of Nekounam, (Session Fifty-One The Chapter of Awakening Section Six)
In the course of mystical progression, awakening (yaqah), defined as arousal from the slumber of heedlessness, constitutes the threshold that guides the seeker towards divine knowledge and proximity. This awakening, akin to a spiritual dawn, liberates the heart from the darkness of ignorance and desire, leading it towards the illumination of awareness and gnosis. The fifty-first lesson from the esteemed Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwja Abdullah Ansr and herein rearticulated based upon the teachings of Nekounam, explicates the causes of this awakening and presents it as the point of departure in mystical progression. Situated in the introductory section (Badyt), awakening is actualised through three fundamental causes: the light of intellect, the anticipation of the divine favours flash, and reliance upon the afflicted (ahl al-bal). These causes, like three radiant flames, illuminate the path of the seeker, directing him from negligence towards vigilant awakening.
Awakening (yaqah), signifying the arousal from the sleep of heedlessness and desire, constitutes the initial point of spiritual movement for the seeker. This awakening, comparable to the parting of veils of darkness before ones eyes, opens the heart towards the light of knowledge. Within practical mysticism, awakening is the origin of the spiritual journey and guides the seeker from worldly heedlessness towards awareness and attention to the Divine Truth. This process is not merely an internal transformation but serves as a firm foundation that supports subsequent stages of the mystical path.
The intellect (aql), as a divine light and an unacquirable gift, forms the very basis of practical mysticism. Contrary to erroneous conceptions that conflate mysticism with madness or folly, the fifty-first lesson asserts that the luminous intellect guides the seeker from the darkness of ignorance towards enlightenment. The term madness in mysticism metaphorically refers to liberation from carnal calculations and is rooted in the radiant intellect rather than deficiency or foolishness. This intellect, like a blazing torch, illuminates the path of knowledge and rouses the seeker from the slumber of negligence.
The light of intellect, the foremost cause of awakening, is like a radiance that dispels the darkness of ignorance and directs the heart towards the knowledge of divine grace. Intellect, as a divine endowment rather than an acquired faculty, is bestowed upon individuals to varying degrees. This divine light is refined through cultivation, instruction, and environmental conditions, preparing the seeker for the perception of grace and awakening. The ignorant, deprived of this light, remain in the sleep of heedlessness and are bereft of awakening.
أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
: Most of them do not reason. (Surah Al-Midah, verse 103). This verse highlights the absence of rational awakening in the majority of people and emphasises the significance of the luminous intellect in the actualisation of awakening.
The second cause of awakening is the anticipation of the flash of divine favour, which inspires the seeker with hope of receiving inner and spiritual blessings. This anticipation, akin to gazing at a clouded sky awaiting rain, is an active and conscious state that prepares the heart to receive divine gifts. Within the mysticism of the lovers (muibbn), which is founded upon asceticism and endeavour, the anticipation of inner blessings propels the novice seeker towards awakening. However, in the progression of the beloved (mabbn), which is accompanied by divine attraction, this anticipation transforms into self-sacrifice before the Truth.
The third cause of awakening is reliance upon the afflicted (ahl al-bal), which invites the seeker to contemplate the fate of those ensnared by worldly calamities. This reliance acts as a mirror, reflecting the consequences of heedlessness and sin to the seeker, thereby deterring repetition of error. Studying the destiny of the afflicted leads the seeker to comprehend sin and deprivation and instils in him an appreciation of grace.
In psychology, individuals reactions to the downfall of others are categorised into three types: some laugh, indicating heedlessness and ignorance; others pity, indicating compassion; and some assist, signifying perfection and awakening. This classification exhorts the seeker to adopt rational and instructive responses.
The cognition of blessing denotes an inward, heartfelt attention to the divine gifts, which is illumined by three principal causes: the light of intellect, the anticipation of divine grace, and confidence in those who endure affliction. This cognition, akin to a crystalline spring, purifies the traveller's heart from the rust of heedlessness, guiding them towards gratitude and vigilance. The Noble Qur'an states in this regard:
لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ
Foladvands translation: If you give thanks, I will surely increase [My favour] upon you (Surah Ibrahim, Ayah 7). This verse introduces gratitude as a pathway to the augmentation of blessings and the reinforcement of spiritual awakening.
The study of sin and crime, understood as the recognition of sin and its consequences, is actualised through three factors: reverence for the Divine, self-awareness, and affirmation of the divine warning. Reverence magnifies the majesty of God in the seekers perception, thereby amplifying the gravity of sin. Self-awareness leads to the recognition of ones own abasement and frailty, deterring egocentrism. Affirmation of the divine threat firmly establishes certainty of Gods punishment in the heart, compelling the seeker to earnest obedience and abstinence from sin.
The Noble Qur'an declares:
إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
Foladvands translation: Indeed, My punishment is severe (Surah Ibrahim, Ayah 7). This verse reminds the seeker of the gravity of divine warning and cautions against negligence.
Repentance and reform of sin constitute a gradual process necessitating tashmirthat is, resolute earnestness combined with tranquility. Sin, like a deeply rooted tree in the seekers soul, cannot be easily eradicated and demands patience and meticulous care. This process resembles the careful gathering of scattered seeds through appropriate methods, requiring proportionality and precision. The seeker must abstain from despair and despondency, and through patience and perseverance, cleanse the self from sin.
The intellect, like a steadfast root, nourishes love, which is its blossoming flower. Every lover is necessarily rational; however, not every rational person attains the rank of love. Love is the manifestation of the luminous intellect that directs the seeker towards perfection and spiritual proximity. The notion of mystical madness, frequently employed in mystical poetry and texts, signifies liberation from egotistical calculations rather than irrationality.
Lesson fifty-one of Manzil al-Sirn elucidates the initial point of the mystical journey by focusing on the causes of awakening. Awakening, a rousing from heedlessness, is realised by three causes: the light of intellect, anticipation of divine favour, and confidence in those who endure affliction. The luminous intellect, as a divine endowment, forms the foundation of practical gnosis and, by critically addressing erroneous conceptions of madness, introduces a reason-centred mysticism. Anticipation guides the seeker to receive inner blessings, whilst confidence in the afflicted protects them from heedlessness and downfall. The cognition of blessing and sin, through recognition of the grandeur of the Divine, the weakness of the self, and affirmation of warning, urges the seeker towards gradual repentance and reform. The Noble Verse
لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ
establishes gratitude as the path to the increase of blessing and the strengthening of awakening.
