the lectures of Nokounam, may his sacred spirit be sanctified (Session 579)
Within the realm of Islamic mysticism, the station of Muyanah (معاینه) occupies a pivotal position wherein the spiritual wayfarer attains the direct and unmediated vision of the Divine Reality. This exalted station, expounded in the five hundred seventy-ninth session of Nokounams lectures on the venerable treatise Manzil al-S'irn, constitutes the third vertex of the chapter of realities (bb al-aqiq) subsequent to Mukshafah (divine unveiling) and Mushhadah (spiritual witnessing). Muyanah, like a radiant jewel embedded within the crown of mystical wayfaring, guides the seeker towards the liq Allh the meeting with God where the heart, soul, and eyes are immersed in the luminous manifestations of the Divine. This station not only epitomises the pinnacle of mystical witnessing but also serves as the bridge whereby the wayfarer transcends corporeal limitations and unites with the lordly Truth.
Muyanah, as the third rank in the chapter of realities, follows Mukshafah and Mushhadah and is the station at which the wayfarer attains a pure and direct vision of the Divine Reality. This rank, like a lofty summit in the course of spiritual journeying, elevates the seeker from inner and heartfelt witnessing to an immediate and unmediated vision. As delineated in the original text:
فِي بَابِ حَقَائِقْ ۳ ضَلْعْ أَوَّلْ مَكَاشَفَةٌ، مُشَاهَدَةٌ وَ مُعَايَنَةٌ... فِي ظَرْفِ مُعَايَنَةٍ رُؤيَةُ الْحَقِّ عَيَانًا مَحْضًا اَسْتْ
Unlike Mukshafah, which denotes an inner unveiling, and Mushhadah, which encompasses spiritual witnessing of the heart, Muyanah refers specifically to the direct and immediate vision of the Divine. This station resembles a window through which the wayfarer beholds the light of the Divine Truth without any veil, as if their very being is submerged within the boundless ocean of divine manifestations.
In Islamic mysticism, the vision of the Divine is categorised into two distinct modalities: the vision of effects and the direct vision. The vision of effects is a form of cognition derived from reflection upon creation and divine signs, whereas the direct vision is the immediate witnessing of the Divine Reality itself. The original text clarifies this distinction thus:
Sometimes the vision of the Divine is taken to be the vision of effects, which pertains to the previous station... whereas the direct vision of the Divine is immediate and unmediated.
The vision of effects, ascribed to earlier stations such as Mukshafah, is described in the Quran as follows:
فَانْظُرُوا إِلَىٰ آثَارِ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ
(Therefore, look upon the effects of Gods mercy Srah Rm, 30:50)
This vision is a form of contemplation that directs the wayfarer from the signs of creation towards the Creator. Conversely, the direct vision is akin to a clear mirror reflecting the Divine Reality without mediation. This distinction elevates the wayfarer from superficial knowledge to profound inner witnessing.
Muyanah is delineated across three progressive degrees: that of the heart, the soul, and the eyes. These stages represent the gradual phases of witnessing the Divine Reality, culminating in visual vision. The original text presents these degrees thus:
Following the stations of the heart and soul, there is the vision by the eyesdoes one behold the Divine Reality with the eye or not?
The degree of the heart refers to the insight and inner perception whereby the wayfarer sees the Divine through the heart. The degree of the soul signifies the pure, immediate vision attained by the spirit. The degree of the eyes represents the highest station where the wayfarer, having traversed the valleys of heart and soul, stands upon the summit and beholds the Divine Reality with the physical eye. This ultimate station is akin to the zenith of mystical witnessing, wherein the light of the Divine is witnessed directly and without mediation.
The possibility of visual perception of the Divine Reality constitutes a challenging and contested issue within Islamic mysticism and theology, eliciting divergent viewpoints between the exoteric scholars and the mystics. The original text describes this dispute thus:
This is a contentious matter that has engendered considerable disagreement among the adherents of Islam.
Exoteric theologians, constrained by the premise that visual perception is limited to corporeal entities and their accidents, deem such vision impossible. Conversely, the mystics argue for the possibility of perceiving non-material manifestations, thereby affirming the plausibility of visual witnessing of the Divine. This divergence presents a forked path: one leading towards the confines of external limitations, the other opening upon the boundless horizons of mystical insight.
The exoteric faction maintains that visual perception pertains solely to bodies and accidents such as colour and form; since God is not a body, His visual apprehension is impossible. The original text articulates this view as follows:
Most exoteric scholars... assert that this is not so; it is impossible because visual perception relates to body, colour, and accident.
They interpret the Quranic references to the liq (meeting) as pertaining to death or the Resurrection Day, contending that the eye perceives only accidents rather than essence; and since God is neither essence nor accident, visual perception of Him is unattainable. This stance confines the eye within corporeal bounds and precludes witnessing divine manifestations. Mystics critique this perspective for neglecting the possibility of perceiving divine light and manifestation.
Contrary to the exoteric view, the mystics uphold the possibility of visual perception of the Divine Reality without necessitating corporeality. The original text elucidates:
Visual perception of the Divine is possible, yet such vision does not entail corporeality of the Divine.
The mystics argue that the eye is capable of perceiving non-material manifestations such as those of the imaginal realm (lam al-mithl). The vision of the Divine, therefore, is a witnessing of His light and manifestation, not of any body or accident. This viewpoint serves as the key that unlocks the limitations imposed by corporeality and guides the wayfarer towards the unmediated witnessing of the Divine Reality.
(: The Day when the veil will be lifted; Srah al-Qalam: 42)
(: Faces, that Day, shall be radiant, gazing upon their Lord; Srah al-Qiymah: 2223)
These verses, akin to luminous beacons, allude explicitly to the manifestation of the Divine Truth and the vision thereof by the believerswhether in the Hereafter or amidst the spiritual journey. The mystics maintain that such a vision is not confined solely to the Resurrection but is conceivable within the temporal world, wherein the spiritual seeker may unveil the veils of separation and attain the encounter with the Truth.
The narrative of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and his entreaty to behold the Divine Truth constitutes one of the pivotal Quranic attestations on the matter of Liq Allh. The Quran narrates this event thus:
(: He said, My Lord, show Yourself to me... But when his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, He rendered it dust and Moses fell down unconscious; Srah al-Arf: 143)
Mosess request was not borne of compulsion or communal pressure but emanated from an ardent yearning for the Divine Encounter. The Divine manifestation upon the mountain, which pulverised it, and Mosess subsequent unconsciousness, together denote the overwhelming grandeur of this vision. Yet, the mystics assert that Moses indeed saw the Truth, albeit the intensity of the manifestation rendered him unconscious. This narrative stands as a mirror reflecting both the majesty of the Divine Encounter and the spiritual fervour of the seeker.
Shiite traditions and supplications likewise underscore the feasibility and profound significance of Liq Allh. The primary text cites the supplication of Ab amzah Thumli from Imam al-Sajjd (peace be upon him):
حبب إلی لقاءک واجعل لی فی لقائک راحة.
Make Your encounter beloved to me, and grant me tranquility in Your presence.
In this prayer, Imam al-Sajjd beseeches God to render the encounter not only desirable but also imbued with serenitycontrasting the experience of Moses, which entailed unconsciousness. This supplication portrays the Divine Encounter as a reciprocal and tranquil experience, whereby the seeker and the Truth unify in a shared presence. Such articulation is a precious gem revealing the profundity of Imam al-Sajjds mystical insight, transcending even the experience of Moses.
Moreover, authentic traditions, such as the hadith Kuntu samahu allathee yasmau bihi wa basarahu allathee yubsir bihi (I was His hearing with which He hears, and His sight with which He sees), affirm the union of the believer with the Divine. This hadith acts as a luminous torch clarifying the unity of the seeker with God at the stage of Liq, wherein the believer becomes the eyes, ears, and hands of the Divine.
Liq Allh, conjointly with the doctrine of the unity of existence (Wahdat al-Wujd), constitute two foundational issues in theoretical mysticism that guide the seeker towards union with the Divine Reality. The principal text articulates this significance succinctly:
If we are to name two profound issues in the realm of mysticism and gnosis, one is the unity of personal existence and the other is the very discourse of Liq.
Liq Allh, denoting the direct vision and presence before the Divine, represents the zenith of mystical knowledge. This rank serves as a gateway through which the seeker enters the ocean of Wahdat al-Wujd, where nothing but the Divine is perceived and the existence of the seeker is immersed entirely in the Divine Reality.
The unity of personal existence, a cornerstone of theoretical mysticism, is intimately intertwined with Liq Allh. At this stage, the seeker becomes as a ray emanating from the sun, united inseparably with the Divine Truth. The primary text refers to a tradition elucidating this unity:
Man ittil shua al-shams bi al-shams A believers union with God is like the connection of a ray with the sun.
This metaphor serves as a mirror reflecting the believers unity with God at the stage of Liq. The believer, akin to a ray of light, is not detached from the sunthe Divine Truthbut exists in complete connection. Such unity elevates the seeker to a station wherein nothing is perceived or desired besides the Truth.
The station of Muyinah, as the third rank among the chapters of the Gate of Realities, guides the seeker towards the direct and unveiled vision of the Divine. Defined across the three dimensions of the heart, the spirit, and the faculties of perception, it represents the pinnacle of mystical witnessing and the gateway to Liq Allh.
The visual perception of the Truth, a matter of contention between the exoteric scholars and the mystics, is, from the perspective of the latter, possible without corporeal mediation since the eye can behold the non-material manifestations of the Divine. Quranic verses such as Yawm yukshafu an sqin and Wujhun yawmaidhin nirah il rabbih nirah, alongside the narrative of Moses, offer clear evidence of this possibility. Traditions and supplications, especially the prayer of Ab amzah Thumli, regard Liq as a reciprocal and tranquil experience that leads the seeker to union with the Truth.
Muyinah, like a radiant torch, illumines the seekers path towards Wahdat al-Wujd and Liq Allh, where the existence is submerged in the light of Divine manifestations. This text, through precise and comprehensive exposition of these concepts, provides a systematic framework for understanding Muyinah and its role within the mystical journey.
