Within the path of mystical wayfaring, the station of Nfs al-Ramn shines like a crown upon the head of the seeker, guiding him to the summit of human perfection. This exalted station, delineated in the fourth volume of the chapter on al-Nafs within Manzil al-S'irn, constitutes the locus wherein the wayfarer transcends the veil of alterity and attains the direct vision of the unity of Essence. The Nfs al-Ramn is the repository of divine light and the manifestation of the Most Merciful Name; it directs the seeker toward purity, absolute monotheism, and the dissolution of multiplicity.

The Nfs al-Ramn, like a radiant pearl, is the treasury of divine illumination that enfolds the intrinsic manifestation of the One Essence. Through the unveiling of the Name al-Ramn, it emanates the light of existence upon creation. This station, which is the origin of all divine Names and Attributes, elevates the wayfarer to a sublime rank wherein the Truth is beheld as Aad bi-al-dht, Kull bi-al-asm the One in essence and All through the Names. The unity (Aadiyyah) is the inward reality of the divine Essence, free from any determination or plurality; while the Oneness (Widiyyah) is the external manifestation of this unity through the beautiful divine Names. In this station, the seeker is liberated from alterity and multiplicity and is immersed in the ocean of the light of monotheism, such that duality is no longer perceived, nor any trace of good or evil remains in his vision.

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Qur'an, Surah al-Ikhl, 112:1)

: "Say: He is Allah, the One."

This noble verse emphasises the unity of the divine Essence as manifested in the Nfs al-Ramn. In this station, the wayfarer perceives the Truth devoid of the multiplicity of Names, in utmost purity and sincerity, as though immersed in an infinite ocean of the light of Essence.

First Stage: Ghiyr, the Lamp of Separation

The first stage of the soul, termed Ghiyr, is the station wherein the seeker encounters the separation and absence of the Beloved. This separation, like a luminous lamp, liberates the seeker's heart from the darkness of heedlessness and directs him toward the light of the Truth. The longing, sorrow, and anxiety caused by the deprivation of the Truth ignite a fire within the heart of the seeker, uniting his resolve and illuminating his path towards the goal. Separation at this stage is beneficial, as it awakens the heart from the slumber of heedlessness and impels the seeker to movement.

وَمَن يَخْشَ رَبَّهُ وَيَصْبِرْ عَلَى الْبَلَاءِ
(Qur'an, Surah Yusuf, 12:90 thematic extract)

: "(The theme of the verse: Whoever fears his Lord and patiently endures adversity.)"

This Quranic theme underscores the beneficence of separation and its role in the purification of the seeker's heart. Separation is akin to a trial that, through patience and longing, guides the seeker towards his objective.

Second Stage: Mirj, the Spirit of Vision

The second stage, known as Mirj (Ascension), is where the seeker attains the R al-Muyana the spirit of direct vision. In this state, the Truth is perceived in forms such as a breeze, sound, or tactile sensation. This station acts as a bridge between separation and fulfilment, lifting the seeker beyond the veils of knowledge and concepts, and guiding him towards divine nearness. It is as though the seeker embraces a breath of the Truth, yet remains traversing the intermediate realm between alterity and unity.

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى
(Qur'an, Surah Najm, 53:9)

: "Until he came within the distance of two bows or nearer."

This noble verse alludes to the proximity and ascension of the seeker in the second stage, where he attains the vision of the Truth but has not yet reached complete realization.

Third Stage: The Crown Realisation and Abolition of Alterity

The third stage of the soul, the crown of human perfection, is the station where the seeker is purified from the taint of alterity and is immersed in the unity of Essence. In this exalted station, multiplicity, contingency, and duality are obliterated, and the seeker is connected to unity and eternity. This crown is not of earthly sovereignty but a monotheistic dignity that liberates the seeker from self-conceit and binds his honour to the Truth.

This verse refers to the inherent dignity of humankind, which is manifested at the third level of the soul as a unifying perfection rooted in Divine Unity (Tawd).

Separation and affliction function as luminous lanterns that guide the wayfarer from the darkness of heedlessness to the light of gnosis. These trialssometimes disciplinary, sometimes corrective, and at times elevationalawaken the heart of the seeker from slumber and direct him towards the Divine.

Separation, like a bubbling spring, stirs longing and anxiety in the seekers heart and unifies his resolve in the pursuit of the Beloved. Conversely, comfort and well-beingwhich are often a form of Divine stratagem (makr)like a soft cotton, ensnare the seeker in negligence and impede his journey.

This verse underscores the beneficence of trials and their role in the purification and guidance of the seekereach tribulation acting as an illuminating lamp along the path of mystical ascent.

Comfort, though outwardly a blessing, is in truth a Divine stratagem that entraps the seeker in heedlessness. Unlike the Divine attributes of Majestymanifest in severity and omnipotenceDivine stratagem manifests through gentleness and ease, leading the seeker away from the Divine.

The friends of God feared comfort, giving up portions of their blessings in the way of God to safeguard themselves from this snare. Longing for the Divine, like a fire in the heart of the seeker, is the fundamental precondition for embarking upon the path. Absent this longingborn of the Beloveds absence and separationthe manifestation of the Divine remains fruitless, akin to the waters of Kawthar poured upon a bed of rock: wasted and unreceived.

This verse affirms the danger of comfort as a form of Divine stratagem that deters the seeker from the path of truth.

The distinction between Aadiyyah (Oneness) and Widiyyah (Unity), and their relationship to the *nafs al-Ramn*, may appear obscure to some. In response, it must be stated that Aadiyyah refers to the inner essence of the Divine, beyond all determination and multiplicity. Widiyyah, by contrast, is the manifestation of Aadiyyah in the form of the Beautiful Names.

The *nafs al-Ramn*, as the repository of light, is the manifestation of the Divine Name al-Ramn, which originates in Aadiyyah. This distinction lies at the heart of theoretical gnosis and is elucidated by the metaphor of the Pearl-Shell of Light.

This verse points to the Unity of the Essence and the multiplicity of Names, both of which are manifest within the *nafs al-Ramn*.

The commentator introduces separation as a lantern but does not fully elucidate its role in the purification and preparation of the seeker for ascension and coronation. In response, it must be stated that separation, as a luminous lamp, incites longing and anxiety in the seekers heart, delivering him from heedlessness. This analytical addition, emphasising the beneficent nature of separation and its role in guidance, fills the conceptual void.

Human perfection lies in the removal of heedlessness and connection with the Divine. At the third level of the soul, the seekerthrough the vision of Aadiyyah and the dissolution of othernessattains this perfection.

Heedlessness is the greatest obstacle in the path of spiritual ascent. The seeker must come to know the Divine in the terrestrial life so that he is not estranged from Him on the Day of Resurrection. This station is akin to a crown placed upon the seekers head, linking him with Unity and Eternity.

This verse highlights the necessity of recognising the Divine in this life to avoid estrangement in the life to come.

The station of *nafs al-Ramn*, as a lofty summit in the mystical journey, guides the seeker toward the Aadiyyah of the Divine Essence and the dissolution of otherness. The tripartite stages of the soulJealousy (*ghayrah*), Ascension (*mirj*), and Coronation (*tj*)depict the journey of the seeker from separation and longing to vision and realisation.

Separation is the lantern of guidance that liberates the heart from heedlessness; comfort is the Divine ruse to be avoided. The *nafs al-Ramn*, as the repository of light and manifestation of the Divine Name al-Ramn, directs the seeker towards complete Unity. Human perfection is realised in the elimination of heedlessness and the establishment of a deep connection with the Divine, provided that the seeker traverses this path with longing, patience, and sincerity.

This treatise, through its rigorous and coherent elucidation of mystical concepts, invites the seeker to contemplate this exalted station.