The "Gate of Knowledge" in the mystical journey of the Mansal al-Sairin (The Stations of the Wayfarer) acts as a portal, guiding the wayfarer toward the knowledge of the Divine Truth. This gate, located within the section of An-Nihayat (The Ends), explains knowledge of the Truth in three elevated degrees: Knowledge of the Attributes, Knowledge of the Essence, and Knowledge of the All-absorbing. The second degree, Knowledge of the Essence, leads the wayfarer to the recognition of the Divine Essence by removing the distinctions between the Essence and the Attributes. Through the realization of Ilm al-Jam (the knowledge of unity), the wayfarer attains purity in the realm of annihilation, perfection through the knowledge of eternity, and insight into the reality of union. This stage brings the seeker to the presence of Al-Wahidiyyah (the unity of the One) and nearness to Al-Ahadiyyah (the solitude of the One). This station, akin to a polished mirror, reflects the unity of the Essence and Attributes in the divine light.
In Islamic mysticism, Knowledge is the attainment of the well-known truth, which is the Divine Essence. The mystic, on this path, reaches a level of unity with the truth, although never in its totality, as the truth encompasses countless degrees. This knowledge is like a journey that guides the wayfarer from the darkness of the soul to the light of the ultimate truth. In the lectures, knowledge is defined in three degrees: Knowledge of the Attributes (Understanding Divine Attributes), Knowledge of the Essence (Understanding the Essence with the Unity of Attributes), and Knowledge of the All-absorbing (A knowledge where the wayfarer is immersed in the Divine Truth). Each degree is further subdivided into three categories, precisely outlining the mystical journey.
Knowledge of the Essence means the recognition of the Divine Essence while removing the distinctions between the Essence and the Attributes. In this stage, the wayfarer sees the Divine Essence through its Attributes, not as something separate or multiple. This knowledge polishes the mirror of the heart, allowing the light of the Essence and Attributes to reflect without any obstruction. In this station, the duality between the Essence and the Attributes is dissolved, and the wayfarer attains unity with the Essence, known as Al-Wahidiyyah (the Presence of the One).
In the Knowledge of the Essence, the Divine Attributes are manifestations of the Essence, not separate from it. The multiplicity of Divine Names, which arises from a relative attribution, returns to unity in this station. The wayfarer perceives the Attributes as identical with the Essence, dismissing any form of separation or multiplicity. This unity is consistent with the Quranic verse:
This verse emphasizes the negation of likeness and the unity of the Essence and Attributes, where the qualities of hearing and seeing are reflections of the Essence, not separate from it.
The Knowledge of the Essence is attained through the realization of Ilm al-Jam, meaning the knowledge of the unity of the Essence and the Attributes. This knowledge, as opposed to Ayn al-Jam (the state of union), leads the wayfarer to the understanding that the Divine Attributes are the manifestations of the Essence, not separate from it. At this stage, the seeker realizes that the underlying essence of all Divine Names is the One Essence, and each Name carries all the perfections of the Divine Names. As mentioned in the lectures, the Name Rahman is not only Rahman itself but also encompasses all the beautiful Names such as Qahhar and Jabbar, because all Names are reflections of the One Essence.
The Science of Union returns the multiplicity of Divine Names, which results from a relative attribution, back to the unity of the Essence. This knowledge acts as the key that unlocks the duality and leads the wayfarer to witness the Unity. This feature is consistent with the Quranic verse:
This verse illustrates the unity of the Essence and Its manifestations, where all Attributes and Names are unified in the One Essence.
The Knowledge of the Essence attains purity in the realm of annihilation, as annihilation is the place where the imprints of createdness and the characteristics of the self are extinguished. The metaphor of the "realm" refers to the mystics struggle with the ego, as the seeker sheds the attributes of createdness, leaving only the light of the Divine Truth. This stage aligns with the Quranic verse:
This verse emphasizes the necessity of striving against the self in order to attain Divine knowledge.
In the realm of annihilation, the phenomenal traits that serve as veils to true knowledge are eradicated. This annihilation is akin to the melting of ice in the face of the sun of truth, freeing the seeker from all forms of ego-based determination. At this stage, even the subtle veil of gathered knowledge (ilm al-jam) dissipates in the light of annihilation, allowing the knowledge to attain absolute purity and clarity. Key Insight: The field of annihilation, through the destruction of the phenomenal traits, purifies the innate knowledge from the veils of multiplicity and guides the seeker towards unity.
The knowledge of the Self reaches perfection through the knowledge of persistence, which is not the same as persistence itself, but rather a higher level. In this knowledge, the phenomenal traits, which have been annihilated in the realm of dissolution, are now sustained by the divine presence. At this stage, the seeker perceives everything as dependent upon the existence and sustaining power of the Divine, without any differentiation between essence and attributes. This station aligns with the sacred hadith of the nearness of voluntary acts: "I become his hearing and his sight" (Kuntu samahu wa basarahu), wherein the Divine becomes the very instrument of the seekers perception.
The knowledge of persistence leads the seeker to the realization of the unity of being, such that everything is sustained by the existence of the Divine, and multiplicity returns to unity. This station is akin to a drop returning to the ocean, with no trace left of the drop except for the infinite ocean of the Divine. This feature aligns with the following verse from the Qur'an:
"All things perish except His Face." (Quran, Surah Al-Qasas, 28:88)
Key Insight: The knowledge of persistence, through the realization of the Divine's sustaining power, connects the annihilated traits to the divine existence, thus completing the innate knowledge.
The knowledge of the Self is a station of nearness through voluntary acts, in which the Divine becomes the hearing and the sight of the seeker. In this state, the seeker perceives through the Divine but has not yet reached the proximity through obligatory acts, where the seeker becomes the very instrument of the Divine's vision. This station corresponds with the sacred hadith: "My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts until I love him," emphasizing the seekers approach to the Divine through the voluntary acts.
The knowledge of the Self is particularly characteristic of those who are immersed in the divine manifestations of names and the vision of the Divine Presence. At this stage, the seeker perceives the attributes as the realities of the divine names, which are identical with the essence but have an attributed significance, not a true multiplicity. This vision is akin to a light emanating from the Divine essence and being reflected in the mirror of the seekers heart. This feature aligns with the following verse from the Qur'an:
"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth." (Quran, Surah An-Nur, 24:35)
Key Insight: The knowledge of the Self, in proximity through voluntary acts and the divine manifestations of names, leads the seeker to the vision of the Divine Presence and the unity of the essence and attributes.
Each divine name encompasses all the other beautiful names, for the named referent of all names is the singular Divine Essence. This unity prevents the fragmentation and multiplicity of the divine names and connects knowledge to the unity of the essence. For example, the name "The Most Merciful" not only contains mercy but also encompasses all the attributes of divinity, such as might and majesty. This principle corresponds with the following verse from the Qur'an:
"To Allah belong the most beautiful names, so call upon Him by them." (Quran, Surah Al-A'raf, 7:180)
The knowledge of the Self is completed by the insight into the Essence of the Union, which is the beginning of the third degree of knowledge (knowledge of the engrossed). At this station, the seeker is led from the presence of unity (adrat al-wahda) to the nearness of the presence of the ultimate oneness (adrat al-ahadiyya). This insight is akin to the lifting of the final veil of multiplicity of names, revealing the face of the unique essence. The proximity of unity and the ultimate oneness indicates that these two presences differ only by attribution and are, in reality, one and the same. Key Insight: The unity of divine names and the insight into the Essence of the Union connects the knowledge of the Self to the unity of the essence and nearness to the ultimate oneness.
The door of knowledge, in its second stage (the knowledge of the Self), is like a light that guides the seeker toward the recognition of the Divine essence, removing the fragmentation between the essence and the attributes. This station, through the realization of the knowledge of the gathered, the purity in the field of annihilation, perfection through the knowledge of persistence, and the insight into the Essence of the Union, guides the seeker from the multiplicity of names to the unity of the essence. At this level, the Divine becomes the hearing and sight of the seeker, and the attributes are perceived as manifestations of the essence, not separate from it. The knowledge of the Self, specifically for those immersed in the divine manifestations of names, leads the seeker, from the presence of unity, toward the nearness of the ultimate oneness. This station is supported by the Quranic verses and sacred hadiths, such as "I become his hearing and his sight," shedding light on the path of spiritual progression. With the sincere oversight of Sadiq Khadami.
