Ibn Arabi (Fusus): II §12

Todo profeta  , sem exceção, desde Adão   até o último, colhe portanto [suas luzes] no tabernáculo do Selo dos profetas; se a argila deste último foi formada segundo àquela dos outros, ele não estará nela menos presente   por sua realidade espiritual, em conformidade com a palavra [de Maomé  ]: "Eu fui profeta quando Adão ainda estava entre a água e a argila". Qualquer outro profeta só se tornou tal quando foi desperto   para sua função. Da mesma maneira, o Selo dos santos era santo, "quando Adão ainda estava entre a água e argila", enquanto que os outros santos só se tornaram santos depois de terem realizado as condições da santidade  , que são a assimilação   das Qualidades divinas   decorrentes do aspecto de Deus   que se exprime por Seus Nomes, o Santo, o Louvado [al-wali  , al-hamid, este último designando o protótipo das qualidades positivas do criado]. O Selo dos enviados se associa portanto, com relação a sua santidade, ao Selo dos santos, da mesma maneira que os outros enviados e profetas se associam à ele. Pois ele é ele mesmo simultaneamente o santo (al-wali), o enviado (ar-rasul) e o profeta (an-nabi). Quanto ao Selo dos santos, ele é o santo, o herdeiro (al-warith) que busca na origem, aquele que contempla todos os níveis...

Tout prophète, sans exception, depuis Adam jusqu’au dernier, puise donc [ses lumières] dans le tabernacle du Sceau des prophètes ; si l’argile de ce dernier n’a été formée qu’après celle des autres, il n’en était pas moins présent par sa réalité spirituelle, conformément à la parole [de Muhammed] : « J’étais prophète alors qu’Adam était encore entre l’eau   et l’argile. » Tout autre prophète ne devint tel que lorsqu’il fut éveillé à sa fonction. De même, le Sceau des saints était saint, « alors qu’Adam était encore entre l’eau et l’argile », tandis que les autres saints ne devinrent saints qu’après avoir réalisé les conditions de la sainteté, qui sont l’assimilation des Qualités divines découlant de l’aspect de Dieu qui s’exprime par Ses Noms le Saint, le Loué [al-walî, al-hamld, ce dernier désignant le prototype des qualités positives du créé]. Le Sceau des envoyés se rattache donc, sous le rapport de sa sainteté, au Sceau des saints, de la même manière dont les [53] autres envoyés et prophètes se rattachent à lui. Car il est lui-même simultanément le saint (al-walî), l’envoyé (ar-rasûl) et le prophète (an-nabî). Quant au Sceau des saints, il est le saint, l’héritier (al-wârith) qui puise dans l’origine, celui qui contemple tous les rangs...

Every prophet, from Adam until the last of the prophets, derives what he has from the Seal of Prophets, even though he comes last in his temporal, physical manifestation, for in his [essential] reality he has always existed. The Prophet said, “I was a prophet when Adam was between the water and the clay,”18 while other prophets became such only when they were sent forth [on their missions]. In the same way the Seal of Saints was a saint “when Adam was between the water and the clay,” while other saints became saints only when they had acquired all the necessary divine qualities, since God has called Himself the Friend [al-Walî] the Praised One.19

The Seal of Apostles, as being also a saint, has the same relationship to the Seal of Saints as the other prophets and apostles have to him, for he is saint, apostle, and prophet.

As for the Seal of Saints, he is the Saint, the Heir, the one whose [knowledge] derives from the Source, the one who beholds all levels [of Being]. This sainthood is among the excellencies of the Seal of Apostles, Muhammad, first of the Community [of apostles] and Lord of Men as being he who opened the gate to intercession. This latter is a state peculiar to him and not common [to all apostles]. It is in this state that he precedes even the Divine Names, since the Merciful does not intercede with the Avenger, in the case of those sorely tried, until intercession has been made [to It]. It is in the matter of intercession that Muhammad has attained to preeminence. Whoever comprehends the levels and stations will not find it difficult to understand this.

All the Prophets, from Adam to the last of the Prophets, take their light from the niche of the Seal of the Prophets, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Even though the existence of his clay was deferred, the last Prophet was nevertheless present in his reality, according to his statement, “I was a Prophet when Adam was between water and clay.” Every other Prophet only became a Prophet by being described by divine qualities inasmuch as Allah is described as the Praiseworthy Wali.

The Seal of the Messengers, in respect to his wilaya, is connected to the Seal of the Awliya’ in the same way in which Prophets and Messengers are connected to it. He is a wali, Messenger, and Prophet. The Seal of the Awliya’ is a wali and the heir who takes directly from the source, contemplating the ranks. He is the most beautiful of the beauties of the Seal of the Messengers, Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the overseer of the community, and the master of the sons of Adam by reason of opening the door   of intercession. He specified a particular state which is not universal  . In this special state, he has precedence over the Divine Names. So the All-Merciful only mediates with the Avenger for the people of affliction through the intercession of the mediators. Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, obtained mastery in this special station. Whoever understands the ranks and the stations does not find this discourse difficult.