The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. Chapter 18 · Aphorisms 168–172

   ¶ 168⋯
   لَاlet not (prohibitive)يَكُنْbeطَلَبُكَyour asking, petitionتَسَبُّبًاa means, using as causeالَىto, towardالْعَطَاءِthe gift, bestowalمِنْهُfrom Himفَيَقِلَّlest it diminishفَهْمُكَyour understandingعَنْهُof Him (from Him)وَلْيَكُنْrather let beطَلَبُكَyour askingلِاظْهَارِfor displaying, manifestingالْعُبُودِيَّةِservanthoodوَقِيَامًاand as fulfilmentبِحُقُوقِof the rights, duesالرُّبُوبِيَّةِLordship

   Let not your asking be a means of obtaining the gift from Him, lest your understanding of Him grow scant; rather, let your asking be for the sake of displaying servanthood and as a fulfilment of what is due to Lordship.

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2. ¶ 169⋯
   كَيْفَhowيَكُونُcould beطَلَبُكَyour request, askingاللَّاحِقُsubsequent, coming laterسَبَبًاcause, meansفِىof, inعَطَائِهِHis giving, His giftالسَّابِقِprior, precedingجَلَّtoo exalted isحُكْمُdecree, rulingالْاَزَلِpre-eternityأَنْto (be)يَنْضَافَbe attached, be joinedاِلَىtoالْعِلَلِcauses, occasioning reasons

   How could your request, which comes later, be a cause of His giving, which came before? Too exalted is the decree of pre-eternity to be attached to causes.

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3. ¶ 170⋯
   عِنَايَتُهُHis solicitude, providential careفِيكَfor you, toward youلَاnotلِشَئٍon account of anythingمِنْكَfrom youوَأَيْنَand whereكُنْتَwere youحِينَwhenوَاجَهَتْكَturned its face toward youعِنَايَتُهُHis solicitudeوَقَابَلَتْكَand came to meet youرِعَايَتُهُHis watchful careلَمْ(negation, past)يَكُنْthere was (not)فِىinأَزَلِهِHis beginningless eternityاِخْلَاصُsincerity, purity of intentionأَعْمَالٍof works, deedsوَلَاnorوُجُودُexistence, presenceأَحْوَالٍof spiritual statesبَلْrather, indeedلَمْ(negation, past)يَكُنْthere was (nothing)هُنَاكَthere, in that realmاِلَّاexcept, butمَحْضُsheer, pureالْاِفْضَالِbestowal of bountyوَعَظِيمُand immenseالنَّوَالِlargesse, gift-giving

   His solicitude for you is not on account of anything from you. Where were you when His solicitude turned its face toward you and His watchful care came forth to meet you? In His beginningless eternity there was neither sincerity of works nor the existence of states; rather, there was nothing there but sheer bestowal of bounty and immense largesse.

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4. ¶ 171⋯
   عَلِمَHe knewأَنَّthatالْعِبَادَthe servantsيَتَشَوَّفُونَlong, crane eagerlyاِلَىtowardظُهُورِthe manifesting ofسِرِّsecret, hidden realityالْعِنَايَةِspecial providence, divine careفَقَالَso He saidيَخْتَصُّHe singles outبِرَحْمَتِهِfor His mercyمَنْwhomeverيَشَاءُHe willsوَعَلِمَand He knewأَنَّهُthat, were HeلَوْifخَلَّاهُمْHe left them aloneوَذَلِكَwith that (alone)لَتَرَكُواthey would abandonالْعَمَلَ(pious) worksاعْتِمَادًاrelyingعَلَىuponالْاَزَلِpre-eternity (the prior decree)فَقَالَso He saidاِنَّtrulyرَحْمَةَthe mercyاللّٰهِof Godقَرِيبٌnearمِنَtoالْمُحْسِنِينَthose who do beautifully

   He knew that His servants would long to see the secret of [His] special providence made manifest, so He said: "He singles out for His mercy whom He wills" [Q 2:105; 3:74]. And He knew that, were He to leave them to that alone, they would abandon works, relying on [what was settled in] pre-eternity; so He said: "Truly the mercy of God is near to those who do what is beautiful" [Q 7:56].

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5. ¶ 172⋯
   اِلَىupon, toالْمَشِيئَةِthe (divine) Willيَسْتَنِدُrests, leansكُلُّevery, allشَئٍthingوَلَيْسَتْand it does notتَسْتَنِدُrest, leanهِىَit (the Will)اِلَىupon, toشَئٍanything

   Everything rests upon the Will, but the Will itself rests upon nothing.

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Translations, word glosses and term notes are AI-generated (Claude) and marked as such; no published translation is reproduced.Word analysis is automatic (CAMeL Tools), guided by the text's vowelling. How this text was established.