The Bab al-Insib (Gate of Expansion) is one of the distinguished stations in the mystical journey outlined in Maqmt al-Sirn by Khwj Abdullah Ansr. This station leads the seeker towards love, liberation from cruelty, and divine sovereignty. It shines as a precious gem within the stages of spiritual progression, encompassing both the created (khalk) and the true (aqq) realms. The present lecture, drawn from the words of Nekooham in a session held on 8th October 2011, elaborates upon this mystical concept with a focus on the Quranic verses associated with the story of Hbl and Qbl.
In Islamic mysticism, insib refers to a state in which the seeker behaves with kindness and gentleness toward creation, despite holding a position of power and sovereignty. It is akin to a father engaging with his child in play and laughter, allowing the child to play with his beard, without yielding to arrogance or cruelty. In this station, the seeker frees himself from self-centeredness and mingles with creation in love. The Qur'an beautifully depicts this state in the following verse from Surah al-Midah:
This verse has been central in explaining the concept of *insib al-khalq*, showcasing Hbl's response as a model of nobility and forgiveness in the face of a threat to his life. Hbl, by refraining from engaging in violence, demonstrates that expansion arises not from fear, but from piety (taqw) and fear of God.
In elucidating the *Bab al-Insib*, Khwj Abdullah Ansr refers to a verse from Surah al-A'raf:
This verse refers to the conversation between Prophet Musa (Moses) and God after seventy members of his people were struck down. Analyzing the lecture reveals that this verse, due to its association with divine majesty and reprimand, does not align with the concept of *insib*, which is rooted in love and liberation. The choice of this verse, illustrating Musa's loneliness and helplessness, cannot accurately represent *insib*. Instead, the verse from Surah al-Midah, depicting the noble and nonviolent response of Hbl, is more fitting, as it emphasises magnanimity and the rejection of cruelty.
Section one introduced *insib* as a significant mystical station, elaborating on its meaning through the verse from Surah al-Midah. The critique of Khwj Abdullah Ansr's suggested verse highlighted that *insib*, more than aligning with divine majesty and severity, is in harmony with love and nobility. This section sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the levels of *insib* in subsequent sections.
Insib al-khalq refers to the state in which the seeker, from a position of spiritual elevation, interacts with creation with love and gentlenesssimilar to a father who plays with his child or allows the child to pull his beard. This behavior stems not from weakness, but from nobility and moral excellence. *Insib al-khalq* keeps the seeker away from arrogance and cruelty, guiding him towards compassion for creation. The story of Hbl and Qbl is a prominent example of *insib al-khalq*. The Qur'an recounts this narrative in Surah al-Midah, verses 2731:
Hbl, whose sacrifice was accepted, responded with dignity and refusal to retaliate when Qbl threatened to kill him. This behaviour exemplifies *insib al-khalq*, which originates from piety and fear of God.
Qbl's response, threatening to kill Hbl, is an example of vileness and cruelty:
In contrast, Hbls response:
and his refusal to kill, exemplifies his nobility. This distinction emphasises the role of *taqw* (piety) in *insib al-khalq*.
Hbls response to Qbls threat is as follows:
This response, driven not by fear of Qbl but by fear of God, exemplifies *insib al-khalq*. Hbl's refusal to kill demonstrates that love and forgiveness can exist even in the face of a threat.
The Holy Qur'an narrates the result of Cain's actions as follows:
By committing murder, Cain was doomed to eternal ruin. Abel's grace, though unable to prevent Cains actions, maintained his dignity before God.
In the second section, the story of Abel and Cain was analysed, with the concept of expansion of character depicted as love and forgiveness towards creation. Abel's conduct exemplified nobility and piety; however, his astuteness demonstrated that such expansion could sometimes be accompanied by human limitations. This section set the stage for exploring true expansion in the next section.
True expansion is the pure love and leadership of the Divine, which guides even the sinner towards repentance. The Holy Qur'an portrays this level of divine conduct with God's interaction with Cain after the murder of Abel:
Instead of punishing Cain, God guided him with compassion, teaching him how to conceal the crime. This action is akin to a gentle breeze that leads the sinner towards repentance without degrading him.
After learning from the crow, Cain expressed his regret:
Cain's regret was the result of God's true expansion. The choice of the crow is deemed wise in the lesson it imparted, as the crow, due to its simplicity and ignorance, did not reveal Cain's secret. This choice demonstrates Divine love, which guides the sinner without humiliation.
True expansion is the pure leadership of the Divine, whereas expansion of character can sometimes be intertwined with political motives and impure intentions. God treated Cain with leadership, not political maneuvering. This distinction highlights the superiority of true expansion over mere human character expansion. While human expansion is like a flower that occasionally bears thorns of human weakness, true expansion is like a garden that is devoid of anything but beauty and perfection.
The discourse critiques Moses' (peace be upon him) violent actions towards Aaron, Samiri, and his people, noting that such violence led to his estrangement and helplessness. This violence, which resulted in the death of seventy individuals and Divine rebuke, is incongruent with expansion. Moses found himself in complete alienation, unable to hold God accountable for the incident, which reveals the incompatibility of this event with expansion.
The discourse presents an allegory of character expansion: if one were to kill another person's father, true expansion would involve forgiving the murderer, giving him the murdered father's shop, and even marrying the deceased's mother or sister. This allegory illustrates expansion at its highest levellove and forgivenesswhich aligns with the verse:
Here, forgiveness, motivated by goodwill, brings social life to fruition.
The discourse criticises the lack of contemplation in the past reading of the Qur'an, stating that scholars, due to their engagement with other sciences, seldom delve into the deeper meanings of the Qur'an. This critique emphasises the importance of reflection in understanding esoteric meanings, such as expansion. Superficial reading hinders access to the Qur'anic truths.
The discourse identifies three stages of expansion:
The chapter on expansion acts as a guiding station that leads the seeker from violence and arrogance to Divine love and leadership. The teachings of (may his soul rest in peace) beautifully elucidate the concepts of expansion of character and true expansion through the stories of Abel and Cain. Expansion of character is love and forgiveness towards creation, but it may sometimes be mixed with politics, while true expansion is pure Divine leadership that guides the sinner to repentance. The critique of superficial readings and the distinction between Divine leadership and human politics are key messages of this discourse. This work, with its profound and multifaceted perspective, can serve as an essential resource for researchers in the fields of mysticism, theology, and ethics.
