The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. The four letters (al-mukātabāt)

   ¶ 264⋯
   أَمَّاas forبَعْدُafter (to proceed)فَاِنَّindeedالْبِدَايَاتِbeginningsمَجَلَّاتُplaces of manifestationالنِّهَايَاتِendingsوَاِنَّand indeedمَنْwhoeverكَانَتْwasبِاللَّهِby Godبِدَايَتُهُhis beginningكَانَتْwill beاِلَيْهِto Himنِهَايَتُهُhis endingوَالْمُشْتَغَلُwhat one is occupied withبِهِwith itهُوَit isالَّذِىthat whichأَحْبَبْتَهُyou loved itوَسَارَعْتَand you hastenedاِلَيْهِtoward itوَالْمُشْتَغَلُwhat one is distracted fromعَنْهُfrom itهُوَit isالْمُؤْثَرُthe one passed overعَلَيْهِin favour of (another)وَاِنَّand indeedمَنْwhoeverأَيْقَنَis certainأَنَّthatاللَّهَGodيَطْلُبُهُseeks himصَدَقَbecomes sincereالطَّلَبُseekingاِلَيْهِtoward Himوَمَنْand whoeverعَلِمَknowsأَنَّthatالْاُمُورَaffairsبِيَدِin the handاللَّهِof Godاِنْجَمَعَgathers himself togetherبِالتَّوَكُّلِthrough trustعَلَيْهِin Himوَاِنَّهُand indeed itلَابُدَّis inevitableلِبِنَاءِfor the edificeهَذَاthisالْوُجُودِexistenceأَنْthatتَنْهَدِمَbe torn downدَعَائِمُهُits pillarsوَأَنْand thatتُسْلَبَbe stripped awayكَرَائِمُهُits precious thingsفَالْعَاقِلُthe intelligent oneمَنْis he whoكَانَisبِمَاin whatهُوَitأَبْقَىmore lastingأَفْرَحَmore joyfulمِنْهُthan he isبِمَاin whatهُوَitيَفْنَىpasses awayقَدْ(has) alreadyأَشْرَقَdawnedنُورُهُhis lightوَظَهَرَتْand appearedتَبَاشِيرُهُits first glimmersفَصَرَفَso he turnedعَنْfromهَذِهِthisالدَّارِabode (world)مُغْضِيًاwith lowered eyesوَأَعْرَضَand turned awayعَنْهَاfrom itمُوَلِّيًاturning his backفَلَمْand did notيَتَّخِذْهَاtake itوَطَنًاas homelandوَلَاnorجَعَلَهَاmade itسَكَنًاa dwellingبَلْratherأَنْهَضَrousedالْهِمَّةَaspirationفِيهَاin itاِلَىtowardاللَّهِGodتَعَالَىMost Highوَسَارَand journeyedفِيهَاthrough itمُسْتَعِينًاseeking helpبِهِfrom Himفِىinالْقُدُومِcomingعَلَيْهِbefore Himفَمَاnotزَالَتْceasedمَطِيَّةُthe mountعَزْمِهِof his resolveلَاnotيَقِرُّsettlesقَرَارُهَاits restingدَائِمًاeverتَسْيَارُهَاits journeyingاِلَىuntilأَنْthatأَنَاخَتْit knelt downبِحَضْرَةِat the Presenceالْقُدْسِof Holinessوَبِسَاطِand carpetالْاُنْسِof intimacyمَحَلِّplaceالْمُفَاتَحَةِopening converseوَالْمُوَاجَهَةِface-to-face encounterوَالْمُجَالَسَةِsitting in companyوَالْمُحَادَثَةِintimate discourseوَالْمُشَاهَدَةِwitnessingوَالْمُطَالَعَةِbeholdingفَصَارَتِso becameالْحَضْرَةُthe Presenceمُعَشَّشَnestقُلُوبِهِمْof their heartsاِلَيْهَاto itيَأْوُونَthey take refugeوَفِيهَاand in itيَسْكُنُونَthey dwellفَاِذَاso whenنَزَلُواthey descendاِلَىtoسَمَاءِheavenالْحُقُوقِof rights (duties)أَوْorأَرْضِearthالْحُظُوظِof portions (shares)فَبِالْاِذْنِby permissionوَالتَّمْكِينِfirm establishmentوَالرُّسُوخِrootednessفِىinالْيَقِينِcertaintyفَلَمْand did notيَنْزِلُواthey descendاِلَىtoالْحُقُوقِthe rightsبِسُوءِwith illالْأَدَبِcourtesyوَالْغَفْلَةِand heedlessnessوَلَاnorاِلَىtoالْحُظُوظِthe portionsبِالشَّهْوَةِwith appetiteوَالْمُتْعَةِand enjoymentبَلْratherدَخَلُواthey enteredفِىintoذَلِكَthatبِاللَّهِby Godوَلِلَّهِand for Godوَمِنَand fromاللَّهِGodوَاِلَىand towardاللَّهِGodوَقُلْand sayرَبِّmy Lordأَدْخِلْنِىmake me enterمُدْخَلَan entryصِدْقٍof truthfulnessوَأَخْرِجْنِىand bring me outمُخْرَجَan exitصِدْقٍof truthfulnessلِيَكُونَso that beنَظَرِىmy gazeاِلَىuponحَوْلِكَYour mightوَقُوَّتِكَand Your powerاِذَاwhenأَدْخَلْتَنِىYou bring me inوَاسْتِسْلَامِىand my surrenderوَانْقِيَادِىand my submissionاِلَيْكَto YouاِذَاwhenأَخْرَجْتَنِىYou bring me outوَاجْعَلْand grantلِىmeمِنْfromلَدُنْكَYour presenceسُلْطَانًاan authorityنَصِيرًاhelpingيَنْصُرُنِىhelps meوَيَنْصُرُand helpsبِىthrough meوَلَاand notيَنْصُرُhelpsعَلَىَّagainst meيَنْصُرُنِىhelps meعَلَىagainstشُهُودِwitnessingنَفْسِىmy selfوَيُفْنِينِىand annihilates meعَنْfromدَائِرَةِcircleحِسِّىof my senses

   To proceed: beginnings are where endings are made manifest, and whoever's beginning is by God, his ending is to Him. What one is occupied with is what you have loved and hastened toward; what one is distracted from is what something else has been preferred over. Whoever is certain that God is seeking him becomes sincere in seeking Him, and whoever knows that all affairs are in God's hand gathers himself together through trust in Him (tawakkul). The pillars of this edifice of existence must inevitably be torn down, and its precious things must be stripped away. The intelligent man, then, is he who rejoices more in what is more lasting than in what passes away. His light has dawned and its first glimmers have appeared, so he has turned from this abode with lowered eyes and turned his back on it. He has not taken it as a homeland or made it a dwelling. Rather, while in it, he has roused his aspiration (himma) toward God Most High and journeyed through it, seeking His help to come before Him. The mount of his resolve has never ceased: it never comes to rest and is ever on the march, until it kneels down at the Presence of Holiness and on the carpet of intimacy. That is the place of opening converse, of face-to-face encounter, of sitting in company, of intimate discourse, of witnessing and of beholding. So the Presence has become the nest of their hearts: to it they take refuge, and in it they dwell. When they descend to the heaven of [God's] rights or to the earth of [their own] portions, they do so by permission, with firm establishment and with rootedness in certainty. They did not descend to the rights with ill courtesy and heedlessness, nor to the portions with appetite and enjoyment. Rather, they entered into that by God, for God, from God and toward God. 'And say: My Lord, cause me to enter with an entry of truthfulness and to go out with an exit of truthfulness' (Q 17:80). This means: so that my gaze may rest on Your might and power when You bring me in, and my surrender and submission may be to You when You bring me out. 'And grant me from Your presence a helping authority': one that helps me and helps through me, and does not help against me; one that helps me against witnessing my own self and annihilates me from the circle of my senses.

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2. The second letter: gratitude to the creature and the Creator

   ¶ 265⋯
   اِنْeven ifكَانَتْbeعَيْنُeyeالْقَلْبِof the heartتَنْظُرُseesأَنَّthatاللَّهَGodوَاحِدٌOne, soleفِىinمِنَّتِهِHis gracious giftفَالشَّرِيعَةُthe Sacred Lawتَقْتَضِىrequiresأَنَّهُthat itلَابُدَّis necessaryمِنْofشُكْرِthankingخَلِيقَتِهِHis creaturesوَاِنَّand indeedالنَّاسَpeopleفِىinذَلِكَthisعَلَى(are) ofثَلَاثَةِthreeأَقْسَامٍkinds, classesغَافِلٌheedless oneمُنْهَمِكٌsunk, engrossedفِىinغَفْلَتِهِhis heedlessnessقَوِيَتْhas grown strongدَائِرَةُcircle, sphereحِسِّهِof his sensesوَانْطَمَسَتْhas been blotted outحَضْرَةُpresenceقُدْسِهِof his holinessفَنَظَرَso he sawالْاِحْسَانَbeneficenceمِنَfromالْمَخْلُوقِينَcreated beingsوَلَمْand notيَشْهَدْهُwitness itمِنْfromرَبِّLordالْعَالَمِينَof the worldsأَمَّاas forاعْتِقَادًاby beliefفَشِرْكُهُhis associating (shirk)جَلِىٌّmanifestوَأَمَّاand as forاسْتِنَادًاby leaning, relianceفَشِرْكُهُhis associatingخَفِىٌّhiddenوَصَاحِبُpossessor ofحَقِيقَةٍrealityغَابَbecame absentعَنِfromالْخَلْقِcreationبِشُهُودِthrough witnessingالْمَلِكِthe Kingالْحَقِّthe Realوَفَنِىَand passed awayعَنِfromالْاَسْبَابِthe meansبِشُهُودِthrough witnessingمُسَبِّبِCauserالْاَسْبَابِof meansفَهُوَso heعَبْدٌa servantمُوَاجَهٌbrought face to faceبِالْحَقِيقَةِwith realityظَاهِرٌshining, manifestعَلَيْهِupon himسَنَاهَاits radianceسَالِكٌwayfarerلِلطَّرِيقَةِon the Pathقَدِ(has)اسْتَوْلَىmasteredعَلَىoverمَدَاهَاits whole extentغَيْرَexcept, yetأَنَّهُthat heغَرِيقُdrowned inالْاَنْوَارِthe lightsوَمَطْمُوسُeffaced as toالْآثَارِthe tracesقَدْ(has)غَلَبَovercomeسُكْرُهُhis intoxicationعَلَىoverصَحْوِهِhis sobrietyوَجَمْعُهُhis gathering (jamʿ)عَلَىoverفَرْقِهِhis separation (farq)وَفَنَاؤُهُhis passing-away (fanāʾ)عَلَىoverبَقَائِهِhis subsistence (baqāʾ)وَغَيْبَتُهُhis absenceعَلَىoverحُضُورِهِhis presenceوَأَكْمَلُmore perfectمِنْهُthan himعَبْدٌa servantشَرِبَdrankفَازْدَادَand grew moreصَحْوًاsoberوَغَابَand became absentفَازْدَادَand grew moreحُضُورًاpresentفَلَاneitherجَمْعُهُhis gatheringيَحْجُبُهُveils himعَنْfromفَرْقِهِhis separationوَلَاnorفَرْقُهُhis separationيَحْجُبُهُveils himعَنْfromجَمْعِهِhis gatheringوَلَاnorفَنَاؤُهُhis passing-awayيَصُدُّهُturns him awayعَنْfromبَقَائِهِhis subsistenceوَلَاnorبَقَاؤُهُhis subsistenceيَصُدُّهُturns him awayعَنْfromفَنَائِهِhis passing-awayيُعْطِىgivesكُلَّeveryذِىpossessor ofقِسْطٍa shareقِسْطَهُhis shareوَيُوَفِّىand renders in fullكُلَّeveryذِىpossessor ofحَقٍّa rightحَقَّهُhis rightوَقَدْand indeedقَالَsaidأَبُوAbū (father of)بَكْرٍBakrالصِّدِّيقُthe Truthfulرَضِىَbe pleasedاللَّهُGodتَعَالَىMost Highعَنْهُwith himلِعَائِشَةَto ʿĀʾishaرَضِىَbe pleasedاللَّهُGodعَنْهَاwith herلَمَّاwhenنَزَلَتْwas revealedبَرَاءَتُهَاher exonerationمِنَfromالْاِفْكِthe slanderعَلَىuponلِسَانِthe tongueرَسُولِMessengerاللَّهِof GodصَلَّىblessاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِhimوَسَلَّمَand grant peaceيَاعَائِشَةُO ʿĀʾishaاشْكُرِىthank!رَسُولَMessengerاللَّهِof GodصَلَّىblessاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِhimوَسَلَّمَand grant peaceفَقَالَتْshe saidوَاللَّهِby GodلَاnotأَشْكُرُI thankاِلَّاexceptاللَّهَGodدَلَّهَاpointed herأَبُوAbūبَكْرٍBakrرَضِىَbe pleasedاللَّهُGodتَعَالَىMost Highعَنْهُwith himعَلَىtoالْمَقَامِthe stationالْاَكْمَلِmore perfectمَقَامِstation ofالْبَقَاءِsubsistenceالْمُقْتَضِىrequiringلِاِثْبَاتِaffirmation ofالْآثَارِthe tracesوَقَدْand indeedقَالَsaidاللَّهُGodتَعَالَىMost Highأَنِthatاشْكُرْلِىgive thanks to Meوَلِوَالِدَيْكَand to your parentsوَقَالَand saidصَلَّىblessاللَّهُGodعَلَيْهِhimوَسَلَّمَand grant peaceلَاnotيَشْكُرُthanksاللَّهَGodمَنْwhoeverلَاnotيَشْكُرُthanksالنَّاسَpeopleوَكَانَتْand wasهِىَsheفِىatذَلِكَthatالْوَقْتِmomentمُصْطَلَمَةًrapt awayعَنْfromشَاهِدِهَاher own witnessingغَائِبَةًabsentعَنِfromالْآثَارِthe tracesفَلَمْso notتَشْهَدْshe witnessedاِلَّاexceptالْوَاحِدَthe Oneالْقَهَّارَthe All-Overpowering

   Even if the eye of the heart sees that God is One in His gracious gift, the Sacred Law requires that thanks also be given to His creatures. In this, people are of three kinds. The first is the heedless one, sunk in his heedlessness. The circle of his senses has grown strong and the presence of his holiness has been blotted out. He sees beneficence as coming from created beings and does not witness it as coming from the Lord of the worlds. If he holds this as a belief, his associating of others with God (shirk) is manifest. If it is a matter of leaning on them, his associating is hidden. The second is the possessor of reality. He has become absent from creation through witnessing the King, the Real, and has passed away from the means through witnessing the Causer of means. He is a servant brought face to face with reality, its radiance shining upon him, a wayfarer on the Path who has mastered its whole extent. Yet he is drowned in lights, and the traces are effaced from him. His intoxication has overcome his sobriety, his gathering his separation, his passing-away his subsistence, and his absence his presence. More perfect than he is a servant who drank and grew only more sober, who became absent and grew only more present. His gathering does not veil him from his separation, nor does his separation veil him from his gathering. His passing-away does not turn him from his subsistence, nor does his subsistence turn him from his passing-away. He gives every one who has a share his share, and renders in full to every one who has a right his right. Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (may God Most High be pleased with him) spoke to ʿĀʾisha (may God be pleased with her) when her exoneration from the slander was revealed on the tongue of the Messenger of God (God bless him and grant him peace). He said: "ʿĀʾisha, thank the Messenger of God (God bless him and grant him peace)!" She said: "By God, I will thank none but God." Abū Bakr (may God Most High be pleased with him) was pointing her to the more perfect station: the station of subsistence, which requires the affirmation of the traces. God Most High has said: "Give thanks to Me and to your parents" (Q 31:14), and he (God bless him and grant him peace) said: "Whoever does not thank people does not thank God." At that moment, however, she was taken out of what was present to her [her shāhid] and absent from the traces, so she witnessed none but the One, the All-Overpowering.

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3. The answer on «the coolness of my eye is in the prayer»

   ¶ 266⋯

   اِنَّ قُرَّةَ العَيْنِ بِالشُّهُودِ عَلَى قَدْرِ المَعْرِفَةِ بِالمَشْهُودِ فَالرَّسُولُ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَامُهُ لَيْسَ مَعْرِفَةُ غَيْرِهِ كَمَعْرِفَتِهِ فَلَيْسَ قُرَّةُ عَيْنٍ كَقُرَّتِهِ وَاِنَّمَا قُلْنَا اِنَّ قُرَّةَ عَيْنِهِ فِى صَلَاتِهِ بِشُهُودِهِ جَلَالَ مَشْهُودِهِ لِاَنَّهُ قَدْ أَشَارَ اِلَى ذَلِكَ بِقَوْلِهِ فِى الصَّلَاةِ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ بِالصَّلَاةِ اِذْ هُوَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَامُهُ لَا تَقَرُّ عَيْنُهُ بِغَيْرِ رَبِّهِ وَكَيْفَ وَهُوَ يَدُلُّ عَلَى هَذَا المَقَامِ وَيَأْمُرُ بِهِ مَنْ سِوَاهُ بِقَوْلِهِ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَامُهُ اُعْبُدِ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ وَمُحَالٌ أَنْ يَرَاهُ وَيَشْهَدَ مَعَهُ سِوَاهُ فَاِنْ قَالَ قَائِلٌ قَدْ تَكُونُ قُرَّةُ العَيْنِ بِالصَّلَاةِ لِاَنَّهَا فَضْلٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَبَارِزَةٌ مِنْ عَيْنِ مِنَّةِ اللَّهِ فَكَيْفَ لَا يَفْرَحُ بِهَا وَكَيْفَ لَا تَكُونُ قُرَّةُ العَيْنِ بِهَا وَقَدْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا الآيَةَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الآيَةَ قَدْ أَوْمَأَتْ اِلَى الجَوَابِ لِمَنْ تَدَبَّرَ سِرَّ الخِطَابِ اِذْ قَالَ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا وَمَا قَالَ فَبِذَلِكَ فَافْرَحْ يَامُحَمَّدُ قُلْ لَهُمْ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا بِالاِحْسَانِ وَالتَّفَضُّلِ وَلْيَكُنْ فَرَحُكَ أَنْتَ بِالمُتَفَضِّلِ كَمَا قَالَ فِى الآيَةِ الاُخْرَى قُلِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ

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4. The third letter: three ways of rejoicing in favours

   ¶ 267⋯

   النَّاسُ فِى وُرُودِ الْمِنَنِ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَقْسَامٍ فَرِحٌ بِالْمِنَنِ لَامِنْ حَيْثُ مُهْدِيهَا وَمُنْشِئِهَا وَلَكِنْ بِوُجُودِ مُتْعَتِهِ فِيهَا فَهَذَا مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ يَصْدُقُ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى حَتَّى اِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَفَرِحٌ بِالْمِنَنِ مِنْ حَيْثُ اِنَّهُ شَهِدَهَا مِنَّةً مِمَّنْ أَرْسَلَهَا وَنِعْمَةً مِمَّنْ أَوْصَلَهَا يَصْدُقُ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ وَفَرِحٌ بِاللَّهِ مَاشَغَلَهُ مِنَ الْمِنَنِ ظَاهِرُ مُتْعَتِهَا وَلَا بَاطِنُ مِنَّتِهَا بَلْ شَغَلَهُ النَّظَرُ اِلَى اللَّهِ عَمَّا سِوَاهُ وَالْجَمْعُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَا يَشْهَدُ اِلَّا اِيَّاهُ يَصْدُقُ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى قُلِ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ وَقَدْ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى اِلَى دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ يَادَاوُدُ قُلْ لِلصِّدِّيقِينَ بِى فَلْيَفْرَحُوا وَبِذِكْرِى فَلْيَتَنَعَّمُوا وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَجْعَلُ فَرَحَنَا وَاِيَّاكُمْ بِهِ وَبِالرِّضَا مِنْهُ وَأَنْ يَجْعَلَنَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْفَهْمِ عَنْهُ وَاَنْ لَا يَجْعَلَنَا مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ وَأَنْ يَسْلُكَ بِنَا مَسْلَكَ الْمُتَّقِينَ بِمَنِّهِ وَكَرَمِهِ

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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.