the Lectures of Nokounam (May his sacred secret be sanctified), Session 584
The station of Qablike a resplendent gem in the path of mystical wayfaringis among the most subtle and critical stations for the seekers traversing the path of Truth. It has been meticulously contemplated in the revered treatise Manzil al-Sirn. This station constitutes a pivotal juncture wherein the Almighty Divine selectively separates certain chosen servants from among the creation and appropriates them unto Himself. The Qab at this station is not a fleeting or merely psychic state, but a divine act which guides the seeker towards a distinct electing and selection. This work, relying on the expositions of Nokounam (may his sacred secret be sanctified) in session 584, endeavours to present a comprehensive and systematic elucidation of this profound station.
The station of Qab, succeeding the station of Hayt (Life), is amongst the most delicate and sensitive phases of the divine journey. It acts as a gateway to the divine electing process. This station marks a chapter whereway the wayfarers are bifurcated into two distinct trajectories: a cohort who fructify in this station and are selected for the Truth, and another cohort who proceed onwards to subsequent stages of the spiritual path. The Qab in this station is not an experiential condition of the seekers heart, but rather an act from the Divine that separates some servants from the creation and summons them unto Himself. This selection is akin to choosing a precious gem from among worthless stonesan indication of Divine grace and special favour.
Contrary to prior Qab states which referred to heart states and the contraction and expansion of the soul, the Qab at this station transpires after the perfection of wilyah (Divine guardianship) and alludes to the rank of Dhanin or Divine treasures. This distinction is like the passage from shadow into light, guiding the seeker from transient psychic states to the ontological stations of the Truth.
The station of Qab is rooted in the station of ayt al-aqq, where the seeker, upon the manifestation of the Truth within their being, effaces multiplicity, materiality (nst), and otherness from their heart. At this station, the seeker resembles a polished mirror that solely reflects the Light of the Truth and detests all that is other than Him. This effacement of otherness provides the substratum for the Divine Qab which directs the seeker on the journey il Allh (towards God) and the procession yasrn il Allh. The ayt al-aqq, like a limpid bed of water, prepares the seeker for Divine election and liberates them from the bonds of created attachments.
In the Holy Quran, a verse alluding to the station of Qab appears in Surah al-Furqn:
ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَاهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضًا يَسِيرًا
(: Then We took him unto Ourselves in a gentle grasp.)
At the apparent linguistic level, this verse refers to an external or cosmic Qab and shadow; however, in mystical terminology it is metaphorically interpreted as the attraction and electing of the seeker to the Divine Presence. Although the connection of this verse with the station of Qab is indirect, it serves as a subtle allusion to the separation of the seeker from the creation and their proximity to the Truth.
The station of Qab is a rank in which the seeker is separated from the creation and summoned to the Presence of the Truth. This station, occurring after the ayt al-aqq and the effacement of otherness, prepares the seeker for Divine election. The distinction of Qab in this station from previous Qab states lies in its divine nature and its relation to the rank of Dhanin. The Quranic verse in Surah al-Furqn, while outwardly referring to shadow, inwardly alludes to the electing of the seeker by the Almighty.
At the station of Qab, the wayfarers divide into three distinct groups, each traversing a unique path in their spiritual journey. This division, like the branches of a mighty tree, reflects the diversity of capacities and Divine requirements in the course of wayfaring.
The first group consists of seekers who experience a temporary state of Qab, withdrawing into solitude and isolation. These are akin to migratory birds spreading wings towards a distant land, distancing themselves from the creation and dwelling in the realm of Qab. At this station, the seeker finds no tolerance for others and is drawn towards mountains, deserts, and the darkness of spiritual seclusion. They traverse the spheres bi al-aqq and f al-aqq, yet due to the absence of a multiplicity vessel, they abstain from the journey towards the creation. Some among these seekers remain perpetually stationary in this station, either because they lack the capacity for further progression or the Divine does not require their movement towards the created world.
The second group comprises seekers who, subsequent to Qab, attain tranquillity and an elevated journey, culminating in the station of gathering and progression towards the creation (sr il al-khalq). These seekers are like luminous stars in the celestial sphere of the created realm, advancing to guide and instruct the servants of the Truth. This group embodies the perfected awliy and the infallibles who, endowed with the faculty of creative prophecy (nubuwwat takwn), reach the rank of anb. Although after the closure of legislative prophecy (nubuwwat tashr), these wayfarers operate covertly, concealing their creative prophetic rank. They are like bubbling springs, imparting spiritual life to the creation and, whilst present amongst people, remain wholly devoted to the Truth in heart.
The third category comprises seekers who experience disorder during the station of Qabd and fall prey to Hubbnyah, unlawful seclusion, or ecstatic utterances (shatiyt). Such individuals resemble ships losing their course amid storms, straying from spiritual equilibrium and potentially manifesting unconventional or aberrant behaviours. This deviation results from either an incapacity to endure the intensity of Qabd or a lack of divine guidance, which diverts the seeker away from true union with the Divine and into the abyss of illicit isolation or hallucinatory utterances.
This station functions like a perilous whirlpool, exposing the seeker to profound spiritual harm.
anin are divine repositories that the Exalted Truth has specifically chosen for Himself, concealing them from the generality of creation. This selection resembles the safeguarding of a precious treasure within a hidden treasury, enacted by divine wisdom. The Exalted segregates these seekers from the common multitude and summons them to His proximity to both preserve their sanctity and shield creation from the harm caused by association with those unworthy of such nearness.
This concealment does not stem from stinginess but rather from the profound wisdom of the Divine.
The Exalted maintains the anin within the midst of creation, yet hidden from their perception. This preservation is akin to placing a gem within a guarded shell, preventing contamination through mingling with the masses. These seekers are travellers of spiritual realms, persons of solitude and retreat, living among people in such a manner that their exalted status remains unrecognised.
God, with His divine zeal, forbids their mingling with the masses to protect them from the spiritual detriments of social interaction. This seclusion arises not from passivity but from divine wisdom and grace.
The divine safeguarding of the anin parallels the upbringing of Moses (Ms, peace be upon him) in Pharaohs palace. God placed Moses in the heart of the enemy yet concealed him from Pharaohs sight to preserve his safety. This divine wisdom similarly applies to the anin, who dwell among creation yet remain invisible to their gaze. Such concealment is a manifestation of divine authority, preserving His gems from profane vision.
The station of Qabd represents a pivotal and profound juncture along the mystical path, wherein the seeker is drawn towards the Divine Presence and simultaneously separated from creation. By divine selection, seekers at this station are guided into three distinct groups: one that remains halted in spiritual solitude, another that attains the station of Jam and assumes the role of guiding creation, and a third vulnerable to Hubbnyah and deviation.
The anindivine treasuresare concealed from creation through wisdom to preserve their sanctity and to shield the generality from harm.
Supervised by Sdiq Khademi
