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� �� �� �� �� ������

��� �� �� �� ����� �� � �� ��
� �� �� ���
The Book of the Basic Principles of Ta|awwuf and that
which Guides to Realization
Repentance from every sin74 committed �� �� �� �� �� ���� ��� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��� ���
is necessary immediately [upon realizing
the wrong] �� ���� �� �� ����� ���� �� �� ������ �� �� � ��
and absolutely. It is [in effect] a sense of
remorse.

[Its soundness] is contingent upon


� �� ��� �� �� �
�� ��� ��� � �� �� �� �� ��� �
abandoning [the sin],
refusing to persist in it, � �� �� ���� �� �� �
�� ��� ���� ���� � �� �� �� �
and rectifying what is possible [if the sin
violated the rights of others]. That is
[essentially] atonement.

The essence of piety75 is to avoid [Divine � ��� �� �� ��


��� � �� �� ��� ��� �� �� �� �� ��� �� ��
displeasure]
and obey [the Divine Will], ��� �� �� ���� � �� ��� �� � �� ��� �� ���
both inwardly and outwardly. In this
manner, it is obtained.

Thus, its categories are indeed four in �� �� �� �� �� �� ��� �� ��� �� ����� �� ��� ��
number: [inward and outward, fulfilling
and avoiding]; �� �� �� �� ��� �� �� �� �� �� ���
� �� �� ���
and these, for the wayfarer, are the
pathways of benefit.

He lowers his gaze from what is prohibited; � � �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��


�� �� ��� � ���
and keeps his hearing from [listening to]
sinful matters: �� �� ���� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��


�� �� �� ��� � �� � ���� ��� ��
such as, backbiting, malicious slander, false
� � ����
testimony and
lying76; �� �� �� ��� �� �� �� �� ��� �� �� �� �� ��� ��
[obviously,] his own tongue should avoid
any of them, first and foremost;

he guards his stomach from all that is �� ��� �� ���� �� �� �� �� �� ��� �� �� ��


prohibited,
and assiduously abandons what is doubtful; � �� �� �� ��� �� �� �� ��
�� ��� �� ���

he guards his genitals; he is conscientiously � ���� �� ���� �� �� �� ��� �� �� ��


��� �����
aware
of Him who is the Witness to all things, � �� �� ��� �� �� ����
������� �� � �� �� �� �� ���
in matters of aggression or when pursuing
anything forbidden that
he might desire;

he abstains from [pursuing] all matters until ��� �� �� �� ���� �� �� ��� �� � �� �� ��� ��
he ascertains
what Allah has judged about their [legal ��� �� �� ���� �� �� ��� � �� � �� ���
status]77;

he purifies his heart from ostentatious �� ��� �� ����� �� �� �� �� ����� �� �� ��


piety,
[malicious] envy, vanity, and all [other] �� ��� �� �� � �� �� �� �� �� �� ��
diseases [of the heart].

Know well that the origin of [all of] these � �� �� ��� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��� ��
��
ills
is love of leadership and procrastination.
� �� ��
���� �� �� �� � �� �� �� �� ��

The fountainhead of all misdeeds is love of �� �� �� � �� �� ���� ��� �� � �� �� ��


� �� �� �� ��
the fleeting world,
which has no cure but to be compelled to � �� �� �� ��� ���� ��
�� �� �� ��� ���� � ��
flee to Him;


he keeps company with a teacher who �� �� ��� ��� �� � ���� �� ��� �� �� �� �� ��
knows [well] the pathways
[to Allah], �� �� ��� ��� �� ���
� ��� ��� �� ��� ��
one who protects him along his path from
causes of destruction;

who reminds him of Allah should he sees �� ��� ��� ��� �� ��� �� �� �� ��
him,
and who takes the servant to his Master. �� �� �� �� ��� � ���� �� �� �� �� �� �� �

He appraises his soul with every breath


� �� �� �� ��� �� �� �� �� ����� ��
�� � �� ��
and he weighs his suggestive thoughts with
the most precise scale [of the Sacred Law]; ��� �� �� �� �� ��� �� ��� �� � ��� ��� ��

he preserves well the obligatory, which is ������ �� �� �� �� � �� �� ��� �� �� �� �� �


his capital.
His profits [however] are his extra acts by ��� ��� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ���
which he enters into Divine Protection;

he constantly remembers [Allah] with an �� �� �� ���� �� � �� �� �� �� �


� �� �� ���
unperturbed heart;
[and knows that] the assistance in all of that �� �� �� �� ��� ��
� �� �� ��� �� �� �� �� ��
is from his Lord;

he struggles against [the negative


� ���� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��� ������ ��

tendencies] of his soul.
[Through this continued struggle,] he is � �� �� �� ��
� � �� ��� � �� ��� �� �� �� �
adorned with the stations of certainty:

fear, hope, gratitude, patience, repentance,


� �� �� �� ��� �� �� �� ��
�� �� ��� � �� �� ��
detachment, complete trust, contentment,
and [finally,] love; �� �� �� �� ���� � �� �� �� �� ����� �

he is sincere in his dealings with Him who �� �� �� ��� ��� �� �� ����� �� � ���� ��
is witnessing over him,
and he is content with whatever the Divine �� �� �� ��� �� �� ���� ��� ��� �� ��
has apportioned for him.


By all of that, he becomes intimately � ���� � �� ��� ��
�� �� �� ������� ����
acquainted with Allah78.
[He is truly] free [from serving temporal � �� �� �� �� ��
�� �� �� �� �� �� � � ���� ��
things] because everything but [Allah] has
been emptied from his heart.

For this, the Divine has loved and chosen �� ��� �� ������
� � �������� �� �� �� ��
him
for the presence of the Holy One, and �� ��� �� ���
� ��� ���� ����� �� �� �� �
made him one of the elect.

[One should know that] this amount of �� �� ������� ��� �� ��� � ����� � �� ���� �� ���
verse is by no means exhaustive.
However, in that which I have mentioned �� �� ��� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��� ��� ��� �
is enough [to serve as a foundation].

Its verses total fourteen, ���� � �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��� �� ��


[which if] added to three hundred,
amounts to the number of �� �� �� �� ���� ���� ���� ��� �� ��
[Allah’s] Messengers.

I have entitled it, “The Helping Guide � � � ��� �� �� �� ��


� �� ��� �� �� �� ����
in [Fulfilling] what is Necessary from the
Sciences of the Religion.” � ���� � ���� �� �� �� ������ ���
��� � ��� ��

I ask that it always be of benefit, �� ��� �������� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��


� ��
[beseeching] our Lord, by the rank of the
Master of Creation �� ����� ��� ��� �� ���� ����� �� �� �� ��
[Mu^ammad œ].

Indeed, it has ended, and [all] praise � � ���� �� �� ��� �� �� � �� ��


� �� �� �� ��
��
belongs to Allah, the Magnificent.
May He bestow prayers and peace upon �� ��������� ������ �� ��� �� �� ��
� ��� ��
the generous guide œ.

���� ��� �� �



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