of Nokounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session Sixty-Eight Chapter on Repentance Section Sixteen)
The chapter on repentance in the venerable Manzil al-Sirn by Khwja Abdullah Ansr constitutes one of the most fundamental stages in the mystical path (sulk), guiding the seeker towards returning to God and the rectification of the soul (nafs). The sixty-eighth lesson of this work focuses specifically on the third degree of repentance, namely repentance from the wasting of time, elucidating the concept of repentance while critically assessing traditional classifications thereof.
In Manzil al-Sirn, specific repentance is defined as the return from wasting time: وَتَوبَةُ الخَاصَّةِ مِنْ تَضْيِيعِ الوَقْتِ فَإِنَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَى دَرْكِ النَّقِيصَةِ وَيُطْفِئُ نُورَ المُرَاقَبَةِ وَيُكَدِّرُ عَيْنَ الصُّحْبَةِ
. This definition introduces time as the humans principal capital on the spiritual path, whose dissipation results in existential diminution, extinguishment of the light of vigilance (murqaba), and clouding of the eye of companionship with the Divine. Wasting time is likened to pouring the water of life upon the soil of heedlessness, thereby depriving the seeker of luminosity and spiritual presence.
Key Point: Specific repentance is the turning away from wasting time, which, as the humans chief capital, forms the foundation of mystical progression. Squandering this capital leads to severance from God and deprivation of vigilance and Divine companionship.
Within Islamic mysticism, time is regarded as a divine trust, with every moment representing an opportunity for nearness to the Truth. Repentance from the wasting of time invites the seeker to a heightened awareness of this capitals worth and to the reformation of their relationship with God. This level of repentance not only prevents heedlessness but also serves as the key that opens the doors to vigilance and companionship.
Khwja Abdullah Ansr categorises repentance into three degrees: the first, istikhthr al-a (excessive seeking of obedience); the second, istiqll al-maiya (underestimation of sin); and the third, repentance from wasting time. However, this classification has been critically examined on the grounds that the first two degrees, being accompanied by avarice and justification of sin, diverge from the essence of repentance and may themselves be considered transgressions. In this view, istikhthr al-a, driven by self-interest and greed for reward, and istiqll al-maiya, leading to audacity and disregard for Divine justice, are not repentance at all, but sins which deter the seeker from the path of truth.
This critique originates from Shiite mystical perspectives, which conceive repentance as a sincere return to God. Consequently, the third degree of repentance, namely turning away from wasting time, is redefined as general repentance, since awareness of times value constitutes the inception of spiritual progress and self-purification. This redefinition acts as a light dispelling the darkness of heedlessness and guiding the seeker towards self-knowledge and nearness to God.
The first degree of repentance, namely istikhthr al-a, is distant from true repentance due to its association with egoism and greed for reward. The seeker who pursues accumulation of acts of obedience appears intent on self-affirmation rather than returning to God. This self-centredness is like a broken mirror, distorting the image of the Truth. Similarly, the second degree, istiqll al-maiya, which results in the trivialisation of sin, constitutes a grave transgression as it justifies wrongdoing and inclines the seeker towards audacity and neglect of Divine justice. Rather than returning the seeker to truth, these two degrees ensnare them in heedlessness and self-deception.
Key Point: Istikhthr al-a and istiqll al-maiya, owing to lack of sincerity and justification of sin, are not repentance but transgressions, diverting the seeker from genuine return to God.
General repentance, as the foundational stage of repentance, commences with awareness of the wasting of time. Time is the humans chief capital on the spiritual journey; its dissipation leads to deprivation of spiritual blessings and disconnection from God. By reflecting on the manner in which one spends their lifespan, the seeker experiences remorse for squandering this divine trust. This remorse acts as a seed planted within the soil of the heart, culminating in the rectification of conduct and return to the Truth.
From this perspective, wasting time is not merely an obscure sin but the root of many other transgressions. Neglecting the value of time is like a river that washes away the fertile soil of the spiritual journey, hindering the seekers spiritual growth. Hence, repentance from wasting time, as the first step on the mystical path, invites the seeker to reconsider their behaviour and strive for optimal utilisation of their lifespan.
Time constitutes the fundamental capital of the human on the spiritual path, with every moment offering an opportunity for proximity to God. In mystical tradition, lifespan is considered a divine trust granted by God for the servant to attain perfection and divine nearness through its utilisation. Squandering this capital resembles burning an inexhaustible treasure that cannot be reclaimed. Therefore, repentance from wasting time entails humility and remorse before God, guiding the seeker to preserve their remaining lifespan and make the best use of it.
Key Point: Time is the humans chief capital on the path of spiritual progression, and repentance from wasting it, as general repentance, marks the commencement of self-reformation and return to God.
One of the greatest maladies afflicting Islamic societies is the neglect of recognising wasting time as a sin. While sins such as backbiting and slander are widely condemned, wasting time remains obscure and thus excluded from the sphere of sinfulness, becoming a principal obstacle on the path. This negligence acts like a shadow that extinguishes the light of knowledge in the believers heart and deprives them of spiritual blessings.
Unlike backbiting or slander, which may be rectified, wasting time, due to its irreversibility, admits no repentance except through humility and remorse. This humility is like a fire that consumes the ashes of heedlessness and leads the seeker towards reformation and vigilance. Hence, awareness of this unrecognised sin constitutes a fundamental step on the mystical journey.
Wasting time results in the dulling of the self and the extinguishing of the light of vigilance. Vigilance (murqaba) functions as a lamp illuminating the seekers heart and maintaining their course towards truth. Squandering time extinguishes this lamp, plunging the seeker into the darkness of heedlessness. Moreover, wasting time clouds the spring of companionship with God, depriving the seeker of spiritual presence and intimate connection with the Divine.
This dulling resembles a dust settling upon the mirror of the heart, obscuring the image of the Truth. The seeker who wastes their time appears to burn their very breaths in the furnace of heedlessness, thereby forfeiting opportunities for nearness to God. Therefore, repentance from wasting time entails the removal of this dust and restoration of the light of vigilance within the heart.
Key Point: Wasting time causes dulling of the self, extinguishing of the light of vigilance, and severance from Divine companionship, all of which constitute principal impediments on the mystical path.
Wasting time leads to spiritual deprivation and severance from God. The seeker who neglects to make use of their divine moments metaphorically closes the doors of mercy upon themselves, depriving themselves of the grace of presence. This deprivation is akin to thirst by a clear spring, denying the seeker the drink of the water of life. Accordingly, awareness of times value and repentance from its wastage guides the seeker towards the spring of Divine companionship.
The sacred Quranic verse proclaims: وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِكُمْ تَحِيَّةً مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ طَيِّبَةً مُّبَارَكَةً (Surah An-Nur: 61, translated by : And send greetings upon yourselves, a pure and blessed greeting from God). This verse underscores the necessity of self-knowledge as a prerequisite for appreciating the value of time. A seeker ignorant of their own essence cannot truly comprehend or benefit from their allotted moments.
The phrase al anfusikum functions as a mirror reflecting the human existential identity. Absent recognition of this identity, time, akin to a precious jewel, is squandered in the hands of the unaware. Therefore, self-knowledge, as the key to temporal awareness, guides the seeker towards understanding the manifold temporalities and utilising them optimally.
Time extends not merely in a linear fashion but across the manifold dimensions of human existence length, breadth, depth, and vicinity. The squandering of these temporal moments is analogous to the burning of a fertile garden whose spiritual fruits are thereby lost to waste. A seeker, by becoming cognisant of these dimensions, is empowered to gather his existential faculties and thus liberate himself from dispersion and fragmentation. This aggregation of faculties resembles the convergence of light rays into a single focal point, generating a formidable power capable of severing the chains of heedlessness.
The wastage of time by a scholar constitutes a manifest sin, one that invalidates his justice and renders it impermissible to follow him in prayer. Owing to his social and spiritual responsibilities, the scholar is duty-bound to preserve his time as a divine trust. This trust is akin to a precious gem belonging to the community; to dissipate it is to commit treason against this trust. Within the Shii cultural framework, the scholar is likened to a lamp tasked with illuminating the path for society, and the wastage of time extinguishes this lamp.
The time of the scholar resembles a domain entrusted to him for the service of others. In contrast to the layperson, who may regard his time as solely his own, the scholar possesses no right to squander it, for his time is a trust owed to the community. This responsibility is a heavy burden upon his shoulders, compelling him to utilise his time optimally in the service of religion and humanity.
The narrative of Allameh Hilli stands as a luminous exemplar of dedication to time. Even during a pilgrimage to Karbala, he devoted his moments to composing the book Tabsirat al-Mutaallimn, thereby avoiding the dissipation of spiritual opportunities. This dedication serves as a beacon illuminating the path of eminent scholars, demonstrating that even during recommended acts, obligatory duties retain precedence.
The account of Akhoond Khorasani and his student Agha Zia provides another paradigm of attentiveness to time. Owing to the significance of study and its role in intellectual development, Akhoond Khorasani reproached his pupil for tardiness in class caused by attendance at the Musalla of Suhailah. This anecdote mirrors the intrinsic value of time within the pursuit of knowledge and spiritual progress, emphasising the imperative of task prioritisation.
Consolidation of faculties entails the gathering of all existential powers towards the realisation of spiritual and intellectual objectives. This process resembles the focusing of sunlight upon a single point, which generates a tremendous power capable of incinerating obstacles. The seeker, by such consolidation, liberates himself from distraction and dispersion, directing his time towards exalted ends.
The metaphor presented within this lesson compares consolidation of faculties to the heroic exertion of severing chains. Such exertion necessitates speed, momentum, and coordination, achievable solely through undivided focus on the objective. A scholar who applies this focus in study, teaching, or writing resembles a mountain-splitting hero who, through noble resolve, fractures the rocks of heedlessness.
Dispersion of faculties, signifying the scattering of energies and failure to concentrate upon the goal, constitutes a principal impediment to success in spiritual progression and scholarship. A seeker who disperses his faculties is akin to spreading his light within the darkness of heedlessness, thereby obstructing his arrival at the destination. This dispersion is like winds scattering fertile soil, rendering the field of spiritual endeavour barren.
Lesson sixty-eight of the chapter on repentance in Manzil al-Sirn, focusing on repentance from the squandering of time, elucidates the concept of repentance and critiques Khwaja Abdullah Ansaris tripartite classification thereof. This lesson identifies the squandering of time as a foundational sin the head of sins which leads to the darkening of the self, the extinguishing of the light of vigilance, and severance from communion with the Divine. The critique of the first and second levels of repentance (excessive reliance on obedience and independence in sinning) underscores the necessity of sincerity and pure return to God. The noble verse وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِكُمْ (Srah An-Nr: 61, ) introduces self-knowledge as a prerequisite for temporal awareness. The narratives of Allameh Hilli and Akhoond Khorasani offer brilliant exemplars of diligence towards time and the consolidation of faculties within the path of knowledge and spiritual journeying. This text thus summons the seeker to appreciate the value of time and amend his conduct accordingly.
