of Nokounam, may his sacred secret be sanctified (Session 399)

Introduction: Laying the Groundwork for the Concept of Will in Practical Mysticism

Mystical journeying is a spiritual odyssey wherein the seeker, endowed with pure intention and resolute determination, advances towards the Divine Truth. Within this pathway, the faculty of will functions as a guiding beacon, distinguishing the path from the obscurity of base desires and worldly attachments. Lecture number 399, authored and delivered by Nokounam (may his sacred secret be sanctified), elucidates the primary rank of will in mystical wayfaring, defining it as a firm resolve to fulfil the Divine rights.

Unlike the common willrooted in mundane cravings and everyday wantsmystical will is a transcendent determination directing the seeker towards a Divine goal. Within this framework, the murid (disciple) is the seeker, while the murad (desired) is the Divine Reality; any conflation between the path (the guide) and the destination (God) is rigorously critiqued.

Part One: Elucidation of the Concept of Will and Its Distinction from Common Desire

In practical mysticism, the concept of will fundamentally diverges from what is commonly understood as desire or wish in popular consciousness. In quotidian life, humans commonly label any urgefrom the simple act of drinking water to stepping forth on a pathas an act of will. However, in the mystical journey, will denotes a transcendent concept defined by resolute determination and a serious commitment to uphold the Divine rights.

This elevated will transforms the seeker into a murid of the Divine: one who acts solely for God and advances only towards Him.

To illustrate this concept, the lecture references the noble verse 72 from Srah al-Anm:

إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. )

This verse, which highlights Abrahamic resolve, stands as a paradigm for the murid who devotes their entire being to the Lord. Emulating the example of the Prophet Abraham, the seeker renounces all that is other than God and focuses their will exclusively on the Divine.

Part Two: The Disciple, the Desired, and the Critique of Confounding Path with Destination

The lecture identifies the murid as the seeker and the murad as the Divine Truth. The murshid (spiritual guide), within this context, is merely a guide and pathway, never to be conflated with the muradthe Divine destination. Regrettably, some have exploited these concepts, elevating the murshid to the station of the murad and thus calling people to themselves rather than to God. Such conflation leads not only to misguidance but also to subtle forms of shirk (polytheism).

The lecture critically addresses this deviation, citing those who falsely claim to represent the Awliy (saints) or the Infallible Imams, inviting the people towards themselves in place of God. This constitutes spiritual exploitation and runs counter to the imperative of maintaining Divine unity in the mystical journey. The murshid, as a bridge, connects the seeker to the destination but is not the destination itself.

Part Three: The First Rank of Will and Its Conditions

The initial rank of will, which the lecture explores in detail, is defined by liberation from all that deters the seeker from the Divine Truth. This rank is described by the Arabic expressions خَلْعُ كُلِّ شَاغِلٍ مِنَ الْإِخْوَانِ (casting off all distractions from the brethren) and مُتَشَتِّتٍ مِنَ الْأَوْطَانِ (freedom from the dispersion of homelands). The seeker must renounce worldly attachments, carnal habits, and local or ethnic affiliations, thereby purifying their will exclusively for the Divine.

Another requisite of this rank is فَإِنَّ التَّعَلُّقَ بِأَنْفَاسِ السَّالِكِينَattachment to the breaths of the true wayfarers. These wayfarers, identified as الْمُجَرَّدُونَ الْقَاطِعُونَ لِجَمِيعِ الْعَلاَقِ (the detached from all attachments) and الرَّافِعُونَ لِكُلِّ الْعَوَائِقِ (those who lift all obstacles), serve as exemplars for the disciple who consecrates their being to God alone.

Part Four: Critique of Local and Ethnic Prejudices

The lecture critically addresses local and ethnic allegiances (nationalism) as impediments to pure will. Such attachmentseven among scholars and philosophers who display parochial tendenciesdefine the seekers identity in worldly terms, thereby diverting them from the Divine Truth.

To elucidate this critique, the lecture cites a verse by the late Elahi:

زمین ملک من، خدا شاه من
نداند جز این جان آگاه من

This couplet portrays the true homeland of the seeker as God and negates any attachment to land or tribe. The seeker is likened to a bird whose wings are unfettered from the cage of dust, soaring towards the Divine heavens.

Section Five: A Critical Examination of Worldly Attachments Among Dervishes and Scholars

The lecture undertakes a meticulous critique of certain dervishes and scholars who, rather than embracing sincerity, have succumbed to worldly attachments. A dervish whose dwellings walls are adorned with carpets, or a scholar in pursuit of material gains, cannot be regarded as a genuine spiritual seeker. To elucidate this criticism, the lecture references the following poem:

"A dervish is one who is devoid of malice;
Whose chest is pure and free from all corruption."

This verse establishes sincerity and purity as the criteria for true dervishhood, categorically negating any form of worldly attachment.

Section Six: The Philosophy of Ownership and the Futility of Worldly Attachments

The lecture poses a philosophical question regarding the transfer of ownership through inheritance, addressing the futility of attachment to worldly possessions. From a philosophical perspective, a possession cannot have two owners simultaneously, nor can it remain ownerless. This contradiction demonstrates the impermanence and non-transferability of worldly wealth to the hereafter. Consequently, the seekers will must be directed towards the Truth, not ephemeral possessions.

This discussion is illustrated through a metaphor concerning stepping forward: just as a person requires a second foot to take a third step, a possession cannot exist without an owner or with two owners. This paradox invites the seeker to reflect upon the insignificance of worldly attachments.

Summary: The Primary Stage of Will and the Path of Spiritual Progression

The primary stage of will functions as a gateway leading the seeker towards the realm of mystical progression. This stage, characterised by liberation from distractions, the dispersal of attachments to ones origins, and detachment from the breath of fellow travellers, guides the disciple towards sincerity for the sake of the Truth. The seeker, emulating the pure onessuch as the Mujarradn and Qshoqghnwho have severed all affections and removed obstacles, defines their existence in God.

The lectures critiques, ranging from confusion between intention and guide to local dependencies and worldly attachments, present a monotheism-centred framework for spiritual progress. The true disciple is one who acts solely for God and steps only towards Him. This stage serves as the foundation for subsequent stages of spiritual striving, wherein the seeker attains higher degrees of will and divine proximity.

Final Conclusion

Lecture number 399 of Manzil al-Sirn casts illumination upon the primary stage of will, shedding light on the path of mystical progression. Will is the key that unlocks the shackles of attachment and directs the seeker towards freedom in the divine realm. This stage, through liberation from distractions, the scattering of attachments to homelands, and detachment from the breaths of fellow seekers, guides the disciple towards sincerity and monotheism. The lectures critiquesfrom mystical abuses to worldly attachmentsemphasise the necessity of preserving monotheism within the spiritual journey. The true seeker is like a bird freed from the cage of earth, spreading its wings towards the celestial divine. This treatise, by rearticulating these concepts in a scholarly and methodical manner, represents a step towards elucidating the mystical path for researchers and seekers of Truth.

Supervised by: Sadegh Khademi