BEŞİNCİ BÂB · İKİNCİ FASIL · Altıncı Madde
Sixth Point
It declares that the essence of the universe is the Perfect Human (al-Insan al-Kamil), characterized by perfection in servitude, attaining the station of acceptance (riza), and obtaining all desires through desiring nothing.
O esteemed one! It is known that the people of gnosis have said: Nine spheres of the heavens and three strata of elements—like shells and envelopes—surround this point of earth as if it were a date kernel from every direction, encompassing and enclosing it. These twelve veils are the twelve garments of the earth, which is the essence of the universe. The earth is superior to them in terms of value and worth. The earth is the garment of minerals; the mineral is the garment of plants; the plant is the garment of animal bodies. The animal body is the garment of the human body.
The human body is the garment of the heart. And the human heart is the place of God’s knowledge (ma'rifa) and the foundation of His love. Therefore, the essence and most precious thing in the universe is the Perfect Human—the one who knows God (al-'Arif billah). Consider the greatness of the station of this perfect being, for he has donned fifteen layers of royal garments, ascended the throne of knowledge, carried the banner of the Sharia, and worn the crown of love, becoming the greatest sultan.
For he finds all beings as servants and prepared to obey his command. He finds perfection in the Sharia, the Sufi path (tarika), and truth (haqiqa) within himself. His words, actions, and character are beautiful. For the Perfect One has followed the blessed hadith: “The Sharia is my speech, the Sufi path is my actions, and truth is my states.” [155/a]
Therefore, whoever possesses these three qualities is a believer, a knower (arif), and perfect. If two are found, he is a believer and a knower. If only one is found, he is a believer and ignorant. If none of them are found, he is ignorant and lazy. The entire universe has been accepted as a single person, and the Perfect Human is considered its luminous heart.
Poem
Neither heavens attain it nor angels possess it,
Rather, it lies hidden within the secret of the progeny of Adam.
This Perfect Human, with such exalted value and the grandeur of his station, cannot obtain his own desire with all his beautiful character, knowledge, and gnosis. And he is incapable of performing an action according to his own will. Therefore, he has abandoned all that he desires. He has become desireless in this world and proceeds according to God’s desire. Although he is perfect and skillful in terms of his high constitution and gnosis, he is powerless and deficient in obtaining what he desires.
Just as the prophets, God's beloved friends (evliya), rulers, and wealthy people have had thousands of desires that did not come to fruition, and they have desired that thousands of things do not happen, and they have happened. So it is evident in this regard that all humans—whether scholars or ignorant, whether commoners or rulers—are incapable of obtaining their desires. They are astonished at the occurrence and functioning of events.
The desireless one is comfortable and happy; the one who obtains his desire is confused and dazed. The Perfect Human is aware of this secret and knows this truth: that no one is capable of attaining his own desire. It cannot be obtained through effort, striving, and hardship. Therefore, he has abandoned desire and planning and turned to trust (tawakkul) and delegation (tafviz). He has made submission (taslim) and acceptance (riza) a habit, freeing himself from all fear and sorrow and finding happiness in both worlds. For God Almighty says: “It may be that you dislike something which is good for you; or like something which is bad for you. Allah knows, but you do not know.” (Al-Baqarah, 2/216), announcing that humans cannot know whether events are beneficial or harmful.
The Perfect Human also knows this secret. And he sees all worldly affairs as conforming to God’s desire, His decree and wisdom. Consequently, his heart is content with the decree of the Almighty and Wise God. He submits to His judgments, showing acceptance, obeys His commands, and prepares himself for His service. The confusion in his heart disappears. He directs all his striving towards God, thus reaching the presence of God. No planning, preference, direction, or desire remains in him. All of these have left him. All demands, desires, prayers, and expectations have been removed. By abandoning his desires, he has attained all his desires. He has rendered his ego lifeless and found true love, which enters his heart. For he holds the command “Die before you die” with his very soul.
Poem
Do not consider the Perfect One to be alive; he is dead.
His body has become a tomb for his soul.
In Modern Turkish
You are an expert English translator for classical Islamic/Sufi texts. Translate into English faithfully, preserving meaning. Return ONLY the translation.
Within the mine of imagination, diverse forms appear. The speaking self—the *nafs-i nâtıka*—observes within it wondrous forms of beauty, grace, and grandeur, strange shapes and peculiar appearances, engaging with them in discourse. Or, without perceiving any being, it hears only arranged words and beautiful sounds, measured melodies. If these occurrences take place during sleep, that is a true dream (*sâdık*). If they occur between wakefulness and sleep, they are experienced as reality (*vâkıa*). And if the self, during sleep, does not encounter its initial origin but perceives these states through intermediaries, then it is a mixed dream (*edğâs-i ahlâm*)—hallucinations and fancies.
Had the Most High (Hak teâlâ) not made you sovereign in the realm of this body, had He not entrusted to you the duties of kingship, and had He not given you this exemplar so that you might be the model of the world, how could you have known that Worldly Sovereign? Therefore, a hundred thousand praises and glorifications be to that Ancient and Eternal God! Again, a hundred thousand thanks be to that Everlasting and Generous One who has subjugated the dominion of this body to your command and made you sovereign in His own realm. He has made your heart the Throne, your intellect the Seat (*Kursî*), and the power of your memory the Preserved Tablet (*Levh-i mahfûz*). He has made your brain—the meeting place of your nerves, arteries, senses, and capacities—the heavens and stars. He has given to your limbs and organs elements and conditions, rendering all obedient to you. He created you as the most beautiful, the most perfect, the most worthy of favor, and the most virtuous of all His creations, making you triumphant and superior over the entire universe. He made you the place of prostration for the angels and the lord of the spheres, intending that you should only prostrate and serve Him. Through this path, He has facilitated knowledge of Himself, bestowing upon you favor with intimacy and love.
Here, the expression “*yâr-i ğâr*,” which we have translated as "cave companion," is a title given to our venerable Companion, Abū Bakr, who was his close friend during the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) emigration when they entered the cave. It means "companion in the cave." Metaphorically, it signifies “a true friend.”
*Unsur:* In Sufism, the effect and impact resulting from witnessing the beauty of divine attributes within the heart.
In the printed edition of *Mā‘rifetnâme*, the sentence that continues as “For the common people have considered him settled in their own hearts” has the phrase "considered him settled" missing in the manuscript version.
He who lacks desire is at ease and happy; he who possesses it is bewildered and dazed. The perfect human being is aware of this secret and knows this truth: that no one is capable of attaining his own desire. It cannot be obtained through effort, striving, or hardship. Therefore, he has abandoned desire and planning, turning to trust and delegation (*tafvîz*). He has made submission and acceptance habitual, freeing himself from all fear and sorrow and finding felicity in both worlds. For the Most High (Hak teâlâ) says: “It may be that you dislike something which is good for you, or like something which is bad for you; Allah knows best, while you know least.” (Al-Baqarah, 2/216), and He has announced that people cannot know whether things are good or evil.