the lectures of Nekounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session 121 The Chapter on Asceticism Part Two)
The chapter on asceticism holds a pivotal position as one of the fundamental starting points in the mystical journey of beginners, as articulated in the esteemed treatise Manzil al-Sirn authored by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari. This section, dedicated to the discipline of the self aimed at attaining sincerity, affirmation, and a benevolent expectation towards the Divine, plays an indispensable role in preparing the seeker for the more elevated stages of the spiritual path. Asceticism, as a spiritual exercise that fortifies the muscles of the soul, liberates the aspirant from doubt and fear, guiding them toward certitude and assurance.
Asceticism, regarded as a spiritual exercise, constitutes a purposeful regimen that conditions the seekers soul to embrace sincerity and affirmation. This process, elucidated by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari with reference to the Quranic verses, underscores the cultivation of good expectation towards the Lord and the belief in the acceptance of repentance and Divine forgiveness. The sublime verse وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ (Ash-Shr: 25; : He it is Who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons evil deeds) beautifully expresses the reality that asceticism purifies the heart from doubt and guides it towards certainty. This exercise, akin to preparing fertile soil for planting the seed of knowledge, readies the soul for subsequent stages of the spiritual journey.
Asceticism, unlike flight which is an act driven by fear and weakness, is a deliberate practice aimed at reinforcing the spiritual muscles of the soul. Just as an athlete conditions the body through repetitive movements to endure heavy burdens, so too does the seeker through asceticism strengthen their will and heart to steadfastly accept divine truths. Flight, comparable to leaping from fire to escape burning, pursues an external objective; whereas asceticism, as a form of solitary spiritual training, results in the hardening of spiritual muscles and readiness for the path. This distinction is elucidated clearly by the sublime verse فَفِرُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ (Adh-Dhriyt: 50; : So flee unto Allah) when contrasted with the concept of spiritual exercise.
Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, with profound insight, selected the sublime verse وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوْا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ (Al-Muminn: 60; : And those who give what they give while their hearts are fearful) for the chapter on asceticism. This choice is exceedingly apt given its correspondence with the psychological condition of beginners who experience fear and anxiety about failing in their spiritual practice. The fear depicted so eloquently in this verse reflects the psychology of the novice seeker, still at the outset of the path, grappling with doubt and apprehension. This verse acts like a mirror reflecting the inner state of the aspirant and encourages perseverance in the exercise of asceticism.
The Tlemceni commentator erred by proposing the verse وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا (Al-Ankabt: 69; : Those who strive in Our way, We will surely guide them to Our paths) for the chapter on asceticism. This verse, lacking the element of fear and focusing instead on striving (jihad), pertains to the more advanced stages of the spiritual path (intermediates) and is incongruous with the state of beginners. The critique rests on two pillars: first, the verse chosen by Khwaja, emphasizing anxiety, aligns precisely with the psychology of beginners; second, the suitable verse on striving for beginners is يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ (Al-Baqarah: 218; : Those who strive in the way of Allah), rather than a verse referring to more elevated stations. This critique serves as a beacon illuminating the correct path for the seekers selection of appropriate Quranic verses.
Asceticism, by preparing the soul, culminates in the emergence of sincerity (truthfulness in belief and practice) and affirmation (confirmation of divine realities). These two qualities function as the dual wings enabling flight in the heavens of knowledge, cleansing the seekers heart from doubt and suspicion towards the Lord. This concept resonates profoundly with the sublime verse وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَآمَنُوا بِمَا نُزِّلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ (Muhammad: 2; : Those who believe and do righteous deeds and believe in what has been sent down upon Muhammad). Sincerity and affirmation, like clear water, cleanse the heart and guide it towards certainty.
Asceticism, regarded as the most arduous and ultimate foundational origin of perfection in the spiritual journey of novices, occupies an unparalleled role in preparing the soul for subsequent stages. Following asceticism, Samaa serene and soothing melodyameliorates the spiritual fatigue and convalescence of the seeker. This structure, congruent with the fundamental stations of spiritual wayfaring (yaqaza, tawbah, muhasabah, inabah, tafakkur, tadhakkur, itisam, qarar), resembles a disciplined regimen within the arena of spiritual exercise, after which a gentle sound tenderly caresses the soul.
Asceticism characterises the mysticism of the lovers (novices and the weak), concomitant with exertion and toil; yet within the mysticism of the beloved (the mighty), who have attained divine nearness and love, it yields to devotions borne of love and proximity. This distinction harmonises with the noble verse وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلَّهِ (Al-Baqarah: 165, translated by Fooladvand: Those who have believed are stronger in love for Allah), portraying the profound love of the beloved. The lovers resemble athletes who, through rigorous training, prepare themselves for competition, whilst the beloved are akin to champions who, upon the field of love, attain victory without the need for exercise.
The ultimate objective of asceticism is the cultivation of husn al-dhann (good opinion) towards the Lord and the affirmation of the noble verse وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ. Good opinion functions as a light that dispels the darkness of doubt from the heart of the seeker, guiding him towards belief in divine mercy and pardon. This concept aligns with the sacred hadith إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي سَبَقَتْ غَضَبِي, emphasising the boundless mercy of the Divine.
The noble verse وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ (Ash-Shura: 25) possesses a unique structure, presenting repentance and divine pardon within the framework of the unseen ( He is the One who ), whilst divine knowledge is conveyed by direct address (what you do). This precise Quranic engineering underscores the Lords absolute awareness of His servants deeds, inviting the seeker to affirm this reality. This structure is consonant with the verse وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (Al-Baqarah: 282, Fooladvands translation: And Allah is Knowing of all things), depicting divine knowledge as an all-encompassing illumination.
The Divine saints, with an expansive and generous spirit, invite people towards the truth, whereas a restrictive and stringent approach hinders the attraction of servants and causes their dispersion. This perspective aligns with the noble verse يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ (Al-Baqarah: 185, Fooladvands translation: Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you). Expansion is akin to a gentle breeze drawing hearts toward religion, whereas contraction resembles a violent storm scattering the servants.
Scrupulosity in Islamic legal rulingssuch as in ablution and ritual bathingis not a hallmark of piety but rather an indication of psychological affliction. Islam, founded on ease and facilitation, never calls towards hardship and difficulty. This view is consonant with the narration Indeed, religion is easy (Bukhari) and the noble verse مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ (Al-Maidah: 6, Fooladvands translation: Allah does not want to place hardship upon you). Scrupulosity acts as a chain binding the soul, whereas the ease of religion is the key that unlocks these shackles.
The fundamental stations of spiritual wayfaringsuch as vigilance (yaqaza), repentance (tawbah), and self-accountability (muhasabah)do not encompass jihad, for jihad belongs to the subsequent stages following the preparation of the soul. Asceticism, as an initial training, readies the seeker to embark on the spiritual path; jihad, in contrast, is likened to the progression along the road that commences only after this preparation. This distinction coheres with the orderly framework of Manazil al-Sairin, which regards the fundamentals as preliminary to advancement in the spiritual journey.
Within mystical wayfaring, different stages are governed by distinct laws. Fi Sabil Allah (in the path of Allah), referenced in the verse يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ (Al-Baqarah: 218), represents a defined path trodden by novices. Fi Tariq Allah corresponds to justice, Haqq Allah to altruism and forgiveness, and Fi Allah signifies the station of unity and nearness. This gradation resembles the rungs of a ladder guiding the seeker toward the pinnacles of gnosis. The verse وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ (An-Nisa: 13, Fooladvands translation: Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted to gardens) beautifully delineates this pathway.
Mysticism is a systematic science necessitating precise rules and principles to preclude errors such as the conflation of spiritual stages. This systematisation functions as an exact map illuminating the path of the seeker and preventing misguidance. Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, through meticulous selection of Quranic verses and elucidation of spiritual stations, admirably exemplifies this systematisation.
The chapter on asceticism in Manazil al-Sairin, as the ultimate foundational origin of perfection in the journey of novices, plays a fundamental role in preparing the soul to attain sincerity, confirmation, and good opinion of the Lord. Khwaja Abdullah Ansaris selection of the verse وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوْا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌdue to its consonance with the fear and states of novicesstands as testimony to his mystical precision. The critique of the commentator Tlemsanis proposal of a verse appropriate for intermediates emphasises the importance of systematisation in mysticism. Asceticism, as a purposeful training to strengthen the soul, holds a special place in the mysticism of the lovers, yet yields to love and divine nearness within the mysticism of the beloved. Emphasis on ease in religion and critique of scrupulosity pave the way for an expansive, attractive invitation toward the truth.
