Kitab Maʾiyyati al-Aql: The Nature and Meaning of Intellect by Al Muhasibi

كِتَابُ مَائِيَّةِ الْعَقْلِ وَمَعْنَاهُ وَاخْتِلَافِ النَّاسِ فِيهِ

Kitābu Māʾiyyati al-ʿAqli wa-Maʿnāhu wa-Ikhtilāfi al-Nāsi fīhi

The Nature and Meaning of Intellect and People’s Disagreement about It

الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ الْمُحَاسِبِيُّ

Al-Ḥārithu bnu Asadin al-Muḥāsibiyyu

Al-Ḥārith ibn Asad al-Muḥāsibī

Source page 201

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Bismi Allāhi al-raḥmāni al-raḥīmi

In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.

عَوْنَكَ اللَّهُمَّ

ʿAwnaka Allāhumma

Your help, O God!

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَسَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُحَاسِبِيُّ الْبَصْرِيُّ
رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ

Qāla Abū ʿAbdi Allāhi al-Ḥārithu bnu Asadi bni ʿAbdi Allāhi al-Muḥāsibiyyu al-Baṣriyyu
raḥmatu Allāhi ʿalayhi

Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥārith son of Asad son of ʿAbd Allāh, al-Muḥāsibī of Basra, said, may God’s mercy be upon him:

بَابُ مَائِيَّةِ الْعَقْلِ وَحَقِيقَةِ مَعْنَاهُ

Bābu māʾiyyati al-ʿaqli wa-ḥaqīqati maʿnāhu

Chapter on what intellect is and the true nature of its meaning

سَأَلْتَ عَنِ الْعَقْلِ مَا هُوَ؟

Saʾalta ʿani al-ʿaqli mā huwa?

You asked about intellect: what is it?

وَإِنِّي أُرْجِعُ إِلَيْكَ فِي اللُّغَةِ، وَالْمَعْقُولِ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ، وَتَرَاجُعِ الْعُلَمَاءِ (فِيمَا) بَيْنَهُمْ بِالتَّسْمِيَةِ، ثَلَاثَةَ (مَعَانِي):

Wa-innī urjiʿu ilayka fī al-lughati, wa-al-maʿqūli mina al-kitābi wa-al-sunnati, wa-tarājuʿi al-ʿulamāʾi (fīmā) baynahum bi-al-tasmiyati, thalāthata (maʿānī):

I bring back to you three (meanings) found in language, in what is understood from the Book and the Sunna, and in the scholars’ exchanges (among) themselves using this name:

أَحَدُهَا: هُوَ مَعْنَاهُ، لَا مَعْنَى لَهُ غَيْرُهُ فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ.

Aḥaduhā: huwa maʿnāhu, lā maʿnā lahu ghayruhu fī al-ḥaqīqati.

One of them is its actual meaning. In the strict sense, it has no other meaning.

وَالْآخَرَانِ اسْمَانِ جَوَّزَتْهُمَا الْعَرَبُ إِذْ كَانَا عَنْهُ فِعْلًا، لَا يَكُونَانِ إِلَّا بِهِ وَمِنْهُ، وَقَدْ سَمَّاهَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ وَسَمَّتْهَا الْعُلَمَاءُ عَقْلًا.

Wa-al-ākharāni ismāni jawwazathumā al-ʿarabu idh kānā ʿanhu fiʿlan, lā yakūnāni illā bihi wa-minhu, wa-qad sammāhā Allāhu taʿālā fī kitābihi wa-sammathā al-ʿulamāʾu ʿaqlan.

The other two are names that Arab usage has allowed because the two are activity arising from it: they occur only through it and from it. God Most High has called them intellect in His Book, and the scholars have called them intellect.

Source pages 201–202

فَأَمَّا مَا هُوَ فِي الْمَعْنَى فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ لَا غَيْرُهُ: فَهُوَ غَرِيزَةٌ وَضَعَهَا اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ فِي أَكْثَرِ خَلْقِهِ لَمْ يَطَّلِعْ عَلَيْهَا الْعِبَادُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ، وَلَا اطَّلَعُوا عَلَيْهَا مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ بِرُؤْيَةٍ، وَلَا بِحِسٍّ، وَلَا ذَوْقٍ، وَلَا طَعْمٍ. وَإِنَّمَا عَرَّفَهُمُ اللَّهُ (إِيَّاهَا) بِالْعَقْلِ مِنْهُ.

Fa-ammā mā huwa fī al-maʿnā fī al-ḥaqīqati lā ghayruhu: fa-huwa gharīzatun waḍaʿahā Allāhu subḥānahu fī akthari khalqihi lam yaṭṭaliʿ ʿalayhā al-ʿibādu baʿḍuhum min baʿḍin, wa-lā iṭṭalaʿū ʿalayhā min anfusihim bi-ruʾyatin, wa-lā bi-ḥissin, wa-lā dhawqin, wa-lā ṭaʿmin. Wa-innamā ʿarrafahumu Allāhu (iyyāhā) bi-al-ʿaqli minhu.

As for what it really is in meaning, and nothing else: it is an innate faculty that God, glorified is He, has placed in most of His creatures. His servants have not directly perceived it in one another, nor have they directly perceived it within themselves by sight, by sensation, by tasting, or by flavor. God has made (it) known to them only through the understanding that comes from it.

Source page 202

فَبِذَلِكَ الْعَقْلِ عَرَفُوهُ، وَشَهِدُوا عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَقْلِ الَّذِي عَرَفُوهُ بِهِ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ بِمَعْرِفَةِ مَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَمَعْرِفَةِ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ.

Fa-bi-dhālika al-ʿaqli ʿarafūhu, wa-shahidū ʿalayhi bi-al-ʿaqli al-ladhī ʿarafūhu bihi min anfusihim bi-maʿrifati mā yanfaʿuhum wa-maʿrifati mā yaḍurruhum.

Through that understanding they recognize it and testify to its presence, by the understanding through which they recognize it within themselves: their knowledge of what benefits them and their knowledge of what harms them.

فَمَنْ عَرَفَ مَا يَنْفَعُهُ مَا يَضُرُّهُ فِي أَمْرِ دُنْيَاهُ، عَرَفَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَدْ مَنَّ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَقْلِ الَّذِي سَلَبَ أَهْلَ الْجُنُونِ وَأَهْلَ التِّيهِ، وَسَلَبَ أَكْثَرَهُ الْحَمْقَى، الَّذِينَ قَلَّتْ عُقُولُهُمْ.

Fa-man ʿarafa mā yanfaʿuhu mā yaḍurruhu fī amri dunyāhu, ʿarafa anna Allāha taʿālā qad manna ʿalayhi bi-al-ʿaqli al-ladhī salaba ahla al-junūni wa-ahla al-tīhi, wa-salaba aktharahu al-ḥamqā, al-ladhīna qallat ʿuqūluhum.

Whoever knows what benefits him, what harms him in his worldly affairs, knows that God Most High has favored him with the intellect of which He has deprived the insane and the bewildered, and of most of which He has deprived the foolish, whose intellects are slight.

وَكَذَلِكَ مَعْرِفَةُ بَعْضِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ بِظَاهِرِ فِعْلِ الْجَوَارِحِ.

Wa-kadhālika maʿrifatu baʿḍihim min baʿḍin bi-ẓāhiri fiʿli al-jawāriḥi.

The same applies to their recognition of it in one another through the outward activity of the bodily faculties.

فَيُسْتَدَلُّ أَنَّهُ عَاقِلٌ لَهُ عَقْلٌ إِذَا رَأَوْا مِنْ أَفْعَالِهِ مَا يَدُلُّهُمْ أَنَّهُ قَدْ عَرَفَ مَا يَنْفَعُهُ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُ وَمَا يَضُرُّهُ؛ إِذَا رَأَوْهُ طَالِبًا عَامِلًا مَا يَنْفَعُهُ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُ مُجَانِبًا لِمَا يَضُرُّهُ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُ. فَسَمَّوْا مَنْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ عَاقِلًا وَشَهِدُوا أَنَّ لَهُ عَقْلًا وَأَنَّهُ لَا مَجْنُونٌ، وَلَا تَائِهٌ وَلَا أَحْمَقُ.

Fa-yustadallu annahu ʿāqilun lahu ʿaqlun idhā raʾaw min afʿālihi mā yadulluhum annahu qad ʿarafa mā yanfaʿuhu min dunyāhu wa-mā yaḍurruhu; idhā raʾawhu ṭāliban ʿāmilan mā yanfaʿuhu min dunyāhu mujāniban li-mā yaḍurruhu min dunyāhu. Fa-sammaw man kāna kadhālika ʿāqilan wa-shahidū anna lahu ʿaqlan wa-annahu lā majnūnun, wa-lā tāʾihun wa-lā aḥmaqu.

It is inferred that a person is rational and possesses intellect when people see actions of his that show them that he knows what benefits him in his worldly life and what harms him: when they see him seeking and doing what benefits him in this life and avoiding what harms him in it. They call someone like this rational and testify that he has intellect and that he is neither insane, nor bewildered, nor foolish.

فَإِنْ رَأَوْهُ بِخِلَافِ ذَلِكَ شَهِدُوا أَنَّهُ مَجْنُونٌ قَدْ (تَغَشَّى) عَقْلَهُ مِنَ الْآفَةِ مَا أَذْهَلَهُ، وَأَزَالَ مَعْرِفَتَهُ بِمَنَافِعِهِ وَمَضَارِّهِ.

Fa-in raʾawhu bi-khilāfi dhālika shahidū annahu majnūnun qad (taghashshā) ʿaqlahu mina al-āfati mā adhhalahu, wa-azāla maʿrifatahu bi-manāfiʿihi wa-maḍārrihi.

If they see him acting otherwise, they testify that he is insane: an affliction has (overwhelmed) his intellect, dazing him and removing his knowledge of what benefits and harms him.

Source pages 202–203

فَإِنْ رَأَوْهُ يَتْبَعُ مَنَافِعَهُ وَيُجَانِبُ مَضَارَّهُ، وَفِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ أَفْعَالِهِ يَعْمَلُ بِخِلَافِ ذَلِكَ سَمَّوْهُ عَلَى قَدْرِ الْكَثْرَةِ بِخِلَافِ مَا يَفْعَلُ الْعَاقِلُونَ أَوْ لِقِلَّتِهِ أَحْمَقَ أَوْ مَائِقًا.

Fa-in raʾawhu yatbaʿu manāfiʿahu wa-yujānibu maḍārrahu, wa-fī kathīrin min afʿālihi yaʿmalu bi-khilāfi dhālika sammawhu ʿalā qadri al-kathrati bi-khilāfi mā yafʿalu al-ʿāqilūna aw li-qillatihi aḥmaqa aw māʾiqan.

If they see him pursuing what benefits him and avoiding what harms him, yet acting otherwise in many of his actions, they call him foolish or weak-minded according to how frequently, or how infrequently, he acts contrary to what rational people do.

Source page 203

فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ وَقْتٌ تَزُولُ أَفْعَالُ الْعَقْلِ عَنْهُ بِصَعْقٍ، أَوْ تَقَلُّبٍ لِلْأُمُورِ فِي الْقَوْلِ وَالْفِعْلِ سَمَّوْهُ مَجْنُونًا فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ، [عَاقِلًا] إِذَا أَفَاقَ، وَتَجَلَّى ذَلِكَ عَنْهُ، وَعَادَ لِهَيْئَتِهِ الْأُولَى، مِنْ أَنْ تَظْهَرَ مِنْهُ أَفْعَالُ الْعَقْلِ وَاللُّبِّ بِأَسْبَابِ ذَلِكَ.

Fa-in kāna lahu waqtun tazūlu afʿālu al-ʿaqli ʿanhu bi-ṣaʿqin, aw taqallubin li-al-umūri fī al-qawli wa-al-fiʿli sammawhu majnūnan fī dhālika al-waqti, [ʿāqilan] idhā afāqa, wa-tajallā dhālika ʿanhu, wa-ʿāda li-hayʾatihi al-ūlā, min an taẓhara minhu afʿālu al-ʿaqli wa-al-lubbi bi-asbābi dhālika.

If there is a time when the activities of intellect cease in him through a loss of consciousness or a disarray of matters in speech and action, they call him insane at that time, and [rational] when he recovers, that condition clears away, and he returns to his former state, with the activities of intellect and sound understanding appearing in him through the causes that produce them.

إِذَا سُئِلَ أَجَابَ بِمَا يَعْقِلُ. وَيَطْلُبُ مَنَافِعَهُ وَيَجْتَنِبُ مَضَارَّهُ.

Idhā suʾila ajāba bi-mā yaʿqilu. Wa-yaṭlubu manāfiʿahu wa-yajtanibu maḍārrahu.

When asked a question, he answers with understanding. He seeks what benefits him and avoids what harms him.

وَرُبَّمَا تَعَرَّضَ لِمَا يَضُرُّهُ فِي الْعَوَاقِبِ، وَذَلِكَ نَافِعٌ لَهُ فِي الْعَاجِلِ، ضَارٌّ لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ، فَيُسَمَّى عَاقِلًا. يَعْنُونَ أَنَّ لَهُ الْغَرِيزَةَ الَّتِي هِيَ ضِدُّ الْحُمْقِ وَالْجُنُونِ؛ وَأَنَّهُ قَدْ نَقَصَ عَقْلُهُ لِعَاقِبَتِهِ بِقَدْرِ مَا تَعَرَّضَ لِمَا يَنْفَعُهُ فِي الْعَاجِلِ مِمَّا يَضُرُّهُ فِي الْعَاقِبَةِ.

Wa-rubbamā taʿarraḍa li-mā yaḍurruhu fī al-ʿawāqibi, wa-dhālika nāfiʿun lahu fī al-ʿājili, ḍārrun lahu fī al-ākhirati, fa-yusammā ʿāqilan. Yaʿnūna anna lahu al-gharīzata al-latī hiya ḍiddu al-ḥumqi wa-al-junūni; wa-annahu qad naqaṣa ʿaqluhu li-ʿāqibatihi bi-qadri mā taʿarraḍa li-mā yanfaʿuhu fī al-ʿājili mimmā yaḍurruhu fī al-ʿāqibati.

He may expose himself to something harmful in its consequences, though it benefits him immediately and harms him in the hereafter, and still be called rational. They mean that he possesses the innate faculty opposed to foolishness and insanity, but that his understanding of his ultimate outcome is diminished to the extent that he exposes himself to an immediate benefit that will harm him in the end.

فَالْعَقْلُ غَرِيزَةٌ جَعَلَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي الْمُمْتَحَنِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ، أَقَامَ بِهِ عَلَى الْبَالِغِينَ لِلْحُلُمِ الْحُجَّةَ. وَأَتَاهُمْ مَنْ خَاطَبَ مِنْ قِبَلِ عُقُولِهِمْ، وَوَعَدَ وَتَوَعَّدَ، وَأَمَرَ وَنَهَى وَحَضَّ وَنَدَبَ.

Fa-al-ʿaqlu gharīzatun jaʿalahā Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla fī al-mumtaḥanīna min ʿibādihi, aqāma bihi ʿalā al-bālighīna li-al-ḥulumi al-ḥujjata. Wa-atāhum man khāṭaba min qibali ʿuqūlihim, wa-waʿada wa-tawaʿʿada, wa-amara wa-nahā wa-ḥaḍḍa wa-nadaba.

Intellect, then, is an innate faculty that God, mighty and majestic, has placed in those of His servants who undergo testing. Through it He has established the case against those who have reached puberty. One who addressed them came to them by way of their intellects, promised and warned, commanded and forbade, urged and invited.

Source page 204

فَهُوَ غَرِيزَةٌ لَا يُعْرَفُ إِلَّا بِفِعَالِهِ فِي الْقَلْبِ وَالْجَوَارِحِ. لَا يَقْدِرُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَصِفَهُ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَلَا فِي غَيْرِهِ بِغَيْرِ أَفْعَالِهِ.

Fa-huwa gharīzatun lā yuʿrafu illā bi-fiʿālihi fī al-qalbi wa-al-jawāriḥi. Lā yaqdiru aḥadun an yaṣifahu fī nafsihi wa-lā fī ghayrihi bi-ghayri afʿālihi.

It is an innate faculty known only through its activities in the heart and bodily faculties. No one can describe it in himself or in another except through its actions.

لَا يَقْدِرُ أَنْ يَصِفَهُ بِجِسْمِيَّةٍ، وَلَا بِطُولٍ، وَلَا بِعَرْضٍ، وَلَا طَعْمٍ، وَلَا شَمٍّ، وَلَا مَجَسَّةٍ، وَلَا لَوْنٍ، وَلَا يُعْرَفُ إِلَّا بِأَفْعَالِهِ.

Lā yaqdiru an yaṣifahu bi-jismiyyatin, wa-lā bi-ṭūlin, wa-lā bi-ʿarḍin, wa-lā ṭaʿmin, wa-lā shammin, wa-lā majassatin, wa-lā lawnin, wa-lā yuʿrafu illā bi-afʿālihi.

He cannot describe it in terms of corporeality, length, breadth, taste, smell, a feel to the touch, or color. It is known only through its actions.

وَقَالَ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّمِينَ: هُوَ صَفْوَةُ الرُّوحِ، أَيْ خَالِصُ الرُّوحِ.

Wa-qāla qawmun mina al-mutakallimīna: huwa ṣafwatu al-rūḥi, ay khāliṣu al-rūḥi.

Some speculative theologians have said: it is the purest part of the spirit, that is, the spirit’s pure essence.

وَاحْتَجُّوا بِاللُّغَةِ فَقَالُوا: لُبُّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ خَالِصُهُ. فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ سُمِّيَ الْعَقْلُ لُبًّا. وَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ» يَعْنِي أُولِي الْعُقُولِ.

Wa-iḥtajjū bi-al-lughati fa-qālū: lubbu kulli shayʾin khāliṣuhu. Fa-min ajli dhālika summiya al-ʿaqlu lubban. Wa-qāla Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla «innamā yatadhakkaru ulū al-albābi» yaʿnī ulī al-ʿuqūli.

They appealed to language, saying: the kernel of anything is its pure essence. For this reason intellect was called a kernel. And God, mighty and majestic, said, “Only those possessed of understanding take heed,” meaning those possessed of intellects.

وَلَا نَقُولُ ذَلِكَ إِذَا لَمْ نَجِدْ فِيهِ كِتَابًا مَسْطُورًا، وَلَا حَدِيثًا مَأْثُورًا.

Wa-lā naqūlu dhālika idhā lam najid fīhi kitāban masṭūran, wa-lā ḥadīthan maʾthūran.

We do not make that claim, since we find no written scripture or transmitted report to support it.

وَقَالَ قَوْمٌ: هُوَ نُورٌ وَضَعَهُ اللَّهُ طَبْعًا وَغَرِيزَةً، يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيُعَبِّرُ بِهِ.

Wa-qāla qawmun: huwa nūrun waḍaʿahu Allāhu ṭabʿan wa-gharīzatan, yubṣiru bihi, wa-yuʿabbiru bihi.

Others have said: it is a light that God has implanted as a natural disposition and innate faculty, through which a person perceives and gives expression.

نُورٌ فِي الْقَلْبِ كَالنُّورِ فِي الْعَيْنِ، وَهُوَ الْبَصَرُ.

Nūrun fī al-qalbi ka-al-nūri fī al-ʿayni, wa-huwa al-baṣaru.

A light in the heart, like the light in the eye, which is sight.

فَالْعَقْلُ نُورٌ فِي الْقَلْبِ، وَالْبَصَرُ نُورٌ فِي الْعَيْنِ.

Fa-al-ʿaqlu nūrun fī al-qalbi, wa-al-baṣaru nūrun fī al-ʿayni.

Intellect, then, is a light in the heart, and sight is a light in the eye.

Source page 205

فَالْعَقْلُ غَرِيزَةٌ يُولَدُ الْعَبْدُ بِهَا ثُمَّ يَزِيدُ فِيهِ مَعْنًى بَعْدَ مَعْنًى بِالْمَعْرِفَةِ بِالْأَسْبَابِ الدَّالَّةِ عَلَى الْمَعْقُولِ.

Fa-al-ʿaqlu gharīzatun yūladu al-ʿabdu bihā thumma yazīdu fīhi maʿnan baʿda maʿnan bi-al-maʿrifati bi-al-asbābi al-dāllati ʿalā al-maʿqūli.

Intellect is an innate faculty with which the servant is born. Then one meaning after another grows within him through knowledge of the means that point to what is understood.

وَقَدْ زَعَمَ قَوْمٌ أَنَّ الْعَقْلَ مَعْرِفَةٌ نَظَمَهَا اللَّهُ وَوَضَعَهَا فِي عِبَادِهِ يَزِيدُ وَيَتَّسِعُ بِالْعِلْمِ الْمُكْتَسَبِ الدَّالِّ عَلَى النَّافِعِ وَالضَّارِّ.

Wa-qad zaʿama qawmun anna al-ʿaqla maʿrifatun naẓamahā Allāhu wa-waḍaʿahā fī ʿibādihi yazīdu wa-yattasiʿu bi-al-ʿilmi al-muktasabi al-dālli ʿalā al-nāfiʿi wa-al-ḍārri.

Some have asserted that intellect is knowledge that God has ordered and placed in His servants, increasing and expanding through acquired learning that indicates what is beneficial and harmful.

وَالَّذِي هُوَ عِنْدَنَا أَنَّهُ غَرِيزَةٌ، وَالْمَعْرِفَةُ عَنْهُ تَكُونُ.

Wa-al-ladhī huwa ʿindanā annahu gharīzatun, wa-al-maʿrifatu ʿanhu takūnu.

Our position is that it is an innate faculty, and knowledge comes from it.

وَكَذَلِكَ الْجُنُونُ وَالْحُمْقُ لَا يُسَمَّى نَكِرَةً لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ الْمَعْرِفَةُ هُوَ الْعَقْلُ، سُمِّيَ الْجُنُونُ نَكِرَةً، وَالْحُمْقُ نَكِرَةً، لِأَنَّ النَّكِرَةَ ضِدُّ الْمَعْرِفَةِ وَالْجَهْلَ ضِدُّ الْعِلْمِ.

Wa-kadhālika al-junūnu wa-al-ḥumqu lā yusammā nakiratan li-annahu law kāna al-maʿrifatu huwa al-ʿaqlu, summiya al-junūnu nakiratan, wa-al-ḥumqu nakiratan, li-anna al-nakirata ḍiddu al-maʿrifati wa-al-jahla ḍiddu al-ʿilmi.

Likewise, insanity and foolishness are not called nonrecognition. If knowledge were intellect itself, insanity would be called nonrecognition, and foolishness nonrecognition, because nonrecognition is the opposite of recognition, and ignorance the opposite of knowledge.

فَلَمَّا امْتَنَعَ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ أَنْ يُسَمُّوا الْمَجْنُونَ مُنْكِرًا جَاهِلًا، وَلَا يُسَمُّونَ الْمُنْكِرَ، مَجْنُونًا، وَالْجَاهِلَ مَجْنُونًا وَقَالُوا بِأَنَّهُ مَجْنُونٌ صَحَّ مَا قُلْنَاهُ.

Fa-lammā imtanaʿa ahlu al-ʿilmi an yusammū al-majnūna munkiran jāhilan, wa-lā yusammūna al-munkira, majnūnan, wa-al-jāhila majnūnan wa-qālū bi-annahu majnūnun ṣaḥḥa mā qulnāhu.

Since people of learning refrain from calling an insane person a denier or an ignorant person, and do not call a denier insane or an ignorant person insane, but say that the insane person is insane, what we have said is established.

وَمِمَّا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ الْعَقْلَ هِيَ الْغَرِيزَةُ الَّتِي (بِهَا) عَرَفَ فَأَقَرَّ، وَعَرَفَ فَأَنْكَرَ، أَوْ ظَنَّ فَأَنْكَرَ، لِأَنَّ الْإِنْكَارَ فِعْلٌ، فَكَذَلِكَ ضِدُّ الْمَعْرِفَةِ فِعْلٌ.

Wa-mimmā yadullu ʿalā anna al-ʿaqla hiya al-gharīzatu al-latī (bihā) ʿarafa fa-aqarra, wa-ʿarafa fa-ankara, aw ẓanna fa-ankara, li-anna al-inkāra fiʿlun, fa-kadhālika ḍiddu al-maʿrifati fiʿlun.

Further evidence that intellect is the innate faculty (through which) a person recognizes and acknowledges, or recognizes and denies, or supposes and denies, is that denial is an action; likewise, the opposite of recognition is an action.

Source pages 205–206

فَمِنْهُ فِعْلٌ عَنْ طَبْعٍ يُوجِبُهُ الطَّبْعُ (كَالضَّرَّةِ)؛ كَمَعْرِفَةِ الرَّجُلِ نَفْسَهُ، وَأَبَاهُ، وَأُمَّهُ، وَالسَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ، وَجَمِيعَ الْأَشْيَاءِ الَّتِي تُشَاهَدُ.

Fa-minhu fiʿlun ʿan ṭabʿin yūjibuhu al-ṭabʿu (ka-al-ḍarrati); ka-maʿrifati al-rajuli nafsahu, wa-abāhu, wa-ummahu, wa-al-samāʾa wa-al-arḍa, wa-jamīʿa al-ashyāʾi al-latī tushāhadu.

From it comes action arising from natural disposition, which nature makes necessary (as a necessity): such as a person’s recognition of himself, his father, his mother, the sky and the earth, and all the things that are seen.

Source page 206

وَلَوْلَا الِاسْتِدْلَالُ بِالْعِلْمِ الَّذِي سَمِعَهُ مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ الْأَشْيَاءِ ثُمَّ رَأَى الْأَشْيَاءَ، لَعَرَفَهَا رُؤْيَا وَلَمْ يَعْرِفْهَا بِاسْمٍ وَلَا تَفَصُّلَ بَيْنَ مَعَانِيهَا.

Wa-lawlā al-istidlālu bi-al-ʿilmi al-ladhī samiʿahu min asmāʾi al-ashyāʾi thumma raʾā al-ashyāʾa, la-ʿarafahā ruʾyā wa-lam yaʿrifhā bi-ismin wa-lā tafaṣṣula bayna maʿānīhā.

Were it not for drawing inferences through the knowledge he has heard of things’ names, and then seeing the things, he would recognize them by sight but would not know them by name, and there would be no differentiation among their meanings.

أَوَلَمْ تَسْتَمِعْ إِلَى مَا وَصَفَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مَلَائِكَتَهُ، إِذْ سَأَلَهُمْ أَنْ يُخْبِرُوهُ بِأَسْمَاءِ الْأَشْيَاءِ فَقَالُوا: لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا. فَأَمَرَ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِهَا لِأَنَّهُ عَلَّمَهُ الْأَشْيَاءَ.

A-wa-lam tastamiʿ ilā mā waṣafa Allāhu taʿālā malāʾikatahu, idh saʾalahum an yukhbirūhu bi-asmāʾi al-ashyāʾi fa-qālū: lā ʿilma lanā. Fa-amara Ādama ʿalayhi al-salāmu fa-akhbarahum bihā li-annahu ʿallamahu al-ashyāʾa.

Have you not listened to God Most High’s account of His angels, when He asked them to tell Him the names of things and they said, “We have no knowledge”? Then He commanded Adam, peace be upon him, and Adam told them their names, because He had taught him the things.

فَلَمْ يَعْرِفْ عَاقِلٌ أَسْمَاءَ الْأَشْيَاءِ إِلَّا بِالتَّعْلِيمِ مُنْذُ هُوَ طِفْلٌ لِمَا يَسْمَعُ وَيَرَى. عَرَفَ بِعَقْلِهِ الْأَشْيَاءَ، وَفَصَلَ بَيْنَ مَعَانِيهَا.

Fa-lam yaʿrif ʿāqilun asmāʾa al-ashyāʾi illā bi-al-taʿlīmi mundhu huwa ṭiflun li-mā yasmaʿu wa-yarā. ʿArafa bi-ʿaqlihi al-ashyāʾa, wa-faṣala bayna maʿānīhā.

No rational person has known things’ names except through instruction, from the time he is a child, in connection with what he hears and sees. Through his intellect he recognizes things and distinguishes their meanings.

Source pages 206–207

فَكُلُّ بَالِغٍ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ مِنَ الذُّكُورِ وَالْإِنَاثِ مِمَّنْ أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَنَهَاهُ وَوَعَدَهُ وَتَوَعَّدَهُ بِإِرْسَالِ النُّذُرِ، وَإِنْزَالِ الْكُتُبِ، وَآثَارِ آيَاتِ التَّدْبِيرِ فَحُجَّةُ الْعَقْلِ لَازِمَةٌ لَهُ، إِذْ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ بِالْعَقْلِ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَعْرِفَةِ الْبَيَانِ (لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَيَّ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ). (وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَاهُمْ حَتَّى يُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ مَا يَتَّقُونَ).

Fa-kullu bālighin mina al-jinni wa-al-insi mina al-dhukūri wa-al-ināthi mimman amarahu Allāhu taʿālā wa-nahāhu wa-waʿadahu wa-tawaʿʿadahu bi-irsāli al-nudhuri, wa-inzāli al-kutubi, wa-āthāri āyāti al-tadbīri fa-ḥujjatu al-ʿaqli lāzimatun lahu, idh anʿama Allāhu subḥānahu bi-al-ʿaqli ʿalayhi, wa-maʿrifati al-bayāni (li-yahlika man halaka ʿan bayyinatin wa-yaḥyā man ḥayya ʿan bayyinatin, wa-inna Allāha la-samīʿun ʿalīmun). (Wa-mā kāna Allāhu li-yuḍilla qawman baʿda idh hadāhum ḥattā yubayyina lahum mā yattaqūna).

Every mature being among jinn and humans, male or female, whom God Most High has commanded and forbidden, promised and warned through the sending of warners, the revelation of books, and the traces of signs of His ordering, is bound by intellect’s evidence. For God, glorified is He, has favored that being with intellect and knowledge of the clear explanation: (so that whoever perishes may perish on clear evidence, and whoever lives may live on clear evidence; surely God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing). (God would not lead a people astray after guiding them until He makes clear to them what they must guard against).

Source page 207

أَوَ لَا تَرَاهُ يَقُولُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: (وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ) يَعْنِي بَيَّنَّا لَهُمْ مَا (يَعْقِلُوهُ) بِعُقُولِهِمْ إِنْ تَدَبَّرُوا ذَلِكَ. فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: (فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى).

A-wa lā tarāhu yaqūlu ʿazza wa-jalla: (wa-ammā Thamūdu fa-hadaynāhum) yaʿnī bayyannā lahum mā (yaʿqilūhu) bi-ʿuqūlihim in tadabbarū dhālika. Fa-qāla ʿazza wa-jalla: (fa-istaḥabbū al-ʿamā ʿalā al-hudā).

Do you not see that He, mighty and majestic, says: (As for Thamūd, We guided them), meaning: We made clear to them what they could (understand) through their intellects if they reflected on it? Then He, mighty and majestic, said: (But they preferred blindness to guidance).

فَإِنَّمَا خَاطَبَ اللَّهُ الْعِبَادَ مِنْ قِبَلِ أَلْبَابِهِمْ، وَاحْتَجَّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِمَا رَكَّبَ فِيهِمْ مِنْ عُقُولِهِمْ؛ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ.

Fa-innamā khāṭaba Allāhu al-ʿibāda min qibali albābihim, wa-iḥtajja ʿalayhim bi-mā rakkaba fīhim min ʿuqūlihim; wa-mā Allāhu bi-ẓallāmin li-al-ʿabīdi.

God has addressed His servants only by way of their understanding and established His case against them through the intellects He has implanted in them. God does not wrong His servants.

وَمَعَ هَذَا فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ يَخُصُّ بِالتَّنْبِيهِ وَالتَّوْفِيقِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ، وَيَخْتَصُّ بِجِوَارِهِ مَنْ أَحَبَّ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ.

Wa-maʿa hādhā fa-innahu qad yakhuṣṣu bi-al-tanbīhi wa-al-tawfīqi man yashāʾu min ʿibādihi, wa-yakhtaṣṣu bi-jiwārihi man aḥabba min khalqihi.

Alongside this, He may single out whichever servants He wishes for awakening and enabling grace, and reserve nearness to Him for those of His creatures whom He loves.

إِلَّا أَنَّ أَبْيَنَ الْأَشْيَاءِ هَذِهِ قِبَلَ الْجَهْرِ بِاللِّسَانِ. فَإِنَّهُ قَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: (وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا).

Illā anna abyana al-ashyāʾi hādhihi qibala al-jahri bi-al-lisāni. Fa-innahu qāla ʿazza wa-jalla: (wa-mina al-nāsi man yuʿjibuka qawluhu fī al-ḥayāti al-dunyā).

Yet the clearest of these indications comes by way of speaking aloud. For He, mighty and majestic, said: (Among people is one whose speech about worldly life impresses you).

وَهَذَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْتَبِرَهُ.

Wa-hādhā qabla an yakhtabirahu.

This is before one has put him to the test.

وَقَالَ خَالِدُ بْنُ صَفْوَانَ: لَوْلَا التِّبْيَانُ لَكَانَ الْمَرْءُ بَهِيمَةً مُهْمَلَةً أَوْ صُورَةً مُمَثَّلَةً.

Wa-qāla Khālidu bnu Ṣafwāna: lawlā al-tibyānu la-kāna al-marʾu bahīmatan muhmalatan aw ṣūratan mumaththalatan.

Khālid son of Ṣafwān said: Were it not for articulate expression, a person would be an untended beast or a fashioned image.

وَقَالَ الشَّاعِرُ:

Wa-qāla al-shāʿiru:

And the poet said:

Source page 208

وَفِي الصَّمْتِ سِتْرُ الْعِيِّ يَوْمًا وَإِنَّمَا
صَحِيفَةُ لُبِّ الْمَرْءِ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَا

Wa-fī al-ṣamti sitru al-ʿiyyi yawman wa-innamā
ṣaḥīfatu lubbi al-marʾi an yatakallamā

Silence can conceal inarticulacy for a day;
the page that shows a person’s mind is simply that he speaks.

وَأَمَّا الِاثْنَتَانِ اللَّتَانِ جَوَّزَتْهُمَا اللُّغَةُ فِي الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ وَتَرَاجُعِ أَهْلِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ بِالتَّسْمِيَةِ فَجَوَّزَتْهُمَا اللُّغَةُ عَلَى حَقِيقَةِ الْمَعْنَى بِأَنْ سَمَّتْهُمَا عَقْلًا إِذْ كَانَا عَنِ الْعَقْلِ لَا عَنْ غَيْرِهِ

Wa-ammā al-ithnatāni al-latāni jawwazathumā al-lughatu fī al-kitābi wa-al-sunnati wa-tarājuʿi ahli al-maʿrifati fīmā baynahum bi-al-tasmiyati fa-jawwazathumā al-lughatu ʿalā ḥaqīqati al-maʿnā bi-an sammathumā ʿaqlan idh kānā ʿani al-ʿaqli lā ʿan ghayrihi

As for the two other senses permitted by language in the Book and the Sunna, and in knowledgeable people’s exchanges with one another using this name, language has permitted them on the basis of their actual meaning, calling them intellect because they arise from intellect and from nothing else.

فَإِحْدَاهُمَا الْفَهْمُ لِإِصَابَةِ الْمَعْنَى وَهُوَ الْبَيَانُ لِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَالدِّينِ أَوْ مَسَّ أَوْ ذَاقَ أَوْ شَمَّ فَسَمَّاهُ الْخَلْقُ عَقْلًا وَسَمَّوْا فَاعِلَهُ عَاقِلًا

Fa-iḥdāhumā al-fahmu li-iṣābati al-maʿnā wa-huwa al-bayānu li-kulli mā samiʿa mina al-dunyā wa-al-dīni aw massa aw dhāqa aw shamma fa-sammāhu al-khalqu ʿaqlan wa-sammaw fāʿilahu ʿāqilan

One of them is understanding that arrives at the meaning: the clarification of everything a person has heard concerning worldly life or religion, or has touched, tasted, or smelled. People have called this intellect, and they have called the person who does it rational.

وَقَدْ رُوِيَ فِي التَّفْسِيرِ لَمَّا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِمُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ «فَاسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَى» قِيلَ اعْقِلْ مَا أَقُولُ لَكَ

Wa-qad ruwiya fī al-tafsīri lammā qāla Allāhu taʿālā li-Mūsā ʿalayhi al-salāmu «fa-istamiʿ li-mā yūḥā» qīla iʿqil mā aqūlu laka

It is related in commentary that when God Most High said to Moses, peace be upon him, “Listen to what is revealed,” this was explained as: understand what I say to you.

وَهَذِهِ خَصْلَةٌ يَشْتَرِكُ فِيهَا أَهْلُ غَرِيزَةِ الْعَقْلِ الَّتِي خَلَقَهَا اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْهُدَى وَأَهْلِ الضَّلَالَةِ مِنْ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لِمَا تَقَدَّمَ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدِّينِ

Wa-hādhihi khaṣlatun yashtariku fīhā ahlu gharīzati al-ʿaqli al-latī khalaqahā Allāhu fīhim min ahli al-hudā wa-ahli al-ḍalālati min baʿḍi ahli al-kitābi li-mā taqaddama ʿindahum min ahli al-dīni

This is a quality shared by those possessing the innate faculty of intellect that God created in them: people of guidance and people of error among some of the People of the Book, because of what had previously reached them from people of religion.

وَيَجْتَمِعُ عَلَيْهَا أَهْلُ كُلِّ إِيمَانٍ وَضَلَالٍ فِي أُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا خَاصَّةً وَالْمُطِيعُ وَالْعَاصِي وَهُوَ فَهْمُ الْبَيَانِ

Wa-yajtamiʿu ʿalayhā ahlu kulli īmānin wa-ḍalālin fī umūri al-dunyā khāṣṣatan wa-al-muṭīʿu wa-al-ʿāṣī wa-huwa fahmu al-bayāni

People of every faith and error share it, particularly in worldly matters, as do the obedient and the disobedient. It is understanding a clear explanation.

Source pages 208–209

وَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي مَا يَعِيبُ بِهِ أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ فَقَالَ «يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ»

Wa-qāla Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla fī mā yaʿību bihi ahla al-kitābi fa-qāla «yasmaʿūna kalāma Allāhi thumma yuḥarrifūnahu min baʿdi mā ʿaqalūhu wa-hum yaʿlamūna»

God, mighty and majestic, spoke in rebuke of the People of the Book, saying: “They hear God’s speech, then distort it after understanding it, while they know.”

Source page 209

وَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ»

Wa-qāla ʿazza wa-jalla «yaʿrifūnahu ka-mā yaʿrifūna abnāʾahum»

And He, mighty and majestic, said: “They recognize him as they recognize their own sons.”

وَقَالَ: «يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ»

Wa-qāla: «yaʿlamūna annahu al-ḥaqqu min rabbihim»

And He said: “They know that it is the truth from their Lord.”

وَقَالَ «يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مُنَزَّلٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ»

Wa-qāla «yaʿlamūna annahu munazzalun min rabbika bi-al-ḥaqqi»

And He said: “They know that it has been sent down from your Lord in truth.”

فَالْفَهْمُ وَالْبَيَانُ يُسَمَّى عَقْلًا لِأَنَّهُ عَنِ الْعَقْلِ كَانَ

Fa-al-fahmu wa-al-bayānu yusammā ʿaqlan li-annahu ʿani al-ʿaqli kāna

Understanding and clarification are called intellect because they arise from intellect.

فَيَقُولُ الرَّجُلُ لِلرَّجُلِ

Fa-yaqūlu al-rajulu li-al-rajuli

Thus one person says to another:

أَعَقَلْتَ مَا رَأَيْتَ أَوْ سَمِعْتَ

A-ʿaqalta mā raʾayta aw samiʿta

Did you understand what you saw or heard?

فَيَقُولُ نَعَمْ يَعْنِي أَنِّي قَدْ فَهِمْتُ وَتَبَيَّنْتُ

Fa-yaqūlu naʿam yaʿnī annī qad fahimtu wa-tabayyantu

He says, “Yes,” meaning, “I have understood and discerned it clearly.”

وَالْعَرَبُ إِنَّمَا سَمَّتِ الْفَهْمَ عَقْلًا لِأَنَّ مَا فَهِمْتَهُ فَقَدْ قَيَّدْتَهُ بِعَقْلِكَ وَضَبَطْتَهُ كَمَا الْبَعِيرُ قَدْ عُقِلَ (أَيْ) أَنَّكَ قَدْ قَيَّدْتَ سَاقَهُ إِلَى فَخِذَيْهِ

Wa-al-ʿarabu innamā sammati al-fahma ʿaqlan li-anna mā fahimtahu fa-qad qayyadtahu bi-ʿaqlika wa-ḍabaṭtahu ka-mā al-baʿīru qad ʿuqila (ay) annaka qad qayyadta sāqahu ilā fakhidhayhi

The Arabs called understanding ʿaql because what you have understood, you have bound with your intellect and held fast, just as a camel is hobbled, (that is), you have bound its lower leg to its two thighs.

وَقَالُوا اعْتُقِلَ لِسَانُ فُلَانٍ أَيْ اسْتَمْسَكَ

Wa-qālū iʿtuqila lisānu fulānin ay istamsaka

They also say, “So-and-so’s tongue was held,” meaning that it stopped moving.

Source page 210

وَيُقَالُ اعْقِلْ شَاتَكَ إِذَا (حَبَسْتَهَا). وَهُوَ أَنْ يَضَعَ (رِجْلَهُ) بَيْنَ (نَوْفِهَا) وَفَخِذِ (هَا)، (وَيُقَالُ): اعْتَقَلَ رِجْلَ فُلَانٍ إِذَا (صَارَعَهُ).

Wa-yuqālu iʿqil shātaka idhā (ḥabastahā). Wa-huwa an yaḍaʿa (rijlahu) bayna (nawfihā) wa-fakhidhi (hā), (wa-yuqālu): iʿtaqala rijla fulānin idhā (ṣāraʿahu).

It is said, “Restrain your ewe,” when you have (held her still). This means placing (one’s leg) between (her vulva) and (her) thigh. (It is also said), “He trapped so-and-so’s leg,” when he (wrestled him).

وَالْمَعْنَى الثَّالِثُ هُوَ الْبَصِيرَةُ وَالْمَعْرِفَةُ بِتَعَظُّمِ قَدْرِ الْأَشْيَاءِ النَّافِعَةِ وَالضَّارَّةِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنْهُ الْعَقْلُ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى

Wa-al-maʿnā al-thālithu huwa al-baṣīratu wa-al-maʿrifatu bi-taʿaẓẓumi qadri al-ashyāʾi al-nāfiʿati wa-al-ḍārrati fī al-dunyā wa-al-ākhirati wa-minhu al-ʿaqlu ʿani Allāhi taʿālā

The third meaning is insight and knowledge involving a heightened sense of the importance of things beneficial and harmful in this world and the hereafter. This includes understanding from God Most High.

فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ أَنْ تَعْظُمَ مَعْرِفَتُهُ وَبَصِيرَتُهُ بِعَظِيمِ قَدْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَبِقَدْرِ نِعَمِهِ وَإِحْسَانِهِ وَبِعَظِيمِ قَدْرِ ثَوَابِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ لِيَنَالَ بِهِ النَّجَاةَ مِنَ الْعِقَابِ وَالظَّفَرَ بِالثَّوَابِ

Fa-min dhālika an taʿẓuma maʿrifatuhu wa-baṣīratuhu bi-ʿaẓīmi qadri Allāhi taʿālā wa-bi-qadri niʿamihi wa-iḥsānihi wa-bi-ʿaẓīmi qadri thawābihi wa-ʿiqābihi li-yanāla bihi al-najāta mina al-ʿiqābi wa-al-ẓafara bi-al-thawābi

This includes the growth of a person’s knowledge and insight concerning the immense majesty of God Most High, the value of His blessings and kindness, and the immense significance of His reward and punishment, so that through it the person may attain deliverance from punishment and success in obtaining reward.

فَإِذَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ مُعَظِّمًا كَانَ لِلَّهِ مُجِلًّا هَايِبًا

Fa-idhā kāna li-Allāhi muʿaẓẓiman kāna li-Allāhi mujillan hāyiban

When he holds God in reverence, he honors God and stands in awe of Him.

وَإِذَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ مُجِلًّا هَايِبًا كَانَ مِنْهُ مُسْتَحِيًا وَإِلَى طَاعَتِهِ مُسَارِعًا وَلِمَسَاخِطِهِ مُجَانِبًا

Wa-idhā kāna li-Allāhi mujillan hāyiban kāna minhu mustaḥiyan wa-ilā ṭāʿatihi musāriʿan wa-li-masākhiṭihi mujāniban

When he honors God and stands in awe of Him, he feels shame before Him, hastens to obey Him, and avoids the things that arouse His displeasure.

وَإِذَا كَانَ مُعَظِّمًا لِمَا يَنَالُ بِهِ النَّجَاةَ مِنَ الْعِقَابِ وَالظَّفَرَ بِالثَّوَابِ عُنِيَ بِطَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ وَرَغِبَ فِي الْفَهْمِ وَالْعَقْلِ عَنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَكْثَرَ هِمَّتِهِ

Wa-idhā kāna muʿaẓẓiman li-mā yanālu bihi al-najāta mina al-ʿiqābi wa-al-ẓafara bi-al-thawābi ʿuniya bi-ṭalabi al-ʿilmi wa-raghiba fī al-fahmi wa-al-ʿaqli ʿani Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla akthara himmatihi

When he values that through which he can attain deliverance from punishment and obtain reward, he devotes himself to seeking knowledge, and directs the greater part of his aspiration toward understanding and grasping what comes from God, mighty and majestic.

Source page 211

وَإِذَا عُنِيَ بِطَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ بِذَلِكَ اسْتَدَلَّ بِهِ عَلَى عِظَمِ قَدْرِ الْمَوْلَى وَقَدْرِ ثَوَابِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ

Wa-idhā ʿuniya bi-ṭalabi al-ʿilmi bi-dhālika istadalla bihi ʿalā ʿiẓami qadri al-mawlā wa-qadri thawābihi wa-ʿiqābihi

When he devotes himself to seeking knowledge of this, he uses it as evidence of the Master’s immense majesty and the significance of His reward and punishment.

وَإِذَا اسْتَدَلَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَبْصَرَ وَفَهِمَ حَقَائِقَ مَعَانِي الْبَيَانِ

Wa-idhā istadalla ʿalā dhālika abṣara wa-fahima ḥaqāʾiqa maʿānī al-bayāni

When he infers this, he perceives and understands the realities of the meanings conveyed by the clear explanation.

فَإِذَا فَهِمَ عَقَلَ عَظِيمَ قَدْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَعَرْضَهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَعِقَابَهُ وَثَوَابَهُ

Fa-idhā fahima ʿaqala ʿaẓīma qadri Allāhi taʿālā wa-ʿarḍahu ʿalā Allāhi subḥānahu wa-ʿiqābahu wa-thawābahu

Once he understands, he grasps the immense majesty of God Most High, his own presentation before God, glorified is He, and God’s punishment and reward.

وَإِذَا عَظُمَ قَدْرُ ذَلِكَ هَابَ اللَّهَ وَفَرِقَ وَرَجَا وَرَغِبَ وَاشْتَاقَ فَكَأَنَّمَا يُعَايِنُ ذَلِكَ كَرَأْيِ الْعَيْنِ فَكَانَ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَاقِلًا وَسُمِّيَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ عَقْلًا إِذْ كَانَ بِالْعَقْلِ طَلَبَ ذَلِكَ وَبِالْعَقْلِ فَهِمَ ذَلِكَ وَبِالْعَقْلِ لَزِمَ ذَلِكَ وَبِالْعَقْلِ جَانَبَ مَا يُزِيلُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ

Wa-idhā ʿaẓuma qadru dhālika hāba Allāha wa-fariqa wa-rajā wa-raghiba wa-ishtāqa fa-ka-annamā yuʿāyinu dhālika ka-raʾyi al-ʿayni fa-kāna ʿani Allāhi taʿālā ʿāqilan wa-summiya dhālika minhu ʿaqlan idh kāna bi-al-ʿaqli ṭalaba dhālika wa-bi-al-ʿaqli fahima dhālika wa-bi-al-ʿaqli lazima dhālika wa-bi-al-ʿaqli jānaba mā yuzīluhu ʿan dhālika

When the importance of this grows in his eyes, he stands in awe of God and feels fear, hope, desire, and longing, as though witnessing it with his own eyes. He thus understands from God Most High. This quality in him is called intellect, because through intellect he sought it, through intellect he understood it, through intellect he held to it, and through intellect he avoided what would remove him from it.

فَهَذَا الَّذِي عَقَلَ عَنْ رَبِّهِ

Fa-hādhā al-ladhī ʿaqala ʿan rabbihi

This is the person who has understood from his Lord.

أَلَمْ تَسْمَعْهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ وَتَعِيَهَا «أُذُنٌ وَاعِيَةٌ»

A-lam tasmaʿhu ʿazza wa-jalla yaqūlu wa-taʿiyahā «udhunun wāʿiyatun»

Have you not heard Him, mighty and majestic, say: and “an attentive ear” may retain it?

قَالَ أُذُنٌ عَقَلَتْ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى يَعْنِي عَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ مَا سَمِعَتْ أُذُنَاهُ مِمَّا قَالَ وَأَخْبَرَ

Qāla udhunun ʿaqalat ʿani Allāhi taʿālā yaʿnī ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi mā samiʿat udhunāhu mimmā qāla wa-akhbara

He said: an ear that has understood from God Most High. This means that the person has understood from God what his two ears have heard of what He has said and reported.

Source page 212

فَهَذَا هُوَ الْعَقْلُ

Fa-hādhā huwa al-ʿaqlu

This, then, is intellect.

وَمَنْ زَالَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَمَعَهُ غَرِيزَةُ الْعَقْلِ الَّتِي فَرَّقَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهَا بَيْنَ الْعُقَلَاءِ وَالْمَجَانِينِ فَهُوَ غَيْرُ عَاقِلٍ عَنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَهُوَ عَاقِلٌ لِلْبَيَانِ الَّذِي لَزِمَتْهُ مِنْ أَجْلِهِ الْحُجَّةُ

Wa-man zāla ʿan dhālika wa-maʿahu gharīzatu al-ʿaqli al-latī farraqa Allāhu taʿālā bihā bayna al-ʿuqalāʾi wa-al-majānīni fa-huwa ghayru ʿāqilin ʿani Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla wa-huwa ʿāqilun li-al-bayāni al-ladhī lazimathu min ajlihi al-ḥujjatu

Someone who falls away from this, while still possessing the innate faculty of intellect by which God Most High has distinguished rational people from the insane, does not understand from God, mighty and majestic. Yet he understands the clear explanation on account of which the proof is binding upon him.

وَقَدْ وَصَفَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَذَا فِي كِتَابِهِ عَنْ رِجَالٍ (وَسَمَّا) لَهُمْ عَقْلًا فَقَالَ تَعَالَى «لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَا» يَعْنِي عَنْهُ

Wa-qad waṣafa Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla hādhā fī kitābihi ʿan rijālin (wa-sammā) lahum ʿaqlan fa-qāla taʿālā «lahum qulūbun lā yaʿqilūna bihā» yaʿnī ʿanhu

God, mighty and majestic, has described this in His Book concerning certain men, (and attributed) intellect to them. He, Most High, said: “They have hearts with which they do not understand,” meaning, from Him.

وَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعًا وَأَبْصَارًا وَأَفْئِدَةً» يَعْنِي عُقُولًا «فَمَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَلَا أَبْصَارُهُمْ وَلَا أَفْئِدَتُهُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِذْ كَانُوا يَجْحَدُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ» ثُمَّ سَمَّى بَعْضَ الْكُفَّارِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ عَاقِلًا لِلْبَيَانِ الَّذِي لَزِمَتْهُمْ بِهِ الْحُجَّةُ «يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ»

Wa-qāla ʿazza wa-jalla «wa-jaʿalnā lahum samʿan wa-abṣāran wa-afʾidatan» yaʿnī ʿuqūlan «fa-mā aghnā ʿanhum samʿuhum wa-lā abṣāruhum wa-lā afʾidatuhum min shayʾin idh kānū yajḥadūna bi-āyāti Allāhi» thumma sammā baʿḍa al-kuffāri min ahli al-kitābi ʿāqilan li-al-bayāni al-ladhī lazimathum bihi al-ḥujjatu «yuḥarrifūnahu min baʿdi mā ʿaqalūhu wa-hum yaʿlamūna»

He, mighty and majestic, said: “We gave them hearing, eyes, and hearts,” meaning intellects, “but their hearing, their eyes, and their hearts availed them nothing at all, since they denied God’s signs.” Then He described some disbelievers among the People of the Book as understanding the clear explanation through which the proof became binding upon them: “They distort it after understanding it, while they know.”

فَأَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ يَعْنِي عَنْهُ (وَعَنْ) مَا قَالَ مِنْ عَظِيمِ قَدْرِهِ الْمُبَيَّنِ عَنْهُ

Fa-akhbara annahum lā yaʿqilūna yaʿnī ʿanhu (wa-ʿan) mā qāla min ʿaẓīmi qadrihi al-mubayyani ʿanhu

He stated that they do not understand, meaning from Him (and from) what He said concerning His immense majesty, which is made clear on His authority.

Source page 213

ثُمَّ قَالَ «يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ» يَعْنِي عَقْلَ الْبَيَانِ

Thumma qāla «yuḥarrifūnahu min baʿdi mā ʿaqalūhu» yaʿnī ʿaqla al-bayāni

Then He said: “They distort it after understanding it,” meaning understanding the clear explanation.

وَآخَرُونَ لَهُمْ عُقُولُ الْغَرَايِزِ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ الْبَيَانَ وَلَا الْمُبَيَّنَ عَنْهُ بِالْفَهْمِ لَهُ إِلَّا أَنَّهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ بِلُغَةٍ يَعْرِفُونَهَا كَلَامًا لَا يَعْقِلُونَ مَعَانِيَهُ بِالْفَهْمِ لَهُ كَمُشْرِكِي الْعَرَبِ فَقَالَ «إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا»

Wa-ākharūna lahum ʿuqūlu al-gharāyizi lā yaʿqilūna al-bayāna wa-lā al-mubayyana ʿanhu bi-al-fahmi lahu illā annahum yasmaʿūna bi-lughatin yaʿrifūnahā kalāman lā yaʿqilūna maʿāniyahu bi-al-fahmi lahu ka-mushrikī al-ʿarabi fa-qāla «in hum illā ka-al-anʿāmi bal hum aḍallu sabīlan»

Others possess innate intellects but do not grasp the clear explanation or what is explained through understanding it. They merely hear speech in a language they know, without grasping its meanings through understanding it, like the Arab polytheists. So He said: “They are only like livestock; rather, they are further astray in their way.”

فَلَمْ يَعْقِلُوا مَا قَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِإِعْجَابِهِمْ بِرَأْيِهِمْ وَلِتَقْلِيدِهِمْ آبَاءَهُمْ وَكُبَرَاءَهُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ عُقُولُ غَرَايِزَ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَا أَمْرَ دُنْيَاهُمْ

Fa-lam yaʿqilū mā qāla ʿazza wa-jalla li-iʿjābihim bi-raʾyihim wa-li-taqlīdihim ābāʾahum wa-kubarāʾahum wa-qad kānat lahum ʿuqūlu gharāyiza yaʿqilūna bihā amra dunyāhum

They did not understand what He, mighty and majestic, said, because they admired their own opinion and imitated their fathers and leaders, although they possessed innate intellects by which they understood their worldly affairs.

وَلَوْ تَرَكُوا الْإِعْجَابَ بِالرَّأْيِ وَتَقْلِيدَ الْكُبَرَاءِ ثُمَّ تَدَبَّرُوا لَعَقَلُوا مَا قَالَ اللَّهُ وَلَكِنْ أُعْجِبُوا بِآرَائِهِمْ وَقَلَّدُوا كُبَرَاءَهُمْ

Wa-law tarakū al-iʿjāba bi-al-raʾyi wa-taqlīda al-kubarāʾi thumma tadabbarū la-ʿaqalū mā qāla Allāhu wa-lākin uʿjibū bi-ārāʾihim wa-qalladū kubarāʾahum

Had they abandoned admiration for their own opinion and imitation of their leaders, and then reflected, they would have understood what God said. But they were impressed with their own opinions and imitated their leaders.

فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا»

Fa-qāla ʿazza wa-jalla «wa-hum yaḥsabūna annahum yuḥsinūna ṣunʿan»

So He, mighty and majestic, said: “While they suppose that they are doing good work.”

وَقَالَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ «أَفَمَنْ زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ فَرَآهُ حَسَنًا»

Wa-qāla jalla thanāʾuhu «a-fa-man zuyyina lahu sūʾu ʿamalihi fa-raʾāhu ḥasanan»

And He, exalted be His praise, said: “What of someone whose evil deed has been made attractive to him, so that he sees it as good?”

وَقَالَ «وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ»

Wa-qāla «wa-yaḥsabūna annahum ʿalā shayʾin alā innahum humu al-kādhibūna»

And He said: “They suppose that they have something to stand on. Indeed, they are the liars.”

فَلَمْ يَعْقِلُوا مَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ كَمَا عَقَلَهُ الْمُحَرِّفُونَ لِلِّسَانِ بَعْدَمَا عَقَلُوهُ

Fa-lam yaʿqilū mā qīla lahum ka-mā ʿaqalahu al-muḥarrifūna li-al-lisāni baʿdamā ʿaqalūhu

Thus they did not understand what was said to them as it was understood by those who distorted the wording after understanding it.

Source page 214

فَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ أَمْرَ دُنْيَاهُمْ

Fa-hum yaʿlamūna amra dunyāhum

Yet they know their worldly affairs.

وَدَقَايِقُ مَعَايِشِهِمْ أَدَقُّ فِي الْغُمُوضِ مِنْ أَعْلَامِ الدِّينِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ «يَعْلَمُونَ ظَاهِرًا مِنَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ عَنِ الْآخِرَةِ هُمْ غَافِلُونَ»

Wa-daqāyiqu maʿāyishihim adaqqu fī al-ghumūḍi min aʿlāmi al-dīni fa-qāla Allāhu jalla wa-ʿazza «yaʿlamūna ẓāhiran mina al-ḥayāti al-dunyā wa-hum ʿani al-ākhirati hum ghāfilūna»

The intricacies of their livelihoods are subtler and more obscure than the signposts of religion. God, majestic and mighty, said: “They know an outward aspect of worldly life, yet they themselves remain heedless of the hereafter.”

قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَفَّانُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا صَخْرُ بْنُ جُوَيْرِيَةَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى «يَعْلَمُونَ ظَاهِرًا مِنَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا» قَالَ

Qāla ḥaddathanī ʿAffānu qāla ḥaddathanā Ṣakhru bnu Juwayriyata ʿani al-Ḥasani fī qawlihi taʿālā «yaʿlamūna ẓāhiran mina al-ḥayāti al-dunyā» qāla

He said: ʿAffān related to me, saying: Ṣakhr son of Juwayriya related to us, from al-Ḥasan, concerning His saying, Most High, “They know an outward aspect of worldly life.” He said:

لَا جَرَمَ وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ بَلَغَ مِنْ عِلْمِ أَحَدِهِمْ بِدُنْيَاهُ أَنَّهُ يُقَلِّبُ الدِّرْهَمَ عَلَى ظُفْرِهِ وَيُخْبِرُكَ بِوَزْنِهِ وَمَا يُحْسِنُ يُصَلِّي

Lā jarama wa-Allāhi la-qad balagha min ʿilmi aḥadihim bi-dunyāhu annahu yuqallibu al-dirhama ʿalā ẓufrihi wa-yukhbiruka bi-waznihi wa-mā yuḥsinu yuṣallī

Indeed, by God, one of them has reached such knowledge of his worldly affairs that he turns a dirham on his fingernail and tells you its weight, yet he does not know how to pray properly.

Source pages 214–215

قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَفَّانُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ شَرْقِيٍّ فِي قَوْلِهِ «يَعْلَمُونَ ظَاهِرًا مِنَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا» فَذَكَرَ الْخَرَّازَ وَالْخَيَّاطَ وَنَحْوَهُمَا فَأَخْبَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَنَّهُمْ يَعْقِلُونَ أَمْرَ دُنْيَاهُمْ وَلَوْ تَدَبَّرُوا وَتَرَكُوا التَّقْلِيدَ وَالْإِعْجَابَ بِالْآرَاءِ لَعَقَلُوا أَمْرَ آخِرَتِهِمْ كَمَا عَقَلُوا أَمْرَ دُنْيَاهُمْ حِينَ عُنُوا بِطَلَبِ مَنَافِعِهَا فِي الْعَوَاقِبِ وَدَفْعِ مَضَارِّهَا فِي الْعَوَاقِبِ

Qāla ḥaddathanī ʿAffānu qāla ḥaddathanā Shuʿbatu ʿan Sharqiyyin fī qawlihi «yaʿlamūna ẓāhiran mina al-ḥayāti al-dunyā» fa-dhakara al-kharrāza wa-al-khayyāṭa wa-naḥwahumā fa-akhbara Allāhu taʿālā annahum yaʿqilūna amra dunyāhum wa-law tadabbarū wa-tarakū al-taqlīda wa-al-iʿjāba bi-al-ārāʾi la-ʿaqalū amra ākhiratihim ka-mā ʿaqalū amra dunyāhum ḥīna ʿunū bi-ṭalabi manāfiʿihā fī al-ʿawāqibi wa-dafʿi maḍārrihā fī al-ʿawāqibi

He said: ʿAffān related to me, saying: Shuʿba related to us, from Sharqī, concerning His saying, “They know an outward aspect of worldly life.” He mentioned the leatherworker, the tailor, and others like them. God Most High thus stated that they understand their worldly affairs. If they reflected and abandoned imitation and admiration for their own opinions, they would understand the affairs of their hereafter just as they understood their worldly affairs when they devoted themselves to seeking the benefits their worldly affairs would ultimately bring and warding off the harms they would ultimately cause.

Source page 215

فَهَذِهِ أَرْبَعُ فِرَقٍ.

Fa-hādhihi ʾarbaʿu firaqin.

These, then, are four groups.

فِرْقَةٌ عَقَلَتْ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عِظَمَ قَدْرِهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ وَمَا وَعَدَ وَتَوَعَّدَ فَأَطَاعَتْ وَخَشَعَتْ.

Firqatun ʿaqalat ʿani Allāhi taʿālā ʿiẓama qadrihi wa-qudratihi wa-mā waʿada wa-tawaʿʿada fa-ʾaṭāʿat wa-khashaʿat.

One group understood from God Most High the greatness of His majesty and power, and what He promised and threatened; so they obeyed and humbled themselves.

وَفِرْقَةٌ عَقَلَتِ الْبَيَانَ ثُمَّ جَحَدَتْ كِبْرًا وَعِنَادًا لِطَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَا وَصَفَ عَنْ إِبْلِيسَ أَنَّهُ تَكَبَّرَ وَعَانَدَ كِبْرًا وَهُوَ مَعَ ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ «فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ» وَوَصَفَ الْيَهُودَ فَقَالَ «لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ».

Wa-firqatun ʿaqalati al-bayāna thumma jaḥadat kibran wa-ʿinādan li-ṭalabi al-dunyā ka-mā waṣafa ʿan ʾIblīsa ʾannahu takabbara wa-ʿānada kibran wa-huwa maʿa dhālika yaqūlu «fa-bi-ʿizzatika la-ʾughwiyannahum ʾajmaʿīna» wa-waṣafa al-Yahūda fa-qāla «la-yaktumūna al-ḥaqqa wa-hum yaʿlamūna».

Another group understood the clear explanation, then denied it out of pride and obstinacy, seeking this world. So He described Iblīs as acting arrogantly and resisting out of pride, even while saying, “By Your might, I shall certainly lead them all astray.” And He described the Jews, saying, “They certainly conceal the truth while they know.”

وَقَالَ «وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا».

Wa-qāla «wa-jaḥadū bihā wa-istayqanat-hā ʾanfusuhum ẓulman wa-ʿuluwwan».

And He said, “They denied them unjustly and arrogantly, although inwardly they were certain of them.”

وَقَالَ «يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مُنَزَّلٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ».

Wa-qāla «yaʿlamūna ʾannahu munazzalun min rabbika bi-al-ḥaqqi».

And He said, “They know that it has been sent down from your Lord in truth.”

Source page 216

وَقَالَ «اشْتَرَوْا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَ».

Wa-qāla «ishtaraw bihi thamanan qalīlan fa-biʾsa mā yashtarūna».

And He said, “They sold it for a paltry price. How evil is what they purchase!”

وَفِرْقَةٌ طَغَتْ وَأُعْجِبَتْ وَقَلَّدَتْ فَعَمِيَتْ عَنِ الْحَقِّ أَنْ تَتَبَيَّنَهُ ثُمَّ تُقِرَّ بِهِ ثُمَّ تَجْحَدَهُ كِبْرًا وَطَلَبَ دُنْيَا بَعْدَ عَقْلِهَا لِلْبَيَانِ فَظَنَّتْ أَنَّهَا عَلَى حَقٍّ وَدِينٍ وَهِيَ عَلَى بَاطِلٍ وَشَرٍّ وَضَلَالٍ.

Wa-firqatun ṭaghat wa-ʾuʿjibat wa-qalladat fa-ʿamiyat ʿani al-ḥaqqi ʾan tatabayyanahu thumma tuqirra bihi thumma tajḥadahu kibran wa-ṭalaba dunyā baʿda ʿaqlihā li-al-bayāni fa-ẓannat ʾannahā ʿalā ḥaqqin wa-dīnin wa-hiya ʿalā bāṭilin wa-sharrin wa-ḍalālin.

Another group transgressed, became self-admiring, and followed others blindly. They were too blind to the truth to discern it, then acknowledge it, and then deny it out of pride and a desire for worldly gain after understanding the clear explanation. They therefore thought they followed truth and religion, although they followed falsehood, evil, and error.

وَفِرْقَةٌ رَابِعَةٌ عَقَلَتْ قَدْرَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي تَدْبِيرِهِ وَتَفَرُّدِهِ بِالصُّنْعِ وَعَرَفَتْ قَدْرَ الْإِيمَانِ فِي النَّجَاةِ بِالتَّمَسُّكِ بِهِ وَقَدْرَ الْعِقَابِ فِي ضَرَرِهِ فِي مُجَانَبَةِ الْإِيمَانِ فَلَمْ يَجْحَدُوا كِبْرًا وَلَا أَنَفَةً وَلَا طَلَبَ دُنْيَا لِعَقْلِهَا أَنَّ عَاجِلَ الدُّنْيَا يَفْنَى وَعَذَابَ الْآخِرَةِ لَا يَفْنَى فَأَقَرَّتْ وَآمَنَتْ وَلَمْ تَعْقِلْ عَظِيمَ قَدْرِ اللَّهِ فِي هَيْبَتِهِ وَجَلَالِهِ وَعَظِيمَ قَدْرِ ثَوَابِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ فِي إِتْيَانِ مَعَاصِيهِ وَالْقِيَامِ بِفَرَايِضِهِ فَعَصَتْ وَضَيَّعَتْ وَغَفَلَتْ وَنَسِيَتْ إِلَّا أَنَّهَا عَلِمَتْ عَظِيمَ قَدْرِ الْإِيمَانِ فِي النَّجَاةِ وَعَظِيمَ ضَرَرِ الْكُفْرِ قَدْ عَقَلَتْهُ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَهِيَ قَائِمَةٌ بِهِ دَائِمَةٌ عَلَيْهِ.

Wa-firqatun rābiʿatun ʿaqalat qadra Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla fī tadbīrihi wa-tafarrudihi bi-al-ṣunʿi wa-ʿarafat qadra al-ʾīmāni fī al-najāti bi-al-tamassuki bihi wa-qadra al-ʿiqābi fī ḍararihi fī mujānabati al-ʾīmāni fa-lam yajḥadū kibran wa-lā ʾanafatan wa-lā ṭalaba dunyā li-ʿaqlihā ʾanna ʿājila al-dunyā yafnā wa-ʿadhāba al-ʾākhirati lā yafnā fa-ʾaqarrat wa-ʾāmanat wa-lam taʿqil ʿaẓīma qadri Allāhi fī haybatihi wa-jalālihi wa-ʿaẓīma qadri thawābihi wa-ʿiqābihi fī ʾityāni maʿāṣīhi wa-al-qiyāmi bi-farāyiḍihi fa-ʿaṣat wa-ḍayyaʿat wa-ghafalat wa-nasiyat ʾillā ʾannahā ʿalimat ʿaẓīma qadri al-ʾīmāni fī al-najāti wa-ʿaẓīma ḍarari al-kufri qad ʿaqalat-hu ʿani Allāhi taʿālā fa-hiya qāʾimatun bihi dāʾimatun ʿalayhi.

A fourth group understood God’s majesty, mighty and exalted is He, in His ordering of things and His sole agency in creating. They recognized the importance of faith for salvation through holding firmly to it, and the gravity and harm of punishment for abandoning faith. They did not deny out of pride, disdain, or a desire for worldly gain, because they understood that this world’s immediate pleasures pass away while the punishment of the hereafter does not. They acknowledged and believed. Yet they did not grasp the tremendous majesty of God in His awe and glory, or the tremendous weight of His reward and punishment as these bear on committing sins against Him and fulfilling His obligations. So they disobeyed, neglected their duties, were heedless, and forgot. Still, they knew the immense importance of faith for salvation and the immense harm of unbelief: they had understood this from God Most High. They therefore uphold faith and remain steadfast in it.

ثُمَّ بَعْدَ عَقْلِهِ قَدْرَ الْإِيمَانِ يَزْدَادُ مَعْرِفَةً بِقَدْرِ الْغَضَبِ وَالْوَعِيدِ وَالْوَعْدِ.

Thumma baʿda ʿaqlihi qadra al-ʾīmāni yazdādu maʿrifatan bi-qadri al-ghaḍabi wa-al-waʿīdi wa-al-waʿdi.

Then, after understanding the importance of faith, he gains further knowledge of the weight of divine anger, threat, and promise.

Source page 217

فَإِنِ ازْدَادَ طَائِفَةً قَامَ بِطَائِفَةٍ مِنَ الْفُرُوضِ وَتَرَكَ بَعْضَ الْمَعَاصِي وَإِلَّا ضَيَّعَ بَعْضَ الْفُرُوضِ وَرَكِبَ بَعْضَ الْمَعَاصِي مِنْ أَجْلِ الْهَوَى وَمَعَهُ عَقْلُ الْبَيَانِ وَالْإِقْرَارِ فَعَقَلَ أَنَّهُ مُسِيءٌ وَلَمْ يَرْجِعْ عَنْ إِسَاءَتِهِ لِغَلَبَةِ الْهَوَى.

Fa-ʾini izdāda ṭāʾifatan qāma bi-ṭāʾifatin mina al-furūḍi wa-taraka baʿḍa al-maʿāṣī wa-ʾillā ḍayyaʿa baʿḍa al-furūḍi wa-rakiba baʿḍa al-maʿāṣī min ʾajli al-hawā wa-maʿahu ʿaqlu al-bayāni wa-al-ʾiqrāri fa-ʿaqala ʾannahu musīʾun wa-lam yarjiʿ ʿan ʾisāʾatihi li-ghalabati al-hawā.

If he gains a measure of this knowledge, he performs a corresponding measure of the obligations and leaves some sins. Otherwise, desire leads him to neglect some obligations and commit some sins, while he still has the understanding of the clear explanation and acknowledgment. He understands that he is doing wrong, but does not turn back from his wrongdoing because desire prevails.

وَلَوِ ازْدَادَ عَقْلًا بِعَظِيمِ قَدْرِ الْغَضَبِ وَالرِّضَى وَالثَّوَابِ وَالْعِقَابِ لَاسْتَعْمَلَ مَا عَقَلَ مِنَ الْبَيَانِ وَأَقَرَّ بِهِ بِأَنَّهُ حَقٌّ فَتَابَ وَأَنَابَ.

Wa-lawi izdāda ʿaqlan bi-ʿaẓīmi qadri al-ghaḍabi wa-al-riḍā wa-al-thawābi wa-al-ʿiqābi la-istaʿmala mā ʿaqala mina al-bayāni wa-ʾaqarra bihi bi-ʾannahu ḥaqqun fa-tāba wa-ʾanāba.

If his understanding of the immense weight of divine anger and pleasure, reward and punishment, increased, he would act on the clear explanation he had understood and acknowledged as true; he would repent and turn back to God.

وَجَمِيعُ الْمُمْتَحَنِينَ الْمَأْمُورِينَ مِنَ الْعُقَلَاءِ الْبَالِغِينَ كُلُّهُمْ لَهُمْ عُقُولٌ يُمَيِّزُونَ بِهَا أُمُورَ الدُّنْيَا كُلَّهَا الْجَلِيلَ وَالدَّقِيقَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْآخِرَةِ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ.

Wa-jamīʿu al-mumtaḥanīna al-maʾmūrīna mina al-ʿuqalāʾi al-bālighīna kulluhum lahum ʿuqūlun yumayyizūna bihā ʾumūra al-dunyā kullahā al-jalīla wa-al-daqīqa wa-ʾaktharuhum li-al-ʾākhirati lā yaʿqilūna.

All mature people of sound mind who are tested and placed under divine commands possess intellects by which they distinguish every worldly matter, great and subtle alike. Yet most of them do not understand the hereafter.

أَلَمْ تَسْمَعْهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ «وَتَرَاهُمْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ»؟

ʾA-lam tasmaʿhu ʿazza wa-jalla yaqūlu «wa-tarāhum yanẓurūna ʾilayka wa-hum lā yubṣirūna»?

Have you not heard Him, mighty and exalted is He, say, “You see them looking at you, yet they do not see”?

وَقَالَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ «لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا (يَفْقَهُونَ) بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا».

Wa-qāla jalla thanāʾuhu «lahum qulūbun lā (yafqahūna) bihā wa-lahum ʾaʿyunun lā yubṣirūna bihā wa-lahum ʾādhānun lā yasmaʿūna bihā».

And He said, exalted be His praise, “They have hearts with which they do not (understand), eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear.”

Source pages 217–218

وَهُمْ بِالدُّنْيَا أَهْلُ بَصَرٍ وَسَمْعٍ وَعَقْلٍ وَلَمْ يَعْنِ أَنَّهُمْ صُمٌّ خُرْسٌ مَجَانِينُ وَإِنَّمَا عَذَّبَهُمْ لِأَنَّهُمْ يَعْقِلُونَ لَوْ تَدَبَّرُوا مَا يَرَوْنَ وَيَسْمَعُونَ مِنَ الدَّلَائِلِ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ آيَاتِ الْكِتَابِ وَآثَارِ الصَّنْعَةِ وَاتِّصَالِ التَّدْبِيرِ الَّذِي يَدُلُّ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ وَاحِدٌ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ.

Wa-hum bi-al-dunyā ʾahlu baṣarin wa-samʿin wa-ʿaqlin wa-lam yaʿni ʾannahum ṣummun khursun majānīnu wa-ʾinnamā ʿadhdhabahum li-ʾannahum yaʿqilūna law tadabbarū mā yarawna wa-yasmaʿūna mina al-dalāʾili ʿalayhi min ʾāyāti al-kitābi wa-ʾāthāri al-ṣanʿati wa-ittiṣāli al-tadbīri al-ladhī yadullu ʿalayhi ʾannahu wāḥidun lā sharīka lahu.

In worldly matters they possess sight, hearing, and understanding. He did not mean that they were deaf, mute, or mad. Rather, He punished them because they could understand if they reflected on the evidence of Him that they see and hear: the signs of the Book, the traces of His workmanship, and the continuity of His ordering, which points to Him as One, without a partner.

Source page 218

وَحَكَى تَعَالَى قَوْلَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَقَالَ «وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ».

Wa-ḥakā taʿālā qawla ʾahli al-nāri fa-qāla «wa-qālū law kunnā nasmaʿu ʾaw naʿqilu mā kunnā fī ʾaṣḥābi al-saʿīri».

He, Most High, related what the people of the Fire say: “And they said, ‘If only we had listened or understood, we would not have been among the people of the Blaze.’”

وَقَدْ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ عُقُولٌ وَأَسْمَاعٌ لَزِمَتْهُمْ بِهَا الْحُجَّةُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِنَّمَا عَنَى عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّهَا لَمْ تَعْقِلْ عَنِ اللَّهِ فَهْمًا لِمَا قَالَ مِنْ عَظِيمِ قَدْرِ عَذَابِهِ فَنَدِمَتْ وَنَادَتْ بِالْوَيْلِ وَالنَّدَمِ لَا أَنَّهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَسْمَعُ وَلَا تَعْقِلُ وَلَا كَانُوا بِمَجَانِينَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْقِلُونَ أَمْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ عَنِ اللَّهِ مَا أَخْبَرَ عَنْهُ وَوَعَدَ وَتَوَعَّدَ.

Wa-qad kānat lahum ʿuqūlun wa-ʾasmāʿun lazimat-hum bihā al-ḥujjatu li-Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla wa-ʾinnamā ʿanā ʿazza wa-jalla ʾannahā lam taʿqil ʿani Allāhi fahman li-mā qāla min ʿaẓīmi qadri ʿadhābihi fa-nadimat wa-nādat bi-al-wayli wa-al-nadami lā ʾannahā lam takun tasmaʿu wa-lā taʿqilu wa-lā kānū bi-majānīna wa-lākin yaʿqilūna ʾamra al-dunyā wa-lā yaʿqilūna ʿani Allāhi mā ʾakhbara ʿanhu wa-waʿada wa-tawaʿʿada.

They did possess intellects and hearing, through which God’s case against them became binding, mighty and exalted is He. What He meant, mighty and exalted is He, was that they had not understood from God what He said about the tremendous severity of His punishment. So they regretted it and cried out in woe and remorse. He did not mean that they could not hear or understand, nor were they mad. They understood worldly matters, but did not understand from God what He had told them, promised, and threatened.

قُلْتُ فَمَتَى يُسَمَّى الرَّجُلُ عَاقِلًا عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى؟

Qultu fa-matā yusammā al-rajulu ʿāqilan ʿani Allāhi taʿālā?

I said, “When, then, is a person called someone who understands from God Most High?”

قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا خَائِفًا مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.

Qāla ʾidhā kāna muʾminan khāʾifan mina Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla.

He said, “When he is a believer who fears God, mighty and exalted is He.”

وَالدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَائِمًا بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي أَوْجَبَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِيَامَ بِهِ مُجَانِبًا لِمَا كَرِهَ وَنَهَاهُ عَنْهُ فَإِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ اسْتَحَقَّ أَنْ يُسَمَّى عَاقِلًا عَنِ اللَّهِ.

Wa-al-dalīlu ʿalā dhālika ʾan yakūna qāʾiman bi-ʾamri Allāhi al-ladhī ʾawjaba ʿalayhi al-qiyāma bihi mujāniban li-mā kariha wa-nahāhu ʿanhu fa-ʾidhā kāna ka-dhālika istaḥaqqa ʾan yusammā ʿāqilan ʿani Allāhi.

The evidence of this is that he carries out the command of God which God has obliged him to carry out, and avoids what God dislikes and has forbidden him. When he does so, he deserves to be called someone who understands from God.

Source pages 218–219

بَلْ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يُسَمَّى عَاقِلًا عَنِ اللَّهِ مَنْ يَعْزِمُ عَلَى الْقِيَامِ بِسَخَطِهِ فَأَقَامَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مُصِرًّا غَيْرَ تَايِبٍ.

Bal li-ʾannahu lā yusammā ʿāqilan ʿani Allāhi man yaʿzimu ʿalā al-qiyāmi bi-sakhaṭihi fa-ʾaqāma ʿalā dhālika muṣirran ghayra tāyibin.

Rather, this is because someone who resolves to carry on doing what provokes God’s anger, then persists in it without repentance, cannot be called someone who understands from God.

Source page 219

قُلْتُ فَمَتَى يُسَمَّى الْعَاقِلُ عَنِ اللَّهِ كَامِلَ الْعَقْلِ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى؟

Qultu fa-matā yusammā al-ʿāqilu ʿani Allāhi kāmila al-ʿaqli ʿani Allāhi taʿālā?

I said, “When, then, is someone who understands from God called complete in understanding from God Most High?”

قَالَ إِنَّ الْعَقْلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى لَا غَايَةَ لَهُ لِأَنَّهُ لَا غَايَةَ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عِنْدَ الْعَاقِلِ بِالتَّحْدِيدِ بِالْإِحَاطَةِ بِالْعِلْمِ بِحَقَائِقِ صِفَاتِهِ وَلَا بِعَظِيمِ قَدْرِ ثَوَابِهِ وَلَا عِقَابِهِ إِذْ لَمْ يُعَايِنْهَا.

Qāla ʾinna al-ʿaqla ʿani Allāhi taʿālā lā ghāyata lahu li-ʾannahu lā ghāyata li-Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla ʿinda al-ʿāqili bi-al-taḥdīdi bi-al-ʾiḥāṭati bi-al-ʿilmi bi-ḥaqāʾiqi ṣifātihi wa-lā bi-ʿaẓīmi qadri thawābihi wa-lā ʿiqābihi ʾidh lam yuʿāyinhā.

He said, “Understanding from God Most High has no final limit. For someone who understands, there is no limit to God, mighty and exalted is He, that could be defined by comprehensively knowing the realities of His attributes, or the tremendous measure of His reward or His punishment, since he has not seen them directly.”

وَلَوْ عَايَنَ اللَّهَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ وَتَقَدَّسَتْ أَسْمَاؤُهُ بِصِفَاتِهِ لَمَا أَحَاطَ بِهِ عِلْمًا.

Wa-law ʿāyana Allāha jalla thanāʾuhu wa-taqaddasat ʾasmāʾuhu bi-ṣifātihi la-mā ʾaḥāṭa bihi ʿilman.

Even if he beheld God in His attributes, exalted be His praise and hallowed be His names, he would not encompass Him in knowledge.

وَلَكِنْ وَقَدْ يَقَعُ اسْمُ الْكَمَالِ عَلَى الْأَغْلَبِ فِي الْأَسْمَاءِ فِي الْعَقْلِ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى لَا الْعَقْلِ بِالْكَمَالِ الَّذِي لَا يَحْتَمِلُ الزِّيَادَةَ.

Wa-lākin wa-qad yaqaʿu ismu al-kamāli ʿalā al-ʾaghlabi fī al-ʾasmāʾi fī al-ʿaqli ʿani Allāhi taʿālā lā al-ʿaqli bi-al-kamāli al-ladhī lā yaḥtamilu al-ziyādata.

Yet, indeed, the designation “completeness” can apply to what predominates, as names are used, in understanding from God Most High. It does not mean understanding with a completeness that admits of no increase.

أَلَا تَرَاهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ لِرَسُولِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا» وَقَالَ «وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا»؟

ʾA-lā tarāhu ʿazza wa-jalla yaqūlu li-rasūlihi ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama «wa-qul rabbi zidnī ʿilman» wa-qāla «wa-lā yuḥīṭūna bihi ʿilman»?

Do you not see Him, mighty and exalted is He, saying to His Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, “And say, ‘My Lord, increase me in knowledge’”? And He said, “They do not encompass Him in knowledge.”

وَرُوِيَ عَنِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ أَنَّهَا تَقُولُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ رَبِّ مَا عَبَدْنَاكَ حَقَّ عِبَادَتِكَ.

Wa-ruwiya ʿani al-malāʾikati ʾannahā taqūlu yawma al-qiyāmati rabbi mā ʿabadnāka ḥaqqa ʿibādatika.

It is related of the angels that on the Day of Resurrection they will say, “Lord, we have not worshipped You as You deserve to be worshipped.”

فَلَا أَحَدَ يُسَاوِي اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي الْعِلْمِ بِنَفْسِهِ فَيَعْرِفُ عَنْ عَظَمَتِهِ تَعَالَى كَمَالَ صِفَاتِهِ كَمَا يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ.

Fa-lā ʾaḥada yusāwī Allāha ʿazza wa-jalla fī al-ʿilmi bi-nafsihi fa-yaʿrifu ʿan ʿaẓamatihi taʿālā kamāla ṣifātihi ka-mā yaʿlamu Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla ʿan nafsihi.

No one equals God, mighty and exalted is He, in knowing His own self, so as to know, concerning His greatness, Most High, the perfection of His attributes as God, mighty and exalted is He, knows Himself.

Source page 220

فَأَعْظَمُ الْعَاقِلِينَ عِنْدَهُ الْعَارِفِينَ عَقْلًا عَنْهُ وَمَعْرِفَةً بِهِ الَّذِينَ أَقَرُّوا بِالْعَجْزِ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَبْلُغُونَ فِي الْعَقْلِ وَالْمَعْرِفَةِ كُنْهَ مَعْرِفَتِهِ.

Fa-ʾaʿẓamu al-ʿāqilīna ʿindahu al-ʿārifīna ʿaqlan ʿanhu wa-maʿrifatan bihi al-ladhīna ʾaqarrū bi-al-ʿajzi ʾannahum lā yablughūna fī al-ʿaqli wa-al-maʿrifati kunha maʿrifatihi.

Thus, among those who understand and know Him, the greatest in His sight in understanding from Him and knowing Him are those who acknowledge their inability: their understanding and knowledge cannot reach the full depth of knowing Him.

وَلَكِنْ قَدْ يُسَمَّى كَامِلًا فِي الْعَقْلِ عَنِ اللَّهِ فِي مَا غَلَبَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْأَفْعَالِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَنِ الْعَاقِلِ كَامِلًا مَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ ثَلَاثُ خِلَالٍ.

Wa-lākin qad yusammā kāmilan fī al-ʿaqli ʿani Allāhi fī mā ghalaba ʿalayhi mina al-ʾafʿāli al-latī kānat ʿani al-ʿāqili kāmilan man kānat fīhi thalāthu khilālin.

Yet someone may be called complete in understanding from God, with respect to the predominant actions that proceed from a person who understands: complete, that is, is someone who possesses three qualities.

الْخَوْفُ مِنْهُ وَالْقِيَامُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَقُوَّةُ الْيَقِينِ بِهِ وَبِمَا قَالَ وَوَعَدَ وَتَوَعَّدَ.

Al-khawfu minhu wa-al-qiyāmu bi-ʾamrihi wa-quwwatu al-yaqīni bihi wa-bi-mā qāla wa-waʿada wa-tawaʿʿada.

Fear of Him and fulfillment of His command; strength of certainty in Him and in what He has said, promised, and threatened;

وَحُسْنُ الْبَصَرِ بِدِينِهِ بِالْفِقْهِ عَنْهُ فِيمَا أَحَبَّ وَكَرِهَ مِنْ عِلْمِ مَا أَمَرَ بِهِ وَنَدَبَ إِلَيْهِ وَالْوُقُوفُ عِنْدَ الشُّبُهَاتِ الَّتِي سَمَّى اللَّهُ الْوُقُوفَ عَنْهَا رُسُوخًا فِي الْعِلْمِ بِهِ.

Wa-ḥusnu al-baṣari bi-dīnihi bi-al-fiqhi ʿanhu fī-mā ʾaḥabba wa-kariha min ʿilmi mā ʾamara bihi wa-nadaba ʾilayhi wa-al-wuqūfu ʿinda al-shubuhāti al-latī sammā Allāhu al-wuqūfa ʿanhā rusūkhan fī al-ʿilmi bihi.

and clear insight into His religion through understanding from Him what He loves and dislikes, by knowing what He has commanded and recommended, and holding back at doubtful matters, whose avoidance God has called firmness in knowledge of Him.

فَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَ الْخَوْفُ مِنْهُ وَقُوَّةُ الْيَقِينِ بِهِ وَبِمَا قَالَ وَوَعَدَ وَتَوَعَّدَ وَحُسْنُ الْبَصَرِ بِدِينِ اللَّهِ وَالْفِقْهُ فِي الدِّينِ فَقَدْ كَمَّلَ قُوَّةَ عَقْلِهِ.

Fa-ʾidhā ijtamaʿa al-khawfu minhu wa-quwwatu al-yaqīni bihi wa-bi-mā qāla wa-waʿada wa-tawaʿʿada wa-ḥusnu al-baṣari bi-dīni Allāhi wa-al-fiqhu fī al-dīni fa-qad kammala quwwata ʿaqlihi.

When fear of Him, strength of certainty in Him and in what He has said, promised, and threatened, clear insight into God’s religion, and understanding of religion come together, a person has brought the strength of his understanding to completeness.

وَإِنْ كَانَ الْخَوْفُ مِنَ اللَّهِ هُوَ مِنْ قُوَّةِ الْيَقِينِ بِالْوَعِيدِ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ يَكُونُ خَائِفًا وَلَا يَكُونُ مَعَهُ الْيَقِينُ الْقَوِيُّ الَّذِي يَنَالُ بِهِ الرِّضَى وَالتَّوَكُّلَ وَالْمَحَبَّةَ وَالزُّهْدَ.

Wa-ʾin kāna al-khawfu mina Allāhi huwa min quwwati al-yaqīni bi-al-waʿīdi fa-ʾinnahu qad yakūnu khāʾifan wa-lā yakūnu maʿahu al-yaqīnu al-qawiyyu al-ladhī yanālu bihi al-riḍā wa-al-tawakkula wa-al-maḥabbata wa-al-zuhda.

Although fear of God arises from strength of certainty in His threat, a person may be fearful without possessing the strong certainty through which he attains contentment, trust in God, love, and detachment from the world.

Source page 221

فَمِنْ ثَمَّ قُلْنَا الْخَوْفُ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَقُوَّةُ الْيَقِينِ وَالْبَصَرُ بِالدِّينِ لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ يَكُونُ قَوِيَّ الْيَقِينِ وَلَيْسَ يُحْسِنُ الْبَصَرَ بِالدِّينِ وَيَكُونُ بَصِيرًا بِالدِّينِ لَا خَائِفًا وَلَا قَوِيَّ الْيَقِينِ.

Fa-min thamma qulnā al-khawfu mina Allāhi wa-quwwatu al-yaqīni wa-al-baṣaru bi-al-dīni li-ʾannahu qad yakūnu qawiyya al-yaqīni wa-laysa yuḥsinu al-baṣara bi-al-dīni wa-yakūnu baṣīran bi-al-dīni lā khāʾifan wa-lā qawiyya al-yaqīni.

That is why we said: fear of God, strength of certainty, and insight into religion. For a person may have strong certainty without clear insight into religion, or be discerning in religion without either fear or strong certainty.

وَجِمَاعُ هَذِهِ الثَّلَاثِ الْخِصَالِ قُوَّةُ الْيَقِينِ وَحُسْنُ الْبَصَرِ بِالدِّينِ.

Wa-jimāʿu hādhihi al-thalāthi al-khiṣāli quwwatu al-yaqīni wa-ḥusnu al-baṣari bi-al-dīni.

These three qualities are brought together in strength of certainty and clear insight into religion.

وَإِنَّمَا زِدْنَا ذِكْرَ الْخَوْفِ وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْيَقِينِ لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ يَكُونُ خَائِفًا وَلَيْسَ بِالْقَوِيِّ الْيَقِينِ فِي كَمَالِ مَا قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِمَّا وَصَفَ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ مِنْ قَدْرِهِ وَجَلَالِهِ وَعَظَمَتِهِ وَمَا وَعَدَ وَتَوَعَّدَ وَحَذَّرَ وَرَجَّا وَأَنْعَمَ وَابْتَلَى بِهِ.

Wa-ʾinnamā zidnā dhikra al-khawfi wa-ʾin kāna mina al-yaqīni li-ʾannahu qad yakūnu khāʾifan wa-laysa bi-al-qawiyyi al-yaqīni fī kamāli mā qāla Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla mimmā waṣafa bihi nafsahu min qadrihi wa-jalālihi wa-ʿaẓamatihi wa-mā waʿada wa-tawaʿʿada wa-ḥadhdhara wa-rajjā wa-ʾanʿama wa-ibtalā bihi.

We added an explicit mention of fear, even though it comes from certainty, because a person may be fearful without strong certainty in the entirety of what God, mighty and exalted is He, has said: His description of Himself in His majesty, glory, and greatness, and what He has promised and threatened, warned against and encouraged hope for, and bestowed as blessings and trials.

ثُمَّ هَذِهِ الثَّلَاثُ الْخِلَالُ حَقَائِقُ مِنَ الْفِعْلِ بِالْقَلْبِ وَالْجَوَارِحِ لِأَنَّهُ إِذَا تَمَّ عَقْلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ عَنْ رَبِّهِ أَفْرَدَهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِالتَّوْحِيدِ لَهُ فِي كُلِّ الْمَعَانِي فَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ مَالِكٌ لَهُ لَا غَيْرُهُ وَأَنَّهُ عَتِيقٌ عَنْ سِوَاهُ فَتَوَاضَعَ لِعَظَمَتِهِ وَاسْتُعْبِدَ وَخَضَعَ لِجَلَالِهِ وَلَمْ يَذِلَّ لِمَنْ سِوَاهُ وَعَقَلَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ الْكَامِلُ بِأَحْسَنِ الصِّفَاتِ الْمُتَنَزِّهُ مِنْ كُلِّ الْآفَاتِ الْمُنْعِمُ بِكُلِّ الْأَيَادِي وَالْإِحْسَانِ فَاشْتَدَّ حُبُّهُ لَهُ لِمَا يَسْتَأْهِلُ لِعَظِيمِ قَدْرِهِ وَكَرِيمِ فِعَالِهِ وَحُسْنِ أَيَادِيهِ.

Thumma hādhihi al-thalāthu al-khilālu ḥaqāʾiqu mina al-fiʿli bi-al-qalbi wa-al-jawāriḥi li-ʾannahu ʾidhā tamma ʿaqlu al-muʾmini ʿan rabbihi ʾafradahu ʿazza wa-jalla bi-al-tawḥīdi lahu fī kulli al-maʿānī fa-ʿalima ʾannahu mālikun lahu lā ghayruhu wa-ʾannahu ʿatīqun ʿan siwāhu fa-tawāḍaʿa li-ʿaẓamatihi wa-ustuʿbida wa-khaḍaʿa li-jalālihi wa-lam yadhilla li-man siwāhu wa-ʿaqala ʿanhu ʾannahu al-kāmilu bi-ʾaḥsani al-ṣifāti al-mutanazzihu min kulli al-ʾāfāti al-munʿimu bi-kulli al-ʾayādī wa-al-ʾiḥsāni fa-ishtadda ḥubbuhu lahu li-mā yastaʾhilu li-ʿaẓīmi qadrihi wa-karīmi fiʿālihi wa-ḥusni ʾayādīhi.

These three qualities are realities enacted by the heart and the bodily faculties. When a believer’s understanding from his Lord becomes complete, he singles Him out, mighty and exalted is He, affirming His oneness in every respect. He knows that God alone is his master, and that he is free from servitude to anyone else. He humbles himself before God’s greatness, becomes His servant, and submits to His glory; he does not abase himself before anyone else. He understands that God is perfect in the finest attributes, free of every defect, and the giver of every favor and kindness. His love for Him therefore intensifies, as God deserves for His tremendous majesty, His noble deeds, and His gracious favors.

Source pages 221–222

وَعَقَلَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَمْلِكُ نَفْعَهُ وَضَرَّهُ فِي دُنْيَاهُ وَآخِرَتِهِ إِلَّا هُوَ فَأَفْرَدَهُ بِالْخَوْفِ وَالرَّجَاءِ وَحْدَهُ وَآمَنَ بِهِ وَأَيِسَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ فَهُوَ الْمُوَحِّدُ لَهُ إِذَا عَقَلَ وَحْدَانِيَّتَهُ وَتَفَرُّدَهُ بِكُلِّ مَعْنًى كَرِيمٍ وَوَصْفٍ جَمِيلٍ وَجَلَالَ عَظَمَتِهِ وَنَفَاذَ قُدْرَتِهِ وَمُضِيَّ إِرَادَتِهِ وَإِحَاطَةَ عِلْمِهِ وَقَدِيمَ أَزَلِيَّتِهِ وَأَوَّلِيَّتِهِ.

Wa-ʿaqala ʿanhu ʾannahu lā yamliku nafʿahu wa-ḍarrahu fī dunyāhu wa-ʾākhiratihi ʾillā huwa fa-ʾafradahu bi-al-khawfi wa-al-rajāʾi waḥdahu wa-ʾāmana bihi wa-ʾayisa min jamīʿi khalqihi fa-huwa al-muwaḥḥidu lahu ʾidhā ʿaqala waḥdāniyyatahu wa-tafarrudahu bi-kulli maʿnan karīmin wa-waṣfin jamīlin wa-jalāla ʿaẓamatihi wa-nafādha qudratihi wa-muḍiyya ʾirādatihi wa-ʾiḥāṭata ʿilmihi wa-qadīma ʾazaliyyatihi wa-ʾawwaliyyatihi.

He understands that none but God controls what benefits or harms him in this world or the hereafter. He therefore directs his fear and hope to Him alone, believes in Him, and gives up placing his hopes in any of His creatures. He truly affirms God’s oneness when he understands His unity, His sole possession of every noble quality and beautiful attribute, the glory of His greatness, the efficacy of His power, the execution of His will, the all-embracing scope of His knowledge, and His beginningless eternity and primacy.

Source page 222

فَإِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ زَايَلَ الْكِبْرَ عَلَى (الْعِبَادِ) لِخُضُوعِهِ لِجَلَالِ اللَّهِ مَوْلَاهُ فَتَوَاضَعَ لِلْحَقِّ وَلَمْ يَحْقِرْ مُسْلِمًا لِشِدَّةِ مَعْرِفَتِهِ بِصِغَرِ قَدْرِ نَفْسِهِ وَلِمَا جَنَى مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَلِعِلْمِهِ بِأَنَّ خَوَاتِمَ الْأَجَلِ بِسُوءِ الْعَوَاقِبِ وَحُسْنِ الْخَاتِمَةِ مِنَ الشَّقَاءِ وَالسَّعَادَةِ قَدْ سَبَقَ بِهِمَا الْعِلْمُ وَنَفَذَتْ فِيهِمَا الْمَشِيئَةُ.

Fa-ʾidhā kāna ka-dhālika zāyala al-kibra ʿalā (al-ʿibādi) li-khuḍūʿihi li-jalāli Allāhi mawlāhu fa-tawāḍaʿa li-al-ḥaqqi wa-lam yaḥqir musliman li-shiddati maʿrifatihi bi-ṣighari qadri nafsihi wa-li-mā janā mina al-dhunūbi ʿalā nafsihi wa-li-ʿilmihi bi-ʾanna khawātima al-ʾajali bi-sūʾi al-ʿawāqibi wa-ḥusni al-khātimati mina al-shaqāʾi wa-al-saʿādati qad sabaqa bihimā al-ʿilmu wa-nafadhat fīhimā al-mashīʾatu.

When he is like this, he abandons arrogance toward (God’s servants), because he submits to the glory of God, his Master. He humbles himself before the truth and does not look down on any Muslim, so keenly aware is he of his own small worth and of the sins he has committed against himself. He also knows that life’s final outcomes, a bad end or a good conclusion, in wretchedness or blessedness, are already encompassed by divine foreknowledge and governed by the divine will.

فَقَدْ أَمِنَ مَنْ عَرَفَهُ كِبْرَهُ وَبَغْيَهُ وَقَدْ عَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ حُجَجَهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ وَاعْتِذَارَهُ إِلَى خَلْقِهِ بِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ بِظَالِمٍ وَأَنَّهُ قَدْ بَدَأَهُمْ بِالرَّحْمَةِ قَبْلَ الْعُقُوبَةِ وَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ (مِنْهُ) الْأَيَادِي قَبْلَ الشُّكْرِ طَوِيلُ الْحِلْمِ دَائِمُ التَّأَنِّي جَمِيلُ السَّتْرِ مُقِيلُ الْعَثَرَاتِ مُحْسِنٌ إِلَى مَنْ تَبَغَّضَ إِلَيْهِ مُتَقَرِّبٌ إِلَى مَنْ تَبَاعَدَ مِنْهُ وَعَقَلَ عَنْهُ أَمْرَهُ وَآدَابَهُ وَأَحْكَامَهُ وَعَقَلَ دَاءَ النُّفُوسِ وَدَوَاءَهَا.

Fa-qad ʾamina man ʿarafahu kibrahu wa-baghyahu wa-qad ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi jalla wa-ʿazza ḥujajahu ʿalā khalqihi wa-iʿtidhārahu ʾilā khalqihi bi-ʾannahu laysa lahum bi-ẓālimin wa-ʾannahu qad badaʾahum bi-al-raḥmati qabla al-ʿuqūbati wa-qad sabaqat (minhu) al-ʾayādī qabla al-shukri ṭawīlu al-ḥilmi dāʾimu al-taʾannī jamīlu al-satri muqīlu al-ʿatharāti muḥsinun ʾilā man tabaghghaḍa ʾilayhi mutaqarribun ʾilā man tabāʿada minhu wa-ʿaqala ʿanhu ʾamrahu wa-ʾādābahu wa-ʾaḥkāmahu wa-ʿaqala dāʾa al-nufūsi wa-dawāʾahā.

Anyone who knows him is safe from his arrogance and wrongdoing. He has understood from God, exalted and mighty is He, His arguments against His creatures and His vindication of Himself before them: He does not wrong them, He began by showing them mercy before punishment, and favors (from Him) preceded their thanks. He is long-forbearing, ever patient, gracious in concealing faults, forgiving of stumbles, good to those who make themselves hateful to Him, and draws near to those who draw away from Him. This person understands from Him His commands, His disciplines, and His judgments; he understands the sickness of souls and their cure.

Source page 223

فَمَنْ عَرَفَهُ أَمِلَ الرُّشْدَ مِنْهُ وَأَنْ يَحْيَا بِمَنْطِقِهِ وَيَعْقِلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ بِتَأْدِيبِهِ لَهُ.

Fa-man ʿarafahu ʾamila al-rushda minhu wa-ʾan yaḥyā bi-manṭiqihi wa-yaʿqila ʿani Allāhi jalla dhikruhu bi-taʾdībihi lahu.

Anyone who knows him hopes to receive right guidance from him, to find life through his words, and through his instruction to understand from God, exalted be His remembrance.

وَعَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَا عَظَّمَ مِنْ قَدْرِ ثَوَابِهِ فِي جَنَّتِهِ بِدَوَامِهِ وَطِيبِ الْعَيْشِ فِيهِ وَزَوَالِ الْآفَاتِ وَالتَّكْدِيرِ وَالتَّنْغِيصِ عَنْهُ وَأَنَّهُ فَوْقَ مَا تُحِبُّ النُّفُوسُ لَا يُحْسِنُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَخْطُرَ بِبَالِهِ ذِكْرُ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّا أَعَدَّ فِيهَا.

Wa-ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla mā ʿaẓẓama min qadri thawābihi fī jannatihi bi-dawāmihi wa-ṭībi al-ʿayshi fīhi wa-zawāli al-ʾāfāti wa-al-takdīri wa-al-tanghīṣi ʿanhu wa-ʾannahu fawqa mā tuḥibbu al-nufūsu lā yuḥsinu ʾaḥadun ʾan yakhṭura bi-bālihi dhikru kathīrin mimmā ʾaʿadda fīhā.

He understands from God, mighty and exalted is He, the greatness God ascribes to His reward in His Garden: its permanence, the pleasant life within it, and its freedom from every affliction, disturbance, and vexation. It surpasses everything souls desire. No one can even bring to mind much of what He has prepared there.

وَقَدْ قَالَ الرَّسُولُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي جَنَّتِهِ مَا لَا عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ وَلَا أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ وَلَا خَطَرَ عَلَى قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ.

Wa-qad qāla al-rasūlu ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama ʾaʿadda Allāhu ʿazza wa-jalla fī jannatihi mā lā ʿaynun raʾat wa-lā ʾudhunun samiʿat wa-lā khaṭara ʿalā qalbi basharin.

The Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, “God, mighty and exalted is He, has prepared in His Garden what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has imagined.”

وَكَفَاكَ بِاللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَاصِفًا عَمَّا أَعَدَّ لِأَوْلِيَائِهِ إِذْ يَقُولُ عَزَّ مِنْ قَائِلٍ «فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ».

Wa-kafāka bi-Allāhi taʿālā wāṣifan ʿammā ʾaʿadda li-ʾawliyāʾihi ʾidh yaqūlu ʿazza min qāʾilin «fa-lā taʿlamu nafsun mā ʾukhfiya lahum min qurrati ʾaʿyunin».

God Most High is sufficient to describe for you what He has prepared for His friends, when He says, exalted is He who speaks, “No soul knows what delight of the eyes has been kept hidden for them.”

Source pages 223–224

فَقَدْ أَخْبَرَنَا أَنَّهُ جَازَ فِي الْكَمَالِ وَالنَّعِيمِ (وَقُرَّةِ) الْعُيُونِ وَصْفَ الْوَاصِفِينَ وَمَعْرِفَةَ الْعَارِفِينَ وَذِكْرَ الذَّاكِرِينَ لِجَمِيعِ النَّعِيمِ فَعَظُمَ فِي قَلْبِهِ جِوَارُ مَوْلَاهُ (وَ) مَا أَعَدَّ فِيهِ لِمَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيْهِ وَأَطَاعَهُ فَشَخَصَ إِلَيْهِ بِعَقْلِهِ فَاتَّصَلَ مَا اسْتُودِعَ قَلْبُهُ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ بِذَلِكَ لِمُشَاهَدَتِهِ بِعَقْلِهِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّهُ رَأْيُ عَيْنِهِ كَمَا قَالَ حَارِثَةُ فَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى عَرْشِ رَبِّي بَارِزًا وَإِلَى أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ يَتَزَاوَرُونَ.

Fa-qad ʾakhbaranā ʾannahu jāza fī al-kamāli wa-al-naʿīmi (wa-qurrati) al-ʿuyūni waṣfa al-wāṣifīna wa-maʿrifata al-ʿārifīna wa-dhikra al-dhākirīna li-jamīʿi al-naʿīmi fa-ʿaẓuma fī qalbihi jiwāru mawlāhu (wa-) mā ʾaʿadda fīhi li-man ʾanāba ʾilayhi wa-ʾaṭāʿahu fa-shakhaṣa ʾilayhi bi-ʿaqlihi fa-ittaṣala mā ustūdiʿa qalbuhu mina al-ʿilmi bi-dhālika li-mushāhadatihi bi-ʿaqlihi ḥattā ka-ʾannahu raʾyu ʿaynihi ka-mā qāla Ḥārithatu fa-ka-ʾannī ʾanẓuru ʾilā ʿarshi rabbī bārizan wa-ʾilā ʾahli al-jannati yatazāwarūna.

He has told us that, in perfection, bliss, (and delight) of the eyes, it exceeds every description, every knower’s knowledge, and every recollection of all enjoyment. So dwelling near his Master (and) what He has prepared there for those who turn to Him and obey Him become great in this person’s heart. He directs his mind toward it. The knowledge of it entrusted to his heart becomes connected with his inward witnessing of it, until it is as though it were before his very eyes. As Ḥāritha said, “It is as though I look upon my Lord’s Throne standing openly before me, and upon the people of the Garden visiting one another.”

Source page 224

وَكَمَا قَالَ الْحَسَنُ وَذَكَرَ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَقَالَ صَدَّقُوا بِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا يَرَوْنَ مَا وُعِدُوا رَأْيَ الْعَيْنِ.

Wa-ka-mā qāla al-Ḥasanu wa-dhakara ʾawliyāʾa Allāhi fī al-dunyā fa-qāla ṣaddaqū bihi fa-ka-ʾannamā yarawna mā wuʿidū raʾya al-ʿayni.

And as al-Ḥasan said when speaking of God’s friends in this world: “They believed in Him, so it is as if they see with their own eyes what they have been promised.”

فَلَمَّا اتَّصَلَ عَقْلُهُ بِمُشَاهَدَةِ ذَلِكَ حَنَّ وَاشْتَاقَ فَلَمَّا حَنَّ وَاشْتَاقَ تَعَلَّقَ قَلْبُهُ وَاشْتَغَلَ فَلَمَّا اشْتَغَلَ بِالشَّوْقِ إِلَى جِوَارِ رَبِّهِ سَلَا عَنِ الدُّنْيَا فَلَهَا عَنْهَا فَمَنْ تَفَكَّرَ فِي دَارِ الدُّنْيَا أَيْنَ هِيَ مِنْ جِوَارِ رَبِّهِ إِذْ يَقُولُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ» قِيلَ فِي التَّفْسِيرِ تَفَكَّرُوا فِيهِمَا فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا دَارُ فَنَاءٍ وَأَنَّ الْآخِرَةَ دَارُ جَزَاءٍ وَبَقَاءٍ فَعَقَلَ نَعْتَ رَبِّهِ لِزَوَالِ الدُّنْيَا وَفَنَائِهَا وَأَنَّ كُلَّ مَا أَخَذَ مِنْهَا لِغَيْرِ الْقُرْبَةِ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فِي جِوَارِهِ نَاقِصٌ مِنْ دَرَجَاتِ الْقُرْبِ وَكَمَالِ النَّعِيمِ فِي جِوَارِ رَبِّهِ وَأَنَّ فِيهِ الْحِسَابَ وَالسُّؤَالَ عَنْ نَعِيمِهَا بِالْحَبْسِ عَنِ السَّبْقِ فِي أَوَائِلِ الزُّمَرِ إِلَى جِوَارِ رَبِّهِ وَمَوْلَاهُ وَأَنَّهَا مَشْغَلَةٌ لَهُ عَنِ الِاشْتِغَالِ بِرَبِّهِ مَا دَامَ فِيهَا حَتَّى مَا يَعْدِلُهُ مِنَ الْأُنْسِ بِرَبِّهِ وَحَلَاوَةِ مُنَاجَاةِ سَيِّدِهِ.

Fa-lammā ittaṣala ʿaqluhu bi-mushāhadati dhālika ḥanna wa-ishtāqa fa-lammā ḥanna wa-ishtāqa taʿallaqa qalbuhu wa-ishtaghala fa-lammā ishtaghala bi-al-shawqi ʾilā jiwāri rabbihi salā ʿani al-dunyā fa-lahā ʿanhā fa-man tafakkara fī dāri al-dunyā ʾayna hiya min jiwāri rabbihi ʾidh yaqūlu ʿazza wa-jalla «laʿallakum tatafakkarūna fī al-dunyā wa-al-ʾākhirati» qīla fī al-tafsīri tafakkarū fīhimā fa-ʿalimū ʾanna al-dunyā dāru fanāʾin wa-ʾanna al-ʾākhirata dāru jazāʾin wa-baqāʾin fa-ʿaqala naʿta rabbihi li-zawāli al-dunyā wa-fanāʾihā wa-ʾanna kulla mā ʾakhadha minhā li-ghayri al-qurbati ʾilā rabbihi fī jiwārihi nāqiṣun min darajāti al-qurbi wa-kamāli al-naʿīmi fī jiwāri rabbihi wa-ʾanna fīhi al-ḥisāba wa-al-suʾāla ʿan naʿīmihā bi-al-ḥabsi ʿani al-sabqi fī ʾawāʾili al-zumari ʾilā jiwāri rabbihi wa-mawlāhu wa-ʾannahā mashghalatun lahu ʿani al-ishtighāli bi-rabbihi mā dāma fīhā ḥattā mā yaʿdiluhu mina al-ʾunsi bi-rabbihi wa-ḥalāwati munājāti sayyidihi.

When his understanding is joined to witnessing this, he yearns and longs. When he yearns and longs, his heart becomes attached and absorbed. When he is absorbed in longing to dwell near his Lord, he loses his attachment to this world and turns his attention away from it. For someone reflecting on the abode of this world, where does it stand beside dwelling near his Lord? He, mighty and exalted is He, says, “So that you may reflect on this world and the hereafter.” It is said in the commentary: “They reflected on both and realized that this world is an abode of passing away, while the hereafter is an abode of recompense and permanence.” Thus he understands his Lord’s description of this world’s disappearance and extinction. Everything he takes from it for a purpose other than drawing close to his Lord and dwelling near Him diminishes his degrees of nearness and the completeness of bliss beside his Lord. It entails a reckoning and questioning about its pleasures, holding him back from advancing among the earliest companies to dwell near his Lord and Master. It distracts him from attending to his Lord as long as he remains in it, even diverting him from intimacy with his Lord and the sweetness of intimate converse with his Master.

Source page 225

فَارْتَفَعَ قَلْبُهُ عَنْهَا وَتَمَنَّى أَنْ لَوِ اسْتَغْنَى أَنْ يَتَنَاوَلَ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا فَلَمْ يَجِدْ بُدًّا مِنَ الْأَخْذِ مِنْهَا مَا يُقَوِّيهِ عَلَى طَاعَةِ رَبِّهِ خَوْفًا أَنْ يُمْسِكَ عَنِ الْقُوتِ فَيَنْقَطِعَ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ.

Fa-irtafaʿa qalbuhu ʿanhā wa-tamannā ʾan lawi istaghnā ʾan yatanāwala minhā shayʾan fa-lam yajid buddan mina al-ʾakhdhi minhā mā yuqawwīhi ʿalā ṭāʿati rabbihi khawfan ʾan yumsika ʿani al-qūti fa-yanqaṭiʿa ʿan ʿibādati rabbihi.

His heart rises above the world, and he wishes he could dispense with taking anything from it. Yet he finds he must take from it what strengthens him to obey his Lord, fearing that if he withholds nourishment from himself, he will become unable to worship his Lord.

فَكَانَ نَصِيبُهُ مِنْهَا الْقُوتَ مِنَ الْغِذَاءِ وَلَمْ يَتَكَلَّفْ مَا جَازَ بُلْغَةَ الْقُوتِ مِنْ غِذَائِهِ وَسَتْرِ عَوْرَتِهِ وَاِنْ تَكَلَّفَ طَلَبَهُ لَمْ يَتَكَلَّفْ إِلَّا لِلْقُرْبَةِ إِلَى رَبِّهِ فَإِنِ ابْتُلِيَ مِنْهَا بِمَا فَوْقَ غِذَائِهِ وَسَتْرِ عَوْرَتِهِ مِنْ مِثْلِ مِيرَاثٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ فَمَبْذُولٌ كُلُّهُ لِرَبِّهِ يَفْرَحُ بِإِخْرَاجِهِ وَيَغْتَمُّ أَنْ يَمْكُثَ عِنْدَهُ أَقَلَّ مِنْ طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ.

Fa-kāna naṣībuhu minhā al-qūta mina al-ghidhāʾi wa-lam yatakallaf mā jāza bulghata al-qūti min ghidhāʾihi wa-satri ʿawratihi wa-ʾin takallafa ṭalabahu lam yatakallaf ʾillā li-al-qurbati ʾilā rabbihi fa-ʾini ubtuliya minhā bi-mā fawqa ghidhāʾihi wa-satri ʿawratihi min mithli mīrāthin ʾaw ghayrihi fa-mabdhūlun kulluhu li-rabbihi yafraḥu bi-ʾikhrājihi wa-yaghtammu ʾan yamkutha ʿindahu ʾaqalla min ṭarfati ʿaynin.

His share of the world is therefore enough food to sustain him. He does not trouble himself to obtain more than the bare provision of food and covering for his nakedness. If he exerts himself in seeking it, he does so only to draw near to his Lord. If he is tested with worldly possessions beyond his food and covering, through an inheritance or something else, it is all offered freely for his Lord. He rejoices in giving it away and is distressed if it stays with him even less than the blink of an eye.

وَعَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى آيَاتِهِ فِي تَدْبِيرِهِ، حِكْمَتِهِ، فِي آثَارِ صَنْعَتِهِ وَدَلَائِلِ حُسْنٍ وَتَقْدِيرِهِ (فَ) عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ بِقُدْرَةٍ نَافِذَةٍ قَدَّرَهَا وَبِحِكْمَةٍ كَامِلَةٍ أَتْقَنَهَا وَبِعِلْمٍ مُحِيطٍ اخْتَرَعَهَا وَبِسَمْعٍ نَافِذٍ سَمِعَ حَرَكَاتِهَا وَبِبَصَرٍ مُدْرِكٍ لَهَا دَبَّرَ لَطَائِفَ خَلْقِهَا وَغَوَامِضَ كَوَامِنِهَا وَمَا وَارَتْهُ حُجُبُهَا وَسَوَاتِرُهَا.

Wa-ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi taʿālā ʾāyātihi fī tadbīrihi, ḥikmatihi, fī ʾāthāri ṣanʿatihi wa-dalāʾili ḥusnin wa-taqdīrihi (fa-) ʿalima ʾannahu bi-qudratin nāfidhatin qaddarahā wa-bi-ḥikmatin kāmilatin ʾatqanahā wa-bi-ʿilmin muḥīṭin ikhtaraʿahā wa-bi-samʿin nāfidhin samiʿa ḥarakātihā wa-bi-baṣarin mudrikin lahā dabbara laṭāʾifa khalqihā wa-ghawāmiḍa kawāminihā wa-mā wārat-hu ḥujubuhā wa-sawātiruhā.

He understands from God Most High His signs in His ordering, His wisdom, in the traces of His workmanship and the indications of beauty and of His measured arrangement. (So) he knows that He determined them by effective power, perfected them by complete wisdom, and originated them by all-encompassing knowledge. With penetrating hearing He heard their movements, and with sight that perceives them He ordered the subtleties of their creation, their obscure hidden depths, and what their veils and coverings conceal.

Source pages 225–226

فَاسْتَدَلَّ بِذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ الْإِلَهُ الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ وَلَا رَبَّ سِوَاهُ فَكَأَنَّ جَمِيعَ الْأَشْيَاءِ عَيْنٌ يَعْتَبِرُ بِهَا وَيُجِلُّ وَيُعَظِّمُ لِمَا يَرَى وَيَسْمَعُ (مِنْ) مَوْلَاهُ وَسَيِّدِهِ فَدَامَ ذِكْرُهُ وَزَالَتْ عَنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ غَفْلَتُهُ وَعَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى أَنَّهُ مَا يُبْلِغُهُ غَايَةَ الْعِلْمِ بِهِ وَلَا بِلَطَائِفِ مَحَابِّهِ وَالْقُرْبِ إِلَيْهِ وَالْفَهْمِ لِمَا كَلَّمَهُ بِهِ فَكَانَ مَعَ سَيِّدِهِ اجْتِهَادُهُ وَدَوَامُ اشْتِغَالِهِ بِرَبِّهِ غَيْرَ تَارِكٍ وَلَا مُنْقَطِعٍ عَنْ طَلَبِ الِازْدِيَادِ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ بِرَبِّهِ وَالتَّزَيُّدُ فِي الْفِقْهِ عَنْهُ أَعْلَى فِي قَلْبِهِ وَأَعْظَمُ عِنْدَهُ قَدْرًا مِنَ الِازْدِيَادِ مِنْ كَثِيرِ أَعْمَالِ النَّوَافِلِ إِذْ عَقَلَ عَنْ رَبِّهِ أَنَّ أَقَلَّ قَلِيلِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ يُورِثُ التَّعْظِيمَ وَالْهَيْبَةَ وَيَبْعَثُ عَلَى الِاجْتِهَادِ وَيُورِثُ الطَّاعَاتِ وَالشُّغْلَ عَنْ جَمِيعِ الْعِبَادِ.

Fa-istadalla bi-dhālika ʾannahu al-ʾilāhu al-ʿaẓīmu al-ladhī lā ʾilāha ghayruhu wa-lā rabba siwāhu fa-ka-ʾanna jamīʿa al-ʾashyāʾi ʿaynun yaʿtabiru bihā wa-yujillu wa-yuʿaẓẓimu li-mā yarā wa-yasmaʿu (min) mawlāhu wa-sayyidihi fa-dāma dhikruhu wa-zālat ʿani Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla ghaflatuhu wa-ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi taʿālā ʾannahu mā yublighuhu ghāyata al-ʿilmi bihi wa-lā bi-laṭāʾifi maḥābbihi wa-al-qurbi ʾilayhi wa-al-fahmi li-mā kallamahu bihi fa-kāna maʿa sayyidihi ijtihāduhu wa-dawāmu ishtighālihi bi-rabbihi ghayra tārikin wa-lā munqaṭiʿin ʿan ṭalabi al-izdiyādi mina al-ʿilmi bi-rabbihi wa-al-tazayyudu fī al-fiqhi ʿanhu ʾaʿlā fī qalbihi wa-ʾaʿẓamu ʿindahu qadran mina al-izdiyādi min kathīri ʾaʿmāli al-nawāfili ʾidh ʿaqala ʿan rabbihi ʾanna ʾaqalla qalīli al-maʿrifati yūrithu al-taʿẓīma wa-al-haybata wa-yabʿathu ʿalā al-ijtihādi wa-yūrithu al-ṭāʿāti wa-al-shughla ʿan jamīʿi al-ʿibādi.

From this he infers that He is the mighty God: there is no god other than Him and no lord besides Him. It is as though all things were an eye through which he takes heed, revering and magnifying his Master and Lord because of what he sees and hears (from) Him. His remembrance becomes constant, and his heedlessness of God, mighty and exalted is He, disappears. He understands from God Most High that He does not bring him to a final limit in knowing Him, or in knowing the subtleties of what He loves, of drawing near to Him, and of understanding what He has said to him. His striving is therefore directed toward his Master, and his constant occupation toward his Lord, without abandoning or breaking off the pursuit of further knowledge of his Lord. Growth in understanding from Him stands higher in his heart and has greater worth for him than adding many voluntary acts of worship. For he understands from his Lord that even the smallest amount of knowledge produces reverence and awe, prompts exertion, leads to acts of obedience, and occupies him to the exclusion of all other servants.

Source page 226

وَعَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى أَنَّهُ ابْتَدَأَ عِبَادَهُ بِالرَّحْمَةِ وَالتَّفَضُّلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ بَعْدَ تَقْدِيمِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْهُ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَعْصُونَهُ وَيُخَالِفُونَ أَمْرَهُ فَلَمْ يَمْنَعْهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ ابْتِدَائِهِمْ بِالنِّعَمِ وَالتَّحَنُّنِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ.

Wa-ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi taʿālā ʾannahu ibtadaʾa ʿibādahu bi-al-raḥmati wa-al-tafaḍḍuli wa-al-ʾiḥsāni baʿda taqdīmi al-ʿilmi minhu lahum ʾannahum sa-yaʿṣūnahu wa-yukhālifūna ʾamrahu fa-lam yamnaʿhu dhālika ʿan ibtidāʾihim bi-al-niʿami wa-al-taḥannuni wa-al-raḥmati wa-al-ʾiḥsāni.

He understands from God Most High that He first approached His servants with mercy, generosity, and kindness, although He already knew that they would disobey Him and violate His command. This did not prevent Him from taking the initiative toward them with blessings, tenderness, mercy, and kindness.

وَجَعَلَ أَفْضَلَ أَوْلِيَائِهِ عِنْدَهُ الرُّحَمَاءَ بِخَلْقِهِ الْمُتَحَنِّنِينَ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ النَّاصِحِينَ لِبَرِيَّتِهِ وَهُمْ رُسُلُهُ الدَّاعُونَ الْعِبَادَ إِلَى نَجَاتِهِمْ وَالْمُحَذِّرُونَ لَهُمْ مِنْ هَلَكَتِهِمْ الْمُتَحَمِّلُونَ مِنْهُمُ الْأَذَى وَالْمُتَحَنِّنُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِالرَّحْمَةِ وَالنُّصْحِ وَالْإِشْفَاقِ مَعَ أَذَاهُمْ لَهُمْ وَتَكْذِيبِهِمْ إِيَّاهُمْ وَاسْتِهْزَائِهِمْ بِهِمْ لَا يُكَافِئُونَهُمْ بِمِثْلِ مَا نَالُوا مِنْهُمْ وَلَا يَنْصَرِفُونَ عَنِ الْإِشْفَاقِ عَلَيْهِمْ إِذْ سَمِعُوا اللَّهَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ يَصِفُهُمْ إِذْ قَالُوا لِنُوحٍ «إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ».

Wa-jaʿala ʾafḍala ʾawliyāʾihi ʿindahu al-ruḥamāʾa bi-khalqihi al-mutaḥanninīna ʿalā ʿibādihi al-nāṣiḥīna li-bariyyatihi wa-hum rusuluhu al-dāʿūna al-ʿibāda ʾilā najātihim wa-al-muḥadhdhirūna lahum min halakatihim al-mutaḥammilūna minhumu al-ʾadhā wa-al-mutaḥanninūna ʿalayhim bi-al-raḥmati wa-al-nuṣḥi wa-al-ʾishfāqi maʿa ʾadhāhum lahum wa-takdhībihim ʾiyyāhum wa-istihzāʾihim bihim lā yukāfiʾūnahum bi-mithli mā nālū minhum wa-lā yanṣarifūna ʿani al-ʾishfāqi ʿalayhim ʾidh samiʿū Allāha jalla thanāʾuhu yaṣifuhum ʾidh qālū li-Nūḥin «ʾinnā la-narāka fī ḍalālin mubīnin».

He made the best of His friends in His sight those who show mercy to His creatures, tenderness toward His servants, and sincere concern for His creation. They are His messengers, who call His servants to their salvation and warn them against their ruin; they bear the harm people inflict on them and show them tenderness through mercy, sincere counsel, and compassion, despite being harmed, denied, and mocked by them. They do not repay them with the like of what they have suffered from them, nor do they abandon compassion for them. For they heard God, exalted be His praise, describe those people when they said to Noah, “We certainly see you in manifest error.”

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وَقَالُوا لِهُودٍ «إِنَّا لَنَرَاكَ فِي سَفَاهَةٍ»

Wa-qālū li-Hūdin «ʾinnā la-narāka fī safāhatin».

And they said to Hūd, “We certainly see you as foolish.”

ثُمَّ وَصَفَ جَوَابَهُمَا فَقَالَ نُوحٌ «لَيْسَ بِي ضَلَالَةٌ وَلَكِنِّي رَسُولٌ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ» إِلَى قَوْلِهِ «وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ»

Thumma waṣafa jawābahumā fa-qāla Nūḥun «laysa bī ḍalālatun wa-lākinnī rasūlun min rabbi al-ʿālamīna» ʾilā qawlihi «wa-laʿallakum turḥamūna».

Then He described the answers of the two of them. Noah said, “There is no error in me; rather, I am a messenger from the Lord of all worlds,” down to His words, “and so that you may be shown mercy.”

وَوَصَفَ رَدَّ هُودٍ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ «يَا قَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِي سَفَاهَةٌ وَلَكِنِّي رَسُولٌ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَأَنَا لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ» إِلَى قَوْلِهِ «لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ» أَيْ تَظْفَرُونَ بِثَوَابِ اللَّهِ إِنْ قَبِلْتُمْ مِنِّي فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بَعْدَ تَسْفِيهِهِمْ لَهُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَنْصَرِفْ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ عَنِ النَّصِيحَةِ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يُفْلِحُونَ

Wa-waṣafa radda Hūdin ʿalayhim fa-qāla «yā qawmi laysa bī safāhatun wa-lākinnī rasūlun min rabbi al-ʿālamīna ʾuballighukum risālāti rabbī wa-ʾanā lakum nāṣiḥun ʾamīnun» ʾilā qawlihi «laʿallakum tufliḥūna» ʾay taẓfarūna bi-thawābi Allāhi ʾin qabiltum minnī fa-ʾakhbarahum baʿda tasfīhihim lahu ʾannahu lam yanṣarif min ʾajli dhālika ʿani al-naṣīḥati lahum laʿallahum yufliḥūna.

And He described Hūd’s reply to them: “My people, there is no foolishness in me; rather, I am a messenger from the Lord of all worlds. I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am a trustworthy adviser to you,” down to His words, “so that you may prosper.” That is: you will obtain God’s reward if you accept what I bring. After they had called him foolish, he told them that this had not turned him away from advising them sincerely, in the hope that they might prosper.

وَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ «فَمَنْ تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ»

Wa-qāla ʾIbrāhīmu ʿalayhi al-salāmu «fa-man tabiʿanī fa-ʾinnahu minnī wa-man ʿaṣānī fa-ʾinnaka ghafūrun raḥīmun».

Abraham, peace be upon him, said, “Whoever follows me belongs to me; and whoever disobeys me, You are forgiving and merciful.”

وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَوَصَفَ نَبِيًّا مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ شَجَّهُ قَوْمُهُ فَهُوَ يَمْسَحُ الدَّمَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Wa-qāla al-nabiyyu ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama wa-waṣafa nabiyyan mina al-ʾanbiyāʾi shajjahu qawmuhu fa-huwa yamsaḥu al-dama ʿan wajhihi wa-huwa yaqūlu rabbi ighfir li-qawmī fa-ʾinnahum lā yaʿlamūna.

The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, spoke of a prophet whose people had wounded his head. He was wiping the blood from his face and saying, “My Lord, forgive my people, for they do not know.”

وَرُوِيَ أَنَّ نُوحًا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ كَانَ يَخْنُقُهُ قَوْمُهُ حَتَّى يُغْشَى عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا أَفَاقَ قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي إِنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Wa-ruwiya ʾanna Nūḥan ʿalayhi al-salāmu kāna yakhnuquhu qawmuhu ḥattā yughshā ʿalayhi fa-ʾidhā ʾafāqa qāla rabbi ighfir li-qawmī ʾinnahum lā yaʿlamūna.

It is related that Noah, peace be upon him, would be choked by his people until he lost consciousness. When he came to, he would say, “My Lord, forgive my people. They do not know.”

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وَفَضَّلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صِدِّيقَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ عَلَيْهَا بِالرَّحْمَةِ لَهَا فَقَالَ أَرْحَمُ أُمَّتِي بِهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ

Wa-faḍḍala al-nabiyyu ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama ṣiddīqa hādhihi al-ʾummati ʿalayhā bi-al-raḥmati lahā fa-qāla ʾarḥamu ʾummatī bihā ʾAbū Bakrin.

The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, gave the eminently truthful man of this community precedence over it because of his mercy toward it. He said, “The most merciful member of my community toward it is Abū Bakr.”

فَلَمَّا عَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَا ابْتَدَأَ الْعِبَادَ بِهِ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَأَنَّهُ خَصَّ أَعْظَمَ خَلْقِهِ عِنْدَهُ قَدْرًا وَفَضَّلَهُ بِهَا عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْعِبَادِ

Fa-lammā ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla mā ibtadaʾa al-ʿibāda bihi mina al-raḥmati wa-ʾannahu khaṣṣa ʾaʿẓama khalqihi ʿindahu qadran wa-faḍḍalahu bihā ʿalā jamīʿi al-ʿibādi,

When he understood from God, mighty and exalted, the mercy with which He first approached His servants, and that He singled out the creature of greatest standing with Him and, through this mercy, gave him precedence over all His servants,

أَلْزَمَ قَلْبَهُ رَحْمَةَ الْأُمَّةِ فَأَحَبَّ مُحْسِنَهُمْ وَأَشْفَقَ عَلَى مُسِيئِهِمْ وَدَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ إِذَا أَمْكَنَهُ مُدْبِرَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَدَّخِرْ مَالًا عَنْ فَقِيرِهِمْ فَفَضْلُ مَالِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ مَبْذُولٌ وَالْمُوَاسَاةُ فِي قُوتِهِ مِنْهُمُ الْمَجْهُودُ مَنْ سَأَلَهُ مِنْهُمْ مَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ لَمْ يَتَبَرَّمْ بِطَلَبِهِ وَلَمْ يَضْجَرْ بِإِعْطَائِهِ لِلرَّحْمَةِ الَّتِي لَهُمْ فِي قَلْبِهِ وَمَنْ آذَاهُ وَأَسَاءَ إِلَيْهِ لَمْ يَجِدْ فِي نَفْسِهِ كَرَاهِيَةً لِلْعَفْوِ وَالصَّفْحِ عَنْهُ يَعُدُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا كَأَقْرَبِ الْخَلْقِ مِنْهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ مِثْلُ أَبِيهِ وَصَغِيرُهُمْ كَوَلَدِهِ وَقِرْنُهُ كَأَخِيهِ فَكُلُّ هَؤُلَاءِ يُحِبُّ الْإِحْسَانَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَأَنْ لَا يُفَارِقَ قَلْبَهُ الشَّفَقَةُ عَلَيْهِمْ

ʾAlzama qalbahu raḥmata al-ʾummati fa-ʾaḥabba muḥsinahum wa-ʾashfaqa ʿalā musīʾihim wa-daʿā ʾilā Allāhi subḥānahu ʾidhā ʾamkanahu mudbirahum wa-lam yaddakhir mālan ʿan faqīrihim fa-faḍlu mālihi ʿalayhim mabdhūlun wa-al-muwāsātu fī qūtihi minhumu al-majhūdu man saʾalahu minhum mā yaqdiru ʿalayhi lam yatabarram bi-ṭalabihi wa-lam yaḍjar bi-ʾiʿṭāʾihi li-al-raḥmati al-latī lahum fī qalbihi wa-man ʾādhāhu wa-ʾasāʾa ʾilayhi lam yajid fī nafsihi karāhiyatan li-al-ʿafwi wa-al-ṣafḥi ʿanhu yaʿudduhum jamīʿan ka-ʾaqrabi al-khalqi minhu kabīruhum mithlu ʾabīhi wa-ṣaghīruhum ka-waladihi wa-qirnuhu ka-ʾakhīhi fa-kullu hāʾulāʾi yuḥibbu al-ʾiḥsāna ʾilayhim wa-ʾan lā yufāriqa qalbahu al-shafaqatu ʿalayhim.

he bound his heart to mercy toward the community. He loved those among them who did good, felt compassion for those who did wrong, and whenever he could, called those who turned away back to God, glorified is He. He withheld no wealth from their poor. His surplus wealth was freely available to them, and he shared his own sustenance with those among them in distress. If any of them asked him for something within his power, he did not resent the request or tire of giving, because of the mercy he held for them in his heart. If someone hurt or wronged him, he felt no reluctance to forgive and overlook it. He regarded them all as his closest kin: their elders as his father, their young as his children, and his peer as his brother. He loved to do good to all of them, and wished never to lose his heartfelt compassion for them.

وَعَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَظِيمَ قَدْرِهِ وَقَدْرَ مَا يَطْلُبُ مِنْ ثَوَابِهِ وَمَا يَخَافُ مِنْ عِقَابِهِ وَعَظِيمَ الْأَيَادِي وَكَثْرَةَ النَّعِيمِ عِنْدَهُ وَأَنَّ جَمِيعَ خَلْقِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ سَمَٰوَاتِهِ وَأَرْضِهِ لَوْ دَأَبُوا جَمِيعًا وَاجْتَهَدُوا عُمُرَ الدُّنْيَا كُلَّهَا وَأَبَدًا مَا أَدَّوْا شُكْرَ نِعَمِهِ وَلَا أَدَّوْا مَا يَحِقُّ فِي عَظَمَتِهِ فَكَيْفَ بِالْحُلُولِ فِي جِوَارِهِ وَالنَّجَاةِ مِنْ عَذَابِهِ

Wa-ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi taʿālā ʿaẓīma qadrihi wa-qadra mā yaṭlubu min thawābihi wa-mā yakhāfu min ʿiqābihi wa-ʿaẓīma al-ʾayādī wa-kathrata al-naʿīmi ʿindahu wa-ʾanna jamīʿa khalqihi min ʾahli samāwātihi wa-ʾarḍihi law daʾabū jamīʿan wa-ijtahadū ʿumura al-dunyā kullahā wa-ʾabadan mā ʾaddaw shukra niʿamihi wa-lā ʾaddaw mā yaḥiqqu fī ʿaẓamatihi fa-kayfa bi-al-ḥulūli fī jiwārihi wa-al-najāti min ʿadhābihi.

He understood from God Most High His immense standing, the worth of the reward he sought and the punishment he feared, the greatness of His favors, and the abundance of bliss with Him. He understood that if all His creatures, the inhabitants of His heavens and His earth, toiled and strove together for the whole lifetime of this world and forever, they would not repay His blessings with due thanks or fulfill what His majesty deserves. What, then, of dwelling in His presence and escaping His punishment?

Source page 229

فَقَدْ عَقَلَ أَيَّ رَبٍّ يَعْبُدُ وَأَيَّ ثَوَابٍ يَطْلُبُ وَمِنْ أَيِّ عِقَابٍ وَعَذَابٍ يَهْرُبُ وَأَيَّ نَعِيمٍ يَشْكُرُ وَالشُّكْرُ أَيْضًا مِمَّنْ هُوَ وَمَنْ مَنَّ بِهِ

Fa-qad ʿaqala ʾayya rabbin yaʿbudu wa-ʾayya thawābin yaṭlubu wa-min ʾayyi ʿiqābin wa-ʿadhābin yahrubu wa-ʾayya naʿīmin yashkuru wa-al-shukru ʾayḍan mimman huwa wa-man manna bihi.

He has understood what Lord he worships, what reward he seeks, what punishment and torment he flees, and what blessing he gives thanks for; and also from whom gratitude itself comes, and who bestowed it.

فَلَمَّا عَقَلَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ عَنْ رَبِّهِ اسْتَقَلَّ وَاسْتَصْغَرَ جَمِيعَ دُؤُوبِهِ وَاجْتِهَادِهِ لِعَظِيمِ مَا عَقَلَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ ذَلِكَ

Fa-lammā ʿaqala dhālika kullahu ʿan rabbihi istaqalla wa-istaṣghara jamīʿa duʾūbihi wa-ijtihādihi li-ʿaẓīmi mā ʿaqala min jamīʿi dhālika.

When he understood all this from his Lord, he considered all his toil and effort meager and insignificant, because of the greatness of everything he had understood.

وَعَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى مَا وَصَفَ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ أَنَّهَا بِالسُّوءِ أَمَّارَةٌ وَلِلذُّنُوبِ مُسَوِّلَةٌ وَأَنَّهَا هِيَ الَّتِي جَنَتْ عَلَيْهِ مَا قَدْ أَحْصَاهُ رَبُّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَأْمَنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ حَلَّ بِهِ غَضَبُهُ وَأَنَّهُ لَا يَكَادُ يَعْدِلُ فِي بَعْضِ أَحْوَالِهِ أَنْ يَتَعَرَّضَ لِبَعْضِ مَسَاخِطِهِ وَأَنَّهُ قَدْ لَزِمَتْهُ عَظِيمُ حُجَّةِ مَا خُصَّ بِهِ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ وَمَا مَنَّ عَلَيْهِ بِهِ مِنَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ دُونَ أَكْثَرِ الْعَوَامِّ فَاسْتَكْثَرَ قَلِيلَ طَاعَتِهِمْ وَاسْتَعْظَمَهَا مَعَ اسْتِصْغَارِ كَثِيرِ الطَّاعَاتِ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ لِأَنَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَبِذُنُوبِهِ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَنَّ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَيْهِ أَعْظَمُ مِنْهَا عَلَيْهِمْ

Wa-ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi taʿālā mā waṣafa bihi nafsahu ʾannahā bi-al-sūʾi ʾammāratun wa-li-al-dhunūbi musawwilatun wa-ʾannahā hiya al-latī janat ʿalayhi mā qad ʾaḥṣāhu rabbuhu ʿalayhi wa-lam yaʾman ʾan yakūna qad ḥalla bihi ghaḍabuhu wa-ʾannahu lā yakādu yaʿdilu fī baʿḍi ʾaḥwālihi ʾan yataʿarraḍa li-baʿḍi masākhiṭihi wa-ʾannahu qad lazimathu ʿaẓīmu ḥujjati mā khuṣṣa bihi mina al-ʿilmi wa-mā manna ʿalayhi bihi mina al-maʿrifati dūna ʾakthari al-ʿawāmmi fa-istakthara qalīla ṭāʿatihim wa-istaʿẓamahā maʿa istiṣghāri kathīri al-ṭāʿāti min nafsihi li-ʾannahu ʾaʿlamu bi-nafsihi wa-bi-dhunūbihi min dhunūbihim wa-ʾanna al-ḥujjata ʿalayhi ʾaʿẓamu minhā ʿalayhim.

He understood from God Most High how He had described his soul: it persistently urges evil and makes sins enticing. It is this soul that has brought upon him what his Lord has counted against him. He could not feel secure that God’s anger had not already fallen upon him. He understood that in some of his states he scarcely turns aside from exposing himself to things that provoke God’s displeasure, and that the knowledge with which he had been singled out, and the understanding granted him beyond most ordinary people, imposed a weighty claim upon him. So he considered their small acts of obedience abundant and great, while regarding the many acts of obedience that came from himself as insignificant: he knew himself and his own sins better than theirs, and the claim against him was greater than the claim against them.

وَعَقَلَ قَدْرَ مَنْ عَصَاهُ وَخَالَفَهُ فِيمَا أَمَرَهُ بِهِ فَعَقَلَ قَدْرَ عَظَمَةِ مَنْ عَصَاهُ وَشِدَّةَ غَضَبِهِ وَشِدَّةَ عَذَابِهِ وَهَوْلَ الْمُكْثِ فِي عِقَابِهِ إِنْ لَمْ يَعْفُ عَنْهُ

Wa-ʿaqala qadra man ʿaṣāhu wa-khālafahu fīmā ʾamarahu bihi fa-ʿaqala qadra ʿaẓamati man ʿaṣāhu wa-shiddata ghaḍabihi wa-shiddata ʿadhābihi wa-hawla al-mukthi fī ʿiqābihi ʾin lam yaʿfu ʿanhu.

He understood the standing of the One whom he had disobeyed and opposed in what He commanded. He understood the measure of the majesty of the One whom he had disobeyed, the intensity of His anger, the severity of His punishment, and the terror of remaining under that punishment if He did not pardon him.

Source page 230

فَعَقَلَ كَثْرَةَ ذُنُوبِهِ وَ(سُوءَ رَغْبَةِ) نَفْسِهِ وَدَنَاءَةَ هِمَّتِهِ وَعَجِيبَ جَهْلِهِ إِذْ كَانَ قَدْ آثَرَ عَلَى رِضَاهُ مِنَ الْعَبِيدِ مَا لَا مَعْنَى لَهُمْ فِي دُنْيَا وَلَا آخِرَةٍ بِمُلْكٍ وَلَا نَفْعٍ وَلَا ضُرٍّ وَإِيثَارَهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا الْمُكَدَّرَ الْمُنَغَّصَ الْفَانِيَ مِنْهُ وَالْفَانِيَ هُوَ عَنْهُ وَالْبَاقِي عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ فَنَائِهِ شِدَّةُ الْحِسَابِ وَعَظِيمُ السُّؤَالِ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ لَا يَأْمَنُ مِنْ سَخَطِ اللَّهِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَنْ يَحِلَّ بِهِ

Fa-ʿaqala kathrata dhunūbihi wa-(sūʾa raghbati) nafsihi wa-danāʾata himmatihi wa-ʿajība jahlihi ʾidh kāna qad ʾāthara ʿalā riḍāhu mina al-ʿabīdi mā lā maʿnā lahum fī dunyā wa-lā ʾākhiratin bi-mulkin wa-lā nafʿin wa-lā ḍurrin wa-ʾīthārahu mina al-dunyā al-mukaddara al-munaghghaṣa al-fāniya minhu wa-al-fāniya huwa ʿanhu wa-al-bāqī ʿalayhi baʿda fanāʾihi shiddatu al-ḥisābi wa-ʿaẓīmu al-suʾāli ʿanhu thumma lā yaʾmanu min sakhaṭi Allāhi fī al-ʾākhirati ʿalā dhālika ʾan yaḥilla bihi.

He understood how numerous his sins were, the (evil desire of) his soul, the baseness of his ambition, and his astonishing ignorance. He had preferred to God’s pleasure servants who had no power to rule, benefit, or harm in this world or the next. He understood his preference for what is tainted and troubled in this world, what passes away from him and from which he himself passes away. What remains for him after its passing is a stern reckoning and weighty questioning about it. Nor can he feel secure that God’s displeasure over it will not fall upon him in the next life.

Source pages 230–231

فَلَمَّا عَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ جَمِيعَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَسَتَرَ عَنْهُ عَامَّةَ ذُنُوبِ الْخَلْقِ وَخَفَّتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْحُجَّةُ بِدُونِ مَا وَجَبَتْ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ أَجْلِ الْعِلْمِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْدَعَهُ وَالسَّتْرِ عَلَيْهِ لِذُنُوبِهِ وَمَا حَبَّبَهُ إِلَى عِبَادِهِ لَمْ يَأْمَنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ اسْتِدْرَاجًا لَهُ وَأَنَّهُ وُكِلَ بِالْخَوْفِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ قَبْلَ غَيْرِهِ وَأَنَّهُ لَا يَأْمَنُ لِسَالِفِ ذُنُوبِهِ وَتَضْيِيعِ شُكْرِ نِعَمِ رَبِّهِ وَعَظِيمِ مَا لَزِمَهُ مِنَ الْحُجَّةِ وَأَنْ يُخْتَمَ لَهُ بِغَيْرِ دِينِ الْإِسْلَامِ أَوْ بِعَظِيمِ الذُّنُوبِ مَعَ الْإِيمَانِ فَلَمْ تَقَعْ عَيْنُهُ عَلَى أَحَدٍ وَلَمْ يَسْتَمِعْ بِهِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَافَ أَنْ (يَنْجُوَا) وَيَهْلِكَ هُوَ دُونَهُ (يَكْسِرُ) قَلْبَهُ مَنْ يَرَى مِنْ أَهْلِ الطَّاعَاتِ وَيَقْطَعُ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ وَيَتَمَنَّى أَنْ يَكُونَ مِثْلَهُ وَيَهِيجُ عَلَيْهِ الْخَوْفَ مِنْ قِبَلِهِ مَنْ رَآهُ دُونَهُ فِي الدِّينِ يَخَافُ أَنْ يَهْلِكَ هُوَ دُونَهُ أَوْ يُخْتَمَ لَهُ بِأَشَرِّ الْأَعْمَالِ لِعَظِيمِ حُجَّةِ الْعِلْمِ وَجَمِيلِ السَّتْرِ عَلَيْهِ وَلِمَا أُمِرَ بِهِ مِنْ خَوْفِ سُوءِ الْخَوَاتِمِ الَّتِي مَاتَ عَلَيْهَا الْأَشْقِيَاءُ فَهُوَ مُتَوَاضِعٌ لِلْعِبَادِ كُلِّهِمْ لِشِدَّةِ ذِلَّةِ الْخَوْفِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ

Fa-lammā ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla jamīʿa dhālika min nafsihi wa-satara ʿanhu ʿāmmata dhunūbi al-khalqi wa-khaffat ʿalayhimu al-ḥujjatu bi-dūni mā wajabat mina Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla min ʾajli al-ʿilmi al-ladhī istawdaʿahu wa-al-satri ʿalayhi li-dhunūbihi wa-mā ḥabbabahu ʾilā ʿibādihi lam yaʾman ʾan yakūna istidrājan lahu wa-ʾannahu wukila bi-al-khawfi ʿalā nafsihi qabla ghayrihi wa-ʾannahu lā yaʾmanu li-sālifi dhunūbihi wa-taḍyīʿi shukri niʿami rabbihi wa-ʿaẓīmi mā lazimahu mina al-ḥujjati wa-ʾan yukhtama lahu bi-ghayri dīni al-ʾislāmi ʾaw bi-ʿaẓīmi al-dhunūbi maʿa al-ʾīmāni fa-lam taqaʿ ʿaynuhu ʿalā ʾaḥadin wa-lam yastamiʿ bihi mina al-muslimīna ʾillā khāfa ʾan (yanjuwa) wa-yahlika huwa dūnahu (yaksiru) qalbahu man yarā min ʾahli al-ṭāʿāti wa-yaqṭaʿu ʿalayhi ʾannahu khayrun minhu wa-yatamannā ʾan yakūna mithlahu wa-yahīju ʿalayhi al-khawfa min qibalihi man raʾāhu dūnahu fī al-dīni yakhāfu ʾan yahlika huwa dūnahu ʾaw yukhtama lahu bi-ʾasharri al-ʾaʿmāli li-ʿaẓīmi ḥujjati al-ʿilmi wa-jamīli al-satri ʿalayhi wa-li-mā ʾumira bihi min khawfi sūʾi al-khawātimi al-latī māta ʿalayhā al-ʾashqiyāʾu fa-huwa mutawāḍiʿun li-al-ʿibādi kullihim li-shiddati dhillati al-khawfi ʿalā nafsihi.

When he understood from God, mighty and exalted, all this about himself, while God concealed from him most of other people’s sins and the claim against them was lighter than the claim God, mighty and exalted, had imposed [on him] because of the knowledge entrusted to him, he could not feel secure that the concealment of his sins and the affection God had given His servants for him were not a gradual drawing of him toward ruin. He understood that he was charged with fearing for himself before anyone else. Because of his past sins, his failure to thank his Lord for His blessings, and the weighty claim laid upon him, he could not feel safe from ending his life outside the religion of Islam, or with grievous sins despite retaining faith. He never looked at or heard of any Muslim without fearing that the other might (escape) while he himself perished instead. Those he saw practicing obedience (broke) his heart: he judged them better than himself and wished to be like them. Someone he regarded as beneath him in religion stirred fear in him on that person’s account: he feared that he himself might perish instead of that person, or end his life with the worst deeds, because of knowledge’s weighty claim and the gracious concealment he enjoyed, and because he had been commanded to fear the evil endings in which the wretched died. He was humble toward all God’s servants, so deeply did fear for himself bring him low.

Source page 231

وَعَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَا بَيَّنَ مِنْ قَدْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ فَعَقَلَ صِفَةَ الْآخِرَةِ بِنَعِيمِهَا وَمُلْكِهَا وَشَرَفِهَا وَعِزِّهَا وَعَظِيمِ قَدْرِ سُكَّانِهَا أَنَّهَا فِي جِوَارِ الْمَوْلَى وَمَا وَصَفَ بِهِ سُوءَ عَيْشِ الدُّنْيَا وَضَعَةَ رِفْعَتِهَا عِنْدَهُ يَوْمَ يُحَاسِبُ عِبَادَهُ وَذُلَّ الْعَزِيزِ بِهَا عِنْدَهُ فِي يَوْمِ يَبْعَثُ خَلْقَهُ وَحَقَارَةَ الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ فِي عَيْنِهِ وَصُنْعَهُ بِهِمْ يَوْمَ النُّشُورِ حَتَّى أَنَّهُمْ لَيُحْشَرُونَ فِي صُوَرِ الذَّرِّ دُونَ جَمِيعِ الْعِبَادِ

Wa-ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla mā bayyana min qadri al-dunyā wa-al-ʾākhirati fa-ʿaqala ṣifata al-ʾākhirati bi-naʿīmihā wa-mulkihā wa-sharafihā wa-ʿizzihā wa-ʿaẓīmi qadri sukkānihā ʾannahā fī jiwāri al-mawlā wa-mā waṣafa bihi sūʾa ʿayshi al-dunyā wa-ḍaʿata rifʿatihā ʿindahu yawma yuḥāsibu ʿibādahu wa-dhulla al-ʿazīzi bihā ʿindahu fī yawmi yabʿathu khalqahu wa-ḥaqārata al-mutakabbirīna fī ʿaynihi wa-ṣunʿahu bihim yawma al-nushūri ḥattā ʾannahum la-yuḥsharūna fī ṣuwari al-dharri dūna jamīʿi al-ʿibādi.

He understood from God, mighty and exalted, what He had made clear about the worth of this world and the next. He understood the next life’s character, its bliss, dominion, honor, dignity, and the great standing of its inhabitants: it lies in the presence of the Master. He also understood God’s description of the wretched life of this world, how low its exalted rank will be in His sight on the day He calls His servants to account, how humiliated those empowered by it will be before Him on the day He raises His creation, how contemptible the arrogant are in His sight, and how He will treat them on the Day of Resurrection: they will be gathered in the forms of tiny ants, below all His other servants.

وَعَقَلَ عَنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى مَا أَمَرَهُ بِهِ وَأَخْبَرَ أَنَّ الْفَقِيرَ مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى بِالدُّنْيَا عَنْهَا وَمَنْ (يُجَازِي) بِمَا حَرَمَهُ مِنْ خِفَّةِ الْحِسَابِ وَالتَّصَاعُدِ فِي مَعَالِي دَرَجَاتِهِ

Wa-ʿaqala ʿani Allāhi taʿālā mā ʾamarahu bihi wa-ʾakhbara ʾanna al-faqīra mani istaghnā bi-al-dunyā ʿanhā wa-man (yujāzī) bi-mā ḥaramahu min khiffati al-ḥisābi wa-al-taṣāʿudi fī maʿālī darajātihi.

He understood from God Most High what He had commanded him, and His declaration that the poor person is one who, through this world, has become independent of it, and one whom [He] (rewards), for what He withheld from him, with an easier reckoning and ascent to the lofty levels of His ranks.

فَلَمَّا عَقَلَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ عَنْ رَبِّهِ كَانَ الْفَقْرُ فِي الدُّنْيَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْغِنَى بِهَا وَكَانَ التَّوَاضُعُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الشَّرَفِ فِيهَا وَكَانَ الذُّلُّ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْعِزِّ بِهَا

Fa-lammā ʿaqala dhālika kullahu ʿan rabbihi kāna al-faqru fī al-dunyā ʾaḥabba ʾilayhi mina al-ghinā bihā wa-kāna al-tawāḍuʿu ʾaḥabba ʾilayhi mina al-sharafi fīhā wa-kāna al-dhullu ʾaḥabba ʾilayhi mina al-ʿizzi bihā.

When he understood all this from his Lord, poverty in this world became dearer to him than wealth in it, and humility became dearer to him than honor in it, and lowliness became dearer to him than power in it.

Source page 232

مَسْأَلَةٌ فِي الْعَقْلِ

Masʾalatun fī al-ʿaqli.

A Question Concerning the Intellect

الْحُجَّةُ حُجَّتَانِ

Al-ḥujjatu ḥujjatāni.

Proof is of two kinds:

عِيَانٌ ظَاهِرٌ أَوْ خَبَرٌ قَاهِرٌ

ʿIyānun ẓāhirun ʾaw khabarun qāhirun.

manifest direct observation, or compelling testimony.

وَالْعَقْلُ مُضَمَّنٌ بِالدَّلِيلِ وَالدَّلِيلُ مُضَمَّنٌ بِالْعَقْلِ

Wa-al-ʿaqlu muḍammanun bi-al-dalīli wa-al-dalīlu muḍammanun bi-al-ʿaqli.

Intellect is bound up with evidence, and evidence is bound up with intellect.

وَالْعَقْلُ هُوَ الْمُسْتَدِلُّ

Wa-al-ʿaqlu huwa al-mustadillu.

It is the intellect that draws the inference.

وَالْعِيَانُ وَالْخَبَرُ هُمَا عِلَّةُ الْاسْتِدْلَالِ وَأَصْلُهُ

Wa-al-ʿiyānu wa-al-khabaru humā ʿillatu al-istidlāli wa-ʾaṣluhu.

Direct observation and testimony are the grounds and foundation of inference.

وَمُحَالٌ كَوْنُ الْفَرْعِ مَعَ عَدَمِ الْأَصْلِ وَكَوْنُ الْاسْتِدْلَالِ مَعَ عَدَمِ الدَّلِيلِ

Wa-muḥālun kawnu al-farʿi maʿa ʿadami al-ʾaṣli wa-kawnu al-istidlāli maʿa ʿadami al-dalīli.

A derivative cannot exist without its foundation, nor can inference exist without evidence.

فَالْعِيَانُ شَاهِدٌ يَدُلُّ عَلَى غَيْبٍ

Fa-al-ʿiyānu shāhidun yadullu ʿalā ghaybin.

Direct observation is a witness that points to what is unseen.

وَالْخَبَرُ يَدُلُّ عَلَى صِدْقٍ فَمَنْ تَنَاوَلَ الْفَرْعَ قَبْلَ إِحْكَامِ الْأَصْلِ سَفِهَ

Wa-al-khabaru yadullu ʿalā ṣidqin fa-man tanāwala al-farʿa qabla ʾiḥkāmi al-ʾaṣli safiha.

Testimony points to truth. Whoever takes up the derivative before firmly establishing the foundation acts foolishly.

Source pages 232–233

وَرُبَّ حَقٍّ أَحَقُّ مِنْ حَقٍّ كَمَنْ عَفَا وَمَنِ اقْتَصَّ وَكَاقْتِضَاءِ الدَّيْنِ سَاعَةَ مَحِلِّهِ أَوْ تَرْكِهِ قَلِيلًا إِحْسَانًا إِلَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ فِي الطَّلَبِ

Wa-rubba ḥaqqin ʾaḥaqqu min ḥaqqin ka-man ʿafā wa-mani iqtaṣṣa wa-ka-iqtiḍāʾi al-dayni sāʿata maḥillihi ʾaw tarkihi qalīlan ʾiḥsānan ʾilayhi fa-qad ʾaḥsana fī al-ṭalabi.

One right course may be more rightful than another, as with someone who pardons and someone who exacts retribution, or with claiming a debt the moment it falls due or leaving it for a little while out of kindness to the debtor: such a person has acted well in seeking repayment.

Source page 233

فَكَمْ مِنْ حَسَنٍ أَحْسَنُ مِنْ حَسَنٍ غَيْرِهِ وَقَبِيحٍ أَقْبَحُ مِنْ قَبِيحٍ وَفَرْضٍ أَوْجَبُ مِنْ آخَرَ وَفَضْلٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ فَضْلٍ آخَرَ

Fa-kam min ḥasanin ʾaḥsanu min ḥasanin ghayrihi wa-qabīḥin ʾaqbaḥu min qabīḥin wa-farḍin ʾawjabu min ʾākhara wa-faḍlin ʾafḍalu min faḍlin ʾākhara.

How often one good thing is better than another, one ugly thing uglier than another, one obligation more pressing than another, and one merit greater than another!

وَالْحُبُّ وَالْبُغْضُ إِذَا أَفْرَطَا أَنْقَصَا الْاعْتِدَالَ وَأَفْسَدَا الْعَقْلَ وَصَوَّرَا الْبَاطِلَ فِي صُورَةِ الْحَقِّ

Wa-al-ḥubbu wa-al-bughḍu ʾidhā ʾafraṭā ʾanqaṣā al-iʿtidāla wa-ʾafsadā al-ʿaqla wa-ṣawwarā al-bāṭila fī ṣūrati al-ḥaqqi.

When love and hatred become excessive, they diminish balance, corrupt the intellect, and present falsehood in the form of truth.

فَأَهْلُ الشَّرِّ لَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بَيْنَ (أَئِمَّتِهِمْ) كَمَا لَا يُفَرِّقُونَ (بَيْنَ) إِمَامِهِمْ

Fa-ʾahlu al-sharri lā yufarriqūna bayna (ʾaʾimmatihim) kamā lā yufarriqūna (bayna) ʾimāmihim.

Thus people of evil do not distinguish among (their leaders), just as they do not distinguish (between) their leader.

وَإِنَّ الْحَقَّ فِي كُلِّ أَمْرٍ بَيِّنٌ وَالْبَاطِلَ فِي كُلِّ حَالٍ دَاحِضٌ إِلَّا أَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْرِفُ وَجْهَ مَطْلَبِهِ وَبَعْضُهُمْ يَعْرِفُ بَعْضَهُ وَيَجْهَلُ بَعْضَهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ عَرَفَ ثُمَّ نَسِيَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَعْرِفُ أَكْثَرَهُ وَلَا يَعْرِفُ أَسْهَلَ طُرُقِهِ وَأَقْرَبَ وَجْهِهِ

Wa-ʾinna al-ḥaqqa fī kulli ʾamrin bayyinun wa-al-bāṭila fī kulli ḥālin dāḥiḍun ʾillā ʾanna kathīran mina al-nāsi lā yaʿrifu wajha maṭlabihi wa-baʿḍuhum yaʿrifu baʿḍahu wa-yajhalu baʿḍahu wa-minhum man ʿarafa thumma nasiya wa-minhum man yaʿrifu ʾaktharahu wa-lā yaʿrifu ʾashala ṭuruqihi wa-ʾaqraba wajhihi.

Truth is clear in every matter, and falsehood is unsound in every circumstance. Yet many people do not know how to seek truth. Some know part of it and are ignorant of part; some once knew and then forgot; and some know most of it but do not know the easiest paths to it or its most direct approach.

فَجَمِيعُ الْحَقِّ فِي فُنُونِ الطَّاعَاتِ وَتَحْذِيرُ الْبَاطِلِ فِي مَذَاهِبِهِ إِذَا جُمِعَ وَأُلِّفَ وَكَانَ أَنْشَطَ لِحِفْظِهِ وَيَفْهَمُهُ مَنْ كَانَ لَا يَنْشَطُ لِأَنْ يَطْلُبَ عَمَلَهُ حَتَّى يَجْمَعَهُ

Fa-jamīʿu al-ḥaqqi fī funūni al-ṭāʿāti wa-taḥdhīru al-bāṭili fī madhāhibihi ʾidhā jumiʿa wa-ʾullifa wa-kāna ʾanshaṭa li-ḥifẓihi wa-yafhamuhu man kāna lā yanshaṭu li-ʾan yaṭluba ʿamalahu ḥattā yajmaʿahu.

When all the truth concerning the various forms of obedience, together with warnings against falsehood in its different approaches, is gathered and arranged, it becomes more encouraging to memorize. It can be understood by someone who would not have the energy to seek to put it into practice until he had gathered it together.

Source pages 233–234

وَالْعَالِمُ بِهِ يُرِيدُ جَمْعَهُ فِي بَصِيرَتِهِ وَجَمْعَ كُلِّ مَذْهَبٍ إِلَّا خَبَرَ الْوَاحِدِ لِمَنْ كَانَ لَا يَعْرِفُ إِلَّا بَعْضَهُ

Wa-al-ʿālimu bihi yurīdu jamʿahu fī baṣīratihi wa-jamʿa kulli madhhabin ʾillā khabara al-wāḥidi li-man kāna lā yaʿrifu ʾillā baʿḍahu.

The person who knows it wants to gather it within his understanding, and to gather every approach except a report transmitted by one person, for someone who knows only part of it.

Source page 234

وَيُذَكِّرُ النَّاسَ بِمَا قَدْ عَلِمَهُ فَنَسِيَهُ وَيُنَبِّهُ الْمُتَهَاوِنَ لِمَا كَانَ قَدِ اشْتَغَلَ عَنِ الْعِنَايَةِ بِالْقِيَامِ بِهِ وَيُبَيِّنُ لِلزَّائِغِ عَنْ طَرِيقِ الرُّشْدِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ تَرَكَهُ وَلَعَلَّ مَنْ نَظَرَ فِيهِ بِالْإِعْجَابِ بِرَأْيِهِ أَنْ يَنْقُضَ مَذَاهِبَهُ إِذَا فَهِمَ حُسْنَ الْعِبَارَةِ عَنْهُ وَإِيضَاحَ حُجَجِهِ وَنُورَ بَيَانِهِ يَتَنَبَّهُ مِنْ رَقْدَتِهِ وَيُفِيقُ مِنْ سَكْرَتِهِ لِأَنَّ الْحَقَّ عَزِيزٌ أَيْنَ كَانَ وَالْبَاطِلَ ذَلِيلٌ فِي كُلِّ أَوَانٍ

Wa-yudhakkiru al-nāsa bi-mā qad ʿalimahu fa-nasiyahu wa-yunabbihu al-mutahāwina li-mā kāna qadi ishtaghala ʿani al-ʿināyati bi-al-qiyāmi bihi wa-yubayyinu li-al-zāʾighi ʿan ṭarīqi al-rushdi ʾannahu qad tarakahu wa-laʿalla man naẓara fīhi bi-al-ʾiʿjābi bi-raʾyihi ʾan yanquḍa madhāhibahu ʾidhā fahima ḥusna al-ʿibārati ʿanhu wa-ʾīḍāḥa ḥujajihi wa-nūra bayānihi yatanabbahu min raqdatihi wa-yufīqu min sakratihi li-ʾanna al-ḥaqqa ʿazīzun ʾayna kāna wa-al-bāṭila dhalīlun fī kulli ʾawānin.

It reminds people of what they once knew but forgot, alerts the negligent to what they have been too occupied to attend to and carry out, and shows those who stray from the path of right guidance that they have abandoned it. Perhaps someone who examines it while admiring his own opinion will dismantle his positions when he understands its well-chosen expression, its lucid proofs, and its illuminating exposition. He will wake from his sleep and recover from his intoxication, for truth is mighty wherever it is, and falsehood is abased at all times.

وَالْحُجَّةُ ظَاهِرَةٌ بِنُورِهَا عَلَى الشُّبْهَةِ

Wa-al-ḥujjatu ẓāhiratun bi-nūrihā ʿalā al-shubhati.

Proof, through its light, prevails over doubt.

وَلَيْسَ مَنْ تَفَرَّدَ بِكِتَابٍ يَقْرَؤُهُ وَحْدَهُ مُتَثَبِّتًا فِيهِ لَا يَشْغَلُهُ عَنْهُ سَبَبٌ يَقْطَعُهُ كَمَنْ نَازَعَ غَيْرَهُ لِأَنَّهُ يَعْتَرِضُ فِي الْمُنَاظَرَةِ آفَاتٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِنَ الْعُجْبِ بِالرَّأْيِ

Wa-laysa man tafarrada bi-kitābin yaqraʾuhu waḥdahu mutathabbitan fīhi lā yashghaluhu ʿanhu sababun yaqṭaʿuhu ka-man nāzaʿa ghayrahu li-ʾannahu yaʿtariḍu fī al-munāẓarati ʾāfātun kathīratun mina al-ʿujbi bi-al-raʾyi.

Someone who withdraws with a book, reading it alone and carefully, with nothing to distract or interrupt him, is unlike someone who disputes with another person. Debate is beset by many pitfalls arising from admiration for one’s own opinion.

وَالَّذِي يَمْنَعُ مِنَ الْفَهْمِ الْأَنَفَةُ الَّتِي تَمْنَعُ مِنَ الْخُضُوعِ لِلْحَقِّ وَحُبُّ الْغَلَبَةِ الَّذِي يَبْعَثُ عَلَى الْجَدَلِ وَالْجَزَعُ مِنَ التَّخْطِئَةِ الَّتِي تَمْنَعُ مِنَ الْإِذْعَانِ بِالْإِقْرَارِ بِالصَّوَابِ

Wa-al-ladhī yamnaʿu mina al-fahmi al-ʾanafatu al-latī tamnaʿu mina al-khuḍūʿi li-al-ḥaqqi wa-ḥubbu al-ghalabati al-ladhī yabʿathu ʿalā al-jadali wa-al-jazaʿu mina al-takhṭiʾati al-latī tamnaʿu mina al-ʾidhʿāni bi-al-ʾiqrāri bi-al-ṣawābi.

What prevents understanding is the pride that prevents submission to truth, the love of winning that prompts argument, and alarm at being declared wrong, which prevents yielding and acknowledging what is right.

Source pages 234–235

فَلَمَّا كَثُرَتْ آفَاتُ الْمُنَاظَرَةِ وَكَانَ التَّفَرُّدُ بِقِرَاءَةِ الْكِتَابِ الْمَجْمُوعِ فِيهِ وَالْمُؤَلَّفِ فِيهِ حُدُودُ الْحَقِّ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ أُصَنِّفَهُ مُبَيِّنًا وَأَسْتَشْهِدَ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابَ وَالسُّنَّةَ وَإِجْمَاعَ الْأُمَّةِ أَوِ اسْتِنْبَاطًا بَيِّنًا أَوْ قِيَاسًا إِذَا عُدِمَ الْبَيَانُ بِالنَّصِّ فِيمَا يَجُوزُ فِيهِ الْقِيَاسُ وَإِلَّا فَالتَّسْلِيمُ

Fa-lammā kathurat ʾāfātu al-munāẓarati wa-kāna al-tafarrudu bi-qirāʾati al-kitābi al-majmūʿi fīhi wa-al-muʾallafi fīhi ḥudūdu al-ḥaqqi raʾaytu ʾan ʾuṣannifahu mubayyinan wa-ʾastashhida ʿalayhi al-kitāba wa-al-sunnata wa-ʾijmāʿa al-ʾummati ʾawi istinbāṭan bayyinan ʾaw qiyāsan ʾidhā ʿudima al-bayānu bi-al-naṣṣi fīmā yajūzu fīhi al-qiyāsu wa-ʾillā fa-al-taslīmu.

Since debate’s pitfalls were so numerous, and there was the possibility of solitary reading of a book in which the defining limits of truth were gathered and arranged, I thought to compose it in a clear form. I would cite in its support the Book, the Sunna, and the community’s consensus, or a clear deduction, or analogy where no explicit text gives clarification and analogy is permissible. Otherwise, there must be submission.

Source page 235

(وَالْأَصْوَنُ) الْكَفُّ عَنْ تَكَلُّفِ مَا نُهِيَ عَنْهُ مِمَّا يَسَعُ جَهْلُهُ وَلَا يُؤَدِّي عِلْمُهُ إِلَى الْقُرْبَى بَلْ تَرْكُ الْبَحْثِ عَنْهُ هُوَ الْقُرْبَى وَالْوَسِيلَةُ إِلَى رِضَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

(Wa-al-ʾaṣwanu) al-kaffu ʿan takallufi mā nuhiya ʿanhu mimmā yasaʿu jahluhu wa-lā yuʾaddī ʿilmuhu ʾilā al-qurbā bal tarku al-baḥthi ʿanhu huwa al-qurbā wa-al-wasīlatu ʾilā riḍā Allāhi ʿazza wa-jalla.

(The more protective course is) to refrain from forcing one’s way into what has been forbidden: matters one may remain ignorant of, knowledge of which does not bring one nearer to God. Rather, giving up inquiry into them is itself a means of nearness and a way to the good pleasure of God, mighty and exalted.

وَلَا غَنَاءَ بِالْعَبْدِ عَنِ التَّفْكِيرِ وَالنَّظَرِ وَالذِّكْرِ لِيَكْثُرَ اعْتِبَارُهُ وَيَزِيدَ فِي عِلْمِهِ وَيَعْلُوَ فِي الْفَضْلِ

Wa-lā ghanāʾa bi-al-ʿabdi ʿani al-tafkīri wa-al-naẓari wa-al-dhikri li-yakthura iʿtibāruhu wa-yazīda fī ʿilmihi wa-yaʿluwa fī al-faḍli.

A servant cannot dispense with thought, examination, and remembrance, so that he may draw more lessons, increase in knowledge, and rise in excellence.

فَمَنْ قَلَّ تَفَكُّرُهُ قَلَّ اعْتِبَارُهُ وَمَنْ قَلَّ اعْتِبَارُهُ قَلَّ عِلْمُهُ وَمَنْ قَلَّ عِلْمُهُ كَثُرَ جَهْلُهُ وَبَانَ نَقْصُهُ وَلَمْ يَجِدْ طَعْمَ الْبِرِّ وَلَا بَرْدَ الْيَقِينِ وَلَا رَوْحَ الْحِكْمَةِ

Fa-man qalla tafakkuruhu qalla iʿtibāruhu wa-man qalla iʿtibāruhu qalla ʿilmuhu wa-man qalla ʿilmuhu kathura jahluhu wa-bāna naqṣuhu wa-lam yajid ṭaʿma al-birri wa-lā barda al-yaqīni wa-lā rawḥa al-ḥikmati.

Whoever reflects little draws few lessons; whoever draws few lessons has little knowledge; and whoever has little knowledge has much ignorance. His deficiency becomes plain, and he tastes neither goodness, nor the coolness of certainty, nor the refreshing ease of wisdom.

وَمَا بَلَغَ عِلْمُ مَنْ دَرَسَ الْعِلْمَ بِلِسَانِهِ وَحَفِظَ حُرُوفَهُ بِقَلْبِهِ وَأَضْرَبَ عَنِ النَّظَرِ وَالتَّذَكُّرِ وَالتَّدَبُّرِ لِمَعَانِيهِ وَطَلَبِ بَيَانِ حُدُودِهِ

Wa-mā balagha ʿilmu man darasa al-ʿilma bi-lisānihi wa-ḥafiẓa ḥurūfahu bi-qalbihi wa-ʾaḍraba ʿani al-naẓari wa-al-tadhakkuri wa-al-tadabburi li-maʿānīhi wa-ṭalabi bayāni ḥudūdihi.

How far has the knowledge of someone reached who rehearses learning with his tongue and memorizes its letters in his heart, but turns away from examining, recalling, and pondering its meanings and seeking a clear account of its defining limits?

Source pages 235–236

مَا أَقْرَبَهُ فِي حَيَاتِهِ مِنْ حَيَاةِ الْبَهَائِمِ الَّتِي لَا تَعْرِفُ إِلَّا مَا بَاشَرَتْهُ بِجَوَارِحِهَا لَكِنِ الْمُتَذَكِّرُ النَّاظِرُ فِيمَا يَسْمَعُ الْمُتَدَبِّرُ لِمَا عَلِمَ الْمُتَفَهِّمُ لِمَا بِهِ أُمِرَ الطَّالِبُ لِنِهَايَةِ حُدُودِ الْعِلْمِ الْغَائِصُ عَلَى غَامِضِ الْإِصَابَةِ الْمُحْكِمُ لِلْأُصُولِ الرَّادُّ عَلَيْهَا الْفُرُوعَ هُوَ الْمُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ مَا لَهُ وَمَا عَلَيْهِ وَالْمُبْصِرُ لِمَا يُصْلِحُهُ وَمَا يُفْسِدُهُ الْقَوِيُّ عَلَى عِصْيَانِ طَبَائِعِهِ الْمُنَازِعَةِ إِلَى مَا يُهْلِكُهُ وَالْمُخَالِفُ لِشَهَوَاتِهِ الَّتِي تُرْدِيهِ

Mā ʾaqrabahu fī ḥayātihi min ḥayāti al-bahāʾimi al-latī lā taʿrifu ʾillā mā bāsharathu bi-jawāriḥihā lākini al-mutadhakkiru al-nāẓiru fīmā yasmaʿu al-mutadabbiru li-mā ʿalima al-mutafahhimu li-mā bihi ʾumira al-ṭālibu li-nihāyati ḥudūdi al-ʿilmi al-ghāʾiṣu ʿalā ghāmiḍi al-ʾiṣābati al-muḥkimu li-al-ʾuṣūli al-rāddu ʿalayhā al-furūʿa huwa al-mufarriqu bayna mā lahu wa-mā ʿalayhi wa-al-mubṣiru li-mā yuṣliḥuhu wa-mā yufsiduhu al-qawiyyu ʿalā ʿiṣyāni ṭabāʾiʿihi al-munāziʿati ʾilā mā yuhlikuhu wa-al-mukhālifu li-shahawātihi al-latī turdīhi.

How close his life is to the life of beasts that know only what they touch with their bodily faculties! But the person who remembers, examines what he hears, ponders what he knows, seeks to understand what he has been commanded, pursues the furthest limits of knowledge, dives into the subtleties of reaching the right answer, masters the foundations, and refers derivative matters back to them: this is the person who distinguishes what is due to him from what is required of him, sees what will set him right and what will corrupt him, has the strength to resist the impulses of his nature that pull him toward destruction, and opposes the desires that bring him to ruin.

Source page 236

عَارِفٌ بِعَوَاقِبِ الْأُمُورِ وَبِمَا يَحْدُثُ فِي غَابِرِ الدُّهُورِ مَا حَدَثَ مِنْهُ وَهَابَ رَبَّهُ الْمُؤْثِرُ لَذَّةَ عَقْلِهِ عَلَى لَذَّةِ هَوَاهُ لَذَّةُ الْحُكَمَاءِ الْعُلَمَاءِ فِي عُقُولِهِمْ وَلَذَّةُ الْجُهَّالِ وَالْبَهَائِمِ فِي شَهَوَاتِهِمْ

ʿĀrifun bi-ʿawāqibi al-ʾumūri wa-bi-mā yaḥduthu fī ghābiri al-duhūri mā ḥadatha minhu wa-hāba rabbahu al-muʾthiru ladhdhata ʿaqlihi ʿalā ladhdhati hawāhu ladhdhatu al-ḥukamāʾi al-ʿulamāʾi fī ʿuqūlihim wa-ladhdhatu al-juhhāli wa-al-bahāʾimi fī shahawātihim.

He knows the outcomes of matters and what will happen in ages to come, [considering] what has already happened of it. He has stood in awe of his Lord and is the one who prefers the pleasure of his intellect to the pleasure of his desire. The pleasure of the wise and learned lies in their intellects; the pleasure of the ignorant and of beasts lies in their appetites.

وَأَيُّ سُرُورٍ يَعْدِلُ سُرُورَ الْعِلْمِ وَرَوْحَ الْيَقِينِ وَعَظِيمَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ وَكَثْرَةَ الصَّوَابِ وَالظَّفَرَ الَّذِي لَا يَثْبُتُ وَلَا يُنَالُ إِلَّا بِحُسْنِ النَّظَرِ وَطُولِ التَّذَكُّرِ وَتَكْرَارِ الْفِكْرِ وَالتَّقْدِيمِ فِي التَّكْبِيرِ

Wa-ʾayyu surūrin yaʿdilu surūra al-ʿilmi wa-rawḥa al-yaqīni wa-ʿaẓīma al-maʿrifati wa-kathrata al-ṣawābi wa-al-ẓafara al-ladhī lā yathbutu wa-lā yunālu ʾillā bi-ḥusni al-naẓari wa-ṭūli al-tadhakkuri wa-takrāri al-fikri wa-al-taqdīmi fī al-takbīri.

What joy can equal the joy of knowledge, the refreshing ease of certainty, great understanding, abundant right judgment, and the success that is neither established nor attained except through sound examination, prolonged recollection, repeated thought, and giving precedence in magnifying [God]?

فَبِذَلِكَ ظَفِرَ بِالْعِلْمِ بِاللَّهِ وَالتَّعَرُّضِ لِوِلَايَتِهِ وَطَلَبِ الْجَاهِ عِنْدَهُ وَالتَّسْلِيمِ لِأَمْرِهِ وَالتَّوَكُّلِ عَلَى كِفَايَتِهِ وَبَذْلِ الْقَلِيلِ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لِلثَّوَابِ الْجَزِيلِ لِأَنَّهُ الرَّبُّ الْكَرِيمُ

Fa-bi-dhālika ẓafira bi-al-ʿilmi bi-Allāhi wa-al-taʿarruḍi li-wilāyatihi wa-ṭalabi al-jāhi ʿindahu wa-al-taslīmi li-ʾamrihi wa-al-tawakkuli ʿalā kifāyatihi wa-badhli al-qalīli mina al-dunyā li-al-thawābi al-jazīli li-ʾannahu al-rabbu al-karīmu.

In this way he attained knowledge of God, the pursuit of His friendship and of standing with Him, submission to His command, reliance on His sufficiency, and the giving of this world’s small portion for an abundant reward. For He is the generous Lord.

Source pages 236–237

مَنْ طَلَبَهُ وَجَدَهُ وَمَنِ اسْتَكْفَاهُ كَفَاهُ وَمَنِ اتَّقَاهُ وَقَاهُ وَمَنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيْهِ أَسْرَعَ إِلَيْهِ بِالْإِجَابَةِ

Man ṭalabahu wajadahu wa-mani istakfāhu kafāhu wa-mani ittaqāhu waqāhu wa-man taqarraba ʾilayhi ʾasraʿa ʾilayhi bi-al-ʾijābati.

Whoever seeks Him finds Him. Whoever asks Him to provide sufficiently, He provides for. Whoever fears Him, He protects. Whoever draws near to Him, He swiftly answers.

Source page 237

يَدْعُوكَ إِنْ أَدْبَرْتَ وَيَقْبَلُكَ إِنْ رَجَعْتَ وَيَحْمَدُكَ عَلَى حَظِّكَ وَيُثْنِي عَلَيْكَ بِمَا وَهَبَ لَكَ وَيَحُضُّكَ عَلَى النَّظَرِ لِنَفْسِكَ

Yadʿūka ʾin ʾadbarta wa-yaqbaluka ʾin rajaʿta wa-yaḥmaduka ʿalā ḥaẓẓika wa-yuthnī ʿalayka bi-mā wahaba laka wa-yaḥuḍḍuka ʿalā al-naẓari li-nafsika.

He calls you when you turn away, accepts you when you return, praises you for what benefits you, commends you for what He has given you, and urges you to consider your own good.

إِنَّمَا يُمْرِضُكَ لِيُصِحَّكَ إِنْ عَقَلْتَ وَيُفْقِرُكَ لِيُغْنِيَكَ وَيَمْنَعُكَ لِيُعْطِيَكَ يَمْنَعُكَ الْقَلِيلَ الْفَانِيَ لِتَرْضَى فَيُعْطِيَكَ الْجَزِيلَ الْبَاقِيَ وَيُمِيتُكَ لِيُحْيِيَكَ وَيُفْنِيكَ لِيُبْقِيَكَ وَيُدَاوِيكَ بِالْأَمْرَاضِ لِتَبْرَأَ مِنْ سَقَمِ الذُّنُوبِ وَيَغُمُّكَ بِالْأَوْجَاعِ لِيَغْسِلَكَ مِنْ دَرَنِ الْخَطَايَا وَيَعْرُكُكَ بِالْبَلَاءِ لِيُلَيِّنَ قَلْبَكَ لِطَلَبِ الْفَوْزِ

ʾInnamā yumriḍuka li-yuṣiḥḥaka ʾin ʿaqalta wa-yufqiruka li-yughniyaka wa-yamnaʿuka li-yuʿṭiyaka yamnaʿuka al-qalīla al-fāniya li-tarḍā fa-yuʿṭiyaka al-jazīla al-bāqiya wa-yumītuka li-yuḥyiyaka wa-yufnīka li-yubqiyaka wa-yudāwīka bi-al-ʾamrāḍi li-tabraʾa min saqami al-dhunūbi wa-yaghummuka bi-al-ʾawjāʿi li-yaghsilaka min darani al-khaṭāyā wa-yaʿrukuka bi-al-balāʾi li-yulayyina qalbaka li-ṭalabi al-fawzi.

He makes you ill only to make you well, if you understand; makes you poor to enrich you; and withholds from you to give to you. He withholds the little that passes away so that you may be content, then gives you the abundance that endures. He causes you to die to bring you to life, and brings you to an end to let you remain. He treats you with illnesses so that you may recover from the sickness of sins, burdens you with pains to wash away the grime of wrongdoing, and kneads you with affliction to soften your heart in its search for salvation.

ابْتَدَأَكَ بِالنِّعَمِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُ وَثَنَّاهَا بَعْدَمَا ضَيَّعْتَ شُكْرَهُ وَأَدَامَهَا بِإِحْسَانِهِ مَعَ دَوَامِ الْإِعْرَاضِ مِنْكَ عَنْهُ فَكَيْفَ تَعْرِفُ إِحْسَانَهُ وَتَتَبَيَّنُ إِسَاءَتَكَ وَتُبْصِرُ نَجَاتَكَ وَتَتَّضِحُ لَكَ أَسْبَابُ عَيْشِكَ إِلَّا بِالنَّظَرِ بِعَقْلِكَ فِيمَا قَالَ وَالتَّذَكُّرِ وَالْمُجَاهَدَةِ لِنَفْسِكَ إِلَّا لِتَعْرِفَ مَا يُرْضِيهِ وَتُجَانِبَ مَا يُسْخِطُهُ وَيُبَاعِدُ مِنْهُ لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ جَعَلَ فِيكَ غَرِيزَةَ الْعَقْلِ وَمَنَّ عَلَيْكَ بِالْمَعْرِفَةِ وَابْتَلَاكَ بِمَا فِي طِبَاعِكَ مِمَّا يُهَيِّجُ الْغَضَبَ وَالرِّضَى وَالْبُخْلَ بِالسُّكُوتِ لِأَنَّ الصَّمْتَ أَعْجَمِيٌّ وَفَاعِلُهُ كَالْأَخْرَسِ لَا يَعْرِفُ مَعْنَاهُ إِلَّا صَاحِبُهُ

Ibtadaʾaka bi-al-niʿami qabla ʾan tasʾalahu wa-thannāhā baʿdamā ḍayyaʿta shukrahu wa-ʾadāmahā bi-ʾiḥsānihi maʿa dawāmi al-ʾiʿrāḍi minka ʿanhu fa-kayfa taʿrifu ʾiḥsānahu wa-tatabayyanu ʾisāʾataka wa-tubṣiru najātaka wa-tattaḍiḥu laka ʾasbābu ʿayshika ʾillā bi-al-naẓari bi-ʿaqlika fīmā qāla wa-al-tadhakkuri wa-al-mujāhadati li-nafsika ʾillā li-taʿrifa mā yurḍīhi wa-tujāniba mā yuskhiṭuhu wa-yubāʿidu minhu li-ʾannahu qad jaʿala fīka gharīzata al-ʿaqli wa-manna ʿalayka bi-al-maʿrifati wa-ibtalāka bi-mā fī ṭibāʿika mimmā yuhayyiju al-ghaḍaba wa-al-riḍā wa-al-bukhla bi-al-sukūti li-ʾanna al-ṣamta ʾaʿjamiyyun wa-fāʿiluhu ka-al-ʾakhrasi lā yaʿrifu maʿnāhu ʾillā ṣāḥibuhu.

He first approached you with blessings before you asked Him, repeated them after you neglected to thank Him, and sustained them through His goodness despite your persistent turning away. How can you recognize His goodness, discern your own wrongdoing, see your way to salvation, and have the means of your life become clear to you, except by using your intellect to examine what He has said, by recollection, and by striving against yourself, only so that you may know what pleases Him and avoid what angers Him and leads away from Him? For He has placed the innate faculty of intellect within you, bestowed understanding upon you, and tested you with what lies in your nature and arouses anger, contentment, and stinginess through silence. Silence is inarticulate, and the one who practices it is like someone unable to speak: only the silent person knows its meaning.

Source page 238

وَالْقَوْلُ فَصِيحٌ مُبِينٌ يَعْرِفُهُ سَامِعُهُ وَمَنْ بَلَغَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْقَوْلُ الْحَقُّ بِالصَّمْتِ وَلَا جَمِيعُ الْأَعْمَالِ بِالْحَقِّ إِلَّا بِالْقَوْلِ بَلْ لَمْ يُعْرَفِ الصَّمْتُ عَنِ الْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا بِالْقَوْلِ لِمَا عَرَفَهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ

Wa-al-qawlu faṣīḥun mubīnun yaʿrifuhu sāmiʿuhu wa-man balaghahu ʾilā yawmi al-qiyāmati lam yuʿrafi al-qawlu al-ḥaqqu bi-al-ṣamti wa-lā jamīʿu al-ʾaʿmāli bi-al-ḥaqqi ʾillā bi-al-qawli bal lam yuʿrafi al-ṣamtu ʿani al-bāṭili ʾillā bi-al-qawli li-mā ʿarafahu mina al-kitābi.

Speech is articulate and clear. Its hearer understands it, as does anyone it reaches until the Day of Resurrection. True speech was not made known through silence, nor were all deeds in accordance with truth made known except through speech. Indeed, even keeping silent about falsehood was made known only through speech, because of what one has learned from the Book.

وَإِنَّمَا أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالصَّمْتِ لِتَارِكِ الْقَوْلِ بِالْخَيْرِ فَقَالَ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ

Wa-ʾinnamā ʾamara al-nabiyyu ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallama bi-al-ṣamti li-tāriki al-qawli bi-al-khayri fa-qāla man kāna yuʾminu bi-Allāhi wa-al-yawmi al-ʾākhiri fa-l-yaqul khayran ʾaw li-yaṣmut.

The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, commanded silence only for someone who refrains from saying what is good. He said, “Whoever believes in God and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.”

وَلَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْأَدَاءُ وَالْبَيَانُ عَنْ جَمِيعِ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا بِالْقَوْلِ

Wa-lam yuʿrafi al-ʾadāʾu wa-al-bayānu ʿan jamīʿi al-ʾiḥsāni ʾillā bi-al-qawli.

The fulfillment and explanation of every form of good conduct were made known only through speech.

Source colophon

Source page 238

آخِرُ كِتَابِ مَائِيَّةِ الْعَقْلِ وَمَعْنَاهُ لِلْحَارِثِ بْنِ أَسَدٍ الْمُحَاسِبِيِّ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَقَّ حَمْدِهِ وَصَلَوَاتُهُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَامُهُ

ʾĀkhiru kitābi māʾiyyati al-ʿaqli wa-maʿnāhu li-al-Ḥārithi bni ʾAsadin al-Muḥāsibiyyi wa-al-ḥamdu li-Allāhi ḥaqqa ḥamdihi wa-ṣalawātuhu ʿalā sayyidinā Muḥammadin wa-ʾālihi wa-salāmuhu.

End of The Book of the Nature of the Intellect and Its Meaning, by al-Ḥārith ibn Asad al-Muḥāsibī. Praise belongs to God, as He rightly deserves to be praised, and His blessings and peace be upon our master Muḥammad and his family.