Epistles of Wisdom
Part of a series on
Druze |
---|
The Epistles of Wisdom (
The Druze canon
The full Druze canon or Druze scripture includes the
The Epistles of Wisdom are also referred to as the Kitab al-Hikma (Book of Wisdom) and al-Hikma al-Sharifa. Other ancient Druze writings include the Rasa'il al-Hind (Epistles of India) and the previously lost (or hidden) manuscripts such as al-Munfarid bi-Dhatihi and al-Sharia al-Ruhaniyya as well as others including
Druze manuscripts are generally written in a
The Druze religious establishment's interpretation of
Description
The Epistles of Wisdom were written in the
Contents
The epistles contain philosophical discourses about
The texts provide insight into Druze beliefs about the incorporation of the
Translations
A
Another edition of the Rasa'il al-hikma was published by
Quotes
On the concept of God, Hamza ibn Ali wrote
If human minds would be given the knowledge of God without any familiarization and gradation, those human minds would swoon and fall down.[17]
...the originator of the perfect Aql. He virtually bound within it all the created beings, so that nothing might be outside of it.[18]
On the concept of reincarnation and the universal soul,
O you who are distracted, how can he who is devoid of his corporeal means obtain knowledge?
O you who are heedless, how can he who abandoned his sensual faculty reach ignorance?
And O you who are perplexed, how can the souls exist by themselves?
And how can they settle in their origin, and yet have a life and procure their pleasures?[19]
On the concept of
Believing in the non-existence negates existence as such. It is a way that leads to unbelief, atheism, and denial.[20]
Regarding the secrecy of the epistles of wisdom, Hamza ibn Ali wrote
Protect divine knowledge from those who do not deserve it and do not withhold it from those who are deserving.
He who withholds divine knowledge from those who are worthy of it, will indeed desecrate what he has been entrusted with and will commit sacrilege against his religion;
and the conviction of him who divulges it to those who are not deserving will be diverted from following the truth.
Scripture must therefore be protected from those who do not deserve it.[21]
However he did remark
Protect yourselves from ignorance with the help of the knowledge of the unity of our Lord...[22]
With regards the unity of God and how to remain in a state of peace of mind and contentment (rida (Arabic: رضا)) and find knowledge of true love, Hamza ibn Ali left the message
I enjoin you to safeguard your fellow men. In safeguarding them your faith reaches perfection.[23]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-2-7068-1187-6. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-90-429-1943-3. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-003-04465-9, retrieved 2023-10-04
- ^ Dana, N. (2010). The'Banu Ma'ruf'of the Levant–Druze Identity and Religion.
- ISSN 2690-3741.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-1375-1. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-90-04-12552-0. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-02-909730-4. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ISBN 9780717201303. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-90-04-09705-6. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- )
- ISBN 978-90-04-12552-0. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ^ Conférences de M. Daniel De Smet., Université Catholique de Louvain, p.149, 2008.
- ^ Hitti, Philip K., Origins of the Druze People and Religion, CHAPTER V, DRUZE THEOLOGY AND ITS SOURCES, 1928.
- ^ Antoine Isaac, Baron Silvestre de Sacy, Expose de la Religion des Druzes (Paris, 1838; republ. Amsterdam, 1964)
- ^ Traboulsi, Samer., Journal of the American Oriental Society, Article, Les Epitres sacrees des Druzes: Rasa il al-Hikma, volumes 1 et 2, July-Sept, 2009.
- ISBN 978-0-88206-003-3. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-88206-003-3. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-88206-003-3. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-88206-003-3. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-88206-003-3. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-88206-003-3. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-88206-003-3. Retrieved 18 March 2011.