Excerpted from the Lectures of Nekounam (Session 183)
Wara, akin to a pristine spring in the mystical path, purifies the travellers heart from the defilements of non-divine attachments, guiding him towards perfection. This spiritual virtue, which is posited as a pivotal station in the Manzil al-Sirn by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, encompasses not only abstinence from prohibited matters and doubtful affairs but also the inner purification from all that is other than God. Nevertheless, erroneous interpretations of warasuch as deeming the world and its contents as impurehave distorted this concept, diverting it from its exalted goal towards a culture of rough asceticism and disorder. This treatise, relying on the detailed analyses and expositions in the 183rd session of Nekounams lectures, elucidates the lofty and scholarly station of wara, critically examining misguided interpretations and presenting its fourfold gradations, thereby illuminating the path of spiritual journey for a specialised readership.
The station of wara in Manzil al-Sirn is explicated by reference to the verse وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ (al-Muddaththir: 4; trans. : "And purify your garments"). While ostensibly referring to the purification of ones clothes, the verse fundamentally alludes to the cleansing of the self from spiritual impurities and attachments alien to the Divine. Wara functions metaphorically as a washing that cleanses the heart from carnal defilements rather than tearing or burning garments. This interpretation positions wara as a virtue that safeguards the wayfarer from prohibitions and doubts, leading towards purity and perfection.
Key Point: The verse وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ signifies the purification of the self from non-divine attachments, not the destruction or burning of garments.
Certain literalist exegeses have reduced the verse وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ to mean tearing, discarding, or burning ones clothing. This interpretation deviates from the true essence of wara, as clothing in the Qurn symbolizes adornment, dignity, and perfection. The verse هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَهُنَّ (al-Baqarah: 187; trans. : "They [women] are a garment for you and you are a garment for them") affirms the positive value of clothing as a symbol of protection and beauty. Purifying garments connotes removing impurities rather than annihilating them. This critique redirects the notion of wara from the negation of the world to the purification of the soul from non-divine attachments.
The commentator of Manzil al-Sirn, by appending the phrase "Rather, the world and its contents are impure", surpasses the authentic interpretation of Talmasani (which states that the prohibited is impure and that which is near to it becomes impure) and considers the entire world impure. This viewpoint contradicts the Prophetic tradition, wherein the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) stated: "I have chosen from your world three things: perfume, women, and the comfort of my eye in prayer." If the world and its contents were impure, then perfume, women, and prayer would likewise be deemed impure. This interpretation acts as a veil obscuring the clear face of Islamic mysticism, dragging it into cultural decadence.
Key Point: Declaring the world and its contents impure conflicts with the Prophets tradition and the intrinsic value of the world in Islam. Wara denotes purification of the heart, not negation of the world.
Rather than offering novel insight, the commentator has plagiarised Talmasanis commentary and, by appending the erroneous interpretation of the worlds impurity, corrupted it. This practice, prevalent in some mystical treatises, leads to blind imitation and distortion of mystical understanding instead of fostering creativity and awareness. Mystical composition ought to be akin to a garden that flourishes with knowledge and innovation, not reduced to a thorny wilderness through imitation and insertion of falsehoods.
The commentator asserts that the verse وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ is addressed to the community rather than the Prophet (peace be upon him), as the Prophet is immaculate and pure. This interpretation is fallacious since the verse explicitly addresses the Prophet, yet, on a deeper level, it implicitly includes the community, who must purify their souls. The Prophet, as the exemplary role model, exemplifies both external and internal purification, and this verse summons the wayfarers to cleanse their hearts from carnal defilements.
Popular mysticism, often accompanied by unmeaningful weeping and unscientific emotions, lacks scientific and mystical validity. True mysticism, particularly within seminaries, must rest upon knowledge, authority, and reason rather than baseless sentiment. Tears and emotion, when appropriately motivated and sincere, hold value; however, scholarly circles must prioritise knowledge and culture. This critique serves as a mirror exposing the deviations of popular mysticism.
Key Point: True mysticism is founded upon knowledge and reason, not unfounded emotions. Popular mysticism holds no scholarly value.
The culture of donning coarse garments, disorderliness, and uncleanliness, promoted by certain Sufi circles as tokens of piety and wara, has resulted in nothing but degeneration. Islam emphasises cleanliness, purity, and both external and internal adornment. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Imams (peace be upon them) were always adorned and immaculate. Faithful youth should shine with a dignified and orderly appearance that attracts others towards religion, not present an unattractive visage through disorder.
Recreation and play are neither forbidden nor impure for the believer; rather, when observed with moderation, they are beneficial and necessary. This viewpoint opposes ascetic cultures that negate lawful pleasures. The Prophetic lifestyle exemplifies a balanced and lively life that enjoys lawful pleasures. Wara entails abstaining from prohibitions and doubts, not denying lawful delights.
The clergy, instead of engaging with academic and international institutions, have often confined their activities to preaching within rural areas. This phenomenon has significantly undermined both their scholarly and societal standing, thereby impeding their capacity to exert influence within global intellectual circles. Clerics ought to assert their presence in universities and academic centres endowed with requisite knowledge and competence, so as to disseminate religious cognition on an international scale. While rural preaching, when conducted with professionalism, holds considerable value, it must not be regarded as the exclusive vocation of the clergy.
| Key Point: The clergy must be present within academic and international centres to promote religious knowledge globally. |
War is delineated into four stages, each representing a progressive elevation of the self:
These degrees function as a ladder, elevating the seeker from mere avoidance of sin towards divine proximity.
| Key Point: The four stages of war, from avoiding sin to intimate union with God, form the spiritual roadmap for the souls refinement in the mystical path. |
Taqwa constitutes self-restraint and avoidance of sin; however, war functions analogously to the ABS brake system in a vehicle, providing a more precise and advanced regulation over the nafs (self). Taqwa represents a lower or intermediate stage of spiritual progression, whereas war, through the avoidance of doubtful matters and the selfless sacrifice of lawful benefits, draws the seeker nearer to perfection. As narrated in traditions, war is defined as the abstention from Gods prohibitions, entailing avoidance of what is unlawful and purification of the heart from impurities.
A hadith states that the absence of war results in three consequences: premature death (loss of opportunity for spiritual perfection), servitude to the ruler (worldly dependency), and residence in rural isolation (scientific and scholarly marginalisation). These outcomes serve as warnings to the seeker to vigilantly guard war and preserve the sanctity of the soul.
The understanding of what is prohibited in Shariah is explicit; however, within Tariqah (the spiritual path) and Haqiqah (the ultimate truth), it necessitates guidance from a murshid (spiritual guide) or a mujtahid who, equipped with mystical knowledge, delineates its boundaries. The prohibited in Tariqah and Haqiqah encompasses not only the legally forbidden but also non-divine attachments that prevent the seeker from approaching God. The murshid acts as a beacon, illuminating the path of truth for the seeker and protecting them from deviation.
| Key Point: Comprehending the prohibited within Tariqah and Haqiqah requires a knowledgeable spiritual guide who shields the seeker from non-divine attachments. |
War, as a pivotal station within mystical progression, purifies the seekers heart from carnal impurities and non-divine attachments. The Quranic verse وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ (And purify your garments) is indicative of the purification of the self rather than a repudiation of the world or ones clothing. Critiques of erroneous interpretationssuch as deeming the world and its contents impureexpose deviations that have reduced mysticism to mere asceticism and disorder. The fourfold stages of war, from abstention from sin to intimacy with God, provide a definitive roadmap for the souls elevation. The clergy, likewise, must promote religious knowledge on a global scale by engaging actively within academic institutions. This elucidation, emphasising war as the advanced braking mechanism of the spiritual journey, directs seekers towards ultimate perfection.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
| Supervised by Sadegh Khademi |
