The Mystical Principles Of Islamism; Or, A Lecture On The Derviches.

and rites , necessary to restrain it when weak , until it has acquired strength from habits of mental devotion , grounded on a perfect knowledge of its own dignity , and of the Divine nature of the Almighty , of which , his soul is an emanation . The third stage is that of Marifet , or " knowledge , "

ancl the disciple who arrives at it is deemed to have attained to a superhuman knowledge , or , in other words , to have become as one inspired ; ancl he is supposed , when he reaches it , to be on an equality with the angels in point of knowledge . The fourth and last stage or degree is called tho

Hakkikat , or that of "Divine truth , " at which the disciple is supposed to have arrived . Ee has now reached the goal of his utmost desires , and it implies his complete union with the Deity—the omniscient and omnipresent Almighty .

These , as already said , form the four columns of all the original Orders of Derviches , and the first and second stages have received various modern subdivisions , generally to suit man in his ordinary life , such as " Integrity , " " Virtue , " " Temperance , "'" Justice , " " Benevolence . " & -e .

In these stages , the disciple must be under tho direction of the Murchid , or head of the Tekkeh , who , on his part , must be of great piety and virtue , ancl "himself have reached them through the spiritual teachings of another Murchid . Eor this purpose , he attaches himself to a learned Sheik , and seeks

instruction from his wisdom , just as iu the times of the Greek philosophers the aspirer to knowledge sougltt the friendship of a particular Master , —or , like St . Paul at the feet of Gamaliel . Like the disciples of Christ , he must forsake the world , aud follow after his beloved masterThe Dervich novice must

-. , mys ticallj r , always bear his Murchid , or " spiritual teacher , " in mind , and become mentally absorbed in him , through a constant meditation aud contemplation of him . The teacher must be his shield anainst

all evil thoughts ; his spirit must follow him in all his efforts , and accompany him wherever he may be , quite as a guardian spirit . Eor this reason , the Dervich continually invokes the spirit of his Peer , or founder of his Order ; his Murchid , or teacher ; or of Atili , the nephew and son-in-law of the Prophet , who he

holds to be the great Peer of all the Orders . ' Tou will often see this usage iu private houses , as well as in the Tekkeh , where the name and title of the Murchid is written in golden characters , suspended on the wall , and richly framed . To such a degree is this princile carried outthat the discile sees his

p , p master in all men , and in all tilings , —just as a willing subject is held under the influence of the raagnetiser . His mind is completely absorbed in that of his teacher . This condition is called " self-annihilation into the

Sheik , ' or the losing of oneself in him . The Sheik finds in his own visionary dreams the degree at which the Murid has reached , and whether or not his soul or spirit has become bound to his own . During his noviciate he also has visions , ivhich he -hastens to convey to his Murchid for interpretation : and on this

depends , in a great measure , the length of his probationary state . At this condition of the disciple , the Sheik , by the power of his own spirit , passes him over to the spiritual influence of the Peer , or original founder of the Order , long since deceased , and he then sees the latter by the spiritual aid of the former ,

—which condition , when attained , is called " selfannihilation into the Peer . " He becomes , however , so much a part of the Peer as to possess all of his powers , and may perform even all his supernatural acts . The third stage also leads him , through the spiritual aid ofthe Sheik , up to the Prophet himself , whom he sees , likewise , in all things . This is called " selfannihilation into the Prophet . "

The fourth stage leads him even to God . He becomes a part of the Divinity , and sees Him in all things . Some , in this ecstatic state , have gone so far as to declare themselves to be the Deity , for which many have , in Persia particularly , lost their lives , — such as Mansoor and Nesseem , both celebrated

mystical Derviches . Junaydee of Bagdad , the Peer or founder of all the modern Aalyide Orders , believed himself to be iu this state , and allowed his disciples to cut at his body with a sword . It is related , and so believed by his followers to the present day , that they could not hurt him ; but , on the contrary ,

inflicted so many wounds on their own persons , —an evidence that though in spirit they were one , they had not attained to his degree of purity , and their bodies felt the effect of his superior influence . The Sheik , after this remarkable process of spiritual teachings , next brings the disciple back to his original

state , —like the physician , who , after reducing the patient by internal remedies , again restores him to health ; and he puts upon him the Tadje , or crown ( cap ) of his Order , or confers upon him the grade of Khalifeh , or , so to call it , of an " honorary master . " He now again performs all the rites of ordinary Islamism .

Intelligent Derviches , and among them there are many well read men , admit that this system of spiritual religion is liable to great abuse ; that many Sheiks pretend to a degree of spiritual education and knowledge which they do not possess , and make up in fanatic ignorance and chicanery for what they are

deficient in point of education . All , however , with , an appearance of sincerity which cannot be affected , fully believe in this system of spiritualism , and , * in proof of its truthfulness , mention occurrences which they say came under their personal observation , quite as worthy of credit as many of the miracles believed

by a part of the Christian world , or the " spiritual " exhibitions now so much in vogue in the civilised world , aud among men of : enlightened minds .

It is believed by the Derviches that only a few men ever reach the fourth degree , though many do the second . A Mussulman friend , fully believing in all of the preceding , has related to me the following , which I shall introduce as an example of this " spiritual power" over the willing subject . He stated , —

" When I was at Kerkut , in the province of Shehrazor , near to Mosul , I visited a Tekkeh of the Kaderee Order , for the purpose of seeing a Sheik of much repute and great spiritual power who presided over it . A large number of Muriels or disciples were present , all much under the influence of the spiritual

power or spells of the Sheik , —so much so as to' rise and dance before him , to sing , or cry out involuntarily . I sat down in an angle of the Tekkeh , and closed my eyes iu devout meditation , much affected by what I witnessed , and mentally prayed to the Sheik to send away all those present , so as to allow