ÜÇÜNCÜ FEN · İKİNCİ BÂB · BİRİNCİ FASIL · Sekizinci Madde
Eighth Point
Concerning the limits and states of fasting.
Beloved! It is known that the friends of God have said: Fasting, just as it necessitates wakefulness in the watches of the night, so too does seclusion require silence.
Fasting is of two kinds. One is voluntary fasting, which is the fasting of dervishes who enter the Sufi path. The other is obligatory fasting, which is the fasting of those who attain the station of reality (the muhakkiks). For the person who attains the station of reality does not force his self to remain hungry, but in the state of intimacy (uns), sometimes he diminishes his food. And if he is in the station of majesty (haybet), he eats abundantly.
The eating abundantly of one who has attained the station of the muhakkik is a sign that, through what he sees in the spiritual realm, his heart finds health with the assault of the lights of truth. For them, diminishing food is a sign of the state of intimacy arising from what they see in the spiritual realm, whereby mutual converse (mukaalama) becomes possible.
For novice seekers undergoing training on the Sufi path, eating abundantly is a sign that they are far from God Almighty and have been expelled from His exalted gate; that the animal and carnal self has overcome them. And their eating sparingly is a sign that divine generosity has filled their hearts and that they are withheld from being occupied with the affairs of their own bodies. Moderate fasting invites seekers to states and conditions through every means and cause. It bestows upon the muhakkiks attainment to secrets. But excessive fasting leads to the desire of the self, causing reason to depart and temperament to be corrupted.
To a novice on the Sufi path it is not permitted to go to extremes in depriving his self of food in order to attain spiritual states. It is permissible for him to eat sparingly with the aid of fasting. He should eat once between night and day. In one week, he should only eat fatty foods twice. And if you also wish to find knowledge and love by benefiting from what is narrated here, you must do so accordingly. As it has been said: “Many a hungry person is worse than a full one.”
Fasting has states and stations. The states of fasting in novice seekers who are new to Sufism are piety (hushu), tranquility (huzu), poverty (fakr), destitution (meskenet), humility (zull) and abjection (iftikar), with the limbs becoming still and the thoughts being dispelled. The states of fasting for those who are people of truth are tenderness (riqqat), purity (safa), intimacy (muanasa), together with distancing oneself from attachment to that which is other than God, and remaining in divine majesty and a Rabbânî sovereignty, far from human (self-regarding) characteristics.
The station of fasting is the Station of the Samedians [287], and this station has wondrous states and unique secrets.
These are the benefits of fasting, for one who possesses zeal (himmat) and closeness to the decisive (azimat). But here, fasting is not the fasting of the common people (avâm). For [212/a] in the fasting of the avâm there is no benefit other than health, the healing of temperament, and enriching the body with blessings. One benefit of fasting is that it keeps one alert against the suggestions of Satan.
Rhymes (Rubaiyat)
1-Fasting which makes all members full,
In fasting this self abandons the world.
It also opens the symbol of every meaning,
In fasting this soul and heart find God.
2-The person whose belly is empty from food is wise,
His heart's eye is awake, his deeds are a lesson.
Fasting which is complete purity and modesty,
Is a cure for every ailment, health to the body.
3-O Truth! Eat little, let your manners be the measure of your belly.
The loss in fasting is not what is found in satiety.
A morsel of bread suffices to remove the harm from fasting,
Much medicine is needed for ailments arising from satiety.
4-O Truth! Eat little, sleep little, speak little.
Find health of soul, pleasantness of tongue, so you may be;
Whatever you desire, find in your heart, enjoy it,
For that is the bliss of both worlds.
5-Bind your mouth and behold this world,
Abandon sleep, behold every hidden thing in your heart.
Let love make your mouth open, then behold it,
Drink oceans and behold the delight of the soul.
6-The self has indeed made fasting a prison,
But for those devoted to the heart, it is a pleasant journey.
In fasting, the heart finds delight and the pleasure of the soul,
Therefore, fasting is a bestowal from God upon the people of Truth.
7-Truly, this is the food of the prophets, fasting.
It is also the state and station of the saints, fasting.
It is also the purity of the heart of the elect, fasting.
It is a cure for every ailment, a delightful nourishment, fasting.
8-Truly, the delight of the elect has become fasting.
Piety and guidance of the righteous have become fasting.
Also, the acumen of the wise’s intellect has become fasting.
Indeed, it has reached the summit of the mountain, fasting.
9-Much sleep has become a servant to knowledge and learning,
The negligent and ignorant become remorseful and regretful.
Be awake at night and fast during the day,
So that you may be a source of knowledge and learning always.
10-O Truth! Be awake for Truth, both by night and day.
Die before dying, so that you may be free from your grief.
As long as this self is alive, the heart is joyful.
When the self dies, the soul finds eternal life.
[286] Hushu: Reverence, awe, piety.
[287] Makam-i Samedânî: The Station of the Eternal – a station beyond all limitations and descriptions.
[288] Himmat: Zeal, enthusiasm, spiritual energy.
[289] Azimet: A decisive commitment or vow.
[290] Asfiyâ: The elect, those who are close to God.
Fasting has become a form of piety. The chastity of the righteous is adherence to fasting. Perhaps,
the highest station is fasting itself.
9-Excessive sleep destroys knowledge and virtue. Those who eat too much and sleep too much will be sick and regretful. Remain awake at night and fast during the day so that you may always be a source of knowledge and virtue.
10-Devote yourself to Truth! Be vigilant, night and day, for Truth’s sake. Die before you die, so that you may regret your selfhood. As long as this ego lives, the heart is asleep. When the ego dies, the heart finds eternal life.
[281]. This narration is not found in the manuscript copy.
[282]. *Subhânî* secrets: The secrets belonging to the Exalted God, which He reveals through the wise actions of His saints.
[283]. *Dirhem*: 1- One fourth of an old *okkah* (an ancient weight measure; one *okka* was 1283 grams). 2- A silver coin.
[284]. *Batman*: A unit of weight measuring 7,692 kg. It was used for water and grains in former times. It varies from two to eight *okkas* depending on the locality.
[285]. *Gavs*: Refuge, seeking protection. In Sufism, a *gavs* is one to whom refuge is sought; a pole. When Sufis are in distress and hardship, they cry out "Come, O Gavs!" “Assist, O Gavs!” “Aid, O elder!” and seek the spiritual protection of the pole. The Greatest *Gavs*: This is also called the most exalted pole (*kutb-i ekber*). It is the inner essence of the Messenger of God. This is the highest rank of sainthood. Abd al-Qadir Gilani is particularly known as the Greatest *Gavs*. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 188.)
[286]. *Hushū*: A tranquil and respectful demeanor, standing with humility and reverence. In Sufism, it means humility, obedience to the commands of religion, standing before God with a bowed neck, surrendering to Him, being respectful and humble towards one’s fellow beings. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 233.)
[287]. *Samedânî*: Belonging to God and to His eternal power and might; related to God.
[288]. *Himmat*: The turning of the heart towards God with all spiritual powers in order to attain a state of perfection or another thing. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 227.)
[289]. *Azîmet*: To intend, to decide, to make an oath. In Sufism, it means acting in accordance with the commands and prohibitions of religion without tiring of the desire of the ego, not paying attention to concessions or permissions, avoiding interpretations, and following the most cautious path. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 77.)
[290]. The elect of God’s friends, the pure ones of the perfected.
7-Indeed, fasting is the food of the saints. Fasting is both the state and station of the saints. It is also the characteristic of the hearts of the sincere seekers. It is a remedy for every ailment, a delightful nourishment: fasting.
The station of fasting is the *samedânî* station, and this station has wondrous states and unique secrets.
The elect of God’s friends, the pure ones of the perfected.
*Hushū*: A tranquil and respectful demeanor, standing with humility and reverence. In Sufism, it means humility, obedience to the commands of religion, standing before God with a bowed neck, surrendering to Him, being respectful and humble towards one’s fellow beings. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 233.)
*Samedânî*: Belonging to God and to His eternal power and might; related to God.
*Himmat*: The turning of the heart towards God with all spiritual powers in order to attain a state of perfection or another thing. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 227.)
*Azîmet*: To intend, to decide, to make an oath. In Sufism, it means acting in accordance with the commands and prohibitions of religion without tiring of the desire of the ego, not paying attention to concessions or permissions, avoiding interpretations, and following the most cautious path. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 77.)
*Subhânî* secrets: The secrets belonging to the Exalted God, which He reveals through the wise actions of His saints.
*Dirhem*: 1- One fourth of an old *okkah* (an ancient weight measure; one *okka* was 1283 grams). 2- A silver coin.
*Batman*: A unit of weight measuring 7,692 kg. It was used for water and grains in former times. It varies from two to eight *okkas* depending on the locality.
*Gavs*: Refuge, seeking protection. In Sufism, a *gavs* is one to whom refuge is sought; a pole. When Sufis are in distress and hardship, they cry out "Come, O Gavs!" “Assist, O Gavs!” “Aid, O elder!” and seek the spiritual protection of the pole. The Greatest *Gavs*: This is also called the most exalted pole (*kutb-i ekber*). It is the inner essence of the Messenger of God. This is the highest rank of sainthood. Abd al-Qadir Gilani is particularly known as the Greatest *Gavs*. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 188.)
This narration is not found in the manuscript copy.
For a beginner on the path of gnosis and one newly beginning spiritual practice and guidance, the most fruitful abstinence is to follow the middle way, avoiding excess and deficiency. Such a person should eat moderately. Moderate eating is consuming from fifty to one hundred *dirhams* per day and night. This includes drinking as well. [209/a]
The Exalted Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has taught the manners of eating to his community with compassion, explained the harms of overeating, and announced the benefits of fasting. As in his hadiths: “No vessel has been filled for Adam’s son worse than his belly. Three or five morsels are sufficient for his sustenance and life. Whoever is afflicted by the disease of excessive eating and wants to fill his belly, let him eat at least one-third, drink one-third, and leave one-third for comfortable breathing.” And he has said: “Eating while full is a sickness and it is forbidden.”
Fasting has states and stations. The states of fasting in those newly entering Sufism are humility (*hushū*), tranquility (*huzū*), poverty (*faqra*) and destitution (*meskena*), abasement (*zull*) and shame (*iftikāra*), the settling of limbs, and the expulsion of thoughts. The states of fasting in those who have attained to the truth are tenderness (*riqqat*), purity (*safa*), connection (*mu’anasa*), along with the distancing of attachment to the external world, remaining in divine majesty and divine sovereignty, and being free from human (egoic) characteristics.
The benefits of fasting, born of aspiration and nearness to decisive action, are these. But this fasting is not the fasting of the common people. For in the fasting of the common people, there is no benefit beyond health, the purification of the humors, and the gratification of the body. One benefit of fasting is that it keeps its possessor vigilant against the whispers of Satan.
The zakat (purification) of the body is fasting and nightly worship. When a devotee recounted to a perfect guide that he fasted every day, breaking his fast with a batman [a measure] of food, and then prayed until dawn, the guide said, "It would have been better if you had eaten half a loaf of bread and slept."
He who fasts in obscurity finds the state of poverty within transience. He who fasts in hearing has heard the symbol of the Most Holy secrets.
The benefits of fasting, born of aspiration and nearness to decisive action, are these. But this fasting is not the fasting of the common people. For in the fasting of the common people, there is no benefit beyond health, the purification of the humors, and the gratification of the body. One benefit of fasting is that it keeps its possessor vigilant against the whispers of Satan.
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes wander bent over from hunger. Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) would lose himself and writhe in agony from hunger. Our Shaykh, the Exalted Gavs Ismail Fakirullah Tillavi (may Allah have mercy on him), in raising his progeny, said: "Mulla Ibrahim! I eat only a few morsels once during the night and once during the day, whatever is at hand. I consume two flatbreads with any food weekly. Meat broth is an impediment to asceticism. This bread is originally the sustenance that is consumed. I drink only two cups of water every six days. After the Isha prayer, I sleep. Upon rising at night, I worship until dawn. I also fast on Mondays and Thursdays."