the lectures of Nokounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session 148)
The station of khawf (fear) in the Manzil al-Sirn by Khwja Abdullah Ansr constitutes one of the foundational stages in the mystical journey. It follows the stage of sorrow and invites the seeker to deliberate upon the future and diligently watch over his ultimate destiny. This station, akin to a luminous beacon dispelling the darkness of heedlessness, guides the wayfarer towards self-purification and divine proximity. Lecture number 148, delivered by Nokounam, , presents a rigorous elucidation of the station of khawf, emphasizing its tripartite gradations, Quranic evidences, and the distinguished position of the Divine Saints, particularly the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). The concept of khawf unfolds through three levelsof the servant, the merchant, and the gnosticranging from a primordial fear of punishment to the sublime perception of the Divine Majesty, elucidated through metaphor and semantic linkage, revealing its profound and comprehensive nature.
Khawf denotes a spiritual state attained by the wayfarer after sorrow which is oriented towards the pastand redirects his attention to the future: Al-khawfu bada al-uzn, muallaq il al-ti
(Fear follows sorrow and pertains to what is forthcoming). This station marks a sign of spiritual awakening, transitioning the seeker from negligence to vigilance and compelling him to guard his actions and ultimate fate. Just as a sentry atop a lofty tower anticipates danger, khawf summons the wayfarer to readiness for the forthcoming spiritual encounter.
Khawf is the station following sorrow, awakening the seeker from heedlessness and directing him to vigilant care of the future.
This station constitutes a bridge between the past and the future, guiding the wayfarer towards the refinement of the soul and proximity to the Divine.
Khawf is subdivided into three objects, each representing a distinct stage of spiritual progression:
wa huwa al thalth darajt(and it is on three levels).
Like a ladder, each rung of which elevates the seeker to a loftier summit, these stages delineate the hierarchical progression of spiritual growth.
Khawf extends through the three levels of servant, merchant, and gnostic, from the fear of punishment to the perception of Divine Majesty.
This taxonomy charts the path from the most rudimentary fear to the most exalted degree of knowledge, mapping the course of the mystical journey.
Khawf al-ubad is a primordial fear, arising from the dread of punishment for sin. Khawf al-tujjr concerns the anxiety over retaining Divine blessings and favours. In contrast, khawf al-rif springs from the perception of Divine Majesty and Beauty and causes the seeker to tremble: Khawfu maqm Allh, khawfun jall lhu
(The fear of the Divine station is a fear of Majesty). Just as a traveller stands awe-struck before a towering summit, so too does the khawf of the gnostic compel the wayfarer to prostrate before the grandeur of the Truth.
Khawf al-rif emerges from the perception of Divine Majesty and Beauty and is imbued with the ardour of proximity.
This stage is accompanied by spiritual delight and longing for the Truth, drawing the seeker closer to the sacred realm.
The station of khawf, as the stage following sorrow, directs the seeker to guard the future and purify the soul. Its threefold gradations, from the primal fear of punishment to the sublime perception of Divine Majesty, delineate the hierarchy of spiritual progression and guide the wayfarer from heedlessness to gnosis. This station, by fostering spiritual vigilance, lays the groundwork for the subsequent stages of the mystical path.
The Glorious Quran, through numerous verses, affirms the comprehensiveness of the concept of khawf and expounds its gradations, from the fear of punishment to the fear of the Divine station:
Like the varied notes of a singular instrument, these verses portray the multifaceted gradations of khawf in a harmonious Divine symphony.
The Quran, through numerous verses, affirms the gradations of khawf from fear of punishment to fear of the Divine station.
These evidences manifest the comprehensiveness of the concept of khawf within the Glorious Quran and underscore its significance in the mystical path.
Divine fear is a hallmark of faith: Al-khawfu min al-uqbah wa huwa al-khawf alladh yai bih al-mn
(Fear of punishment is the fear that validates faith). One who fears neither sin nor Divine chastisement lacks true faith, for faith is the heartfelt affirmation of Gods existence and His promises and warnings. Khawf represents a spiritual perfection which, in the Divine Saints, ascends through the stages of compassion, awe, and finally love. Like a tree rooted in faith, khawf is the fruit of this inner conviction.
Divine fear signifies faith, and without heartfelt affirmation, khawf bears no true meaning.
This relationship establishes faith as the foundation of the mystical path and khawf as an indication of spiritual perfection.
Khawf mmah (public fear) denotes the fear of punishment prevalent among the general believers: Wa huwa khawfu al-mmah
. Conversely, khawf khssah (privileged fear) is the dread of spiritual concealment and deprivation from the Divine presence, exclusive to the Saints: Wa amm al-khssah fa-l yakhfn al-iqb bal al-itijb
. Just as the fear of penalty differs qualitatively from the concern over estrangement from the Beloved, the privileged fear belongs to the realm of Divine gnosis.
Privileged fear is the dread of spiritual concealment, specific to the Saints, and distinct from the public fear of punishment.
This distinction highlights the profound depth of the Saints gnosis in contrast to the general fear among ordinary believers.
The Quranic evidences confirm the comprehensive notion of khawf from the fear of punishment to the perception of the Divine station, establishing it as a pivotal station in the mystical path. The relationship between khawf and faith transforms this station into a sign of heartfelt affirmation. The differentiation between public and privileged fear elucidates the spiritual hierarchy and underscores privileged fear as a hallmark of proximity to the Divine Saints.
The fear pertaining to the Divine station reaches its zenith in the Divine Saints, emanating from the perception of Divine Beauty and Majesty: Khawfu maqm khawfun jall ilh
. This fear intermingles with ardour and love, guiding the seeker toward the sacred realm. Like a lover who is overwhelmed by awe and passion before the beauty of
The fear of the Divine Presence in the elect stems from their perception of the Divine Beauty and Majesty and is accompanied by spiritual longing.
This station signifies the proximity and profound gnosis of the Divine elect.
According to narration from Umar, Suhail was praised due to his fear of God and avoidance of sin: Naima al-abdu Suhayl, law lam yakhaf Allah lam yaihi (Suhail is a commendable servant; even if he did not fear God, he would not disobey Him). This narration reveals Suhails innate purity, indicating that even without fear of punishment, he refrained from sin. Like a flower that naturally disperses fragrance, Suhail, by virtue of his Divine nature, kept away from transgression.
Due to his inherent purity and Divine fear, Suhail avoided sin even without the fear of punishment.
This narration represents a degree of fear close to the special Divine fear (khawf khasseh).
The Commander of the Faithful eloquently manifests the pinnacle of fear and gnosis: L khawfan min nrika wa l amaan lijannatika, bal wajadtuka ahlan lil-ibdah (Neither fear of Your fire nor desire for Your Paradise, but rather I found You worthy of worship). This expression demonstrates his spiritual courage in steadfastly adhering to the truth and worshipping from Divine ecstasy. Like a hero in the arena of truth, unswayed by reward or punishment, wielding the sword for the love of the Truth, this statement epitomises supreme gnosis.
The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) demonstrates the utmost spiritual courage by worshipping from a state of Divine ecstasy.
This station transcends ordinary fear and hope, reaching the realm of Divine love and spiritual ecstasy.
Love (ubb) is an affection arising from the aspirants yearning, whereas ecstasy (wajd) is a state engendered by the Divine manifestation upon the seeker, rendering him the object of Divine Will: ubb ghayr wujd. This is akin to the difference between a lover who moves toward the beloved and one whom the beloved draws toward Himself. Ecstasy is therefore a loftier station than love.
Ecstasy results from the Divine manifestation and makes the seeker the object of Divine Will, unlike love, which originates from the seekers desire.
This distinction reveals the profound gnosis inherent in the station of ecstasy vis--vis love.
Fear among the Divine electespecially the fear of the Divine Presenceis intertwined with longing and gnosis, culminating in the sacred realm. The narration concerning Suhail illustrates his pure nature, while the words of the Commander of the Faithful reveal the apex of courage and Divine ecstasy. The differentiation between love and ecstasy elucidates the levels of worship and introduces ecstasy as a supreme station.
The obligation of religious duties, such as prayer, imposes spiritual discipline on believers. If obligation were removed, many acts of worship would be abandoned, since numerous believers perform acts out of duty rather than longing: If God decreed prayer to be non-obligatory, how many would cease praying. However, the Divine elect worship out of love and gnosis. Like the difference between a worker compelled by duty and an artist creating from love, this distinction underscores the depth of the elects spiritual journey.
Obligation enforces discipline upon believers, whereas the Divine elect worship out of spiritual longing.
This point highlights the difference between duty-driven and passion-driven worship.
The text implicitly criticizes narrations from non-infallible figures, such as Suhail and Abu Dharr, while emphasizing the superiority of the Infallibles, particularly the Commander of the Faithful: You bring Suhayb, yet we have those higher than Suhayb. Due to their infallibility and Divine proximity, the Infallibles are the perfect exemplars of the spiritual path. Like radiant stars in the celestial sphere of gnosis, the Infallibles are the primary guides of the spiritual journey.
The Infallibles, especially the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), are the perfect models of spiritual conduct, rendering narrations from non-Infallibles comparatively deficient.
This critique underscores the essentiality of referring to the Infallibles as primary sources of religious knowledge.
The obligation of religious rulings plays a significant role in the spiritual discipline of believers, yet the Divine elect worship from love and gnosis. The critique of non-Infallible narrations accentuates the superiority of the Infallibles as paragons of spiritual conduct and highlights the necessity of consulting them.
Khawf al-Ubid is the fear of punishment, accompanied by faith: The first degree is fear of punishment. This fear arises from the acknowledgement of Divine threat, remembrance of sin (dhikr al-jinyah), and vigilance regarding consequences (murqabat al-qibah). Like a farmer who fears a storm and guards his crops, this fear urges the seeker to avoid sin.
Khawf al-Ubid originates from affirming Divine warnings, recollecting sin, and monitoring the consequences.
These features establish Khawf al-Ubid as a foundational yet indispensable station in the spiritual path.
Khawf al-Ubid, through progression to compassion (ishfq) and awe (khashyah), culminates in Divine love: The station fear becomes first compassionate fear, then awe-inspired fear. This trajectory guides the seeker from rudimentary fear toward Divine gnosis and love. Like a stream flowing into the ocean, fear matures into love through spiritual development.
Fear, upon evolving into compassion and awe, ultimately leads to Divine love.
This progression delineates the seekers transformative journey from fear to love.
Khawf al-Ubid, characterised by acknowledgment of Divine warning, remembrance of sin, and vigilance over consequences, constitutes an essential preliminary station in the spiritual path. Its elevation through compassion, awe, and love leads the seeker to loftier spiritual realms and completes the transformative process.
The station of fear in the Manzil al-Sirn, following sorrow, invites the seeker to contemplation of the future and self-purification. The tripartite levels of fearfrom fear of punishment (Khawf al-Ubid) to the perception of Divine grandeur (Khawf al-rif)depict the spiritual hierarchy, guiding the seeker from heedlessness to gnosis. Quranic evidence confirms the comprehensiveness of this station, and the relationship between fear and faith transforms it into a sign of heartfelt affirmation. The special fear of the Divine elect, especially as manifested in the courageous expressions of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), manifests the pinnacle of gnosis and Divine ecstasy. The distinction between love and ecstasy reveals the profound gnosis of this station, while the superiority of the Infallibles as exemplars of spiritual conduct is emphatically highlighted. The obligation of religious duties ensures spiritual discipline, but the Divine elect worship from longing. The progression of fearfrom servitude fear to compassion, awe, and lovecompletes the seekers spiritual transformation.
