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Muslim / Sufi
10th Century

About Niffari (Muhammad ibn al-Hasan an-Niffari)

Timeline (? - 965)

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English version by
Michael A. Sells

Original Language
Arabic

Stand at the throne (from The Standing Of the Presence Chamber and the Letter)

Themes
  Fire
  Garden
  Wine
 
 

 

Recommended Books

Early Islamic Mysticism: Sufi, Quran, Miraj, Poetic and Theological Writings (Classics of Western Spirituality), by Michael A. Sells
The Mawaqif and Mukhatabat of Muhammad Ibn 'Abdi 'L-Jabbar Al-Niffari With Other Fragments, Translated by A. J. Arberry

He said to me:
     Stand at the throne.
     I saw the sanctuary.
     No gaze attained it.
     No cares entered it.
     In it I saw the doors of every reality.
     I saw the doors on fire.
     In the fire was a sanctuary.
     Nothing could enter it but the sincere act.
     When it entered, it came to the door.
     When it came to the door, it stood for the reckoning
     I saw the reckoning
          single out what was for the face of God
          from what was for the other-than-him.
     I saw the reward was other-than-him.
     I saw that the act, sincere in him and for him alone,
          raised from the door to the highest plane of vision.
     When it was raised, there was written upon the door:
     "It has passed the reckoning."

Eat from my hand,
Drink from my hand
     Or you will not be equal to my obedience.

If you do not obey me on my account,
     You will not be equal to my worship.

If you cast off your fault
     you will cast off your ignorance.

If you recall your fault
     you will forget your lord.

In the garden
     is everything thought can bear
     and behind it more.

 

 

-- from Early Islamic Mysticism: Sufi, Quran, Miraj, Poetic and Theological Writings (Classics of Western Spirituality), by Michael A. Sells

Amazon.com

 

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Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright © 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.
All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers.