the Lectures of Nokounam, may his sanctity be revered (Session 244)
The treatise Manzil al-S'irn, authored by Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, stands as a radiant beacon illuminating the journey of seekers traversing the path of Truth. By elucidating the stations of spiritual progression, it furnishes a meticulous map for navigating the way to divine proximity. The present discourse constitutes a comprehensive rearticulation and critical analysis of the 244th session lecture in the Persian calendar), dedicated to the foremost station of perseverance namely, perseverance in ijtihd coupled with economy.
Perseverance, as the vertebral column of mystical wayfaring, impels the seeker to steadfastness upon the path of Truth, fortifying the inner self against frailty and deviation. The objective herein is to explicate the station of perseverance within the spiritual journey, its gradations, the imperative nature of ijtihd and economy, and the avoidance of detrimental excesses such as extremism, negligence, and innovation. This is intended to empower the seeker, endowed with awareness of jurisprudential principles and sincerity, to successfully tread the path towards divine proximity.
Perseverance, as a fundamental constituent of mystical pathwalking, guarantees the integrity and steadfastness of the seekers progress toward divine nearness. This notion, akin to a propulsive force, restrains the seeker from weakness and deviation, bestowing the capacity to withstand the temptations of the self and the challenges inherent in the journey. Perseverance demands internal coherence, intimate connection with the goal of the path, and the vitality necessary for endurance and persistence. Absent these elements, spiritual advancement is unattainable, for the nafs (ego), inclined toward laxity and release, obstructs the completion of deeds.
Perseverance is not merely requisite in spiritual pathwalking but is indispensable in any endeavour necessitating continuity and completion. Just as a grand structure collapses without robust pillars, so too does the seekers journey culminate in incompletion and failure absent perseverance. This concept underscores the imperative of completion and perfection of action, serving as a resistance that brings work to fruition and averts its imperfection.
The domain of perseverance extends from wadi (valley) to rawbi (hills or peaks). In the valley, perseverance is exercised without direct vision or oversight, analogous to a seeker who treads the path in darkness with faith and reliance upon God. Contrariwise, on the heights, perseverance is accompanied by direct perception and insight, which, by virtue of deeper awareness and intuition, renders it weightier and more arduous. This distinction resembles the transition from darkness to light which, while bestowing illumination, simultaneously intensifies spiritual responsibility and burden.
This domain reflects the dynamism of spiritual progress whereby each phase demands a perseverance commensurate with the seekers cognitive and perceptual level. In the valley, the seeker confronts limitations in perception, whereas on the peaks, the revelation of truth increases the weight of perseverance much as mountaineering atop a summit is rendered more arduous by fierce winds and broad vistas than traversing a valley floor.
The lack of perseverance culminates in incompletion and failure within the spiritual journey. The commanding self (nafs al-ammrah), predisposed toward laxity and release, impedes the seeker from fulfilling actions fully and drags them toward deviation and futility. One who abandons tasks unfinished lacks internal stability and firmness, and cannot endure the burdens of spiritual responsibility. This is analogous to a building collapsing prematurely owing to fragile materials.
To avert such outcomes, injunctions exhort completion and perfection of deeds: Wa alaykum bil-itmm wa al-tamm (And you must ensure completion and perfection). This counsel urges the seeker toward steadfastness and resistance against slackness, analogous to a labourer who, neglecting work for a single day, finds themselves hindered from continuing their path.
Perseverance constitutes an elemental pillar within mystical pathwalking, which by coherence, attachment, and vital energy shields the seeker from weakness and deviation. The arena of perseverance extends from valleys to summits, demanding variable steadfastness according to levels of awareness and intuition. Its absence leads to incompletion and failure, whereas completion and perfection of deeds signify inner strength and firmness. This section provides a theoretical framework for understanding the station of perseverance in spiritual progression and underscores the necessity of constancy on the path to divine proximity.
Perseverance manifests in three distinct stations, each delineating a phase of the seekers evolutionary journey:
These stations reflect an evolutionary hierarchy beginning with pure intention and culminating in comprehensive steadfastness. Intentional perseverance lays the foundation of spiritual motion, nominal perseverance guarantees stability in action, and absolute perseverance ushers the seeker into consummate constancy across all dimensions of spiritual wayfaring.
Perseverance further subdivides into three degrees, the foremost being perseverance in ijtihd accompanied by economy. This degree denotes continuous, balanced exertion in devotional acts, avoiding both excess and deficiency. Here, ijtihd connotes intense, purposeful endeavour, and economy signifies moderation, ensuring equilibrium in action.
This degree represents traversal along a smooth path whereby the seeker, through diligent and measured effort, is shielded from egotistical and jurisprudential deviations. Ijtihd acts as the dynamic impetus of action, while economy provides its regulatory framework, safeguarding the seeker against excess or laxity.
The tripartite stations of perseverance (intentional, nominal, absolute) and their degrees provide an evolutionary schema for mystical wayfaring. Intentional perseverance shapes the initial intention, nominal perseverance ensures steadfastness in practice, and absolute perseverance bestows comprehensive persistence. The primary degree, emphasizing ijtihd and economy, calls the seeker towards balanced, purposeful exertion. This section offers a precise roadmap for navigating the early stages of the spiritual path.
Ijtihd denotes strenuous effort, sustained and purposeful endeavour that propels the seeker toward the performance of devotional and spiritual acts. This concept resembles the clutching of the Divine rope, whereby through toil and perseverance, the seeker is rescued from falling into the abyss of nafsn temptations. Ijtihd is not attained effortlessly or without exertion; rather, it demands istifgh al-was, the mobilization of all inner faculties and energies.
For example, a seeker who undertakes worship with difficulty and effort is comparable to a farmer diligently tilling the soil to sow the seed of faith therein. Such effort is distinguished from routine, superficial deeds and requires authority and inner strength.
Economy signifies moderation and balance in action, protecting the seeker from extremes of excess and deficiency. This concept functions as a precise scale, measuring deeds against the standards of divine law and sincerity. Economy, by observing legitimate permission and eschewing arbitrariness, guarantees the validity and soundness of the act. The seeker must perform deeds within the scope of legitimate permission and avoid transgressing the limits of knowledge and sincerity.
Economy calls the seeker to enact deeds that neither engender extravagance nor laxity. This moderation is like a steady stream that neither floods nor dries up but irrigates the land of the spiritual path with balanced flow.
Ijtihd and economy are vulnerable to three principal afflictions:
These afflictions act as obstacles in the flow of the spiritual stream, disrupting the continuity of action. The seeker must vigilantly safeguard their deeds from these contaminations to reach the destination of divine proximity.
Ijtihd and economy constitute the dual wings of perseverance in mystical wayfaring, guiding the seeker towards spiritual perfection. Ijtihd, through persistent effort, is the driving force of action, while economy, by moderation, ensures its balance and validity. Afflictions such as transgressing knowledge, exceeding sincerity, and opposing tradition strip actions of their spiritual worth. The seeker must scrupulously adhere to divine law and sincerity to protect their perseverance from these afflictions and bring it to fruition.
Permission (in) in worship divides into two categories:
This bifurcation resembles the medical system wherein medicines are dispensed with general and specific approvals. The seeker must exercise discernment, acquiring knowledge of these permissions to ensure their deeds align with Sharia and the Prophetic tradition.
The prophetic tradition embodies the pinnacle of guidance and the definitive standard for worship. To innovate in worship is to contravene the established path, creating spiritual deviations. The seekers path must be aligned with the nahj al-sunnah, the path of the Prophet and the infallible Imams, ensuring spiritual safety and legitimacy.
Innovations (bidah), whether in form or intention, introduce instability and distance the seeker from the essence of worship. Thus, adherence to the nahj al-sunnah safeguards the seekers journey and reinforces perseverance.
Juridical permission in worship, distinguished into general and specific categories, constitutes the regulatory framework ensuring deeds validity. The prophetic tradition stands as the definitive criterion for worship, preventing innovations and guiding the seeker along the true path. The seekers adherence to permission and tradition fortifies perseverance, enabling a safe progression towards divine proximity.
Perseverance in mystical wayfaring, grounded in ijtihd and economy, represents the essential foundation for achieving spiritual perfection. The seeker must cultivate intent, balanced exertion, and adherence to divine law and prophetic tradition. The path demands constant vigilance against afflictions and the cultivation of inner strength and sincerity.
With these elements, the seeker can traverse from the valleys of uncertainty to the summits of divine proximity, attaining the ultimate objective of spiritual realization.
The treatise Manzil al-S'irn thus offers a profound and systematic approach to perseverance in spiritual pathwalking, essential for seekers aspiring to traverse the pathway of divine proximity with steadfastness, knowledge, and sincerity.
This analogy highlights the systematisation and meticulous precision inherent in the spiritual path. Observance of divine permission, akin to adherence to medical standards, safeguards against deviations and spiritual detriments.
Autonomy in worship, comparable to inventing a medication without validated standards, constitutes an offence and leads to misguidance. Worship that does not conform to the path of the prophetic tradition results in innovation (bidah) and the enslavement of the self to base desires. This phenomenon is analogous to fabricating a fictitious form of worship that diverts the seeker from the true path.
Sincerity (ikhlas) denotes performing worship solely for God, eschewing all extraneous objectives. Worship accompanied by non-divine intentions, such as ostentation or seeking material favours, falls outside the realm of sincerity and is transformed into mere spiritual hardship. This concept is akin to a pure gem that cleanses worship from the impurities of the ego.
Exceeding the bounds of sincerity leads to three principal corruptions:
These corruptions act as toxins that poison the heart of worship. The seeker must vigilantly cleanse their intention of these impurities for their worship to bear fruit.
Reported worship refers to worship performed solely for the purpose of receiving reward and possessing limited spiritual efficacy. Such worship resembles the recitation of a prayer without comprehension, executed purely for eschatological recompense. It is analogous to sowing a seed in shallow soil that fails to root deeply.
Creative worship is undertaken with the aim of spiritual healing and advancement, producing profound results. This form of worship resembles a medicinal prescription precisely formulated to treat the maladies of the soul. Creative worship guides the seeker towards spiritual reform and elevation, leading from deficiency to perfection.
Perseverance necessitates an inner authority that shields the seeker from weakness and excess. Authority acts as a force that stabilises the edifice of the spiritual path. Without authority, perseverance becomes invalid, exposing the seeker to negligence (fatr) or exaggeration (ghul). This concept is aligned with the Quranic verse: "And among them are those who are moderate" (Surah Al-Ma'idah: 66), highlighting the significance of moderation and authority.
Both extremism (exaggeration) and negligence (shortcoming) are blameworthy and divert the seeker from the path of moderation. Extremism results in excess and fatigue, while negligence causes laxity and incompleteness. The seeker must remain steadfast in moderation, like a balanced scale neither leaning to one side nor the other.
Deviation from perseverance leads to weakness (fatr) and fatigue (kall). A seeker devoid of authority resembles a blunt knife incapable of cutting. Such weakness eradicates the vitality of the spiritual journey and leads the seeker to aversion and incapacity.
Excess (ghul) leads to fatigue and boredom, diverting the seeker from moderation. Worship performed excessively resembles medicine taken in overdose, causing poisoning rather than cure. This situation draws the seeker into misguidance and moral corruption.
The purpose of worship is to accompany the divine command and attain liberation from the impulses of the self. Worship resembles travelling with a divine caravan that guides the seeker towards the ultimate truth. Such accompaniment necessitates detachment from selfish desires and lusts so that worship may be purely for God.
Deviation from the prophetic tradition results in companionship with the self and Satan, consigning the seeker to the fire of misguidance. Worship incongruent with tradition is akin to a path leading to a precipice. This deviation enslaves the self to base pleasures and deprives the seeker of the blessings of compliance.
This principle is reinforced by the Quranic verse: "If you love Allah, then follow me, so that Allah loves you" (Surah Aal-Imran: 31), emphasising the importance of adherence to tradition.
Worship must be accompanied by proportionality and balance in adherence to divine command. Excessive zeal without balance causes fatigue and disillusionment, while laxity results in incompleteness. The seeker must observe moderation as the divine law prescribes.
Submission (taslim) to divine authority signifies acceptance of all divine commands without objection or innovation. Such submission provides spiritual fortitude and alignment with the path of righteousness.
