Beware from the People of the Lower Opening and the Users of the Letters and the Names

From the letters of the Qutb, Sidi Mohammed ibn Ahmed Akansus (d. 1294/1856), ma y Allah be pleased with him: He dispatched it to the Knower of Allah (Arif bi Al lah), the possessor of serious states (ahwal al-khatira) the Great Muqaddam, our Master al-Hajj Sa'id al-Darariki al-Miskini al-Susi, may Allah be well pleased with him (one of the descendants of Sayyidina al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, ma y Allah be pleased with him): "If it were necessary to dispose of affairs (al-Tasarruf) by use of the Name s and supplications, then the nearest and most effective means is the disposal al -Mukhammas al-Khali al-Wasat ("Mukhammas al-Ghazali"). Whoever has obtained its s ecret, then none of the creatures can oppose him. And it is a great door of Sain thood (al-Wilayah). And in it is the external opening (al-Fath al-Dhahir). Howev er, the successful Knower (Arif) is not satisfied, in his determination (himma), remaining in that place; and that that should be his share in the Presence of A llah, the Exalted. And the Complete One (al-Kamil) does not worship Allah for any motive, excep t one or, if necessary two. The first is that one worships Allah, the Exalted so that Allah, the Exalted will love him for his following his commands and adheri ng to what he was created for. For, if Allah, the Exalted, loves him, He will su bject all of the universe to him and everything will obey him. If he says to it, Be, then it is; by the indication of His saying, [When I love him, I am his heari ng by which he hears] (hadith Qudsi). However, he does not say to anything, Be, ou t of courtesy with his Lord, and in light of the station of slavehood (al-Ubudiy ya). Because, verily, the slave does not exceed his degree by giving orders. And his station is only to receive orders; unless his Lord gives him permission; so that he speaks with the tongue of his Lord, not with the tongue of his self (na fsihi). And the second purpose is that one worships Allah, the Exalted, for the sake of (seeing) His Honored Face in the place of eternal bliss (Dar al-na'im al -muqim). And whoever does any deed for other than these two reasons, it is returned t o him without any benefit from him; except what arrives by the particularity of the remembrance (khasiyyat al-Dhikr); since for every Name there is a particular ity, just like for every plant is likewise a particularity; such as this one bei ng cold, and this one moist, and this one hot, and this one dry. And this partic ularity arrives to everyone whoever does it; to any pious (baarr) or corrupt (Fa jir) person. So, let the believer not be deceived when he sees the reflection of disposal (al-tasarruf) [e.g. fame, wealth, miracles, numbers of students, autho rity, power] by means of the letters (al-Huruf) or the Names (al-Asma') on the h ands of anyone. For that does not prove any position with Allah, the Exalted. This is the well-established tradition between the one who disposes by means of the letters and- other forms- and the one who disposes by means of spiritual states (al-Hal). For, the former may be far away from Allah, the Exalted, and f rom His Holy Presence- by (the distance of) many journeys (marahil). And the lat ter is from the people of the Presence (al-Hadrah), since he does not dispose by himself, as we had mentioned, and Allah is the one who enables (al-Muwaffiq). And this can be explained more simply than this. However, the intent is to w arn from this slippery slope, which most of the people that use it are from the ["Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that the y were acquiring good by their works" (Qur'an, 18:104)]. May Allah protect us an d you all and make us his slaves in all states. Ameen."