People say that when Iblis was cursed, he was so excited and overcome by the intensity of his joy that he filled the whole world by himself. Some asked him: ‘How can you act this way seeing that you have been driven from the Divine Presence?’ He replied: ‘By this robe of honour the Beloved has singled me out; neither an angel who has been brought near, wears it, nor a prophet who has been sent forth’.
Ibn Arabi: Love
Ibn al-‘Arabi has dedicated a complete chapter of his Futuhat al-Makkiya to love, which has been translated by Maurice Gloton as ‘Traité de L’Amour’ (ISBN 2-226-02715-7). He describes 3 types of love (pp. 67-127): 1. Divine love 2. Spiritual love 3. Natural love. For those not knowing Arabic or French Stephen Hirtenstein has described these 3 types of love in his ‘The Unlimited Mercifier’ (ISBN 1-883991-29-3). See pp. 191-203. A condensed description with all the major features of the exposition of the shaykh is given on pp. 194-195: “Know that Love is according to three degrees. (Firstly) there is natural love, which is the love of ordinary people, whose aim is unification in the animal spirit… It ends in the…
The Doctrine of Futuwwat
The prophet Abrahamis famous for his hospitality. The Sufis have followed this trait of his character. Hospitality is a collective virtue. The term futuwwat means and implies that an individual should be of service to others. He should oblige the people. He should not hurt anyone. He should bear with a smile the harm and injury caused to him by the people. The strict adherence to this doctrine resulted in the establishment of a body known as fityan in Islamic society. It resembles to a marked degree many voluntary and social organisations of our present day. The famous traveller ibn Battuta (d. 1368) had the occasion of seeing this body from very close quarters. He writes thus: ‘There is none…
The Cobbler Who Became an Astrologer
There was in the city of Isfahan a poor cobbler called Ahmed, who was possesses of a singularly greedy and envious wife. Every day the woman went to the public baths, the Hammam, and each time saw someone there of whom she became jealous. One day she espied a lady dressed in a magnificent robe, jewels on every finger, pearls in her ears, and attended by many persons. Asking whom this might be, she was told, “The wife of the king’s astrologer”. “Of course, that is what my wretched Ahmed must become, an astrologer,” thought the cobbler’s wife, and rushed home as fast as her feet would carry her. The cobbler, seeing her face asked: “What in the world is…
The rude dervish
A poorly dressed dervish came to Baba Farid who gave him something and permitted him to depart. The dervish remained standing and asked the shaykh to give him the comb, which he had taken out from its cover and placed on the prayer-carpet. As the comb was not worth anything and had been long used by the shaykh, he did not reply to the request. The dervish began to shout loudly: “If the shaykh gives me this comb, he will receive plenty of blessings.” “Be off”, Baba Farid replied, “and do not disturb me any more. I throw you and your blessings into the river.”
Khwaja Gharib Nawaz
The things that took place during the second initiation of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (this is the title of Khwaja Mo’inuddin Chishti; about its meaning see below) are recorded in the many books that have been written in this field. Many other details of his life can be read in those sources, which are available for English knowing people. For a long time he served his murshid. He remarked that whatever he got, he got by service. He was appointed as the successor of Khwaja Uthman Haruni after 20 years of travelling together. He was 52 years old then. His murshid then made a number of remarks, among which is the following: ‘Do not hold any hope from the people’. After…
The Mirror
The mirror had stood in the Shaykh’s room longer than anyone in the khaneqah could remember. It even pre-dated the memory of the oldest Sufi, and he was rumored to be at least 122 years of age. Over six feet tall the long oval mirror towered over the low couch, dwarfing the contents of the room. Its base was a marvel of intricately carved ebony depicting a lion chasing – and about to catch – a gazelle. The claws, hooves and eyes of the animals were set with Persian turquoise and moonstones, and a finely chased gold inlay picked out an inscription in Arabic that began: “He who chases the gazelle…,” the ending of which could not be seen as…
Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 22
Chashm be-koshaai ke didaar-e-khodaa-ye-jelwa namud Dida shaw yaksar o bar band dar-e-goft o shonud Open your eyes so that you may behold the divine splendour! Unify your vision and close the door to your speech and hearing. ‘Aks-e-rokhsaara-ye-saaqi be-namud az rokh-e-jaam Hush o aaraam ze mastaan-e-mai-ye-‘eshq rabud The reflection of the face of the cupbearer appeared at the surface of the cup. It has robbed the love-intoxicated ones of their sanity and peace of mind. Saaqi-ye-‘eshq maraa ruz-e-azal baada chashand Taa abad har nafas-am masti-ye-digar be-fozud Love’s cupbearer has made me taste some wine during the day of pre-eternity, So that with every breath of mine my intoxication will increase at post-eternity. Yaa rabb in masti-ye-man zaan mai-ye-bazm-e-azal ast Yaa…
Chishti stages of love – Part 2
The stage of exclusive attachment to the Beloved also has five phases. 1. The first phase of exclusive attachment to the Beloved is called mu’aanadat (enmity). What happens that when the lover moves in company, she or he feels ill at ease with strangers and is afraid of being laughed at. People become her or his enemies and are prone to ridicule this lover. To explain this the author of Resaala-e-‘eshqia (The Epistle of Love) has quoted the following verse of Qur’an 22:52 We have not sent a messenger or prophet before you but when he recited the devil would intrude into his recitation Yet Allah annuls what the devil has cast. Then Allah establishes his revelations. Allah is All-knowing,…
Diwaan-e-Mo’in: Ghazal 13
Man namiguyam ana’l haqq yaar miguyad begu Chun naguyam chun maraa deldaar miguyad begu. It is not me who said ‘I am the Truth’; the Friend forced me to say it. How can I not say it when the Beloved has asked me to say it? Har che migofti be-man har baar migofti magu Man namidaanam cheraa in baar miguyad begu You used to tell me never to disclose what You have revealed to me. I don’t understand why You ask me this time to disclose it openly. Aanche natawaan goftan andar sawma’a baa zaahedaan Bi tahaashi bar sar-e-bazaar miguyad begu Those mysteries which could not be spoken about to the inmates of the hermitage, I am now asked to…