The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. Chapter 8 · Aphorisms 70–75

   ¶ 70⋯
   قَلَّمَاseldom, rarelyتَكُونُcome, occurالْوَارِدَاتُinrushes, spiritual visitationsالْاِلَهِيَّةُdivineاِلَّاexceptبَغْتَةًsuddenly, unexpectedlyلِئَلَّاlest, so that notيَدَّعِيَهَاlay claim to themالْعِبَادُservants (of God)بِوُجُودِon grounds of existenceالِاسْتِعْدَادِpreparedness, readiness

   Divine inrushes seldom come except suddenly, lest servants lay claim to them on the grounds that they possessed the preparedness for them.

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2. ¶ 71⋯
   مَنْwhomeverرَأَيْتَهُyou see himمُجِيبًاansweringعَنْabout, toكُلِّevery, allمَاthat whichسُئِلَhe was askedوَمُعَبِّرًاand giving expressionعَنْto, aboutكُلِّevery, allمَاthat whichشَهِدَhe witnessedوَذَاكِرًاand mentioningكُلَّevery, allمَاthat whichعَلِمَhe knewفَاسْتَدِلَّthen infer, take as evidenceبِذَلِكَfrom thatعَلَىof, forوُجُودِpresence, existenceجَهْلِهِhis ignorance

   Whomever you see answering everything he is asked, giving expression to everything he witnesses, and mentioning everything he knows, take that as evidence of the presence of his ignorance.

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3. ¶ 72⋯
   اِنَّمَاonly (restrictive)جَعَلَHe madeالدَّارَthe abodeالْآخِرَةَthe Hereafterمَحَلًّاa place, locusلِجَزَاءِfor the recompenseعِبَادِهِHis servantsالْمُؤْمِنِينَthe believersلِانَّbecauseهَذِهِthisالدَّارَabode (this world)لَاnotتَسَعُit contains, holdsمَاwhatيُرِيدُHe wishesأَنْto (that)يُعْطِيَهُمْgive themوَلِانَّهُand because Heأَجَلَّheld too exaltedأَقْدَارَهُمْtheir rank, worthعَنْabove, beyondأَنْthatيُجَازِيَهُمْHe recompense themفِىinدَارٍan abodeلَاnoبَقَاءَpermanence, lastingلَهَاto it (has)

   He has made the Abode of the Hereafter the place for recompensing His believing servants only because this abode cannot contain what He wishes to give them, and because He holds their rank too exalted to recompense them in an abode that has no permanence.

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4. ¶ 73⋯
   مَنْwhoeverوَجَدَfinds, experiencesثَمَرَةَfruitعَمَلِهِhis (pious) workعَاجِلًاhere and now, immediatelyفَهُوَthen it (is)دَلِيلٌsign, indicationعَلَىof, pointing toوُجُودِexistence, presenceالْقَبُولِ(divine) acceptanceآجِلًاlater, in the hereafter

   Whoever finds the fruit of his work here and now, that is a sign that acceptance awaits it in the hereafter.

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5. ¶ 74⋯
   اِذَاif, whenأَرَدْتَyou want, wishأَنْto (that)تَعْرِفَknow, recognizeقَدْرَكَyour worth, standingعِنْدَهُwith Him, in His sightفَانْظُرْthen look, considerفِيمَاذَاin what (thing)يُقِيمُكَHe establishes you, keeps you engaged

   If you want to know your worth with Him, look at what He keeps you occupied in.

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6. ¶ 75⋯
   مَتَىwheneverرَزَقَكَHe grants youالطَّاعَةَobedienceوَالْغِنَىand sufficiencyبِهِin Himعَنْهَاfrom it (obedience)فَاعْلَمْthen knowأَنَّهُthat Heقَدْhas indeedأَسْبَغَlavished, poured fullyعَلَيْكَupon youنِعَمَهُHis gracesظَاهِرَةًoutwardوَبَاطِنَةًand inward

   Whenever He grants you obedience, together with sufficiency in Him that frees you from reliance on it, know that He has lavished His graces upon you, outward and inward.

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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.