̄ Jāmi's description of Abū 'Abdāllah ̄ Balyāni Author: James Winston Morris Persistent link: http://hdl.handle.net/2345/4224 This work is posted on eScholarship@BC, Boston College University Libraries. Published in Horizons maghrébins, vol. 30, pp. 43-54, 1995 Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons "Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States" (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/) Theophanyor"Pantheism"?:theImportanceofBalyAnrsRisAlatal Ahadiya. Theimpactofbookshaslittletodowiththeirsize.ThefirstWestern translation of a work attributed to Ibn 'Arabi, TR. Weir's "Wlwso KnowethHimself..." (1901),wasnomorethanabriefpamphlet,1and Michel Chodkiewi.cz' study of that same text, now correctly identified as Awhad al-din Balyams "'£pt"fre sur l'UnicitiAbsol~· .(Paris, 1982), is still a short book. Yet it would be difficult to exaggerate the actual and potential significance of his study for bringing about a more adequate understanding of the true dimensions and contexts of Islamic spirituality, among both Western readers and younger, post-"traditional" generationsinthe new Islamic nation-states. Together with Professor Chodkiewicz' subsequent workson Ibn 'Arabi,this workhasalreadycontributed to bringing about a much-needed clarification and rectification of e~lier.widespread misunderstandingsof"Sufism",oftheteachings of Ibn 'Arabi, and of the purportedly "monistic" or "pantheistic" characterofhis doctrines and their ongoing reflection in the many movements oflater Islamic thought and spirituality which remain jami's inseparable from the wide-ranging influences of the "greatest Master",al-ShaykhaI-Akbar. description In order to appreciate the surprisinglyfar-reaching importance of M.Chodkiewicz'remarksonthisbrieftreatise,wemustfirstexplain the wider significance ofthe early translations of this "Rislililt 1l1 of Ahadiya" - and especiallyoftheir repeated mis-attribution to "Ibn 'Arabi"- in first mirroring, and theneventuallyhelpingto shape, both popularand more scholarly Western conceptions of Islamic abO spirituality from their first appearance at least on into the 1970's. The detailed history of the formation ofthese distinctive modern 'abdallah Westernnotionsof"Sufism" and '1slamicmysticism"remainstobe written,butthereisnodoubtthatthosenascentculturalstereotypes were already marked, even before the appearance ofWeir's and balyani Abd al-Hadi's translations, by at least the following distinctive I features.2 1 The assumption that these matters ("Sufism" or IIIslamic James mysticism", etc.) were essentially intellectual, theoretical, or w. Morris doctrinalteachingsthatcouldbeformulated and communicated,by 43 literaryorothermea~s,withoutfurther reference conceptions are mirrored in this work and what to the practical dimension of spiritual we know of its (true) author'S own life and "realization" (Ibn, Arabfstahqiq) and thehostof teachings. I very concrete questions, both individual and cultural, that are inevitably raised when one The second esse~tialbackdrop to the wider entersthatdimension. influence of M. Chodkiewicz' study has to do with an even broader and much more dramatic 2 historiCal-phenomenon :i.e., the ironic waythat these recently created and historically quite Theassumptionofa vaguely "pantheistic" - or anomalous Western stereotypes of "Sufism" and at the very least, "immanentist" - focus on the '1slamic mysticism" - and oftheoftenmythical locus and forms of awareness of the ultimate roleattributed to Ibn 'Arabi inboth- gradually reality, usually seen (at least in the prevalent cametobere-insertedintotheongoingpolemical Anglo-Saxon conceptions)3 as reflecting a struggles of several generations of would-be radically "individualistic", personalistic "reformers" and "revolutionaries" seeking to perspectiveexplicitlydivorcedfrom anyessential shape and direct new nation-states and social social and cultural ties ~it~ ritual, authority, realitiesthroughouttheIslamicworld.SWhatever tradition,practiceandthelike. their ideological stance (traversing the whole sp'ectrum from Marxist to Islamist!), those 3 nationalist political and social reformers have almost everywhere tended to share a common Theassumptionthattheteachingor"wisdomN in distaste for the "corruption", "decadence", and question was essentially "universal" - or other defects they typically associate with these alternatively, vaguely "Eastern", "Oriental", sam~ mythical stereotypes of "Islamic "perennial",etc. - in such a wayas to preclude mysticism", "popular religion", and with the anyneedforfurtherreferencetosPecificreligious intellectual and cultural traditions and and cultural traditions, with their own concrete accomplishments of(at least) the preceding six practicalandintellectualdemands. centuries of Islamicate civilization - not coincidentally, the period during which Ibn While the Risllat al-Ahadiya did not by itself 'Arabfs actual influence became so widespread, create those basic pre-conceptions - and at every level of religious teaching and especially the wider cultural notions of expression, in Muslim cultures from Africa to "mysticism" within which the initial non ChinaandIndonesia.6 specialist images of Islamic spirituality in the West were almost inevitably embedded -, its Against this background, then, the essential longtenureastheonlycompletelytranslated and contribution of Michel Chodkiewicz' work on widely-available4workattributedtoIbn'Arabiin Balylni, as with each of his succeeding and the West certainlyhelped to cementand support increasingly detailed studies of Ibn 'ArabI thosestereotypes. Evenacursoryreadingofthat himself, has been to undermine and radically text- orofJaws storiesaboutBalylnihimself, "de-construct" these far-reaching mythologies as translated at the end of this article - will thathavecometobesymbolicallyassociatedwith quickly make clear how accurately these broad the name ofIbn Arabi, in both East and West. I 44 He has done so, like an authentic 'Alim in any The third facet" of this new approach, most culture,notbyarticulatingsomenew,alternative strikingly illustrated already in this study.of mythology, but rather by conscientiously BalyAni, is that it has freed serious scholars and exploring and re-presenting the actual religious, historians - too often distracted by the mythic cultural and historicalcontexts within which Ibn dualisms of ideological polemics, past and 'Arabi- and,inthisease,Balyiniand theearliet: present- toturn theirattention to thecreativity Islamicfigureswhowerehisowninspiration,like and diversity of.Islamic religious and mystical ShushtariandIbnSabin- wereactuallywriting thought, practice and social expression and teaching. In the study of'the Risilat al throughout the crudal formative period of the Ahadiya,inparticular,Prof.Chodkiewiczbeganto late 12th/6th to 14th/8th centuries. As we develop three basic facets of that far-reaching indicated at the beginning, this is potentially effortofrectificationandclarificationwhichhave much more than a merely scholarlyor academic been pursued in all his subsequent publications contribution. Simplyrecognizing the very fact of concerningtheShaykh. thisdiversityandcreativity,andbringingittothe attention ofthose obsessed bythe polemics and The first ofthose facets, part ofa much wider ideologicalorthodoxiesofourowntime,canhelp transfonnationinscholarshipon Islamicsubjects, to open doors that unfortunately are too often has been to re-situate the Ntheoretical" writings closed throughout much of the Islamic world and doctrines offigures such as Ibn 'Arabi (or today. BalyAni) within their original contexts, with all Indeed.it may have been in this same spirit that implies for the relative weighting of and with something of the same far-sighted religious, practical, literary, aesthetic and social intentions that the celebrated Persian poet and dimensions that have typically been lost or philosopher of Herat, ,Abd ai-RahmAnJimi (d. forgottenwhensuchtextscametobeviewedonly 1492) - commentator on the IIFusus al-Hikam" through a narrow philosophic, theological or anddevotedlifelongstudentofallofIbn Arabfs I t political prism. The second key aspect of that work- mentioned BalyAni (d. 1287/686) in his " scholarlyeffort,insomewaysasubsetofthefirst, famoushagiographicwork, IINafahatal-Uns". The has been to distinguish the actual teachings and practical opposition so visible in each ofthese writings of Ibn 'Arabi himself from the host of anecdotes between BalyAni's radical spiritual imagesand stereotypes with which hisnamehas individualism(Nantinomianism" wouldbealmost become associated - through the combined an understatement) and the far more sober, efforts of generations of "supporters" and consistentlySharia-based injunctions underlying detractors alike, in both Islamic and Western virtually all of Ibn'Arabi's practical spiritual settings. One outstanding result of that effort, teachings is at least as dramatic as any of the brilliantlyillustrated in both ofM. Chodkiewicz' multitude of doctrinal' contrasts and subsequent books on Ibn 'Arabi, has been to disagreementsbetweenthesetwofiguresthatare restore appropriate emphasis to the absolutely highlighted in M. Chodkiewicz' telling notes to central role of Islamic scriptures (Qur'an and BalyAni's treatise. But instead of IIcensoring" hadith)and ofspiritual practicethroughoutallof Balyani, either by openly censuring him or by his writing and teaching, and specifically in his simplyleavinghimoutofhis work(as hesurely monumental IIal-Fufuhital-Mtzkki'ya". did with other Sufi figures), ]imiseems to have delighted in. drawing attention to the 45 eccentridtiesofhischaracterand ~ethod and,by would look back and encourage me, saying implication, to their inner connections with his (mockingly) :"Go and lie down somewhere!" I more theoretical teachings. Each reader is left to would sit down on the ground while he was drawtheappropriateconclusions... occupiedwithhisown(spiritual)task,andaftera while I'd get up again. I emulated him until the time when his spiritual state also descended on JAMi's DESCRIPTION O"F ABU me;atthat point I (again) chosesolitude. Zlhid ABDALLAH BALYANi7 Abii &kt was so very happy with me that he called me NGypsy". Iheard thatonedayhesaid: His surnamewasAwhad aI-Din,and hewasone /lGypsy" cameand took somethingfrom meand ofthedescendantsofAbii'AliDaqqaq. Balyanrs canieditoff;nowIdon'tknowwherehewent!" lineagegoesbacktoAbii'Aliasfollows: (hewas) After"sometimeIwentbackto seehim. UWhere the son of 'Abdallah, son of Mas'iid, son of wereyou",heasked, /land whatdidyoubring1" Muhammad, son of 'Ali, son of Ahmad, son of I modestly said nothing. After we'd sat together 'Vmar, son of Ismail, son ofAbu 'Ali Daqqaq foranhourzahidasked meaquestion,inanswer May God bless their innermost souls. Master to which I responded that /II am not otherthan Abu 'Ali [Daqqaql had o~e s~n, IsmA'iI, and a God".ZAhid said :"Soyou'vebroughtthesaying daughter,FatimaBanu, who was marriedto Abu ofMansUr(al-Hallap1"13"Withasinglesighthat aI-Qasimal-Qushayri.8 I make", I answered, "I can find a hundred thousand (God-intoxicated souls) like Mansiir !" As for his chainofinitiation, he took the khirqa9 As soon as I said that, ZAhid picked up his rod from hisownfather, Diya'al-DinMas'ud,whois and threw itat me. Ijumped aside, and thatrod also known as "ImAm aI-Din" Mas'iid. He just missed me. ZAhid cursed me roundly and received it from Shaykh AsD aI-Din Shirazi, [po said :'They crucified Mansiir and he didn't run 259] who took it from Shaykh Rukn aI-Din away,butyoufled fromthislittlestick!" "I'hat's Sanjasi, from Shaykh Qutb aI-Din Abii aI-Rashid because Mansur wasn't yet spiritually perfect'", Abhari,fromShaykhJamalaI-Din 'Abdal-Samad (ttmUimY', I replied, "or else he would have run Zanjani, both ofwhom received it from Shaykh away. For with God - MayHebe exalted and Abii al-Najib Suhrawardil 10- May God bless sanctified - all things are one." Once I'd said theirinnermostsouls. that, Zlhid said: "Maybe you've eaten some (psychedelic)plant1" "Yes indeed",Ireplied: "I Balyani said : At the beginning (ofmy path) I have eaten a plant, but from the meadows of II soughttosecludemyselffrompeople,andIspent Reality !" "You've eaten bliss and you've eaten eleven years up on Mount Ligam. When Icame well", hedeclared, "S0 come sit on the prayer down from the mountain,Ikeptcompanywith11 carpetandpreservethat(throughprayer)!" theascetic(zQhid) Abu BakrHamadAni. He wasa man with spiritual powers and true spiritual Later ZAhid asked me : /lWhat you said insight12•His personal form of worship (wird) concerningMansiir(al-HallAp,thatitwasbecause wasalwaysasfollows:everynighthegotupand ofhis (spiritual) imperfection that hedidn't run placedan ironrod under his chin, and remained away and was crucified - what is your reason standing (in prayer) until day. With his assent, I for sayingthat1" liMyreason," Ireplied, ''isthat likewisestoodbehind him;from timetotimehe if a rider who claims to know horsemanship [po 46 260] doesn't let go ofthe reins when he gallops "50 the shaykh needed that so much he even hishorse;orif,whenhedoesdropthereins,he's wrote itdown! NowIknow what sort offellow stillabletorestrainthe horse,thensuchaperson heisandto whatlengthshe'llgo!"Iimmediately is rightfullycalled askillful rider. But ifhe's not got up and went outside. But when I reached able to stop his horse, then he's said to be KAzarun16I reproached myself, and I found a imperfect in horsemanship". After I'd said ~hat, certain (spiritual)ambition(had returned) within ZAhid'agreed withme. ''Youspokecorrectly",he ~e. I began a spiritual retreat (khalvat), and said :'1'veneverseenanyonemoreperspicacious duringthatretreatCodgavemewhateverIasked. thanyou.." Himforin(only)fivedays. Balyinialso said :''I'heytold methat one ofthe OnedaywhenhewasinShiraz,hewentintothe companions ofShaykh Shihab al-Din [Abu Hafs khanegah ofShaykh Sa'di.17ShaykhSa'ditooka 'Umar] Suhrawardi14 - May God sanctify his handfulofpenniesandsetthemnextto(Balyini). spirit- called Shaykh Najib aI-Din Buzghush15 "Say (a prayeroverthese)", he said, "so that we had come to Shiraz. I was very happy at that, cangive thisblessed offering (to buy) a meal for because I had already attained all of the thedervishes."18"0Sa'dihereplied",(insteadof) (spiritual) stations and states ofthe Sufis about bringing outthose pennies, go take that jarwith whichI'dlearned,andIwasseeking(todiscover) the62silvercoinsyou putin it, and usethat for something more. Indeed my own father used to thedervisheS'supper!"ShaykhSa'diimmediately say :"Whatever Irequested from God Igave to went and broughtbackthe jar,justas [po 261] he (my son) 'Abdallah; what (God) opened up for had said'(and found the money in it).l9Then he me likea little peephole, He opened up for (my sent it out and had a wonderful meal prepared son) like a wide-open gate." So I got up and forthedervishes. traveled to Shirazin orderto meetShaykh Najib aI-Din. The Shaykh had a disciple who was a cook; he sold soup in the bazaar. Whenever the Shaykh I told him quite a few things about my own passed by that disciple's shop he would take a spiritual states and stations and extraordinary bowl of his soup and eat it right there, standing experiences. He listened to everything very up. ~e dayhehad a bowl ofsoupin his hands politelyanddidn'tsay~nything inresponse. Isat when a (would-be) dervish came up with great there for an hour and then went outside, but c~ony, dressed inamulti-coloredSufirobe,20 suddenly I felt absolutely compelled to return. and greetedhim. '1 would likefor you", hesaid, "Let's go back and see Shaykh Najib ai-Din", I lito point out for me the wayto God. Please tell thoughttomyself,"tofindoutwhathesays." me what would be helpful for meto do sothatI When I reached the door ofhis house, they told can act according to (your instructions)." The me: "He's in the inner (private) rooms. Go on in Shaykh handed him the bowl ofsoup he was and sit down in that outer room where the holding in his hands and said : "Part of the shaykh usually sits (in public audi~nce) until he foundation ofyour work is to take this and eat comes back." Now when I sat down there, I it." So the dervish took the soup and ate it, and noticed that justin front ofhis prayer-earpet was whenhewasfinished eatingtheShaykhtoldhim: (a paper with) everything that I'd just told him "Nowwipeoffthesoupthatspilledonyourhand written down on it. "Aha"! Ithought to myself, on your Sufi robe, and do the same thing 47 I . r wheneveryou eat something." "But master", he then don't be yourself- because ifyou aren't said,'1can'tdothat!Can'tyousuggestsomething yourself,thenyouareGod." • II elseformetodo'!" "Sinceyouaren'tevenableto Oneday he had goneon pilgrimage24 to (the t dothismuch",theShaykhsaid,"youwouldn'tbe tomb-shrineof)ShaykhRuzbihlnBaq}i2S- May ableto do anything else I'd tell you to do either. God bless hisinnermost self- and ShaykhSadr Runalong;youaren'tcutoutforthis~ork!N aI·Din RuzbihAn [po 2621 was seated at the head One ofthe Shaykh's disciples had sought out a of hi~ father's tomb. When Shaykh 'AbdallAh . secluded place on the mountain, when a (BalyAnO stood in front of RuzbihAn's tomb, poisonoussnakecamealong. Hetried to pickup Shaylch Sadr aI-Din stood up out ofrespect for the snake, but it bit him and his limbs became him,remained standingforawhile,andthen sat inflamed and swollen. The news ofthis reached down. And again he stood up and remained theShaykhandhesentagroupofpeopletobring standingforawhile,butShaykh'Abdallihdidn't back the disciple. "Whydid you pick up that evennoticehim!When(BalyAnt)hadfinishedhis snake", he asked the disciple, "S0 that he could 'visit', Sadr aI-Din said to him: IIl've been biteyou?" "Butmy master", thedisciplereplied, standingup (in.respectforyou)allthistime,and "you yourself always said that there's nothing you didn't even notice me !" "Shaykh Ruzbihln otherthanGod !Ididn'tviewthatsnakeasbeing hadhandedmeapomegranate",hereplied, "and otherthanGod,andthat'swhyIbravelypickedit I ~asbusyeatingitwithhim." up." The Shaykh declared :"Wheneveryou see I ~ , God in a terrifying form (libis-i qahrJ, run away Amonghispoemsisthefollowing: I and don't gonear Him ! Forifyoudon't act like We'retotallyGod,mostabsolutely: I': that,He'lido exactly what hapPened to you just We'renotfromfire,wind,waterandearth! now!" After that he put his hand under the We'vebecomeforevernakedwithregardtobeing I • disciple'sheadandhelpedhimtositupandsaid: ornot-being;ourclothingistorn. "From now on don't do anything SO rash until TheTruth:youcan'tseeanyotherthanGod, you know that Hell is good." Then he said.a fornodoubtbothworldsaren'totherthanHim't prayerandblewonthedisciple,andtheswelling Wedon'tsaytheworldisHim;nor(dowesay) wentawayandhewascured. thatit'swrongtomakethatconnection: Heisn'ttheworld,noristheworldHim: Heonce said :''Being arealdervish22isn'tritual toseeallasHiminthiswayisnotmistaken. prayerandfasting,anditisn'tspendingthenight Andthisquatrain: in prayerful vigil. All those things are (just> the Until I saw Haqq wIth my own two eyes every accoutermentsofservanthood, whilebeingareal instant dervish means suffering offenseand affliction23• Ineverstoppedseekingwitheachbreath. Ifyoureallyattainthat,you'vearrived". They say God can't be seen with our own two eyes:so He also said : "Know God - but if you don't they'relikethat,andI'mlikethisateveryinstant. know God, then don't know yourself either! passedawayonthedayof 'AshuTi,2J, inthe Becausewhenyoudon'tknowyourself,thenyou year686 come to know God." Then he said: '1 say that [March4,12871. there's something evenbetterthan that (i.e., than knowing God) :BeGod !.Butifyou aren't God, 48 Notes 1992),nowavailableintranslationu AnOceanWithoutShore (A1bany,SUNYPrese,1993). 1•Originallypublished intheJ01lnWoftiltRDyIIAsiatic Society,1901,pp. 809--825; now.availableinaseparate 1•Theactualauthorofthe"'reatiseonthe(Divine)Unidty" paperbackreprintundertheabove-mentionedtitle(Beshara CRisilItal-Ahadtya)oftenattributedtoIbn'Anbt,translated Publi~tions,1988). Thesubsequent Italian and French byT.R Weiru "WIro5oK1tDrwf1iHilffStlf•••".ThJItextisthe translations0907and1910)by'Abdal-Hldt(IvanAguelOare translationofhisbiographical noticein'AbelaI-RahmAn diIcu8eedinmoredetailatthebeginningofM.Chodklewicz' Jlmt's(d.1492)renowned Penianhagiographicdictionary, lltudy. . N-fU'I....Uns (Tehran,ed.M.TawhtdtpOr,1336h.s./1~, pp.25S-262.ForadditionalhbtorialbackgroundOIlBalylnt's 2• One has the initial impression that each of these probablehistoricalconnestionswiththe"~SufiIChool stereotypeswasmoresharplydeveloped intheAnglo-Saxon ofIbnSab'lnandal-Shushtalf,drawnfromdiscusllonsbyIbn andGermanicevolutionoftheseconceptionsthaninFrance Taymiya and otherlatersources,seeM.Chodkiewicz' - duebothtothevagariesofradicallydifferingcolonialand IntroductiontohistranslationofBalyWsEpiresurl'Unkti mis&ionarycontacts,andtotheequallydifferingreceptivities Absolue(Paris,lesdeuxOdans,1982),pp.17-41. ofpredominantlyProtestantandCatholicintelledua1settings - buttheexplorationofthesesignificantdifferences,asweD 8-Daqqlq(d.405/1014)andQushayrt(d.465/10'74,authorof u thelargerprocessofdiscovery-cum-aeationofimagesof the celebrated Rislla, perhaps the most widely read Islamicspirluallty,mustbereservedforanothertime. traditionalIslamicworkontheSufipath)aretwoofthemost importantfiguresinthedewlopmentofSufilminNisbapur 3-Itisimportantto notethatthegreatmajority ofthe beforethetwoGhazltts. Anne-MarieSchimmel<Mystical precedingEnglishtranslationsofIslamicspiritualtexts, DimensionsofIslam,p.421)mentionsthatQushayrrswife, whetherfromPersianorArabic(orMalay,Hindi,etc.),were FAtima-BlnO,alsobecamefamous for herlearningand guidedbySOU1'CESandtraditionsrootedintheEasternIslamic knowledgeof"""".u wellu herpiety. world,especiallySouthAsia,ratherthantheOttoman/Arab realms and contacts long reflected in French Islamic 9-The"patched~(inactualpndiceoftensimplya scholarship. capor othersy~bo1icobject)symbolizingthespiritual "poverty"oftheSufi,bestowed intheformal initiation 4-WhileNyberg'ssubsequenteditionsandcommentary ceremonyconnectinganovicewith aparticularchainof 0919)hadanoticeableinfluenceonlaterscholarswritingon spiritualteaching(si1siJa)usuallytracedbacktotheProphet. Ibn'Arabt,theydid not reachawider public; and Asin Palacios'pioneeringworkslongremainedeitheruntranslated 10·Died563/1168,theinfluentialfounder01oneoftheoId_ intootherEuropeanlanguagesorknownmaWytospecialists survivingSufiorders,theSUNawudtya,and authorofan innon-Is1amicfields (Dantestudies,medievalhistory,etcJ. earlySufi"'rule",theKiU6.AdIbal-Murtltn(trans.M.Mi19on. The increasing availability in more recent decadesof ASufiRuleforNovices,Cambridge,HarvardUniv.Press, translations(T.Burckhardt,1955)and thendetailedstudies 1975). Hewasan uncleoftheequallyfamousAbOHals (mostnotably,by 0.Corbinand T.Izutsu)focusingonIbn Suhrawardt(d.632/1234)mentionedbyBalylntlaterinthis ,ArabfsFusus.I-Hib".and itslaterMuslimphilosophic notice(0.14). MOltoftheothershaykhsinthisportionof commentariesdidnotinitselfseriouslycallintoquestion Balylnrs,il5ila wereinfluentialenoughtobementioned thesesameunderlyingpre-e»nceptionsaboutIbn'Arabtand elsewhereinJlmfswork(e.g.,al-Sanjlstu muterofthe "'Islamicmysticism." famousPenianpoetanddisciple01Ib'Arabt,Awhadal-Drn Kirmlnt,p.588). 5-By discussing theanti·"monistic" polemicsofIbn Taymiyyaandhisearlieremulatorsintheiradualhistorical 11 -ThisphraselooselytranslatesakeytechnicalSufiterm contexts,throughoutall ofhis writingsonIbn 'Arabi, (suJrbal)referringtoaperson'sregular,constantoorDdwitha ProfessorChodkiewiczhashelpedtohighlighttheradically particularspiritualguide,inwhichthey "learn"&omaUthe different natureand context ofthese modern polemics adionsand influencesoftheguideinquestion,notsimply involvingthenameofIbn'Arabi,evenwhentheirlanguage fromformalteachingsorspecificallyusigneddisciplines.As and themes are clearly drawn from earlier medieval canbeseenfrom the remainderofBalyAnfsltory,it,can discwJslons.Anotheroftheparticularlystrikingphasesinthis sometimesbemisleadingtodesaibe this·oftenrelatively continuallyironicprocessofc:ross-cultural"transmission"that informalproc:lSISa"'master-disdple"relationship. M.Chodkiewiczhasoftenhighlighted inhis notestothese studiesistheremarkablyfar-reaching directand indirect 12-Karimit,or"spiritualpowers"[litera1Jy"'adsof(God's) infIuen~throughout90manypartsoftheIslamicworld,of grace"Lreferstothesupra-normalpsychicandpsychokinetic: thehighlycharged polemicimagesofIbn 'Arabtand his powenpossessedbycertainsaints. Firlsat,or"'spiritual "followers"(faithfullymirroringaUtheabove-mentioned insighr",referstothespedftctypeof1CDbMinwlvingthe stereotypes)tobefound throughoutthe writingsofLouis abilityto"!eft'intotheheart,mindandgenerallpiritualstate Massignoo. ofanother penon; itismentioned inafamous Wlfll: "BewarethefirIsaofthepenonoflath,fortheyseewiththe 6-Forthealmost unimaginableextent ofthatongOing lightofGod!" historicalinfluence,seethesuperband densely allusive .,-H"" summary of the available research (by dozens. of 13-I.e.,Ani "1am God (theTrulyReal)", the contemporaryscholars) inM. Chodkiewia'Introductionto notorious"ecstaticsaying'"<shath)which- alongwithmany Un~sansriwgt:11m'Arlbf,I,Liw,et,.Loi(Paris,Seui!. otherrelatedactsandpublicteachings- eventuaUyledtothe 49 " I celebr.tedvolunt.ry martyrdomof.1-H.lllj. (Seethe 21 -OrMitM:itisunclearwhetherthereferenceIIto the exhaustivefour-volume-study byL Massignon[trans. H. manifestationsofGod- andespecially the well-known MasonLTItcPasionoflIl-lWlIj,Princeton~1982.) dllltinctionbetweenthedivinetheopJwUesofBeauty(~ and Majesty q.ul)- ortothemoremundanedistinction 14-Thiscelebratedand politicallyInOuential master (d. betweenpoisonousandharmIeIssnakes. 632/1234;nephewoftheAbONajibSuhrlwardimentionedat n.10above) wastheauthorofthefamousSufi-Undboo~, 22-OrsimplyM(spbitual)poveny- :Mn1fJIIt,thePeniall 'AJDiri!.'-Ml'bi!,and played akey roleinspreadingthe equivalentoftheArableterm1i-frItIr,glorified• theepitome chivalrousMfutuwwa-movementinitiatedbyoneofthelast ofMuhammad'psroiwden"s'p,"ir"it"ualpathIntheoeIebntedhadIth Abbasid caliphs,ai-Nasir. (SeeA. Schimmel, Mystical ~overtyismy fIIdrt1. DlmemionsofIslam,pp.24411.)1&biographyisonp.472of Persian theNafahll 23-The termhere(rajftlMI)IsproblblyUIedIIan equivalentoftheArabic!ufitechnicalterm ",.,."..,or 15-AcxordingtoJimrsnotice(pp.473-474),thisdevoted lmntionaUy-drawingbIaJneMupononeBeIfinordertoaw&d discipleofSuhrlwudtreturnedtohisnativeShlraz(inthe theformsofhypocrisyoftenaccompanyingthereputationof aftermathoftheMongolinvasions1),establishedaflourishing pietyand thespiritual -inslnc:eri~ (and insecurity)often khanegahthere,anddiedin678/1279. underlyinganunusualrelianCleOftadsofpietyanddevotion. Fromaveryearlyperiod,thetrue~- auompUthed 16-Animportanttradingcityabout10mileswestof5hiraz. mystics who carefully concealed their powers and onthetraditionalroutetothesuIfportofBushahr,homeof acxomplishments- ~oftenconsideredthehigheItrank theimportant Kazaruni(·Mllrslridf", ·ls~)Sufiorder amongtheSufis:seethereferencesand-disc:ulaloninA founded intheearly11thcentury.(Seetherelatedarticlesin Schimmel,MystialDiJIfDISUmsofIslam,pp.86-88,andI. EI2,vol.IV,850-51,whichmentionsanAminal-D"anBalylnt Deladrm'srecenttranslationofSulamfsinfluentialR.11I asMreviver-ofthatorderinthe7th-8th/13th-I4thcentury.) ~,fALucUliUI".".." :"."""H"""".• Blbte, Paris,adN,1991. 17-PresumablythecelebratedShirazipoet(d.1292)and authoroftheGullstlnandBustin. However,itshould be 24.~Ziylrat,literallyMvisi~ :thetechnicaltermInmany added thatmodernhistorianshavetended toquestionthe Islamiclanguagesforthepilgrimagestothetombsorshrines authenticityofmanyofthelaterstoriesaboutSadrslifeand ofsaints,Imams,prophetsandthefamilyandCompanionsof travelsdrawnfrom his works,includingJimsownbrief Muhammadwhic:h areacentralfeatureofreligiOUSlifein noticelaterintheNIIfdIt. everypartoftheIslamicworld. 18-ItisnotentirelydearfroQ'thecontextwhetherSa'diis 2S-OneofthemostcelebratedofthemanyIIlntsofShinz(d. simplyaskingBalylntfor hisadditional blessingonthe 606/12(9),whoseworbhavebeeneditedIJIdtranIIatedbya moneytobeusedforbuyingthemeal,orwhetherinsteaditis numberofmodemWesternsc:holan:leeJIIntNt,."." pp. understood- asinasimilaranecdotetoldaboutapoorbut 2SS-2S8,andA Sc:himm~Mystiall~ofWat,lDdex respectedsaintbyIbn'ArablinhisSufisofAndalusia- that s.v.- thepenniesblessedbyafamoussaintwillactuallyfetcha much higherpricebecauseoftheirprotective,talismaniC 26-The-tenthdayofthelunarmonthofMJdtanaI;forShiitei value. theftnaldayofmourningaxnmemoratingthemartyrdomof Husayn(grandsonofMuhammadandsonofADIJIdFltIma) 19- Againitisnotclearwhet,herthe Mmirade· (Xt"JU) atKerbela. intended by the story is simply that Balylnt was supernaturallyawareoftheexadamountand locationof moneySa'dihadonceputaway(andthenforgotten 7),or whetherhe wasactuallyableto materializethatparticular suminthatlocation. (Bothsortsofsupernaturalphenomena arefrequentlymentionedinhagiographlcworks.) 20-Bythe13thcentury,withtheinternationalspreadofboth organizedSufiorders(bI'I4f" pI. Illn"I) and wandering, mendicantdervishesthroughout theIslamic:world,their adherentsin many regionshaddeveloped spedalrobes, headgearandotherdi!tinctiveapparatus(e.g.,the1CaIIkQlor beggar'sbowl;differemformsofprayerbeads;the,.,.or two-headedhatchet;etc:.)todistinguishtheirparticularstatus andaffiliation. Thekltit"m.,-rrrIkJIf(Mthousand-nailed·khlrcp)mentioned here-wasnolongerthepoorbeggar'scast-offrags,buta splendid,artisticallysewnpatchworkofhundredsoftiny stripsofmulti-colored material- anostentatioussignof wealthand-sodalpretenseratherthanof_inneroroutward poverty. 50 Sans envisager l'importancede l'-fpifrtsur l'UnicitiAbsolue- (en tant que contribution 1 la comprehension de la spiritualite islamique), nous devons AMichel Chodldewicz (M.C.) d'avoir clarifie puis rectifie Ies conclusions erronees qui valurent Acebref opusculed'etre faussement attribue1Ibn 'Arabtqualifiantl'C2Uvre de celui-ci de -monisme- oude -panthiismt-, ce qui n'aura pas ete sans repercussion-dans la genese des mouvements de pensee islamiquejusqu'lnosjours. PourapprederJes remarquesdeM.C.surcetraile,nousdevons d'abord expliquer les significations des premieres traductions de cette -RisaLltal-Ahtuliya-desormais identifi~ ~mme etantceliede BalyaniAwhad ad-Din (ob. 686/1287). Enfait l'histoire enti~ des notions occidentales modemes de soufisme, depuis sa formation jusqu'aux annees soixante dix, est Ar~rire. On s'accorda trap longtemps1reconnaitre au -soufisme-, Ala -mystiqueislImriqut- ou -spirihullitiislmnique- une dimension essentiellementintellectuelle, theoriqueoudoctrinale,sansaucunereferenceAcellede -riJUisIItion spirituelle-. L'hypothese du -panthiismt-, prevalant dans Ies conceptions anglo-saxonnes, ref1~te une perspective radicalement la -individualiste-, -personnelle-, detach~ de toute dimension sociale, culturelle. Enfin, la suppositionque l'enseignement de la saintete etait essentiellement universel ou alternativement -oriental·, description ·eterneZ- a, dans un sens, emp«he Ie recours aux references des religionsettraditionsculturellesspecifiques. de abO Si l'Epitre n'est pas e11e-m!me1 l'origine de ces prejuges, son attribution AIbn 'Arabi a certainement contribue Aasseoir et cautionnercesstereotypes. 'abdallah Le second impactdes travaux de M.C. est lie Aun plus largeet (d'ailleurs)dramatiquephenommehistorique.L'ironiedusortafait que ces a priori a-l'egard de la spiritualite islamique et Ie rale balyani mythique devolu AIbn 'Arabi refirent surface dans Ie champ des polemiques de plusieurs generations de "reformateurs" et "revolutionnaires"ambitionnantdefa~nner etdirigerlesnouveaux par Etats-nations et les reaIites sociales, Atravers Ie monde islamique. QueUes que soient leurs positions ideologiques initiales ces politiciens nationalistes ou reformateurs (du marxisme A jami l'islamisme) afficherent uncommundegoQt pour Ia "cormption"et la"decadence"qu'llsassocientAlamystiqueislamiqUe,Alareligion populaire et aux traditions intellectuelles et culturelles ayant eu JamesW. coursdurant les six demiers sieclesdans la civilisation islamique : Morris or,- preCisement, la periode incriminee recouvre celle du 51