شعر النفس
“My success comes only through God.”
A doctrinal poem sent by Ismāʿīl al-Tamīmī, surnamed the Soul, to the people of Jabal al-Summāq near Aleppo, setting forth the doctrine of tawḥīd.
Shaykh Abū Ibrāhīm Ismāʿīl ibn Muḥammad al-Tamīmī, the Caller known as the Chosen of the Respondents, speaks, directing people to the religion of our Lord and the knowledge of the Imam:
Toward the Goal of goals I direct my purpose and desire, Toward al-Ḥākim, raised above every ruler.
Turn and hasten toward al-Ḥākim the Victorious; No adherent of tawḥīd who turns to Him will be sorry.
He is al-Ḥākim, the Single One, whose name is exalted; He has no likeness to be measured against another ruler.
Wise, knowing, powerful, sovereign over all creation, He draws people near through the familiar name al-Ḥākim.
The lofty Preceder and the Follower became His servants, Together with the Grandfather, Opening, and Imagination.
They bowed as servants to our Lord's command, For every young follower of the religion is a servant of Adam.
He is the One who rises above every cause; All besides Him are servants and attendants.
He is al-Ḥākim, our Lord, visible through His humanity; Through His divinity He performs every mighty deed.
Rise up and approach our Lord al-Ḥākim; Your tawḥīd is true for every person of firm judgment.
When lofty al-Ḥākim appears in His procession, Affirm His unity with the eye of knowledge among the worlds.
He is called an Imam, although the Imam is His servant; Awaken, and do not listen to everyone who sleeps.
Our Lord has appeared and brought familiarity to His servants, Through acts like theirs, in the wisdom of al-Ḥākim.
He appeared through the actions and forms of servants, And brought familiarity to people, though creation resembles beasts.
When we broadcast tawḥīd their minds reel; They would tear at it as serpents tear at their prey.
The weight of our argument will cut them down, Severing their greatness as keen swords cut.
The truth is what we have said, and You are its witness; It cuts through the words of the people as throats are cut.
The men of truth will rise when the appointed rising comes, With resolute strength when all resolutions reach their end.
They will be driven against their will; their speech will gain no answer, Barefoot captives in the grasp of lions.
The Guide will call to them: “Come to what You have been ignorant of concerning tawḥīd, people of every world!”
“Come to the hidden meaning; enough for you Are the signs and proofs placed before you in the pillars!”
You practiced interpretation of meanings as religion, Contrary to what every Riser before you had said.
You imagined that a child must remain small because of his size, And forgot the limit of the concealed proclamation.
You joined others with God, and associationism fills your words, Like the clashing waves upon a sea of associationism.
The sword of truth will be drawn against your ignorance, And reap you like grain, without a merciful hand.
The people of response and godfearing obedience will drive you onward; Their tawḥīd grows greater than every gain.
A sword for al-Tamīmī will be drawn openly, Against your assembly, its action free of blame.
The Chosen of the Respondents will not abandon His struggle against you, neither through fear nor blame.
We shall quench the burning concealed within our breasts, And reach your lineages and the bonds of kinship.
You will go about openly in humiliation for your opposition, And meet every abasement, finding no mercy.
This poem will choke every hypocrite with suppressed anger, Adding distress upon distress to their rage.
From Shaykh Ismāʿīl to Jabal al-Summāq, to be read to every Unitarian man and woman. Our Lord—glory be to Him—approved it and caused copies to be circulated among the Respondents so that they might discuss and recite it as a hymn, drawing blessing from it on each new day.
Completed. Peace, with praise belonging to our Lord and proceeding from Him.