Derived from the Lecture Series of Nokoonam, May His Sacred Spirit Be Sanctified (Session 218)
The noble treatise Manaazil al-Sa'ireen, authored by the eminent Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, shines forth as a luminous beacon along the path of mystical wayfaring, elucidating the stages of spiritual perfection with profound and intricate discourse. The chapter devoted to murqaba (vigilance) constitutes a pivotal station within this opus, guiding the seeker towards heightened awareness and surrender to the Divine Will. Session 218 of Nokoonams lectures, may his spirit be sanctified, elucidates the second degree of murqabathe station of Riqb al-Ilhwherein the seeker and the Divine enter into a mutual relation of supervision and safeguarding.
The discourse commences with the invocation Bismillhir-Ramnir-Ram (In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, as translated by ), underscoring the sanctity and gravity of the subject matter. The second degree of murqaba refers to the Naar al-aqq ilayk the Divine attention directed towards the seeker. At this stage, the Divine, akin to a vigilant adversary, supervises and safeguards the wayfarer. This station transcends the initial vigilance wherein the seeker guarded the presence of the Divine to avoid straying from the sacred path; now, the Divine watches over the seeker, ensuring they do not depart from the light of truth.
This reciprocal relation resembles a spiritual dance wherein the seeker and the Divine harmonize. The seeker, by nurturing the Divine presence within their heart, is preserved from deviation, while the Divine, through particular scrutiny, shields the seeker from the abyss of the egos pitfalls. This station signifies the elevation of the seeker to a rank endowed with special Divine attention.
Key Point: The second degree of murqaba is the station of Naar al-aqq ilayk, wherein the Divine supervises and safeguards the seeker.
Distinction Between the Realm of Action (<em-Fil) and the Realm of Attribute (Sift)
The seekers vigilance towards the Divine preventing the loss of Divine presence within their heart pertains to the realm of action, insofar as it depends on human exertion and effort. Conversely, the Divines vigilance towards the seeker, which prevents their deviation from the path of truth, resides in the realm of attribute, being inherently linked to Divine qualities such as Mercy and Guidance. The realm of attribute, due to its connection with the Essence and Attributes of the Divine, is superior and transcendent relative to the realm of action.
This distinction may be likened to the contrast between the gardeners toil in nurturing a sapling and the Divine rains mercy that sustains it. The seekers endeavour, though precious, is but a shadow compared to the radiance of Divine grace. Such superiority of the realm of attribute beckons the seeker towards humility before the Divine Will.
Key Point: The Divines vigilance over the seeker, situated within the realm of attribute, is inherently superior to the seekers vigilance situated within the realm of action.
The initial section elucidated the station of Riqb within the second degree of murqaba and delineated the distinction between the realm of action and the realm of attribute. This station places the seeker under particular Divine observation and establishes a reciprocal relationship between the seeker and the Divine. The primacy of the realm of attribute over the realm of action signifies the precedence of Divine grace over human endeavour. These concepts lay the foundation for a more profound comprehension of the obstacles and characteristics inherent in this station.
At the station of Riqb, the seeker must be free from four fundamental obstacles: ar (self-display and self-assertion), itir (verbal objection), ir (practical turning away), and taarru (conflict and aggression). These hindrances must not manifest in any dimension of the seekers existence, be it in action, speech, movement, thought, spiritual journeying, or even in the intrinsic essence of their being.
These four impediments act as veils that obscure the light of truth from the seekers heart. Ar resembles a mirror in which the seeker beholds themselves and thus becomes heedless of Divine witnessing. Itir resembles a discordant voice that fractures Divine unity into multiplicity. Ir is a step into darkness that distances the seeker from the path of truth. Taarru is akin to an arrow shot against the Divine Will, positioning the seeker in opposition to the Truth. The removal of these obstacles signifies the seekers complete surrender to the Divine Will.
Key Point: In the station of Riqb, the seeker must be free from ar, itir, ir, and taarru to achieve full submission to the Divine Will.
Explication of the Differences Among the Four Obstacles
The lecture carefully differentiates these obstacles as follows:
These distinctions serve as a schematic delineation of the gradations of deviation from the path of truth. The seeker must diligently and consciously avoid each of these obstacles to reside within the realm of Divine particular attention.
Key Point: Ar, itir, ir, and taarru represent successive degrees of deviation from the path of truth which the seeker must eschew.
Critique and Completion of Khwajahs Expression
The lecture critiques the expression employed by Khwajah Abdullah Ansari in enumerating the removal of obstacles (ar, itir, ir, taarru) as incomplete, advocating for a comprehensive inclusion of all four obstacles: Murqaba Naar al-aqq ilayk bi-rafd al-ar wa al-itir wa al-ir wa al-taarru. This refinement evidences the commentators meticulousness in perfecting Khwajahs exposition to render all facets of obstacle removal in the station of Riqb unequivocally manifest.
This completion resembles the addition of missing links to the chain of spiritual wayfaring, guaranteeing its coherence and comprehensiveness. Although Khwajahs phrase is profound, the absence of explicit mention of all four obstacles may hinder the seeker from fully apprehending the scope of these barriers. This correction summons the seeker to vigilance against every aspect of opposition to the Divine.
Key Point: Khwajahs phrase regarding obstacle removal is incomplete and requires explicit inclusion of ar, itir, ir, and taarru.
The second section examined the fourfold obstacles in the station of Riqb and their distinctions. Their removal signifies the seekers full surrender to the Divine Will. The critique and augmentation of Khwajahs phrasing reinforce the conceptual integrity of this station. This section invites the seeker to awareness of egoic impediments and their removal by Divine illumination.
At the station of Riqb, the seeker is enveloped in Divine protection and immunity. The Divine preserves the seeker, bestows benevolence upon them, manifests their being, and guides their spiritual journey, all without this course originating from the seeker themselves. This protection resembles a Divine shield safeguarding the seeker from the afflictions of the nafs and satanic influences.
This state marks an intermediate perfection for the seeker, wherein all their actions and volitions are harmoniously governed by Divine guidance. The seeker in this station is like a bird soaring within the heavens of Divine mercy, each movement attuned to the breeze of Divine grace.
Key Point: The seeker at the station of Riqb is under Divine protection, with all actions and volitions aligned to Divine guidance.
In this station, the seeker is invigorated by the emergence of joy and spiritual vitality, thus being freed from weakness, lethargy, deficiency, and distortion. The obstacles of itir and taarru, which emanate from nafs weakness, find no place here. This vitality resembles a pure spring that irrigates the seekers heart, transforming them from a passive state to an active condition brimming with spiritual energy.
This vitality is the fruit of Divine special favours (mawhib thaniyyah), guiding the seeker from the darkness of ignorance and frailty towards the light of knowledge and power. The seeker in this state is like a flower blossoming under the sun of Divine illumination, whose fragrance perfumes the atmosphere of the spiritual journey.
Key Point: Spiritual vitality at the station of Riqb liberates the seeker from weakness and guides them towards the light of knowledge.
When the Divine directs Its gaze upon the seeker, their heart is illuminated such that they perceive nothing but God and the Divine attention itself. This illumination precludes any form of objection or aggression, for these arise from blindness and ignorance. The seeker at this station resembles a polished mirror reflecting Divine light, unstained by any dust of egotism.
This illumination forms the prelude to the mystical witnessing of Divine truth, liberating the seeker from self-conceit and selfishness. In this state, the seeker neither opposes the Divine nor harbours any will independent of the Divine Will.
Key Point: Divine attention illuminates the seekers heart, freeing them from objection and aggression rooted in ignorance.
Section Three undertakes a thorough examination of the effects and characteristics inherent in the Maqm al-Riqb (the Station of the Neck), notably Divine Protection, Spiritual Vitality, and the Illumination stemming from Divine Vision. These attributes liberate the seeker from weakness and ignorance, guiding him towards absolute submission and direct witnessing of the Truth. This section establishes the Maqm al-Riqb as a sublime station where the seeker harmonises with the Divine Light.
Within the Maqm al-Riqb, the seeker relinquishes personal action and volition, becoming annihilated in the Divine Action and Will. He acts solely in accordance with what the Truth has willed and wills nothing beyond it. This annihilation resembles a droplet dissolving into the boundless ocean of the Divine, freeing the seeker from duality and autonomy. This state epitomises the pinnacle of submission and unity with the Truth. The seeker, in this station, neither contradicts the Truth through speech, action, or volition, nor even entertains the notion of opposition. He is akin to a branch swayed by the breeze of Divine Will, resisting it in no manner.
The seeker exhibits complete submission to Divine Decree and Knowledge, annihilating his own knowledge within the Divine Knowledge. It never occurs to him that the Truth ought to act otherwise or that its wisdom is deficient. This submission resembles entrusting oneself to the waves of Divine Wisdom, which convey the seeker safely to the shore of certainty. In this station, the seeker not only refrains from objecting to Divine Wisdom but also considers the notion of his own knowledge surpassing Divine Knowledge as utterly impossible. This purity manifests his perfect cognizance of the completeness and wisdom of the Exalted Truth.
The runat al-taarruthe insolence of oppositionsignifies self-attention and self-existence in defiance of the Truth, which must be abolished. Such self-attention acts as a veil obstructing the witnessing of the Truth. The seeker must shatter this insolence and become absent from himself in readiness for annihilation in the Truth. This refutation resembles the breaking of a mirror in which the seeker perceives himself. By effacing selfhood, the seeker attains the witnessing of Divine Reality, freed from all forms of opposition and self-conceit.
Witnessing the Truth is impossible while the selfhood of the servant persists. The seeker must become absent from himself to be prepared for annihilation in the Truth. This mystical principle functions as a key unlocking the doors of Divine witnessing. In this station, the seeker is akin to a candle burning and dissolving in the radiance of Divine Light. This self-effacement is a prerequisite for the contemplative witnessing which guides the seeker towards readiness for annihilation in the Truth. Only through the manifestation of Divine Illumination can the seeker be liberated from selfhood and attain the witnessing of the Divine Reality.
Section Four explores annihilation and submission within the Maqm al-Riqb. Here, the seeker is annihilated in Divine action and will, submits to Divine Decree and Knowledge, and, by refuting the insolence of opposition and effacing selfhood, prepares for the witnessing of the Truth. This section portrays the Maqm al-Riqb as a station where the seeker is liberated from selfhood and unified with Divine Will.
Muraqaba Shahdiyya (contemplative witnessing) denotes readiness for annihilation in the Truth, achievable solely through the illumination of Divine Manifestation. This contemplation functions as a bridge leading the seeker from selfhood towards the Truth. In this stage, the seeker attains witnessing of the Reality by Divine Light, freed from all selfhood and duality. This readiness results from thaniah blessingsspecial Divine graceswhich guide the seeker to the light of gnosis and submission. The seeker here resembles a traveller who, guided by a Divine lamp, navigates the darkness of selfhood towards the illumination of witnessing.
In the Maqm al-Riqb, the seeker recognises deficiency within himself and ascribes perfection solely to the Truth. He directs reproach inward, not toward the Truth. This humility serves as a mirror revealing the seekers deficiencies vis--vis Divine Perfection. Not only does the seeker refrain from protesting the Truth, but he perceives his deficiencies as compensated by Divine Grace. Such perspective frees the seeker from self-conceit and claims to perfection, guiding him towards purity and submission. Here, the seeker is likened to soil humbly bowing to the Divine sun.
All the seekers actions and states within the Maqm al-Riqb depend upon Divine Grace, Knowledge, and Will. The seeker advances not passively, but actively upon the Divine path, acting by the permission and will of the Truth, never seeing himself independent of the Truth. This activity resembles a dance performed in perfect harmony with Divine Will. The seeker neither restricts his limbs nor refrains from effort; rather, all his deeds unfold through the Divines grace and will. This state signifies the balance between submission and exertion within the spiritual journey.
Section Five addresses contemplative witnessing, the servants deficiency versus the Truths perfection, and the role of Divine Grace within the Maqm al-Riqb. Contemplative witnessing prepares the seeker for annihilation, while humility delivers him from self-conceit. Divine Grace and Will form the axis of all the seekers states and deeds, harmonising active effort with submission towards perfection.
The vessel of the first station of contemplation refers to foundational attributes essential for entry into the second-degree Maqm al-Riqb. These include:
These characteristics prepare the seeker for the Maqm al-Riqb, where the Exalted Truth places him under special Divine scrutiny.
The attributes of the vessel of the first station resemble seeds sown in the seekers heart that come to fruition in the Maqm al-Riqb. Constant vigilance preserves the seeker from dispersion; witnessing Divine grandeur draws him closer to unity with the Truth; and revival of joy liberates him from weakness and languor. These qualities elevate the seeker to a rank wherein the Exalted Truth subjects him to His special oversight, shielding him from all forms of complaint, objection, refusal, and opposition. This relationship acts as a bridge conveying the seeker from preliminary contemplation to the Divine Maqm al-Riqb. Without these foundations, the seeker cannot attain the sublime vision al-aqq ilayk (the Truth toward you).
Section Six investigates the characteristics of the vessel of the first station and its connection to the Maqm al-Riqb. Constant vigilance, witnessing Divine grandeur, and revival of joy prepare the seeker for entering this exalted station. These traits constitute a foundation for receiving special Divine vision and removing egotistical barriers. This section highlights the essential continuity between the stages of contemplation within the spiritual path.
The Maqm al-Riqb, positioned as the second-degree station within the contemplative path, represents a sublime station in the spiritual journey of the Manzil al-Sirn. It places the seeker under the special supervision of the Divine. This station transcends initial contemplation (the journey towards the Truth) by emphasising complete submission to Divine Will. Here, the seeker is absolved of the four impediments: complaint, objection, refusal, and opposition, and arrives at the witnessing of Reality through the illumination of Divine Manifestation. Divine Protection, spiritual vitality, and heart illumination are among the outcomes of this station, guiding the seeker towards annihilation in Divine action and will. Contemplative witnessing prepares the seeker for annihilation, while humility before Divine Perfection frees him from egotism. The attributes of the vessel of the first station lay the groundwork for entry into this station, demonstrating the integral continuity of stages within the mystical path.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
