The venerable book Manzil al-Sirn, authored by Khwja Abdullh Ansr, illuminates the path of the seekers of Truth like a resplendent torch. The second lesson in the chapter entitled Al-Basrah of this precious work elaborates the gradations of insight, with particular emphasis on the vision of Divine justice, the presence of good amid various afflictions, and the perception of the bond of union within the spiritual attractions of worship. This lesson, adopting a profound and mystical perspective, guides the wayfarer towards comprehending reality, the interplay of divine justice in bestowal and denial, and the nearness to God in spiritual journeying. Insight, akin to a divine light, liberates the seekers heart from the darkness of ignorance and carnal attachments, culminating in the station of witnessing ultimate truth.
At the primary stage of insight, like a clear mirror, the Divine laws manifest as the very essence of goodness and truth. The seeker at this level, with a heart filled with certitude, perceives all that is revealed by the Truth through the tongue of the Law as pure benevolence. This vision is not merely an acceptance of the laws legitimacy but a profound witnessing that renders the seeker exempt from recognizing falsehood. The seeker, like a devoted lover, beholds none but their Beloved, and all that stands opposed to the Truth appears insignificant in their sight.
Love for the Truth, like a consuming flame, ignites zeal within the seekers heart. This love constitutes the fundamental cause of zeal; without love for the Truth, no zeal arises in its defence. The insightful seeker, akin to a vigilant guardian, defends the grandeur of their Beloved against every form of humiliation or denial. Such defence is a testament to the depth of love which centres the heart upon the Truth and frees it from all carnal attachments.
Insight, like a luminous line, separates the seeker from the valley of ignorance and blind imitation. Prior to attaining this station, the human mind resembles a caravanserai filled with unfounded imaginations and fabrications. Yet, with the emergence of insight, the heart is liberated from these darknesses and connected to the light of truth. At this stage, the seeker regards the law not through imitation but through profound witnessing, embracing it with firm commitment.
Defence of the Truth, like a steadfast shield, signifies the magnitude of the beloved within the lovers heart. The insightful seeker, before anyone who disparages or denies the Truth, defends it like a roaring lion. This defence is not born of fanaticism but arises from love and zeal, inclining the heart towards the Truth and keeping it distant from all falsehood.
The second level of insight, like a lofty summit, guides the seeker to the witnessing of Divine justice in guidance and misguidance, bestowal and denial, and the variations of trials. At this station, the seeker not only believes in Divine justice but sees it with direct witnessing. Like a sagacious observer, they perceive the balance of Divine justice in every matter, recognising that whatever God grants or withholds from anyone is precisely goodness and justice itself.
God, like a wise sage, bestows upon each person according to their due entitlement neither more nor less. This justice flows like a pure spring through all Divine acts. Should a person not be granted knowledge, wealth, or power, such denial is indeed for their own good; for the granting thereof might lead to their corruption. The insightful seeker beholds this wisdom and is thus freed from any objection or self-centered complaint.
Divine denial, like a protective shield, safeguards the servant from inability to bear the blessing. Gods withholding of certain knowledge or wealth stems not from stinginess but from Divine grace, which preserves the servant from the dangers of corruption and deviation. The seeker at this stage, like a prudent gardener, perceives denial as the pruning of superfluous branches that aid the growth of the sapling of existence.
At the second level, the seeker perceives the scales of Divine justice in every matter with direct witnessing. This witnessing acts like a golden key, liberating the heart from doubt and skepticism and uniting it with certainty. They perceive that guidance and misguidance, bestowal and denial are all regulated by wisdom and merit, and there is no imbalance within these scales.
Insight, like a fertile sapling, culminates in divine union through worship. The seeker, through the witnessing of divine goodness, senses proximity to God in their prayers and acts of worship. This nearness, like an invigorating breeze, lightens the heart and liberates it from the heaviness of carnal attachments. In the spiritual attraction of worship, the seeker beholds the bond of union a firm rope that draws them towards the Divine.
The insightful seeker perceives the effect of worship within themselves; sometimes a lightness and closeness, other times heaviness and remoteness. This discernment, like a clear mirror, reflects their inner state. Should worship fail to induce any change, it indicates a lack of insight. Conversely, if prayer renders them light, it signals union and divine favour.
The seeker endowed with nearness, if they miss a prayer, experiences a burning flame within their soul, enduring spiritual affliction for a time. This sensitivity is a sign of insight and love for the Truth. However, one who compensates missed prayers with indifference behaves as an actor mocking worship, thereby deprived of nearness.
Only the mystics, endowed with the light of insight, behold the bond of union in the spiritual attraction of worship. They, like awakened spectators, witness divine proximity within their obedience. This vision is a gift that frees the heart from doubt and dissatisfaction and leads to complete contentment with Divine decree.
Divine decree, like a wise blueprint, charts the course of the seekers life. Man cannot acquire beyond what has been decreed for him nor escape it. This decree does not imply the cessation of effort but rather constitutes a framework directing the seeker towards the ordained good.
The tale of an individual who consumed provision not decreed for him and consequently suffocated stands as a clear mirror reflecting the inevitability of decree. This narrative emphasises the sovereignty of Divine wisdom that remains unaltered even by human will. The seeker must move within the boundaries of decree, accompanied by effort and sincerity.
Mysticism, like a pure stream, keeps the seeker away from negligence and frivolity. They are duty-bound to exert themselves diligently within the confines of decree. This effort is not contrary to decree but in harmony with it, guiding the seeker towards good.
Certain actions, like a flower in a garden, spring from Divine love and decree rather than material gain. The seeker sometimes, like a passionate lover, pursues knowledge or worship without expectation of apparent reward. This love is a sign of Divine decree that draws the heart towards good.
Divine decree, like a powerful magnet, attracts the seekers heart to itself. Even if the seeker wishes, they cannot deviate from this path. This compulsion is not coercion but Divine wisdom maintaining the seeker on the decreed course.
The friends of God, like zealous guardians, maintained no intimacy except on the path of Truth. Even with their kin, they formed relationships solely based on truth. This zeal is indicative of purity and love for the Truth that frees the heart from carnal attachments.
Corruption through sin and hypocrisy acts as a dark veil, diminishing the zeal one holds for truth. The seeker entrapped by sin finds his heart distanced from sensitivity towards reality and increasingly inclined towards carnal and egotistical attachments. This weakness constitutes an impediment to both insight and divine proximity.
Fellowship with one who neglects prayer or indulges in sin, if devoid of the explicit intention of spiritual guidance, denotes a lack of love for the Shariah. The seeker must arrange his relationships firmly upon the foundation of truth and diligently avoid any egoistic attachments that divert him from reality.
The saints of God, akin to stars in the firmament of guidance, direct their love and hatred solely for God. They show no kindness towards the enemies of truth, and their conduct is strictly regulated by divine justice. This purity connects the heart to the light of spiritual insight.
Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.), like a radiant sun, exhibited gentleness towards children yet dealt sternly with the adversaries of truth. This equilibrium exemplifies zeal and wisdom, guiding conduct according to what is just and beneficial. He treated his brother, Aqil, not by virtue of kinship but by adherence to truth, demonstrating the precedence of divine right over carnal affiliations.
Religious brotherhood, a precious jewel, supersedes blood relations. However, this ethos has not been fully entrenched in Islamic society, where egoistic attachments tend to prevail. The seeker must bind his heart to Islamic fraternity and regulate relationships based on faith.
Maintaining kinship ties with non-believers acts as a spiritual bridge and must be undertaken with the sincere intention of guidance, not for carnal affection. This intention transforms the relationship from a worldly attachment into a spiritual act, drawing the heart nearer to truth.
Visiting a believer is like a flower in the garden of faith and must be motivated by love for God rather than material need or pity. Such visitation frees the heart from egoistic attachments and connects it to the light of faith.
Relationships grounded in kinship and egoistic desires act as a heavy chain, distancing the heart from religious nearness. The seeker must liberate himself from these attachments and arrange his relations according to truth and faith.
The seeker ought to perceive divine guidance and misguidance with equity. This perception, like a pure light, frees the heart from doubt and complaint, connecting it to divine wisdom. Gods administration of guidance and misguidance is just, corresponding precisely to each individuals merit.
The perception of divine justice requires understanding the secret of decree and the states of the fixed essences. This secret, like a hidden jewel, embodies the wisdom of Gods actions, comprehensible solely through unveiling and insight. The seeker, through this knowledge, is freed from objections concerning disparities.
The seeker must witness divine justice through direct perception, not solely through faith. This perception, like a luminous bridge, connects the heart to direct vision of reality, transcending superficial beliefs.
The ignorant, like a naive child, protests at differences among categories, saying, "If I could reach the heavenly sphere, I would ask it why this is such and that is such." The wise, endowed with insight, views these differences as good and just and is freed from complaint.
The tale of a worker who, upon change of circumstances, descended into corruption, serves as a clear mirror manifesting divine justice in decree. This parable highlights the wisdom in divine prevention, whereby some are withheld from blessings that would lead to their corruption.
The variation in provision, like the painters skilful colouring, ensures the welfare of servants. God, by expanding for some and restricting for others, observes the welfare of each individual. This differentiation is not oppression but an emanation of divine grace.
God says: "Among My servants are those for whom poverty alone is suitable, and if they become wealthy, they become corrupt; and others for whom wealth alone is suitable, and if they become poor, they become corrupt." This tradition accentuates divine wisdom in regulating provision according to individual welfare.
Some servants, like fragile vessels, cannot bear knowledge or power. The withholding of these blessings is for their own good, protecting them from corruption and deviation. This differentiation stems from the inherent reality of each individual, according to which God acts.
Divine grace flows like a pure stream, regulating provision with wisdom and justice. By expansion and restriction, God preserves servants from corruption caused by inappropriate blessings and guarantees their welfare.
Insight, like a divine light, frees the heart from dissatisfaction and complaint. The seeker, enlightened by insight, attains complete contentment with divine decree and is emancipated from egoistic neediness. Like a light-winged bird, he soars in the sky of submission.
The prayer of the enlightened seeker, like a soul-refreshing breeze, is submission to the divine will. He says: "Do with me what You alone are worthy to do." This prayer frees the heart from egoistic needs and connects it to divine wisdom.
Egoistic neediness, like a dark shadow, signifies dissatisfaction with divine decree. The seeker, illumined by insight, overcomes this state and attains a station where he desires nothing from the Truth except submission and contentment.
The second lesson of Bab al-Basirah from Manazil al-Sairin, like a precise map, delineates the degrees of insight and guides the seeker towards witnessing divine justice and benevolence. At the primary level, insight means perceiving good within divine laws and zealously defending truth. At the secondary level, the seeker, illuminated by insight, beholds divine justice in guidance and misguidance, bestowal and withholding, and the diversity of provisions, and in the attraction of worship, he witnesses the rope of connection. Love and zeal compel the heart to defend truth and shun falsehood, while relationships are arranged on the basis of Shariah and faith. Quranic verses such as And He has given you from all that you asked of Him and Hold fast to the rope of Allah emphasise divine wisdom and justice. Divine decree guides the seeker within a wise framework towards good, yet does not exempt him from responsible effort. This text, with profound reflection on its essential content, offers practical guidelines for attaining insight and divine proximity, underscoring the importance of love, zeal, and submission.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
