The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. Chapter 25 · Aphorisms 238–263

   ¶ 238⋯
   مَنْwhoeverأَثْبَتَaffirms, ascribesلِنَفْسِهِto himselfتَوَاضُعًاhumilityفَهُوَthen he (is)الْمُتَكَبِّرُthe proud oneحَقًّاin truth, trulyاِذْsince, forلَيْسَis notالتَّوَاضُعُhumilityاِلَّاexcept, onlyعَنْfrom, proceeding fromرِفْعَةٍa height, elevationفَمَتَىso wheneverأَثْبَتَّyou affirmلِنَفْسِكَto yourselfتَوَاضُعًاhumilityفَاَنْتَthen you (are)الْمُتَكَبِّرُthe proud one

   Whoever affirms humility of himself is in truth the proud one, since humility can only proceed from a height. So whenever you affirm humility of yourself, you are the proud one.

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2. ¶ 239⋯
   لَيْسَis notالْمُتَوَاضِعُthe humble oneالَّذِىhe whoاِذَاwhenتَوَاضَعَhe humbles himselfرَأَىhe considersأَنَّهُthat he (is)فَوْقَaboveمَاصَنَعَwhat he didوَلَكِنَّbut ratherالْمُتَوَاضِعَthe humble oneالَّذِىhe whoاِذَاwhenتَوَاضَعَhe humbles himselfرَأَىhe considersأَنَّهُthat he (is)دُونَbeneath, belowمَاصَنَعَwhat he did

   The humble one is not he who, when he humbles himself, considers himself to be above what he has done; rather, the humble one is he who, when he humbles himself, considers himself to be beneath what he has done.

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3. ¶ 240⋯
   التَّوَاضُعُhumility, self-loweringالحَقِيقِىُّtrue, realهُوَit (copula)مَاthat whichكَانَis, wasنَاشِئًاspringing, arisingعَنْfromشُهُودِwitnessingعَظَمَتِهِHis majesty, greatnessوَتَجَلِّىand self-disclosure, manifestationصِفَتِهِHis attribute

   True humility is that which springs from witnessing His majesty and the self-disclosure of His attribute.

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4. ¶ 241⋯
   لَاnothing (does not)يُخْرِجُكَbrings you outعَنِfrom, out ofالْوَصْفِthe attribute (your own)اِلَّاexceptشُهُودُwitnessingالْوَصْفِthe attribute (God's)

   Nothing will bring you out of [your own] attribute except the witnessing of [His] attribute.

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5. ¶ 242⋯
   الْمُؤْمِنُthe believerيَشْغَلُهُoccupies him, keeps him busyالثَّنَاءُpraise, laudationعَلَىupon, of (praise of)اللَّهِGodتَعَالَىexalted is Heعَنْfrom, away fromأَنْthat (subordinator)يَكُونَ(that) he beلِنَفْسِهِto himself, to his selfشَاكِرًاgrateful, thankingوَتَشْغَلُهُand occupies himحُقُوقُrights, dues (owed)اللَّهِGodعَنْfrom, away fromأَنْthat (subordinator)يَكُونَ(that) he beلِحُظُوظِهِhis own shares, self-interestsذَاكِرًاmindful, remembering

   The believer is so occupied with praising God, exalted is He, that he has no room to be grateful to himself; and so occupied with what is due to God that he has no room to be mindful of his own shares.

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6. ¶ 243⋯
   لَيْسَis notالْمُحِبُّthe loverالَّذِىthe one whoيَرْجُوhopes forمِنْfromمَحْبُوبِهِhis belovedعِوَضًاrecompense, compensationوَلَاnorيَطْلُبُseeksمِنْهُfrom himغَرَضًاan end, a purposeفَاِنَّfor indeedالْمُحِبَّthe loverمَنْthe one whoيَبْذُلُspends (himself), gives freelyلَكَfor youلَيْسَis notالْمُحِبُّthe loverمَنْthe one whomتَبْذُلُyou spend (on)لَهُfor him

   The lover is not one who hopes for some recompense from his beloved, or who seeks some end from him. For the lover is the one who spends himself for you; the lover is not the one for whom you spend.

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7. ¶ 244⋯
   لَوْلَاwere it not forمَيَادِينُarenas, fields of combatالنُّفُوسِthe souls (lower selves)مَاnot (negation)تَحَقَّقَwould be realizedسَيْرُjourneying, travelالسَّائِرِينَthe wayfarersاِذْsince, forلَاthere is noمَسَافَةَdistanceبَيْنَكَbetween youوَبَيْنَهُand Himحَتَّىso thatتَطْوِيَهَاtraverse, fold upرِحْلَتُكَyour journeyوَلَاand there is noقُطْعَةَseverance, separationبَيْنَكَbetween youوَبَيْنَهُand Himحَتَّىso thatتَمْحُوَهَاefface, eraseوُصْلَتُكَyour union, joining

   Were it not for the arenas of the souls, the journeying of the wayfarers would have no real existence; for there is no distance between you and Him for your travel to traverse, and no severance between you and Him for your union to efface.

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8. ¶ 245⋯
   جَعَلَكَHe placed youفِىinالْعَالَمِthe worldالْمُتَوَسِّطِintermediate, middleبَيْنَbetweenمُلْكِهِHis visible dominionوَمَلَكُوتِهِHis invisible kingdomلِيُعْلِمَكَto make you knowجَلَالَةَthe majestyقَدْرِكَyour rank, worthبَيْنَamongمَخْلُوقَاتِهِHis creaturesوَأَنَّكَand that youجَوْهَرَةٌa jewel, pearlتَنْطَوِىare folded overعَلَيْكَupon youأَصْدَافُthe shellsمُكَوَّنَاتِهِHis engendered beings

   He placed you in the intermediate world, between His visible dominion (mulk) and His invisible kingdom (malakūt), to teach you the majesty of your rank among His creatures, and that you are a pearl enfolded within the shells of the things He has brought into being.

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9. ¶ 246⋯
   اِنَّمَاonly, solelyوَسِعَكَhas contained youالْكَوْنُthe created worldمِنْin (respect of)حَيْثُrespect, aspectجُثْمَانِيَّتِكَyour bodily natureوَلَمْand did notيَسَعْكَcontain you (from wasiʿa)مِنْin (respect of)حَيْثُrespect, aspectثُبُوتِestablished reality, permanenceرُوحَانِيَّتِكَyour spiritual nature

   The created world contains you only in respect of your bodily nature; it does not contain you in respect of the established reality of your spiritual nature.

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10. ¶ 247⋯
    الْكَائِنُone who dwells, existsفِىin, withinالْكَوْنِcreated being, the worldوَلَمْand not (yet)تُفْتَحْbeen openedلَهُto him, for himمَيَادِينُopen fields, arenasالْغُيُوبِof the unseen realmsمَسْجُونٌimprisoned, a prisonerبِمُحِيطَاتِهِby his surroundingsوَمَحْصُورٌand confined, hemmed inفِىin, withinهَيْكَلِframe, bodily structureذَاتِهِof his self

    One who dwells within the world of created things, and for whom the open fields of the unseen realms have not been opened, is a prisoner of what surrounds him and confined within the temple-frame of his own self.

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11. ¶ 248⋯
    أَنْتَyouمَعَwith (bound to)الْاَكْوَانِthe created thingsمَالَمْso long as notتَشْهَدِyou witnessالْمُكَوِّنَthe Bringer-into-beingفَاِذَاbut whenشَهِدْتَهُyou witness Himكَانَتِare (become)الْاَكْوَانُthe created thingsمَعَكَwith you (subject)

    You are with the created things so long as you do not witness their Creator; but once you witness Him, the created things are with you.

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12. ¶ 249⋯
    لَاnotيَلْزَمُfollow necessarilyمِنْfromثُبُوتِestablishmentالْخُصُوصِيَّةِspecial electionعَدَمُabsenceوَصْفِattributeالْبَشَرِيَّةِhuman natureاِنَّمَاrather, onlyمَثَلُlikenessالْخُصُوصِيَّةِspecial electionكَاِشْرَاقِlike the risingشَمْسِsunالنَّهَارِdaytimeظَهَرَتْappearedفِىin, onالْاُفُقِthe horizonوَلَيْسَتْand is notمِنْهُof itتَارَةًat timesتُشْرِقُrise, shineشُمُوسُsunsأَوْصَافِهِHis attributesعَلَىuponلَيْلِnightوُجُودِكَyour existenceوَتَارَةًand at timesيَقْبِضُwithdraws, contractsذَلِكَthatعَنْكَfrom youفَيَرُدُّكَand returns youاِلَىtoحُدُودِكَyour limitsفَالنَّهَارُso the daylightلَيْسَis notمِنْكَfrom youوَاِلَيْكَnor belongs to youوَلَكِنَّهُbut itوَارِدٌan inrush, arrivingعَلَيْكَupon you

    That special election is established in someone does not mean that the attribute of human nature is gone. Special election is like the rising of the daytime sun. It appears on the horizon, yet it is not of the horizon. At times the suns of His attributes rise upon the night of your existence. At times He withdraws that from you and returns you to your own limits. So the daylight does not come from you, nor does it belong to you. It is an inrush that comes upon you.

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13. ¶ 250⋯
    دَلَّHe pointed, indicatedبِوُجُودِby the existence ofآثَارِهِHis tracesعَلَىtoوُجُودِthe existence ofأَسْمَائِهِHis Namesوَبِوُجُودِand by the existence ofأَسْمَائِهِHis Namesعَلَىtoثُبُوتِestablished reality ofأَوْصَافِهِHis Attributesوَبِثُبُوتِand by the established realityأَوْصَافِهِHis Attributesعَلَىtoوُجُودِthe existence ofذَاتِهِHis Essenceاِذْsinceمُحَالٌimpossibleأَنْthatيَقُومَsubsistالْوَصْفُthe attributeبِنَفْسِهِby itselfفَأَرْبَابُthe people (masters) ofالْجَذْبِdivine attractionيُكْشَفُis unveiledلَهُمْto themعَنْ(unveiling) ofكَمَالِthe perfection ofذَاتِهِHis EssenceثُمَّthenيَرُدُّهُمْHe turns them backاِلَىtoشُهُودِwitnessing ofصِفَاتِهِHis AttributesثُمَّthenيُرْجِعُهُمْHe returns themاِلَىtoالتَّعَلُّقِattachment, clingingبِأَسْمَائِهِto His NamesثُمَّthenيَرُدُّهُمْHe turns them backاِلَىtoشُهُودِwitnessing ofآثَارِهِHis tracesوَالسَّالِكُونَand the wayfarersعَلَى(are) uponعَكْسِthe reverse ofهَذَاthisفَنِهَايَةُso the end ofالسَّالِكِينَthe wayfarersبِدَايَةُthe beginning ofالْمَجْذُوبِينَthe attracted onesوَبِدَايَةُand the beginning ofالسَّالِكِينَthe wayfarersنِهَايَةُthe end ofالْمَجْذُوبِينَthe attracted onesلَكِنْbutلَاnotبِمَعْنًىin a senseوَاحِدٍthe same, singleفَرُبَّمَاand perhapsالْتَقَيَاthe two meetفِىonالطَّرِيقِthe pathهَذَاthis oneفِىinتَرَقِّيهِhis ascentوَهَذَاand that oneفِىinتَدَلِّيهِhis descent

    By the existence of His traces He pointed to the existence of His Names; by the existence of His Names, to the established reality of His Attributes; and by the established reality of His Attributes, to the existence of His Essence, since an attribute cannot subsist by itself. For the people of attraction, the perfection of His Essence is unveiled to them first. He then turns them back to the witnessing of His Attributes, then returns them to attachment to His Names, then turns them back to the witnessing of His traces. With the wayfarers it is the reverse. The end of the wayfarers is the beginning of the attracted, and the beginning of the wayfarers is the end of the attracted, but not in the same sense. The two may meet on the path, the one in his ascent and the other in his descent.

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14. ¶ 251⋯

    لَا يُعْلَمُ قَدْرُ أَنْوَارِ الْقُلُوبِ وَالاَسْرَارِ اِلَّا فِى غَيْبِ الْمَلَكُوتِ كَمَا لَا تَظْهَرُ أَنْوَارُ السَّمَاءِ اِلَّا فِى شَهَادَةِ الْمُلْكِ

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15. ¶ 252⋯

    وِجْدَانُ ثَمَرَاتِ الطَّاعَاتِ عَاجِلًا بَشَائِرُ الْعَامِلِينَ بِوُجُودِ الْجَزَاءِ عَلَيْهَا عَاجِلًا

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16. ¶ 253⋯

    كَيْفَ تَطْلُبُ الْعِوَضَ عَلَى عَمَلٍ هُوَ مُتَصَدَّقٌ بِهِ عَلَيْكَ أَمْ كَيْفَ تَطْلُبُ الْجَزَاءَ عَلَى صِدْقٍ هُوَ مُهْدِيهِ اِلَيْكَ

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17. ¶ 254⋯

    قَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ أَنْوَارُهُمْ أَذْكَارَهُمْ وَقَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ أَذْكَارُهُمْ أَنْوَارَهُمْ وَقَوْمٌ تَتَسَاوَى أَذْكَارُهُمْ وَأَنْوَارُهُمْ وَقَوْمٌ لَا أَذْكَارَ وَلَا أَنْوَارَ نَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ذَاكِرٌ ذَكَرَ لِيَسْتَنِيرَ بِهِ قَلْبُهُ فَكَانَ ذَاكِرًا وَذَاكِرٌ اسْتَنَارَ قَلْبُهُ فَكَانَ ذَاكِرًا وَالَّذِى اسْتَوَتْ أَذْكَارُهُ وَأَنْوَارُهُ فَبِذِكْرِهِ يُهْتَدَى وَبِنُورِهِ يُقْتَدَى

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18. ¶ 255⋯

    مَا كَانَ ظَاهِرُ ذِكْرٍ اِلَّا عَنْ بَاطِنِ شُهُودٍ وَفِكْرٍ

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19. ¶ 256⋯

    أَشْهَدَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَسْتَشْهِدَكَ فَنَطَقَتْ بِاِلَهِيَّتِهِ الظَّوَاهِرُ وَتَحَقَّقَتْ بِأَحَدِيَّتِهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالسَّرَائِرُ

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20. ¶ 257⋯

    أَكْرَمَكَ بِكَرَامَاتٍ ثَلَاثٍ جَعَلَكَ ذَاكِرًا لَهُ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُهُ لَمْ تَكُنْ أَهْلًا لِجَرَيَانِ ذِكْرِهِ عَلَيْكَ وَجَعَلَكَ مَذْكُورًا بِهِ اِذْ حَقَّقَ نِسْبَتَهُ لَدَيْكَ وَجَعَلَكَ مَذْكُورًا عِنْدَهُ فَتَمَّمَ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ

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21. ¶ 258⋯

    رُبَّ عُمُرٍ اتَّسَعَتْ آمَادُهُ وَقَلَّتْ أَمْدَادُهُ وَرُبَّ عُمُرٍ قَلِيلَةٍ آمَادُهُ كَثِيرَةٍ أَمْدَادُهُ

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22. ¶ 259⋯

    مَنْ بُورِكَ لَهُ فِى عُمُرِهِ أَدْرَكَ فِى يَسِيرٍ مِنَ الزَّمَنِ مِنْ مِنَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى مَا لَا يَدْخُلُ تَحْتَ دَوَائِرِ الْعِبَارَةِ وَلَا تَلْحَقُهُ الْاِشَارَةُ

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23. ¶ 260⋯

    الْخِذْلَانُ كُلُّ الْخِذْلَانِ أَنْ تَتَفَرَّغَ مِنَ الشَّوَاغِلِ ثُمَّ لَا تَتَوَجَّهَ اِلَيْهِ وَتَقِلَّ عَوَائِقُكَ ثُمَّ لَا تَرْحَلَ اِلَيْهِ

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24. ¶ 261⋯

    الفِكْرَةُ سَيْرُ القَلْبِ فِى مَيَادِينِ الاَغْيَارِ

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25. ¶ 262⋯

    الْفِكْرَةُ سِرَاجُ الْقَلْبِ فَاِذَا ذَهَبَتْ فَلَا اِضَاءَةَ لَهُ

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26. ¶ 263⋯

    الْفِكْرَةُ فِكْرَتَانِ فِكْرَةُ تَصْدِيقٍ وَاِيمَانٍ وَفِكْرَةُ شُهُودٍ وَعِيَانٍ فَالْأُولَى لِاَرْبَابِ الِاعْتِبَارِ وَالثَّانِيَةُ لِاَرْبَابِ الشُّهُودِ وَالِاسْتِبْصَارِ

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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.