَيْكَ بِفَقْرِي إِلَيْكَ؛ وَكَيْفَ أَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَيْكَ بِمَا هُوَ مُحَالٌ أَنْ يَصِلَ إِلَيْكَ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ أَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ حَالِي وَهُوَ لَا يَخْفَى عَلَيْكَ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ أُتَرْجِمُ لَكَ بِمَقَالِي وَهُوَ مِنْكَ بَرَزَ إِلَيْكَ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ تُخَيِّبُ آمَالِي وَهِيَ قَدْ وَفَدَتْ إِلَيْكَ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ لَا تَحْسُنُ أَحْوَالِي وَبِكَ قَامَتْ وَإِلَيْكَ؟
ʾilahī, kayfa takilunī ʾilā nafsī waqad tawakkalta lī? wakayfa ʾuḍāmu waʾanta an-nāṣiru lī? ʾam kayfa ʾakhību waʾanta al-ḥafiyyu bī? hā ʾanā ʾatawassalu ʾilayka bifaqrī ʾilayka; wakayfa ʾatawassalu ʾilayka bimā huwa muḥālun ʾan yaṣila ʾilayka? ʾam kayfa ʾashkū ʾilayka ḥālī wahuwa lā yakhfā ʿalayka? ʾam kayfa ʾutarjimu laka bimaqālī wahuwa minka baraza ʾilayka? ʾam kayfa tukhayyibu ʾāmālī wahiya qad wafadat ʾilayka? ʾam kayfa lā taḥsunu ʾaḥwālī wabika qāmat waʾilayka?
My God, how could You leave me to my lower self when You have undertaken my care? How could I be wronged when You are my supporter? How could I be disappointed when You are so tenderly attentive to me? Here I am, seeking access to You through my need of You - but how can I seek access to You by what can never reach You? How can I complain to You of my state when it is not hidden from You? How can I put it into words for You when my speech came forth from You and returns to You? How can You disappoint my hopes when they have already come before You? And how could my states fail to become sound when through You they arise and to You they belong?
8. إِلَهِي، مَا أَلْطَفَكَ بِي مَعَ عَظِيمِ جَهْلِي! وَمَا أَرْحَمَكَ بِي مَعَ قَبِيحِ فِعْلِي!
ʾilahī, mā ʾalṭafaka bī maʿa ʿaẓīmi jahlī! wamā ʾarḥamaka bī maʿa qabīḥi fiʿlī!
My God, how gently You treat me despite my immense ignorance! How merciful You are to me despite the ugliness of my deeds!
9. إِلَهِي، مَا أَقْرَبَكَ مِنِّي، وَمَا أَبْعَدَنِي عَنْكَ!
ʾilahī, mā ʾaqrabaka minnī, wamā ʾabʿadanī ʿanka!
My God, how near You are to me, and how far I am from You!
10. إِلَهِي، مَا أَرْأَفَكَ بِي؛ فَمَا الَّذِي يَحْجُبُنِي عَنْكَ؟
ʾilahī, mā ʾarʾafaka bī; famā alladhī yaḥjubunī ʿanka?
My God, how compassionate You are toward me - what, then, veils me from You?
11. إِلَهِي، قَدْ عَلِمْتُ بِاخْتِلَافِ الْآثَارِ وَتَنَقُّلَاتِ الْأَطْوَارِ أَنَّ مُرَادَكَ أَنْ تَتَعَرَّفَ إِلَيَّ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، حَتَّى لَا أَجْهَلَكَ فِي شَيْءٍ.
ʾilahī, qad ʿalimtu bi-khtilāfi al-ʾāthāri watanaqqulāti al-ʾaṭwāri ʾanna murādaka ʾan tataʿarrafa ʾilayya fī kulli shayʾin, ḥattā lā ʾajhalaka fī shayʾin.
My God, from the diversity of created effects and the succession of states, I have understood that You desire to make Yourself known to me in everything, so that I may not fail to know You in anything.
12. إِلَهِي، كُلَّمَا أَخْرَسَنِي لُؤْمِي أَنْطَقَنِي كَرَمُكَ، وَكُلَّمَا آيَسَتْنِي أَوْصَافِي أَطْمَعَتْنِي مِنَنُكَ.
ʾilahī, kullamā ʾakhrasanī luʾmī ʾanṭaqanī karamuka, wakullamā ʾāyasatnī ʾawṣāfī ʾaṭmaʿatnī minanuka.
My God, whenever my baseness silences me, Your generosity gives me speech; whenever my attributes drive me to despair, Your gifts awaken hope in me.
13. إِلَهِي، مَنْ كَانَتْ مَحَاسِنُهُ مَسَاوِئَ فَكَيْفَ لَا تَكُونُ مَسَاوِئُهُ مَسَاوِئَ؟ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ حَقَائِقُهُ دَعَاوَى فَكَيْفَ لَا تَكُونُ دَعَاوِيهِ دَعَاوَى؟
ʾilahī, man kānat maḥāsinuhu masāwiʾa fakayfa lā takūnu masāwiʾuhu masāwiʾa? waman kānat ḥaqāʾiquhu daʿāwā fakayfa lā takūnu daʿāwīhi daʿāwā?
My God, if even a person's virtues are faults, how could his faults not be faults? If his realities are mere claims, how could his claims not be mere claims?
14. إِلَهِي، حُكْمُكَ النَّافِذُ وَمَشِيئَتُكَ الْقَاهِرَةُ لَمْ يَتْرُكَا لِذِي مَقَالٍ مَقَالًا، وَلَا لِذِي حَالٍ حَالًا.
ʾilahī, ḥukmuka an-nāfidhu wamashīʾatuka al-qāhiratu lam yatrukā lidhī maqālin maqālan, walā lidhī ḥālin ḥālan.
My God, Your irresistible judgment and overpowering will leave no room for any speaker's words or for any possessor's spiritual state.
15. إِلَهِي، كَمْ مِنْ طَاعَةٍ بَنَيْتُهَا، وَحَالَةٍ شَيَّدْتُهَا، هَدَمَ اعْتِمَادِي عَلَيْهَا عَدْلُكَ؛ بَلْ أَقَالَنِي مِنْهَا فَضْلُكَ.
ʾilahī, kam min ṭāʿatin banaytuhā, waḥālatin shayyadtuhā, hadama iʿtimādī ʿalayhā ʿadluka; bal ʾaqālanī minhā faḍluka.
My God, how many acts of obedience I built and spiritual states I raised - then Your justice demolished my reliance on them; rather, Your grace released me from them.
16. إِلَهِي، أَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَدُمِ الطَّاعَةُ مِنِّي فِعْلًا جَزْمًا، فَقَدْ دَامَتْ مَحَبَّةً وَعَزْمًا.
ʾilahī, ʾanta taʿlamu waʾin lam tadumi aṭ-ṭāʿatu minnī fiʿlan jazman, faqad dāmat maḥabbatan waʿazman.
My God, You know that although my obedience has certainly not endured in action, love and resolve have endured.
17. إِلَهِي، كَيْفَ أَعْزِمُ وَأَنْتَ الْقَاهِرُ؟ وَكَيْفَ لَا أَعْزِمُ وَأَنْتَ الْآمِرُ؟
ʾilahī, kayfa ʾaʿzimu waʾanta al-qāhiru? wakayfa lā ʾaʿzimu waʾanta al-ʾāmiru?
My God, how can I resolve when You are the Overpowering? Yet how can I fail to resolve when You are the One who commands?
18. إِلَهِي، تَرَدُّدِي فِي الْآثَارِ يُوجِبُ بُعْدَ الْمَزَارِ؛ فَاجْمَعْنِي عَلَيْكَ بِخِدْمَةٍ تُوصِلُنِي إِلَيْكَ.
ʾilahī, taraddudī fī al-ʾāthāri yūjibu buʿda al-mazāri; fa-jmaʿnī ʿalayka bikhidmatin tūṣilunī ʾilayka.
My God, my wandering among created effects makes the destination remote; gather me entirely upon You through a service that brings me to You.
19. إِلَهِي، كَيْفَ يُسْتَدَلُّ عَلَيْكَ بِمَا هُوَ فِي وُجُودِهِ مُفْتَقِرٌ إِلَيْكَ؟ أَيَكُونُ لِغَيْرِكَ مِنَ الظُّهُورِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ حَتَّى يَكُونَ هُوَ الْمُظْهِرَ لَكَ؟ مَتَى غِبْتَ حَتَّى تَحْتَاجَ إِلَى دَلِيلٍ يَدُلُّ عَلَيْكَ؟ وَمَتَى بَعُدْتَ حَتَّى تَكُونَ الْآثَارُ هِيَ الَّتِي تُوصِلُ إِلَيْكَ؟
ʾilahī, kayfa yustadallu ʿalayka bimā huwa fī wujūdihi muftaqirun ʾilayka? ʾayakūnu lighayrika mina aẓ-ẓuhūri mā laysa laka ḥattā yakūna huwa al-muẓhira laka? matā ghibta ḥattā taḥtāja ʾilā dalīlin yadullu ʿalayka? wamatā baʿudta ḥattā takūna al-ʾāthāru hiya allatī tūṣilu ʾilayka?
My God, how can You be inferred from something that depends on You for its very existence? Could anything other than You be visible in a way that You are not, so that it could make You manifest? When were You ever absent, so that You needed a proof to point to You? When were You ever distant, so that created effects had to lead to You?
20. إِلَهِي، عَمِيَتْ عَيْنٌ لَا تَرَاكَ عَلَيْهَا رَقِيبًا، وَخَسِرَتْ صَفْقَةُ عَبْدٍ لَمْ تَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ حُبِّكَ نَصِيبًا.
ʾilahī, ʿamiyat ʿaynun lā tarāka ʿalayhā raqīban, wakhasirat ṣafqatu ʿabdin lam tajʿal lahu min ḥubbika naṣīban.
My God, blind is the eye that does not see You watching over it, and lost is the bargain of a servant for whom You have assigned no share of Your love.
21. إِلَهِي، أَمَرْتَ بِالرُّجُوعِ إِلَى الْآثَارِ، فَأَرْجِعْنِي إِلَيْهَا بِكِسْوَةِ الْأَنْوَارِ وَهِدَايَةِ الاِسْتِبْصَارِ، حَتَّى أَرْجِعَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْهَا كَمَا دَخَلْتُ إِلَيْكَ مِنْهَا؛ مَصُونَ السِّرِّ عَنِ النَّظَرِ إِلَيْهَا، وَمَرْفُوعَ الْهِمَّةِ عَنِ الاِعْتِمَادِ عَلَيْهَا. إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ.
ʾilahī, ʾamarta bi-r-rujūʿi ʾilā al-ʾāthāri, faʾarjiʿnī ʾilayhā bikiswati al-ʾanwāri wahidāyati al-istibṣāri, ḥattā ʾarjiʿa ʾilayka minhā kamā dakhaltu ʾilayka minhā; maṣūna as-sirri ʿani an-naẓari ʾilayhā, wamarfūʿa al-himmati ʿani al-iʿtimādi ʿalayhā. ʾinnaka ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīrun.
My God, You have commanded me to return to created effects; return me to them clothed in lights and guided by inner sight, so that I may return to You from them just as I first came to You from them - my innermost secret safeguarded from looking toward them and my spiritual aspiration raised above relying upon them. You have power over all things.
22. إِلَهِي، هَذَا ذُلِّي ظَاهِرٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ، وَهَذَا حَالِي لَا يَخْفَى عَلَيْكَ. مِنْكَ أَطْلُبُ الْوُصُولَ إِلَيْكَ، وَبِكَ أَسْتَدِلُّ عَلَيْكَ؛ فَاهْدِنِي بِنُورِكَ إِلَيْكَ، وَأَقِمْنِي بِصِدْقِ الْعُبُودِيَّةِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ.
ʾilahī, hadhā dhullī ẓāhirun bayna yadayka, wahadhā ḥālī lā yakhfā ʿalayka. minka ʾaṭlubu al-wuṣūla ʾilayka, wabika ʾastadillu ʿalayka; fa-hdinī binūrika ʾilayka, waʾaqimnī biṣidqi al-ʿubūdiyyati bayna yadayka.
My God, this is my abasement, manifest before You, and this is my state, not hidden from You. From You I seek arrival at You, and through You I seek evidence of You. Guide me to You by Your light, and establish me before You in true servanthood.
23. إِلَهِي، عَلِّمْنِي مِنْ عِلْمِكَ الْمَخْزُونِ، وَصُنِّي بِسِرِّ اسْمِكَ الْمَصُونِ.
ʾilahī, ʿallimnī min ʿilmika al-makhzūni, waṣunnī bisirri ismika al-maṣūni.
My God, teach me from Your treasured knowledge, and protect me through the secret of Your safeguarded Name.
24. إِلَهِي، حَقِّقْنِي بِحَقَائِقِ أَهْلِ الْقُرْبِ، وَاسْلُكْ بِي مَسَالِكَ أَهْلِ الْجَذْبِ.
ʾilahī, ḥaqqiqnī biḥaqāʾiqi ʾahli al-qurbi, wa-sluk bī masālika ʾahli al-jadhbi.
My God, realize me in the realities of those brought near, and lead me along the paths of the people of divine attraction.
25. إِلَهِي، أَغْنِنِي بِتَدْبِيرِكَ عَنْ تَدْبِيرِي، وَبِاخْتِيَارِكَ لِي عَنِ اخْتِيَارِي، وَأَوْقِفْنِي عَلَى مَرَاكِزِ اضْطِرَارِي.
ʾilahī, ʾaghninī bitadbīrika ʿan tadbīrī, wa-bi-khtiyārika lī ʿani ikhtiyārī, waʾawqifnī ʿalā marākizi iḍṭirārī.
My God, free me through Your directing from directing for myself, and through Your choice for me from choosing for myself; make me recognize the very points at which I am utterly dependent.
26. إِلَهِي، أَخْرِجْنِي مِنْ ذُلِّ نَفْسِي، وَطَهِّرْنِي مِنْ شَكِّي وَشِرْكِي قَبْلَ حُلُولِ رَمْسِي. بِكَ أَسْتَنْصِرُ فَانْصُرْنِي، وَعَلَيْكَ أَتَوَكَّلُ فَلَا تَكِلْنِي، وَإِيَّاكَ أَسْأَلُ فَلَا تُخَيِّبْنِي، وَفِي فَضْلِكَ أَرْغَبُ فَلَا تَحْرِمْنِي، وَلِجَنَابِكَ أَنْتَسِبُ فَلَا تُبْعِدْنِي، وَبِبَابِكَ أَقِفُ فَلَا تَطْرُدْنِي.
ʾilahī, ʾakhrijnī min dhulli nafsī, waṭahhirnī min shakkī washirkī qabla ḥulūli ramsī. bika ʾastanṣiru fa-nṣurnī, waʿalayka ʾatawakkalu falā takilnī, waʾiyyāka ʾasʾalu falā tukhayyibnī, wafī faḍlika ʾarghabu falā taḥrimnī, walijanābika ʾantasibu falā tubʿidnī, wabibābika ʾaqifu falā taṭrudnī.
My God, bring me out of the humiliation of my lower self, and purify me of my doubt and my association of partners with You before my grave closes over me. Through You I seek victory, so grant me victory. In You I trust, so do not leave me to myself. You alone I ask, so do not disappoint me. Your grace I desire, so do not deprive me. To Your court I claim belonging, so do not send me far away. At Your door I stand, so do not drive me away.
27. إِلَهِي، تَقَدَّسَ رِضَاكَ عَنْ أَنْ تَكُونَ لَهُ عِلَّةٌ مِنْكَ، فَكَيْفَ تَكُونُ لَهُ عِلَّةٌ مِنِّي؟ أَنْتَ الْغَنِيُّ بِذَاتِكَ عَنْ أَنْ يَصِلَ إِلَيْكَ النَّفْعُ مِنْكَ، فَكَيْفَ لَا تَكُونُ غَنِيًّا عَنِّي؟
ʾilahī, taqaddasa riḍāka ʿan ʾan takūna lahu ʿillatun minka, fakayfa takūnu lahu ʿillatun minnī? ʾanta al-ghaniyyu bidhātika ʿan ʾan yaṣila ʾilayka an-nafʿu minka, fakayfa lā takūnu ghaniyyan ʿannī?
My God, Your good pleasure is too holy to have a cause arising from You; how then could it have a cause arising from me? In Your Essence You are free of any need for benefit even from Yourself; how could You not be free of any need for me?
28. إِلَهِي، إِنَّ الْقَضَاءَ وَالْقَدَرَ غَلَبَنِي، وَإِنَّ الْهَوَى بِوَثَائِقِ الشَّهْوَةِ أَسَرَنِي؛ فَكُنْ أَنْتَ النَّصِيرَ لِي حَتَّى تَنْصُرَنِي وَتَنْصُرَ بِي، وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ حَتَّى أَسْتَغْنِيَ بِكَ عَنْ طَلَبِي. أَنْتَ الَّذِي أَشْرَقْتَ الْأَنْوَارَ فِي قُلُوبِ أَوْلِيَائِكَ حَتَّى عَرَفُوكَ وَوَحَّدُوكَ، وَأَنْتَ الَّذِي أَزَلْتَ الْأَغْيَارَ مِنْ قُلُوبِ أَحْبَابِكَ حَتَّى لَمْ يُحِبُّوا سِوَاكَ، وَلَمْ يَلْجَؤُوا إِلَى غَيْرِكَ. أَنْتَ الْمُؤْنِسُ لَهُمْ حَيْثُ أَوْحَشَتْهُمُ الْعَوَالِمُ، وَأَنْتَ الَّذِي هَدَيْتَهُمْ حَتَّى اسْتَبَانَتْ لَهُمُ الْمَعَالِمُ. مَاذَا وَجَدَ مَنْ فَقَدَكَ؟ وَمَا الَّذِي فَقَدَ مَنْ وَجَدَكَ؟ لَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ رَضِيَ دُونَكَ بَدَلًا، وَلَقَدْ خَسِرَ مَنْ بَغَى عَنْكَ مُتَحَوِّلًا.
ʾilahī, ʾinna al-qaḍāʾa wa-l-qadara ghalabanī, waʾinna al-hawā biwathāʾiqi ash-shahwati ʾasaranī; fakun ʾanta an-naṣīra lī ḥattā tanṣuranī watanṣura bī, waʾaghninī bifaḍlika ḥattā ʾastaghniya bika ʿan ṭalabī. ʾanta alladhī ʾashraqta al-ʾanwāra fī qulūbi ʾawliyāʾika ḥattā ʿarafūka wawaḥḥadūka, waʾanta alladhī ʾazalta al-ʾaghyāra min qulūbi ʾaḥbābika ḥattā lam yuḥibbū siwāka, walam yaljaʾū ʾilā ghayrika. ʾanta al-muʾnisu lahum ḥaythu ʾawḥashathumu al-ʿawālimu, waʾanta alladhī hadaytahum ḥattā istabānat lahumu al-maʿālimu. mādhā wajada man faqadaka? wamā alladhī faqada man wajadaka? laqad khāba man raḍiya dūnaka badalan, walaqad khasira man baghā ʿanka mutaḥawwilan.
My God, decree and destiny have overcome me, and desire has bound me in the fetters of appetite. Be my supporter, so that You grant me victory and make me a means of victory. Enrich me by Your grace until, through You, I no longer need to seek. You are the One who made lights shine in the hearts of Your friends until they attained direct knowledge of You and affirmed Your oneness. You are the One who removed all otherness from the hearts of Your beloved until they loved none but You and sought refuge in no one else. You are their intimate companion when the worlds make them feel desolate, and You are the One who guided them until the landmarks became clear to them. What has anyone found who has lost You? What has anyone lost who has found You? Disappointed indeed is one content with another in place of You, and ruined indeed is one who seeks to turn away from You.
29. إِلَهِي، كَيْفَ يُرْجَى سِوَاكَ وَأَنْتَ مَا قَطَعْتَ الْإِحْسَانَ؟ وَكَيْفَ يُطْلَبُ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ وَأَنْتَ مَا بَدَّلْتَ عَادَةَ الاِمْتِنَانِ؟ يَا مَنْ أَذَاقَ أَحِبَّاءَهُ حَلَاوَةَ مُؤَانَسَتِهِ فَقَامُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مُتَمَلِّقِينَ، وَيَا مَنْ أَلْبَسَ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ مَلَابِسَ هَيْبَتِهِ فَقَامُوا بِعِزَّتِهِ مُسْتَعِزِّينَ. أَنْتَ الذَّاكِرُ مِنْ قَبْلِ الذَّاكِرِينَ، وَأَنْتَ الْبَادِئُ بِالْإِحْسَانِ مِنْ قَبْلِ تَوَجُّهِ الْعَابِدِينَ، وَأَنْتَ الْجَوَادُ بِالْعَطَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِ طَلَبِ الطَّالِبِينَ، وَأَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ، ثُمَّ أَنْتَ لِمَا وَهَبْتَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْتَقْرِضِينَ.
ʾilahī, kayfa yurjā siwāka waʾanta mā qaṭaʿta al-ʾiḥsāna? wakayfa yuṭlabu min ghayrika waʾanta mā baddalta ʿādata al-imtināni? yā man ʾadhāqa ʾaḥibbāʾahu ḥalāwata muʾānasatihi faqāmū bayna yadayhi mutamalliqīna, wayā man ʾalbasa ʾawliyāʾahu malābisa haybatihi faqāmū biʿizzatihi mustaʿizzīna. ʾanta adh-dhākiru min qabli adh-dhākirīna, waʾanta al-bādiʾu bi-l-ʾiḥsāni min qabli tawajjuhi al-ʿābidīna, waʾanta al-jawādu bi-l-ʿaṭāʾi min qabli ṭalabi aṭ-ṭālibīna, waʾanta al-wahhābu, thumma ʾanta limā wahabtanā mina al-mustaqriḍīna.
My God, how could anyone other than You be hoped in when You have never ceased doing good? How could anyone else be asked when You have never changed Your habit of gracious giving? O You who gave Your beloved a taste of the sweetness of intimacy with You, so they stood before You humbly courting Your favor; O You who clothed Your friends in garments of Your awe, so they stood in Your might, finding honor. You remember before those who remember; You begin with goodness before worshippers ever turn to You; You give generously before seekers ever ask; You are the Bestower - then, after giving to us, You even ask us to lend back what You gave.
30. إِلَهِي، اُطْلُبْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ حَتَّى أَصِلَ إِلَيْكَ، وَاجْذِبْنِي بِمِنَّتِكَ حَتَّى أُقْبِلَ عَلَيْكَ.
ʾilahī, uṭlubnī biraḥmatika ḥattā ʾaṣila ʾilayka, wa-jdhibnī biminnatika ḥattā ʾuqbila ʿalayka.
My God, seek me out in Your mercy until I reach You, and draw me by Your favor until I turn fully toward You.
31. إِلَهِي، إِنَّ رَجَائِي لَا يَنْقَطِعُ عَنْكَ وَإِنْ عَصَيْتُكَ، كَمَا أَنَّ خَوْفِي لَا يُزَايِلُنِي وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُكَ.
ʾilahī, ʾinna rajāʾī lā yanqaṭiʿu ʿanka waʾin ʿaṣaytuka, kamā ʾanna khawfī lā yuzāyilunī waʾin ʾaṭaʿtuka.
My God, my hope in You is not cut off even when I disobey You, just as my fear does not leave me even when I obey You.
32. إِلَهِي، قَدْ دَفَعَتْنِي الْعَوَالِمُ إِلَيْكَ، وَقَدْ أَوْقَفَنِي عِلْمِي بِكَرَمِكَ عَلَيْكَ.
ʾilahī, qad dafaʿatnī al-ʿawālimu ʾilayka, waqad ʾawqafanī ʿilmī bikaramika ʿalayka.
My God, the created worlds have driven me to You, and my knowledge of Your generosity has made me stand before You.
33. إِلَهِي، كَيْفَ أَخِيبُ وَأَنْتَ أَمَلِي؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ أُهَانُ وَعَلَيْكَ مُتَّكَلِي؟
ʾilahī, kayfa ʾakhību waʾanta ʾamalī? ʾam kayfa ʾuhānu waʿalayka muttakalī?
My God, how could I be disappointed when You are my hope? How could I be humiliated when my reliance rests on You?
34. إِلَهِي، كَيْفَ أَسْتَعِزُّ وَأَنْتَ فِي الذِّلَّةِ أَرْكَزْتَنِي؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ لَا أَسْتَعِزُّ وَإِلَيْكَ نِسْبَتِي؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ لَا أَفْتَقِرُ وَأَنْتَ الَّذِي فِي الْفَقْرِ أَقَمْتَنِي؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ أَفْتَقِرُ وَأَنْتَ الَّذِي بِجُودِكَ أَغْنَيْتَنِي؟ أَنْتَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ؛ تَعَرَّفْتَ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَمَا جَهِلَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الَّذِي تَعَرَّفْتَ إِلَيَّ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَرَأَيْتُكَ ظَاهِرًا فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ. يَا مَنِ اسْتَوَى بِرَحْمَانِيَّتِهِ عَلَى عَرْشِهِ، فَصَارَ الْعَرْشُ غَيْبًا فِي رَحْمَانِيَّتِهِ، كَمَا صَارَتِ الْعَوَالِمُ غَيْبًا فِي عَرْشِهِ؛ مَحَقْتَ الْآثَارَ بِالْآثَارِ، وَمَحَوْتَ الْأَغْيَارَ بِمُحِيطَاتِ أَفْلَاكِ الْأَنْوَارِ. يَا مَنِ احْتَجَبَ فِي سُرَادِقَاتِ عِزِّهِ عَنْ أَنْ تُدْرِكَهُ الْأَبْصَارُ، يَا مَنْ تَجَلَّى بِكَمَالِ بَهَائِهِ فَتَحَقَّقَتْ عَظَمَتَهُ الْأَسْرَارُ. كَيْفَ تَخْفَى وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ؟ أَمْ كَيْفَ تَغِيبُ وَأَنْتَ الرَّقِيبُ الْحَاضِرُ؟ وَاللَّهُ الْمُوَفِّقُ، وَبِهِ أَسْتَعِينُ.
ʾilahī, kayfa ʾastaʿizzu waʾanta fī adh-dhillati ʾarkaztanī? ʾam kayfa lā ʾastaʿizzu waʾilayka nisbatī? ʾam kayfa lā ʾaftaqiru waʾanta alladhī fī al-faqri ʾaqamtanī? ʾam kayfa ʾaftaqiru waʾanta alladhī bijūdika ʾaghnaytanī? ʾanta alladhī lā ʾilaha ghayruka; taʿarrafta likulli shayʾin famā jahilaka shayʾun, waʾanta alladhī taʿarrafta ʾilayya fī kulli shayʾin, faraʾaytuka ẓāhiran fī kulli shayʾin, faʾanta aẓ-ẓāhiru likulli shayʾin. yā mani istawā biraḥmāniyyatihi ʿalā ʿarshihi, faṣāra al-ʿarshu ghayban fī raḥmāniyyatihi, kamā ṣārati al-ʿawālimu ghayban fī ʿarshihi; maḥaqta al-ʾāthāra bi-l-ʾāthāri, wamaḥawta al-ʾaghyāra bimuḥīṭāti ʾaflāki al-ʾanwāri. yā mani iḥtajaba fī surādiqāti ʿizzihi ʿan ʾan tudrikahu al-ʾabṣāru, yā man tajallā bikamāli bahāʾihi fataḥaqqaqat ʿaẓamatahu al-ʾasrāru. kayfa takhfā waʾanta aẓ-ẓāhiru? ʾam kayfa taghību waʾanta ar-raqību al-ḥāḍiru? wallāhu al-muwaffiqu, wabihi ʾastaʿīnu.
My God, how can I seek honor when You have rooted me in abasement? Yet how can I not find honor when I belong to You? How can I not be poor when You have established me in poverty? Yet how can I remain poor when You have enriched me through Your generosity? You are the One; there is no god but You. You made Yourself known to everything, so nothing failed to know You; and You made Yourself known to me in everything, so I saw You manifest in everything. Thus You are the One manifest to everything. O You who, in Your all-embracing mercy, are established over Your Throne, so that the Throne became hidden within Your mercy just as the worlds became hidden within the Throne: You effaced created effects by means of created effects, and erased all otherness within the encompassing spheres of lights. O You who are veiled within the pavilions of Your might, beyond the reach of sight; O You who disclose Yourself in the perfection of Your splendor, so that innermost secrets realize Your greatness. How could You be hidden when You are the Manifest? How could You be absent when You are the Watchful, the Present? God alone grants success, and in Him I seek help.
مَصَادِرُ النَّصِّ وَمَنْهَجُ التَّرْجَمَةِ
maṣādiru an-naṣṣi wamanhaju at-tarjamati
Textual sources and translation method
اعْتُمِدَ فِي بِنْيَةِ الْكِتَابِ وَقِرَاءَاتِهِ الْأَسَاسِيَّةِ عَلَى طَبْعَةِ «الْحِكَمِ» بِتَحْقِيقِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الشَّاغُولِ، مَعَ مُقَابَلَةِ الْحِكَمِ وَالْمُكَاتَبَاتِ وَالْمُنَاجَاةِ بِشَوَاهِدَ نَصِّيَّةٍ أُخْرَى.
uʿtumida fī binyati al-kitābi waqirāʾātihi al-ʾasāsiyyati ʿalā ṭabʿati “al-ḥikami” bitaḥqīqi muḥammadin ʿabdi ar-raḥmāni ash-shāghūli, maʿa muqābalati al-ḥikami wa-l-mukātabāti wa-l-munājāti bishawāhida naṣṣiyyatin ʾukhrā.
The structure of the work and its principal readings follow the edition of al-Hikam prepared by Muhammad 'Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghul, checked against additional witnesses for the aphorisms, letters, and supplications.
- Manuscript-based Arabic edition: open source
- 'Abd al-Majid al-Sharnubi, Sharh al-Hikam al-'Ata'iyya: open source
- Usul digital witness: open source
تُرْجِمَتِ الْمَعَانِي تَرْجَمَةً مُبَاشِرَةً مُعَاصِرَةً، مَعَ الْمُحَافَظَةِ عَلَى التَّقَابُلِ بَيْنَ كُلِّ نَصٍّ عَرَبِيٍّ وَتَرْجَمَتِهِ، وَعَلَى الْفُرُوقِ بَيْنَ الْعِبَارَاتِ الَّتِي تَتَعَلَّقُ بِالْعُبُودِيَّةِ وَالْمَعْرِفَةِ وَالْأَحْوَالِ وَالْوَارِدَاتِ.
turjimati al-maʿānī tarjamatan mubāshiratan muʿāṣiratan, maʿa al-muḥāfaẓati ʿalā at-taqābuli bayna kulli naṣṣin ʿarabiyyin watarjamatihi, waʿalā al-furūqi bayna al-ʿibārāti allatī tataʿallaqu bi-l-ʿubūdiyyati wa-l-maʿrifati wa-l-ʾaḥwāli wa-l-wāridāti.
The translation uses direct contemporary English while preserving the one-to-one pairing of Arabic and English and the distinctions among terms concerning servanthood, direct knowledge of God, spiritual states, and spiritual influxes.
