Correspondence Cairo-Amiens (3): unpublished letters of René Guénon
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Unpublished letters of René Guénon
Throughout his life, René Guénon kept up a very abundant correspondence, chiefly with French-speaking people who had taken an interest in his work. The passages we publish here are extracted from a correspondence comprising 73 letters written between 1932 and 1950. The recipient of these letters was a Frenchman living in Amiens, an assiduous reader of Guénon’s works, who played an important part in the emergence of a Sufi way on Western soil. Through the answers and clarifications Guénon offers his correspondent, one can glean elements of information on doctrinal points, but also certain practical aspects and counsels for the use of those concerned with an attachment to a Sufi way while living in a non-Muslim country such as France.
On the ‘vibratory’ question, I do not see why there should be so much difficulty in conceiving a disturbance produced and propagated in a homogeneous and continuous medium; it is possible that they are due to certain habits acquired under the influence of modern scientific theories… In any case, it is certainly always useful to point all this out to me, for I cannot notice difficulties of this kind by myself, and it is obvious that one must try to take them into account in an exposition. I have already realised often enough, through remarks made to me, that things which seemed self-evident to me would in reality have needed more explanation…
Letter to L. C., Cairo, 14 February 1936
Praying with open eyes in islam seems to me to be explained very naturally if one considers that it is not a rite in which one must isolate oneself, quite the contrary (the very necessity of orientation towards a common centre indicates this sufficiently). The use of chanting in the sessions (which is not general, incidentally) relates in sum to the use of rhythm in its different forms. Concerning the movements accompanying the dhikr, I must say that I hardly like the use of the word ‘dance’ here, because of the very profane confusions to which it inevitably gives rise (besides, in Arabic one never says ‘raqs’ in such a case).
Letter to L. C., Cairo, 23 February 1936
You are very kind to keep me so fully informed, and I do believe that really only you can do it regularly, without this being an abuse of your time. […] As regards Ch., the improvement you already observe in him shows that there was every advantage in drawing him out of his environment, and likewise that the accomplishment of the rites can only be very profitable for him; it is true that this is perhaps not so in certain cases, for there may occur, momentarily at least, certain more or less disorderly psychic reactions in those who are not sufficiently prepared and whose temperament lends itself to it. It is very true that I do not much like giving advice, especially of a properly ‘individual’ kind; the case is not quite the same when it concerns things that may have a bearing of a more general order… […] (You tell me that A.b.R., who is a Wahhabi, reproaches the Sufis for swaying during their incantations, saying that the Prophet is supposed to have recommended not swaying so as to distinguish themselves from the Jews.) I do not know whether the tradition in question is really authentic, but in any case one would have to know what exactly it applies to, and it is probable that it must be solely to prayer, for regarding everything else, nobody seems to take account of it; and besides, where the dhikr is concerned, the swaying has more particular reasons. On these questions, one must be very wary of all the opinions of the Wahhabis, who are declared adversaries of everything of the esoteric order. […] Obviously, doctrinal expositions, whatever they may be, can never have more than a character of ‘preparation’, and they cannot have the direct action that the rites have; but all the same, I do not think that is a reason to neglect them. As for the question of languages, it is certain that, generally speaking, the usefulness that a knowledge of Arabic can have for each of you evidently depends on a great many circumstances; for yourself, if you are to have the role of imam, this study thereby has a more particular raison d’être… […] As for the tarot, I willingly grant that it can yield valid results; only, its handling is perhaps not exempt from all danger, because of the psychic influences it certainly brings into play; I would say as much of certain other procedures, such as geomancy for instance; but in the case of the tarot, this is complicated by the question of its particularly doubtful origin… I do not know at all, incidentally, where one could find any data on this, unless it be among the Gypsies, for it must be said that outside Europe the tarot is a completely unknown thing; all its symbolism, moreover, has a specifically Western form. […] I have recently learnt that the rumour was once again being spread that I was in Paris, which recurs periodically, and that some even claimed to have seen me at a meeting. I also remember that, 8 or 10 years ago, that is, when I was still in France, I was told that letters were being addressed in my name at a hotel in Bordeaux, where there was indeed someone who received them. Putting all this together, I would be tempted to believe that there really is someone passing himself off as me; but who, and why? The only certain thing is that there are intentions behind it that are anything but benevolent; and I note further, in this connection, that the assertion that ‘I travel a great deal’ has already appeared in so many words in one of the most perfidious attacks directed against me; is that too only a coincidence? But what exactly can all this possibly mean? I confess I would not be sorry if it could all be cleared up one day or another…
Letter to L. C., Cairo, 9 March 1936
On your question concerning the life of the Prophet, the most orthodox conception is that impeccability truly belongs to all the prophets, so that even if there is found in their actions something that may seem shocking, that very thing must be explained by reasons that exceed the viewpoint of ordinary humanity (to a lesser degree, this also applies to the actions of all those who have reached a certain degree of initiation). On the other hand, the mission of a rasul, precisely because it addresses all men indiscriminately, implies a way of acting in which the realisations of the esoteric order do not appear (which constitutes, incidentally, a sort of sacrifice for the one invested with that mission). That is why some also say that what would be most interesting from the initiatic point of view, were it possible to know it exactly, is the period of Muhammad’s life anterior to the risala (and this applies equally to the ‘hidden life’ of Christ in relation to his ‘public life’: these two expressions, in themselves, agree moreover perfectly with what I have just said and indicate it almost explicitly). It is well understood, of course, that historical considerations have no interest in themselves, but only through what they convey of certain doctrinal truths. Lastly, in a tradition that necessarily forms a whole, one cannot neglect what does not directly concern metaphysical realisation (and there are such elements in the Hindu tradition as in the others, since it also implies, for example, a legislation); one must rather strive to understand it in relation to that realisation, which amounts in sum to seeking its ‘inner meaning’.
Next letter: Correspondence Cairo-Amiens (4)
