of , (Session Forty-Nine Chapter on Awakening Part Four)
The venerable Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwajah Abdullah Ansari and expounded upon by the accomplished mystic and commentator Kaml al-Dn Abd al-Razzq Qshn, presents a meticulous and systematic chart of the stages of mystical wayfaring. It guides the spiritual traveller from the darkness of heedlessness towards the luminous proximity of the Divine Presence. The forty-ninth lesson of this work, as the fourth discourse within the chapter on Awakening, articulates the second degree of awakening, namely awe or fear inspired by the transgressions of the self and the imperative to rectify them.
Awakening, as the point of origin for the spiritual journey, manifests in three gradations: raghbat (aspiration), rahbat (awe/fear), and intibh (attentiveness). Among these, rahbatwith its focus on the majestic Names of God that lead astray and punishurges the seeker to a rigorous examination of sins, an acute awareness of their peril, and earnest endeavour to escape the bondage of wrongdoing. This discourse delineates the arduous process of this awakening of awe through tangible metaphors, Quranic exegesis, and psychological insights, underscoring the role of Divine mercy in rescuing the traveller from the grip of retribution.
Awakening, as the portal to the mystical path, is a spiritual state that manifests in three levels: raghbat (aspiration), rahbat (awe), and intibh (alertness). Raghbat constitutes the yearning for Divine bounties, associated with the Beautiful Names of God the Guide, the Bestower, and the Director which direct the seeker towards salvation. Rahbat signifies the fear of the selfs transgressions and Divine punishment, linked to the Majestic Names of God the Misleader and the Avenger compelling the seeker to revisit and rectify sins. Intibh is a causal attentiveness to origins and causes, bringing the seeker into profound awareness of their own existential reality. These stages function as three successive steps by which the seeker ascends from the slumber of heedlessness to the fullness of wakefulness.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ
Translation : God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. (Quran 13:11)
This verse confirms the necessity of inner awakening and transformation within the process of awakening.
Aspiration and awe constitute complementary forces within the awakening process. Aspiration is the desire for Divine benefits and the attraction of bounties, guiding the seeker towards the Beautiful Names. Awe is the fear of sins and Divine retribution, revealed through the Majestic Names, awakening the seeker from heedlessness. These two forces act as wings by which the seeker takes flight in the celestial realm of spiritual progress: aspiration with the gentleness of Beauty, and awe with the steadfastness of Majesty.
This balance between Beauty and Majesty safeguards the seeker from one-sidedness, guiding them towards balanced perfection.
The degree of awe compels the seeker to examine past transgressions and to grasp their peril. A transgression is any breach of Divine command that ensnares the self within the grip of the Majestic Names the Misleader and the Avenger. The study of transgressions entails a meticulous review of past actions, awakening the seeker from heedlessness into self-awareness. Awareness of danger involves recognition of the consequential effects of sins, connecting each deed to its retribution. This awareness acts as a mirror, revealing the ugliness of sins to the seeker and urging rectification and reform.
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا
Translation : Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, despair not of the mercy of God, surely God forgives all sins. (Quran 39:53)
This verse affirms hope in Divine mercy alongside awareness of sins.
The absence of fear of sins is indicative of spiritual slumber and heedlessness. The awakened seeker, seized by awe, scrutinises their sins and is filled with dread regarding their consequences. This fear is not paralysing terror but a motivating force guiding the seeker towards correction and rectification. Fear functions as an alarm bell alerting the seeker to the danger of falling into the snares of the Misleader and the Avenger.
This fear propels the seeker from indifference towards responsibility for their deeds and provides the foundation for existential transformation.
At the level of awe, the Majestic Names the Misleader and the Avenger play a pivotal role. The Misleader, through leading astray, directs the seeker towards the punishment of the Avenger. These two Names, executing Divine justice, awaken the seeker from heedlessness. The Misleader acts as a guide directing the seeker towards the precipice of torment, while the Avenger is the just judge executing retribution. This nexus renders the seeker alert to the consequences of their sins.
Awe culminates in the turning back from sin and seeking Divine forgiveness. The awakened seeker, conscious of past transgressions and their dangers, strives to rectify the self through repentance and reform. This rectification is not merely external but involves deep interior change, purifying the heart and soul from the stains of sin.
Despite the severity of sins and the reality of Divine retribution, the traveller must remain hopeful in Gods mercy. The Beautiful Names the Forgiving, the Compassionate provide solace and encouragement to the seeker, ensuring that the path of awakening does not become one of despair but one of hopeful transformation.
The degree of awe within awakening is an essential spiritual state, signifying the seekers transition from heedlessness to consciousness of self and Divine majesty. It compels the seeker to confront the reality of their sins, fear the consequences, and turn towards reform and Divine forgiveness. This dynamic tension between fear and hope constitutes the spiritual engine that propels the seeker on the mystical path, harmonizing the forces of Majesty and Beauty, Justice and Mercy.
Thus, the forty-ninth lesson of Manzil al-Sirn invites the seeker into a profound spiritual awakening, marked by awe, introspection, and a heartfelt turn towards the Divine.
Following the preparation of sins, the process of self-refinement (tam) ensues, restoring the wayfarer to an original state of purity. At this stage, the wayfarer, akin to a humble and unclothed human being, recognises their utter dependence upon Divine grace. Tam resembles a crystal-clear water that cleanses the defilements of the nafs (self) and prepares it to receive the Divine illuminations.
The Holy Quran in Srah Ash-Shams, verse 9 states: قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا (Fooladvand translation: He who purifies it [the self] indeed prospers). This verse affirms the pivotal role of tam in attaining salvation.
Devotional acts (awt), subsequent to the preparation of sins, assume a crucial role in purifying the self and eradicating the residual effects of transgression. By engaging in acts such as fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, the wayfarer strengthens the nafs and heals the wounds inflicted by sin. These devotions act as a salve, treating the spiritual sores and guiding the seeker towards perfection.
This process prepares the self to receive the guiding and beneficent divine lights, transitioning the wayfarer from the darkness of sin to the illumination of obedience.
Desire (raghbat), as the initial motivating impulse, must precede fear (rahbat) to prevent obstinacy and resistance within the nafs. Should fear arise independently of desire, the self becomes rebellious and aggressive rather than reformed. Desire functions like a gentle breeze that draws the self towards God, whereas fear resembles a lash effective only after the nafs has been prepared.
The Holy Quran in Srah l Imrn, verse 200 commands: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (Fooladvand translation: O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may succeed). This verse confirms the necessity of patience and piety along the spiritual journey.
A stern and majestic (jall) approach towards the youth, rather than fostering reform, breeds stubbornness and resistance. Due to their sensitive and spirited nature, the youth require an initial motivation of desire that gently leads them toward the truth. This critique serves as a cautionary note emphasising the necessity of wisdom in the governance of the self and society.
This analysis illustrates the application of mystical principles in social management and underscores the importance of social psychology.
The majesty of Divine law (jall al-shar) is likened to a safeguarded knife which, with sternness and severity, compels the transgressor towards punishment. This firmness manifests the seriousness of Divine ordinances vis--vis sin, from which only Divine grace and mercy can rescue the wayfarer. This metaphor vividly portrays the grandeur of Divine majesty confronting human negligence.
The Holy Quran in Srah An-Nahl, verse 112 relates: وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ (Fooladvand translation: And Allah sets forth an example of a city which was secure and content, its provision coming to it abundantly from every place, yet it denied the favours of Allah. So Allah made it taste the garment of hunger and fear for what they used to do). This verse illustrates the severity of punishment in response to heedlessness.
Neglecting the Divine Name Al-Muntaqim (the Avenger) leads to proximity to sin. Failure to recognise Divine majesty propels the individual towards transgression, whereas awareness of the Avenger restrains the wayfarer from committing sins. This critique functions as a warning emphasising the need to balance Divine beauty (jaml) and majesty (jall).
Such awareness guides the wayfarer towards Divine piety and protects them from the snares of heedlessness.
Divine mercy (ramnyat) delivers the wayfarer from the grip of the Avengers majesty through the acceptance of sincere repentance (istighfr). When the wayfarer repents with sincerity, Divine Oneness aids them and smooths the path to deliverance. This mercy is likened to a spring that cleanses the wayfarers heart from the darkness of sin and directs them towards the light.
The Holy Quran in Srah Ghfir, verse 7 states: الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا (Fooladvand translation: Those who bear the Throne and those around it exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed). This verse confirms the role of repentance in deliverance from sin.
Du Kumayl, as an invocation from the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), manifests the lamentation and supplication of the wayfarer before Divine majesty. In this prayer, the seeker appeals to Divine generosity, asking God to protect them from punishment: You are more generous than to abandon one you have raised, or to distance one you have brought near, or to exile one you have sheltered in affliction. This invocation serves as a bridge leading the wayfarer from the darkness of majesty towards the light of Divine beauty and mercy.
This supplication epitomises the profound interconnection between mysticism and intercession by the Ahl al-Bayt in liberation from the bondage of sin.
The notion that mere verbal repentance suffices to prepare for sins is simplistic. True repentance necessitates practical preparation through expiation (kaffrah), making up missed obligations (qadh), restitution of rights (radd al-madhlim), or legal retribution (qi). This critique functions as a warning against negligence in repentance and encourages the wayfarer towards practical reformation.
This emphasis highlights the distinction between verbal and practical repentance within the mystical spiritual path.
Certain textual variants mistakenly alter man raqqah (one who liberates [the self]) to man ramaqqah (one who contaminates the self), a reading incompatible with the concept of sins as bondage. The correct reading underscores the bondage of sins and the imperative of liberation from them. This critique acts as a beacon clarifying the authenticity of mystical texts.
This meticulousness demonstrates the importance of preserving the authenticity of mystical literature in conveying profound meanings.
The forty-ninth lesson of Manzil al-Sirn elucidates the station of fear (rahbat) within the discourse of awakening (yaqah), explicating the spiritual awakening process through fear of the selfs sins. Awakening manifests through three stationsdesire (raghbat), fear (rahbat), and vigilance (intibh)with fear emphasising the Divine majestic Names, al-Muill and al-Muntaqim, prompting the wayfarer to re-examine sins, comprehend their peril, and prepare through repentance, expiation, qadh, restitution, or retribution. Sins constitute chains imprisoning the nafs, from which deliverance demands perseverance and devotions for self-refinement. Desire, as the initial impetus, precedes fear to prevent obstinacy. The majesty of the Law resembles a safeguarded knife imposing punishment, yet Divine mercy and recourse to Du Kumayl guide the seeker towards liberation. This lesson stresses the necessity of preventing sin, practical preparation, and seeking Divine mercy.