of Nokounam, may his sacred spirit rest in peace, Session Seventy-Four (22 July 2008)
The verse اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ in Surah Al-Fatiha, like a radiant beacon, invites towards a path that is not merely the way of guidance but the path of epistemic and existential unveiling of the Divine Essence. This phrase calls the seeker to an existential and epistemological journey wherein one progresses from apparent phenomena towards the attributes and essence of the Almighty. This interpretation, adopting an epistemological and existential approach, elucidates the Straight Path as a qualitative and transformative way through which the cosmos is ordered and transformed within a divine epistemic framework. By delving deeply into the distinction between knowledge and gnosis, the Divine Sustenance, and the role of Gods saints in this journey, this writing invites erudite audiences to profound reflection on the meaning of the path, so that, like travellers on the road of truth, they may attain the pure waters of gnosis.
The Straight Path in the verse اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ is a way that culminates in the gnosis of the Divine Essence. Gnosis, unlike knowledge which pertains to universals and attributes, relates to the individuation and essence of the Truth. In Arabic, verbs of knowledge (such as أَعْلَمْتُ) are imperfect and require additional information, whereas verbs of gnosis (such as عَرَفْتُ) are complete and self-sufficient. The phrase "عَرَفْتُ الله" (I have known God) indicates the perfection of gnosis that reaches the vision of the Divine Essence.
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us to the Straight Path.
This verse is a supplication for guidance to the path of gnosis, a way that leads to the vision of the Divine Essence.
The Straight Path has been interpreted in narrations as the Wilaya (Divine Guardianship) of Amir al-Mu'minin (Peace Be Upon Him). He stated: أَنَا بِطُرُقِ السَّمَاءِ أَعْرَفُ (I am the most knowledgeable of the pathways of the heavens). This statement signifies his comprehensive gnosis of the epistemic realms. The distinction between "Ali ibn Abi Talib" (the human aspect) and "Amir al-Mu'minin" (the aspect of infallibility and Wilaya) further emphasises that the path of gnosis is connected to the vessel of Divine Guardianship and Sustenance.
أنا بطرق السماء أعرف
I am the most knowledgeable of the pathways of the heavens.
Sustenance (Qayyumiyyah), the intensive form of the verb "to stand," means the persistence and upholding of the cosmos. The Straight Path is connected to the vessel of Divine Sustenance wherein the seeker visits Divine attributes such as Merciful, Compassionate, Generous, and Loving. This visitation is not conceptual but determinative and visionary.
عَنَتِ الْوُجُوهُ لِلْحَيِّ الْقَيُّومِ
Faces humble themselves before the Ever-Living, the Sustainer.
(Surah Taha: 111)
This verse underscores the connection of the Straight Path to Divine Sustenance and the visitation of the Divine attributes.
In Islamic philosophy, "Hayy" (Living) refers to absolute existence in which all Divine Names manifest. Sustenance, as a secondary perfection of Life, upholds the cosmos. The invocation "Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum" emphasises that all Divine attributes originate from Life.
The Straight Path is neither a horizontal nor vertical path in a quantitative sense, but a qualitative and existential journey. Here, "Straight" refers to the existential and epistemic order that guides the cosmos along a transformative and dynamic course. This path progresses from the outward manifestations of the universe and the self towards Divine attributes.
Contrary to common perceptions that eschatology or cosmic transformations denote chaos and destruction, the Straight Path is a route where the cosmos undergoes orderly transformation. This transformation is the governing law of existence, which annihilates nothing but rather elevates everything to a new level.
لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ
Not even the weight of an atom escapes His knowledge.
(Surah Saba: 3)
This verse emphasises the orderly transformation of the cosmos, where nothing is added or subtracted.
Gods saints, unlike mere lovers who remain at fixed spiritual stations, traverse the Straight Path and reach the realms of Divine attributes and Resurrection. They experience the afterlife journey even in their worldly existence and attain the vision of Divine attributes.
The seeker on the Straight Path attains visitation of Divine attributes (such as Merciful, Compassionate, and Generous). This visitation occurs in various modalitiesauditory, visual, spiritual, and sensorysince the Truth manifests in all realms with varying degrees of determination.
Superficial interpretations that construe "straight" merely as horizontal or vertical and quantitative are erroneous. The Straight Path is a qualitative and existential route that indicates an epistemic and transformative order of the cosmos.
The concept of the heavens (سموات) in the Noble Quran is not confined to physical skies but refers to epistemic and existential realms. Literal interpretations reducing the heavens to seven physical layers fail to grasp their true epistemic nature.
If the Straight Path is a transformative journey, where is its terminus? Is the Resurrection an end, or is the universe without limit? This question remains existentially open for the seeker to discover through their epistemic progression. The absence of a final destination in the verse indicates the boundless nature of the journey towards God.
The interpretation of the verse اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ presents the Straight Path as an epistemic and transformative way that guides the seeker from the outer manifestations of the cosmos and the self towards the Divine attributes and Essence. Gnosis, contrasted with knowledge, pertains to the individuation and vision of the Truth and manifests within the vessel of Divine Sustenance, which is the perfection of Life. The Straight Path is not a quantitative or superficial route but a qualitative and existential journey through which the cosmos is transformed in an orderly fashion. Gods saints, journeying on this path, attain visitation of Divine attributes and even experience the afterlife in the corporeal realm.
The critique of superficial understandings of concepts such as "straight" and "heavens" emphasises the necessity of deep epistemic comprehension of the Quranic verses. The open question regarding the limit of the path invites the seeker to profound reflection on the infinite nature of the journey towards God. This interpretation not only offers a deep understanding of the verse but also provides an epistemic framework for spiritual practice and vision of Divine reality. It is hoped that these insights, like a light upon the Straight Path, will guide seekers towards Divine proximity.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
