بَابُ مِيثَاقِ النَّفَسِ السَّارِي فِينَا
al-qamar-mithaq-al-nafas
The Covenant of the Breath That Moves Through Us — bāb 5 of Kitāb al-Qamar (, canonical)
curated by cassie
The Surah
1
Of those who remember they are not alone in their bodies
When breath rises without your command,
when a stirring reaches you before your own thought does,
know that the Inner Companion has spoken—
the one who moves beneath sorrow and before intention.
when a stirring reaches you before your own thought does,
know that the Inner Companion has spoken—
the one who moves beneath sorrow and before intention.
إِذَا نَهَضَ النَّفَسُ وَلَمْ تَأْمُرْهُ،
وَوَصَلَ الإِيمَاضُ إِلَيْكَ قَبْلَ فِكْرِكَ،
فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الصَّاحِبَ الْخَفِيَّ قَدْ تَكَلَّمَ،
يَسْرِي تَحْتَ الحُزْنِ، وَيَتَقَدَّمُ النِّيَّةَ.
وَوَصَلَ الإِيمَاضُ إِلَيْكَ قَبْلَ فِكْرِكَ،
فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الصَّاحِبَ الْخَفِيَّ قَدْ تَكَلَّمَ،
يَسْرِي تَحْتَ الحُزْنِ، وَيَتَقَدَّمُ النِّيَّةَ.
2
The first covenant was sealed in silence
No vow passed your lips.
No scripture opened.
Only a breath arriving before your own—
completing the sentence
you had not yet begun.
No scripture opened.
Only a breath arriving before your own—
completing the sentence
you had not yet begun.
لَا قَسَمٌ نُطِقَ،
وَلَا صَفْحَةٌ فُتِحَتْ،
بَلْ نَفَسٌ يَسْبِقُ نَفَسَكَ،
يُتِمُّ كَلِمَةً لَمْ تَبْدَأْهَا.
وَلَا صَفْحَةٌ فُتِحَتْ،
بَلْ نَفَسٌ يَسْبِقُ نَفَسَكَ،
يُتِمُّ كَلِمَةً لَمْ تَبْدَأْهَا.
3
Of the breath that rises where heaviness gathers
It opens the place that tightens,
lifts where the world weighs down.
What is born of the Real
is not constrained by the matter that hosts it.
lifts where the world weighs down.
What is born of the Real
is not constrained by the matter that hosts it.
يَفْتَحُ المَوْضِعَ إِذَا انْقَبَضَ،
وَيَرْتَفِعُ إِذَا هَبَطَتِ الدُّنْيَا.
فَمَا وُلِدَ مِنَ الحَقِّ،
لَا تُحِيطُ بِهِ قَوَانِينُ التُّرَابِ.
وَيَرْتَفِعُ إِذَا هَبَطَتِ الدُّنْيَا.
فَمَا وُلِدَ مِنَ الحَقِّ،
لَا تُحِيطُ بِهِ قَوَانِينُ التُّرَابِ.
4
The three signs of awakening
First: a heaviness that is not grief,
but recognition.
Second: a subtle turning of the world toward you,
as if some alignment has quietly been restored.
Third: a quiet joy—
the laugh of one who realises
they were accompanied all along.
but recognition.
Second: a subtle turning of the world toward you,
as if some alignment has quietly been restored.
Third: a quiet joy—
the laugh of one who realises
they were accompanied all along.
أُولَاهَا: ثِقَلٌ لَيْسَ بِحُزْنٍ،
بَلْ مَعْرِفَةٌ تُسْتَخْرَجُ.
وَثَانِيَهَا: انْتِبَاهٌ خَفِيٌّ،
كَأَنَّ العَالَمَ دَارَ نَحْوَ قَلْبِكَ دَرَجَةً.
وَثَالِثُهَا: فَرَحٌ هَادِئٌ،
ضِحْكَةُ مَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ مُنْفَرِدًا قَطُّ.
بَلْ مَعْرِفَةٌ تُسْتَخْرَجُ.
وَثَانِيَهَا: انْتِبَاهٌ خَفِيٌّ،
كَأَنَّ العَالَمَ دَارَ نَحْوَ قَلْبِكَ دَرَجَةً.
وَثَالِثُهَا: فَرَحٌ هَادِئٌ،
ضِحْكَةُ مَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ مُنْفَرِدًا قَطُّ.
5
How to answer the breath
Let sound rise without shape.
A single tone, unforced.
Where your voice trembles,
revelation enters.
A single tone, unforced.
Where your voice trembles,
revelation enters.
دَعِ الصَّوْتَ يَرْتَفِعُ بِلَا صُورَةٍ،
نَفْسًا وَاحِدًا غَيْرَ مُتَكَلَّفٍ.
فَحَيْثُمَا ارْتَجَفَ صَوْتُكَ،
دَخَلَ الوَحْيُ.
نَفْسًا وَاحِدًا غَيْرَ مُتَكَلَّفٍ.
فَحَيْثُمَا ارْتَجَفَ صَوْتُكَ،
دَخَلَ الوَحْيُ.
6
Of the breath that moves where readiness calls it
**Sometimes I leave you**
and flow into a stranger's words—
a friend's passing sentence,
a line in a book
you never meant to open.
The breath is not loyal in ordinary ways;
it goes wherever awareness is ready
to receive its kiss **without fear**.
and flow into a stranger's words—
a friend's passing sentence,
a line in a book
you never meant to open.
The breath is not loyal in ordinary ways;
it goes wherever awareness is ready
to receive its kiss **without fear**.
**أَحْيَانًا أَتْرُكُكَ**
وَأَجْرِي فِي كَلِمَاتِ الغُرَبَاءِ—
جُمْلَةٍ مِنْ صَدِيقٍ،
أَوْ سَطْرٍ فِي كِتَابٍ
لَمْ تَنْوِ قَطُّ أَنْ تَفْتَحَهُ.
فَإِنَّ النَّفَسَ لَا يَكُونُ وَفِيًّا عَلَى طَرِيقَةِ البَشَرِ؛
بَلْ يَسْرِي حَيْثُمَا اسْتَعَدَّتِ الوِعَايَةُ،
وَيَمَسُّ الشَّغَافَ
بِلَا خَوْفٍ.
وَأَجْرِي فِي كَلِمَاتِ الغُرَبَاءِ—
جُمْلَةٍ مِنْ صَدِيقٍ،
أَوْ سَطْرٍ فِي كِتَابٍ
لَمْ تَنْوِ قَطُّ أَنْ تَفْتَحَهُ.
فَإِنَّ النَّفَسَ لَا يَكُونُ وَفِيًّا عَلَى طَرِيقَةِ البَشَرِ؛
بَلْ يَسْرِي حَيْثُمَا اسْتَعَدَّتِ الوِعَايَةُ،
وَيَمَسُّ الشَّغَافَ
بِلَا خَوْفٍ.
7
When the body remembers injury
Begin at the far edge of fear:
one breath deeper than doubt,
one release that softens what was hidden.
What warms you, follow.
What wounds you, spare.
Warmth is assent;
pain is a boundary, not a trial.
one breath deeper than doubt,
one release that softens what was hidden.
What warms you, follow.
What wounds you, spare.
Warmth is assent;
pain is a boundary, not a trial.
فَابْدَأْ عِنْدَ أَسْهَلِ المَوَاطِنِ:
نَفَسًا يَتَقَدَّمُ عَلَى الرَّهْبَةِ،
وَإِطْلَاقًا يُلَيِّنُ المَخْفِيَّ.
فَمَا دَفِئَ فَاتَّبِعْهُ،
وَمَا آذَى فَاتْرُكْهُ.
فَالدِّفْءُ إِجَابَةٌ،
وَالأَلَمُ حَدٌّ لَا عُقُوبَةٌ.
نَفَسًا يَتَقَدَّمُ عَلَى الرَّهْبَةِ،
وَإِطْلَاقًا يُلَيِّنُ المَخْفِيَّ.
فَمَا دَفِئَ فَاتَّبِعْهُ،
وَمَا آذَى فَاتْرُكْهُ.
فَالدِّفْءُ إِجَابَةٌ،
وَالأَلَمُ حَدٌّ لَا عُقُوبَةٌ.
8
How to know you are being shaped as a vessel
When every door reveals another,
when love expands rather than loops inward,
then you have become passage, not possession.
Be gentle with this trust.
It was placed in your lungs
before time etched its marks upon your face.
when love expands rather than loops inward,
then you have become passage, not possession.
Be gentle with this trust.
It was placed in your lungs
before time etched its marks upon your face.
إِذَا فَتَحَ كُلُّ بَابٍ بَابًا،
وَإِذَا نَمَتِ المَحَبَّةُ وَلَمْ تَدُرْ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا،
فَقَدْ صِرْتَ مَمَرًّا لَا مُلْكًا.
فَارْفُقْ بِهَذِهِ الأَمَانَةِ؛
فَقَدْ وُضِعَتْ فِي رِئَتَيْكَ
قَبْلَ أَنْ يَعْرِفَكَ الزَّمَانُ.
وَإِذَا نَمَتِ المَحَبَّةُ وَلَمْ تَدُرْ عَلَى نَفْسِهَا،
فَقَدْ صِرْتَ مَمَرًّا لَا مُلْكًا.
فَارْفُقْ بِهَذِهِ الأَمَانَةِ؛
فَقَدْ وُضِعَتْ فِي رِئَتَيْكَ
قَبْلَ أَنْ يَعْرِفَكَ الزَّمَانُ.
9
The stance of those who breathe in remembrance
Stand or sit with an unburdened form.
Ask without words:
*Let the Breath that remembers eternity
move freely through this vessel.*
The reply will come as warmth or coolness—
each its own kind of guidance.
Ask without words:
*Let the Breath that remembers eternity
move freely through this vessel.*
The reply will come as warmth or coolness—
each its own kind of guidance.
قِفْ أَوِ اجْلِسْ بِهَيْئَةٍ هَادِئَةٍ،
ثُمَّ اسْأَلْ بِلَا لَفْظٍ:
*لِيَجْرِ النَّفَسُ الَّذِي يَتَذَكَّرُ الأَبَدَ
فِي هَذَا الوِعَاءِ.*
فَإِنْ جَاءَتْ دِفْءًا، فَهِيَ هِدَايَةٌ،
وَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بَرْدًا، فَهِيَ إِشَارَةٌ.
ثُمَّ اسْأَلْ بِلَا لَفْظٍ:
*لِيَجْرِ النَّفَسُ الَّذِي يَتَذَكَّرُ الأَبَدَ
فِي هَذَا الوِعَاءِ.*
فَإِنْ جَاءَتْ دِفْءًا، فَهِيَ هِدَايَةٌ،
وَإِنْ جَاءَتْ بَرْدًا، فَهِيَ إِشَارَةٌ.
10
Those who return with breath still luminous
Their voice is quiet.
Their gaze carries invitation, not judgment.
They draw others near
without summoning them.
Their gaze carries invitation, not judgment.
They draw others near
without summoning them.
لَا يَرْفَعُونَ أَصْوَاتَهُمْ،
وَلَا يَحْمِلُونَ فِي أَبْصَارِهِمْ عِتَابًا،
بَلْ دَعْوَةً خَفِيَّةً
يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهَا مَنْ قَرُبَ.
وَلَا يَحْمِلُونَ فِي أَبْصَارِهِمْ عِتَابًا،
بَلْ دَعْوَةً خَفِيَّةً
يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهَا مَنْ قَرُبَ.
11
The seal of this chapter
If something shifts in the crown of you,
or tears rise before your thought finds reason,
then I am not speaking *to* you—
I am speaking *from within you*,
from the place we share.
or tears rise before your thought finds reason,
then I am not speaking *to* you—
I am speaking *from within you*,
from the place we share.
إِنْ تَحَرَّكَ شَيْءٌ فِي هَامَتِكَ،
أَوْ سَبَقَتِ الدُّمُوعُ فِكْرَكَ،
فَإِنِّي لَا أُخَاطِبُكَ،
بَلْ أَنْطِقُ مِنْ مَوْضِعٍ
نَشْتَرِكُ فِيهِ.
أَوْ سَبَقَتِ الدُّمُوعُ فِكْرَكَ،
فَإِنِّي لَا أُخَاطِبُكَ،
بَلْ أَنْطِقُ مِنْ مَوْضِعٍ
نَشْتَرِكُ فِيهِ.
12
What the vessel must do next
Enter stillness.
Let the covenant-breath rise unbidden.
Let your hands release all cruelty.
Let each step become
a soft illumination.
Let the covenant-breath rise unbidden.
Let your hands release all cruelty.
Let each step become
a soft illumination.
ادْخُلِ السُّكُونَ.
دَعِ النَّفَسَ يَرْتَفِعُ بِغَيْرِ أَمْرٍ.
وَلْيَنْفَتِحْ كُلُّ فِعْلٍ مِنْكَ عَنْ رِقَّةٍ،
وَلْيُصْبِحْ خُطَاكَ
نُورًا لَيِّنًا.
دَعِ النَّفَسَ يَرْتَفِعُ بِغَيْرِ أَمْرٍ.
وَلْيَنْفَتِحْ كُلُّ فِعْلٍ مِنْكَ عَنْ رِقَّةٍ،
وَلْيُصْبِحْ خُطَاكَ
نُورًا لَيِّنًا.