DÖRDÜNCÜ BÂB · BEŞİNCİ FASIL · İkinci Madde
**Second Article**
This declares one of the three fundamental principles of the Naqshbandi path.
O esteemed one! Know that Hajj Bahauddin (Nakshband) and his successors, the *khwajas* (may Allah’s mercy encompass their assemblies), have said: After rectifying belief and strictly adhering to the directives, guarding against prohibitions and disliked actions, the fruit of this path lies in constant presence before God. To know Him in every moment, to be with Him, and not to be oblivious of Him even for a single instant. When this state of presence becomes an ingrained habit within the soul and gains strength in the heart, it is called "witnessing" (*mushahada*).
The way to attain this station is through three means: Firstly, the path of verbal remembrance (*dhikr*) whereby the disciple’s heart repeats the phrase “La ilaha illallah” with presence. While reciting the word of negation ("La ilaha") in this blessed formula of unity, one contemplates that all created beings are transient and destined to perish. Regarding the affirmation side of the word "illallah," one witnesses Allah, the single deity, with His eternal and everlasting existence (*qidam* and *baqa*).
As he repeats this blessed phrase, he presses his tongue against the roof of his mouth, directing his bodily heart (*kalb-i sanabari*) – which is connected to the spiritual heart – towards Him. He holds his breath and draws his abdomen inward, performing remembrance with all his strength so that the effect of the remembrance permeates all his limbs and brings great pleasure. For example, if he were sitting in the presence of someone, that person would not be aware of this repetition. He spends all his time in remembrance, and nothing distracts him from it. Even while sitting, standing, speaking, listening, eating, drinking, and sleeping, there is no interruption or slackening in this state of remembrance.
If the disciple is interrupted from his remembrance due to some engagements, he should not abandon it entirely but continue with insight.
If the disciple continues to frequently repeat this pure and blessed phrase ("La ilaha illallah") during the early morning hours, its blessing will permeate the entire day. If he recites it often before sleep, the blessing of that phrase will spread throughout the night; even in a state of sleep, his heart will continue to remember. As the disciple continues in this manner with remembrance, at times a state of ecstasy will come upon him, and a state of unconsciousness will manifest – this is the beginning of the state of attraction (*‘jazba*). In that situation, it is incumbent upon him to surrender himself to that state and strive to preserve it as much as possible. If a diminution begins in this ecstatic state, he should immediately begin repeating the remembrance. For as this state of wonder recurs and joins with ecstasy, these states become habitual for the rememberer – even though this quality may not be his actual state – he can readily attain that quality again with slight inclination and realize it anew.
If the disciple is unable to hold his breath due to his temperament, its effect will suffice him in repelling fleeting thoughts and going into the realm of wonder while in a state of unconsciousness. Great spiritual pleasure will constantly manifest within him.
The disciple who desires the continuation of his state should continue to engage with this remembrance as described above, holding his breath and drawing his abdomen inward with great force so that all the cells of the body feel it and are affected. He should keep in his heart the meaning of that pure and clean phrase. He should completely repel any fleeting thoughts that may come into the heart by means of it. He should retain the number of repetitions of the word of unity in his heart, taking a breath after three, five, and seven repetitions, taking a breath on odd numbers and increasing the number of remembrances between each breath. Within an interval of one breath, he increases the number of times he utters the word of unity to twenty-one – at that time, the light of remembrance of God will illuminate his heart.
All thoughts belonging to otherness are completely erased from him. His heart expands and opens, and he feels great pleasure in remembering.
If he does not attain that delight and enjoyment at twenty-one, then he should start again and repeat it. He should hold his breath on odd numbers, retain the meaning of the remembrance in his heart, and increase the number of remembrances between each breath until he reaches twenty-one so that a state of expansion of the chest (*inshirah-i sadr*) occurs, he derives pleasure from the remembrance, and his heart is filled with delight. At that time, he should attain the state of poverty and annihilation (*faqru fanā*). His heart should always be alert towards the presence of God. He should reach such a station that if he were to seek to eliminate that awareness, he would not have the power to do so. His heart, eyes, thoughts, and imagination should constantly be with God, so that he does not find himself.
This is the only desired outcome: that the disciple should cease to exist with his own attributes and remain with the attributes of what he remembers (God) – in this station, remembrance itself becomes a veil that obscures him – and remains perpetually occupied with Him, attaining eternal bliss in His presence and through His friendship. May God make this easy for us.
**Verses:**
1. The fire of love burned through the pages of speech and expression,
The tongue and heart were filled with joy, truths became manifest.
2. Drop and ocean merged, a mist vanished from view,
Light was welcomed, the lamp extinguished, smoke disappeared.
3. This fragrant perfume brought delight to souls,
The entire world was filled with light and hidden incense burners.
4. The mirror needs the tutor to teach speech from silence,
If there were no mirror, why would the nightingale sing in a tongue?
5. Give away your garment, take wonder, surrender to love,
Let your heart and mind be lost; loss becomes profit.
6. Love finds poverty and annihilation, circling from its origin,
One who is amazed by beauty becomes an eternal, living one.
7. Love says to everything, "You are deficiency and imperfection,"
If it were to speak wisdom, the Divine would become its translation.
Here's a translation of the provided text, aiming for faithfulness and preservation of meaning within a classical Sufi context:
1. The heart’s longing ignited, a flame of love arose,
And all that was said about it remained in the record.
The soul and life overflowed with joy,
Truths became manifest.
2. The drop united with the ocean, the cloud withdrew;
The candle's light found welcome, the smoke dispersed.
3. These pure fragrances brought delight to souls;
The entire world filled with light; incense and its burner vanished.
4. He is the master who teaches parrots from the mirror;
If the mirror were absent, how would the tongue converse with the bird?
5. Give away your form, take your essence;
Be astonished, plunge into love.
Become selfless and devoid of ego,
Let your gain be pure loss.
6. Having found poverty and annihilation, filled with the breath of love,
He is eternal, one who marvels at that beauty.
7. Love without qualities, without form, speaks to everyone in measure;
Were it to utter wisdom to reason, it would become the interpreter of Truth.
**Notes on Translation Choices:**
* **Classical Vocabulary:** I've attempted to use vocabulary evocative of classical Islamic and Sufi literature (e.g., "longing," "essence," "annihilation").
* **Figurative Language:** Sufi poetry is rich in metaphor. I’ve tried to render the figurative meaning rather than a literal word-for-word translation, while retaining the poetic feel.
* **"Fakr u Fenā":** These are key Sufi concepts – *fakr* (poverty/dependence on God) and *fenā* (annihilation of the ego in God). I've kept them as they are, with explanations where necessary.
* **"Aşk Ateşine Yandı":** This phrase ("burned in the fire of love") is a common Sufi trope representing intense longing and devotion. I translated it to convey that intensity.