The Kashf al-mahjúb: The oldest Persian treatise on SúfiismHujviri, ‘Ali ibn ‘Usman
Islamic
The Kashf al-mahjúb: The oldest Persian treatise on Súfiism
Hujviri, ‘Ali ibn ‘Usman
Sufism -- Early works to 1800
‘_That which my ear was unable to hear by report
My eye beheld actually all at once._’”
The travelling dervish must always observe the custom of the Apostle,
and when he comes to the house of a resident he should enter his
presence respectfully and greet him; and he should first take off the
shoe on his left foot, as the Apostle did; and when he puts his shoes
on, he should first put on the shoe belonging to his right foot; and he
should wash his right foot before his left; and he should perform two
bowings of the head by way of salutation (in prayer) and then occupy
himself with attending to the (religious) duties incumbent on dervishes.
He must not in any case interfere with the residents, or behave
immoderately towards anyone, or talk of the hardships which he may have
suffered in travelling, or discourse on theology, or tell anecdotes, or
recite traditions in company, for all this is a sign of self-conceit. He
must be patient when he is vexed by fools and must tolerate their
irksomeness for God’s sake, for in patience there are many blessings. If
residents or their servants bid him go with them to salute or visit the
townspeople, he must acquiesce if he can, but in his heart he ought to
dislike paying such marks of respect to worldlings, although he should
excuse the behaviour of his brethren who act thus. He must take care not
to trouble them by making any unreasonable demand, and he must not drag
them to the court of high officials with the purpose of seeking an idle
pleasure for himself. Travelling, as well as resident, dervishes must
always, in companionship, endeavour to please God, and must have a good
belief in each other, and not speak ill of any comrade face to face with
him or behind his back, because true mystics in regarding the act see
the Agent, and inasmuch as every human being, of whatever description he
may be—faulty or faultless, veiled or illuminated—belongs to God and is
His creature, to quarrel with a human act is to quarrel with the Divine
Agent.
_Chapter concerning their Rules in Eating._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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