FIFTH CHAPTER · FOURTH SECTION · Third Article
Third Article
The Fourth
It explains the love of the perfected one in the fourth maqām (spiritual station) for the Beloved of God, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), his inclination and desire for wealth, and his worthiness to be a murshid (spiritual guide).
O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah (awliyāʾ) have said: The perfected one who possesses the nafs al-muṭmaʾinna (the soul at peace) in the fourth maqām inclines towards his awrād (regular litanies) and the supplications (adʿiya-i maʾthūra) transmitted from our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (ṣaḥāba), and he loves the Noble Beloved (peace and blessings be upon him) even more than before.
At this station, love of wealth arises in this perfected one. However, he is inclined towards wealth only to help the poor among the sāliks (spiritual wayfarers). Yet, acquiring wealth does not distract his heart (qalb) from God even for a moment, and no one can prevent him from attaining the felicity he has gained by being present in the Divine Presence. He does not hide the wealth he acquires from people; he displays his earnings openly. He does not ask anything from anyone and, with a natural contentment, makes use of what is given. Such a love of wealth is only befitting the dignity of the perfected one at this station. This kind of love of wealth is considered solely for the sake of Allah. Such love of wealth has never been condemned or regarded as blameworthy. On the contrary, it has been deemed acceptable and praiseworthy.
If Allah, the Exalted, veils the perfected one in the fourth maqām with the garment of nothingness, protecting him from the gaze of people and the calamity of fame, this is what is meant by, “What a beautiful favor and what a great safety this is.” If, however, he is made esteemed in the eyes of the elite and famous among the common folk, and is dressed in the cloak of shaykhhood and elevated to the station of guidance, this perfected one accepts it. Yet, he neither seeks shaykhhood nor turns away from it and withdraws from the duty. For Allah, the Exalted, endears him to hearts and makes His friends obedient to him, causing them to submit lovingly. Since he guides his murīds (aspirants, disciples) to the path of God, in a sense, he also submits to them and regards himself as having fulfilled their needs with goodness. Although he sees everyone as superior and more virtuous than himself, he encourages his students and those who love him to good character with kindness and grace. He always urges them to act with humility and to be conscious of their neediness, teaching that acquiring these traits is a beautiful thing. He assists them by guiding them in this matter. Thus, he accepts the station of shaykhhood (mashīkha) bestowed upon him by Allah. For this perfected one regards the speech of people as the words of God.
One who possesses the above-mentioned qualities is worthy of being a perfected murshid (spiritual guide). Indeed, this is a difficult duty for him. If there is someone more perfected than himself in his locality, he considers this a great blessing and sends those who come to him seeking guidance to that person, thus finding ease. By progressing from the fourth maqām to the fifth, sixth, and seventh, he becomes a khalīfa (successor) and remains with God.
Poetry
1—Be with me, for I am your companion in the grave,
On that night when you abandon your home and pass on.
2—Hear my greeting and be at ease in the grave,
For you are not, even for a moment, veiled from the Presence.
3—Like the intellect, I am always present in the soul;
In moments of joy and delight, in the tambourine and the reed flute, in distress and sorrow (I am with you).
4—Within the grave, it is I who will offer you the gifts of love,
Wine, companions, candles, feasts, and fragrances.
5—If the eye of insight were opened, all that you witness would become one;
All would appear as one; the beholder and the beheld are the same.
6—Wherever your gaze turns, you see only yourself,
Even if what you see is inanimate, or evil, or strife.
7—O Hakkı, be free from the forms among mankind!
For this spirit is infinitely beautiful, and love is jealous.
In Contemporary Turkish
1—Be with me, for I am your friend in the grave. On the night you leave behind your home and pass on.
2—Hear my greeting and be at ease in the grave. For you are not, even for a moment, separated from the Presence.
3—Like the intellect, I am always present in the soul. In moments of joy and delight, in the tambourine and the reed flute, in distress and sorrow (I am with you).
4—Within the grave, it is I who will offer you the gifts of love, feasts, companions, outings, and fragrances.
5—If your eye of insight were opened, all that you see would become one. All would appear as one; the beholder and the beheld are the same.
6—Wherever your gaze turns, you always see yourself. Even in inanimate beings, evils, and quarrels.
7—O Hakkı, be free from the forms among mankind! The spirit is infinitely beautiful, love is jealous. [341/b]