Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Surely they are an enemy to me, save the Lord of the Worlds, who created me, so He is guiding me. The mark of love is that, when the lover comes to the description of the Beloved, he turns his heart away from others. He remembers only the Beloved and speaks only in laudation of the Beloved. He does not become sated by remembering Him, lauding Him, and thanking Him, nor can he re- main silent. This was the case when Abraham began to remember and praise God. Look how he clung to plentiful remembrance and laudation and much supplication and pleading! What a difference between these two groups-the owners of requests and the companions of the realities! The owners of requests strive, bring forth obedience, and count out litanies, and then, after that, they present their requests. Their hearts are attached to the reward, and they implore by supplicating and requesting what they want. A report has come: “Surely God loves those who implore in their supplications.” This is the station of the lords of the Shariah. Moses was in this station when he said, “My Lord, open my breast and ease my task!” [20:26] and so on. Above this is the station of the companions of the realities. In remembering and lauding the Beloved they never turn to requesting what they want. Sometimes their tongues cling to lauda- tion and sometimes their hearts are mixed with contemplation, their secret cores having reached union. Annihilated from themselves, they subsist through the Real. This was the state of Abraham when he said, “who created me, so He is guiding me.” In other words: “He is guiding me from me to Him, for my existence has been effaced, and none but the Object of my worship guides me in myself.” This is why the Pir of the Tariqah said, “O God, show me the road to Yourself and release me from the bonds of myself. O He who makes arrive, make me arrive at Yourself, for no one arrives by himself! “O God, remembering You is delight, loving You celebration, recognizing You the kingdom, finding You joy, companionship with You the spirit's repose, proximity to You light. Your seeker is slain though alive, and finding You is the resurrection without Trumpet.”

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Surely they are an enemy to me, save the Lord of the Worlds, who created me, so He is guiding me. The mark of love is that, when the lover comes to the description of the Beloved, he turns his heart away from others. He remembers only the Beloved and speaks only in laudation of the Beloved. He does not become sated by remembering Him, lauding Him, and thanking Him, nor can he re- main silent. This was the case when Abraham began to remember and praise God. Look how he clung to plentiful remembrance and laudation and much supplication and pleading! What a difference between these two groups-the owners of requests and the companions of the realities! The owners of requests strive, bring forth obedience, and count out litanies, and then, after that, they present their requests. Their hearts are attached to the reward, and they implore by supplicating and requesting what they want. A report has come: “Surely God loves those who implore in their supplications.” This is the station of the lords of the Shariah. Moses was in this station when he said, “My Lord, open my breast and ease my task!” [20:26] and so on. Above this is the station of the companions of the realities. In remembering and lauding the Beloved they never turn to requesting what they want. Sometimes their tongues cling to lauda- tion and sometimes their hearts are mixed with contemplation, their secret cores having reached union. Annihilated from themselves, they subsist through the Real. This was the state of Abraham when he said, “who created me, so He is guiding me.” In other words: “He is guiding me from me to Him, for my existence has been effaced, and none but the Object of my worship guides me in myself.” This is why the Pir of the Tariqah said, “O God, show me the road to Yourself and release me from the bonds of myself. O He who makes arrive, make me arrive at Yourself, for no one arrives by himself! “O God, remembering You is delight, loving You celebration, recognizing You the kingdom, finding You joy, companionship with You the spirit's repose, proximity to You light. Your seeker is slain though alive, and finding You is the resurrection without Trumpet.”

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

And who gives me to eat and gives me drink. Abraham was shunning delicious and refreshing foods and clear and refined drinks. They said to him, “Why do you not want this and why do you not eat?” He answered, “Surely His are the creation and the command [7:54]. This form of ours is commanded by His creation, and this soul of ours is commanded by His command. We have tied ourselves to His desire and pulled ourselves into the stable of His graciousness so that He will not leave us without nourishment.” The compass of Power had not yet turned around the circle of existence when He gave every- one what was suited for him and was done with him. “God is finished with creation, character, moment of death, and provision.” One person is in bondage to the nourishment of the soul, another hopes for the nourishment of the heart. The nourishment of the soul is food and drink, and the nourishment of the heart is recognition and love. One person lives through the soul-he lives by food and air. Another lives through the Real-he lives by love and remembrance. Whenever this verse was recited Dhu'l-Nūn Miṣrī would say, “Who gives me to eat of the food of recognition, and gives me to drink of the wine of love.” Then he would sing, “The wine of love is the best wine- every other wine is a mirage.” Abū Bakr al-Warrāq said, “Who gives me to eat without food and gives me to drink without drink. Metaphorically, 'He satiates me and quenches me without attachment.' There is evidence for this in the account of the cup-bearer during the era of God's Messenger. For three days the Prophet was heard reciting 'There is no creature crawling on the earth but that its provision rests on God' [11:6]. He had doubts about his proximity. Then someone came to him in a dream with a cup of the wine of the Garden and gave him to drink of it. Anas said, 'After that he lived twenty-some years never eating or drinking because of appetite.'”