Early Shaykhī Commentary upon th

Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i and Early Shaykhī Commentary upon the Ḥadīth al-ḥaqiqa

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Stephen Lambden (UC-Merced)

IN PROGRESS 2009-10

See Further:

(1) Tafsīr Ḥadith al-Haqiqa I Introduction, the Shi`i Origins and Commentaries.

(3) Tafsīr Ḥadīth al-ḥaqīqa, III : the Commentary of the Bāb upon the Ḥadīth al-Haqiqa

(4) Tafsīr Ḥadith al-Haqiqa IV : Further writings of the Bāb, Early Babis, Baha'u'llah.

Early Shaykhī Commentary upon the Ḥadīth al-ḥaqiqa

The early, first two Shaykhī leaders wrote commentaries on or responded to questions about on the Ḥadīth al-ḥaqiqa. Shaykh Aḥmad al-Ahsa'i responded to a number of questions about the Ḥadīth Kumayl including his

The Ḥadīth al-ḥaqiqa in the Commentary of Shaykh Ahmad upon the delphic maxim ascribed to `Alī.

In his commentary on the tradition man `arafa nafsahu faqad `arafa rabbuhu Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i has occasion to quote and comment in considerable detail upon the hadith al-ḥaqīqa (including the five definitions of al-ḥaqīqa). ADD HERE

After expounding the meaning of سبحات الجلال subuḥāt al-jalāl Shaykh Ahmad comments on the second line --

محو الموهوم و صحو المعلوم "The effacement of the conjectured, and the clearing of the known" (EGB 1893) --commening that "Its meaning [presupposes that the] سبحات الجلال subuḥāt al-jalāl is محو الموهوم the "effacement of the idle fancies" since the "I-ness" [selfhood; self identity] (al-aniyya) indicates those سبحات subuḥāt and the modalites of its [foundational] pillars (shu`ūn arkāniha) on account of which الموهوم (al-mawhūm) conjecture- idle fancy rises up. The meaning is that it is not something that subsists in itself. Rather, it is something existing through the active command of God (bi-amr Allah al-fa`ala), meaning the Divine Will (al-mashiyya) and also through the passive command of God (bi-amr Allah al-mafa`ūla) which indicates the Muhammadan Reality (al-ḥaqīqa al-muhammadiyya). Such is the inner sense (ta`wil) of His saying, exalted be He, "You might have supposed that they were awake although they were asleep" (Q. 18: 18a).