The Third Unity (Tawhid al-Thalith), in the mystical framework of Maqamat al-Sairin by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, shines like a brilliant star in the sky of mystical ascent, guiding the traveler to the pinnacle of absolute unity and liberation from all forms of multiplicity and otherness. This state, which God has reserved exclusively for Himself, is granted only to a select group of the most perfect saints (Saffah) who have completely renounced all worldly attachments and act solely for the sake of the Divine. , in his 656th lecture, expounds upon this exalted state, emphasizing the inability of the saints to fully express its essence, using the phrase: "And as for the third unity, it is a unity which God has reserved for Himself."
Section One: The Essence of the Third Unity
Definition of the Third Unity
The Third Unity represents the highest degree of Tawhid, a level that God has exclusively designated for Himself. Only a select group of chosen ones (the Saffah) are granted insight into its profound mysteries. This station, which is particular to the Divine essence, leads the seeker to complete unity with the Divine, a state where nothing exists except for the Divine. It is as though the seeker, at this station, enters the very center of the circle of unity, where all multiplicitiesfrom the realm of being to thoughts and remembrancedissolve in the light of the Truth.
Key Point: The Third Unity is a station that God has reserved for Himself, accessible only to the most perfected saints who have renounced all attachments to the world.
Divine Exclusivity and the Worthiness According to Capacity
God has specifically chosen His saints for the Third Unity and made it exclusive to them: "اخْتَصَهُ اللَّهُ لِنَفْسِهِ". This exclusivity signifies a complete separation of the saints from any attachment to the worldly or other-than-God, as though they were broken vessels, only useful for the Divine. However, their worthiness to attain this station is according to their capacity: "وَاسْتَحَقَّهُ بِقَدَرِهِ". This limitation highlights the sustaining power of the Divine, which transcends any created capacity. The saints, like limited vessels, partake from the infinite ocean of the Divine only to the extent of their own capacity, yet the Divine is not confined by any one of them.
Summary of Section One: The Third Unity, as the summit of the perfection of Tawhid, is a station that God has reserved for Himself and granted exclusively to the most perfected saints. This station, by transcending multiplicities and being devoted entirely to the Divine, leads the seeker to pure unity, but the saints capacity to achieve it is determined by their own potential.
Section Two: The Inability to Express and the Silence of Unity
The Inability of the Saints to Express the Truth
In the Third Unity, the saints are rendered incapable of expressing its essence: "وَأَعْجَزَهُمْ عَنْ بَسِّهِ". This inability is not due to any lack of linguistic capability but rather because the reality of Tawhid transcends the capacity of speech. Speech, by its nature of multiplicity, cannot convey the singular reality of unity. It is as if the truth of Tawhid is like the sun, whose light no mirror can fully reflect.
Key Point: The inability of the saints to express the Third Unity arises from the reality being so evident that it exceeds the capacity of any verbal expression.
The Silence of the Saints and Voluntary Silence
The Third Unity brings the saints into a state of Akhresita voluntary silence resulting from intense proximity and unity with the Divine. This silence does not signify a loss of speech but rather a needlessness for expression because the truth is so manifest that it requires no narration. At this station, the seeker, immersed in the ocean of unity, perceives every word as multiplicity.
The Hidden Container of Tawhid
The Third Unity is a hidden container, not an expression. Expression, due to its narrative nature, is not the truth but only a shadow of it. The truth of Tawhid is like a hidden jewel in the heart of the seeker, a truth that no words can fully reveal. This concealment is not due to any desire for secrecy but arises from the grandeur of the truth.
Summary of Section Two: The inability to express, the voluntary silence (Akhresit), and the concealment of the truth are fundamental characteristics of the Third Unity. This station, which surpasses the capacity of verbal expression, leads the seeker into a profound, unified silence, where the truth is self-evident and requires no narration.
Section Three: The Annihilation of Creation and the Persistence of the Divine
The Abandonment of Creation and the Eternity of the Divine
In the Third Unity, the occurrence of creation (Huduth) is negated, and the permanence of the Divine (Qadam) is affirmed: "اسقاط الحدوث و بیان القدم". This principle points to the complete annihilation of creation and the eternal persistence of the Divine. Even this expression is incomplete, for expression itself is multiplicity and cannot fully convey the singular unity. It is as if the seeker, upon the obliteration of all created attributes, becomes a pristine mirror that reflects only the beauty of the Divine.
Conclusion: The Third Unity is the highest form of Tawhid, a state of absolute oneness with the Divine that transcends multiplicity and verbal expression. This station, reserved solely for the chosen saints, leads the seeker to the profound silence of unity and the realization that the Divine is both the beginning and the end, ever-present beyond the veil of creation. Through the process of annihilation of the self and all multiplicities, the seeker attains the eternal truth of the Divine.
The Truth of Divine Unity and the Manifestation of Truth
The Third Unity: The Station of Haqq al-Yaqin
The Third Unity represents the station of Haqq al-Yaqin (the Truth of Certainty), where nothing exists but the Divine manifestation. In this stage, the seeker (slik) reaches complete unity with the Divine, and the truth becomes so manifest that neither description nor epithet holds any significance. This manifestation is akin to a light that dispels all darkness of multiplicity and immerses the seeker in the radiance of the Divine Truth.
Key Insight: The Third Unity is the station of Haqq al-Yaqin, where the truth is so manifest that description and epithet become obsolete.
The Annihilation of Creation and the Persistence of the Divine
The Third Unity is actualized through the complete annihilation (fan') of creation and the eternal persistence (baq') of the Divine: "For it is through the annihilation of all creation that this is realized." In this station, all the attributes and attachments of creation dissolve, leaving only the Divine. The seeker, in this state, becomes completely annihilated in the Divine, seeing nothing but His Unity.
Summary of Section Three: The annihilation of creation and the persistence of the Divine forms the essence of the Third Unity. The dissolution of all origins and the realization of Haqq al-Yaqin elevate the seeker to a station where nothing remains but the manifest Truth of the Divine. This section emphasizes the obliteration of multiplicity and the emergence of Unity.
The Saints and the Divine Vicegerency
The Saints as a Broken Vessel
In the Third Unity, the saints of God (awliy') are like a broken vessel, whose utility is only for the Divine. This metaphor signifies the total dedication of the saints to the Divine. God has liberated them from all attachments, making them wholly suitable only for His service. Just as a broken vessel has no purpose except to serve the Divine, so too do the saints.
The Divine Vicegerency
In the station of persistence after annihilation, the saints become the vicegerents of God upon the earth: "Indeed, I am making upon the earth a vicegerent" (Quran, 2:30). This vicegerency is the outcome of complete annihilation, turning the seeker into a manifestation of the Divine upon the earth. The vicegerent is akin to a mirror, in which only the Divine beauty appears.
The Divine Manifestation and the Secrets of the Chosen
From the Third Unity emanates a radiance (l'iha), which reaches the secrets of a group of the Chosen ones (afwa). These individuals, who embody the Divine mysteries, stand in the station of persistence after complete annihilation, manifesting the Divine on earth just as the Divine dwells on the earth.
Key Insight: The saints, in the Third Unity, attain Divine vicegerency and, like a broken vessel, serve only the Divine.
Summary of Section Four: The saints, through complete annihilation and the persistence of the Divine, reach the station of Divine vicegerency. This station, characterized by the radiance of the Divine and the exclusive dedication to the Divine, transforms the saints into earthly manifestations of truth.
The Manifestation of Truth and the Limitation of Description
The Station of the Singular Divine Essence and the Inability to Describe
The Singular Divine Essence (adrat al-Ahad) transcends all attributes and descriptions. Any epithet used is ultimately derived from the notion of Unity, as the Essence of the One cannot be described. This principle underscores the impotence of description in the Third Unity, for the Divine Essence is beyond any attribute. It is as though the Divine is an infinite ocean, the depth of which no words can measure.
The Poetic Example: "The Lighthouse Does Not Come to the Flame"
The Third Unity is akin to a light that is so brilliant it requires no lighthouse to guide it: "The lighthouse does not come to the flame." This line of poetry illustrates the manifest truth of the Unity, so evident that no further description or guidance is necessary.
Inability to Convey the Truth through Reports and Descriptions
In the Third Unity, the saints are incapable not only of description but also of delivering reports (akhbr) because the truth cannot be conveyed through words. Both reports and descriptions are tools of expression that become inadequate in the face of the manifest truth. The truth of Unity is like a precious gem, its brilliance making all speech pale in comparison.
The Example of Tantanani's Sweets
The truth of Unity is like the sweets of Tantanani, which can only be truly known through direct experience. This metaphor emphasizes that the Third Unity is experiential, and cannot be expressed or understood through words alone. The truth of Unity can only be apprehended by direct encounter.
Key Insight: The truth of the Third Unity is so manifest that description and epithet are rendered meaningless, much like Tantanani's sweets, which can only be understood through direct experience.
Summary of Section Five: The truth of the Third Unity transcends any description or report. The Singular Divine Essence is beyond attributes, and the manifestation of truth is so evident that no narrative or description is required. Examples like the line "The lighthouse does not come to the flame" and Tantanani's sweets illustrate this profound manifest truth.
Overall Conclusion
The Third Unity represents the pinnacle of mystical journeying, guiding the seeker to complete unity with the Divine and liberation from all multiplicity and duality. This station, exclusive to the perfect saints, is a realm where all worldly attachments dissolve. The incapacity to describe, voluntary silence, and concealment of the truth are characteristics of this state. Through the annihilation of creation and the persistence of the Divine, along with the Divine vicegerency and the radiance of Divine secrets, the saints become manifestations of the Divine on earth. Metaphors such as the broken vessel, the poetic line "The lighthouse does not come to the flame," and Tantanani's sweets elucidate the profound nature of the Third Unity.
