498 Notice of the Tenets, Sfc. [Nov. 



Mohammed Ismael, himself was. When the assembly had broken up, 

 he told the writer what had occurred in the course of it, viz. that God 

 had himself vouchsafed directly to complete what had remained im- 

 perfect in his knowledge in the Chishtia school. From that time he 

 began giving instructions in that school also, and introduced of himself 

 the new and more expeditious method of performing its exercises, which 

 has been described in this treatise." 



The above is a sufficient specimen of the extravagances of enthusiasm 

 or imposture which pervade the book. What is claimed as the peculiari- 

 ty of the system which it explains, consisting of the distinction drawn be- 

 tween the two kinds of love towards the Deity, by which a devotee may 

 be actuated, and of the grades of spiritual distinction to which they 

 severally lead, much of it is occupied by expositions and illustrations 

 of the grounds on which that distinction rests. These form the sub- 

 ject of the first chapter. The second chapter treats of the religious 

 and moral duties and observances, the exercise of which prepares the 

 devotee for spiritual contemplation. The third relates to the modes of 

 contemplation prescribed by Syed Ahmed, for attaining to the per- 

 fections of the Tariq i wilayat, with reference to the peculiarities of 

 each of the several prevalent schools, and contains much which might 

 be thought curious, could its technical details be brought within any 

 short compass. The fourth describes the process of acquiring the ex- 

 cellencies of the Tariq i nabuwat, and a Khatim or conclusion sets 

 forth the wonders experienced by Syed Ahmed himself, in the pas- 

 sage which has just been translated. 



It has only to be added, that the treatise professes to have been 

 written throughout, though not under the dictation, yet under the im- 

 mediate eye and revision of Syed Ahmed. He, it is stated, having 

 been endowed with a nature resembling in all respects that of the Pro- 

 phet himself, was unacquainted with the forms and technicalities of 

 worldly science. So that, to render the subject intelligible to general 

 readers, his sayings and lessons have not been given exactly as he ut- 

 tered them, but have been explained and arranged by the author ac- 

 cording to the ordinarily understood rules of composition. The whole 

 however was carefully read over to, and corrected by, him before being 

 given to the world. 



J. R. C. 



