The elixir of love : a commemorative volume for the late Shaykh Rajab ʻAlī Khayyāṭ (Nikūgūyān)

This book presents the life of Sheikh Rajab ali Khayyat - A true wayfarer, mystic and saint. He was tailor by profession, but he possessed inner knowledge of soul of human being was able to perform miracles. love of God. He was actually an expert in such alchemy; and the book was, accordingly, named, The Elixir of Love. Exploiting this elixir, the reverend Shaykh attained the truth of Unity (of God). In chapter three of part three of the present volume you will read the Shaykh's words in this respect: "The truth of elixir (alchemy) is to attain God Himself.... Love of God is the final sttion of servitude. ...The standard for evaluation of deeds is the standard by which the doer loves God Almighty." I presume whoever reads the Shaykh's biography, they will confirm that he had perceived the truth of the elixir of loving God; that through loving his Creator he had attained such perfection and high stations that is so baffling-if not impossible-for us even to imagme. Many a time it happens that some ignorant individuals will deny the high stations of those possessed of Divine knowledge, merely out of their own disability and failure in comprehending those stations. That was why the late Imam Khomeini (RA)-the founder of The Islamic Revolution, strongly cautioned his beloved son, Haj Ahmad Agha, of such attitude. He wrote: "My son! What I first and foremost recommend to you is not to deny the stations of those endowed with Divine knowledge, which is the manner of the ignorant; and beware of those denying the status of the friends of God, as they are highway robbers of Truth." And in his advice to Haj Ahmad Agha's wife, he states: "I would not like to exonerate the pretenders; 'for many a cloak deserve to be burnt'. Rather I want you not to negate the essence of spirituality, which the book (the Qur'an) and the Sunnah (of Rasul Allah (s)) have alluded to and its opponents have either ignored it or have engaged themselves in the monotheism of the masses. I enjoin you (to know) that the first step is to get out of the thick veil of negation, which is an obstacle to any development and any positive step. This (first) step is not perfection (in itself); rather it opens up the path to perfection." "In any case, one cannot find a way toward Divine knowledge with a negating attitude. As being selfish and egotistic, those who negate the stations of the gnostics and the positions of spiritual seekers would not attribute to their own ignorance whatever they do not comprehend, and negate it lest their selfishness and egotism would not be marred." The Human Beings who cannot be perceived The stations of those endowed with Divine Knowledge are virtues that cannot be explained and described to most of the people. In this respect, a beautiful hadith is quoted from Imam al-Sadiq (AS) as follows: "لايقدر الخلائق على كنه صفة الله عز وجل، فكما لايُقدر على كنه صفة الله عز وجل فکما لايقدر على كنه صفة رسول الله –صلى الله عليه وآله- وكما لايقدر على كنه صفة الرسول –ص- فكذلك لايقدر على كنه صفة الامام – عليه السلام- وكما لايقدر على كنه صفة الامام -ع- كذلك لايقدر على كنه صفة المؤمن" "Masses are unable of perceiving the innermost core of Almighty Allah's (SWT) Attributes, and as they are unable of accessing the essence of Allah's (SWT) Attributes, they are likewise unable to perceive the depth of the attributes of His Apostle (SAW); and as they are unable to find out about the innermost attributes of his Apostle, they are likewise unable to fathom the attributes of the Imams (AS); and as they cannot know the Imams as they should be known, they are likewise unable to recognize the truth of the faithful as they should." When reached the stage of annihilation in Allah, man becomes His vicegerent and representative in the world of existence. It is at this stage that analysis and description of his virtues, like that of God Almighty, would be impossible for the ordinary people. In this, characteristic, as it was noticed in the words of Imam al-Sadiq (AS), there is no difference between the Prophet (SAW), the Imam (AS), and the Faithful. Thus, it is not surprising to say that the spiritual stations and virtues of individuals like the reverend Shaykh are indescribable. A disciple of the Shaykh, to whom the present author has for years been devoted and quoted various accounts on the Shaykh's spiritual stations from, said that Once the Shaykh had told him: "O such and such! No one knew me in the world, but I will be known on two occasions; once when the twelfth Imam (AJ) will have returned, and once on the Resurrection Day." Accordingly, introducing the spiritual virtues and perfection of the reverend Shaykh in itself is a task that cannot be carried out by such books as the present volume and the like. The deepest impact that writing his radiant biography can leave would be by illuminating the general features of the reverend Shaykh's life, secret of his attaining the high spiritual stations of those endowed with Divine Knowledge, and his way in education and self-building. This, in itself, is a great and valuable task that has, by the Grace of Bounteous Allah, been undertaken. We are grateful to Him for such great achievement. Perhaps this writing is going to be a beginning step toward the actualization of the Shaykh's prophecy of his being briefly known after his death. As his son has quoted him saying: "No one gets to know me and after my death, I will be known." CONTENTS Foreword I The Charisma of the Shaykh's Sayings I The Style of Writing III Beyond a Commemorative Volume III Authenticity of the Sources V Stations of the People possessing Divine Knowledge V The Human Beings who cannot be perceived VII Part 1:Traits Chapter One 1 Life 1 The Shaykh's House 1 The Shaykh's Clothing 3 The Shaykh's Food 4 Chapter Two 7 Occupation 7 Perseverance in his Work 7 Equity in Receiving Wages 9 A Reward for Equity 10 Equity Toward People and Meeting with Hazrat Wali 'Asr (AJ) 10 Imam al- 'Asr (AJ) in the Blacksmiths' Bazaar 11 The Equity of the Old Locksmith 12 I will Visit him! 13 Chapter Three 15 Self -Sacrifice 15 Self-Sacrifice toward other People's Children 15 Self-Sacrifice toward a Bankrupt Neighbor 16 Self-Sacrifice on the New Year's Eve 17 Chapter Four 19 Acts of Selfless Devotion 19 Taqlid (Following the outstanding jurisprudents in Islamic laws) 20 Dedicating the Work for God 21 Refuting un-Islamic Mortification 22 First Payoff Your Khums 23 Chapter Five 25 Ethics 25 Humility 26 Reconciliation 27 Profound Reverence for the Sayyids 27 Respect for All People 28 Indifference to the Worldly Positions 29 Traveling Ethics 30 Chapter Six 31 Awaiting the Faraj (Second Coming of Imam al-'Asr (Aj)) 31 The Shaykh's Significant Demand 31 How the Ant Strived to Reach the Beloved 31 "Give my Regards to that Holiness (Aj)" 32 The Purgatory State (Barzakh) of a Young Man Awaiting Imam Mahdi (AJ) 32 The Second Coming of some of the People Awaiting Imam Mahdi (AJ) 33 A Cobbler in Shahr-i Ray 33 Chapter Seven 35 Poetry 35 Reciting (singing) Poetry in a Delightful Voice 36 A Poem by the Shaykh and Reminiscence 37 An Amazing and Instructive Miraculous Act 38 Chapter Eight 41 Politics 41 Two Political Predictions 41 The Future of the Islamic Revolution 41 Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar in the Purgatory World 42 Praising the Tyrannical Monarch 42 Cooperation with the American Military Attaches 43 Part 2:A Leap Forward Chapter One 47 Divine Training 47 The Shaykh's Masters 47 A Turning Point 51 A Story Similar to that of the Prophet Yusuf (AS) 52 How he Received Divine Training 53 The Eyes and Ears of the Heart 54 Chapter Two 57 Help from the Unseen World 57 Penalty of a Disapproved Thought 58 Threatened to a Destiny Like that of Balaam of Boer (Bal'am-i Ba'ura) 59 "You are Satiated and your Neighbor is Hungry?!" 60 "Love your Children for the Sake of God!" 61 The Veil of Eating Food beyond Need! 61 Chapter Three 63 Spiritual Perfections 63 Absorbed in Monotheism 65 The Station of Fana (Annihilation) 67 The Lover of God 67 The Greatest Status 68 Finding Way into all Worlds 69 Visiting the Malakut (the Celestial Kingdom)! 70 The Shaykh at the Age of Sixty 71 The great Difference Between our Knowledge and his 72 Helping out the Hard-Working Laborer 73 "You Lose Temper too quickly!" 73 "I See the Hair on his Head and Face is Growing Grey!" 74 Contact with the Souls of Dr. Farza m's Parents 74 How a Relation was established between Dr. Shaykh and Shaykh Rajab Ali 75 "The Automobile is All Right, Move on!" 76 Your Request is granted 77 Cursing Causes Darkness (of the Heart) 78 The Effect of Humility toward People for God's Sake 79 Talking to Plants 79 The Reward for the Inventor of Electric Fan 80 Conditional Fulfillment of Supplication 80 Helping the One Who Had Lost his Properties 81 The Scent of Red Apples 83 The Reward for Abstaining from Unlawful Look 83 The Fire within the Unlawful Property 84 How the Gramophone Stopped Working 84 The Appeal by the Youth in Love 85 "Do not get Furious!" 85 "His Beard is of no Concern to You!" 86 Responding Satan's Temptation 86 Part 3: Self-Bulding Chapter One 89 The Ways of Self-Building 89 For Sixty Years I Treaded the Wrong Path 89 Self-Building by One's Manners 91 Educational Methods 92 1. Public Sessions 92 Emphasis on Obeying God and Refraining from Carnal Desires 98 Recognition of Internal States 99 Putting the Shaykh to Test 100 The Presence of an Informer 101 "First Please your Father!" 102 2. Special Guidelines 103 The Importance of a Perfect Instructor 104 Sins and Calamities in Life 105 "We Sell on Credit even to you!" 106 Annoying the Child 107 Annoying the Wife 107 Annoying the Husband 109 The Displeased Sister 109 Unkindness toward the Sister 110 The Displeased Mother 111 The Broken-Hearted Aunt 111 Annoying the Employer's Son 112 Annoying the Employee 113 Usurping the Old Woman's Right 114 Offending others (with foul language) 114 Cruelty to Animals 115 Chapter Two 117 The Basis of Self-Building 117 Cleansing of Polytheism 120 Wrestle with your Nafs (Vain Desires)! 121 Traveling for the Purpose of Telling a Point 122 "Ask Allah's Forgiveness a Thousand Times!" 123 Personality Cult and Polytheism 124 "Your Father should not turn into an Idol for you!" 124 How to Reach the Reality of Monotheism 125 Chapter Three 127 The Elixir of Self-Building 127 The Real Elixir 128 The Shaykh's Greatest Art 130 Shirin and Farhad 131 "Write for the Love of the Beloved!" 131 "God Has no Clients!" 132 "Teach Lessons of Love!" 133 "Learn Love from a Moth!" 134 Fundamentals of Love of God 134 Attaining Intuitive Knowledge 136 The Pitfall of Love toward God 136 The Inward Aspects of the Worldly-Minded People 138 The God-Displaying Heart 139 "What have you done?" 139 "What Do I see in you?!" 140 Men who had turned into Women! 140 "What's that Table?" 141 Attaining Divine Mysteries 141 "Do not Desire Anything Save God!" 141 The Status of the Intellect and that of the Soul 142 Worship Based on Affection 143 Everything for oneself, even God! 144 The Highest Levels of Piety 145 The School of Love 145 Opening up the Heart's Eye 145 The Inward Aspect of Heart 147 The Heart to which everything is Present 147 The Man who Performs Godly Acts 147 Cleansing the Heart 148 The Way to Love God 148 Chapter Four 151 Sincerity of Friends of God 151 All Deeds for God's Sake 151 Eating and Taking Rest for God's Sake! 151 Stitch for God's Sake! 153 Come Over for God's sake! 153 Blow into Fire for God's Sake! 153 Love them for the Sake of God! 154 Kiss for the Sake of God! 154 What have you done for God's Sake? 155 Woe to me! Woe to me! 155 To Become Good for God's Sake 156 Go on a Pilgrimage for the Sake of God! 156 Fruits of Sincerity 157 Divine Guidance 157 The Fragrance of God in Deeds 158 Overpowering the Satan 159 Opening up of the Heart's Eye 159 Material and Spiritual Blessings 160 I taught them for God's Sake 161 God Tackled our Problem! 161 Chapter Five 163 The Dhikr of the Friends of God 163 Perpetual Presence 163 How to Liberate from Carnal Soul and the Satan 165 Take your Hands Off me! 165 Remembrance of God in Sleep 168 A Message from Barzakh 168 Virtues of some Dhikrs 169 Giving Importance to Two Dhikrs 169 On Overcoming Carnal Desires 169 Suppressing the Satanic Temptations when Encountering Women other than our Next of Kin 170 For the Love of God 171 For Purifying the Batin (the inner) 171 For Attaining the Honor of Meeting Wali 'Asr (AJ) 171 1. How Ayatollah Ziyarati Attained this Honor 171 2. How a Shopkeeper found this Honor 172 For Solving Problems and Curing Illnesses 172 For Averting Heat and Cold 173 Chapter Six 175 Supplications of the Friends of God 175 Supplications of the Shaykh 175 His Regular Supplication 176 "Recite the Supplication of Yastashir!" 176 "Find a Pretext to Seek 'Him'!" 177 The Value of Weeping and Whispered Prayer 177 A Penny in Response to "Ya Allah!" 177 The Way to Proximity to God 178 What should we implore from God? 179 What Does a Lover Want from the Beloved? 180 "Complain of being Forlorn!" 181 The Real Reason for Appealing to the Ahl al-Bayt (a) 181 The Ziyarat of 'Ashura 182 The Condition for Getting Answers to Supplications 182 "First, Pay for the Salt!" 182 The Capacity of the Worshipper 183 Courtesy of the Worshipper 184 Chapter Seven 185 Benevolence of the Friends of God 185 The Mystery of Creation 185 Giving Alms while in Poverty 186 "Fast and Give Alms!" 187 Benevolence to a Jobless Person Encumbered by a Large Family 187 Benevolence to the Sister 188 The Shaykh and Rendering Service to People 189 Recompense to the Prayer Leader as Ordered by Wali al-'Asr (AJ) 189 Recommendation for Serving Meals 190 "God willing, it will be Sufficient!" 191 The Blessings of Rendering Service to People 191 The Status of Hazrat Abdul Azim Hasani 192 The Blessing of the Taxi Driver's Service 192 Assisting the Blind Man and the Luminosity of the Heart 193 Giving Meals to Forty People and the Healing of the Patient 194 Rain in a Drought 194 Giving Victuals by the Father to Beget a Child 195 The Blessing of Feeding a Hungry Animal 195 Benevolence Based on Love of God 196 Words of Imam Khomeini (RA) on rendering Service to People 196 Chapter Eight 199 Prayers of the Friends of God 199 1. Love 199 2. Courtesy 200 3. Presence of Heart 201 4. Perseverance in Performing Prayers at their Due Time 202 "A Servant of Imam Husayn (AS) would not put off his Prayers to Such Late Hours" 203 Anger, the Bane of Prayers 204 Chapter Nine 205 The Hajj of the Friends of God 205 Recommendations of the Shaykh to the Hajj Pilgrims 205 1. Endeavor to Visit Hazrat Wali 'Asr (AJ) 205 2. Forbid Love of Anything other than God while in Ihram (pilgrims' garment) 206 3. Complete Orientation towards God While Circumambulating Ka'bah 206 4. Invocation under the Golden Spout (of Ka'bah) 206 5. Killing the Carnal Soul in Mina 207 The only Place where they Displayed Affection! 207 The Banquet for Returning from Hajj 207 The Mysteries of Hajj in the Sayings of Imam Khomeini (RA) 208 The Secret of Frequently Uttering "Labbayk" 208 The Secret of Circumambulation 209 Allegiance to God 209 Sa'y (Attempt) in finding the Beloved 209 Mindfulness and 'Irfan (Gnosticism) in Mash'ar and 'Arafat 210 The Secret of Making Sacrifices in Mina 210 Rajm-i 'Aqabat (Cursing the Satan by Throwing Pebbles at the Symbolic Pillars in Mina 210 Chapter Ten 211 Friends of God's Fear 211 The Meaning of Fear of God 211 "Do not Fear God!" 212 Fear of Separation 212 Fear of not being accepted by the Beloved 214 Part 4: Passing Away Chapter One 219 The Passing Away of Shaykh Rajab Ali Khayyat 219 The Day before his Heavenly Departure 219 A Dream by One of his Disciples 220 The Shaykh on his Deathbed 221 Welcome my Dear Master! 222 The First Night after the Burial 223 Chapter Two 225 The Passing Away of Ayatollah Hujjat 225 House Repair 225 "I am About to Die!" 226 "O God! I did what I was obligated to do!" 226 "My Death will be at Noon" 228 Resorting to the Holy Qur'an 228 "Agha Ali, Please Come in!" 228 Water Mixed with Turba (Soil from Imam Husayn (AS)'s Place of Martyrdom) 229 "Without an Intermediary?!" 230 Chapter three 233 The Passing Away of Haj Akhund Turbati 233 One Week before his Heavenly Departure 233 "Salutation to you O Rasulallah (SAW)" 233 "Rest in Peace, Mother!" 234 "Do not tease me Husayn Ali!" 234 Pictures 235