Excerpted from the Lectures of Nokoonam, (Session 279)
The Bab al-Sabrthe Gate of Patiencestands as a pivotal threshold on the mystical path, a station wherein the seeker confronts Divine trials. This station, delineated within the section Al-Akhlaq of Manazil al-Sa'irin by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, represents the most arduous phase for neophytes and the most challenging step for ardent lovers and monotheists alike. Patience here transcends mere endurance of hardships; it entails a conscious and active acceptance of Divine Decree, guiding the aspirant towards spiritual maturation. This treatise, grounded in Lecture No. 279 of Nokoonam, endeavours to scientifically elucidate this sublime station.
According to Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, patience constitutes one of the most arduous spiritual stations for the general multitude of seekers (mmah). This difficulty stems from their lack of spiritual discipline and experiential endurance in confronting afflictions. The novice seeker, unaccustomed yet to asceticism and self-regulation, resembles fresh meat in a boiling potrequiring endurance of the seething heat to reach maturation.
In the path of love, patience is described as awashfearful and dreadfulbecause the lover awaits intimacy and delight with the Beloved, not torment and tribulation. This apparent contradiction renders patience exceedingly difficult for lovers. Conversely, within the path of monotheism, patience manifests as ankarundesirablesince manifesting ostentation and self-exhibition before hardships contradicts the annihilation of the self (fan), an indispensable prerequisite of divine unity (tawd). The monotheistic seeker must efface the self rather than affirm it through claims of steadfastness and strength.
Patience is beautifully likened to the process of cooking rice. Just as rice attains perfection in a pot through simmering and heat, so too the seeker matures through enduring afflictions. Should an inexperienced cook strike the boiling rice with a spatula, the grains fracture; however, the gradual addition of cold water yields the same effect without damage. The accomplished spiritual guide (murshid wil), akin to a skilful cook, leads the seeker to patience and maturation with precision and without undue pressure.
The differentiation between bir and abr illustrates a hierarchy of patience. The bir is one who exhibits patience at the outset of the journey, whereas the abr, through practice and experience, reaches a station where afflictions are perceived as sweet with firmness and resilience. The abr regards adversity not from weakness but with a fortified spirit, rendering calamity agreeable.
Patience does not imply indifference or passivity; rather, it is accompanied by fortitude and perseverance. The patient seeker stands firm like a mountain amidst storms of afflictionnot out of helplessness, but through conscious volition. This steadfastness transforms patience into an active and dynamic virtue.
Patience is the fruit of gradual and persistent practice. The prophetic admonition "If you are not forbearing, then exert yourself to be forbearing" (In lam takun alman fataallam) underscores the importance of cultivation. Through asceticism, experiential endurance of calamities, and self-control, the seeker attains patience. This process resembles athletic training, wherein repetition and perseverance strengthen the spirit.
Spiritual mentors evaluate the patience of disciples via spiritual trials. Complete patience signals readiness to proceed on the path, whereas incapacity to endure obstructs spiritual advancement. These trials act as touchstones, revealing the seekers ability to bear hardships.
A personal anecdote of undergoing surgery without anaesthesia exemplifies patience as internal concentration and self-possession. The seeker endures pain with willpower and self-command, remaining motionless. This active patience renders pain insignificant and elevates the seeker to a station of steadfastness.
Love culminates in intimacy and delight with the Beloved, whereas patience is accompanied by aversion to affliction. This apparent contradiction renders patience dreadful on the path of love unless the seeker attains pleasure in the affliction. The vision of the Beloved amidst tribulation guides the seeker to Divine closeness.
The abr, by beholding the Bestower (the one who sends the affliction), derives pleasure from calamity. This pleasure stems from Divine love, which renders the affliction agreeable from the Beloveds side. Like a lover who perceives the Beloveds wound as sweet, the seeker endures hardship with yearning.
Mystical poetry explicates patience on the paths of love and unity. Verses such as the above illustrate the aspirants submission to the Beloveds will, portraying the sublime station of patience in a deeply poetic and profound manner.
Patience on the path of Divine unity is deemed undesirable due to manifestations of ostentation and self-display. Tawd necessitates the annihilation of the self (fan al-nafs), whereas the patient may assert self-stability, thereby affirming the ego. Such self-exhibition breeds enmity against the Truth and ranks among the gravest abominations in the path of unity.
The assertion of tajallud (manifestation) constitutes a profound transgression even within the spiritual path of love, as it unequivocally bespeaks the selfs ostentation. The salik (spiritual seeker), in the presence of the Beloved, is enjoined to manifest helplessness and impotence rather than strength and steadfastness. It is precisely this sincerity which transmutes patience into a veritable virtue of the highest order.
Patience along the path of Tawhid (Divine Unity) is intrinsically intertwined with the annihilation of the self (fan). The declaration of manifestation, whether in the context of love or Divine Unity, is fundamentally incompatible with sincerity and humility. The monotheistic seeker, by effacing the self, attains authentic and genuine patience.
No prophet was ever afflicted as I was. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
This statement reveals the profound depth of the Prophets patience, which extended not solely in the face of his adversaries but also encompassed severe trials within his own household. The Prophets patience stands as an unparalleled exemplar for spiritual wayfarers.
O Allah, verily You are more generous than to forsake the one whom You have nurtured.
The Du Kumayl, through such expressions, epitomises the patience and submission of the Commander of the Faithful in the face of affliction. This prayer, articulated in a deeply mystical language, invites the seeker towards courage and hope in enduring hardships.
Key Insight: The patience exhibited by the Prophets and Saints, especially the Holy Prophet and the Commander of the Faithful, constitutes an exemplary model guiding the seeker to endure calamities with both valour and submission.
The patience of the Prophets and Saints, most notably the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Commander of the Faithful (Al ibn Ab lib), represents a sublime paradigm of endurance amidst tribulation. The Du Kumayl, with its esoteric diction, portrays patience as an embodiment of surrender and trust in Divine generosity.
The Bab a-abr (Gate of Patience) holds a distinguished station, by which the seeker attains spiritual maturation through the crucible of trials. This station, while arduous for novices, stands in opposition to mere affection and is incongruent with Divine Unity, thereby inviting the seeker to a conscious and active endurance of Divine decree.
The metaphor likening patience to the cooking of rice accentuates the pivotal role of the Murshid wil (the perfected spiritual guide) in the gradual guidance of the seeker. Patience, cultivated through rigorous discipline, experiential knowledge, and mastery over the self, culminates in the enjoyment of affliction and complete submission.
The experiences of the Prophets and Saintsparticularly the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Commander of the Faithful (Al ibn Ab lib)alongside the critique of manifestation, underscore the paramount importance of sincerity and annihilation of the self. Patience, akin to a philosophers stone, leads the seeker from silence to consummate perfection.
Supervised by: Sadegh Khademi
