the Lectures of (Session 523)
Introduction: Within the vast domain of Islamic mysticism, Maqamat al-Sairin by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari serves as a radiant beacon, illuminating the path of seekers towards divine knowledge. Bab al-Barq, one of the pivotal chapters in this work, focuses on the divine manifestations in the heart of the seeker and guides them from perceiving beauty (jamal) to encountering majesty (jalal). The 523rd lecture, penned and delivered by , examines the second degree of this chapter, namely the Barq al-Wa'id (the lightning of warning), exploring the states of the seeker in the presence of God's majesty, their fear of separation, their renunciation of the world, and their desire for inner purification.
Section One: Explanation of the Lightning's Station in Mystical Journey
Nature of Bab al-Barq and Its Position in Maqamat al-Sairin
In Khwaja Abdullah Ansari's sequence of mystical stations, Bab al-Barq is akin to a divine spark that illuminates the darkness of the seeker's soul with the light of knowledge. This station is delineated into two distinct levels: Barq al-Wa'id (the lightning of warning, representing divine majesty) and Barq al-Wad (the lightning of promise, representing divine beauty). The first degree, associated with the manifestation of God's beauty, awakens the seekers heart to the promise of closeness and union with the Divine, whereas the second, associated with the manifestation of divine majesty, brings forth fear of separation and awareness of ones inadequacy. This duality acts as two wings, enabling the seeker to soar in their spiritual journey, guiding them from worldly multiplicity to divine unity.
Section Two: The Second Degree - The Lightning of Warning and Divine Majesty
Barq al-Wa'id and the Manifestation of Divine Majesty
The second degree of Bab al-Barq, which is the focus of the current lecture, pertains to the manifestation of divine warning in the seeker's heart. This manifestation, accompanied by the majesty and omnipotence of the Divine, places the seeker in the presence of Gods grandeur and evokes a profound fear within them. In this station, the seeker does not fear material punishment, such as hell, but fears the essence of God Himself and the prospect of separation from Him. This fear ignites like a fire in their heart, detaching them from worldly attachments.
Key Point: The lightning of warning is the manifestation of divine majesty, which leads the seeker to fear separation from the Divine and renounce worldly affairs. This station guides the seekers heart from worldly multiplicity to divine unity.
Characteristics of Spiritual States in the Presence of Divine Warning
Fear of Separation from the Divine
In the context of divine warning, the seeker gains an awareness of God's immense majesty, which instills within them a profound sense of fear. This fear is not of worldly torment, but rather stems from the potential distance from God and the inability to attain union with Him. The seeker, much like a traveller lost in the wilderness of separation, constantly fears straying from the right path towards the Divine. This fear drives them to a self-awareness of their shortcomings and awakens them from the distractions of the world. As mentioned in the lecture, the seeker in this state does not fear hell or punishment, but fears separation from God Himself.
Awareness of Lifes Shortness and the Limits of Ones Own Capacity
One of the most evident features of the seeker in the state of divine warning is their awareness of the brevity of life and the limitations of worldly opportunities. They perceive life as short, the means of existence as limited, and their deeds as finite. This awareness, illustrated in the lecture by the metaphor of impending death, makes the seeker regard all worldly attachmentsbe they family, wealth, status, or reputationas inconsequential. Just as a person on the brink of death seeks only the truth, the seeker turns away from everything other than God.
The verse "أَلَيْسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيبٍ" (Hud: 81), which translates as "Is not the dawn near?" serves as a reminder of the proximity of death and the end of this world. In the context of divine warning, this verse is interpreted as urging the seeker to hasten their spiritual journey and prepare for the afterlife. In this state, death is not a distant event but a presence that draws near, leading the seeker from oblivion to spiritual awakening.
Renunciation of the World and the Desire for Inner Purification
In the presence of divine warning, the seeker, gripped by the awareness of deaths nearness and the fear of separation from God, renounces the world, even the closest of relationships. This renunciation is not a disregard for religious duties but a release from the bonds of worldly desires. Like a bird set free from the cage of this world, the seeker soars only towards God and strives for the purification of their inner being. This purification, as described in the lecture, is a process of cleansing the secret heart from the stains of anything other than the Divine and lies at the core of their spiritual journey.
Key Point: The renunciation of the world and the desire for inner purification are fundamental traits of the seeker in the state of divine warning, guiding them from attachment to the world towards unity with the Divine.
Section Three: The Link Between Shari'ah and Irfan in the Context of Threat
The Necessity of Observing Shari'ah in the Spiritual Path
One of the central points of the lecture is the emphasis on the inseparable connection between Irfan (mysticism) and Shari'ah. The seeker (saalik), although reaching solitude and union with the Divine, must avoid the deviation towards monasticism and maintain adherence to the language of Shari'ah. True mysticism, without adherence to Shari'ah, leads to deviation, as highlighted in the critique of the story of Ibrahim Adham, who turned away from his son out of fear of being preoccupied with anything other than the Divine. The seeker must fulfil his Shari'ah duties alongside his mystical path to avoid superstition and misguidance.
The Importance of Jurisprudence in Mysticism
Mysticism without fiqh (jurisprudence) is like a blind person without a cane, and a mystic who is unaware of Shari'ah is at risk of falling into deviation. The lecture emphasizes that the mystic must either study jurisprudence or at least follow a mujtahid (a jurist capable of independent reasoning), so that his path is aligned with Shari'ah. This balance, exemplified in the mysticism of the infallibles, prevents the mystic from falling into the trap of innovations and superstitions. A fiqh-less mystic is regarded as an ordinary person, while a mystic with jurisprudential knowledge finds a clearer and more illuminated path.
Critique of Superstitions in Mysticism
The lecture, by referring to the story of Ibrahim Adham, who fled from seeing his son due to fear of forgetting the Divine, critiques superstitions in mysticism. This behaviour, which leads to indifference and abandonment of Shari'ah duties, is introduced as a deviation from true mysticism. True mysticism sees both the world and the Hereafter as means to attain closeness to God and calls the seeker to manage worldly attachments in the service of the Divine, rather than abandoning them illogically.
Key Point: True mysticism is inseparably linked with Shari'ah, and the seeker must avoid deviations towards monasticism or superstition.
Section Four: Mystical Patterns from the Qur'an and the Practice of the Infallibles
Interpretation of the Verse "On the Day a Man Will Flee from His Brother..."
The noble verse "يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ" (Abasa, 34-36), in the context of threat, is interpreted as the seeker fleeing from his closest relatives (brother, mother, father, spouse, children) in this world. The translation of this verse by reads: "On the day when man will flee from his brother, his mother, his father, his wife, and his children." This fleeing symbolizes spiritual detachment and liberation from worldly attachments, which leads the seeker to focus on the Divine.
The Fear of the Infallibles in the Context of Threat
The lecture, referring to the practice of Imam Sajjad (AS) in the Sahifa Sajjadiya, explains the fear of the Infallibles of being separated from God. This fear, which reaches its peak in the Imam's supplications, is not due to sin, but from being distant from the Divine. This state represents the spiritual perfection of the Infallibles and serves as a model for seekers, who should cultivate fear of separation from the Divine in their hearts.
Comprehensive Mysticism of the Infallibles
The mysticism of the Infallibles, which reaches its perfection in the conduct of the Messenger of God (PBUH), sees both this world and the Hereafter as means to attain closeness to God. As the Prophet (PBUH) said: "I have chosen a third of your world" (i.e., he selected the worldly pleasures, women, and prayers in service of the Divine). This comprehensiveness calls the seeker to maintain a balance between this world and the Hereafter, preventing him from excess in asceticism or neglect of his Shari'ah duties.
Section Five: The Etiquette and Conditions of the Seeker in the Context of Threat
Solitude and Union
The context of threat directs the seeker towards solitude and union with the Divine. This solitude, referred to in the lecture as the "space of solitude," liberates him from worldly multiplicities and brings him closer to the Divine. The seeker, like a star in the sky of knowledge, is alone in this solitude with the Divine and turns away from all that is not Him.
Concealment and Silence
Concealment and silence are key etiquettes for the seeker in the context of threat. The lecture, using the example of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who would place his miswak and water for ablution beside him to perform his nightly prayers silently, emphasizes the importance of sincerity and secrecy in worship. The seeker must worship in secret, like a thief in the night, without letting others know of his spiritual state.
Purification of the Inner Self
The desire to purify the inner self is the essence of the path in the context of threat. The seeker, in this stage, purifies his heart from the pollution of attachment to anything other than the Divine and the distractions of the ego. This purification, referred to in the lecture as the purification of the inner secret, prevents the seeker from negligence and leads him to constant presence in the Divine's company.
Key Point: The purification of the inner self is the core of the spiritual path in the context of threat, guiding the seeker to avoid the pollution of anything unworthy and leading him into the Divine's presence.
Conclusion
The chapter on "Barq" in M
