The veils of separation are lifted, a poem by 'Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghuri
A poem by ’Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghuri1.
The veils of separation are lifted And the light of the Gaze has shone forth From the Place beyond space. O Sufis, bear witness to it!
I am the mirror of my Beloved; In His love, O my soul, you may delight. Die to all that is other than Him And leave be that which causes you suffering!
Since He manifested Himself to me I am on my knees, prostrate, Grateful and ceaselessly in praises, For He has integrated me into Him.
O my bliss in Union! O my resurrection after my death! O brightness of my heaven! O my eternal life!
The cupbearer2 came to us And held out a cup to us. We drank it and our thirst was quenched With cups of Hashemite origin3.
O you who seek awakening, Seize hold of eternal Life! How many erring souls Were saved through It?
He cannot be disappointed Whose intention is sincere. Purify your heart, He will manifest Himself in it! Sharpen your gaze and you will see Him!
O my friend, forsake what is other than Him, And die in the supreme Essence; And drink without shame, Drink without seeing ill in it!
Abandon yourself to Love And make your arguments be silent! For absolute Love Hardly tolerates them.
Hold fast and journey on and on, Walk in the footsteps of our forebears, Do not listen to those who criticise! To listen to them is the worst of torments.
The One you seek is the primordial All, He who tolerates no censure. Understand then that the one who blames you Is none other than the envoy of the Lord who loves you!
And prayer of the Lord of Majesty Upon the Gate of Unity, Upon Taha4 and upon his companions, And upon all who follow his way.
Translated by Hinda Boudiaf.
Further reading
Footnotes
-
’Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghuri (1912-2004) was the master of a branch of the Shadhiliyya path in Syria. He was known for his talent as a singer and poet. He is the author of The Defence of the Sunna, in which he explains how Sufi practices conform to the Qur’an and the Sunna. ↩
-
Cupbearer: the person who pours the drink. In Sufi poetry it designates the master who serves a spiritual “wine” to his disciples. The wine metaphor has often been the object of many misinterpretations on the part of commentators who did not perceive its allusive and symbolic dimension. ↩
-
Hashemite: the Qurayshi family descended from Hashim, Muhammad’s great-grandfather. The author is alluding here to his own spiritual guide, Shaykh al-Hashimi (1881-1961), some of whose biographical details were gathered by Jean-Louis Michon in L’Échiquier des gnostiques (Archè). ↩
-
Taha: one of the names of the Prophet of islam. ↩
