the lectures of Nekounam, may his sacred spirit be sanctified (Session 155)
Divine vision stands as an ideal deeply rooted within the human soul, propelling the seeker towards the comprehension of the essence of existence and proximity to the Origin of Creation. In Lecture No. 155 of Manzil al-Sirn, Nekounam, may his spirit be sanctified, undertakes a profound and mystical examination of the concept of divine vision as delineated in the Quranic verses. By referencing the dialogue between Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, and God, he underscores the inherent possibility of divine vision juxtaposed with the cognitive limitations of humankind.
In Lecture No. 155, the principal axis of discourse revolves around distinguishing between the intrinsic impossibility of divine vision and the human incapacity to endure the Divine Manifestation. Nekounam, may his spirit be sanctified, relying on verse 143 of Srah al-Arf, emphasises that God does not categorically negate vision in an absolute sense; rather, the incapacity of Moses, peace be upon him, to bear the divine manifestation is the subject. This distinction acts as a beacon, illuminating the proper comprehension of Quranic texts.
The Quranic text of the verse reads:
: And when Moses came to Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said: "My Lord, show Yourself to me, that I may look upon You." He said, "You shall never see Me; but look at the mountain, and if it remains firm in its place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord manifested His Glory to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell down unconscious. When he recovered, he said: "Glory be to You! I repent to You, and I am the first of the believers."
Nekounam, may his spirit be sanctified, stresses that the phrase لَن تَرَانِي does not entail an intrinsic negation of vision; rather, it indicates Moses incapacity in the face of the Divine Manifestations grandeur. The condition of the mountains stability serves as a measure to assess human cognitive capacity, while the shattering of the mountain symbolizes the material structures inability to withstand Divine Majesty.
Nekounam, may his spirit be sanctified, offers a candid critique of Allameh Tabatabais exegesis, arguing that the vision intended in the verse is external (apparent) rather than internal (spiritual). Were the intended vision of a heartly perception, the request of Moses, peace be upon him, and the episode of the mountains manifestation would be redundant, since he would already apprehend God inwardly. The phrase أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ explicitly points to an external visual perception, analogous to one requesting to see a fabric in a marketplace with the physical eyes.
This critique serves as a sharp blade that dispels the veils of ambiguity surrounding the concept of vision, stressing the necessity of fidelity to the manifest meaning of the verses. The spiritual vision, which in mystical tradition connotes an inner unveiling, is incompatible in this context with the verses literal request for manifest and explicit seeing by Moses.
The phrase أَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ, uttered by Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, constitutes a profound subject of analysis in this lecture. Nekounam, may his spirit be sanctified, argues that this expression does not signify faith in personal incapacity for vision, since faith in ones weakness does not equate to faith in God. Moreover, interpreting this phrase as belief in the inherent invisibility of God contradicts the apparent meaning of the verse, which does not negate Gods visibility in essence but rather Moses incapacity.
This phrase acts as a mirror reflecting the acceptance of human limitations before Divine Grandeur. Moses, peace be upon him, by declaring أَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ, alludes to his pioneering faith in Divine Truth following the experience of the Manifestation and the recognition of his incapacity to endure it. Such faith is not a denial of vision but rather an acceptance of human frailty in the presence of Divine Majesty.
Nekounam, may his spirit be sanctified, compares the request for divine vision made by the Children of Israel and by Moses, peace be upon him, affirming the similarity in their nature. The Children of Israel, in two Quranic verses, demanded manifest vision of God:
: And when you said: "O Moses, we shall not believe you until we see God manifestly," then the thunderbolt seized you while you were looking on.
: And they said: "Show us God manifestly."
In the first verse, the Children of Israel condition their faith upon clear vision of God, and in the second, they demand Moses, peace be upon him, to reveal God to them. Nekounam, may his spirit be sanctified, emphasises that, contrary to some interpretations which view these demands as obstinacy, these are innate and human questions rooted in mankinds primordial yearning for comprehension and witnessing of the Divine Reality.
Moses, peace be upon him, at the appointed time reiterates this request of his people: رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ. This repetition manifests the profound linkage between human innate questioning and the aspirations of the prophets. Contrary to views that attribute this request to the stubbornness of the people, Nekounam regards it as an existential query stemming from the human spirit.
Gods response to the Children of Israel and Moses, peace be upon him, differs subtly. Regarding the people, God struck them with a thunderbolt yet later revived them with blessings such as manna and quails. This response functions as a lash, first admonishing, then followed by divine mercy. In the case of Moses, peace be upon him, the Divine Manifestation upon the mountain caused him to swoon, and without granting material blessings, he regained consciousness and declared: سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.
This distinction reveals varying levels of perceptive capacity. The Children of Israel, due to existential frailty, required material mercy; Moses, as a prophet, returned to faith and repentance with the awareness of his incapacity. These responses mirror the graduated stages of human spiritual progression in the presence of Divine Magnificence.
Nokounam (may his sacred spirit be sanctified), through a meticulous analysis of the term انظُرْ as it appears in Quranic verses, emphatically asserts that this lexeme signifies external, sensory vision rather than a form of inner, spiritual perception. The following Quranic examples elucidate this precise semantic field:
انظُرْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ (Al-Baqarah: 259)
: Observe your food and drink; it has not undergone alteration.
فَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ آثَارِ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا (Ar-Rum: 50)
: So behold the effects of Gods mercy: how He revives the earth after its death.
انظُرْ إِلَىٰ الْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ (Al-Arf: 143)
: Look upon the mountain: if it remains steadfast in its place.
These verses manifestly demonstrate that the term انظُرْ denotes visual perception with the physical eye. Even when applied in the context of divine vision, it retains this meaning of outward seeing. Nokounam further contends that interpreting this term as denoting a form of inner, spiritual sight is incongruous with the contextual framework of the Quranic passages, since throughout the Quran, انظُرْ consistently connotes sensory perception.
The term لِقَاء in the Quran is employed to signify a meeting or direct encounter with God Almighty. Nokounam (may his sacred spirit be sanctified), drawing upon several scriptural verses, elucidates this concept with precision:
مَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ لَآتٍ (Al-Ankabt: 5)
: Whoever hopes for the meeting with God, indeed the appointed time of God will come.
وَكَذَّبُوا بِلِقَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ (Al-Anm: 31)
: And they denied the meeting of the Hereafter.
إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ بِلِقَاءِ رَبِّهِمْ لَكَافِرُونَ (Ar-Rm: 8)
: Indeed, many among mankind are disbelievers in the meeting with their Lord.
These verses clearly indicate that لِقَاء entails a direct divine encounter and vision, rather than mere spiritual cognition. Nokounam underscores that denying the possibility of لِقَاء الله signifies an act of disbelief regarding the potential of divine vision, which itself is a consequence of erroneous doctrinal imposition.
Certain exegetical traditions confine the meaning of لِقَاء الله strictly to the hereafter. Nokounam critically challenges this restriction, arguing that limiting the concept of لقاء to the afterlife confines the apparent meaning of the verses. The Quran employs لقاء in contexts that implicitly allow for the possibility of divine vision in this worldly life. This critique functions as a key unlocking the hermeneutical constraints imposed on the relevant verses, thereby paving the way for a more expansive understanding of the divine encounter.
Nokounam (may his sacred spirit be sanctified) considers the yearning for divine vision an innate question originating from the depths of the human soul. This yearning resembles a rivulet flowing from the fountain of innate disposition (fitrah), guiding humanity towards the direct witnessing of divine reality. Nevertheless, imposed dogmas which depict God as imperceptible have suppressed this primordial inclination and deprived humans of profound communion with the Origin of Existence.
Such imposed beliefs act as a dam obstructing the natural flow of fitrahs rivulet, ensnaring humanity in the darkness of fear and alienation. Nokounam (may his sacred spirit be sanctified), employing a poignant allegory, compares this estrangement to the story of two brothers who became strangers through the propagation of a false rumour. The belief in Gods imperceptibility estranges humanity from the Divine and reduces worship to an act motivated by fear.
Nokounam (may his sacred spirit be sanctified) openly criticises the religious culture that portrays God as a terrifying and remote entity. This culture acts like a poison contaminating the human soul, depriving it of loving and unrestrained worship. Invoking the words of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), لَمْ أَعْبُدْ رَبًّا لَمْ أَرَهُ (I did not worship a Lord Whom I did not see), he insists that true worship stems from knowledge and direct vision rather than fear.
This critique is like a beacon dispelling the darkness of fear, thus facilitating a loving relationship with God. Worship borne of fear is akin to a chain binding the soul, whereas free worship resembles the flight of a bird whose wings spread in the heavens of divine knowledge.
Nokounam (may his sacred spirit be sanctified) emphasises that God is perceptible; however, His vision is contingent upon the ontological capacity of the human being. This is illustrated by examples of the perception of immaterial entities such as angels, jinn, and the Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him). A persons inability to perceive these entities due to cognitive limitations does not signify their imperceptibility, but rather evidences a deficiency in the individuals perceptual faculty.
This perspective constitutes a gateway opening towards the possibility of divine vision. God is akin to a jewel within reach; yet, humans, hindered by fears and limitations, fail to attain it. Nokounam (may his sacred spirit be sanctified) likens this limitation to a well containing a jewel, but the fear of snakes and scorpions deters one from retrieving it.
Discourse number 155 of Manzil al-Sirn, through an in-depth exploration of the concept of divine vision, paves the way for reconsideration of religious beliefs. Nokounam (may his sacred spirit be sanctified), relying on Quranic verses, demonstrates that divine vision is intrinsically possible and depends on the human ontological capacity. The terms انظُرْ and لِقَاء in the Quran signify apparent vision and encounter; interpreting them as inner cognition is inconsistent with the Quranic context.
The desire for divine vision, both among the Children of Israel and Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), is a natural, human question rooted in mans intrinsic longing to behold the truth. The belief in Gods imperceptibility is the product of fear-induced alienation, which obstructs loving communion with the Origin of Existence. This discourse stands as an invitation to reconsider these beliefs and return to the Quranic text to comprehend the reality of divine vision.
Nokounam (may his sacred spirit be sanctified), emphasising the statement of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), لَمْ أَعْبُدْ رَبًّا لَمْ أَرَهُ, clears the path for free and loving worship. Such worship resembles a rivulet originating from the fountain of knowledge, guiding humanity towards the boundless ocean of the Divine. The path to divine vision is not closed to anyone but requires self-purification and elevation of ontological capacity.
