of Nekounam, may his sacred spirit be sanctified (Session 405)
The Manzil al-Sirn is a profound and monumental mystical work elucidating the stages of the spiritual journey towards God. It has long served as a guiding beacon for the seekers traversing the path of ultimate truth. Among its stations, the chapter dedicated to Adab (proper conduct and decorum) holds a particularly distinguished status as a pivotal phase of the spiritual itinerary. Adab, akin to a gilded vessel, manifests the seekers intention, resolve, and will, and functions as the vital nexus between the inner reality and outward manifestation of the wayfarer.
The lecture commences with the blessed invocation, Bismillhir-Ramnir-Ram (In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, ), and introduces Adab as a station where, following intention, resolve, and will, the practical embodiment of these principles is realized. Adab, like a polished mirror, reflects the inner essence of the seeker in their external conduct. This definition elevates Adab beyond a mere external manifestation of ethics, positing it as the vessel through which the fundamental principles of the spiritual journey visibly unfold.
In this perspective, Adab is the bridge connecting the inner and outer dimensions, guiding the seeker toward harmony in spiritual practice. This harmony is a reflection of adherence to the Divine Law (Shariah) and the observance of divine boundaries.
Adab, as the outward aspect of character, is distinct from Akhlq (ethics), which represents the inner essence of character. Adab manifests in speech, behaviour, and external interactions, whereas Akhlq is a deep-seated internal reality rooted within the human soul. The expression, Adab is within our control; Akhlq is not, conveys that while Adab is a voluntary and conscious act subject to human agency, Akhlq constitutes a profound, involuntary structure.
Measured and dignified conduct, akin to the gentle outpouring from a vessel, narrates the state of the inner being. When the seeker behaves with kindness, dignity, and composure, they are deemed well-mannered; conversely, expressions of harshness or incivility reveal poor ethics. This distinction portrays Adab as an external garment and Akhlq as an inner spirit.
The lecture draws upon the noble verse 112 of Surah At-Tawbah, Wal-fina li-uddillh wa bashshiril-muminn (And those who guard the limits of God, and give glad tidings to the believers, ), defining Adab as the observance of divine boundaries. Those described as fin (guardians) are seekers who, through commitment to Shariah, maintain measured and balanced behaviour.
In this sense, Adab encompasses reverence for the Shariah and adherence to its commands concerning what is lawful and unlawful. The decorous seeker listens attentively to divine injunctions, preserves boundaries, and avoids excess or deficiency.
Adab is conduct that avoids both excess and deficiency. The decorous seeker neither exaggerates praise nor disparages unduly, nor does he judge or behave unfairly. This balance, like an exact scale, preserves the rights of persons and objects in their due measure.
The metaphor of the road and driving, used in the lecture, beautifully illustrates this concept: a driver who respects laws and the rights of others embodies Adab, whereas one who disrupts order through recklessness or excess is deemed ill-mannered.
The lecture distinguishes, with remarkable insight, between the innate Adab of animals and the voluntary Adab of human beings. Animals proceed according to their intrinsic nature and, barring harm, do not deviate from their natural decorum. Conversely, humans, endowed with free will, may either act with Adab or behave discourteously.
This free will renders humans responsible for their conduct. The decorous seeker, by choosing measured behaviour, approaches perfection; whereas incivility distances them from this path.
This lecture critically examines the indecorous nature of human avarice and insatiable desire. A person who remains satiated yet persists in the accumulation of wealth and possessions exemplifies human indecorum. The metaphor of the eight hundred trailers poignantly illustrates this notion: wealth amassed beyond necessity constitutes not decorum but rather becomes detrimental to its possessor.
From both ethical and social perspectives, this critique posits greed in stark opposition to harmonious and natural decorum, exhorting the seeker (slik) towards contentment and equilibrium.
Summary of Section Three:
Section Three, by distinguishing between natural and voluntary decorum and by critiquing indecorum manifested in greed and excess, underscores humanitys responsibility in choosing measured conduct.
The lecture regards equitable wealth distribution as a manifestation of decorum. When a wealthy individual places their possessions at the service of humanity, akin to a divine provider (Razzaq), they embody decorum. Conversely, the utilisation of wealth for exploitation and greed exemplifies indecorum.
The analogy of a factory that provides bread to workers vividly illustrates this concept: wealth, if dedicated to serving humanity, is decorous; if wielded as an instrument of exploitation, it becomes indecorous.
Key Point:
Decorum in social behaviour is manifest in the equitable distribution of wealth and service to creation, much like a stream that waters all fields.
The lecture subtly critiques the incomplete transmission of sacred verses as an instance of indecorum. A commentator who cites a verse such as وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ ٱللَّهِ (and those who guard the limits ordained by Allah) incompletely is guilty of breaching the trust in conveying divine speech. This critique highlights the paramount importance of precision and fidelity in transmitting religious texts.
Summary of Section Four:
Section Four elucidates decorum in social conduct and condemns indecorum in the transmission of sacred texts, clarifying the stations role in social interaction and safeguarding divine trust.
The lecture explicates the qualities of the fin (those who guard Allahs limits) through the exposition of verse 112 of Surah At-Tawbah:
At-Tibn, al-bidn, al-midn, as-Sin, ar-Rkin, as-Sjidn, al-mirn bil-Marf wa-n-Nhn an al-Munkar wa-l-fin li-udd Allh (The repentant, the worshippers, the praise-givers, the travellers, those who bow down, those who prostrate, those who enjoin good and forbid evil, and those who keep Allahs limits translated by ).
These are seekers who manifest decorum in the devotional, ethical, and social dimensions through repentance, worship, praise, travel, bowing, prostration, commanding right, forbidding wrong, and safeguarding the boundaries ordained by Allah.
Key Point:
The fin li-udd Allh are seekers who manifest decorum through worship, knowledge, and righteous action in every existential dimension.
The lecture articulates a profound distinction between ilm (knowledge) and marifah (gnosis). Ilm is described as a profession which may be accompanied by theft or addiction; marifah, however, is an essence that manifests in worship, praise, and love. Marifah, like a luminous light within the heart, guides the seeker towards purity and love.
Summary of Section Five:
Section Five, by explicating the characteristics of the fin and distinguishing between ilm and marifah, highlights decorum intertwined with knowledge and righteous deeds.
Referring to verse 111 of Surah At-Tawbah, Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their selves and their wealth in exchange for Paradise , the lecture elucidates divine decorum in the transaction with His servants. God, unlike human beings, overlooks defects and grants full recompense.
This transaction, like the purchase of a precious jewel, disregards flaws and returns the servants true value to them.
Key Point:
Divine decorum in dealing with servants ignores faults and bestows complete reward, akin to a buyer who acquires a flawless gem.
By contrast, human transactions often involve fault-finding and self-interest. Humans, in buying and selling, accentuate defects and diminish value. This critique elegantly reveals the distinction between divine and human decorum.
Summary of Section Six:
Section Six, by delineating divine decorum in Gods transaction and critiquing human dealings, underscores decorum as intimately connected with divine love and sincerity.
Decorum manifests in balanced behaviour towards others and the preservation of their rights. A seeker endowed with decorum behaves with affection, sincerity, and respect, maintaining boundaries appropriate to persons and possessions.
Such conduct, like a clear stream, reaches all fields of life, establishing justice and benevolence within society.
Key Point:
Decorum in interaction with others appears in justice, love, and respect for others rights, resembling a stream that nourishes every field of life.
Summary of Section Seven:
Section Seven, by elucidating decorum in interpersonal conduct, accentuates this stations connection to social justice and love.
The Chapter of Decorum within the Stations of the Seekers represents a stage guiding the seeker to uphold divine limits, maintain measured conduct, and attain knowledge. Decorum, like a golden vessel, embodies intention, resolve, and will in balanced behaviour, inviting the seeker to harmonise exterior and interior states. This lecture, drawing upon Quranic verses, critiques of indecorum, and explication of the fin li-udd Allh, offers a monotheistic and balanced framework for mystical wayfaring.
Supervised by: Sadegh Khademi
