the Lectures of Nokounam, May His Sacred Spirit Be Sanctified (Session 42)
The verse إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ (Surah Al-Fatiha, verse 5), as one of the pivotal passages of Surah Al-Fatiha, encompasses the essence of servitude and the relationship between the servant and the Exalted Truth. This verse, which was interpreted in lecture number 42 (Iranian calendar), adopts a theological-philosophical approach, extending the concept of servitude beyond its conventional human understanding to include all beings of existence, introducing it as the vessel of annihilation (fan) before the Divine Essence. This book, by consolidating the content of the lecture and supplementary analyses, offers a comprehensive and systematic exegesis of this verse. The structure of the work is arranged so that, with a refined language befitting erudite audiences, it conveys all details and meanings with precision and depth, while utilising exquisite metaphors and allegories for literary enrichment.
The concept of abd in the Holy Quran, contrary to common perceptions that confine it to humans, includes all creatures of the heavens and the earth. This extension is following verse:
Translation: There is no creature in the heavens and the earth except that it comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.
This verse explicitly considers every creature as a servant of the Exalted Truth and negates anthropocentric self-centeredness that limits servitude exclusively to humankind.
This perspective implies the ontological unity within the system of creation, placing all beings, from inanimate objects to angels, within the hierarchical order of servitude.
Within the Quranic system, the abd is ti (submitter and obedient) and cannot be biq (rebellious). This negation of rebellion is founded on the following verses:
Translation: There is no creature in the heavens and the earth except that it comes to the Most Merciful as a servant. Verily, He enumerated them and counted them with exact enumeration.
The exclusivity of servitude in these verses excludes any form of rebellion, for God has enumerated all creatures and none can escape the circle of servitude.
The term abd biq in jurisprudence refers to a slave who rebels against a false master, but within the monotheistic framework, the true Master is none other than God Almighty, and rebellion against Him is impossible.
Contrary to the widespread notion that attributes the abd to humans due to their universality and centrality in creation, servitude within the Quranic context negates this centrality. The servant, in the position of servitude, is freed from self-centeredness and arrogance, transforming into a vessel of annihilation before the Truth.
This negation does not imply the elimination of human identity but rather the suspension of created attributes (such as centrality and universality) before divine attributes, which corresponds with the concept of negation of self in Islamic philosophy.
The verse إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ demonstrates the essence of servitude in the annihilation of the servant before the Truth:
Translation: You alone we worship, and You alone we seek for help.
Servitude negates the created essence and removes all otherness (non-God) from the existential vessel of the servant. Seeking help complements servitude because even in the act of worship, the servant is not independent.
This view aligns with the concept of ontological unity (Wahdat al-Wujud) in Islamic mysticism, where the servant, as a manifestation of the Truth, lacks any intrinsic independence.
Servitude, unlike humility, is essentially transitive and exclusively pertains to God Almighty. Humility is an attribute that can belong to non-God entities as well, but servitude, due to its transitive nature, is unique to God.
This differentiation stems from the root abad, which denotes absolute submission and obedience, whereas khaaa signifies relative modesty.
Arrogance (self-exaltation) is impossible within servitude because it requires an independent essence, whereas servitude negates the servants essence before the Truth:
Translation: And your Lord says: Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Indeed, those who are arrogant to worship Me will surely enter Hell, humiliated.
Arrogance, due to its contradiction with the truth of servitude, leads to disbelief and impurity.
The liq Allh (Divine encounter) necessitates righteous deeds and complete sincerity in worship:
Translation: Whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work and associate none in the worship of his Lord.
Sincerity negates all forms of polytheism in servitude and is realised through the purification of the heart.
Servitude is a gradual process that, through the reduction of polytheisms and strengthening of sincerity, purifies the servants heart from impurities.
This gradualness corresponds with the existential reality of human beings as weak and fallible creatures.
Ethical polytheisms (such as fear, greed, ostentation) and doctrinal polytheisms (belief in the influence of entities other than God) are prevalent among believers and obstruct the perfection of servitude.
This critique emphasises the necessity of self-awareness and self-purification on the path of servitude.
Apparent servitude, such as service, labour, or performing simple duties, constitutes a preliminary stage for comprehending true servitude.
This emphasis, critiquing abstract approaches, insists on the importance of practical experience in religious spiritual discipline.
Concentration on abstract and theoretical discussions regarding servitude, without practical experience, leads to hardness of heart and heedlessness.
This critique refers to the harms caused by purely theoretical approaches in religious sciences.
Many individuals, due to habituation to self-centredness, are unable to perform practical servitude. Accepting simple and humble roles is difficult for many.
This challenge requires continuous practice of humility and submission before the Truth.
Servitude begins with simple practices such as service and labour, habituating the servant to humility and submission.
The exegesis of the verse إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ with a theological-philosophical approach introduces servitude as an essence that annihilates the created essence before the Truth. The servant includes all beings of existence, and servitude, by negating arrogance and progressively reducing polytheism, guides the servant towards pure religion and Divine encounter. The distinction between servitude and humility, the negation of created independence, and the emphasis on practical servitude are prominent points of this interpretation. Ethical and doctrinal polytheisms are restrained through continuous worship and self-awareness, while arrogance is fundamentally impossible due to its contradiction with the truth of servitude. The critique of abstract approaches in religious sciences and emphasis on practical servitude direct the servant towards tangible and quotidian experiences. The path of servitude, like a dynamic and gradual route, begins with simple acts and culminates in the meeting with the Lord.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
