of Nokoonam, may his sacred spirit be sanctified (Session 446)
Mystical journeying constitutes a passage from the self towards the Ultimate Truth, wherein the wayfarer, by traversing through various existential stations of his being, attains an absolute independence from all but the Truth. Enrichment, in the sense of self-sufficiency, is a cardinal station within this itinerary, manifesting at three distinct levels: nafs (pertaining to the self or ego), qalb (pertaining to the heart), and finally the aqq (pertaining to the Truth itself). This treatise, profound discourses of Nokoonam , undertakes a meticulous and profound examination of these gradations of enrichment.
In the mystical itinerary, enrichment denotes a state of detachment and independence from all except the Truth, manifesting across multiple strata. Although the nafs level ranks beneath the qalb (heart) level ontologically, it is considered superior in nobility and efficacy due to its profound difficulty and impact. At the stage of nafs enrichment, the wayfarer does not merely orient his heart towards the Truth but subjugates all his limbs and faculties from the eyes and hands to the feet to the governance of the heart. This process demands rigorous purification of the self and existential harmonisation, culminating in a state of self-sufficiency wherein all corporeal members serve both the heart and the Truth.
Transforming the corporeal faculties into instruments of the heart proves markedly more arduous than purifying the heart itself. The heart, owing to its spiritual essence, has an innate tendency towards the Truth; conversely, the corporeal members, being material instruments, may resist the wayfarers volition. This predicament may be likened to the condition of a paralysed individual who wills to move a limb but finds it unresponsive. The wayfarer at this level must employ vigilant contemplation and asceticism to refine these faculties so thoroughly that they harmonise perfectly with the hearts movement toward the Truth.
At the station of nafs enrichment, the wayfarer acquires three salient qualities:
A hallmark of nafs enrichment is the complete absence of hostility within the wayfarers heart. He harbours no enmity not only towards the Truth and His creation but also towards his adversaries. This station is grounded upon the noble Quranic injunction
وَلَا تَكُنْ لِلْخَائِنِينَ خَصِيمًا (An-Nis: 105)
whose reads: And be not a quarreller with the treacherous. The wayfarer opposes injustice itself, not the unjust individual, recognising that the latter remains a servant of God. This distinction is akin to differentiating between an illness and the ill person; the wayfarer combats the ailment of oppression, not the person afflicted with it.
Ostentation, which stems from the selfs deficiency and the craving for external approval, dissipates at the level of nafs enrichment. The heart becomes like soil saturated with the rain of the Truth, no longer in need of the water of others admiration. This saturation emancipates the wayfarer from dependence upon anything other than the Truth and guides him towards perfect sincerity.
Qalb enrichment denotes a station in which the wayfarers heart is singularly oriented towards the Truth and purified of all inclinations to anything else. Although this station is comparatively easier than nafs enrichment, it holds profound significance due to the hearts status as the existential centre. The heart functions like a mirror reflecting the light of the Truth, and qalb enrichment is the state wherein this mirror is cleansed from all dust of the non-Truth.
In qalb enrichment, the wayfarer merely aligns the heart to the Truth a task eased by the hearts natural disposition towards it whereas in nafs enrichment, he must elevate the corporeal faculties, inherently material and thus less inclined, to the level of the hearts obedience. This distinction resembles the difference between training a young child and taming a wild horse: the former is facilitated by nature, the latter prized for its difficulty.
Upon attaining qalb enrichment, the wayfarers heart becomes cleansed of resentment and hostility, gaining illumination and awareness. Nevertheless, limitations may persist; the wayfarer might reach the hearts station, yet his corporeal faculties may remain disobedient. This condition may be likened to an internal lamp burning brightly whose light has yet to permeate outwardly.
aqq enrichment represents the station in which both the heart and the self of the wayfarer are effaced, leaving only the Servant and the Truth remaining. At this summit, the wayfarer bq (subsists) in the subsistence of the Truth, appears in the manifestation of the Truth, and serves as the locus of the Names of the Truth. This enrichment resembles an immeasurable ocean within which not a single drop of poverty or need remains.
The concept of Ghin Bi-aqq possesses three distinct and profound degrees:
In this initial degree, the salik (spiritual seeker) observes that it is the Almighty Truth who mentions him, rather than he mentioning the Truth. This vision resembles the perception of a divine melody, one that is played by the Beloved to the lover.
At this stage, the salik arrives at the primacy of the Truth and perceives that the Truth has preordained his sustenance and needs from eternity. This degree is analogous to beholding an eternal map, within which all provisions have been decreed.
The final degree is reached when the salik, through annihilation in the Truth and subsequent annihilation in the Divine Names, attains the subsistence of the Truth. This degree is comparable to the dissolution of a drop into the ocean, wherein no trace of the drop remains.
In the first degree of Ghin Bi-aqq, the salik witnesses the Truth as being in the act of mentioning him. This vision transforms him from the state of lover to beloved. The mention of the Truth is akin to sunlight radiating upon the heart of the salik, liberating him from the need for ostentation and the approval of others.
In the second degree, the salik attains awareness of the primacy of the Truth and perceives that the Truth has determined his sustenance and necessities from eternity. He beholds all beings, from the inanimate to the animal, as participants in the richness of the Truth, regarding poverty as the consequence of heedlessness. This vision resembles gazing upon a garden whose every branch and leaf has been nourished by the life-giving water of the Truth.
In the third degree, through annihilation in the Truth, the salik reaches the subsistence of the Truth. This station is founded upon the noble verse:
This verse summons the salik to cast off all attachments to this world and the hereafter in order to reach complete annihilation and the subsistence of the Truth.
Within the state of Ghin Bi-aqq, the sleep of the believer is considered an act of worship, as his heart remains awake, perpetually engaged in the mention of the Truth even during sleep. This notion is grounded in the Prophetic tradition Nawm al-mumin ibdah The sleep of the believer is worship. It indicates that the seekers mention in this degree flows eternally, like a river silently running towards the sea even in the night.
In this exalted state, the salik is liberated from every form of poverty and need, as he is connected to the self-sufficiency of the Truth. He perceives all existence as enriched by the Truth and regards poverty as the result of heedlessness. This perspective resembles gazing at a sky in which no star remains without light.
Here, the salik reaches the station of existence, which is the annihilation of the servant and the subsistence of the Truth. At this station, he may utter:
As-salmu alayka y Allh Peace be upon You, O God.
This phrase functions as a key that opens the doors of unity with the Truth.
At this station, the salik even repents from his own acts of worship, perceiving his own existence as a grave sin. The verse:
Wujduka dhanb l yuqsu bihi dhanb Your existence is a sin incomparable to any other sin,
expresses that ego is the greatest barrier against the Truth. This repentance resembles cleansing the mirror of the heart from every stain of ego.
The salik, through perseverance and steadfast devotion (ukf) at the threshold of the Truth, attains Ghin Bi-aqq, provided his heart is devoid of resentment, ostentation, and worldly causes. Such perseverance resembles kneeling before the Beloved, desiring nothing but Him alone.
Within Ghin Bi-aqq, the salik attains the unity of actions (Tawd al-Afl), perceiving all deeds as emanating from the Truth rather than from himself. This insight liberates him from ostentation, as ostentation arises from perceiving the act as one's own. In jurisprudence, worship accompanied by ostentation is invalid, as it constitutes manifest association (shirk).
The degrees of richness (Ghin) in mystical journey, from the nafs (self-related), to the qalb (heart-related), and finally to the aqq (truth-related), illustrate the seekers evolutionary path towards freedom from all that is other than the Truth. The nafs richness, through the purification of the faculties, liberates the seeker from resentment and ostentation. The qalb richness focuses the heart upon the Truth, yet the aqq richness represents the summit of spiritual journey where the seeker attains unity with the Truth. These degrees resemble steps that elevate the seeker from the terrestrial realm to the celestial. Emphasis on perseverance, steadfastness, and unity of actions underscores the necessity of inner purification and preparedness for union with the Truth.
Supervised and Authenticated by Sadegh Khademi
