The esteemed Ulvi Gavs (Greatest Gavs), [161], the presence of Shaykh Ismail Tillovi Fakirullah

BEŞİNCİ BAB · SEKİZİNCİ FASIL · İkinci Madde

The Second Item

This passage recounts the story of the eminent guide (Gavs-i a’zam) [161], Shavkh Ismail Tillovî Fakîrullâh (may Allah be pleased with him), detailing his manifest sainthood (open *wilaya*), complete seclusion (*uzlet-i kulliyya*) and sacred power.

Beloved! Know that the eminent guide, Fakîrullâh Tillovî (may Allah be pleased with him), was forty-eight years old when the Hijri year 1114 corresponded to the Gregorian year 1702. At that time, one of his neighbors, a Muslim, passed away as a result of an unforeseen event in late Rajab month. The generous Ismail Tillovî (may Allah be pleased with him) consoled his friends at the deceased’s home on the first Friday evening of Sha'ban month. In that village, nearly every house had a well in its courtyard. These wells typically yielded water for about a hundred years before drying up. His neighbor’s courtyard also had such a dried-up well.

The depth of this well was 28 *zira’* (approximately 15 meters) and its walls were built with stone. It served as a cool storage place, like a pantry, for preserving food during hot summer days. The people of that region would hang various fruits and foods to cool them in such dry wells. After the consolations and meal, this blessed Imam stood up before the congregation just before the evening prayer and said, “You remain here; I am going to the mosque to prepare for the night prayer.” In this manner, he left them as they were and proceeded alone to the open courtyard. As he intended to leave slowly through the outer gate, he entered a deep well hidden within the wall adjacent to the right side of the gate, unaware of it. He did not realize that he had fallen into a well.

Upon reaching the bottom of the well, he stood upright and thought he was merely passing by when he fell a mere finger's breadth into a depression, never imagining he had fallen into a well. For this divinely protected servant of Allah, having become distressed and bewildered because he could not find an exit from the dried-up well, a guide appeared within the well and took him away with a spiritual attraction (*jazba*). Thus, he found himself in a gathering of saints and his every desire was fulfilled at that moment. Whatever happened, it occurred at that very time. He became perpetually intoxicated by drinking from the cup of love. He remained astonished by the manifestation of the lights. The verdant light of the soul illuminated the well, its greenness lighting up the interior. Indeed, in some of his poems later on, he alluded to this well incident while in a state of spiritual intoxication (*sukr*).

Poem:

I fell into a green well, its interior paved with marble stone.

Its depth was several *arshins*, but it felt like a few finger's breadth to me.

From the bottom I saw light rising towards the heavens.

It was a light unlike any other.

This eminent one plunged into the ocean of love in that blessed, felicitous place he considered a well. He attained the station of sainthood and enjoyed the pleasure of observation (*mushahada*). Meanwhile, his unknowing community searched for him at the mosque and in homes, worrying about his condition. However, a Muslim weaver, while weaving cloth in his courtyard shop, heard his sweet voice chanting with fervor four hours after midnight.

He immediately informed the villagers, and the entire populace gathered around the well with lamps. But this blessed person within the well was so engrossed (*istiqra*) that he was unaware of what was happening. They promptly lowered men into the well and pulled him out. And they saw that his turban was on his head, his sandals were on his feet. There were no signs of injury on his blessed body, and all his limbs were safe. Only a small amount of skin was scraped off the left side of his blessed forehead. After this, they took him to his blessed home, which was his place of refuge, and rejoiced at his safety. When recounting this story, that esteemed person said in his own words: “I do not remember falling into the well nor am I aware of those who pulled me out. To those who wished to pull me out, I would say, ‘If you love Allah, leave me here. I have no more dealings with you; stay away from me.’”

“I do not even recall saying these words. However, I remember that two men held me and were taking me home through the village. The entire populace of the village, women and children, surrounded us in a large crowd. They all had lamps in their hands. As they approached me and saw my face, they rejoiced and gave thanks for my safety.” The words of the esteemed one ended here; may Allah be pleased with him.

For he, the Second Joseph, has found the manifest light of the Lord’s divinity in this dark well. Therefore, his soul is a precious and revered being in the land of Egypt and a sultan among the saints of that time. His previously hidden worth became a tale told to all corners of the world.

He remained in a state of spiritual fervor (*istiqra*) for eight years due to the influence of the cup of love within that well. He completely withdrew from people, even separating himself from his family and children. For he knew with certainty that those distant from people are close to Allah. It is for this reason that he remained alone with the friends of seclusion, preferring their company over all others. He considered the pleasure of being in their presence more delicious and precious than any blessing.

During this period, he only accepted his eldest son, Abdul Kadir Effendi, as a servant and took him into his service. Whenever his family and other children came to his presence seeking service during that eight-year span, he avoided eye contact with them and would say, “I have two servants who attend to my needs; each is sufficient.”

This is a truly challenging text to translate faithfully while preserving meaning and nuance! Here's the translation, aiming for accuracy and reflecting the classical Islamic/Sufi register as much as possible. I’ve included notes afterward explaining some of the choices made.

**Translation:**

1. Wonderful is love, wonderful love, what a sea [of Divine Presence]!

Wonderful, how beautiful, how radiant it is, Divine One!

2. Wonderful is the crimson wine, wonderful the beauty that enchants the heart,

Wonderful the purified ocean, what meaning it holds, Divine One!

3. Wonderful the breath, wonderful the trumpet call, wonderful the fire, wonderful the light,

Wonderful the seer and the seen, how exquisite it is, Divine One!

4. Wonderful the tremor, wonderful the fervor, wonderful the ecstasy, wonderful the delight,

How graciously it guides us to beauty, this discourse [of love], Divine One!

5. Wonderful the style, wonderful the torrent, wonderful the tresses, wonderful the night,

Wonderful the love, wonderful the inclination, what passion it is, Divine One!

6. Wonderful the moon, wonderful the king, He is the companion of every heart,

Wonderful the knower, wonderful the one who perceives [Divine realities], how discerning he is, Divine One!

7. Wonderful is God, wonderful is that which exists [the Real], wonderful the spirit, wonderful the ornament,

Wonderful the love, wonderful the mirror, how sublime it is, Divine One!

**Notes on Translation Choices:**

* **"Aceb":** This word carries a weight of wonder and astonishment. I've translated it as "Wonderful," but depending on context, alternatives like "Amazing," "Marvellous," or even simply emphasizing the adjective ("How beautiful!") could work.

* **"İlâhî":** This is a direct address to God (literally, “Divine”). I’ve kept it as "Divine One" for consistency and to maintain the devotional tone.

* **“Bâde-i hamrâ”:** This refers to wine, but in Sufi poetry, it's often symbolic of Divine Grace or a transformative experience. I've translated it literally as “crimson wine,” allowing the reader to interpret its metaphorical meaning.

* **"Nefh":** I’ve rendered this as "breath," which is the most literal translation. It can also imply inspiration or divine influence, but that nuance is subtle and difficult to convey directly.

* **“Şûr” & “Şevk”:** These are complex terms relating to spiritual fervor and longing. "Tremor" and "Fervor" attempt to capture some of their intensity.

* **"Seyl":** Translated as "torrent," reflecting its overwhelming, powerful nature.

* **“Zülf”:** This refers to tresses or locks of hair, often used metaphorically for beauty or a source of attraction (often divine).

* **"Şeyn":** This is a difficult word; it can refer to "that which exists," the Real, or something beyond definition. I've opted for “that which exists [the Real]" to provide some context.

* **“Ârif” & “Âgâh”:** These terms denote someone with spiritual knowledge and insight. "Knoer" and "one who perceives" are attempts to convey this, but the depth of their meaning is hard to fully capture in English.

* **Rhyme and Meter:** I have *not* attempted to recreate the rhyme scheme or meter of the original Arabic/Persian. This would be incredibly difficult and would likely distort the meaning. My priority was accuracy and faithfulness to the text's essence.

I hope this translation is helpful! Please let me know if you have any other questions or requests.