Diwan

By: Shaykh Alawi

7

Oh you who do not understand my words — why do you reject me?

You completely lack the meaning; you are ignorant of Divinity.

Had you known my state, you would have acknowledged my superiority.

You would have seen me among men like a sun over the desert.

My Lord gave me my request. The Master of the gift is enough for me.

He guided me then He gave me a pleasing robe of honor from Him.

He let me drink from a costly cup, more precious than alchemy.

He raised me to a high seat — higher than the star of the Pleaides.

Oh friend! If you seek me, then ask Divine Sovereignty about me!

Look for me above the heights — perhaps you will come across me.

I am a precious sublime sort — something unseen — I have no quality.

The treasure of my property exists — everything withdraws in me.

What do you recognize in my states — you who have no knowledge of election?

You suppose that I am empty — Your contract and intention are enough for you.

The Beloved is mine — we do not turn to this world.

What do you demand, my critic, when you object to me?

My heart remains mine, while the senses are their gift.

When the moment is devoted to me, we do not take note of affliction.

Every gnostic of it asks me above all mankind.

An obliterated heart, empty — he only sees the ephemeral.

He throws himself into error in order to gather something of this world.

He does not turn to ends nor to the nearness of the desire.

He does not keep the company of perfection, and he does not hinder rebellion.

He stands in argument, waging war against the Divinity.

My Lord! Accept my request! — Tawba is a pleasing gift.

Protect us in every state as well as the community of Muhammad.

Then let the blessings of Allah continue from the overflowing of beauty —

As long as worshipper and wali, bless the noblest of prophets,

And every Companion and the family, and the isnad, the people of instruction.

And every salih and wali which the light of greeting contains.

8

People of the party of the Judge — my intellect is bewildered.

I am beside myself, distracted, withdrawn from my where.

We were. As for now — we have wandered from the cosmos.

There is no direction or place in which we know our homelands.

There is no space nor corner where we may place our body.

My state — like me — is bewildered about what occurs from me.

Leave me, oh man! Do not ask me about myself!

Had you known what predominated, you would have pardoned me.

The division of day and night withdrew, and another appeared from me.

My Lord confused me with the elucidation! He gives me help.

In phenomenal beings and in myself from me,

We only see the essence of the Merciful. My eye had coolness from it.

I saw it with eye witnessing. It bewildered my mind.

It appeared with all the colors that my eye could count.

It made me drink tankards. It took me from me.

It made me enter the diwan. It spoke by my tongue.

It burned me in the tavern. It dressed me in my shroud.

It prepared my assistants. It strengthened my fortress.

It smoothed my place. It put kohl on my eyes.

It made me grieve with repentance. It changed my color.

My state is adorned by it except for a matter, which is from me — Oh brothers! We do not know its source from our source.

If you are certain then acquaint me with me.

Am I that thing or is that thing me?

The sage of gnosis said: Do not ask me! Leave me!

I, like you, am distracted by love, bewildered in my affair.

I said: Certainty is sound. Speak then from my tongue!

I am skilful, clever, familiar with that art.

The breath of the Merciful blew from the direction of the Yemen.

It reassembled man and spirit.

I began to tell what was, and what the meaning of my being is,

With proof and the elucidation. My words are enough.

He was generous to me with the moments. They made me recognize that

I am one in time, unique in my homeland.

Friends recognized me and took from me.

They witnessed what appeared from me with eye witnessing.

The envious shaytan rejects my annihilation —

Obliterated, heavily rusted, content with other-than-me.

I am the core of Iman. I am the qutb of the Deen.

I am not man, and I am not one of the jinn.

I am the secret of the Merciful. I am all that is from me.

My measure has an affair, which is outside the cosmos.

I came from Ihsan — I appeared in my body.

The one who is sleepy claims that he recognizes me.

He thinks that al-‘Alawi resides in separation.

This opinion is senseless drivel. The opinion is not enough.

My name came as a title, inscribed on the cosmos.

It is read out to the people of gnosis among the Rijal of the art.

Oh you bewildered with love! Leave what you see from me.

Preserve the light of Iman. Take care lest you slander me.

My Lord who knows what exists — I ask Him to preserve me,

And I ask Muhammad to join me to the great affair.

9

The cups of desire went around among the friends.

It increased them in utter destruction — state upon state.

I said to them: ‘Oh noble ones! Are you pleased with my state?’

They said to me: ‘Oh youth! Then you are empty?’

I said to them: ‘Yes. You have spoken my condition,

However, Oh noble ones, have compassion on my state.

I have much pain and I am weak in action.

I am nothing in relation to you. I have made you my good omen.

Your dhikr is my wine, and your love is my property.

I have burning love for you — I wish that it may continue for me!

Oh lost days of idle chatter!

Had I been among the people of desire, my preoccupations would have disappeared.

I love you with a burning love — and Allah hears me.

There is no blame in your love, while blame is sweet to me,

If I have a station which is sublime with you.’

10

The Beloved behaved unsociably in passion. The meaning is her witness.

The intellect is an effective judge. It contemplates what is the most fortunate.

I am a cupbearer who renews the guardian of the sanctuary and the delegations.

The Real is real. It is not refuted in spite of rejection.

Remove coarseness and set off. Do not become familiar with turning aside.

Do not rely on the one who says that it is not true that man is ungrateful.

Oh the victory of the one who turns to the fragrances of the Loving.

Oh friend! Strive then, for life is cut.

If the moment does not help, generally it will not return.

My friend! Help then, and assist by my command — rise and strive,

As much as you can! Endure! The latter is praised.

The caller is not confirmed. Oh the sorrow of the envious!

His life has been squandered in clever tricks. He has not tasted witnessing.

How many benefits I have produced! How many necklaces I have strung!

How many norms I have broken! How many banners I have raised!

The affair is seen with me while other people are asleep to it.

Creation is familiar with places of ambush which armies encircle.

The fire abounding in duel ‘when they were seated over it.’

They took revenge on the unifier because he said that Allah is seen —

The worshipped is seen and the worshipper is not, and there is no existent!

He appeared to this contemplator, and other was utterly lost,

Since He is One, multiple in witnessing.

Whoever wishes, let him offer resistance. Whoever desires let him enjoy.

By my Lord, we do not exaggerate about what is arranged in passionate love.

11

Oh asker! You are the guarantor for our answer against misfortunes.

Here is a statement in which there is detail, a pure elucidation on statements of ecstasy.

Everything has a road, and every essence has names.

Every truth has a proof and every truthfulness has firmness.

Every close friendship has a close friend, and every slave has masters.

My affair has no like! You are in drunkenness from it.

What you see of me is false. You do not perceive my true nature. How far from the mark you are,

As long as you think that I accept anything from the attributes.

Every exaltation is small in us — like disdain in equality.

You know about us — that I am beautiful and that the essence is stamped on al-‘Alawi.

There is no long journey between us, like that between the living and the dead.

My affair has withdrawn and passed from you. Good opinion about it is rescue.

Every understanding is exhausted in us. How many slips the intellect makes.

12

Oh you who dwell in the quarter and protection of Allah! Go easily! Gentle with your dwelling-place, oh noble ones!

Welcome to you! Welcome and be at ease! You among whom my heart is and for whom the intellect thirsts.

I wish that love would not leave me any roads so that I would not see other-than-You in the world.

Perhaps there would be error in seeking other-than-You and the affair is not that the forbidden be advanced.

The affair goes to whoever leaves all and sees that other-than-You has no station.

Oh friend! This belongs to the people of arrival whenever they wander and destroy the world.

They leave all family and friends behind when they see the meanings of people.

They find the branch to be the root in Haqiqa, and the waves sink away when the sea is swum.

When the sun appears, the stars set, and the moons are seen in darkness.

It is like that with the Gnostics when Layla appears.

No delusion remains in the two beings.

Its manifestation demands that they detach themselves from the elite and the common.

Their station is not compared to any like, and their state has no need of words.

All is a qibla in their prayer. Wherever they turn, there is the desire.

The Real appears in their witnessing, and their nearness continues without interruption.

The bitter becomes sweet in their drink and honey and sealing is in their speech.

All is abased to their might, and Allah continues in their presence.

Good health to them! They have won abundance and they live in happiness with captured booty.