Introduction
The book Maqamat al-S'irn by Khwja Abdullah Ansari is a valuable and profound work, akin to a precious gateway in the vast ocean of mystical knowledge. It serves as a guide for the wayfarers on the path of truth, illuminating the stages of spiritual journey with an unparalleled level of precision. Each station of this journey acts as a step on the ladder of ascension, leading the traveller closer to divine proximity. This lecture, derived from Session 426 of s teachings, delves into the third stage of intimacy, namely Izdiml f Shahd al-arah (Dissolution in the Perception of the Divine Presence). This stage, akin to a droplet dissolving into the boundless divine sun, portrays the zenith of mystical vision and unity with the Divine.
Section 1: Elucidation of the Third Stage of Intimacy
The discourse begins with the verse from the Quran:
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
(In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.) The third stage of intimacy is introduced as follows:
"The third degree of intimacy is the dissolution in the perception of the Presence, which cannot be described by its essence, cannot be marked by boundaries, nor can its reality be apprehended by the intellect."
This stage, much like a dew-drop dissolving in the sunlight, leads the wayfarer to a state of utter dissolution in the divine presence, such that their true essence transcends the limits of words, boundaries, and intellectual comprehension. Izdiml (dissolution) here does not refer to the annihilation of existence but rather to the transcendence of the souls personal attributes, which leads the mystic to unity with the Divine. This state, like a lofty peak in mystical journeying, transports the seeker to a place where they see nothing but the Divine and live only in the Divine.
To elucidate the concept of Izdiml, the discourse employs a noble metaphor: When sugar dissolves in water, its form still retains a trace of identity. This is akin to intimacy with an action or attribute. However, when the sugar is boiled in a pot for an extended period, its form disappears, leaving only its sweetness behind. This is comparable to intimacy with the essence and complete dissolution (fana') in the Divine, where the seeker, like sugar in water, dissolves in the divine presence, and nothing remains but the effect of the Divine. This metaphor serves as a mirror, reflecting the various stages of intimacy and illustrating the difference between relative intimacy and total dissolution.
Section 2: Critique of Abd al-Razzaq al-Kashanis Commentary
The lecture critiques the commentary of Abd al-Razzaq al-Kashani, who, due to his attached mysticism (acquired and intellectual), failed to grasp the profound depth of the words of Khwja Abdullah Ansari, who embodies the concise mysticism (innate and experiential). Khwja, like a clear spring, emanates knowledge from the source of direct mystical perception, while the commentator, like a scholar who has turned towards mysticism, remains trapped in the confines of intellectual determinations. This difference is like the disparity between the sun and its shadow, where the former is pure light and the latter is only a reflection of it.
The commentator interprets Izdiml as "the nullification of form," equating it to the destruction of the personal attributes. However, the lecture refutes this interpretation, stating:
Izdiml is not the same as nullification (biln); rather, it is the removal of personal determinations.
Nullification implies total annihilation, whereas Izdiml, much like a color vanishing in the light, is the transcendence of egoistic attributes without the obliteration of existence. This critique serves as a light that dispels the darkness of misunderstanding, revealing the true nature of dissolution.
Khwja describes the perception as part of the al-arah in a general sense, yet the commentator limits it to the al-arah al-Aadiyyah (Divine Oneness):
In the perception of the Presence, it includes all degrees, not only the Oneness.
Intimacy, much like a rushing river, encompasses all levels of action, attribute, essence, determination, and undetermined states. The commentator, by adding the qualifier of Oneness, is like someone trying to contain the ocean within a small cup, unaware of its vastness. The lecture emphasizes that intimacy is not confined to the Oneness, but rather includes perception at all divine levels.
The Teachings of the 426th Lecture by Nakounam
These Traits, Like Stars in the Sky of Knowledge, Illuminate the Truth of the State of Union
Key Point: The state of dissolution liberates the seeker from the determinations of the self, immersing them in the pure vision of the Truth, such that the essence, limit, and profundity of the Truth surpass all expressions, allusions, and encapsulations.
Section Four: The Distinction Between the Mysticism of Lovers and the Beloved
Difference in the Transmission of Vision The lecture makes a distinction between the mysticism of lovers (محبین) and the beloved (محبوبین). Lovers are those seekers who attain vision, but are unable to transmit it, much like a spring that nourishes only itself. The beloved, on the other hand, are the perfect saints who not only experience vision, but radiate their light of vision to others, just as the sun disseminates its rays. They, like the infallibles (Alihim As-Salam), bestow the alchemy of knowledge upon others. The lecture considers the stages of the travelers (منازل السائرین) to belong to the mysticism of the lovers, as their vision is personal and does not reach the stage of transmission to others. Key Point: The mysticism of the beloved transmits vision to others, while that of the lovers confines the vision within themselves. The infallibles bestow the alchemy of vision to others. Intellectual and Experiential Transmission Vision is transmitted on two levels:
- Intellectual Transmission: The manifestation of vision, such as the saying "I saw God," is transmitted, but its essence is not. This is like the reflection of light in a mirror, which shows only the shadow of the truth.
- Experiential Transmission: The vision itself, like the direct light of the sun, is conveyed to the recipient. This station is unique to the complete saints, who, like alchemists, transform the base metal of others' beings into the gold of knowledge.
Section Five: The World as the Most Sacred Name of God
Redefinition of the World The lecture defines the world not as something lowly, but as the proximity and the Most Sacred Name of God: "الدنيا اسم أعظم إلهي". The world, like a mirror reflecting the beauty of the Truth, is a manifestation of closeness to God, in contrast to the Hereafter, which indicates distance. The invocation "O world" is like a key that unlocks the lock of problems and alleviates poverty and distress. This perspective, like a refreshing breeze, dispels negative notions about the world, revealing it as a divine manifestation. Key Point: The world is the Most Sacred Name of God and represents closeness, not degradation. The invocation "O world" can resolve problems and reveal the divine beauty to the seeker. Critique of Excessive Fear of God The lecture critiques the excessive fear of God instilled in people: "Fear of people from God is a veil on their vision of Him." This fear, like a thick curtain, obstructs union and the vision of the Truth. The mysticism of guardianship (عرفان ولایی), like a garden full of flowers, emphasizes love and closeness to God, guiding the seeker toward union with the Truth.
Section Six: The Necessity of Transformation in Religious Seminaries' Sciences
Scientific and Systematic Approach The lecture emphasizes the necessity of making the sciences of religious seminaries scientific and systematic: "The religious sciences must be scientific and methodical." Inconsistent and fragmented interpretations, like scattered winds, hinder a deep understanding of mystical texts. Seminaries must function like precise laboratories, systematically explaining divine knowledge. This transformation, like the reconstruction of an ancient building, brings cohesion to religious sciences. Key Point: Religious seminaries must be rebuilt with a scientific and methodical approach to systematically explain mystical knowledge with precision.
Conclusion
The lecture of session 426 by Nakounam shines like a radiant light, illuminating the third level of union in the stages of the traveler. It, through a critique of Kashanis commentary, emphasizes the comprehensiveness of union in all divine stages. Dissolution, like the evaporation of dew in the sun, brings the seeker to the pure vision of the Truth. The distinction between the mysticism of lovers and the beloved, the redefinition of the world as the Most Sacred Name, and the necessity of transforming the sciences of religious seminaries are the most prominent points of this lecture. This text, like a pearl within an oyster, presents mystical knowledge to its audience with a refined and scholarly language.