مكاتبة تذكرة
My letter to my family and brethren, the righteous and truthful, the pure and chosen people who stand upon the truth: it is a reminder to whoever will remember, an invitation and a clear road for whoever returns to the truth and follows guidance; an argument against whoever denies and turns away; a prohibition against following whoever opposes the truth and goes backward; and a rebuke to whoever disobeys the command, calls its people liars, fabricates claims, and sets himself up as something he is not.
It is to inform everyone that the entrusted agent had been responsible for the cultivation and maintenance of the estates, but asserted that these were his own property, together with all the money and goods in them. He held back from pursuing what was good and was content to give his corrupt soul over to theft, disobedience, and flight. Abū al-Naqṣ al-Kāmil assisted him in this wickedness, complete as he was in theft, lying, calumny, and hypocrisy. He bore witness to the wretched man's statements and his expressions of disobedience and rebellion; he also heard those who agreed with him in the division and conflict he had undertaken. That Iblīs concealed the matter from you through the embellished stories he invented and related. Others who opposed the truth and followed their passions helped him.
Cast him away from yourselves—may God cast him away—and curse whoever approaches him or joins his cause. He has proved to be one of the accursed devils of the interval, for he has confounded truth with falsehood and passed lies off upon truthful people.
So be certain that the time has come for the offspring of honest people to be weaned from the uncleanness of the pretenders who claim to be religious. Their wickedness has been made plain to those who obey, in contrast with the wretched covenant-breakers.
Know that people have stood upon the same footing, but have diverged in the degrees of separation and reunion through the mastery of the devils.
Know that you have no shaykh and no chief over you, nor does any human being possess authority to command you, except in accordance with what conforms to the truth. Hold to the authentic words that have been established and to the well-known line of teaching you have followed over the years. Understand that no one is superior to another except by the wisdom he has learned, believed, and passed on to the people of religion. There is no virtue except in steadfastly standing with the people of truth in truth and renouncing whoever turns away from it and withdraws. There is no elevation on the Day of Return except for one whose tongue has spoken truth, who has accepted the commands of the one whose obedience is obligatory, and who follows his guidance.
Beware of envy and disagreement, and accept truth, fidelity, and justice. As far as I know, the choice remains yours. Nothing is required of the messenger except clear delivery of the message. What lies hidden concerning us and you will be brought into the open, and you shall know.
I entrust all of you to God and to those of the community who preserve their trusts. He suffices me and is the best Helper and Supporter. May His peace and blessings be upon His truthful and trustworthy Messenger to all nations and upon his pure family, the sources of goodness and the paths of delight.
Peace, and praise belongs to our Lord alone, and thanks to His guiding Guardian, His servant.