DÖRDÜNCÜ BÂB · BİRİNCİ FASIL · Beşinci Madde
The Fifth Article
Gnostics cease to be in their selfhood and declare that they abide with God eternally.
O beloved! It is known that the friends of Allah have said: The gnostic, if he abandons everyone, everything, and his own ego, descends from the mountain of egotism, then certainly he enters the realm of the heart. Afterwards, he mounts the steed of imagination, descends the mountains of trust (tawakkul), traverses the desert of delegation (tafviz), observes the field of patience (sabr meydanı), and proceeds onward. Finally, he arrives at the gardens of acceptance (rıza) and reaches the meadowland of gnosis (irfan gülistânı). Then he enters the assembly of love, becomes included in the sphere of intimacy (ünsiyet) and tranquility (huzur). Afterwards, he rises upon the spread of peace of heart (inbisat), attains to degrees of communion (munâcât) and nearness to Allah (kurbiyet). Following this, he dons the attribute of praised character (ahlâk-ı hamide), puts on the robe of divine names (esma kaftanı), and obtains access to the sublimities of these virtues and the delights of stations, remaining in these states for as long as his life endures. And eternal felicity becomes manifest for him.
His body is in the world, but his heart is in the hereafter. Day by day he progresses spiritually, advancing. Until he flees from the world and turns away; people begin to reproach him. He ascends to the lofty ranks (mele-i a‘lâ), attains the perfection of desire (şevki kemâle erer) and desires death. When his term is fulfilled, the ambassador appointed by the Most Merciful (Azrâil aleyhisselam) comes to him with roses, basil, and tidings. With delight, with good news, and with tranquility born from companionship with Allah (ünsiyet), he migrates from this decaying world to His presence, to His nearness.
For my poor and weak self, I see such a vast dominion and perpetual blessings there, and find so much pleasure, nearness, greetings, and favors from the Merciful Lord, that it is impossible to relate them here. Indeed, (that which we have strived to describe) eternal glory never departs from him.
"O Allah! O Most Merciful of the merciful! We beseech You, for the sake of the rights of Your attributes that are exclusively Yours, to grant us this perpetual blessing and great felicity. O Allah! Through Your boundless grace, the virtuous servants (velî kulların) have attained knowledge of You, they have known You. Those who bear enmity towards You would know Your grace if they understood it, they would not be Your enemies."
It is reported: "Indeed, there is a paradise in this world, and whoever obtains it no longer desires a paradise. That which I mention is the Knowledge of Allah (Marifetullaht)." It has also been narrated that: “People have migrated from this world, yet they have been deprived of tasting the pleasure of the most beautiful thing therein. That beautiful thing is to know the Lord, which is more delicious and superior than all blessings.”
Poem
Those lovers should find the paradise of gnosis today,
What would they do with the promised houri or slave girl tomorrow?
It has been said by Imam Ali (r.a.): "It is astonishing that one attains paradise in the hereafter. The wondrous thing is to find paradise in this world. It is not astonishing that a person boasts of entering paradise; the wonder lies in his paradise boasting of his entry."
Poem
1- Indeed, the knowledge of the Most High is through His permission,
And light, joy, and delight.
2- And upon the gnostics are bestowed the treasures of esteem,
And upon them shines the light of love.
3- Happy are those gnostics with their perfection!
For his time is blessed, and so is Allah’s.
Thus, for the one who knows Allah, blessing is blessing, paradise is paradise, joy is joy, pleasure is pleasure, tranquility is tranquility, honor is honor. Just as a person who enters paradise is freed from death, sickness, harm, poverty, humiliation, and sorrow. Likewise, whoever enters the heart of the gnostic is freed from fear, grief, and all kinds of distress.
Verses
1- O my soul! Understand these words, dear one,
Through this soul you will find the love of the Lord of Power.
2- When the heart becomes intoxicated with the wine of the name of gnosis,
He is forbidden from speaking a single word in that state of unity.
3- If you know yourself, be just and happy, even if they accuse you.
You cannot wield a sword; at least break it with words.
4- Indeed, I have known my beloved; He is always mysterious.
The veil of flesh obscures the heart from the sun’s vision.
5- The gnostic's soul is filled with the presence of his beloved, tranquility abounds.
In the ignorant one’s heart remains only the knot of estimation and conjecture.
6- Do not reveal the secret of Allah’s oneness to a polytheist;
For he does not understand it, he claims “I am” and “you are.”
7- He found eternal pleasure through the grace of Allah,
And society granted him seclusion in an assembly.