On Giving Thanks : p. 53 ON GIVING THANKS. Ingratitude's only seat is the door of sorrow; thankfulness arrives with certainty at the treasure. (Qur. 14:7) Utter thy thanks for the sake of increase, of the hidden world, and of the sight of God; then when p. 54 thou hast become patient of His decree He will name thee...
Of The Traveller On The Path : p. 30 [OF THE TRAVELLER ON THE PATH.] A man should be like Abraham, that, through God, his shadow may become a shady place; in fear of him and by his teaching the universe dares to breathe; Pharaoh is destroyed by the mighty aid of a Moses whom God assists. To the wayfarer towards God on the path...
On Dreams Of Wild Animals : p. 89 ON DREAMS OF WILD ANIMALS. A lion is a powerful and haughty adversary whose actions show no regard for humanity. An elephant is a king,--but a terrible one, whose rage is feared by all. Fortune and wealth come before thee as a sheep; a year of plenty demands the same sign. A goat signifies...
Of The Multitude. They Are Like Cattle Nay : p. 135 OF THE MULTITUDE; THEY ARE LIKE CATTLE--NAY. THEY ARE MORE ERRING. On the colt that is full three years old the breaker puts the saddle and bridle; he gives him a training in manners, and takes his restiveness out of him; he makes him obedient to the rein,--what is called a hand horse. Then...
On The Above Allegory : p. 13 ON THE ABOVE ALLEGORY. One talks of 'the foot', the other of 'the hand', pushing beyond all limits their foolish words; that other speaks of 'fingers' and 'change p. 14 of place' and 'descending', and of His coming as an incarnation. Another considers in his science His 'settling himself'...
On God As First Cause : p. 9 ON GOD AS FIRST CAUSE. The course of time is not the mould whence issues His eternal duration, nor temperament the cause of His beneficence; without His word, time and temperament exist not, as apart from His favour the soul enters not the body. This and that both are wanting and worthless;...
To Commemorate The Prophets Is Better Th : p. 162 TO COMMEMORATE THE PROPHETS IS BETTER THAN SPEAKING OF FOOLS. The prophets were the upright ones of the faith, who showed to the people the path of rectitude; the self-opinionated were bewildered p. 164 when they disappeared in the sunset of annihilation. The darkness of the night...
Preface : p. iii PREFACE. Several years ago, on looking up the literature pertaining to the earlier Sufi poets of Persia, I found that there was no European edition or translation, nor even any extended account of the contents of any of the works of San'. Considering the reputation of this auth...
On The Desire For God : p. 66 [ON THE DESIRE FOR GOD.] So long as thou art a stranger to the light of Moses, thou art blind to the day, like the bird of Jesus; since thou hast no knowledge of the path of poverty, thou art in hiding, like the inside of an onion. First, for the sake of His comforting love, do thou make thy...
Of The Learned Man And The Fool : p. 78 OF THE LEARNED MAN AND THE FOOL. The shaikh of Jurjn said to his son, "Thou must have a house in this street for thy private pursuits; and it will be well if the lock be a cunning one." p. 79 Contrive thy finery in the path of renunciation with its head of the Law, and its secret parts...
On Intimate Friendship And Attachment : p. 102 ON INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP AND ATTACHMENT. There is no injury in the world for thee like thy prosperity; there is no such enduring imprisonment as thy existence: '"the light has appeared"' p. 103 it is that bestows favours, '"the lie has failed"' is both life and body. Wishest thou...
On Charity And Gifts : p. 99 ON CHARITY AND GIFTS. Whatsoever thou hast, relinquish it for the sake of God; for charity is the greater marvel when it comes from beggars. Bestow thy life and soul, for the endeavour of the poor is the best gift of mortal clay; the prince and chief of the family of the cloak was honoured by...
In His Magnification : p. 26 IN HIS MAGNIFICATION. When He shows His Nature to His creation, into what mirror shall He enter? The burden of proclaiming the Unity not everyone bears; the desire of proclaiming the Unity not everyone tastes. In every dwelling is God adored; but the Adored cannot be circumscribed by any...
Ii. Manuscripts And Lithographs : p. ix II.--MANUSCRIPTS AND LITHOGRAPHS. I have used the following manuscripts and lithographs in the preparation of the text:-- (1) Br. Mus. Add. 25329. Foll. 298, 7 " x 4 ", 15 ll. 2 3/8" long, in small Nestalik, with gold headings, dated Safar A.H. 890 (A.D. 1485) [Adam Clarke]. There are...
On The Trust In God Shown : p. 81 ON THE TRUST IN GOD SHOWN BY OLD WOMEN. When Htim set out for the sanctuary,--he whom thou callest 82 A"s"amm,--when he set out for the Hijz and the Sacred House, making towards the tomb of the Prophet ("on whom be peace!"), there remained behind a colt of his household, with no supplies...
Concerning The House Of Deception : p. 48 CONCERNING THE HOUSE OF DECEPTION. Death comes as the key of the house of the Secret; without death the door of true religion opens not. While this world stays, that is not; while thou existest, God is not thine. Know, thy soul is p. 50 a sealed casket; the love-pearl within is the light...
Concerning The Pious Disciple And The Great Master : p. 47 CONCERNING THE PIOUS DISCIPLE AND THE GREAT MASTER. Thaur, by way of obsequiousness and in anxiety to acquire a good reputation, asked an excellent question of Byazd Bistmi; weeping, he said, "O Master, tell me, who is unjust?" His master, p. 48 giving him a draught out of the law, answered...
On The Proverbs And Admonitions 'poverty : p. 38 ON THE PROVERBS AND ADMONITIONS 'POVERTY IS BLACKNESS OF THE FACE' (THE RECITAL OF PROVERBS IS THE BEST OF DISCOURSES) AND 'THE WORLD IS A HOUSE OF DEPARTURE AND CHANGING AFFAIRS AND MIGRATION.' Keep thy blackness, thou canst not do without it; for blackness admits no change of colour. With...
On Following The Path Of The Hereafter : p. 74 ON FOLLOWING THE PATH OF THE HEREAFTER. All this knowledge is but a trifling matter; the knowledge of the journey on God's road is otherwise, and belongs to the man of acuter vision. What, for the man of wisdom and true religion, whose bread and speech are alike of wheat, distinguishes th...
The Parable Of The Eye Of The Squint Eyed : p. 34 THE PARABLE OF THE EYE OF THE SQUINT-EYED. A squint-eyed son asked his father, O thou whose words are as a key to the things that are locked up, why saidst thou that a squinter sees double? I see no more things than there are; if a squint-eyed person counted things crookedly, the two moons...
On Striving In God's Path : p. 98 [ON STRIVING IN GOD'S PATH.] If thou wouldst possess the pearl, O man, leave the barren waste and wander by the sea; and if thou obtainest not from the sea its pellucid pearl, at least thou shalt find that thou hast not failed to reach the water. Strive in God's path, O soldier; if thou hast...
On Purity Of Heart : p. 11 ON PURITY OF HEART. Then, since the object of desire exists not in anyplace, how canst thou purpose to journey towards Him on foot? The highroad by which thy spirit and prayers can travel towards God lies in the polishing of the mirror of the heart. The mirror of the heart becomes not free...
Of His Mercy : p. 133 [OF HIS MERCY.] Malice and rancour are far removed from His attributes: for hate belongs to him who is under command. It is not permissible p. 134 to speak of anger in respect of God, for God has no quality of anger; anger and hatred are both due to constraint by superior force, and both...
On Devotion To God : p. 131 ON DEVOTION TO GOD. Say "Grind sleep under the foot of the horsemen of thy thought:" for this is of Thy Court. When Thou strikest off the head of him in whom Self no long dwells, he rejoices in Thee, like a candle. If I have Thee, what care I for intellect, and honour, and gold? Thou art...
On Celebrating The Praise Of God : p. 47 ON CELEBRATING THE PRAISE OF GOD. To call on the name of friends, and the unhappy ones of this world, how thinkest thou of it? It is like calling on old women. Oppression, if He ordain it, is all justice; a life without thought of Him is all wind. He laughs who is brought to tears through...
Iii. History Of The Text : p. xiii III.--HISTORY OF THE TEXT. Muhammad b. `Al Raqqm informs us, in his preface to the "Hadqa", that while San' was yet engaged in its composition, some portions were abstracted and divulged by certain ill-disposed persons. Further, `Abdu'l-Latf in his preface, the "Mirtu'l-Had'iq", states th...
On The Love Of The World And The Manner : p. 107 ON THE LOVE OF THE WORLD AND THE MANNER OF THE PEOPLE OF IT. There is a great city within the borders of Rm, where a large number of hawks have made their home. Fus"t"t" is the name of that 108 city of renown; it extends to the borders of Dimy"t". Within it no house-sparrows fly...
A Story : p. 79 A STORY. The saint "Sh"ibl said in private converse, after a period of inward communion with God, If, for that I am not far from Him, He give me leave to speak, and with just purpose ask, "To whom belongs the kingdom?" then in sincerity I will answer Him and say, To-day the kingdom belongs...
On His Wrath And His Kindness : p. 54 ON HIS WRATH AND HIS KINDNESS. The pious are those who give thanks for His kindness and mercy, the unbelievers those who complain of His wrath and jealousy. When p. 55 God becomes angry, thou seest in the eyes what is rightly in the spring. His wrath and His kindness, appearing...
The Parable Of Those Who Heed Not : p. 33 THE PARABLE OF THOSE WHO HEED NOT. A fool saw a camel grazing, and said, Why is thy form all crooked? Said the camel, In disputing thus thou censurest the sculptor; p. 34 beware! Look not on my crookedness in disparagement, and kindly take the straight road away from me. My form is thus...
On The Justice Of The Prince And The Security : p. 46 ON THE JUSTICE OF THE PRINCE AND THE SECURITY OF HIS SUBJECTS. `Umar one day saw a group of boys on a certain road all engaged in play and everyone boasting of himself; everyone was in haste to wrestle, having duly bared his head in Arab fashion. When `Umar looked towards the boys, fear...
On The Asceticism Of The Ascetic : p. 107 ON THE ASCETICISM OF THE ASCETIC. An ascetic fled from amongst his people, and went to the top of a mountain, where he built a cell. One day by chance a sage, a learned man, wise and able, passed by and saw the ascetic, so holy and devout. Said he, Poor wretch! why hast thou made thy...
Abbreviations : p. vi ABBREVIATIONS. L (in the notes) refers to the commentary of 'Abdu'l-Latf. * (in the notes) refers to the commentary of 'Alu'd-Dn. Gibb = A History of Ottoman Poetry, vol. I, by E. J. W. Gibb. London. Luzac & Co., 1900. Sale = Sale's Translation of the Qur'n, with notes (several editions;...
On His Decree And Ordinance And His Creative Power : p. 138 ON HIS DECREE AND ORDINANCE AND HIS CREATIVE POWER. All that comes forth in the world is by decree, and what the prophet p. 139 speaks is also by decree; infidelity and faith, good and evil, old and new,--all is referable to Him; whatso exists, is under the command of the Almighty; all...
On Affection And Isolation : p. 66 ON AFFECTION AND ISOLATION. The lovers are drunk in His Presence, their reason in their sleeve p. 67 and their soul in their hand. Lo, when they urge the Burq of their heart on towards Him, they cast all away under his feet; they throw down life and heart in His path. and make themselves...
On Being Glad In God Most High, And Humbling : p. 123 ON BEING GLAD IN GOD MOST HIGH, AND HUMBLING ONESELF BEFORE HIM O Life of all the contented, who grantest the desires of the desirous: the acts in me that are right, Thou makest so,--Thou, kinder to me than I am to myself. No bounds are set to Thy mercy, no interruption appears in Thy bounty...
On The Sweetness. Of The Qur'an : p. 158 ON THE SWEETNESS. OF THE QUR'N. How shalt thou taste the flavour and delight of the Qur'n, since thou chantest it without comprehension? Come forth through the door of the body into the landscape of the soul; come and view the garden of the Qur'n, that all things may appear before thy soul...
On Dreams Of Handicraftsmen : p. 89 ON DREAMS OF HANDICRAFTSMEN. A cook means great riches, just as a butcher means that one's affairs are. ruined. A physician is pain and sickness, especially to one who is wretched and needy. The tailor is the man in virtue of whom troubles and affliction are all changed to good-fortune...
In Praise Of His Omnipotence : p. 37 IN PRAISE OF HIS OMNIPOTENCE. He is the Pourtrayer of the outward forms of our earthly bodies; He is the Discerner of the images of our inmost hearts. He is the Creator of existent and non-existent, the Maker of the hand and what it holds. He made a wheel of pure emerald, and on the wheel p...
I. Life Of The Author : p. vii I.--LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. Ab'l-Majd Majdd b. Adam San' 1 was born at Ghazna, and lived in the reign of Bahrmshh (A.H. 512-548, A.D. 1118-1152). Ouseley says of him that he "while yet young became one of the most learned, devout, and excellent men of the age which he adorned. His praise w...
Introduction : p. vii INTRODUCTION. Page I. LIFE OF THE AUTHOR vii II. MANUSCRIPTS AND LITHOGRAPHS ix III. HISTORY OF THE TEXT xiii IV. THE COMMENTATORS xxi V. THE "Hadqatu'l-Haqqat" xxv VI. SAN'S PREFACE xxx
On The Participation Of The Heart In Prayer : p. 115 ON THE PARTICIPATION OF THE HEART IN PRAYER. At the battle of Uhud `Al the Prince, the impetuous Lion, received a grievous wound. The head of the arrow remained in his foot, and he knew that it was necessary to take it out, this being the only cure for him. As soon as the surgeon saw it, he...
Again The Parable Of Those Who Heed Not : p. 36 AGAIN THE PARABLE OF THOSE WHO HEED NOT. Dost thou not see how the nurse in the earliest days of its childhood sometimes ties the little one in its cradle, and at times is ever laying it on her bosom; sometimes strikes it hard and sometimes soothes it; sometimes puts it away from her...
Next. A Story : p. 65 A STORY. Hast thou not heard how in a rainless time some birds received their food from a Magian's door? Many Muslims spoke to him, and among them one clever and eloquent--"Though the little birds take your corn, yet this generosity of yours will not find acceptance." Said the Magian, "If He...
On The Hearing Of The Qur'an : p. 159 ON THE HEARING OF THE QUR'N. When the pious reader has set the book with reverence upon his lap, and has recited '"Let no one touch it"' (Qur. 56:78) over both his hands, for a p. 160 single copper he gives forth a lusty cry, like a turtledove for a grain of corn. Hear God's word from God...
Title Page : THE FIRST BOOK OF THE HADQATU' L-HAQQAT OR THE ENCLOSED GARDEN OF THE TRUTH OF THE HAKM AB' L-MAJD MAJDD SAN' OF GHAZNA. EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY MAJOR J. STEPHENSON, "Indian Medical Service, Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, and of the Asiatic Society of Bengal". Calcutta: Baptist Mission Press...
On Laud And Praise : p. 121 ON LAUD AND PRAISE. In every mouth the tongue that utters speech becomes fragrant as musk in praising Thee. In Thy decree and will, as Thou art far or near, lies for the heart and soul eternal happiness or ruinous disaster, an imperishable kingdom or everlasting beguilement; Thy servants...
He Who Trusts In His Submission Suffers : p. 130 HE WHO TRUSTS IN HIS SUBMISSION SUFFERS A MANIFEST HURT. An old fox said to another, "O master of wisdom and counsel and knowledge, make haste, take two hundred dirams, and convey our letter to these dogs." He said, "The pay is better than a headache, but it is a heavy and perilous task;...
Iv. The Commentators : p. xxi IV.--THE COMMENTATORS. Khwja `Abdu'l-Latf b. `Abdullh al-`Abbs, already so frequently mentioned, explains to us in his Preface, the "Mirtu'l-Had'iq", what he has attempted in his commentary on the "Hadqa". He states that he was writing in A.H. 1038, in the second year of the reign...
On Dreams Of Lights And Stars : p. 90 ON DREAMS OF LIGHTS AND STARS. To see the sun in a dream is said in every case to mean a king. The moon is as a counsellor; another has said, No, it is a woman. The globe of Mars or Saturn in a dream brings trial and grief and torment; Mercury represents a writer; Jupiter comes as a treasurer...
On The Knowledge Of God : p. 4 ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. Of himself no one can know Him; His nature can only be known through Himself. Reason sought His truth,--it ran not well; impotence hastened on His road, and knew Him. His mercy said, Know me; otherwise who, by reason and sense, could know Him? How is it possible by...
On The Kalima : p. 84 [ON THE KALIMA.] As the inhabited world is computed at twenty-four thousand leagues, so, if thou add the hours of night to those of day, there are twenty-four of those torturers of mankind also. Exchange them, if thou art dexterous and versed in transformations, for the twenty-four letters;...
In The Recital Of The Miracle Wrought : p. 152 IN THE RECITAL OF THE MIRACLE WROUGHT BY THE QUR'N. O thou, who hast got into thy palm but the ocean's foam, and of thy possessions hast made the semblance of an array; thou hast not laid hold of the pearl's true substance, for that thou art occupied only concerning the shell; withhold thy...
On The Glory Of The Qur'an : p. 147 ON THE GLORY OF THE QUR'N. Glorious it is, though concealing its glory: and a guide, though under the veil of coquetry. Its discourse is bright and strong; its argument clear and apt; its words are a casket for the pearl of life, p. 148 its precepts a tower over the water-wheel of the faith;...
On Turning To God : p. 128 ON TURNING TO GOD. O Creator of the world, who preservest the soul in beauty; O Thou who guidest the understanding to the path of true devotion; in the Paradise of the skies they are all raw youths; in Thy Paradise are those who drink of Hell. What are good and ill to me at Thy door? What is...
On The Blind Men And The Affair Of The Elephant : p. 13 ON THE BLIND MEN AND THE AFFAIR OF THE ELEPHANT. There was a great city in the country of Ghr, in which all the people were blind. A certain king passed by that place, bringing his army and pitching his camp on the plain. He had a large and magnificent elephant to minister to his pomp...
He Who Is Indifferent To The World Finds : p. 106 HE WHO IS INDIFFERENT TO THE WORLD FINDS A KINGDOM THAT SHALL NOT WANE. (QUR. 20:118) There was an old ascetic in Ba"s"r, none in that age so devout as he. He said, I rise every morning determined to fly from this vile p. 107 Self. My Self says to me, Come, old man, what wilt thou eat this...
On The Cause Of Our Maintenance : p. 20 ON THE CAUSE OF OUR MAINTENANCE. Seest thou not that before the beginning of thy existence God the All-wise, the Ineffable, when He had created thee in the womb gave thee of blood thy sustenance for nine months? Thy mother nourished thee in her womb, then after nine months brought thee forth;...
On The Protection And Guardianship Of God : p. 18 ON THE PROTECTION AND GUARDIANSHIP OF GOD. Whoso is fenced around by divine aid, a spider spreads its web before him; a lizard utters his praise, a serpent seeks to please him. His shoe treads the summit of the throne; his ruby lip is the world's p. 19 fitting ornament; in his mouth pois...
On The Allegations Brought Forward : p. 157 ON THE ALLEGATIONS BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE WORD OF GOD. Wait till the Qur'n shall make complaint of thee before God on the judgment day, and shall say, How much falsehood has this deceitful one, whom Thou trustedst, I drawn forth from Thy truth!--shall say, O God, thou knowest both...
On His, Omniscience, And His Knowledge : p. 59 ON HIS, OMNISCIENCE, AND HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE MINDS OF MEN. He knows the draught of each of His creatures; He has given it, and He can give its opposite. He is the Creator of thy wisdom; p. 60 but His wisdom is untainted by the passage of thought. He knows concerning thee what is in thy heart...
On Self Abasement And Humility : p. 42 ON SELF-ABASEMENT AND HUMILITY. Lowliness befits thee, violence suits thee not; a, naked man frantic in a bee-house is out of place. Leave aside thy strength, betake thyself to lowliness, that so thou mayest trample the heights of heaven beneath thy feet; for God knows that, rightly seen, thy...
Untitled : THE HADQATU' L-HAQQAT (THE ENCLOSED GARDEN OF THE TRUTH) BY HAKM AB' L-MAJD MAJDD SAN' OF GHAZNA. EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY J. STEPHENSON, [1910] Technical Note: Due to the limitations of optical character recognition, the extensive footnotes in the body of the text had to be omitted; I have...
Of Addresses To God, And Self Abasement : p. 112 OF ADDRESSES TO GOD, AND SELF-ABASEMENT, AND HUMILITY. Prayer will not draw back the veil of Majesty till the servant comes forth front his defilement; as thy purity opens the door of prayer, so know that thy corruption locks it against thee. When wilt thou plant thy foot upon the heavens'...
On The Need Of God, And Independence Of All : p. 40 ON THE NEED OF GOD, AND INDEPENDENCE OF ALL BESIDE HIM. He is wholly independent of me and thee in his plans; what matters infidelity or faith to His Independence? What matters that or this to His Perfection '? Know that God exists in real existence; in pursuance of His decree and just...
On The Earnest Striving : p. 29 ON THE EARNEST STRIVING. When thou hast passed from Self to being naught, gird up the loins of thy soul and set forth on the road, when thou standest up with loins girt thou hast placed a crown on thy soul's head. Set then the crown of the advance on the head of thy soul; let the foot th...
The Parable Of Those Who Give Alms : p. 20 THE PARABLE OF THOSE WHO GIVE ALMS. A certain wise and liberal man gave away so many bags of gold before his son's eyes that when he saw his father's munificence he broke forth into censure and remonstrance, saying, Father, where is my share of this? He said, O son, in the treasury of God; I...
Of The Story Of Qais Ibn asim : p. 100 OF THE STORY OF QAIS IBN `"S"IM. When the command of '"Who is there that will lend"' (Qur. 2:246) came down from God to the Prophet, everyone brought before the Prince what he could lay hands on, not disobeying,--gems and gold, cattle and slaves and goods, whatever they possessed at the time...
On The Surrender Of The Self : p. 23 [ON THE SURRENDER OF THE SELF.] Dost thou desire thy collar of lace to be washed, then first give thy coat to the fuller. Strip off thy coat, for on the road to the King's p. 24 gate there are many to tear it. At the first step that Adam took, the wolf of affliction tore his coat: when C...
On The Incompatibility Of The Two Abodes : p. 136 ON THE DESIRE FOR GOD Thereafter the desire for God, existing in his heart and soul and reason and discernment, becomes his horse; when this creation has p. 137 become a prison to him, his soul seeks freedom; a fire is kindled within him, which burns up soul and reason and religion. So long...
Next. Concerning His Beneficence, And Verily : p. 64 A STORY. An old man put forth his head, and seeing his field dried up I spoke thus:--"O Lord of both new and old, our food is in Thy hands, do what thou wilt. The sustenance Thou givest to fair and foul depends not on tears of cloud nor smiles of field; I well know Thou art the Uncaused...
On Poverty And Perplexity : p. 122 ON POVERTY AND PERPLEXITY. He hears the heart's low voice of supplication. He knows when the heart's secret rises up to Him; when supplication opens the door of the heart, its desire comes forward to meet it; the '"Here am I"' of the Friend goes out to welcome the heart's cry of '"O Lord"'...
On Trust In God : p. 81 ON TRUST IN GOD. Set not thy foot in His court with hypocrisy. The men of the Path walk in trust; if thou hast a constant trust in Him, why not also in His feeding thee? Bring then thy belongings to the street of trust in God; then fortune will come out to meet thee. Listen to a story...
Concerning His Beneficence, And Verily He : p. 62 CONCERNING HIS BENEFICENCE,--AND VERILY HE IS THE PROVIDER OF PROVISIONS. When He lays the table of its food before the creature, He provides a fare more ample than the eater's needs; life and days and daily food come to all from Him; happiness and fortune are from Him. He supplies the daily...
On Dreams Of Vessels And Garments : p. 88 ON DREAMS OF VESSELS AND GARMENTS. An old garment is grief and sorrow; a new garment is great wealth; best of all is a garment that is closely woven, so my master told me. For women, a garment of many colours is a cause of joy and happiness and honour. A red garment brings gladness...
Of Him Who Feeds Me And Gives Me Drink : p. 134 OF HIM WHO FEEDS ME AND GIVES ME DRINK. When they capture the hawk in the wilds, they secure it neck and feet; they quickly cover up both its eyes and proceed to teach it to hunt. The hawk becomes accustomed and habituated to the strangers, and shuts its eyes upon its old associates; it is...
Of The Guidance Of The Qur'an : p. 155 OF THE GUIDANCE OF THE QUR'N. It is the guide, and the lovers the travellers; it is a rope, and the heedless sit in the pit. Thy soul has its home at the pit's bottom; the Qur'n's light is a rope let down to it; rise and seize the rope, so thou mayest haply find salvation; else thou art lost...
To Remember The Words Of The All Knowing Lord : p. 145 TO REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE ALL-KNOWING LORD RENDERS EASY THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE AIM. GOD MOST HIGH HAS SAID, SAY, IF MEN AND JINNS CONSPIRED TO BRING THE LIKE OF THIS QUR'N, THEY COULD NOT BRING ITS LIKE, NOT THOUGH THEY HELPED EACH OTHER. (Qur. 17:90) AND SAID THE PROPHET (ON WHOM BE...
On The Assertion Of The Unity : p. 6 ON THE ASSERTION OF THE UNITY. He is One, and number has no place in Him; He is Absolute, and dependence is far removed from Him; not that One which reason and understanding can know, not that Absolute which sense and imagination can recognise. He is not multitude, nor paucity; one multiplied...
V. The Hadiqatu'l Haqiqat : p. xxv V.--THE HADQATU'L-HAQQAT. The "Hadqatu'l-Haqqat", or the "Enclosed Garden of the Truth", commonly called the "Hadqa", is a poem of about 11,500 lines; each line consists of two hemistichs, each of ten or eleven syllables; the bulk, therefore, is equal to about 23,000 lines of English...
Of The Recital Of The Secret Of The Qur'an : p. 150 OF THE RECITAL OF THE SECRET OF THE QUR'N. Tongue cannot tell the secret of the Qur'n, for His intimates keep it concealed; the Qur'n indeed knows its own secret,--hear it from itself, for itself knows it. Except by the soul's eye none knows the mea, surer of words from the true reader...
The Comparison Of The Creation Of Adam : p. 162 THE COMPARISON OF THE CREATION OF ADAM AND OF JESUS SON OF MARY (ON BOTH OF WHOM BE PEACE!). Adam's father in this world was the same breath which begot the son of Mary; that which became his body was of the nature of humanity, and that which became his soul was of the fragrance of th...
On The Greatness Of The Qur'an, Verily It : p. 155 ON THE GREATNESS OF THE QUR'N,--VERILY IT CONSISTS NOT IN ITS DIVISION INTO 'TENS' AND 'FIVES.' To attract a handful of boys thou hast made its honour to consist in the 'tens,' and 'fives'; thou hast abrogated the authority of every p. 156 verse which abrogates another, art still unlearned...
On Renunciation And Strenuous Endeavour : p. 71 ON RENUNCIATION AND STRENUOUS ENDEAVOUR. Whoso desires to be lord of his isolation and whoso seeks to guard his seclusion, must take no ease within, nor adorn himself without; p. 72 that praise which is bestowed on outward seeming imports the abandonment of true praise and adornment...
On The Steps Of Ascent : p. 15 ON THE STEPS OF ASCENT. Make not thy soul's nest in hell, nor thy mind's lodging in deception; wander not in the neighbourhood of foolishness and p. 16 absurdities, nor by the door of the house of vain imagining. Abandon vain conceits, that thou mayest find admission to that court; for th...
Of The Right Guidance : p. 22 OF THE RIGHT GUIDANCE Every indication of the road thou receivest, O darwsh, count it a gift of God, not thine own doing; He is the cause of the bestowal of benefits, He it is to whom the soul is guided, and He its guide. Recognise that it is God's favour guides thee on the path of duty...
On Being Silent : p. 32 [ON BEING SILENT.] The path of religion is neither in works nor words; there are no buildings thereon, but only desolation. Whoso becomes silent to pursue the path, his speech is life and sweetness; if he speaks, it will not be out of ignorance, and if he is silent, it will not be from sloth;...
The Parable Of The Schoolboys : p. 96 THE PARABLE OF THE SCHOOLBOYS. Thou knowest not the difference between the hidden world and this,--canst not distinguish between welfare and affliction. In truth, p. 97 thou art not a man travelling on this Path; thou art a child of the Path, knowest not the Path; thou art but a boy,--go...
On Failure To Pray Aright : p. 118 ON FAILURE TO PRAY ARIGHT B Shu`aib al-Ubayy was a leader in religion whom everyone used to praise; one who rose in the night and fasted continually, one who was distinguished in that age for his asceticism. He betook himself from the city to a cell on the mountain, and made his escape...
On His Kindness And Bounty : p. 126 ON HIS KINDNESS AND BOUNTY. O Lord, the Enduring, the Holy, whose kingdom is not of touch or sense; by Thee we conquer, without Thee we fail; in Thee we are content, apart from Thee unsatisfied. Though none amongst us is of any avail, is not Thy kindness a sufficient messenger of promise...
On The Interpretation Of The Dream : p. 85 ON THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM. In the phantoms of sleep He has ordained for men of understanding both fear and hope. When a man has laid down his head in sleep, his tent-ropes are severed. As long as men are in the world p. 86 of causes, they are all in a boat, and all asleep; waiting...
The First Book Of The Hadiqatu' L Haqiq : p. 1 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE HADQATU'-L-HAQQAT OF SAN'. IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE. O Thou who nurturest the mind, who adornest the body, O Thou who givest wisdom, who showest mercy on the foolish, Creator and Sustainer of earth and time, Guardian and Defender of dweller...
On The Incompatibility Of The Two Abodes. Part 1 : p. 90 ON THE INCOMPATIBILITY OF THE TWO ABODES. The sun and earth produce the day and night; when thou hast passed beyond, neither the one nor the other will exist for thee. p. 91 O thou in whose imagination desire and desirer are two, know that the duality belongs to thy understanding, and belongs...
Vi. Sana'i's Preface : p. xxx VI.--SAN'S PREFACE. The author's Preface to the work, given in A and L, and occupying in the latter nearly thirteen closely printed pages, is here given in abstract. It was not, as will appear, written specially as an introduction to the "Hadqa", but to his collected works. After an opening...
Of Those Who Heed Not : p. 15 OF THOSE WHO HEED NOT. A discerning man questioned one of the indifferent, whom he saw to be very foolish and thoughtless, saying, Hast thou ever seen saffron, or hast thou only heard the name? He said, I have it by me, and have eaten a good deal of it, not once only, but a hundred times...
On Dreams Of Beasts : p. 89 ON DREAMS OF BEASTS. An ass is a servant, but a lazy one, who refuses to work. A horse, O thou of unparalleled wisdom! is a woman; both are suitable possessions for a man. A mule is bad for him whose wife is pregnant; a child will not be born to him. A journey comes to thee in a dream...