the Lectures of Nokounam (May His Sacred Spirit Repose), Session 257
The mystical journey, or sulk, represents an expansive expedition within the infinite realm of Divine knowledge, wherein the seeker, by reliance on the ranks of tawakkul (trust) and tafw (delegation), advances towards proximity to the Truth. The chapter of tafw, as a sublime summit within the hierarchical stages of this spiritual voyage, occupies a distinguished place in Islamic mysticism. This station, possessing a refinement and purity surpassing that of mere trust, summons the seeker to a total entrustment of affairs to God, devoid of any condition or reservation.
This treatise, derived from the 257th session of Nokounams lectures (may his sacred spirit repose), undertakes an erudite, mystical, and philosophical examination of the chapter of tafw. The discourse pivots on the exalted Quranic verse:
This utterance, pronounced by the believer of Pharaohs people, manifests the courage, knowledge, and absolute submission of the individual in the face of Divine will. The present text, structured in an academic and scientific manner, delineates the distinctions between tafw and tawakkul, critiques deterministic perspectives, and underscores the Merciful essence of God within the spiritual journey.
Tafw, signifying the complete delegation of affairs to God without interference of the self or apparent causes, is explicitly mentioned in the Quran in the active form only once:
This rarity bespeaks the magnitude and arduousness of this station, demanding courage, knowledge, and absolute surrender. The believer from Pharaohs entourage who pronounces this in defiance of Pharaoh the emblem of arrogance and rebellion epitomises this station in a profound manner. Such delegation is not born out of incapacity but arises from the cognisance of Divine insight and wisdom.
Tafw, akin to a rare jewel within the treasury of spiritual progression, necessitates traversing the stages of trust and arriving at complete submission. This station calls the seeker to relinquish reliance on apparent means and entrust matters to the Absolute Owner, as the aforementioned verse emphasises the inseparability of this act from Divine insight.
The believer from Pharaohs people, introduced in the Quran as alladh mana, speaks amidst perilous circumstances. Pharaoh, claiming divinity and exercising tyranny, suppresses any opposition, yet this believer boldly declares his faith without dissimulation, entrusting his affairs to God alone. He invites his people towards growth, proclaiming:
This summons bespeaks his mission to guide others.
By choosing the term musrifn (those who exceed limits) rather than coercive appellations such as kfirn (disbelievers) or jabbrn (tyrants), the believer manifests wisdom and delicacy in his invitation. The concept of isrf here signifies wasting life and Divine opportunities, inviting reflection on ones conduct. This lexical choice distances his appeal from harshness and brings it closer to a benevolent exhortation.
God protected him from the stratagems of Pharaohs cohorts and afflicted Pharaohs household with punishment:
This divine protection is the recompense for his delegation and surrender, placing him under Divine guardianship.
Tafw, as an exceptional station in the mystical path, uniquely referenced in the Quran and exemplified in the speech of Pharaohs believer, commands a rarefied status. It necessitates courage, knowledge, and absolute surrender, inviting the seeker to complete delegation of affairs to God. The believer of Pharaohs people, with his prudent invitation and refined diction, epitomises this lofty station.
Compared to tawakkul (trust), tafw embodies a greater delicacy and purity, because tawakkul may entail a certain analogy or similarity between servant and God, whereas tafw denies such resemblance outright. In trust, the servant appoints God as his agent, a representation which may lead to an equivalence between agent and principal. This analogy, due to human limitations, constitutes a deficiency within the station of trust. In tafw, however, the servant assumes no such resemblance and wholly entrusts affairs to the Absolute Owner.
Tafw, like a crystalline current, is liberated from the fetters of means and conditions. The verse
emphasises this freedom, while verses such as
connect trust with causes and exertion.
Agency or deputisation carries limitations and conditions. The relationship between agent and principal is constrained by conditions such as acceptance of agency and the possibility of dismissal. These constraints reduce agency to a legal relationship. Tafw, however, is devoid of such conditions, as the servant entrusts all affairs entirely to God. This delegation is not born of weakness but of recognition of Divine absolute ownership.
God is neither an agent nor a principal; rather, He is the Owner by Might and Power. Describing God as an agent or principal, owing to human analogies, introduces a deficiency in comprehension. Nevertheless, the Quran permits the use of agency expressions for the sake of human approximation, such as:
These expressions are employed with full awareness of Divine grandeur to approximate Divine realities to human understanding.
Delegation (tafw), akin to entrusting the vessel of existence to the boundless ocean of Divine Will, liberates the servant from the fetters of constraints and conditions, and guides him towards the station of absolute surrender.
The tradition attributed to The beginning of knowledge is the knowledge of the Omnipotent and the end of knowledge is the delegation of affairs to Him has been critically examined, for commencing Divine knowledge with the attribute al-Jabbr (the Omnipotent) a secondary Name is deemed inappropriate. The attribute al-Jabbr ranks lower than the compassionate Names such as al-Ramn and al-Ram and may lead to coercive and harsh conceptions of God. Divine knowledge ought to commence with the compassionate Names, as underscored by the Qurn in Srah Al-Ftiah: Bismillhir-Ramnir-Ram (Al-Ftiah 1), emphasising mercy and compassion.
Delegation signifies entrusting affairs to the Compassionate, Merciful, Generous, and Loving God, rather than the Omnipotent alone. This entrustment emerges from cognizance of Divine Beauty attributes and leads the servant towards love and surrender.
A culture imbued with violence and oppression has affected Divine knowledge by prioritising coercive attributes such as al-Jabbr over merciful ones. Oppressed societies, owing to historical experiences, may gravitate toward coercive Divine traits, thereby impeding the appreciation of Divine gentleness and compassion. This cultural disposition manifested in the early Islamic Revolution through emphasis on terms like Qsim al-Jabbrn, which focused on Gods coerciveness rather than His mercy.
The Qurn, with verses such as Wa Ramat Wasiat Kulla Shay (Al-Arf 156), highlights the all-encompassing Divine mercy, providing the foundational ground for delegation and surrender.
The reconstruction of religious culture founded on Divine compassion and gentleness is imperative to elevate delegation into a station suffused with love and cognition.
The true believer exhibits steadfastness in the face of the strong and gentleness towards the weak. This behaviour, rooted in knowledge and surrender, is exemplified by the believer from the household of Pharaoh, who courageously speaks before Pharaoh while inviting his people with gentleness and wisdom. This ethical conduct aligns with the Qurnic verse: Ashiddu ala al-Kuffr Ruamu Baynahum (Al-Fat 29) Severe against the disbelievers, and merciful among themselves.
Delegation inspires the servant towards this noble ethics, wherein courage and gentleness coexist harmoniously.
Cultural deviations during the early revolution, with emphasis on coercive attributes such as Qsim al-Jabbrn, distanced society from Divine compassion. This deviation fostered violence and coerciveness within religious culture and hindered the realisation of delegation as a mystical station. Reappraising religious culture with an emphasis on mercy and gentleness could direct society toward knowledge and surrender.
The Qurn commands: Udu il sabli rabbika bil-ikmah wal-mawiati al-asanah (An-Nahl 125) Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation. Delegation, as a mystical rank, necessitates such an approach.
Delegation plays a pivotal role not only in individual spiritual journey but also in the reformation of social culture.
The chapter on delegation (tafw), as one of the supreme ranks of mystical wayfaring, invites the seeker to the complete entrustment of affairs to God, transcending all causal means and constraints. This station, characterised by a subtler purity than reliance, guides the servant towards absolute surrender and annihilation in God (fan f-llh). The believer from the household of Pharaoh, through courage, wisdom, and gentleness in his invitation, exemplifies this station; by entrusting affairs to the All-Knowing God, he was preserved from the malice of the Pharaohs. Critique of deterministic perspectives and emphasis on Divine mercy transform delegation into an act of love and cognition, free from fear and egocentrism. Reconstruction of religious culture based on mercy entails not only individual spiritual progression but also social reform. The Qurnic verses shine like radiant beacons, illuminating this path and guiding the seeker towards profound knowledge.
Supervised by: Sadegh Khademii
