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بخش ۷۵ - ذکر ابونصر سراج رحمةالله علیه / Section 75 - Mention of Abu Nasr al-Sarraj, May Allah Have Mercy on Him

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آن عالم عارف آن حاکم خایف آن امین زمرهٔ کبرا آن نگین حلقهٔ فقرا آن زبدهٔ امشاج شیخ وقت ابونصر سراج رحمةالله علیه امامی به حق بود و یگانهٔ مطلق و متعین و متمکن و او را طاوس الفقرا گفتندی و صفت و نعت او نه چندانست که در قلم و بیان آید و یا در عبارت و زبان گنجد و در فنون علم کامل بود و در ریاضت و معاملات شأنی عظیم داشت و در حال و قال و شرح دادن به کلمات مشایخ آیتی بود و کتاب لمع او ساخته است و اگر کسی خواهد بنگرد و از آنجا او را معلوم کند و من نیز کلمهٔ چند بگویم سری و سهل را و بسی مشایخ کبار را دیده بود و از طوس بود ماه رمضان به بغداد بود ودرمسجد شونیزیه خلوت خانهٔ بدو دادند و امامت درویشان بدومسلم داشتند تا عید جمع اصحاب را امامت کرد و اندر تراویح پنج بار قرآن ختم کرد هر شب خادم قرصی بدر خلوت خانهٔ او بردی و بدو دادی تا روز عید شد و او برفت خادم نگاه کرد آن قرصکها بر جای بود.
نقلست که شبی زمستان بود و جماعتی نشسته بودند و در معرفت سخن می رفت و آتش در آتشدان می سوخت شیخ را حالتی درآمد و رو بر آن آتش نهاد خدای را سجده آورد مریدان که آن حال مشاهده کردند جمله از بیم بگریختند چون روز دیگر بازآمدند گفتند، شیخ سوخته باشد شیخ را دیدند در محراب نشسته روی او چون ماه می تافت گفتند شیخا این چه حالت است که ما چنان دانستیم که جمله روی تو سوخته باشد گفت: آری کسی که بر این درگاه آب روی خود ریخته بود آتش روی او نتواند سوخت.

و گفت: آتش است در سینه و دل عاشقان مشتعل گردد و هرچه مادون الله است همه را بسوزاند و خاکستر می کند.
از ابن سالم شنودم که گفت: نیت بخداست و از خداست وبراه خداست و آفاتی که در نماز افتد از نیت افتد و اگرچه بسیار بود آنرا موازنه نتوان کرد بانیتی که خدا را بود بخدای بود.

و سخن اوست که گفت: مردمان در ادب بر سه قسمند یکی بر اهل دنیا که ادب به نزدیک ایشان فصاحت و بلاغت و حفظ علم و رسم و اسماء ملوک و اشعار عربست و دیگر اهل دین که ادب به نزدیک ایشان تأدیب جوارح و حفظ حدود و ترک شهوات و ریاضت نفس بود و دیگر اهل خصوص که به نزدیک ایشان ادب طهارت دل و مراعات سرو وفاء عهد ونگاهداشتن وقت است و کم نگرستن بخاطرهای پراکنده و نیکو کرداری در محل طلب و وقت حضور و مقام قرب است.
نقلست که گفت: هر جنازهٔ که بر پیش خاک من بگذارند مغفور بود تا در طوس هر جنازهٔ که آرند نخست در پیش خاک او برآرند به حکم این اشارت و آنگاه ببرند، قدس الله سره العزیز و رحمةالله علیه.

English translation

That gnostic scholar, that fearful ruler, that trustworthy one of the great group, that signet ring of the circle of the poor, that cream of mixed matters, the Sheikh of the time Abu Nasr al-Sarraj, may Allah have mercy on him, was a rightful Imam, an absolute and singular figure, distinguished and established. They called him the Peacock of the Poor (Tawus al-Fuqara). His descriptions and praises are not such that can fit into pen and explanation or be contained in expression and language. He was perfect in the branches of knowledge, and held a grand position in self-discipline and transactions. In spiritual state, speech, and commenting on the words of the sheikhs, he was a sign, and he composed the book 'Al-Luma''; if anyone wishes to look, they may know him from there. I too shall say a few words. He had seen Siri and Sahl and many great sheikhs. He was from Tus. During the month of Ramadan, he was in Baghdad, and they gave him a cell in the Shuniziyya Mosque. They entrusted the leadership of the dervishes to him. He led the congregation of companions in prayers until the Eid, and during the Tarawih prayers, he completed the recitation of the Quran five times. Every night, the servant would bring a loaf of bread to the door of his cell and give it to him. When the day of Eid came and he departed, the servant looked and saw that all those loaves of bread were still there in their place.

It is related that on a winter night, a group was sitting and speaking of gnosis, and fire was burning in the hearth. A spiritual state came upon the Sheikh, and he put his face upon that fire, performing a prostration to God. The disciples who witnessed that state all fled in fear. When they returned the next day, they said, 'The Sheikh must have been burned.' They saw the Sheikh sitting in the mihrab, his face shining like the moon. They said, 'O Sheikh, what state is this? We thought your entire face would be burned.' He said, 'Yes, one who has poured the water of his honor [ab-e ruy, i.e., dignity/reputation] at this threshold, fire cannot burn his face.'

And he said: 'There is a fire in the breasts and hearts of lovers that blazes, and burns everything other than God and turns it to ashes.'

I heard from Ibn Salim who said: 'Intention is by God, from God, and in the path of God. The afflictions that occur in prayer occur due to intention. Although they may be many, they cannot be balanced with an intention that is for God and by God.'

And it is his saying: 'People are of three types in manners (adab): One is the people of the world, for whom manners consist of eloquence, rhetoric, learning, protocol, the names of kings, and Arabic poetry. The second is the people of religion, for whom manners consist of the disciplining of limbs, the preservation of limits, the abandonment of desires, and the discipline of the soul. The third is the people of distinction (the elite), for whom manners consist of the purification of the heart, the observation of the inner secret, the fulfillment of covenants, the preservation of time, and looking less at scattered thoughts, and beautiful action in the place of seeking, the time of presence, and the station of proximity.'

It is related that he said: 'Any funeral procession that is placed before my grave shall be forgiven.' Consequently, in Tus, whatever funeral procession they bring, they first carry it before his grave by virtue of this sign, and then they take it away. May God sanctify his mighty secret and have mercy upon him.

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Updated 2026-07-02

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