the lecture series of Nokounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session Ninety-Nine Chapter of Remembrance Part Five).
The present manuscript constitutes a scholarly rearticulation of Nokounams venerable lectures elucidating two chapters from Khwaja Abdullah Ansaris Manzil al-Sirn, with a primary focus on the profound concepts of contemplation and remembrance. This work is structured into two principal sections dedicated to the Chapter of Contemplation and the Chapter of Remembrance, whereby rigorous analyses pave the path toward a more precise understanding of the mystical journey.
The chapter on contemplation, regarded as the initial station of the mystical path, denotes a measured and deliberate progression from the outset toward the spiritual goal, wherein the seeker, through reflection and deliberation, systematises their actions and states. This chapter, meticulously examined in Nokounams lectures, rests upon three foundational pillars: the preservation of knowledge, the correction of prevailing customs, and the repulsion of otherness. These pillars stand firm as the columns guiding contemplation as a bridge toward gnosis and righteous action.
In the mystical perspective, contemplation transcends mere intellectual reflection; it embodies a harmonised and purposeful movement from beginnings toward divine objectives. This movement, unfolding within the framework of deeds and states, necessitates precision and coordination to remain safeguarded against deviation and deficiency. Nokounam emphasises that contemplation bears fruit only when accompanied by authentic knowledge, the removal of conventional obstacles, and the dispelling of otherness. Like a pristine stream, this current springs forth from the fountainhead of knowledge and merges into the ocean of gnosis.
The preservation of knowledge, signifying the accompaniment of learning and awareness in every act and reflection, constitutes the fundamental pillar of contemplation. The seeker, to be truly contemplative, must possess the scientific apparatus for every endeavour. Worship, commerce, or any other act devoid of scholarly foundation does not arise from contemplation and cannot partake in a harmonised movement. Knowledge is akin to a lamp illuminating the seekers path, delivering them from the darkness of ignorance and misguidance. To employ Nokounams metaphor, a seeker without knowledge resembles a driver unaware of driving techniques, lost on a winding road.
قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
(Surah Az-Zumar, Verse 9): Say, Are those who know equal to those who do not know? (s translation). This Quranic verse underscores the preeminence of knowledge and its pivotal role in guidance. The mystic seeker must be a divinely learned individual who orders their deeds and states through knowledge.
The second pillar of contemplation is the correction of prevailing customs. Customs denote habits and practices widespread among people, which are occasionally accompanied by deviation and deficiency. To maintain harmonised contemplation, the seeker must purify these customs and avoid blind imitation. Nokounam stresses that the seeker should neither wholly reject customs nor follow them naively. Rather, with discernment and reflection, the seeker must select what accords with truth and Divine Law and eschew that which is false and erroneous. This purification resembles polishing a mirror, allowing the image of truth to reflect clearly within the seekers heart.
The third pillar, repulsion of otherness, signifies liberation from carnal attachments and the love of what is not the Truthsuch as attachment to child, wealth, or the world. These attachments cast veils upon the seekers heart, destabilising their measured movement toward the Truth. Nokounam declares that only when the seekers heart is purified from otherness and filled solely with Divine love can true contemplation emerge. This process resembles excavating a hard terrain to discover a clear spring, achievable only through detachment from worldly bonds.
وَمَنْ يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
(Surah Al-Hashr, Verse 9): And whoever is saved from the stinginess of his soul it is those who will be the successful. (s translation). This Quranic verse emphasises the necessity of liberation from selfish greed and covetousness toward that which is not Divine.
Within the mystical journey, seekers are categorised into two groups: the Beloved and the Lovers. The Lovers progress toward gnosis through exertion and spiritual discipline, uncovering the spring of knowledge by digging into the self. Conversely, the Beloved attain Divine knowledge by virtue of Gods grace and innate aptitude, without the necessity of such effort. Nokounam likens this difference to an apple that falls from top to bottom (Beloved) or ascends from bottom to top (Lovers). This distinction signifies the varying degrees of the mystical path and Divine grace.
The chapter of contemplation, as the initial station of the spiritual journey, invites the seeker to a harmonised and measured movement unfolding within actions and states. This movement is rendered possible through the preservation of knowledge, the correction of customs, and the repulsion of otherness. Knowledge functions as a lamp illuminating the path; purification of customs polishes the hearts mirror; and liberation from otherness directs the heart toward Divine love. This section underscores the imperative coordination of thought, knowledge, and action, establishing contemplation as the foundational basis for deeper spiritual progress.
The chapter of remembrance, regarded as a loftier station beyond contemplation, guides the seeker toward Divine truths and realities. This chapter, expounded with profundity in Nokounams lectures, rests upon three principles: heedfulness to Divine promises and warnings, striving for felicity and avoidance of misery, and attainment of the fruit of contemplation. Focusing on the concept al-afar bi-Thamarat al-Fikra (victory through the fruit of thought), this section elucidates the role of knowledge, righteous deeds, and innate insights in the mystical journey.
Remembrance signifies the awakening of the heart and its continual attention to Divine truth, marking a stage that guides the seeker beyond superficial thought toward inner knowledge. This station is founded upon three principles: attention to Divine promises and threats, endeavour toward felicity and avoidance of wretchedness, and attainment of the fruits of contemplation. al-afar bi-Thamarat al-Fikra, as the third principle, denotes the intellectual and practical fruition of knowledge and mindfulness, guiding the seeker toward righteous action and innate truths.
The attainment of the fruit of thought bifurcates into two distinct categories: firstly, the knowledge that arises from sound reasoning and culminates in righteous action; secondly, the knowledge that emanates from spiritual remembrance (dhikr) and the heart, ultimately leading to innate truths and esoteric realities. These two classifications demarcate the distinction between the spiritual journey within the mental vessel and that within the vessel of the heart. Nokounam, , emphasises that the former pertains primarily to external deeds, whereas the latter ushers the seeker towards intrinsic and innate gnosis.
The first category of victory comprises knowledge that springs from sound and intact reasoning, subsequently resulting in virtuous deeds. Sound reasoning is a rational contemplation aligned with reality, immune to error, and leading to divine and ethical conduct. This knowledge may be likened to a seed sown within the soil of intellect, bearing the fruit of righteous action. Nokounam, , analogises this process to driving a vehicle: without mastery of its mechanics, the movement is blind and unproductive.
The second type of victory is knowledge that springs from internal remembrance and heartfelt attention, guiding the seeker toward innate truths and metaphysical realities. This knowledge flows within the realm of the heart and innate disposition (fitrah), directing the wayfarer toward verities transcending superficial intellect. Nokounam, , compares this knowledge to a gushing spring that, once uncovered from the soil of innate disposition, flows eternally.
يُرْزَقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
(Surah Aal-Imran, Ayah 37): "He grants provision without measure to whom He wills" . This Quranic verse accentuates the boundlessness of divine knowledge and the pivotal role of Divine grace in accessing such knowledge.
Knowledge, unlike mere information, is dynamic and generative. Information resembles dusty books confined to shelves finite and static whereas knowledge arises from sound reasoning and culminates in an inexhaustible ocean of gnosis. Nokounam, , elucidates this distinction through the metaphor of a living seed versus dry soil: the former flourishes while the latter remains inert.
Gnosis functions as a compass illuminating the path of the spiritual journey. Devoid of gnosis, acts of worship such as prayer and remembrance may devolve into misguidance, arrogance, or hypocrisy. Nokounam, , stresses that gnosis delineates religious obligations and restrains the seeker from over-reliance on external deeds alone. This gnosis acts as a key unlocking the hearts lock, guiding the wayfarer towards certitude.
Within the spiritual journey, obligatory duties such as aiding the oppressed or removing injustice take precedence over recommended acts like punctual prayer. Nokounam, , by highlighting the relativity of the concept on time, stresses that gnosis is the determinant of priorities under varying circumstances. This principle safeguards the seeker from obsessive scrupulosity and deviation in devotional practices.
The realisation of remembrance manifests through the seekers capacity to perceive eternity, the primordial, and divine realities. Nokounam, , likens this process to a trial in solitude, wherein the wayfarer measures the depth of his own heart and transitions from the confines of superficial intellect towards esoteric knowledge.
The chapter on remembrance, as an elevated station, guides the seeker from outward intellect toward inner gnosis. This chapter, accentuating the victory over the fruit of thought, explicates the roles of knowledge, righteous action, and innate truths within the spiritual path. Sound knowledge results in righteous deeds, whilst remembrance opens the heart to divine realities. Gnosis and certitude, serving as steadfast pillars, protect the wayfarer from misguidance and direct him towards spiritual life.
This work, through the scholarly reinterpretation of the lectures of Nokounam, , elucidates with academic finesse the two stations of Thought and Remembrance within the Manzil al-Sirin. The chapter on Thought, by emphasising harmonious progression and the triadic pillars of retaining knowledge, rectifying inherited doctrines, and dispelling otherness, guides the seeker toward righteous deeds and states. The chapter on Remembrance, by focusing on victory over the fruit of thought, renders innate knowledge and esoteric realities accessible to the wayfarer. These two chapters, like two wings, enable the seekers ascent on the mystical journey toward the Divine Truth. Knowledge, gnosis, and remembrance serve as luminous torches illuminating the path and liberating the wayfarer from the darkness of ignorance and misguidance.