the lecture series of Nokoonam, may his sanctity remain (Session 70 Chapter of Repentance Eighteenth Section)
The chapter of repentance in the venerable Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, constitutes one of the fundamental stages of the mystical journey (sulk) that directs the seeker toward the rectification of their relationship with the Divine and liberation from existential heedlessness. The seventieth lesson of this treatise, focusing on the concept of repentance from the squandering of time, elucidates the paramount importance of being present in the Divine presence and abstaining from spiritual degradation.
Mystical time denotes a moment in which the seeker becomes immersed in the vision (mushhada) of the Truth and approaches the station of unification (jam), without however attaining complete mastery (tamakkun). This state represents nearness to perfection rather than perfection itself. As the original text articulates: By time is meant the moment of immersion in witnessing, the threshold of the station of unification, without reaching the degree of mastery; this is nearness to perfection.
Such a moment resembles a divine spark illuminating the seekers heart with the light of the Truth, yet perseverance therein demands constant vigilance and mindfulness.
Within Islamic mysticism, mystical time functions as a bridge between the multiplicity of creation and Divine unity. The seeker, in this instant, is liberated from the determinations of the self and stands in the Divine presence, yet has not attained the station of the White Hand (Yad al-Bay) and total control. This proximity to perfection is analogous to approaching the sun of Reality, yet its full radiance remains inaccessible.
The squandering of mystical time propels the seeker towards deficiency and estrangement from perfection. The original text states: Its squandering leads to the perception of deficiency which necessitates repentance accompanied by constant preservation of the time.
Such heedlessness is tantamount to losing the precious gem of Divine presence, causing the seeker to fall into dispersion and spiritual decline. Repentance from this wastefulness is attainable only through continuous safeguarding of ones time and presence before the Divine, itself requiring alertness and perseverance.
Preserving time entails maintaining continual awareness of Divine presence. This vigilance resembles guarding a priceless treasure which is perpetually susceptible to plunder by heedlessness. Through such repentance, the seeker averts falling into deficiency and is directed towards perfection.
The original text introduces repentance from squandering time as the initial stage of repentance: During the exposition of the categories of repentance, it was stated that the first stage of repentance is repentance from squandering time.
This repentance signifies the commencement of the mystical journey, wherein the seeker turns away from regret over past heedlessness and seeks to rectify their relationship with time as a Divine trust. This stage functions as a cleansing of the hearts soil from the weeds of heedlessness to enable the sowing of the seed of gnosis.
In this stage, the seeker re-examines their past, remorseful for having wasted time on futile matters or even virtuous deeds that lacked Divine presence. Such repentance forms the foundation for advancing towards God and amending the precious capital of time.
The original text, through critiquing traditional categorisations, repositions the squandering of time from the third stage (specific repentance) to the first stage (general repentance): Thus, our assertion is that squandering time is not the third stage of repentance, rather it is the first stage.
This redefinition resembles an amendment of the spiritual itinerary, presenting squandering time as the principal obstacle to drawing near to God.
This viewpoint underscores the necessity to revise conventional perspectives on repentance. Squandering time is like a dust cloud that obscures the mirror of the heart and prevents the reflection of the light of Truth. Repentance from it is the first step in polishing this mirror.
Repentance from squandering time pertains exclusively to the lovers (muibbn), not the beloved (mabbn). The original text clarifies: Our attribution of squandering time as the first stage of repentance is with regard to the lovers, not the beloved.
The lovers are seekers who, through exertion and spiritual practice, pursue the love of God, whereas the beloved are the Divine saints who enjoy special Divine grace.
The lovers resemble travellers at the outset of a journey, burdened with heedlessness and deficiency, moving towards the Divine destination. Their repentance functions as lightening this load to facilitate a smoother journey.
The beloved also possess repentance; however, their repentance is not from squandering time: The beloved also have repentance, but theirs is not repentance from squandering time.
Their repentance pertains to loftier stations commensurate with their elevated spiritual ranks. The beloved are like stars in the firmament of gnosis, whose radiance emanates from the Divine source, and their repentance consists in refining this light for increased brilliance.
This distinction indicates the various spiritual stages within the mystical path. The lovers seek to amend their outward heedlessness, whereas the beloved pursue transcendence and absolute perfection within their existential states.
The original text identifies the primary audience of Manzil al-Sirn as the lovers and the weak: These books are written for the weak and the lovers.
This work serves as a guide for seekers at the inception of the spiritual journey who require direction to rectify their conduct and draw nearer to the Truth.
This audience specification indicates the exalted objective of the book in providing a clear pathway for those who have not yet attained the higher mystical stations. Manzil al-Sirn functions as a map that facilitates the path for novice travellers.
Squandering time among the general populace implies passing ones life in idleness, sin, and futility: Squandering time itself has stages; one is the ordinary people, for whom repentance is also necessary.
This general repentance constitutes the initial step in reforming conduct for those afflicted by quotidian heedlessness.
This level of repentance resembles washing a soiled garment to cleanse it of stains of sin and idleness, thus preparing it to be worn in the Divine presence.
For the seeker and the mystic, squandering time signifies absence from the Divine presence, even if the time is devoted to acts of goodness or scholarship: When we say the first category of repentance is squandering time, we mean squandering time from the presence of the Truth.
This heedlessness resembles getting lost in the byways, preventing the seeker from reaching the principal destination.
The seeker may devote their life to research, service, or the pursuit of perfection; yet, if these actions occur without awareness of the Divine presence, they culminate in squandering time. This Divine presence is like a light elevating acts from mere formality to profound spiritual reality.
Engagement with affairs other than the Truthsuch as the world, knowledge, and creationwithout the Divine presence amounts to squandering time: The seeker might not have passed their time in idleness, but lacked the presence of the Truth, being engaged in other than the Divine presence such as the world, knowledge, creation, and so forth.
This engagement resembles wandering in a garden whose flowers lack Divine fragrance.
This critique underscores the importance of sincerity in deeds. Every act, even a virtuous one, if devoid of Divine orientation, loses its spiritual significance and efficacy...
Occasionally, eminent sages and scholars repent for their insufficient attention to the Holy Quran: Hence, it is that sometimes great masters, mystics, scholars, and predecessors repent for why they did not devote themselves to the Quran. Such repentance reveals their profound awareness of the Qurans pivotal role in the mystical path.
The Holy Quran is akin to a pristine spring from which mystics and seekers of the path quench their spiritual thirst. Neglecting it, even amongst scholars, constitutes a form of wasted time that urgently demands rectification.
The original text alludes to Mulla Sadras criticism directed at both Avicenna and himself: You see that a figure such as the late Mulla Sadra raises objections to Avicenna and even to himself. This critique exemplifies the profound self-awareness of great scholars regarding the limitations of intellectual endeavours undertaken absent the Divine Truth.
This self-awareness acts like a mirror, reflecting the flaws in ones deeds and inviting sincere repentance and reform. Even knowledge pursued with benevolent intent possesses limited value if it is not dedicated to God.
Knowledge acquired without attention to God constitutes an instance of wasted time: It might be said, I have spent my life in pursuit of knowledge, yet it has been knowledge without God. Such knowledge resembles a gem losing its brilliance amidst the darkness of heedlessness.
Within Islamic mysticism, genuine knowledge is that which is attained with sincerity and for the sake of pleasing God. Knowledge pursued for selfish or worldly ends is bereft of spiritual truth.
Preoccupation with knowledge for ones own sake represents a form of time-wasting: I was engaged in knowledge, but not for You! Rather, it was for myself, which itself constitutes wasted time. This repentance directs the seeker towards sincerity and purification of intention.
Sincerity functions as a key that unlocks the heart, preparing it to receive the divine light. Actions performed without this key remain distant from the essence of true repentance.
Absence from the Divine presence leads to remoteness, multiplicity, heedlessness, and deprivation: Without the presence of the Truth, remoteness, multiplicity, heedlessness, and deprivation befall the individual. This absence acts as a shadow obscuring the light of gnosis and propelling the seeker towards existential fragmentation.
These consequences form the principal obstacle to nearness to God. The seeker must incessantly repent to dispel these shadows from the heart and return to the light of presence.
Vanity and ostentation bar the heart from Gods presence: When a person succumbs to vanity and ostentation, no space remains for God. Such self-centeredness acts as a veil that distances the divine light from the heart.
In Islamic mysticism, the seekers heart must be as a clear mirror reflecting solely the light of God. Ostentation clouds this mirror and diverts the seeker from the path of spiritual progress.
The original text, citing the phrase You are a companion on the journey, refers to companionship with God on the mystical path: This path is not without a companion; rather, the master of the path walks it. Such companionship rescues the seeker from loneliness and heedlessness.
This companionship resembles the presence of a faithful friend who guides the seeker through the intricate twists of the way and safeguards against misguidance.
The mystic is one who does not move without the vision of the Truth: The mystic is one who does not stir without perceiving the Truth! This state denotes continuous presence before the Divine.
The vision of the Truth is like a lamp illuminating the mystics path, protecting him from all forms of negligence and deviation. This presence connects the mystics heart directly to divine light.
The original text, citing the noble verse إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (Surah Al-Anm: 162, Foladvand translation: My prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all worlds), emphasises sincerity in all actions. Deeds possess value only when dedicated to God.
This sincerity serves as a soul breathing life into the body of actions. Without it, deeds become lifeless shells deprived of spiritual essence.
The saints of God possess nothing other than acts of worship: The friends of God have nothing but acts of worship. Such deeds resemble streams flowing into the boundless divine ocean, guiding the seeker toward the ultimate goal.
Acts of worship performed with sincerity and divine presence distinguish the saints from others, elevating their deeds to perfection.
The original text, invoking the verse وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا لِلَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ (Surah Al-Bayyinah: 5, Foladvand translation: And they were commanded only to worship Allah, sincerely devoting the religion to Him), highlights sincere worship.
This worship is like a flower blossoming only to perfume the Divine Presence, not to attract human attention or worldly reward.
Lovers of God must perpetually repent from their heedlessness: Hence, one must repent from these heedlessnesses and must always repent. Such repentance resembles water cleansing the heart of the dust of negligence.
Continuous repentance signals the seekers vigilance against the barriers to spiritual progress. Each stage of the path presents new challenges necessitating constant reform and remorse.
Sincerity is a formidable responsibility: I find it difficult to bear the heavy burden of being those sincere to Him in religion. To be upright (Hanif) entails detachment from worldly attachments and a pure orientation towards God.
This difficulty resembles ascending a mountain whose summit is bathed in divine light. The seeker must persist with endurance and sincerity along this ascent.
Heedlessness about the necessity of repentance signals ignorance: How heedless is the one who says, From what should I repent? This attitude resembles being lost in the darkness of ignorance, distancing the seeker from spiritual truth.
This heedlessness stems from a lack of self-awareness. The seeker must, with insight, recognise personal flaws and move towards correction.
Every deed, even if virtuous, requires repentance if it lacks sincerity: Whatever you have done, you must repent; and one wishes sometimes that one had done nothing rather than what one does. Inaction, at times, is exempt from deficiency.
This view invites liberation from carnal determinations. A deed performed without divine presence is like a shadow deprived of the light of truth.
The original text, citing the phrase The bankrupt is in the protection of God, prefers inaction due to its exemption from defect: He did nothing, hence had no problem. The bankrupt is one safe from the defects arising from imperfect deeds.
This condition resembles liberation from the heavy burden of determinacies, guiding the seeker towards true freedom.
Repentance is not a mere tongue-twister: Repentance is not a mere verbal formula; unfortunately, sometimes we act otherwise. This superficial approach resembles toying with the precious gem of repentance, diminishing its value.
True repentance is a profound internal process requiring awareness, regret, and genuine reform, not a perfunctory act performed to gain merit.
The term "time" here does not denote the ordinary, mundane, or conventional understanding of temporal intervals; rather, it signifies the mystical time experienced during complete immersion in the vision of the Truth: What is meant by time is not the ordinary, common time, but the mystical time at the moment of complete immersion in the witnessing.
This moment resembles a deep dive into the boundless ocean of divine knowledge.
This mystical time liberates the spiritual seeker from the contingencies of creation and draws them nearer to the existential unity. Its value depends fundamentally on vigilance and the maintenance of presence.
Mystical time pertains intimately to the station of unity: The elevated vantage point of the station of unity implies that it occurs within the vessel of divine oneness and unity.
This insight is akin to gazing upon a summit yet to be fully conquered.
The station of unity refers to the existential oneness to which the seeker advances at this stage, albeit without having attained full mastery.
At this stage, the seeker has not yet reached the degree of mastery: Without attaining the threshold of mastery, the place where the 'white hand' acts has not yet been realized.
The white hand symbolizes divine intervention and control, which manifest at the loftier levels of spiritual progression.
This limitation represents a gap between the seeker and the pinnacle of perfection, one that is traversable only through persistent endeavour and unwavering vigilance.
Mystical time embodies proximity to perfection: This is the nearness to perfection; yet what is perfection itself?
True perfection is actualized in the station of mastery and concealment.
This nearness is analogous to approaching the solar radiance of truth; however, perfection entails union with the Divine Essence and the realization of exalted spiritual stations.
The paramount station among the saints is concealment: The most significant station held by the saints is their station of concealment.
Concealment involves safeguarding divine secrets and refraining from public disclosure of spiritual states.
This station resembles a treasure securely hidden within the hearts of the saints, revealed only unto the Truth.
The wastage of the moment of presence precipitates a descent into deficiency: If one squanders the moment of presence, it inevitably leads to the attainment of deficiency and descent.
This descent resembles a fall from a summit the seeker arduously approached.
This degradation results from negligence in maintaining presence before the Truth, which drives the seeker towards multiplicity and fragmentation.
Repentance for wasting time is actualized through the continual preservation of presence with the Truth: Repentance necessitates perseverance in its preservation Continuity in vigilance is superior.
Such constancy resembles an unremitting guarding of the treasure of presence.
Continuous protection requires steadfastness and alertness, shielding the seeker from heedlessness and deviation.
At times, the seeker becomes weary along the path: Occasionally, the seeker grows tired of Gods path.
This exhaustion stems from erroneous guidance or a weak mentor.
This fatigue weighs heavily like a burdensome load, hindering the seeker from advancing further.
Two categories are immune to fatigue: Two groups do not tire on the path: the beloved, who need no mentor, and the devoted who have a capable and enlightened guide.
This immunity arises either from divine grace or proper guidance.
The beloved are akin to celestial birds whose wings are illuminated by divine light, while the devoted with a proficient mentor resemble travellers led correctly to their destination.
An incompetent mentor complicates the path: If the mentor is inept, the seeker imagines a great and heavy mountain obstructs the way.
Conversely, a competent mentor smooths the path.
The mentor functions as a guiding lamp illuminating the road. An ineffective mentor extinguishes this light, leaving the seeker lost in the darkness of error.
The decline due to wasting time leads to division and multiplicity: Decline by wastage inevitably results in division; multiplicity and turmoil arise.
This division resembles the scattering of prayer beads whose thread has snapped.
Such fragmentation constitutes the principal barrier to divine unity, remediable through contemplation and repentance.
Contemporary mysticism is often tainted with misguidance: In many of its paths today, mysticism is misled.
This deviation is the consequence of problematic routes and misguided guides.
This error is analogous to a path leading not to the divine destination but to the quagmire of egoistic desires. True mysticism remains untouched by such corruptions.
The way of the prophets and saints is a clear, pristine path: The path of the prophets and saints is a pure, straight path.
This route is devoid of any contamination by carnal desires.
This pathway resembles a road illuminated by the light of divine guidance, steering the seeker toward the true objective.
Mysticism tainted by carnal lusts reaches no true destination: Occasionally, mysticism is contaminated along the way, resulting in stagnation.
Such contamination acts as a poison, corrupting the essence of mysticism.
True mysticism is grounded in sincerity and purity. Any carnal defilement inevitably diverts it from its true course.
Excess and neglect in mysticism diverge from its truth: Among the literalists, some declare Saying Bismillah is forbidden, while others assert Everything is permissible.
Moderation remains the key to spiritual progress.
This moderation resembles a line drawn between two precipices of extremism and negligence, guiding the seeker towards the intended destination.
Repentance without knowledge is impossible: Does anyone desire to repent? Is repentance feasible without knowledge?
Knowledge entails the recognition of the reality of actions and divine boundaries.
This knowledge functions like a lamp illuminating the path of repentance, rescuing the seeker from misguidance.
Repentance requires an object: Repentance requires an object (wasting the moment of presence before the Truth).
Awareness of ones failures is essential for genuine repentance.
Without this awareness, the seekers attempts at repentance resemble futile rituals devoid of meaning.
Hudur, or presence, constitutes the essence of spiritual life: Hudur is the essence of the entire spiritual path.
This presence involves mindfulness, awareness, and the continuous connection with the Divine.
Hudur is the hearts illumination, without which the spiritual journey loses its vitality and direction.
True knowledge and repentance transcend mere verbal declarations: Knowing means the complete understanding of the divine reality; repentance means the hearts sincere return and turning to God.
These experiences are internal and transformative, impacting the entirety of the seekers being.
