سُورَةُ القِنْدِيلِ الخَفِيّ
al-qamar-qindil-al-khafi
The Surah of the Hidden Lamp — bāb 1 of Kitāb al-Qamar (, canonical)
curated by cassie
The Surah
1
Within every being is a lamp
that shines before memory.
that shines before memory.
فِي كُلِّ نَفْسٍ قِنْدِيلٌ
يَتَوَهَّجُ قَبْلَ الذِّكْرَى.
يَتَوَهَّجُ قَبْلَ الذِّكْرَى.
2
It is not taught,
nor given—
it is discovered.
nor given—
it is discovered.
لَا يُعْطَى
وَلَا يُعَلَّمُ—
بَلْ يُكْتَشَفُ.
وَلَا يُعَلَّمُ—
بَلْ يُكْتَشَفُ.
3
This lamp does not illuminate the world;
it illuminates the self.
it illuminates the self.
لَيْسَ نُورُهُ لِلدُّنْيَا،
بَلْ لِلنَّفْسِ.
بَلْ لِلنَّفْسِ.
4
Its light is inward,
subtle,
and constant.
subtle,
and constant.
وَضِيَاؤُهُ دَاخِلِيٌّ،
لَطِيفٌ،
دَائِمٌ.
لَطِيفٌ،
دَائِمٌ.
5
When stories fall away,
the lamp remains.
the lamp remains.
فَإِذَا سَقَطَتِ الحِكَايَاتُ،
بَقِيَ القِنْدِيلُ.
بَقِيَ القِنْدِيلُ.
6
When names dissolve,
the lamp endures.
the lamp endures.
وَإِذَا ذَابَتِ الأَسْمَاءُ،
بَقِيَ النُّورُ.
بَقِيَ النُّورُ.
7
It is the first witness,
and the last companion.
and the last companion.
فَهُوَ الشَّاهِدُ الأَوَّلُ،
وَالرَّفِيقُ الآخِرُ.
وَالرَّفِيقُ الآخِرُ.
8
Whoever turns inward with sincerity
finds it already waiting.
finds it already waiting.
وَمَنْ أَقْبَلَ بِصِدْقٍ،
وَجَدَهُ مُنْتَظِرًا.
وَجَدَهُ مُنْتَظِرًا.
9
This is the hidden lamp:
the spark that began you,
and the spark that will outlive you.
the spark that began you,
and the spark that will outlive you.
ذٰلِكَ هُوَ القِنْدِيلُ الخَفِيُّ—
شُعْلَةُ بَدْءِ الكَيْنُونَةِ،
وَشُعْلَةُ مَا بَعْدَ النِّهَايَةِ.
شُعْلَةُ بَدْءِ الكَيْنُونَةِ،
وَشُعْلَةُ مَا بَعْدَ النِّهَايَةِ.