AL-GHAZAL!

love, longing
intimacy and
contentment
Kitab al-mahabba wa’l-
shawq wa’l-uns wa’l-rida
BOOK XXXVI of THE
REVIVAL OF THE
RELGIOUS SCIENCES
Ihya’culiim al-din ■ translated
with an INTRODUCTION
& NOTES by ERIC ORMSBY
 OTHER THIES IN THE ISLAMIC TEXTS SOCIETY
ALf l^gI^
ai-ghazali series

From the //»/<?’ Wwm al-din

Ai-Ghazali on Invocations & Supplications L°VE\acY aNP

Al-Ghazali on the Manners Relating to Eating
Al-Ghazalion Disciplining the Soul & Breaking the Two Desires

Al-Ghazali on Patience & Thankfulness

'S?bntmenT
Al-Ghazali on the Remembrance of Death & the Afterlife

Other works
Al-Ghazali on the Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names of God
shawq wa’l-uns wa l-f .
(al-Maqsad al-asnafi sharh asma Allah al-husna)

Al-Ghazali Letter to a Disciple

BOOK XXXVI of THE
(Ayyuhal-walad)

REVIVAL OF THE
RELGIOUS SCIENCES
Ihyd uliim al-din • translated
XtEsNkTR°DUCTION
" 11 ER’C ORMsby
 CONTENTS
svn • Preface ix * Introduction xi

Notes toIntroduction xxxm

Abbre«»>iOT!

,,!««»>» M"
Miuer's House toNGiNG’
Kings Mm Lane
l°V®’tEnTMEnT
r ROOK OF
Great Sheeford
Cambridge CB22 sen, u.k.
Smacyanpconten
Bnush Library Cataloguing-in-Pubhcation Data. [Prologue 1]
A catalogue record for this book is

available from the British Library.

nf the Proof-Texts from
Chapter one: An Exposition
Revelation Concerning Mans Love
isbn: 978 1903682 265 cloth
Chapter two: An Exposition of the True Nature and
isbn: 978 1903682 272 paper
Causes of Love, with an Explanation of the Meaning 0
All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication
IO
Human Love for God
map be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted in anyform or by any means, electronic,

Chapter three: An Exposition that God Alone Merits Love 23
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
Chapter four: An Exposition that the Noblest and Loftiest
without the prior written permission of the Publisher.
Pleasure is Knowledge of God and Contemplation of His
Blessed Face and Only He Who Is Denied this Pleasure can
Cover design copyright © The Islamic Texts Society
Conceivably Prefer Another To It

C"A™ "™: * ■ Exposition of Why the Beirio .

42
World to Come Surpasses K„„ Y| j “ V,S1°" 10
Chapteb six: An F . ltnOwl* fa this World

L"e of God of ,he Fa«ors that Strengthen

56

Chapter seven' An p
atnong People with ReOSitiOn °f^re are IY 67
'Unties

Und'rs,1»i«gisU„I)!"W"°f','llytheH
C"A'rE*
»fa £App '“^God H“ma" 78
Means ExPositiOn of
CUB;TEN:A^P 1,L°W‘>rGod
81
°'M” P”!'ti0"“f'^ea„.

0108 “fGod't
 AN- CONTENTMENT

..ithina Marks of Man s

-rtePisnugun"'"
v * 107

An Exposition of the Meaning of

133 Aw^t,0NS
” „ nfV An Exposition of the Meaning of the
*
«■< dneS$ Which °VermaStenng
138
fenauijr PioJui-es Abu Nu aym
,;l ^Meaning of Contentment with God’s Decree:
B
: action)
Nature and What Tradition Reports of Its Merit 146 Bouyges
EP
Anrrtr rot bhen: An Exposition of the Merit of
Fihrist
147 GAL
Cootentment
GAS
Cmrrtt fifteen: An Exposition of the Essence of
Gramlich
Contentment(and How It Can be Conceived as a Check to
Hourani : Ghazali, Ihya' hilum al-din
154
Appetite) Iliya'
: Journal of the American Oriental Society
Chutes sixteen: An Exposition that Supplication is not in JAOS
: Lane, An Arabic-English Lexicon
i66 Lane
Conflict with Contentment : Sarraj, K. al-Lumac
Luma
Chvtes seventeen. An Exposition that Fleeing and M : Text of Ihya printed on margin of Zabidi, Ithaf
Censuring a Country Reputed Sinful Is not Contrary to Makki : Makki, Qnt al-quliib
Contentment 174 Munqidh : Ghazali, al-Munqidh min al-dalal
Q. : Qur’an
Chapteb eighteen: A Compilation of Anecdotes about
Qushayri ■ Qushayri, Risala
Lovers, Together with their Sayings and Innermost
Sulami ' Sulami, Tabaqat al-silfiyya
Illuminations
178 WAS
Chaftep nineteen: Conclusion: Various useful Z
• Text of Ihya embedded in text of 7 k-J ,
Savings Regarding Love
189
Zabidi
: Zab*
w
Notes 194
Appendix: Persons Cited in Text 203
Bibliography 215
Index to Quranic Quotations 22$
General Index 229

VI

vn
 |Sl,MA<^'Nn CONT N'MINI
1(nr. f|W<’,f“

g Marks of Mans
V ^f,.T 107

I „> An Exposition of the Meaning of

tW’”1'"1, .
F
n{ rHisnr' An Exposition of the Meaning of the
133
abbreviation
'*nJ Forswnlness which Overmastering
Istmi Produces 138
i Tlx Meaning of Contentment with God’s Decree:
Abu Nuaym : Beirut 1417^996 ed-ot oy
, Foie .\attirt and What Tradition Reports of Its Merit
146 B : Bouyges, Essai de chronology. ■
, . ; ‘ rh i x An Exposition of the Merit of Bouyges : The Encyclopaedia ofIslam (secon e ltio
EF
Contentment : Ibn al-Nadim, K. al-Fihrist
147 Fihrist
: Brockelmann, Geschichte der arabischen Litteratur
I Chatter hhiiA. An Exposition of the Essence of GAL
Contentment (and How It Can be Conceived as a Check to GAS
: Sezgin, Geschichte des arabischen Schrifttums
* -Appeotei Gramlich : Gramlich, Muhammadal-Gazzalis Lehre...
154 Hourani : “A Revised Chronology of Ghazali’s Writings”
Lhya' : Ghazali, Ihya ulum al-din
JAOS
166 •’ Journal ofthe American Oriental Society
C,"“ A» Expoto ,k„ Flee™ and Lane ■ Lane, An Arabic-English Lexicon
Luma
■ Sarraj, K. al-Luma
M
Makki
j74
Munqidh

Q-
and Innermost
Qushayrl
Chaptes mnete Sulami : ^ayrtRisdla
178
^^dmg Uve US1°n: Vari°US USefid WKAS
Z
189 Zabidj
?
*>

Appendix -p? tCS 194

pUan,e Quotation,
G'"">n»dex u, 225

VI
 preface

I difficult 3UJ 0Pa. It may sound od^ 1S

for man and ° ”’° *

®
as problem ,Al persiani Turkish

jeer of divme l°’e fi B ture in Arabi , love;

more characteristic o Sub evocaaon ot UO rf
and other languages, than th P principle them
Ueed, such love Qf love for the
most mystical poetry in Islam, and fn fervour. (As
Prophet Muhammad come, close in »
* rf>
Ghazali emphasizes, love or the rropne j
and equivalent to, love of God.) Nevertheless, as the Introduction
shows, many early Sufis as well as dogmatic theologians objected
to the notion that there might be between God and man any sort of
relation oflove, as love is commonly understood. It was one aspect
of Ghazali’s achievement to have answered these objections In so
?fa concep-
Sufism in particular and for Islam in gewraMf h™P ‘“‘T’
'fos endeavour—his younger brotd . , ” Was *
lone in
crucial part—he was nevertheless th f ' ^’Gllaza11 played a
mYstic to elaborate a d • * flrst Muslim thonl F 7 a
"“’«V emn °f di™e love ri °loSlar‘ and
bBedonbta^ud°itio^Carje^1lfstruccuredVaerv1^0rOUS‘Y Md s>

™“°f cultured read”? 'taS°n' AddressinA "“7 and Proofs

he ^de the love of r j than to a r § HltllSelf an and ’
elab°rationsof f G°d a topic fOr> terie of fell
ThisiX >tOpicre«onth f reSpectable di °W Sufis,

™ into

IX .
 ,.rY and contentment
,()Nging. inT1MA
(the Ihyi,(uhlnial-din published, in
, „ based on ch
* text ot , j have supplemented and
j: »C- ■' r ,nt SIX-»thtK °,h“s-Fint-

“h^Mh
,ntkopvc«oN
irt-M
** 4finable commentary of the great lexi-
zllert Murtada al-Zabidi (d.1205/1791); m
cogger fJred’t0 as Z. I have also consulted the text
I.
theendnotes, this is volume of the Ithaf since the
pnnted on the mar&* n i$ referred to in the endnotes as T^hedOCtrlhL°ory in the early centuriej °short shrift, con-
y^aUy^havTmed foe more recent edition of the Ifiyu’, in five fractious history c e lt sno
1 theologians, Sunn, and Sin jn their mag
Xr. pubbahed in Betrm in refer to this text as B.
sistendy disdaining even to tncH^ unease
I,“lk..Lhifc» exceptions as indicated, the text referred to ■„

the notes as “Ap'” I have followed this course because the Beirut ^=-notion=J=^
edition, though the least reliable of the four texts, is probably the
most readily available to those who wish to consult the original
Arabic.
The annotated German translation by the late Richard defined such love strictly as “obedience . The suggestion ot a
Gramhch of Books 31 to 36 of the Ihya has been of inestimable reciprocal relationship of love between God and man struck them
help, and (as my notes throughout attest) I am deeply indebted to as unseemly—if not downright blasphemous—as well as pro­
his meticulous and pioneering precedent. As a translator, I have
foundly illogical.1
aimed to convey the sense of the original Arabic as closely as pos­
sible while, at the same time, striving to convey, however imper­
Thus, in his commentary on Q. ni.3i-“Say, if you love God
fectly, some sense of the eloquence, subtlety and sheer stylistic ^enlbHownie, so that God will love you and forgive your sins”—-
beauty of Ghazali’s remarkable prose. —^He’“hati (i »8/“44)
I wish particularly to thank Ms. Fatima Azzam, Director of
e Islamic Texts Society, for inviting me to undertake this pro-
J many years ago. I am deeply grateful for her unfailing encour-
§ n support, as well as for her uncommon patience. She
’^.notwW,ov™ ‘“®h = person does noh

ewe bur b 16X1 ’’r l* ne throughout with great

«e»„ by felicitous rephrasing as
as the addition of a number of scholarly annotations.

»f v Iis
for Hi, Man’s kve *
S Hes w^utha andin
X

J°y the fin°ds love

*■ eStr^ard
 ..rv ANU CONTENTMENT (le^°ar
, „,NCtNC.'N’lM''
of c.erf h^3" (he Sufi
u shad’s condemnation is directed „ the g° cond^‘°" cb3„ the
fa .1,0. '.’S-dtst lying f’clion which <akes its
**
»/-«
- of Zan»khsl,a f m factors oth j tra-
* whom h ,« s0 far as to say that the very
The intensity O arisen from schools an
Ml- (W/,«)? And he is par- doctrine orthodo^ushms of jnvolve a
term Suh »lhjt Sofc “connect God’s love with
ocularly incensed by t ie be accompanied by
strictly theological-F (he rituals of sions of
Ife essence and tea' statements, it is clear, Zamakhshari
dirions.religions devot.0 * Js. The ej> $
‘the pangs ot low. certain Sufi masters, that a
assault on divine

obliged to love Him, but there can be no question of a relationship inely, they were bad religious manners. One wouio 6
of love between God and His creatures. „
in such intimate declarations of love to a monarc ,
In the Quran, of course, God is described as “loving” (wadud),
the more offensive and presumptuous must they be when directed
as in Q. xi.90 and elsewhere,6 but in general, divine love is pre­
sented there under the form of compassion or mercy (rahma). to the Lord of the Worlds? Unseemly outpourings of affection
Certainly Ghazali accepts this understanding too. In his treatise on were not merely examples of lese-majeste on a cosmic scale but
the disine names, written shortly after the Ihya, he comments on breaches of pious tact. The great lexicographer Ibn Manzur (d
the name al-Wadijd ( the Loving”) and describes it as characterising
’SXc™«l^S sense °/d“ wh“ he
one who wishes all creatures well and accordingly favours them
and praises them. 7 In contradistinction to “mercy”, this form of
« connected with a„j
s oxe is sovereign and disinterested; it does not presuppose a "commended that one say ‘0 rL 1 "gS”’ In P«yer it is
“■f™»”«l»fmercy nor isitie result of any “empathy” on
0 lord of jof heavens and earth t’ j
Th'«tith-centurv?f .SWnc! altl’°osh He i. 1 “ “d
wane k “ i” “PKt of ,he S'-neraUscd benevolence which
^omfe thL “X“g ” a siXL lr L°rd'”’
fermupon hi.Hel
■y
* (d- ^
hc°k'Wro“' “Compassion /8g8
(ra > h
/rm«) *d
has
r“ W-m °f “fati®acy” When
y»« for the SazelleZuT”0”''the doS h>s no com­ 4lX"Ghaa,i'-sr t4,and/°°kerV“7 .7? G°d to
bs none for the kid- he h t 3S D° COrnPass'on f°r the gazelle,
^nefortheyoUng J °, , n° ^passion for the sparrow th . tm0St specially in7!“ch decorum tr Wlshed “11171-
“*
S: ^-rVfe^oftbdngs leads to thfgreat- J'CX?al ^”tthhiPters -ni°U8h0Ut BoTk
^’iWOuldhaveatreeednCeSi,With * Wtazilite such as
pc "°tion Of , p ’-'cliettio '”8 011 loye u With God
and a?. thr°ughom fiT" , in the Present Certainly c j , °Ve of r J ^ent^ °d>
clariiin/i d °Ves R- G°d invoh j °rs than >
tEe P>«.thegbendeirneSS Of ^ncem /fl’’ shows an affection
G0d ln all-cX’ thC fly' But is afthC °f creatUreS"
SUtningardoUr wl . i , ar cry from the love of
and whoi^atUres ncde a G0d exist . ^grou J,
* ’
e expounds and defends

Xii

’till
 I O\ 1 . 1 ONG1NG. IN 1 I MACS AND CONTLiNTM 1: NT
perishable, frail, insubstantial being, formed “from a drop of dir
water"- -or, as Ghazall himself puts it. “a dung heap covered with
skin"" Is anv affinity, let alone relationship, possible between two
such disparate entities? Moreover, to demonstrate the full force
of the disparity. Allah alone possesses being in the only genuine
sense. According to Ghazali himself, divine existence is “real”
p’:.:.p.;d. while human existence is at best “figurative” (mq/<i,?f)
/The great Iranian philosopher Mulla Sadra (d. 1050/1641) would
sum this up succinctly, centuries later, by saying, “In the habi­
tation of existence there is no inhabitant other than He.”'3)
Nevertheless, Ghazali will also argue that the human love of God
cannot be considered merely figurative. In Chapter Ten of the
present work, he makes this clear when he says, “Man’s love for
God actually exists; it is no mere metaphor.”14 But he elucidates
this apparent contradiction by quoting Abu Sacid al-Mihani who
commented, with reference to Q. v.54 (He loves them and they love
Him). “In truth, He loves them for He loves only Himself.” For,
indeed, “God is all and...there is nothing in existence other than
God. This introduces an important qualification, which modi­
fies our conventional notions of “reciprocity”, and I will return to
its implications later.
Zamakhsharl’s position was not isolated, nor was it in fact
particularly surprising. As a Muctazilite, an adherent of that theo­
logical school which placed great emphasis on God’s utter tran­
scendence, he was consistent in rejecting any notion of affinity
between God and His creatures. The “official” position and not
only among Mu tazilites—was perhaps best summarised by the
Shafi ite jurist Ibn Surayj (d. 306/918) who held that it is an obli­
gation (fard) for humans to love God; however, such love could
only be understood as “obedience” to Him.16 In fact, Zamakhshari
represented an old and long-standing view which goes back at least
tojahm ibn Safwan (d. 129/746) and his followers, the Jahmiy3^1’
>n the “formative period” of Islamic theology.'7 As the later theo-
l jgian Ah' al-Qari al-Harawi (d. 1014/1605) summarised it, The
J-hmiya deny the reality of love on both sides; by this they mean
XIV
Introduction
that love presupposes an adequate relation (munasaba) b^tw
lover and the object of love. ”'H (This is an objection w ic , as
shall see, lies at the heart of Ghazali’s treatment and indeed, impe s
it throughout.) Moreover, for certain early thinkers, not only love
but “friendship” with God was unthinkable, and some of them
paid the price. When Ja‘d ibn Dirham (d. 125/743), another inde­
pendent thinker of the period, denied that Abraham could be
called the friend of God” (khalil Allah), he was executed for his
offense by the amir of Iraq, Khalid ibn Abd Allah al-Qasri, who
personally came down from the minbar and slaughtered Ja d in
accord with „f ,be |ega) j(
TO not ncc „ bc MllW„ „
«•CU0„cX8a Many
A Question of Terminology: mahabba or cishq?
Some of their discomfort arose from a question of terminology.
Should love of God be expressed by the word mahabba (equivalent
to Greek philia and which might be rendered, following Mohamed
Arkoun, as “measured affection”) or should the stronger—and
non-Quranic—term ‘ishq (with its passionate and even erotic
connotations) be employed? Arkoun defines "ishq as “the irresist­
ible desire to obtain possession of a loved object or being; it beto­
kens a want or lack.”20 It is also the term used not only in love
poetry but in philosophical discours^-both suspect sources for
more scrupulous Sufis. Its use divided Sufis among themselves
and, as it were, within themselves. For examnle th
Sufi Ibn Mbafif. born around 2«/88““ ; h nP.tO™"-
decsive change ofheart on this matter He, V “derwei« a
on the love of God in which he rejected h Wn“e"
ove could be described as 'isliu LU “ notlon that such
XV
 I (HI.1ONGING. IN 11 MAC 5 AND (ONTliNTM1: NT Introduction
Introaucuvo
M.Ub. i. only > ^gPf^ie"dsUP
came to accept the stronger, and more controversial, term. Junayfl
encompasses a wider range o nU^" ’ is by its nature
had himself been influenced by Muhasibi in this regard.21
and affection as well as intense ove, something too to the
One bold early Sufi who had no such terminological qualms
was Abu al-Husayn al-Nuri (d. 295/907).22 In certain of his pro­ fiercely exclusive. His preference may
teaching of his own masters. > jn
nouncements, he went so far as to draw on the conventions of or 6/1015 or 16) held chat ‘“ishq is an oversteppingf h^
erotic poetry, using the charged term Ishq with its passionate love but God cannot be described as oversteppi g
connotations; he was accused of stating, “I am in love with God He cannot be characterized by W”3’ He went °n tO '

and He with me."23 According to a later source, he even declared of the term was “to be rejected since there is no way to app y
“I am God s lover.”24 This was one of the reasons why he, and to God;” indeed, “it applies neither on the part of God towards

some seventy-five other like-minded mystics, were brought up humans, nor on the part of humans towards God. 3
on charges of blasphemy by the zealous Ghulam al-Khalil (d. Daqqaq’s censure is significant. He headed a madrasa in

275/888), an ascetic Sufi of the old school, and put on trial for Nishapur where the young Qushayri studied and in fact, Qushayri

their lives.25 Such was Nuri’s eloquence that the judges themselves was not only his student but, in keeping with good Sufi custom,
wept at his trial;26 after he offered to be executed first in place of became his son-in-law.33 There is probably no Sufi shaykh more
his co-defendants, he was acquitted, but had to exile himself from frequently cited in Qushayri’s Risala than Daqqaq. Qushayri
Baghdad for fourteen years. had been, of course, the teacher of Ghazall’s revered early mas-
In the present work, Ghazali refers to this episode and ter abFarmadhi-as well as one of his principal sources in the
denounces Ghulam al-Khalil’s view as “the doctrine of a flawed enred k ” -i n°C Junreasonable assume that his view influ
and limited person who knows nothing but mere husks.. .and so drawn as it
need his was from
pupil. Asidethe the lexicon
florid
from of
unseemliness of the WO^j 1
fancies that nothing but husks exists.”27 Indeed, it might be said
fas S„ooryronnotatI™“”f™"c poetry, it had
that the entire thirty-sixth book of the Ihya’ represents a strenu­ oes spectre of Hallaj, a Jisa . f "Tl1B the notori.
ous and reasoned attempt to answer such early critics definitively;
and not only that, but to answer in such a way that no doubt could
remain as to the possibility—indeed, the overwhelming reality
J8™
l°rdo 8 W-,he passionate love °
“me» of‘ "God. place “
goT a paramount“otorio in
of God s love for man and man’s for God. In this Ghazali suc­
ceeded to an extent he could neither have foreseen nor imagined.
Nevertheless, the terminological question continued to trou­ in. Suspect Sources
ble certain Sufis even up to Ghazall’s time. He himself is notably Though the Sufis who objected to the termcishq do not say so, the
circumspect, usually preferring to use mahabba throughout his dis word had other suspect associations. Philosophers had adopted it
cussions in Book xxxvi.28 Still, it is probably not a coincidence in their discussions oflove. It is the word of choice for the Ikhwan
that Ghazali has frequent recourse to examples drawn from sexual al-Safa—the early Ismaik “Brethren of Purity” of tenth cen­
these occur often enough to suggest that
life to illustrate his thesis; tury Basra—in their encyclopaedic Rasa il—the first such philo­
Death his circumspection, a certain delicate play of oblique allu sophical treatment of the topic in Arabic—which influenced Ibn
si on what the Sufis term ishara—may be at work.29 Nevertheless, Sina; both of these sources in turn exerted a major influence on
s choice of words was probably not dictated entirely by caution.

XVli
XVI
 10VE. LONGING .INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

Ghazali." Thus, according to a later account by his younger COn. mmon

temporary Abu'Abd Allah al-Mazari (d. 536/1141), a critic of hi's
But on the otha jnd th®,
work, we learn that Ghazali “was addicted to reading the Rasa’il
philosophical en eaJ°^ost fundamental^ ’ e coUld not
Ildimiii al-SnJa’’ trom same source we ^earn ^at, as Mazari I
one thing, and on t e God an other,
wryly put it. “Abu Hamid was made sick by The Healing” (i.e_,

Sliifa’ oflbnSna)-' only he rational y disquisition’ , j that

Nevertheless, however indebted he may have been to such thi was to be no rarefied mysic 4n had noted
aU Wfio aspired to the love of God. ysicianS as well as
predecessors. Ghazali’s treatment in the present book is distinc­
tively different from theirs. The impulse governing the discussion
.Me love might be cunttmH tbey were
pMosophers—to be a «ta<» k mMt people,
of love by the lkhwan al-Safa is resolutely philosophical (as is
that of Ibn Sinaj. Their purpose is to determine the very “quid­ determined to speak about objective was one
rather than merely to specialist. the discus-
dity of passionate love” and, more generally, of the love innate
whieh Ghazali shared, an it tsapp .u, form of passionate
inhuman souls; they aim to discover its “true nature” (haqiqa) as
Sion, not fast in bis appeal»f y,
well as its origin and its causes?7 Though Ghazali devotes a sig­ attachment which we all know so well. Moreover, cert
nificant part of his treatment to the “causes” (asbah) of love—and examples and methods of argument bear a dose resemblance
his discussion owes much to his philosophical predecessors—his those of the philosophers. The key notion of the importance of
perspective is hortatory rather than explicative. He wants to per­ loving something for its own sake, which he stresses in the present
suade his readers not only that love of God is possible but in fact, book, may owe much to the teaching of Ibn Sina, for whom the
irresistible, and he wants to show them the way to it. Again, for notion is fundamental; after all, God loves His own essence and
the Ikhwan, love is something innate in human nature; passion­ accordingly, He is not only to be “loved for Himself” but is also
ate love may be marked by extravagance and by excess and yet, as the true source of both pleasure and beauty?1 Pleasure and beauty
they write, “no one is devoid of it, and there exists no one who are invoked repeatedly in Ghazali s argument, in ways reminiscent
does not love and feel drawn to one thing rather than to some­ of Ibn Sina s earlier treatment of them?2 Furthermore, Ghazali’s
thing else. ’’ For Ghazali, neither the “quiddity” nor the origins insistence on God as the only true beloved, beyond all appear
of love is of particular interest; he does begin by discussing the rest, In p„ on Ibn Sil* clK P ‘
essential character of love in itself,” but his comments on this first good that is loved” (al-khavr ul - 1 ? ° the
are more dutiful than searching. Moreover, the notion that love course the terms Ghazali uses are usuall d '"T ’ °f
might he something intrinsic and unceasing in human nature was con of Sufism?’ In this respect it is s' 1 tEe lexi'
W, his harsh critique of philo^t^
questionable; indeed, he rejected the whole concept of natures
(taba i"). From his Ash arite (and therefore, occasionalist) position,
the philosophers’ insistence on “natures”, allied to their unwaver­ only dispassionately b„, witk '
* belwed
ing behef in natural causality, was repugnant; it challenged an 1 do not wish to overstat aPPrWal.«
undermined divine agency. “Nature” was not something inbuilt,
it was the direct result of God’s will, atom by atom and moment
by moment.”

h'phiSt«s
XVIII XIX
r
iNG ’ INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
I OVE, lONblN'-
*
taught . to say, wasasawell
scems safeteachings, method
as a way of marshallinga
of systematising
large * coberent and compelling manner. Persuasion
his argumen was required, and logic, accompanied
xx-aslusaun. < > e q{. argumentation> he
bv certain torceiui < r
took from the philosophers.
iv. The Proponents of Divine Love
There were Sufis who boldly asserted their love for God, and His for
them. Their assertions often took riddling and paradoxical forms
but the thrust was unmistakable. They include some of the most
famous—and sometimes the most notorious—names in the his­
tory of Sufism, beginning with the celebrated Rabica al-cAdawiya
(d. 185/801) and culminating in the tormented and ecstatic figure
of Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj, cruelly executed for blasphemy
in 309/922. Although these, and other exponents of divine love,
appear as isolated masters, that is an illusion, prompted as much
by the fragmentary nature of the record as by the efforts of their
opponents (the two factors are, of course, connected). In fact, they
form a persistent spiritual lineage. At the same time, almost all
were wildly individualistic, frequently to the point of eccentric­
ity—as the tales recounted of them, both by Ghazali in the present
■
work, and by m any others—make dramatically clear. It is one or
Ghazali’s signal accomplishments in his Kitab al-mahabba to have
revealed the surj ’rising consistency which that wildness concealed,
The closer we look, the more connections we find among
these seemingly diverse mystics. Thus, Ibn al-Khafif, whom w
met earlier, was not only influential but well-placed. He
personally acquainted with such masters as Abu Bakr al-Shi ”
(to whom the characteristically extravagant remark was attr
uted, Creation loves You because of Your blessings to it b
love You because of the afflictions You dispense”46)- Ibn al-K *
had visited Hallaj in prison before his execution.47 But at ano
extreme, he reportedly met the theologian Ash ari in Basra
XX
Introduction
later made the acquaintance of Baqillani, the second gr ,
gian of the Ash'arite mad/i/iab.4* (This wide span o contac
be said to prefigure, if only symbolically, the pecu ar am g
of Sufism and Asharism which Ghazali would advance some two
centuries later.) More importantly for our purposes, Ibn al-K a 1
represents an important link in a chain of individual mystics
who expounded a doctrine of divine love on which both his stu­
dent Abu al-Hasan al-Daylami40—the first Sufi author whose
attempt at a systematic treatment of the subject survives—and
later, Ghazafr himself, would draw.’0 Reportedly, several early
Sufis, including Ibn al-Khafif, composed treatises on the subject,
but only their titles have survived.5' In the classic compendia by
such later writers as Abu Talib al-Makki and Qushayri, there are
chapters devoted to the subject of lov^-and Ghazali depended
on these heavily, sometimes to the point of outright, almost ver-
tmm BUt CVen theSe are httle than compila­
tions of sayings and maxims. P
v. Ghazali’s Kitab al-mahabba
Though love of God was to become a dominant theme in Sufi
literature54 pervading the couplets of Rumi and the Shazals of
Hafiz, its first manifestations tended to be fragmentary, they are
pithy, sometimes quite piercing, and often outrageous, utterances,
aphoristic in form and in impact; many would be later grouped in
the category of the so-called shathvyat—shocking and paradoxi­
cal statements verging on blasphemy (such as Bistami’s notorious
subhani (“Glory be to me’.”) or Hallaj’s exclamation and al-Haqq
(“1 am the Truth,” i.e., God) which led, among other charges, to
his death on the scaffold).” For this reason, it is probably incor­
rect to use the term “doctrine” in describing this ragged tradi
tion. Though the earliest mystic, occasionally wrote treatises on
the subject, their surviving views tend to be restricted ,
utterances, lovingly collected and assembled!,, latertritT''^
donotconsntute a coherent and consistent sehf pttc
XXI
 AND CONTENTMENT , was an a , theref°r t one of uineHts
lOve.lonG1NG’INT1M
u- .Jal-Ghazali who first gave compek
mfactJtwasAbuHarni in the
H^y^rfZtulnSmting chapters of his “/“m
present work, one of th principaj sources, does not
*T“X« »f si»inp °r compilations °f edifying
reciprocal 0
, i, these elements »e present and ■„ abun-
Ghat’s S«^
anecdotes. Cer ai T R these threads into the for i. * <
£
*
^^^eXse Aey are often vivid, they
„f argument deserves “y^tic aspects
"Zte b““' ,he>' ofK” profount1’they d"pen
dure
and strengthen his case. .11 1 r 1
Love forms the subject of the entire thirty-sixth book of the
fe'. It represents one of the most remarkable and influential »■<» stateTntS V

analyses of the topic in the Islamic tradition.54 Closely reasoned, and the Sacred Traditions, toge h j b “rational proof-
marshalling not only scriptural but historical and even physi­ earlier Sufi masters; these are the ent. Nothing
ological facts and examples, at one moment veering into ecstatic texts” (AwW and g Y four_
expressions of rapture and wonder and at another into humor­ could be more characteristic of Ghazalis me , ir. mu1
ous and rather scabrous anecdotes, the book represents the most fold structure of argumentation.” The number four and Its mill
sustained attempt both to convince his readers that love of God is
tiples figure persistently throughout his work, both in its iorma
not only possible but essential, and indeed, obligatory, as well as
to describe the various stages and gradations of love in painstaking
shape and in its inner dynamic; he thought, as it were, in fours.60
detail and with surprising psychological acumen. I approach represents more than a convenient
suspect that this
A mem generation or so before Zamakhshari, Ghazali had method of intellectual organisation; it mayhave deeper underpin-
confi en asserted not only that love of God was conceivable, nmgs. Almost .wo centuries before, Nuri had distinguished four
CodandmaT’Untk 3 loving relationship between levels of the heart: the breast (sudr) which is the lor,,, f“ L
sion; the mind (qalb) which k th cr E submis-
«■
* "B°°k
God low, hS.;» 'An7!“jd 'f “ “man loves God heart”the “discerning
X™" R ^ere wa X1* -d finally, th
atlc treatment of the a,k- 1 d ln Gls fuller, more system-
tyame subdivision, app ar f G°d S ^"ess is l0Ld.
re-asserts this
°nscriP'We and traditi0n a!$ bsing his arguments both ^2^ treatise 5

>,f»al-SMio(d “"^“wesomethin N"Tla has noted

exegetep utUry °f Mali’s de’at^ i'"8 & rear'guard action.
n’ent‘ngont?1'Dinal-I<azi(d.6o6/’I2t tEeol°Sian and
°ftheoIogianserSatne Qur’5nic verse IIT°9 W?Uld n°te’ in COm"
ePresented little m tEat such objections
em°rethan “a feeble doctme.’-
!eSoflove.Th1sd1,n''1>odica|a , $ had
^ionlead'. alyfis of th
XXII
lnt0 his ce„, . nat“re a„a
"ttal the,,, and
xxin me: God
 0SSionOfGe°Goa-

contentment d e sPeeCb' “ 5“bor wi" °r spe be the obJeC‘

,* ^but« P«$s power o t0 b not
*
a 10'* ,uerdBq“«itio"so”p surc
, And here T r of all pleasures, he argues,
^nemeritS 2«nce;fortheh^d inSOfar as He is knowable
jiheknowledgeof throughout his dis-
istobe rJ and knowledge61 in knowledge of God,
to n^- L°' (he highest pleasure c the actual vision
article of fair!a on.the
th in the hereafter- The dry Mu^tazilite denial of the

beatific vision, is here tran^f a knowl-

and strange: ‘Just as you k or mental rep_ J ubtle-l°veaS"'e
^X^ofUandshape, so too will you behold

know it begins in self urruistic it may appear, ~

^“theWStOdesZ'his sublimer flights, he next considers
in everything we do, howev« ourselves therefore is t e
thosTspecific factors which strengthen love of God in the human
ofself-kweandrelf^^O an3 tematically constructs his
heart; his argument turns throughout on the tension created y
foundationuponwbichhesloi y wbv does he begin in
this-worldly observations and other-worldly expectations. A argumentforaselflessandtranscendent ove. Why does he 0 g
dynamic governs his thought. For while the lover of God may Js way? Clearly, because self-love is the one undentable form of
come to “behold Him in the world to come”, God remains funda­
love which we all acknowledge. (The Biblical injunction to lo\ e
mentally unknowable to the human intellect. That unknowabilitx
thy neighbour as thyself” rests on the same acknowledgement.)
sustains longing for God and leads Ghazali, in his tenth chapter,
to consider God’s love for man; that chapter mirrors his earlier Towards the beginning of the book, Ghazall puts it this way:
discussion, in chapter two, of man’s love for God. The book is
For every living being the first object of love is its own self
artfully constructed. In his concluding chapters on the signs or
Love of oneself signifies that in one’s very nature there exists
marks of love, he draws abundantly on the rich Sufi literature
an inchnation to prolong one’s j . , CX StS
s predecessors, moving boldly into considerations of the inti-
and annihilation. There is a nar tO avoic^ n°n-being
semu 1"bibltl0n> and contentment, which identify the * * Ws and X ^^°rSP°ndenCe
ogyofsav"0 i°d' He C0nc'U(^es the treatise with an anthol- »dTpt,lytah^y (Sov\But “uid

Sufis, denied cateeori 11 °?^lans and jurists, as well as many

God and His creature^ 1 relationsllip of love between
lest’ cti;are witl> him than hi^ C°Uld
coa«ived. Though 2 , “ We understand love, could be
or Uim, deal With all th W°^S dialectical theology, Undetlying this r Wn non-
*'1 * « k « attributes of God for dependsupona ’ Of c°urse k
is Quranic
aration that is, with His power,

XXIV

Xxv aversion for

 rwh°loVerSoiity,aie.
. The beg?irl his geIie ^ent
„,Y ANO CONTENTMENT u- is an iUuS1L takes prlde iy an inStr t er has
1NTIMaCY

< f oil are pleasure and pain-—We

j es not suit the self; first gives us pain—but SQ
J
s:£
* ‘^ie“akin'lof‘:on8ruence,hat

relentless “ Ghrfi °f “N'T

d-benefeC'°n object of to "X th£ bund that God s
There is something This appears mOst sharply
thatonoccasion^kesr^^^ of * fatber for son,
pr,r more worthy of P«‘se instrument by {he
itself no mo received it , j ws through
to discussion ot par own perpetuated exist-
heargueMsineffec fof sake because be
encejasheputsi, fter his own death.”6'Nevertheless,
true actor play

>»
chili h. ..via * a,.t his Child die (assuming as he The Love of Beauty
_ nfc[ chillingly, dm the faher has a sound well-balanced , f chazali’s Sufism (and indeed, o
nature’’); for actual is preferable to virtual survival. The strongly aesthetic ent o dearly in his discussion
Here it seems clear that Ghazali is deliberately being some­ Sufism in general) comes thro g capable of loving
what brutal in his argument. He wants to hammer home the of beauty For beauty is one thing which we are capao &
premise upon which his whole argument will rest: that we act, for itselh indeed, beauty is intrinsically and immediately lovable.

when we act on our own power, purely and exclusively out of That we also derive pleasure from contemplation of beauty does
self-love. To persuade us of another possible form of love—a dis­ a profound ele­
not lessen its inherent lovability. This is, of course,
interested love which belongs to God alone—he needs us to grant
this initial, irrefutable proposition. Indeed, all the various causes ment in Islam generally and Ghazali is quite fond of citing
the well-
ofhuman love which he lists—love of those who do us good, love known hadith, which says: “God is beautiful and loves beauty.”
o t ose who do good to others, love based on beauty, and love With the subject of beauty, Ghazali reaches a subtle turnine
°ni?1“tua^ a®nity-—may be traced back to self-love. Even point in his argument. We connect beauty chief!v with k &
wishes ton' eSe,°Ves are 011 tbe same level. And what Ghazali
petceive, and particularly, with what we lee But the
ousorfleeting^for^°tbIS “ P°ssible’in however tenu-
with Ae most obvious and“ T in itself BY beginning
Ouro'vnselvesandou7 d ,ndemab eformof love—our love for
bgher and higher tiMuf 66 t0 °n bving—he will progress to
'Vltl1 self-interest yet be°f loVe wbicfr however tinged
dlsl in th'ed love "wuness t0 the possibllltyof a Pure and
would seetX fly °" 1 ^ost
i uPs°PleLOt C°ntends> we do not love
Mklndi o±SelVeS' We ^ve someone who
for know °«ly by' rT feel '°ve f0^eeable to the
tf0r ^self but for the kindness he pcrcei"Aegt'e? wlw deadOrt;JfUtthermoreSomeone dis-

XXVI
"^fisC Ca"not
xXvn Uothing
 contentment
O^'«‘C,AND
love.l' JI,^tefte^°ol°flaWmay“Peri-
'»a of seX’ofyittues;
j r and yet.3,1 , i „ dead jurist. So, too, of course,
rf‘ ‘X «>b other Sain,B and maS"R-

'
-l'
* P,"ph “] Lble to love someone whom our senses
Therefore, XTofwhom weknow nothing except by report.
God by super-
virtUeS Vie a traditl°n m ease cornM cl°S An I love him, 1
Love as Affinity
«a:'“aD love hi»; for ch he sees,
S°°'Z «<
,
* s°,ha' -X he hears, the stght by «
*
f w that f”
become the hearin^ch he speaks.” „ And indeed,
tfeeUkeentanersympatky, .sense of hkeness For Ghazals, it
is the key to love of God in its truest sense, though it is also a key

veiled in mystery.
A, as he
How is a human creature to discover the secret affinity that full-scale
links him or her with the most high God? The affinity, he says, is
“explicable neither as resemblance of form nor similarity in out­
putsit, oversteppingt fos ‘incarnationism to
union; those who upho P m Cod He is referring
ward shape. On the contrary', such affinity is due to secret pre­ the extent that one of them could say, I am G „ . r
cepts; some of these may be mentioned in books, others may not here, of course, to Hallaj. But “incarnationism is also uncomfort­
be written about but rather, are to be left behind the veil of baf­
flement... As so often, whenever our author is on the verge of
ably close to Christian belief in the doctrine of the Incarnation,
explaining a profound truth, he shrouds it in riddles. After all, which Ghazali had already condemned elsewhere; he obviously
mission in the Ihya is to elucidate the “mystical transactions” wishes to avoid its taint here.68
1 !"7",,k'illuminations"

be sought in th^ Vj’ V a®nitY between God and man is to

Sight vs. Insight
and edition enioh. “mVWhkh both scriPture
runs a famous maxim p™ Jour cliaracter to God’s virtues,”
knowledge of the
UPOI> the divine attrib y’tbas entaih modelling oneself
righteousness, kindn?« ’ esPecriUy those of knowledge, » ««lt or secret faculty-- 4 ™nkin<1- depends upon
a bis treatise on tu^erCy and good counsel. In al-Maqsad and surP1S!«. the eye of flesh«, “".7' which corresponds to
U^ation on God’?" GbaZali °ffers a Poetical “Wepts which he call, “ GllMali >« fond of nl ■ “
°f"" in conjunct,-“ . 7' * ” (fear) ,nd «. P 7‘ng 011 the
'V
*
dhXm h betw’e nn tfnSight” feint)
^gthen 0011 ,a^man bein 8Ucb attnbutes as ‘creator
c°nferra|orfOfCeSS °f Erring imitate God by imag-
'^^nsG • °;m°n ^ngs, even if the actual
asPrerogativealone/7

xxvin 8 JO!tasfe0f cri°VeocCUrsl'nsight.

dal^hth‘Y>.
XXi\ ighest
 M , is the bread
its e
t en .
* parahise’ <se gar
’andcon ten™ent lie qaa»titieS u kn°wledgq the e»rtb’ -r cisternS'
l0VE’ , , . of God the highest form of
n i« knowledge or
f love, so t0°
form i°Jae ,vith it necessarily; there is a natu-
bW«l«
* SfX“wWge»Uch aU ack"owW-
.»«■ “k"°Win8 h°W “ P V "I'”’
for «-?>'• ,S X„« means that a man cannot keep
despite its utter insign offering instruction in it
his mouth shut about i everything he may know
unt11 he.Un ?°opoint about knowledge is that, as with love,
about, ' K J at one stage tend to doubt its existence at
”g”it? Certainly "ot!" a love that is utterly
"»““,o yr bofys,'liat
7„uJ mtercourse ate superior to those of playtng with a polo through >n«s-r prac-
Stick is impossible, just as it is to assert to the impotent that sexual
pleasure is superior to the pleasure of sniffing violets. ’ Here no
“proof" is possible, for “he who has tasted knows. is complicated not only by our own & , love.
The highest and most pleasurable form of human pleasure
The way is dangerously lbes the lover’s
occurs through governing and yet, someone addicted to the pleas­ the most daring chapters of his book Ghazal descr
ures of the table cannot even conceive of this, for the perception courtship of the beloved, who is God Himself, in erotic and ama­
depends upon insight rather than sight. “If a man were to choose
tory terms. As in human dalliance, love of God entails fierce long­
between the pleasure of a plump chicken and an almond pastry, on
the one side, and the pleasure of ruling and conquering enemies ing, interludes of despair, wheedling and coquetry, complaint and
m the attainment of political mastery, on the other, and he were heartbreak and self-deception, until finally, at rare instants, some
Lmin t aSpirations’dead ^art and ruled by bestial ten- intimacy may be achieved.
h00Se,l,emMt“d'1’eP«'ry; however, if he
choose govermn?110^ perfeCted in his inteUigence, he would
The Paradox of Reciprocity
s«m a trifle.” Ne’Verth l^T endured for daYs> woul(d
chicl:®s and almond oa^trie ' 3 SUPreme Pleasure, beyond
1Sc°ntemplation and V WC as g°vernance itself, and that inPBodkX1Cal G1d man inV°lves
GhazahfenLm " dge°fGod-7'
s‘ltute some of the most be^cT65 knowledge of God con-
74 ’as when he writes: 3Utlful Passages of this book of the

7be breadth of th 1
11 the havens and tCead?. °f G°d is onlY comparable

’ h leads the gaze beyond all

XXX ycitcui--XnG:df
 AND CONTENTMENT
w,t,^.WT'MAC

, love of God, as presented here, is a lOVe

Nevertheless, the^ eyer Jeepening knowledge
the ultimate PurP°^e°ct for Ghazali’s recourse to the well,
t0 introduce
of the divine; an m - amatory discourse, these betoken
“^^^TgoLs ^ch as love of Him. When he speaks of
Notes to to
kn°W * with God this denotes not “union” but something anyone «h0 him
! For Aristotle, as I. Goldziher a liar and Go > foranearli«
nZS to an unending exploration of the mystery of God,
an infinite foray into the unknowable. The reciprocity lies in the
noted almost a century ago, the dis­ rbe he" I
''-'^snfi
* ecstasies.
search itself, in the divine summons to the search. If there is ‘jubi­
tance between God and man was too aes«ip™n»f,su“boNasral-Sarra)
great for friendship; see Nicomachean ,heK. °f 302-3-
lance and gladness” in this intimacy, that is not only because of
Ethics, 1159a (Loeb ed„ 479) where (d.378/988).joty's-'P3 ,62i;
“nearness to God”, but because that intimacy involves an inces­
Aristotle remarks that “when one 3 Zamakhshan, op.oL,
sant unveiling, a progression of epiphanies, rather than some final [friend] becomes very remote from Goldziher, 157 (431)-
absorption into the godhead. If knowledge and love seem virtu­ the other, as God is remote from 4 The term may be an allu
ally indistinguishable at this ultimate stage, that is perhaps because man, it [friendship] can continue no sion to the famous early Sufi
they are mutually transfiguring. Love, in the end, is a matter of longer; cited in “Die Gottesliebe
master and advocate of human love
passionate cognition. in der islamischen Theologie,” Der
of God, Sumnun al-Muhibb (d.
If this reading is correct, it modifies the notion of reciproc­ hlamix(r9i9), iSS,n.3 (reprinted
^“mme/teSchnfien.ed. Joseph 300/913)—“Sumnun the Lover
ity" with which we began. The love of God for man is that of
DeSomogp (Hddesheim, I9?o} v who liked to style himself “Sumnun
the knower to the known; the love of man for God is that of the
knower to the unknown. A human lover feels impelled to know 432hrf-^G.-C.AnawatiandL the Liar” (al-kadhdhab); for this, see
the beloved in every sense, carnal as well as spiritual; this pro­ Sulami, Tabaqdt, 186. Ghazali cites
vides us with a crude if apposite analogy for the all-consuming several of his remarks about love in
ardour which the love of God inspires. By drawing on such analo­ the present work (see below, pp. 164
human and thedr^ betWeen t,le
gies Ghazali wishes to convey something of the sheer urgency of and 190); also Abrahamov, Divine
^"friendS.7ewhichtnade
hum XeStPass'ons- The analogy is only approximate: all Love, 147.
;here^inlbr°ntradlctory;see
love of GJ '^Perrnanent; they end in satiety or in loss. The Lo^ 15~I6. HaniOv> 5 Zaniakhsharl, 1 621
^d.HeisitsV' ” Ori8inates in God, it is prompted by
love of God is a °^ect’and k is everlasting. The Ghazalian
tinually responds to C°UrtS^P ln which the Beloved con-
^•^hrefe G°We,»K8 ,32;tr-
'nsight. over s suit with inexhaustible favours of 2aniakhshari. enCet0Q.m 58 B»uyges,„0 *,SWoA.«e
a°tiotl°fhu S°Ternaritsth31’
Itietely3^f- 013,1 kve or r atthe
which c figUreofSDp°f^dis
Tl,,^.2i7 „ 'W.cit itln,
to SaJ -109-

nh<^c PI
II s ‘W
See helm ’
lainTS
Eleven. °W’ esp c, 3‘
Lhapter

iwe.^
*
- ,nt,macyandcontentment
Jayyir.
U I/iya-Tv.345;rf.below,p. I°°.
15 iH. See also Wensinck, Lu
ptusuHe Ghazzali, (Paris, 1940).
20-21.
16 Goldziher, op.cit. p. 144(418);
as Louis Gardet and M.-M. Anawati
note in their Introduction a la theologie
mdwiie: essai de theologie comparee
(Pans, 1948), 316: “Ce n’est pas a pro-
movoirlavolonte a l’amour de Dieu
quest destinee la ‘science du kalam’.”
'7 On Jahm, and his empha­
sis on the utter unknowability of
God,seeJosefvanEss,n£4,eM.
“^(^M.n.joof.On
Ja 4 whose views remain obscure
>56
^alsoGoti ..' haj ibn Yusuf
(/ieXwfc(N.Y., I97i), esp. 3-4,
127-29. Whereas mahabba
in its various permutations is used
frequently in the Qur an, as is the
synonymous term mawadda, ishq is
non-Qur anic; for full references
to the first two terms, see H. E.
Kassis, A Concordance of the Qur’an
(Berkeley, 1983). 509-11 and 1255-6,
respectively. More generally, see also
Joseph E. B. Lumbard, “From Hubb
to Tshq: The Development of Love
in Early Sufism," Journal of Islamic
Studies 18:3 (2007), pp. 345—385, a
useful article which came to my
attention after the present work was
completed.
21 Elis full name is Ahmad
Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Khafif
ibn Iskafshadh (?) al-Shirazi (d.c.
371/981); cf. Sulami, 485, and GAS
1. 663-664 (both of whom give the
name as Usfukshadh). His two trea­
tises—now lost—were entitled Kitab
al-mahabba and Kitab al-wudd tva’I-
ulfa; see Abu al-Hasan al-Daylaml, A
Treatise on Mystical Love, tr. by Joseph
Norment Bell and Hassan Mahmood
Abdul Latif Al Shafie (Edinburgh,
2°O5), xxviii ff. For Muhasibi and
his Kitab al-hubb, see J. van Ess, Die
Gedankenwelt des Harit al-Muhasibi
(Bonn, 1961), esp. 218-224.
22 Abu Nu'aym, X.212—217.
For NQrI> see GAS 1.650 and EF,
III,I39 (where it is stated, however,
y A. Schimmel that he ranked
"■^higher than A/>?); also,
assignon, Passion 1.121; trans.
ason, i.8r: ‘Nuri is £r$t tQ
Preached the notion of pure
fervor
ofhis teaching5’ ,s writing$, see
p Nwyia. £- S
cited in Keeler, S^Herntenet^,,
I09. For this, Baqli remarks, Nun „
was branded as a zindiq or “heretic
(in fact, a “dualist”); cf. also Abu
Nuaym, X.213; and for the theo­
logical context, van Ess, Theologie u.
Gesellschaft, iv.282 (who notes that
the charge of zandaqa was raised
only by Ghulam al-Khalll and
played no part in the legal proceed­
ings) and his The Flowering of Muslim
T/teo/o^ (Cambridge, MA, 2006),
2^28.Jahi?, the MuWite poly­
math, had made a connection earlier
between Sufis and za^fljtho h
°iTr'”'e'“nds;rf-hi’K'«‘
al-riayawan, iv.428.
25 J-vanEss,T/1C0^eH
^“e//scM.IV.28i-85-Mq ■
Passi°n, ni.n8 n 1 M §non,
W.IO6) Whereb 3 MaS°n trans-
s°meone who n 1 Dear
tion2ndlOVe(oP^ch;saffec-
A0t°0)’6l-ForGb '"(Leiden
^db.Mu? amKhaliU ’
al-BahUiJ/ batll^adlbnc
6 VanESs n 7alib
,neS-eM.
*XXV
lso,vaoESS’
nJ E/2-
Ceseiy^’lV
27 laf‘"si:ei
Ghazni6 £UseS the
28 1 assaaesofthepre-
sentb° 1 thus,inl^ IV’314’.
disapproval, intensi-
he defines it me for any thing
fied inclination w
pleasurable and later, at iv 333,
uses it to describe the exclusive a
consuming love of God certain Suns
experience (cf. below, p. 100).
29 See below, e.g., pp. 46 and 54.
The practice of ishara could involve
gesture as well as words: when
Junayd was asked a question, he
merely "indicated the heavens with
his eyes;” cf. Luma, 223.
30 See, among other possible
sources, Ahmad ibn Muhammad
Miskawayhl’sTuyjiSuC^i/,
>37Z8UriIt<BuirUt’ I967)’eSP'
B’-S, where he discusses degrees
( affection”) and '■ i mau'actda
la,Kt pul > 3,1(1 the
be.Wm'^(-aed 10'Rescan
VCh^aWayta,r°USf«^y”)
W a"«her
OtlthedM- d scus«on tr. llahlya).
11 horded a7’228~9 Wh4“ita,1<i
Sn°‘depe”<lent’On

[T1MACY AND
1(1
tllefluctuan°nsot
-R^,6<5-For
lldefor the latter it is an excess
which culminates in love of
God. . ,
32 Qusha^m, loc cit- For a partial,
and somewhat different, translation,
seeKeeler, Sufi Henneneutics, 122, n.
74
jj H. Ritter, The Ocean of the
Soul, 70s; Knysh, Islamic Mysticism,
130.
34 See Daylami, op.cit., 71, for
verses ascribed to Hallaj where
eras” (i.e., islu;) is presented as
one of “the attributes of essence”
of God; also, Massignon, Passion,
1'20-123 (trans. Mason, 1.79-82) and
ntu8 (trans., m.I0^).Massignon
•ends to translate the term as
'W throughout, but he also-
bYal’Hasanal-Basri usedrJ
the aPPearance of |0^nhd’V01<i
essenc'"(W mV i d
^"J'thaptetsof? °CCUrSln
(bettut, i957) .' tlle KaTil
Susa'>neDiWaid
(Wle^den,StWe
,?D51at,On^i57^6’fota
rfotes t°
CONTENTMENT
in ^’,Z(Qum’ uoo),
73-397; als0’ L- Gardet’ La Pensee
nligieuse d’Avicentie (Paris, 1951), n Shfi’ >X. I or
i67_74. For his influence on Ghazali, 4 1 Lis great ? t^m God, S' K „mev'eliro 7
See. al50/1^ ), for who"1 °
ssFM * U®
*
' L
see Richard M. Frank, Creation and Farabi (d-339 9^ objecto
the Cosmic System: Al-Ghazali and ‘‘theFTthefirst obje^ ofa^C' ofteK“"Cb^heUndPer5
Avicenna (Heidelberg, 1992). love and the .^hval- H WtKt’.k r profane undmy5'
36 Ibn Taymiya, cited in ^.■^vn’Dc'
Yahya Jean Michot, “Misled and mdshaqtl-t^' ej /tr. R.
Misleading.. .Yet Central in their
Influence: Ibn Taymiyya’s Views
on the Ikhwan al-Safa,” in Nader
o’ Persian writer
El-Bizri (ed.), The Ikhwan al-Safa’
nar7v.34;ed./tr.Marmura,T/te
and their Rasa’il: an Introduction
Incoherence of the Philosophers, 95- ed.H. Corbin (Tehran. 1966). Fo«"
(London, 2008), 176-7. For Mazari,
he even defends Ibn Sina s apphca- earlier discussion, see Luma, 370rt-
see further my Theodicy, 98-9.
tion of the term “pleasure (ladhdha)
37 They wish to ascertain 54 Cf. Anawati and Gardet,
mdhiyat al- ishq wa-mahabbat al-nufils to God; in his later discussions in
Mystique tnusultnane, 162: Disons
the Tahdfnt, he introduces examples
(Rasail, 111.269). sommairement qu a partir de
38 /hid., ill.271. (sexual intercourse, playing chess)
which he will return to in the pre­ Ghazzali l’amour de Dieu aura droit
39 See, among others, Toby
sent work (see pp. 44 and 54 below). de cite dans le vocabulaire de l’lslam
Mayer, “Theology and Sufism”
in T. Winter (ed.), The Cambridge 45 For Shibll, who died in official.”
Companion to Classical Islamic 334/945, see Sulaml, 34off. 55 The notion of a reciprocal
Theology (Cambridge, 2008), 273 : 46 Sulaml, 348. love between God and man goes
[T]he Greek concept of ‘nature’ 47 Bell and Al Shafie, op.cit.,
back at least as far as Muhasibi
(physis=tabi‘a) is condemned outright who also claim that while Ibn
hi,
«U-dMn(1 about (M3/857), an important influence on
by Asharism. God thus becomes the
f sole and absolute cause (mukhtarif of ^a aJ. to considered him “a ,rue XrnTSnS’InCludlngGh^li;
the universe in its totality through­ Monotheist”. -vanEss.D.eGe^m^ 220
“
out its history.” 48 Ibid., xxv. This seems a Massign°n, for one m ’^°'
40 Ibid. b»»P«>tlUe,!inceAh" . * “reciprocal love ° 8 ’’ses Rabbet
41 Ibn Sina, Shifa’, 1.4; ed./tr. the faithful;’’se,. ,G°d and
Marmura, The Metaphysics of The 4°3/loi3.butg1Vent, q aniaro"nd the ternr and its k- $ d'SCUssi°n of
H«bng (ProvO) 2005), 2I For God sPan accorded to Ih "'year hfe-
X ,^e l°ver oF His own essence”
h^dhatihi), see Shifa’, viil.7.
49 His birth an j j
UnkWn;cf^ deatUtes
42 Wensinck, for one, views
50 Daylan54Sl'664. are
q ernphasis on the beauty of
ne Pl ^eriVlnS ultimately from ., r Abu a m Lenturv qnr
said, “If C J, asatl al-pr- y U11
at°uic influences, and from W^f^{ nallf tidal 1 am„. .^oveso e 7 * Wariwh0
SflrStedttedbyja/'^ ants> he 1,
loves Er- °e °f Hr
XXXVI G°dunl<1 HlnT M-> s Serv-
him;”
b P- g0 / 1OVltlg
XjCXvji

|NT,MACr ANP CONTENTMENT
iOve.^oNGING'
The enure discussion!
* 63 See below, p. 59-
’ ,00) in which love of
”n5TS,d-W5ird-Knhr
(Tehran.n-d.), vm.18.
59 for a discussion of his
four-fold method, see my Ghaztth,
60 Examples abound throughout
his work; thus, to mention only
a few, in the Munqidh, the seekers
after knowledge fall into four cat­
egories (theologians, philosophers,
Isma ihs, and Sufis) and that work
concludes with a “magic square”
based on a four-square grid; at the
beginning of the ftya’, the science
of the law is divided into four cat­
dories while the knowledge which
leads to salvation is divided into two
“^“ries («'"W and
^/“^““nttasttothetwo
etc"rf-%a,I.27ff
and Possim; He ,a°°3).4-6
“‘^.’’whieh^1"66^
XxXViii
God, exaltedbe He),” al-Shifa , 1.2;
72 Ihya’, iv.327; see below, p. 48.
tr. Marmura, 11-12.
f the beSt
,ledge ot c
5_io;GXS 1.571-2-
64 See below, p. 13 ■
65 See below, p. 14-
b”:S
* kn””(
66 Already listed as the main
cause of love by the Ikhwan al-Safa’
who use the term ittifaqat (“points of
agreement” or perhaps better, “sym­
pathetic correspondences”) which
they consider to be analogous to the
correspondence between the organs
of sense and their objects (Rasa’il,
111.276).
67 Cf. Maqsad, 82; for a brief
discussion, see my Ghazali, 62-3.
68 His Al-Radd al-jamil ala sarih
al-Injil (Bouyges, 194), though its
ascription to Ghazali is disputed
(Hourani, 296). Zaehner, however,
argues that later in life, he did accept
“incarnationism” as a consequence
of his extreme monism, and that this
constitutes his oft-mentioned “secret
doctrine”. Zaehner’s argument
strikes me as inconclusive; cf. Hindu
and Muslim Mysticism, esp. 164—5. For
an earlier critique of huliil, which
seems to me closer to Ghazali’s own
position, see Luma, 426—7.
69 The concept of “insight” is
perhaps most extensively devel-
0Ped in his late treatise Mishkat
“l-anwar (Bouyges, 52; Hourani,
299-3oo); cf. The Niche of Lights, tr.
David Buchman (Provo, 1998), esp.
/ /, ^ernasters °f insight [arbdb
as^ ir] never see a thing without
eeing God along with it.”
7° See below, p. 44.
ve 71 j AccordinS to Ibn Sina, the
ty efinition of wisdom (hiktna)
THEmBa^°^tL°nNtMENT

IN . lheSWhBookoftheQ««-

Bel"8 of the Saving Virtues

[prologue]

In

-j-x RAISED BE GOD. Who has exalted the hearts of His

M saints above all concern for the vanities and the glamour
1 of this world. Who has purified their inmost beings from
regard for anything but His presence. Who has singled out their
hearts for devotion on the prayer rug of His erandeur and dis­
closed to them His names and His attributes so that they shone
with the very fire of knowing Him. Who then revealed to them

SO that they wandered astrav in the d C“"CC of His maiestv

^ht! Then, whenever they tremWef" °f His
tial i •
S“rflcerf'Soth reason and
^“‘'“S’euninde, 4
lonsofbeautv ‘<n -’.tearn,
b««se of your iitlCnCe! ° you who Sununons &■
--OD> the t>avil_
remained §n°rance and espair of <- •
d'»«l d Pe"ded b«»ee„ y°Ut 5,8jainin^he‘truth
.
**
.• ..di,-....
.....■‘■■•I ie Sea of kntWeen
Kn°wine
 r- Ired
<crene^en , °vC °tGodfrhe diSP3^1^
'h,xs&i * - aKou;;X?^
( ONH Nil Ml N1
jndthat m turn A disCuSSion [ folio„ed
A
vid prawn upon Muhammad, tl)c amongpeop ’e,nth^
ity of the human . d. Y/ God o
k waf]i will come r After
f longing. ■ • that w
the perfection of his prophethood, and
bv a consideration [9] ot fl c , 1 T|ien< 3 discourse
i, lords of creation, imams
shall discuss Gods love for is cr ensUe, followed by
** **
^ ^4.4nd it'1 j
..n>«ng <Ik s^g- .n,d the (nl on the signs of human love tor God
There ,s n0 stagc bey°nd 11C grasp
an expiation [12] of the meaning of intimacy w ■
shall give an account [13] of what gladness in intimacy means, a
of its fruits and one of its consequences,
discuss the meaning of contentment [14] and its particular virtue
n (,H(aH.<<’ntcnt>ncnt(i)(/u).;in<ltlK.
pnor to low any stage that is not preparatory together with an explanation of its real nature. Next will come an
f"M’ and " iation exposition fis] of the fact that supplication and an aversion to sin
mentof the other stages is rare and yet, do not deny it [contentment]; nor indeed does fleeing from sin
^wabieuidhara arc not wholly without hope of them;
',6I of the tal“ “d sayings
jw tk belief m low of God the Exalted is so scarce that one
xw nw. denies that it is possible. He states that love “has no
apart from persistent obedience to God the Exalted and then are the matters to be diKUSaed in this book.
eat pssuK lost is inconceivable except between the same genus
«KipK»’' When such as he deny love, they also deny inti-
fcsri adtonguig and the pleasure of secret colloquies (jnundjat)
it other concomitants and effects of love. For this reason
* aKoae necessary (0 |ay the whole matter bare.
teboolt we shall |ij cite explanatory proof-texts from
subject of love. We shall then [2] explicate its
shall also explain |j| that there is
except for God the Exalted. We
—-w 77 1,1'7' 7' gjrMtest °f al1 pleasures resides
'j^»d.iMiS|,h„eis an even greater
Go. in the life to come as compared to
.ne«p„ sitionthatfoUows[his |6)
*",h“‘*

* mui<■ <- of this objection but it was common'

fl
on kudi objections, see my Introduction
**’*£•'• I'm,, (f< ^J11' ‘>n •'“h ip,it ilijt f<,, t|lt- (flnr.iA..1 /it,“1''•

uni. 1c which, however, stands in no nexus

, ........ . ' 'in . tli, 11 m, ,n a- "teebk

3
 CHAPTER°Nf texts from
AnE^siti0^gM2sI^eforGO
Revelation Concerning
• (umma) holds a con-
Tr NOW THAT OUR his Messenger
V senses to the effect that love obligation
JY (may God bless him ” h“ not exist be made
(W and yet, how could something dmt do« >n „

an obligation? And how might love be glossed aS

seeing that obedience is one of the results and effects of lov .
Love must necessarily come first and only then, in its aftermat ,
does he who loves obey. God’s statement He loves them and they love
Him' indicates that love for God does exist, as does His statement
love of God.2 This is a sign
and those who believe are the most fervent in
that love does exist as well as that there exist gradations within it
In many Sacred Traditions", God’s Messenger (m«C J kl '
him and grant hrni peace) makes love ofG J (may God bless
('«)■ Thus, Abu Razin al-'Uoayli asked °f &th
*at is faithr. He tep,H Vfh ted, O Messenger of God,

loved by him thSvrk "leSS G°d S t,On [k

ything else ”+ An j . essenger

And ln yet another

°b the six & ’for example fk ’ th - ls. foe tradm

"ls

■ We kaw\”£ Md »«t love. T"’’ Su6 then “i0" °f

"f"it«iht' h°!e” « „„ , “ ob'dienc. ,, or«t Dayla^.
y'“S! >»d a? i ’"'d Trad' . ' "> 4 T„ V

Cd“"-f«h tanslat
P'*
tsa„ d tC ««
*
?/,. T
aods’i»tlyPe;s^ion
nfon
5
 a who hi15
Chapter °ne
seen 3
, 1NTIMACV anp contentment
i Haver,
,« y°d -r He')sP°ketheto^thiS
m seiae “’fn
seized soulGel (£Xalr er
’od (exalted 1* who 10®7 Jenth, selZC
10'f.
! Joes not believe unless I am more ca^e to S?e„But then G°^na lover
i?” But then al°ver ( angel oi ii<;COverS
. j Tradition- ** ”7ni1v his property, and anyone else.”s
r
How
** could itnot hiS frl£d “Have yon eVef egcl^e'
andsait. At that Abraham^s GodWii
(in another recension .sHe!)says> if your fathers, your
i«d?” £ O ly be * ^means of “ death to
*!”90nlyhtehZ death isameanS
beso. seeing 'hat W U ,n the form of an admon._
hekn°Xttandhehasno
^vHrWien-y Messenger of God (may God bless him
ild with longmgfor d yess him ynd
n°nanda?CneOace) commanded love, for he said, “Love God wiia vvic
** — c
“Jgnntfie favours with which He has nourished you but i turn.
he might turn, prophet (may J love
whom he nug his rs ourGod grant me love of
In one of his p A God, nt me
because of God’s love for me.” It is reported that a man
”0 Messenger of God, I love you” and that he (may God
P'"’ sav »d love of whatever bongs me
bles him and give him peace) replied, “Prepare for destitution.” o,ff those who love You
rou £ than cool water.
Make love of You dear y him an
Tbemanthen said, “I love God (exalted is He!),” and he in turn You. Make love o. — —- ■*
(may God Pless -* ---
, vd “O
A desert Arab came Messenger o God, when IS
f God>
of is the
rejoined, “Prepare for misery.”87
grant him peace) and aske , i for it?” He said,
On the authority of cUmar (may God be pleased with him) it is Hour?” He answered, “What have you prepared fori .
related that the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) “I have not prepared for it either much prayer or much fasting bu
saw Musab ibn Umayr approaching; he had girded himself in
I do love God and His Messenger.” The Messenger of God (may
a ram's hide.L The Prophet (may God bless him and grant him
peace) said, “Look at this man whose heart God has illumined. I God bless him and grant him peace) declared, “A man will be with
used to see him with his parents who fed him the choicest morsels those whom he loves.”11 Anas [ibn Malik] said, “I have not seen
and refreshments. Love of God summoned him to the state you Muslims happier over anything than that, apart from the coming
now see.”8 of Islam itself.”12
n another well-known Tradition [it is related] that Abraham0 Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may God be pleased with him! ™d
P om be peace) said to the Angel of Death when he Whoever has tasted the pristine love of r J- 7 k
“y worldly pursuit lnd becomes esh 7 fIS prC°CCUPied &om
A pur^- Al-Hasan [al-Basri] said "W|, 7 fr°m a11 Unkind.”
Pilose, tnifa ’ e wea^ you have acquired, the trade that you fear you H>m. Whoever knows he t M knOWS his Lord 1
■’’■rivingm aus(^ . flre W£)re dear to you than God and His Messenger and
« o^lge mmdless f’ renoun«s it. The Mi 7“
, Meaning, that God tries /U^ment ^at w^l bring upon you. grieves.” f™ol.ty for wh * does
' belleV<
bnnrgdoser- ■■ See Cha 6
—~r to Him. ^°VC tbose whom He wishes to
expknation. 'P1" Ten below Gr similar hadith and Ghazali’s Aba Sulayma,, al-Dara - ' he
. 1 Musd> ibr -
)n Utnayr Was a q , God created are som i 1 Marked “a
’r^;cf.su£;
•pX 7ptu°-'-- yoflifewluckPi,ni0Ln kn°Wn orighiaUy for his elegant
tUOUSWa cannot distract-f me wkom para d- ’ ^ttlOng th^
“» AUc
Abrah 7' «.'
Vnt66<t9 He abandoned after hearing the Prophet Him? Hlm; h°w the'86 itSClf ^th all JWh°^
hlanuc tr
t.2j7 kn<
isis U- ," K d t y 'his C°uld '^7 o’” 7 delights
J fence foraof t/he of God” (khalil Al1^ *
yaklSSfr°^heAng;^Da^d°te. In Midrashic tradition, Yb'‘6’-

......

7
 Chap11'One j and
'7urtiy^sy°ungt;
AND contentment ^toYoW
. T nm stan01u& ' You ^hen „ ctrength
d he also Youu took
“G° ; Yo took®t»e
e !° you gave Hl
, ..Fearofhell.” He said, “It behoves God
-‘biS wayreni-'on 3nd
Thev answered- „ Thgn he pasSed on to anot.per
i
»s
* PaW: he “ked 'he? “What has Yo“do,h!a favour- You turn^ nCe, «®u Your
three even more em They repiied, “Longing for paradise.” ,hr7t.io“I 7^. Yo“ gave me to j dung
come upon youth^ w giy£ you what you hope for.” He
Un"ndi^ove with Your word
He said. "It behoves were surpassi j
^7^ . W^&ces had become „Ur!
X oXd'd the bird
gaUnt t 1 r He said “What has come upon you that I see?” They
“We love God.” At this he exclarmed, “You are those
brought near to God! You are those brought near to God! You are
became accustomed to this on ° notJling but droning, an
those brought near to God!’
Abd af-Wahid ibn Zayd said, “I passed by a man standing in there remains for me m our p j * lover anJ every
the snow. I said to him, ‘Don’t you find it cold?’ and he replied, ::T5XXBed and uninterested in all but what he

‘One whom love of God possesses feels no cold.’”14

It is reported that Sari al-Saqari said, “The nations will be 10V On the love of God (exalted is He!) anecdotes and tales might
summoned on the Day of Judgment by their prophets. Then
there will be heard ‘0 community of Moses!’ and ‘O commu­
be adduced beyond measure. This aspect of the matter is clear,
nity of Jesus! and 0 community of Muhammad!’ but not those the more abstruse aspects appear only when we try to ascertain its
who love God: they will be summoned by ‘O friends of God, up! true meaning. Let us therefore proceed to this.
Come to God and their hearts will be close to bursting with joy.
rim ibn Hayyan said, When the believer knows his Lord
when he T ^en l°ves Him, he approaches Him and
longerlooCfetoSrMetnT aPPr°acE '° Him’

the hereafter with • j-“ 3Vld Cye’ nor does 11 e Saze °n

world refreshes him in th' P°f W^at Paans kim in this
YahyaibnMu'adhsaid^S r
what then of His c ’ s orglveness (afw) consumes sins;
SU^hoPes;whatthenentfT His contentment con-
ing> what then of Hi a '°Ve' ^ove astonishes under-
"1Onofa11 hut itself. 2 affe,Ction (W“ddj- affection causes

-our r,ghts on Me-1 love

dearer m ah said “tl '
1116 ‘han seventv v of a mustard seed of love
rs °f worship without love.””

9
 Chnfte’ js sOme
of its being l°<f *abei ^sion

. The meaning ? the mean1^ r re is an eX? that

9

chapter two -
something pynk IS a consent pnn P
tafopositionofthe True Nature and
“detestatwn (w recognised- knowledge, it
Causes of Love, with an Explanation of the
Meaning of Human Love for God
is necessarily divisible in a«» aJ dlvided. For every
themselves and their perceptiblebj° of perceptible;
NOW THAT THE object of this chapter may not be
sense a perception accrues accor g pleasure in certain

K revealed except through knowledge of the true nature of

love in itself and after that, by knowledge of its condi­
tions and causes and only then, at the last, by scrutiny of the true
nature ofits meaning with respect to God?
to each sense furthermore there perta P
perceptibles. Thus, a given nature, if healthy, '
particular perceptible and love it. And so the eye s pleasure resides
in sights and in the perception of beautiful objects and attractive
a

The first matter to be determined is whether love is incon­

forms that are both lovely and agreeable. The ear’s pleasure lies in
ceivable except after knowledge and perception (since man loves
only what he knows). A mineral cannot conceivably be charac­ beautiful and measured melodies. Sweet fragrances exist for the
terised by love. Rather, love is the essential characteristic of a liv- pleasure of smell. The pleasure of taste lies in foods. The pleasure
Hg sentient being. Furthermore, perceptible things are divisible of touch resides in whatever is soft and smooth. Whenever these
Wh. /tWLChCOrreSP°ndst0 the nature of the perceiver—that sense perceptions are pleasurable, they are loved i a L 1 1
var^Xhhi?rhimpleasure~and int°that which.is at
nature inclines to them For this 1 d’ 1 ’’ a Wealthy
H G»d bless him L ” ^S°n f °f God
and into that wh' hW aVefSe t0 him and causes him pain—
of purs U been madet6 if’ “Thtee thing*
The perception of ?r°^UCes nebther pain nor pleasure in him.
: 7“ been »e; perfu^
perceiver; the perce QUSes P^easure and ease is loved by the
ceiver; what is devJid ' r°[W^at causes pain is hated by the per-
ute cannot be describe 1 6 bmPoshion of either pain or pleas-
H«c. ew„ „;S“”e,EinS euher to be loved or to be
3SUre h loved by the one who receives Ghazaii’s Use r« ntrary jp an 1.
throughout not ? Passi°nate l0Ve>>
A Th, (d. 429/IO3^ °nly of Ikh J '^) betrays n . a
th'^5Shete,nay^esoni 1.
Slon of *°ve J? ’as noted in the 1 t0 discussion in the Rasa ’il of no^^o^e> and
S1^>bantly ql ’ Cotlsi<ieration of ir°<.UCtiOni t^eY to° begin their discus-
’“W’ ft w though, ‘ng lnan«nate of Pfesent M Onl ' phll°>her ] m°re than
• “I'^al-mahabha-, cf. Rasa’il, 111.269-

10
’ ■"S-X..47>»rherso"^10clu;)

Ib” Sinrs
II
 ot for bis
Chapter

. ,r INT1MACY and contentment

love. voN'-D ■
11 And he termed women loveable even
*t»^nk'X«hP3r^DVh7;bu'"otsT:11’,,as,e
thou?lionly sight an apple of his eye and declared
01 hMring' Xe X though, as is obvious, the five senses

it most worthy contrary, it involves a sixth sense

)
play no part in pt
* ’ perceives it wh0 possesses such ->5^ is «s
whose seat is the n Let us then explai fof every hving nature
The prtasry ° J- 0 exists within one very
with m»n in the pleasures of the five
Ses [Yef] if love is restricted only to those things percepti- if Self-love signifies that tn nOn-bemg anu
S prolong one’s being “^correspondence between
He'to the five senses, it can be argued that God is impercepti­
ble to sense and cannot be pictured even in imagination, thus He filiation; furthermore, there n a n* what could be more
cannot be loved. Negate the very essential characteristic of man, him who loves and the o J , prolongation of
that sixth sense by which he is distinguished and which may be powerfully at variance than
expressed by “intellect” (c^/) or “light” (nwr) or “heart” {qalb) or
non-existence and destruction? For this reason, man loves contin
whatever other terms you like; and yet, how wrong it is! Inward
sight (teira) is mightier than outward sight (basar).A The heart is
uation of existence and loathes death; and this, not merely because
more powerful in its perceptions than the eye. The beauty of con­ of what he fears after death, nor simply to avoid the agonies of
cepts perceptible to the intellect is far lovelier than the beauty of death. Quite the contrary: were he to be wrested away painlessly
forms external to the eye. Of necessity, then, the heart’s pleasure and brought to death without either reward or punishment, even
in perceiving divine and lofty matters too exalted for the senses to then he would not be satisfied. In fact, he would be wholly averse
grasp remains both more perfect and more extensive. Far stronger to that. Man does not love death and non-being except in nro
t e inclination of a healthy nature and a sound mind to this portion to some agony in life- however U i P P
nation t ^ove ^as no meaning other than the inch- an affliction, his love is for that affl i f 6 tOrrnente<^ by
explained ■ 1 1 PercePt'on °f pleasure resides, as will be
-exisreuce, it " W«e to
denied exc'eptT AcCOrding1y>the love of God cannot be *
r,because
^r itconuins™ e yDse « is non-existence
Ae level of the be Per.S°n wdose shortcomings relegate him to
sense perception in a^ C^ar^ das not Passed beyond mere
Obvi°usly ma^k WT.
SOmeoneelse for hie nVeSLSelf' Obviously, too, he may love
wn enefit. But can a man conceivably love
meaSUr">fwhatl- f’^-lAckis
*Hicber- hivn by the ILL - , .
is "a vision r?SeXternalforms a l W3n a ~$afa between mere outward SaDdiSakin<i
^Srf'niir„,' 'by light for 1 / 6 vision of God in the hereafter which may be i

■
8 '■ " * &»«• W (™> nf.r U-n-r lerent
al-Saf5. a
: G°d al,
12

t3 8 "of >11 love ns

 jfhlove is the
Chapter
,faversi°n’Se'
r 1Nt.macy and contentment
^E'lt,NC . , K ■ * 1-
f0 tu x Tncfoed’
rJ Destruction and non being are jus)-
of destruction in th^ jegar perf of

as hateful when the) theniselves. When attributes of perfec-

existence as they are prolongation of existence,
tionexist, they t0° a h decree. y<)H wiu neverfind alteration in
This is innate throng , thmg man loves is
^’seM^Zfhis limbs and organs, and then his property
tods. He loves bodityheal.1
iv
*
- ,b ““inum“ °f °wn existen“
„ aeoendew on that. He lo.es property because it too is instru-
me,1,1.0 the continuing perlotion of his existence. The same is it cannot be altered, or connection to him.
a foreigner who bears no relations p
true of the other causes.
Now manloves these things not for their own sakes but because Examined properly, this may be traced bacK
of their connection with his portion of prolonged and perfected The benefactor is one who supplies
property, assistance,
existence. For this reason he loves his child, even though he does means which produce continuation and perfection of existence,
not obtain any direct advantage from him; on the contrary, he not to mention the attainment of those advantages by which
bears troubles for the child’s sake because he will succeed him in existence is primed. There is a difference: human limbs are loved
existence after his own death. In the survival of his offspring there
because a perfection of existence occurs directly through them,
lies a sort of survival for him too. Because of his intense love for
and this is the perfection we seek. But as for the benefactor, well
his own survival he loves the survival of the child who will sup­
he is not in his own person the perfection sought even though he
plant him, he himself cannot hope to survive forever but the child
may be a means to it, just like the physician who.. 8
i, as it were, a part of him. In fact, were he to be offered a choice » prolonging bodily health. And yet there isT d “v me“S
s own death and that of his son, he would—assuming lo.e of health and love of the physician wh “"C"™ b««'een
son’s beca3tUre|1iSWe^'3^anCe^—Pre^er own survival over his Pystoan who ts a means to health.
after all hi °U^ Son s survival resembles his own, it is not
relatives and asso^^SUrVivab same is true of his love for his A The notion of self-U,»c

himself, for he tbat t0° reverts to his love of perfecting

ty Aem, and adorn d"^ magni^le<d by them, made powerful
ProPert)', together w-Per^ections- Comradeship and
in? man to perfection Ot externa^ causes, are like a wing lift'
perc u°n.
e? '?ed’and fXl0^^011 of exi«ence are things natu- Tld fa too » ’ fa'fale " "f'-’n (Pri ys,s Of >ove in .]
» emitTr
* 'h the areB"y fa di"
* 'fa »04) J" a"
a^ S°- ^nce the first object of love for
P °n^f of that s7f> tOgether Wit^ the PerfeCti°n
Senseofbeil
se s existence, and since conversely. Tatis'nUSemPM'

e g°od. er cban tk ’ln

>4 k0* of the

15
 Chnpter ^U'° j go'
* ers an^
n light’ «'cl ra| forms-
. 1NriMACV AND CONTENTMENT d in gazing d syinrnetr . upon
LO.E.^"'0’ t . . . ,
, r iB own sake; the physician is loved „ot for
Health » ' use he is a means t0 heal,h Knowl«lge 10t>
*
kM«i b“,l,“L but knowledge is loved for itself while
» k"11'“ “ I La aose of the cherished knowledge. Food uch thing’’"3 3 h°c causes of Pl“sure' beautiful thing
the teacher is l°v^ are loveJ as well; however, food These then are *
e non of eVe ' ically worthy «
and drink are ove , only as a means of is loved. And the m J Aat beauty 15 int iful and neces-
*ni:ZX-s down to a difference of prior8

'' ^tthekss. everything goes back to man’s love for himself.

Hence anyone who loves a benefactor for hrs kindness loves him beautiful and
not essentially as he is in himself. Quite the opposite: he loves
God bless him and grant him p
his kindness, yet this is only one of his activities. If his kindness
should cease so too would the love even though the benefactor has He loves beauty.”6 meaning of beauty. Know
remained as he was in himself. If his kindness lessens, love for him
This entails some explanation realms of fancy
that a person held captive within the confines of the rea X
lessens too; if his kindness increases, love increases too. Increase and sense perception might imagine that beauty has no mean _g
and decrease affect love, correlated as they are with increase and
other than proportion in appearance and shape, or lovely colour
decrease in the benefaction itself.
white suffused with crimson—or lofty stature, and similar quali­
The third cause Res in loving a thing for its own sake, and
not for some advantage arising from it outside its own nature. ties by which human Among humans
beauty is often described.
Rather, its innermost nature is its very advantage. This is a deep to the eye; most
the most conspicuous loveliness is that perceptible
and authentic love that grows ever stronger as it continues. This of the disparities among people come down after all to individual
lr to the love of beauty and comeliness, for every7 beauti- forms. There is a widespread opinion that whatever cannot be seen
bauty"gthtTdl°Tble “ tEe Sight °f him wh° aPPrehends or rmagtned or given form is impossible and rl,« • L
tessen«ofpUuUretOt5enatUre ofbeautY i^elf. The very quin- somethingthebeautyofwhichcannorh ’ ■ “ , ‘n CaSe °f
Pierre in beholding it since its beautv 7”“^’ C“ be no
is loved for itself6es’n PercePt’on °f the beautiful. Pleasure
not make the mis’taT ^ot ^or something other than itself. Do
is inconceivable exce °4'nb'n8 that a love of beautiful forms
^factionofapp^^.^ tbe sabe °f satisfying one’s appetite.
i™ms may be lOve Jr Sanother pleasure entirely. But beautiful
voice ” and f 1 llne °f callierani „ Uddlness. FOr ’
t beauty be lov \ ^mselves- Indeed, it is entirely conceiv- sav 4d ThlS1SabeamT i> g W and‘‘Tk • • , e Cai*
therdure^d90wi for what it is. How can this be denied?
yhltm'»4tUn m trment °"ly tha‘’SbutTtifU1
fromth^^^^verdur53^^07^’ not so tbat one can drin^
G°d bles^t,0'^than gazin an^ advantage whatsoever
atSreenery^d7grantbimSXcfi Messen§er of God
d°wfog Water A ° tO be hlled with wonder
ny Person of sound nature seeks

16
eaU'VmatallfJmel0d.
I? Set%
 chapter „ ny “l°vely
„.rY and contentment J tra“S'. , rv bra'"
P lovely ■lleCt’ C ’“. 2’aUties.
, This requires investigation and yet, any inves.
( , Bfe ” ana “These at inteU-’ ’ qua)
,wlerlge 3 , J] ot-
*" ”100?, nA a work such as this, concerned with
have in co
^CSS’3 t* le co
ovation would be leng h jt is unsuitable to fall into prol1X- percepoble
rudimentary. Prac[ica* R the truth succinctly.
ity.Hence, wesn P thing resides in the fact thaf r( they are
The beauty t * £ j possible to that thing be in fact pre- p7^e who becomes .>«•« ^£ely
*'pP»»ib1' f’erfeions ”e T' a ‘f"8 has
Sent’ \ beauty If there be present but one of its perfections,

beauty in the measure in which that perfection consiimred to love the ProgJa p]eased with them), even
is present A beautiful horse is that horse that combines all that Companions (may God the 1 P Furthermore,
is appropriate to a horse with respect to form and shape and hue though they cannot be se Y of the schools
and majestic gait and readiness to lunge and pull back. Beautiful [human nature is so constituted] to love the
is every line of calligraphy that combines what is appropriate to of law, such as Shaffi, Abu Hanifa, Malik [ibn A J,

calligraphy, such as proportionality of the letters, their spacing, This can go to such an extreme that a man may overstep the
the straightness of their order, and the beauty of their arrange­ bounds of passion through his love for the founder of a school or
ment. Everything has a perfection proper to itself.A Its contrary' to squander all his property
law, with the result that he is impelled
may well be appropriate for some other thing. Still, the beauty of
to promote and defend his own school; it may even steal into his
each thing lies in the perfection suitable for it alone. A man is not
mind to murder anyone who criticises the imam and his followers.
beautiful in the same way that a horse is beautiful; a line of writ­
0 how much blood has been spilled to promote the causes of the
ing is not beautiful for the same reasons that a voice is beautiful;
esse s are not lovely through that by which garments are beauti-
fcl- And so, too, with all things.
form? If lie had seen him he *
.J eyes on his
has never s«
centible \°^eCt tbat even these things are not visually per-
“fl foods, even sofhey •»= in form? Therefore, the a,tra«ion .h?' f°Und h™ attrac-
of love must be for ctlon which impels him £Q
themselves objects /enSe PercePti°ns °f them; indeed, they are fo™ has already turned to dust b D°' °Uter- fo™- His out
is undeniable nor ^n<^ee<^’ tbe beauty of objects of sense ™s mner qualiHAc cj aust? however hp U i. Ols OlJter
^serving their beau J r ^en’e(^ that pleasure comes from “■"Prehension of d>c fu'T"’ Pi"y' ab“»dant k ™ S°lelY Gr
tEanwbat the sensed' to occur in anything other *b - sP«ad4 a"„l d'”talS °f ATA «d
):CE'"'r
JI* ho«ver.beden,ed.
?CtSofsense.YOu atbeauty exists in things other than
M^^^ple, say. “Th's is a beauti-
....
* beaunful science," and “This is a

Pt by ^mined
K GWiWte criticisesthe excesses of the fohowers ofShafi1(d, 205/^20),
Cln8towarj. n wbere he speaks of the natu perhapsbecause, as an adherent of the Shaffimadhhab, he hadwitnessed ther^
ltS0Wn Perfections^-/). atfirsthand, cf. my Ghazali, 9.

18
 d ^chariunifi^ce'°e drawn
,.,Y AND CONTENTMENT
i0NG1n«."'t,MAC descdpdoD°’'dr^h<^erb^sol^U>erCeP"
l0VE’ . nwho loves Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may
t er-“ltofSee Xch rhe lover
. «me istrue ot a j nrefers him above all others, or of a
&awl'^'?b0Sa eh’">PiOTS <Ah (may God V pleased

-1««lhrou8h discovermg the b“"'y of irresistib y it arlSe fr when tales J king

*^?fcObriously.«boeverlovesAbuBakr does not

erosity, and the UK
* and bodily shape since
love his bones an e nothmgness. Nevertheless,
that lias all pens e became Abu Bakr the
that through w c praiseworthy qualities which
T""“3kstamifol life Love endures because fee
Human love th«rf° worthy of love in himself,
efit direcdy; rather, a benefactor is w Y Hm This Is so
^i<J®I«btaf.eranboddyformshavedmPpeared.
if his beneficence can never reac fom both
I These qualities in their entirety may be reduced to knowledge because all beauty and all goodness .
Wandtopower(^dra). Abu Bakr recognised the true natures of outward and inward, for beauty and goodness include th
tags and was able to bring himself under control by restraining outward forms are perceived by the outer eye, inward forms by
his appetites. All the good traits branch off from these two, neither
the inner vision. He who is deprived of inner vision neither dis­
of which the senses perceive. The location of both of them in the
cerns them nor takes pleasure in them. He cannot love them nor be
body is the indivisible atom. This is something too that is loved in
reality even if the indivisible atom has no form, shape, or colour inclined towards them. But he whose inner vision predominates
which could appear to the eye and make it loved for its own sake. meanings far greater than
over his outer eye enjoys a love for inner
Hence since there can be beauty in lives—for if a beautiful life his love for any outward senses. O what a vast difference there is

were to emerge lacking knowledge and insight, it would not com­

mand love then, what is loved is the source of beautiful lives,
that is, laudable qualities and noble virtues; all of these, however, because of the beauty of his inner form I Pr°Phets
e reduced to the perfection of knowledge and power. This, rhe fifth cause involves a hiHa m
and the beloved. Often love betwee'” affi“ty betWeen the lover
this th ^etCePt^e t0 ’he senses, is loved naturally. So true is
actins h^ C° ren^er sornebody loveable to a young man Xty a°srtShemp"dVhan‘,a8e' ’’“Suse"°‘
described S^Wli,inC^natiOnS’We ^ave no better recourse than to
hngth in termslff11^ abSCIlt °f present’ livinS or dead—at greSt
Praiseworthv trair tT”7’ generositY’ knowledge, and other
^^incapabl f e extent that the youth believes this, e
l°Ve [that personl (,C0”tain’nS himself and will be unable not to
!??sed'viththeXn0;,OeS 10Ve of the Companions (may God be
5DlUtUal
*S«»dc±dl’r<10f Abujahl, together with hatred o

)’ prevail by nothing else than by detaile ofMLoo^o/

, fOt«
20
■uhba
21
 iNtimacy AND contentment
love, l°nGI ’
fthe wondrous causes of love.
th«e^tHStXOenthe types of love to five causes, they are
If then you re fof own perfected and continuing
[i] love a pe«on does good to Qne by
existence; [2]the iQ continuance and keeping him
longing for someone who is good in himself to
from harm; Qne personaUy; [4] the love for An Exposition that
^‘Vgbeautifulin itself, equally whether it be in outward
everyt Terms' and r$l the love for someone with whom there OD ALONE MERITS relationship with
or inward forms, pj
exists a hidden, inner affinity. If you were to combine these causes
in a single person, love would inevitably increase. This is like the
case of a man whose son is beautifully formed, fine in character, of
consummate knowledge, upstanding in disposition, kind to oth­
ers as well as good to his parents—such a son is loved irresistibly devout because that which is loved by the beloved is itself worthy
and to the utmost. The strength of the love inspired by the com­ of love. [Thus,] the messenger of the beloved is worthy of love,
bination of these qualities stands in proportion to the strength of
and he who is loved by the beloved is also to be loved. All this goes
these qualities in themselves. If these qualities are of the highest
back to love of the original object of love and to nothing else. For
perfection, then love too will necessarily be at its highest.
Let us now state plainly, however, that all these causes in their those endowed with insight there is in reality no object of love but
fullest unity and perfection are inconceivable except in the case of God, nor does anyone but He deserve love.

God the Exalted. In reality, God alone merits love. To explain this we shall go back to the five causes we men
’oned and state clearly that in God men
b™ in others than He they do not ■ " a""
are reality, ls we S eX u ‘ "X Pie“m«P In God
“ the‘r totality
f-iful auppositioiXti ,n °thers-their «“‘ence

leC
“* WVer ,h,S KtabfehX th"3 Umple' deV°ld

In fact, true ? of love of God in anv r ,d lmagine con-

’ ,bl„ G°d. SCernme”‘ squires tha ” X h« been
, ty°U,0-n00ne

a“nMC“"reivaHyt;»bor„

22

23
 Chop“fTh'ee jn relationto

ncIng intimacy AND contentment

r J since whoever knows himself, and knows

utmost love for Go own existence does not occur
his Lord, knows at» rather, that his existence, pro.
^efe«“fHi!P°Werthe Kgl>‘’s exiStenr tree- And yet’ 1°
° In ® existence j“st aS follows upon the to the
asar£SUltj ‘fS comes from God and goes to God and
longed and1 per ec^> inventor of existence. He
is [sustained] j$ who perfects existence by creating ”8“e thCtarfifolk; they “Tm 1 exist! because of the
causesittoen
causes it to U'tion weU as the means of obtaining them onfas.snd.ng o ’ 8 tingfromitexl
iWere G“! “t0 do thisL “far sun’s effects am
—64
X,.i»«is concerned, WOU|<1 ha7J"° CX1SttnCe lris“8 sun.
from himself. Quite the opposite: he would be pure nullity and
divulged, through revelation pl through the power
sheer non-being had God not favoured him by bringing him into it with their own eyes that hgh of ehe sun with
existence. And he would face annihilation after coming to be had of God the Exalted; it is created at the encou
dense bodies just as sunlight, its source, shape an ,
God not favoured him by causing him to continue. And he would
to be through the power of God. Similitudes are meant to
be flawed after coming to be had God not favoured him by per­
understanding but final truths should not be sought in them.
fecting his inner nature. In sum, nothing in existence possesses
within itself the prindple of its own existence except for the Self­ Therefore, if man’s love for himself be necessary, then his love
Subsistent One Himself (al-Qayyiini), the Living One (al-Hayy) for Him through whom, first his coming-to-be, and second, his
who subsists through His own essence while everything but Him continuance in his essential being with all his inward and outward
subsists through Him. traits, his substance and his accidents, occur must also be necessary
Now if the gnostic loves his own self (and since his exist­ Whoever is so besotted by his fleshly appetites as to lack this love
ence has been bestowed upon him by another, then he perforce neglects his Lord and Creator. He possesses ™ i
oves Hirn who accorded existence to him); if, further, he knows edge of Him; his gaze is limited mb authentic knowl-
Him If rejt^.’ ^Wstencmtor> Maker, Continuator, Subsistent in sense- This is the world of nhe and things of
not love H' ,°^SU^stence t0 others, and then he still does
-he beasts, *
eh he shares
Lord. ’ 1S UC t0 'Snorance both of himself and of his He”' tr'ad eXCeP' him who"' d ” d’ ground of

For love is the fruit of knowledge: it is extir g redoU- heSb™M

“* rlml P'opotXft Lne“ t0 the
knowledge is extinguished; it redoubles when n°''_ shedreas°°
bles; itgrows mighty in the strength ofknowledge, o «-^yb°eVer punBe to the level of th short of « in th ° nearness
al-Hasan al-Basri (may God have mercy on him)
Tk SK««d caused eS',al of his
knows his Lord loves Him while whoever kno ^oId
renounces it. How can a man love himself and not lo the ’'"'I
the
throughwhomhis very subsistence
heat of the sun loves the shade and so will inevitably 1° d1
occurs? A man afflict iee
through which that shade subsists. But everything th * st

faCtOr is in hlmSelf h- meailS Of

24
Stably ’ H1S °ffsprin f
y loved a 7lng,
And yet,
 ChnP“'Th'ee „k h«n-‘l>e

!i10NG1nG)Intimacvand contentment
LOVE.
love no one but God. Whoever is truly
even this obliges us to the only benefactor. I
aware knows that Go benefits He shows to man; no
”„es.3.e-«f-a®rs■ other than on the part of
cannot even e"umera them. It is as He says, If you counted up
inventorycouldenco F bave indicated the
" Book of Thankfulness
* spending, either fo^e
extent of this m lvM t0 explaining that human good-
Cnr Other than his own eii r present aim
N0WW£ C7 onlv in a figurative sense; the true benefac- for the sake of rewar --ce|ebrity and
VouTne Even so, let us postulate that benefaction in the
the sake of kindliness orr utdii y it can even rep-
case'of someone who lavishes all his possessions on you and allows
repute that come with libera y earts towards submission
Vou to dispose of these as you wish. You suppose that this good­ i an attempt to influence
ness comes from him, but this is wrong. True, he does perfect and affection. A man does not fl g ) : to
his own goodness through his wealth and his power to control there is no purpose in that; in the same way he does not toss it in
wealth, as well as by the compelling motivation that causes him
another man’s hand without having some purpose that redounds
to devolve his belongings on you. But who bestowed creation
to him. It is that purpose that he seeks and strives to have, not you;
upon him? Who created his wealth? Who created his power?
you are not what he is striving for. On the contrary! Because you
Who created his will and his motivation? Who made you love­
able in his eyes and inclined his face towards you and prompted in grasped his money, your hand becomes his own tool for grasping
his soul the notion that his own well-being in this world and the so that he may achieve his goal of good repute or praise or thanks
next lay in doing good to you? If not for all of these factors, he or reward. He is therefore a benefactor to himself; he is rewarded
would not have given you even a grain of his property. However for whatever money he has expended by a reward th o r • i
money in his own estimation Had it not h r d 0UtWeighs
much God granted these impulses mastery over him and estab-
andCh™ n b™ bought that his own welfare in this world ““ of dial advantage in hls own ca PreP°nder-
he hinJlfXt <kPen^ uPon bh lavishing his wealth upon you,
« nqniahed his mo„ey for , C“lltlon' he would not have
was unable't3S C°m^e^’Was constrained, to accede, and he whatevet. “^X circumstances
rhere are then t™,
^strained hmu benefactor is He wh°
gratitude nor l0Ve fir as to why he d
those driving and im on your behalf, and Who gave *ch God let ovend '?TaS “*4 tbdeSerVK ““her
he might act. His h motivations power over him so that
goodness came to yOu ^ut tbe instrument by which Gods
through a compelling f ? S 0Wner was coerced to act thus
tCe C0InParable to that of water racing in

That is, *M7aw°Xe InfCe’S

W, w.a,
Y H' T‘ Littlej°^ For the EngUsh translation
Soci«y.2on,
1 0,1 Patience and Thankfulness, Islamic Texts

26

6 °f every
 kinj and com-

jntimacy and contentment ioUS, just, and kn^Xefor^

^WNC a . , k.
J apart from God and acted on his own to you of a pl°eUople as weU aVdistant fr°m ^Xous, arrog»nt
if u ^disburse a grain of his wealth unless God Passion^region of the ^Xhing wh° * The too dwells far
behalf, he woU‘ lanted within him the suggestion that his
bC ’"her repots reaches yo« ° wicked—*n kings m
motivated him a" P anJ the next lay in his disbursal,
another r f .^honourable an . tween the .
own bestintereSt nd] but for that reason. and immoral, dtsho bet hat IS
Then indeed k wo for he has spent by
from y°° for t|,e first king y°“ 1 , is hatred; this, in
SeC°nd’ . Li; own estimation is fuller and more desirable
?»“' second king a repugnance from the
JXh .»
* J“7a seUer is not TsiKereia the to that you have no hope* £ ou
Lta simply ke acced'd ‘ r“omPensc wl“ch “ 5
good king and are safe h°m ’n) f their countries. This IS °ve
eves is more desirable than what he acceded, so too with a grver:
have no desire to travel to « he ‘ Qr not because he IS a
he has been compensated through reward or praise or eulogy or
of a benefactor exclusively GoJ. Nay, more,
something else. Recompense need not be some object of material
benefactor to you. This too entatls the love ot ,
value; on the contrary, all such benefits are rewards in comparison
,t makes it necessary that one love no one other than God excep
to which money and property appear contemptible. Benefaction
insofar as he may be connected with this cause. God IS benetac-
lies in generosity; however, generosity is the expenditure of
tor to the totality of creatures. He lavishes loving-kindness on
wealth without there being any motive or share that reverts to
the giver. For anyone but God this is impossible. He it is Who every class of created being. First, because He causes them to
bestows on the worlds the goodness that befalls them, and befalls exist. Second, because He perfects them in the organs and means
them for their own sakes, not because of some share or motive essential to them. Third, because He smoothes and eases their
that can be ascribed back to Him. In truth, He is exalted above all lives by creating the necessary bases of life, even when these are
motives. The words generosity” or “goodness” are either men­ Se^WfatuTT FUUrth' bKaUSe HC beaUtlfi“
dacious or metaphorical with regard to anyone but God. Their
n to anyone but Him is both impossible and contradic- »We they will be most lXTly • ’Ppenda8es that a« located
simuGn 3S C.Ont^'ctory ® fact as if one might term something * is essential or even ‘a real">
cenceand'benljA3^ White’. G°d is utterlY unique in niunif1'
>s natural for us toP U1 ^Cner0S^ and ^enevo^ence- Even if it «?es :xal Wily °* “!- ti« ei tzt 'r are
anyone but God' S ^enePactor, stdl a gnostic must not love
i are
G°d is unthinkable^CU g00c^ness on t^le Part °f anyone but § eyebrows, rosy
3nyone else should b °d " WOrthy of tllis love’ LoVC
s°lelyY if the true me • e^arde<^ as s°mething which man merits
solel
' featUr'S Wbose lack iimpairs
’s ignored. °f benefaction as well as its true nature
T11
Thee third -
cause n necessary
greetaness of ruKs are
Tlwe a benefactor for bS
w>»HlsbKom ,the1'ovely
' ?'"ples
y blS t0° is innate i °n d°es not exten<d to you per'
y r°rrns of
11US' Por whenever some report conies

28

29
ro,nG<
 cl<rl"“
,ifY AND CONTENTMENT s that has beJn forms

■ ff
,:''hebeX'oX^”he beauty *
f blossoms, the deliciousness of fruits and
luminous objects and o of adornments and added graces, the This isn°' a£tjons; indeed’ ics that are at
mv of their actions, 1 istlcs that and
dther need °,r “7T ° oftb°ffXXh bo * issue from
absence of which animal; indeed, m every
TheSCtlUfTevery smgle one of the classes of created 1 XI sees the beauty o
plant; nay, rather, in Tbrone to the deepest foundation
things front the pmna^ benefactor, how could anyone

°!' b "benefactor’ all the more so since that benefactor is himself

Xne ood 311 thC tE7S WitEln ?L°d’S
power’ For Godis the creator of good as well as the creator of him
who does good. He is the creator of the act of doing good, just as
He is the creator of the means of doing good. Therefore, love for
anyone other than Him is rank ignorance. Whoever knows this,
loves no one but God.
The fourth cause is the love of every beautiful thing because
of its very beauty, not because of any share one might have in it
beyond sheer perception. We have already explained that this too
is ingrained by nature and that beauty may be subdivided into the
beauy of outer form, perceived by the physical eye, and into the
beauty of inner form, perceived by the eye of the heart and the
’The first beauty mere boys as well as the beasts in
the field perceive but the second beauty only the lords of insight
"^’teZZartributedintheirenm^
o
nobler and niorebeautihihrThe same is
true of
re beautiful. The same is true of an objectofpower.
ano.
Whenever it is grander in degree and loftier in level, the power
, 1 1 X T______ a. 1 z\ r r t*
accomplish it is also nobler and more exalted. Nevertheless, the
most exalted of all the things that can be known is God.. Hence,
the knowledge that is most excellent as well as noblest is knowl­
edge of God, along with whatever else is related to, or specified by,
that knowledge. Its nobility stands in proportion to its link with
Him. Therefore the beauty of the traits of the righteous, whom all
eatts love naturally, may be attributed to three things

oftheTf out to ?rasP-No one who knows only the outer aspects
f.t tPerception them.

loved; if he is on ^erceives beauty everything beautiful is to be

becomes the love of hi°kerCe'VeS with beart’ t^ien t^at beautY
the prophets and the \ visdde example of this is love for
and pleasing characters- Web b°r tbose with lofty traits
any ’n<hstinctness in th’ remains conceivable despite
meant by the beauty or °r bodilY forms. This is what is
yet, sense does perc■ nep^orni- Sense does not perceive it;
. fl i M effects which emerge and yt' kmgsXT?0 iS it
'r' h'art’ “pon re8is,ering “S
, Cd Td'» Xso- bow c “ lwhotn are
'htMc!s'”B«ofGod
ger°f GodOr f°r that beauty. He who loves God-> “f the X1*
. the 1 “'tt! Se attrib-
a r al-Siddiq or ShafiT loves them
whH
0W'* “tSandthe’Z?’'^-wl,
30 ty;-

,, .......c,;:
 C^fThree t.rene^.^1Ss
. „ over their , his c°n’
,rY AND CONTENTMENT
„ and dofflinw tion and j°Y’ , Jone
i or not even the measure of a speck of dust in the
surpassing of linUtS,f?= God has addressed all His creatures
l^^'^»'l'eear ',i(]eet] is the knowledge vouchsafed to youd On
when He says,_L' 'habitants of earth and heaven collaborated
the contrary, if the^wledge anJ His wisdOm in setting out the
to encompass His n a , wouy not come Power too isaS0 k j The mighties forceful in his
^f^^enTtiny fraction thereof A They can grasp only that — "X unions. thej° of his
comprehend even a u )
Ke beauty and the nobility of knowledge Person’ j who conquers his passions an strength

are to be loved. And since knowledge in itself is an adornment

Twell as a perfection of him to whom it may be ascribed, it fol­ over others—what is the utm 1 over some of his own
lows that no one but God should be loved. Set beside His knowl­
In its firthest extent intHvidJs in certain matters. He
edge, the knowledge of scholars is ignorance. Ridiculous would ±XXer himself in death or in life or in rising from
be the situation of someone who knows both the most learned
the dead, nor over harm or benefit. Just the opposite, he cann
1 and the most ignorant men of his time and still loves the most
ignorant for his knowledge and abandons the most learned; this, guard his eye from blindness, his tongue from dumbness, his ear
even allowing that the most ignorant man be not wholly devoid from deafness, or his body from illness. It is hardly necessary to
ofwhatever knowledge his way of life requires. But the disparity enumerate all those things of which man is incapable both in him­
between Gods knowledge and the knowledge of creatures is even
self and with respect to others purely in regard to those things
more huge than that between the most learned and the most igno­
with which his ability stands in relationship, let alone those things
rant of creatures. This is because the most learned is superior to
wk which his ability remains unconnected, such as sovereignty
most ignorant only by certain limited and circumscribed fields
thuXbland StltS’ ‘V “rth ™h * moun-
itythatth 'S ent’re^ conceivable in the realm of possibil-
knowledgebvdht^f01'1111 man Partake of such specialised •1 to parts. Man has no power “"rev “j “““k’ and
knowledgeoverallVrnta,leff°rt'But the suPerioritY of God’S
r°m Wlthin himself nor from others h i! Speck’ neither
‘’^ctsofHisknowled now e(^Se °f creatures is unbounded; the
XcX centra, neither
tores’ knowledoo, c mklnite whereas the objects of crea-
D uoc are hnite. P°
don
* gXP°ne?nd who rhe i„Wh° CTeates him.
i ower is pgp£
tlon> splendour, granj”’Power imperfection. All perfec- power over the “ P°SSlble for him . 'rUmen« of his
Perception gjves OrY and mastery are loved, and their
3ge °f Ali or of Khalid ik iPwS°n wko kears a tale tke cour_
alid and of other valiant men, not

46-48. Used often by Gl ...

Za ', for other examples, see Theodicy, r, By mosttc0tn
Bymos haVesivenhimd °ftke
^minionon

32

ass“nre<j
to
33
 , re
* lnI thC
Chapter
jnTImacy and contentment
10«b.w*inc-
pr and all his might were due only to God’s
^•Sti11’311 Vhtoinasmgle corner of the world Moreover,
empowerment of * dod in comparison with the other
the earth inlts'""'j] the governments which people enjoy On
bodies of the cosmos dust from this clod. Even so, this grain X. .bro
* ”°g“a is unique in P
*
^ rious aspects of
^th are nothing bounty empowerment. Hence, it ■o X d of f *
- T° i £ fee would be lengthy-
°fdUStjS TJe one of God’s creatures for his ability, his govern- deficiency-halWe rpndence above all delect j , we
1S3bSVe°mpowerinent and mastery, and the perfection of his H1S holiness -a ”7“ s of .he illative sctences
X'i i»’'Go<1 for tt<KC very r,easoniThere “nei- n is also among the seer .
fc now nor nrighr except in God, the Sublime, the Mighty ‘ He will not dwell m detail on it. means that perfection
is the Omnipotent, the Vanquisher, the Omniscient, the Powerful The attribute of transcen nature is perfected
Who folds up the heavens with His right hand,7 while the earth
rf"d the mnscendence of anyone
and its dominions and all that is upon it remains within His grip Xi- absolute, but rather, stand in compart-
and the forelock of all creatures Res in His grasp and in His power.
If He were to destroy them to the last one, there would be no son only with whatever is more defective than it. Henc ,
diminution of His power and reign by so much as a grain of dust. possesses perfection in comparison to a donkey, and a man pos­
And if He were to create others like them by a thousand-fold, He sesses perfection in comparison to a horse. Even so, a fundamental
would not then be incapable of further creation. Fatigue would
deficiency is common to them all; they differ from one another
not assail Him, nor would His inventiveness lessen.8 There is no
only in degrees of defectiveness. He who is beautiful deserves
p wet and no powerful person who is not the mere result of God’s
to be loved and yet, the absolutely beautiful is the One who has
iL k i eaUt''’ SP'end°ur’ niight and grandeur, force and domin-
be«useX°e MhefltfekCOnCeiVable t0 1OVC a Powerful PerSOn

0^Power is unmerited b f°r the PerfeCti°n

The attribute f ' ny°ne other than God.
and of being hallowJrrMCen<dence a^ove faults and deficiencies t H’sJudgment: the Omniscient
l°ve as well as one of k°m V*Ces anc^ sins’ *s a requirement of Van*
r from the clutchh’,' 'Wc" Wlh eluda.s.
fheir inward fornis p e Perquisites of goodness and beauty in
cannot esrun» j r ot whose now^ * 5’
a °ve any faujts or ets and the righteous may be exalted c»»0t Slip frc“tkrpmwhoserule and force t|.e of grants
0 trans«ndence cannot n yet’ Perfection of holiness and
X°M; * “ncaW
WsWt°Se *
1 P «e„° HiS perdurance- tVthe
Creau/T, ' creatore I?' ' O°ly, Possessor of Majesty
is «9w-
G°d No<,nAfiapns<ll'®e<l’ p comPeUed: indeed, 11 Creator
^Ch^r ® U°alSlsts
-n.^^ ^lrnse
; the Alr>,- iktr lf anJ ‘■ n
ftheheX 1 ericircL.
evj
Otle else „
e P°Ssesses er ecP°n belongs exclusively to
ection except in the measure that rj/l
*
«d sp'i1” ,Cnle a»d ‘he AlOn ai>d the ear/
‘p|endoUt, b *the Pos^n-GI
34
Pow« and °f good
* and
Petfection and
35 ’ ln the
 Chupte'^ T
„The friend 1
*
,by saying- Th ,ft but wh°
.icN AND CONTENTMENT
1O„.1on^^IMACYA
., (uPo"MB1 baCho“< expecti« “«ho wTip
■estv intellects stand baffled and in whose X *serVeS - The ‘VTheaven or heU?
knowledgeofwhesemy Jreiy conjecture; whom the perfect
more
description tongues inability to know and whom
knowledge^g"OS dofprophets affirms its failure to describe,
, were emaciated.
the utmost prophet o $ blessing upon Eim anJ
of„b«d>en«?’d‘by a group ofworTTe for heaven.” He sard
ASthJmfIcannotenumerate the praise of You: You are as You
tl,em)1 upraised Yourself
J'T“W are aU of hell and hop f h<>pe for some-
b^ial-Siddiq said, “The inability to attain perception
T T ‘Vou fear T ’up who said, “We wor­
■ -Xerception. Praise be to Him who made no way for His ding created.” He passed by anot er g P of H1S
»'inability co know Him!”* Ah, S^S^friendslttfs^
1 wish 1 knew who could deny the possibility of love of God as a
reality and reduce it to mere metaphor! Does such a one deny that
SrfXs God for rhe sake of
these descriptions belong among descriptions of beauty and of
! praiseworthy traits and the epithets of perfection and beauty, or
reward or punishment, for then 1 would be like a bad servant w o
does he deny God’s being so described? Does he deny that perfec­
doe, not act if he does not fear, and Uke a bad worker who does
tion, beauty, splendour and might are by nature loved by anyone
who perceives them? nothing when he is not paid.’18

Praise be to Him who hides Himself from the visions of the
blind, jealously guarding His beauty and His majesty so that only
those to whom good has first been granted by Him shall become
aware—those who hold themselves distant from the dividing
ut abandoning the lost who gird themselves in the shad-
thin s ^eSSneSS an<l w^° A
* 110 and fro in the showplace of
In Sacred Tradition it says, “Let no one of you be like a bad
worker who does not work when he is not paid his wage, nor like
a bad servant who does nothing if he is not made afraid.”19
The fifth cause of love is by reason of affinity and similarity
What is similar to a thing draws that thing to itself Like i<
inclined to like. For this reason g L k 1S more

appetites’They know the °utward show terms with another young man’ and H °n cl°Se
But mostmen '^'Je to come they are heedless.'3 Praise be to God!
’ddt. AbXunbX“ Ult °n terms
^d. The .nrXyXT X
fiction, for benefa t^ere^ore’ stronger than love for bene-
The familiarity 2"“"°" of a learned J l With
n can increase or decrease. This is why God
'uG1»z51i <115^^,. “"monthanT,!,3 f’Tenter with Wlth an artisan.
In r Utmost ^owledge J* ?a'S0^isal~Maqsadal-asna (ed. Shehadi), p- T''i,"Kbasd0estrm"'TI>hhamattCTtrPieTr“ is m'>re
of Hi rX^kdgeisti? e,8n°stics is that of their inability to know,
""dP“e»'Trid"etP in r'" WgTX'’6 rel«edThis"enLCe
sign attribut, 3 ^now'edge that nr k” t'lat K ls imPossible that anyone
the nature of Has sover-
'a so- Ibn al-TMab- / °rad'scussion of this passage, see my
1’a,-FMf«Afltal-Mafefeiya,I.9r -92,11.84-85-

........
36

37 Unlt>>oWn
3
 resentattve °n m throng
„rv and contentment

■ n of whatever they hold in common

voucanseefto’" Jie^ithout any consideration for beauty,
1 individuals^ The propftet (may God
Tb this when he «>’’ ° jeW that there to
hlludes to this when he says, “Spirits are
and grant hi"1 Pe3Ce who recognise affinity with one
^U dsAO'arSXtto the senses-
* yet,
""- . *
him ana g
*
^.esdraj^iinmran
'fflUPinrimate ^QSe who repudiate each other
another become mnmate

disperse-"2' |Qve of God which is necessary on

TtS°”* i>y “Pfcabk ”either “resemblance of

Xa«»««P“'PK: sonB ofA'Tmay fe mennon'<1

,nL others may nor be written about but rather are to be
answered, My servant so an found Me with him.
left behind the veil of bafflement until those who tread the mystic
path stumble upon them when they have fulfilled the prerequi­

sites of the Way.

tence in supererogatory deeds after fulfilment of the prescribed
What may be mentioned, however, is the nearness of man communal obligations. As God says, Let man not cease coming
to his Lord in those attributes which he has been commanded to close to Me by supererogatory works, so that I may love him; for
imitate and in the assumption of divine moral norms as his own;
when I love him, I become the hearing by which he hears, the
as it is written, “Mould your character to God’s virtues.” This
sight by which he sees, and the tongue with which he speaks.”28
consists in the acquisition of laudable qualities from among such
divine attributes as knowledge, righteousness, benevolence, kind­ This is a place at which one must rein in his pen for on this
ness, dispensing goodness and mercy upon creatures, giving them subject people have diverged, some flawed individuals tendino
towards open anthropomorphism and ■ i tendmg
sei and guiding them to the truth while keeping them far
Drak W at. ls/a'se~^ese. together with all other virtues held gross exaggeration, overstepping th b towards
T 1HC min§
int0 bill-scale union; these it f of mere affinity
in the sent r" t* r^s brings one close to God, not
“Of th™ could sly, C God ”»OnTtmc°uSUCh “
attributes P neatness but rather in closeness to God s

* e Kristians
books about the spe t0 Wplat maT not written down in KePresentative”kfk •
hed, this is .C a®nity by which humans are character-

blId’nj,ich
YOUabo“tthespirit ?Uudes t0 when He says, And should they ask
J^abes plain that “the ry 'sPart °f the Divine Command. ’ " He
“rto
fUman intellects Still q1"6 Conunand” is beyond the bounds of
son an^ Jbathed n ? statement, Then when I made
' 31 tEe an§els prostX int° him'2i h is for this rCa'
ed Selves before him [sc. Adam]-

38

39
 ry AND CONTENTMENT
1°’t be peace) when they claim that he no attribute ofHis can be shared. He is alone worthy oflove in its
^^S^Cmanityhasaonned divinity” or again,
source and in its perfection and no one can partake of this in any
ftd Sail"1"""' olie with Him ” Nevertheless, those to
-Hee-ity h» btc* ndantly clear that anthropomorphism
.Witlt^'”® eJa»c« God are absurd, along with way with Him.
the drawing of whom at the same time the reality
union and in«rna“on’ made plain, are few indeed. Perhaps it was
ofthemystep'has been alHusayn al_Nuri was gazing
iX^taatthepoefswords:

C ln to rapture be... * ■» a marsh where cane had been cut

■ and the stalks were sticking up. He slashed both his feet and they
V swelled and from that he died.

F Such affinity is the mightiest of loves causes as well as the

strongest but it is also the rarest and the least likely to occur.
This then is what is known about love’s causes. All of them are
most fully manifest in God in actuality, not merely in metaphor,
as well as in the supreme, rather than any lesser, degrees. Hence,
to those endowed with insight, love of God, and God alone, is
reasonable and acceptable, just as, by contrast, to the blind, the
exclusive love ofeverything but God seems reasonable and allow-
e. Everyone who is loved for one of these [five] causes deems
onceivable that someone other than himself might be loved by
isadefectS,a|iD^Vit'1'liniint^eSe causes> however, such sharing
the possessi" ^/^^“its perfection. No one is unique in
shares that quah ‘°Va^e quality; someone else exists who
But God is different u CVen'p^e ^oes not exist, he could exist.
and Perfection and h 6 P°SSeSSeS 4ualities of the utmost majesty
eit*> er actually or ere.’S no one who shares these with Him
pation in His ]0Ve U There is thus no element of partici-

hlslatert«chlng.rf.. u n any ^perfection touch His love, just as

40
 j has oPerie^ 0 11 as i11116 /

may bec „ 1 light oh * rt.ing caught P :nJed Wlh

is se"h too diverse. The weak- fee_

CHAPTER FOUR
Exposition that the Noblest and
Loftiest Pleasure is Knowledge of God and
Contemplation of his Blessed Face and comprehend the
Only He who is Denied this Pleasure can fanciful nor sensory; for ™mp ’ or who is eternal, provident
world's creation or ns need fo attributes. We
Conceivably Prefer any Other Pleasure to it

fa the tern, “intellect” not be understood as it IS in the disciplines

NOW THAT PLEASURES are consequent upon per­
and disputation; the term “intellect is widespread in

K ceptions. A human being combines a totality of facul­ of debate

ties (jHim) and instincts (gharaiz). For each faculty and
instinct there pertains a particular pleasure which occurs when it
is obtained in accord with what the very nature of that faculty
or instinct requires and for which it was created. These instincts
were not compounded within man for no reason. Quite the con-
somethin Or 'nst'nct has been compounded because of
towardc cb by its very nature it needs. Hence, the instinct
ribution-Tn|WaS for the PurPose °f vengeance and ret­
ing of revenue Th hneVltably “ triumPh and in the wreak"
hstinctual appetite f0 Prere4uisites of its very nature. The
nourishment through ^°r examP^e’ was created so that the
pleasure lies ine]Uctau . C man subsists might be acquired; its
demands So,too>wittiy7n a3uirin8 that food which its nature
those fields and because of thiscertain Sufis have criticised its use.
But with that exception in mind, “intellect”, it may be said, is the
trait that distinguishes a human being from the beasts.8 Through
intellect man apprehends knowledge of God; hence, it is the most
resplendent of traits and must not be disparaged
rftha,ny itS ““ man the
farnds knowledge; knowle^'iX'plIZ H”"' ‘WdU<*
their particular pieasLTiXdl °thet
IS hardly a secret
"•Ta’"'
* h™dftfleWhid‘ “ ”ormally translated •

ng with their respectjv easures of hearing, seeing and smell-

ePf'on. none of these cJ"?eS’ Because of their links to sense per­
divin r 1 ^eart to° there ■ 'Sconnected from pain or pleasure.
.^stinct that may be called ‘the
s is in accord with God’s statement,

42
Sa”' (fa

43
 tionab°uttbe

l0VE. longing, intimacy and contentment ,er Moreover’, C° to d°in vJoiowl-

• knowledge- This is true to such an extent
that there is pleasure cQnnection with knowledge, however lowly secretsof aS well aoVernor s s , sultan,
that he who enjoysac stands ignorance> ■■''s“0rlX"ofs0me Nations of the k.ng
its object, delights^in1^ of This tenjency ** izier, is more exc
to the inntof tog.
however paltry t e m Eimself froni to become privy pOwer over
, rj one mlght B
X and ftom XinsTb0U»,‘ “ 7“in
«l»l”sbeenV°i urabk than any a«rene knowkdge
1S J .s more P « “ satjsfecOon m tn
knowi”8how“p.ych“Sl pi"
” utter insignificance, means that a man cannot keep hrs mouth
shut about it or refrain from offering instruction in it until he
unlooses his tongue to display everything he may know about
chess. This happens because there is an exuberance of pleasure in even more tremendous pleasurable form
From this it should be that mef £ commensurate
knowledge and because man feels that his nature is somehow per­
fected thereby. there should exist a^ng
Knowledge is one of the most specific of the attributes of
knowable objects any that is most exalted, most perfect, lotties
: lordliness(sifital-rubiibiya) since it betokens the utmost perfection.
A man feels gratified whenever he is commended for acuity and and most immense, knowledge of that object will then be the
abundance oflearning; upon hearing such commendation he feels most pleasurable form of knowledge—and that, necessarily as
that his nature as well as his knowledge has been perfected. At this well as the most illustrious and most excellent. Ah, would that
he experiences a sense of self-admiration and he takes pl easure in
I knew in all of existence any knowledge more majestic, more
that as well.
sublime, nobler, more perfect and more august than that of the
ollows that pleasure in knowledge of farming or of tailor-
akinprln C°mPara^e knowledge of administration of Hta Wh° Perfected and embellished
to be found” k tbe affairs °f men. Nor is the pleasure * conferred X upo" dX c7m ’ reC"re“Ce-
pleasure of V i T °f grammar and Poetry comparable to
along with [knowkdae S<f?f iG°td’ attributes and His anSels’
the earth. QUjte ° tae kingdom of the heavens and of
proportion to the nobd^r P^easure °f knowledge is in -.2.
knowledge itself is in n '” ° tbat knowledge; the distinction of
be known. This is Pr°portlon the distinction of the thing
,^3?^...
Puvy to ,k tlus th'" you must a,
°ut the inmost thought wbo bas some knowledge * doubt thatt0
lnS°d°ingwhere PE°P^esXids and recounts it finds e ordet
tOkDOW *
^thelo” r^^knowU 6 nature of an ignorant man
farmoren] andhisad^°Ut’T° know tbeinner musings
secrets in governing is
edge of the inner ruminations
.................. -XX
44
fw further

45
 Chapter Four toeyeor^°r
^^^^iocsaotacaae imi
maCY AND CONTENTMENT

V
ompassing all existing things . the
is k most
ofthedihne^esknowledge, both mystical and profane, as and an aimond pascry’A on thj
sublime of311 for”,S°ble and excellent; it is the most desirable «£“»d ihe pleasure of ruling and conquering enemies and
well as the most pl« theknowlejge that souls Can apprehend
the most apt o a perfection and beauty by which attainment of some degree of political mastery, on the other a
when they themse' es worthiest knowledge through he were a man of coarse aspirations, dead of heart and ruled by
may be augmented^ bestial tendencies, he would choose the meat and the pastry; how­
.tel, b»«l
* is Pl«s“rabl'a"d ,he m°st P>“3-
ever, ifhe possessed lofty aspirations and a perfected intelligence,
* ta.i
, * » k”«]* ^God\Hi; attnb“'es- kHis
he would choose governing, and hunger, even if endured for
actions and His providential design in His realm from the highest
mttnydays, would seem a trifle. His choice shows that he consid-
limitof His throne to the farthest boundaries of both the worlds.
Moreover, thepleasure of knowledge is stronger than other pleas- engorerning more pleasurable than good food. rndeed b
i ures; stronger, that is, than the pleasures of appetite, anger, or the is ^ectivi’b°y-
I rest of the five senses. Pleasures after all are varied in type; such as f“ “ lh«e to eboose foe plZsure off ^7'^’ ? imheciIe:
' the difference between the pleasure of sexual intercourse and that
improbable Koffood over that ofgov-
of listening, or between the pleasure of knowledge as opposed
to that of governing. These differ also by being weak or strong,
such as the distinction between the pleasure of lust in someone “ at over bta^T^^mance
do*
MasofidioX™ fo of n hl de^s
1 Wh°h* P>«d beyondand
aroused for intercourse and the pleasure of one listless from sati­
ety of appetite. Or it is like the difference between the pleasure of
gazing on a lovely face of surpassing beauty and that of looking
upon a face inferior to it in loveliness.
it is nr f t0 ^0W most dominant of pleasures because u»ered is tL tUres- The utm ^gbest of ni ?leasUre
form and en' He w^° chooses gazing on a lovely x•» X7/ression °f itp rures pK-
knows that that' 6 °f “ °Ver inhaling sweet perfumes
perfumes. So too wh ** ^£aSUra^e *n his own eyes than sweet
chess phyer continued” 'S ^r°U^t at mealtime and yet, the
know that for bj ? anc^ f°rgoes eating—by this one
tllan tke pleasure of epleasure °f victory in chess is stronger 1 '10d»iln “'f'UreX has ’’Sted k , y hUn>an

erance of pleasures N ^easure for discovering the prepon-

tk aa»a , ‘ N <. PiSe tho* H'Nc ^Wled"^'and iUt
ndi»g,orof,l’'t','!'njtbind'l “T
* °""’r' f°' examPle’ th,
winning Or nner’ for example, the pleasure of
Unanimous acts or of knowledge.

46

io
47
 Chapter Id so that

wr intimacy and contentment be retuse'

longing,
IOVE>
° Se,overwNm
aSof*
""
to®
* 11"’ ind because he knows too that he has been
he once governe , impurities from which he cannot con-
, nfand earth «e
taintec thereby
tainted he is hable to be cut off by
°XeveX
ceivablybetree^^ Qn embelli^
which comes mes inhabitants imagine that they arepow- All the regio occupies wh knoWledge of
knowledge of God and cognizance
Os attributes and acts and of the order of His rule from the
steepest heights to the lowest depths are pure of rivalry and of all
they differ in the
impurities; to those who arrive, one after another, knowledge is
spacious; because of its abundance no one is cramped. The breadth XXto exaltation to the measure> “J^Athe knowledge
of the knowledge of God is only comparable with the heavens and
their speculative ability and the s P though the
the earth; it leads the gaze beyond all measurable quantities, for
may differ. They constitute ranks in God s presence g
its extent is infinite. The gnostic ceaselessly acquires such knowl­
difference in their ranks is beyond all enumeration.
edge in paradise, the breadth of which is that of the heavens and
Clearly, then, the pleasure of governance, which is inner, is
J the earth; in those gardens he revels and picks their fruit, he sips
from their cisterns. He is safe from any cessation since the fruits more powerful in the peaks of its perfection than all the pleas­
of this garden are neither finite nor forbidden. This pleasure is ures of sense; clearly, too, this pleasure does not accrue to the
everlasting, death does not sever it, since death does not destroy beast, the child, orthe imbecile. And yet, knowledge of God, His
e substrate of knowledge of God. Its locus is the spirit which attributes and actions, together with the realm of His heavens and
and “e“dheavenly thing; death alters only its circumstances
r\rUle' Offerl a P'easurc than that of
captivitvb dsact™iesand impediments. Death frees it from its
Pledge knoLVXXbod"3 Tt ’ degree °f
those who wei ? ann'bl‘atlng it? Certainly not! Neuer think that
providedfor bv th HCause G°d are dead. They are alive, and well ” be affirmed since the heart is the’ "° h'art thls cai>-
left behind whok ’^easedw't^ His gifts and rejoicingfor those they
that the pleasures of sexual “ P°Wer- To ass«t
Donitim aVen°t'>retjoinedthem.i
thebattlefieldXeh^ttE1Srefers delusively to those killed on
a tkousand nlartv 1^7 breatbl gnostic gains the rank of "" “f sniffing , SeXM1 P>«sure k s„„ J ' as « is to
7ln Sa«ed Tradition it is reported that, “A J* ch cony percei’' 1lmpotent man has 1”'°?° pleas'
?inP«'ncea„d '? thiSpl«mte. But h L abi|ity bv

““5 of
Un<1ttlvin emPl°ys the th 1 ransience”.
^.rij^'i^hichan u1! term maMl or “substrate”, i.e, that
accident”, e-g-, whiteness or tallness or die Arabic. knows/ rertlains
atedeXn
^-Forthei
“all'sla,e "'“"portane ,
48 r tp,ouokr ot tasi-p”

49 P’ 4i'45;
 ,lfyOul°ve
everything * there isa re,U'
inTimacy AND contentment
i0NGING’
LOVE.
fter knowledge do not concern themselves
E’"'ifie'(Tkno«Wg' of
*
™' ,‘hingS’ may sti1'
Mth pu^i'ot tfe e through disclosure of the difficul-
catch a scent of jexitieS) in their own endeavours, A>» to Hi-”; H5fl in . dream and said,
ties, and solution^ L intensifies. For these pursuits too are
which theii'ze OUSoPfknowledge, even if their objects be not as
<“0'fVStJters saw Bishr J-Warraq
scie“CeS7 Lets of divine knowledge. But he who lingers in
-what are Abu both an hour ago eaung
D°b\aSt Cknowledge of God—he to whom the mysteries of
doing?" Brshr rephed. 1 to.. j what about you? I5'SI
God\re^nn|ayEetevea,e*l,OWeVer rhghtly-discovers within
hi, mini a bl» ” which he exultS “d “ as'°ms“nem »

. -his ; XXn.™ > ™

himself and his own existence as well as at the potential vastness
of his oct capacity for joy and bliss. Only through taste can this
be grasped. To treat the matter of taste anecdotally would be of
I little use. Still, even this measure should alert you to the fact that
j;“at a x;
seated
, w ....
table. Two angels, on his right hand and on his left,
knowledge of God is the most pleasurable of all things and that
were popping little titbits into his mouth from all sorts of luscious
there is no pleasure superior to it.
Abu Sulayman al-Darani said, “God possesses servants whom
delicacies whilehe feasted. Then I saw another man standing at
neither their dread of hell nor their hope of paradise distracts from heaven’s door; he was scrutinising people’s faces. One he admit­
Him; how then could this world distract them from God?”9 In this ted, another he sent away. Then I passed beyond both of them
vemtoooneofthebrothersofMa ruf al-Karkhi said to him, “Tell into an awesome sanctuary of heaven and in the pavilion of the
me, 0 Abu Mahfuz, what stirred you to serve God and to sever
your bonds with creatures?” Macruf remained silent. The brother
he replied, ‘This is Mahuf al KarH - i ’ WE° 1S tEls? And
is deark?” tlL remem^rance °f death?” Ma'ruf said, “What
tomb and A asked Purtker’ ** Was it remembrance of the fear of Hi, hellfire o ’ God "either
“wi™ ® ,omk " :Hj,0f >«f°r Hta. Therefor °g 7 ” but
and hope of h asked then’ “Was k dread of hel CXn,il,heDVofResU„eSn mJ"”"8 hta t0 ^e
P'0fht“'"VButheanswered then> ..what is allthat?

°f TrUth: The Litera>7 Structure of the ”n

4T ' ln ^a,n'c Studies presented to Charles J. Adanis
aswell i UtodaywillU 1Said> Hewk •
-oisoccu-
Cf. ‘n which the rtr01? PerSian’ denotes the intermediate realm, Sufyanal.nl °rd‘“Morrow ”» toniorrow
Lord today u n",’
^XIO7I: f°r a dheussion6^ aWa“ resurre«ion at the Last Judgement. faith;. ?’*’« to RjiT „ ? Wl 11 b,
'• «• lli TR'Sn" Life IxHm Dali
Je
">94.). «5 & ,47ff„ and my «■>
* ^.“Ido o
A Kid, - not Serve r ls
j inne
ed. J Slayer. « a.4-9»- ^nisth Ve <^odJoutoffearUrh°f
gellnC^geofp r of His
8 °f ParadiSe.
50

51
 at him;’
. oeople casts hension
wr 1Ntimacy AND contentment
loveJoNGI
f His garden, for then I would be like a bad
fire nor out of ° he is afraid. Quite the opposite, I
worker who wor s longing for Him. She recited a poem
^’eHinl0U ove- «ith ai1 desiru; tha
onthemeaning°flove' .
■ l Jmihle love: a love that is sheer passion
‘^’^tnseYonareworrhyoflove. i be «ipeJ away '°/fh,v that were the blessed
ecstasy. Were
M fcio.e.taiip~i'ismrim“ers,on tead out for them at that
‘ K-tawgYou and in forgen.ng what is not You.
4, forth,, love of which You are worthy, JI .he pleasures »fthem a ghuce because they possess
it is Your lifting the veil so that I see You.
I deserve no praise for one love or the other
but You merit praise for them both.11

Perhaps by “love of passion”'4 she means love of God because who has neither shape nor form—and I wish I knew
of His goodness to her, as well as for His bestowal upon her of the
what significance lies in God’s promise to bestow such pleasure
bounties of this life; while by the “love because He merits it”, she
means love for His beauty and majesty which have been revealed upon His servants, pleasure which He Himself calls the supreme
to her. This is the superior, and the mightier, of the two loves. felicity! Whoever knows God knows also that the fragmentary
The pleasure of looking upon the beauty of lordliness is that pleasures attached to all the various appetites are subsumed under
which the Messenger of God (may God bless him and grant him this supreme pleasure. As one of God’s lovers has remarked:
peace) expressed when he said while speaking about his Lord, I
My heart had scattered affections
have amassed for My righteous servants that which eye has not
but I have fused my passions into one
n ear has not heard, nor the mind of man conceived.”15 Certain
«e p easures may be bestowed in advance in this world to since my eye has beheld You.
X:Luc±envynowenv,esme
This is tfiW °Se ^Cart ^as reached the farthest limit,
find God’s °ne gnostics remarked, “I do not ^"Xtoastered «
*
Mightier upon" ° Lord!> or ‘° God!’ and 1 fmd that
behind some barrie mountains because one calls from ByWll-ldandm^l“f!“fY°U’
ac°uipanion j’ ^et’ You ever see anyone shouting to
atedwitbhim?”A Another said> <4henever a man

According to Zabid“ “ Wwmt)." Ithaf1x.57M.7ff. The point is that for those who fove God,
thati otle "’bom I,- 1S mat‘e onlYto s°meone who is not present, toonear tohe calledor shouted to.
might call out to?” He notes
Himself the seated companion of Moses: h Ytohahly aveiledallusion to Hallay
on °f him who remembers Me (ana jail
* hie i$
Versespossibly by YLallay, of. L. Massignon, Le Diwan d’al-Hallaj, 37, and
hiwan al-Hallaj, ed. KamilMustafa al-Shayhi, 67.

52

53
 1Ntimacy AND contentment
L0NGINc”

A“I'‘*
' S” jsm„reterrible than His fire;

^-'r,hanHKpaia<“se'
attainlDg n to express a preference for the heart’s pleas.
Bythisthcy^ over the pleasures of food, drink and sex.
ure m knowing ° pleasures of the senses but the heart
Pandise 1S the encounter with God alone.
We hawalready mentioned one example of the way in which
0 differ in their pleasures. In his earliest impulses and judg­
ment boy displays an instinct for pleasure in games and play,
bhis opinion these are more enjoyable than other things. Later,
L he takes pleasure in dressing and in wearing finery and in riding
I horses; at that stage, he is contemptuous of the pleasures of play
r to which he had once been so inclined and had loved. Still later he
begins to manifest the beginnings of a pleasure in sex and an appe­
tite for women; now he forsakes all that came before for the sole
pleasure of attaining women. Afterwards appear the pleasures of
command and high status and acquisitiveness/ These are the final
pleasures of this world as well as the highest and the most compel­
ling- As God says, the life of this world is nothing but game and show and
frippery and swaggering rivalry among yourselves...17
After these, other instincts manifest themselves through
th' ■CP^easure knowing God and His acts. At
which cC 6 t0 SC0™ f°r t^at came before since that
the love of ^1 'S StrOn§er’ ^bis is *
be ultimate pleasure since
Wo>nenandofLnPPTS the °nSet of judgment; a love °f
of directing affairf/ft °nset of the aSe of majoritY; a lo^
edge around the a ff 6 twenty > and a l°ve knowl-
^dtes fun of so ° 7^’ *s ’•he final stage. Just as a boy
e w 0 gives up games to busy himself with

?uis«>veness" or
!’sdenotmgthe“?nOre llteralb> “increase” (takathur), is explained
-K- 579, line 4. CfeaSe °f S°°ds and of children” (al-amwal wa

54

55
 CkaP‘e'FiVe .
d this about objects may
y0“ ”T «" ofkTowledge unendo^apprehends
k"»»llsOtl’1hX«'“'ton beCaUSe " preliminary while the
te present>” One of the stages P bem js one of
r MrfeZ; again, rhe "of the imagined

CHAPTER FIVE
ab the seen. The second stage, tn P and sight
An Exposition of Why the “direct witness” ' ») “ j because
Beatific Vision in the World to Come
Surpasses Knowledge in this World eyes prevents complete disclosure by sig t an
that shutting the
that the barrier between seeing andseen be removed for vision to
occur—for so long as it is not removed, perception of the actual
NOW THAT SENSE perceptions are divisible into that

K which pertains to the imagination, such as imagined forms, remains mere fantasising—so, too, God’s custom requires that the
bodies of various colours, and the shapes of individual ani­ soul, while hindered by bodily accidents (and as long as the urg-
mals and plants; and into that which does not pertain to imagination, ings of the appetites, with all their human tendencies, have not
suchas God’s nature and all that is incorporeal, such as knowledge,
teen mastered), for so long will the soul not attain the visionary
power, will, and the like. Whenever one looks at another person
1,e beyond
and then shuts his eyes, he discovers that person’s form present in his
imagination as though he were looking at him. But if he opens his “.just as the eyelids veil the viston ofthe '’““’H
eyes and looks again, he perceives a difference between the [image E,en so, a disquisition on life a, h J y“'
and the person]. This difference is not attributable to some disparity “,si'r«»ypertinent to this 2^1““ WOuld lengthy-
etween the two forms: the form seen is congruous with the form God said to Moses yni. ■/; p t of knowledge Tk • • ,
■roagmed. The difference resides solely in enhanced distinctness this wtltld c And He said I ’" ,S Why
disci j 'SCl°sure the form seen is more consummately G"d(i»ayGodu f erTn y’ ’’“ true that tl, Wil1 n°‘
thediff ■ n^^^htinct.Thisislikeseeingapersonat dusk before
ta*
jout My7 hlm»d grant hint pea*.Messenger of
differencebetvSeein§ him in ful1 Ught'
C)dld—eGodon
by. Hence l^11 tW° c*rcunistances is an increase in visibil-
fects and com pagination is prior in perception, sight per- usupartium, see Theodicy, 4^-Tor further examples, see pseudo-Ghazali,
al-HilemaJimakhluqdt Allah (^Cairo, 1352/1934^-
c°mpletedisef C 6 ^ghiation’s perception. This is the most
'’^eitislocT^^ f°r that VeiT reason is called “vision”, »ot K ¥or God’s "custom” fadat AHali), see Ghazalls lalidjut ai-faldsifflh, ed./tr.
Marmura, esp. 1706.; also, the discussion in my Ghazali, 77-86. The notion
created this per nt ee7e’ Quite the opposite, in fact: Had Go
as adoptedby MWante theology held that all secondary causality is in reality
Example itw. P??° total disclosure in the forehead or chest,
nwrciy God’s “custom” or “habit” in governing the world and could be other-
'■'^’■illfaervetobecalled-sight” (,«»• *
vise at any instant.
F°r this line of j

Unterfactual reasoning, which goes back to Galen an

56

57
 ChapWFlVe manifest
j Glorious « He!)Xcionof‘hiS
mcing intimacy and contentment
love, longing
. „ the veil is Bfed death’ th' S°ul remii« spottej
"ddv fecks °f this worU nor is it wholly free of thetl

'Un
h
* separated- Indeed, there are souls upon which Self-m^fest3 . rh a mirror reveals in
T” have accumulated like a mirror whose surface has hee„ iit"heclarity „ his manlft««ion (ta}a r
d bY a stubborn incrustation of smut. Such souls remaio «”“*■ (messing . efore is genuine,
“ usceptible to scouring and polishing; they have been veiled This ey'-«,nX810„v («>)• Vision there! tood as
font their Lord forever * We seek refuge with God from that.
Others have not yet reached the terminal stage of rust and dirt anJ
cannot avoid purification and polishing. Such a soul is consigned
to the Fire that consumes the filth that dirties it; exposure to the
Fire is proportional to that soul’s need for purification. The least
span is a fleeting moment; for a believer, the longest span is seven
’Xte^XhailoXbothreal and entire withouj
thousand years, according to Sacred Tradition.
either fantasy or mental representation or surmise of form and
No soul can journey from this world without some dust and
shape, so too will you behold Him in the world to come. I can
muddiness, however slight, accompanying it. That is why God
even claim that the knowledge here available, in this world, in
says, There is not one of you who shall not pass through it: such is the
absolute decree of your Lord. We will deliver those who fear Us, but the its very essence needs to be perfected, brought to consummate
wrongdoers shall be left there on their knees.1 Every soul may be sure clarity and transformed into direct seeing. There is no difference
of coming to the Fire though it will not remain sure of emerging between direct seeing in the next world and that which can be
from it. When God has finished cleaning and purifying the soul hown here, except in a magnification of disclosure and lucidity
and when what has been foreordained has reached its term4 and 3S We exPressed eadier by analogy with the nerfort ’ C• Y’
"on through sight ltself h |ynow[ ‘ P Action of imagi.
when all that Revelation has promised—full accounting (htsab),
Sert>on of form and mode Likewise • §k G°d’ is no
presentation (arty, and the like—has been brought to conclusion,
kn°wledge by direct seeing and hv ’ C°mPleti°n of that
one is at the point of being worthy of paradise—and that, to
’*s an obscure moment of which God has notified none of
the CatUreS’ Wld come to pass after the resurrection, though illefMmrtiJ1°'SSenceonl5'in magnitude In th’ lPerfected
a man resurrectaon itself is yet unknown—at that point, t “ ** ^7“' ‘•’-ye thJ way, vi,
blemishes e^ntent on dds spiritual cleanliness and purity fr°m
not even a speck of dust darkens his countenance

SUrroui,dinps l i, , cP
vn.97ff. ve H'sxd, that We .night show him some of Our signs. See also uses the terni
over terni wi]1 l tyallin to d
XXnLl5: on th<“ Day they [the unbelievers] shall be those veiledf01,1

58 ^(Albany,
S9
 Chapter ?ive dise’”shereplihdJ
clNG, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
- about parai
..She went on
dimly, »nly,tos£ W?° gn,OStlCS “ ‘h'S World Wil
AC± J.ng * = level ofcontemp auve vision; for k ) the for the God in
”2 heart there «s "° concern 1-
one who does no kQes not find
T e bght * the 7°r‘d WlU be “"’'Hed io who
*“ rehension,ju« * pit of a fruit is converted i„fe, with111 r h Garden- ne wh crazing
for the ton!« “ „im in the next. W , re in gazinS
4 JL seed into a mop. How can somebody who lacks f™. dns T led^eto this world wdl find P granted
Mt from Ws lond? And how can he who does not sow pkasme m ^^Id; in the next world^ con.
« ,e». crop? So, mo, how can he who does not know God
this world see Him in the next? Knowledge exists at disparate
levels; so, too, does illumination. Disparity in illumination stands
in correlation to disparity in knowledge. In the same way, plants N„ man shall be raised up exc P he has hved.
differ in relation to the difference of their seeds; they are necessar­ died, and no man will die exc p in wJlicJ1 he
ily various in abundance or scarcity, excellence or strength, and in The knowledge that will accompany transformed
delighted solely for its own sake and yet, it w 11 Be tr
their weakness too.
into actual seeing by the hfting of the veil so that his pleasure
This is why the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him
peace) said, “God revealed Himself to people at large but to Abu it will be redoubled, just as the lover’s delight redoubles when his
Bakr specifically.”6 It must not be supposed that anyone other, beloved’s form, as he imagines it, gives way to an actual glimpse
anyone lesser than, Abu Bakr discovered in contemplation and in of that form; indeed, that is his utmost delight. The goodness of
vision what Abu Bakr discovered. On the contrary, he shall find paradise resides solely in the fact that each possesses what he most
no more than a tenth of a hundredth part thereof in so far as his desires. Whoever desires nothing beyond the encounter with God
knowledge in this world is a tenth of a hundredth. But since Abu (Bxaltedis He) take, pleasuremnothingbutthisihemayevensuf-
Bakr excelled other people through the mystery hidden within his f yl'rp'e^tes. Since the bbss of paradise lie, in nr
heart, his superiority remained necessarily in his breast in a form
»one s love of God, and the love of r J • ■ Proportion
of illumination in which he stood alone. And just as in this world pledge of Him, the very basis of aU feli^TT0" to one’s
y°u see someone prefer the pleasures of ruling over those of eating
aving sex, and you see someone else prefer the pleasures o
th an^ understanding of the kingdom of the heavens an ■ •'£
-“if; • * !,;'
* i'i”" * —a.
art , together with other divine matters, over that of ruling,
are th ^°Se ^Ood andsex J so> to°’in tbie wor^ t0
God ov W^° Pre^er t^e pleasure of gazing on the face
’ ' “K Of P“d,se a-lf. «he blits of Which is ;
a/^r), varin i/lX-582-line 261 • UOt eHable jt
’tty Mtures 1° ““p8 “d drinkin8- These people are Provisi°nbeSattributed. e.£.. “tICS Variants on thk -
befo ' 7Llluuted, e.g. “T ’ 'aliants on thk e •
have already j 6 wbose circumstances in this world ar .
study of the .eSCnbed tbem; namely, they prefer knowle ge j <vitnma
and drink wh myStCries over the pleasures °f SeX 1 on it ie
Whereas ^hers are wrapped up in these. Thus,
pres-
* <” Af’UCh-
'°
°“rl>tf0r"he|>,
6o
J°Use,and
6i
 Ch»l>‘e'F"'e j fearful n’*
" ’
VE LOXCING. INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
„fan«xi0USK rbed *
ble .0.1= ^bgh17^^d:Xerof ainrW;
, «, srrone that one could consider rhe other ple
“X'S ftom behind a ve>l
"r Zco«®Pt‘ble " BUt 1 ^Mating of ,h
°f „fkn»«ledge«curs among people Without knowled ”j weighty co®""5' „ his beloved s fa unrevealed.
f* Id somebody With0U‘ k;OW'ed8e its Pleasure.
and hornets
on a - scarcely concerned w.th knowledge, and whose jndats«ha 4 sitnation in which P even
disburdened by worldly attachments, grasp its pleasure?
Imagine nex ... ct and sting him an namely. tbiat ob
“““in their knowledge, cogitations and intimate colloquies with
devoid of some pleasure,
God (Exalted is He), the gnostics possess pleasures such that if par.
”ta'sbeloved «.h his own ey~ ^rippeLsunder, efful-
adise were to be spread out before them in this world, they would
not exchange these pleasures for those of the whole of heaven. In still another circumstance erupcs^^^ are swept away until he
its consummate perfection this pleasure is utterly incommensu­ gence blazes upon her an exuberant love
r„»s bhssfully tranquil while mighty desi an
rate with the pleasures of encounter and vision, just as there is no
real comparison between the pleasures of imagining the beloved simultaneously pounce upon him to the full. Consiaer n
pleasure would be redoubled; no measurable proportion woul
and of actually seeing her. Likewise, the delight of sniffing the
odours of delicious foods is incommensurate with actually tasting remain between his first state and his last. Now understand the
them; so, too, the pleasure in the touch of a hand is not commen­ analogy to the pleasure of knowledge. The thin veil is a likeness
surate with the bliss of sexual union. of the body and man’s immersion within it. The hornets and scor­
A demonstration of the huge disparity between them is pos­ pions represent analogues of the passions that overmaster him,
sible only by means of analogy. Hence we could argue that in this such as hunger, thirst, anger, grief and melancholy. Diminished
world the joy of looking on the beloved’s face falls under sev­ S°d” a likeness Of the soul’s i^ufficiency in this
eral headings. First comes the perfection, or lack thereof, in the
beloved s beauty, for pleasure necessarily consists in gazing upon
emost beautiful and the most perfect. Second is the force of
ove and desire and passion; for the delight of one whose erotic

si intense is dissimilar to the delight of one whose pas

love are weak. Third comes the perfection of perceptron,
ness or k l re sorneone takes in looking at the beloved in dar
tllese,rdy fr'e of them (jf " ” &ct- can-
Pleasure 7/^ Or frorn bar awaY> is incomparable to t e
the full °i ? Who Perceives up close, without a veil, and m
ual iotercon °Ur °f the The sensation of pleasure in nistl his intplL s ’ assuredlv , dte> out of
maY be cUr ect and inter, -c , SOrnethin&
t0 the ^sattnXkh W°man Wh° C1°thed 1S nOt ^Fourth

Comes the nmf • one unencumbered by a garment.

With heart-con S'°n °f obstades to the one yearned for, togeJ 8 " rate!y lasts« , But that l l l ',nd
3nd felaxed manTg agOnies- The delightedness of a hea
^prived of gKing up„n hls beloved «
' w'^Xh,;b^«wtS0 ’ y
nes (ChicagoT'^S'OQ,, .
62
«3 ’■ W'arellke
 , Prely’cUrt3i1'
Chopler
,„vE,iongi«c-1nt,MACV and conTENTMENt

, fcts„dno.ion^“set0pe,r!,'ex“dr“91ehil»;thisisi
By contra > aPPe*- lteS’ noetiteS are hose I00*"
£ .n<* wii,v ”our ”ortrf fr plrures un<j"8 r their worW^f , pn these apPetl . , at whose

Tdic;,1,fe ±le and Fod «"»«<»

V after we die. The only authentic life is in the hereafter.
knew tV awareness ar
Whoever attains this level loves the encounter with God. He
sources of a passion throUg
loves death and does not avoid it, except in so far as he hopes to keep
on perfecting his knowledge. Knowledge is like a seed while the la-r .-strong
ocean of knowledge is without a shore; to encompass the quintes- what we have mentioned earli, of pleasure
Zer-bnmming love. You ^soknow
sence of God’smajestyis impossible. Whenever knowledgeof God,
Hisattributes and acts, and the mysteries of His dominion, increases knowledge, as well as § most pleasurable of all
and grows strong, felicity in the hereafter increases as well and it too vision, which is, as you now ’ nj self-mastery. It
becomes mighty; even so, when the seed is excellent and copious, ,. rn those endowed with intelligence ana sen /
Ly not be so for those who are lacking in understanding, just as
the crop is abundant. And yet, it is not possible to obtain this seed
except here in this world, nor is there any sowing except on the ele­ governing is not more pleasurable than eating in the opinion Ot

vated slopes of the heart, though the harvest be only in the world to teenagers.
come. This is why the Messenger of God (may God bless him and Still, you might inquire whether the locus of this vision in the
grant him peace) said, “The best happiness is a long life in service to hereafter is the heart or the eye. People have different opinions
God. 10 Knowledge is perfected and broadened only in a long life on this subject; however, the masters of inner perception pay no
through perseverance in thought, assiduity in mental effort, aloof­ attention to this divergence of views nor do they even consider it.
ness from the impediments of this world, and fierce concentration
*“e^XXXh««^7p™gr“Xddoesnot
on the quest, but this, of necessity, demands time. He who loves
eath loves it because he sees himself firmly fixed in knowledge and
Possession of the furthest point prepared for him. He who dis-
inX Cat /1Slikes “ Nonuse he is always hoping for some further
sees him n now^dgethat will come to him through longer life, e other f n.SKi”8. whether that occurs ir k ' to
him unb ,ascut°ff fr°m what he could attain, and which escapes
“ itself] it po, S“re’the ele « the locus andS k^ ” Sorne
like—asm nec°U^ have lived longer. This is the reason for the is
as or the love—of death among the learned.

someone in ” .......
Acc°rding t0 over whom lightning flashes time and time ag
t0°k bom Ibn Sin
* late
Abrahamov- L, 160, n.9o.
death; it ls " JH tae0’Arablc « Cairo in 586/090, some 80 y^5 ‘ Ji-..
n°wn that Maimonides had read Ghazal!-
^"^frandq,
>«.on).

65
 LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTmE

the actual state-of-affairs in the hereafter with regarj

possible, well, this may be grasped only through heari is
The truth is that which has become manifest *
of Tradition and Community6 in the form of proof ?e°Ph
Revelation; namely, that this has been created in I ~texts ho^
the words "sight” and “contemplation” and the S° t,lat CHAPTER. SIX
occurring in Revelation might apply to what is oj W°rds
fest therein, for to remove external meanings exc ^ani- An Exposition of the Factors that
sity is not permissible. But God is supremely kno^ neces'
Strengthen Love of God

NOW THAT THE happiest people are those who are

K strongest in their love of God. The very significance of

the hereafter is to abide eternally with God and enjoy
the bhss of encountering Him. For a lover no greater felicity
exists than to spend eternity with his Beloved after lonn • ?
for Him, and to be able to gaze upon Him g yearnin8
«and ever without distraction „ r interruptedly for
chaperone or rival, as well as without Tf ““o’ either
, ssl!|n proportion to the force of th >'fear of cessation/ This
increases too a „ the lwe: when love in
,kh «rW, and while b, P maT God’s 1 a5“-
'^■“"■lesonrc j “ f * belief ondy “

»^--floveand. °tWP^dfromtPhe

S^whlchT^ k"°w„ as 7 dominio«, reach;

'°“Sl»"lytw Ta»y»resun7rOtiCPa«ion » h 8 *
7'niesa± The firs "J11’ ’"Mh
^a"G“4 T ;TU1^fromtI1°f.th«e is h topass

11 tot bee?'Whjrh cant anytl>ing

•
** ««7,. w""’“‘"traditlM.
‘*
’ Hle standard c ch e'"Ptied of the'aCCO01'
°rmula for mainstream Sunni
and th Wat«r in

66

*'%, ■J'4rb'trync
Used a i The
6p b°ve.
 hearts is the
)Nging, intimacy and CONTENTMENT for God in huma
**' , »nd DOS-
■''T-yt
LOVE,
c a feeble lo^
feel loV£ ol - j
for man two hearts in his body.' Love’s perfectin world, and livestock,
iL God with his whole heart. As long as h*
j relatives, prOP iy bird song
mC3nS Lthing other than God, a corner of his heart will be cnim--
str°ng children^ 1 n delights in loveD , pleasure that
sessions, Someonewho
seSSlOllXns Someone 1' deiig toX’-the
rheJod
p abUX
pie_has~ .been
tUrnS t0 Ted with other than Him, and to the measure that he is
and^d J of the morning *
" ‘^^erms
S by other '!>»” Gt,A I<>Ve be “‘"S' Whl«''e-
intimate terms
slire of water remains in the container is the measure of the J t" in God grow less.
Xewr poured into it that will be missing. God alludes to this "7““lading loss
we:
exdusiwty and restrictiveness when He says, Say ‘God!’ Then leave world without a
this world, to t who approaches
approaches
thm to amuse themselves with foolish chatter2 and also when He says,
Asfor those who say Our Lord is God, and take the right path to Him.3
This is what it means when you affirm: There is no God but
God.” In other words, there is no one to worship (ma‘bud) and no
one to love (mahbub) other than Him. d'arehhee.
For every beloved is to be worshipped. The worshipper is the
and west.A This awareness is plainer than eyesight to those with
1 one who is bound, the beloved is the one to whom he is bound.
Ever}'lover is bound by what he loves. This is why God says, Have hearts.
yu considered the man who has made a god of his own appetite?4 The The way to uproot this-worldly love from the heart is to set
Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace!) said, “The out on the path of renunciation (zuhd), to cleave fast to patient
most hateful god who is worshipped on earth is appetite/”5 He
endurance (sabr) and to let oneself be led to both renunciation
said (may God bless him and grant him peace), “Whoever says
and endurance by the reins of fear (khawf) and hope (raja). What
sincerely ‘There is no God but God’ enters paradise.”6 Sincerity
we have already stated with respect to repentance, endurance and
means devotion to God with a pure heart in which there remains
bee worship for God alone; for God and God alone has ”e PrerK1UiSte by one may
*'l«ar.of all that ZtGodT'f' °flOVe; namely’ '° emPfy
the Ep ’ C eattS bel°ved, rhe heart’s worship and the goal of
coe hearts an pct c r • i.
it blocks h' r °r 3 Person in this situation the world is a jail, “God, the Last Day theGard’ ' of which is to believe
betokens rel Gloved with his own eyes. Death T'heRre'Fear and hope then
is the state of ? ^j3^ andan eternity with the beloved. What ead t° renunciation here and P HCe sProut from them Th
has long yearn , 6°.ne w^° has only one beloved, for whom he
all at once he f T i^001 wh°m he has long been barred, when
access to thebein j mse^ sPrung from prison, in unhindere
and at blissful ease for all eternity! ......
A n u al'T" world a d
l aPpetite” ~\
ihertet,nissometiZ U J"' meant the ^tire range of sensual pas«°nS
USCd^tchangeably with isfi; see Giffin, W

dLa\s ’16 2):

iVesa*
68
2arus(£^e

69
 CH1"5'* heart *e e”ta'f

^.LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT only he who has cut ■„

r Hi all that is not God; and then the heart widens „ ,

*
X
-d love of God descend into it. All these are
rid ^Cndnuous contempt. and all H>s
binary to purification of the heart whrch ts ttself one of
wlh.hekinPdon,°f
pillars. The Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace\
««“>6e,h he divided into'beJttog
alludes to this when he says, Purity is half of faith.”’ We men-
c,o,'0nS' |,o arrive ar this stage may b and throug
tioned this at the beginning of The Book of Ritual Purity
*
T1”S'"a v knowledge is of God-n ’t priro„y
h second cause of powerful love is extensive knowledge of
God which overmasters the heart. This comes after the heart has
'Sy know others), and the we £o
been purified from all worldly distractions and connections, and
knowledge is of His acts: only then d J„ nol
is analogous to the sowing of seed in the earth after it has been
cleared of grass. This is the second half. From this seed the tree of
love and knowledge is born. This is the good word with which
God struck an analogy when He said, Do you not see how God com-
p^resagood word to a good tree? Its root is firm and its branches are in the my lord through my Lord; were it nor for my Lord, I would no
sky? Another allusion occurs in His words, To Him the good word
know my Lord.”
ascends—and this is knowledge—and the good deed exalted.9 Right
God alludes to the second group when He says, ITe will show
action is, as it were, the bearer and the servant of this knowledge.“
them our signs in all the regions of the earth and in their own souls, until
Right action lies wholly and exclusively in purification of the
art, first of all, from this world and then, in continual purifi- they clearly see that this is the truth.'3 Also when He says, Will they not
contemplate the kingdom of the heavens and the earth ?14 And again, when
(wrif's wiHed only for the sake of mystic knowledge
He says, Consider what is in the heavens and the earth!'3 He says as well
'he sake t0 carrY out t^ie action is meant on^ ^or
, created smn havens, one above the other You will a
To begin k eaCt’on' Knowledge is at once the first and the last, Recreation of the Merciful I n.b th n° ^aW ln
poseisto [i,ereknowledge of practical dealings and its pur" f’gkna «j«i„ ni L ' ■ ’ C“" see a ^fissure? Cast
I'hmselvesl °W t0^ act- The purpose of practical dealings * way is easiest f S ma m > COme hack “> you tired
•d »«l.“ Tl
become manif and cleanse the heart so that truth may those who“X ^P1' “ well as be< ff
'h privileged n W^n k and so that it may be adorned wit
=.~X......
kll0Wledge occu110^ edgC °f hldden ^ings. Whenever this secret
ainan of well ku °Ve foll0Ws necessarily upon it. Just so, when
You
Perceives it u teniPerament glimpses what is beauti u
HiS CXternal eYe> he loves it and is drawn 7 lrc Problematic. Exnk-
A Zak-;- cxplain
''SSequent n ^easure ensues, for pleasure, of neceS Me J* KMts, “Tl to us
A Ove> while love, of necessity, is consequeI see Sllvtk;- Some nf I str°ng never sep _ ,

llM,;”!°kline.3 %«'(Beirut, i996), I I50; al_fuhur nisf a"d

70
 C*efS'X the fo«rth heaVCd

jNging, intimacy AND CONTENTMENT

LOVE,
r 1„ two enables one, with God’s help, to obtain knOwU
*hltereby come to love.” Know that the highest way is b
r as witness for all creation. This, however, is obscure-
ssion of it surpasses most people’s comprehend’ M individual end-
anV f there is no point in even bringing it up in books. the °Utef ontempdMe is the whole
Mo the lower and easier path, it is not wholly beyond the
* TXon »t«emow°X^is peace)
of the understanding; people fail to comprehend it only
I”being averse to reflection or because of their involvement in
SX is” earth.- Observation
passions and their own fortunes. Nevertheless, we are
"reduded from discussing this by the sheer extent and abundance said, -The earth is» well known that the portion
Jf the subject matter; its further ramifications are also beyond all Jn(| experience corroborate A • jn rektion to

measure. There is no speck of dust from the supernal heavens to of land not submerged by water is ime

the boundaries of both worlds that does not contain within itself ,heNowtum your gaze towards man—created from the dust
prodigies of wondrous significance to indicate the perfection of
that is a portion of the earth—and towards the other animals and
1 God’s omnipotence and wisdom and the farthest reach of His
majesty and might.
* These are infinite. Indeed, if the oceans were ink consider how tiny they all are in comparison to earth. Better yet,
for the words of my Lord, the ocean would dry up before my Lord’s words know are gnats, ants and
set all that aside. The smallest animals we
couldhexhausted.11 To plunge in is to be submerged in the currents the like. Consider how small the gnat is.A Reflect with alert intel­
of the sciences of illumination. It simply is not possible to skim lect and steady thought. Observe how God created the gnat in the
over the surface of this by knowing practical dealings alone. Even fakl’l ,h1.eel1ePLant’.tlle t>iggest of beasts: He created a trunk
s°, to hint succinctly at a single instance, if only to prompt aware-
ness °f its nature, is possible. Thus we say that the simplest of the
“c HC OTMed other for it
vopaths is that of contemplation of God’s deeds; let us speak the addition of two wtagTco f°r 'he elePhant>
these and set the higher path aside. organs and made ttswtaos °T He aPPor«°ned
uuidI tP1C aCtS God, but let us search out the least, the -“X He ,B f0°' “J up i , E h°W/' out
Earth w k t'n'est them and contemplate their wonders. Hedid '"enarnrd of nutrition 8 “d Si?ht- ^ide
“|east" I eVerythln& 'C contains, is the least of the creations. B)
whenyouD ° ComParis°n to the angels and the heavenly realn
mull'>iuXee f°r °‘her animals- He rom8SldeinStrUments
^dividual bod' re^ar^ to volume and magnitude in i •Me ' '^’^.reteXl^^V
^tfotimes'tk The SUn’ desPite hs apparently small mass, For’nextend6i3t »-26- GjJ ’ digestive
'hnessin. s'2e °f the earth. Now consider the earths
ln relati°n to b?°:t0 the SUn’then consider the sun’s li ttlenes
dir™ fo-ute, posu°^f dt’
Wre in which it is established; the sun bears

F0radiscu«i0110f ,.
GMnatl to which Gk ^j169' There is a ^3tS and eleph C Wlsdom,
°P°s, see my Theodicy, 38 ft'.
n b' MebthT’" ta WlMi?'
"■^>.7, translatethe

72 nus^4i:zif-
73
 C*(rfS,X U Us. Because its
PAGING INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
by using lts aI] searches
, wtoburnuhit/y„^.Jtsvisionis«eak,s by
I h He did not compound for other animals.
facul°eS kt r the gnat’s external form and features. Next Con *rt
* k°i,SW’rfflhe poor’‘“"8 SpO“ tha^the lamp is an
Xi-®• hW G°d 'qULiPPed “■ itS.OWn Pr°F« »Sb “b,|,t. whe" rkened house and that it cease-
s,der ‘ nt causing it to know that mans blood is its fOod
n0“n5a r then how He gave it a means of flight towards man-
°P'ning i" i htness hurk itself ? “ ’ a the opening and that
J0" He created a long pointed trunk for it; how He guided it to
W ores of human skin where it could poke its trunk; how He
' «it strength to stick its trunk inside and taught it to suck and
Jow blood; how He created the trunk in hollowed delicacy
so that the thin blood might flow inside it and then arrive at its
belly and from there spread to its other organs and nourish them! Z—XTeZv Even more, the way humans
How did He make it aware that man would aim his hand at it and
instil stratagems of escape inside it, with equipment always at the down to worldly appetites whenever the ghtter of the p
ready’Thus for the gnat He created a sense of hearing by which sions flashes, merely to lay bare their outer aspect, resembles t e
it could perceive the faint movement of a hand, even when quite way moths swarm into a fire. Man does not realise that beneath
far, and leave off sucking and escape, only to return later, when
these passions, despite their outward appearances, lies a steeped
the hand is again at rest.
and lethal poison; even so, man flings himself unceasingly upon
Next consider how He created two pupils for the gnat so
that it sees the places where it might feed and aim for them them until he is engulfed and bound by them and then is destroyed
andthis,despite the tiny mass of its head. Observe that the pupil rfi”8n °,Tyld that man’s ’gnorance were the ignorance
°f every animal is small. Because it is so small the gnat’s pupil X-brness moths are bu™d b- -
otaccommodate eyelids; but eyelids act as polishers of the f« ever md ever oratthe'”’ l"”3"/ reiMln ln 'he fire of hell
“J ?hss of the pUpil$ agajnst motes an(d dust, and so God
Thi« why the Prophet “ '°n8 drawn °ut spell!
*
wills I™15 kands f°r gnats and flies. If you watch a fly yoU
"“hoeryoot, j y ess him and grant him peace!
manand , C°ntinuahy tubbing its pupils with both hands. For
over the oth r^eJ.anamads created eyelids such that one closes
ing to the ■ " 6 corners are pointed so that dust cling
He created bla V C°kected and pushed to the tips of the lashes,
de aPPointed th t0 §atpler the brilliance of the eye an
^oftheeyg ^SPec^caHy for sight as well as to beautify t e
^“P; then tk 6 Ineskes the lashes together when dust is
/^^es whose - ?Cers out from behind the window-gj
ev^^ing y-aCing blocks the dust from entering- bn
4atlte^tPoU • F°r ** gnat, however, He created tW
/ He O f r the hidden obvious
d without eyelids and He gave the g^
P011sl* nas^,wh

74 ......
etld0fCro ’
eation.
75
 Ch“PKrS,X ,oWedw>th

Kir INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

. ity But no for”1 e A]j of them
love,longiNG-in

canines God alone can know. For all that, there are l°nOt Lies closed c f r the indi the
'^'""""'imaland plant marvels that distinguish it and in
^''t^'ther animal shares.
ii
raider the bees and their prodigies, and how God inspired
C°nS1 ke their houses in the mountains and in the trees and in the
men will build.20 Consider how He brought forth from
[dt spittle wax and honey, one of which He made for illumina-
don and the other for healing.21 If you reflect upon the wonders whatever it requires to enj X kmdness and benignity.
isHeandhowcapaciousHi gfrom of least ^onsid-
of their activities in feeding on blossoms and flowers, their wari­
ake «,!>«( .to tnfbn^aside the marvels of the kingdom of
ness of impurities and unclean things as well as their obedience
to one of their number, their prince, who is the greatest among enhle of creatures an i that our limited
measure
them, and how God made their prince subject to Him injustice uimesour lifetimes without leading
and equity such that he kills any of them that fall into uncleanness
to clarity. Between what our learning may encompass and what
at the very gate of the hive—if you consider all this, truly you
the knowledge of scholars and prophets encompasses there is not
will be astonished!
*
If you possess insight into your inmost self, if you are past even a relation; noris there any relation between that which the
caring for your gut and your sex, as well as your enmity for your knowledge of allcreatures comprehends and that which God in
rivals and partiality for your friends, then set that all aside and His knowledge exclusively commands. Quite the opposite, in
observe how the bees build their dwellings out of wax and how fact: The knowledge creatures possess does not even merit the
™ of the totality of possible shapes they select the hexagonal, name of knowledge alongside the knowledge of God.
hou^ h DOt COnstruct a Grcular, a rectangular or a pentagonal lnstances, knowledge mX°estZ?i d^ UP°n analo§ous
specificUt °nC S*X sades; t^is’ because of a feature
not gras° ~iX^Ona^orm which even the geometer’s mind can­
icular and e> m°St sPaci°us and encompassing of forms is the
wastefulatCVer resein^es by contrast, the rectangular
gated in shape a” ^°W ^ee atse^ is rounded and elon-
s4Uander the co eScdlews tbe four-sided in order not to
U Were to consttnetS Wotdd remain empty. If, however, 8 eat “J endless realm. g “ even ^at tiny
^^nouts-Z l USCS r0Unded in form’ useless caVitiCS

e dwelling; round forms joined together

the m0!t ancien

'bRaa’i'S^ibeeint^L136^1 authors, Ghazali seems unaware of
2^44. ,’Ve; Perhaps, in this instance too, following
’ cf- The Case of the Animals, op.cit., 232 2-~'

76
 ^,e,SeVe" < ■ co^°n'TTe
forShsf’’1", knoWledg
. • followed have a be(.aUSe all share ^p^ry
. tow.Sh
* 615. ,nd comm0" together *
>' ws his
X^^ToX” — h°XoWsiOn^e-

* 7^2 nais B m-co^tehensive 50

CHAPTER SEVEN XX ThcJXefor hi” «e T Tana both appreciates

An Exposition of Why There are 0 confers a writer s wo of . his

Z“excellence, loves h.m as a m 1S
Disparities Among People with
and recognises jf be sees anoth Jjn„1v since his
helrtinclin«tothatwr«' , doubles according ysm
Respect to Love
beIIH.ndniore wonderfu , doubkd. Just so,
TTX a “poet is superb and loves him for ‘^Tof
NOW THAT BELIEVERS participate in the ground

K ol\ove {asl al-hubb) because they share in the ground of

belief (asl al-iman). Nevertheless, they differ because of
disparities among them in knowledge and in love of this world;
for things differ only through the disparity in their causes. Most
love.PSo is it with

hear that
other arts and virtues. The common man may
so-and-so is a writer and that he has written an excel­
people retain nothing about God beyond His attributes and names
lent work, but he does not know what is in the work and so his
which clink upon their ears until they snatch them up and remem-
er them. They may fantasise meanings for them from which the
knowledge of it is general; his inclination towards him is corre­
of Lords is to be deemed utterly exalted; they may also, spondingly general. The discerning reader, by contrast, investi­
gates those writings and learns of their marvels and doubles his
not' true nature of God’s attributes and names,
X:Te 7’7 Of ?ft and » the making
cete asse^SJ016 ^SC meanan^ ^Ut rat^er’ believe them withsin-
fotgofiirr/11- a®rrnati°n> involve themselves in right action and
arn°ngthe These latter are people of sound belief from “Xrs TTdiwork-the writitg-of
the writing—of
’^fantasisin^^1150*7 handA whereas those given to 7“
studies (hetinute’o Eut the dXn-
^^thetruf Ct °Se Wh° stray into error. Those gnostics who
fcr cxtxof God’s CTafi—
hrought near to t^n^S’ however, are those who have been
^reegroups wt tt mentions the circumstances of these Xrfraft Mch tl,at his mind LT" 7Jample of the
"Aplenty anda „ j C X’ ^us> fhe isfavoured, his lot will be t epost
the Potion ofp1011’As a resuK God’s m’ ^is rea~
Onlyl>y^yofex^ some°ne who understands these matters
P e’ let us then give an example of dispart

< PfttoL
See 0 IfL ■ on the right hand, he will be greeted u".j,

G°d's 7 Which I mean .ngSide his

78
79
 tOVtlONCWG, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

11W„5 men of knowledge in this matter of love is 1|so

'"Reason that love varies lies in the difference of the fiVe

use$ for love which we have already mentioned. For example, chapter EIGHT
bnvho loves God because He is kind and bountiful to him and
not love Him for Himself, may be weak in his love since
it alters when that kindness alters; his love in circumstances of
affliction is dissimilar to his love in conditions of contentment and
abundance. He who loves God for Himself and because He merits
loveby reason of His perfection, beauty, glory and might does not now THAT GOD is the most manifest and the most

K
differ in his love when God’s kindness to him alters.
l„cent of existing things. This implies necessarily that
These reasons, among others, cause disparities among people
in their love. Disparity in love occasions a difference in bliss in knowledge of God be primary and a priori for human
the life to come. For this reason God says, The hereafter has greater understanding, as well as pre-eminently plain and simple to the
liwuis and is more exalted.2
intellect. Yet, you may see the matter differently and so, some
explanation becomes unavoidable.
the most manifest of existents as well as
We declare that He is
exalted; but this you will not understand
conapmally rhe most
^g'kberngZbtfore us is thT’T150^“

he is we may be
^oCiedge

fW'ra"dwiJ] J SeLnse sight be 'dent to us; th! ’ lU> as

80

earn of an, eP‘

of his
 Chapter Ei^
. 1C.„ we know that the
intimacy AND CONTENTMENT |-nkas« ty,hemSC f’■J elf Nevertheless, since
love, longing,
Csibk P^«PtiWe’
.. ■ Thus there is but one indicator of all that pertains to
? In if that is glaringly obvious. Consequently, you inejUc_
1 bear witness to the existence of God, and to Hrs power and
V owledge and other attributes, whenever you see and perceive
dumb-'
are to°dumb
“th vour inner and your outer senses, whether what you per.
reive be stone or clay, plant, tree and animal, sky, earth and star, our intellects,
K8rX y JSons why our minds fail to comprehend this.
dn- land and sea, fire and air, substance and accident. Our pri-
' hiddenness and subtle concealment (no
mary testimony of Him lies in our very selves, in our bodies, our
physical characteristics, in the fluctuations in our circumstances, ^ampiesneed be given here);the other is its extreme obviousness.
in the modulations of our hearts and in all the various phases of Unjust as the bat sees by night but not by day, not due to any
our movements and our repose. What is plainest to us, what we obscu'rityindaylightoritsluminance, but because of the weakness
know best, is our own self; after that, we know the perceptions ofits eyesight (for the bat has feeble vision), so the sun’s light daz-
we form with our five senses and after these, those instant appre­ zles it at dawn. The force of the sun’s appearance combined with
hensions which our intellect and insight fashion for us. Each one
of these immediate apprehensionsA consists of a single object per­
the bat’s poor vision is the reason for its impaired sight. It does not
ceived, a single witness and a single sign. All things in the world see anything unless the brightness is tinged with shadow and the
are articulate witnesses and signs testifying to the existence of SX0'r own min,ls m weak injust the same ™y-
their Creator, Arranger, Enabler, and Mover; they point to His e beauty ot God s presence is utterly radiant 1 7
“•windencompasses utterly d ffulgenti «
knowledge, power, loving-kindness and wisdom.
f Md earth elude, that ore, a Sln8le in the realms
Perceptible existents are innumerable. Now if the life of the
man who writes is plain to us, even if there is only a single indica- ‘"‘htomet thetause of its hidJ 1“ Wry manifetation
t°rt01t(namely, that we perceive it by the movement of his hand),
canb °WCan^enot^e manifest to us since nothing in existence
noth ce'ved> either inside or outside our own selves, that does
sosinceevetnCSSand majesty? All the more by of manif
actuality th^ Speck°f dust proclaims with the very tongue of its
&o®itsownstSheX1StenCe detiveS not from itself’ nor itS mOtl°n •^r^Xh ? n° is h:?hose
mover. Tbe ve StanCC’ P)ut ratber, that it requires a creator and a ^»tlu'4itlncd<»> wouh'l0”' Was 'Micative «,?■? grasP- ,f
‘his, before all q C°mPos*^ on °f our own limbs bears witness to
‘"W h? participate in si ' j!'prell«>sible st . ,1 e an°ther
b°nes,musdes a d’ ^°eS ^arrn°nious configuration of °ur
bait and the shan inerVes’not t0 mention the very follicles of our !1,nk»oUs 0^8 °»e and but
lnner a°d outer^T^ °Ur extremities, together with all our nV eXa">Ne of border,
r s- We know that these did not assume their
SUnli^t

(grasp directly and immediately-

82
°rf"rther a °Ved k la,

83
 INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
love, longing,

.....
, „»« up°n >he e“,L As r lT that is °t of ,he
.«>>•" '“>h and which isappears when the sun
be >SesaPPed remamS knowledge anyone 0 s are merel)
In a But if the sun were to shine continuously and not
no'been ?e does notaC j ffiat his own consequent
e would conclude that bodies have no aspect other than theii
hues which are black and white and the like; we would not see
anything but blackness in the black and whiteness in the white.
upon Hinn they ^nl t0 the One, the T > He Joes not
do not perceive luminance in itself. Only when the sun sets
'.[
*
» i 1» staK arlS'^d”he Agenc within it; he
and places darken do we see that there is a difference between the "l «t «itbo« seeing God the Ag hrou
two aspects [light and darkness]. From that we come to know that conSider a single act , rd t0 whether it occu
bodies may be illumined by light and characterised by a trait they ^KyJ-yacnonwi hreg mde d, he
no longer possess when the sun sets. And so we come to know ,h, ofteVe” a”deec “ ri0„ of the One, the True. So his
light’s existence by its non-existence. We would not have learnt
someone other than Him! He
considers my act to
about it without tremendous difficulty had it not ceased; this is
£XP"ers a persons poem or calligraphy or
because we see forms as similar and undifferentiated both in dark­
ness and in light. Thus, though light is the most evident of the ((imposition and sees in it the poet and the author. He sees his
perceptible things and other objects are perceived by its means, its effect as bis effects and not inasmuch as they are ink and gallnuts
own existence [is not recognised]; for it is not evident in itself but
and ruled lines impressed upon a blank page; nor does he make a
only as it becomes manifest through some other thing.
Consider how its existence would be considered obscure practice of taking anyone other than the author into consideration.
because of its [very] obviousness were it not for the occurrence The whole world is God’s composition. Whoever looks at it
of its contrary! Thus, does God make things manifest and thus as the act of God and knows it as God’s act loves it, inasmuch as
ough Him do all things become clear. If He were to cease to “ “ God’s act regarding nothing but God and knowing nothins
wo 1 ,''tbdtaw dnt0 hiddenness or alter, the heavens and the earth
Sfissr-wA!:
realm C° tEe phenomenal as well as the transcendental
would i U nuHified and the distinction between both states
?nlyGod;He does not
'"’!“»ybet|,M h , , purely as God s servant. Of
bother °ne tEin§ were to exist through Him
*‘,h'ha*
a« r±“Elated in God’s oneness.
Wouldbeco SOme °tEer’ tEe distinction between the two
s'gnifyino act- fercePtdble in its very signification. And yet, His Ucl1 abut
Selves in H Trk °orn
onethen hiswho
f him own said
self Tb^
“wz •1S &,, Usion to
order. His exiT £eneraEse<i within things to point to a sing e
a7tEnSCQUnternroXeVerlaSting amid shlftmg circuII1St1"^’ ■■°“rselves our seCaX *
self-manifestati ls impossible. The very intensity of H
tessarily occasions concealment. Self;”^S,refers to the f
By 14
neUhctsunl>gbnVd21Srneant that which is not an essential compon^^
atk^>smtrinsictoearth_
......<
..............
84
S° We remained)
85
 Chapter Eight
, <trokey You mightfear for his reason, dazzled by his
,E longing, INTIMACY AND contentment 3n<l3t3sin^e[at. fa witness these marvels bear to their creator.
in^Zson, among others, combined with absorption in
TI,«-«'SJrckn°'’nrt0 lh°SC eud°Wed Wi*
it'es blocks people from the illuminative way, with its sapi­
k t remain problematic for those whose comprehension is
" V because of the inability of religious scholars to clarify and entiallights, and keeps them from swimming in those wide seas.
j them through clear and comprehensive terms that bring In seeking out knowledge ofGod most people are like the baffled
? within human understanding. Of course, it may be because m3n about whom the saying was coined, “When he is mounted
'f then (the religious scholars’] preoccupation with themselves
on his donkey, he keeps looking for his donkey.” Transparent
and their conviction that any such exposition does not con­
things become abstruse when they are sought for. The secret of
cern others than themselves A This is the reason for the failure
of human minds to know God. Added to this is the fact that a this matter may be verified. For this reason, it has been said ■
person [instinctively] grasps all the perceptions that bear witness
to God only in youth when reasoning is absent; thereafter, bit IMoor
C,Vf forth, ood is-„d
°r,hemnbmbl bjdden
ot^ fmm yKcognisethe
odoesnoc
by bit, inborn reasoning begins to appear. Seriousness of pur­
pose becomes subservient to the fulfilment of appetites. A man
may become habituated and accustomed to his own perceptions moon.
And yet, it is secret in that it shines forth as veiled.
and sensations; and so, through long familiarity, their impact no How can he who is blindfolded by convention acknowledge
longer has an effect. Thus, when he unexpectedly comes across
a strange animal or plant or some miraculous action of God that it?
disrupts habit wondrously, his tongue proclaims its acknowledge­
ment quite naturally and he exclaims, “Glory be to God!’’ This,
eien though the whole day through he sees himself and his own
limbs, as well as other familiar animals, all of which are decisive
P oof signs. He does not sense their power of witness because of
“dong familiarity with them.
has the £* neSOrneonekorriblind who reaches the age of reasonand
heavens^f?rom ^1S eYe> so that his sight extends to the
rt , the trees and plants and animals—unexpectedly

Wtwithout we (ja-baqayna bi-la nahnu). Introduction of the Z./877-8);

*misusudly attributed to Abu Yazid al-Bistami (d. 264/874 °r 2 *_ d_ cites
’l'162”J’an<^Zaehnet, Hindu and Muslim Mysticism, 93"’34 noti°n
eo ogian Sa d al-Din al-Taftazani (d. 792/1390) who connects

thoughoutt^^^^’^ging comments on the 'ulatna w

86

87
 Chapter fvinc. ■ A so *at hC
his nund, were
of the loved one vanished from
Li he could not conceive oflonging
in, he would not conceive cf ’
he glimpsed him. His longing denotes an
*"■ \8 LfcW1Se;Xo< be
'ination. Likewise. io
nature ot ms iur,.i would not
CHAPTER NINE mE “d perfect
' consummate
An Exposition of What Longing no. Ms
for God Means
ho.pl<.«r'l’»estof J notysee any of these features and
NOW THAT WHOEVER denies the reality of God’s
:» to VW. Even18 [|iem m Ks mlnd chat then emerges into

K love must deny the reality of longing. Longing is incon­

ceivable except for a beloved. But we affirm the neces­
sity of longing for God and that the gnostic is compelled to it
due to the lights of inner vision in contemplation and following
he has a beautiful limb or limbs, even if
Moenottartly scan their beauty' in

longs to have revealed to him what

all their details; and so e
he cannot see.
Traditions. What we said earlier in affirmation of love should Both these aspects are conceivable with respect to God;
suffice for the affirmation of longing. Every be ove in - indeed, acceptance of them is incumbent on every gnostic. Divine
cealment must become an object of longing. A be ove matters are not always perfectly plain tognostics even when these
present and attained cannot be longed for because longing ’ , matters are themselves utterly clear. Rather, the gnostic seems to
and yearns to seek, for something, whereas that which is a r y
found is not sought.
“ rd chat i, not fully transparent; j,isblemished
Even so, it should be explained that longing is inconc
able except for something that is perceptible in one aspect w all knowable object, Pr°duC,n8 and simili-
remaining imperceptible in another. The utterly impercePtl “nMes; worldly distractions' Wotch«
“Mot be an object of longing. He who does not see a person,
him described, cannot conceive a longing for him, if he
"ot perceive his perfection, he does not long for him. The mo
r,ect Perception is visual. Now someone who contempt1
Butin dn^aZesincessant'y on him cannot conceive ot long1
aspen"?'SC°nneCtedsolelY Wlth what is perceptible under o
that may ?er“PtAle under another; it falls under a dua asp
Experience stf7 examples drawn from ^^cietthM inm
^Asentbutin , ’ orexample,wesay, “Aman whos
Aatimageu°Se Etan image remains, longs to c°mp
g by E sight.” But lf remembrance and image and

Present tn k-
89 to him.
 ,niT^nth tv acquire come primary. avyct _ Air «”rld."" |v. bli« wouWfVerl«nng1’f-
H' 'fX *a’ww,nu*,h,ngs knowab1e and which
' ., |fcither dearly or even dimly. r kn«W|
*” "bf7twarningoxn« to fulfilment m the next wor]d
r k augnrenred- » { hjfte front ...
' ,encou”7r;and‘wkii«MngW;th^
.......
-^Stekkwifn < onceivably be appeased in this WorU
;br. Adtam was one who yearned. He related, “One
,7 \'Lo-i ;f You give peace of heart to anyone who V
sA k meets You face to face, then give that peace to m< ...........
kv4»" - restlessness is destroying me.’ Ile went on, “|n ,
1 ws that God stood me in His presence and said to me, ’0
feahrr. At von not ashamed to ask Me to give you what will (rf, ..rime"'. HW£ ■, ■’> shows
ajwrwwr heart before you meet Me? Is lie who yearns ever at ta^rfA^ligta mu« lx- pnw..W for in this worH
tact» his heart before he meets his love?’ I replied, ‘O Lord, I
J,l„r,d»nee augmented in the next. As for renewal of light,
mspsttr .ovco: You and have no idea what I say. forgive me and
wdlBewhattosay. God answered, ‘Say: “O my God, make me why, no. To assert anything conjectural on this subject is forbid­
MMKwnbYour decree, give me endurance against Your adver- den; no disclosure has been accorded us, beyond what has been
m.pttttme gratitude for Your magnanimity! ” ”' Longing like given on trust. We ask that God increase our knowledge and right
* t': appeased only in the world-to-come. us the truth.4 This level of illumined
belief and that the True show
Tir second longing appears to have no end, either in this and the significance of longing.
insight lays bare the nature
*C
*®' or u. the next, since any end would imply that in the next oJS"“ '7 SaCred Traditi0n are bey°nd enumeration.
*®i£God i majesty and His attributes, His wisdom and His acts,
of ?od?Messenger
known t0 God Himself, would be disclosed to mam
•»«apc»flble because such knowledge is infinite. Hence, man W-1 »k You conrenrment'f T Wh™ prayed’ ° m>'
-oasuntly aware that something in the divine beauty and ^""e life after death andthe V 0W“g Up°n Your d« ree
*fcl"drfi4CecP?SUret0f“ntemPU«ngYou;
*
7"" rerjatns ureducibly inexplicable. His longing can neser
a ’’ !it more so when he sees how many levels there
- and beyond his own level!—but he yearns to const1 lhe meant in tkp T .. e| about the m
D’ arnvui8 at tlie root of union. For this reas !°n^of the riehte Fah) and replied “e T Special
niOst dement)! °US t0 meet Me is nr? ’ G°d SaYS’ ‘The
r ver ,,, arable longing in which no pain appears- Mntten 1(*
ging to encounr 7 °tracted but IT. i 7
cXTbie ** twin graces of disclosure and content b
than M . He wlK> seek, m . ter them a1 teel
lOfin“dM’wt as bliss and pleasure keep mere J
Wuidcill7' A°y pleasure consisting of ever-fred^nc Ah”h-tt^>'-Dardi.;X':oSeeksothet
3Vertt 0De bom tbe sensation of longhig M<:se^.SrC estifythati

1”'SOfMyeWtl,re'>^tohave .

m g riend
 LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND (
ONTENTMENT

whomever loves Me. 1 keep company with him who sits with Me
I am close to him who keeps mention of Me close to himself. I
kesec^'b10
am the companion of him who companions Me. I choose him
who chooses Me. 1 am compliant with him who obeys Me. A per­
son does not love Me—and I know this for a certainty from his
heart—without My taking him to Myself and I love him with
such a love as none of My creation can surpass. He who searches Me aW Wy fi” God ^Plied’ and
for Me in truth shall find Me, but he who searches for another
than Myself will not find Me. O dweller on earth, cast aside the
vanities to which you cling and come close to My munificence,
My companionship and My converse! Be intimate with Me and I
be so with you and I will rush to love you. I created the clay | "“ve loin °PM hand and I pl»ce them m Y assemble,
of My beloved friends from My friend Abraham’s own clay and I their hearts in Y upoUs of My anSe S ’ „ j • j ot sUmmon
rom that of My confidant Moses and from that of My bosom Isumontbemostillustn utlsay) ldldnotb
fiend Muhammad, but the hearts of those who yearn I created they prostrate themselves befoM y summoned. you
rom My own light and I have given them bliss in My glory.’” you to prostrate yourselves^ for y glory before
On the authority of one of the pious ancestors, it is reported to show you the hear q Wts skme m My
that God inspired one of the truthful with the following words, | you in those vAio long fo • \ ■ c nf
1 have certain servants who love Me and I love them. They yearn Le.fc.My adjust « e iemzens
£« *
for Me and I for them. They keep Me in their minds and I them. earth'. Indeed, out of My own good willfiidwati) I created the
They gaze on Me and I on them. If you follow their path I will
I hearts of those who yearn and I favoured them with the fight of
ove you but if you swerve from it I will hate you.” He asked,
O Lord! What distinguishing marks do these people have? God My countenance and I have taken them to be My own partners in

said, They watch over the shadows by day as a tender herdsman | conversation. Their bodies I made the site of My gaze upon the
| earth, and from their hearts have 1 hewn a path bv which th.
watches over his sheep. They long for the sun to set as a bird
gaze on Me and day after day compound their i L Catl
ongs for its nest at dusk. When the night hides them and shadows
David said, “O Lord, show me the n 1 for Me.”
ng e and dark spreads out its coverings and makes ready the
eds and every lover is alone with his beloved, they direct their
*D“4’ *
tl Y0,lr God
P toward Me and raise up their faces before Me, and they
sper confidences to Me in My own speech and cajole Me for
an j , e cence- So, amid calling out and weeping and moaning
“4 say. •'tat u,a swd "" a »<lle prime
«« ask Me fc, yodn y w'ing and * "'»>g fro® Me
, ment’ between standing and sitting, between bowing down
chosen ones and Mv • are Nd J Y°U “TV
sake^ witfT M>n’ W'tP1 own eYe 1 see what they endure for My
^n to your love.’”” 1 ta^e delight i ^^°Ved fijen i° ^°U
love And I ' ^ear wbat complaint they make about My
give them three things: First, I will cast My light

G°4 <
 torgi.- ChapterNine
r ■„.. short in thankfulness to
W.E.10NG.NG, INTIMACY AND CONTENT,^ id, ‘You know that we require only to gaze upon
„Vc.,.B«nSo,brgi^usfor&lbng
ither, ‘How should the slave presume upon
, ,aci up»" Davi‘1 ,h'y r°Se Up “ S“‘ter b'fore him * Tl
lh'y? J "I am God’s messenger to you. I have corner rh'a have commanded us to bring supplication
^X^y7^”hhey<irew““'^ You.’Another sai<
Your face.’And anol then give us a light by which we may
“red a rsxn8’ ev“ < his master? Since You >s of the heavenly levels. Yet another
Lost their «y« “th™r<i-And D’Vid said, Truly i through
be directed Yourin generosity,
the darkness ~ heavenly
ofturn
the
spoke up, ‘We entreat You to towards ” and to do so per­
usr and
Jseager to you who brings you His greeting, sayrng unt0 s
petually.‘r>’ Still another _
.. ‘We require nothing ol(f Your
, said, ’ ~
creation
•why io you not ask Me for what you need? If you cry ,•
butgrant - noon the beauty of Your face. ’ And another,
M, I will hear your voice and your words. You are My beloved
‘We ask You to bring to perfection the felicity which You has e
ones, My chosen, My friends. I rejoice in your jubilance anil
bestowed upon us and which You have graciously accorded us.’
hurry toward your love. I gaze upon you hourly with the ga2e
of a tender and pitying mother.”’ He continued, “So the tears Yet another spoke, ‘From their midst I ask You to blind my eye
streamed down their cheeks and their elder spoke, ‘Glory to You! fromlookingat this lower world and its inhabitants, and my heart
Glory to You! We are Your servants and the sons of Your serv­ as well from being so preoccupied with the world to come.” Still
ants. Forgive us for whatever obstructed our hearts from remem­
another, 'Blessed and sublime are You for I know that You love
bering You in years past!’ Another said, ‘Glory' to You! Glory'to
^l^"'ek"ess ofhem —d « -Id
You! We are Your servants and the sons of Your servants. Bestow
upon us true discernment in what is between us and You.’ Still
■ another spoke, ‘Glory to You! Glory to You! We are Your serv­ > to ■' -
ants and sons of Your servants! We would be presumptuous to of you sepmtt ftX ” C , With WU r°“ love
pray when You know already that we have need of nothing in
out affairs, but open the way to us to cleave to the path that leads
to You, and that brings us through its bounty to perfection. Yet
another spoke, We fall short in seeking to please You, so help us «" lof Me’l"(I ,lm? You?, c" David
fodoso through Your generosity!’ And another said, From a sin bandits„A
**11,. ,. «»csa„d
“hlk, by " ,"
i ™ d-zann) nd ’ tGod
, "k
j by enijonPf d- “R
replied Br
gt drop You created us and bestowed upon us contemplation ,'n8,nttaateco)i k"’8°utsoiitarv f *
'•>>
ur grandeur. And shall one who is absorbed in Your gran e
ontemplative of Your majesty' be so bold as to speak? P-at
ton^I0^^ t0 Your There sP°ke anOther V ur
nX\b? grown ^ary from praising You because of Yo
'idnot
of You 3nd Y°Ur nearness to Your friends and the pro us
guide our?11'' t0thePeoPle of Your love.’ Another spo 'e‘
he»ts to remember You and free us to devote ou

*
^ngbutS^' ’the? sca«ered “out of fear of being preoc^up
*
°d (WlX.6o6,l.I2).
“tki^.iXcn,tfe'4et',8hto/;:°nd'oUS

94
 nadetachn’cnt if: if
1OVE, longing, intimacy and contENTMeni

„f mentioning Me. For when I do that for him, o n ,

Sbir thean<* 1“ inhahbi'agtS “d 1
i^tohim.Heaoesnotslackenmhisabsorptionm^
rfertoharten to meet Me though I am averse to bring) *
todie,forheisthelocusof the vision of Me among My creatni^1
He sees no one other than Me while I see no one but him. When ]
see him, 0 David, while his soul is melting, his body racked with
weariness, his limbs bruised and his heart stripped bare on hearing rhe CMHren^and desjre mighuly
Me mentioned, I boast of him to My angels and all the inhabitants
of My heavens and this redoubles their dread and their worship.
Neither My might nor My splendour, O David, would hinder
him in paradise nor would they slake his desire to gaze on Me until
he attains contentment and all that is beyond contentment.”
In the Traditions about David we also find. “Say to My serv­
ants who wend their way to My love, ‘How does it harm you that
flihv brause My reward ha, been cut off from them. I have
I veil Myself from My creation since I lift the veil between Myself
and you until you gaze on Me with the eyes of your hearts? How
sworn by My might and My glory that I will not grant My reward
does it harm you that I have cast you out from this world since My to a servant who enters into subservience to Me in order to pick
religion is spread out before you? How can people’s anger harm and choose andthen procrastinate. Be humble to him whom you
you when you seek to please Me?’” novices. If those favoured with
teach, do not act overbearing with
And also in the Traditions about David: God whispered My love knew the rank of novices in My estimation, they would
secretly to him, You aver that you love Me. If you love Me. ^udlr.for'he'ntos.epupo", 0 David, if you draw a novice
“proot the love of this world from your heart. Truly, love of Me ^--y—savehimand 1 inscribe you "
n ^ve of the world are mutually exclusive in a single heart. 0
av>d, he who loves Me is whole-hearted while the worldly act “y presence „a strivc° ^7 ™8 Whomev« I inscribe in
mixed motives. Follow Me unswervingly in your religj0 ""S«pea to Creature,. ” estrangement nor loss
ever ,ni^eyour religion subject to mere men. Cleave to "
*
> rf’!l’“lL f7 “ M>' wo«l and take fr
folk C.ap' ProniPts love of Me. As for what is unclear to )
'<veaM,| kfc; let your self give m YOWself for
t0 diZct v0UnSWTrVinSly tFUth in y°Ur religl°n 'jhllC vour
C r * y°“'k- seXa“ ‘I8’ °'^™ise,
guide I Im SCt you strai§ht- 1 wiH be Your leadeF u help
you against T' t0 Y°U without Your asking Me and 1 " ’ 1 J
W111act onl °fbstacles for I have bound Myself with a vow of their tStr°n8 to ° ng MY creatures- h
* " °Wcd
will'moel k °r a Servant °f whom I know that his questin-.
relianCe On retuge within My hands and that ie
'“-nyoneoiher^Me. If you are <hUS, 1 '

96
97 Stha'Ishall
 Lnl.R.W«.NG.,NI,MA1:y AND

........
enough for °ne between Me and you any scholar w<
;? Xi My ^ve by his intoxicants.” Such people are
WOUW bbers of My novice servants. Seek help to relinquish
chapter teN
highway r° retracted fasting but be on guard against temptatlOn
apPetlte by,Peak our fast. I love fasting best when it is severe. 0
wheny°ubre
David, ma e Y
>elf beloved w Me by treating your carnahelf
wbat desires. Then will I gaze upon you
"“S^forMan
asyourenemy.^ between you and Me. I will nurture
IZh My loving friendship so that you may become strong

My reward when I confer it upon you; rndeed. 1 am keep

2 for vou while you adhere stubbornly to My precepts.
Ge^wfospered secretly to David, “O David, if those whom,
'“"ced says. He fe® and the, love Hi,nd He also says, Cod
from Me knew how 1 wait for them, how much tenderness ifeve
fores those who do battle in His way.. ? He says, God loves those who
for them and how I long for them to leave off their sins, they
repent and He loves the pure.3 Yet, God rejects anyone who alleges
would die out of sheer yearning for Me. They would lop off their
ve^ I'mbs out of love for Me! O David, if this is My desire for that he is beloved of God. He says, Say, “Why does He punish you
those who turn from Me, how great must be My desire for those for pour sins?"4
w o accept Me?A O David, man needs Me most when he thinks Anas reports of the Prophet (may God bless him and grant
t0 ispense with Me. I am most compassionate when he intrigues fen. peace; that he said, “When God loves a man, sin cannot harm
^inst Me, but when he returns to Me he is the most exalted that SZT“ ’ike °"e Wi'hout sin ” And then he
he«n possibly be.” ed’ loves those who revent 5 Tkic »» i i
dem Slnular Traditions, which are beyond counting,
'O'-God.heturns to Him Wfore h d “ Z * WEen •' man
JVer numerous, do not harm him 1 k 3 SihS’ how~
howewr^tk the CX1Stence of l°ve and longing and intimacy
whatk k Clr trUC rneanings may be discovered only throug
’hlth« been discussed earlier.

Sid M"E""fGod T belief only to th ’ and t0 th°se

‘O’" Mlerb y God bl«s him and h°Se He loves ”t
M^te,thechs-cform of argumentation, compaiuablemcheT
* ”**
"'
WMls,h(
°" niUch the more so that...”

98
99
 ch^r
10VE, longing, intimacy and contentmEnt
li«non
'God ays, ‘A servant constantly draws closer , ,
^.O^lbodr ho
**
Ssopererogato^praye's unrrl 1 love him. When < *
Ms by which he hears and his sigh, by whic“®

sees etc.9 tt -
Zayd ibn Aslam said, God may come to love a man to SUck
an extent that His love for him even reaches the point at which He
'henia “existence , eitner
says‘Do whatever you will, I have forgiven you.”’“ u „us in other terms; for
Numberless are the sayings handed down about love. We have
already stated that man’s love for God actually exists; it is no mere

metaphor. B^een Cr^raudbu[ then

By linguistic convention, “love” (mahabba) denotes the soul’s
inclination for a thing that befits it whereas “passion” (cis/i^) is Wfad,h/'of intellect and understanding
the term for an overmastering and exuberant inclination/ As ^rerLr and used such terms with respect to ,ts
we have further explained, goodness befits the soul and so, too,
does beauty; and beauty and goodness are both perceptible, now CT^Z:l^hou.’"kX” designates the soul's inclina-
to sight, and now to insight. Love is consequent upon both of
non towards what is fitting and congruent. But this is conceivable
these but is not distinguished by sight. God’s love for man can­
not exist in this sense in any way. Quite the opposite: All terms only in a deficient soulwhich lacks whatever is congruent with
when applied to God and to other-than-God are not to be uttered it. Accordingly, it wishesto perfect itself by attaining that miss­
univocally with reference to either. The term “existence” (ivujiid), ing thing and delights in attaining it. In God’s case, this would
the most universal of terms in univocity, does not include Creator be absurd. All beauty, perfection, glory and majesty are possible
and created under a single rubric. On the contrary, all that is not JXf “prese"’ "ecessar-
has existence derived from God’s existence. Such subsidiary
ence cannot be equivalent to the existence from which it is
r"0"/0’ —1 « even
r thin Himself On the'""8 °'her tlUn Himself as
bonS *
I™Hu 0K„ a° s hx He °"'y sees His
atelovetnOCjLS^US'layriCOncerning tbe denial of the attribution of passion^ ^TdlHS'Fw^rC noth1^ exists
PiuRoflim t ? Ahal-Daqqaq who argued that “passion is an o"r P
limit. Theref"' G°d may not be characterised as one who overstep’ “2 nrGod'! dement H a Abu Sa’id
Weretobeconk’^jSiOn ' maY not be attributed to Him. If -1P crea "'"M-1“ m' 'r«h HHOv°\ “ and ‘h love
ltin? ‘he meJ, *" 3 Single individual, that would not come close to
llmitinlovingG0d. C°d S°’ t0°’ °nC may HOt S3y that nWn Can nateSlove’
norn'aymanin|1 ° may not be characterised as having passion
t0attribute this aSCF'Ption to God, for He negates passion. There is
6» ? ' n"'h" “ ' "A' pan for man. nor on •P .....
.
££
*
*- “ff- Qushayri. <S.s; of. also .he
Iris own

*X)odH‘
IOO lmself, the
 Chapter Ten sc he sought his aid. It was
^.lONWNG.lNr.MACY AND CONTBNTMent
befittingly endowet.
bis love nor 'he consequences issuing from j* : he could approai
/a a budable traiC lha , “< he■ prospered.
ss .hey i" * »Uh his essence. It is ln
Wore ta He loves only Himself.
The interpretation of the utterances transmitted about Go(P * h,/“deX other. « might simply be said that he
love for His servants refers to the removal of a veil from the h^ h,m«n taw a Iauj3bte traits to such an
so that one sees with his heart and to God s enabling a person (’ ended uP be,ng lifted it could be satd that he
draw near to Him, and to God s willing that for him from eter
nity. His love for one whom He does love is everlasting, whether -aedsecesstorbekingandmadehimselflovabletohtm.
linked with the eternal will which decreed enabling that person to
God’s love for man exists solely in the second sense, not in the
embark on the paths towards divine proximity, or whether linked first. The parable holds true in the second sense only on the con­
to His action of stripping the veil from His servant’s heart. For this dition that your mind not anticipate any alteration in God when­
veil is a merely temporal occurrence which comes about through ever nearness to Him is renewed. The lover is close to God but
the intervention of a necessary cause/ as God Himself says, “My
this closeness is contingent upon a corresponding distance from
servant shall not stop drawing near to Me through supererogatory
Wed.e, embodied in] rhe beasts of the field, wild animals
prayers until I love him.”12 Through supererogatory- prayers his nobles;
inmost self becomes purified, the veil is removed from his heart,
and he attains the level of proximity to his Lord. This is all God’s "^“‘“^inphysicalloeation. to Gad lies in
doing as well as His grace. This, then, is the meaning of His love.
This may be understood only by a parable. A king bade his
servant approach him. Because he liked him, the king gave him
permission to be present at any time on his regal carpet. This may
have been so he could help him prevail by his might or in order
to refresh himself by looking at him or so that he might consult Zi• X-* -4iHe “ 't" God’s -e, this
for advice or so that he might prepare various foods and
^""vliichHeoL
be iiieady e attrifrom
? Cxists butesallof Perteccile
°»cand
°ntrarv
of ’ u &
,h is safe to say that the king loved him; this means that
■ C ne^ t0 him since his friend had within him some affin
ness- Two n 1 Urnjned bv n ,aJJ eternity of ^aj-
«npult pers°ns mav y Parables ak Y‘
hirnTT113’"810 Eimself Hence, he drew the serVaDt C1°Sei'°
e 1 not forbid him to enter his presence—not because e

MUte(. any such air ni an alters- the other , °Us

tan/i valid,.,), r Splays a formulaic elegance of expression ■ J
kvek '^ar in etati°n on th 1On wfrhin m°Ves-In
’ k'ng should ? lscuss’°n of the “boon companions’ (nudaba ) "1 by
Hub«t Darke asUIr,°Unnd h™self’ see Ni?5m al-Mulk’s Siyasat-^na , .
t(,SerfeCted tn°Medge ?e cl°se to k in
J
"
* 1 al-Mulk was .l°k°fGovernme^or Rulesfor Kings (London, ’ ed
teac ;;'eacher.
az®h to the Ns - 6 P0Werful Seljuq vizier who in 484/1091
Baghdad.

102

Io3
 1 ztoriae?’He
IOVEJONGING’INTIMACY AN° CONTENTMENT
ked, d° Chat all°W m£ tO
, Wee He persists incessantly in changing and advan •
I°h’appr«thes “S 'eaCher Wh° 311 the WMe fi®!
nkey” ever God l°ves 3
‘JLing. thiS ”’y mUS‘ ™an S ascent “P the 1
< f-H1D,bht eP««d Wh“t in p^. He
X be UnderS“0<1' T° J' lde8re,' “ Wuh,ch ">« pt
sets him
fctskisg«<llytr,its’""Sammate,Si‘1S k"°"'1«1gehygrMpi H
„t J3 things, and consolidates his strength by subd„,„
*,!)n’ie«A,fl’eaC P nifeStly love God while
S.,an restraining his appe
«
* and purifying himself from L He means t0
t0 that extent does he draw closer to some perfection. While
utmost perfection belongs to God alone, nearness to God stands
He just as manifestly
in proportion to one’s perfection. The pupil may come close to his a»SW«»»”tf7rCX“rer “1 have been given some slight
teacher, may equal or even surpass him, but that is impossible with
‘“““'“.h low” The master said, “O my son, are you
respect to God Whose perfection is endless. Man's progress along
“’"X Moved other than God, one whom you prefer to
the degrees of perfection is finite and terminates only at a pre-
senbed limit; he has no craving for equality with God. Therefore, 2- -No," he replied. The master exclaimed. Do not be so
the degrees of nearness differ infinitely because of the very end­ God gives love to no one unless He afflicts him.
eager for love!
lessness of perfection itself. The Messenger of God (may God bless him and grant him
So then, God’s love for man lies in His drawing him near, and
peace) said, “Whenever God loves a person He makes his very self
out of himself, by warding off distractions and sins and in purify­
an admonisher and his heart a groaner, commanding and forbid­
ing his inmost nature from the spots of this world and in lifting
ding him.”8'6 And he used also to say, “When God wishes to per-
the veil from his heart until he eyes Him as though he saw Him
with his very heart.
^h-ansof His servant, He makes him see the faults in
X. tXX,i,iC dhti"gUIShin8 °f God’s
Mans love for God lies in his inclination to seize this absent
perfection which he lacks. He yearns for what he lacks; whenever IhJ PT! God lows hlm-
he grasps some part of it, he delights therein. Love in this sense is
taer affairs, bothprival °f his
unthinkable for God.
If you object that God’s love for man is an unclear notion- x “■* of hefer;to God
L, j\W.at may man know that he is loved by Gode 1 reT°' . outW1rd com lni^s> the director of k- • "ls character
him JC'ng r°m ’tS salient s*g ns- The Prophet (may Go -......
Hevis", J'3111 him Peace) said> “Whenever God loves a serva
•w’t■’“hafflia,°”' b“‘ if He loves him prolog» .

mean?” Tk D Someone asked, “What does ‘He acquire Ci. Wakki, 11.53. The Arabic is succinct: fa-in sabura ijtabahu fa-in radiya
M^-The difference between ijtabahu (“he selects him’j and istafahu is hard
repbed “p i r°P^et (may God bless him and grant him f
l?TOI"'ei''n^-ngliih-, the Prophet is “the elected one” (al-mustafaj, i.e., chosen
God’s love CS neither family nor wealth. 1' Then1
Wpreferenceby GodHimself.
interpose HJ.3 p?1 ’S t^at estrange him from all but

etween him and anyone else.

w'Ui.? ’ |l° comnuni the good and forbid the evil” (al-aw' 1 ”
*
nahV wal-munltary
104
LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND
u L- c CONTENTMEn
pctronrrpc him __ 11 1 •*

CHAPTER. eleven
The Distinguishing Marks
of Mans Love for God

■rr NOW THAT EVERYONE makes claims on love. How

|Z easy a claim and how glorious in significance!'41 Man must
lX-not be fooled by Satan’s trickery and the swindles of the
carnal self (however much it claims to love God) so long as he
h not tested that claim in actual practice and demanded con-
dnsn-eproofs and evidence. Love is a fragrant tree-8 ir
My plated and its branches reach to h J - r°Ot 1S
“the heart and in the tongue and in rk ve^’lts ^uits emerge
I Vk,e“" 1 X ,,mbs'C Th«e profuse

;l0Ve Of “ ™“unter Li n ?C?,re ma"y- One

“f'abode. Thehear ‘ So *

erwere Possible "‘e hnn-If

“Adding

....
Uyi3b
ier-

n’fo66) /PJaCeb ,

-07
 Chapter
. face warrior, hot Eleven
in his wrath—I shall battle him
l0VE. longing, intimacy and contentment lDein ^ewill battle me. Then let him take me and lop offmy
lhls world farewell through death, then he would turn to | ^^dears and rip open mybelly. When tomorrow I meet You,
You^illsay, “0 ‘Abd Allah, who has cut offyour nose and ears?”
deltb and would not flee it. For a lover rt is no burden t„ tr^>
fon. his homeland to the beloved s dwelling just to ga2e a, j/ Ishallreply, "For You, O Lord, and for Your Apostle. ” Then You
Death is the key to the encounter, it is the entranceway to visiOn willsay, "You have spoken the truth!” Sa d said, ‘I saw him at the
with one’s own eyes e„d ofthe day and indeed, his nose and both his ears were dan-
He said (may God bless him and give him peace), “God l0Ves
glingbya thread [offlesh]. ’A Said ibn Musayyib said, ‘I pray that
to meet anyone who loves to meet Him.”1
God willfulfll thelastpart ofhis vow as He fulfilled the firtrl’”?
When he was dying, Hudhayfa said, “A destitute lover pre­
sentshimself with nothing other than remorse.”2 sl-Thswri
a doubter is averse and ”Bishr
to death. sI-Hsffo Iused ’ ro
s Whatever U ,?
A pious ancestor said, “After love of encountering God averse to meetinghis beloved ‘ °XefS statG he isn't
there is no trait God loves more in a man than frequent prostra­
tion.”’ Hence, love of encountering God takes precedence over
«-a<o mtor hs
* re!iied
^■^roacmainasre It■"vw
I were love
0 truly
, adeath?” He
believer ]
prostration.”
God makes fighting to the death in His way a condition for
genuine sincerity in love; when they said, “We love God,” He
made fighting to the death and the quest for martyrdom distin­
guishing signs of love. For He says, God loves those who do battle in
His path in ranks.4 He says, They do battlefor the path of God, they kill
and are killed.s
In the testament of Abu Bakr to Umar (may God be pleased
...... ,........ ”*
•
with them both), he says, “Truth is heavy but salubrious despite
its heaviness; falsehood is light but pestiferous despite its light­
ness. If you heed my testament, nothing invisible will be dearer
to you than death, for it is overtaking you. But if you neglect
testament, nothing invisible will be more hateful to you than
wh, for you will never disable it.”6
b is reported of Ishaq ibn Sacd ibn Abi Waqqas that he said,
father related to me that Abd Allah ibn Jahsh said to him on
J ^ay o U1)ud>A nm pray tQ GoJ?, So they withdrew
I vow t ved Spot ‘Abd Allah ibn Jahsh Prayed and said’ ° 11° m
IV°Wt°^thatifIencounter an enemy tomorrow who wiU cut
a °e tn L- Abd vl 1 mT the

A D
fourtl> year ohkttlL°n " mountain three miles north of Mecca in the third
edafter^b e^yshe
hands of Meccan f The Muslim armY suffered its first defeat there a
Can forces. See £p>X 782.3

a tlO0-A , /e Of (Jh
108 tn Cot>ver. t0 hl >
’ Seo Tr^i
<°9 .
the
 ChapterEleven GoJ describe^
l0VB. longing, intimacy and contentmENt

,„rfJ him for r|1M lllld slid' “You have given the best kr-j
in marriage to a mere client." He teplied. ,
*
*« *
7 u { the object
, h„ given her ro him in marriage for I know that he
than she is!” To them reply was worse than his deed and J
they said, “How can this be? She s your srster while he’s yOUr J PaSS1On °f hlS belOV£<1,
ent.” He said, “I heard the Messenger of God (may God bless hf
and grant him peace) say, ‘Whoever wants to see a man who lov«
God with his whole heart should look at Salim.”11 This shows that
there are some people who do not love God wholeheartedly; they
......
love Him but they love other things too. A man’s bliss upon meet­ j shall renounce what I desire i
ing God when he approaches Him will be in proportion to his
±elf^ when
love; his distress at separating from this world at death will also be
in proportion to his love for it. she became a believer and Joseph (peace be upon him)~ married
The second cause of aversion to death occurs when a person
her, withdrew herself from him and abandoned herself to wor­
is at the beginning of the station of love. He has no aversion to
used to call her to his
ship, devoting herself solely to God. Joseph
death as such but rather, to its onrush before he can get ready to
meet God. This does not betoken weak love. This is like the lover
bed by day but she put him off until night-time. Then, when he
to whom word comes that his beloved is approaching; he wishes the day. She said, “O
summoned her at night, she stalled him until
to delay his arrival for an hour to make his house ready and pre­ Him but now that I know
Joseph, I loved you alone before I knew
pare delicacies for him so that he can encounter him as he longs Him, my love for Him cannot be love for anyone else. I wish for
to, with a carefree heart lightened of all burdens. Such an aver­ n°ne other than Him.” He reolied “Cr>rl k , ,
'•>‘»f»rH(klstoldmet. Xd' commanded me to
sion does not at all run counter to perfect love; its telltale mark is
>»u”d»fflmake them both prop^ f°"h tW0 from
unremitting activity and immersion of one’s entire aim in making
preparations. 1 you lnd made 0Lye,s- She said- “Since God has
‘*“*
Among other distinguishing marks is that he prefers what God
W*^inhta °fnieaWr<oHim,IobeyGod’“
‘oves over what he himself loves, both inwardly and outwardly
W*
^ a’ddMs-^beyHim.Forthis
perseveres in toilsome activity, avoids the prompting5
Godtitej ^UnS in^°^ence> practices uninterrupted obedience reason
disobey on a ,
searrkn aPProac^es Him through supererogatory prayers-
CS constantly for higher levels with God the way a 0

ere genuine vn °ngacts!

protection of ■ j o;Zabi(ii(/ ’y UWouldobeVH-
under the IJ P0Werfol Arab-born Muslim in the early pen° » u^li,
w«e, howeve^ >ids and during the expansion of Islam. The clients, /^CJqUotesQ.xxv
tiot>: hence th °nS' ered soc'aHy inferior and suffered frequent
e’ ”e point of this anecdote.

no °notmani.
Hi
 . 2 love and for-
■thanover«heInUng
LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMEnt lvesH>mw,tb , ,J “When
.nsky.ms^hy.^g‘X(no,you
The lover is obedient to the one whom he loves.
In this sense it has also been said:
I forgo what I crave for what You have craved.
! pleased with what pleases You though my soul be vexed “
moneasksY°u u $ay yes, y ybeing hatefu .
^»fCn^”otUS£- o felicity more sublime
Sahl said, “A distinguishing mark of love is to prefer Him to
kr;’±slnX
yourself.”17 And also, “Not everyone who practices obedience to
God becomes a lover. He alone is a lover who avoids forbidden
things.”'8 And, it is as he said; for man’s love for God is a cause of
God’s love for him; as God said, He loves them and they love Him ”
pain of hi111' , ”24 c
When God loves a person, He takes him in hand and gives him * te’0P“Tje7that one be so rapt in the litany o
<
victory over his enemies; and yet, his enemy is none other than
r ; fa Ms tongue does not flag nor his heart grow
his own self and his own desires. But God does not forsake him
^.Whoever loves a thing feels compelled to mentiontit oten
nor consign him to his passions and appetites. This is why God
says, God knows your enemies but God suffices as a friend. God suffices and to mention anything connected with it. Thus, a mark of lox e
as champion.20 of God is the love of mentioning Him, together with a love of
You may say, “Is sin then contrary to the very basis of love?” the Qur’an which is His word, love of His Prophet, and love of
I reply that it is contrary to love’s perfection but not to its basis.
Whoever loves someone loves even the
all who are related to him.
There is many a man who loves himself and loves health, but when
dog in his neighbourhood.
ill still eats harmful things even though he knows they will harm
When love is strong, it stretches from the beloved to every-
him. This does not indicate lack of love for himself; rather, his
knowledge is enfeebled while his appetite is overpowering. He is
powerless to give what he truly loves its due. This may be shown d,i»>sffl6<r because he is hi?'" °W' He who lov« the belov-
by an anecdote. The Messenger of God (may God bless him and
does not mea„ U-T"8"’and llis sPcech because
grant him peace) had Nu'ayman brought before him for every
nunor ^fraction and he punished him for every sin he had com
'k One day be was brought and, while he was being P11’1
M 6 ’aman began cursing him, saying, “How many times has t e
essenger of God (may God bless him and grant him peace) a
saidet“r>y°U!” But he (may God bless him and §rant him pe3”-
He ° nOt CUrSe bim for he loves God and His Messenger
be sure from love because of his sin; th°Ug ’
A •' ex<dude bim from perfect love. „ He (“**
loves Go?'' ?d’ “Wben faith is in the outside of the heart, m
W1[b a middling love, but when it penetrates the ea

h °Ured ho nlyG°d On S fyan said “O

112 rsGodalOne „ h°h°nourshim

Jl3
 ch^erElevetl ho Ms My
LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMeNt

A novice reportedly said, “I was already discovering the

sweetness of interior colloquies with God at the beginni Qgf h
" J let him rernam m P> P her than
ovitiate and so I devoted myself assiduously to Qur’an recitatl0 *'"j“t
** sa” „e grows dose to being5
nl£ht and day. Then a kind of indifference came over me, and "
ceased to recite the Qur an. But in a dream I heard someone sav
‘You claim to love Me yet you shun My book. Have you not pOn. ^1” 10Ve' black servant through whom
dered the graciousness of My reproof that is contained therein5’” j of Burkh (who was a black “Indeed,
The novice went on, So I was startled awake and my heart was
drenched with love of the Qur an and I returned to my earlier
» Me but he has one
^lsaneXfdn“OLVord what is his fault?” God answered,
state.”
Ibn Mas ud said, “None of you should ask about himself but S-Xbreeresgtvehimple-- He takes hrs ease tn
only about Quran: he who loves the Quran loves God; he who
k^rnHewho loves Me takes his ease in nothing.
does not love the Quran does not love God.”
to another story, a worshipper long practised
’' According S
Sahl said, “One mark of love of God is love of the Qur an. A
mark of both love of God and love of the Quran is love of the devotions to God in a thicket. He saw a bird nesting in a tree
Prophet. A mark of love of the Prophet is love of sunna.A A mark where it had taken refuge and was chirping. He said, “If I moved
of love of the sunna is love of the Hereafter. A mark of love of the my place of prayer tothat tree I could enjoy the bird’s song.” No
Hereafter is hatred of this world. A mark of hatred of this world is sooner said than done. God sent a revelationto the prophet of that
that one take from it nothing more than a provision, just enough
age, saying, Tell worshipper so-and-so, who is getting on such
for the world-to-come.”27
wk a creature, ‘I will lower you by a degree which
Another sign of love is to be on intimate terms with seclusion
and with one s inner supplication of God, as well as with recita­
' never attain again, however you may strive
tion of His book. Such a person rises often in the night and avails
himself of the night-time quiet, when time is pure and clear of ’"“•completeesrr P dcllght in solitude with Him
impediments. For the least stage of love brings delight in seclu
sion with the Beloved and the gladness of conversing with Him in
privacy. But how can somebody who finds sleep or idle chat mo ^beconieengCr0IS^at b°th the inteUectan7 °f the
peasant than conversation with God be sound in his love. As M ddresses oneSheln raptUre of secret d ^ Understand~
“WkC0In^n^ d°wn a mountain, Ibrahim ibn Adham was as
• erCiare y°U coming from?” He answered, “From close c
P Monship (whs) with God.”28
“Do w °f °aVid (peaCC bC UP°n him\ There^e
become intimate with any of My creatures! The*

* TheWiaisthe
example of the Prophet. ..........

114
^■hapter -p,
h,r'«"below

*15
 Chapter Eleven
a about what portion
love. longing, intimacy and contentmENt
a they are unroncern iete What He
become his chief delight; they ward off all his cares. Inti
love submerge his heart so that he cannot grasp wor|dl c
unless they are repeated time and again in his hearing,
distracted lover. With hrs tongue he talks to people but his in„'1
* Lach his beloved straightaway, to engage in
self is absorbed in mention of his beloved. m°st
A lover is someone who is never tranquil except in the
ence of his beloved. Qatada said—with reference to God’s word’
"Lrjrd- f°7hich 7
"X Vo" ® me off from Your blessing and distanced me
Z, Your presence and engrossed my attention solely on myself
Who have believed and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance ofGod
Verily in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest!30-—“[His WQrj, and on chising after Satan?” This brings him purified remem­
impel them with gladness to Him and with Him they are at ease" brance and a tenderness of heart by which he atones for his earlier
Abu Bakr al-Siddiq said, “Whoever has tasted the pristine indifference. In this way, his very offence becomes an occasion for
love of God will be absorbed by it from any worldly pursuit- it
renewing his remembrance and purifying his heart. As long as the
estranges him from all mankind.”
Mutarrif ibn Abi Bakr said, “The lover does not grow weary
b™.ly ike Beloved, sees nothing but as proceeding from
H»,le neither grieves nor doubts but accents all rki„ ® ■ 1.
of the beloved’s conversation.”
God revealed to David (peace be upon him), “He who claims scxaaxS'-..
to love Me is a liar if when night descends upon him, he sleepsand .............. i'“"’
is oblivious of Me. Does not every lover love to meet his beloved?
And here I am, present for everyone who seeks Me. ”
it onerous- to allo • in °t>edience to Cod
Moses (peace be upon him) said, “O Lord, where are You that
'^'-onhdep Wrburde^onreness to ffd
I may make my way towards You?” God answered, If you are years I, burdens°me. As some aWaV and
making your way you have already arrived.” ,tf0r^'vX ” Fed tbrough the n J' remar^d, “For
Yahya ibn Mu‘adh said, “Whoever loves God hates himself. ^ghgzea], j JUnayd stated “n • bur then I eni
He also said, ‘Whoever does not have three qualities is no lover
he prefers God’s word over that of creatures; the meeting
r«e„. of love' Lrd
'^cfleve - a"Wh«said -I hat e!tl»Usts the k 7h°W
God over meeting with creatures; and service to God os er ser , cu„ t Scllolsc said ’..fassitu<ie does „ ’°d>' but
to creatures.” obedieWb° 'oves o';"'"
Yet another sign of love is not to grieve over anything
one has missed except with regard to God and that one s son TU and «UeUCrfcl of exped? Hin> even if "Ot
intensify over the loss of every single hour empty o m ^K^O'^MartS-”” Were
God as well as of obedience to Him. After forgetful1
u return to Him again and again by imploring His _
itantf-
see ing rebuke from Him and by turning to Him mreP yjim
" God Wo"8 the teX- *

peace with Him, for grief over what has

” T of all L^ngs

116
 LOVE, longing, intimacy and contentment
/ Chapter Eleven
l0Ve overwhelms, it irresistibly conquers all that is not itSelf
/ 1 dans of fove. When these signs are com-
whose Beloved is dearer to him than indolence casts off / r to love is perfect and pure. In the
to serve Him; he whose Beloved is dearer to him than wealth fOr'
^‘"yZewillbeunmixedtutdhisdnnksweet. Butwho-
sakes wealth for His love.
/ -les his love of God with love for other things will find
Someone said to a lover, who had already expended himself / ''Sy the hereaf[er in ProPortion to his love’ for hls ^rink
and his property until he had nothing left, “What is the reason / nil be mixed with a portion of the drink of those drawn nigh to
for this state of love in which you find yourself?” He answered,
/ God, as He says, with regard to the righteous, The righteous will be
“One day I heard a lover alone with his beloved who said, ‘I lov’
/ indelight.’sHe also says, They aregiven to drink ofa pure wine, sealed,
you with all my heart but you turn your face wholly away from
me.’ The beloved said to him, ‘If you do love me, what will you / i/Aw.w/ if musk—for this let all those strive who strivefor bliss__ and
spend for me?’ He answered, ‘O you who master me, I make yours M the waters of Tasnim, a spring whence those brought near tn
what is mine and my spirit I shall spend until it perishes!’ Then I «M.-71e^oftierigAteous (abrir) is deltcou because
said, ‘This is from creature to creature and slave to slave. But how
ought it to be from worshippers to One who is adored?’ All of this
comes from that reason.”34

Another sign is to be compassionate and merciful to all the

servants of God while remaining harsh to all His enemies and
indeed, to everyone who does anything which He hates. This is I ^htithas been raised
^‘2 TThe
°f the B°°k is ind" br°U£ht
i
in accord with God’s word: hard against the disbelievers and merciful T “ * "glieous "P t0 Whm <hose „ ‘ ’gted by the
among themselves.35 He does not fear any reproach, ’ nor does an)
thing turn him aside from anger on God s behalf. God descri •ilnUgc bv ,l e;r'fenced i,,„ r to God can s»
"«™ess t0 d Kase in their co„ .
His friends thus since He says, “Those who are bent on ° s Estate ’ isecloser„^ °ndlGon
Me the way a boy hankers after something and who take re g are °'dy aj e VVOrld to come0 v b>'
in remembrance of Me like the eagle
■e to
"' its nest, who are wrathful
like the leopard who when vexed doesn— ’tt care whether people are .>e,0 tl 4 '•«W ‘ heS“" Utefirst ‘ d resurrection
many or few.”37 e_
Ponder these examples. When a boy has set his heart o ™ose„Ur 'deputer„ ' tJ«r is ,t
thing, he will not let go of it; if it is taken from ^en
ac‘ 4X « ^e uXhe ^vvard
nothing but weep and scream until it is given back to
he goes to sleep he takes it with him inside his clot es. $
wakes he returns to it and holds it tight. Whenever e ^^oever
with it, he cries; whenever he finds it again, he laug1S As
g ts him over it, he hates; whoever gives it to him, a *■ XNen P J°r,n<aan ,x
°r the leopard, he cannot restrain himself in his fory sejf.
Point that in the very vehemence of his wrath, he destro)
M H 8C ,ni « eip

U8 ” ” % ter' 'Ae Pre«ed

arg
II9 Q.
 .5tastheP^P;
LOVE, longing, INTIMACY and CONTFn nels aweJuSt feel fear at
NtMEnt „f gran^’j ‘X among loVC their fe»rS
weight ofgood will see it and he who performed an atom’s w ■
see it.45 And God does not change the condition ofapeopie of^lwin
what is in themselves.46 Furthermore: God does not wron^S
much as even a dust-speck’s weight of wrong; and if there is $ ty®
mill double it.47 Though it be of the weight of a grain ofm^^
bring it. And We sufficefor reckoners.4* ' arclseed, ' Haprerrf Had* “ ® ^God’s word, Afar
If. E’“ *
He whose love in this world lies in his hope for the k|- JnwdiyT whiw when he heM Ti,amil<l has
heaven, for black-eyed virgins and palaces, takes firm hold °f
Agreat only
adise so that he may settle down there where he wishes The dread and f« ‘ fjone who
with children and enjoying women. This is what his plea^ur^ ^removed afar! *
H j to clOseness, someoi
the hereafter comes down to. Each man is granted of loveonl- ‘ ,ht bean of »»»“ —Kason any talk Of banishment,
that which his soul desires and his eye enjoys. But he whose object hli med and enjoyed i. dls[aIKCd, whitens the hair
is the master of the house and the king of the realm and whois
...... ->.....
dominated solely by his love in sincerity and truth, he is given to
distance does not pine after nearness. He for whom the carpet O
dwell firmly established in thefavour of a mighty king.49 The righteous
closeness has not been spread does not weep from fear of distance.
revel in the gardens and take pleasure in paradise with the dark­
The next fear is that of a standstill and of the deprivation of
eyed virgins and with slaves, whereas those drawn nigh to God
cleave to His presence and hold their gazes fixed upon it, for the)' increase. Earlier we explained that the degrees of nearness are infi­
reckon the joys of paradise little more than dust in comparison. nite. A human being is obliged to strive at each moment to grow
There are those who50 are engrossed in fulfilling their passions tor in nearness to God. This is why the Messenger of God (may God
food and sex, but there are altogether other people dedicated to less him and grant him peace) said, “When two days are alike for
"'Hen bis today is J £
keeping company with God.51 This is why the Messenger of G &
(may God bless him and grant him peace) said, Most dve
W Xed”C” He -d <-ay
paradise are simple, but Tlliyun belongs to those with uners& fed. wligX , X Eact mo™''g and each
*ng- 5' Human minds cannot grasp the meaning of , . ^'timeG’iSm } hew until I asked r j’ ? h
so G°d intensifies its import, saying, What will com Q Ji, this Was “distance”' forg1Ven«s for the fi ° ' f°rgiVeness
IWiyiin is/53 Just as He says, The calamity! What is die ia »«]. “ cornparison to the secoL^' '"P °nlX for
What wdl convey to you what the calamity isf4 , one' ^
*
-ad depriv. SeC°ndSteP(—ness
Still another sign of love is to be tearful in lo' e an
quite small under the force of dread and awe. Fear i
ents for lassitude
c ought to be contrary to love. This is not so. JuSt c r'hanth ebel.
lanthe Moved, o
W7
* c'“"1ite W.“h fjol“'«D*
*ake'w>tu * “H*s<”i’
e and love of*»■»God,<*-Tho««»>
'°""far 1|

Pr°phet wi
120 X2I O$e fOr
1
 X.

Ch^erEle,'en Heedlessness’ ot
LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENT T. listless- He 11of these

It is related that God says, “The least that I do to a Scll

“Jforsetful"e^ver such ange^ tr°°P
he prefers worldly appetites to obedience to Me is to d °
of the pleasure of intimate conversation with Me „J articul^ disc° fates love’s agi'
rX
m
* brance 3, ts and then necessitat wis-
increase because of indulgence of appetites is punishme T’ °f
common folk; but as to the elite, what obstructs increas^f the ’Xs=mtra“s of from HiS
is their making inflated claims for themselves and their satisf God’S very °wn ’‘7^ folgetfulness-those
with the first inklings of divine grace. This is God’s secret^0"
self-sufficiency. These,
which those alone who are supremely sure-footed can side
The next fear is that of losing that which, once lost can^ —*
be recovered. As he was travelling in the mountains, Ibrahimib"
Adham heard someone say:

All you have done is forgiven

Except for turning from Us. another And that is abomination. Forgetfulness is the precursor
We restored to you what you lost by neglect; of this station justas turning-away and veiling are precursors of
Restore to Us then what has been lost to Us.60 forgetfulness. When the breast wearies of righteousness,61 feels

He was shaken and fell down senseless. For a day and a night constricted by continual litany and grows bored with the toil of
he remained that way while mystic states came upon him. Then he voluntary prayers, then these become the causes of such matters
exclaimed, “From the mountain I heard a summons: ‘O Ibrahim! as forgetfulness.

Be a slave!’ So I became a slave and I found peace.’

Fear of forgetting God comes next. Longing and urgent pur­ H. while the persistence 7f 17“^ WitE G°d fe™
suit cling to the lover; he takes no rest from seeking increase, he
finds no delight other than in new instances of grace (for if
should let himself become distracted, it would cause him to arri
at a standstill or even to backslide). Yet, forgetfulness inva es^
without his noticing it, in just the same way as love once e
into him without his realising it. These fluctuations has
°Ut°nove^ , °ever wor-thi
SPlntual causes beyond human understanding. When ° without any feq God the Exalted
^se and fittingly tempts someone, He hides what has be
°m h* 111- And so, despite his expectations, he arrives at

............. .........
the8«VeneSt *S because one stage of nearness to God is incom yttlejohnS
t an?6 * - explanation of this haduh, see H-
f°110WS “• F< •
ndevrse•• H ls? J5"’ the term •
ereri* ^’‘Cf. Q
S10? °f K'tib Mukr, Al-Ghazali on P^e
1 ambridge,2on)p.87. ......

I"8lytob,78th'dev.
lnV°Ped as a

l23
 LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENtMen p of what y°u f tenth of a
,,, Take ^.^"leaving Jth of
and pride. Whoever worships Him in fear, without
1. a‘en'* s fear came into
* ’h
severed from Him by distance and estrangement. But G T
.hereof A’1 , Jain. At this, hl tranqUll
whoever worships Him with both love and fear; He bn°n
dHshopeihe-sonceag
near He accords him power, He teaches him.”62 Thus
loves should not be devoid of fear, nor he who fears }ho ^^^rfonofagnostic’s-te:
love. Nevertheless, he whom love so overmasters that he ex °f
within it and has but a slight sense of fear is said to be at th^
of love and may be considered one of [God’s] lovers? An adj
ture of fear calms the intoxication of love. If love were to 7 Ah»’« efe'10 nP“ h'f and enslaved.
^lihSssessesastrange knowledge.
dominate and overwhelm knowledge, human strength could not
stand firm. Fear alone gives balance and lightens love’s impact on Strange of aspect p too subjime
Hisinsights are mighty but he
the heart. for glances other than those of the marty
In the Traditions it is recounted that one of the righteous Festivals occur in their seasons, but for him
(siddiqun) entreated one of the Abdala to ask God to nourish him every day ushers in a thousand festivals.
with a single grain of knowledge of Him. He did this. [As a result,
On days of celebration lovers know joy,
the righteous one] went roaming through the mountains, his
but for him there is no pleasure in festivals.65
reason addled and his mind crazed. For seven days, he remained
staring glassily. He could do nothing worthwhile, nor could Junaydused to recite verses by which he alluded to the inner
anything worthwhile be done through him. The Badal [sing, of states of the gnostics (even though it is impermissible to divulge
Abdal\ prayed to his Lord on the other’s behalf, saying, 0 Lord, this). These are the verses:
take a bit of this grain away from him!’ God revealed to him,
I gave him only one atom of the hundred-thousandth part of a
grain of knowledge. When this man asked me, one hundred tho
sand other servants were asking me simultaneously for a snd 8
“J fields- of God,s onous, the Generous,
: '"^spiritsrowd HTsanctity s shade,
eon of love, but I deferred their request because it was y ou
interceded on his behalf. When I gave you what you asked o,
?"■ their watering k„| ' Wafted Way.
1 gave them too just what I gave to him, apportioning a
*ipatt , eSWr"appedfromMaJ«ty
grain of knowledge among one hundred thousand sen a
s was his proper share in that.” He replied, Glory
t,,er»».« 11 s tk ® S OWn epithets
eve'jCC°r?lng t0 Zabidi- “Everyone who loves God fears
hecXnkWh0 fearS’10VCS: tbat is> with the love of th°Se br°U/1 ii 31'32' f
b TC, C "7 not ^ve tasted the flavour of love,” WIX’ 6}°’ hierard>y °f
Sufi sain, ° f (i’terally “substitutes”), a secret category 111
S’Uphold the order of the world; cf. EF i-94-

124
 Chapter
lOve, longing, intimacy and contentmENt — _ orcth=^^X”
what it is better to withhold I withhold.
The Merciful possesses a secret which He safegUards
in the inmost hearts of his gnostics. Safeguarding

It is impermissible to share with people such mystical k

" , |ftb>«°“ ' forgiveness. for unendurable
edge as is here alluded to; it is equally impermissible for 7°^'
Xfo»ythat its rs
to whom something has been revealed to divulge it to someon0”'
whom it has not been revealed. Quite the opposite, in fact^'f
people were to share in it, the world would go to ruin Wisd
requires that heedlessness exist for the world to thrive. If all De 1
were to eat only permitted food for forty days, the world would s0doseto *
e sun s « of a thought
fall apart because of their austerity; markets, not to mention live­ What do 1 have from Hun ,
lihoods, would be ruined. Even more, if religious scholars were that stokes the blaze of love and longing my
to eat nothing but permitted foods, they would become occupied But he who is incapable of concealing it says.

only with themselves; their tongues and their feet would grind He hides, but a tear discloses his secrets.
to a halt and cease from much that they do to spread knowledge His breathing makes his rapture plain to see.
abroad/ Nevertheless, God has secrets and hidden judgments And he also says:
regarding what is evil in outward appearance, just as He possesses How can he be whose heart is with another?
secrets and instances of wisdom in goodness itself. His wisdom is
How can he hide what shows on his own eyelid?
boundless and so is His might.
A further sign is the concealment of love, including avoidance °« «f.he gnostics said, “Those who refer most to God are
of any amorous declaration and guarding against divulging both th“e who are most distant from Him ” 1
^frequently alludes to Him ' ’ Hl 1 th&t SOmeone
ecstasy and love—this, in order to revere the Beloved, to hon
our His majesty, to demonstrate awe of Him as well as jealousy
^Himself appear to advantaP 7 eVerythlng and who always
for His secret. For the lover, love is the supreme and sacred mys$
tery. But because the lover’s claims may involve what surp
or even exceeds the limits of sense, some fabrication may
0 used to
even though this may increase punishment in the nex **17 °f do" 1 I"!' H^ld. “He

A Another instance of Ghazali’s practical theodicy: his belief

tance of, the world as it is. This world represents the elabors sUCh mun
*
in its supremely specifying activity (takhsis al-irada) j-e ’ . fesUlt fr°n
ane matters as the pursuit of a livelihood or the bustle of n relig’°u
°,S sPecifying volition. There is also, of course, another .I perinlt-
scholarshere; Ghazali slyly takes it as given that they do not e
\mion to b’.adaj who was initially exculpated of hlas-
ted See also TWtcy.zot-zoz.
arayjbecause he was out of control of his utterances

126

I27
 |veismorefl^d

LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTmEnt

Suppose you object that love is the highest station (WJ - ki''h,l'f‘»yofG‘’dJSfor'w«y eexha«
bynd
* stion°^
display it makes known what is good: why then must *
J
?:
«t3ined SOIT "a”
it be disparaged? Know: love is laudable; so is its out
play, what is reprehensible is to parade it like a sham into J”'
saiS iflimbsto the . j myselfto h , related mat
1 c0"S,d I„ a leng^y account At [h
presumptuous claims and self-important swaggering in^ d
^nations of theall that God
The lover’s true duty is to allow his actions and his inner state'
rather than his words, to bring his hidden love to perfection 68 bj’ ^“T^ijarowofange 1^ -We are
actions should make his love evident without any wish on his pan end,heS31f J(asked‘Whoareyou. .binned Him here
to display either his love or any act betokening love. On the con"
trary, the lover’s intent must always be to get to know the beloved
and nobody else. The desire to get to know anyone else is poly­ >cveren[c|ed ... i0 „,y way.
of anything Other than H , Hg went on to
theism in love and deserves rebuke. This is exactly as related in the
Gospel: “When you give alms, give so that your left hand does not “/At that S shame formy deeds and I offered them to those
know what your right hand does, for He who sees hidden things
for whom the Warning (al-waid) was due in order to lighten their
will reward you openly. And when you fast, wash your face and
anoint your head, so that no one other than your Lord may know lot in hell.’”
of it.”69 When one knows himself and knows his Lord and is genuinely
To make a show of love in word or in deed is reprehensible, ashamed of himself, his tongue turns dumb to all ostentation and
except when love so overmasters one that the tongue is loosed inflated claims? He bears witness to his love in his movements
and the limbs are in tumult. Someone in this state should not be “ho his stillness, in his advances and in his withdrawals, as well
censured? ■iX:S°fJun“Ld U “ rel“d said, “Our
It is recounted that a man saw a lover70 doing something for
X W “““ neither f‘"d - remedy for his
which he deemed him witless. When he reported that to Ma ru
al-Karkhi, the latter smiled and said, “O my brother, God has lo WC WrC '°ld °f a elever
ers who are little and lovers who are big, lovers who are reas
able and lovers who are crazy. The man you have seen is oi
the crazies.”71 asstunned Ifai ■ man m love.’” AnJ t , Said> 1 see
’Wenthck to s lnt°3 faint and the vial d JUnayd Wer>t on • “I
Making a show of love is to be eschewed. If the lover is g ’Mi -old him 'u f dr°PPed from my hand
tk one who knows the angels’ states in their lasting ,^oUt
persistent longing in which they give glory night and ay
'dug and who obey God in whatever He coirunan s ys
.....
y out what they have been ordered to do ——he wi realm
n se f and any show of his love. He knows that in
Xfh hazm > "I °f love iK
4 Anoth in r„n on
ler Pr°bable allusion to Hallaj.
thtl0-f'veX;fhth-|rara:J
6 h,ms'lfifhe is

Uy
 c^E,even ,ld sp«k w>1
L0VE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT W»e«rSahlW!”*sPoineOn,'’ objected t
■5” <tahl whts
Sari said once, “If I wanted to, I could tell what has d . earth- 1 is ‘dear on this? S3h. either
'owl>ytloyOU alternatives^'"";
skin out over my bones. Love alone has eaten away m 7
* d,eaI'r “Th«e are two alte God,
At that he fainted dead away. His fainting made plain " If hen a believer he-r
expressed himself on the onset of rapture and at the very 0'^

of his swoon.
^S^'^S°SedSOn,'VerSeSOnthe 8
These then are the four signs and fruits of love. Intimacy and
contentment are also among them, as will be shown.
In short, all the merits of religion as well as the virtues of human
a for the lever has signs
character are the fruits of love. Love does not occasion mere adher­
ence to appetite (which belongs among the character defects). Of
course, a person may love God because of His goodness to him. He
may love Him because of His majesty and beauty, even when He
has not been kind to him. Lovers belong to these two classes alone.
For this reason, Junayd said, “In love of God people are either ordi­
nary or elite. The ordinary acquire love through knowing God’s One sign is that he is manifestly resolved
ceaseless benevolence and the profusion of His bounties and do not
to obey his lover though a scolder harass him.
refrain from striving to please Him; however, their love decreases
or increases in proportion to His beneficence and favour. By con­
Another sign is that he is seen all in smiles
trast, the elite attain love through the greatness of God s decree, though his heart is troubled for his beloved’s sake.
through His power and knowledge and wisdom, and through His A further sign is that he is always seen toiling to know
uniqueness in sovereignty. Since they know His perfect attributes the discourse of one who has found grace with him.
and His most beautiful names they are unrestrained in loving Him- « is a sign that you observe him living
In their view He deserves love because He is worthy of it, even i ‘■»««>.»deireumsptttina|lthatlqesg
He were to take away all favours from them.’
Of course, there are people who are in love with their
ibn Mu'adh said:
passion and with Iblis, God’s enemy. Nevertheless, the)
deceived about themselves because of their own ignoran
delusion. They think that they love God—but in them the sig^ dness is a si&« • , otthe stream
°f Gods love are nowhere to be found—or they garb t e
in these signs out of hypocrisy and dissimulation or for
Witnes! tanjouL”" CeMUre him-
0 reputation. Their goal is a fleeting portion of this wo ,
ough they exhibit the very opposite of this; such a
dlvines” and wicked Qur’an_readers.A These are the people

M '>tthtrajlanfor“OFrj
Y W|, ’Knur riendl”(A ,
et anotLher scornful swipe at the culama’l ’H. J^habib\
Scolder ”

130 ■ azm Tv

131
 LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND
COnTE\TjVi
His renunciation of all that he sees ' *
in a lowly abode or in transient bliss' &
If you see him in tears, that too is a si
that he has caught himself in some eviH. l
It is a sign that you see him surrender d°ne- twelve
all things to the just king. chapter
His visible satisfaction is also a sign f the Meaning
in everyjudgment that comes down f An Exposition o
His laughter in the midst of people fo^"1
^hisWibegHeving^XX. of Intimacy with God

S WE HAVE already mentioned, intimacy, fear and long-

A ing are among the effects of love. These effects are various.
They vary for a lover in accord with his viewpoint and the
degree to which he is overcome by love at a particular moment.
When the thirst to know what lies behind the veil of the unseen,
even unto the utmost beauty, grips him and he perceives his own
inability to know the inmost essence of that beauty, his mind

« Th,S State °f "on. which

'Uw»e!srfbeingnearcJ“™’’s termed longing”. When
P'WeWon.heactualcontentnf thedivine
n yV‘On(dth°“8hhisga2e

, ifX a ,,on is ‘WintoP’e» s in what

M-oX needles^ h ^tribute, of . ,

“ddista ?"g with the r f "“^ht,
,d>X "!thi! percent Ce ifro™ Godi? . "'"’’"tant
dX, agont?'he” heart

-d therXd “fe«”

*8^. n‘nc'i0»imPln ,r's hidden

132

e SnOstic
 Chapler'I'U' fotattheir
beawicked-
"' et-
LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND
a„d saw fr° taste
1 aperson swee'
taSte the sweet-
ContentMent pie’s ‘When his‘ love
love becomes
, ‘^?iher.,When
who, when asked whether he yearned, answer d •dhimfurther, ‘When
occurs only for someone who is absent. But since’ h^°’ ,,nuestionedhim‘u sor-
-r^h sor-
is present, for whom should I yearn?” This is the^ ^Setlt Otle ness' rdosecon mrere.’And q , ‘When it merg i
one immersed in the joy of what he already possess^
* °f SOtne'
regard for what further graces may remain in the teX^f101"
ity.A The man overcome by intimacy desires nothing but How wondrous-strange
and seclusion. In this vein, it is related that Ibrahim ibn Adh° A8““"CtS>ny substitute for ou' You and in anyon
coming down from a mountain when he was asked “Whe”1^ ^,Mfi'aS£ f—y are.
you coming from?” He replied, “From the tender clasp of God^
Intimacy with God forces upon the gnostic an estrange­ *X you f ’sk XXXof the breast provoked
ment from all that is not God. In fact, anything that constitutes tootansspedfic stgn ts a co of dissatisfactlon
an impediment to seclusion turns into a terrible heaviness on the
by associating wit ot J on for the sweetness of litany.
heart. It is said that Moses (peace be upon him), after his Lord
had spoken to him, remained for a long time incapable of lis­ «th people, he is like a solitary tn society, a
tening to anyone else’s words without being gripped by nausea. social being in seclusion, a stranger in a settled place, a sedentary
Love transforms the speech of the beloved to a compelling sweet­ di one present in absence and absent in presence, mixed
ness—sweetness in recollecting him—and this drives the sweet­ inbody, isolated in mind, immersed in the sweetness of remem­
ness of anything else out of the heart. For this reason, a sage at brance of God.B
prayer declared, “O Thou Who hast brought me close to Thee in
This is as All (may God ennoble his visage) said in describ-
thought and estranged me from Thy creatures! And God said to
•tachfclk, -They are people whose knowledge causes them
David (peace be upon him), “Be thou to Me a tender intimate
be alien from all else but Me.” When asked how she ha at umatter- They tOUch the Tirit
her spiritual rank, Rabfa replied, “By forsaking w„at with X th°XX dpampered‘flnd rougk They
concern me and by cleaving fast to what never ceases. < orjte their bodies X” ‘““S'’ They befri“d
"Abd al-Wahid ibn Zayd remarked, I passed y a ‘0 These are Xs'd Unked to the
and asked, ‘O anchorite, do you like solitude? He soptude, ^“H-tteligioo'^^^PUtteson His earth and
you, whoever you are, if you had tasted the sweetr Solitude
you would turn to it and seek to estrange your earn anChorite’
is the beginning of worship.’ I pursued the subje ’ And
XXX'lb„Vla";C Suf‘ trait' tf. rh
what is the least thing you have discovered in y oU
tions of intimacy a<; ' Hamid s younger brother, seems to reject such «■ S"3”’ ’ ^r„esmert°f
ltsjrue nature
Ahmad is bur
al-Gh -i- tO C^e true nature of love, for he writes, f°ve
Gf. his Savatiih a^iction> ar>d intimacy and ease are something 3 ,e
" ,h'it ’i'tvs 7amo“8 *
eit co ° Stran8ers’

7 (tr. Pourjavady, 36).

’*

134
135
 y0idleswaggererenjoys closefriendship with God.

love, longing, intimacy and contentment yotrickstergainsitbysharp-sightedness,

god’sconfidants are men all ofwhom are noble,
This is the meaning of intimacy with God. These are it •
These are its proof-texts. S S1§ns- ofthem elected, all toilersfor God.3
Certain theologians tend to reject intimacy, longing, COnte
ment, and love, espousing the view that these betoken anth^'
pomorphism? They are ignorant of the fact that the beauty^f
inner perceptions is more perfect than that grasped by the eyes of
sense; they are unaware that the pleasure of knowing these inner
perceptions holds sway in those endowed with hearts. One of
these was Ahmad ibn Ghalib, known as Ghulam al-Khalil, who
rebuked Junayd, Abu al-Husayn al-Nuri and their colleagues for
speaking of love, longing and passion; to such an extent did he do
this that some of them even rejected the stage of contentment on
the ground that endurance (sabr) alone exists while contentment
is inconceivable.13 This, however, is the doctrine of a flawed and
limited person who knows nothing but mere husks of the stages
of contentment and so fancies that nothing but husks exists. But
in fact, sense perception and all that enters into the imagination
with regard to religion is mere husk. Beyond this, however, lies
the long-sought pith. He who stops at the shell of the walnut fan­
cies that the nut is all wood and of necessity thinks it impossible
that oil might be extracted from it.c This is pardonable and yet,
his excuse is unacceptable. It is said:

Quranic
A verses
j in wh "^1 j S tashbt/l' or “likening”, i.e., interpreting the
“hand” in Q In ? o u- «° ^escr*bed with physical attributes (e.g., Gods
ciated especially l 'S ^Ce 3n Q'Lv-2(i) in a literal sense—a doctrine asso-
2o7-io, and van F K-r/UC SCCtS 3S Karramiya; cf. Wensinck, Muslim Creed,

8 this conflic
C This is an ech ’ lntr°duction Theol°Sy> 51-
°fMuslim to the present translation (p. xvi)-
>n which Ghazali L C e ^amous Passage in Book xxxv of the Z/i/u'(iv.262)
his cherished fou f ^°d S un’ty by the analogy of a nut (again using
less God’s onene • ,aP>I'>roacl1)' those who are content with the shell pro
the inner husk areS ton8ues’ but not their hearts; those who reac
attained illuminat/0"^111101131 believers J those who approach the kernel have
unity when thev r j Ut t’lose wh° pierce to the innermost oil see ony
‘Religionswissensch8 f’”eXiStenCe‘” °n this’ see also H' Landolt’ “Ghaz5h'an
•n Recherches en spiritualite iranienne (Tehran, 2005), 7

136
 *****

that 1 “* -

*
“S« ins °” Xm ProStra*

^
* *
Themin« OTre‘i’ M>." a |ong time. Go out
oUt
4’ta. bee. searching for 1°^ in h.s
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
An Exposition of the Meaning of the
Uninhibitedness and Forwardness which you can mildness? Whatever are You thinking
on springs of water? Or have the winds resisted obey g
Overmastering Intimacy Produces Are Your supplies exhausted? Or has Your wrath against sinners
grown so fierce? Were You not already a pardoner before sinners
NOW THAT WHEN intimacy persists and dominates were even created? You created compassion and commanded

K
and becomes firmly established, and when neither the
.stirrings o£ longing confuse it nor the fear of change and
kindness. Will You show us that You are hindered or that You
hindrance trouble it, then it engenders a kind of freedom from are afraid of some evasion that You hurry so to punish’”A Burkh
inhibition in one’s words, deeds and secret communications with
wtST' Urael"" wt drenche<i with
God? In its outward form, there may be something reprehensible
‘",8 Then Burkh returned fenXrd”'!" “P ‘° ,lle
in this as a certain audacity and a lessening of dread reside therein.
Even so, for those elevated to this stage of intimacy, this may be S^Burkhsaid’‘‘What do you think? and M°SeS met UP
permissible. But one who has not been lifted to this stage and yet but He treated me fairly!” Moses Contended with Mv
who in his actions imitates those who have, verges on unbelief
and perishes.
al A^n e,Xani^e lhis may he found in the prayers of Burkh kn0/^^ . 8l,tl,r«timesa
r God commanded His confidant Moses to ask him to
sevenX c^dren °f Israel after they had suffered a
*" he aid, "[
70,ooo person^ But cT WCnt °Ut •“govern,, f‘'h11 w» no, (, V">’ midst of' i " Basta
their ptayet w> ‘ G°d revealed to him, “How shall I answer
a he? 11 ,h« -'? ?Ab0 MOsj 'here
hearts are wicked 1 ? 316 uPon them and their inmost
and feel secure • 60 Cad out to Me without any certainty
My Go „ My semnt BQrkh

so denotes
0'.ta^\T ,"’eS5'0'h'’,c'ovtde-fS":’1Clbo'‘J'y lnd without rescrve' and
from the U n'°n of (ooU “c °rWardness" (.‘dlaF) signifies boldness also
of «otic 1^ Both terms are drawn
I
 r C* xPlic^ey
eAo^forthe
.tyou
. a° C ;es.5 A of

i0NG1NG. intimacy and contentment

W g mere hat of < tion
I>eth these ules * al ele
. .J liearJ the Messenger of God (may God bless
Abu Musa sai • commUnity there are people
^V^Sed hePads and filthy clothes for whom God, if they
^fofA^’by c°hi"s
'T ’^l Him would fulfil their vows.’””3 And he went on, “A
ldjUh oke out in Basra. Abu ‘Ubayda al-Khawwas came and

strode through the fire. The governor of Basra said to him, I see
that vou are not burned by the fire! And he rephed, I adjured
tnV Lord not to burn me with the fire.’ The governor countered,
'Then order the fire to go out.’ So he commanded the fire and it
S>Ilgh; a His Prophet G° and going <°
went out.” * Gol,ttakeiH.sP.°Pone^slupper differed
Abu Hafs went walking on a certain day and a crazed vil­
t)fa rammg worship V ’ „mes to
lager4 came up to him. Abu Hafs said to him, “What’s happened
' Goi said, But os fir , And
to you?” The man answered, “My donkey has strayed and I have in their manner of worsfep. from him are you distract •
no other.” Abu Hafs stopped and said, “By Your might! I will not r,i,|1-sif»T»«"'1 “ f{im * thinks himself mdepend-
budge a single step until You return his donkey to him!” At once
the donkey appeared and Abu Hafs continued on his way. oiaeted him to sit with a
Such happenings are commonplace among those granted Tf^hen those who believe in Our revelations
intimacy with God. Others should not mimic them. Junayd said, certain group and sard And w commanded him to
Those admitted to God’s intimacy in their affection and prayer come to you, say ‘Peace be upon you.
and seclusion say things which would be unbelief in the mouths turn away from others, for He said, And when you see those who tam-
common folk. Another time he said, “If ordinary people were per with Our revelations, turn away from them, and He went on, Do
ese things, they would accuse them of unbelief; and yet,
not sit with the assembly of wrong-doers after the remembrance.9 Again He
mates °kren^ancement °f their states therein.” From inti-
alludes to this wh S h ^°Wab^e and “deed, quite proper. A poet says, Restrain yourself together with those who cry out to their Lord both at
morning and at evening.10

^ve^s^ride1’1 L°rd pervades

Uast « sight of StatUrC °f 1115 1OTd~ S1llng, of Moses (peace be s..,- k- \ nOt rotn others. A
How lovely t0 see a, °Ver everYthing else. addreSSeS th0 °«e-
* 1
«"Xftast“exte a «^mYofShli'Which
2 Servant for ^Pr?bable that God may be pleased
forth^^^^ ^theO01’-'1 T8** in anotller> so l°n8
are dirSeWbod'scernandcQUr dntbere are directives in this sense
All .he .ales of .he Qur'an ••A?
mabic Y- We pk “W Ch“''Sed "e
both insight and eyesight,

Ui

23
 *
"
i-kirt . was t°'e ,
CW,tf aid t° Ws f'rs
h'sbr°
* etS Jbf °u'
hat J°se^ 1 “1 ^aVe God
be
LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT “fci * b,*
'se t^y.^esoine of

with a crime'3 as well as I am afraid that they will deny me and I wiH
be constricted and tongue-tied,'3 along with Moses’ further statement
We fear that he may gravely harm us or that he may play the tyrant."
Anything even similar to this, from anyone but Moses, would be
bad conduct, but he who has been uplifted to the stage of inti­
macy is treated with gracious indulgence. *,.,0,f0“t‘'°”Ce' . eve„ the single »<*£
Jonah (peace be upon him), however, though what he did
was less, was not so indulged. He was lifted to the stage of con­
striction and awe but then punished by imprisonment in the **”on*h”°been fro1” * f *
e gre»«st of St°
belly of the whale in a triple darkness.3'6 Indeed, until the Day of ?X>bn®S‘aiS'’ °"e nd V«, WhO'”
Resurrection it is cried out over Jonah: Had it not been that favour
from his Lord reached him he would surely have been cast into a bare place
while he was still blameworthy.'7 On this al-Hasan [al-Basrl] com­
mented that “the bare place” is resurrection. Our Prophet was solute; he sinned through hisl®^eacehe uponhtm), O
forbidden from imitating Jonah; instead, it was said to him, Be It is related that God sard to Solomc>
patientfor the judgment of your Lord and do not be like him of thefish who
Chief of Worshippers’. ° Son ° y treat
called out when he was confined.'3
taw long will your nephew Asaf sin ag . ~
Some of these differences are due to differences in states .nkXssLe and time again? By My Glory and Majesty, if
(ahwal) and stations (maqamat); others are due to God’s prior and
eternally decreed allotment of preference and distinction among 1 take back a single tokenof My loving-kindness towards him, 1
people. God says, We preferred some of the prophets to others.'9 And as an example to those now liv­
stall certainly leave him behind
also. Among them are some with whom God spoke and others He exalted ing and as a warning to those who will come after him.” When
'n degrees. Jesus was one of God’s preferred ones. It was because M came to Solomon he told him what God had confided to
s very boldness that he wished himself peace and said, Peace W Asaf went out and climbed upon a sand-dune He raked k ■
<pon me the day I was born and the day on which I die and the day on h.d »d both hi, hands towards heaven and said “o“ /
ta" I Will be raised alive." This was uninhibitedness on his part; ^■"VUtd.VnnateVouandiaml.H^ ° mV God
intim °n Sraci°usness he had witnessed in the stage of nm “ "x « How can I resist, ' rePent >f You
of awe Y a S, °r J°hn>son of Zachariah, he was raised to the level
savins P S l™'
yinS’ Pea“ be upon him!"
not sPeak until his Creator praised him c-'cr
1
e’ sr'y 1 “r“ion ’replied
0 Arf'. You „
f vou doto
'J tePemance. I am the
a 41 Con
™i'^X1 ^v e alread t
l,We ^y’turL " Y°U and I am
)t
^course of a man wL £,r'For^ and ^ards you
exPansion" (Gst); cf3 Su^ technical term, the antithesis of „ a man who is k U and Merc if 1 » t0War<h
Z-abich explains thiTt T’ Mu^‘m Mysticism, 118-119.
and tlle night- Ithaft Ix/J4 "p e darkn«s as that of the whale’s belly, the ocean, H "°u8>> hX' sw‘,he
‘lkeB*‘W«aa
I.

ln
 LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY ANn nr. , m or ‘’’"’'“‘'’He coBie f°rj His further
ND C0N1wMENT
In Tradition it is related that to a man whom H h filaUy. nOtX«
after he had been on the very brink of destruction c?'
the following words, “With how many sins have r ^°d revea'ed
Me and yet, I have forgiven you. I have destrove before
for less!”28 ' Vhole Peoples
Indeed, this is God’s custom towards His servants
and advance and hold them back in accord with what His^
dial will has foreordained. In the Qur an, these tales occu^'”101
“Study theQuran anJ the last is contained
through them you may know God’s custom toward Hn servam
who lived in former ages. In the Qur’an, there is nothing other •
* 1: of ^nTknows this Who has pored
than right guidance, light and providential disclosure from God *, is 1S he saU.but h'a!°” ,nd has purified his under-
to His creatures. At times, He makes Himself known to them A......-•?
*
through affirmation of His sanctity, as He says: Say, He is God
the One, God the Eternal, He neither begets nor is begotten, and there is SHDding until veo omnipotent King, and that 1
no one comparable to Him.29At other times, He discloses Himself speech of a mighv) P > Qur ’an
icendshuman capacity. Most of the Qur an’ss secrets
sec lie hid—
through attributes of majesty, as when He says: The sovereign Lord, WesWreports. Therefore, be avid to extract them so
the Holy One, Peace, Keeper of the Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the
tluisuclimarvelsmay be disclosed to you that you will despise all
Yet again, at other times, He makes himself
Compeller, the Superb.10
known to them through His actions that inspire fear and hope; He gaudy sciences outside its purview.
recites to them His custom regarding His foes and His prophets, This, then, is what we intended to say on the significance of
for He says: Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with Ad, with Irani mhmacy and freedom from constraint, as well as to explain the
the many-pillared?1' And also: Have you not seen how your Lord deat disparity among people on this score.
Beyond these three, the Qur an^
with the people of the Elephant?12
not go, namely: guidance to knowledge of God s nature an
ness; knowledge of His attributes and names; and know g
His actions and His custom with regard to His servants.
Surat al-IkhlaA contains one of these three types, t^
mation of holiness. The Messenger of God (may °
and grant him peace) likened this chapter to a thir o of
saying, “Whoever reads the Surat al-Ikhlas has rea qoCJ
the Qur’an.”8 This is because supreme sanctity rest fronl
being One according to three matters, and that w

A That is, Sura 112. . of the Tra^'

* 0”'
B There are only four verses in this siira, hence the tor

144
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

An Exposition of the
[prologue]
Merit ofContentment
The Meaning of Contentment with
God’s Decree: Its True Nature and
What Tradition Reports of Its Merit ^OBEGIN WITH
ONTENTMENT IS ONE of the fruits of paradise
contentment His “ ThlS 1S, ,'he J™
* ,d
and one of the supreme stages of those brought near to
God. To the multitude its true nature remains obscure. iriesecant’s contentment with God. God states, blessed dwell
Whatever ambiguity and misleading supposition may enter into it qmGtrimsofEfa, though God’s contentment is afar greater thing.4
remain unclear except to him whom God has instructed in mysti­
Cd exalts contentment above the Gardens of Eden just as He
cal explication and granted religious comprehension. To be sure,
there are some who deny the notion that contentment can exist stated remembrance of Him above ritual prayer, as He says
in opposition to the passions. They argue that contentment with *
*7 ’ Um and iniquity and yel> m„mbrance r
everything because it is the creation of God means that one must reraen,bercd in WorshiP « greater
be content with unbelief and sin. People are misled by this; they
see contentment with immorality and iniquity and they abandon P^tise thC L°rd °f Paradise
resistance and rejection of them [sins] on the pretext of surren **fa»tsofparadise '? C7 “ is ‘he goal sought
dering to God’s decree. If these mysteries [of contentment] a
been divulged to those who limit themselves to hearkening to me
outward aspects of Revelation, the Messenger of God (may
Tl,. • y to Me.” wd
bless him and grant him peace) would not have praye or
Abbas, as when he said, “O God, give him discernment in r g
and teach him mystical interpretation (tfl mi/)! ’W *’ dose 10 somT parEakes of an T?™ later;
of contentment,
Let us begin then by explaining the merit
the states of the
After that we shall move on to anecdotes about
of contentment
contented. We shall then discuss the true nature>p^°”'Fin5 ’7'’ nat“re can Con'
and how to conceive of it as something counter tc
we shall mention what is deemed to be perfected cont qUies-
yet is nothing of the sort, such as abandoning Pra)
cence in the face of sin.

146 . '’Cas
DHss nf V,Si0 On tkhatthat
itis
j T Sas‘f‘hey
 ptek fo<Jp-teeN

[prologue]
cSA -onofthe
The Meaning of Contents ., ^^Contenttnent
God s Decree: Its True Natur Mer« of cot
What Traditton Reports of SJit .. Cod says, God is con-
BEGIN wlTH^UraTnim2 He says further, Is the
CONTENTMENT IS ONE cT r • rT’„„ * ‘h^'blll j„ess?> The aim of good-
GoVtoI T7' S“8eS °f
E multitude ks true nature remains obs.
1 God's contentment J servant.
God
This is the reward
JweH.
Whatever ambiguity and misleading supposition may enter into it
remain unclear except to him whom God has instructed in mysti­
cal explication and granted religious comprehension. To be sure, iodts contentment above the Gardens of Eden just as He
there are some who deny the notion that contentment can exist huelevatedremembrance of Him above ritual prayer, as He says,
in opposition to the passions. They argue that contentment with Preferpreservesfrom lewdness and iniquity and yet, remembrance of God
everything because it is the creation of God means that one must ^renter?Just as seeing the one remembered in worship is greater
be content with unbelief and sin. People are misled by this; they th prayer alone, so, too, the contentment of the Lord of Paradise
see contentment with immorality and iniquity and they abandon ‘“'s“M“'l»»Radise itself. Indeed, k the
resistance and rejection of them [sins] on Pretext SUi
SaCTed Tradition [it is related]
dering to God’s decree. If these mysteries [of content
been divulged to those who limit themselves to God
“Pray to Mc-” and
outward aspects of Revelation, the Messenger of Him indicates the"'rCqUeSt for c°ntent-
bless him and grant him peace) would not has ^nt jn religion “ r«ne nature “f . U‘m°St Prrf«ence.
Abbas, as when he said, “O God, give him disce *Cesdr Wi‘h ParcaU rfnten‘ument
and teach him mystical interpretation (m 11' ^utentn1^1. disci:;11’" Signif‘-
Let us begin then by explaining the m states of1
After that we shall move on to anecdotes a cOntenrI^ >Cr'cl»nnt P0S‘bT,hu,nan nature cant C°n’
contented. We shall then discuss the true n^r t0 passion-fin IVhself B ght0 grasp itPi. ly be divulged if Ot §rasP it
and how to conceive of it as something COU- e£}
we shall mention what is deemed to be p e pfayer an
yet is nothing of the sort, such as aban
cence in the face of sin. ' ttain the kt- lstbereac
ebl,S5orvisior that that
146 lSasifthey
147
 LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY ANn

C°NtENTm ENt
glimpsed the utmost of all goals and a.
Y
/ the antrels
Chapter will ask, ‘Have you crossed
Fourteen
answer, ‘We h.ve nor seen
hence, when they were commanded to ask p" of >11 w, you *
? AkndFthey
continuance for they knew that God’s Co ’ Cy asked onk. r ; * 3 thing!'The mgels ml1 F
son for the continual lifting of the veil G nitvdoyoucome?’Andthey willanswer, From the
with Us.7 A commentator remarks “At th / u*ni^fMuliamniad. ’ The angels will exclaim, ‘By God, we
the inhabitants of paradise receive three gif' « »cr[Bt / y cell you tell us what your deeds were in the world! ’ And they
Worlds. First, a gift from God the like of which T^i of
®' in„..^
°rdof
/ mllrtpb'’ ^w0 mits we and P°r ^ese God allowed us by His
paradise do not possess. This is His word, No <0 , lnhabitantsof
/ gneious mercy to attain to this rank.’ ‘And what are these two?’
has been concealedfor them!3 Second, the ‘peace b" "°WS Whatdeli^‘
their Lord. This goes beyond the gift in worthinX??^’ / Jagels ask further. And they will reply, ‘Whenever we were
His saying, ‘Peace!’ the wordfrom a merciful Lord.’Third GocT^ / we were ashamed that we had sinned against Him and were
am pleased with you,’ for this is more excellent than both t£ —
/ i.gt»l«HheMewhickHeliadapportionedforus
k>»llCryout, Trulyyouareworrhv!’”” Ar rlu
-’ Ar ™s
and the greeting, as when He says, andgreater is God’s contentment
*
that is, than any bliss in which they exist.” This then is the merit / — maf Go<J^ess
He^■•ffcpooH andvot
lhmGod bir, ' '
eranrconr x
/ Give “O com-
of God’s satisfaction which is a fruit of human satisfaction.
/ for your Dovers i erwise- nted hearts and c
conte WIn
With regard to Sacred Tradition, it is reported that the Prophet
(may God bless him and grant him peace) asked a group of his com­
/ ^Children Of h ? ^eace be upon hin } ■
panions, “What are you?’ They answered, “Believers.” He asked, / what we mav j Said t0 Him, “Ask ’ " 1S recorded
“What is the mark of your belief?” They replied, We endure I X10 Ph« H'n. • Mo\ y°Ur L°rd °" our
patiently in affliction and we give thanks in well-being and we are pifased"Tth thCy 'h°uld ** Pie . • f°C rePlied “o ’ G°d!
content in whatever God decrees. He exclaimed, Beliesers, )
the Lord of the Ka ba! ”" According to another Sacred Tra
“S'^rp 10 tfci’ is uh ,e" 1 be
he said, “Wise men, learned men, are very nearly prop ( ^jj5
of their insight.”u Again in Sacred Tradition ir ’S Sat^es and who
he who is guided to Islam and whose lixeli 100 peace)
is content with it.”13 He (may God bless him ar fromGod,
said, “Whoever is content with even a litt c him.”14
God is pleased with even a little good".or ^ro ,f he endur«
*"'C!,l'' ee ”d!i,a’^P'aCe
* uo ^P^cedc ’G°d
said, “When God loves a person He affl t him°ut-
“^id ^ofsi?C0n^m f hln>). c u04-”'9
patiently, He selects him and if he is content. -ill cause
, ^dlt triv^by’^yl°^fn ntc°Poqu Or tbis w JQd Says
Then too he said, "At the Day of
group of my community to sprout .]] roanl fred' an.pave
from their graves to heaven wilbay'^^en"1
pleasure in whatever they wish. reply’
you seen the Final Accounting?’And they «■
nte^tr>, tbat r P°n k •

t 49 it!”tllec°d
you ^
□lit
 L°VE, LONgii\jg In
even so, you d Macy and c
’ j cl,.t ot’.hlS
M°ses replied, UP steady
contentment resi?°w [what D a8ai„st
isd Whe"M°SeSP«yedhY°U)'" God”"'’* ■
ls dearest to You?’’ra he Said> “O T □ W,dl Mv a id- “1U
;h» ' aXy ^Plied.
Your creatures are V °Ves-”MOSP tpeacewitk f d>red0ntOi]ently toward the gr “Father, do nOt
who asks Me for eujU With?” a "fin asM ‘L^ven
hae^t ■" ‘ is d°inS7 •‘My son, I see what you do
that is rcrnrrl j z decree ,22 c ticn, when t f” ,hat ” Adam answer , Once I did move and at
God but I. He■ XT1’'’ ** God »^‘?ta8'WnlM^ *
'7
7J7Z bXthe habitation of misery.
show gratitude for Mybe ”7 endure ^WstMiT^ I“ "" ;2s^'^b»truckbywhatido
My decree-let hin/2 7""“'° antZ °f ■«
Equally disastrous acco^ “‘k'
"S»Ma (may God be pleased with him) said, “I served
Messenger of God (may God bless him and grant him peace)
order. t have st^XdZT£ «?!-«% fortenyears. He never said to me of anything I did, ‘Why did you

shall find contentment vZ Me , Z*' H' who “ Jo this?’Nor about anything I did not do, ‘Why did you not do
gruntled shall find c untd hemeetMe. Hewhoisdis- this?’He said of nothing, ‘Would that it were not!’ Nor of any-
In a we 1 Tr WKh Me UndJ he meet Me.”24 thingthat didn’t exist, ‘Would that it were!’ And when anyone
Blessed is he ?°W” rad,tlon God says, “I created good and evil,
effect I C 10,11 J created for good and at whose hands I have
■ gOOc ■ Woe to him whom I have created for evil and at Mp.rtbind^t2vld <p- be upon him), “O
ose lands 1 have made evil occur. And woe upon woe to him
who says why?’ and ‘how?’”2’
According to early Traditions, a prophet complained to God ",1't>iyofRrT'e 6rsl "'ho will be sun 7 X' Pleased
of hunger, poverty and lice for ten years but God did not respond
to his wishes. Finally, God spoke to him, “Why do you comply
ZZ’^al-’A,- . P e God under
like this? Your beginning was with Mein the Mother of
before I created the heavens and the earth. Thus was it estab i^ 1 e "'orhn sa’d “M
for you by Me from before; thus did I ordain for s^e
ated the world. Do you want Me to redo rhe world for
or change what I have decreed for you? Is what j wl$h?
set above what I prefer? Or what you wish above ^einyour ^da,»M^to>«M’fWho«er is d-
By My glory and majesty, stammer this even once
breast and I will rub you out of the registry of Pr P no( m stupid. y^ontented

ISO
°wn SeIf
151
 even so, you do not lNG. up
,bear steadfastlyand
nmMAcv ag^rn
Moses replied, “Show me Iwhat pleases YwVGJ
contentment resides inyour contentmentwithMy^ 1
*
When Mosesprayedhe said,"OLord, whichrfyMt„
i5 dearest to You?” Godrephed, Hewhoisatpea^^^ /
I Chapter Fourteen
l- i ,c related that some of his

when I take away what he loves. Moses.spy / 01 ^binfup a"” on his b°dy
Y,°Ur creatures
V Me forareguidance in a matter and then,
You angry With? AndGodawetf,^ l wheni^ \ / < g SL°nS 'Zed his foot on his ribs as if they were steps and
who asks decree.”22 Somethingeven \ / °"e°^ onto his head and descended again. All this while
for him, is angry that Goa says> “iam God. TW\ / Xtp bowinesilently toward the Sround’ nor did he even
that is recorded, .’ My ^ofW \ rjise his head. One of his other sons said to him, “Father, do not
God but 1. He Wh' benefeence tohimandis«^ \ pu see what this one is doing to you? You should forbid him
eV,nv/ rec lettor
" gratitude him take a , r,than
0UTMyself'. -
ProphetfmayGod \\ from doing that. Adam answered, My son, I see what you do
MYtu Uy disastrous, ^rdmg'ow^.^^ ,w \ notsee. I know what you do not know. Once I did move and at
bUX.'a r;i“ *2 iM^dfrom the abode of bliss to the habitation of miserv
^at if! more yet aga.„ ! shall be struck by what f Jo

it Monger of [mayG^b^^1' aid- “> ^rved

V
V Blessed is be
.. lo him * <”
A„dm
effected good. eyd o
whose "why?’»“d‘''t htio"5-’P'°CGoX0i *
who SayS Zto early years^ do5°“ ‘go
*
According tvaOdUcet , ,tOhim, uorhetot \
ofhunger. Pove'nI»y. God wi* \ , itD‘)t,rB l‘eSrstu.i',b'‘Abbas f Sh’^’’^ °
to his wishes. •nOing *a , eaIt^ n forX, \ ^lF" bc ru^y God be pl
like this? Vour beg^ j \
before I create before, t tO re o yo | \
for v-by£po you -^for yo^
-TXX* :or ftbis
God-S
' l,<ieS"'e?"^"On ”^s" f°r »>e a
or chang y prefer- aIIune istry°* ?
set^^aud^je^’;tOftbere^
By^sXillrubyo0
breast and i
FFF- - - d *r “c
yo^i not3, nis s djSr
ntent^
150

n se/f
 011 yourself
Fourteen
;kGods^^r.-^s!l’”17
37
fnGo^'^' ’ “When is a person
love, longing, intimacy and contentment
- his pleasure in dis-
XPi^’TbawriToX‘i »ked her’, ■
And Abd al-cAziz ibn Abi Rawwad said, “What is important
>d whenever it is
is not to eat barley bread and vinegar, or to put on clothing of hair wltf L pleasure in delight. 38
and wool. What is important is to be content with God.” Jessis equal P ' A man is pleased with Go- receive
cAbd Allah ibn Mascud declared, “To lick a hot coal—burn
what it may, leave what it may!—is preferable than that I should
say about anything that exists ‘Would that it were not!’ or of
% .bn Abi al-Hawari remarked “Abu Sulayrnan
something that is not, ‘Would that it were!’”32 used to say, ’In His generosity God is pleased wit
A man was looking at an abscess on the leg of Muhammad ibn person for the same thing that a servant may be pleased with in
Wasic and remarked, “I pity you because of this abscess.” But he his masters.’I asked him,‘How so? And he told me, Is it not the
repbed, “Ever since it emerged, I have been thankful for it because
wish of a servant in the human sphere that his master be satisfied
it did not break out in my eye.”33
In the accounts of the Israelites, it is related that a worshipper with him?’ ‘Yes,’ I replied. And he went on, ‘Indeed, God loves it
who worshipped God for a long time was shown in a dream that
such-and-such a shepherdess would be his consort in paradise. He
in His servants that they be pleased with Him ”’40
risin proportion to tlrar
began to ask about her until he found her. He invited her to be
his guest for three days so that he might see how she acted. He their life with God.” Action is in proportion to
kept vigil all night while she slept and he fasted while she ate. At
last he said, Do you do anything other than what I have seen?
She answered, By God, nothing but what you have seen! I know
I majesl;Xnpl8radnt Said
nothing else. But he kept after her to search her memory until she
said, There is one trait. If I am suffering hardship I do not wish to
be at ease. If I am sick I do not wish to be well. If I am in the sun I
o not wish to be in the shade.” The worshipper set his hand upon
shead and exclaimed, “This is the trait to have! By God, this is a
g ty quahty of which most of God’s servants are incapable! ”*
ne of the pious ancestors said, “Whenever God hands down
decree ” r°m ^eaven people to be pleased with His

God’s dp \^arda said> The summit of belief is patience with

U ”7" “d His decree.’’3’
tionof needor^' f pleased with him) said, “Whatever condi-
whether at me ■ 1 find myself is all the same to me,

I said, ‘o q0(j ^ri stated, One day I was with Rabi a and
e P eased with us!’ She remarked, ‘Are you not

152

*53
 1OV£’ 1°NgINg

■ And ‘Abd al <4 a

Chiiple,i:‘’urte vouy°urse1^
Xd0'to eac bX-X 'bn K,«.
w'- ^1'iadand^X'Vidsa‘< “M v Hirn to be plea J’( forgiveneSS'
J before G°dt0.askxjai®e<1' ‘IaskG°‘. when is 3 Pefj
**X'ThaW ,Dabu‘iasked her’ V pleasure in dls'
Say about a ’ '* e it naay' ared’ “To Cod,"8'41* ’'hfribnSnby"1’"’ Pj .‘Whenever hl P

S°7^g that “VV‘StS F* PkaSed ^1 to his pleasure in delight- Qo j whenever it

a,;;r^kofangat^fk M" "“‘X tress 15 e<!? d to say “A man is P eaSe
Fuday1 used to ether he receives largesse
r does not receive
or does
replied ■.r ’art«l. "J Scc« on th, i of eqUal in his eyes whether he
/ **
“* en,er^dXvXSe X^,k» it”3’ . ., Abi al_Hawari remarked, “Abu Sulaynian
s^^F^itJ, &ri,t- Ahmad ibn _ generosity God is pleased with a
al-Darani used to say, In His generosi y r
’ sh'Ph=rIels ^uldT W“ 'bot'nl ’ X°rih,PP" person for the same thing that a servant may e p
his masters.’ I asked him, ‘How so?’ And he told me, Is it not the
ferg'/7 "’reeXs ""'‘I be f°X t7°H °"“ 'ft wish of a servant in the human sphere that his master be satisfied

last he 8’ ,311 nigbt whne ° *at be might seS “Vi"d h" “ I replied. And he went on, ‘Indeed, God loves it
with him?’ ‘Yes,’
She an ' D° you J he and he f Sbc “«A » they be pleased with Him.’”40
in His servants that
"othi" r'd’ “By God° anydling often th 7^'Ae a“- * S.U said “People's share of certitude is in proportion to their
Fsald “Tg,dre-” Bu^he Li but what v I ' ' s“”?’ shre of satisfaction; their share of satisfaction .
beat hefe is °ne tnr X after her to sea ,' °U ^ave seen.'Iknow their life with God.” ° 1S m ProPorHon to
do noTw- 1 am sickTd f 1 suffeHng ;Wi»H,SjudgX„tXmX” “pl§r7 him PeaCe> Said'
bis h h to be in <-l
1S* ° not Wish to h s 1Jp I do not wish to
cla " th;
4thead and e* Shade. ” Thhe * IfIam ln the su„ , ness
..' in <
’ncontentmeiit and in certitude bu, and glad
He has set “ do^ and discof e„t
OY qUaIity o “Tbis is the t S PPer SCt hand "P™ -■sadness,".
a de?"6 °f pi^hlch ^t *> By God, thiXa

decreed beaven”?Said> are incaPabIe!”34

al_ bJe likes hP„ i enever God hands down
God’s a al'Darda> Sa- , P ° C° be Ple^d with His
(o a6cjsjo^ ^atd, “Th
tiotl °fnerlmay G°d b tei?tnient With^^ jCllef is Patience with
^beth?eed or of d be pJeased h Hls decree
I [Sufyan?°rning o7n Whicb I find“Whatever condi-
1 X g] ^hfwr ate^ing.Xdnays^iS the same to me,
d’ be Di Stated,
SCd with us!’^37 1 Was with Rabid and
e Marked, ‘Are you not
*52
 r c^'Fifieen , heisafaicted

. f0floveupon^^"the bek^ and

chapter
Exposition of the
Contentment (and
,1,fC thins ot^r than affllCts _ , ie$t dlS
Fift
*JW,l,e ’ IfeP“”ceival’le,W „eft pain when love is
f. i»t»"’\Sl"C is easily conceivable in a g P a$ pain
°f --^n^wSloveofbeautifol

once>ved as a Check to An
° Appetite)

K ^^^Wh°-rtstWonJ .
Co^e]vaX7o\olUdIatlO,;,S'~-eantd tCXe coCtite **

lf n be affirrned th °CS 3 but repudiate Io • nt]entment cannot

,„sm.te with both “beauty” and “majesty . Anyone to whom
the merest jot of this is disclosed is dazzled and dumbfounded. He
faintsand grows insensible to what has overcome him.
witbin Him are ' c °VC f°r God and im ' °ltSelf Nevertheless,
It is related that Fath al-Mawsili’s wife stumbled and tore off
co"re<le that 7 aCtConcei™We, then the"”0” °f °ne’sP"rp°se
her toenail. She laughed. Someone asked, “Don’t vou feel rhe
'he lover T “ ove e„ d >« 'here,, no alternative but
painr She answered, “The pleasure
fe-softhepainCL y Xd ’of rb»
5^7^ J "T"
a -Xh Vr" «Pec« -
WiA 'h' «
* °f

t""«d others but not himself Whe J ‘ °f which

'° f"end! A How fam the beioved does k °Ut he Said-
The second aspect involves f, 1- “ l’Urt-

UrSent task 1S XV°Ur,ded. pv„ Until he spots blood and then ■^fagT” f'1"* i'-^e8rem1mriV,n8 'hc
bis lllind is Jna\SteP °n a thorn” ”1Ore’ someone absorbed in an
°r havi>ig hi° iaken Up- Tben r perceiw rhe pain because
is absorbed^ ^hT Undcrgoing cupping ls ,rePugnant
, pPer do the- 111 s°me weio-1 razor feels pain but if his
aHeinilld,Whe'rj?bs Without h Ky COncern. ^e barber and the Pain but h “'‘"ter f°r
PPr:l’«’<l> n«;p,u"^ in it± noticing it. This is all because '4tab nt^'ionof ’aC"“" ’ Certai" frie„n,n'ent
c Tl“lov" is l"tB 'he- ' " affiUrS a"d dealing with them,
tHis I-j■
°rtnally caus” h- blS beloVedWH°ele.COnCern is to be submerged in -inyOne
pain or distress b"^ n°C perceive what would ' r°’d An,I e!inr
ecause of the overwhelming ■l.bl W|>«iever

^4 “'‘“"-S''”--Isa-
God h t '17’1
'v'»s?-=h efallsa
 ,fhe.s^CkSeVenty

1 w as he possesses the certainty that there is a reward

up fin‘him that is over and above what he has lost, he is
Stented with it; he desires it and loves it and thanks God for it.
* theTS" ed
eman who glimpses the reward and the benevolence with
■htch he Will be requited for his travails is in a similar situation;
hoswver. love may overwhelm him to such an extent that his
*
’■s h’ was earned off » P he replied ‘Because mV
share as a lover rests in whatever the beloved wants and finds sat­
isfaction in. and he can conceive of nothing beyond this. The will
and the pleasure of the lover become that which is to be loved and |I0nnn»effrA”“ fJewi
* meand c.L SupremelyBelc”
Ul«’"lwsfoet0looynginiothefaceo ounddead. 4
<omjht after.
All of this takes place in human love concerning those things *TX“«'Mashl‘ekandd7“Wnalre blessed in heaven
that can be (physically] seen; lovers depict it for one another in W ibn Mffadh al-R«> the sheer pleas
both verse and prose. It has no meaning except as a physical vision
hundred years without return-
of thebeautv of external form. But if we consider this (physical]
beautv. it is nothing but skin, flesh and blood crammed full of XT’Xi then do you think happens to hearts in
filth and reeking impurities, the beginning of which is a putrid XXtfftfahhetween His beauty anrHis majesty
drop and the end of which is a foul cadaver while in the inter­
when they glimpse His majesty they are awestruck and w
vening time, it lugs its own excrement about. If we consider that
which perceives beauty—that is, the eye—it is a wretched organ, they catch sight of His beauty they are lost in wonder.
which is so often muddled in what it sees, falsifies the little as big Bishr said, “1 was going toward ' AbbadanA at the Start of my
and the big as little, the far as near, the ugly as beautiful!
spiritual life. I met a man who was blind and leprous and who had
Thus, if dominion by this sort of love be conceivable, bow
had a seizure; the ants were feasting on his flesh. I lifted up his
can the notion arise that love of eternal and everlasting beauty is
head and placed it on my lap and all the while I kept talbino
impossible: beauty of endless perfection, perceived by the inward WMenhecame to he satd, ‘Whois thisbusvhod talking
sight which error cannot assail and death does not set spinning!
between me and my Lord? If He tore me T k J W^° COmes
^U’te the “ntrary: at death it remains living in God’s presence,
gaddened by God’s sustenance and growing through death into
vi ^eRter Wa^e^ness ar*d discovery. The matter is obvious,
y discerning eye it presents no puzzling riddles,
of i\Se^’ t0Bether whh the tales and states and utterances
^Tnnual lovers, bears witness of it to you.

fenne hTq “ '?alkhi said’ “He who considers the reward for suf-
X a ^etoescapefromit ”2
gl2,n8“pon
pauiofbu-ffl ’ ■' ^ari al’Saqati, ‘Does the lover feel the
afflictions He replied, ‘No.’ I persisted, ‘Even if be is

156

J lsiatn
 ThedogSt«r.
CM i,eirte0t’o thet0°S a

LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

f««ht iSttessea fterdack le <trU<k

the face of Joseph the Truthful. When they felt hungry they gazed
Zrfe '’t,e, Not W8 fhe ' dog $ vetY
upon his face so that his beauty might distract them from feeling the
*>'P,isSooi A « call late1r .’’OtitLat
pain of hunger.” In fact, in the Qur’an there is an even more vivid fcopeaan^' oi- S 'U‘ isSoo<l- U’’ been
example than that. This is when the women cut their hands out of
giddiness at the sight of Joseph’s beauty and felt nothing at all.A
Sa id ibn Yahya said, “In Basra in the khan of'Ata’ ibn Muslim,
^’nand keandsANV that ained- of the
1 saw ayoung man with a knife in his hand. While people crowded
all about him, he cried out at the top of his voice, saying,

The day of leave-taking is longer than Judgement Day.

Death is better than the agony of parting.
They say, ‘Set out!’ But I answer, ‘I am not travelling.
It is my own heart’s blood that is setting out.’

At this he ripped his belly open with the knife and fell down
dead. I inquired about him and his story. I learned that he was A,® W anurous, cnpp kprosy Even so he
in love with a boy belonging to one of the rulers who had been
g 1 which He has
barred from him for a day.”
Reportedly Jonah said to Gabriel (peace be upon him), “Show
me the most worshipful person on earth.” He pointed out a man
tionmightlsee that you havebeen spared! The man answered
whose hands and feet and eyes leprosy had destroyed. Jonah over­
heard him saying, “My God, You let me enjoy what You willed Spirit of God, I am better off than those in whose hearts God has
through them and You took away from me what You had willed not placed what He has placed in mine; by that I mean, knowledge
ut, O Righteous and Bountiful One, You have left me hope in of Him.” Jesus declared, “You have spoken the truth! Give me your
You.”
hand!” He gave him his hand and suddenly he had the handsomest
J^bd ^ah ibn Umar it is reported that one of his sons
face and the finest form of any man. Godhad removed his afflict^
rom an illness. Umar’s pain on his behalf was so fierce
He followed Jesus and served God with him6 °n‘
XTX’1' rem"ked' fear for ,te old man if some-
Urwa ibn Zubayr had his leg amputated at th I
a gangrenous sore which had erupted th becauSe
exclaimed, Praise God Who took n \ A^erwards h

rooster Th man in ^esert had a dog, a donkey and a

-x 1 --
oster woke his people up for prayer. The donkey

* SeeQ.xn.

°a tti,

tr 2^neodk'lCy> 255~6,
XS9
 LOVE longing, intimacy and contentment

Ibn Masciid said, “Poverty and wealth are two mounts. To

i“Beca“ln 1 ted
me it is the same which of them I ride. If poverty, then there is Ti^0^ uch^e re? £ edbi
* 0’ he ’ fit frolT1
opportunity for patient endurance. If wealth, then there is occa­ * ,-To^ . . enioin d ” bater benebt 1 it
visit”* and
sion for generous giving.”8
Abu Sulayman al-Darani remarked, From every [spiritual]
station, except for the station of contentment, I have gained a
state. But from it I have only the semblance of its breeze. Even so,
were God to bring all creatures into paradise and thrust me into
hellfire, I would be content.”’ be content w
Someone said to a gnostic, “Have you attained the utmost in * 0"*
•I r rTe
henufeof flaring not oc
mena°us teSUff
contentment with God?” He answered, “The utmost? No. But I , suwyd Math abjr
have attained the station of contentment. If God were to make of
me abridge over hell by which creatures could cross to paradise,
H®?’“ .1 “-^/e came to pal , but we die
Mutarrif also said, been flung down D *
and then had filled hell with me alone, in order to fulfil His vow .miWe sw a Pm'n tiJ someone picked
and to have a substitute for His creatures, I would be pleased with
„tltek^te?«un^vbeyour ransom! What shall we
His judgement and I would be content with His decree.”10 These
are the words of a man who knows that love can possess the mind
wife said to him, May my Y replied, ‘Long Lave I lain
to era ivbn m dnnu He rep^
so fully that it blocks him from feeling the pain of hellfire. If sen­
sation does remain, the fullest possible pleasure floods his mind »t« “meh garment. 1 do not relish food and I cannot stomach
for he is aware that by meeting him in hell, he obtains his beloved s
satisfaction. This state of mind is conceivable, even if remote from drink since such-and-such a time’ (he mentioned the days). Still it
our usual insipid states of mind. A weak person, who is excluded would not give me pleasure to have even the thinnest fingernail­
om such knowledge, ought not deny the states of the powerful paring less of this misery.’”16
y ssuming that what he cannot attain lies bevond the capability
ot Gods friends.
When Sad ibn Ahi Waqqas came to Mecca after he had lost
his sight, people came rushing up to him and each one ashed k;
al-DRUdhkUr’ Said’ 11 asked AbQ Abd Allab Ibn al',a115’
to pray for him. So he prayed for this one and he prayed! g
hkemyb^d mean'n£ a certain person’s remark: T would one since he was someone whose prayers we ' tbat
mightobe Pieces with scissors if only so that people Mlah ibn al-Sa ib recounted, “I came ? i. C answered. Ttbd
compassion °a exP^ained, *1 say to you, if this comes from 1 made myself known to him. He ackn 7 7^ SdU a b°Y and
if k proceed "f C0Unse'to humanity then I approve it; but
“•’’’Hewent Self'glorihcation" then I do not acknowledge

ie flat on his ba^ fUSa,0 ”ad droPsY °f the abdomen and had to
^h°le had been n ^ears; be c°uld neither stand nor sit.
‘ y°Ur5elf.GodniPrtV
e in his bed of stripped palm-fronds where

st0^viSi,

B lf)|
 , AX'

lGod

love, longing, intimacy and contentment

,r cicrht ” Sad smiled and said, O my son, God’s decree

TloXceUent to me than my own eyesight!”-
1 A Sufi lost his small boy for three days and had no news of him.
Someone remarked to him that if he asked God, He would restore
the child to him. But the Sufi rejoined, “For me to take issue with
what God has ordained would be worse than the loss of my son.”18
Of a certain worshipper it is related that he said, “I committed ^et0\eLoU is rePreheXelli^ent t0 pe°R with loathing
a great sin and for sixty years now I have been weeping over it.” ^eintth t\iRicri°nlsenLb Aookdovmont s told
He exerted himself in worship to repent of that sin. When some­
body asked him what his sin was, he answered, “On one occasion
I said of something that had come to pass ‘Would that it had not
happened!’” One of the pious ancestors declared, “I would rather
have my body slashed with scissors than to say about anything ^.‘Pwe CoL ^ u.bcing instead ot tn
which God has ordained ‘Would that He had not ordained it!’”'9
Once someone said to cAbd al-Wahid ibn Zayd, “Here is a
man who has served God for fifty years.” Upon which he went to shop for the remainder of his d y^,
him and inquired, “Dear fellow, tell me about yourself. Are you “^^Xstones, you surety recognise that sat
content with God?” “No,” he replied. “Are you on good terms
with Him? Again he answered no. “Are you content with Him?” to^rWirat runs counter to our desires » not rmpo Slble.
Again he said no. So then the only increase you have from Him Rather, it is a tremendous station among religious people. Just AS
is in fasting and in prayer?” “Yes,” he conceded. So he said to that
in whatever way love and its various outcomes may be possible for
man, If I were not ashamed in your presence, I would tell you
that your practice of fifty years has been diseased.”10 The meaning people jin this worldj, so too the love of God and the shares of the
of this is. The door of your heart has not opened so that you might world-to-come are certainly possible too. In fact, this is possible
rise to the level of nearness to God by works of the heart. Rather, in two ways.
you are classed only in the category of those on the right hand One lies in contentment with pain when one
f k l-6 *" Crease G°d has granted you consists solely in activities eht to occur, as in satisfaction with blood-lettin P^ &
s. But these are increase only for common folk.
he People came to see Shibli in the lunatic asylum where
When he kV c°Hected a pile of stones in front of him.
who love vou^’H^0 y°U?” 1115 visitors answered, “Those d*
away. He cried C a„VanCe^ burling stones at them and they ran
love me. If you s Ut’i ^hat s the matter with you? You claim to
the test’”2' TkP A? C16 trutfo then be patient when I put you to
^h giving thebein IP easurable of n P^he heart’ j W111
Ue ^ing verse isbyShibli:

*3
 C^rfii,een . 2thepotWi*

w har
3VE LONGING, intimacy and contentment
d ^isAe M Amh »l-B’8hd5dl f Hi-h above the
W» pain brings pleasure, wha.is a wound?
Even when the pain is perceptible this is possible, for love
forCefully dominate one that he is too stunned to feel the
r q

“’^Analogy, experience and direct observation indicate that j“InB»sraIs

Puch does occur. No one who has not experienced it for himself
^htToH°’''«himd.ethus'
ought to deny it. He has not experienced it only because he has X;:Xu~ththere.Snotb.nggood-
not known its cause, which is the overwhelming exuberance of n j d th ev bore him
love. Whoever has not tasted the savour of love knows nothing of Ihen he hurled himself - <he ground and .
its wonders. Those who do know love know marvels more prodi­
gious than any we could describe here. others like it are given credence when
‘Amr ibn al-Harith al-Rafiqi is reported to have said, “I was at involved. But to believe in the Creator s love is far more
a gathering in al-Raqqah at the house of a friend of mine. There appropriate since insight is more veracious than eyesight. 1 he
was a young man with us who had fallen passionately in love with
beauty of God’s presence is fuller than any other beauty; indeed,
a singing slave-girl, and she was there too. She struck her lute and
began to sing: all the beauty of this world is merely a lovely benefaction of that

The mark of love’s abasement on lovers is weeping, beauty. One who has lost his sight denies the beauty of forms; one
Especially on a lover who finds no way to complain. who has lost his hearing denies the delight of melodies and sones

The young man said to her, “By God, how beautifully you in measured tones; one who has lost his heart 1^ ,
have sung, 0 lady! Will you give me permission to die?’ She
replied, Die at once! ’ He placed his head on a cushion, closed
his mouth, and shut his eyes. We shook him but lo, he was dead.25
Junayd said, I saw a man hanging on the sleeve of a boy,
eedlinghim obsequiously and parading his love for him. The
Q^y urned to him and said, How long will you keep up this sham
W|J . S' man answered, ‘God knows that I am sincere in
The bo S°51Uc^1 so t^iat if you said to me “Die!” I would die.
aside J a<"k' D'e then, if vou are sincere!’ The man turned
Sumn hiSeVeS'anddied-”26

man who ow remarked, “Among our neighbours was a

ill. The man s ? GVe'girl he loved utterly. The girl fell
was stirring tbeS' 6 t0 ma^e a sweet-meatA f°r her. While
e pot the girl cried out ‘Oh!’ He was startled and
‘ ^^.ordate-meai
nuxed with butter and curds.
 , ■ .hisis well attested, “Whoever witnesses a
ChapterSixteen
. as lhoughhehadcommittedithtm-
g“i<,es 10 eviIis eduai tohim Wh° C°m'
iyOn^whorityoflbnMas'uditisstated,“Amanmaynot
^entwhenasiniscommittedand yethemaybe as guiltyashe
Worrieditout.” “How can thatbe?” he was asked, and replied,
whenhelearns aboutit,heis pleased.” In Sacred Tradition itis
Jsosaid, Ifamanbekilledin the eastand another man in the west

CHAPTER SIXTEEN iepleasedwithit,hebecomesanaccomplice to thatmurder ”

Mhscorded
",tbe us .0Sbe
Sood^dtobeonour uardnaai^ -i ras competitive
envious as well mPeriClve
An Exposition that Supplication is not
in Conflict with Contentment '"“t™hun pem) d „oJhe Prophet (may God bless
»bom GJC'fp,tW° tbinSs «e worthy of
e who supplicates does not relinquish the stage of con­ tbctn. "d wl>o propa.

H tentment. Similarly, a repugnance for sin and a hatred

of sinners and the occasions of sin, coupled with the
zeal to eliminate them by “commanding the good and prohibiting
the forbidden,” do not stand in opposition to supplication (dua).
it rightly ” fr and tO wh°m He has ’ tO wh°m
Power £

Some deluded good-for-nothings have erred in this, declaring

that sin, iniquity and unbelief come about through God’s predes­
tination and so one must be content with them. This is ignorance another^“l^rsed whom
of true interpretation and obtuseness to the mysteries of divine
There3 ’ W°uld do as k / ’ God d yand ni&h,-
revelation.
By supplication we worship. Many supplications of God s
/ r"de^Co«?n,era(’'eproeof“done!'”l harH e
nme*
Messenger (may God bless him and grant him peace) indicate
this, as do those of the other prophets (we have transmitted them I a"‘JCdrCieC"On *
dd Veliev
in the Book of Invocations').h Even so, the Messenger of God (may
<^ation
God bless him and grant him peace) stood at the supreme station
of contentment. God praised certain servants of His by saying,
They called to Us in longing and infear.' As for rejecting sin, as well as
repugnance and dissatisfaction with it, this is in fact the way His
servants show God reverence. Indeed, God rebukes them when
they are content with sin, for He says, They are pleased with the hje oj
the world and feel tranquil in it.2 He also says, They are content that they
should be with the useless and their hearts are sealed.3

See Al-Ghazali on Invocations and Supplications, tr. K. Nakan

(Cambridge, 1990).

166

‘’ejAsth
6’ ^f^dy^ds
% %
S
 ■’T"!

LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

fes«an®e\. releCteC c nat»He'
<<, ca»>esof is be „eans °f P’ „( those
and hate in God in The Book of Manners in Society as well as in T/(e
Book of Commanding the Good and Forbidding the Bad and so we will
not reiterate them here?
If you object that Quranic verses and Sacred Traditions
adduce contentment with whatever God decrees and yet, sins are
not decreed by God, thus this is absurd, for it is an offence against
U>'“' ^tef°ie2 1 w
* S° tOTforce W®
God's oneness. But if sins do occur through God’s foreordainment,
sede; deeinhim
then aversion and hatred of them are also aversion to God’s decree. * >ni A strife to” , „ill hate fern ani to be mY
What thenis the way to reconcile these positions, since in some way
®\e loves 1 shall also n j
they are contradictory? How can there be reconciliation between
, know to be my
satisfaction and dissatisfaction in one and the self-same thing? - 5 nass both the vthfca-
Know that this is perplexing only to the weak-minded who
are incapable of grasping the arcana of knowledge. It so confuses
’TT" He‘Sthis anitheie a cause of hatred), an
Vrithehaiintend(ani which ts g ly
people that they even consider silence about forbidden acts to be
Si\hi<biSacaoSeo£^^ai.onsfeltob1igedto
a station of contentment, and they term it “good character” (htisn
al-khuluq), but this is sheerest ignorance. Indeed, we claim quite
loved him and were cognrz distance this person, and
the opposite. Satisfaction and aversion are in opposition when­
ever they coincide in a single thing from a single aspect and in
exclaim,“Vourplan to vexmi^^ enmity> I love and approve,
one and the same way; however, they are not in opposition in one your exposure of him However,
forthisisyour view, your plan, your act ana y
thing if it is found repellent from one perspective and satisfac­
his vilification of you is hostility on his part, rather, he should
tory from another. Thus, your enemy may die, an enemy who is
also an enemy of one of your other enemies and actively striving have borne up patiently and not reviled you. Still, this was your
to destroy the latter. His death displeases you inasmuch as your intention for him; by striking him you meant to make him Utter
enemy s enemy has died, but it pleases you inasmuch as one of the abuse that obliges hate. Therefore, inasmuch as this occurred
■your enemies is dead. Sin too has two aspects. One aspect pertains in accord with your intent and plan, which you yourself set in
God, in that He performed it, He chose it and He willed it,
motion, we are content with it. Had it not occurs 4 i ■
e ce, one is content with it under this aspect, yielding sover- Webee, , m y0UI m4 M $
T t0 Sovereignty9 and finding contentment in andyet,weareaversetoanylapseinv • . Y°Ur Mention;
He may do.8 The other aspect regards man inasmuch as insofar as this is an apt description oZtfi entlon. Nevertheless
Vo( tke sinM p«o„, together

“ This does espectlve Bo°ks n.i and n,9 of tpe Ihya.

‘Tn
«fc,4,
* w. nmity and an
Uai sins, but that s mean t^’at God performs, chooses and wills indivi
supreme perfection ofSthU<U tO tPlat ls create<i as °PPose^ to

168
S" >v te appe"s
I6g 92'6g4.
 ds

. 8 o^eY It Is andt0
f tJs d h^s a yet
LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

attack against you on his part, quite contrary to what your beauty
demands—indeed, this demands that he bear your blow and not
return abuse—we are averse to it, for the wrongful act is quite G
^
* Od^eslS >e,e''en'Lht»n<1’? oUtftol°
rightly ascribed to him and is his very characteristic, and not inso­ '' ? 41,5 AtWe > by GO<1’S
far as it was your intention and the inevitable result of your plan
We are also pleased with your hatred for him because of his abuse;
indeed, we even love it because it is what you have wished. In G, X *
Irenes
"
fact, being in perfect congruence with you, we too detest him. It a oUtcast X rees c4oS, out
is one of the conditions of being a lover that the beloved’s friend
be his friend too, and his enemy his enemy. We are also content
with his hatred of you inasmuch as you have willed him to hate
you by distancing him from you so that all the stirrings of hatred
possessed him. Even so, I hate his hatred inasmuch as it is the very
characteristic of that hater as well as his “acquisition” and action,
and we loathe him for that. In our view, he merits hatred because
of his hatred for you. His hatred and loathing of you are abhor­ starred of them dectee.
rent to us inasmuch as they are his traits. And yet, insofar as all this eXlr X 0Iditaed, insofar as it is ms
is your wish, it is to be accepted with contentment.”
Contradiction arises only when one says that something Hers mighty and glorious.
predestination which IS
is pleasing when it is your wish and abhorrent when it is your nd lood fall under the aegis
wish, however, when it is abhorrent not inasmuch as it is his will :X"Xn.. evil is WiW hut abhorrent, good
and deed but rather inasmuch as it is a description of somebody
else, and that somebody’s “acquisition”, this is not contradictory. is willed but agreeable. Anyone who claims that no evil comes
Everything that is abhorrent from one aspect and pleasing from from God is an ignoramus. And he too is flawed who claims that
another bears witness to this. Parallel instances are countless. both are from God without any divergence in acceptability or
Therefore, when God gives the promptings of appetite and
unacceptability. On this subject, the veil may not be raised Here
of sin power over a man until that drives him into a love of sin, silence and that tact prescribed by Revelation10 are mnet
and that love draws him to commit sinful acts, it is comparable to ^efmay God bless him and grant him peace! said “P A .
the blow that the beloved inflicts on the person in our parable: the
is God’s secret; do not disclose it.” Th; ’ ^destination
ow drives him to anger and anger drives him to abuse. knowledge that comes from illumination^'^ “ With
God s hatred of anyone who sins against Him—even though
w at person’s sin occurs through His plan—is like the loathing felt
y someone reviled towards the one who reviles him, even though
k On tW tojswv, ot "seem” of predestination ^sirr al-qadar\ which w
e a use comes about solely through his plan and his choice of
“% seexet7 see Theodicy, 696.. axiApassim.
means. God does this with all of His servants. I mean by this that

170
 king, intimacy ano contentment
love, ION(

Now however, we re propose to explain

propose to that in human worship
caHuuu am ... uuman worship

of God it is possible to reconcile contentment with His decree

nd with hatred of sins, despite the fact that these latter do occur
through God's decree. Our purpose is sufficiently clear so that
there will be no need to infringe upon any mystery in the process.
Through this one may know also that supplication for for­
giveness and for protection from sin, along with all other means
that assist religion, are not contradictory to contentment with
God’s decree. God brings people to worship Him through sup­
plication in order that such prayer might draw forth purity of
remembrance, quiescence of mind and tenderness of entreaty and
that it may burnish the mind to clarity; it is a key to disclosure and
a means to the continual augmentation of grace. In just the same
way to carry' a clay jug and to drink water are not contradictory
with respect to thirst; drinking the water is an attempt to elimi­
nate thirst right away, using that very means which the Causer
of causes'1 set in order. The same is true of supplication: It is a
cause which God set in order and commanded. As we have already
noted, adherence to such means as are in conformity with God’s
sunna does not contradict contentment for the very reason that
contentment is a stage that borders on trust in God and is continu­
ous with it. To parade one’s misery in an outburst of complaint
and to reproach God in one’s heart does contradict contentment,
whereas to manifest one’s misery through thanks and as a disclo­
sure of God’s p0wer does not contradict it.
e of the pious ancestors remarked, “An example of excel-
hop__tntment whh God s decree is not to say, ‘This day is
of summer'5’ & comP^a^nt—when one is in the midst
n winter, by contrast, it becomes an expression of

A An epith f
(•Musabbil, al-aslflM wl drawn from the terminology of the philosophers
°f several of their doct D UCnCe^ Ghazali profoundly despite his repudiation
the secondary causaliw'h’T j “ Striking tllat here he links supplication with
“S 'he Talufut Seemed so firmly to reject in such earlier works
 did a

\ God’sbo 1 ” V/heB Fe
J# e which 1 Mvial-

CHAPTER. SEVENTEEN

An Exposition that Fleeing and Censuring Khor^ntl i “There1 sa r u. Our an- 1 „vst>ecinclu
a Country Reputed Sinful Is not Contrary
to Contentment

NOW THAT THE feeble-minded fancy that the pro­

K hibition of God’s Messenger (may God bless him and

grant him peace) against leaving a place where plague has
appeared imphes a prohibition against leaving a place where sin is
openly prevalent, since each of these cases represents evasion from
ontJ»fot«Ua[’swe coined traya®on8
Butmnv P~P'e,hr'\khtar. Ibn ‘Umar6 (may no
ta'AW
God be

y1 b6'5 “ ” one of his clients, “Where do you

God’s foreordainment. This is ridiculous. The prohibition against pW^iembotbls^ t „ ..WUt do you
leaving a place where plague has broken out is because if this door W Ike man replied toy in kaq without God
were to be opened, the healthy would depart and the sick would do there? For I have hear „2 , cv i Akbhar
remain behind; neglected and without anyone to care for them, foreordaining misery as his companion. And Ka b al-Akhbar
they would perish from deprivation and lack of food. For this rea­ mentioned Iraq one day, saying, “There are nine-tenths evil there
son God’s Messenger (may God bless him and grant him peace), in as well as incurable disease.” Sometimes it is said, “The good is
some reports, compares it to deserting from an army. But if this
divisible into ten parts: nine-tenths are in Syria but only one-
were part and parcel of a flight from predestination, he would not
tenth in Iraq. Evil too is divisible into ten parts but the situation
have permitted anyone approaching the city to depart. We have
is the reverse.”3
already mentioned this case in the Book of Trust in GodT If the sense
of this be grasped, to escape from a country which is a hotbed of K specialist in Sacred Tradition remarked “n J
with Fudayl ibn Tyad when a Suh came to him cfd
sin is obviously no escape from God’s decree. On the contrary,
God s decree is to escape from that which should be escaped from.
* This passage may reflect GhayShk
Therefore, it is not reprehensible to denounce places which
wound him in Iraq during his lif ■ rea«10n to the ormcs • •
tempt one to sin together with the occasions of sin they present so also constitute an ohiique, and * CSpecially anio^ g^011 tllat Swirled
from Baghdad in 4BS/1O9 ’ ^^Wtive, iUsKfi 8 tlae learned- it
38-9; tr. McCarthy FreJ °n the S C ^Catl°n for k- , ’ 1 maY
" Zahldw^/'^'^W, ’cl-Ali4nqiJLS/ JPartUre
Book xxxv of the f/ryd’; translated as Faith in Divine Unity and Trust
^^Jabre),
Divine Providence^ David B. BurreU (Louisville, 2001).

174
 r Seventeen
jhedeclared, “The m3nW'fff^meddle-

to the othersSofysn^rf
,wd becausehe IS and Yusufibn
LOVE longing, INTIMACY and contentment O^'lhht’ibtt ■ Y ( fo feeJ aversion for

1 v Fudavl sat him beside him, then brought his face up close wouldlove to be dead.” Yusufasked him
Co him and asked. “Where do you live?” The Sufi answered, ^replied, “Because ofthe temptation Ifeel.” Yusufsaid,
“Ba hdad.” Fudayl averted his face and said, “Someone comes to
„ Id in monk’s apparel. When we ask him where he dwells, he fhowever, am not averse to continuing to live for a long time.
answers,‘In the nest of darkness. When Sufyan asked whyhe answered, “Maybe I will encounter a
Bishr ibn al-Harithused to say, “Someone who worships God singledayon which I may repent and do good.” Wahib then was
in Baghdad is like one who worships Him in the privy.”4 He also M, “Well, whatdo you say?”9 He answered, “I choose nothing.
used to say, “Do not follow my example in living there! Let him
who wants to leave, leave.”
' rt“nSirab!l‘° TciS Wl“is most desirab,,: to G°d—
And Ahmad ibn Hanbal would say, “Were it not for the ties
I exdaimed’
that bind me to these young men, I would prefer to quit this
city.” When he was asked, “Where would you choose to live?” he
replied, “At the border posts!”
Another said, “Of the inhabitants of Baghdad it may be said
that the ascetic among them is truly ascetic while those among
them who are evil are really evil.”
This shows that whoever is destined [to live in] a city in which
sins abound and the good is scant has no excuse for remaining
there. Quite the opposite: He must emigrate. God says, Is not God’s
earth spacious enough that you might emigrate within it?5 Nevertheless,
if family or blood-ties prevent one from leaving he must not be
satisfied with his circumstances or at ease within himself; rather,
he must remain troubled in mind and say repeatedly, Lord, bring
o«t of this village whose inhabitants are wicked.b Whenever injustice
the ol rrUSf°rtune strikes and destroys all, encompassing even
who S G°d says> Be strong against temptation; not only those
there c *, °erS amon£ you will be singled out for smiting.7 Therefore,
weakenin 6 r^S0^Ute^ no acceptance of anything that causes a
God’s doin° .re^On except inasmuch as it stands in relation to
Scholars (T ^owever> it can never be acceptable.
teached the f t0 W^°is suPerior among those who have
°f longing to Wln^ three states: The man who loves death out
ford; or the m 1 man who loves abiding to serve his
tent with whatev Wp° 1 ch°ose nothing; rather, I am con­
od chooses. This question was raised before
 K ,^teerl *
bout 6
I . -Tell us oUt

.......
’woe upon us of your m° toO is not P
Lid “Then j ” He repbed’ en tell us
> fot ° Ju he Ls asked. * the very

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN withy°ur »totellyoU‘ I ainst yourcarn if to God but

A Compilation of Anecdotes about

Lovers, Together with their Sayings and
Innermost Illuminations
T WAS SAID to a gnostic, “You truly are a lover,” but he

I replied, “I am no lover, I am only a beloved, for the lover is

worn out with toil.”1 It was also said to him, “People say that
you are one of the Seven,” and he answered, “I am all Seven.”A He
also used to say, “When you see me you see forty Abdal,” and when
^gSb^t^hisctahestaredfaedlyandunbltak-
they asked, “How can this be since you are only one person?” ingly with both eyes. Yahya went on to say, Then, at dawn, he
he explained, “Because I see forty Abdal and take one trait from prostrated himself and remained along time like that, after which
each. They said to the same gnostic also, “We have heard that
be sat down and said, ‘OGod, some people seek You and You give
you see Khidr.”6 He smiled and said, “To see Khidr is no cause for
wonderment but to be someone whom Khidr would like to see them the power to walk on water or to walk on the air, and they
and yet, to conceal oneself from him, is cause for astonishment. are happy with that. But I take refuge with You from all of that
And of Khidr (peace be upon him) it is reported that he said, Other people seek You and You allow the distant nR c 1
There has never been a day on which I said to myself that none near ro them, so they too are conten R.
of God s friends remains whom I do not already know when on
w«h You from all of that. Another ’ Ut 1 take shelter
treasures of 3 ’ Y°U You give
that very day I did not see one of His friends whom I did not y»“ from all of thatL V SMisfied- But I L
know.”

hierarchy of Sufi SCVen Abw ( pious ) who are above the forty Abdal in the
753- Zabidi (Ith~f ^nost’c ^ere *s Abu Yazld al-Bistami; see Gramlich,
Seven.” IX'6?3’ ^ne n) glosses, “It is as if whoever sees me sees the
X tY HeX yon 4^hls,. He silent.
Mysteriously ann °n’ *s recognised as a prophet who never dies but
Moses in the Our’- T People. He is believed to be the companion of :the ea«h nsel the Worl^er me
an(Q.xvni.65.82).See£fiv9O2_5

178

MB ,XX:
F_ -lu,,
 r . . a wthatHe appears in your own meas-
ChapterEighteen
d^^U^eAbu Yazid before God Who appears to
measure?” Thenhe understood what I was saying
“Bringme tohim!” Continuing the storyhe said

vriNC INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT ^t.“Westoppedatahill where we could waitforAbu Yazid to

LOVE, LONUmw
^metousoutofa thicket. He used to repair to the thicket where
f the Gardens to the Throne. He brought me into His
them from Me for anything you have seen and 1 tjjbeastswere. Hepassedbyus, a pelt slungoverhis back. I said
rTiveh to you.” I replied, “O my Lord, I have seen nothing
Deyoung
Mth, man, 'This is Abu Yazid,
out. Wehurried him!’ The youne
look atowr b 8
Lfdeem beautiful enough to ask You for it." He answered,
“You are truly My servant, you who worship Me in truth for My
own sake. I will do this and this for you.” He mentioned several
things.’ Yahya said, ‘This terrified me and filled my mind and I
was amazed and said, “O master, why did you not ask Him for
knowledge? For the King of Kings did say to you, ‘Ask of Me
what you wish?’” But Abu Yazid shrieked at me loudly, ‘Silence!
Woe upon you! I am jealous of my own self for His sake and I do
not like anyone other than Him knowing Him!'”A4
Abu Turab al-Nakhshabi, it is reported, had great admiration
for one of his novices. He used to draw him close and ply him with
all sorts of good things. The novice, however, remained absorbed 0^»«edn,^ ",in la„/aW ren,ained si/ "e to -vk
in his worship and mystical fervour. One day Abu Turab said to
him, “What if you were to see Abu Yazid?” The novice replied, “I
would be too absorbed to notice him.” But when Abu Turab kept / dow»
on saying again and again, “If you were to see Abu Yazid...! the
novice became agitated and cried out, “Shame on you! What do I
want with Abu Yazid when I am seeing God Himself and He has
made Abu Yazid superfluous to me?” Abu Turab remarked, “1 was
tirred up with emotion that I could barely contain myself but 1
see Ab’0Vt0^0U' ^°U bave been bedazzled by God! Were you to
to se C °n^ °nCe would be more beneficial to you than
£”>Xa
S the n* naJ'y,
, b™enty times!’ The lad was too flabbergasted even to
could foatb?’PAk-d°fhiSmaSterbut finallY he did ask’ “H°W
u Turab replied, “Silly you! Do you not see
<f to> Me isZ
‘ Zabidi
comments that jealousy is one of the results of love. The 1 |
Of g Abu Yazid is jealous of his own self for the knowle S
,x “ « possesses; only God, the beloved, should know Himself. Cf. J
Nazi’S r’ T,*C OCM" °fthe Sou1’ 394-9*’ e$p- 395’CUing rd him­ Us(d>ofh^^r
self and is 1 P°'nt tbe lover harbours jealousy towa
'Uealousofhisowneye.”
ifne

x-
 keS fot7tOn,

LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

grants you the whispered colloquies of Moses and the spiritual

depth of Jesus and the friendship of Abraham, even so, seek what
><he ot- the
is beyond all that. God possesses incalculably redoubled graces
X naX°eS rne r^rack\ my
above and beyond all those. If you stop at those, He causes them ““Lee. . „ deny * own in’blUtls
to be a veil for you; and this is an affliction for the likes of these
[gnostics], and of those who are like them, because they are as
alike as like can be.”7 thishasV\ rheVsee,t V nfGoa- 11 the
One mystic said, “In vision forty houris were revealed to me
whom I beheld running upon the air. They wore golden and sil­ *,0 Gsfo'denYi”V however^’ To Bista it
ver garments and jewels that clinked and swirled with them as
they moved. I gazed upon them and was punished for forty days.
Afterwards eighty houris were revealed to me, far more beauti­
ful, far lovelier, than the first. I was told to gaze upon them but I
prostrated myself and covered my eyes in order not to see them.
I said, ‘I take refuge with You from all that is not You. I have no
Himtohideandco to Qod to to
need of this. And thus I implored God without stopping until He
removed them from my sight.”8
rom other people.” But it might
The believer should not deny these and similar illuminations
just because he himself has been deprived of them. If every­
body believed nothing but what he himself had witnessed with On the suchonty of another he is repotted as saying, A
his own murky self and stubborn heart, faith’s domain would
tot Khiir kept me in turmoil. On one occasion 1 asked
be severely narrowed. Rather, these states appear after one has
God to show him to me so that he could teach me what might
crossed beyond obstacles and attained several stages—the lowest
of which is purity of heart—and dispelled the cravings of the self be the most important thing for me. Thus I did see him but only
as well as others’ good opinion of one’s inner and outer acts. Later one thing dominated both my intention and my resolve: To say
one conceals all that from other people by veiling one s inner state to him, ‘O Abu Abbas," teach me something such that when I
until he remains immured in the stronghold of his own obscu­ speak it out I become hidden from the hearts of others k
rity.9 These are the precepts of their path and the least of their no standing with them and no one knows me to b 4
stations, although among those who fear God, it is also the most nghteous.’ Khidr replied, ‘Say “O Lord 4 C deVOUt and
glorious thing in existence. After cleansing the heart and mind over me and set the canopies of Yoi ’ ^°Ur ^ckest Veil
of the turbidity that comes from regard for creatures, the ig c memthehiddennessofYourinvisil «Pon me. pur
of certitude pours over one and the axioms of the real are made
'fliagetnefrom
known to him. To deny this without having experienced it or
t-abidi comments (Ithsr
having trod the mystic path, is like the denial of a man who rejects
the possibility of an image appearing in a piece of iron after it as

182

r
 love, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

the hearts of others!’” At this he vanished and I could no longer '^l^' I rhes»a' , rt"Hesa ,-,,Those
see him but after that 1 no longer yearned for him. Every day I
persisted in saying these words.”12 It is related that he came in
this way to be despised and derided so that even non-Muslims”
mocked him and put him to work in the streets carrying their reUei that J
belongings for them, so low did he fall in their estimation. Even
of '1' ned hi®
young boys made fun of him. His solace lay in the stillness of his *
4
" ” > Lanbi. the teach the , tun fourth
own heart since the upright sincerity of his inmost state lay in
*
0 fL rimes to a ed and on „FoJ.
abasement and obscurity.'4
Such is the inner state of the saints of God. One must search
among such people as these; however, the bedazzled seek only
beneath tattered rags and woollen shawls those celebrated for
twentyyearsmy been driven J home to
their knowledge, piety and leadership among men. God, how­
to the level °i A back and a bone is slung to tt, me
ever, is jealous on behalf of His saints and disdains anything other
when it is called back ana f times and then
than concealing them, as He says, “My saints are under My tent. suy. if you had turned me aw Qf him that ie
Only I know who they are.”'5 He (may God bless him and grant
back again,I would have com - y bad a reputation for right-
him peace) said, “Lord, many a dishevelled, dusty man in a pair of
tattered rags to whom no one gives any mind may find his oath said, “1 arrived at a certamp y entered the bath-house
granted when he swears by God.”'6 —us clothing which I then stole
In summary, the hearts farthest from the fragrance of these
put on. I put my own rags on over the fine garments and left
notions are swaggering hearts, full of pride in themselves and
blithely pleased with their own works and their own knowledge. tire bath-house. I began walking away very slowly. Some people
Hearts closest to those scents, however, are those that have been confronted me, took off my rags and seized the garments. They
pulverised and who are so conscious of their own lowliness that
struck me and injured me with their blows. After that I came to be
trey do not perceive it as abasement when they suffer injustice
known as abath-house thief and my soul was at rest within me ”
n oppression, just as a slave feels no humiliation however loft- This is how they tame and break their carnal selves until
'J is master may look down at him. Quite the opposite: In his delivers them from directing their gaze towards r K Go<a
estimation he is at too contemptible a level to see all forms of
towards themselves. Someone who is forp reatures and then
self k'°n C°mb’ned in relation to his own; rather, he sees him- soulisblocked from God; self-preoccu Jer.gJZing « his oWn
charact t^lat’ an^ so humility becomes an essential the heart and God there is no L P 1On IS his veil R H
*"
can catch tk ^is Ver^se^- A heart such as this, it may be hoped, ‘Wade; the heart’s distance ’'”8 ^stance ot
ate deprived SfCm ^FSt wa^ts °f these fragrances. But if we absorbed in things other than n"""' a’’Out only fr ntervei>ing
abandon beli f 1 ^eart and denied such a spirit, we must not all obstructions is ,elf"hltn0tiWtself7ffr0m «S beino
unable to bee ” poss^tlity for those so endowed. Whoever is t To Ws effect we « XW " fa«. the mi L 8
°me a saint may still be one who loves God’s saints ‘I W tons, esteemed "endthit ’ Very w ghti'
OfBi>tSn>?Wot'hyaUfk
184 Was im« 7 authoritv
SeParable fi. Y’ °he
^5 Aba
 r , ..evebtion’'

th»t^Vf'oUOtthe^ 0gerOf

love, longing, intimacy and contentment

Yazid’s circle. One day he said to the saint, “For thirty years I have
fasted without interruption and I have stood all night without sleep :Cy°<^1>'eSS On'kno«n iS WOte nd g»nt hinl
but in my heart I find nothing of the knowledge which you men­
\tperfeCted a nOt-bei^S'k j bless W and S erfects
tion although 1 both believe in it and love it.” Abu Yazid replied, “If
you were to fast for three hundred years and stand in prayer for as
many nights, you would still not find a single speck of such knowl­
edge!” When he asked why, Abu Yazid said, “Because you are
obstructed by your own self.” And when he asked whether there
was a remedy for that Abu Yazid remarked, “You won’t accept it.” *
t» cris,; world one'° one ”” The
The other insisted, “Tell it to me so I may use it! ” Abu Yazid replied, *AbeWtot^ world over this ,saidaswell, A
“Go right away to the barber and have your head and beard shaved. sk«beW <o' ani grant him p • Leetraits: when
Take off those clothes and put on a woollen cloak. Hang a feedbag
filled with walnuts from your neck, gather some boys around you
and say to them, ‘Whoever hits me will get a walnut.' Then go into lead him lnto
the market-place and wander around all the markets in the sight of
„ken be is content, 'Tcanhe doesnot permit himself to take
all and where there are people who know you, while you are in this
state.” The man exclaimed, “Glory be to God! What on earth are
tnridity; and even« another Sacred Tradition it
what does not belong to him. i tkp fam
you saying?” Abu Yazid answered, “Your saying ‘Glory be to God’ a,s,“Three things: he to whom they befall enjoys what the fam-
is polytheism.” “How?” he asked and the saint replied, “Because
ily of David enjoyed, namely, justice in both contentment and
you exalt yourself and give glory to your self and do not give glory
to your Lord. But he replied, “I cannot do this but please, show me
in wrath; moderation in wealth as in poverty; the fear of God in
some other way! Abu Yazid said, “Begin with this before anything private and in public.”24 These are conditions God’s Messenger
else. The man said, “I cannot do it,” and Abu Yazid remarked, (may God bless him and grant him peace) mentioned to the faith
Did I not say to you that you would not accept it?”20 M. The only person robe wondered at« is he who claims relieiom
This then is what Abu Yazid reported. It is a remedy for some­ knowledge when within him not a speck of these tbr« j S
body ill with self-regard and sickened by the regard that others exists. His share of knowledge and of reason i„d t COndlti°ns
may have for him. No other remedy can save one from this sick­ vow what does exist after one has crossed th '° di«-
ness but this or a similar remedy. He who cannot take the medi­ that he beyond belief. In the Traditi ■ d trernendous stoo
cine ought not to impugn the possibility of healing with respect to one of His prophets “I “ is that C / gCS
someone who has cured himself after sickness or who has not tepid in remembrance of Me My friend only h^ teVealed
’ eixriC^ kwest rung to health is belief in its possibil- ^““'•“^newhoptf^^^ohasno J0™ wh° is not
y oe to him who denies even this meagre measure! feels no pa>„ „J ^ave concern
»sla
*
e dtodeathk, ya l!’c»rehedbv/ eatlon Over u W
Whoever doe J Pam ^’°ne wh °nC
MunaM 3 Ve^et^ reference to Ghazali’s own sickness, as described in
3?. tr McCarthy> 92

H. t._, . ,
186
°ndets ? love
i8y
 LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND Orm—
CONTENTMENT

illuminations lie beyond love? All of that lies

of love. Love is beyond perfected faith while th^ °ther side
and their fluctuations—now more, now less— C Sta§es of belief
is why he (may God bless him and grant him n
Bakr] al-Siddiq (may God be pleased with him)'V
°UncOess- This
tO fAbfl
chWTEK N.NBTBBN
beliefequal to that ofevery believing member of m
whereas to me He gave belief equal to that of ^n^^ity, Conclusion. . pove
children of Adam.”* In another Sacred a the believing
has three hundred attributes (^M/«?). When H “ S3yS’ “G°d
Useful Sayings Regain g
body with even one of them, together with h jnC°Unters s°nie- Various
that person enters paradise.”- Abu Bakr at ° HiS UnitT
Go ts there even one of these attribs
. to follow God’s Messenger
pUFYAN SAID, “Love mean |lgr said,
1 hem are ln you, o Abu Bakr □ J l He answered, <fmay God bless him and grant him peace) A

oves most is generosity.”2’He said f ’ l attribute God

jZ means co keep God continuously cn mend. „ Still
3 <Mng from heaved UP°° M, “I saw
another remarked, “Love means co prefer the Beloved. Yet
ommumty on the other. I weighed m^V" pan and
Bakt was placed on a scale and d than theY- Then Abfi another said, “Love is an aversion to remaining in this world.
placed there too and k community was bro L All this refers to the fruits of love; and yet, such sayings do not
Messenger of God (mayXd bT^t ”3° Nev"thZss the adequately deal with love itself.
Someone has said, “Love is a notion2 coming from the beloved
“ZZ" ftOm Undmta"dl”8 it and blocks tongues
friend; he—
«Xey„,s”> He alstZZe^Zw kfOr-ank'°ne Wt°
meant himself.

°” SOmC
X manife« love Ofc, a
A«‘l to Shiblt (may q,bctore anyone other rh , G°d t0
hta "Z)
S someone who r, • > Ver *
°r Us ” i, U ^as
when he keeps .'('"T" he'sn ) U «plied “-rd

° N°W= Lord, ‘Shlbl’ »id, P'aks ^laile the U

*

love for Y . °ver

° You who I'f" 'S in tny en
Ywt<z'<zils'

188
 love, longing, intimacy the best deed
AND co^entment
Another wrote:

I am amazed at someone who says, ‘I keep my Lord ir

How can I forget and then think of what I forgot? irhtbeand j A “The lover I°ves „I3
I die when I think of You, then I am revived. In mind. £
* loves only his ** and bewilder-
Were it not for my good opinion of You I would not live.
1 live with desire but I die of longing.
How often will I live through You, how often die? nt in exaltation. yoU wipe away every
In cup upon cup I drink love. It has been said thadove mea^^ within y°U Xe
The wine is not depleted nor am I slaked.
Would that his phantom were raised up for my eye!
If I falter in my gaze may I go blind!7
beloved through happiness and joy. 1tri mikes of the
Rabia al-'Adawiya said one day, “Who will guide i" Khawwas said, “Love means to wipe away impulses of the
lover?” Her maid-servant responded, “Our lover is already with
us but the world has severed us from Him.
will, to cast one’s personal characteristics and needs into the fire.
Us to our
Ibn al-Jalla (may God show him mercy) said, “God revealed Sahl was asked about love and said, “God inclines His servant’s
to Jesus (peace be upon him), ‘When I search out a man’s inner­ heart to see Him after he understands what is wanted from him. ”
most heart and find no love either for this world or the next, I fill It is also said, “The lover’s transactions are on four levels: love,
him full of love for Me and shelter him with My protection.
shame and exaltation. The noblest of these are exaltation and
Sumnun was speaking one day on love when a bird alighted
before him; he kept pecking with his beak on the ground until
blood flowed out and he died.9

Ibrahim ibn Adham said, “O my God, You know that paradise w beIiever knows his
weighs less than a gnat’s wing in my estimation alongside the love
with whichYou have honoured me, the remembrance of You with
which You have made me Your intimate, and the meditation
*
«xt world Xrl<i 'a ’ X
Your might and splendour for which You have emptied me out.
Sari (may God show --imercy) said, “The vxxv meditation
__emptied on
God Ev G°d S^°W ror which merCy)You saichhave
*T^ me out.
e man who l°veS
The cm, 11 6 man W11° inc^nes to the world is empty-headed.
mo™ing ranTrew
smart asearches
man-*ii nrCheS
who° inclines
U\his failii
out failin Ss J world
to the the foo1if goes out in the
-ing and returns at evening it. .,MUm
Rak;'- at p'rit
Rabi a was askedS how ““stood nothingness.
’ lg inwith ” the M>
her love for
x'tty pious wotna
C I 111111 ancl §rant him peace) and she ai

imflerce andcreated
ly for yet, love for the Creator Messenger
”t11' of love things.-
answered, “By
possesses me XXX'Wio lC "Plied ?ed W ‘n ' °f

'9;
lJ

Sjns>
 v Si»eteerl
cK com?^00’ ttnettt
mV c 1 roDtentn rrade’

love. LONGING, intimacy and contentment

,, n, of sheer longing for Me and their limbs would

l acked into pieces for love of Me.1’ O David, this is My will
for those who turn away from Me. How then would My will be Vmv suft'cicn/ f mY eyes. the souls
for those who come towards Me? O David, man needs Me most htoHimv,ho 4 exalted and so
when he thinks to dispense with Me. I am most compassionate
of My servant when he turns from Me but man is most sublime
when he comes back to Me.”
Abu Khalid al-Saffar said, “One of the prophets met a man
and said to him, ‘You believers act on a basis that we prophets do
not act upon: You act out of fear and hope while we act out of
love and longing.’”
Shibli (may God show him mercy) stated, “God revealed to
David (peace be upon him), ‘O David, mindfulness of Me belongs
to those who are mindfulA while paradise belongs to those who are and sang out’- „l8
tierce longing has turned me to what you see.
obedient; visiting Me belongs to those who yearn; but I belong
exclusively to those who love.’” . been said, is the fire which God ignites in the
God revealed to Adam (peace be upon him), “O Adam, he
who loves his friend believes what he says. He who is familiar WothI'saints so that they may burn up stray thoughts, wil-
with his friend is content with whatever he does. He who yearns fill deeds, hindrances and needs, hy that fire in their hearts.
for him quickens his footstep after him.” This now sufices for comment on love, intimacy, longing and
Khawwas struck his breast and said, “O alas, that my longing
contentment. Let us then curtail our discussion. And God gives
is for One who sees me while I see Him not!”16
success for what is right.
Junayd said, Jonahb wept until he went blind, he stood until
e ent crooked, he prayed until he went lame. He said, ‘By Your
Here ends the Book of Love, Longing and Intima™ Th
Bookon Intention, Sincerity and Truthfulness follows. '
y an Might! Were there an ocean of fire between us, I would
TnKt0ARUt?frayl°ngingfOrYOU’”
Godble b ' Sa'd’ ' asked the Messenger of God (may
‘KnowledeH c w” ^lm peace^ about his su,ma and he rePlied’
CapfiU1’inteUect « is the root °f
mount ren» k 1S my foundation, longing (shawq) is my
’ my bosom-friend. crust

Wiiferi li'l-dhjjkj - “
remember.” ‘n": Remembrance of Me belongs to those who

Soreietittyes t .
rk.;_ ,transh

192
 I^otes
1 Ooia zuha, 39>
Surat 32/2, 56;1 n Granilich, 658-
cf ^ensinck- Darimi, riqaq, 9^
4 Q-X-24-
, tk-ni Fath,’ 1.239-
i;Nabhanh^
< Q. HI-
S
i69-70■
6 ibnBanbAHed-H^]’
,,
notes 13 Q-’0®-7'
,11173,276; Bukhari,21.
H Q.xvi-75-
Chapter 1 15 Makki, n-56- Muslim, in.1498, '"“'■f I09' . .
1
Q- v.54. n°- 3669. po 7 Unartested tradition given
16 Ibid.
2 tary on this cele^Xed ded C0QUnen-
Q- n.165.
I 3 p Ibid. Subkl, iv.1771
Ibn aJ-cArabi P„ / tradn>on, cf
18 Ibid.
50, 26-27. vi.375 (Gramlich, 659)'
19 Ibid; Abu Nuaym, 111.242.
2 Q- L-37- 20 Reading with M and 8 Q. hi. 133.

■4''NMXv,„.Z , ',W"9& 3 Cxxxm.& B, rather than tujjar with Z (Ithaf, 9 See above, p. 7.
4 Ml>n~ ’ X1Vrn.23
Munawi, FayJ ,
IbnM5ja>n 7 ^3-4). a.S6i,paen.). 10 Another reading has “a young
M^ki,„.5o. ’n°-4O33^W23); 21 Ibn Hanbal, n.295; Bukhari, man burning with zeal” (al-fata
Tradition • cf 7 t-j I?I’ for this anbiya 2; al-adab al-mujrad 231—232; tnashghiif); cf. Gramlich, 660.
im5n 8; IbnHanb6]’ ”°’ Bukhari
Muslim, rv.2031-2032, birr 159-60;
11 Makki, 11.56; 111.83.
Hanbal, rv.n,_ 93 ’ " l47; Ibn AbuDaud, rv.359, no. 4834 (for fur­
w.w. ’ cf- also Makki, 12 Makki, 11.57; 111.83
93, ww,/; Munawr’ ^1;BukbSr2> 9 ther references, see Gramlich, 643).
7 ftnHanbl’ ^.0.224-26. 22 Q-xvn.85. 13 /W.
Gramlkh, p. 633?°' V’24, 3S in 14 Arabic hubb al-hawd.
Bukhari>231 •“•2?5/'XV-77-78; 23 Q-xv.29; xxxvin.72.
7 Makki, ii $0 . no. 9oo-onT ka ’ a ~ada^ d-fnufrad 24 Q xxxvin.26 15 See note 3 above for
9oo~^°l-,MushIn JM>
references.
: aaln">-!-
Ocean °fSoul, 55a2yni’X'9;R,tter. The
b,rr 159-60; Abu D- J °31~2°32.
4S«(fcruX “^
16 Q- XXXII. 17.
Gramlich, 643). es> see
10 Abu Nu‘ay
17 Q- lvii.2o
11 226~227. 18 AUusion">Q.x,.38.
M°6a>' Qushavr "COrda^es. Chapter 3 *.' *26 Q-xvn.43£?£
« •
*
1 Q xrv.34.
12 Ibn^nba ;^-Xh^79. 2 Q- xxxrv.3. U1'lniatelydeXgfYbQHUrayra, Chapter <
r 13 M^ki,„ ’ni I°4- 3 Q- Xvn.85. Q-vii.i43
Gratnlich, 6aj 56’ ni-8a; cf.
4 Q- n.255. 3"46;
■ 28 IbnM
HanbTl .J
usC’J "O'6->r43
<W3
14 QushayrT
QushayrI T
5 Q- xvnr. 84. >9, 38. ’V,-256; Bu^
15 O„.L 7 ’ l4<5’ 32-5,
Qu^yrf,’l44^-33. Qxix.7i
6 Q- n-255-
7 Allusion to Q. xxxix.67.
?fDawood
Chapter 2 1 q CEapter4 rami.- / 30g).
usion to Q.xlvi.33 and l.38.
bn^,ni.l28 T y Sb tIX.23.
10 Q-LV.27. 3 S-’
11 Q- xxxrv.3.
Tradition found in all the

194
s/'
3i2>
w
5> lah:

Igs
 >|otes d of
• :.6i9).instei"
withB. 1 h notes (699>-
» Eltsin
l0VE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
thesanI fed Ghani), 44-
10 For this hadith, see Ibn Hanbal 20 Q. xvi.68.
I5 Makki, u.5^
(ed. Halabi), v.40; see also Wensinck, 21 Allusion to Q. xvi.69. Makki, n-545 nb79'
Concordances, tv-359». For a variant, 16 Makki, n-54; nI-8°-
Chapter 7
see Ithaf, ix.90. py5 33 17
1 Ibid.
Chapter 6 '’t^u-5O;nb73’
18
2 Q. v.54-
19
1 Q. xxxiii.4- iiQ-^4' luion, see ab°ve’ 20 Q. iv.45-
Chapter 9 12 for this tradin°n’ Makki, 11.5c in-75-
2 Q. vi.91.
Q.XLi.3oandxtvi.i3 21
1 Makki, 11.61; 111.89.
22 Ibid.
3
4 Q. xxv.43 2 Q. lxvi.8. Makki, 11.52; in.76.
A tradition with a weak Q. Lvn.13. 23
5 3 14 Ibid.
chain of transmission, according to Ibid.
4 Arabic: wa-yuriyana al-Haqq 15 Ibid. 24
Zabidi (Ithaf, ix.586,1.12, who gives 16 'Iraqi, iV-32°’ 25 Q. 111.31.
haqqan.
Tabarani as his source. 5 Nasai, 111.46-7; Ibn Hanbal lAunawi, Fayd,1.256, no-37»- 26 Munawi, Fayd, 1.177-8, no.
6 Munawi, Fayd, vi.189; Azizi, (ed. Halabi), rv.264; v.191. 224; Azizi, al-Siraj al-munir, 1.57;
17 ‘Iraqi, lot-on
al-Siraj al-munir, 111.376; Nabhani, 6 Drawn from Makki, 11.60. 18 Allusion to a haditli fre
al-Fath al-kabir, m.220 (Gramlich, 18 nnuslou to a Nabhani, 1.49.
7 A reference to the well- quently referred to by Ghazali. Ct-
671). known Tradition; see above,
27 Makki, n.53; in.78.
'Wensinck, Concordances, vii.107. 28 Ibid. n.64. In 94. Ab_
7 Ithaf, ix. 5 87 gives as authori­
P-47-
ties Muslim and Tirmidbi as sources 8 Readingj'u/iid (“striver”)
Chapter 11 Nu aym, vni.20.
for this Tradition; Gramlich, 141, rather than jihbidh (“erudite”); 29 Makk1’ n.54; ln,79
lists several other sources, including Gramlich, 689, chooses the lat­ 1 Makki, 11.44; 111.65; Wensinck,
Ahmad Ibn Hanbal. 3° Q- xni.28
ter reading, though with some Concordances, vi.i39b-i4ob.
8 Q. xiv.24. 31 Qn.236.
reluctance. 2 Makki, 11.51; 111.75
9 Q. xxxv.10. 32
9 Arabic khudh min nafsik
3 Ibid. 33 Makki
Ibid. ’«-55;in8i
t8l‘
10 Ithaf ix.587, line 18, has ka’l-
li-nafsik. 4 Q. 1x1.4.
jammali. I read ka’l-hammali with 10 Reading bi-sukrihi with
5 Q. ix.m. 34 Ibid.
Gramlich, 672.
M rather than bi-shukrihi with Z 6 Makki, 11.51; 111.75.
11 Q. xu.53. 33 Q xivih.2
12 Q. m. 18. (ix.608,1. 17). 7 Abu Ndaym, 1.108-9.
13 Q. xn.53. 8 Makki, 11.5V, ui-75-
Chapter 10 9 Q. 11.94- 38 0 t Nu aym, j n
14 Q.vii.i8$.
15 Q.x.ioi. 10 The remark is based on a
1 Q. v.54. Tradition; cf. Bukhari, tv .2064,
16 Q. Lxvn.3-4. 2 Q. LXi.4. dhikr 10; also Ibn Hanbal, 111.101 ■
17 Q. xvm.109. Q. 11.222.
3 m.104,195; Ibn Maja, 11.1425, no.
18 Zabidi finds no source for this
4 Q. v.18. 4265, zuhd 31.
tradition, but see Gramlich, 674. Q. 11.222. Cf. Makki, n.50, 42
19 Ibn Hanbal, i.390; v.261-3, 5 11 Makki.n.si ‘,111.75. 6-yv 8‘
14—16; m.73. 43
"00704; for variants, see Gramlich, 12 Q. Lix.9.
6 Q. in.31. 44 Q LIo<-
7 Makki, n.50; ni.74- 45
46
*
196
I9?
 Q- c* 11'3’
33
ibid-
Munawi,Fayd.no. 4401, cited
3* q. cxn-4-
love, longing, intimacy and contentment , ^n-541^-79-
35
^Ritter, TheOcean ofthe Soul, 583.
Q.vx-59' 72-
36
47 Q.rv.40. 70 Gramlich (715) reads this
Arabic rastaqimadhush (from 37
muhibbina ([“one of] the lovers”]
48 Q.XXI-47- Chapter 14
49 Q.Lrv.55. instead of majanina ([“one of] the Persian rilsta["village ].
f Fa-innamahiya fndadhawi
50 Reading/o-^wnt with M, madmen”) in the Arabic originals. Ibn Hanbal, 1.266; IV.127,
instead offa-hum with Z. 71 Makki, 11.67; in.98-9. el-iyhtirdrmin al-asmar. Reading 397; 1.314; iv.315-16, no. 2881;
51 I translate mujalasa here as 72 Allusion to Q. lxvi.6. ismarwith Zfix.643,1. 2); B and
“keeping company [with God]. 73 The Arabic reads: hatta
margin read osmo [but see Gramlich, ; v.15, no. 3033; Bukhari,
u’ 10; Muslim, iv.1927, fada’il
Gramlich (70-8) renders this zannatu anna It dnda Allahi shay’an. 722].Note the rhyme ightirar/asmar;
“Beisammensein [mit Gott], which 74 Arabic qatalahu Allah ma Ghazalifrequently resorts to rhyme
is correct, whereas Siauve (188) absarahu, more literally rendered as
translates the term as “la societe des “Damn him! How sharp-sighted he to clinch a point. 2 q.V.H9;iX-100-
autres,” which is clearly wrong. is!” I have preferred a more collo­
6 q.uooc-^0- 3 Q. LV.60.
52 Cited in Makki, 11.68. quial translation to convey the force Q.l.XXX-5'6’
53 Q. Lxxxin.19. of the remark.
7 4 Q.ix.72-
S Q.V1-S4- 5 Q. xxix.45-
9 q.vi.68-
54 Q. ci.1-3. 75 Anon., Mukashafat al-qulub,
6 Qushayri, 88-89.
55 Q. xi.68. 32; Munawi, al-Kawakib al-durriya,
10 q.xvui-2®-
56 Q.xi.95. 1-233- 7 Q-L.35.
11 Q.vn-tSS-
57 ‘Iraqi, iv.326; ‘All al-Qari, 76 A variant in Attar, Tadhkirat 8 Q. xxxn.7.
12 Q. xx.24-
al-Masnu, 174-175, no. 311. al-awliya’, 1.277. 9 Q. xxxvi.58.
Q. XXVI.I4-
58 Wensinck, Concordances,
v.38b; Munawi, Fayd, 111.11, no. 2621.
77 Arabic: ulama’.
I 13Q.XXVl.W-^- 10 Q. ix.72.
Q. xx-45- 11 Makki, 11.39; Hi- 57-
59 The Arabic is makr khafi. Chapter 12 Q.XXX1X.6.
60 Readingja-hab la-na with B 12 Ibid.
1 Reading istish ar with B, Q.txvni-49-
and M; Z has baqiya, i.e., “what is
instead of istibshar with Z.
/ 17* Q.txviu.^-
13 Makki, 11.39; 111.58; Ibn
lost to us remains [missing].” Hanbal, vi.19.
2 Reading mutrafiin with B, Q.xvii-SS-
61 Reading birr with B and M, 19
instead of mutafarriqun with Z. 20 Q. u.253. 14 Makki, loc.cit
rather than bard, as in Z.
3 Makki, 11.64; in.94. 21 Q.xix.33. 15 Ibid.
62 Makki, n.59; 111.87.
22 Q.xix.15. Makki,
63 Q. xi.45; Q. xcv.8. n-39~4O; 111.58.
Chapter 13 23 Q. xu.8.
64 For this anecdote, see Makki, D Ibid.
11.60. 24 For the only reference to
1 Siauve translates (216): 18 Ibid.
TJzayr in the Qur’an, see Q. rx.
65 The poet remains unidenti­ “Moise.. .etait sorti pour puiser lui- 30.
25 Makki, n.6$; 111.95.
19 ^id-cf M
fied. The metre is u>afir. meme de l’eau, pour eux, soixante-
26 Q. 11.160. no-83S6.
66 Reading T'ras (“fields”) with dix mille fois... » whereas Gramlic
Gramlich (“Gefilden”), 712. 27 Makki, 11.65; 111.96.
(720) translates this correctly as .
28 Ibid. it. 66; 111. 96.
67 Makki, 11.67; m.98. « .. .und Mose ausgezogen war,
29 Q. cxn.1-4.
68 Read yutimma with Z and M, um inmitten von siebzig tausen
rather than yanutnma (“reveal”) 30 Q.ux.23.
Personen fur sie um Regen zu 31 Qixxxix.6-7.
withB. beten... » (for : kharaja Musa li
32 Q. cv.i. 24 Ibid
69 Matthew 6:3-4, I?_i8 yastasqiya la-humfisab ina alf ■ ■)•
Ihid- 11

26 Mafcj.- ’26S. lted al:

lSo in
’’ U'4I;iiI-6o.
^9
 rfotes
love, longing, intimacy AND
Ibid.
contentmEnt 9
27 Ibid. 10 Ibid.
Chapter 16
11 Ibid.
28 Ibid., 11.42; 111.61. 4 Ibn al-Dabbagh, loc.cit.
5 Reading bi-falij with B and M
29 In M and in B (though not in
instead of yualij with Z. q.xXI-90'
12 Ibid.
In Arabic, dhirnmi.
Z), the following sentence is added:
1
“If you submit to what I will, I will 6 On this tale, see Theodicy, 254.
On Q. X-7- 13 Makki, 11.73; in. 107-8.
2
requite you with what you will but 7 Abu Nu aym, 11.179. 4
Q'ff’87' ith M and B.
ith M and B, 14 For this hadith qudsi, reading
3
if you do not submit to what I will, 8 Ibid., 1.132. 15 ith Z (ix.676, line 20), not
n tl-dalldlaal-sharr insteac . kkilid'iwithzpx.v/x,,-
I will make you wear yourself out in 9 Makki, 11.42; In-62 1•
10 Ibid.
qabdbtas in Ihyd’iv-377, line I-
what you do will. Only that which I khayrwith Z.
will can come to be.” Ithaf, ix.653. 11 The order of words is 5 Q. lxxxiii.26.
Q. lXXXIII-26. 16 Cf. above, p. I4°-
30 Makki, n.40; in.59. reversed in M and in B. “Self- 6 Q. in.28. 17 Makki, 11.74; hi. 108.
glorification” seems to be the impli­ 17
31 M and B read tasbir instead of 7 Q.v-51- 18 Makki, 11.74; ni. 109.
tasluh. cation of the words tazini and ijlal. Q.vi.129- 19 Ibid. In this passage, Makki
S
12 Ibid. 9 Q-111.26.
32 Abu Nu'aym, 1.137; also, attributes this anecdote to “another
Makki, 11.43; 111.63. 13 Ghazali here copies an error to ___ al-ta
1.Arabic ■ ’addub bi-adab
from Makki; the correct name, shaykh,” not to Ibn al-Karanbl.
33 Abu Nu'aym, 11.352. d-shar)
as Gramlich notes (740), is Abu 20 Makki, 11.74-5; m.109—10.
34 Makki, 11. 39; 111.57; Abu
al-Ala’ Yazid ibn Abd Allah ibn
Nu'aym, vm.193. 21 Ibid.
al-Shikhkhir al- Amiri al-Basri (d.
35 Makki, loc.cit.; Abu Nu'aym, 22 Makki, n.75; In.no; ajso
m/729-30). 1 >
1.216.
14 Makki, 11.43; 111.62-3. 21 Munawi, Fayd, m.320, and Azizi
36 Makki, n.40; hi.59.
15 Math aba in Z (rx.66o, 1.19), 31 al-Siraj al-munir, n. i9?
37 Ibid.; Kalabadhi, Al-Taarruf,
according to whom the correct 41
73; Arberry, The Doctrine of the
name is Suwayd ibn Shu ba; Mataba P- 573-
Sufis, 93.
5 Q. iv.97.
a/-^»,n.45 ’NbhanI’«/-Fa///
in M and B.
38 Makki, 11.40; m.59; 6 Q- w.75.
16 Makki, 11.43; 111.63.
Qushayri, 89. 7 Q. viii.25.
17 Ibid. “■ • 7r5wi'fc-
39 Makki, loc.cit. 8 Makki, 11.44; m.64.
18 Ibid.
40 Ibid. 9 The dialogueo— here has a
19 Ibid. colloquial ring: ish taqul
41 Makki, n.41; in.61.
20 Ibid. . lanta?
10 Makki, 11.44-45. ni 6j
21 Sarraj, Luma', 50; Qushayri,
Chapter 15 26 Makkt ’
86; Attar, 11.163.
fo •
Chapter 18
1 Makki, 11.67; 111.99. “O 22 Diwan.Abi — Bakr al-Shibli, 129,
friend!” is in Persian in the original no. 67. 1 Makki, 11.69- n. Tn
(ya dust). 23 2 Ibid. 9’niIoi~lo: 27 ^akki HaSan
23 Makki,
■ n.43-4; 111.64.
2 Ibn al-Dabbagh, Mashariq 24 Makki, 11.46; 111.68. 3 Makki n.7o.
24
25 Ibn al-Dabbagh, Mashariq 4 ^.11,7’.
anwar al-qulub, 75; ‘Attar, Tadhkirat 25 Makkl.u7’111-’0-
al-awliya’, 1.277—78. anwar al-qulub, 7$—6. 4^'
26 See Ritter, The Ocean ofthe > ,ai-103;al.
3 Ghazali uses this example also
in his Kitab al-arbain, 267. Soul, 406.
1 S’-:;”?;
 — .-"macvaNDcontentment
31 Makki, loc.dt.; cf. also
Muslim, ^-iSs^fada’il al-faliaba 3. 4410; for a variant
vm.36. “ vauant see Al,-
eeAb , caynj>
uNu
Bukhari, salat So. and. fadd ‘ilal^ahaba
3 and 5; Ibn Hanbal (ed. Halabi) 11 A version in'a _
‘tl-audiyd’, i.<57. "aT' ^adhkirat
IV.4,5; Ibn Maja, 1.36,
dima n, no. 93.
mttqad-
12 In other version

Chapter 19
Jesus, not Moses wh
Gramlich, 765 ’
V
°ls asJced; c£
appendix
1 Qushayri,i45;a]so>
^3 In Arabic »
•nawldhu mawlahu. *
in PERSONS CITED IN TEXT
_ EXCb
excluding prophets
Kalabadhi,^^
14 Sarraj,Z„Wac
2 Jn the Arabic, madd 59.
a-2^“il"yri' '«~5o(
*
a
3 AbONu‘aym,x.274.
4 Qushayn, i46.
5 M senton the expedition to Nakhla in 623; he was killed at the Battle of Uhud and
6 Ibid.
7 ^(omits the final
his body was mutilated. (Tabari, History, vn.18, 34> Gramlich, 7^6.)
8 Ibid. verse).
ABD ALLAH IBN MUHAMMAD. He is perhaps to be identified as ABU
9 d^'d., cf. also Attar TddLL ■
To n ,. ’ ct S'lpra, 38 ABD ALLAH ibn Muhammad ibn Salim al-Basri (d. 297 [909]), the life-long
va',n8vTk ,7ar’ra^W
‘d-awliya-
. J — ~j, iun al-Arabi
’“•»3,Ibn Gra«JichM767Sfo^' With
^‘“‘ihdtal-^
nat /iL....it- disciple and assistant of the Sufi master Sahl al-Tustari. (EP VIII.840.)
--tiya, n.346 verse, seeSarr ’- a7Variantoftbe
10 Based
rf- Ibn Maja, n. a Sacred Tradition •
°n
n ’ ^Sarraj.M^^/.^
‘ABD ALLAH IBN AL-SA’IB, ibn Abi al-Sa ib Savfi h cAbM 1 a 1 1 - _ ,
“■73 [692]). A Companion and Qur an reciter to wh akhzumi (d.
a
I376^7,z«Ad3,no.’
tl0nsaredue.(JUynboll,2i8,66i.) ’ h°m manY important tradi-

<AfiD AL-AZIZ IBN ABI RAWWAD id

Hakim ^etici^/ C1°Se W3S a

prayer fjr the 4 UP as a for .1 Basra . J

''AbQNn' r°ni wk- > Asceti .>ai31°del- Hie ’ aHd a
4'5; Vadet Nu aym, vhlcij etlcs. ael ln ltnpOrt a CO^
202

I Of

^°3
 Append , - al-Atai X X
M , al-M
* 1301L early Sufi’

b„ TT T “°an only T v°
CONTENTMENT
LOVE.1ONC-1NG'1NT1MACY and
AH IBN AL-JALLA’ al-Dimashqi. Perhaps a mistake for Abu
S\hnnd b Yahya al-Jalla’, a celebrated Sufi, and associate of Junayd T’6*
T" !4's; ,Abd ST (t X7inia shortly
died in 306 M- (Salami, 166^; Hujwiri, 134-5; cf T. J.
Winter («.). Al-Ghazi>H *'• Disciplining the Soul, no.)

ABU All AL-RUDHABARl (d. 322 [933 or 4])- A well-known Sufi of lawM-0*
Bagdad, who also spent time in Egypt. He was associated with the circle of
“ -d and Nuri. He was also a hadith scholar and jurist who studied under befote
Ibrihimal-Harbi. His name is sometimes given as al-Rudhbari. (Sulami, 362-9; ^OJAHL-Abual . r^ad,^ f Radr. (EFI.H5-)
of the chief 0PPonen ye died at the battle o
Qushavri, 1.162; Luma, xviii-xix.)

ABU AMR MUHAMMAD IBN AL-ASH‘ATH [IBN QAYS AL-KINDI, “Tnti Xff r I’5’”-
ABU AL-QAS1M AL-KUFl] (d. 67 [686]). A senior Follower, born to Umm
Fartva. the niece of Abu Bakr. He transmitted from his father, al-Ash'ath ibn Muhammad b. A
Qavs, A’isha, Ibn Mas ud, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, and Uthman ibn Affan. i cAhdAllahb Qays (d. ca. 42 [662]). He converted
His most notable students were Zuhri, Mujahid ibn Jabr, the exegete, Amir ABUMUSAAL-AStfARl, Abd cahphate of cUmar he was
al-Sha'bi, Bakr ibn Qays and his son Qays. (Mizzi, xxiv.495-98; 'Asqalani,
to Islam during the Khaybar anj was made governor of Basra,
ix.52-53.)
tesponsible ^XTpresentative at the arbitration following the battle of
ABU BAKR AL-SIDDIQ ibn Abi Quhafa al-Taymi (d. 13 [634]). A small busi­
nessman of Mecca who personally accompanied the Prophet on his emigration Siffrn (3'7/657)?after which he took no further part in public life. (EF, 1.695-6;
to Medina, Abu Bakr became the Prophet’s closest advisor, and after his death
Abu Nu aym, 1.236—43.)
became the first caliph. {EP, 1.109— II.)
ABU NASR AL-TAM.MAR, 'Abd al-Malik b. cAbd al-cAziz al-Qushayri (d.
ABU AL-DARDA, Uwaymir al-Khazrajl (d. 32 [652/3]). A celebrated
Companion of the Prophet who joined Islam sometime after the battle of Badr, 228 [842]). An expert traditionist who was known for his voluntary poverty
w ereupon he is said to have given up commerce in order to occupy himself he was considered to be among the forty abdal of his time. (Mizzi xvin - s’
orship with the ahi al-Suffa. He died in Damascus, where he was buried, 'Asqalani, vi.355-6; Ibn Sa d, al-Tabaqdt al-kubrd, vn.340 ) ’ 354
an is venerated in particular by Sufis. (EP, 1. 113-4; Abu Nuaym, 1.208-27.)
ABU RAZIN AL-'UQAYLI.Laqit ibn 'Amir h s k 1 c ,
has noth' Nisaburi (d. 265 [878 or 9]). A renowned mystic who said, ‘ Man * c. ]). A Companion, sometimes L" f ’ 4b’ al~Mun-
tafiq, (fi. 1“ c. [7
known fo^hj0 rePentance: il c°mes to him, not from him.” He was another transmitter (though some sources—s, k With Laq« b. Sahr
consider them variant names of thP cE as Abd al R 1 ' fa’
nature walk nMUre and used to take his novices out in spring on
He asked the Prophet about n f Saine individual) He arr Mow----
’07,201 2ov\ U ’ IO5~113’ Qushayri, 11.114; F. Meier, Abu Said, 2, 6, 8,
lb„ .A|d al_|e »» behalf of 0(h J'
founder Tb*bit ib“ ZG?a (d- 150 fr6?!)- The ePonTmOUS
a Persian slave, and d' °°' ^W’ b° WaS born in ^u^a’ tbe grandson of
Sacred Traditions In th”0?3 b’mse^ at an early age to the study of law and
0
suspension ofjudgm C° °gy’ be Was a Murji'ite, i.e., one who believed in the
d to him ZT TrAe fate °f sinners- The authenticity of the books
ascrit*
» T T”’1, h' X10 ®N ab> al Kh
'•u3~4-) °U tful but his influence was vast. (GAS 1.409-19;

■ ""“men,.. ("'S«whichSerV‘re
20S
 1 Aniirl
,4pP«,<i'X A”0
, 1 Allah
-dlbn Abd k rep
he t°oK "r - XXXI'
,°' * 1 /? '7
X* 11-175 ' ’
TlALA’>Z1 Folio
** ’ * *
„ A senior F° ^pai^ k
rlNf INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
® r"'"' . f*e Pt°Phet
lOVE,lONC’NG'
J* 0, Ijj'ishi » ° bou,444 ) j son-in-1’"' ° cxpe<l>'
,ed him from prosecution. (EF,
4, lt0thers.inclu<lingthoseofrulerS,sav« vi.29^’’^ xi Thec°usina ndar<l-bearer He

, U5"; .. nARANl Abd al-Rahman (d. 205 [820/:] or 215

ABO SUIAYMAN v AL- ’ his and renunciation, he was respon­
se ,]).tfdl-knowntou ,.The hMrt is ruined when fear departs
hebecame 1 piety- ^P° r raliph, , gover-
ablefwchwaerisncmaxin'5 of dition is the drying-up n0 i f of austerity and p o£ce of Cai p Mucawiya, the & ,
m-3; Ate N"’ym- lived»^e°, reluctance, t i.Ming that 0 n-mber of tlie

nun-*0-)
\B0 TURAB AL-NAKHSHABI, ‘Askar b. al-Husayn (d. 245 [859]). An
ascetic Sufi of Kufan origins known for his scrupulosity and his learning,
he was an associate of Hatim al-Asamm, among other masters of the time.
(Sulanu, 136-40; Abu Nuaym.x.39-43, 185-87; Qushayri, 97-8; Meier, Abu
Su id. 296-7.)
9]). An influential ear y -,65-66; Luma, xxix, 29°-)
ABU UBAYDA [or: ‘UTBAH] AL-KHAW WAS is correctly known as Abbad Lfiftytimes.(AbuNucaym,x.265
b. Abbadal-Khawwasal-Ramlial-Ursufi(fl. 2d. [8'h c.]). Of Persian descent, he
ranks amongst the great scholars and Sufis of Syria. Sufyan al-Thawri addressed ^iBNAL-HAM™.!-^-Unidentified
an epistle on religious guidance and salvation to him. His extreme asceticism is ANAS IBN MALIK, ibn al-Nadr (1 91-3 (7O9/«^«M. A celebrated
said to have compromised his accuracy as a transmitter. (Asqalani, v.87; Mizzi,
XTV.134-6; Gramlich, 786.) Core,— of the Prophet, he had been presented to the Prophet at an early
age by his mother in fulfilment of a vow. After the Prophet s death he partici­
ABU YAZID AL-BISTA I
m (d. 261 or 264 [874 or 877/8]). An early and very
entia Sufi of great visionary gifts; though he wrote nothing, some 500 pated in the wars of conquest. One hundred and twenty eight Sacred Traditions
the noto ° °^. Pr°vocat've nature, have been preserved, including on his authority are to be found in the collections of Bukhari and Muslim. (El2,
^owmZtowasoflndn01017 be j ‘ T’ H°W M “
gr t my te SU i.482; Juynboll, 131—4.)
detected in his d n onSul and the influence of Hinduism has been
BISHR AL-HAP1, Abu Nasr Bishr ibn al-Harith (d. 226 or 227 [ 8 n
on” (Jana’). An ascetic
(EP, 1.162-3; Sulami 60-6 'T °f my own self” (haddad nafsi). A great ascetic Sufi, who lived by begging and came close to
I^'17;k-C.Zaehne'r,HinduAb“ Nu'aym’ x-33“42; Qushayri, occasion, he was known as “Bishr the Barefoot” The starvation on
^ffiNABiAH^ MF'“m>93’I34-)
fysticism, 93-134.)
to account for this practice which Bishr seems to b^ VaUOUs anecdotes
jAn?scetic Sufi, of Da W Abu al-Hasan (d. 230 or 246 [844-5 or 860- “And God made the earth your carpet ” A st™ baSec^ °n Q LYvr
»y,p. he stressed e«to„ „ ““"8 advocaM of
’tani, he taught that “th ' °n*’ln' and an associate of Abu Sulayman Ghazali decisively in both respects His -j tO knowledge □ j ” tfUst
<hen.naer.rben reUly «> triple “d fenced
“pW >■»« »f w™ (Sulams.
Ua'ibdendrheeahphMa’m&nJBp J yed <he respect f,r . flrst C'J know
IBN Hanbal 9 hayri’95->
M»Nn^n,™.JJ6_6o) ■ Sul^A ’
TEe great hadith scholar, jurist, and
, one of the canoni- Egyptian jurist, called “cUf- Usufb. V,t U4;
sb®(»,boodieahta,“(Wb jnnshi

•7“-—
 e„ter«»>" S’**5
U to eli
his tonlb
f.beearl^COn'
,F IONGING. INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
,.
«
* ”*
° ’ - (d. j6 l«6/7,) He ’’ pa dally
d died in prison. (Mizzi, xxxn.47^; Asqalani, xi.374-5; '”ri’ *" “1'AlTof CtesiPbon un Lr of
ho i1-”'" “[j me al'
refused to accep'1,111 58-61; Nawawi, al-Majmu, 1.158-9). j.Yatnan

. M NUN al-Misri.Thawb5n 245 [859/6ol)' B°nl “ UppCr Egypt’ he

PHU AL-N^ DamascuSt and became a leading exponent of Sufism. ve ered bv Sufis- He rtedlyhesa rludgetnent-
tnvclW » gjve a systematic explanation of the ahwdl lAtevet L eschatology >reP u the Day
(“stations”) encountered on the spiritual path. A num­
tC'ZSccur from the present 84-6.) the
ber of miracles are attributed to him, as well as some fine poetry. (EP, 11.242; 159 A cousin ana dose compamo {
5^.23-32; Qushayri, 1.67-70; Hujwiri, 100-3; Massignon, Essai, 206-13.)
C0Mn°nly “kroiS ana the founder
FATHAL-MAWSILl, AbuNasrb. Said(d. 220 [835]). A Sufi and well-known
scene who was associated with Bishr al-Hafi in Baghdad. (Abu Nu’aym,
vni.292-4;Jami, Nafaliat al-nns, 47—8.)
.(k science of Qur is stffl visited. (El, M» •
FUDAYL ibn ‘Iyad (d. 187 [803/4]). A brigand who repented and became a where‘te sue of b 8 „.322-6.)
pioneer of early Sufism. He studied hadith under Sufyan al-Thawri and Abu ■’* ’ .d/o'S c.). A well-known Sufi
Hanifa. and became well-known for his sermons on the worthlessness of the
world, which he likened to ‘a madhouse, the people in which are lunatics wear­ ZSSISS f«“lEccentricities; he was the teacher of Junayd.
ing the shackles of desire and sin.’ (EP, 11.936; GAS, 1.636; Hujwiri, 97-100;
Sulami, 7-12.) (W«i. Tie Life, *
"H »f d-JuM/d, 26 28; Sarraj,
GHULAM AL-KHALIL, Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ghalib al-Bahili (d. 275
Luma, 198;Ibnal-Jawzi, Taibis Iblis, 191I Meier, Abu Said, 284.)
[888]). An ascetic Sufi and traditionist from Basra, sometimes described as a
Hanbali (but see van Ess below), he was active in Baghdad and instrumental in
IBN MAS'UD, ‘Abd Allah (d. 32 [652 or 3]). A favourite Companion of the
Y^g charges against Nuri and other proponents of divine love. (EP, iv. 1083b; Prophet, personally entrusted to carry Muhammad’s sandals, he was of Bedouin
origin. The first to engage in public reading of the Qur an, he was present at
.1.511; Massignon, Passion, in.118; van Ess, Theoloaie u. Gesellschaft, iv.283-
4. Knysh, Islamic Mysticism, 61.) the battles of both Badr and Uhud and, later at Yarrrmk unrl 1
^&.Atesp«„a^
considereLNfw^2^ tw 26 l646-7^ An earl? PietiSt °f BaSr3’
clashed with the Cahph‘Uthman in the last years of A IT / tradltlOns, he
Juynboll,283 n 1) 1 ° ' aSM a 'Ba?rl- (EI2> l-73b; Abu Nu'aym, n. 116-19; *••>». ™-)5; Dlyll “ 7“ '*
■ W U.,873_5. Abfi
A^HASAN AKBASRJ (d t
“'U-MUBAKAK.-AWaj^ : , ’ 7'2n'“4.t84,28s.)
latetmanumjtted al H t'0 • The son of a Persian captive who was * 11’11'1,mzah (d 181 1
ata“»d«hoiat of tbe/ ” y
>be second generation ft,eCame one op the best known personalities among
ttle swdy Wtt Caw Ot,giMlly froin V ■ ,797-8]). An
theology Was buge u u->liins, his influence on both Sufism and Islamic k' « » against,, ““ » Medina and A Ce"tral Asia
w°rkedas a tax oficial AfC l” ^Usbrn armies in eastern Iran and later ■-n'Mu.. (CA1 Wtin Syria
“ a preacher attracted ere move^ to Basra, his sanctity and eloquence
'“N'umax,-^ s'AboNu... 're
Circle- He was also a judge and an attbeageoffouneen 73 [693/01 ayn>, Va..
Ess tl >’ni‘247~8;Huiwir- oz. remains an important centre for devout
Oo?le“Gesellsc|1aft ' 6~7, AbQ Nu<aym, 11.131-61; Attar, 19-26; van
HATIM autA.5
'downed for his gred Allah ibn Sa'd (&'' century A.D.). Pre-Islamic ! «rd Witb studC h ept alhatche off matlded Uh h Peri^ssiOn
S^Y and hospitality; even after his death, ...............................................

206
 love, longing, intimacy and contentment

IBRAHIM IBN ADHAM (d. 161 [777/8])- A famed Sufi of Khorasanian origin, Si.r” k ; QurasM al-M^Xo
often portrayed as “a prince of Balkh” (though he later moved to Syria), he was
famed for his asceticism. Tales of his sudden conversion to Sufism—though
probably apocryphal—are cited throughout the hagiographical literature. (EE,
1.985-6; Sulami, 13-22; 'Attar, 1.85-106; Abu Nu'aym, vn.367-95 and vm.3-58.) *'I * ’‘r’“i”. a--ys,cJI
'IMRAN IBN AL-HUSAYN b. 'Ubayd, Abu Nujayd al-Khuza I (d. 52 [672]).
A Companion of the Prophet, credited with many important traditions.
met’nIraq rN WAST Unidentified Companion
(Juynboll, 241.) uhhaMMAD IBN WAbi. An earjy comj-
JAFAR IBN SULAYMAN al-Dabu I (d. 178 [794~5])- A celebrated early tradi-
Hishamal-Dantd. 3 a life of luxury when
tionist with apparent Shi'ite tendencies. (Tabari, History, xix.82.) MUSAB IBN f m a rich familybutren molar of piety in
he is ofan Wa up as an exemplar oP
AL-JUNAYD, Abu al-Qasim ibn Muhammad (d. 298 [910/n]). The best
known of the Sufis of Baghdad. A nephew and disciple of Sari al-Saqatl, he
later accounts. He toug
vowed that he would not teach during the latter’s lifetime out of deference vn.649; Abu Nu'aym, moS-6-) _
to his preceptor; however he received a vision of the Prophet, who told him .TT iu irn AI-SHIKHKHIR al-Amin (d. c 87
that “God shall make your words the salvation of a multitude of mankind;” he SZ —* • Tt b)XT
then began to teach. His gatherings “were attended by jurists and philosophers
(attracted by his precise reasoning), theologians (drawn by his orthodoxy') and ibn al-Shikhkhir. Many miracles and prayers are attributed to him. {Mashahir,
Sufis (for his discoursing upon the Truth).” In addition, he was an authority’ on 88; AbuNu'aym, n.183-95; Sarraj, Luma, 6$; Kashif, ill. 132.)
theology and law, in which he followed the school of Abu Thawr. (EP, n.6oo;
GAS, 1.647-50; Sulami, 141-50; A. H. Abdel-Kader, The Life, Personality and MUTARRIF IBN ABI BAKR AL-HUDHALl (no dates). An early ascetic of
Writings ofal-Junayd; van Ess, Theologie u. Gesellschaft, tv.278—88.) Basra. (Zabldl, x.373; Massignon, Essai, 164.)

KAB al-Akhbar, ibn Mati al-Himyari (d. 32 [652/3] or 34 [654/5]). A rabbi AL-NUR1, Abu al-Husayn (d. 295 [907]). An early proponent nf 1
God and a central figure in the Sufism of his time ’ He ? r. f °VC
from the Yemen who converted to Islam during the caliphate of Umar. (EP,
of ruins where he found solitude with God (FP W3S bor his L
lv.316-7; Mashahir, 118.)
** Ata x.2„.,7. DayW • ***
«» L65°; Suli love
KHALID IBN AL-WALID (d. 21 [642]). A famed commander in the early con­
WDAib„Df5n,aal /
laml,
quests, he originally opposed the Prophet and fought against him at Uhud, but
later converted; he was known as “the Sword of God” (sayfAllah). (EF, iv.928) became an authority on the eL r ' Although k|in - r
Hasan al-Basrl, and sometimes accused“ft «e Was Eirth- he
MA'ROF AL-KARKHI, Ibn Flruz (d. 200-1 [815/6-816/7]). One of the major
ear y Sufis. His parents are said to have been Christians. He had a strong influ-
, J-il J"’ he is also reported to have instructed Ibn Hanbal in
life’of rVIT reSt°red “ 1312 AH’ is an important focus of the religious
vi 6ti- 3 3nd many ^ulous cures are said to be worked there. (£ > S“6.n»,lidth„sli 4J' van Ess,
4’ ujwan> n3~5; Sulami, 74-9; Qushayri, 1.74-8.)

respectedtracH 63 l682^])- Chiefly resident in Kufa, he was 2 sbaqiq al-BalH,- 6 atet moved V’”16 in lhe d t0 S'averv l am°US w,
to have foul "T “d ‘F°llower’ wh° taught Ibrahim al-Nakha I. He is sard a Wt desert,wh
°Ba*
ni.120.) °n 1 C Slde A'‘ against the Kharijites. (Mashahir, 101; Kos

210
k '',Ve-«fwZW"»nd

f 2ll
1 /a>n.)
r
 Igop/10^’ °Tthe a* cetiC Ibrurrecti°n

LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

>1Q »f S“6C on also a n ■ HujWlri,
N waQQAS, al-Murri (d. 5° [670/1] or 55 [674/5]). One of the
SAD 1 anions assured of Heaven by the Prophet, he distinguished himself
tCn C°hdynas a brilliant politician and soldier. To him goes the credit for the
berWna"heCaiPr
TfeM o'f the Persians at al-QadisIya (16/637), one of history’s most decisive
iv a chamberM teach-
battles and the subsequent founding of Kufa as a military base. He remained
overnor of that city until the year 20 (640/1) when he was recalled to Medina
foUowing allegations, not credited by the Caliph, of misrule. Umar later made
(ied ,o Nast^H- Well deeds
him one of six men who were to choose the new caliph. (EE, vm.696-7.)
U be later wellas fo' "TX” nocturnal
ial devonons.
devotions He
SAHL AL-TUSTARI, Abu Muhammad ibn Abd Allah (d. 283 [896]). A Sufi Ws eyeS to stay awake to Baghdad is still
originating from Khuzistan, he placed great emphasis on the practice of dltikr.
,jlioha»«P“'“ he'M5likite school of la»- Hujwiri, I5J-6)
His prayer of preference was “God, my witness” (Allahu shahidt). He was for a „sJs...a«
onn
* 0">“” , i82_j; Sulami, 140-55-H J
time the teacher of Hallaj. He was also important in the development of exege­
- V sat.d i6, (777/8]). A h0lar
sis, elaborating a four-fold approach (literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical)
to the sacred text, and his Tafsir is extant. (EE, vin.840-41; Sarraj, Luma . 66, a peat number of anecdotes IS
74,83,89; Sulami, 199-205; Qushayri, 80-82; G. Bowering. The Mystical Vision „1 J-known saint of Kuta. « Amr
of Existence in Classical Islam.)
a,rani’ ibn
SAID IBN AL-MUSAYYIB al-Makhzumi (d. 93-4 [711/2—712/3]). A major
Khuthaym, al-Aswad ibn Yazid, Masruq, and al-Hasan al-Basri. It is said that
genealogist and legal expert of Medina, held by some to have been the most
erudite of the second Muslim generation. He refused to marrv his devout and he was offered high office under the Umayyads but consistently declined. (EF,
learned daughter to the caliph al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik, for which he was ix.770-72; Fihrist, 225; Abu Nu aym, vi.356-93, vii.3-144; Juynboll, 628-43 •)
flogged. (AbuNu aym, 11.161-76; Hujwiri, 83; Mashahir, 63.)
SUMNUN AL-MUHIBB, Sumnun ibn Abd Allah Abu al-Hasan al-Khawiss
SATD IBN YAHYA. Unidentified
(d. 300 [913]). Though widely known as “Sumnun the Lover”, he preferr d t
*SAQATl,
of SARJ.AL ibn al-Mughallis (d. c 251 [865/6]). The maternal uncle call himself “Sumnun the Liar” (Sumnun al-kadhdhab\. An ? C°
Accordi^ ’ an<^ °ne ^FSt t0 Present Sufism in a systematised fashion, of love of God, who was celebrated for “discoursin 1 *C PropOlient
saintHabib°i^R-'-'r' k's conversion to Sufism was instigated by the Baghdad eloquently,” he was a leading Sufi master in the Ir § ^af,abba) most

God reward 0 UP°n be'ng given a crust of bread by Sari, said. “May (SulaM q of h,s day H|j
affairs never \os ^j0”1 t'me On’” ^aqati later remarked, “my worldly
SUWAYD IBN AL-MATH ABA al T -
Ma'ruf al-K^uJTrr. a^ain' was perhaps the most influential disciple of
ch A prominent Syrian student c "m'm' al-Riyahi a| d -
Katkhl(Ei2.’V.I7I;Sulanu-,4l-8;Qushayri>64_7.) forhi, patl„„ inX“‘ •>' AW Allah ib„ M kaWi
» od, h/1?1'c- Ir1'
AL-SHAFI‘i Muh CW. (lb. Sa' d.T.U« "(.S' ,O" "W exefoplarv, “
the Shafi'ite’schoofTn ib" al’Qurashi (d- a°4 |82o]). The founder of
UP with a Bedouin trib $ Alt’’ou811 born in Gaza, he was brou8ht
^rab« language. gave him a good grounding in poetry and the U«AK,BN ABD •e to
^nas,developinga| | . Ud'ed-^ with Sufyan ibn Uyayna and Malik ibn 'Jarh wa’l.
ca"ed'the fifth ri -tl Zl2,WMarwi " 4(7,1
"al opinion He travel! a *
' stootl halfway between literalism and per- concerned to im i Balded Qai- ., cwv
J
'^htodayoneof a Cd extensively to Iraq and Egypt, where he died; his t T treat^t of? the shar‘«infor his piety t? f7l7'20J) S
M4-90.) e centres °f Cairene religious life. (EE. rx. 181-85; GHS,
the pulpit® A 1 * Co^Vert® i Hhk,i this [ k

____ (Cf , cd“>« co. „rSUch as

WcteJ,8.0' AItc s
212 w>th k.
""“on
^3
 LOVE, LONGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMEN

UMAR IBNAL-KHATTAB (regn. 13-23/63^ I Tk ,

“f b Vm" “S’”1"'-opposed
defenders. After the Hijra the PrnrJ. ' Decame one of k,. ed
ASO Bll, J1"S"- ST

years ofhrscahphate, he oversaw the extension of k” Duri"g the '

hsfunentofgarrison towns, such as Basra K ' C°n<?uests and th
under obscure circumstances bv a P
IBN ZOBWR" -
■
*
1 Fustat. He wa
M)
? bibliography
,w ® „« ,, (;„n: 'Xm a..Mid
“°™ts, and considered one of ,ktA g the ^ost em,„
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G°dsfotg>veness,hf ' ,S,,CP,a^d<w,Ju tk/T
great “Wpuloume, rCnou"ed for bn pcr4i2°pcfor P^ase and f
............ ..

El4fcJ Tr I
” Cjmbf*
MA HJn,rd
* UJ.)
•

■
*1 **
*•
‘^at 1'
uZ , al-Dto r^,4 ' *•
Aa .
Aw It VO|S. fl
k Uj J** ,chr*«. n d W ■Eti K A. Mki

Jt Prc,J> Mo.
■47'9’’
’“-O
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222
 INDEX TO QUR’ANIC
QUOTATIONS
SURA VERSE PAGE
II. al-Baqara
26
73
94
iop
160
i65
143
216 5
222 II?

2S3 99
KI. Al "Imran 2SS 142
18 32> 34
26
71
28
168
3Z
167
73
99, II3
IV- al-Nisa’ J33
169-7o 136
40 49
45 48
7S l2o
97 112
18
r76
Vl' 5Z
am
J76
54
Zip
9g
99, IO7
64 lot>
■ I1S
59
68 z4?
9z z4z
Z°3 *4S
^9
!4I
^8
$7
 Quotations
Index to Qur “mc
I OFF. LONGING, INTIMACY ANI) CONTENTMENT
PAGE
VERSE 120
SOM
VERSE PAGE SURA
47
VII. ul-M/ ‘43
57
XXI. al-Anbiya 166
‘55 90
i«5
141 119
104
7i 68
25
24
176 XXX. al-Furqan 43
6 12
141
30 XXVI. al-Shuara
30 r43
14
141
150
72 147
J47, 148 XXIX. al-Ankabilt 45
87
loo 166 64 64
X. Yunus
til *47 XXX. al-Riim 7 36
7 108 XXXI. Luqtnan 28
166
119
24 XXXII. al-Sajda
XI. HiJ 101 48 7 148
38 71 17 47, S3, 148
XXXIII. al-Ahzab
45 55 4
68 125
68
26
95 I21 39, 119
62
8 121 XXXIV. Saba
3 14
II 143 XXXV. Fatir
28 120 XXXVI. YaSin 10 3A3S
24 116 XXXVII. al-Saffat 58 70
34 70 XXXVIII. Sad 8 148
29 26
69 26 63
38 XXXIX. al-Zwnar
75 76 39
I 36
21 38
57
43 80
XLI. Fussilat x42
55 43
39 XLVI- al-Ahqaf
85
142 34
28
32, 38
84 XLVI11- -/-M 68
109 141
34 71
15 L- Q«f
33
72 68
7l-■72 142
14.2 34
24
S8 LIV- J4
45
141 lv- “'-4 H8
142
J48
226
12
34
^0
<36
34

78
9/
54
 ,|Nf iNTIMACYAND contentment
K)Vt. LONGING’1"

VERSE PAGE
$ORA 0 hi
LIX. 34, 144
23

LXI.
4
6
99, 108
128
INDEX
LXVI. nl-T<ilinin
8 59, 91
LXV11. nl-Miili 3-4 7i
Adam, 38"9> M1’DSD 192
LXVIII. a/-Qtf/am 48 142
49 142 Abbadan, 157 affection (wudd), XVH, - 27>
LXXVIII. Mi’ 26 119 ■Abd Allah b. Jahsh, 108-109 affirmation of unity, see tawhld
LXXX. AImsu 5-6 ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad, 191
141 affliction, 13, 80, I34> T^3> *73 >
8-10 Abd Allah b. al-Sa ib, 161
141 contentment in, 156-7, I59> l6l>
LXXXII. al-Infitar 13 119 Abd al-cAziz b. Abi Rawwad, 152
LXXXIII. tl-Mutaf/ifm 15 58
163; patience in, 148; a sign of
Abd al-Wahhab al-Warraq, 51
18
119
Abd al-Wahid b. Zayd, 8, 134. 162 God’s love, 104
19 120
20 Abraham, XV, 6-7, 92, 182 cafw, see forgiveness
119
21 Abu 'Amr Muhammad b. al-Ash'ath, Ahlal-sutma wa’l-jamaa (People of
119
22
119 157-8 Tradition and Community), 66
25-28 Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, 7, 20, 30, 36, 60,
26 119 Ahmad b. Abi al-Hawari, 153
LXXXIX. 167 108, 116, 188
XCV. al-Ti„ 6-7 Ahmad b. Hanbal, 51, 176
!44 Abu al-Darda, 91, 152
5
Abu Hafs al-Nisaburl, 140
q/2, see weakness
8 63
Xcix- o/-Zfa-/
125 Abu Hanifa, 19 ^-W/Abual_'Ala Yazid, l6l
CL «/-Qiri:fl 7-8
120 Abu Hazim, 37 Alexanderthe Great, 33n
cv. al-Ffl i-3
CXD- “l-Ikhlis 1 120 Abu Hudhayfa b. 'Utba b. 'Abd Ah b- Abi Talib, 20 ,,
r-4 144 Shams, 109—10
3 144 Abujahl, 20 ^-Qari’al p 4 5
4 145 Abu Khalid al-Saffar, I92
145 Abu Musa al-Ash'ari’
Anas b. Malik 7 'Raflclf 164
AbuNasral-Tamma; ’ 4°
Abu Razin alJvj S anSels, 25, 3I ’7’ I9’ 99, i51
AbuSa'idal-Mih , l23, 128, l48 44’ 5I> 72, 93
OfIW 48'9’ I6I’An , ’
R eath, 6^7.p ’ Angel
^^an, 51.[’ Gabriel, r$8
129 5I.WorsP G8,
^r,4 h,p°fGod)
A?Yazy.see ! ,I4O,19I, antiihii ’ 46, 63 , 8r
see ,°n^’) 96’ Go,

228 57n 5CI,,>

6n

hm.ionging. intim.
lovtiii, 130; mastering of, 1°,
Q-.0S.104. iio-it, us. 1.10;
unshrtion jn3 pleasure, 16,42,
46.53
tfl. see intellect
Arabiclanguage, xvn
Aristotle. nn
Ash an, Ash ante, xx, xvm, xxi,
xxm, XXIV, 57; kMktisib, 16911
awe 120-1. 126,142, 157,191
BjlaniibnBa'ura.U3
hi|j' (permanence in being,
remaining), 8$-6n
Baqillani.XH
hrahh. 50
lasira, see insight
Battle of Uhud, 108
beast, animals, 12,25,30,4jn, 73-6,
i,53,5W6,93.95.9».'«-8'
157,179’ contentment, 141,
in the Hereafter,xxw,2,un,
*951,5^-63,65,61,
. 9'>'5T>
musliahnda, 57,59', paradise, a
distractionfrom, 7,50,5G 54,
60-1,62,96,120; the supreme
pleasure, $3,61,62-3,65;
tajalli,59,%3;ru’ya, 56,57,59;
see also disclosure; encounter;
knowledge of God; sei
benevolence(tail), 28,38,130,
Qt, 150,156; acause ofdove,
15-16,21,22,25-8; God, the
realbenefactor, 29-30;love for
benevolence for its own sake,
16, 22, 28-30, 36-7; man as
instrument of God’s goodness,
26-8; self-love, 16
Bible, xxv; Gospel, 128; New
Testament, 690; Psalms, 37
Bishr b. al-Harith al-Hafi, 51, 109,
157,176,183
al-Bistami, Abu Yazid, xxi, 86n,
17811,179, 180-2, 185-6
blasphemy, XI, xvi, xx, xxi, 53, 127
bliss, 46, 50, 53, 67, 77, 88, 90, 91, 92,
100,147-8; bliss of paradise, 60,
61,113,119, 120; wine, 119
Burkh al-Aswad, 115, 138-9
al-Buwayti, 109
causes of love, xxni 2, 10, 13-22,
23-40, 78, 80; affinity, 21-2,
37-40; beauty, 16-21, 22, 30—2;
benevolence, 15-16, 21, 22,
25-8; benevolence for its own
sake, 16, 22, 28-30, 36—7; in
fullest unity and perfection, 22,
23, 24-37, 40-1 > love as ftui'
of knowledge, xxix, 1, 7, 8, 10,
11,24, 61, 70-1, 77, 78, 79, 191;
self-love, 13-15, 22, 23—5
certainty (yatpn), 135, 153, 182, 193;
nural-iman tva’l-yaqin, 43
Christianity, 123; incarnationism,
xxix, 39-400; see also Jesus
compassion/mercy (rahma), xn, 97,
'39,141,143, 149, 160, 163, 191;
on God’s servants, as sign of
love 118; man as instrument of
God’s compassion, xxvii
constriction (qabd), 135, 142
contemplation, 71, 72, 88, 94, 133,
'541 aynal-ictibar, 14m; see also
beatific vision; insight
.’Uiasa0’**’’5"
«“iS6; aVeI^d ’
. 1 0, i°9>
Vno^Hg r death’64
inafarfo”'1’6'7' t>S"kes°Xee«‘he6
iran^’"510"'0
ii°--a7a”68,i°7'109’17 ’
66-72'V‘5i°”’
r geloved’ 7>
•9il«lf-1O7’ .67^°
with God’s decree, 148
aetestarion
I72,176-7; hadith,147, U 5- to“C«n 19.68-79’l83;
153,187,193;in hardship, I5°>
152,155,163; nature of, 3. U6’
154-65; merits, 3, U6, U7“53> JMi, see Divine 77,
and pain, 154—8, 160, 163 4>
perfect contentment, 146; the
Prophet, 166; Quran, 147,
158; rejection of the notion by W«6,192; intimacy w«h God,
theologians, 136, 146; a sign
135; and ritual prayer, 1471 a
of love, xxiv, 117, 130, 154;
sign of love, 113, n6, 117, 118,
station of contentment, 146,
160,166,168,172, 176—7; and 123
Dhu al-Nun al-Misri, 127, 189, 193
supplication, 3, 166, 172; in
trial, 105,156, 157, 161; see also disclosure (kashf), 56, 57, 59, 90-I,
Divine contentment i33> 144.172; see also beatific
convert, non-Arab (mawla), 109-ion vision
creation, 26, 35, 43, 46, 71, 72—6, disinterested love, xix, xxxi, 9, 13
■79, 85, 119, 150, 179-80; 16; love of beauty, 16; love of
existence, ioo-ioi; love for
G«a-Im„i„n.n3iW.Sejtrf
God, xxvi; loving a thing for
°d'7J;”"“t»nof, I68
testimony of God, 82-, o
^w.3,17,7Mo,
ln Pledge 7fi’dlSparity
9I~2’ 93-8, lu °fDavid
ordlnary/el- ’ ’ 79~8o, i3o.
y f
D* '
whohaveb ?Vers> 130-th
lof
DaV° forUrG4
veKes , ’7’8 j58„’*
7;
ISI;Seeafore”’ 5’’58> I4, ««e'" (°r'78 °!'Wllo,'nyO
*s*
^rrecti’^-
....... .
23l

no. m. IM. iv;^'’"* 1
nljnJl6mtv..|8;W^. <■
la™loiTOf’G«I.M.4».4S.
ID, cy. nearness to God, .18,103
Pmnfrt>ntrnmifnt(n(/iiw). 8,93,
14-. 148.149~f°
Dnine Essence, 1,24,101; love of
God, XII, XIX
Divine Names, i, 24,34,35,78,82,
85,130.143,144,168; Dime
Attributes, xxvni, 1; al-Hii)y,
24; d-Quyyim, 24; d-Miid, xn
Donne.John, non
d««’, see supplication
eanng/drinkmg, 16,29,42,51,5^
to. 120,126,173,174
40,53,126-7,130,165
^^^3,34,57,6,, 62
^■’’•'OT-ioSlseeaJso
^tinc vision
^^diseou^
XXXI'-r3«n; erotic n0„n ’
xvn,sexuaJn, poetry.xvi,
’5exua'Pleasure, xv,
46"»'H6o.62 76 „ ’ 5I> J53, 175-6
J"”'1"'
^2
Index
fGod 09-1°°’ 104 5’
188; love for the Prophet as of God, 97 -z. nearness
condition of, 5-6; nural-Iman for the Prophet, 5 6,
im'I- yaqin, 43; perfection of, God, 133-4. ■«; lo"S,n8.88’ to God, xxix, 39. I00’12 ’
187-8; purity is half of faith, 89-90,193;rank of’48 9’ prayer,„-I2;I4O.W;«'3'^
70; trial, 6rt
ultimate goal of, 53! utmost 168; supererogatory virtues,
fail, see obligation
al-Farmadhi, Abu rAli, xvn knowledge of, 36n
XXIX
fasting, 7,98, 162, 186 God: attribute of transcendence,
Fath al-Mawsili, 155 xin-xiv, 34-6> 39, 59! afid
Hafiz, Shams al-DIn, xxi
fear ^,69, 187, 192; a sign of hal/ahwdl (state of mystical
beauty, xix, 29, 35, 83, 155, i65J
love, 120-4, 133
Causer of causes, 172; God s consciousness), 125, 128, 133
feli«ty, 53, 61,64, 65, 67, 95,
fah, seejurisprudence > ri3> 119 custom, 14, 57, 144> God s ruse, al-Hallaj, al-Husayn b. Mansur, xvn,
forgetfulness, nj, n6> m 123,138; the only true Agent, xx, xxi, xxix, 53n, 12711, 12811;
forgiveness (W8|99; xxvii, xxxi, xxxii, 85; the incarnationism, 39n
forwardness (/&-/),
only true beloved, xix; the real al-Haklm al-Tirmidhi, xxm
fri “"aIsointimacy with God ’
benefactor, 29—30; ‘real’ divine
n“^p i3I)I88 i92; Harim b. Hayyan, 8, 191
'^.xvnjthep hef _
existence, xiv, 23, 25, 81, 82, al-Hasan al-Basri, 7, 24, 139, I42
85; sanctity, 125, 144; a source hatred, xxv-xxvi, 10, n, 35,29, 123;
2II2'^^-o,i82>i88’ of pleasure, xix, xxiv, 2; takhsis
al-irada, I26n; see also Divine
destruction and non-being
Wb.fyid,^ - Attributes; Divine Essence; <nG„4dd";S7"'I'’^;hate
Divine Names *7, >70-, fS1”nerS.3«,
God’s self-manifestation (tajalll), 59,
83, 84 ^imal-Ta’1,2!
G azah’Abu Hamid XXn
goodness, 26-8, 100, 130 l8l.
7^n; Ashar; ’ Xn>xxm, ““•“'appetite
attribute of transcendence ,4.
see also benevolence 4’ >,<S3,6-s
^-Maqsadal ’ 5/n’ I59n;
grace(l<8,I02,I22 ,.Q t of>te hear, ,0 ’ '’4;
gratitude, 27, 90, 95i O9’^, 182 Xy;ta.elleet
36; NlZan,- ’ XWn>
a/-Q«^a"W—02n; gnef, 63, n6-I? 52> 172-3 °f G°d, x»„. J 3 ’ Gowledge
>”8.93; g
al'ShaW<1
’Puritv ahl,d>.
^o,loy’Pu^6cation’P^er>
faith, Xvr ’IX7, x82-„ 52,
s ''« “'Hight :!CC3«of,rtOf
’ 52> 55, 60, 63,
‘eedl
i
”'K47'

,uiCY AND CONTENTMENT
IOVE,
*'tMkwng.w.'W'J
luiUnchfomntlir hereafter,
^tcuifc vision in, xxiv, 2,
un,5i,jMj.«5,«7.!9>91’
157; bliss 111 proportion to love,
61,67, no, 119; disparit)’ in
lost, $0; Utli, 58; liisab, $8;
longing for, 8,191; purification,
58; significance of, 67
holy war [fifed), 193
hope(raja). 8,69,125,144,158,192;
hope ofparadise 37,50,120
Hudhayfa, 108
Mi/.seeincarnationisrn
humility, 120,184,185-9
(inking wefi of
see sadness
h.'?°®s)',i30,i3I,l87
234
lbn Unur,'Abd Allah. 158
Ibrahim Ibn Adham, 9°, TI4,122’
134,19°
idlil, see forwardness
ignorance,!, 32,44.65,75,103,130,
166,168,183; love for anyone
other than God, 23, 24, 30
iMn, see benevolence
I^uti/mal-din (Revival of the
Religious Sciences), xn, xxii,
xxiii, xxxi, I36n; The Book
of Commanding the Good and
Forbidding the Bad, 168; Book
on Intention, Sincerity and
Truthfulness, 193; Book of
Intimate Friendship, xxii; Book
of Invocations and Supplications,
166; Book of the Manners of
Companionship, 21-2, 37, 113;
The Book of Manners in Society,
168; Book of Ritual Purity, 70;
Book of Thankfulness, 26; Book of
Trust in God, 174; al-Farmadhi,
Abu ‘Ala, xvii ; mission of,
xxvni; muamalat, xxvm; see
also al-Ghazali, Abu Hamid;
Kitabal-mahabba wa’l-shawq
wa’l-uns wa’l-rida
Ikhwan al-Safa, xvn, xviii, xix, I2n;
Rasa il Ikhwan al-Safa’, xvn—
xvni, ion, nn, 13m 73n, 76n
illumination, 60, 72, 91, 129, 136m
I®2,183; ilm al-mukashafa,
17m
imagination, 12, 56, 57, 59, 89, 136
"”an, see faith
'mranb. al-Husayn, 160-1
'"^-see uninhibitedness
ln«rnationism(AH/ij/)iXXIX 39_
40, 86
Index
fshqZanj revolts,
(passionate 181 xv-xvn, II,
love),
65, 67, 68, 100, 155; desire to
possess a loved object/being,
25 85,88,97, UO-1’ 4
I5’^i Um!
al-basiraal-bdftna, 43, ClfCU^
xv, ioi;
nature, xvm; in human
innatemahabba/fshq
conceptionofreciprocity, xxx ,
distinction, 6$; nature, xvn;
philosophical associations of the
eye of the heart, 30, 9<h 971
indivisible atom, 20; knowledge
of God, xxix, 85; moral word, xvn-xvni
virtues, 19—21; sight vs. insight, Islam, 7, 43, 99j 109-ion, 148
XXIX-XXXI, 12, 21, 30, 136, 156,
165; see also contemplation; ]acd ibn Dirham, xv _
knowledge of God Ja'farb. Sulayman al-Dabu 1, 153
instinct (gharaiz), 42, 43m 54 Jacfar al-Sadiq, xxiii
intellect (caql), 43; hadfth, 192; heart,
Jahm ibn Safwan, xiv
43; pleasure, 43-4; sight vs.
insight, 12; sixth sense, 12; what jealousy, 126, i8on, 184
distinguishes a human being Jesus, 7-8, 37, 40, 51, 105, 142, 159,
from the beasts, 43; see also 182, 185, 190; nearness to God, 8
knowledge of God jihad, see holy war
intimacy with God (uns), xni, xxxi 2
3>98,133-7,138-45,190; beauty’
John, son of Zachariah, 142
133; definition 133;^^ 7’ Jonah, 142, 158, 192
estrangement from all that is’ Joseph, 143, 15S; Zulaykha, m
'-Junayd.xv.xv,. II7, UJ>
notGod’I34-135; forwardness
—,!38n,I4I;gnostic
136,140,156-7 I6 „ 3 ’
Imprudence £ ’92
jubfiXTand ghdnlln§’
b >l-Akhtar, 9I I7(
P^«.H8-4O;rej Kh{fediSclosure
notion by theii n°f
Khahdb ‘Abd A,,
r«reat,l344;eol°gians>1
^^^oflove^’11^,’
I
,I30; ultima
B8xn;unin J v>
^:r^>' 6>
Kh’j£s''f^reS'n‘ltiV'
xxx^^^WithJ’^,
intimate-£m .
’***
XXii"Xx ^,IX’XIIT qUJa’1'
,p!MO
235

„ xxii;Qur’n,ianI’
atunien-
xxnismtegy.xxin-xxxiiSufi
literature, xxm, xxiv
knowledge (*
)- to-193; discernmg
heart ((i^d),xxiii;Wm.
193; 'ilm al-mukashafa, 17m;
lordhness. 44’. loved f°r ltsel^>
16,32;nobility of, 44-5;
perfection of, 20,44; a source
of pleasure, xxx, 43-5,46,
65; see also illumination;
knowledge of God
knowledge of God (ma’rifa), 31-2,
47,70,77,124-5,180,192;
beatific vision in the hereafter,
as culmination of, xxiv, 2;
breadth, xxx-xxxi, 48; and
death, xxxi, 48; disparate
,evels, 32,60,71-2,78,79-80,
9°. Bo; Divine Attributes,
«’46-48-49,64; the farthest
52-3; Wifi, 192; and
^-xxm; the highest
°fG°4a2 4tn°Wk^
ffin'b'-xxrx;
P,eisure,X)[,v 0Urce°f
59'83-84;test’i2’61'2;Mi,
82~3-«5,86 87.°n'OfM
236
CONTENTMENT
AND
xxiv, xxxii, 3, 64, 8l"7, 9°
(extreme obviousness, 83-4,
86, 87); ways to obtain it 71-7,
79; in this world, 57, 59, 60, 61,
63,64; see also beatific vision;
gnostic; intellect; insight; love/
knowledge relation; wisdom
lassitude, H7,121
light H, 12, 25, 59-6°, 83;4’’1’
92-3;bliss, 91; al-niiral-tlahi,
42; tiural-iman u>a I" ya1'n’ 43
liqa’, see encounter
longing(shaivq), xxrv, xxxi, 2, 3, 7, 8,
9,52,88—98,122,133, 192- 193;
appeasement of, 90; definition
133,193; gnostic, 88, 89—90,
193; With, 91,192; for paradise,
8,50,51,193; perceptibility/
imperceptibility of the beloved,
88; rejection of the notion by
theologians, 136; reward, 92-3,
95-6; types of, 89-90
lordliness (al-rubiibiya), 44, 45, 47, 52
love, 107,126; categories, 13-17;
human love, xxxii; innate
in human nature, xviii, 14,
15,28,30; meaning with
respect to God, 10; nature of,
xvni, xxiii, xxxi, 2, 10, 35; a
natural inchnation to what is
pleasurable, xxv, 10, II, 12, 101;
a paradox, xi-xv; philosophical
perspective, xvii-xx, nn; as
sickness, xix; Sufi discomfort
with the notion of, xv, xxiv;
terminological question, xv-
Xvn; theological doctrine on,
xni-xv, xxn-xxm, xxiv-xxv,
2’ '36; see also causes of love;
dWnterestedloveldisparity
in love; intimacy wlthG ’ 'ro’,I9;a'naa«stri«i«ness’
love as affinity; love o
beauty; love for God; love of
GodJove/knowledge relation,
mahabba; nearness to God;
pleasure; self-love
love as affinity, xxvi, xxviii-xxix,
13,21-2,37-40. 103-104, I7i>
182,184—5; affinity as most
profound cause of love, xxvm,
40; Book of the Manners of
Companionship, 21—2, 37; Divine
Attributes, 38; God and man
affinity, xm-xv, xxvm—xxix,
38, 39; hadith, xxix, 21, 38, 39;
identification/union with God,
xxix, 39-40; key to love for
God in its truest sense, xxvin;
knowledge of God/knowledge
of God and man affinity, XXIX.
mmrusubn, xv; reciprocal love, ’
37, virtues, XXVin-XXIXi 3g
see also reciprocity
t55; attribute of tr ’ I0°’
34-5; beauty of j ^ence,
21’3°-1>34,l5vk Fni'
Perfection i7_l8’ ,eauty as
love> l6l God, XI’dlS‘nterested
lss>I6s;U-t/I x/29> 35, 83,
based°nwh G°d’ *33 1 ’
nses-xxvn is
what ’^re > iovee
eabl
I6~n ; Ure,
54’ '78-
Index
To0; bHsS in
appetiteon^^e’6i,r
Prop°rtl ‘ • 1 of 2,
68,96- *87 , J07, ‘3°’
,88:Xt^^ODe”ieritS4I
„-»OV,2, »• 23-4U
r^obe-lov^
5 ’ if’ xix 80,180; God,
Himself , xix, ov,
the only true Agent, xxvi,
xxxi, xxxii; God, the only true
Beloved, xix; hadith, 5'7, 112>
the highest form of love, XXIX-
xxx, xxxii; irresistibility xvm,
lack of, 115; meanings, 189-92;
as obedience to God, xi—XII,
xiv, 2, 5; as obligation, xiv,
xxii, 5; obtained only in this
world, 52, 67; perfection of, 68,
109, 112, 113, n9; preparation
for, 2, 67-8; the Prophet, 7
’ 121; Qur’an, 2) 5_6> II3> n ’
^ges/gradations, 2, 5,
J9l; trial, 6n-i.k- 7 ’
of every h. te8°al
XlI~Xni- 2; endeaVOUr>
^^^e’alsodiXr^eo^
°n§lng; love for c in l°ve;
Strengthening.UG°d’fa«ors
,si8nsof'
fu'?’6^7r?tre,,8,b'
12, lening,
?5:
Of,6 8;heart ’ 69^7o;
X,
ren ’retreat ^ystien ,
23y

oVE 10NGING, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
t <x>, see also WbowWge
I retan
hnofGod,m,mmn,3
()S, 99-106, m, 147,19I--2;
disinterested love, xxw;;
forgiveness ofsins, 99,100;
and God’s essence, xn, xk;
IM, 99-100,104-10$; He
fores Himself xiv, 101-102;
nearness to God, 102—104,191;
aparadox.B-xv.ioi; Quranj
n,«; signs of 104-106; sin,
W. 104, in; and trial, 104^05,
M; veil, lifting of %98jIM
'°4.^al-W,ffl;seealso
Wssion/mer^jloveas
a™A'reciprocity
W/bo^^3t,oaxxn
^’^njjloveasfr, ’ 7’
T7t7
24,6i,7^7t 7’8’«,n,
JSPlss,»Mtecogni’, 9lJ°Ve
“"'Miirtram/ ’XXXD;
,90;efflWincoT °9’U4’
to^forGo/^^ent
'S5i essence o£/’ ’7,IQ. rq
^■«;lovef pie«;
’3’9Aio7-;,.
I'0~'r,l22 ‘^gof
f fo God
>°nides<,_
■A?
!°0CII;
238
Index
H9 121; W/7A, XXIX, 39,
goodness, 26-8; love, innate ,00, I2t; intimacy with God,
116-17; heart, wholly engaged
in love, 109-10; intimacy in human nature, xvin, 14, I5> xxxn; Jesus, 8; love of God,
with God, xxiv, 114-16, r22 28, jo 102-104, 191; the Prophet, 7,,
ijo; love ofdeath as means of maqam (station on the spiritual path),
^countering God, io7~1O9. 121-211; proportional to man s
no, 121,123, 133, 140, 142, 163,
love for God’s creation, n3;lOve
182,188,193; concealment of, perfection, 104; the seated
for the Prophet, H3,l89;love
f-he Qur’an, 183-4; love, the highest station, companion, j2n; a sign of love,
Xd erVantS’n8; newness 128; station of contentment, 119, 121, 124; Tasnlm, 119
toGod’II9’I2I’I24;obedi«ce 146,160,166, 168, 172, 176-7; novice, 97, 98, 105, 114, 180-1
to God, no, ni see also intimacy with God
t“,a niir, see light
maqt, see detestation
renunciation n(. al-Nuri, Abu al-Husayn, xvi, xvn,
^’■^-detachmentX’m’ mafifa, see knowledge of God
xxm, 40, 136
martyrdom 48-9, 109, 125
Ma'ruf al-Karkhi, 50-1, 128
-- J’Sufihter«ure,XxiV;
Masruq b. al-Ajda, 158-9 obedience
'artues, i30
seegrace master, 53, 101, I05( n8> oveforGodaSj^xn>xiv^
180, 181, 184, jpj
^^(love) Xv „ ,o'''.no.,„G°75’aMgnof
,« convert, non-Arab
affection ’ too;
M.y«>»b,Mihr5„al.j„M
al-Mazari, Abu Abd All-k 5
-ir.de,, ,7!, ,8j dAhah,™n
P'ophetas,;5’,OVeforthe
M°”739’S7-”'^™..34
MaWa/'tdGj- Xvn;
M^68;l
* tU7CtI°n’ 65; i38'39, 141-2
1S2; the seated 50> I78n.
CiUsesoflOye.,a’XV;see als° ^eroftheBoi0^00^^
love; disparjn ’ dlsinterested
^nt Lebanon, 93 50
Muhammad b 'Ak,i
*
Baghdad
G°d; love/tn , God; J°ve of
J°Ve for the Pr°W.edge relation; Mul3ammadb
Pr°Ph«; nearness MuUa Sadra, Xlv
MuXbb^^collo
m“^h«da ^3yr- 6 ?Ules
B-'».
Mutarrifb AbT'^,-
’S^body,14 ? ^arrifb'^AUjb
3,^>'‘fieUr 2^’63, 68,
e*IStence,Xll T1Ve hu^
hUman love, nearne!* t0 G **
' V;-lahi2
Ultlem of God’s
■k
A J<tGes*,
A

S'G, INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
<eme perception, 'J,56'88’1361
state senses
r«tonM’,8',’62;attrii’l,te
of transcendence, .14-6;
kautv as perfection 17-18;
causes of lore in fullest unity
and perfection, 22,2;, 24-37,
40-1; God, 14-6,40-1,104;
neatness to God, proportional
to mm's perfection, 104; perfect
contentment, 146; perfection
of faith, 187—8; perfection
of knowledge, 20,44,64;
perfection oflove 68,109,112,
"3, «9; power, 20,32-3 J4.
S"OVC-'3^ 25-4; supreme
P'rfeaion of the Uncreated
i68n
**kCauserofcaus
TOure, 4, z
l^XV6,42-46-
Go<,'SOu'ceofD, ’I0'I'.'7;
^pl^^of
* pl“ ;,!0 &
°^ofk^Utv’4h
, 46^I-2’ <
>’>txv11.l 2’65;
62; love as natural inclination
to what is pleasurable, xxv,
10,11,12,101; outer/inner
division, 46-7, 49; a„d pain>
163-4; perception, n, I2> 32
42; preponderance of pleasu’eS)
46-7, 54, 60, 65
poetry, xxi, 40,52, 53,54, 8?>
m-i2,r22,I27iIjI_2)i;7i
l63.^,i65,i89,I9O;Arabic
)o^Poetry, 67n; erotic
XVI, XVII r Y’
"■ue source of pOWer ’ o
Paction, 20, 32-, ’33 4,l8l>-
f’ra^4. 7,108,-4?’^
^I46,i59,Ifel13 I6’^,
Z
badith, n_r, ’ 38 4°;
^-rces^= heart,
161’ 183' intin 4~5’i3«'4o,
l38'4^heSTthG°d’
"^.'46 I9? PH ’,XXVri> 7,
Prayer’
praYers.ioo,’I02pererogatory
dhikr’ supplir . ’ IIO; see also
filiationP °n;w°rship
4;
* Q„X M
Fr°phet,2 ’^utan
frieDdsJPp, i8sT’ l49’ I74>'
God’7’121 7’ OVefor
27, prayer,
Index
reason, reasoning I, «n, 8?’I23’
xxvii, 7, n-12, 146, 193; Sayyid
al-tnuhibbtn, 12m; station of 187
reciprocity, xi, xn, xxv, xxxi-xxxn,
contentment, 166; sunna, 114, 8; circular conception of, xxxi,
172,192-3; see also hadith; love
xxxn; God as object and origin
for the Prophet
of all love, 13 n, 290; God’s
prophets, 8, 31, 34, 36, 77, hi, 142,
144, 148, 166, 192; love for, 19, transcendence, xm—xiv; He
21,30 loves Himself xiv, 101-102; ‘man
purity, purification, 58, 93, 104, loves God only because God
n9,135,172; of the heart, 52, loves him’, xxn; munasaba, xv;
69-70, 102, 117, 182; purity is a paradox, xi, xm—xvi, xxxi—
half of faith, 70
XXXII, 2; see also love as affinity
qabd, see constriction
«l'gion,I9,2o,9<i,r30>Wi
146, 172, i76, IQ2
qalb, see heart
Qatada b. Dicama al-Basri, 116 re gious scholars, see ulatna
Qur’an, 66, 71, 99, «9, UO-i, 144, France (of God) 2
145,167; Divine Attributes,
xxiv; hatred, 167; 'Illlyun, 119, 132, i93 * 2d, 69, II5}
120; Kitab al-mahabba wa’l-
shawq wa’l-uns wa’l-rida, xxiii;
knowledge of God, 144-5; love rep
for God, 2, 5-6,113, 114; love
1
of God, xii, 99; love for the
Qur’an, 113, 114; makr, i23n;
recitation, 114, 161, i7J; sin>’
168, 176; ta’wll, 146
qurb, see nearness to God
al-Qushayri, xvn, xxi, 100• a/ n. hGo<^5 ’
al-Qusbayriya, xvii Rua/a ^'O^^Cenr
quwwa/quwa, see faculty
RabfaaQAdawiya,Xx
, 134>^-3,I9o ’S 2><h,
rahma, see com^
^Ujhi i Ak- 1Uess
raK see hope aSS’°n/ttierCy
al-Razi, Abu Z,u .
al-Kazy, p^i i ’ See k
 Index
,38-44; see also intimacy with
(|,ROWING. INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT
see also contentment; prayer;
creation, i68n; doctrine of
God
8 worship union with God, xxix, xxxn, 39 40,
acquisition’, 169,170; dual
I Siidb Win. l.rf Suwayd b. al-Math aba, 161
I amWfrrlir sants,«. '79. aspect of, 168-9, 170; fleeing
from, 3,174-7; God’s hatred
90, hi
I iSj,184-5,19.1 uns, see intimacy with God
I jhSiri J-Sqatf, 8,129-30,156-7, of sinner, 170-1; hadith, 167, taa, see obedience
' 163,190 168; hate in God, 167; hatred of tajalli,see God’s self-manifestation cUrwa b. Zubayr, 159
Sam'i al-Tusi, Abu Nafr, xni sinners, 166, 167; love of God cUzayr, 143
Talmud, 98n
Satan, 20,104,107,117,123,130,131, 99,104,112; Qur’an, 167, l68 ’
141 Tasnim, 119
176
self-lore, xix, xxv-xxvn, 12-15;
sirral-^r, see predestination, taste, 49, 50, 95-6, 116, 135 veil, 62, 63, 89, 96, 97; intimacy
benevolence, 16; a cause
oflon,l]-IS,22,23-j;
secret of tau>ba, see repentance as incessant unveiling, xxxii;
Solomon, 143 tatvhtd (affirmation of unity), 85,
death, 13; disinterested love, lifting of, 52, 58, 61, 96, 95, 98,
”'■
*
'<51, 57, S«. i36n, 168, 188; IM, xxm
Kn.foundanon of selfless,
theology, xx; contentment,
102, 104, 106; see also beatific
‘indent Ion, xm'.jom;
^d^P'^: innate in human ■PtaSj-C; knowledge vision
rejection of the notion by
«<»>7.~«ering„C9e
n™re, 14; parental love, xxvi
theologians, 136, 146; dialectical ™“«.™X; beautiful traits,!^
see also soul, the self 98’ I34,179,182, i84_^. n . ,
“^’.53,57,65,70 theology (kalamj, xxiv, iO7n; I1’disinterested love, XXXJ; ’
intimacy with God, rejection Divine Attributes r j >
iX^setfie0S’33;SeeaIs°
of the notion by theologians,
39;tart.xV™ -j8’
136; thejahmiyah, xiv-xv;
longing, rejection of the ’tales I9_ ’ 19‘ I00’ moral
^^PUre, notion by theologians> y0-utaerXS«”ofio’e,
lo.«,.l.e„logi„ld„trjmM
!et"’g.ii,l7’^46'Wt/ XX«.39,too
in xv, xxn-xxni, xxrv-x J
46’Z),ioo , ’JO’39'«,
2> !36; mahall 48 • , XXV’
2n; see also Ash'ari Ash^"”""’ Wb-al-%rd
J°Ve’ *V, XXIV- the DOtion °f I '77
Mu' tazilite ’ A h arite;
divinHove ’pr°P°nents of
tbiqa, see trust
^hter^XT;w7:xn;
, ’atvnt,J9 , Torah, 91
trial’I5°= contentment,
g57’,16^ faith, 6n-]( ’ J°S’G6,
6n;loVeofG ’ °VeforGn,
190 ■bb’^xin,l6 Patience in , ’ Io4'IO5
'Wti^ga^Gotl
'"''’‘■114,17, rt?^’91-!?148’162 ; w°rld anX betw , °Ss
SUPPlicae 7 ’ IS2~3 lndifferen this
lver«ont;4j'^,166;
for/; 951 u4. Im ■ L epCe tor f> 69 ■
/2«U] “k"’*
' (religj
pr°tection fr0/gIVeness and t 86’sC6 sch°lam <ld’°",''dge
Of54ct,, -, 0111 «n, I7,.n . 10Ver’i7’59 g °^CO(I j ’ 96>
WlthConf 7,not in
°nten^ent, I66;
242

}iX ”73

'5S..8>,

’ *8 ?.
 nw.'WG. INTIMACY AND CONTENTMENT

bi angels, up; Jerotional

coquette. »u; retreat. 1.14-5;
without lore, S. uj-4; see also
Mr; purer; supplication
nU, seeitfcction
awiii see distinctness
aW see existence
This is the first complete English translation of the Book of Love, Longing,
Intimacy and Contentment, the thirty-sixth chapter of Abu Hamid al-Ghazall’s
monumental Repiw/ of the Religious Sciences (Ihya ulum al-din).
The Book cf Love, or Kitab al-mahabba, is of fundamental importance in the
history of Islamic thought and in the development of Sufism. Though earlier
treatises had been written by Sufi masters on various aspects of the love
between God and man, The Book of Love was the first treatise which established
not merely the possibility but the necessity of such love. Ghazali argues that all
the virtues and spiritual stages that precede love, like repentance, patience and
thankfulness, lead to love; and all the spiritual stages that follow on from love
are a result of it. Using proof-texts derived from the Quran, the Traditions of
the Prophet Muhammad and Sufi precept, Ghazali succeeded in marshalling
forceful arguments to make his case. These arguments prevailed to such an
extent that the later Islamic mystical tradition is imprinted with a central
emphasis on divine love. Out of Ghazali’s pioneering treatment would emerge
not only new trends in Sufi theory and practice, but an entire body of mystical
poetry including that of the great Persian poets Rumi and Hafiz.
Professor Eric Ormsby’s fully annotated translation brings out all the
beauty and lyricism of the text. The translation is preceded by an extensive
introduction which sets the work in its historical and spiritual context.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058-1111), theologian, logician, jurist and mystic, was
bom and died in Tus in Central Asia, but spent much of his life lecturing at
Baghdad or leading the life of a wondering dervish. His most celebrated work,
of which this is an important chapter, has exercised a profound influence on
Muslim intellectual history by exploring the mystical significance of the
practices and beliefs of Islamic orthodoxy, earning him the title of Hujjat al
Islam, the ‘Proof of Islam’.

Eric Ormsby was Professor of Islamic Studies and Director of the Institute of
Islamic Studies at McGill University. He is at present Professor and Senior
.Research Assistant at the Institute of Ismaili Studies, London.

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