the Lectures of Nekounam, (Session 445)
The esteemed work Manzil al-Sirn by the venerable Khwaja Abdullah Ansari shines forth like a luminous beacon, elucidating the intricate course of the mystical journey for the aspirants of spiritual perfection. The chapter entitled Bb al-Ghin stands as one of the pivotal stations within this seminal text, delineating the gradations of self-sufficiency in the path of mystical wayfaring. It guides the seeker away from corporeal and nafsn dependencies towards the ultimate unity with the Divine Essence, al-aqq tal.
The focus of lecture session 445 which forms the basis of this treatise is the exposition of the second lesson within the chapter on enrichment. This discourse meticulously explicates the threefold ranks of enrichment (Ghin al-Qalb, Ghin al-Nafs, and Ghin bil-aqq) by employing Qurnic verses and mystical allegories to articulate the conditions requisite for their actualisation.
Within the mystical paradigm, enrichment (ghin) denotes the state of liberation from dependence upon anything other than the Truth, an emancipation from the entanglements of both the lower soul and worldly attachments. This lecture delineates enrichment into three distinct stations: enrichment of the heart, enrichment of the nafs (self), and enrichment with the Truth. The initial two stages represent preparatory phases that direct the seeker toward the consummate state of enrichment that is, Ghin bil-aqq. This ultimate stage is likened to a summit, wherein the wayfarer attains absolute unity with the Divine Essence and is wholly freed from any form of duality or multiplicity. These stations serve as a ladder, with each rung drawing the seeker closer to divine union and independence from all else.
Enrichment of the heart indicates the hearts emancipation from reliance on outward causes and a singular focus upon the Divine. Enrichment of the nafs represents the harmonious alignment of the faculties and limbs with the hearts directive. The enrichment with the Truth constitutes the zenith of the mystical journey, wherein the wayfarer perceives nothing except the Divine and is entirely annihilated in the Divine Essence. This categorisation serves as a precise map, charting the path from the heart to the nafs and ultimately to the Truth.
Enrichment of the heart, as the inaugural rank of enrichment, necessitates the fulfilment of three cardinal conditions: tark al-asbb (abandonment of causes), muslama al-ukm (conciliation with the Divine decree), and khala min al-khuma (complete deliverance from contention). These conditions act as three steadfast pillars, liberating the heart of the seeker from worldly and nafsn attachments, thereby orienting it towards sincerity and submission.
The abandonment of causes entails the negation of primacy to apparent causes and a pure focus on the Cause of Causes, namely the Divine. At this station, the seeker is akin to a bird released from the cage of material means, soaring freely towards the celestial realm of the Truth. Muslama al-ukm designates submission to the Divine decree, be it in the form of bounty or deprivation. Khala min al-khuma describes total emancipation from all quarrels and antagonisms with the Truth, bestowing upon the heart serenity and contentment.
The abandonment of causes the first prerequisite for enrichment of the heart signifies the hearts independence from external causes and exclusive attentiveness to the Divine command. At this rank, the seeker performs actions neither for fulfilling worldly nor otherworldly needs but solely as an execution of the Divine injunction. This state resembles the cleansing of the hearts mirror from the dust of secondary causes, allowing the light of the Truth to be reflected with clarity. The lecture underscores that the wayfarer, by acting in obedience to the Divine command, is freed from idolatry of means and causality-worship, directing his attention solely to the Cause of Causes.
For instance, the seeker acts not for livelihood but because the Divine order prohibits idleness and becoming a burden to society. This outlook resembles the distinction between one who prays merely to attain paradise (a causal act) and one who prays to reach divine union (an act of love). The seeker in the station of enrichment resembles the latter, whose deeds emanate from love for the Divine rather than need for means.
The lecture elucidates the clear difference between causal acts and acts of love. Causal acts, such as praying for reward or sustenance, arise from dependency on means. Conversely, acts of love, such as prayer performed to attain union with the Divine, originate from love and sincerity. This contrast resembles the difference between a journey undertaken to reach a material destination and one embarked upon to visit the Divine Beloved.
The seeker in the station of enrichment is like one whose prayer is an alt ubb (prayer of love) rather than a alt asbb (causal prayer). Freed from material and spiritual motivations, the seeker contemplates only divine union. This liberation resembles the breaking of chains binding the hearts feet, leading to true freedom.
Muslama al-ukm, the second prerequisite of heart enrichment, denotes acquiescence to the Divine decree and avoidance of conflict with it. At this station, the seeker reconciles with the Divine Will in both granting and withholding, abstaining from objection or dispute. This state is analogous to the tranquility of a lake yielding to a gentle divine breeze, without ripples of protest arising.
The lecture emphasises that acquiescence with the Truth is arduous, as humans often unknowingly contend with the Divine, even while believing they contend only with creation. This discord acts like a shadow obstructing the heart from the light of submission. The seeker must liberate himself from such enmity to attain perfect contentment.
"Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds." (Srah al-Anm 6:162)
This noble verse serves as a prism illuminating the principle that all acts and existence of the seeker belong to the Divine, leaving no ground for dispute.
The seeker at this station is like one attributing every deed, from prayer to life and death, to the Divine, relinquishing selfhood and conflict. This submission functions as a key unlocking the heart's door, guiding it toward unity with the Truth.
The lecture considers acquiescence to the Divine decree challenging, as humans habitually, albeit unconsciously, oppose the Truth. This opposition manifests even in good deeds when the seeker claims credit for the action and neglects divine grace. Such contention resembles a dust layer on the hearts mirror, impeding the reflection of divine light.
For example, a seekers resentment toward a Divine command (such as the injunction to maintain purity) illustrates lack of acquiescence. The lecture recounts an anecdote where a seeker resisted such a command, clashing with the Divines emissary. This resistance is likened to a river rebelling against a divine dam. The seeker must simply respond "Yes" to the Divine command to cleanse the heart of hostility.
Khala min al-khuma, the third prerequisite of heart enrichment, entails complete liberation from all enmity with the Truth. At this station, the seeker neither harbours envy nor even rishk (a longing for that which others possess). This rank is like a clear sky, free from any cloud of dissatisfaction or comparison.
The lecture explicates the distinction between envy and rishk: envy is the wish for others deprivation and arises from the commanding self (nafs al-ammra), whereas rishk is the desire to possess something akin to another. The seeker at the station of enrichment transcends even rishk, content solely with what the Truth has decreed. Such contentment resembles a tree rooted in the soil of Divine predestination, bearing the fruits of submission and sincerity.
At the station of khala min al-khuma, the seeker is satisfied with Divine destiny, eschewing greed and comparison with others. This contentment is like a stream flowing harmoniously in the course of Divine Will, safeguarded against deviation. The lecture insists that rishk signals incomplete contentment, and the seeker must attain the state of ri bi-rik being fully content with their allotted place, harbouring no longing for any other.
The enrichment of the self (غنای نفس), the second stage of spiritual enrichment, denotes the state wherein the nafs mutmainna (the reassured soul) attains independence from carnal desires and attachments. The lecture explicitly clarifies that the soul at this stage is not the nafs al-ammrah (the commanding soul), for the seeker, prior to embarking on the spiritual path, has been emancipated from the nafs al-ammrah, having progressed through the nafs al-lawwmah (the reproachful soul) to the nafs al-mutmainna (the reassured soul). The enrichment of the self is akin to taming a wild horse that becomes obedient to the heart, thereby relinquishing its autonomy.
Within this station, every constituent of the seekers beingfrom limbs to eyes and earsbecomes subservient to the heart. This accord resembles an orchestra whose every instrument, guided by the heart, performs the melody of Divine Truth. The lecture asserts that the enrichment of the self is more arduous than that of the heart, as the heart is closer to unity, whereas the self is ensnared in multiplicity.
By referencing the couplet:
From the hand of the eye and heart, both cry aloud, / For whatever the eye beholds, the heart remembers,
the lecture elucidates the difficulty inherent in this enrichment. The eye (symbolic of the self) tends toward multiplicity and thereby obstructs the hearts attainment of needlessness. The enrichment of the self is like taming a restless eye that roves freely and draws the hearts attention to that which is other than God. The seeker must subjugate the self such that even the eyes and hands become heart-aligned.
This difficulty resembles the alchemical endeavour of transmuting base earth into gold. The heart, by virtue of its proximity to the Divine, attains needlessness more readily; whereas the self, immersed in multiplicity, demands strenuous effort for liberation. The seeker in this station resembles a farmer irrigating the soil of the self with the water of gnosis to abstain from indulging in profane pleasures.
The enrichment of the self is actualised through steadfastness upon the Beloved (the Most High), freedom from reprehensible states, and dissociation from ostentation. At this level, the self is emancipated from lusts and the preoccupation with others praise, attending solely to the satisfaction of the Divine. This persistence serves as an anchor that stabilises the self amid the tempestuous ocean of spiritual journeying.
By alluding to the example of the foot of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), which feels no pain when an arrow is drawn, the lecture demonstrates that in this station, the seekers faculties likewise become heart-aligned and transcend material influences. This harmony is akin to existential unity, whereby all components of the seeker serve the Divine Truth.
The lecture designates the unity of actions (توحید افعالی) as the key to liberation from conflict with the Divine. The seeker who perceives all occurrences as acts of God thereby frees themselves from strife with creation and the Creator alike. This perspective resembles a mirror reflecting solely the image of the Divine, seeing no agent but Him.
The Quranic verse L awla wa l quwwata ill billh (transl. : There is no power nor might except by God) constitutes the scriptural foundation for this station. This verse functions as a lamp illuminating the path of unity of actions and dissuades the seeker from ascribing deeds to the self.
The lecture cautions that if the seeker attributes their righteous deeds (such as night prayers) to themselves, they in effect contend with God and depart from peaceful harmony. The righteous deed is a gift granted by Divine grace and must not be ascribed to the self.
This danger resembles subtle polytheism that deprives the seekers heart of the light of monotheism. The seeker must with humility attribute all actions to God and eschew self-glorification.
The lecture presents an example of dispute over a mosques place, illustrating that a seeker who quarrels over their position has not yet attained the enrichment of the heart. Such a person must perceive all affairs as acts of God and submit accordingly. This example acts as a mirror exposing the seekers weakness vis--vis selfhood.
The seeker in this station resembles one who takes up their rosary and departs without objection, knowing that all affairs occur by Divine will and that their place is their Divine provision.
Divine love is the motivating force of the spiritual path that liberates the seeker from enmity with God and directs them toward union and contentment. The lecture references the statement of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), who fears separation from God rather than the fire, illustrating that Divine love elevates the seeker to a station wherein even torment pales before separation from the Divine.
This love is like a consuming fire that burns away all enmity in the seekers heart, compelling total surrender to the Divine Will. The seeker in this station resembles a lover who accepts with all heart and soul whatever their beloved ordains.
Through the anecdote of Bahlul and Harun, the lecture reveals that from the viewpoint of Gods saints, worldly palaces appear as ruins. The seeker in the station of enrichment views worldly pleasures as insignificant and becomes independent of them. This narrative serves as a mirror reflecting the seekers transcendent perspective toward earthly enjoyments.
This viewpoint acts as a light freeing the seekers heart from the darkness of material attachments and guiding them toward the Divine Beauty. Upon beholding but a moment of Divine Beauty, the seeker forgets all mundane delights and becomes entirely self-sufficient.
Steadfastness of the self upon the Beloved (the Most High) signifies the selfs permanent abiding in the station of the Divine. The self is no longer a transient traveller vacillating between God and otherness. This abiding is analogous to a ships anchor dropped in the harbour of the Divine, restraining the self from instability and caprice.
The lecture, by emphasizing the phrase استقامتها على المرغوب (steadfastness upon the Beloved), indicates that steadfastness entails complete constancy on the path of the Divine. This constancy is like roots firmly planted in the soil of Divine gnosis.
At the station of enrichment, the self is freed from wrath and rancour and harbours no malice even toward its enemies. This purification resembles a light radiating from the heart to the self, elevating it to the stations of contentment and acceptance. The lecture cites an example of a seeker who prays for harm to befall their enemy, demonstrating that such prayer indicates bondage to the self.
The seeker must instead pray for their enemys guidance, thereby freeing themselves from enmity and selfhood. Such prayer resembles water cleansing the soil of the self from rancour and guiding it toward Divine pleasure.
Servitude (تعبد) at the station of enrichment transcends ignorance and surpasses mere knowledge. The seeker acts upon the Divine command because of its intrinsic truthfulness, not merely due to knowledge or belief. This servitude resembles the complete surrender of the lover before the beloved, emanating from love and gnosis.
The lecture stresses that servitude grounded solely in knowledge is not true servitude. True servitude resembles absolute obedience to the Divine command, leading the seeker to unity with Him. This station forms a bridge guiding the seeker from knowledge to love, and from love to union.
The heart is the axis of true servitude that directs the self toward the Divine. The lecture, citing the tradition of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him): "Make yourself a balance between yourself and others," demonstrates that at the station of enrichment, the seeker relinquishes self-centeredness and discrimination between self and others.
This tradition functions like a scale establishing justice and fairness within the seeker. The seeker in this station is like one who dedicates all acts and being in the service of the Divine, free from selfhood and conflict.
The chapter on spiritual enrichment in Manzil al-Sirn constitutes a station wherein the seeker is emancipated from material and carnal attachments and guided toward unity with the Most High. The lecture of session 445 delineates the three-tiered stages of enrichmentenrichment of the heart, enrichment of the self, and enrichment by the Truthoutlining their conditions with reference to Quranic verses such as Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds and There is no power nor might except by Allah. The enrichment of the heart frees it from reliance on causes, disputation with the Truth, and animosity. The more challenging enrichment of the self subjects it to the heart and liberates it from desires, ostentation, and wrath. The unity of actions, Divine love, and true servitude elevate the seeker to a station where all affairs are perceived as Divine acts, and all enmity and selfhood are transcended.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
