BB00023: Treatise on the four pillars
Introduction
He is the Most High, the Most Exalted, the All-Highest
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, and in Him do we seek help. Praise be to God Who hath guided us to the red elixir, which is the first House established for mankind in the realm of the heart upon the red sand dune, and praise be to God Who hath directed us toward the white elixir, which is His Most Great Gate. And blessings and peace be upon the Red Dye and the Most Glorious Light, and upon His Successor who is the Western Mercury and the Divine Water and the Two-Faced Water whose inner nature is the sun and whose outer nature is the moon, and upon His noble and illustrious kindred who are the Divine Waters flowing from the rock, and upon the fruit of His heart which is the Holy Land and the Most Great Night, and upon their most excellent, pure, holy and sanctified followers, especially the Hidden Name and the Concealed Symbol, and upon the Land of Manifestation and the Camphor Leaf wherein the Lord did shine forth and appear.
O Lord! Bestow Thy blessings and peace upon them in the realm of Manifestation, then on Mount Sinai, then in the Land of Saffron, then on the Green Pavilion, whenever the morning breeze doth blow. The curse of God be upon the tyrannical, the covenant-breakers, the unjust and the apostates who turned away from the Truth that they might attain to the sun and moon. O God! Curse them abundantly, to the number of every stone and clod of earth, so long as the morning buds do sing or thunder doth resound.
And now, this lowly servant declareth that these are prophetic words that expound the manifest Truth in establishing a wondrous Cause and an exalted and transcendent remembrance. I have written them in haste for those given to disputation, despite my scant merchandise and abundant loss, for I am not among the people of eloquence that I should venture into this arena.
“Who am I to be counted among the worthy, Or to be a horseman among the people of the heart? My purpose is but to speak of Ali’s station, Or to utter some words that may prove of use.”
Yet I desired to point to the Light of Glory with what occurred to my mind, despite the constraints of circumstance, in compliance with the command of the Most High and in manifestation of devoted servitude to that Most Exalted Presence. In God do I seek help in all conditions, and upon Him do I rely in both beginning and end.
On establishing that all things have four pillars
Know, O my brother and beloved one—may God improve thy condition and empty thy heart for His remembrance and intimate communion—that God, glorified and exalted be He, hath created all things, whether abstract or material, celestial or terrestrial, spiritual or physical, with four pillars. There is nothing in existence, whether hidden or manifest, that is not fourfold, and to this doth point His exalted Word, mighty be His mention: “And of everything We have created pairs.” And since Truth can only be known through example, I shall mention certain things to make clear the matter for those given to dispute, like the sun in the four parts of the day, leaving no room for anyone to deny.
Look first to the hidden knowledge which is the essence of all sciences, for its pillars are four: Western Mercury, which is cold and moist; Eastern Yellow Water, which is hot and moist; Eastern Red Water, which is hot and dry; and the purified weight known as the iron body and sacred earth, which is cold and dry. Also, all its operations are four: First, the separation of matter; second, the marriage, through which the precious stone is completed; third, the separation of pillars and natures; and fourth, the combination of pillars, and at this stage the elixir is completed and appears in the garment of excellence, demolishing ranks and caring not for thousands.
Also, on that day from the divine water distilled from the human Sinaitic Tree are four parts, and from the weight, which is the viscous residue in the vessel, one part. And also the philosophical offspring is married in the second quarter of the operation to four wives: first he marries his daughter, who is equal to him for a period of forty days, the duration of Moses’ appointment; then after this he marries three other wives.
And there are also four cycles: a mineral cycle wherein it becomes stone, a vegetable cycle wherein it becomes a tree, an animal cycle wherein the luminous moon appears in the house of Gemini, and a human cycle wherein the sun rises from its west.
Then observe existence, for it revolves around four things: creation, sustenance, life, and death. And look to the Throne, for it is composed of four lights: a red light from which redness became red, a yellow light from which yellowness became yellow, a green light from which greenness became green, and a white light from which whiteness became white and in which is the light of day.
The Frequented House is square, and the Kaaba is square, and the words upon which Islam is built are four: “Glory be to God,” “Praise be to God,” “There is no god but God,” and “God is Most Great.” And know that the Greatest Name has four aspects: Unity, Prophethood, Guardian ship, and the Shiites. And the Basmala, which contains the mystery of the Qur’an and is the opening of the Book, has four words: Allah, Rahman, Rahim, and Name—or if you prefer, “In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.”
The husband may have four wives at one time when justice can be maintained, except for the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, due to the absence of inequity in his nature. And regarding this, God the Exalted said concerning him:
“You may defer whom you will of them or receive whom you will.”
The elements in the macrocosm are four: the sphere of fire, the sphere of air, the sphere of water, and the sphere of earth. And in the microcosm—the world of man—are four: black bile, yellow bile, blood, and phlegm. The ranks of action are four: Will, Purpose, Destiny, and Decree. The veiling angels are four, and the angels who are the bearers of the Throne are four: Gabriel, Michael, Israfil, and Azrael.
The winds are four: the east wind, the south wind, the west wind, and the north wind. The rivers of Paradise are four: a river of water that never stagnates, a river of milk whose taste never changes, a river of wine delightful to those who drink, and a river of purified honey. And Abraham’s birds, peace be upon him, were four, as He said in the Qur’an: “Take four birds.”
The sacred months are four, as mentioned in His exalted Word:
“Verily, the number of months with God is twelve months in God’s Book, since the day He created the heavens and the earth, of which four are sacred.”
In their outward interpretation these are Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab, and in their inward meaning they are Ali, Hasan, Husayn, and the Proof (peace be upon them)—three consecutive and one separate.
The realms are four: the realm of Lahut (Divinity), the realm of Jabarut (Power), the realm of Malakut (Kingdom), and the realm of Nasut (Material).
The great festivals are four: the Festival of Breaking the Fast, the Festival of Sacrifice, the Festival of Ghadir, and Friday.
The pillars according to the Helper (peace be upon him) are four: Christ, Khidr, Idris, and Elias (peace be upon them).
The appointed gates of the Proof (peace be upon him) during the Lesser Occultation are four: first, Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Amri; second, his son Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Uthman; third, Shaykh Abu’l-Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh; and fourth, Ali ibn Muhammad al-Saymari.
Do not imagine these matters are mere correlations, for this is the nature of things. Since they did not understand the mystery of four-fold nature, they spoke thus. But those who are people of truth know these are among the mysteries of creation. Imam Rida (peace be upon him) said:
“The people of understanding know that the evidence for what lies therein can only be known through their essence.”
On establishing that religion also has four pillars
Having understood this noble premise, know that this upright religion also has four pillars: The first pillar is Unity (Tawhid), the second is Prophethood, the third is Guardianship, and the fourth is the Shi’a. For Islam revolves around four phrases: “Glory be to God”—its manifestation being evident Lordship; “Praise be to God”—its manifestation being Prophethood and its agent being the Messenger of God (peace be upon him); “There is no god but God”—its manifestation being Guardianship and its agents being the Pure Imams (peace be upon them); and “God is Greatest”—being ten letters, its manifestation being evident Greatness and its agents being the Shi’a, and together completing the Greatest Name.
To this Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) alluded when a Christian asked him about the Greatest Name, saying: “Tell me about eight letters that descended, of which four became manifest on earth while four remained in the air—upon whom will those four in the air descend, and who will interpret them?” He (peace be upon him) replied: “That is the Qa’im (the Promised One). God will cause them to descend upon him; he will interpret them and receive what was not revealed to the truthful ones, the messengers, and the guided ones.” Then the monk asked: “Tell me about two of those four letters that are on earth—what are they?” He (peace be upon him) said: “I will tell you all four. The first is There is no god but God, alone without partner,’ remaining; the second is Muhammad is the Messenger of God,’ purely; the third is We are the People of the House’; and the fourth is Our Shi’a are from us, and we are from the Messenger of God (peace be upon him), and the Messenger is from God.”
(On establishing that the bearer of the Shi’a pillar is the Alif standing between two Ba’s:)
When thou art moved to utter those words, know that the essence of that Fourth Letter—the Pillar of the Shi’ih Faith—is the product of the triangular name and the square form. As for proof through wisdom, the path to knowing it is through itself and naught else, for it is too exalted to be known through others; rather, others are known through it. When was it manifest that it should need a manifestor? When was it absent that it should require proof to indicate it? When was it distant that traces should be needed to reach it? Blind is the eye that sees Him not, though He remains ever watchful over it. Lost is the bargain of the servant who gains no portion of His love. Indeed, He is more manifest than all things, yet hidden through the intensity of His manifestation, and concealed through the greatness of His light.
“O Thou Who art hidden in Thine own manifestation, O Thou Whose countenance is veiled by Thine own light!”
There is no proof in this station save the rending of the veils of glory and entering the City while its people are heedless. If thou art among the people of the inmost mystery and hast risen above the station of differentiation, then I say, seeking God’s help:
“Is there doubt about God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth?”
Interpret this verse according to its true meaning without altering its outward sense or using metaphor. Understand the allusion if thou art among the people of allusion.
On proof through goodly exhortation
As for proof through goodly exhortation, hear first God’s words in this regard where He, exalted be His mention, says: “And a believing man of Pharaoh’s family, who concealed his faith, said: ʿWill ye slay a man because he says”My Lord is God,” when he has brought you clear signs from your Lord? If he be a liar, on him be his lie, but if he be truthful, some of that wherewith he threatens you will befall you.”’
Then know that all Muslims have agreed that the prophethood of Muhammad, God’s Messenger, is today established through the Qur’an, for it is His greatest miracle and the enduring miracle until the Day of Resurrection, that His proof may remain for all creation. If the matter be as they say, they must needs believe in that honored servant, for he, God’s peace be upon him, has manifested the greatest miracles of God’s Messenger. Lack of belief here indicates lack of belief there, for the proof in both stations is one. They have no choice but to believe in him or depart from Islam, and what remains first is “Upon Islam be peace.”
Thus it becomes clear from this explanation that those who deny this Most Great Light and Most Mighty Pillar have not truly entered Islam, for had they entered it, they would have believed in Him. And to this doth the tradition allude:
“Verily, Islam began as a stranger and shall return a stranger; blessed then are the strangers.”
Remember, for verily remembrance profiteth the knowers. The full exposition of this theme shall shortly be set forth; be thou expectant.
On proof through disputation in the fairest manner
As for the argument using that which is best, know that the Pillar which is the station of the Shia is the manifestation of the three Pillars and bearer of their signs, for the First Pillar among these four Pillars is the station of the Point, the element of fire, and the manifestation of the Efficient Cause; and the Second Pillar among them is the station of the soft Alif, the element of air, and the manifestation of the Material Cause; and the Third Pillar among them is the station of the Letters, the element of water, and the manifestation of the Formal Cause; and the Fourth Pillar among them is the station of the Perfect Word, the element of earth, and the manifestation of the Final Cause.
Thus it is established through this explanation that the station of the Shia is the station of earth, as indicated by His exalted words at the end of the Surih of al-Naba’: “And the unbeliever will say, ʿWould that I were dust!”’—meaning, would that I were among the followers of Ali, peace be upon him. For this reason the Prince of Believers was called Abu Turab (Father of Dust), because the origin of dust and its nourisher is water, as he said: “Water is the master of dust and its taste is the taste of life.” And the station of Ali, peace be upon him, was that of water, from which all things live, as He, exalted be His mention, hath said: “It is He Who hath created from water a human being, then established relationships of lineage and marriage, and thy Lord is ever-powerful.”
Therefore, since the station of the Shia is the station of earth, just as the effects of the spheres of fire, air and water appear in the station of earth, likewise must the earth of the Shia be the bearer of the signs of the three Pillars and the manifestation of their lights. To this the Shaykh, may God exalt his station, referred in his commentary on the Visitation when he said in essence that when thou lookest upon the divine world and witnessest its conditions and phases, thou knowest that there is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and Ali is the Friend of God. Thus whoever claimeth the station of the Fourth Pillar, which is the Shia, must needs be a bearer of the signs of the Three Pillars, else his claim would not be proven.
Consider then, O my brother, with the eye of fairness: Have the signs of the Pillars appeared in any save this Light which hath dawned from the horizon of Glory and speaketh of Glory through Glory in Glory unto Glory? Nay, by the might of my Lord! None hath preceded Him and none shall attain unto Him, and verily He is the Living, the Self-Subsisting. So glory be to God, the Ancient Creator, there is no God but He; none comprehendeth His subtle handiwork save whom He willeth, and He is God, ever Exalted, Praiseworthy.
On His being the Manifestation of the signs of the Three Pillars
From this human temple and eternal mystery have appeared the signs of Divine Unity in the station of abstraction, and the tokens of the station of Prophethood in the realm of limitation, and the traces of Divine Authority in the place of glorification, in such wise that none other than He can manifest them. He—may my spirit be a sacrifice unto Him—hath revealed in the station of conclusive proof such verses that were all the peoples of East and West, of jinn and men, to gather together, they would be powerless to produce the like of a single letter thereof, as He speaketh and writeth according to His wish and desire, without reflection and without pause of pen, and without drawing from the letters of the Qur’an.
Whoso gazeth with the eye of fairness and traverseth those realms will know that this perfect power is not of human origin, but rather from the Lord, for all are powerless to bring forth the like of a single letter thereof. And this divine power cannot be realized except in the station of the Second Pillar, which is absolute Prophethood—for it reflects the station of Divine Unity—and in the station of the Fourth Pillar, which is the Shi’ih Faith, through the manifestation of the all-embracing Word. There is no doubt that through this power was established the absolute Prophethood of the Beauty of Ahmad, despite His being an Arab from among the eloquent people of the Hijaz. How much more, then, must this power establish the servitude of this radiant and resplendent Lamp, this most joyous Joy to the holy Family of God—the peace of God be upon them at all hours of the night and periods of the day—despite His being born and raised among the Persians, and being unschooled in such writings.
Yet with this supreme proof, whenever He desireth to manifest the signs of Divine Authority through communions, sermons, visiting tablets and prayers, He speaketh and writeth without reflection and without pause of pen, producing in six hours a thousand verses, in such wise that none among the possessors of thought hath preceded Him, nor can any among the possessors of vision rival Him.
Declaration of His manifestation in the station of knowledge
After these signs, He—may my spirit be a sacrifice unto Him—hath manifested the station of knowledge, whereby there hath flowed from His pen in that brief period numerous commentaries, counted pages, written treatises, and preserved books. And none hath asked Him concerning any branch of knowledge but that the answer hath issued forth from Him. What can equal this? And whoso denieth it, rejecteth it, or doubteth its truth after the appearance of these signs and the shining forth of these lights, then by the Lord of the House, he falleth under the tradition related from the Messenger of God—and His word is the truth—addressing Ali:
“O Ali, none hateth thee save the illegitimate, or the offspring of menstruation, or he who was touched in the womb.”
Declaration of His manifestation in interpreting the inner meaning of the inner meaning
And, verily, he—may my soul and the souls of all who abide in the Kingdom of Command and of creation be his ransom—hath, in the station of unveiling the rank of knowledge, set forth the commentary on the inmost of the inmost, which the Shaykh and the Sayyid (may God’s peace be upon them) have considered among the mysteries and completely concealed from strangers. The Shaykh (may God’s peace be upon him) hath stated in his epistle on repentance words to this effect: that the Word which the Qa’im (peace be upon him) shall speak, and which His three hundred and thirteen companions shall acknowledge, leaving none but the Messiah and eleven prophets, is a letter from the inner essence of the inner essence. He also said words to this effect: that which is mentioned in the tradition “If Abu Dharr knew what was in Salman’s heart, he would either kill him or denounce him as an infidel” is likewise a letter from the inner essence of the inner essence.
Neither the Shaykh nor the Siyyid (may God’s peace be upon them) explicitly revealed the decree of the inner essence of the inner essence, for it would be sheer infidelity to the masses while being pure faith to those possessed of hearts. Rather, they alluded to it in every instance through symbols and intimations, unlike this Most Great Being, this Most Ancient Mystery, this Most Great Name, and this Mystic Symbol, for He (may God’s peace be upon him) hath revealed it with complete and perfect manifestation. My spirit be His sacrifice! He hath spoken forth in this station with mysteries that flash across the horizons—the brilliance of their lightning nearly taking away sight. In this is a lesson for those possessed of insight. Therefore thou seest the learned like frightened asses fleeing from a lion. By the Lord of the House! They shall find no escape, and verily unto thy Lord is the final goal.
“He shall find no escape; and verily, unto the Lord is the final abode.”
“Whither your flight, O sons of Sinan, from that conquering knight? Whose cry would leave the wheeling vault of heaven lost in plight.”
Exposition of His possession of both stations of knowledge and power
He hath combined, my spirit be His sacrifice, both stations of knowledge and power. As for knowledge, it is all that thou hast heard. As for power, it is His composition, may God’s peace be upon Him, without thought or pause of the pen, of such goodly words, pure supplications, sufficient sermons and manifest verses—for this power is greater, in the eyes of the discerning critic, than the creation of the heavens and earth. And along with His combination of these two perfections, above which there is no perfection possible in contingent existence.
Exposition of his being imbued with the ethics of the spiritual ones
He hath verily been imbued with the ethics of the spiritual ones and schooled in the courtesies of his immaculate forefathers—upon them be the peace of God, world without end. Consider his states and modes, his character and his comings and goings, his qualities and his deeds, that thou mayest behold the power of His Fashioner.
“If thou hadst come, thou wouldst have seen all men summed in a single man, The age compressed within an hour, and all the earth within one house.”
Alas—I know not what to say nor how to say it! This is the Light that even Moses, the One Who conversed with God, resembled. This is the Light by which decayed bones are brought to life. He sanctified his spirit—may my soul be a sacrifice unto him—through knowledge and deeds, and separated me from accidents, foreign elements and impurities. He elevated me to the station of the elixir through the equilibrium of his temperament and his likeness to the essential causes, giving to each possessor of rights his due, conveying to every created thing its sustenance, and bringing all things to the ultimate station destined for them, such that when he partakes of food or drink, he brings it to its state of perfection, for this is the nature of the elixir by the decree of the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
These words are but metaphors for those who comprehend metaphors; otherwise, God the Exalted created him from the beginning of his existence as an inner elixir, watered by infinite blessings, pure, cleansed and purified from all impurities, accidents and foreign elements. The ignorance of the Age of Ignorance did not defile him, nor was he clothed in its dark garments, for impurity and darkness were created from the point of turning away, while this honored servant and embodied Light turned wholly toward God the Exalted. Thus did the light of the Eternal Morn shine upon his outward being as it did upon his inward being, upon his exterior as upon his interior, upon his body as upon his heart. He attained the station of unity and became, in all the degrees of his being, light upon light and manifestation upon manifestation of the countenance of the All-Thankful Lord. Alas! Alas! How can I describe with my tongue this Perfect Word of God, the Most Exalted?
“I need a mouth as vast as heaven itself To praise that One who makes the angels jealous”
(Exposition that through the appearance of this Light, the essence of unbelief and the essence of faith became manifest:)
Through the manifestation of this perfect Light and this vast Ocean in this age, the essence of unbelief and the essence of faith have become manifest. As for the essence of unbelief, it has appeared in the rebellious demons, and as for the essence of faith, it has appeared in the believing, accepting, submissive ones. For the fourth pillar and the all-encompassing Name is the veil of the three pillars and their essence, and these are its veils and its outward manifestation, as was indicated by al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) according to what is related in Al-Kafi in the chapter on the origin of the Names, where he, exalted be his mention, said:
“Verily God, blessed and exalted be He, created names with letters without sound, and with words without utterance, and with form without body, and with similitude without description, and with color without hue, negating from it all directions, removing from it all limitations, veiling from it the perception of every imagining one, concealed yet not concealed. He made it a perfect Word upon four parts together, none preceding another, and He manifested three names from it for creation’s need of them, and concealed one of them, which is the hidden and treasured Name.”
These are the Names that were manifested, and the Manifest is God, the Exalted, and He, glorified be He, subjected to each of these Names four pillars, thus making twelve pillars. Then He created for each pillar thirty names as active attributes related to them. Thus He is the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Wise, the Mighty, the Compeller, the Sublime, the Most High, the Great, the Most Powerful, the Powerful, the Peace, the Faithful, the Guardian, the Creator, the Maker, the Incomparable, the Exalted, the Majestic, the Bountiful, the Provider, the Giver of Life, the Causer of Death, the Resurrector, the Inheritor.
These names are among the Most Beautiful Names until they complete three hundred and sixty names, and they are similar to these three Names, and these three Names are pillars and wonders of the One Hidden and Treasured Name through these three Names, and that is His word, exalted be He: “Say: Call upon God, or call upon the All-Merciful. By whichever name ye call upon Him, His are the most beautiful names.” His words, peace be upon him, revealed three names thereof, which are Unity (Tawhid), Prophethood (Nubuvvat), and Guardianship (Wilayat). He revealed these because they are prerequisites for the manifestation of the ultimate result and final cause. And his words, peace be upon him, “and one wonder thereof…” refers to the pillar of the Shi’a, which remained veiled because humanity could not bear it without the appearance of its prerequisites. Though this pillar has appeared in this day, it is but a crescent moon that shall become full when His words, exalted be He, are fulfilled: “that He may cause it to prevail over all religions, even though the idolaters may detest it.”
His words, peace be upon him, at the end of the tradition state that these three names are pillars, meaning pillars of the Perfect Word. It may also mean that they are pillars for the manifestation of the Hidden and Treasured Name. His words, peace be upon him,
“and the One Hidden and Treasured Name is veiled by these three names”
mean that He, glorified and exalted be He, has veiled the Hidden and Treasured Name by these three names—that is, by their manifestation. For when It appears in Its essence, It conceals them, and when It is hidden, they appear. Thus when It manifested through them, It became veiled by their manifestation.
Learn from this noble tradition that the three pillars are veils and shells for the Hidden Name, which is their essence and core. To this the Shaykh, may God exalt his station, referred in his response to Shaykh Ali ibn Abdullah ibn Faris regarding the science of letters, saying: “As for the proof, it is the source of essences, the wellspring of what follows, and the manifestation of the Last Name. The guide is only four, the number of the four words upon which Islam is built, and the four pillars of the Throne. These are the four letters of the Greatest Name—three manifest in pronunciation but hidden in inscription, and one hidden in both, gathering all: In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.
The first of those manifest in pronunciation is the standing Alif in Allah, the second is the extended Alif in Rahman, and the third is the stationary Alif in Rahim. The letter hidden in both is the fourth hidden pillar, and these three are its veils and manifestation.” Thus end his words, may God exalt his station.
Observe how he explicitly stated that matter which was previously mentioned. Then consider the Prayer of the Occultation, which begins: “O God! Grant me knowledge of Thyself, for if Thou dost not make Thyself known to me, I shall not know Thy Prophet…” wherein he made knowledge of Unity a prerequisite for knowledge of the Proof. For whoever knows not the Prophethood knows not the Proof, as he says, peace be upon him: “O God! Grant me knowledge of Thy Prophet, for if Thou dost not make Thy Prophet known to me, I shall not know Thy Proof.”
However, this prayer must have a fourth segment to complete the pillars, which is:
“O God! Grant me knowledge of Thy Proof, for if Thou dost not make Thy Proof known to me, I shall not know the Gate of Thy Proof.”
Thus, knowledge of the Proof becomes a prerequisite for knowledge of the Gate of the Proof, for whoever knows not the Proof knows not the Gate of the Proof. Knowledge of the Gate of the Proof is not a prerequisite for anything else; rather, it is the ultimate goal and final end for those who journey in the realm of infinitude, who have removed from themselves the veils of coverings, and who have freed themselves from the bonds of limitations and egotism.
And verily, this is also indicated by the words of Shaykh [Ahmad], may God exalt his station, in the Sharhu’l-Fu’ad, where he said: “He said Am I not your Lord?’ for the creation of his body, and Muhammad is your Prophet’ for the creation of his soul, and ʿAli is your Guardian’ for the creation of his mind.” And Siyyid [Kazim], peace be upon him, indicated in the Lawami’u’l-Husayniyyih the meaning that “their followers are from them for the creation of their hearts. It is known that the body, soul and mind are prerequisites for the manifestation of the countenance of the heart, which is the mystery of mysteries and the point of lights, and there is nothing beyond it if thou dost understand, otherwise leave it in its sheath until its people take it. When the station of the fourth pillar is the result and the fruit, whoever turns to it and believes in it, the essence of faith appears in him, and whoever turns away from it and denies it, disbelief appears in him.”
It is also known from this explanation that those who deny him have not known Unity, nor Prophethood, nor Guardianship, for these are, as thou hast heard, prerequisites for it. Dost thou see anyone accepting the premise and denying the conclusion? Their denial of the conclusion is evidence of their non-acceptance of the premises, and therefore they were more severely punished and more intensely disbelieving and hypocritical than those who denied the premises and their limits. Woe unto those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of God! These are in manifest error.
Exposition of his proof through Qur’anic verses
When thou hast understood these words, then hearken to what is recited unto thee of verses and traditions regarding this Bird that soars in the realm of names and attributes. God, glorified and exalted be He, has informed of this mighty matter and momentous event in many places in the Qur’an with different expressions which have one source and whose meaning does not exceed. Among them is His exalted Word: “And verily We have written in the Psalms after the Reminder that My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.” Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, and his companions said that His mention of the Psalms and not the Torah and Gospel points to the fact that the Remembrance’s cause is like the cause of David, upon our Prophet and upon him be peace.
Among them is His exalted Word: “So when the promise of the first of these came to pass, We sent against you servants of Ours possessed of great might who ravaged your dwellings, and it was a promise fulfilled.” It has been related in commentary from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him: “A people whom God will send before the appearance of the Qa’im, peace be upon him and may God hasten his relief, who will not leave any enemy of the family of Muhammad, peace be upon them, without killing him.” Understand his words “before the appearance of the Qa’im.”
Among them is His exalted Word: “I swear not by the withdrawing stars that run their course and set.” For in the interpretation of this noble verse, two traditions have been related in Al-Kafi. The first says that he, peace be upon him, said: “An Imam who will withdraw in the year 260, then appear like a blazing meteor in the dark night. If thou shouldst reach his time, thine eyes would be gladdened.” Know from these two traditions that the occultation of the Imam, peace be upon him, was in 260. Compare this with His mighty Word: “And verily a day with thy Lord is as a thousand years of what ye reckon,” and thou shalt see how the light of the Manifestation hath filled the pillars of existence. Understand and be of the thankful ones.
And among them is His saying, blessed be He, in the Surih of Jumu’ah: “And others from among them who have not yet joined them. And He is the Mighty, the Wise.” When asked about this verse, the Baqir, peace be upon him, said: “These are the non-Arabs and those who do not speak the Arabic tongue.” And when this verse was revealed, the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, was asked about it, whereupon he placed his hand upon Salman’s thigh and declared: “Even if faith were in the Pleiades, men from among these would attain it.”
And among them is His exalted Word:
“We have indeed made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, but is there any who will remember?”
And among them is His exalted Word:
“And We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed, cities that were visible, and We measured the journey between them: Travel between them by night and day in security.”
It has been related in the interpretation of this noble verse by the Suns of Grandeur and Glory that the blessed cities are the pure Family of God, peace be upon them, and the visible cities are their followers. The proof of this interpretation is based upon the principle, demonstrated by both reason and tradition and known among the righteous sect, that the earth cannot be void of a proof—either manifest and renowned, or hidden and concealed—lest mankind have an argument against God after the Messengers. When the Proof, peace be upon him, was hidden, there must undoubtedly be followers who must appear, and thus God named them visible cities. They must necessarily be manifest such that whoever seeks them may find them, lest God’s proof be invalidated and that it may reach its complete fulfillment, as God has said: “Say: With God is the perfect proof.”
Thus did the Imam, peace be upon him, identify them as the just ones who protect the Faith from the distortion of extremists and the claims of the false ones. It therefore becomes incumbent upon all to journey through these visible cities that they may reach the blessed inner cities, for God, glorified and exalted be He, has ordained the journey through them, as they are the most similar of creation to their Lord and the nearest of people to them, as stated in His words: “Verily, the nearest of people to Abraham are those who followed him.” Indeed, there is no difference between them and their Lord in the station of the heart except in the rank of existence—ponder this well.
And among them is His exalted Word in the Surih of Time: “And they give food, for love of Him, to the poor and the orphan and the prisoner.” The people of divine recognition know that the poor one is the poor servant Ahmad ibn Zayn al-Din al-Ahsa’i, and the prisoner is the transient prisoner Kazim ibn Qasim al-Husayn al-Rashti al-Gilani, and the orphan is this unique pearl which emerged from the shell of the two seas—that is, the sea of Prophethood and the sea of Guardianship—and relates to their station of union in the House of Mecca for the breaking of idols. The guiding Imams, peace be upon them, feed this poor one and prisoner and orphan from their knowledge and mysteries, as stated, peace be upon him: “We are the knowers and our followers are the learners.”
And the food is knowledge, as in His words “Let man look to his food,” which the Imam, peace be upon him, interpreted as meaning “to his knowledge and from whom he takes it.” The placement of the orphan in the middle indicates his centrality, peace be upon him, in the station of the followers, as all followers, from the first to the last, circle around him and listen to his word and act according to his command. Examples of such verses are numerous and the Qur’an is filled with them, and whoever is among the people of inner meaning and believes that the Qur’an is an oral address knows that the entire Qur’an is proof of this matter.
Exposition of his proof through traditions and reports
As for the traditions and reports from the pure Imams, peace be upon them, they are numerous beyond count. Among them is what al-Baqir, peace be upon him, said as reported in the Ghaybat of Nu’mani: “Azerbaijan is inevitable. Nothing can withstand it. When this happens, remain in your homes and stay where we stay. When one who moves rises up, hasten to him even if you must crawl. It is as if I see the Qa’im, peace be upon him, between the Corner and the Station, receiving people’s allegiance to a new Cause.” He said, peace be upon him: “Woe to the Arabs from an evil that draws near!”
And among them is the tradition of Ali, peace be upon him, addressing Umar ibn Sa’d, curse be upon him, regarding the dissolution of their kingdom. He said, peace be upon him:
“Woe to the followers of the sons of Abbas from a strike between Nahavand and Dinavar. Those who flee are the poor followers of Ali. At their head is a man from Hamadan, described as having perfect moderation, good character, and a radiant complexion. His name is the same as the Prophet’s. In his voice is laughter, in his eyelashes fullness, in his neck smoothness above the hair, with spaced front teeth.”
And among them is what is reported from al-Baqir, peace be upon him, as in the Kafi, where he said:
“The example of one who rises from the House before the rising of the Qa’im is like a flock of birds that flew and fell into a window, with children playing with them.”
And among them is what is reported from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, where he said:
“None from us, the People of the House, has risen or will rise before our Qa’im except that calamity has destroyed him, and his rising increased our hardship and the hardship of our followers.”
And among them in the Book of the Perfection of Religion and Completion of Grace, al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, indicated the secret of the matter, saying:
“It is as if I see the Qa’im on the pulpit of Kufa, surrounded by his companions, three hundred and thirteen men, the number of the people of Badr. They are the standard-bearers and God’s rulers over His creation on His earth, until he brings forth from his cloak a sealed book with a golden seal, a covenant from the Messenger of God. They scatter from him like sheep, leaving only the vizier and eleven chiefs as remained with Moses son of ʿImran. They wander the earth finding no refuge from it, then return to him. By God, I know the words he will speak to them which they will reject.”
And among them is what is in the Ziyaratu’l-Hujjah, peace be upon him, where he said:
“And the veil of occultation was removed from his gate, and through his appearance the scrolls of love were revealed.”
And among them is what is in the Ziyaratu’l-Jami’atu’l-Kabirah, where ʿAli al-Hadi, peace be upon him, said: “May God’s blessings be upon that valley, your mention among those who mention,” and did not say “your mention among the mentions,” indicating that the Mention is a man.
And among them is what al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said as reported in the Bihar when Mufaddal asked him about the signs of the Return:
“His Cause will appear in the year sixty and his mention will be exalted. By Him Who is the Beloved of my existence and the Master of my hidden and manifest being, he, peace be upon him, is the bearer of that Cause and the proclaimer of this Mention.”
And among them is what is reported from ʿAli, peace be upon him, where he said:
“Blessed be Taliqan, for God has therein treasures, not of gold nor silver, but men who know God as He should be known, and they are also among the helpers of the Mahdi, peace be upon him.”
Among the traditions is what has been related from al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said:
“Verily God hath treasures in Taliqan of Khurasan whose watchword is ʿAhmad, Ahmad.’ A youth from the House of Hashim shall lead them, mounted upon a grey mule, wearing a red headband. It is as though I behold him crossing the Euphrates. When ye hear of him, hasten unto him, even if ye must crawl over snow.”
And other traditions and prophecies concerning tribulation also bear witness to this matter, for according to the verses and traditions, before the appearance of the Proof, peace be upon him, there must needs be a dark, deafening, blind, intense tribulation, pitch-black and hellish, whereby truth shall be distinguished from falsehood, the lover from the hater, and the wretched from the felicitous.
Explanation of the verses of tribulation
Part 1: “As for the verses, they include all…”
As for the verses, they include all that God Almighty hath revealed in the Qur’an: “Alif. Lam. Mim. Do men imagine that they will be left alone on saying ʿWe believe,’ and will not be tested?” And in another place: “Or do those in whose hearts is a disease think that God will not bring to light their rancor?” And in another verse: “Do ye think that ye will enter Paradise when God knoweth not yet those among you who strive?”
(Explanation of the traditions of Tribulation—Those among you who have striven, and He knows)
And in another passage: “God will not leave the believers in the state wherein ye are now, until He shall have distinguished the wicked from the good.” And as for the traditions, they include all that they (the Imams), peace be upon them, have said: “Ye shall assuredly be tried and tested, and sifted with a sifting, and tried with the trials of fate, until what was low among you becometh high, and what was high becometh low; and those who were behind shall advance, and those who were advanced shall fall behind.”
And Abu-ʿAbdu’llah, peace be upon him, said:
“By God, ye shall be broken as glass is broken, though glass may be remade and return as it was. By God, ye shall be broken as pottery is broken, and pottery returneth not as it was. By God, ye shall be distinguished, by God, ye shall be purified, by God, ye shall be sifted as the tares are sifted from the wheat.”
And Abu-ʿAbdu’llah, peace be upon him, also said to Mansur:
“O Mansur, this Cause shall not come to you save after despair. Nay, by God, not until ye are distinguished! Nay, by God, not until ye are purified! Nay, by God, not until he who is to be wretched becomes wretched, and he who is to be happy becomes happy!”
And Abu’l-Hasan, peace be upon him, said: “By God, that to which your eyes are stretched shall not come to pass until ye are distinguished and purified, and none remaineth among you save the select few.” Then he recited: “Do ye think that ye will be left alone when God knoweth not yet those among you who strive and those who are patient?”
And al-Baqir, peace be upon him, said:
“Verily these words of yours—hearts, the hearts of men, recoil from them. Cast them therefore piece by piece, and whoso accepteth them, give him more, and whoso denieth them, leave him be. There must needs be a tribulation wherein every intimate and confidant shall fall, until there shall fall therein he who would split a hair in twain, until none remaineth save us and our true followers.”
And al-Hasan son of ʿAli, peace be upon them both, said:
“The Cause which ye await shall not come to pass until some of you disavow others, and some of you spit in the faces of others, and some of you curse others, and some of you call others liars.”
Abu’l-Hasan, peace be upon him, said:
“By God, O Abu Ishaq, this shall not come to pass until ye be separated and refined, until none remaineth among you save the fewest.”
Then he opened his palm. And there is no doubt that this is the supreme test and the greatest tribulation that hath in this day encompassed all the servants in every land. Therefore thou seest people cursing one another, dissociating from one another, and calling one another liars, as mentioned in the tradition. Most wondrous of all are the deniers, whose efforts have gone astray in this worldly life while they imagine they are doing good. How do they deny this wondrous Cause despite the existence of such traditions from the pure Imams, peace be upon them?
“The aching eye denies the sovereign light; The ailing mouth finds water no delight”
Since the Shaykh and the Siyyid, peace be upon them both, were among their special followers, and their words were like traditions, as he, peace be upon him, said “Salman is a transmitter of traditions,” and no error could enter their words—for the follower, insofar as he is a follower, is subject to the ruling of the one followed—and therefore the Almighty said “Journey therein by night and day in safety,” I shall mention some of what they conveyed regarding this station, that it may be light upon light and manifestation after manifestation.
(Allusions of Shaykh [Ahmad], may God exalt his station, to this wondrous Cause:)
As for the allusions of the Shaykh, may God exalt his station, to this Cause: Among them is that he wrote a letter to the late Siyyid saying: “As for this Cause, it must have an appointed time, for every announcement hath its fixed term. It is not fitting to give a specific answer, but thou shalt surely know its tidings after a while.” And among them is that when many asked him, may God exalt his station, why these lines were not revealed despite being from the hidden knowledge of the pure Imams, peace be upon them, he, peace be upon him, replied: “Because beyond this Cause there is a Cause.” And among them is that he, peace be upon him, sent greetings to this Gate of Return and Point of Gates through a merchant from Isfahan. Though enemies deny this due to its weak chain of transmission, we accept it based on what is reported from the Messenger of God, blessings of God be upon him and his family, who said: “O people, my brother hath many virtues which I cannot enumerate in one sitting, so whoever brings you any of them, believe him.”
(Allusions of Siyyid [Kazim], peace be upon him, to the Gate who would come after him:)
As for the allusions of the Siyyid, peace be upon him, they are very many. Whoever studied under him and was familiar with his words knows that he, peace be upon him, did not intend teaching or writing books except to prove this Cause through which the Cause would be completed. For he, peace be upon him, consistently followed the method of proving the fourth pillar, that is, the Manifestation of the Greatest Name, for he is the bearer of the Guardianship. He would say the pillars are four: Prophethood and its bearer, and Guardianship and its bearer. The bearer of Guardianship is the Shi’ih community—whoever enters it is safe, and it is the Gate of Remission which people were commanded to enter, prostrating, and saying “Remission.”
After establishing this pillar, may the peace of God be upon him, he states that it must needs have a bearer who is endowed with the attributes of a tested believer, and he has set forth these qualities in numerous treatises including the Commentary on the Sermon, the Commentary on the Ode, the Conclusive Proof, and the Guide for the Perplexed. Whosoever looks with fairness and turns away from tyranny and oppression will know that that profound ocean is the bearer of this firm pillar, for he stands alone among his peers in this time in asceticism, piety, godliness, and knowledge which flows from innate treasuries without exhaustion or diminution.
Among that which was revealed by him, may God exalt his station, by way of allusion is his statement at the beginning of the Commentary on the Ode:
“So We strengthened with a third of the root and a fourth of the branch.”
Observe how he alluded to this manifest Remembrance through hidden remembrance.
And among these is his statement, may God’s peace be upon him, to the learned and virtuous Muhammad Taqi of Herat when he inquired about the bearer of the Light—he first mentioned to him the story of the four deputies of the Proof, peace be upon him (may God hasten his advent), then said:
“As for our Cause, it shall not remain thus, for it must needs have a bearer.”
And among these is his statement when he saw a dream for himself which they were hesitant to relate to him as it indicated his death. He said, peace be upon him, after it was related to him:
“Do you desire that I should die and your Cause become manifest?”
And among these is what Haji Abdul-Muttalib related, that he asked the Siyyid in Kazimayn whether “the fourth pillar which you have expounded—is it you?” He replied, peace be upon him: “Nay, rather I am its herald.”
And among these is what Haji Muhammad Ja’far of Kermanshah related:
“One day I was in the presence of the revered Siyyid when someone asked him saying Who is the bearer of the Cause after you?’ He replied, peace be upon him: A Siyyid who is but a child’—may God prolong his days—two or three times.”
And among these is his statement, peace be upon him, in response to the pure scholar and accomplished sage Mulla Yusuf of Ardabil when he asked him about the Gate of the Imam, peace be upon him. He said, may God exalt his station:
“If this claimant’s claim be true, then he speaks truth, for he is the Manifest of the manifest and the Eye of the Hidden One beholds in him a station wherein there is no distinction between you and him”
etc.
And among these is that he, may God’s peace be upon him, would often recite these verses:
“O young in years, O tender of frame O near in time to nursing days With Turkish-styled locks of hair behind A Hashimite face with Roman chin”
Among these accounts is what the honorable Siyyid of Yazd has related. He said: “I inquired of the Siyyid in Samarra about the Bearer of Light.” He replied—peace be upon Him—from which emerged what ʿIsa, servant of the Siyyid, has related. He said that the Siyyid—may God’s blessings be upon him—said one day: “The believer after me will not be able to look out from his house for fear of enemies.” And you see this condition now among the Babis, where they cannot leave their homes for fear of Pharaoh and his hosts. O God! O Reliever of sorrows! O Remover of afflictions! Hasten their deliverance and the deliverance of their Lord, and save them from the evil of their enemies and grant them victory over the transgressing people.
And among these is His word—peace be upon Him—in the epistle which He wrote at the end of His noble life in the journey to Samarra, after explaining the word “Remembrance” mentioned in the questioner’s inquiry. He—may God exalt His station—said: “And I say, addressing that noble Remembrance and that Great Announcement:
ʿI fear for Thee from others and from myself From Thee, and from Thy place and time Were I to place Thee in my eyes Until the Day of Resurrection, I would not see enough.”’
And among these is His word—peace be upon Him—also in this epistle:
“When the Person is in the station of the Point, what need has He to explain the interpretation of the Surih of the Cow?”
Verily, for one who has a heart or gives ear and is a witness, knows that this expression and the previous expression, nay, this entire epistle, points to this Cause. And besides these words, His allusions, metaphors and explicit statements are numerous.
If you desire detail in this station and in the stations of verses and traditions, refer to the books which the loved ones have composed in this regard, for in them is what souls desire and eyes delight in, and it is not fitting for this brief account to contain more than this.
How strange it is that the Shaykhi sect has turned away from this Alif standing between two letters, and paid no heed to these signs from these two Luminaries—peace be upon them in both worlds—and followed the calf and its body and its lowing, and worshipped idols while they perceived not. By the Lord of the House! They invoke none besides Him except delusion; they invoke none but a rebellious Satan. Their likeness is as those who said of old: “Shall we abandon three hundred and sixty gods and worship one God?” God the Exalted said in answer and rejection of them: “Are diverse lords better, or God, the One, the Almighty?” And I say in the station of the inmost mystery: O vile, wicked ones! Are diverse lords better, or the One Almighty Gate? Whosoever among them says “I am a god besides Him”—that is, “I am a gate besides the Most Great Gate”—thus do We recompense him with hell.
By the might of my Lord, besides Whom there is no God, Originator of the heavens and earth, Possessor of Glory and Honor, nothing has caused them to stand in this station except the disease of sin and the disease of envy, whereby they turned away from the Truth for the sake of worldly debris and in pursuit of ephemeral leadership. So leave them to eat and enjoy themselves and let false hope beguile them; soon they shall know.
Here some doubts are raised which, in the estimation of those who harbor doubts, are deemed valid but which in truth are baseless and null.
Among these is their assertion that in his utterances—peace be upon him—there are grammatical errors that do not conform to Arabic rules. The answer to this is, first, that such instances are abundant in the words of God and the words of the Family of God—peace be upon them—and I shall mention some of these.
Among them is God’s word: “And He taught Adam all the names, then presented them to the angels,” where the masculine plural pronoun refers back to “names.” And among them is God’s word: “a Word from Him whose name is the Messiah,” where the masculine singular pronoun in “his name” refers back to “Word” which is feminine. And among them is God’s word: “These two are indeed sorcerers,” where He did not say “these two” in the accusative case. And among them is God’s word: “And in cattle there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in its bellies,” where the masculine singular pronoun in “its bellies” refers back to “cattle.” And among them is God’s word: “Indeed, it is one of the greatest as a warning to mankind,” where He describes the feminine with a masculine attribute. And among them is His exalted word in the sacred tradition where He addresses Job—peace be upon him—saying: “Do you doubt concerning a form which I have established?” where the pronoun in “established” which is masculine refers back to “form” which is feminine.
And among them is the Rajab supplication of the Proof—peace be upon him—where he says: “And His word is the truth, and by Your stations which have no suspension in any place, through which he who knows You knows You—there is no difference between You and them except that they are Your servants and Your creation,” where the pronoun “they” which is masculine plural refers back to “stations” which is feminine. And examples of this are more numerous than can be counted.
When you see this in the words of God and in the words of the Family of God and in the words of their specially designated followers, know that it is not contrary to the rules of the people, but rather this is due to a mystery hidden from outsiders which is known to the people of mysteries. Consider His word: “Do you doubt concerning a form which I have established?” He first applies “form” to Ali—peace be upon him—indicating his annihilation and effacement before his Creator. For just as a form has no reality or essence except through the possessor of the form, likewise this most noble form which said “My outward aspect is Imamate and successorship, and my inward aspect is an impenetrable mystery that cannot be comprehended.” Then He returns with a masculine singular pronoun to him secondly as an indication and declaration that although he is a form of what is above him and annihilated before Him, yet he is the Essence of essences and the Element of elements, and he has a guardianship authority over what is beneath him, as He said “Men are guardians.”
And when you encounter in the words of my Master and the Master of the two worlds—peace be upon him—something contrary to the rules of the people, know that it too is of this kind.
And since the discourse has reached this point, I wish to indicate the reality of the matter so that through it the hearts of the fearful may be assured and the breasts of the knowers may be illumined.
Know, O my brother and beloved, that the world of description [alamu’l-tadwin] is like unto the world of creation [alamu’l-takwin]. Just as creation, when it advances and attains the station of perfection, brings forth all that is potential into actuality, so too is it with description. Observe the Paradise which is the station of the perfection of creation, for therein every bird warbles all melodies, every tree bears fruits of diverse hues, every food contains the taste of all foods, and all that exists therein of fruits and trees and rivers possesses feeling and life and perception and consciousness even as man. To this did the Shaykh (may God’s peace be upon him) refer in his Sharhu’l-Qawa’id, where he said: “As for what is general, verily all that is in Paradise of animals, plants and minerals is alive with animal life conjoined with consciousness and feeling, which are linked to discernment and reason.
Nothing exists therein to which existence can be attributed save as we have described.” God, the Exalted, hath said: ʿVerily the abode of the Hereafter—that is indeed Life!’ And verily I saw in a dream as though I had come to one of the gardens of Paradise wherein were trees and plants, and I saw all the leaves of those trees and plants looking at me, each with two eyes—the gaze of reason—being both leaf and animal. This is but a brief allusion to the life of the Hereafter, and the matter is greater, far greater.” Thus ended his words—may God exalt his station.
Consider man, for in this existence, when foreign humors prevail over him, chronic diseases are generated within him, and naught but a single state is manifested from him. But when he is purified from these symptoms and impurities and humors to the station of equilibrium and entereth Paradise, then no occupation distracteth him from another occupation. He seeth with all his members, heareth from all his directions, smelleth fragrances from all his stations, and speaketh with all his parts. Hast thou not heard that man in Paradise converseth with his friend in one place while eating in another, rideth in one station while meeting with a houri in another? For this is the station of equilibrium, and therein the meeting of opposites is not impossible, for opposition hath been wholly removed. Hath it not reached thine ears that in the appearance of the Proof (peace be upon him) the wolf and the sheep shall gather in one place? This is an allusion to the removal of opposition in the time of his appearance (peace be upon him).
In brief, the Shaykh (may God’s peace be upon him) hath said in his commentary on the Throne Verse, describing the people of Paradise: “The spirits when they will become embodied, and the bodies when they will become spiritual. Marvel not at this. Consider the Sinaitic Tree in divine craftsmanship, for when the skilled sage treateth it with various kinds of putrefactions, distillations, calcinations, waxings, washings, and the marriage of fathers with mothers, it attaineth to the station of the elixir and becometh a balanced nature. If thou sayest it hath one nature, thou speaketh truth; if thou sayest it hath four natures, thou speaketh truth; if thou sayest it is entirely hot, or entirely cold, or entirely moist, or entirely dry, thou speaketh truth—for it hath attained the station of the union of unions and hath become possessed of opposing attributes. At times it heateth, at times it cooleth, at times it moisteneth, at times it drieth. And to this did ʿAli ibn Musa al-Andalusi, known as al-Shadhudhi, refer when he said in verse:
“And feverish by nature, I balanced its temperament, Unto its opposite when its exhalations rose high.
“Angelic and human, celestial and aerial, fiery are her fragrant breezes—southerly, easterly, westerly, northerly—all directions are her directions.”
And when thou hast understood this, know that Writing is likewise. For when letters are elevated and enter their gardens, all letters become one letter, all words one word, all languages one language, and all grammatical forms one form. Then a single word becomes noun and verb and particle, declinable and indeclinable, variable and invariable, subject and object, possessed and possessor, subject and predicate, circumstantial phrase and specification—unto infinity. A single governing word effects nominative, accusative, genitive and jussive cases, while a single governed word becomes nominative, accusative, genitive and jussive by condition. Thou seest not the nominative as other than the accusative, nor the accusative as other than the genitive, nor the genitive as other than the jussive. Each word indicates every meaning, and a single word becomes singular and dual and plural, masculine and feminine.
When thou hast understood this, O precious youth, solace of the discerning ones, mirror of the wise, lamp of the learned, light of the mystics, radiance of the monotheists, brother of prophethood and mine of divine authority—may God preserve him from the eyes of the oppressors—when he desired that people should know that station and that drops might splash upon them from that vast ocean, they recoiled from him and turned back on their heels, saying “We have never heard the like of this; this is naught but error.” God slay them for their lack of understanding!
Part 2: “This eloquent nightingale warbled upon the tree…”
This eloquent nightingale warbled upon the tree of origin and return. And since he—peace be upon him—was of the people of that Faith, his words must needs be thus, for the effect resembles the qualities of its cause. This is no proof of imperfection, rather it is proof of perfection in the eyes of those possessed of perfection who have attained the pinnacle of moderation [i’tidal]. Woe, utter woe unto those who say that he—peace be upon him—knows not grammar and morphology! How could he not know, when the essence of all knowledge is in his hand and the reality of all things is with him? The essence of grammar is with him, and the essence of morphology. These people have naught but the husks and outer forms that neither nourish nor satisfy hunger.
Lack of manifestation is no proof of non-existence. Seest thou not that the Messenger of God—peace be upon him and his family—possessed all perfect qualities, though he wrote not nor ever composed poetry, though these too are among the perfections? How could he not know, when he stands at the station of “Lord, show me things as they are,” and stands between the two gulfs, and gazes upon both West and East, and is he who said “I saw God and Paradise with mine own eyes”? Alas, I know not what to say! As the poet says:
“An eye I need that knows the King, To know the King in everything.
“He knew, and whoso knew Him knew, and naught knew Him not; he was ignorant of Him who was ignorant of Him, and naught was ignorant of Him.”
And among their claims is that, peace be upon him, he included his name in the call to prayer, and they say “We have not heard of this from our forefathers, so it must be an innovation.” I say that there preceded a tradition from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, where he said he made it a complete word of four parts together, none of which comes before the other. Thus whoever testifies to Divine Unity, Prophethood, and the Guardianship must also testify to the Shi’ih, for it is a part of the Word and the final letter of the Greatest Name, and complete knowledge is not attained except through the complete Name.
And the Imam, peace be upon him, said as related in al-Kafi: “There are four gates, the first of which is not valid without its last. The adherents of three have gone astray and wandered far astray.” And the late Siyyid, peace be upon him, pointed to this in his Shirazi treatise explaining the difference between faith and Islam, where he said, peace be upon him: “The two testimonies are not sufficient for salvation in the Hereafter, rather they must be joined with the other two testimonies, which is testifying to the Guardianship and the bearer of the Guardianship who is the Shi’ih—so understand.”
However, the manifestation of these four pillars is gradual. From Adam’s appearance until the mission of the Messenger of God, blessings be upon him and his family, was the first particle testifying to Divine Unity. From the mission of the Messenger until the Day of Ghadir was the second particle testifying to Prophethood. From the Day of Ghadir until the sixty-first day was the manifestation of the fourth particle testifying to the Shi’ih.
The One who delivers in all these stations is God, glory be to Him, but through His hands and tongues—in the first through the Prophets and Successors, peace be upon them; in the second through the Messenger of God, blessings be upon him and his family; in the third through the letters of “There is no god but God,” peace be upon them; and in the fourth through the Gates and manifest villages, blessings of God be upon them. So understand, that you may be among the rightly guided.
And among their claims is that, peace be upon him, he prohibited smoking tobacco. Know that he, peace be upon him, did not prohibit it alone—rather the Shaykh and the Siyyid, peace be upon them both, also ruled it forbidden. However, since their station was one of conciliation and accommodation, and they did not have in their hands a brilliant proof like this Gate, peace be upon him, therefore they did not explicitly rule it forbidden but indicated it through allusion to those who understand.
It has been related that the Shaykh, peace be upon him, entered an assembly where people were smoking tobacco, so he, peace be upon him, recited this verse from the Qur’an: “What are these images to which you are so devoted?” So consider what you see. And indeed the late Siyyid proved its prohibition through this verse which is in the Surah of Smoke: “Then watch for the Day when the sky brings a clear smoke, enveloping the people; this is a painful punishment.”
Moreover, it has been related in traditions that everything that believed in the Guardianship of Ali, peace be upon him, was sweet and had a pleasant fragrance. Judge fairly by God—has it believed in his Guardianship despite its bitterness, foulness and putridness? When it is incumbent upon the believer to dissociate from everything that has not believed in his Guardianship, even from salty earth, then what of this? Moreover it harms the body and wastes wealth.
So perdition and misery be upon those who turn away from this good and pure one who has made lawful for them the good things of perfumes and others, and forbidden to them the impure things like smoking tobacco and others. And they follow certain obscure words of those who smoke tobacco, even though the Siyyid, peace be upon him, repeatedly said that the guide does not smoke tobacco and he always deprecated its smoker. Yes, like attracts like, as God Most High has said,
“Vile women are for vile men and pure women are for pure men”
- understand this!
And among their sayings is that He, peace be upon Him, said: “I manifested Myself to Moses.” The answer is that this does not contradict the essentials of religion or doctrine, for this manifestation is of the same nature as Khidr’s teaching to Moses, and as the ant’s teaching to Solomon, peace be upon him, and as the words of al-Sadiq to the martyrs of Karbala: “May my father and mother be sacrificed for you.” Whosoever understands one of these understands them all, for they all flow from the same water. If thou gazest with the eye of the heart, thou wilt know that the One Who manifests is the Lord and none other, and thou wilt see no light but His light, and hear no voice but His voice. Well spoke the poet:
“None exists in the mansion of being, Save Him alone in truth.”
Therefore He attributed manifestation to a Point and said: “When his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, He made it crumble to dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon.” And verily the number of “Lord” corresponds to the seven letters—ponder this!
And among their sayings is that He, peace be upon Him, claims Guardianship and its sisters. The answer is that they have misunderstood the matter. It was explained at the beginning of the Book that the station of the Shi’ih is that of earth, whereupon it becomes the manifestation of the effects of the three pillars or the descent of their lights. These deniers, when they saw the signs of Lordship appearing in Him, peace be upon Him, said that He claims Prophethood, and when they saw the signs of Guardianship appearing in Him, they said He claims Guardianship. They have stumbled blindly and entered the fire unknowingly.
And among their sayings is that He, peace be upon Him, claims to have seen the designated Gate. The answer is that both claims are pure lies and calumny. May God slay them for what they have said! They have indeed uttered words of unbelief and have disbelieved through what they have said. I shall mention His holy words in this regard as a reminder to those who remember and a light for those who seek guidance. He, peace be upon Him, said in one of His supplications:
“O God! Thou knowest that some people have fabricated against me the claim of being the designated Gate and have claimed the vision for themselves. May God curse them for what they have fabricated! After the Four, there was no designated Gate or appointed deputy for the Remnant of God, the Lord of the Age, peace be upon Him. Whoever claims to have seen Him without proof, it is incumbent upon all to reject him and slay him. O God! I bear witness before Thee that I have never claimed to have seen Thy Living Proof, nor to be His designated Gate through any explicit text. Those who say such words about me are indeed the polytheists. I seek refuge in Thee, O my God, from their deeds, as if they neither see nor hear the words of the True Imam who said—and His word is the truth—Whoever calls a date stone a pebble or a pebble a date stone and believes in it is a polytheist.’ O God! Curse them for what they have fabricated and for saying words they do not understand. If I had attributed the word Gate’ to myself, I would have meant nothing but words of goodness, as I have read in the traditions of the Imams of Justice that a believer cannot be described. And thy vicegerent hath spoken concerning the mention of Thy servant Salman, that he was Thy gate and Thy path—whoso knoweth him is a believer and whoso denieth him is an infidel.”
I intended by these words naught save what was revealed in the tradition, and I am innocent of those who speak otherwise, seeking to spread corruption in the land without right. Verily Thou art witness over Thy believing servants.
And among their sayings is that he, peace be upon him, changed the Law, and this proveth its falsity, for it is related in tradition that the Law of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, shall continue until the Day of Resurrection. I say, know thou that this religion is like unto man, for just as man developeth gradually until he reacheth the station of perfection, and at each stage manifest certain ordinances and effects, so too is it with this religion. For the Law of Adam, peace be upon him, was as the seed, and the Law of Noah, peace be upon him, was as the clot, and the Law of Abraham, peace be upon him, was as the lump of flesh, and the Law of Moses, peace be upon him, was as the bones, and the Law of Jesus, peace be upon him, was as the clothing of flesh, and the Law of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, was as the breathing of the spirit.
Therefore were the Laws of the Prophets abrogated one after another, for the day of the seed did not perfect the ordinances of the clot, and the day of the clot did not perfect the ordinances of the lump of flesh, and so forth. When religion reached the station of the first human form, there appeared the Law of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, and it abrogated all previous Laws, for they were but preludes to the appearance of Muhammad’s Law. And His Law shall continue until the Day of Resurrection, and His Law shall not be changed nor His ordinances altered, even though they may differ in the stages of manifestation, just as some ordinances were abrogated in the early days of His mission. And it is related that when the Qa’im, may God hasten His advent, appeareth, He will change this religion with a complete change, for His days are the days of God, the station of the stage of reason.
Have you not heard the saying of the divines who say that there are two kinds of ordinances: primary divine ordinances which accord with pure nature and which the Qa’im will reveal, and secondary divine ordinances which accord with admixture and overflow? These are the ordinances—would your soul permit you to say, when the primary divine ordinances appear, that these ordinances are not from the Law of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family? For if this were so, it would not contradict what is recorded in the tradition that the Law of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, continues until the Day of Resurrection, since these ordinances which appear afterwards are also from his Law. Thus all differences which have been abrogated or will later appear are manifestations of that sacred Law.
And since the station of this servant, honored in all regions, is that which is between the two risings—which is neither of night nor day but rather is an hour from among the hours of Paradise as mentioned in tradition—and in the realm of souls it is the station of training which was assigned to the child before the completion of the day of the commanding self until the appearance of the mind for obligation, the Law must needs be changed in his time, peace be upon him, either because the appearance of the Messenger of God was at the first manifestation of the commanding self, and thus its manifestations appeared in his time—namely the father of calamities, the father of evils, and the father of diversions, may God curse them—so when the time for the appearance of the Universal Mind arrives, there must needs be some change beforehand lest the structure of the world be corrupted after the completion of the night which is the days of the commanding self.
Yes, the claimant must bring proof and evidence that he is from God and from His trustees, peace be upon them. And you have heard that he, peace be upon him, has brought his proof and evidence which none can deny unless they depart from what they had previously entered into. Therefore this Greatest Proof which was previously mentioned—were he to make changes in the Law however he wishes, none has the right to say “why” or “how” except that they would have disbelieved and entered the fire of Hell, for “He shall not be questioned as to that which He does, but they shall be questioned.”
Know, O my brother and beloved, that all they say regarding this Light, the Light of Lights and the Secret of Secrets, peace be upon him as long as night and day endure, is like a mirage in the desert which the thirsty one supposes to be water, until when he comes to it he finds it to be nothing. Woe unto them! No Messenger comes to them but they mock at him. So leave them to plunge in vain discourse and play until they meet their Day which they are promised.
O my brother! We counsel thee to hold fast to His cord and cling to His hem, for verily He sufficeth thee above all things, while all things suffice not in place of Him. Know thou the station of thy Lord and let not thine eyes turn away from Him, nor hearken unto what is uttered by those in whose breasts the Evil Whisperer maketh suggestions. They are as dead, not living, and perceive not when they shall be raised. By God! I know not how they can deny and reject, when the Imam (peace be upon him) hath said: “A Nasibi is one who shows enmity to our followers.” And in another tradition: “A Nasibi is not one who reviles us, but rather one who reviles our followers for their love of us.” There is no doubt that this personage was among their most distinguished and devoted followers, without any admixture or alteration, such that the mirror of his receptivity remained unchanged, reflecting the Original exactly as It is with clear and evident reflection, without alteration.
Thus all conditions of the Original—whether obedience, disobedience, knowledge and otherwise—flow through it, for it hath no direction save the manifestation of its Lord and Master. For this reason was he designated as the “Most Great Remembrance,” for in remembrance naught is remembered save the Rememberer. This being so, there is no doubt that whoever denieth him is a doubting Nasibi whose abode is hell—a wretched resting place indeed! How can they deny and reject while believing that when the Imam (peace be upon him and may God hasten his advent) appeareth, he will reveal strange and wondrous meanings at which the learned and great scholars will be bewildered? How can they deny and reject while believing that the traditions of the Family of God (peace be upon them) are difficult and more difficult, which none can bear save a near angel, a commissioned Prophet, or a believer whose heart God hath tested for faith? How can they deny and reject when al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: “I speak one word having seventy-one aspects, for each of which I have an escape”? How can they deny and reject, feeling secure in what they know, while knowing that beyond them is a mountain of green emerald called Mount Qaf, and what appears in the sky is but its reflection?
How can they deny and reject when it hath been related in the traditions of the Imams of Justice (peace be upon them) that the allegorical words may be interpreted in seventy stations? How can they deny and reject when God the Exalted hath said: “Above every possessor of knowledge is One Who knoweth”? How can they deny and reject when perhaps the error lies in their understanding, as God the Exalted hath said: “When they are not guided by it, they say: This is an ancient falsehood,” and in another verse: “Nay, they deny that which they cannot comprehend with their knowledge and whose interpretation hath not yet come unto them.” How excellent are the words of Hafiz of Shiraz in this regard:
“When thou hearest the words of the people of the heart, say not it is error; Thou knowest not the speech, beloved—herein lies the error!”
How can they deny and reject while knowing that existence is ever advancing, understanding increasing day by day, and strange and wondrous sciences appearing from the hidden treasures of the Book and Tradition that were not manifest before? Indeed it hath been related from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) when it was said to him: “May I be thy sacrifice! A man comes to us from thy presence and informs us of a momentous matter from thee, and our breasts are straitened thereby until we reject him.” Abu Abdullah said: “Does he not relate traditions from me?” I said: “Yes.” He said: “Does he say that night is day and day is night?” I said: “No.” He said: “If he says that, refer it back to us, for if you deny it, you are only denying us.”
And in another tradition:
“Whatever comes to you attributed to us, if you understand it and your hearts are at peace with it, then accept it. If not, do not deny it, for denial is disbelief. The true believer who strives in God’s path and holds fast to God’s cord—peace be upon them—is one who, if he understands what reaches him attributed to the Family of God—peace be upon them—accepts it, and if he does not understand, remains in a state of submission until proof appears from the people of exposition, for this is the path of safety in this world and salvation in the next. Otherwise he goes astray and leads others astray. May God protect us and you from misleading trials and destructive tribulations.”
O God, O Light of lights, guide us from Your presence, bestow upon us from Your bounty, spread over us Your mercy, and send down upon us Your blessings. Our Lord, we have heard a caller calling to faith, saying ʿBelieve in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord, forgive us our sins, remove from us our evil deeds, and cause us to die with the righteous. Our Lord, grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in Your promise.
Here the pen has ceased its flow by the permission of the All-Merciful, for the wise person needs only a hint, while the ignorant will not understand even with a thousand expressions. If there is someone in the house, one word is sufficient.
I seek forgiveness from God, my Lord, for what I have written in establishing the Cause which is established from the Primary Causes. I pray for blessings upon Muhammad and his pure family, and their early and later followers. The path of Ali is truth which we hold fast to, and we say: All praise belongs to God, the Lord of the worlds.
The writing of this copy was completed on Saturday, the nineteenth day of the month of God, al-Ahya”—that is, Rajab, the hallowed—among the months of the year one thousand three hundred and three after the Prophetic Hijrah. Upon Him Who made that Hijrah—upon Him be a thousand thousand prayers and salutations and greetings! O God! Forgive its scribe, and guide him, by the right of Muhammad and His kindred. Amen, O Lord of the worlds.1
Whether this colophon is by the copyist or by the author is unclear.↩︎