of Nokounam, (Session 505)
Shawq al-bid represents the most rudimentary stage of yearning on the mystical journey, succinctly described as a yearning for well-being. The worshipper at this stage seeks tranquillity, comfort, and avoidance of suffering and torment. This yearning, whether directed towards worldly or otherworldly well-being, is concerned primarily with the outcomes of actions and the attainment of ease, rather than the Divine Essence itself. Even if the worshipper willingly endures hardship, such suffering serves merely as a means to acquire well-being, rather than an indication of love for worship or nearness to the Truth.
The stage of Shawq al-fiyah functions as a vessel encompassing the vast majority of worshippers. This vessel, contrasted with the vessel of rejection (comprising disobedience, sin, and deprivation), is termed the Vessel of Acceptance. Within this vessel, the seeker distances himself from transgression and deviation, advancing towards well-being and Divine acceptance. The widespread nature of this yearning demonstrates its prevalence among worshippers, whether those who yearn for worldly ease or those who prudently seek ultimate well-being in the Hereafter.
In opposition, the vessel of rejection is inhabited by those immersed in the whirlpool of sin, transgression, and material accumulation. This dichotomy reveals two divergent trajectories in the spiritual path: one leading towards deprivation and deviation, the other towards acceptance and well-being.
To further explicate, one might consider a tangible example: the worshipper resembles a patient who endures the pain of tooth extraction to attain subsequent peace and comfort. This suffering is not borne out of love for hardship, but rather to achieve well-being. Even in the performance of acts of worship, the worshippers intention remains fixed on acquiring comfort rather than spiritual elevation or union with the Truth.
This dependency on well-being confines the worshipper to a carnal stage. For instance, fasting for a learned individual accustomed to daily nourishment presents challenges due to its impact on study and concentration. This example reveals the carnal limitations inherent in the stage of Shawq al-fiyah.
Shawq al-bid, as the gateway to the mystical path, constitutes a stage wherein the seeker ardently desires well-being and comfort. Although this yearning transitions him from the vessel of rejection to the vessel of acceptance, his attachment to the fruits of actions and carnal pleasures confines him to a preliminary level. The worshipper is akin to a traveller at the outset of a journey, seeking a secure refuge yet not having reached the summits of gnosis and union.
The second stage of yearning is Shawq il Allh a yearning originating from love and dependent upon Divine favours (aft al-munann). The seekers heart in this stage becomes attached to the Divine attributes and longs to perceive the subtle graces of Divine generosity, the signs of beneficence, and declarations of Divine bounty. This yearning is tempered by Divine benefaction (mubr), interwoven with joy (musr), and strengthened by steadfast patience (iibr).
This yearning resembles a sapling rooted in the soil of Divine favours, its branches stretching towards the sacred attributes of the Truth. Yet this love has not yet reached the Divine Essence and remains tied to the actual attributes, such as Munim (Benefactor), Jawwd (Generous), and Fayy (Overflowing). At this stage, the seeker is like a lover enamoured with the manifestations of the Beloved but has not yet attained His ultimate reality.
إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا (آل عمران: ۱۷۸)
We only grant them respite that they may increase in sin. (l Imrn 3:178)
The above Quranic verse illustrates the peril of Divine stratagem: that man may become habituated to blessings and subsequently, through deprivation, be led astray.
Shawq al-Murd possesses a notable merit: unlike Shawq al-bid, which orients itself towards Paradise, this yearning is directed towards God Himself (shawq il Allh). Yet it also harbours an intrinsic deficiency: it remains attached to Divine favours and actual attributes such as Munim, Jawwd, and Fayy, without reaching the essential attributes like ayy (Living), Qdir (Omnipotent), and Jabbr (Compeller). This attachment confines the seeker to a carnal stage and exposes him to the risk of reverting to the vessel of rejection.
Iibr, or steadfast patience, assumes a vital role at the stage of Shawq al-Murd. Such patience fortifies the seeker against deprivation of blessings and afflictions, preventing regression to the vessel of rejection. Iibr acts as a shield safeguarding the seeker amid the storms of spiritual progress, guiding him toward the subsequent stage, Shawq al-Murd.
One of the gravest perils at the stage of shawq al-murd (the aspirants ardent longing) lies in an attachment to divine blessings. Such dependency exposes the seeker to makr al-ilh the divine stratagem which denotes the habituation of the individual to these blessings, only subsequently to be deprived of them. Should the blessings be withdrawn, the aspirant risks reverting to disbelief or deviation. This peril is akin to a concealed snare laid along the path of spiritual progress, threatening the seekers journey.
To emancipate oneself from this hazard, the Qurn and Islamic teachings emphatically stress almsgiving (adaqt), benevolence, and self-sacrifice. These acts, like crystal-clear water, cleanse the seekers heart from carnal attachments, preparing it for genuine spiritual advancement.
The shwq al-murd due to the negation of the ego and attachment to the current divine attributes surpasses shwq al-bid (the worshippers longing). Nonetheless, it remains tethered to sensual desires. The worshipper is akin to a child enamoured with the sweetness of paradise, whereas the aspirant resembles a youth yearning for the manifestations of the Beloved, albeit having not yet reached His essence. This differentiation illustrates the seekers advancement from the state of mere wellbeing (fyah) to a passionate yearning for the Truth, yet limitations imposed by the ego persist.
Shawq al-murd is directed towards the attributes of lordship (rubbiyyah), such as the Bestower (munim), the Generous (jawd), and the Bountiful (fayy), rather than towards the Divine Essence or attributes of divinity (ulhiyyah), such as the Ever-Living (ayy), the Omnipotent (qdir), and the Compeller (jabbr). The lordly attributes relate to divine acts, including providence and grace, and are shared between the Truth (God) and creation, whereas the divine attributes are exclusive to the Divine Essence. This limitation functions as a veil, distancing the seeker from the ultimate reality of the Divine Essence.
To elucidate this concept, a statement from Khwja Abdullh Ansr is cited: if Amr al-Muminn (peace be upon him) endured the hardships of the world solely to attain eternal paradise, such striving is avarice, not genuine spiritual progress. The seeker must free themselves from covetousness towards blessings in order to attain the reality of the Truth.
Attainment of the stage of shwq al-murd the highest degree of yearning necessitates the annihilation of the self and liberation from carnal desires. At this stage, the seeker is freed from egoic attachments and becomes connected to the intrinsic divine attributes, such as the Ever-Living (ayy), the Omnipotent (qdir), and the All-Knowing (lim). This attainment resembles the reaching of a summit from which the reality of the Divine Essence is revealed.
Key Point: Shwq al-murd is a stage wherein, through self-annihilation, the seeker is freed from carnal attachments and united with the intrinsic attributes of God.
Should the seeker fail to reach this stage, two dangers await: either natural death, or a return to the vessel of residual inclinations (arf al-rudd). This peril is like a precipice lying in ambush at the terminus of the spiritual path. Only through self-annihilation and liberation from desires can the seeker attain this pinnacle.
This treatise, through the compilation and rearticulation of mystical discourses on yearning, has endeavoured to present the gradations of shwq from the worshippers pursuit of wellbeing to the attainment of the beloveds desire within a scholarly and exalted framework. Shwq acts as a guiding light illuminating the seekers path; yet only through steadfastness, self-annihilation, and liberation from attachments can the ultimate goal be reached. This work stands as an invitation to reflect deeply upon the stages of yearning and as a stride towards a profound comprehension of the mystical teachings found within Manzil al-Sirn.
Supervised by diq Khdami
