Make Silence Obligatory


Take recourse to self-imposed silence (mulāzimat al-şamt). Keepingquiet will kindle the light of joy in your heart and immerse you inhappy tranquility, just as Abu Madyan points out.

Make silence obligatory

Unless you are questioned, then say:

'No knowledge have I'

And conceal yourself with ignorance.

Sufis who take to the spiritual way consider that there are greatbenefits to be gained by those who make silence obligatory uponthemselves. Doing so raises their foundations high and plants firmlytheir roots. Silence is of two types. There is silence of the tongue(şamt bi'l-lisān) and then there is silence of the heart (şamtbi'l-janān). Both of there are necessary on the path. Whoever is silentin the heart yet speaks with the tongue speaks with wisdom. Whoever issilent with the tongue and silent in the heart perceives themanifestation (tajallī) of the inner conscience (sirr) and is addressedby the Lord.

This is the ultimate goal of silence, as made comprehensible throughthe discourse of the Shaykh [Abu Madyan]. So make silence obligatoryupon yourself, my dear seeker, unless you are questioned. If you arequestioned, return to your roots and reach your goal and answer simply,'No knowledge have I.' Conceal yourself with ignorance, so that youmight be enlightened by the rays of intimate knowledge that comesdirectly from the divine source ('ilm ladunī). Whenever you acknowledgeyour ignorance and return to your roots [weakness and incapacity], theglimmers of intimate knowledge of your true self dawn to your sight.And if you know your true self you know your Lord, as it is recorded ina saying of the Prophet [hadīth]: "He who knows himself knows his Lord"(man 'arifa nafsahu 'arifa rabba-hu).

All of this knowledge is the fruit of silence and observing its properbounds with respect. So keep silent, bear yourself respectfully andstand humbly at the doorway so that you might be recognized as abeloved friend of the master of the house. How beautifully this hasbeen said by a poet:

I won't leave the doorway

till they set right my deficiency

Lest they greet me while I'm bent

with my shameful incapacity



If you are satisfied with me

imagine my honor and my nobility!

Yet if you reject me, is there any hope

for my impertinent rigidity?

- Ibn 'Ata' Allah al-Iskandari, Sign of Success on the Spiritual Path (Unwan al Tawfiq fi Adab al Tariq)