Key Point: Imam Hussein (AS) in Karbala, through complete annihilation in the Truth and immersion in supplication, is the perfect model of spiritual purity and divine love, even rendering the swords of his enemies seemingly delightful to him.
* of Nekounam (Session 541)*
The book Mansjel al-Sirn, authored by the accomplished mystic Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, serves as a radiant beacon, illuminating the path of mystical ascension for those seeking truth. The chapter on al-Saf (purity) in this seminal work speaks to the cleansing of the heart from worldly attachments, guiding the seeker towards the reception of divine illuminations. The second lecture in Session 541, penned by Nekounam (may his soul rest in peace), elucidates the second station of this chapter, namely the "Purity of Condition" (Saf al-l), which is identified by three prominent characteristics: the vision of the signs of verification, the taste of the sweetness of communion, and the forgetfulness of the world.
The chapter on al-Saf, within the mystical framework of the book Mansjel al-Sirn, refers to the purification of the heart from worldly attachments and its readiness to receive divine illuminations. This chapter consists of three stages: the Purity of Knowledge, the Purity of Condition, and the Purity of Connection. The first stage involves embodying divine ethics and adhering to the principles of the Sharia; the second stage leads to the direct experience of divine manifestations and receiving external illuminations; and the third stage culminates in union with the Divine Essence and connection to the true reality. The Purity of Condition, the subject of this lecture, elevates the heart from abstract knowledge to direct witnessing, leading the seeker to the vision of divine signs, the delight of communion, and freedom from worldly attachments.
Key Point: The Purity of Condition is the stage that guides the seeker from abstract knowledge to direct witnessing, and is recognized by three key attributes: the vision of the signs of verification, the taste of the sweetness of communion, and the forgetfulness of the world.
The Purity of Condition is the cleansing of the heart from worldly attachments and the reception of divine illuminations, guiding the heart to witness and taste the divine. Unlike the Purity of Knowledge, which is confined to the realm of intellect and the Sharia, involving abstract knowledge and embodying divine ethics, the Purity of Condition brings the seeker into direct experience of the divine manifestations. In the Purity of Knowledge, the seeker only knows, but in the Purity of Condition, the seeker sees and experiences. Ruyat (vision), due to its specificity and embodiment of meaning, transcends abstract and formal knowledge, guiding the heart of the seeker from the confines of worldly calculations to the divine witnessing.
The Holy Quran, in this regard, says: "Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter? And He found you lost and guided you?" (Al-Duha: 6-7)
This verse illustrates the guidance of the heart towards the Divine, portraying the Purity of Condition as a bridge between being lost and being guided, between knowledge and witnessing.
The first attribute of the Purity of Condition is the witnessing of the signs of verification, which means perceiving the signs and manifestations of the Divine, rather than the Divine Essence itself. These signs are manifestations of divine attributes and proofs of the validity of the spiritual path, guiding the heart of the seeker toward certainty in their spiritual journey. Unlike the attainment of union, which is realized in the third stage (Purity of Connection), the signs of verification, at the stage of Purity of Condition, present the seeker with the shadow of the Divine and its manifestations. This witnessing is like a mirror reflecting the divine beauty in the mirror of the seeker's heart, preparing them for union.
The second attribute of the Purity of Condition is the taste of the sweetness of communion. As the heart receives divine illuminations, it develops a taste for conversing with the Divine, finding pleasure in the intimate dialogue with the Beloved. This communion is not a one-sided prayer but a reciprocal exchange, bringing the seeker closer to the Divine. The Holy Quran, describing this state, says: "And We called him from the right side of the mountain, and We brought him near for secret conversation" (Maryam: 52).
This verse illustrates the nearness and reciprocal conversation that guide the heart of the seeker to contemplate the divine beauty beyond the veils of light.
Key Point: The communion in the Purity of Condition is a two-way conversation between the seeker and the Divine, guiding the heart from self-centeredness to divine-centeredness and allowing the seeker to taste the sweetness of divine closeness.
The third attribute of the Purity of Condition is the forgetfulness of the world, which refers to the abandonment of attachment to the world due to the overwhelming presence of divine light. This forgetfulness does not imply renouncing the world, but rather, it indicates the heart's detachment from worldly distractions. With the witnessing of the divine signs and the taste of communion, the seeker sees the world as lacking light and becomes united with the Divine. This stage is akin to the sun rising, dispelling the shadows of multiplicity and immersing the heart in divine unity.
The commentators from Tlemcen and Kashan mistakenly believed that Khawaja Abdullah Ansari had erred in his sequence of the attributes of spiritual purity (the Shawahid al-Tahqiq preceding the taste of supplication), as they considered the taste of supplication to be prior to spiritual insight. This critique stems from a lack of a profound understanding of the mystical path and a superficial attention to the outward forms of the phrases.
The order presented in Khawaja Abdullahs text is precise and in line with the mystical journey. The Shawahid al-Tahqiq, as manifestations of divine attributes, prepare the heart for supplication and precede the taste of supplication. The seeker first perceives signs of the Truth, then develops a taste for intimate prayer, and finally reaches the state of forgetting the world. By confusing the Shawahid al-Tahqiq with actualisation, the commentators from Tlemcen and Kashan failed to comprehend the text accurately. Khawaja Abdullah, with mystical insight, has correctly ordered the attributes, and his text is free from any error.
Spiritual purity results from imported illuminations and divine manifestations that descend upon the heart of the seeker from the Divine Names. These illuminations guide the heart towards the vision of the signs of the Truth and the taste of supplication, elevating it from conceptual knowledge to direct experiential reality. Sadr al-Mutallihin, while referring to "imported spiritual impressions," emphasised the crucial role of the heart in receiving these illuminations.
Love is the driving force in the seekers spiritual journey towards purity, drawing the heart towards the divine beauty. This attraction is the result of the sweet taste of reciprocal supplication, which eliminates the sense of separateness from the heart and actualises the state of forgetting the world. The Holy Qur'an states: Glorified is He in Whose Hand is the dominion of everything, and to Him you will be returned. (Yasin, 36:83)
In the translation of Professor : Glorified is He in Whose Hand is the kingdom of all things, and to Him you will be returned. This verse illustrates the divine attraction and the return of all things to the Truth.
With the supervision of Sadegh Khademi