BEŞİNCİ BÂB · DÖRDÜNCÜ FASIL · Altıncı Madde
Sixth Point
Regarding the origin and destination (beginning and return places) of the human soul, it declares authoritatively.
O esteemed one! Know that philosophers (people of wisdom) have said: When the human soul separates from the body, its destination is the place from which it descended and entered the body. Every soul has a known station, and that station is its origin and return place. No soul can pass beyond its own station unless it attains degrees of perfection, nor ascend to a higher level than its own station without achieving those levels.
A group of souls’ station is the second intellect (ukl-i asher) of the ten intellects, which is the greatest sphere (felek-i azam). Another group's station is the intellect of the zodiacal sphere (felek-i buruj). A community’s station is the intellect of the Saturnine sphere (felek-Zuhal). The ninth group's station is the intellect of the lunar sphere (felek-i kamer). These are the nine stations of the souls. No soul that does not attain perfection in this world [173/a] can pass through the intellect of the greatest sphere and return to the first intellect (akl-ı evvel). Therefore, the destinations of human souls are the intellects of the nine spheres; a pure soul which remains upon knowledge and purity in bodily existence (cismāni ʿālem) returns by ascending to its own origin. That is, each intellect of the nine intellects draws to itself the soul related to it. For all the intellects of the lofty realm (ukūl-i ʿālem-i ulvī) are adorned with knowledge and purity.
Whichever intellect becomes more exalted and is found closer to the universal intellect (akl-ı kūl), that intellect is considered more knowledgeable and pure than the one below it. Thus, every soul which descends from its station and enters a body, if during the time it holds authority in that body it acquired much knowledge and purity, its return rank will be higher than its known station.
If, however, during the period it remains within that body, it fails to attain perfection and remains upon its own knowledge and purity, then its return rank is its known station; that is, the soul returns to its original place. These two groups are released from their transient and base bodies through their relationship with knowledge and purity and live in eternal bliss and tranquility with the infinite and sublime souls until the Day of Judgment.
Poem
The dust of my body veils the face of my soul.
How beautiful is the moment when I lift the veil from that face!
(Translation of the poem)
The dust of my body veils the face of my soul.
How beautiful is the moment when I lift the veil from that face!
And if the human soul, while in the material world – that is, entering its own body and holding authority during that time – is overcome by the animal soul and turns away from its own knowledge and purity, then the animal soul becomes a veil for it. It loses its connection with the lofty intellects and remains in the base realm (ālem-i sufli) within the sphere of the moon. Until the time of resurrection, it will remain closed off with the animal soul, experiencing painful torment.
All the lofty and low souls are revived at the third blowing of the great Resurrection (qiyāmat-i kubrā), finding their bodies and being resurrected with them, and everyone sees what they have done. This truth is known without doubt by philosophers and Sufis (muhakkik-ı hükemā) who have attained the rank of truthfulness.
Although philosophers who hold the view of transmigration (tanāsüh) have said according to their reasoning: “Perfection in character can only be achieved through the beautification of morals. The beautification of morals is achieved through changes in bodies. Changes in bodies occur through transmigration. And it is only through this that perfection in knowledge and purity is found.” They have written these things in philosophical books. But those who believe in transmigration have strayed by contradicting the fundamentals of this religion. However, philosophers have perceived the truths of many things contrary to matters considered secondary (furū’) which are not related to faith; and the scholars of speculative theology (muta’kallimīn) have arranged these philosophical ideas in order with various methods of interpretation (tawīl) – as explained above – so that they conform to religious principles.
The distance between this world and the afterlife is the death of man. As it is said: “Everyone who dies has his resurrection.” Therefore, death is called a minor resurrection.
Verses
1-Those who see the path from this world to that world; do not see it in one breath, between soul and self.
2-The distance from this world to that world is not long; there is no more than one breath between them.
3-When that breath comes forth from the pure soul; the earthly body becomes a soul beneath the earth.
4-Death is certainly appointed for all people; everyone must sleep beneath the black soil.
(Translation of the verses)
Therefore, know thyself and recognize your nafs. Be one who seeks truth and certainty so that you may realize that you are not a body of clay but a perfectly pure soul. You are the result of the revolution of the spheres. You are the essence of the origins and attributes of the realm. You are the result of the universe and the world. For you are a fruit whose revolutions, comings and goings, and appearances are the branches of the tree of the world. You are the essence of the essence of the realm; the spheres, elements, and bodies are all your envelope and husk. And you are a beautiful seed whose arms are the branches of the universe. You are a great point whose letters are the essences (a’yān-i mawjūdāt) of existence. If you know yourself in this way, you will know your Lord and attain tranquility with Him. You will never fear death; you will not flee from it but consider death a great blessing for the earth.
Okay, here's the translation of the provided text, aiming for faithfulness and preserving meaning within a classical Islamic/Sufi context:
1- O world, hearing the drums of departure from the realm of life,
And you who journeyed from this world to your homeland—
2- Where are you? O one with narcissus eyes and tulip face;
Within your grave, narcissus and tulips wither, or is it from your worldly state?
3- This entire matter is easy, if that bird within you
Has escaped the snare and flown by a hidden path to the heavens.
4- Should life find safety, another form will be found;
Should feet move, another shoe will be discovered beyond place.
5- A thousand thanks to that soul which becomes freed from the body—
O unaware one, of the delight of liberation and fluidity!
6- Abandon the pleasure of water and mud, and drink the waters of life;
Pass beyond the nine spheres, return to your origin through the revolution of time.
7- O Truth, what magic did this realm of forms work upon us,
That we have burned in fire, having passed from the lights of ecstasy?