of Nokounam, (Session Sixty-Six Chapter on Repentance Part Fourteen).
Lecture sixty-six of the esteemed corpus Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, addresses the chapter on repentance within the framework of the fourteenth lesson. It embarks upon an inquiry into the hierarchical stages of repentance and critiques the approach of the general repentance (tawba mmah). This lecture concentrates specifically on the general repentance as the most elementary tier, critically examining its deficiencies and its ramifications upon the human-divine relationship.
Lecture sixty-six delineates repentance into three distinct levels: general repentance (tawba mmah), intermediate repentance (tawba mutawassiah), and ultimate repentance (tawba nihyah). This taxonomy is predicated upon variations in epistemic awareness and the existential rank of individuals, reflecting a stratified order within the mystical journey (salk). General repentance, the focal subject of this discourse, pertains to those who embrace repentance motivated by rudimentary and superficial incentives. Though meritorious, this stage remains, from a mystical standpoint, incomplete due to its imperfect intentions.
This categorisation finds its roots in the mystical and theological tradition, wherein the spiritual path is segmented according to the ontological stations of the aspirants. As observed in the works of mystics such as Ibn Arabi and Attar, the stages of spiritual progression mirror the degrees of knowledge and sincerity of the seeker. General repentance is akin to a seed planted in the soil of human existence, yet not fully matured into fruition.
In this lesson, repentance is analogised to a surgical procedurean arduous and weighty act demanding precision, pain, and fundamental transformation. Sin is depicted as a defect within the soul that is not easily rectified and necessitates divine facilitation. This metaphor elucidates the profundity and complexity of repentance, portraying it as not merely an external act but a deep internal metamorphosis.
This perspective harmonises with mystical theology, which regards sin as a spiritual malady and repentance as its cure. Just as surgery purges the body of defects, repentance liberates the soul from the defilements of sin. This notion resonates with the noble verse of the Quran:
إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ
(Al-Furqn 25:70 Translated by : "Except for those who repent and believe and do righteous deeds, for those Allah will replace their evil deeds with good.")
Repentance is unattainable without divine facilitation. Human beings alone lack the capacity to attain this truth, and occasionally, despite the intention to repent, one may fall into sin, or conversely, through the very intent to sin, one may be guided to humility and repentance. This phenomenon underscores the pivotal role of divine grace and gift in the process of repentance, directing the individual towards the good.
This principle aligns with the following Quranic verse:
وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
(Hud 11:88 Translated by : "And my success is not but through Allah.")
Divine facilitation resembles a gentle breeze steering the ship of the soul towards the shore of salvation; absent this breeze, the individual drifts aimlessly in the whirlpool of sin and heedlessness.
General repentance, albeit imperfect, is esteemed as valuable, since its attainment signals a manifestation of divine favour. This stage is comparable to the initial step that initiates the seeker onto the spiritual path, notwithstanding its distance from perfection and sincerity.
This view adopts an encouraging stance towards repentance, regarding even its most flawed form as a positive stride toward perfection. General repentance functions like a spark capable of igniting the flame of knowledge within the human heart, provided it is accompanied by sincerity and insight.
General repentance is flawed due to its focus on istiktr al-ahthe excessive accumulation of obedience for the sake of accruing reward. This motivation engenders three fundamental shortcomings: denial of the blessings of concealment and reprieve, the presumption of mastery over the Divine, and egotistical self-sufficiency.
The excessive pursuit of obedience is akin to amassing a treasure which, rather than drawing one closer to God, results in greed for recompense and ostentation. This deficiency stems from the distinction between obedience rendered solely for Gods proximity and obedience performed for the sake of reward. Pure obedience seeks nearness to God; general repentance, due to impure intentions, diverges from this exalted objective.
One of the defects of general repentance lies in the denial of the blessing of concealment (sitr)the veiling of sinsand reprieve (imhl)Gods granting of respite. The common individual, fixated on their own acts of obedience, neglects the indispensable grace of divine concealment of their sins and the bestowal of delay. This neglect resembles ignoring a pristine spring which God has provided to cleanse the servants transgressions.
This perspective aligns consistently with the noble Quranic verse:
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ
(Ash-Shr: 25) (s translation: And He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons evil deeds.)
The common form of repentance, due to its emphasis on the multiplicity of acts of obedience, results in a sense of entitlement from God, as though the human being holds a right over the Divine through their deeds. This perspective stands in stark contradiction with the monotheistic theology wherein God is understood as utterly independent of any need or obligation. The layperson resembles a labourer who, having fulfilled his duty, demands wages from his master, unaware that the masters grace far surpasses any owed recompense.
This concept aligns with the noble verse of the Quran:
لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ
(An-Najm: 39) (s translation: And for man there is nothing but that which he strives for.)
Nonetheless, from a mystical standpoint, human effort must be pure and solely for God, rather than for seeking reward.
The common repentance leads to psychological self-sufficiency and arrogance, whereby the individual perceives themselves as independent of Divine forgiveness. This tyrannical selfhood functions like a fortress in which the human being takes refuge; yet, this fortress simultaneously distances them from nearness to God.
This critique coheres with the mystical notion of fan (annihilation), whereby the seeker must rid themselves entirely of any self-exaltation and self-sufficiency to attain Divine proximity.
The sixty-sixth lesson delineates between obedience rendered for God (li-ah) and obedience rendered for reward (<em<li-th-thawb). Pure obedience, undertaken for the sake of Divine proximity, holds true value; in contrast, obedience motivated by the desire for reward is tainted by covetousness and ostentation.
This concept is consonant with the exalted Quranic verse:
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ
(Al-Bayyinah: 5) (s translation: And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion.)
Obedience for God resembles a swallow flying towards the heavens of knowledge, whereas obedience for reward resembles a bird ensnared within the cage of desire.
Referring to the hadith, The good deeds of the righteous are the sins of the near ones, the lesson emphasises that the merits of ordinary individuals, due to impure intentions, are regarded as sins from the perspective of the spiritually near. This hadith points to the distinctions in levels of knowledge and sincerity.
This viewpoint aligns with the mystical notion of fan f Allh (annihilation in God), where the seeker must abandon every non-Divine intention, even in virtuous deeds. The common virtues resemble fruit with a beautiful exterior but a worthless core due to covetousness and hypocrisy.
The sixty-sixth lesson stresses that knowledge, not deeds, constitutes the fundamental principle in spiritual journeying. Action without knowledge is akin to a hollow mould lacking substance. This concept harmonises with the Quranic verse:
فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
(Muhammad: 19) (s translation: So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah.)
Knowledge serves as a lamp illuminating the path of spiritual progress, whereas deeds without knowledge are like steps taken blindly that lead to error.
The lesson highlights the peril of hypocrisy and greed within acts of worship, which can transform good deeds into sins. Worship performed with the intention of ostentation or seeking reward resembles a fruit with a deceptive exterior but an empty, worthless interior.
This idea accords with the Quranic verses:
فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ * الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ * الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ
(Al-Mn: 46) (s translation: So woe to those who pray, [But] who are heedless of their prayer, Those who make show [of their deeds].)
The Divine saints are chosen by God owing to their sincerity and selflessness in worship. They resemble lovers who dedicate themselves solely to the beloved out of love, devoid of any desire for reward.
This notion is corroborated by the Quranic verse:
إِنَّا أَخْلَصْنَاهُمْ بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَى الدَّارِ
(d: 46) (s translation: Indeed, We chose them with a pure remembrance of the Home [the Hereafter].)
The sixty-sixth lesson of Manzil as-Sirn, focusing on common repentance, examines its deficiencies and the implications for the human relationship with the Exalted God. Although common repentance signifies Divine grace and marks the commencement of the spiritual journey, it falls short of perfection due to defective motives such as the overabundance of obedience, ingratitude for concealed blessings and respite, a sense of entitlement towards God, and psychological self-sufficiency. This lesson, by emphasising the critical importance of knowledge and sincerity, demonstrates that righteous deeds devoid of pure intention are like an empty shell lacking genuine value. Quranic verses, such as Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds; those Allah will replace their evil deeds with good (Quran), underscore the transformative power of sincere repentance.
This discourse invites reflection upon ones intentions in worship and repentance. Common repentance is akin to a spark that may ignite into the fire of knowledge, provided it is accompanied by sincerity and understanding. The Divine saints, through pure and selfless worship, present a paradigm for seekers in which obedience is performed solely for Divine proximity, not for reward or ostentation. This treatise guides the human soul towards a repentance cleansed of desire and hypocrisy, pulsating solely with love for the Beloved.
