of Nekounam, (Session 280)
Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwja Abdullh Ansr, stands as a monumental work in Islamic mysticism, meticulously delineating the stages of the seekers spiritual progression towards the Exalted Truth. Within this seminal text, the chapter dedicated to patience (abr) is introduced as a foundational station in the path of mystical wayfaring. The patience chapter fortifies the traveller against internal carnal struggles, acts of obedience, and divine trials. This treatise, grounded in the erudite expositions of Nekounam, presents a rigorous scholarly elucidation of this pivotal chapter.
The chapter of patience represents a locus wherein the seeker is steadfastly upheld against the challenges posed by the carnal self, acts of worship, and afflictions. Patience, as a multifaceted attribute, manifests principally in three modalities: patience in refraining from sin, patience in performing obedience, and patience amidst calamities. This station functions metaphorically as a shield, safeguarding the wayfarer against the tempests of the ego and adversities, thus guiding him/her towards spiritual perfection.
In Manzil al-Sirn, patience is categorised into three primary strata: patience in resisting sin, patience in obedience, and patience under affliction and suffering. Patience in resisting sin serves as the indispensable prerequisite for the other levels, constituting the very foundation of spiritual wayfaring, since without abstinence from transgression, the soil is unprepared for sincere obedience or the endurance of calamities. This structure resembles a ladder, each rung drawing the seeker nearer to the summit of spiritual perfection.
Patience in resisting sin marks the initial and most fundamental level of patience, wherein the seeker refrains from the carnal allurements of pleasure, desire, and base appetites. This form of patience functions as a brake, preventing the wayfarer from falling into the abyss of transgression. Absent this self-restraint, acts of obedience become void, and afflictions transform from divine blessings into punishments. The Quranic verse
And whoever restrains his souls greed those are the successful. (Surah al-Hashr, 59:9, )
identifies this self-control as the key to salvation.
The lack of patience in resisting sin disrupts the chain of virtues. Without abstinence from transgression, acts of obedience become nullified, and afflictions, instead of being divine favours, become sources of torment and retribution. This reality may be likened to soil overrun by weeds, whereby the seeds of obedience fail to take root, and calamities, rather than tempering the seeker, propel him/her towards suffering.
Afflictions are classified into two categories: wily afflictions divine blessings that refine the patience of the believer and punitive afflictions, which arise from estrangement from the Truth and the commission of sin. Patience in enduring wily afflictions is only attainable when the seeker is patient both in resisting sin and in acts of obedience. This distinction parallels the difference between nourishing rain that quenches the earth and a destructive flood that devastates it.
Patience in resisting sin is further subdivided into four gradations, each reflecting a progressively elevated stage of spiritual development:
The original text and its commentary exhibit some confusion and inconsistency in the sequence of the levels of patience. To resolve this ambiguity, the levels have been revised and delineated explicitly as: fear of punishment, preservation of faith, reverence for divine sanctities, and modesty. This revision functions as the polishing of a mirror, rendering the image of the Truth more lucid. Such critique highlights the necessity for ongoing scholarly re-examination of mystical texts to ensure the precise and clear presentation of concepts.
Beyond the aforementioned four levels, a fifth level emerges wherein the seeker, owing to the inherent purity and nobility of the self, refrains from sin intrinsically. This form of patience is likened to a gem that is inherently pure, requiring no external motivators such as fear or modesty. Even in the absence of Gods presence or fear of punishment, the seeker is averse to sin, as if the soul is innately alien to corruption and deformity.
At a supreme level, the saints of God attain a station wherein sin is not merely unattractive but is inherently loathsome and painful. This state transcends patience, analogous to a summit at which the seeker is liberated from the necessity of restraint and regards sin as bitter and detestable. The maxim Truth is sweet to the people of truth, and bitter to the people of falsehood
(Qidat al-aqq ulw li-ahl al-aqq wa marr li-ahl al-bil) aptly encapsulates this exalted station.
Modesty (ay) represents a fundamental attribute in religious devotion, underscored emphatically in the Prophetic traditions:
There is no religion for one who has no modesty
and
There is no religion for one who has no fairness.
Modesty functions as a protective shield that preserves the spiritual traveller (slik) from sin, compelling adherence to the sanctity ordained by the Divine. Fairness (insf), complementing modesty, manifests itself in interpersonal dealings; together, these virtues constitute the very foundation of ethical perfection.
The Gate of Patience (Bb a-abr) fortifies the spiritual seeker against sin, commands obedience, and sustains perseverance in adversity. Patience in resisting sin unfolds through six gradations: fear of punishment, preservation of faith, observance of Divine prohibitions, modesty, inherent patience, and aversion to transgression. This form of patience serves as a key that unlocks the doors to spiritual virtues, directing the seeker towards proximity with the Divine.
Indeed, my prayer and my sacrifice... (Qurn 108:2)
,
Indeed we belong to Allah... (Qurn 2:156)
, and
And whoever restrains his souls greed... (Qurn 59:9)
. This work shines forth as a luminous beacon, illuminating the path of spiritual progression and guiding the seeker towards the boundless ocean of Truth.
Supervised by SSadegh Khademii
