Maisonneuve & Larose

Theoretical Sufism in the Early Period: With an Introduction to the Thought of Ab Bakr alWsii (d. ca. 320/928) on the Interrelationship between Theoretical and the Practical Sufism Author(s): Laury Silvers Source: Studia Islamica, No. 98/99 (2004), pp. 71-94 Published by: Maisonneuve & Larose Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20059211 Accessed: 23/06/2010 10:00
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Studia Isl?mica, 2004

Theoretical Sufism in the Early Period: an Introduction to the Thought With

of Abu Bakr al-W?siti (d. ca. 320/928)

on the Interrelationship between Theoretical and the Practical Sufism

visible face of early and the early institutional tend focus on the basics period of the spiritual path and less so on theoretical questions. Kitab al ? Kitab al luma of Ab? Nasr' Abd Allah al-Sarr?j (d. 378/988), i ta li-madhhab ahl al-tasawwufof Ab? Bakr Muhammad al arruf The Sufism

treatises and manuals

that are the most

Kal?b?dhi (d 380/990
of Abu

or 385/995),

2 and al-Ris?la fi
al-Karim

lilm

al-Q?sim al-Qushayri al-tasawwuf 3 in part to define for instance, were written the (465/1072), boundaries of a diverse yet normative Sunni Sufism out of a larger of the sayings of and even more diverse tradition. The quotations the early Sufis in these texts in large part serve the authors'

'Abd

1. Ab? Nasr Abd Allah b. Ali al-Sarr?j (d. 378/988), Kit?b al-luma fi * tasawwuf, ed. 'Abd al-Halim Mahmud (Egypt: Dar al-Kutub al-Hadith bi Misr, 1970), 453-515. 2. ?b? BakrMuhammad b. Ish?q al-Kal?badhi (d 380/990 or 385/995), The Doctrine of the ?fis, trans.A.J. Arberry (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1991).

3. Abu al-Q?sim Abd al-Karim b. Haw?zin al-Qushayri (465/1072), al Ris?la al-qushayriyya, eds. Abd al-Halim Mahmud and Mahmud b. al-Sharif
(Cairo: Dar al-Kutub al-Haditha, 1972).

71

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the practical, purpose of defining legal, and doctrinal are most often represented boundaries of the path. The sayings of in terms of a moral response to the message of God in the Qur'?n inMuhammad. the pre and the example of that message Despite sence of a rich tradition of theoretical Sufism in the early period, it is not always obvious in these works that the early Sufi "moral C. Chittick in a perspective thatWilliam is grounded imperative" editorial
calls obvious the "ontological that moral In other imperative."4 are understood actions words, to be a it is not response always to the

nature of reality. Iwould

the stress on practical

like to explore Chittick

Sufism encompasses

s observation
Sufism

that
but

theoretical

like to show of the early period. In short, I would that while it is heuristically useful to use the terms "practical" and the different "theoretical" to describe emphases of expression of are and ontological Sufi experience, the Sufi moral imperatives one level we can understand theoreti inherently interrelated. On cal Sufism to be the product of a subtle interaction of an ontology with practical experience on the path. On another level, theoreti in itself. In par cal discourse should be seen as practical guidance Iwould like to stress the practicality of the theoretical per ticular, in early Sufism. The moral the ontological and spective in early Sufism should not be considered distinct with perspectives in the context even if they can often be distinct in their mode regard to their aims the interrelation of theoretical per of expression. To demonstrate with practical guidance on the path, I will be introduc spectives ing an important theoretical source for Sufism in the early period, the of Abu sayings 5 ca. 320/928). (d. Bakr Muhammad b. M?s? al-W?ski

4. On

the moral

and

ontological

imperative

in Sufi

perspectives

seeWilliam

C. Chittick,

logy, ed. T.J. Winter

Companion "Worship," Cambridge Press, forthcoming). University (Cambridge

on worship to Islamic Theo

5. Iwould
comments bers of Religion

like to thank Emil Homerin and Peter S. Groff for their insightful
and Iwould for this paper. also like to thank the mem suggestions at the American of and Islamic Mysticism Groups Academy me s ideas and in a lively discussion about W?sit? helped engaged

the Islam who

me clarifymy presentation here when I delivered this paper in Fall 2004.

72

The Presence

ofTheorical

Sufism

in Early

Period...

I. W?siti W?siti is the author of one of the earliest known collections of Sufi com oral glosses on theQuran probably preserved inwriting by his
? panions and numerous provocative sayings. His legacy, however,

survives only quotations found in later Sufi texts. Kal?b?dhi lists text in a chapter entitled, "AList of the in the above mentioned W?siti S?fis who published the sciences of allusion in books and treatises" but is presently the text and title of the work indicated by Kal?b?dhi to us.6 The greatest concentration is his of his work unavailable in survives in the form of quotations commentary which Qur'an and its appendix Ziy?d?t haq? *iqal-tafsir.7 Sulami s Haq? 'iq al-tafiir W?siti was an early student of Abu al-Q?sim al-Junayd (d. 298/910) in Baghdad during the lat and Abu al-Husayn al-N?ri (d. 295/907-8) ter part of the 3rd/9th century.8 Baghdad was one of the most impor tant centers of Sufism during the early period. Sarr?j called the early Sufis of Baghdad "the lords of tawh?d(arbab al- tawk?d)," meaning that were the masters of the practice and theoretical doctrine of "decla they 9 God one." As Alexander Knysh and other scholars have demons ring trated, the early period was rich in theoretical expression.10 W?siti s 6. Ab? BakrMuhammad b. Ish?q al-Kal?badhi (d 380/990 or 385/995), The Doctrine of the ?fis, trans. A.J. Arberry (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991), 13. 7. Abu Abd al-Rahm?n al-Sulami (d. 412/1021), Haq?'iq al-ta?r, ms. British Museum, Oriental, 9433; idem. TheMinor Quran Commentary of
Abu ?bdar-Rahm?n b. al-Husayn as-Sulami (d. 412/1021), ed. with an intro

as

duction by Gerhard B?wering (Beirut:Dar al-Machreq, 1997). The Haq?

has the recendy strongest been published but not traditions as a critical (Ta?r Sulami edition wa and not from one manuscript is presently huwa Haq? 'iq al-ta?r, edition

'iq
of

ed. Sayyid Amr?t

B?wering

[Beirut: Dar Kutub al-'Ilmiyya, 2001] 2 vols). Gerhard

undertaking the consuming task of a critical of

theHaq? 'iq. 8. He was not a disciple of Hall?j, as suggested by Massignon. Although W?siti may have had other contacts with Sufi shaykhs before coming to Baghdad, only his close companionship with these two shaykhs in Baghdad
is reported in the sources.

9. Sarr?j,Kit?b al-Luma\ 504.

10. See chapters 1-5 of Alexander Knyshs alone as his excellent survey of the history Melchert of

Sufism, Islamic Mysticism: A ShortHistory (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 2000). Using

the biographical dictionaries source, Christopher

73

Laury

SILVERS

thought represents an important strand of theoretical expression in the early period associated with the Sufis of Baghdad that would ultimately " influence theoretical Sufi thought far beyond Iraq. In particular, these Sufis articulated the notion of the creatures' profound ontological are most dependence on God. The diverse expressions of this position found in the sober writings and sayings of Junayd, the ecstatic notably expressions al-Husayn b.Mans?r al-Hall?j (d. 309/921), and in the love mysticism W?siti (d. 334/946). in the region of this legacy with him to Marw, to he passed on his subtle and rigorous monotheism Khur?s?n, where own students. W?siti had a large lay community to whom he his carried
demonstrates "The transition of such thought the presence to from asceticism mysticism he nevertheless at this time. see for For the point in the early period at the middle of in his the ninth article, cen

of Nur and Abu Bakr al-Shibli

CE.," tury
periodization, tical Sufism

Studia Isl?mica 83 (1996): 51-70. While

proves studies of on

I disagree with Melcherts

in the early period,

instance,

the presence of this theore in theoretical Sufism specific figures on Abu al Ali Hassan Abdel-Kader's work

Q?sim al-Junayd (d. 298/910), The life, Personality andWritings offunayd: A Study of a Third/Ninth CenturyMystic with an Edition and Translation of his
Writings and Co., (London: Ltd., Trustees 1962); Islam: of the "EJ.W B?wering Gibb s work Memorial" on and Messrs. Luzac Gerhard the Quran the commentary Sahl At-Tustarl

of Sahl b. Abd Allah al-Tustari (d. 283/896),

in Classical The Quranic Sufism Hermeneutics

TheMystical Vision ofExistence

of ufi on

Walter de Gruyter, 1980); LouisMassignons work on tech (283/896) (Berlin:

nical terminology in early and his magnum trans. opus Clark the life and work

Husayn b.Mans?r
cal Language

al-Hall?j (d. 309/921), Essay on the Origins of the Techni

Benjamin (Notre Dame: Uni

of Islamic Mysticism, trans. Herbert

versity of Notre Dame Press, 1997); idem, The Passion ofHallaj: Mystic and
Martyr of Islam, Mason (Princeton: Princeton University Press,

1982); Bernd Radtkes work on al-Hakim Tirmidhi

two works in Islamic mysticism: cept of sainthood, early annotated B. Radtke translation and introduction by mond, Tirmid: Sarahs; Press, idem., Drei 1996); Surrey: Curzon vom Leben der Das Buch Gottesfreunde; Ein Antwortschrieben nach Rayy, edited,

(d. 320/928),

The Con

al- Tirmidhi, by al-Hakim and John O'Kane (Rich von nach

des Schriften Theosophen Ein Antwortschreiben translated, and

commentary

by B. Radtke (Beirut: In Kommission bei F. Steiner, 1992-1997); and Paul Nwyia's work on Abu Said al-Kharr?z (d. 279/892), Paul Nwyia, Ex?g?se
coranique musulmans et (Beirut: ; nouvel langage mystique Dar el-Machreq, Islamic Mysticism: Knysh, and 66. essai sur le 1970). A Short History, chapter 3, in parti lexique technique des mystiques

11. Alexander cular pages 55

74

The Presence

ofTheorical

Sufism

in

Early

Period...

Little preached and a smaller group of more intimate companions. information survives about his life, but it is clear from his sayings and what anecdotes we have that he combined N?ris provocative and manner of speech with Junayd s abstruse expressions. In other public iswell known for being difficult to understand. When words, W?siti in treatises and manuals his statements often have to be quoted his explained. Sarr?j spends two chapters inKit?b al-luma*discussing He complains thatW?siti s sort of speech only serves as fod sayings. der for "the people of contention" who make of itwhat they will to n is sound. attack the Sufis even though itsmeaning Junayd, himself, wrote W?siti a letter urging him to consider the states of his listeners 13 is It perhaps, then, not surprising that he has only when he speaks. one well-known follower, Abu al-Abb?s al-Sayy?ri (d. 342/953-4) who passed on the bulk ofW?siti s sayings and glosses on the Quran to his own companion and nephew, Abd al-W?hid al-Sayy?ri Abd al-W?hid ismost likely the one who passed them (d. 375/985-6). on to Sulami thus the preserving W?sitis legacy and establishing of his reputation for the later tradition. ground While W?siti s reputation rests on his most provocative and diffi cult sayings, in the following analysis Iwill take his most straightfor ward sayings on the practical matter of "repentance" and demonstrate that his practical guidance is grounded in his ontological perspective. But more than that, Iwould like to emphasize the practicality of the theoretical in early Sufism.

12. Sarr?j,Kit?b al-luma\ 509. Sarr?j does not specify who are the "people of
contention" who used W?siti s language against the Sufis. Certainly some later, s

W?siti

aroused the ire of the Hanbali Ibn al-Jawzi, who

beliefs. possess wrong Sarr?j's was lost on Ibn al-Jawzi, who attempt to quotes W?siti

includes him among

of W?siti from Sarr?j directly

those who statements

clarify

in order to condemn him (Abu al-FarajAbd al-Rahm?n b. Ali Ibn al-Jawzi Talbis ib?s [Cairo: Maktaba Us?ma al-Isl?miyya, [d. 597/1200-1],
n.d.], 165).

Ism?'il Abd Allah b. Muhammad al-Ans?ri al-Harawi 13. Abu (d. 481/1089), Tabaq?t al-??fiyya, ed. Abd al-Hayy al-Habibi (Kabul: n.p., 1961). 365.

75

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II. Repentance
W?siti ones doing, soul but advises in order from that

W?siti5 in
one

Thought
an that actions one as all-consuming repents, though not one accounting from were wrong the pos of

undertake

to

looking

recognize at one's

ForW?siti, one should turn away from oneself and this world toward God to find that God alone acts at oneself or this world as inde through the human being. To look forW?siti, of God is associating others with Him. Hence, pendent is at heart concerned with declaring God one (tawhid). repentance " sessor of those actions and not God.
Tawba" from ones means wrongdoing literally "to turn," one and has so to repent toward is to turn God. away "Turn because turned

root of any Sufi discussion of repentance ing" is at the basic level, repentance levels. On the most highest
described doing and in the the manuals commitment and not treatises to return as remorse for to one's disobedient

even at the (tawba)

ones wrong act. On

Is

the highest level, turning toward God in repentance means turning away from oneself and this world toward God. W?siti advises that one should pursue repentance beyond the basic
requirement is not enough that to one turn regret away one's from wrongdoing performing and wrong not do it actions, again. one must It

turn away from having wrong intentions aswell. This is done through a strict (muh?saba) of the self. One should unflinchingly accounting examine one's actions and intentions until one is purified of disobedi ence outwardly and inwardly. W?siti most likely learned the practice own teacher, Abu Abd Allah of self-accounting through Junayd whose came al-H?rith al-Muh?sib? (d. 243/857), perfected the practice and to be named after it. Self-accounting
and as well as an exposes tantly, wrong one also

involves careful daily

examination intentions of one's that wrong lead to

reckoning
In action. lead

of one's actions
this method, More to acceptable, one impor or

intentions. wrong that

exposes

intentions

even praiseworthy, actions such as praying in congregation with the intention of displaying one's piety. The goal of repentance through
self-accounting and examination is safeguarding the secret heart

[mur?'?t al-sirr), to be discussed

shortly.

76

The Presence

ofTheorical

Sufism

in

Early

Period...

W?siti

was

asked,

"Which

of

the works

is most

excellent?"

He replied, "Safeguarding the secret heart. [It is] self accounting

the outward them tance becomes becomes domain and self examination through XA the other, in the and inward through domain. the two One repen complete upright."

in
of

One should not try to seek relief from this painful self-accounting and examination through any familiar comforts that might distract one from it for even amoment. One would be so consumed by repen tance that one would not know if itwere night or day. Repentance must be an unflinching said, gaze at ones shortcomings. W?siti s repentance is the lack of all familiar comforts. Whoever "Repentance I5 is sincere does not care how his evenings pass or his mornings." in the W?siti explains the nature of "sincere repentance" mentioned turn to God with a sincere repentance verse, O you who have faith, (Q66-.8). W?siti says that such a repentance results in being purified of disobedience while with others and alone. It should also be read in the context of related sayings as being purified of disobedience outwardly and inwardly. He said, "No trace of disobedient acts will remain with one who is sincerely repentant either in public or in secret." 16 of one's shortcomings should lead one away from Self-accounting at one smistakes to looking at God. ForW?siti it is an outrage looking to look at oneself rather than turning ones attention toward God on the verse, O through the process of repentance. W?siti commented people, your outrage is only against yourselves (Q 10:23), "The outrage 17 occurs from observing the self and looking at the mistakes itmakes." W?siti accused Ab? 'Uthm?n al-Hiri (d. 298/911) of teaching his to commit such an outrage. When W?siti was companions passing on his way to Marw, he met with Hiri s compa through Nays?b?r nions. They explained to him that Abu 'Uthm?n commanded them to observe their selves and actions in order to root out any minutely shortcomings. W?siti accused Abu uthm?n al-Hiri of teaching his

14. Shih?b al-D?n Ab? Hafs 'Umar al-Suhrawardi (d. 632/1234), Aw?rifal (Cairo:Maktabat al-Q?hira, 1973), 431. Maarif 15. Qushayri, Ris?la, 284; idem., The Risalah: Principles of Sufism, 136. Also see, Sulam?,Haq?'iq, 202a (Q 24:31). 16. Sulami, Haq?'iq, 345b (Q66:8) 17. Sulami, Haq?'iq, 99b.

77

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companions
their own

dualism
selves as

because
the source

through
of their

this practice
actions.

they focused
W?siti

on
says,

Instead,

turning
own selves

inward to repent should

toward God who is the

result in turning away from

ultimate source of those

their

actions.

Abu Ali

al-Daqq?q
W?siti "What

(d. 412/1021)
entered has your has Nays?b?r,

reports,
he asked of Abu companions with?" you to the acts of adherence the

When Uthm?n, They obedience W?siti ism]. Why looking

"He replied, and looking said, did at their "He he not

shaykh commanded we

commanded us with short

at how has

fall

in them." pure Majianism absent from 18 [dual them by

commanded you

command of origination

you with to become

place

and flowing?"

understands God to be the source of all action in respect of His command and power over all things.W?siti says that His command "flows," as quoted in the last saying, through the human being by W?siti
means of God's self-manifestation through the secret heart. InW?siti's

sayings, the "secret heart" (sirr)most often refers to that aspect of the a meaning human heart through which the divine is manifest, that on the famous hac&th bears quds? expressing the unlimited capacity of the heart to know God, "My heavens and My earth embrace Me not, but the heart of My gentle, meek, and faithful servant does encompass Me." l9Safeguarding the secret heart is the goal of repentance and the
most tance excellent one turns of all works, one's attention as quoted away above, from because oneself through toward the repen divine

manifest through the heart and so realizes that there is no self to obey or disobey God, but instead only God acting through the human being.

III. The Divine-Human ForW?siti,

Relationship

in W?siti's

Thought

then, the practical matter of repentance is tied to his of the divine-human understanding relationship and what constitutes the unforgivable sin of associating others with God (shirk). Everything
18. Qushayr?, Risa la, 204-205; al-Kaw?kib Mun?wi, al-durriyya, see also, I 608. Z. Ans?ri, Sharh I 187; and

Ris?la,

19. Sulami,Haq?'iq,

142a (Q 15:75), 375b (Q 96:19);Murata, Too ofIslam, 290.

78

The Presence

ofTheorical

Sufism

in Early

Period...

is a matter

of

perspective,

or

in the

context

of

our

present

discussion,

we will find, the importance of this notion of perspec "turning." As tive for W?sitis has a thought cannot be overstated. Repentance in that when one turns inward to repent, one broader significance finds God manifest through the secret heart, and so one understands
the nature of human possession of actions. For W?siti, human actions

are powerful not through the self. To assume otherwise through God, is to put oneself on par with God who alone has the power to act. then, is turning away from all claims of human power to Repentance, act independently of God and is demanded by tawhid. Repentance constitutes a fundamental shift in perspective away from one's own to experience of autonomy affirming God's alone. In the cases that follow, the seemingly contradictory positions that in terms of the same reality per W?siti takes should be understood W?siti s language different ceived from different perspectives, or in a on the verse, Who remember God standing, sit "beholdings." In gloss W?siti that one s experience follows and on their sides, explains ting, one beholds God from which from the particular perspective (Q3:191). He uses the word "beholding" (mut?laa) in the sense of ones view of God, oneself, and the world. Thus, one's beholding
i.e., in this one or more ones remembrance context, particular ? one s names of His defines experience of God of reality. through When

W?siti

says that the door of remembrance is shut fast against the one who beholds God Himself, the "One Remembered," he means that one does not remember God from one delimited human perspective on God or another, but beholds God from Gods own perspective. Hence one cannot remember God, rather God remembers Himself one. God acts, not the human through being.
W?siti said, "Everyone who remembers does so in the measure of his

hearts beholding. Whoever beholds the kingdom of His Majesty remem bers Him by that. Whoever beholds the kingdom of His Mercy remem bers Him by that.Whoever beholds the kingdom of His knowledge
remembers of His whoever fast Him in accordance has with a more that. Whoever awe-inspiring the door beholds the kingdom And, is shut anger beholds and wrath, the One 20 remembrance. of remembrance

Remembered,

against

him."

20.

Sulami,

Haq?'iq,

37a.

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IV. Essence, Attributes, Transcendence Central to W?siti

and Acts

from

the Perspective

of

s metaphysics

the fact of Gods and determination

takes the conclusion of the first declaration of submission and faith in God, "There is no god but takes the position that God alone is God," to its logical end. W?siti is nothing. His approach truly real and all else, compared to Him, should not be interpreted as suggesting a complete and desolate tran of the incomparability of scendence, forW?siti s understanding never excludes Gods immanence. But immanence must be understood through transcendence or it becomes shirk. W?siti discusses God in terms of His Essence, attributes and He affirms God's total incomparability from every vantage point, from those perspectives
with creation. Whether

incomparability of all things. He

is turning his listeners' attention to and His overwhelming command

God first acts. even

or

that normally demonstrate

one examines the Essence,

God's
the

relationship
attributes,

incomparability. ? is evidence of God's relationship with creation it is beyond human because comprehension. incomparability in the Qur'?n, such as His Mercy, the attributes mentioned Although
Wrath, Vengeance, and Compassion, are in relationship with creation,

the acts, everything - God outside His

demonstrates

His

The Essence

they are nevertheless

to the acts, the created

creaturely understanding

beyond comprehension are both inadequate

things, God's total

because language and to them. With respect

blots out any pos

presence

sibility of there being an "other." So while God's total presence demonstrates His similarity, it also affirms His total incomparability. or even ade Nothing can express the reality of the Essence of God to It. W?siti asks, moreover, how it is possible to con quately allude and attributes, when God is possesses descriptions all that. This perspective incapacitates the human understan beyond says that the only attribute one can engage ding of God, andW?siti with is praise. In other words, in the face of total incomparability one sider that God
can only praise Call?n belong innumerable. God.

God

the most

or call on the toHim name you call?n, whichever Merciful, names are said, "His names (Q 17:110). W?siti a true to His Essence, nor is It described alludes by Nothing beautiful

80

The Presence

ofTheorical

Sufism

in

Early

Period...

attribute

except

the attribute

of

laudation.

The

Real

is outside

powers

of

tions

imagining (awh?m) and understandings. So how should He have descrip 21

and attributes?"

that although people think they come to under in fact these all veil through attributes and descriptions, Him. "People have nothing from Him other than a name, a descrip tion, or an attribute. People are veiled by His names from His and by His descriptions from His attributes, and by His descriptions, 22 attributes from His Essence." W?siti explains stand God known through As for the acts, W?siti says God makes Himself creation, yet at the same time it acts as His veil. He makes Himself known because creation points to His "making" (san) and His com mand, but it remains a veil because the veil is known and not God Himself. W?siti then he follows express Gods
He veils

declares

that God

is known

this statement with incomparability.

Himself from His

through creation, a list of negative assertions

but that

creatures

through

His

creation,

then He

makes them know His making through His making

them to His command through His command.

(san), and He drives

possible for the

It is not

powers of imagining (awh?m) to deal with Him, for intellects to imagine (takht?luhu) Him, for eyesight to picture Him, for hearing to embrace
Him, before or for wishes after; or no to put Him into service. He is that which has no is equal; falls short of Him and nothing there nothing No Him, veil no covers space Him, and no place diminishes no void con Him,

is no goal beyond Him and no respite (mahl). He has no period, end,

goal, Him, time, no or conclusion. air surrounds encompasses

tains Him.
(Q42-.il).23

There is nothing likeHim, He

is theHearing,

The Seeing

on the verse, We will show them Our on the Commenting signs states that nothing horizons and in their selves!souls (Q 41:53), W?siti in creation other than God. All of that which becomes manifest in turn. The points to God s immanence, points to His transcendence verse is one of the Quranic sources for the doctrine of the signs,

21.

Sulami,

Haq?'iq,

159a.

22. Sarr?j,Kit?b al-luma\ 428. 23. Sulami, Haq?'iq, 288b.

81

Laurv

Silvers

namely
in their

that all things both outwardly,

selves, communicate about

on the horizons, and inwardly,

of the divine. Hence, for

the nature

W?siti,

the signs manifest and is the Manifest (al-z?hir) them. W?siti reflects Qur'?nic usage in using the word "to through find" (wajada); a word related by its Arabic root to the important technical term that will signify in theoretical Sufism the identity between "finding" and "being" (wuj?d). The following verse suggests that only God is found in the world, everything other than God is a a mirage. Those who disbelieve, their works are like mirage in the desert. one who is it is water until when he comes to it and The thirsty reckons does not find anything, but hefinds God with Him (Q 24:39). W?siti says that if one examines things thoroughly, one will not find any in creation. thing other than God manifest God makes
He Himself. is manifest His making in everything manifest through the things what He makes own manifest manifestation of

is His

through them. Thus if you examine [things] thoroughly, you will not find 24
anything other than God.

in each Just as God makes His own attributes and signs manifest so also He makes His own Self manifest in in each self. Hence, thing, the last analysis, nothing possesses a self for and by itself. In other
words, no one has the right to say "myself," "yourself," or "itself,"

because God's Self encompasses all of reality. "W?siti said, 'He left no self for the creatures after He reported about Himself that He is the First, the Last, the (al-b?tin) (al-z?hir), and theNon-Manifest Manifest (Q57:3)'."25

V. Attributes

and Acts

from

the Perspective

of Immanence

W?siti demonstrates that all examples of God's immanence Just as to His incomparability, he often shifts his perspective to show point as well. Following that incomparability immanence demonstrates from Qur'?nic describes God's manifestation of His usage, W?siti 26 acts as "the attributes through the Standing" (al-q?'im) (Q 13:33).
24. 25. 26. Sulami, Sulami, See Haq?'iq, 287a.

328b. Haq?'iq, its use for example

in Sarr?j, Kit?b

al-lumal

55.

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The Standing is not one of the traditional ninety-nine names of God; it ismore common to use the name of God al-qayy?m which might I translate be best translated in this context as "the Self-Standing." W?siti s use of the verb q?ma bias "standing through," but it also car ries the meanings of undertaking, standing up for, and making some means of God concern. The existence of all things is by thing one's in other words by His undertaking their cre standing through them, care of their existence, and maintaining ation, upholding taking sense that God "stands them, and acting through them.27 The the creatures and not "in" them is brought out where W?siti through" says that God's stands through
through them

attributes "flow" (jam) through the creatures.28 God the creatures by means of His attributes which flow
as human character traits and attributes such as com

source of Islamic a relationship and is point of thought concerning the divine-human of Gods attributes standing or reference forW?siti s understanding His creatures. flowing through
I love nothing I have made to Me servant near to Me more that draws My than [I love] never ceases servant for him. My drawing I love him. Then works I until when superogatory through obligatory

passion, wrath, life, and knowledge. The following sound hadith quasi

is a basic

what near

love him, I am the hearing through which he hears, his sight through which he sees, his hand through which he grasps, and his foot through
which he walks.29

of the term emphasizes the care implicit in the meaning to His creatures by standing through them q?ma bi that God shows when he links it directly with God's mercy. W?siti says in a gloss on the verse He singles outfor His mercy whom He wills that when God singles a person out for mercy, that person passes away from himself and is aware of God's standing through him (Q 3:74). Nothing has existence of its own on any level of reality, outwardly or inwardly, any W?siti 27. In later theological and philosophical texts it is common to distinguish between God and creation by saying that God is "standing through His
Essence" (q?'im bi-dhatihi) and the creatures are "standing through God"

(q?'im bi'll?h). 28. See for example Sulami, Haq?'iq, 298b (Q 46:35). 29. Bukh?ri, Riq?q, 38; cf.,Murata, Tao of Islam, 253.

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but

few

people

perceive

this. Most

people

experience

themselves

and

the rest of creation as "standing" on their own. He singles outfor His "W?siti says, 'It is that you should be mercy whom He wills (Q3:74). as you are without you and He should be the Standing. He belongs to His Essence and His attribute'." 30 you through W?siti discusses passing away (fand ) from one's own attributes or character traits such that one subsists (baq? ) through God's attributes and character traits as "bearing" (ihtim?l) the attribute or trait. In W?siti's sayings, passing away (fand ') is the annihilation of the self in
respect to one or more of the attributes. One experiences an attribute

or attributes of God
attributes as one's

standing
own. One

one and no through longer claims those

comes to realize that God has always

the term Jana 'means a process in stood through oneself. ForW?siti, which one passes away from the perception of possessing attributes
one or more at a time.

uses the term "subsistence" to describe both the W?siti (baq?') one is stage before each passing away when living in ignorance of the
actual state of things, and the stage after one passes away and realizes

God

standing through oneself. He sometimes uses "standing through" 'im b?) as a synonym for (baq? ). In other words, one either under (q? stands oneself to subsist or stand independently through oneself or
realizes that alone. says in various words, contexts possess that it for no one can bear through a particular their own one is entirely dependent and subsists or stands through

God

W?siti attribute,

in other

themselves

power. Then
explanation of

in other
this

sayings he describes
contradiction

those who
no one

bear
bears

it. The
a name

seeming

is that

oneself, rather the name bears itself through one. This is another way of saying that as one passes away from the illusion of possessing an attribute, one realizes one subsists through the attribute. Or from
another an attribute perspective, or a divine the person as one stands down trait, the from one's claims or trait to possess stands up character its own. in terms of one of the most comprehen attribute

through W?siti

on

discusses

this matter

sive names of God, the Real (al-haqq). The name is a near synonym for the all-comprehensive name Allah and indicates that God encompasses

30.

Sulami,

Haq?'iq,

28a.

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all of reality itself. In a gloss on the verse Some of them look at you; what, will you guide the blind, though they cannot see? (Q 10:43), W?siti says that it is impossible for any human being to bear the Real. He makes all human beings the referents in the verse. Just as people are blind, so to bear the Real. To have such a capac they do not have the capacity a capacity equal to the Real Itself. mean itywould having
He would does be not disclose Himself They to them bear as is since that of Him, worthy the Real, for that would make

wrongdoing.

cannot

them disappear. It is impossible that they should have the strength to put up with the Real as isworthy of Him, since thatwould be equality and
conjunction.3l

who
utes

states that only the Real can bear the Real. Those Hence, W?siti bear the Real bear It because the Real bears Itself through them. not bear It themselves. In all cases, God bears His own attrib They do
or character traits through people. Hence people must pass away

from their own claims to reality such that they turn to the perspective that it is the Real that subsists or stands through them. Such people have passed away from lordship and servanthood, is to say that they have passed away from all claims to possess which or to be the lord of their own attributes, and they have passed away to be servants of the Lord. They have no claims from all claims
because they have no selves to make claims. From this perspective,

nothing of them subsists that could take on any description. Real subsists and stands through Itself.
Among them are those whom the Real attracts and whom

Only

the

He

blots

out from themselves through Himself; for He says, God blots out what ever He wills and makesfirm (Q 13:39).Whoever passes away from the Real through the Real so that the Real may stand through the Real has
passed away from lordship, not to mention servanthood.32

has passed away through the Real and witnesses nothing other than the Real standing through him in all his moments has the certainty that nothing other than the Real stands through exis
tence. The person senses or sees nothing other than the Real, and

The

one who

31.

Sulami,

Haq?

'iq, 101b.

32. Sulami, Haq?'iq,

133b.

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ismaking reference nothing speaks to him but the Real. Here W?siti to the well-known hadith qudsi quoted above, "I am the hearing through which he hears, his sight through which he sees, his hand 33 through which he grasps, and his foot through which he walks."
comes to you "In other (Q 15:99). certainty in the moments than Him until other certainty to you, when realize certainty such that you do not sense you will than the Real, other than the Real, you do not see other and that no one 34 to you other than the Real." speaks Serve do your not Lord until observe

words, comes

VI. God's
W?siti

Complete
utter

Command
and control in

sees God's

autonomy

standing

through

all things as one of the necessary consequences of tawhid. God directly so the no inde commands all things in every moment, things have will. All things act by means of God standing through them. pendent Hence, only God truly acts. By denying human autonomy he affirms
God's oneness: nothing acts other than God. In other words, he is

simply
God."

restating

the first part of the shahada,

"there is no god but

in the cosmos, and no self If nothing but God becomes manifest can stand up before His Self, then God has absolute power over all of which is ultimately none other than He. W?siti refers to "God's Hand ful" from a verse declaring that everything will be in God's hand on the Last Day.
W?siti said concerning His words, To Him belongs whatever inhabits

day belongs the disdained belong toHim

the night and the day (Q 6:13). "Whoever claims in thought or deed that ? anything of His kingdom which is whatever inhabits the night and the
to him, then he has contended over the Handful and and has not the creation Do exaltation. [divine] 35 sense in an absolute (Q 39:67)?" the command

33. Bukh?ri, Riq?q, 38.

34. 35. Sulami, Sulami, Haq?'iq, Haq?'iq, 143b. 59a.

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power over all things negates the claims of the creatures to the possess anything. All are made manifest by Him and manifest of His attributes and names. signs God's To Him
[W?siti] Rather, also He

belongs whatever inhabits the night and the day (Q 6:13).

nullifies said concerning this verse, "He does them when He ascribes them them manifest them lost. He away with to Himself, His them will. in kingdoms. looks after He made 36 reality."

them with them

His and makes power, to be found after He made

with owns

on the verse, You do not will except as God wills (Q Commenting W?siti 81:29), says that God creates human beings such that they are to of possessing attributes. Attributes incapable things by belong virtue of God smanifestation them. He bears the attributes through through them with His attributes and descriptions. A creature's will and Power. and power to act is only possible through God's Will W?siti asks how it is that one can be proud of one's obedience when it is entirely dependent on God.
He makes you helpless before your descriptions and attributes, so you

do not will except by His will, you do not act except by His power, you do not obey except by His bounty, you do not disobey except by His
abandoning. when nothing So what of your subsists acts for you? Why to you?37 belongs are you proud of your acts

In that case, how can one be consumed with repentance if no one acts other than God? W?siti says that ones wrong blaming oneself for is shirk because it denies that it is God who determined the doings mistake. Hence when W?siti above that one should be so con says sumed with repentance such that one does not know what time of day it is, he means that one should be consumed with God, not with blaming the self. One cannot blame oneself because, again, there is no self but God's Self.W?siti provocatively puts the blame on God in the to turn his listeners' attention following saying in order fullest implications of tawhid around to the

36. 37.

Sulami, Sulami,

Haq?'iq, Haq?'iq,

59a. 363a.

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Worship God and do not associate anything with Him

said, to who for'?" 38 "Associating others with God is looking up at the

(Q4:36). W?siti
shortcomings the and

slips of his self and blaming it. It is said to him, 'Does the blame adhere
is in charge of making it stand or who slip is decreed

God
not act

is beyond
in response

any relationship with

to human activity; He

the creatures in that He does

only acts according to His

will. The cause ( 'ilia) and effect (ma'l?l) relationship that exists in this world does not impinge on God. W?siti says that nothing a creature
does effects. can produce an effect on God, because He creates all causes and

God does He

does

thought off from

put of transitory If you were them. would not cut cause,

not bring the wealthy

of his the poor one near because one far away because of his wealth. should such that He join with things to give to Him this world and

poverty, He has them the next,

nor no

or cut that

would not join you to Him.

them, makes out He cause. near without Thus He

If you were to take hold of all of both of

near whomever He a cuts He off with someone,

you off by that. He makes and He cuts off whomever God does not appoint

says, When

light for

he has no light (Q 24:40).39 As W?siti

cannot to one's assume repentance

said above, wishes

a cause and, and effect then,

cannot put Him

from

into service. One

one's since wrongdoing God does not

relationship to God's forgiveness

act in response
action in a and person's the

to human
repentance

beings. God
prior to creation created world.

determines
which He then says,

both
come

the wrong
into play is in

existence

in the

"Choosing

beginninglessness
being given W?siti Qur'?nic comments verses

and wrongdoing
40 on God's sole

and repentance
activity saying in a

are at the time of

several transfor

existence."

as his

proof-texts.

The

saying concerns

using the

mation

of the self from being lifeless, blind, and ignorant in itself to inter through God's attributes. W?siti living, seeing, and knowing
the "wholesome tree" mentioned in the verse, Do you not see how

prets

God strikes a similitude? A wholesome word is like a wholesome

tree, its

38. 39.

Sulami, Sulami,

Haq?'iq, Haq?'iq,

42a. 207b-208a.

40. Sulami,Minor Quran Commentary, 195:19 (Q 20:122).

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Period...

root is to heaven. It fruit every firmly fixed and its branches reach gives its season its Lord spermission (Q 14:24-25), to be the self made whole by some by God. In this saying he reads the "permission" to give fruit in the verse to be Gods command the mentioned that determines manner degree and
and become manifest

in which His
as works.

attributes

stand through
uses the

a creature
term "com

W?siti

typically

mand"
every

(amr) to refer to this complete

moment. The self possesses no

control
of

over all creatures

its own except neg

in

attributes

ative attributes

that cannot be ascribed

blindness, and ignorance. Any positive the self belong to God and are determined by His command alone. The self is not given life, sight, and knowledge so that itmay come to see and know the world. The purpose of God s standing through human beings is so they can come to know Him. In the context of the are determined for the same then, wrongdoings present discussion, reason. and repentance should result in knowledge of Wrongdoing God. He cites the verse, On that day faces will be lustrous, gazing on that God gave sight to the self their Lord (Q7 5:22-3) to demonstrate so it see Him and know that He is the source of its attributes. might This is to say that the self comes to know that it possesses nothing and that only God is real, acts through, and commands all things. W?siti other words 85:16). It gives its fruit
said, "The self was

to God, such as lifelessness, attributes manifest through

says the self is "delighted" with declaring that there is nothing than Him acting in creation. He ends the saying citing the of the Qur'an, that God is theActor for whatever He desires (Q

every season by its Lord'spermission (Q 14:25).W?siti

dead, then brought to life; itwas ignorant, then given

knowledge; itwas blind then made to see by His words, On that dayfaces will be lustrous, gazing on their Lord (Q 75:22-3). The self was given insight on tawhid and it was delighted with declaring God without 41 second, and God is theActorfor whatever He desires (85:16)" VII. Judgment

W?siti's claim that human beings have no agency apart from God us to the question of God's brings judgment of human acts. The 41. Sulami, Haq? 'iq, 136b.

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Qur'?n

be a Last Day actions in this life. during which humankind will be judged for their If human beings have no agency apart from God, how can they be judged for their actions? W?siti s answer is consistent with his position elsewhere; God's judgment is not in response to human actions. Out "destitute" acts. He of His mercy, God does not accept humankind's and the Sunna make it clear that there will
says that if human beings were to rely on their own works to deter

their final abode, all of humanity would all be lost. Because human beings have no claim to their works, they will not be able to count on their good deeds in the face of God's judgment. W?siti responds to a question asking ifGod permits one's works to fill the scales on the day of judgment. He answers that God makes the scales heavy or light according to His will in "beginninglessness." The terms beginninglessness (abad) are used to (azal) and endinglessness but with reference to God's relationship with cre designate "eternity" itwas com ation. If God makes the scales light in beginninglessness,
manded to be so in eternity. But with respect to creation, the com

mine

mand was prior to God's bringing

It was works?" He works wills, said, "If He permitted be safe. Rather makes light that God the said to W?siti, "Does He

creation

into existence.
the scales to be heavy numerous of whomever Do with our

permit then

everyone

with the scales He

would and He

makes scales

heavy of whomever

limpid He not

wills.

you

see that Prophet said, The scale is in the hand of God [He lowers thejust
scale and He raises ness them prior raises others. He raises it] ?He lowers some people and He in in beginninglessness lowers others and He beginningless A1 to the existence of each engendered thing."

If God

determines

good and bad deeds, what He Himself has commanded.

is not reciprocal for human

all actions, it follows that He also determines and that He rewards or "takes vengeance" on But W?siti
None

says God's
eternal

"vengeance"
acts can be

actions.

of God's

held to correspond with

temporally

originated

things.

42. Sulami, Haq?'iq,

different wording

378b (Q 101:6-7); the hadith is found with a slightly

collections (e.g., Bukh?ri, Tafsir, 11; Muslim,

in the Hadith

Im?n, 293, 295; IbnMaja, Muqaddima, 13; IbnHanbal, IV, 395, 401, 405; cf., Chittick, Sufi Path ofKnowledge, 173, 401).

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And God is exalted, thepossessor of vengeance (Q3:4). W?siti said, "[He is] exalted beyond anyone opposing His desire. Rather, He takes
vengeance punishment on what should He be makes flow to a person, for temporally thereby reciprocal that His negating 43 actions." originated

says that God, inHis mercy, does not judge human beings act independently of God, according to their works. People do not act inasmuch as God stands through them. Perceived as belong they W?siti
ing to the creatures alone, human acts are destitute, no matter how

on the verse, Whoever they may seem to be. In commenting his own sake; whoever does what is ugly, works righteousness, he does it for it is against himself and your Lord is not unjust to His servants (Q 41:46), W?siti says all works, inasmuch as they belong to the crea beautiful tures, are performed for their own sake and never reach God. If God were to judge humanity on the basis of these works, everyone would and be lost. This is true even of the best of humanity, the messengers the prophets. InW?siti sway of looking at things, God is not unjust to His creatures precisely because He does not accept these destitute works, and instead makes His own bounty alone. human works beautiful and acceptable by

at the Real, arrive servant's actions for whenever of His Nothing someone some it is for his own does a thing beautifully, sake; whenever someone one is thankful, it is for his own sake; whenever it remembers, out of His foul deeds is for his own God makes sake. However, bounty, to accept them. Even if He were those acts which then accepts beautiful were would purely meet for Him him or through in destitution, anything which He alone was desired, all creatures the prophets and the messen including of his own actions, has made manifest

observes gers. Whoever his own baseness.44

repentance is initiated by the sincere repentant is is clear that repentance is initiated by God alone. at the The sincere repentance mentioned beginning of this discussion means that one is purified of shirk, which includes the claim to be a
sincere repentant. Commenting on the verse, He turned to them, so

In this context, impossible. W?siti

they might acceptable

43. 44. Sulami, Sulami,

turn in repentance (Q 9:118), W?siti says that the only is one decreed by God prior to one's wrong repentance
Haq?'iq, Haq?'iq, 22b. 296a.

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doing,

let alone

one's

intention

to

repent

afterwards. repentance is

The

human

role before

in repentance

is removed.

"Acceptable

acceptable

the mistake and before the intention of repentance, God 45 turned to them, so they might turn in repentance?

says, He

VIII.

Human

Agency

Reexamined

states again and again that human the fact thatW?siti Despite cannot act independently of God, he does not negate the possi beings on turning bility of human agency. But human agency is dependent
one's perspective to to view creation, incomparable reality yet at the correctly. same As time, we have similar seen, to God it because is

He

ismanifest

mentary

thought, God's standing because nothing attributes. But, human

but Human

through it by means of His attributes. This comple one in Islamic at the heart of opposition, declaring God is reiterated on the level of God's similarity to the creatures. incomparability through creatures indicates God's in creation other than the effects of His ismanifest likewise, the fact that God acts through creation lends

a reality and agency of their own. ForW?siti, acts are beings when one perceives that God is the source of that agency efficacious
powerless agency inasmuch is gained as when one one perceives gives up oneself one's to claim be to its source. it. Repen

part of this process. When people turn toward the world becomes God and away from themselves and the world, to them. As intermediaries and secondary causes for the "subjected"
Cause, human actions are significant, powerful, and salvific.

tance is a fundamental

It can be argued that forW?siti the acts are neutral and it is peo on or acts that determines if those ple's perspective beholding of the acts are destitute or powerful. If they behold the acts as originating in themselves, the acts are destitute. If they behold the acts as originating in God, the acts are powerful. In the following saying, W?siti declares that religious practices are "indecent acts," then he steps back and clarifies that provocative statement by saying that it is not the works themselves that are indecent but looking at them.

45. Sulami, Haq?'iq,

96a (Q 9:118).

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Who

when

they

commit

an

indecent

act

or wrong are

themselves,

remember

God (Q 3:135). W?siti

rather, looking * obedience." at them

said, "Obedient deeds are indecent acts. No,

in vanity and pride indecent acts not acts of

In commenting on the verse, Say,My prayer, my ritual sacrifice, my - all to God, the Lord belongs of the worlds (Q 6:62), living, my dying W?siti says if one makes any claim to possess ones life or works, those works will be destructive. But if one observes that one's life and works to God, those very same works will be protecting. Relying on belong works is relying on nothingness, hence they are destructive. But if one relies on God, the works will be protecting as that through which He in the world. As discussed above, foul deeds become beau ismanifest and accepted by God when one observes they belong to Him. tiful Say,My prayer, my ritual sacrifice,my living, my dying all belongs to God, the Lord of the worlds (Q6:62). W?siti said, "The explanation of this verse is inHis words Whatever is in the heavens and the earth belongs toGod
(Q 10:55), whenever him, and whenever is it permissible someone someone observes quits himself declares God them from himself, they destroy of them, him. How they protect an action?47 one to observe

for him who

In the end, those who give up all claims to human agency find agency through God. Those who seek out this world lose God, and the world those who seek out God find Him and in finding Him, refers here to the Qur'?nic prin "subjected" to them. W?siti that human beings are the representatives of God (Q2:30). Inas ciple as that they are only the representatives much people recognize through which God acts in the world, the world becomes subjected to them. In other words, when people behold themselves as God's repre sentatives their actions are meaningful and powerful. becomes God, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth (Q 14:2).
W?siti seeks But, said, out "All of engendered whoever seeks engendered existence, out the Real existence the Bestower will to Him. So whoever belongs of existence passes him by. find Him and engendered existence

48 will be subjected to him."

46. 47. 33b. 67b.

Sulami, Sulami,

Haq?'iq, Haq?'iq,

48. Sulami, Haq?'iq,

134b.

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DL Conclusion repentance is only powerful when it is a turning of one's perspective to see things as they really are from the perspective of tawhid. To safeguard the human heart through repentance by means is to trace the signs of God in the of self-accounting and examination Hence self to their "place of origination and flowing." In the context of tur it is impossible to separate the ning one's perspective toward God, imperative. For W?siti, practical or the moral from the ontological because there is nothing more practical tawhid demands it. than turning yourself toward the One

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(Skidmore College)

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