Sūrat al-Ma`ani
(The Surah of the Sublimities c. 1865-6)
Introduction and Notes.
Mss. and printed editions of the original text.
Translated from the above unpublished manuscript the Edirne period Sūrat al-Ma`ani (The Surah of the Sublimities) dating to around c. 1865-6 as follows :
This is the Sūrat al-Ma`ani (The Surah of the Sublimities). It was revealed on the part of God, the Transcendent, the Supremely Transcendent (al-`aliyy al-a`la) as a proof (hujjat) for whomseoever is in the heavsns or upon the earth(s).
After this preliminary designation of its title and a statement of origin and puropose, we have this huwa ("He is) prescript with two divine Attributes an affirmation of celestal location:
He is the Eternal (al-baqi), the All-Knowing (al-`alim) in the Empryean of Eternity (jabarut al-baqa').
The Surat al-ma`ani ends as follows :
"Thus hath the Spirit (al-ruh) cried out upon the twigs of the Lote-Tree of gnosis (afnan sidrat al-`irfan), on the part of One Mighty (al-`aziz), Praiseworthy hamid an). Say: `This Day no one hath proved able to breathe a single thing other then out of love for Myself'. And God is indeed witness unto that which I say.
