The chapter on Unity in *Mansil al-Sirn* acts as a brilliant lamp, guiding the wayfarer towards the ultimate truth of Unity. The Third Unity, which is the divider of divisions and the axis of arrival, is a stage wherein speech and all references come to an end, and the wayfarer is immersed in absolute manifestation. This state, which transcends reasoning and discourse, is only realised in direct perception and the ultimate Unity. In this treatise, lectures of , , the Third Unity is meticulously examined, and the discourse surrounding expressions such as "the annihilation of the event and the affirmation of the eternal" is critiqued, with emphasis placed on negating any form of otherness or multiplicity at this stage.
The Third Unity, like a lofty peak in the mystical journey, is the divider of divisions and the core of arrival to the truth. This stage, which is the essence of perception and the very substance of witnessing, is the point where the wayfarer transcends multiplicity and is immersed in the purity of manifestation. In this station, there is no place for expression, not because expression is unnecessary, but because it brings about otherness and distance. As expressed in the lectures: In the domain of Unity, especially in the Third Unity, which is the divider of divisions and the axis of arrival, the very essence, there is no expression. This absence of expression is not a matter of choice, but rather an inherent characteristic of pure manifestation, rendering all speech incomplete and inadequate.
Manifestative Unity is like an infinite ocean in which every word, like an unstable wave, is lost. Expression, due to the intervention of otherness, obstructs the arrival at the truth. In this stage, whatever is said brings exile and distance from the truth, because "The essence of the thing and the essence of the essence, relative to the other, has a proximity by nature, and speech itself creates otherness. Therefore, in the true domain of Unity, there is no place for speech, and every attempt at expression distances the wayfarer from the truth of manifestation.
In the original text of *Mansil al-Sirn*, the phrase "و الخرسهم من نعته" is used, which means silence in describing the Truth. However, this phrase does not accurately convey the truth of Unity. Instead of "خرسهم" (their silence), it should be read as "آخر سهم" (the last arrow of expression): "If we read the phrase in this manner, it would be more appropriate: 'and the last arrow of expression towards His description.'" This correction demonstrates that even the final attempt at expressing Unity is incomplete and must be discarded for the wayfarer to reach the true essence of Unity.
The Third Unity is the stage where the wayfarer transcends the multiplicity of speech and reference, reaching the Unity of manifestation. This station is void of expression, for every utterance brings otherness and distances the wayfarer from the truth. The correction of the phrase "خرسهم" to "آخر سهم" emphasizes the inadequacy of speech in this stage, opening the way for a deeper understanding of Unity.
The phrase "the abolition of the event and the affirmation of the eternal," found in the work of Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, seemingly refers to the negation of the other (abolishing the event) and the affirmation of the divine (affirming the eternal): "The abolition of the event means affirming the divine, and the abolition of the event means negating the other." At first glance, these expressions appear to be the finest discourse for Unity, but in reality, they are incomplete and limited.
These expressions, due to their requirement for a subject and an action, introduce otherness: The abolition and the event each require a doer... this itself is a form of oversight. The event is inherently abolished, and there is no need for its negation; likewise, the divine is the essence of affirmation and does not require validation. Consequently, these expressions, rather than drawing the wayfarer closer to Unity, entrap them in multiplicity. As noted: "The divine is the essence of affirmation, and there is no other than it, it is the essence of the eternal and the negation of the other."
The terms 'eternity' and 'temporality' are theological in origin and are replaced in mysticism by the concepts of divine and knowledge: "The words eternity and temporality are from the mouths of theologians... in mysticism, it is about the divine." These concepts, like shadows cast from the truth, cannot reflect the depth of the Third Unity. In mysticism, Unity exists in the domain of manifestation and not in theological concepts.
The divine is the essence of affirmation and eternity, and the other is inherently nonexistent: "The divine has true affirmation and does not require the affirmation of eternity... the event inherently has a fall." Any attempt to affirm or abolish introduces multiplicity, distancing the wayfarer from Unity. This critique underscores the necessity of moving beyond discourse to direct perception.
Even the finest discourse, such as "the abolition of the event and the affirmation of the eternal," is illusion and must be discarded: "Even the best words you can say, they are still illusions." These expressions are like a broken mirror that only shows a shadow of the truth and cannot lead the wayfarer to the direct manifestation of the divine.
Theological expressions like "the abolition of the event and the affirmation of the eternal," although seemingly referring to Unity, are incomplete due to their involvement with otherness and multiplicity. The divine is the essence of affirmation, and the other is inherently nonexistent, thus eliminating the need for such expressions. The Third Unity is realised beyond theological concepts, in the realm of manifestation and Unity.
The journey towards the Third Unity is like a voyage from multiplicity to Unity, where speech, action, vision, and arrival dissolve one after the other: There is no place for speech, one must act. There is no place for action, one must have vision. There is no place for vision, one must have arrival. Even in arrival, one must be unified. These stages take the wayfarer from speech to manifestation, from manifestation to Unity.
In the Third Unity, servitude reaches the very essence of lordship: Servitude is the essence of lordship. At this stage, the wayfarer, like a droplet in the ocean of divinity, is absorbed into the unity of being, erasing all personal attributes. This union is the ultimate stage of the journey and arrival at the truth.
In order for the divine to manifest, all existential attributes must be erased: It is the negation of otherness and the erasure of all existential attributes... all attributes of existence must dissolve. This annihilation is like the melting of ice under the sun of truth, guiding the wayfarer to the appearance of the divine and the personal Unity.
The phrase "Al-'Abudiyyah Kunhuh Rabbiyyah" (Servitude is the essence of Lordship) is superior to the concept of "Asqat al-Hadath wa Ithbat al-Qadam" (Negation of the event and affirmation of the eternal): "When you say 'al-'Abudiyyah Kunhuh Rabbiyyah', this is far more significant." This phrase signifies the arrival at the truth and negation of any form of otherness, guiding the wayfarer to a station where words and gestures become meaningless.
The Third Unity (Tawhid al-Thalith) is the journey of the wayfarer from multiplicity to unity, where speech, actions, vision, and the arrival at union and manifestation culminate. Servitude is the essence of Lordship, and with the annihilation of the attributes of existence, the wayfarer reaches the appearance of the truth. This station transcends verbal expressions and is realized only in pure unity.
Khwaja Abdullah Ansari states: "The phrase referred to by the tongues of the scholars is the negation of the event and the affirmation of the eternal." This phrase, on the surface, appears to be the most profound expression for Tawhid (Divine Oneness), yet it itself is a cause that renders Tawhid incomplete and must be discarded: "This symbol in that Tawhid is a cause; that Tawhid can only be correct by discarding it."
The commentator emphasizes that this symbol is, in fact, an obstacle to Tawhid and can only be rectified by discarding it: "That Tawhid cannot be correct except by discarding it." This critique highlights the negation of all forms of speech and indication in the Third Unity and demonstrates that even the most well-crafted expressions are insufficient.
The event is inherently negated, and the eternal is inherently affirmed: "For the event is eternally negated... and the eternal is eternally affirmed." These expressions, akin to chains, bind the wayfarer in multiplicity and must be severed to bring about the realization of Tawhid.
Theologians, through their expressions of "event" and "eternity," remain caught in multiplicity: "The theologians, in the very act of gathering, believed they had attained their definition." These definitions lack the truth and cannot guide the wayfarer to the Third Unity.
The Third Unity lies beyond the indication of the created: "For Tawhid lies beyond what the creation can point to." Only the indication of the Creator can lead to the truth of Tawhid, as the creation remains ensnared in multiplicity.
The true adherents of the Third Unity are those who embody reverence in the very act of gathering, not those who engage in ascetic practices or states of spiritual ecstasy: "The true people of Tawhid are those of reverence in the midst of gathering." Theologians and ascetics do not reach this station because they remain mired in words and struggles.
The mention of ascetics and those in spiritual states in the Third Unity is misplaced: "Ascetics have not reached this station... spiritual states belong to those before the hearts." The Third Unity belongs to the realized ones, not the wayfarers or those in lower stages of spirituality.
Tawhid is realized through the complete annihilation of rituals and purification from the multiplicity of numbers: "Through the annihilation of all rituals and the purity of singularity from numerical multiplicity." This annihilation is like the dissolution of all colours into the white light of truth, revealing personal unity.
Tawhid is sustained by the truth alone, not by the "cause of causes," which is itself a name of multiplicity: "For it stands by the truth alone, not by the cause of causes." This critique emphasizes the negation of all multiplicity in Tawhid and demonstrates that even the most beautiful of divine names, in the state of oneness, are dissolved.
The original text and its commentary emphasize the insufficiency of verbal expressions and the necessity of the annihilation of rituals in the Third Unity. The true adherents of Tawhid are those of reverence in the midst of gathering, who, through negating multiplicity and witnessing unity, reach the truth. Theologians and ascetics, due to their entanglement in speech and struggle, remain distant from this station.
The final word on Tawhid is found in the noble Quranic verse: "Allah bears witness that there is no deity but Him" (Al-Imran: 18, : "God bears witness that there is no god but He"). This verse represents the testimony of the truth to His own oneness and transcends verbal expressions such as "Asqat al-Hadath wa Ithbat al-Qadam." "Why not search in the Quran to see what the final word is?"
Verbal expressions, such as "Asqat al-Hadath wa Ithbat al-Qadam", are an attempt to articulate the truth but are ultimately inadequate: "What is the meaning of the negation of the event and the affirmation of the eternal?" These expressions, in comparison to the Quranic verse, are lower and insufficient to reflect the depth of Tawhid.
The final word on Tawhid, as indicated by the verse "Allah bears witness that there is no deity but He", reveals the truth of His oneness. This verse goes beyond verbal expressions and makes manifest the experiential truth of unity, guiding the wayfarer towards the vision of Tawhid.
Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, in response to a question about the Sufi concept of Tawhid, composed three odes: "I have responded in verse to a question asked by someone regarding the Tawhid of the Sufis." These odes focus on elucidating the Third Unity and will be discussed in subsequent sessions.
The true adherents of the Third Unity are those of the truth and reverence: "The ultimate realization of this Tawhid is for those who possess reverence, who are the people of God." This group, through the annihilation of rituals and the arrival at unity, attains the truth of the divine.
Sufi Tawhid, in the context of the Third Unity, is elucidated through the poetry of Khwaja Abdullah Ansari. The true people of Tawhid are the realized ones, who, through the annihilation of rituals, attain the truth of God and witness unity in the midst of multiplicity.
Prayers, like a ladder, elevate the wayfarer towards the truth. The prayer "O Allah, do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye, never." is superior to "O Allah, make the end of my affairs good", as it encompasses all moments: "This prayer is far more important."
The prayer "O Allah, admit me into every good that You admitted the Prophet into" refers to the concept of infallibility and is superior to other prayers: "This prayer speaks of infallibility." This prayer brings the wayfarer closer to the station of the infallibles.
The prayer for a good end is compatible with sin and disobedience and is thus lower in status: "This works with fifty years of sin and disobedience." This prayer, with its focus on the outcome, lacks the completeness of the prayer for innocence and the constant companionship with the divine.
Prayers, in the context of Tawhid, serve as guides. The prayer for innocence, which speaks to the station of the infallibles, is superior to the prayer for a good end, as it keeps the wayfarer in constant union with the divine throughout all moments.
The chapter on the Third Tawhid in Maqamat al-Sairin serves as a gateway to the manifestation and pure unity, guiding the wayfarer from multiplicity to the truth of God. This station is beyond speech and indication, and every expression, even the best like "Asqat al-Hadath wa Ithbat al-Qadam", is incomplete and must be discarded. The truth, the essence of existence, and multiplicity are inherently negated, and Tawhid is realized through the annihilation of rituals and purification from numerical multiplicity. The true people of Tawhid are those of reverence in the midst of unity, and the final word on Tawhid is the verse "Allah bears witness that there is no deity but He." This text provides a comprehensive guide for researchers in Islamic mysticism and metaphysics.
