Set enmity between the world and me, From other objects turn away my heart, How were it, Lord, if Thou shouldst set me frec My lust for this world and the next efface, From paths that lead not towards Thee turn my face. PREFACE This is a treatise entitled Lawa'i1 ("Flashes of Light"), explanatory of the intuitions and verities displayed on the pages of the hearts and minds of men of insight and divine knowledge, and of those who enjoy spiritual raptures and ecstasies. It is written in suitable language adorned with pleasing explanations. I trust that readers will hold of no account the personality of the author of this commentary, and will refrain from taking their seats upon the carpet of cavilling and animadversion. For the author plays only the part of interpreter in the following discussions; his sole function is that of mouthpiece, and nothing else. Believe me, I am naught-yea, less than naught. By naught and less than naught what can be taught? For poverty to make no sign is best, On love divine to hold one's peace is best ; To play a mere reporter's part is best. 1 Haji Khalfa (v, 344) says Sayyid Käseh Karrānī wrote a Persian commentary upon it. With men of light I sought these pearls to string, Now let his trusty slaves this tribute bear Flash I2 God has not made man with two hearts within him.3 The Incomparable Majesty who has conferred the boon of existence upon thee has placed within thee but one heart, to the end that with single heart thou mayest love Him alone, and mayest turn thy back on all besides and devote thyself to Him alone, and refrain from dividing thy heart into a hundred portions, each portion devoted to a different object. O votary of earthy idols' fane, Why let these veils of flesh enwrap thy brain? 'Tis folly to pursue a host of loves; A single heart can but one love contain ! Flash II Distraction or disunion (Tafriqah) consists in dividing the heart by attaching it to divers objects. Union or collectedness (Jam'iyyat1) consists in forsaking all else and being wholly engrossed in the contemplation of the One Unique Being. Those who fancy that collectedness results from the collecting of worldly goods remain in perpetual distraction, whilst those who are convinced that amassing wealth is the cause of distraction renounce all worldly goods. 1 The person referred to is probably Shāh Manuchahr, Governor of Hamadan, who paid much attention to Jāmī when he visited the town in 877 A.H. See Lee's preface to the Nafaḥāt, p. 11. Note the pun on "Hama Dān" ("All-knowing"). Amir Sayyid ‘Ali of Hamadān, a Șūfī saint, is mentioned in the Nafaḥāt, p. 515, but as he died in 786 A.H. it is not likely that Jāmī is speaking of him. 2 "La'ihah." These headings, which are found in other manuscripts, are omitted in this, as before remarked. 3 Koran, xxxiii, 4. Also “tranquillity", "congregation”, “totality". O thou whose heart is torn by lust for all, 2 O pilgrim on the "path", vain talk reject; Naught but distractedness proceeds from wealth: O heart, thy high-prized learning of the schools, Yea, all but lore of God is devils' lore: Flash III The Truth", most glorious and most exalted, is omnipresent. He knows the outer and inner state of all men in every condition. Oh, what a loss will be thine if thou turnest thine eyes from His face to fix them on other objects, and forsakest the way that is pleasing to Him to follow other roads! My Love stood by me at the dawn of day, And said, "To grief you make my heart a prey; All my life long I tread love's path of pain, Better to catch one moment's glimpse of Thee Flash IV Everything other than the "Truth" (may He be glorified and exalted) is subject to decay and annihilation. 1 Nasnās; literally, a fabulous monster, a satyr. 2 Salik. Its substance is a mental figment with no objective existence, and its form is a merely imaginary entity. Yesterday this universe neither existed nor appeared to exist, while to-day it appears to exist, but has no real existence it is a mere semblance, and to-morrow nothing thereof will be seen. What does it profit thee to allow thyself to be guided by vain passions and desires? Why dost thou place reliance on these transitory objects that glitter with false lustre? Turn thy heart away from all of them, and firmly attach it to God. Break loose from all these, and cleave closely to Him. It is only He who always has been and always will continue to be. The countenance of His eternity is never scarred by the thorn of contingency. The fleeting phantoms you admire to-day O give your heart to Him who never fails, When to fair idols' shrines I did repair, Things that abide not to eternity In this life, then, sever thyself from all Perchance with wealth and sons endowed thou art. Thrice happy he who gives his heart to One, Flash V The Absolute Beauty is the Divine Majesty endued with [the attributes of] power and bounty. Every beauty and perfection manifested in the theatre of the various grades of beings is a ray of His perfect beauty reflected therein. It is from these rays that exalted souls have received their impress of beauty and their quality of perfection.1 Whosoever is wise derives his wisdom from the Divine wisdom. Wherever intelligence is found it is the fruit of the Divine intelligence. In a word, all are attributes of Deity which have descended from the zenith of the Universal and Absolute to the nadir of the particular and relative. [They have descended] to the end that thou mayest direct thy course from the part towards the Whole, and from the relative deduce the Absolute, and not imagine the part to be distinct from the Whole, nor be so engrossed with what is merely relative as to cut thyself off from the Absolute. The Loved One's rose-parterre I went to see, Flash VI Man, in regard to his corporeal nature, stands at the lowest point of degradation; nevertheless, in regard to his spiritual nature, he is at the summit of nobility. He takes the impress of everything to which he directs his attention, and assumes the colour of everything to which he approaches. Wherefore philosophers say that when the reasonable soul adorns itself with exact and faithful impressions of realities, and appropriates to itself the true character of such realities, it becomes such as if it were itself altogether essential Being. In like manner 1 Spenser in the "Hymn of Heavenly Love" expresses the same idea, which comes from Plato. 2 Literally, "Torch of Tiraz," a town in Turkistān famed for its beautiful women. |