4BN ATA’ ALLAH AL-ISKANDARI The Key to Salvation : A Sufi Manual of Invocation,[ | pape me nee een re en ee ee THE REMEMBRANCE OF GOD IM SUFISM: A TRANSLATION OF Mieptig ab-FaLig va MIGBiB AL-ARWHG (The Key of Salvation and the Lamp of Souls) Translated from the Arabic witb an Introduction and Notes by Mary ans Koury Danner Submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Wear Eastern Languages and Cultures Indiana Oniversity august, 1986Accepted by the faculty of the Graduate School in partial fulftilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Pailosophy in the Departuent of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Indiana University. send be £ Wadie Jwaideh, Chairman Sri Yoo, Salih J. Altoma Doctoral Committee: ene \w. hos Victor Danner BPveom 5. G. Martin Date of Oral Examination: August *5, 1986 ‘ tL f © 1988 Mary Ann K. Danner ALL RIGHTS RESERVED addDedication To the memory of ay parents, Philip and Martha A. Koury, who always stressed the isportance of education, this work is respectfully dedicated. iv | SE ee Acknowledgessots To say that writing a dissertation 1s no easy task 1s certainly an understatement. Hence, I would Like to take this opportunity te thank publicly the various people whe have given of their time, advice, and support in seeing this vork to completion. First of all, I would Like to express ay sincere appreciation to Professor wadie Juaideh, chairman of ay committee, for his guidance and supervision. His tremendous scholarship in Arabic literature, end islam history, anorg a host of other fields, provided many invaluable suggestions, couments, and clarification on obscure points and references. Likewise, I would like to thank the other aembers of my committee, Drs. Salin J. Altoma, Victor Danner, and Bradford G. Martin, for their time, helpfulness, and encourageaent. To Dr. Victor Danner I owe more than words could adequately express for having introduced the field of Islam and Sufism to me, for his guidance and assistance, and particularly for his patience and sense of humor in seeing ae through auch of the transiating of the Hiftah al- Falah. In addition, a word of special thanks is dus Hs. Carol Laudermilk who so patiently typed the entire text in spite of numerous corrections and changes and, no doubt, {ilegible writing at times. Lastly, but in no way least, I offer my deep gratitude to all ay friends and family for their moral support and faith in me. They made the going quite a bit easter than it might have been otherwise.Needless to say, responsibility for whatever oistakes or shortcomings way occur in the vork devolves upon ae. vi | fermen rer ern ee es pine TABLE OF CONTERTS Introduction. + + eee ett TRANSLATION OF THE MIFTAY AL FALAH WA HISBAY AL-ARWKY . - Preface - eee ete ere {Part One] Intreduction: On the Nature of Remembrance and Its Explanation . 1. + + Chapter [I] Invoking Aloud.) ee ee ee tet Chapter {II] Benefits of the Invocation in General. . - - + Chapter [iII} On the Benefits of the the Novice Traveling the Path Chapter [IV] On Choosing the Type of Invocations Used by Remembrance... + + Chapter {V] The Gradual Advance of the Seeker by Means of the Invocations, and the Manner Wherein He Transfers from Degree to Degree, Stated by Way of Counsel and Sumarization. + +s se eee Chapter (7i] On the Invocation During the Spiritual Retreat Chapter {VII} The Oneness of God ss ee se etree Chapter (VIII) Gnosis + - e+ + + Chapter (2X) What Initiates on the Path Must lspreas upon Thenselves and Practice Constantly Part Two of the Book: On Explaining Invocations: Herein Are Sections and a Conclusion which Are Part of the Total Number of Principles vil a5 46 48 67 a1 88 98 105 15 122 125 140. 17Conclusion of the Book: It Includes What Has Been Mentioned in the Way of Remembrance in All Situations and Times During the Dey and the Night «2... e Chapter (X) Incantations ... 6. ee ee ee Notes to the Introduction . 2... 2. ee Notes to Miftéy Al-Falay Wa Misbab Al-Arwib . Appendix 1: Rey Persons Mentioned in the Text Appendix IT: Glossary of Terms... - 1 we Appendix III: The Silsilah of the Shddnili Order Bibliography... 1 ee ee ee wild 198 205 227 2ko 258 270 273 27s SISTEM OF TRAMSLITERATION The transliteration system used throughout the book to represent Arabic sounds is as follows: 7(znamzah), b, t, th, 5, De Kh, 4, dh, ry 2% S$, SN, 3, OG, be By f, gh. ff, ak, l,m mA, we The short vowels are a, 1, u; the long vowels are a, {, U- In the construct stata, the t&' marbdtah is changed from -ah to xat. au, as in bayt and yawn. Diphthongs are written ay and The definite article al- and a is assimilated to the antero- paiatals, which results in ash-shams rather than al-shams. Long vowels before haazat al-wagi are written as short; e.g., Adu ‘LeHasan rather than Abd '1-Hasan. gor’ inte CITaTIous In translating Qur’dnic verses, the English translation of Hohaaned Marzaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, has been our Allab's work calls for a guide except where the context in Ibn ‘A different nuance or wording of a Qur’anic text.Introduction It ts unfortunate but understandable that Islam has renained sone- thing of a mystery to most Westerners, since it is viewed as a religion completely beyond the pale of the Judeo-Christian ethos. However, what 18 astonishing and somevhat ironic is that Sufism is likewise a oystery to most Muslims who view it as some kind of innovation or even deviation ordering on heresy. Coaments to the effect that Sufis do not believe in the necessity of saying the five daily prayers or following the Shari‘ah attest to the ignorance of the average believer. This 13 due in part to the perceived dichotomy between esoteric and exoteric Islam, the interior life of prayer versus the exterior ritual prayers, the content versus the form. Even Shaykh Ibn ‘Atd’Allgh, the author of the Miftgh al-Falah va Migbah al-Arwah was not totally immune from a certain measure cf prejudice, as will be seen, His resulting change of heart led his to take great pains when discussing tagawnuf to indicate the solid basis for it within the traditional framework of Islam, to show its complementarity with exoteric Islam, and its unique ability to provide a deeper and richer spiritual life for believers. The magnitude of Ibn ‘atd’Allah's contribution to elucidating the principles and practices of Sufism, especially those of the Shadhill order is incalculable, as is the number of lives he touched and trans- formed by his own life and through his writings down to the present. Not only was he @ realized spiritual master but also an expert in M3J1kt figh. In fact, he was learned in the Shari‘ah well before tne tarigan, His books reveal a keen intellect, at once logical, analytical, perceptive, intuitive, and compassionate, He 1s a credit to both dimensions of Islam, the formal and the aystical. No doubt, were sore Muslims aware of his works and ideas, they vould see Sufism for what it really is——the spiritual and contemplative dimension of Islam that observes not just the Law but the spirit of the Law. Biographical Sketch oes? THJ ad-Din Abu>1-Fagi Apmad b. Muhammad b, ‘hod al-Karim b. ‘Ate Al2an al-Iskandarf a} -Judhaaf ash-Snadniif,’ known simply as Ibn ‘Ata Allah, was born in Alexandria, Egypt, as his nisbah indicates, about the aiddle of the seventh/thirteentn century, His family were renowned Hiikf scholars from the Banu Judbim tribe, originally from Arabia, His grandfather, ‘Abd al-farim (d. 612/1216) had distinguished himself as an expert in figh, ugil (principles of jurisprudence), and Arabic, having studied under the famous Abu’l-Hasan al-Abyari. He bad written several books, among vhich were al-Bayan wa’t-Tagrip fi Shark at-Tandhib, Hukh- tagar at-Tandhib, and Mukhtagar al-Mufaggal, and had been very hostile to Sufism? ad (death date On the other hand, Ibn ‘Ata'Al1ab's father Muha unknown) seems to have deen of a different mind and although a faqih, he reat Sufi shaykh Abu’1-Hasan ash-Snadhilt 3 vas also the disciple of the gi (593-656/1197-1258), the founder of the Shddhili order. As a youth, Ibn ‘Atd'AL1Bn received a traditional Islamic educa- tion in such disciplines as Qur'dnic recitation, padith, tafsin, gram a mar, ugdl, philosophy, belles-lettres, and of course figh” under some of the best and most illustrious teachers of Alexandria, in addition, no doubt to the instruction given him by his own family. While not all of his teachers are known, the most iaportant ones include the following:for the study of hadith, Abu l-Ma‘a1Z Ahmad al-abarqOhi (615-701/1219- 1301),9 a ShEfL*E traditionist and a disciple of the Suhrawardi order® originally from Persia, and Sharaf ad-Din ad-Dimyati (613-705/1217- 1305),7 one of the outstanding Shafi‘! sujaddiths and hufréz of his day and a diseiple of Shaykh Adu’l-Hasan ash-Shadhilf; for the study of Arabic grammar, figh, and adab (Arabic literature), Muhyi’d-Din al~ Marlof (¢. 693/1298)," considered to be the grammarian par excellence of Alexandria; for the study of tafsir, Nigir ad-Din b. al-Munayyir (620- 683/1222-1285),9 a great M&likf fagih vno established his reputation in tafatr, figh, ugdl, philosophical speculation, Arabic, rhatoric, and genealogy and was also a disciple of Shaykh Abu’]-Yasan ash-Shddhilt; for Qur’anic recitation, figh, and related subjects, Makin ad-Din al- Asmar (c. 612-692/1215~+1293), "the shaykh of the Qur’an reciters in Alexandria,"'0 who was likewise the disciple of both Shaykh Abu'}-Hasan ~Shadhili and his successor Shaykh Abu’1-‘apdas al-Mursi (616- 686/ 1220-1288); and for the study of kaldm (Islamic theology), ugd2 at- figh (princapies of jurisprudence) Ash‘arism, logic, disputation and rhetortc, Shams ad-Din al-Ipfahdn{ (616-688/1220-1290),!' a brilliant snarist, jurist who taught at the Mashnad of al-Husayn and then at the Mashhad of the Imam ash-Shdfi°! in Cairo. He only accepted students who ware already well versed in the Snarf‘an. There were probably any other teachers who shaped Ibn ‘apa’ Allah's formation, '? but the above list 19 sufficiently indicative of the fact that he received the best possible education of his day. That together with his love of learning’? resulted in his achéeving quite a reputation for M&liki scholarship by the time he was a young aan in fis twenties. Ironically, in spite of his father's attachment to the ShddhilT master Abu’l-Hasan, Ibn ‘Ata’ Allan was initially rather hostile to Sufisa much like his grandfather, as he hinself admits in his book LapZ'if al-Minan,'" put not for any definite reason. In fact, what precipitated his meeting with Shaykn Abu’1-‘aboés al-MursI, the succes~ sor of Shaykh Abu’i-fasan'> was an argument with one of al-MursS's disciples. Consequently, Ibn ‘apd’allah decided to go see who this man was because after all, “a aan of Truth has certain signs that cannot be nidden."'® ge found his holding forth on such lofty spiritual matters that he was dazzled. Ibn ‘Apd’Al1ah states that at that moment God removed whatever objections he had previously had. Something had obviously touched his heart and wind, so he went home to be alone and reflect. That vas apparently the turning point for him, for shortly there- after Ibn ‘Ata’allan returned to visit Shaykh Abu’l~ ‘Abbas al-Mursi who received nim so waraly that he vas embarrassed and humbled. Ibn ‘ara’ Allah states, "The first thing that I said to him was ‘0 Master, by God, wall I love you.' Then he answered, ‘May God love you as you love ae. Then Ion ‘Ape'AL1Hh told him of various worries and sadnesses he had, so the Shaykh told hia: There are four states of the servant, not five: blessings, =riais, obedience, and disobedience. [If you are blessed, then what God requires of you is thankfulness, If you are tried, then what God requires of you is patience. If you are obedient, that what God requires of you 1s the witnessing of Ris blessings upon you. If you are disobedient, then what God requires of you 1s asking forgive- ness. After leaving Shaykh al-Mursi, he mentions that he felt that his worries and sadness vere like a garment that had been removed. From that tinein 674/1276 when Tbr ‘at3’Al1Gh was initiated into the Shadhill order until the death of Shaykh al-Mursi tuelve years later, he became his devoted disciple and says that in all those years he never heard his shaykh say anything that contradicted the SharI‘ah.!? Although the barakah of Shaykh Abu’1~-‘Abbds’ presence was such that Ibn ‘Aga’ Al1&h's attitude was virtually transformed overnight, neverthe~ less, he had certain aisgivings. When he heard some students say that those who keep company with Sufi shaykhs do not do well in their studies,°o it grieved him to think of foregoing his schooling or fore- going his shaykh's company. Later he went to see Shaykh al-Mursi, without saying a word to him about it, yet the Shaykh told him, If a merchant associates with us, we do not say to hig, "Leave your trade and come’; or to an artisan, we do pot say to him, ‘Leave your craft and come’; or to a student, we do not say to him, 'Leave your studies and come.' Rather, we take everyone az he is, where God has placed nim, and what is deqpeed for him through our aands will be given to him. At another point in tine, Ibn ‘apd’ Alldh entertained thoughts of quitting his position n order to devote himself fully to the Path. He was already a Maliki fagih of note by the time he met Shaykh al-MursI. Again without saying a word to his spiritual gaster, the Shaykh told him that once when one of his disciples asked him if ne should quit his job, he tole him that it was not necessary, that he should stay wherein God had placed him since "what is decreed to you by our hands will be conferred upon you."@2 Consequently, any previous thoughts of leaving his position left Ibr ata’aliah, and he was satisfied with his lot. Shaykh Abu'1~‘abods even predicted that Ibn ‘ata'alldh would become ar authority in both the Shari‘ah and the tariqah. According to an account told to Ibn Sata Allah by Jami! ad-Din, the son of his spiritual master, he said to his father, "They want to establish Ibn ata’ allan in figh." So tha Shaykh told his son, “They will establish him in figh, and Iwill establish him in tagawwut."?3 afterwards when Ibn ‘Ata’ Al1ah visited Shaykh al-Mursi, the latter told him, “When the faqih Négir ad- pin24 regains his health, he will seat you in the place of your grand— father. He will sit on one side and i on the other. You will speak, if Sod wills, concerning both areas of knowledge." Then Ibn ‘apd’ Allan simply adds, "So it was as he nad said.025 Again on another occasion, the Shaykh said to him, “Persevere, for by God, If you persevere, verily you will be a guftS in both domains.” As Ibn “p87 A113h explains, "He seant the domain of the Shari‘ah, of exoteric knowledge, and the domain cf the Truth, of esoteric knowl- edge.726 one might justifiably wonder what sort of wan Shaykh abu’! ‘Abbas al-Mursl could be who could change a man's long-held view virtually overnight. Yet if one delves into his background, one realizes that he, like his predecessor Shaykh Abu'l-Hasan asb-Shadhili, was no ordinary gan.2? Rather, he vas a spiritually enlightened master who obviously had a clear, intuitive perception of things—as witness his foretelling of the future of Ibn ‘Ata’ Allah as a great teacher in both the Law and the Path or his foretelling of the death of one of his disciples ina year's time.22 Moreover, Shaykh Abu’l-Yasan, the great founder of the Sn&dni1Z order, acknowledged his disciple'a immense spirituality.?9 The sheer presence of Shaykh al-Mursl and nis inspired words evident ly went atraight to the heart of Ibn ‘ata'Allah, striking a chord within that recognized the truth of wnat he heard instinctively.Shaykh Abu'l-‘abbés whose ful! name 1s Shindbd ad-Din abu ’1~ ‘abbas Ahmad b. ‘Umar al-Angarf al~Murst al-éi11k13° was the foremost disciple of Shaykh Abu’l-Hasan ash-Shidhi1!,3? the guyb3? of nis day and one of the greatest Sufi casters in the history of Islia. After Shaykh Abu'l- Hasan's death in 656/1258, Shaykh abu’ l~ ‘Abbas, who was already a teacher of the Path in his shaykh’s 1ifetime,?3 became his direct suc- cessor and head of the order. Due to his ow lofty spiritual station, Shaykh al-Mursl likewise became the qutb of his day and was so recognized by many disciples and a : followers.3" In fact, one of the Shadhili disciples had a dr in which he saw a group of people standing looking toward the sky. Then he Sav Shaykh Abu’l-Hasan dressed in white descending. At this point Shaykh Abu’l. ‘abbas firmly planted nis feet on the ground, and Shaykh Abu’l-Hasan entered into him from nis head and disappeared. This was generally interpreted that Shaykh Abu’!- ‘Abbas’ teaching and aethods were an unbroken continuation of his master's, without any divergence.3° Of course, each was different in personality but their teachings on the path were identical. Ag Shaykh Abu'1-"Abbis used to speak of his master with respect and deference, so too did Ibn ‘ata’ Allah, Referring to his teacher, he states, You would only hear him speak about the Great Intel- lect, the Geeatest Name(of God), Its four aspects, the Nawes,°° letters, the circles of saints, the spiritual stations of the pious, the angels near to the Throne, the science of the esoteric mysteries (fulGm al-asrar), supports of invocation (amddd al~ adhkir), the Day of Judgment . . . and so on. Moreover, Ibn ‘aga’ Allah affirms that "the basis of his order, may God be pleased with him, is concentration on God, nondispersal (‘adam at iqah), perseverance in spiritual retreat, and invocation,"3° which refers as much to the way of Shaykh abu’1-Yasan ash-Shadhilt. That Shaykh Ibn ‘Ata’ Allah must have practiced the above-mentioned zethods 1s obvious. He repeatedly emphasizes their importance in the following translation, as will be seen, What spiritual fruits he must nave received cannot be known, but his development into a Sufi uaster capable of guiding and teaching others took place within the lifetime of 3 shaykh, i.e, well within the twely r period before 686/1288.39 3 discipline and progress in the path coupled with his great learning nade him renowned as a religious authority.%° Ibn ‘Ata’allah’s virtue, majestic presence, eloquence, and spiri- tual insights were such that ne had sany follovers.! He even perforsed airacles, sowe of which have been recorded, such as speaking from his grave to one Kamal ad-Dfn b. al-Hamdm who had gone to the shaykh's tomb to recite Sdrat Had."2 As a result, Ibn al-Haudm was counseled to be curied there. Another miracle attributed to Shaykn Ibn ‘Aata’Allan is nis naving been seen in Mecca at three different places by one of his disciples who had gone on Pilgrizage. When the latter returned, he asked if the shaykh had left the country in his absence and was told no. chen he went to see him and Ibn SAtd'Al1h asked bim, "Whom did you see on this trip of yours?" Tha disciple answered, "0 Master, I saw you.* 30 he sailed and said, "The realized sage fills the universe. If he summoned the gutb, verily ne would answer." Still another miracle recorded is the story of three gen on their way to atuend Shaykh Ibo ‘apd’ ALLEh's puolic lecture or majiis."4 one said, "If Ivere free from the family, I would become an ascetic"; the second one said, "I pray and fast put I do not see a speck of benefits;and the third said, "Indeed, my prayers do not please we 30 how can they please my Lord?" After arriving, they heard Ibn ‘ata’Allah discourse and in their presence he said, “There are among people those who say..." and he repeated their words exactly. Ton ‘AtS Al1&h taught at both the Azhar Mosque and the Mangirtyyah Madrasah in Cairo as veil as privately to his disciples. However, it is not known where his zawiyah was located. His stature and authority were so great in both the esoteric and exoteric domains that when he had a confrontation in 707/1307 with Taqi’d-Din bs Taymiyyah (d. 728/1328), the HanbalY fagfh, hundreds attended. He was in the forefront of those who accused Ibn Tayaiyyah of attacks against the Shaykh al-akbar Muhyi’d-DEn b, al~‘Arabf and other Sufi practices, such as the repeti- tion of the Name of God in the ritual of dhikr, which Ibn Taymiyyah denounced as bid‘a."> This was as much an attack against Ibn ‘ata?Allah as other mystics, since he stressed its isportance for the initiate's spiritual advancement in several of his vorks, most particularly al -dagd al-Mujarrad ff Ma‘rifat al-Ism al-Mufrad. However, Ibn Taymiyyah vas not charged. Shaykh Ibn ¢Atd’alldh died within two years of this public trial at around staty years of age in the aiddle of Jumada II 709/November 1309.55 As betatting an eminent and learned teacher, he died in the MangOrtyyan Madrasah. His funeral] processicn vas witnessed by hundreds of people and he vas buried in the Qarafan Cemetery in Cairo®7 in what is today called the City of the Dead, at the foot of Jabal al-Muqattam. His tomb became famous as the site of homage, visitation, prayer, and airaculous occurrences." To this day this 4s still the case. This pious and extraordinary contemplative figure left behind a spiritual legacy no less impressive than those of his own beloved shaykh, and the august founder Shaykh Abu’l-iasan ash-Shadhil{. all the biographers refer to Ibn ‘ata Allah with tllustrious titles and reverence’? and mention how warvelously he spoke and how uplifting his words were.9? In spite of the fact that he followed the Maliki aadhhab, the snafi'ts lai¢ claim to hia, most probably decause some of his earlier teachers had been SnBfi‘t scholars, not to aention some of his students.*! Hence, his disciples could only be all the sore devoted in their attachment to and love for him. Of the untold numbers of followers that Shaykh Ibn ‘ate’ allah had, both in Cairo, Alexandria, and elsewhere, only very few names are known. That 13, doubtless, due to the fact that the Shddhilis did not advocate withdrawing from the world or wearing Special clothing to distinguish themselves. They were “in the world but not of the world,” so to speak. Ibn Hajar al~‘Asqalani quotes adh- Dhahabi who recounts, "I saw Shaykh T3j ad-Din al-Fariqf when he returned from Sgypt, extolling his (Ibn ‘atz’all&h's) sermons and spiri- tual signs.7°2 TA) ad-Din as-SudkI comments that, “He was the teacher of ay father [ Taqi?d-Din as-Subk<) in Sufism," which 13 corroborated by as-Suyatl and Yon Yajar.°3 Tagi'd-Din as-Subk{ was one of the most famous ‘ulasi’ in his day, eminent in figh, tafsir, agddith, theology, and juridical formulation, Ironically he was praised by no less an ‘3iim than Ibn Taymtyyan! 3 are mentioned in the Lagg’if al-Minan, Ibn Saveral n: “atG Al1dn's biography of both his shaykh al-Mursi and Shaykh ash- , but it is diffi- Shidhill (which also reveals glimpses of his own lif cult to ascertain in many instances whether they are companions in thegarigah, Spiritual aentors, shaykhs in the general sense of learned doctors of the Sharf‘an, or his followers. One of the more frequently quoted names is that of Shaykh Makin ad-Din al-Asmar, a pious teacher and disciple of Shaykh abu? L- ‘abbas.34 However, it is known that Iba ‘ata’ Allah counseled aany people from all levels of society including the Sultan al-Milik al-Mangir Rusdm ad-Din Lajin (r. 696-698/1296- 1298) .>9 According to certain sources, one of the disciples of Shaykh Ibn ‘atw ALLEN to succeed him was Shaykh DA’Gd al-Bakns2Y (4. 733/1332),5° the fourth Sufi asster in the Shadhili silsilah. He was learned in many disciplines and the author of al-latifah al-Mardiyyah bf Shark Yizb ash- Shadhiliyyah. Concurrently, Shaykh Shihab ad-Din b. al-Maylaq (4. 1739/1389), a wan of deep spiritual insights is also mentioned as another successor,’ whose public seruons touched the heart. Through them and most assuredly others such as Shaykh Abu’l-Hasan “aly al-Qarafil, the Shadhilf tarigah branched out to form different 3413331, a1] going back to its namesake. As Ibn ‘Ata’Al1ah was one of several disciples of Shaykh Abu’ }~‘AbbaS who became teachers and spiri- tual guides in their own right, so too did many of Shaykh Ibn ‘atd’Al1Gn's disciples, thus continuing the spiritual tradition and legacy of their founder down to the present. Where Ibn ‘AtS7Al 12h differs from his two predecessors is in his writings, as will be seen. Literary Works Neither the founder of the Shddhili order nor his successor, Shaykh al-Mursi composed any books or treatises on tagawwuf, When sach was asked vhy he di¢ not write on such mysteries, Shaykh Abu’]-Hasan said, "My books are ay companions,"°9 whale Shaykh Abu’l-‘AbbaS replied, “The sciences of this way are the sciences of realization and the minds of people cannot tear themn99 list of books used by both shaykhs is quite impressive However, and indicative of the high caliber of their religious instruction, Some of the works mentioned include the following:6° Inya? ‘visu ad-Din by abd Hamie al-GhazaiiS!--on beliefs and practices Khatm al-awliy3’ by Mupammad al-Hakia at-Tirmiani 6? ron the lives of saints; for novices Kitdd al-Mavagif by an-Niffari--on gnostic illuminations Kitab al-irshéd by Munaamad al-Juwayni--on us] ad—din Kitdd Masadib as-Sunnan by Abu Muhammad al-Husayn al-aghawi-—on mpadith Kitab agheSnisa’ by a1-cigi ‘Iyag®4-on the Life of the Prophet Qit al-quiib by Aba Talib al-Makki4_-on esoteric and exoteric beliefs Though doth spiritual wasters did not feel the need to write, yet both composed spiritual litantes called ayzab. Those of Shaykh abu? L= Hasan's "were considered by him to be of an inspired nature, coming from the Prophet.7o> Some vere given titles like "sizb al-Bapr® and “5220 an-NGr* and are still recited for their special barakah, while the anzab of Shaykn Abu'l- ‘Abbas are "sometines modifications of those issuing frow Abu’l-Hasan and sometimes they are of his own inspiration {but} not as numerous as those of his master, nor as famous."66 These shzdd contain varzous phrases, Divine Names, and verses from the Qur'an in a particular order intended to bestow blessings on those reciting thea.“Their powerful influence and vast disseaination throughout the Muslia world and at all levels of society, in the course of centuries doun to the present say suggest that, in this respect alone the Lata ‘if isa work of major importance in the history of Islamic devction."67 Thanks to Shaykh Ibn ‘ata’Allah, they as well as personal prayers (du » pl. ad‘iyah), conversations, and many comments of both predeces- sors have been preserved in Lata’ir al-Minan, a unique book on the pious and extraordinary lives of the first two Shddhilt qutbs and their spiri- tual views.°® although it is one of the last works that Ibn ‘apa’allan vrote--if not the last one®9--1t 1s, no doubt, the most valuable for the information it provides on the teachings of the Shadhilf tarfgah. This book 4s the most precious document that we possess for following and understanding the develop- ment of the new order and for seeing the two great persons, the founders of the order and esoteric poles of their tine evolve in the @iddle of a society in full transformation in its political and also religious constitution under both the doctrinal and ceremonial aspect./? Certainly it is the earliest. Written to honor his shaykh and the Shddhili founder and extol their virtues, esoteric knowledge, and airac- ulous abilities, and because no one else had undertaken to do 30,77 the Lapd’if reveals a wealth of dackground on Sufi tradition including amportant autobiographical details of its author.’% The book is basically divided into an introduction, ten chapters, ard a conclusion. Within these sections such topics as the meaning of prophecy, the superiority of saints to religious scholars, quotations from the Qur'an and Yadith, the question of miracles, sanctity, adad, spiritual stations, and explanations of mystical phrases by gnost:cs, and other coctrina] satters are discussed. Various people are also mentioned, some the contemporaries of Shaykh abu’l~‘Abbds and Zon ‘ALR in asheShadhilf. In his Alan and others those of Shaykh Abu 1-Ha, conclusion, Ibn ‘agé'aligh gives his silsilah, affiraing that Shaykh Abu 1-‘aboSs al-Mursi was indeed his only spiritual master and adds a letter of counsel to his disciples in Alexandria dated 694/12947? and a poem, ending as he ha¢ begun, in praise of the Prophet of Islan In spite of the fact that Shaykh Ibn ‘Aga’ Allah sets forth what each chapter deals with, it gust be said that there is nothing very organized about the book in terns of providing any chronological order—— contrary to Taftazni's views.’* It is as if the author selected topics to discuss and then interjected anecdotes or comments about Ais life or the lives of others vis-a-vis Shaykh Abu’l~‘Abbas to show his shaykh's spiritue) discernment and rank. Yet when all is said and done, tne LatA’if remains highly interesting and informative and easy to read, Not only did it ensure the memory and reputation of his two pri cessors but it also provided a written legacy to succeeding generations of followers. As a result, Ibn ‘apa'allah had the added distinction of becoming the source to whom subsequent biographers of the Shidhil! order turned,’> a fitting honor for his life's work. Of ali his works that have come down to the present, Snamely, al-kixam, ateTanwir ft Isqd} at-Tacdir, a1 -Cagd aivism al-Mufrag, Miftay al-falan va Migbdh al- Laya’if al-Minan, sarrac ff Marat ugarrad ff Mate, dewSh, TH) al-‘,rds alsi@vl lisTanahTb an-Nufils, and ‘Unwin atcTavff{g, by far the most popular and the most well known is the Kitab ai-Hikag. in the lifetime of nis master Shaykh Abu']-‘Abbas (i2., before Composed Cpa a 7 y . Ib st6/12e2) ung praised at nagniy,’° the gikam is no doubt cor rerces to it are found ir his other dooks fLlants 24 werk, for such as theConsidered to be the "fruit of his spiritual realization or as an expression of it ina literary vehicle,"?? the Hikam is a collection of aphorisms, treatises or epistles (rasa’i1), and supplications (mundjat) having to do with many aspects of the spiritual path such as belief in the oneness and unity of God (tawhtd), gnosis (ma‘rifah), spiritual states and stations (ahwi and mag&mét), struggle against one's self (mujahadah an-nafs) one’s adab vis-R-vis God, and advice to the murfd. Written in a beautiful often rhyming prose, its elliptical observations belie the depth and intensity of meaning. The work assumes a great deal of knowledge of Sufi teratnology and doctrine on the part of the reader. Although ostensibly the format is one flowing composition in the original, it {s a bit disjointed as the author goes from one idea to the next. Western translations have attempted to divide it according to content, °° but there is no logical progression between the passages. Hovever, this is hardly seen as a shortcoming. Put another way: The aphorisms of the Yikam are strung together like a necklace of precious jewels of different sorts, each Jewel reflecting the diverse aspects of the contemplative life of Islam But it is illuminative knowledge, or gnosis (ma‘rifah), that constitutes the inner thread which holds them ail jn place and gives an underlying unity to the vhole.' In fact, the Yikam 1s considered a kind of Sufi manual and Ibn ‘apa? Allah decame known thereafter in Sufi circles as “Sabid al-iikam" If the number of commentaries of it are any indication at all, then the yikea's success has been phenomenal.?2? The shadhiiI Shaykh had Zarriiq (d. 899/194) wrote about thirty higeelf, but the most well-known belong to Ibn ‘Abbad ar-undf (733-792/1332-1389).03 The Moroccan Sh&d- BAIT Shaywh Ibn SajEban (1160-1224/1747~1809) in his shark of the Hikam quotes the Shaykh Mawlay al- ‘Arabi, the shaykh of his own master Sidi Muhammad a1-Buzidi al-Hasani, who said, "I heard the fagfh al-annani say, ‘The Yikam of Ibn ‘Atd'Allah is almost a revelation (wahy]. If it were permitted to recite the galat without the Qur'an, verily, the vords of the Hikam would be aliowed,184 That is quite a complinent, espe- cially coming from a faqih, but that is part of the appeal of the Yikam: there is nothing therein that contradicts the Shari‘ah. If it did, faqi'd-Din as-Subkf vould not have regarded it as lawfu1.95 Not only did fugara’ and fugaha’ of the past appreciate the Hikam but also those of recent tises, Many great scholars in the early part of this century taught it at the Azhar. The late Shaykh Muhammad Baknit who was the mufti of ad-Diyar al-Misriyyah used it to instruct people at the mosque of al-Husayn after the ‘asr prayer during Ranadin.®6 "the Muslim University of Tunis, Jémi‘al-Zaytinah, maintains deep respect for this book and indicates it as an obligatory text for the advanced teaching of aysticisn."67 Today the Yikam's undiminished popularity is evidenced by the fact that it is still being published. Moreover, recent translations of it inte French and English attest to the extraordinary power, style, and appeal of its message and by extension to that of its autnor.0® The kitdb at-Tanwir ff Isqdt at-Tadbir was written, according to Shaykh Ibn ‘atd' Allah, to clarify the way to union with God through abandoning s¢lf-—direction and struggling with the decrees of fate. In other words, he emphasizes the importance for the believer of relying on God's choices and accepting His Will. To support his arguments, as in all his vorks, the Shaykh refers to the Qur'an and ahadith of the Prophet. Naturally he also stresses the spiritual virtues and states that there are nine stations of certitude (magamat al-yaqin): repentance 16(tawbah), asceticism (zund), patience (gabr), gratitude (shukr), fear (khawf), contentment (rigd’), hope (raj&’), trust (tavakkul), and love (mapabbah) with the sine qua non that not one of these stations is valid unless accompanied by the elimination of seif—direction vis-a-vis God.°9 The work is written in a didactic style with citations throughout from his shaykh Abu’l-‘abbas and Shaykhs Abu’l-Hasan ash-Shadhili and al-Hikam are found and explained,9° making the lanvir a kind of commentary. It is divided into AbG Madyan. References from the K; various sections with verses of poetry. In addition, anecdotes relating to Tbn ‘apd’allah, his shaykh, and founder are mentioned, which likewise appear in the Lat&’if al-Hinan.?! The book concludes vith a series of mundjdt but unlike the Hikas, these proceed from Ged to the servant, and then ends with a supplication (¢u‘a!). Whether the Lara'if or the Tanwir was composed first is difficult to know. A reference to Shaykh AbG Muhammad al-Marjani with the formula rahimahu’11ah (may God have mercy upon him) after his nawe indicates that the Tanwir gust have deen written after 699/1299.9? dowever, Brockelmann provides a different but more precise date by stating that the book was begun in Mecca and completed in Damascus in 695/1296.93 In terms of its tuportance in general and vis-a-vis Ibn ‘ata’ Allan's other works, the Tanwir was obviously very popular due to its gu numerous coples and printings. When asked by a Sufi aspirant about which books to read on tagawwuf, Shaykh fbn ‘Abbid ar-RundT (733- 792/1332-1390) wrote back that "the book which you have by Ibn ‘ata’ ALLan, the Kitab at-Tanwir, comprises all that the dooks on Sufisa, whather detailed or condensed, contain including doth detailed explana- tions and concise expressions."99 That 1s quite an endorsement of its value and comprehensiveness. ‘An indispensable companion-piece to the Hikam," the Tanwfr is a kind of tafsir of the yrkan?S and as such is extremely valuable not only for expounding on the spiritual content of the Yikam but also for elaborating on the relationship of the virtues to the dhikru’113 The true meaning of tawakkul is carried to its logical cone lusion and the necessity for eliminating one's ego-centered will visea-vis the Divine Will is constantly emphasized. The result is the amazing variety of Ibn ‘aAtd’Al1&ah's arguzents and the scope of his knowledge and skill. White al-Qagd al-Mujarrad fi Ma‘rifat al-ism al-Mufrad97 the remembrance of God in a general fashion, its focus is nore specifi- deals with cally on the significance and uniqueness of the Divine Name Allah, which the Shaykh defines as that of Supreme Essence (adh-Dndt 21-‘Altyyah), described by the attribute of Divinity (al -Uluht) ah}, known by the quality of Lordship (ar-Rabibiyyah), charac- terized by the attribute of Cneness To shadiyyah), unique by the unity of His solitude (wandat ai- wahdaniyyan), qualified by averiasting eternity 2 daniyyat as-9: diyyah), transcending all ero” species and types of comparisons. He is sanctified beyond any point where human intelligence could comprehend, the innernost depths of His knowl- edge (ma‘rifan).? As the Name of Supreme Essence, Allah is the greatest Name because It is the synthesis of all the Divine attributes and Intelligible Realities. bodiment of Ag such, the Shaykh envisages this Nage as “the concrete ultimate metaphysical reality."99 Arter stating that some authorities refute the notion that the Name is derived,‘ he presents the other side and offers several possidilities.'°’ ron ‘atd’allah not anly cites the sacred sources, viz., the Qur'an and tradition, but also other eminent spiritual authorities and verses of poetry. 18de constantly lays espnasis on the importance of the Name Al the Absolute Necessary Being (al-#ajid al-WuJjid al-Muttag) and the only True Reality (al-taqqiyyul-Haqg). Whereas certain of the Attributes of the Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names (a)-Agmi’}-Husnd) can apply to aan and creation, albeit as imperfect reflections of their Divine prototypes, this Name of Divinity cannot be used to describe anyone but God. The former is for takhallug (appropriation) while the latter is for ta‘alluq (attachwent).'92 Hence, for example, a person can be kind or generous or strong, reflecting the qualities of al-alim or al-Xarim or al-Qawi, but one cannot reflect the quality of Ultimate Being. Moreover, Shaykh Ibn ‘atd’allah explains that the Name Allah is a perfect Name in form as well as essence, because if the alif or hamza is deleted, the Name becomes 1i}!4h, to or for God. Ifthe first lim is deleted, it becomes 1 uu, to Him and if the second lam is deleted, it becomes HG, the Nawe of Pure Essence.'03 He expounds on the symbolism of each letter, the numerical value of each, the mystery connected with the Divine Name, and the categories of the Ninety-Nine Names. '04 The Divine Name 41138 takes precedence over all the other naues and attributes. "All other names describe Him or are an attribute or are attached to Him... It is said that they are among the Names of Allah and not among the names of ag-Sabir or al-cnafir or al-Japbar.!05 412 the names contain systeries but the greatest Name contains mysteries not found in the other Names. Also unlike the other Names, the Divine Name Allan cannot be enu rated. This Na is like "pure light, [it] con- tains all colors within itself when refracted, and these ‘colors* are the rest of the names of God, or the even gore numerous Qualities.”'06 19 Part two deals with the role and significance of dhikr in achieving spiritual realization. Ibm ‘At A11ah mentions the various kinds of remenbrance and the supremacy of invoking the Divine Name. He cites Qur’anic verses much as in the Miftah al-falah, which will be discussed later. Once again, the Shaykh presupposes a good deal of background on the part of the reader, both doctrinal and otherwise. "The author presents his subject without developing certain aspects relating to precise definitions, difficult doctrinal points, Cand] analysis of details which may have the disadvantage of waking the exposition r, direct, and didactic which is normal, apstract."'07 His style is ¢l considering his position, and his knowledge of the doctrine of Divine metaphysical and spiritual realities is extraordinary. Ibn apa aLlan's “philosophical and theological education emerge as does his use of philosophical and scholastic terminology on the iternal and Contin~ gent. 108 Some repetition from his other works can be seen, but to a certain extent that is to be expected given that each work is basically a variation on the same theme of tawbid. The date of the work is unknown. One passage is a paraphrase of the same idea in la if al-Minan on the states of the novice.!09 others include the same ith and stories found in the Miftah al-Felap.''? one can only conclude that it was probably written some time near the end of his life for nis disciples, perhaps as a help in weditational practices on the Divine Nawe. All in all, the Qasd is a highly interesting, inspired, and thought-provoking work which still continues to fascinate even students of today. Its recent translation {nto French with commentary is an eloquent testimony to its timeless message and universal appeai.'!! 20