of Nekounam, May His Spirit Be Sanctified (Session 594)
Within the framework of mystical progress and spiritual journeying (sr wa sulk), Manzil al-Sirn stands as one of the foundational texts guiding the seeker along the path of gnosis and divine proximity. The station of al-aw literally sobriety or awakening is among the exalted stages of this journey, marking the transition of the seeker from a state of ecstatic intoxication (sakr) to the clarity and lucidity of spiritual witnessing. This treatise, the 594th session of Nekounams lectures, elucidates the concept of aw, its superiority over sakr, and its correlation with specific Quranic verses, particularly verses 22 and 23 of Srat Saba.
aw occupies a sublime rank within the spiritual journey, whereby the seeker is guided from the intoxicated state of sakr characterized by unconsciousness and loss of self-control towards the full alertness and purity of witnessing (shuhd). At this stage, all residual elements of the nafs (the lower self), which persist during intoxication, are annihilated. Consequently, the seeker attains complete clarity and purity in the vision of the Divine Reality. This station is emblematic of the utmost perfection in the path, wherein all modes of self-possession and egoistic attachment (tamalluk and maniyyat) utterly vanish, and the seeker stabilises in the proximity and steadfastness of God.
In intoxication (sakr), the seeker loses self-possession due to the overwhelming vision of the Divine, yet remnants of the ego continue to obstruct complete clarity. In contrast, aw signifies the extinction of such remnants, allowing the seeker to reach a state of absolute purity and unmediated proximity, as if stepping from the darkness of intoxication into the radiant light of sobriety.
The elucidation of the station of aw finds a central focus in verses 22 and 23 of Srat Saba. Verse 23, cited in the referenced lecture, speaks to the removal of terror from the hearts of the angels or the Divine elect:
Until, when the terror is lifted from their hearts, they will say, What has your Lord said? They will say, The truth; and He is the Most High, the Most Great. (Saba 34:23)
This verse signifies the elimination of dread (fear and anxiety) from the hearts of angels or the elect, who thereby attain the witnessing of the Truth and pronounce the affirmation The Truth (al-aqq). The lifting of terror represents a hallmark of the purity of witnessing and steadfastness in divine proximity, guiding the seeker from the bewilderment of intoxication to the lucid sobriety of aw.
Verse 22 explicitly negates any possession or control by idols:
Say, Call upon those whom you claim besides Allah. They do not possess an atoms weight in the heavens or on the earth, nor do they have any partnership therein, nor is there for Him from among them any supporter. (Saba 34:22)
This verse emphasizes the unity of divine action (tawd al-afl) by repudiating any independent authority or control ascribed to false deities. These idolsmere mental constructs (They are but names which you have named, you and your forefathers)are devoid of any power or dominion. This negation of possession (tamalluk) aligns intrinsically with the station of aw, where the seeker is emancipated from all egoistic self-ownership and control.
Verse 23 addresses intercession and the removal of fear:
And intercession does not avail with Him except for one whom He permits. Until, when the terror is lifted from their hearts, they will say, What has your Lord said? They will say, The truth; and He is the Most High, the Most Great. (Saba 34:23)
This verse confines intercession to divine permission alone and presents the removal of fear (faza) as an indicator of the purity of witnessing. Following this removal, angels or the elect proclaim al-aqq the absolute manifestation of truth which entails the negation of all otherness (ghayriyyat). The phrase He is the Most High, the Most Great underscores the transcendence and majesty of the Divine before which all creation is humbled and diminished.
A salient observation within the lecture is the critique of insufficient attention paid by both the primary text (matan) and its commentator to Quranic verses. Occasionally, the verses are cited partially or without explicit connection to the topic, which constitutes a form of misbelief (s al-aqdah), breach of etiquette, and an affront to scholarly propriety. The Quran, as the definitive scripture of mystical knowledge, must be the focal point of all mystical exegeses, and reverence towards it is indispensable for genuine gnosis and spiritual progression.
This critique underscores the imperative of resorting to the Quranic text and providing comprehensive exegetical analysis. For instance, in the discussion of aw, a portion of the verse beginning Until, when... is cited incompletely, thereby impeding a full comprehension of its relation to the station of sobriety. The invocation of Quranic verses is not merely an act of blessing but a profound epistemological necessity within the mystical discipline.
Within the mystical path, a fundamental distinction emerges between the muibbn (lovers) and the mabbn (beloved) concerning the manner of their witnessing of the Divine Reality. The lovers initially relinquish their egoistic selfhood and subsequently perceive the Divine Reality, whereas the beloved perceive the Divine first and only thereafter relinquish their ego. This distinction delineates varying spiritual ranks, with the beloved attaining, at the station of aw, the utmost purity and stability of witnessing.
This distinction is analogous to that between two travellers: one who lightens their burden before reaching the destination, and another who is relieved of their load upon arrival. The belovedowing to their closer proximityattain clarity and stability in the vision of the Divine, a phenomenon consonant with the station of aw (awakening).
The vision of the Divine (shuhd al-aqq) inflicts a wound upon the seeker which results in terror and bewilderment. This injury necessitates the annihilation of the ego (maniyyah); as though the seeker, in order to behold the Divine, must sacrifice themselves like a honeybee that loses its life upon stinging. At the station of aw, this injury is transformed into the purity of vision, whereby the seeker emerges from bewilderment into a state of awareness.
This injury resembles a vessel that must be emptied of selfish airs to be filled with the water of life. The more the seeker relinquishes ego, the greater their capacity for vision, until, at the stage of awakening, complete clarity is attained.
A negligent individual, by reason of failing to perceive the Majesty and Might of the Divine, is deprived of fear and reverence, acting instead with arrogance and presumptuousness. Conversely, the saints of God, by virtue of their vision of the Divine, comport themselves with humility and obeisance. The station of aw represents the eradication of negligence, enabling the seeker to reach reverence and purity.
The negligent individual is likened to one who blindly treads in the darkness of ignorance, unaware of the Divines grandeur. The saints, having beheld the Divine Light, are submissive before it and, at the station of awakening, are freed from negligence, attaining Divine reverence.
The Gate of Wilyt refers to the purity of Divine Lordship and the empowerment of the saints, whereas the Gate of Realities encompasses the effects and manifestations of these authorities, such as unveiling, ecstasy, and awakening. The awakening is one of the fruits of wilyt, wherein the seeker attains the purity of vision and the dissolution of residual egotism.
This relationship is akin to a tree whose roots are in wilyt and whose branches extend into realities. Awakening is the fruit borne of this tree, bringing the seeker to the perfection of proximity.
The commentator interprets terror (faza) as the bewilderment of ecstasy and the injury of vision, which, though accurate, remains incomplete. Terror transcends bewilderment; it pertains to the fear and anxiety arising from the vision of the Divine Majesty, which is nullified in awakening and leads to the purity of vision. This critique emphasises the necessity for a deeper exegetical analysis of the Qurnic verses and mystical concepts.
This shortcoming in the commentators explanation is akin to a light that illuminates only a portion of the truth, requiring a more profound contemplation of the sacred Qurnic text for full illumination.
The Gate of Awakening (aw), as a sublime station in the mystical path, guides the seeker from the intoxication of ecstasy to the sobriety and purity of vision. This station, characterised by the dissolution of residual egotism and terror, culminates in the full manifestation of the Divine Truth and the proclamation of al-aqq
. Verses 22 and 23 of Srah Saba, emphasising the unity of divine action and the negation of partnership with the Divine, provide the Qurnic foundation for this station. The critique regarding the insufficient engagement with the Qurn underscores the imperative of this holy text as the axis of mysticism. The distinctions between the beloved and the lovers, the injury of vision, and the role of negligence in negating reverence, among other key points, are elaborated through refined metaphors and analogies. This treatise, with its structured and scholarly articulation, offers a valuable resource for researchers in Islamic mysticism.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
