A Hidden Treasure

Hidden Treasure (Arabic: کنزاً مخفیاً‎) is a Hadith Qudsi that has a very prominent role in Islamic mysticism and Islamic philosophy.

Different translations

The most cited version of this Hadith in Arabic is: کنت کنزاً مخفیاً فأحببت أن أعرف فخلقت الخلق لکی أعرف

It has different translations in English:

I was a hidden treasure; I loved to be known. Hence I created the world so that I would be known
I was a hidden treasure, and I wished to be known, so I created a creation (mankind), then made Myself known to them, and they recognised Me
I was a Treasure unknown then I desired to be known so I created a creation to which I made Myself known; then they knew Me

Sufi Cosmology

According to Sufi cosmology, God's reason for the creation of this universe and mankind is the "manifestation" and "recognition" of Himself as it is stated in this Hadith.[1]

In the Bahá'í Faith

Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith, while in Baghdad, requested his son `Abdu'l-Bahá, who later became his successor, to write a commentary on the hadith of the Hidden Treasure for a Súfí leader named `Alí Shawkat Páshá.[2][3] In this commentary 'Abdu'l-Bahá discusses the themes "Hidden Treasure", "Love", "Creation", and "Knowledge".[4]

References

Koslowski, Peter (2001-11-30). The Concept of God, the Origin of the World, and the Image of the Human in .the World Religions. p. 99. ISBN 9781402000546.
Esslemont, J.E. (1980), Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era (5th ed.), Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, p. 52, ISBN 0-87743-160-4
"'Abdu'l-Baha's Commentary on The Islamic Tradition: "I Was a Hidden Treasure ..."". Translated by Momen, Moojan. Baha'i Studies Bulletin 3:4 (Dec. 1985), 4–35. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
Momen, Moojan (1988). Studies in the Bábí and Bahá’í Religions vol. 5, chapter: Relativism: A Basis For Bahá'í Metaphysics. Kalimat Press. pp. 185–217. ISBN 0-933770-72-3.

External links

Sufi cosmology and psychology

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[1] Koslowski, Peter (2001-11-30). The Concept of God, the Origin of the World, and the Image of the Human in .the World Religions. p. 99. ISBN 9781402000546.

[2] Esslemont, J.E. (1980), Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era (5th ed.), Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, p. 52, ISBN 0-87743-160-4

[3] "'Abdu'l-Baha's Commentary on The Islamic Tradition: "I Was a Hidden Treasure ..."". Translated by Momen, Moojan. Baha'i Studies Bulletin 3:4 (Dec. 1985), 4–35. Retrieved 20 December 2009.

[momen1988-4] Momen, Moojan (1988). Studies in the Bábí and Bahá’í Religions vol. 5, chapter: Relativism: A Basis For Bahá'í Metaphysics. Kalimat Press. pp. 185–217. ISBN 0-933770-72-3.