The one who remembers [1] the fifteenth [2].

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. And may Allah bless our master and lord Muhammad, his family, and his companions, and grant them abundant peace. Praise be to Allah, who made the tree of this noble prophet the key of existence, lofty in glory, ripe in fruits, long in trunk, great in stature, ever drawing near and close in the stages of ascent and elevation. He made its noble light a mirror for the people of watchfulness and witnessing ¹, and its exalted station a qibla ² for the people of bowing and prostration. He made the source of its Ahmadian ³ outflow a watering-place for visitors, guests, and delegations, guaranteeing for those who set out from it the attainment of desires and the achievement of hopes and aims. And thereafter: When I had finished speaking about the tree of the Muhammadan genesis ⁴, accompanied by blessing, grace, and felicity, and the trees of its prophetic love, whose shades spread over the people of truth and sincerity who stand by the limits and fulfill the covenants, I followed it with speech about noble and exalted trees branching from his Ahmadian essence, which is distinguished by perfect generosity and bounty, and his pleasing and approved character, molded on obedience and striving in the pleasure of his Lord, the King, the Worshipped. This is to complete what preceded of the illuminated trees: whoever is characterized by them and is immersed in their love will attain everlasting bliss in the abode of honor and eternity. I ask Allah to grant benefit through them and make them a means of following his pure sunna ⁵ and drinking from the spring of his sweet, abundant watering-places and arrivals. Amen, amen, amen. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. He said to me, while existence was absent from witnessing ⁶: "You have ruled over all existence. You appeared in individuation ⁷ as a servant, encompassing the unseen, honored to delegations. By you the roots of your origin were established, until through your unveiling the decree of prostration was completed." It sang, and when we opened through you, listen in the decree of existence and which witnessing. Every cosmos you became a king in it, ruler of the time, keeper of the covenants. The rains of realities now pour with lightning and fluttering thunders. Their secret is you in existence, and from you the secret was, and you were protected from the evil of contracts. You are in essence in everlasting bliss, and by the secret of ecstasy in the abode of eternity. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the element of the tree of the penetrating secret, whose secret flows in the obscurities of perceptions and understandings, and the lamp of realities whose light shines in the unseen of identities and the beginnings of commencement and conclusion, and the sea of sciences encompassing the arts of laws and rules of judgments, Ta Ha ⁸, the center of the necklace of order, and Ya Sin ⁹, the sun of high stations and the full moon of perfection, and Ha Mim ¹⁰, the love of representation from the wine of divine love and the overflow of gifts of the Possessor of Majesty and Honor. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the element of the tree of the unveiling secret, which removes from hearts the darkness of doubts and illusions, and the glory of the age supported by the light of opening, revelation, and inspiration, and the sword of victory, great in rank, lofty in station, and fragrant in diffusion, whose scent surpasses the roses of buds and the perfumes of musk of the seal, Ta Sin Mim ¹¹, the Ha of mercy, the Mim of dominion, and the Dal of permanence, and Ta Sin ¹², the imam of the divine presence, carried on the shoulder of piety and respect. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the imams of Islam, and his companions, the discerning luminaries, a blessing by which You illuminate our hearts with the light of opening and inspiration, and by which You make us attain from Your pleasure and his pleasure the utmost goal and desire, and by which You place us in Your fortified fortress ¹³ and Your shelter that cannot be assailed, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Muhammad is Ahmad ¹⁴, the effacer by his law of misguidance and the lowered veil of disbelief. Ta Ha, the trustworthy, brought the religion, its goal the seven oft-repeated verses ¹⁵, and from him the elephant shrank. The essence of creation, the light of truth, his religion, its expression in him is clarification and facilitation. Cheerful, noble of countenance, the moon of his face, nothing of exquisite beauty was missing from him. In him the attributes of perfection harmonized, so ask whatever you wish, for he is trustworthy and hoped for. He walks, and his lights precede him, and from the cloud, wherever he went, there was shading. By his law the worlds shone and became clear, so his religion is a blaze and a white mark on them. And this is the description of the tree of the lordly secret, whose secret flows in the spiritual world and the physical temple. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the element of the tree of opening, fruiting with the light of "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," and its flower inscribed with: "Whatever Allah opens to people of mercy, none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds, none can release it after Him. And He is the Almighty, the Wise" ¹⁶. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the element of the tree of success, fruiting with the light of nearness and drawing close, and its flower inscribed with: "And my success is only through Allah. In Him I trust and to Him I turn" ¹⁷. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the element of the tree of care, fruiting with the light of honor and ancient glory, and its flower inscribed with: "There has certainly come to you a messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; he is concerned for you and to the believers is kind and merciful" ¹⁸. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the element of the tree of lights, fruiting with the light of leadership and precedence, and its flower inscribed with: "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp; the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly star lit from a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things" ¹⁹.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of guidance, fruitful with the light of majesty and veneration, and its flower inscribed with: {Ya Sin. By the Wise Quran, indeed you are among the messengers, on a straight path} ²⁰. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of sainthood ²¹, fruitful with the light of clear victory, and its flower inscribed with: {And when We directed to you a company of jinn listening to the Quran; when they attended it, they said, 'Listen quietly.' When it was finished, they turned back to their people as warners} ²². O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of election ²³, fruitful with the light of attaining desires and the sought-after goal, and its flower inscribed with: {So be patient as were the messengers of firm resolve, and do not be hasty} ²⁴. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of selection ²⁵, fruitful with the light of subtle wisdoms and precious sciences, and its flower inscribed with: {And be patient for the judgment of your Lord, for indeed you are under Our eyes; and glorify the praises of your Lord when you arise, and in the night glorify Him, and at the setting of the stars} ²⁶. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of secret and special distinction ²⁷, fruitful with the light of elevation and rank, and its flower inscribed with: {Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you are pledging allegiance to Allah} ²⁸. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of supreme veracity ²⁹, fruitful with the light of the shining secrets of Muhammad upon the face of whom You established before You as a caller and orator, and its flower inscribed with: {Indeed, Allah has fulfilled the vision of His Messenger in truth: you will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, secure, with heads shaved and hair shortened, not fearing. But He knew what you did not know, and He granted besides that a near victory} ³⁰. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad, the essence of the tree of the Islamic community ³¹, fruitful with the light of revelation and sending down, and its flower inscribed with: {Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are severe against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating, seeking bounty from Allah and pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah and their description in the Gospel} ³². O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of the sovereign kingdom ³³, fruitful with the light of inspiration, from whose gifts he attained pride, victory, and support, and its flower inscribed with: {It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, and sufficient is Allah as a witness} ³⁴. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of glorification and veneration, fruitful with the light of majesty and exaltation, and its flower inscribed with: {O you who have believed, do not put yourselves before Allah and His Messenger, and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing} ³⁵. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of modesty and etiquette, fruitful with the light of gifts and abundant good, and its flower inscribed with: {O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak loudly to him as you speak loudly to one another, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not. Indeed, those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allah are those whose hearts Allah has tested for piety; for them is forgiveness and a great reward} ³⁶. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of piety, reverence, and respect, fruitful with the light of acceptance and pleasure, and its flower inscribed with: {By the morning brightness, and by the night when it covers, your Lord has not forsaken you, nor does He hate you. And the Hereafter is better for you than the first. And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied} ³⁷. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood and messengership, fruitful with the light of hidden knowledge and guarded secret, and its flower inscribed with: {Say, 'O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.' So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided} ³⁸. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of faith, fruitful with the light of obedience and immense reward, and its flower inscribed with: {O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment? [It is that] you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, if you only knew. He will forgive you your sins and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence; that is the great attainment} ³⁹. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the landmarks of guidance and the straight path, and his companions, possessors of sound guidance and the straight path, a blessing by which You purify us from every ugly deed and blameworthy attribute, and by which You protect us from punishment, disgrace, and painful torment, and by which You honor us with the vision of Your noble face in the abode of honor and the garden of bliss, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. The Chosen One ⁴⁰ is the best of all Allah's creation; he has superiority and preference over the messengers. Muhammad is Allah's proof that appeared with a sunna that has no alteration in creation. Son of the noble ones, the people who have favor and length over all mankind. He whose meaning and form Allah perfected, so no completion eluded him in either state. And He distinguished him with dignity from Him, so that among the most precious of creation he has veneration and exaltation. Apparent serenity in his anger and pleasure; he ever remains both feared and hoped for. His cheerfulness meets generosity as a trait; that is molded upon justice and benevolence. For prophethood there is completion and beginning through him, and for glory there is acceleration and postponement. There came to people from his signs aggregates whose details have baffled mankind.

Were it not for the Prophet of guidance ⁴¹, there would be no assignment of angels over the devils in the celestial sphere ⁴². When he turned away, every eavesdropper ⁴³ was turned away from the seat of hearing, isolated. If you seek the greatest and most perfect goal, the revelation of the clear Quran suffices you. And behold, there is none like unto Allah, nor is any saying like that which came from Him. If a likeness could be made for Him, it would be brought, but what is made from deeds is created. How many wisdoms from Allah have silenced our understandings, and how much has the repetition of weariness incapacitated! He guides to all right guidance when He sends it down to the ears, with arrangement and recitation ⁴⁴. And perhaps a heart may be troubled by a face, just as a sick person spews out the medicine for his ailment. After His verses, there is no truth for a follower; after truth, there is nothing but falsehoods. And Muhammad is naught but a mercy sent to the worlds, and Allah's bounty is bestowed. He is the intercessor when, on the morrow of the Return ⁴⁵, all is intensified with fear and terror for the Gathering ⁴⁶. So there is no reliance for people on other than him, and no dependence for people on other than him. If a man is encompassed by his intercession, a care that includes his affair with success, he attains a station that no one has attained, and how often has the gift distinguished the measure! And he achieves the goal when he strives earnestly, but not every striving achieves the goal. His rank is the highest of ranks with Allah, so know that the place of the Beloved is not unknown. He descended to the distance of two bow-lengths or nearer ⁴⁷, and a true abode and permission are his from Him. O how excellent is the best proximity, which I cannot qualify, and how excellent is the best union conveyed from him! May the prayers of Allah, guaranteed by the All-Dominating ⁴⁸, continue upon him, with delivery and transmission, as long as the light of morning shines and, concealed by it, lamp after lamp of the stars appears. And this is the description of the tree of divine perfections, and its fruitful branches with the blossoms of the call to Allah and the lordly indications. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best tree whose qualities are mentioned in the Quran and whose proofs shine in the horizon of prophethood and messengership. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most complete tree whose seeds were planted in the soil of knowledge and whose tribes and peoples were adorned with the noblest virtues. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most fragrant tree whose flowers bloomed in the meadows of dominion and sovereignty ⁴⁹, and whose rays and lights shone upon the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the purest tree whose reports spread in the enclosures of holiness, and whose blossoms and fruits ripened with the wafting breezes of blessings. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the greatest tree whose regions are surrounded by witness, and whose discourses and remembrances are sweet in the ears. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most generous tree whose seasons are pleasant for the lovers, and whose nightingales and birds dance in the cages of consciences. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most verdant tree whose rains pour from the clouds of goodness, and whose suns and moons rise in the hearts of the ardent lovers. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most compassionate tree whose rivers flow from the spring of mercy, and whose seas and secrets surge in the breasts of the knowers ⁵⁰. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most kind tree whose branches stir with the wind of pardon, and whose appearance dispels the worries and sorrows from hearts. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most mighty tree whose roots grew in the soil of prophethood, and whose light and radiance were perfected by the sun of messengership. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the strongest tree whose foundations are firmly rooted in the expanse of might, and whose branches and sections rise in the heaven of high stations. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most luminous tree whose lamps are kindled with the oil of prophethood, and whose breezes and fragrances blow upon the worlds of spirits. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most glorious tree whose trains trail in the expanse of might, and whose torrents flow with the streams of goodness and blessing. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most majestic tree whose means are great with Allah, and whose favors and virtues encompass all the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most faithful tree whose cradles are spread with the cushions of truth, and whose covenants and pledges are created upon fidelity. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most radiant tree whose like is rare in existence, and whose ushers and envoy pride themselves over the angels. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the purest tree whose juice is cooked in the flasks of love, and whose companion and cupbearer win the greatest pleasure of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most blessed tree whose seeker of counsel attains the goal, and whose seeker of refuge and protector are preserved from temporal accidents. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the highest tree whose pillar is tall in the heaven of glory, and whose ascent and rise are perfected by noble character traits. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most beneficial tree whose chapter is recited to the listeners, and whose beauties and form dazzle the eyes of beholders. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most beautiful tree whose splendor shines upon existence, and whose affairs and proof are great with Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most delightful tree whose sides are studded with the jewels of knowledge, and whose ranks and positions are exalted in the expanse of might. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most felicitous tree whose shades cast over creatures, and whose blessing lightens their burdens from the backs.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most precious tree whose price souls have paid, and in whose eras and times miracles appeared. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the noblest tree for whose service men vied, and by whose proximity and lineage banners were honored. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the loftiest tree whose fruits are beautiful in the eyes, and whose origins and sources are pleasant in the mouths. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most luminous tree whose flashes shone in the hearts of the righteous, and whose streams and springs gushed forth with all kinds of knowledge and gnosis. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most fruitful tree whose benefits were obtained by those of insight, and whose outward and inward aspects were adorned with the jewels of wisdom. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most humble tree whose limbs prostrated to Allah, and whose motives and determinations were resolved upon doing good. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most ripened tree whose buds opened into the flowers of meanings, and whose paths and rulings were founded upon the principles of the Sharia. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the most submissive tree whose leaves turned yellow from awe, and whose eyes and pupils wept from fear of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the purest tree whose roots were forged from the mines of piety, and whose amulets and locks benefited the diseased. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the highest tree whose branches soared in the gardens of remembrances, and whose generosity and beneficence encompassed all beings. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most successful tree whose land was surrounded by fields of good deeds, and whose length and width encompassed the heavens and the earths. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the highest tree, the most fruitful tree whose unique pearls adorned the necks, and the jewels of wisdom were derived from its sciences and benefits. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most fragrant tree whose soil diffused with the wafts of musk, and whose affections and mercy poured upon creatures. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the loftiest tree whose flowers were strung in the thread of cloves and saffron, and whose sweet scent perfumed souls and bodies. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most splendid tree surrounded by roses, jasmine, and myrtle, and every sick and rebellious person benefited from its cure. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most desirable tree whose blossom flourished in people's eyes, and whose crown was placed upon the cheek, the eye, and the head. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most guarded tree protected by a wall of roses and chamomile, and whose flowers spread upon the carpet of companions, beloved, and brothers. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most beautiful tree embroidered with wallflower and bamboo, and whose necklaces were adorned with narcissus and anemones. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most generous tree marked with virtue, goodness, and blessings, and whose rose was plucked by the fingers of love and placed upon the cheeks. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most pleasant tree whose branches were perfumed with aloeswood, musk, and ambergris, and whose flowers surpassed the unique rubies and jewels. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most fragrant tree whose scent was inhaled by noses, and from whose fingertips armies and thousands were watered. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most blessed tree whose soil was kissed by lips, and whose mention of virtues delighted tongues and mouths. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most fortified tree under whose shade the needy took refuge, and whoever clung to it was safe from all afflictions in life and after death. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most beloved tree praised by lovers, and in whose gardens of virtues hearts and eyes strolled. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most enriching tree whose name was sung by the beautiful houris, and on whose branches birds of paradise and brides of gardens danced. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the most blooming tree whose fragrances cover the gatherings of remembrance, and in whose beauty's light thoughts and ideas disappear. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the sweetest tree whose mention is uttered by the tongues of the free, and by whose transmitted hadith the great and the righteous are honored. So bless, O Allah, its possessor of high rank and status, and his noble and pure family, and his chosen and righteous companions, a blessing by which You suffice us against the evil of the wicked and the plot of the transgressors, and grant us thereby a lofty station in the highest paradises and the abode of permanence, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. What a tree it is, that grew in the land of righteousness and religion, was nurtured in the cradle of asceticism, piety, sincerity, and certainty, ripened in the gardens of those firmly rooted and established, bore fruit in the innermost hearts of the people of witnessing and designation, and for whose service the great saints and righteous vied, and the leaders of the pious and the learned scholars competed to obtain its secret, and were delighted by its sight.

The eyes of the pure ones and the perfect ones of the (A‘rāf), and the pegs (awtād) of the mosques and the individuals who bow and prostrate rejoiced at its sight, and the hearts of the yearning lovers and the beloved passionate ones yearned for it, and the spirits of those immersed in the beauty of the Essence (al-Dhāt), the annihilated ones (al-fānīn), were revived by its spirit, and the nightingales of the infatuated, the bewildered ones, and the attracted wayfarers (al-majdhūbīn al-sālikīn) cried out to it. And by it, the states of the overcome ones and the masters of ecstatic utterances (ashātahāt), the existent ones (al-mutawājidīn), became tranquil. How noble is that tree whose love is rooted in the unseen of consciences, whose rank is exalted in the heaven of high stations, whose lineage is honored by the secrets of prophethood and messengership, whose fragrance wafts in the treasuries of Mercy (al-Raḥamūt) and Omnipotence (al-Jabarūt), whose mercy encompasses the realms of Dominion (al-Mulk) and Sovereignty (al-Malakūt), and whose grace includes all the higher and lower worlds; a tree whose seed was planted in the black core (suwaydā’) of the hearts of the people of love, whose sight dazzled the pupils of the persons of the hermitages of light, whose blossom was sweet in the garlands of gardens and orchards, and whose presence was sweet for the masters of gnoses and realities. Written upon its trunk and the crowns of its leaves: "I am the one guarded by the Eye of Majesty (al-Jalāl), I am the one clothed with the Light of Beauty (al-Jamāl), I am the one described with goodness, splendor, and perfection, I am the one carried upon the throne of virtues, merits, and traits, I am the one regarded upon the carpet of might with proximity and union. So no one attains my station among the chiefs of the brought-near ones (al-muqarrabīn) and the great ones among men, nor reaches my rank and my praised station (al-maqām al-maḥmūd) with the Possessor of Might and Majesty. Allah gave me and honored me above all the angels, prophets, and messengers, and placed in my hand the keys of the Gardens, and singled me out for the Great Intercession (al-Shafā‘ah al-Kubrā) on the tremendous standing-place (al-Mawqif al-‘Aẓīm) on the Day when He says: 'These are for Paradise, and I do not care,' and 'These are for the Fire, and I do not care.'" O gazelle (rashā) that bewilders minds when it / breaks the eyelid, you increase the terrors. Sweet is your union, nay, your turning away is more delightful / than the honey of bees, when I desire it more. For me is the passionate lover, nay, in you is a meaning, / and my infatuation informs you, not my words. And the blood of the two cheeks in you is a witness, / if I commit a sin, a testimony strengthens me. The bond of your abandonment has worn me out, my argument / is for union, and do not say "more precious to me." Good is patience away from other than you, for I / do not see patience as beneficial, more precious to me. O my people, at separation and at a gazelle / that shot me, and they tore my rags. They shot me with the arrow of turning away and a glance, / alas for my soul, and who sees my rags? How can I find consolation, true brothers, / or to whom has my wealth gone, having been set straight? Or the protectors of the sanctuary, the wounded one by it, a wound, / or my sincerity to the Chosen One (al-Muṣṭafā) is more protective for me. The Chosen One (Muṣṭafā), whose light is the radiance of the sun from him, He called us to that by which we were honored. The path of success, we have trodden it, and no one who is the most excellent of all creation, He has transcended in glory over all moral traits, So he chose him and clothed him with the ornaments of revelation, And showed him wonders, what He showed him, Between a dazzling display of miracles and one incapable. The revelation was incapacitated by one who seeks to imitate it, And he continued through the ages as a warner. O best of mankind, for a calamity that has distressed us, The family of the Prophet, a relief, alas, They revived me and dispelled a thirsty one, and we, How can he languish who seeks refuge in your sanctuary? And your protection is that on a day of humiliation And upon you all, and the mercy of Allah, And the peace of the Divine, as long as a yearning one sighs And this is the description of the high, comprehensive tree. Upon your love lives and dies the infatuated one. And I have cast off my restraint in your passion, with longing, They are Arabs who guard the covenant of their guest, Their dwellings are, by generosity, inhabited in their heights, By their hands are the comforts of every hopeful one, When the askers seek the rain of their bounty, So every dew bestowed is from the flood of their grace, By their fragrance, the dwellings of Taybah (Medina) became fragrant, And why not, when from them is the Seal of the Messengers, Ahmad, And by him, for the crescent moon, the attainment of high stations for me, And we rose by him, the majesty of veneration rose. Ahmad, for us, the honey of the path and of burden, His follower ascended the ascents of perfection, By mounting the heights of highness for lofty stations, And He gave him the banner of the Message, Before him, chosen from among the messengers, He granted him, supported with majesty, And the eloquence of words vanished, The nights did not reveal him nor disfigure him, And He purified us with His eye and flowing hair, Of a successor, burning with a wounded heart, You do not draw near, and the matter is subject to emotion, And he clings to you by a domain, And destruction, from what you have encompassed with celebration, When you ascended, the prayer of the Possessor of Bounty, And peace of the Divine, as long as a yearning one sighed and was infatuated with the majesty of Taybah, For the dispersion of beauties and kinds of traits. And whoever dies of passion for you, he is safe, And I said, "Glad tidings to me for a people who are they, they," And they protect the poor seeker of refuge and have mercy, And their faces, by cheerfulness, interpret them, And the mouth of generosity smiles if they smile, It accumulated from them like a flood, so it submitted, And every guidance narrated is from them and about them, And before it, the corner of the (Ḥaṭīm) and Zamzam, The most eminent of creation in rank and status and greatest. To him belongs the highest honor, to him the banner is tied, * to him the most exalted station, to him the messengers serve. Sufficient honor is the walking of the prophets while he, * in his majesty, is high of rank, magnified. O Messenger of Allah, O honor of mankind, * and the most generous of them in hand, the most living and most merciful. To your hoped-for door are tightened the mounts, * hospitality endures when they head for your bounty. And here are delegations, their mounts have been made to kneel * at your door, and the hoped-for is that they are not denied. Upon you be the peace of Allah, O chosen one of mankind, * and whose rank with the Divine is magnified. You established hospitality, O best of those who trod the earth, * so what do you see regarding those who have pitched tents at your door? In Dhul-Hijjah, I sought rain from you of bounty, * the spring of the drink of the askers is forbidden. So bestow and reward my praise with the prize of contentment, * for you are the most generous of the worlds and the most noble. To you, O Messenger of Allah, I have directed my face, * and urged my camel, praising, I sing. So be for a broken-boned one like me a mender, * for the broken-boned one has no ointment but you. And be for my poverty an intercessor, O my treasure, * and O treasure of my hopes, for I am a submitter (Muslim). And its reciter and the listeners, for they * are captives of destructive sins, so decide for them. Upon you be the peace of Allah, O best of messengers, * and upon your family and the Companions who preceded. And His peace, as long as a bird coos in a tree * at dawn, and as long as lightning and stars appear. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the eye of the tree of generosity, by which existence was opened, and by which the intended goal was attained. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the eye of the tree of sciences, by which the traces were revived, and by which understandings were opened. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the eye of the tree of joy, by which breasts were expanded, and by which ages rejoiced. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the eye of the tree of delights, by which sorrows vanished, and by which forms danced. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the eye of the tree of felicities, by which the arrival was sweet, and by which the covenants were fulfilled.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of beauty ⁵¹, through which states ⁵² are stirred and men are honored. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of perfection, through which deeds are purified and the substitutes ⁵³ draw their support. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of lights, from which secrets overflow and the righteous are perfected. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of mercy, which was sent from Allah and overflowed with Allah's blessings, encompassing all of Allah's servants. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of opening ⁵⁴; whoever drinks from it becomes an eye among the eyes of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of generosity; whoever drinks from it attains Allah's good pleasure. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of bounty; whoever drinks from it has his conduct improved by Allah's permission. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of love; whoever drinks from it his fame spreads throughout Allah's dominion. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of the secret ⁵⁵; whoever drinks from it the veils are torn for him by Allah's care. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of yearning; whoever drinks from it reaches Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of asceticism; whoever drinks from it becomes one of the wealthy through Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of devotion; whoever drinks from it his limbs become active in worship of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of spiritual wayfaring ⁵⁶; whoever drinks from it becomes a treasure among the treasures of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of divine success; whoever drinks from it enters the circle of the people of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of realization ⁵⁷; whoever drinks from it his rank becomes great with Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of repentance; whoever drinks from it his innermost being is purified by Allah's permission. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of proximity; whoever drinks from it becomes one of the intimate with Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of ecstasy ⁵⁸; whoever drinks from it his longing for Allah increases. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of love; whoever drinks from it his soul is delighted by the remembrance of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of intention; whoever drinks from it reaches Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of truthfulness; whoever drinks from it attains what he wished for with Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of sainthood ⁵⁹; whoever drinks from it the worlds are subjugated to him by Allah's care. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of guidance; whoever drinks from it turns with his whole being towards Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of trust; whoever drinks from it cuts himself off unto Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of contentment; whoever drinks from it leaves everything that distracts him from Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of the beginning; whoever drinks from it the journey to Allah becomes easy for him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of the end; whoever drinks from it acts in the cosmos by the light of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of gnosis ⁶⁰; whoever drinks from it draws near to Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of annihilation ⁶¹; whoever drinks from it his spirit disappears in the Essence of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of blessing; whoever drinks from it stops at the limits of Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of piety; whoever drinks from it complies with Allah's commands. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of chastity; whoever drinks from it refrains from disobeying Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the eye of the tree of righteousness; whoever drinks from it guides the servants to Allah.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of success ⁶²—whoever drinks from it, his trade will profit by Allah's permission. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of purity—whoever drinks from it, his hidden evils ⁶³ will be purified by Allah's permission. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of loyalty—whoever drinks from it, the worlds will desire him by Allah's permission. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of good manners—whoever drinks from it, the creatures will love him by Allah's permission. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of rectitude—whoever drinks from it, his character will be improved by Allah's permission. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of piety—whoever drinks from it, his aspiration will be elevated before Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of faith—whoever drinks from it, his love in Allah will be strengthened. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of contentment and divine pleasure—whoever drinks from it, he will be blessed with a happiness after which there is no misery, and he will be safe from what he fears, by the grace of Allah. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, possessors of generosity and high standing, and his noble companions who uphold the command of Allah, a blessing by which we may be among those who seek refuge in his sanctuary and are gathered on the Day of Resurrection under the shade of his banner, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Generous of the generous, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, I ask You ⁶⁴—O my Master—by the sanctity of this overflowing spring from which the near ones ⁶⁵ drank, and in which the saints and the righteous bowed, and from which those who come and go were quenched, and by which those who seek and hope benefited, and to which the despairing and the frightened turned, and to which the disobedient and the obedient clung—and he is our master and lord Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who is the spring of every secret and its substance, the ocean of every knowledge and its table, the intercessor of every petitioner and his means, the intermediary of every seeker of union and his virtue, the profit of every lover and his gain, the talisman of every passionate one and his amulet—that You bless him and his family and his companions, people of generosity and abundant favor, of high standing and accepted rank, and that You manifest Yourself to his heart with contentment and acceptance, and bestow upon me nearness to You and arrival, and quench my heart with the nectar of this noble spring, which is the ultimate goal and request, and teach me from the secret of its divine knowledge ⁶⁶, for I am an ignorant servant, and I have no knowledge except what You have taught me, O Benign, O Reachable, and be gentle with me at my entry into my grave and descent, and take care of me with Your hidden kindness that never perishes nor passes away, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. My God, quench my thirsty heart from the abundance of this designated spring, and guide my desolate heart to obey You through the secret of its wisdom, and grant me safety through its virtue from every fright and terrifying horror, for You are the One who caused springs to gush forth from it, and made eyes ⁶⁷ pure through it, so let my eye drink from its secret, and delight my eye with its light, and comfort me with its remembrance, and remove my weariness through love of it, so that no eye may be pleased except with You and with it, and no heart may yearn except for You and for it, and no reliance may be except on You and on it, because it is the essence of Your mercy, and the locus of Your gaze, by which the eyes of lovers are not delighted except by seeing it, and the souls of longing ones are not stilled except by its countenance. And make me, O Allah, melting in body in love of You and love of him, absent in spirit in Your presence and his presence, delighted of eye by witnessing You and seeing him, tranquil of heart by knowledge of You and knowledge of him, boasting among the praisers with praise of You and praise of him, holding fast to his firmest handhold and his religion, joyful on the Day of Resurrection by his companionship and company, biting with molars ⁶⁸ on his upright religion and his Sunnah, devoted to his noble love and service, clinging to his great rank from the calamities of time and its violence. So complete that for us, O Allah, with safety and well-being, and seal for us with the best outcome, and make us among the saved group ⁶⁹, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, its dye ⁷⁰ will affect the vessels of the lovers. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, its wisdom will treat those with inner diseases. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his presence will be pleasant for the rememberers. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his gaze will pierce the bodies of the longing ones. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his intoxication ⁷¹ will flow in the innermost hearts. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his rank will be elevated before Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his aspiration will yearn for high stations. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his fragrance will spread in the gardens of existence. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his lineage will be sound. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his service will be continuous. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his emigration ⁷² will be sincere. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood—whoever drinks from it, his origin will be noble.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood ⁷³; whoever drinks from it, his seed becomes righteous. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his love becomes firmly rooted. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his love becomes clear. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his joy shines. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his soil becomes noble. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his victory appears. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his fortune becomes great. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his blessing continues. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his garden is adorned. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his garden is protected. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his lust is suppressed. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his hardship is relieved. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his terror is calmed. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his loneliness finds intimacy with Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his solitude is filled with remembrance. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his preparation becomes good. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his garden rejoices with the light of faith. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his tongue is adorned with the secret of truthfulness. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his covenant fulfills its pledges. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his countenance is surrounded by felicities. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the spring of the tree of prophethood; whoever drinks from it, his companionship benefits in this world and the Hereafter. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which we become among those whom his garden encompasses and his mercy covers, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose planting was watered with the water of life, and whose kind is honored above all other kinds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose fame spread in the enclosures of sovereignty and dominion, and whose house is exalted above all houses. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose stars shone in the sky of high stations, and whose processions advanced in the field of glory. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose sides are surrounded by noble qualities, and whose drinking places are pleasant for those who remember. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose paths are protected from defects, and whose ranks are elevated with Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose virtues are too great to count, and whose outcomes are praised in the beginning and the end. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose gifts overflow upon souls, and whose positions are established on the heights of honor. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose assemblies are studded with the jewels of revelation, and whose garments are perfumed with the fragrant breezes of secrets. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose motives stir the hearts of lovers, and whose exhalations enchant the minds of the enraptured.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood ⁷⁴, whose image was engraved in the Gospels of the lovers ⁷⁵ and whose chapter was recited upon the souls of the ardent devotees ⁷⁶. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose flower blossomed in the meadows of existence and whose pearl was veiled in the canopy of the cloud ⁷⁷. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose suns shone upon the worlds and whose cups circulated among the circles of the remembrancers ⁷⁸. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose brides were displayed on the thrones of lordship and whose precious gems were strung in the necklace of nobility. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, who lit their lamps with the oil of love and whose fragrant breezes continued upon the worlds of spirits. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose praises became sweet in the ears and whose fragrances perfumed the assemblies of the praisers. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose gifts encompassed all servants and whose counsels were inscribed on the pages of hearts. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose plains flourished with the blossoms of good deeds and whose signs shone with the rising lights of blessings. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, whose keys opened the doors of generosity and whose openings gave glad tidings of attaining the desired goal. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing that enriches the blessers with its profits and makes pleasant for the tasters its pastures and meadows, and grant abundant peace forever. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Adam ⁷⁹ sought intercession with Allah, so He relented toward him at once and guided him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Abraham ⁸⁰ sought intercession with Allah, so He protected him from the fire of Nimrod and preserved him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Zachariah ⁸¹ sought intercession with Allah, so He granted him a righteous son with whom his eyes were comforted. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Jacob ⁸² sought intercession with Allah, so He reunited him with his son and healed him from his blindness. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Job ⁸³ sought intercession with Allah, so He restored to him what was lost and cured him from his affliction. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Noah ⁸⁴ sought intercession with Allah, so He saved him from drowning in the ark which his hands had built. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Jonah ⁸⁵ sought intercession with Allah, so He brought him out from the belly of the whale and delivered him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Joseph ⁸⁶ sought intercession with Allah, so He freed him from prison and protected him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Moses ⁸⁷ sought intercession with Allah, so He gave him victory over his enemy and strengthened him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Ishmael ⁸⁸ sought intercession with Allah, so He ransomed him from sacrifice and redeemed him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Idris ⁸⁹ sought intercession with Allah, so He raised him to a lofty station and chose him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Solomon ⁹⁰ sought intercession with Allah, so He granted him a kingdom beyond what he wished and gave him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom David ⁹¹ sought intercession with Allah, so He made iron pliable for him and subjected to him people of honor and status. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Shu'ayb ⁹² sought intercession with Allah, so He honored him with the secrets of the message and awakened him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom John ⁹³ sought intercession with Allah, so He sheltered him and honored his abode. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Lot ⁹⁴ sought intercession with Allah, so He praised him in His Book and was pleased with him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Salih ⁹⁵ sought intercession with Allah, so He manifested his proof against those who opposed him and answered his prayer. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Hud ⁹⁶ sought intercession with Allah, so He granted him victory over those who disobeyed His command and rebelled against Him.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Dhul-Kifl ⁹⁷ sought intercession to Allah, so He distinguished him with His guardianship, closeness, and protection. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Elias ⁹⁸ sought intercession to Allah, so He guarded him with the eye of His care and took him as His own. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom al-Khidr ⁹⁹ sought intercession to Allah, so He concealed him in the seas of His love and annihilated him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom Jesus ¹⁰⁰ sought intercession to Allah, so He raised him to Himself and protected him from the evil that concerned him and pardoned him. So bless him, O Allah, and them with a blessing that makes us, through it, under his rank and high station, and gathers us, through it, in his ample shade and praise, by Your favor and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom the noble messengers sought intercession, so they reached the ultimate goal and attained the desired. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom the great angels sought intercession, so they obtained the highest degree of honor and the loftiest station. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom the angels of revelation and inspiration sought intercession, so they achieved the secret of speciality and succeeded in the pleasure of their Master, the All-Knowing King. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom the great saints and eminent leaders sought intercession, so You revived through them the rites of the Sharia and manifested through them the symbols of Islam. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, and on the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom You sought intercession for the servants of the Corner and the Station ¹⁰¹, so You secured them from fears and bestowed upon them abundant favors. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, and on the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, through whom You sought intercession for the people of Tayba ¹⁰² and the Sanctuary ¹⁰³, so You distinguished them with Your mercy and forgave them their crimes and sins. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the people of righteousness and reverence, and his Companions, the stars of guidance and lamps of darkness, with a blessing that carries us, through it, on the shoulder of virtue and honor, and makes us, through it, among those who are passionately devoted to Your remembrance and his remembrance throughout the nights and days, by Your favor and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. ❖ O intimate of God in the Holy Presence, ❖ Generous, for him there is a standing. ❖ You are the light of eyes, you are the hopes, ❖ You are the spirit of hearts, you are the noble. ❖ You, O master of prophets, are a sea, ❖ All swam in your generosity and immersed. ❖ You are for all the first in high stations, ❖ And likewise you are for all the seal. ❖ They appeared like full moons in light and beauty ❖ In the sky of highness, and you are the perfection. ❖ And they appeared to us like a precious necklace, ❖ Beautiful in form, and you are the string. ❖ O prophet of guidance, your high qualities are recited, ❖ The intellects are incapable of attaining them. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, and on the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, with exquisite blossoms, the sun of the sphere of messengerhood with shining full moons, the pearl of beauties surpassing in splendor and light, the white blaze of the ages with blessed days and months, who planted his pure tree in the places of obedience and righteousness, and watered it with the sweet, delicious water of the unseen, so its branches bore fruit and increased in light upon light, and its clusters ripened and hung over the beds of musk and camphor, and prepared for the lovers and covered them with handkerchiefs of joy and happiness. Whoever eats from it becomes among the people of fame and manifestation, and his aspiration is raised above the bloom of this world, whose shade is fleeting and whose enjoyment is delusion. And He looks at him with the eye of pleasure and contentment and the joy of his face on the Day of Resurrection and Gathering, and saves him, through its blessing, from the terror of that standing and the loneliness of the graves. What a Kaaba ¹⁰⁴ this is, around which the angels of the Merciful circumambulate and circle! What a tree this is, at whose station the great ones brought near stand and visit! What a lordship this is, whose dust has been kissed by the servants of the veils and curtains! What a favor this is, which Allah has bestowed upon the eminent notables and leading imams! So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by whose protection we are shielded from the assault of every vainglorious boaster, and by whose blessing we fortify ourselves against the attack of the people of oppression and immorality, and make it for us a provision that we find with You as accepted deeds and stored reward. And grant him abundant and precious peace, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, and on the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, on whose branches the nightingales of the people of longing and love have danced, and by the breeze of its wine the souls of the people of taste and drinking have been perfumed, and by its fragrant scents the gatherings of the people of happiness and closeness have been scented, and the masters of spiritual states and attraction have boasted of plucking its flowers, and the chiefs of those brought near have sought help from its care in every hardship and distress, and by it the people of merits and miracles have been preserved from every deficiency and loss, and by it the possessors of tranquil hearts have been secured from every terror and fear, and through it the people of disposal ¹⁰⁵ have sought intercession in repelling every terrible matter and calamity, and through it the people of sins and great wrongdoers have sought intercession for the forgiveness of every mistake and sin. What a tree this is, with lush branches, with the light of truth and faith, with bright clusters from the gleams of light and proof, with a flourishing garden from the fragrant scents of generosity and kindness, with varied colors from the flowers of secrets and gnosis! Its pearl was extracted from the treasuries of the hidden secret, its seed was planted in the meadows of the unseen of the unseen ¹⁰⁶ protected, and it was watered with the water of divine knowledge ¹⁰⁷ stored, so it bore fruit with gifts and secrets, and blossomed with knowledges and lights by the power of Him who says to a thing "Be," and it is. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the chosen ones from the best of tribes and the noblest of lineages, and his Companions, the springs of wisdom and all arts, with a blessing that improves our thoughts through it, and gives us through it from the kinds of good things beyond what the sayers say and think, by Your favor and generosity, O Most Generous of the generous, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, pure in its elements, noble in its lineages ¹⁰⁸ and bonds, great in its degrees and glories, abundant in its virtues and merits, splendid in its manifestations and appearances, radiant in its inward and outward aspects, majestic in its family and clans, without peer or likeness, celestial in hearts and secrets, holy in stations and sanctuaries, illumined in intellects and insights. No tree is greater than his tree before Allah, and no means is nearer than him to Allah. Thus, love for him is the noblest of acts of drawing near, and seeking honor through him is the highest of ranks and the most successful of desires. For he is the very essence of perfection, the secret of nature, the heat of longing, the sweetness of tasting, the beauty of cycles, the delight of eyes, the result of remembrance, the field of thoughts, the choicest of the pure, and the exemplar of the righteous. To him culminates the virtue of human speech, through him is perfected the reality of spiritual creation, and from him derive the radiant forms of luminous individuals. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, possessors of lordly states and manifest unveilings, and his Companions, people of divine knowledge ¹⁰⁹ and gnostic gifts, with a blessing through which the fragrant breezes of his eternal effusions ¹¹⁰ may be diffused, and through which the treasuries of his merciful secrets may be opened to us, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. A prophet possessing generosity and established glory, dignity, firm authority, and sovereignty. Through love for him, birds take flight in the air, and the angels of heaven descend and ascend. The basil of hearts trembles at his mention; when he is remembered, hearts and livers find rest. He had precedence and elevation in the Throne, and on earth he had a sending and a birth. Congratulations to that full moon for the honor of his rank; he was given of authority what never ends. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood whose clusters have hung down with subtle meanings and allusions, whose blossoms have opened with the freshness of sciences and delicate expressions, whose fruits have blossomed with fragrant miracles and wonders, whose fragrances have spread throughout the regions of earth and heavens, whose glad tidings have shone with ascent in the stages of success and perfections, whose station is served by the inhabitants of the highest plane ¹¹¹ and the people of veils and canopies, whose benefits are granted to the solitary ones ¹¹² who speak of the unseen and to the poles ¹¹³ marked with the most beautiful attributes, whose tables are spread for the people of litanies and remembrances and the solitary ones secluded in retreats and gatherings, whose treasuries are opened for the people of accepted means and answered prayers, whose ranks are elevated by the donning of robes of nearness and raising of degrees, whose excellence is magnified by hearing the special address and the purest greetings, and who is honored above all other prophets and messengers by being granted the major intercession for all sinners and by being singled out for the highest stations. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that brightens our faces with the lights of faith and obedience, and makes love for him in both abodes among the noblest of means of approach and the most precious of commodities, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, You have in every year mercies, in every day glances, in every moment effusions, in the hearts of lovers attractions, in the consciences of yearners ecstasies, in the thoughts of lovers inspirations, in the spirits of the bewildered witnesses and presences, in the hearts of the yearners tears and sobs, and eyes and sighs. So I ask You, O my Master, by the sanctity of this noble prophet, great in rank and lofty, whose towering tree You made the greatest of trees, and whose supreme love You made a key to the doors of good things, that You look upon me with the eye of Your love among those whom You love, revive my heart with the lights of Your knowledge among those whom You give life, bestow upon me the tenderness of Your mercies among those whom You have mercy, guide me with the precedents of Your felicity among those whom You guide, draw me to the carpet of Your presence among those whom You have chosen and elected, fulfill my hopes in what I have hoped from Your bounty and intended, and enrich me, O Allah, in love for him and love for those who are the foundation and basis of every good, and grant me Your pleasure and his pleasure, which are the ultimate goal of every request and its end, the greatest of every object and its highest, the most perfect of every aim and its loftiest, the sweetest of every source and its most desirable, the purest of every deed and its most wholesome, and the seal of every desire and its most pleasing. And make, O Allah, my supply from the source of his noble Muhammadan supply, and my drink from the cups of his lofty Ahmadine ¹¹⁴ wine, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. * O my master, O Messenger of Allah, O my hope, * O my companion, O my refuge on the day I meet You, * Hear my prayer and remove what * Besets me of calamities and a sorrowful soul. * For You are the nearest of those whose tenderness is hoped for * To me, even if my home and homeland are far. Your abundant favor envelops and unfolds me With kindnesses, and the eye of grace watches over me. The prestige of Your face protects and defends me From the aggression of any envious person or malicious slanderer. Let not Your eyes turn away from me with care for My self, my secret, and those whom You have taken charge of for Allah's sake. And after, may Allah bless You as long as the Breeze of the east wind embraces the fresh branches of the tamarisk and the willow, And encompass Your Companions and noble family with the radiance of A greeting from You that guides to every pleasure. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, to which the spirits pledged allegiance before creation and formation, and with which the bodies rejoiced while Adam was between water and clay. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the presence of witnessing and determination, and with which the bodies were charged when there was neither water nor clay. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the pavilions of intimacy and the clear victory, and to which the bodies submitted when they perceived what shone upon them of the light of might and empowerment. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the sanctuary of sacred inviolability, and through which the bodies revived when they witnessed what their Lord praised them for in the clear verses of His Book. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the stations of sincerity and certainty, and with which the bodies danced when they saw what their Lord addressed them with in His words: "O Ta Ha ¹¹⁵ and Ya Sin ¹¹⁶." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood, to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the manifestations of theophanies and the donning of robes of election and variegation, and to which the bodies became tender when they realized what was granted to them of the varieties of good things and the secrets of sainthood and religion.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood ¹¹⁷ to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the assemblies of remembrance and spiritual instruction ¹¹⁸, and with which the physical forms ¹¹⁹ rejoiced when they saw what overflowed upon them from the gifts of knowledge and the streams of the manifest secret ¹²⁰. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the longed-for vision ¹²¹ and the station of two bows' length ¹²², and the physical forms extolled when they heard that he saw his Lord with the sight of the eye ¹²³. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the station of infallibility ¹²⁴ and holding fast to the firm rope of God ¹²⁵, and the physical forms were reassured when they witnessed what their Lord honored him with over all the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the enclosures of holiness ¹²⁶ and the highest 'Illiyin ¹²⁷, and the physical forms magnified him when they saw the visit of the near-stationed angels ¹²⁸ to his luminous carpet and the descent of the Trustworthy Spirit ¹²⁹. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the encompassing cycles ¹³⁰ and the sources of radiance and light, and the physical forms affirmed his message and that he is the Seal of the Prophets ¹³¹ and the Master of the Chosen Ones ¹³². O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance beneath the leg of the Throne ¹³³ and the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary ¹³⁴, and the physical forms sought intercession through him when they knew that he is the bearer of the Banner of Praise ¹³⁵ and the orator of the throne of the longed-for kingdom. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance before the creation of the Tablet and the Pen ¹³⁶, and the physical forms and creation knew his rank in the darkness of blindness and non-existence. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance between the Corner ¹³⁷ and the Station ¹³⁸, and al-Hatim ¹³⁹ and Zamzam ¹⁴⁰, and the physical forms longed for his vision when there was no existence, no non-existence, no Safa ¹⁴¹, no Marwa ¹⁴², no place of prayer, and no landmark. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the pillar of luminous unveiling ¹⁴³ and the treasure of the hidden secret, and the physical forms prostrated to the perfection of his mastery and said: "By God, this is the master of Arabs and non-Arabs and the garment of the marked Truth ¹⁴⁴." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance before the design of the spiritual world and the human species, and the physical forms sought refuge in him when they witnessed what God honored him with of high status and the like of the sovereign kingdom. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of prophethood to which the spirits pledged allegiance in the stations of joy and congratulations, and the physical forms responded to his call when they saw his bride on the carpet of proximity and nearness. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing befitting his luminous essence and souls, and his most holy, unique secret, and grant abundant peace forever, and praise be to God, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of divine opening ¹⁴⁵ whose light shines upon the faces of the people of goodness and righteousness, and the substance of the supply of the merciful secret whose effusion flows in the innermost beings of spirits and physical forms, and the moon of the sphere of prophethood whose light radiates in the manifestations of the people of guidance and success, and the crown of the message whose authority flows in the robes of glory and generosity, and the bride of the presences, the orator whose imamate is upon the pulpits of guidance and success, and the herald of happiness whose bird sings in the gardens of joy and gladness, and the pole of mastery, blessed by his name in the openings of surahs and the lines of tablets, and the blessed birth whose countenance delighted the forehead of the ages and the mark of bright faces, and the mountain of generosity whose worth the masters of eloquence and those with eloquent tongues extolled, and the place of benefit who opens by the secret of his care the treasuries of the unseen and the treasures of wealth and profits, and the musk of pockets whose fragrance spreads in the enclosures of the kingdom of God ¹⁴⁶ and the worlds of spirits. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the noble leaders, and his companions, the knights of battle and lions of struggle, with a blessing whose Muhammadan fragrance perfumes the meadows of the universe and the flowers of the hills, and whose Ahmadine ¹⁴⁷ breeze of its fragrance wafts upon us in the evening and morning, and by which we become among those who are intoxicated with the cup of his love, so they become pure, cry out, ecstatically express, and disclose without blame, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful. ❖ More gentle than the morning breeze ❖ And the melody of the beautiful maidens ❖ And a graceful girl swayed by coquetry ❖ Swaying in the manner of the sash ❖ The words of my beloved, who cared for me: ❖ Beware, beware of the reproachers ❖ And preserve my covenant, attend my station ❖ And describe my wine, cup after cup ❖ And hear my standing among the beauties ❖ Reciting with eloquent tongues ❖ So I said: At your service, my beloved ❖ If you are pleased with me, my success is complete ❖ By God, I was blamed for love of you ❖ I did not fear death from any wing ❖ Sweet is my morning journey to you ❖ And sweet, O my desire, is my evening return O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of beauty; whoever clings to it, his virtues are saved from every defect and blemish. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of beauty; whoever clings to it spends the black of his eye in love of him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of beauty; whoever clings to it reaches a degree of passion greater than that reached by the women who cut their hands without deceit ¹⁴⁸. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of beauty; whoever attaches to it becomes lost in the beauty of what he witnessed of the perfection of splendor and adornment. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of beauty; whoever attaches to it attains what the soul is reassured by and the eye is delighted with.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of beauty ¹⁴⁹; whoever eats from it drowns in the sea of his noble love until there is no between and no where ¹⁵⁰. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing that removes from us the loneliness of poverty and separation, and fulfills for us through its blessing every debt and obligation, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the garden of the tree of beauty, fragrant of flower, and the embroidery of the robe of sublime glory and pride, and the full moon of manifest beauties, and the beautiful of forehead, radiant of countenance, and the ambassador of the unseen, truthful of report, and the element of noble qualities, sound of tradition, and the adornment of seasons, lofty of pearls, and the lamp of worlds, radiant of appearance, and the crescent of seasons whose light belittles the light of the sun and the moon, and the bride of joys, clad in the robes of nobility, modesty, and bashfulness, and the sultan of beauty, whose love is fixed in the core of hearts and thoughts, and the white blaze of dawn, preferred over angels, jinn, and humans, and the path of righteousness, whose secret travels in spirits and worlds of forms, and the caller to success, whose Muhammadan conduct is followed by the people of the desert and the city, and the way of prosperity, whose exalted rank Allah has proclaimed in the heavenly books and whom the verses and chapters have praised, and the garden of branches, surrounded by the rose of intimacy, the jasmine of closeness, and the foliage of flowers, in it there is for it from a tree radiant of light, removing distress, illuminating the intellect and the sight, surrounded by support, might, and victory, giving glad tidings of the fulfillment of needs and attainment of desires; whoever clings to it becomes noticed by the eye of care in coming and going, protected by the secret of guardianship in residence and travel, guarded by the amulets of protection from the accidents of time and the vicissitudes of fate, prevailing in the beauty of inner and outer excellence which is not found among angels, jinn, and the rest of humans, alluded to in his saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: "Allah did not send a prophet but with a beautiful face and a beautiful voice," and your prophet was the most beautiful of them in voice and the most beautiful of them in face, may Allah bless him and his family and companions. He surpassed the prophets in form and character, and they did not approach him in knowledge or generosity. And all of them seek from the Messenger of Allah a handful from the sea or a sip from the continuous rain. And they stand before him at their limit, from a point of knowledge or a form of wisdom. For he is the one whose meaning and form are complete, then the Creator of souls chose him as a beloved. He is free from any partner in his beauties, for the jewel of beauty in him is indivisible. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the element of the tree of love whose affection is fixed in natures. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of love whose secret is stored in the unseen of Ipseity ¹⁵¹. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of love whose station is guarded from hypocrisy and show. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of love whose root is firm and whose branch is planted in the heaven of high stations. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of love; whoever plucks the light of its affection will attain happiness and succeed. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of love; whoever eats from it surpasses every one alluded to by "they love Him and He loves them" ¹⁵² and is symbolized. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which we gain from Your pleasure and his pleasure the most precious treasures and hoards, and by which we become among those who pass over the Bridge ¹⁵³ like a flashing lightning and cross, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the element of the tree of love which is the emblem of the beloved lovers, the mantle of the wayfaring attracted ones ¹⁵⁴, the tongue of the states of the truthful overcome ones, the title of the book of the arriving proximate ones, the spirit of the life of those who annihilate in the beauty of the Essence, the distraught ones, the means of the yearning enraptured ones who desire what is with Him, the attraction of those immersed in the descriptions of His perfections, the absent ones, and the ecstatic rapture of those snatched by the flashes of the lightning of His beauty, the ones in ecstasy. In it there is for it from a divine tree whose oil gives light by the light of Allah, whose supply flows from the gifts of the secret of Allah, whose fragrant breeze draws souls to the Presence of Allah; the drink of its taste bequeaths annihilation and absence in Allah. Whoever clings to it is much sighing, ever wakeful, hidden in grief, flying without wings, desiring to leave this world to meet his Beloved, disavowing any company that comes between him and his meeting, finding rest in the speech of his Beloved, conforming to the beloved acts of his Beloved, fearing to abandon reverence in performing service, deeming much from himself as little in the right of his love, and deeming little from his Beloved as much, adhering to obedience to his Beloved, avoiding opposition to him, completely outside himself, not seeking blood-money for his killing, bewildered of heart, preferring the company of his Beloved over every beloved, truthful in affirmation, having sold himself for what pleases his Beloved, interpenetrated of attributes, having no self with him, taking pleasure in bewilderment, having passed beyond limits after preserving them, jealous for his Beloved, his wound is incurable, his love does not accept increase by the Beloved's kindness nor decrease by His harshness, oblivious of his own share in the share of his Beloved, not demanding courtesy, stripped of attributes as if he flowed and is not flowing, not distinguishing between union and separation, nor between guidance and restraint, a distracted madman in familiarity, having a confusion beyond measure, saying of himself that he is the very eye of his Beloved, obliterated, exhausted, not saying to his Beloved "Why did you do this or say that?", torn of veil, his secret and public are equal, whether joyful or sorrowful, described by opposites, his station is silence, his state is interpreted, drunk never sober, watchful of his Beloved, fulfilling His good pleasures, preferring in the Beloved mercy towards him and compassion for what He gives him as witness of his state, his spirit is a gift and his body a mount, he knows nothing except what is in the soul of his Beloved, content with Him, speaks only with His speech, and strives only for His pleasure. * Love contains sweetness and bitterness, and love contains hardships and bliss. * The least of love is severe and exposing, and the smallest of love is great. * Love is a disease that dwells in the innermost parts, between the ribs and the heart, permanent. * The lover is sleepless, his heart flies from him and stays.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of intellect ¹⁵⁵; whoever clings to it attains the rank of knowledge and action. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of intellect; whoever clings to it ascends to the presence of secrets and gifts and arrives. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the trunk of the tree of intellect; whoever clings to it reaches from the pleasure of his Lord the ultimate goal and hope. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of intellect; whoever attaches himself to it, his full moon rises in the horizon of happiness and becomes complete. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of intellect; whoever inhales its fragrances encompasses all kinds of virtues and includes them. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of intellect; whoever eats from it becomes upright with Allah in all his affairs and balanced. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which You repel from us the obstacles of incapacity and laziness, and by which we become among those who are included in the ranks of his love and enter, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of intellect, inspired by the light of Allah to the greatest of nearness and means, protected by Allah's support from all ugly deeds and vices, guided by Allah's guidance to the noblest of qualities and characteristics, looking with Allah's inspiration at the subtleties of sciences and the verification of issues, reflecting with power upon the premises of the results of proofs and evidences, and the gnostic secret ¹⁵⁶ and the barzakh ¹⁵⁷ that encompasses the meanings of excellences and virtues. What a divine tree, and a luminous grasp, which Allah created from a hidden light and a preserved secret, and made knowledge its self, understanding its spirit, asceticism its head, modesty its eye, wisdom its tongue, goodness its ear, compassion its heart, mercy its chest, patience its belly. Then He said to it: 'Speak,' and it said: 'Praise be to Allah, who has guided to something for His might.' He, glorified, said: 'By My might and majesty, I have not created a creation dearer to Me than you, nor have I excluded you from the most beloved of creation to Me.' In it occurs reflection and consideration in the realities of the eternal sciences ¹⁵⁸, and the opening and clarification become evident in the subtleties of ocular unveilings ¹⁵⁹, and knowledge and certainty are attained in the cognitions of faith-based beliefs. Therefore it is called the First Intellect ¹⁶⁰, attributed to Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, from whom Allah created Gabriel, peace be upon him, in pre-eternity, so Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was a father to Gabriel and an origin for all the world. For this reason, Gabriel stopped during his Night Journey ¹⁶¹ while he alone advanced, and this intellect is called the Trustworthy Spirit ¹⁶² because it is the treasury of Allah's knowledge and His trustee. Gabriel is called by this name as a naming of the branch after its root. It is the first existent that Allah brought into existence, and in it is the ray of reality, and through it realities appear, and the hidden secrets and subtleties become manifest. Allah is not known except through it, and from it shine the lights of discernment, and through it are grasped the beginnings of unseen matters that are grasped by unveiling and witnessing, and through it things are seen as they are upon the manifestation of divine lights, alluded to by His saying: 'Allah guides to His light whom He wills' ¹⁶³. It is the station expressed as arrival, and whoever arrives at it draws from the knowledge of the divine gift ¹⁶⁴ and becomes the lamp of the world. To this points His saying: 'Its oil would almost glow, even if no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills' ¹⁶⁵. When the Merciful perfects a person's intellect, his morals and aspirations become perfect. The best portion Allah gives a person is his intellect, and no thing compares to it. The most perfect intellect is that of the Prophet Muhammad, followed by his family and likewise his companions. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of knowledge; whoever clings to it is inscribed in the register of the workers. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of knowledge; whoever clings to it, Allah grants him the rank of the firmly grounded ¹⁶⁶. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the trunk of the tree of knowledge; whoever clings to it, Allah bestows upon him the stations of those who have arrived ¹⁶⁷. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of knowledge; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah honors him with the miracles of the gnostics ¹⁶⁸. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of knowledge; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah supports him with the care of the perfect ones ¹⁶⁹. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of knowledge; whoever eats from it, Allah resurrects him among the group of prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which You make us happy with the happiness of the successful and secure, and adorn us with the adornment of the sincere and certain saints, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of knowledge; whoever clings to it performs the duties of the Muhammadan Sharia, clarifies the paths of the Ahmadine Sunna ¹⁷⁰, revives the customs of the sound religion, cuts with his sword the arguments of weak falsehoods, erases with his light the darkness of ignorance, demolishes its ruined houses, and Allah teaches him what he did not know, bequeaths to him the lofty rank of His speciality, bestows upon him the secrets of His wisdom, brings him to the pure springs of His cognitions, expands his chest with the light of opening and understanding, pours upon him the seas of His sufficient gifts, inscribes him in the register of the prophets and the truthful, adorns him with the robes of His widespread miracles, marks him with the mark of the people of righteousness and goodness, lavishes upon him His abundant blessings, extends his hand in His kingdom, seats him on the peaks of honor and the high ranks of glory, clothes him in the garments of pleasure and satisfaction, and enters him into a city beneath the Throne made of strong musk, at whose gate an angel calls out every day: 'Indeed, whoever visits a scholar has visited the prophets, and whoever visits the prophets...'

Knowledge is light, so be a seeker of light ¹⁷¹, and never cease to be a student of knowledge, earnestly seeking it. Strive to attain it and rise to reach it, for the one who is led and the one who leads are not alike. Lower your wing humbly in seeking it, for knowledge, if you seek it, is the best thing sought. Study books and strive in their perusal, for often the one who studies attains what is sought. Turn away from people in acquiring its essence, for the one who dozes does not obtain what is hoped for. Let your certainty be strong in grasping its subtleties, for certainty is the criterion of the outcome for what is pondered. Do not despair of attaining it, for the one who hopes for something is not like the one who despairs. The scholar is respected even if his garments are worn, while the owner of wealth is respected for what he wears. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of virtues ¹⁷²; whoever clings to it, his character becomes fragrant with virtuous qualities. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of virtues; whoever clings to it, his collars ¹⁷³ are perfumed with the breezes of opening ¹⁷⁴. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the trunk of the tree of virtues; whoever clings to it, his lineage is honored among those who are affiliated. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of virtues; whoever holds fast to it, his markets ¹⁷⁵ are filled with the subtleties of secrets. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of virtues; whoever holds fast to it, his chastity is fragrant with the wafts of love. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of virtues; whoever eats from it, his yearnings increase in obedience to Allah. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which we become among those whose eyes are refreshed in the gardens of his prophetic virtues, and whose tastes are sweetened in the pools of his love for the drinkers, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of virtues; whoever clings to it attains the station of belovedness and is marked with the mark of the people of intention and affirmation, and is adorned with the character of lordship and becomes among the people of sainthood and realization, and is adorned with the jewels of the secrets of the kingdom ¹⁷⁶ and is led to the presence of his Lord by the reins of guidance and success, and the lights of the manifestations of beneficence ¹⁷⁷ shine upon his inner being, and He bestows upon him from the bestowed openings ¹⁷⁸ what befits his state and is fitting, and his proximity is the proximity of the beloved ones, and in the gardens of existence the fragrance of his musk spreads, and He regards him with the eye of His lordly care and guides him to the clearest path. What an excellent tree, pure in its origins, exquisite! Whoever clings to it, Allah raises his rank, his mention spreads in the highest assembly, his line is written in the register of the lovers, his full moon shines in the sky of high stations, his fragrance spreads in the enclosures of the kingdom, his pride soars above all the saints and righteous, and he is included in the ranks of those praised in the saying of him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: 'Shall I not inform you of the most beloved to me and the closest to me in station on the Day of Resurrection? They are those with the best character, the soft-spoken ¹⁷⁹, who are intimate and are intimate with others.' And his saying: 'The most perfect of believers in faith are those with the best character.' Thus he made good character the perfection of faith. It was said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, which believer is most excellent?' He said: 'The one with the best character.' So it was said: 'Good character is the best of faith.' And he said: 'I am the guarantor, or I am the surety, of a house in Paradise for the one who abandons disputation even if he is right, and a house in the middle of Paradise for the one who abandons lying even if joking, and a house in the highest Paradise for the one who has good character.' Thus he made good character the highest of faith, because it elevates ranks, and good character is the highest degree of faith. Therefore, Allah magnified praise for His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by saying: 'And indeed, you are of a great character.' So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that feeds us from the tables of his abundant goodness, and establishes us with splendor in the courtyards of the highest Garden of Bliss, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. ❖ This is the Beloved of Allah, whose character encompasses all creation, constantly, in this world and the next. ❖ This is the Beloved of Allah, the like of whom has never been seen in creation; his Creator singled out his beauty. ❖ This is the Beloved, whose beauty captivates intellects; by Allah, his lovers are excused in their passion. ❖ This is the Beloved, whose proximity is the very essence of wealth; for the heart, in this wealth, are its provisions. ❖ This is he upon whom our God sent blessings, and upon his family, as long as yearnings stir the heart. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of modesty ¹⁸⁰; whoever clings to it, Allah raises his face with the lights of His splendor. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of modesty; whoever clings to it, Allah waters his inner being with the pure wine ¹⁸¹ of His purity. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the trunk of the tree of modesty; whoever clings to it, Allah opens the doors of response to his supplication. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of modesty; whoever holds fast to it, Allah grants him enjoyment of His pleasure for the duration of his life and existence. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of modesty; whoever holds fast to it, Allah bestows upon him good conduct in his giving and taking. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of modesty; whoever eats from it, Allah disciplines him with the discipline of servitude in his beginning and end, and crowns him with the crown of his ¹⁸² and his generous ones. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of modesty...

The Tree of Modesty (Shajarat al-Ḥayā’): whoever clings to it, Allah will deliver him through the pure offering (al-Qurbān), illuminate his heart with the light of Islam and faith, grant him the supreme rank of veracity (al-Ṣiddīqiyyah al-‘Uẓmā), elevate his station in the paradises of the gardens (Farādīs al-Jinān), guard his tongue from obscenity, foul speech, falsehood, and slander, raise his aspiration above preoccupation with what does not concern him, protect him from the causes of misery and abandonment, preserve him from the deviation of vicissitudes, the whisperings of the soul that commands evil (al-Nafs al-Ammārah bi al-Sū’), and the temptations of Satan, save him from falling into the abysses of perdition, indulgence in desires, and the arenas of disgrace and humiliation, bring him near to His presence, bestow upon him what expands the breasts and delights the eyes, perfume his gatherings with noble character traits, scent them with the flowers of asceticism (al-Zuhd), piety (al-Wara‘), humility (al-Tawāḍu‘), and mindfulness of his Lord in secret and in public, honor him with compliance with commands, avoidance of prohibitions, and directing his faculties toward what pleases the Sovereign, the Judge (al-Malik al-Dayyān), establish him with the firm word (al-Qawl al-Thābit) in the life of this world and in the Hereafter, meet him with pardon, forbearance, and forgiveness, seal his term with felicity, and purify him in the courtyards of the Resurrection and the paradises of the gardens. (44) What a tree it is, with lush branches, splendid clusters, that bequeaths to whoever clings to it sincerity (al-Ikhlāṣ) in the stations of generosity and beneficence, conveys him to the carpet of proximity and nearness, directs him toward his Lord, beautifies his deeds presented to Him at all times and seasons, preserves the head and what it contains, the belly and what it holds, reminds him of death and decay, prefers the Hereafter over this world, delivers him from the afflictions of deprivation and the defects of deficiency, safeguards the states of its possessor, makes him renounce the embellishments of this world and its familiar habits, protects him from engaging in the causes of severance and abandonment, and it is the locus of concealment and modesty, the root of goodness and gain, for it is among the highest branches of faith (Shu‘ab al-Īmān), and the angels of the Merciful (Malā’ikat al-Raḥmān) feel shy before its possessor. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) covered his thigh when ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) entered upon him and said: “I feel shy before a man before whom the angels feel shy.” It comprises three sections: a section on the station of Islam (Maqām al-Islām), a section on the station of faith (Maqām al-Īmān), and a section on the station of excellence (Maqām al-Iḥsān). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) alluded to it in his saying: “Modesty (al-Ḥayā’) is a branch of the branches of faith.” And he said: “Modesty is entirely good.” And he said to some of his Companions: “Feel shy before Allah with true modesty (Ḥaqq al-Ḥayā’).” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, we do feel shy before Allah, and praise be to Allah.” He said: “That is not it; rather, true modesty before Allah is that you preserve the head and what it contains, the belly and what it holds, remember death and decay, and whoever desires the Hereafter abandons the adornment of this world and prefers the Hereafter over this world. Whoever does that has indeed felt shy before Allah with true modesty.” My modesty toward You forbade me from revealing passion, * And You enriched me with understanding of You without unveiling. You were gentle in my affair, so You manifested my witness * To my absent self, for gentleness is perceived by gentleness. You watched over me in the unseen until it was as if * You were giving me glad tidings in the unseen that You are in the palm. I see You, yet from my awe of You I have a sense of estrangement, * So You console me with Your gentleness and affection. You revive a lover whose death is in love, * And what a wonder: life coexisting with death! O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muḥammad and upon the family of our master Muḥammad, the essence of the tree (45) of humility (al-Tawāḍu‘): whoever clings to it, his rank rises and his lineage becomes noble. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muḥammad and upon the family of our master Muḥammad, the root of the tree of humility: whoever clings to it, his essence becomes pure and his wisdom benefits. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muḥammad and upon the family of our master Muḥammad, the house of the tree of humility: whoever clings to it, his intention becomes sound and his inner self remains safe. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muḥammad and upon the family of our master Muḥammad, the branch of the tree of humility: whoever attaches himself to it, his special status is established and his servitude is perfected. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muḥammad and upon the family of our master Muḥammad, the flower of the tree of humility: whoever attaches himself to it, his forehead shines and his presence rejoices. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muḥammad and upon the family of our master Muḥammad, the fruit of the tree of humility: whoever eats from it, his insight pierces and his support hastens. So send blessings, O Allah, upon him and upon his family, a blessing by which we become among those encompassed by His mercy and upon whom His grace successively descends, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muḥammad and upon the family of our master Muḥammad, the essence of the tree of humility: whoever attaches himself to it, Allah honors his worth and elevates him, purifies his deeds and accepts from him the good he has done, cleanses his innermost secrets from the subtleties of desires, purges what is in his heart of rancor and envy and removes it, beautifies his character and form, causes to grow what he has sown of admonitions in the soil of hearts and planted, fills his breast with faith and wisdom, expands it with the light of sciences and gnoses and widens it, grants him mastery over his own soul, suffices him in what concerns him, subdues his Satan and suppresses him, facilitates obedience for his faculties, benefits him with what he has retained of wisdoms and benefits and gathered, makes him beloved in the hearts of creatures, spreads in the worlds of spirits his fragrant scent and perfume, grants refuge to whoever seeks refuge with him, accepts his intercession for those he loves and his plea, so what a tree it is, whose root Allah planted in the soil of obscurity, ripened it, watered it with the water of forbearance, patience, and pardon, and charged it with bearing the trust of what He prescribed of religion and legislated, and informed that whoever deviates from it (46), Allah will humiliate him with the sword of His compulsion and abase him, and praised it on the tongue of His Prophet with his saying: “Whoever humbles himself for Allah, Allah will raise him.” It is narrated that humility (al-Tawāḍu‘) is what our Lord mentioned in His Book for His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to be characterized by, namely, lowering the wing and being gentle in demeanor, as our Lord, Blessed and Exalted, said: “And lower your wing to those who follow you of the believers” (Qur’an 26:215). And in some books, Allah revealed to Moses (peace be upon him): “Do you know why I granted you prophethood?” Moses said: “My Lord, You know best.” The Truth said to him: “Do you remember such-and-such a day when a sheep strayed from you, and you followed it, and when you restrained it, you did not strike it, but rather kissed it, and said to it: ‘O blessed one, you have tired yourself and tired me’? When I saw that tenderness and compassion from you toward that sheep, I granted you prophethood.”

O Master, I have chosen you and granted you prophethood. And from Wahb ibn Munabbih ¹⁸³ that he read in some scriptures that Allah, Almighty and Majestic, said: When I brought forth the offspring from the loins of Adam, I did not see a heart—or he said: I did not find a heart—more humble than the heart of Moses. Therefore I chose him and spoke to him on Mount Tur ¹⁸⁴. ❖ Peace be upon one who comes to listen to admonition ❖ And becomes possessor of a heart that remembers his Lord ❖ So return my greeting, then send blessings and peace ❖ Upon the best of those who appear and dwell among mankind ❖ Muhammad, sent with light and guidance ❖ And the best of bringers of glad tidings who came to us with good news ❖ And he clarified the paths of goodness until they became ❖ Like suns appearing clearly to the beholder ❖ He urges the practice of humility upon one who ❖ Desires to attain honor ❖ Through the elevation of his rank with his Lord ❖ A tradition ¹⁸⁵ when it was mentioned in the pages of books ❖ Just as he forbade the adornment of pride, for indeed it ❖ Is the garment of the God of creation, the Creator of the inhabited world ❖ And the station of the servant is nothing but humility ❖ For if he deviates, his refuge is the subjugation of the Subduer ¹⁸⁶ O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of generosity ¹⁸⁷; whoever clings to it, the glad tidings of goodness and signs of favor appear upon him. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of generosity; whoever clings to it, Allah loves him and improves his opinion [of Him]. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of generosity; whoever clings to it, Allah helps him to fulfill what He has obligated and prescribed. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of generosity; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah causes him to die upon the community ¹⁸⁸ and adherence to the Sunnah ¹⁸⁹. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of generosity; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah makes it for him a protection and shield from the Fire. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of generosity; whoever eats from it, Allah pardons him with His forgiveness and admits him to Paradise. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which You save us from every affliction and trial, and repel from us every calamity and hardship, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of generosity; whoever clings to it, Allah will complete his reward and recompense, and give him of good things beyond what he wished, and cause the scales of his deeds to overflow with the gifts of divine openings ¹⁹⁰, and guide him to righteous action, and facilitate for him the means on the path of goodness, and make him worthy of His service, and make his going and coming in striving for what pleases Him, and call him to His presence, and he will respond with joy to His address and answer, and relieve his anxieties and sorrows, and heal his affliction and remove his ailments, and overlook him and pardon him, and forgive his sins, and lighten his reckoning, and look upon him with the eye of compassion and mercy, and make him among those who receive their book in the right hand ¹⁹¹. What a tree it is, upon which the Generous One has stretched its ropes, and singled out its people for attaining happiness and opened its doors for them, and sheltered them in His ample shade and permitted them His presence, and honored them with abundant blessings and made them His beloved, and brought them to the pure watering places and gave them to drink, and promised them through the tongue of His Prophet and Beloved that generosity is a tree in Paradise whose branches hang down into this world; whoever clings to a branch of its branches enters Paradise—or as he said and it is narrated that he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to al-Zubayr ¹⁹²: "O Zubayr, I am the Messenger of Allah to all people generally and to you specifically. Do you know what your Lord said when He established Himself on His Throne ¹⁹³ and looked upon His creation? He said: My servants, you are My creation and I am your Lord, and I provide for you with My hand, so do not worship Me in what I have undertaken for you; rather, ask Me for your provisions. Do you know what your Lord said? He said: My servant, spend, and I will spend on you, and expand [your provision] for you, and do not be stingy lest I be stingy with you. Indeed, the door of provision is open from above the seven heavens, connected to the Throne, never closed night or day; provision descends through it upon every person according to his intention, his giving, his expenditure, and his charity. Whoever gives much, Allah increases for him; whoever gives little, Allah decreases for him. O Zubayr, Allah Almighty loves spending and dislikes stinginess. Indeed, generosity comes from certainty ¹⁹⁴ and stinginess from doubt, and the one who doubts will not reach Paradise. O Zubayr, Allah Almighty loves generosity, even if it be by killing a snake, and He loves courage, even if it be by killing a snake or a scorpion." How beautiful is this world and its advance When he who attains it obeys Allah He who does not share his bounty with people Exposes its advance to retreat So beware of the loss of bounty, O you who withhold And give of your worldly goods to those who ask For your Lord, the Giver of abundant gifts Will give you its equivalents in Paradise O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of forbearance ¹⁹⁵; whoever clings to it, Allah makes him worthy of His service and His pleasure. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of forbearance; whoever clings to it, Allah chooses him among His saints ¹⁹⁶ and selects him. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of forbearance; whoever clings to it, Allah guides him to the path of goodness and directs him. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of forbearance; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah secures him from the evil he fears and protects him. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of forbearance; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah deals with him with His pardon and forgives him for what he has committed. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of forbearance; whoever eats from it, Allah places him in the stations of the truthful ¹⁹⁷ and honors his abode. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing that pours upon us the sea of His generosity and bounty, and makes us among those who follow his example and are guided by his guidance, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of forbearance; whoever clings to it, he is characterized by the character of the prophets and messengers, and adorned with the sash of the merciful among the honored servants of Allah. He forgives those who wrong him, maintains ties with those who sever him, gives to those who deprive him, and lowers his wing ¹⁹⁸ to the poor and the weak among them, showing mercy...

He treats the young with compassion and venerates the elder, teaches the ignorant, and guides the astray among them to the clear path of truth. He honors their scholar and is pleased with their righteous one, being humble towards the people of sincerity and certainty among God's believing servants, standing firm in piety, fearing God in secret and in private counsel, magnifying the religion of God as God has magnified it, kind and compassionate, accepting excuses, pardoning slips, and concealing the faults of the disobedient and the sinful. He relieves their distress, calms their terror, comforts their loneliness, forgives their lapses, and joins the wrongdoer among them with the righteous, acting upon His saying, the Exalted: "Take forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant" (Quran 7:199). Just as he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The believer is gentle and soft, like a camel; if led, it follows, and if made to kneel on a rock, it kneels." That is because he has contemplated the majesty of his Lord and His grandeur, and because he has witnessed the traces of His attributes and names. Therefore, his soul has become humble, his self has weakened, and this has necessitated for him humility and submission, knowledge and forbearance, humility and submission, and turning in repentance to God and returning. He awaits the onslaught of death and fears the length of hope. He keeps company with admonitions and signs (ayat), and avoids ambiguities and desires. He weighs his states against the states of the righteous, and weeps over what he has missed of attaining the rank of the supreme poles (al-aqtāb) who have reached [God]. What a tree this is, that grew in the gardens of the obscure, was watered with the tears of those who fear their Lord, the anxious, and bore fruit in the meadows of the devout, the ascetics, the pious, and was plucked by the fingers of those who are granted success for righteous deeds, the inspired, and was placed on the tables of those who suppress anger and pardon people, who trust in what is with their Lord, the certain. Whoever clings to it pardons those who wronged him, suppresses his anger, conceals his complaint, and endures the harm done to him, acting upon his saying, peace and blessings be upon him: "Whoever suppresses anger while being able to act upon it, God will fill his heart with light, security, and faith, and will marry him to whichever of the wide-eyed maidens (al-ḥūr al-ʿīn) he wishes." And according to what is narrated from ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may God be pleased with him, or someone else, that he said: "I saw the Lord of Might in a dream, and He said: 'O son of al-Khaṭṭāb, do you bestow favor upon Me?' So I remained silent. Then He said: 'O son of al-Khaṭṭāb, do you bestow favor upon Me?' So I remained silent. Then He said: 'O son of al-Khaṭṭāb,' the third time, 'Shall I present to you My kingdom and My dominion, and say you bestow favor upon Me, while you remain silent in that?' So I said: 'O Lord, You honored the prophets with books You sent down to them, and You honored me with speech from You without an intermediary.' He said: 'O son of al-Khaṭṭāb, whoever does good to one who does evil to him has sincerely offered thanks to God, and whoever does evil to one who does good to him has exchanged My blessing for ingratitude.'" My God, my Beloved, my Master, I have come repentant, And Your forbearance, O my Lord, encompasses all of creation. This is Your servant, whose back sin has weighed down, And what he has brought to You with his feet has shamed him. So who is there with pardon? You are the One worthy of pardon, For Your bounty towards the supplicant is abundant. And do not drive away today one who seeks Your door, Hoping from You for pardon, bounty, and forbearance. O God, send blessings and peace upon our Master and Patron Muḥammad and upon the family of our Master Muḥammad, the essence of the tree of good pleasure (al-riḍā), whoever clings to it is disciplined with the manners of servitude and fulfills the rights of God. O God, send blessings and peace upon our Master and Patron Muḥammad and upon the family of our Master Muḥammad, the root of the tree of good pleasure, whoever clings to it acknowledges the right of Lordship and directs his aspiration towards God. O God, send blessings and peace upon our Master and Patron Muḥammad and upon the family of our Master Muḥammad, the house of the tree of good pleasure, whoever clings to it is purified from human follies and surrenders his soul to God. O God, send blessings and peace upon our Master and Patron Muḥammad and upon the family of our Master Muḥammad, the branch of the tree of good pleasure, whoever attaches himself to it entrusts his affair to God. O God, send blessings and peace upon our Master and Patron Muḥammad and upon the family of our Master Muḥammad, the flower of the tree of good pleasure, whoever attaches himself to it rests under the currents of God's decrees. O God, send blessings and peace upon our Master and Patron Muḥammad and upon the family of our Master Muḥammad, the fruit of the tree of good pleasure, whoever eats from it endures what befalls him and is pleased with what is with God. So send blessings, O God, upon him and upon his family, a blessing by which we may be purified in the beauty of his countenance, and by which we may be perfumed with the breezes of his prophetic fragrance and scent, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, send blessings and peace upon our Master and Patron Muḥammad and upon the family of our Master Muḥammad, the essence of the tree of good pleasure, whoever clings to it stands with the will of the Truth, his soul finds rest in the repose of good pleasure, calamity pleases him just as blessing pleases him, and he is pleased with what his Lord has decreed and ordained for him, and everything becomes easy for him in His regard, so neither anger nor pleasure, nor enmity nor hatred harms him, because good pleasure (al-riḍā) is the greatest door of God, and the most upright path of obedience to Him. Whoever is honored with it has indeed attained the greatest good pleasure (al-riḍwān al-akbar) and rejoices in the light that has shone upon his inner being. "God is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him" (Quran 5:119, 9:100, 58:22, 98:8). And it shone, and he receives in the Abode of Recompense with cheerfulness and welcome, and is treated among the obedient, the well-pleasing, with the station of nearness and proximity, and his Lord does not hold him accountable for what is to come nor for what has passed. Concerning this, the Beloved, the Chosen One, our Master and Patron Muḥammad, peace and blessings be upon him, the eye of good pleasure, the possessor of the perfect religion and the clear path, the Beloved praised by His saying, the Exalted: "And your Lord will give you, and you will be pleased" (Quran 93:5), said: "While the people of Paradise are in their assemblies, a light will shine upon them from the gate of Paradise, and they will raise their heads, and behold, the Lord, the Exalted, will have appeared to them and said: 'O people of Paradise, ask of Me.' They will say: 'We ask You for Your good pleasure with us.' He will say: 'My good pleasure has made you inhabit My abode and attain My honor. This is so, and you have an increase to ask of Me.' They will say: 'We ask You for increase.' Then they will be brought a side of red ruby, raised upon green emerald and red ruby, a lofty structure, and upon it their maidens will be placed at the limit of their sight. Then God, the Exalted, will command trees bearing fruit, and maidens from the wide-eyed houris will come, saying: 'We are the blissful, so we do not grieve; we are the eternal, so we do not die; and we are the spouses of noble people.' Then God, Glorified be He, will command rods of white musk, abundant, and a wind called al-Muthīrah will be spread over them until it brings them to the Garden of Eden (Jannat ʿAdn), which is the capital of Paradise. The angels will say: 'O our Lord, the people have come.' God will say: 'Welcome to the truthful, welcome to the obedient.' He said: 'Then the veil will be lifted for them, and they will look upon God, the Exalted, and they will delight in the light of the Most Merciful until they cannot see one another. Then God will say: 'Return them to the palaces with gifts.' He said: 'So they will return, and they will see one another.' This is the meaning of His saying, the Exalted: 'As a hospitality from the Forgiving, the Merciful' (Quran 41:32)."

Oh, what a blessed, pure, beautiful, and noble tree of divine pleasure ¹⁹⁹! Whoever clings to it acquires the noble prophetic character and adorns himself with lofty, pleasing states, and enters into the meaning of His words: "O tranquil soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], and enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise" ²⁰⁰. Thus, God left no way for the one who clings to it to be displeased with Him in this verse, nor any excuse for the one seeking to enter the presence of His pleasure. He specifically singled out those who are pleased with Him for return, excluding those who are displeased with His decree. Whoever enters among His pleased servants, He guarantees them His pleasure by His words: "He is pleased with them" ²⁰¹. So He was pleased with them and promised them His otherworldly Paradise. There is no delight in this world like the spirit of contentment and the removal of worries and sorrows, both present and past. This contentment is what the ultimate revelation speaks of—being pleased with God in all that He has decreed and ordained. Through it, the contented ones attain the taste of faith and the sweetness of excellence, as indicated by his saying, peace and blessings be upon him: "He has tasted the flavor of faith who is pleased with God as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as prophet and messenger." ²⁰² * By the management of my Master, be content, * And never be distressed by hardship. * God's custom with His creation is: * When a matter becomes tight, He brings relief. Another said: * O best of those invoked for a calamity * That has become great, and the mender of brokenness. * The servant hopes that You will treat him * With intercession by which my burden is erased. * And grant him from You contentment as a favor, * And protect him from the vicissitudes of time. * No, by what I witnessed on the Night Journey ²⁰³ * Of ultimate reality and saw of the secret, * You never rebuked a supplicant ever. * Glad tidings to whoever calls upon You, O my treasure! * O mercy of God that appeared * To the worlds without any denial, * Have mercy on a servant who has no support * Due to lack of inclination towards good. * And turn towards him, for he is fearful * Of the multitude of sins in his captivity. * If he is not worthy of your gift, * Then You are the possessor of bounty and kindness. (53) * O Ahmad ²⁰⁴, the chosen from Mudar ²⁰⁵, * O ultimate hope in hardship! * By God, O best of creation eternally, * Replace the time of hardship with ease. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of patience ²⁰⁶; whoever clings to it, God purifies his heart. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of patience; whoever clings to it, God preserves his faith. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the trunk of the tree of patience; whoever clings to it, God makes his scale heavy. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of patience; whoever holds fast to it, God strengthens his helpers in doing good. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of patience; whoever holds fast to it, God fills his register with subtle gifts. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of patience; whoever eats from it, God adorns him with the garments of noble qualities and pours upon him His beneficence. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad. So bless him, O God, and his family, a blessing by which one becomes among those whose foundation You established upon the stations of piety, and whose limbs and faculties You facilitated for performing obedience, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of patience; whoever clings to it restrains his soul in the prison of fear from disobeying God, binds his limbs with the chains of stopping at God's limits, chains his thoughts with the chain of submission to God's commands, overcomes his inner whisperings with the deterrents of God's Book, repels his insinuations with the exhortations of the Sunna of God's Messenger, kills his devils with the swords of God's proofs, purifies his hidden motives by avoiding prohibitions and not violating God's sanctities, cures his diseases by concealing his secret, leaving complaint, and being patient with what befalls him in God's path, consoles himself by bearing harm, and relieves his worries by His words: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of God" ²⁰⁷. In it ²⁰⁸ is a generous, beneficent, lordly, and merciful tree; whoever holds fast to it acquires the character of the truthful ones ²⁰⁹, adorns himself with the ornament of the perfect and realized ones, is marked with the mark of the sincere and successful ones, is honored with the miracles of the elite who sacrifice themselves for the pleasure of their Lord, the striving, obedient ones, and is treated as those whom God praised in His Book by His words: "And none is granted it except the patient" ²¹⁰. And He informed of their special status by His words: "Indeed, God is with the patient" ²¹¹. And He praised them by His words: "And the patient in poverty, hardship, and at the time of battle—those are the ones who have been truthful, and those are the righteous" ²¹². And He addressed them by His words: "And give glad tidings to the patient who, when disaster strikes them, say, 'Indeed we belong to God, and indeed to Him we will return.' Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy, and those are the guided" ²¹³. And He will fully reward them by His words: "Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account" ²¹⁴. And they recited: I abstained from pleasures until they departed, * And I obliged my soul to forsake them, so it persisted. I made it drink the bitter until it became accustomed, * And had I not made it drink, it would have recoiled. My soul was once noble with the days, * But when it saw my patience with humiliation, it became low. Indeed, many a soul is humbled by humiliation, * And many a soul is honored by self-abasement. The soul is nothing but where the youth places it; * If it desires, it yearns; otherwise, it is consoled. I will strive to be patient, for patience has an end, * And I will be content with my world, even if it is little. When I stretch out my hand seeking wealth * From other than the One who said, "Ask Me," it is paralyzed. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of gratitude ²¹⁵; whoever clings to it, God treats him with the secret of His healing verses. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of gratitude; whoever clings to it, God bestows upon him abundant blessings. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the trunk of the tree of gratitude; whoever clings to it, God clothes him with the robes of His abundant honors. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of gratitude; whoever holds fast to it (55), God gives him to drink from the overflowing of His pure springs. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of gratitude; whoever holds fast to it, God revives through him the traces of His sound religion. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of gratitude; whoever eats from it, God feeds him from the tables of His sufficient secrets.

So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing that creates us through it with his pleasing and contented character, and treats us through it with beautiful kindness, pardon, and well-being, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of gratitude ²¹⁶, whoever clings to it, Allah praises him for the blessing of Islam and faith that He has bestowed upon him, and he thanks Him with the heart, tongue, and all limbs, and acknowledges His blessing with humility, submission, and lowliness before Him in secret and in public, and affirms that He gives abundant reward for little work out of pure generosity, grace, and favor, and he adorns himself with the manners of servitude on the carpet of witnessing ²¹⁷ by continually preserving reverence and adhering to service, seeking more of what he has witnessed of the outpourings of bounty and beneficence. What a perfect and lofty tree, and what an encompassing and abundant blessing! The Lord guarantees for whoever clings to it abundant recompense and extended goodness, and He mentioned it in His Book, saying: "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you; but if you deny, indeed My punishment is severe" ²¹⁸. And the Prophet (peace be upon him) praised it, saying: "Gratitude is half of faith" ²¹⁹. And it is narrated from 'Ata' ²²⁰ who said: "I entered upon 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) with 'Ubayd ibn 'Umayr ²²¹ and said: 'Tell us the most amazing thing you saw from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).' She wept and said: 'What aspect of his affair was not amazing? He came to me one night and entered with me into my bed—or she said: into my blanket—until my skin touched his skin, then he said: "O daughter of Abu Bakr, leave me to worship my Lord." I said: "I love your closeness and I love your desire," and I permitted him. So he got up to a waterskin and performed ablution, pouring water abundantly on his limbs, then stood to pray. He wept until his tears flowed onto his chest, then he bowed and wept, then he prostrated and wept, then he raised his head and continued like that until Bilal came to call him to prayer. I said: "O Messenger of Allah, what makes you weep when Allah has forgiven you your past and future sins?" He said: "Should I not be a grateful servant? Why should I not do so when Allah has revealed to me: 'Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs' ²²²?"' * If every limb of mine had a tongue * To praise You for the good You have bestowed, * My gratitude would still fall short of thanking Him * For the beauty that adorns His beneficence and favors. And he also said: * If my entire being were gratitude, would it not leave * Except the remembrance of the favors He has granted? * It would not adorn me when I thank Him, * Consuming the beauty in His beautiful beneficence. And another said: * If gratitude for Allah's blessing is a blessing * Upon me, then for its like gratitude is due, * So how can gratitude be attained except by His grace, * Even if days lengthen and life extends? * When He delights with bounty, its joy spreads, * And if harm touches, reward follows it. * And none of them but has a favor from Him * That overwhelms imaginations, land and sea. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of truthfulness ²²³; whoever clings to it is truthful with Allah in his words and deeds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of truthfulness; whoever clings to it watches Allah in his actions and all his states. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of truthfulness; whoever clings to it attains his goal and aspirations. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of truthfulness; whoever clings to it, Allah clothes him with the robe of His majesty and beauty. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of truthfulness; whoever clings to it, Allah makes him among the people of His intimacy and boldness. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of truthfulness; whoever eats from it, Allah watches him with the eye of His care and pours upon him from the rivers of His bestowal. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing that sanctifies our souls in the presence of union with him, and makes us through it among those who walk proudly in the robes of His pleasure and perfection, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of truthfulness; whoever clings to it, Allah settles him in the stations of the noble, adorns him with beautiful character and perfect attributes, gifts him with the gifts of contentment, honors him with acceptance of truth and fairness, loosens his tongue with affirmation of the Oneness of his Lord and acknowledgment, and protects his limbs from inclining away from the path of truth and deviation. What a tree, soft of branches, low-hanging fruit for picking, abundant in tenderness and compassion, extracted from the seas of meanings and the pearls of shells! Whoever clings to it is safe from the causes of discord and disagreement, saved from the accidents of doubts and differences, and characterized by compassion, mercy, and beneficence towards Allah's servants and unity. Allah Almighty has praised its people and commanded to incline towards them in His Book, saying: "O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with the truthful" ²²⁴. And the Prophet (peace be upon him) urged it, saying: "The servant continues to be truthful and seek truthfulness until he is written with Allah as a truthful one, and he continues to seek falsehood until he is written with Allah as a liar" ²²⁵. Truthfulness is the pillar of the matter, by it is its completion and in it is its order, and it is the second degree of prophethood, as Allah Almighty said: "So those are with those whom Allah has bestowed favor from among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous" ²²⁶—the verse.

Keep company with the righteous and desire them; many a companion is like scabies. Leave people and do not insult them; and if you insult, insult one of noble lineage. Indeed, whoever insults a base person is like one who buys brass with gold coins. Be truthful to people when you speak to them, and leave people—whoever wishes may lie. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of repentance ²²⁷; whoever clings to it, Allah makes him among the chosen righteous. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of repentance; whoever clings to it, Allah whitens his face and grants him the rank of the pious. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of repentance; whoever clings to it, Allah loves him and diffuses his fragrance throughout all regions. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of repentance; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah illuminates his inner being and gladdens his heart with the gifts of secrets. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of repentance; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah lightens his burden and erases from him all sins and offenses. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of repentance; whoever eats from it, Allah forgives his sin and frees him by His sheer grace from the Fire. Section: O Allah, upon him and upon his noble and free family and his chosen pure companions, a blessing that protects us from the calamities of others, suffices us against the evil of the wicked and the plot of the immoral, and has mercy on us in this abode and in that abode, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of repentance; whoever clings to it cures his illnesses by restoring wrongs and avoiding forbidden things, cuts his attachments by abandoning desires, eliminates the sources of pleasures, and cauterizes his chest with the cauteries of regret for what has passed in bygone days and what is to come, washes his cheeks with tears of remorse for his excess in committing sins and engaging in doubtful matters, threatens his soul with the sword of fear, rebukes it for the evil deeds it has committed, calls it to account for its disobedience and negligence in times of heedlessness and diversion, warns and frightens it of the punishment of the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and awakens it to return to Him with sincerity of intention and purity of actions, forbids and admonishes it, and recites to it the words of the Exalted: "O tranquil soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], and enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you may succeed. O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance ²²⁸; perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow on the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will proceed before them and on their right; they will say, 'Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us; indeed, You are over all things competent.'" What a tree this is, lofty in stations, renowned for miracles, brilliant in signs, repelling punishments, great in blessings, high in degrees, abundant in good things, forgiving of stumbles, splendid in fruits! Whoever eats from it finds intimacy in solitude delightful, relishes the sweetness of whispered prayer, seclusion in deserts and wildernesses, concern for the fulfillment of desires, the answering of supplications, the multiplication of good deeds, and the erasure of evil deeds. Therefore, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The one who repents from sin is like one who has no sin." And he said: "Nothing is more beloved to Allah than a repentant youth," and he recited: "Indeed, Allah loves those who repent and loves those who purify themselves." It is the first station among the stations of the wayfarers ²²⁹, the highest degree among the degrees of the perfected poles ²³⁰, and the greatest need among the needs of the desirous seekers. Whoever is characterized by it is marked with the mark of the righteous and fearful, attains the stations of the perfect knowers ²³¹, and is gathered in the company of those who return to their Lord in repentance. O soul, repent from evil deeds and strive toward the abode of permanence with insight. O soul, woe to you! Hasten to repentance before sins come recorded. O soul, repent today before death, so that perhaps tomorrow you may be rejoicing. O soul, nothing will save you on the Day of Meeting from the enormity of the terrors of the present reckoning except the intercession of Ahmad ²³², the guide, from whom forgiveness is hoped when it is possible. May Allah bless him as long as the east wind blows, and you are fragrant with the scent of his praise. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of fear ²³³; whoever clings to it, his awe becomes great and everything fears him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of fear; whoever clings to it, his sainthood becomes renowned and everything humbles itself to him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of fear; whoever clings to it, his might appears and everything becomes lowly to him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of fear; whoever attaches himself to it, his happiness is decreed and he is secure from everything. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of fear; whoever attaches himself to it, his religion is set right and everything loves him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of fear; whoever eats from it, his protection is strengthened and everything obeys him. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which every dead and living testifies for me, and whose blessing fills me in every gathering and community, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of fear; whoever clings to it, his heart melts from fear of Allah, his joints break apart in terror of the majesty of Allah, his states change out of shame before the greatness of Allah, and his breaths rise up...

His sighs were many out of fear of God's threat, and his regrets multiplied in sorrow for what he had wasted of God's rights. His tears fell in anguish for what he had broken of God's covenants. His mountains crumbled in astonishment at God's might, and his heart trembled in humility from fear of God. His worlds vanished in annihilation when he glimpsed the light of God's Book within his innermost being. His soul was filled with awe upon hearing the address of the day when God said, "Am I not your Lord?" ²³⁴ and he bore the trust of God ²³⁵. This bequeathed to him fear, dread, awe, trembling, and standing firm at God's boundaries. He recited the words of God Most High: "Indeed, those who are in awe of their Lord are fearful" ²³⁶ up to "and they are foremost in it" ²³⁷. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Fire will not enter one who weeps out of fear of God until the milk returns to the udder, and dust in the path of God and the smoke of Hellfire will never combine in the nostrils of a Muslim servant." Our Lord has praised fear and those who hold fast to it, and has condemned security and those who rely on it. The best of servants are those who are knowledgeable with certainty, acting with fear mixed with scrupulousness and sincerity, immersed in the lights of witnessing, as the Imam of the community ²³⁸ said: "Whoever does not connect his knowledge with certainty, his certainty with fear, his fear with action, his action with scrupulousness, his scrupulousness with sincerity, and his sincerity with witnessing is among the perishing." What a tree this is! Its stature is great, its reward immense, its glory ancient, its honor magnificent. Whoever holds fast to it treads the straight path and the upright way. On its trunk is inscribed: "And for him who fears the station of his Lord are two gardens" ²³⁹; on its leaves: "Is the reward of goodness anything but goodness?" ²⁴⁰; on its branches: "Tell My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful" ²⁴¹ and "Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of God. Indeed, God forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful" ²⁴². Its people believe in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Whoever sheds tears out of fear of God will have for every drop of his tears the equivalent of Mount Uhud in his scales, and for every drop of his eyes in Paradise, on its banks, there will be pearls and palaces such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived." They recited: "A prisoner of sins stands at Your door, in dread of what You know. He fears sins whose secret is not hidden from You, and hopes in You for them, so he is both hopeful and fearful. Who else can he hope for besides You and fear? For none opposes Your decree in bounty. O my Master, do not disgrace me in my record when the scrolls are unfolded on the Day of Reckoning. Be my companion in the darkness of the grave when friends turn away and allies forsake me. If Your vast forgiveness, which I hope for my excess, is too narrow for me, then it is lost. Other than Him, one whose body melts in fear of God and whose youth is worn out by piety—you see him from intense fear and sorrow like a dead man summoned by his Lord for reckoning. He stretches out his hand, not knowing from fear and hope which hand will take his book. When the lover departs from his Lord, the angels hasten to take his stirrup, to a garden where silk is his garment, pearls and coral are the saddles of his mounts, and houris like full moons, with swelling breasts, play with him in eternity within his domes. When a houri from among them appears with her face, she resembles a full moon emerging from clouds." O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of hope—whoever holds fast to it has good opinion of God. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of hope—whoever holds fast to it strengthens his love in God. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of hope—whoever holds fast to it obtains forgiveness from God. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of hope—whoever clings to it wins God's pleasure. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of hope—whoever clings to it rejoices in meeting God. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of hope—whoever eats from it attains the good he hoped for in God. So bless him, O God, and his family with a blessing by which he becomes among those whom God has brought near to His presence and chosen, and upon whom He has bestowed knowledge of the hidden secrets of His unseen and His approval, and grant him abundant peace. Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of hope—whoever holds fast to it inhales from the fragrant breezes of mercy hope, and his mind is refreshed by what he understands from the meaning of His words: "And My mercy encompasses all things" ²⁴³. Thus he attains joy and happiness, and his breast expands with the glad tidings that shine upon him from His words: "Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of God" ²⁴⁴. So by God's grace he is saved from all his sins and delivered, and the clouds of his ignorance are dispelled by what he gains from the results of His words: "Tell My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful" ²⁴⁵. This removes from his heart worry and distress, and he thinks well of his Lord, acting according to the requirement of His words: "I am as My servant thinks of Me" ²⁴⁶. Thus he attains the good he hoped for from his Lord and desired. What a tree this is! It grows in the core of the heart and mind, watered with the water of desire, seeking, and supplication. Whoever holds fast to it takes refuge in the presence of his generous Lord and seeks shelter. Whoever seeks mercy through it is shown mercy, and his sorrows that darkened the night are relieved. Whoever seeks shade under it enters into the guarantee of the Prophet's words (peace and blessings be upon him), as he relates from his Lord, Mighty and Majestic: "I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him. If he remembers Me in himself, I remember him in Myself. If he remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a better gathering. If he draws near to Me by a handspan, I draw near to him by an arm's length. If he draws near to Me by an arm's length, I draw near to him by a fathom. If he comes to Me walking, I come to him running" ²⁴⁷. And His words: "O My servant, as long as you worship Me and hope in Me, and do not associate anything with Me, I will forgive you for what you have done, even if you come to Me with the earth full of sins and offenses, I will come to you with forgiveness equal to it, and I will forgive you, and I do not care." When my heart hardened and my paths became narrow, I made my hope toward Your forgiveness a ladder. My sin seemed great to me, but when I compared it to Your forgiveness, my Lord, Your forgiveness was greater. You have always been forgiving of sin, ever bestowing and forgiving as a favor and generosity. So You are my Beloved, You are my wish and my desire. Sufficient are You for those who hope as a wish and a gain. Are You not the One who nourished me and sufficed me, and You have always been gracious to me and bountiful? Perhaps He who possesses goodness will forgive my slip and conceal my burdens and what has passed. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of asceticism—whoever holds fast to it attains the rank of honor and empowerment. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of asceticism—whoever holds fast to it, God makes him among the people of righteousness and religion.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the household of the tree of asceticism (zuhd); whoever clings to it, Allah will gather him in the company of the saints (awliya') and the righteous. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of asceticism (zuhd); whoever attaches himself to it, Allah will illuminate in his heart the lights of certainty (anwar al-yaqin). O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the blossom of the tree of asceticism (zuhd); whoever attaches himself to it, Allah will illumine his inner being with the light of the clear victory (al-fath al-mubin). O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of asceticism (zuhd); whoever eats from it, Allah will seal for him with what He sealed for His pious saints (awliya'ihi al-muttaqin). So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which we become among the people of witnessing (mushahadah) and designation (ta'yin), and among those of whom Allah said: "And those who strive for Us, We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good" (Qur'an 29:69), and grant abundant and exalted peace. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence (unsur) of the tree of asceticism (zuhd); whoever clings to it treads the paths of salvation, blocks the doors of greed with contentment, guards against ambiguities (shubuhat), abstains from what is in people's hands of the vanities of this world, rejects them from his heart, mounts the backs of resolve, abandons the beds of pleasures, lowers his gaze from the lusts which Allah has removed from the hearts of His saints, stripped from the minds of His chosen ones, protected His pious ones from, and made them a pasture for the people of frivolity and heedlessness; and he attaches his aspiration (himmah) to Allah, and follows the path of the noble ones who abandoned it and cared not for what is in it of various foods and all desirable things, and acts according to His saying: "Say, 'The enjoyment of this world is little'" (Qur'an 4:77), and other verses revealed in condemnation of this world and asceticism in it, such as His saying, the Exalted: "And each one, when the enjoyment of the worldly life is [but] little, and the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah" (Qur'an 4:77, variant), and according to the report: "If this world were worth a mosquito's wing in the sight of Allah, He would not give a disbeliever a drink of water from it." In it, from a tree whose side Allah has purified from inclination to this world and its adornment, and from desire for its little enjoyment and its wealth—for whoever clings to it attains the red sulfur (al-kibrit al-ahmar) and the greatest pleasure (al-ridwan al-akbar), the most renowned honor (al-'izz al-ashhar), and the perpetual, most abundant good; and whoever sits in its shade, Allah loves him, chooses him, selects him, and protects him from this world, just as one of you protects his sick one from food and drink, according to what was reported from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that he said: "Indeed, when Allah loves His servant, He protects him from this world, just as one of you protects his sick one from food and drink." And He informs that Allah has special ones whom He settles in the Most High, the Lofty, in the gardens, in the highest 'Illiyin; they were the most intelligent of people. We said: "O Messenger of Allah, how were they the most intelligent of people?" He said: "Their concern was to race to Allah and hasten to what pleases Him. They abstained from this world and its excesses, its leadership, and its bliss, so it became insignificant to them, and they shortened a little and rested long." Indeed, Allah has servants who divorced this world and became enraptured; to Him they submitted and succeeded; for Him they prayed and fasted. They abandoned family and wandered; upon litanies (awrad) they persisted. So when people sleep and creation slumbers, they stand. For them in the night are states when darkness falls. They left lust out of asceticism, while others are bewildered. It is lawful for the world, but forbidden for these people. They were sincere in love for Allah, and upon good deeds they persisted. So upon this world, when they are not found in it, be peace. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence (unsur) of the tree of piety (wara'); whoever clings to it, his aspiration (himmah) rises among mankind. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root (asl) of the tree of piety (wara'); whoever clings to it follows the conduct of the Prophet and his noble Companions. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord (66) and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the household of the tree of piety (wara'); whoever clings to it, Allah will make his foot firm on the day when feet slip. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of piety (wara'); whoever attaches himself to it, Allah will raise his station above every station. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the blossom of the tree of piety (wara'); whoever attaches himself to it, Allah will bring him near to Him and carry him on the shoulder of righteousness and respect. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of piety (wara'); whoever eats from it, Allah will suffice him against the evil of what he fears and remove from him all calamities and illnesses. So bless him, O Allah, and his noble, righteous family and his illustrious, eminent Companions, with a blessing by which You seal for us with the seal of faith and Islam, and protect us thereby from the calamities of time and the events of nights and days, by Your favor and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence (unsur) of the tree of piety (wara'); whoever clings to it preserves the sanctity of the station, follows the paths of the eminent leaders, builds his foundations on the reality of faith and Islam, fulfills the covenants of the Prophet, peace be upon him, upholds the matters of his Muhammadan Sunnah in the most complete manner, abstains from this world and its familiar things, refrains from excessive speech, lives a good life, purifies his sustenance from the obscurities of ambiguities (shubuhat) and the impurities of the unlawful, purges his hidden motives from the subtle defects of drink and food, casts the vanities of this world behind his back, directs his aspiration (himmah) toward his Master, the All-Knowing King, occupies himself with what concerns him, and leaves what leads him to plunging into sins and offenses. For this reason, Abu Bakr said...

Al-Ṣiddīq ²⁴⁸, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "We used to leave seventy doors of the lawful for fear of falling into a door of the unlawful." And the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to Abū Hurayra ²⁴⁹, may Allah be pleased with him: "Be scrupulously pious ²⁵⁰, and you will be the most worshipful of people." What a tree this is, with ripe fruits, fragrant breaths, firm foundations, planted in the gardens of asceticism and chastity, and harvested by the hands of the intelligent and wise! Whoever eats from it is protected from all harm and affliction, and guarded from the evil of the slinking whisperer ²⁵¹ who whispers in the breasts of people, from among jinn and people. He will call his own soul to account in this world before being called to account in the Hereafter, as ʿUmar ²⁵², may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Call yourselves to account before you are called to account, and weigh yourselves before you are weighed with the balance." He will leave the best adornment of this world and the most fleeting of what remains for what perishes, and he will avoid the lawful lest he fall into the pitfalls of doubts and ambiguities, because of the saying of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: "The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between them are ambiguous matters. Whoever avoids the ambiguities has safeguarded his honor and his religion, and whoever grazes around the sanctuary is about to fall into it." * You have loved us for Allah's sake, O best of company, * Your call to hear the exhortation is due to intense longing. * Come, let us refrain from what destroys the soul, * And let us mend, through piety, what remains of life. * Let us wear the garment of poverty as honor, for it * Is the emblem of one who understands and has a realized intellect. * For there is no wealth but wealth of the soul, for one who * Has been given to drink from the cup of the people of realization ²⁵³, without doubt. * The world has revealed its beauty to him * With a face that stirs yearning in the pious. * So he turned his gaze away from it, out of regard for its worth, * Because the world is the booty of the fool. * Whoever abandons the treacherous world, indeed * He ascends, through abandonment, to the station of divine success. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the origin of the tree of trust ²⁵⁴; whoever clings to it is cut off unto Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the root of the tree of trust; whoever clings to it turns with his whole being to Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the trunk of the tree of trust; whoever clings to it is drawn by his aspiration to Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the branch of the tree of trust; whoever holds fast to it trusts in what is with Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the flower of the tree of trust; whoever holds fast to it directs his focus solely to Allah. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the fruit of the tree of trust; whoever eats from it relies on Allah in all his affairs. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that brightens our faces with the light of his radiance, and purifies our sight in the beauty of his countenance, and settles us with those whom You have favored in his vicinity and sanctuary, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the origin of the tree of trust; whoever clings to it casts his reins before his Lord like a dead body in the hands of its washer, and places his body in the station of servitude, in courtesy before the Truth, like a manufactured thing before its maker, and relies on his aspiration for what is with Him, trusting in Him and acknowledging the right of Lordship; his soul is at peace with what He has guaranteed of sufficiency from His merciful treasures and His beneficent openings, relying on the secret of Divinity; he is cut off to Him entirely, so his spirit is drawn by the secret of eternal power to the Presence of Eternity; he is free from managing himself and entrusts his affair to Him in secret and in public, seeking independence from other than Him and acting according to the requirement of the Self-Subsisting, Almighty wisdom. What a tree of faith and a pure, certain intention! Whoever clings to it attains knowledge of the Oneness ²⁵⁵ and the secret of the Unique ²⁵⁶, and leans on his Lord and trusts in Him in all his affairs, so He annihilates him from himself and from his trust, and honors him with intimacy with Him and cutting off to Him, as our Lord, Exalted is He, said: "And whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him." ²⁵⁷ "And put your trust in Allah if you are believers." ²⁵⁸ "And let the believers put their trust in Allah." ²⁵⁹ And according to the report of Ibn Masʿūd ²⁶⁰, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The nations were shown to me at the season ²⁶¹, and I saw my community filling the plain and the mountain, and I was pleased with their number and appearance. It was said to me: 'Are you satisfied?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'And with these are seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without reckoning; they do not cauterize themselves for no need, nor do they seek omens, nor do they practice ruqya ²⁶², and upon their Lord they trust.' Then ʿUkāsha ibn Miḥṣan al-Asadī ²⁶³ stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to make me among them.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: 'O Allah, make him among them.' Then another man stood up and said: 'Pray to Allah to make me among them.' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: 'ʿUkāsha has preceded you to it.'" Trust in the Merciful, you will attain His bounty, * And be confident in His provision for you in deed. Submit your affair to your Lord; indeed, He * Will suffice you against the causes of distress and burden. Whoever trusts in all affairs * In Allah will attain glad tidings and favor. He will meet all people with welcome and satisfaction, * And be kind to neighbors, companions, and family. That is the one whose worry Allah has removed, * And He rewards him with goodness in hardship and drought. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the origin of the tree of contentment ²⁶⁴; whoever clings to it attains the honor of this world and the Hereafter. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the root of the tree of contentment; whoever clings to it, Allah supplies him with the supply of His dazzling secrets. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the trunk of the tree of contentment; whoever clings to it, Allah crowns him with the crown of His successive miracles. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the branch of the tree of contentment; whoever clings to it, Allah honors him with the honor of His manifest signs. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the flower of the tree of contentment; whoever clings to it, Allah adorns him with the adornment of His beautiful attributes. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the fruit of the tree of contentment; whoever eats from it, Allah fills his heart with the sweetness of faith and certainty. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that makes us content with Your decree and Your giving, and makes us independent from other than You, and grants us the station of trust and reliance upon You, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

The tree of contentment ²⁶⁵ — whoever clings to it, God bestows upon him the tables of His abundant blessings. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of contentment — whoever clings to it, God clothes him with the splendid robes of His good pleasure. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of contentment — whoever eats from it, God honors him with the manifold gifts of His goodness. So bless him, O God, and his family with a blessing that pours upon us the oceans of His abundant generosity, and through it heal us from hidden and apparent ailments, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of contentment — whoever holds fast to it lives a pleasant and pleasing life ⁷⁰, a good and exalted life, and abandons base, soulful desires and human, personal follies, because of the toils, hardships, and worldly and otherworldly demands involved, and suffices with what meets his need and repels physical and spiritual necessity, and attains honor through God and independence from others through Him, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Contentment is a treasure that never perishes.' What a tree it is, with lofty branches and radiant clusters! Whoever holds fast to it obtains blessedness, security, and success in the pleasure of his Master, the King, the Judge, and wins a good life and a beautiful provision descending from the treasuries of bounty, generosity, and beneficence, alluded to in His words: 'God will surely provide them with a goodly provision' ²⁶⁶. Whoever eats from its fruit gathers the means of this world, ties them to the rope of contentment, places them in the catapult of truth, and hurls them into the sea of despair, thus arriving at the first step to the presence of his Kind, Merciful Lord. It is the treasure that never exhausts nor perishes, and its possessor suffers no misery or hardship. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) alluded to it in his words: 'Be scrupulous ²⁶⁷, and you will be the most devout of people; be content, and you will be the most grateful of people; love for people what you love for yourself, and you will be a believer; be a good neighbor to your neighbor, and you will be a Muslim; and laugh little, for much laughter kills the heart.' So whoever settles it in his heart gives thanks for little and works much for God. Whoever is honored with it, his servitude becomes upright, his inner state becomes sound, his deeds increase, his aspiration grows, and he loves for people what he loves for himself of good, and dislikes for them what he dislikes for himself of evil. Contentment resides only in the hearts of the pious and God's elect among the saints ²⁶⁸. It is said: Hearts are dead, and their life is contentment. Contentment is it, seek no substitute — in it is bliss and bodily rest. Look at one who owned the whole world: he left with nothing but perfume and a shroud. Another: The servant is a slave to his soul's desires, while the free man is sated once and hungry ⁷¹. A man will not relish the sweetness of his life until he possesses sufficiency and contentment. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of certainty ²⁶⁹ — whoever holds fast to it becomes one of the learned who act. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of certainty — whoever holds fast to it attains the rank of the saints who know. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of certainty — whoever holds fast to it reaches the station of the firmly rooted pegs ²⁷⁰. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of certainty — whoever clings to it ascends through the stations of divine influx ²⁷¹ among the wayfarers. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of certainty — whoever clings to it is adorned with the sash of the poles ²⁷² who have attained union. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of certainty — whoever eats from it is embellished with the ornament of the elite who are perfect. So bless him, O God, and his family with a blessing through which You honor us with the honor of Your sincere, obedient servants, and grant us the special status of Your beloved martyrs who have triumphed, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of certainty — whoever holds fast to it realizes the realities of faith, strips himself of the accidents of doubts and the vicissitudes of time, and looks with the eye of reflection at the wonders of created things and the secrets of the cosmos; his heart fills with light by which he witnesses the essences of realities and the evidences of certainty; and he knows the knowledge of certainty, the truth of certainty, and the eye of certainty ²⁷³ after the dawn of witnessing and direct vision; and he becomes independent through truthful unveiling and certain report from the decisive proofs and the results of evidence and demonstration; and he believes in what the messengers brought of heavenly books, sacred hadiths ²⁷⁴, the opening verses of the Furqanic surahs ²⁷⁵, and the secrets ⁷² of the sciences of the Quran, as our Lord, blessed and exalted, said: 'Alif Lam Mim. This is the Book, there is no doubt in it' up to 'the successful' ²⁷⁶; and as some of the Salaf ²⁷⁷ said: 'If the veil were lifted from the states of the Hereafter — the gathering, the resurrection, standing before God, and so on — I would not increase in certainty about them, because of the perfection of my certainty in them.' What a tree it is, planted in the soil of affirmation, watered with the water of verification, and bearing the fruits of sciences and the unveilings of scrutiny! Whoever holds fast to it attains strength of faith and vision of direct sight, and wins the removal of doubt in witnessing the unseen. Whoever eats from it becomes one of the people of certainty, and they are the people of dazzling signs, miracles, and breaches of custom ²⁷⁸, whom God praised in His words:

And he said concerning them: "And in the earth are signs for those who are certain ²⁷⁹" up to "Alif Lam Ra. These are the verses of the Wise Book ²⁸⁰" and "the successful ²⁸¹." And as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said concerning Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon him: "If his certainty increased, he would walk in the air as he walked in it"—meaning on the Night of the Ascension ²⁸² when he left the Buraq ²⁸³ and walked in the air, rising on a rafraf ²⁸⁴ to where God willed to converse with him, and Gabriel said to him: "And there is none among us except that he has a known station ²⁸⁵." You are the one who has never ceased to be present from me, and for my sight, O light of my eye, a beholder, and for my yearning heart an engrossing occupation, and for my hearing ever a circulating discourse. When I look, You are the qibla ²⁸⁶ of my sight; wherever I turn, I see a dazzling light. When I hear, it is from You that I always hear; and when I speak, it is from You that I relate what has passed. You are the one who has never ceased to be for me in my solitude, when I am alone, a companion and a confidant. I have never sought from You a true glance but I found You a helper and supporter. No, and I have never called out in the darkness of the night, "O Lord," but You were present with me. Ever does the innermost conscience ²⁸⁷ converse with You, and often has the outward sight manifested a clear proof of it. For You are my secret in the heart, and you have never ceased to be in my mind, at every moment, a passing thought. O You who have become the refuge of the outcast, and who has a door that bestows upon the visitors an overwhelming goodness. Bestow and grant; Your pleasure is the ultimate goal of my desire, for the certainty of my innermost secret ²⁸⁸ regarding You has become abundant. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of sincerity ²⁸⁹—whoever clings to it attains the rank of the successful with God. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of sincerity—whoever clings to it gains the stations of the lovers in the presence of God. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the trunk of the tree of sincerity—whoever clings to it triumphs through the care of those who stand at the boundaries of God. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of sincerity—whoever attaches himself to it fulfills the rights of those who belong to God. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the blossom of the tree of sincerity—whoever attaches himself to it acquires the character of those who turn to God. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of sincerity—whoever eats from it is enrolled in the ranks of those who are enraptured by the love of God. So bless him, O God, and his family with a blessing by which we draw near to God, and I find it a provision that will testify for me tomorrow before God, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of sincerity—whoever clings to it drinks from the sources of the people of speciality and distinction, and acquires the character of the eminent among the brought near ²⁹⁰ and the great among the elite ²⁹¹, and performs deeds free from ostentation and reputation-seeking, from seeing others and observing persons, and draws near to his Lord with pure obedience, truthful intention, and sound inner disposition, seeking deliverance on the Day of Recompense and Retribution. What a tree it is, that grew in the land of the secret ²⁹² and sainthood ²⁹³, and was watered with the water of right guidance and direction, and was plucked by the fingers of might and care! Whoever clings to it gains the special secret that no one among the people of the beginning and the end has ever been informed of, acting according to the saying of some of the elite: "Sincerity is a secret between the servant and his Lord; no angel knows it to write it, no devil to corrupt it, and no desire to sway it." And it bequeaths deliverance from the taint of deeds and cuts off the witnessing of states, as our Lord, exalted be He, said in His Book: "And they were not commanded except to worship God, being sincere to Him in religion ²⁹⁴," and He said: "So worship God, being sincere to Him in religion ²⁹⁵." So He commanded His beloved, peace and blessings be upon him, to worship Him in such a way that he does not see himself in his servitude, nor the cosmos and its people, and does not exceed the limit of servitude in witnessing lordship. When the servant drops his shares from the Throne to the dust, he has traversed the paths of religion, which is the path of pure servitude free from seeing temporal things, in the mode of the spirit's witnessing of the All-Merciful. That is the pure religion that the Truth chose for Himself, where He said: "Surely, to God belongs the pure religion ²⁹⁶." And as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Three things, the heart of a Muslim does not harbor deceit over them: sincerity of action for God Almighty, sincere advice to those in authority, and adherence to the community of Muslims." And it is narrated from him, peace and blessings be upon him, that he said: "I asked Gabriel about sincerity: what is it? He said: It is a secret from My secrets that I entrust to the heart of whomever I love among My servants." So blessed is he who pleases the God, hastening to paths that guide him to the final journey, and stands and prays in the darkness while his tears flow on his cheek from his weeping eye. He makes his standing sincere for God the Great, and covenants with Him secretly and watches Him openly. The angels of heaven shake hands with him in truth, and through them he attains honor and pride among people. That one, by God's praise, lives a pleasant life, gaining virtue and being rewarded with good. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of piety ²⁹⁷—whoever clings to it attains in both abodes all joy and happiness. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of piety—whoever clings to it gains the secret of every obedience and righteousness. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the trunk of the tree of piety—whoever clings to it, the radiance of every splendor and light shines upon his face. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of piety—whoever attaches himself to it, the luster of every glad tiding and joy appears on his inner being. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the blossom of the tree of piety—whoever attaches himself to it, God adorns him with the crown of every fame and manifestation. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of piety—whoever eats from it, God protects him from the evil he fears, and saves him from evil end and the trial of the graves. So bless him, O God, and his family, the noble and righteous, and his Companions, the imams of the pulpits and the brides of the veils, with a blessing that we find as a provision for the Day of Resurrection and Rising, and by which we are elevated on the Day of Judgment in the paradises of gardens and the highest palaces, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of piety—whoever clings to it fulfills what God has commanded him of praiseworthy actions and traits, and avoids what He has forbidden him of ugly matters and vices, and adorns himself with the most sublime and noble perfections and the most excellent qualities, and acquires beautiful character and the best virtues and excellences, and follows the path of the Prophetic Sunna ²⁹⁸ upon which the later and earlier generations have trodden, and performs the duties of the legal rulings and the various acts of worship and means of approach.

Oh, what a tree of radiant light and splendor, sweet in taste at dawn and dusk! Whoever eats of its fruits is healed from all harms and ailments. God has made it for the believer the best garment and the most beautiful attire, the finest honor and the most excellent companionship, the greatest blessing to boast of among the noble and the peers, and whose secret is reaped in assemblies and tribes. It is the precious treasure, the pure elixir, the priceless jewel, the best companion and intimate friend, and God's testament to the first and the last among the prophets, the messengers, the saints, the righteous, and all of God's servants altogether. Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted, said: "And We have enjoined upon those who were given the Scripture before you and upon you that you fear Allah" ²⁹⁹. Our Lord repeated it in His Book in many verses, praising its people and commending them, and preparing for them every renowned virtue: praise, protection, deliverance from hardships, ease, forgiveness of sins, lawful and wholesome provision, and the greatest pleasure from the Knower of the Unseen. As for praise and commendation, our Lord said: "But if you are patient and fear Allah, indeed that is of the matters of determination" ³⁰⁰. As for preservation and protection, He, Majestic is His Majesty, said: "But if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all" ³⁰¹. As for support, He said: "Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him" ³⁰², and He said: "Allah is the ally of those who fear Him" ³⁰³, and "Allah is the ally of the righteous" ³⁰⁴. As for safety from calamities and hardships, and provision, our Lord said: "And Allah will save those who feared Him by their attainment; no evil will touch them, nor will they grieve" ³⁰⁵, and "Then We will save those who feared Allah" ³⁰⁶. Among them is the glad tiding in this world, at death, and in the grave. Our Lord said: "Those who have believed and are fearing Allah, for them are good tidings in the worldly life and in the Hereafter" ³⁰⁷. Among them is eternity in gardens, and pleasure and satisfaction. He, Exalted, said: "For those who fear Allah are gardens with their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses, and pleasure from Allah" ³⁰⁸. And the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, enjoined it, saying: "Hold fast to piety, or to fear of Allah, for it is the sum of all good" ³⁰⁹. It is the root of every virtue; through it every good is attained and deliverance from every evil and harm is achieved; through it the good of this world and the Hereafter is obtained. It is the best provision that the believer can take. He, Exalted, said: "And take provision, but indeed the best provision is fear of Allah" ³¹⁰. If there were in the world any quality more beneficial for the servant, more comprehensive of good, greater in reward, more sublime in servitude, more immense in rank, more fitting for the state, more successful for aspirations than this quality which is piety, then Allah, Glorified, would have commanded His servants to it and enjoined His elite to it, due to the perfection of His wisdom and mercy. It is of three kinds: piety from polytheism, piety from innovation, and piety from subsidiary sins. Our Lord mentioned them in one verse in His saying, Mighty and Majestic: "There is no blame upon those who have believed and done righteous deeds concerning what they have eaten [in the past] if they fear Allah and believe and do righteous deeds, and then fear Allah and believe, and then fear Allah and do good; and Allah loves the doers of good" ³¹¹. O you who aspire to enter the gardens of bliss, remember your standing in fear while people are in a great matter. If you are pious, then you are on a straight path. Seize your life and strive, and come to the Most Merciful Lord. Do not hope for safety without a sound heart. Follow the path of the pious and think well of the Generous. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of watchfulness ³¹²; whoever clings to it, Allah removes from his heart the darkness of the veil. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of watchfulness; whoever clings to it, Allah settles him in the stations of the noble poles ³¹³. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of watchfulness; whoever clings to it, Allah guides him to the path of good and right. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of watchfulness; whoever holds fast to it, Allah protects him in going and coming. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of watchfulness; whoever holds fast to it, Allah grants him the rank of nearness and proximity. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of watchfulness; whoever eats of it, Allah makes him among the people of the Sunna and the Book. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which You honor us with the honor of increase and reward, and by which You save us from the trial of the grave and the scrutiny of the reckoning, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of watchfulness; whoever clings to it, Allah fills his heart with piety, heals him with the light of his deeds from the disease of his ignorance and his claim, treats him with utmost kindness in his world and his Hereafter, illuminates his heart with the light of His knowledge, guides him to good, draws him to the carpet of His presence, brings him near to Him and chooses him, prepares his limbs for His service, occupies him with Him instead of others, and protects him in his movements and stillness.

And He made him among those who watch over Him in their secret and private counsel, and adorned him with the ornaments of His sainthood (wilāyah), and illuminated his inner being with the radiance of His light and brilliance, and protected his limbs from disobedience, and honored him with the station of excellence (iḥsān) referred to in the saying of him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—in the ḥadīth of Jibrīl when he came to him in the form of a man and said: "O Muḥammad, what is faith (īmān)?" He said: "That you believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and in the divine decree (al-qadar), its good and its evil." He said: "You have spoken the truth." He said: "Then tell me, what is Islam (islām)?" He said: "Islam is that you bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, and that you establish prayer, give alms (zakāh), perform pilgrimage to the House (al-bayt), and fast during Ramaḍān." He said: "You have spoken the truth." He said: "Then tell me, what is excellence (iḥsān)?" He said: "Excellence is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, indeed He sees you." He said: "You have spoken the truth." The ḥadīth. So what a tree this is, inward and outward, ripe and flourishing! Whoever clings to it, Allah honors him with His manifest favors (karāmāt), adorns him with His goodly character and pure traits, binds him with the restraints of His commands and prohibitions, in accordance with the saying of him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace: "Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock," and clothes him in the splendid garments of His sacred law (sharīʿah). Indeed, the Exalted praised it with His saying: "And Allah is ever, over all things, a Watcher (raqīb)" (Qur’an 33:52), and praised its people with His saying: "Indeed, Allah is ever, over them, a Watcher" (Qur’an 4:1), meaning: So watch over Him yourselves. And it is the foundation of all good and blessing, and hardly does anyone attain it except after completing self-accounting (muḥāsabah). So when one accounts his soul for what has passed, rectifies his state in the present moment, adheres to the path of truth, improves between himself and Allah the Exalted by observing the heart, and preserves his breaths with Allah the Exalted, he watches over Allah—glorified is He—in all his states. Thus he knows that the Exalted is a Watcher over him, near to his soul, knowing his states, seeing his actions, and hearing his words. Whoever is heedless of this entirety is far from the beginning of the connection (wuṣlah); how then could he not be far from the realities of nearness (qurbah)? And whoever watches over Allah the Exalted in the thoughts that come upon his heart, Allah protects him in his limbs. Watching over Allah the Exalted (murāqabah) is the foundation of all good. The one who watches over Allah the Exalted is the one who hastens to His pleasure. Whoever’s watching over Allah is continuous, He draws him near and chooses him, distinguishes him over others and befriends him. Do not worship illusion (wahm), and you will be prevented from that which you covet. And if you see a verifier (muḥaqqiq), then watch over Allah and submit. Whoever seeks to attain wishes and be secure from worry and toil, let him witness the unseen openly and not see the fault here, and let him remain at the pinnacle of annihilation (fanāʾ), and beware of "I" and "me." This is the truth, so listen, O you who have been called to Allah. And if you see a verifier, then watch over Allah and submit. This is the truth, no falsehood, no argument, no dispute. I have seen none other, nor do I see. And whoever watches over me sees thus. Let the one burning with argument not turn to illusion, even if many people decry every illusion. Repent to Allah and return. And if you see a verifier, then watch over Allah and submit. Whoever comes to Allah with purity, and witnesses Allah alone, Allah singles him out and chooses him, so he lives with Allah in His presence, and generosity comes to him with fulfillment, so the cosmos becomes his servant. So purify love to gather, hasten, listen, and comprehend. And if you see a verifier, then watch over Allah and submit. Your submission is the canopy of ascent, your love is the presence of existence, your illusion is the agent of aversion, your understanding is the beholder of witnessing, and the emergence of nearness to the Loving One (al-Wadūd) has drawn near through the nobility of prostration. In the garden of union, graze, and by the manifestation (tajallī), enjoy. And if you see a verifier, then watch over Allah and submit. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the essence (ʿunṣur) of the tree of spiritual striving (mujāhadah)—whoever clings to it, Allah awakens his heart from the sleep of heedlessness (ghaflāt). O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the root (aṣl) of the tree of spiritual striving—whoever clings to it, Allah protects his tongue from delving into what does not concern him and from all slips. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the house (bayt) of the tree of spiritual striving—whoever clings to it, Allah grants him mastery over his own soul, so he weans it from habits and pleasures. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the branch (ghuṣn) of the tree of spiritual striving—whoever clings to it acts according to the requirements of the sacred law (sharīʿah) and guards his limbs from sins and the commission of desires. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the flower (zahr) of the tree of spiritual striving—whoever clings to it occupies his soul with the remembrance of Allah (dhikr Allāh) and presence with Him at all times. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the fruit (thamarah) of the tree of spiritual striving—whoever eats from it, Allah seals for him with faith and forgives him his sins, past and future. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that raises us thereby in degrees, and conveys us thereby to the utmost goals of all good things in life and after death, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muḥammad and to the family of our master Muḥammad, the essence of the tree of spiritual striving—whoever clings to it, Allah adorns his outward with spiritual striving, makes him taste the sweetness of faith, beautifies his inward with the lights of witnessing (mushāhadah) and perfection of certainty (īqān), prepares his limbs for His service, grants him success in obedience in secret and in public, directs his words and actions toward good, protects him from the causes of misery and abandonment, illuminates his insight with the light of opening (fatḥ), purifies his heart from the whisperings of souls and the incitements of Satan, fills his breast with the subtleties of divine knowledge (al-ʿulūm al-ladunniyyah), and bestows upon him the gifts of grace and favor. So what a tree this is, with towering branches, varied in colors! Whoever clings to it is safe from the causes of disbelief, immorality, and disobedience, is adorned with the stations of the people of chivalry (futuwwah), justice, and excellence, rides the mount of seriousness and resolve, is secure in places of bewilderment from the accidents of stripping and deficiency, performs the duties of spiritual striving—such as hunger, wakefulness, abandoning the world, cutting off habits and approved things, and turning away from what distracts him from serving his Master, the Sovereign, the Judge (al-Malik al-Dayyān)—and Allah has promised its people guidance to the path of good and rectitude with His saying: "And those who strive for Us—We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good" (Qur’an 29:69). And it is the foundation of the path of the people (al-qawm), and its pivot revolves around three things: he does not eat except when in need, and...

He sleeps not from performing acts of obedience except when overcome [by sleep], and he speaks not except out of necessity, due to the generality of the report of his saying, may God bless him and grant him peace: "From the excellence of a person's Islam is his leaving what does not concern him." And due to the report: "Sufficient for the son of Adam are a few morsels to keep his back straight; but if it must be, then a third for his food, a third for his drink, and a third for his breath." And due to His saying, Exalted is He: "There is no good in much of their secret talk, except for one who enjoins charity, kindness, or reconciliation between people." And due to the saying of some of the Salaf ³¹⁴: "A man will not attain the rank of the righteous until he passes six obstacles: first, he closes the door of comfort and opens the door of hardship; second, he closes the door of honor and opens the door of humility; third, he closes the door of rest and opens the door of exertion; fourth, he closes the door of sleep and opens the door of wakefulness; fifth, he closes the door of wealth and opens the door of poverty; sixth, he closes the door of hope and opens the door of preparation for death." Peace of God, as long as clouds pour rain, And as long as doves coo on branches, And as long as clouds shed rain-water, And as long as the yearning, lovesick one sighs, Upon a folk whose emblem is praise, And whose constant practice is night-vigil and standing [in prayer]. The Book of God in solitude is comfort For them at night, while people sleep. They call upon the God aloud, With tears that never cease to flow. So they roamed in gardens of knowledge from it, With understandings whose foundation is piety. They obtained from its flowers various kinds, For spirits purified, with which perfection is complete. ³¹⁵ And they waded through seas of understanding from its sweetness, So they attained pearls, and the necklace was completed. Then luminous lights of guidance overflowed upon them, So the clouds departed and the darkness cleared. And they obtained from their Beloved what they desired, And He granted them what they asked and sought. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of remembrance ³¹⁶, whoever clings to it, God expands his breast with the light of bestowed knowledge. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of remembrance, whoever clings to it, God revives his heart on the day when hearts die. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of remembrance, whoever clings to it, God purifies him from the filth of impurity and faults. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of remembrance, whoever attaches himself to it, God opens his insight and discloses to him the treasures of the unseen. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of remembrance, whoever attaches himself to it, God illuminates his innermost being and he attains the treasure of the sought-after secret. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of remembrance, whoever eats from it, his needs are fulfilled and he obtains from his Lord the ultimate goal and desire. So bless him, O God, and his family, a blessing by which You repel from us the onslaughts of calamities, and relieve us from great distresses, and expiate from us major sins and all transgressions, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of remembrance, whoever clings to it, God grants him the station of special intimacy and love, and seats him on the carpet of His Presence on the throne of witnessing and nearness, and crowns him with the crown of His care and clothes him with the robes of sainthood and attraction, and causes him to stroll in the gardens of His gnoses and graces and the orchard of His secrets, abundant in growth and fertility, and supplies him with the supply of His care and gives him to drink from His fullest cup of the purest wine of His love, a wine that intoxicates the people of ecstasy and drinking, and immerses him in the beauty of His Essence and the attributes of His perfections, and with the subtle divine remembrances ³¹⁷ makes his tongue moist, and raises in the highest assembly his rank and mention among those who remember Him, in accordance with His saying, Exalted is He: In it, for it, from a tree whose root is firmly fixed in the earth of truthfulness, and whose branch is towering in the heaven of Truth. Whoever clings to it ³¹⁸ traverses the paths of the people of love and taste, and follows the ways of the people of passion and longing. No one reaches God, Exalted is He, except by persisting in it, seeking refuge in it, and being passionately devoted to it, for it is the charter of sainthood, the path of guidance, the means of drawing near and arriving, and the key to the doors of contentment and acceptance. So whoever is granted success in it has been given abundant good, a renowned station, a momentous rank, a great kingdom, and pastures in the meadows of Paradise, as he, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: "O people, pasture in the meadows of Paradise." They said: "O Messenger of God, what are the meadows of Paradise?" He said: "The gatherings of remembrance. So go out early and return late in the remembrance of God. Whoever loves to know his station with God, let him see how God's station is with him, for God, Exalted is He, places the servant where he places Him in his own self." As He, Exalted is He, said: "So remember Me, I will remember you." And He said: "If you are grateful, I will surely increase you." And in the report from him, may God bless him and grant him peace, that he said: "No people sit remembering God, Exalted is He, but the angels surround them, mercy envelops them, tranquility descends upon them, and God mentions them among those with Him." * Peace, like the spreading of roses that meet the rain, * Disclosing a fragrance surpassing musk when it appears, * Upon your gathering from me, O best of communities, * Who came to listen to remembrance to obtain favor. * Take from me the reins of love as advice, * That will yield, with the Bestower, a stored-up reward. * Upon you is the remembrance of God in every state, * With names of Essence or attributes of His that you recite. * For the one of remembrance, his heart becomes illuminated, * And over all that pleases his Lord he prevails. * Why not, when truth came from the best of messengers, * A hadith from traditions, authentic, that you recite.

How blessed it is that God remembers His servant! If the remembrance ³¹⁹ is latent in the soul, then the All-Merciful remembers him constantly. And if the servant's remembrance is in a gathering ³²⁰ for him, then the remembrance of the Creator of creation is in a higher assembly. How do you see one whom your Lord remembers? A station ³²¹ by which man's worth becomes great. What a great and sweet station! Glory be to the Master, ever-bountiful in His supreme beneficence—welcome, welcome to it! O Lord, grant us success in thanking a grace whose souls never deemed small any act of generosity. And make beloved to us the remembrances ³²² that we may attain their merit, and beautify for us, from Your bounty, speech and action. And send blessings upon the best of creation, Muhammad, a Messenger of great rank who outweighed all messengers. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the essence ³²³ of the tree of intimacy ³²⁴—whoever clings to it, his nightingales ³²⁵ are stirred by hearing the remembrance of Allah. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of intimacy—whoever clings to it, his gatherings are perfumed with the wafts of Allah's secrets. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of intimacy—whoever clings to it, his stations are elevated by what shines upon him from the light of Allah's openings ³²⁶. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of intimacy—whoever attaches himself to it, his states become colored with absorption in the love of Allah. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of intimacy—whoever attaches himself to it, his times become pure through perpetual annihilation ³²⁷ and absence ³²⁸ in Allah. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of intimacy—whoever eats from it, his arrivals ³²⁹ follow one another with abundant ecstasy ³³⁰ and yearning for Allah. So send blessings, O Allah, upon him and upon his family, a blessing by which we become among those whom ecstasy ³³¹ and audition ³³² move towards Allah, so that they become absent ³³³ in Him until they hear only from Him, through Him, and to Him, and turn not to other than Him. And grant abundant peace forever. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of intimacy—whoever clings to it, his spirit is refreshed by the breeze of proximity to Allah, his soul is delighted by intimacy with the remembrance of Allah, his limbs are blessed with the deliciousness of what is conveyed to them from hearing Allah's address, his innermost being is illuminated by the radiance of what shines upon it from the light of Allah's beauty, his insight is opened by the unveiling of what becomes clear to him of the hidden secrets of Allah, his states are stirred by what descends upon them from the breezes of Allah's gifts, his spirit is revived by what it perceives of the attributes of Allah's perfections, and his worlds become absent ³³⁴ through what he witnesses of the splendor of Allah's Essence. This intimacy is mingled with the awe of bewilderment ³³⁵, struck by the wave of annihilation and distraction ³³⁶, and driven by the winds of longing and ecstasy ³³⁷ towards the enclosures of proximity and nearness. It is that which has caused some people to be absent from their intellects, and has stripped others of the capacity for patience, loosening from them the bonds of knowledge, so that they witness meanings that elude others, pointing them to Him. Thus they delight in that, and their intellects reel at what they see there. Among them are those who burn their garments, those who uncover their veils, those who cast off their restraint, those who tear their coverings, those who reveal their secrets, those who shout, those who weep, those whose souls perish, those who faint, those who lose their minds forever, and those who recover after a time. In this sense, the report came with this supplication from him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: 'And I ask You for a longing to meet You without any harmful adversity or misleading trial.' What a tree this is, grown from the subtle allusions ³³⁸ and hidden from the precise expressions ³³⁹! Whoever clings to it, the lightning of love flashes for him, and the arrival of attainment and attraction ³⁴⁰ snatches him away, and the caller of closeness and proximity calls out to him: 'Wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah' ³⁴¹ and 'When My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near' ³⁴². Glory be to Him who has brought near the hearts of His beloved ones through mercy and acceptance, and distanced the hearts of His enemies until they became in confusion and error regarding Him. So we ask Him to perpetuate upon us the perfection of favor, and not to strip from us of His blessings what we have no power to thank adequately in any state. Indeed, He is the Great, the Exalted. Eye of my existence and soul of my negation ³⁴³ — Your face, by Allah, O my Beloved! Light of my eye and intimacy of my heart — Sun of my day and moon of my night. Annihilate ³⁴⁴ in it all; You are enough for me. So cut off connection, annihilate, remain, and have mercy. O my Beloved and my all in all, be as You will for the lover. For You are my eye if You wish protection, and my goal if You desire captivation. No separation has occurred, so there is no parting from one to whom my face and heart belong. So do not threaten nor promise, for You are my peace and You are my war. In the state of my distance and the state of my nearness, You are my attributes and You are my essence. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of the tree of servitude ³⁴⁵—whoever clings to it fulfills the right of Lordship. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of servitude—whoever clings to it inhales the breezes of the merciful attractions of the kingdom ³⁴⁶. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of servitude—whoever clings to it is adorned with the sash of the means of supplication ³⁴⁷. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of servitude—whoever attaches himself to it witnesses the lightning of Muhammadan prophetic love. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of servitude—whoever attaches himself to it, the light of the chosen Ahmadian ³⁴⁸ mastery shines upon his face. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of servitude—whoever eats from it, the glad tidings of bestowed openings ³⁴⁹ and gifts of divine ³⁵⁰ and presential ³⁵¹ sciences appear upon him. So send blessings, O Allah, upon him and upon his family, a blessing by which You clothe us with the lofty and sublime garments of his dignities, and by which You imbue us with his pleasing and approved character traits, and by which You gather us in the company of his pure and clean group, by Your favor and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of servitude ³⁵²; whoever clings to it knows Allah with true knowledge, sells his soul to Him in a definitive sale, disavows his own power and strength, directs his face solely to Him, employs his limbs in His obedience and pure service, abides by His commands and prohibitions, surrenders His decrees to Him, rests under the currents of His power, attaches himself outwardly and inwardly to Him, is content with what He has decreed for him, casts his reins into the fold of His grasp, believes in His Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), follows him in his words and deeds, and acts according to the dictates of His Book and His Sunnah. What a tree this is, planted by the Truth ³⁵³ with the hand of His power, singled out by the secret of His wisdom, supplied with abundant blessings, gifted with perfect care and the honor of His attribution! Whoever clings to it fears Allah and dreads Him, is safe from His punishment and severity, attains His pardon, beneficence, and forgiveness, and fulfills the duty of His right with the utmost standing and sincerity in worship and servitude. How could it not be so, when Allah has praised its people in His Book, saying: "And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth gently" ³⁵⁴ up to "Those will be rewarded with the highest chamber for what they patiently endured" ³⁵⁵? There is nothing among the attributes more noble than this, nor any name more complete and perfect for the believer than being named by it. Therefore, Allah Almighty named His beloved and Prophet by it, and described him on the Night of Ascension ³⁵⁶, which was the most honorable of his times in this world, saying: "Exalted is He who took His servant by night" ³⁵⁷, and said concerning him: "Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed" ³⁵⁸, even though He called other prophets by their names, such as "O Moses," "O Jesus," and "O Salih," as it has been said: "He called all the messengers each by his name, / But called you alone by 'the Messenger' and 'the Prophet.'" Had there been a name more exalted than servitude, He would have named him by it. In this meaning, they have recited: "O 'Amr, my vengeance is with my Zahra', / Known to the hearer and the seer. / Call me not except by 'her servant,' / For it is the most noble of names." "When the servant is purified from the filth of sins, / And becomes clear through sincerity of resolve from what was turbid, / And turns, not turning to other than his Beloved, / And rolls up his sleeves on the arm of divine success, / And removes from his inner self the attachment to other-than-God, / And becomes absent from worlds, creation, and people, / And clings to the thresholds of the noble ones and their door, / And is perfumed by the proximity of those precincts, / That is the one whom his Beloved brings near, / And causes him to witness His beauty without doubt, / And he becomes, when the full moon of his witnessing shines, / With Him in the highest rank and station." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of uprightness ³⁵⁹; whoever clings to it masters the principles and the branches. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of uprightness; whoever clings to it adopts the school of the people of proximity and attainment. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of uprightness; whoever clings to it follows in his words, deeds, and states the conduct of the Messenger. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of uprightness; whoever attaches himself to it directs his aspiration to Allah, and He opens for him the doors of contentment and acceptance. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of uprightness; whoever attaches himself to it makes his religion pure for Allah, occupies himself with what concerns him, and leaves aside superfluities. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of uprightness; whoever eats from it fulfills the duties of the Muhammadan Sharia, to which the eminent leaders and great scholars have clung. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which we attain the goal and the desired, and by which we reach, from Your pleasure and his pleasure, the utmost of hopes and requests, by Your favor and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of uprightness; whoever clings to it treads the path of success and safety, adorns himself with the ornament of the people of virtue and honor, wears from the robes of sainthood the best armor and coat, establishes his building on the foundations of piety and erects it, complies with what his Lord has commanded him of the legal rulings and makes them the focus of his eyes and before him, strives in what pleases Him and watches Him in secret and public, fulfills his covenants and observes his obligations. What a tree this is, famous in its mark and sign, balanced in its branches and stature! Whoever clings to it, Allah raises his mention in the enclosures of holiness and the plains of the Resurrection, elevates his station and rank in the highest paradises, and praises him in His Book, saying: "Indeed, those who have said, 'Our Lord is Allah,' and then remained upright, the angels descend upon them" ³⁶⁰ up to "as a hospitality from a Forgiving, Merciful One" ³⁶¹, and because of the hadith: "Be upright, and you will never be able to fully do so" ³⁶². And the degree of uprightness is the perfection and completion of all matters, and by its existence, good things are obtained and ordered. Whoever is not upright in his state, his effort is wasted and his striving fails. Whoever is not upright in his attribute does not ascend from his station to another, nor is his conduct based on soundness. Among the signs of uprightness of the people of the beginning ³⁶³ is that their dealings are not tainted by a period of slackness. Among the signs of uprightness of the people of the intermediate ³⁶⁴ is that their spiritual descents are not accompanied by a halt. Among the signs of uprightness of the people of the end ³⁶⁵ is that their union is not intermingled with a veil. And the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was seen in a dream...

It was said to him: "You said that Surah Hud made you gray-haired. What part of it made you gray? The stories of the prophets and the destruction of nations?" He said: "No, but His saying, the Exalted, made me gray: 'So be upright as you have been commanded' ³⁶⁶. And this is only endured by the great ones ³⁶⁷, because it is the departure from habitual norms, the abandonment of customs and traditions, and standing before Allah, the Exalted, in the reality of truthfulness. It entails perfection in words by abandoning backbiting, in actions by negating innovation, in deeds by negating lethargy, and in states by negating veiling. And it necessitates the continuity of divine generosity ³⁶⁸, as the Exalted said: 'And if they had remained upright on the path, We would have given them abundant water' ³⁶⁹. There are people who obeyed Him and intended none other than Him, when they contemplated the cosmos with lessons. They believed and remained upright as they were commanded, and they found sweetness in their time of fasting and night vigil. They strove and refrained from what distances them from His door, and they softened every rough thing. They hastened to the pleasure of their Lord and strove towards the path to Him with the striving of one who is commanded. So ecstasy, longing, and remembrance are their sustenance, and they adhered to seriousness and setting out early in the mornings. Gardens of Eden are for them, with whatever they desire therein, in a seat of truth among meadows and flowers. They have from Allah what nothing can equal: hearing His greeting and the triumph of vision. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of compassion and tenderness ³⁷⁰; whoever clings to it, Allah clothes him in garments of honor and protection. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the root of the tree of compassion and tenderness; whoever clings to it becomes among the people of guidance, righteousness, and piety. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of compassion and tenderness; whoever clings to it, Allah grants him success in obedience and strengthens him to do good and helps him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the branch of the tree of compassion and tenderness; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah illuminates his inner being and fills his heart with affection and mercy. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the flower of the tree of compassion and tenderness; whoever attaches himself to it, Allah manifests his generosity and proof in the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the fruit of the tree of compassion and tenderness; whoever eats from it, Allah subjugates things to him and makes those in the cosmos his servants and helpers. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, a blessing by which we become among those who have filled their gatherings and registers with blessings upon him, and who have immersed their times and ages in love for him, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of the tree of compassion and tenderness; whoever clings to it acquires the character of the All-Merciful, loves for Allah's servants what he loves for himself, treats them with forgiveness, pardon, and kindness, observes Allah in his dealings with them, follows paths of gentleness with them, saves them from the causes of misery and abandonment, awakens them to what benefits them in this world and the next and brings them the pleasure of their Lord, the King, the Judge, eases what is difficult for them, and strives to fulfill their needs through gesture, speech, and action with all limbs, acting upon the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "Whoever undertakes to fulfill the need of his Muslim brother, if his need is fulfilled, a Hajj and Umrah are written for him, and if it is not fulfilled, an Umrah is written for him." So this tree is of lofty rank and status, radiant with gifts of grace and favor, praised by the texts of hadith and the sciences of the Quran. Whoever clings to it attains pleasure and satisfaction, adorns himself with the ornament of the doers of good and the noble masters, and devotes himself to benefiting Allah's servants, as reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "Creation is the family of Allah, and the most beloved to Allah is the most beneficial to His family." And this tree arises from excellence ³⁷¹ and the vision of the favor of the Lord upon the servant and His grace. That is because hearts are naturally inclined to love those who do good to them in secret and in public. If the Truth, glorified be He, were to cut off His goodness from these hearts, it would become easy for them to change and turn away from their lover, for the possessor of such a heart is occupied with seeing the goodness upon him, and carried by the succession of blessings upon him. The whispers of greed have been cut off from his heart, due to the perfection of delight and the existence of enjoyment he is in. He hastens to serve the Benefactor, taking pleasure in that before Him. The succession of blessings he is in and the gifts of generosity and kindness opened to him have made him forget the calamities and afflictions that previously befell him. For generosity and goodness to servants bequeath from the Lord, majestic is His majesty, mercy and love, as reported from him, peace and blessings be upon him, that he said: "The merciful are shown mercy by the All-Merciful. Have mercy on those on earth, and He who is in heaven will have mercy on you." So it is part of the etiquette of the lover of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to follow him in mercy towards Allah's servants, making things easy for them and not making anything difficult for them, as he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Make things easy and do not make things difficult, give glad tidings and do not repel." Thus, part of the perfection of love for this noble Prophet, of high rank with Allah, the Exalted, is that his lover should follow his path, adhere to his guidance, seek his gentleness, be adorned with his compassion and tenderness, respect the elder, have mercy on the young, seek from Allah the mercy of this world and the Hereafter through his goodness to creation and mending the broken heart, and be characterized by mercy and compassion towards Allah's creation and bringing joy to Allah's servants. For all good lies in mending hearts, as reported from the Beloved, the Beloved, that he used to hasten to bring joy to his community and supplicate to Allah to repel evil from them, make easy what was difficult, relieve the distressed, seek forgiveness for the sinners, pardon the wrongdoers, and not repay good with evil, but rather forgive and overlook. * He points to the All-Merciful, whoever is guided by him, and saves from the horror of disgrace and guides. * An imam for them, guiding them to the truth with effort, a truthful teacher; if they obey him, they prosper. * Forgiving of slips, accepting their excuses; and if they do good, goodness is more generous. * And if a matter comes that they cannot bear, from him is the easing of what is difficult.

It is grievous to him that you should turn away from guidance; eager is he that you should be upright and guided ³⁷². Kindly towards them, his wing is not folded to a shelter that cherishes and guides him. O Allah, I ask You, O my Master, by the sanctity of these trees, great in rank and status, fragrant in breezes and blossoms, growing from the light of Muhammadan love, watered by the secrets of Ahmadian lordship, ripening with the subtleties of Mustafan perfections, radiant with the noblest prophetic traits, thriving with the gleams of unseen openings, swaying with the breezes of holy breaths, standing on the stems of bestowed realities, glowing with the clouds of divine secrets, whose root is repentance, asceticism, scrupulousness, piety, uprightness, and trust; their branches are struggle, patience, forbearance, pardon, forgiveness, brokenness, and humility; their leaves are knowledge, wisdom, devotion, detachment, modesty, manners, and faith; their colors are fear, hope, truthfulness, sincerity, certainty, trust in Allah, and seeking refuge in Him in secret and in public; their flowers are love, longing, taste, states, inspirations, ecstatic utterances, attractions, gratitude, sobriety, annihilation, subsistence, absence, presence, and immersion in the beauty of the Essence, ecstasy, and rapture; their fruits are inspiration, discernment, unveiling, conversation, speech, witnessing, and direct vision; their taste is praise, gratitude, intimacy, remembrance, contentment, submission, entrustment, and stillness under the currents of destinies, and assuming the attributes of servitude and watchfulness of Allah at all times and seasons. It yields its fruit every season by its Lord's permission for the people of nearness, friendship, selection, choice, proximity, and closeness. And by the sanctity of him through whom these trees, with ripe branches and fruits, radiant with gifts of knowledge and secrets, clothed in robes of shining lights, Your beloved, chosen one, prophet, our master and lord Muhammad the Mustafa, the elect, blessed in tomb and shrine, sound in chain and traditions, send blessings upon him and upon his chosen, noble family, and his pure, noble companions. And grant me, O Allah, from the fragrant breezes of his Muhammadan flowers as You granted Your righteous saints, and feed me from the tables of his Ahmadian secrets as You fed Your free beloved ones, and illuminate my heart with the gleams of his manifestations, the shining lights, and pour upon me from the oceans of his gifts the streams of secrets, and give me to drink from the pure wine of his nectar a satisfying cup, pure of substance, and honor me with his lofty gifts, and support me with the subtleties of sciences and remembrances, and strengthen me in all of Your religion with Your merciful support, and remove from my heart in love for him the darkness of doubts and others, and make the jewels of my praises a means to attain Your pleasure and his pleasure, and a means to attract the currents of his mercies and the abundant gifts of his immense favors. And honor me with his care, and make my portion in following his Sunnah great and abundant, and my effort in tracing his footsteps praiseworthy and thanked, and my constancy in his prophetic praises and spreading his Mustafan traits an accepted and blessed deed. And grant me the station of sincerity and certainty, and single me out with the realities of faith and excellence, and support me with the support of the people of secret and gnosis, and strip me of the egoistic attribution that leads to the accidents of negation and deficiency, and grant me knowledge that bequeaths deliverance from seeing deeds and cuts off doubts from witnessing states, and protects souls from the pitfalls of deviation and error, and repels the obstacles that prevent the station of arrival and connection, and bestows special firmness in the degrees of perfection and the stations of men, and disciplines souls and elevates them to the carpet of intimacy and boldness, and enriches them and annihilates them in witnessing the lights of Majesty and Beauty, and refreshes them with the spirit of longing and love, and draws them to the presence of the Great, the Exalted. And make me, O Allah, among the special individuals ³⁷³ whose aspirations are high, whose intentions are pure, whose conduct is sound, so that they are not attributed to any name, nor is any trace known of them, nor do fingers point to them, nor are they enslaved by desires and ambitions, nor are they seduced by pleasures and passions, nor are they overcome by domineering forces and natures, nor do the leaders of assemblies and gatherings visit them. They are the treasures of Allah wherever they are, and they are those referred to in his saying, peace and blessings be upon him: 'Those who, when present, are not known, and when absent, are not missed, and when witnessed, are not consulted; they are the hidden pious ones' ³⁷⁴, as the hadith states: 'Their ranks are high, their circles are pure, their words are healing, their states are wholesome, their deeds are pure, their sides are raised from beds, their stations before their Lord are lofty, their innermost selves are empty of worldly distractions, and their hearts are at peace with what descends upon them from the Real. Men who have been true to their covenant with Allah.'

Blessed are the masters of spiritual wayfaring ³⁷⁵, for they have attained what their hands planted in detachment. They are the true people; strive to follow their path, and if you cannot be like them, then imitate them. They are occupied with the remembrance of their Lord, gazing upon what He has preordained for them, and grateful for the special favors He bestowed upon them in pre-eternity ³⁷⁶ which He caused to flow through His hand. They are content with what He has allotted them from the gifts of His graces, turning away from the covetousness of others, standing at His door, desiring what is with Him, opening the treasuries of His secrets, swimming in the seas of His generosity, bestowing the subtle wisdoms of His gnosis ³⁷⁷, and moving about in the garments of His good pleasure. "Those are the party of God. Indeed, the party of God are the successful." [Qur'an 58:22] Their hearts journeyed with people in the unseen realms, and the Bountiful One brought them near through His bounty. They are firmly established near God in the shade of His Throne; their spirits roam and move about. Their sources are upon honor and eternity, and their destination is what is more perfect. They departed with unique honor from His majesty, walking and striding in the garments of divine unity ³⁷⁸. Indeed, for the All-Merciful there is a secret within a secret for its people, and the secret within the secret is more beautiful. O God, write me in the register of the diligent, gather me among the company of the strivers, include me in the ranks of the people of Your successful party, and make me one of Your sincere and certain servants who obeyed You in secret and in public, and attained from You good pleasure and satisfaction, and knew You through realization by witnessing and direct vision, not by proof and demonstration. So You made for them, from the beauty of Your guidance to the ultimate goal of Your care, a cause and a way, and opened for them a door of divine support until they were written with You in the register of felicity as beloved ones. And You made Your remembrance for them an intimate companion and friend, and the recitation of Your Book for them an impenetrable fortress and a firm pillar. O God, make what You have granted me of supplication and what You have enabled me of petition a degree for the purification of my heart, an expiation for my great sin, a means for the relief of my distress, a stirring yearning for the burning of my love, a true influx for the agitation of my attraction ³⁷⁹, a blended support whose secret is in the recesses of my drink, a door to the firmness of my certainty, a cause for the illumination of my insight and the rectification of my religion, a comforting companion for me on the carpet of my divine presence ³⁸⁰ and the station of my establishment ³⁸¹. And grant me, O God, a yearning for You whose fire blazes in my heart, a heart that dives into the sea of Your love and speaks with stammering, and a true certainty that nothing of interpretations or arguments can turn away from its goal with You, until we meet You in a manner pleasing to You, O You for whose good pleasure souls and lifeblood are exchanged. And make me among the best of Your saints, the closest of Your chosen ones. Inspire me to return to You and turn towards You. Bestow upon me the Garden which You have prepared for Your righteous servants and permitted to Your intimate beloved ones, and made an abode of eternity for them, wherein they delight in gazing upon Your noble Face, Your everlasting and enduring bliss, and the perfection of Your vast and all-encompassing satisfaction. Clothe me, O God, in the garment of honor, and lead us in both abodes on the path of success and safety. Make us joyful, bring us near, look upon us with the eye of Your pardon, and purify us among the elite of Your beloved ones in the arenas of the Resurrection, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. By the light of Your holiness, by the guarded secret, by what You have hidden from us in the veil of pre-eternity, exalted is Your glory by the encompassing meaning, and by whom You poured forth the eyes of generosity upon the nations, by the one of the two cycles ³⁸², the Ahmadite ³⁸³, father of all creation, the secret of the letter and the word, Muhammad, Your servant singled out in ranks of distinction by wisdoms in cycles and judgments, the sun of beauty, the key of perfection, from whom You extended the morning breezes of effusion and generosity. Grant me security by guarding my heart from the ambiguities of passions, and make the portion of gentleness from the shares. And reach the servant, O my succor, from You with what suffices him against the calamities of evils and punishments. And make all that I have hoped from You, by Him who gave me life, guide me to the truth, and guide them. My God, by Your bounty You have granted me success and guided me, called me to the stations of Your love and sheltered me, made me feel estranged from other than You and with You gave me intimacy, enriched me with You with eternal wealth, seated me on the carpet of Your intimacy, nourished me with the subtle favors of Your generosity, then gave me to drink until You intoxicated me. When You intoxicated me, You reproached me. When You reproached me, You bewildered me. When You bewildered me, You took me away from security. By Your truth, O my Master, I shall not awaken from the intoxication of Your love except through witnessing You and expansion upon the carpet of watchfulness over You. So perpetuate that for me, O Most Merciful of the merciful. My God, You have enraptured my heart and made it the thoroughfares of Your unseen and the locus of Your secrets. You have exhausted my body and burdened it with the loads of Your obligation and the essences of Your remembrances. You have unveiled to my innermost the subtle realities of Your dominion ³⁸⁴ and the treasuries of Your omnipotence ³⁸⁵. So help me, O God, with what You have charged me, and strengthen me for what You have entrusted and burdened me with, for I cannot bear that except through You. Bestow upon me well-being, water my heart from the pure springs of Your love, and look upon me with the eye of Your good pleasure in this world and the Hereafter, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. My God, I fear You because I am a sinner, and I hope in You because I am a believer. I rely on Your bounty because I am apologetic, and I trust in Your generosity because I am seeking forgiveness. I expand towards Your intimate conversation because I have good opinion of You, and You are the most majestic Beloved and the most excellent Desired. Do You think You will punish me while Your love is in my heart? Far be it from You to do that, O my Beloved! You are the Beloved of lovers, the Most Generous of the generous, the Most Merciful of the merciful, the Forgiver of the misdeeds of sinners, the Granter of security to the fearful, the Fulfiller of the hopes of those who seek. So grant me security from my fear and terror, and fulfill my aim and hope, O Most Generous of the generous, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. My God, indeed the divine decree and destiny have overcome us, and desire has imprisoned us with the shackles of passions. So be our Helper, look upon us with the eye of good pleasure, forgive us every past sin, provide us with deeds that will be sound for the Day of Meeting, and do not make us among the people of misguidance and misery. Inspire us to observe beautiful etiquette, make us among those who prepared for Your obedience and then responded, write us among those who fulfilled what was obligatory upon them, and do not make us among those whose supplication is loved but not answered. My God, we love Your obedience even if we fall short of it, and we detest Your disobedience even if we commit it. So bestow upon us the Garden even if we are not of its people, and deliver us from the Fire even if we have deserved it, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor. O God, You know our sins, so forgive them; You know our faults, so conceal them; You know our needs, so fulfill them; You know our enemies, so suffice us against them. Sufficient are You as a Protector and Sufficient are You as a Helper. O God, provide us with the most beneficial knowledge, the most elevated action, the truest speech, the most reliable certainty, the most complete good, the most beautiful patience, the most just reward, the most abundant recompense, the most lasting piety, the most upright guidance, the most pleasant life, the greatest hope, the most honorable eternity, the most perfect mercy, the most comprehensive blessing, the most complete well-being, and the most encompassing pardon. And make us among those who are guided and guide others, who are rightly guided and lead others aright, who are safe and secure, who are beloved and accepted, who are near and brought close, who are successful and felicitous, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

Make it beautiful and from obedience the best, and save us from the world and its terrors and hardships, and from alteration and change in its affairs, from the abode of perishing to the abode of permanence, by Your grace and mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. ❖ Perhaps a breath from the Holy Presence ³⁸⁶ may blow, and a lightning flash from the side of ecstasy ³⁸⁷ may gleam. ❖ Perhaps a breath from the mercy of God, indeed it will convey me to the utmost of my desires when it blows. ❖ Perhaps God will bring me near to the court of contentment, so I may empty the doors of knowledge and they will open. ❖ And the grace of God continues to flood my court and dazzle me from wherever I gaze. ❖ But I seek more from His grace, even though I swim in a sea of generosity. ❖ Whoever roams in the garden of gnosis ³⁸⁸, after that no other pasture is sought. ❖ To the highest assembly ³⁸⁹, upon the heavens of my aspiration, thus a form inclines to a form. ❖ And I continually ascend in degrees of elevation, wherein there is a swimming place for insights. ❖ The possessor of my speech reveals the secret of the Truth ³⁹⁰, and every vessel exudes what it contains. (99) ❖ And I conceal the secret of the secret ³⁹¹ like the concealment of ardent love; were it not for the limitation of creatures, I would speak plainly. ❖ The court of holiness is only for its people, and not every person roams in its valley. ❖ The Truth is only attained through His Essence; sufficient for you is that the Truth speaks by the Truth. ❖ The masters of spiritual wayfaring ³⁹² thirst; they have an intense longing to hear the call of the Truth. ❖ Longing is only for an absent one, but the Truth is ever-present, never departing. ❖ A guide of an allusion that benefits its awareness; it suffices you from me that I am a sign. ❖ I am independent through attaining the Truth from every acquisition; after attaining the Truth, there is no ambition for the soul. ❖ I have restrained my reins from mixing with people, and I said: the path of patience is better and more successful. ❖ But the necessity of livelihood sometimes changes the face of the desired and kindles it. ❖ Sufficient for me is praise of the One, the Unique; indeed, He is the most noble of those who are praised and lauded. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree that tongues have praised and eyes have adorned with the intensity of their love. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree at whose secret intellects are bewildered and whose specificity the masters acknowledge. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree around whose Kaaba ³⁹³ the caravans have circled and through whose blessing calamities have been relieved. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree with whose love the pious are charged and at whose watering-place the righteous vie. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree to which the pure have sought refuge and by whose gaze the free have triumphed. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree with which the birds have sung and in whose love lifetimes have been spent. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree by which the regions are preserved and through whose station ³⁹⁴ needs are fulfilled. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree by which the ages are blessed (100) and through whose antidote harms are healed. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree that asceticism and chastity have guarded, and justice and equity have adorned. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree of which the nobles and chiefs have boasted, and in which perfections and attributes have been completed. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree soft in sides and branches, vast in expanses and shelters. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree to which glories and generosities are attributed, and by which paths and landmarks are clarified. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the origin of every tree by which dwellings and rituals are greeted, and by which festivals and seasons are blessed. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree to which merits and virtues are attributed, and by which morals and traits are ennobled. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree by which supplications and means are accepted, and by which clans and tribes are honored. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree by which ranks and stations are elevated, and by which processions and assemblies are adorned. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree by which affairs and paths are facilitated, and to whose service kings and kingdoms hasten. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree by which rites and rituals are manifested, and by which perils and destructions are warded off. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree toward which feet hasten, and through whose blessing ailments disappear. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree that the banners have proclaimed and by which (101) mankind has benefited. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree by which deeds are beautified and states are rectified. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree by which works are purified and locks are opened. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree that men have followed, and by which terrors are relieved. O God, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the origin of every tree of great worth, lofty in glory.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence ³⁹⁵ of every tree of goodly remembrance and fragrant diffusion. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree of sweet taste and noble lineage. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree of noble qualities and great bounty. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree of goodly nature and precious proximity. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree of Yemeni faith ³⁹⁶ and malakutian ³⁹⁷ excellence. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree of ripe branches and flourishing clusters. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree that revives spirits and removes sorrows. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree of lofty station and vast expanse. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree of clear lights and overflowing secrets. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree whose suns have shone in the sky of high stations, and whose souls have been created upon noble character traits. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree whose proofs have proclaimed the truth, and whose virtues have appeared in the assemblies of lovers. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree whose rank is high with Allah, and whose companionship benefits in this world and the Hereafter. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree whose fragrance has spread in the gardens of existence, and whose lineage is renowned among the knowers. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree whose desire is sincere for Allah, and whose proclamation has spread in the highest assembly. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree whose love is firmly rooted in hearts, and whose soil is good in the earth. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree whose offering is accepted by Allah, and whose Ka'ba ³⁹⁸ appears to those who circumambulate. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree whose blessing encompasses all creatures, and whose wisdom cures those with inner diseases. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree that grew in the space of mercy, and from whose streams springs of wisdom gushed forth. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree that hearts yearn for, and by whose secret the treasuries of the unseen are opened. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree to which spiritual souls pledged allegiance, and upon which were bestowed the garments of the lordly kingdom. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree famous in earth and heaven, surrounded by all kinds of good and growth. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree from which the spirits of sweet basil emanated, and whose virtues filled registers and books. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree for whose satisfaction wealth is spent, and men dismount at its courtyard. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree that glory encompasses and celebrates, and blessed is he who enters its path and connects. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree; happy is he who attains its vision and anoints his eyes, and reaches through attachment to it the ultimate goal and hope. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, who were observed with the eye of care in pre-eternity, and his Companions, the stars of guidance and lamps of knowledge and action, a blessing that makes us among those who take refuge in his Ahmadine ³⁹⁹ tree and seek shade, and drink from the nectar of his Muhammadan love, after quenching, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree watered with the water of righteousness and generosity, and that bore fruit in the gardens of obedience and steadfastness. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree from which the subtleties of knowledge are derived, and by whose secret the intricacies of understanding are unveiled. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree under which the weak and the strong seek shade, and to which the poor and the rich take refuge. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree through which means are facilitated, and by whose blessing doors are opened. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree from which the poles ⁴⁰⁰ derive support, and by whose honor the companions are honored. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree from whose spring the noble drink, and whose traces the eminent follow.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence ⁴⁰¹ of every tree whose watering-places the bells ⁴⁰² have drunk from, and in whose meadows the intelligent have grazed. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree whose fruits the ascetics have harvested, and whose flowers the worshippers have plucked. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree from whose oceans of gifts the solitary ⁴⁰³ have drawn, and from whose lights of knowledge the pegs ⁴⁰⁴ have kindled. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree from whose visitation the visitors have benefited, and by whose elixir ⁴⁰⁵ bodies have been purified. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree in which praise and chanting have become sweet, and in which yearning and sleeplessness have become delightful. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the essence of every tree in which longing and affection have multiplied, and whose love has settled in the core of the innermost heart and the heart. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the noble chiefs ⁴⁰⁶, and his Companions, who sacrificed their lives in support of the religion and jihad, a blessing by which You honor us with subtle succor ⁴⁰⁷, and by which You enroll us in the ranks of the people of earnestness and striving, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by the light of the clear victory ⁴⁰⁸, and whose love is firmly rooted in the hearts of Allah's righteous servants. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by the eternal ⁴⁰⁹ love, and watered by the cup-companion of the secret of the All-Merciful ⁴¹⁰. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by spiritual love, and supported by the witness of the discriminating knowledge ⁴¹¹. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by human ⁴¹² love, and honored by the divine ⁴¹³ succor. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by Muhammadan love, and clothed with eternal glory. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by noble love, and embellished by exalted lineage. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by modesty and noble descent, and elevated by knowledge and good manners. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by majesty and beauty, and spread by intimacy and familiarity. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by altruism and favor, and made beloved by loyalty and perfection. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by religion and righteousness, and purified by truthfulness and success. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by generosity and virtue, and perfected by nearness and union. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by modesty and faith, and magnified by munificence and beneficence. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by pardon and safety, and preferred by forgiveness and favor. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the adornment of every tree adorned by ecstasy and rapture, and elevated by longing and bewilderment. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the venerable notables, and his Companions, the lions of valor, a blessing by which You treat us with pardon and forgiveness, and by which You gather us with those upon whom You have bestowed favor, of the prophets and the truthful, in the gardens of paradise, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. To You belongs the ultimate beauty, unattainable; if any other finds a way to its beginning, then You are the shadow of Allah, extending its canopy. You are the sun of perfection, and upon You it points as a guide. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed by the eye of might and care, enveloped by the lights of guidance and right direction. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed by the eye of success and right guidance, immersed in the oceans of sincerity and divine oneness. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed by the eye of majesty and beauty, immersed in the oceans of grace and bounty. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed by the eye of loyalty and perfection, immersed in the oceans of attainment and connection. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed by the eye of grandeur and magnification, immersed in the oceans of contentment and submission. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed by the eye of awe and dignity, immersed in the oceans of gifts and secrets. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed by the eye of compassion and tenderness, immersed in the oceans of generosity and favor. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed by the eye of closeness and proximity, immersed in the oceans of longing and love. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed by the eye of nearness and union, immersed in the oceans of love and passion.

A tree observed with the eye of rightness and felicity, absent in the seas of honor and glory. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed with the eye of exaltation and sovereignty, absent in the seas of devotion and worship. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed with the eye of love and election, absent in the seas of guidance and following. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed with the eye of contentment and good pleasure, absent in the seas of witnessing and gnosis. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed with the eye of compassion and tenderness, absent in the seas of infallibility and subtle kindness. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed with the eye of piety and reverence, absent in the seas of revelation and inspiration. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed with the eye of praise and commendation, absent in the seas of absorption and annihilation. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of every tree observed with the eye of success and correctness, absent in the seas of the Sunna and the Book. Section: O Allah, bless him and his family, the noble secrets, and his Companions, who are the most honorable of tribes and the dearest of beloved ones, a blessing by which You remove from our hearts, in love for this noble Prophet, the motives of doubt and suspicion, and by which You uncover from the defects of our inner sight the veil of ignorance and the darkness of the barrier, and by which You preserve us from the deviation of fluctuations and the onslaughts of obstacles and hindrances that come between us and You in going and returning, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the spiritual intellect, and honored by the Tablet-like knowledge. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the spiritual intellect, and sustained by the Lordly opening. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the luminous intellect, and brought near by the Merciful secret. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the abundant intellect, and elevated by the glorious lineage. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the skillful intellect, and clothed by the brilliant lawful. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the human intellect, and manifested by the divine knowledge. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the intelligent intellect, and nurtured by the pure character. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the Muhammadan intellect, and made famous by the Ahmadine love. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the Chosen intellect, and raised by the prophetic might. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the preserved intellect and its delight is the observed beauty. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the supported intellect, and refined by the correct understanding. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of every tree adorned by the lofty intellect, and magnified by the high rank. So bless, O Allah, him and his family, the masters of every attribute, and his Companions, the exemplars of every knower and saint, a blessing by which You cause us to be characterized by his pleasing character and guide us by it to his straight and even path, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. He who surpassed all people in beauty, and his light erased darkness. A lamp of generosity and clouds of bounty, and an eye of glory, unassailable. The most radiant of countenance, like a clear sun or a full moon appearing. What a splendor of his face, smiling with pearls of clouds. No eye that sees him doubts that he is the Messenger, the Imam. The universe shone from his radiance, and fragrance spread perpetually. He encompassed the worlds with knowledge, and his forbearance is a life that blames not. Pure origin and sun of virtue, and a master whose laughter is a smile. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, a sprinkling of musk and ambergris, whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of the gardens of holy fragrances and the hidden treasures of unseen secrets, and the embroidery of the veil of light let down over the treasuries of merciful gifts and supplicatory means. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, a sprinkling of clove and rose, whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of Muhammadan Ahmadine love, and the bride of the presences arrayed in the robes of eternal felicity, and the robes of the Meccan and Medinan openings. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, a sprinkling of basil and lily, whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of the Chosen prophetic love, and the treasury of the divine secret entrusted with the revelation of heaven and the gifts of the ladunni sciences of the kingdom. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, a sprinkling of blossom and myrtle, whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of the spiritual bestowed love, and the light of the insight of the pegs and the bells, whose name is written on the gates of the gardens and the openings of the Quranic suras of the Unique.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the sprinkling of lavender ⁴¹⁴ and the ears of grain whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of perfect Mawlawi ⁴¹⁵ love, and the possessor of sublime character, pure states, and goodly, pleasing actions. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the sprinkling of the Khabur ⁴¹⁶ and the jasmine whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of luminous Sunni love, and the book of inspiration descending upon the hearts of the people of true discernment and ocular unveilings. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the sprinkling of the good and the jasmine whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of pure, divine love, and the sultan of the kingdom supported by the swords of victory and the proofs of decisive evidences and strong arguments. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the sprinkling of chamomile and arar ⁴¹⁷ whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of spiritual, eternal love, and the secret of the human creature and the thronely spirits embodied. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the sprinkling of aloeswood and sandalwood whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of love observed by the secret of particularity, and the delight of the eyes of the comprehensive ones from the wine of divine love, and the springs of delicious tastes. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the sprinkling of cinnamon and saffron whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of love swaying with the fruits of righteous, pleasing deeds, and the lamp of words acknowledging the perfection of lordship and the sincerity of servitude. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the sprinkling of nadd ⁴¹⁸ and ghaliya ⁴¹⁹, whose fragrance wafts over the flowers of theoretical and practical love, and the very breaths of the masters of states and the people of ecstatic utterances ⁴²⁰ and eternal care. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, possessors of luminous, pure intellects, and his Companions, possessors of lofty, high station, a blessing by which You bestow upon us the gifts of hidden secrets and clothe us with the garments of election in the presences of descending nearness, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O ultimate goal of the desired garden of beauty, / For Your love in all creation are traces. In every living being are Your praises, / And for every mortal, in Your love are fruits. O garden whose fruits are / The splendors of life and whose flowers are the moons, By You the spirits lived and revived, / And by You the cities and ages became good. All subtle meanings recited Your meanings, / And the birds sang of Your discourse. And the breaths of Your fragrance diffused, / As the regions were filled with the light of Your beauty. So existence rose in majesty and radiance, / And upon it from You is tranquility and dignity. And the spirits of the phantoms of creation were refreshed, / And the secrets were sanctified by witnessing You. O paradise by which our spirits are refreshed, / Do they have in You a settled abode? If You were rain, its drops would be / The pearls of life and its flood the secrets. Or if You were a garden, its fruits would ever be / The splendors of suns and its flowers the moons. Your love filled all hearts, / So thoughts became free for witnessing You. And our states varied when there appeared / To You in all beauties, states. Make happy, my brother, with the remembrance of one who made forget the harshness / A lover upon whom from union is a banner. He is the spirit of majesty and His face / Is the garden of beauty and His remembrance the burdens. It is not singing that delights me, / By Him the traces and reports are good. May our God bless him as long as the branches of gardens dance / With the birds in His remembrance, And upon Him be His pure peace as long as the flowers / Refresh their breaths with His radiance. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of prophethood; whoever seeks intercession through him to Allah attains the goal and bliss. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the glory of prophethood; whoever clings to his love becomes absent in the Essence of Allah and annihilated. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the house of the honor of prophethood; whoever holds fast to the rope of his affection draws near to Allah and approaches. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the pride of prophethood; whoever perseveres in his remembrance has a good and pleasant life. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the kingdom of prophethood; whoever belongs to him, Allah forgives him the sins he committed and earned. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of mastery; whoever joins him, his aspiration rises and his rank becomes high. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of worship; whoever seeks refuge in his presence, his merit becomes great and his fragrance spreads. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of knowledge; whoever is guided by his guidance, his conduct becomes good and his offense is forgiven. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of action; whoever stops at his command and prohibition, his wisdom benefits and his blessing increases. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of righteousness; whoever follows his sunna, his proof becomes strong and his love becomes clear. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of care; whoever adopts his beautiful character, his desire becomes complete and his lineage becomes noble. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of guidance; whoever dies upon his creed, his innocence is recorded and his purity is perfected. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of sainthood; whoever enters his rank, his miracles spread and his stations rise. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of the secret; whoever draws from his ocean, his discernment becomes true and his sainthood becomes famous.

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of uprightness ⁴²¹; whoever follows his path, his special status is confirmed and his veracity ⁴²² becomes manifest. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of spiritual wayfaring ⁴²³; whoever adorns himself with its stations ⁴²⁴, his innermost being becomes pure and his insight is opened. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of excellence; whoever adheres to obedience to him, his happiness endures and his mastery is perfected. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of justice; whoever follows his example in action, His mercy encompasses him and His compassion includes him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of pardon; whoever holds fast to him, his slip is overlooked and his victory is strengthened. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of mercy; whoever seeks refuge with him, his lapse is forgiven and his ailment is cured. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of generosity; whoever alights in his courtyard, his gift is abundant and his favor is great. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of virtues; whoever seeks intercession through his rank, his distress is relieved and his offering is accepted. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of gifts; whoever visits his grave, his repentance is accepted and his sin is erased. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of excellences; whoever flees to him, his covenant is preserved and his sanctity is honored. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of purity; whoever increases blessings upon him, His breezes blow upon him and His mercies follow him. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the house of the tree of fidelity; whoever praises him, even with a single verse, his protection reaches him and his intercession becomes incumbent for him. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that makes us among those whom His care overshadows, and by which we become among those whom His blessing surrounds and His protection encompasses, and grant abundant and precious peace. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, I ask You, O my Lord, by the sanctity of these noble and exalted trees, and by the blessing of their great and growing branches, and by the rank of their lofty and high stations, and by the shades of their ripe and protective boughs, and by the fragrant and radiant breezes of their flowers, and by the goodness of their beneficial and healing fruits, and by the right of what You have deposited in them of the secrets of special status and the gifts of divinity, and the Self-Subsistent ⁴²⁵ secrets, and the angelic ⁴²⁶ lights, and what shines upon them of the rising manifestations of beneficence ⁴²⁷, and what descends upon them from the clouds of merciful receptions ⁴²⁸, and by the right of what they produce of bestowed benefits and comprehensive wisdoms, and what they contain of luminous forms and pure obedient spirits, and by the right of the essence of their supply and the secret of their replenishment and the spirit of their existence and the light of their creation, our master Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and what belongs to him of clear signs and evident decisive proofs, that You water my tree from the spring of Your mercy, and pollinate it with the winds of Your knowledge, and make it radiant with the flowers of Your contemplation, fruitful with the fruits of Your love, ripe at all times, surrounded by goodness, blessing, and benedictions, its flowers sweet-scented, its fruits diverse in qualities, so that its benefit may encompass the servants, and from it supply and replenishment may increase, so that those who come to drink may draw from it, and the servants and ascetics may benefit from its blessing, and the pegs ⁴²⁹ and the solitary ones ⁴³⁰ may seek shelter in its shade. Thus, by that, may my scale be heavy when I come to You, and by the blessing of that, may it appear upon everyone who is connected to me from my family, relatives, loved ones, supporters, brothers, and neighbors. And support me in the abode of this world in obedience to You, and honor me therein with the delight of Your address and the light of Your contemplation, and do not make me among those who worship You out of greed for Your Garden or fear of Your Fire and punishment, but make my servitude purely for You, and honor me with what You honor Your chosen ones and friends on the day of arrival to You, and grant me enjoyment of looking upon Your noble Face, and favor me with the vision of Your Prophet, our master Muhammad (upon him be the best of blessings and the purest of peace), and do not make my sins a veil between me and him, O All-High, O All-Great, O Forbearing, O All-Knowing, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. My God, the trees of the lovers have fruited through the pollinating winds of Your love, and the branches of the righteous have ripened through the clouds of Your mercy, and the hearts of the rememberers have come alive with the lights that attract to Your presence. How many a tree, O my Lord, have You looked upon with the eye of contentment, and it was pollinated by the breezes of Your wisdom! How many a land upon which the breezes of acceptance from You blew, and it became adorned with Your abundant blessings! How many a spirit have You called to Your presence, and it was drawn to You and sat upon the carpet of Your knowledge! How many a soul straying from Your obedience have You led with the chains of Your care to the station of Your service! How many a body cast in the prison of separation have You manifested Yourself to it with Your mercy, and it was delivered by the elixir of Your gaze! And there remains, O my Lord, only my thirsty, withered tree, and my barren, desolate land, as if it were burned by the fire of wrath or drowned in the seas of ruin. And how could I be deprived, O my Lord, when You have commanded me to supplicate and granted me success in asking, and promised me response, and given me glad tidings of attaining hope and fulfilling need? You are the One who made Yourself known through kindness, so I stretched out to You the hands of hope in poverty and fear, and the tongues of supplication moved to You in humility and desire. Indeed, the generous one gives to his asker as a favor without cause. So how, O my Lord, with supplication, flattery, abasement, and request? How often, O my Lord, have I knocked at the door and flattered in speech, and looked forward to the answer, while the spaces have become narrow for me and the means have become hidden from me, and You are the One who made the matter ambiguous to me so that we might hope and fear. So I ask You, O my Lord, to make our fear secure and to realize in You our hope, and to water with torrents from the clouds of Your mercy our thirsty, withered tree, and to revive with the secret of Your power and the perfection of Your gaze our barren land, and to have mercy on our souls that are humbled before You and wretched, and do not return them from the bestowal of Your great favor disappointed. And wash these faces that implore You with the water of pardon, generosity, and beneficence, and free these necks that flatter at Your door with pure bounty, favor, and grace, and overlook them with Your great pardon and forgiveness, O Generous, O Compassionate, O Benefactor. For the generous one is ashamed, when the hands of abasement and humility are stretched out to him, to return them empty and disappointed from his generosity, mercy, and the gifts of his beautiful bestowals. And You are the most generous of those who are asked, and pardon from You is more fitting and more beautiful.

We have sought intercession through You, by the most beloved of intercessors to You and the most honored of them before You, our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, whom You sent as a security and mercy for Your creation, and You made his rank ⁴³¹ the most excellent of all ranks with You. So grant us security, O God, from Your punishment, and do not destroy us with Your wrath, and grant us well-being before that. My God, if our sins have made us fear Your punishment, then good opinion of You has made us hope for Your reward. If You forgive, who is more worthy than You of that? And if You punish, who is more just than You in that? My God, supplication has stopped at Your door, and the poor have sought refuge in Your presence, and the ship of the knowers ⁴³² has anchored at the shore of the sea of Your overflowing generosity, with gifts and secrets, supplying the sea of Muhammadan prophecy ⁴³³, from which secrets split open and lights burst forth, hoping to cross to the expanse of the space of mercy ⁴³⁴, to pluck from the blossoms of the gardens of the kingdom ⁴³⁵, and to draw from the overflow of the basins of the dominion ⁴³⁶. So make me, O God, among those who crossed in their ship, drew from the secret of their sainthood ⁴³⁷, plucked from the blossoms of their guidance, borrowed from the lights of their care, adorned with the ornaments of their mastery, ascended to the highest of their station, and attained the alchemy of their secret and their blessings, by Your favor and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Eternally the spirits yearn for you, ❖ and your union is their basil and wine. And the hearts of those who love you long for you, ❖ and in the beauty of my beauty they find rest. And mercy for the lovers. The collation with the original has ended to the best of ability, and praise be to God. And this blessed volume has been completed and perfected, except for this blessed poem, which is its seal, from God upon us by His grace, amen.

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1. murāqabah wa shuhūd : Spiritual watchfulness and witnessing; states of awareness of God's presence and contemplation of divine realities.
2. qibla : The direction of prayer (toward Mecca); here used metaphorically as the focal point of devotion.
3. Aḥmadī : Pertaining to the Prophet Muhammad, whose name Ahmad means 'most praiseworthy'; often used in Sufi contexts to denote his spiritual reality.
4. shajarat al-nash’a al-Muḥammadiyya : The tree of Muhammadan genesis; a symbolic representation of the Prophet's primordial spiritual reality from which all creation emanates.
5. sunna : The prophetic tradition; the teachings, practices, and example of the Prophet Muhammad.
6. shuhūd : Witnessing; a state of direct spiritual perception of divine realities.
7. ta‘ayyun : Individuation or determination; the process by which the undifferentiated divine essence becomes manifest in specific forms.
8. Ṭā Hā : The Arabic letters Ta and Ha; a title of the Prophet Muhammad and the name of Sura 20 of the Quran.
9. Yā Sīn : The Arabic letters Ya and Sin; a title of the Prophet Muhammad and the name of Sura 36 of the Quran.
10. Ḥā Mīm : The Arabic letters Ha and Mim; opening letters of several Quranic chapters (Sura 40-46), often associated with divine attributes.
11. Ṭā Sīn Mīm : The Arabic letters Ta, Sin, and Mim; opening letters of Sura 26 and 28 of the Quran.
12. Ṭā Sīn : The Arabic letters Ta and Sin; opening letters of Sura 27 of the Quran.
13. ḥiṣn : Fortress; a metaphor for divine protection.
14. Aḥmad : Another name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'; also a reference to his prophetic reality.
15. sab‘ al-mathānī : The seven oft-repeated verses; a reference to Sura al-Fatiha (the Opening) of the Quran.
16. Quran 35:2 : Quranic verse from Sura Fatir (35:2).
17. Quran 11:88 : Quranic verse from Sura Hud (11:88).
18. Quran 9:128 : Quranic verse from Sura al-Tawba (9:128).
19. Quran 24:35 : Quranic verse from Sura al-Nur (24:35), known as the Light Verse.
20. عَنْصَر : Essence or core; the fundamental substance or origin of something.
21. وِلَايَة : Sainthood; spiritual authority and closeness to God.
22. سُورَةُ الْأَحْقَاف : Surah al-Ahqaf, verse 29-30.
23. اصْطِفَائِيَّة : Related to divine election or choice; being chosen by God.
24. سُورَةُ الْأَحْقَاف : Surah al-Ahqaf, verse 35.
25. اجْتِبَائِيَّة : Related to selection or picking out; divine selection for special favors.
26. سُورَةُ الطُّور : Surah at-Tur, verses 48-49.
27. خُصُوصِيَّة : Special distinction; particular closeness to God.
28. سُورَةُ الْفَتْح : Surah al-Fath, verse 10.
29. صِدِّيقِيَّة : The state of being a Siddiq; supreme veracity and truthfulness.
30. سُورَةُ الْفَتْح : Surah al-Fath, verse 27.
31. مِلَّة : Religious community or nation; here referring to the Islamic ummah.
32. سُورَةُ الْفَتْح : Surah al-Fath, verse 29.
33. مَمْلَكَة سُلْطَانِيَّة : Sovereign kingdom; dominion of spiritual authority.
34. سُورَةُ الْفَتْح : Surah al-Fath, verse 28.
35. سُورَةُ الْحُجُرَات : Surah al-Hujurat, verse 1.
36. سُورَةُ الْحُجُرَات : Surah al-Hujurat, verses 2-3.
37. سُورَةُ الضُّحَى : Surah ad-Duha, verses 1-5.
38. سُورَةُ الْأَعْرَاف : Surah al-A'raf, verse 158.
39. سُورَةُ الصَّف : Surah as-Saff, verses 10-12.
40. الْمُصْطَفَى : The Chosen One; a title of Prophet Muhammad.
41. nabiyy al-hudā : The Prophet of guidance, referring to Prophet Muhammad.
42. falak : Celestial sphere or orbit; here referring to the heavens.
43. mustariq : Eavesdropper; refers to devils who try to steal information from the heavens.
44. tartīl : Recitation in a measured, clear manner, as in Quranic recitation.
45. al-ma‘ād : The Return; refers to the Day of Resurrection.
46. al-ḥashr : The Gathering; refers to the assembly of all creatures on Judgment Day.
47. qāba qawsayn aw adnā : Two bow-lengths or nearer; a Quranic phrase (53:9) describing the Prophet's proximity to Allah during the Mi‘raj.
48. al-muhaymin : The All-Dominating; one of Allah's names, meaning the Guardian or the Watcher over all.
49. al-mulk wa al-malakūt : Dominion and sovereignty; al-mulk refers to the physical world, al-malakūt to the spiritual or angelic realm.
50. al-‘ārifīn : Knowers; those who have gnosis (ma‘rifa) of Allah, often used for Sufi mystics.
51. shajarat al-jamāl : Tree of beauty: a symbolic Sufi term referring to the spiritual reality of the Prophet Muhammad as the source of all beauty and perfection.
52. aḥwāl : States: spiritual states (pl. of ḥāl) that come upon the seeker as divine gifts, such as love, fear, hope, etc.
53. abdāl : Substitutes: a rank of saints (pl. of badal) who are the 'substitutes' or 'alternates' in the spiritual hierarchy, often said to be forty in number.
54. fatḥ : Opening: spiritual opening or illumination, a term for divine unveiling and victory.
55. sirr : Secret: the innermost spiritual mystery or the secret of divine knowledge.
56. sulūk : Spiritual wayfaring: the path of spiritual journeying towards God.
57. taḥqīq : Realization: the direct experiential verification of spiritual truths.
58. wajd : Ecstasy: a state of intense spiritual emotion and joy.
59. wilāya : Sainthood: the state of being a friend of God (walī), encompassing spiritual authority and closeness to God.
60. maʿrifa : Gnosis: direct, experiential knowledge of God.
61. fanā : Annihilation: the passing away of the ego and the self in the divine presence.
62. ʿayn shajarat al-falāḥ : Literally 'spring of the tree of success'; a metaphorical expression for the Prophet Muhammad as a source of spiritual success.
63. dasāʾisuhu : Plural of dasīsah, meaning hidden evils, intrigues, or impurities within the soul.
64. asʾaluka (18) : The number 18 in parentheses likely indicates a specific request or a reference to a verse or prayer; here it is part of the supplication.
65. al-muqarrabūn : Those brought near to Allah, often referring to the highest rank of saints or angels.
66. ʿilm ladunnī : Divine knowledge granted directly by Allah, often associated with mystical or esoteric knowledge.
67. ʿuyūn : Plural of ʿayn, meaning both 'eyes' and 'springs'; a play on words.
68. ʿāḍḍan bi-l-nawājidh : Literally 'biting with molars', an idiom meaning to hold firmly and tenaciously to something.
69. al-ṭāʾifat al-nājiya : The saved group, a term referring to the one sect of Islam that will be saved according to a hadith.
70. ṣibghatuhu : Literally 'his dye' or 'his color', metaphorically meaning the transformative effect or imprint of the Prophet.
71. khamratuhu : Literally 'his wine', a Sufi term for spiritual intoxication or ecstasy from divine love.
72. hijratuhu : Emigration, specifically for the sake of Allah, as in the Hijra of the Prophet.
73. shajarat al-nubuwwa : Literally 'tree of prophethood'; a Sufi metaphor for the spiritual lineage and essence of prophethood, often referring to the Prophet Muhammad as the source of spiritual life.
74. shajarat al-nubuwwa : Tree of prophethood: a Sufi metaphor for the spiritual lineage of prophets, with Muhammad as its essence.
75. anājīl al-muḥibbīn : Gospels of the lovers: a poetic reference to the hearts of devotees that contain the image of the Prophet.
76. ʿāshiqīn : Ardent devotees: those who passionately love God and the Prophet.
77. ṣawb : Cloud: a symbol of divine mercy and blessing.
78. dhākirīn : Remembrancers: those who engage in dhikr (remembrance of God).
79. Ādam : Adam: the first prophet, who sought intercession through Muhammad's light.
80. Ibrāhīm : Abraham: prophet saved from Nimrod's fire.
81. Zakariyyā : Zachariah: prophet granted a son (John) in old age.
82. Yaʿqūb : Jacob: prophet reunited with Joseph and healed from blindness.
83. Ayyūb : Job: prophet restored after severe trials.
84. Nūḥ : Noah: prophet saved from the flood.
85. Yūnus : Jonah: prophet delivered from the whale.
86. Yūsuf : Joseph: prophet freed from prison.
87. Mūsā : Moses: prophet victorious over Pharaoh.
88. Ismāʿīl : Ishmael: prophet ransomed from sacrifice.
89. Idrīs : Enoch: prophet raised to a high station.
90. Sulaymān : Solomon: prophet granted a vast kingdom.
91. Dāwūd : David: prophet given mastery over iron.
92. Shuʿayb : Shu'ayb: prophet honored with the secrets of the message.
93. Yaḥyā : John the Baptist: prophet sheltered by God.
94. Lūṭ : Lot: prophet praised in the Quran.
95. Ṣāliḥ : Salih: prophet who brought the she-camel as a sign.
96. Hūd : Hud: prophet sent to the people of 'Ad.
97. Dhul-Kifl : A prophet mentioned in the Quran (21:85, 38:48), often identified with Ezekiel or Joshua.
98. Elias : The prophet Elijah (Ilyas in Arabic), mentioned in the Quran (6:85, 37:123-132).
99. al-Khidr : A mysterious figure in Islamic tradition, often considered a prophet or saint, known for his encounter with Moses in Surah al-Kahf (18:60-82).
100. Jesus : Prophet Jesus (Isa in Arabic), son of Mary, mentioned in the Quran as a prophet and messenger.
101. the Corner and the Station : The Corner (al-Rukn) refers to the Black Stone corner of the Kaaba; the Station (al-Maqam) refers to the Station of Abraham (Maqam Ibrahim).
102. Tayba : Another name for Medina, the city of the Prophet Muhammad.
103. the Sanctuary : The Sacred Sanctuary (al-Haram) in Mecca, surrounding the Kaaba.
104. Kaaba : The sacred cube-shaped building in Mecca, the qibla of Muslims.
105. people of disposal : Those who have spiritual authority or the ability to dispose of affairs by God's permission.
106. unseen of the unseen : The most hidden realm of the divine mysteries, beyond ordinary perception.
107. divine knowledge : Knowledge directly from God, often referred to as 'ilm ladunni' (divinely bestowed knowledge).
108. ansāb : Lineages; here referring to the noble genealogical lines of the Prophet Muhammad.
109. al-ladunniyya : Divine knowledge granted directly by God without intermediary means.
110. nafaḥātihi al-ṣamadāniyya : His eternal effusions; spiritual outpourings from the Eternal (al-Ṣamad).
111. al-ṣafīḥ al-aʿlā : The highest plane; a reference to the celestial realm or the highest heaven.
112. al-afrād : The solitary ones; a rank of saints in Sufism who are unique and independent.
113. al-aqṭāb : The poles; the highest ranking saints in the Sufi hierarchy.
114. al-aḥmadī : Pertaining to Ahmad, one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
115. Ṭā Hā : One of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, also the title of Surah 20 of the Quran.
116. Yā Sīn : One of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, also the title of Surah 36 of the Quran.
117. shajarat al-nubuwwa : Tree of prophethood: a metaphorical expression referring to the lineage and essence of prophethood, with Muhammad as its source.
118. majālis al-adhkār wa al-talqīn : Assemblies of remembrance and spiritual instruction: gatherings for dhikr (remembrance of God) and talqin (spiritual teaching or transmission).
119. ashbāḥ : Physical forms: refers to the bodily or material aspects of creation, as opposed to spirits (arwāḥ).
120. al-sirr al-ma‘īn : The manifest secret: a Sufi term for the divine mystery that is both hidden and revealed.
121. al-manẓar al-mushtahā : The longed-for vision: refers to the spiritual vision of the Prophet Muhammad in his heavenly ascent.
122. qāba qawsayn : Two bows' length: a Qur'anic phrase (53:9) describing the proximity of the Prophet to God during the Mi'raj (ascension).
123. ra’ā rabbahu ru’yā ‘ayn : He saw his Lord with the sight of the eye: a reference to the belief that the Prophet Muhammad saw God with his physical eyes during the Mi'raj.
124. al-‘iṣma : Infallibility: the doctrine that prophets are protected from sin and error.
125. ḥabl Allāh al-matīn : The firm rope of God: a Qur'anic metaphor (3:103) for the covenant or religion of God.
126. khaẓā’ir al-quds : Enclosures of holiness: spiritual realms of sanctity.
127. ‘illiyyīn : The highest 'Illiyin: a Qur'anic term (83:18-19) for the highest station in paradise.
128. al-malā’ika al-muqarrabūn : The near-stationed angels: angels closest to God.
129. al-rūḥ al-amīn : The Trustworthy Spirit: a title for the Angel Gabriel.
130. al-adwār al-muḥīṭa : The encompassing cycles: refers to the spiritual cycles or realms surrounding the Prophet.
131. khātam al-anbiyā’ : Seal of the Prophets: a title for Muhammad as the final prophet.
132. sayyid al-aṣfiyā’ : Master of the Chosen Ones: a title for Muhammad as the chief of the elect.
133. sāq al-‘arsh : Leg of the Throne: a metaphorical expression for a part of the divine throne.
134. sidrat al-muntahā : Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary: a tree in the seventh heaven marking the end of angelic knowledge (Qur'an 53:14).
135. liwā’ al-ḥamd : Banner of Praise: a banner that the Prophet Muhammad will carry on the Day of Resurrection.
136. al-lawḥ wa al-qalam : The Tablet and the Pen: the Preserved Tablet and the Pen of destiny in Islamic cosmology.
137. al-rukn : The Corner: refers to the Black Stone corner of the Kaaba.
138. al-maqām : The Station: the Station of Abraham (Maqam Ibrahim) near the Kaaba.
139. al-ḥaṭīm : Al-Hatim: a semicircular wall opposite the Kaaba, considered part of the original structure.
140. zamzam : Zamzam: the holy well in Mecca.
141. ṣafā : Safa: a hill in Mecca, part of the Sa'i ritual.
142. marwa : Marwa: a hill in Mecca, part of the Sa'i ritual.
143. al-kashf al-nūrī : Luminous unveiling: a Sufi term for spiritual illumination and revelation.
144. al-ḥaqq al-mu‘allam : The marked Truth: a title for the Prophet Muhammad as the embodiment of truth.
145. al-fatḥ al-rabbānī : Divine opening: a Sufi term for spiritual opening or illumination from God.
146. al-malakūt : The kingdom of God: the spiritual realm of divine sovereignty.
147. aḥmadī : Ahmadine: derived from Ahmad, another name of the Prophet Muhammad.
148. allātī qaṭa‘na aydīhunna dūna mayn : The women who cut their hands without deceit: a reference to the story of the women who cut their hands upon seeing Joseph's beauty (Qur'an 12:31).
149. shajarat al-ḥusn : The 'tree of beauty' is a Sufi metaphor for the Prophet Muhammad as the source of all beauty and perfection.
150. lā bayna wa lā ayna : A Sufi expression indicating a state beyond spatial and temporal limitations, where the lover is absorbed in the Beloved.
151. ghayb al-huwiyya : The 'unseen of Ipseity' refers to the hidden, non-manifest aspect of the Divine Essence.
152. yuḥibbūnahu wa yuḥibbuhum : Quranic phrase (5:54) describing those who love God and are loved by Him.
153. al-ṣirāṭ : The bridge over Hell in Islamic eschatology, which the righteous cross swiftly.
154. al-sālikīn al-majdhūbīn : Wayfarers (sālikīn) are those on the spiritual path; attracted ones (majdhūbīn) are those drawn directly by divine attraction.
155. shajarat al-'aql : Tree of intellect: a symbolic representation of the primordial intellect or the Muhammadan reality as the source of all knowledge and spiritual perfection.
156. al-sirr al-'irfani : Gnostic secret: the esoteric knowledge of divine realities attained through spiritual unveiling.
157. al-barzakh : Barzakh: an intermediate realm or isthmus between the physical and spiritual worlds; here, the comprehensive reality that unites all perfections.
158. al-'ulum al-samadaniyya : Eternal sciences: divine knowledge that is self-subsisting and not contingent on creation.
159. al-kushufat al-'iyaniyya : Ocular unveilings: direct spiritual visions or unveilings of hidden realities.
160. al-'aql al-awwal : First Intellect: in Islamic philosophy and Sufism, the first creation from which all else emanates; identified with the Muhammadan Light.
161. Isra' : Night Journey: the Prophet Muhammad's miraculous journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and ascension to the heavens.
162. al-ruh al-amin : Trustworthy Spirit: a title of the Angel Gabriel, but here applied to the First Intellect as the trustee of divine knowledge.
163. Quran 24:35 : Verse from Surah An-Nur: 'Allah guides to His light whom He wills.'
164. al-'ilm al-ladunni : Divinely inspired knowledge: knowledge granted directly by God without conventional means.
165. Quran 24:35 : Continuation of the Light Verse: 'Its oil would almost glow, even if no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills.'
166. al-rasikhun : The firmly grounded: those deeply rooted in knowledge, often referring to scholars and saints.
167. al-wasilun : Those who have arrived: Sufi term for those who have reached spiritual union with God.
168. al-'arifun : Gnostics: those who possess direct experiential knowledge of divine realities.
169. al-kamilun : The perfect ones: spiritually perfected saints who have realized the Muhammadan reality.
170. al-sunna al-ahmadiyya : Ahmadine Sunna: the prophetic tradition of Muhammad, also called Ahmad, emphasizing his praiseworthy qualities.
171. مُقْتَبِسًا : One who takes or seeks light from a source; a seeker of illumination.
172. شَجَرَةِ المَحَاسِنِ : The tree of virtues; a metaphorical tree representing the Prophet Muhammad's excellent qualities.
173. أَطْوَاقُهُ : His collars; metaphorically, the necklaces or adornments of spiritual states.
174. الفَتْحِ : Opening; a Sufi term for divine unveiling or spiritual illumination.
175. أَسْوَاقُهُ : His markets; metaphorically, the arenas or domains of spiritual commerce.
176. المَلَكُوتِيَّةِ : Of the kingdom; referring to the spiritual realm (Malakut).
177. التَّجَلِّيَاتِ الْإِحْسَانِيَّةِ : The manifestations of beneficence; divine self-disclosures of grace.
178. الفُتُوحَاتِ الْوَهَبِيَّةِ : The bestowed openings; spiritual gifts granted by God.
179. الْمُوَطَّئُونَ أَكْنَافًا : Those who are soft-spoken or easy to approach; literally, 'those whose sides are made soft'.
180. شَجَرَةِ الْحَيَاءِ : The tree of modesty; a metaphorical tree representing the Prophet's modesty.
181. مُدَامٍ : Wine; metaphorically, the spiritual wine of divine love.
182. أَخْطِيَائِهِ : His errors; possibly a scribal error or variant; context suggests 'his virtues' or 'his chosen ones'.
183. Wahb ibn Munabbih : A prominent early Muslim scholar and storyteller (d. 728 CE), known for transmitting Isra'iliyyat (traditions from Jewish and Christian sources).
184. Tur : Mount Sinai, where Allah spoke to Moses (Quran 20:80, 28:44).
185. hadith : A saying or tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, often referring to his words, actions, or approvals.
186. al-Qahir : The Subduer, one of the names of Allah, meaning the One who prevails over all and subdues His creation.
187. shajarat al-sakha' : The tree of generosity; a metaphorical concept in Islamic spirituality, often linked to a hadith that generosity is a tree in Paradise.
188. al-jama'ah : The community; refers to the main body of Muslims adhering to the consensus of the Companions and the early community.
189. Sunnah : The prophetic tradition; the practices, sayings, and approvals of the Prophet Muhammad.
190. al-futuhat al-rabbaniyyah : Divine openings; spiritual illuminations and graces granted by Allah to His servants.
191. kitabahu bi al-yamin : His book in the right hand; a reference to the Day of Judgment when the righteous receive their record of deeds in their right hand (Quran 69:19).
192. al-Zubayr : Al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam, a prominent Companion of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the ten promised Paradise.
193. istawa 'ala 'arshihi : He established Himself on His Throne; a Quranic phrase (e.g., 7:54) describing Allah's sovereignty, interpreted literally or metaphorically by different schools.
194. yaqin : Certainty; firm faith and conviction in the truths of Islam, often considered a high spiritual station.
195. shajarat al-hilm : The tree of forbearance; a metaphorical concept representing the virtue of patience, clemency, and self-restraint.
196. awliya' : Saints or friends of Allah; righteous servants who are close to Allah and under His special protection.
197. al-siddiqin : The truthful; a high rank of believers, often referring to those who are utterly sincere and truthful in faith, like Abu Bakr al-Siddiq.
198. yakhfidu janahahu : Lowers his wing; a metaphorical expression meaning to be humble and gentle, derived from the Quranic phrase 'lower your wing to the believers' (15:88).
199. riḍwāniyya : A term derived from 'riḍwān' (divine pleasure), indicating a tree that embodies or leads to God's good pleasure.
200. Sūrat al-Fajr 89:27-30 : Quranic verse addressing the tranquil soul, commanding it to return to its Lord pleased and pleasing, and to enter among God's servants and Paradise.
201. tarḍiya : A verbal noun meaning 'making pleased' or 'causing contentment,' often used in reference to God being pleased with His servants.
202. Ḥadīth : Prophetic tradition: 'He has tasted the flavor of faith who is pleased with God as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as prophet and messenger.' (Muslim)
203. al-Isrā' : The Night Journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension to the heavens.
204. Aḥmad : Another name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy.'
205. Muḍar : A prominent Arab tribe from which the Prophet Muhammad descended.
206. shajarat al-ṣabr : Literally 'tree of patience,' a metaphorical concept representing the virtue of patience in Sufi and Islamic spirituality.
207. Sūrat al-Zumar 39:53 : Quranic verse: 'O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of God.'
208. fīhā lahā : A phrase meaning 'in it for it,' possibly a textual variant or scribal addition; the translation follows the apparent meaning.
209. al-ṣiddīqīn : The 'truthful ones,' a high rank of spiritual veracity, often associated with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq.
210. Sūrat al-Qaṣaṣ 28:80 : Quranic verse: 'And none is granted it except the patient.'
211. Sūrat al-Baqara 2:153 : Quranic verse: 'Indeed, God is with the patient.'
212. Sūrat al-Baqara 2:177 : Quranic verse: 'And the patient in poverty, hardship, and at the time of battle—those are the ones who have been truthful, and those are the righteous.'
213. Sūrat al-Baqara 2:155-157 : Quranic verses: 'And give glad tidings to the patient... those are the guided.'
214. Sūrat al-Zumar 39:10 : Quranic verse: 'Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.'
215. shajarat al-shukr : Literally 'tree of gratitude,' a metaphorical concept representing the virtue of thankfulness in Sufi and Islamic spirituality.
216. shajarat al-shukr : The 'tree of gratitude' is a metaphorical concept representing the spiritual state of thankfulness to Allah, with branches of various virtues.
217. bisāṭ al-shuhūd : The 'carpet of witnessing' refers to the spiritual state of being in the presence of Allah, witnessing His attributes and acts.
218. Qur'an 14:7 : Reference to the Quranic verse: 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you; but if you deny, indeed My punishment is severe.'
219. Hadith : Prophetic saying: 'Gratitude is half of faith' (reported in various collections).
220. 'Ata' : ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah, a prominent Tabi‘i (successor of the Companions) and scholar of Mecca.
221. 'Ubayd ibn 'Umayr : ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr al-Laythi, a Tabi‘i known for his piety and narrations from ‘Aisha.
222. Qur'an 3:190 : Reference to the Quranic verse: 'Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.'
223. shajarat al-sidq : The 'tree of truthfulness' is a metaphorical concept representing the virtue of truthfulness in words, deeds, and states.
224. Qur'an 9:119 : Reference to the Quranic verse: 'O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with the truthful.'
225. Hadith : Prophetic saying: 'The servant continues to be truthful and seek truthfulness until he is written with Allah as a truthful one...' (reported in Bukhari and Muslim).
226. Qur'an 4:69 : Reference to the Quranic verse: 'So those are with those whom Allah has bestowed favor from among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous.'
227. shajarat al-tawba : The 'tree of repentance' is a Sufi metaphor for the spiritual state of repentance, depicted as a tree with various parts (essence, root, house, branch, flower, fruit) representing different aspects and stages of turning back to God.
228. tawba nusūḥ : Sincere repentance; a term from the Quran (66:8) meaning a repentance that is pure, complete, and free from any intention to return to sin.
229. manāzil al-sālikīn : Stations of the wayfarers; a concept in Sufism referring to the spiritual stages or stations (maqāmāt) that a seeker (sālik) traverses on the path to God.
230. al-aqṭāb al-wāṣilīn : The perfected poles; in Sufism, 'quṭb' (pole) refers to the highest spiritual authority, often considered the 'pole' of the saints. 'Wāṣilīn' means those who have reached or attained union with God.
231. al-ʿārifīn : The knowers; in Sufism, 'ʿārif' (pl. ʿārifūn) denotes a gnostic or one who has direct experiential knowledge (maʿrifa) of God.
232. Aḥmad : Another name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'. It is used here as a poetic variant.
233. shajarat al-khawf : The 'tree of fear' is a Sufi metaphor for the spiritual state of reverential fear (khawf) of God, similarly depicted with parts representing different aspects of this state.
234. yawm alastu birabbikum : The day of the primordial covenant when God asked all souls 'Am I not your Lord?' and they answered 'Yes' (Quran 7:172).
235. amānat Allāh : The trust of God, referring to the moral responsibility and free will offered to humans (Quran 33:72).
236. innalladhīna hum min khashyati rabbihim mushfiqūn : Quran 23:57, describing the believers who are fearful of their Lord.
237. wa hum lahā sābiqūn : Quran 23:61, concluding the description of those who hasten to good deeds.
238. imām al-ṭā'ifa : The Imam of the community, likely referring to a Sufi master such as Junayd al-Baghdadi.
239. wa liman khāfa maqāma rabbihi jannatān : Quran 55:46, promising two gardens for those who fear standing before their Lord.
240. hal jazā'u al-iḥsāni illā al-iḥsān : Quran 55:60, stating that the reward of goodness is nothing but goodness.
241. nabbi' 'ibādiya annī ana al-ghafūru al-rahīm : Quran 15:49, where God tells the Prophet to announce His forgiveness and mercy.
242. qul yā 'ibādiya alladhīna asrafū 'alā anfusihim lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati llāh : Quran 39:53, an invitation to repent and not despair of God's mercy.
243. wa raḥmatī wasi'at kulla shay' : Quran 7:156, God's mercy encompasses all things.
244. qul yā 'ibādiya alladhīna asrafū 'alā anfusihim lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati llāh : Quran 39:53, repeated for emphasis.
245. nabbi' 'ibādiya annī ana al-ghafūru al-rahīm : Quran 15:49, repeated.
246. anā 'inda ẓanni 'abdī bī : A hadith qudsi where God says He is as His servant thinks of Him.
247. anā 'inda ẓanni 'abdī bī... : A longer hadith qudsi about God's closeness to those who remember Him.
248. al-Ṣiddīq : The Truthful One, a title of Abu Bakr, the first Caliph.
249. Abū Hurayra : A prominent companion of the Prophet, known for narrating many hadiths.
250. scrupulously pious : Translation of 'wariʿ', meaning to avoid doubtful matters.
251. slinking whisperer : Reference to Satan (al-khannās) who whispers evil.
252. ʿUmar : Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Caliph.
253. people of realization : Those who have achieved spiritual realization (taḥqīq).
254. tree of trust : Metaphor for tawakkul (reliance on God).
255. Oneness : Aḥadiyya, the attribute of God's absolute unity.
256. Unique : Wāḥidiyya, the attribute of God's oneness in multiplicity.
257. And whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him : Quran 65:3.
258. And put your trust in Allah if you are believers : Quran 5:23.
259. And let the believers put their trust in Allah : Quran 3:122.
260. Ibn Masʿūd : Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, a companion of the Prophet.
261. season : The pilgrimage season (al-mawsim).
262. ruqya : Incantation or recitation for healing.
263. ʿUkāsha ibn Miḥṣan al-Asadī : A companion who asked to be among the seventy thousand.
264. tree of contentment : Metaphor for qanāʿa (contentment with God's decree).
265. qanāʿa : Contentment; a spiritual state of being satisfied with what one has, trusting in God's provision.
266. Qur'an 24:26 : The verse 'God will surely provide them with a goodly provision' is from Surah An-Nur, verse 26.
267. waraʿ : Scrupulousness; abstaining from doubtful matters out of piety.
268. awliyā' : Saints; friends of God who are close to Him through devotion and righteousness.
269. yaqīn : Certainty; firm, unwavering faith in God and the truths of religion.
270. awtād : Pegs; a rank of saints in Sufism who are considered spiritual supports of the world.
271. īrād : Divine influx; spiritual states and inspirations granted by God to the seeker.
272. aqṭāb : Poles; the highest rank of saints in the Sufi hierarchy, considered the spiritual axis of their time.
273. ʿilm al-yaqīn, ḥaqq al-yaqīn, ʿayn al-yaqīn : Three levels of certainty: knowledge of certainty (inferential), truth of certainty (experiential), and eye of certainty (direct vision).
274. aḥādīth qudsiyya : Sacred hadiths; sayings of God narrated by the Prophet Muhammad, but not part of the Quran.
275. fawātiḥ al-suwar al-furqāniyya : The opening letters of Quranic surahs, such as Alif Lam Mim, which are considered mysterious and profound.
276. Qur'an 2:1-5 : The verses from 'Alif Lam Mim' to 'the successful' refer to the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah.
277. Salaf : The early pious Muslims, including the Companions and their successors, considered exemplary in faith.
278. kharq al-ʿādāt : Breaches of custom; miracles or extraordinary events that break the natural order, granted to saints.
279. al-mūqinīn : Those who possess yaqīn, i.e., firm, unwavering certainty in the truths of faith, often associated with spiritual insight beyond mere knowledge.
280. al-kitāb al-ḥakīm : The Wise Book, a reference to the Quran, emphasizing its wisdom and precise arrangement.
281. al-mufliḥūn : The successful ones, those who attain salvation and prosperity in this life and the hereafter.
282. al-miʿrāj : The Ascension, the Prophet Muhammad's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and then through the heavens to the presence of God.
283. al-burāq : A mythical steed, described as a white animal smaller than a mule but larger than a donkey, that carried the Prophet during the Night Journey.
284. rafraf : A celestial cushion or carpet, often described as a green or luminous object that transports the righteous in spiritual realms.
285. maqām maʿlūm : A known station, referring to the fixed spiritual rank of angels and prophets in the divine presence.
286. qibla : The direction of prayer (toward Mecca), used metaphorically here as the focal point of spiritual attention.
287. ḍamīr : The innermost conscience or secret heart, the seat of intimate knowledge and divine communication.
288. sirr : The secret, a Sufi term for the innermost spiritual faculty that perceives divine mysteries.
289. shajarat al-ikhlāṣ : The tree of sincerity, a metaphorical tree representing the spiritual state of ikhlas (pure sincerity in worship).
290. al-muqarrabūn : The brought near, a Quranic term for the highest rank of angels and saints who are closest to God.
291. al-khawāṣṣ : The elite, a Sufi term for the spiritually advanced who have attained special knowledge and closeness to God.
292. sirr : The secret, as in note 10, here referring to the realm of divine mysteries.
293. wilāya : Sainthood or spiritual authority, the state of being a friend of God (walī).
294. mukhliṣīna lahu al-dīn : Being sincere to Him in religion, from Quran 98:5, emphasizing exclusive devotion to God.
295. mukhliṣan lahu al-dīn : Being sincere to Him in religion, from Quran 39:2, a command to the Prophet.
296. al-dīn al-khāliṣ : The pure religion, from Quran 39:3, referring to worship free from any association or hypocrisy.
297. shajarat al-taqwā : The tree of piety, a metaphorical tree representing the state of taqwa (God-consciousness and piety).
298. al-sunna al-nabawiyya : The Prophetic Sunna, the teachings, practices, and example of the Prophet Muhammad.
299. taqwā : God-consciousness, piety, fear of God; a central Islamic concept encompassing mindfulness of God and obedience to His commands.
300. ʿazm al-umūr : Matters of determination; refers to resolute and firm actions that require strong will.
301. kayduhum : Their plot; refers to the schemes of enemies against believers.
302. maʿa alladhīna ittaqaw : With those who fear Him; divine companionship and support for the pious.
303. waliyy : Ally, protector, friend; God is the guardian of the righteous.
304. al-muttaqīn : The pious, those who fear God and are mindful of Him.
305. mufāzah : Attainment, success; refers to the reward or safe outcome achieved through piety.
306. nunajjī : We will save; divine promise of deliverance for the pious.
307. bushrā : Good tidings; glad news given to believers in this life, at death, and in the grave.
308. riḍwān : Divine pleasure and satisfaction; the highest reward in the afterlife.
309. jamāʿu kulli khayr : The sum of all good; piety encompasses all virtues.
310. khayru al-zād al-taqwā : The best provision is piety; a Quranic verse emphasizing spiritual preparation for the afterlife.
311. taqwā al-shirk, taqwā al-bidʿa, taqwā al-maʿāṣī al-farʿiyya : Three levels of piety: avoiding polytheism, avoiding religious innovations, and avoiding subsidiary sins.
312. shajarat al-murāqaba : The tree of watchfulness; a Sufi metaphor for spiritual vigilance and awareness of God.
313. al-aqṭāb : The poles; in Sufism, the highest ranking saints who are the spiritual axis of the universe.
314. Salaf : The early pious predecessors of the Islamic community, typically referring to the first three generations of Muslims.
315. tamam : Perfection or completion, often used in Sufi contexts to denote spiritual perfection.
316. shajarat al-dhikr : The 'tree of remembrance,' a Sufi metaphor for the spiritual lineage or the practice of dhikr (remembrance of God) that leads to spiritual growth.
317. al-adhkar al-lahutiyya : Divine remembrances; 'lahutiyya' refers to the divine nature, as opposed to 'nasutiyya' (human nature). These are remembrances that pertain to God's essence.
318. tamassaka biha : Clinging to it; refers to holding firmly to the practice of dhikr or the spiritual path.
319. dhikr : Remembrance of God, often through repetition of His names or formulas.
320. mala' : A gathering or assembly, often of angels or spiritual beings.
321. maqam : Spiritual station or rank attained through spiritual effort.
322. adhkar : Plural of dhikr; formulas of remembrance.
323. ‘unsur : Essence, element, or origin; here referring to the Prophet as the core of the tree.
324. shajarat al-uns : Tree of intimacy; a mystical metaphor for the spiritual lineage or reality of the Prophet.
325. balabil : Nightingales; metaphor for the souls or spiritual faculties stirred by divine remembrance.
326. futuhat : Openings or illuminations; divine unveilings granted to the mystic.
327. fana' : Annihilation of the ego in the divine presence.
328. ghayba : Absence from awareness of creation due to absorption in God.
329. waridat : Spiritual arrivals or inspirations that come to the heart.
330. tawajjud : Ecstatic state or intense spiritual emotion.
331. wajd : Ecstasy or intense spiritual emotion.
332. sama‘ : Spiritual audition or listening to music/poetry for spiritual elevation.
333. gha'ibun : Absent from sensory perception due to spiritual absorption.
334. ghabat ‘awalimuhu : His worlds become absent; i.e., he is unaware of multiple levels of existence.
335. hayman : Bewilderment or passionate love for God.
336. walahan : Distraction or intense longing.
337. wijdan : Ecstatic feeling or spiritual emotion.
338. isharat : Subtle allusions or symbolic indications in mystical texts.
339. ‘ibarat : Explicit expressions or literal statements.
340. jadhb : Divine attraction or spiritual pull.
341. Qur'an 2:115 : Reference to the Quranic verse.
342. Qur'an 2:186 : Reference to the Quranic verse.
343. salbi : Negation; here referring to the state of self-negation in God.
344. iftik : Annihilate; a term for spiritual annihilation.
345. shajarat al-‘ubudiyya : Tree of servitude; metaphor for the spiritual path of devotion.
346. malakutiyya : Pertaining to the angelic or spiritual realm (malakut).
347. raghbutiyya : Pertaining to supplication or earnest desire.
348. ahmadiyya : Pertaining to the Prophet Muhammad, whose name Ahmad is a variant.
349. futuhat wahbiyya : Bestowed openings; divine illuminations granted by God.
350. ‘ulum ladunniyya : Divine sciences or knowledge directly from God.
351. ‘indiyya : Presential knowledge; knowledge from God's presence.
352. ʿubūdiyya : Servitude or worshipful submission to God; a key Sufi concept denoting complete devotion and humility before the Divine.
353. al-Ḥaqq : The Truth; one of the names of God, often used in Sufi contexts to refer to the Divine Reality.
354. Qur'an 25:63 : Part of the description of the 'servants of the Most Merciful' (ʿibād al-raḥmān).
355. Qur'an 25:75 : Continuation of the description of the servants of the Most Merciful.
356. al-Miʿrāj : The Night Journey and Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad to the heavens.
357. Qur'an 17:1 : The opening verse of Surah al-Isra, referring to the Night Journey.
358. Qur'an 53:10 : From Surah al-Najm, referring to the revelation given to the Prophet during the Ascension.
359. istiqāma : Uprightness, straightness, or moral integrity; a key virtue in Islam, often associated with steadfastness in faith and practice.
360. Qur'an 41:30 : Verse promising angels' descent to those who say 'Our Lord is Allah' and then remain upright.
361. Qur'an 41:32 : Continuation of the verse, describing the reward as hospitality from God.
362. Hadith : Prophetic tradition: 'Be upright, and you will never be able to fully do so' (from Sahih Muslim).
363. ahl al-bidāya : The people of the beginning; spiritual novices on the Sufi path.
364. ahl al-wasāʾiṭ : The people of the intermediate; those at a middle stage of spiritual development.
365. ahl al-nihāya : The people of the end; advanced spiritual adepts who have reached the final stages of the path.
366. fa-staqim kama umirta : Quranic verse (11:112) commanding the Prophet to be upright as commanded.
367. al-akābir : The great ones; refers to the elite saints or those of high spiritual station.
368. al-karāma : Divine generosity or miraculous favors granted by Allah to His saints.
369. mā'an ghadaqan : Abundant water; Quranic metaphor for abundant provision (72:16).
370. shajarat al-shafaqa wa al-ḥanāna : The tree of compassion and tenderness; a symbolic representation of the Prophet's lineage or spiritual path.
371. al-iḥsān : Excellence or spiritual perfection; the highest level of faith where one worships Allah as if seeing Him.
372. al-hudā : Guidance; the path of truth and righteousness as revealed by Allah.
373. al-afrād : Singular: fard. In Sufism, the 'solitary ones' or 'individuals' are a high rank of saints who are spiritually independent and hidden from public recognition.
374. akhfiyā' atqiyā' : Hidden pious ones; a category of saints who remain unknown and concealed, yet are deeply devoted to Allah.
375. arbāb al-sulūk : Masters of spiritual wayfaring; those who traverse the path of spiritual purification and journey towards God.
376. azal : Pre-eternity; the timeless state before creation, often referring to God's eternal decree.
377. ma‘ārif : Gnoses or spiritual knowledges; direct experiential knowledge of divine realities.
378. tawḥīd : Divine unity; the oneness of God, a central concept in Islam.
379. jadhb : Spiritual attraction; a state where the seeker is drawn towards God by divine grace.
380. ḥaḍra : Divine presence; a spiritual station of proximity to God.
381. tamkīn : Establishment; a high spiritual station of stability and firmness in the divine presence.
382. al-dawratayn : The two cycles; possibly referring to the cycles of prophethood and sainthood, or the spiritual and physical realms.
383. al-Aḥmadī : Ahmadite; relating to Prophet Muhammad, whose name Ahmad means 'most praiseworthy'.
384. malakūt : The realm of dominion; the intermediate spiritual world between the physical and the divine.
385. jabarūt : The realm of omnipotence; the highest spiritual realm of divine power and majesty.
386. ḥaḍrat al-quds : The Holy Presence; a Sufi term referring to the divine presence or the spiritual realm of holiness.
387. al-wajd : Ecstasy; a state of intense spiritual emotion and rapture in Sufism.
388. al-maʿārif : Gnosis; spiritual knowledge or direct experiential knowledge of God.
389. al-malaʾ al-aʿlā : The highest assembly; refers to the angelic realm or the exalted spiritual beings.
390. sirr al-ḥaqq : The secret of the Truth; a Sufi concept referring to the innermost divine mystery.
391. sirr al-sirr : The secret of the secret; the most hidden and profound spiritual mystery.
392. arbāb al-sulūk : Masters of spiritual wayfaring; advanced practitioners on the Sufi path.
393. Kaʿba : The Kaaba; the sacred cube-shaped building in Mecca, direction of prayer for Muslims.
394. jāh : Station; spiritual rank or intercessory power.
395. ʿanṣar : Essence, origin, or source; here used metaphorically for the Prophet Muhammad as the primordial source of all spiritual trees.
396. yamāniyyat al-īmān : Yemeni faith; a reference to the strong faith associated with Yemen, as mentioned in prophetic hadith.
397. malakūtiyyat al-iḥsān : Malakutian excellence; 'Malakut' refers to the angelic or spiritual realm, so this denotes excellence of a celestial nature.
398. kaʿba : The Ka'ba in Mecca; here used metaphorically for the spiritual center or focal point for those who circumambulate (i.e., seekers).
399. aḥmadiyya : Ahmadine; relating to the Prophet Muhammad's name Ahmad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
400. aqṭāb : Poles; in Sufism, the highest spiritual authorities or saints who are the spiritual axis of their time.
401. ʿunṣur : Essence, origin, or source; here referring to the Prophet Muhammad as the primordial source of all spiritual trees.
402. ajrās : Bells; metaphorically, those who are spiritually awakened or called to remembrance.
403. afrād : Singular ones; in Sufi terminology, the solitary saints or those who have attained unique spiritual stations.
404. awtād : Pegs; in Sufism, the spiritual poles or saints who uphold the world.
405. iksīr : Elixir; the spiritual transformative power of the Prophet.
406. sarrāt anjād : Noble chiefs; referring to the Prophet's family as eminent and generous.
407. imdād : Succor; spiritual assistance or outpouring from God.
408. fatḥ mubīn : Clear victory; a Qur'anic term (Sūrat al-Fatḥ) often interpreted as spiritual opening or illumination.
409. ṣamadānī : Eternal; derived from al-Ṣamad (the Eternal), a divine attribute.
410. sirr raḥmānī : Secret of the All-Merciful; a Sufi term for the divine mystery of mercy.
411. ʿilm furqānī : Discriminating knowledge; knowledge that distinguishes truth from falsehood, derived from al-Furqān (the Criterion, i.e., the Qur'an).
412. nāsūtī : Human; pertaining to the human realm (nāsūt) in contrast to the divine realm (lāhūt).
413. lāhūtī : Divine; pertaining to the divine realm (lāhūt).
414. khuzāmā : Lavender; a fragrant plant symbolizing spiritual fragrance.
415. Mawlawiyya : Relating to Mawlana (our master), a term of endearment for the Prophet Muhammad; also refers to the Mawlawi Sufi order.
416. Khabūr : A river in Syria; here used symbolically for a source of spiritual fragrance.
417. arār : Juniper; a fragrant tree.
418. nadd : A compound perfume made of musk, ambergris, and aloeswood.
419. ghāliya : A costly perfume made of musk and ambergris.
420. shaṭaḥāt : Ecstatic utterances; paradoxical sayings of Sufis in states of spiritual intoxication.
421. shajarat al-istiqāma : Tree of uprightness: a metaphorical tree representing the spiritual lineage of the Prophet Muhammad, with branches symbolizing various virtues and spiritual states.
422. ṣiddīqiyya : Veracity: a high spiritual rank of truthfulness and confirmation, often associated with the Prophet's companions like Abu Bakr al-Siddiq.
423. sulūk : Spiritual wayfaring: the path of spiritual journeying towards God, often used in Sufism.
424. maqāmāt : Stations: spiritual stages or degrees on the path to God, such as repentance, patience, gratitude, etc.
425. qayyūmiyya : Self-Subsistent: a divine attribute referring to God's self-sustaining and eternal nature.
426. malakūtiyya : Angelic: pertaining to the malakūt, the spiritual or angelic realm.
427. tajalliyāt iḥsāniyya : Manifestations of beneficence: divine self-disclosures characterized by kindness and grace.
428. talaqqiyāt raḥmāniyya : Merciful receptions: divine inspirations or bestowals received from the All-Merciful.
429. awtād : Pegs: a term in Sufism for high-ranking saints who are considered spiritual supports of the world.
430. afrād : Solitary ones: a term for saints who are unique in their spiritual station, often isolated from others.
431. jāh : Rank, station, or prestige; in Sufi context, the spiritual status or intercessory power granted by God to the Prophet Muhammad.
432. al-ʿārifīn : The knowers or gnostics; in Sufism, those who have direct experiential knowledge of God.
433. al-nubuwwa al-muḥammadiyya : Muhammadan prophecy; the prophetic mission and spiritual reality of the Prophet Muhammad.
434. al-raḥamūt : Mercy; a term for the divine attribute of mercy, often used in Sufi cosmology to denote a level of divine compassion.
435. al-malakūt : The kingdom; in Islamic cosmology, the intermediate spiritual realm or the world of divine sovereignty.
436. al-jabarūt : The dominion; in Sufi cosmology, the realm of divine power and might, higher than malakūt.
437. wilāya : Sainthood or spiritual authority; the state of being a friend of God (walī), often associated with esoteric knowledge and intercession.