of Nekounam, may his secret be sanctified (Session 53 - Chapter of Repentance - Part One).
Repentance, akin to a spiritual bridge guiding the seeker from the realm of heedlessness towards the sanctuary of Divine nearness, holds a foundational station in mystical progression subsequent to awakening (yaqah). This stage, introduced as the second station in the noble text Manzil al-Sirn, transcends mere return from sin; it constitutes a reconstruction of the severed relationship caused by transgression against the Divine Truth. In this section, by reference to a verse from the blessed Srah al-ujurt, the concept of repentance in response to the ethical transgressions of the believers is expounded, accompanied by a critical reflection on the appropriateness of this verse in illuminating the elevated ranks of repentance, particularly that of the elect and the saints.
Repentance, designated as the second station of mystical journeying following awakening, represents a pivotal juncture whereby the wayfarer is led from negligence to awareness and rectification of the relationship with the Divine. This phase, comparable to a gentle breeze dispelling the dust of heedlessness from the mirror of the heart, lays the groundwork for Divine proximity. A fundamental inquiry arises: Is repentance truly the second station on the path, or might another rank supplant it? The response affirms that repentances central role in the restoration of the fractured bond with the Truth grants it an unparalleled position in this spiritual trajectory. This station invites the seeker to recognise sin and to turn away from it, thereby compensating for opposition to Divine decree and achieving concordance with it.
The verse selected in this discourse for elucidating repentance is taken from the venerable Srah al-ujurt:
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
( translation: "And whoever does not repent, such are the wrongdoers." Srah al-ujurt, verse 11). This verse addresses the believers, emphasising the abandonment of ethical transgressions such as belittling, mockery, and the use of disparaging epithets. Unlike doctrinal sins like disbelief and obstinacy, the focus here lies on practical and moral offenses manifest within the social relations of the faithful.
Quoting a verse from the Holy Quran is akin to a jewel shining within the shell of its context; thus, it requires faithful transmission and full citation of the surrounding context and adjacent verses. This act not only manifests reverence for the Divine Word but is indispensable for accurate comprehension and to avert distortion.
In the blessed Srah al-ujurt, verse eleven follows verse ten:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ
( translation: "Indeed, the believers are brothers." Srah al-ujurt, verse 10), and addresses the believers by urging social rectitude and abstention from ethical transgressions. The full text of verse eleven reads:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِّن نِّسَاءٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُنَّ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ ۚ وَمَن لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
( translation: "O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them. Nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [ones] faith. And whoever does not repent then it is those who are the wrongdoers.")
Disobedience subsequent to faith, likened to a thorn growing within the garden of belief, is a grey sin that besmirches the status of the believer. Due to its contradiction with the station of faith, it carries a particular gravity, from which repentance provides deliverance. The verse under discussion, by accentuating ethical transgressions such as disparagement and mockery, summons believers to amend social conduct and eschew these sins.
Neglecting repentance is akin to persistence in a wound that afflicts the heart, an injustice graver than the sin itself. This injustice, designated in the verse as الظَّالِمُونَ, arises from the believers awareness of the sins impropriety yet refusal to rectify it. Repentance, by cleansing the sin, removes this attribute of injustice from the wayfarer and restores him to justice.
The original sin and persistence upon it resemble two branches of a malign tree, distinguished in their nature. Sin out of heedlessness, at times akin to a passing cloud, obscures the heart temporarily; persistence in sin, arising from knowledge and awareness, embeds deeper roots within the soul. Furthermore, promoting sin and the making of sinners is a compounded injustice, akin to fire spreading in society, thereby imposing a heavier responsibility upon the perpetrator.
Recognition of sin, like a torch illuminating the darkness of disobedience, is a prerequisite for genuine repentance. Sin constitutes opposition to Divine command and estrangement from Him, severing the bond of sanctity between human and God and substituting unholy delight in the heart. Absent this recognition, repentance lacks authenticity and fails to culminate in true rectification.
Understanding sin resembles observing a mirror with three facets: severance of sanctity, delight in sin, and persistence in sin with knowledge of Divine oversight.
The believers sin arises either from heedlessness or audacity before the Truth, both constituting obstacles upon the path of spiritual progress. The believer, conscious of Divine existence, knowledge, and power, who commits sin, thereby admits his audacity and requires repentance to remedy this defect.
The verse
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَئِيكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ,
although suitable for describing repentance among the common populace concerning ethical transgressions, is insufficient for explicating the repentance of the elect and the saints. This verse, akin to a key that opens but a single door, is confined to the practical sins committed by believers and does not encompass the loftier degrees of repentance which include the characteristic injustice and the return of the prophets and the saints.
To elucidate repentance at its superior levels, a more comprehensive verse is proposed:
وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنْبِكَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا
(: And seek forgiveness for your sin; indeed, He is ever Oft-Returning [to mercy], Surah Ghafir, Ayah 55). This verse, addressed to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), portrays repentance in a rank transcending the common folk inclusive of the prophets and the elite and aligns more harmoniously with the concept of the repentance station in Manaazil al-Sa'ireen.
The selection of Qur'anic verses is akin to extracting gems from a precious mine; it requires a meticulousness consonant with the theme and degrees of spiritual progression. Lack of precision in such selection may act like a misguided guide, confining or distorting the meaning. The Quran, as an unfathomable ocean, contains profound and all-encompassing meanings whose elucidation demands careful attention to context and the appropriate choice of verses.
Repentance, like a return from the desert of sin to the spring of divine truth, is a process that entails turning from opposition to the divine command towards compliance with it. This return, which brings about the pleasure of the Truth, is comparable to a surgical act cleansing the heart from the delight of sin. Due to the necessity of recompensing the sin and liberating oneself from its attachments, this process is arduous and complex.
True repentance, born of love for the Truth and refusal to oppose Him, is like a flower blossoming in the pure soil of the heart. Conversely, mercenary repentance, arising from fear of punishment or greed for benefit, lacks authenticity and is like a fleeting shadow, devoid of spiritual depth. Repentance undertaken merely to preserve appearances or to gain advantage cannot deepen the seekers relationship with the Truth.
The determination to forsake sin and never return to it is like a pillar that stabilises the edifice of repentance. This resolve, which presupposes certainty in the divine supervision, signifies the seekers commitment to rectification and steadfastness on the path of Truth. Recognising the prerequisites of sin, including the severance of sanctity and the pleasure derived from sin, reinforces this resolve.
The verse
وَمَن يَعْتَصِمْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ هُدِيَ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
(: And whoever holds firmly to Allah has [already] been guided to a straight path, Surah Al-Imran, Ayah 101) demonstrates the reciprocal relationship between adherence to the Truth and divine guidance. Sin disrupts this adherence and distances the seeker from the straight path, whereas repentance restores this relationship.
Grief arising from the recognition of the transient pleasure of sin is like a fire that awakens the heart, propelling the seeker towards repentance and restitution. Remorse and efforts at compensation are hallmarks of sincere repentance that prepare the heart for return to the Truth.
The chapter of repentance, as a gateway to divine nearness, occupies a foundational station in the mystical journey. This station, relying upon a verse from the noble Surah Al-Hujurat, elucidates repentance from the ethical transgressions of believers; however, critique of this verses selection accentuates the necessity of choosing more comprehensive verses for the higher degrees of repentance. True repentance, springing from love of the Truth and abhorrence of sin, is consummated through the recognition of sin, its restitution, and the resolve to abandon it. This process, akin to a journey from the darkness of sin to the light of guidance, directs the seeker to the straight path.
