(ḥikmat al-manṭūq bihā; ḥikmat al-majhūla ʿindanā; ḥikmat al-maskūt ʿanhā)
There are four foundations of ethics: ḥikma (wisdom), shajāʿa (courage), ʿiffa (temperance), and ʿadāla (justice). By ḥikma, we mean a faculty of the nafs (the lower self) that, in all voluntary acts, enables one to distinguish right from wrong... (Iḥyāʾ, III, 67)
Even though virtues are many, all their branches and varieties can be grouped into four classes: ḥikma, shajāʿa, ʿiffa, and ʿadāla. Ḥikma is the virtue of the intellect; shajāʿa is the virtue of anger; ʿiffa is the virtue of shahwa (desire). ʿAdāla consists in the proper combination of these faculties. All affairs are completed through justice. For this reason, it is said: "The heavens and the earth are established by justice." (Mīzān, 64)
Ḥikma is knowledge related to a particular object. Ḥikma is a quality that governs; it rules, but is not ruled. Its active participle is ḥakīm. As the active participle of "to rule," the ḥakīm has a ruling. The reins of a horse, which allow one to control it, are also called ḥikma. Thus, every piece of knowledge belonging to the ḥakīm by this attribute is ḥikma. In this way, things that are governed by ḥikma require both ḥikma itself and the capacity for what is needed. The ḥakīm can grant this to things only by the attribute of ḥikma. His name is al-Ḥakīm. He rules over things by their capacities, or, as the possessor of ḥikma, he has a ruling over things, or both.
As for individual capacities, the ḥakīm has no effect on them. We, however, see a person who deserves a certain act by his capacity. He is an ʿālim (knower), but not a ḥakīm. Because he is ignorant, he does not grant what is deserved to the one who deserves it. Although he possesses the attribute of knowing what is deserved, he prevents the one who deserves it from attaining it. This is not so in the collective or the individual sense. Thus, we understand that this refers to a fourth situation. Therefore, he is neither ḥikma, nor a knower of ḥikma, nor does he have the capacity for any act requiring ḥikma. This extra situation, because he knows what is deserved, leads him to give each act its due. Then, such a person can be called ḥakīm. Otherwise, he is an ʿālim who knows ḥikma and what is deserved. The name ḥakīm is given to one who deserves an act by his capacity only due to the existence of such usage. (Futūḥāt, TI, 266)
Ḥikma is to know the reality, attributes, particularities, and rulings of things as they are; to know the connection of causes with their effects, the secrets of order in existence, and to act according to its requirements. Allah says: "He gives ḥikma to whom He wills, and whoever has been given ḥikma has certainly been given much good." (al-Baqara 2:269)
Ḥikmat al-manṭūq bihā are the sciences of sharia (the sacred law) and tariqa (a Sufi path/order). (Kāshānī, 61; Jāmiʿ, 81)
Ḥikmat al-maskūt ʿanhā (the ḥikma not told to us) are the secrets of ḥaqīqa (inner reality) that the formalist scholars do not understand and that are not necessary for the common people. For knowing these would harm or endanger them. It is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was walking with ḥikma in the streets of Medina with his Companions (ṣaḥāba). A woman insisted that they enter her house, and they did. They saw a fire. The woman's children were playing around the fire. The woman asked, "O Messenger of Allah, is Allah more merciful to His servants, or am I more merciful to my children?" The Prophet replied, "Certainly, Allah is more merciful, for He is the most merciful of those who show mercy." The woman asked, "O Messenger of Allah, would you wish to throw my child into the fire?" The Prophet said, "No." The woman said, "If Allah is the most merciful to His servants, how can He throw them into the fire?" The narrator says: Upon this, the Messenger of God wept and said, "Such has been revealed to me." (Kāshānī, 62; Jāmiʿ, 81)
There are four (foundations) of ethics: ḥikma, shajāʿa, ʿiffa, and ʿadāla. Ḥikma is a faculty of the nafs that, in all voluntary acts, enables one to distinguish right from wrong... From the balance of these four akhlaq (ethics), all good character emerges. From the moderation of the faculty of intellect come good thinking, sound judgment, correct planning, and understanding the subtleties of things; from its excess, trickery, deception, sophistry; from its deficiency, foolishness, dullness, and weakness of mind arise... (Rawḍa, 445)
Ḥikma is to put a thing in its proper place wherever it is. The first subtlety of ḥikma is not to exceed the limit and right of a thing; the second subtlety is to observe Allah's view regarding waʿīd (the threat of punishment, i.e., Hell), to observe His justice in judgment, and, in guidance, for the ultimate purpose to reach its final point. (Rawḍa, 487)
The word fass means... ḥikma; that is, sciences engraved upon their souls. If you wish, regarding their hearts, you may say, as he said, "the hearts upon which ḥikmas are sent down." Accordingly, their sciences are the gem of the ring; their souls are the ring in relation to the gem. This is indicated by the saying: "In everything I witness, there is a divine ḥikma entrusted to us." The Fusūs uses the word fass in the sense of ḥikma, but says nothing about the number of ḥikmas... (Ṣufyāvī, 11)
Ḥikmat al-majhūla ʿindanā (the ḥikma unknown to us) is the secret of what is hidden from us. One must have iman (faith) in the aspects of existence such as ḥikma causing suffering to some servants, the death of children, and eternal abode in Hell; one must be content (riḍā) with their occurrence, and believe that they exist as justice and truth. (Jāmiʿ, 82)