From what we have mentioned, the three divisions of the breaking of customary patterns have become clear: miracles, saintly marvels, and sorcery. There is no further kind of breaking of custom beyond these. By saintly marvels I mean only what appears through the power of spiritual aspiration. I do not intend, by this terminology in this place, God’s bringing this person near, for it may instead be a gradual enticement and a ruse.
I have called it a saintly marvel only because that is what predominates, while a ruse within it is exceedingly rare. This dwelling therefore adjoins the signs of the prophets, peace be upon them—the particular science among the sciences of created existence—and does not adjoin sorcery. For the saint’s marvel and the breaking of custom for him occur only through following the Messenger and proceeding according to his Sunnah. It is thus as though they belonged to that prophet’s signs, since through following him they appeared to one who had realized such following. For this reason the dwelling adjoins them.
The Poles of this dwelling are every saint through whom a breaking of custom appears without proceeding from his spiritual aspiration. He is therefore nearer to prophethood than one from whose aspiration a breaking of custom appears. The prophets are servants remaining upon their origin, and so are the Poles of this dwelling. The nearer your states are to those of the prophets, peace be upon them, the more firmly you are established in servanthood. The proof is yours, and Satan has no authority over you.
As He says, exalted is He: “Over My servants you have no authority” [al-Hijr 15:42]; and “He sets a guard before him and behind him” [al-Jinn 72:27]. Satan therefore has no effect upon them, and likewise upon
Notlar
Translator’s note TN954-1: The author limits karāmah here to an extraordinary effect associated with spiritual aspiration, rather than treating the term itself as proof of divine favor. He then ranks the saint through whom such an effect occurs without his own aspiration nearer to the prophets. Both parts of this distinction are retained.
