the Lectures of Nekounam (May his secret be sanctified), Session 544
Bab al-Surr is one of the prominent chapters in Manzil al-Sirn, marking a pivotal station where the seekers heart, having attained af (purity), flows into a state of overflowing joy and exultation. This spiritual stage, which emerges subsequent to the polishing of the heart from its tarnishes, manifests as a limpid river cascading from the seekers heart, bestowing vitality upon others. Surr (joy/exultation) is classified into three exalted degrees: surr al-awq (joy of intuition), surr al-shuhd (joy of direct vision), and a third degree not elaborated in this discourse. This station, by removing the triad of sorrows namely disconnection, ignorance, and dispersion unveiling the veil of knowledge, liberating from the torment of obligation, and negating the baseness of volition, guides the seeker towards the direct witnessing of the Divine Reality. The commentator, while firmly grounded in the Shara and critically addressing deviations, confines true surr to the realm of the saints and cautions against succumbing to mere external ecstasy and musical intoxication. This redaction employs a refined and scholarly register to explicate the concepts for an academic readership, illuminating the depth and splendour of this station through metaphors and Qurnic intertextuality.
Surr is a transmissible state that arises within the seekers heart subsequent to af, the indispensable intrinsic purity of the heart. This state, akin to an inward dance, enraptures the heart and overflows from the inner domain towards others. Unlike af, which remains confined within the heart itself, surr resembles a bubbling spring that refreshes the surrounding environment. This station is intimately connected to the Qurnic verse:
And He will reward them for their patience with a Garden [in Paradise] and silk. (Al-Insn 76:12)
which regards inner surr as the fruit of patience and purity. This condition is defined through three exalted degrees: joy of intuition, joy of vision, and a third degree which this discourse does not address.
Bab al-Surr, within the tripartite structure of Manzil al-Sirn, is subdivided into three degrees. The first degree, surr al-awq, is the tasting of divine moisture on the palate of the heart that removes the triad of sorrows. The second degree, surr al-shuhd, is the direct witnessing of the Divine, which lifts the veil of knowledge, the torment of obligation, and the lowliness of volition. The third degree, though not elaborated upon in the original text, indicates the profundity and vastness of this station. This categorisation distinguishes surr from outward ecstasy and directs it toward the inner reality of spiritual progression.
Surr al-awq is the degree at which the seekers heart, having attained purity, reaches an internal ecstasy and a mystical dance. This state, like tasting the moisture of the earth when digging a well, assures the seeker that the destination is near. The palate of the heart savours the divine flavour, and the heart, like a restless sea, overflows with surr. This station aligns with the Qurnic verse:
Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me. (Th 20:14)
which establishes that knowledge eradicates fear and doubt.
Surr al-awq dispels three sorrows from the seekers heart:
This eradication of sorrows resembles the dawn breaking that dispels the darkness of doubt and despair. The seeker, like a weary traveller who glimpses the distant settlement, is freed from fatigue and hastens joyfully towards the destination.
The commentator explicitly censures the external dancing and musical intoxication performed under the guise of mysticism, branding it the work of the ignorant. True surr is the inward ecstasy manifesting in outward stillness, resembling the lifelessness of the saints. This critique accords with the conduct of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), whose ecstasy was experienced in solitude and worship, not in outward rejoicing or musical rapture. Attempts to legitimise base lusts through musical intoxication represent a deviation far removed from the reality of surr al-awq.
Surr al-shuhd is the degree at which the seeker attains the direct witnessing of the Divine Reality. This station is characterised by three distinct features: the unveiling of the veil of knowledge, liberation from the torment of obligation, and the negation of the baseness of volition. This state is likened to drinking a sealed nectar in Paradise, as depicted in the Qurnic verse:
They will be given to drink a sealed nectar. (Al-Mutaffifn 83:25)
In the exalted realm of vision, ilm ulthe acquired knowledge that acts as a veil over the knowndissolves, allowing the seeker of truth to apprehend it in a direct, manifest presence. This form of vision resembles an unmediated encounter with the Beloved, transcending discursive descriptions and rational proofs. The distinction between immediate knowledge (ilm ur) and acquired knowledge (ul) is prominently emphasised within theoretical mysticism (irfn naar), whereby intuitive witnessing is deemed superior.
The ecstasy of vision transmutes worship from a state of servitude and compulsion into an experience of love and delight. The seeker, by virtue of the pleasure derived from vision, performs obligations not out of mere duty but from heartfelt inclination. Occasionally, the predominance of this state may suspend external acts of worship; yet, such suspension is accompanied by gratitude and love. This station resonates harmoniously with the prophetic tradition Indeed, God loves that His obedience be rendered with love
, which interprets loving worship as a hallmark of liberation from servitude.
Within the ecstasy of vision, the annihilation of the Divine Essence and Attributes negates the baseness of egotistic volition. The servants choice is an abasement, for it is ultimately subordinate to the Divine Will. This station aligns with the Qurnic verse:
which illustrates that volition is encompassed within submission to Divine Decree.
The commentator cautions that some seekers, overwhelmed by the intoxication of vision, may abandon worship and fall into deviation. Preservation of the Shariah, even at the pinnacle of vision, is essential to safeguard the seeker from error. This perspective coheres with the conduct of the infallible saints (ul al-al), who upheld adherence to the Shariah during the zenith of their visionary states.
The ecstasy of vision never annuls the Shariah. The seeker must remain steadfast in religious duties even amidst ecstasy to avoid deviation. This commitment is corroborated by the Qurnic verse:
which establishes the Shariah as an indispensable prerequisite for spiritual progress.
The commentator condemns viewing others through the lens of knowledge combined with fault-finding, recommending instead an attitude of forgiveness grounded in the eye of truth. The seeker must avoid intrusive scrutiny and regard creation with mercy and kindness, except when religious distinction necessitates enjoining the good. This counsel aligns with the prophetic tradition:
Whoever conceals (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection.
which portrays forgiveness as a hallmark of purity and joy.
The propagation of sin and the destruction of creation are among the greatest injustices, depriving the heart of purity and joy. The commentator regards such conduct as a grave transgression that burdens one with the sins of others. This view resonates with the Qurnic injunction:
which encourages mercy and gentleness toward creation.
The commentator rejects both determinism and delegation, elucidating volition within the framework of the command between commands. In the ecstasy of vision, the seeker perceives egocentric volition as annihilated in Divine Will. This station accords with the Qurnic verse:
which ascribes action ultimately to God. The command between commands is neither coercion nor delegation but a submission that immerses the seeker fully within Divine Decree.
Divine judgment, unlike human segregated rulings, is just and communal. On the Day of Resurrection, all causes of sin, including disseminators, will be adjudicated, and God's justice encompasses every dimension. This is reflected in the verse:
which highlights Gods encompassing justice.
The gate of ecstasy, among the stations of the seekers, is a realm wherein the seekers heart is elevated from purity to an infectious rapture and delight. The ecstasy of taste, by dispelling the threefold sorrows, invites the heart into an inner dance, while the ecstasy of vision, by unveiling the veil of knowledge, liberating from the servitude of duty, and negating the baseness of choice, culminates in the direct witnessing of the Divine. The commentator, emphasising preservation of the Shariah and critiquing deviations, distinguishes true ecstasy from mere apparent rapture and accords forgiveness and abstention from spreading sin as foundational ethics of the path. The command between commands constitutes the axis of this station, wherein egocentric volition is annihilated within Divine Will. This station, linked with Qurnic verses (Al-Anfal 17, Al-Insan 26) and the conduct of the saints, directs the seeker toward sincerity and submission.
