of Nokounam, May His Secret be Sanctified (Session 319)
Within the mystical journey of spiritual wayfaring, the Gate of Truthfulness (باب الصدق) constitutes a foundational station guiding the seeker towards the ultimate reality of Divine Unity (Tawd). This station, notably emphasised in the classical mystical text Manzil al-Sirn by Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, encompasses several gradations. The third station of truthfulness, known as idq Thlith, represents the pinnacle at which the seeker transcends all selfhood and autonomous agency, recognising all actions as the manifestation of Divine activity. This treatise, relying on the profound discourse of Nokounam (session no. 319, AH), endeavours to elucidate and analyse this exalted station. In doing so, key concepts such as the Unity of Divine Actions (Tawd Afl), the abolition of egoity (Anniyyat), and critical evaluation of erroneous mystical perspectives are rigorously examined, presented with elegant analogies and scholarly precision.
In Islamic mysticism, truthfulness (idq) denotes the congruence of the outward form and the inner reality of an action with the Divine Truth. This concept is delineated across three distinct stations, each elevating the seeker to a higher degree of spiritual progression. These stations, akin to a ladder of light, guide the traveller from the superficial correctness of an act towards the visionary perception of Divine action:
Key Insight: The Third Truthfulness embodies the apex of the Unity of Divine Actions, where the seeker effaces their existence and agency before the Divine Will, recognising all deeds as the manifestation of the Truth.
The natural truthfulness is the most elementary station concentrating on the external soundness of the act. For instance, if a non-believer feeds a starving indigent, the act is deemed truthful owing solely to its apparent goodness. This station remains detached from the faith or intention of the doer, relying purely on the outcome. A fitting metaphor is that natural truthfulness resembles clear water which, irrespective of whose hand brings it to the thirsty lips, quenches the thirst.
The second station, agentive truthfulness, involves the seeker performing deeds with sincere intention exclusively for God. Here, the Divine objective supersedes the outward consequence of the act. For example, feeding the poor for God's pleasure is not only outwardly beneficial but inwardly adorned with Divine light. This stage is like a flower blossoming within the seekers heart garden, its fragrance ascending towards the Divine.
The third truthfulness signifies the station at which the seeker perceives no independent existence or agency and ascribes all deeds entirely to God. The seeker views themselves as a mirror solely reflecting the Divine Light. This perspective is rooted in the Unity of Divine Actions and draws the seeker near to the reality of absolute annihilation (fan). As Nokounam poignantly states:
In the Third Truthfulness, the self is not at work; God wills that goodness be accomplished through us.
At this station, the seeker becomes a vessel for the manifestation of Divine Will, utterly liberated from egoism and self-conceit.
A central criticism addressed in the discourse concerns the statement "asant al-abrr siyt al-muqarrabn" the good deeds of the righteous are the sins of the near ones. This view, by conflating the gradations of perfection with the opposition between good and evil, is both fallacious and lacks authoritative substantiation. The abrr (the righteous) and the muqarrabn (the near ones) both occupy stations of spiritual perfection; the concept of sin (sayyiah), implying deficiency or evil, has no place in these ranks. Good and evil are mutually exclusive categories, whereas the righteous and near ones represent different degrees of perfection (complete and most complete). To elucidate this distinction, a numerical metaphor is provided: Imagine two students both attaining a perfect score of twenty, yet ones handwriting is more elegant and refined. Both are perfect, yet one is more perfect. This difference signifies a higher level of perfection rather than deficiency. Consequently, this perspective is invalid due to its misinterpretation of the stages of spiritual progression.
The stations of the righteous and the near ones represent degrees of perfection; neither is deficient or sinful. Confounding these gradations with the opposition of good and evil results in misunderstanding within the spiritual path.
The lecture also highlights the scientific shortcomings among some mystics regarding hadith knowledge and among certain jurists concerning philosophy. This deficiency has led to propagation of incorrect views, such as the aforementioned statement. The integration of jurisprudence (fiqh) and wisdom (ikmah) is imperative to prevent misconceptions in understanding religious doctrines. In analogy, jurisprudence without wisdom is akin to a soulless body, and wisdom without jurisprudence resembles a wandering spirit.
At the station of the Third Truthfulness, the seeker perceives the witness and the witnessed as one and recognises both as the Truth. This vision originates in the unity of existence (wahdat al-wujd) and effaces the ego. As expressed in the Quranic phrase, the seeker declares: Bi-awli Allh aqmu wa aqudu By the power of God I stand and sit, implying that all their actions occur by Divine strength and will. This expression functions as a key unlocking the doors of the Unity of Divine Actions.
In the Third Truthfulness, both witness and witnessed are the Truth, and the seeker, having abolished egoity, perceives all actions as manifestations of Divine Will.
Sha denotes a state where the outward act differs from its inner reality, akin to one who drinks lemon syrup as if it were wine. This disparity stems from egoism and self-conceit, which obstruct the seeker from witnessing the ultimate truth. In the Third Truthfulness, the external and internal aspects of action coincide, and both are attributed solely to God. Egoity acts as a veil obscuring the seekers vision, depriving them of the Divine light.
Absolute annihilation represents a station superior even to that of the near ones, which itself is a high rank. Although the near ones have attained a lofty station, they remain on the path towards nearness and have yet to reach absolute annihilation. This station is like a summit attainable only by completely effacing oneself before the Divine.
Human agency is the result of Divine grace and favour. At the Third Truthfulness, the human being regards themselves indebted to Gods kindness and claims no independent agency. In metaphor, the human is like a pen in Gods hand, inscribing whatever the Divine Will ordains. This view invites the seeker to humility before the Truth, deterring any claims of entitlement.
At the Third Truthfulness, the human perceives themselves as the manifestation of Divine grace and attributes all agency exclusively to God.
The phrase Bi-awli Allh aqmu wa aqudu, cited in the Holy Quran as a hallmark of the Unity of Divine Actions, signifies the manifestation of the Truth in all acts of the seeker. It shines as a light illuminating the seekers path in Tawd, liberating them from the darkness of egoism.
The Gate of Truthfulness, particularly its third station, directs the seeker towards the pinnacle of the Unity of Divine Actions. At this level, human agency is effaced and all actions are ascribed to God alone. The critique of erroneous views such as asant al-abrr siyt al-muqarrabn underscores the necessity of precision in comprehending the stages of spiritual wayfaring and avoiding conceptual confusion. The seeker at the Third Truthfulness perceives themselves as a mirror solely reflecting the Divine Light. This station, marked by the vision of unity between witness and witnessed and the abolition of ego, guides the seeker towards absolute annihilation. Nokounams discourse, grounded in Quranic verses and profound mystical analysis, constitutes an invaluable guide for seekers and scholars within theology and mysticism. Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
