Make A Shield From Wisdom by Schimmel
Author:Schimmel [Schimmel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Anthropology, General, Ethnic Studies, Regional Studies
ISBN: 9781136157080
Google: ShkpDnuMv24C
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2012-11-12T03:41:08+00:00
But how to describe the One God whom the poet-philosopher knows through His prophet and the imams?
In the RawshanÄâÄ«nÄma, NÄá¹£ir begins his discourse with a tawḥīd, a poetical praise of Godâs unity. This type of introduction became customary with the poets in the Persianate world who often used the tawḥīd elegantly to touch upon the actual theme of their epic poem. NÄá¹£ir feels that God is too great to be comprehended by human efforts. Whatever one may say does not reach Him for He is truly without comparison and without likeness.
After stating this point, NÄá¹£ir makes a highly interesting philosophical attempt to inform his readers how one may try to understand God. Is it not preposterous to claim that He has created the four elements and the seven spheres? He is much too sublime to do such work! Rather, one should say that He gave mankind intellect and nourishes it. Thus, for intelligent, understanding people the outward manifestations in this world are caused by the Universal Intellect, which is the first acting power created by God. It is the First Intellect and his activities that can be observed in the working of nature, in the growth and decomposition of organisms. It would be a pagan attitude to call the all-pervading spirit that makes things grow and move, a âdeityâ. God is beyond such attributions. What we perceive are only the acts that lead our reason to the One, Incomparable Creator who works through the First Intellect.
These ideas certainly did not make him popular with the orthodox theologians of Eastern Iran! But he speaks forcefully what he realized as true:
In the Creatorâs name, the Pure, the Ruler,
He, higher far than intellect and thinking!
He is the First, He is the Last for ever;
no one is prior to Him, none is later.
His Essence, an abyss, confuses reason â
know Him as free from stars and from directions.
How could one see Him with the bodyâs eye?
The soulâs eye only sees the Soul of souls!
His nest lies far behind âThere-where-no-placeâ is â
What can I say? Itâs always much too lowly!
His attributes, His Essence are primordial.
To understand that is a mighty journey!
How could one travel there with human feet?
How to arrive there on this earthly steed?
My reason hid its head due to its weakness:
âHow could I dare that, donât dare to pronounce it â
I am too small to utter such a word!â
The tongue can not express His Unity â
He is too great, beyond comparison!
I donât say: âHe created Four and Seven.â
I say: âHe nourishes the intellect.â
Do sun and moon and spheres have any value?
You cannot attribute these things to Him!
Why do you say that He created rubies
and gold and jewels out of clay and water?
You say: âHe brings the flowers forth from dust!â
It is not fitting to describe Him thus!
The vegetative spirit does this work
by planting roses, box-trees, cypresses!
Know: Soul and reason are from God â whatâs silver?
Whatâs gold? Donât worship forms! Whatâs head and foot?
You also say: âIt is alone from semen
that He made here appear
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