Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty-Six: Knowing Will
Will among the Folk is a burning anguish found by the aspirant upon this Path, coming between him and his former state that veiled him from his aim:
A burning anguish within the heart
is the affair’s beginning, if they knew.
Its possessor therefore longs
for Him to whom the servants are blind.
When He appears to his beholder,
stupefaction and deafness overtake him.
You see him always, forever,
swept away by fire’s flame.
Every thing is beautiful to him,
and thus they all have judged.
(Leaving Will and Its Attachment to the Nonexistent)
For Abu Yazid al-Bistami, will is leaving will. Thus his saying, “I will that I not will.” He willed to erase will from his self, uttering this while will subsisted within him. He then completed it: “For I am the object of will, and You are the one who wills,” addressing the Real.
He knew will pertains to nonexistence, and the object of will must be nonexistent, without existence. He saw the possible being as nonexistence, even when described by existence. Hence he said, “I am the object of will,” meaning I am the nonexistent, “and You are the one who wills,” for one who wills must exist.
As for will
