Diwan

By: Shaykh Alawi

3

Remember Allah, oh friend! And turn to the Desire!

Aim for the real Truth — for creation is non-existent.

There is no other-than-Him in realization! His power is exalted in timelessness.

He appeared by separation, but people are asleep.

Do not leave the Path! Strive in the journey to the Station.

Preserve the firm contract, and you will drink from the cup of wine.

Our wine is an ancient wine — it existed before Adam.

My friend, He intoxicated us in a time before this.

He cast us down from a lofty mountain, from existence to non-existence.

Then we went back to the Friend above the Throne and the Pen.

We were level on the horizon and we were clothed in the universe.

We were hidden by creation so that people would not see us.

My yearning brought flashes of lightning — my drinking yearned to be constant.

My branch was pleased to blossom. The flowers diffused their fragrance on the hills.

The time of dawn came. The full moon obtained completion.

My road came to the Paths like the sun on a mountain.

How many a lover we have taken prisoner! How many a gallant one we have helped:

How many a friend we have elevated to the witnessing of nobility!

How many a wine we have pressed! How many an Imam we have given something to drink!

How many a faction we have guided to the Assembly of peace.

Our sea is a deep sea, not measured by the good swimmer.

Do not object with precise speech, and do not contend with illusion.

We bring a delicate knowledge which speech can only indicate.

To those with verification — revelation has brought them inspiration.

After the dawn prayer, according to the overflowing of generosity.

It contains whoever is at the Ancient House, the Station, and the Haram.

May my Lord show mercy to those with firmness, who cling to His favor.

Al-‘Alawi has obtained favor and honor by divine success.

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Oh you who desire to know my annihilation — ask the Divinity about me!

Mortal man will not recognize me — my states are hidden from him.

Seek me in drawing-near from beyond slaveness.

As for containers and phenomenal beings, I have nothing left in them.

I am a manifestation of my Lord. The state testifies to me.

I am the overflowing of the Merciful — I appeared in humanness.

My root is ruhani — I existed before slaveness.

Then I returned to my homelands as I was in freedom.

Do not suppose that you see me with human attributes!

Beyond them are meanings, the necessities of ruhaniyya.

Had you seen my place in the most pure presence you would have seen me. Then you would see me as one without other.

However, the Real has robed me and your eye does not reach me.

You see me and you do not see me because you are heedless of me.

Sharpen the eye of Iman, and look with a clear look

If you have certainty, perhaps you will come across us.

You will find secrets covering me, as well as prophetic lights.

You will find eyes guarding me and celestial angels.

You will find that Allah has given to me — He appeared from me by what is in me.

You see Him when you see me while you are not aware of the true situation.

My Lord gave to me — he guided me — He presented me with a clear glance.

He acquainted me with myself from me, and what ruhaniyya is.

If you desire to know my annihilation, then keep my company and pay attention to me!

Listen to me! Relate from me! Do not put yourself above me!

Do not see other than me in the cosmos. Do not let your eye attack me.

Do not suppose that you are safe! Your situation is not hidden from me!

Then if you are sincere with me in slaveness,

Do not be content with the tongue. Its affair is lying.

Open yourself to the spearhead — and die a complete death!

Distract yourself from yourself and occupy yourself with me. If not, then leave me!

We counsel you with what my master counseled me before the desire.

Al-Buzidi was annihilated to all mankind.

Abandon your whole in my place and draw close to the Divinity.

Shed phenomenal beings! Do not let any of them remain:

This and that are two evil things. Look with a mature look!

The Creator and phenomenal beings are manifestations on oneness.

If you realize eye witnessing you will not find anything false.

All is annihilated immediately, except the face of Divine Sovereignty.

After you recognize what we mean, then do without us if you wish.

No, by Allah! The one who forgets me is the one who is empty.

Allah knows my affair. He will preserve me in what remains.

He will preserve all my brothers from temptations of the heart,

And whoever enters my diwan and whoever is present in my gathering,

And whoever sees one who has seen me, if he had an intention.

May my Lord bless with my tongue and direct my whole to my Prophet.

I placed my title in it at the end of the poem,

In harmony with my brothers who particularly seek it from me.

The lineage of my body is from the ‘Alawiyya tribe,

And the ruhani link is to the presence of Al-Buzidi.

Lord show mercy to the two groups and show mercy from me to what remains

Of the branches of the two connections until the end of mankind!

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The eyes were lowered on a day when the Manifest appeared.

It is enough excuse for me that the Beloved overcomes.

That is something He returned so it shines to the intellects.

I recognized it when it appeared from me.

Praise be to Allah for what my eye saw!

That is a protected secret impossible for others.

How many affairs the one who knows has!

He is at the flame of the embers

Glory be to Allah! My protection has gone!

Praise be to Allah for what my eye saw!

The spirits moved freely about the presence of purity.

Oh Friend! Had you seen what is beyond confusion,

As if it were a lamp in the niche of the senses.

Its meaning would have resembled every color.

Praise be to Allah for what my eye saw!

I shouted out my passion. I divulged it in the Assembly.

I said: O Noble ones — I have hit the Beloved!

People are asleep. Not the one who says: ‘I have polished!

I swear, by Allah He is not hidden from me.’

Praise be to Allah for what my eye saw!

All that is said except the Beloved is worthless.

That is impossible, devoid of existence.

All is imagination and it departs with realization,

Except for the Face of Allah which is enough for the inner eye.

Praise be to Allah for what my eye saw!

Oh inner eye! If you are not bewildered,

Take note in creation about Who is Manifest.

If you said, the Aware, We say: Be a traveler then!

Understand from Allah what you hear from me!

Praise be to Allah for what my eye saw!

I am wise, skilled in these knowledges.

What I have is from a Timeless one looking among mankind.

He who is heedless of Allah, he does not know my annihilation.

Praise be to Allah for what my eye saw!

I wish he would wake up from the intoxication of the senses.

And that he would keep a friend’s company to the presence of purity.

My like is firm in the seat of intimacy,

Sincere in Allah: He understands what we mean.

Praise be to Allah for what my eye saw!

I am certain of him in those knowledges, which he sees,

For I am unique in this most glorious station.

Oh murid! Recognize my name, and speak and guide!

Al-‘Alawi is more entitled to me than myself.

Praise be to Allah for what my eye saw!

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I drew near to the quarter of Layla when I heard her call —

What a sweet voice! I wish that it would not end!

She was pleased with me. She drew me. She made me enter her sanctuary.

She kept my company. She spoke to me. She let me sit at her feet.

She brought her essence near me. She lifted her cloak for me.

She dazzled me. She bewildered me. She confused me in her radiance.

She took my measure and weight so that we could pursue her riches.

All of me then prostrated to her.

She took me. She possessed me. She made me withdraw in her meaning.

Until I thought that she was me and that, my spirit was her ransom.

She changed me. She developed me. She brought me up to her height.

She gathered me. She isolated me. She named me with her kunya.

She slew me. She tore me to shreds. She dyed me with her blood.

After my death, she brought me to life. My star shone in her sky!

Where is my spirit? Where is my body? Where is self and its passion?

There appeared from her to my eyelid what had preceded of her secrecy.

By Allah! My eye has neither seen nor witnessed other than her.

Meanings are gathered in her. Glory be to the One who originated her!

Oh you who describe good in me! That is something from her radiance.

Take this annihilation from me. Do not look at her.

My heart did not lie when it revealed her encounter!

If nearness annihilates, then I will go-on in her going-on.

What a light she has. It is enough ‘for the sun and its morning brightness!’

Rather, she is the sun of meanings ‘and the moon when it follows it.’

Structures were filled with light by her, and ‘the day when it displays her.’

If my eye sees other-than-her, it is like ‘the night when it enshrouds her.’

She is truly above the houris of eternity, ‘and the heaven and what built it.’

Rather, she is the houri of my eyes, and ‘the earth and what extended it.’

All are her vessels, and ‘the self and what fashioned it.’

She acquainted me and inspired me with ‘its outrage and its taqwa.’

She supported me. She drew me near. ‘Prosperous is the one who purifies it and makes it grow.’

Whoever recognizes the self, plucks, ‘and failed is the one who buries it and stunts it.’

Oh failure of my life had she imposed ‘its insolence.’

Thamud would have been part of me, or I would have been ‘more wretched than it.’

However, the Master protected me from its evil and passion.

Oh my God! Do not leave me to my self! I fear it.

It might make me lax in my Deen, and it might exceed in its blindness.

By the rank of the one who is my help, the best of the worlds, TaHa.

Had it not been for him, what is from me would not have been from her guidance.

You obtained good from my tongue. Oh you whom Allah has made more radiant —

You are my fortress. You are my help against my self and whatever helps it.

You are more entitled to me than myself. You are the best of those who purify it and make it grow.

Oh good-hearted! Rescue me on a day when you say: ‘I am on its behalf.’

Place me in security tomorrow from a stopping-place, which does not please me.

I am whoever is from me, and whoever guards the company.

By Allah! I think that he is its master in the source of mercy.

His favor has not left me, seen by those of high standing.

It is enough from my lover that I reach a little of it by him.

We have a radiant light from him. Foreheads shone from it.

Oh gnostic of my spirit — its clarity is not hidden from you.

Then you have what you desire in this poem of mine and its meter.

Had you firmly implanted a pearl, you would have enough in what you receive of my gnosis.

The fruit from my bough, with the gnosis of its master.

Al-‘Alawi still plucks from the highest of its knowledges.

By it, we mean Al-Buzidi, my master — he gave it to drink before me.

I still praise him, and praise does not come to an end.

My Friend! Provide me with mercy after my death and do not forget it.