the forty-fifth lecture of the esteemed Nokounam, may his sacred secret be sanctified (Session 45 Introduction Part 45).
In the path of mystical journeying, cognition functions as a gateway that directs the seeker towards the boundless Divine Reality. The forty-fifth lesson of the invaluable compendium Manzil al-Sirn, entitled The Ultimate Knowledge, elucidates the stages of the existential transformation of the wayfarer from cognition to Divine Unity (Tawd). This text, adopting a profound and meticulous approach, delineates the process of the hearts unveiling to the light of Truth through ten sequential stations of spiritual progression (namely, cognition, annihilation, subsistence, verification, vestiture, existence, abstraction, singularity, conjunction, and unity). Each station, akin to a wave upon the ocean of existence, oscillates the seeker between the manifest and the hidden aspects of Truth, ultimately leading him to complete union with the Divine.
فَإِذَا وَقَعَ فِي مَقَامِ الْعِرْفَةِ بَلَغَ النِّهَايَةَ فِي الْفَنَاءِ
When the seeker attains the rank of gnosis (irfn), he reaches the summit of annihilation (fan). Mysticism is a direct presence before the Exalted Divine Essence, wherein self-conceit and carnal attachments are effaced. Annihilation, understood as complete severance from the self and union with the Divine Reality, represents the zenith of this station. This stage functions as a portal that liberates the wayfarer from the fetters of the nafs and guides him toward the infinity of Truth. Mysticism transcends mere cognition; it is an existential experience that elevates the seeker beyond intellectual conceptions and scientific affirmations, culminating in the direct vision of Truth.
| Key Point: Mysticism constitutes the gateway that guides the seeker from self-conceit to annihilation and union with the Divine; this annihilation marks the pinnacle of existential opening to the Truth. |
The mystical journey is analogous to an ascending arc that commences with cognition and culminates in Divine Unity (Tawd). Cognition serves as the gateway by which the seeker enters into the direct witnessing of the Divine Presence, while Unity is the ultimate destination where the seeker perceives the oneness of the Divine manifested in all phenomena. This path is akin to a voyage from multiplicity to unity, guiding the wayfarer from the self towards the infinite Truth. Cognition is not merely knowing but a visionary experience that opens the heart to the Divine Light.
Unlike knowledge, which remains confined within the framework of mental representation and affirmation, cognition possesses an expansive and intuitive nature. It is the manifestation of the Divine in the seekers heart, the attainment of His presence, and the immediate perception of Truth. This perception transcends logical affirmation and signifies an existential presence before the Divine. Cognition functions as a mirror reflecting the light of Truth, liberating the seeker from mental constraints and guiding him towards direct experiential knowledge.
| Key Point: Cognition is not a mental affirmation but an immediate witnessing of Truth that illuminates the seekers heart with Divine Light. |
Knowledge, due to its reliance on logical and affirmative structures, confines human existence within limited mental frameworks. By contrast, cognition engenders existential openness, directing the seeker towards the infinite Divine Reality. Knowledge is akin to a cage imprisoning the mind, whereas cognition serves as a key unlocking this cage, liberating the soul towards Divine freedom. This distinction roots in the difference between theoretical knowledge and intuitive knowing.
Cognition belongs to the realm of conceptions, but not in the sense of limited mental images; rather, it signifies the expansion and unfolding of existence. This expansion frees the seeker from carnal constriction and propels him towards Divine vastness. Cognition resembles a breeze that parts the dark veils of the nafs and casts the light of Truth into the seekers heart. This openness emancipates the seeker from egoic bonds, drawing him closer to the witnessing of Truth.
Cognition, as the initial manifestation of the Divine, directs the seeker toward the station of annihilation. Annihilation entails the effacement of selfhood and the return to the innermost reality of Truth. This movement from the manifest to the hidden resembles a diving into the ocean of Truth, transporting the seeker from the superficial appearances to the depth of Reality. Annihilation is the stage wherein the seeker empties himself and is immersed in the Divine; this return to the hidden signifies severance from appearances and union with intrinsic Truth.
| Key Point: Annihilation is the effacement of selfhood and union with the inner reality of Truth, guiding the seeker from appearances toward the essential Reality. |
The stations of the mystical journey (cognition, annihilation, subsistence, verification, vestiture, existence, abstraction, singularity, conjunction, and unity) proceed in an oscillatory movement between manifest and hidden realities. Each station resembles a wave that shifts the seeker between the apparent and the concealed aspects of Truth, ultimately culminating in Divine Unity. This oscillation resembles a buoyant apple floating on water, rising and falling; it refines the seekers being and prepares him for the witnessing of oneness.
The process of spiritual journeying, through intense oscillations among the stations, effects a profound transformation in the seekers being, shattering all carnal structures. This transformation functions as a furnace that melts the impurities of existence, revealing its pure essence. This process lays the foundation for complete union with the Divine and liberates the seeker from egotistic attachments.
The Divine saints, owing to the intensity of their inner manifestations, exert profound influence upon others. This influence sometimes astonishes and bewilders the observer, even if the saint himself does not remain in that state. These manifestations resemble a flame that dispels the darkness enveloping creation and draws beings toward the Truth.
Direct experience (being struck) differs in its impact from indirect observation (hearing a lament). The listener, due to his limited endurance, is often more deeply affected. This metaphor serves as a mirror illustrating the intensity of the saints inner effect upon creation, which at times surpasses even direct experience.
The mystical journey constitutes a dynamic and oscillatory process that conveys the seeker from cognition to Divine Unity. This oscillation between manifestation and concealment directs the seekers being toward union with the Divine. Unity stands as a summit attained after traversing the valleys of multiplicity, wherein the seeker beholds the oneness of the Divine in all manifestations.
The station of verification represents the phase wherein the seeker attains heartfelt certitude. This certitude results from witnessing the Divine in His essence and differs from mere logical affirmation. Certitude functions as an anchorage stabilising the seekers heart upon the shore of Truth, freeing him from all doubt and hesitation.
| Key Point: Certitude is an existential state in which the seeker finds the Divine firmly established within himself and is released from doubt. |
وَجَهَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ لِيَظْلِمُوا بِهَا
(Surah An-Naml, verse 14; : And they denied it, while their souls were convinced of it, out of injustice.)
This Quranic verse illustrates that certainty may coexist with denial, whereas conviction renders denial impossible. Conviction is the result of verification and the establishment of the Divine within the seekers heart; it is like a light dispelling the darkness of doubt.
The station of tahqiq (investigation/realisation), accompanied by certainty, is likened to the station of the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him). The veracious gnostic is one who establishes the Truth within their very essence and attains an assuredness rooted in the heart. This station is akin to a resting place wherein the spiritual wayfarer, like Abraham, reaches complete submission and unwavering confidence in the Truth.
The term talabbus refers to the veiling of the divine inner reality beneath ordinary outward appearances. Saints conceal their inner realities so as to shield creation from the intensity of the inner manifestations. This cloaking acts as a veil that tempers the burning light of Truth, thus safeguarding creation from bewilderment.
The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), by means of complete cloaking, concealed his inner reality so thoroughly that he attracted even figures like Abu Sufyan. In contrast, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), by virtue of being the ultimate arbiter (fasl al-khitab), manifested a partial unveiling of his inner reality, thereby confounding creation. This distinction resembles two modes of radiance: one like the sun that warmly embraces all, and the other like a flame that draws only those who can bear its heat.
The station of existence is a stage wherein the wayfarer discovers the Truth within their own essence. This discovery does not arise from exertion but rather spontaneously and divinely. Existence is like a mirror reflecting the reality of the Truth within the essence of the wayfarer, bringing them to direct witnessing without intermediary.
| Key Point: In the station of existence, the Truth spontaneously settles within the essence of the wayfarer, leading to immediate direct witnessing of the Reality. |
In tahqiq (investigation), the wayfarer establishes the Truth within themselves through effort; however, in existence, the Truth spontaneously inhabits the wayfarers essence. This difference is akin to the contrast between a gardeners labour in planting a sapling and the spontaneous blossoming of a flower in the garden. The station of existence is the stage of receiving divine grace directly.
فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى (Surah Taha, verse 12; : So take off your shoes; you are indeed in the sacred valley of Tuwa.)
Detachment (tajrid) is the stage at which the wayfarer purifies themselves from all worldly and otherworldly attachments. This removal is like the liberation of a bird from its cage, spreading its wings towards the sky of Truth.
During detachment, the wayfarer perceives the Truth not as a mere abstraction or generality but as a distinct, personalised entity. This personhood is not corporeal but denotes a definite, unique reality. The unity of the personhood of existence is a witnessing whereby the Truth appears as a unique individual manifest within the heart of the wayfarer.
Unification (tafrid) is a more advanced stage than detachment in which the wayfarer perceives the Truth not only as a person but as a defined persona possessing distinct attributes. This witnessing resembles the vision of a face whose every detail is unveiled to the eye. Unification completes the witnessing of the Truth within the heart of the wayfarer.
Integration (jam) is the stage where the wayfarer perceives unity and multiplicity within a single vision. This integration is like a mirror that embraces both the light of the Truth and the shadows of creation within itself. Tawhid is the outcome of this integration, freeing the wayfarer from all dualities and leading to pure oneness.
Tawhid is the station in which the believer attains complete serenity and ease, having been liberated from all attachments and dualities and arrived at the Truth. This tranquillity is like a harbour where the wayfarer anchors after a tumultuous voyage.
At the station of existence, the wayfarer is released from all formalities and determinations and finds the Truth within their essence in its purest, abstract form. This shedding is like removing old garments, enabling the soul to approach the bare reality of Truth.
Tawhid is the witnessing of the Truth in both His essence and attributes, manifesting across all forms and appearances. This witnessing resembles seeing the sun whose light is diffused everywhere, yet its source remains singular and unique.
The light of Tawhid, which has shone since eternity, manifests in the divine names and attributes. This light is like a ray that rose at the dawn of eternity, illuminating the structures of Tawhid with the effects of the Truth.
شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ (Surah Al-Imran, verse 18; : God bears witness that there is no deity but Him, as do the angels and those endowed with knowledge.)
At the station of Tawhid, the Truth bears witness to its own unity. This testimony is like a mirror reflecting the singular Reality within the heart of the wayfarer.
The remembrance La ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but God), due to its profound gnosis and unity, is the most weighty invocation. This remembrance is like a key that unlocks the locks of multiplicity and guides the heart towards unity.
| Key Point: The remembrance La ilaha illa Allah is the most weighty invocation, guiding the heart from multiplicity to unity. |
Lesson Forty-Five from Manazil al-Sa'irin, entitled The Ultimate of Knowledge, represents one of the deepest elucidations of mystical progression, delineating the wayfarers existential transformation from gnosis to Tawhid. This text, by presenting ten distinct spiritual stations, guides the wayfarer through a dynamic oscillation between the manifest and the hidden reality of the Truth. Gnosis acts as a gateway opening the heart to the light of Truth, whilst Tawhid is the summit where the wayfarer attains complete unity with the Truth. Each station, with its specific characteristics, liberates the wayfarer from egoic attachments and directs them toward the pure Reality.
| Supervised by Sadegh Khademi |
