Summary of Section Two

The Special Flight, by transitioning from news to vision, guides the seeker from a superficial understanding of Sharia towards an intrinsic apprehension of Truth. Vision here connotes the vivid, incarnate witnessing of Quranic verses and narrations within the hearttranscending the theoretical comprehension of knowledge. The allegories of the planet and the aircraft, stone and light, and journey and bird exquisitely illustrate the qualitative distinction between knowledge and vision. Vision is akin to a momentary flight that swiftly transports the seeker to spiritual realms, whereas knowledge is like a gradual progression, confined within theoretical boundaries. This section thus acts as a window through which the radiance of vision illuminates the seekers heart.

From Customs to Principles: The Passage from Exteriors to the Heart

The second facet of the Special Flight involves the movement from customs to principles. Customs refer to the external and non-essential characteristics of matters, such as the apparent rulings of Sharia or superficial behaviours. Principles, however, signify the heart and inner essence of matters, which is the centre of knowledge and truth. This transition resembles a voyage from the surface of the sea to its boundless depths, guiding the seeker from outward appearances to the inner reality of the heart. At this stage, the seeker transcends reliance on Sharias exteriors and attains an inward, heartfelt understanding of Truth.

This concept aligns with the Quranic verse وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ (Al-Bayyinah: 5; translated by : And they were commanded only that they should worship God, being sincere to Him in religion). Principles thus point to sincerity in worship and concentration on the heart, guiding the seeker from superficial exteriors to the inner truth.

From Desires to Abstraction: Liberation from Carnal Attachments

The third aspect of the Special Flight entails the transition from desires to abstraction. Desires denote carnal pleasures and personal inclinations which, even within acts of worship, may obstruct spiritual progress. For instance, a seeker might insist on praying at a particular place, performing ablution with warm water, or worshipping under specific conditions. Such inclinations act as chains that bind the soul. Abstraction signifies emancipation from these attachments and the acceptance of any circumstance as a means to draw nearer to God, much like a bird freed from its cage soaring freely in the sky of unity.

The lecture elucidates this concept through the phrase Kawn Mutlaq (Absolute Being). Kawn Mutlaq represents a state wherein the seeker accepts every conditionwhether cold or warm, constricted or spaciousin pursuit of the Truth. This state resembles a river flowing through any course to the sea without dependence on obstacles. The late Allh beautifully articulated this concept, emphasising that the seeker must, free from attachments, accept whatever comes for the sake of God.

Critique of Carnal Desires in Sacred Sites

The discourse critiques carnal behaviours within sacred places. Some individuals, motivated by carnal desires, pursue personal gratification or perform worship in a particular manner at locations such as the Kaaba or holy shrines. For example, insisting on touching the Black Stone or standing in specific spots for prayer exemplifies carnal desires incompatible with the spirit of mystical progress. Such behaviours resemble the futile endeavour of gathering scattered crumbs, which diverts the seeker from attaining the whole bread of Truth.

Using analogies of chaotic and disorderly conduct in sacred sites, the lecture emphasises the necessity to eschew such desires. For instance, those who seek reward through crowds and disorder in the holy shrines deviate from etiquette and dignity. These acts resemble a whirlwind disturbing spiritual order and impeding access to Truth.

Sincerity and Abstraction in Worship

Abstraction entails performing worship with sincerity and solely for Gods pleasure, rather than for personal gratification. The lecture stresses the necessity of sincerity with the phrase I desire what the Beloved desires. Worship driven by carnal desires is analogous to consuming ice-cold water or engaging in other pleasurable activities; it is not genuine worship but rather captivity to the self. Abstraction is like a flower blossoming in the garden of sincerity, liberating the seeker from attachments.

This notion accords with the Quranic verse قُلْ إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ (Az-Zumar: 11; translated by : Say: I have been commanded to worship God, being sincere to Him in religion). Sincerity frees the seeker from carnal desires and guides towards Truth.

Summary of Section Three

The Special Flight, through progression from customs to principles and from desires to abstraction, guides the seeker from exteriors to the heart and from carnal attachments to Divine unity. Customs pertain to Sharias exteriors, while principles reveal the hearts Truth. Carnal desires obstruct the spiritual path, but abstraction and Kawn Mutlaq enable liberation. The critique of carnal behaviours in sacred places underscores the necessity of sincerity and decorum in worship. This section functions as a bridge guiding the seeker from the shore of exteriors to the ocean of Truth.

Section Four: Morality and Decorum in Mystical Conduct

Decorum and Reverence in Worship

The lecture emphasises the paramount importance of decorum and reverence in mystical conduct. The friends of God, by respecting the rights of others and maintaining decorum, avoid causing disturbance during worship. For example, in sacred sites such as holy shrines, they refrain from seeking reward through crowding or disorder, but perform their worship with dignity and solemnity. Such conduct resembles a gentle breeze that softly wafts through the garden of knowledge without disturbing others.

This concept corresponds to the Quranic verse وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ (Al-Isra: 70; translated by : And indeed We honoured the children of Adam). Decorum and reverence are hallmarks of human dignity, distancing the seeker from carnal and boisterous behaviours.

Critique of Disorderly and Boisterous Conduct

The lecture strongly criticises disorderly and boisterous behaviours in sacred places. Some individuals, driven by carnal desires, engage in crowding and disorder at holy shrines or the Kaaba in pursuit of reward, such as jostling others to reach the Black Stone or insisting on standing in particular spots. Such conduct is likened to a whirlwind that disrupts spiritual order and contradicts the spirit of Islam and mystical journeying.

Through analogies of circumambulation in sacred sites, the lecture stresses the necessity of order and decorum. For instance, the seeker may circumambulate from a distance away from crowded areas, attaining divine proximity calmly and without causing disturbance. This behaviour resembles a small stream that gently flows towards the sea, avoiding obstacles.

The Necessity of Order and Respect in Communal Worship

The discourse underscores the essentiality of order and respect in communal worship. The seeker must perform worship with regard for others rights and maintain discipline, thereby serving as an exemplar for others. Disorderly conductsuch as pushing others or causing disturbance in holy shrinesnot only diminishes reward but also presents a negative image of Islam. This critique acts as a caution to a gardener who, instead of planting beautiful flowers, scatters weeds.

The lecture further affirms that the world should recognise Muslims through their decorum and reverence. Such conduct is a mirror reflecting the true visage of spiritual journeying and Islamic identity.

Summary of Section Four

Decorum and reverence in mystical conduct are indicative of abstraction and sincerity, protecting the seeker from carnal desires and disorderly behaviours. The friends of God uphold others rights and maintain order, performing worship as exemplars. The critique of carnal and disorderly conduct in sacred places accentuates the necessity of sincerity and decorum. This section resembles a gentle breeze guiding the seekers soul towards tranquillity and Truth.

General Conclusion

This book, through the scientific compilation of the lectures by Nokounam , investigates the chapter of Flight in Manzil al-Sirin, explicating its stages from the initial flight towards God to the Special Flight (comprising the transitions from news to vision, customs to principles, and desires to abstraction). The Special Flight guides the seeker from superficial understanding to inner comprehension, from exteriors to the heart, and from carnal attachments to Divine unity. The allegories of planet and aircraft, stone and light, journey and bird beautifully depict the qualitative difference between knowledge and vision. The critique of carnal desires and disorderly conduct in sacred places underscores the necessity for sincerity, decorum, and reverence in the spiritual path. The concept of Kawn Mutlaq, as a symbol of abstraction, invites the seeker to accept all conditions in the quest for proximity to God. This work shines as a beacon upon the path of spiritual journeying, encouraging reflection on the stages of knowledge and movement towards Divine Truth.

Manzil al-Sirn: A Reflection on Flight and the Movement Towards Intuition and Abstraction

Analysis and Exegesis of the Chapter of Flight in the Manzil al-Sirn

Excerpted from the lectures of Nekounam, (Session 117 Chapter of Flight Part Five)

Introduction

This present treatise constitutes a scholarly and academic rewriting of the lectures delivered by Nekounam, , in his commentary on select sections of the Manzil al-Sirn by Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, focusing specifically on the subject of the Chapter of Flight. This work undertakes a profound examination of the concept of flight as a pivotal stage in the mystical path, exploring the graduated levels of flightfrom the initial flight towards God to the specialised flight which encompasses the movement from transmitted knowledge (khabar) to direct vision (shuhd), from outward forms (rusm) to fundamental principles (ul), and from corporeal enjoyments (u) to abstraction (tajarrud).

Section One: The Concept of Flight and Its Station in Mystical Progression

Definition of Flight and the Distinction between the Lovers and the Beloved

In Islamic mysticism, flight denotes the conscious and purposeful escape from both internal (nafsn) and external obstacles in pursuit of the Divine Truth. This station, exclusive to the muibbn (the lovers of the Truth), is characterised by three fundamental elements: knowledge (marifah), stratagem (lah, i.e., mystical prudence), and fear (khawf, the dread of separation from the Divine). The lovers, who are still traversing the path of spiritual wayfaring, advance by fleeing from these internal and external impediments towards Divine proximity. Conversely, the mabbn (those near to God), having attained complete union with the Truth, no longer require this flight, as in their station of nearness no obstacle remains to flee from. This distinction may be analogised to the difference between a traveller advancing along a rugged path towards a destination and one who has already arrived and dwells in the serenity of unity.

Degrees of Flight: Initial Flight and Specialised Flight

Flight in the mystical path is divided into two levels: the initial flight and the specialised flight. The initial flight, described by the phrase taffar il Allh (flight towards God), occurs in the early stages of the path. This flight guides the wayfarer from ignorance to knowledge, and from mere outward forms towards adherence to the religion and the Divine law. However, the specialised flight, a loftier degree, comprises three fundamental movements: from transmitted knowledge (khabar that is, hearsay and outward forms) to direct vision (shuhd inner sight), from customs (rusm) to principles (ul the heart and the inner reality), and from sensual enjoyments (u) to abstraction (tajarrud). These degrees resemble the rungs of a ladder, leading the wayfarer from the superficial to the profound, and from multiplicity towards unity.

The specialised flight occurs within a particular spiritual state (l) that itself prefaces a more exclusive stage. This exclusive station points to deeper phases of the path wherein the wayfarer approaches complete unity and liberation from all determination. This movement may be likened to a journey from the shore of appearances into the boundless ocean of Truth, freeing the wayfarer from material and nafsn limitations.

Summary of Section One

Flight, as a crucial stage of the mystical path, is particular to the lovers who, armed with knowledge, prudence, and Divine fear, flee from internal and external obstacles towards the Divine Truth. This station is defined in two degrees: the initial flight (towards God) and the specialised flight (from transmitted knowledge to direct vision, from customs to principles, and from sensual enjoyments to abstraction). The specialised flight guides the wayfarer from superficial understanding to inner perception and from multiplicity to unityakin to a bird released from the cage of attachments soaring towards the infinite sky of Truth.

Section Two: The Specialised Flight and the Movement from Transmitted Knowledge to Intuition

The Concept of Transmitted Knowledge and Intuition in the Path

The specialised flight, a sublime station in mystical progression, begins with the movement from transmitted knowledge (khabar) to direct intuition (shuhd). Transmitted knowledge refers to what is heardthe outward forms of the law and the apparent understanding of the Quranic verses and Prophetic traditions. This stage resembles a shore where the wayfarer becomes acquainted with the exoteric aspects of religion and its external rulings. Yet, in the specialised flight, the wayfarer transcends this shore and attains intuition, that is, the internal vision of the Truth. Intuition is a stage whereby the wayfarer not only comprehends the verses and narrations intellectually but perceives them vividly within the heart. This perception is like beholding a landscape previously only heard of, now seen with ones own eyes.

This movement corresponds with the Quranic verse وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوقِنِينَ (Al-Anm: 75; : And thus We showed Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he might be among the certain [in faith]). Intuition guides the wayfarer to a direct apprehension of the Divine Kingdom and Truth, whereas transmitted knowledge remains confined to superficial understanding.

The Difference Between Comprehension and Intuition

The distinction between comprehension (ilm) and intuition (shuhd) resembles that between hearing and seeing. Comprehension is limited to theoretical and general understanding of the verses and traditions, like a traveller who has only heard of a destination and imagines it with his intellect. Intuition, by contrast, signifies the direct and inner witnessing of the Truth, akin to a traveller who has arrived at the destination and beholds its beauty with his own eyes. In this station, the wayfarer not only understands the Quranic verses and Prophetic sayings but observes them vividly and dynamically within the heart. This embodiment is comparable to a painting that detaches itself from the paper and comes alive before the eyes of the wayfarer.

Contrary to some misconceptions, intuition does not imply turning ones back on the Quran or the Sunnah but rather indicates a deeper and more profound inner comprehension of them. At this stage, the wayfarer discovers the meanings of verses and traditions within the heart, witnessing them in a vivid and tangible form. This process resembles the opening of a window through which the light of Truth radiates into the heart of the wayfarer.

The Analogy of the Planet and the Aeroplane

To elucidate the difference between knowledge and intuition, the lecture employs the analogy of a planet and an aeroplane. Knowledge is likened to a planeta slow and terrestrial vehicle whose movement is gradual and limited. Although the scholar advances beyond the pedestrian common folk, he remains confined within the bounds of theoretical understanding. In contrast, intuition resembles an aeroplanea celestial bird flying swiftly and directly towards the Truth. This analogy, akin to comparing walking on the earth with flying in the sky, beautifully illustrates the qualitative difference between knowledge and intuition.

To further clarify this difference, the lecture compares the motion of a stone and light. The stone, a heavy material object, moves slowly and depends on external forces such as an agents power or the slope of the ground. Light, however, moves at the speed of three hundred thousand kilometres per second, traversing immense distances instantaneously. Intuition, like light, proceeds rapidly towards the Truth, while knowledge, like the stone, is confined by material and theoretical limitations. This analogy portrays a vivid picture of the speed and quality of spiritual movement as opposed to earthly motion.

Intuition and the Traversing of Spiritual Distances

At the station of intuition, the wayfarer is capable of traversing vast spiritual distances in an instant. The lecture likens this capability to a dream wherein one can, within a few minutes, travel to various cities, experience diverse events, and cover great distances. Intuition is like a dream in which the wayfarer is freed from temporal and spatial constraints, swiftly accessing spiritual realms. This capacity resembles a flight by which the wayfarer is transported from the earth to the skies of knowledge in a moment.

This analogy, referencing the speed of light (three hundred thousand kilometres per second), underscores the superiority of intuition over knowledge. The wayfarer at the station of intuition can cover billions of spiritual farsakhs in half a minute, like a bird flying with wings of light in the infinite sky of Truth. This movement signifies the direct connection of the wayfarer to the Divine Truth, transcending the limitations of theoretical knowledge.

The Difference Between Progression and Flight

The lecture employs the distinction between sr (gradual progression) and ayr (flight) to illustrate the difference between knowledge and intuition. Sr denotes the linear and gradual movement of knowledge, such as reading a page of a book, which requires time and effort. ayr, in contrast, signifies the swift and direct flight of intuition, akin to a dream in which the wayfarer instantaneously journeys to various realms. This difference resembles the contrast between walking on the earth and flying in the sky, presenting intuition as a superior stage.

At this station, the wayfarer moves from hearing (knowledge) to seeing (intuition). Seeing is a deeper and broader quality than hearing, like the difference between a large measure and a small weight. Intuition manifests the Truth in the heart of the wayfarer in copious abundance, whereas knowledge is grasped in small quantities. This analogy resembles a balance that weighs the lightness of knowledge against the magnitude of intuition.