The Darvishes by John P. Brown

Author:John P. Brown [Brown, John P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Asia, General
ISBN: 9780714619804
Google: CGKhLy5lfwQC
Publisher: Psychology Press
Published: 1968-06-15T03:44:14+00:00

Chapter IX

Real and False Darvishes—The Khirqa, or Mantle—The Palank, or Stone Worn in the Girdle—The Post, or Seat

(Translated from a Ms.)

THERE is as much difference between the real and false Darvish as between heaven and earth. The right-minded man can recognise them, and draw the distinction.

To the question, “What is true repentance shown by ? “the reply is, “Goodness of heart “; and this is qualified by “the abandonmentof all pride and pretension, and by following a line of straightforwardness in the Path of the Most High “. The number of the columns of the Path are six—viz. 1. Repentance, 2. Resignation, 3. Fidelity to the Order, 4. Increase of internal devotion, 5. Contentment with your lot, and 6. Devout retirement from the world. The Precepts of the Order are also six in number, viz. 1. Knowledge, 2. Generosity, 3. Nearness to God, 4. Fidelity, 5. Meditation, and 6. Trust in God. The Rules of the Order are equally six: 1. Knowledge, 2. Meekness, 3. Patience, 4. Submission to superiors, 5. Good breeding, and 6. Purity of heart.

The Rules of the tarīqat are six, viz. 1. Benevolence, 2. Calling upon God (the zikr), 3. Abandoning evil (the tark), 4. The abandoning of all worldly enjoyments, 5. Fear of God, and 6. Love of God.

The ablution of the tarīqat is a total abnegation of all worldly goods, and contentment with the will of the Shaikh. The truthful ablution is ‘to increase in love for God ‘.

A question was once put to the Imām Ja’far as to the peculiar characteristics of a faqīr (Darvish), and he replied: “It is the characteristic of the Prophet, and of love; for he has said in a hadīs, ‘Bear the characteristics of God’, the tree of which is straightforwardness, and its fruit is to know one’s self. Its jewel is utter poverty, or a total disregard of self. Now one who possesses these certainly knows himself, and can do anything he pleases, but abandons all for devotional retirement. The Caliph ‘Alī has said, ‘Whoever knows himself, knows his God ‘.”

The tark or abandoment required by the tarīqat is thus explained: To abandon the world, its comforts and dress,—all things now and to come,—conformably with the hadīs of the Prophet, i.e. “The world is forbidden to those of the life to come; the life to come is forbidden to those of this world; and both are forbidden to the true servants of God “, which is thus explained: The true Darvish in heart notonly willingly abandons all the joys and pleasures of the world, but he is willing also to give up all hope of the pleasures of Paradise, and to be satisfied with the enjoyment derived from a submissive and devout contemplation of the beauty of God, and the hope of attaining to that private Paradise, occupied only by the pious, the holy, and the prophets.

Abandonmentof the world is also toneglect to comb the hair, to regulate the eyebrows, to cleanse the beard and moustaches; and

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