(11. The Hujjat's Miraculous Knowledge).
Now it is necessary to know what is the sign of his miracle and why he is manifested in the world (akwan) of the Truth (only). The first reason is as follows. I begin to explain the sign of his miracle. [Fol. 11v] The Hujjat necessarily must posess a sign or a miracle which could not be performed as well by any created or spiritual being. The miracles (in general) are usually of two kinds. One is that performed by the action of physical power and the other by (miraculous) knowledge and argument. Each of these kinds can be imitated, i.e. (an action may be done which is) similar to it but is not the same in reality.
The miracle which depends on an action of the physical power is called that which happens in the material world, while the miracle of knowledge and persuasion appears in the mental sphere. In all beings action and power belong to their material side which they as well as the Hujjat possess. There could be no greater power than if a man were to subdue to himself the whole world and slay all mankind. And he may abide in such condition (of greatness), but a lion or a snake may kill him although nobody can say that a lion or a snake is better than that man, they being only animals. And as (a physical miracle) can come from an animal, (it can happen also from other categories of the material world), as from a plant in (the power ) of producing fruits, from minerals in affecting senses, from fire, wind, water, earth (in short) no wonderful and strange peculiarity of the material qualities or action can be possessed by any single individual object in the world which cannot [Fol. 12] be shared by others.
The imitation of the miracle of knowledge can also be shared by many (living beings). Such are sorcery, incantation, the miracles of the saints, astrologers, fortune-tellers, "comb-seers,"[1] and so forth, who (also) reveal the secrets of the created world. Therefore it is clear that the miracle inimitable and the sign the like of which nobody can produce is the Hujjat's true knowledge which he possesses for the negation of the un-truth and the establishment of the Truth, which is (the teaching about) the Imam. And no one who is reasonable and just can deny it. This is the miracle which nobody else can perform and this wonderful power belongs only to the Hujjat. There are also many indications proving that the knowledge of the Hujjat is the "word of the Truth," and that his miracle is the same, not a physical action. These indications can be found in the teachings of the orthodox, which is the "commandment to the common," as well as in the "secret wisdom," or the teaching of the Truth, which is the "commandment to the chosen." There are many verses of the Quran in the "open" (zahir) teachings of the orthodox (proving this statement). One of them says: "On the prophet depends only preaching" (V, 99), which means that it is possible to demand from the prophet, i.e., Gabriel, only this delivery of his message, which is instruction in the explanation of the doctrine about the unity of the True Lord (Khudawand-i Haqq), and nothing more.
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[1] This is obviously a variety of divination, but I never heard of it in Persia.
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There is also a tradition of the Prophet saying: "We made prohibited to . . . but the right is reverted [Fol. 12v.] . . .
[1] their food and drink until they know their Creator and Lord." It means that to those who have not acquired the
knowledge (of the Imam) even the things are prohibited which are allowed by the shar'at, but to the "knower" (shinasanda) even that which is prohibited by the orthodox doctrines is permitted, as (drinking) wine, etc. But this "knower" is only one, or those who are with him as regards the teaching.[2]
The proofs from the secret doctrines of the Truth are the utterances of the Hujjats and da'is. First the saying of the Great ra'is:- The wine which thou drinkest in this world by any body's order,[3] Consider it in its degree as the "pure drink" of the Quran (LXXVI, 21). If one drinks it by the order of the "man of the Truth" and gives it to others, it may be lawful. Therefore how can it be prohibited! Hakim Nizari says:-
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[1] Two short lacunas in the text.
[2] The theory that such a "knowing" person (Sufic arif, or as here, shinasanda) may be absolved from the drudgery of going through the prescribed forms of worship, was always very popular in highly devout circles, and, as is well-known, was the basis of the sweeping accusations against the Ismailis. It appears fully developed already before the rise of the Fatimids, as in the Kitabu'l-Mahsul by an anonymous author, was attacked by Abu Hatim ar-Razi, defended by Abu Ya'qub as-Sijistani in his Kitabu'n-Nusra, and finally ruled out by Sayyid-na Hamidu'd-din al-Kirmani in his Kitabu'r-Riyad, as inconsistent with the official Ismaili doctrine (qanun). It is, therefore, interesting to note that, probably under the Sufic influence, it has been revived at such a late period.
[3] Here the expression Kasi, some one, may mean the Hujjat, and the strange word used to refer to him perhaps depends on the context which is not quoted here.
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Now, if it is impossible to see his actions in their real implications (and) he cannot be recognised without (the evidence of) a miracle and sign, then what can be an indication of him except his words? In the majority of books it is stated in this way: the muhiqq, "revealer of the Truth," i.e. the "word of the Truth," must be recognised by a "miracle of knowledge." In some other places [Fol. 13] it is said that it is necessary to hear from the "revealer," i.e., the Hujjat the "True Word" which is the "word of Truth," which is the Imam.
After this it is necessary to accept his Hujjat. And the purpose of listening to this "word" is to learn its meaning, which is the negation of the false affirmation of the (truth of the ) Imam. In the same way in the shari'at the truth of the formula "There is no deity except Allah," has to be heard from the revealer of the orthodox doctrines, i.e., Muhammad. The meaning of these two formulas of the "evidence" (shahadat), of which one is in the shari'at and the othet haqiqat, is refutaion of the falsehood and affirmation of the Truth.
But in this religion nobody can be recognised as a true believer until he proves by (proper) arguments and indications (his) negation of the falsehood and acknowledgement of the Truth, i.e., the Imam. Nobody will consider him a true believer from the mere fact of his having pronounced the formula (of the confession) although in the shari'at it is so. And so "the word of the Truth" cannot be taken as the evidence except on that single occasion.
Now it is necessary to know what is the sign of his miracle and why he is manifested in the world (akwan) of the Truth (only). The first reason is as follows. I begin to explain the sign of his miracle. [Fol. 11v] The Hujjat necessarily must posess a sign or a miracle which could not be performed as well by any created or spiritual being. The miracles (in general) are usually of two kinds. One is that performed by the action of physical power and the other by (miraculous) knowledge and argument. Each of these kinds can be imitated, i.e. (an action may be done which is) similar to it but is not the same in reality.
The miracle which depends on an action of the physical power is called that which happens in the material world, while the miracle of knowledge and persuasion appears in the mental sphere. In all beings action and power belong to their material side which they as well as the Hujjat possess. There could be no greater power than if a man were to subdue to himself the whole world and slay all mankind. And he may abide in such condition (of greatness), but a lion or a snake may kill him although nobody can say that a lion or a snake is better than that man, they being only animals. And as (a physical miracle) can come from an animal, (it can happen also from other categories of the material world), as from a plant in (the power ) of producing fruits, from minerals in affecting senses, from fire, wind, water, earth (in short) no wonderful and strange peculiarity of the material qualities or action can be possessed by any single individual object in the world which cannot [Fol. 12] be shared by others.
The imitation of the miracle of knowledge can also be shared by many (living beings). Such are sorcery, incantation, the miracles of the saints, astrologers, fortune-tellers, "comb-seers,"[1] and so forth, who (also) reveal the secrets of the created world. Therefore it is clear that the miracle inimitable and the sign the like of which nobody can produce is the Hujjat's true knowledge which he possesses for the negation of the un-truth and the establishment of the Truth, which is (the teaching about) the Imam. And no one who is reasonable and just can deny it. This is the miracle which nobody else can perform and this wonderful power belongs only to the Hujjat. There are also many indications proving that the knowledge of the Hujjat is the "word of the Truth," and that his miracle is the same, not a physical action. These indications can be found in the teachings of the orthodox, which is the "commandment to the common," as well as in the "secret wisdom," or the teaching of the Truth, which is the "commandment to the chosen." There are many verses of the Quran in the "open" (zahir) teachings of the orthodox (proving this statement). One of them says: "On the prophet depends only preaching" (V, 99), which means that it is possible to demand from the prophet, i.e., Gabriel, only this delivery of his message, which is instruction in the explanation of the doctrine about the unity of the True Lord (Khudawand-i Haqq), and nothing more.
--------------------------------------
[1] This is obviously a variety of divination, but I never heard of it in Persia.
--------------------------------------
There is also a tradition of the Prophet saying: "We made prohibited to . . . but the right is reverted [Fol. 12v.] . . .
[1] their food and drink until they know their Creator and Lord." It means that to those who have not acquired the
knowledge (of the Imam) even the things are prohibited which are allowed by the shar'at, but to the "knower" (shinasanda) even that which is prohibited by the orthodox doctrines is permitted, as (drinking) wine, etc. But this "knower" is only one, or those who are with him as regards the teaching.[2]
The proofs from the secret doctrines of the Truth are the utterances of the Hujjats and da'is. First the saying of the Great ra'is:- The wine which thou drinkest in this world by any body's order,[3] Consider it in its degree as the "pure drink" of the Quran (LXXVI, 21). If one drinks it by the order of the "man of the Truth" and gives it to others, it may be lawful. Therefore how can it be prohibited! Hakim Nizari says:-
Thou hast not recognised the Imam of thy time and hast not tried to find him.
Then know clearly that gold and property are unlawful to thee.
Then know clearly that gold and property are unlawful to thee.
--------------------------------------
[1] Two short lacunas in the text.
[2] The theory that such a "knowing" person (Sufic arif, or as here, shinasanda) may be absolved from the drudgery of going through the prescribed forms of worship, was always very popular in highly devout circles, and, as is well-known, was the basis of the sweeping accusations against the Ismailis. It appears fully developed already before the rise of the Fatimids, as in the Kitabu'l-Mahsul by an anonymous author, was attacked by Abu Hatim ar-Razi, defended by Abu Ya'qub as-Sijistani in his Kitabu'n-Nusra, and finally ruled out by Sayyid-na Hamidu'd-din al-Kirmani in his Kitabu'r-Riyad, as inconsistent with the official Ismaili doctrine (qanun). It is, therefore, interesting to note that, probably under the Sufic influence, it has been revived at such a late period.
[3] Here the expression Kasi, some one, may mean the Hujjat, and the strange word used to refer to him perhaps depends on the context which is not quoted here.
--------------------------------------
Now, if it is impossible to see his actions in their real implications (and) he cannot be recognised without (the evidence of) a miracle and sign, then what can be an indication of him except his words? In the majority of books it is stated in this way: the muhiqq, "revealer of the Truth," i.e. the "word of the Truth," must be recognised by a "miracle of knowledge." In some other places [Fol. 13] it is said that it is necessary to hear from the "revealer," i.e., the Hujjat the "True Word" which is the "word of Truth," which is the Imam.
After this it is necessary to accept his Hujjat. And the purpose of listening to this "word" is to learn its meaning, which is the negation of the false affirmation of the (truth of the ) Imam. In the same way in the shari'at the truth of the formula "There is no deity except Allah," has to be heard from the revealer of the orthodox doctrines, i.e., Muhammad. The meaning of these two formulas of the "evidence" (shahadat), of which one is in the shari'at and the othet haqiqat, is refutaion of the falsehood and affirmation of the Truth.
But in this religion nobody can be recognised as a true believer until he proves by (proper) arguments and indications (his) negation of the falsehood and acknowledgement of the Truth, i.e., the Imam. Nobody will consider him a true believer from the mere fact of his having pronounced the formula (of the confession) although in the shari'at it is so. And so "the word of the Truth" cannot be taken as the evidence except on that single occasion.
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