The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. Chapter 4 · Aphorisms 39–43

   ¶ 39⋯
   لَاlet notتَتَعَدَّنِيَّهُpass beyond / the intent (of)هِمَّتِكَyour aspirationاِلَىtoغَيْرِهِother than Himفَالْكَرِيمُfor the Generous Oneلَاnotتَتَخَطَّاهُgo past Himالْآمَالُhopes

   Let not the intent of your aspiration pass beyond Him to anything other than Him, for hopes do not go past the Generous One.

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2. ¶ 40⋯
   لَاdo not (prohibition)تَرْفَعَنَّraise, present (emphatic)الَىtoغَيْرِهِother than Himحَاجَةًa needهُوَHe (God)مُورِدُهَاthe One bringing itعَلَيْكَupon youفَكَيْفَso howيَرْفَعُlift, removeغَيْرُهُone other than HimمَاwhatكَانَwasهُوَHeلَهُfor itوَاضِعًاsetting down, placingمَنْwhoeverلَاnotيَسْتَطِيعُis ableأَنْtoيَرْفَعَlift, removeحَاجَةًa needعَنْfromنَفْسِهِhimselfفَكَيْفَso howيَسْتَطِيعُcould he be ableأَنْtoيَكُونَbeلَهَاfor itعَنْfromغَيْرِهِanotherرَافِعًاthe one lifting it

   Never raise to anyone other than Him a need that He Himself has brought upon you. How could another lift what He has set down? And he who cannot lift a need from himself, how could he lift it from another?

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3. ¶ 41⋯
   اِنْifلَمْdo not (negation)تُحَسِّنْmake good, think wellظَنَّكَyour opinion, assumptionبِهِof Himلِأَجْلِfor the sake ofحُسْنِbeauty, excellenceوَصْفِهِHis attribute(s)فَحَسِّنْthen think wellظَنَّكَyour opinion ofبِهِof Himلِوُجُودِbecause of the factمُعَامَلَتِهِHis dealing, treatmentمَعَكَwith youفَهَلْthen has... ?عَوَّدَكَaccustomed youاِلَّاanything butحَسَنًاgood, kindnessوَهَلْand has... ?أَسْدَىbestowed, conferredاِلَيْكَupon youاِلَّاanything butمِنَنًاgracious gifts

   If you do not think well of Him because of the beauty of His attributes, then think well of Him because of the way He has dealt with you. Has He accustomed you to anything but good? Has He bestowed upon you anything but gracious gifts?

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4. ¶ 42⋯
   الْعَجَبُwonder, astonishmentكُلُّall, utmostالْعَجَبِof wonderمِمَّنْat the one whoيَهْرُبُflees, runs awayمِمَّنْfrom Him whomلَاthere is noانْفِكَاكَseparation, disengagementلَهُfor himعَنْهُfrom Himوَيَطْلُبُand seeksمَاthat whichلَاthere is noبَقَاءَpermanence, abidingلَهُfor itمَعَهُalong with Himفَإِنَّهَاfor truly itلَاnotتَعْمَىare blindالْابْصَارُthe eyesالْآيَةَ(to the end of) the verse

   Wonder of all wonders is the one who flees from Him from whom there is no separation, and seeks what will not last with him! "For truly it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts within the breasts" (Qurʾān 22:46).

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5. ¶ 43⋯
   لَاdo notتَرْحَلْtravel, journeyمِنْfromكَوْنٍa created thingاِلَىtoكَوْنٍ(another) created thingفَتَكُونَand so you would beكَحِمَارِlike the donkeyالرَّحَاof the millstoneيَسِيرُmoves, walks alongوَالْمَكَانُand the placeالَّذِىwhichارْتَحَلَit traveledاِلَيْهِto itهُوَis (itself)الَّذِىthe one whichارْتَحَلَit set outمِنْهُfrom itوَلَكِنِbut ratherارْحَلْtravel!مِنَfromالْأَكْوَانِthe created thingsاِلَىtoالْمُكَوِّنِthe Maker of beingوَأَنَّand that (indeed)اِلَىtoرَبِّكَyour Lordالْمُنْتَهَىis the final endوَانْظُرْand considerاِلَىtoقَوْلِهِhis sayingصَلَّىmay (God) blessاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant peaceفَمَنْso whoeverكَانَتْwasهِجْرَتُهُhis emigrationاِلَىtoاللَّهِGodوَرَسُولِهِand His Messengerفَهِجْرَتُهُthen his emigrationاِلَىis toاللَّهِGodوَرَسُولِهِand His Messengerوَمَنْand whoeverكَانَتْwasهِجْرَتُهُhis emigrationاِلَىtoدُنْيَاworldly gainيُصِيبُهَاhe would obtainأَوِorامْرَأَةٍa womanيَتَزَوَّجُهَاhe would marryفَهِجْرَتُهُthen his emigrationاِلَىis toمَاthat whichهَاجَرَhe emigratedاِلَيْهِto itفَافْهَمْso understandقَوْلَهُhis sayingعَلَيْهِupon himالصَّلَاةُblessingوَالسَّلَامُand peaceوَتَأَمَّلْand reflect onهَذَاthisالْاَمْرَmatterاِنْifكُنْتَyou areذَاpossessor ofفَهْمٍunderstanding

   Do not travel from one created thing to another created thing, for then you will be like the donkey at the millstone: it keeps moving, yet the place it travels to is the very place it set out from. Rather, travel from the created things to the Maker of things: "and that to your Lord is the final end" (Q 53:42). And consider his saying (God bless him and grant him peace): "So whoever's emigration is to God and His Messenger, his emigration is to God and His Messenger; and whoever's emigration is to some worldly gain he would attain, or to a woman he would marry, his emigration is to that for which he emigrated." So understand his saying (upon him be blessing and peace), and reflect on this matter, if you are one possessed of understanding.

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