** of , may his soul rest in peace (Session 654)**
The second chapter of Oneness (باب التوحید الثانی), akin to a lofty summit in the mystic journey, is a station where the seeker transcends the veils of external causes and rational arguments, arriving at the direct witness of the truths of divine unity. This station, known as the Tawhid al-Khas (specific oneness), guides the seeker towards a life imbued with Oneness, where all phenomena manifest through the singular Face of the Divine. In this composition, the content of lecture number 654 has been rewritten with a scholarly and refined approach, presented in an academic form. All the details of the lecture and its intricate analyses are faithfully conveyed, serving as a radiant torch to illuminate the path of those in pursuit of the Truth of Divine Oneness.
Definition of Tawhid al-Thani
Tawhid al-Thani is a special type of Oneness that is affirmed through direct truths, not through rational proofs: "و أما التوحيد الثاني الذي يثبت بالحقايق فهو التوحيد الخاصة." This form of Oneness is achieved by transcending the need for apparent causes, rising above intellectual disputes, and relinquishing attachment to external signs. At this station, the seeker breaks free from the confines of causes and proofs, and arrives at the direct witnessing of the reality of Unity, perceiving nothing as having any effect other than the Divine. This station is like an infinite ocean in which all causes and signs vanish, and only the truth of the Unity of God is revealed.
At this station, the seeker directly witnesses the essence of the Divine without any intermediary. This freedom is akin to the breaking of chains from the soul, guiding the seeker towards true freedom in the Oneness of God.
The Three Stages of Tawhid
Tawhid encompasses three stages: The first stage is Tawhid through signs and rational proofs, which is based on external evidence; the second stage is Tawhid through truths without proofs, realized directly through the truths themselves; and the third stage is referenced but not detailed. These stages outline the ascent of the seeker from the external Oneness to a deeper, more inner Oneness, moving from appearances to realities and ultimately towards higher spiritual stations.
The first stage serves as the foundation where the seeker relies on proofs and external signs to reach Tawhid. However, in the second stage, these foundations crumble, and the seeker witnesses the truths of Unity directly, where reason itself becomes a veil to the truth. This ascent is like climbing a ladder made of proofs, but at the top of the ladder, the seeker no longer needs the rungs and directly perceives the truth without any intermediary.
The Life of Tawhid in the Second Stage
Tawhid al-Thani represents a life of Oneness, akin to the distinction between the living and the dead, setting the believer apart from the non-believer. At this station, the seeker breathes in the life of Tawhid and witnesses it, such that the truth of Unity becomes manifest within the very soul of the seeker. This life is the essence of Tawhid, which guides the seeker to directly perceive the truth of Unity, just as light dispels the darkness of otherness.
This life is like a spirit breathed into the body of the seeker, elevating them from the death of external realities to the life of the true ones. At this station, the seeker not only sees life but becomes life itself, as their entire being is immersed in the Unity of God. This witnessing is akin to awakening from a heavy slumber, bringing the seeker into an eternal wakefulness in the presence of the Divine.
The Distinction Between the Believer and the Non-Believer
The non-believer is considered impure (najis) due to the absence of the life of Tawhid, whereas the believer, being endowed with this life, is pure (tahir). This impurity is not of a physical or superficial nature but arises from the non-believers stagnation in the state of nutfah (semen) and their failure to ascend to the life of Tawhid. The non-believer is like a branch severed from the tree of life, becoming dead wood, while the believer is like a tree whose roots are grounded in the soil of truth, with branches extending into the heavens of Unity.
This distinction is not a matter of convention, but of reality. The believer, through attaining the life of Tawhid, is freed from all otherness and impurity, while the non-believer remains in the darkness of disbelief and the stagnant state of nutfah. This difference is akin to the distinction between a living sheep and a carcass; the living sheep has life, and its sanctity arises from its life, whereas the carcass is devoid of life and sanctity.
In Islamic jurisprudence, the impurity of the non-believer, contrary to the view of some scholars who regard it as political or conventional, is real and stems from the lack of the life of Tawhid. A believer, whether alive or dead, is not impure, whereas the non-believer is impure in both states. This impurity pertains to the realm of disbelief and not to external filth. The believer is like a pure spring nourished by the waters of Tawhid, while the non-bel
Ascending from Intellectual Disputes - Academic Translation
Ascending from Intellectual Disputes
The traveller, by ascending from intellectual disputes, such as the debate over seeing the world or the Truth, is freed from speculations and illusions, and reaches the station of revelation: "الصعود المنازعات العقول". This ascent represents a transition from the constraints of theoretical intellect to the light of spiritual vision, in such a way that the traveller transcends logical arguments, such as "Should I see the world, or should I see the Truth?", and attains the vision of the ultimate unity of existence. This ascent is akin to climbing a mountain, at the summit of which all intellectual disputes are transformed into the light of revelation. At this station, the traveller is freed from speculations and illusions, seeing the Truth directly, just as theoretical intellect is like a candle in the face of the sun when compared to the light of revelation.
Key Point: The ascent from intellectual disputes liberates the traveller from speculations and illusions, leading them to the station of discovering and witnessing the truth of unity.
Detachment from Evidence
In the second stage of unity (Tawhid al-Thani), the traveller is not attached to evidences, for proofs, reliance, and means themselves become obstacles to the vision of the Truth: "ان لا تشهد في التوحيد دليلاً". What was a proof at the first stage of perfection, is considered polytheism at the second stage, as it obscures the true meaning. At this station, the traveller is like a bird freed from the cage of proofs, flying towards the skies of Truth. Proofs, much like spectacles that are necessary for weak eyes, are no longer required by the traveller in the second stage of unity, as they now possess the eyes of direct perception. This detachment frees the traveller from the veil of evidences, leading them to a direct perception of the Truth.
Perception of the Denoted and Independence from Reliance and Means
In the second stage of unity, the traveller is neither dependent on reliance (as a cause) nor on means of salvation (such as righteous deeds), because they directly perceive the Truth: "و لا بالتوكل سبباً و لا لنجاة وسيلة". This independence is the result of certainty in the principle that "there is no effect except Allah." The traveller, like a traveller who has reached their destination, no longer requires a means, for the goal and the destination itself is the Truth. At the first stage, reliance was akin to a staff that aided the traveller along the way, but in the second stage of unity, this staff is cast aside, as the traveller has reached the destination and sees no cause but the Truth.
"Proofs, like a map showing the way, are unnecessary for the traveller in the second stage of unity, as they directly perceive the goal and no longer need the map."
The Reality of Unity and Its Concealment
The line of poetry, "يا من هو اختفى لفرط نوره" ("O He who is concealed due to the intensity of His light"), illustrates the concealment of the Truth due to the overwhelming intensity of His light. The reality of unity, while it is manifest, is hidden because of the excess of light. This concealment is like a light so intense that it blinds the eye, yet in doing so, reveals the truth. This verse underscores the limitation of human perception in the face of the truth of unity. The Truth is like a pearl that, while apparent, is hidden in the depth of its light, and only the traveller with a direct perception of unity can truly see it.
"The reality of unity is the most well-known of things, yet it remains hidden in its essence."
Unity in Action and Absolute Proximity
The noble verse, "فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ ٱللَّهِ" (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:115), justifies prayer without a qibla, as the traveller perceives the singular face of Allah in all directions. This vision transforms multiplicity into unity, such that the traveller, like a compass, points solely toward the Truth in every direction. This station makes the concept of a fixed qibla challenging, as the traveller must see multiplicity as unity. This vision is akin to seeing the same face in all mirrors of existence, rendering the fixed qibla unnecessary.
Good Deeds and Sins in Unity
At times, good deeds may lead to heedlessness, and sins may lead to attention. Righteous deeds may become veils, while the Truth remains the true means of salvation. This perspective is akin to darkness that sometimes leads the way to the light, while light may obscure the path. Good deeds, if they lead to heedlessness, are like a pearl whose radiance prevents one from seeing the truth. However, sins, if they lead to attention, are like a key that unlocks the lock of the truth. The Truth is the ultimate means of salvation that keeps the traveller safe from misguidance.
Reaching Absolute Proximity
In the second stage of unity, the traveller sees everything as proximity to the Truth and is liberated from anxiety, impurity, and otherness. This station represents the attainment of the life of unity, where suffering and trial are transformed into closeness to the Truth. The traveller, like a bird, soars in the sky of proximity, seeing everything in the singular face of Allah. This proximity is like reaching the source of life, where all suffering and tribulation are transformed into the pure water of closeness. At this station, the traveller is freed from all forms of multiplicity and otherness, establishing themselves in the unity of the Truth.
Conclusion
The second stage of unity (Tawhid al-Thani) in the spiritual journey is the station where the traveller is freed from the veils of proofs, causes, and evidences, and is led to the direct perception of the divine unity. This unique unity, through the elimination of external causes, ascending from intellectual disputes, and detaching from evidence, manifests the life of divine unity in the soul of