SIRAT-E-SULUK [PART 4]

[ A CONTINUATION OF CHAPTER 2]

Narration of Presence

4- That which is Important in Practical Gnosis

[ALI MUHITI SAYS:]

That [particular] day the subject of discussion in the class of Misbaah al-Uns was about the necessity of purification for the spiritual wayfarer and kinds of purification. In this connection, Hadhrat Ustaad (perpetual be his esteem) said:

There are three important things in practical gnosis (‘irfaane ‘amali):

a) The state of purity and its continuity
b) Aspiration (himmat)
c) Steadfastness (istiqaamat)

Well, now [the discussion on the book] Misbah al-Uns (Lamp of Intimacy) is over; and what then after that?? Tomorrow Futuhaat [Meccan Openings] will also begin, and we will learn terminologies. With all these nothing can happen. How much have you known terminologies! Perhaps what you have learnt equals [in size] to so many times of the Holy Qur’an. You must have the state of Saraah (lit. dismissal or release), meaning, you must always be “In the abode of truthfulness with an Omnipotent King.” (fi maq‘adi sidqin ‘inda maleekin muqtadir) [4]. You must be a Qur’anic human being: you should not speak that which is futile, you should not listen to that which is futile, for “La yamassuhu illa al-Mutahharun” (No one touches it [the Qur’an] save the purified ones”) [5], because you are actually “touching” whatever you say or listen to.

5- The Effects of Purity

[ALI MUHITI SAYS:]

One day in the class of Hadhrat Ustaad (perpetual is his esteem), from whom we would benefit, he [Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli] said:

Our teachers would say: During purification be careful and take an amorously loving step and approach [it] truthfully so that you can experience its flavor; If you do that a number of times, it would assist you in understanding it, and a leap of knowledge would come about and the human being would transform to an example of “Indeed my prayer and my worship, my life and my death are for the sake of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.” [6] He would sincerely be at the service of God, turn [spiritually] ablaze, and be availed with Divine effusions and illuminations.

6- Stages of Purity

[ALI MUHITI SAYS:]

I cannot forget that Hadhrat Ustaad (perpetual be his esteem) one day, which [indeed] resembled a Divine Day (yawm Allah), said:

Purification are in stages: apparent purification and inner purification; and each in turn has [different] stages. In the words of the Gnostic of Shabistar:

Because there are four obstacles of this world,
There are also four purifications for them.

First is the purification of the external form;
Second is clearing sin and the “evil of the whisperer.”

Third is cleaning away blameworthy habits,
Which keep a human being at the level of beasts

Fourth purifies the inner consciousness of otherness,
And this brings one to the end of the journey

Whosoever has completed these purifications
Undoubtedly would be fit to whisper to God

FOOTNOTES:

[1] AL-Daylami, Irshaad al-Qulub, See towards the end of ch. 13 and ch. 20
[2] In the discipline of ‘Irfan (gnosis) the entire world is considered a manifestation of the sacred Name Allah, and every existent therein a manifestation of a specific Divine Name. And whosoever seeks Allah, and attains Him, has in reality attained the entire world as well; for it is said: “When hundred comes in, ninety is also included.”
[3] ‘Allama Hasan Zadeh Amuli, Diwaane Ash‘aar, p. 55
[4] Holy Qur’an, Chapter al-Qamar (54), verse 55
[5] Holy Qur’an, Chapter al-Waaqi’a (56), verse 79
[6] Holy Qur’an, Chapter al-An’aam (6), verse 162
[7] Mahmud Shabistari, Gulshane Raaz, p. 83

To be continued soon Insha Allah...