Derived from the Lecture Series of Nokounam (May his sanctity be revered) Session 542
In the realm of theoretical and practical mysticism, Manzil al-Sirn by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari shines as a luminous beacon, illuminating the path of the wayfarers towards the Absolute Truth. This invaluable work, through its elucidation of the stages and stations of spiritual progress, particularly the chapter on purity, offers a comprehensive roadmap for seekers of gnosis. Among these, the third degree within the chapter of purity, known as the Purity of Union (afy-e Ittil), holds an exalted rank that guides the aspirant to the zenith of attainment and annihilation in the Divine.
The commentary on this station, as presented in the lecture of Nokounam (may his sanctity be revered, Session 542), shines forth like a radiant gem, revealing the very essence of union with the Divine Reality.
The Purity of Union, the third degree within the chapter of purity in Manzil al-Sirn, is the station of attainment and annihilation in the Divine whereby the wayfarer is liberated from the fetters of knowledge and state, reaching a true connection with the Ultimate Reality. In this station, individuality and otherness are effaced, and the actions and attributes of the seeker become manifestations of Divine actions and attributes. As articulated in the lecture,
Union means the connection of one thing to another, and purity of attainment means the removal of the servant,
signifying the eradication of egotistical obstacles and arrival at the truth of Divine existence. This station, like an infinite ocean, immerses the existence of the seeker so thoroughly that nothing remains except the Divine.
This degree is profoundly linked with the Noble Verse:
مَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
(Quran, 51:56 : I created jinn and mankind only that they might worship Me.)
Here, worship transcends mere external obedience, representing union with the Divine through gnosis and annihilation in Him. The effacement of individuality in this station exemplifies fan f-llh (annihilation in God), guiding the seeker towards existential unity with the Divine.
At the stage of the Purity of Union, the seeker is freed from the bondage of individuality and otherness, becoming like a clear mirror that reflects the Divine attributes. As expressed in the lecture:
If it has an eye, it is the Eye of God; if it has a hand, it is the Hand of God; and if it performs an act, it is the Act of God.
This eloquence beautifully portrays the dissolution of distinction between self and other, so much so that even in hardship, the seeker maintains selflessness and does not discriminate between self and others. This attribute resonates with the Noble Verse:
يُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ
(Quran, 59:9 : They prefer others over themselves even though they are in privation.)
Selflessness in this station blossoms like a fragrant flower from the garden of the removal of otherness, elevating the seeker to the heights of human dignity.
A salient characteristic of the Purity of Union is the integration of servitude into the Divine lordship. At this station, the servitude of the seeker is subsumed within the Lordship of God, and the seekers actions emanate not from individuality but from the dominion of the Divine over creation. The lecture describes this state thus:
Servitude is divinisation.
The seeker, like a trustworthy depositary, becomes a manifestation of Divine revelations, and their deeds appear as the actions of the Divine. This concept aligns with the Sacred Hadith Qudsi:
Indeed, God says: Whoever shows enmity to My friend, I declare war upon him... But when he draws near to Me, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees.
This indicates the connection of the servant to the Divine through the effacement of individuality.
At the Purity of Union, transmitted knowledge and conceptual mental constructs (reports) become submerged in direct witnessing (manifest vision), and the veil of intellectual knowledge is lifted by the light of mystical perception. The lecture states:
The limits of report are immersed in the beginnings of direct vision.
This metaphor, like a breeze parting the veils of the mind, reveals the truth immediately to the seeker. At this station, acquired knowledge yields to presence-knowledge, akin to tasting the sweetness of a confection which transcends its mere description. This distinction is further elucidated by the lectures example:
In the container of report, concepts of sweetness and bitterness do not differ, but in vision, the truth is directly perceived.
Another hallmark of the Purity of Union is the completion and transcendence of the burdens of obligations within the eternal honour of the Divine. At this station, the apparent heaviness of Shariah duties (burdens of obligations) dissolves in the eternal dignity of the Divine, and these duties are perceived as manifestations of Divine action. The lecture notes:
Their fatigue and existence have ceased to be burdens.
The seeker regards these duties not as a load, but as precious gems, sources of delight and nearness. This perspective aligns with the Noble Verse:
فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ
(Quran, 6:165 : And God has the decisive proof.)
Which regards duties as manifestations of the Divine Will.
The Purity of Union culminates in actual annihilation, whereby the actions, attributes, and names of the servant are annihilated in the Divine, though their essence remains as a manifestation of the Divine. The lecture clarifies this distinction:
The annihilation that belongs to the servant is actual annihilation... Essential annihilation is the annihilation of the servant himself.
This station, lower than essential annihilation, corresponds with Ibn Arabis mystical notion of subsistence after annihilation (bq bad al-fan). Here, the seeker resembles a mirror reflecting Divine Light while their existence is preserved as a Divine manifestation.
The lecture delivers a keen and insightful critique, identifying selfishness and the attribution of benevolence to any entity other than God as a form of polytheism (shirk), emphasizing that true ehsan emanates solely from God. "If you perceive a benefactor other than God, this is shirk." The rejection of benevolence due to egotism impedes spiritual progress in solouk (mystical journey) and indicates a lack of purity (safa). The seeker must attribute all acts of beneficence exclusively to God and emancipate oneself from selfishness. This perspective harmonizes with the noble verse:
And you did not cast when you cast, but God cast (Surah Al-Anfal, 8:17; s translation),
which ascribes all actions to the Divine.
The lecture delineates a clear distinction between halal (lawful) and tayyib (pure, wholesome), placing superiority on the latter. Sustenance that is lawful may nevertheless fail to be wholesome due to narrow-mindedness or fatigue, potentially darkening the heart; conversely, tayyib sustenance, by virtue of its purity and generosity of heart, illuminates the heart. "Halal is something inferior to tayyib... Every tayyib is lawful." This differentiation aligns with the supplication:
O Allah, grant me lawful and wholesome provision
which regards tayyib sustenance as a source of purity and illumination.
Sincerity (ikhlas) constitutes the essence of the purity of connection (safa-ye etesal), liberating the seeker from external dependencies and granting spiritual vision (shuhud-e haqq). The lecture states:
"Sincerity means liberation from others... The heaviness and burden are the consequence of impurity."
Obligations, at this level, become light and pleasurable owing to purity of intention. This concept corresponds with the tradition:
Sincerity is a secret from My secrets which I have placed in the heart of those I love,
regarding sincerity as a divine gift and the key to alleviating the weight of duties.
In the purity of connection, saints attain the station of altruism wherein they recognize no distinction between self and other. The lecture affirms:
They prefer others over themselves even if they suffer privation.
This characteristic resonates with the conduct of the Ahl al-Bayt, notably Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), who, even in hunger, offered their food to the poor, orphans, and captives (Surah Al-Insan, 76:8-9). The altruism of the saints, like a shining star in the sky of spiritual journey, illuminates the path for seekers.
Saints in this exalted station serve as the trustees of the Divine and manifestations of Gods sovereignty over creation. The lecture states:
The servant is one of the effects of Gods action.
In this state, the actions and attributes of the saints are annihilated in God, and only Divine manifestations emerge from them. This station harmonizes with the conduct of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), who said:
The pleasure of God is our pleasure, O People of the House.
They consider their satisfaction to be Gods satisfaction.
Within the purity of connection, religious obligations are not abrogated; rather, they are performed with absolute sincerity. The lecture, referencing the noble verse, emphasises:
Say: Verily my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds (Surah Al-Anam, 6:162; s translation),
affirming that the seeker dedicates all life and death to God and is freed from the burden of obligations.
Sincerity, like a golden key, opens the gates of purity of connection and frees the seeker from attachment to others. The lecture states:
Sincerity means liberation from others... The possessor of sincerity is the vessel of purity.
This notion is corroborated by Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him):
Sincerity is the purity of what is for God alone.
Sincerity purifies action for God, leading the heart to purity and illumination.
Purity of connection stands as a lofty summit in mystical journeying, whereby the seeker attains the station of union and existential annihilation in the Truth. At this stage, selfhood and otherness are effaced, servitude merges with divine lordship, and the intellect becomes immersed in the Divine Reality. Duties, which superficially appear burdensome, are transformed into spiritual delights in the eternal glory of God. Saints at this station, like clear mirrors, manifest Divine attributes and illuminate the path for seekers through altruism and sincerity. This exalted station, grounded in Quranic verses, traditions, and the conduct of the infallibles, distinctly separates true mysticism from deviations and guides the seeker towards union with the Divine. The lecture of Nekounam (may his sanctity be preserved), by meticulously elucidating this station, serves as a radiant beacon for those traversing the path of truth.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
