BEŞİNCİ BAB · İKİNCİ FASIL · Dokuzuncu Madde
**Article Nine**
Describes the four things that deliver the seeker from those who obstruct at the second station, the ways to ascend and enter the third station from here, and the manner of attaining the fourth station therefrom.
O esteemed one! Know that the friends of God have said: All beings envy the seeker due to their jealousy and striving. Therefore, they endeavor to hinder him and block his path to nearness (proximity) to God. For the seeker of vision and spiritual wayfaring who strives for closeness to the Sultan of Sultans through sincerity (truthfulness), becomes a viceroy of your Lord on earth, subduing all things under his dominion.
Such a person is surely envied by the entire universe. However, envy does not harm that which is envied; its harm befalls the one who envies. What is necessary for the seeker traversing and wayfaring in the true path is to value nothing and consider nothing of importance. He must fear no one. For God is most near to him in all things; even the foot of an ant does not move without His power and will. Not a single atom, small or large, is lost from His knowledge within the earth or the heavens. He knows the inner and outer aspects of everyone and everything. He knows all states and postures of hearts. He knows every detail of thoughts that form in hearts. God is more merciful to his servant than his father and mother; thus, a man finds Him more compassionate and more tender. Only good (benefit) comes from God. Therefore, whatever comes from Him is surely for the benefit and advantage of the servant.
That which appears as evil (harm) is deemed evil and bad in its outward form. However, if one looks into its inner essence and reality, it will be seen that each possesses a facet of good and beneficial aspects. The designation of evil with terms like "harm," "grief," and "damage" arises because these things are generally contrary to the natural order (usual course). It is narrated that a hadith has been transmitted: “There is no small harm but that there is within it a great benefit.” It is also related that, “Good was decreed first and primarily. Evil, however, was decreed secondarily and incidently.” Therefore, before the seeker gains insight into this secret, he should be meticulous in purifying his heart so that he may witness this immense secret with relish. He must understand that it is necessary for him to firmly know and adhere to the four foundations [described below] in order to remove all obstacles preventing his heart from approaching God’s presence.
The first of these four foundations is God's absolute power over all things. The second is God’s knowledge of everything. The third is God’s mercy and forgiveness towards everyone. The fourth is that all of God’s actions are purely good (benefit). If the seeker accepts these four principles without doubt and believes in them steadfastly, he will be free from all fears and will not worry about any envious person setting a trap for him. What can an envier do to him? He does not fear the machinations of people with a devilish nature or jinn who are devils. He places no value or importance on anyone or anything. For one who firmly believes in God’s absolute power, his striving towards God's pure essence will grow stronger day by day.
For those who believe without doubt and suspicion that God is all-powerful, knows everything, is merciful and forgiving to everyone, and that all His actions are purely good and beneficial, states and high stations such as trust (reliance), surrender (submission), acceptance (acquiescence), pleasure (contentment), knowledge (gnosis), joy (ecstasy), love, loyalty, poverty (neediness) and annihilation (non-existence), nearness to God (proximity), communion (meeting), union (attainment), and eternal subsistence (abiding) will arise spontaneously. Especially these assist him in ascending from the second station to the third, and from there to the fourth, and thereby attaining felicity in both worlds.
Although it is the custom of God’s laws that progress from the second station to the third can only be achieved under the guidance of one who knows the stations and states of those close to God (the intimate ones), it is still possible that God may sometimes suspend this custom, and a discerning seeker with high capacity for spiritual wayfaring may pass from the second station to the third without the guidance of an adept mentor. Especially if he reads and contemplates these sections of this beneficial book with diligence and supplication, he can easily ascend. For each topic discussed here is in the nature of a preface to the subsequent article. For example, if the seeker takes the spiritual nourishment regarding the carnal self (nafs-i emmâre) and applies it to his own self, he can easily progress to the self-reproaching self (nafs-i levvâm). If he continues reading and acting upon this manner, ascending from one station to another, he may reach the seventh station and attain all his desires therein.
However, ascending from the third station to the fourth is not possible even with the guidance of an adept but can only occur through the blessed breath of a perfect mentor (murshid). For it is said that one who possesses the self-inspired self (nafs-i mülhime) at the third station is called an adept. But one is not called a perfect mentor unless he progresses to and possesses the tranquil self (nafs-i mutmainne).
Therefore, every adept is a perfect person, but not every perfect person is an adept, and the difference between them is very clear. Thus, in ascending from this third station to the fourth, the breath of a perfect mentor is necessary for him, for the third station is the most difficult and perilous of all stations. For at that third station, good and evil, benefit and harm are all encompassed together, so truth and falsehood, those devoted to verification (truth) and heretics cannot be distinguished from one another. It is a place of confusion (ambiguity), where the seeker may fail to distinguish between two things that closely resemble each other.
The snares of ambiguity do not harm the adept whose love for God has become dominant over him. Acting in accordance with the customs of religion and the principles of the Sufi path is his habit.
Behold, the translation:
The fire of wrath arises from the creation of Satan. As Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his wife Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) when she was angry, "Surely, Satan has come!" This is a reference to that fire. For wise reasons known only to Allah, He placed this fire within humankind. Should it ignite through any cause, the blood of the heart boils and spreads through the veins, then bursts forth from within to attack the body.
Therefore, if you observe such individuals, you will realize they have escaped all sorrows and troubles, their hearts filled with pleasure, joy, and delight. They are not harmed by anyone, becoming beloved in the eyes of people. For nothing but goodness emanates from them. Despite this, envious ones plot against them, seeking to cause them harm through trickery and snares. However, these schemes have no effect on those favored by Allah; they remain unaware of the envy and traps laid for them. They are immersed in the sea of witnessing, while the envious ones fall into the very pits they dig, bringing calamity upon themselves. In this state, those close to Allah find protection, attain safety, achieve felicity in both worlds, and realize their desires. As Allah says, "Those who fear Allah among His servants have nothing to fear or sadness." (Yunus 10:62)
It has been announced that they are free from sorrow. If you ask whether this divine utterance contradicts the blessed hadith of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, “The world is a prison for the believer,” we will suffice with this healing response: It is concerning the eminent among the righteous. Indeed, their states – as we have explained above – are now clear to you.
Yet, this station is secondary in relation to the path of the most intimate (mukarrabun). For they sought abiding with the Divine, having passed beyond themselves, and were commanded to die with willing death before their appointed time, following the way of annihilation. Because the Exalted One instructed them, “Die before you die” (with willing death), so that they might strive to extinguish their selves (their base desires) and spiritually purify them.
Here is also a remedy for anger: When one becomes angry, let him immediately sit down; if he is sitting, let him lean slightly against his back and recite this supplication: “O God! Enrich me with knowledge. Adorn my character with gentleness. Bestow upon me piety, and beautify my state with well-being.” Amen!
. Found as "tendir" in the printed version.
. Bukhari, Ahkam 21; Muslim, Salam 24.
. See: Acluni, Keshfu’l-hafa, I/256, H.No: 671.
. Muslim, Zuhd, 1; Ahmed b. Hanbel, Musnad, VI/338, H. No: 6855.
. This word, originally "hor," has been read as “her” due to metrical necessity.
. A dirham is approximately 3 grams.
. Bayhaki, Shu’abu’l-Iman, VI/99, H. No: 7603; Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanzu’l-Ummal, III/66, H. No: 5523.
. Muslim, Qadar 17. See also Ahmed b. Hanbel, Musnad, II, 168.
. Bayhaki, Shuabu’l-Iman, V, 345.
. Acluni, Keshfu’l-hafa, II, 384, H. No: 2669.
. Muslim, Sifatü’l-Munafiqun, 70.
. Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kenzu’l-Ummal, II/202, H. No: 3757.
. The Most Merciful: God Almighty.
Purifying the heart comes before all endeavors. And it is incumbent upon the seeker in this station to recite the supplication, “O you who turns hearts! Turn my heart towards your obedience,” before sunrise and after sunset, without purifying his heart first. After purification, he should recite the supplication, “O you who transforms hearts from one state to another! Firm my heart upon religion and obedience.”
Now, it is incumbent upon him to constantly observe abstinence; drink this wine-like draught.
"All people will perish because of their sins; except for the scholars. And the scholars will perish; except those who act upon their knowledge. Those who act upon what they know will also perish; except for those who are sincere. But those who are sincere are in great peril.”
For the eminent among the righteous have known, through rational proofs and transmitted reports, that virtues of character ultimately lead to destruction and bring calamities in both worlds. They strove to cleanse and eliminate these ugly traits one by one. However, they could not completely rid themselves of them and proved incapable of beautifying their character (tezhîb-i ahlak). For whenever they would be free from one trait, they would find themselves entangled in something even worse. Thus, while striving in this manner, they remained in hardship until the end of their lives. Because their bellies became full, and human qualities grew strong. Since their blood was abundant, Satan overcame them and filled their hearts with suggestions. As it is narrated: “Satan follows you along with your blood; restrict his path with hunger.”
The purpose of this supplication is to remain upright (on the straight path). Indeed, the secret of the hadith, "The hearts of the servants are between two fingers of the Merciful One, who turns them as He wills," becomes clear to this mystic along with his delight. This increases the seeker’s inclination towards spiritual travel and communion, and makes him forget the hardships he endures during the struggle. It brings him awareness of the states of the heart and detaches him from that which is other than God.
He does not need to be commanded to promote good and forbid evil. For commanding good requires approaching those being addressed with gentleness and acting with humility, so that it may have an effect. However, the seeker cannot display softness and humility in this station. As the hadith states: “One who commands good should do so gently.”
6-Like a house, the tendir is the beginning of diseases’ fissures.
The exemplary world is the beginning of the most intimate's stations, where the faithful mystic hears and sees things that cannot be grasped by the five external senses. The Most Exalted Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The heart of a believer is like the Kaaba,” and announced that the soul is a repository of divine secrets.
For the eminent among the righteous have known, through rational proofs and transmitted reports, that virtues of character ultimately lead to destruction and bring calamities in both worlds. They strove to cleanse and eliminate these ugly traits one by one. However, they could not completely rid themselves of them and proved incapable of beautifying their character (tezhîb-i ahlak).
They remain entangled. For if they were to be freed from a single attribute for a day, at another time they would find themselves ensnared in something worse. Thus, they persevere in this manner until the end of their lives, remaining in hardship. Because their bellies are filled and human characteristics have gained strength within them. Due to the abundance of blood in their veins, Satan overcomes them and fills their hearts with suggestions. As it is related: “Satan wanders with your blood; restrict his path through abstinence.”
Similarly, our Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) if he ate something during the day, would not eat in the evening, and if he ate in the evening, he would not eat anything during the day. Therefore, this seeker should follow that Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). He should also content himself with a single dish rather than many varieties in one meal. He should also grant his nafs its due – that is, eating something between fifty and one hundred dirhams. However, he must prevent his nafs from deriving pleasure from food. If this moderate state proves difficult for the seeker at the beginning of the path, and if his nafs transgresses its right and falls into excess with pleasures, then to discipline his nafs, he should not even grant it its due. That is, he should deprive it of sleep for twenty-four hours, allowing only four hours of slumber, and not allow it to eat even fifty dirhams. He must accustom it to such hunger and sleeplessness that the nafs is disciplined, content with the right amount mentioned above, and finds happiness. It should be obedient to the commands of religion and submit to them.
5 – If you abandon water and provisions, you will never see an enemy. You will find Mercy at every moment. Patience is the key to tranquility.