In the path of mystical asceticism, the chapter of Connection is one of the noble stations in the Book of the Stages of the Wayfarers, guiding the wayfarer towards the attainment of the essence of the Divine and liberation from the attachments to the soul and its attributes. This station, especially in its second degree, i.e. "the Connection of Vision" (ittisl al-shuhd), is a rank that frees the seeker from the distractions, speculations, and fragmented mysteries of the Divine Names, leading them to a direct vision of the Divine Essence. This treatise, of Nokoonam in session 600, expounds upon this exalted station, drawing upon the verses of the Quran, particularly verse 26 of Surah Aali Imran, and incorporating deep mystical analyses to elucidate this noble rank.
Connection: A Sublime Station in the Spiritual Journey Connection, as one of the highest stations in mystical asceticism, leads the wayfarer to a lofty summit wherein they are liberated from any attachment to the soul and outward forms. This station transcends mundane concepts such as incarnation and union, terms which are often misinterpreted and misunderstood by the unlearned. The ignorant masseswhether blind devotees or unwise adversarieseither attribute such terms to heresy or reduce them to superficial, materialistic meanings, due to a lack of profound understanding. Contrary to these bodily interpretations, Connection signifies a spiritual and intellectual union with the Divine Essence, in which the wayfarer is freed from all forms of disturbance and attachment.
This station is like an infinite ocean where the seeker drowns in the truth itself, not in the waves of customs and attachments. In this station, the wayfarer is liberated from the ego and the possessiveness of the soul, reaching a state of perfection where only the Divine is perceived and where they are united with the Divine.
Unfortunately, mystical terms like "Connection" often fall into the hands of two groups of the unlearned: one group that, due to ignorance, reduces it to materialistic "incarnation" and "union", and another group who, in their lack of knowledge, denounce any mention of such stations as heresy and impurity. Both groups, due to a lack of understanding, are deprived of grasping the profound mystical meanings. Connection, in reality, is neither a bodily union nor a superficial concept; it is a state in which the wayfarer is freed from all outward rituals and laws, attaining a direct connection with the Divine Essence.
This misunderstanding is like dust that settles on the mirror of truth, preventing the illumination of the Divine Light from being seen. The mystic, by cleansing this dust, attains a clear vision of the Divine and distances themselves from the erroneous interpretations of the masses.
Definition of the Connection of Vision The Connection of Vision (ittisl al-shuhd), the second degree of the station of connection, leads the wayfarer to a state where they are freed from three principal obstacles: disturbance (attachments of the soul and customs), speculation (the veil of knowledge), and the fragmentation of the Divine Names secrets (the multiplicity and contradictions of the manifestations of the Names). In this station, the wayfarer perceives themselves as connected to the Divine Essence and is liberated from all intermediaries, even virtues such as sincerity, which are themselves forms of soul-related desires.
This station is akin to a bird freed from the cage of rituals and attachments, soaring in the boundless sky of the Divine Essence. The wayfarer, in this station, is liberated not only from soul-related attachments but also from any outward rules and measures, reaching a state of boundless beneficence.
Disturbance refers to attachment to outward customs, laws, and soul-related calculations. In the Connection of Vision, the wayfarer is freed from such disturbances, even from virtues like sincerity, which is also a form of soul-related desire. In this station, instead of relying on measures and justice, the wayfarer reaches a state of beneficence and divine guardianship, imparting goodness to allwhether friend or foe.
The behaviour of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) on the day of Ashura is a prominent example of this station. In the face of evil, he neither cursed nor became angry but, through beneficence, remained free from all soul-related disturbances. This freedom is like a vessel emptied of the air of selfish desires, ready to be filled with the divine water of life.
In the Connection of Vision, the wayfarer becomes independent from speculation and knowledge, which, though useful in the early stages of the spiritual journey, become veils over direct perception in this station. Instead of relying on reasoning, the wayfarer attains immediate vision of the Divine Essence.
"Say, 'O Allah, Sovereign of the Kingdom, You give the Kingdom to whom You will, and You take the Kingdom from whom You will...'"
(Surah Aali Imran, 3:26)
The fragmentation of the Divine Names' secrets refers to the multiplicity and contradictions of the Divine Names manifestations, such as Beauty and Majesty, Wrath and Grace. In the Connection of Vision, these differences fall away, and the wayfarer ascends from the realm of the Divine Names, which is filled with multiplicity and confusion, to the realm of the Divine Essence, where only the unity of the Divine is perceived. This ascent is like passing through a forest full of diverse trees into a vast, unified, boundless plain, where only the unity of the Divine Essence is visible. In this station, the wayfarer is freed from the confusion caused by the Names and attains the unity of the Divine Essence.
The divine saints, in the state of ittisal al-shuhud, transcend both measure and justice, entering into a realm of boundless beneficence and grace. This station is in alignment with the verse of the Holy Qur'an:
يُرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ He provides for whom He wills without account
This verse from Surah Al-Imran (3:37, translation of Fouladund: "He gives to whomever He wishes without reckoning") signifies the unaccountable benevolence of the saints, who are liberated from the constraints of personal reckoning. The seeker in this station resembles a stream of water that nourishes all lands without expectation or demand. Key Point: Unaccountable beneficence frees the seeker from the calculations of the soul and external customs, guiding them to selflessness and grace.
In ittisal al-shuhud, the seeker ascends from the station of "al-Wahdah" (the realm of unity), which is coupled with the multiplicity of divine names, to "al-Ahadiyyah" (the realm of singularity). In this station, the divine names cease to hold sway, and the seeker becomes united with the Essence of the Divine. This ascension is akin to climbing from a rugged mountain path to a peak where only the boundless horizon of truth is visible.
خلقَتُ الأشیاء لأحبک وخلقتُک لأجلی I created the things for My love, and I created you for Myself.
This assertion points to the direct connection of the seeker with the Essence of the Divine. In this station, the seeker is freed from the bewilderment caused by the multiplicity of names and reaches the unity of the Divine Essence. Key Point: The ascension from unity to oneness guides the seeker from the confusion of divine names to the direct witnessing of the Essence of the Divine and the unity of existence.
The divine names, in both their conceptual and manifest forms, possess multiplicity and divergence, such as beauty and grandeur, power and kindness, yet they are, in essence, one. The truth of the name is the attribute itself; however, the name is considered in relation to the Essence, while the attribute exists independently of it. For instance, when the term "just" is used, it is essentially the attribute of justice, but "just" refers to the Essence, while "justice" is the attribute itself. This distinction is akin to the difference between light passing through a prism and being dispersed into various colors, whereas in its essence, it remains a single light. In ittisal al-shuhud, the seeker is freed from these conceptual and manifest diversities and attains the unity of the divine names and attributes.
يُعِزُّ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيُذِلُّ مَنْ يَشَاءُ He honours whom He wills, and He humiliates whom He wills.
Key Point: The multiplicity of names in ittisal al-shuhud dissolves, and the seeker reaches the unity of the divine names and attributes in the Essence of the Divine.
In ittisal al-shuhud, knowledge precedes action, for action is but the form of knowledge, and at times, inaction leads to arrival. The divine saints, through their profound knowledge of the nature of the world, are freed from worldly calculations and external deeds. This knowledge is like a key that unlocks the bonds of customs and attachments. The impact of prayer, curse, or even the gaze of the saints, which can, at times, change the course of events, demonstrates the spiritual power of knowledge in this state. The seeker in this station is liberated from reliance on deeds and reaches a state of direct witnessing and surrender to the Divine will. Key Point: Knowledge in ittisal al-shuhud precedes action, guiding the seeker from reliance on external deeds to witnessing and surrender.
Existence, both in essence and appearance, is in constant flux, as emphasized in the Qur'anic verse:
كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ Every day He is in a matter.
This verse from Surah Ar-Rahman (55:29, translation of Fouladund: "Every day He is in a matter") underscores the perpetual change of existence. However, the heedless human perceives these changes as static and is unaware of the truth of the world. The divine saints, with insight into this reality, are never negligent in their prayers and surrender. Key Point: Human neglect of the constant change of existence prevents the understanding of truth, but the saints, with their insight, remain in constant surrender and attentiveness to the Divine will.
The divine will, as described in the Qur'an with the phrase "من تشاء" ("whomever You will"), transcends human calculation and acquisition. Divine grace is bestowed and withdrawn solely by the will of the Divine, as illustrated in the following verse from Surah Al-Imran:
تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشَاءُ You give the dominion to whom You will, and You take the dominion from whom You will.
This verse (Surah Al-Imran, 3:26, translation of Fouladund: "You give dominion to whom You wish and take it away from whom You wish") signifies that attaining ittisal al-shuhud is not a result of human effort but rather the Divine will. The seeker in this station, freed from reliance on personal calculations, is led to complete surrender. Key Point: The unaccountable Divine will guides the seeker from reliance on human acquisition and calculation to complete submission to the will of the Divine.
The divine saints, in ittisal al-shuhud, resemble the Divine in that they provide for all without expectation, just as God bestows sustenance without reckoning. This selflessness aligns with the Qur'anic verse:
يُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ They prefer others over themselves, even though they are in need.
This verse from Surah Al-Hashr (59:9, translation of Fouladund: "They prefer others over themselves, even though they are in need") reflects the selflessness of the saints, who, even in times of hardship, place the needs of others above their own. This selflessness is like a tree that offers its fruits without expectation. Key Point: The selflessness of the saints in ittisal al-shuhud results from liberation from personal calculations and customs, leading to unaccountable benevolence.
The path of ittisal al-shuhud, particularly in its second degree, leads the seeker to a lofty station where they are freed from confusion, reasoning, and the fragmentation of the divine names. They attain direct, unmediated witnessing of the Divine Essence. In this station, even concepts such as sincerity are transcended, and the seeker is led to unaccountable benevolence, universal love, and the unity of essence. The divine saints, like Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), liberated from worldly calculations and external customs, extend their grace to all, whether friend or foe. Qur'anic verses, especially those from Surah Al-Imran (2:26), Surah Al-Imran (3:37), Surah Al-Hashr (59:9), and Surah Ar-Rahman (55:29), provide the foundational basis for this station. With the sincere guidance of Sadiq Khadami
