of Nakoonam (Session 661)
The book *Manazil al-Sa'irin*, a timeless work by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, is akin to a deep and boundless ocean, depicting the stages of mystical journey towards the Divine. This priceless work, founded upon the knowledge of Tawhid and elucidating the stages of spiritual ascent, serves as a guide for the seekers of the path to Truth. In this article, teachings of Nakoonam, we examine and analyze the objections raised by the Tlemcen commentator towards the Sheikh, and the responses provided by the Kashani commentator. Furthermore, we expound the exalted concepts of absolute Tawhid, the union (jam'), the union of unions (jam' al-jam'), and the distinction of the state after union (farq ba'd al-jam') in an academic and precise manner.
The Tlemcen commentator raises an objection to Khwaja Abdullah Ansari's *Manazil al-Sa'irin*, arguing that the work fails to mention the elevated station of "farq ba'd al-jam'" and the Four Journeys, particularly the second journey (fi Allah), limiting the discussion solely to the concept of Tawhid al-Sifr (Absolute Tawhid). According to the Tlemcen commentator, this omission indicates the neglect of advanced stages of the spiritual path, which guide the seeker from unity to multiplicity and then back to unity. This critique, akin to a stone in the path of the clear spring of spiritual ascent, challenges the structure of the book and claims that the Sheikh has overlooked the intermediate stages of the spiritual journeys, advancing straight to the pinnacle of Absolute Tawhid.
In a firm and logical response, the Kashani commentator dismisses this critique as unjust, asserting that the Sheikh implicitly addresses the stages of farq ba'd al-jam' and the Four Journeys throughout various sections of *Manazil al-Sa'irin*. The Kashani commentator emphasizes that if the critics had undertaken the same level of insight and exploration as the Sheikh, such an objection would not have arisen. This defence, like a shield against unwarranted criticisms, reveals the comprehensiveness and depth of the Sheikh's teachings. The Kashani commentator, referring to the sections on *Tuma'nina* (calmness), *Talbs* (misguidance), *Tamakkun* (firmness), and *Jam'*, argues that the Sheikh has delicately and profoundly embedded these stages within the text.
This verse of the Holy Quran supports the idea of divine guidance being attained through the seekers spiritual striving, aligning with the Kashani commentators defence of the Sheikh's teaching.
The Kashani commentator contends that the Sheikhs omission of the explicit mention of farq ba'd al-jam' or the Four Journeys was not due to negligence, but rather a deliberate focus on concluding his discourse on Absolute Tawhid. Just as a gardener plants the seed of knowledge in the soil of unity, the Sheikh sought to bring the discussion to its highest point in the realm of Tawhid, rather than in the lower stations or in worldly customs. This approach signifies the Sheikhs emphasis on the oneness of the Divine and the negation of any apparent multiplicity.
The Kashani commentator, referencing the chapter on *Baqa' ba'd al-Fana* (Page 221), demonstrates that the Sheikh alludes to the station of farq ba'd al-jam'. In this chapter, the Sheikh speaks of "absolute annihilation" (*fana' mah*) and "remaining in the Divine existence" (*bq' bi wujd al-aqq*), which directly point to the station of farq ba'd al-jam'. Absolute annihilation is akin to the shadow vanishing in the sunlight, leading the seeker away from the self towards the Divine presence.
This concept aligns with the Quranic verse which underscores the annihilation of the non-Divine and the eternal survival of the Divine presence.
In the chapter on *Tamakkun* (Page 221), the Sheikh describes the third degree of the mystic's firmness as "the station beyond the veils of desire" and "the light of existence," both of which refer to *Baqa' ba'd al-Fana* and farq ba'd al-jam'. This station is like a peak where the seeker, having traversed the veils of desire, rests in the light of the Divine existence. This rest is achieved through total poverty and absolute annihilation, guiding the seeker towards the unity of being.
In the chapter on *Talbs* (Page 258), the Sheikh refers to the third degree of those who possess firmness, a station which belongs to the Prophets and Imams. They guide the people to the Divine through the concept of *Ayn al-Jam* (the eye of union), thus representing the third and fourth journeys (al-Sr 'an Allah wa bi-Allah fi al-Tanzl), which act as a bridge between unity and multiplicity, enabling the mystic to guide creation under the Divine light.
In the chapter on *Tuma'nina* (Page 165), the Sheikh speaks of the calmness of witnessing the Divine presence and the eternal light, pointing to the second journey (fi Allah). The Kashani commentator considers this the culmination of the second journey and a precursor to the third. Calmness, akin to the peace that follows a storm, settles the seeker in unity and prepares them for the witnessing of the eternal light of the Divine.
In *Manazil al-Sa'irin*, the Sheikh aimed to conclude his discourse at the highest level of Tawhid, namely, Absolute Tawhid. This form of Tawhid, like the sun, erases every shadow of multiplicity within itself. It is the unity of the collective and the individual, where distinction is absorbed and the multiplicity of creation does not disturb it.
The mystics diverge in their views on Absolute Tawhid. One group considers Tawhid as the unity of the essence without distinction (Bila Farq), which encompasses only the essence of the Divine, while another group perceives Tawhid as the unity of existence with distinction (Ma'a Farq), which encompasses the essence along with the Divine names and attributes within the unity of the Divine Being. Both groups agree on negating the multiplicity of creation, though they differ in their perception of the witnessing of unity.
The union of unions, according to the first group, is the direct witnessing of pure unity without distinction, while for the second group, it is the witnessing of unity within the multiplicity of Divine names and attributes or the Divine within creation. The distinction after union is like a river that flows from unity and continues in multiplicity without being overtaken by the multiplicity of creation.
The mystic, in the station of Absolute Tawhid, perceives the Divine as both restricted and unrestricted, without any of the restrictions of either. This witnessing, like a clear mirror, immerses the union and distinction within the essence of the Divine, and nothing escapes the encompassing presence of the Divine.
The book *Manazil al-Sa'irin*, with its focus on Absolute Tawhid and the unity of the collective and individual, serves as a guide for seekers on the path of unity. The objection of the Tlemcen commentator regarding the absence of references to farq ba'd al-jam' and the Four Journeys is, from the perspective of the Kashani commentator, unjust, as the Sheikh has implicitly mentioned these stages in the sections on *Tuma'nina*, *Talbs*, *Tamakkun*, and *Baqa' ba'd al-Fana*. The divergence among mystics regarding Absolute Tawhid reflects two approaches: one without distinction and one with distinction, but both deny the multiplicity of creation. The mystic, in the station of Absolute Tawhid, perceives the Divine essence both restricted and unrestricted, submerging the union and distinction within the essence itself.
Written under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
