Derived from the lecture series of Nokounam, may his secret be sanctified (Session 132 Chapter on Rigour Part Thirteen).
The noble book Manzil al-Sirn authored by Khwajah Abdullah Ansari stands as a comprehensive and meticulous blueprint delineating the path of mystical progression for seekers of the Truth. Within this framework, the specialised rigour occupies a distinguished station among the exalted ranks of the spiritual journey. This rank, concomitant with the vision of the Divine Essence, the removal of substitutions and oppositions, and the attainment of the Unity of Existence, guides the wayfarer towards the pinnacles of gnosis and Divine proximity. The lecture of session 132, dedicated to explicating this station and differentiating between the lovers and the Beloved, probes with profound and critical insight the intricate mysticism of this stage.
The specialised rigour constitutes a stage within the mystical path at which the wayfarer attains the vision of the Divine Essence. At this station, substitutions (the replacement of opposing attributes) and oppositions (the contradiction between Divine attributes) are abrogated. The wayfarer comprehends that the annihilated is eternally annihilated, and the everlasting remains eternally preserved, without any transformation or exchange between these states. This comprehension resembles a light that dispels the darkness of dualistic perception from the seekers heart, guiding them towards the Unity of Existence. The vision of the Essence is akin to a polished mirror in which all contingent determinations vanish, leaving solely the eternal Truth, that is, the Divine Essence itself, reflected.
The elucidation of this station is anchored upon the sacred verse كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ (Al-Qasas: 88; : Everything will perish except His Face). This verse from the Holy Quran affirms the centrality of the Divine Countenance as the sole remaining and eternal reality in contrast to the perishable nature of the created world. The Divine Countenance is likened to a shining star in the sky of existence which never sets, whereas all other beings fade like transient shadows in its presence. This comprehension liberates the wayfarer from worldly attachments and directs them towards Divine permanence.
Within the vision of the Divine Essence, the wayfarer realises that both the annihilated and the permanent remain fixed in their intrinsic stations, with no transformation or exchange between them. The annihilated is akin to a drop dissolved in the boundless ocean of the Divine Essence, whilst the permanent resembles the ocean itself, eternal and immutable. This principle emancipates the wayfarer from ontological dualism and guides them to the Unity of the Essence. At this stage, distinctions between Divine attributessuch as the Gentle and the Compeller, the Loving and the Subduer, or the Cause and the Inheritordissolve, and all Divine Names and Actions are perceived as manifestations of the Truth.
The specialised states, unlike the lower stages of the path, are not attained through exertion or acquired practice; rather, they are divine gifts, bestowed as a result of Gods grace and favour. These stations are like heavenly provisions granted to the wayfarer, inviting them to partake in the banquet of the Essence, Attributes, or Actions of the Divine. This gifted nature resembles a breeze that causes the flowers to dance without the gardeners labour, elevating the seeker to stations attainable solely through Divine grace.
God, in the role of Host, invites the wayfarer to three exalted ranks: the hospitality of the Essence, which entails the vision of the Divine Essence; the hospitality of the Attributes, which involves the apprehension of the Divine Attributes; and the hospitality of the Actions, which encompasses the observation of Divine Acts. These ranks are like three rungs on the ladder of the spiritual path, each leading the seeker to a loftier station. The hospitality of the Essence resembles entering the sanctuary of Divine safety, where the wayfarer is freed from all contingent determinations and beholds only the enduring Truth.
In the mystical path, two categories of wayfarers emerge: the lovers and the beloved. The lovers, like tireless caravans, advance towards spiritual stations through effort and rigour; whereas the beloved, like light-winged birds, attain the pinnacles of the path by Divine grace and bounty. The lovers stretch forth their hands to acquire the stations, but the beloved partake in the Divine grace without exertion. This distinction resembles the difference between a brook that carves its path with effort and a spring that gushes forth effortlessly from the heart of a rock.
The expansion of the chest (رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي, Taha: 25; : My Lord, expand for me my chest) mentioned in the Holy Quran, is a station specific to the lovers. This station resembles the opening of a window in the heart that simultaneously embraces the light of the Truth and the created realm. The expansion of the chest transpires within the sphere of action, granting the wayfarer a broadened vision of both the Truth and creation; however, it remains distant from the intrinsic station of the beloved, which transcends all created multiplicities.
Submission and steadfastness in the station of the Essence, characteristic of the beloved, differ from submission in the realm of action and creation, pertaining to the lovers. Intrinsic submission resembles a root firmly entrenched in the depths of the soil of Truth, sustaining the wayfarer in the vision of the Essence. Actual submission is like a branch swaying in the winds of created multiplicity. This distinction is analogous to the difference between a steadfast mountain and a tree bending before the storm.
In the specialised rigour, the wayfarer abstracts their vision from all contingent attachments and determinations, attaining the station of unity (aadiyya), namely the Unity of the Divine Essence. This abstraction resembles polishing a mirror from which the dust of multiplicity has been removed, reflecting solely the light of the Essence. At this station, oppositions and substitutions are annihilated, and the wayfarer perceives all existence as manifestations of the Truth.
The gateway to the most exclusive spiritual discipline (riyat kha al-kha) resides within the stage of talawwan (the flux of states) and marks the inception of the manifestations of the Divine Essences lights. This stage occurs within the domain of the Divine Essencenot within the Essence itselfakin to a vestibule or portico standing before entry into the sacred sanctuary of the Divine. Talawwan functions like the undulating waves which transport the spiritual traveller through various states, thereby preparing them for admission to the sanctum of the Essence.
Within the domain of the Divine Essence, the seeker confronts the successive alternation of manifestation (tajall)the emergence of Divine lightsand concealment (istitr)their veiling. This succession resembles a waves movement, shifting the seeker amid varying states, intermittently immersing them in the radiance of manifestation and at other times enveloping them within the veil of concealment. This process readies the seekers nafs (self) for the reception of intrinsic witnessing (shuhd t) and guides them towards absolute abstraction (tajrd).
The veiling at this stage originates from the veils of the Divine Names, that is, the various manifestations of Divine attributes, rather than from any external or material veils. These veils function like curtains which occasionally reveal one Divine Name and at other times another. The seeker oscillates amid the manifestations of the Divine Names, such as Laf (Subtle), Jabbr (Compeller), Wadd (Loving), or Qahhr (Dominant), until reaching complete abstraction in witnessing.
The most exclusive spiritual states possess such grandeur that even the closest angels, the sent Prophets, or the thoroughly tested believers cannot endure them. These states resemble a tremendous tempest that only the beloved, by Divine grace, can successfully traverse. This grandeur is comparable to a summit accessible solely by the perfected saints endowed with lion-hearted courage.
One of the challenges inherent in mystical texts is the conflation of the stages of the beloved (muibbn) and the beloved (mabbn). The veiling by creation (itijb bi-l-khalq), meaning the covering of the Truth through the intermediary of creation, pertains to the beloved who remain ensnared in the multiplicity of creation. Conversely, the beloved, positioned at the level of the Essence, are exempt from this veiling and perceive Truth and creation in unity. This conflation is analogous to mixing pure water with turbidity, thereby obscuring the seekers path.
Certain mystical treatises, due to insufficient differentiation between the stages of the spiritual path, have led to conflation and bewilderment. This predicament resembles a roadway beset with misleading signposts which divert the seeker from the true path. Reforming these texts constitutes an imperative that must be undertaken with scholarly rigour and scientific precision to enable seekers to traverse the path correctly.
La-Taayyun, signifying liberation from all forms of determinacy and existential dependence on creation, is the prerequisite condition for entry into the station of the Divine Essence. This stage resembles being cast into a mighty torrent which rends the seeker asunder unless they entrust themselves, with lion-hearted fortitude, to the Divine current. La-Taayyun acts as a key that unlocks the nafss fetters, guiding the seeker to the unity of the Essence.
Sama is a stage following ascetic discipline (riyat), intended to alleviate fatigue and renew the seekers spiritual vigour. This stage resembles a musical melody which, after the hardships of the path, soothes the seekers soul and prepares them for continued spiritual exertion. Sama functions like a breeze following a storm, restoring freshness to the seeker.
The most exclusive spiritual discipline within the Manzil al-Sirnas one of the supreme stages of mystical progressionguides the seeker towards witnessing the Divine Essence, overcoming mutual contradictions and conflicts, and attaining the unity of existence. This station, being a bestowed grace and the fruit of Divine generosity, is accompanied by an intimate presence with the Divine Essence, Attributes, and Acts. The distinction between the beloved, who advance through effort and asceticism, and the beloved, who attain exalted stations by Divine grace, constitutes a central theme of this discourse. The expansion of the chest (inshir adr) characterizes a unique station for the beloved, whereas intrinsic submission (tamkn t) is particular to the beloved. The abstraction of witnessing opens the gateway to the Unity (Ahadyah), while the succession of manifestation and concealment within the domain of the Essence directs the seeker towards the sanctuary. The critique of the conflation of spiritual stages in mystical texts underscores the necessity of precise mystical engineering. La-Taayyun, as the condition for attaining the Essence, and Sama, as the renewal of the seekers strength, complete this spiritual process.
