of Nekounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session 161)
The book Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, stands as one of the most distinguished works in elucidating the stages of spiritual progression. It meticulously and profoundly explicates the stations and states of the wayfarers. In Session 161 of Nekounams lectures, the station of Humility is examined with a deep and analytical perspective. This station, as one of the foundational pillars of the mystical journey, represents an inner state that draws the heart of the seeker into submission and meekness before the Divine Majesty.
Humility (khush) is an attribute pertaining to the innermost heart and soul of the human being, whereas submission (khud) relates to the exterior limbs and outward comportment. This distinction is rooted in Quranic texts and indicates the profound internality of humility compared to submission, which may remain merely superficial. Humility is a heartfelt state arising from encountering the Divine Majesty and the remembrance of the Truth, as exemplified in the noble verse from Srat al-add:
(s translation: Has not the time come for those who have believed that their hearts should humbly submit to the remembrance of Allah and what has been revealed of the Truth?)
Submission, however, refers to the obedience of the outward limbs to the Divine commands and can manifest solely as an external behaviour without the accompaniment of the heart. This differentiation resembles the contrast between a spring that gushes from the depths of the earth (humility) and a brook that flows merely on the surface (submission).
| Key Point: Humility is an inner attribute of the heart arising from encountering Divine Majesty, whereas submission is an outward characteristic of the limbs and may occur without the hearts involvement. |
The terms khush and khud share three root letters (خ، و، ع) but differ in the middle consonants (ش and ض). This similarity and difference indicate their semantic proximity and distinction. Khush denotes inner humility and tranquillity of the heart before the Truth, whereas khud refers to outward submission and a demeanour of meekness. This divergence resembles two branches of the same tree arising from a single root yet growing in different directions.
Both concepts, humility and submission, encompass states of rukn (inclination towards the Truth) and sukn (restfulness before the Truth). However, humility pertains to the inner reality, while submission relates to the exterior. Rukn and sukn function as the two wings of a bird that carry the wayfarer towards the Truth: humility constitutes the inner wing that inclines the heart to surrender, and submission constitutes the outer wing that impels the limbs to obedience.
Humility is delineated in three ranks that illustrate the seekers developmental progression in the mystical journey:
These gradations function as a ladder guiding the wayfarer from the external to the internal, from obedience to full surrender.
| Key Point: Humility comprises three stages obedience, action, and complete submission reflecting the seekers progression from external compliance to internal surrender. |
Each of the three principal stages of humility is further divided into three sub-stages, thus totaling nine gradations. This hierarchical structure resembles a tree whose branches subdivide into finer twigs, signifying the complexity and profundity of humility within the mystical path. These sub-stages enable the wayfarer to refine the self with greater precision at every stage, advancing closer to the Truth.
Humility corresponds to the qumd al-nafs (silencing of the self) and humd al-tab (tranquillity of the natural disposition). Quiescence is akin to the extinguishing of a flame that no longer rises or rebels. In humility, the self is liberated from vehemence and egocentrism and arrives at repose and meekness. This state resembles a sea that, after a storm, sinks into calm and silence.
The selfs quiescence within humility stems either from the haybat mutaaimah (awe-inspiring majesty) or the mafza (fear of the Divine Majesty). These two sources act as complementary forces drawing the self towards meekness and humility. The haybat mutaaimah encompasses both the Divine Beauty and Majesty, whereas the mafza pertains to fear of Divine punishment or might. The Divine Beauty generates love, and the Majesty engenders awe; both can move the seekers heart towards humility.
| Key Point: Humility arises from the awe-inspiring Majesty of the Divine (Beauty and Majesty) or from fear of Divine might and wrath, drawing the self into quiescence and breaking of the ego. |
Humility does not originate solely from Majesty (fear and awe) but also from Beauty (love and Divine grace). This comprehensiveness is like a mirror reflecting both the beautiful and majestic aspects of the Divine. Contrary to the limited notion that humility results only from fear, Divine Beauty equally fosters love that attracts the seeker towards meekness and humility.
The commentator defined humility as submission combined with either fear or love; however, this definition errs by conflating humility with submission. Humility is an inward attribute of the heart, whereas submission pertains to the external. This critique is akin to correcting an erroneous map that delineates the spiritual path, emphasising the necessity for precise analysis of mystical concepts.
The commentator linked humility with love, yet love pertains to higher stages of the spiritual journey (such as affection and passionate love) and is premature within the station of humility, which is an initial stage. This critique resembles a cautionary admonition to a gardener who attempts to harvest fruit before its season. Humility belongs within the sphere of fear and awe, while love is reserved for subsequent stages.
Faith devoid of humility may be accompanied by harshness, arrogance, or pride; however, humility imbues action with meekness and devoted obedience. Faith resembles soil in which the seed of humility is planted; without humility, this soil may remain barren and unproductive. Humility purifies deeds from egotistical defilements by fostering sincerity and modesty, thereby drawing the seeker nearer to Divine proximity.
The believer may, due to carnal impulses, be prone to wrongdoing and commit sins such as theft or fornication. However, a believer who has attained humility (khush) is liberated from such carnal unruliness. For instance, a believer who refrains from lying manifests a sign of the soul's breaking (inkisr) and humility. This distinction resembles the difference between an uncut stone and a jewel polished to brilliance.
| Key Point: A believer may fall into sin due to the unruliness of the self (nafs), but the humble (khshi) is freed from egotism and rebellion through the breaking of the self. |
Humility (khush) is the breaking (inkisr) of the self a shattering and humbling of the nafs which eradicates its unruliness and rebellion. This breaking is akin to breaking the dry branches of a tree that impede its growth. The humble self is freed from the flames of egotism and self-assertion, attaining tranquility and meekness before the Divine Reality.
One can examine the breaking of the self by observing ones conduct towards others. The humble does not engage in fault-finding when faced with others wrongdoing but instead acts with magnanimity and humility. This test is like a mirror reflecting the true state of the soul to the spiritual seeker.
The humble responds to provocations with calmness and humility, whereas the non-humble, driven by the unruliness of the nafs, resorts to fault-finding and carnal reactions. This contrast resembles the difference between a clear, serene sky and a stormy, clouded one one brings peace, the other unrest.
The saints (awliy) of God, through manifestation in Divine Names, display varied states and conceal themselves from the creation. These manifestations are like garments worn according to the occasion. The saints, in harmony with the Divine Will, exhibit an appearance suitable to each circumstance, which signifies perfect humility and freedom from the self.
The Divine saints resemble children who, after quarrels, cleanse themselves and, through manifestation in the apparent Names, conceal their inner states. This metaphor resembles a painting in which the artist skillfully hides details from the viewers eye.
The Divine saints, through various Divine determinations (taayyunt), present different manifestations in each circumstance. These determinations are like diverse colours in a painting, each expressing itself distinctively, yet all originate from a single brush.
Avicennas (Ibn Sn) mysticism, being formalistic and philosophical, differs from the pure mysticism of the saints, which is based on Divine manifestations. Philosophical mysticism resembles a plant nurtured in a greenhouse, distant from the natural soil of the saints mysticism that takes root in the Divine reality.
The late Shaykh Anr held that disciplining students through rebuke is impermissible because unruly students cannot bear the teachers criticism, though they accept discourse among peers. This critique serves as a warning to gardeners who harm trees instead of pruning them. The absence of humility towards scientific and spiritual authority indicates the unruliness of the self.
The humble may reach a station where they pray for their enemies, unable to endure enmity. This state is like a spring that gives sweet water even in arid land. The humble, having freed themselves from unruliness and egotism, wishes well even for their adversaries, which marks the pinnacle of the breaking of the self.
| Key Point: The humble, at the peak of self-breaking, may pray for their enemies, indicating complete liberation from unruliness and egotism. |
Majesty (mutim) refers to outward grandeur (beauty and glory), whereas love (maabba) is inward and manifests in the vessel of early humility. This distinction resembles the difference between sunlight visible by day and the warmth felt by night. Humility at the initial stage of the spiritual journey aligns more closely with majesty than with love.
Power (suwah), the overwhelming divine force, and wrath (naqmah), divine punishment, are two causes of fear in humility. Power is like thunder and lightning that cleave the sky, while wrath is like rain that saturates or floods the earth. These two, by generating fear, compel the self towards humility and piety.
The spiritual traveller perceives God in worship through attributes such as love, majesty, grandeur, decisiveness, or restraint. This perception depends upon their spiritual states and resembles a colour reflected in the mirror of the seekers heart, shifting according to the angle of light.
Humility, as a pivotal station in the mystical journey, is an inward state that draws the seekers heart into meekness and self-breaking before Divine grandeur. Distinguished from external submissiveness (khudh), it encompasses the three ranks of devotion, action, and surrender, guiding the soul from unruliness and rebellion towards stillness and serenity. Reference to the noble verse of Srah al-add elucidates humilitys position within the framework of fear and majesty, while love is reserved for higher degrees of the journey. The critiques offered of erroneous exegeses emphasize the necessity of precision in understanding mystical concepts. The Divine saints, through their manifestations in the Divine Names, exemplify humility at its highest degree and conceal themselves from creation through varied determinations. This treatise, through an exact and lofty exposition of humility, invites reflection upon the mystical path and proximity to the Truth with knowledge and sincerity.
| Supervised by Sadegh Khademi |
