Seâdet-i Ebediyye Endless Bliss Second Fascicle

they acquired through kashf; in other words, those subtle pieces of
spiritual information, (called ‘ma’rifats’,) flowed into their blessed
hearts, into their pure souls. Most of the letters of Maktûbât explain
these facts very well and clearly.
Ancient Greek Philosophers were people who attempted to
understand everything mentally, to adapt everything to mind, and
who believed only what mind approved of. They could find out
what was right in matters which mind could comprehend; but they
went wrong in many matters beyond mind’s reach. As a matter of
fact, they reproved one another, earlier ones being censured by
their successors.
As for Islamic savants; after studying contemporary scientific
knowledge and learning the eight branches of knowledge well,
they opened their hearts and purged their nafses in the manner
taught by Islam, thus finding out what was right and attaining
haqîqat. To call Islamic savants philosophers would mean to
downgrade them. Philosophers are people who are slaves,
prisoners of mind, which is ever susceptible to erring. When they
express their opinions without experimenting, and when they
follow their illusions in explaining the experiments, they are wrong
and harmful. For this reason, and because they cannot transcend
mind, they cannot become exalted like Islamic savants.
He who is without mind is insane. He who does not use his mind
is dissolute. It is wretchedness not to act compatibly with mind. He
who has little mind is an idiot. And a person who follows and trusts
mind only, and who errs in matters that mind cannot grasp, is a
philosopher. And those exalted people who trust mind in matters
that it can grasp, and who guide mind to what is right under the
light of the Qur’ân al-kerîm in those matters that mind would fall
short of comprehending and thus would go wrong, are Islamic
savants. Then, there is no philosophy in Islam; there is no such
thing as Islamic philosophy or an Islamic philosopher. There is
Islamic knowledge, which is above philosophy, and there are
Islamic savants, who are above philosophers.]
Also, Muhyiddîn-i ’Arabî’s ‘quddisa sirruh’ books bear the
impression that Allâhu ta’âlâ, like natural forces, does everything
without a will. It is seen that in explaining the power of Allâhu
ta’âlâ he agrees with philosophers. He does not say, “He does not
do if He does not will to do,” but he says, “He has to do.” How
disappointing it is that Muhyiddîn-i ’Arabî, whom our superiors
love and deem as great, has uttered such incorrect words
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