Divine signs

The connection of Abu Hayyan Al-Tawhidi (414) with Sufism is determined on two levels: (1) the practical level, and in his books there are many reports about his relationships with Sufis, his companionship with them, and his adopting their attire, as well as his opinions on their sincerity in turning away from the world and its temptations. (2) the theoretical level, which is connected to what can be called "the science of Sufism" in a figurative sense, and on this level, Abu Hayyan’s understanding of the meaning of Sufism is that it is "a name that encompasses types of references, and kinds of expressions," and that "it is a science that revolves between divine signals and imaginary phrases..." In this, he is consistent with the general concept of Sufism even in his era. It is narrated from Abu Ali Al-Rozbari (322) that he said: "Our science is a signal, so when it becomes a phrase, it is hidden." In this context, we find that Abu Hayyan dedicated a distinguished intellectual effort to Sufism, as he wrote several books, some of which Yaqut listed with titles, including "The Book of Divine Signals," whose pages we turn through. According to Yaqut, it consists of two parts, only the first has been reached, and the second part, which includes 54 messages and summaries of ten others. The messages are based on a similar structural size, built on two main pillars: supplication (or prayer) and addressing a certain person. The message often begins with prayer and ends with prayer, with the content between ranging between speech, supplication, and other purposes, most notably complaints about the state and time. About two-thirds of the messages end with the phrase "O Possessor of Glory and Honor." The vast majority of the messages are addressed to a disciple who has not yet deeply engaged in the Sufi path, or to a man who is meant to find a way to guidance and salvation through Sufism. Therefore, the messages are filled with advice to that addressee to abandon the world and its superficialities, and to turn away from its desires and passions, and to adopt virtues encouraged by religion and demanded by noble character. Abu Hayyan bases his address to this addressee on scattered paragraphs without a specific system within a single message, most of which begin with the phrase "O this," and in few cases, he addresses him as "O human" or with the phrase "O my brother." He once addressed him with the phrase "O my master," and the forms of addressing vary according to the psychological situation, between softness and severity. In this, it can be said that one can infer in the Book of Signals information related to Abu Hayyan himself, as this book complements understanding the social and psychological conditions he lived through, and is not merely a reflection of his remarkable Sufi style.