BEŞİNCİ BÂB · BİRİNCİ FASIL · Birinci Madde
First Article
It is reported that the universe was created for humankind.
Know then, that the Sufis (people of gnosis) have said:
"The Most High has created both worlds and all that is within them for the sake of humanity, bringing them into existence so that humans may look upon the artistry of the Divine in the world and perceive the wisdom found in things. By seeing reflections of what exists in the universe also within their own bodies, they may know themselves (self-knowledge/marifa al-nafs). From there, let them attain knowledge of God (gnosis of God/ma'rifatullah)."
For the Most High has said in the Noble Quran: “We created humankind and jinn only to worship Me” (Zariyat, 51/56). And in a sacred hadith, He commanded humanity to "Know thyself, so that you may know Me," thereby announcing that self-knowledge (marifa al-nafs) is a means to knowing the Lord.
For the Most High has created humankind for His own knowledge, but He has linked that knowledge to the human first knowing themselves. Therefore, He has given humans the capacity for self-knowledge so that, after they know themselves, they may attain knowledge of their Creator.
As it is said in the report: "He who knows himself knows his Lord." Though the key to recognizing God (ma'rifatullah) is known to be self-knowledge (marifa al-nafs), the key to self-knowledge is known to be knowing the universe (ma’rifat al-'alam). However, it requires great effort to fully see and grasp the secrets of the Most High’s perfect and flawless artistry in this visible world, and to know the degrees of excellence of the power of God that resides within Adam's essence, to see its lights and to attain the true purpose of it all – knowledge of the Exalted Lord. Only this is a laborious task and a secret not open to everyone.
For it is impossible for humankind to climb the peaks of high mountains or descend into the depths of deep seas, nor can they tunnel through the earth to reach its bottom and see the lower world (the netherworld/’alam al-asfal). Nor can they ascend above the sky to fully attain the truth and secrets of the spheres and stars and be properly aware of the secrets of the higher realm ('alam al-ulwi). They cannot enter the realm of the celestial orders (malakut) so that they may know the secrets of the world of spirits as it is, and observe the intellects and souls of the spheres. From this, they may also come to know the Creator of the universe, how He created all existence from nothingness, and to witness His works by constantly turning and changing its parts, refining and nurturing them. They must become aware of His beautiful names (asma) and attributes so that through them they may find their way to knowledge of His Essence.
The Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving Lord of the Worlds, out of the fullness of His mercy and boundless grace, has created everything within and outside the universe – all corporeal and subtle forms – as a perfect exemplar for the human body, both inside and out, as the most noble of all creations. He has adorned the human soul with the very attributes by which He is characterized.
Just as the Most High makes every particle of the universe obedient to His will, so too He has made every organ of the human body obedient to his pure soul, that humankind may look upon their own bodies and, through the orderliness of their organs and the regularity of their senses and capacities, find reflections of what exists in the world of forms (the netherworld/’alam al-asfal) and in the realm of spirits ('alam al-ulwi), and see themselves as an exemplar of the universe. By looking at the various actions that their soul performs within their body, they may know the various actions and influences that the Most High enacts in the world.
Thereafter, let them become aware of the acts and attributes of God and worship Him with love for His pure Essence. May knowledge be transformed into blessedness, and may they become among the people of gnosis.
Verse (Nazm)
1-Know, O humankind!
2-You are the epitome of the universe.
3-You contain existence.
4-What you see is present.
5-That which is hidden from you is manifest through insight and gnosis.
6-You know Him ever-present in every moment.
7-Your body is of the earthly, nether realm.
8-Your soul is of the luminous, higher realm.
9-Your secret is divine, powerful.
10-You are a treasury holding all treasures;
11-Dispelling despair with your potent force!
12-Rejoice and love His Essence.
13-Recite and understand His attributes.
14-Be joyful, let your scatteredness be gathered.
15-Your heart is the abode of the Most Compassionate.
16-Know your worth, O knower.
17-Taste the perfected fruits.
18-Seek knowledge from yourself alone.
19-Put on a crown among friends.
20-Contemplate life within time.
21-Settle there, O ruler!
22-You are the axis of all spheres.
23-From you shines light;
24-Through it, you learn, O humankind!
25-Indeed, you are the essence of humankind.