The Fourteenth Article: On the States of the Human Spirit’s Fall, Ascent, and Perfection

THIRD SCIENCE · FIRST CHAPTER · FOURTH SECTION · Fourteenth Article Fourteenth Article It describes the states of the human spirit’s fall, ascent, and perfection. O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah …

THIRD SCIENCE · FIRST CHAPTER · FOURTH SECTION · Fourteenth Article

Fourteenth Article

It describes the states of the human spirit’s fall, ascent, and perfection.

O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah (awliyāʾ) have said: The human spirit, which is

a divine command (amr-i Rabbānī, the divine affair), having descended from the highest realm (aʿlā-yi ʿilliyyīn-i amā, the loftiest cloud of unknowing)

to the lowest of the low, that is, to the body, has thus transformed its luminosity into darkness, its subtlety

into density, its capacity into forgetfulness, its love into rebellion, and the spirit,

while it was in the assembly of proximity to the All-Merciful (al-Raḥmān), has become a companion of the nafs (the lower self) and Satan, and

a peer of animals.

How distant is east from west! Where is animality, play, and amusement? Where is the human spirit and divine love?

At first, a human must pass from the rank of animal, then in order, from the rank of predatory beast,

the rank of devils,

the rank of angels,

the rank of nafsāniyyah (the carnal self), before reaching the rank of true humanity.

Unless one becomes annihilated (fanāʾ) in oneself, one cannot subsist (baqāʾ) with the relative spirit. One who does not rectify their character remains at the level of animals and cannot reach the human rank.

One cannot become an ʿārif bi-llāh (knower of God) nor attain their desire. For in man there are three spirits which, in this sense, are shared with other animals. The first is the natural spirit, whose seat is the whole body. The second is the vegetative spirit, whose seat is the liver. The third is the animal spirit, whose seat is the qalb (the heart). Anger, lust, and all the bad traits arising from them are characteristics of the animal spirit. The fourth spirit in man is the rational essence (nafs-i nāṭiqa, the rational soul) [279], which is unique to humans. Its seat is the animal spirit located at the black spot (nuqṭa-i sawdā, the black point) in the heart. Intimate association with it is its distinguishing feature. If the animal spirit overcomes this human spirit and enslaves it to anger and lust, that person descends to the level of animals.

For judgment is rendered according to the dominant. The qalb (heart) of one whose human spirit is overcome by the animal spirit is dead, and their nafs is alive; thus, that person is nafsānī (carnal). If, with the help of the Truth (al-Ḥaqq), the human spirit overcomes the animal spirit and the person gains mastery over anger and lust, then, having found their true life, their nafs is dead and their qalb is alive, and that person is spiritual (rūḥānī). In fact, such a person is an insān-i kāmil (perfect human) abstracted from time and space, and [206/b] ascends to even higher stations than their own.

A person attains this alchemy of happiness (kīmiyā-yi saʿādat) [280] according to their capacity, whether in a year, a month, a day, or even an hour. The Exalted Truth, in His Eternal Word, says:

"I breathed into him of My spirit" (Qur'an, al-Ḥijr 15:29), thus one attains the relative spirit attached to His pure essence and achieves every desire.

The relative spirit has many names: the Universal Intellect (ʿaql-i kull), the First Intellect (ʿaql-i awwal), the First Substance (jawhar-i awwal), the Supreme Pen (qalam-i aʿlā), the Greatest Tablet (lawḥ-i aʿẓam), the Greatest Throne (ʿarsh-i aʿẓam), the Most Important Word (kalima-i ahamm), the Near Angel (malak-i muqarrab), the Most Perfect Spirit (rūḥ-i akmal), the Most Excellent Spirit (rūḥ-i afḍal), the Undying Spirit (rūḥ-i lā-yafnā), the Gnostic Spirit (rūḥ-i ʿārif), the Speaking Spirit (rūḥ-i nāṭiq), the Holy Spirit (rūḥ-i quds), the Muhammadan Spirit (rūḥ-i Muḥammadī), the Muhammadan Light (nūr-i Muḥammadī), the Adam of Meaning (Ādam-i maʿnā), the Sun of the Inner (shams-i bāṭin), the Sun of Reality (shams-i ḥaqīqat), the Point of Unity (nuqṭa-i waḥdat), the Universal Point (nuqṭa-i kull), the Greatest Point (nuqṭa-i kubrā), the Greatest Secret (sirr-i aʿẓam), the Divine Subtlety (laṭīfa-i Rabbāniyya), the Divine Command (amr-i Rabbānī), the Divine Substance (jawhar-i Rabbānī), the Divine Reality (ḥaqīqat-i Rabbāniyya), Divine Love (ʿishq-i ilāhī), the First Origin (mabda-i awwal), the Source of Spirits (manshaʾ-i arwāḥ), the Sultan of Reality (sulṭān-i ḥaqīqat), and the Divine Secret (sirr-i ilāhī).

If you wish to know at which of the aforementioned ranks you stand, immediately look at your own state. If you eat, drink, and sleep, fulfill your lustful desires, and desire nothing else, it appears you are at the animal rank.

If you eat, drink, and sleep, fulfill your lustful desires, and along with these, display anger, enmity, quarrel, fighting, argument, contention, and insult others with harshness, rudeness, brute force, beating, and aggression, hurting people and taking revenge as appropriate, know that you are at the rank of wild beasts.

If you eat, drink, and sleep, fulfill your lustful desires, and along with these, lie and set traps for people, deceive and trick them, mislead them with schemes, and walk the earth spreading corruption, you are undoubtedly at the rank of devils.

If you eat, drink, and sleep little, abstain from your lusts and desires, never offend anyone, never lie or deceive with tricks, always treat all beings with mercy, fulfill your duties to all people wishing good for them, and speak softly with dua (supplication) and praise, you are undoubtedly at the rank of the blessed angels.

If you eat, drink, and sleep in moderation, control your anger and lust, become a wayfarer (sālik) on the path of Allah’s love with maʿrifa (gnosis), become annihilated (fanāʾ) in your own attributes, and know yourself with certainty (yaqīn), you become both knower (ʿārif) and known (maʿrūf). You are adorned with the character of the Truth (al-Ḥaqq). You are a treasury of Allah’s knowledge. You are aware of reality. You are an insān-i kāmil (perfect human) at the human rank. You have reached the loftiest station. You have entered the assembly of proximity and presence. You have attained every desire. You act with moderation in all things. You always turn toward the Truth.

Poem

1—O pure spirit, are you content in this world with the body?
And O pure light, are you content in the seeing eye?

2—O Dove of the Throne, how were you caught in this snare?
Are you content among bile, blood, phlegm, and black bile?

3—If this heart is not your abode, then what is the heart?
So, are you content in this heart, in this black place?

4—Having left that rose-garden, how did you fall into this furnace?
Are you content with making nice with the stokers?

5—Are you far from that assembly of intimacy, that homeland?
Are you content with your heart, or in that assembly of meaning?

6—Are you troubled while occupied with ceremony and custom?
Or are you content in the presence of the Lord?

7—A thousand hearts are intoxicated with you and filled with love;
Are you content to consort sweetly with your lovers?

8—The world is with you, yet in what world are you?
Are you content to behold the beauty of love within yourself?

9—The Truth asks you about yourself, O speaking nafs!
Are you content in the bridal chamber of the heart, alone with love?

In contemporary Turkish:

1—O pure spirit, are you content in this world with this body? And O pure light, are you content in this seeing eye?

2—O Dove of the Throne, how were you caught in this snare? Are you content among bile, blood, pus, and phlegm?

3—If this heart is not your abode, then what is the heart? So, are you content in this heart, in this black place?

4—Having left that rose-garden, how did you fall into this furnace? Are you content with getting along with the stokers?

5—Are you far from that assembly of friendship, that homeland? Are you content with your heart, or in that assembly of meaning?

6—Are you troubled while occupied with ceremonies and customs? Or are you content in the presence of the Lord?

7—Thousands of hearts are intoxicated with you and filled with love; are you content to consort sweetly with your lovers?

8—The world is with you, yet in what world are you? Are you content to behold the beauty of love within yourself?

9—The Truth asks you about yourself; O speaking nafs! Are you content in the bridal chamber of the heart, alone with love?

[231] In this verse, there is an allusion to the verse: "Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, 'Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion.' They said, 'We have come willingly.'" (Qur'an, Fuṣṣilat 41:11).

[232] "The All-Merciful has established Himself above the Throne." (Qur'an, Ṭāhā 20:5). Many various and profound meanings have been derived from the word "istiwāʾ" in this verse. Some Islamic scholars have sufficed with its apparent meaning, saying "Allah knows its meaning," while others have said it is among the ambiguous verses and requires appropriate interpretation, offering various explanations. The secret of istiwāʾ is also a Mevlevi term. The black band called istiwāʾ was considered a high sign. It remained from Mawlānā and was called the secret of istiwāʾ for the band attached to the two-way "sword cap" or "sword crown." Only those distinguished by the attraction of the All-Merciful and who have attained the secret of istiwāʾ could wear this crown. (M. Zeki Pakalın, op. cit., vol. III, p. 207).

[233] The word "sawād," meaning black, in its diminutive form means "little black." According to Sufis, it is the black spot present in the heart. On the other hand, the hidden sin in the heart is also called suwaydā. For unbelievers, this spot is the locus of sin and wretchedness; for believers, it is the locus of insight and perception. (Tercüman, op. cit., p. 648).

[234] Nafs-i nāṭiqa: The substance that is in itself abstract from matter, but acts through matter.

[235] The point (nuqṭa) is considered a very important subject in Sufism. According to Sufis, divine knowledge is gathered in the point. The true being is Allah. Therefore, everything has come into existence from the point. In this respect, the point also represents divine tawḥīd (the oneness of God). The point is true unity, the origin of all multiplicity. The movement of the point produces the line, which indicates the second determination. The point is the manifestation of the Essence. The fact that all letters, words, and numbers are based on the point is a beautiful example of the appearance of the One in the form of multiplicity. It is also attributed to ʿAlī: "Knowledge is a point; the ignorant have multiplied it." (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 375; Tercüman, op. cit., p. 530).

[236] ʿAql-i awwal (First Intellect): The hadith "The first thing Allah created was the intellect" refers to this intellect. It is also called the station of unity, the Muhammadan Light, Gabriel, the reality of man, the Throne, etc. According to the theory of emanation, the First Intellect is the first thing to emanate from Allah. Allah first created it, then through it, all other things.

[237] Letter (ḥarf, pl. ḥurūf): In Sufism, these are simple realities existing in the external world, like intellect and nafs. The letter is also used in the sense of the expression that Allah reveals to His servant. There is also the Bāṭinī movement called Ḥurūfiyya, which believes that everything in the world emerges from letters.

[238] Amā: Cloud, thick and dark cloud, light and thin cloud, and blindness. In Sufism, it refers to the station of aḥadiyya (absolute oneness). At this station, Allah is veiled by the curtain of majesty (jalāl), and none but He knows or recognizes Him. This station is also called "amā-i muṭlaq," "ghayb al-ghayb," and "ḥaqīqat al-ḥaqāʾiq." When asked, "Where was Allah before He created creation?" the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "He was in amā; there was no air above or below it." (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 45).

[239] ʿĀlam: The universe, all created beings, the world, the cosmos, communities of beings or living things forming a class. The unseen world (ʿālam al-ghayb) and the witnessed world (ʿālam al-shahāda): "Allah knows the unseen and the witnessed." (Qur'an, al-Ḥashr 59:22). In this verse, things that cannot be known by the senses or intellect are called ghayb (unseen), and those that can be known are called shahāda (witnessed). (Uludağ, op. cit., pp. 38–39).

[240] See Qur'an, Ṭāhā 20:5. Istiwaʾ: To be equal, to intend, to straighten, to dominate, to encompass, to settle. In Sufism, istiwāʾ means to manifest and appear upon the thing upon which one establishes oneself. The Truth (al-Ḥaqq) is the one who establishes, the Throne is the established upon. There are two kinds of istiwāʾ: divine istiwāʾ and merciful istiwāʾ. Both are the manifestation of the Truth upon the human throne (qalb), i.e., its encompassing. In divine istiwāʾ, the heart is a circle and the Truth is the center; in merciful istiwāʾ, the Truth is the circle and the Throne is its center. (Uludağ Süleyman, op. cit., p. 194).

[241] Nāṣir: Helper, Allah the Exalted. Here, it means "Allah the Exalted who helps His servant to understand and explain the truth and reality."

[242] Manṣūr: Hallāj-i Manṣūr, the lover of the Truth who was executed for saying "Ana al-Ḥaqq" (I am the Truth).

[243] Wujūd-i aqdas: Existence, being, the concept of being, as well as the existent (that which exists). In Sufism, it refers primarily to Allah as the Real Existent (al-mawjūd al-ḥaqīqī), while other beings are called mawjūd or mawjūdāt. To realize and be conscious that there is no existence but Allah is called waḥdat al-wujūd (the unity of being). According to this view, Allah, the Absolute Being, manifests in various degrees of being (marātib al-wujūd) by descending (tanazzul). These degrees are notional. Wujūd-i aqdas is the degree expressing the absolute being of the Truth. At this degree, no expression or definition is possible; only He knows Himself. This is called the station of aḥadiyya (absolute oneness). Some also call it the world of lahūt (divine world) in the sense of Allah’s pure unity. (For more, see Konuk, Fusūṣ al-Ḥikam Translation and Commentary, ed. Mustafa Tahralı–Selçuk Eraydın, İFAV, vol. I, Introduction).

[244] Fayḍ-Fuyūḍāt: Overflow, effusion. In Sufism, it is the bestowal of a particular thing upon the heart of the Sufi by Allah, without the Sufi’s own effort or striving. The beings that come into existence through the ever-manifesting fayḍ, due to their essential possibility, are in fact nonexistent, but by the manifestation of the Truth’s fayḍ, they exist at the same time. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 179).

[245] ʿĀlam-i Jabarūt: The world where no power or will exists except Allah’s power and will. In Sufism, it is the intermediate world between the world of dominion (mulk) and the world of sovereignty (malakūt), i.e., between the material and spiritual worlds. The world of jabarūt has some characteristics of both the corporeal and spiritual worlds. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 110). Jabarūt is the first determination and summary witnessing, which is called Allah. Therefore, the remembrance of the name "Hū" is called lāhūtī, and the remembrance of the name "Allah" is called jabarūtī. (Konuk, op. cit., Introduction).

[246] ʿĀlam-i arwāḥ: The world of spirits (ʿālam-i arwāḥ): The realm where human spirits reside before coming to the world and after death.

[247] ʿĀlam-i Malakūt: The world of malakūt is the realm from the Throne to the earth.

[248] Nāsūt world: The sum of the witnessed world and the "noble human being" (hazrat-i insan).

[249] Insān-i kāmil: The perfect human, the mature person. In Sufism, the vicegerent of Allah on earth, who manifests all His names and attributes and gathers within himself the five stations, i.e., all the essential degrees of being. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 250).

[250] Muslim, Qadar, 1.

[251] Himmah: The heart’s turning to the Truth with all spiritual powers to attain a state of perfection or something else. Himmah is pure and good intention. Accurate and sound decision is paramount. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 227).

[252] Tawakkul: Trust, reliance, appointing as agent, consigning. In Sufism, it is to trust in what is with Allah and not covet what is in the hands of people. In all circumstances, to seek refuge only in Allah. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 488).

[253] Tafwīḍ: Surrender and tawakkul. It is for the servant to consign all his affairs to his Lord and to accept everything He does with contentment, never objecting by tongue or heart, not complaining, and not even feeling discomfort within. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 477).

[254] Farāgh: Renunciation, withdrawal; emptying the heart of attachment to anything but Allah.

[255] Atwār-i sabʿa: The seven states—nature, nafs, heart, spirit, secret, hidden, most hidden. Some Sufis, considering that Allah created man in seven states (see Qur'an, Nūḥ 71:14), liken these to the seven heavens, seven planets, seven valleys, and seven climes. In ʿAṭṭār’s Mantīq al-Ṭayr, these seven states and valleys are: love, gnosis, detachment, tawḥīd, bewilderment, poverty, and annihilation. Others have described the seven states differently. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 65).

[256] Ṣadr: Chest, breast. In Sufism, it is a station of the heart. It is the illumination of the heart with the lights of divine gnosis. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 409).

[257] Also called sharḥ al-ṣadr. The miracle of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) breast being opened. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 409).

[258] Shaġāf: The thin membrane covering the heart. In Sufism, it means love and passion. It has five degrees: a) Fulfilling the beloved’s desire; b) Admitting no one else within; c) Being an enemy to the enemy of the Truth; d) Being a friend to the friend of the Truth; e) Keeping the states between lover and beloved secret. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 448).

[259] Fuʾād: Heart, inner heart. Also used for the interior of the heart or its membrane. In Sufism, it means detailed knowledge that distinguishes truth from falsehood. According to some Sufis, it is the third degree of the heart. In the verse, "The heart did not lie about what it saw" (Qur'an, al-Najm 53:11), the word fuʾād is used. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 182).

[260] Here, there is an allusion to the hadith of the Prophet: "O Allah, show me the reality of things."

[261] The exalted house of Allah, the locus of manifestation. Here, there is an allusion to the sacred hadith: "Neither My heavens nor My earth can contain Me, but the heart of My believing servant contains Me."

[262] ʿAyn al-yaqīn: Knowledge acquired by seeing with the eye. The second of the three degrees of certainty: ʿilm al-yaqīn, ʿayn al-yaqīn, ḥaqq al-yaqīn. The heart’s witnessing of true unity. Ultimately, for the Sufi in this state, it is not he who speaks these words, but the tongue of power. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 73).

[263] Tawajjuh: Turning, special attention. In Sufism, the turning of the shaykh to the Truth, and the murīd to the murshid, attaching the heart to him. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 487).

[264] Kashf: Unveiling, removal of the veil. To reveal what is hidden, to bring forth what is concealed. In Sufism, to become aware of unseen and real things beyond the veil by experiencing and beholding them. The removal of the veil of body and senses and the witnessing of the world of spirits. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 286).

[265] Riyāḍa: Discipline, training, education, reformation, subjugation; accustoming oneself to abstain from attractive but harmful things and to do difficult but beneficial things. Sufis believe that the nafs will be saved by accustoming itself to eat little, speak little, sleep little, live alone, and constantly engage in dhikr (remembrance) and contemplation. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 399).

[266] Maʿrifa: Knowledge, experience, practical knowledge, recognition, familiarity. In Sufism, it is the knowledge obtained by Sufis through living spiritual states and tasting spiritual and divine realities (by inner experience and without intermediary). The knowledge of Allah obtained in this way is called maʿrifatullāh, and the one who possesses it is called ʿārif bi-llāh (knower of God). (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 316).

[267] Mujāhada: Struggle, striving. In Sufism: a) To impose upon the commanding nafs (nafs-i ammāra) those things required by sharia but difficult for the nafs, which is the greater jihad (jihād-i akbar) against the nafs. b) To subdue, neutralize, even kill the nafs before death, to endure hardship. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 348).

[268] Taṣfiya: Purification, cleansing, making pure and clean. In Sufism, to purify the heart within the principles of sharia and maʿrifa. According to Sufis, the human spirit comes to this world pure from the world of malakūt, but is soiled by the filth of the world and matter. If the purification of the nafs and the cleansing of the heart are performed, the veils covering the spirit and heart are lifted and the primordial realities are grasped. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 471).

[269] Tazkiya: Purification. In Sufism, to cleanse the nafs from the filth and rust that have attached to it, raising it from the level of the commanding nafs (nafs-i ammāra) to the level of the contented nafs (nafs-i muṭmaʾinna), and to purify the spirit from spiritual impurities. "He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instills it [with corruption]." (Qur'an, al-Shams 91:9–10) (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 491).

[270] The saying of Hallāj-i Manṣūr, who was executed for attaining waḥdat al-wujūd (unity of being) and saying "Ana al-Ḥaqq" (I am the Truth).

[271] Fanāʾ–Baqāʾ: Perishing and subsisting. Fanāʾ means annihilation, nothingness. Baqāʾ means subsistence. In Sufism, the disappearance of bad traits and behaviors is fanāʾ, and the replacement of these with good traits and behaviors is baqāʾ. For the servant to strip away his carnal attributes and qualities is fanāʾ; to be adorned with the attributes and qualities of Allah is baqāʾ. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 90). Fanāʾ, in Sufism, is the state in which the servant does not see his own action. Those at this station say, "lā fāʿila illā Allāh" (there is no actor but Allah). There are three types of fanāʾ: 1. Fanāʾ fi’l-quṣūd: The servant acts not according to his own will and desire, but according to Allah’s will and desire, annihilating his own will in Allah’s will. The sālik in this state says, "lā maʿbūda illā Allāh," "lā maqsūda illā Allāh," "lā maṭlūba illā Allāh," "Ilāhī anta maqsūdī wa riḍāka maṭlūbī." 2. Fanāʾ fi’l-shuhūd: To see nothing but Allah, to see everything as a manifestation of Allah under the influence of love and ecstasy. "lā mashhūda illā Allāh" is the saying of sāliks in this state. 3. Fanāʾ fi’l-wujūd: To be annihilated in being, to see and know everything as Allah, and to reach this state with delight. Those at this station say, "lā mawjūda illā Allāh" (there is no existent but Allah). (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 174).

[272] Shuhūd: Seeing, witnessing, beholding. In Sufism, to behold divine manifestations, to observe the world of meaning. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 458).

[273] Amā: Cloud, thick and dark cloud, light and thin cloud, blindness. In Sufism, the station of aḥadiyya. At this station, Allah is veiled by the curtain of majesty (jalāl), and none but He knows or recognizes Him. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 45).

[274] Station of aḥadiyya: In Sufism, the name given to the station of the Essence. At this station, no attribute, name, or relation is considered except the attribute of oneness (aḥadiyya). At the station of aḥadiyya, the name of the Truth is Aḥad. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 27).

[275] Mawālīd-i thalātha: The science that discusses the three realms of nature: mineral, plant, and animal.

[276] Tajrīd: In Arabic, when combined with tafrīd, it means to be alone, to do things one by one. In Sufism, it is for the sālik to purify his exterior from the desire for property and wealth, and his interior from the expectation of reward. (Cebecioğlu, op. cit., p. 641).

[277] Tajarrud: In Arabic, it means to strip off. In Sufi terminology, it is to strip away everything but Allah and turn to Allah. (Cebecioğlu, op. cit., p. 641).

[278] Here, there is an allusion to the verse: "And was at a distance of two bow-lengths or nearer." (Qur'an, al-Najm 53:9).

[279] Nafs-i nāṭiqa: The human spirit, the substance that determines man’s place among living beings.

[280] Kīmiyā-yi saʿādat: The passage of the spirit from materiality to spirituality.

Except for those who have attained the eternal help and unending guidance (hudā) of the Truth, and have lifted the veil of heedlessness from their eyes. Even though they have some connection with the world of bodies, for some of them the world of spirits has never been veiled. For others, even if it was veiled, it was unveiled with at least a single turning (tawajjuh), and they did not remain stuck in the veil of heedlessness.

5—Since he has reached the Truth, however he found Him, he prostrates and says willingly, "I am near to You."

The secret of the black point’s istiwāʾ: It is an individual and abstract point, distant from bodies, forms, and colors. This abstract point is a perfect mirror and complete locus of manifestation (maẓhar-i tam) corresponding to that great point (nuqṭa-i kubrā), which is the First Intellect (ʿaql-i awwal) and the perfect spirit (rūḥ-i akmal). The intellect that contemplates the hereafter (ʿaql-i maʿād) is an effect of that great point, which has come to some hearts. As stated in the hadith: "The intellect is a light in the heart." That is, the light of the sun of spirituality (shams-i bāṭin) has filled the hearts of the believers. Likewise, the great point of the world never ceases, even for a moment, to bring forth composite letters and the three kingdoms (mineral, plant, animal). Similarly, the point of human reality never ceases, day or night, to bring forth the thoughts of letters. For when the animal spirit (rūḥ-i ḥaywānī) falls asleep and the senses of the body are disabled, the point that dreams does not sleep nor lose its effect, and during the day it does not cease to perform various tasks with its thoughts. [199/b]

1—Tajrīd and tajarrud are the way to the house of the heart. A house that is in ruins is the heart.

O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah have said: Every fayḍ (effusion) coming from the most holy existence (wujūd-i aqdas, the divine world of lāhūt) descends to the sacred existence (wujūd-i muqaddas) [200/b] which is the world of jabarūt (divine power), and from there to the world of spirits (ʿālam-i arwāḥ), which is the world of malakūt (the inner world). From there, it descends to the world of bodies (ʿālam-i ajsām), which is the world of nāsūt (the human world). This is also called the world of dominion (ʿālam-i mulk), the manifest world (ʿālam-i ẓāhir), the witnessed world (ʿālam-i shahāda), the world of this world (ʿālam-i dunyā), the world of coming-to-be and passing-away (ʿālam-i kawn wa fasād), and the world of forms (ʿālam-i ṣūrat).

At the first degree of the heart, you use your intellect and distinguish truth from falsehood, thus becoming a believer (muʾmin). The second degree is the "chest of the heart" (ṣadru’l-qalb). At this station, you experience the delight of the opening of the breast (inshirāḥ al-ṣadr) known to people of reflection. The third degree is the station of the heart’s love (ḥubbat al-qalb). At this station, you forget sorrows and joys and soar according to the desires of the spiritual world, passing through stations with that longing. The fourth degree is the spirit and soul of the heart (muhjat al-qalb). By the inspirations of the beautiful attributes coming from the All-Merciful and the majestic attributes coming from the nafs, you discern the difference between them with the power of insight (firāsa). The fifth degree is shaġāf. At this station, you are seized by the attraction of the Truth and, passing completely beyond love for the world, you laugh little. The sixth degree is fuʾād. At this station, meanings (wāridāt) coming to the heart from the All-Merciful are realized, and you are delivered from the whisperings of the nafs and become the locus of beauty. The seventh degree is suwaydā. By attaining this degree with truthfulness and sincerity, you become among the truthful (ṣiddīqūn). You find your heart as the mirror of beauty and the locus of the gaze of the Truth. You are filled with light, peace, and joy. You transcend time and space. You ascend to the highest heaven (samāʾ-i amā), which is your station. You go to the station of truthfulness (maqʿad al-ṣidq) with the prophets in the presence of Allah, who has power over all things. You find endless peace and delight there.

It describes the seven degrees (atwār-i sabʿa) and states of the human heart.

6—If you can discover the reality of things, you have built solid structures upon the ground of reality.

From there, it descends into the inner world of man (ʿālam-i bāṭin-i insān), which is their original capacity (istiʿdād-i aṣlī). The hadith, "The happy one is happy in his mother’s womb" is an explanation of this comprehensive meaning. The path mentioned above is the path of descent, which is the path from the Lord to the servants (marbūb). Thus, whichever path and attribute the effusion of the Lord of the worlds descended to the servant, by that same path and state, it returns to the Lord of the worlds. By being attracted by the unique help of the Truth, one ascends to one’s station. This is the meaning of the saying, "The ways to Allah are as numerous as the breaths of creatures."

6—Abandon arrogance; it is the lowest of the low, and only thus is the nearness of the Beloved, the "or nearer" (aw adnā), attained.

O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah have said: The spirit, which is the heart of man, while in the world of spirits, saw its Creator without veil, knew Him, and understood for what service it was created. In the assembly of "Qālū balā" (They said: Yes), it was intoxicated with the cup of "alastu bi-Rabbikum" (Am I not your Lord?). There, everyone’s witnessing undoubtedly reached the station of ʿayn al-yaqīn (certainty by seeing). All the progeny of Adam (peace be upon him), together with the prophets, attained their desire. Then the heart, descending from that world of union to this world of separation, from that assembly of love to this abode of distress, from that spirituality to this corporeality, entered secretly into the veil of the senses and became confined by the limits of the body. Bodily desires overcame it, and it became filled with animal traits. In this state, the human heart, veiled by the garment of heedlessness, forgot that assembly of intimacy and, thinking this transient abode (the world) to be eternal, preferred this hell (dār al-bawār) as a place of settlement.

O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah have said: The traveler on the path of gnosis (maʿrifa) must know the reality of the human heart and the connection and concern of the precious spirit with its attributes. The station and center of the heart is this very heart. As explained above, there is a black point in the middle of the heart, which is the seat of suwaydā. This black point is the rising place of the sun of spirituality (shams-i bāṭin), which is the spirit of the world and the throne of the human realm, and is called "janān," meaning heart. It is the mirror of the greatest point, which is the place of emergence of the human spirit. The soul connected with this black point is the nafs-i nāṭiqa, which is the sultan in the realm of the body. The great hidden point (nuqṭa-i kibriyā-yi nihān) is the deputy of the Universal Intellect (ʿaql-i kull). The greatness and rank of this black point is not in its outward appearance. Its greatness is manifested only in the secret of istiwāʾ. Only one who has transcended humanity and reached the station of angelhood can attain this secret. Such a person sees what eyes do not see and finds the assembly of peace and intimacy.

Thus, this beneficial explanation is sufficient for knowing the heart (maʿrifa). As the Exalted Truth has informed His servants of the greatness of the human heart in a sacred hadith:

"I have a treasure greater than the Throne, vaster than the Footstool, more adorned than the malakūt, and purer than Paradise. Its place is faith (iman), its sky is gnosis (maʿrifa), its sun is longing (shawq), its moon is love (maḥabba), its stars are thoughts. Its cloud is intellect, its rain is mercy, its rivers are service, its trees are worship, its fruits are good character, and its palaces are himmah. It has four pillars: tawakkul (reliance upon God), tafwīḍ (consignment), sabr (patient endurance), and riḍā (contentment with God's decree). It has four gates: knowledge, forbearance (ḥilm), dhikr (remembrance), and intimacy (uns). Behold! That is the heart of the perfect and gnostic servant."

Thus, the human reality (ḥaqīqat-i insāniyya) is the secret of that suwaydā, which is always anxious and invents dreams. It is the essence of the essence of the senses and faculties. The words formed from the letters of these sounds (ḥurūf-i aṣwāt) are the external shells and envelopes of the thoughts and ideas, which are the letters of that point. That point is the essence of meaning. The individual and point that remains attached to the suwaydā is the meaning of the sun’s orb. Its spiritual light is the intellect that contemplates the hereafter (ʿaql-i maʿād), which radiates light from the heart to the brain. Just as the sun is in the sky, but its rays reach the earth, reflecting from there to the air and thus illuminating the world and giving life and power to things, so too does the sun of spirituality, shining from the station of aḥadiyya (the sky of amā) to the station of human reality (ḥaqīqat-i insāniyya), fill the suwaydā point with its light, which then reflects to the brain, illuminating the senses and faculties of the human body and giving life and power to the limbs, each of which is then occupied with its own function: the tongue speaks, the ear listens, and the eye sees. The light and effect of that spiritual light reaches all, and in every part of the body, it acts with a different function and name.

6—There was Nāṣir and Manṣūr, and Manṣūr said: "I am the manifest Truth." The one who truly uttered this statement is Nāṣir; Manṣūr is the interpreter.

For in the knowledge of the Truth, the forms of all created things exist. This is somewhat like our own reasoning (taʿaqqul) and conceptualization (taṣawwur). Although Allah’s knowledge is not other than His essence, it is called the world of amā and the world of meanings in terms of the records of knowledge. The origin of the world of amā is the world of lāhūt, which is known among the awliyāʾ as the most holy existence (wujūd-i aqdas). It is an allusion to the station of aḥadiyya.

5—If there is no arrogance or hypocrisy within you, then you are the House of Majesty (Bayt al-Kibriyā). All hidden treasures are with you; I cannot describe you, O heart.

O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah have said: Whoever seeks maʿrifatullāh (gnosis of Allah), if he withdraws to solitude and remains there for days, rendering his five external senses ineffective, and continues silently with all his being in the dhikr (remembrance) of the Supreme Name (Allah), gives the nafs its due but withholds it from its pleasures and struggles (mujāhada) with it, purifies his heart from bad character and adorns it with good character, follows in word, deed, and character the path of the Beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), suffices with one hundred dirhams of food in a day and night and four hours of sleep, and completes this discipline (riyāḍa), his heart will attain such a degree of connection with the world of malakūt that he becomes unaware of the world of bodies. He beholds the malakūt of the heavens and attains the sovereignty of gnosis (maʿrifa).

8—May you attain such a state that you say, "I glorify My Essence, how exalted is My majesty!" Whose mirror do you seek with this state?

3—While this sovereignty is in the heart, it has no need of the heavens. The gnostic has no inclination toward anything but Allah; he has renunciation (farāgh).

A person attains this alchemy of happiness (kīmiyā-yi saʿādat) according to their capacity, whether in a year, a month, a day, or even an hour. The Exalted Truth, in His Eternal Word, says: "I breathed into him of My spirit" (Qur'an, al-Ḥijr 15:29), thus one attains the relative spirit attached to His pure essence and achieves every desire.

1—Tajrīd and tajarrud are the way to the house of the heart. A house that is in ruins is the heart.

Thus, if the guidance (hudā) of the Exalted Truth also becomes your guide, you too will not forget the assembly of nearness to the Truth and will long for it. You will save this pure spirit from worldly attachments and obstacles that make one forget Allah, and turn to Him with your heart. Thus, with that exalted love and friendship, you will find your origin. That is, in your own world, the heart attains baqāʾ (subsistence) without fanāʾ (annihilation), serenity without distress, certain gnosis without doubt, beauty without barrier, and endless bounty.

Thus, this beneficial explanation is sufficient for knowing the heart (maʿrifa). As the Exalted Truth has informed His servants of the greatness of the human heart in a sacred hadith:

. Manṣūr: Hallāj-i Manṣūr, the lover of the Truth who was executed for saying "Ana al-Ḥaqq" (I am the Truth).

. Wujūd-i aqdas: Existence, being, the concept of being, as well as the existent (that which exists). In Sufism, it refers primarily to Allah as the Real Existent (al-mawjūd al-ḥaqīqī), while other beings are called mawjūd or mawjūdāt. To realize and be conscious that there is no existence but Allah is called waḥdat al-wujūd (the unity of being). According to this view, Allah, the Absolute Being, manifests in various degrees of being (marātib al-wujūd) by descending (tanazzul). These degrees are notional. Wujūd-i aqdas is the degree expressing the absolute being of the Truth. At this degree, no expression or definition is possible; only He knows Himself. This is called the station of aḥadiyya (absolute oneness). Some also call it the world of lahūt (divine world) in the sense of Allah’s pure unity. (For more, see Konuk, Fusūṣ al-Ḥikam Translation and Commentary, ed. Mustafa Tahralı–Selçuk Eraydın, İFAV, vol. I, Introduction).

. Fayḍ-Fuyūḍāt: Overflow, effusion. In Sufism, it is the bestowal of a particular thing upon the heart of the Sufi by Allah, without the Sufi’s own effort or striving. The beings that come into existence through the ever-manifesting fayḍ, due to their essential possibility, are in fact nonexistent, but by the manifestation of the Truth’s fayḍ, they exist at the same time. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 179).

. ʿĀlam-i Jabarūt: The world where no power or will exists except Allah’s power and will. In Sufism, it is the intermediate world between the world of dominion (mulk) and the world of sovereignty (malakūt), i.e., between the material and spiritual worlds. The world of jabarūt has some characteristics of both the corporeal and spiritual worlds. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 110). Jabarūt is the first determination and summary witnessing, which is called Allah. Therefore, the remembrance of the name "Hū" is called lāhūtī, and the remembrance of the name "Allah" is called jabarūtī. (Konuk, op. cit., Introduction).

. ʿĀlam-i arwāḥ: The world of spirits (ʿālam-i arwāḥ): The realm where human spirits reside before coming to the world and after death.

. ʿĀlam-i Malakūt: The world of malakūt is the realm from the Throne to the earth.

. Nāsūt world: The sum of the witnessed world and the "noble human being" (hazrat-i insan).

. Insān-i kāmil: The perfect human, the mature person. In Sufism, the vicegerent of Allah on earth, who manifests all His names and attributes and gathers within himself the five stations, i.e., all the essential degrees of being. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 250).

. Muslim, Qadar, 1.

. Himmah: The heart’s turning to the Truth with all spiritual powers to attain a state of perfection or something else. Himmah is pure and good intention. Accurate and sound decision is paramount. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 227).

. Tawakkul: Trust, reliance, appointing as agent, consigning. In Sufism, it is to trust in what is with Allah and not covet what is in the hands of people. In all circumstances, to seek refuge only in Allah. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 488).

. In this verse, there is an allusion to the verse: "Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, 'Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion.' They said, 'We have come willingly.'" (Qur'an, Fuṣṣilat 41:11).

. "The All-Merciful has established Himself above the Throne." (Qur'an, Ṭāhā 20:5). Many various and profound meanings have been derived from the word "istiwāʾ" in this verse. Some Islamic scholars have sufficed with its apparent meaning, saying "Allah knows its meaning," while others have said it is among the ambiguous verses and requires appropriate interpretation, offering various explanations. The secret of istiwāʾ is also a Mevlevi term. The black band called istiwāʾ was considered a high sign. It remained from Mawlānā and was called the secret of istiwāʾ for the band attached to the two-way "sword cap" or "sword crown." Only those distinguished by the attraction of the All-Merciful and who have attained the secret of istiwāʾ could wear this crown. (M. Zeki Pakalın, op. cit., vol. III, p. 207).

. The word "sawād," meaning black, in its diminutive form means "little black." According to Sufis, it is the black spot present in the heart. On the other hand, the hidden sin in the heart is also called suwaydā. For unbelievers, this spot is the locus of sin and wretchedness; for believers, it is the locus of insight and perception. (Tercüman, op. cit., p. 648).

. Nafs-i nāṭiqa: The substance that is in itself abstract from matter, but acts through matter.

. The point (nuqṭa) is considered a very important subject in Sufism. According to Sufis, divine knowledge is gathered in the point. The true being is Allah. Therefore, everything has come into existence from the point. In this respect, the point also represents divine tawḥīd (the oneness of God). The point is true unity, the origin of all multiplicity. The movement of the point produces the line, which indicates the second determination. The point is the manifestation of the Essence. The fact that all letters, words, and numbers are based on the point is a beautiful example of the appearance of the One in the form of multiplicity. It is also attributed to ʿAlī: "Knowledge is a point; the ignorant have multiplied it." (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 375; Tercüman, op. cit., p. 530).

. ʿAql-i awwal (First Intellect): The hadith "The first thing Allah created was the intellect" refers to this intellect. It is also called the station of unity, the Muhammadan Light, Gabriel, the reality of man, the Throne, etc. According to the theory of emanation, the First Intellect is the first thing to emanate from Allah. Allah first created it, then through it, all other things.

. Letter (ḥarf, pl. ḥurūf): In Sufism, these are simple realities existing in the external world, like intellect and nafs. The letter is also used in the sense of the expression that Allah reveals to His servant. There is also the Bāṭinī movement called Ḥurūfiyya, which believes that everything in the world emerges from letters.

. Amā: Cloud, thick and dark cloud, light and thin cloud, and blindness. In Sufism, it refers to the station of aḥadiyya (absolute oneness). At this station, Allah is veiled by the curtain of majesty (jalāl), and none but He knows or recognizes Him. This station is also called "amā-i muṭlaq," "ghayb al-ghayb," and "ḥaqīqat al-ḥaqāʾiq." When asked, "Where was Allah before He created creation?" the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "He was in amā; there was no air above or below it." (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 45).

. ʿĀlam: The universe, all created beings, the world, the cosmos, communities of beings or living things forming a class. The unseen world (ʿālam al-ghayb) and the witnessed world (ʿālam al-shahāda): "Allah knows the unseen and the witnessed." (Qur'an, al-Ḥashr 59:22). In this verse, things that cannot be known by the senses or intellect are called ghayb (unseen), and those that can be known are called shahāda (witnessed). (Uludağ, op. cit., pp. 38–39).

. See Qur'an, Ṭāhā 20:5. Istiwaʾ: To be equal, to intend, to straighten, to dominate, to encompass, to settle. In Sufism, istiwāʾ means to manifest and appear upon the thing upon which one establishes oneself. The Truth (al-Ḥaqq) is the one who establishes, the Throne is the established upon. There are two kinds of istiwāʾ: divine istiwāʾ and merciful istiwāʾ. Both are the manifestation of the Truth upon the human throne (qalb), i.e., its encompassing. In divine istiwāʾ, the heart is a circle and the Truth is the center; in merciful istiwāʾ, the Truth is the circle and the Throne is its center. (Uludağ Süleyman, op. cit., p. 194).

If a person has not addicted that pure essence to these ill-natured pleasures, has not become ignoble in a hundred places to obtain a single desire, has abandoned every desire and considered himself a guest in this world, has entered his heart and turned to his true homeland, has become healthy by cleansing himself of bad character, has escaped from the prison of nature and become free, then surely that person sits upon the throne of the spirit in the kingdom of the heart and becomes a sultan in his own world. He forgets everything but Allah and plunges into the sea of witnessing (shuhūd), finding his Lord.

. Nāṣir: Helper, Allah the Exalted. Here, it means "Allah the Exalted who helps His servant to understand and explain the truth and reality."

The world of dominion (mulk) is of two parts. The first part is connected to the world of malakūt. These are the Throne, the Footstool, and the seven heavens. It is also called the higher world. The second part is connected to the world of dominion. These are the four elements. From them arise the universe, the celestial sphere, and the three origins (mawālīd-i thalātha). This is called the lowest world (ʿālam-i sufla), the world of coming-to-be and passing-away (kawn wa fasād).

It describes the realities of the meanings of the human heart and the secret of istiwāʾ.

6—There was Nāṣir and Manṣūr, and Manṣūr said: "I am the manifest Truth." The one who truly uttered this statement is Nāṣir; Manṣūr is the interpreter.

Whoever desires the purification (taṣfiya) and cleansing (tazkiya) of the heart must first close the paths of the five senses. Thus, nothing heard, seen, smelled, tasted, or worn enters the heart, and then, by removing harmful thoughts (khawāṭir), he continues in secret with the dhikr of the Supreme Name (Allah). In the end, springs of wisdom will gush forth from the sea of unity (aḥadiyya) in his heart. He will have expelled thoughts, impurities, and all that is other than Allah (mā siwā) from there. By cleansing the heart of things that distance from Allah, he will become skilled in the knowledge of the heart (ʿilm al-ṣudūr).

When the throne of the heart is purified of desires and becomes prosperous, behold the verse: "The All-Merciful has established Himself above the Throne."

It describes how the human heart journeys to its own world through spiritual discipline (riyāḍa) and becomes filled with the science of wisdom by benefiting from the Universal Intellect (ʿaql-i kull).

At first, a human must pass from the rank of animal, then in order, from the rank of predatory beast, the rank of devils, the rank of angels, the rank of nafsāniyyah (the carnal self), before reaching the rank of true humanity. Unless one becomes annihilated (fanāʾ) in oneself, one cannot subsist (baqāʾ) with the relative spirit. One who does not rectify their character remains at the level of animals and cannot reach the human rank. One cannot become an ʿārif bi-llāh (knower of God) nor attain their desire. For in man there are three spirits which, in this sense, are shared with other animals. The first is the natural spirit, whose seat is the whole body. The second is the vegetative spirit, whose seat is the liver. The third is the animal spirit, whose seat is the qalb (the heart). Anger, lust, and all the bad traits arising from them are characteristics of the animal spirit. The fourth spirit in man is the rational essence (nafs-i nāṭiqa), which is unique to humans. Its seat is the animal spirit located at the black spot (nuqṭa-i sawdā, the black point) in the heart. Intimate association with it is its distinguishing feature. If the animal spirit overcomes this human spirit and enslaves it to anger and lust, that person descends to the level of animals.

O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah have said: The human spirit, before coming to the world of bodies, was in the world of spirits. Before coming to the world of spirits, it was in the "world of amā." This "world of amā" is a metaphor for the world of meanings, which consists of the forms in the eternal knowledge (ʿilm-i azalī) of the Exalted Truth, unbound by time.

O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah have said: The secret of the istiwāʾ of the black point in the heart is the reality of man (ḥaqīqat-i insāniyya), which is its life-giving spirit. As the Exalted Truth says in His Eternal Word to His Beloved: "Say: The spirit is of the command of my Lord" (Qur'an, al-Isrāʾ 17:85), thus declaring that this human [200/a] spirit is a divine command (amr-i Rabbānī). The command (amr) is a living, perceiving power (ḥayy-i mudrika) that has the capacity to give life and perception to others. The station and center of this command is that black point, which is round and polished like a two-faced mirror. That is, it is created to face both the unseen world and the witnessed world. If this mirror is polished and bright, the lights of the unseen appear in it. Spiritual secrets take form in it.

. Kashf: Unveiling, removal of the veil. To reveal what is hidden, to bring forth what is concealed. In Sufism, to become aware of unseen and real things beyond the veil by experiencing and beholding them. The removal of the veil of body and senses and the witnessing of the world of spirits. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 286).

. Riyāḍa: Discipline, training, education, reformation, subjugation; accustoming oneself to abstain from attractive but harmful things and to do difficult but beneficial things. Sufis believe that the nafs will be saved by accustoming itself to eat little, speak little, sleep little, live alone, and constantly engage in dhikr (remembrance) and contemplation. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 399).

. Maʿrifa: Knowledge, experience, practical knowledge, recognition, familiarity. In Sufism, it is the knowledge obtained by Sufis through living spiritual states and tasting spiritual and divine realities (by inner experience and without intermediary). The knowledge of Allah obtained in this way is called maʿrifatullāh, and the one who possesses it is called ʿārif bi-llāh (knower of God). (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 316).

. Mujāhada: Struggle, striving. In Sufism: a) To impose upon the commanding nafs (nafs-i ammāra) those things required by sharia but difficult for the nafs, which is the greater jihad (jihād-i akbar) against the nafs. b) To subdue, neutralize, even kill the nafs before death, to endure hardship. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 348).

. Taṣfiya: Purification, cleansing, making pure and clean. In Sufism, to purify the heart within the principles of sharia and maʿrifa. According to Sufis, the human spirit comes to this world pure from the world of malakūt, but is soiled by the filth of the world and matter. If the purification of the nafs and the cleansing of the heart are performed, the veils covering the spirit and heart are lifted and the primordial realities are grasped. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 471).

. Tazkiya: Purification. In Sufism, to cleanse the nafs from the filth and rust that have attached to it, raising it from the level of the commanding nafs (nafs-i ammāra) to the level of the contented nafs (nafs-i muṭmaʾinna), and to purify the spirit from spiritual impurities. "He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instills it [with corruption]." (Qur'an, al-Shams 91:9–10) (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 491).

. The saying of Hallāj-i Manṣūr, who was executed for attaining waḥdat al-wujūd (unity of being) and saying "Ana al-Ḥaqq" (I am the Truth).

Thus, this beneficial explanation is sufficient for knowing the heart (maʿrifa). As the Exalted Truth has informed His servants of the greatness of the human heart in a sacred hadith:

. Fanāʾ–Baqāʾ: Perishing and subsisting. Fanāʾ means annihilation, nothingness. Baqāʾ means subsistence. In Sufism, the disappearance of bad traits and behaviors is fanāʾ, and the replacement of these with good traits and behaviors is baqāʾ. For the servant to strip away his carnal attributes and qualities is fanāʾ; to be adorned with the attributes and qualities of Allah is baqāʾ. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 90). Fanāʾ, in Sufism, is the state in which the servant does not see his own action. Those at this station say, "lā fāʿila illā Allāh" (there is no actor but Allah). There are three types of fanāʾ: 1. Fanāʾ fi’l-quṣūd: The servant acts not according to his own will and desire, but according to Allah’s will and desire, annihilating his own will in Allah’s will. The sālik in this state says, "lā maʿbūda illā Allāh," "lā maqsūda illā Allāh," "lā maṭlūba illā Allāh," "Ilāhī anta maqsūdī wa riḍāka maṭlūbī." 2. Fanāʾ fi’l-shuhūd: To see nothing but Allah, to see everything as a manifestation of Allah under the influence of love and ecstasy. "lā mashhūda illā Allāh" is the saying of sāliks in this state. 3. Fanāʾ fi’l-wujūd: To be annihilated in being, to see and know everything as Allah, and to reach this state with delight. Those at this station say, "lā mawjūda illā Allāh" (there is no existent but Allah). (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 174).

. Shuhūd: Seeing, witnessing, beholding. In Sufism, to behold divine manifestations, to observe the world of meaning. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 458).

. Amā: Cloud, thick and dark cloud, light and thin cloud, blindness. In Sufism, the station of aḥadiyya. At this station, Allah is veiled by the curtain of majesty (jalāl), and none but He knows or recognizes Him. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 45).

. Station of aḥadiyya: In Sufism, the name given to the station of the Essence. At this station, no attribute, name, or relation is considered except the attribute of oneness (aḥadiyya). At the station of aḥadiyya, the name of the Truth is Aḥad. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 27).

. Tafwīḍ: Surrender and tawakkul. It is for the servant to consign all his affairs to his Lord and to accept everything He does with contentment, never objecting by tongue or heart, not complaining, and not even feeling discomfort within. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 477).

. Farāgh: Renunciation, withdrawal; emptying the heart of attachment to anything but Allah.

. Atwār-i sabʿa: The seven states—nature, nafs, heart, spirit, secret, hidden, most hidden. Some Sufis, considering that Allah created man in seven states (see Qur'an, Nūḥ 71:14), liken these to the seven heavens, seven planets, seven valleys, and seven climes. In ʿAṭṭār’s Mantīq al-Ṭayr, these seven states and valleys are: love, gnosis, detachment, tawḥīd, bewilderment, poverty, and annihilation. Others have described the seven states differently. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 65).

. Ṣadr: Chest, breast. In Sufism, it is a station of the heart. It is the illumination of the heart with the lights of divine gnosis. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 409).

. Also called sharḥ al-ṣadr. The miracle of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) breast being opened. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 409).

. Shaġāf: The thin membrane covering the heart. In Sufism, it means love and passion. It has five degrees: a) Fulfilling the beloved’s desire; b) Admitting no one else within; c) Being an enemy to the enemy of the Truth; d) Being a friend to the friend of the Truth; e) Keeping the states between lover and beloved secret. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 448).

. Fuʾād: Heart, inner heart. Also used for the interior of the heart or its membrane. In Sufism, it means detailed knowledge that distinguishes truth from falsehood. According to some Sufis, it is the third degree of the heart. In the verse, "The heart did not lie about what it saw" (Qur'an, al-Najm 53:11), the word fuʾād is used. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 182).

. Here, there is an allusion to the hadith of the Prophet: "O Allah, show me the reality of things."

. The exalted house of Allah, the locus of manifestation. Here, there is an allusion to the sacred hadith: "Neither My heavens nor My earth can contain Me, but the heart of My believing servant contains Me."

. ʿAyn al-yaqīn: Knowledge acquired by seeing with the eye. The second of the three degrees of certainty: ʿilm al-yaqīn, ʿayn al-yaqīn, ḥaqq al-yaqīn. The heart’s witnessing of true unity. Ultimately, for the Sufi in this state, it is not he who speaks these words, but the tongue of power. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 73).

. Tawajjuh: Turning, special attention. In Sufism, the turning of the shaykh to the Truth, and the murīd to the murshid, attaching the heart to him. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 487).

. Mawālīd-i thalātha: The science that discusses the three realms of nature: mineral, plant, and animal.

. Tajrīd: In Arabic, when combined with tafrīd, it means to be alone, to do things one by one. In Sufism, it is for the sālik to purify his exterior from the desire for property and wealth, and his interior from the expectation of reward. (Cebecioğlu, op. cit., p. 641).

. Tajarrud: In Arabic, it means to strip off. In Sufi terminology, it is to strip away everything but Allah and turn to Allah. (Cebecioğlu, op. cit., p. 641).

. Here, there is an allusion to the verse: "And was at a distance of two bow-lengths or nearer." (Qur'an, al-Najm 53:9).

. Nafs-i nāṭiqa: The human spirit, the substance that determines man’s place among living beings.

. Kīmiyā-yi saʿādat: The passage of the spirit from materiality to spirituality.

It explains the essentials of the path of gnosis (irfān): eating little, sleeping little, speaking little, remaining apart from people (uzlat-i nās), always being in dhikr (remembrance), and contemplation, in six sections.