First published in 1986. The present volume is a complete translation of the Sawanih, written by the Persian Sufi master Ahmad Ghazzali with a commentary by the translator. The title of this book, to Sufis, means the inspirations that a mystic experiences on his journey through the world of the Spirit (c?lam-i r?h) or, as it is sometimes called, the world of Pure Spirits (c?lam-i arwah).
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Yes, you can access Sawānih by Ahmed Ghazzali, Nasrollah Pourjavady in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Sozialwissenschaften & Anthropologie. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
In The Name of God Most Merciful and Compassionate
Praise belongs to God, Lord of the worlds,1 and the sequel is for those who are righteous,2 and there shall be no enmity except for wrongdoers.3 And blessing be upon our lord Muhammad and his righteous family.
(1) Here follow my words consisting of a few chapters about the (mystical) ideas (maʿān
) of love (ʿishq), though, in fact, love cannot be expressed in words nor contained in sentences; for the ideas of love are like virgins and the hand of words cannot reach the edge of the curtain of those virgins. Even though our task here is to marry the virgin ideas to the men of words in the private chambers of speech, yet outward expressions (ʿibārat) in this discourse cannot but be allusions to different ideas. Moreover, this indefiniteness (of words) exists only for those who have no “immediate tasting” (dhawq). From this idea originates two roots: the allusive meaning (ishārat) of an outward expression (ʿibārat) and the outward expression of an allusive meaning. However, in the innermost heart of words is concealed the sharp edges of a sword, but they can be perceived only by inner vision (baṣ
rat). Hence, if in all of the chapters (of this book) something is said which is not comprehended, then it must be one of these (esoteric) ideas. And God knows best.
(2) An intimate friend whom I consider the dearest of all the brethren (of the path) – known as Ṣā’in al-D
n – asked me to write (a book consisting of) a few chapters on anything that comes to me, extempore, on the (mystical) meaning of love, so that whenever he feels himself intimately close to love and yet his hand of aspiration cannot reach its skirt of union, he can then read the book for (his own) consolation4 and use the meaning of its verses as something resembling (the Reality of love itself).
(3) In order to be fair to him (as a friend), I agreed and wrote a few chapters, in such a way that they are not devoted to any particular view, on the realities,5 modes, and aims of love, on the condition that it should not be attributed to either the Creator or the creature. (I wrote this book) just in order that my friend might find consolation in these chapters when he is helpless. Although it has been said:
Though every human physician prescribes a medicine,
Other than the words of Laylā6, it will not cure you.
yet,
If I thirst for the water in her mouth (and yet cannot attain it),
I use wine as a substitute.
But how can wine take the place of that water?
Nevertheless, it can sooth an ailing heart.
1
(1) God, may He be exalted, has said: “He (God) loves them (the people) and they love Him.”1
Our steeds2 started on the road from non-existence along with love;
Our night was continuously illuminated by the lamp of Union.
When we return to non-existence, you will not find our lips dry,
From that wine3 which is not forbidden in our religion.4
It was for my sake that love came into existence from non-existence,
I, and only I, was the object of love’s intention in the world.
I shall not cut myself away from you for as long as the perfume lives in the incense,
(Thus, I shall be at one with you for) days and nights, months and years, despite (all the malice) of he who envies me.
Her love came to me before I knew what love was,
Thus it struck a heart free from all entanglements and lodged firmly in it.
(2) When the spirit came into existence from non-existence, on the frontier of existence, love was awaiting the steed, the spirit. I know not what kind of combining took place in the beginning of existence — if the spirit was an essence5, then the attribute of that essence was love. Having found the house vacant, it resided therein.
(3) The difference between the objects to which love turns is accidental. Nay, its reality transcends all directions, for in order to be love, it does not need to direct its attention to any side. However, I know not to which land the acquiring hand of Time (waqt) brought the water. When a stirrup-holder rides on the king’s horse, although it is not his own horse, no damage is done. “Our words here are but an allusion.”6
(4) Sometimes an earthen vessel or a glass bead is put in the hand of a novice so that he can become a master artisan; but sometimes a precious, shining pearl which the master’s hand of knowledge does not dare to touch, let alone pierce, is put into his ignorant hand to pierce.
(5) When the chameleon of Time (waqt), with its differing colours, prints marvellous and deceitful lines upon the pages of Breaths (anfās), its footprints will not be visible. For the chameleon walks on water, nay, it rather walks on air; for the breaths are air.
2
When it1 finds the house vacant and the mirror has become clean, then a form is reflected and established in the air of the purity of the spirit. Its perfection is that if the spirit wants to see himself with his eye of inspection, then he sees the image (paykar) of the beloved or her name or her attribute together with it, and this changes according to (the dictates of) Time (waqt). Love veils the spirit from seeing himself and so it overwhelms his eye of inspection. As a result, love takes the place of the spirit’s image in the mirror, and the spirit sees it instead of himself. This is where he2 says:
I have your image in my eye so much,
That whatever I perceive, I think it is you.
This is because his way to himself is through love. So not until he passes through love which has totally dominated him, will he reach himself. However, the majesty of love will not let the eye (of the spirit) pass through (to his own reflection, despite the fact that the spirit wants to see himself), because a man in love is jealous of others, not of himself.3
Every night the image of my beloved becomes the attributes of my essence.
Then my own attributes become thousands of guards to guard me.4
I am my beloved and my beloved is I.
We are two spirits residing in one body.
So when you see me you see her.
And when you see her you see me.
This last poem alludes to the same meaning, but the poet5 went off the track. In the second line where he says: “We are two spirits residing in one body”, he has stepped from Oneness into duality. The first line is closer to the truth, for he says. “I am my beloved and my beloved is me.”
The idea of Oneness is correctly expressed by another poet who has said:
I said: Oh idol, I thought you were my beloved.
Now, as I keep looking, I see that you are none but my soul.
To complete his poem, he has said:
I shall lose my faith if you turn away from me,
O (my) spirit and world, you are my faith and infidelity.6
Except that he should have said, “I shall lose my soul if you turn away from me.” But since these were the words of a poet, he was bound by metre and rhyme. The (real experience of the) captivity of lovers (by the beloved) is one thing and its description b...
