Towards the Summit of Reality
Subtitle: An Introduction to the Study of Baháʼuʼlláhʼs Seven Valleys and Four Valleys
By: Julio Savi.
Series: George Ronald Bahá'í studies series
Publisher: George Ronald
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Oxford
Language: eng
Number of pages: 568
ISBN-13: 9780853985228
Subjects: Baháʼuʼlláh, -- 1817-1892; Baháʼuʼlláh, -- 1817-1892; Mysticism -- Bahai Faith; Bahai Faith -- Relations -- Sufism; Sufism -- Relations -- Bahai Faith
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [519]-536) and indexes.
Table of contents: label: Table of Contents; label: Note on transliteration; label: Acknowledgements; label: Introduction; label: 1. Notes on súfism; label: What is Súfism; label: Notes of Súfí Doctrine; label: Metaphysic; label: Tawhíd; label: The Attributes and Names of God; label: Creation; label: The Hierarchy of the Divine Worlds; label: Being; label: Spirit (rúh); label: Cosmology; label: Psychology and anthropology; label: Body; label: Intellect; label: The Soul; label: Knowledge; label: The Heart; label: Spiritual Yearning; label: The Ascetic Doctrine; label: The Mystic Path; label: The Path; label: Poverty; label: Mortification; label: Trust in God; label: Recollection; label: Knowledge or gnosis; label: Gnosis and Love; label: Truth; label: 2. The Literary Style; label: Grammatical and Syntactic Structure; label: The Metaphorical Genitive; label: Redundancy; label: The Concision of the Opening Sentences; label: The Use of Arabic and Persian; label: Allegories and Symbols; label: Poetic and Literary Aspects; label: Esoteric Aspects; label: Prudential Considerations; label: Mystical Aspects; label: Stories and Legends: the Tá’wíl; label: Quotations; label: Quotations Used for Literary Purposes; label: The Ineffability of Spiritual Subjects and Experiences; label: Allusions to His Prophetic Mission; label: Sources of Quotations; label: The Qur’án; label: Traditions; label: Mystical Poets; label: Other Authors:; label: His Own Poems; label: Luqmán; label: A Commentary of the Qur’án; label: The Ghawthíyya (‘Abd al-Qádir al-Jílání); label: Abú Yazíd al-Bishámí; label: The Science of Letters; label: The Abjad; label: 3. Stories and Legends; label: Stories of Prophets; label: Abraham; label: Joseph; label: Jacob as the Human Soul; label: The Fragrant Garment of Joseph; label: The ‘Egypt of love’ and ‘the Joseph of the Beauty of the Friend’; label: Jacob’s Blindness; label: Joseph as Interpreter of Dreams and Visions; label: Moses; label: Moses’ White Hand (yad-i-baydá); label: Thou Shalt Not See Me (lan tarání); label: The Sinaitic Experience: Spiritual Transformation; label: The Sinaitic Experience: Submission to God; label: Khidr; label: Love Stories; label: Majnún and Laylí; label: The Story of the Lover and the Watchman; label: Personages of the Spiritual Worlds; label: The Kingdom of the Exalted Ones (malakútu’l-‘álín); label: The Concourse of the Near Ones (malá’u’l-muqarrabín); label: The Realm of the Sincere Ones (jabarútu’l-mukhlisín); label: ‘Izrá’íl; label: Isráfíl; label: The Trumpet (aṣ-ṣúr); label: Gabriel (Jibra’íl); label: Legendary Personages, Animals and Places; label: The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus; label: Luqmán; label: The Phoenix (Símurgh); label: The Leviathan (nahang); label: The Sheba (Saba’); label: Alexander’s Wall (sadd-i-Sikandar); label: Geographical and historical references; label: Geographical references; label: Ḥijáz; label: ‘Iráq; label: Jayḥún; label: Tabríz; label: Tiflís; label: Sanandaj; label: Historical references; label: Alexander (Sikandar); label: Ibn-i-Ḥájib; label: Ibn-i-Málik; label: Qawlavayh (Qawlawiyyih); label: Shaddád; label: Sibavayh (Saybawiyyih); label: Notes; label: 4. Allegories and Symbols: The Pilgrim; label: The Journey; label: The Journey (sayr, safar, sulúk) and the Wayfarer (sálik, musáfir); label: The Homeland (vaṭan); label: The Valleys (vádí); label: The City (shahr, madínih); label: The Ka’ba; label: The Sanctuary (ḥaram); label: The Path; label: ṭaríqat, rah, ráh, sabíl; label: The Straight Path (aṣ-ṣíráṭu’l-mustaqím); label: The Snow-white Path (manháju’l-bayḍá); label: Symbols of Royalty; label: The King (sháh, ṣulṭán); label: The Court of Holiness and Nearness and Beauty (sáḥatu’l-quds, wa’l-qurb, wa’l-jamál); label: The Throne (‘arsh and sarír); label: The Empyrean of Might (kursíy-i-‘aẓamat); label: The Pavilion of the Loved One (surádiq-i-maḥbúb); label: The Lofty Pavilion (khyám-i-raf’at); label: The Dome of Glory (qibábu’l-‘izz); label: Trees and Plants, Gardens, Meadows and Deserts; label: Trees and Plants (sidrih, shajjarih, dirakhth); label: The Garden (ríyáḍ, bustán, gulistán, bágh, ḥadíqih); label: Meadows and Deserts (saḥrá’, barr, baydá’); label: Animals; label: Birds; label: The Dove (varqá, ḥamámat); label: The Falcon (báz, sháhín, sháh-báz); label: The Raven (ghuráb); label: Birds of Prey (aṭyár-i-ráh-zan); label: The Beetle (ju‘al); label: Notes; label: 5. Allegories and Symbols: The Lover; label: The Beloved, the Lover and Love; label: The Beloved, the Lover and Love; label: The Pains of Love; label: The Fearlessness of the Lover; label: The Insatiability of the lover; label: The Insanity of Love; label: The Wisdom of Love; label: Love and Purification; label: Love and Death of the Self; label: Love and Beauty; label: The Secret of the Lovers; label: The Confirmations of the Creator; label: Love and Joy; label: The Nightingale (bul-bul) and the Rose (gul); label: The Face (rúy) and the Hair (ja‘d) of the Beloved; label: Erotic-Mystic Poetry; label: Convivial Symbols: Wine, the Cup, the Cup-Bearer, the Minstrel and Food; label: Wine (khamr, sharáb, bádih), and the Tavern (khániy-i-khammár); label: The Cup (jam, ká’s, ku’úb, zujájih); label: The Cup-Bearer (sáqí); label: The Minstrel (muṭrib); label: Food (ṭa’ám); label: Arabian Melodies (naghmát-i-ḥijází) and Sweet Iranian songs (áváz-háy-i-khwush-i-‘iráqí); label: Notes; label: 6. Allegories and Symbols: The Ascetic; label: The Heart (dil or qalb); label: The Heart as an Organ of Knowledge; label: The Heart as the Seat of the Divine Presence; label: The Heart as the Organ of Attraction; label: Cleansing the Heart; label: The Veils (ḥijáb, pardih); label: The Sun and Light; label: Light as God; label: Light as Being; label: Light as Spiritual Qualities; label: Mirrors; label: Spring; label: Colours; label: Fire (nár, átish); label: Fire as a Purifying Agent; label: Alchemic Aspects of Fire; label: Fire as Bearer of Heat and Light: the Lamp (miṣbáḥ) and the Lantern (mishkát), the Candle (shama‘) and the Lantern (fánús), the Flame (siráj), the Lamp (zujáj) and the Globe (mishkát), the Lamps of Wayfaring and Wandering (chirágh-háy-i-sayr wa sulúk); label: Fire as a Source of Life; label: Water, Rain, Flowing Waters and the Sea; label: Water; label: Water of Life; label: Rain; label: Streams and Fountains; label: The Sea and the Ocean (baḥr, lujjih, yamm); label: The Drop and the Sea (qaṭra and baḥr); label: Winds; label: Scents; label: Dust (turáb, khák); label: A Conclusion; label: Notes; label: 7. Ṣúfí Concepts and Ciphers Revised by Bahá’u’lláh: God, Creation, the Worlds of God; label: God; label: God is Unknowable; label: The Divine Essence; label: The Shaháda and the Divine Unity and Oneness (tawḥíd); label: The Oneness of Being (vaḥdat-i-vujúd) and Manifestation (vaḥdat-i-shuhúd); label: God’s Names and Attributes (asmá' al láh and ṣifát al láh); label: The Names Most Beautiful (al-asmá’u’l -ḥusná); label: Attributes and Names of God; label: The Attributes of the Basmalah; label: The Four Divine States (chihár rutbiy-i-iláhíyyih); label: Other Divine Attributes; label: The Self of God (nafsu’alláh); label: Being; label: Being (vujúd), essence (dhát), existence (hastí) etc.; label: Creation; label: The Concept of Manifestation as Effulgence (tajallí); label: ‘adam (‘nothingness’, ‘shadow’), ma‘dúm (‘lost … nothing’, ‘destroy’); label: The New Creation (khalq-i-jadídí); label: The Day wherein None hath a Mention; label: Justice in the World of Creation; label: Creation Vocabulary; label: The Worlds of God; label: The Divine Worlds for the Ṣúfís; label: Introductory Remarks; label: The World of Háhút; label: The World of Láhút; label: The World of Jabarút; label: The World of Malakút; label: The World of Násút; label: The Worlds of Time; label: The Divine Worlds in the two Epistles; label: The Two Worlds (har du jahán, du ‘álam); label: The Worlds of Names (‘aválim-i-asmá’); label: The Worlds of Attributes (‘álam-i-ṣifát); label: The World of Oneness (‘aválim-i-aḥadiyyih); label: The Realm of Absolute Command (‘álam-i-amr); label: The Worlds of Authority and Command (‘álam-háy-i-iṭláq wa amr); label: The World of Holiness (‘álam-i-qudsí); label: Notes; label: 8. Ṣúfí Concepts and Ciphers Revised by Bahá’u’lláh: The Manifestation of God; label: The Manifestation of God (maẓhar-i-iláhí); label: Dispensing with a Prophet-Mediator; label: Prophetic and Initiatory Functions; label: The Highest Station of the manifestation of God; label: Coincidence of the Opposites; label: Incognoscibility of the Manifestation of God; label: Preexistence, Poverty, Omnipotence; label: Inspired knowledge; label: The Great Infallibility (‘iṣmat-i-kubrá); label: The Secret of Divine Guidance (sirr-i-rashád); label: The Oneness of the Manifestations of God; label: Progressive Revelation; label: Ciphered References to the Manifestation of God; label: The Book (kitáb); label: The apex of eternity (quṭb al -baqá’); label: The Center of Realities (quṭb al -ma‘aní); label: The Most Great Pillar (rukn-i-a’ẓam); label: The Crimson Pillar (al-ruknu’l-ḥamrá’); label: The Excellent Temple (haykalu’l-mukarram); label: The Heavenly Messenger (bashír-i-aḥadíyyih); label: The Lord of Messengers (siyyidu’l-mursalín); label: The Lord of the House (saḥib-i-bayt); label: The Holy Souls (awliyá); label: The Guardian of the Cause (valíy-i-amr); label: The presence of the Beloved (liqáy-i-maḥbúb); label: Nearness (qurb); label: Communion (uns); label: The reunion with the beloved (vaṣl, viṣál, vuṣúl); label: The Face of God (vajh); label: The Teachings of the Manifestation of God; label: The Law of the Book (ḥukm-i-kitáb); label: The Divine Utterance (bayán); label: The True Standard of Knowledge (mízán); label: Mysteries, Secrets and Strangers (mu‘ammá, asrár etc.); label: Notes; label: 9. Ṣúfí Concepts and Ciphers Revised by Bahá’u’lláh: Man; label: Man as the Image of God; label: The Divine Trust (vadí‘iy-i-iláhíyyih); label: The Soul and the Self (nafs, ján); label: Spirit (ruḥ); label: Reason and Intellect (‘aql); label: Knowledge; label: Certitude (yaqín); label: The Inner Eye; label: Free will; label: The Decree of God (qaḍa’) and God’s Immutable Decree (qadar); label: His Foreordained Mystery (sirr-i-muqaddar); label: The Spiritual Path; label: Heedlessness (ghaflat); label: Returning to God; label: The spirit of search (rúyy-i-taḥqíq) and blind imitation (rúyy-i-taqlíd); label: Those who believed and surrendered themselves (min ámana wa istaslama); label: The Dying from Self (fanáy-i-az nafs); label: The Living in God (baqáy-i-bi alláh); label: Resurrection (ma‘ád, ḥashr); label: The Four Journeys in the Pathway of Love (safar-hay-i-sabíl-i-‘ishq); label: The ‘Four Stages of the Heart’ (chihar rutbih); label: Various kinds of seekers; label: The Beloved of God, the Saints and the Prophets; label: Obeying the Divine Teachings; label: The Straight Path (aṣ-ṣírát al -mustaqím); label: Faithfulness (istiqámat); label: Fear of God; label: Detachment; label: Astonishment; label: Poverty; label: The importance of the instant; label: Sleep and Dreams; label: Miracles; label: Notes; label: 10. Ṣúfí Concepts and Ciphers Revised by Bahá’u’lláh: The Journey of The Seven Valleys; label: Valleys in Ṣúfí literature and in Bahá’u’lláh’s Writings; label: The Plane of Limitations; label: The Plane of Heedlessness; label: The Valley of Search; label: The Valley of Love; label: The Valley of Knowledge; label: The Valleys above this …; label: The Valley of Unity; label: The Valley of Contentment; label: The Valley of Wonderment; label: The Valley of True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness; label: Notes; label: 11. Ṣúfí Concepts and Ciphers Revised by Bahá’u’lláh: The Journey of The Four Valleys; label: Four-stages Models in Ṣúfí Literature; label: Abú’l-Ḥusayn an-Núrí; label: al-Jílání; label: The Bektashí Four Gateways; label: The Four Valleys and the Seven Valleys; label: The Prologue; label: The First Valley; label: The Self Not Rejected, But Beloved; label: The Realm of Conflict; label: The Signs of God; label: Obedience to the Laws of God; label: Transformed into an Angel; label: A Comparative Study; label: Feelings and Experiences Related to this Valley; label: The Second Valley; label: Training the ‘feeble reason’; label: Faith as Conscious Knowledge; label: The Fruits of the Process: Knowledge; label: A Comparative Study; label: The Second Valley and Spiritual Chivalry; label: The Third Valley; label: Love as Detachment from Self; label: Romantic Love Versus Spiritual Love; label: Love and Deeds; label: A Comparative Study; label: The First Three Valleys: A Comparison; label: The Fourth Valley; label: Notes; label: A conclusion; label: Notes; label: Appendixes; label: Appendix I; label: The Qur’án and quotations from the Qur’án; label: Appendix II; label: Traditions and quotations from the Traditions; label: Appendix III; label: Quotations from other sources; label: A Commentary of the Qur’án; label: Luqmán; label: ‘Abd al -Qadir al-Jílání, the Ghawthiyyih; label: Abú Yazíd al-Bisṭámí; label: Appendix IV; label: Quotations from mystical poems; label: Shaykh Abú Ismá‘íl ‘Abd al láh Anṣárí; label: Ḥakím Saná’í; label: Ibn Fáriḍ; label: Farídu’d-Dín ‘Aṭṭár; label: Muṣlihu’d-Dín Sa‘dí; label: Mawláná Jalálu’d-Dín Rúmí; label: Shamsu’d-Dín Ḥáfiẓ; label: Hátif; label: Unidentified Persian mystical poems; label: Unidentified Arabic poems; label: Bahá’u’lláh’s Sáqí-az-Ghayb-i-Baqá; label: Notes; label: Bibliography; label: Index of Names and Places; label: Index of Subjects