the Lectures of Nokounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session 135)
The chapter of Sama in the esteemed work Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwja Abdullah Ansr, constitutes one of the pivotal stages in the initial phases of the mystical path. Following ascetic exertions, it revives the spiritual state of the seeker like a vitalising breeze and prepares him for the continuation of the witnessing of the Truth. Sama functions as a key that unlocks the inner sanctum, guiding the seeker towards gnosis, spiritual states, or the direct vision of the Truth. This stage spans the gradations of the verbal, the spiritual state, and the ultimate Realityfrom the hearing of outward speech to the apprehension of the Voice of the Truth (awt al-aqq)and plays an unparalleled role in refining the soul and elevating spiritual perception. However, due to its profound subtlety and significance, Sama has at times fallen prey to both excess and deficiency: ranging from outright denial by the exoteric scholars to prevalent deviations in dervish circles where it has been adulterated with frivolity and corruption.
The Manzil al-Sirn divides the mystical journey into ten stations, of which the beginnings (badyt) serve as the preliminary stages. These stations, akin to warm-up exercises in physical training, prepare the nafs (self) for the more arduous phases ahead, encompassing wakefulness, repentance, self-accounting, repentance with return (inbah), reflection, invocation (dhikr), holding fast (itism), fleeing (farr), ascetic discipline (riyah), and the melodious resonance of Sama. The beginnings act as a bridge that leads the seeker from the darkness of heedlessness to the illumination of gnosis; without them, the endurance of spiritual pressures in subsequent stages would be untenable. Sama, as the final phase of the beginnings, follows asceticism and occupies a crucial role in revitalising the seekers spiritual state. It resembles a melody which, after intense spiritual exertions, refreshes the seekers soul and prepares him for the continuation of the path.
Sama serves as an instrument preparing the seekers inner being to receive divine realities and guiding him towards gnosis and witnessing. It acts as a key that unlocks the hearts lock and leads the seeker to a share of his spiritual goal, commensurate with his state and rank. The essential truth of attentiveness (aqqat al-intibh) in Sama refers to an inner awakening which, according to the seekers capacity, directs him towards the Truth. This process is akin to a seed planted in the fertile soil of the seekers soul, blossoming through the melody of Sama.
The truth of attentiveness in Sama depends upon the state and rank of the seeker: aqqat al-intibh wa huwa bi asb l al-mutanabbi wa rutbatihi. This means that Sama, in accordance with the spiritual station of the seeker, guides him towards the Truth. A seeker at the initial stages benefits from the verbal (naq) Sama, whereas a seeker at higher stations attains the spiritual (l) or the ultimate Reality (aqq) Sama. This conformity resembles a tuning whereby each musician is played a melody appropriate to his skill.
In mystical progression, Sama is classified into three levels: verbal (naq), spiritual state (l), and Reality (aqq). Verbal Sama is based on hearing the outward speech suitable for the general populace and focuses on understanding the meaning of words. Spiritual Sama refers to the spiritual influence of the sound upon the seekers heart and is suited for the loversthose who tread the path of divine love. The Reality Sama, the highest rank, entails hearing the Voice of the Truth (awt al-aqq), namely the Divine Voice, and is exclusive to the Prophets and the Divine Friends (awliy). These gradations constitute a ladder guiding the seeker from outward speech to inward vision.
Verbal Sama centres on the auditory perception of speech sounds, whereas vocal Sama denotes speech transformed into sound that exerts emotional and spiritual influence on the soul. This distinction is comparable to the difference between reading poetry on paper and hearing it with a melodious voice. Verbal Sama conveys meanings to the intellect, while vocal Sama inclines the heart toward the Truth. This differentiation underscores the necessity of discerning the levels of Sama in mystical elucidation.
Reality Sama refers to hearing the Voice of the Truthnamely Gods Voiceas manifested in verses such as:
إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ
Translation: Indeed, I am God (h 20:14, trans. ).
This level directs the seeker towards divine witnessing and is exclusive to the Prophets and Divine Friends, who sustain their spiritual life through the Voice of the Truth. It is like a spring gushing forth from the heart of a stone, quenching the thirst of the spiritual elite.
After attaining Reality Sama, the seeker becomes capable of hearing the voices of the saints, angels, jinn, and other beings. This stage is like the opening of the inner ear that guides the seeker to comprehend the glorification (tasb) of creatures. Hearing the voice of David, water, stone, and the hearts of creatures serves as a prelude to reaching the Voice of the Truth. It resembles a gardener who, by hearing the sound of leaves, perceives the secret of the trees life.
The Holy Qurn, as the principal source of divine knowledge, explicates Sama in its various gradations. According to the text, the Qurn contains 170 instances of verbal Sama and 10 of spiritual Sama, while Reality Sama transcends these levels. Verbal Sama manifests in the recitation of verses and divine addresses, such as:
فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ
Translation: Give glad tidings to My servants who listen to speech and follow the best thereof (Zumar 39:17-18, trans. ).
Spiritual Sama is manifested in verses such as Iqra bismi rabbika allathee khalaq (Alaq 96:1):
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
Translation: Read in the name of your Lord who created (Alaq 96:1, trans. ).
These verses exemplify verbal and spiritual Sama that guided the Prophet Muammad (peace be upon him) towards receiving revelation and spiritual states.
The Qushayri Treatise, citing the verse Fa-hum f rawatin yubarn (Rm 30:15), claims this verse refers to Sama:
فَهُمْ فِي رَوْضَةٍ يحْبَرُونَ
Translation: They are in a garden, rejoicing (Rm 30:15, trans. ).
However, this verse pertains to the bliss of the inhabitants of Paradise and lacks any direct connection to Sama. This critique underscores the necessity of precise reference to Qurnic verses and demonstrates that erroneous interpretations may lead to ambiguity in mystical comprehension.
Due to its profound significance and delicacy, the chapter of Sama has suffered from extremes. Exoteric scholars, bound by intellectual rigidity, have entirely denied all forms of Sama, reducing it to mere frivolity and futility. Such denial is tantamount to closing the gates of gnosis, depriving the soul of the vital breeze of spiritual awakening.
Conversely, some dervish circles, in their desire for spiritual intoxication, have corrupted Sama through excess, indulging in excessive musical and emotional exhibitions that divert the seeker from the path and mar the sanctity of Sama.
The seeker must understand that Sama is an instrument for inner awakening, not a mere source of entertainment. It requires preparation through asceticism and vigilance to avoid falling into the traps of heedlessness or intoxication. Sama is a refined path requiring the balance of intellect, heart, and spiritual states. It must be approached with reverence, sincerity, and guidance from the wise.
Sama in the Manzil al-Sirn serves as an indispensable stage in the spiritual path, bridging the journey from outward asceticism to inward witnessing. Its gradationsfrom verbal hearing to the hearing of the Voice of the Truthillustrate the profound depth of spiritual transformation. The Holy Qurns references to Sama emphasize its multifaceted nature and highlight its pivotal role in divine guidance. True Sama is the breath of life for the soul, a melodious resonance that lifts the seeker to the vision of the Truth.
Qushayris Treatise, as one of the most authoritative sources in mysticism, elucidates sama by drawing upon the Quranic verses, distinguishing it unequivocally from mere frivolity and idle distractions. This treatise functions like a luminous beacon that illuminates the path of sama in Sufism and offers a reliable framework for comprehending this exalted spiritual station. The text, citing Qushayri, emphasises the indispensable concomitance of sama with the purity of the heart and the steadfastness of piety.
The treatise identifies three commendable virtues that render sama invaluable: the gracefulness of appearance coupled with propriety, the beauty of voice allied with piety, and the elegance of companionship grounded in fidelity. These attributes are akin to precious gems that adorn sama and safeguard it from the contaminations of the nafs (self). The beauty of voice unified with piety resembles the heartfelt melody that, by adherence to divine law, inclines the heart towards the Truth.
The term ishq zarf, denoting pure mystical love, markedly differs from childish frivolity and mere amusement. The text, referencing Mulla Sadras Asfr, analogises this distinction to that between sama and a worldly festivity, asserting that ishq zarf flows like a clear, untainted stream towards the Divine, whereas corruption resembles a morass that engulfs the soul.
Sama penetrates the heart of the seeker towards the Truth and conveys him to veracity. This effect resembles a spark derived from the Voice of the Truth, igniting the inner essence. The text, quoting Qushayri, underscores that sama attains its genuine reality only when the heart is oriented towards the Divine.
Nafsani (ego-driven) sama culminates in heedlessness and vain desires, diverting the seeker towards oblivion and falsehood. This danger acts as a snare of the self, which, instead of knowledge, leads the seeker into darkness. The text warns vehemently in this regard and insists on the necessity of authentic sama.
Junayd al-Baghdadi deems sama contingent upon appropriate time, place, and companions. These conditions act as pillars that uphold the edifice of sama, ensuring its performance within a spiritual environment among companions endowed with gnosis. It is likened to selecting a verdant garden in which a sapling, destined to grow in pure soil, is to be planted.
Divine mercy descends upon the poornamely, the travellers on the pathin three situations: sama from the Truth, speech born from ecstasy, and sustenance derived from spiritual poverty. These stations resemble crystalline springs that quench the spiritual life of the poor and guide them towards the Truth. The text, citing Junayd, accentuates the mystical way of life.
The outward aspect of sama is a trial, whereas its inward reality is a lesson: Its outward is a trial, and its inward a lesson. The trial indicates deviation and misguidance, whereas the lesson guides the seeker towards spiritual transcendence. This duality is like the two faces of a coin, one leading to peril and the other to salvation. The text, quoting Shibli, highlights this dual function.
The seeker, through recognition of indications, arrives via sama at lessons and spiritual transcendence. Indication resembles a subtle glance guiding the heart towards inner gnosis and elevating the seeker to the station of secret remembrance. This proficiency parallels learning the secret of passage across a tempestuous sea, achievable solely through practice and guidance.
Sama is only permissible for those whose nafs has been spiritually annihilated through ascetic discipline and whose heart is enlivened by the Light of the Truth. This condition is akin to preparing a field cleansed of weeds so that the seed of gnosis may blossom therein. The text, citing Qushayri, stresses the necessity of purifying the self prior to sama.
Sama ignites the hidden secrets and brings the seeker to spiritual combustion. This effect resembles the placement of iron into a furnace where, struck by the hammer, it becomes malleable and ready for shaping. The text, by analogy to iron, emphasises the profound transformation induced by sama.
The proliferation of dervish practices at the expense of true mysticism has led to the degradation of religion. This deviation is comparable to the growth of weeds in a garden meant to nurture the flowers of gnosis. The text, drawing comparisons to clericalism, criticises the dominance of dervishes over culture and media, insisting that authentic mysticism must be reinstated.
Eclectic unity, as opposed to genuine unity, results in division and deviation. This deviation resembles mixing pure water with mud, yielding darkness instead of clarity. The text, by analogy with Islamic Marxism, stresses the peril of eclecticism for religion.
Outward rigidity and dervish licentiousness both represent deviations from the path of truth and lack the foundation of religion. These two approaches resemble two divergent wrong paths, one leading to fanaticism and the other to moral decay. The text condemns any departure from Shariah, emphasising obedience and avoidance of sin.
The seeker must hear the voice of David, water, stone, and the hearts of creatures to reach authentic sama. The text, quoting Abu Uthman al-Maghribi, stresses that one who does not comprehend the sounds of birds, doors, or wind cannot claim peerless sama. These sciences represent the opening of the inner ear to the glorification of creatures conveyed to the seeker.
Sama differs for novices, sincere seekers, and steadfast mystics. Novices benefit from sama for occasional spiritual states; the sincere for increasing such states; and the mystics for perseverance. These degrees are like rungs of a ladder guiding the seeker towards the pinnacle of visionary knowledge. The text, quoting Abu Uthman al-Huthayri, clarifies these gradations.
Sama with the Truth denotes hearing the Voice of the Truth, which leads mystics to divine witnessing. This station is analogous to hearing the call Indeed, I am God, which intoxicates the heart in eternity. The text emphasises that the Voice of God constitutes the spiritual nourishment of the saints, underscoring its paramount significance in the spiritual journey.
The friends of God wander through the nights seeking the Voice of the Truth until they find it. This quest resembles the restless yearning of a lover searching for the Beloved. The text stresses the boundless eagerness of the saints as a sign of their spiritual vitality.
Unadulterated Shariah, the path free from error, and the unblemished truth constitute the framework of spiritual perfection. These three principles are like steadfast pillars sustaining the edifice of gnosis. The text, stressing the authenticity of these fundamentals, prevents any deviation or superstition within the spiritual wayfaring.
The chapter on sama, as a pivotal stage in the initial phases of spiritual journeying, holds an unparalleled role in reviving the mystical states and guiding the seeker towards ultimate truth. This station extends through its discursive, experiential, and ultimate realitiesfrom apparent speech to the Voice of the Truth. Unadulterated Shariah, an unerring path, and pure truth offer a reliable framework for the proper enactment of sama. Critiques of dervish deviations and outward rigidity stress the necessity for a balanced and Shariah-compliant approach.
The chapter on sama in Manzil al-Sirn constitutes a foundational stage in the initial spiritual states that, following asceticism, revives the seekers mystical condition and prepares him for witnessing the truth. This station, with its discursive, experiential, and ultimate degrees, provides a continuum from apparent speech to the Voice of the Truth. Quranic verses such as So give glad tidings to My servants who listen to speech and follow the best of it and Indeed, I am God clarify the degrees of sama. Critiques of dervish deviations and outward rigidity underscore the necessity for law-governed and Shariah-compliant sama. Sama is permissible solely for seekers whose nafs has been spiritually annihilated and whose heart is enlivened by the Light of the Truth.
