A Hidden Treasure


Hidden Treasure 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:
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.

In the Bahá'í Faith

, 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. In this commentary 'Abdu'l-Bahá discusses the themes "Hidden Treasure", "Love", "Creation", and "Knowledge".