thou art self-conceited, and blind to the Divine Presence. "If
thou hast knowledge, put that knowledge into practice; solve thy
difficulties by knowledge and practice (combined)." ...
The knowledge of all the Sages culminates in the realisation that they
do not know.
There has been a single Master of Woe in each cycle, protecting others
under his charge. On the path of asceticism, a considerable amount of
prolonged exercises is a necessary preliminary to initial success,
which, too, is doubtful. On the other hand, he who is trained on the
Path of Woe has for his first stage the Purity of Devotion....
Be of good cheer, in spite of thy lack of devotion and the heavy weight
of thy sins. "Never despair of the Divine Grace"--it affords protection
to all sinners. Poor as thou art at present, do not be dejected: "The
Lord has created a beautiful form for thee," and "made Man after His
image."--_Letter 85._
SELF-TOLERATION.
He who is on good terms with the self is dead, though apparently
living; he whose life is in God is really living, though apparently
dead. Death is not of the body alone: the _inner_ man may die in the
same way as the _outer_. Men are perishing in the sea of desires. Their
Saviours are the Prophets who help them to cross the sea of desires
and merge in the Divine Unity.... The ungodly live in the form only
and are dead in the _spirit_, since true life consists in human nature
responding to the Divine Life. On the other hand, "Those who have
sacrificed themselves on the Path of God are not to be considered as
dead, but as living with their Lord." ...
"The Divine treasury is too full of prayers already. Put in a grain of
humble devotion if you can."--_Letter 86._
HIDDEN DIFFERENCES OF STAGES.
Men differ, in the gradations of their progress, as heaven from hell,
though they are so similar in their outer forms. All men--whether in
the past, the present or the future--are the centres of mysteries.
Each body treasures a Divine Secret; each Heart feels impelled to the
Path; each Soul radiates a glory unfathomable by human and angelic
intelligences.... The best and holiest men had an obscure life.
* * * * *
Once upon a time =Zunnoon= sent a disciple of his, to enquire about
=Bâyazîd=. When the disciple reached the latter's house at Bustâm,
he found him seated on the floor of his cottage. But he did not know
that he was =Bâyazîd=. =Bâyazîd= asked the disciple what he wanted. He
said he wanted to see =Bâyazîd=. =Bâyazîd= replied: "Which =Bâyazîd=
do you want, and whence? Now I am =Bâyazîd=, yet I have been in search
of =Bâyazîd= for several years, and to no effect." The disciple took
him for a madcap, and, returning, reported the matter to =Zunnoon=.
=Zunnoon= with tears in his eyes exclaimed: "Our brother =Bâyazîd= has
gone forth into God with the true Devotees." ...
There was one =Helâl=, a slave to =Mogîra=. On his death the Prophet
with his companions went to the house of =Mogîra=. The latter was not
even aware of the death of =Helâl=, for none took care of him, alive or
dead, as he was the lowliest in the household. =Mogîra= came to receive
the party and kissed the blessed feet of the Prophet. The Prophet
asked =Mogîra= what had happened in the household. He said that all was
well. The Prophet went on: "=Mogîra=, the worthiest of your household
has departed, and you do not know of it." =Mogîra=, astonished,
remarked "I never supposed =Helâl= to have been so advanced." ... The
Prophet was then (at His request) taken to the place where the dead
body was. He found it in a stable at the feet of the beasts, clasped
the head and said with tears in His eyes: "=Helâl=, thy body lies on
this earth, but thy Soul is with the Lord." All the saints and chiefs
then wished in earnest devotion to have been the dust of =Helâl's=
feet. The Prophet continued: "There are seven men in each cycle who
support the world by their blessings and lead the faithful to victory
by their magnanimity. =Helâl= was the Head of these."--_Letter 87._
HEEDLESSNESS.
Heedlessness is blamed by all creeds and sects. It is heedlessness that
lies at the root of all failures.
It has been said. When a man heedlessly approaches the Path, the Devil
warns him, saying: "I was the Teacher of the celestial Hosts, but I
lost that post. Now I guard the Gate of the Path. You may enter with
the pass of Devotion only--else will you have to share my fate, being
unfit for the Path." ...
Everlasting purity is the character of the angel; lifelong
transgression is the character of the devil; turning with sorrow from
sin to purity is the character of man. Lifelong purity is impossible
for man. He is born imperfect, void of reason, with desires (the
agents of the Devil) in full sway. Reason (the curb of desires and
the light of the angelic essence) develops later--_i. e._, after the
capture of the heart by desires. Hence the necessity of Turning and
self-discipline, _pari-passu_ with the development of reason, for the
recovery of the heart from desires and the Devil.--_Letter 88._
SORROW.
No reading is so useful as that of the diary of sorrows.... The Goal is
unattainable save through the destruction of the desire-nature. Either
be ready to kill it out and tread the Path, or withdraw yourself from
the rank of the seekers--so that others may pass on (unimpeded by your
presence).
_A Story._--David, when about to pray, saw an ant, and wished to remove
it from the place. The ant appealed to David against his cruelty.
David said: "God, how am I to deal with Thy creatures?" God replied,
"Behave with self-restraint, lest thou shouldst harm any; do not look
to the outer body of a creature, but to the Spirit underlying. An ant,
if permitted, may rend asunder the dark Veil, radiate the Light of
Divine Unity from its bosom, and put to shame many a monotheist."
_Another Story._--Once upon a time, Moses prayed so warmly that the
stimulating effect was felt by him till the succeeding day. He wondered
whether any one could be so blessed as he was the night before. The
angel Gabriel presently came with this message from God: "There is One,
in this forest, who can cure the ills of My devotees." Moses hastened
to the spot, and found a frog croaking in a pool. The frog said:
"Moses, I have long been waiting to uproot pride from your heart. The
Divine influence you felt last night passed through me. I received it
first and then passed it on to you. Be warned against the repetition of
the boast!"--_Letter 89._
CONDUCT.
An act not permitted by the =Qurân= is fruitless; a desire not
sanctioned by the Prophet is vain. To wish for any help on the Path
save that from the Path is forbidden. The =Qurân= permits nothing save
sincere conduct, and sincerity springs from the heart that has tasted
pain....
The Masters of the Path are spiritual beings. Their word is life;
the purity of Their sorrow vitalises the world; Their character is
spotless....
So long as thou dost not unlearn all thy previous notions, habits and
defects, thou canst not unfold the Eye of Wisdom in the Heart, and feel
the relish of the Science of Truth.... He who is destitute of Divine
Wisdom to-day (_i. e._, on earth) will not have the Divine Wisdom
to-morrow (_i. e._, after death).
Acts not based on Knowledge are futile; ascetic practices not
countenanced by religion are misleading and devilish. It is Knowledge
that unfastens the gate of good luck. It is Knowledge that can
comprehend the greatness of =Islâm=, the mysteries thereof, the
glorious character of the Prophets, the sublimity of Their mission,
the different stages of the advanced souls, the secret of the human
constitution, the evil in the wicked, the respect due to Faith and
the faithful, the injunctions and prohibitions of religions. Tread
zealously the Path of Knowledge till you get rid of ignorance.
Knowledge is the shortest way to God; and ignorance is the densest
veil between thee and Him. As Knowledge is productive of Good, so
is ignorance productive of evil. It is ignorance which brings in
faithlessness, neglect of religious duties, affinity to the devil,
alienation from the Prophets and the Pure Souls, and other innumerable
evils.
Seek no connexion with the self, lest thou shouldst be affected with
pride.... "Thou canst not reach Me, so long as 'thy-ness' inheres in
thee: thou shalt reach Me only when thou quittest thy self." O brother,
subdue thy desires with asceticism tempered by knowledge; cut off the
head of the desire-nature with the sword of self-discipline, as advised
by the Scriptures ... and (then) put on the robe of =Islâm=. If thou
art really in earnest, tread upon thy life--so dear to thee--and do
not fear death; what follows is Life, through and through. "If thou
dependest upon (bodily) life, thou wilt lag behind. Thou art Life in
the world of Life alone. Grasp well the subtile fact--thou _art_ That
which thou seekest." The foremost duty of the seeker lies in seeing
the Beloved as the only Life, and in eliminating the evil of his own
separated existence.--_Letter 90._
SECLUSION.
A man not wanted by the world for its intellectual or theological
education, may isolate himself from others, and avoid company save on
necessary occasions, such as those of the Friday and the =Îd= prayers,
a pilgrimage to =Meccâ=, and other useful meetings. The man who wishes
to avoid company altogether, had better live far away from human
habitation (in a mountain or on a desert island). Else [let him not
isolate himself altogether] unless he knows for certain that his gains
from attendance at the Friday prayer or other social gatherings are
really outweighed by the losses he incurs from coming into contact with
human Society....
But there may be a different sort of man, a Master of Knowledge, needed
by others for their religious enlightenment, the exposition of truths,
the setting aside of heretical arguments, and for stirring them to live
out the teachings of religion. It is hardly lawful for such a man to
absolutely avoid human society. It is narrated of a Sage named =Abû
Bakar= that, as he wandered about the hills with the object of leading
a life of prayer and worship in seclusion, he heard a voice saying,
"=Abû Bakar=, why dost thou desert the creatures of the Lord when thou
hast attained the position of a Divine Light?" So he returned to the
society of men.
Such a man, though living corporeally in the world and doing his
duties to it, has to work for his own salvation as well. =Omar= (peace
on him!) said of himself, "should I sleep at night I would ruin myself,
should I sleep during the day, I would ruin my subjects." It is
exceedingly hard to be corporeally in the world and to be at the same
time mentally away from it.
=Imâm Gazâlî= opines that a learned man may be excused for isolating
himself and burying his knowledge in days of trouble and degeneration,
when a man may send for a religious teacher, but declines to learn
anything of him--when no man appreciates the importance of religious
duties....
An extremely weak man should not resort to seclusion....
The real object of seclusion is mental isolation, not bodily
separation.--_Letter 95._
DEATH.
There are three classes of men: (1) The man of desires. (2) The
beginner who is just turning back. (3) The advanced Knower of God.
The _first_ does not recollect death; or if he ever does so, he does it
in a spirit of sorrow for the loss of worldly objects, and begins to
murmur at it. Recollection of death throws him the further from God.
The _second_ is given to the practice of recollecting death, so
that he may live fear-stricken, and accomplish his Turning the more
successfully....
The _third_ never forgets death, as it is the guarantee of his union
with the Beloved.
But the highest stage of development is shewn in the soul that
completely surrenders itself to the Lord, and foregoes all choice of
life or death....
The frequent recollection of death is recommended, as it is calculated
to disturb physical enjoyment, and thereby lead to salvation....
Death is welcome to the faithful, as it sets him free from the prison
of earth-life and its tortures....
As remarked by an esteemed friend, earth-life is a state of slumber,
the after-death life is a state of waking, and death is an intermediate
state....
Death (to an ordinary mortal) is more painful than a cut with the sword
or the axe, or the extraction of flesh from his body....
A calm look, and the repetition of the Holy Formula, these are becoming
on the part of the dying man.--_Letter 97._
HELL.
Every man is liable to suffer in hell, and it is difficult to be
certain of exemption therefrom. According to the Prophet, there are
70,000 apartments in hell, each apartment containing 70,000 doors, each
door having 70,000 serpents and 70,000 scorpions; and the unbelievers
and the evil-minded cannot help passing through each of them....
Such is the description of hell, and of its subdivisions which
correspond to the number of earthly desires. The factor seven in the
subdivisions corresponds to the seven organs used in the commission of
sins.
If you wish to know your destiny, you should look at your character,
since your natural inclinations presage your destiny. If they tend to
good, you are not intended for hell; if they tend to evil, you are
destined therefor. As the =Qurân= says, "The virtuous are to be blessed
in heaven, the vicious are to suffer in hell."
Here is a secret. When death takes away the earthly veil (the body),
the desire-nature is yet more or less tainted with earthly impurities.
In some cases the mirror of the soul may be too darkened to admit
of any cleansing. Such a soul is eternally barred from the Divine
Presence. In other cases, (_i. e._ unrighteous believers), the rust
is capable of being cleansed, and so the desire-nature is exposed to
hell-fire to the extent of the purification needed. The time varies
from a brief moment to 7,000 years. No man quits this earth without
some impurity, however slight, in him.--_Letter 99._
HEAVEN.
Heaven contains apartments made of various gems, the outside of which
is visible from the inside, and the inside from the outside. They
abound with pleasures and comforts not tasted or conceived by men (on
earth).... Heaven is a vast palace made of a single pearl. It contains
seven apartments of red ruby. Each apartment contains seven rooms of
green emerald. Each room is provided with a gorgeous seat, 70 trays and
70 maid-servants. Each seat has 70 beddings of different colours, and a
Houri as the bed-maker. Each tray is furnished with 70 dishes.
Heaven is intended for those who salute and feed others, fast and
pray....
When the dwellers of heaven wish to communicate with their brothers,
their seats move the one towards the other. Thus they meet and talk
of their past relationship on earth. There is procreation in heaven
if so desired: conception, birth, and maturity all taking place
instantaneously.
The dwellers of heaven are beautiful as =Joseph=, and well-behaved as
=Mohammad=.
The duration of the lowest heavenly life is 500 years.
Such is the heaven of the ordinary soul.
Now as to the destiny of the Prophets, the purest Devotees, and the
Saints. Theirs is the vision of the Divine Face, in the supreme relish
of which the grosser enjoyments of heaven are forgotten. Orthodox
=Islâm= does not regard the Divine Vision as the fruit of human works,
but as the result of Divine Grace. It holds a similar doctrine as to
the Faith in the Lord of human beings upon earth.--_Letter 100._
[The following brief Note is added from the _Series of 28
Letters_.--_Trs._]
=Imâm Qasherî=, explaining the Secrets of the =Qurân=, says:
"What the faithful will manifestly enjoy after death in heaven, is
inwardly experienced by the Saints on earth."--_Loc. cit., 28_.
THE END.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES.
Unusual and archaic spellings have been maintained. Obvious printing
and spelling errors have been fixed. In the original text, Persian and
Arabic transliterations, some proper names and locations were printed
in gesperrt (g e s p e r r t). Such words have been rendered surrounded
by == (=gesperrt=).
The abbreviation "Trs." used throughout the text stands for
"Translator," not "Transcriber."
Details of the changes:
ToC Page 1: Title "Introduction" removed.
ToC Page 1: On Discipleship (Continued)
Originally: Discipleship (continued)
ToC Page 1: The Outer and Inner Ailments
Originally: The outer and the inner Ailments
ToC Page 3: The Desire-Nature (=Nafs=) 110
Originally: The Desire-Nature (=Nafs=) 130
ToC Page 3: Discipline of the Desire-Nature (Continued)
Originally: The same (Continued)
Page 2: There must be a difference between
Originally: There must be difference between
Page 2 footnote 3: Weak souls.--_Trs._
Originally: Weak souls.--_Trans._
Page 6: =Zunnoon= of Egypt observes that the =Taubâh=
Originally: =Zoonoon= of Egypt observes that the =Taubâh=
Page 6: On the other hand, =Khwâjâ Junnaid=
Originally: On the other hand, =Khwâja Junnaid=
Page 8: can neither be seen nor grasped.
Originally: can neither be seen not grasped.
Page 9 footnote 6: The Sacred Shrine at =Meccâ=.
Originally: The Sacred Shrine at =Mecca=.
Page 9: and lose the fruit of one's labour.
Originally: and lose the fruit of one's labor.
Page 16: discipleship and the subtleties of Seeking,
Originally: discipleship and the subleties of Seeking,
Page 17: A disciple should be a worshipper of the Teacher, [so
that he may become a worshipper of God]. One who obeys
the Messenger verily obeys God.
Originally: A disciple should be a worshipper of the Teacher, [so
that he may become a worshipper of God. One who obeys
the Messenger verily obeys God
Page 19: THE FRIEND OF GOD--(THE =WALÎ=).
Originally: THE FRIEND OF GOD--(THE =WALEE=).
Page 19: The =Walî= (or the Friend of God) is
Originally: The =Walee= (or the Friend of God) is
Page 20: Here is a subtile mystery,
Originally: Here is a subtle mystery,
Page 21: There are 4,000 =Walîs=
Originally: There are 4,000 =Walees=
Page 21: there are 356 =Walîs= ever
Originally: there are 356 =Walees= ever
Page 22: They (the =Walîs=) are too strong
Originally: They (the =Walees=) are too strong
Page 25: Invisible and Visible, Spiritual and Physical,
Originally: Invisible and Visible, Spirtual and Physical,
Page 32: virtues and vices: why should we restrain
Originally: virtues and vices: why should should we restrain
Page 36: disciples such as =Abû Bakar=, =Omar=,
Originally: disciples such as =Abubakar=, =Omar=,
Page 41: sacred recitations, repentance and apology.
Originally: sacred recitations, repentence and apology.
Page 58: may gradually develop strength,
Originally: may gradually develope strength,
Page 59: do not look to the _houris_
Originally: do not look to the _hooris_
Page 63: are concerned with _outer_ conduct,
Originally: are concerned will _outer_ conduct,
Page 77: the heart develops knowledge and wisdom,
Originally: the heart developes knowledge and wisdom,
Page 78: checks the performance of duties.
Originally: checks the preformance of duties.
Page 87: transmutation wrought by many Derveshes
Originally: transmutation wrought by many Darveshes
Page 90: =Abul Abbâs=--peace be on him--said
Originally: =Abul Abbas=--peace be on him--said
Page 92: renounce worldly pursuits.
Originally: renounce wordly pursuits.
Page 98: Master =Yahiâ= observes:
Originally: Master =Yehiâ= observes:
Page 101: only the houris, the palaces,
Originally: only the houries, the palaces,
Page 102: after death are gratuitous.
Originally: after death are gratuitious.
Page 104: diminution of worldly desires
Originally: diminution of worldy desires
Page 108: =Abû Bakr Qahatî=, however, holds
Originally: =Abu Bakr Qahatî=, however, holds
Page 109: one may read from the =Qurân=:
Originally: one may read from the =Qorân=:
Page 114: DISCIPLINE OF THE DESIRE-NATURE.
Originally: THE DISCIPLINE OF THE DESIRE-NATURE.
Page 121: angelic essence) develops later--
Originally: angelic essence) developes later--
Page 124: Grasp well the subtile fact
Originally: Grasp well the subtle fact