FususAlHikam

So we discussed our faqr, poverty, of life, knowledge and wealth. Life is given to us by Al Hayy, The Living, Allah swt. He is The Living, we have just a small glimpse and idea of what it is like to be living. His living is such that it has no begining and no end - since forever till forever. Anything that has a begining isn't Allah swt. He is subhan from having a begining. Our living has a begining. His living has not even an idea of a death. Ours does. His living is such that it brings an entire creation into life - ours can't. We can barely handle our children, we get tired simply from dealing with our children. We run around our little ones a bit and then we need a nap. He has given life to and sustains the entire creation without even getting tired, sleep is totally out of the question.

His knowledge is full and complete knowledge. Our knowledge is only that which he gives us. We have option to say "I don't know" and its accepted and appreciated by others. His knowledge is full and complete - its not that He didn't know of something and then came to know of it. We forget things, He never forgets anything, His ideas can't just simply leave His knowledge.

Our lot is death - He swt gave us life, it is an amanah, a trust.

Our lot is ignorance - He swt gives us knowledge, this too is a trust.

Our lot is poverty - He swt gives us wealth, this too is a trust.

Similarly, our ability to will comes from Him as He says, "wa ma tasha-oona illa ayn-yasha-Allah." It is trusted to us. We don't have the power of irada, it is gifted to us, loaned for some time, given as a test to see how we use this blessing. We are poor even of our ability to choose one thing over another.

Similarly we don't any power to do. La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, Allah swt has the might and power, we don't. We are poor of it also. The power you have to sit up in that computer chair, the power you are using to scroll that mouse up and down, the power you are using to move your eyes and blink your eyes - its all given to you. Your lot was death so how did you ever possess power? So if power is given to you, the ability to do is given to you that means its a trust. We are trusted with the amanah of power, the amanah of the ability to do - we don't possess it ourselves. One day our body will become lifeless will it not? If power was ours why will it leave our body rendering us powerless and lifeless? Its given to us as a trust. We have to use our power how its owner wants us to use it.

Similarly, our ability to see is not ours, its given (trusted) to us.. If we were the possessor of our ability to see then why do we need to get our eyes checked out regularly? Why do our eyes go bad decreasing in strenth until they are totally useless? Our ability to see is given to us, its a trust. Allah swt says, "Alam najallahu aynain?" He swt is the owner of our eyesight, we have to use it how its owner wants us to use it. We see some strange woman walking down the street - the owner of our eyesight has told us we cannot use the eyesight He gave us to look at her - that's it we can't do it. Someone trusted you with their car while they are on vacation, they give you permission to use it on street roads but tell you not to take it on the highway, you would break their trust if you took it on the highway.

Our eyesight, our ability to see and the basarat of Allah swt are very different. We just have a small idea of what eyesight is like. But our eyesight is so weak that it can't see past walls, our eyesight goes bad and we can't see things close or things far - He swt can see even the intentions people make in the deep chambers of their heart. So our lot is blindness, He swt grants us the ability to see.

The faqeer has gnosis that he is poor of life, knowledge, power to do, and power to see. He lives in this condition.

Furthermore, a faqeer has gnosis that he lacks the ability to hear, hearing is not his but it is given to him from Al Sami'. It is trusted to him, he cannot use it however he wants. There is a big difference in his hearing and the hearing of Allah swt. Allah swt can even hear the walking of an ant.

Finally, speech does not belong to the faqeer. Speech belongs to the Mutakallim, the faqeer' s lot is mute. The Mutakallim gives the faqeer the ability to speak, it is trusted to him, the faqeer is not free to say whatever he wants.

Life, knowledge, the ability to will, power, eyesight (the ability to see), hearing (the ability to hear), and speech - the faqeer has gnosis that he has no ownership of these existential qualities but is totally and completely dependent upon Allah swt for them. Allah swt gives these qualities to use, as a trust upon the faqeer. The faqeer cannot use them as he wishes, but has to use them according to the will and wish of Allah swt. The way to use them according to the will and wish of Allah swt and to fulfill the trust is called "sunnah". When the faqeer becomes aware of his condition of poverty then it is said that he attains his state of faqr.

This is what is meant by the word "faqeer." When buzrughs have written "faqeer" before their name or they have called themselves "faqeer" this understanding is behind it, this condition is behind it. Using faqeer as a title to ones name is easy, but to actually be in the condition of the poverty which the word faqeer describes is very difficult.

In any case, I am sorry to break it to you but we are all fuqara, "antumul fuqara," totally dependent upon Allah swt. In actual fact faqr is our reality and what we are thinking to be our reality is just a poor mans dream.

Teach me the lesson imparted by the murshid, O Faqeer, annihilate yourself.