Journey With Me Unto the Divine Throne 2013

8/13/2019 Journey With Me Unto the Divine Throne 2013

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$%our"ey &ith me u"to the 'ii"e hro"e*

Siyyid ʿAlī Muḥammad Shīrāzī, the !ā+, o" the ars

operativa o the li-ir

. /ahid Azal



مه اي ا م سه فقد ع ف هن ع

Whosoever knows their Self, knows their Imām, who is their Lord! Shayhī!ā+ī reiteratio" o the 'el2hi# ma-im (ours)

حل " ا! يجا ا / . - ع, +ا ع * ( ا ) ه ' جر ف & ر ا%$ #

I am the Philosopher’s Stone from which has ushed forth welve Sprins!

ʿAlī ("hu#ba al$Ba%ān m% trans.)

01 ن ا! 2 3ن حل س 7 8ا! 6 ي ق 5 4 0 ? 3 @ 6ا< ا=>;: 9ا .A B / * فر /e are, +y 3od, the Most !eautiul ames &ithout &hom 3od does "ot a##e2t a"y a#tio" o 4is

sera"ts e-#e2t throuh 6ur "osis7

%aʿar alādi9 (#. :+" !ā+;ya, "&tāb al$aw'&d, bāb al$nawādir m% trans.)

he ollo&i" 2ie#e #o"stitutes a #om2a"io" arti#le to our 2reious o"e 2u+lished i" this

<our"al.1 :t is also a reised ersio" o a" arti#le &e mea"t to 2u+lish some&here i" =011 +ut

i"stead &ithdre& rom its orii"ally 2la""ed e"ue a"d the" sel2u+lished i" its irst,

rouh drat o"li"e. !esides mi"or #orre#tio"s a"d some issues o 2rooreadi", style,

tra"sliteratio" a"d i-ed reere"#es, there are ery sliht diere"#es o em2hases +et&ee"

this 2ie#e a"d the earlier o"e. hat said, other tha" a e& "e#essary asides, the histori#al

a"d 2aradimati# disti"#tio"s +et&ee" !ā+ism, the reliio" o the !ayā", a"d !ahā>ism

already #oered &ill "ot +e re2eated here. 4ere i"stead &e &ill +e dis#ussi" the !ā+>s

theoso2hi#al al#hemy, a 2ers2e#tie that may illumi"ate u2o" a e& themes #oered i" the

arti#le o" u+ḥiAzal.

his theoso2hi#al al#hemy o the !ā+>s, &e &ould arue, has as its o#us the

s2iritual 2ere#tio" o the soul o the i"itiated +elieer &ithi" the meta2hysi#al reality o

the :mām? the :mām &ho simulta"eously a#ts as +oth the i"itiati" uide o the initiated

believer (mu’min) i"to the reater mysteries as &ell as +ei" the ultimate oal o the opus

itsel. /e &ill also seeral times +e tou#hi" o" the 9uestio" o the Imām$of$ones$bein= that

is li"ed to this oerall 9uestio", oeri" a some&hat more i"essed a"d "ua"#ed

i"ter2retatio" o its u"derlyi" mea"i" tha" &hat has +ee" oered i" re#e"t years +y

1 $Invokin the Seven Worlds( )n acrostic pra%er b% *&r+ā a'%ā -.r& /ub'$i$)+al,* i" L01)2( 3ournal of the 4reative

Imaination, @olume , %u"e =01B.= or a 2o2ular treatme"t o the Imām$of$ones$bein, see Deter Eam+or" /ilso">s Scandal( 5ssa%s in Islamic 2eres%

(!rooly"? Auto"omedia, 1F88). /e #autio" our reader rom tai" this do#tri"e i" the u"i"essed &ay it has

+ee" 2rese"ted i" some 2o2ular sour#es lately as #o"#lusie. or #om2aratie 2ur2oses, the o"ly "o"Shīʿi a"d

"o":slami# sour#e that may e"umerate this #ore esoteri# tea#hi" o the :māms G &ith some o2a#ities o" the

Shīʿi side still "eedi" to +e u"2a#ed may +e #o"sidered to +e the Doima"dres o the Cor2us 4ermeti#um.



some 2o2ular literature? a" idea, althouh e-2li#itly Alam;tī :smāʿīlī i" its #oi"ae, is

already late"t &ithi" the esoteri# tea#hi"s o the :māms o &eler Shīʿism a"d later i"

the !ā+. /e hold that the su+<e#t o Shīʿite al#hemy a"d the soterioloy u"derirdi" it

toether &ith the esoteri# meta2hysi#s i"ormi" that is ultimately i"se2ara+le rom a"

ade9uate u"dersta"di" o &hat this &hole idea ee" mea"s. /e also suest that this"otio" i" "o &ay, sha2e or ma""er im2lies the tra"sormatio" o the +ase, #o"#u2is#e"t

eo 6ua the +ase, #o"#u2is#e"t eo i"to the :māmH "or do em2ty de#laratio"s as to the

attai"me"t o its status &ithout the re9uisite i"itiatio" a"d the adde"dum s2iritual

&ayari" ( sul.k) G the a#tual e"aeme"t i" the al#hemi#al opus manum mae it so.

Iather it e"tails the 2roressie stri22i" a"d erasure o the +ase, #o"#u2is#e"t eo

&herei" the soul i"ally +e#omes the ter"al :mām>s 2ere#t mirror a"d 2la#e o re2ose.

Additio"ally the "otio"s o the :māmoo"es+ei" a"d that o the 4iero:"tellie"#e (7a6l)B

G a"d he"#e the ter"al :mām G are i"se2ara+le o"es. :" the meta2hysi#al di#tio" o !ā+ism

this is all reerred to as the Drimal /ill (mash&’a al$.lā). his &ill +e o"e o our uidi" motis

throuhout this 2ie#e.

:" this 2rese"t arti#le here &e &ill, irst, oer a s#hemati# +iora2hy o the !ā+

himsel. he" &e &ill 2rese"t a #omme"tary o" the 2olar moti uidi" the i""er i"te"tio"

o our mai" tra"slated 2ie#e (i.e. a +rie res2o"se +y the !ā+ o" the ars operativa) toether

&ith some relea"t #omme"ts reardi" the 2la#e o ematria. his is ollo&ed +y a"

e-eesis o" the sym+olism o the al#hemi#al as#e"sio" as it relates to our item toether

&ith some tra"slatio"s rom the !ā+>s Book of the 8ive 9rades a"d the" i"al #omme"tary o"

the #o"#ludi" i"te"tio" o the 2ie#e. Ater this &e &ill detail the t&o MSS. used i" our

semi#riti#al tra"slatio" a"d oer some remars attem2ti" to lo#ate a timeli"e or the

&or +eore su+mitti" a" a""otated tra"slatio" o the te-t itsel. A ta+le #a" +e ou"d

ater&ards that s#hematizes the irst 2art o the o2eratio" i"di#ated +y the !ā+ i" the irst

e& 2assaes o its irst 2arara2h (1111JJJJ). or this &e are i"de+ted to A.4.A. o the 'iital

6##ult Ma"us#ri2ts Ei+rary or shari" &ith us e-am2les o similar models ou"d i" earlier

authors &here+y &e &ere the" a+le to #om2are 2ossi+le layouts i" order to i"ally ra2h

our ta+le.

he !he !he !he !āāāā++++

Siyyid ʿAlī Muḥammad Shīrāzī5 (+. 18=0J G d. 1850)H "o&" to 2osterity as the Bāb (K ate> or

Kthreshold>), a"d 2er his o&" desi"atio" (amo" seeral other titles)L as the 5ssence of the

B he do#tri"e as tauht i" the :māmī akhbār #or2us +ei""i" &ith the amous o2e"i" 'ād&th o al$7a6l wa al$

:ahl i" ulay"ī>s KBook of the 2iero$Intellience and inorance> ("itāb al$7)6l wa al$3ahl) o his al$"āf& H see es2e#ially as

&ell Mohammad Ali AmirMoezzi>s he ;ivine 9uide in 5arl% Shi7ism( he Sources of 5sotericism in Islam tra"s. 'aid

Streiht (Al+a"y? he State N"iersity o e& Oor Dress, 1FFB) #h2. 1, es2. J1B a"d passim. he title o the 2ie#e deries rom its si-tee"th 2assae (see +elo&).5 /e reer to the sour#es listed i" "J o our 2reious arti#le.J his date is +ased o" the 1st o Muḥarram 1=BJ A4 (F 6#to+er 18=0 C) dati" o the !ā+>s +irthday held +y the

!ayā"īs as the o"e #orre#t rather tha" the 1st o Muḥarram 1=B5 A4 (=0 6#to+er 181F) #ited +y the !ahā>īs, see

.3. !ro&"e ) raveller’s -arrative Written to Illustrate the 5pisode of the Bāb (Cam+ride? Cam+ride N"iersity

Dress, 18F1), @olume =, ote C? ==1=.



Seven Letters (dhāt 'ur.f al$saba7a)H8 &as a" :ra"ia" s#io" o the house o the Dro2het o :slam

(i.e. a K si%%id>) &ho at the ri2e ae o t&e"tyour, i" the middle o the "i"etee"th #e"tury,

u"leashed o"e o the most mome"tous (yet simulta"eously most trai#) e2isodes i"

moeme"ts #laimi" #hiliasti# "osti# ulilme"t a"d re"e&al i" the history o Shīʿite :slam

si"#e the iPārī :smā>īlī :mām Qassa" :: ʿalā dhikrihi salām had lie&ise u"dertae" a similarmissio" i" his 6&%āma 2ro#lamatio" at Alam;t i" 11J C? ee"ts o strii" resem+la"#e

a"d similarly meeti" a trai# e"d, al+eit "ot as i"te"se, dramati# or &ide ra"i" i" the

si"ularity o their ier#ely iole"t d<nouement as !ā+ism>s. 'uri" the si- year 2eriod o his

mi"istry rom May =Brd 18 i" Shīrāz to his e-e#utio" or heresy i" a+rīz o" %uly 8th 1850,

the !ā+ +e#ame or ma"y thousa"ds o his ollo&ers i" :rā9 a"d :ra" the o#us o i"te"se

adoratio" a"d, at o"#e, the literal mouth2ie#e o the 4idde" :mām o the AeH the" the

:mām o the Ae or the =esurrector (al$6ā’im) i" 2erso"H a"d i"ally a "e& heo2ha"y or

ma"iestatio" o the 'ii"ity (ma>har allāh) i" his o&" riht 2ro#laimi" the altoether

a+roatio" o the (at the time 1=L0 year)F dis2e"satio"al aeon o :slam a"d &ith it the

i"auuratio" o the #y#le o the !ayā" (e-2ositio"). Seei" himsel i" the same

theophanoloical leaue as (a"d ee" reater tha") the A+rahami# messe"erla&iers &ho

had 2re#eded him su#h as A+raham, Moses, %esus a"d Muḥammad this !ayā"i# #y#le &as

deemed +y him to last or a duratio" o a"y&here rom +et&ee" 1511 to =001 years <ust as

the :slami# dis2e"satio" had itsel lasted i" this s#heme or 1=L0 years.10

L :"#ludi" =emembrance (dhikr ), the Proof of 9od ('u::at’ullāh), the Primal Point (nu6#at al$.lā) a"d the Supreme Lord

(rabb al$a7lā), to "ame a e&.8 4e #laimed this title, o" its i"itial leel, +e#ause his ie" "ame ʿAlī Muḥammad #o"tai"s a total o see"

letters i" Ara+i# (i.e. > " C " D E ) that i" itsي ab:ad "umeri#al alue as =0= is e9uiale"t to rabb (lord). 6"e o thelesser "o&" reaso"s &hy the !ā+ used this title i" its s2e#ii# 2hrasi" to de"ote himsel is +e#ause it i"di#ates

the see" i"de2e"de"t siils o the #alliram o the 3reatest ame (ism al$a7>am), "amely? . his

sym+ol #o"stitutes the su2reme o##ultmai#al #i2her i" the :slami# esoteri# traditio" a"d is +elieed to hae

+ee" orii"ally tra"smitted +y the irst :mām ʿAlī, see 3eores A"a&ati Le nom supr?me de dieu (Ism )llāh al$

)7+am) i" )tti del III 4onresso di Studi )rabi e Islamici (Iaello 1J Se2tem+er 1FJJ) 1FJL? L58. or e-am2le, the

2hrasi" dhāt 'ur.f al$saba7a #a" itsel +e ou"d i" reere"#e to these see" siils i" ma"y :slami# o##ult ma"uals

o r.'ān& &hite mai# (i.e. the literature o the 7ul.m har&baR7ul.m khaf&%a) that dis#uss it at le"th, es2e#ially i"

al!;"ī, +e#ause the ollo&i" see" Ara+i# letters are i"di#ated as re2rese"ti" it F ف G H I J K L (+ei" that

they are those see" letters that do "ot a22ear i" al$fāti'a, the irst #ha2ter o the ur>ā").F he !ā+ī re#o"i" o the #omme"#eme"t o the :slami# era +ei"s as o the Kcall> o Muḥammad (bith7at ), that

is, rom his irst e"#ou"ter &ith the Ar#ha"el 3a+riel o" Mou"t Qirā a"d the Ieelatio" o the irst surāh o theur>ā" (al$7ala6, Kthe 4lot >, i.e. the FJth #ha2ter), a"d "ot rom the #omme"#eme"t o the hi:r& #ale"dar, &hi#h is

te" years su+se9ue"t to that ee"t.10 he !ayā", i" tur", is to +e a+roated (or fulfilled) ater this 2eriod i" the !ā+ī messia"i# iure 2e whom 9od

shall make *anifest (man %u>hiruhu’Llāh) i" a #y#le o 2roressiely e"dless theo2ha"oloi#al ma"iestatio"s that,

2er the !ā+>s "oel loss o" the #o"#e2t o the Kresurrection> (6&%āma), &ill "eer a#tually #ease, i .e. e"dless

6&%āmāt . 4o&eer, des2ite the #laim o the !ahā>īs 2ut or&ard o" +ehal o their ou"der Bahā’ullāh, i" the

do#tri"e o the !ā+ himsel the i"terre"um 2eriod +et&ee" these Kma"iestatio"s> ( >uh.rāt ) G lossed as dawr

al$la%l (the #y#le o "iht) G is to last or this a22ro-imately le"thy 2eriod o +et&ee" 1511 to =001 years, a"d

the te-ts are 9uite e-2li#it o" this 2oi"t. or e-am2le, i" N"ity =, 3ate 1L o the Persian Ba%ān, the !ā+ states, $:

4e &hom 3od shall mae Ma"iest a22ears i" the "um+er h&%āth TU 1511V a"d all e"ter therei", "o"e shall

remai" i" the ire To re<e#tio"V. : it tarries till Tthe "um+erV mustahāth TU =001V, all shall e"ter therei", a"d

"o"e shall remai" i" the ire To re<e#tio"V, as all shall +e tra"siurated i"to his Eiht@,* (my tra"s.)H a"d N"ity

B, 3ate 15, $o"e "o&eth the time o the ma"iestatio" other tha" 3od. /he"soeer it shall tae 2la#e, all must



'ramati#ally +ei""i" his 2u+li# #areer as messiah2ro2het o" May =B, 18, &ith

a #omme"tary (tafA&r ) o" the t&elth s.rāh o the ur>ā", "o&" as the Kbest of stories> (a'san

al$6iAAāA, i.e. %ose2h)H "amely, the a%%.m al$)smā’ (the KPeerless>, K )risen> or KSelf$Subsistent

-ames>)H he erita+ly 2rodu#ed a "e& ur>ā" i" his o&" riht #o"sisti" o 2re#isely 111

s.rāhs, #om2lete &ith dis#o""e#ted letters o2e"i" ma"y o the #ha2ters a"d all the#hara#teristi# s#ri2tural rerai"s, tur"s o 2hraseoloy, im2erious to"e, rammati#al

a"omalies, so"orous elli2ti#al am+iuities, te-tual a"d "arratial 2arallelisms, a"d

e"erally aty2i#al li"uisti# stylisms ty2i#al o the hih #lassi#al orms, di#tio" a"d

e-e#utio" o the Ara+i# o the Ders2i#uous !oo? #laimed +y the !oo itsel (a"d 2er the

i"imita+ility, 7i:Cā+ al$6urān, arume"t) that "o"e #a" 2rodu#e a si"le erse the lie thereo.

ot ee" the Qur;ī ou"der aWl>ullāh Astarā+ādī>s (d. 1BF)11 Dersia" 3āvidān -āmih$i$"ab&r

(he 3reat !oo o ter"ity) had dared rea#h su#h harro&i"ly dizzyi" heihts o "o+le

a"d su+lime auda#ityH a"d this, rom a mere t&e"tyour year old mem+er o the mer#ha"t

#lass &ith "o semi"ary or ada"#ed s#holasti# reliious trai"i" &hatsoeer. Oet the la# o

the author>s ormal edu#atio" &as 2re#isely 2art o the a22eal he &as mai" reardi" his

i""ate, u"lear"ed "o&lede (7ilm fi#r& ) a"d so eide"#e that su#h ersi#alsi"s (ā%āt ) &ere

issui" rom the same &ells2ri" sour#es o i"s2iratio" (or =evelation) as the ur>ā">s.

As su#h &hat 4amid 'a+ashi says o the t&elth #e"tury :ra"ia" Sui i#o"o#last

ʿAy">uluWāt 4amadā"ī (d. 11B1) is ee" more true o the !ā+, that he +roe $Xthe

i"terdi#tory motis o his i"herited sa#red order to the su+ersie 2oi"t o "o retur".* 1=

4ere i" this irst o his &ors 2u+li#ized &as the most radi#al lea#y, as &ell as the most ar

rea#hi" o te"de"#ies, i" &eler Shi>ite esoteri#ism a"d "osis #o"ered i"to a si"le

point a"d i" #o"summate ("ay, dramati#) dis2layH a"d so, thereore, e2itomized a"d

testiy to its truth a"d ie tha"s u"to 3od, althouh +y 4is ra#ious +ou"ty it is ho2ed that 4e &ill a22ear till

the time o mustahāth TU=001V &herei" the &ord o 3od may +e eleated. A"d the Droo is the si", or 4is ery

+ei" 2roes 4im, &hilst 4e #a""ot +e "o&" +y &hat is +e"eath 4is ra". 3lory +e to 3od a+oe &hat is

attri+uted to 4im* (my tra"s.) 3ie" this, the !ahā>ī #laim that the !ā+ had 2redi#ted the #omi" o the !ā+ī

messia"i# iure i" the 2erso" o their ou"der a"d i" the year "i"e o the !ayā"ī #y#le (#orres2o"di" to

18JBRJ i" the 2ro2er yearly re#o"i" +ei""i" as o Mar#h 1850 or 185=RB +y the re#o"i" o the years o

the ma"iestatio" rom 18) is "ot +or"e out +y a si"le te-t, a"d es2e#ially "ot i" the Ara+i# !ayā" &here they

#laim this o##urs as 2er the #ry2ti# 2hrase $after a while* (ba7da '&n) &hose ab:ad "umeri#al alue is 1 redu#i"

i" its :afr to F. hat said, duri" the #y#le o this i"terre"um +et&ee" ma"iestatio"s i""umera+le dii"emirrors a"d uides are to arise uidi" the aithul (or Ki"itiates>) +et&ee" the t&o 2eriods. o 9uote Ma#oi",

$Xor our u"dersta"di" o su+se9ue"t ee"tsXthe hierar#hi#al system o $mirrors* (mirDāt ), $lasses*

(bul.ri%%āt ), $uides*(adillāD ), a"d $&it"esses* ( shuhadāD ) deelo2ed +y the !ā+ i" his later /riti"s Tis o

2aramou"t im2orta"#eV. his is "ot, i" the stri#t se"se, a" ora"ized system o hierar#hi#al rades si"#e the

terms i"oled are, to a lare deree, mutually i"ter#ha"ea+le a"d im2re#isely used i" the te-ts. eertheless,

hierar#hy is #ertai"ly i"oled i" the #o"#e2t, a"d there are i"di#atio"s that dei"ite roles &ere e"isaed or

i"diiduals e-er#isi" the u"#tio"s asso#iated &ith the titles. :" this res2e#t, !ā+ī do#tri"e oers a #lear

#o"ti"uatio" o the Shiʿi theory o Eu::i%%a, &hi#h is e-te"ded, "ot o"ly to the 2ro2het a"d the :māms or their

e9uiale"ts, +ut to other rades o a loose hierar#hy as &ell,* #. he *essiah of Shira+ (Eeide"? .%. !rill, =00F),

BJ.11 See Shahrzad !ashir>s 8a+lallah )starabadi and the 2urufis (6-ord? 6"e&orld Du+li#atio"s, =00F).1= C. ruth and -arrative( he 0ntimel% houhts of 7)%n’ul$uFāt )l$2amadān& (Ii#hmo"d Surrey? Curzo" Dress,

1FFF), 5.



personified, i" the !ā+ himsel.1B /ithi" days ater #om2osi" the i"itial #ha2ters o the

a%%.m al$)smā’ o" the 2rom2ti" o his emi"e"t uest a"d isitor, the se"ior Shayhī

#leri# Mullā Qusay" !ushr;>ī (d. 18F)1 (i.e. his irst +elieer, awwal man āmana, reerred to

thereater as the K9ate of the 9ate> , Bāb al$Bāb), si-tee" other i"diiduals i" 2erso" as &ell

soo" 2aid their alleia"#es to the !ā+ as his irst +elieers (&ith o"e i" a+se"tia, totalli"see"tee"), thus #o"stituti" the Eetters o the Eii" ('ur.f al$'a%%).15 Der the neoplatoni+in

ra"i" system o !ā+ism, the Eetters o the Eii", toether &ith the !ā+ himsel, made u2

the hierar#hy o the irst N"ity (al$wā'id al$awwalG o Allhi"s (kullu$sha%’ ).1J

Ater the ormatio" o this i"itial hierar#hy o the !ā+ī e##lesia, i" early Se2tem+er

18 the !ā+ set out or the 'a:: 2ilrimae to Me##a a##om2a"ied +y the i"al mem+er o it

Mullā Muḥammad ʿAlī !ārur;shī udd.s (d. 18F).1L here he had made his #laims 2u+li#,

&riti" assorted e2istles to arious reliious leaders, i"#ludi" the shar&ff o Me##a as &ell

as other di"itaries. Ietur"i" to :ra" i" MayR%u"e 185, a"d as the moeme"t &as

e-2a"di" &ith e-2o"e"tial s2eedH "ot to me"tio" as the im2a#t o his i"itial #laims &ere

&reai" some hao# amo" Shīʿi aithul i" :rā9 a"d :ra"H he &as arrested +y authorities i"

the 2ort #ity o !ushihr a"d es#orted +y armed uard +a# to Shīraz &here he &as 2la#ed

u"der house arrest a"d soo" #om2elled to mae a 2u+li# retra#tio" o his #laims. 'uri"

this 2eriod o his house arrest i" Shīraz, thro"s o isitors lo#ed to the #ity a"d &ritte"

#orres2o"de"#es +et&ee" the !ā+ a"d arious reliious iures #ir#ulated +a# a"d orth

rom all oer the Shīʿi #e"ters.

A #holera e2idemi# i" ars 2roi"#e duri" the mo"th o Se2tem+er 18J

#om2elled the !ā+ to tae liht rom Shīraz to :sahā" &here he ou"d +rie 2atro"ae

u"der its aei" 2roi"#ial oer"or Ma"u#hihr hā" Muʿtamid'a&lih, the 3eoria", a"d

&here i"itially he &as, at irst, ee" aoura+ly re#eied +y a e& "ota+le reliious

di"itaries. here attem2ti" to see a" audie"#e &ith the ā<ār mo"ar#h Muḥammad Shāh

1B or the massie #o"troersy this &or made o" its diusio" +y the !ā+ī emissary i" :rā9 a"d its re#e2tio" +y

+oth reliious #ir#les a"d 6ttoma" se#ular authorities, see Moo<a" Mome">s $he rial of *ulla 7)li Bastami( )

4ombined Sunni$Shi7i 8atwa aainst the Bāb,* i" 3ournal of the British Institute of Persian Studies, 1F8=, =0? 11BBH II,

==0B8.1 See '. Ma#oi">s e"try i" 5Ir (#ited i" our 2reious 2ie#e).15 his is +e#ause eihtee" is the ab:ad "umeri#al alue o 'a%% (lii", alie). hey &ere lie&ise reerred to as

the Aābi6.n (the 2re#eders), &hi#h is a term tae" dire#tly rom &eler Shīʿi es#hatoloi#al reere"#es.1J

he ull 2leroma o Allhi"s (kullu$sha%’ ) #o"sists o BJ1 i" total (1F - 1F). he "um+er 1F itsel is #o"sideredthe most sa#red "um+er i" !ā+ismH it is the u"dame"tal u"it ela+orati" the Dersia" !ayā" as &ell as the

!ayā"ī #ale"dar o 1F mo"ths a"d 1F days. he &ords wā'id (o"e, u"ity) a"d wu:.d (+ei", e-iste"#e) #orres2o"d

to it i" ab:ad "umeroloy. Amo" the reaso"s &hy this "um+er is held sa#red is +e#ause the bismillāh

+e"edi#tio" #o"tai"s 2re#isely "i"etee" letters i" total a"d so the irst N"ity is held here to +e the i"sta"tiated

2erso"ii#atio"s o these letters &ho are the" held to re2rese"t the #o"#ourse o the theo2ha"i# 2erso"s o the

ourtee" :"alli+les (i.e. Muḥammad, āYima a"d the &ele :māms) toether &ith the our ates (or, inter alia,

the our Ar#ha"els o the hro"e( Isfrā’&lRIa2hael, *&kā’&lRMi#hael, I+rā’&lRAzrael a"d 3ibrā’&lR3a+riel) a"d the

Drimal /ill (mash&’ā al$.lā) &ho has e"erated the 2re#edi" a"d &ho is re2rese"ted +y the letter bā’ (M) a"d its

2oi"t (nu6#a)H see Dersia" Ba%ān, N"ity 1, a"d also A++as Ama"at =esurrection and =enewal, (:tha#a? Cor"ell

N"iersity Dress, 1F8FH re2ri"ted, Eos A"eles? alimat Dress, =005),188FBH see as &ell 4e"ry Cor+i">s $he

Science of the Balance and 4orrespondences between Worlds in Islamic 9nosis accordin to the work of Ea%dar )muli, Hth JKth

centur%,* i" emple and 4ontemplation (Eo"do"? Ioutlede Z ea" Daul, 1F8J), 551B1.1L See Ma#oi">s e"try i" 5Ir (#ited i" our 2reious 2ie#e).



(d. 18F) i" the #a2ital ehrā"H u2o" the death o Ma"u#hihr hā" i" e+ruary 18L, a fatwa

#alli" or the !ā+>s death +y the more #o"seratie 7ulamā o the #ity o22osed to his #laims

or#ed him to lee :sahā" headi" or the #a2ital u"der es#ort 2roided +y its "e&

2roi"#ial oer"or. 6" the outsirts o ehrā" he &as i"ter#e2ted o" the orders o the

2rime mi"ister 4ā<<ī Mīrzā A9āsī (d. 18F), &ho "o& +e#ame the !ā+>s #hie ā<ār e"emya"d sym+oli#ally emered or the !ā+īs &hat Mīra"shāh (d. 108) had +ee" #e"turies earlier

to aWl>ullāh Astarā+ādī (d. 1BF) a"d the Qur;īs G vi+ a"ti#hrist (da::āl).

eari" the !ā+>s i"lue"#e o" the im2ressio"a+le mo"ar#h should he e"ter the

#a2ital a"d o+tai" a" audie"#e, 4ā<<ī Mīrzā A9āsī "o& redire#ted him u"der heaier es#ort

to the "orther" to&" o Mā; o" the Azer+ai<ā"Iussia" +order &here he &as to remai"

rom %uly 18L to May 188. A22rehe"sie o the !ā+>s ro&i" i"lue"#e a"d 2o2ularity,

a"d &hat this mea"t or the Muslim su+<e#ts o the em2ire>s +orders &ith :ra", the Iussia"

mi"ister i" ehrā" "e-t dema"ded the 2rime mi"ister relo#ate the !ā+ to the remote to&"

o Chihrī9 "ear Nr;mīya &here he &as the" 2la#ed u"der stri#t #o"i"eme"t. Soo" ater his

arrial i" Chihrī9 he &as +riely +rouht to a+rīz &here a a"aroo #ourt, #om2osed o the

the" #ro&" 2ri"#e ā[iruddī" Mīrzā a"d 2romi"e"t 7ulamā>, attem2ted "ot so mu#h to

as#ertai" the "ature o his #laims +ut to 2u+li#ly humiliate him.18 his ar#i#al trial o the

!ā+ &as to e"d &ith the !ā+>s +asti"ado a"d a i#titious letter ma"ua#tured +y o"e o its

#hie 2residers #laimi" the !ā+ had retra#ted his #laims.

/ith the !ā+ī u2risi"s i" Māza"darā" u"der&ay &ith iole"t ero#ity as o the

summer o 188H this, ollo&i" the !adasht atheri" &here the to2 !ā+ī leadershi2 had

ormally a""ou"#ed the 6&%āma a"d the e"d o the :slami# shar&7a a"d its dis2e"satio"H the

death o Muḥammad Shāh a"d the a##essio" o ā[iruddī" Shāh to the ā<ār thro"e i"

Se2tem+er 188 #o"i"#ed authorities that the !ā+ had to +e 2ut to death. Arua+ly the

i"itial tide o these u2risi"s 2ree"ted them rom doi" so earlierH +ut ater the

Māza"darā" !ā+ī u2risi" at Shayh \a+arsī &as +rutally #rushed, &ith all o its leaders a"d

most o its 2arti#i2a"ts massa#redH a"d &ith other u2risi"s "o& emeri" i" its stead &ith

reater ero#ity a"d s2readi" to Oazd the" ayrīz i" #e"tral :ra" the" shortly ater that to

]a"<ā" i" Azer+ai<a" as &ellH authorities a#ted s&itly a"d so i" the early summer o 1850

the !ā+ &as summarily +rouht rom Chihrī9 +a# to a+rīz &here, toether &ith a

dis#i2le, he &as 2u+li#ly e-e#uted +y iri" s9uad at "oo" o" %uly 8th 1850 i" the #ity>s

military +arra#s. 4ai" +ee" ormally a22oi"ted to su##eed him some mo"ths +eore, the

"i"etee" year old Mīrzā Oaḥyā ;rī u+ḥiAzal "o& emered as the !ā+>s leatee, Mirrora"d su##essor a"d so the su2reme 2o"ti o the "as#e"t !ā+ī e##lesia.1F

/e should "ote here that the year 18 (#orres2o"di" to the hi:r& 1=J0) &as

2re#isely o"ethousa"d years rom the #omme"#eme"t o the 6##ultatio" ( ha%ba) o the

&elth, a"d i"al, ithnā 7ashar& :mām Muḥammad i+" Qassa" alʿAsar^ (+. 8JF C) i" =J0 A4

18 See Ma#oi">s $he rial of the Bāb( Shi7ite MrthodoN% confronts its mirror imae* i" he *essiah of Shirā+, 0F50.1F See our 2reious arti#le. 4ere &e &ould lie to mae a #orre#tio" to o"e o the #itatio"s i" the "otes o our

2reious 2ie#e. :" "= &e said that S.M. a+aiIazai Ioha"i>s ār&kh$i$8ir6i$i$Bāb&’i dar Bahdād a+ JOH tā JOHQ

(N"2u+lished dissertatio"? ehrā", =01B) &as a" MA thesis rom ehrā" N"iersity. :t is i" a#t rom Shahīd

!ihishtī N"iersity a"d "ot ehrā" N"iersity.



(8L C). he e"eral si"ii#a"#e o this a#t alo"e should "ot +e lost siht o i" a"y oerall

assessme"t reardi" the i"itial 2oliti#al su##esses o !ā+ism, as it u"ders#ores the a#t that

messia"i# erour, s2e#ulatio", "ot to me"tio" e-2e#tatio", &as rie at the time throuhout

the area.=0 :t may also to some e-te"t 2ossi+ly e-2lai" its ultimate 2oliti#al ailure as &ell.

!e that as it may, a"d as Ma#oi" has 9uite rihtly 2oi"ted out,=1

the sheer 2rodiiousout2ut o #om2ositio"s let +y the !ā+ duri" this short si- year 2eriod o his mi"istry

totalli" some $ity olumes, ea#h o o"e hu"dred 2aes &ith te" &ords to the li"e a"d

t&e"ty li"es to the 2ae* +y o"e estimate (Sources, 15) 2erha2s #o"stitutes o"e o the most

i"teresti" #or2us o &riti"s aaila+le i" the history o #hiliasti# se#taria" moeme"ts i"

:slami#ateH or else&here, or that matter.

he Dolar Moti, the S#ie"#e o the Eettershe Dolar Moti, the S#ie"#e o the Eettershe Dolar Moti, the S#ie"#e o the Eettershe Dolar Moti, the S#ie"#e o the Eetters a"da"da"da"d the Al#hemi#althe Al#hemi#althe Al#hemi#althe Al#hemi#al AAAAs#e"sio"s#e"sio"s#e"sio"s#e"sio"

/e &ill "o& tur" to a dis#ussio" o the 2olar moti a"imati" the i""er i"te"tio" +ehi"d

our mai" 2ie#e +y the !ā+ (tra"slated +elo&) a"d ho& this i"orms the oerall situation o

its al#hemi#al "arratie, +eore reiterati" a e& 2oi"ts o" the s#ie"#e o the letters, ater

&hi#h &e &ill tou#h u2o" the sym+olism o the al#hemi#al as#e"sio" i" our 2ie#e. /e &ill

state rom the +ei""i" o this "e-t dis#ussio" that &hat is detailed +elo& is rele#tie o

the reater do#tri"al rame&or that has +ee" #lassiied as 4ih :mamoloy.== his 4ih

:mamoloy, or its 2art, #a" arua+ly +e lo#ated &ithi" sour#es a"d tra"smissio"s mu#h

older G a"d #loser to the 2eriod o :slam>s irst #e"turies tha" similar s#hemes ou"d mu#h

later o", su#h as the theoso2hi#al Suism o iures lie :+" ʿAra+ī (d. 1=0) a"d his s#hool.

hat said, the s2e#ii# 2oi"ts o de2arture, "ot to me"tio" the 9ualiied hue, this

2ers2e#tie taes here is rom start to i"ish o"es that si"ularly i"orm !ā+ism a"d the

earlier Shayhī s#hool.=B

rom the ery outset o the reater Shīʿite traditio", the irst :mām ʿAlī i+" A+ī

\āli+>s (d. JJ1) &ell "o&" ma-im that $al#hemy is the sister o 2ro2he#y* &as to +e tae"

9uite a#utely +y all o our Shi>ite spirituals as o"e o seeral 2ioti" a"d uidi" leitmotis

o Shīʿite "osis a"d esoteri#ism tout court . !esides this amous stateme"t, there are

#ou"tless others lie it, su#h as the :mām>s homily o the tra"smuted ire (al$nār al$

=0 he &hole irst 2art o Ama"at>s =esurrection and =enewal, 22. BB105, seres as a" i"stru#tie 2rimer i" that

reard.=1 :" Sources for 5arl% Babi ;octrine and 2istor%( ) Surve% (Eeide"? .%. !rill, 1FF=), he"#eorth Sources.== he +est i"trodu#tio" o" the su+<e#t remai"s Mohammad Ali AmirMoezzi>s he ;ivine 9uide in 5arl% Shi7ism(

he Sources of 5sotericism in IslamH see as &ell odd Ea&so">s $he ;awnin Places of the Lihts of 4ertaint% in the

;ivine Secrets 4onnected with the 4ommander of the 8aithful b% =a:ab Bursi,* i" he Leac% of *edieval Persian Sufism ed.

Eeo"ard Ee&isoh" (Eo"do"? ha"i9ahiimatullahi Du+li#atio"s, 1FF=H re2ri"ted 6-ord? 6"e&orld

Du+li#atio"s, 1FFF), =J1=LJ.=B or the Shayhī s#hool, see 4e"ry Cor+i">s 2istor% of Islamic Philosoph% (Eo"do" a"d e& Oor? ea" Daul

:"ter"atio"al a"d the :"stitute o :smāʿīlī Studies, 1FFB), B5=J, a"d 5n islam iranien )spect spirituels et

philosophi6ues( ome I1 L’Rcole d’Ispahan, L’Rcole sha%khie, Le ;ou+eme ImTm (Daris? 3allimard, 1FLB), =05B00H a"d

+elo&.



mu'arra6) that is ou"d i" the "hu#ba al$Ba%ān (Sermo" o the -2ositio"),= o"e o the t&o

most &idely rearded e"imati# sermo"s attri+uted to the Comma"der o the aithul,

&herei" theopathic stateme"ts a+ou"d=5 ma"y o them +ei" o a disti"#tly al#hemi#al

laour. his homily, i" tur", &as to amously +e#ome a to2i# o #omme"tary +y the

ourtee"th #e"tury Shīʿite al#hemist al%aldaī,=J

to "ame +ut o"ly o"e o its ma"y emi"e"t#omme"tators. :"deed rom the ery +ei""i" o this s2e#ii# traditio">s e"eral

treatme"t o the arcana, the 2olara-ial 2ositio" o the :māms G "ay, the Deo2le o the

4ouse (ahl al$ba%t ) i" e"tirety suuses it &herei" to a reat e-te"t the motis o sear#h a"d

re#o"itio" o the :mām a"d the opus a"d #reatio" o the Most 3reat li-ir (iks&r al$a7>am) G

other&ise "o&" as the Sto"e (al$'a:ar ) may +e said o" ma"y leels to +e sy"#hro"ous

dis#oursesH that is, "arraties "e#essarily i"ter2e"etrati" ea#h other.

rom this a"tae 2oi"t o 4ih :mamoloy, thereore, the stress laid i" the esoteri#

tea#hi"s o the :māms o" the realizatio" o the Ktrue reliion> (d&n al$'a66 U ma7arifa, "osis)H

&hi#h they de"ote lie&ise &ith the term the K pure reliion> (d&n al$khāliA)H &ith the noesis o

the 4iero:"tellie"#e (7a6l)H=L +ei" the a#tual realizatio"=8 (ta'6&6, ta'a6u66) o the i"itiati#

"o&lede (the tra"smitted 7ilm o the :mām) as su#h, a"d he"#e the realizatio" o &hat i"

the Alam;tī iPārī :smāʿīlī do#tri"e su2er+ly ets termed the Imām$of$ones$beinH=F

#o"stitutes the oerall si"ii#a"#e o the ars operativa i" Shīʿite al#hemy. :" this

2ers2e#tie, the Person o the :māmH that is, the 4elestial Personalit% &ho sta"ds as the @eil o

Eiht, &ho is +oth the master 2residi" oer 2aradise as &ell as hell, B0 a"d &ho is the

S2eai" !oo (kitāb al$nā#i6)H a"d the Dhiloso2her>s Sto"e are o"e a"d the same +e#ause as

the heo2ha"y par eNcellence the :mām sta"ds at the limit (the 'add) at &hi#h the

coincidentia oppositorum o##urs.B1 his may +e o"e &ay a Shīʿite al#hemi#al loss, a taw&l, o"

ur>ā" 1?5B may +e u"derstood.B= !ut, ee" more e-2li#itly, it is ho& the e"imati#

stateme"t +y the Comma"der o the aithul 2ro2erly #omme"#i" the dis#ourse o the

= See Muḥammad i+" Maḥm;d 'ihdār Shīrāzī>s Shar'$i$"hu#ba al$Ba%ān, ".d., ".2.H see also Cor+i">s a2ro2os

remars reardi" al%aldaī, the Sermon of the 5Nposition a"d the e9uiale"#y o al#hemy &ith 'ikma

(theoso2hi#al &isdom) i" 2istor% of Islamic Philosoph%, BB1=.=5 he other +ei" the Sermon Between the wo 9ulfs (khu#ba al$#atan:&%%a).=J See 4e"ry Cor+i" )lchimie comme art hi<rati6ue, ed. Dierre Eory (Daris? E>4er"e, 1F8J), B1H JL.=L See "B a+oe.=8 :" itsel #o"sidered a dii"e +ou"ty (ni7ma) rather tha" a#9uired throuh 2erso"al eort or a#9uisitio" (kasb).=F

/e "ote the ollo&i" khabar rom %aʿar re#orded i" ulay"ī>s al$"āf& ? $3od has 2la#ed t&o i"ds o authorityoer huma"s. he a22are"t a"d ma"iest ( >āhir ) authority a"d the i"ter"al a"d hidde" (bā#in) authority. he

2ro2hets a"d messe"ers are the a22are"t a"d ma"iest authorities, a"d 4iero:"tellie"#e T 7a6l U "ousV is the

hidde" (bā#in) a"d i"ter"al authority,* 4 1=, Ch. 1.B0 6"e amous 'ad&th i" Ma<lisī>s Bi'ār al$)nwār (he 6#ea"s o the Eihts) is "oted or #hara#terizi" ʿAlī +y the

a22ellatio" R (the master o 2aradise a"d the ire), seeا PQا 1 N / Oا! / ار htt2?RRshia+oo.+loa.#omR2ostF.as2-

(a##essed = A2ril =011).B1 Cor+i"? lUImam comme ma+har est bien la limite T partir de la6uelle prennent naissance les couples de termes

antith<ti6ues (here is "o dou+t, the :mam as dii"e ma"iestatio", is the limit at &hi#h the arious 2airs o

a"titheti#al terms are +or", tra"s. odd Ea&so" ), #. 4oincidentia Mppositorum in the a%%um al$)sma( the terms

VPoint Xnu6taG, VPole X6utbG, V4enter Xmarka+G and the "hutba al$atan:i%a 6##asio"al Da2ers i" Shayhi, !a+i a"d

!aha>i Studies, 4!ahai? @ol.5, o.1, %a"uary, =001.B= Soon shall we show them Mur sins in the hori+ons Xf&’l$āfā6G and in themselves Xwa f& anfusihimG until it become manifest

X%ataba%%anaG to them that, veril%, it is the =eal ruth Xal$'a66G, my tra"s.



Sermo" !et&ee" the &o 3uls (khu#ba al$ta#an:&%a) must, i" our o2i"io", +e u"derstood? $I

am the Mne standin between the wo 9ulfs YandZ I am the Mne observant over the two Wests and the

two 5astsX*BB 3ie" this, the :mām is here the opus as &ell as its eli-irRlapis, its 2atie"t a"d

its a#tor, the alpha a"d the omea, &hereore %aʿar 2ro#laims, $veril% Mur 4ause is the =eal

ruth and the =ealit% of the ruth, and it is the *anifest and the 2idden, and the 2idden of the2idden, and it is a *%ster% and the 5nima of that *%ster%, and it is a secreted Secret, and a YhihZ

*%ster% concealed within another Secret X*B

As su#h the dis#ourse +y the !ā+ +elo& #a" o" ma"y 2arallel leels +e lossed as a"

i"itatio" to its re#i2ie"t #oded i" al#hemi#al #i2her to +eliee i" his #ause (amr ) as the

rue :mām a"d 'ii"e 3uide 6ua the Dhiloso2her>s Sto"eRthe Most 3reat li-ir? a"

i"itatio" &herei" the i""er sym+oli# reality a"d statio" o the !ā+ himsel is u"eiled

throuh su#h #i2hers to his i"terlo#utor &ithi" a dis#ourse a+out the ars operativa. his is,

ho&eer, "ot to +e tae" i" either a"y #ateori#al se"se or as a mere meta2hori# dis#ourse

#ou#hed i" the la"uae o al#hemi#al lourishes. :"stead the dis#ourse is to +e tae" o"

as#e"di" s#ales a"d u2o" a" a"aoi#al ladder o eer e-2a"di" mea"i"s e"ai"

sym+oli# alleory 6ua the ars operativa that #a""ot +e #ommu"i#ated i" a"y other &ay.

3ie" this, &e &ould suest that the staes (or theo2ha"i# se9ue"#es, rather) o ʿAlī>s

'ad&t' al$'a6&6a +e e2t irmly i" mi"d here as #ommu"i#atie o the u"oldi" tra<e#tories

o the a"aoi#al leels o as#e"t a#utely 2rese"t i" our te-t. 4ere it is, as it &ere, the !ā+>s

$disclosure of the ma:esties of lorification ( sub.hāt al$:alāl) without indication*B5 to his addressee

throuh &hi#h the staes o the 2ro#essBJ &ill ultimately #ulmi"ate or this i"terlo#utor,

should he asse"t, i" the e-ti"uishi" o the lam2 o his o&" 2artial i"telle#t u2o" the

a22rehe"sio" o the arise" 'a&" o the N"iersal :"telle#t, the Drimal Doi"t, &hi#h here is

the !ā+ himsel as the Ma"iest :mām? the Ma"iest :mām &ho is the heo2ha"y par

eNcellence a"d so the e2i2ha"y o the coincidentia oppositorum made ma"iest to our

i"terlo#utor.BL his +e#omes, the", the erita+le #reatio" o the eli-irRlapis $in the hori+ons

and in the selves* as the realizatio" o the V=eal ruththe rul% =eal* (al$'a66), i.e. the [uh.r

(dii"e ma"iestatio"Ra22eara"#e). :" other &ords, or the i"itiated 2roe"y o Adam a"d

e, it is throuh, +y a"d i" the :mām &herei" the palinenesis o##urs, si"#e the :mām is the

soul>s 2ere#t mirror (mir’āt ) literally its locus amoenus, its 2la#e o re2oseB8 &ho u"#tio"s

as its erita+le sym+oli# athanor that accomplishes its tra"smutatio".

BB My tra"s. ote the #o"#e2t o the Watcher (s) (&r&n) i" the !oo o 'a"iel as a #i2her i"di#ati" 3od>s a"els as

$&at#hul* or $iila"t se"ti"els, * htt2?RR&&&.a+u."+.#aRCoursesRe&estame"tR4e+re&sRA"els.htm

(retreied = A2ril =011)H or a" Ara+i# te-t o the Sermo" !et&ee" the &o 3uls, see A22e"di- :: o Ea&so">s

2a2er a+oe.B C. aār alummī, Basā’ir al$;ara:āt (!eirut? ".d.), 1=?5F.B5 :.e. the irst theo2ha"i# se9ue"#e o the 'ad&th al$'a6&6a.BJ See our "=5 i" the 2reious arti#le.BL or a e"eral dis#ussio" o this 2oi"t i" its early !ā+ī tra<e#tory, see odd Ea&so", $ he Structure of 5Nistence in

the BābUs afsir and the Perfect *an *otif ,* Studia Iranica, 1FF=? 81FF.B8 ote the sym+olism o the ree ( sha:ara) G 2arti#ularly the ree o Ieality ( sha:arat’ul$'a6&6a) as o"e

i"di#atie o the embodified ("ot Kem+odied>) heo2ha"y 6ua the ter"al :mām i" the &riti"s o the !ā+. :" the

#o"te-t o :slami#!ā+ī esoteri#ism a"d "osis, embodiment U 'ul.l (i"#ar"atio") &hereas embodification U

ta:all& R >uh.r (theo2ha"yRma"iestatio").



Eet us a"alyse the matter urther a"d rom &ithi" our o&" te-t. BF he !ā+ +ei"s

the se#o"d 2arara2h o the dis#ourse +y stati" that $9od has not created an%thin without

also fashionin within it a letter ('arf ) of the eliNir in accordance with its stationeNistential rank*

(ma6ām) (111115151515). 4ere this dis#losure is #i2heri#ally iteratie o the meta2hysi#al a#tuality

o the Dreter"al Coe"a"t o )last (ur>ā", L?1L=, al$)7rāf , Kthe 4eihts>)0

&here+y in illotempore the 2re#reatio"al late"#y o the #olle#tie multitude o the eidaic (Dlato"i# :deal

Ar#hety2e) ormsu+sta"#es ( :awhar&%āt ) &hi#h is a"other &ay o sayi" the eNistential

particles (dharr&%āt ) o the 2roe"y o Adam a"d e are dramaturicall% assem+led u2o" the

atemporal 2la"es o atheri" (mash'ar ) G that is, i" the +amān (time) o dahr

(duratio"less"ess 2er2etuity) to +ear &it"ess &ithi" themseles en toto a"d i" the

2rese"#e o the 'ii"e as to the disti"#tie"ess, the si"ular u"i9ue"ess ( fardān&%a), o their

Eord (i.e. $Am : "ot your Eord_,* alastu bi$rabbikum, to &hi#h the #olle#tie res2o"se is, $yes,

&e testiy Tthat hou art7V,* bala shahadnā)H this, so that u2o" the 'ay o Iesurre#tio" ( %awm

al$6&%āma) G &hi#h i" its !ā+ī 2arla"#e e-2li#itly de"otes the [uh.r itsel G they may "ot

the" #laim to hae +ee" u"a&are or heedless o their o&" e-iste"tially situated 2re

#reatio"al ( fi#r& ) airmatio" (ibid. our 2ara2hrase). :" its Shīʿite!ā+ī loss the Eord (rabb), o

#ourse, here sta"ds or the :mām a"d "ot or the 9odhead per se, si"#e i" :ts utter, remote

tra"s#e"de"#e (tan+&h) :t sta"ds &ell +eyo"d all thi"s a"d so #a" dis2e"se &ith su#h triles

as re9uiri" either the asse"t or the de"ial o :ts #reatio". hereore, to 2ut it a"other &ay,

the :mām is &hat is here mea"t i" ur>ā" 5B?1B as the sidrat’ul$muntahā (the Eoteree o the

arthest limit, that 2ro2erly mars the +ou"dary o the see"th heae"), a"d so here the ars

operativa a"d soterioloy are i"tri"si#ally li"ed s#hemes thus mai" o the Shīʿite!ā+ī

opus a e"erally salii# u"dertai".

o& the e-iste"tial mar o this 2rimordial asse"t to the Eordshi2 (rub.b&%a) o the

:mām is the letter (the 'arf ) +y &hi#h ea#h i"diidual mem+er o the 2roe"y o Adam a"d

e 2ast, 2rese"t a"d uture is #reatiely i"sta"tiated +e#ause it is ea#h o"e>s 2rimeal,

2re#reatio"al individuation (the 2redetermi"ed fi#r&%a o ea#h thi", its ta6d&r ) i" the Dre

ter"al (a+al& ) dii"e matri-. he i""er mystery ( sirr ) o ea#h letter, i" tur", is its eliNiric

reality ('a6&6a iks&r&%a) G +ut #o"ti"e"t u2o" its a#tualizatio" i" the horizo"tally situated

s2atiotem2oral mu"da"e to &hi#h its realizatio" is ultimately li"ed a"d de2e"de"t via its

airmatio" (ithbāt ) o the Celestial Derso" o the :mām (U the mea"i" o the illā allāhReNcept

9od o the shahada) that, the", is the ey (miftā') G its o&" individuated #i2her, as it &ere to

BF he "e-t t&o 2arara2hs is our o&" summarized 2ara2hrase o ey se#tio"s o the !ā+>s #omme"tary o" the

s.rah o the Co& (al!a9ara), his irst e-te"sie &or 2rior to his de#laratio" i" 18, &hi#h &e hold as the

edii#e o his e"tire meta2hysi#al system. or the te-t o this #omme"tary, see, htt2?RR&&&.h

"et.orR`+ahaiRare2ri"tR+a+RS]Rta+a9R+a9arah.htm (a##essed =1 Mar#h =011).0 :t should +e "oted that amo" the titles or the :māms is the men of the 2eihts (ri:āl al$a7rāf ) &here+y this

&hole surāh, a"d this erse s2e#ii#ally a"d the su+se9ue"t, is said to reer to them. :" his #omme"tary o" the

#alliram o the 3reatest ame, Siyyid āPim Iashtī (d. 18BR_) a22lies this title to the :māms &hilst

#orres2o"di" ea#h o the siils o the 3reatest ame to them as &ell. or a te-t o Siyyid āPim Iashtī>s

#omme"tary, see htt2?RR&&&.s#ri+d.#omRdo#R5==F5B1RIashtiSharh:smAllahalAzam (a##essed A2ril

=011) (&e are rateul to Droessor Ea&so" or mai" the MS.... o this im2orta"t &or aaila+le to us).



its eli#ity ( falā'), its 2ali"e"esis, i" the a22rehe"sio" o the :māmoo"es+ei"H1 &hi#h

is, the realizatio" o the 4iero:"tellie"#e (vi+. the 7a6l as the a#tualizatio" o the :mām>s

7ilm). :" Suhra&ardī>s di#tio", this is the realizatio" o o"e>s Dere#t ature (#iba7 al$tamm),

the s%+%% (i.e. the ]oroastria" %a+ata), "amely, the malak.t& a"eli#dou+leH there+y mai"

o the ter"al :mām here the Celestial Eord o the s2e#ies (rabb al$naw7 ) 2residi" oer the2roe"y o Adam a"d e. his, the", is o"e o the mea"i"s +ehi"d ʿAlī>s reiteratio" o the

'el2hi# ma-im, $whosoever knows their Self, knows their Lord*= ie" that the Sel (nafs, anima)

here 6ua the :māmoo"es+ei" is i" all #ases the ter"al :mām, the 7ā6l (4iero

:"tellie"#e).B As su#h to those amo"st their i"itiated "osti# ade2ts (i.e. the mu’min&n, the

true, i"itiati# +elieers) &ho hae truly "o&" that is, noetici+ed their Eord, the ter"al

:mām is +oth the a2otheosis o their souls &ithi" the tra"smuti" 2ro#ess o their

i"diidual palineneses (their arise" 'a&") ( sol) as &ell as the u"i9ue ( fard& ), i"diiduated

sophianit%, the fā#im&%a, that "o& #elestially des#e"ds u2o" them as a result5 a"d so atta#hes

itsel he"#eorth as the 2erma"e"t mar (luna), its estiial si"ature or si" (Calāma)H

+e#ause this is the eli-iri# reality "o& a#tualized, &hi#h is the 7a%n al$fu’ād (the ye or

:"tellie"#e o the 4eart) actuated (o" fu’ād, see our "ote +elo&).J

4ai" u"2a#ed a+oe &hat the i""er thrust o the e-2li#itly al#hemi#al se#tio" o

our treatise is mea"t to #o"ey, let us "o& mae a e& more 2erti"e"t #omme"ts a+out the

s#ie"#e o the letters (7ilm al$'ur.f ) itsel a"d its relatio" to the Art. :" his *u6adimma the

ourtee"th #e"tury Muslim so#ioloist a"d historiora2her :+" hald;" says o it?

Eet it +e "o&" to youXthat the s#ie"#e o letters is a" im2orta"t s#ie"#e. he

s#holar &ho "o&s it #omes to "o& thi"s that he &ould "ot +e a+le to "o&

&ith the hel2 o a"y other s#ie"#e i" the &orld. he 2ra#ti#e o the s#ie"#e o

(letter mai#) re9uires #ertai" #o"ditio"s. /ith its hel2, the s#holar may dis#oer

the se#rets o #reatio" a"d the i""er &ori"s o "ature. hus, he lear"s the t&o

1 he :mām &ho is the a"ima, soul or Sel (nafs) o o"e>s +ei" i" the reality o dii"e airmatio" +ut "ot i" the

"eatio" (lā ilāha) that is the eoi#, #o"#u2is#e"t sel or the mere eoi# seli"diiduatio" (&hi#h is still "ot the

s2iritual i"diiduatio" o the Sel).= he !ā+>s o&" #omme"tary o" this amous 'ad&th i"sta"#es this 2oi"t e-2li#itly.B 3u"o"? $Xi"soar as it is a bse#o"d +irthb, i"itiatio" is u"dame"tally "othi" other tha" the ba#tualizatio"b i"

the huma" +ei" o the ery 2ri"#i2le &hi#h, i" u"iersal ma"iestatio", a22ears as the Ueternal )vataraUX*

Perspectives on Initiation (4illsdale? So2hia Dere""is, =001), =FF. Der the mea"i" o the i"al theo2ha"i# se9ue"#e o the 'ad&th alha6&6a.5 ote the #o"#e2t o the Mazdea" farr Rcar"ah (the liht o lory), es2. as outli"ed +y 4e"ry Cor+i" i" Spiritual

Bod% and 4elestial 5arth( 8rom *a+daean Iran to Shi’ite Iran, tra"s. a"#y Dearso", (Dri"#eto"? !olli"e" Series cC:,

Dri"#eto" N"iersity Dress, 1FLL), B50.J A2art rom &hat is stated +elo&, &e should 2oi"t out that eerythi" that a##rues i" the dei"itio" o 7a%n al$

6alb (eye o the heart) i" Sui lossaries is a22li#a+le to fu’ād a"d more so i" its Shayhī!ā+ī de"otatio". his is

es2e#ially em2hasized ie" that its em2loyme"t i" ur>ā" 5B?11 s2e#ii#ally ollo&s, a"d is <u-ta2osed, +y

Kisio">, "amely, the Dro2het>s o&". 3ie" this, &e &ill say that fu’ād, the :"tellie"#e o the 4eart, the 4iero

:"tellie"#e a"d the :māmoo"e>s+ei" are sy"o"ymous a"d thorouhly i"ter#ha"ea+le terms.



results o 2hiloso2hy, &hi#h are letter mai# a"d its sister (al#hemy). he eil o

the u""o&" is lited or him. 4e thus lear"s the se#ret re#esses o the heartX L

More re#e"tly tha" :+" hald;", i" he Science of the Letters8 Ie" 3u"o" 2oi"a"tly

maes the #o""e#tio" +et&ee" the Ied Sul2hur (al$kibr&t al$a'mar ), the s#ie"#e o the lettersa"d its assimilatio" to the ars operativa e"erally s2eai". 4e #o"#ludes his essay +y

o+seri"?

:" a#t, these t&o s#ie"#es Ti.e. the s#ie"#e o letters a"d al#hemyV, &he"

u"derstood i" de2th, are i" reality o"e a"d the sameH a"d that &hi#h +oth o

them e-2ress u"der ery diere"t a22eara"#es is "othi" more tha" the ery

2ro#ess o i"itiatio" itsel &hi#h, moreoer, riorously re2rodu#es the

#osmoo"i# 2ro#ess, i"asmu#h as the total realisatio" o the 2ossi+ilities o a

+ei" is "e#essarily +rouht a+out +y 2assi" throuh the same 2hases as that o

u"iersal -iste"#e (ibidG

4ere 3u"o" has hihlihted the esse"tial a#ility o this s#ie"#e>s a22li#atio" i" the

2ra#ti#e o the arcana, es2e#ially &he" im2lyi" ho& it mirrors (ee" Ka#ilitates>) the ste2s

o" the ladder o the soul>s as#e"t throuh the leels o !ei". he !ā+ restates the issue

ee" more e-2li#itly, a"d o" a 2ra#ti#al leel ee" e"<oi"s the 2ra#ti#e o the s#ie"#e o

letters u2o" all his +elieers as a #or"ersto"e o the !ayā"ī #reed,F mai" it o"e o the

e-oteri# 2illars o the "e& !ayā"ī shar&7a G or more 2re#isely, a'kām (ordi"a"#es). :" the

se#tio" "o&" as Kthe tablet reardin the letters> (law'$i$'ur.fāt ) o the late Book of the 8ive

9rades, i" mu#h more aume"ted ashio", the !ā+ e#hoes the last 2art o 3u"o">s 2oi"t, as

&ell as deli"eati" the reater !ayā"ī meta2hysi#al 2ers2e#tie o" it, stati"?

XAmo" the +ou"ties that the Drese"#e o N"#ha"a+lea"ess ('aFrat$i$lam %a+al)

Ti.e. 3odV has +esto&ed u2o" the Doi"t o the !ayā" is the "o&lede o all thi"s

i" a si"le Sel (nafs$i$wāhid) so that he may +ehold e"erated e-iste"#e (takw&n)

&ithi" the &orld o the letters (7ālam$i$'ur.f ) &ith the eye o #ertai"ty (ʿa%n$i$

%a6&n)H a"d this is a 2ere#t 2roo u"to all <ust lie the ersi#alsi"s (ā%āt )H a"d it

&as T#o"#ealedV amo" the hidde" treasuries (makh+.n) o the 'ii"e "o&lede

(7ilm$i$ilāh& ) that &as "ot reealed u"til "o&, or it is more treme"dous (aC++) tha"a"y other "o&lede. All the TholyV !oos &ill +e reealed Ti" the utureV, a"d it is

rom this "o&lede that the Cause o $ %our 9od, who is Mne 9od,* (ur>ā" 1J?==)

L ra"s. ra"z Iose"thal, #h2.J? Dd ersio" (".2., ".d.), J81.8 :" 8undamental S%mbols( he 0niversal Lanuae of Sacred Science ed. Z #om2. Mi#hel @alsa", tra"s. Ali" Moore

%"r., rei. Marti" Ei"s (6-ord? ui"ta sse"tia, 1FF5), BB8.F $But strive in the "nowlede of the Letters, and 4on:unctions of the -umbers of 9odUs -ames, and 4on:unctions of like

words, and 4on:unctions of like Writins in their proper place\ for Permission hath been accorded for each person to arrane

the order of the Ba%ān in such wise as appeareth sweetest\ for thouh it appear after a thousand fashions, %et do all return to

the Soul of the Ba%ān,* N"ity B, 3ate 1J, tra"s. .3. !ro&"e i" Summar% of the Persian Ba%an i" Selections from the

Writins of 59 Browne on the Babi and Baha’i =eliions, ed. Moo<a" Mome" (6-ord? 3eore Io"ald, 1F8L), B1J.



has TalreadyV +ee" reealed Ti" the 2astV. :" the !ayā" the ma"iestatio"s o ea#h

lordshi2 Tsu+sistV u"der the shado& o this erse &ithi" the ates o 2aradise a"d

lie&ise i" this ma""er &ithi" the ire, &hi#h $over it is nineteen* (ur>ā" L?B0).

A"d the !ayā" has arise" &ithi" the &ords o e-alted"ess (kalimāt$i$7i++&%a) to

su#h a" e-te"t that, 3od &illi", &ithi" Tthe #y#le o theV !ayā" TitselV it Ti.e. thes#ie"#e o the lettersV shall rea#h its mode o #om2letio" a"d utmost 2ere#tio".

:" short, all thi"s (kullu$sha%’ ) "eer all outside Tthe 2urie&V o the t&e"ty

eiht letters To the Ara+i# al2ha+etV, a"d i" this ma""er the e"erated e-iste"#e

o all thi"s is Tlie&iseV "eer outside To the 2urie&V o the mea"i" o these

lettersH a"d the ruly Ieal ('a66), loriied +e 4e a"d 4ih, has assem+led these

letters &ithi" elee" derees o :t>s "o&ledeH50 a"d rom the alisma"i#em2le

(ha%kal) o the Drimal /ill (mash&’%at$i$avval&%a), &hi#h is the irst 4uma" (insān$i$

awwal), T:tV has determi"ed the out&ard TormV o this alisma"i#em2le to +e

Tthe letterV hā’ ( ) a"d its i"terior to +e Tthe letterV wāw ( )H a"d it has ashio"ed

eihtee" alisma"i#em2les u"der the shado& o this alisma"i#em2le &ithi"

the o#ea" o Tdii"eV "amesH a"d it #a""ot +e#ome t&e"ty +e#ause the utmost

limit o the Tdii"eV "ames is the Tdii"eV "ame the Aid :"oed ( mustahāth

ث U =001)H a"d #o"sider that i" the Teihtee"V alisma"i#em2les this matter

shall +e #o"#lusiely 2roe" &ithi" the most 2ere#t rame&or. A"d the

diusio" o the reelatio" o this "o&lede o the alisma"i#em2les is "auht

+ut or the sae o Testa+lishi"V #o"#lusie demo"stratio"s or the 3uides o the

!ayā" or Tthe sae o all &ho areV other tha" them Ti.e. the "o"+elieers, i.e.

ʿawwām,51 the e"eralityV (JL, my tra"s.)5=X

arlier i" the same the +oo, dire#tly s2eai" to al#hemy, the !ā+ states?

Xhe s#ie"#e o the li-ir is lie the #reatio" o all thi"s Ti.e. the #osmoe"esisV.

:t is "ot 2ossi+le or it to hae a +ei""i" or a" e"d, a"d "o o"e may ras2 the

rades a"d statio"s o its limits other tha" 3od, or all hae arise" +y the

#auseR#omma"d (amr ) o 3od7 @erily &ithi" the Tthe a#me oV the i"terior reality

o this Tal#hemi#alV s#ie"#e is Tou"dV 3od T&ho is #o"#ealedV &ithi" the Ti"i"iteV

eils o holi"ess ('u:ub al$6uds). A"d &he"soeer a"yo"e rom amo"st 4is

50 As Ma#oi" has #orre#tly lossed, these are the elee" derees #orres2o"di" to the sum o the letters S a"d 1

that i"sta"#es h.w&%a. /here he has erred, is i" lossi" h.w&%a as Ke-iste"#e> (wu:.d) &ithout urther

#omme"tary si"#e h.w&%a re2rese"ts the mystery o the dii"e ipseit% that is strictu sensu "e#essarily +eyo"d

wu:.d i" !ā+ī meta2hysi#s, &hi#h 2ro2erly +elo"s to the realm o the Drimal /ill. /hat the !ā+ has i"di#ated

here, &hi#h is immediately made a22are"t i" the ollo&i" #lause, is that these elee" derees re2rese"ti" the

ipseit% are the mirrors to the Drimal /ill &ho re2rese"ts the ipseit%. :" other &ords, the Drimal /ill, as the

ema"ated i"sta"tiatio" o the ipseit%, mirror>s it G "ot that it is it. he larer ema"atio"ist s#heme here is

a22are"t. Ma#oi">s error is +oth sema"ti# a"d i"atte"tio" to the su+tleties a"d #ateories i"ormi" the larer

meta2hysi#s here.51 /hom i" the la"uae o :māmī esoteri#ism re2rese"t the "o"i"itiates.5= his is our o&" tra"slatio" that Ma#oi" 2artially 2roides i" his $ -ineteen 4entur% Babi alismans, Studia

Islamica, 1Ri, (1F85)? 8BH "o& i" he *essiah of Shira+, 5B.



sera"ts hath #ome u2o" this Tal#hemi#al s#ie"#eV, it hath +ee" +y the

#omma"dR#ause o 3od that they e"ae i" it Ti.e. the ars operativaV (hum bi$

amri’Llāhi %a7mal.n) (BBJ, my tra"s.)

o& i" our 2ie#e +elo& the !ā+ +ei"s his short dis#ourse +y oeri" a set oi"stru#tio"s to his i"terlo#utor that the" 2ro2erly sets the stae or the ars operativa o the

opus itsel. /hile some may 2er#eie the details o these t&o 2arara2hs as addressi" t&o

#om2letely se2arate 9uestio"s, i" reality they are "ot. All as2e#ts o the dis#ussio", rom

+ei""i" to e"d, are i"terli"ed &ithi" a larer "e-us o #orres2o"de"#es +e#ause ea#h

2hase +uilds u2o" the "e-t &ithi" the staes o the i"itiati# <our"ey, all the &ay to the i"al

2ali"e"esis. 4e says, $take at the head of ever% ten the first letter and calculate it b% the first

element of 8ire around the name of 9od Cthe 4onstrictor’\ and in the second element of )ir around the

name of 9od Cthe Livin’\ and in the third element of Water around the name of 9od Cthe =evivifier’\

and in the fourth element of 5arth around the name of 9od the Caker of Life >X* (1111). hese our

dii"e "ames a"d their s2e#ii# #orres2o"de"#es to the our eleme"ts as detailed +y the

!ā+ (i.e. ire, Air, /ater a"d arth)H the see"old diisio" a"d 2la#eme"t o the t&e"ty

eiht letters a##ordi" to the #orres2o"di" eleme"tH the #al#ulatio" that ollo&s a"d the

meditatio" that e"sues as a resultH determi"es the o2eratie +ala"#es (mawa+&n) that the"

resoles the 2re#ise astroloi#al e9uili+riums a"d #osmi# sym2athies that the" allo&s the

i"terlo#utor 6ua as2ira"t his e"#ou"ter &ith the 3reat Soerei" A"el (malak al$kab&r ) &ho

&ill reeal to him the #orre#t eys to his al#hemi#al as#e"sio" G iz. the talismanic$lunettes

or mai#al #i2hers, the o##ult 2e"s (a6lām).5B his i" tur" &ill the" uide his soul 2ast the

su+lu"ary realm, the liht +eyo"d the #osmi# #ry2t, a"d oer to the 6rie"t o Eiht

(mashri6 al$n.r ), rom the locus o &hi#h he &ill "e-t <our"ey to the 'ii"e hro"e (7arsh)

&here he &ill +e (re)u"ited &ith the ter"al :mām &ithi" the a22er#e2tio" o those

isio"ary to2ora2hies o the mundus imainalis (7ālam al$mithāl) laid out i" the se#o"d

2arara2h.

4ere, &ith the dii"e assista"#e issui" rom the ter"al :mām, he &ill o +eyo"d

the hro"e itsel a"d there+y +e#ome a""ihilated &ithi" the reality o the 3reatest ame

(ism al$a7+am) that &ill #o"stri#t his +ei" (6abF) &ithi" :tsel throuh the +ur"i" Celestial

ire &hi#h &ill the" o2e" him u2, a"d so u"ite him urther, &ith the &aystatio"s (manā+il)

o the reater multiersal e-2a"ses o !ei" G i.e. the Drimal /ill. :" this situs he &ill +ehold

the theo2ha"y o the e-iste"tial Si"ā>ī rele#ted to him rom the ipseital statio"s o the-#lusie 6"e"ess (a'ad&%a) &herei" the retorta o his sol (animus) is <oi"ed &ith G that is,

alls i"to 2la#e u2o" the rim o the alem+i# o his luna (anima). he ruit o the Si"iati#

5B hat is,

C. =itual’s in Babism and Bahaism (Eo"do" a"d e& Oor? :.! auris Du+lishers a"d the Ce"tre o Middle aster"

Studies, N"iersity o Cam+ride, 1FF), A22e"di- :::, 101. :" this orm a+oe G the i"de2e"de"t orms

2ro#eedi" horizo"tally rom to2 arriht to +ottom arlet they are held +y the !ā+ to +e the telesmati#

i"sta"tiatio"s o ea#h o the "i"etee" letters o the bismillāh.



ree that &ill emere rom this i"itial con:unctio &ithi" himsel G the ruit o &hi#h he &ill

"o& eat G &ill reeal to him i" that limit the +iur#ated a"imatio" o the mystery o the

'ii"e Do&er (active, i.e. male U sol U sulur) &ithi" that o the 'ii"e Dredomi"atio"

( passive, i.e. emale U luna U salt).

As the realizatio" o this mystery is made to all i"to its situsH that is, +e#ome ullyma"iested into himH the Most 3reat Crimso" 6il emeres rom the Celestial Si"iati# ireH

&hi#h is the a22eara"#e (ba%ān) o the ter"al :mām>s 2ro-imate immi"e"#e &ithi" the

horizo"s o his sel as the S2eaer (nā#i6) &ithi" himH at &hi#h 2oi"t our as2ira"t +e#omes

the ery si" o 3od $throuhout all the worlds accordin to its Tor Khis>V capacit%* (=1=1=1=1)H "amely,

he has thorouhly a&oe" to the realizatio" o the :māmohis+ei", the 4iero

:"tellie"#e (Ca6l), his o&" dii"e mystery, that the" e"#om2asses see" earths a"d see"

heae"s &ithi" himH mea"i", he is "o& the tra"siurated heo2ha"i# Eiht ( n.r muta:all& )

o the ter"al :mām &ithi" the loci o his o&" see" meta2hysi#al su+tleties (mashā7ir )5

+e#ause the ter"al :mām is o"e i" him "o& si"#e he has "o urther ide"tity a"y more

other tha" the ter"al :mām>sH as he has s&um a#ross the o#ea" o the #orrosie &aters,

stri22i" all esties o his 2artial eo i" the 2ro#ess, a"d oer to its other shores there+y

e-ti"uishi" the lam2 ( sirā:) o his separative ( solve) ide"tity, &hi#h has s&itly 2assed a&ay

i" its illusory su+strates, or the emere"#e o that &hi#h is aster tha" the t&i"li" o a"

eye, vi+ the alread%$alwa%s arise" 'a&" o the :māmohis+ei" (coaula). So &he" the !ā+

later states, $Wherefore have we concealed from revealin this secret from the a+e of all those

lookin upon the penetrative metaph%sical subtlet% of diverent contrariness* (=B=B=B=B), he is im2li#itly

i"di#ati" this theoso2hi# isomor2hism G i.e. the tra<e#toral de2th that is the e2i2ha"i#

setti" 2la#eme"t (maw6iC) &hi#h i"orms, the", the #ulmi"atio" o this 2ali"e"eti#

2ro#ess, vi+. the ta’aluh (i.e. theosis), that "o"e +ut the realized ade2ts, the theoso2hi# saes

(i.e. mu’min&n U 'ak&m muti’alih), #a" ully #om2rehe"d, let alo"e #ommu"i#ate, &hereore

the azes o the e"erality are #o"#ealed rom +eholdi" it.

he MSS., Eo#ati" the Die#ehe MSS., Eo#ati" the Die#ehe MSS., Eo#ati" the Die#ehe MSS., Eo#ati" the Die#e a"da"da"da"d SemiSemiSemiSemiCriti#alCriti#alCriti#alCriti#al ra"slatio"ra"slatio"ra"slatio"ra"slatio"

he irst o the t&o MSS. o our treatise +elo& &as o+tai"ed rom amo"st s#a"s i"dly

ie" to us +y the &e+master o !aya"i#.#om i" =00L. he #olle#tio" the 2rese"t &or #ame

rom &as sim2ly listed as !oo B8!oo B8!oo B8!oo B8 a"d #o"tai"ed ortyour short, i"de2e"de"t treatises a"d

res2o"ses to 9ueries +y the !ā+. he 2a2er o the MS.... a22ears to +e i" a liht ree" &ith, i"total, B1F olio 2aes (1J0 2aes o a#tual s#a") &ith +et&ee" eihtee" to "i"etee" li"es 2er

2ae. 6ur 2ie#e &as the t&e"ty"i"th i" the #olle#tio" a"d o##urs i" ull o" 2. F1 o our s#a"

(olio 1818= o the MS.) he MS. #o"tai"s "o #olo2ho" or a"y other ide"tiiers as to

2roe"a"#e or the ide"tity o the s#ri+e a"d its date o #om2letio". /e hae desi"ated this

MS. as !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8. /e "ote that a +ul o the items #o"tai"ed i" !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 #a" also +e ou"d i"

other ersio"s &ithi" the assorted :!A (:ra"ia" atio"al !ahā>ī Ar#hies) #olle#tio"s.55

5 6ther&ise "o&" as the la#]’if .55 S2e#ii#ally olumes 0, 5B a"d JF. or these olumes, see, htt2?RR&&&.h"et.orR`+ahaiRi"de-Ral+a+.htm

(a##essed 18 A2ril =011).



he se#o"d MS. &as o+tai"ed or us i" early A2ril =011 +y the &e+master o the

'iital 6##ult Ma"us#ri2ts Ei+rary rom material the" re#e"tly made 2u+li# +y the 'iital

Ei+rary o :ra"5J a"d mared as MS. 1=8. /e hae desi"ated this #olle#tio" as 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8.

6rii"ally rom the li+rary o o"e !āhir ara9ī (a"d #ataloued as B8), 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 seems to

hae made its &ay at some 2oi"t rom this #olle#tio" i"to the #olle#tio" o the :ra"ia"atio"al Ma<lis Ei+rary a"d as the dis2layi" stam2 o" the ro"t2ie#e demo"strates

sometime duri" the Dahlaī era (1F=J1FLF C) &here it &as #ataloued as 85LBBR1=1F1.

/hat a22ears to +e some i"d o ide"tiier or the s#ri+e (+ut "ot a "ame) a22ears

u"der"eath the ta+le o #o"te"ts ( fihrist ), +ut it is #om2letely illei+le to us i" the s#a" a"d

so &e #a""ot 2ro2erly mae it out. his #om2ilatio" #o"tai"s ourtee" &ors o the !ā+

rouhly #oeri" the 2eriod u2 to the 2oi"t i" 18L <ust +eore he made his #laim to

ā’im&%a a"d i"#ludes the ery rare isitatio" 2rayer ( +&%āra) or āYima that u"til "o& &as

thouht to e-ist i" o"ly a si"le MS. (2er Sources, FF). 5L he s#ri+e does "ot urther ide"tiy

him or hersel o" a"y 2ae o either its erso or re#to, "or does heRshe 2roide the date or

their tra"s#ri2tio"H +ut they &ere #ertai"ly a !ā+ī o some des#ri2tio" ie" the e"eral

em2loyme"t o laudatory 2raises (i.e. Aalawāt , 2e""ed i" red i") at the ery o2e"i" o a

"um+er o the items &he" reerri" to the !ā+ as $4is 4oli"ess the Iemem+ra"#e, u2o"

him +e 2ea#e* ('aFrat al$dhikr 7ali%hi al$salām). he Dd o this MS. is == 2aes i" le"th G

a"d ie" this, it is dii#ult to as#ertai" &here the a#tual olios o the #o"te"t +ei", so &e

&ill here #ite the 2ae "um+ers as 2er the Dd (its ro"t a"d +a# +i"di" hae also +ee"

i"#luded i" the s#a" as 2art o a si"le ile) &ith its ta+le o #o"te"ts o##urri" as o 2. 8

immediately ollo&ed o" the "e-t 2ae +y the !ā+>s /a'&fa )7māl al$Sana’ (he 2istle o the

N"dertai"s duri" the Oear) &ith the te-t o the &hole MS. e"di" at 2. =0. itee" li"es

2er 2ae, the +e"edi#tio" o our 2ie#e +ei"s at the +ottom o 2. =BB &ith the 2ie#e itsel

#oeri" all o 22. =B=B5 a"d e"di" o" the se#o"d li"e o 2. =BJ. hat said, the

a22eara"#e o this MS. #om2ilatio" (that i" /ester" a#ademi# 2ri"t, at least, &as altoether

u""o&") is a ery im2orta"t i"d or !ā+ī studies, a"d toether &ith some o the other

MSS. &e hae e"erously +ee" ie" +y the :ra"ia" !ayā"ī #ommu"ity oer the 2ast

de#ade, #halle"es a e& (i "ot more) o Ma#oi">s i"di"s i" Sources that "o& re9uire

some u2date a"d reisio".

6"ly o"e other MS. o this s2e#ii# 2ie#e is 2rese"tly "o&" to us, that +ei" :!MC

JL (:"ter"atio"al !ahā>ī Ma"us#ri2t Colle#tio"s), =0B (see Sources ibid) /e hae "either

2erused "or had a##ess to this s2e#ii# MS. Der this MS. Ste2he" Eam+de" 2roides a 2artialtra"slatio" o the se#o"d hal o the 2ie#e G vi+. our se#o"d 2arara2h, &ith some ariatio"s

a"d the a22are"t o##urre"#e o a" e-tra #lause i" his tra"slated te-t that does "ot a22ear

to o##ur i" either o"e o ours.58 /e hae ollo&ed Eam+de">s tra"slatio" #losely i" this

5J he &hole o this Dd #a" +e ou"d o" S#ri+d, at, htt2?RR&&&.s#ri+d.#omRdo#R5=BF0F0LRAssortedarly

/orsothe!a+ (a##essed 10 A2ril =011).5L /hi#h &e are 2rese"tly i" the 2ro#ess o 2re2ari" a tra"slatio" rom our MS.58 his 2artial tra"slatio" irst a22eared as $ )lchemical 9nosis in Bāb&$BahāU& Scripture( ) Paper first read at a post$raduate

seminar 0niv of -ewcastle upon %ne* (N), 1F8, a"d #a" "o& +e ou"d o" his &e+site, at,

htt2?RR&&&.hur9alya.2&2.+lueyo"der.#o.uR!A4A=LAEEA4R!D4:E6S6D4I=LS=0S6.htm (a##essed ==

A2ril =011).



se#o"d 2arara2h a"d aree &ith some o his &ordi" +ut "ot &ith ma"y others. All o this

has +ee" i"di#ated i" the "otes. /e should me"tio" that there is a mu#h lo"er dis#ourse

+y the !ā+ o" ematria a"d al#hemy that e-2a"ds u2o" some o the themes 2rese"ted i"

our 2ie#e +elo&. !ased o" the MSS. :!MC F1? B0BJ a"d :!MC JL? ==8=BB "either o"e

&hi#h &e hae had a##ess to Eam+de" 2roides a" i"#om2lete "lish tra"slatio" o it o"his &e+site.5F here is also, o #ourse, the dis#ussio"s o ematria a"d al#hemy i" the Dersian

Ba%ān a"d the Book of the 8ive 9rades (es2. BBJ5J) s"i22ets o &hi#h &e hae 9uoted a+oe

that re2rese"ts the !ā+>s latest a"d most systemati# thouhts o" the su+<e#t.

he #ir#umsta"#es or the #om2ositio" o our 2rese"t 2ie#e +elo& are "ot

sui#ie"tly "o&". !ut +ased o" some 2eri2heral eide"#e &e may +e a+le to #o"<e#ture as

to rouhly &hat timeli"e duri" the !ā+>s mi"istry it may hae +ee" #om2osed. 6" the

aaila+le eide"#e, the ide"tity o its re#i2ie"t is "early im2ossi+le to determi"e. hat

stated, the list 2roided +y Ma#oi" i" Sources (1F0) reardi" the #o"te"ts o :!MC JL

2la#es our 2ie#e as the ith item i" +et&ee" a 2ie#e +y the !ā+ deali" &ith the 'a:: a"d o"e

addressi" a #ertai" Shayh Qassa" reardi" ee"ts i" :rā9 that simulta"eously 2roides

i"stru#tio"s to the Eetters o the Eii" to 2ro#eed to ar+alā (i" order to assem+le or the

2ossi+le khur.:_)J0 hese are res2e#tiely the items ((((i)i)i)i) a"d (i)(i)(i)(i) listed i" that #olle#tio" that

a22ear to mai"ly i"#lude &ors rom the 18185 2eriod o the 'a:: <our"ey a"d the

retur" to :ra" (late summer 18MayR%u"e 185). 6" 2. ==1 o our MS. 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 that is,

three items +eore our o&" 2ie#e, as 2er the s#ri+e &e hae a res2o"se to a 9uestio" 2ut

+y o"e Muḥammad :+rāhim to the !ā+. he item immediately 2re#edi" ours, ho&eer, is

the !ā+>s &ell "o&" early tra#t o" the "o&lede o the u"see" ( 7ilm al$ha%b), &hi#h is

other&ise a #omme"tary o" a amous 'ad&th +y :mām %aʿar alādi9 o" the su+<e#t.J1 So, or

"o&, this &ould elimi"ate the aoreme"tio"ed Muḥammad :+rāhim as its taret re#i2ie"t.

Ma#oi" lo#ates this last #omme"tary o" the 'ad&th +y %aʿar as +ei" o"e #o"tem2ora"eous

&ith the a%%.m al$)smā’ (Sources, 22. 5L8)H that is, May%u"eR%uly 18. 4ere immediately

ollo&i" our o&" 2ie#e o" 2. =BJ o 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 is to +e ou"d a 2rayer that #o"#ludes o" 2.

=B8. 6erall it is "ot a22are"t to us &hat, i a"y, method the s#ri+e has em2loyed i"

#o"stru#ti" a #hro"oloi#al timeli"e o these &ors i" his #om2ilatio" so that o"e may +e

lea"ed rom it. Oet most o the ide"tiied &ors o this #om2ilatio" a22ear to #ome rom

mostly that 185 2eriod.

!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 #o"ou"ds urther 2ossi+le attem2ts at 2re#ise lo#atio". :t 2la#es our 2ie#e

as the see"tee"th item amo"st a rou2 o t&e"tyour that the s#ri+e has mared as+ei" res2o"ses to a 2resuma+ly #hro"oloi#al list o 9uestio"s. he irst o these items

(+ei""i" at olio 1=J) is the !ā+>s #omme"tary o" ʿAlī>s reiteratio" o the 'el2hi# ma-im.

5Fhtt2?RR&&&.hur9alya.2&2.+lueyo"der.#o.uR0B4=0!A!R4N!AS=0!A!R01hut+a=0J0ilm=0al

huru.htm (a##essed == A2ril =011).J0 or details o the !ā+ī khur.: (mille"aria" i"surre#tio") i" the :rā9ī Shīʿite holy la"d that "eer tra"s2ired, see

=esurrection and =enewal( he *akin of the Babi *ovement in Iran, JHKK$^Q, 1FLH =1=H B=5.J1 his is the amous 'ad&th al$:arr&%a "arrated +y adīr &hi#h #a" +e ou"d i" ulay"ī, ol. 1 (ehra", 1BF=R1FL=

LB), F5FJ. A##ordi" to Sources (2. 58) o"ly $si- surii" ma"us#ri2ts* remai" o the !ā+>s #omme"tary o"

this 'ad&th. !oth o our MSS. #o"tai" a #o2y o it, "o& i"#reasi" this "um+er to eiht. More are sure to ollo&, i

they hae">t +ee" already si"#e Ma#oi" irst &rote.





Text

:" the ame o 3od the Com2assio"ate, the Mer#iul7JB

As or the 9uestio" reardi" the s#ie"#e o letters (7ilm al$hur.f )? tae atthe head o eery te" the irst letter T=VT=VT=VT=V a"d #al#ulate it +y the irst

eleme"t o ire (nār ) arou"d the "ame o 3od Kthe 4onstrictor > (al$6ābiF)H a"d

i" the se#o"d eleme"t o Air (hawā’ ) arou"d the "ame o 3od Kthe Livin> (al$

'a%%)H a"d i" the third eleme"t o /ater (mā’ ) arou"d the "ame o 3od Kthe

=evivifier > (al$mu'a%%i)H a"d i" the ourth eleme"t o arth (turāb) TVTVTVTV

arou"d the "ame o 3od the Kaker of Life> (al$mum&t ). he" multi2ly the te"

letters rom the irst to the ourth a"d rom the third to TJVTJVTJVTJV the se#o"d.

he" dedu#t see" a"d ealuate +y see". Ater&ards ye &ill o+sere rom

the t&e"ty"i"e Tlu"arV ma"sio"sJ (manā+il), #omme"surate &ith the

s#ie"#e (7ilm) o their astroloi#al houses (al$nu:.m), a##ordi" to the letter

o ire, the aluatio" o T8VT8VT8VT8V ireH a"d Air, the aluatio" o AirH a"d /ater,

the aluatio" o /aterH a"d arth, the aluatio" o arth. his is the 2oi"t

o "o&lede a"d its ey that you &ill emere rom to&ards the 2ath o

the straiht li"e (kha## )J5 o that ate. T10VT10VT10VT10V here ye &ill i"d the 3reat

TSoerei"V A"el (malak al$kab&r ),JJ or that is the talisma"i# resolutio"

that is Tou"dV i" the +oos o the Christia"s the lie"ess o &hi#h &as "ot

ou"d u"til "o& amo"st the talismanic$lunettes Ti.e. a6lām, the o##ult2e"sV. So 2rote#t it &ith a" utmost 2rote#tio"H a"d i T1=VT1=VT1=VT1=V a result does "ot

JB he o2e"i" +e"edi#tio", the bismillāh, does "ot o##ur i" !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 +ut is i"#luded i" 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 (Dd 2. =BB i"al

li"e, that is, the +ottom o the 2ae 2re#edi" the s#a" o the 2ae dis2layed here). !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 sim2ly has $the

seventeenth 6uestion* (+ 3!ا 1 T باس !ا DاU س !ا).J &o s#ri+es i" t&o se2arate MSS. hae a"d this is #ertai"ly "ote&orthy si"#e the !ā+ a22ears to +eا! & ا; 1 N3ا! V+ 3ن

&eihi" i" o" a lo"sta"di" de+ate amo" Muslim o##ultists a"d o" the side o the t&elth #e"tury u"isia"

2olymath o the arcana, Shayh Aḥmad al!;"ī &ho 2ro2osed (that is, i the W= +e #o"sidered the t&e"ty"i"th

letter o the Ara+i# al2ha+et, or t&e"tyeihth &he" ي +e made the t&e"ty"i"th) the "um+er o lu"ar

ma"sio"s to +e t&e"ty"i"e, see Shams al$*a’ārif al$".brā (the 3reat Su" o 3"oses) (!eirut? *u’assasah al$-.r lil$*a#b.7āt , 1=0R1FFF), 10. his is usually "ot the #ase &ith some "ota+le o##ult a"d astroloi#al te-ts rom the

:slami# east, a"d "either is it the 2ositio" o DseudoMa<rītī either i" the PicatriN ( hā%at al$'ak&m).J5 :" 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 +ut "ot i" !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8. 6"e has X ق & 8 س %ا YZا 4[ \ ; &hile the other has X ق & 8 س %ا 4[ \ ; (the straiht 2ath) JJ 6r K9reat Soverein"in> (malik al$kab&r ). 4o&eer, &e 2reer readi" malak rather tha" mālik sim2ly +e#ause all

su#h o2eratio"s i" the ma"uals o :slami# &hite mai# (r.'ān&%a), as &ell as i" :slami# al#hemy (al$k&m&%ā),

usually i"ole a" e"#ou"ter &ith a" A"el or s2irit uardia" (muwwakil) o some ra" or des#ri2tio" duri" the

a#tual #ourse o a" o2eratio". 6 #ourse it oes &ithout sayi" that i" this e"eral 2ers2e#tie ea#h malak

(a"el) is ote" also rearded a malik (soerei" i") i" its o&" s2e#ii# domai" &ithi" the reater hierar#hy o

its o&" admi"isteri" ra" a"d statio". /ithout &ishi" to #ite #o2ious reere"#es here rom arious sour#es o"

a"eloloy (:slami# or other&ise), &e reer the e"eral reader to Cor+i">s most illumi"ati" dis#ussio" o this

su+<e#t G a dis#ussio" o" a"eloloy that i" our o2i"io" has "ot +ee" su2erseded i" the se#o"d #ha2ter o

)vicenna and the 1isionar% =ecital (Dri"#eto"? Dri"#eto" N"iersity Dress, !olli"e" Series Ec@:, 1FJ8H re2ri"ted

1F88), J1==.



ollo&, do "ot +e dismayed "or #o"sider this to +e a set+a#,JL or erily

i"deed 3od &ill reeal rom this TailureV the TtrueV talismanic$lunette

a##ordi" to the +oo. A"d "either is there humidity (rutab) "or aridity

( %ābis) other tha" &hat has +ee" T1VT1VT1VT1V re#ordedJ8 i" that +oo.

As or the 9uestio" reardi" the li-ir (iks&r )? u"dersta"d thatJF 3od has

"ot #reated a"ythi" &ithout also ashio"i" &ithi" it a letter o the li-ir

i" a##orda"#e &ith its statio" (ma6ām).L0 As or its hidde" realities

(ha6ā’i6)? T1JVT1JVT1JVT1JV <our"ey &ith me u"to the 'ii"e hro"e (7arsh) u"til thou

hast o"e +eyo"d it &ith the Tdii"eV assista"#e ou#hsaed u"to thee

Ta"dV u"til ye hae &it"essed the ire o that Most 3reat ame o 3od (ism

allāh al$akbar ),L1 letti" it lare u2 &ith a +laze (ashta7alhu) +y the re"di" o

the T18VT18VT18VT18V eil (kashf al$hi:āb)

L=

o the i"most subtilised heart$fluN ( fu’ād).

LB

he"

JL 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 . !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 o"ly hasف ]^ 6 1 _` a Aن _` a 6.J8 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 has &ith aمس & 8ورا b rather tha" &ith a c as i" !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8. /e disaree &ith 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8>s 2hrasi" here.JF 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 0 عر dا_ ا ف . !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 . ا_ 0L0 6r Ke-iste"tial ra">.L1 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 has this s2e#ii# 2hrasi". !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 sim2ly has efg hا (the Most 3reat ame). /e hae 2reerred this

o"e +e#ause Eam+de" i"di#ates it 2er :!MC:!MC:!MC:!MC JLJLJLJL. /e "ote this is <ust a"other &ay o sayi" the 3reatest ame.

See a+oe.L= Eam+de">s tra"slatio" has this li"e o the 2assae as $to remove the coverin (al$'ā’ib).* either o"e o our t&o

MSS. has this. :"stead +oth hae Mا i حلا jk l (to re"dRthe re"di" o the eil). Si"#e &e do "ot hae a##ess to the

te-t o :!MC JL &e #a""ot #om2are the dis2arity hereH +ut the ide"ti#al 2hrasi" o this li"e i" +oth o our t&oMSS. should +e "oted or a"y uture #om2ariso"s a"d i" esta+lishi" a"y i"al #riti#al te-ts o the orii"al

Ara+i# +e#ause this #ha"es +oth its thrust a"d its su+tle mea"i".LB 8u’ād is a te#h"i#al term i" the le-i#o" o Shayhī (a"d +y e-te"stio", !ā+ī) thouht re2lete &ith si"ii#a"#e

de"oti" a mea"i" +eyo"d <ust a mere sy"o"ym or Kheart > (6alb). :dris Sama&i Qamid>s 9uite i"sihtul

re"deri" o fu’ād as Kheart$fluN> : hae 9ualiied urther as K subtilised heart$fluN’ , see he *etaph%sics and 4osmolo%

of Process )ccordin to Sha%kh )'mad al$)'sāU& (!ualo? Dh.'. dissertatio", State N"iersity o e& Oor at !ualo,

1FF8), &here he "otes, $X fu’ād is more s2e#ialized tha" the heart itsel, a"dXa notion of motion or fluN is

fundamental to its meanin (my italics)X&ith Shayh Aḥmad alAḥsābī fu’ād is more s2e#ialized tha" the 6alb,* 101.

hereore, i" its ShayhīG!ā+ī de"otatio" +oth these terms (K6alb> a"d K fu’ād>) #arry ar more multia#eted a"d

e-2a"ded im2li#atio"s tha" usually assumed o" irst la"#e or other&ise lea"ed rom the dei"itio"s 2roided

i" Sui te#h"i#al ha"d+oos. Shayh Aḥmad alAḥsā>ī (d. 18=J), or i"sta"#e, a22ears to mae the oerallmeta2hysi#al u"#tio" o fu’ād simulta"eously #osmoloi#al as &ell as o"toloi#al tur"i" fu’ād i"to the

a"imati" u"#tio" o KbeineNistence> (wu:.d) itsel. :" the ery irst 6+seratio" o his 8awā’id al$Eikm&%a

(Subtilised 2eart$8luNual Mbservations of Wisdom) he states outriht that fu’ād is KbeineNistence> (a"d as Qam^d

2oi"ts out, he is s2eai" o wu:.d i" its "o"delimited a"d u"iersal se"se), =LL. o &it, $he YsubtilisedZ heart$

fluN is the hihest of all of Yhumanit%’sZ loci of conition It is the liht of Y9odZ which 2e Ythe ProphetZ Xupon whom be peaceG

mentioned in his dictum( CBeware of the penetration of the faithful\ for YhesheZ contemplates throuh the liht of 9od’ It is

eNistence because eNistence is the hihest orientation of Yhumanit%Z, that is, YitsZ direction in orientation is to YitsZ Lord,

because eNistence does not contemplate itself at all but rather Yit contemplatesZ its Lord\ :ust as essence does not contemplate

its Lord at all but rather Yit contemplatesZ itself * Tslihtly modiied tra"slatio" rom 4amid>sV. he s#ri2tural root o

this &ord as a te#h"i#al term, o #ourse, orii"ates &ith ur>ā" 5B?11 (al$na:m, Khe Star >), i.e. $the T subtilisedV

heart Tlu-V hath not lied reardin what it hath seen,* &hi#h reers to the Dro2het>s "o#tur"al as#e"sio" (mi’rā:) a"d

his +eholdi" o the 'ii"e a#e at $Xtwo bow$lenths or nearer * (6āba 6awsa%ni aw adnā) (5B?F). :" liht o this, &e

shall oer our s#hematizatio" o the hierar#hy o the su+tle 2hysioloy o the heart i" Shayhism a"d i" !ā+ism



2la#e the retorta (al$6ar7 ) u2o" the rim o the alem+i# (amb&6)L a"d tae

rom the ruit o the ree emeri" rom the Mou"t Si"ā>i o the -#lusie

6"e"ess (#.r al$s&nā’ al$a'ad)L5 u"to the limit o the T'ii"eV Do&er (al$

6adr )LJ &ithi" the T=0VT=0VT=0VT=0V mystery o the T'ii"eV Dredomi"atio" (al$

mu6tadir ),LL a"d allo& it to allL8 i"to its 2la#e (awAiluhā ilā ma'alihā). hereTi" that locusV you shall i"d the Most 3reat Crimo" 6il (duhn al$a'mar al$

akbar )LF TemereV rom this TSi"iati#V ire (al$nār ) more s&itly tha" the

t&i"li" o a" eye (a6rab min lam' al$baAar ). :" that situs,80 T==VT==VT==VT==V to&ards

3od (ilā allāh), you are the ery si" o 3od (ā%at allāh)81 a"d lie&ise

throuhout all the &orlds a##ordi" to its #a2a#ity (bi$'asbihi)H that is,

u"til the #ulmi"atio" o the matter8= (al$amr ) u"to Tthe limit oV the

mi"eral &orld (ʿālam al$:amād). T/hereoreV hae &e #o"#ealed rom

reeali"

8B

(khifnā min al$a>hār ) Tthis se#retV rom the aze o all those

as ollo&s (as#e"di")? 1.1.1.1. 6alb (heart) =.=.=.=. bā#in (i"terior), BBBB.... suwa%dā’ (#ore), .... 'abbat (er"el), 5.5.5.5. sirr (se#ret) a"d J.J.J.J.

fu’ād (su+tilised heartlu- U e-iste"#eR+ei"). he leel o fu’ād is the leel at &hi#h 2er the traditio"s o the

:māms &e #a" s2ea o the K2iero$Intellience> (i.e. the Ca6l). 6ur #omme"ts here should also +e #o"te-tualized i"

liht o Shayh Aḥmad alAḥsābī>s do#tri"e o al#hemy, the dou+le okh_m` a"d the 2hysioloy o the

resurre#tio" +ody as detailed i" 4e"ry Cor+i">s Spiritual Bod% and 4elestial 5arth( 8rom *a+dean Iran to Shi’ite Iran,

180==1H this, si"#e i the su+tle 2hysioloy as detailed +y Shayh Aḥmad alAḥsābī +e diided i"to a +asi#

ter"ary s#heme (a"d urther aume"ted) as :ism, :asad a"d r.' &e may the" #orres2o"d 6alb to :ism 1111, bā#in to

:ism ====, suwa%dā’ to :asad 1111, 'abbat to :asad ====, sirr to r.' 1111 a"d fu’ād to r.' ====. See Moezzi, passim, a"d es2e#ially

Basā’ir al$;ara:āt (the 'erees o the A22er#e2tio"s) or the s2e#ial te#h"i#al mea"i" o r.' i" the esoteri#tea#hi"s o the :māms. :" the Persian Ba%ān =?5 the +asi# 9uater"ary s#heme o the su+tle +ody laid out +y the

!ā+ (i" des#e"di" order) is fu’ād (su+tilised heartlu-), r.' (s2irit), nafs (soul) a"d :ism (+ody). his should

demo"strate that, lie Shayh Aḥmad, the !ā+ lie&ise #o"sidered the fu’ād to +e the hihest ora" o

2er#e2tio".L 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 has m/ - 3!ا (Kthe e%es>). 3ie" the #o"te-t, a"d a22are"tly as n[ \ نg also seems to a22ear i" :!MC JL as

&ell, &e hold !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 as the #orre#t &ordi" here.L5 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 در & r (the *ount Sina’i of the 5Nclusive Mneness of the ;ivine Power;estin%). /e do">t "oور ا! س og 9Wp' qد ا! ق

&hether or "ot the s#ri+e has misread o st (u"to to the limit) orد og (the -#lusie 6"e"ess). eertheless &eد

hae e2t its 2hrasi" u2 to og a"d #om+i"ed it &ith !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8>sد o st (u"to to the limit), readi" the li"e asد

!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 has it rom there o"&ards.LJ 6r K;estin%>.LL Der :!MC:!MC:!MC:!MC JLJLJLJL (a##ordi" to Eam+de"), &hi#h has al$6adr f sirr al$6adr , Eam+de" has re"dered this 2art o the

2assae as $Xthe ;ivine Power in Ythe midmost heartZ of the ;ivine ;estin% YPowerZ.* !oth o our mss.mss.mss.mss. hae u vا% ق * در . ا! قدرL8 6r K pour >.LF 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 has misread ن > (oil) altoether a"d +y dro22i" the has &ritte" i" i"steadد ن (Kto weep> or K sih>). As

2er Eam+de", :!MC JL has ن >. 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8>s 2hrasi" here does "ot mae se"se, i" a"y #ase.80 6ur re"deri" or wا / .81 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 has 0 x نا (Kthou art 9od>). !ay. !B8!ay. !B8!ay. !B8!ay. !B8 has 0 N يWy x نا &hi#h also seems to a22ear i" :!MC:!MC:!MC:!MC JLJLJLJL. /e hae

re2hrased the se9ue"#e o the li"e o the 2assae rom the orii"al here some&hat. Eam+de" has $In that place

%ou are the ver% sin of 9od both before 9od and towards 9od.* /e do">t "e#essarily disaree &ith his readi".

4o&eer, u"less there is additio"al &ordi" i" :!MC:!MC:!MC:!MC JLJLJLJL &hi#h is">t i" ours, 0 zا (Ktotowards 9od>) sim2ly mea"s

<ust that a"d this 2re#ise 2hrasi", &ithout a"y additio"al &ordi", o##urs i" +oth o our mssmssmssmss.8= e" Kcause>or Kcommand>. amely, the Mpus.8B 6r K presentin>.



#o"tem2lati" (lil$nā>ir&n) u2o" the 2e"etratie Tmeta2hysi#alV su+tlety8

o diere"t #o"trari"ess (mash7ar al$aFdād ),85 T=VT=VT=VT=V a"d hae esta+lished it

there,8J i" that lea (wara6a), the se#ret o the t&o T#osmi#V li"es ( Aa#ra%n)

#o"tai"ed &ithi" the t&o mysteries To de2thV8L ( sirra%n) that 2er#ha"#e

someo"e may a22rehe"d itH88 a"d sui#ie"t is 3od +y the Droo 8F as &it"essto the truth (kaf&%a bi$Llāhi bi$l$hu::ati 7ali$l$'a66 shah&dan).F0 A"d i you truly

#om2rehe"d Tthis aairV, T=JVT=JVT=JVT=JV you &ill +e a+le to u"dertae the Art o the

li-ir ( sana7 al$iks&r ) a"d i" that locus truly ras2 the reality o the matter

('a6&6at al$amr ).F1 A"d this is Ta" issueV &ell"o&" i" the 2rese"#e o o"e

&hom 3od has made to &it"ess the #reatio" o T=8VT=8VT=8VT=8V 4eae" a"d earth, a"d

the #reatio" o 4is Loos$Self ,F= or "o 2o&er a"d "o stre"th is there sae

i" 3od, the Soari"ly 4ih, the Mihty7FB 3loriied +e 3od a+oe &hat is

attri+uted to 4im, a"d 2raised +e 3od, the Eord o all the &orlds7

`̀̀̀

8 6r Kmark> as Eam+de" has it.85 Eam+de" has this li"e o the 2assae as, $Wherefore have We concealed from the vision of such as a+e towards that

which bears the marks of contrarinessX*8J !ay. !B8!ay. !B8!ay. !B8!ay. !B8 has it as w{ v . 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 has it as a+oe. Eam+de" has it as, $have laid it down @there,* &hi#h te"ds toاع | د

su22ort the same readi" as i" 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 &hi#h is bد } عا .8L Der Eam+de".88

4ere Eam+de" i"#ludes a li"e that does "ot o##ur i" either o"e o our t&o mss.mss.mss.mss. o &it, $hus hath 2e tauht 0sYthe eliNorial m%steriesZX*8F amely, the !f+ himsel.F0 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 has the #o"<u"#tio" 1 (Kand>) ater . f (sui#ie"t is 3od). !ay. !B8 !ay. !B8 !ay. !B8 !ay. !B8 does "otف € •~F1 e" Krealit% of the cause$command>.F= A te#h"i#al term re2lete throuhout the &riti"s o the !ā+ (a"d o"e &ith some :smāʿīlī #o""otatio"s as &ell)

is nafs allāh. Eiterally this de"otes the self , or ee" anima, o 3od. Ste2he" Eam+de" has #o"siste"tly tra"slated

this term as Loos$Self a"d &e ully #o"#ur &ith his 9uite +eautiul re"deri". :" the theo2ha"oloy o the !ā+

this term de"otes the dii"e Kmessener$prophet > (ras.lRnab& ), viceerent$providential uide (wal& ) a"d leatee (waA& )

as the ma"iestatio" o the Drimal /ill (mash&’a al$.lā). lse&here i" the u"ierse o :slami# "osis this &ould +e

#lassiied as the N"iersal :"telle#t (7a6l kull) or Pen (6alam). A #orollary to this term i" the !ā+>s di#tio" is point

(nu6#a).FB !ay. !B8!ay. !B8!ay. !B8!ay. !B8 does "ot hae X]3!ا (the Mihty). !oth MSS. hae 2la#ed a shadda oer the D o 3!ا (the 4ih), i.e. 3!ا,

there+y i"te"siyi" the te"se.



a+le oa+le oa+le oa+le o thethethethe leme"tal, 'ii"eleme"tal, 'ii"eleme"tal, 'ii"eleme"tal, 'ii"e ame a"d Eetter #orres2o"de"#esame a"d Eetter #orres2o"de"#esame a"d Eetter #orres2o"de"#esame a"d Eetter #orres2o"de"#es

artharthartharth /ater/ater/ater/ater AirAirAirAir ireireireire

he aer o Eiehe aer o Eiehe aer o Eiehe aer o Eie

(al$mum&t )

he Ieiiierhe Ieiiierhe Ieiiierhe Ieiiier

(al$mu'a%%i)

he Eii"he Eii"he Eii"he Eii"

(al$'a%%)

he Co"stri#torhe Co"stri#torhe Co"stri#torhe Co"stri#tor

(al$6ābiF)

‚ ƒ ي

<yK ر „ M

" > H D

L _ S b

I J … 1

ف C { E

G † c d



MS. !ay.!B8MS. !ay.!B8MS. !ay.!B8MS. !ay.!B8



Ms. 'E: 1=8Ms. 'E: 1=8Ms. 'E: 1=8Ms. 'E: 1=8



/ors Cited/ors Cited/ors Cited/ors Cited

Ama"at, A++as. =esurrection and =enewal( he *akin of the Babi movement in Iran, JHKK$^Q,

:tha#a? Cor"ell N"iersity Dress, 1F8FH re2ri"ted, Eos A"eles? alimat Dress, =005.

A"a&ati, 3eores. Le nom supr?me de dieu (Ism )llāh al$)7+am) i" )tti del III 4onresso di Studi

)rabi e Islamici (Iaello 1J Se2tem+er 1FJJ) 1FJL? L58

:+" !ā+;ya, A+ī %aʿar Muḥammad i+" ʿAlī i+" alQusay", alummī, Sha%kh al$/ad.6. "itāb

al$aw'&d, !eirut? 'ār alMaʿria, ".d.

!ashir, Shahrzad. 8a+lallah )starabadi and the 2urufis, 6-ord? 6"e&orld Du+li#atio"s, =00F.

!ro&"e, .3. ) raveller’s -arrative Written to Illustrate the 5pisode of the Bāb, = olumes,Cam+ride? Cam+ride N"iersity Dress, 18F1.

!;"ī, Aḥmad al. Shams al$*a’ārif al$".brā !eirut? *u’assasah al$-.r lil$*a#b.7āt , 1=0 A4.

Cor+i", 4e"ry. 2istor% of Islamic Philosoph%, Eo"do" a"d e& Oor? ea" Daul :"ter"atio"al

a"d the :"stitute o :smāʿīlī Studies, 1FFB.

———. )vicenna and the 1isionar% =ecital, Dri"#eto"? Dri"#eto" N"iersity Dress, !olli"e"

Series Ec@:, 1FJ8H re2ri"ted 1F88.

———.emple and 4ontemplation (Eo"do"? Ioutlede Z ea" Daul, 1F8J.

———. )lchimie comme art hi<rati6ue, ed. Dierre Eory, Daris? E>4er"e, 1F8J.

———. 5n islam iranien )spect spirituels et philosophi6ues( ome I1 L’Rcole d’Ispahan, L’Rcole

sha%khie, Le ;ou+eme ImTm, Daris? 3allimard, 1FLB.

———. Spiritual Bod% and 4elestial 5arth( 8rom *a+daean Iran to Shi’ite Iran, tra"s. a"#y

Dearso", Dri"#eto"? !olli"e" Series cC:, Dri"#eto" N"iersity Dress, 1FLL.

'a+ashi, 4amid. ruth and -arrative( he 0ntimel% houhts of 7)%n’ul$uFāt )l$2amadān& ,

Ii#hmo"d Surrey? Curzo" Dress, 1FFF.

3u"o", Ie". Perspectives on Initiation, 4illsdale? So2hia Dere""is, =001.

———. 8undamental S%mbols( he 0niversal Lanuae of Sacred Science ed. Z #om2. Mi#hel

@alsa", tra"s. Ali" Moore %"r., rei. Marti" Ei"s, 6-ord? ui"ta sse"tia, 1FF5.

Qamid, :dris Sama&i. he *etaph%sics and 4osmolo% of Process )ccordin to Sha%kh )'mad al$

)'sāU& , !ualo? Dh.'. dissertatio" (u"2u+lished), State N"iersity o e& Oor at !ualo,

1FF8.

:+" hald;". *u6adimmah. ra"s. ra"z Iose"thal, Dd ersio", ".2., ".d.



ulay"ī, hi9at al:slam Muḥammad i+" Oaʿ9;+ al. 0s.l min al$"āf& , ehrā"? 1BF=R1FL=LB.

Eam+de", Ste2he". $ )lchemical 9nosis in Bāb&$BahāU& Scripture,* A 2a2er irst read at a 2ost

raduate semi"ar N"iersity o e&#astle u2o" y"e (N), 1F8.

Ea&so", !. odd. 4oincidentia Mppositorum in the a%%um al$)sma( the terms VPoint Xnu6taG,

VPole X6utbG, V4enter Xmarka+G and the "hutba al$atan:i%a, 6##asio"al Da2ers i" Shayhi, !a+i

a"d !aha>i Studies, 4!ahai? @ol.5, o.1, %a"uary, =001.

———. $he ;awnin Places of the Lihts of 4ertaint% in the ;ivine Secrets 4onnected with the

4ommander of the 8aithful b% =a:ab Bursi,* i" he Leac% of *edieval Persian Sufism ed. Eeo"ard

Ee&isoh", Eo"do"? ha"i9ahiimatullahi Du+li#atio"s, 1FF=H re2ri"ted 6-ord? 6"e&orld

Du+li#atio"s, 1FFF.

———.$he Structure of 5Nistence in the BābUs afsir and the Perfect *an *otif ,* Studia Iranica,

1FF=? 81FF.

Ma#oi", 'e"is. he *essiah of Shira+, Eeide"? .%. !rill, =00F.

———. =ituals in Babism and Baha’ism Eo"do" a"d e& Oor? :.! auris Du+lishers a"d the

Ce"tre o Middle aster" Studies, N"iersity o Cam+ride, 1FF.

———. Sources for 5arl% Babi ;octrine and 2istor%( ) Surve%, Eeide"? .%. !rill, 1FF=.

Mome", Moo<a". $he rial of *ulla 7)li Bastami( ) 4ombined Sunni$Shi7i 8atwa aainst the Bāb,*i" 3ournal of the British Institute of Persian Studies, 1F8=, =0? 11BBH II, ==0B8.

———. d. Selections from the Writins of 59 Browne on the Babi and Baha’i =eliions, 6-ord?

3eore Io"ald, 1F8L.

Moezzi, Mohammad Ali Amir. he ;ivine 9uide in 5arl% Shi7ism( he Sources of 5sotericism in

Islam, tra"s. 'aid Streiht, Al+a"y? he State N"iersity o e& Oor Dress, 1FFB.

Shīrāzī, Siyyid ʿAlī Muḥammad Bāb. MS. 'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8'E: 1=8 ( )ssorted 5arl% Works of the Bab), ehrā"?

'iital Ei+rary o :ra", diitalized, =011.———. "itāb$i$Pan: Sha’n, ".2. ".d., diitalized, !aya"i#.#om, =005.

———.MS. !ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8!ay.!B8 (2riate).

———. afs&r S.rah al$Ba6ara, Ea"si", M:? 4!ahai, diitalized, 1FFF.

———. Ba%ān$i$8ārs& , ehrā"? 1FJ.

Shīrāzī, Muḥammad i+" Maḥm;d 'ihdār. Shar'$i$"hu#ba al$Ba%ān, ".d., ".2.

Iashtī, Siyyid āPim. Shar' Ism )llāh al$)7>am (2riate), diitalized, =011.



Ioha"i, S.M. a+aiIazai. ār&kh$i$8ir6i$i$Bāb&’i dar Bahdād a+ JOH tā JOHQ, ehrā"?

u"2u+lished MA thesis, Shaḥīd !ihishtī N"iersity, =01B.

ummī, aār al. Basā’ir al$;ara:āt , !eirut? ".d.

/ilso", Deter Eam+or". Scandal( 5ssa%s in Islamic 2eres%, !rooly"? Auto"omedia, 1F88.

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Journey With Me Unto the Divine Throne 2013