lectures of Nakhonam, May his soul rest in peace (Session 443)
Sufi mysticism, akin to a journey from the darkness of the self to the boundless light of the Divine, presents poverty not only as a material deficiency but as a sublime state of detachment and surrender before the Sacred Essence of God. Lecture 443 from the series *Mazahil al-Sa'irin*, with a focus on the chapter on poverty, explores the third station of this condition"The Soundness of Necessity and Being in the Hand of the Sole Unitary, and the Confinement in the Bonds of Gradual Progress"which is referred to as the *Poverty of the Sufis*. This station leads the wayfarer to complete submission, severance from worldly causes, and the abstraction from personal attributes, so that in the Presence of the One, nothing is perceived but God, and no thought remains except for Him.
Poverty in Sufi mysticism is not merely material destitution, but a spiritual state that detaches the wayfarer from worldly attachments, the self, and external causes, leading them towards divine self-sufficiency. In this lecture, poverty is explained in three distinct stations, each serving as a step on the ladder of knowledge that brings the wayfarer closer to the Divine.
In the first station, poverty is understood as renouncing the world and showing indifference to its wealth and status. The wayfarer, in this station, is liberated from attachment to material possessions and speaks little of worldly matters. This station is akin to asceticism, which removes the dust of worldly desires from the wayfarer's feet, preparing them for the spiritual journey ahead.
Key Insight: The first station of poverty is like a key that unlocks the chains of worldly attachments, guiding the wayfarer towards asceticism and self-sufficiency.
The second station of poverty is the turning towards God's grace, wherein the wayfarer perceives all blessings and perfections as originating from the Divine and sees nothing of their own. In this station, the wayfarer attains the unity of actions (*Tawhid al-Afa'li*), viewing themselves as mere non-existence, attributing everything to divine grace. This station involves negating self-centeredness and recognising complete dependence on God.
Key Insight: In this station, the wayfarer refrains from claiming any favor from God, perceiving themselves as nothing, with humility that leads them to experience divine grace.
The third station of poverty, known as the *Poverty of the Sufis* (*Fuqara' al-Sufiyyah*), represents the pinnacle of the mystical journey. This station is defined by "the soundness of necessity and being in the hand of the Sole Unitary and the confinement in the bonds of gradual progress." In this station, the wayfarer entirely surrenders their attachment to the world, existence, and the self, arriving at total submission before God. *Sihat al-Idtirar* signifies complete trust and reliance on God, placing the wayfarer in His Hand, preventing futile efforts or struggles.
Key Insight: The *Poverty of the Sufis* is like a summit in the mystical journey, detaching the wayfarer from causes and self, connecting them to the Presence of the One.
The soundness of necessity (*Sihat al-Idtirar*) is a state where the wayfarer, after detaching from the world and the self, reaches complete surrender before the Divine. In this station, the wayfarer is placed in the Hand of God, ceasing all futile efforts, acknowledging that everything is governed by divine wisdom. This surrender serves as a doorway to tranquility and trust.
The soundness of necessity manifests in two distinct realms: the first is the realm of the Sole Unitary, which is the station of unity (*Maqam al-Jam*), where everything is attributed to the Divine. The second is the realm of abstraction (*Maqam al-Ahdiyyah*), the station of the absolute Oneness of God, where nothing but God exists. This distinction is clarified through reference to the Quranic verse:
There is no power and no strength except through God (Qur'an 18:39).
This verse supports the concept of unity in actions (*Tawhid al-Afa'li*) in the station of unity, where the wayfarer sees all actions as solely attributed to God.
The third station of poverty elevates the wayfarer from the station of unity, which represents the unity in actions, to the station of Oneness (*Maqam al-Ahdiyyah*), which reveals the intrinsic, essential unity of the Divine. In this station, nothing exists except God, and everything is confined to the essence of the Divine. The lecture emphasizes that all that happens in the world, or may happen, originates from Gods Hand, and all actions are attributed solely to Him.
Key Insight: The station of Oneness is like a mirror reflecting only the truth of the Divine Essence, purging the wayfarer from all attachment to the self or any other.
In the station of Oneness, "nothing exists with Him," meaning that only God is, and the concept of the other is entirely negated. This negation refers to the absolute unity of Gods essence, freeing the wayfarer from all dualities and attachments. The state of abstraction does not contradict the Divine Names, as the names are part of the essence, and their relative multiplicity is compatible with the station of Oneness.
The poverty experienced in the third station transforms into wealth, as the wayfarer reaches the realm of Oneness, where nothing exists except God. The lecture illustrates this transformation by referencing the Qur'anic verse:
"And He found you poor and made you self-sufficient" (Qur'an 93:8).
This verse affirms the connection between poverty and wealth in the mystical path, leading the wayfarer to divine self-sufficiency.
Wealth, in this context, refers to one who is independent of all things and causes, unlike the poor who depend on knowledge, strength, or wealth. The lecture emphasizes that the hallmark of poverty is its flexibility in the absence or presence of external means, while true wealth is found in the tranquility derived from detachment from worldly causes.
Key Insight: Wealth, in this sense, is like a tool that sharpens with every hardship, for the wayfarer sees no cause but God.
One who is truly wealthy finds joy amidst hardship and turmoil, for the worldly causes act as veils between oneself and the Divine. When these causes are severed, the individual finds themselves closer to the Divine and proclaims: "How fortunate am I, praise be to God." This joy signifies trust and satisfaction with divine decree, fortifying the wealthy person in the face of trials.
The wealthy individual does not take delight in material means, seeing their true wealth in the Divine rather than in the company of the destitute. The teachings, through metaphors such as the shop sign or the brick and mortar of a mosque, critique attachment to material possessions and liken the monotheist to a file that sharpens with each strike, in contrast to the poor who become shattered by hardships.
The teachings elucidate the steadfastness of the wealthy individual in the face of adversities through the metaphor of the file and the sharpening stone. A file becomes sharper and more refined by striking a blade, whereas a sheep is destroyed by the same action. But butchers prefer well-tempered sharpening stones, for they hone the blade, just as the seasoned mystic, through experience and patience, reaches lasting wealth.
The teachings differentiate between Sufism and mysticism, with Sufism being the station of wilayah (divine authority) and mysticism being the station of chivalry. Mysticism is the path towards wilayah and the acquisition of chivalrous qualities, while Sufism represents the station of acquiring divine attributes and achieving wilayah. This distinction elevates the stages of the mystical journey from human ethics to divine qualities.
Key Point: Sufism is likened to a star shining in the sky of wilayah, while mysticism is the path that guides the traveller to this celestial realm.
Chivalry is the station of nobility, considered one of the most arduous actions, as the Qur'an states:
When they pass by idle talk, they pass by with dignity. (Al-Furqan: 72)
In this verse, nobility is referenced as the moral dignity of the noble person, who avoids trivialities and lowliness.
Wilayah is the station of embodying the Divine, which surpasses chivalry and leads the mystic to connection with the Divine essence. Referring to the slogan "There is no sword but Zulfiqar, and no knight but Ali," the teachings clarify chivalry in the nobility of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) and wilayah in the sword of Zulfiqar. The sword represents wilayah, with each strike being an embodiment of truth, justice, and nobility.
The teachings criticise apparent wilayah based on force and ignorance, asserting that simply possessing a sword does not grant true wilayah. Wilayah is defined by justice and nobility, not by outward power. This critique highlights the importance of justice within the Shi'ite framework, which is a prerequisite for wilayah and any religious station.
The sword of truth is only entrusted to one who does not act dishonestly. The teachings use the metaphor of the sword of the Last Times, which has shrunk yet remains the same sword of Ali, as a symbol of the continued presence of wilayah under changing circumstances. The believer, even if their sword is merely for peeling cucumbers, remains "standing with the sword," symbolising their spiritual and practical readiness.
The wealthy individual possesses the "Kingdom that does not perish," neither attaching themselves to this world nor the Hereafter, for both are forbidden to the People of God. Referring to the Qur'anic verse:
To whom belongs the sovereignty? (Ghafir: 16)
This verse refers to the oneness of the Kingdom, leading the wealthy individual to disregard the outward notion of ownership.
The wealthy individual is not afraid of a powerful enemy but becomes more invigorated when facing a stronger foe, as their roots lie in self-sufficiency and trust in the Divine. The teachings elucidate this courage through the metaphor of the sharpening stone, which sharpens a blade without fear of its sharpness. This courage distinguishes the wealthy from the envious and the weak-willed.
Key Point: The wealthy individual is like a well-tempered sharpening stone, not only unafraid of the blade but making it sharper because they rely on the Divine.
The teachings critique those who are unsettled by the success of others or who are attached to material possessions, describing them as spiritually impoverished. The envious and the stingy, even if they possess wealth, remain poor because they lack inner wealth. This critique underscores the importance of self-purification in the mystical journey.
The station of divine wealth is superior to that of perishing, for the wealthy see only the Divine and even laugh in the face of the noose, as Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: "I have won, by the Lord of the Ka'bah." This joy signifies salvation in the station of wealth, which detaches the mystic from both the world and the Hereafter, connecting them solely to the Divine.
The believer, in the station of divine wealth, is always joyful, as the hadith states: "The believer is cheerful and radiant." This joy stems from trust and satisfaction with the divine decree, as exemplified by the conduct of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) on the day of Ashura when he said: "I am content with Your will, obedient to Your command."
The teachings of Maqamat al-Sa'irin, in Lecture 443, present poverty as a divine stream guiding the mystic from initial asceticism towards divine wealth and wilayah. The poverty of Sufism is the pinnacle of the mystical journey, which, through spiritual distress, detachment, and purity, brings the traveller into the Divine Presence. The distinction between chivalry and wilayah, the role of justice and nobility in this path, and the metaphors of the file and the sharpening stone highlight the steadfastness of the wealthy in the face of trials. Qur'anic verses, like blazing lamps, illuminate the path, while the lives of the Divine friends serve as guides for those on the mystical path. This work, through its refined and scholarly rewriting, serves as a comprehensive resource for researchers and seekers of truth, inviting reflection on the mystical poverty and methodical spiritual journey.
With the guidance of Sadiq Khadami
