The Way of Muhammad

Shaykh Abdalqadir as-Sufi

TheWayofMuhammad

ShaykhAbdalqadirAsSufi
(Originallypublishedin1975,DiwanPress)

Preface
Affirmation
TheScienceoftheSelf
TheScienceoftheSunna
TheScienceofStates
TheScienceofQur'an
TheScienceofBewilderment
TheScienceoftheMoment
TheCharts:Introduction
[TheCharts](notincludedhere)

This Book is dedicated to the Masters of the Habibiyya

ShadhiliyyaTariqa.

Acknowledgements

Mythanksaredueto:
Aisha Abdarrahman atTarjumana Bewley whose translations of
'Ibn'ArabiandMoulayal'ArabiadDarqawiareusedthroughout.
Dr.FritjofCapraforpermissiontoquotehim.
Hajj Abdalaziz Redpath, Hajj Abdalhaqq Bewley and Aisha
Bewleyfortheirassistanceindrawingupthechartsandstructuring
thematerialrelevanttothem.
My wife, Hajja Zulaikha, and Hajja Rabea Redpath for their
assistanceinpreparingthemanuscript.

Preface

ItwaswithacertainreluctancethatIagreedtoaneweditionof
thisearlyworkofmine,andthisonlyaftersomeminoreditingto
removeerrorswhichIcannowperceive.Theoriginalintentionof
theworkwastoshowthatitwaspossibletograspthemeaningof
IslamintermsoftheEuropeanexistentialtradition.Indeed,itisof
coursetheculminationofit.Ironically,theeffectofthebookwas
notinthemaintoopenEuropeanstoIslam,buttorestoretothose
whohadgoneoutoftheDeen,especiallyArabs,asenseofrespect
anddiscoveryinrelationtoIslam.Thebookissimplyameditation
ofthefivepillarsofIslamasviewedbysomeonewhohastaken
themonandissavouringtheirmeanings.However,nowwitha
lifetimeofIslamtocontemplateIwouldwanttoexpressthewhole
matterdifferentlywithoutdenyingthebasicpersonaltruthsItried
toindicateinthistext.TodaytheenemiesofIslamallexplainthat
thedangerofitisthatitisnotmerelyametaphysicalconstructbut
issomethingthataffectsthewholeoflife.Yet,afteraquarterof
millennium of western occupation of Muslim lands, first in
colonialismandthenbytheethosoftechnologyitcanbeshown
that,tragically,wehaveabandonedDeeninitstotality.
TheirresistiblemagneticpowerofIslamwhichisnowaboutto
spread its rays over all the world lies in its Shari'at. Properly
speaking the Messenger, blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him,abolishedthestateasthemodelofsocietalorder.Thisdoes
not meanheestablishedeither anarchyorsome kindof mystic
individualism,likeBuddhism.Wherethestatewasbasedoncanon
lawandtheimpositionoforderbyforce,empoweredbytaxation,
theneworderestablishedinMadinahwasaltogetherdifferent.The
Islamic community is itself a freely chosen social contract of

believers who agree to live within its parameters. The proper

translationofShari'atisaroad.
ThetwodimensionsoftheShahadaconfirmworshipasbelonging
toAllahandobediencebeingduetoHisMessenger.Thenexttwo
pillars,SalatandZakat,inthissensecouldalsobeplacedbeside
thedoubleShahada.TheworshipofAllahandthepaingofthe
onlypermittedtax,Zakat,gotogetherjustasthefirstandsecond
Shahadado.ItisinbetweenthesetwopillarsthatIslamshedslight
onthenatureofgovernance.
Sinceworshipmustbeaccordingtowhatwehavebeenordered,it
isnotpossibletoproceedin'Ibadabeyondacertainpointwithout
previouslyhavingappointedanAmir.Itispreciselyatthepointof
Ramadan that governance becomes inescapable to order the
sightingofthemoon,tostartthefastandtoorderthecollectingof
Zakat, which is not charity but something, in effect, taken by
power. Thus the collection and distribution of Zakat imply the
existenceoftheAmir.ItisbecauseAllahinhisgloryhasshownto
usthemeansoftransactingsociallyandavoidingcorruptionthat
IslamiscalledDeenalFitr.Itisthetransactionoforiginalnature,
thatis,beforecorruptedbyculturalexcess.Allahhaspermitted
tradeandforbiddenusury.Zakatforthisreasoncannotbepaidin
papermoneyforitinitselfisforbidden,beingapromissorynote,
andinthemajorityofcasesoneagainstwhichnomaterialgoods
canbematched.Themessenger,peaceandblessingsofAllahbe
uponhim,said:'Themiserwithholdsfromothersthewealththatis
due them.' Therefore banking is revealed as an unthinkable
institutionbothmateriallybyitsusuriousnatureandmorallybyits
perversionofpeople'sevaluationoflife.
Thistouchesthenubofthequestionoftheselfandwhatwenow
callcharacter.Theidentityisnotformedinapsychologicalnon
spatialzone,butratheritisthepatternandwebcreatedbythe

wholeseriesoftransactionswhichformasocialnexus.Itisinthe
exchangeofgoods,intheholdingandthedistributionofwealth,in
the giving up and the taking on of possessions that the self
emerges.Therefore,thepathtoanintegratedhumanidentitycan
onlybeestablishedonobediencetothecommandsofAllahand
HisMessenger.WhenheleftMakkah,thecityofhisencounter
withAllah,glorybetohim,toestablishtheIslamiccommunity,he
renamedtheneighbouringcityofYathrib,Madinah.Itsmeaning
quitesimplyis'theplaceoftheDeen'.Whenhesettledtherehe
established two institutions the mosque and the market. The
mosque and market were identical inasmuch as it was not
permittedtoestablishyourcornerorpartofitforyouruse.With
thefoundationofMadinahwasestablishedtheinevitableabolition
ofcapitalistandsocialistsociety.Theinabilitytocreatemonopoly
andtheimpossibilityofanelitetoseparatethemselves,inworship
fromthepeoplehadbeenassured.NotonlypapalRome,butlater
the Holy Roman Empire and later the European Union of the
Treaty of Rome, and equally the Soviet Presidium, the English
Parliament,andtheAmericanSenate,inthelightofIslamwere
revealedtobetyrannies,thebasisofwhichwasnotitsregalarmy,
butitsfiscalsubjugationofthemasses.
The imperial phase of bankism, which sweetly gives itself a
politicaltitle,'constitutionaldemocracy',whilestilldominatingthe
worldinamannermoreruthlessthananyancientwarlordnow
clearlyexposesthetruththatsystemscontroldoesnotwork,that
theabolitionoftradeanditsreductiontomeredistributiondoes
notwork,thatthedenialofgenuineautonomyofpeoplesatalocal
leveldoesnotwork.
Itisforthesereasonsthatthemodernmanmustdigdeepinto
himselftoseeif,afterthealmostcompleteconditioningtowhich
he has been submitted, he is able to act at all. The result of a

secularliberaleducationissomethingakin,socially,tothegeneral
paralysisoftheinsane.However,therearestillthosewhowillnot
accepttheroleallottedthembytheoligarchyofbankingtobe
helplessandhappymembersofthefacelessconsumermob.After
alltheprogress,afterallthemodernity,publicarenasofmodern
lifeareinescapablyidenticaltothatoftheRomanColiseumand
AztecTemple.
Theresponseofthefreeactingpeopleofthisagewillbetoobey
theorderofAllah,glorybetohim,inQur'an:"EnterIslaminits
totality."(Qur'an2.206).Itcanalsobetranslated:"EnterIslamall
together."

"Ifyouengageupontravelyouwillarrive
andmayAllah,praisebetoHim,guideyouandus!"
(TheMakkanRevelations)
ShaykhalAkbar

Affirmation

Thereisonlyonemethodbywhichyoucanapproachthesufic
sciencesandthatistostart,tabularasa,byputtingawaythewhole
worldpictureandvaluestructurewhichhasformedyouuntilnow
andwhichiscompletelytheresultofyoursocialandhistorical
imprinting which you share with millions of others, whatever
particular individuality you may imagine you have over and
againstthosemillionsofothers.Youhaveanideaofhowthings
are,andhowyouare,howthingsshouldbeandhowyoushould
be.Interposedbetweenyouandrealityisafunctioning,fluctuating
conceptualisation of existence that, mingled with your personal
emotionalresponsestoeventandpersonality,makeupwhatyou
thinkisboth'you'and'yourworld'.
Anyideaof'god'asanexplanationofexistenceoranarenafor
yourlifeexperiencehastobesetaside.'Religion'(fromtheLatin
tobindtogether)asexplanationorarenaisequallyfalse.Indeed,to
mistake the name for the thing named, the category for the
indicated,istomaketasawwufimpossibleofaccess.Nonrealities
thathavenowcrystallisedinpeople'simaginationashavingsome
kindofdynamicactualitylikehistoryorclassorindividualityhave
tobesetaside.

ThesubjectoftasawwufSufismisyou.
Thesubjectoftasawwufisreality.
Letusstartfromthebeginning.
One.
ThewholematterbeginsandendswithanaffirmationofOne.
But it will be said I am another, there is 'two', 'three',
'multiplicity'.JohnisnotArthur,norMargaret,Anne.Precisely.It
isbecauseoftheexperientialmultiplicitythatthescienceofUnity
exists.Thisimplies,therefore,thatasyouare,youarenotgrasping
thetruenatureofexistence.Itislikeaperpetualfever,aconstant
hallucination. Things are multiple, alien andsolid. Thereis not
evencontinuity,yetwepersistinit.Iamthesameonewhowas
hereyesterdayafteranightofdreamlesssleepatleasteveryone
in today's 'dream' confirms this. Otherwise I would be mad.
Idiotiki,inGreek,meansprivate.Myrealityisaffirmedsocially,
soIexist.Unlesstheyareinmydream.YetwhenIdream,the
objects seem insubstantial, awake they are solid and therefore
'real'.Realmeanssolid.YetIhavephysicistsinmy'reality'who
nowtellmethatsolidityhasnorealityforthem.Theobjectis
slippingawayfrommeyetagain,andformsarebeingprovedout
of existence and I am left holding onto a 'mental reality' in a
vanishingworldofformswhichtheytellmeismerelydynamic
space.Theinformationaboutmy'realworld'hasbecomeveryodd
andcontradictoryattimesevenironic.Thepersonthisworldhas
appointedtoassuagemyinneranxiety,Iobserve,isinaworse
statethanIam.Itistothissubjectthattasawwufaddressesitself.

Thus:
Ifyoudesiretoknowrealityyoumustknowyourself.
Youarethekey,theonlykeytoreality.
Youarenothingbutamirrorofreality.
Itisenoughtoreflect.
But,youranxietyaboutwhatisonthehorizon,andinyourself
stops you from calm and clear reflection. You desire urgent
tranquillising information saying 'it is all proved, everything is
reallyallright,youexist.'Informationhasforthemomentbeenset
aside.
Letus,however,examineapossibility.
The possibility is that there is someone to trust about the very
urgentmatterofwhatlifeisabout.Sincewearenottobetrusted,it
mustbesomeveryremarkablesortofperson.Whatwouldbethe
qualificationsofamantotrustinthismatter?Therewouldbeonly
onethingthatwouldmakehiman'expert'andthatisthatheknew
how to live his life, utterly fulfilled, in radiant and expansive
serenitythatleftspacearoundhimforhiscommunityandspace
within him for his own inner peace. Just as in the legend of
Kurosawa's 'Rashomon', we are in a dilemma. In that story a
woman has been raped and killed. Each witness tells what
happened,buteachonehasgivenaversionoftheeventfromtheir
ownsubjectivity.Eachstoryisintheendacontradictionoftheone
beforeit.Thelover,thebandit,thewifeeachhasbeentrappedin
aprivatefantasythatinsistsoninterpretingexistenceinawaythat

allows for their 'selfrespect' to continue. Finally, a simple

woodcutterwhois'outside'theevent,withnothingtogainorlose,
tellswhatreallyhappened.Butbynowthemanwhosoughtthe
truthdaresnolongerbelieveanyone,forhehasampleevidence
thatpeoplewanttheirownversionofevents.Whenthewoodcutter
seestheman'sdilemma,andwhatithasdonetohimhenolonger
believes in existence as a dynamic functioning reality, it has
proved to be a fragmented, subjective, everchanging lie the
woodcutterbreaksdownandweeps.Humanlyitisallhecando.
Open himself completely to the man, surrender any idea of
separateness, interest, dissembling just give up, unresistant to
thatmomentanditssimpletruth:hisstory.Thenthemanknows
thathetoohastogivein,hehastoshedhisdoubtandhisdistrust
and even his own experience. Somehow life cannot have any
continuityagainunlessthereisaffirmationofthisencounterandits
reality.Andthetwomenweep.Themomenthasbeentasted.
Thisisessentiallythestartingpointofthescienceoftasawwuf.It
beginswithsurrenderinganyvainconceptthatyoucanthinkor
detectorfeelyourwayoutofthecontradictionsandpainsoflived
existenceandthesurrender,whileactuallytotheShaykh,isin
truthtotheMessenger,theonewhoissentjustforthat,totellyou
whatrealityislike,Muhammad,theMessengerofreality.
The necessary qualifications for this acceptance are these same
simpleandprofoundonesofhishumanityandhisdeepsanityand
hisdisinterestedness.

No,Iswearbywhatyousee
andbywhatyoudonotsee,

itisthespeechofanobleMessenger,
itisnotthespeechofapoet
(littledoyoubelieve)
northespeechofanoccultist
(littledoyouremember).(Qur'an69.3842)

Bythepenandwhattheyinscribe,
thouartnot,bytheblessingofthyLord,
amanpossessed.
Certainlyyouwillalwaysberepaid.
Certainlyyouareonavastselfform.
Soyoushallseeandtheyshallsee
whichofyouisthedemented.(Qur'an68.16)

Mu'adhibnJabalsaid,'TheMessengerofAllahcommandedme
saying, "Oh, Mu'adh, I command you to fear Allah, to report
truthfully,tofulfiltheoath,toactloyally,toavoidwrongactions,
tocarefortheneighbour,tohavemercyontheorphan,tobesoft
spoken,tobegenerousinextendinggreetings,todogoodacts,to
limitexpectation,tocleavetotheWay,tostudytheQur'an,tolove
the life beyond this world, to be anxious in regard to the

Reckoning,toacthumbly:Iforbidyoutoabusethelearned,to
accuseanhonestmanoflying,toobeythemanofwrongactions,
todisobeyajustman,toputalandindisorder:andIcommand
youtofearAllahateverystone,tree,orvillage,andthatyoushow
regretforeverywrongaction,secretorpublic."
'
Atthispointthereareclearlythingsthatdonotmakesense:fear
Allah,tolovethelifebeyondthisworld,tobeanxiousinregardto
theReckoning,andtoshowregretforwrongaction.
Surelywedesiretoberidoffearandnotsimplyprojectitintoa
godconceptandcallitaname?
Whatliesbeyondthisworld?Sofarwedonotknow.
WhatReckoning?Surelythisregretsoundslikeguilt?

It is at this point that we must beware ofbringing with us the

whole value structure that we were prepared to jettison, and
applyingitjustatthepointofpretendedclarityandlackofpre
conception.Ifthematteroftasawwufissinandrepentanceandthe
whole guiltmechanism that modern man has so sensibly been
determinedtothrowoffthenwearebacktosquareone.Weare
quiteclearatthisstageofourenquirythattheguilt/redemption
languageofChristianityisahopelessdialecticsuperimposedona
neurosisandnotdismantlingit.Letitbe,andletusthereforelay
asidethesedisturbingphrasestoseewhatwemakeoftherestof
the injunctions. Apart from these subjective and seemingly
'religious'ones,alltheothersaresocialandbenign.Amanofthese
qualitiesiscertainlysomeonetobeopento,someonetocopy.Let

uslookmorecloselyatthepictureoftheman,Muhammad.
HisnamemeansthePraiseworthy.
Muhammad was forbearing, honest, just and chaste. His hand
nevertouchedthehandofawomanoverwhomhedidnothave
rights,withwhomhedidnothavesexualrelations,orwhowasnot
lawfulforhimtomarry.Hewasthemostgenerousofmen.Neither
a dinar nor a dirham was left him in the evening. If anything
remainedandtherewasnoonetogiveitto,nighthavingfallen
suddenly,hewouldnotretiretohisapartmentuntilhewasableto
give this excess to whoeverneeded it. Hewas neverasked for
anything but that he gave it to the asker. He would prefer the
seekertohimselfandhisfamily,andsooftenhisstoreofgrainfor
theyearwasusedupbeforetheendoftheyear.Hepatchedhis
sandals and clothing, did household chores, and ate with his
womenfolk.Hewasshyandwouldnotstareintopeople'sfaces.
Heansweredtheinvitationoftheslaveandthefreeborn,andhe
acceptedpresentseveniftheyconsistedmerelyofadraughtof
milkorarabbit'sleg,whilebecauseofhungerhewouldattimes
tietwostonesaroundhisstomach.
Heatewhatwasathand,anddidnotrefrainfromanypermitted
food.Hedidnoteatreclining.Heattendedfeasts,visitedthesick,
attendedfunerals,andwalkedamonghisenemieswithoutaguard.
He was the humblest of men, the most silent without being
insolent, and the most eloquent without being lengthy. He was
alwaysjoyfulandneverawedbytheaffairsofthisworld.Herode
ahorse, amale camel, amule, anass,hewalkedbarefootand
bareheadedatdifferenttimes.
Helovedperfumesanddislikedfoulsmells.
Hesatandatewiththepoor.

He tyrannised nobody and accepted the excuse of the one who

beggedhispardon.
Hejokedbutheonlyspokethetruth.Helaughedbutdidnotburst
outlaughing.Hedidnoteatbetterfoodorwearbetterclothesthan
hisservants.
Theconductofthisperfectrulerwasuntaught.Hecouldneither
readnorwrite,hegrewupwithshepherdsinanignorantdesert
land,andwasanorphanwithoutfatherormother.Herefusedto
cursehisenemysaying,'Iwassenttoforgivenottocurse.'When
askedtowishevilonanyoneheblessedtheminstead.
Anas ibn Malik, his servant, said: 'He never said to me about
anything of which he disapproved, Why did you do it?
Moreoverhiswiveswouldnotrebukemewithouthissaying,Let
itbe.Itwasmeanttohappen.'
Iftherewasabedhesleptonit,ifnothereclinedontheearth.He
wasalwaysthefirsttoextendagreeting.Inahandshakehewas
never the first to release his hand. He preferred his guest over
himselfandwouldofferthecushiononwhichhereclineduntilit
wasaccepted.Hecalledhiscompanionsbytheirkunya(surnames)
soastoshowhonourtothem,andthechildrensoastosoftentheir
hearts.Onedidnotargueinhispresence.Heonlyspokethetruth.
Hewasthemostsmilingandlaughingofmeninthepresenceof
hiscompanions,admiringwhattheysaidandminglingwiththem.
Heneverfoundfaultwithhisfood.Ifhewaspleasedwithitheate
itandifhedislikeditheleftit.Ifhedislikedithedidnotmakeit
hatefultosomeoneelse.Hedidnoteatveryhotfood,andheate
whatwasinfrontofhimontheplate,withinhisreach,eatingwith
threefingers.Hewipedthedishcleanwithhisfingerssaying,'The
lastmorselisveryblessed'.Hedidnotwashhishandsuntilhehad
lickedthemcleanoffood.Hequaffedmilkbutsippedwater.

Sayyedina'Ali,hisclosestCompanion,said:'Ofallmenhewasthe
mostgenerous,themostopenhearted,themosttruthful,themost
fulfilling of promise, the gentlest of temper, and the noblest
towardshisfamily.Whoeversawhimunexpectedlywasawedby
him,andwhoeverwashisintimatelovedhim.'
Hehimselfsaid:'IamalQautham,'meaning,'Iamthecomplete,
perfectman.'
Itistothismanthatweaddressourselvesintheacquiringofthe
knowledgeoftasawwuf,thescienceoftheself.Insubmittingto
theShaykhwesubmittothemanwhohashimselfmasteredthese
aspectsofhisbehaviourthatwerenotinaccordwithhis'vastness
ofselfform'whichistheMessenger's.Wearemakingnomistakes
andweareremainingwithinthezoneofexistentialrecognition.
TheMessengerisnotbeingworshipped,deified,ormadeintoa
symbol.Heisbeingacceptedasawitnessofhowthingsare,as
beingacompletelyopenpersoninflowingharmonicaccordwith
existencesothatheknowsitinwardlyandoutwardly.Amancame
tohimwhowasoverawedbyhispresenceandbecamereverential
towardshim.Hesaidtohim,'Beatrest.Iamnotaking.Iamonly
thesonofawomanoftheQuraysh,whoeatsdriedmeat.' His
answertohisnamewas'Atyourservice.'TheShaykhissimplythe
manwhohasfullysurrenderedhisselfformandfilledhimselfup
withtheclearradianceofthisperfectbehaviour.TheMessenger
hassaid,'Iwassenttocompletethenoblequalitiesofcharacter.'
Itisessentialthatthisstartingpointisestablished.Wecannotsee
clearly,wedon'tknowwhatishappening,wearelookingfora
witnessoftheeventofexistencewemaytrust.Madmen,poets,
occultists we have by our reason rejected: the witness must be
disinterested,andhemustmanifestthehighestsocialandhuman
qualities.Itisnotenoughthathebesomekindofasuperiorbeing
withsuperiorpowers,yogiccontroloverthebodyandthemind,

whatisessentialisthatheiscompletelyatpeaceandthatwiththat
peacehecanfunctioninthesocialsettingthatisman'sordinary
quotidianreality.IntheMessengerofReality,Muhammad,peace
beuponhim,wefindamanwithallthesequalities.Hehasleft
behindabookcalledtheQur'an,andasyetwehavenotexamined
orsatisfiedourselvesastothemeaningandvalidityofthebook
forthemomentwearepersistinginamoredirectexistentialsearch
forwhatweseek.Wearestayingwiththeman.Hehasconfirmed
our own recognition that we are in no way well enough to
recogniserealitybutsomehowwemusttrustthevalidityofthis
affirmationofhisserenityandhumanness.Hehassaid,'Manis
asleep,andwhenhedieshewakesup.'Thisconfirmsourinitial
experienceofbeingsomnambulistic,unawaketothetruetasteof
life,butithasinitnoconsolation,andcouldbeamereRoman
cynicism.HoweverthereisanotherTraditionofhiswhichtellsus,
'Diebeforeyoudie!'
Thisinfersthatthereisascienceofwakingup,therefore,while
stillintheworldofbodies.
ButtheMessengerdiedfourteenhundredyearsago,andthebook
heleftlooksatfirstglancesuspiciouslyliketheothers,andwehad
got to a point where only a direct experience was going to
convince us. It is here that the essential teaching element of
tasawwufdeclaresitself.
Transmission.
Ourconcernisthealterationoftheself,theconquestoftheself,
thepeacetreatywithourrebelforcesandwehaveunderstood
thatourselfformisoddlyunresponsivetoreason,andworsethan
that,hasaparticularlydangerousqualityofselfdestruction.
Lifecan,inextremis,beanorganisedsuicideoranendlesssleep

in.
Structuredinformationthencanonlybecomethefoilofthisself
destroying,selfdeceivingentitytheself.Theveryknowledgeof
whatiswrongseemstobetrayourhopesforit,andinsteadof
releasing us it traps us and paralyses us more, and the very
awfulnessofourselfhoodwhichwethinkweseeatlast,bringsus
grindingtoadisastrousselfawarefrozenhalt.Whatthenisthe
methodoftheMessengerofPeace,orashepreferstocallhimself,
theMessengerofSubmission?
Hesimplyisthereandheaskspeopletofollowhim,keephim
company,andtodoashedoes.Thatisall,orseemsallbutin
factthisiseverything.
Hehassaidthat,'Ifamanliveswithapeoplehebecomesoneof
them,'andalso,'Amanfollowsthelifepatternofhisfriend,solet
eachofyoulooktowhohetakesasacompanion.'Wealready
know in our barbaric state that if a man is locked up with the
insane he most probably will himself fragment in his self
experience,andifhekeepsthecompanyofjunkieshewillsooner
orlatersuccumbtotheirhabit;morerecognisably,amanbecomes
asoldieronenteringthearmy.Hegets'beatenintoshape',theself
form is restructured and solidified into something considered
manly, heroic and brutal. A man who keeps the company of
women, and avoids men's company, even if he is sexually
expressedasaman,willtakeonasubtlefeminisingofselfform
andbehaviour.Ortonarrowthefieldofthisphenomenoneven
more,ifyousitinaroomwithsomeoneinarageyouwillpickup
fromthatpersonthesubtleformoftheircondition.Youwilleither
become'defensive'oryouinturnwillattacktheiranger.Ifyousit
withadepressiveyouwillinturnbedepressedoryouwillfeel
obliged in some subtle manner to put up a resistance to their
swamping allenveloping lowenergy, you will have to become

either depressedor bycontrastresistantly high.In otherwords,

thereisaconstanttrafficintheenergyformsoftheself,andthey
dobattleasmuchsociallyastheydoinwardly.Ifthebehaviouris
controlledfromoutside,atacertainpointtherewillstillcomean
eruptionfromwithinwhentheoutwardsituationallowsit.
Nowfromtheembattledpositionoftheselfasitis,wecannotbut
bewellawarethatitisofitsnaturetocontinuethestruggle,to
sabotagetheendofhostilities,foritthrivesonstruggleandseems
togainlifebyitsowncontinuedselfdestruction.Thismeansthat
theselfisgoingtobeconstantlyseekingtheverycompanythat
willkeepitconstantlytrappedinacycleofpain.Ifyoudesireto
bepunishedyouwillnotresttillyoufindtheexecutioner.You
mayworkyourwaythroughawholeseriesinthedesperatedesire
toprovethatyou'wantoutofit',butseewhatacruelfatehas
alwaysprovidedyouwithadestructivepartner.Inotherwordsfor
theembattledself,theotherisfairlycertaintoturnouttobethe
enemy,andhellwill,afterall,seemtobeotherpeople.
Returning now to our point of departure, we have agreed that,
knowingaswedothattheselfisinanendlessloopofrepeated
battles,wemustbedonewiththegameofsufferingandrediscover
thatdeepbasicsanitywhichwedesireandwhichwecannotbut
recognise in this perfectly balanced and radiant figure of
Muhammad,peacebeuponhim.
Wewishtorecover,ifyoulike,ourMuhammadnature.Andthe
meansistransmission.
Itisenoughtositwithsomeonefortransmissiontotakeplace.
Insteadofseekingagainthepartnerofbattleandfurtherpain,we
nowturntotheShaykh,whoiscompletelyatpeace,utterlyturned
awayfrom all thetremorswithinusandutterlywithholding of
either approval or disapproval, the two drugs on which our

continuedselfsurvivaldepends.'Theshaykhiscontagious,'saida
follower of Shaykh alKamil. If you sit in the sun you get
sunburned,thatisenough.Forthemomentwedonotknowwhy,
wehavenoscienceyettoindicatewhyandhowthisshouldbeso,
for it certainly does not accord with the solid mechanistic
psychology we are with such difficulty trying to leave behind,
becauseitisapsychologybasedontheverydialecticthattrapsus.
TheShaykhissimplythelivingexemplarheisnotaMessenger,
fortheMessagehasbeendeliveredbutyoucouldsaythatheis
the Message. He is a Qur'an and a furqan. He is a gathering
togetherofforms,aunifier,andheisaseparator,adiscriminator,
onewhomakeschoicesandselectsandrejectswithoutstruggle.
Themindmustbeclearedofthewholesuperstitious,authority
projectionideaoftheguruthatissoprevalentinoursociety.Heis
not,andthismustbeestablished,asuperguide,apowerfulfigure,
anauthority.Heisnotgoingtotellyouhowtoliveyourlife,what
housetobuyandwhatjobtotake,althoughhemaywellknow
thesethings.Heinnowaytakesontheburdenofyourproblems,
preciselybecausefromthepointofviewofhisdeepsanitythese
problemsdonotexist.Heismerelyamirrorinwhichyoumay,if
youarepatientenough,seeyourselfatlast.Heisanopenness,and
an emptiness. He is fully surrendered to his creaturestate, to
advancingage,andtochangingseasons,andtothesamenessof
days.Andforthisreasonheisutterlyturnedawayfromus;he
greetsusandfeedsusandcounselsus,butheisnotcaughtup,
there is no yes to our no, and no refusal of our yes. In some
exasperatingorfrighteningwayhedoesnotseeus.Wecouldkill
him.Hereallydoesnotcare!Sowhatthenishappeninginsidethis
man?Fromoursickpointofviewitcertainlyseemstobeasuper
defence system that we can envy. He is unassailable, we are
vulnerable.Hewins,welose.

Westillseethingsthisway.Sowedecidetoimitatehim.Wegoto
themasterswordsmantolearnhowtokill,anddonotrealisethat
heisteachingusnottoneedit.
Whatdoeshedo?Whatisthemeanstothisomnipotentend?Itis,
unsurprisingly,disconcerting.FirstlytheShaykheitherdoesnot
sleep at all or minimally, perhaps two or three hours at most.
Puttingthatasideasthefruitofyearsofhardwork,wecannot
avoidrecognisingthatthisawakenessofwhichtheMessengerof
Submission spoke was not some inner consciousness alone, but
consciousnessitself.
The whole of his existence is spent in one thing he is in a
constant state of awareness, of collectedness, or, if you like
recollectedness,forheisthere,hedoesexistbeforeoureyesand
heisrecollectingbackintohimselftheplenum.Hisrealityisthat
heisinconstantandunceasingcommunicationwithrealityitself.
Hehassubjugatedtheself,itsstruggleisover,andyetthereisstill
asomeonethereamanwhoeatsandsleepsalittle,talks,sits.
Yet if his selfform exists it somehow takes in everything, it
excludesnothing,itisallembracing.WetreathimasaMasterand
showtheutmostrespecttohim,everyonebowsbeforehimandhe
sees all this and he does not care. People denounce him and
criticisehimandaccusehimoffraudulenceandhedoesnotcare.
He is a Master yet at the same time he is that by the most
extremetokenofoppositesheisaslave.
Heisnotourslave,oranyone'sslave,oranything'sslave.Heis
theslaveofIt,ofthisveryrealitywewanttoknowandexperience.
Hehassubjugatedhis'I'andhehasenthronedthe'He',whatthe
Arabscallthepronounofabsence.Constantlyheaddressesreality,
hisreality,as'He'.Heisapresenceaddressinganabsence,andyet
weexperiencehiminwardlyasanabsenceexpressingaPresence.

Heistheperfectionofslavery.Heisbound,utterlyconstrained,
without choice, helpless, obedient. He does what he has been
commandedtodo.
HebowsandheprostratesbeforethisReality,hecallsonitsname
morningandnight,heasksandheasksbutneverforthisorthat,
never for forms. He asks for this nothing, this effulgent
nothingnessthathasproducedthemyriadforms,heasksItforIt
andgetswhatever'It'hesupplicatesfor,sowealwaysseehim
satisfied and content. He may be ill and in pain, he may be
penniless,butheiscontent,heiswellpleased,foritseemsthat
thisflowof'It'neverceasesthroughalltheseapparentlynegative
events. Stranger still we notice that despite poverty and illness
thereisinfactadisconcertingandinexplicableflowofgoodsand
moneyintothiscentreofsubmission,theShaykh.
Weobservealsothateverythingthatcomesintohim,goesout
from him. He is merely a vortex of energy, and the money is
distributed and the people are fed and clothed, and he goes on
bowingandprostratingandpraisingthisRealitywithitsendless
generosityandcompassionandprovision,sothatwecannotlook
athimwithoutbeingremindedofIt!
Againitisdangeroustointerposethoseoldpreconceptionsofan
ethicthatsayswemuststruggleandworkandcompetetobea
healthy society, and we recall that the working, competing,
struggling society has spent itself in a quite terrible frenzy of
competitionandstrugglethathasallbutdestroyedthebiosphere
inwhichweworktolive.Forthemomentletusenquireopenly
intowhatthissystemofaddressisthattheShaykhemploysand
whatareitseffects.
The Shaykh calls himself NuriMuhammad, the Light of
Muhammad,thatis,heisaluminousformofthatperfectionof

man, he is the summit of what the human creature is in its

potentialitywhenfullyrealised.
The thing to be grasped is that the Shaykh is in dialogue with
Reality,hespeakstoItandItspeakstohim.Thisisagaintobe
accepted either as a fantasy or sanity. We recognise that he
functions socially in the world and that he does embody those
noble virtues or good qualities that so appealed to us and so
intrigueduswhenwediscoveredthatamancouldpossessthem
andliveintheworld.Wealsoobservethathisdialoguerarely
involvesdirectaskingforaspecificbutismainlyaboutpraising
the endless energy of the Reality and the generosity and
compassionandfullnessofitsnatureheisbusyexaltingReality
andhonouringitandevenglorifyingit.Alongwiththiswenote
thatheseemsconstantlytobeinvolvedinakindoffinetuning,a
honing awayonthis smooth surface ofhis innerrealityofany
roughnessorblemish.Heiswitheachnewdayrefiningandasking
toberefined,heispolishingandaskingtobepolished.Sobythis
token he is utterly open to his own activity, he himself is
constantlyunderreview,constantlybeingrenewed,inthisdynamic
communicationhehaswithhisownrealitythestaticthatseems
togatheraroundthewaveimpulsethatishisexistenceisbeing
clearedandstilledbythisrhythmicactofrenewalandprostration.
ThisisjustliketheMessengerofSubmission,Muhammad,peace
beuponhim,whowhenheundertookanymatter,entrusteditto
theReality,andrenouncedhisownstrengthandpowerandasked
forguidanceinthesewords:'OhAllah,showmethetruthastruth,
andIwillfollowit.Showmewhatisdeniedasthedeniedand
make me shun it. Protect me in case the truth should become
doubtfultome,andIthenfollowmyinclinationwithoutguidance
fromYou.MakeitbethatmyinclinationisinobediencetoYou,
andmayYoubepleasedwithmyharmonisingwithYou.Guide
mecorrectlyinregardtowhateverIamindoubtaboutastoits

truth,althoughthatdoubtisbyyourpermission.TrulyYouguide
whoeverYouwantontothetrueWay.'
Ifthisisreadcarefully,aquiteastonishinglyfinebalancemaybe
observedinthewayinwhichheaddressesItasbothotherthanhe,
and at the same time recognises that his whole selfform in its
separateness is Its property. His doubt and the adjusting of his
doubtarefromonesourcethatisnotthe'I'thatasks.
The'I'thatasksishelpless.
The'You'thatisaddressedistotal.
With the man of Muhammad, peace be upon him, nothing is
outsidetheprocess.Thereisnoobserver,thereisnospectator,
thereisnoaliencreatureinanalienworldinanalienuniverse.
Thatwouldbefantasytoimagineonewasoutsidetheprocess.
Weareintheprocess,wearetheprocessifIwasnothere,I
wouldhavenothingtoworryabout.Itisthispersistentlieofself
hoodthatistheverymatterofconflictandsuffering.Ilookoutat
theformsandgetfrightenedandconfused,Ibecomealienated.I
trytomakethesettingofmyexilebenign.Ichoosethismountain
ortheedgeofthatoceanbecauseIlikeitandhopethatitwill
harmonisewithmyinnertroubledself.Ichoosethispersonandnot
thatpersonbecauseIfeelbetweenusthereissomecommonality.
ButsoonIbecomeirritatedwiththatperson,theirsamenessseems
an empty mockery of my individuality and I long for someone
different,themountainstormechoesmyownturbulenceandIlong
foralandscapethatistheoppositeofmyinnerimaginedself.All
thisstemsfrommyseeingmyselfasoutsidetheprocessandeither
hopelesslytryingtofitmyselfinandharmoniseortryingnottobe
overwhelmedbytheutterlyirreconcilableothernessofthecreation
andthecreatures.

Theman,Muhammad,affirmsunity.HesaysOnenottwo.Sohe
doesnotsayit,butItsaysitthroughhimandbyhim,sothathe
says,'IamonlyaslaveoftheReality,yetIamtheMessengerof
theReality.'InotherwordsImerelytellyouwhattherealityis
like.Butitisnotfromme,forthereisnome,thereisonlyalocus
ofcommunication.Thereisaradiostationonthewavebandbut
theairitselfisnothingbutoscillatingsignals,thewavebandand
thesignalareonereality.Sohisgatheringtogetherofwhatis,his
Qur'an,isnotbyhimbutbyItandfromItandweareforcedto
continuethemessageisfromIttoIt,forotherthanItoutsideIt,
inIt,thereisnotanything.Thisisnotcomplicated.
Twothingsarebeingsaidatonce.
IfyousayOneyoucannotsaytheother.
If you say both you approach a new way of understanding
existence.
TheMessagefromItisthis:

IntheNameofAllah,theMerciful,theCompassionate.
Say:He,Allah,isOne,
Allahisendlesstime,
Hedidnotbringanythingintobeing
andnothingbroughtHimintobeing,
andnooneformislikeHim.(Qur'an:112)

Thisisreality.Thisiswhatexistenceislike.
Anditisnamed.Itisnamedsothatwemayindicatewhatcannot
begivenaname,itisthenameofwhatisnotthisandnotthat.
Allah.

Allahitisnamedwithapersonalnameforapersonalnamedoes
notdefine,itmerelyindicates.JohndoesnotdefineJohn,itmerely
indicatesthatheisthere.AllahdoesnotdefineAllah,itisour
indicationthatHeispresentalthoughheisnoplace.
Thereisnogod.Bythesametoken,thereisnometorejectgod,
forthatwouldmakemegodlikethatisapower,positingthisand
that.
Earthisapowerbutwatersweepsoveritanddestroysit.
Waterisapowerbutairturnsitintovapour.
Airisapowerbutfireconsumesit
andFireisapowerbutearthobliteratesit.
Andsoon.
Intheworldofformsthereisnogod.
Thisisnotabsolutelyoverthat.Allahisnot,inthisdeclarationof
theMessenger,presentedasthegroundofbeingorastheinfra
structure,norisItpresentedasbeingidenticalwiththetotalityof
forms.

Whatwearepresentedwithisanuncompromisingaffirmationof
Unity.Onereality,ofwhichtheformsarebutappearances.The
formsarecertainlytakenseriouslyandthereisawholescienceof
how to be among forms, how to view them and treat them,
includingyourown.ButinaffirmingtheOnerealitytheformsare
negated.
Nogod.OnlyAllah.
ThisishowthegreatestMasterShaykh'Ibn'Arabiputsit:

WedrawconclusionsaboutHimthroughourselves.Wedonot
describeHimwithanyqualitybutthatwepossessthatquality,
withtheexceptionofaspecialessentialautonomy.Sincewe
know Him by ourselves and from ourselves, weattribute to
Himallthatweattributetoourselves.Forthatreason,Divine
communicationscamedownonthetonguesofourinterpreters,
andsoHedescribedHimselftousthroughourselves.Whenwe
witness,HewitnessesHimself.Wearedoubtlessnumerousas
individualsandtypes,yetwearebasedononerealitywhich
unites us. So we certainly know that there are distinctions
between individuals. If there were not, there would be no
multiplicityintheOne.
LikewisewearedescribedinallaspectsbywhatHedescribes
Himself.Theremustbeadistinctionanditisnoneotherthan
ourneed(iftiqar)ofHiminexistence.Ourexistencedepends
on Him by our possibility. He is independent of that which
makesusdependentonHim.Becauseofthisonecanapply

preendlesstime and notime to Him which negates the

firstness which suggests the opening of existence from non
existence.AlthoughHeistheFirst,firstnessisnotascribedto
Him, and for this reason He is called the Last. Had His
firstnessbeenthefirstnessoftheexistenceofdetermination,it
wouldnotbevalidforHimtobetheLasttothedetermined,
because there is no Last to the possible for possibilities are
endless.Rather,HeistheLastbecausethewholeaffairreturns
to Him after its attribution to us. So He is the Last in the
sourceformofHisfirstnessandtheFirstinthesourceformof
Hislastness.

Hegoesontosay:

SotheUniverseisitsownveiloveritselfanditcannotperceive
theRealitysinceitperceivesitself.Itiscontinuouslyundera
veilwhichisnotremovedsinceitknowsthatitisdistinctfrom
itsCreatorbyitsneedofHim.Ithasnoportionintheessential
necessity which belongs to the existence of Allah, so it can
neverperceiveHim.Inthisrespect,Allahisalwaysunknown
bytheknowledgeofdirecttastingandwitnessingbecausethe
timeformshavenoholdonthat.
Already we seem flung up against an impossibly forbidding
barrier. It seems then that the Existent is an unknowable
nothing,yetbafflinglyafecundnothingoutofwhichendlessly
pourmyriadforms. AndhereistheShaykhsayingthat we
cannotknowHimbydirecttasting,bydirectseeing.Whatthen

is the point of it we were not seeking a closed system of

perfectmetaphysicaldesign,westartedonthequestbecause
we sought to let our hearts experience the radiant peace of
perfection.

TheShaykhalAkbaralsohassaid:

Someofusimpliedignoranceofthematterintheirknowledge
andsaid'Theincapacitytoachieveperceptionisperception.'
Amongusarethosewhoknow,andwhodonotutterthelikeof
this:anditisthehighestofwords.Knowledgedoesnotgive
himincapacitytoknowasthefirstsaid,butrather,knowledge
giveshimthesilencewhichincapacitygives.Thisisthehighest
markoftheonewhohasknowledgeofAllah.

AndsobackwehavecometoourfirstperceptionoftheShaykh
whoinhistransmissionoftheNuriMuhammad,presentsuswith
someonewhoisutterlyhelpless.
Sayyedina 'Umar, the second Khalif of the Messenger, said:
'WouldthatIwerethedustupontheroad.'
ThePerfectWoman,theMessenger'swife,A'isha,said:'Would
thatIwerealeafuponthattree.'
TheMessengercalledhimselftheSlaveofAllah.
ShaykhibnalHabib,whousedtosignhimselftheslaveofthe

slaves,saysinhisDiwan:
ByslaveryImeanbeingstrippedofeverypowerandstrength
andcapacityandeventheactofgettingthingsforyourself.
Nowthisissuchacompletelyalienideathatitfulfilsourworst
suspicionsaboutasceticismandfatalismandalltheotherlabelsof
our education, it all ends up with diseaseridden squalor and
beggarsswarmingidleincitygutters.Theworkethicloomsupand
struggletakesonitsheroicaspectandthemilitantflagsofwork
andprogressandsocialcontractagainsurgethroughuswiththe
oldadrenalinekickofdialecticalrage.Wehavetobepatientand
leavethisutterlyextraordinarypointofviewasideforthemoment,
rememberingthatitsconfrontationisthewholematterofwhathas
beencalledtheHikmat,theWisdom,theWayfromthebeginning
ofman'sstory.
We have seen that the basis that sustains the whole Wisdom
methodofthePerfectedistheaffirmation,theuncompromising
affirmationofOneness.TheUnityofexistenceisthekeytothe
whole set of sufic sciences. Unity of existence is therefore the
foundationoftheWisdomoftheWise,andtheirwisdomisinturn
therealityoftheirslavehoodbeforethesplendouroftheUniversal
Reality.

TheMessengersaid,indicatingtheWay
'Thelifetransactionisbehaviour.'

Anditisthisscienceoftheselfthatwemustfirstdiscoveronour

journey.Wewillbytheverynatureofthisunitiveapproach,come
right back to our starting point, Unity, or as it is called in the
technicallanguageofSufism,Tawhid.
Inthemeantime,astheShaykhalAkbarputit:
TheUniversecontinuestobeinthepresenttense.

TheScienceoftheSelf

Ifyoureflecttherearesignsinthenafsbecausethe
wholemacrocosmofexistenceiscontainedinit.
BypurificationthenafsexpandsbythepoweroftheReality.
Nowdonotsay:'How?'or'Where?'or'What?'
ItexpandsbythebestowaloftheTrustuponitbyAllah
andgodhoodhasnolimitation.
ThegreatmenhaveprovedunabletobearthisTrustyetstill
manhastotakeiton,andthisisthehighesttask.
fromtheDiwanofthePerfectShaykh

IntheMakkanRevelationsoftheShaykhalAkbarhetellsofal
Junayd,theImamoftheMasters,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,
beingasked,'Whatdidyouobtainofwhatwasgranted?'Andhis
reply:'Mysittingbeneaththisstairforthirtyyears.'Thenhequotes

ShaykhAbuYazid,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,assaying:
'Youtookyourknowledgefromsomethingdead,andwetookour
knowledgefromtheLivingwhodoesnotdie.'Wehavealready
committed ourselves to a path of learning which rejects
informationasaknowledgeprocess.Inthescienceswewishto
acquire nothing less than direct experience can be accepted as
valid. Language does not alter your condition and it is the
conditionofanxietyandconflictthathastobehealed.
Whatwehavetoestablishfirstofallisthenatureoftheworkthat
has to be undertaken, and it must not be confused with the
structuralisteducationwehavebeenforcedtoabandon.Thisis
how the Shaykh alAkbar, again in 'The Makkan Revelations',
definesthematter:
SoletthepossessorofhimmabeinspiritualretreatwithAllah.
HisgiftandHisgraceappeartosuchamanfromaknowledge
of which every languagebound person in the world is
ignorant.Moreover,notonespeculativethinkerorlogiciancan
possessthisstate.Itisbeyondtheperceptionofreason.
Knowledgesareonthreelevels:
1.Theknowledgeofreason('aql):itiseveryknowledgewhich
youacquirebynecessityorasaresultofspeculationinaproof
withtheconditionofthediscoveryofthatproofanditsform
structuredintheworldofthought.Thoughtgathersandselects
from that form of knowledge. For this reason, they say in
speculationthatthisisvalidandthatisinvalid.
2.Thesecondknowledgeistheknowledgeofstates(ahwal),
andthereisnowaytoitexceptbydirecttasting.Amanof
reason cannot limit it nor can he base proof on it, like the

knowledge of the sweetness of honey, and the bitterness of

aloesandthepleasureofintercourseandpassionandecstasy
andyearning.Thereisnoformofthistypeintheknowledges.
Sotheseareknowledgeswhichitisimpossibleforanyoneto
knowwithoutbeingcharacterisedbythemandexperiencing
them.
3.Thethirdknowledgeistheknowledgeofthesecrets(asrar),
anditistheknowledgewhichisabovetheconditionofreason.
It is a knowledge which the Perfect Dynamic of Existence
blows into the heart. No knowledge is nobler than this
encompassingknowledgewhichcontainsallknownthings.
KnowthereforethatthePathofAllah,mayHebeexalted,is
thatwhichtheeliteofthetrustingoneshavetravelledupon
seeking their liberation and not the masses who occupy
themselveswithotherthanthatforwhichtheywerecreated.
Therearefourpaths:search,causes,behaviourpattern,and
realities.
Therearethreerightspreservedforthemwhichcallthemto
thesepaths:
therightofAllah,
therightofthemselves,
therightofcreation.
TherightswhichAllah,mayHebeexalted,hasoverthemis
thattheyglorifyHimanddonotassociateanythingwithHim.

TherightcreationhasoverthemisthatthereisaRoadfor
creaturestogoon,restrainingthemfromharmandlimiting
themontheonehand,andontheotherbringingthemagood
existencebytheveryactofwhatisallowed.
There is no way to the harmony of the goal except by the
tongueoftheRoad(Shari'a).
Therightduetothemselvesisthattheydonottravelexcepton
apaththathashappinessandliberationinit.

The four paths mentioned by the Master are the four truths by
whichwemaketheapproachtoourownunderstanding.Butbefore
thepracticescanbeembarkedonithastobeestablishedthatall
this is based on our certainty of the Shaykh's approach and a
completesurrenderofanykindofopinionorideaorspeculation
thatonemighthaveaboutthevalidityornonvalidityofthework.
Thissurrenderdemandsthatevenbeyondtheboundsofreasonone
hastobecompletelyacquiescentbeforetheShaykh'sinstruction
andinjunction.Itissomethingverydifficultforsocallededucated
peopletoaccept.Thisconfusioncomesfromtwothings:firstly,
theyareusedtotheideathattheteacherisasfallibleifnotmore
fallible than they themselves are, and if this were true of the
Shaykhitwouldbequitefittingtocontradicthimanddefyhimin
certaincases.Secondly,theseekerhasstillheldontosomeideaor
conceptof'freedom'or'independence' thatsetshimoutsidethe
lifesituation.AstheShaykh'ssoleintentionistosethimonthe
pathofhisownpossibilitiesandtoawakeninhimcontentment
withthetotalitythatsurroundshim,theseconflictsthatcallupour
defiancehavenorealityfortheShaykh,andmerelyindicatethe
temperature,asitwere,oftherecoveringpatient.Inotherwords,

thissurrenderisbasedontheShaykhbeinghimselfacompletely
radiantandsurrenderedslaveofReality.Worsethandissension
overbehaviourisdisputewithwords.Thereisnodebateamong
the people of the Path. Different Masters may use different
methods but there is no argument. Assuming that the Master
followstheShari'a,therecanbenoquestioninghimthatisthe
onlyoutwardcriterionforaseekerasheselectshisteacher.Asthe
ShaykhalKamilsaid:'Evenifamancomestoyouflyingthrough
theair,ifhedoesnotfollowtheShari'aleavehim.'
Searchisthatenergyimpulsethatrisesupinapersonandputs
themonthepathofawakeningandrealityoutofthesleepoftheir
previousexistenceanditsfantasieswhichtheymistookforbeing
awake. At first it expresses itself as a restlessness and a dis
satisfactionwiththisworldandtherewardstructureofmaterial
existence and the rewardoffering of socalled interpersonal
relationships.Whentheillusoryrelationshipsbegintoberejected
aslies,andthesocalled'real'worldtakesonakindofunreality,
twothingscanhappeneitherthepersonwillretreatoutofthe
unsympatheticlifesituationandmaketheirownrealityrulesand
rewards they might even decide to leave the body quite
effectively,cutoffallcommunicationthroughthecentralnervous
system and station themselves out of reach of the totalitarian
enemy world system, using their body as a kind of colony or
spacestation to which they send and from which they receive
occasional signals this condition is variously described as
madnessorschizophrenia(splitself)butwhichforthemoment
couldmerelybelookeduponasanextremeanduncompromising
defencesystembasedontheillusionthattheenemywaswithout,
wheninfactthemadmanwhothinksheisdeludingyouhasmerely
deludedhimself,fortheenemywaswithin.Thesecondpossibility
isakindofcollapsefromwithin,acarcrashofexistenceinwhich
the driver, unlike the subject in the first picture, manages to

survive,butthewholemachineofhislifetodatecannotberoad
worthyagain.Hehastoabandonalltheinnermindpicturesandhe
isstoppedfromcontinuingwiththerealitygamethathehasbeen
solongblackmailedintotakingseriously.Theaimsandgoalsof
thesocietyhavebeenrevealedtohimasworthless,theneonlit
worldhasbeenexposedtothesplendourofsunlightandallhecan
doisturnoffthefalselightsandturntothenaturalenergysource
thathasbeenmanifested.Fromthesociety'spointofviewhecould
be labelled many things, politically he is an anarchist,
behaviourallyheisanintrovertincrisis,aneurotic,sociallyhe
maybeadropoutoramisfit.Theimportantthingisthatheisin
motionwherebeforetherewasastaticandrigidstructure,with
its collapse has come energy, movement quest. The great
exampleofthisconditionintasawwufisthecaseoftheImamal
Ghazzali,calledtheProofofIslam,andoneofthegreatMastersof
theWay.
AbuHamid,asalGhazzaliiscalledamongtheSufis,diedatTus
in1111A.D.AlreadyestablishedasagreatteacheratBagdhad
University under the patronage of the Sultan and with a firmly
establishedreputationasaphilosopher,hewassuddenlyassailed
byoverwhelmingdoubtsabouttherealityofallthatheknewor
thoughtheknew,andabouttheverysubstanceoflivedexistence.
Heaskedhimself:
Doyounotseethatwhileasleepyouassumeyourdreamstobe
unquestionably real? Once awake, you recognise them for
what they are fantasies without substance. Who then can
assureyouofthereliabilityofanexistencewhichwhenawake
you derive from the senses and from reason? In relation to
yourpresentstatetheymaybereal,butitisalsopossiblethat
youmayenteranotherstateofexistencewhichwillbearthe

same relation to your present state as this does to your

conditionwhenasleep.Inthatnewzoneyouwillrecognisethat
theconclusionsofreasonaremerefantasies.
ThispossibleconditionisperhapswhattheSufiscall'hal',that
is to say, according to them, a state in which, absorbed in
themselves, and in the suspension of senseperception and
thoughtforms,theyareabletosee.Perhapsalsodeathisthat
state,accordingtothePrinceofMessengerswhosaid:'Men
areasleepandwhentheydietheyawaken.'Ourpresentlifein
relationtothatfutureisperhapsmerelyadream,andman,
oncedead,willseethingsindirectoppositiontowhatisnow
beforehiseyes:hewillthenunderstandthewordsofQur'an,
'Today Wehaveremovedtheveilfrom youreyesandyour
sight is keen.' (50.22) Such thoughts as these threatened to
shakemyreasonandIsoughttofindanescapefromthem.But
how?
Theanguishincreaseduntilthewholefabricofhisdomesticlife,
his intellectual pursuits and reputation and his formal acts of
devotionbecamedevoidofmeaning:
Finally,Isawthattheonlyconditionofreleasewastogiveup
honourandrichesandtoseverthetiesandattachmentsofthe
lifeIknew.OnedayIwoulddecidetoleaveBagdhadandgive
upeverything:thenextdayIchangedmymind.
Thistensioncontinuedoveraperiodofsixmonthsduringtheyear
1096A.D.Theclimaxcamewhenhegotupbeforehisstudentsto
give adiscourseandfoundthathehadbeenstruckdumb. The
silenceimposedfromdeepwithinhimbyexistenceshatteredwhat
wasleftofhiscoherentlifepattern.Hecouldnoteatandhecould

notdrink,andthedoctorsexpectedhimtodie.Suddenlytheway
openedtohimandwhathadseemedimpossiblebecameeasyfor
him.HepubliclyannouncedthathewasgoingonHajjtoMakka
whilesecretlyheplannedadeparturetoSyria.Hisdecisiontogive
upthismosthonouredacademicpostcausedatremendousstirthat
reverberated right across the Muslim community beyond Iraq.
PeopleblamedtheKhalif,otherstheMadrassahwherehetaught,
but nothing now could halt his progress. With a clear and
integratedpurposehesettledallhisaffairs,leavinghiswivesand
familyprovidedfor,sothathecouldsetoutforthedesertwithhis
beggingbowlandseekthecompanyoftheSufizawiyyaswherehe
hopedtobeginhisnewlife.Therethenfollowedtenyearsofsufic
practiceattheendofwhichhefeltreadytoreturntotheworldhe
hadleftbehindandatlastbegintoteachbytransmissionwhathe
hadgained:
I learned from a sure source that the Sufis are the true
pioneers on the path to Allah, that there is nothing more
beautiful than their lives, nor morepraiseworthythan their
rules of conduct, nor purer than their behaviour. The
intelligence of thinkers, the wisdom of philosophers, the
knowledgeofthemostaccomplishedintellectualswouldinvain
combine their efforts in order to modify or improve their
sciencesandtheirbehaviouritwouldbeimpossible.Withthe
Sufisreposeandmovement,exteriororinterior,areillumined
withlight.
So search, which at first manifests as agitation, disorder and
movement,iseventuallyrestructuredundertheimpulseofthesufic
practices just as the ironfilings are patterned according to the
power of the magnet that attracted them. Search is that faculty
whichtheMasterJalaludDinRumi,mayAllahbepleasedwith
him, called congeneity. It is not just the energy impulse of the

magneticfield,itistheactualsusceptibilitythattheironhastobe
attracted,orthestrawhastowardstheamber.Sothatwemaysay
thatsearchisitselftherevealingofthenatureofthesubject.The
appearanceoftheamberletsusseethestrawforwhatitis,an
attractedsubstance.Noteveryelementcanbemagnetised,andnot
everypersonisdrawntothesearch.Qur'ansays:'Allahguidesto
hispathwhoHewills,'(2.213)and'AllahleadsastraywhoHe
wills.'(6.39).
Sothesearch,onceithasbegun,canthenbegivenadifferent
name, for it is the same energy form, only it has then taken
direction.OnceundertheguidanceofaShaykhthatimpulseis
called himma, meaning yearning, or appetite for knowledge of
reality.Himmaisakeyterminoursciences.Itisthefacultywe
mustawaken,andtheenergytobemostdesired.Itisdesireitself
andyetitisnecessarythatitbedesired.Himmabringshimma.The
needforhimmaintheseekerrunsthroughtheDiwanofthePerfect
Shaykhasamajortheme:

And,Ohmycompanion,himmaisthepossessiontohave,
thenifyoudesirethegoalofallthegnosticsyoucansetoutfor
it.

Elsewhere he indicates that it is the means to unification in

experience:

Tothepeople,Hisdhikrdoesinplaceofwhatisotherthan

Him.
IfyoupossesshimmathereisnooppositetoAllah.

Oragain,itisseenasthefacultywhichinitsperfectionisthe
dynamic of the Shaykh's transmission. Describing how to
recogniseatrueMasterhebegins:

Hissignsare:aLightwhichshinesoutwardly,and
aSecretwhichappearsinwardlythroughhishimma.

Inhis'LesserSong'heputsitasoneofthethreeessentialsthe
adeptneedsforunificationofhisreality:

Whoeverhasgotdhikr,fikr,andhimmawillineachmoment
transcendotherness.
He will attain gnosis beyond his desire and fast realise the
secretsofexistence.
HewillseethatthepurityoftheRoadisseparation,which,
properlyspeaking,isthesourceofReality.

In'TheBuraqoftheTariq'hecounsels:

Awakenyourhimmawithyearningandlonging,anddonotbe
contentwithlessthantheEvercontinuing.

Sofromthiswecanseethathimmaisthehighestenergyimpulse
ofthehumancreature,itisthatmotionwithinamanorwoman
whichrousesthemfromthewholerunningdownprocessofthe
organism, which lifts them upand moves them with anenergy
beyondanyotherenergytheypossesstostrivenotforanyformal
achievement but for reconnection with reality itself. It is life
energy,itmovescountertothedyingarcofthecellularexistence,
anditliesoutsidetheselfinterestofthesocialimpulse.Itisthe
failureoftheacademictounderstandthisenergy,foritisnota
principlebutaforce,thathasledtothemisunderstandingabout
socalledasceticism.Thefasting,thelackofpossessionsandthe
poverty of dress of advanced seekers has been seen as an
expressionofmasochismandselfpunishment,whichinitselfis
another of those highly subjective projections that is called
objectivethinkingtoveilthebuiltinvaluejudgmentagainstwhat
theythemselvesfear.Therearetwosituationswhichmayariseand
eachwouldoutwardlypresentthesamesilhouettewhileinwardly
theywouldexpressadifferentreality.Aswitheveryaspectofthe
selfpatternsofthePath,thebasicsituationisexemplifiedbythe
Messenger,peacebeuponhim.Itistoldthathewaswalkingin
MadinawithhisCompanionswhenamancalledouttohim,'Iam
miskeen,'whichisaQur'anictermdenotingnotonlypovertybuta
povertydevoidofstruggletosurvive.TheMessengeranswered
him,saying,'Povertyisallmyglory.'Theyproceededontheirway
when another man made the same exclamation. This time the
Messengerfrownedandsaid,'Povertyisnexttocoveringup!'That

is,nexttocoveringupthetruenatureofexistencewhichisall
sustainingandallproviding.HethenturnedtohisCompanions
and noted that they were confused by the two apparently
contradictory statements. The first man, he explained, had the
conditionofmiskeeninwardlyandoutwardly,whilethesecond
was'richinhispoverty,'forheinwardlyindulgedinit.Theman
whogivesthingsuporsubmitstowhatseemharshdisciplinesis
devoid of any experience or motive of selfpunishment if the
sourceofhisactionsishishimma,foritisinthenatureofhimma
tomakeanyactionpleasingtotheseekerifitleadshimtothe
sought.Devoidofhimma,theactionscouldthenbeseenaspartof
aneuroticpattern.Theoutcomeoftheoneman'sactionswillbean
openingintotheserenityandwisdomthatisthefruitofhimma,
while the same actions will lead in the other instance to either
crisisorcollapse.
ThePersianMasteralHujwiri identifieshimma withthe actof
transmissioninthesamewayastheShaykhalKamilinhisDiwan,
andintroducesatthesametimeaprincipleoftheWaythatfollows
inevitably from the realitypicture which the Wisdom begins to
unfold.
InFarghanaatavillagecalledAshlataktherewasanoldman
whowasoneoftheFouroftheearth.HisnamewasBab'Umar
allthedervishesinthatcountrygivethetitleofBabtotheir
greatShaykhsandhehadanoldwifecalledFatima.Iwent
fromUskandtoseehim.WhenIenteredhispresencehesaid:
'Whyhaveyoucome?'Ireplied:'InorderthatImightseethe
Shaykhinpersonandthathemightlookonmewithkindness,
(i.e. transmission).' He said: 'I have been seeing you
continuallysincesuchandsuchaday,andIwishtoseeyouas
longasyouarenotremovedfrommysight.'Icomputedthe
dayandyear:itwastheverydaythatItookthePath.The

Shaykhsaid:'Totraversedistanceischild'splay.Fromnowon
visit by means of himma. It is not worthwhile to visit any
person (in this context) and there is no virtue in bodily
presence.'ThenhebadeFatimabringsomethingtoeat.She
broughtadishofnewgrapes,althoughitwasnottheseason
forthem,andsomefreshripedateswhichcannotpossiblybe
procuredinFarghana.
The reality of this experience, where transmission takes place
without 'bodily presence' is referred to in the opening of 'The
GreaterSong'oftheShaykhalKamil:

Ifyouwishtoascendasloversascend,
turntoLaylawithsincerityinlove
anddismissallwhodenyHerlove.
Traveltotheloversineveryland.
Ifyoursincerityinloveisreal,thenbyit
youwillseetheloverswithoutjourneying.

So now we can see that himma is the dynamic of love itself,

though what love may be we are not yet in a position to say.
ShaykhalKalabadhisaid:

TheseekerisinrealitytheSought,andtheSoughttheSeeker.
SoAllahsays,'HelovesthemandtheyloveHim,'(5.54),and
again,'Allahwaswellpleasedwiththemandtheywerewell
pleased with Allah,' (5.119). If Allah seeks a man it is not
possibleforthatmannottoseekAllah:soAllahhasmadethe
SeekertheSoughtandtheSoughttheSeeker.

Hereisopeninguptheunitarynatureofthedynamiclifeenergy.
HeextendsitfurtherinshowingthatonthePaththerearepeople
who far from having to struggle are taken up and opened to
knowledge, in a reverse picture of himmaaction the himma
comestothemandilluminatesthem.InthispatterntheSoughtisa
manofthePathandtheSeekerisRealityitself:

Nevertheless,inthelanguageoftheSufis,theseekeristheman
whosetoilingprecededhisrevelations,whilethesoughtishe
whoserevelationprecededhistoiling.Theseekerisdescribed
inAllah'swords:'ButthosewhofightstrenuouslyforUs,we
willsurelyguidethemintoOurWay.'(29.69).Suchamanis
sought by Allah, who turns his heart and implants in it a
himmatostirhimtoworkforHim,andtoturntoHimandto
seekHim:thenHeaccordshimtherevelationofthespiritual
states. So it was with Harithath (a Companion of the
Messenger),whosaid:'Iturnedmyselffromthisworldand
thirstedinthedaytime,andwatchedatnight,'thenhesaid,
'anditwasasthoughIsawtheThroneofmyLordcoming
out!'Withthesewordsheindicatedthattherevelationofthe
Unseencametohimafterhehadturnedawayfromthisworld.

The'sought'man,ontheotherhand,isdrawnoutforciblyby
Realityandaccordedtherevelationofthestatesthatthrough
thepowerofvisionhemaybestirredtoworkforAllahand
turntoHimandbeartheburdenslaidonhimbyReality.Soit
was with Pharaoh's magicians: after they had received the
revelation it was easy for them to endure the threat of
Pharaoh,fortheysaid:'Wewillneverpreferyoutowhathas
cometousofmanifestsignsdecidethenwhatyouareableto
decide.'(20.72).

(ItshouldherejustbeexplainedthatintheQur'anicrevelation,the
encounter with Sayyedina Musa, the Messenger of Reality, and
Pharaohisanencounteroftworealityviews.ThePharaohwasnot
amererulerbutaheirophantofgreatknowledgewhichgavehim
yogic power over forms so that he was able to manipulate
existence formally. Musa's science was unitary and to do with
innerexperienceofreality,andsowas'powerless'whilePharaoh
had powers. Musa was able to transmit knowledge and
demonstrateitsvaliditytothePharaoh'sadepts,butthepowerof
Pharaohblockedhisinnerabilitytorecognisethatthesourceofhis
own powers came from existence itself, of which he was an
infinitesimalpart.Itisimportanttobearinmindthathiswifewas
however a perfected Master, according to the Messenger
Muhammad,peacebeuponhim,andthathehimself,ashewas
engulfedbytheRedSea,affirmedthetruthofMusa'sdoctrine.His
bodywaspreserved,andis,whole,mummifieduntiltheworld's
end,asanaffirmationofthepowerhehadoverforms,andthusin
theendhisownselfpreservationstillhadtobegiftedbyexistence
andcouldnotbeassuredbyhim.)
SorightatthebeginningofthePathweencountersomethingthat

istobetheconstantthemeofallourlearning.IfrealityisOnethen
everythingleadsbackeventuallytotheOne,andinthisworldof
forms everything leads to its opposite, for there is no dialectic
exceptindescription,andnoconflictexceptinimagination.Thus
himma which is a yearning must be yearned for, and the One
yearnedforistheinitiator,ortheyearningimpulse,andthePathis
nothingbutthatenergydesire.So,itfollowsthatthegoalitself,the
existent,theMoment,hastoberighthere,rightnowinthispresent
tenseweandcreationcontinuetobeinandthatisoneofthe
meaningsoftheQur'anicayat,'TrulyAllahisonastraightPath.'
(12.56).Thewholematterisadivineevent,sothatalJunayd's
answertothequestionofwhathehadgainedwasnothingother
thanthelifehehadlived,his'sittingbeneaththestairforthirty
years'ininnercontemplation;hehadgainedtheconsciousutterly
awake awareness of his own life this was the inestimable
achievementoftheMaster.
Causes,orveils,orhindrances,orthewholeselfstructurewhose
illusorynaturestandsbetweenyouandtheclearsightedseeingof
realityasitis,withoutanyfantasyselfcentreifwearetofree
ourselvesfromtheprisonofourownselfexperiencewemustbe
free of its traps and its methods in encasing us in this false
situation.Thenafsthetermwhichstandsfortheexperiencing
selfisvariouslydescribedanddefinedinsuficterminology,and
thisshiftingperspectiveisdeliberateandnotasignofdiffering
theory.Boththisistrueandthatistrueofititisinitselfanon
realityanditmaybeexperiencedindifferentwaysandapproached
in different ways and dismantled in different ways. The word
derivesfromNFS'toinjurebycastinganevileyeuponanyone'.
Soitsverycoremeaningisthatofanenergyformdestructively
engagedinconflictwithanotherandharmingitthroughitsown
inneractivity.Whenusedadverbiallyitmeans:'willingly','ofmy
ownaccord','atmyownpleasure'.Hereitisseenasasimpleactof

selfinterestandsatisfaction.Fromitcomestheword'toshine'and
unsurprisinglyinthelightofwhatwehavejustexamined,itcan
alsoindicate'onewhoyearnsoraspiresafter'sothatwiththese
threeaspectsofthewordwehavealreadygotthebasicdoctrineof
thenafsasoutlinedbyImamalGhazzaliderivedfromQur'anic
terminology.
1.ANNAFSALAMARA:theinsinuatingnafs. Itiswholly
evil. It is overpowered by passions and obeys their dictates
gladly.Allenergiesherearebentongratification.Itcannot
discriminate a higher nafs. The lower nafs has become the
ideal.Theydelightininfluencingotherstolikeaction,andare
proudoftheirownactions.Theyarenotopentoencounterand
canonlybechangedbyReality.
'Allahhassetasealupontheirheartsandupontheirhearing
and over their eyes is a covering and there is a great
chastisementforthem.'(Qur'an2.7)
2. ANNAFS ALLAWWAMA: the reproachful nafs. It is
indecisive in choice between good and evil constantly
subjected to inner struggle as a result. Sometimes it is one
thing, sometimes another capable of both. It is able to
discriminatebetweenthetwonafs,higherandlower,butitis
utterlyunabletoovercometheimpulsesofthelowernafswhen
theyburstforth,havingknowledgewithoutwill.Changecomes
throughkeepingcompanywithonewhohaspassedthisstage,
andthroughsharedspiritualpracticewhichgivesstrengthto
abandonbadactionandalterthenafs.
'No!Iswearbythereproachfulself!'(Qur'an75.2)

3.ANNAFSALMUTMA'INNA:thenafsatpeace.Thenafs
has become fixed, good, illuminated consciousness. It has
received AnNur, Light, thus it acts according to it it is
reasonable,itisdevoidofevil,andgoodflourishesaroundit.
Thediscriminationbetweenthetwonafsgoes,forthelower
onehasgoneandthetruenafsisthemaster.Manhasachieved
perfectfreedom.
'Oh self at peace, return to your Lord, wellpleased, well
pleasing!EnteryouamongMyslaves!EnteryouMyGarden!'
(Qur'an89.2730)

Theabovedescriptionofthenafsindifferentconditionsdisplays
theonlybasicpossibilitieswithinwhicheachindividualfantasy
historyisplayedout.Thenafsatitsmostreducedandthereforeat
itsmostactiveisinthispatternclearlyidentifiablewiththeinfant,
onlytheinfantilebehaviourisensconcedinanadultsituationand
soithastheaspectofbeingmonstrous.Thatis,theobserverfinds
thatthebehaviourofsuchapersonislikethatofasmallchildat
the same time the observer is appalled at the power and
effectivenessandscaleofthedestructiveactionwhich,takenout
ofthenursery,becomesactedoutinthelargerplaypenof'history'.
For most people it is almost impossible to believe from the
positionoftheirownrepressionthattheactoroutisdoingitandso
theystubbornlyrefusetoconfrontthemadeventtheygetcaught
upin,despitethemselves.Thisnafs,nevertheless,cannotpossibly
functionunlessithasthesettingofthepseudoadultnafstoplay
against,foritsdestructiveactivityisdirectedagainsttheselfimage
whichismostclearlymirroredintheauthorityfigure,beitaparent
orpseudoparent.Onaglobalscalethisnafsiseasilyidentifiable
Napoleon,Churchill,Hitlerandsoon.Theyaretheverymarrow

ofwhathascometobeknownashistory,whichisnothingbutthe
violentforegroundeventcreatedtodrawattentionawayfromthe
deeperbackgroundunrealityofthenafs'personalbattlewhichin
itselfisanotherfantasy.Sothepoliticsofasituationfromthis
point of view is a fantasy structure disguising an inner nafs'
conflictthatisbeingactedoutinthezoneofeventtheexistential
vitalityofwhichobscuresthenafs'actualdilemmawhichisthe
fantasystructurethathastobedismantledif'history'istostop.The
nafsinitscunningcreatesthebrilliantdiversionofeventsothatin
extremityitwillalwaysresorttoviolencetodistractothersfrom
recognizingthetrueinnerviolencethatitexpressesor,tohold
clearlytotherealityofthings,theillusoryinnerviolence.Sowe
are presented with a picture of existence where the arena of
activity, the arena of events, is nothing less than an illusion
cloakedbyanillusiontakingplaceinanimaginarysettingand
happeningtoimaginedbeings.
ShaykhalAkbarsays:
SoHe,mayHebepraised!obeysHimselfwhenHewisheswith
Hiscreation,andHeisjusttoHimselfinrespecttowhatHe
appointedtoHimselffromthenecessityofHisrightanditis
nothingmorethanemptyphantomsontheiremptythrones.In
theecholiesthesecretofwhatwealludetotowhoeveris
guided.
Thereisnodoubtthatthisideaoftheillusorynatureofeventlet
aloneofphenomenaisemotionallyverydisturbingtopeoplewho
havebeeneducatedintheeffectiveconditioningofpresentday
society. At this stage it is dangerous to fall for the kind of
superficial'realism'oftheacademicwhoatworstwillblusteringly
introduceacommonsensedowntoearthempiricismthetableis
thereandIamhereandthat'sanendtoit.Wearenottryinghereto

negotiateexistencetoneuroticsubjectswhoareensconcedintheir
world view and committed to the resultant madness that is our
contemporarysituation.Thecontextofourstudyofthenafsisthat
wetakeourpicturefrommenwhohavetranscendedthesefantasy
experienceswhichleadtowarandcrimeandinsanityandhave
thusgainedatotalviewofman'spossibilitiesbothcreativelyand
destructivelyforourcommonsensefellow hasnotonlybeen
unabletograspthesublimepossibilitiesofthehumancreature,but
hehasutterlyfailedtocontaintheinsaneandsuicidaltendencies
ofhisfellowmen,allowedgenocidetobethemarkofhiscentury
onasociallevel,andcrimeandmadnessitsprivatecondition.A
truescienceofthenafsmustbeabletodealwiththebadaspectsof
thenafsandbybadIdonotmeanwhatisparentallycensured,
butwhatisdestructivetothesubjectsthemselves.Itmustthenbe
abletounderstandthemeanstotransformtheselfsothatitcan
replaceallthenegativeenergies,bitbybit,withpositivecreative
energies.ItistheformerofthesethatwehavecalledCausesand
thelatter,Behaviourpatterns.
Itisunderstandablethatpeopleareafraidofwordslike'wrong'and
'right','good'and'bad',fortheydoleadtowordslike'blame'and
thewholepunishmentsyndromeswingsintoaction.Itisatthis
pointthatacrucialprincipleoftheNobleWaymustbegrasped.It
hasalreadybeenquotedfromtheDiwanofthePerfectShaykh:

thepurityoftheRoadisseparation,
which,properlyspeaking,isthesourceofReality.

NooneknowsbetterthantheSufisthatthezoneofexperiential

existence is one of duality. Tawhid nowhere denies it, as the

Shaykh alKamil insists. If we did not experience duality there
wouldbenoneedforascienceofUnity.Itisthemarkofthe
pseudosufithatherefusestoadheretothepracticesofseparation
andtheRoadwhilepretendingtounionandthePath.Therehas
beennoSufiwhodidnotapproachexistence,awedandhumbled,a
slaveapproachinghismaster.Therecanbenotalkofloverand
Beloveduntiltheslavehasbecomeobedient,notthroughtyranny,
butthroughthesubmissionofthecreaturetohiscreatureness,and
until the slave's submission opens him up to his true nature as
Khalif of reality. If a man says he does not need to bow and
prostrateandfastandrituallywash,heissettinghimselfabovethe
Mastersandsowhileoutwardlyhemaybeengagedinallthetasks
of sufic practice, inwardly he is deeply engrossed in the
'monstrous'infantilebattlewiththeparents.Thepseudosufisare
all of this monstrous nature, paternal, dominant and outwardly
benigntheirfollowersinevitablyarehauntedsonsdesperately
tryingtoovercomethedominantfatherbyanactofritualmagic,
forthatiswhattheyuse'practices'todosincepracticesarefor
onepurposeonly,tobringyoutotheground,humbled,lowered,
broken,andultimatelysurrenderedandaccepting,finallyopenand
receptivetotheendlessrichesofthecreation,totheendlessbounty
of the Truth it is hardly surprising that their ventures end in
schismandcollapse.
There is no Master of the Way who has not accepted his
obligationsasahumanbeingtobowandprostrateandfast,so
muchsothatheisofallmenthemostsubmittedandthemost
diligentinperformingwhatisdemandedofhim.ShaykhalAkbar,
which means the Greatest Master, at the very opening of his
definitive treatise on the Path, 'The Makkan Revelations', is
categoricinaffirmingthattherecanbenopossibletransmission
unless it comes from a follower of the Messenger Muhammad,

peacebeuponhim.HedescribesmostvividlytheMessenger'slast
pilgrimage to Makka and his calling the people around him to
confirmthathehadconveyedtothemthetotalteachingofhowto
liveonthisplanetinharmonywiththewholecreationandwith
directinnerknowledgeofreality:

Then he said: 'Has it reached you? They said: 'It has, oh

MessengerofAllah!'Hesaid,mayAllahgivehimpeace:'Oh
AllahItestify.'

AndtotheMessenger'stestimonytheMasteraddshisownlikea
humbleandordinaryslave:

Ibelieveinallthathasbeenbroughttohim,peacebeupon
him,fromthatwhichIknowanddonotknowofwhatHegave
him.

FollowingourShaykh,whointurnisafollowerandinheritorof
thewisdomoftheShaykhalAkbar,weproceedtosetinmotion
thepracticesoftheNobleWayhopingforaguidancethatwillgive
usdiscriminationinthisdualworldandyetsomehowalthough
weareawareoftheopencontradictionwillalsogiveusUnion.
Whatthenisthefoundationofdiscrimination?Giventhatwehave
affirmed the Messenger as a reliable witness of existence, in
acceptingourShaykhwecopyhiminthefirstpracticeoftheWay.

WUDU

Shaykh Shibli, the disciple of alJunayd, and a Shaykh of our

Shaykh,said,'Wuduisseparation.Salatisjoining.'Themeaning
andeffectofwuduunderpinthewholestructureofpracticesthat
youwillundergo,soitisessentialtograsptheprofundityofthis
rite. The ritual prostrations (salat) are not valid unless they are
eitherprecededbythewuduorthepreviouswuduisstillvalid.
Thewuduisaformalisedwashingofthehands,mouth,nostrils,
face,rightarm,leftarm,headandneck,ears,rightfootandthen
leftfoot,accompaniedbytheappropriatesupplication.Theactis
outwardlyacleansingandinwardlyapurification.Themannerof
doing wudu is swiftness and thoroughness, being sure that the
water touches every part of the members being washed. The
ShaykhalKamilusedtosay,'Performwudulikeamajdhub(holy
madman) and salat like a dying man.' The effectiveness of the
wuduisbrokenbyurination,excretion,passingwindanally,and
thesexualactinthelasteventritualpuritycanonlyberenewed
byghusl,whichisthefullactofpurificationinvolvingthewhole
bodybeingwashed.Theactofwuduisfollowedbyadeclaration
ofShahada,theaffirmationoftheUnityandtheauthorityofthe
Messenger.Theexperienceofthewashingisitsownexplanation,
forthepersonfeelstheshockimpactofpurewater,forcingthe
nafs from whatever fantasy has been haunting it to the direct
realityofwaterandbody,totheimpactofthemoment.Itbrings
youtoyoursenses,itsnapsthenafsawayfromthefalsedream
stateofthatdazednesswhichhintsatanillusoryunitywhileinfact
the nafs is simply detaching from the body which is its own
totality.Andthisbringsustoourfirstencounterwithasituation

thatwillbemetwithateverystageoftheWay,althoughithas
been obliquely referred to in the story of the two poor men in
Madinah meeting the Prophet. Every condition of balance and
harmonyandeverystateandstationofknowledgeisaccompanied
byashadowformthatiscontrarytothescienceofwisdomand
couldbedesignatedasaneuroticsituation.Forexample,andmost
obviously, the thorough execution of wudu for the five ritual
prostrations is the sign of the Mumin (one who trusts reality)
accordingtotheMessengersaying:'KeeptothestraightPath,do
notmakecalculations,knowthatyourbestactionissalatandthat
onlyaMuminobserveswuducarefully.'(Thaubanreportedit,and
Maliktransmittedit.)
At the same time it is possible to discover a man involved in
performingwudurelentlesslysothatwhileoutwardlyyoucannot
faulthimyouareinwardlyawarethatthereissomethingdisturbing
inhisperformanceoftherites,somethingthatcanberecognisedas
ofanobsessionalnature.
Uqba ibn 'Amir reported the Messenger as saying, 'If any
submittedoneperformswuduwell,thenmakestworaka's(setsof
prostrations), engaging in their performance both inwardly and
outwardly,hewillbeguaranteedtheGarden.'Muslimtransmitted
it. Here the Messenger specifies that without the action being
inwardlyinvestedwithawarenessitisofnoavail.Theimplication
ofthisdualsituationisthatitispossibletoseesomeoneapparently
ennobled by all the science of the wisdombehaviour who is
inwardlyinastateofconflictandignorance.Thistothepeopleof
theWayisthevitaldividinglinebetweenwisdom,whichisthe
Messenger's Way, and either religion if you see it as mere
adherencetoforms,orhypocrisyifyouseeitasaninnerdenial
ofmeaningfulforms.
Abu Huraira reported the Messenger as saying, 'When a

submittedoneoratrustingonewasheshisfaceinthecourseof
wudueverywrongactionhecontemplatedwithhiseyeswill
comeoutfromhisfacealongwiththewaterorwiththelast
dropofwater.Whenhewasheshishandseverywrongaction
theydidwillcomeoutfromhishandswiththewaterorwith
the last drop of water. And when he washes his feet every
wrongactiontowardswhichhisfeethavewalkedwillcomeout
withthewater,orwiththelastdropofwater,withtheresult
thathewillcomeoutpurefromoffences.'Muslimtransmitted
it.
Itisclearfromthisthatwhatwearedealingwithisaprocessof
effectivepurificationthatissuitedtoman.Everycreaturehasits
groomingpattern.Thecat'sgroomingisformalandanessential
partofitslife.Thesignofananimalincaptivitylosingitslife
patternandbecomingilliswhenitceasestogroomitself.Thisact
ofwuduisinquitethesamewaynecessarytoman.Itisinthe
natureofthehumancreaturethatheimagineshisactionsadhereto
him as ideaforms which he 'carries about with him' until this
imaginaryloadmakeslifeintolerableforhimandhebreaksunder
it. The man who has cast aside any recognition of an Unseen
reality,andwhohasrejectedanybeliefinaunifiedbenignenergy
governingthetotalexistenceofthecosmosis,unsurprisingly,far
frombeingliberatedfromthisunfortunatetendencytoholdtothe
ideaformofhisactionsandtofeelburdenedbyhisownillusory
selfhood, which to him is nothing other than this accretion of
mistakes and misfortunes on the one hand, and triumphs and
pleasuresontheother.Wudubyitsactinguponthesurfaceofthe
organism at the same time as upon the experiencing centre
repeatedlymakesabreakinconsciousnessbetweenactionandthe
nafs.Actionshavenoreality.Thisistheshockimpactofthisfirst
ritualactionoftheWay.Thewuduinitsturn,accordingtothe

Hadith, is useless unless accompanied by this vital inner

awareness.Thatiswhyintheexecutionofthewudu,itisessential
that there be vocalisation of the Supreme Name, for the act of
calling on the Reality during the act is a guide to unifying the
outward and the inward aspects of the event. When someone
beginsthepracticeofwudu,theywillfindthattherearetwobasic
tendenciesofmalpractice,oneistobecarelessandundefinedin
theseparateactsofeachstateofthewashing,andtheotheristogo
through the whole process in slow motion, caressingly as if
anointingoneself.Eitheroftheseextremesmustbescrupulously
avoided until the mean is discovered, filling the act with both
vigouranddignityandremainingsomehowanonymous,sothat
yourdoingofitresemblesthatofthepersonnexttoyou.Thereis
noindividualityinanyofthebasicpractices.
Wenowcometowhatunderpinsthepracticeofwudu,andmakes
us aware of the profound importance and effect of the basic
practice without which the higher practices would not only be
invalidated but their performance would result in serious and
damagingeffectonthenafs.Invocationwithoutwuduiscertainly
guaranteedtobringaboutadestructivecrisisinthehighernafs,
and in the behaviour rhythm and harmony of the person who
attemptsthis.Thisisthedangerousandquitemaliciouspracticeof
thepseudosufiswhosegoalis,ofcourse,manipulationandnot
liberation. Therefore, from their point of view, the gaining of
discrimination is something that has to be precluded from their
scheme.
Beneaththewuduwhichformsthebaseofthepractices,isthe
ghusl. It is simply an extension of the wudu, only it involves
washing the whole body in running or poured water, thus
providing a total ritual purification. This is necessary at the
beginning of the Path for the affirmation of the Unity and the

acceptanceoftheMessenger,anditisthefinalactdonetoone
beforeburialwhenthebodyiswashedbeforebeingreturnedtothe
earthfromwhereitcametheotheroccasionwhenitisnecessary
isfollowingthesexualact.Thistimetheactofseparationisagain
oneofbeingbodilycleanandalsomakingabreakbetweenthe
energyofintercourseandtheenergyofprostration,theleisureof
loveandthedetachmentofspiritualpractice.Thereisnobuiltin
moralcensureinthis,onthecontraryitistheactofghuslwhich
validatesandaffirmsthesexualactandsealsitandcompletesit.It
isasmuchacompletionoftheactofloveasitisapreparationfor
validsalat.Thatiswhytheactofghuslshouldnotbedelayedbut
shouldfollowasimmediatelyaspossibletheterminationofthe
lovemaking.
Lowestinthechainofritualwashingsisthewashingoftheanus
and the sexual organs after defecation and urination this is
completed by washing away any urine stain that should have
adheredtothegarments.Herewehavethebasicdiscrimination
thatdefinessaneadultbehaviour.Thebasicindiscriminationisthe
infant'sinabilitytoknowshitfromfood.Thewholeguiltstructure
when dismantled in the modern therapeutic manner reveals this
basicguilt,transmittedbythealreadyguiltyparentstotheanxious
childwhoisconfusedastowhatiswhat.Intheadultwhohasbeen
raisedinthissocietythathasnotformalisedthisdiscriminationit
issignificantthattheyenduptreatingfoodlikeshitandwastageof
foodbecomesasocialhabittothem,inthesamewaythateating
everyscrapandnotwastingfoodispartofthewisdomteaching.
Here we have then the basic practice on which the total
discrimination of behaviour and choices is founded. The
Messengersaid:'ThekeytotheGardenissalat,andthekeyto
salatiswudu.'Jabirreportedit,Ahmadtransmittedit.TheShaykh
alKamilsaid:'Thevalidityofyoursalatisbasedonyourhaving

performedyourwudu.Thevalidityofthewuduisbasedonthe
ghuslwhichprecededitatitstime,andthevalidityoftheghuslin
turn depends on having washed the anus and the penis in the
lavatory.Thusyourwholeinnerrealityisbasedonthenaturalact
ofwashingtheanusandthepenis.'Thewuduisasealingofthe
bodyinpreparationfortheactofsalat.Thatiswhypassingwind
anally,emission,excretionandmenstruationbreakthewudu.Its
effectis,ontheonehandtobringintotheconsciousnessofthe
personanacceptanceofthemselvesasbeingtheseopen,flowing
organisms,ofintakeandgivingoutwiththeobligationsofwudu
andghusl,thereisnohidingtheprocess,noguilt,nofantasy
these events are natural and they have their natural means of
purification:itseffectistomakeasharpdistinctionbetweenthese
energeticactivitieswhichareallconcernedwithproductionand
reproduction, and the higher nafs which demands a complete
separationfromthem,withoutarepressioneitheroftheiractivity
orofourawarenessofthatactivity.Thefinalculminationofthese
ritesisthewashingofthedead.
Wewashourowndead,themen themen, andthewomenthe
women.
Thuswhilealivewehavethebenefitandprivilegeofpreparing
othersforthegrave.Intheseritesthebodyisemptiedofwaste
matter,themouthclosed,andthenthewholecorpseiswashedand
camphoredinafinalsealing,sothatthebodydriesratherthanrots,
andisdrapedinwhiteclothsthenlaidtorestintheearth.Incense
isburnedtoawakenthehigherselfofthemourners,asscentis
wornbythepersonwhohasdonehiswuduandisreadyfortheact
ofsalatwhichfollows.
'Wuduisseparation,salatisjoining.'Pseudosuficteaching,false
spirituality,basesitselfontheUnityandsoinstructsitsfollowers
thattheydonothavetofollowanyparticularpathsincetheyare

allone.Itisadoctrinefoundedonignorancewhichbearslittle
scrutiny.Itisbasedonthepreservationofthecentralexperiencing
nafsandindeedonexaltingitandmakingitpowerfulandeffective
intheworldofactionandevents.WhyshouldIbowinthatway,
orprayinthiswaysurelyIamconstantlyatprayer,surelythe
Qur'antellsmethatwhereverIturnthereisthefaceofAllah?This
isbasicallythesuperficialargumentofthepseudosufiwithhis
fearofsurrender.TheQur'anhassaidthatwhereveryouturnthere
is the faceof Allah. It also instructs us to take up aparticular
directionfortheactofprostration,thusunifyingalltheworshipof
manaroundacentralpoint,theKa'bainMakka,sothatanendless
wheeloflivingglorificationofRealityendlesslyturnsaroundthe
emptyfourwalledAncientHousebuiltbySayyedinaIbrahimfor
that purpose. Reality addresses the Messenger in the Qur'an
saying:

Wehaveseenyouturningyourfaceaboutintheheavens:now
wewillsurelyturnyoutoadirectionthatshallsatisfyyou.
TurnyourfacetowardsthepureMosqueandwhereveryou
areturnyourfacestowardsit.Thosewhohavebeengiventhe
BookknowitisthetruthfromtheirLord.Allahisnotheedless
ofthethingstheydo.Yetifyoushouldbringtothosethathave
been given the Book every sign, they will not follow your
direction.Youarenotafolloweroftheirdirection,neitherare
theyfollowersofoneanother'sdirection.Ifyoufollowtheir
capricesaftertheknowledgethathascometoyou,thenyou
willsurelybeamongtheevildoerswhomWehavegiventhe
Book,andtheyrecogniseitastheyrecognisetheirsons,even
thoughthereisapartyofthemwhoconcealthetruthand
thatdeliberately.

The truth comes from your Lord, then be not among the
doubters.Everymanhashisdirectiontowhichheturns:sobe
youforwardingoodworks.Whereveryoumaybe,Allahwill
bring you all together: surely Allah is powerful over
everything.
From whatever place you issue, turn your face towards the
HolyMosque:itisthetruthfromyourLord.
Allahisnotheedlessofthethingsyoudo.
From whatever place you issue, turn your face to the Holy
Mosque:andwhereveryoumaybeturnyourfacestowardsit,
that the people may not have any argument against you,
exceptingtheevildoersofthem:andfearnotthem,butfear
Me:
AndthatImayperfectMyblessinguponyou,andthathaply
soyoumaybeguided,asalsoWehavesentamongyou,of
yourselves, a Messenger, to recite Our signs to you and to
purifyyouandtoteachyoutheBookandtheWisdom,andto
teach you that you knew not. So remember Me and I will
remember you: and be thankful to Me: and do not be
ungratefultowardsMe.
(Qur'an2.144152)

ThispassageofQur'anisofimportancetothewholevalidityofthe
Way.ThereisaWay,thereisajourney,thereisatraveller.Weare
intheworldofforms,andtodenythespiritualformsistoexclude
AllahfromcreationandrelegateHimbyafalseesotericismtothe

formless.TheQur'ancutsthroughthedistortedreasoningofthe
ignorantbypointingouttheunrealityoftheirrefusalofa'qibla':
'Everymanhashisdirectiontowhichheturns.'So,theydonot
rejectdirection,whattheyareinfactrejectingisthatoneadopted
bytheguidanceofthespiritualscience.
ItistransmissionandtheMessengerthattheyquiterightlyfrom
theirpointofviewdeny,fortheirteachingisimprovisedandtheir
transmissionwithoutasource.
Thispassagealsoaffirmsthatthetakingofdirection,thatis,the
acceptanceofadiscriminatoryscience,iswhatopensthehuman
being up to that living dialogue with Reality that was the
Messenger'ssecret.'RememberMeandIwillrememberyou,'is
theinevitableresultofthisdiscriminatoryprocessUnionisthe
fruitofseparation.
Thetakingofaqibla,contrarytotheteachingsofthepseudosufis,
iswhatmakesitpossibletograsptherelationbetweenformand
noform,betweenthelimitedbodyselfrealityoftheslaveandthe
unlimitednobodyselfrealityoftheLord.Itissaidthattheinitial
formulaoftheShaykhalAkbarwhenhefacedqiblatobeginthe
salat was,'I havebecome kafir, andfastened the belt Allahu
akbar.'ThismeansthathehadceasedtobeatrueMuslim,orone
whosubmitstoaRealitywhichcanbeassociatedwithnoform,
andbecomeonewhocoversuphowthingsare,thatis,akafir.He
hadfastenedthebelt,orzunnar,oftheChristianmeaningthathe
hadfixedhimselfinonedirectionratherthananotherandthathe
had engaged in 'locating' reality, the great Christian confusion
about the nature of existence. The 'Allahu akbar', being the
openingofthesalatitself,indicatedthatneverthelesshesubmitted
asaslavetotheinjunctionsofhisMessengerandaffirmedthat
Allah was akbar greater than any event or comparison or
concept.

ShaykhIbrahimGazuriilahiinhis'Irshadat'says:
Theqiblasarefour.TheqiblaofKa'ba,one'sPir,theheart,
theTruth.Onehastoturnfromthefirsttothesecond,from
thesecondtothethird,andfromthethirdtothefourthin
succession.If,intheprescribedsalatthesestagesareattained,
somuchthebetteryouhavedrunkoutofMuhammad'scup,
peacebeuponhim.
CitingthefamousayatofQur'an:'Whereveryouturnthereisthe
faceofAllah,'(2.115)hegoesontotellofamajdhubwhousedto
prostratebeforeeverythinghesawanddeclared:'OhAllah,Iseek
yourprotectionfromshirk(associatinganyformwithAllah)inall
things.'Thisofcoursewouldbethepositionofthepseudosufiif
heheldtohisownargument,butthisstatedemandsrealecstasy.
MasudBeg,seeingthis,observedtothemajdhub'ssonthathis
fatherwasaskingprotectionintheveryactofshirk.Thatistosay,
everytimeheboweddownhegaverealitya'direction'.Theson
replied:'Donotcallhimmushrik,heseeseverythingwithoutthe
thingness.'
QBL, the root, means 'to admit', 'to accept' the existence of
forms.Beforeexaminingthedetailsoftheritualactofprostration,
letusexamineitsmeaningasapractice,asthecrucialpracticeof
theWay.
SALAT
Whatisthesalat?
Wehaveestablishedthemeaningofitswhereness,itsdirection,
nowwemustbequiteclearastowhatitisandwhatitdoestous.
Theactofsalataswehavesaid,isprostration.TherootwordSLA

means'tohurtinthesmalloftheback'and'tohavethecentreof
thebackbentin,asamarebeforefoaling'.Thecentralmovement
ofthesalatiswhentheheadtouchestheground,andthisiscalled
sajda,fromSJD,meaning'tobehumble',and'adoration'.Sothe
wholethingisanactofhumility,andanactofaddress.Theslave
presentshimself,heoffershimself.Itisanopeningoftheselfto
thesublimereality.Itssuccessivemovements,standing,bowing,
headonthegroundtwice,sittingalldenythenafsandofferup
thehumblednafstothereality.Thestandingisthestagewherethe
selfisstillassertive,thebowingisthegreeting,andtheprostration
itselfwiththeheadonthegroundisthedirectactofsubmission
oneofwhichisworthamillionverbalexclamationsofacceptance
ofthereality.Itistheheadthathastobelaidontheground.Itis
thearrogantthoughtboundmindthatholdstheselfprisonerinits
dazzlingstructures,thathastobeofferedup.Intheendthefinal
positionisneithertheproudnafsnorthenafsinabnegationbut
poisedbetweenthetwo,ineaseandinbalancetheslavesits
uprightandturnshisheadtotheleftandrightinasalutationof
peace.
That is the outward picture inwardly there is a pattern also.
Inwardlythebeginningisthevitalmoment,asoutwardlyitisthe
end.Theopeningofthesalatiswhentheslaveraisesbothhandsto
behind the ears and then lowers them, as if putting the world
behindhimthehands,splayedopen,areloweredslowlyasif
passingthroughwater.Withthisopeninggoesaverbaldeclaration:
'Allahuakbar.'Thisiscalledtakbir.
ImamJunayd,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,said,'Everythingin
naturehasahighpointandthenafallingaway,andthehighpoint
of the salat is the opening takbir.' The adept must grasp the
significanceofthisbeforehecanembarkfruitfullyontheactof
salat.ImamJunaydheredrawsattentiontothecollectednessthatis

necessarytoperformtheact.Beforeperformingthetakbir,itis
thereforeanobligationtomakeaformalactofniyya,orintention,
whichinitsoutwardformmeanssimplysayingtooneself,'Inow
intendtopraythesalatofsunset,'orwhicheveritmaybe.Whatit
meansinwardlyisthatthewholeattentionhastobegatheredinto
theexperiencingnafs,thewholeawarenesshastobefocusedon
thepointwheretheheadwillfallinsajda,andtheheartfixedon
Allah. Look at what is necessary and what has already been
ascertainedbeforeonecanmakevalidsalat.
Thepreliminaryconditionsare:
1. Outward purification from filth andinward purification from
appetites(wudu).
2. One's outward garments should be clean and one's inner
garmentsundefiled.
3.Theplacewhereonepurifiesoneselfshouldbeoutwardlyfree
fromcontaminationandinwardlyfreefromwrongactions.
4.Turningtowardsqibla,theoutwardqiblabeingtheKa'baand
theinwardqiblabeingtheThroneofAllahbywhichismeantthe
mysteryofDivinecontemplation.
5.Standingoutwardlyinthestateofpower(qudrat)andinwardly
inthegardenofproximitytoAllah(qurbat).
6.SincereintentiontoapproachAllah.
7.Saying'Allahuakbar'inthestationofaweandannihilation,and
standingintheabodeofUnionandrecitingtheQur'andistinctly
and with awareness, and bowing the head with humility, and
prostrating one's nafs with abasement, and reciting the shahada
with concentration, and saluting with annihilation of one's
attributes.
This is the description of Shaykh alHujwiri, and it is a vivid
example of the unification of inward experiencing and outward
realitythatistheverybusinessoftasawwuf.Itistheclarityofthis

unificationthatpermitstheSufitoseethroughthefragmentation
ofothermen,howtheirdeedsand,inthisageespecially,their
wordsareinvalidatedbytheabsenceofaninnerstatewhichwould
givethemreality,howtheirheartsareseparatefromtheirdestinies,
whichiswhytheydonotknowwheretheyhavebeenorwhere
theyaregoing.Unificationofthenafshasitsbeginningandending
ontheprayermatofprostration.Itisthegreatpracticeinthe
Unseenitisthepracticeoftheangelsandthejinnwhoaffirmthe
Reality,andtheyareincludedinthefinalsalutation,fortheadept
stillmakesthesalutationevenifheorsheisalone.Itisunification
becauseitisanopeningupcompletelytothemoment.Itisthe
mostfittingthingtodo.Itisthebestthingtodoatthetime.For
thefiveobligatoryprostrationstakeplaceatfixedtimesthatmove
throughouttheyearaccordingtotherisingandsettingofthesun.
Sothatwhileitisinwardunification,inevitablyitisalsoanactof
unification from the cosmic point of view. Ignorance is not
knowingwhereyouare,knowledgeisbeingawarethatyouare
whereyoushouldbe.ItisinthenatureoftheUniversethatatthe
dawn, midday, midafternoon, after sunset, and at the first
darkness, the human creature should be prostrate before the
majesty and beauty and unity of Reality. This is harmony,
cosmicallyandinwardlyinthemicrocosmofthehearthereisthe
beginningofthescienceofunification,hereistheopeningofthe
hearttothediscoveryofitstruenature.Hereisthefirstexperience
oftheslaveasbeingsomeoneindialoguewiththeReality.Itis
movement,itisanactivityofthemostprofoundandshattering
impactonthenafs.
ItisrecordedthatwhentheMessengermadehisprostrations,there
camefromdeepwithinhischestthesoundofwhatseemedlikea
boilingcauldron.WhenhismostbelovedCompanion,Sayyedina
'Ali,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,wasabouttodosalathishair
stooduponhisheadandheusedtosay:'Thehourhascometo
fulfilatrustwhichtheheavensandtheearthwereunabletobear.'

TheMasterSahlatTustari,althoughpalsiedinhisoldage,usedto
recovertheuseofhislimbswheneverthehourofprayerarrived
andafterhavingperformedhisprostrationswasunabletomove
fromhisplace.
ShaykhalHujwirialsorecounts:
'Abu'lKhayrAqta'hadagangreneinhisfoot.Thephysicians
declaredthathisfootmustbeamputated,buthewouldnot
allowthistobedone.Hisdisciplessaid,'Cutifoffwhileheis
doing salat, for at that time he has no consciousness.' The
physiciansactedonthisadvice.WhenAbu'lKhayrfinishedhis
prayershefoundthathisfoothadbeenamputated.
The wali, Husayn ibn Mansur alHallaj, used to perform four
hundredraka's(unitsofprostration)withinadayandnight.On
beingaskedwhyhetooksomuchtroubleinthelightofthehigh
degreewhichheenjoyed,hereplied:'Painandpleasureindicate
yourfeelings,butthosewhoseattributesareannihilatedfeelno
effecteitherofpleasureorofpain.Bewarelestyoucallremissness
maturity,anddesireoftheworldsearchforAllah.'Herewenote
another example of a condition which outwardly looks like the
selfinflictionofpaincalledasceticismwhenitisinwardlyareality
ofbeingbeyondthepleasure/paindichotomybecausethenafshas
fallenawayandthereisnoonetoexperiencethisdiscomfort.

TheImamoftheshaykhssaid:
'Donotletyourpurposeintheprayerbetoperformit.For
youhavenotperformeditunlessyoutakepleasureandjoyin
theunionwithHimtowhomthereisnomeansofapproach
savethroughHimself.'

Ibn'Atasaid:'Donotletyourpurposeintheprayerbeto
performitwithoutaweandreverenceforHimwhoseesyou
performit.'

MaulanaRumisaysthatifwereallyknewhowtopraywewould
beginstandinginthisworldandbowintothenext.Soitmustbe
clear that the alchemy of prostration is not merely an opening
psychologically,asitwere,intermsofanattitudeofmindbeing
changedbytheactofputtingone'sheadontheground.Itcannot
bereducedtoameretechniqueitcannotbeannexedbypeopleas
ameanstoinnertranquillitywithouttheinnerrecognitionitbrings
ofwhatrealityislike.
Nowwemustlookatthewholepatternofideasthathavebeenup
untilthispointlaidaside,butwhichmustbegraspedifweareto
haveanyunderstandingofwhatthesuficWayis.
One Master said that the persons about to pray should see
themselvesstandingontheSirat,withtheirShaykhbeforethemat
Ka'ba,theGardenontheirrightandtheFireontheirleft,andover
themAzrael,theAngelofDeath.TheSiratistheNarrowBridge
overwhichthedeadpersonhastopassintheafterdeathstate
thereisaTraditionwheretheMessengertellsofitasbeingfiner
thantheedgebetweenthetwosidesofthefinestswordblade.
Whatarewetomakeofthissortofstatement?Itwouldbeeasyto
reassurethemodernmanthatitwasmerelyasymboliclanguage,
somepseudosufis pretend that it isfor simple folkbut notfor
cleverpeoplelikethemwhoknowthatanAllMercifulLordwill
notpunishanyone.Otherssuggestthatitismerelysomethingwith
a hidden meaning which again somehow annuls the power and
uncompromisingchallengeoftheotherworldpicture.

FirstlyletusseewhatthegreatestoftheMastershastosay.We
nowcometothecompletionofthepassageweexaminedearlier:
Then he said: 'Has it reached you?' They said: 'It has, Oh
MessengerofAllah.'Hesaid,mayAllahgivehimpeace,'Oh
Allah,Itestify.'Ibelieveinallthathasbeenbroughttohim,
peacebeuponhim,fromthatwhichIknowanddonotknow
of what He gave him. It is determined that there is an
appointedtimewithAllah.Whenitcomesitisnotpostponed.I
believeinthatwithaniman(trust)thatiswithouthesitationor
doubt, as I have believed. I am established as a slave. The
graveistrueandtheraisingofbodiesfromthegraveistrue,
andthereviewofthepeoplebyAllah,mayHebeexalted,is
true, the scattering of pages is true. The Sirat is true. The
GardenistrueandtheFireistrue.AgroupintheGardenand
agroupintheFireistrue.Thetormentthatdayononegroup
is true and that another group will not be grieved by the
greatest anxiety. The intercession by the Sent Ones and the
Trusting and the bringing out by the Most Merciful of the
Merciful from the Fire is true. The group of people with
serious wrong actions among the Trustworthy entering the
Fireandleavingitwithintercessionandindebtednessistrue.
TheconfirmationoftheTrustingandthepeopleofUnityinthe
Gardenistrue.EverythingwhichtheBooksandMessengers
broughtfromAllah,knownorunknown,istrue.
Sotheseekercaneitherlayasidethebookandlabelthisasold
fashionedreligion,bindinghimalongwiththeothersinaformof
mentalandsocialslaverywhichopenthewaytoexploitationand
injustice, or he can reject the prejudicial reaction, set aside the
labellingoftermsthatwilltohimimmediatelyimplythatthisisa
beliefsystemdoeshenot,indeed,talkofbelief?Itistimenowto

approach the business of the Unseen. It is time to clarify this

essentialaspectofexistencethatisbothvisibleandinvisible,
placeandnoplace.Againitisessentialtoreiteratethebasicstep
thatistakenonthePathShahadawitnessingaffirmingthe
UnityandtheMessengershipoftheonewhoissentbyReality,
Muhammad,peacebeuponhim.Theacceptanceofthereliable
witnessistheextentofone'svisiontobeginwithwecannotsee
the Unseen but we can distinguish the profound humanity and
serenityoftheMessengerand,inthelivingsituation,hisMasters
to whom he has transmitted the knowledge and science of
existence.So,whenwediscoverthatboththeMessengerandhis
Mastersthroughtheagesexpressthemselvesintermsofapresent
phenomenalexistenceandahiddenandpermanentexistence,we
areforcedtoexaminehowtheycometothis.Bytheirdescription
itismadequiteclearthatthesethingsaremattersofrevelation.
Theyaretalkingaboutwhattheyhaveseenandexperienced.The
significant thing about these vast cosmic visions of an unseen
reality, unseenthat is to the outward eye,is that the vivid and
precisedescriptionisalwaysaccompaniedbyarecognitionthat
theyhavenototalknowledgeoftheUnseen,andthattheirvisionis
onlyatinyfragmentofaninconceivablyvastanddynamicdisplay
of fulgurating forms that endlessly unfold with the radiant and
structuredperfectionoftheauroraborealis.
ThegreatestworkofthesuficsciencesistheShaykhalAkbar's
'Makkan Revelations'. At the opening of this tremendous book
whichisincomparableamongtheworksoftheMasters,hetells
howheachievedtheStationofknowledgefromwhichhewroteall
thatiscontainedintheRevelations.Theactualencounterinthe
Unseenwhichisthekeytothebookcomeslaterandtakesplaceat
the Ka'ba, and we will examine that when we come to the
knowledgeoftheKa'ba.HereistheMaster'sdescription:

Blessingsbeuponthesecretoftheknowerandhissubtlepoint,
the quest of the knower and the object of his desire, the
VeraciousMasterwhosetoutatnighttohisLord,theNight
VisitorwhopassedthesevenpathstoHim,inorderthathe
whomadetheNightJourneymightrecordwhatwasentrusted
to him of signs and realities. He is the most incredible of
createdbeingsthatIwitnessedduringmywritingofthiswork
intheworld,ortherealitiesandmirrorformsinthePresence
of Majesty. It was a revelation of the heart in an Unseen
Presence.Iwashim,mayAllahblesshimandgranthimpeace,
aMasterinthatworld,preservedfromgoals,sustainingthe
vision,confirmedinvictory.AlltheChosenMessengerswere
in front of him, and his community, which is the best
community,wasclingingtohim,andtheangelsofsubjugation
surrounded theThroneofhis station, andtheangels ofthe
birthofactionswerelinedupinfrontofhim.TheSiddiqwas
onhismostpreciousright,andtheFaruqwasonhismostpure
left.TheSealhaddispersedbeforehimtotellhimofthetaleof
idols. 'Ali, may Allah bless him and give him peace, was
blessingtheSealwithhistongue.Dhu'nNuraynwaswrapped
inthecloakofhisshame,occupiedinhisconcern.
The Highest Master, the sweetest fresh spring, the most
revealedandmostgloriousLight,turnedandsawmebehind
theSeal,becauseofapartnershipbetweenmeanditindecree.
TheMastersaidtoit:'Thisisyourlike,andyourson,and
yourbooncompanion.Raiseupthemimbaroftamariskfor
himbeforeme.'Thenhepointedtomeandsaid:'Muhammad,
attendtoitandgivepraisetoHewhosentmeandgivepraise

tome.Ifthereisinyouasinglehairfrommeitcannotbear
separationfromme.Itistherulerinyouridentity.Thusitwill
notreturntothemeeting.Itisnotfromtheworldofmisery:
therewasnothingfrommeaftermysendingoutinanyway
exceptgoodfortune,andheisamongthosewhogivepraiseof
thanksintheheavenlygathering.'
SotheSealbuiltthemimbarinthatmostawesomeassembly
and on the side of the mimbar was written in the most
resplendentlight:'ThisisthepurestMuhammadanMaqam.
WhoeverascendsithasinheriteditandtheTruthhassenthim
asaguardiantothesanctuaryoftheShari'aandhasdelegated
him.'

The whole work is filled with these moments of radiant and

movingvisionanditisfromtheseexperiencesthatheunfoldswith
acrystallineclarityhiscosmologyandhistasawwuf.Theplain
reasonwhyheisvirtuallyunknownintheWestisthattheso
calledOrientalistsstubbornlyinsistedthatheadheretotheirvery
limited,andfromaglobalpointofview,parochial,understanding
ofhowamanmightexpresshimself.Oncetheydefinedhimasa
philosopheritwassimpleenoughtodismisshimasmuddledand
incoherent.ThearroganceoftheGermanandEnglishacademics
whodismissedhimdeservessomewhereastudyonitsown,and
themostironicaspectoftheaffairisthatthesemenhadnoother
genuinequalificationtowriteon'Ibn'Arabithantheircapacityto
readtheArabiclanguage!Thosewhosettledforacceptinghimasa
mysticanintolerableterminIslamthenhadtoputasidehis
scienceoftheselfasgettinginthewayofthesimplevisionand
endedup'preferring'theclearpersonaltestimoniesofexperience
tothetoweringstructureof'Ibn'Arabi'sscientificknowledgeof

theworldofformandnoform.Beforeattemptingtoseetheworld
ofexperientialrealityasaplaceinwhichallthesebarriersofspace
andsolidityhavebecomefuzzyandfluid,letusexamineonemore
witnessingbythegreatMoroccanMaster,ShaykhDarqawi,which
happenedtwohundredyearsagoinFez:

ByAllah,mybrothers,Ididnotbelievethatalearnedman
coulddenythevisionoftheMessenger,peacebeuponhim,in
thewakingstate,untilthedayImetsomelearnedmeninthe
QarawiyyinMosqueandhadaconversationwiththemonthis
matter. They said to me: 'However is it possible to see the
Messengerwhenoneisawake,sincehehasbeendeadforover
1,200years?Itisonlypossibletoseehiminadream,sincehe
himselfsaid:'Hewhoseesme,thatistosayinadream,sees
meinreality,forShaytancannottakemyform.'Ianswered:
'Ofnecessity,hecanbeseeninthewakingstateonlybyone
whosemindorletussay,whosethoughtshavetransported
himfromthisworldofbodiesintotheworldofSpirits:there
hewillseetheMessengerwithouttheslightestdoubt,therehe
willseeallhisfriends.'Theyweresilentandsaidnotaword
whenIadded:'Indeed,hecanbeseenintheworldofSpirit.'
Butafterawhiletheysaidtome:'Explainhowthisisso?'I
answered:'TellmeyourselveswheretheworldofSpiritsisin
relationtotheworldofbodies.'Theydidnotknowwhatto
reply.AndthenIsaid:'Therewheretheworldofbodiesis,
there also is the world of Spirits: there where the world of
corruptionis,therealsoistheworldofpurity:therewherethe
worldofthekingdomis,therealsoistheworldofkingship:in
the very place where the lower worlds are, there are to be

foundthehigherworldsandthetotalityofworlds.Ithasbeen
saidthatthereexisttenthousandworlds,eachonelikethis
world, as recounted in the 'Hilyat alAwliya' (by Abu
Nu'ayamalIsbahani)allthesearecontainedinmanwithout
his being conscious of it. Only he whom Allah purifies by
absorbing his qualities into His own, his attributes into His
own,isconsciousofthis.NowAllahpurifiesmanyofHisslaves
anddoesnotceasefrompurifyingthemuntiltheirend.'The
venerableMasterandWali,SayyidIbnalBanna,mayAllah
bepleasedwithhim,saysinhis'Inquiries':
Understand,foryouareacopyofexistenceforAllah,
sothatnothingofexistenceislackinginyou.
TheThroneandtheFootstool,aretheynotinyou?
Thehigherworldandalsothelowerworld?
TheCosmosisbutthemanonabigscale.
AndyouyouaretheCosmosinminiature.
AndtheVenerableMaster,theWalialMursi,mayAllahbe
pleasedwithhim,said:
'Ohyouwhogoastrayintheunderstanding
ofyourownsecret,
Lookyouwillfindinyourselfthewholeofexistence.
Youaretheinfinite,seenastheWay
andseenastheTruth,

OhsynthesisoftheDivineSecretinitsTotality.'
SohereontheonehandwehaveaMastertalkingaboutmeeting
withalltheMessengers,andinitiationsthattakeplaceopeninghim
toaknowledgehehasnotgainedfromany'outer'sourceandyet
apparentlydidnotknowupuntilthatinitiation,andontheother
handanotherMasterwhosaysthatthecreatureiscompoundedof
alltheformsintheUniverse.
Thekafir,thatis,theonewhocoversupreality,woulddescribethe
situationthus:ahumanbeingperformsactionsintheworldandis
eithergratifiedandfindspleasureorelsepunishedandfindspain.
Ifthesituationbecomesextreme,thementaloperationrelatingto
thepainandpleasuretakesonaprimaryimportanceinthatthe
pleasurefantasyandthepainanxietysliptheirmooringsasitwere
andbecomedetachedfromeventandfloatfree,creatingacrisisin
theperson'sexperiencebetweentheirtumultuousinnerrealityand
thedowntoearth'factual'realityofevents.Thiscrisiscanbecome
sogreatthatonlythestructuringofthesefantasiesinanimagined
'heaven and hell' dichotomy can hold together the inner
fragmentation.Thusthetworealms,orimaginedrealms,invented
bythemindtocontaintheexcessmaterialofthefantasyproducing
mind.Theyhaveasourceintherootfearandtherootgratification
which is understandably infantile in origin. This picture
unfortunatelyisbasedontherealityofthesubjectiveexperience,
andsomehowontheprimacyofthesolidoverandagainstthenon
spatial.Itmakesnodifferentiationbetweentheimaginedorletus
sayfantasisedforminmindandtheperceptionofanexistingform
bymind.Inthesuficpicture,thewholeclosedworldsystemis
blownwideapart.Itdoesnotdeclarethatthepositive,asitwere,
ofthatnegativeistruethatis,itisnotasimplisticaffirmation
thatthe'inner'experienceoffearishellafterallandsynonymous
withit.Onthecontraryitaffirmstheclinicalneuroticpicturethat

builds up into an intolerable punishing hell, or the lotuslike

fantasyworldofgratificationthatpullsawayfromeventallthis
isnothingmorethanillusion.Theillusionisbasedonthefalse
assumptionthatthereissomekindofessentialrealitytotheself,
thatitissolidandactualandthatitisresponsibleforitsactions
andthatitisgoingtopayforwhatithasdone.Theguiltandits
opposite energy, the gratification, are a modality based on the
convictionthatactionscoheretoanexperiencingcentralformas
crystalsclusteraroundabasicsaltformation.
TheMessengersaidthatpeoplewouldbejudgednotaccordingto
theiractsbutaccordingtotheirintentions.Healsosaidthatpeople
wouldnotbesavedfromtheFirebytheirworks.Sothiswhole
picture that connects the human creature to the heaven/hell
condition is a fantasy. This is not what is put forward as how
thingsare.Neurosisistoseparateyourselffromthetotalprocess
which is Divinity itself. To posit for yourself a separate reality
dooms you to positing your own fantasy heaven and your own
fantasy hell. People who deny Divine Reality collapse in inner
anguish and experience and fear the hell of the present and an
intolerablefutureequallytheyhaveecstaticstatesintheirheads
whichtheycallheavenlybutwhichareprivatedelusionsthatthey
canofferusnoaccessto,unlikethewaliwhocanmakeavailable
forhisdiscipletheexperienceofbliss.Realityisnottothegnostic
a onedimensional but a multitiered existence. The forms are
endless,justasinthephenomenalworldsointheUnseenthere
aremanyheavensandmanyhells.
ThetwobasicimagesoftheGardenandtheFireasthetwopolar
realitiesoftheUnseenareeasyofaccesstotheawakemind.On
theonehandthereisthewholeenergyprocessoffirewhichisone
of intensity, enormously powerful energy in transmutation,
changingandalteringeverythingwhichentersintoit,breakingit

downandrecreatingitasinthealchemicalpicture.Fromitis
bornastar,ametal,intoitfinallybyakindofultimatepersuasion
ofactivity,theotherelementisunifieduntilitbecomesfireitself
despiteitsoriginaldensityandseparateness.Itisintolerable,itis
theultimateinheatandunendurableness,itisthepresentmoment
asutteranguish,timeatitsmostterrible.TheGardenisspace,
greenness,timeopenedoutintoease.Waterruns,thereisshade,
formsemerge,unfold,plantsblossom,bearfruit.Birdssinginthe
air the elements are benign, peaceful. It is a place for living
creaturesandbeautyastheotherisaplacefordisintegrationand
power.
Theteachingoftasawwufisthattheseworldsarepartofthereality
oftheuniverse,theyarerealinawaythatyourpainorpleasureis
not real. Ifyoufear theFire ofthe Unseenyouwillavoid the
illusoryaccretionsthatcausetheneuroticfearinexperience,but
equallyyoumustdesiretheGardenoryouwillyearninfantasy
andsplitfromtheordinaryworldoflivedexistence.Withoutthe
fear and hope that open you to knowledge of Unity, you are
doomedquiteinevitablytotheanxiety/gratificationdialecticthat
adherestotheillusoryselfform,youwillliveintimidatedandat
themercyofyoursickfearsandhopes.Wecomebackinevitably
tothepicturewehadearlierinrelationtotheasceticwhichshowed
howeverystepoftheWaywasaccompaniedbyanequivalentin
neurosis and ultimately in madness. For this all happens in the
worldofnaturalorder,forms,whereeverythingisdouble.Wefind
throughout our journey that the science of Unity exists to be
appliedtotheworldandourexperiencejustbecausetheyaredual
whenRealityitselfisOne.
Itcouldbesuggestedthatthiswasamechanismtocauseatransfer
from the urgent existential situation into a condition where the
anxietywas,asitwere,deferredoutandawayfromtheimmediate

crisisandthusrenderedharmless.Thiscouldonlyresultinamore
fragmentedinnerexperienceandwouldcertainlyresultinmaking
theinnerexperienceofthepersonlabyrinthineandmoreacutein
its tension. What has to be recognised is that this is how the
MastersoftheWayseeandexperiencereality.Theyareutterly
fearless in this world, they are free in all their actions. To
experiencefearandhopeofAllahistobedevoidoffearofthe
issueorexpectationoftheissue.ThisisthehallmarkofWisdom.
Itfollowsthatthemanwhosays,'IdogoodthingsnotbecauseI
desiretheGarden,'or'IabstainfromtheforbiddennotbecauseI
feartheFire,butIdothesethingsformyself,'isinrealityboundto
illusionandthepersistenceoftheselfformassomedenseand
lastingthingsincethisisnotthecase,hehasclungtotherealm
of gratification and congratulation and serenity will elude him.
Thesehiddenrealitieswerecreatedforhimandareaninexorable
partofhisUniverse,solethimabhortheoneandlongforthe
other,forinthesetwolietheapproachthatispleasingtohisLord.
HisintentionswilltakehimtotheGardenortheFire,andsolet
himdesireaclearheartsothathecanthemoreknowhisown
intentions, and let him fear and hope in accordance with his
recognitionofhisinabilitytoknowtheSealofhisdestinythatisin
theBalance.Indoingso,heturnsawayfromthegivingofreality
toactions,andheturnstowardstherealityofhisownheart,which
in turn opens up to him all the myriad forms of the visible
Unification,andthematterofoursciences.Inthechapterrelating
toStationswewillexaminefurtheraspectsoffearandhope,and
thenfinallywecanlookattheverystuffofthissodeceptively
constructedworldofforms.
Wehadlefttheadeptpoisedonhisprayermatwemustcontinue
nowoutbeyondtheindividualactofsalattoseeitcosmicallyasa
riteperformedfivetimesadayatprescribedtimes.

The close view is of a man or a line of men oriented in one

directionbowingandprostrating.Thedistantviewrevealsnota
lineofmen,butseenglobally,acircleofdevotioncentringonthe
pointoftheKa'ba.Sothatwhatwehaveisaseriesofconcentric
circlesmovingtowardstheMakkanfocusofadoration.Thereis
anotherdimensionthatmustbeconsideredtomakethisamoving
andlivingpictureandthatistime.Qur'anspecifiesthatsalatis
fixedatappointedtimes,thetimesbeingtakenverysimplyfrom
the sun's position in the sky. There are five necessary sets of
prostration,thefirstbeingatdawnwhenthefirstthreadofwhite
lightappearsonthehorizonandlastinguntilthesun'sdiscisabout
tobevisiblethesecondisatnoonimmediatelyfollowingthe
meridianthethirdismidafternoonthefourth,thesunset,after
thedescentofthesun'sdiscandthelast,thenightprayer,when
thelightleavesthesky.Thus,intheglobalpicture,itfollowsthat
what you have is an endless rippling movement of circle upon
circle, in to the centre point of the Ka'ba, that virtually never
ceases,asthesunisconstantlyrisingandsettingacrosstheworld.
AtthecentreistheAncientHouse,ofwhichtheQur'ansays:
The first House established for thepeople was atMakka, a
pureplace,andaguidancetoallbeings.(Qur'an3.96)
SothefocusofthisworshipandopeningtotheUniversalReality
isaplacethathasbeencelebratedfromthebeginningofman's
storyasaplaceofmeetingbetweentheslaveandtheLord.The
wholedynamicofenergyemanatingfromtheAncientHouseisso
overwhelmingthattoalignoneselfwithit,anywhere,istobein
harmony with the Unity of existence, and the patterning of the
worldasauniqueandtotalcreation.ThisiswhytheMessenger
alwayssatfacingtheAncientHouse,andsleptfacingtheAncient
House,anddidsalatfacingtheAncientHouse.Salat,seenfrom
thisglobalpointofview,fromthiscosmicpointofview,reveals

itselftobetheprimaryandessentialriteofanyscienceofgnosis
oftheRealitywhichiseverywherepresentandnowheregraspable
by intellect or sensory experience. The first act that the seeker
performsistoopenhimselftothissituationwherehe,inharmony
not only with his fellow creatures, but with the whole organic
creation,submitshimselftotheprocessofwhichheisalreadyan
inexorablepart.Thisissubmission,thisispeace.Themanwhohas
acceptedhisplaceasaninfinitesimalparticleofavastdynamic
multidimensional Universe, and who has submitted to his
completehelplessnessandweaknessinaworldspinninginaseaof
endless planets, has also opened himself to the process of
awakening his own inner reality which can swallow up this
tremendousCosmosofstars.APersianMasterputsit:

Iwentoutbytheedgeoftheocean
Andsawawonderfulsight,
Theboatwithinthesea,
andtheseawithintheboat.

Thisisthesecretofsalat,andthesecretoftheactofsubmissionof
beingaslaveofamightyreality,thesecretofpeace.Suchamanis
calledMuslimonewhosurrendershisself.Thepracticeiscalled
Islam.TherootformisthesameSLM'surrender','peace','to
besafeandsound'.
Aswellastherhythmicpatternoffivedailysetsofprostration,
therearealsotimeswhenspecialsetsareperformed.Theseareon

the'IddayswhichmarktheendoftheFastofRamadanandthe
completion of the rites of Hajj, these two times being taken
preciselyaccordingtothepositionofthemoon.Theothertimeis
inthecaseofeclipse.Herewehaveanopportunityofseeingthe
extraordinarydepthsandimplicationsofthisritualactandhowit
openedtheMessengertoboththecosmicrealityofthingsandthe
unseendimensionofthesesameevents.Thepicturewehaveisof
amansointune,soinharmonywiththecreationthatheblows
withthewindandeclipseswiththesun.Hetastesandsubmitsto
the whole creational event just as the willow tree yields to the
changing elements and is itself both tree and wind that blows
throughit:
'AbdarRahmanbinSamura,whowasoneoftheCompanions
oftheMessengerofAllah,peacebeuponhim,said:'During
thelifetimeofAllah'sMessenger,peacebeuponhim,Iwasat
arrowpracticeinMadinahwhenthesuneclipsed.Ishotthe
arrowsandsaid:"ByAllah,ImustseehowtheMessengerof
Allahactsinasolareclipse."SoIcametohim,andhewas
standinginprayer,raisinghishands,andsaying"Gloryto
Allah,PraisebelongstoAllah,thereisnodivinitybutAllah,
Allahisgreater!"untilthesuncleared.Whentheeclipsewas
overherecitedtwosurasandprayedtworaka's.'
'Ata'binRabahreportedontheauthorityofA'isha,thewifeof
the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, who said:
'Wheneverthewindwasstormy,theMessengerofAllahused
tosay:"OhAllah,Iaskyouforwhatisgoodinit,andthegood
whichitcontains,andthegoodofthatforwhichitwassent.I
seek refuge with You from what is evil in it, what evil it
contains,andtheevilofthatforwhichitwassent."Andwhen
there was thunder and lightning in the sky, his colour

underwentachange,andhewentoutandin,backwardsand
forwards, and when the rain came he felt relieved, and I
noticeditonhisface.A'ishaaskedhimaboutitandhesaid:
"Itmaybeasthepeopleof'Adsaid:whentheysawacloud
formationcomingtotheirvalley,theysaid,'Itisacloudwhich
wouldgiveusrain."(Qur'an46.24)
AnasbinMalikreported:'Itraineduponuswhenwewere
with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and he
removed his cloak so that the rain fell on it and we asked,
"MessengerofAllah,whydoyoudothis?"Hesaid:"Because
ithasjustcomefromtheExaltedLord."'
Oncetheknowledgeofsalathasbeenacquiredinallitsoutward
detail and practised with its profound and meaningful inner
mathematicalstructureforthenumberofprostrationsatdifferent
timesofthe day,andthedegrees ofextra nonobligatory ones,
makeuptherealbasisofthespiritualsciencethentheseekerhas
gotholdofthefirstpartofsomethingwhichinitstotalityisthe
tremendous gift of the Messenger to mankind. Along with his
deliveringtheMessageofalQur'an,heleftbehindhimtheHikma
theWisdom.Itisthisthatformsthebodyofone'sinnerreality,it
is this that gives flesh and blood to the inner impulse towards
gnosis. Even though there could be a limited inner experience
without this science, with it you have the possibility of that
wholenessthatreturnedtothehumanracewhentheMessenger
openedpeopleonceagainashadalltheMessengersbeforehim,
of whom he indicated there had existed 124,000 since the
beginningofman'sstoryopenedthemtothetruenatureoftheir
humanity,totherealmeasureofman,toperfectionandUnity.You
must not be surprised to find that this tremendous science of
human behaviour on which the full doctrine of gnosis rests is
effectivelyunknowntopeopleintheWestpartlybecauseword

of it filtered through the same inadequate channel by which

knowledgeofIslamcametotheacademicworld,thatis,through
people utterly unequipped to examine the anthropology and
metaphysics of Islam, being nothing more than accomplished
linguistsandpartlybecausetherewasandisaquiteconscious
attempt on behalf of the Christian and Jewish academics to
misrepresent the true nature of Islam but finally because the
Muslimsthemselvesintheselongcenturieshavefeltincreasingly
uncomfortable with a science that challenged their own wealth.
Thisscience,theSunna,orPractice,oftheMessenger,isproperly
speakingthewholeofthescienceofman.Itrestsontheprinciple
thatmanistheslaveofhisLord,andatthesametimeistheKhalif
of his Lord that is to say, the one who stands for Him or
representsHim.Wehavetakenholdofthescienceofthenafs,for
trulythewholescienceofthenafsandallyouneedtoknow
aboutitiscontainedinthetwopurifications,wuduandsalat,and
adherencetothesepracticeswillmakecleartheworkingofthe
nafsineverysituation.Wemustnowtrytogetafirstglimpseof
whatthenatureoftheSunnais,andthenapproachthemeaningof
thisKhalifdom,whichis,ofcourse,theSecretwedesire.

TheScienceoftheSunna

ThewordSunna,meaningthePractice,derivesfromtherootSNN,
meaning'toform'.Itisnothinglessthantheformofman,thatis,
man as a living social organism, man in his wholeness. Any
mechanistic or legal idea from your Judaic or Christian
backgroundmustberemovedbeforeyoucanopentothisreality
whichisutterlyorganic,physicalandmetaphysical,aspontaneous
humancreatureinharmonywithhiscreationbeingtheendresult,
andnotaninhibitedandoutwardlycontrolledanimal.Theerrorof
theJewswasnotthattheyfailedtoobeytheLaw,butthatthey
turnedwhatwasascientificLawaboutmanthatis,ifyoudo
this, that happens into a legalistic structure exterior to and
imposed onman.Theerror oftheJewsmade it inevitable that
whentheexistentialrealityoflawfulness,initsorganicsense,the
Messiah, appeared, they could not recognise him. So involved
weretheywiththetheory,theyfailedtoidentifythepracticeina
livingandperfectexemplar.TheerroroftheChristianswasits
counterpart so determined were they to enshrine the
metaphysical aspect of man's nature, so terrified were they of

losingthesecretofman'sglory,thattheyfeltobligedtoenshrineit
inaMystery,insymbolandritual,lettingitsprotectorsbeanelite
whoseraisond'etrewastoguardtheSecret,untilintheendthese
mendidnotfeelobligedtorespondtothesocialobligationsofthe
teaching,sothattheybecameimmoralandcorruptinthenameof
the perfect Teacher. These two attitudes are what may be
understood as 'religion', they are the forms that bind together
(religio)apeopleinanexploitationthatmustinevitablyleadto
tyranny.
IslamisbasedontherealityandprimacyofthisSunna,thisself
formofman,thatindicatesthatthereisabehaviourpatternforthe
humanspecieswhereveritmayexistonearth.Itissignificantthat
oneofthestumblingblockstopeopleapproachingtheexperience
ofIslamisthattheyfeelthatitisindigenoustoadesertculture,or
thatitisthedesertculture,andthereforedoesnottransfertoother
societies.Mostironically,thepseudosufisalwaysreferto'wein
the West', as if for cultural reasons we were in some special
situation that somehow made us different, and by implication,
superiortootherpeoples.Asifthecomplexityofoursocialmodes
and the glutted density of our nounpacked postscientific
vocabulary somehow made us superior or more inaccessible to
some'ancientwisdom'.TheHikmat,theWisdom,isnotculture
anddoesnotbecomeculture.Cultureissimplytheillusoryreality
you bestow on the dynamic forms of your society's transitory
activityandachievementandtheshadowsofthementalformsyou
becomehypnotisedbyculturechangesanddecaysandrenews.
Islam merely selects and simplifies the cultural situation
sweeping away the worst excrescences of fantasy, such as the
burningofwidowsontheirhusband'spyresinthedecadentphase
ofHinduspiritualcultureandpurifyingthenoblerpractices
such as the ancient rites of Hajj. The proof of the Sunna as a
profoundandeffectiveanthropologicalpatterningformanisseen

every year at the Hajj where people from the most disparate
cultures come together socially and spiritually unified by their
adherenceinrecognisabledegreetothevastSunnaofMuhammad,
peacebeuponhim.
Theproofoftheignoranceofourepochandthebarbarismthatis
envelopingoursocietycanbefoundinthemodernMuslimstate's
urgent desire to shelve the whole patterning of the Sunna and
reduceIslamtoakindofPartywithmembership,dependentonly
onthefiveritualprayersandnotonthecompleteinnerandouter
transformation that takes place as a man begins to absorb the
Sunna, and thus open himself to his humanity and to his
Khalifdom.Itisallthemoretragicinthelightofthesituationof
the socalled intellectuals in Western society. Despite the top
heavy structuralist nightmare that collapses on itself, some
anthropologistshavebeguntorecognisethattheremustbewhat
theycalla'canon'ofknowledge,thattheyrealisemanoncehad
accesstoandwhichwehaveallbutlost.Itisofcoursethesufic
pointofviewthatwearethecanon,forifitwerenotinus,how
couldweknowitwhenwesawitoutsideus.A'isha,thewifeofthe
Messenger,andaPerfectWomanaccordingtotheMessenger
Perfectthatisinthistotalmetaphysicalunderstandingofwhata
humancreatureiswasaskedwhatherhusbandwaslikeandshe
replied:'HewasQur'anwalking!'Inotherwords,hewastheBook.
HewashisBook.ThetwonamesoftheBook,alQur'anandal
Furqan,meanthegatheringtogetherandthediscrimination.Sothe
complete man is a gatheringtogether of that whole canon of
knowledgethattellsmanhisplaceintheUniverseofstarsandalso
openshiminwardlytoUnionwiththerealityoftheCosmos,andat
thesametimeheisaseparation,adiscriminationinthedualworld
ofnature,ofnightandday,hotandcold,trueandfalse.Thisis
why in the original and complete science of anthropology, the
study of man, it is enough that you study yourself that you

understandthetotalcosmicsituationofthespecies.Youarethe
wholeman,butnotasyouare.Muhammadisthemeasureofman.
HeisalQautham,thecompletelyperfectman,orastheSufiscall
him, alInsanu'lKamil. This is the Station of the one who has
achievedthegoal,whoknowshimself.Nowinearliertreatiseson
SufismitwastakenforgrantedthatpeopleacceptedtheSunna,but
thesituationtodayissuchthattheSunnahasbecomeadangerous
and quite terrifying possibility, so that the Muslims, whose
heritageitis,areatpainstoassureyouthatyoudon'tneedtodo
this and you don't need to do that a situation which the
Messenger himself foretold as preceding the last phase of the
humancondition:
AlMiqdambinMa'DikaribsaidthatheheardtheMessenger
say,peacebeuponhim:'IhaveindeedbroughttheQur'anand
somethinglikeitalongwithit,yetthetimeiscomingwhena
man replete on his couch will say: Keep to this Qur'an
whatyoufindinittobepermissibletreataspermissible,and
whatyoufindinittobeprohibitedtreatasprohibited.But
whatAllah'sMessengerhasprohibitedislikewhatAllahhas
prohibited.'
ItisSufismthatinsistsonthetotalpictureofamanbothoutwardly
andinwardlyinastateoftransformation.OncetheMuslimdenies
the inner realities of the states and Stations we will examine
shortly,hethendoesnothavetohavehisownmotivesexamined.
Oncehehasdeniedtheinnerreality,hehasdeniedhisownand
yours,thenitisasteptohisdismantlingtheSunnapatternthat
givesfleshandbloodtothatinnerreality.Inashorttimeheis
usingthelanguageofdualityandthenhetellsyouthatitdoes
notmatterthatyouhaveabeard,thatyousitonthegroundand
sleeponthelevelsurfaceofthefloor,andeatwiththreefingers
fromoneplate,andgreetthestrangerandfeedtheguest,andsoit

goesonuntilintheendwhyshouldyoubowandwhyshouldyou
prostrateandwhyshouldyoufast,andwhereistheGardenand
whereistheFire,andwhatisanangel,andwhatisaMessenger,
andwhatrealityhasanyofthewholebusinesswhenyoulivea
bourgeoislifeutterlyenclosedintheinsaneritualsofconsumerism
andreputationtokens?Itisinthebeginningofthisprocessthatthe
sufictraditioninsistsonthecompletesocialrealityofanIslam
whichneverceasestoextolpoverty,simplicity,andmeasure,in
behaviourandpossessions,andwhichcallsforkindnessandgood
words between men, respect for women, and affection for the
youngandtheold.ItisSufism,asguardianoftheIslamofthe
Companions,thatdemandsaradiantcityasthesettingfortheman
ofknowledgetoexperiencehisgnosis.TheSufi'splaceisinthe
communitylookatthemfromthebeginning:
HasanofBasra,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,said:'Isaw
seventycomradeswhofoughtatBadr:allofthemhadwoollen
garments:andthegreatestSiddiq(KhalifAbuBakr)worea
garmentofwoolinhisdetachmentfromtheworld.'
AlHallaj,thecarder:Attar,thescentmerchant:MoulayAbdal
Qadir, whose real glory only began when he came out from
retirementtoliveinBaghdad:theseandthewholelineofShaykhs
testify to the fact that Sufis lived in the world, worked in the
marketplaceandthe farmyard, becausethey werethe guardians
and are the guardians of this picture of man whose complete
silhouette and whose luminosity is from the same source,
Muhammad,peacebeuponhim.
Sufi,however,isawordMuslimisawordfaqirisaword.The
essential perspective to hold to is that the inner reality and the
outerconditionmustbeOne.WhatevercametobeknownasSufi
wasnothingbuttheconditionofthefollowersofthefollowers,and

beforethemofthefollowers,andbeforethemoftheCompanions
oftheMessengerhimself.Whatconcernsusisasocialqualityof
beingwhoseinteriorityisgnosisandwhoseexteriorisdetachment
fromtheworld.TheimageofmanistheimageofMuhammad,
peacebeuponhim,andhesaid:'MyCompanionsarelikethestars.
Sowhicheverofthemyoufollowyouwillbeguided.'ThisHadith
isfrom'UmaribnalKhattab,Razintransmittedit.
BukhariandMuslimbothtransmitaHadithfromJabirsaying
onthedayofalHudaibiyyaournumberswereonethousand
fourhundred,andtheMessengersaidtous:'Todayyouare
thebestpeopleontheearth.'
TherearemanyHadithwhichaffirmthefactthatthebestpeople,
the best community that has ever been on the earth, was the
communityinMadinahatthetimeoftheMessenger.Anditishere
thatweareobligedtotakeonsomethingaboutthenatureofIslam,
and clarify for ourselves something that is essential to an
understandingofIslamandtherealityofthesuficphenomenon.
ThesocialachievementoftheMessenger,andfortheSufisasocial
achievement is a total human reality which implies that people
wereabletorealisetheirinwardcapacityaswellastheirhuman
capacitieswithothers,wastocreateacompleteandfarreaching
revolutioninlifepattern.Inanamazinglyshorttime,startingwith
asmallbandofpeople,hebuiltupahighlyeducatedgroupof
people who had all been instructed by him, irradiated by his
presence,purifiedbyhispracticesandguidedbyhisrevelations.
Completelynonviolent,theywereasavagelypersecutedminority
whostubbornlypersistedintheirpracticesdespitethehumiliations
and tortures they were subjected to, and their impact began to
resonatethroughoutthewholecommunity.Alltheyweredoing,it
must be remembered, was rhythmically bowing and prostrating

andglorifyingtheCreatoroftheUniverseandpraisingHimforthe
wonderofexistence.Socially,theycalledforanendtothegirl
childmurderthatwasanacceptedculturalpractice,andanendto
bloodfeuds.WhatwasbeingintroducedbytheMessengerwashis
Hikmat,hisWisdom,whichhelaterdefinedthroughtheuseoftwo
terms,jahiliyyaandhilm.
JahiliyyatheMessengersawastheenergyforceoftheunbridled
nafs, utterly flamboyant and expressed, ruthless in its infantile
determination to experience gratification whether of appetite or
violence.Thiswasthenaturalflowofdestructiveenergythatcame
fromthenafswhichsawitselfasseparatefromexistenceandin
conflictwithreality.TothisbasicenergytheMessengertaughtthe
acquiringofthetrulyhumanfaculty,hilm.Hilmcanbedefinedas
astateofcalmserenitywhichisnotoverthrownbyangerfrom
withinorviolencethreateningfromwithout.Hilmimpliesthatthe
nafshasbeentamedandisunderthesubject'scontrolwhilejahl
definesanafsthatisinsuchurgentfluxthatthesubjectistoo
identifiedwithhisactiontobeabletoavoidconflict.
When those who cover up had placed in their hearts
arrogance, the arrogance of jahiliyya, then Allah sent down
HisserenityuponHisMessengeranduponthetrustingones
andimposedonthemthewordofselfrestraint,fortheywere
worthyofitandsuitedtoit.AndAllahisawareofallthings.
(Qur'an48.26)
IntheQur'an,theMessengersNuh,Hud,andSayyedinaMusaall
denouncejahlasbeingtheenemyofreality,andtheimpulseof
violence in man which imposes on him a primary excuse for
denyingtheUnityinthenameofhisdualisticconflict.Jahlis,
therefore,theverystuffofhistory,ofevent,ofconflict,andbythat
token, of unreality and coveringup. The awakening of the

Messenger'sCompanionstothetremendouspowerofhilmwithin
themselvesasasocialdynamicwas,inevitably,achallengetothe
existing community of his day, as it remains to the power
structures of the world fourteen hundred years after the
establishment of his community in the Illuminated City, as he
renamed Yathrib when he called it AlMadinah alMunawarra.
ThatsmallgroupofpeoplewhogatheredaroundtheMessengerin
Makka,withanelectricforceshookthewholefoundationofthe
tribalsocietywhichhadsurvivedforsolongvirtuallyunaffected
byitswarsandfeuds.Whatbruteforcewasunabletodo,andwhat
cunningandtreacheryfailedtoachieve,wastohalttheflowering
ofWisdominanapparentlyordinaryworldorientedsociety,until
withinafewyearstheyhadbecomeanilluminatedandradiant
groupofpeople,men,womenandchildren,whotaughtpeaceand
practisedhospitalityandgenerosityasnosocialgrouphadever
donebeforeorafterthemintheworld'shistory.
OfhisclosestCompanion,Sayyedina'Ali,AmiralMu'mineen,he
said,peacebeuponhim:'IamthehouseofWisdomand'Aliisits
door.' Of his Companion Abu Dharr he said: 'The sky has not
coveredandtheearthhasnotcarriedanyonemoretruthfulthan
AbuDharr.Heislike'Isa,sonofMary.'YetalongwiththeHadith
thatpraisetheCompanionsoftheMessengeraredisturbingones
that indicate the trouble that was to come. A trouble utterly
inevitableinthelightofwhattheMessengerhadbroughtamong
people,fortheDeen,ortransaction,thathecalledthemtonotonly
wasonethatoverthrewtheoldvaluesandpowers,butitwasone
whichhadsuchadynamicthatbyitsenergytheystoodtogaina
much greater fame and glory than they had known before. So
tremendousweretherewardsthatcametothevictoriousMuslim
forcesthattheysoonfoundthattheobligationsofIslamwerea
hindrancetotastingthefruitsoftheirvictoryandtheoldvaluesof
jahl which had never completely vanished appeared again with

renewedforce.
TheMessengerwaswellawarethatthelightthatcamefromhis
presenceamongthemwasagreatrestraintonthenaturalgreedand
lustforpowerthatmanisproneto,andthatiswhyheurgedmen
torespecttheCompanionsandthenextgeneration,theFollowers.
ItmustberememberedthatIslamisasciencethatispassedonby
existential transmission and not by books and texts. Once the
peoplewhoembodiedhilmwereremovedfromauthorityandfrom
aplaceofinfluenceitwasalltooeasytosetupthedynastiesof
luxury and imperialism which were what Muslim history so
rapidlybecame.Hehimself,peacebeuponhim,hadthistosay
aboutthefuturegenerationsandIslam:
AbuBurdatoldonhisfather'sauthoritythathe,meaningthe
Messenger,raisedhisheadtothesky,whichwasacommon
practiceofhis,andsaid:'Thestarsareameansofsafetyfor
the sky, and when the stars depart what the sky has been
threatenedwithwillcometoit.Iamameansofsafetyformy
Companions,andwhenIdepartwhatmyCompanionshave
beenthreatenedwithwillcometothem.MyCompanionsarea
means of safety for my people, and when my Companions
departwhatmypeoplehavebeenthreatenedwithwillcometo
them.'Muslimtransmittedit.
'ImranbinHusainreportedAllah'sMessengerassaying:'The
best of my people are my generation, then their immediate
followers,andthentheirimmediatefollowers.Afterthemthere
willbepeoplewhogivetestimonywithoutbeingasked,who
willbetreacherousandnottobetrusted,whowillmakevows
whichtheydonotfulfill,amongwhomplumpnesswillappear.'

'Abdallah bin Mughaffal reported Allah's Messenger as

saying: 'Fear Allah regarding my Companions. Fear Allah
regarding my Companions and do not make them a target
afterIamgone.Hewholovesthemdoessoforloveofme,and
hewhohatesthemdoessofromhatredofme.Hewhoinjures
themhasinjuredmeandhewhoinjuresmehasinjuredAllah,
andhewhoinjuresAllahwillsoonbepunishedbyHim.'
Zaid bin Arqam reported Allah's Messenger as saying of
Sayyedina 'Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Husain, may Allah be
pleasedwiththem:'Iamwartohimwhomakeswaronthem,
and peace to him who makes peace with them.' Tirmidhi
transmittedit.
YetwithinonlytwentynineyearstheGateofWisdom,theAmir
oftheTrustingOnes,wasstabbedinthebackinthemosquein
prostrationbeforeAllahbyasocalledMuslim.Soonafterhimthe
Messenger'stwograndsonsweremurdered.SayyedinaHassanwas
poisonedandSayyedinaHusainwasslaughteredonthefieldof
Kerbala and beheaded in the most horrible massacre that ever
blightedtheMuslimcommunity.Thesedeathswereknowntothe
MessengerinhislifetimeandtheHadithstellofhisweepingfor
themwhiletheywerestillchildren.AbuDharr,themostnoble
Companion, was humiliated and beaten and finally sent to an
exile'sdeath,alsojustastheMessengerhadtoldhimhewouldend
hisdays.Itisatragicandsoberingpicture,anditisuselesstostart
toapportionblamethesecenturieslater,asitistomournforthem.
TheydiedmartyrstoRealityandtheywentfromtheworsttothe
best. What is important is that we are prepared to look at the
completepictureoftheseeventsorascompleteapictureaswecan
piecetogether.ThousandsoftheAnsarwereslaughteredbyso
calledMuslims,althoughtheMessengersaidofthem:'Youarethe

mostbelovedpeopletome.'Again,fromtheHadithitisclearthat
heforesawtheirend.Indeed,themostmovingaspectofthewhole
story is the Messenger's recognition of what lay ahead and his
acceptance of what was to be. As a Messenger he could not
appointasuccessor,forthereisnosuccessioninMessengership.
Islamisnotastateconcept,itisanorganiclifepatternformenin
society:oncerolesareimposedandstructuresaresolidifiedyou
return inevitably to the rigid imposition of authority and the
dialecticalconflictsofhistory.
During the lifetime of the Messenger, the Munafiqun or the
Hypocrites, were a constant threat to the spiritual revolution of
Islam.ThewordderivesfromtherootNFQwhichmeans'toenter
aholefromwhichthereareseveralwaysout'.Theinnercondition
ofthemunafiqismarkedbyasplitbetweenhisouterbehaviour
andspeechandhisinnerwayofexperiencingreality.Itsnatureis
suchthatthemunafiqwaversbetweenonepossibilityofIslamand
another, between betrayal and attraction. Nifaq is, itself, the
dynamictosplitreality,toseparateinnerandouteritisnothing
less than a sickness, and Qur'an indicates that it is the basic
sicknessofthehumanmind,'marad'.Letuslookattheastonishing
descriptionofthesepeopleintheQur'ananditwillbeimmediately
apparenttousthatthemunafiqisnotjustoneofthosewhoturned
againstIslamintheearlydaysoftheMadinancommunity,butthat
themunafiqisthepersonwhoonthethresholdofawakeningtothe
true nature of reality takes flight from the unitary nature of
existence and makes war in order to distract attention by
foregroundviolence,fromthevastdetachedmajestyofpeacethat
istheCosmicReality.Thismarad,thisbasicillnessofthehuman
species,isnothingotherthanthesplittingoftheinnerandtheouter
experiencing self, the separation of the subjectmind from the
objectbody.Fragmentation,oncestarted,continuesuntilthemind
itselfbreaksupandonepartofitopposesanotherandtheconflict

becomesinternalised.'Ididnotmeantodoit.''Iwasnotmyself,'is
theprocessthatstartswith,'TheyareotherthanI,'and'Iamother
thantheUniverse!'Qur'anhasmadeclearthatifyoukilloneman
wrongfullyyoukillthewholeofmankind.Hereinitsentiretyis
the Surat alMunafiqun, The Form of the Hypocrites, in the
GloriousQur'an:

IntheNameofAllah,theMerciful,theCompassionate.
Whenthe hypocrites comeuntothee(OhMuhammad) they
say:'WebearwitnessthatyouareindeedAllah'sMessenger.'
And Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and
Allahbearswitnessthatthehypocritesareallliars.
They make their trusting a covering so that they may turn
fromtheWayofAllah.Trulyevilisthatwhichtheyhavebeen
doing.
Thatisbecausetheytrustedthencoveredup,thereforetheir
heartsaresealedsothattheyunderstandnot.
Andwhenthouseestthemtheiroutwardformspleasethee:
andiftheyspeakthoulistenethtowhattheysay.
Theyarelikeproppedupblocksofwood.
Theydeemeveryshouttobeagainstthem.
Theyaretheenemy,sobewareofthem!
Allahconfoundthem.Howpervertedtheyare.

Andwhenitissaidtothem:'Come!TheMessengerofAllah
willaskforgivenessforyou!'theyaverttheirfacesandthou
seestthemturningaway,disdainful.
Whetherthouaskforgivenessforthemorasknotforgiveness
forthem,Allahwillnotforgivethem.
Lo!AllahguidesnotthepeoplewhogoagainsttheWay[i.e.
peoplewhocomeoutfromthehumantransaction,fromthe
rootFSQ,meaning'toemergefromthehuskofthedatestone'.]
Theyitiswhosay:'SpendnotonbehalfofthosewithAllah's
Messenger that they may disperse,' when Allah's are the
treasuresoftheheavensandtheearth:butthehypocritesdo
notunderstand.
Theysay:'SurelyifwereturntoMadinahthemightierwill
soondriveouttheweaker,'whenmightbelongstoAllahand
toHisMessengerandtotheTrustingOnes,butthehypocrites
donotknow.
OhyouwhohaveTrust!Letnotyourwealthnoryourchildren
distract you from remembrance of Allah. Those who do so,
they are the losers. And spend of that wherewith we have
providedyoubeforedeathcomestooneofyouandhesays:
'MyLord!IfonlyThouwouldstreprievemeforalittlewhile,
thenIwouldgivesadaqaandbeamongtheSalihin.'
ButAllahdoesnotreprieveanyselfwhenitstermcomes,and
Allahisawareofwhatyoudo.(Qur'an63)

ThefirstthingwediscoverintheSuratisthatthemunafiqisa
Muslim.HehasaffirmedtheauthorityofMuhammad,peacebe
uponhim.Whatfollowsistheessentialaffirmationoftheoneness
ofrealitybywhichQur'anacknowledgesthatAllahtheTruth
knowswhothemunafiqinare,butthattheiraffirmationitselfisa
lie.ThusadiscriminationismadebetweenthemandtheTrusting
Ones,sothatthe'Muhammadrasulullah'ofthelatterisnotthe
sameasthe'Muhammadrasulullah'oftheformer.Thenextayat
(sign)saysthattheytrustedthencoveredoverreality.Atthispoint
theyare'split'inafalsewayfromexistence,theyare'cutoff'from
their own inner nature. The clinical picture builds up: they are
pleasingofaspect,thereforetheyareoutwardlysculptedaccording
totheDeen,theyarecoherent.Butthenwearetold:theyarelike
proppedupblocksofwood.Thisisthekeyinsteadofhavingthat
supplenessandtransparencyoftheTrustingOnewhoisawareof
therealnatureoftheUnseen,theyaresolidified,opaque,become
objects,alienated.Theydeemeveryshouttobeagainstthem.They
areatwarwithexistence,withtheother,becauseofthemselves
theycannotgetattheirownheartshavingmadethisactofsplitting
inwardly. For the Truth is the other way around. They are the
enemytheirownenemy,andtheenemyofthebasicallysane
Muslim.
Theyrejectforgivenesswithpridebecausetheydesireconflict,and
therefore their reality is conflict, that is, they are by definition
unforgivenbyreality.Theytakeastheirrealitythemythofevent
and see themselves as the activators of existence. They call on
peoplenottospendtheirwealthonothers,i.e.theMuslims,and
theydefineexistenceasbeingastruggleinwhichthestrongerwill
triumph.This,then,isthenatureofhumanillness,thisisneurosis.
Thisisthefantasystructureoflifeasseenthroughtheeyesof
thosewhohavecovereduptherealityoflifeonaplanetwhichisa
gardenandwhereeveryonemaybeprovidedforineveryway.

Qur'angoesontoaffirmthatrealstrengthliesinbeinginharmony
withReality,andthereforetheproofofthisisthattheMessenger,
astheperfectexemplarofhumanity,isassistedandmadestrong
throughhissubmission.Thethingsthattrapmanintotheneurotic
processofnifaqarenothingotherthanhiswealthandhischildren.
Itisthesethatcreateforhimtheillusionofaseparatekingdomof
selfdom if he fails to see them along with the whole cosmic
situationasagiftoftheCreatortoHisslave.Itisthiscloseup
viewofthepersonalexistenceas'belonging'toonethatmakesfor
forgetfulnessofhowthingsare.Sucharethepeoplewho,when
they come to the end of their lifespan, try to bargain with
existence,andwhentheydotheyknowthatthecorrecttransaction
istogivegiftstotheneedyandtokeepthecompanyofthenoble
pureoneswhohaveknowledgeofReality,thatistheShaykhsand
theawliyatheSaliheen.Butthetransactionisnotmagicaland
thereisnoescapingtheorganicdestinyofone'slifepattern.Itis
herethatthelegalisticimageofadayofjudgmentisshatteredin
thelightofaquitevividcosmicreality,whichisthatthecreatureis
himselfarecordofhislife.Thecellsofthebodyaretherecordof
thelife.
Qur'anputsitvividly:'TheyaredemonstratedForm':
'Tillwhentheyreachit,theirearsandtheireyesandtheir
skinstestifyagainstthemastowhattheyusedtodo.Andthey
say unto their skins: 'Why testify yeagainst us?' Theysay:
'AllahhathgivenusspeechWhogivethspeechtoallthings,
and Who created you at first, and unto Whom you are
returned.'
Yedidnothideyourselveslestyourearsandyoureyesand
yourskinsshouldtestifyagainstyoubutyedeemedthatAllah
knewnotmuchofwhatyedid!

Thatyourthought,whichyedidthinkaboutyourLord
hath ruined you: and ye find yourselves among the lost.
(Qur'an41.2023)
Itissoclear,thepicture.Weareourownrecord.Weareourown
Book.Ourcellsdotestifyagainstusorforus,dependingonhow
wehavetreatedthebodyformthathasbeenloanedtous.Thenthe
Qur'antouchesontheparticularnatureoftheordinaryseparateness
ofphenomenalexistencefromthetotalDivineReality.Wecannot
hide ourselves from ourselves, we are convinced that we have
covereduptherecordeventhoughwearetherecord.Thatis,we
thinkthattheRealitydoesnotseewhatweourselvesareawareof
inoursplitinwardness.Itisthethoughttheillusionofotherness
thathas'ruined'thelosthumancreature.Thatthoughtislostness
itself. Separation is necessary outwardly, as we have said,
according to the science of Wisdom, but joining is necessary
inwardlybythesametoken.InSuratYaSin:
Lo!Weitiswhobringthedeadtolife.
Werecordthatwhichtheysendbefore,andtheirfootprints.
Andallthingswehavekeptinaclearregister.
(Qur'an36.12)
Wethinkbecauseotherscannotreadusthatwecannotberead.
The form is nothing other than the meaning. Our form is our
record.Thecellisthestory.AstheShaykhalKamilsaysinhis
Song'WithdrawalintothePerceptionoftheEssence':
Truly,createdbeingsaremeaningssetupinimages.
Allwhograspthisareamongthepeopleofdiscrimination.
LetusnowreturntoourpictureofthesplitMadinahcommunity

andtheconflictsthattoreasunderthefirstMuslims.Hereisthe
perspectivethattheMessengergaveofthesituation:
Abu 'Ubaida and Mu'adh bin Jabal both reported the
Messenger,peacebeuponhim,assaying:'Thismatterbegan
asprophecyandamercy,thenitwillbecomeaKhalifateanda
mercy, then a tyrannical kingdom, then how much
haughtiness,prideandcorruptiontherewillbeontheearth!'
ThiswastransmittedbyBaihaqiin'Shu'abal'Iman'.
AbdAllahbinMa'sudtoldthattheMessenger,peacebeupon
him,said:'ThemillofIslamwillgoroundtilltheyear35or36
or37,theniftheyperishtheywillhavefollowedthePathof
those who perished before them, but if their Deen is
maintainedforthemitwillbemaintainedforthemforseventy
years.'
Heaskedifthatmeantseventyyearsmoreoraltogetherand
theMessengerrepliedthatitmeantseventyyearsaltogether.
ThiswastransmittedbyAbuDawud.
Sayyedina'Ali,mayAllahhavemercyonhim,saidthatwhen
Allah's Messenger was asked who should be appointed
Commanderafterhehadgone,hereplied:'IfyouappointAbu
BakrasCommanderyouwillfindhimtrustworthy,withlittle
desireforworldlygoodsbuteagerforthenextworld:ifyou
appoint'UmarasCommanderyouwillfindhimtrustworthy
andstrong,fearingforAllah'ssakeandnoone'sblame.Ifyou
appoint'AliasCommanderbutIcannotseeyoudoingso
youwillfindhimaguidewhoisrightlyguidedandwhowill
leadyouontheStraightWay.'Ahmadtransmittedthis.

Thebitternessandthedistortionsthatarosefromthegreatinitial
schismstillresonatetodayamongtheMuslimcommunity,whatis
leftofitasafunctioningrealitybutthatrealityisblurredbecause
of the successful and false crystallisation that both Shi'a and
SunnisachievedinequatingIslamwithaMuslimState.Thereis
nosuchthingasanIslamicStateintheworldtoday.AsIhave
indicated,thetwotermsaremutuallyirreconcilable.IfitisIslam,
itisnotastate,ratheritisacommunityfunctioningorganically
according to the Book and the Wisdom, that means Amir and
FuqahahbutnotacanonLawwithajudiciaryandapowerelite.
Police,prisonsalthoughprisonersmaybetakeninwar,thatisa
temporarysituationbanksandstandingarmiesarenothingtodo
withIslam.TheyarethestuffofStatism.InIslam,everymanisa
policeman,thebankofZakatisemptiedannually,everymanisa
soldierreadyandtrainedtofightinselfdefencewhennecessary.
ThelonghistoryoftheMuslimconquestdespitethemanyenergies
thatitbroughtalonginitswake,mustnotbeequatedwithIslam.
IslamistheBookandtheWisdom,andtheteachingofitisnotby
theintakeofstructuredinformation,itisbythetransmissionofthe
behaviourform from a man who is himself already to an
acceptable degree a selfform of the Wisdom. This man the
rajulullahthemanofAllahisIslam,isthetransmission,isthe
copyoftheMuhammadanoriginalselfform.
ItisnotthattheSunniwerewrong,orthattheShi'awereright.For
these formations took place over a period of time and did not
becomedefinedontheminute,asitwere.Thedramatisationand
mourning for the death of Sayyedina Husain, may Allah have
mercyonhim,wasaninnovation,andasolidifyingofthenafs
through ritualised mourning, and a culture token of the Shi'a
countersocietyinconflictwiththeSunnis.Hewasamartyr,so
properlyspeakingwecanonlyrejoiceforhim,thatheisassured
thefullestlifeintheGarden.Andsoitgoesonthisandthat,until

the animosity is revived. It is not necessary to be part of that

schismaticthinkingatthisstageofthebusinessofIslam.Onthe
contrary,wehaveanopportunitynowtodetachourselvesandlook
atthepictureaswhollyaswecan,siftingtheevidencewithout
prejudice,fittingtogetherthepieces,thebettertounderstandthese
extraordinarymen,andtheirmovingstory.
Thereason,however,thatthishasbeenbroughtupisnot,asIhave
said,tostarttheschismaticenergyflowing,buttogettothispoint
wherewecanseewhythereissuchathingasSufismatall!Itwas
thispictureoftheformationofanewstyleofexpansionistand
imperialistStatefoundedonthebasictenetsofIslamreducedtoa
lawpatternandintroducingapunitivelegalsystemalongwithit
thatledtotheneedfortheFollowersandtheFollowersofthe
Followers to redefine what the original picture was. The great
Companionshadallgone,martyredinbattleormurderedbythe
monarchicIslamoftheUmayyadsandtheAbbasids.Thisformof
manasacompletelyrenewedbeing,inwardlyawake,turnedaway
from the world and worldly obsession, radiant through an
awarenessoftheUnseenReality,filledwithaweofAllah,and
sweetness for his brothers, and generosity above all, with
generosity this form was in imminent danger of being lost
forever.GenerosityandtolerancethetwothingstheMessenger
most extolled and embodied, had already been swept aside as
weaknessesandsomehowsomebodyhadtorecoverthembefore
itwastoolate.
ItiseasytounderstandwhytheTraditionistsfinallymadetheir
collectionsindespairlestthewholepictureoftheSunnagotlost.
TheQur'anhadbeengatheredandwrittendownasaBookforthe
samereasontherewastheterribleriskthattheslaughterwould
engulftheMuslimasahumanrecord.Yetthebooksdonotcreate
theman.Transmissionisfrommantoman.EvenwiththeHadiths,

whileitwasatremendousandscholarlyachievementofenormous
dimensionscallingforbothpatienceandintegrity,thelivingand
essentialwaywasandstillisoneofpersonaltransmission.Still
today,forexample,attheQarawwiyininFez,theMasterofHadith
willinstructyouintheexactHadithanditsIsnadorchain,back
personbyperson,totheMessengerhimself.Youmaynottransmit
theminturnuntilheissatisfiedthatyouhavefulfilledthelearning
taskandyourselfbeenpurifiedtosuchastagethatyoutoohave
absorbedthemashehasdone.Thatpictureoftransmissionisthe
basisofaman'sIslamandhisinnerawakening.
ThustheuncleofImamJunayd,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,
Sari asSaqati, once asked him as he left the house to what
assemblyhewasgoing.Hereplied:'TothemajlisofHarithal
Muhasibi.' His uncle said: 'Good. Accept his learning and his
discipline but beware of his speculative reasoning.' AlJunayd
recounts:'andasIleftIheardSarisay:MayAllahmakeyoua
traditionistwhoisaSufiandnotaSufiwhoisatraditionist.
Indeed, I studied the Shari'a according to the schools of such
mastersofHadithas'Abu'UbaydandAbuThawr,andlaterIwas
taughtbyHarithalMuhasabiandSariibnMughallas.Thathas
beenthereasonformysuccess,becauseourknowledgemustbe
controlledbygoingbacktotheQur'anandtheSunna.Whoever
hasnotlearnedtheQur'anbyheartandhasnotformallystudied
the Hadith, and has not learned Shari'a before embarking on
Sufism,isamanwhohasnorighttolead.'
So right at the beginning of Islam, immediately following the
Messenger'sdeath,weseetheestablishmentofaStateandalong
withitthedeliberatepersecutionoftheMessenger'sCompanions
andFollowers,andworstofall,hisownfamilyandgrandchildren.
WiththeclosestfamilyisolatedfromtheStatestructureontheone
hand,andthecoalescingoftheruler'scourtswiththecivicand

spiritualcourts,theinevitableannexingofthelearnedmentook
place.DespitethemanyHadithswarningagainstsocalledlearned
menwhoservedrulers,itbecametheinevitableresultoftheState
structure:
The Messenger said, peace be upon him: 'As long as the
learnedmenassociatenotwiththerulers,theyarethedeputies
oftheMessengersofAllahoverHisservants,butwhenthey
associatewithrulerstheybetraytheMessengers.Bewareof
themandavoidthem.'
Ofcourse,justasthereweremenwhosuccumbedtotheflatteries
oftheSultansandKhalifs,thereweremanywhostucksteadfastly
totheirIslamanddefiedtheirrulersorweremartyredbythemand
diedratherthansurrenderwhattheyknewtobetheWay.Whata
statereligionhadtodowasbanishthewholeconceptofSunna
exceptasanoutwardaestheticasocialaestheticifyoulike,a
deep style. The profound and vital nature of the Sunna was
howeversomethingelse.Itwasthateveryactionandeverythought
solidified the experiencing reality of a man and separated him,
gave him the illusion of a kind of permanence, removed his
awareness that hepassed fleetingly through the world, andthat
thingshadnolastingvalue,onlytheheart'sintentionshadareality
becausetheycontainedthelifedynamicofhisexistence.Allthe
restwasillusion.Mancarriednothingwithhim.Hewashisown
recordofhislifeandafterdeathhehadtoanswerforwhathehad
doneinthezoneofactioncalledtheworld.

AishareportedtheMessenger,peacebeuponhim,assaying:
'Theworldisthedwellingofhimwhohasnodwelling,andthe
property of him who has no property.' This has been

transmittedbyAhmadandbyBaihaqi.
IbnMa'sudtoldthattheMessengersleptonareedmatand
gotupwiththemarkofitonhisbody,soIbnMa'sudsaid,
'Messenger of Allah, I wish you would order us to spread
somethingoutforyou.'Hereplied:'WhathaveItodowiththe
world? In relation to the world, I am just like a rider who
shadeshimselfunderatree,thengoesoffandleavesit.'This
hasbeentransmittedbyAhmad,TirmidhiandIbnMajah.
TheMessengersaid,peacebeuponhim:'Everybuildingisa
misfortune for its owner except what cannot, except what
cannot'AnasreporteditandAbuDawudtransmittedit.
'ThesonofAdamhasarightonlytothefollowing:ahousein
which he lives; a garment with which he covers his private
parts; dry bread and water.' This is from 'Uthman and
transmittedbyTirmidhi.
Abdallah bin Mughaffal told that a man came to the
Messenger and said, 'I love you.' When he had told him to
considerwhathewassaying,andwhenthemanhaddeclared
threetimes,'IswearbyAllahthatIloveyou,'hereplied:'If
youarespeakingthetruth,prepareacompletearmouryfor
poverty,forpovertycertainlycomesquickertothosewholove
methanaflooddoestoitsdestination.'Tirmidhitransmitted
this.
TheMessengersaid,peacebeuponhim:'Ifyouweretotrust
inAllahgenuinely,HewouldgiveyouprovisionasHedoesfor
thebirdswhichgoouthungryinthemorningandcomeback
full in the evening.' This was narrated by 'Umar ibn al

KhattabandtransmittedbybothTirmidhiandIbnMajah.
AbuDharr,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,said:'Icametothe
MessengerwhenhewassittingintheshadeoftheKa'baand
whenhesawmehesaid:"BytheLordoftheKa'ba,theyare
theoneswhosufferthegreatestloss."Iasked,"Whoarethey,
youforwhomIwouldgivemyfatherandmotherasransom?"
Hereplied:Thosewhohavethemostpropertyexceptthose
whosay,'Takethisandthisandthis,'beforethemandbehind
them,ontheirrightandontheirleft:buttheyarefew!'This
wastransmittedbyBukhariandMuslim.
Sayyedina 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said in a
transmissionbyBaihaqi,thattheMessengersaid:'Atimeis
sooncomingtomankindwhennothingofIslambutitsname
will remain and only the written form of the Qur'an will
remain. Their mosques will be in fine condition but will be
devoidofguidance,theirlearnedmenwillbetheworstpeople
under heaven, corruption coming forth from them and
returningamongthem.'

Thereisnoavoidingtheuncomfortablefactuncomfortablefor
thosewhowishtouseIslamtobuoyupasecularStatethatthe
Messengercamewithamessagethatwasaguidanceastohow
theyshouldprepareforthenextworld.Hecamewith'thegood
newsandthewarning'intheQur'anandboththeseconcerneda
man'scosmicplaceinthetwoworlds.ThisisnottosaythatIslam
istheWayofavoidingthehumansituation,ofgoingoffintothe
hills,althoughtheMessengermakesitquiteclearthatattheendof
theplanetEarth'shistory,themanoftheWaywillhavenooption

buttoleavethebarbaricsocietyofthetimeinordertosurvive.
Indeed,sointensewillbetheinneragitationofthelastdaysthatit
willbeessentialfortheMuslimtoadoptthemostreflectiveand
meditativequietism

AbuHurairareportedAllah'sMessenger,peacebeuponhim,
assaying:'Therewillbeperiodsofturbulenceinwhichtheone
whositswillbebetterthantheonewhostands,theonewho
standsbetterthantheonewhowalks,andtheonewhowalks
betterthantheonewhoruns.Hewhocontemplatesthemwill
bedrawnbythem,sohewhofindsarefugeorsheltershould
gotoit.'
AbuSa'idreportedAllah'sMessenger,peacebeuponhim,as
saying:'AMuslim'sbestpropertywillsoonbehissheepwhich
hewilltaketothetopsofthemountainsandtheplaceswhere
the rain falls, fleeing with his Deen [i.e. the Way, the
transaction]fromcivilstrife.'Bukharitransmittedthis.
AbuHurairareportedAllah'sMessenger,peacebeuponhim,
as saying: 'When time is contracted, knowledge will be
withdrawn,civilwarwillappear,meannesswillbecastinto
people'shearts,andharjwillbeprevalent.'Hewasaskedthe
meaningofharjandsaiditmeantrioting.

ThefirstCommunityofMadinahalMunawarra,theIlluminated
City,weremenwholivedintheworldbutwerenotservantsofthe
world,theyworkedinthecity,andonthebattlefieldtheydefended
themselves. They lived lives of luminous activity, giving and

sharingandguidingtoWisdomasnocommunityhaseverdone
since the human race began. Yet among them were those who
loathedgenerosityandpraiseoftheCreator,whoscornedlackof
reputationanddesiredreturntotheJahiliyya.Intheendthesemen
achievedtheirdesire.AftertheKhalifatesofAbuBakr,'Umar,and
'Uthman,mayAllahbemercifultothem,eachofwhomdidhis
besttomaintainthelifepatternoftheSunnainMadinah,camethe
tragicandfinalattemptofSayyedina'Ali,mayAllahbepleased
with him, to recover the full social nexus of the Messenger's
Sunna,butbythattime,inprecisefulfilmentoftheMessenger's
prophecy,theKhalifatecametoanend,hewasmartyred,anda
kingdomwasestablished.Ibn'Abbassaid:'Thereisnooneexcept
theMessengerwhoseknowledgeisnotsometimesfollowedand
sometimes rejected.' The Companions advised their people,
'Committomemoryaswehavecommitted.'ThefirstKhalif,Abu
Bakr,andtheCompanionsdislikedtheideaofevensubmittingthe
Qur'antopaper.Transmission,thedirectexistentialexchangeof
energywisdom, was the Way of Islam. Abu Bakr said, 'How
shouldwedowhattheMessengersdidnotdo?'Therationalisation
wasthattheCompanionshadallbutbeenslaughteredandtherisk
wasthattherewouldbenoonetotransmittheMessage.Yetthisis
theveryanxietysituationthatrealIslamhadcometodispel.The
matterwasnotandcouldnotbeinthehandsof'Uthmanandthe
others.ItwasinthehandsofRealityitself.Theactofputtingitin
writingwasthefirststepinthebetrayaloftheWisdomprocess.It
wasinevitablyfollowedbythequiteunnecessarystepofcodifying
theHadithsoftheMessengeronwhichtheSunnaisbuilt.Nowwe
have all the documents and cannot find the man. We have the
books from Allah andwehave lost the rijalallah the men of
Allah.Hehasbecomethevanishingmantheimperilledcreature
of our polluted planet the man of inner luminosity who
outwardly is a fountain of generosity and peace and
encouragement to others and guidance and strength, the man

whosewholebehaviourandenergyisunifiedandinharmonywith
the Divine transaction of existence, the Seen and the Unseen.
When Imam Malik compiled the Muwatta one of the first
collections of Hadith to be written down Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
criticisedhimandsaid,'Hehasoriginatedaninnovation(fromthe
Wisdompractice)bydoingwhattheCompanionsdidnotdo.'The
firstbooksallappearedaftertheyear120Hijraafterthedeathof
alltheCompanionsandmostoftheFollowers,includingHasanal
Basra,whowastheShaykhofknowledgefollowingthedeathof
Sayyedina'Ali,mayAllahbepleasedwiththemboth.Oncethe
process had begun, the Muslim community began to develop a
Rabbinicaltradition,anditwasamatteroftimebeforethething
snowballedintoabstract'theology'andscholasticismappearedand
argumentandrefutationallofwhicharemerelyexaltationofthe
nafs so that by the 4th century Hijra, the game element of
corruptedteachinghadbegun.ImamalGhazzali,mayAllahbe
pleasedwithhim,saysinhisgreatworkwhichisnothingbuta
vastandscholarlyattempttohavedonewithscholarshipandreturn
to Wisdom: 'The Science of Certainty 'Ilm alYakin (that is,
knowingbyinnerexperience)begantodisappearandthescience
oftheheart,researchintothequalitiesofthenafs,andthestudyof
thestratagemsofShaytanbecamerareandunknown.'
HegoesontosaythattheactsoftheCompanionswereconcealed
frommenandalsotheirlearning,sothattheMuslimscouldnotget
aclearpictureofwhatinfactthisvastmatterofIslamwasabout!
Hegoes on, 'At the same time the science of the Other World
became forgotten and the difference between knowledge and
argumentnolongerknownexcepttoaselectfew.Thusdidthe
Deen wane during those early centuries: but how about its
conditionatthepresenttime?[600A.H.]Thingshavecometoa
pointwhereanyonewhowoulddareshowhisdisapprovalofthe
presentstateofaffairswouldruntheriskofbeingcalledinsane.'

Itisagainstthischangingandincreasinglydifficultsituationthat
theappearanceofwhatiscalledSufismtookplace.Itmustalsobe
understoodwithoutanydoubtthatitfollowsfromallthathasbeen
saidthatnamingoneselfasSufiorasbelongingtoanOrderisin
itself irrelevant what the reality of the sufic phenomenon is
cannotbecompromisedbyevolvingandproposingaspecial'role'
forthesuficbrotherhoods.Thereasonandendofallthepractices
andallthedhikrandstudyisthecreationoftherijalallahthe
menofAllahfollowingtheoriginalpictureoftheMessenger,as
hewasdescribedinaHadithquotedbyImamalGhazzali:
Inthecourseofakhutba[Fridayaddresstothepeopleinthe
Mosque], the Messenger of Allah said: 'Blessed is he whose
concernforhisownfaultskeepshimfrommeddlingwiththe
faults of others, lives on money which he obtained without
wrong action, associates with the learned and the wise, and
shunsthepeopleofevilandwrongaction.Blessedishewho
humbles himself, whose nature has been refined and whose
hearthasbeenaltered,andwhoavoidsinflictingharmupon
men.Blessedishewhoactsinaccordancewithhisknowledge,
whogivesawaythesurplusofhissubstanceandwhowitholds
whateverissuperfluouswhenhespeaks,wholiveswithinthe
Shari'a and does not overstep its bounds by introducing
innovations.'
TheMessengerhassaid:'TheDeenisbehaviour.'ThewordDeen
derivesfrom'tobeindebted'and'tojudge',sothatitsmeaningis
the transaction, the debt between you and your Creator, the
judgmenthowthingsare,whatmustbedoneandsotheWay
itself.Thus,thetransactionisbehaviour.Thereisnocompromise.
Therajulullahiswhoheisbecauseoftheperfection,harmony,and
selflessnessofhisbehaviour.Itwasinevitablethatintheculture

forming,fantasyinvolvedstatestructuresthatbecameknownas
theMuslimworld,suchamanwouldbeatdifferenttimesandin
different degrees either endangered and martyred or, and this
rarely,honouredandlistenedtoasaguide.Thusthereisnohistory
of Sufism, or development of a movement within Islam called
Sufism,allthatisofthefantasypattern,justasmuchasthepottery
andthearchwaysandtheminaretsaresomuchfantasyandhave
nothingtodowithIslam.ItsuitedtheChristianworldtoadmire
Islamic art and talk of Islamic culture, but these are simply
inventions by Christian intellectuals of a situation that had
nevertheless been created by socalled Muslim societies. Islam,
however,isnotandcannotbeequatedwithanyMuslimsociety.It
isanonrealitythatisitsownreality.Nooneownsitandnoone
can put it in a book it is the Way, and the Way must be
embodied. It is the Wisdom and the Wisdom is dynamic, a
practice,itcannotbeencapsulatedinformulaeorininformation
retrievalunits.TheMessengerbroughtIslamandleftitwithhis
people.WhereyouencounteratrueMuslim,youencounterIslam.
That's it. No more. The Qur'an itself had to come through the
MessengeraBookdidnotfalloutofthesky.Itcouldnotbe
apprehendedunlessitcamethroughtheformofthemanand
laterweshallseehowtherevelationcame,andrecognisetheway
inwhichthewholeBookwasintegratedintothelivedexperience
andrealityofthedesertMessenger.
ThetransmissionthatwentfromtheMessengertoSayyedina'Ali,
mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,waspassedontoHassanofBasra,
whoisthereforethefirstoftheShaykhs.
Hesaid:'IslamisgoingintothebooksandtheMuslimsinto
thegraves.'
InAlGhazzali'sgreatwork,herecountsthisofShaykhHassan:

AmansaidtoHassan:'OhAbuSa'id,howdoyoufare?'He
said: 'Well.' The man then said: 'How is your state?' So
Hassansmiledandsaid:'Youaskmeaboutmystate?Whatdo
yousayaboutpeoplewhohavesailedinashiptilltheyreached
midoceanandthentheirshipfoundereduntileachofthem
clungtoaplankofthewreckageinwhatstatearethey?'The
manreplied:'Inastateofgreatextremity.'Hassansaid:'
thenmystateisoneofgreaterextremitythantheirs.'
HassanofBasratransmittedhisknowledgetoShaykhHabibal
Ajami.AlHujwirirecountsthisoftheMaster:
ItiswellknownamongthesufisthatwhenHassanofBasra
fled from Hajjaj, he entered the cell of Habib [fleeing,
remember, from 'Muslims']. The soldiers came and said to
Habib:'HaveyouseenHassananywhere?'Habibsaid:'Yes.'
'Whereishe?''Heisinmycell.'Theywentintothecellbut
saw noone there. Thinking that Habib was making fun of
them,theyabusedhimandcalledhimaliar.Hesworethathe
had spoken the truth. They returned twice and thrice but
foundnooneandatlastdeparted.Hassanimmediatelycame
outandsaidtoHabib:'Iknowitwasowingtoyourbaraka
thatAllahdidnotrevealmetotheseevilmen,butwhydidyou
tellthemIwasthere?'Habibreplied:'OhMaster,itwasnot
on account of my baraka that they failed to see you, but
throughtheblessednessofmyspeakingthetruth.HadItolda
lie,webothwouldhavebeenshamed.'
Whatwenowhavetoaskanddiscoverwasthisfundamental
differencethatmadeselfstyledMuslimhuntdownMuslim?How
did StateIslam define itself in such a way that it was not
challengedby,norabletorecognise,thenatureoftheloversof

Allah?StateIslamis,strictlyspeaking,theChristianheresyofthe
Churchintheprotestantsenseofapriesthoodofbelievers.Itis
sustainedbyaneliteofscholarsandpriestsnowcalled'ulama
and Imams in accordance with the Jewish Rabbinical heresy.
Heresyinthisinstancebeingsimplyadesignationofthatdeviant
energythatturnsIslaminto'religion',bindingtogetherintoaState.
TheStateFantasyisinturndependentononethingandonething
alone.NotthepoliceandnotthearmyandnotthebankStatism
dependsonthepreventionofthepeoplefromseeingthenatureof
theirrulers.Authorityhasbecomeouterandceasedtobeinner,
knowledgeisinformationalandaninstrumentofmanipulation,not
illuminativeandaninstrumentofliberation.Thisisthebasisof
Statism,whetheritbecalledIslamicoranyothername.Islamthe
IslamoftheMessengertheSufismoftheSufisforweare
beginningtoseethatthetwoareidenticalinalltermsofreference
isbasedononepremiseandonepremisealone.Lifeisajourney
towards death, and after death there is the grave, and after the
gravetheformisrestoredandits'meaning'becomesitsreality
thelifeformwhichisrecordedinthecellularrecordunfoldsand
thetrueformisrevealed,andaccordingtothenatureofthe'inner'
formtheselfgoesontoanotherformstatewhereitexperiences
thegardenserenityofWisdomorthefireanguishofimagining
oneisseparatefromthetotalitythatistheDivinesituation.Inthe
wholejourneythroughtheworldsofform,thepassagethroughthe
worldof'solid'phenomenaisbutthebriefest,andnoteventhefirst
ofthegreatjourney.ItisthezoneofactionandALLthatmatters
iswhatyouachieveintermsofanexistencedemandingmercyand
generosityandhumilityandaboveall,gratitudethatistosay,
centringnotonthefalseself,butontheexistenceformwhichis
allsustainingandallgiving.TheIslamthatthedesertMessenger
broughtcannotexistunlessyouareopentothenatureoflifeas
beingmultidimensionalandtothenatureofphenomenaasbeing
basicallyunreal.Thereisnoavoidingthisissue,anditmustbe

understoodthatwhatisbeingsaidisnotsomesimpledoctrineby
whichitisproposedthatthisisnothereallthisstuffweare
surroundedbyofcourseitisherebutthis'isness'isaseeming,
thissolidityisaveiling.TothepeopleofthePaththesensesare
notopeningsontoreality,theyareveilsfromreality.Anyonewho
thinksthatsensoryandthoughtexperiencehavesomekindoftotal
structuralfactualityarelivinginaworldofbasicinsanityanddeep
hallucination which could be shattered by a few easy
demonstrationswithoutevenrecoursetothezoneofextrasensory
perceptionorthesubatomicworldofvanishingforms.
YetitispreciselyonthislieaboutexistencethattheStateFantasy
is built, for it is nothing more than a fantasy on afantasy, the
constructionofasuperform,theState,builtonthefoundationof
thesolidformsof'money'and'capital'andmilitary'power'.Once
committed to this first insanity of Statism, there is properly
speaking,onlyoneenemytheonewhowill,asinthelegend,be
thechildwhopointsoutthenudityoftheEmperor.Suchisthetrue
Muslim,therajulullah.Callhimanythingyoulikebutbeware
lestyoubecomehoodwinkedintodenouncinghimalongwithhis
name.IfthenameSufiisanathema,dropitbutrecognisethe
reality.Muslimisaword,notareality.Lookattheman!
Who does hehonour the salih? Thepure radiant self whois
turnedtowardsAllah?
Or the people of jahil the Ambassadors, the Ministers, the
Presidents?
DoesheadmiretheKingswhodrivetotheMosqueintheirbullet
proof cars with machinegunarmed outriders, or the poor and
contentedmanbehindthepillardoingdhikrandguidingtopeace
andwisdom?

Thateventodaytherearesuchmentherearesaliheenandthere
aremanysincereMuslimswhohonourandadmirethemandturn
regretfully away from the spectacle of StateIslam is an
overwhelmingmiracle,andtheHajjistheproofofit.Amongthe
thousands of pilgrims they stand out the Muslims, shining,
radiant,andfilledwithaweofAllah.Nevertheless,wemustlook
carefullyatthepicturetheworldgivesusatthistimeandtohelp
usgraspthisviewofthetrueMuslimwemustexaminebrieflyfour
termsthatareusedinQur'antogiveusourspatialsenseinthe
scienceofIslam.Thisspatialityisadualpictureofinterpenetrating
terms, for the physical reality has superimposed on it a hidden
form, or rather the hidden reality has imposed upon it the
developedandsolidifiedworldpicture.Itisverysimple.
Samawati'Ard.
Hereisthedoublepictureofthephenomenalreality.Samawatiis
thepluralofSMA,arootmeaning'tobelofty'or'onhigh'.The
wordfor'name'derivesfromthesamecluster,sothattheexistence
ofthephenomenalheaven,theupwhichgivesusdown,thehigh
whichgivesuslow,isthebasicdualityofthewholestructural
existencewithoutitthereisnouniverse,notime/spaceandno
needfornaming.Itisthe'higher'whichcallsfornames,andthe
loweristhefollowingnegative.
Itisthespiritualpictureofdiscrimination.
'ArdisthepolaroppositetheEarth,andthereforeland,country.
Ourotherdualityis:
DunyaAkhira.
Dunyaistheworldasstructuredfantasyfamilyandwealth,

reputation, money the culture illusion, the State illusion. It

derivesfromarootmeaning'tobenearorlow'likefruithanging
lowandnearathand.Themeaningthenfoldssubtlyintoitsdeeper
meaning'easier','worse','viler',asitwere,'morereadytohand'.
Dunya, a crucial Qur'anic term, indicates not the beauty of the
mountains and the ocean all that is 'ard, earth, the unreality
whichisnonethelessrealityitself.Dunyaispureillusion,isthe
accretionandcrystallisingthatthefalseselfabsorbsandannexes
arounditasitsrealitygivingsetting,justifyingtheanguishandthe
struggleandthecrimes.Itisimportanttotastethesubtletyofthis
matterthatisexistencefortheargumentoftheenemyofIslamis
thatthisisafalseasceticismandyouareinvitedtopartakeof
dunyainthenameoftheMessenger.Yethereisthepictureasseen
bytheShaykhalKamil:'Dunyaisgood!Dunyaiswonderful!'
Inotherwords,theproblemisnotthatwedesiresomethingwe
shouldfleefrom,butthatthisfantasypalacecanbelivedin,as
longasyoudonotimagineitispermanent.Thegoodthingsofthe
dunyaarethereforyoubutyoumustknowthatwhiletheyare
thegiftofagenerousLord,theyareNOTexistenceitself,theyare
merelyaidstothejourney.Ifthejourneyisnottakenandtheaids
become the end, then the palace becomes a prison and man is
trapped.
That seeming nearness is in fact distance. This is the secret of
Shaytan,forShaytanthedevilderivesfromShTN,meaning'to
bedistant'.Inotherwords,Shaytanwhenhetakesformin'things'
makesdunyaseemnearinordertomakeHaqqtheReality
seemdistantwhilethetruthaccordingtotheTruthisthat,'Heis
nearerthanthejugularvein.'(50.16)Heisthatnearnessthatisthe
presence of the things themselves. Thus the forms manifest the
RealityinallitstremendousimmediacyHeisPresence,dunyais
essentiallyanabsence.Knowinghowtobehaveinthe'ard/world

surroundedbydunyaislikeknowingnottopanicintheshifting
landscapeofadreamwhileasleepandthatisasciencethatmust
be learned and the science is Islam, the Islam of our desert
Messenger,peacebeuponhim.
Akhirahasnorootbutindicates'thelast','thelatter','whatcomes
next','whatisputoffuntillater'.Itisthislifethatopposesdunya,
theimmediacyorseemingimmediacyisfollowedbyanotherstate,
adeferredstatewhichlatercomesshowingthetruenatureofthe
forms.Thisseemingdistanceofakhiraispartofourveiling,the
immediacyoftheakhiraisthegiftofknowledge,theknowledge
thatisthepropertyoftheTrustingOnesinIslam.Asdunyais
recognised,byexperiencenotconceptually,tobeofitsnaturea
shadowshow, an effect of consciousnessasitstarts, then of
course the nafs in awakening to the Unseen and the multi
dimensional nature of existence begins to open up, and
consciousnessasitendsbeginstoemerge.Tothesleeperinthe
caveofhisbody/world,dunyaispresentandakhiraislaterornot
atalltotheawakened,akhiraisimmediateandallsurrounding,
anddunyaavanishingdream.
ToreturntoourpoliticalmanimmersedinhisStatefantasywe
arefacedwithafascinatingsituation.Thetruthofthematterisnot
thatheisdealingwitha'realworld'andyouaresomecrankwith
anillusionabouthowthingsareandthereforeshouldbemerely
renderedsociallyineffectivesoasnottoconfuseothersthetruth
isthatthepoliticalmandarenotallowhisfantasystructuretobe
seeninthelightoftherajulullah.Hecanarguedialecticallyall
day,buthisworldcrumbleswhenheisinthePRESENCEofthe
manofAllah.Forhisworldisnotthere,itisdunya,andwhenhe
reachesforitthereisnothing,andthesheerinnerradianceofthe
rajulullah floods over him and that Light reveals the illusory
powerstructure to be sheer fantasy, and his achievements mere

dreams. The political animal has no inner reality, he is still

experientiallytrappedinhisanimality,andhisanimalnafswillbe
allthatcanmanifestinanyconfrontationwiththesaliheen.The
politicalanimalthrivesonconflictandviolencetodistractfromthe
realitiesofexistencefacedwiththerajulullahhefinallycomes
facetofacenotwithhisfantasiesandnotwithhisactiondramas,
butwithhimself.Heseeshisownpaltryforminthemirror,inthe
clearmirrorofthepolishedandreflectiveselfoftheSalih.Most
menonbeingshownamirrorexpressastonishment,asthesaying
goes,manyfleeinterror,afewrecognisethereflection.Manis
frightenedonlyofhimself,heisterrifiedbyhis'thingness'he
knows in his own being that Reality is One, and therefore he
cannotbe'two'.Thatfactistheunbearablefactofexistence,that
illusion of otherness. Faced with the rajulullah, the man of
personality/eventishorrifiedbecausehecannot'see'himasother
andfindshimselflookingintothemirrorathisownreflection,at
thatwhichhemostfears.Therijalullahcannotbedistractedbythe
falsebattleandviolenceintheforeground,theyseebeyondthe
shadowshow to the luminous reality. The political man in that
situationwouldseehisownnafsreflectedinthemirror,butthe
SalihwouldseeonlyRealityinallthenafsmirrors.Thustheman's
seeinghimselftogetherwiththeSalih'srefusaltoseehisnafsfor
ithasnorealexistencewouldproduceintolerableanguishthe
resultofwhichcouldonlybeeithersurrendertothetruthofhow
thingsareandthussurrendertotheWisdomoftheShaykh,orelse
toturnontheoffendingmirrorandsmashit.Thisisthebattle
againstIslam,thisisthepersecutionoftheawliyathefriendsof
Allah.'AbuBakr'recognised'theMessengerimmediatelywithout
hesitationforallhedidwasrecognisehisownnafsasmirrored
intheMessengerfor'AbuBakrwasMuslim,andtheMessenger
wasthe'firstoftheMuslims'.AbuLahabrejectedhimbecausehe
was busily engaged in rejecting himself and bringing about his
owndestruction.Statismmakessafetheouterstructureandthe

society collapses from within. Islam makes safe the inner

experiencingofrealityandthepeoplearenotindangerfromany
source, for they are in harmony with a compassionate reality.
Statism means to divide the body politic up one man a
policeman, another a lawyer, another a helpless citizenworker,
inevitablyitmakesonemanapolicemanandanotheracriminal
andcivilwaristheoutcomeofStatismastheMessengerwarned
againandagain:
UsamabinZaidtoldthattheMessengerlookeddownononeofthe
fortressesofMadinahandasked:'DoyouseewhatIsee?'When
his hearers replied that they did not, he said: 'I see civil wars
occurringamongyourhouseslikefallingrain.'Thisistransmitted
bybothBukhariandMuslim.
Islammeanstounifythebodypoliticinharmony,sothatevery
manisasoldier,everymanisthebankthroughsadaqaandzakat,
thatis,actsofpersonalgenerosityandobligatoryselftaxation
everymanisajudge,heishisownpoliceman.ItmeanstoUnify
andSurrendertothetruenatureofexistence.
Wearenowreadytolookmorecloselyintothemirrorofthenafs,
clearlyestablishedinasciencewhichdoesnotopposetheSufisto
Muslimstofaqirstoanythingbutavoidingthenames,keeping
one'seyesfixedontheactualnatureofthings,onthebehaviourof
the human creature, on the courtesy and the humanity and the
humilityofthemannotonhislabel.ThisistheWaythatopens
uptothepersonwhobowsandprostrateswiththeirwholebeing,
bodyandconsciousnessthisistheprocessandthepracticethat
beginsthealchemyofthenafs.
OneshaykhwasaskedwhohisfirstMasterwasandhereplied:'A
dog.'Hetoldthathehadseenadogdesperatelythirstycomeupon
aclearpoolofwater.Whenthedogadvanceditsawitselfclearly

reflectedinthepoolandretreatedinfeartakingtheimagetobe
thatofanotherdog.Againandagainheadvancedsnarlingonlyto
retreat in terror at the ferocious image that menaced him, until
finally,drivenmadwiththirst,thedogdivedintothepoolandthe
reflectedimagevanished.
WearenowabouttoapproachthescienceofStates.

TheScienceofStates

Beforewecanapproachthematteroftheahwal,theStates,itis
vitalthatwehavesomeideaofthisillusoryexperiencingcentre
thatisthenafs,anideathatis,whichisnotbasedonclaimingforit
akindofcrystallinereality,butratheronseeingitasamovingand
dynamic,fluctuatingenergysourcewehaveusedtheimageofa
radiostationgivingoutvaryingwavesfromafocal,identifiable
point.Thelocusisidentifiablebutonlyaslongassignalsgoout
fromit.Whendeathcomesthestationgoes'offtheair'yetthe
wavebandremains,thelifesituation.IftheStatesareimaginedto
besomethinghappeningtosomeonethenthetrueperspectiveis
lost. That, from the experiential point of view, there is a radio

stationandthereisaprogramme,signalsarecomingandgoing,is
neverthequestion,otherwiseitwouldnotmatterwhathappenedto
us.Whatisimportantisthatwebegintothinkaboutthesematters
with a more fluid and less definitive imagery, the 'fuzzy
mathematics'ofthebiologisttryingtodescribedynamicorganisms
ratherthanthefixedandrigidarithmeticthatmeasuressolidforms.
The key to an understanding of our movementreality and the
dismantling of the solidstate 'I' rests in the next obligatory
practicesofIslam.Theygotogetherbothinthestructureofthe
year and in their meaning. They are the sawm, the fast of
Ramadan: and zakat, the obligatory taxing of that part of one's
wealthwhichhasbeensavedforoneyear.Thefirstisanactof
separationfromtheworldreality,forone'simmediateenvironment
istheextensionofone'sbodyexperience.Peoplebecome'attached'
totheirpossessions,andthisexperienceisnothinglessthanan
extensionoftheirattachmenttotheworldasfood.TheMaulana
Rumi,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,said,'Thewholeworldis
thebreast.'ThisisthemeaningofRamadanandZakat.Itisthe
innerexperienceofthefastthatawakenstheSalik,theWayfarer,
tothismoving,fluidnatureoftheself.Letusfirstgetapictureof
what the Sunna of food is, and how the Messenger saw it as
experienceandWisdomsource.

Abu Huraira told that when they were struck by hunger

Allah'sMessenger,peacebeuponhim,gavethemeachadate.
Tirmidhitransmittedit.
Abu Darda' reports the Messenger, peace be upon him as
saying:'Provisionsearchesforamaninthesamewayashis
appointedperiod.'AbuNu'aimtransmittedit.

AbuHurairaalsoreportedtheMessenger,onwhombepeace,
assaying:'Twopeople'sfoodisenoughforthreeandthree
people'sfoodisenoughforfour.'Thisistransmittedbothby
BukhariandMuslim.
A'ishasaidthattheMessenger,peacebeuponhim,fastedon
Mondays and Thursdays. Tirmidhi and Nasa'i have
transmittedthis.
Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the
Messenger said to him: 'When you fast three days in the
month, Abu Dharr, fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth, and
fifteen.'TirmidhiandNasa'ihavetransmittedthis.
Abdallahbin'AmrbinalAstoldoftheMessenger,peacebe
uponhim,sayingtohim:'HaveInotbeeninformed,Abdallah,
thatyoufastduringthedayandgetupatnightforprayer?'
Whenherepliedthatwasso,hesaid:'Donotdoit.Fastand
breakyourfast.Getupforprayerandsleep,foryouhavea
dutytoyourbody,youreye,yourwife,andyourguests.He
whoobservesaperpetualfastneverfasts.Fastingthreedays
everymonthisequivalenttoaperpetualfast.Fastthreedays
every month and recite the Qur'an every month.' When he
replied that he was able to do more than that, he told
Abdallah,'Observethemostexcellentfast,thefastofDavid,
fasting every second day, and recite the Qur'an once every
seven nights, but do not do more than that.' Bukhari and
Muslimbothtransmittedit.
AbuHurairasaidthattheMessengerofAllahtoldhim,'Many
aonewhofastsgetsnothingfromhisfastingbutthirstand
manyaonewhopraysduringthenightgetsnothingfromhis

nightprayersbutsleeplessness.'Tirmidhitransmittedit.
AlMiqdambinMa'DikarabrecountedhearingtheMessenger
say:'Ahumanbeinghasnotfilledanyvesselwhichisworse
thanabelly.EnoughforthesonofAdamaresomemouthfuls
which keep his back straight, but if there is no escape he
shouldfillitathirdwithfood,athirdwithdrink,andleavea
thirdempty.'TirmidhiandIbnMajahtransmittedit.
'IfyouweretotrustinAllahgenuinely,Hewouldgiveyou
provisionasHedoesforthebirdswhichgoouthungryinthe
morning and come back full in the evening.' 'Umar ibn
Al'Khattab reported the Messenger as saying this and it is
transmittedbyTirmidhiandIbnMajah.
A'ishatoldthatAllah'sMessenger,peacebeuponhim,wanted
tobuyayoungslave,sohethrewsomedatesinfrontofhim,
butwhentheyouthategreedilyhesaid:'Voraciouseatingis
ominous!' and ordered him to be sent back. Baihaqi
transmittedit.
Abdallah bin 'Amr reported Allah's Messenger as saying:
'FastingandtheQur'anintercedeforaman.Fastingsays,Oh
myLord,Ihavekepthimawayfromhisfoodandhispassions
byday,soacceptmyintercessionforhim.TheQur'ansays,I
have kept him away from sleep by night, so accept my
intercession for him. Then their intercession is accepted.'
Baihaqitransmittedit.
Ibn 'Abbas said that when the month of Ramadan began
Allah'sMessengerseteveryprisonerfreeandgavetoevery
beggar.

AbuHurairareportedAllah'sMessengerassaying:'Ramadan,
ablessedmonth,hascometoyouduringwhichAllahhasmade
itobligatoryforyoutofast.InitthegatesoftheGardenare
opened, the gates of the Fire are locked, and the rebellious
shaytansarechained.InitAllahhasanightwhichisbetter
thanathousandmonths.Hewhoisdeprivedofitsgoodhas
indeedsuffereddeprivation.'AhmadandNasa'itransmittedit.

Itisclearthatfastingplaysanimportantpartinthehumanscience.
Alsoithasastructure.ThereistheobligatoryRamadanfastwhich
isannualanddatedbyalunarcalendarsothatitswingsthrough
theyearswithalunarorbit.Theopeningofthefastisdependent
on sighting the new moon of the holy month just as the dawn
prostrationsmustcoincidewiththewhitethreadoflightonthe
horizon. The fasting month itself has an inner structure. The
Messengersaidthatitwasamonthwhosebeginningwasmercy,
whosemiddlewasforgiveness,andwhoseendwasfreedomfrom
theFire.ItsclimaxcomeswiththeNightofPowerLaylatal
Qadr, during which the Messenger received the Qur'anic
revelation.Thatnightishidden,andtheseekermustwatchforit,
knowingthatitisoneofthelastunevendatednightsofthefast.
Thereisneveranydoubtwhenitcomeswhichnightithasbeen.
Thereisnomoreopennightintheyearfordirectexperience,or
rather,forawakening.
Thefastisfromdawntosunsetandisbrokenimmediatelythesun
hasgonedown.Thefastistotalandisalsoanabstentionduring
thesamehoursfromsexualintercourse.Itisalsounderstoodthat
fastingimpliesacontrolofone'stemperandone'stongue.Theeye
shouldfastwiththeothermembers,andtheearshouldrefrainfrom
listeningtowhatisnotpleasing.Thetotalimpactofthemonth's

fastisquiteshatteringanditseffectsonthesolidityfantasyofthe
nafsisextreme.Whatitdoes,ofcourse,isaffectthewholebasisof
theseparateselfillusionbybreakingtheestablishedadultfeeding
patternwhichinturnopensupthememoryoftheinfantilefeed.
Theresonanceofanyimbalanceandfearthatwascontainedinthat
heldbasicmemorystructureisreleasedandsoundedasitwerelike
a gong whose reverberation had been smothered and is now
allowed to shudder to silence. It is an opening therefore to the
wholesubstructureofthenafs,whoseothernesshasemergedinthe
infantile phase where feeding both implies a unity of self and
environment on the one hand, and, when the feed is removed,
delayed,orgivenwithanxiety,ontheotherimpliesseparateness,
isolationandfear.TothepersonsettingoutonthePath,Ramadan
inevitablyprovesthemostdifficulttimeoftheirnewlife,andif
theyseeitthrough,forthesamereasons,themostrewarding.The
voluntaryfastswhicharementionedintheHadithsabovefollow
thesamepattern,certaindaysanddatesofthemonthsbeingthe
mostinharmonycosmicallywiththeactoffasting.Thehighest
fastistheonewhichmostdrasticallybreaksthefeedorder,thefast
of David, which both liberates the self from the dependency
pictureofimaginingthatthefoodcomesfrom'outside'andopens
theawakeningmindtotherealityoftheUnitythroughtheQur'an.
ThefastopensonetotheDivineCompassionandtheAttributes
ArRazzaq,theProvider,andAlWahhab,theGenerous.
Weshouldnotavoidseeingintowhatthenatureofthefasting
experienceis.Thereisnouseexpectingittobethebasisofsome
'higher'experience,whenthewisdomofthefastliesintheveryact
of separation which is simply not eating. The human being
experiences an inner emptiness which first expresses itself as
hungerorthirst:whenitissatisfied,theexperiencingselfinits
dynamicformmakingenergygoesontoplacethisemptinessout
intotheemotionalsphere.Thepersonthenbecomesgreedyforthe

'other'.Theotheriseatenup.Firstthemilk,thenthemother.Once
the nafs moves out into the whole world picture, the appetite
moves outwards from food and emotional encounter to every
stratum of experience. Conquest and war are nothing but the
continued devouring of the unsatisfied child. The Messenger,
peacebeuponhim,hassaidthatthemothergivesthechildmilk,
andsomethingalongwiththemilkwhichisWisdom.Thereshould
benosymbolising,orabstractingofthiscrucialstatement.Itisthe
heart of the wisdom picture. Milk/Wisdom. Compassion is the
natureofthelifeexperience.Therealityisthatwearefedbutthe
truefeedcontains'somethingalongwithit'anenergythat,ifitis
healthy,givesthechildasenseofitssafetyintheDivineprocess,
andifitispoisoned,willtransmitthemother'sfearsandangerinto
thechild.Sothatthewomanisthefirstteacherofthechild,andit
isthechildwhohasbeenwellnourishedinthatcompletesense
whomorereadilyfeels'full':whilethechildwhohasnotreceived
thatsenseofwellbeingwillpanicandseekinthefooditselffor
thecompassionthat'goesalongwith'thefood,butinitscasewas
missing.Soaperson'sexpectationoftheworldofdunyaof
thosegrapeshangingsonearandyetalwaysoutofreachno
matterhowtheformmaychangeintheappetitepictureitcould
be for reputation, popularity, punishment, power, land, wealth,
anythingwouldneverbeanythingelsethanafutileexpectation
ofthemissedinfantilewisdomtransaction.Thisisapatternwith
noblameforthisisnothingelsethantheSealofthedestiny.Nor
canweeverknowwhatweimbibedinthefirstchildfeastuntilthe
wholepictureofthelifeiscomplete.Theremaybeamemoryof
greatloveinthatfirsttransmissionanditmaybecoveredoverand
itsuncoveringisthePath,oroneofthevitaldimensionsofthe
Path,forthewisdomtransactionisonethatinvolvesthewhole
transmutationofthenafswhichexistsbyvirtueofourexperience
ofthebodyasaseparatephenomenalform.Wecannotpretendtoa
mentalunitywhenweareentrenchedinthesolidbody.

HerethewholepatternofHalalfood,permittedfood,takesona
profound meaning. The cells themselves must be pure as the
outlineformmustbemadepurebythewudu.ShaykhalAkbar,
quotingtheQur'anicayat:'Andamongstthemisonewhowalkson
his belly,' (24.45), says: 'He refers to those Saliheen who
scrupulouslyexaminetheirfood,forbymeansofpurefoodwhich
producesstrengthforthepracticeofdhikr,theheartisilluminated
andbecomestheabodeoftheseformsofDivineWisdom.'Itmust
notbeforgottenthateveryvesselhasacapacityandthatcapacity
isdeterminedcellularlybythedestinyofparentageandtimeand
placeofbirthbothfromaplanetaryandcosmicpointofview.That
eventwhichconditionsthesefactorsisnodifferentandispartof
thesameDivineprocesswhichisthelife,ofwhichthefirstpartis
the feedingwisdom experience, and of which the last is the
fastingwisdom experience. Just as we once came out from the
womb, so we must now come out from the worldbreast and
experiencetheUnseen,inorderthat,bythegraceofAllah,wewill
thencomeoutfromthecompanyoftheMessengersandawliyain
theGardensoftheUnseenworlds,untilwearefinallydesirousof
Unityitself,thenwearecompleteandthegreatfeastofformsis
over.ThereisaHadithqudsiwhereAllahtaalaspeaksthrough
theMessengerinthefirstpersoninwhichHesays:'Fastingis
mine.'FastingistheopeningontotheReality,itisthemelting
away of the solid, the dispersal of the cloudbody and the
appearanceofthesunspirit.YoudiminishHemagnifies.Itisa
process that reduces one, in a quite real way, cellularly and
experientiallyuntilthefastingpersonbecomesconsciousoftheir
existenceasfluidandwavelikeratherthanfixedanddelineated.
Whatever the illusory self has defined itself as and crystallised
itself as, the fast of Islam immediately shatters that form and
openingupbegins.
Theobligatoryfast,lastingasitdoesforawholemonth,andthat

monthbeingthemonthcosmicallyintendedforfasting,resonates
deeplyintothepseudosolidityofthenafsandawakensthebasic
responsethatthenafshastothefeedexperience,andwiththatthe
wholeselfpatternisopenedupforthefastertosee.'Everydaywe
areonanewcreationtakeprovisionfromit,'saidtheMessenger
inawellknownHadith,andthisistheexperienceofthepersonon
afast.Heisawarethatanyconstancyofselfheimaginedhehad
was merely a surface illusion buoyed up by habit pattern and
behaviour structure designed to give an illusion of solidity. He
begins to know himself as a shuddering, evanescent, melting,
movingreality,layersfallfromhim,andheisawarethereforethat
what remains of him, while already more fragile, still has no
absolutereality.AstheveilslifttheLightbecomesclearer.The
seeker begins to awaken. It is in this condition that the murid
recognisesthatheisconstantlypassingfromoneStatetoanother.
Itisthenthatthepracticebeginstorevealitseffectwithstartling
results.
BeforeamanhadtakenthePathhewouldtakeeveryexperienceas
itcame:hemightoccasionallydiscerna'pattern',butdependingon
howthingswere,thekindofcloseupimpactofevent,ofwhich
violenceaswehaveseenisthemostextremedemandingaclose
up reaction which forbids detachment or makes it wellnigh
impossiblewouldstophimseeinglifeasanythingbutamyriad
ofdifferentpossibilitiesandactualitieschaoticallyfollowingone
onanother.OncethatmantakesthePathhebeginsthepracticeof
unifyingexistence.HeaffirmstheOne.HebowsbeforetheOne.
HepraisestheOne.HeaddressestheOne.HeseesOne.Hehears
One.HeeventuallyknowsOne.Helearnsnottofearnowthisand
nowthat.Helooksforhisprovision,forhisneedstocomefrom
Onesource,andwhatevertheagent,hecutsthroughthedeception
offormsandrecognisesalwaysineverycaseOneRealityatwork.
So,withhisnafs,helearnsnottosayIamthisandIamthat,but

rather,Iamneitherthisnorthat,butwhatcomesovermeisthe
nafs' rejection of what comes from the Compassionate Lord.
Contentmentwithone'slotbecomesnotapainfulbusinessbuta
sweetbusiness,andtheabilitytoseetheUnityatworkeasesthe
painsthatwereonceintolerable.Inthisviewthereisnothingto
holdonto,noillusorysafetythesafetyliesintherecognitionthat
theneedisnotforsafetyfromtheworld,butfromHim,andonly
HecansaveyoufromHim.IfyoufleefromtheOneyoucanonly
flee to the One. This is the basis of fear and hope. Imam al
Ghazzali, commenting on the revelation of Allahtaala to the
MessengerDawud,peacebeuponhim,'FearMeasyoufearthe
harmfullion,'says:

Andthereisnodeviceforinducingfearoftheharmfullion
exceptknowledgeofthelionandknowledgeoffallingintoits
claws, and there is no need of any device beside that. So
whoeverknowsAllahknowsthatHedoeswhatHewillandHe
doesnotcareandrulesasHedesiresandisnotafraid.AsHis
sayinghasexplainedit:'TheseareintheGardenandIdonot
careandtheseareintheFireandIdonotcare.'

Afteraprofoundexpositionofthistheme,hesumsupinoneofthe
mostpowerfulpassagesinhisgreatwork:

Asforthepersonwhofallsintotheclawsofthelion,ifhis
knowledgewereperfect,hewouldnot beafraidof thelion,
sincethelioniscoerced.Ifhungerdominatesit,itwillmaul,

andifheedlessnessdominatesit,itwillignoreandleavealone.
SohewouldbeafraidonlyoftheCreatorofthelionandHis
Attributes. Am I not going to say that fear of the lion is a
parableoffearofAllah?No.Whentheveilislifted,itwillbe
knownthatfearofthelionistheveryfearofAllah,because
theOnewhokillsbymeansofthelionisAllah.

Nowthewaytoopeningtheselftothisinescapableandterrifying
fact,theonenessofexistence,isthesimplestthingintheworld.
Whatmakesitseemdifficultisnotthattheactitselfisdifficult,
butthatweruninfearfromtheverynatureofasituationwhichby
itsnatureforbidsourescape.Madnessistheradicalruseofthe
ordinarypersonontherunfromhowthingsare.Madnessallits
brilliantlyconstructedescaperoutesleadstoahopelessactof
impasse.Mancannotseparatehimselffromreality,hisownreality
liesdeepwithinhim,thereforehecannotseparatefromhisown
being any more than he can jump out of his skin, yet this is
preciselywhatthemadmantriestodogetoutofthebodyto
somewhere safe like the moon, abandon the central nervous
system,refusetoreactasiftherewasanyone'athome'insidethe
body.CourteouslytheslaveaddressestheLord.You,the'I'open
yourselftothetotalityoftheOnetotheUniversal.The'I'speaks
thelittleUniversespeakstotheBigUniversal.'I'speakto'Him'.
'I'ampresent,'He'isabsentthethirdpersonsingularis,asthe
ShaykhalAkbarpointsout,thepronounofabsence,andaformal
dialoguebegins.IHe.Thisisthebeginningoftherealjourney,
whosephasesare:IHe:IYou:I.Therearethreestagesof
knowledgeintheQur'aniclanguage.
'Ilmalyakin.''Aynalyakin.''Haqqalyakin.'

Knowledgeofcertainty.Sourceofcertainty.Truthofcertainty.Or
astheRajahofMahmudabad,mayAllahhavemercyonhim,said:
'Firstyouaretoldthereisafireintheforest.Secondyousee
withyourowneyesthereisafireintheforest.Thirdyoubecome
thefireintheforest.'
Thus,intheend,'I'havebecomeanabsenthe,andonlythe'I'
remainsofAllahtaala.Thisisthemeaningofthegreatsayingof
theSufistheSufiisuncreated.Fromthedepthsoftheawesome
forestsoftheTawhid,therealityisthatthereneverwasany'other'
tobecomeabsorbedorannihilatedorunified.TheRealityisOne.
Mansur AlHallaj ends his great song of Unity, the 'Tawasin'
saying:
AllahisAllah.Creationiscreation.
Anditdoesnotmatter.
This is not an affirmation of duality or some kind of total
separationoftheDivinityfromHisrealm,ratheritistheessential
starting point, and therefore also the end point, of the man of
knowledge.AsShaykhMoulayalArabiadDarqawi,aShaykhof
ourShaykh,said:'TheslaveistheslaveandtheLordistheLord.'
Aswewilllatersee,thisistheonlythingweareabletosaywhile
affirmingthetwogreatstatementsoftheMessenger'Allahwas
andtherewasnothingwithHim,'i.e.beforetheUniverse:and,
'He is now as He was before.' Thus the goal of the seeker of
Realityisnothinglessthanhisownundoing,thewipingoutofthis
illusorycentralexperiencingself,forinorderthat'He'theabsent
OneshouldremainastheonlyPresence,the'I'mustbeannihilated.
WenowcometotheWayinallitsfullness,forwehaveglimpsed
forthefirsttimewhatthegoalmightbe.Wehaveseenthatthe
truenatureofthenafsasitisexperiencedisnotthatofasolid
objectaccretingqualitiesandfaultsinamoreandmoresolidlump,

butratherwehaveseenthatthenonexistentnafsisexperienced
byusasbeingsolidstate,andthattheactsofsalatandfastingand
zakatshudderandmovethisseemingsolidityuntilwerecognise
thatthenafsisinconstantmovement,constantflux,itiscloud
formandnotmountain.Thegoalisthatthemountainshouldbe
blownawaywithalltheeasewithwhichthewinddispersesthe
cloud,asinthesuperbFormfromQur'anwhichdescribestheLast
Day of the world macrocosm and microcosm being utterly
identicalinourpictureofoneness
Theywillaskyouofthemountainssay:'MyLordwillbreak
themintoscattereddust,andleaveitasanemptyplain.'
Themeansbywhichwesetinmotionthemountainsolidityof
formsinexperienceinordertoopenourselvestothetransparent
cloudnatureofstuffisthegreatsciencethattheProphetstransmit
totheirpeople.ItiscalledinthelanguageofthedesertMessenger,
dhikr'Allah.
Nowwhenweexaminetherootoftheword,weasusualuncover
itstrueexistentialimpact.Themeaningofthiswordwhichisthe
scienceoftasawwufisinitsroot:DhKR'tobekickedinthe
groin'.Thereitis.ItisaseverythinginQur'aniclanguageself
explanatory.TheDivineRealityisPresence.Youarenotfarfrom
Him,Heisnothidingfromyou,andthereisnocomplexsecret
esoterictantrathathastobepractised.Ifyouwanttoknow,ifyou
reallywantOneness,ifyoureallywanttobetakenoutofyour
neurotic mindgames and made aware of the immediate and
vibrantPresenceoftheLordoftheUniversewhatyouneedisa
kickintheballs.Itisoffensive?Thenwhatoffendsyouisyour
sickness,themaradthatseparatesyoufromthetremendousand
overwhelming immediacy of reality in all its presenttense
awareness.Itisthatshockthatinstantfocussingofthenafson

the actuality of existence, that halts the formmaking mind and

thereforeopensinoneinstantthewholebeingtothetotalmind,to
the nonmind, to the Presence itself. From this root the formal
meaningsfollowinobvioussuccession,butalldeeplyconnectedin
meaningtotheirroot:
Dhikr'toremember','tomakementionof','tofillthemindwith',
'a making plain', 'a shockwarning', 'a plain statement' (of how
thingsare),'tobecalledtoattention','themeansofknowing','to
remindone'sself'therefore,'tobereminded'.
Now,theaffirmationlailahaila'llahMuhammadunrasulallah
isdhikr.Salatisdhikr.Fastingandzakataredhikr.However,we
arebeingforcedbyourpursuitofthemeaningofexistencetogo
beyondthesetimepoints,tojointhemup,tostringthepearls,to
open our experience to a continuity that takes us from one
prostrationtimetoanother,fromoneRamadantothenext.
Therepositoryofdhikris,ofcourse,theQur'an,anditisthemine
ofallthedhikrwepractise.Wealsofindthatinthescienceof
dhikrdifferentsituationshavedifferentdhikr.Qur'ansaysofitself:

AndwesentdownoftheQur'anthatwhichisahealinganda
mercytotheTrustingOnes.(Qur'an17.82)
InthelanguageoftheShaykhalAkbar:
'The Qur'an is laden with quality. Qualities are states its
qualityisthesourceformofitsessence,andtheessencedoes
notrequireotherthanitbecauseitisit,byitself.Soitsquality
islikethatbecauseofitssourceform,neitherotherthanitnor
extratoit,sounderstand!AllahspeakstheTruthandguides

tothePath.'

It is clear that a deep understanding of what Qur'an is as a

phenomenonisessentialtoaknowledgeoftheWayandindeed,of
knowledgeitself.TheQur'anmustbeexaminedandseennotjust
assomeoddtextthatsomehowcametoberecitedandeventually
writtendown.ItisonlywiththeadventofthisBookthatweare
abletoexaminethenatureofrevelationasahistoricevent,sinceit
occurredonlyfifteenhundredyearsagoandthewholematterwas
closelyrecordedandisalsoexplainedwithinthetextitself.What
theMasterisheresayingisthatwhatevertheQur'anmaybeit
isn'tjust aBook,but adynamic thing 'ladenwith quality'.The
Bookisacollectionoftheselifetexturedrealitiesandtheseenergy
patternsareequivalents,thatistosaynotindicators,butthesame
asStates.ThustheQur'anisasourcebookofallthe'States'that
the human being may experience. So the dhikr is a key which
opensthepatterningofthenafs,uncoveringlayeruponlayerof
experiential solidification and allowing the Light of the self to
comethroughinitsoriginalsourceformcondition.
Letusnowexplorethisquitesimplebuttremendouspicturethatis
thebasisofIbn'Arabi'spictureoftheself.Firstwemustseewhat
dhikris,thenmoveontoaclearerideaofwhathalisandfinally
returntoourstartingpoint,movingfromthenafstotheQur'anas
thekeytothecreationsituation.
Theelectrifying,mindstoppingrealitythatisputforwardasthe
natureofexistencebytheShaykhalAkbar,isoneinwhichevery
formisconsciouslyparticipatinginthegloryandbeautyofthe
DivineRealityateveryinstantand/ornoninstant,andtheseforms
areonlyvariegatedversionsoftheirsourceformsintheUnseen,
andthesesourceformsareonlyLightfromaspectsoftheEssence

comingout from theoriginalRealitywhichisitselfbeyondall

ascription,grasp,ordefinition.
Inthe'MakkanRevelations'hesays:

He said, may He be exalted: 'There is nothing but that it

proclaimsHispraise.'(17.44).'Thing'isindefinite,andonly
thelivingintellect,knowingofHispraise,givespraise.Itis
relatedoftheMu'adhdhinthat,ofwetanddry,totheextent
that his voice carries, everything testifies for him. Thus we
haveheardtherocksdoingdhikr'Allahwiththesightofthe
eye and our ears heard from them with the tongue of
articulation.Theyspoketouswiththespeechofthegnosticsof
thegloryofAllahwhichnoteverymanperceives.Soeachsort
from the creation of Allah is one of the communities which
Allahformedonaworshipparticulartothem.SoHeinspired
themwithitfromwithinthemselves.Sotheir'messenger'is
from their essences. There are outstanding ones from Allah
whereaparticularinnerawarenessonwhichtheyhavebeen
formedgivescertaincreaturesaknowledgewhichtheadept
technician cannot grasp. They even know what is of use to
theminwhattheyreceiveofinsectsandediblesandhowto
avoidwhatisharmfultothem.Allthatisfromtheirnatural
disposition.Itisthesamewithinanimatesandplants.Allah
has taken our eyes and ears from what they have of
articulation.
Thehourwillnotcomeuntilmanspeaksandhispeopletakeit
forhisdeed,makingwisemenseemignorantHe,mayAllah
blesshimandgranthimpeace,hadcompleteunveiling,sohe

sawwhatwedonotsee.Hespoke,peacebeuponhim,ofthe
commanduponwhichthePeopleofAllahact,sotheyfound
his word to be true: 'Had it not been for increase in your
speechanddisorderinyourhearts,youwouldhaveseenwhat
IseeandyouwouldhaveheardwhatIhear.'Sohewasgiven
therankofperfectionofslavedom,sohewasapureslave.He
did notstand byhissovereignessence overanyone.That is
what mastery necessitated and it is a constant proof of his
honour.
A'ishasaid:'TheMessengerofAllah,mayAllahblesshimand
granthimpeace,usedtododhikrconstantly,atalltimes.'We
haveanamplelegacyfromhim,anditisamatterparticularto
theinwardpartofman.

Here,thecommunicationandawarenessofthelowerorganismsis
connected to the act of speech and the nature of Wisdom. The
Wisdomtransmissionis'particulartotheinwardpartofman'and
itsmeansisdhikr.Speechinitspureandoriginalstateisnothing
butdhikr,andtheaccretionsofspeechthatcomewithabandoning
the Wisdompractice are means of tyranny and domination and
chaos,socialandprivate.Thebabbleoftheignorantmanandthe
insanemanareofthesamenature.Forspeechtobebasicallysane,
itmuststemfromthe'speech'oftherevelation,whichinitsturnis
the fruit of silence. Quintessential speech is not pure dhikr but
ratherthestatefromwhichwisdomspeechcomesandallthese
patterningsaretheayatsoftheQur'an.Fromthisviewpoint,'there
isnothingbutthatitproclaimsHispraise.'
ElsewheretheShaykhIbn'Ataillahsaidaboutdhikr:

Dhikrisafirewhichdoesnotstayorremainsoifitentersa
housesaying:'Meandnothingotherthanme'whichisfrom
themeaningsoflailahailla'llah,andthereisfirewoodinthe
house,itburnsitupanditbecomesfire.Ifthereisdarknessin
thehouse,itbecomesLight,itsLight.IfthereisLightinthe
house,itbecomesLightuponLight.
Dhikrdrivesawayfromthebodyextraelementsproducedby
excessineatingandfromtheconsumptionofHaramfood:as
forwhatisderivedfromHalalfood,itdoesnottouchit,sothe
harmful elements are burned up and the good elements
remain.Dhikrisheardbyeverypartasifitwereblowingona
trumpet,andwhendhikrfirstfallsintothehead,thesoundof
thetrumpetandglassesarefoundthere.Dhikrisasultan
whenitdescendsintoaplaceitdescendswithitstrumpetsand
glassesbecausedhikrisopposedtoallthatisotherthanthe
Reality,sowhenitdoesdescenditoccupiesitselfwithnegating
whatiscontrary,aswefoundwiththeunionofwaterandfire.
After these sounds, different sounds are heard: like the
murmur of water, the sound of the wind, the sound of fire
whenitiskindled,thesoundofridingbeasts,thethunderof
horses,andthesoundoftheleavesofthetreeswhenthewind
blowsonthem.Thisisbecausemanisacombinationofevery
nobleandlowsubstanceofdust,water,fire,air,andearthand
heaven and what is between them. These sounds are from
every source and element of these substances. Whoever has
heardthesesoundsindhikrhaspraisedAllahandglorified
Himwitheverytongue.Thisistheresultofthedhikrofthe
tongue with the force of absorption. Perhaps the slave will

reachthestatewhere,whenheissilentfromthedhikr,the
heartwillmoveinhisbreastlikethemovementofthechildin
thewomb,demandingdhikr.
Theysaid:'Indeed,theheartislike'IsathesonofMaryam,
peacebeuponthem,anddhikrisitsmilk.Whenitgrowsand
becomesstrong,ayearningfortheTrutharisesfromitwitha
voice,andinevitableswooningthenblowsonitacravingfor
dhikrandtheOneinvoked.Thedhikroftheheartislikethe
soundofthebee,neitheraconfusedhighsound,noraverylow
hiddensound.ThentheOneinvokedtakespossessionofthe
heartandthedhikrisobliteratedandvanishes,andtheone
who invokes turns neither to the heart nor to the dhikr. If
duringthis,aglanceatthedhikrortheheartappearstohim,
thatisadistractingveil.Thisstateisfanawhichisthatman
isannihilatedinrespecttohisnafsandthathefeelsnothing
fromhisoutwardlimbs,northingsoutsideofhim,norspells
inside of him. If, during that, it occurs to him that he is
annihilated in respect to himself altogether, then that is a
blemishandtroubledness.Perfectionisthathebeannihilated
to himself and to annihilation, and the annihilation of
annihilationisthegoalofannihilation,andannihilationisthe
foremostpartofthePath,sinceitisgoingtowardsAllah,may
Hebeexalted,andthenguidancefollows.Byguidance,Imean
theguidanceofAllah,ashesaid,blessingsandpeacebeupon
him: 'I am going to my Lord and He will guide me.' This
absorptionisrarelyestablishedandrarelycontinues.Ifitdoes
continueitbecomesafixedhabitandalastingconditionby
whichheascendstothecelestialworld.Thenthepurestreal
existence emerges and the inscription of the invisible world
(malakut)isstampedonhim,andthepurityoftheDivinity

(lahut)appearstohim.Thefirstofwhatisrepresentedtohim
fromthatworldistheangels'essencesandthespiritsofthe
prophetsandawliyainabeautifulformwhichflowsonhim
throughsomeoftherealities.Thatisthebeginninguntilhis
degreeiselevatedfromformsandheencounterstheTruthin
everythingwithclarity.
Thisisthefruitofthecoreofdhikr,anditsbeginningisthe
dhikrofthetongue,thenthedhikroftheheartisstimulated,
then the dhikr becomes nature, and then the One invoked
takespossessionandthedhikrisobliterated,andthisisthe
secret of his word, peace be upon him: 'Whoever wishes to
grazeintheGardensofParadise,lethiminvokeAllahmuch,'
and the secret of his word: 'Hidden dhikr is seventy times
preferabletodhikrwhichisheardbylisteners.'
ThesignsofdhikrmovingtotheSecretistheabsenceofthe
onewhoinvokesbothfromthedhikrandtheOneinvoked,
and the dhikr of the Secret is being madly thirsty and
drowninginit.Amongitssignsisthatwhenyouleaveoffthe
dhikritdoesnotleaveyou,andtheflightofdhikrinyouisto
awakenyoufromabsencetopresence.
Amongitssignsisthatdhikrtightensyourheadandlimbs,as
iftheywereboundwithbondsandchains.Amongitssignsis
thatitsfiresdonotabate,anditsLightsdonotdepart,rather
itsLightsarealwaysseenrisinganddescending,andthefires
around you are untroubled, being aflame and brightly
burning. When dhikr reaches the Secret, the dhikr is the
silenceoftheonewhoinvokes,asifneedleshadbeenthrust
throughhistongueinvokingwithLightflowingfromit.

TheShaykhalKamilinoneofthemostrenownedsongsinhis
Diwan,'FanaFi'llah',says:

OhseekerofannihilationinAllah
sayallthetime:Allah!Allah!
AndwithdrawintoHimfromotherthanHim
andwithyourheartseeAllah!

Inhissong,'TheCommentaryontheWird'hesays:

IfyouwishtohastentoanunderstandingoftheRealitythen
withhimmapersevereinrepeatingtheMightyName.
AlwaysmirrorthelettersoftheNameinyourheartandrepeat
itunconsciouslyateverymoment.
Donotturntoothernessforitisindeedabarrier.Evenwhen
itispraiseworthyitisstillmoresuitabletodarkness.
TothePeople,Hisdhikrdoesinplaceofwhatisotherthan
Him.IfyoupossesshimmathereisnooppositetoAllah.
FearHimindhikrandbeannihilatedtootherthanHim:and
thereisnootherexceptfortheillusionofmultiplicity.
MultiplicityisonlyOnenessmultipliedinaccordancewiththe

NamesandthetracesofDivinePower.

In'TheGreaterSong',theShaykhalKamilsaysoftheonestarting
outonthejourney:

HeshouldbusyhimselfwithdhikrofAllah,mayHisMajesty
beglorified,forinthatliestheremedyforeveryfaultandill.
In'TheMinorSong'hesays:

ToanyonewhowithdrawsintotheLightsofthedhikrofthe
Truth,Creationisnothingbutparticlesofdustinspace.
Hereis'TheVirtuesoftheMightyName':

FreeyourselffromothersandyouwillattainHisproximity
and you will ascend to the ranks of the People of every
assembly.
Fillyoureverybreathwithdhikr'Allahforeachbreathhasto
beaccountedforontheDayofGatheringandPromise.
ExaltallphenomenabecauseitisformedfromtheLightofthe
ProphetMuhammad.

RegarditasLightsfromtheNamesofourLordandwithdraw
frombeingunresponsiveandspeakingfromopinion.
LovewiththeloveofAllahandhatewithHishate.Thisisthe
Road,sobeawareofit,myfriend!
BeanisthmusbetweenthetwooceanstheRealityandthe
RoadandyouwillattaintherankofRecognitioninevery
assembly.
Ineverymosque,guidetheslavesofAllahbyAllahopenly,by
showingthebeautyofthePathsofAllah.
AndifyouwishtogoswiftlyintothePresenceofourLord,
thenhaveagoodopinionofAllah'screationandspeakwellof
Him.
PersevereintheSublimeandMightyNamewithagoodheart,
sincerityandconcentration.
Recognise the beauty ofthe Essence in everyManifestation.
WereitnotforittheexistenceoftheExistentwouldnothave
beenestablished.
AlltheattributesofthenafsareannihilatedbyHisInvocation,
and all that remains is tranquillity of heart, sweeter than
honey.
Every inner state along with the Stations arises from
invocationoftheMightyNamewithgravity.
SofromitcomestheOpeningforeveryWayfarerandfromit
comestheOverflowingforeveryMurshid.

Fromitisthestateofintoxicationandfana,andfromit,too,
thestatesofsobrietyandecstasy.
Powerisonlygiventotheonewhohasisolatedhimselfwith
Him, and who, through much praise, is adorned with what
pleasesHim.
ThushewillcontinuetoascendinthedesertsofHisEssence
until he is utterly annihilated in an annihilation that has
nothinginitbutloss.
Ifhereturnstothetracesofexistence,HebringsaRobeof
HonourwhichproclaimsHisWilaya(beingaWali)andglory.
SobeaslaveandservanttotheOnewhosedescriptionthisis,
andfulfilthecontractofAllah,andHewillgiveyouwhatHe
haspromised.
The greatest of Allah's creation in this matter are His
MessengersandthemostperfectoftheminitistheProphet
Muhammad.
SohisoutwardformisaLightandhisinnerformisaSecret.
Hisperfectionsarebeyondnumbering.
MaytheblessingsofAllahbeuponhimandhisfamilyand
Companions,andgiveuslimitlessLutf(DivineFavour).

In this qasida the Shaykh describes the whole transformation

processthatissetinmotionbytheactofdhikr.Thisshimmering
formmaking machine, this kaleidoscope that makes endless
patternsfromafewvariedsetexperiencepieces,thenafsonceit

is submitted to the fire and lights of dhikr is fragment by

fragmentannihilated,untilallthatremainsistranquillityofheart
sweeterthanhoney.Thenafsstateshavingbeenannihilatedbythe
fireofdhikrleavetheseekeropeneduptohisqualities,hishigher
nafsstatesinthatmiddleconditionofconflictanddevelopment
thatAlGhazzalidefinedthenthatisilluminateduntiltheclimax
of Light comes which annihilates the whole nafs as an
experiencinglocusbothmentallyandbiologically.
Sowhatarethesestateswhatisthedhikractivityworkingupon,
whatisitthatgoesthroughthistremendousupheavalofenergy
caused by the invocation? Let us go directly to the Shaykh al
Akbarforadefinition.Inapoemontheknowledgeofphenomenal
beinghedeclares:

The knowledges of phenomenal being move a great deal,

knowledgeoftheFacedoesnotmove.
Weaffirmandnegateallofthem,weseparateandfindthem
statebystate.
MyGod!HowcanotherthanYouknowYouwhenYourlike
isfromtabarakandta'ala?
MyGod!HowcanotherthanYouknowYou?Canotherbea
mithaltoYou?
WhoeverseeksthePathwithoutaguide,myGod!Heseeksthe
impossible.
MyGod!HowcanheartsdesireYouandtheydonothopefor
intimacyandunion?

MyGod!How canotherthanYouhavegnosisofYou?No,
andagain,no.
MyGod!HowcaneyesseeyouwhenYouareneitherlights
nordarknesses?
MyGod!IdonotseemyselfasotherthanYou!HowcanIsee
theimpossibleorbeastray?
MyGod!YouareYou!AndIletthegiftbesoughtfromYour
Iness.
By apoverty established with me from myexistence, which
wasproducedfromYourrichness,soitisastate.
HeinformedmethatHemightmanifestmetoHim,andHe
didnotseemeasotherthanHim,soIwasamirage.
Whoeverseeksthemirage,wantswater.
Heseesthesourceoflifeforhimascoldwater.
Iamphenomenalbeing,andthereisnothinglikeme!
WhoamI,likeHim,beforemithal(likeness)?
Thatisoneofthemostwondrousthings,solook!
Perhapsyouwillseeitslikechangingstate.
There is not in phenomenal being other than individual
existencewhichisabovebeingequalledorobtained.

Headdsinprose:

Know, may Allah support you, that all that is in the earth
movesfromstatetostate.Sotheworldoftimemovesinevery
thing,andtheworldofbreathsmovesineverybreath,andthe
worldoftajallimovesineverytajalli.Thereasonforthatis
His word, may He be exalted, 'Every day He is upon some
labour', (55.29) and He supports it by His word: 'We shall
surelyattendtoyouatleisure,youweightandyouweight.'
(55.31)Everymanfindsinhimselftypesofpassingthoughtsin
hisheart,inhismovements,andstillnesses.Sonoonemoves
whoisinthecelestialandterrestialworldsbutthatitisfroma
Divineturningbyaparticulartajallitothatsourceform.So
hisfoundationisfromthattajalliaccordingtowhathisreality
accordshim.

Here,theShaykhindicatesthreedegreesofexistence.Theforms
thataredevoidoforganiclife,theorganicformswhichhavethe
'breath' oflife,andthe humancreatureswhohaveunveilingof
forms from the Unseen. The Shaykh says that these self
experiencesthatpassovertheexperiencingcentreofthenafsare
not outward intrusions, are not random, are not unpredictably
chaotic,butallinevitableintheirpatterningfromthebasicsource
formoftheselfintheUnseen,ofwhichthelifestoryismerelythe
phenomenalchaptertherehavingprecededitachapterinthe
world of Spirits before birth and comingintosolidity, and a
chapterafterit,theafterdeathstateinthegrave,andthenanother,
therisingandthemeaningformofthelifemanifestinginthenon
solid World of the Unseen, and so on as the journey to Allah

continues.Thustheselfasasolidrealityisanuntenableidea,a
mirage, and its restless movement is caused by the thirst and
longing that the true self experiences in its illusory trapped
situationofhavinga'history'.Itisthisthirstthatinthecrucibleof
dhikr as described above becomes a sublime drowning as the
illusionfallsaway.InthisimportantpassagetheShaykhgoesonto
talkaboutthosewho'donotknowwhattheyaremovedfromnor
movedto,'whichisthecaseofthemajorityofhumanbeings,and
he presents this as a basically ignorant situation. He is not
suggestingthatoneknowsthefutureinanyoccultisticmanner,but
somethingmuchsubtlerandmoreprofoundheissuggestingthat
realknowledgebeginsbyarecognitionofthismovingtimeflux
creatureasbeinganutterlystructuredandinevitableseriesoflife
patterningsallstemmingfromitsoriginalselfformdynamicinthe
Unseenbeforeitismanifested.Heseesknowledgeasbeginning
whenwegraspthatthistimesettingisnotseparablefromthetime
set individual, the event and the person and the zone of the
experienceallbeingonerealitywithalltheintricateintertwining
ofindividualformsintoapatternsuchasthatrevealedinaPersian
carpet, but with all the ravishing, sweeping movement and
apparentfreedomthatisinthemiracleoforganicnatureatthe
microscopiclevel.
HegoesontospeakofoneofthepeopleofthePathwhoerredin
saying:'Whenyouseeamanstayinginonestateforfortydays,
knowthatheisastrangeman.'Heishereindicatingthattheman
hadabandonedthetrueperspectiveof'state'andmistakenitforan
inner condition like 'depression' or confusion or excitement or
anger.Hegoeson:
Dorealitiesallowthatsomeonecouldremaininonestatefor
twobreathsortwo'times'?Heismovingwithbreathsfromthe
thingtoitslikeItislikesaying,'Soandsoisstillwalking

today,anddidnotsit.'Thereisnodoubtthatwalkingismany
differentmovements.Eachmovementisnotthesameasthe
other,ratheritisitslike.Yourknowledgemovesbyitsmoving
anditissaid:'Hisstatehasnotchanged!'Howmanystates
havechangedonhim!
Thusanypictureoftheselfformasbeingofakindof'nature'or
patternthatcanbedefinedashavingsomekindofdurabilityor
permanenceintimeisutterlyillusory.Andjustasthewalking
imageindicatesthatthereisobviouslysomethingconstantovera
briefperiodthatsuggestssuchasolidspecificityofselfform,itis
initselfillusory,influx,madeupoftinyseparatedynamicutterly
open moments that each has in it the possibility of alteration,
recreation,andend.Againhereiteratesthebasicproposition:
Things with Allah are witnessed and known sourceforms,
statesarebasedontheseformswhichtheyhave.
Thepicturethenisofonepersonhavingdifferentstates,anda
formismadeforhimineachstatehehas.Acertainexperience
habitsuggeststousacertainillusorycontinuityonwhichweerect
themythofhistoricityofself,butthisisnotthecase,merelythe
mistakenviewpoint.Sothecreatureisveiledintheconditionofan
'existence'whichisnothingbutaclothingofstateuponstate,as
themovingfilmisbuiltupofindividualframeshotsruntogether
tocreateanimaginary'situation'.Sostatesvaryintheimagination
on which ordinary human experience is based, despite the
inescapablefactthatthissocalledrealityisutterlyfictional.They
varyintheimagination,buttheydonotvaryinknowledgeand
knowledgeisachievedbytheactofdhikrunveilingthestatesand
openingupthewholeexperienceillusion.Thenthehumanbeing
'seeswithHiseyeandhearswithHisear.Hisbecomesthehand
withwhichhegraspsandthefootwithwhichhewalks,'asinthe

famous Hadith that indicates the true state of knowledge that

comesupontheMuminafteradvancingthroughthepracticesof
dhikr.TheShaykhalAkbar'sfinalcluetothismatterissuccinct:
Asforthesecretofstate,itisduration,anditdoesnothave
first or last. It is the sourceform of the existence of every
existent.SoIhaveinformedyouofsomeofwhattherijalof
enigmasknowofsecrets.Ihavebeensilentonmuch.Itsdooris
wide. The knowledge of dreams, the Interspace and Divine
Ascriptionsrelatetothis.
Thusthefluctuatingendlessstatesexpressthemselvesthroughout
the whole organism, cellularly, electromagnetically, in synaptic
brainsignalling, in energyflow, in endocrinal release, digestive
function,bloodrhythm,andallthesevariouspatterningsarebut
thefloweringofoneoriginalselfformorrathersourceformof
which this solidbody human creature is the timebound
manifestation outwardly and whose reality is with Allah from
beforeendlesstime.Thusmy'movement'isallmovement,andmy
spaceoccupyingisallspaceoccupying,andtheUniverseandIare
nottwobutcontainercontained,andthisitselfisnothingforHeis
asHewasbeforethecreationoftheUniverse.'Everythingperishes
excepttheFaceofAllah!'asHeHimselftriumphantlydeclaresin
theQur'an.(55.2627).
WhentheShaykhalAkbardeclaresthatonlytheSufisunderstand
the true nature of the nafs, he means by this that noone else
possessesatotalpictureofthelifesituationexceptthepeopleof
unveiling,forthiswholedimensionofselfexperienceishidden
from any but them. Some people are only able to perceive the
crudestmachinestructureinman,andcanonlyrecognisethemind
assomeoddghostinhabitingadelicatehouseoftissueandnerve
endings.Itisanoddghost,for,accordingtotheirpicture,itis

enough that the delicate fibrefurniture be damaged for the

occupant somehow, mysteriously, to be affected. This dualistic
frameonwhichthepatheticcrumblingstructureofourhastilyput
togethermodernpsychologyiserected,leavesuswithapictureof
somethingcalled'behaviour'whichendsupbeingclassifiedinto
'types' and the crude mechanistic picture soon bogs down in a
welterofsubtypes.Itisinevitablethatinourtimetheaccepted
cureformalfunctionofthisnonexistentghostinitsbizarrehouse
(electrocutethehouseandthuswipeoutthehousekeeper)should
be an equally crude and massively administered chemical drug
treatment. Although some modern therapists have recognised a
quiteprofoundandclinicallyidentifiablepictureofmuchgreater
subtletywhichopenstothestreaming,subelectricenergyfieldsof
the body, they in turn become so hypnotised by their own
discoverythattheyagaintrytocontainmanwithinabioenergy
definitionreducingthehumanbeingbythattokensimplytothe
sum of his energies. Utterly closed to the nature of an Unseen
reality,becausestillessentiallytrappedinthisbasicdualitywhich
they quite rightly observe to exist in the world of forms, they
relentlessly avoid the metaphysical question which in other
sciences insists on attention. Now that we have uncovered the
chromosomiclevelofpatterning,andglimpsedthebeautyofform
manifestationandrecognisedalsoourprofoundignoranceofthese
processes at the very point that certain key designs open
themselvestous,weareforcedtoathresholdofactivitywhichis,
if you like, the 'edge of the Unseen', or more correctly, in the
language of the Master Jalalud'din Rumi, the Nonspatial, the
realmofminditself,whichsodelicatelyandpurelyrefrainsfrom
'being'thebrain,andyetsolovinglyandseductivelyisitsshadow
reality.Inowdonotreferto'your'mindor'my'mind,forinthis
pictureIwouldhavetoitaliciseoutofexistencethus'yourmind'
and'mymind'.

Before proceeding further, it must be made clear that this has

nothingtodowithanyJungianorgestaltpictureofarchetypes.
Two pieces of labelling have managed to keep the Orientalists
awayfromanyseriouscomingtogripswiththemetaphysicsof
Islamtheuseoftheterm'archetypes'and'neoplatonic'.That
thesemenwere,oneandall(iftherehadbeenanexceptionhe
wouldhavehadtobeaSufihimself),unequippedtoexaminethese
issues, can be easily verified by an examination of their
unscholarlyrefusaltoaccepttheSufisontheirowntermsasif
one were to approach quantum physics with a basic refusal to
abandontheNewtonianclassicalpictureofhowthingswere.This
approach,aswehaveinsistedfromthebeginning,isnotjusta
matter of epistemology, but of selftransformation, and without
submittingtothetransformationpracticeofIslamthereisnovalid
knowledgeavailableinanywaythatallowsonetopenetratethese
mattersapartfromthesporadicandseparatepossibleinsightsof
the individual as he experiences reality. The Wisdomview is
dependentonrecognisingthatthereisnoouttheretoexamineand
understand. Reality is One. The socalled knowledge of the
technologicalsocietyisinformationalandsplitfromtheknower.
Despitealltheludicrousattemptsatgluingtogethertheseparate
andisolated'disciplines'ofpsychologyandbiologyandlinguistics
and physics and chemistry, the sciences continue to split into
micro,andbio,intra,andsupra,andwhatemergesbecomesmore
andmoreaknowledgewhichfortheneedsofthelifeprocessis
recognisablyuseless.BernardShawusedtolamentthemillionsof
mice and monkeys slaughtered in the name of that pursuit of
useless knowledge had he lived today he would have further
been able to lament the destruction of the biosphere in which
whole vanishing species lived, rivers and oceans andlands and
skiesallgorgedoftheirenergiesinanagethatisunabletograsp
theunderlyingUnitythatlinksallthese,becausebasicallyunable
tograsptheUnityofeachperson'sselfexperience,whichremains

theessentialcluetograspingtheUnitywhichistheverynatureof
existenceitself.
Here is a paraphrasing of the position of a modern geneticist,
RichardGoldschmidt:
Thetimehascometoreshapeallgenetictheoryanyhow.The
classicaltheoryofthegeneasanactuallyexistingunit,lyingon
thechromosomelikeabeadinastringofbeads,isnolonger
tenable. We cannot focus on genes and loci, or even
chromosomes,aswealwayshave.Somethingbiggercontrols
thewholesystem.ThatiswhyIspeakofsystemicmutations.
ThecollapseofthepostDarwinianpictureofevolutionrevealed
not only the incredible doublethink that many biologists were
indulgingin,andtheextraordinarydegreeofsubjectivityinvolved
intheirsocalledscientificorverifiablepictureofwhateverthe
process they seemed to imagine they were describing, it also
revealed that underlying their biological trees and simpleto
complexunfoldings,andgradualchangemutations,therewasan
assumedPoweratworkwhichthey,atthesametimeasassuming
it,denied.TherecouldbenoPoweroutsidethe'things'whichthey
sawasclosedsystemswhichcomplexifiedthemselvesaccordingto
vastly sophisticated and complex laws and patterns which they
couldneithercodifynordecode.Theyslitheredfromtheuseofa
term'Nature'whichtheyinvestedwithDivineIntellectandPlan
onlytodisrobeitontheirnextcalculationinplaceoftheplan
itself,intheircase,naturalselection,whichinturnwasdeified
after being reified. An absorbing sleight of hand, but hardly
effectiveasseriousepistemology.Itwasenoughthatbitbybitthe
actualfieldworkofbiologyandtheneighbouringsubscienceof
palaeontologyandmicrobiologyrevealedapicturethatleft

Let us go back to our superficial Orientalists desperately doing

theirlabellingofIslamicMasterswiththetagsofthecollapsing
dualisticChristianworldview.Ifthesuficdescriptionofreality
was neoplatonic then that meant it had been borrowed from a
previouscultureandstuckoninasyncretistmovetoprovideIslam
with something it did not in the first place possess, thus
demonstratingthatIslamwasapseudoreligionandnottobetaken
withanyintellectualseriousness.Unfortunatelytheirconfusionis
double. Islam does not claim to be a religion, rather it claims
religion to be the decadence of a previously existing and now
degradedformofIslam.Secondly,theyrefusetograspthatwhat
Islam describes in its totality from within the structure of the
Qur'anic revelation is something that the earlier 'Islams' of the
MessengersbeforetheSealoftheMessengers,Muhammad,peace
be upon him, already knew about. It is assumed by Muslim
scholars that the platonic knowledge was an inherited reality
picturefromtheremnantoftheirunitarysciencewhichsurvivedas
athreadamongthebrokenthreadsofpantheonictheism.Ifyouare
dependentonlabels,certainlyfromasuficpointofview,itwould
bemoreusefultolabelPlatoneoIslamicthantolabeltheSufisas
neoplatonic.
The matter of archetypes is even more dangerous for a person
desirous of grasping the Wisdompicture. The accepted post
Jungian picture of archetypes reduces these to a subjective, yet
mysteriouslysharedsetofsymbolpicturesthatexistonamental
'plane' which reveal apparently incomprehensible conflicts and
crisesintheactualhistoryofthesubject.Thusarealandsolid
worldisloadedwithasetofcodedmeaningswhichtakeontheir
realitywhenappliedtothehistoricpresentandusedtoilluminate
it.Alwaysinthispictureourphenomenalandsolidexistenceis
givenprimacyovertheexplanatorycodesystems.Itisveryfar
fromtheoriginalGoetheanpictureofUrformsfromwhichitwas

borrowed, only to be inverted with this primacy of situational

existenceoverandagainstafloatingrepositoryofbasicforms.We
remaininadualsystemofmindpicturesdisplayingthemselvesin
asolidreality.Itisaconceptthatoffersnoproofofitsvalidityand
certainlytheJungianclinicalrecordconvincedoneofnothingbut
thefactthatthepeoplewhounleashedthatempireofarchetypal
formsduringanalysishadundoubtedlybeenanalysedbyJung.The
suficpictureofexistenceissustained,andhasbeensystematically
overaperiodoffourteenhundredyears,bydirectexperience,by
dhawq,tasting,whichilluminatestheseekerwithhisorherown
knowledge of howitis. This awesome knowledge of howitis
cannotbereducedtoatherapeutictechniqueorsubmittedtocrude
mechanisticteststoascertainitsvalidity.Itisoutsidetherealmof
science, or if you like, it is its own science. Certainly it is
systematised, verifiable, and not a faithsystem. Doubt and
certaintyarethetwoenergieswhosepolarforcesdrivetheseeker
ontohisdiscoveries.
Thesufictermthathasbeensomistranslatedis'aynaththabita,
whichwemaycallthesourceforms,theword'aynmeaningnot
just'source'inthesenseof'origin',butwiththephysicalityand
actualityofaspringofwater.Wewillreturntoitwhenwecometo
the point that is being forced upon us where we ask about the
natureofthis'stuff'oftheUniverse,the'how','what',and'why'of
forms.
Whatwehavesofarestablishedisapictureofrealityasbeing
utterlyalive,influx,withparticularformssubtlysheddingpulse
afterpulsethroughthisunceasingmovementofstatesinalocus
whichisnothingotherthanthestates,andyetthesestateswhen
unveiledopenuptoahiddensourceformintheworldofnon
spacetime,inseparablefromthis.
The key term: HAL, which we call 'state' derives from a root

meaning 'to be changed' and 'to pass by' or 'go between'. By

extensionitrelatestotheadverbmeaning'roundabout'andtothe
nouns'apower','aplan','ayear'.Also'aturningoff'.
Thusstate/situationisthebasicconditionofallforms,accordingto
the sufic science, and it is the actionprocess which the nafs
experiencesonthePath,whoseculminatingandultimatecondition
istobe'turnedoff',obliteratedinthefaceoftheEssenceofthe
multitudinous forms. The sufic science further claims that the
Qur'anisarevelationfromthesourceofReality,indicatingnot
onlythescienceofhowtoliveamongthemultipleformsbutalso
howtosurrender(Islam)totheOne,whichinitsfullnessmeans
the giving up of the nafs which is the intolerable 'other' that
prevents unitary experience. It is not a matter of little mind
(myself)beingswallowedupintheBigMindafterall,assomeof
the inadequate systems formed on the archeology of previous
Islamssuggest(likeZen),butratherofthetotalbeingemerging
from separate pulsing and formdynamic into a complete
obliteration. The cells have to 'stop', for they are not separable
fromthe'mind'.Thatwecontinueto'see'theformisbasedonour
illusorysenseveilingonwhichtheworldand'history'isbased.To
thepeopleoffana'everythingperishesexceptHisFace.'(55.26).
TheShaykhalAkbarsays:
WhenAllah,glorybetoHim,closedthedoorofprophecy,and
the message to creation, he left to them the door of
understandingfromAllahinwhatHerevealedtoHisProphet,
mayAllahblesshimandgranthimpeace,inHismightyBook.
'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
'RevelationwascutoffaftertheMessengerofAllah,mayAllah
blesshimandgranthimpeace.Whatremainsisinourhands.
AllahprovisionstheslavewithunderstandinginthisQur'an.'

Our companions, the people of unveiling, agreed on the

soundnessofatransmissionfromtheProphet,mayAllahbless
him and grant him peace, that he said of the ayats of the
Qur'an:'Thereisnoayatbutthatithasamanifestpart,a
hiddenpart,alimit,andanascent.'
Beforewecanproceedfurtheronourjourney,wemustexamine
whattheQur'anis,andwhatisthemeaningof'revelation'.Itisthe
BookofChanges,abrogatingallthoseBookswhichwentbefore,
keepingsome'forms'fromtheancientbooksandchangingothers
andreplacingthoseabrogatedwithbetter,inaccordancewiththe
overflowinggenerosityoftheFormgiver,mayHebeexalted.

TheScienceofQur'an

The Generous Qur'an, the Book of Islam, was revealed to the

MessengerMuhammad,blessingsandpeacebeuponhim,overa
periodoftwentythreeyearsfromthetimeofthefirstrevelation
whichcamewhentheMessengerwasfortyyearsold.
InthemonthofRamadanitisreadthroughinitsentiretyandon
theNightofPoweritisread'shabina'inonenight.Itisindicated
withinitstextbymanynames,amongthembeing:TheBook,The
Discrimination, The Judgment, The Mercy, The Spirit, The
Explanation,TheLight,TheTruth,TheArgument,TheWarning,
TheWisdom,TheClarification.
Intheseayats,RealityaddressestheMessengersaying:
With truth have We sent it down, and with truth has it
descended. And We have sent you as nothing else than a
bringerofgoodnewsandawarning.
AndaQur'anthatwehavedivided,thatyoumayreciteittoall
mankindatintervals,andwehaverevealedit,revelationby
revelation.(Qur'an17.1056)
Beforeexaminingwhatitsthemesarewefirstmustcometoterms
withthisdesignationoftheBookasa'revelation',forifweare
honestthishasnospecificmeaningasapsychologicaltermandis
outsideourexperienceunlessoneadmitsintoitthecategoryofthe
premonitory dream. Part of modern people's difficulty in
approaching Islam realistically lies in their prejudice about the
natureofa'prophet'.ThewordinArabicderivesfromarootNB'A,
meaning 'to be exalted': 'to announce': 'to make one acquainted
with':sothepictureisquiteclear.TheNabeyiistheAnnouncer
whobringsthenews,whomakesoneacquaintedwithhowitis,
therealityprocess.
Thewordforrevelationisspecific.

Itsrootis:NZL,meaning:'todescend':'thatwhichispreparedfor
aguest':'anentertainment':'agift':'anabode'.Itisalsothenounof
'unity'andthusliterallymeans'onedescent'.Thepreparationof
somethingfortheguestisperhapsitsmostweightymeaninginthe
root'sefflorationfromthebasiccluster.
TheQur'anis,ifyoulike,thegiftofthehosttohisguests,the
creatures,whosebriefstayisintheabodeofEarth.Andagain,itis
itselfanabodeofWisdom.Itisan'entertainment' thatliftsthe
heartanddivertsitfromthisworldwiththebeautiesandrewards
oftheUnseen.Itsmeansofmanifestingwasthatit'camedown'.
Now,intheWisdompicturethereareonlythefourdirectionsand
thereisnofifth.Thatis,thereisonlyright/left:infront/behind.
This 'above' from which Qur'an 'came down' can only be the
'within'whoseoppositeisnot'without'.
Whatdoesthismean?
WehavealreadyseenhowtheSAMAWATIwhichwenamethe
'heavens'indicatesessentiallynotanotherdimensiontoexistence,
butratherthatnonspatialzonewhichisnoplace.Theheavensare
arealityoftheUnseen,notcosmically,butsincerealityconsists
only of the four elements, this noplace is also the 'up' of the
phenomenalheaven.Whenthebedouinwomanwasbroughttothe
Messenger as a kafir he asked her, 'Where is Allah?' Now the
answer that he inhabits place is, correctly, unthinkable to a
Muslim, yet when she unhesitatingly pointed skywards, the
Messengercommandedthatshebefreedatonce.Samawati,we
recall, is what gives us the names. It is the basic dyad:
samawati/'ard.TheseareOneReality,andsotheQur'anincoming
downproperlyspeaking,cameout.Whathappened?
Howdidit'getin'inthefirstplace?

Firstlyletusexaminethestraightnarrative:
WahbbinKaisantoldmethat'Ubaydsaidtohim:'Everyyear
during the month of Ramadan, the Messenger would pray in
seclusionandgivefoodtothepoorthatcametohim.Andwhenhe
completedthemonthandreturnedfromhisretreat,firstofallhe
would,beforeenteringhishouse,gototheKa'baandwalkroundit
seventimesorasoftenasitpleasedAllah:thenhewouldgoback
tohishouseuntil,intheyearwhenAllahsenthim,inthemonthof
RamadaninwhichAllahwilledconcerninghimwhatHewilled,
theMessengersetoutforHira,theMountainofLight,andthere
Allahhonouredhimwithhistask.
'"Hecametome,"saidtheMessenger,"whileIwasasleep,
withacoverletofbrocadewhereonwassomewriting,andsaid,
'Read!'Isaid,'WhatshallIread?'Hepressedmewithitso
tightlythatIthoughtitwasdeath:thenHeletmegoandsaid,
'Read!'Isaid,'WhatshallIread?'Hepressedmewithitthe
thirdtimesothatIthoughtitwasdeathandsaid,'Read!'I
said,'WhatshallIread?'andthisonlytodelivermyselffrom
Him,lestHeshoulddothesametomeagain.
'"Hesaid:
'Read:IntheNameoftheLord,whocreateth,
Createthmanfromaclot.
Read:andthyLordistheMostGenerous.
WhoteachethbythePen,
Teachethmanthatwhichheknewnot.'(96.15)

'"SoIreaditandHedepartedfromme.AndIawokefrommy
sleepanditwasasthoughthesewordswereengravedonmy
heart.NownoneofAllah'screatureswasmorehatefultome
thananecstaticpoetoramanpossessed:Icouldnotevenlook
atthem.Ithought,'Woeisme,poetorpossessednevershall
theQurayshsaythisofme!Iwillgotothetopofthemountain
andthrowmyselfdownthatImaykillmyselfandgainrest.'
'"WhenIwasmidwayonthemountain,Iheardavoicefrom
heavensaying,'OhMuhammad!ThouarttheMessengerof
Allah,andIamJibril!'
'"Iraisedmyheadtowardsheaventosee,andtherewasJibril
intheformofamanwithfeetastridethehorizonsaying,'Oh
Muhammad,youaretheMessengerofAllahandIamJibril.'I
stood gazingat himmovingneither forwardnorbackward:
then I began to turn my face away from him, but toward
whateverregionoftheskyIlooked,Isawhimasbefore.AndI
continued standing there until Khadija sent her servants in
searchofmeandtheygainedthehighgroundaboveMakka
andreturnedtoherwhileIwasstandinginthesameplace."'
ThenarrativecontinueswiththeMessengerconfidinghisfearof
insanitytohiswife.Shearguesthathecannotbesincehisqualities
are those of sanity itself, trustworthiness, kindness, balance.
Khadija'swholewayofdealingwiththisdisturbingeventnotonly
speaksvividlyofherfineintellectandlovefortheMessenger,but
showsthatsheandherfamilywerepeoplealreadyacquaintedwith
theWisdomtraditionoftheirpeople.Crucialtoanyunderstanding
ofthemanifestationofwhatwenowcallIslamisagraspofthe
factthattherecontinuedfromthetimeofIbrahim,peacebeupon
him,alivingspiritualthreadofunitarydoctrinethisscience,the

Hanifaasitwascalled,hadacontinuingthreadoffollowerswho
passed on and practised the Ibrahimic (brahminical) Tawhid
(yoga).HanifaderivesfromHNF,'toincline'.Itmeanstherefore
notonly'toinclinetowardtheTruth',but'toberesponsive',toopen
oneselfandyieldtotheTruth.TheessentialmarkoftheHanifand
later,foritwasnodifferent,theMuslim,wasthathewassupple
andyieldingandnotrigidandunbending.Theywereknownasthe
peopleoftheHuda,thepeopleofRightGuidance.ThiswordHuda
derivesfromHDA,meaning'toleadintherightway','tofollowa
rightcourse','avictimofsacrifice','anoffering','tobeadirection',
'onewhodirects'.
Thus they were the Wisdomtradition, for it is the role of the
initiates of Wisdom that they must not only practise it, but
establishit.TheveryfirstdeclarationofwhoQur'anisforinthe
openingmainForm'AlBaqara'putsitthus:

IntheNameofAllah,theMerciful,theCompassionate.
Alif.Lam.Mim.
ThisBookinwhichthereisnodoubt,
aguidancetothosewhowardoff:
whobelieveintheUnseen,andestablishsalat,
andspendofwhatWehavebestowedonthem.
Andwhotrustinwhatisrevealedtoyou(Muhammad)and
whatwasrevealedbeforeyou,andarecertainof
theAkhira.

ThesedependonHudafromtheirLord.
Thesearethesuccessful.(Qur'an2.15)

ThemanofWisdomoffershimselfuptoReality,openshimself,as
didIsma'il,thesonofIbrahim,peacebeuponthemboth.Theyrisk
destruction even of their lifeexperience in an act that is an
abandonment of the selfillusion only to find that Reality has
openeditselftothem,thatHudacomestothem.Hereisthesecret
of the transaction we have begun to examine in the socalled
'prophetic experience', the complete flowing openness of the
ChosenOne,Muhammadchosenbyinevitabledestiny,forhe
hassoutterlyabnegatedhisownselfchoicethatchosennessfloods
intofillthegapofhissurrenderedselfform.Thisishowitis.
Khadija,awareoftheimplicationsofhisvision,knewexactlywhat
todo.ShehurriedacrossMakkatothehouseofhercousinWaraqa
bin Naufal bin Asad bin Abdu'l'Uzza bin Qusayy, who had
become a Christian but had come through the tradition of the
Hanifa.Whenshetoldhimwhathadhappened,heaffirmedthe
authenticityoftheeventandwenttotheMessengerandmadehim
retell the story. He also confirmed physically what he had
ascertainedbyhissecretknowledge,forheaskedtheMessengerto
barehisback.TherehefoundwhathehaslookingfortheSealof
Messengershiponhisback,theoutwardgeneticproofinthecells
ofhisbeinginwardlytheoneto'receive'theMessageofReality.
Waraqa confirmed: 'Therehas cometo youthegreatest Namus
whocametoSayyedinaMusa(Moses).Youwillbecalledaliar,
theywillhumiliateyou,andtheywillcastyououtandtheywill
fightwithyou.Surely,youaretheMessengerofthispeople.'And
hekissedhimonhisforeheadandleft.

Khadijawasdeterminedtocompleteherproofsofauthenticityto
convince her husband that he was neither poet nor possessed.
Whentheangelicmanifestationhappenedintheirownhouse,she
preparedatest.Sheinstructedherhusbandtomovetowardsher,
continuallyaskingiftheVisionremained.Shemovedhimtositon
herlap,andthenwhensheexposedherselftheVisionvanished.If
the vision had remained during any sexual act it would have
followedthatitwasfromthejinnwhousetheheat/energiesoffire,
andnotangelicwhichuseair/energy.Thisiswhyghuslseparates
thesexualactandsalat.Thewaterritefollowsthefire/acttopurify
theselffortheotheractofunionwhichisdependentontheair
element,breath.
ThepeopleoftheQurayshweredeterminedintheirrejectionof
the new Messenger, and the three main charges they brought
againsthimwerethreewhichthetextoftheBookitselfanalysed
anddemonstratedtobefalse.Thesethreepossibilitieswere:
1)thathewasapoet.
2)thathewasamagician.
3)thathewasmad,orpossessedbyjinn.
WhilethechargethathewaspossessedsweptthroughMakka,a
manofAzdShanu'awhohadagreatreputationatcastingoutjinn
cametotheMessenger.HisnamewasDimad.Dimad,whenhe
heardoftheMessenger,thoughtthatitwouldbeablessingforhim
ifhecouldhealthisman.HewenttotheChosenOneandsaid:'I
practisethescienceofcastingoutjinn,Muhammad,wouldyou
likemetodoso?'TheMessengerreplied:'PraisebelongstoAllah
whomwepraiseandfromwhomweseekhelp.Noonecanlead
astrayonewhomAllahguides,andnoonecanguideonewhom
Allahleadsastray.IaffirmthatthereisnoDivinityexceptAllah,

alone, without association, and I affirm that Muhammad is His

slaveandMessenger.Goahead!'Dimadwasunabletocontinue
andsaid:'Repeatwhatyouhavejustsaid.'AftertheMessengerhad
saidthewordsthreetimes,Dimadsaid:'Ihaveheardwhatthe
kahinssay,whatthesorcererssayandwhatthepoetssay,butI
haveneverheardanythinglikethesewordsofyourswhichhave
reachedadepthinmelikethatofthesea.Ifyougivemeyourhand
IwillswearallegiancetoyoubyacceptingIslam.'Thisisina
traditionfromIbn'AbbasandistransmittedbyMuslim.
TheHadithgiveaclearpictureofwhatevertheoutwardaspectsof
thetimesofrevelationwere:

A'ishatoldthatHarithbinHishamaskedAllah'sMessenger,
'Howdoestheexperiencecometoyou,MessengerofAllah?'to
whichhereplied:'Itcomestomeattimesliketheclangingofa
bell,andthatisthetypewhichismostsevereforme.Itthen
leavesme,Ihavingretainedofitwhattheangelsaid.Attimes
theangelappearstomeinhumanformandspeakstomeandI
retainwhathesays.'A'ishasaidshehadseentheeventhappen
onaverycolddayandhisforeheadpouredsweatwhenitleft
him.ThisistransmittedinbothBukhariandMuslim.
UbadabinasSamitsaidthatwhentherevelationdescendedon
the Prophet hewasdistressed on account ofit andhis face
alteredtoadarkhue.Aversionsaysthatheloweredhishead
and his Companions lowered their heads, then when it was
removedfromhimheraisedhishead.Muslimtransmittedit.

WithtwoofthemosttremendousrevelationsintheQur'an,the'Ya
Sin'Formandthe'Hud'Form,theimpactwassoshatteringonthe
Messengerthatsomeofhishairturnedwhitewhenthedescent
tookplace.Itisquiteclearfromtheseaccountsthatonecouldtake
these descriptions as evidence that he was indeed 'a man
possessed'.Thisraisessomethingthatwehavealreadytouchedon,
whichisthatitisinthenatureofthespiritualPaththatitsstages
aremarkedbystagessimilartotheidentityfragmentationthatwe
callmadness.Letusreiterateit,fortherehastobearefocussing
ofourselfformunderstandingifwearetograspthetruthofthese
matters.
ThegoalofthePathistheannihilationoftheexperiencingself,the
centreorlocusfromwhichtheendlessflowingstatesmanifestin
suchamannerastosuggesttheself'srealityandhistoricity.The
goalistoloosentheseformshadowsandallowtheLightwhichis
thesourceformofthelocusintheUnseentomanifest.Thusthe
result is properly speaking 'the destruction of the personality'.
Madness is a fragmentation of experience rendering the solid
worldunrealandtheinnerexistenceoverreal,orviceversa,so
thatinnerexperienceiseitherterribleandintolerableorglorious
andelated,ontheonehand,orbarrenanddesolateontheother.
Insanityisbasedonabasicsplitbetweenthe'centre'andtheouter
world of behaviour, event, people and objects. Either the mad
personwill'getout'andleavethebodyyoumayprickitandit
willgivenosignofbeing'inhabited'theywillstationthemselves
inasafeplace,themoon,highup;orelse,theywill'goin'shut
allthedoorsofthesenses,becomestill,nosignalsgoingoutor
beingtakenin.Bothmadnessesimply,bythiscondition,abreakin
behaviour with the accepted behaviour of the community. An
essentialpartofthisbreakistherefusaltoadheretothecommonly
shared 'naming' process, and either an arcane language will be
introduced or unstructured changes will be made with random

shiftingofnounssothat'this'iscalled'that'.TheWisdompathis
todismantletheselfsystematicallynotasarusetoprotectand
isolatethenonexistent'core',buttoopenoneselftotheSecretof
Totality. The peeling of the onionlayers, in the image of Peer
Gynt,isanactofgloriousreleaseandopeningtotheReality,for
notonlyistherenocorebuttherewasnoonion.Nothinghasbeen
gained,butnothinghasbeenlost.Atthedifferentstagesofthe
Way,thesheddingofthe'skins'mayhavetheappearanceofthe
madmaninhisgettingoutorcomingin.Thedifferenceisonly
one.Themadmanishimself'sheddingtheskins'heisconducting
an operation of selfdestruction based on the false and doomed
premisethatthereisa'he'todismantlehis'heness'.Thushesplits
reality,hebreakshisownheart,for'therearenottwoheartswithin
thebreast'asQur'ansays.(33.4).TheProphettakeshisPathunder
directguidancefromtheUnseenMaster,theAngel,whilethose
whofollowinhisfootstepstaketheirsfromaShaykh,avisible
Master.Heundoesthem.
Thisisthemeaningofthesuficsayingwhichisquotedbythe
ShaykhalKamilinhisDiwan:
HewhodoesnottaketheShaykhashisMaster
willhaveShaytanashisMaster.

According to the sufic picture of the nature of the nafs, the

Messengersandprophetsdonotstruggleinthesamewaythatthe
awliya,thePerfectedOnes,do.Theyarethe'perfectexemplars',
theyaretheoriginalmanforminallitsperfection.Thisiswhy
theydonotdieofdiseasefromwithinbuthavetobekilledfrom
withouttheformbeingperfect,itwouldnotofitsnatureend,but
thedestinybeingmortal,theformhastobebroughttoanendin
accordance with nature, outside and inside from another

perspectiveofcoursebeingidentical.Nevertheless,thisperfection
containswithinitallthestagesoftheWayandalltheStationsof
theawliya.Thegoalofthejourneyoftheawliyaliesoverthe
mountains of madness and they have to be traversed. The
beginningoftheMessenger'stimeofrevelationwasthatperiodfor
him,onlyhetastedeverystatewiththeinnerperfectionofhis'vast
selfform'whichencompasseditandgroundeditinthedeepsanity
ofhispropheticcondition.
While the mad person behaves in a selfobsessed way, the
Messengerwastheembodimentofthegenerous,sociallybalanced
and active human being. This was the baffling and unarguable
conditionofthemantheywantedtobrandasalunatic.Hesaidof
himself:'Ifjusticeisnottobefoundwithme,thenwherewillyou
findit?'Hesaid:'IamthefirstofthesonsofAdam,andIsaythis
withoutboasting.'Hewassimplytheretoshowhimselftohisage
as the exemplar, and offer his lifepattern as the Sunna for
existencethroughoutthewholeworldfromthatdaytotheendof
time for people of every culture and climate. He was the
culminationofthehumansituation,theSealofthePerfectionof
Prophethood.Whenstudyingtheaspectofrevelation,onemustnot
losesightofthehumanfinenessanddelicacyandcourageofthe
desertMessenger.Hewouldnot,forexample,evertouchawoman
whowasnothiswifeorofhishousehold.Whenhetooktheactof
homageandacceptanceofIslamat'Aqabafromthewomen,he
hadajugofwaterplacedbetweenhimselfandthewomenandhe
plungedhishandintoit,andthentheydid,thusthetransmission
took place through contact yet through a purifying element. It
distressedtheMessengerwhenSidiAbuBakrbroughthiswhite
haired and venerable father to him. Immediately the Messenger
expressedhisconcernthathehadnotbeenabletogototheold
man.TheSiddiqinsistedthatitwouldnothavebeenfitting,so
thentheMessenger,blessingsandpeacebeuponhim,kneltbeside

theoldman,strokedhischest,smiledandaskedhimtomakethe
Affirmation.Itisthisman,ofendlessfinenesstoappreciatethe
livingmoment,whoisthemanlayingclaimtoprophethood,and
overwhompasstheseshudderingandpowerfulstatesoutofwhich
theQur'anicmessagecomes.Therewasneveranydoubtwhatwas
partoftheMessageandwhatwassimplyarevelation,eventhough
the revelation came directly through the Angel, it had to come
throughthis'filter'whichannihilatedhimduringitstransmission
beforeitbecamepartofthegreatBook.
Hereis another contemporaryrecord ofhow the Arabstriedto
cometogripswiththisuniqueeventthattookplaceamongthem
and which was to overturn their whole society and affect the
destinyofeveryoneofthem:
When the Fair was due, a number of the Quraysh came to
WalidbinalMughira,whowasamanofsomestanding,and
headdressedtheminthesewords:'ThetimeoftheFairhas
comeroundagainandrepresentativesoftheArabswillcome
toyouandtheywillhaveheardaboutthismanofyours,solet
usagreeononeopinionwithoutdisputesothatnonewillgive
thelietotheother.'Theyreplied,'Yougiveusyouropinion
abouthim.'Hesaid,'No,youspeakandIwilllisten.'They
said, 'He is a kahin.' Walid said, 'By God, he is not a
soothsayer.Hedoesnotmutterorspeakinrhymedprose.'
'Thenheispossessed,'theysaid.'No,heisnotthat,'hesaid,
'wehaveseenthepossessedandhereisnochoking,spasmodic
movementsandwhispering.''Thenheisapoet,'theysaid.
'No, heis nopoet, for we know poetryin all its forms and
meters.''Thenheisasorcerer.''No,wehaveseensorcerers
and their sorcery, and here is no spitting and no knots.'
'Thenwhatarewetosay,OhAbu'AbduShams?'theyasked.

Hereplied:'ByGod,hisspeechissweet,hisrootisapalmtree
whose branches are fruitful and everything you have said
wouldbeseentobefalse.Thenearestthingtothetruthisyour
sayingthatheisasorcerer,whohasbroughtamessageby
whichheseparatesamanfromhisfather,orfromhisbrother,
orfromhiswife,orfromhisfamily.'
Thefirstrevelationwhichwehavedocumentedindetailwassent
downonwhattheQur'ancallstheNightofPower.Itisofsuch
importancethatthereisaPowerFormintheQur'andescribingit.
ItisthegeneralviewthatonthatnightthewholeoftheQur'anwas
sentdown,toemergefragmentbyfragmentinlivingsituations
throughoutthelifeoftheMessenger,butAllahknowsbest.Hereis
thePowerForm:

IntheNameofAllah,theMerciful,theCompassionate.
Behold,werevealeditontheNightofPower.
Ah!WhatwillconveytoyouwhattheNightofPoweris?
TheNightofPowerisbetterthanathousandmonths.
TheangelsandtheSpiritdescendtherein,bythepermissionof
theirLord,withalldecrees.
Peaceitis,untiltherisingofthedawn.(Qur'an97)

ItisthisNightofPowerthatformstheclimaxoftheRamadanfast
andinwhichtheQur'anisrecitedfrombeginningtoend,andwhen
theMuminwatchesthewholenightuntildawn.

Fromthatnightonwardstherevelationcame,sometimesanayatat
atime,sometimesalongpassageorwholeSuradependingonthe
situation, for the rest of the Messenger's lifetime, the final
revelationcomingon'ArafatduringhislastHajjwhenhetaught
themthefinalandpurifiedformoftheancientritesofHajj.Each
timearevelationcameitemergedoutofaparticularlifesituation
anditcameasanilluminationofthatmomentopeningupthetruth
ofthatsituationandguidingtheMessenger'sactionsaswellas
continuallyunfoldingthe'goodnewsandthewarning'whichare
oneofthereiteratedthemesoftheBook.Piecebypiecealongside
thespecificguidanceitgavetolifesituationscameanunfolding
patternofman'shistoryfromthebeginningofhistimeonearth
andshowingthemeaningofthevariousmetacycleshehadlived
through. Five themes are orchestrated throughout the Book and
theycanbesummarisedthus:
1.ParticularguidancetotheMessengertellinghimwhattodoin
specificsituations,teachinghim,consolinghim,correctinghim.
2.Thestoryofmankind'sglobaldestinysincethebeginning,and
theroleoftheearlierprophetsandtheirBooksinthiscyclicstory
ofman'sbeinggivenguidance,anditsbeingcorruptedandlost,
andanewguidancebeingsentdown,culminatinginthefinalcycle
oftheMessenger'srule.
3.ThenewShari'aorRoadthatAllahlaysdownforthewholeof
mankind, abrogating earlier Roads that were sent for particular
nationsandracesbyearlierprophets.
4.ThenatureofReality.Tawhid,thedeclarationoftheUnity
thatistheessentialmessageofalltheprophetsreaffirmed.
5.Thegoodnewsandthewarning',(41.4),thedirectexistential
confrontationwitheachhumanbeingwhoreadsit:'Wherethenare
yougoing?'(81.26).TheBookwarnsthatthislifeisazoneof
actionandthatmanisresponsibletohisCreatorandwillhaveto
answer,inthenextphaseofexistencewhenhehasdroppedthe

phenomenal body, for what he did on earth. There is complete

continuityofexperiencebetweenthelifestate,thesocalleddeath
state,andthenextlifestate.Thisistheeventworld,andthatisthe
meaningworld.
Within these basic themes the Qur'an expresses itself in two
particularmannerswhichitdefineswithgreatprecision,saying:
Heitiswhosentdowntoyou(Muhammad)
theBookinwhichareclearsignstheyare
theMotheroftheBook
andothersarelikenesssigns.
Butthoseinwhoseheartsisdoubtfollowwhatis
thelikeness
desiringdissensionbydesiringitsinterpretation.
NoneknowsitsinterpretationexceptAllah.
Andthosefirmlyrootedinknowledgesay:
'Wetrustinit:itisallfromourLord.'
Yetnoneremembersbutmenpossessedofminds.
(Qur'an3.7)

The scholars who have tried to create a rabbinical tradition of

commentaryofQur'aninIslamhave,understandablylimitedthe

meaningofthisayattoinfersimplythattheBookrestsonthe
factual'law'ayats.Ironicallyitisthe'law'inallitstremendous
simplicitythattheyhavemadesubtle,ambiguousandtopheavy
until acompletely rabbinical inventioncalledQur'anicLaw has
emergedtobuoyupthepseudoIslamicStatetheyhaveerectedin
theirownimageandindefianceofthecommunityformoutlined
intheSunnaoftheMessenger.The'clearsigns'refertoallthe
greatdeclarationsaboutDivineUnitythatstemfromtheBook's
repeated commands to examine creation itself for all the clear
signswithinit,andtoexaminethenafsandobservetherethese
sameconfirmatorysignsofUnity.Itispreciselythisdeclarationof
Tawhidthatisthe'Mother'oftheBook.TheBook'comesoutof'
this,theorganiclifelawscomeoutofthis,andnottheotherway
round.Theclearsignsarethosethatcalltojusticeandcompassion
and generosity and peacemaking, to feeding the hungry and
protectingtheorphan.Thelikenesssignsarenotsimply,asthe
'rabbis'wouldmakeout,thoseayatswhichrelatetosecretthings
likethejourneyofDhu'lQarnaynortheSleepersintheCave,but
rathertheyarethosewhichrelatebasicallytothecentralteaching
intheBook.ThebehaviourteachingonwhichalltheWisdom
practiceisbasedliesintheclearsignpassageswhichinsistona
recognition of Unity in the self and creation and which call to
correctandcompassionatebehaviouri.e.bothafollowingofthe
Shari'atheRoadandaclingingtoactsofcompassioninthe
WayofAllah.TheDivineteachingisbasedonthelikenesssigns.
NowitissignificantthatinthisayatAllahtaalausesthephysical
termforlikenessinpreferencetotheimagisticterm.
'Mutashabihat'derivesfromtherootShBH'alikeness','mutually
resemblingoneanother'.ItisthewordusedinQur'antoindicate
the'likeness'placedontheCrosswhenSayyedina'Isawastaken
awayfromhisfollowers.IntheCowFormoftheQur'an,itisthe
wordusedtoindicatethesimilarityofonecowtoanother.Sothere

isnodoubthere!TheDivineteachingisbasedontheselikeness
signs.Reallearningaboutrealitylieswithintheselikenesssigns.
In fact, properly speaking, this is the only way in which the
Realitysituationcanbeconveyedtohumanbeings,andithasbeen
theWayofalltheProphetsandalltheBooks.Thewordthatis
elsewhereusedtorefertothisteachingmethodintheQur'anis
MITHAL.MThListheroot,meaning:'tobelike','acomparison',
'apunishmenttobetakenasanexample','appearbeforetheeye',
'represent','tomeansomething','apatternorimage'.Thereisno
other way that the nature of existence can be conveyed to the
humanmindexceptbymithalthisisamithalofthat.Itisan
image,aform,oftheother.Itisnot'thesame' anditisnota
definition.Youcannotpindownanyaspectofthisdynamicand
selfrenewingprocessexceptfleetingly,onthewingonecansee
theconnectionsifyouholdtheconnectionandtrytoreifyit,then
thematterwilleludeyou.Thismithalopensitsnaturetoyouby
thequalityofyourreflection.Youcannotcaptureitnorphysicalise
itnoruseitobjectively.Youmustsurrendertothemithalandlet
theilluminationcomeasHewills.ItisoneofHismeansofaccess
toyouandofyourmeansofaccesstoHim.Thusthisayatwarns
against discoursing and interpreting where reflecting and
remaining open in humility and watchfulness are required. The
peopleofWisdom'remember'andtheknowledgethatcomesis
the fruit of dhikr. In the language of the Sufis: the clearsign
Wisdom demands fikr (thinking); the likenesssign Wisdom
demandsdhikr(shockawakening).
In Qur'anic language, this gives us both the Furqan (the
discrimination)andtheQur'an(thegatheringtogether).
TheMessenger,blessingsandpeacebeuponhim,saidinafamous
Hadith:'Ihavebeengivenallthewords.'WiththisWisdomsaying
heplaceshimselfalongsidetheOriginalMan,SayyedinaAdam,

peacebeuponhim,who,accordingtoQur'an,wasgivenallthe
names.Thisnamingcapacitywasthedistinguishingmarkofthe
human creature. Qur'an itself, as we have already pointed out,
consists of large formunits, short signunits, words, letters and
silences.Thesilencesareanessentialpartofthereading,otherwise
therewouldbeambiguity.OneofthesecretsoftheQur'anisthe
set of letters that are used throughout the Book marking the
openingofcertainSuras.Theyarenotsomekindofearlyscribe's
cataloguingassomeratherdesperateChristiancommentatorshave
triedtosuggestintheirattemptstoinvalidatetheauthorityofthe
Book.TherearemanyHadiththatrefertotheseletters,andtwo
Surasactuallybearthelettersastheirnames,'YaSin'and'TaHa'.
Itisinevitablethatweshouldnowcometothispointwherewe
havetoexaminethenatureoflanguageitselfwhenwefindthatthe
wholesourceoftheWisdomwayisandalwayshasbeenthrough
revealedBooks.
ThenatureofarevealedBookisnotmerelythatitshouldcome
throughtherevelationprocesswehavejustexamined,butalsothat
thelanguageshouldbepreparedfortherevelationandpureenough
toexpresstherevelationthusaBookcomeswhereandwhenthe
languagecan'bear'it.Whatwehaveobservedisthatthemeanings
spilloutbeyondthewordandintosingleletters.Thusitisclear
thatbeforewecanunderstandwithprofunditythenatureofthe
humansituationandthevalueoftheBook,wemustunderstandnot
onlythewordsbutthelettersthemselves.Ifwedonotknowwhat
lettersare,andthereforewhatlanguageis,wearenotgoingto
grasp something central to the whole understanding of what a
humanbeingis,andtheWisdomwaywillbeclosedtous.
Whatweareabouttoexamine,anditisaprofoundmatter,mustbe
understoodtobeoneofthemanyfruitsoftheQur'anicrevelation.
WearenotdealingwithsomethingfoistedontoIslambywayward

scholars borrowing either from India or Greece. As we have

alreadypointedout,however,itwasunderstandablethatMuslim
scholars would be moved and fascinated to see the earlier
'archeologies' of their own knowledge in the ruined Wisdom
teachingofearlierIslams,whetherPythagoreanorBrahminic.Al
Biruni,whenhewenttoIndia,hadnoneedtoborrowfromthe
decayedShivaitecultshesaw,buthewasintriguedtoperceive
elementsofthesuficWisdomhealreadyknewsoprofoundly.The
knowledgewearenowgoingtoexamineinbarestoutlineisone
thathasbeenandiscommoncoinamongthepeopleofthePath
sincethetimeoftheMessenger,peacebeuponhim.
Itisinthenatureofthislearning,andwemustreiteratethishere,
thatitwillcontinuallyspiralbacktoitsdeparturepoint.Sowhile
wearenowembarkingonajourneyintotherealmoflettersitwill
inevitably encroach on our next subject of study, the nature of
'stuff'itself.Wearenowbeginningtograspadifferentpictureof
existence from the dualistic frame we had worked with in our
ignorant'educational'orientation.Nowwearemovingintoaworld
where we recognise that everything is dynamic and in motion,
patterningsaretransectingotherpatterningsandgivingtheillusion
of solidities and permanences, these illusions take on a 'reality'
which the cosmic picture constantly denies. In place of the
body/mindduality,weareconfrontedwithanorganicandmulti
element reality of experiential flux. We are in a world where
everythingismoving,melting,altering,vanishing.Yetwhatmoves
andchangesisstructuredandrestructuredaccordingtothemost
delicateandvibrantorder.WearebeginningtorecognisetheAct
oftheOneinmanifestingHisUniverseofendlessforms.
Asalways,webeginwiththeaffirmationofaUnitywhichisboth
indivisibleandindependentofforms.Nota'ground'underlying,or
a power standing over and beyond, but a Reality without

wherenesswhichistotal.AstheShaykhalAkbarputsit:
Know,mayAllahsupportusandyou,thatwhenexistencewas
absolutewithoutlimitation,itcontainedtheObligator,andHe
istheReality,mayHebeexalted,andtheobligated,andthey
aretheworldandthelettersaltogether.
We now must open ourselves to the picture of reality that is
experiencedby'thepeopleofunveiling'.Herewearenolonger
trappedinthelimitingzoneofsensoryexperiencecheckedbythe
inadequatetoolsoflogic,butinaworldthat,aswewilleventually
recognise,isliketheworlddescribedbutnotknownbythe
astrophysicistontheonehand,andthenuclearphysicistonthe
other,onlytheinstrumentthatreplacesthe'measuring'telescope
andthedestructivereactor,istheexperiencinginnersightofthe
heart.
AccordingtotheShaykhalAkbar,thereare261Heavenswhich
revolvearoundthelettersandwhicharecontainedinHisHeaven
theMalakut.ThestationofthelettersisderivedfromElements
from which the letters are composed. All the letters he calls
'dotted',asallletterscomefromthe'dot'.The'dot'wemaytaketo
be the manifestation of phenomena. And phenomenal being is
itselfmanifestedfromletters.
Now,thereare29lettersintheArabicalphabet,thatis,inthe
languagecreatedspecificallyfortheWisdomrevelationor'abode'.
Twolettershaveaparticularsignificancewhichwewilllookat
later.Thesetwoarealsoveryrelated.TheseareHamzaand'Alif.
'Alifincertaincomputationsisseennotasaletteratall,butasthe
gateofletters,thesourceofletters,theoriginalletter.Hamzaas
weknowfromthelanguageitselfusuallyisdependentonthe'alif
foritsappearance.Thisgivesus28letterswhenweomitoneof

these, and 27 if we omit both. The 27 gives us 9 x 3, the

significanceofwhichwewillshortlyexamine.The29givesusthe
lunarmonth.The29x9givesusthe261oftheHeavens.Firstly
wemustestablishthevalueof9inthesuficcomputationofreality.
Itisessentialtobearinmindthatwearenowseeingrealityas
unitary,withheavensintersectingheavens,theUnseenintersecting
theSeen,andwithanydistinctionwhichismadetherealityisnot
splitbutmerelylookedatfromonepointofview.Whenanother
'rank'or'reality'isinvoked,thepreviousonevanishes,forthese
separatenesses are in description only and not in truth. For
example,ifreferringtotheDivineAttributes,youtalkofHimas
beingtheOnewhoCreatesandthentheOnewhoDestroys,you
arenotsayingHeisnowoneandthentheother.Wemayexamine
HimastheCreatorofmatterbutatthesametimeHeisdestroying
itnot'later'.HisMercyandHisWratharenotseparate,theyare
notdifferent,yettheyarenotthesame.Wemayonlyapproach
fromonesideatatime,atleastinthezoneofthinking.Inthe
experienceof'tasting'howeverwemustjointhem.Intherealmof
theslave,ifwesayoneisaMuslimandoneisakafirwemakea
validdistinction,butifwetalkoftheJudgmentandtheWeighing
wecanconceiveofmercyforthekafirandpunishmentforthe
Muslim, for we are approaching their situation in relation to
anotherDivineNameoraspect.Fromonepointofviewwearethe
actorsandresponsible,fromanotherpointofviewHeistheActor
andHedoeswhatHewills.Thereisnonegationbutifyouadhere
tooneyoulosetheother.
Wewillnowgotothesecondstepfromthebasicaffirmationof
Unity.Wewillsketchherethemostsimplenecessaryframework
ofourcosmology,utterlyderivedfromtheQur'anandtheHadith.
Creationiscomposedofthreeranks.Thecreationofformsisin
descentfrom1throughto2throughto3,that'descent'being,of

course,indescriptionbutnotinreality.

1.JABRUT:TheDivineNames
(Almightiness)
2.MALAKUT:TheWorldofSourceforms
(Dominion)
3.MULK:TheworldofApparentforms
(Kingdom)
Each of these three ranks consists of three ranks. Each has an
apparentreality andahiddenreality.It, itself, is anInterspace.
ThistermBarzakhisakeytermwhichwewillhaveconstant
recourseto,anditisessentialtoourviewthateveryphenomenal
zoneofexistence,whetherseenorunseen,isinitselfmerelyan
interspace between two other zones. This means that the Seen
WorldisanInterspaceinitself,butsoalsoistheWorldofSource
FormsintheUnseenandtheJabrutwhereLordshipcomesoutto
CreationfromtheEssence.
Inourfirstpictureweseethethreeranksintheir'descent'into
forms.Takingintoaccountthattheseranksintersecteachother,let
usplacetherulingrankoftheJabrutinthecentreforitsharesa
faceononesidewiththeMulkandontheotherwiththeMalakut.
Herewetakethreeaspects:Apparent:Interspace:Hidden.Thusthe
HiddenoftheMulkistheApparentoftheJabrut,andtheHidden
oftheJabrutistheApparentoftheMalakut.Thiscountgivesus7
conditionswithinthe3ranks.Thereforethe9ranksareinfact7
conditions.Sowecanapproachbythe7orthe9,itisthesame.
This9RealityiscommontotheLordandtheslave,foritisthe
Creation,thezoneofforms,seenandunseen.Thusfromthe9this
givesus18.
Sincethehumanpresence,liketheDivinePresence,orratherits

source,iscomposedofthesethreeranks,wemultiplythis7:
Therefore:7x3=21
IffromtheDivineaspectwesubtract3
______
Thisgivesus:18.
Thesamefromthehumanaspect.Thisgivesus18Stationsofthe
Kingdom.
ChangeperspectiveandwerecognisetheDivineinterplaybetween
theRealityandtheCreation.Thereare9Heavensforcastingout
thatis,thefulguratingdisplayingandgivingofformenergyfrom
the Truth, and 9 Heavens for reception in the formworld. The
meetingplaceistheKingdom.This'meetingpoint'oftheKingdom
isthepointofrevelationwhere,fromCastingout,theTruthsent
down Jibril with the Message, and where the Creation, in
receiving,tookitthroughtheMessenger.
TheTruthhascreated9Heavens.Therearethesevenoftheskies,
thatisthe'sky'ofeachofthe7visibleplanets(theothertwo
planets of our galaxy are only considered to exert an influence
undercertainveryparticularconditions,forthisgivesusa9),and
tothisweadd1fortheKursithatis,theUniverseofStars,and
another1forthe'Arshthestarlessheaven'beyond'thestarsor,
as in our new language, 'intersecting' it. The likeness of the
Universe to the 'Arsh is that of a small ring flung onto a vast
desert.TheHeavens,theKursi,andthe'Arshmakethebasic9.
Thenextcrucialstepinourabandonmentofthefalsemind/matter
duality is in the recognition of the basic nature of phenomenal
existence,whichisfoundedon4.Phenomenalexistenceisbased
ontheprimalfourconditionsofhot/cold/wet/dry,andtothisis
addednofifth.Itisuntenablethattherebemorethanfourbases.
TheShaykhalAkbarstates:
So4arethebasesofnumber.3,whichisinthe4addedto4
gives7.2whichisinthem,plusthese7is9,andthe1whichis

inthe4plusthese9is10.Afterthisthearrangementisasyou
wish.Youdonotfindanumberwhichgiveyouotherthan
these4,justasyoudonotfindacompletenumberotherthan
6,becauseinitare1/2,1/6,and1/3.Sohotanddrywere
mixedanditwasfire.Hotandwetweremixedanditwasair
(i.e.heatandmoisture).Coldandwetweremixedanditwas
water.Coldanddryweremixedanditwasearth.Solookat
theformationoftheairfromheatandmoisture,itwasthe
breath which is the sensory life and it is the mover of
everythingbyitsbreath.Itmovedwater,earth,andfire,and
byitsmovementthingsmovebecauseitislife.These4arethe
pillarsengenderedbythefirstmatrices.
Thenlearn thatthese first matricesaccordtheir realities to
compoundssolelywithoutmixture.Sotheheatingfromheatis
not from other than it. It is the same with drying up and
shrivellingfromdryness.Whenyouseefirehasdriedupthe
placefromwater,donotimaginethatheatdrieditup,because
fireiscompoundedofheatanddrynessaswesaid.Sobythe
heatwhichisinit,waterisheated,andbythedrynessdrying
up occurred. It is thus with pliability which is only from
moisture:andbecomingcoldwhichisonlyfromcoldness.Heat
makes warm: coldness makes cold: moisture makes pliable:
anddrynessdriesup.Thusthematricesareincompatible,and
areonlyjoinedinaform,buttheextentwhichtheirrealities
accorded,and1isneverfoundfromtheminaform.However
2arefound,eitherlikeheatanddrynessaswesaid,intheir
compound,orheatexistedalone.Thereisonlyit,fromit,inits
isolation.Realitiesareintwosections:realitiesfoundisolated
intheintellectlikelife,knowledge,articulation,andsense,and
realitieswhicharefoundbytheexistenceofcompounding,like

thesky,theworld,manandstone.Ifyousay:'Whatisthe
causewhichjoinstheseincompatiblesourcessothatfromtheir
mixtureappearsthatwhichappears?Ireplythathereisa
wondroussecretandagreatcomplexity.Itsunveilingwouldbe
a wrong action since the intellect cannot reason it. But
unveilingseesit
Sorealitiesgrantthatthesematricesdonothaveexistencein
theiressenceatallbeforetheexistenceofcomplexformsfrom
them.
Well aware that this description of things seems to be in
contradictiontothescientificpicture,heassertsthatitisignorance
to lay at his door a charge of giving an 'unscientific' view of
reality.Heacceptsthescientificpicture,butquestionsitsabilityto
unfoldthenatureofhowthingsare,sinceitstartsoffwithabasic
divisionbetweenknowledgeandtheknowerandtheknown.To
thepeopleofthePath,whiletheknowersareseveraland'know'
differently knowledge itself is One and thus all they are
experiencingisaprivateunveilingofatinypartofOneReality,
andthisknowledgemustcomeoutfromtheknowerandnothis
thoughts.
Hesays:
SotheReality,mayHebeexalted,istheOnefromwhomwe
take our knowledges, with the retreat of the heart from
thought,andwiththeinclinationtoacceptopeningexperience
(i.e.thatyouarenotaseparateknoweratall).ItisHewho
gives us the matter at its source without summation or
confusion.Soweknowtherealitiesforwhattheyarebasedon
itisthesamewhethertheywereisolatedoroccurredwiththe

timestructureoftheformations,orDivineRealities.
Againheisindicatingthatyoucansayitthiswayorthatway,we
eitherseethingsaswithinthephenomenalworldorweseethemas
theDivineunfoldings,thedescriptionineachinstanceisnotthe
thing.Thereisnoscientificfact,thereareonlythelimitedview
pictures. These are our doing. He is concerned with unveiling,
whichcomesfromRealitytotheslave.Hequotestheayatofthe
Qur'an which says of the Messenger: 'We have not taught him
poetry,itisnotseemlyforhim.'(36.69).
Hecomments:
Poetryistheplaceofsummation,symbols,andriddles.
This teaching, heinsists,comes through theQur'anicrevelation
andthroughhisownStationofbeingWali,itisthroughhisdirect
experienceofReality,andthereforesuperiorto,andotherthan,the
humanknowledges.
To return to our picture of the Cosmos: all the letters have
appearedfromthe'alif.ItistheirHeaveninspiritandinsense.
ThereisaHeavenfromwhichEarthexists:aHeavenfromwhich
Waterexists:aHeavenfromwhichAirexists:andaHeavenfrom
whichFireexists.Thisgives5existentHeavensinthispicture.
Each of these Heavens revolves around certain letters and
sometimesevenpartsofletters.
Inspecifyingaparticulardifferenceinthehot/wetfromtheother
compounds,theMastermakesaveryilluminatingcomment.Its
Heavenisnot,apparently,likethatoftheothercombinations,but
isanotherencirclingHeaven.Haditbeenthesame,heobserves,
thatHeavenwouldhavecometoanendanditspowerwouldhave
vanished as it appears in incidental life. For the hot/wet is

vanishingormoving,anditsrealityendseventhoughitdoesnot
vanish.ForthisreasontheCreator,mayHebeexalted,relatedto
usthat'theLastAbodeisLife,'(40.39),and'everythingproclaims
Hispraise.'(17.44).
Hecontinues:
Sothe Heavenoflife inpreendlesstime beganpreendless
timelifeinitsextension.ItdoesnothaveaHeavensoitscycle
comestoanend.Lifeinpreendlesstimeinitselfbelongstothe
Living,andsoendingisnottrueforit.Sopostendlesstimelife
iscausedbypreendlesstimelifeanditdoesnotacceptend.
Don't yousee,thatwhenthelifeof thespirits isessentially
theirs, that death is not valid for them? When life was in
physicalbodiesbyaccident,deathandannihilationwasbased
onit.Sothelifeoftheapparentbodycomesfromthetracesof
thelifeofthespiritevenasthelightofthesunwhichisonthe
earth comes from the sun. When the sun passes, its light
followsit,andtheearthbecomesdark.Thuswhenthespirit
goesfromthebodytoitsHeavenfromwhichitcame,thelife
diffused from it in the living body follows it, and the body
remainsintheformoftheinanimatetooureye.Soitissaid:
'Soandso has died,' but in reality you say that he has
returnedtohissource.'OutofitWecreatedyou,andWeshall
restoreyoutoit,andbringYouforthasecondtime.'(20.55)
TheSpiritlikewisereturnstoitssourceuntiltheDayofRising,
andtheGatheringwillbeamanifestationofthespirittothe
body by means of love. So its parts will be united and its
membersorganisedinasubtlelifeagain.Thesettinginmotion
ofthememberstoformationisacquiredbytheturningofthe
spirit.Sowhenitsformationisestablishedandtheformation

ofdustissetup,thespiritmanifestsitselftoitbythegentle
Israfiliancallintheencircledhorn.Soalifegoesintoitslimbs
anditbecomesashapedindividualasonthefirsttime.'Then
he blows into it again, so that they stand looking while the
EarthisilluminatedbytheLightoftheirLord.'(39.6869)'As
He created you, you return.' (7.29) 'Say: "He will quicken
them, who originated them the first time."' (36.79) 'Either
happyorwretched.'(11.05).
Itisclearfromthispicturethattheexistenceofthelettersandthe
meaningoftheiractivityhastodowiththewholecreationprocess.
It is another regrettable result of the study of Muslim writers
having filtered through theOrientalists that thisstudy ofletters
which lies at the base of Sufism has been so long ignored, or
worse, dismissed as some kind of superstitious magic. The
reduction of the science of letters to an arcane esotericism has
completely barred the way to any serious study of Islamic
Cosmology.ThemodernMuslims,ontheirpart,broughtupand
educatedinacolonialsituationwithaChristianbourgeoisethos
surrounding them, had little chance of appreciating it either, so
busy were they grovelling before the idols of technology with
whichtheyarestill,manyofthem,sodeeplyawed.Itisnouse
examiningthispictureofaworldwheretheforms'comeout'ofthe
letters unless it is clearly understood that this is a serious and
precisedescriptionofthelifeprocessanddoesnotmeanthatthe
Shaykhwithhistoweringintellectisnaivelysuggestingthatthe
beginningofthingsissomekindofcosmicchildren'spartywitha
lotofalphabetlettersfallingoutofthesky.Itiswewhomust
maketheefforttograspthemeaningandWisdomofthesecretsof
existencewhichhelaysbeforeus,bearinginmindhiscontinual
warningswhichIcanbutreiterate:
Wetravelonadifferentpathintheunderstandingofthese

words, and that is that we free our hearts from meditative

speculationandwesitwiththeTruthbydhikronthecarpetof
courtesy, watching, with presence and preparation for the
acceptance of what He wills to us from Him, may He be
exalted,untiltheTruth,mayHebeexalted,takespossessionof
ourinstructionbyunveilingandrealisationbywhatyouheard
Himsay:'FearAllah,Allahteachesyou.'(2.282).Hesays:'If
youfearAllah,Hewillassignyouafurqan,'(8.29),and'Lord,
increase me in knowledge,' (20.114), and 'We taught him
knowledgefromOurPresence.'(18.65).
Fortunately, the intellectual situation is much more open to the
Wisdomteaching than it was in the first arrogant days when
scientificmethodologyseemedadequatetodealwithanyproblem.
InhisInauguralAddresstotheCollegedeFrance,thebiologist
JacquesMonodsaid:'Itislanguagewhichcreatedhumans,rather
thanhumanslanguage.'Whenoneexaminestheinterconnecting
systemsofpsycholinguisticsandstructurallinguisticsandsoon,
wefind that it isnot thevision that islackingas muchasthe
willingnesstoshedanepistemologywhichtheyinheritedfromthe
scientistsandwhichtheyareterrifiedtoleavebehind.Thestoryis
thesamewhereverresearchhastakenmentothelimitsoflogic
and language and measurement and where the microcosmic
structureplanesoutintothemacrocosmicorviceversa,orwhere
the forms themselves emerge out of the fecund Nothing they
imaginetheyobserve.Manyofthefindingsofthebiologistsand
physicists are taking them to a point where they are being
challengedtorecognisenottheinvalidityoftheirfindingsbut
theunderlyingpsychosisoftheirapproach.Indeed,muchofwhat
theyhavetosayisgermanetoourstudythattheyaretrappedin
ablindalleyisoftheirowndoing,andalsotheirownbusiness.
HereareGeorgeandMurielBeadle,forexample,comingfromthe

realmofmolecularbiology:
ThedecipheringoftheDNAcodehasrevealedourpossessionofa
languagemucholderthanhieroglyphics,alanguageasoldaslife
itself,alanguagethatisthemostlivingofall.
Commenting on the findings of Crick and Yanofsky in their
analysis ofwhatthey call 'thefourletterlanguage embodied in
moleculesofnucleicacid',RomanJakobson,thelinguist,observes:
We actually learn that all the detailed and specific genetic
informationiscontainedinmolecularcodedmessages,namely
in their linear sequences of 'code words' or 'codons'. Each
word comprises three coding subunits termed 'nucleotide
bases'or'letters'ofthecode'alphabet'.Thisalphabetconsists
offourdifferingletters'usedtospelloutthegeneticmessage'.
The 'dictionary' of the genetic code encompasses 64 distinct
words which, in regard to their components, are defined as
'triplets',foreachofthemformsasequenceofthreeletters.61
ofthesetripletscarryanindividualmeaning,whilethreeare
apparently used merely to signal the end of the genetic
message.
Again a biologist addressing the College de France, this time
Jacob,whosays:
Totheoldnotionofthegene,anintegralstructurethatone
usedtocomparetothebeadonarosary,hassucceededthatof
aseriesoffourelementsrepeatedinpermutations.Heredityis
determined by a chemical message inscribed along the
chromosomes.Thesurprisingthingisthatgeneticspecificityis
written,notinideogramsasinChinese,butinanalphabetas

inFrench,orrather,inMorse.Themeaningofthemessage
comesfromthecombinationofsignsintowords,andfromthe
arrangement of words into sentences a posteriori, this
solution appears the only logical one. How otherwise could
such a scarcity of means secure a similar diversity of
architecturalforms?
Itisasadconditionoftheblindnessofthese'observers'ofthelife
processdonotaskhowtheygot'outside'existencethattheyare
so trapped by the role they have assigned themselves they are
forcedtoconcludethatthediscretecomponentsareinthemselves
devoidofmeaning.Hereagainisthatsubjectiveprojectionoftheir
ownexistentialsituationontothesocalledobjectofobservation.
TheShaykhalAkbarinsiststhatifanyonemakesamodelhewill
intheendonlybemakingamodelofhimself.Todenymeaningto
the'letter'istodenymeaningtothe'sentence'whichislife.Yet
whatwesee,ifwehavethecouragetolookclearly,ateverystage
oftheWay,ismeaning.Thesentenceisstructured.Thereis,inthe
mechanisticlanguageofthescientist,'architecture'.Itisabsurdto
hearreiteratedatthisstageofman'sexistencetheoldarguments
aboutwatchesandwatchmakers,butastonishinglytheystillgoon.
Wearenotdealingwithamachineworld.Wearedealingwitha
Realitywhich,firstofall,isdealingwithus.Secondly,itisnota
mechanistic,insideoutside,mind/bodyduality.Thirdly,atevery
stageitisstructuredandtheunfoldingoftheorganicformpatterns
comesfrom'within'tooutside,whenitisamatteroflifeforms,
andfromoutsidetothecentrewhenitreachesthecrystallinelevel.
Formissomethingthatisbothconnectedtoandseparatefromthe
discretecomponents,aswehaveobservedinourselves,orshould
haveifwehavemaintainedourcouragetolookatbothourselves
and the horizon as Qur'an commands. Dependent on a rich
complex of impulses from without in the environment of
place/eventandfromwithintheinnerenvironmentofself/energies,

thehumanface,the'form'ofmanhimselfchangesandalterswith
suchrapiditywecanactuallyseeithappenattimes.Bothinthe
immediatechangeof'state'andinthelongtermbuildupofaltered
'states'weobservetheformofmanchangeacrossthediscreteor
apparently discrete matter of his biological structure. We are
dealingwithaworldwhichisnothingbut'meanings'.
MeaningMA'NAisakeywordinsuficstudy.Hereisitsroot:
'Meaning';'mindimage';'consideredashavingawordappliedto
denoteit';'beingintendedbyaword';'whatthewordindicates.'
IntheDiwanoftheShaykhalKamilhesays:

Ohyouwhodesirethepresenceofbeinganeyewitness,
youmustriseabovethespiritandtheforms
andclingtotheoriginalVoidandbeasif
youwerenot,ohannihilated!
Truly,youwillseeexistencebyasecret
whosemeaningshavespreadineveryage.
Noneoftheimagesofactionandentity
multiplytheActorinanyway.
Sowhoeverrisesaboveeveryvanishingthing
willbeshownexistencewithoutduality.

Inhissong,'WithdrawalintothePerceptionoftheEssence',Allah
speaks:

TheAttributesofMyEssencewerehidden,
andtheyweremanifestedintheexistencetraces.
Truly,createdbeingsaremeaningssetupinimages.
Allwhograspthisareamongthepeopleofdiscrimination.

Intherootdefinitionofma'nawecomebacktothepivotalbalance
betweenlettersandtheappearanceofforms.Itiswhatisintended
bytheword.Atthecoreofthiswehavethesuficteachingabout
theNameitselffromwhichallthenamescome.
OnthisteachingShaykhalKalabadhisays:
Some of the Masters maintain that the Names of Allah are
neither Allah nor otherthanAllah: this is parallel to their
doctrineconcerningtheAttributes.Othersholdtheviewthat
thenamesofAllahareAllah.
Bothofthesearetwowaysofsayingthesamething,onlyone
makes a distinction in description. The teaching of Harith al
Muhasibi is the most pure, which teaches that Allah's speech
consistsofthelettersandthesoundsandthattheseareAttributes
ofAllahuncreatedinHisEssence.
We note the scientists use the word 'dictionary' to denote the
sourcebook of the coding to the people of the Path such a
projective image is inadequate. When Qur'an, the Book of the

Booksthatwehave,whichisinturnmerelythemanifestversion
oftheHiddenBook,statesthateverythingiswritteninamanifest
Book, we recognise that the record is the Reality itself in its
unfolding. When it says that 'everyone has their Book,' we
recognisenotonlytherecordofthedestinywhichiswritteninthe
cells,buttherecordofthecellswhichwaswritteninthedestiny
beforeittookplace.
Roman Jakobson, a linguist who is profoundly aware of the
metaphysicalimplicationsofhisscience,states:
Howshouldoneinterpretallthesesalienthomologiesbetween
thegeneticcodewhich'appearstobeessentiallythesameinall
organisms' (J.D. Watson: 'Molecular Biology of the Genes')
andthearchitectonicmodelunderlyingtheverbalcodesofall
human languages, and, nota bene, shared by no semiotic
systems other than natural language or its substitutes. The
questions of these isomorphic features become particularly
instructivewhenwerealisethattheyfindnoanalogueinany
systemofanimalcommunication.
Wemustemphasisethatthereisnosuggestionthatthescientists
are proving anything, but one can valuably assimilate their
observationswhentheyaremadewithsuchclarityofvisionbut
fromourpointofviewitisthescientistwhohastocometoterms
with the basic problems underlying his position of fantasy
objectivityanddualisticlanguagewithallitspitfallsofteleology
andsoonwhichonlyhavemeaningwhilethewholethingremains
'aproblem'thattheyarrogantlyimaginetheyare'solving'.
Ourpictureoflanguageofthelettersisthattheyarethevery
creationprocesstheappearanceofthephenomenalforms.The
letterswhichappearattheverybeginningoftheformsituation

(whenthefourbasicconditionshot,cold,wet,dry,mixandthe
fourbasicelementsemergeair,earth,fire,water,whichgiveus
thecreation)aresurroundedbyHeavens,byangelicactivity,by
orbit, therefore movement and activity. Within the creation the
lettersunfoldtheirmessagesofformuntilmanhimselfemergesin
the'solid'world.WhenSayyedinaAdammanifests,heisgiven,in
theQur'anicexpression,'allthenames.'Itisthisthatmarkshim
outasman,theKhalifofAllahinHiscreation.For,oncethereare
formsoncethereisacreationthenAllahisHiddenbecauseHe
isManifesteverywhere.OnceHeisHidden,HeleavesHisKhalif
fortheKhalifistheonewhostandsinduringtheabsenceofthe
King.ThelanguageofAdam,andthelanguagesoftheadamic
peoples, are nothing other than the 'knowing' of the creational
original letters. Just as language is built into the cells at the
molecularlevel,soitcomesoutfrommaninhismoleculartotality.
That is why when we examine the Arabic language, which is,
remember,theoldestofthesemiticgroup,wefindthatinitsroot
condition, everything connects to a specific existential or
phenomenalreality,aswehaveseenthroughoutthiswork.
PartoftheblindnessofthemodernMuslimstotheirownspiritual
heritagehasbeentheirdeeplackofunderstandingoftheArabic
language.Theyhavereducedthelanguagewhichwascreatedfor
the Wisdomtransaction to nothing more than a mercantile
exchange transaction. A modern Arabic dictionary reveals a
completebreakinthelanguagefromitsroots,anabstractingfrom
therootspecificityandadisastrousannexationofthemercantile
coding of the bourgeois society which has so successfully
conqueredthembyitssupremacyofvaluesovertheWisdomWay
whichalwaysyieldstotheforceofgreedandpowerandambition.
It is not that the Christian bourgeois society is superior to the
Wisdomtransaction simply that men have abandoned it and
corrupteditenoughtoallowtheotheritssupremacy.

This creationpicture of reality as a Book which unfolds its

meanings and story is emerging in a profounder light than the
originalideathatweentertainedofitbeingmerelysomeprimitive
myth.Qur'ansays:
Noughtofdisasterbefallsintheearthorinyourselvesbutitis
inaBookbeforeWebringitintobeingLo!thatiseasyfor
Allah.(Qur'an57.22)
Ourlasttaskwillbetolookatthetimepictureandthetime/space
realityinwhichwefindourselvesinthelightofthisWisdom
teaching.Forwehavealreadyarrivedatapositionwhereweare
forced to recognise the illusory nature of time. We cannot
understandthemeaningoftheformscomingintoexistence,the
encodingoftheorganism,unlesswegrasptheconstancyofthe
creationsituation.LookagainatthedescriptionthattheShaykhal
Akbar gives of the human being's life, death and continuation
(pages1712)andyouareopeningtoatotallynewvisionofhow
itis.Inthispictureofexistence,theQur'anisnotmerelytheBook
ofChanges,butitistheSourceBookofForms,alMutashabih,
TheConformableinallitsparts,forthatisthenatureofthegreat
cosmicrealityoftheUniverse.Byextension,itisnotmerelythe
BookofForms,itisitselfcompoundedofthestuffofexistence,it
is dynamic, active and effective as well as containing the
discriminationpracticeaboutsuchexistentialmattersasmarriage,
divorceandweaningandwar,andtheunitaryteachingaboutthe
Truth,itisitselfalivingandactivatingenergyprocesswhich,once
readorrecited,takesonanalchemicalpowerwhichtransmutesthe
situationintowhichitmanifestsitslettersandsoundsintotheair
andintotheheartsofthelistenersintheSeenandtheUnseen
realities.
'The letters,' says the Shaykh alAkbar, 'are the Imams of

preservation.'Itistheywhich'uphold'thespace/timerealityofthe
organism,itistheirunderlying,hiddenrealityatthegeneticlevel
thatsustainsthebeinginitsexistenceofduration/state.Itisthey
which act in the bringing into existence from the Names the
myriadformsofcreation.TheMasterexplainsfurther:
Know,mayAllahgiveusandyousuccess,thatthelettersare
one of the communities, speaking and obligated. There are
Messengersinthemfromthemselves,andtheyhavenamesin
respecttothem.OnlythepeopleofunveilingfromourPath
know this. They have divisions in practice They have a
Shari'awhichtheyworshipby,andtheyhavebothsubtleties
anddensities.
TheInterspacebetweenthelettersandtheNames,thesourceofall
letters,isthe'Alif,whosenumericalvalueis1.Ofithesays:
The'Alifisnotfromtheletterswithwhoeversmellsascentof
therealities,butthecommonfolkcallitaletter.Sowhenthe
Realisedsaythatitisaletter,theysaythatbywayofmetaphor
inexpression.Thedotofthecircleencompassment,thesimple
andcomplexoftheworlds,areneitherinitnoroutofit.
Anotherletterthatmovesaboutinitssignificance,andthusmakes
foradifferenceincalculationdependingonitsspecificroleinthat
particular picture, is Hamza. He explains its particular function
thus:
TheHamzaintersectstimeanduniteswhateveritisnearto,
fromseparation.
It is time (dahr) and its power is great. It is beyond being
containedinthestrikingofamithal.

Theappendedchartswillgiveyouafirstoutlineofthelettersand
theirHeavens,theirinterrelatedness,andtheirelementalnature.
Chart1:TheFourMatricesofhot/dry/cold/wet.
Chart2:TheMovementoftheHeavenswhichcreatethefour
matriceswhichgivethefourelements.
Chart 3 : The Creation as a 7 / 9 unfolding: manifesting the
elements.
Chart4:TheCreationshowingthezonesoftheletters.
Chart5:TheHeavensoftheFourElements.
Thisisfollowedbyindividualchartsofeachofthe29lettersofthe
alphabet.
Aftertheletterscomethevowels,andthevowelsofthelettersare
6.Theyenterintothelettersaftertheirshaping.Sothen:
There is another growth called a word, as the bringing
togetherinapersonmakesman.Thustheworldofwordsand
phrasesgrowsfromtheworldofletters.Sothelettersbelongto
thewordsinaffectionlikewater,earth,fireandairbelongto
thesettingupofthegrowthofbodies.
Withthezoneofwordtophrase,orwordtosign,ifwesticktothe
Qur'anic language we enter a further complexification of the
different patterns of existence. Realities arise due to this
organisationofletterunits.
These realities which are from organisation exist by its
existenceandvanishwithitsnonexistence.Sotherealityof

'animal'onlyexistswiththeauthorshipofvocableintelligible
realities in their essence, and they are body, nutrition and
sense.Whenbody,nutritionandsensearecombinedthenthe
realityof'animal'appears.Itisnotthebodyalone,northe
nutritionalone,northesensealone.Iftherealityoffeelingfalls
awaywhilebodyandnutritionremain,thenyousay'plant',a
realitywhichisnotthefirstone.
The Shaykh alAkbar outlines three vital aspects that make up
existence.Hecallsthese:theWealthyIndependentEssencethe
Sufficiency:apooressencethatisdependentupontheformer:a
thirdessencethatistheconnectingessencebywhichthesecondis
dependent. He links these three aspects of Lord: slave: source
form: to the very nature of language itself. So we then define
languageasbeingcontainedalsointhreerealities,thesamethree
essence:occurrence:connection.
Thisgivesus:Noun/Essence
Verb/Occurrence
Preposition/Connection.
Thisthirdconnectingtermwewillexamineinfullinthenextstage
ofoursearch.Itisenoughforthemomenttoobservetheunifying
principleoftheteachingasitfollowsthestructuringoflanguage
andrelatesittothecomplexificationofexistenceitself.
Afurtheraspectoflanguagecomeswhenwegofromtheseparate
wordstothephrases,thesigns.Herephrasesareseentobeonfour
divisionswhicharethematrices,likecoldness,heat,dryness,and
wetnessintheelements.Theseare:
1)Clearphrases:nouns,intransitiveslikeocean,key,scissors.

2) Understood phrases: which have an accepted designation of

type:likemanandwoman.
3)Homonyms:phrasesofoneformwithdifferencesofmeaning,
like'ayneye/source:mushtariseller/buyer:insanman/pupil
oftheeye.
4) Synonyms: words with different forms which indicate one
meaning: lion asad, hizabr, ghadanfar: sword sayf, husam,
sarim:winekhamr,rahiq,sahba',khandaris.
Sowenowfindourselveswithlanguagewhichisheretotellus
abouttherealityofourexistence.
The Qur'an, when we examine it, instructs us in two means of
approach to the Reality. At first glance they are utterly
contradictory.Onetellsusthatnoformorconceptmaydescribeor
circumscribetheReality,thatisbeyondassociation.Ontheother
hand, we find the Book full of phrases which seem in blatant
contradictiontothiswereadofHishand,andthatHesettledon
theThrone,andsoon.Wenowhavetoextendthispicturewehave
ofexistenceinitsintricateinterrelatedness,thecosmicrealityin
allitsvastnessandcomplexitycrownedbythisselfawarecreation,
Man,andrecognisehimasbothKhalifoftheDivineRealityand
slave.WehavetoexaminehowtheexaltedLordandtheslaveare
'connected',andthenatureoftheconnection,giventhatwecan
connectnothingtoHim.
Wehavereachedapointwherewemustaskquestionsaboutthe
natureofknowledge,andthenatureofthecreationalrealities,in
ordertounderstandthemeaningoftheTawhid,theUnityitself.

TheScienceofBewilderment

Wehaveslowlybeendismantling thedualistic machineideaof

existencewhichweweretaught,andbeguntoreplaceitwitha
livingandmovingpictureofarealitywhichdescendsincascading
expansion from a Hidden Source, which had its essence in a
powerful Unseen Waterfall that is hidden from us by its
tremendousspray,untilitbecomesthevisibleriverofflowingand
vital forms that further spread out into the vast ocean of
multiplicitycalledthephenomenalworld.
Before we could grasp how the Book of Forms, the Qur'an,
manifested,wehadtolookfirstatadescriptionofcreationasthis
unfoldingoutoftheDivineRealitywethensawthatitwasthe
Book of the Book of Existence itself. In the light of this
knowledge,wemustagainlookatthatdescriptionofthedescent
fromthesublimeandUnknowableEssencetothemyriadforms.
This time we will complexify the descent further so that every
stageofthisunfoldingisclear.Rememberthatthe'descent'isnot
spatialandthehierarchyisindescriptionbutnotinreality,forwe
can never abandon the position of affirmation of Unity which,
althoughwemayleaveit,weareboundtoreturntoit.
This descent is called, in the language of the Sufis,

TANAZZULAT.
Hereitis:
1. AHADIYYAT. Here Reality is unlimited and total in the
phrase of the great Sufi Abd alKarim Jili, there is 'no
manifestation, no name, no quality, no relation, no adjunct or
anythingelse.'It isthe great Darkness towhichthe Messenger
referredwhenhewasasked,peaceandblessingsofAllahbeupon
him,'WherewasAllahbeforethecreationoftheworld?':Nowthis
languagewhichimplieswherenessandtimeinrelationtoAllahwe
willexamineatthenextstageofourjourney,butforthemoment
letitbeemphasisedthatwhiletheMessenger,inaccordancewith
theBookandtheWisdomhehadreceived,didexpresshimselfin
thisway,itwasbydescriptiononlyandnotthroughanyideathat
Allahhad'whereness',aswhenhespokewiththeignorantBedouin
woman.Hisanswertothequestionofwherenesswas,'Hewasin
thegreat'Ama,'meaningadarkmist.Inotherwords,beforethe
manifestation of His Names and the event of His Lordship as
Creator,HeishiddenandInaccessible.Itwasofthisrealitythat
the Messenger warned when he forbade contemplation of the
Essence.Itisinaccessibletothoughtorexpression.Itsnametothe
SufisisGHAYBALGHAYBtheHiddenoftheHidden.Itisto
thissublimerealitythattheMessengeralsoreferredwhenhesaid,
'AllahwasandtherewasnothingwithHim.'Thisisthe'AYNI
MUTLAQtheAbsoluteSource.Itis'AYNALKAFURthe
Fountain of Camphor, for whatever enters camphor becomes
camphor.
FromthisstagethereisdescenttothenextstageoftheDivine
Ranks:
2.WAHDAT.Herewhatwashiddencomesout.HeretheReality
knowsitself,itspotentialitiesanditstotality.Heretherearefour

aspects which are not yet differentiated: Existence, Light,

Knowledge,andSelfmanifesting.Here,HeisHimself.Thisisstill
intheEssence,forwemustreaffirmthatthereisnobreakorsplit
in these stages. Here are all the Names of Divinity and of the
Universe,buttheyareforandtotheEssence,andhavenotyet
movedintospecificity.ThisiscalledtheTAJALLIAWWALthe
first selfmanifestation. It is also called the Haqiqata'l
Muhammadiyya,ortheRealityofMuhammad.Tothisrefersthe
Hadith:'ThefirstthingwhichAllahcreatedwastheLightofthe
Messenger.'Also:'IamfromtheLightofAllahandthewhole
worldisfrommylight.'Thisstageisalsocalled,therefore,An
NuriMuhammadiyya.Thismustnotbemisunderstood.Hereisnot
the essence of the Messenger, for as we shall see, the dhat or
essenceofthecreaturesmanifestsatalowerstage.Rather,itisthe
secretofformitself.
Fromherethereisdescenttothenextstage:
3.WAHIDIYYAT.ThisisthethirdandlastoftheDivineRanks.
Here the Names separate and display themselves. The Peacock
opens its tail. Here, every aspect of the Creator, the Actor, is
particularised, and its interrelationship with every other is
specified. In Wahdat everything is 'there' but implicit, now in
Wahidiyyat,everythingisthereandexplicit.Togethertheselast
twostagesareone,theyareaveil,withonesidefacingtothe
hiddenandtheotherfacingouttothephenomenalworld.Sothese
two together form the BARZAKHIKUBRA the Great
Interspace.
Again,beforedescenttotheworldofformsintheUniverse,letus
affirmtheidenticalnatureoftheDivineRanksRealityisnever
nowthisandnow that.Hisknowledgeisnotimplicitandthen
explicit.HeisneverwithoutconsciousnessofHimself,norwithout
Light,norwithouttheNames.TheAttributesareidenticalwiththe

Essence.'HeisnowasHewasbefore.'
Thecosmicranksaretwo:
1.The'Aynaththabitah,thepermanentsourceformsofallthe
individual things, descend from their permanence in the Divine
NamesintotheUnseen.
2.The'Aynaththabitahbecomethethingsintheworldofsensible
experience.Heretheycomeintotheworldofsolidity/duration.
ThisistheUniverse.Butweaffirmagainourfirstcondition.'And
He is as He was before,' before, that is, the creation of the
Universe.
Thisdescentisbyitsnatureamovement,anenergyprocess,and
thiswillbethelastaspectoftheRealitywhichwewillexamine.
Forthemomentletusstaywiththepatternthatthemovement
shows.
Hereisanotherdescriptionthathelpsclarifythepictureofhow
existence comes into being, and let us be open now to the
implicationsofwhatisbeingpresented,whichisinevitablythat
thereisatriplicityofRealityintheUniverse.Thatthethingscome
intobeingandgooutofexistence.Thattheyarepermanentand
endless.Thattheydonotandneverhavehadanyexistence.These
mattersmustbeapproachedstepbystep,anditmustbesaidagain,
thatifweholdtoonepicturewelosetheothers,andthatifwehold
totheotherwelosetheformer.Yetallaretrue.
ThedescentthroughtheDivineRanksinthisnewpictureisseen
asanemanationfromtheEssencetotheSourceforms.Thisisthe
realmofthepossiblethingstheyarenotyetactualised.Herethe
potterhasconceivedtheideaofthepotformbuthasnotyetmade

it.Thisimageisstilltodowithourformboundsituationandnot
todowithaRealitywhichisutterlybeyonddependenceonforms.
Thereisnowatch/watchmakerduality.Thisemanationiscalled
ALFAYDALAQDAS,ortheMostPureemanation.Thatisto
say,fromRealityuncontaminatedwithformcomestheformidea.
This is also called TAJALLI DHATIY, Manifestation of the
Essence.ThisisthedescentintotheNameswhentheformsappear
toAllahbutnottotheworld.Oncetheformbecomesthesource
formintheUnseen,itthentakesonexistenceandsomanifestsin
thevisibleworld.Thisis:ALFAYDALMUQADDAS,thePure
emanation. This is also called TAJALLIWUJUDIY, the self
manifestationoftheexistent.
IntheQur'antheDivinityexpressesItselfbydifferentpronouns.
HeandWe.'He'indicatestheEssence,beyondallassociationof
form.'Say:HeAllahisOne.'(112.1).'We'isusedintherealmof
Kingship,itisthe'We'ofRoyalCommand.TheCommandisthe
bringing of things into existence from the Names. This is
Rububiyyat,Lordship,theruleoftheCreatoroverHiscreation.
Inthe'SealsofWisdom',theShaykhalAkbarsays:
Abu'lQasimibnQasisaidinhisbook,'TheRemovalofthe
Sandals', 'Each Divine Name is qualified by all the Divine
Names,anddescribedbytheirdescription.'Itisso.EachName
indicates the Essence according to the meaning which is set
forth for it and which demonstrates it. In respect to its
indicationoftheEssence,itpossessesalltheNames:andin
respecttothemeaningwhichissingulartoit,itdistinguishes
itself from others, such as the Lord, the Creator, the
Fashionerofforms,andsoon.SotheNameisthesameasthe
namedinrespecttotheEssence,andtheNameisotherthan
thenamedinrespecttothemeaningwhichisparticulartoit.

Elsewherehesays:
KnowthattheOnecalledAllahisonebyessenceandbyallHis
Names,andeveryexistentthingisonlyattachedtoAllahbyhis
ownLord(Name)exclusively,foritisimpossiblethatitpossess
thewhole.AsforDivineUnityAhadiyya,noneisinitatall,
foronecannotdesignateanyaspectofit,anditdoesnotadmit
of distinction. So His Unity integrates all of Him by
potentiality.
Thehappyoneistheone'whowaspleasingtohisLord.'There
isnoonewhoisnotpleasingtohisLordbecauseitisbyhim
thatrububiyya,Lordship,subsists.SoHeispleasedwithHim,
soheishappy.ForthisreasonSahlatTustarisaid,'Lordship
hasasecret,andthissecretisyou.'Hewasaddressingevery
sourceform. 'Had it been manifested, Lordship would have
been invalidated.' He used the word 'law' which is the
participle of impossibility, for it is never manifested, so
Lordship is never invalidated, FOR THERE IS NO
EXISTENCETOASOURCEFORM,exceptbyitsLord.The
sourceisalwaysexistent,sosovereigntyisneverinvalidated.
And:
EveryexistentthingispleasingtoitsLord(Name),thatdoes
notnecessitatethateachexistentthingwhichispleasingtoits
LordisalsopleasingtotheLordofanother,becauseLordship
isonlyobtainedfromeachoneoftheNames,notfromtheone
ofUnity.Sowhatisspecifictoitfromthewholeisonlywhatis
attributedtoit.SoHeisitsLord.NoneisattachedtoHimin
respecttoHisUnity.ForthisreasonthepeopleofAllahare
forbiddenmanifestationofHisUnity(Ahadiyya).Ifyoulookat

Him by Him, He is the one who is looking at Himself. He

continuestobeHimselflookingatHimselfbyHimself.Ifyou
lookatHimbyyourself,Unityvanishesbecauseofyou.Ifyou
lookatHimboththroughHimandthroughyou,Unityalso
vanishesbecausethepronounofthesecondpersonimpliesthat
thereissomethingelsebesidesthatwhichisregarded.Sothere
mustbesomerelationshipwhichnecessitatesthedualityofthe
Regarder and the regarded, and so Unity vanishes, even
thoughthereonlyexiststheOnewhoseesHimselfbyHimself.
ItisknownthatinthisdescriptionHeistheRegarderandthe
Regarded.
And:
So distinction occurred among the slaves, and distinction
occurredamongtheLords.Haddistinctionnotoccurred,One
DivineNamewouldhavebeeninterpretedinallitsaspectsby
whatanotherNameisinterpretedby:theelucidationofthe
ExalterisnotthatoftheAbaser,andsoon,exceptfromthe
aspectofUnity.ItisaswesaidofeveryName,thatitindicates
theEssenceandalsoitsrealityinrespecttowhatitis.Sothe
OnenamedisbutOneandthereforetheExalterIStheAbaser
inrespecttotheNamed.ItisnottheAbaserinrespecttoitself
anditsreality.

DonotlookattheRealandfreeHimfromcreation.
DonotlookatcreationandgarbitinotherthantheReal.
DisconnectHimandconnectHim

andyouwillstandinthegoalofsincerity.
Stayingatherednessifyouwish,
stayinseparationifyouwish.
Youwillwinallevenifallsetouttocarrytheday.
Youarenotannihilatedandyoudonothavegoingon.
Andtheformsarenotannihilatedanddonothavegoingon.
Revelationwillnotbegiventoyouinrespecttoanother,
andyouwillnotgiveit.

We will shortly examine the two terms Connection and

Disconnectionforthemomentitisenoughtorecognisethatthey
aretwoutterlycontradictorymethodsofapproach.Whatwemust
notenowisourrecognitionthattheDivineNamesarenoother
thanthenamed.TherealitieswhichtheNamesrequiretoembody
theirLordshiparenothingbuttheUniverseitself.Toaffirmthis
unifiedsituation,theShaykhusesaverydaringphrase,butdonot
losesightofwhathehasoutlinedinthepoemabove.
Thus Divinity [uluhiyya godness] requires the object to
whichitisgoded[ma'luh],asLordshiprequiresitsownobject
Lorded[marbub].OtherwisetheDivineNameshavenoreal
existenceoftheirown.Whatisabsolutelyfreefromanyneed
oftheUniverseissolelytheRealityasEssence.TheLordship
hasnosuchproperty.SotheRealityisultimatelypossessedof
twoaspects:ontheonehandwhatisrequiredbytheLordship,

and on the other the complete independence of the Essence

from the world which it rightly claims. BUT IN REALITY
THELORDSHIPISTHEESSENCEITSELF.
Let us go back from these two aspects to our previous picture
whichdelineatedinparticularthisconnectingelement,betweenthe
two.LetusgobacktothetriplicityoftheTruth,theWorld,and
theconnectingterm,theSourceforms.Itisessentialthatwehave
acleargraspofthenatureofthis'connection'.
The'aynaththabitaharenotqualifiedbyexistenceandyetthey
arenotqualifiedbynonexistence,neithercantheybesaidtobe
intimenorinendlesstime.Yetthesesourceformshavebeenwith
theEndlesstimesinceendlesstime.Sohereissomethingwhichis
neitherexistentnornonexistentthatis,nevertheless,therootof
theworld,thatfromwhichtheworldcomesintobeing.Itisthe
formofalltheworldforms.Itappearsastheendlesstimeinthe
endlesstime,anditappearsasintimeintheintime.Ifyousayit
istheworld,youareright,declarestheMasterandifyousayitis
Reality,theEndlesstime,youarealsoright.Butyouareequally
rightifyousaythatitisneithertheworldnortheTruth,butitis
somethingdifferentfromboth.Eachofthesestatementsistrue.It
isotherthanAllahanditisnototherthanAllah.
Letusrecallthevaryingperspectiveswehavegonethroughinour
examinationoftheDivineemanationintosolidworldforms.We
haveseenthattheindividuallettersbroughttheformsintobeing,
but from the letters WORDS WERE INTENDED, from the
emergentwordsgroupingsarosewhichgavephrases,andwecould
notbutrecognisethatfromthewords,fromthebeginning,phrases
wereintended.InourQur'anicpicturewesawthatfromtheayats,
thesigns,cameSurasorforms.Thusfromthebeginningofthe
unfoldingitwasformsthatwereintended.Wehavealsoseenhow

bycomplexification,formcombination,somethingnewentersinto
theexperiencepicture.Arealitysweepsovertheforminallits
discreetarchitecturalpatterning.Itcannotbeseparatedfromitand
yetisnotit,foritremainsdiscreet,separate,lettersinjoinedand
interrelatedtension.Wehaveseenhowwhenanyaspectofthe
complexityisdroppedaway,itleavesanother'reality'initsplace.
Anotherma'na,ormeaning.Thescientistrejectsthesourceforms
fortheyarenotaccessibletohimbyhismethodology,andthe
esotericists reject the particularised description of the creation
situation when it is broken down into its discreet components,
whethertheyarenucleicacidsorparticles.TotheSufithereare
twoapproachestoexistencehemaylookattheworldandseethe
forms,orhemayturntotheRealityitselfandtheformswillfall
away. In the great Hadith on creation's secret, the Messenger,
blessingsandpeacebeuponhim,said:
Allahhideshimselfbehind70,000veilsoflightanddarkness.If
Hetookawaytheseveils,thefulguratingLightsofHisFace
wouldatoncedestroythesightofanycreaturewhodaredto
lookatit.
TheShaykhalAkbarcommentsthattheveilsofdarknessarethe
natural bodies and the veils of Light are subtle spirits, for the
Universeiscomposedofthegrossandthesubtle.Hegoeson:
SotheUniverseisitsownveilofitself,anditcannotperceive
theRealitysinceitperceivesitself.Itiscontinuouslyinaveil
whichisnotremovedsinceitknowsthatitisdistinctfromits
CreatorbyitsneedforHim.Ithasnopartintheessential
necessity which belongs to the existence of Allah, so it can
neverperceiveHim.InthisrespectAllahisalwaysunknown
bytheknowledgeoftastinganddirectseeing,becausethein
timehasnoaccesstothat.

Soherewecomeupagainstanotherbafflingnegation.Wehadset
outdeterminedtofollowapaththatwouldgiveusexperienceof
Reality,preciselythatdirecttastingwhichwenowdiscoverthe
GreatestMasterdeniesispossible.Arewemerelyleftwithsome
negativeintellectualposition,andifsowhatisthepointofthe
journey?Itisatthispointthattheconnectingterm,the'aynath
thabitahtakesonitsvitalandunavoidablesignificance.
The'aynaththabitahwedirectlyexperiencein thephenomenal
realmbyaninbuiltfacultywehavetostructureandthediscreet
informationpictureweconstructwhenwescanourworld.Outof
theseparatecellularunitswe'construct'aman,acat,ahorse.Out
ofour'readings'ofthebehaviourandenergywavesfromthecat,
weinterpretits'angerstate'andthatitisgoingtospring.Wemake
sense of existence. We pattern the patterns. This is ordinary
experience.Itisbasedonadirectandcontinualrecognitionofthe
'outward'aspectofthe'aynaththabitahastheymanifest.
TheShaykhalAkbarusesthemithalofamirrortoexpressthe
nature of what the sourceform is, this nonexistent
possibility/formintheDivineNamewhichdisplaysitselfasan
event/form.Wehaveindicatedthatwearenotwhatweseemjust
asthereisthephenomenalmanifestingrealityofthesourceform
whichmayberecognisedinitssubtleaspectbysomeoneelse,so
thereisthetruerealityofthathiddenformintheUnseen,andthat
formisfromtheNames,andtheNamesarefromtheEssence.
NowImayseesomethingofthehiddenrealityofthemanwho
comestowardsme,butIwillneverbeabletoseehissourceform
initsDivineNature.Icannotknowthatofanycreatureexcept
one.
Myself.
I, among the creatures, and only I have access to my own

immutablesourceform.Iamcapableofknowingmyself.Andthat
is the limit of what may be known. Here is how the Shaykh
expressesit,againinapassagefrom'TheSealsofWisdom':
Asforthefavours,gifts,andoverflowingsfromtheEssence,
theyonlycomefromDivineTajalli(selfmanifestation).Tajalli
only comes from the Essence by means of the forms of the
predispositionoftheonewhomtajalliismade.Itneveroccurs
otherwise.Sotheonewhoreceivesthetajalliwillseehisform
only,inthemirroroftheTruth,andhewillnotseetheTruth
foritisnotpossibletoseeHim.Atthesametimeheknowsthat
hesees onlyhisownformin it.It is like themirror inthe
visibleworldinasmuchasyouseeformsinitoryourown
form,youdonotseethemirror.Atthesametime,youknow
that you see the forms or your form only by virtue of the
mirror.SoAllahmanifeststhatasamithalappropriatetoHis
essentialtajalli,sothattheonereceivingthetajalliknowsthat
he does not see Him. There is no mithal nearer and more
appropriatetovisionandtajallithanthis.Sotryyourselfwhen
youseetheforminthemirrortoseethebodyofthemirroras
well you will never see it. It is true, some people who
recognisethismithaloftheformofthemirrorsaythatthe
reflectedformisbetweenthevisionoftheseerandthemirror.
Thatisasfarasthemindcango,andthematterisaswehave
said.Ifyouwishtotastethis,thenexperiencethelimitbeyond
whichthereisnohigherlimitinrespecttothecreature.Donot
exhaustyourselfingoingbeyondthisdegree,forinprinciple,
thereisonlypurenonexistenceafterit.
ThisiswhatismeantbytheShaykhalKamilinhisDiwaninthe
song,'TheBuraqoftheTariq':

Theadaboflookingatthecreatureisthatyousee
theCreatornosecondface!
SoyouseetheCreatorinthecreatedand
theProviderintheprovision.
TheTruthisonlyseeninmanifestation,
whetherbyAngeloramortalman.
ThefirstmanifestationistheLightofAhmad,maythemost
excellentofblessings
beuponhiminendlesstime.
ByhimtheTruthhasfilledeverycreature
andallthatisorwas.

Soonedoorremainsopentotheseekerhisowndoor.Beyond
thatthereisnothing.RealityisOne.Theslaveistheslaveandthe
LordistheLord.ButhisLord,thesourceofhisownexistence,the
mirrorimageoftheperfectionoftheEssencehemaycontemplate
inshort,hemayhaveknowledgeofhimself.Ontheothersideof
thisknowledgeisobliteration,anditistheWisdomoftheWise.
ThisisthemeaningofthefamoussayingattributedtoYahyaibn
Ma'adarRazi:'Hewhoknowshisnafs,truly,heknowshisLord.'
TheShaykhalAkbarcounsels:

Soknowyoursourceform,andwhoyouare,whatisyourhe
ness,andwhatyourrelationtoAllahis,andbywhatyouare
theTruthandbywhatyouaretheUniverseandtheother,and
whateverresemblestheseexpressions.
Sohereistheconclusion:
So know that you are an imagination, and that which you
perceiveandofwhichyousay,'Thisisnotme!'isimagination.
Soallourexistenceisimaginationwithinimagination.
Theworldofbeingandbecomingisanimaginationbutitis,
intruth,theRealityitself.
Hiswordis:'Say:ifyouloveAllah,followmeandAllahwill
loveyou.'(3.31).So,hecalledtoaDivinitytowhomonehas
recourseandwhoisknowninrespecttothewholeandisnot
seen,'NordotheeyesperceiveHim,butHeperceivestheeyes,'
(6.103),byHislutfandHisdiffusioninthesourceformsof
things.TheeyesdonotperceiveHimastheydonotperceive
their arwah which govern their shapes and their outward
forms. 'And He is the AllLatif, the AllAware.' (6.103).
EXPERIENCE ISTHETASTEANDTASTE ISTAJALLI.
Tajallioccursinforms.Sotheymustbeanditmustbeandthe
onewhoseesHimbyhispassionmustworshipHim,ifyoubut
understand!OnAllahisthegoalofthePath.
Another contradictory aspect of the teaching emerged as the
Shaykhguidedtowhatwasbestfortheseeker.Hehadsaid,we
noted:'UsebothtanzihandtashbihinrelationtoHimandyouwill
stand in the goal of sincerity.' Again we have to learn not an
ambiguousapproachtoexistencebutacontraryonewhichclashes

oneapproachagainstanother,irreconcilableforces.Asusual,we
willbeginwiththeirrootformwhichisquiteuncomplicatedand
direct: Tanzih is from NZH, which means: 'to keep something
away from anything contaminating or impure'. Tashbih is from
ShBH,meaning:'tomakeorconsidersomethingsimilartosome
otherthing'.Thissecondrootwehavealreadyencountered!Andit
wasinanayatinformingusthatcertainayatscontainedalikeness
signWisdomthatshouldnotbeapproachedthroughourmental
activity, but should be accepted and made the basis of
remembering.Thekeytothatknowledgewasbydhikr,andnot
fikr.Thereforetheseayatsobviouslycontainthemostprofound
Wisdomanddespitethisweshouldnotperformthisactbutkeep
ourselves aloof from it. Tanzih is to disconnect tashbih is to
connect.Thetruthofthematteristhatonecanneitherholdtoone
nor the other, these two opposites connecting forms to the
RealityanddisconnectingtheRealityfromformsaretwotruths
whichmustbeheldinbalancedanddynamictensionatthesame
time. The perfection ofthis paradoxical Wisdom is stated most
clearlyintheayatwhichdeclares:
ThereisnothinglikeHimandHeistheAllHearing,theAll
Seeing.(Qur'an42.11)
In the first part Allah declares His reality to be beyond any
associationwithforms,andthusdisconnects.InthesecondpartHe
affirmsthatHeparticipatesintheformworld,seeingisHisand
hearingisHis,andthusconnects.IntheviewofthePeopleof
Reality, merely to practise disconnection is to limit and restrict
Allah,andalsotodefythenabiyyicteachingmethodofmithal
wisdom.TheQur'anisfullofimageswhichexpressthetransaction
AllahhaswithHiscreatures.Heisassigned'hands'and'feet',He
'sitsupontheThrone',He'rollsuptheUniverselikeascroll'.This
isnotsomeBlakeanvisionofapatriarchalbeingintheheavens

suspendedoverourheads,anditwouldbeasignofignoranceto
takeitassuch.TheWisdomteachingofIslamiscategoric:He
doesnotengenderforms,andHewasnotengenderedbyaform,
thatistosaythatthecomingoutofformsdoesnotdiminishHis
totality.Hehasnoform,orifyouweretopractisetashbihitwould
bebasedontheunderstandingthatifHeisnottheforms,Heis
formitself,fromwhichallformscome,butthatisinthezoneof
the Names, not the Essence. In other words, to talk of Him in
connectionwiththeformsistobeheldtothestructuralframework
wehaveused,intheEssenceHeisasHewasbeforethecreation
ofthemyriadforms.Thelanguageof'likeness'whichinvolvesthe
imagery of 'His fingers' and so on, is the mithalmethod which
simplyshowsushowitisintherealmtowhichwehavenoaccess
withoutusingformlanguage.Intherealmofrealitiesweneeda
formlanguage,fortheserealitiesarenottheforms,buttheforms
pass over them, as it were. So when we come to the realm of
Essence,thegreat'Amainitsimpenetrablenature,wehavetobe
preparedtoabandonallconnection.ForAllahinHissplendour,
theremustbedisconnection,for Allah,the Lord oftheMyriad
FormUniverse,wemusthaverecoursetoformmithalstograsp
therealitiesofexistence,themeaningsofthephenomenalevents.
Themeansisconnection.
Particularessencesarenotchangednordorealitieschange.
Fire therefore burns by its reality, not by its form. So His
statement,mayHebeexalted,tothefire:'Ohfire,becoldand
bepeace,'(21.16)wasnotspokentoaform.Theformislive
coalsandbodiesoflivecoalswhicharebeingburnedbythe
fire.Whenthefirestoodoverthem,thefireheard,andsoit
acceptedcoldasitacceptsheat.
Hereweseedescribedthegoverningrealityinrelationtotheform,
inthesamewayweapproachHisrelationtowhatismanifestedof

theformsoftheworld.ThereforewecanneverknowAllahby
definition,fortodosowewouldhavetoknowthedefinitereality
ofeveryformintheUniversethroughoutthetimeexperience,and
thisisimpossible.BecarefulnottofallintothepitoftheChristian
Orientalists who mistook the Sufis for pantheists. There is
absolutely no equating of Allah with the forms, for we have
alreadyindicatedthestructuralanddynamicprocesswhichpermits
ustomakeeventhissubtleconnection,anditonlyhasrealityif
alongsideitweutterlydenytherealityoftheformsbeforeHis
unassailable uniqueness and purity from forms. Allah is the
Manifest.TheUniversethereforeisHisform,intheframework
whichwehavedeclaredof'aynaththabitah,butatthesametime,
theUniverseisalsoHisHeness.Heisthemeaning,thespiritof
allthatismanifest,andsoHeistheHidden.SoyouareHisform
andHeisyourreality.'YouaretoHimasyourcorporealformisto
you,andHeistoyouasthespiritwhichgovernsthebody.'Letus
reaffirmthebasicteaching:ifyoupractiseconnectionalone,you
are a dualist: if you practise disconnection alone, you are a
separator.
Wehavearrivedatapointwherewemustbothaffirmthatallthe
sourceforms,whicharemanifestationsoftheNames,arebythat
tokenallofonesourceform,foralltheNamescometogetherin
theNameoftheRahman,theMercy,onwhichtheUniverseis
sustained,anditisthesame,accordingtoQur'an,astheSupreme
Name, Allah. You know Him from yourself. All the myriad
millionsofthingsarenototherthantheHenessoftheEssence.
Andwehavearrivedatapointwherewemustnegate.Allthe
worldofmanifestation,youyourself,areashadowofareality,you
arethemirrorimageinwhichAllahcontemplatesHisNames.You
are nonexistent, a meaning projected into space/time, an
imagining. Yet these two, inexorably, are one, and Tawhid is
affirmed.TawhiddoesnotjustmeanUnity,itmeanstounify.You

haveto'one'reality,andwhenitis'oned'experientiallythegoalis
achieved.Allthisisbuttheframework.Unificationisourbusiness
onthePath:theknower,theknowledge,andtheknown.
Thisbringsustothemethodofapproach.Clearlyitcannotbedone
by thinking, for we have been warned that in this zone of
understandingwehavetoallowtheknowledgetocomefromthe
Knowerwithoutourintervention.Themeansistoreflectuptothat
point where reason and intellect can no longer function. The
practiceistoallowthemindtobehalted.Wehavetogettothe
limitofthemind.Theedgeofthecliff.Thispracticeiscalled
HAYRAHbewilderment.
Wehadreachedanalreadybafflingsituation,thattheRealityin
disconnectionwasthecreaturesbyconnection.Eventhoughwe
distinguishedbetweencreatureandCreator,werecognisedthatthe
manyessenceswerenothingbutOneUniqueEssence.TheHayrah
arisesbecause,inthelanguageoftheShaykhalAkbar,themind
becomes polarised. This is the reiterated exclamation of the
MasterRumiinhisgreatwisdombook'TheMathnawi'againand
againhecallsout:'Themindstops!'Weexperienceanddependon
dualityforourexistenceday/night,hot/cold,wet/dry,andthe
serieswehaveexaminedofthematricesgood/bad,andsoon.This
istherealmofnaturewhereeveryonethingcomesoutfromtwo.
NowwedesireknowledgeoftheOnewhoserealitymanifestsas
thenumbers,whichareofcourse,intheviewoftheShaykhal
Akbar,themselvesunitary.Eachnumberismadeupofones,thus
everynumberbothhasitsownidentity,twobeingunlikethreeand
four being unlike five, while at the same time they have in
common their being based on one. Yet another mithal of the
relationoftheessencestoEssence.
Havingseeninnaturetheprimacyofthetwo,thesehavetobe
unifiedifwewishtoachieveourgoal.Yettheycannotoftheir

naturebeunified,forhotandcolddonotmix,aswehaveseen,nor
wet and dry. The same is true when we go to the Names
themselves.WehavealreadyexaminedtheclashbetweenHewho
ExaltsandHewhoAbases.WhatwehavetorecogniseisthatHe
isATTHESAMETIMEtheExalterandtheAbaser.Heisthe
OutwardlyManifestandtheInwardlyHiddenatthesametime,but
onefaceoftheNamesisturnedtotheformandanotherfaceis
turnedtotheEssence.
ShaykhalKashanicommentingonthisHayrahsays:
This ocean of Hayrah is the Unity pervading all and
manifestingitselfinmultipleforms.Itisbewilderingbecause
oftheUnityappearinginaconcretedeterminedforminevery
singlethingandyetremainingnondeterminedinthewhole.It
isbewilderingbecauseitisnonlimitationandlimitation.
The Master Abu Sa'id alKharraz of Baghdad said: 'I reached
gnosis of Allah through joining the contrary Names.' Shaykh
Moulayal'ArabiadDarqawi,mayAllahhavemercyuponhim,a
ShaykhofourShaykh,andagreatMasterofsuficWisdom,who
diedahundredandfiftyyearsago,nearFezinMorocco,describes
indetailinhisLettershowthisexperiencewasthefinaloneonhis
Path before achieving his Tawhid. After expounding on the
doctrine of fana, annihilation of the experiencing nafs, and
reaffirmingwhatwehavebeenstudyinghere,thatis,thatitisonly
illusionwahmwhichveilsmanfromreality,thatillusionof
courselyinginourcapacitytosolidifythemanifestobjectsinto
multiplicity,hegoeson:
We observe but Allah knows best that this annihilation
takesplace,ifAllahwillsit,intheleastpossibletime,bymeans
ofacertainmethodofinvokingtheNameofMajesty:Allah.I

cameuponthismethodintheworkoftheVenerableMaster,
theWaliAbu'lHasanashShadhili,mayAllahbepleasedwith
him. It is mentioned in certain books owned by a scholar
amongourbrothersoftheBaniZarwal,andIalsoreceivedit
frommynobleMasterAbu'lHasan'Ali,mayAllahbepleased
withhim,inaslightlydifferent,simpler,andmoredirectform.
ItconsistsofvisualisingthefivelettersoftheNamewhile
sayingAllahAllahAllah.Eachtimethelettersdissolvedin
my imagination I revisualised them, and if they dissolved a
thousandtimesduringthedayandathousandtimesduring
thenight,Icontinuedathousandtimesadayandathousand
times a night to revisualise them. This method gave me
momentsofimmenseinnervisionwhenIpractiseditforalittle
morethanamonthatthebeginningofmyspiritualPath.It
broughtmeagreatknowledgeaswellasintenseawe,butI
paidnoheedtoit,occupiedasIwasincallingupontheName
and visualising the letters until the month ended. Then a
thoughtforceditselfonmyattention:'Allahta'alasaysthat
HeistheFirstandtheLastandtheOutwardlyManifestand
the Inwardly Hidden.' (57.3). To begin with I turned away
fromthisthoughtthatcreptin,resolvednottolistentoit,and
Icontinuedwithmypractice.Butthisvoicedidnotleaveme
alone,itinsisted,andwouldnotacceptmyrefusaltolistento
it,justasIwouldnotacceptitswayofactinganddidnotlisten
to it. But finally since it would not leave me in peace I
answeredit:'AsforHiswordssayingthatHeistheFirstand
the Last and that He is the Inwardly Hidden, I understand
themquitewell:butIdonotunderstandHisaffirmationthat
HeistheOutwardlyManifest,becauseallIseeontheoutside
are created things.' To this the voice answered: 'If by His
expressiontheOutwardlyManifesthehadmeantsomething

otherthanthephenomenalworldwhichwesee,itwouldnotbe
outwardbutinward.AndsoIsaytoyouHeistheOutwardly
Manifest.' Then I perceived that there is no reality except
Allah and nothing in the Universe except Him, praise and
thanksbetoAllah.
AnnihilationintheEssenceofourLordcomesaboutquickly,if
Allahwills,bythemethodjustdescribed,forbythismethod,
reflection bears fruit from the morning to the evening,
providedthatsuspensionofthoughthasbeenpractisedlong
enough.Inmycaseitborefruitafterjustamonthandafew
days, but Allah knows best. Certainly if someone were to
practisesuspensionofthoughtforayearortwo,oreventhree,
the thought which would then appear would grant a great
Wisdomandadazzlingsecret.
ThisisthePathofourShaykhandMaster,theQutb,Muhammad
ibnalHabib,mayAllahhavemercyuponhim,andwhatwastrue
thenistruetodayifaseekerisearnestinhisorherquestand
simplysubmitstothepracticesanddhikrsoftheOrder.Butthis
tremendous matter, which is our concern, does not exist in a
vacuumandcannotsimplybegraftedontoalifethatisledby
Christianbourgeoisstandards,foralltheSunnapracticewhichwe
haveexamined,alltheordinaryactivityoftheslaveinleadinga
lifethatisinharmonywiththelawsofexistence,iswhatgrounds
the seeker in the deep sanity of the Sunna of our beloved
Messenger,mayAllahblesshimandgivehimpeace.Ifsomeone
weretoregardthis,inthemannerofthecultureinwhichwewere
sodisastrouslymiseducated,assomementalor'inner' exercise
that they could practise as a therapy from the ills of their
unstructuredexistence,theywouldmeetwithdisaster.TheWay
harmonisestheSunnaandtheactsofdhikrintoapatternthatisthe

whole life picture, and it is to that that we are called by the

Shaykhs of the Way. Just as the dhikr of the Master described
aboveisthefocalpointoftheTariq'swork,thisHayrahwhich
precedesthefinalstagesoftheWayisembodiedinthefinaland
highesttaskthattheMuslimcanfulfilinthisworld.Andthatisthe
Hajj.Theroot,HJJmeans:'tostrugglewith';'tomakeaspiritual
journey';itmeans'Hajj'foritisitsownroot;'anargument';'a
singleHajj,ayear'.
It can therefore immediately be recognised as being a difficult
journey,andatthesametimeitisanargument.Whatargument?
Fromthepointofviewoftheslave,itis,fromitsbeginningwhen
heisforcedtodontheihram,theobligatoryrobesofpilgrimage
whichconsistoftwoseamlesswhitepiecesofcloth,theargument
of his nafs which has continued all his life in the continual
rebellion of the self against the very submissionact that is his
Islam.Thepareddownritualsofthedifficultjourneycrystallise
thenafs'battlewithexistenceanditsperpetuallyrenewedattempts
tothrowoffthechainsofsubmissionandregaintheillusionof
freedom.Thisofcoursemeanstorejectthefactofmortalityand
returntothefantasythatoneisgoingtoliveforeverwithoutbeing
responsibleafterdeathforone'sactsintheworld.Fromthepoint
ofviewoftheLorditisalso'theconclusiveargument'thatthe
slave is the slave and the Lord is the Lord. In its profoundly
structuredsetofmathematicallyprecisemovementsandstoppings,
itdisplaysfortheseekeratheoremofthewholeexistenceactivity
whichintheordinarylifesituationmayseemchaoticandrandom.
IntheHajj,amanorwomanexperienceslifeandtheselfwithin
such a determined and patterned geometric activity that though
theremaybeneartotwomillionpeople,outwardlyallengagedin
thesamepracticeatthesametime,inwardlyeachhashisown
unique struggle with the nafs to surrender once and for all the
fantasy of selfhood, and the fantasy of otherness on which the

worldandallitsravishinglybeautifulandterriblecommotionis
based.TheHajjis'ayear',acompletecycleofexistence.
Totakethematterof'dispute'onedegreefurther,letusnotethat
thewholeexperienceoflifeseemstosuggesttopeoplethatlifeis
astruggleandthattheenemyiswithout.Theother,beitmanor
womanorchildorenvironmentorthemomentandtheeventitis
thisothernessoftheworldthatmakeslifeastruggle.Outthereis
thecauseformyanguishinhere.TheHajjistheriteofunveiling
whichrevealsthatfromonepointofviewyouareidenticalwithall
these others, for are you not surrounded with hundreds of
thousandsofpeopleidenticaltoyou,robedasyouare,troubledas
youare,andisnotexistenceatthattimethesameforallofyou?It
istawafoftheKa'baandwalkingdowntoMuzdalifathattiresand
shatters you all. The Master Rumi has said that the world is a
mountainandallyouevergetbackfromitisthesoundofyour
ownvoice.ThisisoneofthesecretsoftheHajj.Nowhereisone
morealonethaninthesurgingcrowdof'Arafat,andcirclingthe
Sublime House. Nowhere, therefore is one more constrained to
followthecounseloftheShaykhSidi'AlialJamal:
'Relaxthemindandlearntoswim.'
Qur'ansays:
AllahhasappointedtheKa'ba,thePureHouse,asastandard
for mankind, and the pure month, the offering, and the
necklacesthatyoumayknowthatAllahknowsallthatisin
theheavensandintheearth,andthatAllahhasknowledgeof
everything.KnowAllahisterribleinretribution,andAllah
isAllForgiving,AllCompassionate.(Qur'an5.9798)

AndwhenwesettledforIbrahimtheplaceoftheHouse:'You
shallnotassociatewithMeanything.AndsopurifyMyhouse
forthosethatshallgoaboutit,andthosethatstand,forthose
thatbowandprostratethemselves:andproclaimamongmen
theHajj,andtheyshallcometoyouonfoot,anduponevery
leanbeast,theyshallcomefromeverydeepravinethatthey
may see things from which they will profit, and mention
Allah's Name on days wellknown over such beasts of the
flocksasHehasprovidedthemsoeatfromthem,andfeed
thebereft.'
(Qur'an22.2628)
Andtakeprovision:butthebestprovisionisaweofReality,so
fearyouMe,menpossessedofminds.
(Qur'an2.197)
Aswiththebasicpracticeofsalat,wefindthereisoneaspectof
the rites which is purification or separation and another aspect
whichisanactofTawhidandjoining.Justaswuduandghusl
preparethewayfortheactofprostration,andjustassalathasa
base of minimal obligatory daily practice which then expands
throughthenawafil,orextraactsofprostration,untilaclimaxis
reachedinRamadanwiththeactoftarawih,whichliterallymeans
'to become spirit', or to spiritualise yourself and that act
intensifiesintheclimaxofthethroughthenightrecitationofthe
wholeofQur'anontheNightofPowersotheHajjtakesthehajji
throughaseriesofpracticesthatintensify,exhaustandshatterhim
orheroutwardlyastheyalsoinwardlyilluminate.Forthesetrying
anddifficultacts,theseparationneededismoreacutethanforthe
simpleactofprostration.Thehajjismustbatheandthendonthe
ihramrobesatthebeginningoftherites,andfromthatmomenton

theyfallundertheobligationsoftheHajj.Theseare:nottocutthe
nails,orremoveasinglehairfromtheheadorbody:nottokillor
evendislodgeanylivingcreaturethatcomesontothebody:notto
havesexualintercourse:nottodisputeorloseone'stemper:notto
trade:nottohuntwhilewithinthepurifiedzoneoftheHajj:to
performalltheritesofHajjwithinthetimelimitsspecifiedfor
eachact.
What the shahadah or Affirmation of Islam is for the moment:
whatsalatisfortheday:whatRamadanandZakatarefortheyear:
Hajjisforthelifetime.Itisasummingupofalltheactsofdhikr
whichtheMuslimhasbeenfulfillingallhisorherlife,anditisa
ritualisingoftheactoflivingitself.Itismovementandstruggle
andexhaustion,dustcoveredandwearythemorethepilgrimis
shattered,themoretheheartbecomesilluminatedandfilledwith
ecstasy.Atthebeginningoftheritespeoplearefreshandelated
andratherpleasedwiththemselvesforbeinghajjis,attheendas
theystumbleanddragthemselvesbacktotheirstartingpointof
Ka'ba,theyaredazed,awed,sobered,andilluminated.
ThethreegreatactsoftheHajjarethecirclingoftheHouseof
Ka'ba,theRunningbetweenSafaandMarwa,andtheStandingon
'Arafat.ThecirclingoftheHousemaybedoneasmuchasthe
pilgrim desires, although certain tawaf, as they are called, are
obligatory. Qur'an designates the House as the first place of
worshipusedbythehumanrace.Ontheearththereisnomore
purifiedspot,nomoreilluminatedbuilding.'TheKa'ba,'saidthe
Messenger,blessingsandpeacebeuponhim,'isoneofthejewels
oftheGarden.'Itisthemithalofthe'Arsh,thestarlessHeaven
which encompasses the Universe of the galaxies. Just as the
AngelsofLightencircletheThrone,sodothepilgrimsencirclethe
Ka'ba.TocircletheKa'bais,inthephraseoftheGreatestMaster,
'to be at the heart of the existence of the world.' One tawaf is

completedbydoingsevencirclingsoftheHouseitisfollowed
by the performance of the two rak'as at the Station of Ibrahim
whichissetneartheKa'baattheBlackStoneCorner.
TheotherimportantactperformedatMakkaistheSa'ee,thegoing
betweenthetworocksofSafaandMarwa.Thisisareenactment
ofHagar'sdesperatesearchforwaterforhersonIshmael,who
laterhelpedhisfatherIbrahimbuildtheHousetotheOne.Itissaid
thatsheranbetweenthesetworocksinvainlookingforawatering
place.Whenshegaveupandsanktotheground,thereburstoutof
itbeforeherthewellofZamzam.Drinkingthiswaterisalsoone
ofthepracticesofHajj.ItisoneofthemiraclesoftheHajjthat
thissmalldesertwellriseseveryHajjtimeandsinksagainafterthe
Hajjperiodisover,andduringthattimeitgiveswatertoovera
millionpeopleeachyear,andallthemoreextraordinarysincethe
Hajjtimemovesthroughouttheyearwiththemovementofthe
lunarcalendar.Thisriteisperformedmovingatafirmpacewhich
increases in the middle stretch of the distance to a formalised
joggingrunthatinturnbreaksdownagaintoaswiftwalk.Thereis
a'stop'whenyougettoMarwafromSafa,andastopwhenyouget
backtoSafafromMarwa,andeachtimeyouhailtheotherhajjis
withthecall'Allahuakbar',asiftoremindthemintheirflight.
WhenthehajjibeginshisSa'ee,hejoinsanalreadymovingbank
of people between the two rocks, so that the stream of people
betweenthetwoWaymarksisendless.Asyoufallintothatseaof
activityrushingfromheretothereandfromtheretohere,andthe
oceanoffaceswashespastyou,someseenagainandagain,others
seenonceandforall,therhythmicrunningfromaplacetoaplace
takesontheimpulseofactivitythathasgovernedallone'slifeof
forgetfulness.Allthestruggleandfretfulnessofexistence,allthe
comingandgoing,becomescondensedintotheseseventerrible
flightsfromAtoBandfromBtoA.Seventimesisenoughforthe
wholeseriesinthelifeofonetobeexposedtoone'spalpitating

heart.
ItcanbeseenhowsimpleandprofoundtheritesoftheHajjare.
Therearethefirsttwoinoutline:acircleandastraightline.Itis
alsocleartotheHajjithattheSa'eeisabouthisexistenceandthe
TawafisaboutAllah'srealityandtheslave'snonexistence.The
ShaykhalAkbarexpressesitthus:
Themanwhosevisionisveileddrawsastraightline.
ThemaninHayrahdrawsacircle.
Herehedescribesthetawafthatopenedhimtotheknowledgeof
his'MakkanRevelations':
When I reached Makka of the blessings and the source of
dwellingsspiritualandphysical,Iwasconstantlyengagedin
doingtawafofHisAncientHouse.WhileIpractisedthetawaf
I said: 'Subhan'Allah,Alhamdulillah, AllahuakbarandLa
ilahaila'llah.'SometimesIkisseditandsometimesItouched
it,andsometimesIdidonlywhatwasrequired.WhenIwasat
the Black Stone I unexpectedly came upon an evanescent
youth, a silent speaker, neither alive nor dead, composite
simple,envelopedenveloping.WhenIsawhimdoingtawafof
the House with the tawaf of the living around the dead, I
realiseditsrealityanditsmetaphor,andIknewthatthetawaf
oftheHouseisliketheprayeronthefuneralcorpse.Suddenly
hesnatchedmefrommyselfandoverpoweredme.Hespoketo
meandsaid:'LookatthesecretoftheHousebeforeitescapes
andyouwillseewhatprideitderivesfromthosewhohave
beenguidedanddotawafofitsstones.'AsIwatchedthemI
sawitglowingashesaid.Thenheinformedmeofthedegreeof

that youth and his freedom from where and when. Once I
knewhisdegreeandhisstoppingplaceandsawhisplacein
existenceandhisstate,Ikissedhisrighthandandwipedthe
sweatofinspirationfromhisbrowandsaidtohim:'Lookat
onewhowishestoliveinyourcompanyanddesirestobeclose
toyou.'Soheindicatedtomewithgestureandriddlethathe
preferrednottospeaktoanyoneexceptbysign
SoIfaintedandhetookholdofmewhenIrecoveredfrom
swooningandmyfleshwasstilltremblingfromfear,heknew
thattheknowledgehadarrivedsoIsaidtohim:'Tellme
about some of your secrets so that I may be among your
scribes,'andhesaid:'Lookatthearticulationsofmynature
andintheorganisationofmyform,andyouwillfindwhatyou
askedaboutengravedonme.ForIamnotonewhospeaksnor
isaddressed.Myknowledgeextendsonlytomyself,andmy
essenceisnototherthanmynames.Iamtheknowledgeand
the known and the knower. I am Wisdom, the work of
Wisdom,andtheWise.'Thenhesaidtome:'Dotawafaround
myfootstepsandcontemplatemewiththelightofmymoonin
such a way as to find from my nature what you will write
aboutinyourbook'
HaditnotbeenthatHedidnotbidfarewelltowhatmyreality
necessitatedandthatmyPathhadreachedHim,Iwouldnot
havefoundobtainmentofHisspring,norinclinationtoHis
knowledge.ForthatreasonIreturnedtotheend,andforthis
reason,Hereturns.Soputthecompassattheopeningofthe
circlewiththeunionoftheendofitsexistencetothedotof
beginning,andsoconnectthelastmattertothefirst.Itsafter
endlesstimeisattachedtoitsbeforeendlesstime.Sothereis

nothing but continuous existence and established goingon

witnessing
ThegoalisnotobtainedexceptbygoingonthePath
ThenHesaidtome:'ThisisMyHouseherewhichsignifiesthe
Essence,andthecoursesofthetawafareinthedegreeofthe
seven Attributes, the Attributes of Perfection, not the
AttributesofMajesty,becausetheyaretheAttributesofunion
toyouandinteraction.Sotherearesevencoursesforseven
Attributes,andtheAncientHouseindicatestheEssence.Look
attheangelwithyoudoingtawaf,andwhoisstandingatyour
sideThisKa'baofMineistheheartofexistence,andMy
Throneisthedefinedbodyofthisheart,andneitherofthemis
wideenoughforMe.DonotsayaboutMewhatyousayabout
them. My House which does contain Me is your indicated
heart, lodged in your witnessed body. The circlers of your
heartarethesecrets.Theyhavethedegreeofyourbodiesin
theirtawafofthesestones...IamtheGreat,theSelfExalted!
LimitdoesnotlimitMe,andneitherthemasternortheslave
know Me. Divinity is purified, so it is transcendent beyond
comprehension,andsoitmayberankedwithnothing.Youare
theI!IamtheI!SodonotseekMeinyourselfforyouwill
onlygainweariness!SodonotseekMeoutsideofyourself,or
youwillendMe!DonotleaveoffMyQuest,orelseyouwillbe
untouched. Seek Me until you Meet Me, and you will be
exalted!Buthavecourtesyinthequest.Distinguishbetween
Meandyou,foryoudonotseeMe,butyouonlyseeyourown
nature,soremaininthequalityofcommunication.Beaslave!
Say it is impossible to perceive beyond the obtainment of
perception.Inthatyouwillbefreed,andyouwillbeennobled,

andtrue.'
SoIenteredtheHouseoftheHijrwiththeAngelandheput
hishandonmychestandsaid:Iamoftheseventhdegreeof
capacity to embrace the secrets of being and the secrets of
existence,ofparticularessencesandplace.TheTruthcreated
measapieceoftheLightofHawwa(Eve)inherpurestate
Herevealedthroughmyselfariderofhighstationonathree
legged mount. He bent his head towards me and lights and
darknessesexpandedandheinspiredinmyheartallbeings,
andherentmyearthandmysky,andinformedmeofallmy
names. So I knew myself and otherthanme distinguished
betweenmygoodandmyevil,anddifferentiatedbetweenmy
Creator and my realities. Then the Angel went from me,
saying:'YouknownowthatyouarethepresenceoftheAngel,
soprepareforrevelationandthearrivaloftheMessenger.'
We have arrived at the final phase of the matter. We have
examined the existence of the Universe as a Divine self
manifestation,aseriesofendlesstajalliyat,filledwithmanifestand
hiddenwonderandmajesty,allofitbeauty.Thereremainsone
moredimensiontoourpictureifitistobecomplete.Sofarwe
haveexaminedthecreationpictureintermsofstructureasifit
werestatic,butnowwemustreconnectthiscreationpatterningto
whatwehaddiscoveredaboutthevibrantanddynamicnatureof
existenceinitsshimmeringandmovingactivity.Weareatthe
doorofthesecretofcreation,thebreathoflifethebreathofthe
Merciful.

TheScienceoftheMoment

TheCompanion,AbuHuraira,mayAllahhavemercyupon
him,said:'IcarriedtwobagsfromtheMessenger,mayAllah
blesshimandgranthimpeaceIhaveunfoldedoneofthemto
youhadIunfoldedtheother,thisthroatwouldhavebeen
severedfromme.'
BeforeweexaminethedynamicnatureoftheUniverse,letuslook
atthedescriptionofthecomingintoexistenceofthemyriadforms
that is used in the Wisdomteaching from the Messenger
Muhammad,peacebeuponhim.Whatwewillhavetograspin
thispictureistherelationbetweentherealitiesandtheformsas
wehavealreadyindicated,theformerisdependentonthelatter,
butthelatterimpliestheformer.Totalkofoneprecedingtheother
is valid in description and in the realm of meaning and
clarification,butnototherwise.Upuntilrecently,alltherevealed
teachings,thatis,alltheearlier'Islams',which,althoughdecayed
andwithoutcentre,stillheldtoavisionofhowtheUniversecame
intobeing,weredismissedas'prescientific'asifwenowhada
'factual'pictureofhowitis.Whilethebestscientistshavenever
suggested or accepted this mythology by which they have
'explained'existence,themasseducationview,andthatofmanyof
thetruescientists'lessintelligentfollowers,hasbeentolookon
existenceasathingexplained.Ourowntimehasseenacomplete
collapseoftheevolutionarytheoryandinitscollapse,evenbefore
therubblehasbeencleared,werecognisejusthowmuchpersonal

projectionwasgoingonundertheguiseofanillusoryobjectivity.
Menweredescribingexistenceashowtheythoughtitshouldbe
rather than as it was. That they had observed an undoubted
hierarchicalfanningoutofstructuralformssobedazzledthemthey
insisted on its taking place in a stepbystep process of minute
changeovermillennia.Thatlifeformswerenotprocessedinthe
samewayastheearlyhorseandcart,givingwaytofasterand
moreefficientkindsoftransportthroughsteamtoelectricmono
railsystem,wasoutsidetheirownpersonalandparochialviewof
realityattheendofthe19thChristiancentury.
Ithadalwaysbeentothosepseudoscientists,andmoresotothe
peoplethey'educated'intheratherforbiddingandauthoritarian
edifices they built to honour their own knowledge, a matter of
some scorn that these 'mythological' descriptions of how things
cameintobeingbeganwiththecreationofthehumanbeingand
theneverythingfellintoplacearoundit.Theysmiledatworldson
elephants which stood on tortoises, and they shrugged away as
primitive a world of Angels and Celestial Pens and Preserved
Tablets.Theyweresocleverthey'knew'thattherewasnolarge
cosmicpenintheskyandthattheairwasnotpopulatedwithlots
offeatheredcreatureswithwingslookingliketheimaginingsof
thesimplemindedGiotto.Ofcourse,thepeopleofthePathnever
imaginedthiseitherandwouldhavebeenenormouslyamusedthat
thesegentlemenshouldspendsuchalotoftimedisputingapicture
thattheyhadneverheld.Yetpreciselythekindofinnerseeingthat
thislanguageofAngelsandPensdemandswastobethekindof
understandingthattheseriousscientistsweremoreandmorebeing
called upon to make in the formulation of their models and
theories.Theknowledgetheygainedforcedthemtoalanguageof
paradoxandbewildermentthatpromptedonemodernphysicistto
findparallelstotheirnewthinkingintheZenMasters'useofthe
'ungraspable'koan,orriddle.TheShaykhalAkbarhasindicatedin

hiswritingsthatenigmaandriddleareessentialwhentalkingabout
therealityofthingscomingintobeing.
Theimportantmatchingwewillfindinthisdescriptionisbetween
themicrocosmofmanandthemacrocosmoftheUniverse.The
interconnectedness of man's place in the Universe to the basic
structureofformsandeventswhichmakeupourworld,thisisthe
pivotofourdoctrineofwahdatalwujud,onenessofexistence.
InaHadithQudsi,AllahtaalaaddressedtheMessengersaying:
'OhMuhammad,wereitnotforyou,Iwouldnothavecreatedthe
heavennortheearth,northeGardennortheFire.'Inthebeautiful
phraseoftheShaykhalAkbar,'IntheUniverse,itismanthatis
intended.'
WehavealreadysaidthatthefirstcreatedthingwastheLightof
Muhammad,blessingsandpeacebeuponhim.Thisisthemeaning
of the Messenger saying: 'I was a Prophet while Adam was
between water and clay.' It must be remembered that the
perspectiveoftheWisdomteachingseeshim,blessingsofAllah
andpeacebeuponhim,asbeingtheSealoftheMessengers,and
thereforetheperfectionandtotalityofwhatmanis,forwhileheis
theFirstManifestationfromtheLightsoftheEssence,heisalso
thelasttomanifesthisperfectionamongtheprophets.Sohehas
firstnessandlastness.Heistheperfectimageofimage,andthe
meaningofform.NowanothernameforthisLightthatwecallthe
NuriMuhammadistheUniversalSelf,andanotheristhePen.The
Penisamithalforthedynamicofthecreativeprocess.Thefirst
existentthinginemanationwasthePreservedTabletofForms.
ThusthePen'wrote'ontheTabletalltheformsandform/eventsof
all creation from the beginning to the end, these two things,
beginningness and endness, only coming into being with the
manifestationofformwhichimpliesspaceandthereforeinour
understanding,alsotime.

The mithal of the Pen's writing on the Tablet is that of semen

activatinginthewomb.Fromthiscomethesixgenera,sixbeing
theperfectnumber,aswesawinthescienceoftheletters.Thisis
the meaning of the creationprocess taking six 'days'. The six
genera are Angels: Jinn: Inanimates: Plants: Animals and the
setting and ordering of the Kingdom: Man, the Khalif of the
Reality.Whentheworldismanifest,Allahishidden.Andsoman
isputonearthasHisKhalif,theonewhostandsin,duringthe
absenceoftheKing.Manhimself,bythismeaning,isabarzakh.
Allahcreatedthesevenheavensandthesevenearths.Theninthe
manifest he gave each heaven a planet, 'each swimming in its
sphere.'(36.40).Withthemanifestationofthespheres,andthat
meansmatter,timecomesintobeing.Sotimeisdesignatedbythe
firstsphere,andalsobythemovementfromthefirstspheretothe
second,fortimeisitselfthemovementofthespace,orviceversa.
Withthiscreationofthespherescamethemanifestationofthefour
matrices air, earth, fire and water. In our system the sun's
movementgaveus'night'and'day'.Thenightisafatherandthe
dayisamothereachfatherconnectstoaplanetandeachmother
connectstoanelement,astheelementsconnecttotheplanetsin
influence and identity. The movements of the spheres and the
swimmingoftheLightsaccordwiththeswirlingmovementsofthe
watersinthewomb.Thefourmatricesofair,earth,fireandwater,
correspondtothefourwivesamanispermittedintheShari'a
thusabalancedandfullydevelopedmanwouldbeheldinperfect
harmonybyhispurificationthroughtheseunions.

Time,startingwiththefirstsphere,beginswiththewholecreation
processandsotimeinitsmovementistheemergenceoftheLight
ofMuhammad,peaceandblessingsofAllahbeuponhim.Oftime
hesaid:'TimerevolveslikeitsformonthedaythatAllahcreated

it.'WiththisLightcomestheBalance.ALMIZAN.Itsmeaningis
the justice and harmony of all creation and, therefore, of
time/spaceandthereforeofusandevents.Itisthemeaningofthe
GardenandtheFire,ofthebalancebetweenthematrices.Itiswhat
wascalledintheancientTaoformofIslaminChina,yin/yang.It
isthesecretofthecontraryNames.Itiswhatwearebornanddie
on, and which turns our acts and intentions into realities to be
weighedontheDayoftheBalance.TheMessenger'snature,being
theembodimentofthecreationprinciple,ishot/wet,forthatis
fromthepoweroftheotherworld.Thusknowledgeisgreaterin
Islaminitsfinalformthaninitspreviousformswhichwereunder
thedominanceofcold/dry.Thatiswhythiscommunitycomeslast
andtranslatesalltheknowledgesofpreviouscommunities.Thisis
themeaningofthelaughteroftheBuddhistMasters,fortheyhave
dry/cold but do not have hot/wet which would give them the
wisdomoftears.TheMessenger'sdu'awas,'OhLord,rewardme
withaweepingeye,'andhiswarningwas,'IfyouknewwhatI
knew, you would laugh little and weep much.' Weeping is the
outwardsignoffreedomfromfear,andtheindicationofinward
balanceandcompleteserenity.
Manhimselfstandsattheheartofthiscosmicactivitybyvirtueof
hisbeingbothgatherednessofalltheforms,asummingupofthe
creational process, and the highest complexification of the life
energy.HeistheperfectionoftheBalanceinhisformwhenitis
perfect,thatis,intheMessengersandProphets,ofwhomaswe
notedtherehavebeen124,000sincethebeginningofcreation.He
isinhiscompleteformthepivotofexistence.Thereremains
ontheEarthalwaystheembodimentoftheNuriMuhammadiyya
thefirstoftheawliya,andwhileprophecyisclosedandfinished
withtheLastMessenger,heneverthelessistheembodimentand
the transmitter of the Light of the Messenger. For the whole
Wisdomprocess is nothing but this transmission. This Light is

pouredoutinadescendingcascadethroughaseriesofperfected
onesandtheyaretotheorganismoftheEarthasthebreathsystem
istothepurificationofthebloodinthebody.Thedisappearanceof
theselivingmen,theseawakenedmen,wouldmeanthedeathof
theplanet.AndwhatmanistotheEarth,theEarthistotheGalaxy
andsizehasnothingtodowiththesematters.
FromamongtheSalihinofthesubmittedones,thereare300elect
inperfectionofhumility,poverty,loveandawetheNuqaba,or
chieftains. From these there are 40 Masters, men who have
achieved the goal and are most complete in knowledges and
StationstheNujaba,ornobles.FromthesetherearetheHighest
andmostunifieddegreeofthehumanspecies:the7Abdal,or
substitutes.Thiswordhasvariousimplications,butoneofthemis
theessentialspiritualcapacityofthesementomanifestbothin
theiractualplaceandelsewhereatthesametimebyrecreating'a
substitute'manifestation,whichisnotinanymannerghostly,but
simplyabeingintwoplacesatthesametime.TheMessenger,
whoembodiedandsurpassedallthestagesoftheawliya,bythat
token 'contained' all the stages of the Way in himself. He
manifestedthiscapacityonthenightoftheMiraj,whenhewas
bothinhisbedinMadinah,andattheRockinJerusalem.The
ShaykhalKamilsaysoftheminhisDiwan:
ThepathoftheAbdal,dedicatedtoAllah,is:
hunger,sleeplessness,silence,isolationanddhikr.
FromtheAbdalcomethe4Awtadorpillars,andfromthemare
the2Imams,andoneoftheseistheQutb,thepivotofexistence,
thestillnessattheheartofthevastcosmicactivity.
In the science of states we saw how everything in the earth is
movingfromstatetostate.InthewordsoftheShaykhalAkbar:

Sotheworldoftimemovesineverything,andtheworldof
breathmovesineverybreath,andtheworldoftajallimovesin
everytajalli.ThereasonforthatisHisword:'EverydayHeis
uponsomeactivity.'(Qur'an55.29).
Allthisrestlesscosmicactivityweexperienceastheinteractionof
solidforms,existencetousisviscous,opaque,andweimagine
'real' because solid. The forms are 'kathif', thick, dense, while
Allah, may He be exalted, describes Himself as Latif, subtle,
gracious,sparse,delicate.Asweunderstandit,theLatifisinall
things,sothatwhilewespecify'dog'and'cat'and'stone'andsoon,
weareawarethattheessencesoftheexistentthingsareinreality
oneessence.Whilethisisnotthatinregardtoform,weclaimthat
thisisthesameasthatinregardtosubstance.Nowwemustsee
thatinaunitarypicturethisinsidenessandoutsidenessofthingsis
nolongertenable.Itmustmeanthatthesubstanceitselfisnothing
otherthantheAbsoluteReality.Wearenowalsoinapositionto
saythatthesubstanceisnotkathifbutonthecontraryissparse,
subtle,andlatifitself.
Have we then, despite ourselves, arrived at the pantheism the
MastersoftheWaysocategoricallydeny?Itisatthispointthatwe
mustexaminethelastdoctrinethatcompletesthecreationviewof
theSufis.
It is called ANNAFAS ARRAHMANIY, the Breath of the
Merciful.ThereisaHadithQudsi,whereAllahta'aladeclared:'I
wasahiddentreasure,andIlongedtobeknown.SoIcreatedthe
Universeinordertobeknown.'IntheQur'antheNameoftheLord
of the Universe is Allah, and equated with it is the Name the
Merciful. This connects the Mercy explicitly with the Essence.
ThisHadithQudsiindicatesthemovementthatcomesfromthe
overflowingMercyoftheDivinityinitsutterlyHiddenPerfection

out into the creation of manifest energies. This overflowing of

Light from the Essence, which is the movement of Mercy, is
likened to a held breath which then bursts out and flows over
everything.ItisasiftheheldbreathweretheNamesintheDivine
Ranksbeforemanifestation,andthebreathingoutwerethecoming
intoexistenceofthemultipleforms:
HisCommand,whenHedesiresathing,istosaytoit,'Be!it
is.'(Qur'an36.84)
NotethatthisisnotsomemagicalfiatfromsomeexteriorBeing.
WehaveestablishedthatHecannotbeassociatedwiththeuniverse
offorms,andthatatthesametimeHegovernstheworldfromthe
insideoftheworld,throughthesourceforms.Hesays'Be'toit.It
isthereintherealmofsourceform.Itbringsitselfintobeingand
actualityaccordingtothepotentialityofthelocusandthesource
formunity.Wethensaythatthe'breathingout'oftheCommandis
thecomingintophenomenalrealityofthething,fromtheHidden
to the Manifest. It follows that the breath itself is a substance.
Natureprecedeswhatcomesfromher,butNatureisnootherthan
theBreathoftheMerciful.So,asthebreathspreadsthroughallthe
forms both physical and luminous, its lifegiving, formgiving
activitytakesplace.SoeverythinginNatureisoftheBreath,and
this includes not only the physical, but the Angelic, for the
creationalrealityisdependentonthefourmatricesforexistence.
SoknowledgeoftheworldisknowledgeofthisDivineBreath.
ThecomingintoexistenceoftheUniversefromnonexistenceinto
existence is an action, through the Divine Command there is a
movement from repose into the activity of creation. This
movement, this outflowing we call love. This is the longing
referredtobyAllahta'alaintheHadithQudsiwhichdescribesthe
Creation.Sincethemovementisloveitself,theworldalsolovesto
regarditselfinexistence,foritsveryexistenceisaloveactivity.

Nowjusttomakemorevividinourmindswhatthisactivityis
andalsotoestablishthetruthofwhatisbeingdescribed,letus
lookathowthenuclearphysiciststhemselvesregardtheprocessof
existencewithinthedisciplinesandlimitsoftheirscience.Again,
thisisnotto'prove'anythingWisdomteachinghasnoproofsbut
experience but simply to clarify what is being said by the
vividness of the physicists' grasp of the baffling nature of the
creationalprocess.Hereisadescriptionoftheconstantmovement
ofmatterbyhighenergyphysicist,FritjofCapra:
The 'restlessness' of matter implied by the uncertainty
principleisafundamentalfeatureoftheatomicandsubatomic
world.Inthisworld,matterisnevercompletelyquiescent,but
alwaysinastateofmotion.Themoleculesinsolidsmoveand
vibrateduetotheirthermalenergy.Thenucleioftheatoms
inside the molecular structure vibrate because they are
confinedtothisstructure.Theelectronsintheatomicshells
areboundtoaregionofsimilarsize,butbeingmuchlighter
thanthenucleitheymovemuchfasterandwehaveseenthat
theyachieve,infact,enormousvelocities.Andfinally,aswe
shall see, the protons and neutrons inside the nucleus are
confinedtoanextremelysmallvolumebythestrongnuclear
forces and consequently they race about with fantastic
velocities.
Weseethatmodernphysicspicturesmatternotatallasinert,
but as being in a continuous dancing and vibrating motion
whose rhythmic patterns are determined by the molecular,
atomicandnuclearstructure.
AddressingtheI.C.A.inLondonthesamephysicistsaid:

Atthebeginningofourcentury,theexperimentalinvestigation
ofatomsgavesensationalandtotallyunexpectedresults.Far
frombeingthehardandsolidparticlestheywerebelievedto
be since antiquity, the atoms turned out to consist of vast
regionsofemptyspaceinwhichextremelysmallparticlesthe
electrons moved around the nucleus. With quantum
mechanicsthetheoreticalfoundationofatomicphysicsas
workedoutinthe1920's,itbecameclearthateventhesub
atomic particles, i.e. the electrons and the protons and
neutronsinthenucleus,werenothinglikethesolidobjectsof
classical physics. The subatomic units of matter are very
abstract entities. Depending on how we look at them, they
appearsometimesasparticles,sometimesaswaves.
Thisdualaspectofmatterwasextremelypuzzlingandgave
rise to most of the koanlike paradoxes which led to the
formulation of quantum mechanics. The picture of a wave
whichisalwaysspreadoutinspaceisfundamentallydifferent
fromtheparticlepicturewhichimpliesasharplocation.The
apparentcontradictionbetweenthesetwopictureswassolved
inacompletelyunexpectedwaywhichgaveablowtothevery
foundationofthemechanisticworldview,totheconceptofthe
realityofmatter.Atthesubatomiclevel,matterdoesnotexist
withcertaintyatdefiniteplaces,butrathershows'tendencies
to exist'. These tendencies are expressed, in quantum
mechanics, as probabilities, and the corresponding
mathematicalquantitiestaketheformofwaves.Thisiswhy
particlescanbewavesatthesametime.Theyarenot'real'
threedimensionalwaveslikesoundorwaterwaves.Theyare
'probabilitywaves',abstractmathematicalquantitieswithall
thecharacteristicpropertiesofwaveswhicharerelatedtothe

probabilities of finding the particles at particular points in

spaceandatparticulartimes.
At the subatomic level, then, the solid material objects of
classical physics dissolve into wavelike patterns of
probabilities.Butthisagainseemsparadoxical.Howcanthe
physicalworldconsistofmereprobabilities?Well,itturnsout
thatthepatterns,ultimately,donotrepresentprobabilitiesof
things, but rather, probabilities of correlations. A careful
analysis of the process of observation in atomic physics has
shown that the subatomic particles have no meaning as
isolated entities, but can only be understood as correlations
betweenthepreparationofanexperimentandthesubsequent
measurement. This implies, however, that the Cartesian
divisionbetweentheIandtheworld,betweentheobserverand
the observed, cannot be made while dealing with atomic
matter. In atomic physics we can never speak about nature
without,atthesametime,speakingaboutourselves,oras
Heisenberg has put it 'Natural Science does not simply
describe and explain nature, it is a part of the interplay
betweennatureandourselves.'
Quantum mechanics thus reveals a basic oneness of the
Universe.Itshowsthatwecannotdecomposetheworldinto
independently existing smallest units. As we penetrate into
matter, naturedoes not show us anyisolated basic building
blocks,butratherappearsasacomplicatedwebofrelations
between the various parts of the whole, and these relations
alwaysincludetheobserverinanessentialway.
FritjofCapragoesontoexpoundtheRelativityTheoryofEinstein

relatingittothepicturehehadgivenofQuantumMechanics:
Relativitytheory,sotospeak,hasmadethesepatternscome
alivebyrevealingtheirintrinsicallydynamiccharacter.Ina
'relativistic' description of the subnuclear world, i.e. in a
description which takes relativity theory into account, space
andtimearefusedinafourdimensionalcontinuum,andthis
means that we have to visualise the particles as four
dimensionalentitiesinspace/time.Theirformsarethusforms
inspaceandtime.Theparticlesaredynamicpatternswhich
have a space aspect and a time aspect. Their space aspect
makesthemappearasobjectswithacertainmass,theirtime
aspect makes them appear as processes involving a certain
energy,andthetwoarerelatedbyEinstein'sfamousequation
E=mc2.
Relativity theory thus gives the constituents of matter an
intrinsicdynamicaspect.Itshowsthattheactivityofmatteris
theveryessenceofitsbeing.Theobjectsofthesubnuclear
world arenot only active by moving around veryfast, they
themselvesareprocesses.Thebeingofmatteranditsactivity
cannotbeseparated.Theyarebutdifferentaspectsofthesub
nuclearspacetimereality.
Beforecontinuingthisbeautifullyluciddescriptionofexistence,
letusreturntooursuficperspectiveoftheBreathsoftheMerciful.
In one chapter of the Shaykh alAkbar's 'Seals of Wisdom', he
makes a long analysis of a passage in Qur'an that recounts the
meeting of the Prophet Sulayman, peace be upon him, and the
QueenBilqis,orSheba.Itispresentedasthemeetingbetweena
womanwhowasagreatheirophantofknowledgecomingtoher

goal in encountering the Prophet who could complete her

knowledgebyopeningtoherthesecretofUnitaryteaching.The
ProphethadsentalettertoBilqissaying:'IntheNameofAllah,
theMerciful,theCompassionate,risenotupagainstme,butcome
tomeinsurrender.'(27.3031).Herfollowerssuggestedtoherthat
theyshouldfight,butshedeclared,'Kings,whentheyenteracity,
laywastetoit.'(27.34).TothePeoplethismeansinoneofits
meanings,theannihilationofthenafsonthearrivaloftheKingof
Creation,butAllahknowsbest.
TheProphet,onhearingthattheQueenwascomingtovisithim,
askedthatherthronebebroughttohimsothatonherarrivalhe
couldshowittoherandthusdemonstratethesuperiornatureofhis
knowledge.
AnIfritofthejinnsaid:'Iwillbringittoyoubeforeyourise
fromyourplace:IhavestrengthforitandIamtobetrusted.'
SaidhewhopossessedknowledgeoftheBook,'Iwillbringitto
you,beforeevenyourglancereturnstoyou.'
...
He said: 'Disguise her throne for her, and we shall behold
whethersheisguidedorifsheisofthosewhoarenotguided.'
Sowhenshecameitwassaid:'Isyourthronelikethis?'She
said:'Itseemsthesame.'Andweweregiventheknowledge
before her, and we were in surrender, but what she served
apart from Allah barred her, for she was of a people who
coveredup.Itwassaidtoher:'Enterthepavilion.'Butwhen
she saw it, she supposed it was a spreading water, and she
baredherlegs.Hesaid:'Itisapavilionsmoothedofcrystal.'
She said: 'My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I

surrender withSulayman toAllah,the Lordof theworlds.'

(Qur'an27.3944)
Commenting on the superiority of the sage over the jinn, the
Mastersays:
Thissuperiorityisbythedegreeoftime.Forthereturnofthe
glance to the looker is quicker than rising from one's place
because the movement of the eye in perceiving what it
perceivesisquickerthanthemovementofthebodywhenit
moves.Sothetimeinwhichtheeyemovesisthesametime
whichconnectsittotheobjectinspiteofthedistancebetween
theviewerandtheobject.Sothetimeoftheopeningoftheeyes
isthetimeofitsconnectiontotheheavenofthefixedstars.The
timeofthereturnofitsglanceisthesameastheabsenceofits
perception.Risingfromone'splaceisnotlikethat.Itdoesnot
havethisspeed.SoAsafibnBarkhiyawasmoreperfectinact
than the jinn. The sourceform of the word that Asaf ibn
Barkhiyaspokewasthesourceformoftheactionatoneand
thesametime.SoSulayman,peacebeuponhim,sawatthe
sametimethethroneofBilqis'settledbeforehim'sothatone
mustnotimaginethatheperceiveditwhileitwasinitsplace
withoutmoving.Withus,displacementdoesnotexistbythe
unityoftime,butitisagoingintononexistenceandreturnto
existence,inasmuchastheonlyoneconsciousofthatistheone
whohasgnosisofit.ItisHisword,mayHebeexalted,'But
theyareinuncertaintyastothenewcreation.'(50.15).Nota
momentpassesthembutthattheyseewhattheysaw.Sinceitis
as we have mentioned, the time of its nonexistence, i.e. the
absenceofthethronefromitsplace,isthesameasitsexistence
withSulaymanfromtherenewalofcreationbybreaths.No

one knows this power, rather, man is not aware of it from

himself,thatitisineachbreath.Itwasnot,thenitwas.Donot
saythatandimplyadelay,forthatisnottrue.Thisdemandsa
realknowledgeofArabic,forexample,thepoetsays:'He
brandished the Rudaini spear and it shook.' The time of
brandishingofthespearisundoubtedlythesameasthetimeof
theshakingofthethingbrandished.Thereisnogap.Itisthe
samewiththerenewalofthecreationwithbreaths.Thetimeof
thenonexistenceisthesameasthetimeoftheexistenceofthe
mithal.SothequestionofthemovingofthethroneofBilqisis
oneofthemostdifficultofproblemsexceptfortheonewhohas
gnosisofwhatwehavementioned.SoAsafdidnothaveany
meritinthematterexceptforthetranspositionoftherenewal
oftheassemblyofSulayman,peacebeuponhim.Sothethrone
wasnotmovedfromaplacetoaplace,nordiditriseabovethe
earth, nor break the laws of space, for the one who
understandswhatwehavementioned...
WhenBilqissawherthrone,andsheknewthedistanceandthe
impossibilityofmovingitinthatspaceoftime,shesaid:'It
seemsthesame,'andshespoketrulythroughwhatwehave
mentionedoftherenewalofcreationbyamthal[pl.ofmithal].
Itisit.Itwastrue,justasyouarethesameatthetimeofyour
renewalasyouwerein'pasttime'.
TheMasternotesthatinhersurrendertohowitis,shesurrendered
totheLordoftheUniverse,placingherselfalongwithSulayman,
peacebeuponhim,aspartofthecreation.SotheirIslamwasthe
same:
ThisishowweareontheStraightPathwhichtheLord,may
Hebeexalted,ison,forourforelocksareinHishand,anditis

impossibleforustoseparatefromHim.SowearewithHim
implicitlyandHeiswithusbyopendeclaration.Hesaid,may
Hebeexalted,'Heiswithyouwhereveryouare,'(57.4),and
wearewithHimasHetakesusbyourforelocks.SoHe,may
Hebeexalted,iswithHimselfwhereverHegoeswithusonthe
Path.SoeveryoneintheworldisonaStraightPath,anditis
thePathoftheLord,mayHebepraisedandexalted.Itisthis
thatBilqislearnedfromSulayman,soshesaid:'ToAllah,the
LordoftheWorlds,'withoutreferringtoaparticularworld.
ThisteachingoftheBreathsopenstousthedynamicnatureof
existence. The creation is constantly in renewal ALKHALQ
ALJADIDtheevernewcreation.Thisoverwhelmingvisionof
creationasendlesslybeingdestroyedandendlesslybeingrenewed,
asneverexistingandneverceasing,isthevisionoftheseekers
beforetheyinturnexperiencetheirownannihilation.TheShaykh
says:
ThisfireisthefireoflovefortheLightofthesplendourofHis
Face,whichconsumesallthedeterminedformsandindividual
essencesintheverymidstoftheoceanofknowledgeofAllah
and true life. And this true life is of such a nature that
everythingcomestolifewithitandyetisdestroyedbyitatthe
same time. There can be no greater bewilderment than the
hayrahcausedbythesightofdrowningandburningwithlife
and knowledge, and simultaneous selfannihilation and self
continuance.
Letusreturntothedescriptionofthephysicist.Hehadoutlined
thenewclassicaltheoryofhowitis.Hecontinuedwithanew
modelofparticularinteresttousforthefeatureswhichwewill
immediately recognise. This is not offered as a proof, but as a

clarification. The model about to be described is known as the

Hedronbootstrapmodel.
Thebasisofthebootstrapmodelistheideathatnaturecannot
bereducedtofundamentalentities,likefundamentalbuilding
blocksofmatter,buthastobeunderstoodentirelythrough
selfconsistency.Allofphysicshastofollowuniquelyfromthe
requirement that its components be consistent with one
anotherandwiththemselves.
Thisideaconstitutesaradicaldeparturefromthetraditional
spiritofbasicresearchinphysicswhichhadalwaysbeenbent
onfindingthefundamentalconstituentsofmatter.Atthesame
time it is the culmination of the quantum mechanical
conceptionofparticlesasaninterconnectedwebofrelations.
Butthebootstrapphilosophygoesevenfurther.Itabandons
notonlytheideaoffundamentalbuildingblocksofmatter,but
acceptsnofundamentalentitieswhatsoevernofundamental
laws, equation, or principles. The only requirement is that
everythinghastobeselfconsistent
The idea of the bootstrap model is that everything in the
Universeisconnectedtoeverythingelseandnopartofitis
fundamental.Thepropertiesofanypartaredetermined,not
bysomefundamentallaw,butbythepropertiesofalltheother
parts. Therefore, in order to really understand any
phenomenon we have to understand all the others. This is
obviouslyimpossible,andherephysicsandEasternphilosophy
takedifferentattitudes.
The teaching of the Way is simple. It is enough that a man
understandhimselftohaveunderstandingofall.Hecannothave

discreetknowledgeofalltheformsinthespace/timecontinuum
sincethe'beginning'tothe'end'aswealreadyhadnoted,whichis
whatDr.Capraissaying.Whatisintriguingisthatitisherebeing
suggestedthattherearenodiscreetpartstoknow.Howeversince
whatfollowsremainsthecontextofthemodel,therecanbeno
argumentbetweenus,forourconcernisourown,andhisisthatof
themodel.WeneverthelessrecallthattheShaykhalAkbarhad
saidthatifyoumakeamodelintheUniverseyoucanintheend
onlymakeamodelofyourself.Tocontinue:
Whatthenisthepictureofparticlesinthebootstrapmodel?
Well,itcanbesummedupintheprovocativephrase:every
particleconsistsofallotherparticles.Likeallotherscientific
models,thebootstrapmodelcanonlybeapproximate,andits
mainapproximationconsistsofthefactthatitdescribesonly
certainkindsofparticles,thesocalled'hedrons'or'strongly
interactingparticles'.Theseareparticlesliketheprotonand
theneutronwhichinteractthroughstrongnuclearforce.Inthe
bootstrap model, then, all hedrons are composite structures
whosecomponentsareagainhedrons.Theessentialfeatureof
the model is the picture of the binding forces holding these
structures together. The forces between the constituent
particlesarepicturedastheexchangeofotherparticles.Thisis
ageneralfeatureofsubnuclearphysics:theforcesbetween
particlesi.e.theirmutualattractionorrepulsionmanifest
themselvesastheexchangeofotherparticles.Thisconceptis
extremelyhardtovisualise.Itisaconsequenceofthefour
dimensionalspace/timecharacterofthesubnuclearworldand
neitherourintuitionnorourlanguagecandealwiththisimage
verywell,butitiscrucialtothepictureoftheparticlesinthe
bootstrap model. The constituents which make up, for

example, a proton, are particles, but the forces which hold

themtogetherarealsoparticles,andthereforethedistinction
betweentheconstituentparticlesandtheparticlesrepresenting
thebindingforcesbecomesblurred.Thewholenotionofan
objectconsistingofconstituentpartsbreaksdown.
Each hedron therefore plays three roles: it is a composite
structure,itmaybeaconstituentofanotherhedron,andit
may be exchanged between constituents and thus constitute
partoftheforcesholdingthestructuretogether.Eachparticle
thushelpstogenerateotherparticleswhichinturngenerateit.
Thewholesetofhedronsgeneratesitselfthisway,or'pulls
itself up by its own bootstraps', which is the origin of the
model'sname.
Youwillrealisethatthisconceptofeveryparticlecontaining
all other particles is extremely hard to visualise. This is
becauseitisarelativisticconcept.Thehedronsaredynamic
space/time patterns which do not contain one another, but
rather 'involve' one another in a certain way which can be
given a precise mathematical meaning, but cannot easily be
expressedinwords.Thebootstrapmodelisarelativisticmodel
oftheinterconnectedwebofrelationswhichIhavementioned
beforeinconnectionwithquantummechanics.
Atonepointin'TheMakkanRevelations'theShaykhreferstoone
oftheQutbsoftheworldinancienttimes,andofhisknowledgeof
howthingscomeintobeing.HisnamewastheQutbMudawi'l
Kulumandhesaidaboutmatter:
Theuniverseexistsonwhatisbetweenthecircumferenceand
the dot, on ranks, and the smallness and greatness of their

spheres.Theonenearertothecircumferenceiswiderthanthe
onewhichisinsideit,andsoitsdayislarger,itsplacewider,
anditstonguemoreeloquent.Allthingslookatthepointof
their essences: and the point, despite its smallness, looks at
every section of the circumference by its essence. So the
epitomeisthecircumference,anditsepitomeisthepoint,and
theopposite,solook!
In'TheSealsofWisdom' theMasterisevenmoreexplicit.He
says:
Everyparticleof theworld is fromthewholeof theworld.
Thatiseverysingleparticleiscapableofreceivingintoitself
alltherealitiesofallthesingleparticlesoftheworld.
TheQutbMudawi'lKulumalsosaid:
Manisthesumofallthe'flakes'oftheworld.Andfromman
toeverythingintheworldisaflakeextendingfromthatflake.
Thereisnothingintheuniversebutthatithasaneffectin
man,andmanhasaneffectinit.Andtheseflakesarelight
raysoflight.
Thefocalpointofthisuniversalrealitywhichisnothingelsethan
anendlessfulguratingdisplayoflightuponlightisman,notjust
thespeciesman,butmanathisapogee,thePerfectMan,himself
Light and knowing himself to be Light, AlInsanu'lKamil. The
wordformanhasarootNAS,meaning:'tobeshakentoandfro',
'tohangsuspended':INSANhasaparallelmeaningwhichis:'the
pupiloftheeye'.Manhimselfisavibratingwhirlingactivityof
energyinendlessmovementhehangssuspendedinthecosmos
onhissmallplanet,andintheUnseenhehangssuspendedbetween
thetremendousefflorationsofformthatmakeuptheFireandthe

Garden.Atthesametimeheistheeyeoftheuniversewithwhich
hisCreatorcontemplatesHiscreation.Heisagatheringtogether
ofalltheforms,aresumofthewholecreationalprocessfromthe
basicmatricesupthroughtheelementsandplantstothehighest
complexificationofaspects.Andsoheisalsoasmalluniverse,
justastheuniversefromwhattheQutbsaidabove,isnothingelse
but AlInsanu'lKabir,the BigMan.Weare ofcoursespeaking
here in the language of the Sufis and not in the language of
ignoranceandliteralism.Thisdoesnotlessentheveracityofthe
assigningtothecosmosthenameoftheBigMan,itissimplythat
literalistthinkingistooprimitiveamethodofreflectiontograsp
these matters. The Perfect Man is utterly aware and awake,
permeatedbyalltheNamesandalltheperfectionsoftheDivine
Attributes.
TheShaykhalAkbarsaidthattheProphetIbrahim,peacebeupon
him,iscalledalKhalil,meaningthedearfriend,becausetheword
derives from a root meaning 'permeated', and so the Divinity
permeatestheexistenceoftheformofIbrahimsincethisiswhat
HedoeswithallHiscreation,itmustmeanthatthespecialrankis
duetothatpenetrationutterlyabsorbinghisconsciousnessaswell.
It is his awareness, knowledge, and direct taste of permeation
whichmarkshimoutasalKhalil.
Soheisman,bothintimeandbeforeendlesstime,aperpetual
and afterendlesstime organism. He is the word which
discriminatesandunites.Theuniversewascompletedthrough
hisexistence.Heistotheuniversewhatthefaceofthesealisto
the seal itself, for that is the place of the seal and thus the
signaturewhichtheKingsealsonhistreasures.Henamedhim
theKhalifabecauseofthis,sinceheguardsHiscreationasone
guardstreasureswiththeseal.AslongasthesealoftheKingis
onthem,noonedarestoopenthemwithoutHispermission.So

HemadehimaKhalifainsafeguardingtheuniverse,andit
continuestobeguardedaslongasthisPerfectManisinit.Do
younotseethen,thatwhenhedisappearsandisremovedfrom
thetreasuryofthisworld,nothingofwhatAllahstoredinit
will remain? What was in it will go out and each part will
returntoitsownpart,andeverythingwillbetransferredtothe
nextworld.Thenhewillbethesealonthetreasuryofthenext
worldforendlesstimeandafterendlesstime.
Toachievethisperfectionisthemeaningandgoalofourjourney
fisabilillahontheWayofAllah.'TheWay'isfromthecluster
SBLandithasnoverbalroot,butitindicates'theroad':'away':
'atraveller':'theWayofAllah':'anecessity':butitsrealmeaning
is 'rain'. There is no more perfect mithal than this of true
submissionandwhatitbrings.
Thegoalwehavesaidagainandagainistheannihilationofthis
illusoryparticularitythatlimitsandencasesoneintheshellofthe
nafs.Theopeningofawarenessexpandsthenafsuntilitrecognises
that it is indeed the whole Universe, then beyond that is the
shattering,destroyingpoweroftheDivineMajestyrevealingthat
allthissplendourthatiscreationisofitselfnothing,andthereis
annihilation,theseekerisuncreated.Heisundone.Hewasaknot
andtheknotisuntied,onlythestringremains,One,Timeless.The
threestagesofawakeningtotheUnityandbeingsnuffedoutare
describedinthe'Fanafillah'oftheDiwanoftheShaykhalKamil:

ConstantlycutthroughyourillusionwithapureTawhidto
Allah.
Sotheonenessofactionappearsatthebeginningofdhikrof
Allah.

AndtheonenessofAttributescomesfromloveofAllah.
AndtheonenessofHisEssencegivesgoingonwithAllah.

HedescribestheUnitaryexperienceinhis'MinorSong':

Mybelovedgavemeadrinkofthepurityoflove,
andsoIbecametheBelovedineveryway.
HemademeblindtomyselfsothatIsawonlyHim,
and He destroyed my secret in themanifestations of the
Presence.
Ishatteredwhatwasstructuredinme
andjoinedwhatwasseparate:bytheisolationofUnityI
realisedmyTawhid.
IattainedmydesiresdirectlytoseeHisperfectionand
toexperienceHisrealityineverymeaningandform.
Itoredowntheillusionofmyself'sexistence,
whichisthegreatestscreen,andthenIfoundHim,timeless,
ineveryatom.
ImadetheRoadmyWisdomGuideasIapproached
HisAttributes,andmyLordrevealedtomethesecretofmy

wisdom.
SosometimesIseecreaturesasthemanifestationof
Ahmad,andsometimesIseethemasdirectmanifestationsof
DivinePower.
SometimesmyactofexistingisobliteratedbythesightofHis
ActiveExistence,
andsometimesIseetheAttributesappearingfromHim,
AndsometimesIwithdrawfromthismetaphorical
existence(theworld)intotheUnityofaTruthunconnected
byshirk.
ToanyonewhowithdrawsintotheLightsofthedhikr
of the Truth, creation is nothing butparticles of dust in
space.

Sufismisnotfocussedonthegoalofannihilation,forthatisagift
fromtheLordtotheslave.Whatislongedforissomethingeven
moreravishing,hiddenwherefanaisrevealed,lastingwherefana
isalightningthatstrikes.Ifyoulike,itisbeyondthegoal,for
properlyspeaking,itcannotbeagoalbutmerelywhatitsname
implies, BAQA, a goingon. Before we examine this final
conditionoftheseeker,letuslookatthejourneytothegoalof
fanainitsmithalformintheHajj.Wehavealreadyspokenabout
theritesoftawafandsa'ee,butafterthesethepilgrimmovesonto
theactofHajjitself,'Arafat.TheMessengersaid,'HajjIS'Arafat.'

It is a rite that takes man back to his origin, for 'Arafat is the
meeting point, the point of the reunion on earth of Adam and
Hawwa,peacebeuponthem.Itisthesourcepointofthehuman
situation.Andwhenthepilgrimarrivestherewhatistherite?
'Amrbin'AbdallahbinSafwanquotedamaternaluncleofhis
called Yazid bin Shaiban who said: 'We were in a place of
standingofoursat'Arafat,'which'Amrindicatedwasveryfar
awayfromwheretheImamwasstanding,whenIbnMirba'al
Ansaricametousandtoldushehadbroughtthismessagefor
usfromAllah'sMessenger:"Standwhereyouare,performing
yourdevotions,foryouareconformingtoanancientpractice
of your father, Ibrahim."' This is transmitted by Tirmidhi,
AbuDawudNasa'i,andIbnMajah.
SothemeaningoftheHajjanditsrealityliesinthis'moment',this
timeatthesourceoflifeitself,andwhatthepilgrimdoesisstop.
Standon'Arafatitwasforthisthatthejourneywasundertaken.
Aloneonawidedesertplainsurroundedbyathrongofothers,
identicaltoyourself,bareheadedanddrapedintwowhitecloths
manytherewillbeburiedinthesesameclothsyoujustcometoa
haltquitesimply,exhausted,dazed,youstop.Atthatmoment
thereisabsolutelynowheretogo.
Youarethere.
WithAllah.
Thejourneyisaccomplished.
Afterthateverythingispurificationandsupplication.
YoumovedownagaintoMakkaperformingaseriesofriteswhich
culminate in the return to Ka'ba for the farewell tawaf and the

farewellstopping, thetworaka'sat theMaqamAlIbrahim, the

StationofIbrahim.ThethreegreatritesoftheHajjaresimplyto
describeacircle,astraightline,andfinally,apoint.TheStationof
Ibrahim,alKhalil,istheStationofqurb,nearness:uns,intimacy.
Thegoal.
ShaykhalAkbardescribesthedifficultjourneyofwhichHajjis
themithal:
ThefirstdegreeisIslam,submission,andthe last degreeis
fana,annihilationintheascent,andbaqa,continuationinthe
goingon. Between them is what remains. It is iman, ihsan,
knowledge,pureoneness,tanzih,richness,poverty,humility,
might,colouring,establishmentincolouring,andfanaifyou
aregoingout,andbaqaifyouaregoingon.
Dhu'nNunalMisri,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,wasasked,
'Whatistheendofthegnostic?'Hereplied:'Whenheisashewas
wherehewasbeforehewas.'
Abu'AbdallahanNibajisaid:

Sufism is like the disease of cancer: in the first stages the

patientraves,butwhenthediseasetakesholdofhim,itmakes
himdumb.
Describingthisreturnfromfanatobaqain'TheRobeofNearness'
(qurb)inhisDiwan,ShaykhalKamilsays:

InvocationoftheBelovedclothedusinbeauty,
radiance,exaltationandjoy.
Indrawingnearwethrewoffallrestraint
andproclaimedtheOnewelovetoglorify.
TheBelovedgaveusadraughtoflovetodrink
whichforcedallbuttheBelovedtovanish.
Wesawcreatedbeingsaspureparticlesofdust:
wesawtheLightsopenlyappear.
Afterhavingbeenobliteratedandannihilatedina
lightgivingwine,wereturnedtothecreation.
ByanoverflowingfromAllahweweregivengoingon
andwithpatienceweconcealedtheOnewelove.
HowoftenhavewelookedonaWayfarersothat
hehasrisentotheStationsofthosewhohaveplungedinto
theseas!
Wehavehealedtheheartsofwhathadtakenpossession
ofthembysciencessubtleintaste.
Weconcernedourselveswithsomethingsecretly,
andsoitwas,andtheOnewehavechosentolovehascome

tous.
WeheardasecretfromthePresenceoftheUnseen:
'Withusyouarebeloved,sobethankful.'
WehavebeengivenIdhntoquenchthethirstof
whoever comes to us longing for the encounterand not
seekingforinformation.
Ifgiftsareplentiful,still,avoidthemandbepoor.
HumbleyourselftothePeopleandtheywillgiveyou
thedrink.Drawneartothemandhavenofearofdisgrace.
Stripyourselfofeveryknowledgeandunderstandingin
orderthatyoumayobtainwhattheGreathaveobtained.
Offerupthenafs,ohloverofunion,
andfollowtheShaykhinwhathehasadvised.
WitnesstheTruthinhim,inessenceandheart,annihilate
yourselfinhim,andyouwillbevictoriousthroughhim.
HeistheLightoftheMessengerineveryaspect,
andheisthemedicineofhearts,openlyandinsecret.
Solooktohimandexalthimgreatly.

Gotohimandbeabject.
BlessingsbeupontheProphetandhisCompanions
andwhoeverhasdirectedpeopletofollowhim.
Andpeace,fragrantwithmuskandeveryscent,
andbeautyandunrivalledsublimity.

Sofana,althoughitisitselfneitherlightnordarkness,butthebasis
ofthese,havingnoopposite,initstremendousannihilatingpower,
releases a flood of lights and ecstasy. It is surrounded with
miraclesandbliss,andoftenwhenitoccurspeoplearedrawnto
therecipientfromtheothersideoftheearth.Itissototalinits
impactthatamanmustbeguardedandguided,andinsulatedin
case the force of the experience, or let us say the cessation of
experience,istoomuchforhim,andheremainforeverafterwards
majdhub, drunk, madinAllah. The science of our tariqa is
however what our beloved Shaykh described in 'The Robe of
Nearness'itisalsothewayofShaykhJunayd,mayAllahbe
mercifultothemboth.Forwherethefanagiveslight,affirmation
andjoy,thegoingonishidden,humbleandobscure.Thegoingon
returnsamantocreationfortheserviceofhisLord.Heisthelast
man,notthefirst.Heistheleastofmenandnottheruler.Our
Shaykh,mayAllahcoverhiminmercy,signedhimself,'theslave
of the slaves', as we noted at the start of our journey, and the
answer of our Messenger, may Allah bless him and give him
peace,whenhewascalled,was:'Labbayk!''Atyourservice!'
thecallofthepilgrimsonHajjtotheirCreator.
Goingonitistotalandcompletesubmission:itisinthewordsof

theShaykhAbuSu'ud:'Whatisitexceptforthefivesalatand
waitingfordeath?'Itisoutwardlytobedustandinwardlytobe
gold.ItisasImamJunaydputit:'Topossessnothingandtobe
possessed by nothing.' When you get to such a man there is
nothingtosee.TheyaretheSadiqin,theTruthfulOnes,forthey
knowhowitis.Qur'ancommands:'BewiththeTruthfulOnes.'
(9.119). Asked how one would recognise them, the Messenger,
blessingsandpeaceofAllahbeuponhim,replied:'Whenyousee
themtheyremindyouofAllah.'
Whenyoufinallygettosuchaman,youhaveonlyarrivedatyour
ownself.Youhavecometoamirror,forhehasbeenpolished
away all that remains is a clear surface in which you may
recogniseyourownlightbeyondalltheillusorydarknessthatso
troublesyouwhichsopersistentlyseemstokeepyoufrombeingat
peace.Yougettohim,theslaveofyourownnafs,yourdesires,
yourfears,yourpastwhichyoulongtoescapefrom,andyour
futuretowhichyoulongtoescape,andyoufindyourselffacinga
manwhoisboththeslaveoftheinstant'AbdalWaqt',andthe
worshipperoftheinstant'AbidalWaqt',forthatisallthereis,
anditisReality.'DonotcurseTime,'saidtheMessenger,blessings
andpeaceofAllahbeuponhim,'foritisAllah.'
TheShaykhalAkbar,theReviveroftheDin,andtheillumination
ofourtariqa,said:
WhoeverknowsthatAllahisthesameasthePath,knowsthe
matter for what it is. Then He, may He be glorified and
exalted,istravellingonitsincethereisnoknownexceptHim,
andHeisthesourceformoftheWayfarerandtheTraveller,
sothereisnoknowerexceptHim.Heisyou.Soknowyour
realityandyourTariqa.Thematterhasbeenmadeclearto
youonthetongueoftheinterpreterifyoubutunderstand.Itis

thetruetongue,sotheonlyonewhowillunderstandistheone
whoseunderstandingisAllah.
TheEnd
Allah,blessandgivepeacetoMuhammadandhisfamily
accordingtothenumberofallcreatedthings.

IntroductiontotheCharts

TheChartswhichfollowwerepreparedbymein1975whileat
Berkeley, California. They were laid out with the help of Hajj
'Abdalaziz Redpath and the distinguished translators Hajj
'AbdalhaqqBewleyandhiswifeA'isha.Theyarequitesimplyand
somewhatcrudelyagraphicglossofonechapterofthe'Futuhatal
Makkiya'oftheShaykhalAkbarMuhyiddinibnal'Arabi.These
chaptershavealwaysbeeninterpretedbythatlamentablegroupof
orientalists who have had the arrogant illusion that they could
colonisetheShaykhalAkbarinthesamewaythattheirpolitical
counterparts had colonised the Islamic homelands. They have
madethesamemistakesasthosehalfcrazedrabbiswhofellupon
thesewritingsconvincedthatthiswastheesotericheartofthat
Muslimpowerwhichwassopotentthatitextractedfromthema
slightlyhigherrateoftaxationthantheZakatoftheMuslims.They
searchedamongthemeaningsoftheletters,invain,toescapewhat
was for them life's greatest punishment to havemoney taken
from them which was the opposite of their own philosophy.
From this they invented the Kabbala pretending it had ancient
levitical roots. Primitive esotericism of a cabbalistic nature was

nevertheintentionofthis,thegreatestoftheSufiMasters.
AccordingtoIbnal'Arabithereweretwowaystoapprehendthe
universe.Hehadsaid:'TounderstandAllahiseasy,tounderstand
theuniverseisdifficult.'Heidentifiedtwobasicwaysinwhich
modernhumanbeingstriedtomakesenseoftheworld.Onewas
bymathematicsandtheotherbylanguage,itmustberemembered,
thiswaswhenmathematicalevolutionwasinfullspateandinthe
handsofthegreatMuslimintellectuals,manyofwhomwerehis
contemporaries.Fromthisitfollowsthattherearetwoinstruments
ofcomprehension.Oneisnumbersandtheotherisletters.Hesaw
that while the equation or the calculation could have enormous
complexity,itintheendwasdependentonasimplemathematical
mode.Andso,inthesameway,howevercomplexthesentence,it
wasdependentonthephoneme.
The Pythagoreans had stated that the numbers themselves had
meaning.Theendresultofthatextraordinaryimagingwasnothing
less than to have created the foundation of the whole western
polyphonic musical tradition. Under the Pythagoreans numbers
becamemusic.ShaykhalAkbardeclaredinthesamewaythatthe
sentencecouldnothavemeaningiftheletteritselfdidnothave
meaning.Theeffectofthiswastomapoutanextraordinarypattern
of spiritual states and stations. Therefore wecould say that the
study of the letters as having meaning led to complex Sufism,
whichisthescienceofstatesandstations.Thatinitselfwould
seem an overwhelming achievement yet the matter goes much
further.
AsafruitofhisvisionsIbnal'Arabihadstated:'Ifyoumakea
modeloftheuniverseyouwillonlyarriveatmakingamodelof
yourself.'Onecouldclarifythisbyamodernreference.Oneof
today'smostdistinguishedscientistsandastrophysicistsevolveda
theoryoftheuniversedependentontheconceptoftheBlackHole,

theBlackHolebeinganastralzoneofantimatterwhichsuckedup
cosmicmaterialintoitself,thusmakingitnonexistent.Theauthor
ofthisvisionoftheuniversehimselfsufferedfromanincurable
motorneuronediseasewhichinvolvedtheslowlossofperipheral
power and function in the limbs which inexorably moved in
towards the vital centres of life, rendering him speechless,
immobile and eventually dead. However persuasive the
mathematics,hehadmadeamodelofhimself.
ItwasonthissuficunderstandingthatIbnal'Arabiconceived,or
more correctly, perceived that the correct language for
understandingthecosmoswasnotmathematicsbutlinguistics,that
theonlyunderstandingoftheuniversalpossibilitywasonewhich
bondedtheslaveintothecosmicprocess.Allah,glorybetoHim,
inQur'an,referringtothehumanself,states:'Thecreationofthe
worldsisgreater,ifyouonlyknew.'(40.57)Putincrudemodern
language he considered a cosmology or a cosmogony more
importantthananastronomy.Whatheisrecognisingisthatthe
cosmic heavens are heavens, therefore they are an unseen
immediaterealityaswellasadistantperceivedreality.Whilethe
miserable Christian philosopher, Pascal, said that the infinite
spaces of the heavens frightened him, the radiant sufic master
understood that fear belonged to Allah, for his creation of the
worlds, andnotto theworlds themselves. Inhis vision,allthe
worldsareharmonicinthePythagoreansensebutareshotthrough
withmeaningsoftheonewhoperceivesthem.Thusthefirststage
of the journey of the seeker is to internalise the total cosmic
phenomenoninsidehimself.
'AbdalqadiralJilani,mayAllahbepleasedwithhim,said:'Hereis
astrangething.Theboatwithintheocean!Look!Theoceanis
withintheboat!'Falsemysticismtriestoeliminatetheself.The
path of Tawhid is this, in the words of Moulay al'Arabi ad

Darqawi: 'If the world disappears Allah has to appear'. In this

mattertheuniverseisbeforetheselfasmirrorwhateverisinthe
selfmustappearintheuniverse.Thustheuniversedisappearingis
both a swallowing up of the world and at the same time the
vanishingoftheperceiver.Thisisthedoortothevanishingofthe
perceivingsubjectinthelightoftheSeer,oftheonlyonewho
sees,Allah,glorybetoHim.
WhileatBerkeleyIvisitedafriendtherewhowasaphysicist.As
wetalkedinthecorridoranotherscientistcameoutwithachin
highpileofcomputerprintouts.Hestoppedinfrontofuswitha
lookofdesperation.Hedeclared:'Lookatthis.Itisdatafromone
telescopebeamedononeconstellation.Wehaveabasementfullof
thisstuff.EveryobservatoryinAmericahasabasementfullofthis
stuff. The trouble is there is not one guy who knows how to
understandit.'
Thesechartsmayawakentheheartofsomeoneandatleastsave
themthetroubleoftryingtoapproachIbnal'Arabithroughthe
orientalists of France and America, but rather encourage them,
after their Shahada, to make their Salat, pay the Zakat, having
givenallegiancetoanAmir,fastthefast,andtaketheHajj.The
Messenger,peaceandblessingofAllahbeuponhim,said:'Hajjis
'Arafat.'Inotherwords,thekeyriteofHajjistostand,ifonlyfora
moment,ontheplaneof'Arafat.Thereforetodothisistobean
'Arif,andAllahistheonlyKnower.'Arif,andAllahistheonly
Knower.