of Nokounam , Session Fifteen Introduction, Section 15
The venerable Manzil al-Sirn, an immortal work by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, elaborated profoundly by Kaml al-Dn Abd al-Razzq Kshn, stands as one of the most distinguished treatises within Islamic mysticism, meticulously delineating the stages of the spiritual path through unparalleled precision and exalted language. The fifteenth lesson from its introduction elucidates the pivotal concepts of taluwwin, tamkn, and the ir al-mustaqm (Straight Path) within the framework of practical and theoretical mysticism. This lecture, focusing critically on prior interpretations, analysing Qurnic verses, and explicating the spiritual ranks of Gods saints, opens a gateway to monotheistic gnosis and the attainment of divine reality.
The preceding commentator, the mystic of Tlemcen, rendered the term as takwin, whereas Khwaja Abdullah Ansari employs taluwwin contraposed to tamkn. This divergence stems from differing ontological perspectives: mystical versus created reality. Taluwwin, signifying the manifestation of creation and the veiling of the Divine Reality, stands in opposition to tamkn, denoting the direct witnessing of the Divine devoid of created existence. The term takwin, literally "creation," lacks consonance with this mystical context, rendering taluwwin a more precise and congruent selection aligned with the structure of the text. This critique, akin to a luminous beacon along the path of explicating mystical terminology, underscores the imperative for rigorous textual exegesis.
In mystical parlance, tamkn signifies the exercise and establishment of witnessing the Divine Truth independent of the existence of creation. This station, like a lofty summit within the spiritual journey, guides the seeker towards the annihilation of multiplicity inherent in creation and the union with the Ultimate Unity. Conversely, taluwwin is the manifestation of creation in such a manner as to veil the vision of the Divine. It resembles an unstable wave upon the ocean of the path, perpetually oscillating the seeker between multiplicity and unity, whereas tamkn functions as a steadfast anchor, stabilising the seekers witnessing of the Divine. Tamkn acts as a polished mirror, reflecting solely the Light of the Divine without any shadow of creation. In contrast, taluwwin, like a dusty mirror, prioritises the created over the Divine, obstructing the reflection of truths light. This distinction, tantamount to a key for comprehending the stages of the mystical journey, summons the seeker to strive to transcend taluwwin and attain tamkn.
Some have accused the Tlemcen commentator of unreferenced borrowing from earlier texts; however, this charge is unfounded. He explicitly acknowledged the use of prior sources at the outset of his commentary, thereby upholding scholarly integrity. This defence, akin to a jewel in the crown of academic ethics, highlights the significance of fairness in the critique of mystical works. Nonetheless, his commentary, compared with those of Khwaja Abdullah Ansari and Kshn, remains more superficial and fragmentary, albeit containing occasionally more precise points than other expositions. Kshns commentary stands as a robust edifice with exact architecture, marked by comprehensiveness and profundity, while the Tlemcen exposition resembles an initial sketch with comparatively less richness. This comparison not only attests to the superiority of Kshns commentary but also emphasises Tlemcens sincerity. As a devoted mystic, he refrained from concealing his sources, setting a paradigm of transparency for researchers of mysticism.
This section expounded upon taluwwin and tamkn as two cardinal stages in the mystical path. Taluwwin, marked by the manifestation of creation and veiling of the Divine, renders the seeker unstable, whereas tamkn, by the witnessing of the Divine without creation, bestows stability. The critique of the Tlemcen reading and the defence of its academic probity underscore the necessity of precision and fairness in mystical textual composition. This segment, akin to an opening window onto the comprehension of spiritual stages, invites the seeker to pass from the instability of taluwwin to the stability of tamkn.
Some have asserted that the ir al-mustaqm (Straight Path) is arduous and burdensome; however, this claim is incongruous with Qurnic logic. If the Straight Path were heavy, the deviated path would be easy, contradicting the principle of Divine justice. As Imam Ali (peace be upon him) articulates in Nahj al-Balgha, justice is more encompassing than oppression, and the way of truth is intrinsically facile and flowing. The Straight Path, like a clear stream, guides the seeker towards truth, whereas the deviated path resembles a rugged, difficult terrain leading to error. This critique arises from a profound understanding of Divine justice, which posits the path of truth as easier than falsehood. The Straight Path, like a light that illumines darkness, is effortless and delightful for Gods saints, whereas the denizens of the world become ensnared in the ruggedness of falsehood.
The noble verse فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ occurs in two Qurnic chapters: Srah Hd, verse 112 (فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَنْ تَابَ مَعَكَ; : So remain steadfast as you have been commanded, and [also] those who have turned back with you) and Srah Shr, verse 15 (فَلِذَٰلِكَ فَادْعُ وَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ; Therefore, invoke [people] and remain steadfast as you have been commanded, and do not follow their desires, ). The difficulty attributed to this verse in Srah Hd pertains not to steadfastness upon the Straight Path itself, but to the phrase and those who have turned back with you. This imposes the onerous responsibility of guiding newly repentant individuals upon the Messenger (peace be upon him). In Srah Shr, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is granted greater autonomy, as if after the message is delivered, the audience is left to their own choice. Conversely, in Srah Hd, accompanying the newly repentant, who resemble unstable infants, burdens the Prophet with a heavy load. This responsibility, like bearing a precious trust on a difficult road, exerted great pressure on him, prompting the declaration: Srah Hd has turned my hair grey. This difficulty thus pertains not to the Straight Path itself, but rather to the guidance of others.
Truth is bitter for the people of falsehood and sweet for the people of truth; conversely, falsehood is bitter for the people of truth and sweet for the people of falsehood. This relativity stems from individual perceptions and proclivities. The people of truth, akin to those who have reached the pure spring of reality, find truth sweet, while those ensnared in falsehood perceive it as bitter. This principle resembles a prism that disperses the light of truth, revealing the influence of perception upon the experience of truth and falsehood. This distinction invites the seeker to reflect upon their inner inclinations. A heart connected to truth is like a flourishing garden, delighting in reality, whereas a heart trapped in falsehood is akin to a barren desert, turning away from it.
For Gods saints, the Straight Path is like a smooth road free of obstacles, while the denizens of the world are ensnared in the rocky terrain of falsehood. The saints, like stars in the sky of gnosis, proceed effortlessly upon the Straight Path through their connection with divine reality. This ease, like a gentle breeze guiding a boat to shore, results from divine nearness and inner purity. In contrast, the worldly, due to negligence, become trapped in arduous paths, as if sunk in a mire of attachments. This metaphor underscores the differing perspectives of saints and the worldly. The Straight Path for saints is akin to a mirror reflecting divine light, whereas for the worldly it is a difficult, obstacle-laden passage.
This section critically examined the claim of the Straight Paths heaviness and elucidated its ease for Gods saints. The path is essentially smooth and flowing; the difficulty ascribed to it relates to the burden of guiding others, particularly the newly repentant. The Qurnic verses from Srahs Hd and Shr illuminate this distinction. The relativity of truths sweetness and falsehoods bitterness, grounded in individual perception, further clarifies that saints, by virtue of their connection to reality, find the Straight Path easy. This segment, like a guiding light on the mystical road, leads the seeker to comprehend the ease of the path of truth and to avoid the hardships of falsehood.
The sun of tamkn shines brightly in the presence of Gods saints, illuminating the spiritual horizons of gnosis. These chosen ones, purified of the veils of creation, manifest the divine attributes with clarity and brilliance. Their spiritual states, like celestial bodies, guide the seekers who follow the Straight Path. The metaphor of the sun connotes radiance, warmth, and illumination, encapsulating the station of tamkn as the stage where the Divine Reality is fully witnessed and embodied. Their presence in the spiritual realm resembles a luminous beacon dispelling the darkness of heedlessness, inviting the seeker to attain steadfastness and purity.
Gods saints function as intermediaries and exemplars on the path of gnosis, assisting the seekers transition from taluwwin to tamkn and the attainment of the Straight Path. Their lives and teachings provide models for overcoming the veils of creation and stabilising witnessing. This support is essential in navigating the precarious terrains of the mystical journey.
The introduction to Manzil al-Sirn as analyzed in this lecture elucidates profound distinctions and stages in the mystical journey. It critiques terminological inaccuracies, clarifies the nature of the Straight Path, and highlights the indispensable role of Gods saints in the progression of the seeker. This intellectual and spiritual exegesis serves as a foundational guide for those intent on traversing the path of monotheistic gnosis and attaining the pinnacle of divine reality.
When the Divine Truth takes residence within the heart of the seeker, worldly matters such as wealth, food, and material appearances diminish in significance. This transformation, akin to the blossoming of a flower in the garden of gnosis, liberates the seekers heart from attachments. For instance, a person who has suffered the loss of a beloved is indifferent to outward adornments, for grief has overtaken their heart. Similarly, the heart united with the Divine is like an unfathomable ocean, independent of material attachments.
This allegory, resembling a portrait of inner metamorphosis, manifests the profound impact of the Divine upon the seekers perspective of the world. The heart, like a mirror reflecting solely the light of the Divine, is cleansed of material shadows.
In the hands of the Divine saints, the world is akin to an obedient handmaid, whereas in the hands of worldly people, it is domineering and overpowering. The saints, due to their connection to the Divine, have attained mastery over the world and are freed from its dominion. This mastery resembles the reins of a wild horse, borne out of nearness to God and inner purity. In contrast, the worldly folk, like captives bound by attachments, remain subjugated by the world.
This simile, like a poem extolling the grandeur of the saints, accentuates their exalted station. Before the saints, the world is like a shadow dissipated by the light of truth.
Section Three elucidated the stations of the Divine saints in the mystical path. The saints, as the Sun of Submission, with purity and sincerity, guide creation towards the Truth. The contraction of the shadow of separation dissolves the multiplicities of creation, leading the seeker to annihilation and subsistence. The Divine, by residing in the seekers heart, frees him from material attachments, and the saints, by their dominion over the world, serve as exemplars for seekers. This section, like a jewel in the crown of the spiritual journey, manifests the grandeur of the saints and the impact of the Divine Truth upon the seekers heart.
The commentator, drawing upon the noble verse Have you not seen how your Lord extends the shadow? (Surah Al-Furqan, 25:45; translation: Have you not looked upon your Lord, how He extends the shadow?), extracts terms such as Sun of Submission and the Pure Ones. However, these expressions conflict with the apparent meaning of the verse, which pertains to physical creation. Interpretation explicates the manifest meaning of the verse, while tawil (esoteric interpretation) reveals its inner reality; nonetheless, tawil must not contradict the apparent. This critique, like a lantern on the path of interpretation, underscores the necessity of adhering to the verses outward meaning in mystical exegeses.
The aforementioned verse refers to the creation and extension of shadow, not to mystical concepts such as mastery or the saints. Tawils that diverge from the literal sense may lead to spiritual distortion. This principle, like a prism refracting the light of truth, clarifies the standards for interpretation and esoteric elucidation.
The Divine Power possesses a vastness that enables the creation of infinite beings and the continual extension of contingent existence. This contingent existence, analogous to a shadow cast by the suns light, depends upon the intrinsic existence of the Divine Reality. This vastness, like an infinite ocean, encompasses all creatures and manifests their existence within the domain of the Divine Truth.
A critique on the use of the term tawl (long/extended) to describe the extension in this context stresses its inaccuracy. Tawl connotes impermanence, whereas contingent existence is perpetual. This critique, akin to a gem in the crown of scientific precision, emphasizes the necessity for exact lexical choices in interpretation.
The veiled (majb) perceives creation as separate from the Divine, whereas the gnostic (rif) beholds creation as the manifestation of the Divine. The veiled is like a blind person who perceives only shadows, oblivious to reality. The gnostic, however, resembles one who sees the sunlight in every particle, observing creation within the Divines essence. The gnostic perceives creation in the Divine, not apart from it, and this vision, like a flawless mirror, reflects truth without distortion.
This distinction, akin to two sides of a coin, reveals the contrast between the unity-based and multiplicity-based perspectives. The gnostic, through the vision of unity, regards creation as the Divines manifestation, while the veiled, imprisoned in multiplicity, remains veiled from truth.
Within the world, there is no annihilation of existence; creatures are manifestations of the Divine Names and Attributes, not beings possessing independent essence. This principle, like a poem celebrating the unity of existence, regards creatures as Divine manifestations. What exists, exists; what does not, does not. Creatures, like shadows on the wall of truth, appear solely through the Divine Light and lack independent essence.
This view, like a prism dispersing the light of truth, underscores the unity of existence and invites the seeker to behold the Divine manifestations within creation.
Section Four explicated Quranic verses and the concepts of Divine Unity in the mystical path. The critique of incompatible exegesis of the verse Have you not seen how your Lord extends the shadow? accentuates the importance of adhering to the apparent meaning of the verses. The vastness of Divine Power ensures the perpetual contingent existence of creatures. The distinction between the veiled and the gnostic signifies the difference between multiplicity-based and unity-based perspectives, while the principle of non-annihilation regards creatures as Divine manifestations. This section, like a jewel within the oyster of gnosis, guides the seeker towards perceiving unity within multiplicity.
The call to God necessitates insight and steadfastness upon the Straight Path, namely the path of intrinsic monotheism. The noble verse Y Sn وَٱلْقُرْءَانِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ إِنَّكَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ (Surah Y Sn, 36:1-4; translation: Y Sn. By the Wise Qurn. Indeed, you are among the messengers, on a straight path) elucidates this station for the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). The call, like a breeze that causes a flower to bloom, requires profound insight and constancy in truth.
This call, akin to a bridge between creation and the Divine, obliges the caller to convey the light of one Divine Name to another. Insight, like a lamp in the hand of the caller, preserves him from misguidance.
The hardship of calling to God arises from the responsibility of guiding others, particularly new repentants, rather than from the Straight Path itself. This difficulty, like bearing a heavy burden upon a difficult path, exerts pressure upon the caller. New repentants, akin to sparrows scattering with slight movement, require special care. This responsibility, like a precious trust, renders the burden of calling weighty.
This point, resembling a painting of the prophetic mission, portrays the difficulty of guiding the community. The challenge lies not in the essence of the path but in the social and spiritual responsibility of the caller.
The seeker, scholar, or believer must not consider themselves the agent of guidance, for guidance comes solely from God. The noble verse إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ (Surah Qaa, 28:56; translation: You cannot guide whom you love, but God guides whom He wills) elucidates this principle. The seeker, like a mirror reflecting light, is merely a conduit of Divine grace, not an independent actor.
This principle, like a jewel in the crown of the monotheism of actions, deters the seeker from self-aggrandizement in guidance. Any claim of agency resembles a shadow that dims the light of truth.
The invocation of alh (blessings) represents the outpouring of complete perfection and ultimate good, whereas Salm (peace) signifies the purification from defects and blemishes. These acts are conferred upon the Holy Prophet Muammad (peace be upon him) and his purified progeny, who are the chosen and purified elects of the Divine.
alh descends upon them akin to a shower of divine grace, bestowing upon them consummate perfection; Salm, like a gentle and pristine breeze, absolves them from all forms of deficiency. This exalted status, comparable to a lofty summit, positions the Prophet (PBUH) and his progeny as paradigmatic exemplars of spiritual and mystical perfection.
This elucidation, much like a poetic ode venerating the eminence of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), underscores their pivotal role within the domain of spiritual gnosis. alh and Salm function as dual wings, elevating them to the zenith of spiritual excellence.
Section Five addresses the Divine invitation, its inherent difficulties, and the pivotal role of the saints in spiritual guidance. The act of invitation necessitates insight and steadfastness in intrinsic monotheism. The hardship associated with invitation derives not from the essence of the straight path itself but rather from the immense responsibility entailed in guiding others.
Guidance is solely from God, with the seeker serving merely as a conduit for divine grace. The invocations of alh and Salm affirm the Prophet (PBUH) and his progeny as the pure elect. This section, like a luminous prism, elucidates the responsibilities incumbent upon the caller and the spiritual function of the Infallibles (peace be upon them) in the mystical journey.
