BEŞİNCİ BAB · ÜÇÜNCÜ FASIL · Üçüncü Madde
Third Article
The third stage describes the seeker’s progression on the spiritual path by adhering to the fundamentals of religion, and briefly indicates the abandonment of customs (hal-i izar; hal-i adat), where good overcomes evil.
O esteemed one! Know that the friends of God have said: If the seeker in the third stage has not been graced with the guidance of a perfect mentor, then what is most necessary for him is to fully adhere to the manifest religion and offer prayers and supplications to the Most Perfect of Mankind, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), from whom are narrated the traditions that have come down until today, through the perfected one, the spirit of all mentors, and the Lord of the Worlds’ beloved. He should make this a balm for his heart and find himself in the company of the righteous. Thus, he may attain to the tranquil soul (nafs-i mutmainna) and reach the station of perfection.
These remembrances, these supplications, and association with the righteous are initially necessary for the seeker when heartfelt insights arise and goodness overcomes evil within his inner world. However, if no such insights arise and he finds himself consistently on the middle path of Sharia and Sufi path, abiding in uprightness, then let him be at ease and find comfort. Let his heart be filled with peace and joy every moment, and may he cast out all sorrows from his heart due to his purification from sins.
Let it be so that there is no anxiety about reputation nor any shame or embarrassment arising from fear of what others might say. Let there be no thought of paradise nor apprehension of hell. Rather, let him flee from the created realm (masiva) and find peace in God’s friendship every moment. He should disregard the harsh words of strangers that veil him from Truth, and strive to abandon customs (hal-i izar; hal-i adat). He should turn away from those given to argument and debate and cultivate compassionate friends who are aligned with his spiritual inclination.
Poem
1-I have cast off my shame and followed my desire.
I am pleased with the aba, putting it on and taking it off.
2-If my people do not accept me amongst them, then let it be a fault in my way;
My path is impertinence.
3-They are not my people if they disapprove of my boldness.
They have counted my faults and beautified my heedlessness.
4-All my friends are those who follow desire;
They have been pleased with my flaws and accepted my disgrace.
5-Let whoever wishes be angry with others, I care not;
It is sufficient that the leading members of my tribe are pleased with me.
In essence, this third stage is a station where good and evil are combined. If the good of the inspired soul (nafs-i mulhimma) overcomes the evil, it progresses toward higher degrees. However, if evil overcomes the good, it descends into the dungeon of nature, falling to the lowest of the low (esfel-i safilin). It is necessary to constantly chide and demean the self until it progresses to the fourth stage, for at this third stage, the soul desires base things, is close to reverting to its humanity, and is inclined towards them.
The sign that the good overcomes the evil in this station is that the seeker’s inner world is illuminated by the light of faith, and his outward appearance is adorned with the truth of religion. That is, his heart perceives that all beings act according to the will of God Almighty. Through this perception, his being becomes accustomed to obedience and worship, and he avoids major sins and most minor sins. This state remains unchanged whether he is among people or in solitude, for such a seeker always knows that he is in the presence of God and never lapses into heedlessness.
The sign that evil overcomes the good is that traces of humanity remain within the seeker, and he experiences the observation of truth before being trained by the manners of religion. [With this confusion], he abandons worship and obedience and commits sins, for when the observation of truth prevails in him, he sees that all actions encompassing the universe and his own are constantly occurring according to the will of the Exalted God. At that time, the seeker is veiled from the secrets of the Sharia by the lights of truth. He is cast out of the doors of the Most High One who gathers together opposites; he becomes blind in the station of seeing two as one, and becomes a heretic who has lost both his world and his afterlife—one who cannot abide in any religion or follow any school of thought. Perhaps he does not even know the difference between man and beast. He cannot escape the claim of self: “Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us, but grant us Your mercy. Verily, You are the Most Merciful.” (Al-Imran, 3:8)
The cause of this seeker’s destruction by such a calamity is that he has cast aside this perfect religion and followed his desires, straying from truth. He has fallen from the lofty summit of servitude into the pit of selfishness. For the human soul is so subtle, so divine a jewel, that its essence is the pinnacle of refinement and the most beautiful of capacities. Its movement towards perfection is continuous. However, at the same time, injustice and ignorance are also constantly present in its nature. [In this station], when it descends to its base nature by creation and turns toward the world of sense and perception; it sees merit in accumulating wealth and tends to acquire it through effort. Then, it finds perfection in ruling over people and goes forth on campaigns to defeat those who possess power. When it attains power through worldly things, it does not stop [but continues] to desire more.
[This third stage is continued on the next page.]
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