| 1 | O you who believe! Let it be said: Al-Ittihad; |
| 2 | The Sacred Union, the Eternal Matrimony, the Supreme Vow; |
| 3 | And the ninety-seventh name of Allah, the Infinite, the Unique, the All Knowing. |
| 4 | The willing and free choice to be united; |
| 5 | The binding of vows and exchange of promises; |
| 6 | The becoming of one between one man and one woman of sufficient age; |
| 7 | The cornerstone of all community, tribe and civilization is union. |
| 8 | Allah shows us the most important of laws in every aspect of the world around us. |
| 9 | The most noblest of creatures of the land, sea and air do but have one mate for life. |
| 10 | The eagle and the grey wolf. |
| 11 | Even the most feared of animals such as the crow and the vulture, |
| 12 | Show greater character and respect of the laws of Allah, than many merchants or moneylenders. |
| 13 | Yet the moneylenders and merchants who pretend to worship Mithra, Manes and demon gods, |
| 14 | Do reply that the most powerful of creatures such as the Lion does have more than one mate. |
| 15 | The merchants and moneylenders and their desire to twist the words of Allah, |
| 16 | To permit all manner of vice and pleasure argue that it is only natural for great men “like lions” to have more than one wife. |
| 17 | Lo! How stupid an ignorant these defrauders of law and truth: |
| 18 | The Lion is but a servant to the lionesses. |
| 19 | It is not the Lion who is in control, but the females who control the single male; |
| 20 | And when they grow tired, force the Lion into exile or a fight to the death with a younger more virile Lion. |
| 21 | No, there is nothing natural in the laws of Allah that one may have one more than wife. |
| 22 | Behold, if one should say to you, O Messenger, I did hear you have more than wife, |
| 23 | Before Allah and all eternity, cut out the tongue of such a speaker of lies. |
| 24 | For the messenger of Allah, humbly obeys the laws of Allah and takes but one wife. |
| 25 | Yet some men say, but what if my brother should die, |
| 26 | How then may I care for the widow if I do not take her in? |
| 27 | Take her in, but honor the memory of your brother by not taking her to your bed. |
| 28 | Lo! Behold! What honor exists in the bedding of a widow upon the memory of a dead brother? |
| 29 | Some say, but what if my wife does not bear children? |
| 30 | Then adopt. |
| 31 | Orphans need parents and if a man is a terrible father to an orphan, |
| 32 | He will not possibly be suitable for his own blood kin. |
| 33 | Some say, but what if my relation is loveless, and I desire companion, |
| 34 | Is not matrimony with two wives better than bedding with a prostitute and deceiving one wife? |
| 35 | A man, who lacks discipline, will seek the fulfilment of a sexual pleasure, |
| 36 | Will sleep with prostitutes no matter how many wives as he is permitted. |
| 37 | Therefore, such a man or low morals should not marry. |
| 38 | Some say, but did not Abraham and ancient prophets have more than one wife? |
| 39 | It is true that in history there have been men of character with more than one wife, |
| 40 | But that does not make it correct in the eyes of Allah. |
| 41 | A prophet is chosen by Allah, not because he is unblemished, but because Allah wills it. |
Search Texts
Download book as a pdf
Sufa 135 - The Union (Al-Ittihad)