of Nekounam, (Session 190)
Tabattul, akin to a divine breeze, guides the soul of the seeker towards pure and undivided attention to the Truth, liberating him from the bonds of hope, fear, and heedlessness toward creation. This concept, elucidated within the esteemed treatise Manzil al-Sirn by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari as one of the pivotal chapters of mystical practice, is neither a severance from creation nor an abandonment of worldly enjoyments; rather, it is an internal turning towards the exalted Divine Essence.
The lecture by Nekounam, , in session 190 critically examines erroneous interpretations of tabattul and asceticism, emphasising its authentic meaning as attention to the Truth, and thus reinterprets this concept within a rigorous scholarly and mystical framework.
Within mystical practice, tabattul signifies an inward attention towards the Almighty (التوجه إلى الله), not a total disconnection from creation, nor abstinence from marriage or monasticism. Presented subsequent to chapters on abstinence and piety in Manzil al-Sirn, this concept invites the seeker to an internal turning towards God whilst remaining engaged within social life. Nekounam, , stresses that tabattul, contrary to misconceived interpretations, is neither mendicancy, poverty, nor filthiness; rather, it denotes a state wherein the seeker prioritises God in all affairs.
This perspective is substantiated through references to the Holy Quran and the Prophetic tradition. For instance, the seclusion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the Cave of Hira was not intended as permanent withdrawal from society but to receive revelation due to his station of submission. Imitating this seclusion without the divine inspiration leads to deviation and misguidance. Tabattul, like a pure spring, directs the seeker towards God while keeping him amidst creation with due respect.
Verse: And remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with complete devotion. (Al-Muzzammil: 8)
Translation : And remember the name of your Lord, and devote yourself to Him with complete devotion.
A principal theme of the lecture is the critique of misinterpretations regarding asceticism and tabattul. Asceticism has mistakenly been equated with renunciation of the world, and tabattul with total detachment from creation, deviations which have culminated in the impoverishment and backwardness of Muslims. Nekounam, , denominates these interpretations as colonial mysticism that, by advocating abandonment of the world and isolation, has handed over material resources to opportunists and pushed Muslims into deprivation.
This critique is rooted in the conduct of the Prophets and Saints, who lived among people and pursued mystical paths through active societal presence. According to the lecture, true mysticism is not mendicancy or filth but attention to the Divine Truth within the social fabric. Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him), despite his worldly wealth, was ascetic, for his attention was directed toward the Truth, not transient worldly manifestations.
The lecture strongly condemns the shathiyyat (ecstatic utterances) and the conduct of the Qalandariyya, which under the guise of disconnection from creation, lead to misguidance and slander. Such behaviours appear outwardly false, though their inner realities may be free from fault, akin to apparent roaring without wine consumption. Due to the misconceptions and accusations they provoke, these behaviours are incompatible with tabattul. The seeker must, as narrated, fear the places of slander and avoid circumstances prone to such reproach.
This critique delineates Tabattul as a legitimate and rational act within the bounds of religious law, performed with due adherence to social etiquette and the avoidance of ambiguous conduct. The devoted seeker of Tabattul refrains not only from disrespecting others but perceives Gods benevolence manifest through gratitude towards His creation.
Tabattul, as an inner spiritual connection to the Divine Truth, emancipates the seeker from the superficial disconnection from creation. This critique of erroneous interpretations of asceticism and Tabattul accentuates the necessity of moderation and social engagement. Colonial mysticism, by promoting world-renunciation and detachment, has engendered passivity among Muslims, whereas genuine Tabattul entails focused attention upon the Truth within the context of society. The critique of ecstatic utterances and mendicant practices presents Tabattul as a lawful and rational act, concomitant with the observance of social decorum.
Khwajah Abdullah Ansari categorises Tabattul into three stages, the first of which has been examined in this discourse: The abstraction of severance from worldly desires and distractions towards the Divine realm, motivated by fear, hope, or heedlessness.
This stage, termed Fili Tabattul (actual or practical Tabattul), involves the abandonment of egoistic desires and worldly attentions due to fear, hope, or disregard. Nekounam considers this degree suitable for intermediate seekers who have embarked upon spiritual conduct after practicing asceticism and piety.
| Key Point: The first degree of Tabattul, known as practical Tabattul, is attained when the seeker, by renouncing hope, fear, and heedlessness towards creation, achieves an inward focus on the Divine Truth. |
Practical Tabattul actualises in the domain of actions and is distinct from intrinsic Tabattul, which epitomises the perfected attention to the Truth characteristic of the elite saints. At this stage, the seeker must abandon three egoistic defects: hope in creation, fear of creation, and heedlessness towards creation. These renunciations are respectively replaced by reliance upon God, surrender to God, and the witnessing of the Truth of God.
At the initial degree of Tabattul, the seeker must distance themselves from three egoistical defects:
| Key Point: Renouncing hope with trust, fear with surrender, and heedlessness with witnessing leads the seeker from latent polytheism to pure attention upon the Divine Truth. |
These renunciations liberate the seeker from subtle polytheism (hidden reliance upon other than God) and redirect their focus solely towards the Divine. Nekounam emphasises that Tabattul does not entail disrespecting creation or rejecting their benevolence. As cited from Haji Sabzevari in the commentary on the poetic work Manzumeh, repudiating the kindness of creation constitutes polytheism itself, since the love shown by creation is from God. The devoted seeker of Tabattul, by thanking the created beings, perceives Gods favour manifested therein.
Contrary to misinterpretations of abstract renunciation, Tabattul does not denote abandoning lawful desires and pleasures. Legitimate desires for the Divine, such as love for life, religion, and the Shia community evident in the conduct of the Imams (peace be upon them) are not incongruent with Tabattul. Nekounam stresses that the seeker may partake in lawful pleasures provided these desires orient towards God.
| Key Point: Legitimate desires for the Divine, including lawful worldly pleasures, are compatible with Tabattul, contingent upon their orientation toward God. |
This perspective harmonises Tabattul with a balanced and lawful life. The devoted seeker not only refrains from abandoning lawful pleasures but directs them towards the Divine, akin to the Imams (peace be upon them) who loved life and their community, yet their love was for the sake of the Truth.
The degrees of Tabattul guide the seeker from apparent attention to creation towards inner attention to the Divine Truth. The initial degree, practical Tabattul, by renouncing hope, fear, and heedlessness toward creation, frees the seeker from latent polytheism. Legitimate desires for the Divine harmonise with Tabattul, inviting the seeker to a balanced and lawful existence. This section presents Tabattul as a bridge toward intimate spiritual union with the Divine Truth.
This discourse summarises mysticism in three stages: renunciation of desire for others (creation), renunciation of desire for the self (ego), and renunciation of desire for God (pure love). Practical Tabattul occupies the first stage, where the seeker, by relinquishing desire for creation, attains attention to the Divine. The third stage, culminating in pure love (وجدتك أهلاً للعبادة
), transcends practical Tabattul and is unique to the perfected saints.
| Key Point: Mysticism is summarised in three stages: renunciation of desire for creation, self, and God. Practical Tabattul corresponds to the first stage. |
An example is provided of a woman in the shrine of Lady Masoumeh (peace be upon her) who expressed ingratitude upon losing her child, illustrating absence of Tabattul. The devoted seeker maintains continual attention to God in all states and eschews ingratitude and craving for creation.
The true nourishment of the soul is the Divine Truth itself, expressed in the discourse as: You were created to partake of Me.
Tabattul constitutes the souls inward sustenance through attention to the Divine, in contrast to worldly desires that never satiate the soul. Nekounam emphasises that mysticism signifies union with the Divine rather than severance from creation or desires. Abstract renunciation connotes spiritual union with God in all states.
| Key Point: The souls nourishment is the Divine; Tabattul is the inward feeding by attention to God within the milieu of life and society. |
This viewpoint presents mysticism as a dynamic and unifying force. The devoted seeker of Tabattul lives amongst creation with attention to the Divine, enjoying lawful desires while perceiving all within the path to God.
Mysticism is the union with the Divine manifested in three stages of renunciation. Tabattul, as inner attention to God, resides in the first stage and guides the seeker to nourish the soul with the Divine Truth. This section portrays Tabattul as a bridge toward pure love and intimate union with the Divine.
In Manazil al-Sairin, Tabattul is portrayed as a pure spring that guides the seeker towards inward attention to the Divine Truth, with detachment from hope, fear, and heedlessness towards creation. The critique of erroneous ascetic and Tabattul interpretations underscores the necessity of moderation and societal presence. Practical Tabattul, by renouncing egoistic defects, liberates the seeker from latent polytheism, while legitimate desires for the Divine harmonise with a balanced and lawful life. Mysticism is union with the Divine, and Tabattul is the bridge to pure love and inward nourishment with the Divine Truth.
| Supervised by Sadegh Khademi |
