The Book of Stations

1. Mawqif 225 · “Were it not for God's repelling people”

   In brief✦AI

   Starting from Q 2:251, “Were it not for God's repelling people, some of them by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted”, the Emir reads people as loci of the Names of Majesty and Beauty, which always repel one another: the people of faith repel the people of unbelief (he cites Q 9:14), and angel repels Satan within a single soul. Without this, unbelief would take the earth. A second allusion makes “people” the whole world, which subsists through the Names' contending, since nothing comes from equilibrium.

   Context: the Emir reads the contrast of believers and unbelievers, and a verse about fighting, as the working of God’s names of majesty and beauty. It is not an instruction about war.

   See the print: Damascus 1966, p. 498, Damascus 1966, p. 499, Damascus 1966, p. 500, Cairo, vol. 1, PDF p. 460, Cairo, vol. 1, PDF p. 461, Cairo, vol. 1, PDF p. 462 (archive.org)

   قَالَ تَعَالَى: «وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَفَسَدَتِ الْأَرْضُ».

   He, exalted is He, said: "Were it not for God's repelling people, some of them by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted" (Q 2:251).✦

   ¶ 3151

2. أَيْ لَوْلَا وُجُودُ دَفْعِ اللَّهِ، الِاسْمِ الْجَامِعِ لِأَسْمَاءِ الْجَلَالِ وَالْجَمَالِ وَالرِّضَى وَالْغَضَبِ، النَّاسَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ مَظَاهِرُ أَسْمَاءِ الْجَلَالِ وَالْجَمَالِ وَالرِّضَى وَالْغَضَبِ، بَعْضَهُمْ، يَعْنِي مَظَاهِرَ أَسْمَاءِ الْجَلَالِ وَالشَّرِّ وَالْغَضَبِ بِبَعْضٍ، بِمَظَاهِرِ أَسْمَاءِ الْجَمَالِ وَالْخَيْرِ وَالرِّضَى،

   That is: were it not for the existence of the repelling of God (the comprehensive Name that gathers the Names of Majesty and Beauty, of good-pleasure and wrath) of people, who are the loci of the Names of Majesty and Beauty, of good-pleasure and wrath, some of them (meaning the loci of the Names of Majesty, evil and wrath) by others, that is, by the loci of the Names of Beauty, good and good-pleasure,✦

   ¶ 3152

3. وَالِاسْمُ الْجَامِعُ هُوَ الْمُدَافِعُ، وَالْمُدَافِعُ فِي الْجِهَتَيْنِ مِنْ حَيْثُ النَّاسِ، الَّذِينَ هُمْ مَظَاهِرُ الصِّنْفَيْنِ، كَمَا قَالَ: «قَاتِلُوهُمْ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللَّهُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ».

   and the comprehensive Name is the Repeller, and the Repeller is on both sides, in respect of the people who are the loci of the two kinds, as He said: "Fight them, God will punish them at your hands" (Q 9:14).✦

   ¶ 3153

4. وَاِنَّ هَٰذَيْنِ الصِّنْفَيْنِ، أَعْنِي مَظَاهِرَ أَسْمَاءِ الْجَلَالِ وَالْجَمَالِ، الْمُعَبَّرَ عَنْهُمَا بِالْيَدَيْنِ، فِي الْآيَاتِ وَالْأَحَادِيثِ دَائِماً، فِي مُدَافَعَةٍ وَمُغَالَبَةٍ وَمُشَاقَقَةٍ، حَتَّى فِي الشَّخْصِ الْوَاحِدِ، كَمَا وَرَدَ: «اِنَّ لِلْمَلَكِ لَمَّةً وَلِلشَّيْطَانِ لَمَّةً».

   And these two kinds (I mean the loci of the Names of Majesty and Beauty), which are referred to as the two hands in the verses and the ḥadīths, are always in mutual repelling, mutual overpowering and mutual opposition, even within a single person, as has come down: "The angel has a touch, and Satan has a touch."✦

   ¶ 3154

5. فَالْمُطَارَدَةُ وَالْمُدَافَعَةُ بَيْنَ مَظَاهِرِ الْجَلَالِ وَالْجَمَالِ لَاتَنْفَكُّ دَائِماً، كَمُطَارَدَةِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ بِالنُّورِ وَالظُّلْمَةِ،

   So the pursuit and the mutual repelling between the loci of Majesty and Beauty never cease, ever, like the pursuit of night and day by light and darkness;✦

   ¶ 3155

6. «لَفَسَدَتِ الْأَرْضُ» أِنْحَلَّ نِظَامُهَا وَزُلْزِلَتْ زِلْزَالَهَا.

   "The earth would have been corrupted": its order would have come apart, and it would have been shaken with its quaking.✦

   ¶ 3156

7. اِذْ لَوْلَا وُجُودُ دَفْعِ اللَّهِ أَهْلَ الْكُفْرِ بِأَهْلِ الْاِيمَانِ، وَهُمْ مَظَاهِرُ الِاسْمِ اللَّهِ الْجَامِعِ لِلْجَلَالِ وَالْجَمَالِ لَاسْتَوْلَى الْكُفْرُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ.

   For were it not for the existence of God's repelling the people of unbelief by the people of faith (and they are the loci of the Name Allāh, which gathers Majesty and Beauty), unbelief would have taken possession of the people of the earth.✦

   ¶ 3157

8. وَقَدْ قَضَىتَعَالَى: أَنَّهُ اِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ مَنْ يَقُولُ «اللَّهُ اللَّهُ» قَامَتِ الْقِيَامَةُ.

   And He, exalted is He, has decreed that when there no longer remains on the face of the earth anyone who says "Allāh, Allāh", the Resurrection arises.✦

   ¶ 3158

9. فَانْفَطَرَتِ السَّمَاءُ وَطُوِيَتِ الْأَرْضُ، وَانْقَلَبَ الْأَمْرُ اِلَى الْآخِرَةِ.

   Then the sky splits apart, the earth is rolled up, and the matter turns over into the Hereafter.✦

   ¶ 3159

10. كَمَا أَنَّهُ لَوْلَا وُجُودُ مُدَافَعَةِ اللَّهِ الشَّيْطَانَ بِالْمَلَكِ؛ لَفَسَدَتِ الْأَرْضُ، أَرْضُ النُّفُوسِ الَّتِي هِيَ مَحَلُّ الْبُذُورِ وَالْاِلْقَاءِ، كَمَا قَالَ: «فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا».

    Just so, were it not for the existence of God's repelling Satan by the angel, the earth would have been corrupted: the earth of the souls, which is the place of the seeds and of the casting-in, as He said: "And He inspired it with its wickedness and its godfearing" (Q 91:8).✦

    ¶ 3160

11. «وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ».

    "But God is possessed of bounty towards the worlds" (Q 2:251).✦

    ¶ 3161

12. أَيْ ذُو اِفْضَالٍ وَامْتِنَانٍ بِوُجُودِ مُدَافَعَةِ مَظَاهِرِ الْخَيْرِ لِمَظَاهِرِ الشَّرِّ كَمُدَافَعَةِ أَهْلِ الْكُفْرِ بِأَهْلِ الْاِيمَانِ، وَمُدَافَعَةِ الْمَلَكِ لِلشَّيْطَانِ، وَيَكُونُ الْعَالَمِينَ عَلَى هَٰذَا عَامّاً أُرِيدَ بِهِ خَاصٌّ

    That is, possessed of the bestowing of bounty and of favour, through the existence of the repelling of the loci of evil by the loci of good (such as the repelling of the people of unbelief by the people of faith, and the angel's repelling of Satan). On this reading "the worlds" is a general term by which something particular is meant.✦

    ¶ 3162

13. اِشَارَةٌ أُخْرَى: «وَلَوْلاَ دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ» الْآيَةَ.

    Another allusion: "Were it not for God's repelling people…", the verse.✦

    ¶ 3163

14. النَّاسُ: يَعُمُّ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ.

    "People" comprises jinn and humans.✦

    ¶ 3164

15. وَالْجِنُّ يَعُمُّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَجَمِيعَ الْأَرْوَاحِ.

    And "jinn" comprises the angels and all the spirits.✦

    ¶ 3165

16. وَالْعَالَمُ كُلُّهُ ذُو رُوحٍ.

    And the whole world possesses spirit.✦

    ¶ 3166

17. فَيَكُونُ دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ يَعُمُّ الْعَالَمَ كُلَّهُ اَعْلَاهُ وَأَسْفَلَهُ، أَعْنِي مُدَافَعَةَ الْأَسْمَاءِ بَعْضِهَا بِبَعْضٍ، الَّتِي الْعَالَمُ كُلُّهُ مَظَاهِرُهَا

    So God's repelling people, some by others, comprises the whole world, its highest and its lowest. I mean the Names' repelling of one another, the Names of which the whole world is the loci:✦

    ¶ 3167

18. «لَفَسَدَتِ الْأَرْضُ».

    "the earth would have been corrupted" (Q 2:251).✦

    ¶ 3168

19. لَأنْحَلَّتْ وَاضْمَحَلَّتْ، الْمَرْتَبَةُ الْاِمْكَانِيَّةُ الَّتِي هِيَ الْأَرْضُ الْقَابِلَةُ لِظُهُورِ الْأَسْمَاءِ الْمُتَدَافِعَةِ الْمُتَغَالِبَةِ.

    It would have come apart and dwindled away: the rank of contingency, which is the earth receptive to the manifestation of the Names that repel and overpower one another.✦

    ¶ 3169

20. بَلْ وَلَا كَانَتْ وَلَا وُجِدَتْ فَأِنَّهُ

    Nay, it would not even have been, nor have come into existence; for it…✦

    ¶ 3170

21. لَا قِيَامَ وَلَا بَقَاءَ لِهَذِهِ الْأَرْضِ اِلاَّ بِمُدَافَعَةِ أَسْمَاءِ الْجَلَالِ وَالْجَمَالِ، الَّتِي اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهَا مَرْتَبَةُ الْأُلُوهِيَّةِ الْمُسَمَّاةُ بِاللَّهِ، بَعْضِهَا بِبَعْضٍ، وَمُغَالَبَتِهَا وَمُدَاوَلَتِهَا فِي الْغَلَبَةِ،

    This earth has no subsistence and no endurance except through the repelling of the Names of Majesty and Beauty, which the level of Divinity called “God” comprises, some of them by others, and through their contending with one another and taking turns in prevailing,✦

    ¶ 3171

22. لِأَنَّ الْعَالَمَ كُلَّهُ اِنَّمَا كَانَ عَنِ الطَّبِيعَةِ وَالْعَنَاصِرِ، وَهِيَ مَظَاهِرُ الْأَسْمَاءِ، وَمُدَافَعَةُ بَعْضِهَا لِبَعْضٍ، وَمُغَالَبَتُهَا ضَرُورِيَّةٌ•

    because the whole world came about only from Nature and the elements, and these are the loci of manifestation of the Names; and their repelling of one another, and their contending, are necessary.✦

    ¶ 3172

23. وَلَوْلَا ذَلِكَ الْمَيْلُ مَا حَدَثَ شَيْءٌ•

    Were it not for that inclination, nothing would have come about.✦

    ¶ 3173

24. لِأَنَّ الِاعْتِدَالَ لَا يَكُونُ عَنْهُ شَيْءٌ:

    For from equilibrium nothing comes about:✦

    ¶ 3174

25. «وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ».

    “But God is possessed of bounty towards the worlds” (Q 2:251).✦

    ¶ 3175

26. ذُو اِفْضَالٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ، وَهُوَ كُلُّ مَا سِوَاهُ– تَعَالَى–، أَمْتَّنَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْعَالَمِ بِوُجُودِ مُدَافَعَةِ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ، الَّذِينَ هُمْ مَظَاهِرُ أَسْمَائِهِ•

    Possessed of bestowal of bounty upon the worlds, which is everything other than Him (exalted is He): He has conferred favour upon the whole world through the existence of God's repelling of people, who are the loci of manifestation of His Names.✦

    ¶ 3176

27. فَتَمَّ اِيجَادُمَظَاهِرِ الْجَمَالِ وَالْجَلَالِ، اِذِ الْمُكِنَاتُ تَطْلُبُ الْاِيجَادَ وَالتَّأَثُّرَ، كَمَا أَنَّ الْاَسْمَاءَ تَطْلُبُ الظُّهُورَ وَالتَّأْثِيرَ•

    Thus the bringing into existence of the loci of manifestation of Beauty and Majesty was completed, since the possible things seek to be brought into existence and to be acted upon, just as the Names seek manifestation and to act upon things.✦

    ¶ 3177

28. وَالْوُجُودُ كُلُّهُ خَيْرٌ•

    And existence is all good.✦

    ¶ 3178

29. وَالشَّرُّ هُوَ الْعَدَمُ•

    And evil is non-existence.✦

    ¶ 3179

30. فَالْعَالَمِينَ عَلَى مُقْتَضَى هَذِهِ الْاِشَارَةِ عَلَى أَصْلِ وَضْعِهِ•

    So the world, according to what this allusion requires, stands upon the original state in which it was set.✦

    ¶ 3180

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.