Spiritual Constriction (Kabz) and Expansion (Bast)
A seeker on the path of sūfīsm (the spiritual journey) cannot always remain in the same emotional state. Sometimes the heart is filled with joy, hope, and divine bliss; this state is called “bast” (expansion, opening). At other times, a weightless sadness, grief, and distress descends upon the heart; this is called “kabz” (contraction). Ibn Ataullah al-Iskandari states that Allah Most High does not only frighten His servant by leaving him in a state of contraction, nor does He make him forget His own existence by always keeping him in a state of expansion. For those who are spiritually inclined, both states are a form of Divine discipline. If you rejoice and become arrogant when something is given to you (a state of bast), and if you constrict and despair when it is not given (a state of kabz), this is the clearest evidence that your servitude has not yet matured, that you remain in the stage of childhood.
Divine Mercy Within Difficulties
Many a knower and spiritually inclined person have preferred the state of contraction (narrowness and distress) to the state of expansion (ease and comfort). The reason for this is that there is a great danger of the nafs (ego) sharing out, becoming arrogant, and not adhering to proper manners during times of ease and joy. However, in moments of distress, grief, and contraction, the servant completely feels his own helplessness, seeks refuge in Allah, and remains within the boundaries of servitude. Ibn Ataullah, referring to the verse concerning inheritance in the Noble Qur’an: “You cannot know which of the two He brings you most good,” interprets these states, stating that only Allah knows whether ease or difficulty is more beneficial for us. Illness, poverty, or internal distress are Divine whips that drive the servant towards Allah.
Maintaining Balance in Both States (Moderation)
Those who have attained true perfection do not soar with joy when blessings come, nor do they rebel when calamities befall them. They know that both grace and power emanate from the same Absolute Will. Shaykh Geylani teaches that just as a person is comfortable by believing in and taking precautions against winter’s cold and summer’s heat, so too will one be saved by fully surrendering to the difficulties and comforts of Divine destiny 27, 34. It is necessary to surrender when the darkness of poverty descends, and to patiently await the morning of healing when the night of illness arrives. States of contraction and expansion are a Divine cycle, just like night and day. When the servant dislikes the night instead understanding its tranquility, and does not become intoxicated by the brightness of the day but understands his duty within it, he attains the station of true acceptance.