the Lectures of Nekounam, may his sanctity be revered (Session 388)
This present volume constitutes a scholarly and systematic redaction of Lecture Number 388 from the series Manzil al-Sirn, dedicated explicitly to elucidating the concept of Azm (Resolve) as one of the pivotal stations within the mystical path. The work adopts an academic and profound approach, scrutinising Azm as the firm actualisation of intention, whether voluntarily (awan) or under compulsion (karhan).
Azm appears as a cornerstone that fortifies the aspirants resolve against the storms of the nafs and the tribulations of worldly existence, guiding them steadily towards the Divine Destination.
Azm, regarded as a fundamental station within Manzil al-Sirn, denotes the steadfast realisation of intention through a resolute will that propels the seeker forward on the path of spiritual wayfaring. The lecture defines Azm thus:
Al-Azm taqq al-qasd awan aw karhan
meaning the firmness and actualisation of intention either with willingness and consent (awan) or with reluctance and unwillingness (karhan).
This definition presents Azm as a volitional act transcending mere inner sentiments, accomplishing the intentions fulfilment.
Azm functions akin to a bridge, conveying the aspirant from initial resolve to committed action. Unlike mere intentionwhich initiates an actAzm guarantees its firmness and perseverance. This station leads the seeker away from fragmentation and spiritual vacillation towards concentration and endurance, much like a mountaineer who, with unwavering resolve, overcomes arduous cliffs.
The lecture emphasises that Azm may manifest in two modes: voluntary (awan) or compulsory (karhan). Voluntary resolve occurs when the seeker proceeds towards the goal with heartfelt enthusiasm and motivation, exemplified by one who sells their house to purchase a larger abode, acting with full consent. Conversely, compulsory resolve emerges when the seeker, compelled by rational necessity or arduous conditions, fulfils their intention despite inner reluctance, analogous to a person forced to sell their house due to a child's illness.
This distinction portrays Azm as a dynamic force transcending base desires. Voluntary resolve is like a gentle breeze that propels the boat of spiritual wayfaring serenely, whereas compulsory resolve resembles an oar that navigates the vessel through lifes tempests to the shore of the destination.
The lecture critiques the perspective of the Tlemsani commentator, a previous explicator of Manzil al-Sirn, who asserted that compulsory resolve (Azm karhan) is impossible, positing that reluctance is incompatible with intention:
Fa-hir anna al-mukrah l qasd lahu
. Owing to philosophical deficiencies, Tlemsani assumed that compulsion nullifies the formation of intention and resolve. This view arises from a failure to comprehend the complexities inherent in human volition and stands at odds with the realities of mystical progression.
The lecture repudiates this stance, affirming that resolve can subsist despite reluctance. The seeker may, with a rational will though heartedly unwilling, actualise their intention. This critique reflects the epistemological limitations of certain commentators and underscores the imperative of philosophical analysis for understanding mystical concepts.
Following Tlemsani, the commentator of Manzil al-Sirn initially claims the absence of intention under compulsion:
Fa-hir anna al-mukrah l qasd lahu
. Subsequently, however, he endeavours to justify this view by explaining that compulsion signifies dislike of the self, and compulsory resolve occurs when the seekers heart, prompted by the call of Truth, acts despite aversion:
Ill an yurd bi-al-karkhah karhat al-nafs wa huwa an yujdhaba al-qalb d al-aqq fuyujbu awan wa yunjadhabu ilayhi qasdan wa amdan wa f al-nafs karhah.
The lecture regards this justification as insufficient, emphasising that compulsory resolve inherently accompanies rational volition and intention without requiring such elaborate explanations. The commentators effort resembles a superficial repair of a flawed foundation rather than a substantive correction. This critique accentuates the necessity for rigorous and independent analysis in the interpretation of mystical notions.
To clarify voluntary resolve, the lecture cites the example of a person selling their house to purchase a larger one. This individual acts with full willingness and satisfaction, possibly even vowing to aid the poor upon sale. Such resolve is akin to a flower blossoming in the garden of heartfelt contentment, yielding fruits nourished by benevolent intent.
This example portrays voluntary resolve as an ideal state wherein will, desire, and benevolence intermingle harmoniously. The seeker, in this mode, resembles a gardener who enthusiastically plants the seed of righteous action in the soil of faith and reaps its goodly fruit.
To illustrate compulsory resolve, the lecture references a person compelled by illness or financial hardship to sell their house. Despite internal reluctance, rational necessity prompts them to resolve and complete the transaction. They may even beseech the buyer, as the life of their child depends on this sale.
This resolve resembles a lamp burning brightly amid the darkness of lifes hardships, illuminated by the fuel of reason. The seeker, in this situation, is like a traveller rowing through a storm with fear and reluctance but determined to reach the shore of salvation. This example situates compulsory resolve within the realities of life, underscoring reasons role in overcoming heartfelt aversion.
The lecture further elucidates compulsory resolve via the analogy of a father advising his children not to carry his coffin. Despite his own reluctance, he appeals to his children to delegate this task to others, thereby sparing them from the hardness of heart. This counsel resembles a seed reluctantly sown, yet ultimately bearing fruit of welfare and propriety.
This analogy reveals the complexities of resolve within familial relations. The seeker, here, is akin to a farmer reluctantly tilling a harsh land but motivated by the hope of a beneficial harvest.
The lecture explicitly delineates compulsory resolve from compulsion. In compulsory resolve, the seeker acts through their own willeven if reluctantlyakin to one who sells their house out of necessity. Conversely, compulsion entails an external will imposed upon the individual, comparable to a person whose hands and feet are forcibly restrained and led against their will. In compulsion, the individuals will may be feeble, as they recognise the futility of resistance.
This distinction, in essence, draws a boundary between autonomous volition and imposed volition. Compulsory resolve resembles an oar wielded by the seekers own hand amid a storm, whereas compulsion parallels a wave carrying their boat in a given direction. The lecture emphasises that volition exists in both scenarios, yet in compulsion it is diminished and subject to external influence.
The lecture introduces a fourth state termed passivity of will. In this condition, the individual acts without autonomous volition, complying solely due to external pressure, as one whose limbs are bound and forcibly led. This individuals will is passive, a mere consequence of others wills rather than their own independent intent. The lecture likens this state to a passenger in a vehicle whose motion depends entirely on the drivers will, not their own.
Passivity of will thus appears as a shadow cast upon the individual by anothers volition. It is distinct from both resolve and compulsion in that it entirely lacks autonomous will. The lecture underscores that passivity of will has no place within the mystical path, as the seeker must advance with an active and deliberate will toward the spiritual goal.
To elucidate passivity of will, the lecture offers the example of a passenger conveyed in a vehicle by its driver. The passenger possesses a passive will because their movement results solely from the drivers volition. Their initial will to embark on the journey was autonomous; however, once underway, the vehicles motion is governed entirely by the driver.
This analogy vividly portrays the contrast between autonomous and passive volition. Within the mystical journey, the seeker is akin to a driver who determines the route, not a passenger relinquished to others control. This example characterises passivity of will as fundamentally un-mystical.
The lecture critiques the exploitation of reluctance through the example of a transaction where a seller, compelled by financial necessity, sells their house. Certain buyers, cognisant of the sellers reluctance, purchase the property at half its value, capitalising upon their need. Such conduct resembles theft cloaked in commerce and contravenes the ethical principles of mysticism.
The lecture stresses that exploiting others reluctance violates mystical virtues such as equity and benevolence. The mystical seeker resembles a gardener who fosters the growth of others trees rather than harvesting unripe fruits prematurely. This critique situates resolve within an ethical framework, accentuating the imperative of justice in human action.
The lecture portrays resolve not merely as a volitional act but as an ethical undertaking. Whether freely willed or compelled, the seekers resolve must adhere to mystical virtues including equity, benevolence, and justice. Exploiting others reluctance is akin to picking unripe fruit, which yields no true benefit and harms the tree.
This principle positions resolve as a force that must serve the welfare of others. The mystical seeker functions as a lamp that illuminates not only their own path but also that of others.
The lecture introduces resolve as comprising three levels: and it is upon three degrees, the first degree Although the text does not expound these stages in detail, the reference portrays resolve as a multi-layered station, each degree reflecting varying depths and qualities of volition. This structure harmonises with the hierarchical system in Manzil al-Sirn, conceptualising resolve as a dynamic, multidimensional act.
These levels function as rungs on a ladder guiding the seeker from initial volition to complete firmness. Each degree represents a stratum of essence that, through the refinement of intellect and heart, acquires increased radiance. This principle underscores resolve as a pivotal stage in the mystical path.
The lecture philosophically analyses volition in four states: spontaneity, compulsion, coercion, and passivity. In spontaneity, volition accompanies desire; in compulsion, reason prevails over the heart; in coercion, an external will dominates; and in passivity, independent volition is absent. This schema maps the complexities of human volition along the mystical path.
The lecture insists that volition in spontaneity, compulsion, and coercion remains independent, whereas passivity results from others volition. This distinction presents resolve as a rational, volitional act that guides the seeker toward the goal even under adverse conditions. The analysis highlights reasons role in overcoming the hearts reluctance and actualising intent.
The lecture refers to the commentators analysis concerning the selfs displeasure: the heart of the seeker experiences reluctance due to incomplete certainty (not fully assured), yet reason draws it towards the claim of truth. This analysis reveals the tension between intellect and heart within compulsory resolve.
This principle functions as a veil dividing intellect and heart, whereby the seeker pierces the darkness of the hearts reluctance by the light of reason. The lecture stresses that compulsory resolve, despite inner reluctance, actualises intent through rational volition.
Resolve, as a crucial station in the mystical path, represents the steadfast actualisation of intent through a firm volition, guiding the seeker toward the divine goal whether with willingness (spontaneity) or reluctance (compulsion). This station, through its three levels, elevates the seekers will from initial intention to complete firmness. Volitional resolve with willingness is accompanied by enthusiasm and benevolence; compulsory resolve proceeds through reason and necessity.
The lecture employs vivid analogies such as house-selling, paternal counsel, and the vehicle-driver dynamic to situate resolve within human and social realities. Critiques of Tlemceni and the commentators views emphasise the necessity of philosophical analysis in comprehending resolve. Resolve resembles a lamp illuminating the seekers path through lifes tempests, fuelled by intellect and heart.
Lecture number 388 of Manzil al-Sirn, through an analytical and profound approach, elucidates resolve as a foundational pillar in the mystical path. This station actualises intent in both willingness and compulsion, guiding the seeker from dispersion toward concentration and perseverance. The distinction of resolve from compulsion and passivity of will, and the critique of exploiting reluctance, highlight the role of ethics and intellect in spiritual progression. The analogies of house-selling, paternal counsel, and vehicle-driver serve to communicate complex mystical concepts in accessible yet profound language. The critical examination of erroneous views by Tlemceni and the commentator underscores the indispensable role of philosophical analysis in understanding resolve. Resolve, in its threefold gradation, is akin to a tree rooted in volition, its trunk of intellect, and branches of benevolence bearing fruit. This treatise is akin to a cultivated garden wherein each branch is meticulously nurtured, inviting the reader to contemplate the depths of mystical teachings.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
