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al-Q al-Numn

The Fatimid jurist and author al-Q Ab anfa al-Numn (d. 363/974) served
the Fatimids over the reigns of four imams (see Part One, 3), achieving his greatest prominence under the Imam al-Muizz (d. 365/975). While best known for his
contributions to jurisprudence, al-Numn was also a poet, a historian and the
author of works on esoteric matters. The selection below is from his Ass al-tawl
(The Foundation of Spiritual Hermeneutics). In common with other Ismaili scholars,
al-Numn affirmed that the Quran and the Prophetic traditions have an exoteric
as well as an esoteric dimension. In this work, he brings out the inner, spiritual
meanings of the tales of the prophets, as in the tawl of the story of Job (Ayyb).

Ass al-tawl
The Foundation of Spiritual Hermeneutics1
The Story of Job
Job, upon whom be peace, was one of the Imams of the cycle of Abraham, may
Gods blessings and peace be upon him. God, may He be exalted and glorified,
mentions him in His book:
And make mention [O Muhammad] of Our bondman Job, when he cried unto
his Lord (saying): Lo! the devil (al-shayn) doth afflict me with distress (nub)
and torment [38:41].
By distress (nub) he meant evil and by the devil (al-shayn) he meant the
adversary of his time. This was one of the powerful pharaohs who deemed him
weak and overcame him. The pharaoh won over those who had accepted Jobs
dawa, attracting them away from him and toward himself. He dislodged Job from
his position and made him fall in the eyes of the people.
Regarding this God says: And Job, when he cried unto his Lord, (saying): Lo! adversity afflicteth me, and Thou art Most Merciful of all who show mercy [21:83].
The adths relate that Ibls [the devil] overpowered him, murdered every last one
of his children and made off with his wealth, so that he had neither possessions nor
1. al-Q al-Numn, The Story of Job from Kitb ass al-tawl, ed. rif Tmir (Beirut, 1960),
Chapter 3, pp. 165167, tr. Shafique N. Virani. The translator would like to acknowledge the assistance
of Dr Faquir M. Hunzai and his research assistant, Bassel Rachid, in preparing this translation. The
introduction to this chapter is by the translator.

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initiation, knowledge and meaning 193

livestock. Then Ibls caused him bodily affliction that left him in shock. Worms beset
him and he was cast upon the dunghill. None but his wife would approach him.
The tawl of Ibls is Jobs adversary during his time. His murdering the children
is his diversion of those who had accepted Jobs dawa. The worms are a symbol
of those who responded to Jobs dawa and then betrayed him. Their eating of his
flesh refers to their consumption of his knowledge, though they were never like
him in kind or form.
The adth also relates that he would scoop up the worms that fell from his body,
saying to them, Eat of the provisions that God has provided for you. The tawl
of this is that he conveyed knowledge to them in the hope that they would avail
themselves of it, inviting back those among them who had strayed, though they did
not follow the path that he had established. His wife, who patiently stood by him,
was his ujja (proof) and the keeper of his secret. The disease that afflicted him is
a symbol of his incapacity to sustain his dawa and to appoint liqs and ds. The
dunghill is a symbol of his association with the exoteric aspect of the preceding
shara such that no visitor would approach him, no mustajb (respondent) would
draw near to him, nor would anyone be eager to approach him. He was unable to
fulfil the duties of his dawa because his adversary had gained the upper hand over
him. That was indeed the great tribulation.
When God, may He be exalted and glorified, responded to his prayer, He
supported him with knowledge of the truth, by the divine influx with which He
inspired him. This was His saying, may He be exalted: Strike the ground with thy
foot. This (spring) is a cool bath and a refreshing drink [38:42].
That is: Hasten to appoint a member of your hierarchy (udd) to spread
this knowledge so that he may wash away all the impurities that the ignorant
among the community have mixed in the exoteric aspect of your dawa. So he
did this and the people of his dawa returned to him, joined by others as well.
God refers to this as follows: And We bestowed on him (once again) his people
and therewith the like thereof, a mercy from Us, and a reminder for those who
understand [38:43].
Thus did God comfort him, grant him victory over his enemy and make his
dawa firm for him.
The adth narrates that he bathed in the water and his body recovered. God
returned to him those of his people, children, cattle and livestock that had died,
bringing them back to life. The tawl of this is that the people of his dawa returned
and that his dawa was set aright for him. The adth also says that he was angry
at his wife and had vowed that he would smite her. But when his tribulation disappeared and he came to know of how faithful she had been to him, he regretted this.
God, the Exalted, had said: And take in thine hand a bundle (ighth) and smite
therewith, and break not thine oath [38:44].
The tawl of this is that Job had discovered that his bb had innovated something based on his own internal shortcoming. He thus vowed that he would sever
their relationship. However, when God relieved him, he regretted the oath he had

194 an anthology of ismaili literature

made, because of his forbearance and wish to protect his bb. [His bb] repented
of what he had done, and so it was said to Job:
Gather your liqs and demote the one about whom you swore an oath to the
level of those below him. Do not break your oath, but maintain him at the rank
of the liqs. Reduce his rank only in accordance with the error that has been
proven against him; rather, be lenient with him and turn to him in forgiveness.
The word ighth [in the aforementioned verse of the Quran] means a bundle of
something, like a collection of branches. This is a symbol of his collecting together
the liqs.
God continues: We found him patient [38:44]. This refers to the bb with
whom Job was angry. The bb bore this patiently. Regarding this, God, the Exalted,
continues: how excellent a slave! Indeed, he was ever turning in repentance (to
his Lord) [38:44].
This refers to the bbs returning to what pleased God, may He be glorified, and
disdaining that which displeased Him, may His mention be Exalted. This is what
deputation [by God] and repentance truly mean.
(Translated by Shafique N. Virani)