the lectures of Nokounam Session 141
The chapter on Sama in the venerable treatise Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, represents one of the foundational stages of the mystical journey (sulk), wherein the seeker is guided from the auditory perception of outward sound to the apprehension of the Voice of Truth and the visionary witnessing of Wahdat al-Wujd (Unity of Existence). This spiritual station, particularly in its higher gradations the kh and the kha al-kha functions as a key unlocking the inner sanctuary, directing the seeker's heart toward the knowledge (irfn) of Divine Beauty (jaml), Majesty (jall), and Perfection (kaml). Exclusive Sama is not merely the act of hearing the Voice of Truth; rather, it constitutes a profound process for the purification of the soul (nafs), the removal of ontological division, and the attainment of absolute unity with the Divine Reality.
The Manzil al-Sirn categorises the spiritual path into ten stations, of which the beginnings (badyt) serve as the initial prerequisites. These stations include wakefulness (yaqa), repentance (tawba), self-accounting (musaba), returning to God (inba), reflection (tafkr), remembrance (tadhakkur), adherence (itim), flight (farr), austerity (riya), and Sama. These stages function as preparatory exercises akin to warm-ups in athletic training, readying the seeker's soul for the more arduous spiritual phases ahead. The beginnings act as a bridge from the darkness of heedlessness to the illumination of gnosis (marifa). Sama, as the culminating phase among the beginnings, follows austerity and assumes a pivotal role in reviving the seeker's spiritual state. This station resembles a melodious vibration that rejuvenates the fatigued soul after rigorous ascetic practices, equipping it to proceed further along the path.
Sama serves as an instrument that prepares the seeker's inner reality (bin) to receive Divine truths and guides them towards gnosis and visionary witnessing (shuhd). This stage acts as a key unlocking the hearts seal, enabling the seeker to partake in a portion of the spiritual objective commensurate with their current state and rank. The essence of Sama in the exalted stations of kh and kha al-kha denotes the awakening of the inner self and the visionary witnessing of the Unity of Existence, liberating the seeker from ontological dispersion and ushering them into complete unity with the Divine.
Exclusive Sama constitutes a mystical process by which the seeker is led to the visionary witnessing of Divine Beauty, Majesty, and Perfection. This vision culminates in the Divine Sight (ruyat al-aqq), rescuing the seeker from ontological fragmentation, so that their spiritual life becomes defined by the direct vision of the Truth. Such vision is akin to a mirror reflecting the Divine Reality within the seekers interior, guiding them to apprehend the Unity of Existence.
Sama in the mystical path is categorised into the kh and the kha al-kha levels. The kh level pertains to hearing the Voice of Truth and apprehending Divine attributes Beauty, Majesty, and Perfection which guide the seeker towards vision and spiritual delight in the Truth. The kha al-kha constitutes a loftier station wherein the seeker attains the journey to the Truth (sr il al-aqq), arrival at the Truth (wul), return to the Truth (ruj), and annihilation in the Truth (fan f al-aqq). These gradations function like a ladder leading the seeker from the perception of outward sound to the inner witnessing and full unity with the Divine Reality.
The kha al-kha Sama marks the stage wherein the seeker progresses in the journey to the Truth, achieves arrival at the Truth, returns to the Divine Origin, and undergoes annihilation in the Truth. This station resembles a crystal-clear spring that wells forth from the seeker's innermost reality, quenching their spiritual thirst for complete unity with the Divine. The journey to the Truth denotes the seekers movement towards the Divine; arrival signifies reaching the Divine Presence; return connotes reversion to the Divine Origin; and annihilation embodies the dissolution of the individual ego in the Divine. These stages collectively manifest the ontological transformation of the seeker in the path of Unity of Existence.
Sama signifies hearing the Voice of Truth by the Truth and within the Truth, which guides the seeker to the apprehension of Divine Beauty, Majesty, and Perfection. The Voice of Truth resembles a celestial melody manifesting Divine attributes within the seeker's heart, leading them to spiritual delight. Beauty (jaml) pertains to attributes of gentleness and subtlety; Majesty (jall) to attributes such as Might and Power; and Perfection (kaml) to attributes like Compassion (Ramn), serving as a comprehensive vessel unifying all attributes.
Beauty and Majesty represent distinct and contrasting vessels that exhibit the differentiated Divine attributes, whereas Perfection serves as a collective vessel encompassing the unity of these attributes. This distinction is analogous to the two facets of a gem: Beauty reveals softness and elegance, Majesty reveals grandeur and power, yet in Perfection these dual aspects converge. An example is the attribute of Ramn, which unites the gentleness of mercy and the grandeur of lordship.
At the level of kh Sama, the seeker, through spiritual delight in the Truth, transcends ontological division and enters the state of direct vision. This delight acts as a spiritual wine, liberating the seeker from duality and otherness, uniting them with the Divine. In this state, nothing exists except the Truth, and all division vanishes from the seeker's being.
The effacement (talsh) of created existence (kawn) implies the nullification of its independence, not its annihilation. Through the manifestation of the Creator (makn), the created being transforms from created existence (kawn) into Divine existence (aqq), whereby the seeker perceives only the Divine Reality in all manifestations. This process is akin to the disappearance of a shadow under the sunlight, which negates the shadow's independence while preserving its existence as a manifestation of light.
In mystical witnessing, the seeker perceives the act as the form of the Agent (the Truth), rather than as an entity independent from the Agent. This vision resembles beholding a mirror that reflects the face of the Truth within all acts. By apprehending this unity, the seeker is liberated from the duality of agent and act, attaining the gnosis of Unity of Existence.
The analogy of the father's photograph elegantly illustrates the distinction between superficial sight and mystical witnessing. The seeker is like one who gazes upon the fathers photograph, perceiving not merely the paper but the essence of the father. In mysticism, the seeker beholds creation as a manifestation of the Truth, not as an independent entity. This witnessing is like the opening of the inner eye, revealing the truth concealed behind the outward appearance.
The station of Exclusive Sama, especially in its highest levels, represents a pivotal turning point in the mystical journey the point at which the seeker transcends all ontological divisions and beholds the Divine Reality directly. Through hearing the Voice of Truth, delighting in the Divine Beauty, Majesty, and Perfection, and attaining annihilation in the Truth, the seeker moves from multiplicity to absolute Unity (Wahdat al-Wujd). Sama, therefore, serves as an exclusive and profound key unlocking the mystical door, leading the soul from the veil of separation into the radiant presence of the One.
The inception of knowledge through the attribute Al-Jabbr (The Compeller) is subject to critique, as it potentially fosters coercion and authoritarianism. In contrast, the attribute Ar-Ramn (The Most Merciful), owing to its comprehensiveness and benevolence, constitutes a more fitting point of departure for mystical science. This critique parallels the reconstruction of a buildings foundation, which ought to be established upon mercy and grace.
The traditional pedagogical approach, predicated upon force and despotism, is fundamentally incongruous with the spirit of mysticism and science, which rest upon grace and purity. This method resembles a seed sown in barren soil, incapable of bearing fruit. Reforming this approach towards an education grounded in mercy and rationality is imperative.
The proverb The teachers stick is a rose is critiqued for its endorsement of coercion. Delegating authority to the Truth is more harmonious with methods based on kindness and affection. This critique is analogous to replacing thorns with flowers, thereby guiding education towards beauty and gentleness.
Mystical education ought to be diverse, eschewing the repetition of the attribute Al-Jabbr. Diversity in attributes and methodologies resembles the varied colours within a painting, which reveal the comprehensiveness and aesthetic of mysticism.
The noble Quranic verse serves as the Quranic foundation for the intuition of the unity of existence:
كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ
Translation: Everything will perish except His Face (Quran 28:88, ).
This verse functions as a beacon illuminating the annihilation of existence and the permanence of the Divine Face, guiding the spiritual traveller towards apprehending the unity of existence.
Through the dissolution of all (the annihilation of everything), the seeker perceives only the Truth. This intuition is comparable to the unveiling of a veil that reveals the reality beyond multiplicity. The aforementioned verse corroborates this truth and directs the seeker towards complete unity.
With the emergence of the Everlasting Face, the seeker realises that all things apart from the Truth are transient. This intuition resembles reaching a summit from which only the boundless horizon of the Truth is visible.
Mystical poetry referencing the abandonment of the composite existence implies liberation from attachment to it; however, it must be interpreted in a manner that does not conflate negation of creation with its annihilation. This critique is analogous to polishing a gem to cleanse it from the rust of misinterpretation.
The two worlds the material and the spiritual cannot be negated, though their autonomy must be denied. They are akin to mirrors reflecting the Face of the Truth; negating them amounts to repudiating the manifestations of the Divine Reality.
The beginnings, encompassing awakening, repentance, self-accounting, turning to God, contemplation, remembrance, holding fast, flight, asceticism, and Sama, guide the seeker towards the ends. These stages are like the rungs of a ladder, elevating the seeker from heedlessness towards knowledge and closeness.
Contemplation, remembrance, holding fast, and flight signify the seekers progress and movement on the path to the Truth. These stages resemble sails propelling the vessel of the spiritual journey across the sea of knowledge.
Asceticism is akin to hammering iron in the furnace, preparing the self for transformation. Sama is a melodious tune that alleviates the fatigue of asceticism, revitalising the seeker with spiritual energy for continued advancement.
The beginnings, as preliminary stages of the path, direct the seeker from heedlessness towards knowledge and, through Sama, prepare them for entrance into the ends. Sama, with its revitalising role, is like a breeze that refreshes the weary soul and facilitates the journey towards the Truth.
The chapter on Sama in Manzil al-Sirn, as one of the pivotal stages of the mystical path, guides the seeker from perceiving the outward sound to intuiting the Divine Voice and the unity of existence. The specific and most particular forms of Sama, through the purification of the obstacles to unveiling, lead the seeker to the journey towards the Truth, arrival, return, and annihilation in the Divine. The noble verse كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ from the Holy Quran constitutes the Quranic foundation of this intuition, affirming the annihilation of existence and the permanence of the Divine Face. Critiques of the knowledge of Al-Jabbr and traditional coercive methods underscore the necessity of substituting them with merciful attributes and methods founded on kindness. Illustrations such as the photographs of a father, an eyebrow, and cloth exquisitely delineate the distinction between outward perception and mystical intuition.
