The knower [1] is the one who has been annihilated from his own self and subsists through…

The knower [1] is the one who has been annihilated from his own self and subsists through his Lord, so he sees nothing but his Lord, and he witnesses nothing but his Lord, and he knows nothing but his Lord, and he seeks nothing but his Lord, and he fears nothing but his Lord, and he hopes for nothing but his Lord, and he loves nothing but his Lord, and he relies on nothing but his Lord, and he is pleased with nothing but his Lord, and he is angered by nothing but his Lord, and he gives for nothing but his Lord, and he withholds for nothing but his Lord, and he speaks for nothing but his Lord, and he acts for nothing but his Lord, and he is silent for nothing but his Lord, and he moves for nothing but his Lord, and he is still for nothing but his Lord, and he lives for nothing but his Lord, and he dies for nothing but his Lord, and he is resurrected for nothing but his Lord, and he is gathered for nothing but his Lord, and he is judged for nothing but his Lord, and he is rewarded for nothing but his Lord, and he is punished for nothing but his Lord, and he is veiled for nothing but his Lord, and he is unveiled for nothing but his Lord, and he is brought near for nothing but his Lord, and he is distanced for nothing but his Lord, and he is honored for nothing but his Lord, and he is humiliated for nothing but his Lord, and he is given for nothing but his Lord, and he is prevented for nothing but his Lord, and he is guided for nothing but his Lord, and he is led astray for nothing but his Lord, and he is made happy for nothing but his Lord, and he is made wretched for nothing but his Lord, and he is made to live for nothing but his Lord, and he is made to die for nothing but his Lord, and he is resurrected for nothing but his Lord, and he is gathered for nothing but his Lord, and he is judged for nothing but his Lord, and he is rewarded for nothing but his Lord, and he is punished for nothing but his Lord, and he is veiled for nothing but his Lord, and he is unveiled for nothing but his Lord, and he is brought near for nothing but his Lord, and he is distanced for nothing but his Lord, and he is honored for nothing but his Lord, and he is humiliated for nothing but his Lord, and he is given for nothing but his Lord, and he is prevented for nothing but his Lord, and he is guided for nothing but his Lord, and he is led astray for nothing but his Lord, and he is made happy for nothing but his Lord, and he is made wretched for nothing but his Lord.

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 peace abundantly. Praise be to Allah, who made the hearts of His beloved ones the orbit of the moons of the lights of Muhammadan hadiths ¹, and their chests vessels for preserving the prophetic biography and the Ahmadan ² virtues. And praise be to Allah, who caused to flow upon their tongues springs of bestowed wisdom and Mustafan ³ praises, and illuminated their insights with the lights of divine knowledge and the jewels of spiritual subtleties ⁴. And praise be to Allah, who opened the sealed minds of His beloved ones with the keys of His unseen secrets, and honored them with eloquence of speech, so they shone in adorning the qualities of His beloved, our master Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the meanings of his authentic transmitted hadiths. And praise be to Allah, who aided them with His success and honored them with His support, so they became immersed in the oceans of his magnificent Sunni ⁵ virtues, and extracted from them the brilliant jewels of miracles and the widespread manifest benefits of graces ⁶, and the secrets of sensory and spiritual meanings. And praise be to Allah, who singled out His beloved, our master Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with complete veneration, reverence, and respect, and made his sanctity after death like his sanctity during life, and preferred his station over all prophets, messengers, and all creation. And praise be to Allah, who magnified the status of invoking blessings upon him, and appointed for it angels with pens of gold writing it on sheets of silver, storing it to manifest its excellence in this world and as an honor for its people in the Hereafter. And praise be to Allah, who honored the preservers of his hadith and its scribes with abundant blessings upon him therein, and revived through them the customs of the Sharia and the landmarks of the Hanifan ⁷ community. And praise be to Allah, who chose his household from the purest elements, selected them from the noblest bonds, purified them with a purification befitting their noble lineage and lofty station, and singled them out with the honor of roots and branches and righteous progeny. And praise be to Allah, who made love for them an obligation upon the servants, and raised the rank of those who do good to them and serve them with love, sincerity, and pure intention. And praise be to Allah, who magnified the status of his noble companions through his companionship and company, beholding his radiant face, hearing his speech and the sweetness of his delightful words. And praise be to Allah, who purified the innermost hearts of the righteous from his community, and refined them with the elixir of His love from the defects of doubts, illusions, and the impurities of human follies. And praise be to Allah, who raised the rank of those who are connected to him by lineage, marriage ⁸, or kinship, and will gather them with him in the highest paradises and their splendid palaces. So, O Allah, bless him and his family, people of lofty aspirations, and his companions, possessors of pure states and pleasing character, a blessing that purifies our thoughts in the gardens of his fragrant virtues, quenches our hearts with the wine of the cups of his amber-like and musk-like tastes, and cools our resting places in the soil of his Medinan and Meccan precincts, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Muhammad the Chosen, the noblest of those who called to Allah, and to whom the laws submitted. A noble prophet, pure and purified, kind, merciful, humble, modest. A bearer of good tidings, a warner, truthful and believed, a shining lamp in the darkness of error. The imam of creation, the qibla of religion and guidance, and the Kaaba of virtue encompassing all beauties. Upon him be the blessings of Allah as long as a rising sun shines and a dove coos on the treetops. Sublime majesty and wondrous exquisite hadiths: "O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger, and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing." [Quran 49:1] "O you who have believed, raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not." [Quran 49:2] "Indeed, those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allah - they are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for righteousness. For them is forgiveness and a great reward." [Quran 49:3] O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those who spoke about his Lord and narrated, and the most excellent of those who embraced love for his Master in his heart and folded [his life] accordingly, who said: "Indeed, actions are by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whose tongues of praisers have proclaimed and mentioned, and the greatest of those whom the eyes of lovers have beheld and gazed upon, who said: "Whoever hears of a virtue from me and acts upon it hoping for its reward, Allah will give him its reward, even if the virtue is not as he heard." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the key to every good you ask of Him and seek, and the best of every virtue you hope for and expect, who said: "Whoever says something good about me that I said or did not say, then I indeed said it." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those before whose majesty the greatest of the great have humbled themselves, and the most forbearing of the forbearing before whose high rank and exalted glory the leaders of the famous have humbled themselves, regarding whom it is narrated from the righteous predecessors that his sanctity, reverence, and veneration after his death are obligatory as they were during his life ⁹, which was surrounded by his blessing and felicity, especially when he is mentioned and his hadith is mentioned, and when his praises, descriptions of his perfections, and wise teachings are heard; likewise, venerating his person, his household, his progeny, his relatives, loving his homeland, his chamber, his clients, his servants, his neighbors, his in-laws, his helpers, and his companions.

So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing that enables us to follow the paths of his guidance, crowns us with the crown of his care, and makes us among the people of his party and his loyalty, 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 patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those You created with beautiful and noble character, and the most honored of those You raised to the highest ranks and magnificent stations. It is related from the righteous predecessors that every believer, whenever he is mentioned or mentioned in his presence, must be humble and submissive, be still and calm his movements out of reverence for the presence of his beautiful essence, and adopt an attitude of awe and veneration as he would if he were present before him, and conduct himself with the manners that Allah has taught us by following his pure words and great deeds, and emulate the conduct of his Companions with him in his noble assemblies and great gatherings. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which You grant us the vision of his radiant and beautiful countenance, make us happy with his abundant blessed happiness, and cause us to die upon his Muhammadan Sunnah and his upright and straight path, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. ¹⁰ O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those for whom You placed in the hearts of Your saints awe and veneration, and the most generous of those whom You granted in the enclosures of Your holiness a lofty station and magnificent rank. Among the perfection of honoring and respecting him, and the abundance of exalting and venerating him, is what our Imam Malik mentioned to the Commander of the Faithful Abu Ja'far: when he raised his voice with knowledge in his mosque, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he said to him: "O Commander of the Faithful, do not raise your voice in this mosque, for Allah, glorified is He, honored it with the honor of its occupant and magnified it greatly, as He taught some people by His saying: 'Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet' [49:2], and praised others by His saying: 'Indeed, those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allah - they are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for righteousness. For them is forgiveness and a great reward' [49:3], as a veneration of his Muhammadan station and an elevation and honor, and He blamed others by His saying: 'Indeed, those who call you from behind the chambers - most of them do not reason' [49:4]. And He made his Muhammadan sanctity, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in death like his sanctity in life." So Abu Ja'far submitted and said: "O Abu 'Abd Allah, should I face the qibla and pray, or should I face the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?" He replied: "Why would you turn your face away from him, when he is your means and the means of your father Adam, peace be upon him, to Allah Almighty in this world and on the Day of Resurrection, and he will intercede for his community and be compassionate and gentle with them? Rather, face him and seek his intercession so that he may intercede for you with Allah. Allah Almighty said: 'And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance and Merciful' [4:64]." So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which You grant us among Your beloved ¹¹ an illuminated heart and a sound heart, and by its blessing guide us to a straight path and a right way, 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 patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the master of every servant and owner, and the model for every attracted one and wayfarer. Among the perfection of honoring and respecting him, and the abundance of exalting and venerating him, is what is related from some of the scholars who clarify the paths and ways: that whenever he, peace be upon him, was mentioned in his presence, he would weep until his companions and those present with him there would feel pity for him. And Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, when he mentioned him, peace be upon him, his color would change and he would bow so much that it became difficult for his companions who were knowledgeable in the rulings of Sharia and rituals. He was asked about that one day, and he said: "If you had seen what I saw, you would not have denied what you see of that." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad, the best of those to whom You granted honor and acceptance, and the most generous of those through whose hands You bestowed abundant gifts and favors. Among the perfection of honoring and respecting him, and the abundance of exalting and venerating him, is what is related from some of the practicing scholars: that hardly anyone would ask him about his hadith without him weeping until the questioner felt compassion for his state. And some of them, when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was mentioned in his presence, would turn pale and would not narrate from him except in a state of purity. And some of them, when he mentioned him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ¹² would look at his color as if blood had been drained from him, and his tongue would become dry in his mouth out of awe, veneration, and exaltation. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whose union brings relief to yearning souls, and the most generous of those whose right hand's generosity and overflowing favors are acknowledged by the needy. Among the perfection of honoring and respecting him, and the abundance of exalting and venerating him, is what is related from some of the loving scholars: that whenever he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was mentioned in his presence, he would weep until no tears remained in his eye. And al-Zuhri, may Allah be pleased with him, was the most loving and closest of people, but when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was mentioned in his presence, it was as if he did not know you and you did not know him. And Safwan ibn Sulaym, may Allah be pleased with him, was one of the devout and diligent worshippers; when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was mentioned in his presence, he would weep and continue weeping until people would leave and abandon him in that state. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and patron Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whose remembrance perfumes spiritual souls, and the most excellent of those through whom the lover seeks intercession in his wealth and poverty. Among the perfection of honoring and respecting him, and the abundance of exalting and venerating him, is what is related from our Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him: that he would not narrate a hadith of his, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, except while in a state of ablution, out of veneration for him. And a scorpion stung him sixteen times in a session of narrating his hadith, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while his color changed and he turned pale, but he did not interrupt his hadith, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. When he finished the session and the people dispersed, he was asked: "O Abu 'Abd Allah, we saw something amazing from you today." He said: "I endured it out of veneration ¹³ for his hadith, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and out of reverence for his rank." So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the springs of his goodness and kindness, and his Companions who are observed with the eye of Your care and protection, and grant them peace abundantly.

His care and victory, a prayer by which He preserves us from the calamities of time and its evil, and delivers us from the tyranny of every oppressor and his domination, and protects us from the deceit of every schemer and his treachery, and suffices us against the evil of everyone who intends us harm and repels his plot against him, 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 locus of blessing and security, and the lamp of esoteric sciences ¹⁴ and gnosis ¹⁵, from whose prophetic traditions' merits is what has been narrated from some of the righteous that he said: "Reading his noble traditions is an act of worship rewarded like the recitation of the Qur'an." O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the treasure of grace and favor, and the best of those who clarified the laws and explained the Sunnah, who said: "The companions of hadith and the people of knowledge will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, and a creation will be created for them that emits fragrance, and they will stand before Allah Almighty, and He will say to them: 'Long have you been writing blessings upon My Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Take them to Paradise.'" O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the elite of the noble secrets ¹⁶, and the intercessor whose intercession is accepted for all mankind, from whose prophetic traditions' merits and the writing of blessings (ص) ¹⁷ upon him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, therein is what has been narrated from some of the practicing scholars that he said: "I saw Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in a dream, and he said to me: 'O Abu Ali, if you had seen our blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the books of hadith shining before us.'" And likewise what has been narrated from some of them that he said: "I saw Imam Ibn 'Uyaynah in a dream, and on the fingers of his hands there was something written in the color of gold or saffron. I asked him about that, and he said to me: 'O my son, this is for my writing of 'may Allah bless him and grant him peace' in his traditions, upon him be blessings and peace.'" O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the most generous and most forbearing of the forbearing, whom I sought in my affairs and asked, and the most forbearing of the forbearing, upon whom I relied for my needs and desires, from whose prophetic traditions' merits and the writing of blessings upon him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, therein is what has been narrated from Muhammad ibn Abi Sulayman that he said: "I saw my father in a dream and said to him: 'What did Allah do with you?' He said: 'He forgave me.' I said: 'For what?' He said: 'For my writing of blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in every tradition I wrote.'" O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those for whom You raised mention in the highest assembly ¹⁸, and the most noble of those whom You granted among Your prophets a lofty station and rank, from whose prophetic traditions' merits and the writing of blessings upon him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, therein is what has been narrated from Ja'far ibn 'Abdullah that he said: "I saw the hadith master ¹⁹ Abu Zur'ah in a dream, and he was in heaven leading the angels in prayer. I said to him: 'By what did you attain this?' He said: 'I wrote with my hand a thousand thousand traditions; whenever I mentioned the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, I sent blessings upon him.' And he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: 'Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah sends blessings upon him ten times.'" O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those who manifested the religion and established it, and the most excellent of those who trusted in Allah and had good opinion of Him, from whose prophetic traditions' merits and the writing of blessings upon him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, therein is what has been narrated from Shaykh 'Abd al-Karim al-Dimashqi that he said: "I saw in a dream Muhammad ibn Imam Zaki al-Din al-Mundhiri after his death, at the arrival of King al-Salih and the adornment of the city for him. He said to me: 'You rejoiced at the Sultan.' I said: 'Yes, the people rejoiced at him.' He said: 'As for us, we entered Paradise and kissed the hand of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said: 'Rejoice, everyone who wrote with his hand 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace' is with me in Paradise.'" O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the pole ²⁰ of sovereignty, the majestic and glorified, and the mountain of glory, the lofty and honored, from whose prophetic traditions' merits and the writing of blessings upon him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, therein is what has been narrated from some of them that he said: "I had a neighbor who was a paper-seller ²¹; he died, and I saw him in a dream. I said to him: 'What did Allah do with you?' He said: 'I was forgiven.' I said: 'For what?' He said: 'Whenever I wrote the mention of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in a tradition, I wrote 'may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'" O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the master of the two worlds ²² and the two weighty ones ²³, the cultivation of the heart, and the light of the black of the two eyes, from whose prophetic traditions' merits and the writing of blessings upon him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, therein is what has been narrated: "That the author of the book 'al-Najm' ²⁴ was seen in a dream, and it was as if he was striding proudly in Paradise. It was said to him: 'By what did you attain this station?' He said: 'By my abundant blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in my composition of my book.' And as has been narrated that some of the hadith scholars was seen in a dream, and it was said to him: 'What did Allah do with you?' He said: 'I was forgiven.' It was said to him: 'For what?' He said: 'For the abundance of what I wrote of 'may Allah bless him and grant him peace' with these two fingers.'" O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the most eloquent of those who spoke the letter dad ²⁵ and spoke, and the best of those upon whose love a person devotes himself and resolves, from whose prophetic traditions' merits and the writing of blessings upon him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, therein is what has been narrated from some of the hadith scholars that he said: "I and my father used to collate ²⁶ traditions at night. A pillar of light was seen in the place where we were collating, reaching the clouds of the sky. It was said: 'What is this light?' It was said: 'Their blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when they collate and say 'may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'" O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the model of every gnostic ²⁷ and his support, and the secret of every saint ²⁸ and the source of his spiritual aid ²⁹, from whose prophetic traditions' merits and the writing of blessings and peace upon him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, therein is what has been narrated from some of the practicing scholars that he said: "Whenever I wrote in books of hadith and others the name of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, I would write the wording of blessings upon him without the greeting of peace. Then I saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in a dream, and he said: 'Why did you deprive yourself of forty good deeds?' I said: 'How is that, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'When my mention comes to you, you write 'may Allah bless him' and do not write 'and grant him peace,' and it is four letters, each letter with ten good deeds.' He said: 'And he counted them with his hand, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'"

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad, the best of those who led his community on a path of right guidance, and the most beautiful of those whose character, spirit, and body were made pure—he from whose prophetic traditions and the writing of blessings and peace upon him, it is narrated from some of the learned scholars ³⁰ that he said: "I used to write hadith and send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, and I saw him ﷺ in a dream, and he said to me: 'Do you not complete the blessing upon me in your writing?' So after that, I never wrote anything without blessing him and greeting him, ﷺ, eternally and forever." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the knot of the well-ordered prophethood and the treasurer of the hidden divine secret ³¹—he from whose prophetic traditions and the writing of blessings and peace upon him, it is narrated from some of the hadith scholars ³² that he said: "I saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream, and it was as if he was displeased with me. So I extended my hand to him and kissed his hand and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I am among the hadith scholars and the people of the Sunnah, and I am a stranger.' Then he ﷺ smiled and said: 'When you bless me, why do you not greet me?' So after that, whenever I wrote 'ﷺ', I wrote 'and grant him peace.'" So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing that makes us among those who are honored by serving his noble station, which is great, and who magnify his lofty rank through praise, and who seek refuge in his Muhammadan beauty and honor, and who cling to the rope of his Muhammadan Sunnah and hold fast—by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Congratulations to the companions of the best of creation, and blessedness to the companions of his reports. They succeeded through his remembrance, and we are happy through his mention. They preceded us in supporting him, and we are the followers of his helpers. Since we were deprived of seeing him, we devoted ourselves to preserving his traces. May Allah gather us all, by His mercy, with him in His abode. O Allah, You chose for the preservation of the prophetic traces and the codification of the Muhammadan hadiths a group whom You guided to seek and write them, strengthened them to guard and protect them, guided them to read and study them, and caused upon their tongues, when mentioning Your Prophet in them, blessings and peace upon him, so that they might attain, when they come to You, the most honorable station and the highest rank. You made easy for them in seeking them the travel, weariness, and journeying, and the sacrifice of souls and wealth, and the facing of fears and terrors. They would travel from land to land, traversing every valley of knowledge, with disheveled hair, worn-out clothes, empty stomachs, parched lips ³³, pale complexions, and lean bodies. They made their concern one concern, and were satisfied with knowledge as a guide and leader. Neither hunger nor thirst would cut them off from it, nor would summer or winter distract them. They distinguished the sound tradition from the unsound, and the strong from the weak, with decisive intellects, penetrating opinions, and hearts that were mindful of the truth, secure from the falsification of the falsifiers, the fabrications of the heretics, and the lies of the liars. They stood up to codify what they heard and to authenticate what they collected, abandoning the soft bed and the pleasant resting place. When drowsiness overcame them and put them to sleep, and dropped the pens from their hands, they would wake up terrified, their backs aching from toil and their minds bewildered from sleeplessness. They would rub their eyes with their hands, then return to writing out of eagerness for it and inclination of their desires toward it, because they are the guardians of Islam and the treasuries of the All-Knowing King. When they fulfilled their goals from what they sought and returned to their homes, they would adhere to the mosques and frequent the places of worship, wearing the garment of humility, submitting and greeting, walking gently on the earth, not harming a neighbor nor abandoning a disgrace. When a deviator deviated or an apostate apostatized from the religion, they would come forth like lions from the thickets, defending the landmarks of Islam. So I ask You, O my Lord, by their honor with You, and by the special virtue they have with You, and by the right of the righteous deeds by which they drew near to You, to make me follow their paths, and to guide me in their ways, and to raise me to their lofty stations, and to include me in the string of their precious and sublime attainments. And give me to drink, O Allah, from the cup of their sweet and pure drink, and resurrect me with them in the company of Your Prophet Muhammad the Chosen, ﷺ, and his family, the people of truth and loyalty. And when they come to You and stand before You, and You honor them with Your generosity and entertain them with Your hospitality, and bestow upon them eternal bliss, and delight them with the vision of Your noble face, then make me, O Allah, among them in the highest company and among the people of the most splendid vision, and admit me with them into the gardens of Your holiness, and place me with them on the carpet of Your intimacy, so that I may be honored with Your hospitality and blessed with the vision of Your noble face, along with Your chosen sincere ones, upon whom You have bestowed favor—the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous—by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Lamps of the religion of Allah, carried by men through whom the hadith of Muhammad lives. They carried the traditions from every pious, truthful, virtuous, and devout scholar. Their inkwells are luminous, shining like lamps of ink in the midst of a mosque. They are brought to one who is knowledgeable in jurisprudence and from the class of rulings, every rightly guided one. ... ³⁴ and hearts that the lights of the Ahmadine ³⁵ message protected from impurities, and origins that Allah purified from adultery and cleansed from the filth of polytheism and exalted above otherness, and chapters whose rank Allah raised on the carpet of His might and granted them the ultimate goal of His pleasure, and a kinship that Allah mentioned in His Book and honored by His saying: "Say, 'I do not ask you for it any reward except love for the relatives'" ³⁶. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the delight of the suns and moons, and the beauty of the times and ages—he from whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care and closeness, it is narrated that he said: "My love never mixes with the heart of a servant except that Allah makes his body forbidden to the Fire." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the garden of blooming beauties and the essence of perfections and dazzling secrets—he from whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care and closeness, it is narrated that he said: "What is the matter with people who claim that my kinship does not benefit? Indeed, every cause and lineage will be severed on the Day of Resurrection except my cause and my lineage, and indeed my womb is connected 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 best of those who brought guidance and uprightness, and the most honored of those who were adorned with the crown of honor and dignity—he from whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care and closeness, it is narrated that he said: "Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah sends blessings upon him ten times, and ten good deeds are written for him, and ten sins are erased from him."

His high standing with his Lord, and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness, as narrated from him that he said: "Whoever loves Hasan and Husayn and their father and their mother, will be with me in the plains of the Resurrection." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the lamp of the worlds, the delight of eyes, the best of those whom the eminent and the noble have followed, he whose family's honor with his Lord, and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness, is such that it is narrated from him that he said: "Whoever dies loving the family of Muhammad dies repentant; whoever dies loving the family of Muhammad dies forgiven; whoever dies loving the family of Muhammad dies a believer with complete faith." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those who subdued proud souls and turned them from their ignorance, who established the foundations of the pure Sharia and clung to its rope, he whose family's honors with his Lord and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness, is such that it is narrated from him that he said: "Whoever dies loving the family of Muhammad, the Angel of Death will give him glad tidings of Paradise, then Munkar and Nakir ³⁷. Indeed, whoever dies loving the family of Muhammad, Allah will open for him two doors to Paradise in his grave. Indeed, whoever dies loving the family of Muhammad, Allah will make his grave a place of visitation for the angels of mercy. Indeed, whoever dies loving the family of Muhammad, he will be honored and blame will be lifted from him, and he will die upon the Sunna and the community. Indeed, whoever dies loving the family of Muhammad will be escorted to Paradise as a bride is escorted to her husband's house." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whom the tongues of lovers praise, the most majestic of those who challenge with miracles and manifest the breaking of norms at his hands, from his honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness, it is narrated from him that he said: "Four are those for whom I will intercede on the Day of Resurrection: the one who honors my progeny, the one who fulfills their needs, the one who loves them with his heart and tongue, and the one who strives for them in their affairs when they are in need." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the tongue of my wisdom, the secret of my answer, the light of my insight, and the brilliance of my nobility, he whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness, is such that it is narrated from him that he said: "Whoever loves Allah loves the Quran; whoever loves the Quran loves me; whoever loves me loves my Companions and my relatives." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those by whose courtyards difficulties are resolved, the most excellent of those before whom mounts halt at his Arafat ³⁸, he whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness, is such that it is narrated from him that he said: "None of you believes until I am more beloved to him than himself, and my family ³⁹ are more beloved to him than his family, and my household are more beloved to him than his household, and my self is more beloved to him than his self." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the Imam of Tayba ⁴⁰ and the Sanctuary, the refuge of widows and the shelter of those who seek protection, he whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness, is such that it is narrated from him that he said: "Indeed, Allah Almighty has three sanctities: whoever preserves them, Allah will preserve his religion and his worldly life; whoever does not preserve them, Allah will not preserve his religion nor his Hereafter." It was said, "What are they, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "My sanctity, the sanctity of my womb ⁴¹, and the sanctity of Islam." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the festival of joy, happiness, and congratulations, the sanctuary of the fearful, the terrified, and the sinner, he whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness, is such that it is narrated from him that he said: "The worst people alive for me are those who will come after me and see one of them as if he has lost his family and wealth, yet he has seen me." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those before whom travelers dismount at his courtyard and doors, the greatest of those to whom the needy cling by his fringes and means, he whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness, is such that it is narrated that love for him is an obligation upon the community, and likewise love for his household, his relatives, his in-laws, his helpers, and his Companions. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whose love has penetrated the innermost hearts, the most excellent of those whose prayer was answered and whose desire from his Lord was fulfilled, he whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care for his religion and his closeness, is such that it is narrated from Ali ibn Isa al-Wazir ⁴² that he said: "I used to treat the Alawites ⁴³ well and give each of them annually in the City of Islam ⁴⁴ enough for their food, clothing, and all their dependents. I would do this from the beginning of Ramadan until its end. Among them was an old man from the descendants of Musa ibn Ja'far ⁴⁵ and others. I used to give him five thousand dirhams each year. One day in winter, I passed by and saw him drunk, staggering, covered in mud, in the ugliest state in the middle of the street. I said to myself, 'I give such a sinner five thousand dirhams each year to spend in disobedience to Allah? I will withhold his stipend this year.' When Ramadan came, the aforementioned old man came and stood at the door of my house. When I reached him, he greeted me and asked for the usual stipend. I said, 'No, and no honor for you! I will not give you my money to spend in disobedience to Allah,' and I mentioned what I had seen of him. That night, when I slept, I saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a dream, with people gathered around him. I approached him, but he turned away from me. This distressed and saddened me. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, despite my abundant kindness to your children, my devotion to them, and my many blessings upon you, you repay me by turning away from me?' He said, 'Rather, you turned away my son so-and-so from your door, drove him away, and cut off his annual stipend.' I said, 'Because I saw him in a shameful state,' and I described the situation. He said, 'No, you only withheld his stipend because you thought you would be helping him in disobedience to Allah.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'Did you give it for his sake or for my sake?' I said, 'For your sake.' He said, 'Why did you not cover up what you discovered about him for my sake and because he is among my descendants?' He said, 'With love, honor, and reverence.' I woke from the dream and in the morning I sent for that old man. When I returned from the government office and entered the house, I ordered him to be brought in. I instructed a servant to carry ten thousand dirhams in two bags to him. I honored him, brought him close, and said, 'If you need anything else, let me know.' I sent him away happy. When he reached the door, he returned and said, 'O Vizier, what is the reason for your distancing me yesterday and bringing me close today, and doubling my gift?' I said, 'It was nothing but good.' He left rightly guided."

By Allah, I will not leave until I know the full story. So I told him what I had seen, and his eyes filled with tears, and he said: "I have made a binding vow to Allah that I will never return to what you saw me doing, and I will never commit a sin again, nor will I cause my grandfather to need to argue with you on my behalf." So he repented, and his repentance was good. ²¹ O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whose tongues have affirmed their righteousness and respect, the most noble of those before whom necks bow in awe and veneration, of whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness it is narrated from the ascetic Shaykh Abu Abdullah Muhammad al-Farisi that he said: "I used to hate the nobles of the Prophetic City, the Banu Husayn ⁴⁶, because of the partisanship they showed against the Ahl al-Sunna ⁴⁷ and the innovations they openly practiced. Then I saw in a dream, while I was asleep in the Prophetic Mosque facing the noble grave, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying: 'O so-and-so, by my name, why do I see you hating my children?' I said: 'Far be it from Allah that I should hate them; I only hate what I have seen of their partisanship against the Ahl al-Sunna.' He said to me a juristic question: 'Is not a child affiliated by lineage?' I said: 'Yes, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'This is a disobedient child.' When I awoke, I would not meet anyone from the Banu Husayn, the nobles of the City, without showing them utmost honor." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whose Ka'ba ⁴⁸ pilgrims circle and at whose door they crowd, the most blessed of those through whose intercession the needy seek and cling to his hem, of whose honor with his Lord and the perfection of His care for him and his closeness it is narrated that a notable person from the Maghreb ⁴⁹ resolved to perform the Hajj ⁵⁰. A wealthy man brought him money and said: "When you reach the Prophetic City, ask for a noble person there of sound lineage and give it to him, hoping that this may be a connection to his grandfather, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him." He said: "When I arrived in the City, I asked about its nobles. It was said to me: 'Their lineage is sound, but they are Shi'a ⁵¹.' So I disliked giving it to them. Then I sat with one of them—or he said: I sat with him—and asked about his school of thought. He said: 'Shi'i.' I said: 'If you were from the Ahl al-Sunna, I would give you some money I have.' He complained of poverty and severe need and asked me for some of it. I said: 'There is no way to that.' So he left me. When I slept that night, I saw that the Resurrection had come and people were crossing over the Sirat ⁵². I wanted to cross, but Fatima, may Allah be pleased with her, ordered that I be prevented, and I was prevented. I began to cry for help but found no helper until the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, approached. I cried to him for help and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, Fatima has prevented me from crossing the Sirat.' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, turned and said to her: 'Why did you prevent this one?' She said: 'He prevented my child from his sustenance.' He turned to me and said: 'She says you prevented her child from his sustenance.' I said: 'By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I only prevented him because he reviles the two Shaykhs ⁵³, may Allah be pleased with them.' He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, turned to her and said: 'He says he only prevented him because he reviles the two Shaykhs.' Fatima, may Allah be pleased with her, turned to the two Shaykhs and said to them: 'Do you hold my child accountable for that?' They said: 'Rather, we have forgiven him for that.' Then Fatima turned to me and said: 'What business is it of yours between my child and the two Shaykhs?' Then I awoke in terror. I took the money and brought it to that nobleman and gave it to him. He was amazed at that and said to me: 'What is the matter with you? Yesterday I asked you for a little of it and you refused, and now how have you brought it to me?' So I told him the dream. He wept and said: 'I call you to witness, and I call Allah to witness, that I will never revile them as long as I live.' [22-23] A duty from Allah in the Qur'an He revealed, Whoever does not bless you has no prayer. O family of the Messenger of Allah, love of you Suffices you, of great status, that you are. Then know that the manifestation of uprightness in them, may Allah be pleased with them, their adornment with following [the Sunna], and their possession of excellent morals helps in loving the Chosen One, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and increases it in hearts. For when goodness, virtue, generosity, nobility, forbearance, forgiveness, religiosity, and piety are seen in someone, it is asked: "Whose son is this?" When his forefathers are known and that [virtue] flows from them to him, tongues begin to praise and ask for mercy and pleasure upon them, their status becomes great in souls, their love is established in hearts, souls delight in their mention, and breasts expand with their virtues. It is clear and well-known that when a person hears mention of a saint among the saints or a scholar among the scholars, and is told of his various virtues, qualities, and perfections, that plants his love in hearts, and it increases and multiplies. Such were the states of the family of the Chosen One, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, his wives, his Companions, and their descendants. So whoever saw

Their noble traits ⁵⁴, and witnessed their character, and came to know their states, he remembered their lineage to him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said: "Allah knows best where to place His messages." Their uprightness at that time is a door from the doors of guidance. For Allah to guide a man through you is better than all that the sun has risen upon. Whoever among them is upright, he has the reward of his uprightness and the reward of those who become upright through him. So it behooves them to keep this meaning in mind and intend it when doing good, so that they may comply with the command of Allah Most High and the command of His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to obey them, and become a means of increasing love for him in the hearts of his community. Thus they become among those who make the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, beloved to the believers. Whoever makes him beloved to them, Allah has made him beloved to them, and whoever Allah makes beloved to His servants, he is beloved to Allah Most High. And whoever is beloved to Allah Most High, he is beloved to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and to his family and companions. O Allah, send blessings upon him and upon his family, a blessing that makes us among those who act according to the requirements of his Sunna ⁵⁵ and His Book, and enter into his pure group and the company of his beloved ones, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Indeed, say to those who oppose the descendants of Ahmad ⁵⁶: they are the people of the supported station. Await the arrows of Allah and expect tribulation; I have advised you, so beware of them and do not oppose them. Malik ⁵⁷ and the masters are the poles ⁵⁸ of the enclosure of perfection and the possessors of majestic glory; Malik and the knights in every battlefield. Their station is above the two stars ⁵⁹; indeed, they have in the unseen the most honorable seat. Servants who have a sincere secret with Allah and a heart guided by the light of Truth, the greatest. Imams of the niche of witnessing ⁶⁰ and masters of existence, and those who are pure with the greatest source. They are a folk; whoever loves them will not be wretched, and through them becomes among people the most honorable follower. By their right, their servant fears no injustice; and this is by the inheritance of the Hashimite Muhammad. So take from them and serve the courts of their presence, for they are, through the manifestation of Truth, the most honorable goal. O Allah, I call You to witness, and I call Your noble recording angels, the bearers of Your Throne, and Your special believing servants to witness, that I love You and I love Your Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his pure and good family: Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husayn, and all his companions and beloved ones. And we seek intercession with You through their rank with You and the loftiness of their station before You, O Lord of the worlds, that You distance us from our sins, accept our deeds, perfect our certainty, rectify our religion, adorn our outward and inward with piety, purify our consciences and innermost thoughts from rancor and envy, and suffice us in what concerns us of our worldly and otherworldly affairs, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. An apparent honor, a pure element, a conquering beauty, an abundant fortune, a present secret. A lineage of which the first and the last boast, and by which the witnessed and the manifest are adorned, and the inward and outward are illuminated, and in its gardens thoughts and sights take delight, and through love for it the desert dwellers and city dwellers are blessed, and masters of eloquence deliver sermons in its praise from the highest chairs and pulpits, and its virtues are immortalized in the pages of books and registers. A person finds through its blessing on the day when realities become true and secrets are revealed, year after year. 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 most beautiful of people in essence and face, the most pleasant in nature and fragrance. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, the radiant and well-pleasing Fatima, the piece of his noble prophetic self, it is narrated that when Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, am I more beloved to you or Fatima?" He said: "She is more beloved to me than you, and you are dearer to me than her." O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whom You have perfected in form and character, the most generous of those whom You have granted complete faith and truthfulness. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, the radiant and well-pleasing Fatima, the piece of his noble prophetic self, it is narrated that he said: "I am a tree, Fatima is its fruit, Ali is its pollen, Hasan and Husayn are its fruits, and those who love us, the People of the House ⁶¹..." They resemble the Chosen One ⁶² in his radiance; he is a light from ancient times. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad, the best of those through whom You have expanded and illuminated breasts, and the most honored of those whom You have granted awe and reverence among Your prophets. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, the radiant and well-pleasing Fatima, the piece of his radiant prophetic self, it is narrated: "He used to pass by her door when he went out for the dawn prayer and say: 'Prayer, O People of the House! Indeed, Allah intends to remove impurity from you, O People of the House, and purify you thoroughly.'" ⁶³ O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the lamp of the suns of shining lights, and the diffusion of the fragrance of fragrant flowers. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, the radiant and well-pleasing Fatima, the piece of his radiant prophetic self, it is narrated: "When he reached Paradise on the Night of Ascension ⁶⁴, he saw the palace of Khadija, may Allah be pleased with her. He ordered Gabriel, peace be upon him, to bring an apple from the palace and said: 'O Muhammad, eat this apple, for Allah Most High created from it a daughter whom Khadija will conceive.' So he did. When Khadija conceived Fatima, may Allah be pleased with them, the fragrance emanated to him for nine months. When she gave birth, the fragrance transferred to her. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whenever he longed for Paradise, would kiss Fatima because of that fragrance." O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whose praise and eulogy tongues have uttered, and the most beautiful of those whose perfect beauty and splendor sights have beheld. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, the radiant and well-pleasing Fatima, the piece of his radiant prophetic self, it is narrated that: "When she grew up, he used to say to her: 'I wonder to whom this little garden belongs?' Then Gabriel, peace be upon him, came to him one day and said: 'Allah Most High sends you greetings and says: Today was the contract of Fatima in her settlement in a palace for her in Paradise. The suitor was Israfil, Gabriel and Michael were witnesses, and the guardian is the Lord of the worlds.'"

of honor, and the marriage of Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him and grant him His pleasure. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the light of lights, shaded by the cloud, and the secret of secrets, radiant with miracles and wonders, from the perfection of the honor of his daughter al-Zahra' the well-pleasing, and the piece of his noble prophetic self, it is narrated that he said: "O Ali, this is Gabriel informing me that Allah Almighty has married you to Fatima, and He made forty thousand angels witness her marriage, and He inspired the Tree of Tuba to scatter upon them pearls, rubies, jewelry, and garments, so it scattered upon them, and the houris vied to pick them up on trays of pearls and rubies, then they gift them to one another until the Day of Resurrection." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the hidden divine secret, and the possessor of high rank and great status, from the perfection of the honor of his daughter al-Zahra' the well-pleasing ⁶⁵ and the piece of his noble prophetic self, it is narrated that he said to Ali: "Rejoice, O Abu al-Hasan, for Allah Almighty has married you in heaven before He married you on earth. Indeed, an angel descended upon me before you came to me, the like of whom I had never seen among the angels, with diverse faces and diverse wings. He said: 'Peace be upon you, O Muhammad. Rejoice at the union of the family and the purity of the offspring.' I said: 'What is that?' He said: 'O Muhammad, I am the one entrusted with the most worthy twins of the Throne. I asked my Lord to permit me to give you glad tidings, and this is Gabriel following me, informing you of the honor of your Lord for you.' He had not finished his speech when Gabriel descended and said: 'Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah.' Then he placed in his hand a white scroll containing two lines written with light. I said: 'What are these lines?' He said: 'Indeed, Allah Almighty looked to the earth and chose for you a minister and companion, and married him to your daughter Fatima.' I said: 'O Gabriel, who is this man?' He said: 'Your brother in both abodes and your cousin in lineage, Ali ibn Abi Talib. And Allah Almighty inspired the gardens to adorn themselves, and the houris to beautify themselves, and the Tree of Tuba to scatter what it had of jewelry and garments,' as previously mentioned." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master and lord Muhammad, the treasure of great gifts, of immense grace and favor, and the first from whom the earth will split open and the gate of Paradise will be opened. The beloved of the best of creation, Fatima, From the Fire, for love of her, Fatima, To her nearest, the gift is distributing, Tomorrow, and the back of the earth, she is crushing. Its author, may Allah guide him to what is right and lead him, and grant him gifts and blessings beyond what he asked and wished, said: When I reached this noble prophetic station, and contemplated what it contained of great chosen favor, and what this Muhammadan and Ahmadian sermon included of glorification of the noble prophetic piece, and the dissemination of some of her virtues along with its inclusion in the heavenly sermon, in addition to what has preceded in the authentic hadiths, reports, narrations, and traditions, I let my thought roam over her original honor, and I knew that her noble essence is without peer or equal. And I followed that with mentioning what Allah opened to me of sublime indications and elegant expressions, in the way of opening and facilitation, and according to the wisdom of inspiration and illumination, and the intensity of longing and yearning, and the pure, pleasant taste, and the desire to serve the full moon of perfect radiance, and the seal of prophethood, sweet in qualities and character, and the treasure of pure guidance ⁶⁶ of pure branches and roots, when there manifested upon my inner self lights from those who attended this sermon, of those possessing infallibility and justice, and those who undertook the marriage contract of the family of revelation and message, and the mine of pride, glorification, and majesty. That is because the infallible one of great rank, and the one who said "I am the master of the children of Adam, and I do not boast," when he wanted to marry off the piece of his luminous self, and the choicest of his radiant, holy offspring, the unique pearl of the Muhammadan prophecy, and the noble lady of the Ahmadian message, the mistress of the women of the brides of Paradise, and the beloved of the soul created from the breath of the Merciful, al-Zahra', regarded with the eye of satisfaction and acceptance, the honored virgin, the chaste, the daughter of Khadija the pure and Muhammad the prophet and messenger, to her cousin, the stallion of stallions, the victorious sword of Allah, the unsheathed, chosen for the brotherhood of the best prophet and the most noble messenger, the guardian of her hidden secret, and the protector of her protected chamber, of great qualities and virtues, and the gate of the city of Muhammadan sciences and gifts, the father of the two noble grandsons, our master Ali ibn Abi Talib, Gabriel, the foremost, the specially chosen, entrusted with the service of the elite and the apple of the eye of speciality, descended from the innermost of the Throne of the Unseen and the pavilion of the Unseen of the Unseen, in a multitude of angels chosen for that,

The pre-eternal ⁶⁷, those prepared for the gathering of the first preceding light, from the noble chief emissaries, and the great cherubim ⁶⁸ of note, riding on steeds that were created from light, wearing garments of contentment and joy, crowned with the crown of honor and piety, carrying the banner of happiness and delight, girded with swords of might and manifestation, at times gliding in the space of ecstasy and rapture, and at times walking gently ⁶⁹ on the carpet of proximity and nearness, until they alighted upon the bed of the most luminous glory, the adornment of the greenest honor, the carpet of the most splendid majesty, the garden of the most fragrant breezes, the hospice of the most renowned victory, and they gave glad tidings to the master of the station, the Mawlawi ⁷⁰, of the gathering of the Fatimid ⁷¹ prophetic union, and the exalted Alid ⁷² honor, and that this precious unique pearl had become a bride and intimate companion for the master of the elders of the people of Paradise, and they informed him that the Most High, the Supreme, had manifested Himself in the beauty of the most sacred and resplendent light, and commanded that the paradises of the gardens be adorned, and the houris ⁷³, palaces, and youths be decorated, and that the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary ⁷⁴ be hung with all that dazzles the intellects of colors, and that the carpet of spread contentment, woven from brocade of splendor and light, be laid out in the gardens of the desired scene and the chambers of the Much-Frequented House ⁷⁵, and that the spiritual souls and the people of the luminous temples, from the chiefs of His angels, especially the people of His kingdom, should attend, and His herald called out among the youths of the kingdom and the dominion, the treasurers of mercy and omnipotence, and the overseers of the worlds of humanity and divinity: 'Attend the contract of the radiant countenance of beauties, the pure chosen one of honor, the daughter of the Messenger, our Lady Fatima al-Zahra ⁷⁶, the daughter of the bride of the lordly kingdom, the Imam of the people of the merciful chambers, the secret of the human creation, and let the gathering be under the Tree of Tuba ⁷⁷, great in shade and shadows, so that it may spread upon them its precious pearls and various kinds of jewelry and garments.' When the most auspicious assembly and the most pleasing lofty seat became established with them, and the angels of subjugation and the brides of precedence surrounded them, and the lamps of illumination were lit for them, the witness of truth ⁷⁸ guided them to the marriage contract, and the true arrival alerted them to the gathering of spirits and the meeting of bodies, so they said, 'With blessing and prosperity and righteousness.' Then the orator of the Holy Presence and the companion of the chambers of intimacy delivered a sermon from the pulpit of proximity and devotion, and the platform of honor and high rank, and he magnified the value of the lineage and beautified the words of the sermon, and said: 'Praise be to God, who created from water a human being and made him kinship and marriage, and your Lord is ever powerful.' And He created Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, as a human not like other humans, but rather like a ruby among stones, and the full moon among bright stars, and his station rises above the stations of the prophets and the chosen ones as the sun rises above the moon. And He made his lineage the purest of pure lineages, and his honor the most magnificent of brilliant honors; through him the elements became good, through him the boasts became great, and through the mention of his lordship the thrones and pulpits were honored. And He made his marriage the most honorable of marriages, the purest of purities, and the best of the best, and He, glorified be He, chose him to be the most noble husband for the prophetic daughter, and that she should be for him the best and most honorable spouse. Praise be to God, who united the spirit and the body, and perfected what the chosen conscience had concealed and concluded, and conveyed to His most noble beloved the best of what he intended and sought from his wish. So the witness of the glory of eternity and the unique one of the presence of the One ⁷⁹ testified to that, and every one brought near to God rejoiced and prostrated, and the Throne ⁸⁰ vibrated with joy at that, and the inhabitants of the highest tablet said, 'Welcome and greetings.' Then the face of her father, the master of humanity, shone and radiated as if it were a piece of the moon, or the blaze of dawn that appeared in the gardens of existence and spread, when the Truth, glorified be He, Himself undertook the guardianship of that marriage contract, and called as witnesses His special angels from the people of His holy presence ⁸¹, and adorned them with the jewelry of eternal and renowned honor, and gave them the reins of lordship in the processions of might and precedence, and caused for them in the sphere of glory a luminous moon to rise, and wrote for them in the register of happiness a lofty glory and a great kingdom, and proclaimed in the space of His dominion the highness of their rank with a momentous proclamation, and completed that blessing upon them with His saying, exalted be He: 'Indeed, God intends to remove from you all impurity, O People of the House ⁸², and purify you with a thorough purification.' So the nightingales of congratulations danced with joy to the melodies of their remembrances, and the glad tidings of proximity and nearness clapped at the rising of their lights, and the angels of the veils and curtains sang out of their intense love, and the brides of the spheres and the masters of consciences rejoiced at her joy, and the spiritual souls and luminous persons came to congratulate her cousin, the peer of his wisdom, the pearl of his necklace, the moon of his fortune, on his marriage to the mistress of women, the daughter of the bride of the paradises of the gardens, the master of the children of Adam and Adnan ⁸³. So she came out, trailing the hem of her lordly cloak in pride, while the attendants of her chambers carried the sleeves of her merciful shirt, vying with the suns and moons in her adornment, and snatching intellects and sights with the light of her beauty. The lightning of beauty had flashed over her noble abode and spread.

And the Fatimid garden of her good fortune ripened and blossomed, and the Mustafawi crown of sovereignty and glory was tied upon her brow, and upon the bird of her Alawi good fortune was hung the sword of victory and triumph. Thus the letters of her indication came to signify the might of her command, and the subtleties of her expressions guide the fragrant breezes of generosity to the carpet of her presences, and the blossoms of her flowers give rest to yearning souls from their sighs, and the luminous signs of her verses illuminate the cosmos with the harbingers of her glad tidings. There remained no veiled one in the cosmos but she tore open its veil, nor any bride in the pavilions ⁸⁴ of Paradise but she unveiled her face. So the servants of the Most High Station stood upon the leg of earnestness and effort, and the Cupbearer of Wine circulated the cups of supply and replenishment, and the Nile of gracious gifts overflowed upon the lovers of the exalted House of the Prophet with every intention and desire. And the herald of pre-eternity, the envoy of the first preceding light, called out from beneath the canopies of perfection and the innermost part of the Throne of Majesty: "O people of the presences of intimacy and boldness, and the processions of the Poles, the Pegs, and the Substitutes, lower your gaze so that the unique pearl of the necklace of gems may pass, the rising of the moon of nights, the gathering of beauty, splendor, and loveliness—Fatima al-Zahra, the piece of the Seal of the Prophets and the Master of the Messengers." So bless, O Allah, him and his family, who are the best of people and the noblest of lineage, and his Companions, the springs of generosity, beneficence, and favor, with a blessing through which the seas of generosity and bestowal overflow upon us, and through which You preserve our times from trials, earthquakes, and terrors, and through which You suffice us against the evil of the wicked and the scheming of the impious, and through which You repel from us the hand of the deviant and the misguided, and through which You turn back the scheming of those who plot against us into their own throats and send upon them various kinds of disgrace and calamity, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. When I come with original praise * throughout the mornings and evenings of my life, And it is my merchandise and my beautiful craft * by which I hope to reach the Master, Then who is more deserving of it after the Tihami ⁸⁵ * than al-Zahra, Fatima the Virgin? Can I enumerate the virtue of the piece of the best of creation * while I am in the presence of a man of excess? But the fire of longing in my heart * stirs my speech in her love, And brings forth from the seas of the heart a pearl * whose love is from the stingy heart. May I lose my life if I do not find it * inclining to the praise of the daughter of the Messenger. O Fatima, by the Beloved, your father Taha, * take my hand always and look upon me, And in both abodes, bestow congratulations * upon al-Halabi, your lowly servant, And from him upon you both and all the family * be peace as long as the doves sing among the ruins. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the master of masters and freemen, ⁸⁶ and the delight of the eyes of the Emigrants and Helpers, from the perfection of whose honor of his daughter al-Zahra the well-pleasing, and the piece of his honored prophetic self, it is narrated that he said: "A glad tiding came to me from my Lord concerning my brother and cousin and my daughter, that Allah the Exalted married Ali to Fatima, and commanded Ridwan, the keeper of the Gardens, to shake the Tree of Tuba, and it bore leaves—meaning documents—equal to the number of the lovers of the Ahl al-Bayt, and He established beneath it a canopy of light, and to each document a document fell, so they took refuge; the Resurrection will be established with its people, the angels will gather among the creatures, and there will remain no lover of the Ahl al-Bayt except that a document will fall to him containing his redemption from the Fire. Thus my brother, my cousin, and my daughter became the redemption of the necks of men and women of my community from the Fire." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the possessor of the widely transmitted virtues and merits, and the source of the brilliant noble deeds and miracles, from the perfection of whose honor of his daughter al-Zahra the well-pleasing, and the piece of his honored prophetic self, it is narrated that he said to Fatima, may Allah be pleased with her: "Rejoice, for by Allah, you are the mistress of the people of Paradise." She said: "And where are Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh, and Mary, the daughter of Imran, and Khadija, the daughter of Khuwaylid?" He said to her: "Asiya is the mistress of the women of her world, Mary is the mistress of the women of her world, Khadija is the mistress of her world, and you are the mistress of the women of your world. But it is in a house of reeds, with no clamor in it and no fatigue." Then he said to her: "Be content with your cousin, for by Allah, I have married you to a master in this world and a master in the Hereafter." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those who clarified the paths and explained the Sunna, ⁸⁷ and the most excellent of those who raised the beacon of religion and established it, from the virtues of whose purified family and the perfection of whose prophetic honor, it is narrated from Qatada, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: "The Fire boasted over Paradise, saying: 'Kings and tyrants dwell in me, while only the poor and needy dwell in you.' So Paradise yearned for its Lord, Mighty and Majestic, and Allah the Exalted revealed to it: 'By My Might and Majesty, I will surely fill you with four pillars: Muhammad, the master of the prophets; Ali, the master of the chosen ones; and al-Hasan and al-Husayn, the masters of the youth of Paradise.'" O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those who dazzled minds with his eloquence and clarity, and the most excellent of those who broke the backs of the deniers with his proof and evidence, from the perfection of whose honor of his daughter al-Zahra the well-pleasing and the piece of his honored prophetic self, it is narrated from some scholars: "When he was asked why Fatima, may Allah be pleased with her, was preferred over the daughters of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while their father is one, he said: 'Because all his daughters died during his lifetime, so they were in his scale, while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died during Fatima's lifetime, so he was in her scale. And what rank or excellence is higher, greater, loftier, and more magnificent than one who brings the Master of the first and the last in his scale?'" * A heavenly virgin, radiant, among mortals human * whose freshness in blooming surpasses flowers. * Purified, she does not menstruate, nor is seen * for her blood; it ceased when she was named al-Zahra. * She imitated, when she ruled in the heights, the people of Paradise * for the family of the Beloved, the Chosen, the brilliant stars. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, ⁸⁸ the most majestic of those who removed from hearts the darkness of worry, grief, and sorrow, and the best of those whose rising heralded happiness and blessing, from the perfection of whose honor of his daughter al-Zahra the well-pleasing, and the piece of his honored prophetic self, it is narrated that he said: "I am a tree, and Fatima and Ali are its two branches, and al-Hasan and al-Husayn are its fruits, and their followers from my community are its leaves. And wherever the root of the tree grows, its two branches grow in the Garden of Eden." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the full moon of prophethood that erases with the light of his countenance the darkness of gloom, and the lamp of messengership that removes from hearts the cloud of rust.

And the coverings ⁸⁹. Among the perfect honor of his daughter al-Zahra' ⁹⁰ the well-pleasing, and the piece of his noble prophetic self, is what has been narrated from him that he said: 'O 'Ali, I and you were created from a tree; I am its root, you are its branch, and al-Hasan and al-Husayn are its twigs. Whoever clings to a twig of its twigs enters Paradise.' O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the beloved of the All-Sufficient Lord, and the water of life gushing forth from the spring of the all-sufficient mercy, about whom some of the commentators said concerning the meaning of His words, exalted is He: 'He let forth the two seas that meet together; between them is a barrier they do not overpass. So which of the favors of your Lord will you deny? From them come forth pearls and coral' ⁹¹ — that he, peace and blessings be upon him, and 'Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn [are meant]. So the Unique, who is Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is an allusion to the first eternal sea; and the Pair, who are 'Ali and Fatima, are an allusion to the second everlasting sea; and the Barrier is an allusion to the Muhammadan Mystery ⁹²; from the sea of eternity comes forth the pearl, and from the sea of everlastingness the coral. And Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is the Greatest Element; 'Ali is the form of the Universal Intellect ⁹³ and he is the Supreme Pen ⁹⁴; Fatima is the form of the Universal Soul ⁹⁵ and she is the Preserved Tablet ⁹⁶; al-Hasan is the form of the Throne ⁹⁷; al-Husayn is the form of the Footstool ⁹⁸; the twelve from his descendants are the form of the twelve zodiacal signs; Muhammad al-Mahdi ⁹⁹ is the form of the worldly realm; and Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, Talha, al-Zubayr, Sa'd, Sa'id, and Abu 'Ubayda are the form of the eight bearers of the Throne ¹⁰⁰, may Allah be pleased with them all. So bless, O Allah, this intimate and established prophet, who is the tree of light blossoming with the flowers of prophethood and messengerhood and the secrets of the Manifest Book, and upon his family, the branches of guidance, success, rectitude, and religion, and the fruits of love, truthfulness, sincerity, and certainty, and upon his Companions, who uphold his law according to the ways of clarification and explanation, with a blessing that leads us thereby to the path of the rightly guided Imams, and raises us thereby to the highest stations in the Garden of Paradise and the most exalted 'Illiyin ¹⁰¹, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. What a tree it is, chosen and pure, its branches radiant with the secrets of Muhammadan prophethood, its fruits resplendent with the lights of Ahmadine ¹⁰² messengerhood, having in existence no peer or likeness, due to what it has been singled out for of sublime honor, beautiful description, lofty glory, and immense worth. May Allah place us under its shady shade, and give us to drink from the flow of its sweet, delicious Kawthar ¹⁰³. By its noble lordship, 'Ali became lord and exalted; by affiliation to it, his full moon shone in the horizon of high stations and became manifest; his rank rose through its honor and became high; his pride was perfected by belonging to it and became elevated; thus his glory and perfection appeared, and his hymn and speech became goodly in it. He said, boasting of the brotherhood of the Messenger and the marriage of his virgin, chaste daughter: * Muhammad the Messenger is my brother and father-in-law; * And Mahmud ¹⁰⁴, her flesh is with my blood and my flesh. * And Hamza, the master of martyrs, is my uncle; * The son of my mother flies with the angels. * And Muhammad's daughter is my dwelling and my spouse; * So beware, for him is a share like my share. * And the two grandsons of the Chosen One are my sons from her, * Two boys, though I have not yet reached the age of puberty. * I preceded you all to Islam; * So who can claim a day like my day? And this is the description of the tree about which he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'I am a tree, Fatima and 'Ali are its branch, al-Hasan and al-Husayn are its fruit, and their lovers from my community are its leaves. And where it grows — the root of the tree grows its branch in the Garden of Eden.' ¹⁰⁵ O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the elite of the pure chosen ones, and the cream of the select nobles. Among the perfect honor of his daughter al-Zahra' the well-pleasing, and the piece of his noble prophetic self, is what has been narrated from him that he said: 'Allah created me and 'Ali as two lights before the Throne, glorifying and sanctifying Allah, exalted is He, two thousand years before He created Adam. When He created Adam, He placed us in his loins, then He transferred us from pure loins and clean wombs until He placed us in the loins of Abraham, peace be upon him, then He transferred us from pure loins and clean wombs until He placed us in the loins of 'Abd al-Muttalib. Then two-thirds of the light went into 'Abd Allah and one-third into Abu Talib. Then the light from me and from 'Ali came together in Fatima, and al-Hasan and al-Husayn are from the light of the 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 best of those whose origin and distinction are pure, and honor those whom You have honored with Your nearness, so that their merit became manifest to the eye. Among the perfect honor of his daughter al-Zahra' the well-pleasing, and the piece of his noble prophetic self, is what has been narrated: 'Adam, peace be upon him, and Eve were sitting, and Gabriel, peace be upon him, came to them and brought them to a palace of gold and silver, its pinnacles of green emerald, in which was a couch of red ruby; on the couch was a dome of light, in which was an image with a crown on its head, two earrings of pearl in its ears, and a necklace of light around its neck. Adam marveled at its light until he forgot Eve's beauty. He said, "What is this image?" He said, "This is Fatima; the crown is her father, the necklace is her husband, and the two earrings are al-Hasan and al-Husayn." Adam raised his head to the dome and saw five names written in light: "I am al-Mahmud ¹⁰⁶, and this is Muhammad; I am al-A'la ¹⁰⁷, and this is 'Ali; I am al-Fatim ¹⁰⁸, and this is Fatima; I am al-Muhsin ¹⁰⁹, and this is al-Hasan; and I am called al-Ihsan ¹¹⁰, and this is al-Husayn." Gabriel, peace be upon him, said, "O Adam, preserve these names, for you will need them." When Adam descended, he wept for three hundred years, then he supplicated with these names, saying, "O Lord, by the right of Muhammad, Fatima, 'Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn, O Mahmud, O A'la, O Fatim, O Muhsin, O Possessor of Ihsan, forgive me and accept my repentance." So Allah revealed to him, "O Adam, if you had asked Me by these names for all your descendants, I would have forgiven them."' O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those who purified souls from follies and refined their morals, and freed them from the captivity of desires and loosened their bonds. Among the perfect honor of his daughter al-Zahra' the well-pleasing, and the piece of his noble prophetic self, is what has been narrated: 'She asked him, peace and blessings be upon him, that her dowry be intercession for his community on the Day of Resurrection. So when she is on the Bridge ¹¹¹, she will demand her dowry.' O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our master and lord Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, the secret of the protecting amulet of Truth, and the possessor of the invocations and supplications that break [the enemy]. Among the perfect honor of his daughter al-Zahra' the well-pleasing, and the piece of his noble prophetic self, is what has been narrated from him that when the words of Allah, exalted is He, were revealed:

O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whom You have granted Your praise and gratitude, and the most excellent of those who have glorified You and magnified Your measure. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, al-Zahrā' (the Radiant), the well-pleasing, the piece of his noble prophetic being, is what has been narrated: that her mother Khadījah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: "When I became pregnant with her, she was light and spoke to me in my womb. When my delivery drew near, I sent for the midwives of Quraysh, but they refused to come to me because of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. While I was in that state, four women entered upon me, possessing beauty and light that cannot be described. The first said, 'I am your mother Eve (Hawwā').' The other said, 'I is Umm Kulthūm, the sister of Moses, peace be upon him.' The other said, 'I am Āsiyah bint Muzāḥim.' The other said, 'I am Mary, daughter of 'Imrān. We have come to attend to your affair.'" O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whom You have placed in the enclosures of Your holiness, and the most majestic of those whom You have praised in Your Book and blessed by Yourself. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, al-Zahrā' (the Radiant), the well-pleasing, the piece of his noble prophetic being, is what has been narrated: that she said to 'Ā'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her: "I am better than you, for I am a piece (biḍ'ah) of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." 'Ā'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: "I am in the world; what do you say while I am in the Hereafter? I will be with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in his chamber. So consider the superiority between the two stations." Then Fāṭimah, may Allah be pleased with her, remained silent, unable to answer. 'Ā'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, and she kissed her head, "O would that I were a hair from your head!" O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the best of those whose measure the praiser and describer have exalted, and the most generous of those whose virtue the dweller and the resident have acknowledged. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, al-Zahrā' (the Radiant), the well-pleasing, the piece of his noble prophetic being, is what has been narrated from him that he said: "When the Day of Resurrection comes, a caller will call from the depths of the Throne: 'O people of the gathering, lower your heads and cast down your eyes, until Fāṭimah, daughter of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passes over the Bridge (al-Ṣirāṭ), so that the killer of al-Ḥusayn does not see her and cling to her, and she would be separated and Allah would be pleased with his punishment.' So she will pass, followed by seventy thousand of her offspring, and they will speak for her out of her honor, for they will not speak except for her and for her father, may Allah bless him and grant him peace." O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the bridegroom of the angels, shaded by the cloud, the lamp of the celestial realms, renowned for virtue and generosity. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, al-Zahrā' (the Radiant), the well-pleasing, the piece of his noble prophetic being, is what has been narrated: that 'Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I entered my house one day and saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with al-Ḥasan on his right and al-Ḥusayn on his left, and Fāṭimah before him. He said: 'O Ḥasan, O Ḥusayn, you two are the two pans of the Balance, and Fāṭimah is its tongue. The two pans do not incline except by the tongue, and the tongue does not stand except on the two pans. You two are the two Imāms, and intercession does not stand without you.' Then he turned to me and said: 'O Abā al-Ḥasan, you will undertake their rewards and divide Paradise among its people on the Day of Resurrection.'" O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, Your Prophet of lofty rank and station, and Your Messenger of clear proof and evidence. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, al-Zahrā' (the Radiant), the well-pleasing, the piece of his noble prophetic being, is what has been narrated from Ibn 'Abbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, that he said: "While the people of Paradise were in their bliss, a light shone upon them, and they thought it was the sun. They said: 'Our Lord says: "They will not see therein any sun or bitter cold" (Qur'an 76:13).' Then Riḍwān, peace be upon him, said: 'This is Fāṭimah and 'Alī; they have laughed, and the gardens have shone from the light of their laughter.'" O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the model for those who reach [the goal] and the very source of supply for the elite who are perfect. From the perfection of the honor of his daughter, al-Zahrā' (the Radiant), the well-pleasing, the piece of his noble prophetic being, is what has been narrated: that she, may Allah be pleased with her, came seeking something from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said: "By Him in whose hand is my soul, I have not kindled a fire in the house of Muhammad for thirty days. Shall I not teach you five words that Gabriel, peace be upon him, taught me?" She said: "Yes." He said: "Say: 'O First of the first, O Last of the last, O Possessor of mighty strength, O Most Merciful of the merciful.'" So bless, O Allah, this truthful and trustworthy Prophet, the seal of the prophethood of the prophets and the message of the messengers, and upon his piece (biḍ'ah), al-Zahrā' (the Radiant), the prophetic, the mistress of the women of the worlds, and upon the people of his house, the good and pure, and upon his Companions, the noble chiefs, and the angels brought near, and all the righteous servants of Allah, a blessing by which You will cause us to descend to the stations of Your truthful friends and cause us to witness the scenes of Your elite knowers, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. * For Fāṭimah al-Zahrā', the mistress of women, * There are virtues beyond count or limit. * Her father is the chosen Prophet, the banner of guidance, * Our deliverer from the darkness of error and unbelief. * He said: "Love her, for I love her; * Whoever loves her will not fear the terror of the Gathering." * And whoever hates her will be in the fire of Hell eternally; * So away with him, away! He has indeed remained in loss. * When she is pleased, I am pleased; and my anger is for her anger; * Whoever angers us has deviated from the path of righteousness. * Khadījah, possessor of goodness and virtue, is her mother, * Given glad tidings of the House from the Eternal, the Beneficent. * She was unique in faith, and no one was a believer * Besides her—what reward has she attained! * The Merciful chose her from the best of lineage * For the best of Prophets, whose mention is the highest of mentions. * And her husband is the Prophet's son-in-law and his brother; * Enough of a brother! Enough of a son-in-law! * From her come to him the two grandsons, the two grandsons of Muhammad; * They are the two luminous lights that shine for those who travel by night. * They are the masters of the youth in the Garden of Pleasure, * And the most deserving of Allah's servants of praise and gratitude. * And whoever compares himself to her in pride and lordship * Measures pebbles against pearls and dust against gold. * When her light appears on the Day of Resurrection, * It will surpass the radiant sun and the full moon. * She is the flower (al-Zahrah), the radiant (al-Zahrā'), the noblest free woman; * Love for her heals from affliction and harm. * A virgin (Batūl) who excels over women by her virtue, * The descendant of the light of Allah, Possessor of majesty and rank. * And I truly devote myself to Allah throughout my life through love for her, * And love for her father, the two lamps, and the scholar. * My portion is love for the family of Muhammad; * Love for them is an obligation upon the slave and the free. * Love for them is security, a fortress, and a protection; * Through them one is guided in religion, like the shining stars. * Faith is not accepted except through love for them; * And does Allah accept prayer without purity?

And though I may be lengthy in praise, I fall short, for their rank is higher than verse and prose. But I hope from Allah for His forgiveness, through my praises of them, for the sins I have committed. So O Lord, grant me what is worthy of You, for today I am in need of Your forgiveness. And send blessings upon the best of prophets, Ahmad, the prophet of guidance, sent to mankind with goodness. Its author, may Allah be pleased with him and grant him His pleasure, and make his abode and dwelling in the highest paradises, said: The reason for my composing these blessed prayers ¹¹² of pure remembrances, great in measure ¹¹³, perfect in secrets, radiant in lights, ripe in flowers, flourishing in fruits, with whose melodies the great free masters chant, and at the hearing of whose remembrances the eminent and excellent scholars ¹¹⁴ tremble—these prayers which he mentioned after these lofty and glorious prayers, which I found in some books: these are the prayers with which the brilliant pearl of beauty, the unique one of radiant loveliness, our lady Fatima al-Zahra ¹¹⁵, prayed—she at whose sight the most radiant moons are diminished, the virgin whom the houris of palaces and brides of chambers honor by serving her, the fragrant blossom of flowers, formed from the shining apple of paradise deposited in the pure and chaste wombs, combining the secret of the perfect minister ¹¹⁶ and the light of the beauty of the noonday sun, the breaths of the holy gardens, the breezes of the meadows of intimacy, the fragrance of paradise, the breath of the Merciful, the essence of purity, seated on the throne of proximity and election, the manifest one whose Fatimid bride is in the station of selection and nearness, the element of noble lineages, the most beloved of sons and daughters to her father the Chosen One ¹¹⁷, the inheritor of prophetic lights, the speaker with the Muhammadan eloquence ¹¹⁸, the one characterized with Ahmad's ¹¹⁹ character, the one realized with the realities of the Chosen One's secrets, the mother of the two noble grandsons ¹²⁰, the two shining, luminous moons, chosen from the purest of two lineages, her father being the master of masters, the object of all intentions, the brilliant one of miracles and wonders, the most perfect of the inhabitants of earth and heavens. And these are the three prayers received from the Holy Spirit, whose lights shine upon the carpet of proximity and intimacy. However, she, may Allah be pleased with her, mentioned them in a Hebrew language and noble luminous words, as a veil for what they contained of divine indications and symbols ¹²¹ of gifts and merciful secrets. So one of the gnostics who heard them from her in the spiritual world interpreted them and explained their words in a clear Arabic tongue. The most sublime prayer, whose necklace has gathered pearls; when it appears to the eyes of the star, they are dazzled. The most radiant prayer, whose beauties have adorned themselves with a jewel marked by the beauty of holiness. The highest prayer, which has risen above all virtues in excellence, honor, majesty, and generosity. Its blossoms shone, its flowers spread fragrance, and the gardens of the universe became fragrant with its breeze. It has meanings like the waves of the sea in expanse, and above its jewel are beauty and value. How could it be otherwise, when it emerged from the thought of the inheritor of lights, the piece of the treasure of knowledge and wisdom? When my eye fell upon it and I saw it, and I sent the scout of thought to it and contemplated it, my heart expanded with it, my secret became good, its love took hold of my heart, and its Fatimid light shone in my innermost being and core. So I said: This is the greatest and noblest desire, the most sublime and delicate gift, the best and most exquisite prayer, with which the Majestic Master honored me from the treasures of His secret and the abundant gifts of His grace. And I began to weave upon its wondrous loom and to string unique pearls of its meanings according to its strange style. And I appended to them complete, lofty, majestic, perfect, and gifted prayers, flowing according to its radiant words, containing the meanings of its holy indications, which I derived from its superior divine sciences, and borrowed from its clear shining lights. And I became absent in the beauty of its lights in an absence that made me relish lengthy elaboration, and I wandered in the field of its secrets ¹²² in a wandering that pulled me by the reins of love to prolixity, when Allah deposited in the world of my secret the diving into the seas of the unitive secrets ¹²³ to extract the jewels of Muhammadan praises and to derive the brilliant prayers of the Chosen One. So they came, by the praise of Allah, without peer, of great and momentous rank, making easy for the one who remembers them every difficulty, bringing to him the gifts of good things and abundant grace, granting him the support of openings and the strong, abundant secret, and elevating him to the stations of perfect glory and renowned status. And I knew that this came to me from the blessing of this noble lady, the unique and magnificent pearl, as I was occupied with gathering her virtues and merits, and what Allah had specially granted her of perfections and gifts. So when I entered the houses through their doors and attributed the excellence to its owners, and spread the rubies of these blessed prayers in the assemblies of her lovers, I hoped for their acceptance by Allah's grace. And Allah, glorified be He, is the one asked to grant us, through her blessing and the blessing of her father and her husband ¹²⁴, the goal and the request. And I placed before them this prayer, exquisite in word and meaning, novel in style and structure, containing praise of her father, the bride of the prophetic presences and the highest station, revealing his attributes of majesty and beauty and his excellent qualities, following the pattern of gnostic indications and the style of rhetorical allusion, its unique pearls strung in the necklace of paronomasia ¹²⁵, its words embroidered with the meanings of eloquence and precious speech, which lovers delight to hear and yearning devotees find sweet in remembrance. And it is this: O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad, the possessor of the most luminous light and the sweetest abundance of openings and gifts, the necklace of the pearls of the highest prophethood and messengership, the bride of the holy presences and the people of the most exalted companion, the dot of the pen of the eternal secret, the inscription of the tablet of the first divine preservation, the embroidery of the robe of everlasting and lofty glory, the fountain of perpetual and eternal generosity, the support of the strong prophetic secret, the title of the exalted Chosen honor—he whose perfect and sublime virtues and abundant and lofty merits include what was narrated by some of the righteous: that he heard in the barzakh ¹²⁶ of spiritual spirits and the presences of luminous persons his daughter, the pure lady, the inward and outward, the brilliant, the complete, the abundant, the knowledgeable, the acting, the pure, the perfect, the preferred, the virtuous, the Muhammadan piece, crowned with the crown of Ahmad's care, seated on the chairs of eternal particularity, surrounded by blessing, grace, and eternal happiness, shaded by the canopies of attentions, in the primacy of beginnings and the finality of endings with protections, upon whom were scattered from the pearls of wonders what, if scattered upon a passionate lover of wonders, and upon whom were cast from the greetings of signs what no one has observed with such signs, dwelling in the chambers of peace—she whose bliss and peace of covenants, if forgotten, would raise the banner of her glory over wonders, and all are in the cave of her generosity for kinships, who first appeared with proximity between those with offenses, and appeared without them with the water of holiness from the gardens ¹²⁷—how many branches from her yielded abundant gardens, and under Tuba ¹²⁸ her fruits are for the gardens—she of the fertile gardens and the wondrous Ahmadic secret, from whom the secret spread like a secret mission, after the Beloved, to the secret hearts—she who has no peer or likeness, nor can a dowry like her be imagined, nor can anyone marry another wife over her during her life, nor over her daughters or her daughters' daughters—and for her lovers there is protection and paradise, and she is the mistress of the women of paradise—she who never menstruated like other women, and when she was born, she appeared from her time.

From her purity, she who shone in her splendors like a flower, and therefore she was named al-Zahra' ¹²⁹, the unique pearl of the concealed mystery, the blaze of the guarded light of beauty, the mistress of all women, the veiled one from the treasures of paradise, described in the Gospel, characterized by the blaze and the white markings ¹³⁰, specially addressed by the Beloved Master with his words: 'Whoever harms Fatima harms me' ¹³¹, the one given glad tidings of the highest ranks at the time of death, the fruit of prophethood, the virtuous al-Batul ¹³², she whose lover is protected from the Fire, and for that she was named Fatima ¹³³, the virgin al-Batul, daughter of Khadija and the Messenger, the great al-Siddiqa ¹³⁴, the radiant countenance, our Lady Fatima al-Zahra'. May blessings be sent upon her through these three lofty blessings of high rank, brilliant lights, bestowing fragrant secrets, extracted from oceans of mercy of the exalted Essence, comprising the pearls of virtues and the various Muhammadan perfections, and they are these: O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab ¹³⁵ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos, O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of paradise, the believing servants of Allah. In it, for her, are holy blessings—how holy they are!—and precious, noble gifts—how precious they are!—and Fatimid perfections—how complete they are!—and Hashemite virtues—how beautiful they are! By these, the virgin al-Batul attained glory, and through them she increased in the sanctuaries of holiness and the pavilions of intimacy in honor and renown. What a blessed piece of Muhammad's flesh ¹³⁶, whose praises spread fragrantly, and Allah raised for her in the highest assembly a vast station and rank. O radiant, shining piece, manifest from her pure origin, Hidden of secrets, possessor of splendor, whose lights are dazzling, The bird of sublimity above all creatures, in a vast, soaring paradise, The seas of her palms became for us abundant and ample at death. How noble she is, of lofty and high rank, perfect in exquisite beauty, pure and purified, daughter of the intercessor and pleader. Al-Siddiqa said to the Chosen Messenger: 'I see you frequently kissing Fatima al-Batul.' He replied: 'On the night of the Ascension, when the Exalted One took me to a station beyond the reach of Moses and Abraham, and Allah manifested to me all beauty and loveliness, I entered paradise and roamed its regions. Gabriel fed me from all its fruits, and they became water in my loins, flowing through my veins, limbs, and heart. Khadija, the pure, blessed, and joyful one, conceived her. Whenever I long for the exquisite fruits of paradise, I kiss Fatima and inhale that deep fragrance.' Whenever the Beloved kissed al-Batul, he tasted a cup of pure ginger, I gave her drink from paradise long ago, so after tasting she became al-Batul, Whenever this Beloved longed for her, he came to her mouth kissing, The breezes of union wafted over her, and closeness sought to reach her, The breezes of the Divine, His gentleness, wafted, and al-Batul became a guide to that, And by this, al-Zahra', in recent and ancient times, excelled over all excellences. And just as al-Batul is from paradise, so too are her two sons, al-Hasan and al-Husayn ¹³⁷, and their names are rationally derived from the names of the people of paradise, transmitted. Therefore, they were the two sweet basils of the Beloved, because they are of the purest fragrance. I swear by Allah, Lord of the House and the Mount, there is none like Fatima al-Zahra' among the houris, What a piece of flesh created in paradise, whose fruits spring from the best of composition, She increased in honor through the Beloved al-Mustafa, so her essence increased light upon light. Then we mention the blessings that first introduced the discourse upon her, pointed to her, and concluded with the three prophetic blessings of the piece of flesh, and established the foundations of its structure upon them, seeking intercession through all that by the station of al-Mustafa the Beloved, saying: 'And my success is only through Allah. In Him I trust and to Him I turn.' Opening with the words of her blessed, noble blessings, and the subtlety of their exalted, lofty indication, which are these inscribed in the form of a mihrab on the back of the leaf. Mihrab of spiritual souls, And rising place of lights of the All-Holy, And gathering of theological, tablet-like sciences, And isthmus of meanings of majestic, self-subsistent names, And perfections of beautiful, prophetic attributes, And jewels of precious, holy blessings, With which the piece of his Muhammadan, Ahmadi essence blessed him—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—comparing his spirit to the mihrab, which is the best of places and spaces, the locus of obedience, nearness, and approach, the descent of secrets, lights, and unveiling, the qibla of the great and excellent, the abode of the poles, and the best of Allah's houses prepared for remembrance, litanies, and recitation of the daily prayers: 'In houses which Allah has permitted to be raised and in which His name is remembered, therein glorify Him in the mornings and the evenings. Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts from the remembrance of Allah, performance of prayer, and giving of zakah. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned. That Allah may reward them according to the best of what they did and increase them from His bounty. And Allah provides for whom He wills without account.' So I say: She—may Allah be pleased with her—compared him to the mihrab, because he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is the most beautiful form that appeared in the cosmos, the most splendid adornment with which the garment of protection was embroidered. The mihrab is the most splendid building of Allah on His holy earth, the face of His mosques founded on piety. Or you say: She compared him to the mihrab because he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is the gathering place of the worlds of spirits, both Throne and earthly, and the arena of spiritual and heartfelt thoughts. The mihrab is the gathering place of the masters of divine openings, the repose of the people of accepted means and supplications of desire. Or you say:

His resemblance to the mihrab ¹³⁸ is because he, peace and blessings be upon him, is the locus of the jewels of divine descents ¹³⁹, and the manifestation of the merciful secrets and holy theophanies ¹⁴⁰; and the mihrab is the place of the manifestation of the Truth to His intimate saints, and the means of sincerity for His inspired and successful beloved ones. Or you may say: His resemblance to the mihrab is because he, peace and blessings be upon him, is the eye of certainty ¹⁴¹ for the people of watchfulness and witnessing, and the qibla ¹⁴² of determination for the people of ascent and elevation; and the mihrab is the place of worship for the people of bowing and prostration, and the title of felicity for those who comply with commands and stand within the bounds. Or you may say: His resemblance to the mihrab is because he, peace and blessings be upon him, is the locus of God's gaze upon His servants, His gift to the people of His love and affection, and His chosen one for His poles ¹⁴³ and stakes ¹⁴⁴; and the mihrab is the house of God for His ascetics and worshippers, in which prayer is established throughout His earth and lands, and mercies descend upon its attendants and visitors. How could it not be, when God has made it a dwelling for His prophets, saints, and the elite of the believers among His servants, and mentioned it in several places in His Book, saying: "Whenever Zechariah entered upon her in the mihrab" ¹⁴⁵ and "While he was standing praying in the mihrab" ¹⁴⁶? And it is the place of intimate conversation with the Truth in prayer and His manifestation to His elect individuals. The mihrab of the best of worlds, Muhammad, ❖ no mihrab equals it in virtue. He combined repentance and humility before his Lord ❖ how excellent is the mihrab within the mihrab! (67) Or you may say: His resemblance to the mihrab is because it is the place where the watchful ones abide, seeking the breezes of the secrets of the Truth and the emergence of the light of tawhid ¹⁴⁷, and the unveiling of the beauty of witnessing the Truth through the Truth. Or you may say: The mihrab is the place of intimacy and purification of the secret ¹⁴⁸ with the elixir of sincerity and truthfulness, stillness of the limbs, radiance of certainty, cause of proximity, finding the sweetness of worship, and the soul's relief from the harm of companionship with creatures through finding the love of the True King. Or you may say: Because the mihrab is the abode of servants, the refuge of ascetics, the dwelling of solitaries, and the home of poles and stakes. Or you may say: Because the mihrab is the gathering place of the yearning ones, the support of the contented, the fortress of the reliant, and the qibla of those who turn. Or you may say: Because the mihrab is the garden of lovers, the joy of seekers, the fortress of strivers, the house of those who intend, the meadows of devotees, the Kaaba ¹⁴⁹ of those who seek intimacy, the sanctuary of believers, the restraint of unitarians, and the veil of those who are united. So when God wishes to veil one of the elite of His people of knowledge, He compels him to it, so that it may strengthen him in his purposes from God. Or you may say: Because the mihrab is a door to all goodness, a place of answers, and the opening of the path to expansion and intimate conversation; and turning away from the mihrab is a cause for closing the door and a barrier to the answer of supplication and the lifting of the veil. It is said: God never opens for any of His servants a sublime state except through following commands, sincerity in acts of obedience, and adherence to the mihrabs. He, exalted, said: "The angels took him while he was standing praying in the mihrab" ¹⁵⁰. And because of these mentioned virtues of the mihrab, honored by being mentioned in the Book, our lady (68) Fatima al-Zahra ¹⁵¹ likened her father, of lofty rank and station, noble in family and companions, in her saying: "O God, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O God, bless him who is the imam ¹⁵² of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God." Section: O God, bless him and his family, those of firmness and establishment, and his companions, noted for leadership in the station of witnessing and determination, a blessing that adorns us with the sash of sincerity and certainty, and illuminates our insights with the light of uprightness and clear victory, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Ahmad's mihrab has risen above the sky * while the Throne is veiled from minds. He combined repentance and humility before his Lord * how excellent is the mihrab within the mihrab! God built its foundation with piety * and granted it honor for ages. May God, whose majesty is glorious, bless him * and all his family and companions. Or you may say: His spirit, peace and blessings be upon him, was likened to the mihrab because when it saw what God had specially given to His prophets and messengers of spiritual spirits, malakutic ¹⁵³ spirits, jabarutic ¹⁵⁴ spirits, jamalic ¹⁵⁵ spirits, and jalalic ¹⁵⁶ spirits, and what He had specially given to her father, His beloved, peace and blessings be upon him, of the Holy Spirit ¹⁵⁷ which He brought into existence through the manifestation of His pre-eternity from non-existence, and its excellence through the vision of the Holy and the holy substance inscribed with the manifestation of beauty and majesty (69), clothed with the garment of all attributes, illuminated by the light of the Essence, and honored it with these lights in which He deposited from the spirit of action, the spirit of attributes, and the spirit of the Essence—that is the knowledge of the unseen and the unseen of the unseen, and the secret of the first unseen: the matter of action, the second: the matter of attribute, and the third: the matter of the Essence—she found his spirit encompassing these characteristics, and all spirits are from its light. Therefore she blessed him by saying: "O God, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O God, bless him who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God." Or you may say: His spirit, peace and blessings be upon him, was likened to the mihrab because when she saw that God, exalted, when He sent his blessed spirit to his noble body and breathed it into his form, just as He breathed it into the form of his father Adam of lofty rank, he became the Adam of the cosmos. Therefore the cosmos, from the Throne to the earth, appears from the mirror of his existence, peace and blessings be upon him, just as the cosmos appeared from his holy substance, which is the first thing God created. So whoever sees its light from him has seen the Truth, for he, peace and blessings be upon him, is the mirror of the Truth for the worlds, as it is reported from him: "Whoever sees me has seen the Truth" ¹⁵⁸, and "Whoever knows me has known the Truth" ¹⁵⁹, and "The first thing God created was my light, then He created from it everything that exists until the Day of Resurrection" ¹⁶⁰. So whoever has a spirit from the sea of his light becomes, among the worlds, a mirror of the beauty and majesty of the Truth, and is a witness of the Truth in the cosmos. Whoever looks at him loves the Truth, for the Truth appears from him in terms of manifestation, not in terms of indwelling.

Exalted is Allah above dwelling in any temporal thing. She ¹⁶¹ prayed upon him, saying: O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab ¹⁶² of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam ¹⁶³ of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. Or you say: I likened his spirit to the mihrab, because when it attended the council of the spirits of the prophets and messengers, and the circle of the elite of the pure ones and the honored angels, and heard the prayers of those praying upon him from the angels brought near and the inspired spirits, and recognized his station before the Supreme Lord and the lofty, magnificent rank he has with Him, she prayed upon him, saying: O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. Or you say: I likened his spirit to the mihrab, because when it looked with the eye of its insight at the origins of the names of the named things, and realized through the mirror of its secret the jewels of divine revelation and the sciences of divine teachings, and found the light of his Muhammadan name ¹⁶⁴ pervading all the currents of names and attributes, and mingling with the innermost secrets of spiritual spirits and human creatures and all other beings, she prayed upon him, saying: O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. Or you say: I likened his spirit to the mihrab, because when it witnessed the lights of his prophethood and messengership, and beheld the loftiness of his stations and the secrets of his miracles, and saw the dazzling proofs of his miracles and the gleaming signs of his verses, or alluded to that with the subtlety of its holy indications and the flashes of the meanings of his sensory and spiritual wisdoms, and expressed what appeared to the eye of its insight from the realities of his prophetic countenance and the essence of his noble, chosen mastery, and prayed upon him, saying: O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. Or you say: I likened his spirit to the mihrab, because when it roamed its gaze in the gardens of the cosmos and its splendor, and the embroidery of the garment of protection and the majesty of his awe, and the manifestation of the human world and the seed of its origin, and the invention of the spiritual temple and the perfection of its craftsmanship, and the tracing of the luminous pen ¹⁶⁵ on the tablet of creations and the wondrousness of His wisdom, it saw no mihrab nobler than the mihrab of its most holy father ¹⁶⁶, and no mosque more blessed than his most precious mosque, and no station higher than his station with Allah, and no rank loftier than his rank before Allah, and no assembly more comprehensive of good than his lofty assembly with Allah, she prayed upon him, saying: O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. Or you say: I likened his spirit to the mihrab, because when it witnessed what Allah granted him of proximity and chosenness, and the ascension in the stations of perfection and fulfillment, and the drinking from the springs of love and purity, and the donning of the robes of prophethood, and the insight into the meanings of the universals of the secret and the particulars of the hidden, and the advancement in the highest ascents of the supreme veracity ¹⁶⁷, and the ascent in the sphere of honor and the most glorious might until the greatest dominion was folded in his grasp, and the supreme malakut ¹⁶⁸ became the veil of his secret and the servant of his service, and the Throne and the Footstool ¹⁶⁹ each were under his authority and encompassed by his mercy, and the Tablet and the Pen ¹⁷⁰ each flowed according to his will and sought refuge in the sanctuary of his sanctity, and the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary ¹⁷¹ was the place of his sitting and the throne of his kingdom, and the station of "two bow-lengths or nearer" ¹⁷² was the manifestation of his self-disclosure and the locus of his gaze, and the carpet of "So He revealed to His servant what He revealed" ¹⁷³ was the lamp of his illumination and the mihrab of his direction, and the witness of "The heart did not lie about what it saw" ¹⁷⁴ was the eye of his reality and the light of his insight, and the secret of the address "Do you then dispute with him about what he saw?" ¹⁷⁵ bears witness to the majesty of his rank and the loftiness of his station, she became lost in the lights of those perfections and what was gathered in his noble essence of the varieties of prophethoods and messages, and prayed upon him, saying: O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. Or you say: His spirit was likened to the mihrab, because when it realized that he is the vicegerent ¹⁷⁶ of the Truth in His earth and heaven, and the city of His knowledge stored in the jewels of His attributes and names, and the treasure of His secret preserved in the realities of His glory and praise, and His light kindled from the lamp of His radiance and splendor, and His growing goodness in the treasuries of His bounty and giving, and His bride ascending in the degrees of His might and exaltation, and His sultan crowned with the crown of His majesty and grandeur, and His star rising in the manifestations of His messengers and prophets, and His chosen one praised in His revealed books and tidings, and His door sought by those who flee to Him in hardship and ease, and His healing cure for the breasts of His beloved and generous ones, and His lingering musk in the collars of His saints and pious ones, and His overflowing supply in the pools of His chiefs and nobles, and His inscribed book with the gnoses of His intelligent and wise ones, and His famous station before the attendants of His presence and His great ones, and His scattered jewel on the carpet of His sages and scholars, and His unfurled banner over His forbearing and merciful ones, and His frequented house ¹⁷⁷ with the elite of His angels and chosen ones, and His hidden conscience in the unseen of His sinless and sagacious ones,

And his hidden lamp ¹⁷⁸ in the lanterns of his arrows and trusts, and his remembrance flowing on the tongues of his callers and preachers, and his secret coursing in the innermost hearts of his poles ¹⁷⁹ and successors, and his shelter protecting his weak and poor, and his accepted prayer for the people of his means and intercessors, and his saint observed by the eye of his care in his beginning and end, and the locus of his gaze pointed to in the openings of the surahs by His saying: {Ṭā Hā} ¹⁸⁰, {Yā Sīn} ¹⁸¹, {Ḥā Mīm} ¹⁸², {ʿAyn Sīn Qāf} ¹⁸³, whose rank is exalted on the tongue of the trustees of the Truth and its envoys. She prayed upon him by saying: O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ¹⁸⁴ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos, O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the prophets and messengers, O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. Or you say: I likened his spirit to the mihrab, because when his luminous spirit ascended to the stations of the prophets and messengers, and surveyed the lights of its knowledges across the lines of the tablets of the noble scribes and the proximate angels, it read the first of every noble word, understood the meaning of every subtle jewel, and took from his name the mīm, for it is the manifestation of the secret of majesty and beauty; and took from his name the ḥā, for it is the life of the people of intimacy and boldness; and took from his name the rā, for it is the mercy of supplication and dependents; and took from his name the alif, for it is the preparedness of the people of humility and entreaty; and took from his name the bā, for it is the hall of the assemblies of the people of proximity and union; and gathered the meanings of these excellent words and the secrets of these splendid letters in the word mihrab, and made it a model of this noble prayer, and expressed it with the most subtle of its abundant allusions in her saying: O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos, O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the prophets and messengers, O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. Or you say: I took the mīm from the covenant taken from the prophets to believe in him in pre-eternity; the ḥā from the wisdom that Allah deposited in him and in creation in the darkness of non-existence; the rā from the good pleasure with which Allah favored him by pure grace and generosity; the alif from the command whose spirit descended upon his pure form in creation and character; the bā from the splendor that shone upon the reality of his luminous nature before the creation of the Throne, the Footstool, the Tablet, and the Pen ¹⁸⁵. Therefore, she applied the word mihrab to his spirit in these prayers that encompass the secrets of meanings and wisdoms. Or you say: I took the mīm from his love, whose secret courses in the innermost hearts of the people of longing and affection; the ḥā from his forbearance encompassing those who belong to him in every group, tribe, clan, and assembly; the rā from his mercy general to creation in this world, the Hereafter, and the Day of Gathering and Praise; the alif from his unifying affection that brings together the mutually averse, the mutually hateful, and all opposites; the bā from his blessing with which Allah honored the elite of His chosen ones, the proximate among the saints, poles, pegs ¹⁸⁶, and stakes ¹⁸⁷. Therefore, this prayer, which by the fragrance of its scent attracts the people of goodness, righteousness, and guidance, was sent upon him. Or you say: I took the mīm from his favor with which Allah graced the great ones of His sincere saints; the ḥā from his wisdom with which Allah gladdened the hearts of the people of His love, the certain; the rā from his compassion with which Allah showed tenderness to the merciful among His sincere prophets; the alif from his divinity with which Allah honored the rank of His noble ones, the charitable; the bā from his proof with which Allah manifested His honored secrets. Therefore, she prayed upon him with this prayer received from the presence of inspired spirits. Or you say: I took the mīm from his gracious gifts; the ḥā from his protective care; the rā from his lordly tenderness; the alif from his holy effusions; the bā from the loci of his unseen secrets and his solitary inspirations. Or you say: I took the mīm from his sovereign kingdom; the ḥā from his luminous realities; the rā from the bonds of his beneficent will; the alif from the goals of his Furqanic ¹⁸⁸ surahs; the bā from the insights of his ocular unveilings. Therefore, upon him be this excellent gnostic prayer. Chapter: O Allah, upon him and upon his family, the brides of the cosmic worlds, and his Companions, the delight of human creatures, a prayer that clothes us thereby with the most honorable garments of good pleasure, and adorns us thereby with the keys of the supreme veracity and faith-based love, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. He is the secret in the essence of essences; their witnesses confronted each other In the shade of a soul and a clay. Through him Adam ¹⁸⁹ named the names, standing as an orator In that cosmos, at what elevation! And through him stood the meaning of Muhammad ¹⁹⁰ as a presence; Beauty converses with him in every way. From him he gained knowledge in the precinct of the highest, And became his student in the lesson of union. So from where there is no where, and no past, Nor knowledge, nor even imagination in the fold of my proximity, The secrets do not perceive the luster of his beauty, Yet the veiled one perceives him from him with a glance. He presents the virgins of unveiling upon the dais of Perfection, and bestows them with the noblest gift. Upon the heart of the people of proximity in the presence of purity, The imams of this affair, the affair of divinity. Through them the spheres revolve, spiritually and outwardly, And they return thereby as a ruling force in every identity. O Allah, bless and grant peace to our master and lord Muhammad and to the family of our master Muhammad ¹⁹¹, the opening of the book of existence, the mirror of self-disclosure for the masters of unveilings and witnesses, whose daughter, our lady Fāṭima al-Zahrā ¹⁹², some saints heard praying upon him with this prayer, sweet in its sources and approaches, extracted from the treasures of generosity and munificence, whose publication opened in the sanctuaries of holiness and the station of witnessed might, giving glad tidings to its reciter of attaining hopes and reaching the goal, leading to the path of eternal happiness and the pleasure of the worshipped King. It is: O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos, O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the prophets and messengers, O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. And she mentioned it, may Allah be pleased with her, with the word mihrab due to a clay-based correspondence between Adam and the mihrab, and that correspondence in the form of Adam encompasses the form of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and is a copy thereof and secondary to it. And to that meaning she alluded with the word mihrab, just as it is reported that Allah made Adam a mihrab, a Kaaba ¹⁹³, a door, and a qibla ¹⁹⁴ to which the righteous spiritual beings prostrated.

Or you may say: because the self of Adam is from the self of Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, and a copy thereof, so that blessed correspondence encompassed them, even though Adam's clay, peace be upon him, was created from the coercion of non-existence, and Muhammad's clay, may God bless him and grant him peace, was created from the light of pre-eternity. Or you may say: Adam was created from the clay of the core of earthly soil, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, was created from the light of divinity ¹⁹⁵, and was made a mercy to the higher and lower worlds. Or you may say: Adam's clay was illuminated by the gleams of holy lights, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, God created him from a handful of His most holy lights ¹⁹⁶ and adorned him with the jewels of His self-subsistent secrets ¹⁹⁷. Or you may say: God honored Adam's clay with the beauty of His exalted attributes, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, God created him from the effulgence of His high Essence, and informed him of the meanings of His names, attributes, and the subtleties of His unseen sciences. Or you may say: God honored the throne and carpet worlds ¹⁹⁸ with the vision of Adam's clay, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, God rendered the possessors of luminous insights ¹⁹⁹ and people of intelligent minds incapable of understanding the meaning of his form. Or you may say: Adam was created upon the form of the All-Merciful ²⁰⁰, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, was created from the self of the All-Merciful. Or you may say: because Adam was created from the gifts of bounty and favor, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, was created from the purity of light, and the spirits pledged allegiance to him under the tree of good pleasure and satisfaction ²⁰¹. Or you may say: Adam was created from the mine of majesty and glorification, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, was created from the light of the pre-eternal Essence, and was singled out for the seven oft-repeated verses ²⁰² and the Mighty Qur'an. Or you may say: Adam was the manifestation of the precedents of first things, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, is the opening chapter of the book of eternities without beginning and without end ²⁰³. Or you may say: Adam is the father of bodies ²⁰⁴, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, is the leader of spirits ²⁰⁵ and the blessing of the commencement. Or you may say: Adam is the copy of the macrocosm, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, is the unique pearl of the Self-Sufficient Unity ²⁰⁶ and the most brilliant secret of God. Or you may say: Adam is the locus of manifestation of the most manifest light of the Essence, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, is the star of the sphere of the most luminous prophethood. Or you may say: Adam is the origin of the human world ²⁰⁷, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, is the seed of existence and the spirit of the divine world ²⁰⁸. Or you may say: Adam was effaced in his clay, cast upon the throne of his kingdom, while the chiefs of the angels circumambulated his Ka'ba ²⁰⁹ and sought blessing from seeing him, saying 'God is most great, this is something whose like has not appeared in the cosmos,' and they marveled at the splendor of his countenance. And the light of our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, flowed in the lines of his forehead, and his Ahmadine beauty ²¹⁰ shone upon his temple and the shape of his form, and his Muhammadan succor sustained the matter of his constitution, and his Mustafan milk ²¹¹ nourished the infant of the cradle of his love. When his affair was completed and God desired to bring him forth to the abode of His generosity and the manifestation of his religion, He clothed him with the garment of His lordship, and manifested Himself to him in the loci of His belovedness, and made him the security of His vicegerent, and took the covenant from those in his loins among his progeny, and made them testify against themselves, as in the verse ²¹²; so all acknowledged his servanthood and the message of our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, and the perfection of his prophethood. Or you may say: Adam was lying prostrate in his clay, while he boasted of the birth of our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, and the honor of his mission. Or you may say: Adam was lying prostrate in the clay of intimacy with his Lord, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, was absent in the witnessing of his Essence and His proximity. Or you may say: Adam was delighted by entering his Garden, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, God placed the keys of all the paradises within the fold of his grasp. Or you may say: Adam rejoiced at his repentance, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, is the means for the erasure of his sin and the forgiveness of his offense. Or you may say: Adam was addressed with the tongue of prohibition and command, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, was gifted with the Ṭawāsīm ²¹³, the Ḥawāmīm ²¹⁴, and the Night of Power ²¹⁵. Or you may say: Adam was addressed with the tongue of care and pride, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, was sent with the perfection of honor and the completion of noble character traits, might, support, and victory. Or you may say: Adam was breathed into with the vein of omnipotent power, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, was touched by the breaths of divine strength ²¹⁶. Or you may say: God purified Adam with the water of the unseen, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, God healed hearts through him from the disease of doubt and suspicion. Or you may say: God taught Adam all the names, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, He taught him their summary and detail. Or you may say: God facilitated through Adam's blessing the greatest of matters and made them easy, while our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, God removed through him oppression and disfigurement, and raised his rank above all other prophets and messengers, and preferred it. Or you may say: The self of Adam, peace be upon him, was created from the self of our master Muhammad, and the self of our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, was created from the self of God Most High. That is because when God Most High created Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, from His perfection, and made him a manifestation of His majesty and beauty, and created every reality in him from the reality of His names and attributes, He created his self, may God bless him and grant him peace, from His own self, and created the self of Adam from his self, may God bless him and grant him peace. Or you may say: The form of Adam, peace be upon him, was created from the form of our master Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, and the form of our master Muhammad was created from the light of the Essence. That is because when God Most High created the Muhammadan form from His light, and created from it the Garden and the Fire, and what is in them,

The bliss of the believers and the torment of the disbelievers. From it ²¹⁷ was created the form of Adam (peace be upon him) in Paradise, and He gave him life therein with His eternal life, and looked upon him with that by which He looks upon His own exalted Essence, and realized him with the realities of His sublime names and attributes. This is the description of all the inhabitants of Paradise: the life of their forms is by that very life, because it is an everlasting life, unlike the forms of the people of this world, whose life is by the spirit; therefore they are dead, except those whom God gives life with His eternal life, for such a person will have in the abode of this world what the inhabitants of Paradise have in the Hereafter. Thus, no thing is conceived in his mind except that God Most High brings it into existence in his sensory perception. And upon that state God created the Master of Existence ²¹⁸, and upon it also was our Master Adam in Paradise. When he descended from Paradise, the life of his form departed and died due to separation from the world of spirits, and his descendants remain in that state except those whom God gives life with His life, as we have mentioned. Muhammad is the noblest of Arabs and non-Arabs, Muhammad is the best of those who walk on foot. Muhammad spreads goodness and gathers it, Muhammad is the possessor of benevolence and generosity. Muhammad is steadfast in the covenant and preserves it, Muhammad is pure in character and disposition. Muhammad, whose clay was formed with light, Muhammad has always been exalted above the nations. Muhammad judges with justice, possessing honor, Muhammad is the mine of excellence and wisdom. Muhammad is the best of God's messengers from Mudar ²¹⁹, Muhammad is the best of all God's creation. Muhammad's religion is a religion we profess, Muhammad's glory is exalted upon a banner. Muhammad raised noble glory through him, Muhammad built a glory that will never collapse. Muhammad is the master of the world and its delight, Muhammad is the dispeller of darkness and injustices. Muhammad is a master whose virtues are pure, Muhammad was fashioned by the Creator from generosity. Muhammad, the Exalter honored his ranks, Muhammad was singled out by his Lord with wisdom. Muhammad is the chosen one and elite of the Lord, Muhammad's mission is to all nations. Muhammad smiles at the guest and honors him, Muhammad's station, by God, is never diminished. Muhammad, the world became good with his mission, Muhammad brought signs and blessings. Muhammad is the gatherer of prophethood and its seal, Muhammad's generosity is never cut off. Muhammad is the just defender of the oppressed, Muhammad is the master of all mankind. Muhammad is the vanquisher of the confederates and their destroyer, Muhammad is the model for those who stand in prayer and fast. Muhammad, on the day of resurrection, is their intercessor, Muhammad's light guides from darkness. O Lord, bless the Guide and his family, who preserve God's covenants and trusts, and his Companions and all who follow them, and those who follow their path from all nations. Or you may say: When God created Adam with humanity for the fatherly vicegerency ²²⁰ and eternal care and the Muhammadan outcome, it is inevitable that we inherit following him in secret and in public, and that we resemble him in meanings just as we resemble him in the human form. So look with your inner sight and your outer sight, and refer the understanding of all that to your vision. For God Most High said: "You see no discrepancy in the creation of the All-Merciful. So return your gaze, do you see any rifts? Then return your gaze twice again, and your gaze will come back to you humbled and weary." ²²¹ That is because when He created Adam with His hand and favored him over all His creation, the angels thought that his favor was for himself. They said: "Will You place therein one who will cause corruption therein and shed blood, while we glorify Your praise and sanctify You?" ²²² When the secret of gnosis and the insight into the realities of the secret of the universes were presented to them, they purified themselves from their assumption due to the lack of the name, and said: "Indeed, some assumption is sin." And they all raced for the honor of knowledge, saying: "We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise." ²²³ When the Muhammadan light appeared on Adam's face, they all fell prostrate to him, except the denier, the envier, who refused out of arrogance and rivalry, and began saying: "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay." ²²⁴ Out of jealousy for him regarding firmness in the utmost degree of establishment. When Adam was seated for vicegerency on the carpet of the earth, he disturbed the existence of elevation and abasement with his weeping. Then Gabriel (peace be upon him) came and said to him: "O Adam, what is this exertion?" He said with the tongue of ecstasy: "Perhaps the consequences of Your threshold are praiseworthy, and perhaps bodies are accompanied by ailments." It was said to him: "O Adam, do not despair of a cup of error with which you were clothed in the garment of piety, for the disease of self-admiration may be expelled through sin." When the term approached and the fulfillment of hope drew near, he heard the address from the highest presence: "O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise, and eat from wherever you wish, but do not approach this tree." ²²⁵ He fainted from the beauty of the address and forgot what was inscribed in the Mother of the Book ²²⁶ and committed (the sin) after he had known. The angels of the heavens cried out in distress at what they saw, and said: "O Creator of souls, O Vast in blessings, the creature whom You created with Your hand, made Your angels prostrate to him, and appointed him as vicegerent on Your earth, has disobeyed You by his own power and did not stop at what You commanded." He said to them: "If you were to ride in his constitution, you would never cease blaming him. And if your nature were oscillating between the scorpions of pleasures and the vipers of desires, you would not be insolent with the expression of the claim until your souls spoke to you of piety. And I will surely show you the proofs of evidence in the vicissitudes of events of the times. Dig into your natures: who descends from his station to your stations?" They saw none in the world of the Kingdom ²²⁷ more knowledgeable than Harut and Marut ²²⁸, so they assumed the constitution of humanity and descended to the earth for the Adamic vicegerency. Then what happened between them and Venus happened. So the angels seek forgiveness for those on earth until the Day of Resurrection, as God the Almighty said: "And the angels glorify the praise of their Lord and seek forgiveness for those on the earth. Unquestionably, God is the Forgiving, the Merciful." ²²⁹ O you! Were it not for darkness, light would not be known; were it not for lowliness, honor would not be known; were it not for this world, the Hereafter would not be known; were it not for sin, forgiveness would not be known. And they recited: "I am the sinful, the errant, and forgiveness is vast; were there no sin, forgiveness would not be known." If a door of understanding were opened for you, it would clarify for you the meaning of the saying of the Truthful (peace and blessings be upon him): "Were you not to sin, God would take you away and bring a people who sin and seek forgiveness, and He forgives them; then they sin and seek forgiveness, and He forgives them." ²³⁰

(85) Then they embellish and seek forgiveness, and He forgives them." This would suffice you for every expression, and every indication would be correct for you. And consider his saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: "The good deeds of the righteous are the sins of those brought near." Or you say: "Indeed, when Allah created Adam in Paradise, on a land pure in form and substance, exquisite in beauty and appearance, wondrous in craftsmanship and perfection, whose breeze is more fragrant than musk and ambergris, and whose color is more radiant than ruby, silver, gold, and green emerald—at the sight of which minds and intellects are bewildered—he raised his head towards the stations of proximity and nearness, and the manifestations of grace and favor. He found the name of our master Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, written by the pen of power upon the leg of the Throne of the Most Merciful. He said: 'O Lord, what is this name, coupled with Your great name in rank and station?' He said: 'O Adam, this is a prophet who will emerge from your loins. Were it not for him, I would not have created you, nor would I have created any of the angels, humans, or jinn. I have sealed your name with a *mīm*, just as I began His great name with it. Were it not for him, the light of his name would not have shone in your name such that the angels prostrated in veneration of your great axis of signs and proofs. I have made his name the *hayūlā* (primal matter) of names, just as I made your name the named of names. I fashioned it from the supreme word *Kun* (Be), just as I fashioned you from the heart of the clay of the most complete secret.' At that, Adam rejoiced and said: 'By Allah, this is the axis of the sphere of faith, the center of the circles of grace and favor, the spirit of the structure of man's constitution, and the greatest goal manifest to sight. His *ḥā* encompasses the *ḥā* of mercy, his two *mīms* are the two *mīms* of dominion, his *dāl* is the *dāl* of eternity, and his manifestation is a mercy for all mankind. His Lord has named him *Yā Sīn*, which is the heart of the Qur'an; *Ṭā Hā*, which is the core of the Criterion; *Kāf Hā Yā ʿAyn Ṣād*, which is the foundation of the structure; *Ḥā Mīm ʿAyn Sīn Qāf*, which is the key to the gardens; *Ṭā Sīn Mīm*, which is the delight of the eyes; and *Ṭā Sīn*, by whose intercession necks are freed from the fires. He is the word of praise with which He opened the book of existence, and the tongue of gratitude with which Allah filled the treasuries of generosity and bounty. Every matter of importance that is not begun with the praise of Allah—Muhammad is Aḥmad—is cut off, severed, deficient in blessing, cast into the corners of neglect, and its possessor does not attain the fulfillment of hope or the achievement of the goal. Thus, he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was the Opener and the Sealer, the Gatherer, the Successor, the Treasurer of Allah's wealth, the Distributor, just as He is the Praise with which Allah opened the book of eternity, and thus He opens with it the book of return, as he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: 'The first thing Allah created was the light of the *ḥadīth* (tradition). I am the first from whom the earth will split open, and the first to knock at the gate of Paradise. I am the prayer of Abraham and Ishmael.' Thus, Abraham, peace be upon him, sought the Muhammadan perfections in the secrets of the exalted Essence, because Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say: 'I was a prophet while Adam was between water and clay,' and in another narration: 'While there was no Adam and no clay.' This is understood by one who understands the secret of praise at the beginning of the Book, which is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses, and the understanding of the secret of praise in Paradise, and the connection of the praise of the Book with the praise of Paradise. It is composed of twenty-one letters from the letters of *abjad*, from which have fallen: *thā*, *jīm*, *khā*, *zāy*, *shīn*, *ẓā*, and *fā*. These are called the 'dropped letters of the Fatiha.' It was revealed in the first Book that whoever recites a chapter free from these seven letters, which are the least of blame, Allah will forbid the Fire to him. They are gathered in two noble verses from Sūrat al-Anʿām. How many cosmic events have occurred in the year, in the month, and in the day, from these letters, from the time of our father Adam, peace be upon him, to our own time! Then know (87) that the *mīm* of Muhammad is the seal of Adam, and his *ḥā* is the *ḥā* of Noah. His greatest name is Muhammad, his spiritual secret is Aḥmad, his lordly extension is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, and his Chosen light is: 'There has come to you from Allah a light.' And his great station: "Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, they are only pledging allegiance to Allah." And his noble station: "And indeed, We have given you the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses and the Great Qur'an." Therefore, He singled him out with Sūrat al-Ḥamd (the Opening), which is the opening of His Book, from a treasure beneath the Throne that was not opened except by his name, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, Aḥmad. Do you not see that the letters of the Fatiha point to his name, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which is Muhammad, and it is derived from the name of Allah, Maḥmūd (Praised), and Maḥmūd is derived from *al-ḥamd* (praise)? Thus, all names have become manifestations of his noble name, all letters have become meanings for the meanings of the secret of the Subtle, and all forms have become mirrors for the form of his lofty shape. He is the one deserving of the essential names and divine attributes by right of originality, the possessor of the judgment of the essential requirement by proof and evidence, the one expressed by those expressions, and the one pointed to by those indications, which have no basis in existence except the Perfect Man. His likeness to the Truth is the likeness of a mirror, in which a person sees his own image only in it; otherwise, he cannot see the image of himself without a mirror. Thus, the Perfect Man cannot attain the vision of his own image except through the mirror of the name of Allah, for it is his mirror. The Perfect Man is also the mirror of the Truth, for the Truth, exalted, has obligated upon Himself that His names and attributes are not seen except in the Perfect Man. This is the meaning of His statement: "Indeed, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it, but man bore it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant." Before bearing it, i.e., he wronged himself by lowering it from that degree, ignorant of its measure, because he is the locus of the divine trust and he does not know. Then know (88) that the Perfect Man is the pole around which the spheres of existence revolve, from its beginning to its end, and he is one from the time existence began to the eternity of eternities. Then he has diversity in garments and appears in churches, and he is called by a name according to one garment, not called by it according to another garment. His original name, which is his, is Muhammad, his *kunya* is Abu al-Qāsim, his description is ʿAbd Allāh, and his title is Shams al-Dīn. Then, according to other garments, he has names, and in every time he has a name befitting his garment in that time. Some have said: "I met him in the form of my shaykh, and I knew that he was the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I knew that he was the shaykh." The secret of this matter is his ability, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to take on every form. Thus, the gnostic, if he sees him in the Muhammadan form that he had in his life, calls him by his name. If he sees him in some form from among the forms and knows that he is Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he calls him only by the name of that form. Then he applies that name only to the Muhammadan reality. Do you not see that when he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, appeared in the form of al-Shiblī, may Allah be pleased with him, al-Shiblī said to his disciple: "I bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah"? The disciple was a possessor of unveiling, so he recognized him and said: "I bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah." This is not a matter to be denied. It is like when a sleeper sees so-and-so in the form of so-and-so. The least degree of unveiling is that he manifests in wakefulness as he manifests in sleep, but there is a difference between sleep and unveiling: the form in which Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is seen in wakefulness is upon the Muhammadan reality, unlike unveiling. For if it is unveiled to you that the Muhammadan reality is manifesting in a form from among the forms of human beings, it is incumbent upon you to apply the name of that form to the Muhammadan reality, and you must treat the possessor of that form with the same etiquette as you treat Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, because the unveiling has shown you (89) that Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is taking on that form. It is not permissible for you, after witnessing Muhammad in it, to treat it as you treated it before. From this, it has become clear that he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has the power to take on every form, so that he may manifest in it, as his custom, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is that he continues to take on a form in every time of those whom He has perfected, to elevate their station and establish their balance. They are his vicegerents in the outward, while he is their reality in the inward. Then know that the Perfect Man corresponds to all existential realities by his self. He corresponds to the higher realities by his subtle faculties, and to the lower realities by his dense faculties. He continues to correspond to every reality of existence by one of his subtle faculties. Then he also corresponds to the names and attributes. This is because he is a copy of the Truth, exalted, as he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, informed regarding Adam, where he said: "Allah created Adam in the form of the Most Merciful." And in a *ḥadīth*: "Allah created Adam in His form." This is because Allah is Living, Knowing, Powerful, Willing, Hearing, Seeing, Speaking. Thus, man is living, knowing, powerful, willing, hearing, seeing, speaking. He corresponds to the Essence by the Essence, to the Self by the Self, to the Essence by the Essence, to the Whole by the Whole, to the Comprehensiveness by the Comprehensiveness, and to the Particularity by the Particularity. Then know that the Opening of the Book is the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses, and they are the seven essential attributes, which are Life, Knowledge, Power, Will, Hearing, Sight, and Speech. And he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Indeed, Allah has divided the Fatiha between Himself and His servant."

An indication that existence is divided between creation and the Real ²³¹; the human being, who is creation by virtue of his outward aspect, is the Real by virtue of his inward aspect. Thus existence is divided between an inward and an outward. Do you not see that the essential attributes ²³² are themselves the very attributes of Muhammad (peace be upon him)? Just as it is said of the Real that He is Living, Knowing, so it is said of Muhammad that he is living, knowing, and so on for all attributes. This is the meaning of the division of the Fatiha ²³³ between the Exalted Real and His servant. The Fatiha, by what it indicates, is a reference to this human temple ²³⁴ through which God opened the locks of existence, and its division between God's hands and His servant indicates that the human being, even if he is creation, yet the Real is his reality. Just as he is adorned with the attributes of servanthood, so too is he adorned with the attributes of lordship. He is the one considered in both stations, the one existing in both dominions; he is the Real and he is creation. Observe Sura al-Fatiha: how God divided it between praise of Him and supplication for the servant. The servant is divided between divine perfections—wisdom-related, unseen, existential—and creaturely deficiencies—essential, witnessed. He is the Opening of the Book ²³⁵ and he is the Seven Oft-Repeated ²³⁶. Then know that every name of His names or attribute of His attributes has an effect, and that effect is a manifestation of the beauty or majesty and perfection of that name. These are of four kinds: some are attributes of majesty, some attributes of beauty, some shared between majesty and beauty—these are the attributes of perfection—and some are essential. The Perfect Human ²³⁷ is the manifestation of all these names—shared, whether essential, beautiful, or majestic. Paradise is the manifestation of absolute beauty, Hell the manifestation of absolute majesty. The two abodes—the abode of this world and the next—and whatever is in them, apart from the Perfect Human, are manifestations of the arranged names, unlike the essential names, for the Perfect Human alone is their manifestation and the manifestation of others; no other existent has any footing in them at all. To this points His saying: "Indeed, We offered the Trust ²³⁸ to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they refused to bear it and were afraid of it, and the human bore it" [Quran 33:72]. The Trust is nothing but the Exalted Real, with His Essence, Names, and Attributes. In all existence, none has the capacity for the whole except the Perfect Human. To this the Prophet (peace be upon him) alluded in his saying: "The Quran was revealed to me all at once. The heavens and what is above them and what is beneath them, and the earth and what is beneath it and upon it of kinds of creatures are incapable of realizing all the Names and Attributes of the Real. So they refused due to lack of capacity and feared due to their deficiency, and the Perfect Human bore it. Indeed, he was unjust to himself ²³⁹ because he could give himself his due, since that depends on praising God with His true praise, and He said: 'And they did not measure God with His true measure' [Quran 6:91]. Then He excused him for that by describing him as 'ignorant' ²⁴⁰, meaning: his rank is great and he is ignorant of it, and he has an excuse since he did not measure it with its true measure by praising God with true praise. Or you may say: 'unjust' is a passive participle, so the human is 'unjust' i.e., wronged, because no one can fulfill the rights of the Perfect Human due to the majesty of his rank and the loftiness of his station; he is wronged in how creatures treat him. And 'ignorant' i.e., unknown, his reality not known due to its depth. This is from the Exalted Real, an apology to the Perfect Human on behalf of all creatures, to absolve them from the burden of injustice, so that He accepts their apology when the veil is lifted on the Day of Resurrection. Or you may say: 'Indeed, We offered the Trust'—the Muhammadan Trust—to the unveilers of the masters of spiritual states ²⁴¹ and the earth of the openings of the possessors of bestowed sciences ²⁴², and the lofty mountains of the people of clear lights and sharp intellects. 'Then they refused to bear it' due to the narrowness of their gnostic cognitions ²⁴³ regarding the reality of bearing the burdens of the Ahmadian message ²⁴⁴ and the weight of the lights of the Chosen Prophethood ²⁴⁵. 'And they were afraid of it' due to their acknowledgment of inability to fulfill the duties of the rights of the Muhammadan lordship ²⁴⁶. 'And the human bore it'—the heedless one regarding fulfilling the right of lordship, the one subdued by the abasement of servanthood. 'Indeed, he was unjust, ignorant' of the realities of unseen sciences, the rulings of legal obligations, the principles of jurisprudential subtleties, the consequences of heart-thoughts, and the deterrents of admonitory wisdoms, because his Chosen reality ²⁴⁷ is a subtle secret from the secrets of the Exalted Real, which none in this abode knows except the Lord, Glorious is His Majesty, and He does not unveil it to anyone other than Himself—not a sent prophet nor a near angel. For the reality of his Ahmadianity ²⁴⁸ is of the hidden secret and the guarded matter. Hence the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'O Abu Bakr, by Him who sent me with truth, none has known my reality except my Lord.' The believers perceived from him (peace be upon him) only the outward of his Muhammadan form. Therefore Uways al-Qarani ²⁴⁹ said to the Companions of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him): 'You have seen from the Messenger of God only his shadow.' They said: 'Not even Ibn Abi Quhafa ²⁵⁰?' He said: 'Not even Ibn Abi Quhafa.' Then the believers vary in their perception; each perceives from that according to his proximity to him. The greatest in perception are the four caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali (may God be pleased with them), as they are the closest people to him (peace be upon him). But when their stations differed, their perception differed; each possessor of a station perceived from him (peace be upon him) a reality corresponding to his station. For Abu Bakr (may God be pleased with him) had the station of perceiving his spirit (peace be upon him); Umar had the station of perceiving his intellect; Uthman had the station of perceiving his heart; and Ali had the station of perceiving his soul. Or you may say: 'Indeed, We offered the Trust'—the spiritual Trust—to the essences of spirits ²⁵¹ annihilated in the eye of wahidiyya ²⁵² and ahadityya ²⁵³. 'Then they refused to bear it and were afraid of it' in astonishment and bewilderment, and they became preoccupied with the depth of its realities that encompass universal and particular meanings, and the subtleties of its delicate aspects that are transcendent of similarity, whereness, quantity, and quality. And the Muhammadan soul bore it, due to its preparedness for the receptacles of divine descents ²⁵⁴ and the gifts of holy secrets. And hearing an address: 'Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed' [Quran 53:10]. Those spirits refrained from bearing it because when the divine servant begins to realize the reality of al-Qadiriyya ²⁵⁵, there appears to him in its beginnings the ringing of a bell ²⁵⁶. He finds something that overpowers him by way of the al-‘Azmutiyya ²⁵⁷ force, and he hears a creaking from the collision of realities upon one another, like the ringing of a bell externally. This is a station that prevents hearts from the direct path of entering the al-‘Azmutiyya Presence ²⁵⁸ due to the strength of its overpowering of the one who reaches it. It is the Greatest Veil ²⁵⁹ that interposes between the Divine Station and the hearts of His servants. There is no way to the unveiling of the Divine Station except after the ringing of the bell. Some said: 'On the night of the Ascension ²⁶⁰ to the highest heavens, when I reached this most exalted station and the most radiant sight, I experienced such awe of this place that my faculties dissolved, my compositions disintegrated, and my interior was crushed. I heard nothing but a ringing that crushes mountains with its awe and humbles the two heavy ones ²⁶¹ with its might, and I saw nothing but clouds of light pouring down with a torrent of fire, while I was in darkness from the seas of the Essence.'

Some of them are above others, so there is no heaven beneath them nor earth." End. Or you say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust ²⁶²" before the creation of spirits and bodies "to the heavens and the earth and the mountains," and they refused to bear it and were afraid of it. When the spirits and bodies emerged and drank the wine of Muhammadan love, the ecstasies of Ahmadine lordship, the breezes of attractional transports, and the wafts of Mustafan merciful affections, they bore the secrets of those legal obligations and the subtle meanings, both sensory and spiritual. "And man bore it"— he who is enamored with the vision of his prophetic countenance. "Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant"— by tearing the veils of jealousy and departing from the confines of obligations that lead to preserving the station of belovedness and concealing what is inscribed on the tablets of unseen sciences, ²⁶³ and recorded in the registers of the people of the lofty Presence and delightful tastes. Or you say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains"— the verse. When creation had no capacity to bear the Trust of Lordship under the attribute of solitude, annihilation, and gratitude in love, and to emerge under the attribute of divinity, they refused to bear it, because when the overwhelming forces of divinity appear, all contingent beings and temporal events dissolve and become non-existent. For he [man] was prepared to accept that, since he was created by His creation, described by His character, and described by His attributes, and fortified by the support of eternity and the direct engagement of His specific attributes by His saying: "I created with My two hands" the power of the Holy Spirit that appeared from the manifestation of the Light of the Essence when He manifested from pre-eternity to Adam by His saying: "And I breathed into him of My Spirit." Thus, when it was so, he bore the Trust by God, not by temporality, because He, exalted, is self-subsisting, transcendent of direct involvement with temporality. And he bore the lights of all attributes and the Essence, since his existence issued from the manifestation of attributes and Essence, so he emerged described by attributes and illumined by the light of the Essence—and this, in its entirety, is the Trust. And there is no place for that Trust except Adam and those of his progeny who are like him, from the saints and prophets. So when he confronted pre-eternity and accepted the Trust, he was utterly ignorant of pre-eternity, since he confronted the whole with a part. Therefore He said: "He was unjust"— that is, unjust when he equated the eternal and the everlasting with the cause of temporality. "Ignorant"— since he did not know that the reality of tawhid ²⁶⁴ in truth is the station of the advance of the unitarians. How can the choicest of the advance be the place of the foot of the temporal? The metaphor of the Trust after that is love, passion, and knowledge, and its reality is selfhood. It is said: The Trust is the realization of tawhid in the manner of tafrid ²⁶⁵. Or you say: When God offered the Trust to the heavens, earth, and mountains, they refused to bear it, thinking that they would bear it by themselves; and He offered it to Adam, and he accepted it ²⁶⁶ and bore it, knowing that he bore it not by himself. Or you say: Adam looked at the offer of the Truth, and the delight of the offer made him forget the weight and severity of the Trust, so he bore it by the offer without looking at the Trust. Or you say: He offered the Trust to creatures and inanimate objects, and they refused, feared, and fled, thinking that the Trust is borne by the souls. Then He revealed to Adam that bearing the Trust is by the heart, not by the soul. So he said: I will bear it, because the heart is the place of the Truth's gaze and inspection. When that is released, it can bear the Trust, because the Trust is a temporal event, and the Truth's inspection and manifestation—the mountains could not bear it, but hearts could. And they recited: "You bore with the heart what the body cannot bear, and the heart bears what the body cannot bear. Would that I were the nearest who seeks refuge with you, an eye to see you, or would that I were an ear." Or you say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust"— deposited under the Kaf of beingness ²⁶⁷ and the Throne of everlastingness, a night that the hands of temporality and the worlds of human natures touch. And the Perfect Man bore it, knowing that the Trust of the King, the Truth, can only be contained by the hearts of the knowers, the breasts of the solitary attainers, the mountains of the firmly rooted pegs—they are the elite rememberers, and the treasuries of the acting scholars. For their spirits drank from the supply of the Lordly secret, acknowledged from the sea of Samadani generosity, read on the tablet of luminous preservation, and received what they heard from the presence of the All-Merciful opening: "My earth and My heavens do not contain Me, but the heart of My believing servant contains Me." Or you say: The Muhammadan soul and the Ahmadine aspiration bore it, with a power that God deposited in the secret of the secret of his Mustafan tree and the spirit of the spirit of his Mawlawi worlds. Or you say: Indeed, We offered ²⁶⁸ the Muhammadan Reality before the unveiling of the cover from the beauty of his Ahmadine luminous pearl. "To the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid of it"— due to what was deposited in it of the secrets of Lordship and the lights of the attributes and the Self-Subsisting Names. "And man bore it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant"— by what God prepared for him of lofty stations, high ranks, and elevated degrees over all other prophets and messengers and the companions of the Divine Presence. Or you say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust"— which is His eternal, pre-eternal Speech—to the heavens, earth, and mountains. "But they refused to bear it and were afraid of it"— because if a single letter from it appeared to them, they would become crushed by His awe and majesty, and would dissolve and melt from the rays of His lights and beauty. And man bore it—he who is enamored with His nearness and union, absent in the witnessing of His Essence and perfection, whose love is embedded in his imagination and fantasy. "Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant"— because of the obstacles and hindrances that confront him in his journey and progress toward his Lord, his ascent through stations, and his transitions. Or you say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains"— because God, exalted, created for them tongues with which to glorify and sanctify Him. "But they refused to bear it and were afraid of it"— lest that occupy them from glorifying their Lord, praising Him, and magnifying Him, and from being absent in His beauty.

His Essence, unique in divinity, in which none of His servants shares. And man bore it; indeed, he was unjust and ignorant ²⁶⁹—due to his lack of knowledge of what was required of him: understanding the meaning of God's Book, acting upon its rulings, reciting it, and perfecting its recitation. Or you may say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust ²⁷⁰ to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it"—fearing the sudden onslaught of miraculous events and deviation from obedience to the realm of the unseen and the witnessed. "And man bore it; indeed, he was unjust and ignorant"—due to his lack of knowledge of the realities of tawhid ²⁷¹ and perfection of beliefs, and his failure to contemplate with the intellects of reflection upon the wonders of created beings and the marvels of made things. Or you may say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains." Their traces were effaced when they witnessed the majesty of the effect of eternal power; their pillars were shaken when they beheld the overwhelming force of the might of al-Jabarut ²⁷²; their veins trembled from the awe of hearing the address of divinity. "So they declined to bear it"—out of fear and dread of what appeared to them from the lights of the subbuhiyya ²⁷³ self-disclosures and the flash of the lightning of awe-inspiring majesty. "And man bore it; indeed, he was unjust and ignorant"—by bearing what cannot be endured due to the weakness of his Adamic clay and its composition from hidden desires and ingrained calls in human nature. Or you may say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens"—inhabited by the feet of those who glorify; "and the earth"—illuminated by the lights of inspired individuals; "and the mountains"—firmly set by the breaths of the elite who are absent in the seas of remembrance, the dominant ones. So they declined to bear it and feared it—out of fear and awe, not out of opposition and disobedience, for they are hearing and obedient to the command of their Lord. "And man bore it"—due to the uniqueness of his kind and the subtlety of his nature. "Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant"—in the sight of the angels, not in the sight of his Lord, for He knew what had preceded for him in the precedents of His unseen, as He, exalted, informed about him in His saying: "Has there come upon man"—meaning Adam—"a period of time when he was not a thing mentioned?" ²⁷⁴—known to the near ones and the cherubim ²⁷⁵, despite their knowledge and recognition; rather, he was concealed from their knowledge in the unseen of the unseen, and in the veils of intimacy and the meadows of holiness, hidden by His light from the eyes of the inhabitants of the malakut ²⁷⁶ and the veils. The Truth manifested to him from all the Essence and attributes, so he remained between the lights of attributes and the lights of the Essence, until his spiritual, holy, malakuti ²⁷⁷ primordial nature became perfect with the perfection of God, knowing, powerful, hearing, seeing, characterized by all His attributes. There was no morning, no evening, no time, no place. God taught him His eternal attributes, His most beautiful names, and His high attributes, and gave him to drink from the sea of the Essence a drink of love, longing, and knowledge. So in every attribute he has a state, and in every witnessing he has a condition, ecstasy, and unveiling that the people of creation do not attain. He is the one mentioned by God eternally and forever; His mention was not disclosed to anyone other than Him upon His mention. When the angels said: "And we glorify You with praise and sanctify You" ²⁷⁸, God manifested him to them in an earthly form and a bodily nature. Had He not veiled him with water and clay, they would all have died upon looking at him, because he came forth from the Divine Presence, described with God's description, characterized by His attributes, clothed in the lights of lordship before entering his form. The form was not a thing mentioned when the lights of his spirit had not yet reflected in it. When He willed to breathe into him His spirit, He created him with His hand, kneaded his clay with the waters of His gentleness, formed him according to the form of His knowledge, placed in him stages from the compounds of His power and knowledge, then left him in the expanse of His unseen until a revolving time passed over him and a rotating sphere turned over him. In every moment and hour He created in him the marvels of His primordial nature. Those realities were not disclosed to the angels; they saw only a clayey form, at one stage from fetid mud, at another from dust and dirt, at another from clay like pottery, until it was engraved with the engravings of power, and the spirit of eternity entered it. When Adam stood in the Divine Presence, everything prostrated to him because of what was upon him of the trace of the majesty of the Truth. How could anyone mention him while his mention is absent in his mentioned, and his mentioned is God—exalted above every deficiency and defect? Just as He created Adam in this manner, He created his progeny in the mines of His unseen in stages: a spiritual stage, a spiritual-angelic stage, a knowledge stage, an intellectual stage, a psychic stage, an animal-desirous stage, a satanic stage, a secret stage, a malakuti stage, and a lordly stage. These stages God turns over in the time of His knowledge and power, dyed with the dye of the varieties of His self-disclosures. That is the meaning of His saying: "Indeed, We created man from a drop of mixed fluids that We may test him, and We made him hearing and seeing" ²⁷⁹. Or you may say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust"—upon which shone the lights of prophethood and messengership, and which the eyes of veneration and majesty beheld—"to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it"—because it contained commands and prohibitions, perfect knowledge of God, guidance of creation to Him, and indication. "And man bore it"—out of love, longing, and possession of it by inheritance and originality. "Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant"—according to what was said about him by the tongue of revelation and truthful speech. Or you may say: "Indeed, We offered the Trust"—which is the limbs that God commanded to be protected from indulgence in the heavens and the death of the heart in pleasures, and the failure to guard the tongue from slips, and the imitation of what was not given, and the deception of the worlds and the elite through false claims and lies, and the wasting of life in idle talk and delving into what does not concern one and committing evil deeds—"to the heavens"—folded by the hand of the All-Merciful; "and the earth"—prepared for the people of witnessing and vision; "and the mountains"—glorifying the Lord, the King, the Judge. God made them understand His address and gave them speech, so they declined to bear it out of fear and awe, not out of disobedience and opposition.

And they [the heavens, earth, and mountains] shrank from it out of fear of it, and the offer was a choice, not an obligation. So He presented it to Adam and said: 'If you do good, you will be rewarded; if you do evil, you will be punished.' So he bore it and said: 'Between my ears and my shoulders.' Then Allah Almighty said: 'Since you have borne it, I will help you with it. I will make for your sight a veil: when you fear to look at what is unlawful, lower its veil. I will make for your tongue two lips, two jaws, and a lock: when you fear, lock it. I will make for your private part a garment: do not uncover it for what is forbidden to you.' And man bore it; indeed, he was unjust and ignorant ²⁸⁰ of what the Pen ²⁸¹ had decreed, and the judgment had passed and was sealed. Or you say: ignorant of what the foot slipped and he acquired from existence to non-existence. Or you say: ﴿And man bore it; indeed, he was unjust and ignorant﴾ of what Allah revealed in His Mighty Book, and the requirement of His concise address. Or you say: ignorant of the grace of existence and the materials of supply. Or you say: unjust and ignorant through injustice to servants, and insolence in the land and corruption. Or you say: unjust and ignorant through evil belief and excessive criticism. Or you say: unjust and ignorant through scarcity of provision and lack of preparation for the Day of Gathering and Calling. Or you say: unjust and ignorant of the secret of wisdom, the fulfillment of rights, and the preservation of sanctity. Or you say: unjust and ignorant through desire for wealth and children, and failure to comply with Allah's rulings and submit. Or you say: unjust and ignorant through engaging with secrets and free women ²⁸², and failure to fulfill their rights and what results from that on the Day when truths are realized and secrets are tested. Or you say: unjust and ignorant of what is inscribed on the tablets of erasure and establishment ²⁸³, and what his affair will lead to after the departure of the soul and the annihilation of bodies and essences. Or you say: unjust and ignorant through pride and arrogance and wearing transparent garments ²⁸⁴, and what he will encounter in his deeds on the Day of presentation before Allah and standing. Or you say: unjust and ignorant of what he commits of sins and offenses, and failure to purify the outward and inward from the remnants of ambiguities and defects. Or you say: unjust and ignorant of the afflictions of souls and the thoughts of hearts, and what occurs of obstacles and interruptions before the attainment of hope and the achievement of the desired. Or you say: unjust and ignorant of the stations of the people of gifts and secrets, and the abodes of the people of purity, nearness, and the righteous brought near. Or you say: unjust and ignorant through lack of humility before his Master, and abasement and brokenness, and the rubbing of cheeks before Him and supplication in the darkness of night and the depths of dawn. Or you say: unjust and ignorant through excessive planning and choice, and lack of delegation to his Master and stillness under the currents of decrees. Or you say: indeed he was unjust and ignorant, not bearing sins and burdens, and lacking repentance and regret for what he commits throughout the centuries and ages. Or you say: indeed he was unjust and ignorant, through the witnessing of the limbs when what is in the graves is scattered, and what is in the breasts is obtained, and the bridge ²⁸⁵ is set up for weighing deeds on the Day of Resurrection and Rising. Or you say: indeed he was unjust and ignorant through his failure to follow the Muhammadan Sunna ²⁸⁶, and to adopt the character of the perfect ones and the people of approved states. Or you say: indeed he was unjust and ignorant through his failure to account his soul for every breath, and to weigh his thoughts with the balance. Or you say: indeed he was unjust and ignorant through his failure to do good to the young and the old, and his negligence regarding what his Master, the High and Great, addressed to him. Or you say: indeed he was unjust and ignorant through his compound and simple ignorance, and his occupation with what does not concern him, and much rambling and confusion. Or you say: indeed he was unjust and ignorant of the slips of the tongue, and of what he will be punished with in the layers of fire. Or you say: indeed he was unjust and ignorant through breaking covenants and transgressing limits. Or you say: indeed he was unjust and ignorant through violating sanctities and committing forbidden things. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by following his desire, ignorant of what befalls one who does not strive in obedience to his Master and His pleasure. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by concealing himself in the darkness of night, ignorant of what he will be punished for his love of women and inclination towards them. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by closing doors and lowering curtains, ignorant of speaking obscenity and foulness, and what he will be punished for that on the Day of Resurrection and Rising. Or you say: he was unjust by failing to guard the times and wasting the alms of wealth, ignorant of failing to fulfill rights and casting ambiguities into corners of neglect, and what results from that when the Master, Glorious is His Majesty, says: 'These are to Paradise and I care not, and these are to Hell and I care not.' Or you say: Indeed We offered the trust ²⁸⁷, which is what Allah revealed in His decisive Wise Book, upon the tongue of His chosen noble Prophet in His saying: ﴿And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it﴾ the verse, to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and shrank from it, and man bore it; indeed, he was unjust by demolishing the established structure of truth, ignorant of what the Pen ²⁸¹ had overflowed with and the tongue had uttered. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by bringing harm and trials upon himself, ignorant of what will befall him in the Hereafter of hardships and afflictions. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by engaging in treachery, falsehood, and slander, ignorant of what will befall him from the causes of ambiguities and the accidents of deprivation and deficiency. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by committing lusts and disobedience, ignorant of what the admonisher admonished him with in the sacred hadiths and the deterrents of the Quran. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by mixing with the people of injustice and tyranny, ignorant of what the guardians ²⁸⁸ write against him in both secret and open states. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by looking at the private parts of men and women, ignorant of delaying repentance and regret for what was missed in the time of youth from the causes of misery and abandonment. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by failing to guard the limbs and bodies, ignorant of what Allah has prepared for His righteous servants of good things in the highest paradises and spacious gardens. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by not striving towards what brings him to the pleasure of his Master, the King, the Judge, ignorant of what is not opened to one who belongs to Him of gifts of grace and favor. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by removing the garment of piety and following desire and Satan, ignorant of what Allah has honored those supported by success with, of stations of nearness and proximity. Or you say: indeed he was unjust by not reflecting on the wonders of existent things, ignorant of what the hands of eternal power have inscribed on the tablets of creation of marvelous artifacts, then the tablets were placed in the laps of the people of obedience and closeness, so that the minds of the people of insight and illuminated hearts might read them. When the youths of spiritual exercises and devotions surrounded them and preserved what was written, the tablets were erased with the water of pardon and forgiveness, and the inscription was established in the hearts of the people of guidance, success, and felicities.

Or you might say: He was a great wrongdoer, utterly ignorant of what the speaker of the realms (nāṭiq al-akwān) utters, what the keeper of the secret and the public (ḥāfiẓ al-sirr wa al-iʿlān) relates, and what the witness of truth (shāhid al-ḥaqq) proclaims throughout the ages and the passage of the times (mamar al-mulwān). Thus, the discourse of the day speaks with the tongue of the state (lisān al-ḥāl), nay, with the tongue of speech (lisān al-maqāl): "Awaken, O heedless one! For I have gone, traversing the stages, crossing the stations, toward the barzakhī (barzakhiyya) transfer and the annihilation of the days of life. I have stored nothing for the distance of the journey and the departure, and I have prepared nothing for the great standing and the long day." Likewise, the speaker of the night (nāṭiq al-layl) informs you with manifest tongues and magnificent, dazzling states. The tongue of the stations (lisān al-manāzil) calls out to you, every station that passes: "Verily, I have passed away, so what have you stored for a day when, from its terror, nursing mothers and children turn grey, every pregnant female lays down her burden, and you see people drunk, though they are not drunk, from the abundance of earthquakes and terrors?" Similarly, the tongue of the hours (lisān al-sāʿāt), the tongue of the degrees (lisān al-daraj), the tongue of the minutes (lisān al-daqāʾiq), the seconds (al-thawānī), the thirds (al-thawālith), the fourths (al-rawābiʿ), and so on to infinity of numbers, call out comprehensively and in detail with what minds cannot encompass and the greatest of men cannot enumerate. The tongue of the hours calls to you with the call of perceptible bodies; the tongue of the degrees calls with the call of hearts; the tongue of the minutes calls with the call (105) of souls deluded by few deeds and long hopes; the tongue of the seconds calls with the call of spirits; the tongue of the thirds calls with the call of intellects; and the tongue of the fourths calls with the call of the secrets observed by the eye of the Possessor of Might and Majesty (dhī al-ʿizza wa al-jalāl). As for the waters, every drop of them calls out and says: "I go to my resting place, so go you to your resting place. What provision have you prepared for the day of presentation and questioning, and for the terrors from which livers burst and mountains crumble?" Likewise, the blowing of the winds, and subtler than that, the breaths—every breath calls to you by allusion, nay, by explicit declaration: "What do you send forth of righteous words and deeds?" And similarly, all existent things besides Allah the Exalted—their subtle and dense, their celestial and terrestrial, their malakūtī (malakūtiyya) and mulkī (mulkiyya)—each of them calls to you: "Awaken from the sleep of heedlessness, and look with the eye of your insight! For the enjoyment of this world is little, and its abundance tends toward annihilation." This hearing from the inner dimensions of these things is a divine specificity (khuṣūṣiyya ilāhiyya) and an inspirational subtlety (laṭīfa ilhāmiyya), as He the Exalted said: "Indeed, Allah makes hear whom He wills, and you cannot make hear those in the graves" (Qur’an 35:22). The ultimate aim of the intelligent person in this world is to be safe from it, for it is an abode of trials and calamities. How could it not be, when the angels marveled at it? When the spirit of the believer ascends, they say: "How did this one escape from this abode, while its wicked prevailed therein, its immoral triumphed, and its inhabitants were terrified?" It is narrated that Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) heard a reciter say: "Has there come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing mentioned?" (Qur’an 76:1). He said: "Would that it had been completed!" Wahb ibn Munabbih said: "Man was created foolish; were it not for his foolishness, life would not be pleasant for him." As for the terror of the Hereafter, it suffices that the prophets and messengers cry out therein: "My soul, my soul! I ask You today only for my soul." (106) So blessed is the one who leaves this world with Islam, safe, untouched by any of its calamities, and unaccompanied by any of its regrets. It is as if you do not fear the reckoning or justice, And your piety is not strong, and your covenant is not fulfilled. This is the right of gray hair on the head, which has stepped forward, Do you incline, O idler, to amusement and youth? Letters of whiteness, whose blackness long endured, Then death, approaching, clothed them in a garment. As if the raven of hair changed its form, To a dove of doves, and souls have plucked it. And you hope to settle in an abode where there is decay, With little time, and departure has become severe. May you be bereaved! You have hoped for what you cannot attain, I think you are mad, whom desire has drunk deeply. Do you not see the deceit of time toward its people, And you are like one to whom its deceit has given a piece? You will know when you come on the Day of Gathering, alone, And your head, for faults, has been marked, And your heart, for rights, is like a bird Trying to rise, while its two wings have been cut. If you hope to obtain a portion of piety, And that your writing of what you have inscribed be erased, Then how often in the darkness of night, ask it for repentance, For how often has it granted expansion to the constrained from His provision? So no one is hoped for as a giver except Allah, And no one other than the One who is his Lord gives. Or you might say: We offered the concealed trust (al-amāna al-mastūra) and the unseen of divine mysteries (ghayb al-ghuyūb al-ilāhiyya) (107) to the names of the luminous persons, the earth of the chests of bestowed sciences and holy secrets, and the mountains of the lords of encompassing cycles entrusted with the dispositions of the proximate matters and the realities of the cosmic worlds. "And they refused to bear it and feared from it, and man bore it" (Qur’an 33:72), because he knew that He the Exalted only reveals it to whom He loves from His saints and honors with His unseen. So it too is unseen, for he sees the unseen through the unseen. And what unseen is nobler than the treasury of Allah in the hearts of His elect—the pearls of His wisdom, the wonders of His sciences, and the marvels of His gnosis? As some have said: "Indeed, the Truth veiled His unseen in His creation, and veiled His saints among His servants. So none are honored with what is in His servants except the elite of His saints, and none are honored with His saints except the truthful among His servants. Honor with the unseen is rare, and honor with the saints is rarer." End quote. Or you might say: We offered the Muḥammadan trust (al-amāna al-muḥammadiyya) and the Aḥmadian soul (al-nasma al-aḥmadiyya) to the spirits of the two weighty ones (al-thaqalayn), the companions of the two presences, the entities of the two kingdoms, the manifestations of the two mercies, the elements of the two relations, the witnesses of the two covenants, the inhabitants of the two cycles, and the beginnings of the two natures. They refused to bear it and feared from it, due to its challenge with the miracles that dazzled the totalities of the two worlds and bewildered the worlds of the secret and the brides of the two gardens. Or because Allah the Exalted created the Muḥammadan soul from His own essence—and His essence encompasses the two opposites—so likewise the Muḥammadan essence. Thus, Allah created the angels of the worlds from the attributes of beauty, light, and guidance from the soul of Muḥammad (peace be upon him), and created Iblis and his followers from the attributes of majesty, darkness, and misguidance from the soul of Muḥammad (peace be upon him). Iblis’s name was ʿAzāzīl, and he worshipped Allah the Exalted for such-and-such thousands of years before creating creation. The Truth had said to him: "O ʿAzāzīl, worship none but Me." When Allah created Adam (peace be upon him) and commanded the angels to prostrate, the matter was confused for Iblis. He thought that if he prostrated to Adam, he would be worshipping other than Allah, not knowing that whoever prostrates by Allah’s command has prostrated to Allah. Therefore, he refused, and he was only named Iblis due to the subtlety of this confusion (talbīs) that befell him; otherwise, his name before that was ʿAzāzīl, and his epithet was Abū Murra. "And man bore it" (Qur’an 33:72)—meaning, Adam bore it with politeness and service, veneration and reverence, as a means and a closeness, not as a waste of the secret of wisdom or a departure from the circle of infallibility. So he welcomed it and found it easy, magnified it and honored it, due to his knowledge of the complete nobility of the matter of the two creations, the high station of the place of the two gazes, the lofty degree of the answerer of the two calls, the imam of the two directions of prayer, the acceptor of the two intercessions, the completer of the two words of testimony, and the grandfather of the two noble grandsons, our master al-Ḥasan and our master al-Ḥusayn (may Allah be pleased with them and grant them satisfaction, and benefit us through love for them in both abodes). Amen, O Lord of the worlds.

Or that you say: Indeed, We offered the Trust (al-amānah)— and it is the two words of the testimony (kalimatā al-shahādah), and the path of security, success, and happiness— to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, by choice, not by compulsion, so they refused to bear it and were afraid of it, by way of divine facilitation and inspiration, and out of magnification, reverence, and veneration for it, and exaltation of what falls under it of the doctrines of faith, and what it encompasses of the precious sciences of divinity and the secrets of the meanings of the Qur’an, and what is included under it of what must be known of the necessary, impossible, and possible attributes concerning the Necessarily Existent (Wājib al-Wujūd), who is deserving of worship, and likewise concerning the messengers, upon them blessings and peace, who are distinguished by the perfection of honor and sovereignty. And man bore it— he who is honored by uttering it, distinguished by its wisdom, attached to its tree, and gathering the benefits of its fruit, whose blossoms God has opened with the lights of sciences and benefit. Indeed, he was unjust to himself and ignorant, of what falls under it of subtle secrets and perfect doctrines (109) and radiant lights and noble benefits, and what is attained through its mention of the breaking of customary norms, both in the beginning and the return, and because of its conciseness despite encompassing what has been mentioned, the Law (al-shar‘) made it a translation of what is in the heart of Islam, and faith is not accepted from anyone except through it. So it is incumbent upon the rational person to increase its mention, for when he utters it and persists in it, while contemplating what it contains, it mingles with his flesh and blood, and custom deviates for him, and a circle of light emerges from his mouth, ascending to the heaven, then angels come out of that circle, saying as he says. And it is narrated that when the servant says “Allāh,” a light emerges from his mouth, from which God Most High creates angels who say likewise. And it is said: There is no remembrance (dhikr) by which God is remembered except that from its light He creates spiritual forms that glorify God Most High and sanctify Him with that remembrance until the establishment of the Hour, and the reward of all that is for the rememberer. And this is His saying Most High: “And the angels glorify the praise of their Lord and seek forgiveness for those on the earth” (Qur’an 42:5). Especially what was sealed with the rites of our master Muḥammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, whom God fashioned from His light and perfected with the best and more. And he, may God bless him and grant him peace, said concerning its honor: “The best thing I and the prophets before me have said is: There is no god but God (Lā ilāha illā Allāh).” And it is narrated “That the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, and Moses, peace be upon him, asked his Lord and boasted of it, so He, glorified be He, said to him: ‘Say: There is no god but God.’ Moses said: ‘O Lord, all Your servants say: There is no god but God, and I only want something You distinguish me with.’ So He said: ‘O Moses, if the seven heavens and the seven earths and their inhabitants and their desolate places were on one scale, and “There is no god but God” on the other scale, “There is no god but God” would outweigh them.’” And he, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “Glorification (al-tasbīḥ) is half of faith, and praise (al-ḥamdu lillāh) fills the scale, and ‘There is no god but God’ has no veil before God until it reaches Him.” And he, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “No one says ‘There is no god but God’ (110) sincerely from his heart except that the gates of heaven are opened for him until it reaches the Throne, as long as he avoids major sins.” And he said to his uncle Abū Ṭālib: “O uncle, say: ‘There is no god but God,’ a word by which I will argue for you before God.” And he, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “My Lord came to me from my Lord and informed me that whoever dies bearing witness that there is no god but God alone, with no partner, for him And from Ka‘b, may God be pleased with him: God revealed to Moses in the Torah: “O Moses, were it not for those who say ‘There is no god but God,’ I would have unleashed Hell upon the people of the world.” And it is known that the strength of remembrance (dhikr) is according to the rememberer. So there is a rememberer whose remembrance does not transcend the horizons, and a rememberer whose remembrance does not hold the seven layers [of heaven]. And how different they are! And some of them said: “It is not the one who draws [benefit] for himself, but rather the matter (111) is the one for whom God draws [benefit].” And some of them said: “The wonder is not at the remembrance of tongues, but the wonder is at a remembrance that transcends sounds. And the wonder is not at a remembrance that ends with death, but the wonder is at a remembrance that passing time does not cut off. And the wonder is not at the remembrance of a servant who perishes, but the wonder is at a remembrance that endures and remains. And the wonder is not at a remembrance described by word and meaning, but the wonder is at what cannot be described or alluded to.” God the Almighty said: “So remember Me, I will remember you” (Qur’an 2:152). And it was said concerning the meaning of that: God Most High remembers whoever remembers Him with kinds of: kindness and mercy, and compassion and tenderness, and sympathy and concealment, and forbearance and pardon, and satisfaction and acceptance, and victory, and wealth and dignity, and secrets and lights in this abode and in that abode. And if the seas were ink and the trees were pens and all creatures were scribes, that would be exhausted, and nothing could enumerate any of God’s favor upon His servant when He inspires him with His remembrance. And therefore it is said: Whoever is realized in the attributes of servitude in his remembrance, God supplies him with the attributes of Lordship in His remembrance of him. “Indeed, the alms are for the poor and the needy” (Qur’an 9:60). And the generous host hosts, so another [hospitality] is for a servant of the Most Generous of the generous. And know that the intended goal is not the remembrance, but rather the intended goal is the Remembered. Do you not see Moses, peace be upon him, when he heard the speech, he sought to see the Speaker? That was because of his immersion in the sweetness of intimate conversation; he forgot himself and was absent from outward etiquette, and cast himself into the very core of the whirlpool of the seas of proximity, unaware. Then when God, blessed and exalted, returned him to sensation with His saying: “Look at the mountain” (Qur’an 7:143), he became courteous and fell down unconscious. And from this, the Sufis spoke with expressions whose meaning is not grasped.

Many people are like the saying of the speaker: "The prophets are at His shore; they only stood at His shore for legislation and discipline, not out of incapacity as the listener might imagine." No, by Allah, it was from the awe of His majesty that the prophets did not witness the sweat of that sea; rather, the Lord of the Divine Presence commanded them ²⁸⁹ to stand where they could be followed. For if they had plunged into it and the people had plunged after them, the prophets would have remained firm but most people would have perished. Do you not see the people of witnessing ²⁹⁰ and watchfulness ²⁹¹ among the saints ²⁹², whose states are mostly dominated by attraction ²⁹³ and ecstasy? One of them heard the voice of a houri ²⁹⁴ between sleep and wakefulness, and for forty days thereafter, whenever he heard the sound of human speech, he would vomit from its bitterness, so he no longer sought after secrets. Know that when the rememberer ²⁹⁵ remembers Allah, Mighty and Majestic, he exposes himself to the breezes of secrets, the unveiling of veils, and the witnessing of the King, the Compeller, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Indeed, Allah has breezes ²⁹⁶ during the days of your time; so expose yourselves to them." When the sweetness of remembrance takes hold of the rememberer's heart, these breezes appear, and perhaps they surround him from all directions. Among them, at that time, are those who taste the glad tidings of opening ²⁹⁷; among them are those who moan, sigh, cry out, and divulge. The effects of that appear on the physical forms according to the degree of purity and sincerity of intention—nay, according to the eternal allotment: "They are watered with one water, and We favor some of them over others in eating" ²⁹⁸. All these ranks are preserved for the people of special distinction ²⁹⁹, veiled from the criminals regarding this privilege, as the Exalted said: "Indeed, it is We who sent down the Remembrance, and indeed, We will be its guardian" ³⁰⁰. Then know that remembrance has sources ³⁰¹, according to the aspiration ³⁰² of the one who arrives, and all of them are lights and secrets that follow one another with the remembrances. Among them are those who inquire about that state, and among them are those who are self-sufficient through the worship ³⁰³ of the Beloved, without regard for effects. All of them have divulged the name of their Beloved and found rest in His presence. How different are the report and the reporter, the eye and the trace! It is related from some of them that he said: "I met a certain shaykh ³⁰⁴ in al-Andalus ³⁰⁵; when he said 'There is no god but Allah' or mentioned one of Allah's names and struck the ground with his foot, it would shake." He was asked, "What is this?" He replied, "I do not know, except that Allah has men whose hearts are like a sūrah ³⁰⁶ that never ceases and never rests except in His eternal remembrance." So he is like a stranger or a wayfarer, as the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a wayfarer." There is no god but Allah, there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I begin with the name of God; we have no Lord but Him. Successful is he who attains His pleasure, with "There is no god but Allah." Avoid the deeds of misguidance, depart with every departure, and follow the footsteps of the men ³⁰⁷, and you will be saved from Allah's punishment. The remembrance of Allah and the Messenger is the best of what you say. The speech of people of intellect is "There is no god but Allah." Constant remembrance of Allah, said the lamp of darkness, is the best of what the noble ones say: "There is no god but Allah." O son of Adam, the fickle, Allah has named you the ignorant; follow the footsteps of the Messenger, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. Watch your Lord, be cautious; the King of kings is jealous; He knows what breasts conceal. Oppose your soul in seeking His pleasure. Provide it with the provision of piety; you will succeed on the Day of Meeting; you will dwell in the Abode of Permanence with the saints of Allah. It is the nature of the lowly servant to rely on the Majestic Lord, to strive in beautiful deeds, to do what pleases his Master. Illuminate me with the light of the beacon; let no dust cover my heart; make Your remembrance settled in me: "There is no god but Allah." Multiply for me good deeds, erase my evil deeds, and grant me steadfastness from You; You are Allah, You are Allah. Make me known among the knowers ³⁰⁸, join me with the righteous, and write me among the rememberers: "There is no god but Allah." Make me absent, O Possessor of Majesty, from my self in every state, for no perfection is attributed to it; whoever knows its measure is sufficient for him. My heart is in Your pleasure; let no thought of other than You occur in it; place my body in Your protection, O Subduer of all besides Him. Settle me in the sea of obscurity, prevent me from vain and superfluous talk, and grant me acceptance from You; the servant has only his Master. Or you say: I likened it to the mihrab ³⁰⁹ because of what is related from Ibn Ali Abi Talib, may Allah honor his face, who said: "The first thing Allah manifested from His creation was the point ³¹⁰; the first thing He manifested in existence was the alif ³¹¹. It is said: the first thing to appear in existence was the supreme 'Be' ³¹²; it is said: the point; it is said: the alif; it is said: these letters: A, L, M, S, Q, K, R, S. After them came the letters of the dust-cloud ³¹³, the air, the atmosphere, the wind, the blindness, the darkness, the light, the fire, the water, the clay, the heaven, and the earth. As for the S: the alif is 'I am,' the lam is Allah, the mim is Muhammad, the sad is the Maker. As for ALR ³¹⁴, it is for detail. As for the kaf, it is 'Be' (kun), and it is His hidden knowledge entirely; all matters are hidden in the unseen, firmly established, and by 'Be' He manifested them. The ha after 'Be' is because they are the letters of the dust-cloud. The ya is a reference to the spirit. The 'ayn is a reference to knowledge. The sad is the place in which the effect of forms appeared. As for the ta, it is a reference to that from which Adam was created. As for the ha, it means the Truth. As for the mim, it is a reference to the kingdom. These ha-mim ³¹⁵ letters are an allusion to the seven heavens. As for the 'ayn and sin, they are a reference to prior knowledge. As for the qaf, it is the penetrating power and the decree; their decrees are a prior decree, which is that wherein supplication is of no avail. Therefore, the 'ayn is repeated twice—once in KHYAS ³¹⁶ and once in HM 'SQ ³¹⁷—because knowledge is of two kinds: knowledge of the unseen and knowledge of the witnessed. Knowledge of the unseen is the prior, and knowledge of the witnessed is the lower, encompassing all complete existents that have appeared and emerged from possibility and become manifest to the eye. Therefore, the Exalted said: 'Knower of the unseen' ³¹⁸. The light is the Greatest Light, which is the unseen from which the Pen ³¹⁹ derives knowledge of things. It is said to be an angel to whom Allah gave His knowledge concerning His creation, and it comprises three hundred and sixty sciences. The proof of the ultimate unseen is His saying:

Or do they possess the unseen ³²⁰ so that they write it down? That is, they witness from it whatever they wish, as the Pen ³²¹ did. Then know that all the letters are the primordial dust ³²², and from them the command was composed and the kingdom appeared. And God Most High made them twenty-eight letters: fourteen of them are manifest, and fourteen are hidden. The fourteen hidden ones are those which God mentioned in the Qur'an at the beginnings of the surahs, and they are those whose secret God disclosed to our master Muhammad and informed him of their unseen, because they are the compendia of His knowledge and His governance, built upon His will and indicative of His decree. When some of these indications are paired with others, and you deeply consider them from the perspective of reflection, you will thereby infer the duration of the world. Know that the book of the creature indicates what is in his speech, which indicates what is in his unseen and his secret. Similarly, the body of the universe with all its parts is for the Creator, like a book, and it indicates His speech and His words, which indicate what is in His unseen, glory be to Him. So when the speaker understands the similitude from these hidden secrets, he speaks of wondrous things and reports amazing things. For this reason, when our Lady Fatima al-Zahra ³²³, may God be pleased with her, looked with the eye of her insight at what was inscribed on the tablet of revelation and inspiration, and realized through the observation of her innermost being what was decreed in the beginnings of commencement and conclusion, and knew that these excellent, noble, luminous, and radiant letters have secrets and benefits, symbols and sources and derivations, separate mothers and comprehensive principles ³²⁴, and each one takes from them according to what has been opened to him, and plucks from their fruits what has been granted to him. As it is narrated: 'The Jewish rabbis came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: O Muhammad, it has reached us that Alif Lam Mim ³²⁵ has been revealed to you. He said: Yes. They said: Do you command us to enter into seventy-three years? He said: Indeed, other than this has been revealed to you. They said: And what is it? He said: Alif Lam Mim, Ha Mim, 'Ayn Sin Qaf, Kaf Ha Ya 'Ayn Sad, Ta Ha, Ya Sin, Ta Sin Mim, Ta Sin. Then they said: From him, and they said: Your matter has become confused to us, O Muhammad.' So she realized that he, peace and blessings be upon him, is the pole of the sphere of names and the center of the circle of the Named, and she extracted this prayer from the sea of the hidden secret and the guarded unseen of the unseen, and informed in it of what she heard from the presence of the One, the Self-Subsisting, and declared what God had specially granted her father of the gifts of good things and the subtleties of the concealed secret, and the perfections of lordship with which He honored him, which minds cannot encompass nor understandings grasp. So she applied the letters to their meanings, and established the names upon the foundations of their structures, and recognized the realities of that, and attributed the virtues to their Master, and praised God for what He had disclosed to her of the secrets and bestowed upon her. Then she invoked blessings upon him with this prayer in the Hebrew language and interpreted it in Arabic for those who heard it from her and preserved it. She said: O God, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ³²⁶ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God. When I heard her words with the ears of my heart, and contemplated her prayer with the eye of my thought and intellect, God cast into the world of my secret, by virtue of its great blessing and the loftiness of its magnificent station, that the Mim from 'mihrab of spirits' is taken from the name of her father in Hebrew: Madh Madh and Bakh Bakh, and al-Muhammad, al-Mushaffa', al-Muss, al-Murr; and in Arabic from Mahmud, Mubashshir, Mubayi', Mab'uth bi'l-Rahma li'l-nas ajma'in, and every name beginning with Mim. And the Ha is taken from his name Habita, Hamtaya, Hamyata, Hat Hat; in Arabic from Habib Allah, Habl Allah, Hujjat Allah 'ala al-khala'iq, Halim, Ham 'Asaq, and every name beginning with Ha. And the Ra is taken from his name Ruh al-Haqq, Ruh al-Qist, Ruh al-Qudus; in Arabic from his name Ra'uf, Rahim, Rahmat al-Umma, Rahmat al-'Alamin, Rasul Allah ila al-nas kaffatan, and every name beginning with Ra. And the Alif is taken from his name Akhraya Akhu Makh Makh; in Arabic from his name Ahmad, al-Abarr, al-Imam, Arham al-nas bi'l-'iyal, Akhass al-nas shafa'atan, Imam al-Muttaqin, Imam al-Nabiyyin, Aqrab al-anbiya' ila Allah wasilatan, and every name beginning with Alif. And the Ba is taken from his name al-Barqalit, al-Barqalitis, Barakalishnit; in Arabic from his name al-Barr, al-Barr, al-Barr, al-Bayan, al-Bayyina, Bushra 'Isa, al-Bashir, and every name beginning with Ba. And all these names are all included under the letters of his name Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. And this noble luminous name, the subtle lordly secret, the exalted singular form, which God opened with the two Mims of dominion and the Ha of mercy and sealed with the Dal of eternity, and distinguished with the elevation of rank and the loftiness of station, and honored thereby the copy of Adam and adorned with it the beginnings of commencement and conclusion, and eternal solicitude, and the proximate result, and the glorious everlasting fruit—it is the point of the great magnified secret, the moon of majestic exalted lordship, the treasure of prophethood and messengership, whose letters are extracted from the unseen of the unseen and the treasuries of hidden innermost secrets. So the letters of his name are the hyle ³²⁷ of letters, the alchemy ³²⁸ of the known treasure, the described secret, the conjoined waw ³²⁹, and the effusion flowing through the manifest and the hidden and the hearts prepared to receive the jewels of revelation, which are the best vessels and the most beautiful containers. Thus, 'Umm al-Kitab' ³³⁰ became the essence of al-Muss, and al-Muss the essence of al-Murr, and al-Murr the essence of Kaf Ha Ya 'Ayn Sad, and Kaf Ha Ya 'Ayn Sad the essence of Ta Ha, and Ta Ha the essence of Ta Sin Mim, and Ta Sin Mim the essence of Ta Sin, and Ta Sin the essence of Ya Sin, and Ya Sin the essence of Ha Mim 'Ayn Sin Qaf, and Ha Mim 'Ayn Sin Qaf the essence of Qaf, and Qaf the essence of Nun. So the lights merged into lights, secrets into secrets, names into names, meanings into meanings, structures into structures, attributes into attributes, jewels into jewels, and subtleties into the hidden and the manifest. So the letters of his name are for the comprehensive mother names, and the jewels of his meanings are for the meanings of the shining full moons and the glittering stars. So bless him, O God, and his family, the rising stars of guidance, and his companions, the pouring rains of generosity, with a blessing that bestows upon us the most magnificent benefits and the loftiest advantages, and supplies us thereby with Your lordly succor and Your comprehensive secret, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Muhammad—from him the tribes of Lu'ay were honored; Muhammad—from him bounty flowed to Qusayy. Muhammad—his love is the highest landmark of a tribe; Muhammad is the master of the two worlds and the two weighty ones ³³¹, the Opener, the Seal, sent to the nations. Our Prophet—his rank is a treasure for us, a support; our Prophet—his rank no number can count. Our Prophet—his army is the army of heaven, a succor; our Prophet—the commander and prohibitor, none other. He attained what he did of grace and generosity. Our intercessor—our fortress if harm touches us; our intercessor—if the blaze of hellfire shows sparks; our intercessor—the best of whom Mudar boasts; our intercessor—the Chosen One, the Guide, no human. I am free, in saying 'no' from him, and 'yes'.

So say, repeat, and reiterate the glory of our guide ³³², and say, you will find him on the morning of our appointed day. And say, indeed the saying of our chanter ³³³ has become delightful in him, and say whatever description you wish in praise of our master. And judge as you wish in praise of him, and be decisive. And attribute to his essence whatever chastity you wish, and attribute to his gentleness whatever kindness you wish, and attribute to his generosity whatever treasures you wish, and attribute to his essence whatever honor you wish, with the most eloquent description, and reject the obstacle of safety ³³⁴. And delve deeply into pride for the one who ascended to the heaven, and delve deeply into speech for the one who attained what he asked, and delve deeply into praise for the full moon ³³⁵ that became complete, and delve deeply into description of him, do not be fearful, and attribute to his stature whatever greatness you wish. For the Lord of the Throne ³³⁶ has favored him with signs, and indeed his Master ³³⁷ has granted him beneficence, by sending down his ennoblement in the Remembrance ³³⁸. For the favor of the Messenger of God has no limit that the pen's restriction can reach. Since everyone who mentions the Merciful ³³⁹ mentions him, since God singled him out with angels supporting him, since his rank will appear on the Day of Gathering ³⁴⁰, since his favor has no boundary that you could encompass, nor a speaker with a mouth to express it. If every person from every poet, if they spoke of the worth of the one through whom we lead the nations, if they sought it, they would seek a vast, overflowing sea, if his signs ³⁴¹ matched his greatness in magnitude, greater is the stature that rose in rank and greatness. Then the one singled out in this world for his infallibility would be from our party in the security of his covenant. Then the light of the Guide ³⁴² would be the lamp of his community. Then if by his name and sanctity one called, his name would revive decayed bones when invoked. Or you say: I likened it to the mihrab ³⁴³ because its letters contain names that burn souls with the flames of their lights, and names that revive hearts with the subtleties of their remembrances, and names that quench thirst with the flood of their secrets, and names that unveil the darkness of natures with the radiance of their moons, and names that attract souls with the melody of their strings, and names that awaken sleep with the singing of their birds, and names that stir lovers with hearing their reports, and names that open the doors of response to their listener, reader, and writer of the lines of their script. And I have presented them corresponding to the names of God Almighty, seeking blessing thereby ³⁴⁴ and intercession through the one named by them, our master the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace. And I wrote them in scripts of different colors and exquisite craftsmanship and perfection, so that the liver of the thirsty, yearning one may be healed by looking at them, and the seeker and the devotee may delight in the gardens of their meadows, and through their blessing the gifts of grace and favor may be sought, and through supplication with them the doors of acceptance, pleasure, and satisfaction may be opened, and the one who acquires them may attain success in this world and the Hereafter, and security and safety. Or you say that our lady Fatima al-Zahra ³⁴⁵ likened it to the mihrab, indicating the concealment of secrets and their protection from outsiders, which is the custom of lovers when the veil is lifted from the brides of the veil and the ladies of the domes. This is a hidden secret between the beloved and the lover, and a bestowed favor between the desirer and the desired. None perceive it except the great ones among the near ones ³⁴⁶, the chiefs of the poles ³⁴⁷ among the ascetics, and the firmly rooted pegs ³⁴⁸. None witness it except one who has drunk from his Mustafawi ³⁴⁹ sea and been quenched by the flood of his prophetic support, or who has connected to the lineage of his pure descent and become renowned through the glory of his noble honor. O God, join me to his lineage, realize me through his rank, and make me know him with complete knowledge, by which I may be saved from the sources of ignorance and drink from the springs of virtue, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Or you say: She likened it to the mihrab because when she inhaled the breeze of the rose of union and became intoxicated with the wine of connection, and saw what God had honored her father, the master of prophets and messengers, with, and what He had granted him of the highest stations and noblest qualities, she boasted of that in the presence of the Possessor of Might and Majesty, and spoke of the mihrab because it is the best of houses prepared for the remembrance of the Great and Exalted Lord. And she said: This is a sea at whose shore the prophets stood; how then can minds delve into the descriptions of his essence or encompass the beauties of his perfections? For all of you are drowned in the lights of His glories and the channels of His breezes. Lower your eyes until Fatima passes. How excellent a lady, whom God crowned with the crown of His prophethood and message, raised in the lap of His protection and preservation, nourished with the milk of His intimacy and closeness, honored with His love and friendship, and caused to grow in a goodly manner so that the branch might correspond to the root and the fruit produce the honor of progeny and offspring. And He made love for her, her progeny, and her father a means to attain success and happiness and to obtain virtue: "That is the bounty of God which He gives to whom He wills, and God is the Possessor of great bounty" ³⁵⁰. Would that I were among those who kissed a brick from the bricks of that mihrab, or a clod of musk from that soil, or a cushion from the cushions of his revered and majestic bed, or a servant from the servants of those thresholds, or a sweeper from the sweepers of those courtyards, or dust from the walkway of the master of the poles ³⁵¹ and the dearest of beloveds, or performed a bowing ³⁵² in it with the intimate friends and companions, or performed a prostration ³⁵³ in it before the Lord, the King, the Bestower, or raised in it the hands of desire and fear and called out: "Help me, O my master, O Messenger of God, for stratagems have failed and causes have been cut off, and nothing remains but God's pardon and your great rank and station," or kissed the hem of his revered carpet, and the veil was lifted from his beautiful face for me, so that I might behold him with the light of my insight and sight without any barrier or veil, nor minister nor doorkeeper, nor fear of blame nor reproach, and You grant me enjoyment of seeing his face as a true vision, without doubt or uncertainty, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, I have believed in our master Muhammad without seeing him, so do not deprive me of seeing him in the Gardens ³⁵⁴, and grant me his companionship, and cause me to die upon his creed, and give me to drink from his pool ³⁵⁵ a drink that is satisfying, wholesome, and pleasant, after which we will never thirst again. Indeed, You are over all things competent. O God, convey to the spirit of our master Muhammad from me a greeting and peace. O God, just as I have believed in him without seeing him, do not deprive me of seeing him in the Gardens, and make me among the best of those who pray and send peace upon him, and among the best of those brought near to him and those who arrive at him, and among the best of those who love him and are beloved to him. And gladden us with him on the plains of the Resurrection, and make him a guide for us to the Garden of Bliss without burden or hardship or scrutiny of account, and make him turning toward us, and do not make him angry with us. And forgive us and all Muslims, the living among them and the dead. And praise be to God, Lord of the worlds. From the drink of love in my heart a cup, from you, and fire in my heart a cup. O stranger of the tribe, may God greet the one from you who has wounded my heart with love. His sultan has taken possession of my soul, and in the field of my heart he has pranced. He knew that I am inclined to you, so he traveled in the garden of my secret and roamed. A master visited a servant in his secret, and took from him the spirit and the phantom.

From his spirit, the sanctuary of individual souls and the joy of lights and cosmic inventions, so bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing that clothes us with the garments of his good-pleasure perfections and purifies our souls in the sanctuary of his sublime, holy secrets, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of souls, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the malakutic ³⁵⁶ souls and the barzakh ³⁵⁷ of the jabarutic ³⁵⁸ worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the lahutic ³⁵⁹ souls and the mi'raj ³⁶⁰ of the nasutic ³⁶¹ temples. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the jabarutic souls and the self of the Mika'ilian ³⁶² power. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the Israfilian ³⁶³ souls and the aspiration of the 'Azra'ilian ³⁶⁴ gaze. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the subbuhiyya ³⁶⁵ souls and the breath of the holy secrets. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the 'indiyya ³⁶⁶ souls and the sphere of the propitious moons. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the prophetic souls and the Imam of the Mustafawian ³⁶⁷ presences. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, possessors of sublime morals, and his Companions, people of good and pleasing states, with a blessing that guides us to his straight and sound path and adorns us with the beautiful garments of his perfections, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. (127) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the angelic souls and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the yearning souls and the wine of the tasting souls. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the transcendent souls and the aim of the longing gazes. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the loving souls and the fragrance of the sniffing noses. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the truthful souls and the wisdom of the speaking tongues. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the trusting souls and the niche of the radiant lights. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the preceding souls and the leader of the following bodies. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing that makes us inhale the scent of his fragrant breezes and pours upon us the rivers of his flowing secrets, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of souls, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the God-fearing saints and the Imam of the honored chosen ones. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the noble guided ones and the Imam of the guided guides. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the humble lovers and the Imam of the equitable imams. (128) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the God-fearing knowers and the Imam of the righteous intimate friends. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the devout worshippers and the Imam of the ascetic leaders. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the pious obedient ones and the Imam of the silent good ones. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the patient pegs ³⁶⁸ and the Imam of the noble rememberers. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the solitary ones who have reached ³⁶⁹ and the Imam of the perfect poles ³⁷⁰. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the hidden obscure ones and the Imam of the acting scholars. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the eminent humble ones and the Imam of the great modest ones. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the gnostics and the truthful ones and the Imam of the trustworthy chiefs. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the firmly rooted ecstatics and the Imam of the submissive elite. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the preceding exemplars and the Imam of the following virtuous ones. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the successful masters and the Imam of the intelligent ones who have attained. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the generous yearners and the Imam of the penetrating wise ones. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the fearful examiners and the Imam of the visiting pilgrims. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the trustworthy repentant ones and the Imam of the glorious obedient ones. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the fasting devotees and the Imam of the traveling folk. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the desiring intercessors and the Imam of the seeking merciful ones. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of the souls of the loving chains ³⁷¹ and the Imam of the beloved masters. (129) So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which we become among Your bewildered, attracted servants and Your lovers immersed in Your love, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Indeed, the Prophet's spirit never absent * From souls that by Allah in Allah are pure. They knew him in every sublime meaning * And his spirit called them, they answered. From him, from him, and he is the secret of manifestation * A soul that yearns for him knew him. Here he is the witness, the martyr over us * And to him our hearts have turned. Present, seeing, he manifested and clarified * A soul put on what never doubted. O most majestic of beings in rank and glory * And he whose crushing might they fear. O Mighty, O Compassionate, O Merciful * Indeed my soul from me to you has settled. So blessings, blessings towards you with peace * Seek with the good from you, it is good. And upon your noble family and companions * Who to the call of the Merciful from you responded. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the gardens of the worlds of mulk ³⁷² and malakut ³⁵⁶ and the desire of the brides of rahmut ³⁷³ and jabarut ³⁵⁸. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the life of the persons of the cloisters of light and the origin of beautiful attributes and descriptions, and the Ka'ba of the inhabitants of the encompassing spheres and what is above the earth and beneath the behemoth ³⁷⁴. (130) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the circumambulation place of the temples of raghbut ³⁷⁵ and rahabut ³⁷⁶ and the remembrance of the solitary ones journeying in the regions of the earth and all the heavens. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the desire of the yearning souls and the season of the people of felicity and good fortune, and the substance of life for the people of ecstasy and passion, and a comfort and sustenance for them. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing whose blessing we find in all hours and times, and take as a treasure hoping for its favor before the Eternal Truth who does not die, and grant abundant peace forever, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the gardens of the worlds of mulk and malakut and the desire of the brides of rahmut and jabarut. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the life of the persons of the cloisters of light and the origin of beautiful attributes and descriptions, and the Ka'ba of the inhabitants of the encompassing spheres and what is above the earth and beneath the behemoth. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the circumambulation place of the temples of raghbut and rahabut and the remembrance of the solitary ones journeying in the regions of the earth and all the heavens. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the desire of the yearning souls and the season of the people of felicity and good fortune, and the substance of life for the people of ecstasy and passion, and a comfort and sustenance for them. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing whose blessing we find in all hours and times, and take as a treasure hoping for its favor before the Eternal Truth who does not die, and grant abundant peace forever, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

and the messengers. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the seed of existence and the manifestation of its origin. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the treasury of generosity and the carpet of His grace. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the Garden of Eternity and the abode of honor for the people of his love. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the Ascension of Ascent for the people of proximity and elevation among the elite of his beloved. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the adornment of the cosmos and the light of its splendor. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the sustenance of the lover and the support of his constitution. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the essence of praise and the spirit of its form. ³⁷⁷ O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the foundation of right guidance and the utmost of his Lote Tree. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the pillar of the rememberers and the secret of his seclusion. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the desire of the thankful and the ultimate of his longing. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the grace of the worker and the station of his service. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the intimacy of the virtuous and the elixir of his wisdom. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the rank of the perfect and the pillar of his lineage. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the crown of the attainers and the banner of his fame. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the direction of the gnostic and the niche of his prostration. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the locus of the worshiper's obedience and the perfection of his nearness. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the wine of the lover and the cup of his intoxication. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the fragrance of the sniffer and the gardens of his solace. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the repose of the beloved and the bliss of his paradise. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the ecstasy of the yearning and the snatching of his attraction. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the flame of the variegated and the tongue of his thunderstruckness. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the sustenance of the parent and the locus of his gaze. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the remedy of the lovesick and the cure of his heartburn. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the medicine of the infatuated and the antidote of his ailment. ³⁷⁸ O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the arrival of the speaker and the essence of his strength. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the desire of the truthful and the attainment of his wish. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the light of the sagacious's discernment and the acumen of his insight. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the guide of the confident and the proof of his call. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the playground of the heart and the ultimate of its roaming. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the field of thought and the result of his reflection. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the booty of the disciple and the loftiness of his rank. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the ambergris of the longing and the breeze of his fragrance. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the gift of the visitor and the season of his joy. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is Arafa of the gnostic and the place of his standing. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the Kaaba of subtleties and the Safa of Marwa. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the gift of the giver and the treasure of his bestowal. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prize of the praiser and the manifestation of his excellence. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the witnessing of the observers and the unseen of his identity. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the tongue of the discourse of Truth and the response to His call. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the guidance of the wayfarer and the rectitude of his intention. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the hope of the devotee and the attainment of his aspiration. ³⁷⁹ O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the return of the world and the eye of His mercy. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the connection of the supplicant and the reward of his connection. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, his wives, his progeny, and his Companions who emigrated for his support and supported him in his emigration, a blessing by which You cause us to die upon his upright religion and his Sunnah, and by which You gather us with his pure group and the people of his company, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. He is the Spirit, in transcendence swimming, plunging into a vast, surging sea whose waves clash. In it, Allah sends down the verses of His command, and deposits in it the truth of what Allah knows. His Lord chose him from all His creation, and adorned him with a necklace whose stringer is sanctified. And before souls existed and cups overflowed, his rain poured forth with grace. He is the Chosen One of Allah, the noblest of His messengers, and that is so, even before his amulets were hung. He ascended above the seven heavens, brought near, while Gabriel in those stations serves him. Upon him be Allah's blessings and His peace, both ever accompanying him and inseparable. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the niche of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the niche of ascending spirits and the protective amulet of preservation. ³⁸⁰ O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the means of supplicating tongues and the model of the saved groups. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the lofty tree of glory and the sufficient rank of honor. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the flowing eye of the secret and the radiant garden of gnosis. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mistress of abundant blessings and the charm of healing words. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the fountain of pure drinks and the treasure of sufficient secrets. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, a blessing by which You treat us with pardon and well-being, and by which You revive the traces of our faded landmarks, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds.

O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab ³⁸¹ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam ³⁸² of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits immersed in the love of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl ³⁸³. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits absent in the beauty of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits annihilated in the majesty of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits lost in the perfection of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits bewildered in the goodness of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits yearning for the presence of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. (135) O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits passionately in love with the virtues of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits enamored with the qualities of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits wandering in the praises of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits delighted by the spirit of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits swaying with the breeze of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits inscribed in the register of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits known on the carpet of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits existing in the love of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits infatuated with the remembrance of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits snatched by the lights of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits attracted by the magnet of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits encompassed by the wine of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits drinking from the cups of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits expanded by union with Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits inhaling the fragrances of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits speaking of the states of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits preceding in obedience to Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. (136) O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits trusting in the covenant of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits truthful in serving Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits revealing love for Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits explaining the meanings of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits righteous in loyalty to Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits successful in friendship with Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits overflowing with passion for Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits sailing in the seas of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits traveling in the deserts of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits roaming in the gardens of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits profiting in the trades of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits sincere for the religion of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits going to the station of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits inclining to visit Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits aspiring to see Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits joyful at meeting Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. (137) O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits rejoicing at the glance of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits victorious by the gift of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits entering the circle of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits dwelling in the protection of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits preserved by the care of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits strung in the thread of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits purified in the ascents of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits inspired by the secret of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits illuminated by the light of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits delighted

By the pleasure of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of descending spirits in the vicinity of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits seeking refuge in the protection of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits fortified by the fortress of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits clinging to the hems of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits holding fast to the rope of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits grasping the handle of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl (138). O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits acting by the law (sharī‘a) of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits following the sunna of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits upholding the proof (ḥujja) of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits victorious through the victory of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits seeking aid through the succor of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits seeking shade under the shadow of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits enriched by the wealth of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits gifted with the treasures of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits distinguished by the grace of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits crowned with the crown of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits rejoicing in the smile of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits entering the shelter of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits adorned in the robes of perfections of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits united by the criterion (furqān) of distinction in the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits guiding to Allah with the tongue of union in the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits traversing the path of the religion of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits exalted in the sanctuaries of holiness by the measure of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl (139). O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits blessed in the isthmus (barzakh) of intimacy on the carpet of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits drawing from the seas of generosity of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits realized through the realities of gnosis of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits favored with the outpouring of gifts of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits triumphant over the treasures of secrets of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the unique pearls of necklaces, and his Companions, the springs of generosity and seas of grace and bounty, with a blessing by which You protect us from the evil of time’s calamities and the assault of men, and by which You save us from sudden trials, earthquakes, and terrors, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits opened by the blessing of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits pausing in the splendor of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits roaming in the manifestation of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits occupied with praise of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits delighting in the gardens of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits bewildered by the beauty of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl (140). O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits hidden in the treasury of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits obedient to the call of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits delighting in the remembrance of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits desiring the good pleasure (riḍwān) of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits adorned with the adornment of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits purified by the purity of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits manifest through the manifestation of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless the one whose soul is the sanctuary (miḥrāb) of spirits guaranteed in the guarantee of Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, bless

Upon him whose spirit is the mihrab ³⁸⁴ of spirits surrounded by the subtle graces of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl ³⁸⁵, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits connected by the love of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits illuminated by the light of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits preserved in the sanctuary of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits derived from the radiance of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits knowledgeable in the sciences of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits annihilated in the absence of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits triumphant through the grace of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits united by the recitation of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, (141) O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits blessed by the felicity of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits honored by the nobility of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits guided by the guidance of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits loving with the affection of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits believing that there is no likeness to Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits fortified against the whisperings of devils by the verse of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl, O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits blessed by the auspiciousness of Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl. So send blessings, O Allah, upon him and upon his Family, the full moons of perfection, and his Companions, the noble heroes, a blessing that includes us in the ranks of the people of intimacy and boldness, and elevates us thereby to the stations of the elite of the Aqṭāb ³⁸⁶ and Abdāl ³⁸⁷, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. My heart has become enraptured, O men, by Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl. My means to the Majestic is by Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl. It came to me before asking, by Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl. O heart, never forget Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl. Congratulate me, O my beloved, with Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl. Blessed for me is the excellent request, by Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, and Dāl. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, send blessings upon him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, send blessings upon him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that gaze with the light of insight into the unseen of essences and secrets. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits preserved from minor and major sins, and from the filth of natures and the whisperings of consciences. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits adorned with the gifts of illuminations and glad tidings, and the sciences of expressions and symbolic allusions. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that dispose in the dominions of spheres and the service of veils, canopies, and curtains. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that love in the hearts of intimate friends and clans, and the people of acts of devotion, rites, and rituals. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits without likeness or peer in villages, cities, deserts, wildernesses, seas, and islands. A section: O Allah, send blessings upon him and upon his Family, a blessing that preserves us from the vicissitudes of time and evil turns of fate, and makes it for us a trust with You, which we take as the most excellent treasure in this world and the Hereafter (146), by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, send blessings upon him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, send blessings upon him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that speak with the sciences of unseen secrets. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that hold fast to the rope of the Prophetic Sunnah. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits inscribed by the pen of felicity in the prior decree of eternal power. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits distinguished by the wisdoms of beneficence and the subtle gifts of divine bestowal. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that retreat in the mosques of proximity to hear the Speech of the Essence, sanctified beyond modality and location. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that teach the etiquettes of intimate conversation among the companions of the Divine Presence. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that fulfill the right of Lordship and pure servitude. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits purified from the bondage of passions and human follies. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits created with a love for praiseworthy qualities.

And the Ahmadine perfections ³⁸⁸. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ³⁸⁹ of spirits, enlivened by the spirit of proximity and Muhammadan witnessing. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, a blessing that perfumes us with the fragrant breezes of his pure and sweet scents, and gathers us in the company of the people of his party and his pure and immaculate group ¹⁴⁷, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits seated upon the throne of majesty and the Samadani ³⁹⁰ glory. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that have perished in the beauty of the Essence and the witnessing of the lordly lights. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that taste the cup of mutual purification and the sweetness of the Rahmani ³⁹¹ openings. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are absent in the seas of gnoses and the meanings of Furqani ³⁹² secrets. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are characterized by the morals of the virtuous and the people of Ihsani ³⁹³ stations. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits inspired to hear the address and receive the jewels of the Ferdani ³⁹⁴ descents. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits magnified by the magnification of the station and the honor of the sublime lineage. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits whose aspirations are attached to seeing the Truth and attaining the high degree. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, possessors of pleasing morals, and his Companions, people of piety and pure paths, a blessing by which You send upon us the pouring clouds of his mercies, and by which You cause us to roam in the arenas of his radiant perfections, and by which You place us under the shade of his lush prophethood and his complete protection, and by which You endow us with his pure morals and his fulfilling covenants, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. ¹⁴⁸ O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits overflowing with the gifts of secrets. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits rejoicing in the rising lights. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits devoted to the subtle forms of remembrances. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits characterized by the noble traits of the free. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits realized by the realities of fame. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that look with the eyes of reflection and consideration. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits formed by wondrous shapes and strange states. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that arrive from the watering-places of the pure and the righteous. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are sanctified in the meadows of the pious and the chosen elite. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits marked by following the Sunna and authentic traditions. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits deeply versed in the sciences of the Sharia and the sources of reports. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that trail in the robes of honor, might, and pride. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that dance upon hearing the prophetic praises and the rhythm of poems. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that warble with the wine of love and the breeze of the tavern. ¹⁴⁹ O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that reflect on the vicissitudes of affairs and the courses of steps. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that supplicate with the tongue of abasement, need, and urgency. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that extend the palms of desire with humility, submission, and poverty. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that glorify their Lord at evening and dawn. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits preserved by the light of obedience in secret and in public. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that retreat in the corners of seclusions and the islands of seas. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that hide in the fortresses of mountains and the hiding places of villages and cities. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits purified from the impurities of vanities and great sins. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits longing for the paradises of gardens and the abode of permanence. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that delight in supplication in the blackness of night and the whispered prayers of dawn. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits entrusted with the growth of provisions and the preservation of lifespans. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that guarantee the guarding of trees and the pollination of fruits.

O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab ³⁹⁵ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam ³⁹⁶ of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits delighted by the recitation of the Furqan ³⁹⁷. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits standing for tahajjud ³⁹⁸ after the closing of eyelids. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits yearning for the gardens of Paradise. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits purified by pure offering. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits refreshed by the breezes of the breath of the All-Merciful. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits gazing with the insights of witnessing and direct vision. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits adorned with the sash of sincerity and certainty. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits protected from carnal desires and the whisperings of Satan. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits supported by the lights of guidance and the shining rays of gnosis. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits of lofty station, great rank and dignity. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits encircled with proofs of tawhid ³⁹⁹ and perfection of truthfulness and faith. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits drawing from the seas of generosity and gifts of grace and favor. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits preserved from the disease of ignorance and the causes of misery and abandonment. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits immersed in the beauty of the Essence and the witnessing of the perfections of the Sovereign, the All-Judge. (153) Section: O Allah, upon him and upon his family, whose collars and sleeves are fragrant, and upon his Companions, who illuminate hearts and bodies, a blessing by which You regard us with the eye of Your kindness at every time and season, and by which You suffice us against the assault of enemies and the tyranny of the unjust and rebellious, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits and angels and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits praised by the tongue of state and speech. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits created with love for the Seal of the Prophets and the Master of the Messengers. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits nurtured in the cradle of union and fed with the milk of connection. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits refreshed by the light of beauty and regarded by the eye of majesty. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits clothed in the robes of perfection and adorned with pure deeds. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits adorned with the jewels of compliance and seated upon the peaks of high ranks. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits veiled in the dome of equilibrium and protected from the calamities of peace and balance. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits safe from the accidents of separation and guarded from the snares of deceit and stratagem. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits characterized by the norms of states and adhering to the following of the Sunnah in words and deeds. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits adorned with the noblest traits and drawing from the flood of gifts of the Possessor of Might and Majesty. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits protected from the calamities of error and delivered from the causes of disgrace, wrath, and punishment. (154) O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits preserved in the chambers of intimacy and endearment and seated upon the thrones of awe and veneration. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits over which the curtains of felicity and acceptance are drawn, and upon which are bestowed the garments of might, honor, and favor. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that attained the station of the elite among men and were given glad tidings of victory and the pleasure of the Great and Exalted Lord. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the necklaces of pearls, and his Companions, the noble heroes, a blessing by which You make us firm with the firm word at the time of presentation and questioning, and by which You give us of good things that cannot be encompassed nor occur to the mind, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Allah has illuminated my heart with the light of intimacy and beauty, and manifested and adorned, and the witnessing of union, and meanings and meanings, and connection and separation. So we were refreshed and we were tested, our light without fading. Thus, O garden of my heart, you are fragrant from the breeze of the north wind, blowing from the unseen of my states in the stations of perfection. And we ascended and we met in the pavilions of majesty. And we folded the Throne within us, without illusion or imagination. And He gave us to drink the cup of union, possessing beauty and coquetry. O daughter of Taha ⁴⁰⁰, best of guides, pearl of the necklace of pearls. Glorified is the Lord.

He has clothed her with the light of beauty and loveliness. O cooing doves, have you heard my words, or have you cooed as I have sought the secrets of high meanings? Have you warbled as I have spoken among the branches of exaltation? No, by Him Who has bestowed upon us the sublime signs, and shown us the Truth through the truth, so we were never veiled by any state (155). O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* (sanctuary/prayer niche) of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the *Imam* (leader) of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the *Imam* of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the devout spirits and the mighty angels. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the humble spirits and the noble, righteous messengers. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the submissive spirits and the angels of revelation and inspiration. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the humble spirits and the noble, eminent trustees. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the sanctified spirits and the envoys of the All-Knowing King. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the night-praying spirits and the people of emulation and completion. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spiritual spirits and the servants of the veils and pavilions. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the most-holy spirits and those of truthful states. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the Throne-like spirits and the bearers of the Throne and the encircling angels. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the earthly spirits and the inhabitants of the highest tablet and the noble scribes. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the luminous spirits and the angels of subjugation and the people of the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the corporeal spirits and the persons of the towers of light and the people of the ultimate vision. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the Merciful spirits and the servants of the sun, moon, and stars. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the unique spirits and the angels entrusted with what is above the earth and beneath the stars (156). O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the Eternal spirits and the brides of the gardens and the people of the abode of bliss. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the higher and lower spirits and the persons blessed with the vision of His noble Face. **Section:** O Allah, bless him and his family, the locus of majesty and glorification, and his companions, possessors of glory, eminence, and magnificent honor, with a blessing by which You grant us enjoyment through the vision of Your noble Face, and by which You give us of bliss what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it occurred to any human heart, in the highest paradises and the Garden of Bliss, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the *Imam* of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the *Imam* of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the prostrating spirits in the enclosures of radiance and light. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits carried in the litters of joy and delight. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits distinguished by the properties of attraction and benefit. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits girded with the swords of protection and repulsion. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits acting according to the requirements of the *Sunnah* (Prophetic tradition) and the *Shari'ah* (divine law). O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits disciplined with the etiquettes of servitude in both states of abasement and exaltation. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits surrounded by the light of obedience in both stations of separation and union. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits supported by the support of the Truth in both states of giving and withholding (157). **Section:** O Allah, upon him and his family, a blessing by which You clothe us with a robe of Your love, a garment of exquisite form and workmanship, and by which You protect us in our journey to You from hindering obstacles and the accidents of deprivation and severance, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the *Imam* of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits victorious through the pleasure of their Exalted and Mighty Lord. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits blessed with the bliss of their Generous and Bountiful Lord. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits distinguished by the mercy of their All-Merciful and Compassionate Lord. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits honored with the gifts of their Pardoning and Forbearing Lord. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits speaking with the wisdom of their Disposing and Wise Lord. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits stationed at the door of their All-Opening and All-Knowing Lord. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the *mihrab* of the spirits

The prayer niche ⁴⁰¹ of spirits observed from their Lord with the eye of majesty and exaltation. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits seated upon the thrones of sovereignty and honor. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits calling to the paths of truth and the straight path of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits adorned in the garments of delegation and the robes of contentment and submission. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits clothed with the lights of felicity and eternal might. (158) O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits honored with the loftiness of station in the processions of glory and magnification. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits joining the tongue of allusion ⁴⁰² in the bureaus of education and instruction. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits safe from the ailments of ignorance and the darkness of doubt and illusion. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits whose secrets are preserved from every ugly deed and blameworthy attribute. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits whose brides are displayed upon the couches of disposal and judgment. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits holding fast to the firmest handhold and the straight rope of religion. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits created for the service of the Muhammadan station ⁴⁰³ with longing, joy, and sincere love. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits referred to in His saying: "There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful. But if they turn away, [O Muhammad], say, 'Sufficient for me is Allah; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne.'" ⁴⁰⁴ So bless him, O Allah, and his family, possessors of dignity and precedence, and his companions, people of intimate discourse and speech, with a blessing that makes us among those who come to You with a sound heart and gathers us with those upon whom You have bestowed favor, of the prophets and the truthful, in the highest paradises and the Garden of Bliss, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits blowing with their power in the world of dominion and sovereignty ⁴⁰⁵. (159) O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits disposing with their gaze in the treasuries of mercy and omnipotence ⁴⁰⁶. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits ascending with their resolve to the stations of desire and awe ⁴⁰⁷. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits penetrating with the light of their insight, with subtlety, what is above the earth and beneath the abyss ⁴⁰⁸. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits whose fragrances waft in the regions of the earth and all the heavens. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits adorned with perfect attributes and beautiful qualities. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that makes our earnings and sustenance wholesome for us, and preserves us from the severing trials in all times and moments, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. By the might of the highest glory of Your most noble and supreme name ❖ By the might of the secret of the description by essence with names. By the light of the unveiling that reveals the veil of its peer ❖ By the eye of the unveiling that bestows upon existence what is complete. By the sanctity of fidelity with the spirit in the isthmus of purity ❖ By the hidden abyss of desire, effacing what is general. By the manifestation of which the inscription of realities is established ❖ By a subtle unveiling that neither appears nor is imagined. By the ark of the secrets of tranquility, by Your name, from ❖ Every existence, by witnessing, it has ascended to Him. By the unity of the gathering of dominion in His sovereignty ❖ It is strengthened by the strengthening from its secret, an oath. By the verses of the criterion of allusion, they are unveiled ❖ By the restoration of interpretation for one who comprehends understanding. By what was until there was no existence and no other ❖ By what was completed from the verification of our determination, a footstep. By the command of the will of perfection, it was repeated ❖ To it, so do not seek for its handhold a breaking. (160) By the one who surpassed in unification, his unification is through Him ❖ And he gave the heights from the flood of His presence abundantly. By the isthmus of a sea, temporal and magnified ❖ Eternal, you see things from His might as great. By the one who shone for the spirits on the day they crowded ❖ Upon their unveiling, since it was ancient with them there. By the one who led in the prayer niche of his affirmation through Him ❖ By the one who, for the gatherings of the gathering in His description, led. He recited to me from the spirit of tranquility its spirit ❖ By Your sanctity, O Allah, my Lord, and it has been completed. (161) O Allah, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits enraptured with the remembrance of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits grateful for the blessings of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits crowned with the majesty of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits immersed in the beauty of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits adorned with the splendor of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits speaking with the secrets of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits silent with the awe of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits ascending by the command of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits beneficial to the servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits defending the servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits holding fast to the rope of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits disposing in the dominion of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits gazing into the sovereignty of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits sincere to the servants of Allah. (163) O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits observing the limits of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits complying with the commands of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits avoiding the disobedience of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits striving for the pleasure of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits acting according to what Allah has revealed. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits watching the greatness of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits fearing the severity of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits hearing the address of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits obedient to the judgments of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits turning with their resolves to Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits directing their hearts to Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits trusting in the promises of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits preserving the covenants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits relying on Allah in their affairs. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits calling with the light of their insight to Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits connecting with their gaze to Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits guiding by their states to Allah.

O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche ⁴⁰⁹ of spirits that rely on the acceptance of their deeds from Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of loving spirits that guide creation to Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that encourage, through their counsel, towards Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that are absent in the witnessing of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that find intimacy in the intimacy of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that yearn for the meeting with Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that are created with the love of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that find solace in the spirit of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that hold fast to the protection of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that uphold the sunna ⁴¹⁰ of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that fortify themselves in the fortress of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that are veiled by the veil of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that are supported by the support of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that seek victory through the victory of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that enter under the shelter of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that are adorned with the names of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that are gifted with the gifts of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that hope for the grace of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that stand at the doors of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that open the treasures of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that are devoted to the recitation of the Book of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that draw from the seas of the generosity of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that are perpetually bewildered in the majesty of the essence of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits that are illuminated by the outpourings of the mercies of Allah. Upon him be the most excellent blessings of Allah, the most complete blessings of Allah, and the most noble blessings of Allah, as long as the dominion of Allah endures. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the imam ⁴¹¹ of the people of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose Muhammadan spirit You made the prayer niche of spiritual souls before creation and formation. O Allah, bless him whose Ahmadian spirit You made the prayer niche of the Adamic creation, and before whom You made the angels prostrate, and whom You distinguished among the goodly assembly. O Allah, bless him whose holy spirit You made the prayer niche of pure and virtuous souls, and whose station You raised above the station of the prophets, the chosen ones, and the messengers. O Allah, bless him whose pleasing spirit You made the prayer niche of lofty souls, and through whom You illuminated the insights of those firmly rooted and established. O Allah, bless him whose prophetic spirit You made the prayer niche of the masters of states and variegation. O Allah, bless him whose chosen spirit You made the prayer niche of the souls of the people of litanies and spiritual instruction. O Allah, bless him whose bestowed spirit You made the prayer niche of the souls of the people of witnessing and designation. O Allah, bless him whose lordly spirit You made the prayer niche of the souls of the people of eloquence and clarification. O Allah, bless him whose intimate spirit You made the prayer niche of the souls of the people of love, supported by the Holy Spirit and the light of clear victory. O Allah, bless him whose omnipotent spirit You made the prayer niche of the souls of the people of high stations and the most exalted 'Illiyin ⁴¹². O Allah, bless him whose merciful spirit You made the prayer niche of the most holy souls, and You blessed him with the tongue of Your Oneness, and You made blessing upon him the noblest gift with which You have gifted Your believing servants. So bless him, O Allah, and his pure and good family, and his sincere and certain companions, a blessing by which You give us to drink from his flowing Kawthar ⁴¹³, and by which You admit us under his protective shelter and his fortified fortress, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. You are the one foretold in the unseen of the unseen, while no existence was, and creation was in non-existence. Prophethood was brought to you as a bride, a heavenly maiden, neither orphaned nor completed. The seals of the message were broken for you, and you were the musk of the seal, not hidden. The spirits prostrated to the light of your countenance, and you are their prayer niche, raised in pre-eternity. Through you the elements became good and noble; through you the glories are in the beginning and the end. Yours is the lordship and the great kingdom, as the angels came to your aid like attendants. Yours is the high rank and the great station with Allah the Magnificent, as you magnified in the oath. Yours are the openings, and yours are the conclusions, with the excellence of address and the comprehensive words. Yours are the highest excellences; yours is the Wasila ⁴¹⁴ in the highest paradises of the abode of eternity and bliss. Yours is the virtue and the lofty pool, and you have been granted the sweet, delicious, fragrant Kawthar. The prophets are a procession when they come under your banner, and you are the bearer of the standard.

Yours is the intercession; it has cast its reins ⁴¹⁵, and you are at the Praised Station ⁴¹⁶ like a beacon. You are the highest sanctuary sought for refuge, and the one implored for aid in the overwhelming calamity. Upon you be the purest, sweetest, fragrant peace, whose description is holy, lofty, and universal. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁴¹⁷ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that find repose in the spirit of intimacy. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are honored in the Holy Presence. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are blessed in the Garden of Gnosis. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are illuminated by the lights of spiritual cognitions. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are marked by the unveiling of the veil. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are gifted with the bestowals of giving. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are singled out for insight into the Unseen of the Unseen and the Secret of the Secret. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are manifested in the loci of manifestation and the world of command ⁴¹⁸. (168) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits upon which shine the rising lights. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are sanctified in the stations of the righteous. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are prepared for dwelling in the highest paradises. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are given precedence in the forefront of assemblies. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are made ready for writing on scrolls. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are protected from the evil of intrusive thoughts. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are secure from the overwhelming force of compulsion. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are occupied with the power of remembrance. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are radiant with the breeze of the secret. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are known for the loftiness of rank. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are supported by the might of victory. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are crowned with the care of glory. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that sway with the attraction of intoxication. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that affirm with the tongue of gratitude. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that gaze with the eye of contemplation. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are gifted with serenity of heart. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are adorned with the ornament of patience. (169) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that desire the attainment of reward and recompense. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are protected from great sins and burden. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that thank their Lord in hardship and ease. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, a blessing that perfumes our garments and fragrance, and make it for us a provision with You that we find at the time of questioning, resurrection, gathering, and dispersal, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are strengthened by the might of Eternity. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are extended by the attribute of Self-Subsistence. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are permeated by the cup of love. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are snatched away by the lights of attraction. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are magnified by the high station. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are exalted by the means of proximity. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are venerated for the perfection of relation. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that have succeeded in attaining desire. (170) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are safe from the impurities of the world. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that yearn for the attainment of the highest degree. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are purified from the defilement of otherness. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that swim in the seas of lights. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are absent in the meanings of the Names and Attributes. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are transcendent above imperfections and the afflictions of passion and desires. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that are veiled under the canopies of intimacy and all contentment. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits that sit upon the throne of sovereignty and the summit of the White Pearl. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, a blessing by which You forgive us our past sins, and suffice us against the evil of temporal calamities and the ill of destiny, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds.

O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab ⁴¹⁹ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam ⁴²⁰ of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of holiness ⁴²¹ and the presence ⁴²² of the people of intimacy ⁴²³. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of unveiling ⁴²⁴ and the presence of the people of sincere counsel. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of excellence and the presence of the people of generosity. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of truthfulness and the presence of the people of truth. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of proximity and the presence of the people of attraction ⁴²⁵. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of high station and the presence of the people of ranks. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of stations and the presence of the people of spiritual transactions. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of expressions and the presence of the people of felicities. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of wills and the presence of the people of divine succor. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of spiritual disciplines and the presence of the people of benefits. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of obedience and the presence of the people of the Sunna and the community. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of prayers and the presence of the people of seclusions and manifestations. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of supplications and the presence of the people of intercessions. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of beginnings and the presence of the people of ends. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of sainthood and the presence of the people of divine care. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the people of gnosis and the presence of the people of transmitted knowledge. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which You observe us with the eye of kindness and care, and by which You place us in the shelter of security and protection, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of those who prostrate and the ultimate hope of those who journey. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of those who praise and the breeze of the breath of those who find ecstasy. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of those who affirm divine unity and the comfort of the solitude of those who detach. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of those who worship and the pause of rest for those who pray at night. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of those who strive and the companion of the seclusion of those who isolate. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the seekers and the secret of the outcome of those who benefit. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of those who are devoted and the blessing of the provision of those who rely. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of those who say 'La ilaha illa Allah' and the answer to the prayers of those who seek means. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the perfect and the strength of the structure of those who reach. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of those who watch and the wisdom of the tongue of those who address. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of those who are content and the spirit of life of those who perish. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits of the believers and the confirmation of the faith of those who are certain. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which You make us among Your beloved, humble servants and Your noble, sincere chosen ones, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. The witnessing of the lights of manifestation has been troubled * for their spirits, from it are the aims and hopes. Their forms are in a barzakh ⁴²⁶ of witnessing * and their spirits are in the occultation of proximity and annihilation. He manifested to them collectively with every reality * and clothed them from every meaning with the garments of wealth. And He released them expansively with every subtlety * and constrained them contractively within the circle of care. And from their mirror shone the light of His eye * and the lights of their lights, and through Him is radiance. So they are in the meanings the secret of Ahmad ⁴²⁷ as a witness * and they are the structures the secret of Adam ⁴²⁸ made manifest. His form from him, its secret became determined * and his form is the All-Merciful, all of it, to Him is 'I'. Our attribution appears as an explanation of His eye * with the eye of the vision of unveiling where we are established. And the sum of my affair is an Ahmadian breath * by which the bird of spirits, in yearning, has varied. It is ancient, an origin, and temporality is its veil * it circles the house of perfection and whoever built it. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of secrets and openings. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of gifts and descents. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of receptions and inspirations. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of states and stations. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of devotion and worship. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of unveilings and the breaking of habits. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of supplication in the dawn hours and intimate prayer. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of disposal of affairs and fulfillment of needs. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of virtues and miracles. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of glories and signs. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of means and acts of closeness. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of succor and relief of distress. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of affections and mercies. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of joy and happiness and removal of hardships. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of remembrances and litanies and seclusion in the depths of retreats. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of goodness and righteousness and answer to prayers. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of ecstasy and passionate love and ecstatic utterances. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of gnoses and subtleties and breaths. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of blessing and benedictions. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of support and success in stillness and motion. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of jihad and pilgrimage and standing at Arafat. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of kindness to the needy, widows, and the chaste. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of the special properties of Quranic chapters and the meanings of the Names and Attributes. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of pardon, forgiveness, and overlooking the rabble, the base, and the rude. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of cities and battlefields. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of gifts.

Of grace and rewards. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁴²⁹ of the presence of the people of the descent of revelation, and the secrets of prophecies and messages. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of effulgences, glad tidings, gifts, and perfections. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of delight, expansion, and joys. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the presence of the people of success, salvation, and repulsion of harms. So bless him, O Allah, with a blessing that carries us upon the shoulder of veneration and good deeds ¹⁷⁷, and purifies us through it from abominations, vices, and disgraces, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam ⁴³⁰ of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom divine care preceded and harm did not affect them. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom guidance preceded and sainthood was attained. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom felicity preceded and worship was perfected. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that were encircled by glory and singled out for perfect benefit. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom asceticism preceded and custom was breached. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom martyrdom preceded and the divine will singled him out. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom mastery preceded and increase followed upon them. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom generosity preceded and blame was lifted from them. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom uprightness preceded and safety was established for them. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom leadership preceded and the sign became clear for them. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom repentance preceded and response hastened to them. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom good fortune preceded and supplication was accepted from them. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom vicegerency preceded and the attribution honored them. ¹⁷⁸ O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits for whom obedience preceded and they were honored in this world and the Hereafter with the particularity of intercession. So bless him and his family, O Allah, with a blessing that releases our tongues with supplication and humility, through which You observe us with the eye of Your kindness at a time and hour, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him from their pulpits and were honored by him in their gatherings. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their chambers and were blessed by him in their benefits. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their vehicles and borrowed light from him in their disputes. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their mosques and boasted through him in their witnessing places. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their temples and fulfilled through him their promises. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their ambushes and sought intercession through him for their aims. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their praises and were quenched through him at their watering places. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their illuminations and found intimacy through him in their seclusions. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their prayer niches and became happy through him in their experiences. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their processions and ascended through him in their ranks. ¹⁷⁹ O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their positions and became known through him in their virtues. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their demands and followed him in their ways. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their offices and traced their lineage to him in their connections. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him from their pulpits and were illuminated by him in their graves. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their sources and became famous through him in their boasts. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their palaces and became good through him in their elements. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their rites and were victorious through him in their armies.

O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁴³¹ of the spirits that preached through him in their registers and boasted through him in their glories. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their consciences and sang through him in their glad tidings. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their tribes and benefited through him in their treasures. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their circles and signaled through him in their signs. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their enclosures and looked through him in their insights. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that preached through him in their darknesses and sought shade through him in their noons. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the full moons of high stations and their splendors, and his Companions, the eyes of generosity and their pupils, with a blessing by which we inhale the fragrance of the gusts of happiness and their perfumes, and by which You send upon us clouds of mercies and abundant downpours, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits, the angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam ⁴³² of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the dearest and most precious of spirits, the noblest and highest of spirits. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most fragrant and purest of spirits, the most pleasant and most wholesome of spirits. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most God-fearing and most pious of spirits, the purest and cleanest of spirits. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most generous and most munificent of spirits, the most noble and most bountiful of spirits. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most beautiful and most radiant of spirits, the most beloved and most desirable of spirits. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most joyful and most exalted of spirits, the most majestic and most sublime of spirits. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most excellent and most pleasing of spirits, the most perfect and most fortunate of spirits. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most compassionate and most faithful of spirits, the greatest and strongest of spirits. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that brings us to the watering-places of the Ahmadan ⁴³³ blessings and their attributes, and gifts us with the choicest of Muhammadan ⁴³⁴ blessings, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Welcome, welcome, and ease * with you, O pole ⁴³⁵ of felicities. You have come, O full moon of perfection * with joy forever. He has cured every ailment * the Prophet, the spirit of existence. You have come, O full moon of full moons * with congratulations and delight. He has cured every heart * the Prophet, the spirit of existence. When the best of mankind came * darkness departed from us. My cry on the day of crowding * the Prophet, the spirit of existence. The Messenger, the crown of honor * shaded by the cloud. My support on the Day of Resurrection * the Prophet, the spirit of existence. He is the choicest of the beautiful * he is a door to success. My desire, my soul, and my repose * the Prophet, the spirit of existence. He is the delight of servants * he is my support, my wish. His love dwells in my heart * the Prophet, the spirit of existence. And blessings with peace * upon the Prophet, the full moon of perfection. And upon the noble family * and the Companions of the spirit of existence. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits, the angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that jealousy ⁴³⁶ veiled under the pavilion of eternity. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that love ⁴³⁷ concealed in the treasuries of the Self-Subsistent presences. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that power ⁴³⁸ manifested in the manifestations of Ahmadan lordship. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that divine care ⁴³⁹ observed in the depths of the Throne of Muhammadan perfections. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that aspiration ⁴⁴⁰ raised in the assemblies of Mustafan ⁴⁴¹ witnesses. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that worship ⁴⁴² brought near to the stations of the lordly kingdom. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits that the forerunners of will ⁴⁴³ ascended by to the utmost ranks of belovedness. So bless him, O Allah, with a blessing by which we inhale the fragrance of the gusts of prophethood and by which You grant us the secrets of his Meccan and Medinan openings ⁴⁴⁴, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits, the angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the greatest veil ⁴⁴⁵ for the people of his love. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most upright structure ⁴⁴⁶ for the people of his law. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the kissed corner ⁴⁴⁷ for the people of his chivalry. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most enduring glory for the people of his lineage. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the vast ocean for the people of his attraction. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most abundant succor for the people of his compassion. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most magnificent presence for the people of his court. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the embroidered mantle ⁴⁴⁸ for the people of his fame. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most compassionate and merciful for the people of his tenderness. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most universal good for the people of his regard. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most perfect generosity for the people of his favor. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most infallible refuge for all his community. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the honored station for the people of his religion. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the venerated stone ⁴⁴⁹ for the people of his wisdom. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the magnified honor for the people of his companionship. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which we become among those who belong to him, are honored by his service, and enter his secure fortress and the sanctuary of his sanctity, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits, the angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most luminous lamp ⁴⁵⁰ for the people of his knowledge. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the victorious support for the people of his kingdom. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most dazzling secret for the people of his miracle. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the greatest gardens for the people of his fragrance. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the red sulfur ⁴⁵¹ for the people of his service. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the green banner ⁴⁵² for the people of his victory. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the clearest path for the people of his sunna. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most glorious lineage for the people of his progeny.

O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the greatest fortune for the people of his gift ⁴⁵³; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most abundant generosity for the people of his group; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the freshest branch for the people of his tree ⁴⁵⁴; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most manifest proof for the people of his argument; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the easiest guide for the people of his path; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most radiant for the people of his love; ... O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most fragrant musk for the people of his emigration; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most victorious for the people of his emigration; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the most perilous station for the people of his favor; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the greatest for the people of his state. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which You sanctify our souls in his pure grave and his precinct, and by which we become among those whose forms have lingered at the threshold of his gate and clung to the curtains of his Ka'ba ⁴⁵⁵, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. (185) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche ⁴⁵⁶ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos; O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers; O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of sanctified spirits; O Allah, bless him whose house is the highest of established houses; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of purified spirits; O Allah, bless him whose grave is the most luminous of illuminated graves; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of visited spirits; O Allah, bless him whose abodes are the noblest of renowned abodes; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of thanked spirits; O Allah, bless him whose region is the most majestic of inhabited regions; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of mentioned spirits; O Allah, bless him whose Book is the loftiest of inscribed books; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of commanded spirits; O Allah, bless him whose hadiths are the most authentic of transmitted hadiths; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of blessed spirits; O Allah, bless him whose praises are the most desirable of scattered praises; (186) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of veiled spirits; O Allah, bless him whose virtues are the most perfect of published virtues; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of revered spirits; O Allah, bless him whose hosts are the most beautiful of victorious hosts; O Allah, bless him whose portions are the greatest of abundant portions; O Allah, bless him whose gifts are the most sublime of stored gifts; O Allah, bless him whose face is the most splendid of veiled faces. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which You make us among those whose sins are forgiven by Allah's pardon, whose faults are concealed by Allah's generosity, and whose hearts are observed and regarded with the eye of happiness, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, angels, and the cosmos; O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers; O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah; O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the prayer niche of spiritual spirits; O Allah, bless him whose sciences are the opener of the openings of Tablet sciences ⁴⁵⁷; O Allah, bless him whose lights are the lights of the glory of the Most Holy; O Allah, bless him whose awe is the awe of the majesty of the Supreme; (187) O Allah, bless him whose heart is the niche ⁴⁵⁸ of holy lights; O Allah, bless him whose essence is the manifestation of the descents of the Divine Presence; O Allah, bless him whose attributes are the attributes of prophetic perfections; O Allah, bless him whose states are the states of the chosen characteristics; O Allah, bless him whose ascents are the ascents of the proximities of election; O Allah, bless him whose stations are the stations of intimate friendship of selection; O Allah, bless him whose virtues are the virtues of the specializations of the kingdom; O Allah, bless him whose secrets are the gifts of the openings of mercy; O Allah, bless him whose care is the care of lordly favors; O Allah, bless him whose means are the means of response of uniqueness; O Allah, bless him whose glad tidings are the risings of the bestowal flashes; O Allah, bless him whose proofs are the indication of unseen sciences; O Allah, bless him whose generous gifts are the generous gifts of desirous grants; O Allah, bless him whose wisdoms are the results of admonitions of fear; O Allah, bless him whose assemblies are the assemblies of the mercies of the Self-Subsistent; O Allah, bless him whose gifts are the subtleties of perpetual favors; O Allah, bless him whose paths are the paths of eternal happiness; (188) O Allah, bless him whose realities are the knowledges of pre-eternal realities; O Allah, bless him whose outward aspects are the risings of clear lights; O Allah, bless him whose inward aspects are the inward aspects of hidden secrets; O Allah, bless him whose morals are the morals of Quranic verses; O Allah, bless him whose rewards are the rewards of the sovereign kingdom; O Allah, bless him whose goals are the goals of lordly proofs; O Allah, bless him whose miracles are the miracles of the supernatural acts of the Merciful; O Allah, bless him whose schools are the schools of the laws

And the delightful drinks of tastes ⁴⁵⁹. O Allah, bless the one from whose stations ⁴⁶⁰ are the stations of ocular unveilings ⁴⁶¹. O Allah, bless the one whose receptions ⁴⁶² are the receptions of the eternal gifts ⁴⁶³. O Allah, bless the one whose stations ⁴⁶⁴ are the stations of the majestic beauties ⁴⁶⁵. O Allah, bless the one whose rank ⁴⁶⁶ is the rank of the majestic favor ⁴⁶⁷. O Allah, bless the one whose manifestations ⁴⁶⁸ are the manifestations of the beneficent theophanies ⁴⁶⁹. O Allah, bless the one whose innermost secrets ⁴⁷⁰ are the innermost secrets of the gnostic effusions ⁴⁷¹. O Allah, bless the one whose essence ⁴⁷² is the shrine of the celestial angels. O Allah, bless the one whose circumambulation ⁴⁷³ is the circumambulation of the luminous beings ⁴⁷⁴. (189) Section: O Allah, bless him and his family with a blessing that adorns us with the sash of faith-based love ⁴⁷⁵ and fills our hearts with the gifts of holy mysteries ⁴⁷⁶, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O First, O Last, O Manifest, * O Hidden, how can Your description be counted? O Gatherer, O Resurrector, O Effacer, * O Seal, O Opener of the door of right guidance. O Hidden of the Malakut ⁴⁷⁷ and the Jabarut ⁴⁷⁸, O * Essence of purity, O treasure of the secrets of the Eternal ⁴⁷⁹. Between Nasut ⁴⁸⁰ and Lahut ⁴⁸¹, indeed * You have shown a distinction, what a distinction to rely on! O wisdom of Nasut at my existence, * O source of Lahut, the most quenching for those who arrive. O all of the universals and particulars of what * the Omnipotent created of the worlds forever. O beginning of the vision of the Majestic without beginning, * O end of the vision of the Beautiful without end. O ascent of spirits when they rise to * His Most Beautiful Names, drawing near to the One. You are the one to whom the Answerer said to his spirit: * "Prostrate to My face," and other than you has prostrated to you. You are the one to whom the Dominant said to His name: * "By My name he has invented in every good, moderate." You are the one to whom the Eternal said to his spirit: * "Indeed I sent you before the sending of the body." You are the one to whom the Generous said to His bounty: * "Pour out the flood of a deluge upon the people of crookedness." You are the one to whom the Bountiful said to His generosity: * "If you were generous for all time, your generosity would not be exhausted." May Allah, whose majesty is exalted, bless you, * and the family and companions, who are the support. (190) O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab ⁴⁸² of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of holiness ⁴⁸³, which is the drinking place of the spirits of the monotheists ⁴⁸⁴. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of eternity ⁴⁸⁵, which is the source of the hearts of the gnostics ⁴⁸⁶. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of beauty ⁴⁸⁷, which is the playground of the intellects of the lovers ⁴⁸⁸. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of the theophany of ecstasy ⁴⁸⁹, which is the fountain of the secrets of the yearning ones ⁴⁹⁰. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of majesty ⁴⁹¹, which is the ultimate goal of the aspirations of the lovers ⁴⁹². O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of power ⁴⁹³, which is the drinking place of the hearts of the certain ones ⁴⁹⁴. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of the divine knowledge ⁴⁹⁵, which is the drinking place of the inspirations of the unveilers ⁴⁹⁶. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of hearing ⁴⁹⁷, which is the drinking place of the forms of the witnesses ⁴⁹⁸. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of sight ⁴⁹⁹, which is the drinking place of the sciences of the devotees ⁵⁰⁰. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of the eternal speech ⁵⁰¹, which is the drinking place of the intentions of the truthful ones ⁵⁰². O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of the primordial will ⁵⁰³, which is the drinking place of the delegation of the content ones ⁵⁰⁴. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of the primordial life ⁵⁰⁵, which is the drinking place of the existence of the aspirants ⁵⁰⁶. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of the divine secrets ⁵⁰⁷, which is the drinking place of the elite of the veracious ones ⁵⁰⁸. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of the holy lights ⁵⁰⁹, which is the drinking place of the insights of the verifiers ⁵¹⁰. (191) O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of opening ⁵¹¹, which is the drinking place of the essences of the inspired ones ⁵¹². O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of proximity ⁵¹³, which is the drinking place of the great ones of the dominators ⁵¹⁴. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of existence ⁵¹⁵, which is the drinking place of the chosen ones, the brought near ⁵¹⁶. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of wealth ⁵¹⁷, which is the drinking place of the elite, the beloved ones ⁵¹⁸. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of bounty ⁵¹⁹, which is the drinking place of the pious, the reliant ones ⁵²⁰. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of perfection ⁵²¹, which is the drinking place of the elect, the sincere ones ⁵²². O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of gift ⁵²³, which is the drinking place of the generous, the certain ones ⁵²⁴. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of salvation ⁵²⁵, which is the drinking place of the imams, the guided ones ⁵²⁶. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of gifts ⁵²⁷, which is the drinking place of the saints, the attracted ones ⁵²⁸. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of gnoses ⁵²⁹, which is the drinking place of the beloved, the God-fearing ones ⁵³⁰. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of joys ⁵³¹, which is the drinking place of the leaders, the successful ones ⁵³². O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of realities ⁵³³, which is the drinking place of the poles ⁵³⁴, the arriving ones ⁵³⁵. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the eye of allusions ⁵³⁶, which is the drinking place of the solitary ones ⁵³⁷.

O God, bless the one whose spirit is the essence of the miracles ⁵³⁸ that are the drinking-place of the righteous saints ⁵³⁹. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the essence of prophethood and messengership that are the drinking-place of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the essence of the good things that are the drinking-place of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earths and all of God's believing servants. Section: O God, bless him and his pure and good family, (192) and his rightly guided companions, a blessing by which we become among those whose insights You have illumined with the light of the clear victory ⁵⁴⁰ and whose innermost secrets You have purified from the cloud of doubt and polytheism, and whom You have made among the people of firmness and establishment ⁵⁴¹, and whose hearts You have quenched from his overflowing pool ⁵⁴² and the abundant spring of his Salsabil ⁵⁴³, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche ⁵⁴⁴ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O God, bless the one who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, God's believing servants. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the caller to success and the pole ⁵⁴⁵ of beauty. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the path of success and the imam of the people of goodness and righteousness. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the treasure of wealth and profits and the season of glad tidings and joys. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the handful of divine light and the point of the eternal secret ⁵⁴⁶. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the robe of majestic honor and the elite of the human world. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the lamp of luminous intellects and the light of gnostic knowledge. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the stage of the theophany of excellence ⁵⁴⁷ and the tongue of the discriminating revelation ⁵⁴⁸. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the ornament of the Yemeni faith ⁵⁴⁹ and the door of the Merciful opening. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the essence of joy and congratulations, the ultimate goal and the utmost of aspirations. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the refuge of the wrongdoer and the sinner, and the mercy for the distant and the near. Section: O God, bless him and his family with a blessing by which You supply us with the supply of Your unique secret ⁵⁵⁰ (193) and support us with the support of Your holy light, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O God, bless the one who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless the one who is the imam of the people of Paradise, God's believing servants. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the essence of divine care and the secret of sainthood ⁵⁵¹. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the light of guidance and the cave of protection. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the sea of generosity and the imam of following. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the lamp of guidance and the lighthouse of right direction. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the light of all beings and the result of good words. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the pole of spiritual witnesses ⁵⁵² and the pupil of the eye of manifestations. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the physician of the elements ⁵⁵³ and the noble of bonds. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the model of the great ones and the bride of pulpits. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the robe of glories and the master of the first and the last. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the jewel of beautiful excellences and the ultimate of majestic perfections. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the renowned one of prophetic miracles and the lofty one of the chosen stations. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the presence of perfection surrounded by lights. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the table of blessings filled with secrets. (194) O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the nourishment of hearts immersed in remembrances. O God, bless the one whose spirit is the prayer niche of spirits, for he is the ambassador of the sacred unseen realms. So bless him, O God, and his noble, righteous family and his excellent, discerning companions, a blessing by which You fulfill for us our needs, purify for us our lifetimes, and have 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. The witnessing-places of the lights of theophany became determined * For their spirits, from them the goals and desires So their bodies are in a barzakh ⁵⁵⁴ of witnessing Him * And their spirits are in the hiddenness of nearness and annihilation He manifested to them collectively with every reality * And clothed them from every meaning with the adornment of wealth And He released them expansively with every subtlety * And constrained them restrictively within the circle of care And from their mirror shone the light of His eye * So His lights are their lights, and through Him is radiance.

O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab ⁵⁵⁵ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam ⁵⁵⁶ of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Zahra' ⁵⁵⁷ said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because she witnessed the successive visits of angels and spiritual spirits to his noble grave. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Zahra' said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because she saw the leaders of the cherubim ⁵⁵⁸ kissing the hem of his carpet and seeking refuge in his exalted and lofty presence. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Zahra' said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because she witnessed the humility of the servants of the veils and pavilions before his invincible station, to which both the strong and the weak seek refuge. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Zahra' said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because she realized that he is the Sultan of the kingdom, the one who manages its affairs, and in his hand is the support of wisdom and disposal. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Zahra' said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because she witnessed his essential light ⁵⁵⁹ flowing in his secret through all the traces of the Names and Attributes. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Zahra' said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because she knew that he is the very life of the two abodes ⁵⁶⁰ and the spirit of the body of existent things. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Zahra' said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because she realized that he is the seed of existence and the master of the inhabitants of the earths and heavens. (197) O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Zahra' said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because she witnessed in him the adornment of the inward and outward with the noblest virtues and all kinds of perfections. Section: O Allah, bless him and his family, possessors of high ranks and stations, and his companions, crowned with the crown of gifts and miracles, a blessing that illuminates our insights with the lights of unveilings and inspirations, and adorns us among the praisers with the most beautiful attributes and noblest signs, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul ⁵⁶¹ said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the intended door of Allah and the key to the treasuries of generosity and bounty. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the origin of every existent and the caller of servants to obedience of the worshipped Lord. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the master of every parent and child, and the light by whose appearance the valleys and hills shone. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the pure one by whose fragrance the gardens of holiness and the witnessed station of glory were perfumed (198) the remembrance whose fame spread in the East and West, and who was distinguished with the Great Intercession and the Praiseworthy Station. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the pool of returned lights and the bride of the divine presences, ascending to the peak of elevation and ascent. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, whose sleeves and garments are fragrant, and his companions who supported the religion of Allah with spears and provisions, a blessing by which we become among Your servants who stand firm on the limits and Your beloved ones who attain Your pleasure on the promised day, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the light before whose perfect care the moons and stars prostrated, and the scenes and processions were adorned with his bride. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the secret by whose manifestation miracles and virtues appeared, and states and outcomes were praised through his blessing. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the glory by whose rank destinies and lineages were honored, and times and earnings were purified through his blessing. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the perpetual wine by which tastes and drinks are sweetened, and the people of spiritual states and attractions sway with the breeze of his spirit. (199) O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the beacon by which paths and schools of thought are clarified, and openings and gifts are granted through love of him. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the lamp by which the East and West are illuminated, and non-Arabs and Arabs are blessed by his countenance. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the mine of lights and the source of secrets, and the one who is singled out with the highest degrees and the most exalted stations. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the sun of the universe and the moon of the firmament, and the one by whose light the heavens and earths are illuminated. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the secret of the divine decree and the manifestation of the command, and the one by whose essence the worlds are adorned. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the pole of the spheres and the center of existence, and the one by whose love hearts are enraptured. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the intercessor of the community and the refuge of the ummah, and the one by whose intercession sins are forgiven. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the beloved of the Lord of the worlds and the chosen one from among all creatures. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the seal of the prophets and the leader of the messengers, and the one by whose light the paths are illuminated. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the master of the children of Adam and the most honored of creation in the sight of Allah. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the first of the prophets in creation and the last in mission, and the one by whose name the pens and tablets are adorned. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the reality of realities and the source of lights, and the one by whose essence the worlds are sustained. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the secret of the divine essence and the manifestation of the attributes, and the one by whose love the hearts of the gnostics are purified. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the qibla ⁵⁶² of the seekers and the goal of the wayfarers, and the one by whose guidance the lost are guided. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the mercy to the worlds and the proof of Allah over all creation. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the light of the heavens and the earth and the one by whose light the darkness is dispelled. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the treasure of the divine knowledge and the ocean of wisdom, and the one by whose words the hearts are healed. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the master of the first and the last and the one by whose intercession the ranks are elevated. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the beloved of the Beloved and the chosen of the Chosen, and the one by whose love the souls are enraptured. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the secret of the divine unity and the manifestation of the singularity, and the one by whose essence the realities are unveiled. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the pole of the universe and the axis of existence, and the one by whose light the heavens and earths are illuminated. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the intercessor of the sinners and the refuge of the distressed, and the one by whose mercy the doors of forgiveness are opened. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the leader of the pious and the guide of the righteous, and the one by whose example the believers are guided. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the seal of the prophets and the leader of the messengers, and the one by whose light the paths are illuminated. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the master of the children of Adam and the most honored of creation in the sight of Allah. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the first of the prophets in creation and the last in mission, and the one by whose name the pens and tablets are adorned. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the reality of realities and the source of lights, and the one by whose essence the worlds are sustained. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the secret of the divine essence and the manifestation of the attributes, and the one by whose love the hearts of the gnostics are purified. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the qibla of the seekers and the goal of the wayfarers, and the one by whose guidance the lost are guided. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the mercy to the worlds and the proof of Allah over all creation. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the light of the heavens and the earth and the one by whose light the darkness is dispelled. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the treasure of the divine knowledge and the ocean of wisdom, and the one by whose words the hearts are healed. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the master of the first and the last and the one by whose intercession the ranks are elevated. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the beloved of the Beloved and the chosen of the Chosen, and the one by whose love the souls are enraptured. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the secret of the divine unity and the manifestation of the singularity, and the one by whose essence the realities are unveiled. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the pole of the universe and the axis of existence, and the one by whose light the heavens and earths are illuminated. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the intercessor of the sinners and the refuge of the distressed, and the one by whose mercy the doors of forgiveness are opened. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter al-Batul said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the leader of the pious and the guide of the righteous, and the one by whose example the believers are guided.

In it is his daughter al-Batūl ⁵⁶³: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb ⁵⁶⁴ of spirits,' because he is the honor through whose care aspirations and ranks have risen, and by whose mention assemblies and writings boast. Section: O Allah, bless him and his family with a blessing by which You repel from us the evil of temporal calamities and misfortunes, and by which You establish us in the abode of Your honor in the highest stations and most exalted positions, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrāb of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imām ⁵⁶⁵ of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imām of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Zahrā' ⁵⁶⁶ said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is luminous in essence, beautiful in attributes, encompassing the scattered beauties, both past and future. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Zahrā' said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the secret that sustains the masters of spiritual states and stations, and the barzakh ⁵⁶⁷ that encompasses all kinds of miracles and graces. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Zahrā' said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the sun of prophecies and messages, and the sea of sciences from which the masters of gnosis and sainthood draw. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Zahrā' said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the throne of holy descents and the gathering place of virtues and glories, both sensory and spiritual. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Zahrā' said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the fountain of bestowals and gifts, and the path of eternal felicities. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Zahrā' said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the object of all wills and the qibla ⁵⁶⁸ of the people of devotion and worship. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Zahrā' said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the locus of blessings and benedictions, and the supreme intermediary for the people of means and supplications. Section: O Allah, bless him and his noble, virtuous family, and his guided companions, with a blessing that increases our good deeds, raises our ranks, and conveys us 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 him whose spirit is the mihrāb of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imām of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imām of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Batūl said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the edifice founded upon the gifts of grace and generosity, adorned with the jewels of sciences and wisdoms. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Batūl said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the Imām whose sovereignty spirits acknowledged in pre-eternity, and whose mention is the revelation in Sūrat Nūn wa al-Qalam ⁵⁶⁹. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Batūl said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the clear lamp of light in darkness, and the noble one whom his Lord advanced on the carpet of honor above every possessor of rank. O Allah, bless him about whom his daughter al-Batūl said: 'Verily his spirit is the mihrāb of spirits,' because he is the mihrāb whose structure was built from the purest minerals and noblest soil, whose foundations were laid upon stations of nearness and proximity, whose interior was filled with the lights of awe and reverence, and whose exterior was adorned with the subtleties of supplication and desire. And how could it not be, when Allah made him the house of revelation and inspiration, the meeting place of angels, the descent of Gabriel (peace be upon him), and the Ka'ba ⁵⁷⁰ for the circumambulation of prophets, messengers, and noble angels? His most exalted structure is beyond what minds can conceive, and his most vast presence is beyond what great scholars can grasp, for he is higher than every high, greater and more exalted than every exalted, more manifest and radiant than every radiant, more splendid and mightier than every mighty, more famous and more precious than every precious, more manifest and more perfect than every perfect, and more glorious—made by the hand of eternal power, adorned with the lamps of divine lights, studded with the jewels of ladunnī ⁵⁷¹ sciences, carpeted with the cushions of bestowed secrets, and his lamp illuminated by the light of Allah, the light of the heavens and the earth, so that all the celestial worlds were illuminated by it. His prophetic body became the niche for the light of his chosen heart, and in the niche is the glass of prophethood, and in the glass is the lamp of the message, and his brilliant star is kindled from the blessed, pure, holy tree of divine truth. So what a muhammadan mihrāb he is! You created him from the light of Your two names al-Hādī and al-Rashīd ⁵⁷², and You manifested Yourself to him through Your two names al-Mubdi' and al-Mu'īd ⁵⁷³, and You looked upon him with the eye of Your two names al-Bā'ith and al-Shahīd ⁵⁷⁴. When he encompassed the secret of these beautiful names and appeared among the spiritual world with the tongue of these lofty, beautiful attributes, You created from him the angels of the heavens and the earths and appointed them to guard the lower and higher realms. So he never ceases

The worlds are preserved as long as these angels are observed by him. When the appointed term and the inevitable decree arrive, the souls of these angels are seized and they are transferred to the world of the unseen, so the matter joins together, the heavens with what is in them fall upon the earth, and the matter is transferred to the Hereafter, just as outward words are transferred to meanings. So, O Allah, bless him and his family, the full moons that shine, and his companions, the radiant stars, with a blessing through which You pour upon us the overflowing seas of His generosity, and through which You gift us with the gifts of the dazzling secrets of His gifts, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. When I looked at his lights, they shone, and out of fear I placed my hand over my eye, fearing for my eye from the beauty of his form, so I only look at him according to my capacity. The lights from his light, and in his light I drowned, and his face is like the rising of the sun and the moon. A spirit of light in a body of moon, a kohl woven among the brilliant stars. His essence is the delight of lights, its source is the highest, and his sight is more splendid than the white blazes on a horse's forehead. His heart is a temple, and the secrets emanate from it, traveling with the light of guidance into the heart of every noble one ⁵⁷⁵. His spirit is the qibla of spirits and the cosmos, and there is no angel intermediary for every mindful one. Therefore, his pure daughter, Fatima al-Zahra, the possessor of sublimity, glory, and honor, blessed his highness, when she was veiled in the pavilion of light, like the sun hidden from sight behind curtains. She saw his spirit coursing through the cosmos with the most subtle secret from Allah and destiny, for he is the Greatest Mercy that preceded and encompassed every rich and poor. He is the highest goal, by which honors are ennobled in good and report. He is the wandering star, and in the sphere of the worlds, he is the secret of the perfection of every boastful one. He is the Opener and the Key, by which the treasures of wealth and every stored thing are opened. He is the Universal World and the Holy Generosity, the very source of life for every renowned one. He is the element of spirits, their radiant Kaaba, and their goal in every desire. There is no good, no generosity hoped for, no succor, except that from his spirit there is ease according to measure. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him. Section: O Allah, bless him and his family, possessors of noble and obedient souls, and his companions, possessors of attracting and repelling aspirations, with a blessing through which we become among those who follow the clear paths of his Sharia, and through which You strengthen us with the texts of his sciences and the conclusive proofs of his signs, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. ⁵⁷⁶ O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise and the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because through the manifestation of his Muhammadan lordship, the worlds of mulk and malakut appeared. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because through the splendor of his Ahmadite essence, the mosques of rahmut and jabarut were adorned. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because from the flashes of his unseen sciences, the people of expressions and the people of negation and affirmation borrowed. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because from the brilliant lights of his holy secrets, the masters of allusions and the servants of the carpet of might and majesty sought aid. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because through the mention of his prophetic virtues, the birds of spiritual souls preached from the pulpits of proximity in the enclosures of lahut. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because through the fragrance of his Mustafan breath, the gardens of the worlds were perfumed in all regions and heavens. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because through his Mawlawi relation, the assemblies and canals were honored, the elements became good, and the houses were elevated. ⁵⁷⁷ O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because through his pleasing conduct, the paths leading to Allah and the rulings of prayers and qunut were known. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because through his Sunnite love, the souls described with beautiful attributes and perfect qualities were distinguished. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because through his Sunnite mission, the inhabitants of the highest tablet and what is above the earth and beneath the abyss boasted. O Allah, bless him

the mihrab of spirits ⁵⁷⁸, because by the loftiness of his high station, the persons of the hermitages of light ⁵⁷⁹ were blessed and attracted the fragrant breezes of goodness, blessings, and the treasures of the Living, the Eternal who never dies. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' because by the breaths of his lordly descents ⁵⁸⁰, the necks of the cherubim ⁵⁸¹ stretched forth and they supplicated with the tongue of desire and awe. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' because by the ink of his eternal felicity, the Truth wrote with the pen of will on the pages of the lovers: 'O My servants, no fear shall be upon you today, nor shall you grieve.' So whoever among you wishes to live, We shall give him a good life; and whoever among you wishes to perish in the beauty of My Essence, his delight is in the garden of My gnoses before it is too late. Section: O Allah, bless him and his family with a blessing by which You quench our hearts from the pool of his Kawthar ⁵⁸² described, and by which You provide us with lawful, good, blessed, and abundant sustenance, the most ample provision and the most wholesome nourishment, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. (208) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' because when his Ahmadine ⁵⁸³ spirit was ascended to the station of 'two bows' length' ⁵⁸⁴, it attained from You special discourse and vision of the eye. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' because when he was singled out for the station of servitude, which is the locus of divine self-disclosures ⁵⁸⁵ sanctified from every deficiency and blemish, he thereby became the eye ⁵⁸⁶ of the chief great ones and the eminent and the near ones. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' because when his heart was illuminated with the lights of revelation and inspirations free from any cause of falsehood and deviation, he became a qibla ⁵⁸⁷ for all spirits and a model for every eye. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' because when the battalions of the heavenly veils were rent for him and he was shown Your Essence, transcendent beyond modality and location, the higher and lower worlds were honored by him and dispensed by him from every essence and entity. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' because when a drop from Your ladunni sciences ⁵⁸⁸, sent down from hearts and fear of poverty and separation, dripped upon his tongue, he thereby knew the sciences of the first and the last; so the prophets and saints drew from his Muhammadan ⁵⁸⁹ supply, and his sea surpassed every sea and eye. (209) O Allah, bless him of whom his pure daughter said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' because when the visitor comes to him with love and longing and looks upon his radiant face, they attain what they hoped for and obtain such good things that the eye is delighted. Section: O Allah, bless him and his family with a blessing by which You repel from us the accidents of aversion, abandonment, and separation, and by which his Muhammadan love enwraps us so that there is no separation nor location, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. He is the very essence of essences in creation and character ❖ There is none like Muhammad among any eye. Pious toward him who draws near, and he who is absent from him ❖ The unseen is to him like the seen. Exalted is the beauty of the Ahmadine chosen one from every eye ❖ By the preservation of God. The light of his fame shot forth when it manifested ❖ In the ribs of an envier like the evil eye. And I am Islam in might and openly ❖ In Medina like the openness of the eye. The mountains tempted him concerning himself ❖ In the belly of Mecca from the purest gold. So he showed them the eye of aversion, the eye of a people ❖ There was none like him among them from any eye. He prayed and sought rain for the people of Quba' ❖ So the rains of the eye poured down sevenfold. He pointed to the eye and it quickly vanished ❖ In obedience to that eye. His face is the eye in existence manifest ❖ So it illuminated existence from every eye. How many an eye did he pour forth and water armies ❖ And his fingers flowed like a spring. And blessings upon him at the scales ❖ Of judgment will delight us with the eye. (210) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom the piece of his prophetic essence ⁵⁹⁰ said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' when she witnessed his abundant standing and night vigil in it. O Allah, bless him of whom the piece of his prophetic essence said, 'Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits,' when she saw him borrowing spirits.

From the overflowing light that issues from his mouth, O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence ⁵⁹¹ said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab ⁵⁹² of spirits," because it witnessed the submission of spirits to the perfection of his sovereignty, which has no peer or likeness. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because it saw the worlds exalting the loftiness of his rank and the honor of his immaculate station. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because it witnessed the yearning of souls to see his illumined body and the beauty of his noble face. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because it witnessed the benefit derived from the abundance of his sacred knowledge and the perfection of his prophetic intellect. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because it saw the gathering of scattered virtues and all kinds of perfections, transcendent above representation and likeness. (211) Section: O Allah, bless him and his family with a blessing by which we become among those who fear Allah and are mindful of Him, and whom their Lord chooses for His service and elects, and grant abundant peace. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of fragrant breezes, blessings, benedictions, and mercies. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of miracles, graces, and clear signs. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of gifts, gnoses, subtleties, and inspirations. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of secrets, remembrances, means, and the answering of supplications. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of pride, sovereignty, might, and honor. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of the sciences of ladunni ⁵⁹³, bestowed wisdoms, and treasures. (212) O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of noble deeds, praiseworthy traits, and dispositions. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of virtues, glorious excellences, and qualities. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of divine care, sainthood, and proximity. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the house of watchfulness, witnessing, and love. So bless him, O Allah, and his family with a blessing by which You give us to drink from the cup of his love, sweet in taste and drink, and by which You make us among the people of states, ecstatic utterances, and attraction, and by which You preserve us on the path of our wayfaring from the afflictions of deficiency and deprivation, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is his house, dwelling, abode, and homeland. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," (213) because he is his place of retreat, worship, procession, and witness. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is his seclusions, intimacy, malakut ⁵⁹⁴, and holiness. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is his station, manifestation, desire, and sight. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is his mosque, pulpit, source, and origin. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is his profit, trade, carpet, and presence. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is his meadows, garden, repose, and basil. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is his paradise, good pleasure, sanctuary, and security. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is his desire, aspiration, abode, and station. O Allah, bless him of whom the prophetic essence said, "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is his place of prayer, imam, qibla, and imam. (214)

So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which we become among those whom ecstasy and longing have enraptured, and whom His bounty, generosity, and grace have overwhelmed, by Your favor and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁵⁹⁵ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam ⁵⁹⁶ of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his noble essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because Allah sent him as a mercy to the worlds and guided creation by his guidance. O Allah, bless him of whom his noble essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because Allah made him a means ⁵⁹⁷ for His servants and a way to approach Him, and chose him. O Allah, bless him of whom his noble essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because Allah, exalted, extended His hand in His kingdom and raised his mention and praise in the highest assembly. O Allah, bless him of whom his noble essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because Allah, exalted, distinguished his rank and virtue among the messengers and over the rest of His creation, and chose him. O Allah, bless him of whom his noble essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because Allah, exalted, made the angelic and malakutic ⁵⁹⁸ lights shine, and illuminated through his splendor and radiance. O Allah, bless him of whom his noble essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because Allah, exalted, completed with his brick the building of the prophets and messengers, and raised his glory and highness in the heaven of lofty stations. (215) O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic noble essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because Allah, exalted, created him in His rahmanic ⁵⁹⁹ form, and creation is incapable of understanding his form and meaning. This is attested to by my master Hassan ibn Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him. When I looked at his lights, they shone brightly, * And I placed, out of fear, my hand over my eye, Fearing for my eye from the beauty of his form, * So I do not look at him except according to measure. For the lights of his light in his light are drowned, * And ecstasy is like the rising of the sun and moon. A spirit of light in a body of the moon, * Like a garment woven among the shining stars. Perfection of beauty and goodness is complete in him, just as * His morals are praised in the verses and surahs. Glory be to Him whose meaning is complete and who originated him * In a form sanctified above all other forms. Exalted is the God who manifested his reality * As light and deposited it in the choicest of humans. So Ahmad is a human but not like humans, * Rather, he is a full moon of beauty, not concealed. Rather, he is like the unique jewel whose * Attributes are noble and exalted above all pearls. Rather, he is from the Breath of the Merciful ⁶⁰⁰, and the cosmos is from * The breaths of his spirit, the most fragrant perfume. Rather, he is the most exalted prophet in His care, * Clinging to Allah, victorious through awe. The white mule carries him on the day of battle, * And the light of his forehead is brighter than the moon. Crowned with the perfection of glory, wrapped * With the sword, the sword of guidance, victory, and triumph. His garments, their fragrances forever surpass * Musk, amber from Shihr, and flowers. Beneath his cloak is what is great of honor, * Majestic, and of generosity pouring like rain. Upon him be the purest blessings of Allah, as long as the breezes * Of the fragrant dawn and early morning blow from him. (216) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic noble essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he was a treasure beneath the inner lining of the Throne of Rahmanutiyya ⁶⁰¹, and a light in the unseen of the majesty of the might of 'Azmutiyya ⁶⁰², and a beauty beneath the veils of the screen of the jealousy of Lahutiyya ⁶⁰³, and a symbol in the translations of the books of the secrets of the unseen sciences, and a moon beneath the rays of the sun of eternal power, and a secret in the enclosure of the subtle divine indications. When Allah willed to manifest the lamp of his Muhammadan prophethood and the shining of the sun of his Ahmadine ⁶⁰⁴ mission to the elite of His beloved, His noble ones, and the companions of His divine presence, He erected his Mustafawian ⁶⁰⁵ mihrab on the carpet of the expanse of eternal majesty, and founded his prophetic edifice on the bases of the sacred, everlasting Sharia, and clothed him with the majesty of tremendous, jabarutic ⁶⁰⁶ awe, and adorned him with the splendor of the great, raghbutic ⁶⁰⁷ perfections, and encircled him with the jewels of Quranic verses and rahbutic ⁶⁰⁸ wisdoms, and surrounded him with the subtle gifts and the shining lights of malakut, and filled his interior with the precious secrets of bestowed gifts and the outpourings of holy mercies, and commanded all to pray in it, turn to him, and follow him, and made him an intermediary between Him and His creation, lest they be burned by the lights of the splendors of His Face, which is veiled by the cloak of pride and the majesty of Lordship, above the capacity of Gabriel, beneath the curtains of the drawn veil and the hidden dazzling secret (218) and the screen embroidered with the secrets of Divinity and with the lights of prophethood and messengership, sealed. Then it was called from the unseen of eternity: "Come forward, O greatest veil of the kingdom and hidden secret of Lahutiyya, and bride of the stations of the carpet of exalted intimacy." He said, "And there is none among us but has a known station." Then, at that, the spirituality of his Muhammadan lordship ascended to the station of "two bow-lengths or nearer" ⁶⁰⁹, and the light of his Ahmadine majesty witnessed the holy Essence of Truth with the eye of sight, and heard the address, "And He revealed to His servant what He revealed" ⁶¹⁰, with the hearing of certainty, without falsehood. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the noble ones among the martyrs of Badr and Hunayn, and his illustrious Companions, purified from every defect and blemish, with a blessing by which You discharge for us every debt and obligation, and grant us thereby in both abodes what brings tranquility to hearts and delight to eyes, by Your favor and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds.

Of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence ⁶¹¹ said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab ⁶¹² of spirits," because when the lightning flashes of his beauty shine upon the hearts of lovers, they bow. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the breeze of union with him blows upon the dwellings of the beloved, they moan. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the calls of his longings stir the chords of the enraptured, they gaze. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the treasures of his tastes circulate among the great ones brought near, they bestow. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the onslaughts of his breaths knock at the resting places of the overcome, they cry out. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the tenderness of his mercies penetrates the innermost hearts of the silent, they faint. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the flashes of his miracles gleam upon the hearts of those in ecstasy, they swoon. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the ultimate ends of his exhortations are recited to the forms of the yearning, they wail. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the motives of his passion visit the ruins of the infatuated, they wander. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when his intoxication creeps into the hidden identity of the smitten, they rave. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the witnesses of his acceptance appear on the faces of the rememberers, they praise. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the breezes of his secrets enter the carpet of the knowers, they rejoice. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the fragrant flowers of his garden waft in the gardens of the birds that have attained union, they warble. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the vanguards of his moons shine upon the mounts of the desirous, they incline. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the chains of his reports are recited to the hearts of the humble, they perspire. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the jewels of his remembrances are scattered in the enclosures of the righteous, they succeed. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the stories of his effects are mentioned in the circles of preachers, they advise. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the benefits of his sciences are spread in the chambers of the poles ⁶¹³ who have attained union, they grant. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the melodies of his mercies descend upon the courtyard of the virtuous, they are generous. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the scrolls of his blessings are placed in the scales of those who invoke blessings upon him, they profit. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the gifts of his praises are presented before the keepers of his secrets, they open. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the beauties of his noble qualities are praised in the assemblies of the masters of realities, they broadcast what was hidden in their consciences and declared. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said, "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because when the symbols of his signs flash in the eyes of the intellects of the masters of unveilings, they explain and elaborate. Section: O Allah, bless him and his family, who clarified the paths of religion and made them clear, and his Companions, who, when they saw the radiant countenance of his moon-like face, proclaimed "Allahu akbar" and glorified [Him], with a blessing that makes us among those who, when they attend the assemblies of Your remembrance, their hearts are at peace and expand, and by which we become among Your beloved who, when they look upon what You have prepared for them in the enclosures of Your holiness, rejoice and are gladdened by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Beloved who visited the dwellings, a family, by you, O welcome, meeting of the destination. You are among us, from us, with us, and from us, eloquent tongues have spoken of you. You are the eye of the goal from the presence of the world, by you the high places are illuminated. You are, in the moment, the qibla ⁶¹⁴ of Truth, toward which souls guided by light pray. Hear, hear, for none other than you hears; all are in annihilation, and you are the everlasting.

I praise as I will, and I have for a matter its beginning and end. ²²² I said: "Gently! Is there then the summary, and majesty, and might, and splendor?" And He manifested through the unseen in the eye until there was no veil of existence over it. And He ascended to a lofty station, beneath whose lowest part the constellation of Gemini ⁶¹⁵ is constrained. And He descended thereafter into the scale of distinction ⁶¹⁶, hills whose least is a steep slope. I have shadows and a light beneath a shadow, and around it the prophets revolve. A manifestation in a manifestation of my majesty, my beauty, and my majesty by His light is whatever I will. Whoever sees Him tends to my beauty, and whoever does not see Him—upon him be obliteration. This is the ultimate goal of the visitation; the warble ⁶¹⁷ sang, chirping above its secret. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁶¹⁸ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence ⁶¹⁹ said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the light encompassing all lights, the love attached to the innermost secrets of the free, the shadow spread in all directions and regions, the secret shining on the faces of the noble and the chosen elite, the musk diffusing in the assemblies of those who remember Allah in the watches of the night and at the ends of the day, and the secret coursing in the core of the hearts of the eminent near ones and the trustworthy righteous. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the pious and pure ²²³, and his companions, the discerning and immaculate, with a blessing by which You bestow upon us gifts of gifts and secrets, and by which You illuminate our hearts with the gleams of openings and lights, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his prophetic essence said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the prior glory in the forefront of centuries and ages, the rising full moon in the sky of high stations and thoughts, the illuminating lamp in all towns and cities, the hidden good in the breasts of the learned who act and the virtuous imams, the branch swaying with the breezes of openings and subtle remembrances, the honor mentioned in books of biographies and authentic traditions, the abundant generosity with growing blessings and copious rains, the beauty outshining the radiance of luminous stars, suns, and moons, the succor known among the people of the desert and the city and the inhabitants of islands and seas, the beloved and venerated among the saints and the pious and the leaders of the Emigrants and Helpers, the pure spring free from vanities and impurities of others and stains, the destination sought by supplicants and visitors coming and going, the generous one whose sandals' dust has covered the inhabitants of the highest heaven and the servants of the veils, canopies, and curtains, the accepted intercessor, beloved in this abode and in that abode, and the honored station in the highest paradises and the abode of settlement. ²²⁴ So bless him, O Allah, and his family, possessors of glory and honor, and his companions, the venerated in rank and measure, with a blessing by which You erase from our records all sins and burdens, and by which You repel from us worries, griefs, and harms, and by which You restore us from violating sanctities, repeating punishments, and persisting in sins and obstinacy, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his Muhammadan essence ⁶¹⁹ said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," because he is the leader ⁶²⁰ of spirits dwelling in the encompassing spheres, the pavilion of might erected, and the subtlety of forms shaded by the shadow of the Throne of the Merciful and the curtains of the carpet of intimacy veiled, the feast of joys heralding bliss and delight and attainment of the sought, the caller to success proclaiming from the minarets of light with the tongue of "Say: If you love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you" ⁶²¹ as inscribed on the tablet of the hidden secret of pre-eternity, the path of success guiding whoever follows him to doing good and performing desired obedience, the nightingale of the branches whose bird flew from the nest of the tree of the highest honor to the space of two bows' length ⁶²² and the station of beloved might, the breeze of the branches blowing from the spring of the Throne of mercy with wafts of grace and subtleties of bestowed knowledge ²²⁵, and the pole ⁶²³ of beauties, whose sea of bounty overflows with the flood of the secret flowing from the presence of the Knower of the Unseen. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the pure in sleeves and collars, and his companions, described with generosity of souls and purity of hearts, with a blessing by which You save us from accidents of deficiency and deprivation, and by which You forgive us all the sins and wrongdoings we have committed, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" ²²⁶ because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for his manifestation through his manifestation. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for its illumination by his light. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for his existence in it. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the appearance of his radiant countenance and his noble face. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the blazing of his lamp in its regions. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the shining of his moon in its sky. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the diffusion of his secret in its particulars and universals. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the radiance of his light in its higher and lower realms. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the breaking of his dawn in the darkness of its pitch-black night. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the rising of his sun in its horizons. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the effulgence of his light in its east and west. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the manifestation of his beauty in its manifestations. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the unveiling of his face in its veils. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the appearance of his light in its darkness. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the rising of his sun in its horizons. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the effulgence of his light in its east and west. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the manifestation of his beauty in its manifestations. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the unveiling of his face in its veils. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos" because the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the appearance of his light in its darkness.

The pure virgin ⁶²⁴ said concerning him: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab ⁶²⁵ of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the spread of his remembrance in the ranks of angels and the presence of the Sovereign Master. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the rising of his star in its horizons. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the manifestation of his bridal chamber in the pavilions of his portico. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for the splendor of the beauty of his countenance. (227) O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He clothed him with the resplendence of His majesty. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not for his delight in the attributes of his perfection. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He revived it with the rain of His bounty. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He honored it with the excellences of his qualities. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He adorned it with the beauties of his actions. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He supported him with His mighty dominion. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He admitted him into the fortress of His security. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that his light shone in the expanse of His kingdom. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that his lightning flashed in the treasuries of His omnipotence. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He mentioned his name in the means of His desire. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that His decree appeared in the manifestations of His majesty. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that His compassion flowed in the scenes of His mercy. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that his fragrance lingered in the depths of His awe. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that his flower bloomed in His gardens. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that his succor gushed forth in His pools. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that his brilliance appeared in His worlds. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that he planted his banner in His landmarks. (229) O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He inhabited it with the light of His essence. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He supplied it with the secrets of His names and attributes. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He illuminated it with the paths of His law. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He encircled it with the preservation of His limits and His trust. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He lit it with the lamps of His signs. O Allah, bless him, of whom his pure virgin daughter said: "Verily his spirit is the mihrab of spirits," and the angels and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He studded it with the brilliant lights of His miracles and His messages.

the spirits ⁶²⁶, and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He beautified it with His dazzling generosities. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab ⁶²⁷ of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He adorned it with his great stations. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos (230), for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He treated it with the secret of His wisdom. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He turned towards it with His high aspiration. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He looked upon it with the eye of His care. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He anchored it with the mountains of His guidance. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He strengthened it with His great might. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He removed its cloud with the breaths of His power. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He removed its desolation through the witnessing of His grace. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He established its forms by the rulings of His law. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos is darkness were it not that He found His Muhammadan mihrab in it and became the opener of the beginning of its origination. (231) So bless him, O Allah, and his family, a blessing by which You revive us upon his ancient religion and his sunna, and by which You cause us to die upon his praiseworthy primordial nature and his creed, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of the spirits, the angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos was in the darkness of al-ama ⁶²⁸, and were it not for him, it would not have emerged into existence. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos was in the darkness of al-ama, and were it not for him, no existent would have appeared from it. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos was in the darkness of al-ama, and were it not for his indwelling in it, its pillars would have collapsed. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos was in the darkness of al-ama, and were it not for his occurrence in it, its foundations would not have been established. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos was in the darkness of al-ama, and were it not for his being sent in it, the hopes of the seekers would not have been fulfilled. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos (232), for the entire cosmos was in the darkness of al-ama, and were it not for his presence in it, the feet of those who arrive would not have been firmly planted. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos was in the darkness of al-ama, and were it not for his care in it, the ascents of the people of spiritual ascent and elevation would not have been erected. O Allah, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said, "Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of the spirits," and the angels, and the cosmos, for the entire cosmos was in the darkness of al-ama, and were it not for his guardianship in it, the insights of the people of watchfulness and witnessing would not have pointed. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, the springs of generosity and bounty, and his companions, the stars of felicity and good fortune, a blessing by which You gather us under the shade of his raised banner, and by which You give us to drink from the sweet Kawthar ⁶²⁹ of his pool, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. A sweet indication from the mouth of speech named you, and precious is the rank of one whom You taught Your names. Blessed is the age in which You showed me forms that recount the beauties of one who manifested Your countenance. You brought me near, then distanced the visit—did You not covenant not to separate after meeting You? Yes, I have enjoyed a man in whom I glimpsed, and in the cosmos there is no man who falls short of the flood of Your meaning.

I seek forgiveness from Allah, I have fulfilled Your covenant with me, * And my heart, by Your covenant, has fulfilled with yearnings. It never sought solace from its love for You, nor * Did any hour taste sweet except through Your remembrance. So by Him who gave it its passion for You, * And by Him who made the lovers envy You, Have mercy on a lovesick one whose vital spirit melted * In longing for You, yet he attained not Your care. ²³³ O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁶³⁰ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam ⁶³¹ of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra ⁶³² said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because he is the comprehensive barzakh ⁶³³ uniting the universals of all preceding and succeeding spirits. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because he is the secret permeating the worlds of silent and speaking forms. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because he is the cause of the existence of Adam, peace be upon him, and Adam was created from his light; hence it is said that when Adam meets him, he says: "O son of my essence, father of my meaning," indicating that his spirit (peace and blessings be upon him) is the father of spirits, and this is the meaning of his saying (peace be upon him): "Indeed, the Ya'sub ⁶³⁴ of spirits and the full moon of its shining lights." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever witnesses his Muhammadan spirit does not settle for any station, nor turns to any miracle, nor seeks shelter in any sign. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever is absorbed in love for his Ahmadian ⁶³⁵ spirit is not deceived by any lights, nor regards any secrets, nor is affected by the accidents of impurities and repetitions. ²³⁴ O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever is immersed in the contemplation of his prophetic spirit is not harmed by the vicissitudes of fate, nor worn out by the passage of ages, nor agitated by sudden worries and rivals. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever witnesses the perfections of his Mustafawian ⁶³⁶ spirit abandons every distraction that diverts him from seeing him, and casts aside every obstacle that prevents him from the carpet of his presence and the vision of his countenance. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever sees his pure spirit finds the world a fleeting trifle, and renounces everything that diverts him from him, and considers all that as play and vanity. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever gazes upon his exalted spirit prefers that gaze over Paradise and its bliss, and it becomes dearer to him than the gilded ornaments of the perishing world, both new and old. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever beholds his luminous spirit, his self vanishes in his Self, and his attributes are subsumed in the beauties of his perfections. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever glimpses his spiritual spirit perishes in it from his own annihilation and the annihilation of his annihilation, and asks Allah not to separate him from it for the duration of his life and existence. ²³⁵ O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever contemplates his blessed spirit attains thereby solace, relief, happiness, felicity, joy, expansion, and delight. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever calls to mind his noble spirit, it becomes for him a heart and a soul, and becomes for him remembrance, speech, and utterance. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever observes his pure spirit plunges into the seas of his lights, and its reward becomes for him better than jihad, 'umra ⁶³⁷, and hajj ⁶³⁸. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, a blessing that is for us a proof, an argument, and a path leading to goodness and love, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever witnesses his beautiful spirit, it becomes for him spirit and body, blessing and hand. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos," because whoever witnesses his majestic spirit, it becomes for him...

To him belongs intellect, eternity, secret, and return. O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab ⁶³⁹ of spirits"—and the angels ⁶⁴⁰ and the cosmos—because whoever witnesses his spirit, which is granted success, it becomes a mihrab, a mosque, an element, and a foundation. O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits"—and the angels and the cosmos—because whoever witnesses his spirit, which is supported, it becomes for him a protector, a helper, a guide, and a director. O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits"—and the angels and the cosmos—because whoever witnesses his spirit, which is infallible, it becomes for him a marker, a feast, a banner, and a declaration of unity. O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits"—and the angels and the cosmos—because whoever witnesses his spirit, which is purified, it becomes for him a retreat, a singling out, an intimacy, and a stripping away. O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits"—and the angels and the cosmos—because whoever witnesses his spirit, which is illuminated, it becomes for him success, guidance, a foundation, and a preparation. Section: O Allah, bless him and his family with a blessing that clothes us, from the weave of Your love, with a flowing robe and a new mantle, and makes it for us, before You, a conclusive proof, a support, and a witness, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. And indeed, the cosmos shone at his arrival, * And the sea turns away from the sources of his generosity. The human eye of the cosmos, the secret of its existence, * Ya Sin ⁶⁴¹, the elixir of praises, Taha ⁶⁴². The doves of the cave were among his protectors, * What can be attained from the majesty of his essence? Sufficient for me, for I am not able to describe his attributes, * Even if I had as many mouths as the number of pebbles. So I testify that Allah singled out Muhammad * As a unique one, supported by the angels of heaven. And I saw the virtue of the worlds is Muhammad, * And the excellences of the Chosen One are endless. O Allah, bless his spirit, the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁶⁴³ said: "Indeed, his spirit is the mihrab of spirits"—and the angels and the cosmos—because his essence is the mihrab of the hidden secret, his heart is the treasury of preserved knowledge, his chest is the treasure of stored revelation, his face is the garden of delightful beauties, his love is the elixir of guaranteed profit, his gaze is the comfort of the sorrowful lover, the light of his knowledge removes the terror of the captivated heart, the beauty of his essence confounds the eyes in seeing him, the radiance of his countenance puts the suns and moons to shame and delights the pupils and eyelids, and the secret of his beauty and majesty perfections is not unveiled by intellects nor encompassed by fancies and conjectures. The flashes of his prophetic signs and his chosen miracles are a secret deposited between the Kaf and the Nun ⁶⁴⁴. And the Ahmad ⁶⁴⁵ reality is a hidden book sent down from the unseen of the unseen and the secret of the secret; none touch it except the purified ⁶⁴⁶—like Kaf-Ha-Ya-‘Ayn-Sad ⁶⁴⁷: Kaf of the divine perfections, Ha of the spiritual templates and the high aspirations for Allah, the holy, Ya of the leader of human creatures and corporeal forms, ‘Ayn of the eternal care and the self-subsistent determinations, Sad of the supreme veracity and the form of the forms of realities descending from the heaven of the solitary unseen. When his Master desired to raise him to the presence of the unseen secrets and lordly gifts, and to seclude his bride in the stations of proximity among the great prophets and the masters of merciful perfections, He manifested his most famous mihrab in the manifestations of the most brilliant secret's self-disclosures. Then the horizons were fragrant with the scent of his most fragrant musk, and the cosmos shone with the radiance of his splendor and the light of his countenance, his luminous, moon-like face. And it was said to the monks of the brilliant, most holy light's hermitages and the servants of the carpet of glorious, most precious might: "Adorn the chambers of the highest honor and the delightful, most radiant dominion for the mihrab of the possessor of the station of Qaba Qawsayn aw Adna ⁶⁴⁸. For the spirit of Truth has come to announce the manifestation of his sovereignty, to inform of the loftiness of his station and the elevation of his rank, to make known the perfection of his miracles and wonders, and to proclaim the majesty of his prophecies and messages. So let the peacock of the highest carpet and the servant of the veil of the most glorious light's canopy prepare." He said: "What happened tonight in the heaven of the world of chosen spirits and the presence of elect distinctions?" He said: "The mihrab of the Lord of the worlds and the bride of the paradises of gardens has come with joy, delight, and congratulations to the companions of the divine presence and the noble entities of angels, humans, and jinn. So for his blessed, most guided bride, the throne of the mercy of the essence was spread, its most glorious, lofty bed, and his most fortunate, spacious abode was prepared for him. Then a herald of destiny and the veil of the unseen called out to the people of the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary ⁶⁴⁹ and the inhabitants of the holy enclosures and the desired spectacle: 'Come to visit the mihrab of the Lord of existent beings, the spirit of the body of created things, the rose of the garden of the wafting fragrances of mercies, the manifestation of the secret of determinations, and the descent of blessings. For from him shone the rising lights of eternity, and by his appearance, the brilliant flashes of the lights of the unseen and the secrets of the divine kingdom became manifest.'"

The secrets of the first eternity—what a sanctuary is the Mīm of his Mīm, the Mīm of the station of prophethood and messengerhood, and it encompassed ⁶⁵⁰ the Ḥā of the presence of union, proximity, and indication, and it narrated ⁶⁵¹ the Rā of the greatest good pleasure and the mercy encompassing the people of negligence and idleness, and the thousand thousand of trustworthiness and uprightness that heals from the disease of ignorance and misguidance, and its Bā ⁶⁵² is the Bā of divine proofs and houses founded on the bases of honor by inheritance and authenticity. The gardens of existence have diffused their flowers, and in the enclosures of holiness his lights have shone, and in the worlds of dominion and sovereignty his secrets have appeared, and in the assemblies of the people of goodness and righteousness his remembrances have perfumed, and his tidings have stirred the states of the yearning ones, and in the gardens of the lovers his birds have sung, and in the sky of the knowers his moons have shone, and his visitation has bewildered the minds of the enraptured ones, and his wine has hidden the thoughts of the tasters, and his abodes have moved the influxes of the attracted ones, and his resting place has been born for the elite of the great lovers, and his lines have been inscribed with the ink of love on the tablets of the praisers, and you have drawn his veils over the brides of the brought-near on the carpet of might. By his light the highlands and lowlands have been illuminated, and from the beauty of his forehead the suns and moons have shone, and around the honored Kaaba the famous and the righteous have circumambulated, and by serving his prophetic station the clients and free men have been honored, and by praising his noble qualities the chosen and the pious have drawn near, and by his immense rank the excellent and the righteous have sought intercession, and by his dazzling miracles the Book has spoken and the reports have been concealed, and by the jewels of his esoteric sciences the chains of transmission have been validated and the traditions have been narrated. He is the stage of the greatest theophany, the descent of the most magnificent secret of revelation, the embroidery of the known truth, the foundation of the most upright religion, the encompassing secret from which secrets have split, and the simple light from which lights have burst forth. To his chosen light the righteous have prostrated ⁶⁵³, and at the gate of his door the great pious have retreated, and by his immense rank every brought-near angel and chosen prophet has sought intercession, and in his Muḥammadan mosque the spiritual spirits have prayed, and in his Aḥmadī mihrab the luminous persons have bowed, and in it the sciences of Adam and the goals of the Furqānī secrets have descended, and upon his prophetic countenance the flashes of eternal felicity and lordly openings have shone, and in his portico the spirits of the prophets, messengers, and brought-near angels have worshipped, and in the chambers of his intimacy the brides of the saints and the chosen ones and all the righteous servants of God have appeared. So, O God, bless him and his perfect pure family and his pious acting companions, a blessing that may include us in the thread of Your connected beloved ones and gather our spirits with their spirits in the chambers of Your intimacy and the high places of Your eye, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. To You have ended, from its earth and its heaven, mirrors that have become its utmost aspiration. And from Your most exalted light the landmarks have become clear, to which the soul has been guided after its blindness. And were it not for You, the paths of guidance would not have appeared to it, nor would the truth have become manifest after its concealment. And were it not for You, it would not have attained a station nor reached a goal, nor would the bonds of its hope have been strengthened. And were it not for You, it would not have been active to traverse deserts to You, nor would it have stretched out the palms of its supplication. And Your most high presence is the center upon which the cycle of existences revolves. Upon you be God's blessing and His peace, enduring as long as a leaf sings with its melody ⁶⁵⁴. O God, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and existence. O God, bless him who is the imam of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless him who is the imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God. O God, bless him of whom his pure virgin daughter said: 'Indeed his spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and existence, because he is the opening of mercy for all existences, the mirror of theophany for the people of witnessing and vision, the ascension of ascent for the people of proximity and nearness, and the manifestation of His name—the apparent Light, the Kind, the Merciful, the Compassionate—since he is the origin of existence and its pole upon which everything revolves, and his light without which there would be no existence, no earth, no heaven, no star, no sun, no moon, no revolving sphere. Rather, he is the first in the decrees of the Tablet, in the Covenant, in the Address, in Intercession for entering Paradise, in Visitation, and in all stations of nearness and approach. Thus he has precedence in initiation, then he has absolute mediation over all spirits and bodies. So he, peace and blessings be upon him, was the possessor of the Wasīla in Paradise, such that no one of the people of virtue and favor is independent of his mediation and supply therein. So he is the mihrab of spirits, built in the mosque of the greatest prophethood, adorned with the splendor of the light of the most magnificent messengerhood, erected for the establishment of the Law on the carpet of everlasting might, founded upon the path of truth and the bases of the most upright religion. The lightning of his Muḥammadan beauty flashed upon the horizons of dominion and sovereignty, and the fragrant breezes of his Aḥmadī scent wafted in the gardens of mercy and omnipotence, and his herald called out in the portico of the most exalted might, and his imam delivered a sermon in the station of 'two bow-lengths or nearer' ⁶⁵⁵. So the persons of the hermitages of light inclined their ears to him ⁶⁵⁶ and listened.

To hear his sermon, the servants of the veils and pavilions [stood], and their eyes were lined with kohl by the vision of his face. So take, from the light of the one sent as a mercy for all nations, a luminous lamp, and seek, from the abundance of his gifts, abundant good and copious return. And it was said to them: "O inhabitants of the highest expanse and the veil of the most majestic light, seek refuge in his most exalted rank and cling to his most protected presence, for you are under his guardianship and submissive to his command. For he is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, the master of the first and the last, and the accepted intercessor before the Lord of the worlds." For in his prayer niche (mihrab), the lights manifest the brides of the near-stationed ones; in his most renowned station, the feet of the firmly rooted are established; in his most manifest portico, the great ones of the righteous perform night prayers; in his greatest mosque, the eminent among the rememberers perform spiritual retreat (i'tikaf); in his most radiant assembly, the tears of the fearful are shed; in his most luminous gathering, the sighs of the repentant are raised; in his most pure seat, the elite of the doers sit; in his most splendid carpet, the souls of those who have attained take repose; in his most moon-like sight, the intellects of the beholders are dazzled; in his most fragrant garden, the souls of the worshippers pasture; at his sweetest watering-place, the mounts of the arrivals kneel; to his most majestic secret, the horsemen of the forerunners hasten; in his most high presence, the souls of the truthful yearn; in his most exalted praise, the great ones of the lovers vie. And by invoking blessings upon him, the sorrows of the despairing are relieved; by seeking comfort in him, the distinction of those who belong [to him] is known; by seeking intercession through his rank, the needs of the needy are fulfilled and the necks of the sinners are freed. So, O Allah, send blessings upon him and upon his family, the guided guides, and his Companions, the unique ones, the diligent—a blessing by which we may be among Your successful and supported servants, and by which You make us among Your saints who call to Your obedience, the guides (243), by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Oh, what a prayer niche (mihrab)! How exalted is its rank, how majestic its pride, how mighty its command, how elevated its mention in the highest assembly! Its beauties dazzle the intellects, its stations delight the eyes, its pastures yearn for the souls, its mines ennoble destinies. The lights of prophethood and messengerhood shine upon it; the evidences of glorification and majesty appear upon it; by its blessing, the diseases of those possessed of disbelief and ignorance are cured—until its inward is adorned with types of witnessing, its outward is clothed with the secrets of spiritual struggle, its heart is filled with tawhid (monotheism) and faith, and it is protected from the deviation of vicissitudes and the whisperings of Satan. The eyes of its innermost secrets are lined with the lights of the dominion (malakut), and the hidden recesses of its consciences are filled with the gifts of the All-Merciful (rahamut), until, through the mirror of the secret, he saw what was hidden from him of the wonders of the omnipotence (jabarut), and confronted, with the eye of sincerity and truth, what was concealed from others of the marvels of awe (rahabut) and desire (raghbut). He saw, with the lamps of gnosis, the secrets of pre-eternity and post-eternity, the subtleties of the intercessions and the One, and what transpired in the interior of the unseen and the unseen of the unseen—a vision of direct sight—and he believed in them with the faith of witnessing and certainty, as the Exalted said concerning him: "The heart did not lie about what it saw" (Quran 53:11). So he attained the highest degrees of prophethoods and messengerhoods, and assumed the paradises, the noblest of stations and the most elevated of ranks. Thus, by that, he became a prayer niche (mihrab) for the people of certainty and sincerity, sought by those of particularity and distinction (244), and in it the eminent among the near-stationed ones and the great ones of the elite worship. They find in it the sweetness of their vigilance and intimate conversation, the pleasure of their expansion in the chambers of their stations, and the experience of their servitude upon the carpet of reverence, where they hear the subtleties of inspiration and receive the descents of address and speech. Their tears are poured forth in it, their sighs ascend in it, their sobs multiply in it, and they delight in it with the pleasure of their utterances of ecstatic expressions and the wondrous, goodly words. They take from the radiance of his lights the perfection of their love, and they seek from the abundance of the secrets of the overwhelming power of their affection and longing. They are unable to sleep in their beds because of what they find in his remembrance of the pleasure of intimacy with Allah and the delight of their eyes from the light of witnessing Allah, as He said in their description: "No soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for the eyes as a reward for what they used to do" (Quran 32:17). Every moment from my Beloved is worth a thousand thousand proofs. Successful is he who abandons distractions and turns to my Beloved. Before today, I was bewildered, circling in the expanse of existence, Cast into the seas of thought amidst the waves of passing notions. But that which was my desire never ceased to be present in my heart: The unveiling of the veil for my eye, and the beginning of every delight. Successful is he who abandons distractions and turns to my Beloved. Allah gathered my scattered parts, and my joys followed in succession (245), So the Beloved of my heart became the very essence of my self and my attributes. O my joy and my revival, O my permanence and my life! After today, I fear no constriction of the path in love. Successful is he who abandons distractions and turns to my Beloved. Indeed, the Beloved of my heart has today become my portion, And He has manifested in His radiance, near to my direct sight. So witness and behold my face, that you may see the face of my Beloved. Thus is union—otherwise, by Allah, there would be no proof. If he succeeds, he abandons distractions and turns to my Beloved. I am occupied with my own self to the exclusion of all beings. I have never ceased to be amidst states of soundness, in successive intoxications, Absent from every other in all the presences. I am among the lovers of my moment, in love the most truthful in utterance. Successful is he who abandons distractions and turns to my Beloved. Fear not, O my companions, after this, any veil! Indeed, my Beloved has turned [to me] and manifested without a covering, In a state of consecration (ihram), wearing no garment other than the robes (246). I am, by Allah, the most hopeful of every esteemed one before Him. Successful is he who abandons distractions and turns to my Beloved. O Allah, send blessings upon him whose spirit is the prayer niche (mihrab) of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, send blessings upon him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, send blessings upon him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, send blessings upon him of whom his daughter Fatimah al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because Allah the Exalted said concerning him: "O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good tidings, and a warner, and as one who invites to Allah by His permission, and as a luminous lamp. And give good tidings to the believers that they will have from Allah great bounty" (Quran 33:45-47). And that Adam, peace be upon him, was created from his light, may Allah bless him and grant him peace; and that Allah honored him by his blessing, and made his virtue manifest to the angels, and showed them what He had specially distinguished him with of prior knowledge, when He made them know, upon appointing him, the names of all things, and made him a prayer niche (mihrab), a Kaaba, a door, and a qibla toward which they prostrated.

The spiritual righteous and luminous persons ^{657 658} that all prophets and messengers derive their spiritual sustenance from the spirit of Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, for he is the Pole of Poles ⁶⁵⁹ and the means of nearness and approach. He is a passage for all people, first and last, and a source of supply for every prophet and saint prior to his manifestation while he was in the unseen, and also a passage for every saint who comes after him, thereby conveying him to the station of his perfection, the presence of his proximity, and his connection. This applies both while he exists in the world of witness ⁶⁶⁰ and while he is occupied with the unseen, which is the barzakh ⁶⁶¹ and the abode of the hereafter, marked by honor and felicity, because the lights of his message, may God bless him and grant him peace, are not cut off from the world (247) from those before and after, and the secrets of his prophethood permeate their spirits and bodies until the Day of Judgment. It has thus become clear that the light of existence, its beauty, and its good in the inward and outward, the first and the last, derives and will derive from the light of his noble essence and the attributes of his lofty perfections, and that he is the secret of God, transcendent, coursing through the particulars and universals of the world, its higher and lower realms, whether substance or accident, means or composites, simples. The permeation of his secret in the cosmos has become manifest, as has his meaning shining in his beautiful loci of manifestation. There is no visitor and visited but for him, and no source of supply and no one supplied but from him, for he is the first existent brought forth from non-existence, the link between origination and pre-eternity, and the secret of creation in its entirety, as he said, may God bless him and grant him peace: "The first thing God created was my light." From his light He created everything in the beginning and the end. And since he, peace be upon him, was the first light that appeared, he, peace be upon him, was the first light that received from the Presence of Necessity ⁶⁶² and settled in the Holy Presence before the Knower of the Unseen. He, may God bless him and grant him peace, is the seed of existence, the origin of every existent, the leader of spirits ⁶⁶³, and the source of bodies, as he said: "I am the leader of spirits and the seed of bodies." From him all existence extended, just as the tree extends from the seed, until the universal existents and the sensory and spiritual worlds were completed. Then He created Adam, peace be upon him, and his offspring, and the light supplies all from the origin, which is the Greatest Spirit ⁶⁶⁴ and the most magnificent illuminated temple. So Adam is the greater, and the point of Ahmad ⁶⁶⁵ is the manifest Muhammad, as he said: "I was a prophet while Adam was between spirit and body." In summary, the words of the saints of God and the knowers of God agree that all scientific and practical supply is from him, may God bless him and grant him peace. He is the absolute messenger (248), and every prophet and messenger before him was in a deputizing capacity. Thus, before his mission and the existence of his person, there was prophethood, and after him, sainthood. So he is the manifest through them and the hidden in them, and he is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden ⁶⁶⁶. Section: O God, bless him and his chosen family from the noblest mines, and his companions who illuminate the outward and inward, with a blessing that adorns us with the most perfect attributes and the most beautiful virtues, and gathers us in his blessed precinct, which is the most blessed of places and the noblest of stations, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁶⁶⁷ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁶⁶⁸ said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he prays in the mihrab of the gathering of gathering ⁶⁶⁹ with Ahmad, and the determined one settled in the Qur'an of distinction, Muhammad. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the noble one settled in the kingdom by his law and majesty, and the pure merciful one in the dominion by his mercy and beauty. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the eye of Your self-disclosure in the unseen of Your perfect secrets, and Your absolute vicegerent in Your all-encompassing kingdom. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because his excellence over every prophet and messenger before him, and his station is higher than the resolute messengers, and he manifested excellence over them (249) because he is the setting place of the secrets of the divine essence and the rising place of the lights of the merciful attributes. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the manifestation of the lights of the beneficent self-disclosures, the spirit of holy refreshments, and the luminous bodies. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the master of the leading guides, and his station is above the stations of the noble messengers. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the master of mankind and the crown of the great angels. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the central pearl of the necklace of order and the lamp of the angels of revelation and inspiration. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the lamp of darkness and the bride of the Abode of Peace ⁶⁷⁰. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the messenger of the All-Knowing King and the beloved of Tayyiba ⁶⁷¹ and the Sanctuary. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the mercy of Islam and the leader over them, peace be upon them. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the refuge of holding fast and the cave of God that cannot be assailed. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers" (250) because he is the foundational brick of the beginning and the end. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the master of those who stand in prayer, those who fast, and the one who prays at night while people sleep. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the locus of piety and respect, and the refuge of widows and orphans. So bless him, O God, and his family with pearls of perfection, and his companions, the stars of guidance and Islam, with a blessing by which You forgive us the sins and transgressions we have committed, and make it a treasure for us that we find at the time of entering the grave and descending death, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of angels and the cosmos. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because He crowned him with the crown of prophethood and messengership, and he said: "I am for it." O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because He adorned him with the robes of might, honor, and glory, and he attained its perfection. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because He preferred him over every prophet and messenger before him, elevated his station above the resolute messengers, and manifested his excellence over them (251). O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because He advanced him over all prophets, messengers, saints, righteous, and the angels brought near in pre-eternity, and witnessed

By His choosing and the delivery of His trust, and the mention of that in His revealed Book, O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁶⁷² said, "He is the Imam ⁶⁷³ of the prophets and messengers," because through him He magnified the Sanctuary ⁶⁷⁴ and caused abundant blessings to flow at his hands, and his excellence over the angels, jinn, and all Arabs and non-Arabs. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because through him He honored Tayyiba ⁶⁷⁵ and the Sanctuary, and adorned the place of prayer and knowledge, and through him He brought the cosmos into existence from non-existence. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because through him He freed obligations, opened the treasuries of generosity and munificence, and wrote his name upon the Throne, the Footstool, the Preserved Tablet, and the Pen. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because through his fragrance He perfumed the valleys and hills, revived through his call the followers and souls, and sent down through his blessing the clouds of goodness and continuous rain. Section: O Allah, bless him and his family of pure character and nature, and his Companions who are preferred by seeing him over his community and all other communities, with a blessing that raises for us thereby ranks and aspirations, repels from us thereby adverse evils and afflictions, cures us thereby from physical and spiritual harms and all pains, and forgives us thereby the sins we have committed in the time of youth and after old age and decrepitude, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. (252) O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁶⁷⁶ of spirits and angels. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because Allah adorned through his wedding ⁶⁷⁷ the scenes and processions, and encompassed through his community the East and West. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because Allah caused the full moons and stars to shine from his light, and manifested through his hands miracles and virtues. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because Allah improved through love for him the outcomes of affairs, and saved through following his Sunnah ⁶⁷⁸ from perils and dangers. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because Allah chose him from His creation, preferred him over the distant and near, drew him close to Himself, and made him a means for attaining goals and objectives. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that fulfills for us thereby needs and desires, makes wholesome for us thereby provisions and earnings, and establishes us in the highest paradises in the best dwellings and loftiest ranks, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. (253) O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the house of prophethood and messengership, and the locus of veneration and majesty. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the house of piety and justice, and the possessor of the reins of honor by inheritance and lineage. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the house of intelligence and nobility, and the tongue of eloquence and sublimity. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the clear proof and evidence, and truthful in speech and utterance. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the eradicator of the darkness of polytheism and ignorance, and the destroyer of the armies of the misguided and astray. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the first to split open the closed cosmos, opened its locks, caused the sea of generosity to flow over creatures, and poured forth his bounty. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the one to whom the palm trunk yearned, the gazelle fled, the lizard spoke, and the camel complained of the harm that befell it, besides his own state. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that saves us thereby from the causes of procrastination and idleness, and we become thereby among those whom Allah has spent their lives in obedience and prolonged them by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. (254) He is a full moon, he is a sun; his light is the light of the cosmos, truly known. He is a cave, he is a fortress for mankind; he is piety, salvation, and healing. He is a treasure for existence, a mercy; he is succor and aid for the inclined. In spring his light appeared, and felicity sufficed and was enough.

And the light begins in the land of al-Safa ⁶⁷⁹, and the universe appeared to us rejoicing. By the existence of the Chosen One ⁶⁸⁰, our hope, the mine of generosity, the beloved, the Mustafa ⁶⁸¹. O Lord, by the Guide, the Intercessor, the Pleasing One ⁶⁸², a sea of generosity, munificence, and fidelity. Be for a servant whose sin has afflicted him, and forgive, forgive every burden that has passed. And overlook him, O Lord, out of generosity, and grant him chambers in the Gardens. By the Messenger of God, grant me mercy, and the protectors of the religion are the best of successors. And may God's blessings be continuous forever, with peace, upon the Messenger, the Mustafa. O God, bless him whose spirit is the spirit of spirits and the angels. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra ⁶⁸³ said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with the revelation of heaven and illuminated his heart with the lights of the attributes and names.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with the delivery of the trust and clothed him with the garments of glory and gardens.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with the delivery of the message and crowned him with the crown of veneration and majesty.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with the preservation of His deposits and invested him with the rulings of His laws.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with the secret of His Essence and supported him with the jewels of His words.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with the secrets of His wisdom and extended his hand in His kingdom.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with the surahs of His Criterion ⁶⁸⁴ and aided him with the mighty power of His authority.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with the treasures of His good pleasure and placed in his hand the keys of His gardens.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with all of His creation, and made him the best of those who uphold His right.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with His revealed books and unveiled to him the hidden meanings of their detailed verses.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God entrusted him in pre-eternity with the gifts of the purposes of intimacy and preferred him over the worlds of witnessing and sense.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God supported him in pre-eternity with the Holy Spirit and honored his station over the angels, jinn, and humans.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God molded hearts upon love and obedience to him, and guaranteed for sinners and disobedient ones the universality of His mercy and the attainment of his intercession.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God singled him out for nearness and high station, and elevated his rank above the prophets, messengers, and noble angels.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God addressed him in pre-eternity with His eternal speech and guided through him the servants on His straight path.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Zahra said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God spoke to him face to face in the station of two bow-lengths or nearer ⁶⁸⁵, and distinguished him with vision in the desired sight and the highest station.' So bless him, O God, and his family, a blessing by which You bestow upon us the gifts of his sublime and beautiful knowledges, and seal for us thereby with faith and a good end, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O God, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁶⁸⁶ of spirits, angels, and the universe. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the messengers. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁶⁸⁷ said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God opened through his blessing the treasures of generosity and bounty, and illuminated with his light the valleys and hills.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God made him the pearl of necklaces and the bearer of the banner of praise tied.' O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, because God distinguished him with the Praiseworthy Station ⁶⁸⁸ and gave him...'

The Great Intercession ⁶⁸⁹ on the Promised Day. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁶⁹⁰ said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for Allah honored him with the right hand and felicity, and made him the ascension ⁶⁹¹ of the people of spiritual ascent and elevation." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for Allah made him the treasury of the existing mystery ⁶⁹² and the insight of the people of watchfulness and witnessing." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for Allah made him the pool of the flowing lights ⁶⁹³ and the qibla ⁶⁹⁴ of the people of bowing and prostration." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for Allah made him the master of every parent and child, and the best caller to obedience of the worshipped Lord." Section: O Allah, upon him and upon his fragrant family, the wide-sleeved and cloaked, and his companions who stand firm on the boundaries and fulfill the covenants, a blessing that conveys us through it to the utmost goal of Your pleasure, and gives us through it of good things what no eye has seen nor ear has heard in the abode of honor and eternity ²⁵⁸, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. May Allah protect the daughters of al-Musalla ⁶⁹⁵ and Hajir ⁶⁹⁶, and Gharb ⁶⁹⁷ in Najd ⁶⁹⁸, between whom my highland dwells. And may He greet the hills of a tribe for Su'da ⁶⁹⁹ and a camping ground for Salma ⁷⁰⁰ in Wasmi ⁷⁰¹, with a renewed downpour. And may those ruins never cease—their soil, for the eyes of the masters of mankind, be the best kohl ⁷⁰². How could it be otherwise, when they were made excellent by the best messenger, the most honored envoy of the religion of Muhammad—the chosen one of the God of the Throne from all His creation, His elect, the guide to the noblest goal; the prophet of guidance, the rain of generosity, the envoy of bounty, the destroyer of enemies with the mighty Name ⁷⁰³? The necks of the mighty were severed in battle with a sharp sword, while war surged and foamed. The brave charged from every side, as the heroes advanced from every ambush. He whom the Merciful sent as a mercy to creation, a light by which all creatures are guided—upon him be Allah's blessings and His peace, enduring as long as the doves coo in the tamarisk ⁷⁰⁴. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁷⁰⁵ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the righteous servants of Allah. His daughter Fatima al-Batul said of him, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the highest in rank and the most decisive in command." His daughter Fatima said of him, "For he is the most beautiful in patience and the most abundant in reward." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers ²⁵⁹, for he is the most expansive in breast and the most fortunate in age." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the most noble in full moon and the most radiant in dawn." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the greatest in importance and the highest in pride." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the mightiest in sea and the most luminous in grave." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the best in piety and the most fearful in secret and public." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the most sublime in remembrance and the strongest in support and victory." So bless him, O Allah, and his family, a blessing through which You have mercy on us in this world and the next, and through which You grant us in both abodes His pleasure and the attainment of His Great Intercession, by Your bounty and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds ²⁶⁰. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the highest in structure and the mightiest in authority." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the clearest in proof and the most blessed in homelands." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the most fragrant in sleeves and the most noble in helpers." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the most comprehensive in beneficence and the most abundant in grace and favor." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the most steadfast in faith and the heaviest in the balance." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the most beloved of neighbors and the most successful in record." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the most eloquent in tongue and the clearest in exposition." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers, for he is the most manifest in gardens and the most generous in fingers." O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers ²⁶¹, for he is the most pleasant in time."

and a time, and the most compassionate and merciful among them. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that increases us through it in longing and passionate love for him, and bestows upon us through it the vision of his radiant face, in direct witnessing and sight, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary ⁷⁰⁶ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam ⁷⁰⁷ of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁷⁰⁸ said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the solitude of the people of intimacy and uniqueness ⁷⁰⁹, and the repose of the people of detachment and abstraction ⁷¹⁰. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the lamp of the people of faith and divine unity ⁷¹¹, and the path of the people of divine success and right guidance. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the tongue of the people of praise and glorification, and the foundation of the people of attainment and preparation. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the eloquence of the people of recitation and tajwid ⁷¹², and the expression of the people of rhetoric, free from discordance and complexity. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the mercy for the near and the far, and the light of insight for the intelligent and the dull. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the master of the free and the slaves, and the refuge of the wretched and the fortunate. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the gain of the spiritual master ⁷¹³ and the disciple, and the blessing of the teacher and the student. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the core of the poem ⁷¹⁴ and the best of those in whom love poetry delights and song becomes pleasant. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing that shades us under his extended shade, and feeds us from the tables of his goodness and abundant generosity, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the humble sages of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the most forbearing of the humble servants of Allah, and the most compassionate of the merciful intercessors of Allah. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which we become among the pious, ascetic servants of Allah, and Your devoted, wayfaring lovers, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the light of dawn and the white blaze on the foreheads of radiant faces. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the bridegroom of joys and the pole ⁷¹⁵ of beautiful leaders. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the nourishment of spirits and the cultivation of hearts and bodies. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the breeze of fragrant branches and the treasure of wealth and profits. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the caller to success and the path of goodness and prosperity. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the fragrance of wounds and the mine of generosity and magnanimity. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the means of opening ⁷¹⁶ and the model for the people of right guidance and righteousness. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the prophets and messengers," because he is the lion of struggle and the remover of sorrows and griefs. So bless him, O Allah, and his family, with a blessing by which we become among those whose star has shone in the sky of high stations and gleamed, and whose fragrance has diffused in the meadows of the cosmos and spread, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah.

O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁷¹⁷ said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because he is Your Supreme Veil ⁷¹⁸, standing before You for Your sake. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because he is Your Most Noble Beloved, singled out for every good that is with You. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because he is Your Supreme Mediator ⁷¹⁹, guiding through You to You. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because he is Your Most Exalted Secret ⁷²⁰, who intercedes through his rank ⁷²¹ to You. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because his Muhammadan Aspiration ⁷²² overflowed all their lofty aspirations. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because his Ahmadian Station ⁷²³ rose above all their exalted stations. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because his Mawlawi Secrets ⁷²⁴ grew beyond all their manifest secrets. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because his Prophetic States ⁷²⁵ surpassed all their pleasing states. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because his Mustafawi Utterances ⁷²⁶ transcended all their sacred utterances. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because his Majestic Bestowed Actions ⁷²⁷ excelled all their pure and good actions. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because his Unseen Knowledges ⁷²⁸ surpassed all their sensory and spiritual knowledges. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers," because his Pure and Clear Law ⁷²⁹ encompassed all their practical and theoretical laws. So bless him, O Allah, with a blessing that makes us inhale the fragrant scent of his sweet-smelling breezes, and gives us to drink from the cups of his sweet and delicious tastes, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. By the branch of the willow ⁷³⁰ in its fresh twigs, the jasmine flower never diffused fragrance except in its dome. Rather, the most pleasant perfume settled in Tayyiba ⁷³¹ from the scent of one who dwelt in both, being pure. The light of existence, its secret and its perfection; without him, existence would not have attained the sought goal. The spirit of the worlds, their spirit and life, their longed-for basil, a sweeter meaning. The Pole of Realities ⁷³², Subtleties, and the Preeminent, and the Foremost, magnified in bestowal. The treasure of praises, benefits, and tables, and the sources, pleasant in drinking. No one of deep, goodly origin in creation was ever good except that Taha ⁷³³ was the best. The Generous God never brought a near one near except that Taha was nearer to Him. Who was or who will be equal to Muhammad, the Praised, the Chosen? He is the star of the Presences ⁷³⁴, the pearl of their sanctity, whose fingers turned the gentle favors. He is the light of light, the light of His essence; the heart of the divinely guided has imbibed his light. May the Lord of the Throne bless him, his family, and his Companions, as long as He causes love for them to grow in us. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab ⁷³⁵ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the Prophets and Messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is their leader to the Garden of Gnoses ⁷³⁶ and Knowledges ⁷³⁷, and the lights of witnessing and unveilings. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is their leader to the Garden of Secrets and Subtleties ⁷³⁸, and the gardens of remembrances and litanies. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is their leader to the Garden of Mercies and Affections, and their companion in places of bewilderment and fears. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is their leader to the Garden of Flowers and Fine Cloths, and the remover of rust from their hearts and the darkness of dense veils. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is their leader to the Garden of Good Pleasure and Satisfaction, and the gifts of goodness, bounty, and favor. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is their leader to the Garden of Nearness and Closeness, and the gleams of shining lights and gnosis. O Allah, bless the one of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is their leader to the Garden of Sincerity and Certainty, and the watchfulness of Allah in secret and in public.

O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁷³⁹ said: "He is the Imam ⁷⁴⁰ of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Modesty and Faith, and the seasons of Pardon and Forgiveness." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Spirit and Fragrance, and the stations of Generosity, Munificence, and Beneficence." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Bliss, Joy, and Solace, and the pavilions of Intimacy, Houris ⁷⁴¹, and Eternal Youth ⁷⁴²." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Felicity and Security, and their herald of Eternal Happiness and dwelling in the Paradises of Gardens." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Joy and Congratulations, and the cities and intimacy through the remembrance of our Master, the King, the Judge ⁷⁴³." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Gifts and Beautiful Treasures, and their guide to Allah with heart and body at every time and moment." So bless him, O Allah, and bless his family, the noble masters, and his companions, the brave lions ⁷⁴⁴, with a blessing by which You illuminate our hearts and innermost beings, and purify our limbs and bodies, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless the one whose spirit is the mihrab ⁷⁴⁵ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless the one who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Means and Desires, and standing in the depth of night and seeking the downpour of the clouds of mercies." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Virtues and Miracles, and the stations of Nearness and Proximity, and ascent to the highest stations." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Reward and Recompense, and the submission of limbs to good, and the multiplication of wages and compensation." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Righteousness and Ranks, and the path of salvation, safety, and well-being." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Ecstasies ⁷⁴⁶ and Attractions ⁷⁴⁷, and the success of souls in obedience and righteous deeds." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Openings ⁷⁴⁸ and the fulfillment of needs, the answering of prayers, and the perfection of intimate conversation ⁷⁴⁹." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Delegation ⁷⁵⁰ and the abandonment of planning and choices, and returning to Allah with sincerity and intention, and occupying the mind with what pleases the Lord of the earths and heavens." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Firdaws ⁷⁵¹ and its desired palaces, its tables, its bliss, and its delightful spouses." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Names and Attributes, and safety from obstacles, hindrances, and subtle defects." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Delight and Expansion, the multiplication of good deeds, dwelling in the abode of success and well-being, forgiveness of sins, and erasure of misdeeds." O Allah, bless the one about whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, for he is their leader to the Garden of Compliance with commands and abandonment of prohibitions, and their guide to Allah before the descent of calamity and the witnessing of dreadful matters." Section: O Allah, bless him and his family with a blessing by which the torrents of mercy pour down upon us, and by whose blessing we are encompassed in life and after death, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. The most eminent of messengers in loftiness and rank, * And the greatest of those who possess a discerning heart. His realities are beyond comprehension, * And intellects are perplexed by his realities. The word of the Chosen One ⁷⁵² is like revelation, true, * For the word of Allah is what Ahmad ⁷⁵³ says.

The tongue of God is Ahmad ⁷⁵⁴ among creation, upon the indicated ⁷⁵⁵ the proof has guided. The trustee of God ⁷⁵⁶ is our remembrance; his guidance from reminding has no deviation. The vicegerent of God ⁷⁵⁷ among us is the best guide; to him the elect shall ultimately return. The path of God calls us to Him; other than Him is forever a path for us. May God reward him with the best reward for a brother through whom He healed the sick. He surpassed the prophets in form and character, for the shadow of his banner after encompassing. Upon him and his family be my greetings, and upon companions to whom my heart inclines. O God, bless him whose spirit is the sanctuary ⁷⁵⁸ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O God, bless him who is the Imam ⁷⁵⁹ of the prophets and messengers. O God, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁷⁶⁰ said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first from whom the earth will split open and who will arrive at the Basin ⁷⁶¹. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to knock at the gates of Paradise and be clothed in the garment of divine pleasure and approval. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to be greeted by the beautiful maidens ⁷⁶² and to be saluted by Ridwan ⁷⁶³, the keeper of Paradise. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to tread upon the spread carpets and for whom the lofty palaces are opened. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to ascend the chambers and degrees and to enjoy honor in stillness and motion. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to hear the singing of the maidens and to sit upon mounds of musk and camphor. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to wear the crown of splendor and virtues and to drink from the sweet water that is not stagnant. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to drink from the sealed nectar ⁷⁶⁴ and to seek intercession before the Self-Subsisting Truth. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to drink from the cup of purity and to quench his thirst from rivers of purified honey. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to be asked and given, and for whom the doors of asking and giving are opened. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to whose speech and address all listen, and hopes alight in his court and vastness. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first around whose dwelling and tents they circle, and who holds fast to the loftiness of his station and rank. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first for whom the crown and pulpit are prepared in the arenas of the Resurrection and the Gathering. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to be addressed by the Forgiving Lord on the Day of Resurrection and the Blowing of the Trumpet. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to remove the hardships of crises and to repel the great calamities from the heedless. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to whom refuge is sought in the Hereafter and towards whom the hands of hopes and expectations are extended. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first towards whom necks are stretched and eyes are fixed on the Day when the shin is uncovered ⁷⁶⁵. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first whose hem all creatures grasp for fear of God's punishment and retribution. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first whom the angels carry through Paradise on wings studded with pearls and coral. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to be praised for noble character and to whom all creatures submit absolutely. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first to carry the banner of praise by consensus and to undertake the Great Intercession ⁷⁶⁶ by primacy and entitlement. O God, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of God," because he is the first for whom the swift mounts are driven and the spread carpets are laid out.

O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁷⁶⁷ said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to urge towards visiting the Sovereign Lord and to raise before Him the highest ranks. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to bear the testimony ⁷⁶⁸ and Allah will fulfill his aim and desire. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to be whispered to by the Worshipped King, praising Allah as befits His generosity and bounty. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first for whom the plates and vessels are arranged, and his eye is comforted by attaining his goals and achieving his wishes. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first towards whom the hearts of the great ones are stirred, and they delight in beholding his radiant light. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to attain goodness and reward, and his recompense in both abodes is given without reckoning. (276) O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to receive greeting and peace, and the creation stands before him in Paradise, and he is meant by His saying in His Clear Book: "And their greeting therein is 'Peace!' And the end of their call is 'Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds!'" ⁷⁶⁹ So bless him, O Allah, and his pure and immaculate family, and his pious and righteous companions, with a blessing that makes us, through it, among Your perfect saints, and places us, through it, in the stations of Your sincere beloved ones and Your chosen intimate ones, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁷⁷⁰ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to don the robe of honor in Paradise and to intercede for his community on the Day of Resurrection. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first whose light and beauty appear in the highest stations, and the Lord, majestic is His glory, manifests to him. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to speak and be heard, and to intercede for all creatures, and He will accept his intercession. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to cross the Sirat ⁷⁷¹ with his community and to admit the sinners into Paradise through his intercession. (277) O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to prostrate beneath the Throne on the Day of Meeting and to cling to the ring of the door of the Abode of Permanence. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to sit on the couch of contentment and to stroll in the gardens of the White Pearl ⁷⁷². O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to be descended upon by the intimate and near one, and the companion cupbearer ⁷⁷³ circles around him. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to be regarded with the eye of care and to be carried on the shoulder of benevolence and protection. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to stand in the station of high honor and to be embroidered with the embroidery of perfection and excellence. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to sit on the carpet of Truth, mighty and exalted, and to behold the wonders of the sublime dominion. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to be given effectual action and speech, and to be attended by pride, glory, and abundance. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to be called by his noble name to the highest paradises and the Garden of Bliss. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah" (278) because he is the first from whose community the fears of threat are removed, and he hastens with them to the courtyards of the Abode of Increase. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to be encompassed by the courtyards on the Day when the earth is changed to other than the earth and the heavens ⁷⁷⁴. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to whom the near and far among the people of sins and transgressions seek refuge. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said, "He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah," because he is the first to take the foremost position in

Assemblies of dispatch and empowerment for the relief of the distressed and the sinful. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first to attain abundant good and initiate comprehensive blessings.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first among the messengers to be rewarded for conveying the message to the worlds.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first whom Allah, glorified be He, rewards for preserving the trusts and conveying the trust.' So bless him, O Allah, with a blessing that makes us among the people of righteousness and piety, and enters us through it into the protection of preservation, security, and safeguarding, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. The Messenger of Allah, how many times he granted healing, just as he granted success to his follower. And the crown of the prophets, the most exalted orator, tomorrow he will grant them all release. So he made tongues speak, but we, by right, became eloquent through his eloquence. A blessing for an illiterate nation, for by following his guidance they have gained profit. A gift from their Lord, generously given to them, it came to them, so they acquired success through it. So Taha ⁷⁷⁵ is the mercy bestowed, truly, through him the Merciful granted us expansion. The Possessor of the Throne, who elevated his rank, to him belong the lights in the highest of heights. And He singled him out for a great Ascension ⁷⁷⁶ and spoke to him alone when he went. And He granted him intercession with a great lightening, so the Chosen One ⁷⁷⁷ departed from that. And He strengthened his eyes there so that he might see the gifts of our Lord face to face. He saw the Gardens and what is bestowed therein for those who choose righteousness in this world. Allah has prepared for the righteous, as a favor, palaces in its highest parts, spacious. They see Allah therein at all times, and they are adorned with beauty and a sash. Upon them shines the light of Self-Disclosure ⁷⁷⁸, therefore their faces meet the dawn. For the sake of Muhammad, they attained the high stations, and they are given gifts and generosity. Were it not for the Chosen One, Allah would not have given the bliss of those who enter, nor would He have permitted it. O Messenger of Allah, you have conveyed to us the high stations, so we have surpassed those who passed before in rank and opportunity. O Messenger of Allah, lamp of the darkness, we have seen your light among us as dawn. O Messenger of Allah, sword of Allah truly, especially when he dons armor. O Messenger of Allah, secret of Allah that traveled over the worlds as a light that shone. O Messenger of Allah, repose of every heart, for without him, no heart would find rest. O Messenger of Allah, pardon of Allah towards us, how many times He has relieved the perishing through pardon. Upon him and his family be the purest peace, and upon his Companions who guided to the clear path. O Allah, bless him whose spirit is the mihrab ⁷⁷⁹ of spirits, angels, and the cosmos. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the prophets and messengers. O Allah, bless him who is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah. O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because all creatures seek refuge in his protection and call out: O Muhammad, O Muhammad.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because when the Fire sees his beautiful face, its flame subsides and its heat calms.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the one who sits upon the Throne without doubt, and Allah grants him His kingdom, and he sits in the place of honor on the Day of Reckoning.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the one whom Allah has placed in a noble station and has prepared for him in the Hereafter bliss and a great kingdom.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first of people to stand for the Gathering, and the most followed of the prophets, and the most abundant.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the leader of nations when they assemble, and the orator of creation when they sit.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the eye of Allah's blessings and His family, and all the prophets on the Day of Resurrection are under his banner.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the one who repels the Fire by its snout from his community and restrains it from the people of his creed and love.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the one whom Allah will clothe on the Day of Resurrection with a green garment, by which the servants will recognize him and distinguish him entirely.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the one who will intercede for the sinners of his community and will not let them perish.'

His daughter Fatima al-Batul ⁷⁸⁰ said of him: 'He is the Imam ⁷⁸¹ of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first to be adorned with the splendor of command and joy, and to wrap himself in the cloak of blessing and delight.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first to whom the reins of glories are led and all blessings and treasures are brought.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first to be vested with the robe of messengership and to be clothed with the awe of majesty.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first to be adorned with the garment of precedence and priority, and the gaze of bliss flows upon his face.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first to be led along the right path and to be adorned with the ornament of those upon whom Allah has bestowed favor from among the prophets and messengers.' O Allah, bless him of whom his daughter Fatima al-Batul said: 'He is the Imam of the people of Paradise, the believing servants of Allah, because he is the first for whom the splendid assemblies are held and for whom the domes and lofty mansions are prepared.' So bless him, O Allah, and bless his family, the luminous stars, and his Companions, the springs of divine knowledge and esoteric sciences ⁷⁸², a blessing by which we may be, in this world and the Hereafter, under the shade of the tree of his luminous, prophetic, pure, and immaculate essence, distinguished among the women of the worlds by the honor of mother, father, husband, and offspring, and by which You may gather us in the company of his goodly and chosen ⁷⁸³ group, by Your grace and generosity, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Lord of the worlds. Allah has set hearts upon her love, drawn souls to her presence, honored destinies through her service, guided intellects by the secret of her wisdom, purified elements by the purity of her lineage, perfumed the horizons with the essence of her breath, enriched supplication through her gaze, and benefited visitors by the blessing of her prayer. What a beautiful one she is! Allah has illuminated the world with her splendor, lit the cosmos with the light of her countenance, made the gardens of the celestial kingdom fragrant with her flower, illuminated the sanctuaries of holiness with her radiance, freed necks through the dignity of her sanctity, and overwhelmed Islam with the abundance of her grace. What a majestic one she is! The assemblies rejoice in her brightness, perfections are completed by her pearl, clans take pride in knowing her, worlds are blessed by her emergence, pens are preserved through her progeny, and the perfect ones seek intercession through her high aspiration. May Allah be pleased with her and make her pleased, and make us among those who seek refuge in her impregnable sanctuary, hold fast to her most trustworthy handhold, drink from her lofty fountain, enter her fortified fortress, and stand under her banner. Amen, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And by their love for You, their station with You, their honor before You, and by the right of their fear of You, their obedience to You, their compliance with Your commands and prohibitions, and their humility before You, grant me in their chosen love, perfume me with the fragrant breezes of their Muhammadan and Ahmadi ⁷⁸⁴ essence, honor me with the perfection of their Hashimite and Alid ⁷⁸⁵ lineage, quench my heart from the cups of their sweet and delicious effusions, and provide me through their blessing with esoteric knowledge not attained by acquisition, sacred understanding not taken from notebooks and books, inspirational revelation not inscribed by pen or writer, lofty station not reached by means and desires, strong state not grasped by asking and seeking, and luminous gnosis not given through a teacher's mediation, but by the abundant favor of the Master of gifts and bestowals. Support me, O Allah, in all that with divine influxes and inspirational unveilings, and protect me from the assaults of satanic calamities, the snatches of darkening flashes, the obstacles of carnal passions, the slips of verbal claims, and the evil of human natures. Veil me, O Allah, from that with Your lordly care and the perfection of Your solitary secrets, and save me from the attack of every crushing lion and the violence of every jealous despoiler. Honor me with the succession of Your merciful effusions and the gifts of Your gnostic influxes, which are not attained by invitation, do not depart for any reason, do not come in a single pattern, nor at a specific time, but purely by Your generosity, favor, vastness, bounty, and grace. And cause me, O Allah, to alight in the stations of the truthful, grant me the state of the realized saints, the care of the successful elite, the absence of the enraptured, beloved individuals, and the pride of the wayfaring, attracted ones ⁷⁸⁶—those who are intoxicated and do not sober except by witnessing their Beloved, who are ill and are not healed except by contemplating their Desired, who are bewildered and find no comfort except in their Master, who do not occupy themselves with other than His remembrance, who do not respond to other than His caller, who do not answer other than His summoner. Occupy them with witnessing and observing Him, comfort them with His remembrance and love, so they cut off attachments and abandon creatures. He made their breasts treasuries of the deposits of His secrets, and their hearts the rising places of the shining lights of His manifestations. Causes did not distract them from the remembrance of the Causer of causes. They repented and reformed; when they reformed, they succeeded; when they succeeded, they remained steadfast; by their steadfastness, they were sincere; when they were sincere, they realized; when they realized, they knew; when they knew, they relied; when they relied, they drew near; when they drew near, they arrived; when they arrived...

They arrived and entered; when they entered, they alighted; when they alighted, they settled; when they settled, they sought; when they sought, they found; when they found, they witnessed; when they witnessed, they were bewildered; when they were bewildered, they lost their senses; when they lost their senses, they lived; when they lived, they became intimate; when they became intimate, they sought intimacy; when they sought intimacy, they became estranged from all else. These are the highest stations of the lovers. When they look, they look to God; when they speak, they speak with God; when they hear, they hear from God; when they seek intimacy, they seek intimacy with God. The fragrance of love emanates from their mouths, and the lights of knowledge shine upon their hearts. Their states oscillate between contraction and expansion, and their aspirations operate in the world of creation by binding and loosing. Their spirits are intimate with their Lord, while their bodies sit among their own kind. The Real has taken them between His gentleness and their reports, except concerning Himself they are concealed within the veil of His guarded beauty, and veiled in the curtain of His hidden secret of perfection, and addressed by His words: "O My servants, no fear shall be upon you this day, nor shall you grieve." ⁷⁸⁷ The intoxication of witnessing the All ⁷⁸⁸ swirled in my mind, intoxicating me and annihilating me from multiplicity. It unified my witnessing in the best station, which with its oneness came from pre-eternity to everlasting. It released me from the bondage of existence, so that I witnessed none but myself in the darkness of guidance. In a presence that gathered beauty and virtue, exalted, blessed, pure, and established by His hand. The cupbearers of its court are a people whose fragrance perfumes the garden of intimacy with the One ⁷⁸⁹ from their discourse. They are pure in their present moment in the eye of their witness, so their drinker is pure from his abundant life. Their maidens hum in the festival of their feast, and they strut in their new garments. They have never seen any affliction that distracts them from the Beloved, far be it from them to be vexed. They are drunk with the wine of proximity, witnessing the loss of fortunes when they attained the Eternal ⁷⁹⁰. Branches sway from the forms of beauty, delighting them with their unique sound. So they separated and parted, holy in their union, by gathering a station guarded without number.

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1. ahadith muhammadiyya : Prophetic traditions; sayings, actions, or approvals of the Prophet Muhammad.
2. Ahmadiyya : Attributed to Ahmad, one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad.
3. Mustafawiyya : Attributed to al-Mustafa, 'the Chosen One,' a title of the Prophet Muhammad.
4. lata'if malakutiyya : Spiritual subtleties or divine mysteries related to the angelic realm (Malakut).
5. sunni : Orthodox; adhering to the Sunnah of the Prophet and the consensus of the early Muslim community.
6. karamat : Miraculous graces or wonders bestowed by Allah upon His righteous servants (awliya').
7. hanifan : Upright, monotheistic; referring to the pure religion of Abraham, i.e., Islam.
8. musahara : Relationship by marriage; affinity.
9. hurmatuhu wa tawqiruhu wa ta'zimuhu ba'da mawtihi lazim kama kana hala hayatihi : The sanctity, reverence, and veneration of the Prophet after his death are obligatory just as they were during his life.
10. al-Sunnah al-Muhammadiyyah : The prophetic tradition and way of life of Prophet Muhammad.
11. ahbabik : Your beloved ones; refers to those whom Allah loves.
12. salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam : May Allah bless him and grant him peace; a formula of blessing upon the Prophet Muhammad.
13. ijlalan : Veneration, reverence, or exaltation; a state of profound respect.
14. al-‘ulūm al-ladunniyya : Esoteric or divine sciences, knowledge granted directly by God to the saints and prophets.
15. al-‘irfān : Gnosis, spiritual knowledge or mystical insight into divine realities.
16. al-sarrāt al-kirām : Noble secrets; possibly referring to the elite of the Prophet's family or companions who possess hidden spiritual knowledge.
17. ṣ : Abbreviation for 'ṣallā llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam' (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), written after the Prophet's name.
18. al-mala’ al-a‘lā : The highest assembly, referring to the angels and prophets in the heavenly realm.
19. al-ḥāfiẓ : A title for a hadith master who has memorized a vast number of traditions and their chains of transmission.
20. quṭb : Pole or axis; in Sufism, the highest spiritual authority of an era, the 'pole' around whom the spiritual world revolves.
21. warrāq : A paper-seller or copyist, often involved in the production and sale of books.
22. al-kawnayn : The two worlds: this world and the Hereafter.
23. al-thaqalayn : The two weighty ones: humans and jinn, or the Qur'an and the Prophet's family.
24. Kitāb al-Najm : The Book of the Star; possibly a specific work, but not widely identified.
25. al-ḍād : The letter 'ḍād' in Arabic, considered unique to the Arabic language; 'the one who spoke the ḍād' refers to the Prophet as the most eloquent Arab.
26. yuqābil : To collate or compare manuscripts of hadith to ensure accuracy.
27. ‘ārif : A gnostic, one who possesses spiritual knowledge (ma‘rifa) of God.
28. walī : A saint or friend of God, a pious person with spiritual authority.
29. madd : Spiritual aid or support, often from a saint or the Prophet.
30. al-ʿulamāʾ al-ʿāmilīn : Scholars who act upon their knowledge; those who practice what they know.
31. sirr al-lāhūtiyya al-mukhtam : The hidden secret of divinity; a Sufi term referring to the esoteric aspect of prophethood.
32. al-muḥaddithīn : Hadith scholars; specialists in the study and transmission of prophetic traditions.
33. dhubl al-shifāh : Parched lips; a sign of asceticism and devotion.
34. bi-ṭūrin ḥalla fīhā min al-nubuwwa : The text is incomplete; likely a poetic line.
35. al-aḥmadiyya : Relating to Ahmad, another name of Prophet Muhammad; the Muhammadan message.
36. Qurʾān 42:23 : Sūrat al-Shūrā, verse 23: 'Say, I do not ask you for it any reward except love for the relatives.'
37. Munkar wa Nakir : The two angels who question the deceased in the grave about their faith.
38. Arafat : The plain near Mecca where pilgrims stand on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah; here used metaphorically for the Prophet's station.
39. Itrati : The Prophet's family or progeny, specifically his descendants.
40. Tayba : One of the names of Medina, meaning 'the good/pure city'.
41. Rahimi : My womb/kinship; refers to the sanctity of blood relations.
42. Ali ibn Isa al-Wazir : A historical vizier (minister) known for his piety and generosity to the Prophet's descendants.
43. Alawiyyin : Descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima, the Prophet's daughter.
44. Madinat al-Islam : The City of Islam, likely Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.
45. Musa ibn Ja'far : Musa al-Kadhim, the seventh Shia Imam, a descendant of the Prophet.
46. Banu Husayn : The descendants of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, often considered nobles (ashraf) in Medina.
47. Ahl al-Sunna : Sunni Muslims, those who follow the Sunna (traditions) of the Prophet Muhammad.
48. Ka'ba : The sacred cube-shaped building in Mecca, the direction of prayer for Muslims.
49. Maghreb : The western region of the Islamic world, typically referring to North Africa.
50. Hajj : The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, a religious duty for Muslims.
51. Shi'a : Shiite Muslims, who hold that Ali and his descendants are the rightful successors to the Prophet Muhammad.
52. Sirat : The bridge over Hell that all must cross on Judgment Day; the righteous pass easily, the wicked fall.
53. the two Shaykhs : Abu Bakr and Umar, the first two caliphs, highly revered by Sunnis but often criticized by Shiites.
54. ma'āthir : Noble traits or virtues, often referring to praiseworthy qualities inherited or acquired.
55. Sunna : The established practices and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, considered a model for Muslims.
56. Aḥmad : Another name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
57. Mālik : Possibly referring to Imam Malik ibn Anas, founder of the Maliki school of jurisprudence, or a spiritual figure.
58. aqṭāb : Spiritual poles or axis in Sufism, the highest ranking saints in the hierarchy of awliya'.
59. al-farqadayn : The two stars of the Little Bear constellation, used metaphorically for high rank.
60. mishkāt al-shuhūd : The niche of witnessing, a Sufi term for the station of direct contemplation of divine realities.
61. Ahl al-Bayt : The People of the House, referring to the family of the Prophet Muhammad, especially Fatima, Ali, Hasan, and Husayn.
62. al-Mukhtār : The Chosen One, an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad.
63. āyat al-taṭhīr : The verse of purification (Quran 33:33), which is understood by Shia and some Sunni to refer to the Ahl al-Bayt.
64. laylat al-miʿrāj : The Night of Ascension, when the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven.
65. al-Zahra' al-mardiyya : Al-Zahra' (the Radiant) is a title of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. 'Al-mardiyya' means 'the well-pleasing' (to Allah).
66. kanz al-hidaya al-tayyib : Literally 'the treasure of pure guidance,' a metaphorical description of the Prophet Muhammad.
67. al-azal : Pre-eternity; a term in Islamic theology referring to timelessness without beginning, often used for God's attributes.
68. al-karūbiyyīn : Cherubim; a class of angels in Islamic cosmology, often associated with nearness to God and glorification.
69. al-huwainā : Gently; a term indicating a slow, dignified pace, often used in Sufi contexts for spiritual movement.
70. al-mawlawī : Mawlawi; a title referring to a spiritual master, often associated with the Sufi order of Jalal al-Din Rumi (Mevlevi).
71. al-fāṭimī : Fatimid; relating to Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, or the Fatimid dynasty.
72. al-‘alawī : Alid; relating to Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, or his descendants.
73. al-ḥūr : Houris; beautiful, pure beings in Paradise described in the Quran.
74. sidrat al-muntahā : The Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary; a tree in the seventh heaven marking the end of what angels and prophets can know, mentioned in the Quran (53:14).
75. al-bayt al-ma‘mūr : The Much-Frequented House; a celestial counterpart of the Kaaba in heaven, visited by angels.
76. fāṭima al-zahrā’ : Fatima al-Zahra; the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, wife of Ali, and a central figure in Islam, especially in Shia tradition.
77. ṭūbā : Tuba; a tree in Paradise described as having immense shade and blessings, mentioned in the Quran (13:29).
78. shāhid al-ḥaqq : Witness of truth; a term possibly referring to a prophetic or angelic figure who testifies to the truth of the marriage.
79. ḥaḍrat al-aḥad : Presence of the One; a Sufi term for the divine presence in the aspect of God's oneness.
80. al-‘arsh : The Throne; the throne of God, a symbol of His sovereignty in Islamic cosmology.
81. ḥaḍrat qudsih : His holy presence; a term for the divine presence in its sanctity.
82. ahl al-bayt : People of the House; the family of the Prophet Muhammad, including Fatima, Ali, Hasan, and Husayn.
83. ‘adnān : Adnan; a legendary ancestor of the northern Arabs, often used to denote the noble lineage of the Prophet.
84. مَقَاصِير : Pavilions or chambers in Paradise, often referring to the private abodes of the blessed.
85. التِّهَامِي : The Tihami, referring to the Prophet Muhammad, who was from the Tihama region in Arabia.
86. الْمَوَالِي وَالْأَحْرَار : Masters and freemen; a phrase indicating nobility and freedom from servitude.
87. السُّنَّة : The Sunna, the prophetic tradition and practices of Muhammad.
88. الرَّان : Rust or covering over the heart, often referring to spiritual heedlessness or sin.
89. al-akinnah : Plural of kinān, meaning coverings or veils; here referring to hidden spiritual realities.
90. al-Zahra' : Title of Fatima, meaning 'the luminous' or 'the radiant'.
91. Qur'an 55:19-22 : Reference to the verse about the two seas and the barrier.
92. al-sirr al-Muhammadi : The Muhammadan Mystery, a Sufi concept referring to the primordial spiritual reality of the Prophet Muhammad.
93. al-'aql al-kulli : The Universal Intellect, a Neoplatonic and Sufi concept representing the first emanation from God.
94. al-qalam al-a'la : The Supreme Pen, a Qur'anic symbol (Q. 68:1) representing the divine command and knowledge.
95. al-nafs al-kulliyya : The Universal Soul, a Neoplatonic concept representing the animating principle of the cosmos.
96. al-lawh al-mahfuz : The Preserved Tablet, a Qur'anic concept (Q. 85:22) representing the divine decree.
97. al-'arsh : The Throne of God, a Qur'anic symbol of divine sovereignty.
98. al-kursi : The Footstool, a Qur'anic symbol (Q. 2:255) representing divine knowledge and power.
99. Muhammad al-Mahdi : The guided one, a messianic figure in Islam who will appear before the Day of Judgment.
100. hamalat al-'arsh : The bearers of the Throne, angels mentioned in Q. 69:17.
101. 'Illiyin : The highest station in Paradise, mentioned in Q. 83:18-19.
102. Ahmadi : Derived from Ahmad, another name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
103. Kawthar : A river in Paradise, mentioned in Q. 108:1.
104. Mahmud : A name meaning 'praised', referring to the Prophet Muhammad.
105. Jannat 'Adn : The Garden of Eden, a level of Paradise.
106. al-Mahmud : One of the divine names, meaning 'the Praised'.
107. al-A'la : One of the divine names, meaning 'the Most High'.
108. al-Fatim : One of the divine names, meaning 'the Cutter' or 'the Separator'.
109. al-Muhsin : One of the divine names, meaning 'the Benefactor'.
110. al-Ihsan : One of the divine names, meaning 'the Good' or 'the Beautiful'.
111. al-sirat : The bridge over Hell that all must cross on the Day of Judgment.
112. ṣalawāt : Prayers of blessing upon the Prophet and his family, often recited as litanies.
113. miqdār : Measure, rank, or magnitude; here indicating the great spiritual status of these prayers.
114. jahābidha : Plural of jahbadh, meaning expert scholars or masters in a field, especially in Sufi terminology.
115. Fāṭima al-Zahrā' : The daughter of Prophet Muhammad, known as Fatima the Radiant, a central figure in Islamic spirituality.
116. al-wazīra : The minister; here referring to Fatima's role as a spiritual support, akin to a minister.
117. al-Muṣṭafā : The Chosen One, a title of Prophet Muhammad.
118. al-nāṭiqiyya al-muḥammadiyya : The Muhammadan eloquence or rational speech, indicating Fatima's ability to express spiritual truths.
119. Aḥmad : Another name of Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
120. al-sibṭayn : The two grandsons, Hasan and Husayn, sons of Fatima and Ali.
121. rumūz : Symbols or allusions, often used in Sufi literature to convey deeper spiritual meanings.
122. asrār : Secrets, esoteric knowledge, a key concept in Sufism.
123. al-asrār al-aḥadiyya : The unitive secrets, referring to the mysteries of divine oneness (tawhid).
124. ʿAlī : Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, husband of Fatima.
125. tajnīs : Paronomasia, a rhetorical device involving wordplay, common in Arabic poetry.
126. barzakh : The intermediate state between death and resurrection; also a realm of spiritual beings.
127. janābāt : Gardens; also a play on words with 'junub' (ritual impurity), indicating spiritual purity.
128. Ṭūbā : A tree in paradise mentioned in the Quran, symbolizing bliss and abundance.
129. al-Zahra' : The Radiant; a title of Fatima, daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.
130. al-ghurra wa al-tahjil : Terms referring to the blaze (white mark on a horse's forehead) and white markings on legs; used metaphorically for distinction and honor.
131. mā rāba Fāṭimata fālī yarību : A hadith: 'Whoever harms Fatima harms me.'
132. al-Batūl : The Virgin; a title of Fatima, indicating her purity and devotion.
133. Fāṭima : Derived from the root f-t-m, meaning 'to wean'; she is named so because her lovers are weaned from the Fire.
134. al-Ṣiddīqa : The Truthful; a title of Fatima, indicating her veracity.
135. miḥrāb : Prayer niche in a mosque; symbolically, the place of intimate communion with God.
136. biḍʿa : Piece of flesh; a term of endearment for Fatima as part of the Prophet's body.
137. al-Ḥasan wa al-Ḥusayn : The two sons of Fatima and Ali, grandsons of the Prophet.
138. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; also a place of worship or private prayer chamber.
139. tanzulat 'indiyya : Divine descents or spiritual effusions from God, often referring to states of divine presence.
140. tajalliyat qudsiyya : Holy theophanies or manifestations of divine attributes.
141. 'ayn al-yaqin : The eye of certainty; a spiritual state of direct vision of divine realities.
142. qibla : The direction of prayer towards Mecca; metaphorically, the spiritual focal point.
143. aqtab : Poles; in Sufism, the highest ranking saints who are the spiritual axis of the universe.
144. awtad : Stakes; a rank of saints who support the spiritual world, often four in number.
145. Qur'an 3:37 : Reference to the verse about Mary and Zechariah in the mihrab.
146. Qur'an 3:39 : Reference to Zechariah praying in the mihrab.
147. tawhid : The oneness of God; the central doctrine of Islam affirming God's unity.
148. sirr : The secret or innermost heart; a subtle center of spiritual perception.
149. Kaaba : The sacred cube-shaped building in Mecca, the focal point of Muslim prayer.
150. Qur'an 3:39 : Another reference to the angels calling Zechariah while he prayed.
151. Fatima al-Zahra : The daughter of Prophet Muhammad, revered as a model of piety.
152. imam : Leader; here meaning the foremost or leader in spiritual rank.
153. malakut : The angelic realm or world of dominion; a spiritual plane.
154. jabarut : The realm of divine power and might; a higher spiritual plane.
155. jamal : Beauty; referring to the divine attribute of beauty and its manifestations.
156. jalal : Majesty; referring to the divine attribute of majesty and awe.
157. Ruh al-Qudus : The Holy Spirit; often identified with the angel Gabriel or a divine spirit.
158. Hadith : Prophetic saying: 'Whoever sees me has seen the Truth' (variant).
159. Hadith : Prophetic saying: 'Whoever knows me has known the Truth' (variant).
160. Hadith : Prophetic saying: 'The first thing God created was my light' (widely cited in Sufi tradition).
161. هي : The feminine pronoun refers to the spirit (rūḥ) of the Prophet Muhammad, personified as a feminine entity in this context.
162. محراب : Mihrab: a niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary for spirits.
163. إمام : Imam: leader, especially in prayer; here meaning the foremost or leader of the prophets.
164. الاسم المحمدي : The Muhammadan name: the spiritual reality of the Prophet Muhammad as the source of all names and attributes.
165. القلم النوراني : The luminous pen: a reference to the Pen (al-Qalam) in Islamic cosmology, which writes destiny on the Preserved Tablet.
166. أبيها الأقدس : Her most holy father: a metaphorical reference to the Prophet Muhammad as the spiritual father of the spirit.
167. الصديقية العظمى : The supreme veracity: the highest level of truthfulness and spiritual realization, associated with the Prophet Muhammad.
168. الملكوت : Malakut: the spiritual or angelic realm, the dominion of the heavens.
169. العرش والكرسي : The Throne (al-‘Arsh) and the Footstool (al-Kursī): cosmological entities in Islam, the Throne being the greatest creation.
170. اللوح والقلم : The Tablet (al-Lawḥ) and the Pen (al-Qalam): the Preserved Tablet and the Pen that writes destiny.
171. سدرة المنتهى : Sidrat al-Muntahā: the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, a celestial tree marking the end of the seventh heaven, where the Prophet Muhammad ascended during the Mi‘rāj.
172. قاب قوسين أو أدنى : Two bow-lengths or nearer: a Qur’anic phrase (53:9) describing the Prophet’s proximity to Allah during the Mi‘rāj.
173. فأوحى إلى عبده ما أوحى : So He revealed to His servant what He revealed: Qur’an 53:10, referring to the revelation given to the Prophet during the Mi‘rāj.
174. ما كذب الفؤاد ما رأى : The heart did not lie about what it saw: Qur’an 53:11, affirming the truth of the Prophet’s vision.
175. أفتنمارونه على ما يرى : Do you then dispute with him about what he saw?: Qur’an 53:12, a rhetorical question challenging those who doubt the Prophet’s vision.
176. خليفة الحق : Vicegerent of the Truth: the Prophet as Allah’s representative on earth.
177. البيت المعمور : The frequented house: al-Bayt al-Ma‘mūr, a celestial counterpart of the Kaaba in heaven, visited by angels.
178. sirāj : Lamp; a symbol of divine guidance and illumination.
179. aqṭāb : Poles; highest ranking saints in the Sufi hierarchy.
180. Ṭā Hā : One of the mysterious letters (ḥurūf muqaṭṭaʿāt) at the beginning of Surah 20 of the Quran.
181. Yā Sīn : Mysterious letters at the beginning of Surah 36.
182. Ḥā Mīm : Mysterious letters at the beginning of several surahs (40-46).
183. ʿAyn Sīn Qāf : Mysterious letters at the beginning of Surah 42 (al-Shūrā).
184. miḥrāb : Prayer niche; also a symbol of spiritual station and leadership.
185. al-ʿArsh, al-Kursī, al-Lawḥ, al-Qalam : The Throne, Footstool, Tablet, and Pen; primordial created entities in Islamic cosmology.
186. awtād : Pegs; a rank of saints who are spiritual supports of the world.
187. ajrās : Bells; a term for certain saints in Sufi hierarchy.
188. Furqān : The Criterion; a name for the Quran.
189. Ādam : Adam; the first prophet and human being.
190. Muḥammad : The Prophet Muhammad, considered the perfect human and seal of the prophets.
191. Āl Muḥammad : The family of Muhammad; includes his descendants and close relatives.
192. Fāṭima al-Zahrā : The Prophet's daughter, wife of Ali, and mother of Hasan and Husayn.
193. Kaʿba : The sacred cube-shaped building in Mecca, direction of prayer.
194. qibla : Direction of prayer towards the Kaaba.
195. nūr al-ulūhiyya : Light of Divinity; the divine light from which Muhammad was created.
196. subbūḥiyya : Most holy; a divine attribute indicating absolute transcendence.
197. qayyūmiyya : Self-subsistent; a divine attribute indicating that God sustains all existence.
198. al-ʿarshīya wa-l-farshīya : The Throne and the carpet; i.e., the celestial and terrestrial worlds.
199. arbāb al-baṣāʾir al-nūrāniyya : Masters of luminous insights; spiritually illuminated saints or gnostics.
200. ṣūrat al-raḥmān : Form of the All-Merciful; a hadith stating Adam was created in God's form.
201. shajarat al-riḍā wa-l-riḍwān : Tree of good pleasure and satisfaction; a reference to the primordial covenant.
202. al-sabʿ al-mathānī : The seven oft-repeated verses; usually referring to Sura al-Fatiha.
203. al-azaliyyāt wa-l-abadiyyāt : Eternities without beginning and without end; pre-eternity and post-eternity.
204. abū al-ashbāḥ : Father of bodies; Adam as progenitor of physical forms.
205. yaʿsūb al-arwāḥ : Leader of spirits; Muhammad as the chief of spiritual beings.
206. al-waḥda al-ṣamadāniyya : Self-Sufficient Unity; a divine attribute indicating absolute independence.
207. al-ʿālam al-nāsūtī : The human world; the realm of physical humanity.
208. al-ʿālam al-lāhūtī : The divine world; the realm of divinity.
209. kaʿba : Ka'ba; the sacred shrine in Mecca, here used metaphorically for Adam.
210. jamāluhu al-aḥmadī : His Ahmadine beauty; beauty associated with the name Ahmad (Muhammad).
211. labanuhu al-muṣṭafawī : His Mustafan milk; spiritual nourishment from the Chosen One (al-Muṣṭafā).
212. al-āya : The verse; Qur'an 7:172, where God takes the covenant from the children of Adam.
213. al-Ṭawāsīm : Surahs beginning with Ṭā sīn; i.e., Surahs 26, 27, 28.
214. al-ḥawāmīm : Surahs beginning with Ḥā mīm; i.e., Surahs 40-46.
215. laylat al-qadr : Night of Power; the night the Qur'an was first revealed.
216. al-quwwa al-lāhūtiyya : Divine strength; power from the divine realm.
217. al-ḥaqīqah al-muḥammadiyyah : The Muhammadan Reality, the primordial spiritual reality of the Prophet Muhammad from which all creation emanates.
218. sayyid al-wujūd : Master of Existence, a title for the Prophet Muhammad.
219. Muḍar : A prominent Arab tribe, the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad.
220. al-khilāfah al-abawiyyah : Fatherly vicegerency, referring to Adam's role as the first prophet and father of humanity.
221. Qur'an 67:3-4 : Surah Al-Mulk, verses 3-4.
222. Qur'an 2:30 : Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 30.
223. Qur'an 2:32 : Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 32.
224. Qur'an 38:76 : Surah Sad, verse 76.
225. Qur'an 2:35 : Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 35.
226. umm al-kitāb : Mother of the Book, the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ) containing all divine decrees.
227. ʿālam al-malakūt : World of the Kingdom, the intermediate spiritual realm between the divine and material worlds.
228. Hārūt wa Mārūt : Two angels mentioned in the Qur'an (2:102) who taught magic in Babylon as a test.
229. Qur'an 42:5 : Surah Ash-Shura, verse 5.
230. Ḥadīth : Prophetic tradition narrated by Muslim and others.
231. al-Ḥaqq : The Real, one of the names of God, often used in Sufism to denote the Divine Reality.
232. al-ṣifāt al-nafsiyya : Essential attributes, attributes that are intrinsic to the essence, such as life, knowledge, will, power, etc.
233. al-Fātiḥa : The opening chapter of the Quran, considered the essence of the Quran.
234. al-haykal al-insānī : The human temple, a term for the human being as a microcosm reflecting the divine.
235. Fātiḥat al-Kitāb : The Opening of the Book, another name for Sura al-Fatiha.
236. al-Sabʿ al-Mathānī : The Seven Oft-Repeated, a reference to Sura al-Fatiha, which consists of seven verses.
237. al-Insān al-Kāmil : The Perfect Human, a key concept in Sufism referring to the highest spiritual realization, often embodied by the Prophet Muhammad.
238. al-Amāna : The Trust, a Quranic term referring to the divine responsibility that humans accepted.
239. ẓalūman : Unjust, from the Quranic verse; here interpreted as either active or passive.
240. jahūlan : Ignorant, from the same verse; interpreted as either active or passive.
241. arbāb al-aḥwāl al-marḍiyya : Masters of spiritual states, Sufis who have attained certain spiritual conditions.
242. al-ʿulūm al-wahbiyya : Bestowed sciences, knowledge granted directly by God.
243. maʿārif : Gnostic cognitions, spiritual knowledge.
244. al-risāla al-aḥmadiyya : The Ahmadian message, referring to the prophethood of Muhammad.
245. al-nubuwwa al-muṣṭafawiyya : The Chosen Prophethood, another reference to Muhammad's prophethood.
246. al-siyāda al-muḥammadiyya : Muhammadan lordship, the spiritual authority of Muhammad.
247. al-ḥaqīqa al-muṣṭafawiyya : The Chosen reality, the inner reality of the Prophet Muhammad.
248. aḥmadiyya : Ahmadianity, the essential reality of the Prophet Muhammad as the Praised One.
249. Uways al-Qaranī : A famous early Sufi saint from Yemen who never met the Prophet physically but believed in him.
250. Ibn Abī Quḥāfa : Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, the first caliph, father of Aisha.
251. aʿyān al-arwāḥ : Essences of spirits, the archetypal realities of spirits in the divine knowledge.
252. al-wāḥidiyya : The state of unity, a level of divine manifestation.
253. al-aḥadiyya : The state of oneness, the highest level of divine unity.
254. al-tanazzulāt al-ʿindiyya : Divine descents, the self-disclosures of God.
255. al-Qādiriyya : The attribute of power, or a Sufi order; here likely the reality of divine power.
256. ṣalṣalat al-jaras : Ringing of a bell, a sound heard during spiritual experiences, often associated with revelation.
257. al-ʿAẓamūtiyya : A term for the divine majesty or overwhelming power.
258. al-ḥaḍra al-ʿaẓamūtiyya : The Presence of Majesty, a station of divine awe.
259. al-ḥijāb al-aʿẓam : The Greatest Veil, the most formidable barrier between the seeker and God.
260. al-Isrāʾ : The Night Journey of the Prophet Muhammad to the heavens.
261. al-thaqalān : The two heavy ones, referring to humans and jinn.
262. al-amānah : The Trust; a Qur'anic term (33:72) referring to the divine responsibility that humans accepted, which the heavens, earth, and mountains declined.
263. al-ʿulūm al-ghaybiyyah : The unseen sciences; esoteric knowledge known only to God and the initiated.
264. tawḥīd : The oneness of God; the central doctrine of Islam affirming God's unity.
265. tafrīd : A Sufi term meaning the isolation or singling out of God in His unity, emphasizing His uniqueness.
266. qabila-hā : He accepted it; referring to Adam's acceptance of the Trust.
267. Kāf al-kaynūniyyah : The letter Kaf of beingness; a symbolic reference to the creative command 'Be!' (Kun) and the state of existence.
268. ʿaraḍnā : We offered; the first person plural verb used in the Qur'anic verse.
269. ẓalūman jahūlan : Arabic phrase meaning 'unjust and ignorant,' often interpreted in Sufi exegesis as referring to man's audacity in accepting the divine trust despite his inherent limitations.
270. al-amāna : The Trust; a Qur'anic term (33:72) referring to the divine responsibility that humans accepted, often interpreted as free will, knowledge of God, or the burden of religious obligations.
271. tawḥīd : The Islamic doctrine of the oneness of God; the foundational principle of monotheism in Islam.
272. al-Jabarūt : In Sufi cosmology, the realm of divine power and might, one of the spiritual worlds beyond the physical.
273. subbūḥiyya : Derived from subbūḥ, a divine attribute meaning 'All-Glorious'; here refers to the self-disclosures of God's absolute transcendence.
274. hal atā ʿalā l-insāni ḥīnun mina d-dahri lam yakun shay'an madhkūrā : Qur'an 76:1: 'Has there come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing mentioned?' Often interpreted as referring to Adam's pre-existence in the divine knowledge.
275. karūbiyyūn : Cherubim; a class of angels in Islamic tradition, often associated with the highest levels of proximity to God.
276. malakūt : The spiritual realm of sovereignty and dominion; in Sufi cosmology, the intermediate world between the physical and the divine.
277. malakūtiyya : Adjective form of malakūt; pertaining to the spiritual realm of sovereignty.
278. wa-naḥnu nusabbiḥu bi-ḥamdika wa-nuqaddisu laka : Qur'an 2:30: 'And we glorify You with praise and sanctify You.' The angels' response to God's announcement of creating a vicegerent.
279. innā khalaqnā l-insāna min nuṭfatin amshājin nabtalīhi fajaʿalnāhu samīʿan baṣīran : Qur'an 76:2: 'Indeed, We created man from a drop of mixed fluids that We may test him, and We made him hearing and seeing.'
280. ẓalūman jahūlan : Quranic phrase (33:72) describing man as 'unjust and ignorant' in bearing the trust; interpreted here in multiple ways.
281. al-qalam : The Pen; in Islamic theology, the first created thing that writes destiny.
282. al-ḥarā'ir : Free women; here referring to lawful wives or women in general.
283. al-maḥw wa al-thabāt : The tablets of erasure and establishment; a Sufi concept referring to the divine decree's mutable and immutable aspects.
284. lubs al-shufūf : Wearing transparent garments; metaphor for hypocrisy or showing off.
285. al-ṣirāṭ : The bridge over Hell that all must cross on Judgment Day.
286. al-sunna al-muḥammadiyya : The prophetic tradition of Muhammad.
287. al-amāna : The trust; Quranic term (33:72) for the moral responsibility offered to creation.
288. al-ḥafaza : The guardian angels who record deeds.
289. رب الحضرة : Lord of the Divine Presence; a Sufi term for God as the sovereign of the spiritual court.
290. المشاهدة : Witnessing; a Sufi term for direct spiritual vision of God.
291. المراقبة : Watchfulness; a Sufi term for constant awareness of God.
292. الأولياء : Saints; friends of God, plural of wali.
293. الجذب : Attraction; a Sufi term for being drawn by God towards Him.
294. حوراء : Houri; a celestial maiden in Paradise.
295. الذاكر : The rememberer; one who engages in dhikr (remembrance of God).
296. نفحات : Breezes; spiritual effusions or graces from God.
297. الافتتاح : Opening; a Sufi term for spiritual unveiling or initiation.
298. تُسْقَى بِمَاءٍ وَاحِدٍ وَتُفَضَّلُ بَعْضُهَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الأَكْلِ : Quranic verse 13:4, referring to fruits watered alike but differing in taste.
299. أهل الخصوصية : People of special distinction; elite saints with unique spiritual stations.
300. إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ : Quran 15:9; 'Indeed, it is We who sent down the Remembrance, and indeed, We will be its guardian.'
301. موارد : Sources; spiritual influxes or states that come to the rememberer.
302. الهمة : Aspiration; spiritual resolve or intention.
303. العياد : Worship; devotion, from the root 'abd (servant).
304. الشيخ : Shaykh; spiritual master or elder.
305. الأندلس : Al-Andalus; historical Muslim Spain.
306. سورة : Sūrah; a chapter of the Quran.
307. الرجال : Men; here referring to spiritual masters or saints.
308. العارفين : Knowers; gnostics, those with ma'rifa (spiritual knowledge of God).
309. المحراب : Mihrab; prayer niche in a mosque indicating the qibla.
310. النقطة : The point; in Sufi cosmology, the primordial point from which all letters and creation emanate.
311. الألف : Alif; the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, symbolizing the Divine Unity.
312. كن : Kun; 'Be,' the creative command of God.
313. الهبا : Dust-cloud; the primordial substance or matter.
314. الر : ALR; the Quranic initials (Alif Lam Ra) found in certain surahs.
315. الحواميم : Ha-mim; the Quranic initials (Ha Mim) found at the beginning of several surahs.
316. كهيعص : KHYAS; the Quranic initials (Kaf Ha Ya 'Ayn Sad) in Surah Maryam.
317. حم عسق : HM 'SQ; the Quranic initials (Ha Mim 'Ayn Sin Qaf) in Surah Ash-Shura.
318. عَالَمُ الْغَيْبِ : Knower of the unseen; a divine attribute, e.g., Quran 59:22.
319. القلم : The Pen; the first created thing, which writes destiny.
320. al-ghayb : The unseen, the hidden realm known only to God.
321. al-Qalam : The Pen, the first created thing through which God writes destinies.
322. al-habā' : Primordial dust or subtle substance from which all things were created.
323. Fāṭima al-Zahrā' : The daughter of Prophet Muhammad, revered for her spiritual insight.
324. uṣūl jāmi'a : Comprehensive principles or roots that encompass all.
325. Alif Lām Mīm : One of the disconnected letters (ḥurūf muqaṭṭa‘āt) at the start of some Qur'anic surahs.
326. miḥrāb : Prayer niche, symbolizing the focal point of spiritual devotion.
327. hayūlā : Hyle, the primordial matter or substratum of all things.
328. kīmiyā' : Alchemy, the transformative science of spiritual and material refinement.
329. al-wāw al-ma‘ṭūf : The conjunctive waw, a letter symbolizing connection and union.
330. Umm al-Kitāb : Mother of the Book, the celestial archetype of all scriptures.
331. al-thaqalayn : The two weighty ones, referring to humans and jinn.
332. مُرْشِدِنَا : Our guide, referring to the spiritual guide or the Prophet Muhammad.
333. مُنْشِدِنَا : Our chanter, one who recites poetry or praises.
334. السَّلَمِ : Safety, here meaning the obstacle of being safe or cautious in praise.
335. الْبَدْرِ : The full moon, a metaphor for the Prophet Muhammad.
336. ذَا الْعَرْشِ : Lord of the Throne, a title of God.
337. مَوْلاَهُ : His Master, referring to God.
338. الذِّكْرِ : The Remembrance, referring to the Quran.
339. الرَّحْمَنَ : The Merciful, a name of God.
340. يَوْمَ حَشْرِ الْخَلْقِ : The Day of Gathering, i.e., the Day of Resurrection.
341. آيَاتُهُ : His signs, referring to the miracles or verses of the Quran.
342. الْهَادِي : The Guide, a title of the Prophet Muhammad.
343. الْمِحْرَابِ : Mihrab, a niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; also a symbol of spiritual station.
344. تَبَرُّكًا : Seeking blessing (tabarruk).
345. فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاءَ : Fatima al-Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.
346. الْمُقَرَّبِينَ : The near ones, a rank of saints close to God.
347. الْأَقْطَابِ : The poles (aqtab), the highest ranking saints in Sufism.
348. الْأَوْتَادِ : The pegs (awtad), a category of saints who uphold the spiritual world.
349. الْمُصْطَفَوِي : Mustafawi, relating to al-Mustafa (the Chosen One), i.e., the Prophet Muhammad.
350. ﴿وَذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ﴾ : Quranic verse 57:21 or 62:4, meaning 'That is the bounty of God which He gives to whom He wills, and God is the Possessor of great bounty.'
351. سَيِّدِ الْأَقْطَابِ : Master of the poles, a title for the highest spiritual authority.
352. رَكْعَةً : A unit of prayer (rak'ah) involving bowing.
353. سَجْدَةً : Prostration (sajdah) in prayer.
354. الْجِنَانِ : The Gardens, i.e., Paradise.
355. حَوْضِهِ : His pool (hawd), the prophetic pool in Paradise from which the faithful drink.
356. malakut : The angelic or spiritual realm, the world of divine sovereignty and dominion.
357. barzakh : An intermediate state or isthmus between two realms, often referring to the barrier between the physical and spiritual worlds.
358. jabarut : The realm of divine power and might, often considered higher than malakut.
359. lahut : The realm of divinity, the divine nature or essence.
360. mi'raj : The ascension, particularly the Prophet Muhammad's night journey and ascent through the heavens.
361. nasut : The human or physical realm, the world of material existence.
362. Mika'ilian : Pertaining to the archangel Michael (Mika'il), associated with sustenance and mercy.
363. Israfilian : Pertaining to the archangel Israfil, who blows the trumpet on the Day of Resurrection.
364. 'Azra'ilian : Pertaining to the angel of death, 'Azra'il.
365. subbuhiyya : Derived from 'Subbuh', a divine attribute meaning 'All-Glorious' or 'All-Holy'.
366. 'indiyya : Pertaining to the divine presence or nearness, from 'inda (with, near).
367. Mustafawian : Pertaining to al-Mustafa (the Chosen One), a title of the Prophet Muhammad.
368. pegs (awtad) : In Sufism, 'awtad' are spiritual poles or saints who are the 'pegs' of the earth, maintaining spiritual stability.
369. solitary ones who have reached (afrad wasilin) : Sufi terms: 'afrad' are solitary saints, 'wasilin' are those who have attained union with the Divine.
370. poles (aqtab) : In Sufism, 'qutb' (pl. aqtab) is the highest spiritual authority, the 'pole' around whom the spiritual world revolves.
371. loving chains (asanid muhibbin) : Refers to chains of spiritual transmission or lineages of love and devotion.
372. mulk : The physical or material world, the realm of kingship and visible creation.
373. rahmut : The realm of divine mercy, from 'rahma' (mercy).
374. behemoth (bahamut) : A mythical creature in Islamic cosmology, often depicted as a giant fish or whale supporting the earth.
375. raghbut : The realm of desire or aspiration, from 'raghba' (desire).
376. rahabut : The realm of awe or fear, from 'rahba' (fear).
377. Sidrat : The Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary (Sidrat al-Muntaha), a celestial tree marking the end of the seventh heaven, beyond which no creation can pass.
378. Tiryaq : Antidote; a remedy against poison, often used metaphorically for spiritual healing.
379. Talbīyah : The response to God's call, specifically the phrase 'Labbayk Allahumma labbayk' uttered during pilgrimage.
380. Tamīmah : An amulet or charm worn for protection; here used metaphorically for spiritual safeguarding.
381. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary for spirits.
382. imam : Leader; here meaning the foremost or leader of prophets and believers.
383. Mīm, Ḥā’, Mīm, Dāl : Arabic letters that spell the name Muḥammad (Mīm Ḥā’ Mīm Dāl). In Sufi tradition, these letters are often used symbolically to refer to the Prophet Muhammad.
384. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary for spirits.
385. Mīm, Ḥā', Mīm, Dāl : The Arabic letters mīm (م), ḥā' (ح), mīm (م), dāl (د) spell the name 'Muḥammad' (محمد). They are used here as a mystical reference to the Prophet Muhammad.
386. Aqṭāb : Plural of Quṭb, meaning 'pole' or 'axis'; in Sufism, the highest-ranking saint in a given time, considered the spiritual axis of the universe.
387. Abdāl : Plural of Badal, meaning 'substitute'; in Sufi hierarchy, a rank of saints who are substitutes or successors, often forty in number.
388. al-mahāsin al-aḥmadiyya : The perfections of Ahmad, i.e., the Prophet Muhammad, whose name Ahmad is mentioned in the Quran.
389. miḥrāb : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary.
390. al-ṣamadāniyya : Derived from 'al-Ṣamad' (the Eternal, the Self-Sufficient), a divine attribute; here referring to a state of divine self-sufficiency.
391. al-raḥmāniyya : Derived from 'al-Raḥmān' (the Most Merciful); here referring to openings or gifts from the Merciful.
392. al-furqāniyya : Derived from 'al-Furqān' (the Criterion, a name for the Quran); here referring to secrets related to discernment.
393. al-iḥsāniyya : Derived from 'iḥsān' (excellence, spiritual perfection); here referring to stations of spiritual excellence.
394. al-fardāniyya : Derived from 'fard' (individual, unique); here referring to divine descents that are singular or unique.
395. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary for spirits.
396. Imam : Leader; here meaning the foremost or leader of all prophets and believers.
397. Furqan : The Criterion; a name for the Quran, distinguishing truth from falsehood.
398. tahajjud : The night vigil prayer performed after sleep.
399. tawhid : The oneness of God; the core Islamic belief in the unity of Allah.
400. Taha : One of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, from the Quranic chapter Taha.
401. miḥrāb : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as the focal point or source of spiritual orientation.
402. lisān al-ishāra : The 'tongue of allusion' refers to a mode of spiritual communication or symbolic expression beyond literal language.
403. al-maqām al-muḥammadī : The Muhammadan station, a high spiritual rank associated with the Prophet Muhammad, often seen as the pinnacle of spiritual attainment.
404. Qur'an 9:128-129 : A verse from the Qur'an describing the Prophet's compassion and reliance on Allah.
405. ʿālam al-mulk wa al-malakūt : The world of dominion and sovereignty; in Sufi cosmology, al-mulk is the physical world, and al-malakūt is the spiritual realm of angels and divine attributes.
406. al-raḥmūt wa al-jabarūt : Realms of mercy and omnipotence; al-jabarūt is the realm of divine power and compulsion, while al-raḥmūt is a less common term for the realm of mercy.
407. al-raghbūt wa al-rahbūt : Stations of desire and awe; spiritual states of longing for God and reverential fear.
408. al-buhmūt : The abyss or the unknown depths; a term for the lowest or most hidden realm of existence.
409. mihrab : Prayer niche; a niche in a mosque indicating the direction of Mecca; here used metaphorically as the focal point or spiritual orientation for souls.
410. sunna : The prophetic tradition; the practices and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
411. imam : Leader; here meaning the foremost leader and guide.
412. 'Illiyin : The highest ranks of Paradise; the exalted ones.
413. Kawthar : A river in Paradise granted to the Prophet Muhammad; also a sura of the Quran.
414. Wasila : The highest station in Paradise, reserved for the Prophet Muhammad; a means of nearness to Allah.
415. أَلْقَتْ مَقَالِدَهَا : Literally 'has cast its reins', meaning that intercession is fully surrendered and entrusted to the Prophet.
416. الْمَشْهَدِ الْمَحْمُودِ : The Praised Station (al-Maqam al-Mahmud), a rank of intercession granted to the Prophet Muhammad on the Day of Resurrection.
417. مِحْرَاب : Mihrab: a niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as the focal point or source of spiritual illumination.
418. عَالَمِ الْأَمْرِ : The world of command (ʿālam al-amr): in Sufi cosmology, the spiritual realm of divine command, as opposed to the world of creation (ʿālam al-khalq).
419. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as the focal point or sanctuary of spirits.
420. Imam : Leader; here referring to the Prophet Muhammad as the foremost leader of all prophets and believers.
421. people of holiness : Those who are sanctified and purified, often referring to saints or the spiritually elite.
422. presence : The divine court or spiritual station of proximity to God.
423. people of intimacy : Those who have attained intimate knowledge and love of God.
424. people of unveiling : Those who have experienced spiritual unveiling (kashf) and direct vision of divine realities.
425. attraction : Divine attraction (jadhb) that draws the seeker towards God.
426. barzakh : An intermediate realm or isthmus between the physical and spiritual worlds.
427. Ahmad : One of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
428. Adam : The first prophet and human being, symbolizing the outward form of humanity.
429. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary of spiritual presence.
430. Imam : Leader; here referring to the Prophet Muhammad as the foremost leader of all prophets and believers.
431. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as the focal point or sanctuary of spirits.
432. Imam : Leader; here meaning the foremost and leader of all prophets and believers.
433. Ahmadan : Relating to Ahmad, another name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
434. Muhammadan : Relating to the Prophet Muhammad.
435. pole (qutb) : In Sufism, the spiritual axis or highest saint of the age.
436. jealousy (ghayra) : Divine jealousy; God's protective jealousy over His secrets.
437. love (mahabbah) : Divine love; here referring to God's love that conceals certain spirits.
438. power (qudra) : Divine power; God's omnipotence manifesting spirits.
439. divine care ('inaya) : God's special attention and providence.
440. aspiration (himmah) : Spiritual ambition or resolve; here the aspiration of the spirits.
441. Mustafan : Relating to Mustafa, 'the Chosen One', an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad.
442. worship ('ibada) : Service and devotion to God.
443. forerunners of will (sawabiq al-irada) : Precedents of divine will; the first manifestations of God's will.
444. openings (futuhat) : Spiritual unveilings and illuminations; often referring to Ibn Arabi's 'Meccan Openings'.
445. greatest veil (al-hijab al-a'zam) : The supreme veil; here the Prophet's spirit as a veil for his lovers.
446. most upright structure (al-bina' al-aqwam) : The most straight and solid building; metaphor for the Prophet's spirit as foundation.
447. kissed corner (al-rukn al-mustalam) : The Black Stone corner of the Kaaba, kissed by pilgrims; metaphor for the Prophet's spirit.
448. embroidered mantle (al-rida' al-mu'allam) : A cloak with marks; symbol of honor and distinction.
449. venerated stone (al-hajar al-mukarram) : The Black Stone; metaphor for the Prophet's spirit as a revered object.
450. most luminous lamp (al-siraj al-anwar) : The brightest lamp; metaphor for the Prophet's spirit as a source of light.
451. red sulfur (al-kibrit al-ahmar) : In alchemy, the mythical substance that turns base metal into gold; metaphor for the Prophet's spirit as a rare and precious essence.
452. green banner (al-liwa' al-akhdar) : The green standard; symbol of the Prophet's victory and leadership.
453. minḥa : A gift or grant, often referring to divine bestowal.
454. dawḥa : A large tree, metaphorically referring to a lineage or community.
455. Ka'ba : The sacred house in Mecca, here used metaphorically for the Prophet's station.
456. miḥrāb : Prayer niche indicating the direction of prayer; symbolically, a focal point of spiritual connection.
457. Lawḥ : The Preserved Tablet (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ) in Islamic cosmology.
458. mishkāt : A niche or alcove, as in the 'Light Verse' (Quran 24:35), symbolizing the receptacle of divine light.
459. al-adhwāq al-shahiyya : Delightful tastes or spiritual savors experienced by the mystic.
460. mashāhid : Stations or witnessing places in the spiritual journey.
461. al-kushūfāt al-ʿiyāniyya : Ocular unveilings or direct spiritual visions.
462. talaqqiyāt : Receptions or spiritual receptacles for divine effusions.
463. al-mawāhib al-ṣamadāniyya : Eternal gifts or gifts from the Eternal (al-Ṣamad).
464. mawāqif : Stations or standing places in the spiritual path.
465. al-maʿālī al-jamāliyya : Majestic beauties, referring to the attributes of beauty and majesty.
466. makāna : Rank or station.
467. al-ḥaẓwa al-jalāliyya : Majestic favor or the portion of divine majesty.
468. maẓāhir : Manifestations or loci of divine manifestation.
469. al-tajalliyāt al-iḥsāniyya : Beneficent theophanies or manifestations of divine goodness.
470. sarāʾir : Innermost secrets or hidden aspects.
471. al-imdādāt al-ʿirfāniyya : Gnostic effusions or spiritual supports from divine knowledge.
472. dhāt : Essence or self.
473. ṭawāf : Circumambulation, as around the Kaaba.
474. al-ashkhāṣ al-nūrāniyya : Luminous beings or spiritual entities of light.
475. al-maḥabba al-īmāniyya : Faith-based love or love rooted in faith.
476. al-asrār al-qudsāniyya : Holy mysteries or sacred secrets.
477. Malakūt : The angelic realm or world of dominion.
478. Jabarūt : The realm of divine power or omnipotence.
479. al-Ṣamad : The Eternal, a name of God meaning the Self-Sufficient.
480. Nāsūt : The human realm or world of humanity.
481. Lāhūt : The divine realm or world of divinity.
482. miḥrāb : Prayer niche, symbolizing the focal point of worship.
483. ʿayn al-quds : Eye of holiness, a source of sanctity.
484. al-muwaḥḥidūn : Monotheists, those who affirm the oneness of God.
485. ʿayn al-baqāʾ : Eye of eternity, the source of everlastingness.
486. al-ʿārifūn : Gnostics, those who have direct knowledge of God.
487. ʿayn al-jamāl : Eye of beauty, the source of divine beauty.
488. al-ʿāshiqūn : Lovers, those who are passionately devoted to God.
489. tajallī al-wajd : Theophany of ecstasy, manifestation of spiritual rapture.
490. al-shāʾiqūn : Yearning ones, those who long for God.
491. ʿayn al-jalāl : Eye of majesty, the source of divine majesty.
492. al-muḥibbūn : Lovers, those who love God.
493. ʿayn al-qudra : Eye of power, the source of divine power.
494. al-mūqinūn : Certain ones, those who have certainty in faith.
495. al-ʿilm al-ladunnī : Divine knowledge, knowledge from God's presence.
496. al-mukāshifūn : Unveilers, those who experience spiritual unveiling.
497. ʿayn al-samʿ : Eye of hearing, the source of spiritual hearing.
498. al-mushāhidūn : Witnesses, those who witness divine realities.
499. ʿayn al-baṣar : Eye of sight, the source of spiritual vision.
500. al-nāsikūn : Devotees, those who practice asceticism and worship.
501. al-kalām al-azalī : Eternal speech, the uncreated word of God.
502. al-ṣādiqūn : Truthful ones, those who are sincere in their faith.
503. al-irāda al-qadīma : Primordial will, the eternal will of God.
504. al-rāḍūn : Content ones, those who are pleased with God's decree.
505. al-ḥayāt al-qadīma : Primordial life, the eternal life of God.
506. al-murīdūn : Aspirants, those who seek God.
507. al-asrār al-ilāhiyya : Divine secrets, the hidden mysteries of God.
508. al-ṣiddīqūn : Veracious ones, the truthful and sincere.
509. al-anwār al-qudsiyya : Holy lights, divine illuminations.
510. al-muḥaqqiqūn : Verifiers, those who realize spiritual truths.
511. ʿayn al-fatḥ : Eye of opening, the source of spiritual opening.
512. al-mulhamūn : Inspired ones, those who receive divine inspiration.
513. ʿayn al-qurb : Eye of proximity, the source of nearness to God.
514. al-muhayminūn : Dominators, those who are absorbed in divine dominion.
515. ʿayn al-wujūd : Eye of existence, the source of being.
516. al-aṣfiyāʾ al-muqarrabūn : Chosen ones, the brought near to God.
517. ʿayn al-ghinā : Eye of wealth, the source of spiritual richness.
518. al-maḥbūbūn : Beloved ones, those loved by God.
519. ʿayn al-faḍl : Eye of bounty, the source of divine favor.
520. al-mutawakkilūn : Reliant ones, those who trust in God.
521. ʿayn al-kamāl : Eye of perfection, the source of divine perfection.
522. al-mukhlaṣūn : Sincere ones, those purified in devotion.
523. ʿayn al-nawāl : Eye of gift, the source of divine giving.
524. al-askhiyāʾ al-mūqinūn : Generous certain ones, those who are both generous and certain.
525. ʿayn al-najāt : Eye of salvation, the source of deliverance.
526. al-muhtadūn : Guided ones, those who are rightly guided.
527. ʿayn al-mawāhib : Eye of gifts, the source of divine gifts.
528. al-majdhūbūn : Attracted ones, those drawn to God by divine attraction.
529. ʿayn al-maʿārif : Eye of gnoses, the source of spiritual knowledge.
530. al-muttaqūn : God-fearing ones, the pious.
531. ʿayn al-masarrāt : Eye of joys, the source of spiritual delights.
532. al-fāliḥūn : Successful ones, those who achieve spiritual success.
533. ʿayn al-ḥaqāʾiq : Eye of realities, the source of spiritual truths.
534. al-aqṭāb : Poles, the highest spiritual authorities in Sufism.
535. al-wāṣilūn : Arriving ones, those who have reached God.
536. ʿayn al-ishārāt : Eye of allusions, the source of spiritual indications.
537. al-afrād : Solitary ones, unique saints in the Sufi hierarchy.
538. al-karāmāt : Miracles or extraordinary acts granted by God to saints (awliyā').
539. al-awliyā' al-ṣāliḥīn : Righteous saints or friends of God, those who are close to Him through piety and devotion.
540. al-fatḥ al-mubīn : The clear victory; a Qur'anic term (Sūrat al-Fatḥ, 48:1) often interpreted as the conquest of Mecca or spiritual illumination.
541. al-rusūkh wa al-tamkīn : Firmness and establishment; spiritual stability and authority in knowledge and station.
542. al-ḥawḍ al-mawrūd : The Prophet's celestial pool (Hawḍ al-Kawthar) from which the faithful will drink on the Day of Resurrection.
543. Salsabīl : A spring in Paradise mentioned in the Qur'an (Sūrat al-Insān, 76:18); here used metaphorically for spiritual refreshment.
544. miḥrāb : Prayer niche indicating the direction of prayer; symbolically, the focal point of spiritual orientation.
545. quṭb : Pole or axis; in Sufism, the highest spiritual authority and the center of the spiritual hierarchy.
546. al-sirr al-ṣamadānī : The eternal secret; a reference to the divine attribute of Self-Sufficiency (al-Ṣamad) and the ineffable mystery of God.
547. al-tajallī al-iḥsānī : The theophany of excellence; a manifestation of God's attribute of perfection and beauty.
548. al-waḥy al-furqānī : The discriminating revelation; the Qur'an as the criterion between truth and falsehood.
549. al-īmān al-yamānī : The Yemeni faith; a reference to a prophetic tradition praising the faith of the people of Yemen, symbolizing deep, sincere belief.
550. al-sirr al-fardānī : The unique secret; a reference to God's singular, incomparable essence.
551. al-wilāya : Sainthood or spiritual authority; the state of being a walī (friend of God).
552. al-mashāhid : Spiritual witnesses or contemplative visions; the stations of witnessing divine realities.
553. al-ʿanāṣir : The elements; the four classical elements (earth, water, air, fire) or the physical constitution of humans.
554. barzakh : An intermediate state or isthmus; between death and resurrection, or between the spiritual and material worlds.
555. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary for spirits.
556. Imam : Leader or model; in Islamic context, one who leads prayer or a spiritual guide.
557. al-Zahra' : Title of Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'the luminous' or 'the radiant'.
558. cherubim : A class of angels, often associated with nearness to God and worship.
559. essential light : Refers to the primordial light of Muhammad (nur muhammadi) in Sufi cosmology.
560. two abodes : This world and the Hereafter.
561. al-Batul : Title of Fatima, meaning 'the virgin' or 'the chaste'.
562. qibla : The direction of prayer towards Mecca; metaphorically, the spiritual focus.
563. al-Batūl : A title of Fāṭima al-Zahrā', the daughter of the Prophet Muḥammad, meaning 'the Virgin' or 'the Chaste'.
564. mihrāb : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary for spirits.
565. Imām : Leader; in Islamic context, a spiritual and temporal leader, especially of the Muslim community.
566. al-Zahrā' : A title of Fāṭima, the Prophet's daughter, meaning 'the Radiant' or 'the Luminous'.
567. barzakh : An intermediate state or barrier; in Sufism, a realm between the physical and spiritual worlds.
568. qibla : The direction of prayer for Muslims, towards the Ka'ba in Mecca; used metaphorically as a focal point.
569. Sūrat Nūn wa al-Qalam : Sūrat al-Qalam (The Pen), chapter 68 of the Qur'an, which begins with the letter Nūn.
570. Ka'ba : The sacred cube-shaped building in Mecca, the holiest site in Islam, towards which Muslims pray.
571. ladunnī : Divine or inspired knowledge granted directly by God, often associated with Sufi gnosis.
572. al-Hādī, al-Rashīd : Two of the 99 Names of God: al-Hādī (the Guide) and al-Rashīd (the Righteous Guide).
573. al-Mubdi', al-Mu'īd : Two of the 99 Names of God: al-Mubdi' (the Originator) and al-Mu'īd (the Restorer).
574. al-Bā'ith, al-Shahīd : Two of the 99 Names of God: al-Bā'ith (the Resurrector) and al-Shahīd (the Witness).
575. sariyy : A noble or generous person; also a title for a spiritual master.
576. qami'a : Conclusive or subduing; here referring to proofs that silence opposition.
577. qanawat : Canals or aqueducts; metaphorically, channels of spiritual knowledge.
578. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary for spirits.
579. sawami' al-nur : Hermitages of light; spiritual retreats or stations illuminated by divine light.
580. tanazzulat 'indiyya : Lordly descents; divine self-disclosures or emanations from the divine presence.
581. karubiyyun : Cherubim; a high rank of angels in Islamic cosmology, often associated with nearness to God.
582. Kawthar : A river in Paradise granted to the Prophet Muhammad; also a chapter of the Quran.
583. Ahmadiyya : Attributed to Ahmad, one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'the most praised'.
584. qaba qawsayn : Two bows' length; a Quranic phrase (53:9) describing the Prophet's proximity to God during the Ascension (Mi'raj).
585. tajalliyat ilahiyya : Divine self-disclosures; manifestations of God's attributes in creation.
586. 'ayn : Eye; also essence or entity. Here used with multiple layers of meaning.
587. qibla : Direction of prayer; metaphorically a focal point or spiritual orientation.
588. ladunni sciences : Divinely inspired knowledge; sciences granted directly from God without intermediary.
589. Muhammadan : Attributed to the Prophet Muhammad; his spiritual reality or effusion.
590. bid'a dhatuhu al-nabawiyya : Piece of his prophetic essence; refers to Fatima, the Prophet's daughter, as a part of him.
591. bid'at dhatuhu al-nabawiyya : A term referring to the Prophet Muhammad's essential nature or prophetic essence, often used in Sufi contexts to denote his spiritual reality.
592. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; metaphorically, a focal point or sanctuary for spiritual devotion.
593. ladunni : Divine or inspired knowledge granted directly by God, often associated with mystical insight.
594. malakut : The celestial or angelic realm; the world of divine sovereignty and spiritual dominion.
595. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as the focal point or sanctuary of spirits.
596. Imam : Leader; one who leads prayer or serves as a spiritual guide.
597. wasila : Means or intermediary; in Sufi context, a spiritual means to approach God.
598. malakut : The angelic realm or world of dominion; a term in Islamic cosmology.
599. rahmanic : Pertaining to the attribute of mercy (Rahman); the form in which God created Adam according to a hadith.
600. Breath of the Merciful : A Sufi concept referring to the divine breath that brings existence; often linked to the Prophet Muhammad.
601. Rahmanutiyya : A term derived from Rahman (the Merciful), indicating a level of divine mercy or attribute.
602. 'Azmutiyya : A term derived from 'azama (majesty), indicating divine majesty or greatness.
603. Lahutiyya : A term referring to the divine nature or essence; from lahut (divinity).
604. Ahmadine : Pertaining to Ahmad, another name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
605. Mustafawian : Pertaining to Mustafa, 'the Chosen One', a title of the Prophet Muhammad.
606. jabarutic : Pertaining to jabarut, the realm of divine power or omnipotence.
607. raghbutic : Pertaining to raghba, meaning desire or longing; here likely a term for a spiritual station.
608. rahbutic : Pertaining to rahba, meaning awe or fear; a spiritual station of reverence.
609. two bow-lengths or nearer : Reference to Quran 53:9, describing the Prophet's proximity to God during the Mi'raj (Ascension).
610. And He revealed to His servant what He revealed : Reference to Quran 53:10, indicating divine revelation to the Prophet.
611. bic'at dhatihi al-nabawiyya : Literally 'a piece of his prophetic essence'; a Sufi term referring to a part or aspect of the Prophet's being that speaks or manifests.
612. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point or sanctuary for spirits.
613. aqtab : Plural of qutb, meaning 'pole' or 'axis'; in Sufism, the highest spiritual rank, a saint who is the spiritual center of his time.
614. qibla : The direction of prayer towards Mecca; here used metaphorically as the spiritual orientation or focus.
615. الجوزاء : The constellation Gemini, used here to denote the highest celestial sphere.
616. الفرق : Distinction; a Sufi term referring to the state of differentiation between the Divine and creation, as opposed to union (jam').
617. الورقاء : A warbler or nightingale; metaphorically, the soul or a spiritual bird.
618. محراب : Mihrab; the prayer niche indicating the direction of Mecca, but here used symbolically as the focal point or sanctuary of spirits.
619. بضعة ذاتُهُ النبوية : Literally 'a piece of his prophetic essence'; refers to Fatima, the Prophet's daughter, as a part of him.
620. يعسوب : Leader or chief; literally 'king bee', used for the foremost of a group.
621. قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ : Quran 3:31: 'Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you."'
622. قاب قوسين : Two bows' length; a Quranic phrase (53:9) describing the Prophet's proximity to God during the Mi'raj.
623. قطب : Pole or axis; in Sufism, the highest spiritual authority of the age.
624. al-ʿadhrā : The virgin; here referring to Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.
625. miḥrāb : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; metaphorically, a focal point or sanctuary of spiritual presence.
626. al-arwāḥ : The spirits; in Sufi cosmology, refers to the spiritual essences or souls of beings, often considered pre-existent in the divine knowledge.
627. miḥrāb : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; metaphorically, the focal point or sanctuary of spiritual orientation.
628. al-ʿamā : The 'cloud' or 'darkness'; a term in Sufi cosmology for the primordial, undifferentiated state of existence before creation, often associated with the divine essence.
629. Kawthar : A river in Paradise; also a sura in the Quran; here, the abundant spiritual sustenance from the Prophet's intercession.
630. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as the focal point or source of spiritual light.
631. Imam : Leader; here meaning the foremost or leader of the prophets and messengers.
632. Fatima al-Zahra : The daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, revered as a model of piety and purity.
633. barzakh : An intermediate state or realm; in Sufi cosmology, a comprehensive reality that unites opposites.
634. Ya'sub : Literally 'leader' or 'chief'; here a title for the Prophet Muhammad as the leader of spirits.
635. Ahmadian : Derived from Ahmad, one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
636. Mustafawian : Derived from Mustafa, meaning 'the chosen one', a title of the Prophet Muhammad.
637. 'umra : The lesser pilgrimage to Mecca, performed at any time of the year.
638. hajj : The major pilgrimage to Mecca, performed annually during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijja.
639. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point of spiritual orientation.
640. angels : Spiritual beings created from light, serving Allah; here they are included as part of the cosmos that witnesses the Prophet's spirit.
641. Ya Sin : The Arabic letters Ya and Sin, a chapter title in the Quran (Surah 36), often associated with the Prophet Muhammad.
642. Taha : The Arabic letters Ta and Ha, a chapter title in the Quran (Surah 20), also a name for the Prophet Muhammad.
643. Fatima al-Batul : Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, titled 'al-Batul' meaning 'the Virgin' or 'the Pure'.
644. Kaf and Nun : The Arabic letters Kaf and Nun, which form the imperative 'Kun' (Be), referring to the creative command of Allah.
645. Ahmad : Another name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
646. none touch it except the purified : Quranic reference (56:79) indicating that only those purified can access the hidden book.
647. Kaf-Ha-Ya-‘Ayn-Sad : The Arabic letters at the beginning of Surah Maryam (19), often interpreted as symbolic names or attributes.
648. Qaba Qawsayn aw Adna : Quranic phrase (53:9) meaning 'two bow-lengths or nearer', describing the Prophet's proximity to Allah during the Ascension.
649. Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary : Sidrat al-Muntaha, a celestial tree marking the boundary of creation, visited by the Prophet during the Ascension.
650. Mīm : The Arabic letter Mīm (م) is used here as a symbol for the Prophet Muhammad, whose name begins with Mīm. It also alludes to the esoteric significance of letters in Sufi cosmology.
651. Ḥā : The Arabic letter Ḥā (ح) symbolizes the divine presence (ḥaḍra) and union (wiṣāl).
652. Rā : The Arabic letter Rā (ر) symbolizes good pleasure (riḍwān) and mercy (raḥma).
653. Bā : The Arabic letter Bā (ب) symbolizes divine proofs (barāhīn) and houses (buyūt).
654. Furqānī : Relating to the Furqān (the Criterion), a name for the Quran.
655. Qāba qawsayn aw adnā : Quranic phrase (53:9) meaning 'two bow-lengths or nearer,' describing the Prophet's proximity to God during the Miʿrāj (Ascension).
656. Aṣwāmiʿ al-nūr : Hermitages of light; a Sufi term for spiritual retreats or stations of illumination.
657. al-abrār : The righteous; a term for the spiritually pure and devout.
658. rūḥāniyyīn : Spiritual beings; those who are predominantly spirit, often referring to angels or saints.
659. quṭb al-aqṭāb : The Pole of Poles; the highest spiritual authority in Sufi cosmology, often identified with the Prophet Muhammad.
660. ʿālam al-shahāda : The world of witness; the sensory, physical world as opposed to the unseen.
661. barzakh : The intermediate state between death and resurrection; also a term for the realm of the imaginal.
662. ḥaḍrat al-wujūb : The Presence of Necessity; a term for the divine essence as necessary existence.
663. yaʿsūb al-arwāḥ : The leader of spirits; a title for the Prophet Muhammad as the chief of all spirits.
664. al-rūḥ al-aʿẓam : The Greatest Spirit; a term for the first created intellect or the spirit of Muhammad.
665. nuqṭat Aḥmad : The point of Ahmad; a mystical concept referring to the primordial essence of the Prophet Muhammad.
666. al-Awwal wa al-Ākhir wa al-Ẓāhir wa al-Bāṭin : The First, the Last, the Manifest, and the Hidden; divine attributes from Qur'an 57:3, applied here to the Prophet.
667. miḥrāb : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; metaphorically, a place of spiritual focus.
668. Fāṭima al-Batūl : Fatima the Virgin; a title for the Prophet's daughter, Fatima, emphasizing her purity.
669. jamʿ al-jamʿ : The gathering of gathering; a Sufi term for the highest state of spiritual unity.
670. Dār al-Salām : The Abode of Peace; a name for Paradise.
671. Ṭayyiba : A name for Medina, meaning 'the good' or 'the pure'.
672. al-Batul : A title of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'the chaste' or 'the virgin'.
673. Imam : A leader or guide, here referring to the Prophet Muhammad as the foremost leader of all prophets.
674. the Sanctuary : Al-Haram, the sacred precincts of Mecca, especially the Kaaba.
675. Tayyiba : A name for Medina, meaning 'the good' or 'the pure'.
676. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point of worship.
677. his wedding : Refers to the Prophet's marriage, symbolizing his union with the divine or his spiritual station.
678. Sunnah : The practices and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
679. al-Ṣafā : A hill near the Kaaba in Mecca, part of the Sa'y ritual. Here it may symbolize a place of spiritual beginning.
680. al-Mujtabā : The Chosen One, an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad.
681. al-Muṣṭafā : The Elect, another epithet of the Prophet Muhammad.
682. al-Murtaḍā : The Pleasing One, an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad, also used for Imam Ali.
683. Fāṭima al-Zahrā' : Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, known as al-Zahra (the Radiant).
684. Furqān : The Criterion, a name for the Quran, which distinguishes truth from falsehood.
685. Qāba qawsayn aw adnā : A Quranic phrase (53:9) referring to the Prophet's proximity to God during the Mi'raj, meaning 'two bow-lengths or nearer.'
686. Miḥrāb : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point of spiritual orientation.
687. Fāṭima al-Batūl : Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet, called al-Batul (the Virgin) for her purity.
688. al-Maqām al-Maḥmūd : The Praiseworthy Station, a rank of intercession granted to the Prophet Muhammad on the Day of Judgment.
689. al-shafāʿa al-kubrā : The Great Intercession; refers to the Prophet Muhammad's intercession on the Day of Judgment for the entire community.
690. Fāṭima al-Batūl : Fatima the Virgin; a title for Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, emphasizing her purity and devotion.
691. miʿrāj : Ascension; refers to the spiritual ascent or ladder, often associated with the Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension (Mi'raj).
692. al-sirr al-mawjūd : The existing mystery; a Sufi term for the hidden divine reality that is manifest in creation.
693. al-anwār al-mawrūd : The flowing lights; refers to divine lights or spiritual illuminations that are poured forth.
694. qibla : The direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as the focal point of worship.
695. al-Muṣallā : A place name; possibly a location in Arabia.
696. Ḥājir : A place name; possibly a valley or region.
697. Gharb : A place name; literally 'west', possibly a specific location.
698. Najd : A region in central Arabia.
699. Suʿdā : A feminine proper name; often used in classical Arabic poetry as a beloved.
700. Salmā : A feminine proper name; another common beloved in poetry.
701. Wasmi : A place name; possibly a valley or a type of rain.
702. ithmid : Antimony; a black powder used as kohl for the eyes, considered beneficial.
703. al-ism al-mutaʾawwid : The mighty Name; refers to one of the divine names that grants power.
704. amlad : A type of tree; often identified as the tamarisk or a similar desert tree.
705. miḥrāb : Prayer niche; a place of worship, here used metaphorically as the focal point of spiritual devotion.
706. miḥrāb : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a sanctuary or focal point.
707. Imām : Leader; here meaning the foremost leader and exemplar.
708. Fāṭimah al-Batūl : Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, known as al-Batul (the Virgin) for her purity.
709. ahl al-uns wa al-tafrīd : People of intimate communion with God and spiritual uniqueness.
710. ahl al-tabattul wa al-tajrīd : People of detachment from worldly concerns and abstraction from material forms.
711. tawḥīd : The oneness of God; Islamic monotheism.
712. tajwīd : The rules governing the proper pronunciation and recitation of the Quran.
713. shaykh : Spiritual master or guide in Sufism.
714. bayt al-qaṣīd : The best or most important verse in a poem; metaphor for the Prophet as the central figure.
715. quṭb : Pole or axis; in Sufism, the highest spiritual authority.
716. wasīlat al-iftitāḥ : Means of opening; the Prophet as the means to begin or access spiritual blessings.
717. al-Batul : A title of Fatima, meaning 'the Virgin' or 'the Pure', indicating her separation from worldly things and her devotion to God.
718. Hijabuka al-A'zam : The Supreme Veil; a Sufi term referring to the Prophet Muhammad as the ultimate veil or intermediary between God and creation, through whom divine manifestations are perceived.
719. Wasitatuka al-'Uzma : The Supreme Mediator; the Prophet as the greatest intermediary between God and humanity.
720. Sirruka al-Asma : Your Most Exalted Secret; a Sufi concept referring to the Prophet as the innermost divine secret manifested in creation.
721. Jah : Rank, station, or prestige; here, the Prophet's high spiritual station used for intercession.
722. Himmatuhu al-Muhammadiyya : Muhammadan Aspiration; the spiritual energy or intention of the Prophet that encompasses all prophetic aspirations.
723. Rutbatuhu al-Ahmadiyya : Ahmadian Station; referring to the Prophet's station as Ahmad (the Praised One), which is higher than all other prophetic stations.
724. Asraruhu al-Mawlawiyya : Mawlawi Secrets; secrets related to the Prophet's role as master (mawla) and his spiritual authority.
725. Ahwaluhu al-Nubuwwiyya : Prophetic States; the spiritual states experienced by the Prophet during his prophetic mission.
726. Aqwaluhu al-Mustafawiyya : Mustafawi Utterances; the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Mustafa, the Chosen One).
727. Af'aluhu al-Jalila al-Wahbiyya : Majestic Bestowed Actions; the Prophet's actions that are divinely granted and of immense spiritual significance.
728. 'Ulumuhu al-Ghaybiyya : Unseen Knowledges; the Prophet's knowledge of the unseen, which surpasses all other knowledge.
729. Shari'atuhu al-Tahira al-Naqiyya : Pure and Clear Law; the Islamic law revealed to the Prophet, which encompasses all previous laws.
730. Ghusn al-Ban : Branch of the willow; a poetic metaphor for the Prophet's slender form or his lineage.
731. Tayyiba : A name for Medina, meaning 'the good' or 'the pleasant'.
732. Qutb al-Haqa'iq : Pole of Realities; a Sufi term for the highest spiritual axis, here referring to the Prophet.
733. Taha : One of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, derived from the Quranic chapter Taha.
734. Hadarat : Presences; in Sufism, the divine presences or levels of manifestation.
735. Mihrab : Prayer niche; symbolizing the focal point of spiritual orientation, here the Prophet's spirit as the center for all spirits.
736. 'Awarif : Gnoses; spiritual knowledge or direct experiential knowledge of God.
737. Ma'arif : Knowledges; spiritual sciences or divine truths.
738. Lata'if : Subtleties; in Sufism, the subtle centers of spiritual perception in the human being.
739. al-Batul : A title of Fatima, meaning 'the Virgin' or 'the Pure', indicating her separation from worldly matters and devotion to worship.
740. Imam : A leader or guide, here referring to the Prophet Muhammad as the foremost leader of the believers in Paradise.
741. Houris : Beautiful, pure companions in Paradise, often described as maidens with large eyes.
742. Wildan : Eternal youths or servants in Paradise, often depicted as young boys serving the inhabitants.
743. al-Malik al-Dayyan : Two of Allah's names: 'the King' and 'the Judge' or 'the Requiter'.
744. Luyuth Shuj'an : Lions, brave ones; a metaphor for the courage and strength of the Prophet's companions.
745. Mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point of worship.
746. Shatahat : Ecstatic utterances or states in Sufism, often referring to spiritual intoxication or overwhelming divine love.
747. Jadhabat : Divine attractions or pulls, where a soul is drawn towards God by His grace.
748. Futuhat : Spiritual openings or illuminations, often referring to divine revelations or insights.
749. Munajat : Intimate whispered prayer or conversation with God.
750. Tafwid : Delegation or entrusting all affairs to God, surrendering one's own will and planning.
751. Firdaws : The highest level of Paradise, often referred to as the Garden of Eden.
752. al-Mustafa : The Chosen One, a title of the Prophet Muhammad.
753. Ahmad : Another name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'the most praiseworthy'.
754. Ahmad : One of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'most praiseworthy'.
755. al-madlūl : The indicated or signified; here referring to the Prophet Muhammad as the one indicated by divine signs.
756. Amīn Allāh : Trustee of God; a title for the Prophet Muhammad, meaning the trustworthy one entrusted by God.
757. Waṣiyy Allāh : Vicegerent of God; a title for the Prophet Muhammad, indicating his role as God's representative.
758. miḥrāb : Sanctuary or prayer niche; here metaphorically meaning the spiritual focal point.
759. Imām : Leader or guide; here referring to the Prophet Muhammad as the foremost leader.
760. Fāṭima al-Batūl : Fatima the Virgin; the Prophet's daughter, known for her purity and devotion.
761. al-Ḥawḍ : The Basin; a celestial pool from which the Prophet's followers will drink on the Day of Judgment.
762. al-ḥūr al-ḥisān : Beautiful maidens of Paradise, often described as companions for the righteous.
763. Riḍwān : The name of the angel keeper of Paradise, also meaning divine pleasure.
764. al-raḥīq al-makhtūm : Sealed nectar; a pure drink in Paradise, sealed as a sign of its purity.
765. yawma yukshafu 'an sāq : A Quranic phrase (68:42) referring to the Day when the Lord's majesty is revealed, often interpreted as a moment of intense awe.
766. al-shafā‘a al-kubrā : The Great Intercession; the Prophet Muhammad's intercession for all humanity on the Day of Judgment.
767. al-Batul : A title of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'the chaste' or 'the virgin'.
768. shahada : The Islamic declaration of faith: 'There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'
769. Quran 10:10 : A verse from the Quran describing the greeting of the inhabitants of Paradise.
770. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as a focal point of worship.
771. Sirat : In Islamic eschatology, the bridge that all souls must cross on the Day of Judgment to enter Paradise.
772. White Pearl : A reference to a specific garden or station in Paradise, often associated with the Prophet Muhammad.
773. cupbearer : A reference to the angelic servants in Paradise who serve drinks to the blessed.
774. Quran 14:48 : A verse describing the transformation of the earth and heavens on the Day of Resurrection.
775. Taha : One of the names of the Prophet Muhammad, derived from the Arabic letters Ta and Ha, often interpreted as 'O pure one' or 'O guide'.
776. Ascension : Refers to the Isra and Mi'raj, the night journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension through the heavens.
777. Chosen One : Al-Mustafa, a title of the Prophet Muhammad meaning 'the chosen one'.
778. Self-Disclosure : Tajalli, a Sufi term for the manifestation or disclosure of divine attributes to the believer.
779. mihrab : A niche in a mosque indicating the direction of prayer; here used metaphorically as the focal point or sanctuary of spirits.
780. al-Batul : An epithet of Fatima, meaning 'the Virgin' or 'the Pure', indicating her separation from worldly impurities and her devotion to worship.
781. Imam : A leader, especially in religious matters; here referring to a spiritual leader and intercessor in Paradise.
782. esoteric sciences : Translation of 'al-‘ulūm al-ladunniyya', meaning knowledge granted directly by God without conventional means.
783. chosen : Translation of 'al-muṣṭafawiyya', referring to the Prophet Muhammad's chosen status and his followers.
784. Ahmadi : A name of the Prophet Muhammad, meaning 'the most praised'; used here to emphasize his praiseworthy attributes.
785. Alid : Pertaining to Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law, and his descendants.
786. wayfaring, attracted ones : Translation of 'al-sālikīn al-majdhūbīn', referring to Sufi seekers who are both actively traveling the path and divinely attracted to God.
787. Qur'an 43:68 : Quranic verse: 'O My servants, no fear shall be upon you this day, nor shall you grieve.'
788. al-jamī' : The All or the Comprehensive; a Sufi term referring to the divine attribute of encompassing all things, often associated with the station of witnessing God's unity in multiplicity.
789. al-aḥad : The One; a name of God denoting absolute unity and uniqueness.
790. al-ṣamad : The Eternal, the Self-Sufficient; a name of God indicating that He is the ultimate refuge and independent of all.