Derived from the fifty-eighth lecture of Nokounam, (Session Fifty-Eight The Chapter on Repentance Section Six).
The station of repentance, as one of the foundational pillars of spiritual wayfaring within the venerable treatise Manzil al-Sirn authored by Khwja Abdullah Ansr, occupies a distinctive and exalted position in Islamic mysticism. The fifty-eighth lecture of this work, accompanied by the erudite exegesis of Nokounam, , embarks upon an in-depth investigation of this station and the intricate concept of repentance from repentance. This discourse, grounded in the divine verses of the Holy Quran and the authenticated narrations from the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them), introduces repentance not merely as a return from overt sinfulness but as a perpetual turning towards the Ultimate Truth and liberation from all forms of epistemic deficiency.
Nokounam, by citing the sacred verse وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (An-Nr: 31), which is translated by as And all of you repent to God, O believers, that you may succeed, elucidates repentance as an imperative universal necessity. This verse, situated within the context of Surah An-Nr that addresses ethical and social concerns such as maintaining modesty and proper conduct, is interpreted mystically as a universal summons towards turning to the Divine Reality across all ontological tiers. Within this framework, repentance transcends mere abandonment of external sin to embody the liberation from epistemic injustice and attainment of inner purity.
Although the immediate context of this Quranic verse in Surah An-Nr pertains to moral and social regulations such as preserving chastity and observing boundaries, the mystical perspective understands it as a universal invitation to revert to the Truth. This call encompasses all believers, including those seemingly without transgression. Nokounam emphasizes that repentance, as a divine tether, restores each individual at every spiritual station back to the Truth. This inclusiveness manifests the expansive mercy of God, which embraces not only sinners but also disbelievers, provided that they turn toward the Ultimate Reality.
One of the most complex notions addressed in this lecture is repentance from repentance, which some have interpreted as reaching a station wherein no sin remains necessitating repentance. Nokounam regards this interpretation as an epistemic deviation and critiques it by reference to the verse يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا (Al-Nis: 136), translated by as O you who have believed, believe. Just as faith constitutes a dynamic and ongoing process requiring perseverance, so too must repentance be continual. Repentance from repentance does not signify cessation in the process of returning but rather an elevation within the stages of repentance and liberation from epistemic injustice.
Another view subject to criticism is the assertion of exemption from worship upon attainment of certainty, mistakenly founded upon the verse وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ (Al-ijr: 99), translated by as And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty. Nokounam contends that this interpretation is misleading and stresses that worship and certainty exist within a synergistic process. Certainty constitutes the ultimate goal of worship, which persists until the moment of death, rather than terminating upon its attainment.
The verse وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ encompasses all classesfrom the believer to the transgressor, even to the disbeliever. Nokounam, by invoking the verse إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ (Al-Baqarah: 222), translated as Indeed, Allah loves those who repent, underscores that repentance, understood as turning back towards the Truth, remains possible and desirable for all. This inclusivity resembles a universal call to a procession in which all stratamen, women, children alikeare encompassed, yet in critical moments only the prepared individuals stand at the forefront.
Nokounam employs an analogy drawn from pre-revolutionary processions, likening repentance to a universal summons that embraces all, yet at the higher stages only the spiritually prepared travellers stand in active ranks. This analogy delineates the difference between general repentance (inclusive of all) and special repentance (reserved for saints and wayfarers). General repentance, akin to an open invitation to march, encompasses all, whereas special repentance, requiring knowledge and purity, pertains exclusively to the loftier stations.
In the book Mib al-Sharah, a narration from Imam diq (peace be upon him) states that Repentance is the rope of God and the assistance of His grace. Nokounam bases his exposition of the degrees of repentance on this narration and explicates that each class of servants possesses a repentance commensurate with their spiritual rank: the repentance of the prophets arises from the anxiety of the heart (inner unrest), the repentance of the saints from the wavering of hazards (fluctuations in thoughts), the repentance of the elect from diminution (deficiencies), and the repentance of the common folk from overt sins. This categorisation attests to the diversity and profundity of repentance within the various strata of spiritual wayfaring.
Nokounam asserts that the prophets, by virtue of their profound proximity and gnosis, possess a greater need for repentance than the common folk. The sins of the commoners, owing to their simplicity and limitation, can be remedied by straightforward repentance, whereas the prophets, due to their deep epistemic receptions, encounter more intricate states rendering repentance a more profound necessity. This perspective is reinforced by the verse إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ, which signifies the perpetual need to return towards the Truth.
Nekounam, drawing upon the verse إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُبِينًا (Al-Fath: 1), translated by Fooladvand as Indeed, We have granted you a clear victory, alludes to the intrinsic anxiety experienced by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). This anxiety does not stem from sinfulness but rather arises from the intensity of proximity and the immense divine responsibility entrusted to him. The anxiety of the head in the Prophets, alongside the manifold hazards encountered by the saints, signifies an elevated epistemic station wherein any deficiencyeven at the spiritual and inward levelnecessitates repentance.
Divine Infallibility, transcending even the infallibility attributed to the Prophets, compels them to continual repentance and return. Nekounam, referencing the supplications of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), such as his act of lowering his head into a well, emphasises that such states derive from profound proximity to the Divine Truth and confrontation with the absolute perfection of God. Divine Infallibility draws all towards perfection and inclines even the Prophets to perpetual repentance in its presence.
Nekounam, citing the book Lama, critiques Junayds interpretation of repentance as mere forgetfulness of sin. He asserts that repentance is not a simple mental process (forgetting) but an ontological transformation through divine presence, which purifies the seekers heart from any deficiency. The presence of the Divine eradicates inner transgression, and this eradication surpasses mere oblivion.
In the thirty-first supplication of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) states: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا خَالَفَ إِرَادَتَكَ (O Allah, I repent to You from all that contradicts Your will). This prayer manifests continuous repentance that purifies the seeker from every deficiency, even at exalted levels. Furthermore, he prays: فَاجْعَلْ تَوْبَتِي هَذِهِ تَوْبَةً لَا أَحْتَاجُ بَعْدَهَا إِلَى تَوْبَةٍ (Make this repentance of mine one after which I shall have no need for repentance again). Such ongoing repentance obliterates past sins and prevents future faults.
Nekounam emphasises that continuous repentance, through Divine presence, eradicates sins rather than simply causing their forgetfulness. This eradication, in the realm of Divine mercy, reflects Gods attribute as the Concealer of Faults (Sattar al-Uyoob), who covers faults in such a manner that they are effaced even from the Divine gaze. This perspective reveals the profundity of Divine mercy and the effect of the Divine presence in purifying the seekers heart.
Theological deviations concerning repentance, such as claims of being exempt from repentance or of repentance from repentance, are regarded by Nekounam as perilous and incompatible with mystical and Quranic logic. These deviations often stem from emotional and illogical interpretations that, neglecting context and epistemic depth, lead to misunderstanding.
The fifty-eighth lesson of Manazil al-Sairin, illuminated by the erudite commentary of Nekounam , introduces repentance as a divine tether and an indispensable necessity in mystical progression. This station transcends mere abstention from outward sin and signifies a continual return towards the Divine and liberation from all epistemic deficiency. Supported by Quranic verses such as وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا and إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ, alongside the traditions of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), repentance is elucidated as a dynamic and universal process encompassing both the sinner and the infallible. The critique of theological deviationssuch as the claims of exemption from repentance or worshipand the emphasis on the diverse degrees of repentance, including the anxiety of the Prophets heads, reveal the depth and complexity of this station. Continuous repentance, as epitomised in the supplication of Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him), guides the seeker towards purity and Divine proximity, cleansing the heart of all inner transgression through the Divine presence.
