A PHILOSOPHICAL PRAYER
رسالة في الدعاء
BY IBN-SĪNĀTranslated and annotated by
Joseph Kenny, O.P.
Published in Orita, 37 (2005), 1-10
Introduction
This little work,[1] because of its prayer format, throws considerable light on Ibn-Sînâ’s philosophy in general and that of human happiness in particular, in addition to giving us insights into his personality that supplement his brief autobiography.[2]
He begins with a resumé of the contingency argument for the existence of God, expressed more elaborately in other works.[3]
The subsequent discussion of God’s action in the world, and his dealings with Ibn-Sînâ personally, presuppose the Ptolemaic earth-centered cosmos elaborated by the Platonic school into a hierarchical system whereby higher intelligences pour out being and enlightenment on what is below them by a process of emanation. Ibn-Sînâ’s was a universe where everything from top to bottom was determined (unlike Ibn-Rushd).
Following Plato’s dualism, Ibn-Sînâ held that man is an intellect and that is his substance, in this life imprisoned in the body, to be released at death to perpetual incorporeal bliss or punishment, depending on the person’s record—in any case, never to return to a bodily prison through a resurrection. This explains his negative view of the body, the four elements (fire, air, earth, water) and anything material.
Each person has an intellect individually and has personal immortality (also unlike Ibn-Rushd). This intellect gets its knowledge upon the occasion of sense experience, but directly by enlightenment from the “Agent Intellect”, the lowest of the heavenly spirits, dwelling in the moon sphere. Thus Ibn-Sînâ prays for enlightenment by the Agent Intellect, otherwise known as the Holy Spirit, popularly identified with Gabriel. He also prays for enlightenment and assistance from the spirits of the higher planetary spirits. Elsewhere he explains that, since the perfection of the soul comes by infusion from the Agent Intellect, even salât is directed to it so as to be passed on to God.[4]
As for Ibn-Sînâ’s avowals of moral impurity, his autobiography shows his attachment to wine and women.[5]
In spite of Ibn-Sînâ’s deviation from mainstream Islam on so many positions, such as the eternity of the world, the denial of the resurrection, and his tendentious veneration of heavenly spirits, he concludes by a protestation of belief and faithful membership in the Muslim community.
This small treatise is in keeping with Ibn-Sînâ’s writing style in Arabic, which was not his native language. He is careless about pronouns, leaving the reader to surmise the antecedent, and often inconsistent with regard to the person, number and sometimes grammar of verbs. Nevertheless, the meaning is seldom in doubt.
A lasting legacy of Ibn-Sînâ is his emphatic exposition of the real distinction of essence and existence in creatures and their identification in God, which gives us the argument for God’s existence from contingency. The idea was present in Aristotle in an embryonic form, developed by Boethius, but with far greater clarity by Ibn-Sînâ.
Thomas Aquinas makes free use of Ibn-Sînâ with regard to the distinction between essence and existence, but joins Ibn-Rushd (who, however, did not admit this distinction) in criticizing him for treating existence as an accident, and not the actualization of essence. Where Ibn-Sînâ discusses this relationship,[6] he is merely following Miskawah, who explicitly calls existence an accident (`arad) in creatures.[7]
A modern Muslim or Christian may appreciate Ibn-Sînâ’s prayer for purification and enlightenment, but not accept his blaming the body and matter as the cause of moral evil, and would not accept his faith in cosmic spirits.
Translation
In the name of God the Merciful and Compassionate.
Praise to you, God, the manager of existing things, that speaks by the language of the achieved and the unachievable.[8]
You give each of these [existing things] what befits it in wisdom. You give each its existence in comparison to its non-existence, by your grace and mercy.
For their essences praise your blessings and thank you for the favours of your munificence. “For there is nothing that does not praise him—though they do not understand their act of praise—for he is kind and forgiving” (Q 17:45). Praise be to you, God, who are exalted, for existence [wujûd] for your essence [dhât] is a must. But contingency [imkân] belongs to the existence of all else as an inescapable handicap. For while your essence is exempt from definition/whatness [mâhiyya], and your creatures are dependent on that, we know that the fact of your existence [aniyya] is pure unity with your very whatness. For your attributes are not multiplied in your essence.[9] And we know that you are the first of all existing things—in number, in age, in wisdom, in duration, from eternity to eternity.
You are the one and only God, the singular and subsistent, who “never gave birth and never was born, and is without equal” (Q 112:3-4).
O God, you have imprisoned my soul in the prison of the four elements, and I was subjected to the ravishing of hungry wolves of concupiscence. Their wish forced me to it and to be led with them to its liking. And I drew it near by means of the world you are “angry with” (Q 1:7).
O God, glorify my soul with immunity,[10] be lenient with it by mercy, which is most befitting you, and with an outpouring generosity, which is most suitable and appropriate to you. Bestow on it a repentance that will make it firm for its heavenly work, hasten its return to its holy place, and shine on its darkness the sun of the agent intellect.
Discharge from it the darkness of ignorance and error, and make what is potential in its powers become actual. Deliver it from the darkness of ignorance to the light of wisdom and enlightenment of the intellect. “God is the guardian of those who believe, bringing them from darkness to light, while those who disbelieve have as their guardians Tâghût, who brings them from light to darkness, and they are the settlers of fire, dwelling in it eternally” (Q 2:257).
O God, show my soul images of worthy mysteries in its sleep, and change them from hazy shapes into a vision of good things, and into true good news in its dreams. Purify my soul from the pollution it contracts from its sensations and imaginations, discharge from it the stain of nature, and move it from the soul-world to a dwelling on high.
Praise to God who has guided me, sufficed for me, sheltered me, forgiven me! O God, I ask you, O necessarily Existent, O Cause of causes, O Unending Unbeginning, to make me immune from slipping, to make room for me at my last moment, to give me hope that the work you want me to do you will make easy for me.
O God, you purified my soul by an emanation from the heavenly bodies. Grant me the good qualities gathered for my soul in the natures of the piercing stars, by reason of my intentions and requests. O God of the East and of the West, Lord of the seven “hidden girls” (Q 81:16),[11] that flowed over being like rivers. They are agents of your will, whose virtues cover all beings. I have begun to hope for good from you, and I look to Saturn, to the soul of Mercury and of Jupiter. O God, dress me by their emanation with a glorious dress, the nobility of the prophets, the happiness of those dear to you, the knowledge of the wise, the reverence of the devout, and rescue me from the world of pain and perishing. Make me one of the brothers of sincerity, those who keep their word, those who dwell in heaven, with the truthful and the martyrs.
You are God—there is none besides you, the cause of things, the light of earth and heaven. Grant me an emanation from the Agent Intellect. Purify my soul with the lights of wisdom, and enable me to thank you for the grace you entrusted me with. Show me the truth as it is—and inspire me to follow it,—and error as it is—and stop me from believing it or listening to it. Purify my soul from the clay of matter; you are the first Cause. O Cause of all things, by whose explosive emanation they came to exist, Creator of the heavens in layers, placing in its centre the [earth] and the seas, I call upon you as a sinner seeking refuge: forgive the wrongs of this defective sinner. Purify me by an emanation from you, the creator of all, from the stain of nature and the elements of my breed.
O God, Lord of the personages on high, the heavenly spheres, and the heavenly spirits, human nature, together with love of worldly, defiling sensible pleasures, has overcome your servant. So make your immunity my saviour from transgression, and your piety my defence against compromise. Transfer me to your [] pure and simple world, for you can do what you wish and you encompass everything.
O God, deliver me from the captivity of the four elements and transfer me to your most wide expanse and your most lofty surroundings. O God, endow me with a sufficiency that will cut the bonds of earthly bodies and cosmic control. And endow me with a wisdom that will unite my soul with the divine worlds and the heavenly spirits.
O God, purify my soul by the noble holy Spirit, enlighten my intellect and sense with surpassing wisdom, and make the angels my associates instead of the world of nature.
O God, inspire me with guidance, stabilize my belief with contentment, and make my soul despise love of the world. O God, strengthen my soul to overcome passing passions, lift my soul to the dwellings of the everlasting souls, put me among the noble, precious, pure substances in the gardens on high—by your mercy, O most Merciful of all who are merciful.
And may God bless the master-messenger, the seal of the prophets, Muhammad the chosen one, and his family, the fountains of guidance, who point out the exemplary way. And may God bless his noble companions, the famous masters. He is my sufficiency and gracious support.
رسالة في الدعاء
للشيخ الرئيس ابي علي بن سينابسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
سبحانك اللهم ساير الموجودات، ينطق بلسان الحال والمحال. إنك المعطي كل شيء منها ما هو مستحقة بالحكمة، وجاعل الوجود لها بالقياس إلى عدمها نعمة ورحمة. فالذوات منها مسربة بآلآئك، شاكرة فواضل نعمائك وإن ما من شيئ إلا يسبح بحمده، ولكن لا يفقهون تسبيحهم، إنه كان حليماً غفوراً. فسبحانك اللهم وتعاليت، لمّا كان الوجود لذاتك واجباَ، كان الإمكان لوجود غيرك ضربة لازب. فحين استغنت عن الماهية ذاتك، وافتقرت إليها مخلوقاتك، علمنا أن أنيتك محضة الاتحاد بنفس ماهيتك، وأن صفاتك ليست بكثرة في ذاتك. وأيقنّا أنك أول الموجودات عدداَ، وأقدمها وأحكمها وأبقاها أزلاً وأبداً.
إنك الله الواحد الأحد، الفرد الصمد، الذي لم يلد ولم يولد، ولم يكن له كفواَ أحد.
اللهم أنك سجنت نفسي في سجن من العناصر الأربع، ووكلت بافتراسها سباعاَ من الشهوات جوّعاَ، وأوجب عليها رضاها والانقياد معنا إلى هواها. وقرّبتها بالعالم المغضوب عليه.
اللهم مجّد لها بالعصمة، وتعطف عليها بالرحمة التي هي بك أليق، وبالكرم الفايض الذي هو منك أجدر وأخلق، واسبغن عليها بالتوبة العايدة بها إلى عالمها السماوي، وعجّل لها بالأوبه إلى مقامها القدسي، وأطلع على ظلماتها شمساَ من العقل الفعّال.
وأنط عنها ظلمات الجهل والضلال، واجعل ما في قواها بالقوة كأنا بالفعل. وأخرجها من ظلمات الجهل إلى نور الحكمة وضياء العقل. ألله ولي الذين أمنوا، يخرجهم من الظلمات إلى النور، والذين كفروا أولياؤهم الظاغوت، يخرجونهم من النور إلى الظلمات، وأولئك أصحاب النار هم فيها خالدون.
اللهم أر[12] نفسي صورالغينوب الصالحة في منامها، وأبدلها من الأضعات رؤية الخيرات والبشرى الصادقة في أحلامها، وطهّرها من الأوساخ التي تأثرت بها من محسوساتها وأوهامها، وأنط عنها كدر الطبيعة، وأنزلها من عالم النفس المنزلة الرفيعة.
الحمد لله الذي هداني وكفاني وأواني وعافاني، اللهم أني أسألك يا واجب الوجود، يا علّة العلل، يا قديما لم يزل، أن تعصمني من الزلل، وأن تفسح لي في الأجل، وأن تجعل الأمل ما ترضاه لي من عمل يسّر لي.
اللهم إنك هذبت نفسي فيض الكواكب، أمنحني ما اجتمع لها من المناقب في طبائع النجوم الثواقب، بحج مقاصدي والمطالب، يا إله المشارق والمغارب، رب الجواري الكنس السبع، التي انبجست على الكون انبجاس الأنهر. هنّ الفواعل عن مشيئتك التي عمّت فضائلها جميع الجواهر، أصبحت أرجو الخير منك وأرتجي زجلاَ ونفس عطارد والمشتري.
والشهداء. اللهم البسني من فيضهم حلل البهاء وكرامة الأنبياء، وسعادة الأحباء وعلوم الحكماء. وخشوع الأتقياء، وأنقذني من عالم الشقاء والفناء، وأجعلني من إخوان الصفاء وأصحاب الوفاء وسكان السماء، مع الصديقين.
إنك لا إله إلا أنت، علة الأشياء، ونور الأرض والسماء، امنحني فيضاَ من العقل افعال، يا ذا الجلال والأفضال، هذّب نفسي بأنوار الحكمة، وأوزعني أن أشكر ما أوليتني من النعمة، أرني الحق حقاَ، وألهمني إتباعه، والباطل باطلاَ وجنبني اعتقاده واستماعه. هذّب نفسي من طينة الهيولى إنك أنت العلة الأولى. يا علة الأشياء جميعاَ، والذي كانت به، عن فيضه المتفجر، بارئ السموات الطباق ومركزاَ في وسطهن من ] الأرض[[13] والأبحر. إني دعوتك مستجيراَ مذنباَ، فاغفر خطيئة مذنب ومقصّر، هذّب بفيض منك بارئ الكل عن كدر الطبيعة والعناصر عنصري.
اللهم رب الأشخاص العلوية، والأجرام الفلكية، والأرواح السماوية، غلبت على عبدك الطبيعة البشرية، وحب شهوات الدنيا الدنية، فاجعل عصمتك منجني من التفريط، وتقواك حصني من التخليط، وأنقلني إلى عالمك (؟) المحض البسيط، إنك على ما تشاء قادر، وبكل شيء محيط.
اللهم أنقذني من أسر الطبائع الأربع وأنقلني إلى رحابك الأوسع، وجوارك الأرفع. اللهم اجعل الكفاية سبباً لقطع العلائق التي هي الأجسام الترابية والهيمنة الكونية، واجعل الحكمة سبباً لاتحاد نفسي بالعوالم الآلهية والأرواح السماوية.
اللهم هذّب بروح القدس الشريفة نفسي، وأنر بالحكمة البالغة عقلي وحسي، واجعل الملائكة بدلاً من عالم الطبيعة أنسي.
اللهم ألهمني الهدى، وثبت إيماني بالغناء، وبغّض إلى نفسي حب الدنيا. اللهم قوّ نفسي على قهر الشهوات الفانية، وأرفع نفسي إلى منازل النفوس الباقية، واجعلها من جملة الجواهر الشريفة النفيسة الصافية في جنات عالية، برحمةك يا أرحم الراحمين.
وصلى الله على سيد المرسلين، وخاتم النبيين محمد المصطفى وآله ينابيع الهدى، والدالين على الطريقة المثلى، وعلى صحبة الكرام السادة الأعلام وهو حسبي ونعم الوكيل.
[1] Found in عبد الأمير شمس الدين: المذهب التربوي عند ابن سينا (الشركة العالمية للكتاب)، 392-395.
[2] سيرة شيخ الرئيس, The life of Ibn-Sina, a critical edition and annotated translation by William E Gohlman (N.Y.: State U. of N.Y. Press, 1974).
[3] See my Philosophy of the Muslim World (Washington D.C.: The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy), ch. 2, p. 26ff.
[4] رسالة السعادة (في جامع البدائع، ص 11-12).
[5] P. 30 and, in the supplement of Shaykh Abû `Ubayd, p. 86.
[6] الشفاء: الإلهيات، مقالة 4، فصل 4، ص 177-178، 181.
[7] الفوز الأصغر، ص 47-48، 54-57.
[8] الحال normally means “state” or “condition”, but in this context refers to what actually exists and therefore is possible or achievable. It rhymes with المحال, “the impossible” or “unachievable”. In other words, God speaks or makes himself known by what he does or shows to be impossible.
[9] A clear repudiation of the Ash`arite position.
[10] عصمة, a term used to designate a prophet’s immunity from both sin and error.
[11] According to Ibn-Athîr and other commentators, the “girls” are five: Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Venus.
[12] في شمس الدين: أرى
[13] [?] في شمس الدين يوجد