ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Short Treatise on The Divine Invitation Lexical Origins Dayf (lit. inclination) is an infinitive noun of the intransitive verbs dāfa , yadīfū (lit. he inclined, he is inclining)[^1]; and a guest is known as dayf because he inclines to the host as he alights to be his guest[^2]. The word dīyāfah likewise is an infinitive noun, and it signifies ‘the entertainment of a guest or guests’.

And the word ‘ al-idāfah ’ is conventionally employed in grammar when a noun is adjoined to another. Some authoritative lexicographers such as Jār Allāh al-Zamakhsharī say that ‘a guest is known to be dayf because he is adjoined to the family and fed with them’[^3]. Such linkage however is voluntary and attributive ( i’tibārī ) and not haqīqī (real).

In sharp contrast to this, the relation of a guest of Allāh is such that he not only is existentially linked to the Him but is ‘the link’ ( ‘ayn al-rabt ) itself. This is because he has no independent existence, or accurately speaking, no existence of his own. Whatever he is, together with his belongings, all exist and subsist by the volition of Allāh (SwT).

In his glosses over his philosophical poetry al-Manzūmah , Mullā Hādī Sabzawārī says: ...الا ترى أنّ كلّ وجود عين التعلق بالمبدء وليس إضافة مقولية، وللمبدء أضافة إشراقية على جميع ما سواه… “…Don’t you see that every entity is ‘sheer linkage to the Origin’ ( ‘ayn al-ta’alluq bi al-Mabda’ ) and not categorically linked, and everything other than the Origin is His emanational link….”[^5] In simpler terms, unlike the human beings, where the host, the guest, as well as the banquet served to the host are apparently[^6] independent, there is no ‘independent existence’ for other than Allāh (SwT).

Therefore, He is the Host of the guest, who is served hospitably with contingent existence and subsistence[^7]. The relation is rather subtler than that, for there can be no two independent existents ever conceived.