Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim and Sufism

By Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hafiz al-Makki
Translated by Ismaeel Nakhuda

Translator’s foreword: Below is part of the second chapter of the incomplete yet ongoing translation of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hafiz’s Mawqif A’immat al-Harakat al-Salafiyyah min al-Tasawwuf wa al-Sufiyyah. In this chapter, the author, a student and khalifah of Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya al-Kandhalawi, produces several excerpts from the writings of Imam Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim that show the positive manner by which the shaykh regarded Sufism and the Sufis. The text is also preluded with three biographies — two of Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim and one of Shaykh al-Islam Abu Isma‘il al-Hirawi.

Imam Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim is known for his depth in the matters and intricacies of Tasawwuf, his great book Madarij al-Salikin bears testimony to this. I shall, insha Allah, soon quote some important sections of his precious words in relation to some beneficial and well-researched discussions pertaining to a collection of matters relating to Tasawwuf.

Prior to this, I wish to quote two short biographies of Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim — the first by Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali and the second by Professor Muhammad Musallam al-Ghunaymi, author of the book Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah^[1] — to convey his personage as understood by the people of both the earlier and latter times in relation to Sufism.

1: Imam Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali writes in Al-Dhayl ‘ala Tabaqat al-Hanabilah (vol. 2, p.448):

Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr ibn Ayyub ibn Sa‘d ibn Jurayz al-Zara‘i, then al-Dimashqi, the jurist, the theoretician (usuli), the exegete (mufassir), the grammarian (nahwi), the ‘arif, Shams al-Din (the Light of the Faith) Abu ‘Abdullah ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, our shaykh, was born in 691AH…

He mastered the madhhab,^[2] became distinguished and delivered fatwas. He stayed in the company of Shaykh Taqi al-Din and acquired knowledge from him. He gained in-depth knowledge in the sciences of Islam. He was an expert in tafsir, in which none could contend, and the principles (usul) of faith — two sciences in which he was at the pinnacle of knowledge; hadiths, their meanings and understanding them, and the art of deducing fine points from them, subjects in which he was not joined; fiqh and its principles; and Arabic, in which he was most proficient. Apart from this, he studied belief (kalam), grammar and other sciences.

He was a scholar of the knowledge of Suluk, and the speech of the people of Tasawwuf, their instructions and intricate matters. In each of these sciences he was a specialist…

He, may Allah mercy him, was a man of worship and someone who performed tahajjud. He would prolong prayers to the utmost limit. He was a man of Allah. He was constantly in the remembrance of Allah; fond of the love of, turning in repentance to, seeking forgiveness of and showing a want for Allah, expressing a broken heart to Him, and throwing himself in front of Him on the threshold of His worship. I have never seen his like in that respect.

I have never seen anyone more knowledgeable than him, and more acquainted with the meanings of the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the realities of faith than him. He was not infallible. However, I have never seen anyone of his like in the meaning of the word. He was tested and troubled many times. He was imprisoned with Shaykh Taqi al-Din on the last occasion in the citadel in isolation from him. He did not leave the shaykh until he died.

During his imprisonment, he remained occupied with the recitation of the Qur’an, which he used to do with meditation and contemplation. On account of this, great goodness opened to him and he experienced a great deal of spiritual bliss (dhawq) and authentic ecstatic states (wajd). As a result he became overcome with speaking about the knowledge of the people of ma‘rifah^[3] and delving on their mysteries. His writings are full of this.

He performed the Hajj numerous times and took up residence in Makkah. The people of Makkah used to remember him for his intense level of worship and abundant tawaf, something that they would marvel at. I attended his gatherings before his death for over a year and, in his presence, listened to his lengthy ode, Al-Nuniyyah, and things from his books etc.

2: Professor Muhammad Musallam al-Ghunaymi writes in his book Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (p.136):

Ibn al-Qayyim was a favourite of his shaykh, Ibn Taymiyyah, who would treat him like a son; as a matter of fact he was his spiritual son. He used to see in him goodness and righteousness, and used to see him as a blessing from Allah sent to complete that which he used to call to: the correcting of thoughts; rectifying the faith, and freeing it from those things that are not from it and which the passing of centuries had attached to it; returning it to that understanding on which the predecessors of this ummah were on in terms of belief, jurisprudence and Tasawwuf; and liberating it from the noose of those who do taqlid, which they had made religion.

In a section regarding the writings of Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Ghunaymi writes (p.111):

1. He has compiled books on jurisprudence and the principles of jurisprudence … 2. In Tasawwuf:Madarij al-Salikin, the commentary of Manazil al-Sa’irin, ‘Iddat al-Sabirin wa Dhakirat al-Shakirinand Hadi al-Arwah ila Bilad al-Afrah. 3. In the science of theology and debate: Shifa ’l-‘Alil …

Professor al-Ghunaymi also writes in the introduction to his book:

… It is impossible to write regarding this great imam, perhaps Allah will inspire the lovers of good and righteousness to write about him in relation to those fields in which he excelled: fiqh, hadith,tafsir, Tasawwuf and monotheism. This is very important. By this, his personality would become manifest in its fullest sense for he was a faqih, a hadith scholar, an exegete (mufassir), a Sufi (mutasawwif) and a proclaimer of monotheism of a fashion different to that which is known regarding the faqihs, exegetes and hadith scholars. It is now apparent that indeed Ibn al-Qayyim is one of the greatest of men, not just from among the noteworthy men of Islam. And it is Allah who gives accordance.

Before I begin quoting some of the words of Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim from his book Madarij al-Salikin, which is a commentary of the excellent book of Tasawwuf, Manazil al-Sa’irin, I would like to produce a biography of its author, the great Sufi Imam Abu Isma‘il al-Hirawi (may Allah sanctify his soul), from the book of the great Salafi imam Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali. The following makes clear that Imam al-Hirawi’s Sufism — rather his depth in this science — was not hidden from his contemporary shaykhs. In fact, to introduce his personality and avoid confusion with anyone else, the people of earlier times would rarely mention his name without the word “Sufi”.

3: Imam Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali writes in Al-Dhayl ‘ala Tabaqat al-Hanabilah (vol. 1, p.50):

‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Ja‘far ibn Mansur ibn Mut al-Ansari al-Hirawi, the faqih, the mufassir, the hafiz (of hadith), the Sufi, the orator (wa‘iz), Shaykh al-Islam Abu Isma‘il … he studied [hadith] in Tus^[4] and Bistam^[5] from a large number of people whose mention would be exhaustive. He stayed in the company of many shaykhs and learnt discipline from them. He gathered anecdotes and commentaries [on hadith] for himself and others from the narrators of hadith. He narrated hadithfor many years.

He authored many books, including Dhamm al-Kalam, Al-Faruq, Manaqib al-Imam Ahmad,Manazil al-Sa’irin, ‘Ilal al-Maqamat, a comprehensive book called Tafsir al-Qur’an in Persian, an excellent book called Majalis al-Tadhkir, which is also in Persian, and others.

He was a great leader and an imam who was a scholar, an ‘arif, a worshipper and an ascetic (zahid). He was a man of many spiritual states (hal), spiritual stations (maqamat), miracles and sacrifice. He would remain abundantly awake at night, and was steadfast in aiding and defending the Sunnah and refuting those who opposed it; he was afflicted by many difficulties on account of this. He would greatly defend and exalt the madhhab of Imam Ahmad…

Shaykh Imam Abu Isma‘il’s shaykhs, contemporaries, and other jurists, hadith scholars, Sufis and writers etc. praised him. The saying of Sa‘d al-Zanjani concerning him has been mentioned in the biography of ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Munda: “Indeed, Allah has protected Islam through him and through Ibn Munda.”

Al-Rahaway said: “I heard in Herat that when Shaykh al-Islam was exiled from Herat and reached Marw,^[6] and was granted permission to return to Herat, he returned and had reached Marw al-Rudh^[7] when Imam Abu Muhammad al-Hussayn ibn Mas‘ud al-Baghawi al-Farra, the author of many books, headed for him. When he reached him, he said to the Shaykh al-Islam: “Verily Allah has gathered for you many virtues; there was yet one virtue left, which he intended to complete for you and that is expulsion from one’s homeland in the way of the Prophet of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)…”

Imam Abu al-Hussayn ‘Abd al-Ghafir ibn Isma‘il al-Farsi, the orator (khatib) of Nisapur, has also mentioned him in Tarikh Nisapur. He has mentioned his name and lineage. He writes: “Abu Isma‘il, the Imam and Shaykh al-Islam of Herat, was a man who was accepted in his age, and known in his time for virtue and [an ability to deliver] excellent speeches and orations. Not one of theimams of his respected field was seen even in a dream possessing that which was evidently seen in him in terms of abundant and overpowering bashfulness, unceasing beauty, ability to captivate the elite and common people in that region, ability to coordinate the affairs of [his] murids, followers and those who are devoted to him, ability to unite the madrasahs, friends, khanqahs^[8] and the people of government, and many other qualities that are more well known and not in need of explanation.

“He was proficient in Arabic and the knowledge of hadith, lineage and history; he was a perfectimam in tafsir and in delivering orations. He was of excellent conduct and mode in Tasawwuf. He was a practitioner of Tasawwuf and would remain in the company of the Sufis.

“He was a bearer of the Sunnah; he would call towards it and encourage it. He would not preoccupy himself with earning means, estates, properties and being absorbed in the world. He would remain content with that amount that would please the murids and followers from his gathering once or twice a year. He would, at the head of a gathering, decide what he and his companions would need from one year to another…”

Shaykh al-Islam Abu al-‘Abbas Ibn Taymiyyah writes in his book, Al-Ajubah al-Misriyyah: “The Shaykh al-Islam is well-known and revered by the people. He was an imam in hadith, Tasawwuf and tafsir. In fiqh, he followed the school of the hadith scholars (Ahl al-Hadith); he would exalt al-Shafi‘i and Ahmad, and would combine between them in his answers in fiqh with that which agrees with the view of al-Shafi‘i at times and that which agrees with the view of Ahmad at times. The following of hadith according to the way of Ibn al-Mubarak and his like was predominant over him.”

He (Ibn Taymiyyah) added: “In his book, Al-Fusul fi al-Usul, Shaykh Abu al-Hasan al-Karkhi — theshaykh of the Shafi‘is in his country — wrote: ‘More than one of the students of Imam ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Ansari told me that he recited to them this poem as a form of advice for the Ahl al-Sunnah:

When the one who is Ash‘ari in ‘aqidah and a human Satan diverges from the boundary of guidance, then let him be,

Shafi‘i in jurisprudence, Sunni in adornment, Hanbali in contract (meaning usul and ‘aqidah) and Sufi in conduct.

For the purpose of this treatise, I shall now begin — with the permission of Allah and His accordance — quoting from the writings of the great Salafi imam, Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him), as mentioned in his book Madarij al-Salikin, which is a commentary of the great book on Tasawwuf,Manazil al-Sa’irin by Shaykh al-Islam Abu Isma‘il al-Hirawi al-Sufi (may Allah sanctify his secret).

1: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin^[9] (vol. 1, p.135):

The people of Suluk differ greatly in the number of spiritual stations (maqams) and their sequence. Each one describes the stations of his journey and the condition of his Suluk. They also differ in some of the stations (manazil) of the journey: are they a type of spiritual state (hals)? The difference between the two (maqams and hals) is that the spiritual stations are acquired (kasabi) and the spiritual states are divinely bestowed (wahabi).

Among them are those who say that the spiritual states are the results of the stations, and that the stations are the results of actions. So, whoever is the most righteous in action will be the loftiest in station, and whoever is the loftiest in station, he will have the greatest state.

Among those things in which they have differed with regards to satisfaction (rida) is whether it is a state or a station? In it there is a difference between the people of Khurasan and the people of Iraq. Some of the shaykhs have ruled between them and said: “If it were gained through acquisition (kasabi) then it will be a station, otherwise it is a state.”

What is correct in this matter is that inspirations (waridat) and stations have [different] names according to their condition. At their initial appearance and emergence they will be gleaming, shimmering and brilliant in the same way a glimmer of light sparkles and appears from a distance. So when inspirations come to him (the salik) and he associates with them, then they will be spiritual states, and when they take possession of him and become firm without moving on then they are stations.

They are gleaming and brilliant at the beginning, spiritual states in the middle and stations at the end. So, that which is shimmering is precisely a state and that which is a state is precisely a station. They are given these names according to their connection to the heart, their [mode of] appearance to him and their steadiness in remaining with him.

The salik at times may be stripped of his station in the same way he is stripped of his clothes and relegated to a level below. He may then at times return and at times not.

Among the stations are those that gather two stations, and among them are those that gather even more than that. Among them are those within which all of the stations are embodied. The one experiencing them is not in need of knowing their name save when all of the stations are gathered in him.

Hence, the station of repentance (tawbah) consists of the station of self-examination (muhasabah) and the station of fear (khawf); its (tawbah) existence cannot be contemplated without it (muhasabah). The station of trust (tawakkul) comprises the stations of entrusting (tafwid), seeking aid (isti‘anah) and contentment (rada); its existence cannot be perceived without them. The station of hope (raja) comprises the stations of fear and iradah^[10]…

The saliks, in relation to each of these stations, are of two types: the righteous (abrar) and the intimate (muqarribs). The righteous are at its (the station’s) lower end and the intimate are at its upper end — this is how all of the levels of faith are. Only Allah can enumerate the differences and superiority of grades of each of the two types.

Their categorisation into three — general (‘am), special (khas) and extremely special (khas khas) — only came into existence by making annihilation (fana) the end of the path; the people who exerted themselves in this know this and we shall soon mention this. The categories of annihilation are: praiseworthy and blameworthy, excellent and insignificant. Verily, the Community^[11] (qawm) has indicated towards this, insha Allah, and their focus is on this.

However, regarding that category that has been mentioned, each of the classifiers of the stations will not be free from [mentioning things] arbitrarily and [making] claims that lack incongruity.

Indeed, when the slave holds tight to the covenant of Islam and enters it fully, then he has held tight to its exoteric and esoteric requirements, and reached spiritual stations and states. By completing each of the faith’s covenants and incumbent actions (wajibs), he will experience states and attain stations. He will only complete a covenant and incumbent act by experiencing states and attaining stations. Each time he completes a wajib he will face another wajib after it. Each time he crosses a station he will be faced by another.

At the beginning of his journey, lofty stations and states will appear to him; [at this time] the states of affection (muhabbah), contentment (rada), intimacy (unsiyyah) and tranquillity (tamaniyyah) — which will not befall the salik at the end of his journey — will unveil to him. Thesalik, at the end of his journey, will be in greater need of things such as insight (basirah), repentance (tawbah) and self-examination (muhasabah), more than the beginner. There is no absolute and incumbent sequence for Suluk in this.

We have mentioned that indeed repentance (tawbah), which they have listed at the beginning of the stations, is the ‘arifs’ purpose and the walis of Allah’s finality. There is no doubt that their need for self-examination at the end is greater than at the beginning.

What is superior is the speech regarding these stations according to the way of those of the earlier times from among the imams of the Community; this is an absolute speech regarding each station by explaining its reality, effects and the spiritual dangers (afat) that hinder its acquisition and separates [one] from it, and its particulars.

The statements of the imams of the Path are of this manner. Those who have understood this — like Sahl ibn ‘Abdullah al-Tastari, Abu Talib al-Makki, Junayd ibn Muhammad, Abu ‘Uthman al-Nisaburi and Yahya ibn Mu‘adh al-Razi, and those who are loftier than those of this category such as Abu Sulayman al-Darani, ‘Awn ibn ‘Abdullah, who used to be known as the Physician of the Ummah (Hakim al-Ummah), and their like — speak regarding the actions of the heart and the spiritual states (hals) in a type of speech that is detailed, comprehensive, clear and general, without categorizing and enumerating the stations according to a fixed number.

They were greater than this, and their concerns were greater and nobler. They were only concerned with acquiring wisdom and ma‘rifah, cleansing hearts, purifying souls and correcting social conduct. On account of this, their speech was little and in it there were blessings (barakah) whereas the speech of those of the latter times is very lengthy and of little blessing.

However, there is a need to address the people of each age according to their terminologies, as they do not have the ability to buckle down to learn Suluk from the first predecessors and their statements and instructions. If their instructions and states were to appear to them they refuse to acknowledge them and deem them as a general-type of Suluk and [say] that the elite have another type of Suluk in the same way that the divergent theologians (mutakallims) and the ignorant among them say: “Indeed, the others were [on a] safer [path], but our path is more knowledgeable.” Likewise, those who attribute themselves to jurisprudence say regarding those whose worth they have not understood: “Indeed, they (those whose worth they have not understood) did not free themselves from deriving rules, and fixing principles and rulings that they may become occupied with something else, whereas the people of the latter times freed themselves from this and so they possessed greater knowledge in jurisprudence.”

All of these [types of people] are shrouded from understanding the worth of the predecessors, the depth of their knowledge, the lack of affectation in them and their perfect insight. I swear by Allah, the people of the latter times have only surpassed those of the earlier times in affectation and being occupied with peripherals; the concern of the Community was in observing the core of the peripherals, fixing their rules and strengthening their strong points. Their purpose was to attain lofty pursuits in everything. Hence, those of the latter times have a standing and the Community has a standing, and Allah has surely created everything according to a measure.

2: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 2, p.307):

Section — Religion consists entirely of good character. Whoever supersedes you in good character then he has superseded you in religion. Likewise, this is with Tasawwuf. Al-Kattani said: “Tasawwuf is good character. Whoever supersedes you in good character then he has superseded you in Tasawwuf…”

It is said: “[Tasawwuf is] abandoning blameworthy traits (radhail) and adorning oneself with lofty attributes (fadail).” Good manners rest on four principles. Their inception can only be imagined through them: patience, chastity, bravery and justice… The origin and basis of all basely habits comprises four elements: ignorance, oppression, lustful desire and anger…

For indeed, the most difficult thing for human nature is the changing of those habits which the carnal selves (nafs) have become accustomed to. The people of difficult spiritual exercises (riyadat) and arduous mujahadat (striving with one’s soul) have only worked on that, and the majority of them have not been successful in changing them; however, the self (nafs) has been occupied, on account of the spiritual exercises, from allowing its authority to appear. When the authority of those [basely] habits appears and becomes prominent, then the spiritual exercises will be defeated and dispersed, and the authority of the nafs will dominate the domain of [the person’s] character…

Then, in a delicate discussion about which path is more beneficial to the salik — adorning oneself with virtue or stripping oneself from blameworthy traits — Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim writes:

One day, I asked Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah mercy him) regarding this issue — the stopping of spiritual dangers, and preoccupying oneself with cleansing and purifying the path. The summary of what he told me was that: “The soul is like a pit of dirt, each time you clear it, the dirt will reappear and come up. However, if you can cover it, and cross it and pass it, then do so and do not preoccupy yourself with cleaning it for you will not reach its bottom. Each time you remove something, more will appear.”

I said: I asked some shaykhs regarding this issue. They told me: “The example of the spiritual dangers of the soul is like snakes and scorpions in the traveller’s path. If he begins to look for them on the way and occupies himself with killing them, then he will be interrupted and he will never be able to travel. However, your goal should be travelling, avoiding them and not paying them attention. If any of them were to hinder your travelling, then kill it and continue your journey.” Shaykh al-Islam approved of that greatly and praised the person who said it…

He [Shaykh al-Islam al-Hirawi al-Sufi] said: “The words of those who speak regarding this science are united in saying that Tasawwuf is good character; all discussions on this subject revolve around one pivot — that is doing good and refraining from wrong.”

I say: there are some who have made it three: refraining from wrong, bearing difficulties and creating ease. Some have, as the shaykh has said, made it two: doing good and refraining from wrong. Some have made it one and that is doing good. All are correct.

He [Shaykh al-Islam al-Hirawi] said: “The possibility of attaining that (doing good and refraining from wrong) can only be achieved through three things: knowledge, generosity and patience.”

Knowledge guides one to those places where good can be done; it differentiates between good and reprehensible acts, and guides one to do good at its appropriate place. Hence, one will not be angry at the time of gentleness, nor vice versa. Nor will one be restrained at the time of spending, nor vice versa. Rather, one will know the places of good and evil, their statuses and the appropriate place for all character traits — in terms of where one should employ them and where their usage is better.

Generosity encourages one to forgo one’s rights and be concerned instead with the rights of others. Generosity is the commander of the armies of good.

Patience protects one in continuing that, and allows one to endure suffering, suppress anger, remove difficulties [from others], not seek revenge and remain on all of the good as mentioned above. It is the biggest aid in acquiring all that is desired from the goodness of this world and the hereafter. Allah Most High says: “Seek help in patience and prayer; and truly it is hard save for the humble-minded.” (2:45) These are three elements through which Tasawwuf can be attained.

Tasawwuf is one of the elements of real wayfaring (suluk), and the purification and rectification of the soul to prepare it for its journey to the companionship of the Al-Rafiq al-A‘la (The Greater Company) and the company of He Who you love. For indeed a man will be with whom he loves. It is as Simnun said, “The lovers have taken the glory of this world and the hereafter for indeed a man will be with he whom he loves. And Allah knows most.”

Section — He (Shaykh al-Islam al-Hirawi) says: “The third level is adorning one’s manners by purifying them, then rising beyond the ‘separation’ of adorning one’s manners and then adorning one’s self by passing all of the manners.”

This level consists of three things. One of them is purifying the manners by completing what has been mentioned in the two levels before. So one should clear them from every speck of dirt, dust and confusion. When you have done so, then you will ascend from its separation (tafriqah) [from Allah] to associating (jam‘iyyah) yourself to Allah. Indeed, [the concept of] adorning one’s self with good manners and Tasawwuf involves rectifying and preparing for the association. [The concept of not being attached to Allah due to the preoccupation with adorning one’s manners] has only been called “separation” (tafriqah) because it involves preoccupation with something apart from Him, and Suluk demands one’s complete attention and the preoccupation of one’s self to the Cherisher alone from anything apart from Him.

Then he shall rise above all of that — that is passing all manners in such a way that he disappears from all manners and from adorning himself with them. This absence is, according to them, of two levels: One is preoccupation with Allah Most High from everything apart from Him. The second is annihilation (fana) in the uniqueness [of Allah], which they call the divine union (hadhrat al-jam‘a) and which is the highest objective according to them. It is awarded (wahabi) and not earned (kasabi). However, the slave, when he persists and is truthful in searching, it is hoped he will be successful in attaining his purpose. Allah knows most.

Section — good manners with Allah and with the creation rests on two traits which ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Kilani has mentioned, “Remain with the Truth without any creation [coming in between] and with the creation without any carnal desires (nafs) [coming in between].”

Ponder how great these two sentences are in spite of their brevity, and how well they gather the principles of Suluk and every beautiful manner.

The corruption of manners only comes about due to the intervention of the creation between you and Allah Most High and the intervention of the carnal desires between you and His creation. So, when you have separated [yourself] from the creation at the time of your being with Allah Most High, and from the carnal desires at the time of your being with the creation, then you have succeeded in everything that the Community^[12] has indicated towards, that which they have embarked on and around which they have hovered. It is Allah from Whom help is sought. It is mentioned that Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The greatest of people are of five types: the ‘alim who is abstinent, the jurist who is a Sufi, the wealthy person who is humble, the poor person who is thankful and the nobleman who is Sunni.”

3: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 2, p.366):

Two ambiguous sentences regarding iradah^[13] have been narrated from Junayd and each requires explanation. The first sentence is as follows: Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami narrates from Muhammad ibn Mukhallad, from Ja‘far, from Junayd who said, “The true murid is not in need of the ‘ulama.” He also said, “When Allah wishes good for a murid he places him with the Sufis and prevents him from the company of the Qur’an reciters (qurra).”

I say: When the murid is sincere and has corrected the covenant of his sincerity with Allah, then Allah will open his heart — on account of the barakah of the sincerity and good dealing with Allah — to that [knowledge] which spares him from the knowledge which is the outcome of people’s ideas and views, and from that knowledge which is surplus and not from the provisions of the grave, and from the many instructions of the Sufis and their knowledge for which they spent their lives such as understanding the soul, its harms and its defects and understanding that which ruin actions and the rules of Suluk. Indeed, his being sincere and the soundness of his quest mean all of this in effect.

Its example is that of a man who sits in a city and devotes his night and day in understanding the stations of the path, its mountain passes, valleys and trackless desolate regions, and the places where there is water and deserts. On the other hand, passion and true iradah encourages another to travel the path and journey in it. His sincerity leaves him not in need of the knowledge of the man who does not travel, allowing him, in his journey, to witness the path with his eyes.

As to the sincerity of one’s iradah relieving one from the knowledge of what is halal and haram, the rulings of what has been ordained and forbidden (amr wa nahi), understanding the acts of worship, their conditions, their necessary points (wajibat) and what makes them invalid, and the knowledge of what Allah and His Prophet has ordered (ahkam), both exoterically and esoterically, then Allah has protected he who is less than Junayd let alone the sayyid al-taifah and theirimam.^[14] The only ones who say such [things] are those who are robbers on the path, and the freethinkers and heretics from among the Sufis who do not view the following of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to be a condition in the path.

It is also the case that Allah opens the heart of the true murid, radiating it with His nur which adds to the nur of knowledge that he already has and with which he understands many issues regarding his religion. He is, therefore, relieved of much of the knowledge of the people, for indeed knowledge is nur and the heart of he who is true is full of the nur of truth and with it is the nur ofiman, and nur guides to [other] nur. Junayd informed of his spiritual state (hal) through this saying. This (what Junayd said) is a partial matter and does not concern knowledge on the whole. Rather, the murid’s sincerity leaves one not in need of many types of knowledge.

As to knowledge on the whole, the speech of Abu al-Qasim [Junayd al-Baghdadi] that is established from him — that the murid needs knowledge, that he who has no knowledge will not be successful, that the way of the Community is bound to knowledge and that it is not permitted for anyone to speak regarding the path except with knowledge — is famous and well-known.

We have already mentioned before some of this, such as his saying, “He who is not mindful of the Qur’an and not written hadith cannot be followed in this matter for our knowledge is bound to the Book and the Sunnah.” He also said that the knowledge of the ‘ulama whom he has indicated towards “is that which they have understood and derived from the Qur’an and the Sunnah.” And the sincere murid “is he who reads the Qur’an and is mindful of the Sunnah. Allah grants him, due to the barakah of his sincerity and the nur of his heart, the understanding of His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet, relieving him from following the understanding of others.”

As to Junayd’s saying, “When Allah wishes good for a murid he places him with the Sufis and prevents him from the company of the Qur’an reciters (qurra).” The qurra in their terminology are the people of devotion and worship, regardless of whether they recite the Qur’an or not. Theqari^[15] according to them is he who indulges in plenty of worship and devotion and has confined himself to exoteric worship, not the essence of ma‘rifah, the realities of faith, the essence of love and the actions of the heart. All of their ardour is spent in performing worship; they have no knowledge of what the people of Tasawwuf, the people of the hearts and the people of ma‘rifahhave. It is because of this that someone said: “Our path can be weakened but not conquered.” Their (the Sufis’) journey is with the heart and soul, while the journey of those (the qurra) is only with the outer shell and form. There is also a type of disagreement and discord between them. None of them can remain in the company of the other except with some self-restraint, and the burdening of one’s character with that which it does not like. Their disagreement is of the type that exists between them and the Zahiri fuqaha. The Sufis call them [the Zahiri fuqaha] ashab al-rusumand those the qurra. Both groups, according to them, are people of the exterior (zahir) and not people of ma‘rifah. The Zahiri fuqaha have with them the rituals of knowledge and the qurra have with them the rituals of worship.

Then, they (the Sufis) among themselves are of two types: the Sufis and the fuqara. They, according to three views, differ with regards to giving the Sufis preference over the fuqara, or to the contrary or considering both equal.

There is the group that gives preference to the Sufis — among them are many of the people of Iraq; the author of Al-‘Awarif is of this view. They consider the place where the faqir ends the place where the Sufi begins. There is also the group that gives preference to the faqir — they have made faqr (a want for Allah) the essence and outcome of Tasawwuf. Many of the people of Khurasan are of this view. The third group say that faqr and Tasawwuf are the same. These are the people of the Levant.

It is not correct to judge between them until the reality of faqr and Tasawwuf becomes clear. Then it would become known whether they are either one reality or two realities, and what is preferred over what is not.

You shall soon see that explained, insha Allah, in the sections regarding al-Faqr wa al-Tasawwufwhen we reach them if Allah wills and grants through His benevolence and accordance. There is no power or strength except with Allah. From He it is that help is sought and upon He it is that trust is placed. What He wishes will be and that which He does not will not.

In summary, the stages according to them are three: the stage of taqwa which is the stage of worship and devotion; the stage of Tasawwuf which is the stage of endeavouring to acquire every praiseworthy trait and abandoning every reprehensible trait; and the stage of faqr which is the stage of isolation and breaking every relation that comes between the heart and Allah Most High. These are the stages of those who seek the afterlife. Those apart from them are with those who are left behind seated.

Hence, Abu al-Qasim Junayd has indicated that when Allah wishes good for the murid who sincerely wants Allah, he places him in the company of the Sufis who rectify his manners, direct him in purifying his soul, removing its reprehensible traits and replacing them with praiseworthy traits, and acquaints him with the stations of the path, its desert areas, the robbers on the path, and its danger points.

As to the qurra, they pound him with such forms of worship such as fasting and prayer; they do not allow him to taste anything from the sweetness of the actions of the hearts and the purification of souls, as that is not their way. It is on account of this there is a sense of dislike between them and the people of Tasawwuf as has been mentioned before.

The sincere one with understanding takes benefit of every opportunity and remains with each group in the best of what they have. He does not incline to any group or remains completely aloof from the other in such a way that they do not have with them anything that is true. This is the way of those who are sincere.

4: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 2, p.371):

He (i.e. Shaykh al-Islam al-Hirawi al-Sufi) said: “Iradah is from the principles of this knowledge and from among its great edifices. [Iradah] is complying willingly and unwillingly to the demands ofhaqiqah.”

What he means is that this knowledge^[16] is built on iradah, which is its foundation and the place where its structures meet. This knowledge consists of the detailed explanation of the rulings ofiradah. It is an action of the heart and it is because of this that it is called the science of esoteric knowledge (‘ilm al-batin) just like the science of fiqh concerns the detailed explanations of the rulings of the limbs and it is on account of this that they call it the science of exoteric knowledge (‘ilm al-zahir). These are two voluntary actions. The slave also has an involuntary physical action, and the science concerning its detailed explanations and rulings is medicine. These three types of knowledge are responsible for understanding the actions of the soul, the heart, the tongue, the limbs and a person’s physical disposition.

The doctor looks at those actions from the perspective of what effect the body has taken in terms of health and sickness, and that which comes as a result of that etc. The faqih looks at those actions from the angle of them being in agreement with what the Shari‘ah has enjoined and forbidden, given permission to and disliked etc. The Sufi looks at all those actions from the perspective of their being a means to join the person to his objective or a means of breaking him off, and that which is a cause of corrupting his heart or setting it right.

5: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 2, p.438):

From among the stations of “It is you who we worship and it is you from who we seek aid” (1:5) there is the station of want (faqr). This station, according to the Community,^[17] is the most exalted of the stations of the path, and the loftiest and highest. In fact, it is the soul of every station, its heart, essence and apex.

This can only be understood by understanding the reality of faqr. The meaning that this group^[18]intends is more specific than its original meaning, for the word faqr has appeared in the Qur’an in three places — the first is in His Most High’s saying: “(Your charities should be preferably meant) for the needy (fuqara) who are confined in the way of Allah, unable to travel in the land. An ignorant person takes them as free of need because of their abstinence from begging…” (2:273); the second is in His Most High’s saying: “The sadaqat (prescribed alms) are (meant) only to be given to the poor (fuqara) …” (9:60); and the third is in His Most High’s saying: “Oh men, you are the ones who need (fuqara) Allah …” (35:15).

The first type are the distinguished (khawas) from among the fuqara; the second are the fuqarafrom among the Muslims, both the special and general among them; and the third is of a generalfaqr for all of the people of the earth, the rich and the poor, and those who believe and disbelieve.

Those who are wealthy and able to travel in the path of Allah are in contrast to the fuqaramentioned in the first verse. In fact, those who do not conceal their poverty due to their abstinence from begging are in greater contrast than even the second group.

The rich and the people of wealth stand in contrast to the second group. Those who abstain from begging etc. and those unable to travel in the path of Allah etc. are included in the second group. There is none that is opposite the third group except Allah the Generous alone. Everything apart from Him is in need of Him.

What the Community^[19] means by faqr is something more specific than all of these meanings, and that is the manifestation of servitude (‘ubudiyyah) and want for Allah Most High in every situation. This meaning is greater than it just being called “want” (faqr) — it is the reality of servitude and its essence, it is disassociating the nafs from emulating lordship.

Yahya ibn Mu‘adh was asked regarding faqr, he said, “Its reality is that one remains not in need of anything except Allah, and the way of acquiring it is to leave all means (asbab).” He also defined it saying, “Not relying on means while utilising them.” It is as some of the shaykhs said, “It (faqr) is a thing that Allah does not place except by he who He loves and drives to he who He wishes.” Ruwayyim was asked regarding faqr, he defined it saying: “Letting loose the nafs in fulfilling the commands of Allah.” Letting loose the nafs is only praiseworthy in issues pertaining to religion and matters of fate regarding which it has not been ordered that one withstands them and guards against them.

Abu Hafs was asked: “What will the faqir offer his Lord?” He replied: “There is nothing that the faqircan offer his Lord except his faqr. The reality of faqr and its perfect form is as some of them said when they were asked: When does the faqir deserve the name of faqr? They said: When he has nothing of it left. They were asked how that can be and they said: Idha kana lahu falaysa lahu, wa idha lam yakun lahu fahuwa lahu.” (The meaning of this follows in the next paragraph — translator)

This is the best explanation of faqr that the Community has indicated towards — that is that one becomes completely for Allah Most High and that nothing from his nafs, self and desire remains. So, as long as anything of his nafs remains, then his faqr will be incomplete. Abu Hafs explains that by saying, “Idha kana lahu falaysa lahu, wa idha lam yakun lahu fahuwa lahu.” In other words when he is devoted to his nafs then he is not devoted to Allah, and when he is not devoted to hisnafs then he is devoted to Him.

The reality of faqr is that you do not devote yourself to your nafs, and that it does not have any part of you in a way that you are Allah’s. When you are devoted to your nafs, then there is then a sense of ownership and free of want (istighna) that is contrary to faqr.

The faqr towards which they have indicated is not inconsistent with wealth and properties, as the Messengers of Allah and His Prophets were at the peak of faqr while being in possession of wealth and property such as Ibrahim al-Khalil (peace be upon him) who was Abu al-Dayfan^[20] and had wealth and livestock. Likewise, this was the situation with Sulayman and Dawud (peace be upon them) and so was it with our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). He was as Allah Most High said: “And He found you in need, then made you need-free.” (93:8) They were wealthy in their faqr and faqirs with their wealth.

The real faqr is always thinking of Allah in every situation, and that the slave witnesses — in his smallest of actions, exoterically and esoterically — a complete want for Allah Most High in every way. Faqr is an inherent characteristic of the slave that only renews itself to the slave when he sees and reaches a spiritual state (hal), or else it would be the haqiqah. It is as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah sanctify his soul) said:

For me faqr is always an intrinsic innate quality,

In the same way ghani is His inherent quality.

It [faqr] has effects, affiliations, consequences and means towards which the Community has made references to, such as some of them saying, “The faqir’s ambition does not go beyond his step.” Meaning he is a man of his state and time (ibn al-hal wa al-waqt); his ambition is confined to his time and it does not go beyond it. It is also said the fundamentals of faqr are four: knowledge that guides him, piety that restrains him, belief that carries him and dhikr that gives him solace.

Al-Shibli said, “The reality of faqr is that one does not have want for anything except Allah.” Sahl ibn ‘Abdullah was asked, “When will the faqir be at rest?” He replied, “When he does not see himself in a time that he is not in.” (In other words he is preoccupied with the demands of that particular time and not with anything beyond — translator) Abu Hafs said, “Perfect that by which the slave turns to Allah — constant want (iftiqar) of Allah, adherence to the Sunnah in all actions and seeking of sustenance through halal means.”

It was said, “From the requisites of faqr is that the faqir is devoid of any longing. And if he does, and that is inevitable, then his longing should not go beyond that which suffices him.” It was said, “The faqir does not own and is not owned.” Better than this is, “[The faqir is] he who owns and the master does not own him.”

It was said, “He who intends the glory of faqr has died a poor man and he who coveted it so he does not busy himself with anything apart from Allah has died wealthy…”

There is a detailed discussion regarding faqr at this point in Madarij al-Salikin, which can be seen by those who so wish. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim then comments on the texts of Shaykh al-Islam al-Hirawi al-Sufi in which he mentions the levels of faqr:

Abu Isma‘il al-Hirawi writes: “The third level [of faqr is]: idtirar (to be devoid of will) and falling into solitary separation or being confined in a desert subject to isolation. This is the faqr of the Sufis…” [Ibn al-Qayyim said,] it can be understood from his saying, “This is the faqr of the Sufis,” that Tasawwuf according to him is greater than faqr, as this third level — which to him is the highest level of faqr – is from among some of the stations of Sufism.

There is a group that has disputed with them on that and say, “Tasawwuf is far below this stage. Tasawwuf is a means to this faqr, as Tasawwuf is all manners and faqr is the reality and goal. There is no goal beyond it.” The dispute among the Community with regards to this issue has been mentioned before and we have mentioned three views — these two and a third that each one is not superior over the other, as each of their realities cannot be perfected except by the other. This is the view of the people of the Levant. And Allah knows most.

6: Ibn al-Qayyim has established in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 1, p.154) a separate chapter discussing fana(annihilation) according to the Sufis, and mentions its types and stages, and its praiseworthy, irreprehensible and moderate traits:

As to annihilation (fana) from seeing anything apart from He, this is a concept that the majority of the latter Sufis have called towards and which they consider the goal, and it is that on which Abu Isma‘il al-Ansari has based his book and made the third stage in each of his chapters.

They do not mean the annihilation of the existence of everything apart from Allah on the outward, but the obliteration of the self from seeing and feeling everything apart from Allah. Its true nature is the absence of one of them from everything apart from what he is witnessing, rather also his absence from seeing himself and his being. This is because he becomes absent from his worship on account of He who is worshiped, absent from his dhikr on account of He who he is remembering, absent from his love on account of his beloved, and absent from seeing himself on account of He who is being seen.

At times, a spiritual state such as this is called intoxication (sukr), annihilation (istilam), obliteration (muhw) and being in the state of union (jam‘a). They sometimes differentiate between the meanings of these terms and, at times, the prevalent meaning is the seeing of the heart its Beloved and the One it is remembering until he disappears into Him and becomes annihilated in Him and thinks he is in union with Him and that he has joined Him, rather he thinks he is He. This is similar to the story in which a man saw his beloved throw herself into water and so the lover threw himself behind her. The beloved said, “What made you throw yourself into the water?” The lover replied, “I lost myself in you and thought surely you were I.”

When his sense returns, he understands he was mistaken in that and that the realities are distinguished in themselves. Hence, the Cherisher (Rabb) is the Cherisher, the slave is the slave, and the Creator is separate from the creation, there is nothing from Himself in His creation, and nothing in Him from His creation.

However, at the time of sukr, muhw, istilam, fana and jam‘a this difference becomes absent, and at this time, those involved may say such things as have been narrated from Abu Yazid who said, “Glory be to myself,” or, “There is nothing in this jubbah except Allah.” Speech such as this would render the speaker a kafir if his mind were with him. However, on account of the absence of the faculty of differentiating and feeling, he is not held blameworthy.

Some of this fana is praised, some of it is criticized and some of it is excused. That which is praised is his annihilation from loving anything apart from Allah, and from fearing and having hope in anything apart from He, and having trust in Him, seeking aid from Him and turning to Him in such a way that the din of the slave, exoterically and esoterically, is for Allah in its entirety.

As to the lack of feeling and knowledge that the person in this state cannot distinguish between himself and others, and between the Cherisher and the slave even though his belief is that there is a difference, and nor between his seeing and that which he has witnessed, rather he does not see what is the other, then this is not praiseworthy, nor a perfect quality, nor something that is desired and which has been commanded.

Rather, the final outcome of such a person is to be excused — on account of his inability and weakness of heart and mind — from distinguishing and differentiating; from treating every person of rank according to their rank in line with the requisites of knowledge and wisdom; from seeing realities according to how they are; from differentiating between what is eternal (qadim) and temporary, and acts of worship and the one being worshipped, something that would allow him to treat acts of worship according to their rank and witness their levels, and give each stage its due in worship and see himself perform this.

Indeed, the slave seeing himself in servitude is in itself a more perfect form of servitude than him being absent from seeing that, for the action of servitude in a situation in which the slave is absent from seeing it and from himself is like the action of a drunkard and sleeping person. The action of servitude in the state when he is wide-awake and aware has its own details. His doing so like this is a more complete, perfect and strong form of servitude.

This situation is also not necessarily that of all saliks but it comes to some of them. Those who have been afflicted include Abu Yazid and others like him. There are some who are not afflicted by it. Their situation is more perfect and strong. Indeed, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) are the leaders of the ‘arifs, the imams of those who have reached [Allah] and are close [to Him], and the exemplars of the saliks. There was none among them who was afflicted by this in spite of the strength of their iradah, their passing of so many stages, and their seeing that which others did not see. They did not even have a whiff of its smell and nor did it pass their hearts. If this fana was perfect then they were more deserving of it and would have been the people of it, and they would have had from it that which others have not.

This was also not the case with our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and nor was his state. It is on account of this that on the night of Mi‘raj when he was taken and he saw that which he saw from that which Allah showed him from His great signs, this state did not come to him. Rather, he was as Allah Most High has described him in the verse, “The eye neither went wrong, nor did exceed the limit. He has indeed seen a part of the biggest signs of your Lord.” (53:17-18) He also said, “And We did not make the vision We showed to you, but a test for the people.” (17:60) Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “This is the vision that He showed the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) on the night he was taken…” In spite of this, he came amongst them in the morn and his condition did not change, nor was he left senseless or unconscious, he informed them of the details of what he saw, he was not annihilated from his self and nor from seeing it. It is because of this that his situation was more perfect than Musa ibn ‘Imran (may Allah bless them both and grant them peace) when he fell senseless when his Cherisher revealed Himself to the mountain, turning it into rubble.

Section — There are two reasons for this fana: one is the strength of the inspirations (warid) and weakness of the one receiving, and this is not criticism of the person [who is experiencing this]; the second is deficiencies in knowledge and [the faculty] of differentiating, and this is criticism of the person [involved]. He (Imam Abu Isma‘il) saw this as an obstacle from the obstacles of the path. This is blameworthy and feared.

It is because of this that the Community^[21] has greatly advised the pursuit of knowledge; warned against suluk without knowledge; ordered the leaving of he who abandons knowledge and turns away from it, and not to take from such a person because they knew the consequences of the affairs of such a person and the terrible outcome of their journey. He who generally turns heretic from among the saliks becomes so because of his turning away from the demands of knowledge while journeying along the path of tasting spiritual bliss (dhawq) and ecstasy (wajd), which takes him on to a path of many ways. This is a fitnah, a fitnah that is great. It is Allah Who grants success.

7: Ibn al-Qayyim differs in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 1, p.198) with Shaykh al-Islam al-Hirawi al-Sufi when he mentions in Manazil al-Sairin, “From the realities of tawbah is seeking the apology of the creation.” Having criticized him, Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim writes:

This lapse from the shaykh al-Islam does not necessitate the invalidation of his good qualities and a poor opinion of him; his standing in knowledge, leadership, ma‘rifah and pre-eminence in the way of Suluk is something that is not unknown. [It is with regards to] each person that some of his speech is taken and some of it left, save with regards to he who is infallible (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Perfect is he whose mistakes are counted; and this is surely the case in the likes of this difficult situation and gruelling battleground in which feet slip and minds go astray, and in which the saliks divide into different paths and then they — except a few of them — arrive on the valleys of perdition. How can it not be? It is the sea in which the ship of those riding it moves among mountain-like-waves and the battle in which the valour of the brave shines due to their being there, and in which the minds of intelligent men become perplexed. The creation reaches its coast, seeking to navigate it.

Among them there is he who stands with his head bowed and stunned, unable to cast a look at the sea and move his feet from his place. His heart is full of the greatness of that which he has seen and so he says, “Standing on the coast is safer. He who places himself in danger is not wise.”

Then there is he who turns back when he hears its rage and the sound of its waves; he is unable to cast a glance at it. There is also he who throws himself into its depth; a wave takes him down and another raises him.

All of these three are in danger because the one standing on the coast is exposed to water reaching below his feet; the one who runs, even if he makes every effort, has no final destiny except towards it; and he who is daring is looking at those who have drowned every hour before his eyes. Only the fourth type of person will be saved and they are those who await the arrival of the Vessel of Command.^[22] When it draws near to them, the captain will call out, “Embark it. With the name of Allah it sails and anchors.” (11:41) This is in reality the Ark of Sayyiduna Nuh (peace be upon him) and the vessels of those prophets who came after him. Whoever climbs aboard them will be saved and whoever remains behind will drown.

They will climb on board the Vessel of Command by divine fate; it will take them in the movements of its waves by surrendering to He who has the right of disposition in the seas. It will only be like a light nap until it is said to the earth and skies, “O earth, suck in your water, and Oh heaven, stop. And water subsided, and the matter was over. It (the Ark) came to rest on the Judi.” (11:44) In other words the Dar al-Qarar (the Permanent Abode).

Those who remain behind from the ship, like the people of Sayyiduna Nuh (peace be upon him), drowned and were then destroyed. It was called out against them at the tops of the worlds, “and it was said, ‘Away with the wrongdoers,’” (11:44) and, “We did not do injustice to them, rather, they themselves were the unjust.” (43:76) Then it will be announced in a sufficient and powerful language, while verifying His tawhid and establishing His writ and He is the most just, “Say, ‘Then, Allah’s is the conclusive proof. So, had He willed, He would have brought all of you on the right path.’” (6:149)

Section — the task of the one riding this sea in the Vessel of Command is to clash with the waves of fate and to oppose one with another, otherwise he will perish. He should repel fate with fate and this is the journeying of those with strong wills from among the ‘arifs. This is the meaning of the saying of the shaykh, the ‘arif, the exemplar ‘Abd al-Qadi al-Kilani, “When the people reach a point of fate and destiny, they withhold, except me. A window opens up to me in it and I fight the destinies of truth with truth for the truth. The (true) man is he who fights destiny, not he who surrenders to it.”

When the interests of people in their livelihood only materialize by pushing back destinies, one with another, then what is the condition when it comes to matters of the hereafter? Allah Most High has ordered that an evil deed, which is from one’s destiny, should be fought back with a good deed, which is also from one’s destiny. Likewise, hunger is from one’s destiny and He has ordered that one repels it by eating which is also from one’s destiny.

If a person were to surrender to the destiny of hunger — in spite of his ability to repel it by eating — until he died, then he has died sinful. This is the same with cold, heat and thirst. All of these are his destinies and He has ordered that one repels them according to that which opposes them. The one who is repelling, the repelled and the repelling itself are his destiny.

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has eloquently described this meaning when the Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, do you think that the medicine that we use, the incantations that we recite and the taqwa that we adopt repels what Allah has destined even a bit?” He replied, “That is from the destiny of Allah.” In another hadith he said, “Surely, supplications and difficulties wrestle with each other between the sky and the earth.”

When the disbelieving enemy knocks at the cities of Islam, then they knock due to what Allah has destined. Is it permissible for the Muslims to surrender to fate and abandon repelling them in appropriate ways — and that is Jihad with which they repel the fate of Allah according to one’s ability?

It is the same with a sin; when it is destined for you and you do it due to fate then repel its consequences with sincere tawbah and that is from fate.

8: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 2, p.39), and that is after he has opposed some of the views of Shaykh al-Islam al-Hirawi:

That is the reason for his words and the most beautiful of meanings. It is said that this and other words of ecstasy (shatahat)^[23] — the forgiveness of which is hoped through an abundance of good deeds, and which one is drawn deeply into due to perfect truthfulness (sidq), correct dealing, utmost sincerity and pure monotheism, and no human after the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is guaranteed fallibility — has forced two groups of people intofitnah:

The first group has been blinded from the goodness of this group, the gracefulness of their souls and the truthfulness of their dealings on account of these words of ecstasy. They consider them (the Sufis) invalid on account of these shatahat; they severely reject them and view them poorly in an absolute fashion. This is enmity and excessiveness.

If everyone who commits a mistake or errs were to be abandoned indiscriminately, and all of his good points were to be considered invalid, then all knowledge, crafts and wisdoms would be ruined and those who are distinguished for their knowledge in these matters would be without work.

The second group has been blinded by the goodness of the Community, the purity of their hearts, the correctness of their intentions and their good dealings from seeing the defects of theirshatahat and their shortcomings; they have praised the shatahat and give them their approval. These people have also exceeded the limit and are extreme.

The third group are the people of justice and equity who give every man their due and treat people according to their ranks. They do not adjudicate he who is healthy as being ill and poorly, and nor consider healthy he who is ill and poorly. They, rather, accept that which should be accepted and refute that which should be refuted.

These words of ecstasy and their like have been warned against by the leaders of the Community, they have criticised their outcome and expressed themselves free from them so much so that Abu al-Qasim al-Qushayri has mentioned in his book that Abu Sulayman al-Darani was seen after his death and was asked, what did Allah do with you? He replied, “He forgave me and there was nothing more harmful to me than the allusions (isharah) of the Community.”

Abu al-Qasim said, I heard Abu Sa‘id al-Shahham say, “I saw Abu Sahl al-Sa‘luki in a dream and so I asked him, O shaykh. He said, ‘Leave the honorification.’ So I said, and what about those spiritual states (hal)? He replied, ‘They did not come in any use.’ So I asked, what did Allah do with you? He said, He forgave me because of some issues of fiqh that some elderly ladies would ask.’”

Al-Jariri said that he saw Junayd after his demise in a dream and so he asked, “How are you Oh Abu al-Qasim?” He replied, “Those allusions (isharah) perished and those texts disappeared. The only thing that benefited us were those tasbihat that we used to recite in the mornings.”

Abu Sulayman al-Darani said, “Subtle points mentioned by the Community are presented to me, but I only accept them in light of two just witnesses — the Book and the Sunnah.” Junayd said, “Our way is bound by the Book and the Sunnah. He who does not recite the Quran and writes hadith will not be followed in our way.” There are these and many other sayings which have been narrated from them, may Allah be pleased with them.

9: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 2, p.52):

May Allah thank the shaykh al-Islam^[24] for his efforts, raise his status, reward him in the best way and gather us with him at the place of His generosity. If his murid^[25] were to find an opportunity and occasion to raise an objection against him and object to his words, then he would not. How could he? Allah has benefited him through his speech, he has sat before him like a student in front of his teacher, and he was the one on whose hands Allah bestowed many good things both whilst awake and asleep.

This is the utmost effort of a destitute man at this place. He who has the superiority of knowledge should strive earnestly with it, or offer an excuse and not hasten to object. How much was the difference between the hoopoe and the Prophet of Allah Sulayman who told him, “I have discovered what you did not.” (27:22) The shaykh al-Islam is not more knowledgeable than the Prophet of Allah and the one who raises objections against him is no more ignorant than the hoopoe. It is from Allah that help is sought and He is the most knowledgeable.

10: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 3, p.330):

Let it be known that the language of the Community^[26] includes metaphors, the usage of general words (‘am) while intending specific meanings (khas), and the usage of words while intending their alluded meanings (isharah) — not their apparent meaning — which do not exist in the nomenclature of other groups. It is because of this that they say, “We are the people of isharahand not the people of actual text,” and, “the isharah are for us and the texts are for others.”

At times they use a phrase used by a heretic and intend a meaning in which there is no corruption. This becomes a means of fitnah for two groups: the group that attributes the exoteric meaning of texts to them and then considers them to be innovators and astray; and the group that looks at what they aim and intend, and approves those texts and considers correct those alluded meanings. The seeker of truth accepts it from whoever has it and rejects that which opposes it regardless of who it is.

11: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol. 3, p.151):

Be completely aware of ambiguous, obscure words that are in the nomenclature of the Community. They are indeed the root of difficulties, and the source of both the siddiq and the heretic. When a person who is weak in recognising and knowing Allah Most High hears the wordsittisal (union), infisal (separation), musamarah (conversing), mukalamah (communion), and that nothing is in existence in reality except Allah, and that the existence of the worlds are thoughts and illusions like a shadow which exists on account of another, then he hears that which fills the ears with hulul (incarnationism), ittihad (unification) and shatahat (words of ecstasy).

 

When the ‘arifs, on the other hand, use these words and others like them, they intend the correct inherent meaning. But some err in understanding what they mean and attribute heresy and kufr to them.

12: Ibn al-Qayyim establishes a specific section in Madarij al-Salikin (vol.1, p.430) to explain the contemplations (mashahid) of people and has mentioned thirteen mashahid — four belonging to those who are astray and the rest for those who are steadfast. He also mentions regarding this section that “it is one of the most important sections of this book and greatly beneficial to all. It is worthy of great praise.” He also said “it is possible you will not come across this in another book.”

At the end of the Twelfth mashhad he writes:

When he is endowed with knowledge in this mashhad, and it becomes firm in his heart, and he enjoys it, and tastes it and its sweetness, then he ascends from there to the Thirteenth Mashhad, which is the objective that the saliks strive towards, the travellers intend and that which those who toil eye. It is the mashhad of servitude (‘abudiyyah), love and eagerness to meet Him, rejoice in Him, and be happy and joyful with him. His [the salik’s] eye will become cool, his heart will take solace in Him (Allah Most High) and his limbs will be in a state of rest towards Him, His remembrance will take possession over the tongue of His lover and his heart, and thoughts of love shall take the place of thoughts of disobedience, intentions of gaining His proximity and the proximity of deeds that please Him shall take the place of intentions to disobey and displease Him, and the movement of tongues and limbs in His obedience will take the place of actions of disobedience.

His heart shall be filled with His love, his tongue shall be devoted with his remembrance and limbs will be guided to His obedience. Surely, this particular [type of] self-defeat has a bewildering effect in love that cannot be described.

It has been narrated from some ‘arifs that they said, “I tried to access Allah through all of the doors of obedience but whichever door I tried to enter from I would see a crowd of people and I could not enter until I came to the door of meekness (dhill) and showing a want (iftiqar), which was the nearest and widest door to Him and did not have any crowds and hindrances. I had only placed my foot at its threshold when all of a sudden He Most High took me by the hand and brought me in.”

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Alah be pleased with him) used to say, “Whoever intends eternal happiness, then let him hold tight to the threshold of servitude.”

Some ‘arifs said, “There is no shorter path to Allah than servitude and no veil more dense than making false claims; actions (‘amal) and striving hard will not benefit in the presence of pretension and pride; and showing a want to Allah and meekness is not harmed by valour.” This is all after the fard actions are carried out.

The point is, this meekness and special self-defeat enters him upon Allah and throws him on to the path of love from which a door opens for him which would not open for him at a different route. Even though the paths of all actions and forms of obedience open for the slave doors of His love, that door which opens to him through meekness, selflessness, showing a want for Allah (iftiqar), contempt for the carnal self and viewing it as weak, helpless, faulty and defective in a way that he sees it as something that is not sought after but, powerless, neglected, sinful and wrong, is of a different type and different opening.

The salik who is on this path is strange among people — they are in one wadi and he is in another. It is also called the Way of the Birds (Tariq al-Tayr); he who is asleep in his bed will supersede those who endeavour hard. When he awakes in the morning, he will have traversed the path and passed those who were mounted. While he is speaking to you, he will have outstripped fast horses and those who strive hard are left behind. It is from Allah that help is sought and He is the best of those who forgive.

_____________________________

1. This is an excellent book regarding the life of Ibn al-Qayyim, published by Al-Maktab al-Islami, Beirut. [↩]
2. The Hanbali madhhab. [↩]
3. They are the Sufi shaykhs. [↩]
4. Tus is an ancient city in the Iranian province of Razavi Khorasan. The city was almost entirely destroyed by the Mongol horde (translator). [↩]
5. Bistam is located in the historic province of Khurasan in present-day north-eastern Iran (translator). [↩]
6. Marw or Marw al-Shahidjan (also presently known as Merv) was a city on the north-eastern fringes of Persia. It used to be in the historic province of Khurasan. The city, now in ruins, falls within Turkmenistan and is a UNESCO World Heritage site (translator). [↩]
7. Marw al-Rudh (or Marw on the river) was a town on the Murghab River in mediaeval Khuarasan. It used to be close to the city of Marw. Marw al-Rudh currently falls in north-west Afghanistan and is known as Bala Murghab (translator). [↩]
8. A khanqah is a building designed specifically for Sufi gatherings. It is a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation. The word is from Persian and is synonymous with the Arabic words zawiyah(translator). [↩]
9. Published by Dar al-Kitab al-‘Arabi, Lebanon. [↩]
10. Among the Sufis this means preferring the will of the Master over one’s will (translator). [↩]
11. An indication towards the Sufis. [↩]
12. In other words the Sufis (may Allah mercy them). [↩]
13. Among the Sufis this means preferring the will of the Master over one’s will (translator). [↩]
14. Note (may Allah shed mercy on you) how Imam Ibn al-Qayyim treats these great people. Compare him to those deluded foolish ones who affiliate themselves to knowledge and always attribute to the Sufis that which is not part of them. [↩]
15. Qari is singular of Qurra (translator). [↩]
16. Tasawwuf. [↩]
17. This is in reference to the Sufis (may Allah mercy them). [↩]
18. The Sufis (may Allah mercy them). [↩]
19. This is in reference to the Sufis (may Allah mercy them). [↩]
20. Aba al-Dayfan was the kunyat of Sayyiduna Ibrahim (peace be upon him) (translator). [↩]
21. This is in reference to the Sufis (may Allah mercy them). [↩]
22. In other words fulfilling the commands of Allah (translator). [↩]
23. Shatahat is the plural of shath and are words that are not in line with Shari‘ah and spoken by some Sufis while experiencing a spiritual state. Hakim al-Ummah Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi writes inTa‘lim al-Din that “shath are those words spoken without choice and are contrary to exoteric rules due to being overwhelmed by warids (divine inspirations). Such a person is not sinful but should not be followed” (translator). [↩]
24. That is Shaykh al-Islam Abu Isma‘il ‘Abd Allah bin Muhammad al-Ansar al-Hirawi al-Sufi. [↩]
25. In other words Imam Ibn al-Qayyim himself. [↩]
26. The Sufis. [↩]

 

Part 2

 

13: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol.2, p.464):

Section — from among the stations of, “It is you who we worship and it is you from who we seek aid,” (4:1) there is the station of knowledge (‘ilm). If this station does not accompany the salikfrom the first step that he places in the path until the last, then his suluk will be on another path; the path of connecting to Allah (wusul) is cut off from him, the paths of guidance are blocked for him, and the doors of success are closed to him. This is the consensus of the ‘arif shaykhs. Only the robbers among them and Iblis’ delegates and aides forbid [from adhering and seeking] knowledge.

The master of the Sufis (sayyid al-ta’ifah) and their shaykh Junayd ibn Muhammad (may Allah mercy him) said, “All of the paths are closed to the creation, save on he who follows in the steps of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).” He also said, “He who does not safeguard the Qur’an and writes hadith shall not be followed in this matter because our knowledge is bound to the Book and the Sunnah.” He also said, “This way of ours is bound to the principles of the Book and the Sunnah.”

Abu Hafs (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “He who does not weigh his actions and spiritual states (ahwal) at all times by the Book and the Sunnah, and does not consider with suspicion his thoughts, then he will not be counted in the register of men.”

Abu Sulayman al-Darani (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “Sometimes a point among the many subtle points mentioned by the Community penetrate my heart for a number of days, but I only accept them in light of two just witnesses — the Book and the Sunnah.”

Sahl ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “Every action that the slave does without guidance, regardless of whether it is an act of piety or sin, is feeding the carnal self, and every action that the slave performs with guidance is punishing the carnal self.”

Sarri said, “Tasawwuf is the name of three meanings: the light of his ma‘rifah should not extinguish the light of his fear in Allah; he should not speak regarding the inner aspect of a knowledge that the evident aspects (zahir) of the Book are contradicted by; and miracles (karamat) should not bring him to commit those actions that Allah has forbidden.”

Abu Yazid said, “I carried out mujahadah (struggling with the spiritual self) for thirty years and I found nothing more difficult than knowledge and following it. If it weren’t for the differences (ikhtilaf) of the ‘ulama, then I would have been left behind. The differences of the scholars are a mercy except in matters of pure monotheism (tawhid).”

He once said to his servant, “Let us go to meet that man who is famous for his piety.” When they entered upon him in the mosque, the man cleared his throat and spat in the direction of the Qiblah. Abu Yazid returned and did not make salam with him. He said, “He is not trusted in following one etiquette from the many etiquettes of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), so how can he be trusted in that which he claims?”

He also said, “I had a desire to ask Allah Most High that he protects me from the burden of women. Then I said, ‘How can it be permissible for me to ask Allah this when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not ask for this?’ I didn’t ask for it. Then Allah protected me from the burden of women until I didn’t care if a woman or a wall confronted me.”

He said, “If you see a man who has been bestowed with such miracles that he flies, then do not be deceived by him until you see how he is in bidding good and preventing evil, adhering to the limits and fulfilling the requirements of Shari‘ah.”

Ahmad ibn Abu al-Hawari (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “Whoever carries out an action without following the Sunnah, then his action is futile.”

Abu ‘Uthman al-Nisaburi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “Association with Allah should be carried out with excellent etiquettes (husn al-adab) and uninterrupted reverence and thought; association with the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) should be carried out by following his Sunnah and adhering to the exoteric aspects of knowledge; association with the walisof Allah should be carried out with respect and service; association with family should be carried out with good manners (husn al-khalq); association with friends should be with perpetual joy as long as there is no sin; and association with the ignorant (juhhal) should be with du‘a for mercy for them.”

Others have increased on this, “Association with the two angels, Kiraman and Katibin, [should be carried out by being] kind to them, respecting them and dictating to them that which for which they will praise you; association with the carnal self (nafs) is by opposing it; and association with Satan is by being his enemy.”

Abu ‘Uthman also said, “Whoever appoints the Sunnah as commander over himself in words and action will speak with wisdom, and whoever appoints his desires as commander over himself in words and action will speak of innovation (bid‘ah). Allah Most High says, ‘If you obey him, then you shall be guided.’” (54:24)

Abu al-Husayn al-Nuri said, “Do not venture near he who you see claiming to be associated with Allah Most High while leaving the limits of Shar‘i knowledge.”

Muhammad ibn al-Fadl al-Bamji, who was from among the major shaykhs of the Community, said, “The passing of Islam will be on account of four: they will not practice what they know, they shall practice that which they do not know, they shall not teach that which they do, and they shall prevent people from learning and teaching.”

‘Amr ibn ‘Uthman al-Makki said, “Knowledge is the commander, fear is the driver, and the carnal self is bound between the two, defiant, deceptive and sly. Beware of it, keep it in check with the management of knowledge and drive it with the intimidation of fear. For you shall be what you desire.”

Abu Sa‘id al-Kharraz said, “Every inner form (batin) which is opposed by the outward form (zahir) is false.”

Ibn ‘Ata said, “Whoever makes the etiquettes of the Sunnah incumbent upon himself, then Allah will enlighten his heart with the light of ma‘rifah. There is no station (maqam) nobler than the station of following the habib in that which he ordered, did and were his manners.”

He said, “Everything that you ask about, then seek it in the security of knowledge; if you don’t find it, then in the field of wisdom; if you don’t find it, then weigh it with monotheism (tawhid); and if you don’t find it in these three places, then strike the face of Satan with it.

The fingers of [Shaykh] al-Hammal were pushed in front of a beast, which began sniffing him but did not harm him. When he was saved, he was asked, “What was in your heart when the beast sniffed you?” He said, “I was thinking of the differences of the ‘ulama regarding the saliva of wild animals.”

Abu Hamzah al-Baghdadi^[1] said, “He who knows the right path, his journey will be easy. The only guide in the path to Allah is following the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in his states, speech and actions. Shaykh Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Musa al-Wasti went to the Jami‘ Mosque on the day of Friday when the strap of his sandal broke. A pharmacist repaired it and he said, ‘Do you know why the strap of my sandal broke?’ He replied he did not know at which he said, ‘It’s because I didn’t perform ghusl for the Friday prayers.’ The pharmacist said, ‘There’s a bath here that you can enter.’ He said yes, entered it and then performed ghusl.”

Abu Ishaq al-Riqqi, who was one of the contemporaries of Junayd, said, “The sign of Allah’s love is giving preference to his obedience and following His Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).”

Abu Ya‘qub al-Naharjawri said, “The best of states (ahwal) are those which go hand in hand with knowledge.”

Abu al-Qasim al-Nasrabadhi — the shaykh of Khurasan in his time — said, “The core of Tasawwuf is clinging to the Book and the Sunnah, abandoning desires and bid‘ah, honouring the miracles of the shaykhs, making excuses for people, continuing with one’s litanies (awrad), and abandoning the use of dispensations (rukhsah) and inappropriate explanations (ta’wilat).”

Abu Bakr al-Tamastani — one of the senior shaykhs of the group — said, “The path is clear, and the Book and the Sunnah are with us. The superiority of the Companions is known due to their superseding in Hijrah and their companionships (suhbah). He who remains with the Book and the Sunnah, withdraws from his carnal self and people, and migrates with his heart to Allah, then he is a truthful and correct individual.”

Abu ‘Amr ibn Nujayd said, “Each spiritual state (hal) that is not the outcome of knowledge, its harm on the person experiencing is more than its benefit.” He also said, “Tasawwuf is remaining patient in the face of those actions that have been ordained and forbidden.”

Some of the senior early shaykhs used to say, “Oh community of Sufis, do not separate the black from the white^[2] or else you will perish.”

14: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol.2, p.483):

From the stations of “It is you who we worship and it is you from who we seek aid” (1:4) there is the station of firasah (insight/acumen). Allah Most High said, “Indeed, in this are signs for themutawassimin.” (15:75) Mujahid said the mutawassimin are those who have visual acuity (orfiras), Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said they are those who watch, Qatadah said they are those who learn a lesson (‘ibrah) and Muqatil said they are those who reflect (mutafakkirin).

There is no incompatibility among these views, for indeed the one who watches when he sees the ruins of the buildings of those who falsified [the message], their homes and that which was their outcome, then he inherits insight, learns a lesson and reflects…

Firasah is of three types: Iymaniyyah, which is being spoken about at this point. Its cause is the light (nur) that Allah casts in the heart of His slave with which he differentiates between truth and falsehood, between that which is a spiritual state (hal) and that which is not, and between he who is truthful and he who is not.

Its reality is that it is a thought (khatir) that rushes to the heart and negates that which opposes it. It leaps at the heart like a lion as its prey (farisah). However, [in its linguistic form] farisah is on the pattern of fa‘ilah, which is in the meaning of an object (maf‘ula) whereas firasah is in the pattern of words such as wilayah (authority), imarah (command) and siyasah (administration). Thisfirasah is according to the strength of faith. He who is of strong faith will have sharper firasah.

Abu Sa‘id al-Kharraz said, “He who sees with the light (nur) of firasah, sees with the light of the Truth. His knowledge is the Truth without any neglect and heedlessness. Rather, true judgment flows from the tongue of His slave.”

Al-Wasti said, “Firasah are beams of lights that glimmer in hearts and give the ability to know secrets which are hidden from one to another so much that one witnesses things from where the Truth sees it, and he speaks about the innermost conscience of the creation.”

Al-Darani said, “Firasah is the unravelling of the self and seeing of the unseen, it is from the stations of iman. Some were asked regarding firasah and they said, ‘Souls move around in themalakut and have the honour of coming across the unseen. They speak regarding the secrets of the creation as they have seen and not as they think or expect.’”

‘Amr ibn Nujayd said, Shah al-Kirmani had sharp firasah and was never wrong. He used to say, “Whoever lowers his gaze from that which is prohibited, restrains himself from desires, inculcates his interior with contemplation (muraqabah) and his exterior with adherence to the Sunnah, and accustoms himself to eating halal, then his firasah will never be wrong.”

Abu Ja‘far al-Haddad said, “Firasah is the first thought (khatir) [that comes] without anything that contradicts (mu‘arid); if something of its type opposes it, then it is a khatir and the self speaking.”

Abu Hafs al-Nisaburi said, “It is not the right of anyone to claim to have firasah. However, fear thefirasah of others for the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Fear the firasahof a believer, for indeed he sees with the light of Allah.’ He did not say, ‘Seek firasah.’ How can that man who is at a place where firasah should be avoided be correct in his claim of possessingfirasah?”

Ahmad ibn ‘Asim al-Antaki said, “When you sit with the people of sincerity, then sit sincerely with them for they spy on hearts, they enter your hearts and take from where you cannot imagine.”

Junayd was one day speaking to the people when an unknown Christian youth stood up and said, “Oh shaykh, what is the meaning of the hadith of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), ‘Fear the firasah of a believer, for indeed he sees with the light of Allah.’” Junayd bowed his head in silence and then raised it towards that youth and said, “Accept Islam, the time for your Islam has come” The youth then accepted Islam.

It is mentioned in some old books, “Indeed, the firasah of a siddiq is never wrong.” Ibn Mas‘ud said, “The people with the sharpest firasah are three: the king of Egypt who purchased Yusuf when he said to his wife, ‘Make his stay comfortable, maybe he will benefit us or we shall adopt him as a son’ (12:21); the daughter of Shu‘ayb when she said to her father regarding Musa, ‘Hire him’ (28:26); and Abu Bakr when he appointed ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) his successor.”

In another narration there is the wife of Fir‘awn when she said, “A comfort of the eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” (28:29)

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) is considered to be the one with the greatestfirasah in the Ummah and after him was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased him). Incidents of ‘Umar’s firasah are well known. He would only say regarding something, “I think this is so,” and it would be as he said. It suffices regarding his firasah that the Almighty agreed with him at many well-known times.

Once Sawad ibn Qarib, who Sayyiduna ‘Umar did not know, passed by him, at which ‘Umar said, “Either I am mistaken or this man is a soothsayer or used to know fortunetelling in the Days of Ignorance.” When Sawad sat before ‘Umar, he told him the same, at which Sawad said, “Glory to Allah. Oh Commander of the Faithful, you have never received any of the people who sit by you, the way you received me.” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “That which we were on in the Days of Ignorance is worse than this. Nevertheless, tell me about that which I ask you.” He replied, “You speak the truth, Oh Commander of the Faithful. I was a soothsayer in the Days of Ignorance.” He then mentioned his story.

Likewise, ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) was a man of true firasah. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I entered on ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) and I had seen a woman on the way whose beauty I had noticed. ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘One of you visits me and the effect of zina can be seen in his eyes.’ So I said, is there revelation (wahy) after the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)? He said, ‘It is, however, insight, proof and true firasah.’”

The firasah of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) was the truest. The root of this type of firasah is obtained from that life and light that Allah Most High bestows on whom he wishes from among His slaves. The heart comes alive and is enlightened; its firasah will hardly be wrong. Allah says, “Is he who was dead and We gave him life and set for him a light with which he may walk among people like he who is in darkness from which he can never come out?” (6:122) The person was dead on account of disbelief and ignorance, and then Allah gave him life through faith and knowledge, he made the Qur’an and iman light for him with which to guide him among people to the straight path and out from darkness …

There are two causes of firasah: One is the excellence of the mind of the person with firasah, and the sharpness of his heart and good intelligence. The second is the appearance of signs and indications on the object of the firasah. When both causes come together, then that person’sfirasah will hardly be wrong. When both are not present, then his firasah will hardly be correct. When one of the two is strong and the other weak, then his firasah will be in between.

Iyas ibn Mu‘awiyah was one of those who had great firasah, incidents regarding him are famous, as was the case with Imam al-Shafi‘i regarding whom it is said that he has writings on this issue.

I have seen some wondrous things from the firasah of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him); that which I saw were outstanding and incidents of his firasah require a large book.

He informed his companions that the Tartars had entered the Levant (al-Sham) in 699AH, that the Muslim armies would be uprooted, that there would not be indiscriminate killings in Damascus and nor would people be indiscriminately taken captive, and that the greed and passion of the army will be for wealth. That was even before the Tartars had intended to move.

He then informed the people and rulers in the year 702AH, when the Tartars had moved and were heading for the Levant, that they would be routed and defeated, and that victory and triumph would be for the Muslims. He also swore on that more than seventy times. He would be asked to say,insha-Allah, at which he would say, “Insha-Allah, in the sense that it will happen and not in the sense that it is suspended.” I heard him say this.

He said, “When they rallied against me, I told them not to do so. Allah Most High has written this in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) that on this occasion they will be defeated and that victory is for the armies of Islam.”

He said, “I fed some princes and soldiers the sweetness of victory before they had even left to meet the enemy.” His minor firasah in these two incidents were like rain.

When he was summoned to Egypt and his murder was intended — this was after his abilities became known and they had plotted against him — his companions gathered to bid him farewell. They said, “Many letters have reached us that the people are plotting to murder you.” He said, “I swear by Allah, they will never be able to do so.” They said, “Will you be imprisoned?” He said, “Yes, and the incarceration will be lengthy. Then I shall come out and speak of the Sunnah in front of people.” I heard him say that.

When his enemy, the one titled Jashnakir,^[3] took over the country, people informed him and said, “Now he will do what he wishes with you.” At this he performed a sajdah of thanks to Allah and made it lengthy. He was then asked what the reason behind the prostration was. He said, “This is the beginning of his disgrace, the separation of his dignity from now and the closeness of the end of his rule.” He was asked when this would be. He said, “The army’s horses will hardly be bound to eat fodder on qurt (a species of plant fed to horses), but his kingdom shall be overrun.” It happened as he informed. I heard this from him.

He once said, “My companions and others enter upon me and I see in their faces and eyes things which I do not mention to them.” So I said to him, “What if you informed others apart from me?” So he said, “Do you wish that I become a fortune-teller like those of the rulers?”

I once said to him, “If you were to treat us according to what you see, then that would be more conducive in [making us] steadfast and piety.” He said, “You won’t be able to bear me for even a Friday.” Or he said a month.

On more than one occasion he informed me of such inner things about me that I had intended to do and not spoken about. He told of some major incidents that were to happen in the future but did not determine a time for them. I have seen some of them occur and await the rest. What his major companions witnessed of this is much more than what I have seen. Allah is the most knowledgeable.

15: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol.3, p.68) after detailed discussion about the Station ofWajd (Ecstasy):

Its levels are four. The weakest is taw’ajud, which is a type of unnatural behaviour, affectation and taking pains to bring it on … The second level is mawajid, which is the result of litanies (awrad) and their fruit. The third level is wajd, which is the fruit of the actions of the hearts such as to love for Allah’s sake and hate for Allah’s sake; this is like how the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has made the result of Allah and His Messenger being the most beloved to a slave.

The fruit of loving for His sake and dislike to return to disbelief is like one who hates to be cast in the fire; this wajd is the fruit of the actions of the heart which are to love for Allah’s sake and dislike for His sake.

The fourth level is wujud, which is the highest pinnacle of ihsan. One ascends to it from the station of ihsan. When the seeing of his Lord overcomes his heart until he reaches a point as if he is seeing Him, and he becomes firmly established in that, then he has earned an ability that suppresses the commands of his inner self which then change into different commands and a new temperament until he is raised afresh in a way that is different to his first upbringing and he is born anew.

From among those things that are mentioned regarding Sayyiduna ‘Isa (peace be upon him) is that he said, “Oh Children of Israel, you shall never enter the realm of the heavens until you are born a second time.” I have heard Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah mercy him) mention this and explain that “birth” is of two types — one is the conventional one, and the other is the birth of the heart and soul and their leaving the carnal self and the darkness of [one’s] temperament.

 

He said, “When this birth is on account of the Prophet then he is like a father for the believers. Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘The Prophet is more dear to the believers than themselves, he is a father to them.’” Ibn Taymiyyah said, “And the meaning of this verse of the Qur’an, ‘His wives are their mothers,’ (33:6) is that the motherhood of the wives of the Prophet in respect to the believers is established when the Prophet’s fatherhood is established.” He said, “The shaykh, teacher and educator (mu’addib) is the father of the soul, whereas the biological father is the father of the body.”

16: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol.3, p.128):

Abu Isma‘il al-Hirawi writes, “Time (waqt) is a receptacle (zarf) for events (kawn).” Time, according to the theologians (mutakallimin), consists of the joining of one event with another; it is the relation between two events.

His saying that time is a receptacle for events means it is a vessel for that which is created (takwin). It is a vessel, of time, in which that which has been created falls into. It is like the zarf of place in which the body comes into. However, “time” in the nomenclature of the Community is more specific than that.

Abu ‘Ali al-Daqqaq said, “Waqt (according to the Community of Sufis) is that which you are in. If you are involved in the world, then your time is the world. If you are involved in the hereafter, then your time is the hereafter. If you are in joy, then your time is happiness. If you are in sorrow, then your time is sorrow.” What he means is that waqt is that which has overcome the person at that time. It could at times mean that waqt is what is between the two tenses — the past and the future. This is the terminology of the majority of the Community. This is why they say, the Sufi and faqir is the son of his time (ibn al-waqt).

What they mean is that his ambition is such that he does not go beyond that which is the most superior thing for him to do and most beneficial for him. He does that which is sought from him at the time and continuing hour. He has no care for the past and what is coming, but cares for the time he is in, for indeed preoccupying one’s self with the past and the future wastes the present time; whenever a time comes, he is preoccupied with the [other] two, and so all of his time has passed.

Imam al-Shafi‘i (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I remained in the company of the Sufis and did not benefit from them in anything except two sentences. I heard them say, ‘Time is a sword, if you don’t tear it apart, it will tear you.’ And, ‘If you don’t preoccupy yourself with the truth then it (yourself) will preoccupy you in falsehood.’”

I say: how excellent are these sentences. How beneficial, concise and representative are they regarding the lofty aspirations of he who uttered them and his vigilance. Al-Shafi‘i’s praise of this Group, in relation to the value of their words, suffices in this matter.

Some of them have divided the Sufis into four types: Ashab al-Sawabiq, Ashab al-‘Awaqib, Ashab al-Waqt and Ashab al-Haqq. As for the Ashab al-Sawabiq, their hearts are always involved in that which has preceded them from Allah because of their knowledge that the eternal decree (al-hukm al-azali) will not change due to that which the slave earns [in deeds]. They say that he who has been driven far by that fate that has preceded him, then no means will draw him close. Their thoughts will always be in that. In spite of that, they strive earnestly to perform those actions that they have been ordered to do, abstain from those actions that they have been told not to do, and gain proximity to Allah in different ways without relying on them and having regard for them. One of them said:

How can I please you, save that you grant me divine accordance,

What an idea and how wrong it is, divine accordance is not from me,

If I don’t have something that has preceded me in fate,

Then there is no benefit in that deed of mine that I have sent forth.

As for the Ashab al-‘Awaqib, they are in contemplation of that state in which their affairs will end for indeed all affairs are according to their last, actions are according to their end, and the final outcome (‘aqibah) is concealed. It is as it is said:

Let not good times deceive you,

For beneath them lie hidden difficulties.

How many seasons of spring were there — the trees of which became bright, the flowers of which blossomed and the fruits of which matured — on which heavenly calamity befell and it became as Allah Most High has said, “… Until when the earth took on its ornament and was fully adorned, and its people thought that they had control over it, Our command came to it at night or by day, and We turned it into a stubble, as if it had not been there a day earlier. This is how We elaborate the verses for a people who reflect.” (10:24)

How many murid is there who stumbled in spite of the excellence of his firm intention,

He fell onto the ground with hands and jaw dropping.

It was said to some of them, who had been seen doing that which is contrary to what they had pledged, “What happened to you?” So they replied, “There was a veil,” and recited:

You thought well of the days when they were good,

And you did not fear the wickedness which fate would bring,

The nights made peace with you and that deluded you,

And in the serenity of the nights grief strikes,

There is no amazement at how those who perished did so,

Amazement is only for those who were saved; how were they rescued?

You wonder at my illness, when it is my health that is surprising.

Those who retreated backwards are many, more than those who plunged into difficulties:

Take one from the thousand,

And cast away the rest after him.

As to the Ashab al-Waqt, they do not preoccupy themselves with what has preceded or that state in which their affairs will end. Rather, they preoccupy themselves by taking due care of the current time and that which is incumbent on them at that time. They say that the ‘arif is the son of his time (ibn al-waqt); there is no past for him and no future. Some of them saw Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) in their dreams and asked him for advice. He said, “Be a son of your time.”

As to the Ashab al-Haqq, they are the people of time and place; they possess them and direct them. They have been gripped, by seeing Him, away from viewing time. They do not become unoccupied to consider the time or the place. The issue is like it is said:

I am not aware whether my night has become prolonged or not,

How can he who is of little worth know of that?

If I were to free myself to prolong my night,

And observe the stars, then I would be a disgrace.

Surely, the lovers are so busy in love that they care not for the shortening of the night or its lengthening. Junayd said, “I entered on Sarri one day and asked him, ‘How was your morning?’ He then recited a poem:

I don’t have any relief in the day or the night,

I don’t care if the night is long or short.

He then said, ‘There is no night or day by your Lord.’” What he means is that he cares not for time, but is with He who determines the night and day.

17: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol.3, p.334):

Section — The author of Manazil writes in Bab al-Ma‘rifah (Chapter regarding Ma‘rifah), “Allah Most High says, ‘When they hear that which has been revealed to the Prophet, you see their eyes flowing with tears on account of the truth they have recognised.’ (5:83) The meaning of ma‘rifah is encompassing something as it is…”

The difference between ‘ilm and ma‘rifah according to the people of this matter^[4] is this: ma‘rifahaccording to them is that knowledge whose prerequisites and demands the one who possesses it undertakes. Hence, the word ma‘rifah will not just be used in the meaning of knowledge. Rather, only he who knows Allah, the path that leads to Allah and the harms and highwaymen on the path will be ascribed as having ma‘rifah; he who is in a State (hal) with Allah that testifies that he hasma‘rifah.

The ‘arif, according to them, is he who has recognised Allah Most High together with His names, qualities and actions. He has then been truthful to Allah in his deeds, and been sincere to Him in his goals and intentions. He has then cast off from his manners vile traits and harms, and then purified himself from his impurities, dirt and sins. He has then been patient in completing what Allah has ordained him to do in both good and difficult times, and has then called towards Him with insight into his religion and verses. He has then confined the da‘wah to Him alone in that which His Messenger brought, and did not mix it with the views of men, their tasting [of spiritual bliss] (dhawq), ecstatic states (mawajid), syllogisms (maqayis) and rationalist studies (ma‘qulat), nor does he bring them on par with that which the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) came with.

This is the person who deserves to be called an ‘arif in reality when others are being called such pretentiously and metaphorically. They (the people of this knowledge) have spoken regardingma‘rifah in terms of its signs and examples. Some of them said, “Among the signs of ma‘rifah of Allah is the acquisition of veneration for Him; whoever’s ma‘rifah increases, so will his veneration.” They also said, “Ma‘rifah necessitates serenity (sukun); whoever’s ma‘rifah increases, so will his serenity.”

One of our companions asked me, “What is the sign of the ma‘rifah that they speak of?” I told him, “For the heart to feel tranquil with Allah.” He said to me, “Its sign is that one feels his heart is close to Allah and he finds himself close to Him.”

Al-Shibli said, “An ‘arif has no bonds [with anything], a lover has no complaints, a slave has no claims, he who is scared is not settled, and there is no escape for anyone from Allah.” These words are excellent. For indeed, true ma‘rifah separates all relations from the heart and connects it to He Who he recognizes so there does not remain any connection with anything apart from He. Other connections do not pass by him, except that they continue ahead hastily, they do not pass as though they want to settle…

It is said, “The [state of the] ‘arif is above what he says and the [the state of the] ‘alim is above what he says.” The meaning of this is that the knowledge of the ‘alim is more vast than his [actual] condition and state, while the condition and state of the ‘arif is above what he speaks and informs of.

Abu Sulayman al-Darani said, “Allah Most High opens for the ‘arif while in his bed such things that he does not reveal to him while he is standing offering salah.” Someone said, “The ‘arif speaks ofma‘rifah through his heart and state while silent.” Dhu al-Nun said, “Everything has a punishment, and the punishment of the ‘arif is his being cut off from the dhikr of Allah.”

Some said, “The ostentation (riya) of the ‘arifs is better than the sincerity of the murids.” This is a sentence that is, on the outset, deeply abominable and in need of explanation: the ‘arif does not show off to people with an aim of seeking a position in his heart; his ostentation is only a means of advice, guidance and instruction to be followed. He calls to Allah through his actions in the same way that he calls towards Him through his words. He benefits himself with his knowledge and others also benefit from him.

The sincerity of the murid [on the other hand] is confined to himself. The ‘arif combines sincerity and da‘wah to Allah. His sincerity is in his heart and he expresses his knowledge and spiritual state so that he may be followed. The ‘arif benefits in silence, while the ‘alim only benefits through his words — and if they were to remain calm then realities would once more open to them.

Dhu al-Nun said, “The ascetics are the kings of the hereafter and they are the poverty stricken ones (fuqara) among the ‘arifs.” Junayd was asked regarding the ‘arif. He said, “The colour of water is the colour of its vessel.” This sentence is indicative of what the reality of servitude (‘abudiyyah) is: that is to become coloured by the colour of the different types of servitude. While you see him offering salah, you also see him performing dhikr, or as a reciter of the Qur’an (qari), or as a teacher, or as a student, or as a mujahid, or as a haji, or as someone who helps the weak or provides aid to the one who is worried. He takes part in every act of goodness. With those who are concerned with their livelihood (mutasabbib) he is a mutasabbib, with those who are students he is a student, with the ghazis he is a ghazi, with those who offer salah he is a musalli, and with those who offer alms he is one of them. In the stations of servitude, he moves from one type of servitude to another. But he is firmly established on one object of worship, he does not move to another…

Abu Sa‘id said, “Ma‘rifah comes from Allah and through effort.” This sentence is excellent, it indicates that ma‘rifah is the fruit of the efforts in completing actions (‘amal) and the manifestation of wajd in spiritual states; this is the outcome of the actions of the limbs. The spiritual state [experienced by] the heart cannot be attained just by knowledge and discussion. He who has no‘amal and spiritual state, for him is no ma‘rifah…

Some of the predecessors said, “The sleep of the ‘arif is wakefulness, his breathing is tasbih, and the sleep of an ‘arif is superior than the prayer of one who is heedless (ghafil) of his Lord.” The sleep of an ‘arif is only wakefulness because his heart is alive while his eyes sleep and his soul is in prostration beneath the throne of his Lord and Creator. His body is in bed while his heart is around the throne. His sleep is only superior to the salah of the ghafil because the body of he who is ghafil is standing in prayer while his heart is in the lavatories of the world and in [worldly] aspirations. That is why his wakefulness is a [type of] sleep, because his heart is dead.

It is said that the company of the ‘arifs call you from six things to six: from doubt to firm belief (yaqin), from ostentation (riya) to sincerity (ikhlas), from heedlessness (ghaflah) to remembrance (dhikr), from yearning for the world to yearning for the hereafter, from pride to humility, and from bad thoughts to friendly advice.

18: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol.3, p.110):

He (Shaykh Abu Isma‘il al-Hirawi) said, “The second level is observing the light of revelation (nur al-kashf) and this level drapes the cloth of turning [to Allah], gives the taste of illumination (tajalli) and protects from the defect of being diverted from His remembrance.”

This level is more complete than the one before it, for that level involved: observing that which preceded it with the light of knowledge (nur al-‘ilm). This level is observing revelation (kashf) in a state (hal) that has taken possession over his heart until it diverts him away from the creation. The cloth of his turning to Allah alone and turning away from everything apart from Him has been draped over him.

The light of revelation (nur al-kashf) according to them is the beginning of shuhud and it is a light that manifests the meanings of the Al-Asma al-Husna upon the heart by which the darkness of the heart becomes enlightened and with which the veil of revelation is lifted. Do not turn to anything apart from this otherwise [your] foot will slip after becoming firm.

You will surely find in the writings of some of them that the manifestation of the divine essence (tajalli al-dhat) necessitates this and that, and that the manifestation of the divine attributes (tajalli al-sifat) necessitates this and that, and that the manifestation of the divine actions (tajalli al-af‘al) necessitates this and that. The Community is only concerned with words, and so some presume that they mean that the manifestation of divine essence, divine attributes and divine actions is done through the physical eye. Hence, some of them fall into words of ecstasy (shatahat) and ruin. Those who are sincere (sadiq) and the a‘rifs are innocent of this.

They (the Community) are only pointing towards perfect ma‘rifah, the raising of veils of heedlessness (ghaflah), doubt and turning away [from Allah], and the power of ma‘rifah taking over the heart by removing the seeing of everything totally [apart from Him]. The heart will not witness anything save He.

They see this in the rising of the sun — when the radiance of the stars fades, the stars do not cease to exist. The light of the sun only eclipses them and it seems they do not exist when in reality they are present in their places. Likewise, when the light of ma‘rifah takes over the heart, its power becomes strong, and hindrances and veils are removed from the heart. Only he who is not of this (min ahlihi) would repudiate this.

Only he who is in err and has no knowledge believes that the Pure Essence (Allah) and His Qualities appear and manifest for the slave like He Most High manifested Himself to Mount Tur and as He will manifest Himself on the Day of Reckoning to people. There are many who have transgressed from the light (nur) of worship, spiritual struggle and dhikr to the nur of His Essence and Qualities.

Surely, correct worship, spiritual exercises that are in conformity with the Shari‘ah and that dhikrwhich works hand in hand with the heart and the tongue necessitates light (nur) according to the person’s strength and weakness. Sometimes that nur becomes so strong that it can be seen with the eyes, and so he who is weak in differentiating between godly characteristics and those characteristics that are in accordance with servitude falls into err. As a result, he thinks that is thenur of Allah. How wrong is this.

There is nothing that can tolerate the light (nur) of the Essence (Allah). If He Most High were to remove a veil from Himself then the entire universe would crumble like the mountain crumbled and became level when He revealed to it a small portion of His tajalli.

Islam has a nur and iman has a type of nur that is stronger than it; and ihsan has a nur that is stronger than both. When Islam, iman and ihsan gather, and those veils that preoccupy one away from Allah Most High are removed, then hearts and limbs become full of that nur; not with the nurthat is the quality (sifah) of Allah Most High. For indeed his qualities do not enter any part of His creation in the same way His creation do not enter Him. The Creator Most High is separate from the creation in His essence and qualities; there is no union (ittihad), incarnation (hulul) and embodiment. Allah is Most High from all of that.

19: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol.3, p.99):

His saying, “… and the tasting (dhawq) of conversing at night (musamarah) is a sense of personal relish.” What they mean by musamarah is the conversing of the heart with its Lord even though the tongue is silent and the pleasure of His Most High’s dhikr and love over the slave’s heart, his presence in front of Him, his familiarity with and proximity to Him until he is as if he is speaking and conversing with him at night — at times presenting an excuse to Him, at times flattering Him and at times praising Him until the heart is left saying without any constraints, “You are Allah, there is no deity save You.” Rather, this remains the state and position. The Community has not repudiated reaching this [stage] for the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Ihsan is that you worship Allah as if you are seeing him.” When he reaches, in the stage of ihsan, a position in which it is as if he is seeing Allah Most High, then his conversation and intimate talk with Him will be like this.

20: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madarij al-Salikin (vol.2, p.459):

From the stations of “It is you who we worship and it is you from who we seek aid” (1:4) there is the station of ihsan, which is the essence of iman, its spirit and perfection. This station gathers all of the stations; all of them are enveloped in it. Everything that has been mentioned from the beginning of this book till here is a part of ihsan.

These are twenty excellent quotes that have been selected from various portions of Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim’s great book, Madarij al-Salikin, the commentary of Manazil al-Sa’irin. The entire book is full of invaluable treasures relating to different issues of Tasawwuf. Now we shall mention some examples of his writings relating to Tasawwuf and the Sufi shaykhs from some of his other books, and this shall be done, insha-Allah, with much brevity.

 

21: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Rawdat al-Muhibbin wa Nuzhat al-Mushtaqin (p.406):

He who has recognised Allah, then there is nothing more beloved for him than He; he has no yearning in anything apart from Him save that which brings him close to Him and assists him in his journey to Him.

Among the signs of ma‘rifah is awe (haybah); whenever a slave’s ma‘rifah of his Lord increases, then is awe for him and fear of him increases. It is as Allah Most High has said, “Only those of His servants with knowledge (‘ulama) have fear of Allah.” (35:28) In other words those who have knowledge of Him.

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “I am the most knowledgeable of Allah among you and the most fearful of Him among you.” He who recognises Allah, Allah will make his life pure, everything will fear him, the fear of the creation will leave him, he will take pleasure in Allah and feel distaste for the world. Ma‘rifah will bestow on him a sense of shame from Allah, veneration for Him, honour, contemplation, love, reliance (tawakkul) on Him, devotion (inabah) to Him, and a sense of happiness and acceptance of His command. It was said to Junayd (may Allah Most High mercy Him), “Surely, there are communities in such a place who say that they reach piety by abandoning actions.” Junayd said, “These people speak of abandoning actions (‘amal) and that for me is a serious matter. He who commits adultery and steals is better than he who says this. Those who know Allah (the ‘arifs) have taken ‘actions from Allah and it is Allah towards Whom they return through them. Even if a thousand years were left, I would not leave any action of piety.”

He said, “An ‘arif will not be a true ‘arif until he becomes like the ground which the pious and wicked trample, and like rain which waters what it likes and what it doesn’t.” Yahya ibn Mu‘adh said, “The ‘arif will leave the world and his desire for two things will never cease: his weeping over his self and his yearning for His Lord.” Some of them said, “An ‘arif can never be a true ‘arif until he reaches a state that if he were to be given the kingdom of Sulayman (peace be upon him), then that would not preoccupy him from Allah for even the duration of the blinking of an eye.” It was said, “The ‘arif becomes intimate with Allah and feels estranged from everything apart from Him. He shows need for Allah and so He suffices him away from the creation. He lowers himself for Allah and so Allah grants him honour among people.” Abu Sulayman al-Darani said, “That is revealed to the ‘arif in his bed which is not revealed to him while standing and offering prayers.” Dhu al-Nun said, “Everything has a punishment, and the punishment of the ‘arif is separation from the remembrance of Allah.”

In sum, the life of the heart is by remaining with Allah; the heart shall never have life without this. When the tongue is in agreement with the heart in His dhikr and the heart is in agreement with the aims of His Beloved; and when he considers, for His sake, an abundance of oral and physical deeds as very little, while considering that little kindness and generosity from Him great; and when he embraces obedience and leaves disobedience; and when he rebels against his self for his Beloved so much there is nothing of himself left; and when he fills his heart with veneration and honour for Him, preferring His pleasure (rida); and when abstaining from Him is too much to bear for him; and when existence without His dhikr and eagerness and yearning for Him is nothing; and when he only finds happiness in His dhikr, respects His orders and gives preference to Him, then he is a true lover.

Junayd said, I heard Hairth al-Muhasabi say, “Love is your total affection for something; then your preferring Him over yourself, your soul and your wealth; then your agreement with Him in private and in public; and then your knowledge of your shortcomings in loving Him.”

It was said, “Love is a fire in the heart that burns everything apart from the wish of the beloved from the lover.” It was said, “Rather, it is the exerting of all efforts in pleasing the beloved. It will not be complete except by coming away from seeing love to seeing the beloved.” It comes in some divine messages, “My slave, I am — I swear by your right — your lover, for the sake of my right over you be my lover.”

‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said, “Whoever is given a little love and no fear that is equal to it, then such a person is deluded.” Yahya ibn Mu‘adh said, “An iota of love is more beloved to me than seventy years of worship devoid of love.”

Abu Bakr al-Kattani said, “The issue of love was discussed in Makkah during the Haj and theshaykhs^[5] spoke regarding it. Junayd was the youngest among them and so they said, Bring what you have Oh Iraqi. He lowered his head and his eyes flowed with tears. He then said, ‘A slave who ignores his nafs, he is connected to the remembrance of his Lord, he is firm in fulfilling His rights, he looks at Him with his heart, his heart is burnt by the radiance of His Essence (huwiyyah), he is totally dedicated to drinking from the glass of His love. If he were to speak then he does so for Allah, if he utters something then that is from Allah, if he moves then that is with the instruction of Allah, if he remains silent then that is with Allah — such a person is for and with Allah.’ Theshaykhs wept and said, ‘Is there anything more than that? May Allah suffice you Oh crown of the‘arifs (taj al-‘arifin).’”

It was said that Allah revealed to Sayyiduna Dawud (peace be upon him), “Oh Dawud, I have forbidden it on hearts that my love and the love of others should enter them.” All of the ‘arifs are agreed that love will not be correct except with agreement (muwafaqah), so much so that some of them said, “The reality of love is agreeing to the beloved in all that pleases and displeases Him.” The Community^[6] is agreed that love will not be correct except by their being one beloved.

It was narrated that a man claimed to be annihilated in the love of a person. So the beloved said to the man, “How can this be when my brother has a better face than I and is more beautiful?” So the man turned to the brother, at which the youth pushed him and said, “Oh, is it that he who claims affection for us looks to others apart from us?”

Love was mentioned to Dhu al-Nun who said, “Desist from this issue. Do not allow the carnal self to hear it otherwise it will claim it.” He then recited the following poem:

Fear and sorrow is preferred for the wrongdoer when he applies himself to devotion,

Love becomes intense through hardship and purification from dirt.

Samnun said, “Those who love Allah have taken the honour of this world and the hereafter. Surely, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘A man shall be with he who he loves.’ They are with Allah in this world and the hereafter.” Yahya ibn Mu‘adh said, “He who claims His love and then does not respect His limits is not truthful.”

Love is a tree in the heart, its roots are in humility for the Beloved, its trunk is in His ma‘rifah, its branches are fear for him, its leaves are being ashamed of him, its fruit is obedience to Him, and the substance that waters it is His dhikr. When love is empty of any of these things, then it is incomplete.

Allah Most High has described himself that he loves His believing slaves and that they love Him. He is informed that they are intense in love for Allah. He has described Himself that He is the Most Loving (Wadud) and the Beloved (Habib). Al-Bukhari has said this. Al-Wud (the infinitive of the word Wadud) is pure love for He loves His believing slaves and they love Him…”

If there were no love of Allah — save it will save His beloved from His punishment — then it is apt to say that the slave would never be able to substitute it with anything. It was said to one of the‘ulama, “Where do you find in the Qur’an that the Beloved will not punish His beloved?” So he said, “In His Most High’s saying, ‘The Jews and the Christian said, We are the sons of Allah and His beloved. Say, Why did He punish you on account of your sins?’” (5:18)

Imam Ahmad reported from Isma‘il ibn Yunus from Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “I swear by Allah, Allah will not punish His beloved. However, he will test him in the world.” Imam Ahmad said, Sayyar narrated to us from Ja‘far from Abu Ghalib: It is narrated to us that the following words were in the advice of ‘Isa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) to his disciples: “Oh my companions, gain the love of Allah by disliking the people of sin. Draw close to Him by showing hatred towards them. Seek His pleasure by being angry with them.” They asked Him, “Oh Prophet of Allah, who shall we spend our time with?” He replied, “Spend time with those whose speech leads you to good deeds, those whose seeing reminds you of Allah and whose knowledge draws you away from the world.” …

‘Abd al-Wahid ibn Zayd said narrating from Hasan, “If the ‘abids were to know that they shall not see their Lord in the hereafter, then they would dwindle away in this world.” Hisham ibn Hassan narrated from Hasan that “He Most High will appear for the people of paradise and when they see Him they shall forget the bounties of paradise.” The most astonishing type of patience is the patience of the lovers. A poet says,

And patience is praised in all places,

Save in you, for surely it is not praised then.

A man came to al-Shibli and asked, “Which form of patience is most difficult on those who exhibit patience?” He said, “Patience in Allah.” The questioner said, “No.” So al-Shibli said, “Patience for Allah.” He said, “No.” So al-Shibli said, “Patience with Allah.” He said, “No.” So al-Shibli said, “Then what is it?” He said, “Patience from [seeing] Allah.” Al-Shibli screamed in such a way that it was close he might die. A poet said,

Patience from you, its outcomes are blameworthy,

When patience in all things is praiseworthy.

Fear takes you far from His disobedience, hope bring you to His obedience and love drives you towards Him. Because Allah Most High knows that the hearts of those who yearn Him do not become calm except by meeting Him, he has set a time for meeting to give peace to their hearts. Allah Most High says, “Whoever hopes to meet Allah (must be sure that) Allah’s appointed time has to come, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (29:5)

Oh he who has complained of his yearning due to his prolonged separation,

Bare patience, you might meet He Who you love tomorrow,

Journey towards Him striving hard with the fire of yearning,

Perhaps you shall find a way at the fire of yearning.

The most consoling thing for the eyes of the lover is his remaining in solitude, along with his heart, with his Beloved. Those who saw our shaykh in his bloom have narrated to me that he would head out towards the wilderness in the morning and when he reached the desert he would heave a deep sigh and then he would be as the poet says,

I come out from between the houses so that I may

Speak regarding you with the heart in secret and unhindered.

Yearning (shawq) makes the lover hasten to please the beloved and hasten towards Him at once, even though his destruction may be in doing so. “What caused you to hurry before your people Oh Musa? He said, Here they are just behind me, and I have hurried to you, my Lord, so you may be pleased.” (20:83-84)

Some of them said, “He intended yearning You, which he concealed through the word ‘to please’ (rida)…”

And if it is said to a lover, “What do you desire?” He would say, “Meeting the beloved.”

And when we settled at a place that the dew had moistened, making it beautiful and a garden adorned with light,

The pleasance of the place and its beauty renewed our desires and it was you who was the object of our longing.

Junayd said, “I heard Sarri say, ‘Yearning (shawq) is the greatest station of an ‘arif when it becomes a reality in him. When he becomes firm in yearning, then he turns his attention away from everything that preoccupies him from He who he yearns.’”

It was said, Allah Most High revealed to Dawud (peace be upon him), “Tell the youth of the Children of Israel: Why do you preoccupy yourselves with that apart from Me while I desire you. What is this aversion? If those who turn away from Me were to know of My wait for them, My gentleness with them, My love that they abandon sins, then they would die yearning for Me and their limbs would become severed on account of My love. If that is my wish for those who turn their backs on Me, then what is my desire for those who turn to me?”

Junayd was asked, “Why does the lover cry when he meets the Beloved?” He responded, “That is only on account of happiness in Him, and ecstasy in severely yearning Him.” He said, “It reached me that two boys hugged each other and one of them said, ‘O, how great is his yearning (shawq)’ And the other said, ‘O, how great is his passion (wajd).’”

There was an old lady whose relative was absent. He returned from a journey and her family expressed happiness and delight at his return. She then began to cry and so it was said to her, “What is this weeping?” She said, “The arrival of this youth has reminded me of the day of arriving to Allah.”

Some of the lovers said, “The hearts of those who yearn are enlightened with the light (nur) of Allah. When their yearning stirs, a light radiates between the heavens and the earth. Allah Most High presents these people to the angels and says, ‘They are those who yearn for Me. I make you witness that I yearn for them.’”

22: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Al-Fawa’id^[7] (p.55):

A Precious Gem — Between the slave, Allah and paradise lies a bridge that can be crossed with two steps: a step away from his nafs and a step away from people; he should nullify his nafs and eliminate it in those matters between himself and people, and he should nullify people and eliminate them in those matters between himself and Allah. He should only turn to he who guides him to Allah and that path that leads to Him…

There is no place of solitude (khalwah) in this abode, so make it (the place of khalwah) in your self. Surely, fascinating things will tempt you, know them and be on the guard. Preoccupations will not harm you when you remain in solitude from them while you are involved in them: the light of the Truth (haqq) is brighter than the sun, and it is only befitting for he who is dim sighted that he turns away from it.

The way to Allah is clear of those who have doubt and those who follow their desires; it is full of those who have certainty (ahl al-yaqin) and patience. They are like signposts on the road. “And We made from among them leaders, who gave guidance under Our Command when they used to be patient and believe with certainty in our signs.” (32:24)

23: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Al-Fawa’id (p.59):

A Precious Gem — Allah Most High says, “As for those who strive hard in Us, We will surely guide them to Our Ways.” (26:69). He Most High has connected guidance (hidayah) to jihad. The most perfect of people in terms guidance is he who is the greatest in jihad. The most obligatory form of jihad is the jihad against the nafs, the jihad against desires, the jihad against Satan and the jihad against the material world. He who fights these four for Allah, then Allah will guide him to the paths of His pleasure, which will bring him to His paradise. He who leaves jihad, then he will miss out on guidance according to that extent he was away from jihad.

Junayd said, “Those who strive hard against their desires in Our way by means of repentance, then We will guide to the paths of sincerity.” It is not possible to wage jihad against his enemy on the outside save for he who struggles hard against the enemies within. He who triumphs over them will triumph over his enemy. He whose inner self defeats him, then his enemy will defeat him.

 

24: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Al-Fawa’id (p.117):

Section — The sign of good iradah^[8] is when the aspiration of the murid is pleasing his Lord, preparing to meet Him, grief over that time that has passed in anything other than pleasing him, and sorrow over that time passed in anything other than drawing close to Him and feeling delighted with Him. In sum, there is no interest apart from Him in the morning and evening.

25: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Al-Fawa’id (p.170):

The ma‘rifah of Allah Most High is of two types: ma‘rifah of confession (iqrar), and that is the one in which all people are participant — the pious and impious, and the obedient and disobedient. The second is that ma‘rifah that necessitates being shy of Him, showing love to Him, attaching the heart to Him, yearning to meet Him, fearing Him, turning to Him, being close to Him and fleeing from the creation towards Him. This is the special ma‘rifah that is on the tongues of the Community.^[9] Their various levels in it can only be enumerated by He Who informed them about Himself and revealed to their hearts a portion of His ma‘rifah that He had disclosed from those apart from them.

Each has described this ma‘rifah according to his stage and that which revealed to him from it. The one with the most ma‘rifah from the creation said regarding it, “I cannot praise you, you are as you praise yourself.” He also informed that He Most High will reveal to him some of his words of praise on the Day of Reckoning which he is unable to pronounce now…

Section — ignorance of the path, its difficulties and the purpose causes much hardship and little benefit, because the person may exert great effort in performing a supererogatory (nafl) duty while neglecting an obligatory (fard) duty, or in performing an action that is connected to the limbs and is not in agreement with the action of the heart, or an action that is connected to the inner self while the outward self is not bound to conformity, or in a sense of determination to carry out an action without being clear in observing the purpose, or in performing an action without being cautious of its evil consequences while doing it and thereafter, or in carrying out an action in which he is heedless of seeing divine kindness [in performing it] and does not free himself from adjoining his self in its performance, or in an action in which no shortcomings were seen and thereafter he makes excuses for it, or in an action in which he has not fulfilled his due in advice and kindness and he thinks he has fulfilled its due. All of these are among those things that lessen the benefit in spite of much difficulty. It is Allah Who grants accordance.

Section — When the servant makes firm intention to travel towards Allah Most High and fulfil His will, many delusions and hindrances will confront him. At first, he will be deceived by desires, high posts, pleasures, prospective brides and clothes.

If he remains occupied with them, then he will be separated, and if he rejects them, does not occupy himself with them and is sincere in his quest, then he will be tried by people following him, kissing his hand, making space for him in gatherings, requesting him for du‘a, hoping to gain hisbarakah and the like.

If he remains occupied with that, then he will be separated from Allah and that will be his lot. If he were to separate himself from that and not remain with that, then he would be tested with miracles (karamat) and kashf. If he occupies himself with them, then he would be separated from Allah and that would be his lot and if he were not to occupy himself with them, then he would be tested by renunciation, solitude, the pleasure of being with Allah, and the honour of being alone and free from the world.

If he were to become occupied with that, then he would be cut off from the purpose, and if he were not to become occupied with that and walk eyes set towards that purpose that Allah has set for him and that which He would like of him, in a way that His slave performs that which He loves and prefers where ever it is and however it is, regardless if he becomes tired by it or feels at rest, in luxury or pain, and regardless of whether it brings him among the people or separates him from them, then he does not choose for himself anything that his Lord and Master does not choose for him. He stands by his command, completing it as much as possible; his nafs is less important to him that he gives precedent to its comfort and pleasure over the pleasure of his Master and His command.

This would be the servant who has reached [his Master], fulfilled [His order] and nothing has cut him off from his Master at all. Divine accordance is with Allah.

26: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Al-Fawa’id (p.192):

Among those who do dhikr is he who begins with the dhikr of the tongue even if it is with negligence (ghaflah). He continues doing it until his heart is present and they both (the tongue and the heart) do dhikr hand in hand. Among them is he who does not see that and does not begin in spite of his negligence. Rather, he remains calm until his heart is present and then he begins dhikrwith his heart. When it becomes strong, then his tongue follows and they all go hand in hand.

The first transports the dhikr from his tongue to his heart, while the second transports from his heart to his tongue without emptying his heart of any dhikr. Rather, he firstly becomes calm until he feels that it should be uttered. When he feels that, his heart speaks. Then the speech of the heart moves to the dhikr of the tongue (dhikr lisani), and then he becomes engrossed in that until he finds every part of him in dhikr.

The most superior dhikr and beneficial is that in which the heart and tongue are together and is from the Prophetic dhikr. The one who performs dhikr has witnessed the meaning and goal ofdhikr.

27: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Al-Fawa’id (p.196):

A precious gem — Inabah is devoting the heart to Allah Most High like devoting (i‘tikaf) the body in the mosque without leaving it. The reality of that is devoting the heart to His love and His remembrance with reverence and high esteem, and devoting the limbs to His obedience with sincerity for Him while following His Messenger. He who does not devote his heart to Allah Alone, then he is devoted to various types of images (tamathil).

The imam of the hanifs (Sayyiduna Ibrahim, peace be upon him) said, “What are these images to which you are devoted?” (21:52) He and his community had separated [the meaning of] devotion — the lot of his community was devotion to images and his lot was devotion to the Lord Most High.

The word tamathil is the plural of timthal and they are images representing people. The attachment of the heart to, its preoccupation with and reliance on something apart from Allah [demonstrates] his devotion to images which appear in his heart. It is the example of the devotion to the images of idols. It is because of this that the shirk of those who worship idols is [their] devotion with their hearts, intentions and will to their images. When there are images in the heart which have take possession of it and enslaved it in such a way that it is devoted to them then this heart is an example of the devotion to idols.

It is because of this that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) called such a heart a slave to idols and supplicated that it falls and does not rise. He said, “May the slave of thedinar fall and may the slave of the dirham fall. Let him fall upon his face, and not rise after his fall until he falls again. May he be pricked with a thorn and not extract the thorn.”

People in this abode are on a journey, all of them. Every traveller is transitorily heading towards his purpose and will stop at that host who pleases him. The seeker of Allah and the hereafter is only heading towards Allah during his journey and stops by Him when he reaches Him.

This is his aim in his journey and at its end it will be, “O content soul, return to your Lord, pleased and pleasing unto him. Enter my slave and enter my paradise.” (89:27-30) The wife of Fir‘awn said, “Oh my Lord, build for me a house by you in paradise.” (66:12) She sought a house by him before seeking paradise, indeed your neighbour comes before your home (al-jar qabl al-dar).

From the sayings of Shaykh ‘Ali — “It was said to me while sleeping, in a state that was like wakefulness and wakefulness that was like sleep: Do not show poverty to anyone save Myself, or I will increase it for you in exchange for violating your limit in your servitude. I have tested you with poverty so you may become pure gold; so don’t become tainted after you have been minted. I have prescribed poverty for you and wealth for Myself, so if you attach yourself to Me, then I shall attach you to wealth, and if you attach yourself to someone apart from Me, then I shall cut you off from My help to drive you away from My door. Do not depend on something apart from Us for indeed it will be a calamity for you and will ruin you. If you rely on a deed, then We shall reward you. If you rely on ma‘rifah then We shall take it from you. If you rely on wajd then We shall gradually bring you near to punishment (istidraj). If you rely on knowledge then We shall bring you to a standstill, and if you rely on the creation then We shall put you in their trust. Be pleased with Us as your Lord and We shall be pleased with you as a slave.”

28: Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Al-Wabil al-Sayyib min al-Kalim al-Tayyib^[10] (p.68):

Allah Most High says, “And do not obey the one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, and who has followed his desire and whose behaviour has been neglectful (furuta).” (18:28) When the slave intends to follow a man, then let him look whether he is of the people ofdhikr or those who are heedless (ghafil), and whether desire or revelation are governing him. If that which is governing him is desire and he is heedless then he has been neglectful (furuta). The meaning of furuta has been explained as being “neglectful”: in other words that which was necessary to adhere to and fulfil and in which was his goodness and success was wasted and he was neglectful in their respect.

It has also been explained as exceeding the limits (israf), becoming ruined (ihlak) and also going against the truth. All of these views are close. The purpose is that Allah Most High has prohibited obeying he who has gathered all of these traits. It is apt for a man to look at his shaykh, his exemplar (qudwah) and the person he is following. If he finds him as such then he should remain at distance from him. If he finds him among those upon whom the dhikr of Allah Most High and adherence to the Sunnah has gained ascendancy, that he is not neglectful but prudent, then hold fast to him.

The only difference between he who is alive and he who is dead is through dhikr. The example of he who remembers his Lord and he does not is the example of the living and the dead…

He Most High said, “Say (on My behalf) ‘Oh My servants who believe, fear your Lord. Those who do good deeds in this world will have a good return, and the earth of Allah is wide. Certainly those who observe patience will be given their reward in full without measure.’” (39:10) These are four places in which the Most High has mentioned that He will twice recompense the good doer on account of his good deed — a reward in the world and a reward in the hereafter. Thus, a good deed will be rewarded urgently, and it sure will; and a bad deed will be recompensed urgently, and it sure will.

Is this not the case? He rewards the good doer by opening his bosom to joy by opening his heart, pleasing him and providing him with bliss on account of his dealing with His Lord Most High, and His obedience and dhikr; he also gives him pleasure of the soul on account of his love — and hisdhikr of and delight in his Lord Most High is greater than the delight a person who is close to a generous Sultan feels on account of his authority. He rewards the evildoer with a narrow chest and a heart that is hard, unfocused, dark, and full of hate, worry, distress, sorrow and fear.

This is something that he who has the even most little sense and life cannot doubt. Rather, worry, distress, sorrow and straitened circumstances are punishments in this life, the fire of the temporal abode and the present hell. Turning to Allah Most High and devotion to Him, to be content and pleased with Him, to fill the heart with His love, to be fond of His dhikr, and to be happy and elated by His ma‘rifah is the reward of this world, a paradise, and a mode of living which the way of the life of the kings cannot compare to at all.

I heard Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah sanctify his soul) say, “Surely, there is a heaven in this world; he who does not enter it will not enter the heaven of the hereafter.” He once said to me, “What can my enemies do to me? Me, my heaven and my garden are in my chest. If I travel, then they are with me and will never leave me. My imprisonment is solitude (khalwah), to be slain for me is martyrdom and to be exiled from my land is travelling.

He used to say during his imprisonment in the citadel, “If I were to spend this entire fortress in gold then I would not be able to give thanks for this blessing,” or, “I could never repay them for the good and its like that has come to me in it.” He used to say in his prostration while imprisoned, “Oh Allah, help me in remembering You, thanking You and in comely worship of You,” ma-sha Allah.

He once said to me, “The real prisoner is he whose heart is imprisoned from his Lord and the true captive is he who is captured by his passions.” When he entered the citadel and was inside its walls, he gazed upon them and recited the verse, “Then a wall will be placed between them, which will have a gate. In its inner side, there will be divine mercy, while towards its outer side there will be divine punishment.” (57:13) Allah knows, I never saw anyone who had a more comfortable life than him despite the difficulties in living, and lack of comfort and luxury, rather things that were opposite to them.

Despite the imprisonment, intimidation and oppression, he had, in spite of that, a purer life than all people. He was the most generous, the strongest of heart and the most joyful of soul. The radiance of bliss shone on his face. When we were seized with fear and our thoughts turned negative, and the earth grew narrow for us, we would go to him. No sooner did we look at him and hear his words than all of this would leave us, and change to relief, strength, certainty and tranquillity.

Glory be to He Who lets His slaves witness His heaven before meeting Him, Who opens its doors to them in the abode of deeds and Who gives them something of its freshness, breeze and perfume that they might expend their efforts to seek it and hasten towards it.

Some of the ‘arifs used to say, “If kings and the sons of kings knew what we had, they would fight us over it with swords.” Another said, “The people of the world are pitiful. They left it and did not taste the best of what is inside it.” It was asked, “What is the best that is in it?” He said, “The love of Allah Most High, his ma‘rifah and his dhikr,” or something to that effect. Another said, “There are times when the heart dances in delight.” Another said, “There are times when I say, If the people of heaven have anything like this, then their life is beautiful.”

To love Allah, His ma‘rifah, His constant dhikr, to find peace and tranquillity in Him, to make him the sole object of love, fear, hope and trust; to conduct oneself in a way that He Alone is the master over the cares of the slave, his aspirations and intentions — such is the heaven of the world Heaven and the bliss for which no other bliss can compare. It is consolation for the eye of the lovers and the life of the ‘arifs.

The eyes of the people will only be consoled by this according to how their eyes become consoled by Allah Most High. He whose eye becomes consoled by Allah, every eye will be consoled by him. He whose eye does not become consoled by Allah, he will become worn in attaining the world with much regret.

_____________________________

1. He was from the senior shaykhs who Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal would ask in matters of fiqh saying, “What do you say, Oh Sufi?” [↩]
2. Perhaps the word white is a metaphor for paper and black a metaphor for the ink by which sacred knowledge is written. The advice to the Sufis is that they should adhere to knowledge (translator). [↩]
3. Baibars al-Jashnakir (d.1310), or Baibars II, was the twelfth Mamluk Sultan of Egypt (1308–1309). He was of Circassian heritage (translator). [↩]
4. The Sufis (may Allah mercy them). [↩]
5. In other words the Sufi shaykhs (may Allah mercy them). [↩]
6. They are the Sufis (may Allah mercy them). [↩]
7. Published by Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut. [↩]
8. Among the Sufis this means preferring the will of the Master over one’s will (translator). [↩]
9. They are the Sufi shaykhs (may Allah mercy them). [↩]
10. Published by Dar al-Bayan, Damascus. [↩]