The commentators side by side

﴿فمن كونه عبدا يرى عين نفسه %~% وتتسع الآمال منه بلا شك … ومن كونه ربا يرى الخلق كله %~% يطالبه من حضرة الملك والملك … ويعجز عما طالبوه بذاته %~% لذا تر بعض العارفين به يبكى﴾

الأبيات الثلاثة ، تعليل لما في البيت الثاني وتقرير وترجيح ، بل تحقيق الثاني معنى البيت الأول والمعنى : فمن جهة كونه عبدا يرى عين نفسه بصفة العدم والافتقار والعبودية الذاتية ، وتتسع آماله في الله حقيقة ، فإن للآملين في ظل ربوبيته وفضاء ألوهيته مجالا واسعا ، فإن كل ما يسأل عين العبد بلسان استعداد القبول مبذول له من وجوه في وقته ، كما قال: " وآتاكُمْ من كُلِّ ما سَأَلْتُمُوه " . ومن جهة كونه ربا توجه إليه الملك والملكوت والجبروت بأسرهم يطالبونه بحقوقهم وهو يعجز عما طالبوه بذاته ، فلذا تراهم يبكون في بعض الأوقات مع كمالهم لمطالبة الكل إياه ، بما لا يحضره بالفعل بل بما ليس له بالحقيقة وحذف الياء من ترى تخفيفا ، وفي بعض النسخ : لذا كان بعض العارفين

what they demand of him — for this reason you see some gnostics, on account of it, weeping"] These three verses are a justification of what is in the second verse, and an establishing and a preferring [of that meaning] — indeed, the realization of the second is the meaning of the first verse. The meaning is: from the aspect of his being a servant, he sees the very essence of himself characterized by nonexistence, neediness, and essential servanthood, and his hopes expand truly in God — for those who hope, in the shade of His lordship and the expanse of His divinity, have a vast scope, since everything the essence of the servant asks for, by the tongue of the preparedness of receptivity, is granted to him in various ways in due time, as He said: 'And He gave you of all that you asked Him' [Q. 14:34]. And from the aspect of his being a lord, the dominion (mulk), the Kingdom (malakūt), and the Omnipotence (jabarūt), all of them together, turn to him demanding their rights from him, and he is incapable, in himself, of [meeting] what they demand of him — and for this reason you see them weeping at times despite their perfection, on account of the demand of all upon him for what he does not actually possess, indeed for what in reality is not his. [Note: the yāʾ is dropped from 'tarā' for the sake of metrical lightening, and in some copies it reads: 'for this reason some gnostics were...'].

﴿فمن كونه عبدا يرى عين نفسه %~% وتتسع الآمال منه بلا شك﴾

أي، يرى عين نفسه العاجزة وتتسع آماله إلى موجده

That is, he sees his own incapable essence (ʿayn nafsihi), and his hopes expand without doubt toward his Originator.

﴿فمن كونه عبدا﴾

جامع ( يرى ) الكلّ لجمعيّته الإطلاقيّة

all-comprehensive - he 'sees' the whole, due to his absolute all-comprehensiveness

﴿فمن كونه عبدا بری﴾

Quotes words that differ from our text (wavy underline).

أي يبصر عين نفسه من غير أن يرى الخلق معه علاقة مطالبة

i.e., he perceives the very essence of himself, without seeing creation together with him as bound by a demand

﴿فمن كونه عبدا يرى عین نفسه﴾

Quotes words that differ from our text (wavy underline).

عاجزة وقاصرة عن إتيان الأمور

as incapable and falling short of bringing matters into being

﴿عين نفسه ويتّسع الآمال منه بلا شك﴾

Quotes words that differ from our text (wavy underline).

ومن كونه ربا يرى الخلق كله %~% يطالبه من حضرة الملك و الملك

﴿وتتسع الآمال منه بلا شك﴾

أي تقع أمال الأملين، أي أصحابها في سعة من كونه عبدا لا بعطالبه الأملون بشيء. بل يطالبون الحق سبحانه فيظهرون بمأمولاتهم فيقعون في سعة من حصولها بخلاف ما إذا كان ربا فإنهم طالبوه بأشياء لم يظفروا بها فوقعوا في ضيق

i.e., the hopes of those who hope—that is, their possessors—fall into ease by his being a servant, for the hopers do not demand anything of him; rather they demand of the Real, glory be to Him, who then manifests their hoped-for things through him, so they find themselves in ease by their attainment—unlike when he is a lord, for then they demand things of him which they do not obtain, and so fall into constriction.

﴿وتتسع الآمال﴾

أي تتسع آماله (منه) إلى موجده (بلا شك

that is, his hopes expand (from him) toward his Originator (without doubt)

﴿ومن كونه ربا يرى الخلق كله %~% يطالبه من حضرة الملك والملك﴾

أي، من حضرة عالم الملك، بضم الميم، والملك، بفتح الميم وسكون اللام، وهو عالم الملكوت. وإنما يطالبه أهل الملك والملكوت، لأنه خليفة عليهم، يجب عليه إيصال حقوق رعاياه وإعطاء ما يطلبون منه بحسب استعداداتهم

That is, from the presence of the world of dominion (ʿālam al-mulk, with ḍamm of the mīm) and sovereignty (al-malak, with fatḥ of the mīm and sukūn of the lām), which is the world of the Kingdom (al-malakūt). The people of dominion and the Kingdom make demands of him only because he is their vicegerent (khalīfa), obligated to deliver to his subjects their rights and to give them what they request according to their preparednesses (istiʿdādāt).

﴿ومن كونه ربّا … يرى الخلق كلَّه يطالبه﴾

لغلبة سلطان التفرقة في مشهده ذلك

due to the predominance of the authority of differentiation in that witnessing of his

﴿ومن كونه ربا يرى الخلق كله يطالب من حضرة الملك﴾

Quotes words that differ from our text (wavy underline).

بضم الميم (والملك) بفتحها وهو القوة. والمراد به المنعوت بقرينة المثلث، وقوته من حضرة الملك والملك بيان للخلق كله

with ḍamma on the mīm, (and sovereign power [al-milk]) with fatḥa, which is strength/capacity. What is meant by it is the one so described, by indication of the triplet [of rhyme-letters], and his capacity is from the presence of dominion; and "sovereign power" is an explanation of "all creation"

﴿ومن كونه ربا يرى الخلق كله يطالبه من حضرة الملك﴾

بضم الميم وسكون اللام عالم الشهادة . (والملك) بفتح الميم وسكون اللام عالم الملكوت

with ḍamma on the mīm and sukūn on the lām, [meaning] the world of witnessing (the sensory world); and (al-malak) with fatḥa on the mīm and sukūn on the lām, [meaning] the world of the Kingdom (al-malakūt)

﴿من حضرة الملك﴾

وهو الذي يستحقّه لأصل استعداده ويملكه ( والملك ) وهو الذي يستحقّه عند الظهور بأعماله وراثة لها . ويعجز عما طالبوه بذاته %~% لذا تر بعض العارفين به يبكي

which is what he deserves by the root of his preparedness (istiʿdād), and possesses it - (and sovereignty/mulk) which is what he deserves upon manifestation through his deeds, inheriting it. And he is powerless before what they demand of him by his essence, hence you see some of those who know Him weeping

﴿ويعجز عما طالبوه بذاته %~% لذا ترى بعض العارفين به يبكى﴾

Quotes words that differ from our text (wavy underline).

حذفت (التاء) للشعر، أو للتخفيف. وفي بعض النسخ

The (tāʾ) was dropped for the meter, or for ease of pronunciation. In some manuscripts [it reads differently].

﴿ويعجز عمّا طالبوه بذاته﴾

لأنّ القدرة إنّما هو للجمعيّة والإطلاق

for power belongs only to all-comprehensiveness (jamʿiyya) and absoluteness

﴿ويعجز عما طالبوه بذاته﴾

أي يكون ذلك العجز مسببة عن ذاته، فإن العجز والضعف من لوازم ذات الممكن

i.e., that incapacity is caused by his very essence, for incapacity and weakness are necessary concomitants of the essence of the possible existent (al-mumkin)

﴿ويعجز عما طالبوه بذاته %~% لذا تر بعض العارفين به يبكى﴾

( فمن كان عبدا يرى عين نفسه ) عاجزة وقاصرة عن إتيان الأمور وتتسع الآمال منه إلى موجده بلا شك ، ومن كونه ربا يرى الحق كله يطالبه من حضرة الملك )بالضم الشهادة ( والملك ) بالفتح عالم الملكوت ( ويعجز عما طالبوه بذاته ) بل يرجع في ذلك إلى ربه بخلاف ربوبية الحق فإنه بذاته قادر على ذلك ، فظهر الفرق من حيث كونه ربا ( لذا ) أي لأجل عجز العبد عما طالبوه منه ( به ) أي بهذا المعنى ( يبكى )

essence; / for this reason you may see some of the knowers weep on account of it.] (For whoever is a servant sees his very self) as incapable and falling short of accomplishing affairs, and hopes extending from him toward his Originator without doubt; and by virtue of being a lord he sees the Real in its entirety demanding of him — from the Presence of al-mulk (with ḍamma: the visible/testimonial realm) and al-malak (with fatḥa: the world of dominion, malakūt) (and he is incapable of what they demand of him in respect of his essence) — rather, he must turn back in that matter to his Lord, unlike the lordship of the Real, for He, by His very Essence, is capable of that. Thus the difference becomes manifest in respect of his being a lord. (For this) i.e. because of the servant's incapacity regarding what is demanded of him (on account of it) i.e. because of this meaning (he weeps).

Bālī Zāde's gloss, printed inside al-Qāshānī's commentary in the ibnalarabi.com text (line 3886); moved here

﴿لذا كان بعض العارفين به يبكى. … فكن عبد رب لا تكن رب عبده فتذهب بالتعليق في النار والسبك﴾

Quotes words that differ from our text (wavy underline).

أي، لا تظهر إلا بمقام العبودية، فإنه أشرف المقامات وأسلمها من الآفات. قال رضي الله عنه : (لا تدعني إلا بيا عبدها. فإنه أشرف أسمائي). ولا تظهر بمقام الربوبية، فإن الرب غيور، فيجعلك من أهل الويل والثبور، كما قال: (العظمة إزاري والكبرياء ردائي. فمن نازعني فيهما، أدخلته النار.) قوله: (فيذهب بالتعليق) أي، ملتبسا بالتعليق في النار. ف (الباء) باء الملابسة، أو باء السببية. أي، فتذهب بسبب تعلقك بالربوبية في النار، وتسبك فيها

That is, do not manifest except in the station of servanthood (ʿubūdiyya), for it is the noblest of stations and the safest from afflictions. He [the Shaykh], may God be pleased with him, said: "Do not call Me except by 'O His servant' (yā ʿabdahā), for it is the noblest of My names." And do not manifest in the station of lordship (rubūbiyya), for the Lord is jealous (ghayūr), and He would make you among the people of woe and ruin, as He said: "Greatness is My cloak and pride is My mantle; whoever contends with Me over them, I cast into the Fire." His words "lest you be swept away entangled" mean: entangled with [the attribute of] entanglement into the Fire. The (bāʾ) here is the bāʾ of accompaniment (mulābasa), or the bāʾ of causation (sababiyya) — that is, you are swept into the Fire because of your attachment (taʿalluq) to lordship, and you are smelted (tusbak) therein.

﴿لذا تر بعض العارفين به يبكي﴾

بحذف الياء من "ترى " تخفيفا ، وفي بعض النسخ « كذا كان » . فكن عبد رب لا تكن رب عبده %~% فتذهب بالتعليق في النار والسبك

- with the elision of the yā' from 'tarā' for abbreviation; in some copies it reads 'such it has been.' So be a servant of a Lord, do not be a lord of His servant, lest you perish through attachment in the fire and the smelting

﴿لذا تر﴾

مخفف تری لاستقامة الوزن

(tara) abbreviated for metrical correctness

﴿ترى بعض العارفين به﴾

Quotes words that differ from our text (wavy underline).

أي بهذا المعنى (يبكي) فإذن كان سلامتك في العبودية وافتك في الربوبية (فكن عبد ربه) أي فتظهر بالعبودية فتسلم عن عقوبات النار (لا ت?ن رب عبده) أي لا تظهر بمقام الربوبية التي ليست حقك وإل

that is, [know] this meaning, weeping. For if your safety lies in servanthood, and your ruin in lordship, (then be a servant of his Lord) that is, manifest through servanthood, so that you are safe from the punishments of the Fire; (and do not be a lord over his servant) that is, do not manifest through the station of lordship, which is not rightfully yours; otherwise...

﴿بعض العارفين به﴾

أي بالحق وبهذا الحكم (يبكي) لعدم تمكنه من الإتيان بما يطالب به

i.e., know the Real—and know this ruling—(weep), due to his inability to bring about what is demanded of him

﴿فكن عبد رب لا تكن رب عبده %~% فتذهب بالتعليق في النار والسبك﴾

أي التعذيب والإحراق بنار العشق والمطالبة والسبك ، لإفناء بقية الأنية المستلزمة للفقر ، فإن بقية الأنانية حجاب للغني الذاتي ، والباء في بالتعليق مثلها في قوله : "تَنْبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ " أي فتذهب ملتبسا بالتعليق

That is, [lest you be consumed by] chastisement and burning in the fire of passionate love ('ishq), [divine] demand, and smelting — for the annihilation of the remnant of selfhood (anniyya) that necessitates [spiritual] poverty (faqr); for the remnant of egohood is a veil over essential self-sufficiency (al-ghinā al-dhātī). The bā' in 'bi-l-taʿlīq' (through attachment) is like that in His saying 'tanbutu bi-l-duhn' [growing with/through oil] — meaning: lest you be consumed, enveloped in attachment.

﴿فكن عبد ربّ لا تكن ربّ عبده ، فتذهب بالتعليق في النار﴾

المفرّقة ( والسبك ) بها لإفناء غشّ القاذورات المستتبعة للإنيّة الفارقة ، وخلاص ذهب حقيقته العبديّة عنها . و "الباء" فيه على طريقة قوله تعالى: "تَنْبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ " أي : فتذهب متلبّسا بالتعليق . . %~%

of differentiation (and the smelting) by it, for the annihilation of the dross of impurities consequent upon the separating selfhood (al-inniyya), and the deliverance of the gold of his servant-hood reality from it. And the 'bā' in it follows the pattern of His saying, 'It brings forth with oil (tanbutu bi-l-duhn),' that is: 'so it perishes while being attached (muṭalabbisan bi-l-taʿlīq).'

﴿فكن عبد رب لا تكن رب عبد﴾

أي عبد الرب (فنذهب) عن مقام العبودية إلى مقام الربوبية أو تزول أو تضمحل حال كونك ملتبس

i.e., be a servant of the Lord (lest you be consumed)—departing from the station of servanthood to the station of lordship, or vanishing, or dissolving, while being clothed

﴿فكن عبد رب لا تكن رب عبده %~% فتذهب بالتعليق في النار والسبك﴾

فاذا كانت سلامتك في العبودية و آفتك في الربوبية (فكن عبد رب لا تكن رب عبده فتذهب بالتعليق في النار و السبك) أي ضيق ومشقة لعجزه عند المطالبة بالأشياء عن إتيانها

attachment, into fire and smelting.] So since your safety lies in servanthood and your affliction lies in lordship, (so be a servant of a Lord; do not be a lord of His servant, lest you go, through [such] attachment, into fire and smelting) — that is, into constriction and hardship, due to his incapacity when demanded to bring things into being.

Bālī Zāde's gloss, printed inside al-Qāshānī's commentary in the ibnalarabi.com text (line 3896); moved here

﴿بالتعليق في النار﴾

أي نار الحرمان من إنجاح آمال الآملين. (والسبك) ، أي ملتبسا بالسبك، أي الإذابة فيها ولهذه الأبيات احتمالات أخر غير ذلك وليس المراد بما ذكرنا انحصار المراد فيه وبالله التوفيق

i.e., the fire of deprivation from the fulfillment of the hopes of those who hope, (and the smelting), i.e., clothed in smelting, that is, dissolution within it. These verses admit of other possible interpretations besides this, and what we have mentioned is not meant to exclude other meanings. And with God is success.

﴿فتذهب بالتعليق في النار والسبك﴾

أي تدخل في نار جهنم وتسبك فيها لتخليصك عن هذه الصفة

that is, you will enter the fire of Hell and be smelted in it in order to be purified of this attribute