of Nokounam, (Session 471)
Within the domain of Islamic mysticism, sagacity (farah) is regarded as a divine light that guides the traveler's heart towards inner intuition. This merciful knowledge, emanating from the purity of the inner self, provides a pathway to comprehending the reality of the unseen (ghayb), independent of external instruments or satanic whispers. In this segment of Manzil al-S'irn, drawing upon the teachings of Nokounam (may his sanctity remain), the concept of sagacity is elucidated, alongside its distinction from soothsaying (kahnah), and the methods of attaining the unseen are explored. The traveler's heart, akin to fertile soil, nurtures the seed of faith, and sagacity is the sapling that, under the shade of spiritual training and purification, bears the fruit of certainty.
Sagacity, in mystical parlance, is an intuition irradiated by the divine light (ينظر بنور الله) shining within the believers heart. This knowledge springs from the purity of the inner self and reveals the inner realities without dependence upon external evidences or satanic intermediaries. Unlike soothsaying, which involves access to the unseen through satanic means, mixed with falsehood, sagacity resides in the merciful realm and is sourced from truth and veracity. The noble hadith, Fear the sagacity of the believer, for he sees by the light of God, attests to this fact: sagacity is a divine gaze that guides the pure heart towards truth.
Soothsaying is akin to a dark and deceptive pathan access to the unseen through devils who mix one truth with a hundred falsehoods. Due to its contamination with lies and satanic dependence, it is forbidden in the sacred law. The Prophetic hadith Whoever believes a soothsayer has disbelieved Abu al-Qasim (the Prophet) explicitly considers endorsing a soothsayer as denial of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him), because soothsaying contradicts the truth of revelation and merciful knowledge. The Holy Qur'an further confirms this reality:
وَيُوحُونَ إِلَىٰ أَوْلِيَائِهِمْ لِيُجَادِلُوكُمْ
(Al-Anm 6:121 Trans. ): And they inspire their allies to argue with you.
This verse clarifies the role of devils in leading astray through soothsaying.
The first type of sagacity, appearing in the sincere yet immature disciple, may, due to weakness in intuition and absence of full certainty, sometimes be confused with soothsaying. Although rooted in inner purity, this stage of sagacity remains susceptible to satanic whispers due to the traveler's immaturity. This ambiguity is like a shadow cast over the young sapling of faith, necessitating vigilance and piety to remain shielded from satanic harm. The Qur'an states in this regard:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْصِرُونَ
(Al-Arf 7:201 Trans. ): Indeed, those who fear God, when a whisper from Satan touches them, they remember, and behold, they see (the truth).
Sagacity, like a divine lamp in the believers heart, opens the path to the truth of the unseen, whereas soothsaying is a satanic snare leading the traveler astray. The distinction lies in sagacitys merciful origin and soothsayings satanic contamination. Though weak sagacity has roots in inner purity, it requires careful safeguarding to remain distinct from soothsaying.
The quest for access to the unseen has been a perennial human concern, with various methods explored throughout history. These methods divide into three primary categories:
Merciful methods, such as sagacity and grace, emanate from a purified heart illuminated by divine light. This knowledge reveals inner realities independently of external signs. The Qur'an states:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا
(Ash-Shams 91:9 Trans. ): Indeed, he succeeds who purifies it (the soul).
This verse underscores the pivotal role of spiritual purification in attaining merciful knowledge. The mystical perspective of Ibn Arab in Al-Futt al-Makkiyah likewise regards such knowledge as the fruit of hearts purification.
Satanic methods such as soothsaying and magic, though objectively extant, lack truthfulness as their paths are polluted and their ends tarnished. As the Qur'an articulates, devils intermingle one truth with a hundred falsehoods:
وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ
(Al-Baqarah 2:102 Trans. ): And they followed what the devils recited during the reign of Solomon.
This verse confirms the reality of magic but characterizes it as a satanic sedition estranged from truth.
Scientific methods such as sand divination and physiognomy rely on experience and external indicators to access the unseen. Although more credible than soothsaying, these methods, due to dependence on conjecture and lack of certainty, remain devoid of the merciful profundity of sagacity. The Qur'an warns:
إِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا
(Ynus 10:36 Trans. ): Indeed, conjecture avails not against the truth at all.
The methods of accessing the unseen, akin to three branches of a river, split into merciful, satanic, and scientific streams. Sagacity, within the merciful path, shines like a radiant star guiding the traveler's heart toward truth, whereas soothsaying, like a dark shadow, leads to misguidance. Scientific methods, while sometimes valid, lack merciful depth and certainty.
Sagacity, like a sapling in the traveler's heart, grows through various stages. The initial degree, characteristic of the sincere yet immature disciple, is fragile and weak. Despite its foundation in inner purity, this stage is vulnerable to confusion with soothsaying owing to incomplete intuition. The second and third degrees, stronger and purer, are immune to this risk and accompanied by certainty and full intuition. The Qur'an describes such intuition in the narrative of Abraham (peace be upon him):
وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ
(Al-Anm 6:75 Trans. ): And thus We showed Abraham the realm of the heavens.
First-type insight, due to the absence of clear evidence (lam tushraan ayn), definitive knowledge (lam tusdar an ilm), and direct perception (lam tusq bi-wujd), is occasionally confounded with divination. This ambiguity is akin to a mist settling upon the mirror of the seekers heart, casting doubt upon his capacity to discern whether his visions are of a divine or demonic origin. The narrative of Moses (peace be upon him) and his hearing the call إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّه is a paradigmatic example of such perplexity, wherein the seeker is uncertain whether the voice is divinely inspired or satanic. This state of hesitation necessitates constant vigilance and piety so that the seeker remains safeguarded against satanic whisperings.
Faith and insight are likened to a sapling planted within the soil of the heart. This sapling, through nurture and purification (saqy), grows towards certainty and strength. The sincere yet weak disciple is analogous to a novice gardener whose sapling has yet to establish a firm root and is thus vulnerable to the blight of divination.
Or is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him a light by which to walk among the people? (Al-Anm 6:122; )
The key point here is that insight resembles a sapling in the heart which attains certainty through nurture and purification. The initial stage, due to its fragility, is susceptible to the blight of divination, whereas the higher stages are pure and robust.
Insight is like a tree bearing fruit at various stages. Although its primary stage arises from the purity of the inner self, its immaturity renders it liable to confusion with divination. Higher stages, through direct perception and certainty, eliminate this risk. The metaphor of cultivation views the heart as soil that, with irrigation and nurturing, fosters the sapling of insight towards truth.
Divination, due to its affiliation with Satan and its amalgamation with falsehood, is unequivocally forbidden in the Sacred Law. The hadith Whoever believes in a soothsayer denies Abu al-Qasim and the verse وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَانٍ رَجِيمٍ (At-Takwir 81:25) emphasise this prohibition. Divination, akin to a dark path, misleads the seeker away from the truth of revelation.
Although divination possesses an external reality, it is devoid of truth because its path is tainted and its ultimate aim is adulterated. The distinction between reality (external existence) and truth (goodness and veracity) serves as a demarcation between deception and authenticity. As noted in the source text, devils intermingle a truth with a hundred lies, rendering divination devoid of epistemological value.
And they teach no one except that they say, We are only a trial. (Al-Baqarah 2:102; )
This verse accentuates the satanic nature of the turmoil caused by divination.
Methods such as astrology, geomancy, chickpea casting, and pea casting resemble divination due to their lack of clear evidence and knowledge, often relying on conjecture and speculation. These methods, like trembling shadows, are distant from truth and cannot bestow certainty. The Quran states:
Indeed, assumption does not avail against the truth at all. (Yunus 10:36; )
The exception of prophetic geomancy (raml nabawi), contingent upon conformity with prophetic methodology, remains practically untenable due to ambiguity in its execution.
Divination during the Age of Ignorance, exemplified by figures such as Satih and Ibn Abi Kabsha, although occasionally accessing the unseen, was devoid of truth because devils blended falsehood with reality. These soothsayers, often found among Jews and Christians, eavesdropped on the heavens and disseminated information tainted with lies to the people. This act, like a rotten fruit from a poisoned tree, was far removed from truth.
Divination and pseudo-divination methods, as convoluted and obscure paths, are distant from truth and, due to their contamination by falsehood and Satan, are deemed forbidden in the Sacred Law. Insight, by contrast, is akin to a divine light guiding the seekers heart toward truth. The exception of prophetic geomancy, due to its ambiguity, is practically unviable and cannot serve as a reliable basis for access to the unseen.
The chapter on insight (al-Firsa), as a gateway to the metaphysical realm, smooths the seekers path towards inner perception. Insight is a sapling planted in the pure soil of the heart, which attains certainty and truth through nurture and purification. This divinely inspired knowledge is distinct from divination and satanic methods because it is rooted in the purity of the inner self and nourished by divine light. Divination, although possessing external reality, is devoid of truth due to contamination by falsehood and Satan and is forbidden by the Sacred Law. Scientific methods, though sometimes valid, lack the profound divine nature of insight. The gradations of insight, from weak to strong, illustrate the seekers evolutionary journey which, through self-purification, advances toward complete perception. This treatise, by meticulously elucidating concepts and citing Quranic verses and traditions, elevates the status of insight within the spiritual path and paves the way for future research in this domain.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
