Maktubat-i Imam-i Rabbani Selection from Volume 2 except mansub maktubs/sections Rough Draft: Work in Progress Irshad Alam Mujaddidi May 31, 2021 Ijazat My first shaykh Muhammad Mamunur Rashid gave me ijazat, mandate to translate the Mujaddid, and his chief khalifa, my sec- ond shaykh Qazi Rezaul Haq has confirmed it, and guiding me spiritually. Now when I asked Shaykh Mamun for ijazat, he said that I must journey to Sirhind and get a personal ijazat from the Mujaddid. I implored, You have a deep nisbat to the Mujaddid. Isn’t your ijazat good enough? He replied, No! That’s not enough. You need a personal ijazat directly from the Mujaddid So finally when I went there in 2003, even before I visited the grave, as soon as I went to the office of the mazar, I received the sign that I’ve received the ijazat. Because the then caretaker Sheikh Yahya, within a minute after seeing me, his face beamed. He stood up to greet me, and exclaimed, Mu- jaddid would now POUR (dhele) into you Silsila of interpretation While I translate directly from the origi- nal Farsi/Arabic, I take my understanding from the Bengali translation by sufi shaykhs Shah Muti Muhammad Aftabi who learned the Maktubat from his shaykh and father, who in turn, learned it from his shaykh Wa- jid Ali Shah of Kolkata. Verification The greatest academic authority on the Naqshbandi tariqa in the West, Dr. Hamid Algar, of University of California at Berke- ley, has given it a glowing recommendation in an email dated Oct 13, 2020: This is the second volume of translations of the Maktubat of Imam Rabbani made by Sufi Irshad Alam, together with copious an- notations. It is more systematic than the first, and the quality of the translation is also superior. It is recommended to all 1 2 those interested in the Maktubat who are un- able to access the original Persian. I look forward to his translations of the rest of this important work. Note: By the term, first volume, Dr Al- gar meant my book Faith Practice Piety of which he a positive review as well. Publisher Aklima Akter Sufi Peace Mission 4A Gulshan Avenue North, Circle 2 Dhaka 1212 BANGLADESH Email: mim786@gmail.com c © 2021 Irshad Alam. All rights reserved. However, we would readily help publishers or translators to translate or reprint it. And we would 1. give permission for reprinting for trans- lation into other languages, or reprint- ing the English 2. help you to produce printer-ready eps files for your translations 3. and in some cases, print the books at a low subsidized cost, or even at zero cost, in Bangladesh and ship them to you Irshad Alam Mujaddidi is the pen name for Irshad Alam Contents Contents 3 1 Maktubs 2.1-2.25 5 1.1 Maktub 2.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.2 Maktub 2.2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.3 Maktub 2.3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.4 Maktub 2.4 excerpt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.5 Maktub 2.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1.6 Maktub 2.6 two excerpts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1.7 Maktub 2.7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1.8 Maktub 2.8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 1.9 Nearness and togetherness of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 1.10 Maktub 2.9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1.11 Maktub 2.10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 1.12 Maktub 2.11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 1.13 Maktub 2.12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 1.14 Maktub 2.13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 1.15 Maktub 2.14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 1.16 Maktub 2.15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 1.17 Maktub 2.16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 1.18 Maktub 2.17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 1.19 Maktub 2.18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 1.20 Maktub 2.19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 1.21 Maktub 2.20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 1.22 Maktub 2.21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 1.23 Maktub 2.22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 1.24 Maktub 2.23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 1.25 Maktub 2.24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 1.26 Maktub 2.25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 2 Maktubs 2.26-2.50 63 3 4 CONTENTS 2.1 Maktub 2.26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 2.2 Maktub 2.27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 2.3 Maktub 2.28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 2.4 Maktub 2.29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 2.5 Maktub 2.30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 2.6 Maktub 2.31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 2.7 Maktub 2.32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 2.8 Maktub 2.33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 2.9 Maktub 2.34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 2.10 Maktub 2.35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 2.11 Maktub 2.36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 2.12 Maktub 2.37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 2.13 Maktub 2.38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 2.14 Maktub 2.39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 2.15 Maktub 2.40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 2.16 Maktub 2.41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 2.17 Maktub 2.42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 2.18 Maktub 2.43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 2.19 Maktub 2.44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 2.20 Maktub 2.45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 2.21 Maktub 2.46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 2.22 Maktub 2.47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 2.23 Maktub 2.48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 2.24 Maktub 2.49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 2.25 Maktub 2.50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 3 Maktubs 2.51-2.75 145 3.1 Maktub 2.51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 3.2 Maktub 2.52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 3.3 Maktub 2.53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 3.4 Maktub 2.54: Following rasul: Seven degrees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 3.5 Maktub 2.55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 3.6 Maktub 2.56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 3.7 Maktub 2.57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 3.8 Maktub 2.58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 3.9 Maktub 2.59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 3.10 Haqiqat is far above tariqat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 3.11 Maktub 2.60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 3.12 Maktub 2.61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 3.13 Maktub 2.62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 3.14 Maktub 2.63 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 CONTENTS 5 3.15 Maktub 2.64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 3.16 Maktub 2.65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 3.17 Maktub 2.66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 3.18 Maktub 2.67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 3.19 Maktub 2.68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 3.20 Maktub 2.69 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 3.21 Maktub 2.70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 3.22 Maktub 2.71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 3.23 Maktub 2.72 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 3.24 Maktub 2.73 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 3.25 Maktub 2.74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 3.26 Maktub 2.75 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 4 Maktubs 2.76-2.99 233 4.1 Maktub 2.76 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 4.2 Maktub 2.77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 4.3 Maktub 2.78 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 4.4 Maktub 2.79 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 4.5 Maktub 2.80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 4.6 Maktub 2.81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 4.7 Maktub 2.82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 4.8 Maktub 2.83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 4.9 Maktub 2.84 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 4.10 Maktub 2.85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 4.11 Maktub 2.86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 4.12 Maktub 2.87 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 4.13 Maktub 2.88 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 4.14 Maktub 2.89 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 4.15 Maktub 2.90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 4.16 Maktub 2.91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 4.17 Maktub 2.92 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 4.18 Maktub 2.93 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 4.19 Maktub 2.94 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 4.20 Maktub 2.95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268 4.21 Maktub 2.96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 4.22 Maktub 2.97 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 4.23 Maktub 2.98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 4.24 Maktub 2.99 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 Chapter 1 Maktubs 2.1-2.25 1.1 Maktub 2.1 I did it , skip Ibn Arabi stuff, to be com- pleted 66 and 67 1.2 Maktub 2.2 To Mir Shamsuddin ‘Ali Khalkhali Note: Mujaddid contradicts the Akbarian notion that the Necessary is the only wu- jud and all created things borrow that di- vine wujud in order to exist. Instead, he proposes that 1. the Necessary is absolutely incomparable (tanzih) and 2. he is beyond wujud. Person, attributes: Beyond existence, necessariness Bismi ’llahi ’l-rahmani ’l-rahim All praise is to Allah! Peace on his elect devotees ( Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa ). The letter that you wrote with a perfect love and pure-heartedness (ikhlas) reached me and gave me great joy. If the number of brothers in the religion is many (kathrat-i ikhwan-i din), it is a cause of hope in the last world. Dua: Allahumma akthir ikhwanana fi ’l- dini wa thabbitna wa iyyahum ‘ala mu- taba‘ati ’l-sayyidi ’l-mursalina ‘alaihi wa ‘alaihim mina ’l-salawati ’l-afdaluha wa mina ’l-taslimati akmaluha. Whatever is said on the beloved is beautiful It is the trace of love! Az harcheh miravad az sokhn-i dost khoshtar ast mahabbat-i athar The ulama differ on the seven or eight at- tributes of the necessary existence (wajib al-wujud). They are real attributes (sifat- i haqiqiya) and exist in the outside (dar kharij mawjud and). Not a single sect ex- cept the ulama of the people of truth (ahl-i haqq) has proposed to existence of the at- tributes of the necessary. Shakara ’llahu ta’ala sa‘yahum Even that, the later su- fis 1 from them have denied the existence of 1 alludes to Ibn Arabi as interpreted by the Wu- judi school 7 8 CHAPTER 1. MAKTUBS 2.1-2.25 the attributes. And instead, they have rel- egated that additionality (ziyadatiy) of the attributes onto to the mind (‘ilm) of God. They say, Via method of intellect all at- tributes are the other Via realization, all are same as you Az ruiy ta‘qul hameh ghayr and sifat Ba dhat-i to az ru’iy tahaqquq hameh ‘iyn Truly, the opinion of the ulama of the peo- ple of truth is true. It is taken from the niche of prophethood and strengthened via unveiling and conscience (kashf, firasat). Summary: The unsureness that the op- posers hold on the existence of the at- tributes is hard [to defend]. Attributes, if they have existence 2 , they have no alterna- tive but for them to be one of these two: 1. a contingent thing (imkan), or 2. the Necessary (wajib). If they are contingent things, then they have to be newly-arrived (hadith). Because to them, every contingent thing is newly arrived (Li-anna kulla mumkinin hadithun ‘indahum). And the truly necessary thing (wajibu ’l-dhatiyya) being more than one in number negates tawhid. Morever, if the attributes were contingent things, that ne- cessitates that it would be possible to take away the attributes from the person (dhat). And in that case, ignorance and incapacity (jawaz-i jahl, ‘ajw) would be permitted in the dhat. 2 i.e., true or external existence Exists by dhat What has been revealed to me as the solution of this problem is this: Hazrat Haqq swt exists by person (bedhat-i khod mawjud ast), not by his attribute of existence (wujud) — regard- less of whether that attribute is identical to the person, or additional to the per- son (‘iyn, za’id). And the attributes of the Necessary exist also by his person, not by his existence. Because there in that homestead, there is no room for existence (wujud) 3 It is this station that Shaykh ‘Alaudawla alluded to when he said, Above the realm of existence is the realm of the all-loving master (Fawqa ‘alami ’l-wujudi ‘alamu maliki ’l-wadudi) Therefore, nei- ther the relationship (nisbat) of contingent- ness nor necessariness (imkan, wujub) may even be conceived in that homestead [of the dhat]. Because both contingent and necessary relationships happens within the essence (mahiya) and existence. So where there is no existence, there is neither contin- gentness nor necessariness (imkan, wujub) as well. This marifat is beyond the scope of con- sideration or thinking (tur-i nazr, fikr). Those who are tied down by the tie of ex- oteric knowledge, what marifat would they realize? Save denial, what would they at- tain in their lot? PS Mir Muhibbullah stayed a few days here. Now he is about to go to your area. Consider his companionship and service as a spoil of war. Salam to you and whoever is before you. 3 i.e., in that homestead of the dhat, there is no room for any attribute because the dhat is so sublime 1.3. MAKTUB 2.3 9 1.3 Maktub 2.3 Too hard and not relevant. Anyway, I did it b4, let me see if I can find it 1.4 Maktub 2.4 excerpt Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa ‘ilmu ’l-yaqin This part is skipped as it is too abtruse and incomprehensible to me ‘ainu ’l-yaqin, haqqu ’l-yaqin What can I write on the ‘ainu ’l-yaqin or haqqu ’l-yaqin ? Even if I say, who would get it, or what would he get out of it? Be- cause this knowledge is beyond the bound- aries of walayat. Like the ulama of the outer knowledge, the possessors of walayat are incapable to perceive (idrak) it. Instead, this knowledge is learned from the niche of the light of prophethood (mishkat-i anwar-i nubuwat), ‘ala arbabha, al-salawatu wa ’l- salamu, wa ’l-tahiyyatu And that knowl- edge has become alive (tazeh) and appeared with freshness (tarawat) after the renewal (tajdid) of the second millennium, by the rule of following and inheritance (tab‘iyat, warathat) 4 And this knowledge suspends from the person, attributes and act of God, and is clothed (tatalabbas) by the states, ecstasies and manifestations (ahwal, mawajid, zuhu- rat). 4 i.e., the Mujaddid of the second millenium has been granted the renewed form of that knowledge Possessor of such knowledge is the Mu- jaddid of this millennium, as it is not un- known to the masters who gaze into this knowledge. Those possessors would be able to learn that the said knowledges are be- yond (wara’) the the science (‘ulum) of the ulama and the marifat of the friends of Allah. Even that, in comparison, the [ulama’s] knowledge is the skin when the above-mentioned knowledge [of the Mujad- did] is like the pith. Millennial Mujaddid: High Rank You may know that at the head (ser) of each century, a Mujaddid comes. However, the Mujaddid of the century is different than the Mujaddid of the millennium. In the same way that there is a gulf of difference between the numbers hundred and thou- sand, there is a gulf of difference between the Mujaddid of the century and the Mu- jaddid of the millennium. Instead, the dif- ference is more than that. That person is called the Mujaddid who is the connector (wasila) via whom all the ummat of that time receives effusion and baraka, even if that ummat is that time’s pole, peg, sub- stitute, or nobleman (qutb, watad, badal, nujaba). Elects a slave To pacify the commoners Khas kunid bandeh-iy Musallahat-i ‘am ra Wa ’l-salamu ‘ala mani ‘ttaba‘a ’l-huda. Wa ’l-tazama mutaba‘ata ’l-mustafa. ‘Alaihi wa ‘ala alihi al-salawatu wa ’l- taslimatu ’l-‘ula, wa ‘ala jami‘i ikhwanihi 10 CHAPTER 1. MAKTUBS 2.1-2.25 mina ’l-anbiya’i wa ’l-mursalina, wa ’l- mala’ikati ’l-muqarribina, wa ‘ibadi ’llahi ’l-salihina ’l-ajma‘ina 1.5 Maktub 2.5 Skipped as it 1. is too abtruse 2. discusses on attributes (sifat) and the Mujaddid’s fi- nal ideas on this matter, which are con- tained in Maktub 3.122, changed radically. So read 3.122 instead. 1.6 Maktub 2.6 two excerpts To Khwaja Muhammad Ma‘sum (raj) Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa Sila What I have come to know that the purpose behind my own creation has been attained. And what has been being sought (mas’ul) for a thousand years has been granted. Praise to Allah who has made me the sila , connector between two oceans, and peace- maker between two factions (Alhamdu li- ’llahi ’lladhi ja‘alaniy silatan baina ’l- bahraini, wa muslihan baina ’l-fi’ataini), Akmala ’l-hamdi ‘ala kulli halin. Wa ’l-salawatu wa ’l-salamu ‘ala khayri ’l- anamai, wa ‘ala ikhwanihi ’l-kirami, mina ’l-anbiya-i wa ’l-mala’ikati ’l-‘izami Magnificent function O son! All these interactions depend on my creation. But still then, another great mission has been charged on me. I was not brought in for piry va muridy 5 And I was not created to perfect or guide (tak- mil, irshad) the creation, instead [I was cre- ated] for a different interaction and function (mu‘amala, karkhaneh). In the mean time, if one keeps nisbat with me (munasibat) 6 , then he would take in the effusions (fuyud), else he would not. The interaction of perfecting others and guiding them towards the right path (tak- mil, irshad), when compared to that func- tion (nisbat beh an karkhaneh), is like the trash one sweeps away (matruh). In the case of the prophets (anbiya), how their mission of invitation (da‘wat) relates to their inner interactions 7 is the same. The office of prophethood (mansab-i nubuwat) has ended, but their perfect fol- lowers still receive the perfections and the unique things (kamalat, khasa’is) of the nabi as his follower and heir (tab‘iyat, warathat), ‘alaihimu ’l-salawatu wa ’l- taslimatu wa ’l-tahiyyatu Note: Supreme level of the prophets Mujaddid held that the anbiya , prophets are the most exalted of existence. He said, If billions of people prayed for billions of years to Allah to make one of them a nabi, that would not be enough 5 to act as a pir to the disciples, i.e., to guide the disciples along the sufi path as a teacher 6 i.e., one takes bayat with a caliph of my Mu- jaddidi silsila and develops that nisbat via sufi prac- tices 7 nisbat bemu‘amalat-i batiniyat-i iyshan 1.7. MAKTUB 2.7 11 1.7 Maktub 2.7 To ‘Abdul Hayy, compiler of volume 2 of the Maktubat Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa For [Allah], he has given us bliss, guided us towards Islam, and made us ummat of his beloved Muhammad the Mustafa (An‘ama ‘alaina, wa hadana ila ’l- Islami, wa ja‘alna min ummati, habibihi muhammadini ’l-mustafa), ‘alaihi, wa ‘ala alihi, ’l-salawatu wa ’l-salam Love: Interpretation 1 and 2 May Allah (T) give you guidance (Ir- shadaka ’llahu ta‘ala). You may know that the in the love of the person (mahabbat- i dhatiya), it is the person (dhat) of God who himself loves (dost darad). And it may be interpreted in three ways: 1. state of being loved (mahbubiyat) 2. state of being the lover (muhibbiyat) 8 3. love (mahabbat). Manifestation of the perfections of the belovedness with love from the person of God (zuhur-i kamalat-i mahbubiyat-i dhatiya) has been put onto Muhammad, the seal of the rasuls (salam). In summary, there are two perfections in mahbubiyat : A. Active (fa‘liy) and B. Pas- sive (infa‘aliy). B. Passive The verb (fa‘al) is the root form (asl), and being acted upon, i.e., its passive form (infa‘al) 9 follows it (tabi‘). 8 i.e., God loving himself or someone else 9 mahbubiyat is passive However, the fa‘al is the end result (‘illat- i gha’iy) of infa‘al And although [love] comes into existence later (har chand dar wujud muta’akhkhir ast), still [that love] comes into conception earlier (dar tasawwur mutaqaddim) 10 A. Active Perfect unveiling of the loverness (muhibbiyat) has come into only the lot of Hazrat Moses who spoke with Al- lah (kalimullah, ‘ala nabina wa ‘alaihi ’l- salawatu wa ’l-salam). Love: Interpretation 3 The third interpretation (i‘tibar) is love it- self (nafs-i mahabbat). There first, Hazrat Adam (AS) is witnessed. And second Hazrat Abraham (AS) is witnessed there as well. And thirdly Hazrat Noah (AS) comes into sight via that same method 11 there. The reality is relegated onto Allah subhanahu. Dichotomy of Love: Loverness versus belovedness Loverness (muhibbiyat) In the same way that God loves his own person (dhat), in that same way he loves the perfect things (kamalat) that are his names, attributes and acts. This love 12 has been completely manifested (zuhur, atamm) onto Hazrat Abraham. In the same way, manifestation of the belovedness of the names, attributes 10 in case of being beloved or mahbubiyat 11 i.e., the method of shuhud , witnessing, which is an Akbarian concept 12 i.e., love of the names, attributes and acts of God 12 CHAPTER 1. MAKTUBS 2.1-2.25 and acts (zuhur-i mahbubiyat-i asma’iy, sifatiy, af‘aliy) has been realized (muta- haqqiq) onto the rest of the prophets as well, albeit in the method of their loverness (muhibbiyat-i iynha) 13 Belovedness (mahbubiyat) When the names and attributes (asma, sifat) have shadows (zilal), then the belovedness of that shadow is manifested (zuhur-i mahbubiyat-i an zilal) via the intermediary- ness of their prototypes (tawassut-i wusul). And that is the lot (nasib) of those walis who are sought and beloved (murad, mah- bub). Lovingness (mahabbat) versus love (hubb) On the other hand, the loverness of those shadows (muhibbiyat-i an zilal) is the part of the seekers and lovers (murid, muhib). And above the station of loving- ness of the person (maqam-i mahabbat-i dhatiya) that is the station of love (hubb), which brings together the above-mentioned three crossing-overs (i‘tibarat) 14 Note: It seems to me that mahabbat re- ally means lovingness, i.e., the concept of one loving another. On the other hand, hubb refers to the Platonic archetype of love. Allah knows best.—IAM Station of good-pleasure The degree (martaba) of good-pleasure (ridha) is above the degree of love (martaba-i hubb wa ). 13 i.e., the other nabis love the names, attributes, acts on their part — that is the method of muhib- biyat . This is in contrast to mahbubiyat where God himself loves the creation on his part 14 1. loverness (muhibbiyat) 2. mahbubiyat (belovedness) 3. lovingness (mahabbat) The reason that the degree of ridha is above the degree of mahabbat is that because rela- tion (nisbat) exists within mahabbat in ei- ther undifferentiated or differentiated man- ner (ijmal, tafsil) while the station of ridha lacks any nisbat. And that [lack of nisbat] is related to the person of God. Muhammadan station: Supreme None may step above the degree (martaba), i.e., station of ridha , good-pleasure of God, except the rasul who is the seal (khatm). Maybe it is this station that the rasul (salam) alluded to when he said, I have a unique time with Allah. I have no room there for any angel brought near, or any nabi or rasul (Liy ma‘a ’llahiuw waqtun. La yasa‘uniy fihi malakun muqarrabun, wa la nabiyyun mursalun) 15 Additionally, there is an allusion to this unique thing in a sacred hadith, O Muham- mad! I and you are 16 Whatever is there other than you, I have created them for you . So Muhammad (salam) replied, O Al- lah! You are and I am not. I am forsak- ing everyone except you for your sake (Ya Muhammadu! Ana wa anta wama siwaka. Khalaqtu li-ajlika. Fa-qala Muhammadu (salam), Allahumma anta wa ma ana. Wa ma siwaka taraktu li-ajlika) 17 Muhammad the rasul of Allah (salam), how would they realize his reality today 18 ? How would they come to know of his mag- nificence and greatness (‘azimat, bozorgi)? 15 hadith 16 i.e., are original existences 17 hadith 18 in this world 1.8. MAKTUB 2.8 13 Because the truth-teller and the liar are commingled (mumtazaj) together on this world of testing (dar-i ibtila). On the day of resurrection, greatness [of the rasul] would certainly be understood and realized. For he would be the foreman and imam of the prophets. And he would have the right of intercession. From Adam on to the later prophets (peace), all would be under his flag. Exalted station of Mujaddid It is proper that in the above-mentioned elect homeland (watn-i khass), which is higher than the station of good-pleasure (rida), [the rasul] would appoint one his heir and successor (warathat, tab‘iyat). And as a tufayl 19 And that tufayl would re- ceive the mysteries forbidden to the others (mahram). To the generous lord no task is hard Ba kariman karha dushvar nist This interpretation does not mean that oth- ers can be superior to the prophets (AS). How can the servant be compared with the friends of the master? What interrelation- ship is there for the equals of the master with the followers? The primary masters (asl) are the object of seeking whereas the follower is their left-over-eater (tufailiy). At most, the follower is able to reach partial superiority. There is no problem with that. 19 i.e., an accompanied servant who eats the left- over of, i.e., from the food prepared for his master when they go to a dinner party Because the weaver and the barber, due to their skill in the trades, may attain su- periority in certain arts over people more learned than them—but that should not be considered. Our saying is the allusion, mystery, and good news, and like a store-house of trea- sure. Most people are deprived from it. On the other hand, those who be- lieves in it with a good faith, The end result of their iman would be beneficial fruits. And Allah grants opportunities. (Kalamuna isharatun, wa rumuzun, wa basharatun, wa kunuzun. La nasiba minha li-’l-akthari. Illa an yu’minu biha bi- husni ’l-zanni. Fa-yuntiju imananuhum thamaratin tanfa‘u lahum. Wa ’llahu sub- hanahu ’l-muwaffiqu). And peace be onto them who follow guidance, and stick to following the Mustafa. ( Wa ’l-salamu ‘ala mani ’ttaba‘a ’l-huda, wa ’ltazama mutaba‘ata ’l-mustafa ), ‘Alaihi, wa ‘ala jami‘l ’l-ikhwanihi mina ’l-anbiya’i wa ’l-muslimina wa mala’ikti ’l-muqarribina mina ’l-salawati ’l-afdaluha wa mina ’l- taslimati ’l-afdaluha 1.8 Maktub 2.8 To Khan-i khanan Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa Whatever is said on the beloved is beautiful It is the trace of love! Az harcheh miravad az sokhn-i dost khoshtar ast mahabbat-i athar 14 CHAPTER 1. MAKTUBS 2.1-2.25 1.9 Nearness and togetherness of God Allah swt has said, 1. And when the worshippers ask you on me, tell them that I am near (Wa idha sa’alaka ‘ibadiy ‘anniy, fa-inni qari- bun) 20 2. When three people get together, and make a secret plan, it does not hap- pen except that he is the fourth. And for four people, he is the fifth. And for five people, he is the sixth. More or less people than that, whatever that num- ber is, he is with them, wherever they may be (Man yakun min najwa tha- lathatin illa huwa rabi‘uhum wa kham- satin illa huwa sadisuhum, wa la adna min dhalika, wa la akthara illa huwa, ma‘ahum ainama kanu). 21 Like his (swt) dhat, his nearness (qurb) and togetherness (ma‘iyat) are also unqualified (biychun, biychegun). Because chun has no path towards the biychun Therefore, Al- lah is disengaged from and unblemished by (munazzah, mubarra) whatever meaning of nearness (qurb) and togetherness (ma‘iyat) that is felt (idrak) by our intellect or in- telligence (‘aql, fahm). Or realized by our unveilings and witnessings (kashf, shuhud). Because holding such a meaning would be stepping inside the realm of the coporeal- ists (mujassima). Instead, we believe that he swt is near (qarib) us and with (ba) us, but we do not know the meaning (ma‘na) of those terms. In this world, some of that 20 Q 21 Q knowledge indeed come into the lot of the perfect ones (kummal), but what they at- tain is only the iman-i ghayb in God’s dhat and sifat 22 Sharp-sighted ones on the court of Alast Do not set the feet forward be- cause they have Dur binan bar gah-i Alast bish zin pai nabardehand keh hast Iman-i ghayb : Elect versus commoners Faith in the absent (iman beghayb) that the elect of the elect attains is not like the faith of the commoners (iman-i ‘awamm). Com- mon people attain iman-i ghayb via hear- ing or proof (sama‘, istidlal). On the other hand, the elect of the elect attain iman beghayb via realizing (mutala‘a) the absent of the absent behind the veils of of the shad- ows of his beauty and majesty (pard-ha-iy zilal-i jamal, jalal), and above the pavil- lion of manifestation and unveiling (wara’-i surawiqat-i tajalliyat, zuhurat). Middlers conceive the shadow as the prototype. And the disclosed things (tajalliyat) as identi- cal to the prototype that is disclosing itself (‘iyn mutajalli danisteh). And they remain satisfied with the witnessed faith (iman-i shuhudiy). To them, iman beghayb , faith in the absent is the lot of the enemies. What- ever that is with whichever group, it is satis- fied with that (Kullu hizbin bima ladayhim farihun). 23 22 follows Aftabi interpretation 23 Q 1.10. MAKTUB 2.9 15 PS Let me give you a little pain. Mawlana ‘Abdul-Ghafur and Mawlana Haji Muhammad are my good friends. If you as- sign them any work, it would a great favor to me. To great men, no act is hard. Wa ’l-salam 1.10 Maktub 2.9 To Mawlana Muhammad ‘Arif Khatni Superiority of La ilaha illa ’llah Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa Mawlana Muhammad ‘Arif! First, you should negate the false gods (nafi’i aliha’i batila), and establish the true object of wor- ship (JS). And instead bring those branded by the marks of howness and how-many- ness (chuniy, chandiy) under the kalima la , and realize faith (iman) in God who lacks howness (khoda’iy biychun) (JS). For negation (nafi) and affirmation (ithbat), the most complete (tamamtarin) kalima is the pleasant (tayyab) kalima La ilaha illa ’llah 1. Rasul said, Most excellent zikr (afdalu ’l-dhikri) is La ilaha illa ’llah. 2. Allah said in a hadith qudsi, If the seven heavens and all its residents except myself, and the seven layered earth, if all these are put on on side of the balance, and the kalima La ilaha illa ’llah on the other side, La ilaha illa ’llah would weigh heavier (Law anna ’l-samawati ’l-sab‘a, wa ‘amira hunna ghayriy, wa ’l-ardina ’l-sab‘a wudi‘na fi kaffatin wa la ilaha illa ’llahu fi kaffatin, lamalat bihinna la ilaha illa ’llah). 24 Why would that 25 not be superior? And heavier? Because one part of it 26 negates all the ma sewa, be it the heavens or the earths (samawat, ardin), or be it ‘arsh or kursiy , or be it the tablet or the pen (lawh, qalam), the cosmos or nonexistence (‘alam, ‘adam). And its second part 27 establishes the true object of worship who is the creator of the heaven and the earth. Therefore, necessarily, all that which shines onto the mirrors of the afaq or the an- fus, all are branded by the marks of chuniy , howness or chandiy , how-many-ness. And so they deserve to get negated. Therefore, all things known to us, imag- ined by us, witnessed by us and perceived by us (ma‘lum, mawhum, mash-hud, mah- sus), all that are branded by qualification of howness or what-manner-ness (chuniy, che- gungiy). And they are made defective by the defects (‘aib) of newly-arrivedness and contingentness (huduth, imkan). Because our knowledge and feelings (ma‘lum, mah- sus) grow out of us, and are earned by us. Tanziya that suspends from our knowl- edge truly is tashbih And vice versa, the perfection that is estimated to be like how we understand it, it is imperfection itself. Therefore, all the things that are disclosed to, unveiled before or witnessed by us (mu- tajalli, makshuf, mash-hud) are the other than Haqq. God (ta‘ala) is beyond it, even more beyond. 24 hadith 25 pleasant kalima 26 i.e., La ilaha 27 i.e., illa ’llah 16 CHAPTER 1. MAKTUBS 2.1-2.25 Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) said, Are you wor- shiping that what you are crafting by your own hands? But it is Allah who has created you, don’t you understand? (Ata‘buduna ma tanhituna? Wa ’llahu khalaqakum, wa ma ta‘malun?) 28 That what we make by our own hands, or build by knowledge or imagination (‘aql, wahm), all those are cre- ations of God. Those are not worthy of worship. That unqualified God (biychun, biycheguneh) is worthy of worship 1. who is beyond the compass of our knowledge and thought, and 2. from perceiving (idrak) whose magnifi- cence and majesty (‘azamat, jalal), our vision of unveiling and witnessing (did- i kashf, shuhud) comes short (kuteh). Therefore, faith may not be attained without believing in such an unqualified God (khoda-i biychun, biycheguneh) (JS) while he is absent (iman bi-’l-ghaib). Be- cause witnessed (shuhudi) iman is not iman in God, instead iman in a thing that one imagines, and a thing that is one’s cre- ation. And in that [witnessed iman], along with iman in him (SWT), iman in others is shared. Instead, it is only iman in the other. May Allah save us from this. 29 On the other hand, iman-i ghayb would take place at that time when there would be no room there for even very fast thought. And nothing would be drawn on the screen of one’s mind. This meaning (ma‘na) is re- alized in nearerness (aqrabiyat). Because that [aqrabiyat] is beyond the compass 28 Q.Saffat.94-95 29 i.e., save us from such a perverted form of iman such as this iman-i shuhudi, and instead grants us iman bi-’l-ghaib, which is the true iman. of our conception and imagination (hita-i wahm, khiyal). The farther a thing is, the more effective is thought there. And that thing enters the kingdom of idea (sultanat- i khiyal) faster. That felicity is the lot of the prophets. Faith in the absent (iman- i ghayb) is reserved (makhsus) for the prophets (AS). As their follower and heir, others also attain this felicity. Iman in absent of common faithful That iman on the absent that the common faithful attain is not beyond the bound- ary of illusion or imagination (hita’i wahm, khiyal). Because they interpret the ex- pression beyond the beyond (wara’ al-wara’) with respect to distance in which there is room for thought. On the other hand, the prophets use that expression with respect to nearness, where there is no room for thought. Therefore, as long as the entire world is present, and [its residents] are alive in their this-worldly life, they have no alter- native but iman-i ghayb. Because witnessed iman is ineffective (ma‘lul) here. When the scenes of the last world would cast its rays, and the sharpness of forms of thought and imagination (surat-i wahm, khiyal) would end, it is at that time that the direct iman would be accepted (maqbul), and it would be purified from fakeness (‘illat-i ja‘al). I surmise that when Muhammad the ra- sul of Allah (SLM) was ennobled with the felicity of the vision (dawlat-i ru’wiyat) in this world, if we establish iman shuhudi with respect to him, then it would be praise- worthy and beautiful. And it would be free of fakeness. Because what that the others have been promised in the last world, he at- 1.11. MAKTUB 2.10 17 tains that in this world. Dhalika fadlu ’llahi yu’tihi man yasha’u, wa ’llahu dhu ’l-fadli ’l-‘azim 30 You should know: Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) completed (tamam) the kalima of negation. As its result, he did not stop before block- ing all the doors towards sharing partner- ship (shirk). Consequently, he has become the imam of the prophets In this world, absolute perfection (nihayat-i kamal) rests on the completion (itmam) of this negation. Because the manifestation of the perfections of the affirmation (ithbat) part of the pleasant kalima (zuhur-i kamalat-i kalima-i tayyiba) is waiting for the last world. In summary, the seal of the prophets (SAS), when he has been honored by the felicity of the direct vision (dawlat-i ruwiyat) of God in this world, it is in this world that he received the complete part of the side of affirmation (ithbat) of the pleasant verse. Therefore, it can be said that 1. Either commensurate to the receptiv- ity of this world, the kalima of ithbat has been completed by the advent of the rasul, or 2. With regards to the tajalli-i dhati , [the masters] have established it for [the ra- sul] in this world. And for all others, 31 , it would take place in the last world. Wa ’l-salamu ‘ala mani ’ttaba‘a ’l-huda. Wa ’l-tazama mutaba‘ata ’l-mustafa. ‘Alaihi wa ‘ala alihi wa as-habihi al- salawatu wa ’l-tahiyatu ’l-‘ula 30 Quran.Hadid.21 31 who are destined to view that tajalli-i dhati 1.11 Maktub 2.10 To his true brother Mian Muhammad Mawdud Bayazid Bistami on ‘arsh , throne Alhamdu li-’llahi wa salamun ‘ala ‘ibadihi ’lladhina ’stafa Shaykh Bayazid Bistami (qs) has said, If the throne and whatever else that is the throne were thrown into a corner of the heart of the gnostic, the gnostic would feel nothing due to the spaciousness of the heart (Agar ‘arsh va ancheh dar ‘arsh ast, dar zawiya’i qalb-i ‘arif nahnad, ‘arif ra az farakhiy-i qalb hech ihsas b-an nashod) Also Shaykh Junaid (QS) supported it as well, proved it via evidence. And he said,