ÜÇÜNCÜ FEN · BİRİNCİ BAB · DÖRDÜNCÜ FASIL · İkinci Madde
Second Article
It explains the truth of the meanings of the human heart and the secret of *istiva* [232].
O beloved! It is known that the Friends of God have said: The traveler on the path of *irfan* must know the truth of the human heart and the connection and relationship of the precious soul with its qualities. The station and center of the heart is this very breast.
As explained above, there is a black point in the middle of the breast, which is the place of the “*suwayda*” [233]. This black point is the rising place of the spiritual sun, which is the soul of the world and the throne of the human realm—it is the " *janan*" which means heart and breast. It is the mirror of the greatest point from which the human soul emanates. The soul related to this black point is the *nafs-i natika* [234], which is the sultan in the climate of the body. It is the vicegerent of the Universal Intellect (*aql-i kull*) [235]. The greatness and dignity of this black point are not in its outward appearance; rather, its greatness is revealed only in its secret of *istiva*. One can attain to this secret by passing through humanhood to the station of angelhood. That one sees what eyes have not seen. He finds the assembly of tranquility and communion.
The secret of *istiva* of the black point is a being detached from bodies, forms, and colors [235], a purely abstract point. This abstract point is a perfect mirror and a complete place of manifestation (*mazhar-i tam*) in return for that first intellect (*akl-i awwal*) [236] and most perfect soul (*ruh-i ekmel*), the great point (*nokta-i kubra*). The intellect concerned with the afterlife (*akl-i ma’ad*) is a trace of that great point, which has come to some hearts. As it is stated in the honorable hadith: “Intellect is a light in the heart.” That is, the light of the spiritual sun (*shams-i batin*) has filled the hearts of believers. Just as the great point of the world constantly does not refrain from bringing forth composed letters [237] and *mawali* (minerals, plants, and animals) at every moment, likewise the point of human truth also does not refrain even for a moment from bringing forth the intimations of letters day and night. Because the animal soul (*ruh-i hayawani*) which goes to sleep does not know sleep and its influence is not lost, nor does it remain separate from performing various tasks with its thoughts during the day [199/b].
Therefore, the human truth (*hakikat-i insaniyya*) is the secret of that *suwayda*, which always experiences anxiety and creates dreams. It is the essence of essences of senses and powers. The words arising from those sounds (huruf-i aswat) are the outer shell and envelopes of the thoughts and ideas, which are the letters of that point. That point is the essence of meaning. It is a being attached to the *suwayda*, a point like the meaning of the roundness of the sun. Its spiritual light is the intellect concerned with the afterlife (*akl-i ma’ad*) which radiates from the heart to the brain, just as the light of the sun comes to the earth when it is in the sky. From there, it reflects into the air and thus illuminates the world, giving life and strength to things. Similarly, the spiritual sun, while radiating from the station of *amā* (its divine realm), radiates light to the human truth (*hakikat-i insaniyya*), and that light fills the *suwayda* point and reflects into the brain, thus illuminating the senses and powers belonging to the human body, giving life and strength to each limb so that each performs its own task—the tongue speaks, the ear hears, and the eye sees. The light and influence of that spiritual light reaches all of them, so that each part of the body performs its own work with a different action and a different name.
Poem:
Come, O heart, observe the moon in this sky with your own sun;
Leave the pearls of the ancient ocean, leave this flowing deluge.
In essence, the place of the *suwayda* is a black point in the breast which is the collector of human origins and truths (*hakikat-i jamia-i insani*). It is as if this point were a word whose meaning is the point where truths are gathered (*nokta-i hakikat-i jamia*). The explanation of that which gathers the origins (*hakikat-i jamia*) is to be a summary of all existence with its lofty and base beings. Just as every fruit contains its entire tree within its seed, so too in this collector of truths (*hakikat-i jamia*) the entire universe has come into being in a summarized form. For the heart is the divine archetype. The heart is the bearer and carrier of endless divine secrets. Therefore, whoever has been able to enter his own heart will be freed from water and earth toil, and find the communion of soul and heart. For that one is drawn by God to the assembly of tranquility and communion, where he receives all desires and wishes. He finds eternal happiness and bliss.
When it is said in this station that the heart is a point and the thoughts coming to the heart are letters (*hawatir*)—these are not the letters and points we know. For this is form; that is meaning. Its characteristic is annihilation, its characteristic is subsistence. This accepts division and apportionment; that does not accept division and apportionment.
Verses:
1-It reveals the lights of majesty and beauty;
From God comes continual observation at every moment.
2-It is like the gaze of the present king’s lofty vantage point;
That one is the sultan, and this is the sublime spectacle.
3-No other soul is found in that tongue;
For it becomes the mirror of the world's imprint.
4-The tongue is not the sun of the universe, neither east nor west;
Such a thing does not exist within these times and nights.
5-The kingdom of the tongue cannot be conquered by an attached intellect;
Love has become its immediate ruler and sovereign.
6-The world is the archetype of wisdom with the lines of the beloved;
This archetype belongs to the heart, the reader and the heir.
7-O people of the world, how can they know the heart and soul?
For this world is elevated above the world.
Here's a translation of the provided text, aiming for faithfulness and preserving meaning within a classical/Sufi context:
For the sake of clarity, I will include some notes after the translation to explain specific choices made.
—
1. The eye beholds the Sovereign’s countenance; whoever beholds Him is sovereign.
2. Because the heart is the realm, it gazes upon the Sublime.
3. Within that heart, no desire exists beyond the cheek of the Beloved. It is a mirror cleansed from the embroideries of the world.
4. In the sphere of the heart, the sun has no connection to east or west; within that world, there are neither days nor nights.
5. The whispering intellect cannot conquer the domain of the heart. The sovereign and governor of that realm is only this love.
6. The universe is a script of wisdom inscribed by the Divine Pen. He who reads and contemplates this text possesses the heart.
7. O Truth, how can the people of the world know the heart and soul? The heart is a realm which surpasses this world.
—
**Notes on Translation Choices:**
* **"Sovereign," "Beloved," "Divine":** These terms are used to convey the concepts of *Hak*, *Mahbub*, and *Allah/Haqq* respectively, common in Sufi terminology. I've opted for words that carry a sense of reverence and transcendence.
* **"Realm" / "Domain":** The Arabic word *‘ālam* (عالم) is used frequently here. It signifies more than just a 'world'; it implies a sphere of existence, often spiritual or internal. I've translated it as “realm” or “domain” to capture this nuance.
* **"Whispering Intellect":** This refers to the rational mind that can be a hindrance to true spiritual understanding. The term "whispering" conveys its subtle but distracting nature.
* **“Embroideries of the world”:** This is meant to convey the superficial and transient aspects of worldly life, which obscure the divine reality.
* **"Script of Wisdom":** The Arabic word *kitāb* (كتاب) means "book," but in a Sufi context, it can represent a divinely revealed or inspired text – not necessarily literal scripture.
* **“Contemplate”:** The Arabic verb *yata’allā* (يتأمل) implies deep reflection and meditation on the meaning of something.
* **"People of the world":** This refers to those who are primarily focused on worldly matters, lacking spiritual insight.
I hope this translation is faithful to the original text's intended meaning and tone.