Excerpt


In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

Praise be to Allah.

Now then, know that the whole of you is covert polytheism [shirkun khafiyyun] and your realization-and-affirmation-of-Oneness [tawhid] will not become evident to you until you exit from you[rself].

Provided you are sincere, it will be disclosed to you that it is He, not you, so you must ask forgiveness for you. And whenever you encounter [any form of it], your own polytheism [shirk] will be evident to you. You must therefore renew, in every hour and at every moment, an affirmation-of-Oneness [tawhid] and a faith [iman]. And whenever you become detached from them your faith will increase; and whenever you become detached from you, your certitude [yaqin] will increase.

O prisoner of desires and formal acts of worship, O prisoner of stations and revelations! You are deluded and you are preoccupied with you. Where is your preoccupation with Him to the exclusion of you? He is Present and Attentive, "and He is with you wherever you may be," in this world and the hereafter. When you are with Him, He screens you from you, and when you are with you, He screens you from Him.

Faith is your separating from them, and certitude is your separating from you. When your faith has increased, you will be transported from state to state; and when your certitude has increased, you will be transported from station to station.

The Sacred Law [Shari'a] is for you, until you seek Him from Him for you; and the Reality [Haqiqa] belongs to Him, until you seek Him through Him for Him, beyond when and beyond where, for the...

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Concerning the Authors

1. Shaikh Wali Raslan ad-Dimashqi

Where did Shaikh Wali Raslan spend most of his earthly life, including his final moments? As indicated by his universally accepted surname, ad-Dimashqi, the undisputed answer to this question is the Syrian city of Damascus. But when did he live there, and in what year did he die? That is harder to answer with absolute certainty, since the Arabic sources give a wide range of dates for his death: from shortly after A.H. 540/1145 C.E., to A.H. 695/1296 C.E., to as late as A.H. 711/1369 C.E. After venturing into the maze of conflicting sources, the Dutch scholar G. W. J. Drewes emerges with the convincing conclusion that the earliest of these dates is most probably correct.

In one later compilation, Drewes notes, "A.H. 461 as the year of Raslan's birth is given without mention of the source of this information." As indicated by another of his surnames, al-Ja'bari, his actual birthplace was the fort of Qal'at Ja'bar, on the left bank of the Euphrates, where his male relatives were members of a militia formation known as the ajnad. Those were the days of the Crusades, so the threat of invasion by the Franks may well have prompted the family to make their move to the Muslim stronghold of Damascus. Yet another of the Shaikh's surnames is "the Carpenter [an-Nashshar]." According to traditional accounts, he worked at the carpenter's trade for twenty years, before embarking on his remarkable spiritual career. The turning point came when his own saw told him that sawing wood was not his true purpose in life; after two unsuccessful attempts, it finally won his attention by breaking into three pieces. Raslan then became a pupil of Abu 'Amir al-Mu'addib, a Sufi Shaikh whose silsila [spiritual pedigree] linked him to Sari as-Saqati, the uncle and teacher of the celebrated al-Junaid.1
As Drewes tells the story:

"To this master he made over his earnings, in exchange for which Abu 'Amir supplied his meals, not however without his going hungry from time to time.... His habitation was of the simplest: nothing but a lean-to beside the workshop he shared with a weaver. Abu 'Amir's tuition took place in a small mosque in the neighborhood, within the Thomas Gate..., a district inhabited from of old by many Christians. This mosque, to this very day, [is] known by the name of Maqam Shaikh Arslan...."2

When Abu 'Amir died, Raslan the Carpenter became Raslan the Shaikh, for his teacher had chosen him as his successor, preferring him over his own son. Shaikh Raslan's way of life remained extremely simple, and he never married. Through his steadfast devotion to the Truth, he came to be widely known as Wali Raslan, meaning Raslan
the Saint.

Many charismatic powers and supernatural talents have been attributed to Shaikh Wali Raslan, including those related in Qala'id al-Jawahir [Necklaces of Gems]. In this work, which is essentially a biography of Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah be well pleased with him), Shaikh Muhammad ibn Yahya at-Tadifi includes the following section:

Shaikh Raslan ad-Dimashqi

One of the leading Shaikhs who paid glowing tribute to him [Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah be well pleased with him)] was that splendid exemplar, Shaikh Raslan ad-Dimashqi (may Allah be well pleased with him).

He was one of the pre-eminent Shaikhs of Syria, one of those remarkable individuals who know through direct experience [a'yan
al-'arifin], and one of those who are outstanding on account of their superior skills. He was endowed with lofty indications, with elevated aspirations, with truthful expressions, with supernatural charismatic exploits [karamat khariqa], with majestic spiritual stations, and with exalted situations. He held the highest degree of directly acquired forms of knowledge [ma'arif], the loftiest position in the realm of the realities [haqa'iq], and the foremost standing in nearness, clear unveiling and brilliant illumination [fath], as well as a firmly established empowerment and an effective aptitude for management.

He is one of the leading figures of this [spiritual] business, and one
of its pillars, in terms of learning ['ilm] and practice ['amal], real achievement [tahqiq], direct knowledge [ma'rifa], and indifference to worldly concerns [zuhd]. He is one of those whom Allah (Exalted is He) has brought to the notice of his fellow creatures, and upon whom He has conferred acceptance and abundant veneration in their sight. He put him in firm possession of the spiritual states [ahwal] and of sainthood [wilaya], made him privy to the mysteries of the universe [asrar al-kawn], and granted him freedom of disposal in the realm of existence [wujud]. At his hands, He manifested wondrous marvels, for his sake He disrupted the customary patterns of nature, and He appointed him as a leader [imam] for the spiritual travelers [salikin].

He eventually became responsible for the training of all the seekers [muridin] in Syria. A group of its Shaikhs became affiliated with him, and not a few of its inhabitants enjoyed the benefit of his fellowship. The religious scholars ['ulama'] and the elders (may Allah be well pleased with them) pointed him out with profound respect and reverent admiration. Various animals used for transport alighted in his courtyard, arriving from every direction and by every route, and riders followed in his tracks from every deep ravine [min kulli fajjin 'amiq].3

Shaikh Raslan ad-Dimashqi (may Allah be well pleased with him) was charming, graceful, courteous and humble. He combined the most noble traits of character, the most perfect manners, and the most excellent attributes. He was also endowed with a sublime way of speaking about the process of real experiences [minhaj al-haqa'iq].

He explained, for instance, that one who knows by experience
[al-'arif] is closely monitored in everything by his direct vision [mushahada], and that intimate knowledge [ma'rifa] becomes manifest in the revelation of insight. This is because one who knows by direct experience has already reached his spiritual destination [al-'arif wasil], but then the secrets of Allah (Exalted is He) are conveyed to him in a complete totality, by the lights that make him privy to the facts of the unseen [shawahid al-ghaib], and privy to the secret of control. Thus he is taken from his own person [nafs], then restored to his own person, firmly established in his heart. His being taken from his own person is an act of bringing near [to the Lord], while his being restored to his own person is a training exercise [tahdhib], and his self-control is a special assignment [takhsis]. The bringing near [taqrib] causes him to witness, the training causes him to exist, and the special assignment gives him a separate identity. Thus his separate identity [tafrid] is his existence [wujud], his existence is his witnessing [shuhud], and his witnessing is his witnessing. As Allah (Exalted is He) has told us:

The eyes do not perceive Him, [la tudriku-hu 'l-absaru]
but He perceives the eyes. [wa Huwa yudriku 'l-absar]. (6:104)

-so His perceiving of the eyes is witnessed by the faculties of insight [basa'ir].

It was the enlightened Shaikh Abu Muhammad Ibrahim ibn Mahmud al-Ya'li who said:

"One day in the springtime, Shaikh Raslan (may Allah be well pleased with him) was in one of the gardens of Damascus, together with a group of his companions. One of them said to him: 'O my master, what is the saint [wali] who is fully endowed with the principles of enablement [ahkam at-tamkin].' 'My dear young son,' he replied, 'he is the one whom Allah (Exalted is He) has invested with the reins of management [tasrif].' His companion then asked: 'What is the distinctive mark of that condition, O my master?'

"The Shaikh responded by picking up four twigs. He singled out one of them and said: 'This twig represents the summer. He singled out another and said: 'This twig stands for the fall, the autumn season.' He singled out another and said: 'This one represents the winter.' Then he singled out yet another and said: 'This one stands for the spring.' He then took the twig which he had designated for the summer, and waved it to and fro with his hand. As he did so, the weather grew intensely hot. Then he threw that twig away, picked out the one he had designated for the fall or autumn, and waved it to and fro. As he did so, along came all the typical features of autumn and the season of the fall. Then he threw that twig away, picked out the one he had designated for the winter, and waved it to and fro. As he did so, the winter winds began to blow, the weather grew bitterly cold, and then the leaves began to wither on the trees in the garden, and so on. Then he threw that twig away, held onto the one he had designated for the spring, and waved it to and fro. As he did so, the trees turned green with fresh leaves, the branches began to blossom, and the breezes of springtime blew.

"Then he gazed at the birds on the trees in the garden. He went over to one of the trees, gave it a shake, and signaled to the bird perched on it: 'Glorify your Creator!' The bird responded by warbling a most lovely tune, filling the listeners with sheer delight. Then he moved over to another tree, and did the same again, and so on, until he had come to each of the trees. Of all the birds, only one had failed to break into song, so the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) said to it: 'May you not stay alive!'-and it promptly fell dead on the ground."

On another occasion, fifteen men came to visit him, but the only food he had in store consisted of five flat loaves of bread. He set these before them, after crumbling them with careful precision, and said: "In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. O Allah, bless us in what you have provided for us, for You are the Best of providers!" Even when they had eaten till their hunger was fully satisfied, a quantity was still left over, so he divided it amongst them, piece by piece, and they traveled on to Baghdad, eating from it throughout the entire length of their journey.

It was Abu Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Kurdi who said: "I once saw the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) traveling through the air. At one time he would be walking, at one time he would be traveling in a cross-legged posture, at one time he would be flying by like an arrow, and at one time he would be passing over the water."

He went on to say: "I also saw him at 'Arafat, and at all the sacred shrines [masha'ir]. Then I lost sight of him, so when I came to Damascus I asked the people of that city about him, and they told me: 'By Allah, he has not been absent from us for as much as one whole day, except on the Day of 'Arafa, part of the Day of Sacrifice [Yawm an-Nahr], and the Days of Tashriq.'"

He also said: "I saw him sitting one day with a lion snuggled against his feet, but he was too absorbed to take the slightest notice of the lion.

"One day I saw him on the outskirts of Damascus, throwing pebbles, so I asked him to explain, and he said: 'These are arrows, aimed at the Franks.' At that very point in time, the Franks had moved out toward the coast, pursued by an army of the Muslims. Shortly after that, people said: 'We saw pebbles descending from the sky, raining down through the air upon the heads of the Franks.' A large number of them perished because of the stones cast by the Shaikh. It even happened that a single pebble would strike a mounted knight, and he and his horse would both be destroyed, through the grace of the Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him)."

He was resident (may Allah be well pleased with him) in Damascus, which he regarded as his home town, and it was there that he died. He was buried on its outskirts, and his tomb is a conspicuous site, regularly visited down to this day of ours.4 While his bier was being carried on the necks of the bearers, green birds attended and perched on his bier. The people also saw cavaliers mounted on gray horses, circling around the funeral procession. They had never seen them before, nor did they ever see them afterwards.

May Allah be well pleased with him!

2. Shaikh Zakariyya' al-Ansari

There is no shortage of information concerning the author of Kitab Fath ar-Rahman [Book of the Inspiration of the All-Merciful], a commentary on the Risala of Shaikh Wali Raslan. We know that Shaikh Zakariyya' al-Ansari died in Cairo in A.H. 926/1520 C.E., having lived for a full hundred years. As a renowned exponent of the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence [fiqh], he acquired the honorary title of Shaikh al-Islam. His fame is widespread in the Islamic world, and his works have attracted particular attention in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Shaikh Zakariyya' al-Ansari has not been neglected by Western scholars. He is discussed by J. Schacht in the Encyclopaedia of Islam, in the course of an article on ash-Sha'rani, a pupil of Zakariyya' who described his master as a "pillar of Islamic jurisprudence [fiqh] and spiritual culture [tasawwuf]." He is mentioned by J. S. Trimingham,5 as the author of al-Futuhat al-Ilahiyya [The Divine Revelatory Disclosures]. In Brockelmann's History of Islamic Literature, no fewer than fifty-two titles are listed under his name, covering subjects such as logic, grammar, scientific terminology, rhetoric, prosody, Qur'anic exegesis [tafsir], Sacred Tradition [Hadith Qudsi], the life of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), several topics of jurisprudence [fiqh], theological doctrine [kalam] and spiritual culture [tasawwuf].

Most importantly, we have the excellent scholarly work of G. W. J. Drewes, whose Directions for Travellers on the Mystic Path bears the subtitle: "Zakariyya' al-Ansari's Kitab Fath ar-Rahman and its Indonesian Adaptations." This book contains highly informative chapters on Shaikh Wali Raslan ad-Dimashqi and Shaikh Zakariyya' al-Ansari,
as well as a romanized transliteration of the entire text of Kitab Fath
ar-Rahman.

3. Shaikh 'Ali ibn 'Atiyya 'Alawan al-Hamawi

As for the author of Sharh Fath ar-Rahman, our second commentary on the Risala of Shaikh Wali Raslan, we have only the scantiest information to offer the reader. We can merely state that his name is 'Ali ibn 'Atiyya 'Alawan al-Hamawi,6 that he died in A.H. 939/1530 C.E., and that his work became known in Indonesia. However late in the day, the quality of his work entitles him to wider recognition.

May Allah be well pleased with each of these three servants of His (Exalted is He).


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