Excerpted from the lectures of Nekounam , Session 147.
The chapter entitled Bab al-Khawf in the revered book Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, represents a pivotal stage in the path of mysticism, whereby the seeker is confronted with two inner states: huzn (sorrow) and khawf (fear). These two states resemble broken wings that prevent the seeker's soul from soaring towards divine tranquility unless they are guided by gnosis and faith towards divine love. This treatise, derived from Nekounams 147th lecture, elucidates the station of khawf and huzn in mystical progression, distinguishes their similarities and differences, and critiques the propagation of fear in religious and social education.
Within the mystical path, khawf and huzn are two psychological conditions that position the seeker vis--vis the past and the future. Huzn denotes regret and sorrow over a past in which a blessing or opportunity was lost or an error occurred. Khawf signifies apprehension and anxiety concerning a future potentially fraught with punishment, deprivation of blessings, or calamity. These twin states, like heavy shadows, descend upon the seekers soul, depriving it of enjoyment of the present moment and divine serenity.
Khawf and huzn share in eliciting inner distress (batini pain) and a loss of peace. Both states arise from the perception of loss or threat, disturbing the souls equanimity and harmony. Anxiety, grief, and spiritual fracturing stemming from the dissolution of truth or blessing constitute their shared features. Like a spring whose clarity darkens, the seekers soul is estranged from purity and tranquility under these conditions.
The fundamental distinction between khawf and huzn lies in their temporal focus. Huzn relates to the pastwhere the seeker has lost a blessing or committed an error. Khawf concerns the future, embodying dread of punishment, loss of blessing, or impending calamity. This distinction is analogous to two banks of a river, one gazing toward the source (past) and the other toward the sea (future).
In contemporary society, khawf and huzn have transformed into principal afflictions of humanity. Huzn manifests as lamentation over past mistakes or lost opportunities. Khawf is apprehension regarding a future fraught with financial, familial, or social troubles. These states rob individuals of living in the present moment and imprison them in cycles of anxiety and failure. Like a bird whose wings are caught in the cage of past and future, the human being remains unable to soar in the sky of the present.
One social manifestation of khawf is the financial institutionsparticularly banksexploitation of the populaces fear regarding the future. Concern for the financial status of children or future generations drives individuals toward deposits and savings. Banks, capitalising on this fear, achieve substantial profits, while production and industry remain deprived of such growth. This phenomenon resembles a field yielding thorns of fear instead of crops.
Khawf of the future and huzn of the past plunge a persons present into failure and misery. These two states are like thieves who rob the sustenance and peace of the present moment. Immersed in regret for the past or anxiety about the future, one is deprived of delighting in divine blessings. Like a traveller who, lamenting the origin or worrying about the destination, neglects the beauty of the journey, the individual is deprived of life itself under these conditions.
Khawf and huzn, as two psychological states, exert destructive effects not only in mystical progress but also in social and economic life. By depriving humans of the present moment, they trap them within cycles of anxiety and failure. The banks profiteering from peoples fears exemplifies the social repercussions of these states and highlights the necessity for reconsideration in religious and cultural education.
The Holy Quran proclaims that believers who have faith and perform righteous deeds are freed from khawf and huzn. An illustrious verse states:
Translation: Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve (Al-Baqarah: 277, ).
This verse, like a lamp in the dark night, illuminates the path to liberation from khawf and huzn through faith and righteous action. Believers, relying on certainty and conviction, are thus emancipated from the anxiety of the past and the fear of the future.
While these states may be debilitating, the Quran also reveals their wisdom as catalysts for reform and spiritual growth. They awaken the heart from heedlessness and drive the seeker toward repentance and closeness to God. Khawf, as a reverential fear, can inspire moral vigilance, while huzn can evoke heartfelt repentance.
In the mystical journey, khawf and huzn represent both barriers and opportunities. They are states that, if left unchecked, imprison the soul in cycles of regret and fear. Yet, when accompanied by faith, knowledge, and love, they become the wings by which the soul rises beyond self and time. Understanding their essence and impact, especially in social and economic contexts, helps us transcend their harmful effects and cultivate a life marked by present-moment awareness and divine tranquility.
Fear constitutes a deficiency, whereas perfection is embedded in love and affection for the Divine. The propagation of fear within religious pedagogy, rather than fostering love, results in the cooling of relational warmth and diminution of faith. Analogous to a spring that flows not with the purity of love but with the darkness of fear, this approach deprives the soul of its serenity.
Instead of endorsing fear of God (attaq Allh), it is imperative to cultivate love and affection towards the Divine within hearts. Divine love draws the individual closer to God, akin to a moth that flies towards the light. This paradigm not only revolutionises mystical practice but also transforms social and familial education.
The repudiation of asceticism and the critique of fear-based religious education underscore the necessity of substituting fear with divine love. Islam invites humanity to courage and intuitive perception, and divine love paves the path to perfection and tranquility.
Fear within familial relationships, in lieu of love, culminates in coldness and alienation. Fear of a spouse or parents, like a sinister shadow, deprives intimacy of emotional warmth. Families where fear prevails become bereft of sincerity and love.
The narration that valorises cowardice, miserliness, and arrogance in women has been erroneously interpreted. These traits are defects, and their promotion leads to patriarchy and female suppression. Like a gem buried in the earth, the dignity of women is neglected in this interpretation.
Fear-based education results in psychological complexes and inefficiency. Permitting the experience of error and learning therefrom contributes to healthier individual growth. Like a sapling bending but not breaking in the wind, humanity attains perfection through experience.
Fear represents a deficiency and an impediment to the attainment of perfection, freedom, and faith. Like a lock imposed upon the heart, fear restrains the soul from opening towards the Truth.
Fear-based education, whether in the family or society, results in relational coldness and inefficiency. Critiquing the promotion of negative traits in women and emphasizing fearless education facilitates the path for healthy and elevated human growth.
Inner distress arises from the perception of loss or threat. Absent perception, an individual remains unaware of pain or danger. Like a mirror that fails to reflect the absence of light, the soul, devoid of perception, remains oblivious to fear and sorrow.
The commentators of Manzil al-Sirn have defined fear as disturbance and loss of tranquility, a definition that is inaccurate. Fear and anxiety are existential qualities and must not be interpreted merely as negations (loss of peace). Analogous to defining disease solely as absence of health, this interpretation diverges from the essence of fear.
Perception is the origin of inner distress in fear and sorrow; however, the erroneous definition of fear as loss of peace obstructs an authentic understanding of this psychic state. This critique of the commentators underscores the necessity for a scholarly reassessment of such interpretations.
The saints of God, by virtue of their profound love for the Creator, became immersed in worship and remained inseparable from Him. This love transforms worship into a passionate experience, akin to a lover who is consumed in the union with the beloved.
Worship founded upon fear diverts the seekers focus from God towards remembrance of worldly afflictions. Such worship is comparable to a prayer in which God recedes to the periphery and the world takes centre stage.
Divine love transmutes worship into a loving and elevated experience, whereas fear-based worship entangles the seeker in worldly multiplicities. This distinction underscores the pivotal role of love in mystical practice.
The chapter on fear (Bab al-Khawf) in Manzil al-Sirn, as a stage in the mystical path, confronts the seeker with two psychic states: fear and sorrow. These states, by engendering inner distress, deprive the soul of divine tranquility. The distinction between sorrow (past-oriented) and fear (future-oriented), alongside their shared characteristics of anxiety and grief, reveals their profound impact on the soul. The Qurn, by emphasizing faith and righteous action, delineates the path to liberation from fear and sorrow. Critique of the use of the angelic verse stresses the necessity for contextual correspondence between scriptural verses and the seekers state. Khushyah, as a higher degree than fear, is intimately connected with divine love and guides the seeker towards a loving piety. The critique of promoting fear in religious and social education, instead of divine love, highlights the imperative for revising this approach. Criticism of negative traits attributed to women and fear-based education draws attention to human dignity and healthy growth. Ultimately, this lecture advocates the promotion of divine love and education devoid of fear, thereby providing a pathway to perfection and divine intuition consonant with the spirit of Islam and testimony.
