Kashf al-Maḥjūb (Persian Critical Edition)

"...darkness, then He cast light upon it." This veil has fallen upon him in the world of his temperament, through the attachment of natures to him and the activity of the intellect within him. Consequently, he has inevitably become pleased with his own ignorance. He has purchased his own veil from the Truth at the price of his soul, because he is unaware of the beauty of unveiling, turned away from the verification of the Lordly inner-being, resting in the place of beasts, fleeing from the place of his own salvation, having not heard the scent of divine unity, not seen the beauty of the Oneness, and not tasted the flavor of unity. By imitation, he remains cut off from the verification of witnessing. Through greed for the world, he has turned back from the intent of God. The animal soul, without the divine life, has overpowered the rational soul, and its movements and nature are entirely confined to animal portions. He knows nothing but eating, sleeping, and following desires. God, the Mighty and Majestic, commanded His friends to turn away from all this, saying: "Leave them to eat, and enjoy, and be distracted by false hope; for they will soon know" Quran 15:3. This is because the sultan of their nature has covered the secret of the Truth for them. In place of divine care and success, abandonment and deprivation have come to them, until they all became followers of the soul that commands evil nafs al-ammara the base, commanding self. This is the greatest veil and the source of evil and wickedness, just as God Almighty said: "Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil" Quran 12:53.

Now, I shall begin the book and reveal to you the purpose within the stations and the veils. I will unfold a subtle explanation for that, explain the expressions of the specialists, connect to it a portion of the speech of the Masters mashayikh spiritual elders, and provide support with excellent anecdotes, so that your goal may be realized. Those who are not practiced in this science, from among the exoteric scholars and others, will know that the way of Sufism tasawwuf Sufism has a strong origin and a fruitful branch, and that all the Masters who were among the people of knowledge were...