Epistles of Wisdom

Epistles of Wisdom
رَسَائِل ٱلْحِكْمَة
Rasāʾil al-Ḥikma
Information
ReligionDruze
AuthorHamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad
Isma'il ibn Muhammad al-Tamimi
Baha al-Din al-Muqtana
LanguageArabic
Periodc. 1017 – c. 1043
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The Epistles of Wisdom (Arabic: رَسَائِل ٱلْحِكْمَة, romanized: Rasāʾil al-Ḥikma) is a corpus of sacred texts and pastoral letters by teachers of the Druze faith native to the Levant, which has currently close to a million practitioners.[1] The text revolves around the acknowledgement and worship of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah as the last and definite incarnation of the One God, a belief which Druze define as 'Monotheism' (Arabic: Tawhid).[2][3][4][5]

The Druze canon

The full Druze canon or Druze scripture includes the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), the New Testament, the Quran and philosophical works by Plato and those influenced by Socrates among works from other religions and philosophers.[6] The Druze claim that an understanding of these is necessary, but that their al-ʻUqqāl (عقال), "the Knowledgeable Initiates", have access to writings of their own that supersede these.[7][8]

The Epistles of Wisdom are also referred to as the Kitab al-Hikma (Book of Wisdom) and al-Hikma al-Sharifa. Other ancient Druze writings include the Rasa'il al-Hind (Epistles of India) and the previously lost (or hidden) manuscripts such as al-Munfarid bi-Dhatihi and al-Sharia al-Ruhaniyya as well as others including didactic and polemic treatises.[9]

Druze manuscripts are generally written in a language, grammar, and diction that to the uninitiated is hard to understand and includes ambiguous words and highly obscure and cryptic phrases, in addition to the extensive usage of symbology and numerology in much of the writings.

The Druze religious establishment's interpretation of taqiyya (تقیة) and the esoteric nature of the faith led to the restriction of access, inquiry and investigation from even their own uninitiated Druze known as al-Juhhāl (جهال) ("the Ignorant") or jismaniyeen ("the Material Ones"). Such restrictions aimed to prevent possible damage to the individual and community if the writings were interpreted incorrectly, since the study of the Epistles of Wisdom is better accompanied by commentary texts and guidance from the higher ranking Druze Uqqal ("Knowledgeable Ones").

Description

The Epistles of Wisdom were written in the Arabic language and contain 111 epistles in total. They are organised into 6 books first compiled by one of the greatest Druze sages, Abd Allah al-Tanukhi, in 1479 AD.[1] According to oral traditions, there were originally 24 books. 18 of them are reasonably assumed to have been lost, hidden or destroyed. Epistle 6 is dated earliest and was written in July 1017 AD by Hamza ibn-'Ali ibn-Ahmad. He is specifically mentioned as the author of 30 more epistles in the first 2 books, namely epistles 5–35.[2] Epistles 109 and 110 are dated latest, written by al-Muqtana Baha'uddin in 1042 AD. Epistles 36 to 40 are attributed to Isma'il al-Tamimi ibn Muhammad. The first epistle opens with a goodbye message from al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the embodied deity in the Druze faith. He details his efforts to assist his people's welfare and peace and urges them to remain upright.[10] It is believed by the Druze from interpretation of the epistles that al-Hakim did not die, but merely withdrew into occultation; he will return one day and reveal the Druze wisdom to the world in order to inaugurate a golden age.[11]

Contents

The epistles contain philosophical discourses about Neoplatonic and Gnostic subjects, Ptolemaic cosmology, Arabic paraphrases of the philosophies of Farabi, Plotinus and Proclus, and writings on the Universal Soul. There are also several polemic epistles concerning other faiths and philosophies that were present during that time, and towards individuals who were considered renegades or those who tried to distort and tarnish the reputation of the faith and its teachings, such as the "Answering the Nusayri" epistle and the fifth volume of the Epistles. Most of the Epistles are written in a post-classical language, often showing similarities to Arab Christian authors.[12][13]

The texts provide insight into Druze beliefs about the incorporation of the Universal Intellect and the soul of the world in 11th century Egypt, when the deity showed itself to men through Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim and his doctrines. These display a notable form of Arabic Neoplatonism blended with Ismailism and adopted Christian elements of great interest for the philosophy and history of religions.[2]

List of epistles

The first 40 epistles, from Volumes 1 and 2, are listed below. Epistles 1–14 make up Volume 1, while epistles 15–40 make up Volume 2. The English titles (translated from the French titles in De Smet's 2007 French translation) and Arabic transliterations are provided for each of the epistles.[2]

No. English Arabic
1 Copy of the edict posted in mosques regarding the occultation of Our Lord, Imam al-Hakim Nusḫat as-siǧill allaḏī wuǧida muʿallaqan ʿala l-masāhid fī ġaybat Mawlānā al-Imām al-Ḥākim
2 Edict concerning the prohibition of wine As-Siǧill al-manhī fīhi ʿan al-ḫamr
3 Story about Jews and Christians Ḫabar al-Yahūd wa n-Naṣārā
4 Copy of the letter written by the Carmathian Nusḫa mā katabahu al-Qarmaṭī
5 Pact of allegiance to the Lord of this time Mīṯāq Walī az-Zamān
6 The hidden destruction An-naqḍ al-ḫafī
7 The beginning of the profession of Oneness through the preaching of the Truth Badw at-tawḥīd li-daʿwat al-ḥaqq
8 The pact of allegiance of women Mīṯāq an-nisā’
9 Initiation and the ultimate degree in the Unitarian doctrine Risālat al-balāġ wa n-nihāya fi t-tawḥīd
10 The supreme limit and good advice Al-Ġāya wa n-naṣīḥa
11 Writing exposing the true meaning of the banter that takes place before Our Lord Kitāb fīhi ḥaqā’iq mā yaẓhar quddāma Mawlānā ǧalla ḏikruhu min al-hazl
12 The Straight Path As-Sīra al-mustaqīma
13 The unveiling of Truths Kašf al-ḥaqā’iq
14 The Cause of causes, or the treasure of the believer who has answered the call Sabab al-asbāb wa l-kanz liman ayqana wa-staǧāba
15 The treaty that annihilates the impious Ar-Risāla ad-dāmiġa lil-fāsiq
16 Assent and submission Ar-riḍā wa t-taslīm
17 Epistle on transcendence, addressed to all Unitarians Risālat at-tanzīh ilā ǧamāʿat al-muwaḥḥidīn
18 The great epistle of women Risālat an-nisā’ al-kabīra
19 The morning of al-Kā’ina Aṣ-Ṣubḥa al-Kā’ina
20 Copy of the edict concerning the appointment of al-Muǧtabā (“the Chosen One”) Nusḫat siǧill al-Muǧtabā
21 The investiture of ar-Riḍā, the Representative of Power (safir al-qudra) Taqlīd ar-Riḍā safir al-qudra
22 Copy of the investiture of al-Muqtanā Nusḫat taqlīd al-Muqtanā
23 Letter to the inhabitants of al-Kudya al-Bayḍā’ Mukātaba ilā ahl al-Kudya al-Bayḍā
24 Letter from al-Anṣinā’ Risālat al-Anṣinā’
25 Disposition of the Imām, the Master of Unveiling Šart al-Imām ṣāḥib al-kašf
26 Letter sent to the heir to the throne Ar-Risāla allatī ursilat ilā walī al-ʿahd
27 Letter to Ḫumār b. Ǧayš as-Sulaymānī al-‘Akkāwī Risālat Ḫumār b. Ǧayš as-Sulaymānī al-ʿAkkāwī
28 Letter sent to the Judge Ar-Risāla al-munfaḏa ila l-qāḍī
29 The intimate conversation of the Friend of Truth Al-Munāǧā, munāǧāt walī al-ḥaqq
30 Answered prayer Ad-Duʿā’ al-mustaǧāb
31 Sanctification. Prayer of the Sincere Believers At-Taqdīs duʿā’ as-sādiqīn
32 Remembering the Knowledge of the Imam Ḏikr maʿrifat al-lmām
33 Epistle of Warning and Exhortation Risālat at-taḥḏīr wa t-tanbīh
34 The Warning and the Admonition Al-Iʿḏār wa l-inḏār
35 The Letter of Occultation Risālat al-ġayba
36 The Division of Sciences Kitāb fīhi taqsīm al-ʿulūm
37 Treatise on Tinder Risālat az-zinād
38 The Epistle of the Candle Risālat aš-šamʿa
39 The Straight Path and the Right Direction Ar-Rušd wa l-hidāya
40 Poem of the Soul Šiʿr an-nafs

Translations

A Syrian physician gave one of the first Druze manuscripts to Louis XIV in 1700, which is now kept in the Bibliothèque Nationale. Various conflicts, such as the invasion of Ibrahim Pasha between 1831 and 1838, along with the 1860 Lebanon conflict, caused some of these texts to fall into the hands of academics. Other original manuscripts are held in the Robert Garrett collection at Princeton University.[14] The first French translation was published in 1838 by linguist and orientalist Antoine Isaac, Baron Silvestre de Sacy in Exposé de la religion des Druzes.[15][16]

In 1986, a transcription of all 111 epistles was published by Father Joseph Azzi in Lebanon. Together, they make up 5–6 volumes.[17] However, this edition of the Rasa'il al-hikma, which was published at the time by pseudonymous writers in Lebanon as part of the highly controversial "The Hard Truth" series. The series included several anti-Druze, anti-Alawite, and anti-Islamic books. It was banned by the authorities for containing misleading information and hate speech. Additionally, an unpublished dissertation by David Bryer was prepared for the first two volumes.[7]

In 2007, a French translation and critical examination of these first two volumes (epistles 1–40) from the Epistles of Wisdom was published by CNRS researcher Daniel De Smet. De Smet has provided a doctrinal introduction, notes, a description and inventory of the manuscripts, and studies of their contents and characteristics.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Torki (1995). Studia islamica. Maisonneuve & Larose. pp. 164–. ISBN 978-2-7068-1187-6. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e D. De Smet; Ismāʻīl at-Tamīmī; Ḥamzah ibn ʻAlī ibn Aḥmad (2007). Épîtres sacrées des Druzes ; Rasā’il al-Ḥikma : volumes 1 et 2 / Ḥamza b. ʿAlī et Ismāʿīl at-Tamīmī ; introduction, édition critique et traduction annotée par D. De Smet. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta. Vol. 168. Peeters. ISBN 978-90-429-1943-3.
  3. ^ Halim, Fachrizal (2022), "Ritual Practices among the ʿAlawis, the Druze, the Ahmadis, and Black Muslims", Routledge Handbook of Islamic Ritual and Practice, Routledge, doi:10.4324/9781003044659-14/ritual-practices-among-%CA%BFalawis-druze-ahmadis-black-muslims-fachrizal-halim, ISBN 978-1-003-04465-9, retrieved 2023-10-04
  4. ^ Dana, N. (2010). The'Banu Ma'ruf'of the Levant–Druze Identity and Religion.
  5. ^ Monaghan, Sean (2006-04-01). "The Druze in the Middle East". American Journal of Islam and Society. 23 (2): 121–123. doi:10.35632/ajis.v23i2.1633. ISSN 2690-3741.
  6. ^ Mordechai Nisan (2002). Minorities in the Middle East: a history of struggle and self-expression. McFarland. pp. 96–. ISBN 978-0-7864-1375-1. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  7. ^ a b Me'ir Mikha'el Bar-Asher; Gauke de Kootstra; Arieh Kofsky (2002). The Nuṣayr−i-ʻalaw−i Religion: An Enquiry Into Its Theology and Liturgy. BRILL. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-90-04-12552-0. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  8. ^ Mircea Eliade; Charles J. Adams (1987). The Encyclopedia of religion. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-02-909730-4. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  9. ^ Grolier Incorporated (1996). The Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Incorporated. ISBN 9780717201303. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  10. ^ Nejla M. Abu Izzeddin (1993). The Druzes: a new study of their history, faith, and society. BRILL. pp. 108–. ISBN 978-90-04-09705-6. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  11. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica (2003). The New Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. ISBN 978-0-85229-961-6. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  12. ^ Me'ir Mikha'el Bar-Asher; Gauke de Kootstra; Arieh Kofsky (2002). The Nuṣayr−i-ʻalaw−i Religion: An Enquiry Into Its Theology and Liturgy. BRILL. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-90-04-12552-0. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  13. ^ Conférences de M. Daniel De Smet., Université Catholique de Louvain, p.149, 2008.
  14. ^ Hitti, Philip K., Origins of the Druze People and Religion, Chapter V, Druze Theology and Its Sources, 1928.
  15. ^ Antoine Isaac, Baron Silvestre de Sacy, Exposé de la Religion des Druzes (Paris, 1838; republ. Amsterdam, 1964)
  16. ^ Traboulsi, Samer., Journal of the American Oriental Society, Article, Les Épîtres sacrées des Druzes: Rasā’il al- Ḥikma, volumes 1 et 2, July-Sept, 2009.
  17. ^ Walker, Paul E. "Épitres sacrées des Druzes (review)". Retrieved 2025-07-28.
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