ÜÇÜNCÜ FEN · İKİNCİ BÂB · BEŞİNCİ FASIL · Dokuzuncu Madde
**Article Nine**
Concerning the virtues, miracles, and distinctive effects of the testimony of oneness (Kalima-i Tawhid).
O beloved! Know that the friends of Allah have said: “There is no god but Allah” is the greatest and most noble of all declarations. It is the concise science that teaches the Oneness of the Divine. Whoever enters this secure fortress will undoubtedly attain perpetual blessings and boundless felicity. Whoever remains outside this secure fortress, protected from its grace, will be afflicted with unending torment and constant calamities, falling into distresses. For this blessed declaration does not become a fortress for the heart until the soul becomes centered within that circle, dominating it, and preventing the desires of the self from reaching that focal point; otherwise, you are surely outside that protective fortress, and your soul has not entered it.
No benefit is derived merely from uttering it with the tongue. Therefore, consider what portion of this blessed declaration belongs to you? If your share is its spirit and meaning, then assuredly the felicity of both worlds is yours; your name will be written in the register of the saints among the company of the virtuous. But if your share is merely idle chatter of the tongue, it has become a pleasure for the hypocrites, for simply uttering “the fortress” does not protect one. Just as the word "sword" does not cut anything. This blessed declaration, therefore, is like the soul and body with its meaning; without its meaning, it is like a lifeless corpse. Just as no benefit comes from a lifeless corpse, this declaration will not protect anyone without its meaning.
Those who are among the company of the virtuous have grasped this declaration in its form and meaning. They have adorned and beautified their outward selves with its form and their inward selves with its meaning, and through it they have attained felicity in both worlds.
While uttering “There is no god but Allah” with your tongue, if you harbor affection for your family members, wealth, and dwelling in your heart, then surely you will not be able to perform the remembrance sincerely. For [235/a] the language of the state is more effective than the language of the tongue. If there is a fruit of the meaning of “There is no god but Allah” in your heart, why would you submit to so-and-so? Why would you seek refuge in so-and-so? Why would you hope from or fear so-and-so?
If, while uttering “There is no god but Allah,” you establish closeness and friendship with things other than Allah, then neither are you of them nor are they of you. For it has been said: "Whoever seeks to be for Allah, Allah will be for him." (The Prophets, 21/90) “We watched over them” (The Prophets, 21/82) – these verses have been understood in this way.
If the place of “There is no god but Allah” within you is merely the tongue and not its fruit in your heart, then fear that you are among the company of hypocrites. If its place within you is the heart, then surely you are a believer. If its place within you is the soul, then assuredly you are a sincere lover. If its place within you is a secret, then surely you are an enlightened knower.
The letter “lâ” in the declaration “There is no god but Allah” is like a broom that sweeps away the dust of foreignness from secrets. Thus, those who remember become a vantage point for the manifestation of "illallah" and a place of reverence before the Pure Essence of the Divine, becoming watchful and worthy and suitable for His spiritual nearness and love. They pass out with the drink of love and remain eternally in His presence. As the Exalted One has said: “O David! Prepare for Me a house (a heart) so that I may dwell within it,” thus revealing that the condition for attaining gnosis is the purification of the heart.
If you have become dusty [spiritually] by looking at frivolous and useless things, then you are in need of the remembrance of "lâ ilâhe" to sweep everything away from your heart. Until you find relief in “lâ ilâhe” sweeping away everything when you lose everything in the observation of its Lord, and you attain the affirmation of the word "illallah." [358] Then you will know that “Allah is sufficient, and the rest are fleeting desires.”
If the sultanate of “There is no god but Allah” prevails over the land of humanity, then there will be no abode for selfishness in the territory under his dominion, nor will anyone impure reside therein. Your own patience and resolve will also vanish with him. As stated in the noble verse: "Whenever rulers enter a land, they corrupt it, and humiliate those who are esteemed and superior among its people.” (Joseph, 27/34) – so they do. Thus, exalted pride is humiliated, exalted multiplicity vanishes, and exalted humanity perishes; and thus every bad trait transforms into a beautiful character. The rule of every sultan reaches an end in a certain place. But the sultanate of “There is no god but Allah” is a validation that extends to all those who came before and will come after—a fixed and enduring dominion. Some are subjected to his command willingly and with love, while others are compelled and unwillingly. For the Exalted One created mankind in their dark natures with justice and bestowed upon them His own light through grace. Those who have received a share of this light have attained felicity in both worlds and the light of the eyes. So it has happened; to whomsoever that light has shone, he is from the people of virtues. Whoever does not receive a share of that light remains in the realm of justice. The aforementioned light does not include forms and material existence (suwar and asma); rather, it is guidance which descends into hearts. If the sun of tawhid shines and rises from the heavens of singularity into the world of the heart, then the habits of the self will perish, and the human darkness will be revealed. And with the light of the verse "The earth was illuminated by the light of your Lord" (The Assembly of the Bee, 39/69), it will be seen that those who have been created are gathered in ranks under the banner of “There is no god but Allah.”
The beautiful and pure declaration “La ilâhe illallah” is such a blessed tree that its outcome is the knowledge of oneness. Its fruit is the affirmation of individuality.
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2- It is like an ant falling into the ocean and relating what it sees there—how can we describe that Pure Essence?
3- For the Beloved says, "I am incapable of praising you." Who is he who attempts to portray the countenance of the Perfect Lord?
4- How can one be intoxicated with the wine of *tawhid* without a share of striving? While Allah grants the sustenance of the people, they say, “My Lord has provided it.”
5- The Sufi does not know truth when he is overcome by his desires; he speaks foul words like curses and bean stew.
6- Truly polytheistic is he who speaks of truth while seeking a need from the sultan, taking refuge in him.
7- Come, O Truth! Devote your heart to the Qur’an; relate what it reveals, for that is what the saints speak and converse about.
Herein are compiled terms from Sufi discourse:
a-A servant should be in a state of awareness and realization that “Glorified is He, Who knows all states and actions,” b-To protect the heart from things that harm it, being in the understanding that God sees me at every moment and looks into my heart, c-To await grace (bestowal).
[346]. *Hâtir* (plural: *havâtir*): The address or message that comes to one’s mind, the sound heard within the inner realm. This message may be from God, an angel, a devil, or the self. The address from God is called *hâtır-i Hak*, inspiration from an angel is called *ilham*, suggestion from a devil is called *vesvese*, and desires of the self and the whims of the self are called *hevâcis* and *hadisu’n-nefs*.
[347]. *Vukûf*: Means to stop, to know. In Sufism, it is for the seeker (sālik) to dwell on certain matters with insistence, attention, and care, striving to grasp them. According to the Naqshbandi order, there are three important *vukūfs*: *Vukūf-i kalbī*, *vukūf-i adedī*, and *vukūf-i zamānī. 1-*Vukūf-i kalbī*.
One of the six fundamental principles of the Naqshbandiyya is *rābitah*, remembrance (dhikr), contemplation (*murākabah*), preservation of proportion (*hıfz-ı nisbet*), and association with the master (*sohbet-i şeyh*). It refers to the seeker detaching from all ties, from every thought, idea, imagination, and feeling that is known, contemplated, or imagined, turning completely towards his heart with full devotion. Then, he intensifies his vision of the heart’s reality with the eye of insight, thus expecting Divine secrets to manifest in his heart.
[348]. *‘Ilm-i ladun*: Sufis believe that all knowledge comes from God. However, legal and outward (sharī‘ah and zāhir) knowledge comes through an angel and a Messenger. Inspiration, however, comes directly from God without an intermediary. Therefore, it is called *‘ilm-i ladun*. This is a private, intimate knowledge specific to the individual.
[349]. *Cezbah*: In Sufism, it is the bestowal of Divine grace whereby God bestows upon the seeker everything needed on his path, without effort or striving, and draws him closer to Himself. *Cezb-ul-arwāh*: The spirits of the saints being drawn by God, allowing them to taste the pleasure of remembrance and union. It is the exaltation of souls by God. Those Sufis who experience *cezbah* are called *majcūb* (cezbeli). A seeker in a state of *cezbah* is not held accountable or obligated.
[350]. *Himmat*: a-The heart’s turning towards God with all its spiritual powers to attain a certain state or something else, b-Pure and good intention. Right judgment and sound decision come first. c-The power of realized ones to accomplish their aims, complete tasks, and fulfill desires. The *himmah* of the saints can move mountains. Spiritual masters nurture and guide their disciples through their *himmah*.
[351]. *I’tikāf*: Means to seclude oneself and spend time in devotion. Especially, to seclude oneself in a chamber (*maqsūrah*) within a mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan and spend time in devotion.
[352]. *Ihram*: 1-The seamless garment that pilgrims are obliged to wear outside Mecca for circumambulating the Ka’bah. 2-A large woolen sheet worn by Arabs. 3-A wool mat spread on a platform or ground.
[353]. *Karāmat*: In Sufism, it is the manifestation of an extraordinary state in a person without claiming prophethood. If this extraordinary state manifests in someone who is not engaged in righteous deeds, that extraordinary state is called *istidrāj*. Extraordinary states manifested by prophets are called miracles (*mu’jizah*). *Karāmat* is a favor from God to His saint. There are two types of *karāmat*: 1-Spiritual and authentic *karāmat*: The superior qualities, characteristics, virtues displayed in knowledge, insight, and character. “The greatest *karāmat* is for one to abandon his bad habit and acquire a good one.” "Righteousness is above *karāmat*." 2-Physical and outward *karāmat*: Traveling long distances in a short time, multiplying little food, walking on water, not being burned by fire. Sufis do not give much importance to these types of *karāmat*, fearing they are Divine deception (*makr-i Ilāhī*). They liken *karāmat* to soot that puts children to sleep or toys that entertain them. As a saint attains perfection, his *karāmat* diminishes.
[354]. *Hayz-i ricāl*: In Sufism, it is the state of a seeker becoming overwhelmed by *cezbah* and ecstasy, thereby losing himself, so much so that he cannot appear before God like a woman experiencing menstruation. Some Sufis consider even miracles and extraordinary states as deficiencies and call these states “the menstrual flow of men.”
[355]. *Wird, evrād*: Daily prayers, verses, hadiths, and sayings of realized ones compiled to be recited regularly at specific times – *ahzāb*, *hizb*, *ezkār*, remembrance (dhikr). Each order has its own unique *evrād*. These prayers can be recited collectively or individually, aloud or quietly, at certain hours of the day and night.
[356]. The sentence “They said: ‘Our ego-love is filled’” does not appear in the manuscript.
[357]. This refers to the event where Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was cast into fire, which turned into a garden with the Divine command: "O Fire, be coolness and peace for Abraham" (21:69).
[358]. *Isbāt*: The seeker eliminating his characteristics derived from habits is annihilation (*mahv*); replacing them with the rulings of devotion is *isbāt*. Therefore, one who eliminates bad deeds and behaviors and replaces them with good ones has realized annihilation and affirmation. Negation (*nafy*) is the “lā ilāha” (there is no god) part of the testimony of oneness (*kalimah-i tawhid*), and affirmation (*isbāt*) is the “illallah” (except God) part.
[359]. *Tefriḍ*: The seeker purifying his outward self from wealth and possessions, his inner self from the concept of expecting reward, performing every action solely for the sake of God, and not even entertaining thoughts or imaginations of attaining a station or state.
[360]. *Kurtum*: Seed of Usfur grass.
[361]. “Be natural in your walk, lower your voice. Remember that voices… ”
"The most foul of sounds is the neighing of camels," which refers to (Quranic verse 31:19 of Surat Lukman) has been indicated.
For the human body has become a veil between the heart and He who turns it (Mukallib; Allah Most High). Thus, when the body, manners, and ego are cleansed from impurities, the soul finds its friend. The nearness (uns) and tranquility of God become light upon light. These previously mentioned lights come to him through the attractions (cezbets) of God.
9-Sometimes I become abstracted and behold both worlds. I abandon this earth and water and vanish into the air.
The zâkir’s aspiration should not be low, meaning he should not remain attached to unveilings (kashf) and miracles. He must know that miracles are a discharge for men (hayz-i ricâl). He should occupy himself only with remembrance (dhikr) other than supplications and practices, and perform only obligatory and supererogatory prayers. He must remember so much that the form of the words falls away from his tongue, going to his heart, then from his heart to his soul, and from his soul to his secret. Thus, his heart becomes cleansed of everything but God (mā sīwā), his soul is liberated, and his secret is sanctified, reaching what he remembers (God).
O beloved! It must be known that the friends of God have said: Constant remembrance is the key to the wondrous realities of the realm of the unseen and nearness to the station of lahuut. Constant remembrance is not merely remembrance with the tongue and heart. Rather, the rememberer must always remain attached to his own heart and be its servant. Thus, he preserves it from inclination towards the world and animosity, from thoughts of past and future, and from concerns related to managing and ordering his affairs, so that ultimately his state becomes pure and simple. He should constantly direct his attention to God (murakaba), being present in His exalted presence, ready for His command. He should be filled with His remembrance and contemplation. The zâkir must cleanse his heart with the polish of God’s remembrance, removing satanic and egoistic impulses (hawātir). Indeed, before purification of the heart (tasfiya), one should focus on the fundamental beliefs of Islam and knowledge of prayer, avoiding preoccupation with other intellectual and sensory matters and showing no interest in them, thereby removing satanic and egoistic impulses and attaining tranquility and contemplation.
If you have become dusty from looking at frivolous and useless things, you are in need of the remembrance “Lā ilāha” to extract everything from your heart. So that when you lose everything in the observation of the One who possesses everything, you find relief in the expulsion of everything by "Lā ilāha" and attain the affirmation of "Illallah." You then taste pleasure and delight with the Name of Essence (Allah). It is at that time that you know “Allah is sufficient, the rest are fleeting desires.”
5-That Sufi does not know the truth who has succumbed to his whims; he speaks foul words like ‘ash’ and beans.
O beloved! It must be known that the friends of God have said: The remembrance of letters is remembrance performed with the tongue. There is no tranquility in that remembrance, which is the first stage of constant remembrance. Then the heart becomes harmonious with the tongue, and the remembrance of God passes from the tongue to the heart, becoming a heartfelt remembrance. This remembrance is tranquility, which is the second station of constant remembrance. After this, that tranquility vanishes into what is being remembered (mezkūr), becoming a secret remembrance. That remembrance is oblivion, which is the third stage of constant remembrance. For even if one learns all the sciences known by ancients and contemporaries, at the end of his life, no knowledge will benefit him; it will all leave his mind. But if one possesses a soul that has attained tranquility and entered the realm of the oneness of God (daire-i vahdet), then that tranquility is what he retains in the state of death and what assists him. Therefore, one must always know the states of the heart (vukuf-ı kalbî) with careful attention. For finding the tranquility of nearness to God is necessary for every seeker.
The remembrance of God is transmitted from the tongue to the heart through constant utterance. By striving and exerting effort there, one reaches the secret, and those devoted to remembrance pass beyond everything but God (mā sīwā). “This is not difficult for Allah.” (Quran 14:20) The seeker of gnosis remembers God so much through remembrance that the remembrance of the tongue becomes the remembrance of the heart. The remembrance of the heart becomes the remembrance of the secret. In his secret, the rememberer who remembers becomes intimate (unsī), and the remembrance of the intimate culminates in the holy remembrance (zikr-i kudsī).
The results of constant remembrance, its spiritual diving and comprehension (istiğrāk), the states (hal) that occur within it, and its sublimations are described.
Just as a sound of extinguishing is heard when water and fire come together, so too comes the sound of the fire of remembrance cleansing the body of the rememberer, expelling other things, and burning. Then, as the fire of remembrance reaches his other limbs, he hears sounds like the grinding of a mill, the crashing of sea waves on the shore, the splashing of river waters against large stones, the rustling of leaves in strong winds, the crackling of a great fire with a strong wind, the sound of thunderbolts born from severe storms, and their likes—finding countless delights and bliss in each. The secret of these sounds is that the human body is composed of a mixture of subtle and gross essences found on earth, in heaven, and between them. These sounds are the remembrances and glorifications of those essences. Whoever finds these remembrances within his own body has surely remembered God with every tongue.
“Lā ilāha illallah” is the magnet of hearts. “Allah” is the magnet of souls. "Hū" is the magnet of secrets. Heart, soul, and secret are like pearls found in a nacre shell or birds in a cage. Just as you cannot reach the cage without entering the house, so you cannot seize the bird without reaching the cage. Likewise, one cannot reach the soul without entering the heart.
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Behold, as it is disordered and irregular, the tongue and remembrance reach a degree from which Allah’s remembrance is forbidden for months and years; it does not come to the tongue except in prayer. This is the sign that the rememberer has attained to the secret of Allah—that Allah's remembrance has reached his inner being. His remembrance truly becomes connected to that secret when, upon ceasing to utter it, Allah’s remembrance pierces his tongue like thorns, or his entire face becomes a tongue, flowing with light and uttering praise of Allah in one state. When the rememberer’s time becomes pure and cleansed, he finds within himself a hand of striving (himma) by which he can draw from the realm of the unseen (spiritual realities). With every release from his own perceptions, he hears sounds so intense that they are almost enough to shatter his eardrums. He prostrates in supplication against his will, and there the grace of the Most High reaches him, drawing him away from the world as much as his capacity allows, so that his body may endure and not perish. As it is said, “My ear hears what you say,” with the glad tidings, "Allah is the friend of the believers, leading them out of darkness into light," (Al-Baqarah, 2/257), and the verse, "Indeed, here is help and friendship from Allah—He is the Worthy.” (Al-Kahf, 18/44) clarifies this. “This is by Allah’s favor; He gives it to whom He wills. Allah is the possessor of great grace." (Al-Jumu'ah, 62/4).
[Note: The following sentences are glossaries explaining terms used in the preceding text and were not part of the original manuscript.]
* **Huzur:** Presence, being in the Divine presence. In Sufism: a-The station of Unity; b-Being present before God and losing oneself; c-The heart’s presence with its beloved, hidden from others, through purity. The presence of the Real (Huzur-i Hak) is when the seeker finds God present within his heart.
* **Ghaib:** Hidden, veiled, mysterious. In Sufism: a-Entities and realms unknowable by senses and reason; the spiritual and subtle realm; b-Things hidden from you, not from God.
* **Vujud:** Existence, realization. In Sufism: a-The most perfect state of ecstasy (wajd), realizing God; the seeker finds God when he is completely annihilated in his humanity. For truth’s sovereignty manifests itself, leaving no trace of selfhood. b-A sense of existence within oneself, pride. “Your existence is such a sin that it cannot be compared to any other.” For true existence is the existence of God; ours is illusory, even imaginary. Vujud-i Mutlaq: Absolute existence. Vujud-i baht: Pure and unalloyed existence. Vujud-i Haqqiqi: True existence. Vujud-i kulli: Universal existence. Wahdat al-Wujud: Unity of Existence. These terms refer to the absolute existence of God. Vujud-i muqayyid: The existence of all things that come into being through the manifestation of God’s absolute existence.
* **Mujarrad:** Singular, alone. Pure, unmixed, free from admixture. By itself.
* **Istighrak:** To be immersed, to sink, to drown. In Sufism, it is when the seeker, under the influence of divine love, observes the Beloved while losing all sense, perception, and awareness of the material world and everything other than God. One who attains this state is called *mustaghrik*. A seeker in a state of istighrak is like a stone thrown into water—he has sunk and disappeared within the ocean of divine love, leaving no trace behind.
* **Jauhar:** The essence, the foundation of something. In Sufism: Divine (Merciful) breath, collective form, and what comes into being through the Divine Word. In philosophy: An existence that is self-subsistent, requiring nothing external for its existence. Philosophers who believe in God accept two kinds of essences: the creative essence, God; and the created essence, matter and spirit. To describe God as an essence is a deficient understanding, because it can only express the attribute of “existing by His own being.” It is necessary to know God through His attributes and names. Materialist philosophers accept only matter as essence. But matter is just one of the worlds that God has created. The science of physics shows that matter is transformed into energy and energy into matter. Since there are laws, there must be a lawgiver. And the lawgiver, who governs matter and energy and creates them, is God.
* **Jazba:** Attraction, drawing near. In Sufism: By the grace of the Most High, He draws the seeker closer to Him without effort or striving by bestowing upon him everything needed on his path.
* **Aqiq:** A well-known and valuable stone, usually red, set in rings and similar objects.
Beloved! It is known that the friends of Allah have said: How should those devoted to remembrance be refined with manners while engaged in remembrance? First, they must cleanse their form and heart from all preoccupation and emptiness. Second, they must perform ablution for repentance or bathe. Third, they must offer two rak'ahs of thanksgiving prayer with ablution. Fourth, they must find a clean, fragrant, and secluded place. Fifth, in a dark corner of that place, they should hang the ihram of seclusion, mark out an area as large as a mat, and spread a mat upon a rug or carpet. Sixth, upon that spread mat, they should turn towards the qibla, cross their legs, place their hands on their knees, and silently remember God within themselves. Seventh, they should close their eyes and direct their inner perceptions. Eighth, they should bring to mind the image of their guide and connect with his spiritual presence seeking his striving (himma) through love. Ninth, they must spend nights in worship and days in fasting. Tenth…
The seeker’s intention should not be low; that is, he should not become fixated on observations and miracles. He should know that a miracle is the impurity of men (as male menstruation). He should preoccupy himself only with remembrance and obligatory prayers and supererogatory prayers, and strive so that the form of the word vanishes from his tongue and its trace goes to his heart, then from his heart to his soul, and from his soul to his secret. Thus, his heart will be cleansed of everything other than God, his soul free, and his secret sanctified, and he will attain what he remembers (of God).
Secret: A subtle essence entrusted to the human being like a spirit. The heart comes after the soul in the sequence of heart, soul, and secret, and is more subtle than them. The heart is the place of knowledge, the soul of love, and the secret of contemplation.
Absence (ghaybah): Loss of self. In Sufism, it is the loss of awareness of one’s surroundings and even oneself due to the abundance and intensity of divine grace and manifestations, so that the seeker is unable to perceive what he is doing. He becomes absent from people and his own nafs and present in God's presence.
Attraction (jazbah): In Sufism, it is when God bestows upon His servant everything needed on the path he is traveling, without effort or exertion on his part, and draws him closer to Himself. Attraction of souls: When the souls of the saints are drawn by God, allowing them to taste the pleasure of remembrance and union. The exaltation of God’s spirits. Those who are subject to attraction are called *majub* (attracted). A seeker in a state of attraction is not held accountable or obligated.
Exertion (himmah): a-The turning of the entire spiritual power of the heart towards God in order to attain a certain perfection or something else, b-Sincerity and good intention. Right decision comes before everything else, c-The power of accomplished people to accomplish their goals and fulfill what they desire. The exertion of the saints moves mountains. Saints nurture and manage their disciples with their exertions.
Insight (ilm-i ledun): Sufis believe that all knowledge comes from God. However, legal and outward knowledge comes through angels and a Prophet. Inspiration comes directly from God without an intermediary. For this reason, inspiration is called *ilm-i ledun*. This knowledge is a secret specific to the individual.
Watchfulness (murakabah): Supervision, observation, focusing attention on a certain point. In Sufism: a-A servant’s being in a state of awareness that God observes all states and actions, b-Protecting the heart from things that harm it, with the understanding that God sees me every moment, looks at my heart, c-Waiting for grace.
Thoughts (hatir): The address that comes into one's mind, the sound heard in the inner world, the message received. This message can come from God, an angel, a devil, or the nafs. A thought from God is called *hatir-i Haq*, inspiration from an angel, a whisper from a devil, and desires of the nafs and trivialities of the nafs.
Devotion/Supplications (wird-evrad): Daily prayers, compiled from verses, hadiths, and sayings of saints to be recited regularly at certain times. Each order has its own devotions. These prayers can be read aloud or quietly at specific hours of the day and night.
The Divine Realm (lahut): A life that pervades all things, whose place is in the human realm. Pure unity is also called *lahut*.
Unison (uns): The essence of drawing near to God. It is sometimes used to describe seeing the beauty of the divine presence, which is the manifestation of majesty. Whoever attains this station sees that everything happens according to a perfect wisdom from God.
Seclusion (itikaf): To withdraw and spend time in worship. Especially during the last ten days of Ramadan, it is customary to seclude oneself in a *masqurah* in the mosque and spend time in worship.
Kutum seed: Seed of *Usfur* grass.
Here, reference is made to the verse (31/19 of Surat Luqman) which means, "Be natural in your walk and lower your voice. Remember that the most foul of sounds is the sound of camels."
Proof (isbat): The elimination of qualities arising from a seeker's habits is annihilation (*mahv*), and replacing them with the rulings of worship is proof (*isbat*). So, he who eliminates bad deeds and behaviors and replaces them with good ones has realized annihilation and proof. Negation comes in the "la ilaha" part of the word of unity, and affirmation in the "illallah" part.
Distinction (tafrid): The seeker purifying himself from possessions and property, and his inner self from the understanding of expecting recompense, performing every action solely for God's sake, and even removing from his mind and imagination the desire to be a person of status or station.
The inability to pass through [a certain state]. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 342)
The sentence “They said: ‘My ego-love has filled me’” is not present in the manuscript copy.
Here, it is being indicated that the fire into which Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was cast transformed into a garden through the divine command, "O Fire, be coolness and peace for Ibrahim" (Surah Anbiya 21/69).
*Hayz-i ricâl*: In Sufism, it refers to the state of a seeker being overcome by ecstasy and entering a state of *wajd*, thereby losing self-control, preventing them from appearing before God like women experiencing menstruation. Some mystics consider even blessings (karamat) and extraordinary states as deficiencies, referring to these states as the "menstruation of the elect." (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 216.)
*Wird, evrad*: Daily prayers, verses, hadiths, and sayings of saints compiled into a regular recitation at specific times; *ahzab*, *hizb*, *azkar*, *dhikr*. Each Sufi order has its own unique *evrad*. These prayers can be recited collectively or individually, aloud or quietly, at certain hours of the day and night. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 523.)
*Ihram*: 1- The seamless garment that pilgrims are obligated to wear outside Mecca for performing the *tawaf* around the Ka’bah. 2- A large woolen sheet worn by Arabs. 3- A wool mat spread on a platform or ground.
*Karamat*: In Sufism, it is the manifestation of an extraordinary state in a person without claiming prophethood. If this state manifests from someone who lacks righteous deeds (*salih amals*), that extraordinary state is called *istidraj*. Extraordinary states manifested by prophets are considered miracles. *Karamat* is God’s favor to His devoted servant. There are two types of *karamat*: 1- Spiritual and actual *karamat*: Superior qualities, characteristics, virtues, and excellence demonstrated in knowledge, insight, and character. “The greatest *karamat* is for a person to abandon their bad habit and adopt a good one.” "Righteousness is superior to *karamat*." 2- Physical and apparent *karamat*: Traveling long distances in a short time, multiplying little food, walking on water, not being burned by fire. Sufis do not give much importance to these types of *karamat*, fearing they may be divine trickery (*makr-i Ilahi*). They compare *karamat* to soothing candies or toys that lull children to sleep. As a saint attains perfection, their *karamat* diminishes. (Uludağ, op. cit., p. 283.)
O beloved! It should be known that the friends of God have said: The remembrance of letters is the remembrance done with the tongue. The first stage of constant remembrance is one devoid of tranquility. Then the heart aligns with the tongue, and the remembrance of God passes from the tongue to the heart, becoming a heartfelt remembrance (*qalbi dhikr*). This remembrance is tranquility, which is the second stage of continuous remembrance. After that, this tranquility vanishes into the object of remembrance (*mazkur*), making it a secret remembrance (*sirri*). That remembrance is oblivion, which is the third stage of constant remembrance. As Junayd of Baghdad (may Allah be pleased with him) instructed sixteen scholars to seek guidance, he taught them the *kalima tayyiba* [the declaration of oneness of God] and placed each of them alone in seclusion (*halwat*). After a week passed in this manner, when he asked them, “What do you find in your hearts?” they replied, "We find love of the world." He admonished them, "Cast out the love of the world and all that is within it. Completely forget and abandon the honors and pleasures of the world.” After another week passed, when he inquired, “What has come to your heart?” they said, “Only the love of the hereafter has come.” Again, he admonished them, "Abandon even that." After yet another week, when he asked, “What has filled your hearts?” they replied, "Love of the self has filled us." This time, he admonished them, "Abandon your very being." Then, after a week passed, when he asked, “What has taken hold of your hearts?” they answered, “Only the love of God has taken hold.” He then instructed them to recite the Most Beautiful Names (Allah) for ten days. Thus, after forty days, Junayd came to them and asked, "What remains in your hearts?" They all replied, "Everything other than God has vanished. Only the Exalted God remains." Junayd then prayed for them, saying: “Continue with this. You have attained your desire. Go wherever you wish. You are saved. From now on, guide those who are inclined towards this path and those who surrender to you.”
The effect of constant remembrance reaches from the heart to the soul, becoming the seeker’s soul. Sitting upon the throne of the heart with a spiritual deputation (*wilaya*), they become powerful and capable of governing their material (outward) and spiritual (inward) senses. The self that commands evil is overthrown from its power and authority and subjected to the pure soul. It becomes ready for every command. If the effect of constant remembrance reaches the secret, the seeker becomes a knowledgeable and perfect one (*arif wa kamil*). When the effect of continuous remembrance reaches all limbs, especially in body parts like hands and feet, all bodily organs become active like arteries. There is a great danger awaiting this *zaakir*, which is that his ego begins to boast of itself and gradually reduces his *dhikr* and *wird*. It can suddenly turn back and return as it came.
The second spiritual dive and realization (*istiqrak*) is that from above the head of the seeker, a circle-like fountain opens, and from it descends darkness and distress (*zulmat*) upon him—that is his bodily darkness and distress. Then fire descends, which is the light of remembrance. After that comes tranquility and nearness, which is the peace and joy of the heart and soul. Following this come feelings of spiritual closeness (*uns varidat*), and sacred lights, which are the gifts and mercy of God Almighty.
The rule of every sultan ends at a certain place. However, the Sultan "La ilaha illallah" [There is no god but Allah] has a validity that extends to all those who came before and after him—a *wali* whose authority remains steadfast and valid from the most ancient eternity to the most eternal future. Some attain it willingly and with love, others by compulsion and force.
The translator should be an expert in classical Islamic/Sufi texts. Return ONLY the translation.
Know that when a remembrancer (zākir) consistently engages in remembrance, he attains a station where knowledge from God descends into his heart, and he finds delight within it. Yet, if the Divine attraction does not reach him, he remains bound to that knowledge, unable to progress further. But God guides the sincere remembrancer, drawing him closer through that very knowledge and into His own love. Thus, he abandons preoccupation with the ocean of esoteric knowledge (ledünnī ‘ilm), a sea resembling waves, and instead follows the path of love, journeying towards tranquility. Through constant remembrance, he reaches a station where it is said to him: "Cease remembering! Until you witness how the Remembered One remembers you [233/a]. For you are not a remembrancer; rather, you are perpetually remembered (mezkūr). Yet, you were unaware of this through the veil of your being."
O noble one! Know that the friends of God have said: Consistent remembrance is the key to the wondrous realities of the realm of the unseen (malakūt) and nearness to the Divine Essence (lāhūt). Consistent remembrance is not merely remembrance with the tongue and heart; rather, the remembrancer must remain constantly connected to his own heart and be its servant. Thus, he safeguards it from inclination towards creation, animosity, thoughts of past and future, and concerns related to managing and organizing his affairs—so that his state becomes pure and simple. He should always direct his attention toward God (murakaba), remaining present in His sublime presence, ready for His command, filled with His remembrance and contemplation. The remembrancer must cleanse his heart with the polish of Divine remembrance, eradicating carnal impulses (hawātir). Indeed, before purifying the heart (tasfiye), he should focus on the fundamental beliefs of Islam and the knowledge of prayer, avoiding engagement with other intellectual and sensory matters and showing no interest in them—rather, he must eradicate carnal impulses and attain tranquility and watchfulness.
Some saints have arranged and ordered these lights, knowing the secret of each light as pertaining to one of the seven subtle centers (latā’if). The remembrancer sees the color of the light of the soul as murky smoke; the light of the heart as clear sky blue; the light of the spirit as red agate; the light of the hidden self (sirr) as plain yellow; [230/b] the light of the secret of the hidden self as pure white; the light of the subtle essence (hafī) as pure black; and the light of the super-subtle (ahfā) as pure green, perceiving them descending from above his head. If the remembrancer remains at one of these stations of lights, he is deprived of the encompassing Divine Light that obscures all lights—a light beyond form, color, direction, and limitation—for it is the Nur Muhammadī, and whoever mistakes it for a prophetic light errs. For those skilled in remembrance who witness it still possess perception and awareness. Only when they transcend perception and awareness, leaving their being behind, are Divine manifestations bestowed upon them.