the lectures of Nokounam Session Seventy-Two, Chapter on Muhsabah, Part One.
The seventy-second station of the esteemed Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, is devoted to explicating the station of muhsabah (self-accountability) in the mystical journey. This station, grounded upon Quranic versesmost notably verse 18 of Srah al-ashrintroduces muhsabah as a stage subsequent to repentance that guides the seeker toward self-awareness, the eradication of ignorance and polytheism, and the rectification of the relationship with the Divine Essence. Muhsabah functions as a crystal-clear mirror, reflecting the self and the seekers actions before them, enabling emancipation from heedlessness and self-conceit through epistemic insight and suspicion toward the nafs (self).
Muhsabah is a station that emerges subsequent to repentance in the mystical progression, inviting the seeker to vigilantly monitor their nafs and deeds. This station is elucidated through the reference to verse 18 of Srah al-ashr, which illumines the path of spiritual progress as a radiant beacon:
This verse situates the core of muhsabah in self-supervision of actions and preparedness for the Hereafter. The notion of taqw (God-consciousness) here encompasses not only the abandonment of sin but also the dispelling of ignorance and polytheism, prerequisites for authentic muhsabah. Muhsabah, as a vigilant guardian, summons the seeker to examine their past and prepare for the future, thereby traversing the path of spiritual health through the recognition of the self and its deeds.
Muhsabah is a station actualised following the firm resolve and binding covenant of repentance. Repentance functions as a robust foundation, preparing the seekers heart for the supervision of the nafs. Khwajah Abdullah Ansari emphasises that the seeker embarks upon muhsabah only after a resolute determination and a solemn covenant in repentance. The contract of the heart acts as a steadfast pledge with the Divine, protecting repentance from fragility and establishing the grounds for muhsabah.
Repentance serves as the vessel for the strength of muhsabah. This firmness is attained through the contract of the heart, namely a solemn pledge of the heart to God. The seeker, through firm resolve and unwavering determination, safeguards repentance against the assaults of the commanding nafs and its insinuations. This resolve, like a steel shield, prevents the rupture of repentance and directs the seeker towards muhsabah.
Maintaining repentance is considerably more arduous than the act of repentance itself. If repentance is likened to a surgical procedure demanding complete spiritual, psychological, and environmental readiness, then its preservation is akin to guarding a battlefield besieged on all sides by adversaries. Abandoning sin, by virtue of human volition, is easier than repentance; and repentance itself is easier than maintaining it, given its numerous conditions and the necessity of sustained resolve. The commanding nafs, akin to a refractory adversary, perpetually seeks to undermine repentance; only through firm resolve and the contract of the heart can it be stabilised.
The failure of repentance is among the greatest hazards on the spiritual path. Repentance that lacks firm resolve and covenant is akin to a fragile embryo, easily dissipated. The mystical aphorism, If you fail a hundred times in repentance, return again, alludes to the inherent fragility of repentance; however, the poet errantly restricts it to a hundred times, while repentance may be exposed to failure repeatedly. This fragility accentuates the necessity of firm resolve and strong volition to maintain repentance and advance into muhsabah.
Repentance resembles the capture of a battlefield, which is easier to attain than to preserve. Just as maintaining a conquered territory requires strength and vigilance at the front, so too does repentance necessitate firm resolve and the contract of the heart to remain protected from counterattacks of the commanding nafs. The seeker must fortify repentance, remedying any weaknesses or frailties, so that this divine covenant endures.
Following the steadfastness of repentance, muhsabah culminates in the knowledge of the self and its deeds. Such knowledge serves as a beacon illuminating the darknesses of the nafs and directing the seeker toward behavioural rectitude and the rejection of transgression. However, exclusive focus on deeds within muhsabah has been criticised, for genuine muhsabah must culminate in epistemic insight into the self and the dispelling of ignorance and polytheism.
Muhsabah is primarily a gateway to knowledge. Theoretical knowledge refers to the understanding of religious principles and truths, which forms the prerequisite for the reformation of deeds and conduct. Without knowledge, action may lead either to sin or self-conceit. Muhsabah, like an exacting scale, invites the seeker to scrutinise the intentions and objectives behind their deeds, thereby liberating them from negligence and self-deception.
One must harbour suspicion towards the nafs and avoid false optimism. The Quran, in verse 53 of Srah Ysuf, depicts the nafs as commanding evil:
The commanding nafs, as a cunning adversary, may even induce hypocrisy or neglect in good deeds. Suspicion towards the nafs restrains the seeker from false optimism and heedlessness; however, such suspicion must be tempered with realism so as not to precipitate obsessive doubt or excessive pessimism.
Due to its proximity and influence, the nafs is the greatest adversary of the seeker. This refractory enemy, through its temptations, may mislead the seeker even in acts of piety. The Quran, in verse 23 of Srah Jthiyah, warns of the danger of transforming ones nafs into a deity:
The whims of the nafs are akin to a wind blowing within the self, prompting justification of sin and polytheism. Muhsabah, through rigorous supervision of intention and motivation, preserves the seeker from this peril.
Taqw transcends mere abstention from sin, encompassing the dispelling of ignorance and polytheism. Verse 18 of Srah al-ashr, through the imperative ittaq Allh, summons the seeker to avoid ignorance, polytheism, and error. Authentic muhsabah, focusing on epistemic insight, targets the roots of transgression, guiding the seeker toward self-knowledge and rectification of the nafs.
Ignorance and polytheism constitute the principal roots of sin. The infallible one is he who is freed from these two. Muhsabah, by dispelling ignorance and polytheism, prevents the occurrence of sin and directs the seeker towards unity and knowledge. Many sins stem from heedlessness, ignorance, or polytheism, while others arise from malice and stubbornness, which are more dreadful.
The emphasis on deeds in defining taqw has been subject to critique. Taqw is primarily related to epistemic insight and the dispelling of ignorance and polytheism, not merely the abstention from sin. This critique underscores the necessity of re-evaluating mystical approaches that sometimes privilege action over knowledge.
Gnosis, akin to a radiant jewel, constitutes the essential key to resolving difficulties in mystical wayfaring and within Islamic communities. Action is the blossom of gnosis; devoid of gnosis, it remains incomplete and fruitless. The predicaments afflicting Islamic societies stem not from a paucity of deeds, but from the absence of gnosis. Ritual acts of worship, however abundant, yield no beneficial outcome without gnosis.
Even the luminaries of mysticism have, at times, neglected gnosis by overemphasising action. The oft-quoted couplet Deeds achieve what eloquence cannot has been subject to critique, for gnosis, rather than mere action, holds the key to resolving difficulties. The superiority of the two units of prayer performed by the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) over the worship of the Two Heavy Things (Thaqalayn) derives from his profound gnosis, not solely from the act itself.
The preeminence of the two rakahs (units) of prayer by the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) above the worship of the Thaqalayn is attributable to his profound gnosis. Such gnosis is like a luminous light that endows action with value. Action devoid of gnosis resembles a rootless tree, bearing no fruit.
Gnosis necessitates solitude and intimacy with the Divine. Crowdedness and multiplicity act as veils, hindering the seeker from self-knowledge and gnosis. Solitude constitutes the fertile ground upon which the seeker contemplates the self and rectifies the relationship with God. Without solitude, gnosis cannot be actualised, nor can self-accounting reach fruition.
Solitude serves as a portal to the truth, inviting the seeker towards Divine intimacy and self-awareness. The distractions of the worldfrom companions and media to the whispers of the selfimpede the actualisation of gnosis. The seeker must allocate moments each day to solitude in order to liberate themselves from multiplicity and heedlessness.
Fulfilling covenants, understood as adherence to Divine pledges including faith and repentance, fortifies the process of self-accounting. The Holy Quran emphasises this principle in verse 1 of Surah Al-Maidah:
Surah Al-Maidah, Verse 1: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ
Translation : O you who have believed, fulfil [all] contracts.
The resolve to uphold the covenant of repentance signifies fidelity to the Divine pledge and fortification of intention. Such resolve guides the seeker towards steadfastness in repentance and entry into self-accounting.
The commentator of the text confines self-accounting to the souls supervision of deeds for the Hereafter, erroneously limiting it to mere action. Divine self-accounting is, in fact, a universal process wherein all beings render account before God. This self-accounting pertains not only to the Hereafter but also encompasses worldly life, inviting the seeker to gnosis and self-reformation.
Self-accounting implies reciprocal interaction with the soul rather than mere auditing. The commanding soul, due to its obstinate nature, requires stringent supervision. This supervision directs the seeker towards the recognition of the intention and motive behind deeds, safeguarding against hypocrisy and self-deception.
Virtue manifests in stages whereby ignorance and polytheism give way to gnosis and Divine Unity. The Holy Quran emphasises these gradations in verse 32 of Surah Az-Zukhruf:
Surah Az-Zukhruf, Verse 32: فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ
Translation : We have preferred some of them over others.
Self-accounting guides the seeker to the recognition of these degrees and leads them from ignorance and polytheism to gnosis and virtue.
The seventy-second station from Manzil al-Sirn, with its focus on the chapter of self-accounting, opens a luminous path toward self-knowledge and self-reformation. Self-accounting is a station attained subsequent to repentance, through resolve and covenanting of the heart. This station invites the seeker to monitor the soul and deeds, so that through gnosis and vigilance towards the self, they may be freed from ignorance and polytheism. Piety, transcending mere abstinence from sin, points to the expulsion of the roots of transgression, while gnosis, as the key to spiritual wayfaring, transforms action into a valuable blossom. Solitude and intimacy with the Divine provide the foundation for actualising gnosis, and fulfilling covenants sustains repentance. This station, through critiquing the focus on mere action and emphasising gnosis, directs the seeker towards spiritual soundness and Divine Unity.
