of Nokounam, (Session 401)
Within the realm of both theoretical and practical mysticism, Maqmt al-Sirn by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari shines forth as a resplendent jewel, delineating the stages of the seekers spiritual journey towards the Divine Truth. The second degree of will, which forms the subject matter of the present lecture, constitutes a station wherein the traveller, by cutting off from all except the Truth while accompanied by the spiritual state (ubat al-l), advances from the multiplicity of the corporeal realm (nsoot) to the unity of the realm of meaning (lam al-man).
This degree is characterised by attributes such as tary al-uns (the soothing of intimate nearness), the journey between contraction and expansion (sair bayn al-qab wa al-bas), and action through the hearts operations (amal bil-aml al-qalbiyyah), which collectively guide the seekers heart towards intimate presence and attendance.
In Maqmt al-Sirn, will (irdah) represents a station which, subsequent to intention (qad) and determination (azm), summons the seeker to respond to the Divine call and commit to the ultimate Divine goal. This degree acts as a bridge between the corporeal (nsoot) and the divine (lht), guiding the seeker away from carnal desires towards Divine proximity.
The second degree of will, defined by the phrase taqu an kulli m siw al-aqq bi-ubat al-l cutting off from all save the Truth whilst accompanied by the spiritual state denotes a station in which the traveller, accompanied by a spiritual state and the vision of the Truth, disentangles from outward forms and multiplicity, achieving a unification within the heart. Unlike the first degree, which is grounded in knowledge and law (sharah), this station is founded upon heartful presence and inner vision.
The first degree of will, relying on the knowledge of sharah and the guidance of reason, directs the seeker within the framework of outward rulings. By contrast, the second degree unfolds like a flower blossoming at dawn, whereby through the vision of the Truth and heartful presence, the seeker is led towards inner sight. At this stage, the traveller transcends corporeal appearances and beholds the Truth with the eye of the heart. This distinction resembles the difference between walking in daylight with the aid of reason and sharah, and soaring in the night sky upon the wings of spiritual states and visionary insight.
Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah? (Translation: )
This verse emphasises the role of the heart in spiritual vision and humility, indicating that the second degree constitutes the station of the humble heart.
At the second degree, the seeker, by refining the inner senses, akin to a bird spreading its wings in the sky of meaning, perceives the unseen and hears the inaudible. This visionary faculty results from the activation of latent spiritual capacities which, in the ordinary person overwhelmed by corporeality, remain like a buried treasure. With the eye of the heart, the ear of the soul, and an awakened heart, the traveller attains the vision of the Truth. This refinement resembles polishing a mirror so that it reflects the reality free from dust.
And thus We showed Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. (Translation: )
This verse affirms the possibility of inner vision and perception of the celestial kingdom.
The second degree of will, through cutting off and accompaniment by the spiritual state, guides the seeker from multiplicity to unity. With visionary insight and the refinement of inner faculties, the heart is prepared for the vision of the Truth and intimate presence with it. Its distinction from the first degree lies in the transition from knowledge and law to spiritual states and vision as if opening a window towards the realm of meaning, leading the seeker to new horizons in the spiritual journey.
Taqu, a gradual severance from what is other than the Truth like a leaf detaching from its branch in autumn liberates the seeker from carnal desires and corporeal appearances. This severance, accompanied by spiritual states, leads the heart towards presence and unity. The seeker at this degree progresses from sensation to spiritual state, and from corporeality to the realm of meaning, as if stepping from the shore of earth to the boundless ocean of gnosis.
Everything will perish except His Face. (Translation: )
This verse stresses detachment from what is other than the Truth and attention towards the Divine Face.
Taqu is a gradual and continuous process, unlike inqit which implies abrupt and complete severance. This gradualism is like ascending a ladder of gnosis, resulting from the accumulation of spiritual states and successive inspirations. The seeker moment by moment, with new states and manifestations, detaches from the non-Truth and draws nearer to the Truth. This distinction resembles the difference between the steady flow of a stream and the sudden flooding of a river.
And those who strive for Us We will surely guide them to Our ways. (Translation: )
This verse emphasises the gradual progression on the path towards the Truth.
Tary al-uns denotes the lightness and intimate nearness to the Truth, which, like a cool breeze at dawn, frees the seekers heart from the heaviness of corporeality and imitation. This lightness results from the hearts flexibility and readiness for presence and heartful acts. The seeker appears as though liberated from the bonds of earth, journeying in the realm of gnosis and intimate communion with the Truth.
Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. (Translation: )
This verse underscores intimacy and tranquility of the heart in remembrance of the Truth.
In this degree, the seeker is like a boat navigating the ocean of spiritual states, journeying between qab (spiritual contraction and pressure) and bas (expansion and openness of the heart). These fluctuations are the consequence of the hearts refinement and acceptance of spiritual states, as though the seeker, dancing between light and shadow, takes steps towards the Truth.
Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (Translation: )
This verse emphasises the alternation of difficulty and relief on the spiritual path.
At this station, the seeker worships through heartful actions such as presence and intimacy, reducing reliance on formalistic acts that lead to dispersal and ostentation. This reduction does not imply abandonment of worship but prioritisation of the quality of heartful devotion over quantitative formalism. The seekers heart becomes like a luminous lamp, illuminating the path of spiritual journey through sincerity and presence.
Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book in truth. So worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion. (Translation: )
This verse affirms sincerity in worship.
The characteristics of the second degree of will, like harmonious melodies of a symphony, guide the seekers heart towards the Truth. Taqu, tary al-uns, the journey between qab and bas, and amal bil-aml al-qalbiyyah lead the seeker from multiplicity to unity, from sensation to spiritual state, and from corporeality to the realm of meaning. These attributes, like stars in the firmament of spiritual progression, illuminate the travellers path.
The commentator, emphasising complete severance from the corporeal (inqit bil-kulliyyah), considers the seekers perfection to lie in absolute detachment from the material world. However, this viewpoint, like viewing only one side of a mirror, is incomplete. The seekers perfection resides in simultaneous presence within both corporeality and the realm of meaning, as if flying with one wing on earth and the other in the heavens. Complete severance from corporeality is not perfection but a deficiency.
The noble tradition, Man ra f al-ns m yar f nafsih fahuwa rif He who sees in others what he sees in himself is a gnostic emphasises the station of jam al-jam (union of unions) and presence in both worlds.
The emphasis on internal spiritual practice must not lead to the abandonment of formal ritual acts, such as alh (prayer). Authentic mysticism regards the heart and form as the two wings of a bird, whose coordinated function is indispensable for flight; the absence of either renders the ascent impossible. Abandoning formal acts of worship constitutes a deviation, diverting the spiritual wayfarer from the path of truth.
And establish prayer and give zakh. (Quran 2:43)
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This verse emphatically underscores the preservation of formal acts of worship.
Some interpret the verse Wabud Rabbaka att ytka al-yaqn (Quran 15:99; translated by as And worship your Lord until certainty comes to you) as indicating a spiritual station wherein worship becomes superfluous. Such an interpretation, akin to a flower plucked rudely from its rooted garden, is fundamentally erroneous. The term yaqn in this context signifies death, thereby mandating the perpetuation of worship until the end of life.
The noble hadith all att tamt (Pray until you die) emphatically reiterates the necessity of continuous worship until the final moment of existence.
At the second spiritual stage, the seeker refines the inner senses, much like a painter who polishes his brush, thereby attaining direct perception of the Truth. The eye, ear, and heart become instruments forged in the furnace of gnosis, enabling the apprehension of the invisible and inaudible realities. This refinement is analogous to a veil being lifted before the seekers eyes, granting an unmediated vision of ultimate reality.
Ibn Sn, in his Al-Ishrt, affirms this possibility by citing the states of the mad, affirming that a human being may, through refinement of the senses, achieve perceptions transcending the material realm. Unlike the mad, whose perceptions arise from disorder, the seeker attains divine knowledge through conscious and deliberate refinement.
The seeker in this stage resembles a bird soaring from earth to sky, journeying from the material (nast) realm to the realm of meaning. Alternating between nast and the spiritual realm, the seeker ultimately beholds both simultaneously in perfection. This journey is like the dance of light upon a mirror, guiding the seeker to behold the Truth in both worlds.
Aristotles anecdotelosing his way to school due to immersion in knowledgeillustrates how the mystic, absorbed in gnosis, may neglect the material world. Yet the perfected mystic, exemplified by the Commander of the Faithful (Amr al-Muminn), maintains simultaneous presence in both nast and meaning.
Key Point: The refinement of the inner senses enables the seeker to perceive the unseen and traverse the realms of meaning; however, true perfection lies in concurrent presence in both nast and the spiritual domain.
The second station of will (irdah) in Manzil al-Sirn serves as a gateway toward the realm of meaning, guiding the seeker from multiplicity in the material world to unity of the heart. Complete detachment from all save the Truth accompanied by the spiritual statecharacterised by qualities such as tawr al-uns (comfort in divine intimacy), the oscillation between constriction and expansion (al-ayr bayna al-qad wa al-ba), and action through spiritual deedsleads the heart toward intimate presence and communion.
The commentators critique underscores the vital importance of harmony between heart and form, warning that abandoning formal rituals or total severance from the material realm deters the seeker from the path of perfection. The refinement of inner senses and traversal through the realms of meaning culminate in the seekers vision of the Truth and simultaneous presence in both nast and spiritual realms. This discourse, like a beacon in darkness, illuminates the spiritual journey for seekers and scholars alike.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
