Sawāneh
By Ahmad Al-Ghazali
Edited/Researched by Dr Ali-Muhammade Saberi
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Introduction
In The Name of Allah, The Al-Rahman (Most Beneficent), The Al-Rahim
(Most Merficul)
Al-Hamdu for The Lord of the Multiverse And the peace and blessings
upon our chieftain and his family.
These words consist of few chapters on the concept of Ishq
(Unrestrained Love). Altough no words can ever contain the true meaning
of Ishq, since these meanings of Ishq are virgin for no words ever
touch them. And yet I am trying to write words about the meanings of
Ishq and they are for some indefinite and unknowable, and these are the
people with no Dhauq (Spiritual Taste).
There are two techniques used to reach to the meanings:
1. Isharat-e Ibarat: Examining the arrow/vector of
the words and see what spiritual meaning they are pointing at
2. Ibarat-e Isharat: Examining how the arrow/vector
point at some distant spiritual meaning and the result of the
examination turned
into words
These words are like the sharp edge of a sword and only by examination
of Basirat (Spiritual Eye) they can be viewed (Sword maker needs sharp
eyes to examine the cutting-edge of the blade, so we need sharp eyes to
see the meanings of the words for Ishq). And the latter explains why
the words below might not be understood.
These words were written by the request of a dearest brother Sayed-Din
whom I am quite intimate with. I did write several chapters on the
concept of Ishq and accompanied them with some verses of poetry where
needed (where I could not come across with words).
However it must be noted that these words are not targeted for anyone,
not for the Creator and not for the creation! (Dara: Those who have a
‘taste’ of Ishq might say this or that about that taste but their words
are not targeted towards anyone, for Ishq causes the lover to evanesce
and the words are just another part of the process of evanescence. Just
like when someone you loved deeply broke your heart, and you jutted
down some words on paper and you were asked what are these words or for
whom did you write and you responded: nothing for no one! Same is
happening
here to Sheikh Ahmad Al-Ghazali. He is really writing for no one.)
And if all the healers attempted to
heal you
Except by the words of Leyli what
cure?
(Dara: Leyli referes to the epic love story amongst the Arab and
Iranians between Leyli and Majnoun. Her loss and love made the man
(Qais) go
crazy and thus was called Majnoun)
However:
And when I thirst for the moisture of
her lips
Quenching my thirst with the best of
the wines at least
What comparison between her wet lips
and the wines
Other than to comfort this hurting
self for a while
All Al-Mighty said: He/Hu loves them and they love Hu/Him
End.
بسم الله الرّحمن
الرّحیم
الحمدلله رب العالمین و الصلوة علی سیدنا محمّد و آله اجمعین.
این حروف مشتمل است بر فصولی چند كه به معانی عشق تعلق دارد. اگر چه حدیث
عشق در حروف و در كلمه نگنجد، زیرا كه آن معانی ابكار است كه دست
حیطه حروف بر دامن خدر آن ابكار نرسد.و اگر چه ما را كار آن است كه
ابكار معانی را به ذكور حروف دهیم در خلوات الكلام، ولیكن عبارات در این
حدیث اشارت است به معانی متفاوت پس نكره و آن نكره در حق كسی كه ذوقش
نبود. و از این دو حدیث اصل شكافد: یكی اشارت عبارت و دیگری عبارت اشارت.
و بدل حروف حدودالسیف بود، اما جز به بصیرت باطن نتوان دید، و اگر در جملة
این فصول چیزی رود كه مفهوم نگردد از این معانی بود. و الله اعلم بالصواب.
دوستی عزیز كه به نزدیك من به جای عزیزترین برادران است و مرا با او
اُنس تمام بود، معروف به صاین الدین از من خواست كه آنچه تو را فرا خاطر
آید در حال در معنی عشق فصلی چند اثبات كنم تا به هر وقتی «مرا با
او» انسی بود، و چون دست طلبم به دامن وصل نرسد بدان فصول تعلل كنم
و به اثبات معانی آن ابیات تمسكی میسازم. اجابت كردم او را و چند فصلی
اثبات كردم قضای حقِّ او را، چنانكه تعلق به هیچ جانب ندارد در حقایق عشق
و احوال و اعراض عشق به شرط آنكه در او هیچ حواله نبود نه به خالق و نه به
مخلوق، تا او چون در ماند بدین فصول مراجعت كند، هر چند كه گفتهاند:
شعر
ولو داواك كل طبیب انس
بغیر كلام لیلی ما شفاكا
ولیكن:
اذا ما ظمئت الی ریقها
جعلت المدامة منه بدیلا
واین المدامة من ریقها
ولكن اعلل قلبا علیلا
قال الله تعالی: یحبهم و یحبونه
Chapter 1
Upon the Ishq, from Non-being to
Being, flowed this vessel of ours
Illuminated by the wine of Wasl
(Arrival) all night this night of ours
Because of that wine which is not
forbidden in religion of ours
Until the doomsday you shan’t find
any parched lips of ours
***
Before I was given love, had reached
me the love of hers
Therefore her love found this empty
heart and settled in firm
***
Ishq exited the Non-Being into Being
because of 'I'
And all along 'I' was the sole reason
for being of Love
I can’t cut-off from you as the scent
can’t cut-off from the perfume
The days, the nights, the years and
the months in spite of the envious
(Dara: ‘envious’ is the Satan or the life of this world, which does not
wish the human being to be in love with his Divine Beloved and busied
with such loving.)
When the Soul was about to exit the Non-Being, at the outer-boundaries
of
Being, Ishq was awaiting Soul’s arrival to carry it, like a vessel, to
the realm of Being.
When the innermost essence of Soul appeared, then with synchronicity
the innermost essence of Ishq (Unrestrained love) appeared; like unto
an empty house and occupied it.
The reality of Ishq is free and cleansed from the feel of directions,
for as long as it is around there is no sense of this way or that way.
For that matter then I do not know which way my destiny shall take me.
(Dara: Translation needs more work):
“That person who mounts upon the
saddle of the king, although he is not
the king himself, but causes no harm.”
Dara: So we all are riding upon the regal vessel or royal steed of
Love, it is
unrestrained and takes us where it will and we are like a peasant
riding the royal steed though we are not kings, but we are given the
status of a king however the steed goes where it wills.
Our words are only an Isharat (Pointer pointing to some spiritual
concepts). (Dara: The arrow does not matter, the target it aims at or
hits at is the subject of care and attention)
Sometimes an apprentice is given precious beads to string or an elegant
baked porcelain to paint or to make jewels out of priceless pearls;
this is so not because of the kill of the student, but because of the
deep knowledge of the teacher who allows for the apprentice to gain
experience by actually doing something physical/practical; indeed this
is only
for the sake of practice.
Dara: Ishq, the unrestrained love, is such pearl or gem for the
apprentice the human being to gain experience with; to practice well
and hard prior to meeting with That Divine Beloved after his death, to
know how to behave and how to converse with the Singleton Beloved of
Multiverse.
Like unto the Chameleon, the Time paints amazing color drawings upon
the canvas of Selves:
Wine flows like unto the water
Selves gale like unto the air
End.
فصل 1
بیت
با عشق روان شد از عدم مركب ما
روشن زشراب وصل دایم شب ما
زان می كه حرام نیست در مذهب ما
تا روز عدم خشك نیابی لب ما
آتانی هواها قبل ان اعرف الهوی
فصادف قلباً فارغاً فتمكنا
بیت
عشق از عدم از بهر من آمد به وجود
من بودم عشق را ز عالم مقصود
از تو نبرم تا نبرد بوی ز عود
روز و شب و سال و مهعلیرغم حسود
چون روح از عدم به وجود آمد.بر سر حد وجود، عشق منتظرمركب روح بود. در بدو
وجود ندانم تا چه مزاج افتاد. اگر ذات روح آمد صفت ذات عشق آمد، خانه خالی
یافت جای بگرفت. و تفاوت در قبلۀ عشق عارضی است، اما حقیقت او از جهات
منزه است كه او را روی در جهتی نمی باید داشت تا عشق بود.اما ندانم تا دست
كسب وقت آب به كدام زمین برد.«آن نفس كه ركابداری بر مركب سلطان
نشیند نه مركب او بود، اما زیان ندارد».كلامنا اشارة. گاه خزفی یا
خرزی به دست شاگرد نوآموز دهند تا استاد شود، گاه به تعبیه دُرّی ثمین و
لؤلؤیی لالا به دست ناشناس او دهند كه زَهره ندارد دست معرفت استاد كه آن
را ببرماسد تا به سفتن چه رسد. چون بوقلمون وقت عجایب نیرنگ بر
صحیفة انفاس زند «می پیدا نبود كه روش بر آب است لابل بر هوا كه
انفاس هوا است».
©
2009-2002, Dara O
Shayda