BEŞİNCİ BAB · İKİNCİ FASIL · Altıncı Madde
Sixth Point
This passage indicates the signs of purifying and refining the self through direct address ( *fawāniyyat*) of God within the realm of example.
O esteemed one! Know that the friends of God have said: The sincere traveler (*sālik-i sādig*) on the path of Truth will, at times, encounter direct address (*fawāniyyat*) from God in the realm of example, discovering states and being graced by responding to His address. Sometimes, however, Satan may orchestrate this, causing the individual to believe they have attained union with God. But in reality, they are only seeing their own Satan.
If, following such a state, feelings of insight into wisdom, devotion to the essence of religion, inclination towards the path of Truth, and submission thereto arise within the seeker, let them know that this state is a gift from the Exalted God. The elevated meanings they feel are true. But if, after this state, heresy, desires for demonic impulses, and an inclination toward whims and passions manifest, let them know that these feelings are given by one who is a thief on the path of the Compassionate—Satan. He has come only to lead the seeker astray. May God Almighty protect him from his evil; he is a misleader. The true divine address has been conveyed by the Most Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). As in the authentic hadith, which states: “I saw my Lord in the most beautiful form. He said, ‘O Muhammad! What is it that encompasses and fills these material worlds?’” Upon which I replied twice, “My Lord, You know best.” Then His hand of power was placed between my shoulders, and I felt its coolness upon my chest, and thus I knew what filled the heavens and the earth."
Then He spoke again: "O Muhammad! What is it that encompasses and fills these spiritual realms?”
“Expiations,” I said.
"And what are those, O Muhammad?"
I said, “It is walking to the mosque in congregation for prayer, sitting in the mosque after prayer (with the intention of worship), and delivering water for ablution to all limbs even under difficult circumstances.” Whoever does these actions lives righteously, dies righteously, and emerges pure from his mother’s womb, free from sin. Among the deeds that elevate one's degree are also feeding others, spreading greetings, and rising for prayer during the nights when people sleep."
Then He said: "(O my beloved!) Say, ‘O God, I ask You to grant me the ability to perform good deeds, avoid evil, and accomplish all forms of righteousness. Make me love the poor, forgive my sins, have mercy on me, accept my repentance. Do not let me die before I refrain from any act of wrongdoing against a community.’"
Thus, the result of authentic divine address is such lofty knowledge. It is not like the impulses of Iblis, whose outcome is suspicion. Perhaps they are among Satan’s works. Indeed, the purpose of the high meanings on the Sufi path is to acquire spiritual sciences and gnosis—which are themselves the natural consequences of purifying the heart and refining the self. And there are signs of the purification of the heart and the refinement of the self: The sign of the heart's purification is the inspiration of divine knowledge, and that the inspired knowledge conforms to the Book and the Sunnah.
The sign of a refined soul is having been cleansed of all ugly traits, so that no arrogance (*‘ujūb*), pride (*kibr*), malice (*buğz*), narrowness, or distress (*kadūr*) remains within such a purified soul. It has neither the slightest desire for passions, nor does it hate anyone, nor does it yearn for anyone. For all created beings are equal in its sight, and it finds peace and tranquility. It comes to an assembly of friendship with a heart full of serenity and remains alone with its Lord. For the seeker who acts in this manner does not show affection towards someone that would distance him from his Lord, nor does he harbor hatred toward anyone, so that his inner world is corrupted and he becomes heedless of God. Rather, his love for people is for God’s sake, and his aversion to them is also only for God's sake.
In this second station, the greatest and most important obstacles hindering the seeker from the path of Truth are desires, which are related to eating, drinking, and clothing. Whenever the seeker feels a greater inclination towards certain foods or shows more preference for certain garments, he must continue striving until all food and clothing appear equal in his sight. For it is only then that his soul will be refined and he will have freed himself from the evil of his own self—having attained the first degree leading to maturity; having turned away from the realm of senses and directed himself towards the sacred realm.
If the seeker’s soul still inclines toward desires, and is unable to struggle with it and attain this possibility, then he does not possess the minimal conditions for being a traveler on the path of God. If he claims to be among those devoted to spiritual travel (*seyru sülūk*) despite lacking these minimal conditions, then he has strayed from his path and is dangerously misleading others. Sitting with him in conversation leads to misguidance and loss. Avoiding his company and staying away from him is a sign of the safety of faith.
Those devoted to spiritual travel must be wary of such individuals so that they do not go astray from the path of Truth, nor fall into error by following their desires. For the path of Truth is to oppose all the customs and habits that people are attached to. One cannot expect someone who cannot control his own self and is unable to uproot his dependence on these habits to deviate from them; this is contrary to the nature ( *sunnatullah*) of things.
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