Datasets:

mohamed-khalil

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ATHAR

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والسلام عليك أيها الأخ المفترض إسعافه ورحمة الله وبركاته

Farewell my brother, whom it was my duty to help. The blessings and the mercy of God upon you

وأسأل الله التجاوز والعفو، وأن يوردنا من المعرفة به الصفو، إنه منعم كريم

Of God I ask forgiveness, and pray Him to purify our knowledge of Him, for He is bountiful and it is He Who bestows all blessings

وأنا أسأل إخواني الواقفين على هذا الكلام أن يقبلوا عذري فيما تساهلت في تبيينه وتسامحت في تثبيته فلم أفعل ذلك إلا لأني تسنَّمت شواهق يزلُّ الطرف عن مرآها، وأردت تقريب الكلام فيها على وجه الترغيب والتشويق في دخول الطريق

Of my brothers who read these words I ask indulgence for my loose exposition and lack of rigor in demonstration. My only excuse is that I had risen to pinnacles higher than the eye can see, and I wanted to try, at least, to approach them in words so as to excite desire and inspire a passion to start out along this road

إلا أن الذي سهَّل علينا إفشاء هذا السر وهتك الحجاب ما ظهر في زماننا من آراء مفسدة نبغت بها متفلسفة العصر وصرحت بها حتى انتشرت في البلدان وعمَّ ضررها وخشينا على الضعفاء الذين اطرحوا تقليد الأنبياء — صلوات الله عليهم — وأرادوا تقليد السفهاء والأغبياء أن يظنوا أن تلك الآراء هي الأسرار المضنون بها على غير أهلها فيزيد بذلك حبهم فيها وولوعهم بها

What made it easy for me to strip off the veil of secrecy and divulge this mystery was the great number of corrupt ideas that have sprouted up and are being openly spread by the self-styled philosophers of today, so widely that they have covered the land and caused universal damage. Fearing that the weak-minded, who throw over the authority of prophets to ape the ways of fools, might mistake these notions for the esoteric doctrines which must be kept secret from those unfit to know them, and thus be all the more enticed to embrace them

وقد خالفنا فيه طريق السلف الصالح في الضنانة به والشُّحِّ عليه

In treating of this openly I have broken the precedent of our righteous ancestors, who were sparing to the point of tightfistedness in speaking of it

هذا — أيدنا الله وإياك بروح منه — ما كان من نبأ حي بن يقظان وأَبْسال وسلامان وقد اشتمل على حظ من الكلام لا يوجد في كتاب ولا يُسمع في معتاد خطاب، وهو من العلم المكنون الذي لا يقبله إلا أهل المعرفة بالله ولا يجهله إلا أهل الغِرَّة بالله

And this—may God give you spirit to strengthen you—is the story of Hayy Ibn Yaqzan, Absal and Salaman. It takes up a line of discourse not found in books or heard in the usual sort of speeches. It belongs to a hidden branch of study received only by those who are aware of God and unknown to those who know Him not

وطلب حي بن يقظان مقامه الكريم بالنحو الذي طلبه أولًا حتى عاد إليه واقتدى به أَبْسال حتى قرب منه أو كاد، وعبدا الله في تلك الجزيرة حتى أتاهما اليقين

Hayy searched for his ecstasy as he had before, until once again it came. Absal imitated him until he approached the same heights, or nearly so. Thus, they served God on the island until man’s certain fate overtook them

فودَّعاهم وانفصلا عنهم وتلطفا في العود إلى جزيرتهما حتى يسَّر الله — عز وجل — عليهما العبور إليها

So, saying goodbye to them, the two left their company and discreetly sought passage back to their own island. Soon God—exalted be He—gave them an easy crossing

وعلم هو وصاحبه أَبْسال أن هذه الطائفة المريدة القاصرة لا نجاة لها إلا بهذه الطريق وأنها إن رفعت عنه إلى بقاع الاستبصار اختلَّ ما هي عليه ولم يمكنها أن تلحق بدرجة السعداء وتذبذبت وانتكست وساءت عاقبتها

Hayy Ibn Yaqzan and his friend Absal now knew that even this aspiring group fell short and could be saved only in their own way. If ever they were to venture beyond their present level to the vantage point of insight, what they had would be shattered, and even so they would be unable to reach the level of the blessed. They would waver and slip and their end would be all the worse

وأمرهم بمجانبة ما عليه جمهور العوام من إهمال الشريعة والإقبال على الدنيا، وحذرهم منه غاية التحذير

He cautioned them most emphatically not to neglect religion or pursue the world as the vast majority of people do

فانصرف إلى سلامان وأصحابه فاعتذر عما تكلَّم به معه وتبرأ إليهم منه وأعلمهم أنه قد رأى مثل رأيهم واهتدى بمثل هديهم وأوصاهم بملازمة ما هم عليه من الْتزام حدود الشرع والأعمال الظاهرة وقلة الخوض فيما لا يعنيهم والإيمان بالمتشابهات والتسليم لها والإعراض عن البدع والأهواء والاقتداء بالسلف الصالح والترك لمحدثات الأمور

So Hayy went to Salaman and his friends and apologized, dissociating himself from what he had said. He told them that he had seen the light and realized that they were right. He urged them to hold fast to their observance of all the statutes regulating outward behavior and not delve into things that did not concern them, submissively to accept all the most problematical elements of the tradition and shun originality and innovation, follow in the footsteps of their righteous forbears and leave behind everything modern

فرأينا أن نلمع إليهم بطرف من سر الأسرار لنجتذبهم إلى جانب التحقيق ثم نصدهم عن ذلك الطريق، ولم نُخلِّ مع ذلك ما أودعناه هذه الأوراق اليسيرة من الأسرار عن حجاب رقيق وستر لطيف ينتهك سريعًا لمن هو أهله ويتكاثف لمن لا يستحق تجاوزه حتى لا يتعداه

I decided to afford them a fleeting glimpse of the mystery of mysteries to draw them to true understanding and turn them away from this other, false way. Nonetheless I have not left the secrets set down in these few pages entirely without a veil—a sheer one, easily pierced by those fit to do so, but capable of growing so thick to those unworthy of passing beyond that they will never breach it

فأقدم عليه وقطع جناحيه وذنبه صحاحًا كما هي وفتح ريشها وسواها وسلخ عنه سائر جلده وفصله على قطعتين، ربط إحداهما على ظهره وأخرى على سرته وما تحتها وعلق الذنب من خلفه وعلق الجناحين على عضديه، فأكسبه ذلك سترًا ودفئًا ومهابة في نفوس جميع الوحوش حتى كانت لا تنازعه ولا تعارضه

Boldly taking hold of the eagle, Hayy cut off the wings and tail just as they were, all in one piece. He stretched out the wings and smoothed down the feathers, stripped off the remaining skin and split it in half, tying it about his middle, hanging down, half in front and half behind. The tail, he threw across his back; and he fastened the wings to his arms. Thus he got a fine covering that not only kept him warm but also so terrified the animals that not one of them would fight with him or get in his way

فحمله العجب بها وبما ركب الله تعالى في طباعه من الجراءة والقوة على أن يمد يده إليها وأراد أن يأخذ منها شيئًا فلما باشرها أحرقت يده فلم يستطع القبض عليها، فاهتدى إلى أن يأخذ قبسًا لم تستولِ النار على جميعه فأخذ بطرفه السليم والنار في طرفه الآخر فتأتَّي له ذلك وحمله إلى موضعه الذي كان يأوي إليه، وكان قد خلا في جحر استحسنه للسكنى قبل ذلك

Carried away by his amazement, and by the courage, not to say audacity, God had compounded with his nature, Hayy reached out and tried to grasp a piece of it. But when he touched it it burnt his hand, and he could not hold on to it. Then he got the idea of taking a brand that was not wholly on fire. He picked it up by the end that wasn’t burning, leaving the fire at the other end. This he could manage with ease, so he took it home—for he had moved into a cave, which seemed to him a fine place to live

فكان ينظر إليه بذاته مجردًا عن هذه الأفعال التي تظهر ببادئ الرأي أنها صادرة عنه، فكان يرى أنه ليس إلا جسمًا من هذه الأجسام فيظهر له بهذا التأمل أن الأجسام كلها شيء واحد حيها وجمادها متحركها وساكنها، إلا أنه يظهر أن لبعضها أفعالًا بآلات، ولا يدري هل تلك الأفعال ذاتية لها أو سارية إليها من غيرها

Hayy wondered what he himself might be, stripped of all the functions which seemed at first glance to emanate from himself, and realized that he was no more than another body. These thoughts, then, brought him to the conclusion that all bodies —whether they are animate or inanimate—are one thing, although some exhibit certain special functions, which they implement by organs. But he did not know whether these activities were strictly speaking their own or had come from something else

وأنا ليس مطلوبي شيئًا بهذه الصفة إنما مطلوبي الشيء الذي يختص به هذا الموضع الذي أجدني لا أستغني عنه طرفة عين وإليه كان انبعاثي من أول

But what I’ve been looking for all along is something uniquely related to this special position and something I know I could not live without for the batting of an eye

فلما فهم أحوال الناس وأن أكثرهم بمنزلة الحيوان غير الناطق علم أن الحكمة كلها والهداية والتوفيق فيما نطقت به الرسل ووردت به الشريعة لا يمكن غير ذلك ولا يحتمل المزيد عليه، فلكل عملٍ رجالٌ وكل ميسر لما خلق له سُنَّةَ اللهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللهِ تَبْدِيلًا

Hayy now understood the human condition. He saw that most men are no better than unreasoning animals, and realized that all wisdom and guidance, all that could possibly help them was contained already in the words of the prophets and the religious traditions. None of this could be different. There was nothing to be added. There is a man for every task and everyone belongs to the life for which he was created. This was God’s way with those who came before, and never will you find a change in the ways of God

وأي تعب أعظم وشقاوة أطم ممَّن إذا تصفَّحت أعماله من وقت انتباهه من نومه إلى حين رجوعه إلى الكرى لا تجد منها شيئًا إلا وهو يلتمس به تحصيل غاية من هذه الأمور المحسوسة الخسيسة؛ إما مال يجمعه أو لذة ينالها أو شهوة يقضيها أو غيطًا يتشفَّى به أو جاهٍ يحرزه أو عمل من أعمال الشرع يتزين به أو يدافع عن رقبته، وهي كلها ظلمات بعضها فوق بعض في بحر لُجِّي وَإِنْ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا كَانَ عَلَى رَبِّكَ حَتْمًا مَقْضِيًّا

What weariness is heavier, what misery more overburdening than recounting all you do from the time you get up to the time you go to bed without finding a single action that did not amount to seeking one of these vile, sensory aims money making, pleasure seeking, satisfying some lust, venting rage, saving face, performing religious rites for the sake of honor, or just to save your neck! All these are only cloud upon cloud over a deep sea. Not one among you will not descend there—this from your Lord, decreed and sealed

فلما رأى سرادق العذاب قد أحاط بهم وظلمات الحجب قد تغشَّتهم والكل منهم — إلا اليسير — لا يتمسكون من مِلَّتهم إلا بالدنيا وقد نبذوا أعمالهم على خِفَّتها وسهولتها وراء ظهورهم واشتروا بها ثمنًا قليلًا وألهاهم عن ذكر الله تعالى التجارة والبيع ولم يخافوا يومًا تتقلب فيه القلوب والأبصار، بان له وتحقق على القطع أن مخاطبتهم بطريق المكاشفة لا تمكن وأن تكليفهم من العمل فوق هذا القدر لا يتفق، وأن حظ أكثر الجمهور من الانتفاع بالشريعة إنما هو في حياتهم الدنيا ليستقيم له معاشه ولا يتعدى عليه سواه فيما اختُصَّ هو به، وأنه لا يفوز منهم بالسعادة الأخروية إلا الشاذ النادر وهو مَن أراد حرث الآخرة وسعى لها سعيها وهو مؤمن. وأما من طغى وآثر الحياة الدنيا فإن الجحيم هي المأوى

When he saw that the torture pavilion already encircled them and the shadows of the veil already enshrouded them, when he saw that all but a very few of them adhered to their religion only for the sake of this world and flung away works, no matter how light and easy, sold them for a bad price, distracted from the thought of God by business, heedless of the Day when hearts and eyes will be turned inwards, Hayy saw clearly and definitely that to appeal to them publicly and openly was impossible. Any attempt to impose a higher task on them was bound to fail. The sole benefit most people could derive from religion was for this world, in that it helped them lead decent lives without others encroaching on what belonged to them. Hayy now knew that only a very few win the true happiness of the man who desires the world to come, strives for it and is faithful. But for the insolent who prefer this life— Hell will be their refuge

وأما الحكمة فلا سبيل لهم إليها ولا حظ لهم منها، قد غمرتهم الجهالة وران على قلوبهم ما كانوا يكسبون، ختم الله على قلوبهم وعلى سمعهم وعلى أبصارهم غشاوة ولهم عذاب عظيم

Wisdom, they have no means of reaching; they were allotted no share of it. They are engulfed in ignorance. Their hearts are corroded by their possessions. God has sealed their hearts and shrouded their eyes and ears. Theirs will be an awesome punishment

وتصفح طبقات الناس بعد ذلك فرأى كل حزب بما لديهم فرحون قد اتخذوا إلههم هواهم ومعبودهم شهواتهم وتهالكوا في جميع حطام الدنيا وألهاهم التكاثر حتى زاروا المقابر، لا تنجع فيهم الموعظة ولا تعمل فيهم الكلمة الحسنة ولا يزدادون بالجدل إلا إصرارًا

Then, class by class, he studied mankind. He saw every faction delighted with its own. They had made their passions their god, and desire the object of their worship. They destroyed each other to collect the trash of this world, distracted by greed ’til they went down to their graves. Preaching is no help, fine words have no effect on them. Arguing only makes them more pig-headed

وما زال حي بن يقظان يستلطفهم ليلًا ونهارًا ويبين لهم الحق سرًّا وجهارًا فلا يزيدهم ذلك إلا نبوًّا ونفارًا مع أنهم كانوا محبين للخير راغبين في الحق إلا أنهم لنقص فطرتهم كانوا لا يطلبون الحق من طريقة ولا يأخذونه بجهة تحقيقه ولا يلتمسونه من بابه بل كانوا لا يريدون معرفته من طريق أربابه، فيئس من إصلاحهم، وانقطع رجاؤه من صلاحهم لقلة قبولهم

Hayy found them delightful and continued his exposition of the truth, exoteric and esoteric, night and day. But the more he taught, the more repugnance they felt, despite the fact that these were men who loved the good and sincerely yearned for the Truth. Their inborn infirmity simply would not allow them to seek Him as Hayy did, to grasp the true essence of His being and see Him in His own terms. They wanted to know Him in some human way. In the end Hayy despaired of helping them and gave up his hopes that they would accept his teaching

فما هو إلا أن ترقَّى عن الظاهر قليلًا وأخذ في وصف ما سبق إلى فهمهم خلافه فجعلوا ينقبضون عنه وتشمئز نفوسهم مما يأتي به، ويتسخطونه بقلوبهم وإن أظهروا له الرضا في وجهه إكرامًا لغربته فيهم ومراعاةً لحقِّ صاحبهم أَبْسال

But the moment he rose the slightest bit above the literal or began to portray things against which they were prejudiced, they recoiled in horror from his ideas and closed their minds. Out of courtesy to the stranger and in deference to their friend Absal, they made a show of being pleased with Hayy, but in their hearts they resented him

وكان رأس تلك الجزيرة وكبيرها سلامان، وهو صاحب أَبْسال الذي كان يرى ملازمة الجماعة ويقول بتحريم العزلة، فشرع حي بن يقظان في تعليمهم وبث أسرار الحكمة إليهم

The ruler of the island and its most eminent man at this time was Salaman, Absal’s friend who believed in living within society and held it unlawful to withdraw. Hayy Ibn Yaqzan began to teach this group and explain some of his profound wisdom to them

وأعلمه أَبْسال أن تلك الطائفة هم أقرب إلى الفهم والذكاء من جميع الناس وأنه إن عجز عن تعليمهم فهو عن تعليم الجمهور أعجز

Absal informed Hayy that of all men this group approached nearest to intelligence and understanding. If Hayy were unable to teach them, it would be all the more impossible for him to teach the masses

واجتمع أصحاب أَبْسال به فعرَّفهم شأن حي بن يقظان فاشتملوا عليه اشتمالًا شديدًا وأكبروا أمره واجتمعوا إليه وأعظموه وبجَّلوه

Absal’s friends gathered, and he told them all about Hayy Ibn Yaqzan. They all marvelled at the story. They crowded around him, making much of him, and in fact deeply in awe of him

فلما قربت من البر رأى أهلها الرجلين على الشاطئ، فدنوا منهما فكلمهم أَبْسال وسألهم أن يحملوهما معهم فأجابوهما إلى ذلك وأدخلوهما السفينة، فأرسل الله إليهم ريحًا رخاء حملت السفينة في أقرب مدة إلى الجزيرة التي أمَّلاها فنزلا بها ودخلا مدينتها

When it came close to land the men on board saw two men on the beach, so they rode in closer and Absal hailed them and asked if they would take them along. The men answered yes and brought them on board. No sooner had they done so than God sent a favorable wind that brought the ship with all possible speed to the island where the two had hoped to go. They debarked and went up to the city

فكان من أمر الله — عز وجل — أن سفينة في البحر ضلَّت مسلكها ودفعتها الرياح وتلاطم الأمواج إلى ساحلها

By God’s command it happened that a ship lost its course and was driven by the winds and the beating of the waves to their shore

وطمع أَبْسال أيضًا أن يهدي الله على يديه طائفة من معارفه المريدين الذين كانوا أقرب من التخلص من سواهم فساعده على رأيه ورأيا أن يلتزما ساحل البحر ولا يفارقاه ليلًا ولا نهارًا لعل الله إن يُسَنِّي لهما عبور البحر فالتزما ذلك وابتهلا الله تعالى أن يهيئ لهما من أمرهما رشدًا

Absal himself had hopes that through Hayy God might give guidance to a body of aspiring acquaintances of his, who were somewhat closer to salvation than the rest. He agreed to help with the idea. The two men decided to stay by the shore day and night, in hopes that God might give them some ready means of crossing over. And so they stayed, humbly praying God to fortify them with sound judgment

فلما اشتد إشفاقه على الناس وطمع أن تكون نجاتهم على يديه حدثت له النية في الوصول إليهم وإيضاح الحق لديهم وتبييه لهم، ففاوض في ذلك صاحبه أبسال وسأله هل تمكنه حيلة في الوصول إليهم فأعلمه بما هم فيه من نقص الفطرة والإعراض عن أمر الله، فلم يتأتَّ له فهم ذلك وبقي في نفسه تعلُّق بما كان قد أمَّله

Hayy deeply pitied mankind and hoped that it might be through him that they would be saved. He was eager to go to these men to reveal and explain the Truth. He spoke about it with his friend Absal, asking if he knew any way of reaching them. Absal warned him how defective they are in character and how heedless of God’s Word, but this was not easy for Hayy to understand. His heart was set on what he hoped to accomplish

وكان الذي أوقعه في ذلك ظنه أن الناس كلهم ذوو فطر فائقة وأذهان ثاقبة ونفوس حازمة، ولم يكن يدري ما هم عليه من البلادة والنقص وسوء الرأي وضعف العزم وأنهم كالأنعام بل هم أضل سبيلًا

What made him think so was his naive belief that all men had outstanding character, brilliant minds and resolute spirits. He had no idea how stupid, inadequate, thoughtless, and weak willed they are, like sheep gone astray, only worse

ويقول إن الناس لو فهموا الأمر على حقيقته لأعرضوا عن هذه البواطل وأقبلوا على الحق واستغنوا عن هذا كله ولم يكن لأحد اختصاص بمال يُسأل عن زكاته أو تُقطع الأيدي على سرقته أو تذهب النفوس على أخذه مجاهرة

If people understood things as they really are, Hayy said, they would forget these inanities and seek the Truth. They would not need all these laws. No one would have any property of his own to be demanded as charity or for which human beings might struggle and risk amputation

فلمّا رأها الصبي على تلك الحالة، جزع جزعًا شديدًا، وكادت نفسه تفيض أسفًا عليها

When the boy saw her in such a state, he was beside himself with grief. His soul seemed to overflow with sorrow

وكان رأيه هو ألا يتناول أحد شيئًا إلا ما يقيم به الرمق، وأما الأموال فلم تكن لها عنده معنًى. وكان يرى ما في الشرع من الأحكام في أمر الأموال كالزكاة وتشعبها والبيوع والربا والحدود والعقوبات، فكان يستغرب ذلك كله ويراه تطويلًا

Hayy’s own idea was that no one should eat the least bit more than would keep him on the brink of survival. Property meant nothing to him, and when he saw all the provisions of the Law to do with money, such as the regulations regarding the collection and distribution of welfare or those regulating sales and interest, with all their statutory and discretionary penalties, he was dumbfounded. All this seemed superfluous

والأمر الآخر لمَ اقتصر على هذه الفرائض ووظائف العبادات وأباح الاقتناء للأموال والتوسُّع في المأكل حتى يفرغ الناس للاشتغال بالباطل والإعراض عن الحق

Second, why did he confine himself to these particular rituals and duties and allow the amassing of wealth and overindulgence in eating, leaving men idle to busy themselves with inane pastimes and neglect the Truth

إلا أنه بقي في نفسه أمران كان يتعجب منهما ولا يدري وجه الحكمة فيهما؛ أحدهما لمَ ضرب هذا الرسول الأمثال للناس في أكثر ما وصفه من أمر العالم الإلهي وأضرب عن المكاشفة حتى وقع الناس في أمر عظيم من التجسيم واعتقاد أشياء في ذات الحق هو منزَّه عنها وبريء منها، وكذلك في أمر الثواب والعقاب

Still there were two things that surprised him and the wisdom of which he could not see. First, why did this prophet rely for the most part on symbols to portray the divine world, allowing mankind to fall into the grave error of conceiving the Truth corporeally and ascribing to Him things which He transcends and is totally free of (and similarly with reward and punishment) instead of simply revealing the truth

ثم جعل يسأله عما جاء به من الفرائض ووضعه من العبادات فوصف له الصلاة والزكاة والصيام والحج وما أشبهها من الأعمال الظاهرة فتلقى ذلك والتزمه وأخذ نفسه بأدائه امتثالًا للأمر الذي صحَّ عنده صدق قائله

What obligations and acts of worship had he prescribed, Hayy asked. Absal described prayer, poor tax, fasting, and pilgrimage, and other such outward practices. Hayy accepted these and undertook to observe them. He held himself responsible to practice these things in obedience to the command of one whose truthfulness he could not doubt

فعلم أن الذي وصف ذلك وجاء به مُحِقٌّ في وصفه صادق في قوله رسول من عند ربه، فآمن به وصدَّقه وشهد برسالته

He recognized that whoever had offered this description had given a faithful picture and spoken truly. This man must have been a messenger sent by his Lord. Hayy believed in this messenger and the truth of what he said. He bore witness to his mission as apostle of God

ففهم حي بن يقظان ذلك كله ولم يرَ فيه شيئًا على خلاف ما شاهده في مقامه الكريم

Hayy understood all this and found none of it in contradiction with what he had seen for himself from his supernal vantage point

ووصف له جميع ما ورد في الشريعة من وصف العالم الإلهي والجنة والنار والبعث والنشور والحشر والحساب والميزان والصراط

He related all the religious traditions describing the divine world, Heaven and Hell, rebirth and resurrection, the gathering and reckoning, the scales of justice and the strait way

وجعل حي بن يقظان يستفحصه عن أمره وشأنه فجعل أبسال يصف له شأن جزيرته وما فيها من العالم وكيف كانت سِيرهم قبل وصول الملة إليهم. وكيف هي الآن بعد وصولها إليهم

Hayy then asked him about himself and his life; and Absal, accordingly, set out to tell him about his island and the people who lived there. He described how they had lived before the advent of their present religion and how they acted now

فالتزم خدمته والاقتداء به والأخذ بإشارته فيما تعارض عنده من الأعمال الشرعية التي قد تعلمها في ملته

He wanted to serve as his disciple, follow his example and accept his direction in those things which in Absal’s own view corresponded to the religious practices he had learned in his society

وعند ذلك نظر إلى حي بن يقظان بعين التعظيم والتوقير وتحقق عنده أنه من أولياء الله الذين لا خوف عليهم ولا هم يحزنون

Absal looked on Hayy Ibn Yaqzan with newfound reverence. Here, surely, was a man of God, one of those who know neither fear nor sorrow

فلما سمع أبسال منه وصف تلك الحقائق والذوات المفارقة لعالم الحس العارفة بذات الحق — عز وجل — ووصف ذلك الحق — تعالى وجل — بأوصافه الحسنى ووصف له ما أمكنه وصفه مما شاهده عند الوصول من لذات الواصلين وآلام المحجوبين لم يشك أبسال في أن جميع الأشياء التي وردت في شريعته من أمر الله — عز وجل — وملائكته وكتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر وجنته وناره هي أمثلة هذه التي شاهدها حي بن يقظان فانفتح بصر قلبه وانقدحت نار خاطره وتطابق عنده المعقول والمنقول وقربت عليه طريق التأويل ولم يبقَ عليه مُشكل في الشرع إلا تبين له ولا مغلق إلا انفتح ولا غامض إلا اتضح وصار من أولي الألباب

Hearing Hayy’s description of the beings which are divorced from the sense-world and conscious of the Truth—glory be to Him—his description of the Truth Himself, by all His lovely attributes, and his description, as best he could, of the joys of those who reach Him and the agonies of those veiled from Him, Absal had no doubt that all the traditions of his religion about God, His angels, bibles and prophets, Judgement Day, Heaven and Hell were symbolic representations of these things that Hayy Ibn Yaqzan had seen for himself. The eyes of his heart were unclosed. His mind caught fire. Reason and tradition were at one within him. All the paths of exegesis lay open before him. All his old religious puzzlings were solved; all the obscurities, clear. Now he had a heart to understand

فجعل أبسال يسأله عن شأنه ومن أين صار إلى تلك الجزيرة فأعلمه حي بن يقظان أنه لا يدري لنفسه ابتداء ولا أبًا ولا أمًّا أكثر من الظبية التي ربَّته ووصف له شأنه كله وكيف ترقى بالمعرفة حتى انتهى إلى درجة الوصول

Absal then plied him with questions about himself and how he had come to the island. Hayy informed him that he had no idea of his origins. He knew of no father or any mother besides the doe that had raised him. He told all about his life and the growth of his awareness, culminating in contact with the divine

فشرع أبسال في تعليمه الكلام أولًا بأول بأن كان يشير له إلى أعيان الموجودات وينطق بأسمائها ويكرر ذلك عليه ويحمله على النطق فينطق بها مقترنًا بالإشارة حتى علمه الأسماء كلها ودرَّجه قليلًا قليلًا حتى تكلم في أقرب مدة

So Absal began teaching him to talk, at first by pointing at some basic objects and pronouncing their names over and over, making him pronounce them too and pronounce them while pointing, until he had taught him nouns. Then he progressed with him, little by little and step by step, until in no time Hayy could speak

ولما رأى أبسال أيضًا أنه لا يتكلم آمن غوائله على دينه ورجا أن يعلمه الكلام والعلم والدين فيكون له بذلك أعظم أجر وزلفى عند الله

When Absal, for his part, saw that Hayy did not know how to talk, the fears he had felt of harm to his faith were eased, and he became eager to teach him to speak, hoping to impart knowledge and religion to him, and by so doing earn God’s favor and a greater reward

فلما ذاقه واستطابه بدا له سوء ما صنع من نقض عهوده في شرط الغذاء، وندم على فعله وأراد الانفصال عن أبسال والإقبال على شأنه من طلب الرجوع إلى مقامه الكريم فلم يتأتَّ له، فرأى أن يقيم مع أبسال في عالم الحس حتى يقف على حقيقة شأنه ولا يبقى في نفسه هو نزوع إليه وينصرف بعد ذلك إلى مقامه دون أن يشغله شاغل، فالتزم صحبة أبسال

The moment he tasted how good it was, Hayy knew he had done wrong to violate his pledged dietary restrictions. He regretted what he had done and wanted to get away from Absal and devote himself to his true purpose, a return to sublimity. But this time ecstasy would not come so readily. It seemed best to remain in the sense-world with Absal until he had found out so much about him that he no longer felt any interest in him. Then he would be able to go back to his station without further distraction. So he sought out Absal’s company

وقد كان أولع به حي بن يقظان فخشي إن دام على امتناعه أن يوحشه فأقدم على ذلك الزاد وأكل منه

And Hayy, liking him and afraid to hurt his feelings by persistently refusing, took the food and ate some

ولم يزل أبسال يرغِّب إليه ويستعطفه

Absal, however, kept trying to interest him in it, in an effort to win him over

فأكل منه أبسال وأشار إليه ليأكل، ففكَّر حي بن يقظان فيما كان ألزم نفسه من الشروط لتناول الغذاء ولم يدرِ أصل ذلك الشيء الذي قُدِّم له، ما هو، وهل يجوز له تناوله أم لا! فامتنع عن الأكل

Absal ate a bit and made signs to Hayy that he should eat some too. But Hayy was thinking of his dietary rules. Not knowing what the proffered food might be or what it was made from, he had no idea whether he was allowed to eat it or not, so he would not take any

وكان عند أبسال بقية من زاد كان قد استصحبه من الجزيرة المعمورة فقرَّبه إلى حي بن يقظان فلم يدرِ ما هو لأنه لم يكن شاهده قبل ذلك

Absal had a little food left over from the provisions he had brought from the civilized island. He offered it to Hayy, but Hayy did not know what it was. He had never seen anything like it

وكان أبسال قديمًا، لمحبته في علم التأويل، قد تعلم أكثر الألسن ومهر فيها، فجعل يكلِّم حي بن يقظان ويسائله عن شأنه بكل لسان يعلمه ويعالج إفهامه فلا يستطيع، وحي بن يقظان في ذلك كله يتعجب مما يسمع ولا يدري ما هو، غير أنه يُظهر له البِشر والقبول، فاستغرب كل واحد منهما أمر صاحبه

Years before, in his passion for the study of the more sophisticated level of interpretation, Absal had studied and gained fluency in many languages, so he tried to speak to Hayy, asking him about himself in every language he knew. But Absal was completely unable to make himself understood. Hayy was astounded by this performance, but had no idea what it might mean—unless it was a sign of friendliness and high spirits. Neither of them knew what to make of the other

حتى سكن جأش أبسال وعلم أنه لا يريد به سوءًا

Eventually Absal’s trepidation died down and he realized that Hayy did not mean him any harm

فلما نظر إليه أَبْسال وهو مكتسٍ بجلود الحيوان ذوات الأوبار وشعره قد طال حتى جلل كثيرًا منه ورأى ما عنده من سرعة العَدْو وقوة البطش فَرِق منه فَرَقًا شديدًا وجعل يستعطفه ويرغب إليه بكلام لا يفهمه حي بن يقظان ولا يدري ما هو غير أنه يميز فيه شمائل الجزع. فكان يؤنسه بأصوات كان قد تعلمها من الحيوانات ويجر يده على رأسه ويمسح أعطافه، ويتملق إليه ويظهر البِشر والفرح به

When he got a good look at his captor, clothed in hides still bristling with fur, his hair so overgrown that it hung down over a good part of his body, when he saw how fast he could run and how fiercely he could grapple, Absal was terrified and began to beg for mercy. Hayy could not understand a word he said. But he could make out the signs of fright and did his best to put the other at ease with a variety of animal cries he knew. Hayy also patted his head, rubbed his sides, and spoke soothingly to him, trying to show how delighted he was with him

ولما رأى حسن خشوعه وتضرعه وبكائه لم يشكَّ في أنه من الذوات العارفة بالحق فتشوق إليه وأراد أن يرى ما عنده وما الذي أوجب بكاءه وتضرعه فزاد في الدنو منه حتى أحس به أبسال فاشتد في العَدْوِ واشتدَّ حي بن يقظان في أثره حتى التحق به — لما كان أعطاه الله من القوة والبسطة في العلم والجسم — فالتزمه وقبض عليه ولم يمكنه من البراح

Seeing how abject Absal made himself, Hayy had no doubt that he was one of those beings who know the Truth. He felt drawn to him, and wanted to know what was wrong, what was it that made him cry. He approached closer and closer, but Absal caught sight of him and fled. Hayy ran after him, and with the power and vigor God had given him, not just mentally, but physically as well, he caught up with him and seized him in a grip from which he could not escape

ونظر إلى أشكاله وتخطيطه فرآه على صورته وتبيَّن له أن المدرعة التي عليه ليست جلدًا طبيعيًّا وإنما هي لباس مُتَّخذ مثل لباسه هو

On closer inspection of the other’s features and the lines of his body, Hayy recognized the form as his own and realized that the long coat was not a natural skin, but simply a garment intended for use like his own

فجعل حي بن يقظان يتقرب منه قليلًا قليلًا وأبسال لا يشعر به حتى دنا منه، بحيث يسمع قراءته وتسبيحه، ويشاهد خضوعه وبكاءه، فسمع صوتًا حسنًا وحروفًا منظمة لم يعهد مثلها من شيء من أصناف الحيوان

Little by little Hayy crept up without Absal’s noticing, until he was in earshot of his praises and recitations and could make out how he was humbling himself and weeping. The voice he heard was pleasant and the sounds somehow clearly patterned, quite unlike the call of any animal he had ever heard before

فشرع أبسال في الصلاة والقراءة والدعاء والبكاء والتضرع والتواجد حتى شغله ذلك عن كل شيء

Absal then took up his devotions and was soon completely absorbed in invocations, recitations, weeping, and lamentations

فلما رآه يشتد في الهرب، خنس عنه وتوارى له حتى ظن أبسال أنه قد انصرف عنه وتباعد من تلك الجهة

But, seeing Absal run still faster, he fell back and dropped out of sight, letting Absal suppose he had lost the trail and gone elsewhere

فوقف يتعجب منه مليًّا. وولَّى أبسال هاربًا منه خيفةَ أن يشغله عن حاله، فاقتفى حي بن يقظان أثره لما كان في طباعه من البحث عن الحقائق

Hayy simply stood gazing at him in amazement; but Absal, still hoping not to distract him, took to his heels and ran. Always naturally eager to find out about things, Hayy set out after him

وكان عليه مدرعة سوداء من الشعر والصوف فظن أنها لباس طبيعي

Besides, he was wearing a long, black cloak of wool and goat hair, which Hayy took to be his natural coat

وأما حي بن يقظان فلم يدرِ ما هو لأنه لم يره على صورة شيء من الحيوانات التي كان قد عاينها قبل ذلك

Hayy, for his part, had not the least idea what Absal was, since he had the form of no animal he had ever laid eyes on

فأما أبسال فلم يشك أنه من العباد المنقطعين وصل تلك الجزيرة لطلب العزلة عن الناس كما وصل هو إليها. فخشي إن هو تعرض له وتعرف به أن يكون سببًا في فساد حاله وعائقًا بينه وبين أمله

Absal had no doubt that this was another anchorite who had come to the island, as he had, in search of solitude. He was anxious not to disturb the other by introducing himself, for fear of disrupting his frame of mind and preventing his attaining the goal he would be hoping to reach

إلى أن اتفق في بعض تلك الأوقات أن خرج حي بن يقظان لالتماس غذائه وأبسال قد ألمَّ بتلك الجهة، فوقع بصر كل منهما على الآخر

But once, when Hayy had come out to look for food, Absal happened to be nearby and they saw each other

وكان في تلك المدة حي بن يقظان شديد الاستغراق في مقاماته الكريمة فكان لا يبرح مغارته إلا مرة في الأسبوع لتناول ما سنح من الغذاء؛ فلذلك لم يعثر عليه أبسال بأول وهلة بل كان يتطوف بأكناف تلك الجزيرة ويسيح في أرجائها فلا يرى إنسيًّا ولا يشاهد أثرًا فيزيد بذلك أنسه وتنبسط نفسه لما كان قد عزم عليه من التناهي في طلب العزلة والانفراد

All this while Hayy Ibn Yaqzan was deeply immersed in his supernal ecstasies, emerging from his cave no more than once a week for whatever food came to hand. For this reason, Absal did not come across him at first, but surveyed the whole island without seeing a soul or even a footprint— which made him all the happier, since his intention had been to be alone

وكان كل يوم يشاهد من ألطافه ومزايا تُحَفه وتيسيره عليه في مطلبه وغذائه ما يثبِّت يقينه ويقر عينه

Each day he could see for himself God’s splendid gifts and acts of grace—the ease with which He allowed him to find not just his food but all his wants, confirming his trust and putting a sparkle in his eye

وإذا احتاج إلى غذاء تناول من ثمرات تلك الجزيرة وصيدها ما يسد بها جوعته. وأقام على تلك الحال مدة وهو في أتم غبطة وأعظم أُنس بمناجاة ربه

When he needed food, he would take some of the island fruits or game, just enough to hold his appetite in check. He lived in this way for some time in most perfect happiness and intimacy with his Lord

فبقي أبسال بتلك الجزيرة يعبد الله — عز وجل — ويعظمه ويقدسه ويفكر في أسمائه الحسنى وصفاته العليا فلا ينقطع خاطره ولا تتكدر فكرته

Absal remained there on the island, worshipping, magnifying, and sanctifying God—glory to Him—contemplating His most beautiful names and sublime attributes. His reveries were undisrupted; his thoughts, unsullied

فجمع ما كان له من المال واشترى ببعضه مركبًا تحمله إلى تلك الجزيرة وفرَّق باقيه على المساكين وودَّع صاحبه سلامان وركب متن البحر، فحمله الملاحون إلى تلك الجزيرة ووضعوه بساحلها وانفصلوا عنها

He took what money he had, and with some hired a boat to take him to the island. The rest he divided among the poor; and, saying goodbye to his friend, he set sail. The sailors brought him to the island, set him down on the beach and left

وكان أَبْسَال قد سمع عن الجزيرة التي ذُكر أن حي بن يقظان تكوَّن بها وعرف ما بها من الخصب والمرافق والهواء المعتدل، وأن الانفراد بها يتأتى لملتمسه، فأجمع على أن يرتحل إليها ويعتزل الناس بها بقية عمره

For Absal had heard of the island where it is said Hayy came to be. He knew how temperate, fruitful and hospitable it was and how easy it would be, for anyone who so desired, to live there in solitude. So he decided to go there and remain in isolation for the rest of his life

فكانت ملازمته الجماعة عنده مما يدرأ الوسواس ويزيل الظنون المعترضة ويعيذ من همزات الشياطين. وكان اختلافهما في هذا الرأي سبب افتراقهما

In staying with the group he saw some means of fending off demonic promptings, dispelling distracting thoughts, and in general guarding against the goadings of the devil. Their differences on this point became the cause of their parting

فتعلَّق أبسال بطلب العزلة ورجح القول فيها لما كان في طباعه من دوام الفكرة وملازمة العبرة والغوص على المعاني، وأكثر ما كان يتأتى له أمله من ذلك بالانفراد. وتعلق سلامان بملازمة الجماعة ورجح القول فيها لما كان في طباعه من الجبن عن الفكرة والتصرف

Absal devoted himself to the quest for solitude, preferring the words of the Law in its favor because he was naturally a thoughtful man, fond of contemplation and of probing for the deeper meanings of things; and he did find the most propitious time for seeking what he hoped for to be when he was alone. But Salaman preferred being among people and gave greater weight to the sayings of the Law in favor of society, since he was by nature chary of too much independent thinking or doing

وكان في تلك الشريعة أقوال تحمل على العزلة والانفراد وتدل على أن الفوز والنجاة فيهما، وأقوال أُخر تحمل على المعاشرة وملازمة الجماعة

In the Law were certain statements proposing a life of solitude and isolation and suggesting that by these means salvation and spiritual triumph could be won. Other statements, however, favored life in a community and involvement in society

فأما أبسال فكان أشد غوصًا على الباطن وأكثر عثورًا على المعاني الروحانية وأطمع في التأويل. وأما سلامان صاحبه فكان أكثر احتفاظًا بالظاهر وأشد بُعدًا عن التأويل وأوقف عن التصرف والتأمل. وكلاهما مُجِدٌّ في الأعمال الظاهرة ومحاسبة النفس ومجاهدة الهوى

Absal, for his part, was the more deeply concerned with getting down to the heart of things, the more eager to discover spiritual values, and the more ready to attempt a more or less allegorical interpretation. Salaman, on the other hand, was more anxious to preserve the literal and less prone to seek subtle intensions. On the whole he avoided giving too free rein to his thoughts. Still each of them executed the express commands of the text fastidiously, kept watch over his soul, and fought his passions

وكان قد نشأ بتلك الجزيرة فتيان من أهل الفضل والرغبة في الخير يسمى أحدهما أبسال والآخر سلامان فتلقيا تلك الملة وقبلاها أحسن قبول وأخذا على أنفسهما بالتزام جميع شرائعها والمواظبة على جميع أعمالها واصطحبا على ذلك. وكانا يتفقهان في بعض الأوقات فيما ورد من ألفاظ تلك الشريعة في صفة الله — عز وجل — وملائكته وصفات المعاد والثواب والعقاب

There had grown up on this island two fine young men of ability and high principle, one named Absal and the other Salaman. Both had taken instruction in this religion and accepted it enthusiastically. Both held themselves duty- bound to abide by all its laws and precepts for living. They practiced their religion together; and together, from time to time, they would study some of that religion’s traditional expressions describing God—exalted be He—the angels He sends, and the character of resurrection, reward and punishment

وكانت ملة محاكية لجميع الموجودات الحقيقية بالأمثال المضروبة التي تعطي خيالات تلك الأشياء وتثبت رسومها في النفوس حسبما جرت به العادة في مخاطبة الجمهور، فما زالت تلك الملة تنتشر بتلك الجزيرة وتتقوى وتظهر حتى قام بها ملكها وحمل الناس على التزامها

Now the practice in this religion was to represent all reality in symbols, providing concrete images of things and impressing their outlines on the people's souls, just as orators do when addressing a multitude. The sect spread widely throughout the island, ultimately growing so powerful and prominent that the king himself converted to it and made the people embrace it as well

ذكروا أن جزيرة قريبة من الجزيرة التي وُلد بها حي بن يقظان على أحد القولين المختلفين على صفة مبدئه انتقلت إليه ملة من الملل الصحيحة المأخوذة عن بعض الأنبياء المتقدمين صلوات الله عليهم

Near the island where, according to one of the two conflicting accounts of his origin, Hayy was born, there was, so they say, a second island, in which had settled the followers of a certain true religion, based on the teachings of a certain ancient prophet-God’s blessing on all such prophets

وبقي على حالته تلك حتى أناف على سبعة أسابيع من منشئه، وذلك خمسون عامًا. وحينئذٍ اتفقت له صحبة أبسال، وكان من قصته معه ما يأتي ذكره بعد هذا إن شاء الله تعالى

In this fashion Hayy lived until he had passed his seventh septenary and reached the age of fifty. It was then he chanced to make the acquaintance of Absal. God willing, I shall tell you the tale of their friendship

وهو في كل ذلك كله يريد أن يريحه الله — عز وجل — من كل بدنه الذي يدعوه إلى مفارقة مقامه ذلك فيتخلَّص إلى لذته تخلصًا دائمًا ويبرأ عما يجده من الألم عند الإعراض عن مقامه ذلك إلى ضرورة البدن

All the while, Hayy longed that God—glory to Him—would ease him altogether of his body, which constantly called him away from his post, and let him enjoy bliss untrammelled and undisrupted, free of the painful need of leaving his vantage point to tend to the body

وما زال الوصول إلى ذلك المقام الكريم يزيد عليه سهولة والدوام يزيد فيه طولًا مدة بعد مدة حتى صار يصل إليه متى شاء ولا ينفصل عنه إلا متى شاء، فكان يلازم مقامه ذلك ولا ينثني عنه إلا لضرورة بدنه التي كان قد قللها حتى كان لا يوجد أقل منها

Again and again he returned to that sublime state, more and more easily, more and more sustainedly, until he reached the point that he could attain it whenever he wished and remain as long as he liked. He would stay riveted to his station, turning away only to attend the needs of his body, which had by now so wasted away that a more meagre figure could scarcely be found

ثم عاد إلى عالم الحس. ثم تكلف الوصول إلى مقامه بعد ذلك فكان أيسر عليه من الأولى والثانية وكان دوامه أطول

He returned to the sense world and set out again, finding he could reach this station still more easily and stay still longer

وأما تمام خبره فسأتلوه عليك إن شاء الله تعالى؛ وهو أنه لما عاد إلى العالم المحسوس وذلك بعد جولانه حيث جال سئم تكاليف الحياة الدنيا واشتد شوقه إلى الحياة القصوى فجعل يطلب العود إلى ذلك المقام بالنحو الذي طلبه أولًا حتى وصل إليه بأيسر من السعي الذي وصل به أولًا ودام فيه ثانيًا مدة أطول من الأولى

But I will tell you the rest of the story. Returned to the world of the senses from his wandering, Hayy grew weary of the cares of this world and longed still more for that other life. He tried to return as before, and found he could reach this higher level more easily and remain longer

فهذا القدْر هو الذي أمكنني الآن أن أشير إليك به فيما شاهده حي بن يقظان في ذلك المقام الكريم، فلا تلتمس الزيادة عليه من جهة الألفاظ فإن ذلك كالمتعذِّر

These hints and no more I am able to relate concerning what Hayy Ibn Yaqzan witnessed at this lofty plane. Do not ask me to add anything more in words. That would be next to impossible

والعالم المحسوس وإن كان تابعًا للعالم الإلهي شبيه الظل له، والعالم الإلهي مستغنٍ عنه وبريء منه فإنه مع ذلك قد يستحيل فرض عدمه إذ هو لا محالة تابع للعالم الإلهي، وإنما فساده أن يبدَّل لا أن يُعدم بالجملة، وبذلك نطق الكتاب العزيز حيثما وقع هذا المعنى منه في تغيير الجبال وتصييرها كالعهن والناس كالفراش، وتكوير الشمس والقمر وتفجير البحار، يوم تُبدَّل الأرض غير الأرض والسموات

Yet even though the sense world mimics the divine like a shadow, and the divine world is self-sufficient and totally independent, still it is impossible to postulate complete nonexistence for the sensory world, for the very reason that it does reflect the world of the divine. The destruction of the world, then, can mean only that it is transformed, not that it goes out of existence altogether. The Holy Book speaks clearly to this effect in describing how the mountains will be set in motion and become like tufts of wool, and men like moths, the sun and moon cast down, the seas split open and spilled out, on the Day when the earth turns to what is no longer earth, and the heavens to what is no longer heaven

ولو جاز عدمها لعدمت الأجسام فإنها هي مباديها، كما أنه لو جاز أن تُعدم ذات الواحد الحق — تعالى وتقدس عن ذلك لا إله إلا هو — لعدمت هذه الذوات كلها ولعدمت الأجسام ولعدم العالم الحسي بأسره ولم يبقَ موجود إذ الكل مرتبط بعضه ببعض

If they could conceivably go out of existence, then all material objects would go with them, for all physical things originate from them. In the same way, assuming the Truth Himself were to become non-existent—sanctified be He and exalted above all such thoughts! —then not one of these essences would exist, no physical things, no sense world, nothing! For all things are bound one to the next

وسواء — بالإضافة إليها — بطلان الأجسام أو ثبوتها ووجودها أو عدمها، وإنما ارتباطها وتعلقها بذات الواحد الحق الموجود الواجب الوجود الذي هو أولها ومبدؤها وسببها وموجدها وهو يعطيها الدوام ويمدها بالبقاء والتسرمد، ولا حاجة بها إلى الأجسام بل الأجسام محتاجة إليها

To these beings, whether bodies endure or perish, whether they exist or not, is all the same. Their sole bond is to the One, the Truth, the Necessarily Existent, Who is the first of them, their origin and cause, the ground of their existence, Who gives them being, allows them to endure and even to be eternal. They have no need of bodies. On the contrary, all bodies depend on them

وأما الذوات الإلهية والأرواح الربانية فإنها كلها بريئة عن الأجسام ولواحقها ومنزهة غاية التنزيه عنها، فلا ارتباط ولا تعلق لها بها

But these divine, sovereign spirits all utterly transcend the physical and everything dependent on it. There is no tie of any kind between the two

ولا ينبغي أن يُفعل ذلك في أصناف المخاطبات المعتادة، فكيف ها هنا والشمس ونورها وصورتها وتشكلها والمرايا والصور الحاصلة فيها كلها أمور غير مفارقة للأجسام ولا قِوام لها إلا بها وفيها؟! فلذلك افتقرت في وجودها إليها وبطلت ببطلانها

Such literalism is not tolerable with ordinary figures of speech, and it is all the less tolerable in this special context. The sun, its light, its form and image, the mirrors and the forms reflected in them are all inseparable from physical bodies, unable to subsist without them, thus dependent on them for existence itself, and of course destroyed when they are destroyed

ألم نقدم إليك أن مجال العبارة هنا ضيق وأن الألفاظ على كل حال توهم غير الحقيقة، وذلك الذي توهمته إنما أوقعك فيه أن جعلت المثال والممثل به على حكم واحد من جميع الوجوه

Did I not just tell you how narrow my scope for expression is here and warn you that my words would make a false impression in any case. Your misapprehension is due solely to your confusing my symbol with what it represents. You expect a one-for-one correspondence

فإن قلت يظهر مما حكيته من هذه المشاهدة أن الذوات المفارقة إن كانت لجسم دائم الوجود لا يفسد كالأفلاك كانت هي دائمة الوجود، وإن كانت لجسم يئول إلى الفساد كالحيوان الناطق فسدت هي واضمحلت وتلاشت حسبما مثَّلث به في مرايا الانعكاس فإن الصورة لا ثبات لها إلا بثبات المرآة فإذا فسدت المرآة صح فساد الصورة واضمحلت هي، فأقول لك ما أسرعَ ما نسيت العهد وحِلت عن الربط

You may object, Your treatment of his experience shows that if these non-material identities belong to eternal, indestructible bodies like the spheres, they too will endure forever. But what if they belong to bodies subject to decay, such as that of the rational animal? Then they too ought to perish. By your own analogy of the reflecting mirrors, the image has permanence only so long as there is a mirror. If the mirror is ruined, then the image is obliterated. I can only reply, it certainly did not take you long to forget our bargain and break my conditions

فما هو إلا أن تثبت قليلًا فعادت إليه حواسه وتنبَّه من حاله تلك التي كانت شبيهة بالغشي وزلت قدمه عن ذلك المقام ولاح له العالم المحسوس وغاب عنه العالم الإلهي؛ إذ لم يكن اجتماعهما في حال واحدة إذ الأخرى والدنيا كضرتين إن أرضيت إحداهما أسخطت الأخرى

Little by little he pulled himself together. His senses came back. He regained consciousness from what seemed to have been a faint and lost his foothold on that plane of experience. As the world of the senses loomed back into view, the divine world vanished, for the two cannot be joined in one state of being- like two wives if you make one happy, you make the other miserable

وشاهد هنا ذواتًا سوى هذه المعذبة تلوح ثم تضمحل وتنعقد ثم تنحلُّ فتثبَّت فيها وأنعم النظر إليها فرأى هولًا عظيمًا وخطبًا جسيمًا وخلقًا حثيثًا وأحكامًا بليغة وتسوية ونفخًا وإنشاء ونسخًا

Besides these tortured beings he saw others which had once been tightly knit and shone brightly, but had now dimmed and grown loose and ravelled. Hayy scrutinized these, studied them well. He saw a terrible sight, vast ruination, skittering creatures and a grave sentence, the fashioning of man and the raising up of creation, the outflow of the breath of life and its eradication

ورأى لهذه الذوات من القبح والنقص ما لم يقم بباله قط، ورآها في آلام لا تنقضي وحسرات لا تنمحي، قد أحاط بها سرادق العذاب وأحرقتها نار الحجاب ونشرت بمناشير بين الانزعاج والانجذاب

They were ugly, defective, and deformed beyond his imagining. In unending throes of torture and ineradicable agony, imprisoned in a pavilion of torment, scorched by the flaming partition, they were tossed about like chaff by pitchforks, now frantically scattered, now huddled together in fear

وشاهد ذواتًا كثيرة مفارقةً للمادة كأنها مرايا صدئة قد ران عليها الخَبث وهي مع ذلك مستدبرة للمرايا الصقيلة التي ارتسمت فيها صورة الشمس ومولية عنها بوجوهها

He saw also many disembodied identities, more like tarnished mirrors, covered with rust, their faces averted and their backs to the brilliant mirrors in which shone the image of the sun

ورأى لذاته ولتلك الذوات التي في رتبته من الحسن والبهاء واللذة غير المتناهية ما لا عين رأت ولا أذن سمعت ولا خطر على قلب بشر ولا يصفه الواصفون ولا يعقله إلا الواصلون العارفون

In himself and in the other beings of his rank, Hayy saw goodness, beauty, joy without end, the like of which eyes cannot see, ears hear, or human hearts conceive, ineffable, known only by the aware, who arrive

وشاهد في هذه الرتبة ذواتًا مثل ذاته لأجسام كانت ثم اضمحلت ولأجسام لم تزل معه في الوجود، وهي من الكثرة في حدٍّ بحيث لا تتناهى إن جاز أن يقال لها كثيرة أو هي كلها متحدة إن جاز أن يقال لها واحدة

From this height he saw other selves like his own, that had belonged to bodies which had come to be and perished, or to bodies with which they still coexisted. There were so many (if one may speak of them as many) that they reached infinity. Or, if one may call them one, then all were one

ولولا أن هذه الذات حدثت بعد أن لم تكن لقلنا إنها هي! ولولا اختصاصها ببدنه عند حدوثه لقلنا إنها لم تحدث

Were it not that his being was created originally, I would say that they were he. And had this self of his not been individuated by a body on its creation I would have said that it had not come to be

ثم شاهد لنفسه ذاتًا مفارقة لو جاز أن تتبعض ذات السبعين ألف وجه لقلنا إنها بعضها

Suddenly he caught sight of himself as an unembodied subject. If it were permissible to single out individuals from the identity of die seventy thousand faces, I would say that he was one of them

وكأن هذه الذات صورة الشمس التي تظهر في ماء مترجرج وقد انعكست إليها الصورة من آخر المرايا التي انتهى إليها الانعكاس على الترتيب المتقدم من المرآة الأولى التي قابلت الشمس بعينها

It was as though the form of the sun were shining in rippling water from the last mirror in the sequence, reflected down the series from the first, which faced directly into the sun