“Indeed, a messenger has come to you from among yourselves, a messenger who is deeply concerned about whatever is distressing you, who yearns for the best for you, and who is kind and unconditionally loving toward the believers” (Qur’an, Surat al-Tawba 9:128) لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ la-qad ja’akum rasulun min anfusikum, ‘azizun ‘alayhi ma anittum, harisun ‘alaykum bil-mu’minina ra’ufun rahim.

Calligraphed by Ahmad al-Hawari أحمد الهواري , an Egyptian calligrapher, in 1432 AH.

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

“They [i.e., Adam and Eve] said: We have oppressed our selves [literally: brought darkness upon ourselves]. If You do not forgive us and enable us to receive Your mercy, we will indeed be among the losers.” (Qur’an Surat al-A’raf 7:23)
قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
Qalaa rabbana zalamna anfusana wa-in lam taghfir la-na wa-tarhamna la-nakunanna min al-khasirin. Calligraphy by Deniz Çimen (signed Bahri), 1437 AH.

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

“God is Infinitely Forgiving, Infinitely Loving, Possessing the Glorious Throne, Doing Whatever He Wishes” (Qur’an Sur’at al-Buruj, 85:14-16) وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ (14) ذُو الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيدُ (15) فَعَّالٌ لِمَا يُرِيدُ (16 wa-huwa l-ghafuru l-wadud, dhu l-‘arshi l-majid, fa’alun li-ma yurid
“Y Él es Perdonador, el Amoroso. Dueño del Trono Sublime. El hace lo que quiere” (Spanish translation by Suleyman Ernesto Geddes )

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

“All who are on it pass away, but the face of your Lord-Sustainer, the Possessor of Grandeur and Generosity remains” (Qur’an Surat al-Rahman 55:26-27) كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ Kullu man ‘alayha fanin wa-yabqa wajhu rabbika dhu l-jalali wa l-ikram

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

Rumi:
If the soul of the lover
breathes,
it will set fire
to the whole world.
گر جان عاشق دم زند آتش در این عالم زند
Gar jan-e ‘asheq dam zanad
atesh dar in ‘alam zanad

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

“Those who remember God, standing, sitting, lying on their sides and who contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth, [thinking and saying to themselves], O our Lord-Sustainer, you have not created this in utter falseness! Glory be to You [You are transcendent!], so save us from the suffering of the fire! (Qur’an Surat Al ‘Imran, 3:191)
الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ alladhina yadhkurunallaha qiyaman wa-qu’udan wa-‘ala junubihim wa-yatafakkaruna fi khalqi s-samawati wa l-ardi rabbana ma khalaqta hadha batilan, subhanaka fa-qina ‘adhaba n-nar

Hallaj:
I am
the One
Whom I love.
And the One
Whom I love
is I.
We are two spirits
who have alighted
in a body.
انا من اهوى ومن اهوى انا نحن روحان حللنا بدنا
Ana man ahwa, wa-man ahwa ana, nahnu ruhani halalna badana

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

“Love speaks to me
silently,
then in words,
with winks
of eyes**
then by rending
the veils.

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

“Remember Me, and I will remember you. Be thankful to Me, and do not ungratefully deny” (Qur’an, Surat al-Baqara 2:153) فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ Fa-dhkuruni adhkurkum wa-shkuru li wa-la takfuruni

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.

“Love speaks to me
silently,
then in words,
with winks
of eyes
then by rending
the veils.

Shah Ni’matullah Vali’s commentary on Fakhr al-Din ‘Iraqi’s *Flashes*

Iraqi: So he [i.e., Muhammad, namely, the Muhammadan Reality or image of God that is at the core of everyone] is the treasury of the treasure of Being, and key to the treasuries of generosity, the Qiblih[i.e., direction of prayer] of (both) the perceiver of existence and the existent.

Shah Ni’matullah’s commentary: He is the master of both realms
The manifestation of the Essence and the Attributes of Majesty
Allah (تعالى) by means of his [i.e. the Prophet’s] tongue said, “I was a hidden treasure and I loved that I be known, so I created creation, in order to be known.”

I’ve gotten permission from Dr. Alan Godlas (Abdul Haqq), who is a professor at the University of Georgia for Islamic and Sufi studies, to repost his Facebook postings on Islam and Sufism. All translations are done by Abdul Haqq Godlas unless otherwise noted.