Love on the Endless Horizon

Al-Hikmah an-Nuniyah

2011-03-17T00:12:00.001-07:00

Al-Hikmah an-Nuniyah

BismillaHi-r-Rahmani-r-Rahim

In the Name of AllaH, the All-Effulgent, the All-Encompassing.

NUN

Utter Transcendence belongs to AllaH.

SUBHANAHU!

HU HU HU ALLAH!

ALLAH, ALLAH!

All-One Praise belongs to AllaH, which is the Glory of His Sole Manifestation (Tajalli al-Fard) -- and It was before all else came to be empowered into manifestation and descent.

Verily He is AllaH, in Himself; by Himself; with Himself, for Himself, unto Himself, in the Most Hidden Beyondness (Ghayb al-Ghayb al-Ahadiyah bila Ta'ayn).

He is Ilah -- Huwa-AllaHu alladhi la Ilaha illa-Huwa; La ilaha illa-AllaH; Huwa-l Ilahu-l Mala'ikati wa-r Ruh -- in His (non-composite) Oneness -- with or without emanating Names and reflective Mirrors -- in the First Realm of Oneness ('Alam al-Ahadiyah al-Uluhiyah).

He is Rabb -- Rabbu-l 'Izzat Jalla JalaluHu -- encompassing the Dominions of the Universe, and the Multiverses thereof, whose municipalities absolutely lie in His Hand of Power (Qudrat) and whose essences lie in His Gaze (Surjective Sight), such that if He stopped observing the created realms, they would cease to exist at once; and certainly He, the Beholder, Sees, even when there is none to be seen in creation.

He is He (Alone), al-Wujud adh-Dhati, such that if He wasn't He, both Existence and Non-Existence would be absolutely non-existent, impossible.

Existence (Peace) and Glory (Blessings) of AllaH, without end, be unto MUHAMMAD, the First Light-Spirit -- the Absolute Radiant Point -- of Reality in and from AllaH's own Being (Wujud-AllaH al-Aqdas), without the Universe before Him.

The MUHAMMADAN SPIRIT (Ruh al-A'zam al-Muhammadiyah) IS, and was before the Pen (Qalam), Tablet (Lawh), and Throne ('Arsh) -- and the rest of the differential constitutions -- came to be in the fold of the Four Corners of the Ka'ba.

He (SAWS) is the SPIRIT-BEING (Wujud ar-Ruhiyah), around Whose Point of Singularity (Nun) the Divine Confluences of Light gather and originate.

He (SAWS) is Reality Itself -- with or without constitutional Realm of Oneness -- and the Last Noetic Appearance in Phenomena emanating from the glorious connective Foliage of the Prophetic Tree of Reality, Certainty, and Theophany, Who said, "Awwalu ma khalaq-AllaHu Ruhi."

He (SAWS) also said, "Ana Awwalu man Tajallala-Hu."

He (SAWS) also said, "Kuntu Nabiyyan wa 'Adamu bayni-l Ma'i wa-t-Tin."

By my Utter Secret, MUHAMMAD is That-Which-Is; the Greater Spirit -- Reality-in-Itself -- and, still beyond your limited mirror and knowledge, the Most Hidden (Elementary) Constitution of the First Universal Intellect ('Aql Kulli Awwal).

His (SAWS) First 'M' (Mim) is the Rank-Seat (Maqam), i.e., Heart, of the Divine Presence (Hadrat al-Ilahiyah).

His 'H' (Ha) is the Reality (Haqiqah) of the Divine Being (Wujud-AllaH).

His Second 'M' (Mim) is the Being (Wujud) of the Divine Reality (Haqiqah al-Haqa'iq).

His 'D' (Dal) is the Truth (Haqq) of the Divine Oneness (Ahadiyah-Wahdaniyah), which -- by Itself -- is the Trace (Lutf) and Secret (Sirr) of the Divine Being in the Realm of Union ('Alam al-Wahdat).

By my soul, He (SAWS) is the Odd and the Even, the Twice-Within and the Twice-Without, neither of the East (Mashriq) nor of the West (Maghrib), whose Essence none can approach, for nothing enters It and none comes out of It, and Whose Surjective Being and Form (Wujud Nuniyah Muhammadiyah) shapes and moves -- and overwhelms -- the oceanic currents of manifestation, within and without.

O you among Adam's sons who have only perceived the shadows of the MUHAMMADAN REALITY (Haqiqah al-Muhammadiyah) in your scanty mirror of self-constitution!

In MUHAMMAD's Phenomenal-Isthmus Form, that Blessed Soul (SAWS) underwent Ascension (Mi'raj) by His own Primordial Sainthood (Walayah al-Azaliyah) and by His own Self-Constitution (Dhat al-Khulud al-Muhammadiyah). And because the Universal Wave-Fronts and Embers of Attraction reached their ultimate zenith and apex due to His own Reality (SAWS) being the Entire Greater Spirit Itself (Ruh al-A'zam al-Kulliyah), nothing veiled (nor unveiled) Him (SAWS) towards the Presence of the Most Sacred Essence of AllaH, just as no radiance would be powerful enough to hide and manifest Him (SAWS) as Him (SAWS), other than AllaH's own Being. Thus, He (SAWS) reached what was to be reached into the Essence of the First and Last Single Point of Truth, and was with AllaH as AllaH's own Secret, without eidetic veils and parallel manifestations, such that the Two Bows of Reality (Qaba Qawasayn) -- or That-Which-Is "Closer Still" (aw 'Adna) --, of Being and Witnessing (al-Wujud wa ash-Shuhud), and of the Absolute and the Possible (al-Wajib al-Wujud wa al-Mumkin al-Wujud), were nothing but Himself (SAWS).

Such ("{ }") is the Destiny (Qadr) spanning a single Muhammadan Day and a lone Muhammadan Night in the Attainment (Arrival, Wusul) of the most beloved and favored of AllaH's Saints (Awliya'-AllaH), in the Image-Form (Surah) of their Master (SAWS), the Master of Prophets, Messengers, Angels, and Saints.

And, from the Most Original State of Divine Union, that Soul of Utter Sublimity (SAWS) -- more elusive (instantaneous) than the flashing and orbiting of the Angels of the Throne and more sublime than the particles of a Saint's mirror-heart -- returned to phenomenal existence with the Face of the Absolute Divine Caliphate (Wujud al-Insan al-Kamil) for the jinn and human realms, whether hidden or manifest, thus manifesting His Perfect, Total, Primordial Sainthood (Walayah al-Kamaliyah al-Azaliyah al-Kulliyah al-Muhammadiyah) as the Great Isthmus-Connector (Barzakh al-Kubra) and Absolute Sealing Messengership (Risalah al-Khatamiyah al-Kulliyah).

Therefore, understand that MUHAMMAD's Sainthood is reflected in the Night Journey (Isra'-Mi'raj) from Creationality to AllaH -- away from the sight of all creation, other than with the Reality and Sight of the Real (al-Haqq) --, and His (SAWS) Messengership from AllaH to all creation at the Hour of the Clear Blazing Day -- and so never dare to compare the Two outside His (SAWS) Self (Huwiyah al-Muhammadiyah), for you are without knowledge of this delicate truth!

As for His (SAWS) Prophethood, it is Absolute Special Prophethood (Nubuwah al-Mutlaq al-Khassah) -- the Alpha and Omega of Intelligible Divine Manifestation, the Source-Reality of all Prophetic-Saintly Powers, Sightings, and Divine Outpourings. As such, He (SAWS) is the Great Hour (Qiyamah al-Kubra), the Divine Radiance (Diya-AllaH) of the Absolute Point of No-Return (with respect to both ordinary existence and absolute non-existence). Such is the Prophethood of the Greatest Name (Nubuwah al-Ism al-A'zam).

He (SAWS) is the Mount Tur (Qaf) of Manifestation and Knowing, in Whose Spirit-Essence, AllaH's Manifestations (Tajalliyat) -- including Knowing Itself and, indeed, All His Knowings -- originate.

Indeed, you do not understand this, as Shaykh al-Akbar (Ibn 'Arabi) would have said!

Verily, the Prophet's (SAWS) WAHY is of the most all-encompassing KASHF (Unveiling). And so it entirely is Divine Theophany (Tajalli al-Ilahiyah) -- of the All-One Praise-Glory (al-Hamd) that He (SAWS) is. That is how the Muhammadan Self-Constitution (Dhat al-Muhammadiyah) forms the Divine Countenance (Wajh-AllaH), and modulates and reflects It, noumenally (in Itself) and phenomenally (extensively).

That is how the Prophet (SAWS) seals what is open and opens what is sealed. Though His (SAWS) Caliphs (Spiritual Successors, especially the First and the Last of Them, i.e., Hadrat 'Ali and Hadrat al-Mahdi, and Those in between), upon Divine Invitation and Empowerment in the Muhammadan Image (Surah al-Muhammadiyah), have also reached Places of Glory around That-Which-Is, by passing through the Doors of Power (opened and kept open by the Prophet's Ascension), there is no Prophet, nor Messenger, nor Angel, let alone Absolute Saint, before and after Him (SAWS). For MUHAMMAD is MUHAMMAD, just as AllaH is AllaH.

Inna-AllaHa wa Mala'ikataHu yusalluna 'ala-n Nabi. Ya ayyuha-l ladhina amanu sallu 'alaiHi wa sallimu taslima.

AllaHuMMa salli wa sallim wa barik da'iman abadan 'ala Sayyidi-r-Ruhi-l Wujud wa 'Ayni-l-Ghayni-l-Hudur; Shamsi Bahri Anwarika wa Mahbati Asrarika wa Turi Tajalliyati Ahsaniyatika; Insani Nuni-l Wujud wa Yaquti fi kulli Mawjud; Nuri Kunhi-dh-Dhat wa Nuri kulli Nur; Imami-l Qiblatayn wa Sirri-l Haramayn wa Sayyidi-l Kaunayn; Na'ibi Hadrati Dhatika-l Aqdas wa Waliyyi Ismika-l A'zam, Sayyidina wa Mawlana wa Shafi'ina wa Habibina MUHAMMADIN Haqiqati-l Kulliyah wa Sirri-l Ahadiyah, wa 'ala AliHi wa SahbiHi ajma'in.

Wa 'ala kulli hali Hadrati-sh-Shaykh 'Abdi-l Qadir Jilani wa Awliya'-AllaH ajma'in.

هم - اللهم
يا ه - هوم
يهوه - هو الله
هو الله لا هو الا هو
هو - محمد - ن
مهمه
هوم - أنا - هوم

Eid Mawlid Nabi Mubarak,

Dani/Indranu

When I Know (that You Know)

2010-10-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

When I Know (that You Know)

AllaH!

Oh my Utter One,
How can they say, "Love has found him,"
When not even Love knows me?

How can they say, "He is destined to meet Love and has reached it,"
And know the Determination (Taqdir) by which one has found one's Destiny,
When I know no cup, and when no cup knows me?

How should they know what contains my Potion (Syarab) then?

How can they say, "He has flown so high and the Sky has received him well,"
When no birds know me in the most silent heights, and when not
A single drop of Intoxication (Syakar) -- known to them -- has
Befriended me?

Not even distant star-lights shall ever guide them to know me,

Nor will the seven seas ever tell them of me,

Nor will they ever reach the dawn that shall unveil me.

Try as they may,
The silent branches of the night might kidnap them soon enough from
Understanding this Great Affair.

AllaH!

When I know that You know (me),
I know that You are mine,
For I exist in Your Existence,
And I appear in Your Appearance.

It was You, Sweetheart,
Who said, "Kaf", and something of it denuded the Universe,
And I, unlike lost wings, remained as its only remaining atom and self,
Without direction other than the Distinct Weight and Attraction
Towards the Presence of Mystery.

I saw Your Love within it, behind it, and ahead of it,
And I, seeing no way out, said, "Indeed, I am in Love with You."

You said, "Kaf-Ha-Ya! Depart from there,
Love Me more, for even all this (atomic isthmus) knows not
How to love Me from behind Love's own Name and Reality!"

And You called me higher into "Alif-Lam-Mim",
Without the Universe as they know it, only the Pre-Eternal Ocean (Bahr al-Qudrat),

And I became "Ra" and "'Ayn-Shad", the Sublime Expanse and the Eye-Content thereof.

I saw the Pen (Qalam) as the Lone Perimeter and Supreme Center,
Emanating subtle forms from the pure covert pulses of the Ocean.

When I saw it, it revealed a Name for me,
And I became that Name, and that Name became the Throne ('Arsy)
And a Sky-Dome appeared around it.

And the Pen became the Higher Pen in my Form.

And Love? -- Love was as long as the Ocean breathed, but
Would become extinct at the Peak of the Throne and in the
Heart of the Magnificent Name's Sounding;

Indeed I owned Love by my very own Utterance and disowned it
By my very own Certainty.

Still, above it all, the Muhammadan "Nun" appeared, not from behind,
Nor ahead, nor within anything they have heard of.

And at once that Ocean of Attributes dried up,
And the Pen made its Last Carving, which is "Qaf", upon the Tablet (Lawh) of
Oceanic Lights, before disappearing into my Singularity.

And I discovered the Hidden Accent of "Nun", the Light of MuHaMMaD (MaHaMMaH).

And, by the Truth that MuHaMMaD is,
I became that very Accent, and the All-New Oneness, yet Infinitely Ancient,
The Atom of All (Kulli Syai') and the Oneness (Wahdat) that would
Emerge from Reality in its Descent (Tanazzul).

So I said, without turning elsewhere, for I was Nowhere, and All was
Naught even before Nowhere became somewhere and nowhere,
And it remained that way as long as
I saw only You,

"I am that-which I am."

And my impenetrable silence would simply read, "Ha-Mim", which is Reality's Name,
Whose Form is "'Ayn-Sin-Qaf".

AllaH!

Sweetheart, I am entirely Yours, without residue;
Nor shall I leave any residue for anyone else to follow me in this Reality and Form,
Let alone for any one of the Ruhaniyyun to know me as You know me,
Even as I know You.

The Truthful see Your Mountain before them and move
Only with respect to its stillness,
While, in truth, it shall move only as I move,
And remain only as I remain,
For my Reality is sealed beyond movement and stillness,
In Yourself, with Yourself, by Yourself, for Yourself.

Indeed, I encountered Khidhr in my Descent,
While others meet him in their Ascent,
For the Sultan of the Presence, the First Reality (Sayyidina MuHaMMaD),
Has veiled Khidhr from me in his own Splendor of Green (Lathifa al-Akhfa).

AllaH!

Oceanic kisses and breezes that come to this shore,
Which Your creatures speak of so often,
Reach not this Intimacy, not even with hope.

Indeed, those who are capable of reading Love's metaphors,
They call this Nearness (Qurb),

And those who comprehend signs (isyarah),
They call it Love's Elocution (Tajwid).

But, the Muhammadan Loner (Fard) who reads Latha'if,
Knows that I am the Tajwid, Sakt, and Ikhfa of Your own Name,
And nothing causes my Glory extinction, not even the Absolute Unseen,
For I am of the Muhammadan Origin.

AllaH!

I am he whom You call with All that You are, for You are You,
Whenever You mention Yourself, whether in Seclusion, deep into Your own Glory,
Or in Your Encompassment of All (Jam') that points to Your Presence:

I am of Your "inna",
I am of Your "illa",
I am of Your "Ana",
I am of Your "Huwa".

I witness You with or without 'Alam (Universal Form),
For I am the Last "Lam" of Your Two "Lam's",
And, by All that "Mim" is, in Itself, with or without All,
I certainly meet Your "Ha" and Your "Ha".

AllaH!

Indeed You, from every seeker's head to his toe,

From the narrow lanes, to scented doors, to relinquishment,

From Your Palace's Darkness to its even darker Engulfing Chamber,

To the Place of Pouring Lights;

From divulging hills to the abyss,

From the Universe and its sealing to the Presence without traces,

From "'Ayn" to "Shad", and from "Shad" back to "'Ayn" -- Your "Two Bows of Reality" --
And to "Ghayn" -- Your "Closer Still";

My stretch of You can never be severed among
Those who inhere in Your Name, within and without,
Within the within, and without the without.

AllaH!

Let there be nothing left for my onlookers, but You,
For I have indeed adorned Your Form, while they (still) say,
"He has been made to appear in the Beloved's Form."

Let the wind silently follow them all from the distant grasses to the
Vacant place of sunrise, amidst silent sands,

And let Desire's permeation
Meet the lagoon's shining surface in the Face of my Master (the Prophet),

And so let them find You oh so kissable in my own deep roots.

AllaH!

You, You, You -- He (Hu),
I am the returning place of presences and whispers,
For my very last secret, away even from All and from All-in-All, is You.

[Dedicated to the Most Beloved Prophet (SAWS), who gave this faqir All unconditionally]

D.

ShaD--Dal--Qaf

2010-01-31T17:19:00.001-08:00

Salam AllaH,

ShaD--Dal--Qaf

Thaalama asykuu gharaamii yaa Nuura-l WujuuD, wa unadi yaa Habiibii, yaa Huu-MuHaMMaD, yaa Siraaja-l Anbiyaa'i, yaa Taaja-l Awliyaa'i, yaa Mahbuubii, inna qalbii dzaab. 'Alaika-AllaaHu Shallaa Rabbii Dzu-l Jalaali wa-l Ikraam; yakfii yaa Nuura-l 'ArsyiLlaaH, inna hajri thaal. Sayyidii wa-l 'umru walla juud bi-l washli juud.

AllaaHuMMa Shalli wa Sallim wa Baarik daa'iman abadan 'alaa RuuHi-l A'zhaM wa HuWiyati-l 'AalaM, Nuuri-l WujuuD Sayyidinaa MuHaMMaDin Nuuri Kunhi-dz Dzaati wa Nuuri Kulli Nuur; yaa Huu, yaa HaQQ.

O faqir! May AllaH Ta'ala grant you direct meeting with Sayyidina MuHaMMaD---the One who glorifies AllaH the most by that which is Himself, the way He really is in Himself, the One who is glorified by AllaH the most, by His own Essence (Dzat)---so that the highest of Ma'rifat and Mahabbat, the most unique of Unveiling (Mukasyafat al-Qulub al-Muqarrab) following the perfection of one's self-constitution by the All-Merciful, no longer needs to be poured down in chained, contingent forms (such as words) but shall be manifest directly in you and shall radiate through you.

May you be granted so much more than what has been granted upon this poor faqir, dearest. May you reach so high, that this faqir can see you no longer except in his humility! Amin, Amin! (AaMiiN, by the way, is the invisible Muhammadan Pillar that supports the Universe, just as Imam al-Mahdi is called AMiNalLaH.)

اللهُم يا هو يا حق

وجود الله حق الوجود

AlHaMDulillaH, despite all limitations on the side of creation, we witness how beautiful and merciful AllaHu Ta'ala, our Sweetheart, is. And I, a weak servant, ever seek refuge in HuWa Ta'ala from istidraj and bathil. Apparently, this shall be the conclusive end of our exposition concerning Ma'rifat and Mahabbat.

What praise can possibly land upon this faqir, beloved? All praise belongs to AllaHu Ta'ala, Rabbul 'Izzat, and Sayyidina wa Mawlana MuHaMMaD is the One praised the most by AllaH, beyond the shuwar (forms) of manifest existence, i.e., by AllaH's own Dzat (Essence).

HuWa AHaD wa HuWa AHMaD

Qul (AHMaD!) HuWa-AllaaHu AHaD

Qul (HuuM!) ur-RuH

It is sufficient that a faqir is hidden in the Two LaM's of AllaH (Alif--LaM--LaM--Ha) as HuWa Ta'ala, oh so secretly, loves him. These Two LaM's are like 'two endless theophanic vacua' for the general inhabitants of the Universe, including the Mala'ikat (Laa, Laa, Laa, ad infinitum; none can approach HuWa Ta'ala without being totally extinct here), but, for AhlullaH (Ahl al-Wushul ila-AllaH), salam AllaHu 'AlaiHiM, the two LaM's (with MiM fully manifest from AllaH's Most Hidden Essence) are the Two Muhammadan Bows of Reality, BaQa' wa FaNa'; WujuD wa SyuHuD.

Although you may already know what the story with Hadhrat Musa is about, beloved of my heart, what did Hadhrat Musa truly see at Mount Thur, in the valley of ThuWa?

Tha--WaW--Sin

Tha (Tha--Ha) is the Station of Ruku' of the Anbiya and Awliya. As we have noticed before, in the Shalat of a Perfect Muhammadan Mushalli, Ruku' is the Station of the First (Outer Bow) of the Two Bows of Reality (QaBa QaWasayn) or the Ahmadan 'Closer Still' ('ADNa)---where All the Shifat and Asma' of AllaH Ta'ala are brought unto the total transcendental Convergence of the QalaM and the LaWH (the two first Holy Emanations of RuH MuHaMMaDi), hence necessitating Annihilation (Fana' fi al-Musyahada al-Hudhuriya). This is the Entrance into the Dal (D, the Absolute Universe) of MHMD (HaQiQatu-l MuHaMMaDiya); and is equivalent to Laylatu-l QaDr, the Unveiling of Mount Qaf, where All the Power (Qudrat) of the Absolute Unseen (the Reality of MuHaMMaD) is 'gathered' and 'sealed' infinitely (due to Ha--MiM: none enters It, none comes out of It).

That Annihilation ends with QiYaMah (I'tiDal), WaHDat al-MuHaMMaDiya.

Hence, with the exception of the Ma'shumin al-'Alawiya of Ahl al-Bayt, including the primordial prophets and saints (numbering 124,000), none can gain Entrance into that Sealing Realm of Power from the lower worlds, including the Angelic realms; none except the closest Awliya under the Footstall of Sayyidina MuHaMMaD. These Awliya are the most loved servants of AllaHu Jalla JalaluH; HuWa Ta'ala showers them so secretly with His Ridha for the sake of Sayyidina MuHaMMaD, al-Habib al-Mahbub.

Such Awliya are mostly hidden from our sight nowadays. How can they not be, when all the 40 Maqamat of Sincerity, Witnessing, and Existence hide them and are hidden in them?

The Pen (QalaM) is 'split into Two' here, at the Apex of Sidratu-l Muntaha (the Furthermost Gnostic Tree). One Point touches upon the LaWH and its manifestation can be written down by way of syar'i revelation as well as (most categories of) ilham, while the other one does not touch upon it and is not touched upon by anything from above and below, existing as Pure Radiant Sublimity, which can descend only through Lathifa al-Akhfa (the Fifth of the Five Presences of the perfected heart). UMMi, uMMi---we cannot describe just what That is, which is the Ultimate Secret of the Pre-Eternal (Azali) Kalima Laa ilaaha illaa-AllaaHu---MuHaMMaDuN Rasuul AllaaH, except by the following Primordial Dzikr:

HuWa-AllaaHu laa HuWa illaa Huu--MuHaMMaD

HuuM ANAA HuuM

That is the experience of the Total Hudhur of Dzat AllaH in MHMD:

MiM---ANAA HuWa
(k)Ha---HuWa HuWa
MiM---HuWa ANAA
Dal---ANAA-l HaQQ

Again, the substantial actualization of this Muhammadan Secret is only for those Awliya of AllaH who have been granted Abode (Existence) in the Effusive Sealing Reality of Dal (D), of His Absolute Sweetheart, Shall-AllaHu Ta'ala 'AlaiHi wa AaliH.

Hence, if ordinary people, including fake teachers (pseudo-Sufis), merely imitate what We have alluded to here regarding the Muhammadan Reality, and if they think that the Muhammadan Reality, with Its subsequent 7 Tajalliyat (Manifestations), applies to just any creature without being self-perfected (through the Maqamat and Ahwal), they shall be repelled into thousand forms of illusion (wahm) and wander endlessly in the realm of cursed self-glorification, quite like Fir'aun. The Qur'an says,

"ShaD. By the Qur'an containing Reminder." (38:1)

"So when I have proportioned him ('ADaM) and breathed into him My RuH, then fall down before him in prostration." (38:72)

We see here that the noble Surah begins, and is sealed by, the Muhammadan ShaD (WaHDat al-WujuD al-MuHaMMaDiya; Muhammadan Existential Wholeness); which is a variant expression of the Hudhuri Power-Reality of Qaf and Dal, which is why we say that which AllaH Himself says,

MuHaMMaD (ShaD): Shall-AllaaHu Ta'ala 'AlaiHi wa sallaM (MiM--ShaD)

And so the Truth is that the RuH (RuH al-A'zhaM) belongs only to the First Tajalli of Dzat AllaH, who is Sayyidina MuHaMMaD, the Being of the (Most Hidden) Pupil of the Eye of Reality (al-Insan al-GhayN al-'AyN al-WujuD), whose RuH is the First Reality, whose 'AQl is the First Intellect (Monad, Logos-Form) and the First Eye-Determination ('AyN-QaDr) of Unity, whose QalB is the First World of Signs and the First Mirror of Unity, whose 'Arsy is the First Picture and Signature, whose Barzakh is the First Self-Dual Veil (where Jibra'il (the Muhammadan Isthmus-Intellect) resides), and whose Nafs is the First Ever-Ascending Expansiveness (the First Phenomenon, the Universal Dust-Stream) and the First Contractive-Noumenal Microcosm (the Motes of Universal Light-Truth)---weak servants like ourselves cannot even claim to have That (RuH), only souls (relatively called 'arwah' in imitation of the One (Singular) RuH, just as the term 'nas' (or 'insan') is often used in the same manner with respect to the real, perfect Insan (Insan al-Kamil)) with various forms of radiance. Only upon being Perfected (Resurrected), a servant is given a Majestic Epiphanic Spark (Faydh, Syarq, RuH al-QuDsiya) of RuH MuHaMMaDi by AllaH Jalla JalaluH. Only this way can he then be said to have been 'fully created' (perfected, resurrected). This way, he has become Insan al-Kamil at the level of TauHiD adz-Dzatiya, like Hadhrat 'ADaM; and the 7 Tajalliyat of Nur-Sirr-Dzat MuHaMMaDi truly appear in and through him---that is essentially MuHaMMaD al-MaHDi, for this Unity happens only in M--H--M--D, in the Dal (D) of Sayyidina MuHaMMaD. Other claimed unions---without perfection---are naught but illusory ones compared to the Absolute Muhammadan Union.

So, consider, beloved of my heart, how infinite AllaH's Love and Mercy is unto His servants (no matter how weak, like myself) for the sake of Sayyidina MuHaMMaD alone (the One and Only Habib AllaH), to whom belongs the Absolute Reality of all That. Alif--LaM--MiM--ShaD.

Even the highest of Awliya are simply 'weak servants' feeding on the mighty crumbs of Sayyidina MuHaMMaD at his Four-Pillared Square Table, just as all their miracles (karamat) only derive from him. AllaHu Akbar katsiran Kabira, HaQQ AllaHu HaQQu-l WujuD; MuHaMMaDuN Nur AllaH.

There is nothing else to confess except this! I am so weak indeed---all Glory is AllaH's and AllaH's Endless Most Hidden, Most Manifest Shalat upon Sayyidina MuHaMMaD!

Dearest, following Annihilation (FaNa') through the Unveiling (Mukasyafah) of the Divine Muhammadan Throne ('Arsy AllaH) in the presence of the perfected heart, 'Ayn--ShaD is the Furthest Station of the Wali in HaQiQatu-l MuHaMMaDiya---and so he is stationed within It right under the Rank of Absolute Sealness (Dal; D) emanating from the Most Singular Ahmadan-Muhammadan Dzat (M--H--M), whose Content no one among us has any share. However, this way, the Wali, by AllaH's Mercy, becomes the Radiant Locus, 'Ayn--NuN, of the Muhammadan Secret Itself, according to the following Hierarchy, i.e., the Five (One + Four) Holy Presences:

0. Dzat AllaH (Ghayb al-Ghayb al-AHaDiya adz-Dzatiya bila Ta'ayn)

1. Nur-Sirr-Dzat MuHaMMaD (MiM--Ha--MiM--Dal; Ha--MiM)

2. 'Ayn al-HaQiQa al-MuHaMMaDiya (Kaf--Ha--Ya--'Ayn--ShaD; 'Ayn--ShaD)
3. Mir'at al-HaQiQa al-MuHaMMaDiya (Tha--WaW--Sin; 'Arsy AllaH)

4. Mir'at Tsani (the 'Alamin, the 18,000 worlds)

***

How does one strive towards the Beloved's Cradle of True Love and Perfection?

Ideally, may AllaH so splendidly assist you, one shall completely encompass the three dimensions of Islamic learning: Bayan (textual Qur'anic/Prophetic knowledge, through seeking knowledge), Burhan (affirmative external reflection, through the expansive intellect), and 'Irfan ('Ilm Ladunni, through Muhammadan self-purification, which ultimately depends on His Favor and Mercy alone). There are a few symbols alluded to so beautifully in the Qur'an pertaining to this.

Consider the following verse concerning the Prophet Ibrahim:

When night came upon him, he saw a star, and he said, "This is my rabb;" but when the star set, he said to himself, "I do not like those who set." When he saw the shining moon he said, "This is my rabb," but when the moon also set, he said, "If my Rabb does not guide me, I am afraid I too will become one of those who have bone astray." Then, when he saw the sun he said, "This is my rabb; this is the biggest (of them all);" but when the sun also set, he cried out, "O my people, I disown all those whom you associate with God; I turn away from them all and towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, and I shall not be of those who associate others with Him." (Qur'an 6:77-80)

Beloved, know that the Sun here refers to the 'AQl (in this case, a mighty near-prophetic intellect, of course). The Shining Moon represents objects magnified and illuminated by the 'AQl. And the Stars refer to the potentialities of the 'AQl. Of course, Hadhrat Ibrahim was a prophet and ma'shum, so he could not easily mistake the sun, the moon, and the stars for God; but, apparently, he did undergo intense intellectual and spiritual trial this way, as if seeing the Tajalliyat of al-HaQQ in himself, nearly 'mistaking' them for AllaH's Essence. Only then then Mukasyafa Haqiqiya took place for him.

Next, into the subject of Suluk, the (archetypal) 'horse' in the Qur'an represents the soul of man 'galloping towards perfection'. It gallops as if an enemy carrying calamity was trying to take hold of it (reign it) from all perceivable directions, every second, with the breath. Hence it has to be constantly aware of both itself (its inherent power) and the danger, and its destination, and it proceeds swiftly, like an arrow of Absolute Certainty. It has four supports (four legs): Syari'at, Thariqat, Ma'rifat, Haqiqat with which it runs in order to fully encompass its nafs towards Absolute Sublimity.

The Qur'an calls horses 'steeds of war', referring to Jihad Akbar against the lower nafs, as if AllaH was saying, "Be ready with all your Might, by Our Might, for then your (Our) enemies (external and internal shaytan) shall be afraid of you."

The perfection (the encompassment) of the entirety of the horse is none other than the Buraq, when the Four Supports are brought beyond self-density and gathered back into, and led by, the First Tajalli of RuH MuHaMMaDi, called 'AQl al-Mujarrad, the perfect, pure Divine Intellect, which is One (as Direct Emanation) with the First, Original Muhammadan Intellect ('AQl al-MuHaMMaDiya al-Kulliya) and squarely encompasses the Universal Soul (Nafs al-Kauniya). For this reason, the Holy Prophet and Sayyidina 'Ali once said, "The Purpose of Ibadah is 'AQl," which refers to this 'AQl (in contrast to the shadowy, prevalent one)---referred to as Misykat al-Anwar and Mishbah al-Mishbah in the blessed Surah Nur.

To summarize the reality of the Mu'min (he, the Muslim, who has realized the Real for himself), the Buraq has two azali wings: Ma'rifat and Mahabbat, as if replacing the objective dense role of the legs in the running horse, for the Ground of Being of the perfected servant here is the Lahut---AHaDiyat fi Kulli MiM---no longer the Nasut.

As for the 'female cow' (al-Baqarah), it is the symbol for Nafs ar-Radhiyah (the Content Soul)---with universal feminine emphasis, while the color yellow represents Nafs al-Muthma'inah (the Pleased Soul).

The profound Qur'an indeed begins in composition by the Fatiha (though historically, by descent, it begins with Surah al-'Alaq) followed by al-Baqarah (of the surrendering self of Jihad Akbar, Nafs ar-Radhiyah; while the trappings of the nafs are also described and epitomized by the Bani Isra'il) and ends with an-Nas, that of the Insan Kamil---hence we are given the Ascending Migration (Minhaj) of the Salik.

***

As for the Universal Significance of number 7, such as in the 7 heavens and the 7 earths---and the 7 rounds of the Ka'ba, know that 7 is the number of Tanazzul Nur-Sirr-Dzat MuHaMMaDi, of the spheres of Tajalliyat of what is called Halat al-Muhammadiya or the Absolute Unseen (the First All-Encompassing Manifestation of AllaH's Stateless Essence, Ghayb al-Ghayb al-AHaDiya adz-Dzatiya, also often called the Greatest, Most Hidden Universal Element (Unshur al-A'zhaM)), which is the Ahmadan Content of RuH al-A'zhaM, that of Sayyidina MuHaMMaD---there is no letter, except MiM (Kulli AHaDiyat al-JaMi', the Allness of the Essence-Sealing One, which is the same as Alif; the One, the First), to represent it; and consequently its knowledge is not to be taught in written form but must be received through the most hidden locus of the perfected heart (Lathifa al-Akhfa), by AllaH's Power and Mercy alone. UMMi, uMMi, AllaHuMMa---cease using words!

Numerically, the Name MHMD is known to bear the value 92 (11). Besides 9 (MiM, Maliku-l HaQQu-l Mubin, ANAA MuHaMMaDuN Nurun 'Ala Nur) and 2 (QaBa QaWasayn aw 'ADNa), we have, among others, three primary sacred numbers here:

11 = 9 + 2 (HuWa; Taraqi bi Dzat AllaH)
7 = 9 - 2 (ANAA; Tanazzul bi Dzat AllaH)
4 = 11 - 7 (the Seal of WujuD; HaQQ; ShaD--Dal--Qaf)

AllaaHuMMa Shalli wa Sallim wa Baarik daa'iman abadan 'alaa Haa--MiiM, wa Yaa--Siin, wa Thaa--Haa Sayyidinaa MuHaMMaDiN Nuuril Anwaar wa Sirril Asraar wa Sayyidil Abraar; wa 'alaa AaliH, Ahli Thaa--Haa ajma'iin.

Subhan-AllaH, in addition to what this faqir has shared here regarding MHMD (which has caused my Pen to break), which is the actualized Secret of all Anbiya and Awliya of the highest rank, let us just listen to Syaikh al-Akbar Ibn 'Arabi regarding the Holy Prophet in his Naqsy al-Fushush al-Hikam:

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

The Wisdom of Singularity was dedicated to the Logos (Shurah) of Muhammad because he is the First Determination with which the One Essence determined Itself before It manifested Itself in any of the other infinite Self-determinations. And these Self-determinations are ranked according to genus, species, kind, and individual, some of them included under the others. So he encompasses all of the Self-determinations, and he is One and Singular in Existence, without parallel, for no Self-determination is equal to him in rank; and there is nothing above him but the Absolute One Essence, which is 'purified' from every determination, attribute, name, designation, definition, and description. So to him belongs the Absolute Singularity.

In addition, Singularity was actualized for the first time through his Immutable Archetype, since the first archetype to be effused by means of the Most Holy Emanation (al-Faydh al-Aqdas) was his. So he attained, through the Unique Essence, the Level of Divinity and his Immutable Archetype
the Supreme Singularity.

His miracle (mu'jiza), which proves his Prophethood, is the Qur'an, which is no different from his Self and his Reality in respect of its embracing all realities, or the verbal expression which is indicative of this All-Embracingness and which came to him (without a veil whatsoever) from Allah. In either case, the Qur'an is miraculous, for this All-Embracingness and Concentration is not possessed by any of the realities, because all of the realities are contained within the Muhammadan Reality as the part is contained in the whole; nor does any revealed book denote such an All-Embracingness and Concentration, for the Qur'an is the Comprehensive Unity of all the divine books.

Allah in His Essence is independent of the world and its inhabitants. But His
infinite Names require that each have a locus of manifestation, so that the effect of that Name will appear in that locus, and the Named---which is the Essence---will reveal Itself in that locus to him who professes the Divine Unity. For example, 'the Merciful', 'the Nourisher', and 'the Vanquisher' are each a Name of Allah, and their manifestation takes place through the Merciful and the Object of Mercy, the Nourisher and the Nourished, and the Vanquisher and the Vanquished. So as long as there is no Merciful or Object of Mercy in the world, Mercifulness will not become manifested; and, in the same way, Nourishing and Vanquishing.

Moreover, all of the Names must be judged analogously. Therefore, the reason for the manifestation of all particular beings is the demand of the Names of Allah. And all of the Names are under the sway of the Name ALLAH, which encompasses and comprehends them. Further still, this Name also necessitates a Universal Locus of Manifestation, which because of its All-Comprehensiveness would correspond to the All-Comprehensive Name and be the Vicegerent of Allah in conveying Effusion and perfections from the Name ALLAH to what is other than it.

That All-Comprehensive Locus-Substance is the Muhammadan Spirit (Ruh al-Muhammadiya), which is referred to by the hadits, "The first thing manifested by Allah was my Spirit," or "my Light."

The Root and the Origin of all creatures is the ontological level of the Reality of
Realities, which is the Muhammadan Reality or the Light of Ahmad, the Form of the One Unique Presence. That ontological level embraces all divine and cosmic
perfections and establishes the measure of all the levels of human, animal, and angelic harmonies. The world and its inhabitants are the forms and the parts of his Particularization, and 'Adam and his children are subjugated towards the goal of his Perfection. To this Reality refer the words of the hadits, "I am the Master of the children of 'Adam," and, "'Adam and those who come after him are under my Banner."

Indeed, HuWa AHaD wa HuWa AHMaD. All in All is but (manifest as) One Form, MiM, AllaH's First, Absolute Reality (as Essence unto Essence), Light-Form, and Truth-Secret (Haa--MiiM), with no otherness and shadow, besides whom there is no other true form for AllaH's Essence (Dzat), in whom HuWa Ta'ala can most uniquely witness and praise Himself in Being Himself.

There is a beautiful famous hadits related by Hadhrat Jabir ibn 'Abdillah in which the Prophet explained the First Tajalli of Dzat AllaH (his Nur, Nur MuHaMMaD; Nur Kunhi-dz Dzat) and the creation of the First Four (the First Multiplicity out of Muhammadan Singularity) from his Most Blessed Light (namely, the QaLaM, the LaWH, the 'Arsy, and the Pillars of the 'Arsy, while the rest of the Universe was created from the corresponding 'residual' Light), when there was naught in AllaH's Secret Manifestation but this Nur-Sirr-Dzat MuHaMMaD. This hadits is similar to that related by Imam 'Ali, which has more detailed elaboration as it speaks of the creation of the 12 Veils of Majesty and other manifestations (the creation of the subsequent realms).

In short, Ma'rifatulLaH is, for he who has been graced by Our Light:

هو الله لا هو الا هوُ محمدٌ نور سر الذات

هوُم أنا هوُم

هو }} محمد

م ح م د

أنا هو }} م
هو هو }} ح
هو أنا }} م
أنا الحق }} د

ح م

هو الله لا هو الا هو }} محمد

اللهم صل و بارك و سلم دائما ابدا علي نور كنه الذات سيدنا محمد نور كل نور

ع ص

Here ends the role of this faqir's Pen and comes the Silence of the Rising Fire, as HuWa Ta'ala wishes.

Salam AllaH. Salam MuHaMMaD.

AllaH's most needy servant,

Dal--NuN (Dani)

Dedicated, with Fatiha and Shalat Nur, to the Spirit of Syaikh al-Akbar Ibn 'Arabi

Kanz al-Haqa'iq al-Quthbiyyah

2009-06-17T03:07:00.001-07:00

Salam Allah,

Hu MHMD!

Greetings and salutations unto the Resplendent Quthb (Pole) of our Muhammadan Path, ath-Thariqah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Akmaliyyah al-Ahadiyyah, ash-Shahib al-Himmah (the Master of Aspiration), wa al-Qawiyy al-Arkan al-Ma'rifat (the Strong One of the Pillars of Knowledge), wa al-Fatih al-Mughaqat (the Opener of the Locked Doors), wa al-Qudwata as-Sura (the Guide of those who travel at night), wa al-Warith al-Khatm an-Nabiyyin (the Inheritor of the Seal of Prophets), wa al-Burhan al-Haqiqah (the Proof of Reality), asy-Syaikh al-Akbar Ibn al-'Arabi, man yuqimu bi 'Amr Allah (he who is the Carrier of the Commandment of Allah).

As we know, Syaikh al-Akbar left quite many Shalawat 'ala Nabi, each of which is a Great Treasury (Kanz al-Haqa'iq) representing the Station (Maqam) of Uniqueness of the Syaikh as a Unique Knower of Allah's Light, which signifies his Proximity with the Reality of as-Sayyid al-Wujud wa as-Sabab al-Maujud (the Chieftain of Existences), wa al-Imam al-A'immah (the Imam of Imams), wa an-Naqib al-Mahbubin wa al-Fardh al-Ahbab (the Chieftain of the Loved Ones and the Most Unique Beloved), wa al-Maqsuda as-Salikin (the Destination of Spiritual Travelers), the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

Know that every Pivotal Saint (Wali al-Quthb) in a specific age must have Direct Encounter with the Muhammadan Presence (al-Hadhrah al-Ahmadiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah). He also receives from the Prophet a special Wird unique to him, in the form of Shalat 'ala Nabi. This may apparently be long or short, representing the Simple Unity of that which is experienced in the Most Sacred Presence of Allah, al-Hadhrah al-Ahadiyyah. In itself, it encompasses the seven stages of Dzikr Allah:

1. Dzikr Thawwaf
2. Dzikr Nafi Itsbat
3. Dzikr Itsbat Faqat
4. Dzikr Ism Dzat
5. Dzikr Taraqi
6. Dzikr Tanazzul
7. Dzikr Ism Ghayb

Nowadays, the word 'Quthb' is so often misused to simply represent a leader of a thariqah, while he may lack the Muhammadan Reality in himself. Never has the world of Tashawwuf seen such a sorry state before.

Instead, there is something truly essential that the Quthb must know, regarding his Rank. The Principal Hierarchy of Muhammadan Overflowing is known to Ahl al-Haqiqah in the following way:

1. The All-Encompassing al-Hadhrah al-Ahmadiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah, of Sayyidina Muhammad alone, who is the First Sign-Appearance (Manifestation/Tajalli) of Allah's Oneness (Ahadiyyah), that is, of Allah's Essence (Dzat Allah), by Allah's Essence, in Allah's Essence, with no relative, attainable 'openness' (directionality and derivative) with respect to contingent phenomena of Otherness, other than with respect to the Divine Names and Attributes proceeding from this State (al-Wahdah al-Muhammadiyyah), whereby Sayyidina Muhammad alone is the Absolute Prophet and the Absolute Saint, the Essence of Essences (al-'Ayn al-A'yan fi al-Haqiqah al-Haqa'iq) and the Lone Pearl (al-Jauhar al-Fard) in the Ocean of Being (al-Bahr al-Wujud). No one else has any share nor full comprehension of its Content (hence the term 'Ummi' (Indescribable) attributed to the Holy Prophet), for it is essentially, primarily, limitlessly One with the State of Non-Manifestation (La Ta'ayun) of Allah's Essence, beyond 'Manifestative Descent/Ascent' (Tanazzul/Taraqi). This is the Absolute, All-Inclusive Station of Singularity or at-Tauhid adz-Dzatiyyah, representing the Muhammadan Reality (al-Haqiqah al-Muhammadiyyah) of Ha Mim (MHMD).

2. Al-Hadhrah al-Masihiyyah, which is an Opening at the 'Right Side' of the Muhammadan Presence, existing in parallel with al-Hadhrah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Mahdiyyah. This belongs to Sayyidina 'Isa, who is closest to the Prophet Muhammad, and who is the first to receive his Light, in the line of Prophets. He receives the Muhammadan Light directly from the Holy Prophet Muhammad without an intermediary. This Station contains:

3. The Sphere of Prophets (al-Hadhrah al-Anbiyya), from Sayyidina 'Adam to Sayyidina 'Isa, who receive the First Means of Knowledge of Allah's Essence, al-'Aql al-Qudsiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah (the Sacred Muhammadan Intellect), directly from the Holy Prophet Muhammad, without an intermediary. They are also Carriers and Expositors of the Prophetic Standards.

4. Al-Hadhrah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Mahdiyyah, which is an Opening at the 'Left Side' of the Muhammadan Presence, existing in parallel with al-Hadhrah al-Masihiyyah. This belongs, primarily, to the historic Hadhrat Muhammad al-Mahdi. It contains:

5. The Sphere of Appearances of Imam al-Mahdi (al-Hadhrah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Mahdiyyah ats-Tsanawiyyah), with each appearance manifest in the Reality of the Quthb of every age. Such a Quthb is called the Seal of Saints (al-Khatm al-Awliyya), or simply the Primordial Pole (al-Quthb al-Fardh). The sphere also consists of the known Caliphs of the Holy Prophet that succeeded him both historically (in time) and spiritually (in reality). Imam al-Mahdi and the Quthb of every age receive the Muhammadan Light (Nur Muhammad) directly from the Holy Prophet Muhammad, without an intermediary.

6. Al-Hadhrah al-Awliyya ash-Shidiqiyyah al-Akmaliyyah, which extends from al-Hadhrah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Mahdiyyah, whereby the Muhammadan Light is bestowed by Allah on a few chosen souls as an Intrinsic Gift, and not by means of the usual practical training/guidance. They need not a physical human being (rabithah/mursyid/pir) to train them. Instead, they are trained by the Holy Prophet himself, whose communicative appearance (manifestation) in them is known as ar-Ruh al-Idhafi (al-Khidhr), or simply the Holy Spirit (ar-Ruh al-Quddus).

The Apex-Source of this rare blessing, after the Prophet, is al-Mir'at an-Nabi (the Prophetic Mirror) Hadhrat Abu Bakr ash-Shiddiq. The people of this State see only the Station of the Prophet before them, with themselves mirroring the Prophetic Essence (adz-Dzat al-Muhammadiyyah). They recognize the Muhammadan Reality in a most unique, singular (solitary) way, within and without, beyond the context of their birth, continuity (training), and death. Such individuals are very, very few in every age. They are usually not known to other people, including Saints (Awliyya) of lesser ranks. Their Station is also called al-Kahfi, due to its Sublimity and Solitariness. Among those possessing this State known to us are Syaikh Manshur al-Hallaj, Syaikh Bayazid al-Busthami, Syaikh Syams at-Tabriz, Quthb al-Ghawts 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jailani, Syaikh al-Ghawts Abu Madyan al-Anshari al-Maghribi, Syaikh al-Akbar Ibn al-'Arabi, Sayyid 'Abd al-Karim al-Jilli, Syaikh 'Abd al-Jalil al-Jawi (Syaikh Siti Jenar, in Java), Syah Wali Allah ad-Dehlawi, and Syaikh Ahmad at-Tijani. Some of them are, in fact, the Poles (Aqthab) of the Sphere. This is the Special Way (ath-Thariqah al-Khashah). Extensively, it is also united with the more common ath-Thariqah an-Naqsybandiyyah al-'Isyqiyyah, stemming from Sayyidina Abu Bakr ash-Shiddiq.

7. Al-Hadhrah al-Awliyya al-'Alawiyyah al-Anfusiyyah (al-Hadhrah al-Masyaikh), which extends from al-Hadhrah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Mahdiyyah by means of hierarchical chains of spiritual teachers, stemming from Zhill Allah Sayyidina 'Ali ibn Abi Thalib through Imam Junayd al-Baghdadi. It consists of the sphere of all the organized, genuine paths (thuruq) known to us (essentially there are 40 of them), whose emphasis is attachment to the purified selves of their Syaikhs (hence the name 'Anfusiyyah'). This is the General Way (ath-Thariqah al-'Ammah), which many people can afford to follow. For them, Direct Unveiling (Kasyf) in the Muhammadan Presence/Reality is simply unbearable due to differences in their substances. Instead, they must follow the expansive route, step by step, towards Allah's Ultimate Mercy.

In reality, al-Maqam al-Quthbiyyah is one with al-Maqam al-Khatmiyyah. It denotes the Wali who has fully experienced Qiyamah (Resurrection) in ar-Ruh al-A'zham (Nur Muhammad), receiving al-Faydh al-Aqdas (the Most Sacred Overflowing) directly from the Prophet Muhammad. Upon reaching this highest stage in the Mi'raj, the Muhammadan Reality is fully realized/activated in the Wali. This Self-Realized Muhammadan Reality is essentially what is called 'Muhammad al-Mahdi', and its Opening (Futuhiyyah) is what is called the Great News and the Great Fire (an-Nar Allah al-Muqada) preceding the (individual) Qiyamah. This is a highly solitary State of Glory. There can only be One Perfect Mahdi in a specific age. The chain of appearances of al-Mahdi culminates with Hadhrat Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi himself, who shall appear at the end of ends, with the Banner of al-Mutakabbir.

At last, realizing the Muhammadan Reality (al-Haqiqah al-Muhammadiyyah) is what Sufism (Tashawwuf) is all about. Everything else you may witness is like a pollen grain, a dispersing wave, or a shadow perceived in your own incapacity.

In Muhammad (MHMD), Allah's Most Hidden Essence (Dzat Allah al-Ghayb al-Muthlaq) is the H in his M, and He witnesses Himself, in His own Uniqueness (al-Hadhrah al-Ahadiyyah al-Aqdas), in the M of his H. All in All is manifestly gathered in his D, ensuing from his being HM (Ha Mim), without otherness and precedence in Allah's Remembrance of Himself. Thus, if you know Allah as Allah, you shall know that Muhammad is Love's Only Meaning in all 70,000 vast Oceans of Secrets.

Wa shalla Allahu 'ala Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammadin wa Alihi-th-Thahirin
Wa Shahbihi-l-Mukhlisin wa sallam.

Mahabbah,

Dani

The Tha-Sin of the Muhammadan Light

2009-05-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

The Tha-Sin of the Muhammadan Light

Of Asy-Syahid ar-Rabbani Husayn ibn Manshur al-Hallaj (r.a.)

Tha Sin
(Qur'an: 27.1)

"In Muhammad (MHMD), Allah's Most Hidden Essence (Dzat Allah) is the H in his M, and He witnesses Himself, in His own Uniqueness (al-Hadhrah al-Ahadiyyah al-Aqdas), in the M of his H. All in All is manifestly gathered in his D, ensuing from his being HM (Ha Mim) without otherness and precedence in Allah's Remembrance of Himself. Thus, if you know Allah as Allah, you shall know that Muhammad is Love's Only Meaning in all 70,000 vast oceans of secrets. Realizing this (al-Haqiqah al-Muhammadiyyah) is what Sufism (Tashawwuf) is all about. Everything else you may witness is like a pollen grain, a dispersing wave, or a shadow perceived in your own incapacity."

A Lamp appeared from the Light of the Absolute, the Unseen. It appeared and returned, and it surpassed the other lamps. It was a Ruling Moon, manifesting itself radiantly among the other moons. It was a star whose astrological house is in the Empyrean. Allah named him 'Indescribable' (Ummi) in view of the Unscaled Concentration of his Reality, which is his Desire in disguise, and also 'Consecrated' because of the Primeval Majesty of his Blessing, and 'Makkan' because of his Unique Domain in His Vicinity.

For your sake, He expanded his breast, and raised his power, and lifted from him the burden 'that had weighed down thy back,' and He imposed (on creation) his authority. As Allah made his Badr appear, his Full Moon rose from the cloud of Yamamah, and his Sun arose on the side of Tihamah (Makkah), and his Lamp shone from the Source of all Divine Munificence.

He did not report about anything except according to his inner vision, and he did not order the following of his example except according to the truth of his conduct. He (alone) was in the Presence of Allah, then he (alone) brought others into His Presence. He saw, then he related what he was (in Primacy). He was sent forth as a guide, so he defined the limits of conduct.

No one is capable of discerning his true significance, except the Sincere, since he confirmed its validity, and then accompanied him so that there would not remain any disparity between them.

No gnostic ever knew him who was not ignorant of his true quality. His quality is made clear only to those to whom Allah undertakes to disclose it. 'Those to whom We have given the Book, and they recognize their sons, even though a party of them conceal the Truth, and that wittingly.' (Qur'an: 2.46)

The lights of Prophethood issued from his Light, and his Light appeared from the Being of the Most Hidden Mystery, which is of himself, in himself, for himself. Among the lights, there is none more luminous, more manifest, or more uncreated-than-uncreatedness than the Light of the Master of Generosity.

His Aspiration preceded all other aspirations, his Existence preceded non-existence, his Name preceded the Pen because it existed before it. There was never on the horizons, beyond the horizons, nor below the horizons anyone more graceful, nobler, wiser, more just, kinder, more God-fearing, or more sympathetic than the holder of this role. His Title is 'Master of Existences', and his Name is Ahmad, and his Attribute is Muhammad. His Command is most certain, and his Essence is most excellent, and his Attribute is most glorious, and his Aspiration is most unique.

Oh marvel! What is more manifest, more visible, greater, more famous, more luminous, more powerful, or more discerning than him? He is and was, and was known before created things and existences and beings. He was and still is remembered before 'before' and after 'after', and before substances and qualities. His substance is completely light, his speech is prophetic, his knowledge is celestial, his mode of expression is Arabic, his tribe is 'neither of the East nor the West' (Qur'an: 24.35), his genealogy is patriarchal, his mission is conciliation, and he has the title of the 'Indescribable'.

Eyes were opened by his signs, secrets and selves perceived by his being there. It was Allah who made him articulate by His Word, and being the Proof, confirmed him as that which he (alone) is. It was Allah who sent him forth. He is the Proof and the Proven. He is the Truth by the Truth, and he is the Truth in the Truth, and he is the Truth for the Truth. It is he who quenches the thirst of the vehemently thirsty heart, it is he who brings the Uncreated Word that is not touched by what touches it, nor phrased by the tongue, nor made. His Reality is united with Allah without separation, as Uniqueness in Uniqueness, without shadow, and it surpasses the conceivable. It is he who announces the End, and the Ends, and the Ends of the End.

He lifted the cloud, and pointed to the Sacred House. He is the Limitation (Boundary), and he is a heroic warrior. It is he who received the order to break the idols, and it is he who was sent to mankind for the extermination of them.

Above him a cloud flashed bolts of lightning, and below him a bolt of lightning flashed, shone, caused rain, and fructified. All knowledge is but a drop from his Ocean, and all wisdom is but a handful from his Stream, and all times are but an hour from his Life.

Allah is with him, and with him is Reality. He is the First in Union and the Last to be commissioned as a prophet, the Inward by Reality, and the Outward by Gnosis.

No scholar ever attained his Knowledge, nor did any philosopher become cognizant of his Understanding. None, of the ancient, of the present, and of the future, can approach his Reality, either from within or from without, for he (alone) is he.

Allah did not surrender (His Reality) to His creation, because he (alone) is he, and his being there is He, and He (Alone) is He.

Nothing comes out of the M of MHMD, and none enters into his H, and his H is the same as his second M, and his D is as his first M. His D is his Universal Perpetuity, his M is his Singular Rank, his H is his Spiritual State (Inner Reality), as is his second M.

Allah made his Word manifest, and amplified his Mark, and made his Proof known. He sent down the Furqan to him, He made his Tongue adequate, and He made his Heart shine. He made his contemporaries incapable (of imitating the Qur'an). He established his Clarification and exalted his Glory.

With him, and him alone, Allah is pleased. He is the Most Certain of the Certain in the Plane of Glory, the Most Distinguished at the Peak of the Ascent, the Most Present at its Perimeter. He is the Truth, and he is the Witnessing Truth, and he is the Witnessed Truth.

He is the Most Solitary of the Solitary in the Divine Presence. He is the Singular Reality by the Singular Essence, and he is the Sign of Oneness, and he is the Sign for both (Absolute) Oneness and (Relative, Graded) Multiplicity. He is the Locus of Gathering and the Encompassment of Dispersion. His Certainty in Being, untouched by the whirling confluence of existences and non-existences encompassed by him, is his Light, which is of His Mercy. Light upon Light.

Where Beauty is sealed from within the Within, he is the Seal and the Secret. He is the Manifest Sea and the Hidden Pearl. And so, for his sake, Allah is indeed Allah.

If you flee from his domains, what route will you take without a guide, oh ailing one? The maxims of the philosophers are like a slipping heap of sand before his Wisdom.

{ }

On Ibn 'Arabi and the Genuine Muhammadan Reality

2009-05-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

On Ibn 'Arabi and the Genuine Muhammadan Reality

The women at Zulaikha's court cut their fingers when beholding Yusuf,
So shall you tear your only heart into pieces in awe of Muhammad,
In whom Beauty is sealed from within the Within.

Salam Allah,

Here's a quick, humble note on statements often falsely attributed to Syaikh al-Akbar Ibn al-'Arabi (q.s.). May Allah guide us with Pure Prophetic Light (al-'Aql al-Qudsiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah), that of the Seal of Prophets and Chieftain of Existence (s.a.w.s.), and deliver us from error, be it of philosophical or primitive nature, by means of His Clear Standards.

It is commonly known to the genuine, discerning Muslim scholars, specializing in 'Irfan (Ma'rifah) and truly cognizant of the in-depth nature of Islamic Sufism, that there have been lies attributed to the Great Syaikh, in the course of reproducing his works. These lies were originally inserted into the original works of Ibn 'Arabi by Bathini Zindiqs, from among the Isma'ilis, no doubt with the support of foreign (mason) agencies, after their systematic study of Ibn 'Arabi's doctrines, in their attempt to destroy the sinews of Islam from within (by creating division and slander) so that they might replace Allah's Verses and the Prophet's Words (Traditions) with their own neo-Platonic philosophical doctrines, on the ruins of Islam and in their ignorance of the true nature of Ultimate Prophethood.

These villainous mystics were called 'ghalis' by both Twelver (genuine) Shi'ites and Sunnis. They, in their blindness of the unique, self-complete, all-encompassing perfection of Islam, rejected the Noble Syari'ah. Indeed, they laughed at the whole religion of Islam itself, while ascribing divinity and absolute authority to their own adepts (loosely called 'imams'). They were pseudo-Shi'ites, with ultra-strong military tendency (associated with the Assassins), subscribing to the shallowest kind of theosophical extremism; and yes, they still exist today, especially in the Eastern Part of the Islamic World (such as Northern India and Pakistan), often misleading others in the name of Islamic Sufism and Illuminationist Philosophy (al-Hikmah al-Isyraq).

The great falsification of many of Ibn 'Arabi's doctrines took place immediately after the destruction of the Abbasid Caliphate by the razing Mongol forces. During the vacuum and impotence of both centralized, protective, secular power and authoritative religious scientists ('ulema, including genuine Sufi Syaikhs), many of these 'ghalis' aligned themselves with the Timurid Rulers and disguised themselves as 'sufis' and 'dervishes' in order to 'rebuild' Sufism (the culture of dervishes, later called 'haydaris' (the libertines), whom the great Mulla Shadra criticized openly), stamping it with their own mystical brand of heresy.

I'll just mention one of the contemptible fabrications they have attributed to Ibn 'Arabi (which, unfortunately, so often appears in modern prints of his books):

"...From one point of view, the Seal of Sainthood (who comes after Muhammad, in a cycle beginning with him) is inferior to Muhammad, for he is subject to the Syari'ah of the Seal of Prophethood; yet, from another point of view, he is indeed superior (to Muhammad) for the incidental sphere of activities of Muhammad was limited and its perfection depends on the activities of the Seal of Sainthood in the due course."

This is an absolute lie and greatly contradicts Ibn 'Arabi's own exposition of al-Haqiqah al-Muhammadiyyah (the Reality of Muhammad) as the Primacy, Completeness, and Sine Qua Non of Existence, without otherness (contingent multiplicity or 'shadow'), on all levels, Essential (Absolute, Eternal) and Expansive (Creational, Temporal), due to the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) being the First Self-Complete, Self-Inclusive, All-Encompassing Manifestation (Tajalli) of Allah's Essence (Dzat Allah) unto Allah Himself, which Allah subsequently displays, by means of creation, in the universes, which act as 'mirrors' for His Absolute Image (Muhammad), along with all the intelligible Names and Attributes emanating from him (s.a.w.s.). Just as Allah is Ahad, Muhammad is Ahmad, in perfect, unbroken, one-to-one correspondence, representing the Singular Station of the Universal, Absolute Seal. In his (Ibn 'Arabi's) own words, which have also been elaborated upon by his greatest genuine expositor, Sayyid 'Abd al-Karim al-Jilli al-Qadiri,

"His (Muhammad's) elemental sign is 'Mim', signifying al-Ahadiyyah al-Jam' (Total, Singular Self-Inclusiveness/Self- Uniqueness), nothing comes out of his Reality and nothing enters it; he gathers and manifests All in All, for he is Allah's Most Perfect Manifestation and Mirror. The Names and Attributes of Allah, as well as the different ranks of (incidental) prophets, emanate only from the Nature of his Sealness."

Also,

"He (Muhammad) is the Leader of all existences. Their atoms are permeated and sealed only with the Elementary Nature of his Primordial Perfection. None can approach his Primacy, either from within or from without, for his Reality is the Only Sign of Allah's Oneness, both for Allah, by His Own Essence and in His Own Essence, and for Creation, by their multiplicity-bearing creationality and in themselves."

This Muhammadan Perfection is indeed beyond temporality (spatial process), expansiveness, particularity, and directionality as the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) himself has said, "My Station is neither in the East (of something) nor in the West (of something)," and, "With me are All Names." Also, "We are the First, We are the Middle (Continuity), and We are the Last."

Indeed, Syaikh Ibn 'Arabi has repeatedly stated that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) himself, and only he (s.a.w.s.), is both the Absolute Prophet (an-Nabi al-Muthlaq) and the Absolute Saint (al-Wali al-Muthlaq), the Archetypal Perfect Man (al-Insan al-Kamil) for whose sake the worlds came to be by the sublime act of creation and manifestation, which is a most sanctified recognition in the circle of genuine, intellectual Sufis who truly understand Ibn 'Arabi's theosophical system as it should be understood. He is the Absolute Image ((Ha) Mim) of Allah, and the Total Mirror (Dal) displaying that Image as well, i.e., the Reality of the Cosmos itself in its fundamental atomic and expansive exterior forms. For this reason, as we have presented elsewhere, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is as-Sayyid al-Wujud (Ya Sin) with respect to the totality of existences, as-Sabab al-Maujud in his capacity as the Isthmus (Barzakh) connecting the Hidden Essence and Manifest Causality (Creationality, Contingency of Multiplicity), and al-Huwiyyah al-'Alam at the heart of his splendid rank as the Universal Soul.

This way, Allah has essentially performed creation by the Order 'Kun', which is the Sign of Muhammadan Perfection, where the letter 'Kaf' stands for al-Kaf (Bahr) al-Qudrat (the Ocean of Power of the Muhammadan Reality) and where the letter 'Nun' stands for Nur Muhammad (the Muhammadan Light). Furthermore, the statement 'Kun faya kun' refers to the manifestation of Adam as a first-rank Image of Oneness (Singularity) of the Muhammadan Reality, so that he (Adam) may know Allah through his own Reality (within himself), thereby becoming the Locus of Tauhid (Existential-Essential Unity) itself. Adam's archetypal signature, Alif Dal Mim, reflects the fact that he, by his being fashioned of Muhammadan Reality, is the archetypal and manifest Entirety of the Universe itself, the Mirror-Expanse of Being (Dal) where Allah (Alif) beholds His Absolute Image, Muhammad (Mim), and vice versa.

By this genuine recognition, as strongly emphasized by traditional Poles (Aqthab) such as Hadhrat 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jailani (q.s.), Hadhrat Ahmad ar-Rifa'i, Hadhrat Abu-l Hassan asy-Syadzili, Hadhrat 'Umar as-Suhrawardi, Hadhrat Bayazid al-Busthami, Hadhrat Baha' ad-Din an-Naqsybandi, and Hadhrat Muhammad 'Abd al-Karim as-Saman al-Khalwati (as well as Imam al-Ghazali himself), it is absolutely false, in general, to raise the rank of Saints above that of Prophets: Sainthood remains general while Prophethood is a special, convergent (all-encompassing) intellectual rank within the vastness of that generality. Muhammadan Prophethood (Absolute Prophethood) is the Highest Noetic (Intellectual) Capacity/Presence, often likened to the Highest Established Mountain (Thur) in Witnessing (Musyahadah), representing Prophetic Intellectual Uniqueness with respect to Witnessing Allah's Essence, while Muhammadan Sainthood (Absolute Sainthood) is the Sea (Expanse) of Intimacy without a shore, signifying the Generality of Friendship-Intimacy with al-Haqq Ta'ala.

All the great historical Prophets (al-Hadhrah al-Anbiyya) have received their ranks directly from the Highest, All-Encompassing Muhammadan Presence (al-Hadhrah al-Ahmadiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah) without an intermediary, which is their actual uniqueness and superiority (over general Saints), while only a special kind of Saint (in whose person the Great Muhammadan Sealness (Khatmiyyah) appears) can reach their general rank, receiving the overflows (fuyudh) of Nur Muhammad (Muhammadan Reality-Light) directly from the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) without an intermediary.

In general, Saints are subject to a long, directive hierarchy of mediation (through a chain of Saints), instead of receiving Direct Endowment of the Muhammadan Reality. The most unique Saint is known as the Seal of Muhammadan Sainthood of the age. So long as the Appearance of Sealness takes place in such a person, Ibn 'Arabi himself once rightly claimed that he was indeed one; yet he realized that the Fullest Appearance was not for him; ultimately, it is the sole right of al-Qa'im al-Mahdi.

Also, there are two kinds of Muhammadan Sainthood with respect to expansiveness: Special-Legislative and General. The Seal of Special-Legislative Sainthood (al-Walayah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Khasha) is Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.), while the Seal of General Sainthood (al-Walayah al-Muhammadiyyah al-'Ammah) is the Prophet 'Isa (a.s.) who shall indeed descend again as a Muhammadan Saint, representing both the Syari'ah and the Haqiqah of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.), lending his full support unto Imam al-Mahdi.

The story is much longer when it comes to the full elaboration of the types of Prophethood and Sainthood encompassed by the Muhammadan Reality; yet may this be enough for now to end all controversies regarding Syaikh al-Akbar.

It must also be noted though that, not withstanding the great intellectual capacity of Ibn 'Arabi, he was not 'ma'shum' (without fault) in his numerous secondary expositions (about the branches of his primary doctrine, al-Wahdah al-Wujud); at one point, he was simply too immersed in the expansive patterns, rather than the absolute depth, of the multiplicity of the reality of Sainthood, and once he did make an erroneous, unnecessary deduction concerning the superiority of Sainthood over Messengership (Risalah) in the Person of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), who is the Ultimate Prophet, Messenger, and Saint at once. The truth is, only the Absolute Prophet, who is also the Absolute Saint at once, can bear the Manifest Rank of Final, Authoritative Messengership (which, from the point of view of the Syari'ah, is the locus of descent of the Qur'an), irrespective of the Risalah being described as an outward or inward task (in fact, it concerns both outward laws and inner mysteries). Comparing the apparent ranks here inherent in the Singular Person of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) appears to be misleading; it is like a superfluous oxymoronic statement, "The (Ideal) Ruler is inferior to the Best of Men." Rather, it is intuitively clear that (Ideal) Kingship is naturally reserved for the Best of Men alone.

Sometimes, it just takes a higher, or at least an equal, intellect (as long as it is also supported by a most unique, singular emanation/concentration of the Divine Essence) than that of Ibn 'Arabi to be able to genuinely assess him, apart from simply being mesmerized by his genius. For, although he was a great genius, almost beyond comparison for many, many centuries, we, Muslims, should expect a greater genius ('Arif) to supersede him, explaining the science of Haqiqah (Reality) perhaps with fresh emphasis and from hidden angles. Soon, insya Allah.

I shall close this note by quoting Ibn 'Arabi's words regarding Sufism and himself:

"The Most Perfect Saint is he who sees no other station in front of him, other than the Station of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.). In his capacity (as Watad, 'Pillar'), he does not even see the station of the Pole (Quthb)."

"My system of knowledge is entirely based on Kasyf (Unveiling), not as many (philosophers and jurists) imagine, for there is no rational direction in which this Station can be approached, nor can it be achieved merely by means of striving towards excellency. Rather, this is the reward of my fully following the Sunnah of the Prophet and a great bounty from Allah Himself; in fact, I have received the entirety of gnosis, including the Pillars and Explanations, directly from the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) himself, both in wakefulness and in sleep, as an 'Arif has said, 'By Allah, if the Messenger of Allah was veiled from me even for just a second, I would not consider myself as being among you (Muslims).'"

Mahabbah,

Dani

Mawlid al-Burdah

2009-03-13T04:13:00.000-07:00

Dear beloveds of Allaah,

My dear brothers and sisters whom I love for Allaah's sake, because He is He ('Huwa Huwa'), the Most Beautiful Sweetheart without otherness, the One and the Only,

On the occasion of the birthday of Allaah's Most Beloved and our Most Beloved Master, Hadhrat Muhammad, Allaah's everlasting peace and blessings be upon him, his pure family, and his noble companions, we may remind ourselves of the exceedingly beautiful Qashiidah al-Burdah.

As you may already know, Mawlid al-Burdah was compiled by the great Sufi of the Syadzili Order, Hadhrat Syaraf ad-Diin Abuu 'Abdillaah Muhammad ibn Sa'iid ibn Hammaad asy-Syadzili, radhi Allaahu Ta'aalaa anh. This beloved Wali of Allaah, whose resting place is located in Iskandariyyah, Egypt, is commonly known as al-Imaam Abuu 'Abdillaah al-Buushiiri.

The word 'Burdah' especially refers to the Black Mantle of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s), which in the Thariiqah represents the highest state of Spiritual Inheritorship, Khilaafah ar-Ruuhaaniyyah. This is given to the Wali Quthb of the age upon reaching the Highest, Most Hidden Station of the Mi'raaj (al-Maqaam al-Akhfaa), which encompasses the Furthest Tree, the Muhammadan Tree of the Knowledge of Allaah's Essence (Sidr al-Haqiiqah al-Muhammadiyyah). May Allaah unveil the Quthb, the Perfect Wali and Mu'allim, of this age for us in our own life time.

The story behind the compilation of this Qashiidah of surpassing emotional beauty is commonly known. Once, at a stage of his life, Hadhrat Abuu 'Abdillaah al-Buushiiri (r) suffered from nearly total paralysis of his body. Death seemed inevitable. He simply could not rise from bed for a long time. Then he decided to compile the Qashiidah for the Holy Prophet (s), out of Sheer, Unparalleled Love, and with the hope of gaining the Prophet's intercession (syafaa'at). Upon the completion of his compilation, in his sleep, he saw the Beloved Prophet (s), who smiled at him. The Holy Prophet (s) wiped and cleansed the face of Hadhrat al-Buushiiri (r) with his own holy hand, the blessed hand of Mercy, with Light (Nuur). Upon this, the Holy Prophet (s) took his Black Mantle off himself and placed it upon Hadhrat al-Buushiiri (r). Once he woke up, he found that his paralysis had been totally healed.

Know that the Islamic Thariiqah is nothing else but the observance of the Sunnah of the Prophet (s), not just by performing it, but also by witnessing the Prophet himself (his Reality), making him present in one's ruuh, which is equivalent to Utmost Love, Respect, and Knowledge of the Holy Prophet of Allaah (s).

The perfection of the Thariiqah is Shalaat itself, which is the Witnessing of al-Wujuud adz-Dzaatiyyah (Allaah Ta'aalaa), known as al-Musyaahadah al-Hudhuuriyyah. As Divine Command ('Amr al-Qadr), Shalaat is the Total Manifestation of 'Aalam Laahuut (al-Martabah al-Ghayb al-Muthlaq) in 'Aalam Syahaadah. Of all the constitutive elements of the Noble Syarii'ah, we know that only Shalaat was revealed directly to the Holy Prophet (s) in Allaah's Presence, in the State of Origin of Origins, without an intermediary whatsoever, without the presence of Hadhrat Jibra'il (a), that is, at the Highest Point during his blessed Mi'raaj, where none prevails but Allaah, al-Haqq 'Azza wa Jalla, His Essence, His Oneness.

Shalaat, with its totality of configurations (Dzikr and Harakaat), is the Whole Universe unified in itself, al-Kaun al-Jaami'. As such, of all the creations of Allaah, only the Muhammadan Man can perform it, thereby truly worshiping Allaah. This is the 'Amr which Allaah has offered, in a challenging way, to the mountains, seas, planets, stars, heavens, etc., only for them to refuse it out of humble incapacity. Therefore, know and uphold this Honor, which is a gift from the Prophet's Mi'raaj!

In Shalaat, Qiyaam represents Allaah's Essential He-ness (Primacy) and Oneness, al-Huwiyyah al-Ahadiyyah ash-Shamadiyyah. Rukuu' encompasses the 'Arsy (al-Walaayah), the Distance of Two-Bows' Length (Qaaba Qawasayn) and whatever secrets it contains. Following this, Sujuud is referred to in the Qur'aan as the Station of 'Closer Still' (aw 'Adna), which is al-'Ayn al-Ghayb al-Ahadiyyah, the Station of Absolute Prophethood (Nubuwwah al-Muthlaq) and Unrestricted Original Manifestation (Tajalli al-Muthlaq al-Muhammadiyya), where the Mushalli is said to 'disappear from creationality', witnessed and absorbed only by Allaah to exist in His Essential Oneness. This is the very Station of our Most Beloved Prophet, Sayyidinaa Muhammad, who alone is 'Abd Allaah (the Locus-Gatherer of States and the Being of Reality). In it is the Secret of Complete Annihilation (Fanaa'), Annihilation from Annihilation (Fanaa' 'an al-Fanaa'), and Subsistence (Pure Existence, Baqaa' bi Qiyaam al-Ahadiyyah al-Hudhuuriyyah) in Allaah's Essence. Additionally, afterwards, Tasyahhud represents the State of Allaah's Representative in 'Aalam Syahaadah (Khaliifah, or al-Martabah al-'Adamiyyah al-Malakiyyah), who has completed the Mi'raaj and received the grace and secrets of the Names and Attributes of Allaah by means of witnessing the Muhammadan Reality in the Divine Solitary Presence (al-Hadhrah al-Ahadiyyah), which is endowed upon him by means of 'Overflowing' (Faydha).

Shalaat represents the Maqaam of Sayyidinaa Muhammad, the Seal and Master of Prophets, which is said to be 'neither of the East nor of the West', neither merely outward (zhaahir) nor merely inward (baathin), for such still represents creational division, but rather at the Unifying, Self-Inclusive Origin. Hence, Shalaat encompasses Syarii'ah, Thariiqah, Haqiiqah, and Ma'rifah at once, in the most perfect sense. It is the Tree of Absolute Certainty, Syajarah al-Yaqiin, from which springs forth the Abundance of Reality, al-Kautsar. Its foundation and pillars are Divine Knowledge, 'Ilm al-Yaqiin. Its heart is the everlasting Fruit of Musyaahadah, which is Haqq al-Yaqiin. Islaam, the greatest of religions, in fact, THE ONLY RELIGION, stands entirely on the Pillar of Shalaat. Islaam excels all other religions precisely because of its own Reality, because of the completeness of Shalaat and the perfection of the Way towards knowing Allaah, al-Ahad, as He should be known.

Always remember, beloveds of Allaah, that Tashawwuf, described in a single word, is none other than Shalaat. Other definitions, at this essential stage, are not acceptable. While the Primacy of Allaah's Existence in 'Aalam Syahaadah can be known by means of logic and reflection, only a perfect 'Aarif, Wali, Zaahid, and Mushalli may know Allaah as Allaah, that is, Allaah as He should really be known in Himself, in His own Essence, in His own Oneness (for whom the verbal Syahaadah simply becomes 'Huwa Huwa'). For this reason, Syaikh al-Akbar Ibn al-'Arabi (r) has said, "For Ahl al-Haqiiqah, the only Tangible Reality in the Universe is Allaah, while the rest (multiplicity, al-katsrah) is merely sensible. For ordinary people, it is the contrary." That is, once the Saalik has arrived at the Divine Presence (a state referred to as al-Wushuul), he is able to see Allaah in Allaah, whether or not the creational Universe, in its entirety, exists. This is because the Perfect Man (al-Insaan al-Kaamil), who himself is the Unifying Great Name (al-Ism al-A'zham al-Jam'iyyah), is Allaah's Essential Image (Shuurah adz-Dzaatiyyah), while the entire Universe is but a mirror in its restricted appearance, displaying that Image as well as Allaah's Names and Attributes.

Those who deviate from the notion that Shalaat is Primary, Waajib (Fardh 'Ayn), while saying, "We are the people of Haqiiqah, no longer are we bounded by anything; what is the use of Shalaat (Syarii'ah), which is only for lay people?" are known as Sufi-claimers and zindiiqs. They are idiots who merely pretend to be capable of philosophizing. They are slaves of their own nafsi imaginations and wanderings. Without Allaah's Mercy, they shall be blind eternally, though they may appear to enjoy it, mistaking Imagination (Khayaal) for Divine Knowledge (Ma'rifah al-Ilaahiyyah), 'Aalam Mitsaal for 'Aalam Laahuut, and Shadow (Zhill), especially of the Isthmus (Barzakh) of the Absolute Unseen itself, for the Real (al-Haqq). May Allaah protect us all from them, from their teachings.

Let us honor the Most Beloved Prophet (s) on his birthday by perfecting our Shalaat. This is mostly a reminder for myself, a sinner who is ashamed of how far he is left behind the Caravan of Love and Knowledge of Ahl Allaah. Don't be like me in my laziness, but hasten towards Allaah, towards His Infinite Mercy and Beautitude, through the Available Means.

Bismillaahi-r-Rahmaani-r-Rahiim

Allaahumma shalli wa sallim wa baarik daa'iman abadaa
'Alaa Habiibika Khayri-l Khalqi kullihimi

Yaa Rabbi bi-l Mushthafaa balligh maqaashidanaa
Wa-ghfir lanaa maa madhaa yaa waasi'a-l karami

Wa-ghfir Ilaahi likulli muslimiina bimaa
Yatluuhu fii-l Masjidi-l Haraami wa fii-l Masjidi-l 'Aqshaa

Bijaahi man baytuhu fii thaybatin harami
Wa ismuhu qasamun min a'zhami-l qasami

Yaa Allaahu, Hayy Allaahu
Haqq Allaahu, Huu Allaahu
Yaa Huwa man laa Huwa illaa Huwa

Yaa Rabbi wa'dzan lisuhbi shalaatin minka daa'imatin
'Alaa-n-Nabiyyi bimunhallin wa munsajimi

Maa rannahat 'adzabaati-l baani riihu shabaa
Wa athraba-l 'iisa haadi-l 'iisi binnaghami

Fa innahuu syamsyu fadhlin hum kawaakibuhaa
Yuzh-hirna anwaarahaa li-n-naasi fizhzhulami

Fahuwalladzii tamma ma'naahu wa shuuratuhu
Tsummashthafaahu habiiban baari'an-nasami

Munazzahun 'an syariikin fii mahaasinihi
Fajawharu-l husni fiihii ghayru munqasimi

Huwa-l Habiibulladzii turjaa syafaa'atuhu
Likulli hawlin mina-l ahwaali muqtahimi

Faaqan nabiyyiina fii khalqin wafii khuluqin
Wa lam yudaanuuhu fii 'ilmin wa laa karami

Wa kulluhum min rasuulillaahi multamisun
Gharfan mina-l bahri aw rasyfan mina-d-diyaami

Allaahumma shalli 'alaa Nuuri Sayyidinaa Muhammadin
Nuuri Wajhika-l Mu'abbadi-l Jalaali wa-l Jamaali

Nuurun 'alaa Nuuri

Allaahumma shalli 'alaa Haqiiqati Sayyidinaa Muhammadin
Nuuri-l 'Arsyi-r-Rahmaaniyyati
Wa Sirri-l Ghaybi-r-Rahiimiyyati
Wa Thuuri-t-Tajalliyyati-dz-Dzaatiyyati

Allaahumma shalli 'alaa Ruuhi Sayyidinaa Muhammadin
'Ayni-l Ghaybi-l Ahadiyyati-l Jam'iyyati

Allaahumma shalli ‘alaa Sayyidinaa Muhammadin
Dzi-l Maqaami-l A'laa wa Majmaa'i-n-Nuurayni

Allaahumma shalli ‘alaa Sayyidinaa Muhammadin
‘Abdika wa Rasuulika-n-Nabiyyi-l Ummiyyi
Fii-l arwaahi wa ‘alaa jasadihii
Fii-l ajsaadi wa ‘alaa qabrihii
Wa fii-l qubuuri

Allaahumma shalli ‘alaa Sayyidinaa Muhammadin Nuuri-l Hudaa wa-l Qaa'idi ilaa-l khayri
Wa-d-daa’ii ilaa-r-rusydi Nabiyyi-r-Rahmati wa Imaami-l Anbiyyaa'i wa-l Muttaqiina
Wa Rasuuli Rabbi-l ‘Aalamiina laa nabiyya ba’dahu

Kamaa ballagha risaalataka wa nashaha li-‘ibaadika
Wa talaa aayaatika wa aqaama huduudaka
Wa wafaa bi ’ahdika wa anfadza hukmaka

Wa amara bithaa‘atika wa nahaa-‘am-ma’shiyatika
Wa liyyakalladzii tuhibbu-an-tuwalliyahu ra’aadaa ‘aduwwakalladzii tuhibbu-an-tu’aadiyahu

Wa shall-Allaahu ‘alaa Sayyidinaa wa Mawlaanaa Muhammadin
Habiibi-l Mahbuubi-l A'zhami

Wa 'alaa Aali wa Shahbihi tsummattabi-'iina fahum
Ahlu-t-tuqaa wa-n nuqaa' wa-l hilmi wa-l karami

La-'alla rahmata Rabbi hiina yaqsimuhaa
Ta'tii 'alas hasabi-l 'ishyaani fii-l qisami

Allahumma inni as'aluka nawwar zhaahirii bi Thaa'atika
Wa baathinii bi Syauqika wa Mahabbatika
Wa qalbii bi Nuuri Musyaahadatika
Wa ruuhii bi Hadhrati Dzaatika

Bi haqqi Nuuri Sayyidinaa Muhammadin
Nuuri kulli Nuuri

Aamin yaa Rabba-l 'Aalamiin
Yaa Arhama-r-Raahimiin
Yaa Rabba-l 'Arsyi-l 'Azhiim

'Isyq Allaah,

Dani

At Last

2008-10-15T05:54:00.001-07:00

At Last

I was there when Hallaj
Kissed his primeval destiny,
Saying,

"At Last, my Love,
At last!"

"Verily, nothing stands
Between Alif and Ha."

"Here on the Mountain Peak
Brimming with the naked sky,
Praise Yourself with Yourself!"

"Glory be to You, Beloved,
These people, with their feet,
And with their pressing weight,
Would trample even on
Love!"

"When Your Harvest is at hand,
But is untimely for them,
Even Love's Flower shall be
Crushed."

"But nothing belonging to
The loud, lower world
Affirms You with 'is',
Nor negates You with 'is not'."

"Nearness has sought me,
Unity has desired me,
How can, at last,
Shyness not be slain?"

"Ha Mim."

"We both, or
You alone, know,
Sweetheart,
That I want only You."

If Love is a sublime banner,
Then he was the erect mast.

He stood in inner quietness,
With his shadow
Annihilated in the sun,

Face to face with Life,
Eye to eye with Love,
Hand in hand with
Patience.

Oh, how rare is such a
Wedding nowadays,

Where the Bride,
The Bridegroom,
And the Bridal Chamber
Are all One in
Manifest Redness.

By my soul,
The Slain One was
Love's Complete
Open Book.

O you who inquire,
To love and die like that is not
To learn how to love and die,
But to remember Love as Love.

More sincere than
A song in the night,

More exquisite than the sun
Seen through the morning mist,

Prouder than a still
Unconquered mountain,

More willing than the ocean
That sends its longing to
Distant, lonely shores,

Drunk as drunk,

He spanned himself
Like the vast sky without a horizon,
Touched only by Luminosity.

When his blood fell like
Viscous sugar drops,
Mingling with the dim sunrays
And the rising dust,

The perfumed breeze quickly arrived
And Love smiled gloriously through
The Wine-Painted Word

"Allaahu"

Thus, the Whisper found
The Whispered in a strange
Emptiness where Man is
Freed from the universe.

The dawn rose from every
Enchanted petal of my heart,
And a certain destiny was
Revealed.

Its sweetness was just
Irreducible,
My friend.

There I was, witnessing
Open kisses.

Yet, though moistened by tears,
I still tried to somehow avoid
Love's Intimation.

I saw the Eyelid of the
Sweetheart,
Seeking to eliminate
My shyness.

I asked,

"What is Love?"

The Beloved said,

"Kaf Ha Nun."

Then She said,

"To Love is to drink My Necessity,
Of which you shall be the Cup."

"And when you are full with
Sweetness,
I shall claim for Myself
The Truth that you are."

A thousand years and more
Have now passed,

Rumors have spread
Eastward and Westward,
From lips to lips,
Ear to ear,

But the memories of Manshur's
Self-Chosen Sweet Pain
Are truly louder in their silence,

In this restless heart which has
Infinite eyes of its own.

Lathifah,
Sweet Lathifah,

My Love,

I have always loved You,

In the khirqa of 'Uwaysh,

On the gallows of Hallaj,

In the wine of 'Aththar,

On the wings of Rumi,

And now I love You in
My own garden,
In a Little Flower,
Adorned with
Celestial thorns.

I love You flowing in my veins,
Caressing my heart,
Ensuing from my wounds,

As I hold You tight,
Oh so tight,

In the wind,
In the rain,
In the sun,

In silence.

How can I refuse my destiny
When You Yourself are
Present in my cup as
Taste?

How can I not long to kiss You
When You speak to me
As my own moistening tears?

How can I not want You this much,
And be wanted by You likewise,
When You are You?

Between You and me now,
Beloved,
There is nothing but Necessity,
Of which You are the
Fulfillment.

Save me from everything,
Sweetheart,
From everything,
But Your Self.

At last, my Love,
At last!

Alif Lam Mim.

Hu Allaahu Anaa Hu,

Shalli 'alaa Habiibika-l 'Azhiim
Sayyidinaa Muhammadin
Nuuru Sirru Dzaat
Rasuulillaah.

[For Mina, my Little Flower]

'Isyq,

Dani

On Wujuud, Haqq, and Baathil

2008-09-28T02:36:00.000-07:00

Salaam Allaah,

Consider the following equations:

Haqq = Good = Light (Beauty) = Existence

Baathil = Evil = Darkness = Non-Existence

None describes these more effectively and elegantly than Syaikh al-Akbar Ibn al-'Arabi (qaddas Allaahu sirrah) himself:

"Existence is Light, and Non-Existence is Darkness. We are in existence, so we are encompassed by Good."

Let's try to elaborate on this a little bit here. When the 'Aarif (Knower) says, "Al-Haqq alone exists," he means that on the highest level of Being, which is al-Ahadiyyah, there is only Allaah, al-Wujuud adz-Dzaatiyyah, such that His Existence is beyond definition, classification, and categorization. If this weren't so, both existence and non-existence would be absolutely impossible (see: http://sufi-horizon.blogspot.com/2008/09/al-misykaat-al-anwaar.html).

We say that Allaah Subhaana Huwa Ta'aalaa is Infinitely Merciful (Rahmaan) and Essentially Loving (Rahiim), because in His Necessary Oneness, there is no disintegration, divisibility, gradation, and particularity whatsoever. In other words, there is no substantial limitedness in His Being Him. That is, in His Being Him, Allaah Ta'aalaa singularly encompasses Perfect Harmony, Boundless Love, and Eternal Life. He is He (Huwa Huwa). He, the Self-Existent (al-Qayyuum), has no direct, substantial opposite ('otherness' which is 'non-existence'); none exists but He.

This is the primary, absolute level. Nothing whatsoever can be said to be exterior to it. The 'Aarif witnesses this Reality of Oneness (as a result of the Convergence of Witnessing (the State of Complete Gatheredness and Inclusiveness, al-Maqaam al-Jam', taking place in the domain of the Ruuh)) which is none other than al-Qalam (the 'Pen', the Total Intellect), which can be represented as the 'dot' in the total, boundless expansion of That-Which-Is (al-Maujuud), that-which-contains none but the Presence of Being (Hadhratullaah), that-which-spans it in the first place, called, al-Lauh (the 'Tablet' of Certainty and Existential Possibilities, Umm al-Kitaab al-Mubiin).

The Realm of Divine Essence, al-Laahuut, which is Qadiim (Essential, Uncreated) and Daa'im (Eternal), actually has two + one Presences:

1. Al-Ahadiyyah (al-Haahuut)
2. Al-Wahdat al-Muhammadiyyah (al-Haqiiqah al-Muhammadiyyah)
3. Al-Wahdaaniyyah ar-Rubuubiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah (al-'Aalam al-Asmaa' wa-sh Shifaat)

Nothing separates them whatsoever. The only 'difference' (which is not substantial at all (for none exists here but Allaah's 'He-ness' (Huwwiyyah, Essential Self)) is that al-Wahdat (al-Muhammadiyyah) is the 'Desired Self-Manifestation of Essence' within al-Ahadiyyah by what can only be termed as 'Sheer Love and Pure Longing'. Al-Wahdat, as the Absolute Spirit (ar-Ruuh al-A'zham), is the Substantial Source of Manifestation (Locus) of Essential Names (al-Asmaa') and Attributes (ash-Shifaat). In the threefold projective form of the First Intellect (al-Qalam), the First Heart (al-Lauh), and the Throne of Glory (al-'Arsy), this is called al-Wahdaaniyyah (ar-Rubuubiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah). That is why, (the Perfect) Man essentially shares the same attributes as Allaah; in fact all attributes and names come from Him. His exalted rank is his being the Unique, Total Manifestation of the Absolute Oneness of Essence (at-Tajalliyy adz-Dzaatiyyah al-Lathiif al-Ahadiyyah) which singularly encompasses the following ascending three stations of Unity (al-Wahdat):

1. The Station of the Unity of Witnessing and Action
2. The Station of the Unity of Names and Attributes
3. The Station of the Unity of Essence

Al-Wahdat is the Origin of the Muhammadan Reality (al-Haqiiqah al-Muhammadiyyah). The deeper meaning of the sacred Qur'anic initials Alif Lam Mim is that between Alif (Allaah) and Mim (Muhammad) there is no (La(m)) substantial separation whatsoever, because both are encompassed by Allaah alone, in Himself, by His own Essence. More concisely, this is written as Ha Mim. This Reality is called as-Sirr al-Qadr. Metaphorically, we can say that, when Allaah (al-Wujuud al-Aqdas) looks at Muhammad (al-Wujuud al-Muqaddas), He sees Himself, in Complete Love. As such, Muhammad sees only Allaah; none exists but Him. That is why Ibn al-'Arabi (qs) has implied that Mim (Muhammad) is the Mirror (al-Mir'aah) and Absolute Manifestation (at-Tajalliyy al-Muthlaq) of Essence (Dzaat).

As such, Imaam 'Ali ('alaihi salaam wa karram Allaahu wajhah), 'occupying' the Station of Origin (Absolute Beauty) of the Holy Prophet (s) in the state of Jalaal, once so beautifully proclaimed his great status as the Entirety of Essential Names and Attributes itself:

"Anaa Asmaa'-ul Husnaa."

Indeed, his exalted rank at the Great Muhammadan Station is such that he ('as) himself is a Unifying Name, or the Face of Convergence (al-Wajh al-Jam'iyyah), for all the Essential Names and Attributes. This is known as the Station of the Great Pole (al-Maqaam al-Quthbiyyah al-'Uzhmaa) and the Apex of Vicegerency (Khilaafat) of the Reality of the Seal of the Prophets (s). There is no station higher than this in the context of suluuk (one's individual journeying towards al-Haqq) of the Friends of Allaah (Awliyyaa' Allaah) by means of the Love-Embers of Divine Attraction and Unveiling (Mukaasyafah).

The correct knowledge of al-Wahdat al-Wujuud (the 'Unity of Being') expounded by Ibn al-'Arabi (qs) only pertains to this level, nothing else. It can only be correctly described in this context, not elsewhere. Still, it truly takes a perfected intellect and completely expanded heart to discern this sublime truth, while most people are still on the finite, evolutionary plane of expansion and contraction, on the islet of belief and disbelief. Note that Haqq-ul Yaqiin, Absolute Certainty, is not a belief (which substantially entails disbelief as its inseparable co-form) at all. Rather, it is the state of Seeing and Knowing Allaah by Totally Being with Allaah. The Holy Qur'aan describes this as the 'soothing water' because, while in the shadow of creation, nothing can be more certain and more comforting for a servant than knowing al-Haqq by al-Haqq.

Misunderstandings of Ibn al-'Arabi's teachings often arise from the fact that many people (with still imperfect, partial knowledge and tumultuous, unharnessed nafs) tend to claim the Essential Inseparability between Wujuud (Hu, Ha) and that-which-mirrors Himself (Mim, in Himself and by Himself) merely on the creational level. This is because they don't understand the other levels of existence and their subtleties.

The Creational Realm, an-Naasuut, sometimes also called the Realm of Witnessing, al-'Aalam asy-Syahaada, which is brought into being by Allaah from pure non-existence, has five intrinsic grades:

1. Al-Barzakh al-Kubraa (the Total Boundary)
2. Al-Arwaah (al-Malakuut, the realm of graded lights)
3. Al-Mitsaal (the realm of universal meanings and forms)
4. Al-Ajsaam (the material universe)
5. Azh-Zhulum (the realm of Utter Darkness)

In essence, the Total Boundary is the manifestation of the Face of Muhammadan Unity (al-Wajh al-Wahdat al-Muhammadiyyah), of the Entirety of Divine Names and Attributes; yet, with respect to creation (multiplicity, al-katsrah), it characteristically serves as the Veil of Majesty (al-Hijaab al-Jalaaliyyah) as well as the Point of Convergence in the Witnessing of Essential Oneness in phenomenal multiplicity (al-Musyaahada al-Wahdah fii al-Katsrah). The last four sub-realms, due to their specific creational nature, are subject to gradation, definition, classification, divisibility, disintegration, and hence temporality and perishment (extinction). Yet, Allaah, the Mighty Creator, al-Wujuud al-Khaliiqah, has not created them in their limitations purposelessly or for a limited purpose only. Glory be to Him, the Best Creator, from such vanity! Rather, Allaah Ta'aalaa has performed Creation as a sheer test ('play') in order that creational forms, through process and essentially inward journeying, might know (see) the difference between that which is Baqaa' (Ancient, Essential, Beginningless, Eternal) and that which is Fanaa' (New, Creational, Initiative, Perishing), so that they might know Allaah as Allaah by being stationed at the Station of Eternal Intimacy (al-Uns), which is known as al-Walaayah. And this did not take place other than by His Infinite Mercy alone since Allaah, the Self-Sufficient, had (and has) no need to create at all. But He did so, so that creation might know the Perfect Beauty and Majesty that He is.

Hu Rahmaan, Hu Rahiim!

Now, since to know the Perfect, in the total, existential sense, requires Being Perfect, and since none of His Ta'aalaa manifestations is Perfect other than Muhammad (shalla Allaahu Ta'aalaa 'alaihi wa aalih), His Only Absolute Self-Manifestation (in Himself), it is said that all things have been created for the sake of His Beloved (Muhammad (s)).

Sufi-claimers, out of ignorance, often loudly claim their 'oneness' with Allaah in this created, shadowy, sensory realm while not comprehending that it actually exists 'outside' Pure Being (al-Wujuud) by the act of creation. The word 'outside' here simply implies 'non-substantiality', and not spatiality and temporality. This claim can only be true in al-Laahuut, where the one desired by Allaah, and stationed at the Station of the Holy Prophet (s), is overcome by Essence. But it is absolutely impossible in an-Naasuut alone. Rather, it requires the 'lifting of the Great Boundary by His Hand of Mercy' (al-Kasyf), followed inevitably by 'Self-Effacement', which is the beginning of an-Nubuwwah (Prophethood) and al-Walaayah itself. Hadhrat Syaikh 'Abd al-Qaadir al-Jailaani (qs) once said, "The greatest veil (hijaab) is al-Makhluuq (the created being) itself," precisely because it (the created being) exists 'outside' Allaah's Oneness, in the realm of process, and simply does not share the Essential Self.

Since at the deepest, self-total, self-complete level (al-Ahadiyyah), nothing exists but Allaah, that which is said to be 'outside' Allaah does not substantially exist at all; it only exists as a naturally restricted appearance.

And so, finally, although we can say that the whole expansive cosmos is a Tajalliyy (Manifestation) of Allaah on the Creational Level, just as Muhammad (s) is Allaah's Tajalliyy on the Essential Level, what we call 'Evil' (Baathil), which apparently exists in this world, is only a particular display of creation whose status is like an insubstantial foam in the ocean's vastness. 'Evil' has no origin whatsoever in al-Laahuut. It has only been brought into being from pure nothingness as a test. Compared with the Absolute Reality (al-Ahadiyyah), it is but a mirage (illusion), yet human beings (other than 'Primordial Beings' who are 'ma'shuum', as they are direct manifestations of the Light (Nuur) of Muhammad (s), the Light of Essential Perfection (an-Nuur adz-Dzaat al-Kaamil)), when not dressing themselves with Purity (Shafaa') and Knowledge (Ma'rifat), can develop latent tendencies towards being illusory (insubstantial). This is what being blind is all about. And the end-point of being illusory (blind) is Ultimate Darkness (which is the Illusion of illusions, or 'total non-existence' (for, as we have seen, non-existence can only be as a created reality)), which is the fifth sub-realm of an-Naasuut.

We may recall this beautiful story in the Qur'aan about Hadhrat Muusaa ('alaihi salaam). He was given a 'Staff' ('Stick') and was ordered to strike a 'Rock' with it. Once he did this, 'Water' sprang forth from the 'Rock'. Know that the 'Staff' here, in the deepest sense, is none other than al-Ma'rifat adz-Dzaatiyyah (al-'Ilm at-Tauhiid or al-Ma'rifat al-Kull), the Knowledge of Allaah's Essential Oneness, which includes in itself the Knowledge of the Totality of Existences. The 'Rock' symbolizes creational (mental and phenomenal) self-limitations which are overcome (negated) by the Presence of Singularity (al-Hadhrah al-Ahadiyyah), while the 'Water' is a metaphor for Endless Life which 'flows' from the Station of Subsistence in Essence (al-Maqaam al-Baqaa' ba'd al-Fanaa' fii adz-Dzaat). Once Hadhrat Muusaa ('as) attained the Rank of Knowledge and became a Decisive Proof (al-Hujjah al-Kabiir), he went to face Pharaoh (Fir'aun) and his 'Magicians' who, in turn, manifested 'Snakes' before him ('as). Know, beloveds of Allaah, that the 'Magicians' alluded here represent the 'Philosophers', while the 'Snakes' represent their 'Futile, Divergent Philosophies'. (Note that this story is essentially similar to that of Hadhrat Ibraahiim ('as) and the 'Fire' of Namrood.) Such philosophies, no matter how eleborate they might seem, are infinitely far from the Convergence of Witnessing. This is given by Allaah alone, through the Sacred Muhammadan Intellect (al-'Aql al-Qudsiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah), to a Chosen Servant whom He Ta'aalaa intimately loves, as a Sign and Mercy. In fact, all Anbiyyaa' and Awliyyaa', so far as they attain such an exalted rank, must but drink the Living Water of Absolute Certainty (Maa' al-Hayaat) from the Fountain (al-Kautsar) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s), for he (s) alone is the Absolute Prophet (an-Nabiyy al-Muthlaq) and the Absolute Saint (al-Waliyy al-Muthlaq).

May Allaah Jalla Jalaaluhu protect us all from the darkness of creation by drawing us towards Loving (Knowing) Him more and more.

"Yaa Rabbi, increase me in Knowledge."
(Suurah Tha Ha: 114)

Hu Allaahu Anaa Hu!

Alif Lam Mim

As'aluka Allaahumma antushalliya 'alaa Nuuri Ismika-l A'zhami-l Maktuubi min Nuuri Wajhika-l Mu'abbadi li kulli Maujuudi Sayyidinaa wa Mawlaanaa wa Mursyidinaa Muhammadin Dzi-l Maqaami-l Muthlaqi-l A'laa, wa Sirri Hayaati-l Wujuud

Yaa Hu, yaa Haqq!

End Note

Abuu 'Abd Allaah Muhammad ibn 'Ali ibn Muhammad ibn al-'Arabi al-Haatimi ath-Thaa'i, known as Syaikh al-Akbar Ibn al-'Arabi, the 'Greatest Master'. May Allaah Ta'aalaa sanctify his soul. He is the Imaam and Hujjah of ath-Thariiqah al-Mu'tabara al-Khawwaash al-Wujuudiyyah (al-Ahadiyyah), which emphasizes both Purity of Heart and Sharpness of Intellect. By my soul, one has hardly ever seen a star of Divine Exposition more brilliant than him in the constellation of Allaah's Friends (Awliyyaa') among the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (s). He was empowered directly with the Prophetic Intellect (al-'Aql al-Qudsiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah) at the highest station of Witnessing (al-Musyaahada). In his al-Futuuhaat al-Makkiyyah, we learn that he reached this station, 'awake, not dreaming', in the Direct Presence (Hudhuur) of the Holy Prophet (s). He is the Inheritor of the Prophetic Station. He is known as the 'Red Sulfur' (the Rarity) among Ahl al-Haqiiqah. He is a Unique Diver in the Ocean of Oneness and is himself an Ocean of Gnosis without a shore. He is the Summit of Knowers and the Chosen Revealer of the Knowledge of Absolute Certainty. The 99 Secrets (al-Masyaahid al-Asraar) of the Muhammadan Reality are only available at his Blessed Fountain. May Allaah Ta'aalaa, for the sake of His Beloved (s), grant us someone like him among ourselves in the near future. Soon, yaa Allaah, soon.

Allaah's Most Unworthy Faqiir,

Dani

I Have No Other Cup

2008-09-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

I Have No Other Cup

(1)

Allaah, Allaah, yaa Allaah,

This girl that I see blooming,
Enchantingly bright,
With Your Eyes in place of my
Blindness;

Oh, she is so beautiful to me,
My heart is sealed with throbs.

She journeys in my silence
As an ancient desire;

Yes, I touched her once,
Before being.

I understand no other beauty
Except Your own;

A beauty like this.

And this shyness of mine
That turns me yellow and red
Like autumn leaves;

Does she know it?

Does she know in what name
I call her loveliness
Among silent whispers at night?

Oh this shyness,
Isn't it just a hiding place for this
Burning Love?

Beautiful girl,
Seek me there, seek me there,

Even under the blanket of dust and snow,
Under dreams and leaves,

You know that I have no other place
To hide from Love.

(2)

Though I know that
The sun too longs to kiss her every morning,

Though I know that
The winds too long to caress her,

Though I know that
All the winged and thirsty too desire her
Sweetness,

Though I know that
The rain too keeps beating out its sentiments for her,

Though I know that
Some other hearts, like vacant chambers,
Yearn to resonate with her name
To fill the misty sanctuary of loneliness,

Day and night,
Let her find my heart alone,
Yaa Allaah.

(3)

Hu Allaahu,

O You Who loves
And makes me a cup of
Your Sweet Pain,

Never veil the beauty that she is
From these tearful eyes.

For, in a single flower that she is,
Is reflected the whole beauty of
Nurooz.

How can I not want her
With a heavy madness that tastes like
The honey of June?

With every wind that swirls
In the sky and
Sings,

How can I not want to
Kiss her greatly
In my knowing her?

(3)

Shall I not wake up singing?

For a mind that sees and knows,

For a heart that beats and burns,

For a soul that loves and inquires,

Not to want her like
Majnuun wants Laylaa
Is the greatest sin that can be.

(4)

When I see my Beloved,
I open Life itself.

She falls upon my heart
Like the morning dew upon the grass;

Who is awake to witness this?

And when she does fall,
Something starts to burn upon my lips,

As a song from afar is heard
In a vastness with infinite eyes.

(5)

How can I refuse Love,
And not be fractured by its denial,

When even the proud sky cannot help
Turning blue and crimson?

When even the vast sea
Sends its waves unto distant shores,
Like a vastness without content?

When even the shy mountain stream
Runs down unto the valley to give all its
Coolness and essence?

Dani, Little Cup,
How can you not
Desire her when all things
Move in secret to land their
Kisses?

(6)

Sweetheart,
Save me, save me;

Save me from my silent self,
That hides a greater voice,

Save me, save me,
From a thousand years of solitude.

The veil of the night is no more,
Though a lonely trail remains to be trodden;

I almost cannot hear myself shouting
Your name from a distance;

Sweetheart,
Allaah alone is calling your name
By the Nearness that He is.

Where is my place in His remembrance,
Loving, and desiring?

How shall I separate myself from this yearning heart?
This heart, oh this heart;

No, I shall not,
I am on my way with dust filling my breath.

Do my dreams have doors
Through which I can escape
From Love's Wakefulness?

No, I am on my way to learn the meaning of
A single desire.

Let me devour this Fire,

Let me capture the surge of feelings
And the ghosts of lovers before me,

Let me learn how Love shapes itself,
Out of itself.

With the depth of every pain,
I see the Beloved
In the height of Love's joy.

I just cannot guard
This maddening glitter
And Love's trouble;

Don't you see?
In its heart,
The sea is driven by a storm.

Nor can I bind my sanity;

Sweetheart,
Come down running,
Every beat of my heart is calling you.

(7)

So long as the sun rises and sets
To tell us a story,

So long as the waves cling to the shore
With innumerable longings,

So long as nocturnal whispers pass through space
And the flailing night,

Love's seasons shall plant and harvest
My soul in a certain garden,
In a certain destiny.

By Muhammad, by 'Ali,

What is to love
But to sheath your sword,
Which is Reason,
In honey?

By my soul, unbetrayed,

To love is to go into the wilderness
And to find yourself in all names,
Painful and sweet.

(8)

Allaah, Allaah, yaa Allaah,

Scatter the ashes of my heart in
Love's Path,

Every bit of them shall bear
The fragrance of my Sweetheart
For the winds to spread.

Torture me with time's
Thorny whip, if necessary;

With the hours that strike in their passing,
Just allow me to be mad for my Beloved,
Your Beloved.

We both know,
You have not created me with
The smoothness and calm of patience.

Is not my mother
A beauty shaken by separation?

I was born unconstellated,
That I might quiver like this
And become a story of
Love's stories.

I am made of rainfalls and
Hidden tumults.

I am fashioned of dust ablaze,
Like a certain banished sovereignty.

I am a hurricane of dreams,
Not a petal of stillness.

Other than this madness,
I have no other cup for Your Love-Wine
For Mina.

[For Mina Sayang. Wednesday, 24/09/2008]

Dani

Little Flower

2008-09-20T05:12:00.000-07:00

Little Flower

I behold a little girl of seven,
Yes, with seven wonders,
Laughing in the embalming sunlight;

Chasing a butterfly with the swirling wind,
Which is but her own winged passion;

Gathering flowers in Beauty's own knowledge,
As she herself smells of jasmine and rosemary;

Jumping over running brooks,
Leaping upon her own soul.

What shall I do to carry you back
Into the Sea, Life's wide heart,
With me, and with
The torrents of spring in me,
My Love?

Tell me,
Daughter, Sister, Mother of my soul,

How can I not move as you move in
God's morning field,
Passing through my life like an
Implacable sweetness?

O you who hear my silence,
How can I not want to catch you,
As everything carries me unto you
Even in little, complicated, shy steps?

My heart is scarlet,
How can I not want to hold your hand
And place it there with its beat?

How can I not want to enfold you,
And all that is alive in you, in my arms
To tell you,
"I am also alive"?

How can I not want to bring you home
Upon my back and shoulders
And tell you of Love's desire?

Flower, little flower,
What lonely secrets have you to whisper
Unto the breeze and the ether
At the approach of this slow autumn?

A wayfarer and story-teller am I,
Who has moved from
Mist to mist,
From solitude to solitude.

What can I say of your
Rare beauty that I witness
At God's dawn-spanned window?

It delights me more than
My own knowledge of all silences,

It agonizes me more than
All the broken things in the path of time;

It befriends me more than
All the things that have ornamented my soul
With their shining dust and
Pricking memories.

I did not, at first, deliberately crave you like this,
Sweetheart;

Nor did I once try to attempt
To release a certain
Unsprung madness within me.

But, oh, I arrived at Love's door,
For your sake,
With a certain anxious fragility.

I was smashed by destiny's hand
To love you,
As if struck by a certain rare tempest.

Yet, tell me,
Of all the great things that we both know,
What can be more certain and ancient
Than such Might and Spontaneity?

For in it I have heard the voice of our lives,
And witnessed the eternal span of our dreams;
All within a single breath and heartbeat.

It is upon this thread of understanding,
That I have no choice other than
To know Love as Love,
And to love you like this.

Even if I have to burn all knowledge
Upon my sentimented lips,

Even if I have to pain my heart
With infinite tenderness and
Unbefriended understanding,

This heart shall always be inseparable
From you, my dear.

By the sun that slowly sets,
Whose faint reflection falls upon
The wind-caressed still water,
Without being imprisoned nor
Captured by it,

I do not seek your silence
Only to possess you in exchange of
Love's seasonal honey,

I do not wish to pluck you,
Not even with shyness and tenderness,
From the garden where you belong,
Where the roots of your loveliness are.

Rather, Sweetheart,
Place your heart in mine and
Listen:

I simply want your soft hand
To touch Life's own;

I long to have your fingers
Play Love upon the quivering strings
Of my soul.

I don't want Love's fleeting fragments,
Nor births and deaths;

I desire a certain Wholeness,
Like the rain upon my face,
And like the desert that burns unwitnessed.

I only long to caress you, Beloved,
To make your shyness resplendent.

I only yearn to touch you
To feel you rustling and living.

[For Mina. Saturday, 20/09/2008]

Dani

To Love This Way

2008-09-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

TO LOVE THIS WAY

[This aphoristic piece is for Mina whose loveliness is the drink given unto me by Allaah in my shyness and solitude]

Blessed is he who hears this calling, between the two waves of the sea that caress each other, which bespeaks a tenderness and an endlessness far greater and more ancient than humanity's own journeying and way-finding.

Blessed is he who loves and does not hide it. Pity the lovers who say, "Let's hide somewhere and kiss." For hasn't this world hidden and covered much of the naked soul of man already? What can withhold a soul from another soul when, in the morning light, the shadows of the world are too shy to cover their nakedness and to race along with the Weightless and the Boundless in them?

Blessed is he who accepts the seasons of the heart and realizes that it takes a true Lover to place the light of the day in the bosom of the night. For to love is to know the difference between the Living and the Dead.

To love is to love the Living. It is to entrust Life unto its own Heart.

Blessed is he who exalts Reason in the heights of Passion and lets Passion direct his Reason. When journeying into the mid-sea whose waves are intricate feelings and whose vortices are confusions, neither Reason nor Passion should be left behind as an orphaned wing at the shore. For what is Reason but Love's Necessity that mirrors itself? And what is Passion but Love's Longing for itself?

To love this way is to love with the translucent height of the sky, the ancient depth of the sea, the empirean expanse of the ether, and the innocent swiftness of the winds.

Blessed is he who smiles for Love's sake; for a smile, like Dzikr, is the Fullness of Knowledge and the Vastness of Love made visible. For, among all the possessions of mankind, only Love and Trust and can be given in Whole, upon wings.

In this world of shadows, many things that sway with the winds look like Love, sound like Love, feel like Love, taste like Love. Yet True Love is only discovered in the fold of silence and stillness beyond our being in this world. It is a gift taken from a seemingly very distant shore, which is covered in morning mist, and brought unto the earth as a celestial celebration and a soothing serenade.

Love, whose only dress is nakedness, is the gift of the Unconditional and the Boundless unto this conditional, self-imprisoning world. It is a gift of Eternity unto this world's temporality, often encompassed in a single breath and heartbeat.

To love is to breathe and give your breath to the one you love. It is to admire, in Full Knowledge, she who mirrors naked Life in her shyness. It is to touch her spirit with the soft fingers of dream; and not to possess her image with the claws of time.

To love this way is to gaze at the Beloved with thankfulness and direct His Gaze with equal gratitude at the Reflection of Himself which resides in the mirror of another heart like the morning dew.

To love is to place the Desire and Longing of the Merciful Himself, like a candle in someone's presence, and like a heartbeat in someone's breath, without murdering the innocent in her. It is to kiss her the way the butterfly kisses the flower in the light of the day and sips its nectar at the enveloping hand of the sincere spring.

To love is to paint, with the water-colors of joy and sorrow, the Beauty of Being upon the soft canvas of Understanding. For, in the beating heart of a season lies hidden the curves and colors of all the other seasons.

Nothing done in the pure motion of Love's sentiments is futile. For to love is to grow in the lap of the seasons like a branch in the Silent Knowledge of the Tree.

Even if you have to paint your own painful understanding of Love with your blood and tears, Love's tenderness shall not be lost. For what is to love but to caress Life's days and nights with their own substance?

To love someone is not to measure her depth in space nor to claim her in the possession of time. It is to hold her hands in infinity and timelessness with the rarest delight, simply because Love precedes our breathing. For, unless Love is recognized instantaneously, free of attributes, how can such a singular beauty be expected to unfold after a thousand years?

To love this way is not to open a window only to shut it afterwards. It is not to open our eyes unto the sun only to close them. It is to discover Allaah at the Dawn of Certainty and to love with Allaah, in Allaah, and for Allaah alone. It is to release the Solitary Truth within each one of us, and, in our Silent Understanding of Life, share Allaah's secrets with another human being.

Verily, a song shared with another in Life's own heart shall be forever in flight as it lingers from dawn to dawn, beyond the night's boundary and possession. And the hours shall become wings that beat in Love's space.

Blessed is he who, having found his True Beloved beyond the narrow edges of the cosmos and beyond the intimidating darkness of a loner's abyss, says unto his sweetheart,

"I love you so much that I can't love you, dearest, with my limited, quivering self. Nor can I love you with my past, which was but a veil. I can love you only at the Present, only as Allaah Himself is Present, and as He Himself loves you."

Dani

Al-Misykaat al-Anwaar

2008-09-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

Bismi-llaahi-r-Rahmaani-r-Rahiim

Hu Allaahu Nuurun 'alaa Nuur

Hu Allaahu Haqq-ul Wujuud

Haqq laa Huwa illaa Huwa

Haqq Allaah, Allaah, Allaahu Haqq

Salaam Allaah 'alaika

Yaa Nabiyyuhu, yaa Mujtabaa

Yaa Ha Mim, yaa Ruuh Allaah

Yaa Tha Sin, yaa Wajh Allaah

Yaa Sin, yaa Habiib Allaah

Shalawaat Allaah 'alaika

"Allaahu Nuur-us-samaawaati wa-l-'ardh. Matsalu Nuurihi kamisykaatin fii haa mishbaah-ul mishbaahu fii zujaajati-z-zujaajah. Ka'annahaa kaukabun durriyy-yuu qadu min syajarati-m-mubaarakat-uz-zaytuunati-llaa syarqiyyati-w-wa laa gharbiyyati-y-yakaadu zaytuhaa yudhii'. Wa law lam tamsas-hu naarun, Nuurun 'alaa Nuur. Yahdi-llaahu li Nuurihi may-yasyaa'. Wa yadhribu-llaahu-l amtsaala li-n-naasi wa Allaahu bi kulli syai'in 'aliim."

("Allaah is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the Glass as it were a Brilliant Star: Lit from a Blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the East nor of the West, whose Oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allaah guides whom He desires to His Light: Allaah sets forth Parables for men: and Allaah is the Knower of all things.")

Beloveds of Allaah,

Let us, with Allaah's Permission and by His Mercy, delve together into the Essence of this beautiful aayah (verse), Suurah al-Nuur: 35, in the Holy Qur'aan. For in this aayah are hidden all the essential truths and knowledge of our individual journeying towards al-Haqq, the Real.

Allaahu Nuur-us-samaawaati wa-l-'ardh. Here, Allaah, Subhaan Huwa Ta'aalaa, begins by emphasizing the Necessity and Primacy of His Being, over the totality of created, graded existences, which is encompassed by the metaphorical words 'Heavens' and 'Earth', including all the spiritual and material entities therein.

Know, my dearest, the meaning of His Being (Wujuud) here, which in itself points, beyond generality and particularity, to the Essential Light of Existence, which is His Essential 'He-ness', al-Huwwiyyah al-Haqiiqiyyah.

Without His Being Him (Allaah Being Allaah), the Unconditionally Living (al-Hayy), the Self-Existent (al-Qayyuum), in the first place, there would be absolutely nothing at all. There wouldn't even be non-existence! (The reason shall be clear below.)

Allaahu Jalla Jalaaluhu. Glory be to Him Whose Existence (Being) does not mingle with non-existence at all. In other words, in His Being, there is not a single bit of darkness (non-existence), for if it were so, the actuality (and potentiality (al-quwwah)) and being (in 'motions' and 'categories') of that-which-exists (that which has been brought into being) at all the subsequently lower realms would completely be equivalent to its non-actuality and non-being (despite on a secondary, creational, sensual level), which comes down to saying that movements (harakaat) would completely be equal to unconditional non-movements (stillness), while the absolute, necessary background of observation, which is the Whole Existence itself, existed in the first place beyond the requirement of classification and definition, and, if so, fullness would essentially be equal to emptiness. In other words, existence would completely be equivalent to non-existence in all perspectives and dimensions (categories). Certainly, such a condition has no meaning at all to the Intellect ('Aql) that sees, in its own actuality and potentiality, the difference between Light and Darkness, Substance and Shadow, Existence and Non-Existence. After all, our own individual existence, both in the spiritual and corporeal realms, is Proof that this absurdity does not and cannot take place, which, in turn, directly proves the existence of the One, the Singular, al-Waahid al-Ahad. Furthermore, in seeing (comprehending) the subtleties of existence, the Intellect transcends the different grades of existence (being) and non-existence (non-being), by means of its own inherent trans-substantiality.

At the same time, the recognition that Being does not at all mingle with (although it contains, in the sense described above) Non-Being shows the necessity that He is One, Singular, Indivisible, Unbounded such that no generality may particularize Him whatsoever.

"Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad."

In the Light of this all, we therefore say that, Allaah, the Boundless, alone encompasses existences and non-existences (without being co-substantial at all with them (non-existences)). He both gathers creational forms towards Recognition of Him, towards the actualization of true existence, beyond need (necessity), and disperses them towards non-existence, according to their existential failure at fulfillment (for although a creature, say a human being, has been created (brought into existence from non-existence) as a potentiality, his perfection (fulfillment) generally depends on his potential-based movement in the realm of process (actuality) alone), as He wishes.

Indeed, Allaah Ta'aalaa's Greatest Name is none other than al-Wujuud al-Dzaatiyya, which reveals Himself in Himself, beyond the need for Him to 'mirror' Himself in creational mirrors 'outside' Himself (which are completely non-existent). This is Allaah as Nuurun 'alaa Nuur, Light upon Light, which again is His 'He-ness', which is the 'Light of His Face' (Wajh). This is the meaning of the Syahaada, "Syahid Allaahu Annahu laa ilaaha illaa Huwa," in which Allaah witnesses Himself as Himself, by Himself, in Himself, in His Absolute Oneness, in the Beginningless and Endless Light that He is. (And not as any 'otherness', for any direct 'otherness' (opposite) at this level would be, and could only be, total, absolute darkness (non-existence).)

Thus, the 'Aarif (Knower) who comprehends (witnesses) Allaah as Allaah and realizes that attributes cannot primarily describe Him (His Essence) is content with his saying "Allaah is Allaah (Huwa Huwa)." It is for this reason that Imaam 'Ali ('alaihi salaam wa karram Allaahu wajhah) has said,

"The Peak of Knowing Him is denying Him attributes."

At the same time, Allaah's Names (Asmaa') and Attributes (Shifaat) are none other than emanations of His Essence; each of which reflects Him by Himself.

Know, beloveds of Allaah, that Allaah's Names and Attributes were manifested, beyond necessity, from the Singularity of His Essence (Ahadiyyah) only for the sake His First Beloved, Muhammad (shalla Allaahu Ta'aalaa 'alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam), His First, Unique, Total Self-Image in His own Being. This Self-Image, revealed in the Qur'aan as Ha Mim, was manifested as the Locus for all His Names and Attributes with the 'intelligible' emphasis of Knowing Him as Him (Knowing Allaah as Allaah really is). This is the Reality of the First, Total, Universal Intellect, al-'Aql al-Awwal al-Kull, which is none other than the Light of Muhammad, al-Nuur al-Muhammadiyyah. This is the Reality of that which is called 'Ruuh'. For this reason, the Holy Prophet (s) has said,

"Allaah has not manifested anything dearer to Him than the Intellect."

Again, it is this Total Muhammadan Intellect which is the Light that sees Allaah as Allaah (as He truly is) by none other than Allaah's Seeing (Witnessing) Himself in His own Oneness. In other words, it mirrors Allaah as Allaah by His own Essence. By my soul, this is the Reality of the Holy Prophet (s), al-Haqiiqah al-Muhammadiyyah, Allaah's First Beloved. Allaah's Greatest, Primary, Total Manifestation.

Therefore, beyond phenomenal multiplicity and creationality, know that just as Allaah is One, so is His Primary, Absolute Manifestation (Tajalliyy al-Muthlaq). The Substantial Image of Allaah (al-Shuurah al-Dzaatiyyah) is but One, and that is the Holy Prophet (s), who is the First, and the Only, Primary Manifestation of Essence (Dzaat). Thus, Muhammad (s) is the Manifestation ('Incarnation') of all of Allaah's Names and Attributes, hidden and manifest; the One who encompassingly represents and mirrors Allaah by Allaah, and not by the shadow of creationality. As such, his historical manifestation in this lower world(s) did not particularize him (s) nor veil him (s) from the Totality of his Noble Reality as the 'Universal Spirit'. For this reason, Syaikh-ul Akbar Ibn al-'Arabi (qaddas Allaahu sirrah) has said,

"The most excellent, balanced and correct of mirrors is the Mirror of Muhammad (s), so Allaah's Self-Disclosure within it is more perfect than any other self-disclosure there may be. You should struggle to gaze on the Self-Disclosing Real in the Mirror of Muhammad (s) so that he may be imprinted in your mirror."

It is impossible to describe the Subtleties of Uniqueness (al-Lathaaif al-Ahadiyyah) of the Muhammadan Reality in the strict language of temporality and categorization. But, we can refer to the Reality of the Prophet (s) as the Absolute Manifestation (al-Maujuud al-Muthlaq) within Absolute Being (al-Wujuud al-Muthlaq). That is, between Ha (Allaah) and Mim (Muhammad), in contrast to that which is between Allaah and the created worlds (which were brought into being merely from the (non-)substance of non-existence), there is no separation whatsoever by 'Substance' (Essence); there is only 'Absolute Self-Inclusion'. This is the Reality of the Perfect Man, al-Insaan al-Kaamil, who is Self-Perfect and Self-Eternal (Baqaa', Qadiim) in Allaah; for, in Allaah, his being is Allaah's own Being.

The Muhammadan Perfection as Essentially Complete is also described by Allaah Himself in Suurah Shad in the Holy Qur'aan in the following phrase:

"...limaa khalaqtu bi Yadayya..."

("...whom I have fashioned with My Two Hands...")

In this context, the phrase 'Two Hands of Allaah' refers to the Endowment of Divine Love-Intimacy and Knowledge, in complete perfection (totality), upon the 'Archetypal Man' ('Aadam).

As we have said elsewhere, the manifestation of the Light of the Prophet (s) took place before the creation of the worlds, before the creation of the 'Pen' (al-Qalam), the 'Tablet' (al-Lauh), and the 'Throne' (al-'Arsy). Once 'Longing' (which is an eternal secret that can only be described as 'Pure Love's Longing') is conceived, it is subtly necessary for Allaah, the Perfect (al-Kaamil) and the Singular (al-Ahad), to also manifest the Perfect and Singular in Himself, for multiplicity (division and individual separability) does not and cannot exist at this level (the level of Kunhi al-Dzaat or al-Ahadiyyah).

The state of multiplicity is nothing but an attribute of 'otherness' (that which is new, creational, non-ancient; 'that which is not Allaah'), which exists only in created realms whose underlying substance is pure non-existence. As a result, the totality of the created worlds is characterized by temporality (perishment) and division (gradation), which is the only condition that globally supports perpetual appearance and disappearance; evolution and devolution; convergence and divergence. The worlds, therefore, are in need of continuous sustenance from Allaah, Whose Existence is the (Only) True Existence.

It should also be emphasized here that although creation does exist in its own right, despite decaying, it does so not just in a 'purely illusory state' as some Eastern philosophers and mystics have imagined, it exists only as a boundary (hijaab) for itself.

In recognition of the above, we can now proceed to reveal the meaning of the rest of the aayah:

"Matsalu Nuurihi kamisykaatin fii haa mishbaah-ul mishbaahu fii zujaajati-z-zujaajah. Ka'annahaa kaukabun durriyy-yuu qadu min syajarati-m-mubaarakat-uz-zaytuunati-llaa syarqiyyati-w-wa laa gharbiyyati-y-yakaadu zaytuhaa yudhii'. Wa law lam tamsas-hu naarun, Nuurun 'alaa Nuur. Yahdi-llaahu li Nuurihi may-yasyaa'. Wa yadhribu-llaahu-l amtsaala li-n-naasi wa Allaahu bi kulli syai'in 'aliim."

Here Allaah Ta'aalaa refers to the following Realities:

1. 'Nuurihi', His Light, which is none other than the Light of Muhammad (s), al-Nuur al-Muhammadiyyah. This Light is also called the Light of Lights, Nuur-ul Anwaar, and the Secret of Secrets, Sirr-ul Asraar, for the reason already given above. The number of its Primary Emanations is often said to be 144,000 which represents the total number of the (historical) Prophets (Anbiyyaa') and Saints (Awliyyaa'). Know that some of the Prophets and Saints are those who have not only been granted 'first-rank access' to the First, Universal (Muhammadan) Intellect, by which the Face of the Real (al-Haqq) is 'unveiled', but are also Direct Manifestations of the Light of Muhammad (s), from before the creation of the worlds.

This is like the poetic saying,

What do you say of those who have grown towards the Sun,

From the darkness of the Earth?

Don't be amazed,

They have long had their Eyes in the Sun.

These emanations are known as al-Arwaah al-Muqaddas, and are generally stationed at the Station (Maqaam) of 'Witnessing Allaah and Being Witnessed by Him', which is the Station of 'Two Bows' Length or Closer Still'.

2. 'Misykaat', the 'Niche', which is the domain of 'Being with Allaah in Allaah', which is known as al-Walaayah al-Muthlaq (Absolute Friendship-Intimacy with Allaah). From 'outside' (from within created realms), it may appear 'absolutely dark', as if 'non-existent', for it takes a perfected, totally expanded intellect, if not the Muhammadan Light itself, to see its Reality. Yet, this 'darkness' is what 'hides' the Light of Allaah: the Muhammadan Light, the Light-Source of all lights in existence. It is the Sacred Domain of Essence, and only True Lovers (Awliyyaa') and True Knowers ('Urafaa) of Allaah can dwell therein. After being veiled in creational realms, Allaah invites the Awliyyaa' ('Urafaa) to the Level of Direct Witnessing (al-Musyaahadah al-Hudhuuriyyah) and Eternal Being (al-Baqaa' bi Allaah) there, for the sake of His First Beloved, Muhammad (s), by means of His First 'Longing'.

3. 'Mishbaah-ul Mishbaah', 'Light within Light'. The first light here refers to the Inner, Most Hidden, Light, which is the Light of Muhammad (s), the Total Intellect, also known, in this sense, as the Sacred Intellect (al-'Aql al-Qudsiyyah), which is the Goal of Evolution and the Point of Convergence (which is denoted in the Qur'aan as the letter Ba') of all creational forms, while the second light refers to the Perfected, Creational, Expansive Intellect (al-'Aql al-Munbasith), which, in truth, is the level of the Angel Jibra'il ('alaihi salaam) who functions as the 'Expositor' for the Abstract, Universal Intellect. Prior to reaching this level, the intellect, in general, expands and contracts; evolves and devolves in the realm of process.

4. 'Zujaajati-z-Zujaajah', 'Glass within Glass' or 'Mirror within Mirror'. The first ('inner') Mirror here is again the Holy Prophet (s), Ha Mim, the Perfect, Universal Man who, in the first place, is the Absolute, Substantial Image of Allaah's Essence, who mirrors Allaah by His own Essence and exists endlessly in His Beginningless and Endlessness as His Absolute, Total Manifestation (Tajalliyy al-Muthlaq). Since, at this level, nothing exists but Allaah's Essence, this Absolute Mirror is said to be the 'Mirror without Glass'. The Reality experienced by the Perfected Sufi, who is the second ('outer') Mirror in this aayah, at this level, is called al-Wahdah al-Wujuud (often roughly translated as 'the Unity of Being'). After experiencing Annihilation (Fanaa'), which is the removal of restrictive, creational attributes at the Point of Unity of Witnessing (al-Wahdah al-Syahuud), the Sufi is said to be 'absorbed' eternally into the Reality of the Holy Prophet (s) and is therefore in the state of Inseparability and Total Intimacy with Allaah Himself. As such, he is referred to by Allaah Himself in this aayah as a 'Brilliant Star', or the Greatest, Resplendent Sign, al-Hujjah al-A'zham, for at this level, the Sufi, in Perfect Union with the Holy Prophet (s), is said to manifest Allaah's Face (Wajh), which is the totality of all of His Names and Attributes. This state is called al-Baqaa' ba'd al-Fanaa' fii al-Dzaat, which, again, is al-Wahdah al-Wujuud itself.

5. The phrase "syajarati-m-mubaarakat-uz-zaytuunati-llaa syarqiyyati-w-wa laa gharbiyyati-y-yakaadu zaytuhaa yudhii'" refers to the blessed Muhammadan Tree of Thu Ba, which is known as the Eternal Tree of Absolute Certainty (al-Syajarat al-Yaqiin), whose fruit is here called Zaytuun, which, in its perfected state, is the Universal Fruit (which is also represented by another fruit called al-Tiin) without any 'seed' or partiality, which represents the Fruit of Total, Impartial Knowledge (Ma'rifat al-Kull). Again, this represents the Goal of evolution of graded, creational forms towards Prophetic (Muhammadan) Intellect, towards knowing Allaah as He should be essentially known.

6. The phrase "neither of the East nor of the West" in this aayah refers to the Unique Ahmadan Reality of Gatheredness and Self-Completeness (al-'Ayn al-Jam' al-Muhammadiyyah). This is because of the exalted status of the Holy Prophet (s) as al-Ruuh al-A'zham, the 'Greatest, All-Encompassing Spirit', whose rank in the realm of Nubuwwah (Prophethood) and Walaayah (Sainthood) is like that of the Sun in a constellation of planets and stars. The Exalted Station of the Prophet (s) (al-Maqaam al-Mahmuud) therefore singularly encompasses both the East (the inward (baathin) realm of substantial meaning) and the West (the outward (zhaahir) realm of corporeal forms) while nothing; no station, no hierarchy, no directionality; whatsoever exists outside his blessed Reality. This is the significance of the letter Mim: nothing enters it and nothing comes out of it; it is Self-Complete (Self-Perfect) in Essence. Thus, the Holy Prophet (s) is also referred to as the 'Axis-Self of the worlds' (al-Waliyy al-Quthb al-Awaalim or al-Huwwiyyah al-'Aalam).

7. The phrase "whose Oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it" again refers to the Reality of Muhammad (s), al-Haqiiqah al-Muhammadiyyah, as Dzaatiyy (Essential), Self-Radiant in Essence, untouched by the 'fire' of 'otherness' (creationality). Its metaphorical description as the 'Substantial Fire' or the First Radiant Manifestation of Essence (al-Faydh al-Muqaddas) is given in Suurah al-Humaza as

"Naarullahi-l muuqadah. Allatii taththali'u 'alaa-l-af'idah."

("The Fire of Allaah kindled to a blaze, which reaches into the heart (substance) of being.")

8. 'Nuurun 'alaa Nuur', Light upon Light, again refers to Allaah's Essential 'He-ness' that pervades al-Insaan al-Kaamil (Muhammad (s)), al-Huwiyyah al-Haqiiqiyyah, as we have described above. This is the Light of Existence, the Reality that sees Himself in Himself by Himself.

9. The phrase "Allaah guides whom He desires to His Light", as we have also described, refers to the Attraction of a chosen servant (saalik) to the Station of Direct Witnessing, in Essence, by means of Allaah's own Desire or Longing for him, that he may know Him as Him (as He desires to be known). All this does not take place unless it is for the sake of Allaah's First, Primary Beloved, Muhammad (s), about whom (s) Allaah Himself has said,

"If it had not been for you, O Muhammad, I would not have created."

10. By the phrase "Allaah sets forth Parables for men", Allaah means that all things, particular and general, in existence are united not in their perishing substance (which is but pure non-existence brought into being by His Infinite Power (Qudrat)), but in the Realm of Meaning which has always existed in Allaah's Timeless, Total Knowledge, and which is beyond creational gradation. Thus, since this has always existed from Pre-Eternity, all creational things are brought into being from non-existence only through the trans-substantial gatheredness of His Boundless Knowledge of that which is Wujuud (Existent) and that which is 'Aadam (Empty), which, with respect to creational reality, is the Manifest Book (al-Kitaab al-Mubiin), which is none other than the greater status of 'Aadam.

The meanings of things, whether ancient (qadiim) or new (huduuts), therefore necessarily converge towards Knowing the Necessary Being (al-Waajib al-Wujuud) which, in itself, guarantees creation to be non-futile, for "Allaah has not created the worlds in vain," because it is necessary for Him to manifest a generality, such as a systematic universe, which functions as an expansive mirror for His Presence and His Knowledge of Pre-Eternity itself. All this is related to what is known as al-Ma'rifat al-Rubuubiyyah whose beginning is al-Kasyf al-Ma'nawiyyah (Unveiling at the level of Universal, Substantial Meaning).

"Allaahumma shalli wa sallim wa baarik 'alaa Ruuh-il 'Azhiim, Sayyidinaa Muhammadin Nuuri-dz-Dzaatiyya. Nuur-il Anwaar wa Sirr-il Asraar. Sayyid-il Mursaliin wa-l Anbiyyaa'. Quthb-il Aqthaab wa Imaam-il Awliyyaa' wa Hujjat-il Ashfiyaa'. Sulthaan-il 'Arsy-il-'Azhiim. Ruuhullaah wa Wajhullaah wa Habiibullaah. Sayyid-il Wujuud wa Sabaab-il Maujuud. Sirri-s-Saarii fii Saair-il Asmaa' wa-sh-Shifaat. 'Ayn-il Ahadiyyatilladziin fataha bi hii kullu maqfuulin wa jabara bi hii kullu maksuurin wan 'ataqa bi hii kullu maqhuurin. Yaa Hu, yaa Hayy, yaa Haqq. Shalla Allaahu Ta'aalaa 'alaihi wa aalihi wa baarik wa sallim."

[Dedicated with affection to Mina Habiibatullaah; may the Morning in the Beloved's Eye always be yours...]

'Isyq,

Dani

Laylat-ul Mi'raaj: Thousands of Shalawaat

2008-07-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

Allaahu, Allaahu, Allaahu!

Allaahu yaa Mahbuubanaa

Yaa Hu yaa Haqq-ul Wujuud

Yaa Huwa man laa Huwa illaa Huwa

Anta Huwa wa Huwa Anta

Sirr, Sirr, Sirr

Allaahu Wujuud-idz Dzaatiyya

Allaahu Nuurun 'alaa Nuur

Yaa Allaah yaa Rabbanaa

Shalli afdhaal-as shalawaat 'alaa-n Nabi Mahbuubanaa

Sayyid-il Mi'raaj Muhammadin Naa'ibi Hadhrati Dzaatika

Nuuri Wajhika

Nuuri Jalaalika wa Jamaalika wa Kamaalika

Allaahu Jalaal, Allaahu Jamaal

Allaahu yaa Mahbuubanaa

As'aluka ladzdzatan nazhari ilaa Wajhika

Bi haqqi Habiibika

wa Imaami Hadhratika

wa Sirri Asraarika

wa Bahri Anwaarika

wa Ma'dini 'Ilmika

wa Thariiqati Syarii'atika

wa Haqiiqati Thariiqatika

wa Nuuri Ma'rifatika

wa Haza'ini Rahmatika

wa Tirazi Mulkika

wa 'Arusi Mamlakatika

Habiibii wa Sayyidii Muhammad

Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad

Insaani 'Ain-il Wujuudi wa-s Sababi li kulli Maujuud

Yaa Allaahu yaa Mahbuub Hu

Shalla 'alaa Dzaati-l Muhammadiyya-l Lathiifa-l Ahadiyya

Shalla Allaahu 'alaa Ruuh-ul Muhammadiyya-l 'Azhiim

Hu Allaahu Mahbuub Hu!

Beloveds of Allaah,

May Allaah, the Beloved, submerge you all in His Ocean of Mercy on the Night of Ascension (Laylat-ul Mi'raaj), which is the Night of Power (Laylat-ul Qadr) whose Splendor surpasses the totality of creational worlds and their phenomenal multiplicity. May He Ta'aalaa, the Beautiful, show you all the Sign of His Signs by His Oneness (Ahadiyyah), for the sake of His First and Foremost Beloved, Sayyidinaa Muhammad (shalla Allaahu 'alaihi wa aalihi-th thaahiriin wa shahbihi ajma'iin).

Allaah Ta'aalaa says in the Opening of Suurah al-Israa' in al-Qur'aan al-Kariim:

"Glorified be He (Allaah) Who took His Slave (Muhammad, s.a.w.s.) for a Journey by Night from the Sacred Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haraam) to the Furthest Mosque (al-Masjid al-'Aqshaa) whose surroundings We have blessed, in order that We might show him (i.e. unveil for him) Our Ayat (Sign). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer."

Know, dear sweethearts, the essential meaning of this remarkably beautiful verse whose heart forms the Essence of Islaam itself. Indeed, this is the very foundation of Tashawuf (Sufism). On this precious occasion of the Mi'raaj of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), let us therefore remind ourselves of a few essential points implied by it.

In the above verse, the word 'Slave' means His Essential Beloved, the One desired by Him, the Real (al-Haqq), for Himself. In the outward (creational) realm of forms, this word implies a very humble position though it is but an infinitely tender metaphorical expression (majaaz) of Sincere Love ('Isyq Haqiiqiyah) which is desired by none other than the Seal of the Messengers of Allaah (s.a.w.s.) himself (in a famous hadith, he (s.a.w.s.) outwardly declares that he would rather be a Slave-Prophet than a King-Prophet). Yet the title 'Slave' here hides the Secret of Secrets (Sirr al-Asraar) in the most hidden realm of Essence (Dzaat), in Allaah's boundless Silence.

The True Lover is called 'Slave' by Allaah Ta'aalaa in honor of His First Beloved (s.a.w.s.) because in the realm of Essence, unlike in the realm of creational entities, only His Infinitely Subtle, yet Irresistible, 'He-ness' (al-Huwwiyyah al-Jalaaliyyah wa-l Jamaaliyyah) matters. And, prior to 'being desired (wanted) by Him for Himself' this cannot but require the vanishing of creational individuality so that the Slave may subsequently 'encapsulate' all the elixirs (al-lathaaif) of the Beloved's First Longing directly in the fold of Reality, without essential (substantial) separation from the Real.

This cannot be achieved through perishment (fanaa') alone. It is ultimately achieved only through the endowment of Substantial Attributes (ash-Shifaat al-Haqqaani) emanating from Allaah's own Essence (Dzaat) upon the Slave. This is in order that the Wayfarer (Saalik) may know, truly know, the Beloved by means of Direct, Intimate Witnessing (al-Musyaahadah al-Hudhuuriyyah). And, in the whole process of crossing the 'Intermediary Island' (al-Barzakh) between Essence (Absolute Unity, Reality) and Creationality (Divisibility, Relativity), the Wayfarer depends on Allaah's Essence alone, for 'otherness' (that-which-is purely creational) does not, and cannot, exist in the realm of Essence. Therefore he is called a 'Slave', i.e., the one who in his journeying towards Self-Actualization relies on Allaah's Mercy and Power alone. He entirely depends on Allaah's Longing for himself in his way towards Unveiling (Kasyf).

Allaahu Qaadir, Allaahu Muqtadir, Allaahu Jalla Jalaaluhu

They ask me why I achingly love my Laylaa this much,
Whose name I can only utter with shyness and painful longing.

They wonder why I am drowning in self-exhaustion and self-extinction,
When they see no sun nor moon nor stars in her countenance.

Oh speaking of faces!
What do you know of faces?
And eyes?

Have you ever seen the Full Moon hidden from wakeful eyes
Behind the curtain of a thousand nights?

Friend, if you insist upon calling me mad,
Just replace your eyes with these eyes of mine,
And be drowned in the tears of those who know Love as Love.

These are the tearful eyes of Laylaa herself

For I have sold my own unto Love's Blinding Flame.

I am the Price of my sweet Lathiifah, my Love,
I am the Ransom of Love's Taste and Severity.

May you understand why this heart throbs for that which it sees
Between the Shadow and the Spirit.

Now, let's consider the rest of the above verse:

"...for a Journey by Night from the Sacred Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haraam) to the Furthest Mosque (al-Masjid al-'Aqshaa) whose surroundings We have blessed, in order that We might show him (i.e. unveil his Real Self beyond temporality) Our Ayat (Sign). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer."

Subhaan Allaah! If you are able to read this with Comprehension and heightened sensitivity (taste), you shall be in the Garden of Intimacy where Rivulets of Wine flow eternally. The word 'Night' here refers to the state of multiplicity of creational existences, which is the totality of the created worlds. This is the Great Veil (Hijaab) that both spans countless separable, perishable forms and 'mirrors' al-Haqq at the same time but lacks the 'substance' of His Reality. Therefore, going beyond the Veil is necessary in our journeying from that-which-is perishing and relative to that-which-is Real in Itself. And this can only be achieved by means of Essential Power which enables the Saalik to cross the Boundary through the Reality of the First Sacred Manifestation (Emanation, Zhuhuur) of Allaah's Essence (al-Faidh al-Muqaddas), Muhammad (s.a.w.s.), whose Rank in the realm of Essence is that of the First, Universal Spirit (ar-Ruuh al-A'zham), while, with respect to the realm of Creationality, he (s.a.w.s.) is the Great Isthmus (al-Barzakh al-Kubraa) and the Subtle Boundary (al-Misykaat al-Khaafi). Hence, with respect to creational existences, the name 'Laylat-ul Qadr' refers to the Body of Muhammad (al-Binyah al-Muhammadiyyah), which is the apparent establishment of the 'Arsy (Throne) of Allaah, which is none other than Walaayah. The word 'Body' here refers to the 'Substantial Mirror' by which al-Haqq is 'reflected' ('seen') in the realm of passing shadows.

The Sacred Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haraam) refers to the Sacred Heart of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.), which is absolutely strictly forbidden for 'otherness' ('that-which-is-not (of) Essence'). This is the Domain of the Real, the 'Private Realm' (al-Mihraab) of the Presence of Singularity (al-Hadhrah al-Ahadiyyah) alone.

The Furthest Mosque (al-Masjid al-'Aqshaa) refers to the Direct Witnessing (al-Musyaahadah al-Hudhuuriyyah) of the Most Hidden Essence (al-Wujuud adz-Dzaatiyyah) in the Muhammadan Light (an-Nuur al-Muhammadiyyah) whose Radiant Essence is from Allaah's own Essence. This is the 'Mount Sinai of Comprehension', the highest point of Knowing, the Total Muhammadan Intellect (al-'Aql al-Kull al-Muhammadiyyah) which is also the First, Universal Intellect (al-'Aql al-Awwal). Very, very few can reach this Station. Those among the Sufis (Awliyyaa') that have reached this Station actually receive their Light directly from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), without an intermediary whatsoever. Consequently, they are directly empowered by the Highest Substance ('Illiyyin) and see no other station but the Station of Muhammad (al-Maqaam al-Ahmadiyyah), which is the Eternal Station of Existential Perfection (al-Maqaam al-Baqaa' bi Allaah ba'd al-Fanaa').

The phrase "whose surroundings We have blessed" represents the Domain of Friendship-Intimacy (Walaayah) given to those who, through the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), have reached his Reality (al-Haqiiqah al-Muhammadiyyah) by following him in performing their own Ascension (Mi'raaj) towards the Real (al-Haqq). The true blessings in this sacred domain are therefore Direct Knowledge of Allaah Ta'aalaa (al-Ma'rifat adz-Dzaatiyyah) and Subtle Knowledge of the Real (adz-Dzaat al-'Ilm) which is also known as the 'Sacred Drink' (asy-Syaraab al-Wasl). Therefore, when someone reaches this Point of Walaayah and dwells in its substantial heart, he becomes a Sign (Ayat) of His Signs. A Face (Wajh) of His Faces. A Name (Ism) of His Names.

Finally, Allaah Ta'aalaa closes the verse with

"Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer."

This is meant to signify the fact that the advanced journey of the Lover towards the Beloved is entirely mediated by the Power, i.e., Essential Hearing and Seeing, of the Real alone. In other words, by the Witnessing of the Real Himself. This is because "Essence (Truth) is experienced only with (that-which-is of) Essence (Truth)." That is why it is normal for the Sufis to say, "We have seen Allaah by Allaah."

Beloveds of Allaah, we have seen what an exalted reality the Mi'raaj is. Therefore it is irresistibly incumbent upon those with real Taste (Dzauq) and Longing (Syauq) to proceed towards the Best of stations, the Station of Ihsaan (Excellence). Know that this is the highest Goal (Purpose) of Creation itself.

Alhamdulillaah, this has been made possible by Allaah, Who is Most Merciful, Most Loving, for some among the Ummah of Sayyidinaa Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). He Ta'aalaa has truly exalted some of us above other communities by means of 'Ahmadan Wushuul' (Arrival). Allaah has desired a few among us to be His Awliyyaa', for the sake of His First Beloved (s.a.w.s.).

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said,

"My Mi'raaj has been given unto my Ummah, through Shalaat."

Indeed, Shalaat ('Namaaz', which encompasses Witnessing (Syahaada)) is the First Pillar of Islaam for it unites all the essentials of reaching and knowing Allaah Ta'aalaa (al-wushuul ilaa Allaah). Nothing whatsoever can replace it. In Shalaat, and only in Shalaat, Syarii'ah, Thariiqah, Haqiiqah, and Ma'rifah are all encompassed as One.

Let's heed a few subtle points related to Shalaat:

1) The Qiyaam (Standing). This represents the letter 'Alif' (or, 'Mim', in the absolute sense), the First Alphabetical Letter, which represents the Direct Witnessing of Allaah as the One (al-Waahid al-Ahad) or the Necessary Being (al-Waajib al-Wujuud) both in phenomenal multiplicity and in the realm of Essence. It is often said to especially represent the Eternally Living (al-Hayy) and the Self-Existent (al-Qayyuum), among Allaah's Names and Attributes. Therefore, it represents the stations of Ahadiyyah and Waahidiyyah at once. In fact, the latter is essentially encompassed by the former. This is the station known as al-Maqaam al-Tauhiid (the Station of Allaah's Singularity), which encompasses 'al-Tauhiid ar-Rubuubiyyah adz-Dzaatiyyah' (with respect to Allaah's Singular, Intrinsic, Essential, Absolute, Necessary Being) which is one with 'al-Wahdat al-Asmaa' wa ash-Shifaat' (through which one exalted by Allaah Himself is said to represent the Unity of His Manifestations: His Names and Attributes). This station, encompassed by the Qur'anic verse 'Qul Hu Allaahu Ahad' ('Say: He is Allaah the Singular, Absolute Truth-Being' (i.e., Singular and Absolute in Himself, without anything particular or general which is exterior and dual to Him whatsoever: 'Huwa Huwa' ('He (alone) is He') or 'Allaahu Allaahu' ('Allaah is Allaah')), is the actual Foundation of the 'Seven Heavens' and the 'Seven Earths', and is therefore the Pillar of Pillars of Ma'rifat, and is the Heart of Existential Purity (Shafaa') itself. In fact, all other particular stations in the Shalaat are but subtle manifestations of this station.

2) The Rukuu'. The corresponding letter for this is 'Tha' ('Mim'). This represents, in an apparent form, the Station of Walaayah itself. And Walaayah is precisely the 'Arsy or Kursi (Throne) of al-Haqq whose Reality extends infinitely beyond the heavens (spiritually graded forms) and the Earth (the coarse physical realm).

3) The Sujuud. The representative letter for this is 'Mim' which signifies Existential (Muhammadan) Perfection, the First and the Last, the Unique, the Self-Complete, which is beyond the phenomenal forms (existences) of the creational Universe. Therefore, in the zhaahir (outward) way, it is performed by 'annihilating one's creational face', in addition to all the 'seven points' of the human body, in the Presence of the Real (al-Wujuud al-Muthlaq), so long as one's face here represents creational individuality.

The first Sujuud (in each raka'a) represents the Station of al-Fanaa' through the Reality of Direct (Prophetic) Knowledge (al-Maqaam an-Nubuwwah al-Muthlaq). The second Sujuud represents the Station of al-Baqaa' (al-Maqaam al-Walaayah al-Muthlaq). The Two 'Mims' in the Name 'Muhammad' indeed reflect these realities. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is both the Absolute Prophet (Nabi) and the Absolute Saint (Wali). In fact, the exalted Rank of the Seal of Prophets and Messengers can only be claimed by he who is essentially and singularly both the Absolute Prophet and Absolute Saint at once.

4) The Tasyahhud. The letter for this is 'Ha' ('Mim'). This is the Station 'hidden' between the Two 'Mims' (two sujuuds). In other words, this lies in, and is perfectly sealed by, the Muhammadan Heart (al-Qalb al-Muhammadiyyah, also essentially known as as-Sirr ar-Rahmaani) itself. At this station, one, as a Radiant Manifestation of the First Universal Spirit, beholds Allaah as 'Nuurun 'alaa Nuur' (Light upon Light), by the Power of Nubuwwah al-Muthlaq which is one with Walaayah al-Muthlaq. This is the Fulfillment or Perfection of 'Aadam ('alaihi salaam) told in the Qur'an (in 15: 29):

"Once I perfect him ('Aadam), and blow into him My Ruuh, you shall fall prostrate before him."

The Ruuh here is none other than the Great Muhammadan Spirit (ar-Ruuh al-A'zham al-Muhammadiyyah) also known as an-Nuur al-Muhammadiyyah, the First 'Self-Image' (Desired Manifestation) of Essence. This is the Reality of the Holy Prophet (al-Haqiiqah al-Muhammadiyyah). In a qudsi hadith, Allaah Ta'aalaa says,

"I manifested the Light (Reality) of Muhammad from the Light of My own Face (Self),"

which complements the hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.),

"The First Manifestation of Allaah was my Light,"

as well as the two other famous ahadith,

"I am the First and the Last,"

and,

"The First is Muhammad, the Middle is Muhammad, the Last is Muhammad."

The manifestation of the Light of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is an 'event' which took place 'a thousand years' before creation began and it happened in the realm of Essence, not elsewhere (since 'otherness' hadn't come into existence at this level). The Muhammadan Self is therefore truly Perfect because it was manifest in the Realm of Essential Perfection where imperfection (which implies separability, gradation, temporality, finiteness, and disintegration) is absolutely impossible. The phrase 'a thousand years' corresponding to the first of the three ahadith above denotes immeasurability from the point of view of creation due to the essential difference between the shadowy and the Real.

In the above are some of the secrets of the most beautiful Qur'anic initials such as 'H(aa) M(iim)' and 'Th(aa) H(aa)'. Subhaan Allaah. Know therefore, the difference between a real Wali and a fake Wali (someone who claims to be a Sufi or a Wali). The difference is the former's adherence to the Syarii'ah by sincerely keeping his daily prayers, while always attaining the level of Ihsaan in doing so. Very often, the fake Wali (Sufi-claimer) is he who speaks about the Sufis and their stations (maqaamaat), conditions (ahwaal), and attributes (shifaat) in order to attract disciples (muridiin) but does not keep his daily prayers and other foremost obligatory duties prescribed by the Syarii'ah. Such a person is the Wali of Kibr (Vain Pride) instead. There is an exception in this case for the under-aged (the child-like), the mentally retarded, and the insane. But in general, this criterion holds true. By Allaah, the Station of Direct Knowing can only be attained by walking the Straight Path (Shiraath al-Mustaqiim) and crossing the Last Boundary (Sidr al-Muntahaa), whose Fruit is known as 'Thuba' which is Gnosis (Ma'rifat) and Eternal Friendship-Intimacy (Walaayah) with Allaah, by means of 'Slaveship' ('Ubuudiyyah, combined with Perfect Sincerity (Ikhlaash)), and nothing else.

Allaahumma shalli 'alaa Sayyidinaa wa Mawlaanaa Muhammadin maanfalaqatil anwaaru bidzaatihi

O Allaah, shower Your sweetest blessings upon our Master and Leader, Muhammad, by whose Essence, and only by whose Essence and at Your Will, lights can brightly shine

Allaahumma shalli wa sallim wa baarik 'alaa Sayyidinaa Muhammadin Nuuri-dz Dzaati wa-s Sirri-s Saari fii jamii'-il asmaa'i wa-sh shifaati

O Allaah, shower Your sweetest blessings and peace upon our Master, Muhammad, Light of all essences and Secret in the hearts of all names and attributes

***

Thousands of Shalawaat

Once there was a sincere Servant of Allaah who used to recite part of the following shalawaat every night before he went to sleep. In fact, he was finally favored by Allaah and graced with Walaayah by keeping this as a sweet habit. One night, prior to receiving his Rank as a Wali of Allaah, in his dream he saw the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) who told him with infinite tenderness,

"Give me the mouth that utters those shalawaat for my sake. I yearn to kiss it."

He immediately woke up and found that his heart was teeming with al-'Ilm al-Ladunniyyah (the Hidden Knowledge). Eversince then, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was never veiled from his sight, whether he was awake or asleep. Subhaan Allaah.

So let me share these shalawaat with you, insha Allaah, for the sake of my Beloved, Sayyidinaa wa Mawlaanaa wa Ruuhanaa Muhammad Nuurun 'alaa Nuur min Nuurillaah wa Habiibii Rabb-il 'Aalamiin (s.a.w.s.). For Love's sake, may nothing remain of this burning heart of mine!

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Shawaariq-al Anwaar wa Sayyid-al Mi'raaj

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of Lights and the Ascension

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-al Mursaliina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of Messengers

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-an Nabiyyina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of Prophets

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-ash Shiddiiqiina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of the those who see with the Light of Truth

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-ar Raaki'iina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of those who perform rukuu' (shalaat)

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-al Qaa'idiina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of those who sit and busy themselves with remembrance of Allaah (dzikrullaah)

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-as Saajidina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of those who perform prostration (sujuud)

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-adz Dzakiriina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of the People of Remembrance

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-al Mukabbiriina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of those who glorify Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-azh Zhaahiriina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of the manifest servants of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-asy Syaahidiina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of those who testify to Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-al Awwaliina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of the earliest people of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-al Aakhiriina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of the last people of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyidii yaa Rasuulallaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master, O Messenger of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Nabiyyallaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Prophet of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Waliyyullaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Beloved Friend of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyidii yaa Habiiballaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master, O Allaah's Dearest Beloved Sweetheart

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa man Akramahulullaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Honored One of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa man 'Azhzhamahulullaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Exalted One of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa man Syarrafahullaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Glorified One of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa man Azh-harahulullaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Manifest One of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa man Ikhtaarahullaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Chosen One of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa man Shawwarahullaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O the One Depicted by Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa man 'Abadallaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Devoted One of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Khaira Khalqillaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O the Best of Creation

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Khaatima Rasuulillaahu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Seal of the Messengers of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Imaam-al Anbiyyaa'i

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Leader of the Prophets of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sulthaan-al Awliyyaa'i

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O King of the Beloveds of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Burhaan-al Ashfiyyaa'i

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Proof of Sufis

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Mushthafaa

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Chosen One

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Mu'laa

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Exalted One of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Mujtabaa

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Chosen One of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Ummii

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Unspeakable, Indescribable One

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyida Waladi 'Aadama

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of the children of 'Aadam

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Ahmadu

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Ahmad

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Muhammad

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Muhammad

Yaa Muhammad

Yaa Muhammad

Yaa Muhammad

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Haa Miim

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Haa Miim

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Thaa Haa

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Thaa Haa

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Yaa Siin

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Yaa Siin

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Shaahib-al Kautsari

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Owner of the Fountain of Blessings

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Syafii'u Yaum-ul Mahsyari

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Giver of Intercession on the Decisive Day of Gathering

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Shaahib-at Taaji

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Owner of the Crown of Majesty

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Shaahib-al Mi'raaji

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O the One who was singled out by the Single and ascended beyond the Last Boundary

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-al Awwaliina wa-l Aakhiriina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of the First and Last Ones of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyid-al Muhsiniina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of the Beautiful Ones of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Shaahib-an Na'laini

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O Master of the hidden and manifest worlds, O Leader of jinns, angels, and mankind

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyidii yaa Rasuulallaahi yaa Khaatimal Anbiyyaa'i wa-l Mursaliina

May a thousand blessings and salams eternally be upon you, O my dearly exalted Master, O Messenger of Allaah, O Seal of the Prophets and Messengers of Allaah

Alfu alfi shalaatin wa alfu alfi salaamin 'alaika yaa Sayyidii yaa Nabiyyallaahi ilaa Yaum-id Diini wa-l hamdu lillaahi Rabb-il 'Aalamiina

May a thousand blessings and salams always be upon you, O my dearly exalted Master, O Prophet of Allaah, until the Day of Resurrection; all Praise belongs to Allaah, Lord, Creator, Sustainer, Cherisher, Evolver of the Worlds

May the above be useful to us all. Allaah's sweetest peace and blessings be upon the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), and upon his Pure Family and Companions. I bear witness that Ascension (Mi'raaj) is his (s.a.w.s.) and that the Goal and Reality are his (s.a.w.s.).

Allaah's Most Unworthy Servant,

Dani

Beloved 'Ali

2008-07-17T01:33:00.000-07:00

Beloved 'Ali

By Dani

On the Wiladat of Hazrat 'Ali
('alaihi as-salaam wa karram Allaahu wajhah)

Sublime is your banner,
Lofty is your grandeur,
That knowing you is the goal of goals.

O Eternal Radiance,
We utter your blessed name to light up the darkness,
And, in silence, behold Eternity
With our inner eyes brightened.

Soul of my eyes,
With every gaze that falls upon your Blessed Face,
Like the morning rain and dew drops,
Is the ancient impulse in every Lover's heart
That necessitates his home-coming.

Beloved 'Ali,
The Sun of Love that enlivens our hearts
And burns our souls with her heat
Belongs to you,
O Dignified One.

What on Earth can discover
Your Secret?

Which news of life
Has not conveyed your Beauty to us?

Countless tears have been shed for you,
Backs have bent,
And hearts grieved and bled endlessly
With the strangest and strongest of affection,
Just for you to kiss them.

Beloved 'Ali,
A glimpse into your silence
Makes hearts restless
With the premonition of Love's solitude.

Where else shall they find rest
Except in your shade?

O Exalted Beauty of Allaah,
You are the Endless Horizon
Where Mount Sinai meets
The Sky.

O Shrine of all Knowledge,
Your Understanding is where

Every Lover
Unveils the Beloved.

At your station,
Where none exists but Glory,
We whirl and whirl
Like mad suns around
The Beloved of Muhammad.

We kiss each other's face,
For we have gone beyond
The Last Boundary
Into the Bridal Chamber.

Beloved 'Ali,
Though you lived in the midst of
Thousands of men,
You were the Only One

Causing hearts to pulse
And the world to tremble
Beyond need and reason.

O you who draw Lovers unto your heart's desire,
And make them Eternal Knowers,

Where else can I find
Beauty and Virtue dwell together
Like a pair of wings
In the Firmament of Spirit,

Except at the Tip of your Sword,

Except at that Point of No Return,

Except by yearning to become the dust at your feet,

Except by loving you?

Are you not the Secret that unites
Sea and Sea,
Wave and Wave,
Whisper and Whisper,
Longing and Longing?

Beloved 'Ali,
You are the Law of Nature
That causes winds to proceed
And souls to blossom.

You are the Fragrance and Message
Of the seasons.

You are the Destiny of every yearning,
The Cause and Cure of every heart's sickness.

At the dawn of Love,
You are Nearness.

May my eyes never freeze from looking at you, Beloved,
For the sake of the Truth that is with you,
The Truth that melts hearts by its burning
And awakens souls by its solitary sweetness.

Beloved 'Ali,
May I never know a halt in Loving you,

I'd rather die following your footsteps
That shine like torches in the dark,
I'd rather die listening to your words and silent whispers
That glitter like restless, undying candles in the wind,

I'd rather shake silently and
Be ruined with the shedding of tears
Than bear separation from you, O Sweetheart.

Beloved 'Ali!
May I never have to bear separation from
The Wordless in you.

May your Content
Be my Lot.

In my lonely home,
In a world filled with loud voices,
May I never be a stranger unto my Beloved.

The Beloved of Muhammad says,
"Look at the Greatness
That I have created for My own sake.
Look at 'Ali,
May you never return to yourself!"

Those drunk with your Ancient Wine
At the Tavern of the Beloved,
Can never stop singing
Until they themselves disappear from sight
Upon your wings.

Beloved of Allaah,
The arrow of Love and its sentiments
Passes through hardships
Enflamed in its solitude,

That it may know the substance
Of your sweetness.

Beloved 'Ali,
Even if the veil of darkness is so thick
That flowers and mountains
Are hidden from my eyes,

It shall never hide you
From my heart.

You are mine, Beloved,
Because I see you
With the tender eyes of Fathimah.

What can hide your Countenance,
When it is the Face of the Light of the worlds itself?

How can we fail to recognize you and those proceeding from you,
O Imaam,
When the silver rays of the Beloved Prophet,
Our Sweet-Faced Full Moon,
Light up your Sign?

Those who have been caught
In your quiet
Are forever awake.

Shalawaat al-Kubra of Shaykh Ibn 'Arabi (QS)

2008-07-07T02:52:00.000-07:00

Shalawaat al-Kubra of Shaykh Ibn 'Arabi

لسلام عليكم ورحمة اللهِ وبركاته.

Salaam Allaah,

The following shalawaat are the major shalawaat of ath-Thariqah al-Mu'tabarah al-Ahadiyya (al-Wujuudiyya) of Shaykh al-Akbar Ibn 'Arabi (qaddas Allaahu sirrah) which are dedicated to the Blessed Reality and Direct Presence of Sulthaan al-Anbiyyaa' wa Sayyid al-Wujuud wa Habiib al-Kamiil Rasuul Allaah (shalla Allaahu Ta'ala 'alaaihi wa aalihi wa shahbihi ajma'iin).

These invocations are intended for advanced dervishes (Ahl al-Wushuul) walking the 'Path of Arrival' or ath-Thariqah al-Wushuul (also called ath-Thariqah al-Minnah, the Path of the Favored Ones), which is the stage after, but not separate from, ath-Thariqah al-Amaaliyyah (Thariqah ash-Shari'ah), which is one with the Stage of 'Irfaan (Gnosis or Direct Knowledge (Ma'rifah)), and which is one with the Revelation (Unveiling) of al-Ism al-A'zham, the Hidden, Greatest Name of Allaah Ta'ala.

"As'aluka Allaahumma antushalliya wa tusallima 'alaa Sayyidil Mursalin; wa Imaamil Muttaqqin alladhii khalaqtahu min Jalaalika wa zayyantahu bi Jamaalika wa tawwajtahu bi Kamaalika wa ahhaltahu li ru'yati Dhaatika, wa ja'altahu mahallanli Asmaaika wa Shifaatika, wa qaranta Ismahu bi Ismika wa thaa'atahu bi thaa'atika, Muhammad ibni 'Abdillaahi wa aalihi wa shahbihiddaa'ina ila Allaah."

"O Allaah, I beseech You to shower shalawaat and salaam upon the Master of Messengers and the Leader of the Truthful whom You have created with Your own Majesty, whom You have adorned with Your own Beauty, whom You have allowed to gaze at Your Essence, whom you have made the Locus of all Your Names and Attributes, whose Name You have joined with Your own Name, and obedience to whom You have made (equal to) obedience to Yourself, Muhammad ibn 'Abdillaah, and upon his Family and Companions who call (people) towards Allaah."

"Allaahumma shalli 'alaa Sayyidinaa Muhammadin Naaibi Hadhrati Dhaatika, al-Muhaqqiqi bi Asmaaika wa Shifaatikal jaami'i bainal Wujuudi wal 'Adami wal Barzakhil faashili bainal huduutsi wal qidam; 'Ainul Ahadiyyati alladhiin fataha bihii kullu maqfuulin wa jabara bihii kullu maksuurin wan 'ataqabihi kullu maqhuurin."

"O Allaah, shower (Your) shalawaat upon Sayyidinaa Muhammad, (the) Representation of the Presence of Your Essence, who realizes Your Existence with all Your Names and Attributes, who gathers existence and non-existence, separates the new (created) and the ancient (uncreated); (the) Essence of Singularity by whom is opened everything that is sealed, by whom is healed everything that is shattered, and by whom is freed everything that is enslaved."

***

In a noble hadith related by 'Abd Allaah al-Mas'ud it is said that during his last days upon the Earth, our Most Beloved Nabi (saaws) said unto his companions who were grief-stricken by the imminent departure of their Beloved Prophet (saaws) after hearing its news directly from him (saaws),

"For you all, I have left behind my Two Weighty Inheritances: al-Mahajjad, which is ash-Shari'ah al-Islaamiyyah, and ath-Thariqah al-Baidha', which is the Clear Path. And I have also left behind Two Sources of Guidance, the first of which is the Speaking One, which is the Qur'an, and the other is the Silent One, which is Death (Mawt)."

The referred Path, which is the Heart of ath-Thariqah al-Baidha' al-Haqq, has reached Shaykh Ibn 'Arabi (qs) through the following Silsila:

1. Hadhrat Khwaaja Quthb al-Haqq, Bahr al-Anwaar wal Qudrah wa Sirr al-Asraar, Ruuh al-A'zham wa Nuur al-Wajh Allaah, Sulthaan al-Anbiyyaa' wa Taaj al-Awliyyaa' wa Rahmatan lil 'Aalamiin, Muhammad Rasuul Allaah
2. Hadhrat Khwaaja Quthb al-Mutassyarif wa Mirrat Allaah, Imaam 'Ali ibn Abi Thalib Asad Allaah wa Rasuulih
3. Hadhrat Khwaaja Salmaan al-Farsi
4. Hadhrat Qasiim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr ash-Shiddiq
5. Imaam Quthb al-Zamaan Ja'far ash-Shadiq
6. Imaam Musa al-Kazhim
7. Imaam 'Ali ar-Ridhaa
8. Shaykh Ma'ruf al-Karkhi
9. Shaykh Sari as-Saqathi
10. Shaykh Quthb ad-Diin al-Junayd al-Baghdaadi
11. Shaykh Abu Bakr ibn Khalaf asy-Syibli
12. Shaykh Abu al-Fadhl 'Abd al-Waahid at-Tamimi
13. Shaykh Abu al-Faraaj ath-Tharsusi
14. Shaykh Abu al-Hassan al-Hakkari
15. Shaykh Abu Sa'id al-Mubarak 'Ali al-Mahrami
16. Hadhrat Khwaaja Ghawth al-A'zham wa Sulthaan al-Awliyyaa' wa Quthb ar-Rabbaani wa Ka'ba al-Muriidin wa Murabbi as-Saaliqiin, Shaykh 'Abd al-Qaadir al-Jiilaani
17. Shaykh Jamaal ad-Diin Yunus ibn Yahya al-Hasyimi
18. Imaam al-Ajal wa Bahr al-Akmal wa Faridu 'Ashrihi wa Aazaanihi wa Shaykh al-'Ilm wa Haamilu liwaaihi, Shaykh al-Akbar Muhyi ad-Diin Ibn 'Arabi

Peace and blessings of Allaah Ta'ala be upon them all. Shaykh Ibn 'Arabi (qs) passed the Knowledge and Secrets of this Thariqah onto his brilliant student, Shaykh 'Izz Ahmad, all the way down to Sayyid 'Abd al-Kariim al-Jiili, all the way down to the Chosen One of our time. The Silsila shall end with Imaam al-Hujjat Muhammad al-Mahdi (ajallaahu thallah faraajahum).

May the above be useful to us all for the sake of the Beautiful Face of Rabbul Izzaat, Allaah Ta'ala.

"Ayna-ma tuwallu fa-tsamma Wajh Allaah."

"Wherever you turn, you see the Face of Allaah."

(Q.S. 2:115)

Allaahu Nuurun 'alaa Nuurin.

Love and Salaam,

Dani

Bismika...

2008-05-31T02:39:00.000-07:00

Bismika yaa Allaah, yaa Allaah, yaa Allaah, yaa Hu, yaa Haqq

My dear beloveds, today, in Love, I have composed the following simple 'raatib' (compilation) for us all to read (recite) on occasions and as a Means (Wasila) of Nearness (Qurb) with Allaah Ta'aala from which we may derive immense blessings by doing so. Insha Allaah Ta'aala. Please read with a heart yearning for the Essence of Allaah alone. In my prayers, I have asked Allaah Ta'aala to bless you all infinitely for reading the following. I have asked Him to deliver blessings to your lives in the form of substantial stations (maqaamaat) that shall establish in a very meaningful way the states (ahwaal) of those who are drawn near and have gained salvation. For those of you who desire to see the Holy Prophet (saaws) and the Saints (Awliyyaa') whether in the state of wakefulness or in the state of dreaming, reciting this little compilation with comprehension and sincerity might help. Indeed, in line with a great Sufi, Imaam Rabbaani (qs), I, this faqiir, wouldn't count myself among the Muslims if I were veiled from seeing my Beloved, Sayyidinaa Muhammad (saaws), even for a split second. Yet, I am one of those who are most forgetful in Dhikr. And Allaah Ta'aala knows best. May Allaah Ta'aala forgive this unworthy servant for his sins, for indeed he is abound with them and is ashamed of himself, and may He Ta'aala grant his parents (especially his beloved mother), family, and friends that which is useful and meaningful only of him. Ameen.

Ishq,

Dani

***

Bismika yaa Allaah, yaa Allaah, yaa Allaah, yaa Hu, yaa Haqq

Ha Mim

Praise be to Allaah Who creates the pure hearts of His Awliyyaa' (Beloveds) as reflective mirrors for His Absolute Beauty (al-Jamaaliyya al-Dzaatiyya); the Primordial, Unconditional, Timeless, Eternal Beauty of His Wujuud (Being), so that when we gaze at them with an essentially inward gaze, the Name of the Beloved, Allaahu, is mentioned inwardly and outwardly in the presence of Sincerity (Ikhlaas) and thereby becomes our Dhikr, which is desired by Him for Himself.

Praise be to Allaah, al-Haqq 'Azza wa Jalla, the Absolute Truth, Who, having removed the curtains of apparent conditionality, relativity, and causal interdependence that span the fleeting display of creation (maujuudaat, makhluuqaat), as well as opened the doors towards His Singular Presence, gathers the Knowledge of Himself (Ma'rifatullaah) for His chosen servants and pours it into their hearts at the Furthest Point of Loving Surrender. His Name, Allaahu, is the Only Essential Name, the Indivisible Foundation of the Heavens and Earth and whatever lies hidden between them. His Infinite Knowledge and Omnipotence manifest themselves as the Pillars of His 'Arsh (Throne), which display the Simplicity of Wuujud beyond austerity as well as its Complexity beyond divergence, thereby manifesting the Presence of Unity in Diversity and establishing Diversity in the fold of Unity.

Allaahu, there is none like unto Him, the Living, the Self-Existent, the Eternal. He is the True Existence of the Essential Realm (al-Laahuut), the Global Universe (the Macrocosm) of possibilities, as well as the Projective Universe of evolutionary processes, the Microcosm (al-Naasuut). To Him belongs both graded existences and non-existences. Indeed, He is al-Hayy, the Life-Giving Living One. He is al-Muhibb, the Love-Giving Lover. The created worlds are naught but a grand symphony of multiply interconnected forms brought forth from His Unconditional Knowledge and Boundless Presence. They are but His constitutive appearances as well as spaces for created shadows with no inherent essence (existence) of their own. This way, He has established the forms (maahiyyah) that have Direct Connection to Him, that which we call 'goodness', and the forms that are only apparently real but essentially devoid of His Truth, that which we call 'vanity' (evil, baathil). So fear Allaah and remain with the Real in this world of ours whose passing forms may delude us and distract us from Essence (al-Dzaat), though they change before our very eyes.

Shalawaat and Salaam perfectly continuously and endlessly be upon the Most Noble Master of existences and the Essential Human Being (Sayyid al-Wujuud wa Sarwaar al-Kull), the Essence and Goal of the existential realm (Hawwiyyat-ul 'Aalam), the Proof (Hujjah) of proofs of Allaah's Unity, the Leader (Imaam) of mankind, angels, jinns, and all the rest of particular beings, the Crown (Taaj) of Allaah's Prophets and Saints, the Eye ('Ain) of the Arifin (Gnostics) that sees the Totality of Existence beyond shadows and polarities, the Pole (Quthb) and Center (Ka'baa) of Allaah's Singular Presence that contains all of His Names (Asmaa') and Attributes (Sifaat), hidden and manifest; the First, Ultimate Prophet of Allaah and the First, Ultimate Knower of Allaah's Essence by whose blessed Name and Status, Hazrat 'Adam ('alaihi salaam) gained forgiveness from his Lord when he had transgressed; the First to be manifested as the Light of Allaah's Unique Reality (al-Ahadiyya) for whose sake the worlds were brought into being; the First, Ultimate, Unique Beloved of Allaah Subhaan Huwa Ta'aala, Sayyidinaa wa Mawlaanaa Muhammad al-Musthaafa, Nuurin min Nuurillaah.

I bear witness that he (shalla Allaahu Ta'aala 'alaihi wa aalihi wa sahbihi ajma'in wa sallam) is the Secret of Secrets of Being and Becoming, the Shoreless Ocean of Esoteric and Exoteric Knowledge, the Essence and Goal of the best of religions, Islaam, the Owner of the Cloak (Burda) of Shari'ah, the Path (Shiraath) of Thariiqah, the Reality of Haqiiqah, and the Wholeness of Ma'rifah. By my soul, he (saaws) is the one who has said, "My Qibla is neither towards my East nor towards my West," because he (saaws) himself is the Qibla that encompasses within himself the Seven Principal Directions in the Way of Return, and, above all, all the Names of Allaah. Therefore, O Salik, comprehend this majesty, the greatness of the Ahmadan Khilafaat!

Indeed peace and blessings be upon the Leader of those from whose individual existences the veils of the cosmos have been lifted so that they see al-Haqq with the Transcendental Eye (Bashiirah) of his First, Complete, Universal Intellect (al-'Aql al-Kull al-Muhammadiyyah). They are those who witness al-Haqq beyond both the shadows of particularity and the domes of generality, and beyond the confining symmetries of need and reason, such that they see none in Maujuud (that-which-is) except His Face (Wajh) and are submerged in Complete Intimacy (Uns). Indeed as Allaah Ta'aala has said in the Holy Qur'an, there is no fear, doubt, nor anxiety in them for they are with the Real. They are the ones who have gone through and beyond both the existential contractions and expansions of forms and are gathered at the Station of Complete Content. They see the worlds as reflective manifestations (tajalliyyaat) of the Uniqueness of al-Haqq 'Azza wa Jalla. They are the ones who comprehend the Goal towards which particular forms accelerate and decelerate, expand and contract, gather and disperse, so that whenever the manifest Universe appears or disappears, they see only Allaah and remain with His experienced He-ness (Huwwiyyah).

Peace and blessings be upon the Family of Muhammad, the People of Ya Sin, including those who are linked to the Prophet (saaws) by means of inner, essential Perfection rather than 'exterior', those emanating as pure rays from the Reality (Light) of Muhammad (al-Haqiiqah al-Muhammadiyyah) with respect to creation, whose Function is that of the Greater Arc of Salvation in the oceans of being and becoming. They are the Treasuries of Muhammadan Pearls from time to time and on the indivisible Last Day. They are the Inheritors of Nubuwwah. They are the Windows for the Dawn of Haqiiqah, the Glasses for the Morning Rain of Ma'rifah, and the Vessels of Walaayah.

Peace and blessings be upon them all, especially upon the Two Minarets of Light of the Family of the Prophet, the Imaam of the Two Easts and the Two Wests and the Possessor of the Two Gnostic Wings, Sayyidinaa Abu-l Hassan 'Ali ibn Abi Thaalib, and the Center of silences and the Mihrab of Prophetic and Angelic Lights, Sayyidatinaa Faathimah al-Zahraa binti Rasuulullaah. Peace and blessings be upon their descendants, the righteous Imaams, especially al-Qa'im, the Awaited and Fully Supported One, the Ultimate Descendant of the descendants of the Holy Prophet (saaws), the Conclusive Seal of Awliyya, whose established Reality overwhelms the worlds even in his present Ghayba (General Concealment) and whose Name acts as the Invisible Pillar of the Order in the Laws of Nature of the age. Indeed, it is for the sake of his dearest Father, the Holy Prophet (saaws), the Truth of Islaam, that the Mahdi shall come at the end of the expansion of the cosmos to represent the Face of faces, the Sign of signs, the Presence of Singularity, in a Manifest Way, thereby bringing that which is essentially passing and temporal (fanaa') to a conclusive end.

Allaah's Most Unworthy Servant,

Dani

In the Mirror

2008-05-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

In the Mirror

(1)

Kaf Ha Ya

'Ain Shad

Ha Mim

Nun

Sin Qaf

(2)

O You,

Who have removed the velvet curtains

With Your own hand,

From the entrance into Your aloneness,

For Love's ancient sake.

O Home to sighing rivulets,

O Brightness of my eyes,

O Heart of morning calm,

What song shall encompass

That moment without doubting,

As the Hour drew near,

As Your sweetness calmed my fears,

As You removed the veil,

In a traceless place alien unto shaded illusions,

Whispering unto my long-unbefriended soul,

"By Love, you are mine,

By Myself, I am yours,

Now, once and for all, be Real."

(3)

So long as Love's impulses remain,

Be mine O my Love,

Be mine beyond need and reason,

Hold me in Eternity's breath,

Sweet dewsong of mine,

Use me as a lyre for Your whispers,

As a sun to warm hearts,

And as a brush to paint Love's endless desire.

(4)

O Sweetheart,

You who are both open and secret,

Like faint rays of the morning light,

Let whatever exists between Kaf and Nun

Vanish like vapor and shadows,

Just not You, O my Love,

Not You!

(5)

In the silhouette of dark and light,

In the world of ignorance,

How many are bereft of the Beauty that You are?

Come, O dervish, come!

From whichever direction you proceed,

Come, take the Beloved's Heart!

Wake up, wake up now

To the aching loveliness in Love's smile,

Wake up, wake up now

To the Light in your own seeking and finding,

Wake up, wake up now

To the austere sweetness of Union.

Wake up and simply blend your breath and shyness

With whatever sways with the breeze,

In devotion to Love's Face.

(6)

O Salik,

A dream that lasts a thousand years is but a dream!

Draw close,

Be present, and

Kiss the Real,

And only then shall all life begin.

(7)

O this shaken loneliness,

Tell me of the Beloved,

My Sweetheart,

Who is the dawn unto my night and the noon unto my day,

My lost dream in this distant land,

An ancient depth calling upon my depth,

A firmament unto the melting snow.

(8)

At the approach of the Beloved,

I saw Her in the mirror of my heart,

As Love ushered my soul into Her burning desire.

And I said unto Her loveliness,

"O my Love, am I naught but Yourself?"

And She said unto my vanity,

"No, Sunshine, but I am naught but yourself."

(9)

Have you not heard?

When she speaks, my voice is in Her voice,

In the silent presence of Love's rising sun,

How long, my dear Friend, have we been hiding from each other?

How am I supposed to recall and measure my longing

For the anxious Hour of Your coming?

How many songless nights have passed me by,

With their yearning to fade away and be gone?

(10)

O you who describe yourself as a Sufi,

Are you still in quest of other shores?

How long has the formless in you been seeking form?

What dawning Love has betrayed and preceded your breathing?

Are you not that mist I saw long before the nebulae, stars, and moons

Came into existence?

Are you not the shyness of Love's own presence during waking hours?

Are you not Love's own tenderness sung in secret?

Are you not the taste of Love's own devotion?

At last, my friend,

Hold me tight and close,

And closer and closer still,

And come to rest tonight,

For I've heard the Beloved swear in Love's Holy Name,

That We'll never ever part.

(11)

O Sweetheart,

In pain did I seek You and make pilgrimage

Unto Your solitude, like a somber ghost,

And a gaze from Your consent swiftly broke

The confining symmetry of my orbit into passion and freedom.

(12)

O you who claim to befriend vision and inherit life!

Can you see Us, the Beloved and I?

My Sweetheart has drawn Her mood towards mine,

Her kisses belong to me tonight and for all other nights!

What quivering trace is there to mirror how I feel?

Yes, tonight She is mine,

For She has offered Herself unto me!

What is there that can claim or buy this Love?

O you who traverse empty distances like a weary, orphaned pilgrim!

Hear this Intimacy spoken in a strange tongue,

Or hear nothing at all!

Enter Us now, for there is nothing outside this 'now',

Don't be like passing winds

In the mist of Our togetherness!

Shall not Love flow in your veins like this?

Shall not your myriad painted images fall at last

Like cascades of wine?

(13)

O that wider horizon,

O that moving sea,

O that once lonely shore!

Tell me of secrets that run in streams,

Tell me of the sweet little things kissed by the light at dawn,

Tell me of the early morning dew that mirrors the vast heavens,

In the stillness of the night,

As the candle burns down unconfounded,

As all the winds turn into chants and songs,

As this wayfarer finally encounters his treasure,

In Love's spacious sky,

And deems himself alive.

Among those who love and are beloved,

Among those who speak with a vast voice,

Among those who shine in the sun,

I see you, O myself,

In this blossoming garden without walls,

In the perpetual morning rain,

In this unpraised glimmer of dewdrops,

In the mirror of little things.

Ishq,

Dani

Mawlid al-Nabi shalla Allaahu alaihi wa ahli baitihi wa sallam

2008-03-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

Beloveds,

O my heart! Who is the One in your longing?
O tears of mine! What on Earth shall encompass your essence?
O my soul! Is this how you return love for love?

I am afraid I am unable to utter anything worth sharing about this
burning Love that I have for the One I love, Master (Sayyid) of Masters,
Leader (Imam) of Leaders, Pole (Qutb) of Poles, Sign (Hujjah) of
Signs, Face (Wajh) of Faces, Light (Nur) of Lights, Soul (Nafs) of
Souls, Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Nurin min Nurillaah, on his
birthday (mawlid).

This is because among Allaah's servants, I am the one who needs His
Mercy, His Compassion, the most. Indeed, I am the most needy of the
needy. I am the most thankless among His servants. I am the one with
the least Knowledge among those whom He has taught the Knowledge of
Himself. Indeed, I was the most blind of the blind, the most deaf of
the deaf. Had it not been because of the Beauty and the Reality of my
sweet-faced Master, my beloved Qibla, the One called "Ummi"
(indescribable), I would not be here today among you, weaving my own
garment with the threads of sincerity, in the Path of Islaam, the best
of the Paths of Return.

It is enough to reveal the Essence of the Master of existences,
Muhammad, peace be upon him and the people of his household, to those
who are essentially worthy, through the hadith qudsi in which Allaah
Azza wa Jalla says,

"Had it not been because of you, O Muhammad, I would not have created."

It is through you, O my Love,
That I have known Allaah and I see none other than Him,
So that the 'Other' in us is shut out.
Since I realized unity, I no longer fear separation;
This day I have arrived and am united,
With you and you alone, O Beloved,
At your resplendent Station.

Allaah, Allaah, Allaah!

Yaa Huwa yaa man laa Huwa illa Huwa...

Ishq wa salaam,

Dani

SALAWAT AT-THARIQAT

Allahumma salli salatan kamilatan wa sallim salaman tamman
O Allah shower perfect blessings and complete graces

`ala sayyidina Muhammadini-Lladhi tanhallu bihi-l-`uqadu
upon our master Muhammad, the one by whom all knots are untied,

wa tanfaraju bihi-l-qurabu wa tuqda bihi-l-hawaij
all needs are cared for, and all ultimate desires are realized;

wa tunalu bihi-r-ragha'ib wa husna-l-hawatimi
by whom one reaches the most beautiful of goals,

wa yustasqa-l-ghamamu bi wajhi-l-karim
and for whose beautiful and noble countenance the clouds pour rain,

wa `ala alihi wa sahbihi
and (may blessings be) upon his noble family and companions

fi kulli lamhatin wa nafasin
at every blink of every eye and with every breath,

bi `adadi kulli ma`lumin laka
in numbers known only to You.

***

Allahumma salli
O Allah shower your grace

‘ala dh-dhati-l-Muhammadiyya-l-latifa-l-ahadiyya
upon the subtle Unity of the Muhammadan Essence,

shamsi sama’i-l-asrar
the Sun in the Heavens of Secrets

wa madhhari-l-anwar
and Locus of Manifestation of Lights,

wa markaz madari-l-jalal
the Center of the Orbit of Majesty

wa qutbi falak al-jamal
and the Pole of the Spheres of Beauty

Allahumma bi-sirrihi Ladayka
O Allah by his secret that is in Your Presence

wa bi-sayrihi ‘ilayka
and by his journeying toward You,

Amin khawfi wa-aqil ‘athrati
safeguard me from my fear and eradicate my offense

wa-dhhib huzni wa hirsi
and take away my sadness and my avarice.

wa-kun li wa-khudhni ‘Ilayka minni
Exist for me, and take me to You from myself

wa-Rzuqni-l-fana’ ‘anni
and sustain me with passing away (fana’) from myself

wa la taj‘alni maftunan bi-nafsi
and do not let me be captivated by my self (nafs)

mahjuban bi-hissi
nor veiled by my feelings (or senses)

wa-kshif li ‘an kulli sirrin maktumin
and reveal to me every preserved secret,

Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum
O Life! O Self-Manifesting and Timeless One!

***

Allahumma-j`al afdala salawatika abadan
O Allah, bestow Your most gracious blessings eternally,

wa anma barakatika sarmadan
and Your most bountiful favors everlastingly,

wa azka tahiyyatika fadlan wa `adadan
and Your choicest salutations graciously and abundantly,

`ala ashrafi-khalai'iqi-l-insaniyyati
upon the most noble of humanity,

wa majma`i-l-haqa'iqi-imaniyyati
the Union of all Realities of Faith,

wa turi-t-tajalliyyati-l-ihsaniyyati
the Mount Sinai of the Unveiling of Spiritual Perfection,

wa mahbiti-l-asrari-r-Rahmaniyyati
the Cradle of the Mysteries of Divine Mercy,

wa `arusi-l-mamlakati-r-Rabbaniyyati
the Bridegroom of Sublime Sovereignty,

wa wasitati `iqdi-n-nabiyyin
Center Jewel of the Necklace of Prophecy,

wa muqaddami jayshi-l-mursalin
Captain of the Army of the Messengers,

wa qa'idi rakbi-l-anbiya'i-l-mukarramin
Leader of the Company of Ennobled Prophets,

wa afdali-l-khalqi ajma`in
Most Excellent of All Creation,

hamili liwa'i-l-`izzi-l-a`la
Bearer of the Banner of Highest Glory,

wa maliki azimmati-l-majdi-l-asna
Holder of the Reigns of Resplendent Dignity,

shahidi asrari-l-azal,
Witness to Eternal Mysteries,

wa mushahidi anwari sawabiqi-l-uwali,
Beholder of Pre-eternal Lights,

wa tarjumani lisani-l-qidam,
Interpreter of the Language of Eternity,

wa manba`i-l-`ilmi wa-l-hilmi wa-l-hikam
Source of Knowledge, Gentleness and Wisdom,

mazhari sirri-l-judu-l-juz'iyyi wa-l-kulliyyi
Revealer of the Secret of Overflowing Generosity both partial (in this
world) and universal (in the Hereafter),

wa insani `ayni-l-wujudi-l-`ulwiyyi wa-s-sufliyyi
Pupil of the Eye of Existence, both heavenly and earthly,

ruhu jasadi-l-kawnayn (recite 3 times, drawing hands over face each time)
Soul of the Bodies of Both Realms...

wa `ayni (kiss tips of forefingers and with them caress eyelids)
hayati-d-darayn
Eye...of the Life of Both Worlds,

al-mutahaqqiqi bi-a`la rutabi-l-`ubudiyyati
Realizer of the Highest Degrees of Servanthood,

wa-l-mutakhalliqi bi-akhlaqi-l-maqamati-l-istifa'iyyati
Holder of the Virtues of the Chosen Stations,

al-khalili-l-a`zam wa-l-habibi-l-akram
the Supreme Intimate Friend and most noble Beloved,

sayyidina Muhammadi-bni `Abdi-Llahi-bni `Abdi-l-Muttalib
our Master, Muhammad, son of Abdullah, the son of Abd al-Muttalib.

wa `ala sa'iri-l-anbiya'i wa-l-mursalin
And O Allah, bless the other Prophets and Messengers,

wa `ala mala'ikatika-l-muqarrabin
the angels near Your Throne,

wa `ala `ibadi-Llahi-s-salihin
and the righteous servants of Allah—

min ahli-s-samawati wa ahli-l-aradina
those among the people of the heavens and the people of the earths.

kullama dhakaraka-dh-dhakirun
Bless them whenever the rememberers remember You,

wa ghafala `an dhikrika-l-ghafilun
and whenever the heedless neglect Your remembrance,

wa sallim wa radiya-Llahu
and greet them with Peace, and may Allah be pleased

`an ashabi rasuli-Llahi ajma`in
with all the Companions of the Messenger of Allah.

[The salawat taken from the wird of Hazrat `Abd al-Qadir Jailani, may Allaah
sanctify his secret.]

Al-Hikmah al-Ilahiyyah

2008-03-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

Allaahu, Allaahu, Allaahu!

Another short reflection, insha Allaah Ta'ala.

Al-Hikmah al-Ilahiyyah (the Ultimate Wisdom) is called Ilm Ladunniyya
by the Sufis. Its acquisition is not through the rational mind alone
(al-'Aql al-Awam), but also through self-purity and selflessness,
which mirrors the Reality of True Love and absorbs its "Substance".
Sufis are said to be profound because of their level of primordial
("acausal") purity. Man's Primordial Purity which common Muslims call
"al-Fitrah" and which Sufis call "al-Shafa' al-Insan al-Muhammadiyyah"
is that beautiful surface that reflects the Light and Beauty of the
Beloved (al-Mahbub, Allaah Ta'ala). They are the ones who are able
to utter ecstatic utterings (syatahat) and speak of al-Fanaa'.

Al-Fanaa' consists of stations commonly known as red and black deaths.
"Red death" refers to the surrender of one's self before the Face of
al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla, in his attempt to disconnect himself totally
from the created worlds, relying on the "Taste" (al-Zauq) of Divine
Intimacy alone, until the state of al-nafs al-mutma'inah (the content
soul) is reached. However the ego, though purified, still remains as
an autonomous substance and often has to withstand all sorts of
ridicule perpetrated by the people of lesser knowledge. "Black death"
refers to the annihilation of one's functions (af'al) and attributes
(sifaat) at the most hidden Station of Witnessing. This is the death
of deaths.

Yet the highest, most rarified, most perfect Sufis are those who, by
means of the Muhammadan Transcendental Intellect, possess both the
Reality of of (inner) Purity and the Knowledge of Wujud (Allaah's
Being). They are those who have been granted al-Fanaa' and al-Baqaa'.
A Sufi of this kind is able to speak of both Ishq (Transcendental
Love) and the Hierarchy of Being, including Haqq al-Maujud (that which
exists through Allaah's Self-Manifest Being), Ahwal (States), Asrar
(Secrets), and Maqamat (Stations). Inwardly, he is a Shoreless Ocean
of Wisdom, a Foliage of Knowledge, a Mine of Secrets. Manifestly, he
is Wajh Allaah, the One representing the Face of the Beloved to
creation. Such a person is called "the Gatherer of the Muhammadan
Pearls", al-Jami' al-Jauhar al-Muhammadiyyah. This is the reality of
the Peak of Eloquence (al-Najh al-Balagha).

Al-Habib al-A'zham, Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad (shalla Allaahu
alaihi wa alihi wa sallam) has said,

"The first thing which Allaah Ta'ala fashioned was the Reflective
Essence (al-Jauhar). He Ta'ala looked at it with Infinite Compassion
(in the State of Absolute Beauty), and half of the Essence became the
Water (Maul Hayat, the individual Ruh) and another half of it became
the Fire."

To Ahl al-Haqiqah, the People of the Essence, Allaah's "looking"
("gazing") at something means His placing the Knowledge of His own
He-ness (Huwayyah), which includes the Knowledge of His Name(s),
in its most hidden part, which is necessarily guarded by its exterior
purity. The Beloved Prophet (shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam)
once told Hazrat 'Ali (karram Allaahu wajhah) to utter the Name "Allaahu"
silently in the heart with full knowledge as if replacing his heart
beat. This way, the wine of al-Haqq shall replace one's blood. Insha Allaah.
The "Fire" is the substance in the heart that burns, in the presence of
the witnessing Ruh, without having to be "touched" because its essence
is within Allaah's own Essence (Zaat).

***

I have something to say about the Perfection of Man, which refers to
the Reality of the Perfect Man, "Mim", Muhammad.

As a starting point, let us remind ourselves that in al-Qur'an
al-Karim, Allaah Ta'ala says to the angels, "Bow down to Adam" (QS.
2:34), after having perfected him with the Knowledge-Reality of His Names.

Know that perfection is of two kinds.

The first kind of perfection, the First and Primary Perfection, the
Absolute Perfection, belongs to Allaah Ta'ala alone. This is the
Absolute Simplicity of Him being Himself in the state of Ahadiyya.
It is Allaah as Allaah beyond the need of co-substatial attributes
(asma', af'al), and beyond the need and existence of the creation
to know Him. Allaah is Allaah, His own Essence. It is impossible to
speak of al-Zaat al-Ghayb al-Mutlaq (the Most Hidden Essence)
without reaching al-Fanaa' and, most importantly, al-Baqaa' first.
Ahl al-Ma'rifat, the People of Knowledge, often communicate with
each other only in self-manifest metaphors.

The second kind of perfection is the Reflective Perfection, the
Perfection of Man. This is the kind of perfection granted upon Adam
(the First Potentially Absolute Man, that which bears the Reality of
Muhammad), to whom the Angels were asked to bow as a gesture of
respect. Its source is the pre-eternal Realm of Names (al-Alm
al-Asma'). In this state, Allaah Ta'ala, al-Wajib al-Wujud (the
Primary, Necessary Existence), manifests Himself before particular
existences through the Mirror of the Perfect Man. This state is called
the "Seal", "Mim", nothing enters it and nothing comes out of it; it
is essentially self-complete simply because it is a manifestation the
first kind of perfection (the Perfection of Allaah's Zaat) without an
intermediary other than Man's created function-continuity as Allaah's
Representative (Khalifa) and Sign (Hujjah, Wali). Its substance is
said to be the "mirror without glass". This is indeed the goal of
Tajaliyya, the Act of Creation.

The relation between the two kinds of perfection has been described so
beautifully by Imam Rabbani (qaddas Allaahu sirrah):

"... I found that Allaah is the Essence of all matter, as it had been said
by the People of Sufism. Then I found Allaah in all matter without
incarnation (hulul). Then I found Allaah together with all matter.
Then I saw Him ahead of everything and then I saw Him following
everything. Finally I reached a state where I saw Him and I saw
nothing else. This is what is meant by the term, Witnessing the Oneness,
which is also the state of Annihilation (Fanaa'). That is the first step
in Sainthood (Walayah), and the highest state in the Beginning of the Way.
This vision appears first on the horizons, then secondly in the Self.
Then I have been lifted to the station of Subsistence (Baqaa') which is
the second step in Sainthood.

"In that state (the state of al-Baqaa') I found all creation another time,
but I found that the essence of all these creations is Allaah, and Allaah's
Essence is the Essence of Myself. Then I found Allaah in everything, but
in reality in myself. I was raised to a higher state, to find Allaah with
everything, but in reality He was with myself. Then I was lifted to see
Him preceding everything, but in reality He was preceding myself.
Then I was lifted to a state where He was following everything, but in
reality He was following myself. Then I saw Him in everything, but
in reality He was in myself. Then I saw everything and I didn't see Allaah.
And this is the end of the Stations by which They (Elevated Masters) had
brought me back to the beginning. In sum, they lifted me to the Station of
Annihilation, then to the station of Existence, then they brought me back
to be with people, in the Station of the common people. This is the
highest state in guiding people to the Presence of Allaah. It is the perfect
state of guidance, because it matches the understanding of human beings."

Space and time does not permit us to speak further of this. It is
enough that one approaches Allaah Ta'ala sincerely and relentlessly,
until knowledge becomes inevitable. And know that as a matter of fact
only we, humans, can approach Him to the furthest station!

The furthest, most central Ka'ba is known as al-Bayt al-Ma'mur. It is
said that truths revolve around it. And know that in reality this
Ka'ba is within Man. It is called the (perfected) Intellect (al-'Aql).
So Man's perfection is intimately related to his ability to ultimately
comprehend the Truth as the Truth, without having to refer to its
projections at all. This is the highest state of conscious beings. The
goal of evolution.

Allaah Ta'ala said,

"Had it not been for you, O Muhammad, I would not have created."

This is because in the Reality of the Perfect Man, the Names of Allaah,
which are none other than the Essential Attributes of His Being,
ultimately converge to the Greatest Name (al-Ism al-A'zham), which is
the Name of the Unifying Essence (al-'Ayn al-Jam).

Sufis like Shaykh Ibn 'Arabi (qaddas Allaahu sirrah) unveil the hidden
meanings of the Qur'an such as this by means of the Prophet's Light
(Nur-e-Muhammadi), which is the First, Universal, Transcendental
Intellect (al-'Aql al-Awwal al-Kull). The great Wali, Imam Ja'far
Shadiq (qaddas Allaahu sirrah), said,

"The Nun [letter "n"] at the beginning of Surah 68 of the Holy Qur'an
represents the Light of Pre-Eternity, out of which Allaah created all
creations, and which is Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa
sallam. That is why He said in the same surah [verse 4]: "Truly you
art of a sublime nature" -- that is: "you are privileged with that
Light from Pre-Eternity"."

Ishq,

Dani

Overcome

2008-02-24T05:45:00.000-08:00

Ha Mim.

Last night, at the Garden of Love,
The Great Simurgh,
Ornamented with feathers of fire,
And enveloped in tender passion,
Came to me,
Carrying the Light of the Beloved...

I asked her,
"O my Love, have you come
For this beggar?"

She, who speaks not
The language of humans nor houris,
Answered with a twinkle
In my own eye and
Vanished the way
Lightning vanishes.

Early in the morning,
The humming of a solitary songbird
Woke me up,
Her whisper came from
The rain-caressed, rustling branches
Whose beloved is every homesick lover.

Huuuuuummm...
Huuuuuummm...
Huuuuuummm...

As the day progressed,
Like Hunters and the Hunted,
I heard the winds
Speak unto the shadows
Beneath the face of the sun,

"Love says unto herself,
'Be your own fuel,
And consume yourself'!"

And I,
Green and black,
Burnt,
Overcome,
Extinct,
I was no more.

"I am Muhammad."

"I am Being,
Glory is my Face,
Praise is my Robe."

"Muhammad is my Light,
'Ali is my Eye and my Sword,
Al-Shiddiq is my Heart,
'Isaa Ruhullaah is my Soul,
Jibreel is my Tongue."

"Truth is my Breath,
And, Love, oh Love,
Love is my Heartbeat."

"I am Muhammad."

At night, a company of dervishes
Sought me, saying,
"We saw you burning
The faces of both the east and west,
The north and south!"

I said,
"Is there anything more
You can desire, O little cups?"

They said,
"Tell us where you have
Brought that Burning Light from!"

I said,
"Watch! I shall indeed put it out,
In the shyness of the night,
As the evening winds long for it too!"

So the Fire, the Light, vanished
From their sight.

Thus I said unto them,
And unto you, my beloveds,
"Now tell me where it has gone!"

And they, overcome,
Left me alone with Love.

Ishq,

Dani

(Written at the Shrine of Hazrat Nizam ad-Din Awliyya, Delhi, 2004)

The Ocean and the Waves (On Sufis and Other Mystics)

2008-02-23T15:37:00.000-08:00

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

My dear sister Dima has shared a beautiful truth on her blog, showing
"the difference between the Ocean and a wave":

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

"And call not with Allaah any other god;

there is no god but He,

every thing is perishable but He;

His is the judgment,

and to Him you shall be brought back."

(Al-Qur'an al-Karim 28: 89)

=======

Here, I would like to add some humble explanation to this truth.

The above verses are profoundly correct (essentially correct on all levels
of being) no matter how simple the casing may look. Allaah Ta'ala as
the Primary Existence (al-Wajib al-Wujud al-Mutlaq) is beyond any need
of particular forms. In His own Absolute Oneness, He is Being (Wujud).
With respect to creation, He is Haqq al-Maujud (the Essence-Truth of
everything there is; though evil is actually another story: it was brought from
pure non-existence as a test).

The perceptual image of the Sea, the Waves, and the Salinity
as One does reflect the particular Oneness of gradations and
the taste of the Oneness of existence, however it is only "sensory",
it does not reveal the essential "texture" of the Absolute Oneness of
Allaah Ta'ala since it is but a manifest form ("shape") not the
Reality (Zaat) itself. This is the point at which Sufis (Muslim
Mystics) differ from mystics of the oriental religions. For example,
in Buddhism, in conformity with some people's thoughts, their
"transcendental" realization is "that which is Whole cannot exist
without that which is Particular (and vice versa)". Thus, due to the
supposedly inherent divergence of the infinite particular forms permeating
the "Spaces of Being", there is no need for the Buddhist to perceive the
Absolute Being (Sunyata, Emptiness) as having a True Self. Also, in
their view, the world of forms was not created and will never end.
It's an endless cycle of appearance and disappearance...

But Sufis, dear beloveds, are different. They realize this cannot be so.

The Peak of Divine Wisdom (al-Hikmah al-Ilahiyyah) whom the Sufis seek,
is that Wujud (Allaah, al-Haqq), Who alone contains existences and
non-existences (and can therefore bring (create) something from
absolute nothingness), has a Self (or "Face", that which reveals
itself as the convergence of all of His Names (Asma) and Attributes
(Sifaat)) that, although indescribable, is symbolized by Essentially
Loving, Essentially Compassionate (ar-Rahmaan, ar-Raheem). This is
Infinity embracing Itself (as an act of Primordial Love beyond
necessity) whose Mystery is Sealed in the "Mim" of Muhammad, the
Perfect Man (al-Insan al-Kamil). In Islaam, one-sided (sensory)
perception is not enough. Something is called certain (true, haqq) if
and only if it bears transcendental logic as a pattern and if this
logic is woven with the threads of Love. That is why, Sufis do not see
things through mere "windows"; they see the Dawn in its full glory
(infinite potential). They see things through the Eye of al-Haqq. And
they, ultimately, see none other than the Face (Wajh) of Allaah as
described in the Holy Qur'an:

"...wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allaah." (2: 115)

May Allaah Ta'ala raise us all to the Reality of His Nur, the First Intellect,
Nur Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa ahli baitihi wa sallam.

Thank you dear Dima, for the beautiful page and for bringing this to
our attention.

Ishq,

Dani

Islaam, the Way of Love and Countless Breaths

2008-02-18T06:51:00.000-08:00

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

Islaam is about relentlessly approaching al-Wajib al-Wujud, Allaah

Subhaan Huwa Ta'ala, the Only One worthy of worship, Whose Reality-Being

(Zaat) is endless. His Ahadiyya (Absolute Oneness) is the sole

foundation of existence, and nothing else.

Islaam is about knowing Allaah Ta'ala, the Beloved, and being in His

circle of protection and trust (walayah).

Islaam is about polishing the Mirror of the Heart and unveiling the

Intellect, until Knowledge of the Absolute becomes inevitable.

Islaam is about seeing Allaah both in the qubr (this world) and in the

akhirat, with His own Light.

Islaam is about seeing Allaah Jalla wa Jalal in the creations and

permeating the worlds with praise of the One of Power and Might.

Islaam is about seeking Allaah's Face, the Face of Absolute Beauty,

with utmost sincerity.

Islaam is about possessing two wings with which one roams the skies of

Certainty (Haqqul Yaqeen): Knowledge and Love.

Islaam is a home-coming for all souls, an invitation of Love to Love's

own banquet.

Islaam is from Allaah and for Allaah.

Islaam is about reaching the Perfection of Humanity through dressing

one's self with the Names and Attributes of al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla

through Ma'rifah and Mahabbah ar-Rasul, Knowledge and Love of Nabi

Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, who alone is 'Abd

Allaah and Habib Allaah, the one to whom essential secrets and

attributes are given. By my soul, he shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa

sallam is the Nur and Beauty of Allaah's Face.

Islaam is about knowing the People of the Arc of Salvation, Ahl Ya

Sin, the People of Light, the Family of Muhammad, and recognizing

their degree in the Sight of Allaah Ta'ala.

The Fruit of Mahabbah is none other than love of each other, for

Allaah's sake.

Islaam is about sharing your warmth and light, lit from the Beloved's Presence

within, with others, like an orphaned candle in the dark that loses naught

by doing so. Thus it is about dressing others just as you yourselves are dressed.

Islaam is not about ending up in "heaven" or "hell". Both "heaven" and

"hell" are creatures (makhluqat). How can they be our final destinations?

Islaam is about knowing Allaah al-Mahboob, the Final Destination, and

the pure passions, like silent whispers, that lead us there.

Islaam is about Beauty and the ways of lovers and their breaths.

Islaam is about the Great Battle (Jihad al-Akbar): first and foremost,

against the lower self, and against any sort of injustice that befalls

the Ummah as a whole.

Islaam is about loving, loving, and loving in the best way possible.

How can then the stronghold of justice and the sweetness of friendship

not be filled in its cup? And how can the cup and the wine not be pure?

Islaam is about living and dying only for Allaah's sake whose

matchless Fruit is Baqaa' billaah.

Islaam is about walking towards the Sun of Truth, Nur ala Nur,

Light upon Light, with our backs towards falsehood and

its projections upon the earth that are naught but trembling shadows.

Dear friends, renew your shahada now and then, with hearts that behold

the One Beloved and can't forget...

Yaa Allaah have mercy on us all, on me, especially, who has done so

much wrong both towards mankind and towards myself.

Yaa Hu, yaa Allaah, yaa Allaah, yaa Allaah, yaa Haqq.

Ishq,

Dani

Thariqah al-Muhammadiyyah

2008-02-16T20:17:00.000-08:00

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

Dear Beloveds of Allaah,

Ha Mim.

Let me explain from the point of view of Haqiqah, insha Allaah Ta'ala, why the People of Sincerity (Ahl al-Ikhlaas) are ordered to recite the shalaat

"Shalla Allaahu 'alaa Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'alaa ali Sayyidina Muhammad."

Our Beloved Master, the Owner of Absolute Prophethood (Nubuwwah) and Sainthood (Walayah), the Ocean of Essential Knowledge without a shore, the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, was sent from the Shadowless Realm of al-Nur al-Haqq, the Presence of Absolute Power, to the lower worlds (ours as well as others' in the hierarchy of existence) of multiple forms with 2 basic aims.

The first aim was to perfect the Akhlaq of creation by expounding the Laws of the Universe (Shari'ah) as well as the Way of Return (Thariqah) through his physical, historical, and spiritual presence. One must first know the constituents of the worlds in order to play the game of life successfully ("safely").

The second aim was none other than the fulfillment of the Biblical passage

"ELH shall come from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran (physically, this is outside Mecca). Selah. His glory shall cover the heavens, and the earth shall be full of his praise." (Habakkuk 3:3)

ELH (often pronounced "Eloah") refers to the Reality of Alif (Ha) Lam Mim, the State of Union of all existential attributes in Allaah's Zaat (Absolute Reality-Being, Ahadiyya). This passage, from the point of view of Haqiqah, exclusively refers to the unveiling of the Ruh, Nur, and Haqiqah of Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, the Absolute Perfect Man, before the worlds, in order that the worlds, still in their evolutionary state, might understand ("read" or "see") in the Clearest Light (the Light of His Ta'ala own Face), beyond individual perception, the Essential Union of the Ruh of the Perfect Man and the Ruh of al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla.

That is why, Allaah Ta'ala honors the Holy Prophet shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam with the phrase "shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam", that is, "Utmost Respect of Allaah Ta'ala, al-Wujud al-Zaat, and Peace, (be) upon him and his Family". This is a gesture of Honor from the Presence of Singularity directed to the Essence of the worlds, Muhammad, as Ruh, Nur, and Haqiqah. Once, in the state beyond wajd (ecstasy) or fanaa', that is, baqaa' billaah, Allaah Ta'ala manifest the following words through the lips of the Holy Prophet shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam,

"Ana Ahmadun bila Mim."

("I am Ahmad without Mim (that is, Ahad.)")

Those who are still enslaved by their lower nafs should not dare to interpret this qudsi hadith at all! Such a saying is manifest only in the state of fanaa' al-fanaa' with Allaah's "Ana" ("I" or "I-ness" or "Huwwiyyah", "He-ness"), not with any other (particular) "Ana". Or else, it may be said through the Perfect Man's "Ana" in the state of baqaa' billaah, because the Perfect Man has no need of "Ana" other than Allaah's "Ana" and his existence (presence) in the worlds is merely a Mirror for al-Haqq in which all of His Sifaat (Attributes) converge. (Actually, there is a state that overcomes "Ana", and is called the state of "Huwa Huwa", but this is another story.) Considering the Total Uniquness of Existence, Allaah Ta'ala may introduce His Reality to the worlds with or without Mim. This is beyond all necessities and is revealed in the qudsi hadith

"I was a Hidden Treasure and loved to be known. Therefore I created the Creation that I might be known."

The truth is, Mim is the Sign (al-Hujjah) of, and the Sign for, Allaah's Absolute Oneness, both in total silence and in total revelation. It is a manifestation of Allaah's Unifying Name-Reality, al-'Ayn al-Jam, towards which all things are returned (and hence the phrase ,"inna lillaahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un"). It is only in this Mim alone (the Mim of Muhammad) that Allaah's Greatest Name is known. This is none other than the Sacred Fruit of Thuba, essentially forbidden for all except the Perfect Man (Muhammad) himself. Thus, those who desire to eat of this Fruit must but reach the state of fanaa' fi Rasul (annihilation in the Reality of Muhammad).

Now, who are, from the point of view of Haqiqah, the Family of Muhammad (Ali Muhammad)? The Family of Muhammad refers to the spiritual link (al-nasab al-ruhaniyyah) between self-realized beings (among created beings) and their Perfect, Shadowless Self, Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, the one who witnesses Allaah Ta'ala without separation in the Light of His Ta'ala own Zaat. The Family of Muhammad consists of those particular beings that, through the Path of Islaam (Shari'ah, Thariqah, and Haqiqah), have reached, and become "universalized" in, the Reality of Muhammad, the Perfect Man, who is the Light upon Light of Allaah Ta'ala and hence the Light of His Ta'ala Face (Wajh) with respect to the created worlds. They are those who have reached fanaa' fi Rasul (and so fanaa' fi Allaah and baqaa' billaah). They are those who have penetrated the Solitude of the Cosmic Being and become the Sign of the Essence. They are those who have experienced the Great Contraction (al-Qiyammah al-Kubra), through all particular forms, into the (unmanifest) Singular Reality of al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla. They are the people of Ha Mim and hence Ya Sin. They are the people of "two bows' length or nearer". They are the people of the Union of Witnessing (al-Wahdah al-Syuhud). And they, as one and beyond perceptual oneness, are Muhammad. They are known to the common people as "Awliyya". They are the people of Essential Knowledge. Hence, the famous hadith

"Al-'Ulama' waratsat al-Anbiyya'."

("The People of Knowledge (the Knowledge of Allaah's Essence) are the inheritors of the Prophets.")

O Seekers of Allaah's Essence, it now becomes incumbent upon me to reveal that the door to this Thariqah is none other than Hazrat Imaam 'Ali alaihi salaam, the Imam of the esoteric East and the exoteric West (al-Imaam al-Masyariq wa al-Magharib), the Possessor of the Absolute Muhammadan Sainthood (al-Walayah al-Muhammadiyyah al-Mutlaq) as revealed in the hadith

"Ana wa 'Aliyyin min Nurin Wahid."

("I and 'Ali are from One Light.")

Heed, therefore, the following:

The Union between the Most Beloved Prophet Muhammad Nurin min Nurillaah shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam and Sayyidina al-Imaam 'Ali al-Murtaza alaihi salaam wa karram Allaahu wajhah is their Essential Union in the Pre-Eternal Nur (Light) of Allaah's Greatest Name (al-Ism al-A'zham) which is none other than His Ta'ala Face (Wajh). In truth, Sayyidina 'Ali alaihi salaam is the first descendant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam in the realm of the Unity of the Divine Light. 'Ali's blessed Reality was manifested directly from the Mim of Muhammad which, as we have seen above, is also known as al-'Ayn al-Jam. That is why, it is said that Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam beholds 'Ali alaihi salaam and sees himself without separation and vice versa, just as Allaah Ta'ala sees Himself in the Perfect Man (al-Insan al-Kamil al-Muhammadiyyah) that acts as a Mirror and Locus of all of His Ta'ala Sifaat. The famous hadith related to us by Jabir ibn Abdillaah radhi Allaahu anhu says that the first Entity that Allaah Ta'ala created was al-Nur al-Muhammadiyyah. Only the inheritors of the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam known as Ahlul Haqiqah delve deeper into this Reality. Among them are the great Quthbs (Axial Saints) and Ghawths (Intercessors) whose presence is a source of great barakaah for this Ummah.

This, my dear brothers and sisters, is the essence of Thariqah al-Wujudiyyah al-Muhammadiyyah, in brief.

Ishq,

Dani

Nazanin, Little Nazanin

2008-02-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

Nazanin, little Nazanin,

Innocence of the seashore of winged worlds,

Little flower, through you life honors itself with a touch of tenderness,

Little butterfly, what misery shall not drop into the dust before the sun of your sweetness?

Little rivulet, life's wine and secrets follow you wherever you go like eternally paired lovers.

At dawn, you are your mother and father's first song offering,

In the morning light, you give us angels' wings and glimpses of the roaming clouds,

At noon, you are every child's garland and pebble, his hidden treasure,

At noontide, in the twilight of ascending dreams and homesick lovers, withered leaves are again hued with the bliss of endless life,

At night, hidden in the heart of things, love, like the white morning, is restful in your possession.

Days and nights are your flute players,

The seasons melt upon your laughter,

The rain descends with your transparent sorrow,

The sky, like a golden canopy, is your witness,

The earth is your mother, sister, and bridegroom,

The winds are your whisperers,

Oh everyone's delight.

The sun and moon rise and set for the unknown in you, sweet light of our eye,

The sky wouldn't be so curved in its expanse if it weren't because of you, sweetness,

In the solitude of night, distant stars beg for your light,

For in your eye is the light of our endless youth,

And in your smile is the brink of eternity, Beloved.

Nazanin, little Nazanin,

Which garden is not yours?

And which gardener is not your lover?

Where lies the the barrier of moments,

Where does the passing breeze that swells in autumnal melodies have to go,

What of life and hope shall vanish into the night, like the last glimmer of sunset,

When one as beautiful as you is simply unsurpassable?

Ishq,

Dani

*Dedicated with love and yearning to Nazanin Zahra, Beloved of Allaah.

A Gift of Prophetic Jewels

2008-02-02T20:21:00.001-08:00

Salaam Ishq Allaah,

Dear beloveds, the following is a gift of jewels from our Most Beloved Master, the Most Beloved of Allaah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam (peace be upon his sublime self and the people of his household).

(1) ON THE CREATION OF THE WORLDS AND THE MUHAMMADAN REALITY

Allaah Ta'ala has said, through the lips of our Glorious Master, the Prophet (saaw), in the following qudsi hadith:

"I have created the Soul of Muhammad from the Light of My Face (Wajh)."

(Note: By "My Face" Allaah Ta'ala means the convergence of all of His Sifaat (Names and Attributes), that is, His Ta'ala Greatest Name. Some Sufis call this the 100th Name of Allaah Ta'ala. The Prophet (saaw) once referred to this as the sacred "Fruit" of Thuba.)

To Jabir ibn Abdullaah, may Allaah be pleased with him, one of the Ahl as-Shuffah (the People of the woolen garb living in the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah al-Munawarrah), the Sweet Beloved Prophet (saaw) said,

"O Jabir, verily the very first entity that Your Rabb (Lord, Creator, Cherisher, Evolver) manifested was the Light of your Beloved Prophet."

And,

"For a thousand years of Allaah's Time, after the creation of my Light, Allaah Ta'ala created the Arsh (Heavenly Throne) from the Light of my Eye. He Ta'ala then created the rest of creation from the Arsh. Then He Ta'ala sent the souls to descend to the lowest levels of creation, to the realm of the material world, as He Ta'ala says, "Then We make him (man) descend to the lowest of the low" (Surah Tin: 5).""

And,

"Allaah Ta'ala then sent my Light from where it was first manifest, from the Ultimate Realm (Alam al-Lahut, which is the Realm of Allaah's Absolute Unity-Being), to the Realm of the Divine Names (Alam al-Sifaat), the Manifestation of the Divine Attributes, the Realm of the Causal Intelligence of my Great Soul (al-Ruh al-A'zham). There He Ta'ala dressed souls in robes of my Light. These are the inheritors of my Reality among this Ummah."

He (saaw), has also said,

"I have been given all Names."

(Note: This refers to the Reality of Muhammad (saaw), al-Haqiqah al-Muhammadiyyah, as al-Insan al-Kamil, the Perfect Man, the most perfect Manifestation of all of Allaah's Names, whose Focal Point (Qibla) combines, and is beyond, the Esoteric East and the Exoteric West as he (saaw) said, "My Qibla is neither in the East nor in the West." Muhammad is the Name of all humanity in the realm of the souls (alam al-arwah).)

(2) ON KNOWLEDGE

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"On the day of the Last Judgment, Allaah Ta'ala will gather men together, then separate the wise men from among them, and say to them, "O people of knowledge, I gave you My knowledge because I know you. I did not give you wisdom to punish you on this day. So Enter My Paradise, I have forgiven you."

When asked what Paradise he (saaw) was referring to, he (saaw) said,

"It is the Paradise wherein there is only the Face of Allaah Ta'ala to be seen."

And he (saaw) related a verse from the Holy Qur'an, Surah Qamar: 55, "...the place of Truth in the Presence of a Sovereign Omnipotent."

When asked what sort of knowledge he (saaw) was referring to, he (saaw) said,

"...a special knowledge like a hidden treasure that only those who know the Essence of Allaah Ta'ala can find. Yet when the Mystery is revealed, no one who is conscious and sincere can deny it."

(Note: The knowledge here is the one alluded to in the Holy Qur'an, in Surah Ta Ha: 7, "...the secret and what is yet more hidden." The Axial Sultan of Muhammadan Saints, Hazrat Shaykh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani qaddas Allaahu sirrah (may Allaah sanctify his secret) has said,

"This knowledge was revealed to our Master, the Prophet (saaw), during the Mi'raj (the Night Voyage), his (saaw) Ascension to Allaah Ta'ala (where he (saaw) ultimately reached the state of fanaa' al-fanaa' and baqaa' billaah). This mystery was hidden in him (saaw) behind 30,000 veils. He (saaw) did not reveal its secret except to those among his (saaw) disciples who were closest to him (saaw). It is by the propagation and blessing of this secret that Islaam will continue to reign until the last day of the worlds.")

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"This world is undesirable and unlawful for those who wish for the hereafter. The hereafter is undesirable for those who wish for this world, and it will not be given to them. But for the souls who seek Allaah's Essence alone, neither this world nor the hereafter has any attraction."

(3) ON MAN

Allaah Ta'ala has spoken through our Master, the Prophet (saaw), in the following qudsi hadith,

"Man is My Secret and I am his Secret. The inner knowledge of spiritual essence ('ilm al-bathin) is a secret of My secrets. Only I put this into the heart of My good servant, and none may know his state other than Me."

And,

"I am as My servant knows Me. When he seeks Me and remembers Me, I am with him. If he seeks Me inwardly, I seek him with My Essence. If he remembers and mentions Me in good company, I remember and declare him as My good servant in better company (the company of angels)."

(4) ON REFLECTION (TAFAKKUR) AND WISDOM

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"A moment of reflection is worth more than a year of worship."

And,

"A moment's reflection is worth more than seventy years of worship."

And,

"A moment's reflection is worth more than a thousand years of worship."

He (saaw), has said,

"There is a state in which all and everything is gathered and that is Ma'rifatullaah (Divine Wisdom)."

And,

"With it, one learns the Truth, which gathers within itself all causes and all good. Then one must act upon this Truth. One must also know falsehood and act upon it."

(5) ON TASHAWUF (THARIQAH/SUFISM)

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"The Religion is a tree: Mysticism is its branches, Wisdom is its foliage, Truth is its fruit."

He (saaw) has also said,

"Shari'ah is my sayings, Thariqah is my actions, and Haqiqah is my inner states."

(6) ON INTIMACY

In the following qudsi hadith, Allaah Ta'ala has said, through our Master, the Prophet (saaw),

"My servant, if you wish to enter the sanctuary of My Intimacy, do not pay attention either to this world or to the higher world of the angels, not even to the higher realms where you may receive My Divine Attributes."

(Note: This is the perfection of not associating anything with Allaah Ta'ala. This is the essence of Islaam itself.)

(7) ON BATTLE (JIHAD)

One day, when the Prophet (saaw) and his companions had just returned from a great battle, he (saaw) said, "We have returned from a small battle to wage the Great War." They asked, "What is it, O Messenger of Allaah?" He (saaw) answered, "The battle against the lower self." He (saaw) further said, "This is your greatest enemy, and it is under your ribs."

(Note: Without this sort of Jihad, it is not possible to reach the reality of the Confession of Unity, the Shahada.)

(8) ON LOVE AND YEARNING

Allaah Ta'ala has said, through the lips of His Most Beloved Prophet (saaw),

"My Love, My Existence, is their Love for Me."

And,

"I feel the yearning of My Lovers for Me, and I too long for them."

Allaah Ta'ala has said, through our Master, the Prophet (saaw),

"I cannot be contained by My heavens nor My earths, but I fit into the heart of My Lover."

(Note: About this, Hazrat Bayazid al-Bistami qaddas Allaahu sirrah has said, "If all that exists in and around the Throne (Arsh) of Allaah Ta'ala, the vastest of all of Allaah's creations, were to be placed in a corner of the Perfect Man's heart, he would not even feel the weight of it.")

(9) ON ASCETISM (ZUHUD)

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"My state of utter need, my poverty, is my Pride."

And,

"By this, I have reached the highest possible station among the Prophets."

(Note: Poverty here does not mean the lack of the worldly. It is the abandonment of everything but the wish for the Essence of Allaah Ta'ala.)

(10) ON ECSTASY (WAJD) AND TASTE (ZAUQ)

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"A single divine inspiration which cuts one off from the world and bestows upon one the reflection of Allaah's Divine Attributes, showing one the signs of Allaah's Divine Unity, is worth the experience of both worlds (this world and the hereafter)."

And,

"The one who has not experienced ecstasy and thereby received the manifestation of Divine Wisdom and Truth in truth has not lived!"

(Note: Commenting on this hadith, Hazrat Junayd al-Baghdadi qaddas Allaahu sirrah has said, "When ecstasy meets the Divine Manifestations inside a Lover, he is either in a state of the highest joy or the deepest sorrow.")

Allaah Ta'ala has said, in the Holy Qur'an, in Surah Zumar: 17,

"So give the good news to My servants who listen to the Word, then follow the Beauty in it. Such are they whom Allaah Ta'ala has guided (towards Himself). And such are the men of understanding."

Our Master, the Prophet (saaw), has said,

"The ecstatic ritual of the Lovers of Allaah Ta'ala, their whirling and chanting, is an obligatory form of worship for some, and for others a supererogatory act of worship; and yet for others (who have low taste due to their being veiled by their lower nafs) still it is heresy (bid'ah). It is obligatory for the Perfect Man. It is supererogatory for the Lovers and for the heedless it is heresy."

(Note: Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Shiddiq radhi Allaahu anhu, Mawlana Rumi's great grandfather, was the first to whirl in ecstasy, upon receiving a secret from the Prophet (saaw) in the Cave, as the hadith says, "Whatever is in my heart, I pour into the heart of as-Shiddiq.")

And,

"He is ill-natured who takes no pleasure being with Lovers of Allaah Ta'ala: the poems of the Wise which they chant, the season of spring, the color and perfume of its flowers and the lute and its song."

And,

"The one who has not experienced ecstasy does not have the taste of his religion."

***

Yaa Nabi salaam alaika, yaa Habib salaam alaika, yaa Syahid alaa Wujudillaah, salaam alaika. Anta Syamsun, anta Badrun, anta Nurun fawqa Nuri, anta Nur al-Wajhullaah, anta Nur al-Mawjud, anta Taj al-Muqarrabun yaa Rasul Allaah. Yaa Habib salaam alaika. Shalawaatullaah alaika.

Allaahu, Allaahu, Allaahu Haqq.

Ishq,

Dani

In the Morning Light

2008-02-01T20:03:00.000-08:00

Dear beloveds,

Be in the Morning Light with me as you read this little tafseer, insha Allaah Ta'ala.

Listen attentively and sincerely, in the presence of your hearts and souls, to the following verses:

Bismi Huwa Ta'ala...

1. By the Glorious Morning Light,

2. And by the Night when it is still,

3. Your Rabb HAS NOT forsaken you, nor is He displeased.

4. And verily the End will be better for you than the present.

QS. Ad-Dhuha: 1-4.

"By the Glorious Morning Light." This refers to your Rooh, beloveds. What is the Rooh? By Allaah, the Rooh is that which shines from the Totality of His Ta'ala Sifaat. The Rooh witnesses Allaah and is witnessed by Him Ta'ala in total intimacy. This is your deepest self. The Rooh is UNCREATED. No hijab exists for the Rooh. At the same time, the Rooh bears the function of the Light with which al-Insaan (veiled behind the 30,000 layers of nafs) recognizes al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla. In this capacity, the Rooh is therefore also said to be 'Abd (Makhluq) and yet is above all particular existences including the Angels (Malaikat). The Rooh is al-'Aql al-Awwal al-Kull (the First Universal Intellect). This is the Haqiqat of al-Rooh al-A'zham (the Great Spirit). This is, by my soul, Nur Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam. Allaah Ta'ala created the Arsh (the seen and the unseen worlds) from this Light. For this reason, our Most Beloved Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam is also called al-Nur al-Imkaniyyah (the Light of the created worlds). That is why Islaam is not just about saying, "Laa ilaaha ill Allaah". It is also to witness that Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam is the Knower of the Divine Essence and the Secret of Allaah Ta'ala. That is why this is part of the Tasyahud in salaat. The Muhammadan Reality, al-Haqiqah al-Muhammadiyya, is Allaah's Mercy revealed for our sake. And there are stages of witnessing. The highest state, the Muhammadan State, is known as Ihsaan. This is the state of "Ha Mim", when there is no separation between the Witness (Syahid) and the Witnessed (Masyhud), because the Witness is annihilated in the convergence of all of His Ta'ala Sifaat. This is what is meant in the Qur'an (in Surah al-Israa') by "the distance of two bows' length or closer." The phrase "two bows" refers to "the Witness and the Witnessed" and the word "closer" means the state of the Salik being infinitely extinct in the Divine Essence. This way, the Salik is finally dressed with al-Sifaat al-Haqqani. This is what is meant by the Night of Power, al-Laylat al-Qadr. This was the night when the Qur'an descended for the first time into the lowest world, our physical world. In truth, the Night of Power refers to the physical body of Nabi shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam when his blessed spirit had just been returned from the state of fanaa'. The body remained for 23 years after the unveiling of his Nubuwwah as a source of barakah, until Allaah took him back towards His own Essence, from this place of trial. "Laylatul Qadri khayrun min alfisahr." The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. What does Allaah Ta'ala mean by "a thousand months"? He Ta'ala means the state of multiplicity or the countless manifest forms that exist in the hierarchy of Wujud, that veil the ignorant. The Salik, when endowed with al-Sifaat al-Haqqani, is exalted by none other than Allaah Himself, and therefore is said to be better than all conceivable forms in the Universe. Allaahu Akbar!

"By the Night when it is still." The Night refers to the darkness (nafs) that enshrouds (the capacity of) the Rooh. Al-Hujjat al-Islaam al-Imaam al-Ghazali radhi Allaahu anhu wa qaddas Allaahu sirrah said that the heart (qalb) is borne from the combination ("marriage") between the Rooh and the nafs. Therefore, it has 2 sides: one faces the Rooh and is called al-Fu'ad, and the other faces the soul (nafs), which is called al-Shadr. So by "the Night when it is still", Allaah Ta'ala means the nafs when it is totally silenced when the effects of Direct Witnessing (Syuhud) take place and completely overwhelm its powers. This is called al-Qiyyamah al-Kubra, when the Reality of His Ta'ala Zaat (Essence) is revealed. By the Lover and the Beloved, this is when He Ta'ala is known by the Pure Vision of Nur Muhammad as none other than al-Wujud al-Zaat. This is the indescribable state of al-Tauhid called al-Ahadiyya (Allaah Ta'ala in His own Unique, Singular, Absolute Zaat) that can only be alluded to as "Huwa Huwa" ("He is He"). Subhaan Allaah!

"Your Rabb has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased." Unveiling (Kashf) is an act of Pure Mercy. Why? Because His Ta'ala Essence is so infinitely exalted from the perception of His Ta'ala creation, so infinitely far beyond our perception... Yes, but at the same time He Ta'ala has not created you in vain. He Ta'ala desires you to KNOW Him as Him. He is known by none other than Him! So, subhaan Allaah, for He is al-Rahmaan al-Raheem. The fact that you are veiled behind 30,000 layers of nafs does not mean He Ta'ala wants to hide Himself from you forever. He places souls in this world (dunya), in this place of trial, in order to glorify the Muhammadan Essence over the veils... He Ta'ala desires to glorify the Muhammadan Power of Witnessing His Ta'ala Essence that the Light of the Perfect Man (al-Insan al-Kamil al-Kull) may shine on creation. He can be known by those who are worthy, by His own Will. That is why there are Ahlullaah. That is why there are Sufis. Ulema Zaheer often say, when referring to the Ghayb, "Only Allaah knows..." and stop at that. But there are KNOWERS of Allaah Ta'ala. Such knowers are known as Ahl Ya Sin, and they, as one, are the real FAMILY of the Holy Prophet Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, beyond blood relations. They know Allaah Ta'ala not through strict rational thinking and not even through transcendental philosophy of any sort. They know Allaah Ta'ala by purifying themselves and by Allaah's consent, thereby reaching the state of the Witnessing of the Muhammadan Spirit. From there on, Allaah Ta'ala, out of Infinite Mercy, absorbs Nur Muhammad completely back into His Zaat, relieving it from its function as the Light of all particular existences, Nur al-Mawjud. This state is called Total Content (Ridha, Allaah is pleased with you and you pleased with Him) and so the Salik reaches Annihilation (Fanaa') in the sweetest way possible. This is also called fanaa' al-fanaa' and baqaa' bi Allaah. Instead of being totally hidden from existences, Allaah Ta'ala reveals Himself through the Reality of Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam while at the same time He Ta'ala infinitely raises the rank of Muhammad shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam in His own Essential, Unmanifest Zaat. And, for those who have reached Allaah Ta'ala through fanaa' fi Rasul (see my previous article) this is the Akhirat. That is why He Ta'ala says, "And verily the End will be better for you than the present."

So do not despair! May this be useful to you all. Allaah loves us with the Reality of His Zaat, especially His Knowers, those drawn near to the point of being wanted by none other than Him Ta'ala to witness that which no eye can bear to see, no ear can bear to hear, and no mind can bear to perceive.

Allaaahu Nur alaa Nur.

Allaahumma shalli alaa Sayyid al-Mi'raj wa Ha Mim wa Tha Sin wa Ya Sin, Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad, Nur alaa Nur min Nurillaah wa alaa ali Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad, Syahid alaa Wujudillaah.

Ishq Allaah,

Dani

PS. The foregoing is dedicated to my dear sister Dima. May Allaah soothe your soul and bring you home by means of His Most Beautiful Face, O little bird of Allaah.

Who is a Sufi?

2008-01-28T17:44:00.000-08:00

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem.

Beloved brothers and sisters,

I'd like to share a little reminder concerning the reality of Sufism.
This is in order to guard ourselves against the trappings of kibr
(pride) that have infected many of those who claim "Sufihood"
nowadays. Merely walking as a Salik (Wayfarer) in a particular
Thariqah does not make one a Sufi. Merely composing poems about love
and longing does not make one a Sufi. Merely joining a halaqah of
dhikr does not make one a Sufi. Merely engaging one's self in sema'
does not make one a Sufi. Often nowadays, especially in the West,
Sufism only exists upon the tongue. If it exists in the heart at all,
it only exists as a disease called pride and prestige, whereas the
real Sufis of earlier times really sought the extinction of personal
attributes at the most hidden station of Sincerity (Ikhlas).
Astaghfirullaah. By Allaah, it is often the case that the real Sufi is he
who is most silent about his inner states among us.

Who is a Sufi?

It is known that the greatest Ulema and Awliyya in the history of
Islaam have been Sufis. Therefore, do not call yourselves "Sufis" out
of pride if you are unsure of your states. Speak of Sufism and Lovers
you may, but do not be necessitated by the vainglorious nafs to claim
the reality of Walayah. If you wish, call yourselves "Wayfarers"
("Dervishes" or "Door Seekers") instead. Let the reality of this
blessed station (al-Maqam al-Shufiyyah), which singularly and
essentially belongs to the Holy Prophet of Allaah, Muhammad Nurin min
Nurillaah shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam, alone, be
sanctified among this Ummah. By my soul, it is to Nabi shalla Allaahu
alaihi wa alihi wa sallam alone that Allaah Jalla wa Jalal reveals His
Essential Reality, al-Huwwiyyah al-Haqiqiyyah. Only Nabi shalla
Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam sees al-Haqq Azza wa Jalla the way
He Azza wa Jalla desires to be seen. It is only with the Light of his
shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam Reality that the Face of
Allaah, the Face of Absolute Beauty, can be seen.

The ultimate, genuine, truthful Sufi, therefore, is he who stands at
the Muhammadan station of excellence and sees nothing else next to
that station, not even the station of a great particular Wali, for he
shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam alone is the Absolute Wali
(al-Wali al-Mutlaqah) in the Presence of Divine Intimacy (al-Hadhrah
al-Qurb). He shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam alone is the
possessor of Absolute Sainthood (al-Walayah al-Mutlaqah al-'Ammah).
No one else is addressed in the Divine Presence except the Beloved Prophet
shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam. We are but particles under his
cloak that enshrouds all particular existences, whether seen or unseen.

Seeing Allaah Ta'ala with the Muhammadan Eye (Haqqul Yaqeen) means
annihilating one's self in the Muhammadan Reality, al-Haqiqah
al-Muhammadiyya, for whose sake the worlds and whatever they hide in
their shadows came into being. This is the reality of fanaa' fi Rasul
that can only be achieved by very few of those who are drawn near
among the Muqarrabun and Shidiqqin. This is Ihsaan. The end-point of
Ihsaan (that is, Fanaa') is not known to us. It is beyond all
generalities and particularities concerning our knowledge of
"knowing". It can only be said that the Reality of being extinct in
al-Wujud al-Zaat (Allaah Subhaan Huwa Ta'ala) is infinite. Those who
are drawn towards the essential reality of the Unity of Witnessing
(al-Wahdah al-Syuhud) are those who have passed the station of
"wanting Allaah" and have been placed by His Ta'ala Hand of Mercy at
the station of "being wanted by Allaah". I have no words for this
sweetness. Subhaan Allaah.

***

How could the greatest ulema of Islaam not be Sufis? There's no other
way towards al-Haqiqah, towards Ma'rifatullaah, except this Door into
the Muhammadan Knowledge and Reality, whose resplendent Gate is Hazrat
'Ali karram Allaahu wajhah as the hadith says,

"I am the City of Knowledge and 'Ali is its Gate."

A true inheritor of the Muhammadan Prophetic Reality is he who
combines the Two Seas, sometimes also called the Two Wings (Dhul
Janahain), the Esoteric and Exoteric Realities. This, then, is the
real Sufi, the real Muslim. The Sweet-Faced Holy Prophet shalla
Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam said in a famous hadith,

"Shari'ah is my sayings, Thariqah is my actions, and Haqiqah is my
inner states."

Tashawuf (Sufism) is none other than the Heart, nay, the Rooh, of
Islaam. It is the kernel of the kernel of knowing al-Haqq Azza wa
Jalla. When this science is ignored, the rest of the Deen becomes
useless (redundant). Without it, the conditions that determine the
presence of the heart cannot be known.

Ta = Tauhid (whose first gate is Taubah), Sha = Shafa, Wa = Walayah,
Fa = Fanaa'.

Know that the first state of Sufism, Tauhid (through Taubah), is also
its last state, Tauhid (in the most perfect sense: Tauhid al-Zaati).
Whosoever ignores this great science ignores the whole Deen of Islaam
and his actions are therefore rendered corrupt. A Sufi is he who
masters seeing al-Haqq and being seen by al-Haqq. Someone who is still
in the process of mastery is therefore not yet a Sufi. He is a mere Salik.

Read (comprehend) the Holy Qur'an and follow the Prophetic Sunnah.
With regard to the Qur'an, the Beloved Prophet shalla Allaahu alaihi
wa alihi wa sallam said,

"In truth the Qur'an possesses an inner and outer, and the inner
contains seven dimensions."

With regard to the Sunnah, he shalla Allaahu alaihi wa alihi wa sallam
said,

"Whosoever truly loves me, he shall keep my Sunnah."

Whosoever discards the Standards, the Qur'an and the Sunnah, merely
for something else (such as poetry and music) is a fake lover. These
are two Gifts of Love from your Rabb Who is the Light and Essence of
the Total Uniqueness of Existence (al-Ahadiyya wa al-Wujud al-Mutlaqah). Take 'Ilm
(Knowledge) from the Experts, from real Knowers, those who are gifted
with the Islamic sciences, not simply from the hearsays of mere claimants.

This is but a simple reminder. And Allaahu Ta'ala knows best.

Allaahu, Allaahu, Allaahu Haqq.

Huwa, Huwa, Huwa.

Huwa Rabbul Qudrat wa Rabbul Jabarut wa'l Malakut wa'l Mulk.

Wa Huwa Nurun alaa Nurin.

Ya Hu, ya Haqq.

Shalla Allaahu alaa Siraj al-Munir wa Ruh al-A'zham wa Sayyid
al-Mursalin wa Taj al-Muqarrabun, Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad, Sir
Allaah, Habib Allaah, Nur al-Wajh Allaah, Nur wa Sabab al-Maujud, wa
alaa alihi wa sahbihi ajma'in.

Ishq,

Dani

Leave Love Alone

2007-12-30T12:06:00.000-08:00

Leave Love Alone

He is He...

Enter this state, there's no door,

Imagine this state, you'll only grab your soul's fancy skirt,

Forget this state, let forgetfulness whisper the secrets to non-beings instead.

Once, as soon as I started looking for Him in this and that,

I heard myself say unto myself,

"Are you seeking Beauty here?

Not even nearness nor aloneness can capture the Beloved,

What you see, what you hear, what you feel,

They are but rumours perpetrated by the winds,

Like the fallen feathers of the legendary King of Birds.

"They say, there's an eternal mirror somewhere in all this non-sense,

In which the Answer is written in silver light.

The answer is humbly awful:

"Do you hesitate which One the Seer is and which One the Seen is?"

Ah, forget even this,

You know that I can only lie to you,

Until you and I can no longer lie of the things unnamed and without a sign."

Wash your face with the seven seas you may,

Just don't rest on anything in this endless space,

See if you can be the One without sign and name.

Hush! O Vanity personified,

What shall not spin yourself astray?

Just leave Love alone with Love.

He is He...

Ishq,

Dani

A Talk with an Atheist

2007-12-26T05:20:00.000-08:00

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

Salaam Allaah alayka, dear brothers and sisters,

A few weeks ago, I encountered an atheist, who is a University student firmly grounded in his belief and very proud of that such that he looks down upon people like us, and who claims to follow the Darwinian school of thought (at least the one promoted by R. Dawkins of Oxford) which bases its entire system on "evolutionary emergent intelligence" instead of "intrinsic intelligence" and "randomness of natural selection" instead of "purposeful design". Since a lot of "intellectual" people these days tend to verge on atheism or materialism (in one form or another), I thought I would share the gist of our debate here with you all in the hope to shed some light on the Truth and grow the confidence and certainty (yaqeen) in your hearts by Allaah's permission. May Allaah Ta'ala help us all in knowing and loving Him better. Amin.

***

Q: "As far as I know, no one of the theologians has been able to answer the following problematic question: 'Can "God"
create a stone which He Himself will not be able to lift up?' If yes, then He will cease to be the Most Powerful! If no, then He is not all-Powerful at all in the first place, at least not completely. In either case, there's no way that "God" can be all-Powerful. Hence, "God" either doesn't exist or can't be that which you guys ("theists") describe Him to be!"

A: "The answer to your question has been given through Surah al-Ikhlaas in the Holy Qur'an:

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem.

In the Name of Allaah, the Infinitely Loving, the Infinitely Merciful.

Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad.

Say: He is Allaah, the Singular, the Unique.

Allaahus Samad.

Allaah is the Intrinsic Source of Being (Existence).

Lam yalid wa lam yulad.

He is not caused by that which is extrinsic to Him, nor does He produce that which is external to Him.

Wa lam yaqul la Hu kufuan Ahad.

And nothing whatsoever is like unto Him.

"In this Surah, Allaah Ta'ala speaks of Himself without attributes whatsoever other than that which is the Reality that He Ta'ala is. He Ta'ala is al-Haqq; the Unique, Absolute, Intrinsic Truth; enthroned above Duality (Multiplicity) and hence above Opposition, Relativity, and Interdependence. He Ta'ala is as-Samad, the Singular, Intrinsic Source of all interdependent, hidden, and manifest realities while He Ta'ala Himself is absolutely independent of conceivable attributes. Now, you may reflect that That-Which-Exists inherently cannot result from a set of causes and conditions whatsoever, and so causality can NEVER operate with regard to this Reality-Being. Hence your question does not apply to Allaah Ta'ala in the first place; it is a mere mental construct whose emergence is only possible in any closed system (like the mind) which at the same time cannot be divorced from that which is observed by it---the Universe of phenomena. So you see, your question is devoid of intrinsic substance in the first place and you expecting an answer in this case is pretty much like trying to paste a sticker on a tidal wave. As such, your question only applies to divisible, interdependent phenomena (and hence, your so-called "God", that is only purely relative, and the stone). On the other hand, the Absolute Reality-Being, Allaah Ta'ala, is not made up of parts, and so isn't divisible. In Tasawwuf which is also called al-'Ilm al-Haqiqat, the Islamic science of Allaah's Essence (the Essence of Reality-Being), we have the so-called seven states of manifestation, from the most sublime to the most coarse. At best your question still applies to the fifth state, called al-'Alm al-Mitsal (the Realm of thought-forms or imageries), where relative existential weights (called "forms") exist in interdependence, but no further than that. In the most exalted state of Allaah Ta'ala, called Ahadiyya, He Ta'ala has no need of objects ("partners"; anything exterior to Himself whether conceptually or consequentially); He simply is He (Huwa Huwa) and neither perceptions nor words can reveal the Reality of Ahadiyya, for this state is free from any "entanglement of states" whatsoever. We, genuine Muslims, don't take this for granted nor base all this on presupposition, rather we purify ourselves from phenomenal entanglement and interdependence (we seek to "divorce ourselves from ourselves") in order to be granted the Reality of the Presence (Hudhur) which we call Qurb (Nearness). This is the state of the Holy Prophet of Islaam (peace be upon him and his exalted family) called Ihsaan (Direct Witnessing) and this state is reproducible (provided that one goes through a very intense journeying called Sulook) and hence is "scientific".

"So, the answer to your question, if you like, can be anything your mind (ego) wishes, as it applies only to realities dependent on your senses and concepts. It is pretty much like the case of any real number which is divided by zero, the answer can be anything, and yet this "anything" has no absolute substance, it is purely "empty" ("weightless") and "relative" with respect to Allaah Ta'ala. He Ta'ala does not suffer from any consequence which the question entails at all. In other words, He Ta'ala is not touched upon by such questions at all. Subhaan Allaah. It is in Him Ta'ala alone that the disparity between incoherent thoughts (perceptions) and Reality vanishes."

***

Dear brothers and sisters whom I love for Allaah's sake, let us now pray, according the Holy Prophet's injunction that we pray against useless knowledge such as that contained in the above question from the Atheist. May He Ta'ala protect us with Ma'rifat and Yaqeen.

Bismillaah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

Allaahumma inni as'aluka
bi Sirri az-Zaat wa bi Zaat as-Sirr
Huwa Anta wa Anta Huwa
ihtajabtu bi Nurillaah
wa bi-Nuri 'Arsyillaah
wa bi-Kulli Ismillaah
bi mi'ati alfi
"La haula wa la quwwata illa billaah"
khatamtu 'ala nafsi wa 'ala ahli
wa 'ala kulli syai'in a'thanihi Rabbi
bi khatamillaahi al-mani'a al-lazi
khatama bihi aqthar as-samawat wa al-ardh
wa Hasbunallaahu wa Ni'mal Wakil
Ni'mal Maula wa Ni'man Nashir
wa la haula wa la quwwata illa billaahi al'-Aliyyi al-'Azhim
wa shalallaahu 'ala Sayyidina wa Mawlana wa Murshidina wa Habibina Muhammadin
wa 'ala alihi wa shahbihi wa sallama ajma'in.

Amin.

O Allaah, I beseech You, and You alone
by the Secret of Your Essence (Being, Reality) and by the Secret Essence
protect me with Your Pure, Exalted Light
with the Light of Your Throne
and with all Your Names, whether revealed or hidden
from the malice and slander of those possessed by evil intentions
from Your enemies, the enemies of the Truth.

I beseech You, O Allaah, with 100,000 remembrances
"There is no Power (Capacity) nor Strength except by Allaah"
I hereby shield myself and my relatives (friends)
and all that You have bestowed upon me
with Your Impenetrable Shield
with which You shield the multi-layered heavens and the Earth
and Sufficient are You, O Allaah, as our Helper even as You are our Best Protector
for You alone, O Allaah, are the Matchless Protector and Helper
"There is no Power nor Strength except by Allaah"
Allaah's Peace and Blessings be upon our Master, our Patron, our Teacher, our Sweetheart Muhammad, his exalted family and companions.

Amin.

Yaa Azizu, yaa Allaah
Yaa Karimu, yaa Allaah
Yaa Jabbaru, yaa Allaah
Yaa Sattaru, yaa Allaah
Yaa Ghaffaru, yaa Allaah

Allaahu, Allaahu, Allaahu Haqq!

Ishq wa Salaam,

Dani (Indranu)

Dewsong

2007-12-25T17:19:00.000-08:00

Dearest Niknaaz,

Dewsong in my Zikr,

Sunshine in my Fikr,

Full Moon in my solitude,

Elixir in my Breathing,

Song in my Restless Sea of feelings,

Sweet-faced Beauty in my seeing,

Reality in this honey-filled denial of my own existence,

Oh Beloved of Allaah, don't go far away from this afflicted Majnoon,

Oh Daughter of Mustafa,

Oh Bride of 'Ali,

Don't desert me as the evening wind deserts the yonder branches of autumn,

Not even for a second, oh Layla,

For you are winged and I, this Faqeer, I am imprisoned and dusted...

Oh Beloved of my Rooh,

A day without thinking of you is infinitely long and unbearable,

Like that desolate road between Kabul and Kandahar trodden by barefooted lovers that leads them from mist to mist, enveloping them in obscure heights,

At this Maqam of Surrender, what else can I do? I will be waiting for you, oh my Love,

Even as the many-colored leaves wait for the Sun in the fold of the morning mist and in the heart of countless songless nights...

Men can move like restless caravan trains but I, oh Niknaaz, park me off somewhere in your consent (ridha) and nearness (qurb), and not in my anguished slumber and wishful thinking,

Rest me in your gaze,

In the silhouette of your beauty,

In the sun of your smile,

In your Love, oh my sweetheart.

Oh Niknaaz,

May your silhouette never dissolve on the beach that my heart is,

May your beauty never be veiled by the silence of the night,

May your eyelids never flutter into the empty distance, oh Mashuq,

Even as Khorassan is just a thought away from my place of exile.

Don't leave me without your gaze, not even for a second, my dearest,

Because in that moment when your gaze falls upon me and enshrouds my Rooh in shyness,

And when your thoughts burn a greater Majnoon within this Majnoon in ecstasy (zauq),

I find the cure for my love-sickness, which is loving you, you, you, oh Niknaaz, more, more, and more until I am no more, until I am no more, until I am no more...

Until my ashes are nowhere to be found except in that crimson shyness in your eyes,

In every beloved's eyes,

In every lover's breath,

In Allaah's Sweetness.

Infinite Love and Tenderness,

Dani

(26/12/2007)

Layla-e-Khorassan

2007-11-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

Layla-e-Khorassan: By Dani