An Epistle by
translation and comments2 by
According to the Sufis and the masters of theology, existence as it is in itself, that is, not conditioned,4 is more general than universal and particular, singular and general,5 absolute and restricted and mental and external.
Couplet:
Absolute6 over both absoluteness and non-absoluteness7
Without need of being described as even or odd.8
Principle 1.
Considering the reality9 of existence under the condition that there is nothing with it, it is said to be the level of oneness,10 the station of the all-comprehensive,11 and the reality of realities.12
Couplet:
It is absolute over the restrictions13 of name and attributes.14
Essence15 is not its name, though you might say essence.16
Rather essence is said of it for understanding, and absolute for incomparability.17
Principle 2.
Existence is neither called an existent nor a non-existent.18 However, necessary existence19 is known as an existent. Understand this.
Couplet:
This is a precise distinction, well said
A subtle pearl, well pierced.20
Principle 3.
Åaqq21 is pure existence,22 and is one23 by the unity24 of reality, that is, its realization in the correct knowledge of the verifier does not depend on the conceptualization of unity or on the conceptualization of the opposite of unity, or on intellection about unity as opposed to multiplicity. Rather unity is an establishing established reality, not [merely] established.25
Line of verse:
We said unity, however it is understood,
Not in order to refer to the idea26 of unity, as is imagined by veiled minds.27
Principle 4.
The existence of necessary existence is the same as its essence; and the existence of contingent existence is additional to contingent whatnesses.28 Rather the existence of contingent existence is from the treasury of the generosity29 of necessary existence.
Couplet:
Whatever we have is all His generosity.
His generosity for us is His existence.
Principle 5.
The first level associated with entification30 is inclusive of all entifications, a comprehensive oneness, which is specific to the real human, whose form is Adam.31
Couplet:
Know the face and meaning of Adam.
Know yourself and know the cosmos.
Principle 6.
The first intellect,32 that is, the tablet of the decree, the highest pen and the Adam of meaning is the simplest of existents; but it is not void of intellectual composition because the first intellect is itself a whatness to which existence is attributed. And of the properties33 of contingent multiplicity, there is one for it.34
Principle 7.
The fixed entities35 are forms of the divine names in the [divine] cognitive presence36 and are realities of the world. Insofar as they are fixed in knowledge but are non-existent in the external world, they have not smelled the scent of existence. Allah, the Exalted, says, (All things are perishing but His face) (28:88).
Couplet:
From pre-eternity to post-eternity it is like this.
The speech of the mystics is also like this.
Principle 8.
The reality of no existent is blameworthy, although some are blameworthy because of base attributes. You know that an existent without existence cannot be an existent, and existence is pure goodness.37 Therefore, an existent, with regard to its existence, is not void of goodness.
Couplet:
Although Iblís is supremely an evil doer,
Look at his existence, for it is not bad.38
Principle 9.
The nobility of the indicator39 is because of the nobility of what it indicates.40 The cosmos is an indicator of the existence of necessary existence.
Couplet:
Whatever is, whether good or bad,
All can have this nobility.
Perfection characterizes one to the extent of one’s divine characteristics,41 and imperfection is according to weakness in this. Nobility is by the fewness of intermediaries [to Him], and baseness is by the abundance of them.42
Principle 10.
The vastest and greatest of things are mercy, the heart of man and knowledge. Regarding the vastness of mercy, Åaqq, the exalted, said: (My mercy embraces all things) (7:156). On the vastness of mercy and knowledge, by the tongue of the prophets He said: (O our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge) (40:7). On the vastness of the heart of the ‘àrif of Allah, He said: “Neither My earth nor My heaven comprehends me, but the heart of My pure and pious believer servant.”43
Stanza:
The treasure that was hidden from the eyes of all the world,44
Became manifest to me; I am the familiar of that treasure.
The treasure that does not fit in any treasury exists,
But it fits in a corner of my heart. Where do I fit in being?
Principle 11.
Contingent entified existents constantly request the assistance of the presence of necessary existence, and absolute generosity, that is, Åaqq, the exalted and holy, assists them from the treasury of generosity with existence.
Couplet:
A deserving drunken rogue,45 such as I,
Would see that the cup bearer gave some of that wine to me.46
Principle 12.
The single entity, externally, shows itself as a multiplicity of entities; and the numerous entities, internally, are a single entity.47
Quatrain:
An entity appears externally as entities.
In every entity, an entity is shown to us.
In the world showing goblet it is perfectly shown.
Look at it, so that it shows you!
Principle 13.
Couplet:
The most holy effusion48 gives existence and capacity
to the capacitated by the name “Interior”.
The existence of the fixed entities in the presence of knowledge is by the most holy effusion, that is, more holy than the mixture of multiplicity of names and the imperfections of contingent realities. This is the disclosure of essential love, which is what brings about the existence and capacities of entities.
Sacred effusion is the disclosure of the names by the love of the appearance of what is required by the entities in the external world. Sacred effusion succeeds the most holy effusion. Understand this.
Principle 14.
Åaqq, the exalted, at every moment, discloses Himself to every entity, through the one of the names, according to, (Every day He is in a state) (55:29). One of the divine affairs is sent down from the presence of oneness49 to unity,50 and from unity to the level of intellect, and from the intellectual to that of the tablet, and from that of the tablet to universal nature, and from the universal nature to corporeal matter.
Line of verse:
After this, the throne, then its footstool. 51
When one of the divine affairs is sent down from the seven heavens, and passes through the levels of universal and particular until it reaches man, it takes on the coloring of all of these levels. The coming down of a divine affair through all these mentioned levels occurs at a single moment.52
Couplet:
In its coming down, no time passes,
Rather, not even a moment passes.
After this, the states that have dominated it are peeled off with a spiritual peeling, and it returns to the divine presence.53 Then from Him it originates, and to Him it returns.
Couplet:
The guest is dear. Hold him as dear.
Do not debase that dear friend.
Principle 15.
The existence of multiplicity in names54 is the same as the divine essence, in one aspect. They55 are manifested by the forms of the fixed entities according to different states.
Couplet:
Know unity and plurality in this way.
Call forth the inclusive unity.
A name is the essence with a determinate attribute.56 An attribute is an intellectual relation, not an entified affair, and in relation to the external world they are nothing. Therefore, the multiplicity of the names is with regard to attributes, and the unity of the names is by the essence. Whenever a perspectival57 letter is combined with a real letter, it has meaning.58 Understand this.
Principle 16.
By correct knowledge and explicit unveiling, it is verified for the verifier that the existence of the world is by the disclosure of real59 existence. It is manifest in the mirrors of the fixed entities. The existence of the entities is impossible without real existential disclosure.60
Couplet:
An existent, whatever it is, has its existence from His generosity.
The generosity of His existence to others is His existence.61
Principle 17.
In the first disclosure Åaqq appears62 in the mirrors of creation, and creation is hidden.63
Couplet:
First, our state was this way.
Whoever reaches here says this.
In the second disclosure Åaqq appears in the mirrors of the existence of Åaqq, and Åaqq is hidden.
However, in the comprehensive disclosure, which is the station of Muåammadan perfection, Åaqq is witnessed in creation itself, and creation is witnessed in Åaqq Himself.
Couplet:
Look at the light of the sun in the moon.
Look at creation and Åaqq [reflected] in each other.
Principle 18.
Existence, universal and particular, specific and general, mental and external, and absolute and restricted, from the aspect of existence64 is one, and by restrictions and respects65 is numerous. The divine names are many according to concepts,66 but in view of what they are true of, they are one.
Couplet:
An essence has a hundred thousand names by appearance,67
Find that as one until you know,68 and peace be unto you.
Principle 19.
Representations69 in numerous mirrors are shown variously, while the thing represented is one and the mirrors, on account of entification and restriction, are unlimited,70 but the utmost71 is one.
Couplet:
Zayd, ‘Amr, Bakr and Khàlid, all four
Are man itself, be well aware of this!
Principle 20.
The exterior of every locus of manifestation is from the divine name, the Exterior,72 and its interior is from the name, the Interior.73 The locus of manifestation, with respect to oneness is the same as the one who manifests. The collection of all individuals of the world, are loci of manifestation of the names of Åaqq, individually, while the perfect man is the locus of manifestation of the comprehensive name, generally. The reality of the locus of manifestation, in reality, returns to the one who manifests, and the reality of Åaqq, the exalted and sacred, is unknown. Therefore, the reality of nothing is known.
Poetry:
I have not understood the reality of anything.
How can I understand, while you are in it?
Principle 21.
Stopping at oneness is the level of a unitarian who is veiled from creation in the joining with Åaqq. Stopping at the plurality of the world is the job of one covered who is in the desert of separation, covered from Åaqq by creation.
But the verifier is the one who witnesses Åaqq by Åaqq in intellectual, entified, spiritual, imaginal and sensory forms. This is the meaning of, “I did not see anything without seeing Allah in it.”74
Couplet:
Since the light of my eyes is from the light of His beauty,
I look at the light of His face by His light.
Principle 22.
Every individual in the world is the locus of manifestation of one of the divine names with specific particularities.
Couplet:
The rogue and the ascetic, however they are viewed
In form and meaning, look at God.
The existence of bubbles is by water, and the appearance of water is by bubbles.
Couplet:
From the cup of bubbles, drink water,
Find that water in these bubbles.75
Principle 23.
The existence of a number is by repetition of the unit. The elaboration of the levels of unity are by number. A number is half the sum of its predecessor and successor.76 The least sum is the double, and two is one and one, which are summed in a single form so that two is obtained. The principles of any number do not appear except by finitude (numerosity), and the levels of unity are not explained except by number. Therefore, there must be number and finitude.
In every level of the levels of unities, tens, hundreds and thousands, unity has come repeatedly. With the repetition of one more, the odd becomes even, but without it, it is odd.
The Apostle of Allah? said, “Verily Allah is odd; He loves the odd.”
Couplet:
The odd such that other than Him there is no one,
is the root of number, but is not a number.
Principle 24.
If it were not for the generosity of the existence of necessary existence, which granted existence to existents, the world of being would not be. Likewise, if there were no intellectual universal realities, there would appear no principles of the divine names and attributes in the entified loci of manifestation.
Couplet:
There must be a bright mirror
For the light of His beauty to be shown.
Principle 25.
The first entity to be made determinate (as an entified thing) is the reality of man, and the obtaining of entities is by the elaboration of him, and the numerosity of the names is by determinations (entifications).
Couplet:
It is entified by the entifications of things.
The wave and bubbles are both from water.
Principle 26.
The divine identity, by the manifestation of royal sovereignty, is disclosed in the mirrors of the loci of manifestation of the infinite names, and according to the principle, (and He is with you, wherever you are) (57:4), He is with all. Rather, the reality of Him is all, and He with all the names and attributes appears in some of the loci of manifestation, as in the perfect one and the quìbs; and with some appears in some. Therefore, the single identity, according to the manifestation of the names and attributes, appears more excellently in some loci of manifestation and in others [merely] excellently.
Couplet:
That one is more excellent; this one is excellent;
By identity they are one, O intelligent one!
Principle 27.
Whoever is annihilated in things, sees that the mover and the stopper of things is Åaqq. If one is annihilated from oneself and from all things:
Couplet:
Åaqq remains, and other than Åaqq is nothing.
Other than Åaqq, the self is nothing; nothing is in view.
Annihilation is a relation we have to ourselves, but subsistence is a relation we have to Åaqq. You are free, so take whatever relation you consider to be more appropriate for yourself.
Principle 28.
Lightning-like essential disclosures are obtained by those who are empty of all attributes and states and from the principles of necessity, names and contingency. This complete and absolute emptiness77 is not opposed to the absoluteness of Åaqq.
Couplet:
I constantly see this emptiness,
Even though it does not last for more than a moment.
Principle 29.
Existence is absolutely permitted. Knowledge of its depth is absolutely forbidden.