Diwan

By: Shaykh Alawi

1

Oh lovers of the Highest Presence!

Come to us! You have arrival in us.

This is the moment of embarkation for the most glorious station — Praise be to Allah since we are worthy of it.

The summoner of Allah called us before our existence.

When existence came, we heard his word.

The dove of arrival was full of yearning after its separation, so we set out in order to be rejoined. By Allah, there is no power!

We are the kings of the earth in respect to His nearness.

We spent ourselves in His love, and then the people.

We are in the light of the sun while others are in deepest darkness. We have a keen eye wherever He appears in tajalli.

From the light of Allah, we have light upon light.

Allah guides whoever is worthy to the light of the wali.

Do not be amazed at this. There were guides to realization in the earlier communities before us.

The people abandoned them and their words were not heard: the days were bitter and people were in negligence.

After the death of the Shaykh, his like appears. This is the Sunna of Allah which occurs. There is no changing it.

If you miss reaching him in his life, that interval,

That interval is certain after his moving on.

Roll up your sleeves and do what he commands,

and take knowledges from him, both cheap and dear.

That is seen with every Gnostic, so whoever has an

intellect should ask the intellect for help.

He says, ‘the time has passed me by! What a pity!’ and he sets out to find the Real in truth, even if He is Majestic.

He says, ‘I am drowned! There is no ‘mine’ and no ‘with me’.’ He should ask the help of the lords of arrival in order to arrive.

They are more suited to give the thirsty one his drink —

They have the overflowing of the Merciful and a drink, which is sweet.

Whoever does not enrich the Mureed with the first glance is

in the fetters of ignorance, encircled by ignorance.

There is no Shaykh except the one who is generous with his secret, concerned for the Mureed more than himself.

He removes the veils from him, which prevents him from reaching the highest station,

He enters the presence of Allah after his separation,

and he sees the manifestation of Allah wherever he turns.

He is utterly and completely annihilated to the world.

He loves neither chaste-eyed women nor friends.

By Allah! This is a Shaykh who has no like! He is unique in the age, unique in the whole.

He is the piercing star if you desire his nearness. If your self is precious, he is more precious than it.

The Messenger of Allah has clothed him in the garment of the Khalifate — he was adorned with that garment after he had withdrawn.

It is enough that he is the heir to the secret of his Lord — pure, serene of heart, adorned with beauty.

He took knowledge from the Messenger, which is enough: it is the knowledge of the inward suspended in the heart.

It is a knowledge, which is completely hidden from creation, and a secret, which is protected from articulation — it is not recited.

A mighty one containing a mighty one descended in his heart — Might belongs to Allah, the Messenger, and the rulers.

They are a badl for the Messengers in every community: they undertook Allah’s call, and represented the Messengers.

They clarified the meaning of the path to Allah and they testified to Tawheed as the first did.

Good health to them from a people who’s Lord has been generous to them with His nearness and has appeared in tajalli with pleasure.

They are such a people whose company does not give any trouble to a person. Their Prophet said that in the Sahih, and what he said is sound.

They are the firm grip — take hold of them! They are the guardians of the people of the earth in the steppes and the desert.

They have hearts, which see what others do not see when they are awake. When they sleep — they arrive in their sleep.

By Allah! The sleep of the Gnostic needs no mention! How then is the prayer of the Gnostic when he prays?

He stands on the ceiling of the throne with Allah in the state of his nearness. What a state!

It is such a state that had the state come between it and me I would have said, ‘this is impossible! Such a state is not agreeable.’

A state in which the Mighty descends after distance and the circumambulator of arrival goes round it after separation.

We are as we were and still are. We returned to the presence of tawheed like the first instant.

A Beloved gave a tajalli of His light to us. We obtained a portion of that light, even if it is sublime.

The light of the sun appeared in the moon of darkness:

I was a branch of it and it was a root from me.

Our desire covered our intellects as if we were insane although we have no insanity.

You see us among people while we are not as you see.

By Allah! Our spirits rise above the highest ‘above’.

We have intelligence from the restraint of the intellects. What a jewel unique in beauty it has! How excellent an intellect!

It does not have a consciousness of other-than-Allah —

May His praise be exalted! This is the hobbling-cord, which restrains, even if but a little.

Good health to you from a people whom your Lord has chosen and made them for Himself with a perfect formation!

He has chosen them by unveiling the protection from the light of His Face. Is gratitude equal to that? No! I said, No!

Direct your gratitude to the One who was generous with what is more mighty than the mighty and more entitled to might.

Boast of yourselves to the throne and the earth. You are the slaves of Allah. As for other — No!

Bodies, which have descended into their graves and dissolved, are brought to life by you. They were bodily remains and dust.

It is as if you were the spirit of Allah descending in Adam as Maryam received the breath of Jibra’il.

Dance then in ecstasy, distraction, and rapture! Drag the coat tails of might — you are worthy of them.

Your words are the sweetest — one inclines to their good report. It is as if it were glorification from the Highest Assembly.

It is as if it were the magic of Allah attracting the heart. Allah tells the Truth, and the false flees.

You contain might, Yes! As well as power and force. Your might is might and your dynasty is in power.

I have praised you, No! We praise your Praiser because you are the People, and praise becomes you.

Peace be upon you is what your speaker said. May Allah reward whoever calls to the Master!

If I am your slave serving your slave, I have glory and might among the leaders.

Your lover loves Allah because of your love since you are the door of Allah, the Majestic, the Great.

Do you have a portion of their tasting? If you are like them, yes, you have a leap.

If you find that you have nothing of what they have, then be just to yourself — this attribute will follow.

Have you rolled up phenomenal beings away from you in a glance? Have you seen the Merciful wherever He appeared in tajalli?

Have you annihilated mankind from you in an instant? Are you lost to all, and the high and low?

Have you gone around the cosmos from every side? Has the cosmos gone around you while you are its qibla?

Have the veils departed from you as a mark of honor? Has the cloak been removed and has the covering departed?

It is said to you, ‘Draw near! This is Our Beauty! Welcome! Enjoy yourself! Welcome to you!’

Has the caller called you so that you stood up to do his bidding while you had adab in the journey and removed the sandals?

Exaltation encompasses you from every side, When arrival is sound, you incline greatly towards it.

Have you protected the secret of Allah after its manifestation when you were entrusted with it? Have you put on the Robe of Honor?

This is part of what will indicate your nearness. If not, then secrets are not revealed in the Assembly.

If this description is sound in you, then how excellent it is! If not, you are far from the presence of the Master.

Stay away from the knowledge of people you do not belong to — do not go near the orphan’s property: that is affliction itself.

The anger of Allah is great. Oh failure of the one who makes varnished lies take the place of actions!

Does being distinct in speech and praise have any use? Does embellishment with the remedy of the illness have any use?

Does the sick man benefit from anything other than his medicine? Does anything give the exile joy other than his family?

If you invent and declare words like their words, that is the hornet’s wax. Where then is the bee’s honey?

Would that I knew who the guarantor is and what it is which has summoned him to these lies he takes upon himself.

How stupid he is! His life is squandered while he desires to attract the stars with a withered hand!

That he had told Allah the truth would have been better than that he should lose his share of life in general —

And that he should act by what he knows in order to inherit what he does not know. The accepted saying brought this from the Prophet.

Let him come to the houses of Allah by their doors.

Let him avoid lying and not consider it easy.

Does he not fear the Merciful, protecting his honor and guarding the light of Iman so that it does not depart?

Does he not fear Allah whose words indicate realization and the Highest Station?

You hear a tongue reciting what is not in his heart as if he had knowledge of what he said.

He says that the Gnostic is above his words — that he is with Allah in the desert and steppe.

He mis-represents himself among the common people naming his like. Among the elite, he makes errors.

Had it not been that the unveiling of Allah was inconsistent with his state, we would have held to a good opinion and considered him to be worthy.

Had it not been for the veil of Allah, which we fear to rip apart, we would have disclosed their names in detail, not in general.

Is the seeker of Allah satisfied with His distance? It grieves him and he needs to arrive.

The one who desires the meaning has a mark on his face and a light on his brow which shines and flashes —

Near, with adab, modesty, and trust, ready to forgive critics, esteeming retreat.

He has a himma rising above every himma. Nothing stops him. He sees the rugged as easy.

He has no other purpose than his desire. He does not reach for people as he does not see rebuke.

He has a beautiful attribute. It is enough description to say that he desires Allah. How excellent a lodging!

Whoever is a murid makes this will the aim of his eyes, and then he withdraws

From every blameworthy attribute which he understands from his self. After his withdrawal, he is adorned with the opposite.

He is a slave of Allah in every state, He brings the fard and esteems the nawafil,’

Until Allah is his hearing, his sight, tongue, articulation and hands as well as feet.

He dies before he dies and his Lord brings him to life. What is after death that is moving-on.

He takes account of himself by himself before, and he is the representative of Allah more than himself.

Let him see the existence of Allah before and after his existence and wherever he turns.

Allah was alone and nothing was with Him. He is as He was, First and Last.

He is One in essence — there is nothing other-than-Him. He is as He was, First and Last.

He is One in essence — there is nothing other-than-Him. Inwardly Hidden, Outwardly Manifest, Before-endless-time, and He does not depart.

Wherever you look you see His existence. There is no ‘except’ in absolute tawhid.

How can a doorman encompass the essence of Allah? There is no veil except the light appearing in tajalli.

You will only have this by keeping the company of one who has a rising station and a respected standing.

If you happen to meet the caller whose claim is true and who indicates realization and the Highest Station,

Then beware of overlooking him! Examine his words and ask him about arrival. Does he reflect arrival?

If he indicates distance, that is because of his distance.

If he indicates nearness, then consider him worthy.

He will make the Way to Allah clear for you — intending by that the Face of Allah, the Majestic, the Exalted!

He will elevate your state when you meet him, and he will place your foot on the journey to the Master.

You will obtain His favor by specifying the letters until you see the letters shining on the horizon.

They only have manifestation in your heart, and heedlessness departs when the Name is firmly rooted.

Then exalt the letters as much as you can, and write them on everything, high and low.

After specifying the Name, you will rise by its light until phenomenal beings are annihilated from you and vanish.

However, you will be annihilated by the command of the Shaykh, not by you. He is the proof of Allah, so take him as a protector.

He will bring you out of the narrowness of prison, to the open space — to the open space of open space, to the First of the first —

Until you see that the world has nothing in its essence. It is less than the least in the exaltation of the Master.

If exaltation emerges, you will be annihilated in His eyes because you were nothing from the very first moment.

You did not know who you were. You were, and no you! You will go on without you, and there is no power and no strength!

After your annihilation, you will rise to going-on —

To the going-on of going-on — to the very limit of height!

Is not the witnessing of Allah where we alight? O failure of the one who is distracted from this.

He has squandered a precious life without cause. He stands in the way of his might as if it were a shackle on him.

That is only illusion, which he fears to drive away. Had he had resolution, he would have turned away from base people.

Let him set off to seek Allah before he dies! Does the seeker of Allah base himself on laziness?

Whoever realizes the goal is serious in his quest. Had it been for His sake, he would have rushed towards death.

How sweet is the drink of the people whose taste we communicate! I do not mean wine and I do not mean honey.

A drink with a timeless description — we cannot describe it. Every excellent describer becomes exhausted in attempting it.

Its cup is like it and aids its drink. Is its cup enough without it? I said, ‘Yes.’

I was amazed at this cup which let one drink of itself. It goes around the lovers — this is one of its properties.

Part of its description is magic, which is inscribed on its side. Whoever sees its seal, withdraws from the attack.

It is a wonder that I have not divulged its secret. Had a person other than me drunk some of it, he would neither have prayed or fasted.

Had the Imam looked at the light of its beauty, he would have prostrated to it instead of the qibla.

Had the scholar smelt its scent during his discourse, it would have made him lose his head about discoursing immediately, without delay.

Had the one doing Sa’y seen its radiance, he would not have run nor done tawaf around the Ancient House nor kissed the Stone.

Yes, He orders all to kiss its corner when he sees the meaning of the goal shining from himself.

How is patience possible when one thinks that he is low of value once he has become respectable.

Yes, he reveals pride, boldness and rapture, might, desire, and joy, I mean exuberance.

This is an ancient wine, whose drink is precious: you do not see evil suggestion and you do not fear ill effects.

There is no heat in it and it is not cold. There is no draining it by meaning — that is, no disappointment.

Fine, delicate of description — we cannot describe it. Every excellent describer becomes exhausted in attempting it.

A dot from it is enough for whoever is under the ground and whoever is above and to the very limit of height.

Yes, a dot inclining from the fineness of a glass would cover the intellects and would make them lose their reason.

You see the manifestations of the cosmos prostrating to each other — there is a subtle secret, which is hidden from the eye.

You see them as you see drunkards in their love. Everyone has a beloved and does not desire a substitute for the beloved.

Had it not been for the beauty of Allah in every form, Qays would not have been struck with yearning for Layla.

Lovers would not have loved the beauty of the lovely girl, nor would beautiful women who trail the train of their skirts have inclined.

Had it not been that the beauty of Allah appeared in His workmanship, you would have seen the excellence of beauty as if it were dung.

There is an unexpected beauty in dung for another: for it is the Beloved of flies as well as ants.

There is no manifestation in the cosmos but that its secret is loved by another, even the grain of sand.

No wonder they are drunk in His love! Their goal is a goal and their parting is arrival.

Their wine is the glass of love before their existence. This one strives for it and that one is fond of jesting.

This one has love of it yet is not a lover, and that one desires the journey while his leg is hobbled.

This one has a weak self and laments his state. Another one weeps and wails like the bereaved woman.

Another one has an immense value and wonders at his state. This one is dull-minded as if he were a chunk of firewood.

This is the king of the people, proud of his victory: people obey him and concern themselves with his nearness.

This one is weak in resolution and drinking exhausts him. Another one has great courage and leaps to it.

This one desires nearness and withdraws from his nearness as if he were separated from it, and the state is not separated.

All slaves of Allah have withdrawn into His love. They have no goal nor inclination except Him.

In respect to containers, their enclosure is narrow. When they look at the cosmos, it appears as a lump.

They sigh with sorrow for what they had before the entry of the spirits, I mean into forms.

The caller of nearness summoned them: ‘I am with you! Wherever you turn, My light appears there!’

I am One in Essence, Manifest in all. Does other than Me appear? No! Then again, No!

I made the veil of creation a covering for the Real. There are unexpected secrets and a spring in creation.

Whoever does not know my ‘Ayn (source) in My Ghayn (clouds) says, ‘Where am I ?’ and no partner, No!

The dot of Zayn (adornment) moved to Rayn (rust). Look! What is Shayn (disgrace) except Zayn completed with the dot?

Come to the gatheredness of the Out-of-time! Does He have any lack? Certainly not! He was and still is!

I was absolute of essence, not contained by My place.

I was from Me, and knowledge is ignorant of it.

There is no above nor end to the above of the above. There is no below nor end to the below of the below.

I am concealed in My true nature, a treasure inscribed on a talisman — without limit in breadth, without limit in length.

I appeared in the one with an inward part before his manifestation. I asked Myself about Myself. It said, Yes, indeed!

Does other have manifestation, which is possible in respect to Him? He poured, then inclined, then leapt, and then spoke.

I am One in essence, something unique. I cannot be contained by anything, even a little.

Do I have a scope, which other-than-Me might have? Or is there a vacuum? No! And No! And No!

My true nature is hidden in respect to its source. My attributes are manifest in general and in detail.

There is no direction but I turn to it. Does other have existence? Is there any lack in My description?

My essence is the essence of existence. It was as you see. My exaltation is not limited by as much as a mustard seed.

Where does creation appear when Allah is Vast? Where is other when all is filled?

Gatheredness is the same as separation in respect to its root. Creation is the source of realization, an interpreted truth.

Interpret nearness and you will obtain nearness. Then there is no hulul impossible and He did not descend in hulul.

Remove the touch of other from the essence of Allah.

Nothing can carry it and nothing is carried to it.

It is hidden in manifestation, appearing in its source.

It placed successive veils over its might.

Beware of the veil! You are pleased to destroy it.

These are the limits of Allah: fortress and locks.

Whoever discloses the secret of Allah, calls down His

Wrath. Whoever conceals secrets is respected.

Is there not abundance and awe in concealing the secret, as well as glory, exaltation, and might among leaders?

Good character is enough when he brings it hidden from Allah, an idle treasure.

O people of His inheritance! Preserve His contract and guard His secret with respect and honor.

Is He not enough for you in glory, might and honor?

You have drunk sweet water and a fresh spring from the Messenger.

They established the Deen of Allah and helped his Shari‘ah. They were, as He desired in word and deed.

Is there a value equal to this Messenger? Has he any like? Certainly not! — Again, No! And No!

He is unique in beauty. He contains in himself what the slaves of Allah, Prophet and Messenger, contain.

He is a universal sea. All is like his wave; He is a light shining from the presence of the Mawlana.

O Messenger! You permitted our praise, and you are dearer than all that description contains.

Shall I pursue the traces of true nature in order to recount some of it? I went to the low and I went to the high —

I was forced to return to incapacity saying, ‘What is praise? What is glorification? What is might? What is height?’

It is enough that you are the manifestation of Allah’s light. Allah did not take leave of you — No! And He did not hate you.

The exaltation of Allah is His mercy in you. O beauty of the Real! May the Mawlana bless you!

O Lord! Grant peace, then baraka, exalt, glorify and then magnify him, and bless with every prayer.

Bless his secret, his interior, and his spirit. Bless his Companions and family with him as well.

Prepare helpers for him from his company, and join them together for his sake, and unite them.

We have called on you with the du’a of the enthralled, the utterly distracted.

You know my Lord best by what has descended inwardly. You have disposal of the command and the rendering of judgement.

Strengthen Your insignificant slave, Ahmad al-‘Alawi, to save him from his many errors.

As You preserve him with a preservation, which is, appropriate to his state, and accept his excuse. You are worthy of it.

Peace, then blessings, last and first, beginning and end, in detail and in general.

Be upon the one whom Allah boasts of to all mankind, as long as birds sing and the turtle-dove darts,