Tahdheeb’l-Insaan

The Training of Humanity

muhammad23Realize, that the nobility of humanity over the remainder of animals (sharf’l-insaan `ala saa’iri ‘l-hayawaan) is their propensity for direct experiential knowledge of Allah (isti`idaadihi li ma`rifatillahi) and obedience to Him (taa`atihi). This direct experiential knowledge does not occur except in the heart.

The reason for this is that the heart is innately knowledgeable of Allah (al-`aalim billahi), in close proximity to Him (al-mutaqaarib ila Allahi), and spiritually unveiled to that which is with Allah (al-mukaashif bimaa `inda Allahi), especially when it is free of other than Allah. While on the other hand, the heart becomes veiled from Allah when it is completely submerged in other than Allah.

The bodily limbs (al-jawaarih) act as the subjects (atba`un) of the heart, its servants (khidam), and tools (allaat). When the heart is obedient to Allah, then this obedience spreads to the bodily limbs and illuminates them in the form of various forms of worship. However, when the heart is disobedient, then this disobedience extends itself to all the bodily members and leaves its traces in the form of corruption.

The heart is the ruler and the body (al-badan) is its kingdom. In this kingdom, the bodily limbs are like the kingdom’s manufacturers (sinaa`) and civil servants (`umaal). The intellect (al-`aql) acts as the heart’s secretary of state (wazeer), while the passions are like the malevolent slaves (`abd suu) that reluctantly gather provisions for the kingdom. The innate anger (al-ghaddab) is like the chief of police (sahib ‘s-shurta), while Shaytaan is the avowed enemy of the kingdom.

The debased customs of the evil slaves are instinctively in constant struggle against the secretary of the state while they are innately in conformity to the whims of the enemy. The avowed enemy of the kingdom (shaytaan) has as his sole objective to dispose of the king (qalb) and destroy his kingdom.

Thus, when the secretary of the state (wazeer) assist the ruler against the evil slaves (hawaa) and when the chief of police (ghadab) is placed under the authority of the secretary of state, then and only then will the evil slaves be subjugated and the kingdom will be protected from the plots of its enemies.

Thus, the affairs of the state will be rectified and coordinated, otherwise the ruler, his civil servants, and helpers will revert to functioning for the enemy, by assisting the slaves. In this manner the kingdom is destroyed. So understand.

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2 thoughts on “Tahdheeb’l-Insaan

  1. The correct transliteration of the text is Tahdheeb al-Insaan Min Khisaal as-Shaytaan (the Training of Humanity Against the Traits of Satan). I completed the English translation some time ago, but have never gotten around to posting it here. In sha Allah it will be up soon. In the mean time, you can download the pdf of the Arabic and English version here:
    https://www.academia.edu/13875425/Tahdheeb_l-Insaan_min_Khisaal_s-Shaytaan_by_Abdullahi_ibn_Fuduye_-_arabic_and_english

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