of Nokounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session 106 Chapter of Itisam Part One)
In the path of mystical wayfaring, the chapter of Itisam stands as a steadfast fortress that shields the seeker from the storms of the nafs (ego) and both apparent and hidden misguidances. This station, emerging subsequent to Tadhakkur (remembrance) and contemplation in the Manzil al-Sirn, constitutes a receptacle preserving the spiritual, intellectual, and practical attainments that the seeker has acquired throughout his journey. Itisam, meaning to grasp the Divine Rope and to adhere to the Essence of the Truth, not only protects the human being from oblivion and rebellion but also guides him towards certainty and unity with the Divine Reality.
Within the progression of the Manzil al-Sirn, after the seeker attains the fruits of contemplation and remembrance in the chapter of Tadhakkur, he enters the station of Itisam. This station functions as a vessel that safeguards the spiritual attainments derived from thought and dhikr (remembrance) against forgetfulness (nisyn) and disobedience (uyn). It is analogous to a gardener who protects the sapling of knowledge from destructive pests so that it may bear fruit. At this stage, the individual endeavours to sustain what has been gained through thought and remembrance by clinging to Divine laws and steadfastly adhering to spiritual values. This process necessitates continuous awareness and volition, steering the seeker from mental dispersion toward concentration and spiritual stability.
Itisamunderstood as the preservation of intellectual and spiritual fruitsis a duty that restrains the seeker from deviation and misguidance. This protection is not merely limited to adherence to external rulings but encompasses the safeguarding of inward purity and the avoidance of any transgression against the sanctity of the Truth. Mystically speaking, Itisam acts as a shield that secures the seekers heart from assaults of insinuations and illusions. The synthesis of thought, remembrance, and preservation forms a coherent structure that stabilises the seeker firmly on the path of Divine truth-seeking.
The chapter of Itisam serves as a spiritual sanctuary preserving the seeker from the evils of the nafs and apparent misguidances. Emphasising the protection of spiritual attainments born of contemplation and remembrance, this station guides the seeker toward continuity on the path of truth. This endeavour requires awareness, resolute will, and commitment to Divine laws, which collectively prepare the way for the attainment of higher stations of spiritual progression.
Itisam in the Quran is elucidated through two pivotal verses, each denoting a distinct level of mystical wayfaring:
(Srah l Imrn, 3:103; : And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.)
(Srah al-ajj, 22:78; : And hold firmly to Allah; He is your protector. Excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.)
These two verses distinguish between two types of Itisam: Itisam bi-ablillh, referring to adherence to the Shariah and Divine ordinances, and Itisam billh, which signifies direct connection with the Essence of the Truth and attainment of certainty. This differentiation delineates various stages of the mystical path, extending from obedience to outward commandments to unity with the Divine Reality.
Verse 103 of Srah l Imrn is situated within an exhortation towards God-consciousness (taqw) and dying in submission:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ * وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا
( translation: O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims * And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.)
This verse presents Itisam in a collective dimension, emphasizing social unity. The ablillh (Rope of Allah) symbolizes the bond preserving the Islamic community from division and dispersion. This adherence materialises through commitment to the Qurn, Divine rulings, and religious values. The verse distinctly underscores unity and solidarity, warning the community against discord and decline.
Verse 78 of Srah al-ajj presents Itisam on an individual and more profound level:
وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ ۚ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ ۚ مِلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَفِي هَٰذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِاللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَاكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ
( translation: And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. It is the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you Muslims before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold firmly to Allah. He is your protector; excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.)
This verse, following an emphasis on the greater struggle (jihad al-akbar) and adherence to the Sharia, calls for direct adherence to the Divine Essence. Itisam billh is likened to grasping the secure Divine shore, which shelters the seeker from the tumultuous waves of the ego and doubts.
The difference between these two verses resembles that between a river flowing into the sea and the sea itself as the source of rivers. The verse from l Imrn stresses collective unity and commitment to the Sharia, whereas the verse from al-ajj refers to individual connection and attainment of certainty. Neglecting these distinctions is akin to inscribing these verses above the threshold of ones home without contemplation of their meanings, an act amounting to a form of disrespect towards the Noble Quran.
The Quranic verses on Itisam elucidate two levels of spiritual wayfaring: Itisam bi-ablillh, inviting to collective unity and adherence to the Sharia, and Itisam billh, indicating direct connection with the Divine Essence and attainment of certainty. These two verses, akin to two wings, assist the seeker along the path of spiritual progression, guiding him from division and doubt towards unity and certainty.
The station of Itisam functions as a crucial link between the initial stages of remembrance and contemplation and the higher realms of certainty and Divine unity. It entails not only a verbal or superficial adherence but a profound internal grasping of the Divine Rope and Essence. Only through this station can the seeker safeguard the fruits of his spiritual endeavours, remain united with the Divine Law, and proceed toward the ultimate destination of mystical wayfaringcertainty (yaqn) and annihilation in the Truth (fan fi-llh).
In the conventional sequence, the spiritual journey proceeds from Itism bi-ablillh (holding fast to the rope of God collectively) to Itism billh (clinging to God directly), analogous to movement from the general to the particular. Conversely, in the actual sequence, the path flows from Itism billh to Itism bi-ablillh, resembling a return from the particular to the general. This distinction mirrors the difference between the loverswho reach the truth through the lawand the belovedwho return from the truth to the law.
The degrees of faith and certainty constitute a ladder that leads the seeker from adherence to the law towards attainment of the truth. Practical and theoretical wisdom function as twin wings aiding the seeker along this path. The sequence of spiritual progression, whether along the lovers path or that of the beloved, manifests the dynamism and profundity of the station of Itism, which directs the seeker toward spiritual perfection.
Disrespect towards the verses of the Noble Quran resembles affixing an ornamental signboard above a doorway, employed merely as a symbol without reflection upon its meanings. This act is akin to placing a precious gem upon a dusty shelf, thereby disregarding its true value. The verses of the Quran must serve as the focal point of contemplation, understanding, and action in order to be safeguarded from spiritual distortion and superficiality.
The amalgamation of verses without attention to their contextual sequence and meanings resembles arranging rootless flowers in a vase destined to wither swiftly. The verse Itism bi-ablillh alludes to collective unity, while the verse Itism billh refers to individual connection with the Divine Truth. Neglecting these distinctions propels interpretation toward superficiality and distortion.
The sanctity of the Quranic verses depends upon deep understanding and practical adherence. Negligence towards the context and meanings of the verses constitutes a decorative usage that diminishes their spiritual worth. The station of Itism necessitates an exact and functional comprehension of the verses in order to guide the seeker towards the ultimate truth.
abl Allh (the Rope of God) is likened to a lifeline that rescues humanity from the precipices of misguidance. In the Quran, this rope signifies anything that connects human beings to the Truth, including the Quran itself, the Divine covenant, and the injunctions of the Shariah. This interpretation functions as a key that opens the doors of gnosis for the seeker.
Interpreting abl Allh solely metaphorically resembles limiting the meaning of the ocean to its surface waves. The term abl connotes that to which one clings, encompassing everything connecting humanity to the Truth, whether material rope, the Quran, or the Divine covenant. This meaning is literal, not merely metaphorical, for the words of the Quran are established for the spirit of meanings.
abl is like a bridge that leads humanity to the Truthbe it a tangible rope, the Noble Quran, or the Divine covenant. This meaning is real and not figurative, since the words of the Noble Quran are designed to embody the essence of meanings. Restricting the meanings to material exemplars is akin to imprisoning truth within the cage of matter, thereby obstructing profound comprehension of the Noble Quran.
abl Allh denotes anything that connects humanity to the Truth, spanning from the Noble Quran and the Divine covenant to the precepts of the Shariah. This meaning is literal rather than figurative, for the expressions of the Noble Quran are constituted for the essence of meanings. Realizing this truth liberates the seeker from the confines of material interpretation and guides him toward profound gnosis.
Itism billh is akin to seeking refuge within a fortress of unshakable strength that preserves the individual from evil and bondage to that which is other than God. This adherence distances the seeker from all that is non-Truth and places him under Divine protection. This stage resembles reaching a shore where no storm can cause turbulence.
The addition of the phrase lghayr (meaning no other) to the verse of Srah ajj is comparable to applying an unnatural tint to a flower that is inherently beautiful. The verse فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ introduces God as the best Guardian and Helper but does not negate the existence of other guardians. This addition constitutes a distortion of the verses meaning, hindering precise understanding.
Within the Sh community, public Wilayah resembles a network of intimacy and proximity that connects individuals to one another. This Wilayah transcends mere outward justice and signifies the reciprocal responsibility of individuals toward one another. It is like a tree whose branches are intertwined, each strengthening the other.
The Wilayah of the Jurist is analogous to a summit whose meaning manifests only within the context of a Wilyat society. Without public Wilayah, in which all individuals bear responsibility toward one another, the Wilayah of the Jurist cannot be fully actualised. This is akin to constructing a building without a firm foundation, rendering it unstable.
Itism billh guides the seeker toward avoidance of evil and attainment of certainty. Public Wilayah functions as a network that directs society toward unity and solidarity. The Wilayah of the Jurist is meaningful only within the context of this public Wilayah and, without it, resembles a tree with no roots in the soil.
The chapter on Itism constitutes a bridge that guides the seeker from the law to the truth, and from collective unity to individual certainty. The verses وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا and وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِاللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَاكُمْ elucidate two levels of this station: the former calls for adherence to the law and collective unity, while the latter indicates direct connection to the Divine Essence and attainment of certainty. The sanctity of the Quranic verses hinges upon profound understanding and practical implementation; neglecting their context and meanings amounts to a decorative employment of a precious gem. abl Allh signifies everything that connects humanity to the Truth, and this meaning is literal, not metaphorical. Public Wilayah resembles a network guiding the Sh community toward unity and solidarity, thereby providing the foundation for the realization of the Wilayah of the Jurist.
