ÜÇÜNCÜ FEN · İKİNCİ BÂB · ALTINCI FASIL · İkinci Madde
Second Article
It explains the origin of thoughts (khawatir) that come to the heart, their names, signs and measures of their good and evil.
O esteemed one! It is known that the friends of Allah have said: The thoughts (khawatir) that come to the heart are spiritual traces and marks which the Exalted One creates and manifests in the heart of His servant. These traces and marks impel the servant to do and refrain from doing, and all thoughts descend into the heart from the presence of Allah, Exalted be He. This descent occurs either through intermediaries or directly; that which is through intermediaries is either through the means of Satan or through the means of nature.
If the thoughts (khawatir) come to hearts without an intermediary from Allah, turning them and twisting them, then they are called mere fancies. Its sign is its extreme firmness and definitive judgment, being found in spiritual states. This fancy, coming after an act of worship and striving, is a bounty from Allah, it is good. It is called grace, guidance, latif (subtle) and inayat (favor). As the Exalted One has said in His Eternal Word: “But those who strive for Our cause – We will surely guide them to our ways.” (The Repeater, 29/69) "As for those who receive favor from their Lord and enter the right path, Allah increases their guidance." (Muhammad, 47/17)
If a fancy comes after sin and disobedience, it is betrayal, which is evil. It is called hazelan (deception), idlal (misleading) and ukubet (punishment). If a thought comes to the heart through an angel entrusted (to it) – and he [237/a] resides on the right atrium of the heart – then it is called a mülhem, and its invitation is called ilham (inspiration). This inspiration is only good. Its sign is that it is hesitant; it comes from outward actions and often occurs without performing acts of worship or committing sins.
If a thought afflicts Adam’s progeny through Satan, who resides in the left atrium of the heart, then it is called the whisperings of Satan (waswās al-hannās), and its invitation is called waswasa. Its sign is that the servant feels distressed and uncertain; it often appears after committing a sin. It weakens and diminishes with the remembrance of Allah. This waswasa is mostly evil. If it overcomes the rememberer, it prevents him from goodness or leads him to great sins. Its sign is that the heart finds pleasure and joy in it, not fear. It occurs hastily, not with precaution, blindly rather than with insight.
If a thought comes to the heart through nature, inclined towards desires, then it is called nafs (self), and its invitation is called hawa (lust). Hawa is only evil. Its sign is that it is firm and definitive, weakens and diminishes with remembrance, remains fixed on a state, and does not disappear.
Four measures have been established to know the signs of good and bad thoughts that come to the heart directly from Allah and through intermediaries:
The first measure is that you present the thought that comes to the heart to the Sharia of Allah. If it conforms to the religion of Allah, then it is good; if it does not conform to the religion of Allah, then it is evil.
The second measure is that you ask a scholar who acts according to his knowledge or a perfect guide (mürshid-i kamil) about the thought that comes to the heart. If he says “good,” it is good; if he says "bad," it is evil.
The third measure is that you present the thought that comes to the heart to the actions performed by righteous people. If there is suitability in performing it with the righteous, then it is good; if it is not suitable for the actions of the righteous, then it is evil.
The fourth measure is that you present the thought that comes to the heart to your nafs and hawa. If the nafs dislikes it with a natural aversion, as if fearing Allah, then it is good. If the nafs inclines towards it with a natural inclination, as if hoping for Allah, then it is evil. For the deceitful nafs, when left alone with its own nature, commands evil intensely.
“O Allah! Do not leave us even for an instant, or less than that, to our nafs!”
The heart of the rememberer, purified by the fire of the Sacred Name (Allah), becomes clear and pure, freed from all whispers and snares, and filled with the drink of love and knowledge. He finds spiritual closeness and tranquility. For the Name of Allah is a fire which leaves nothing of whisperings and bad thoughts in the hearts of those who repeat it; it burns them all away. The Name of Allah encompasses all His attributes within His Essence. The Name of Allah is the most exalted name (ism-i azam) that the person cleanses himself from otherness with, and finds honor and value.
The "bismillah" of a knower is like Allah saying “be” (kun). This is a word that removes grief, sorrow and sadness, and neutralizes poison. In this world of wretchedness, the word of Allah is only a name; what ranks does he attain in the realm of union who utters it?
The word of Allah is only a name in this abode of trials; what is the state of him who says it in that abode of love? The word of Allah is the name for those who remain at this gate; how beautiful a form it takes for those who come to the assembly of spiritual closeness (uns)! The word of Allah is the name for the one who calls upon Him alone; what is the state of him who goes to His Most High Presence and asks of Him?
Allah is the ultimate victor. Allah is the Creator of wondrous things (garayib). The power and dominion of Allah are of unparalleled beauty (badi‘). The proof of Allah is artful (sani‘). Allah knows what His servant does and is very near him. Allah is a watchman over his heart and soul.
Allah subjugates the oppressors. Allah knows all things, apparent and hidden. He who loves Allah forgets everything else (māsiwā) but Him. Whoever follows the path of Allah finds Him quickly. He who reaches Allah remains under His protection. Whoever yearns for Allah finds spiritual closeness to Him. The time of him who abandons everything else (māsiwā) becomes pure with Allah.
Verse
1-The desired of heart and soul is near, it is the beloved;
But the heart is ignorant, how heedless it is!
2-The seeker’s heart seeks the beloved's abode from afar,
But found him within the self, for he is the abode.
3-The self has descended with inclination and attachment to the body,
Okay, here's the translation of the provided text, aiming for faithfulness and preservation of meaning within a classical Islamic/Sufi context. I have omitted any introductory or concluding remarks as per your instructions.
Kim ki gönlü ve canı isterse; gönüle yakındır o. Lâkin gönül ondan
habersizdir, nasıl gâfildir o?
Whoever desires the Heart and Soul [of God], he is close to it. Yet the heart is unaware of it, how heedless is it!
Sevgili’nin yurdunu, gönül hariçten isterken. Can içinde buldu onu;
çünkü ona menzildir o.
While the heart seeks the abode of the Beloved from without, the soul finds it within; for it is its destination there.
Can bedene meyledip ilgi duymakla tenezzül etmiş; insan ruhu Hakk’ın
emridir. Sanma ki toprak ve kildir o.
By inclining to the body and feeling attachment, [the self] has humbled itself; the human soul is a command of God. Do not suppose it is mere dust and clay.
Gerçi her dilden o genc-i zâta var bir gizli yol.
Though from every tongue there exists a hidden path to that Real Essence.
Lîk bu benlik tılısm olmuş ana müşkildir ol.
But this self has become entangled in illusion; it is difficult to reach Him.
Gark-ı deryâ-yı vücûd olsa dil eyler seyr-i bahr.
If the heart plunges into the ocean of existence, it makes an observation of the sea.
Seyr-i emvâc eyler ol kim sâkin-i sâhildir ol.
He who observes the waves is he who dwells upon the shore.
Gayr-ı yem zann itdi kendin çün hevâya uydu mevc.
Thinking himself other than the Real, he followed the currents of desire.
Her hevâdan giçe ayn-ı bahrdır kâmildir ol.
Passing through every desire, he becomes the essence of the ocean; he is perfected.
Âlemi yoğ eyle kim şems-i vücûdun zıllıdır.
Annul the world, for the sun of existence is its shadow.
Zıldan i‘râz eyleyen şemsi bulur fâzıldır ol.
He who withdraws from the shadow finds the sun; he is discerning.
Levh-i dilden mahv kıl cümle nukûş-ı gayrı kim.
From the tablet of the heart, erase all traces of otherness, for…
Hak’dan özge her ne bilsen Hak değil bâtıldır ol.
Whatever you know besides God is not God; it is falsehood.
Hakkı Hak’dan gayri bir şey kalmasun kalbinde çün.
Let nothing remain in your heart except the Truth, for…
Mâsivâdan kat‘ olur dil dostuna vâsıldır ol.
The cutting away from all else leads to nearness to the friend of the heart.