The States of Love of the Sālik in the Third Maqām, and the Succession of Constriction and Expansion [Narrowness and Openness] that Occur in Him…

FIFTH CHAPTER · THIRD SECTION · Eighth Matter

Eighth Matter

This matter explains the states of love of the sālik (murīd, aspirant, disciple) in the third maqām (spiritual station), the succession of constriction (qabḍ) and expansion (basṭ) [narrowness and openness] that occur in him, and the changes that take place as he passes from one state (ḥāl) to another.

O dear one! It should be known that the friends of Allah (awliyāʾ, walī) have said: If the sālik in the third maqām attains constancy in his struggle (mujāhada) with the nafs (the lower self), his love increases and his spiritual excitement (hayamān) grows. He takes great delight in states such as longing (shawq), spiritual intoxication (sakr, being overwhelmed by spiritual ecstasy), and casting off habitual patterns, as well as in similar acts. For the third maqām is the station of the rūḥ (spirit), love, and ḥāl (spiritual state). The station of love is, in fact, the station of delight. Indeed, the lover (ʿāshiq) finds such immense spiritual pleasure and delight in this station that, even though love itself is a serious obstacle to union with the beloved (maʿshūq), he does not wish to progress beyond the station of love. Despite the difficulties he experiences and the constriction of his breast, he does not seek the means to deliver himself from these states. Rather, he desires the continuation of these states and wishes to remain in this station.

Although the state of love—when compared to the stations above it—is not considered praiseworthy, it is nevertheless an accepted and commendable state. In fact, whenever the perfect human (al-insān al-kāmil) recalls the states of love and the times of spiritual ecstasy he experienced, you will see that he yearns for the spiritual delights he tasted in those moments, for his indifference to the external world, and for having abandoned his habitual patterns.

However, the states of love are only genuine if they arise through struggle (mujāhada); whatever the lover reads from the poetry of other lovers is then truthful. When he speaks, his words flow from the depths of his heart (qalb), and thus they affect his interlocutor and burn within him.

If these states occur without struggle (mujāhada), they are false and misleading; the words and poems recited by a lover without struggle are tasteless and insipid, they do not affect the listener, nor do they penetrate the hearts. Souls (arwāḥ) are repulsed and disgusted by the words of such a person. For the third maqām is the station of the accepted spirit (rūḥ). The spirit is the locus of love, excitement (hayamān), and spiritual intoxication (sakr).

The sālik in the third maqām wishes to prolong his stay in this station. For the lover has become oblivious to his own nafs (lower self). In reciting the name of his beloved, in reading and singing verses and poems that describe the beauty and perfection of the beloved, he even forgets his beloved. He becomes unaware of the beloved. All that we have described here occurs while the lover is in the state of expansion (basṭ). However, after this state of expansion (basṭ), there comes a state of constriction (qabḍ), and when the lover awakens from the state of love and the ecstasy that comes with it, his breast becomes so constricted that his heart (qalb) feels as if it will burst forth from his chest. At that moment, in a state of complete humility, he sees himself as abased and insignificant, and in a state of full presence and reverence (khushūʿ), he is left in bewilderment.

In this station, these alternating states of constriction and expansion (qabḍ and basṭ) come upon the sālik one after another and continue in this way, raising him to the fourth maqām. After this stage, his love becomes tranquil, and the successive states of constriction and expansion transform into awe (hayba) and intimacy (uns). Thus, he is freed from all kinds of fatigue. These—[awe and intimacy]—are two states that appear successively in the heart (qalb) of the perfect one (kāmil) who has reached the fourth maqām, and they are known only through spiritual taste (dhawq).

The difference between constriction (qabḍ) and awe (hayba) is as follows: in the state of constriction, the breast is narrowed and the rational soul (nafs-i nāṭiqa) is afflicted with fatigue. In awe, however, there is no such constriction of the breast; on the contrary, the chest is expanded and the soul finds ease.

The difference between expansion (basṭ) and intimacy (uns) is as follows: when the state of expansion prevails over its possessor, there is fear that he may act with disrespect towards the Real (al-Ḥaqq, God). Intimacy, however, is not like this; with it, its possessor finds only presence and reverence (khushūʿ). In summary, fear (khawf) and hope (rajāʾ), constriction and expansion (qabḍ and basṭ), and awe and intimacy (hayba and uns)—all of these are pairs of states of the same kind. Their names change not for any other reason, but according to the individuals and the stations in which they occur.

Thus, if two of the above-mentioned states are found in the possessor of the commanding self (nafs-i ammāra) in the first maqām, or in the possessor of the blaming self (nafs-i lawwāma) in the second maqām, their names are fear (khawf) and hope (rajāʾ). If a sālik possessing the inspired self (nafs-i mulhima) is characterized by a similar state, it is called constriction and expansion (qabḍ and basṭ). If the possessor of the tranquil self (nafs-i muṭmaʾinna), the contented (rāḍiya), or the well-pleased (marḍiyya) is characterized by these two states, their names are awe (hayba) and intimacy (uns). And if the possessor of the perfected self (nafs-i kāmila), the khalīfa, is characterized by them, the names of these two states are majesty (jalāl) and beauty (jamāl). Thus, fear and hope belong to the beginner (mubtadī) on the path of maʿrifa (gnosis, experiential knowledge of God); constriction and expansion (qabḍ and basṭ) are the states of the one in the middle of the path of ʿirfān (gnosis); awe and intimacy (hayba and uns) are the attributes of the perfect one (kāmil) who has reached the degree of maturity; and majesty and beauty (jalāl and jamāl) are the attributes of the khalīfa.

Fear and hope, as well as constriction and expansion, constrict the breast and tire their possessor. Awe and intimacy bring comfort, joy, and openness to their possessor. Beauty and majesty (jamāl and jalāl) manifest wondrous states that leave their possessor in bewilderment and bring abundance and blessing. Especially when the perfect one (kāmil) in the state of majesty (jalāl) turns towards a thing—by Allah's permission—that thing comes to be as he wishes. For at that moment, the perfect one is the pure servant of the Real (al-Ḥaqq) and His khalīfa (vicegerent) on earth.

When he becomes angry, he is angry for Allah's sake and takes vengeance for Him. He loves for His sake, and when he shows generosity, he does so purely for His sake. When this perfect one reaches the station of the union of unions (jamʿ al-jamʿ), he sees that the effects that appear outwardly—by Allah's permission—are by his own hand, and he attains true identity (huwiyya), thus entering the assembly of intimacy (unsiyya). In this station, his adab (propriety) with his Lord (Mawlā) increases, and if he senses that he has been heedless for a moment of the station of servitude, he seeks forgiveness with presence and reverence (khushūʿ).

Poetry

1- With love is made prosperous
Our ruined house
With sorrow is made joyful
Our seeker of the Beloved

2- Whatever exists in the world
Is love, O companion of the cave!
That has become our night and day
Our knowledge and gnosis

3- We have been filled with love
We have become ever intoxicated
We have found poverty and annihilation (fanāʾ)
Eternity (baqāʾ) has become our glory

4- Though we are as lowly as dust
Yet pure love has become our friend
The shining moon in the heart
Has become our gold mine

5- Around us the nine heavens
Revolve as if a wheel
The palace of the king of dominion and angels
Is beneath our portico

6- Whoever is a slave of love
Secretly rules as a sultan
Surely the world has become
The slave of our command

7- By God! He is mad
The lover of the Beloved
With love, he is a tavern
With longing, our bewilderment

In Contemporary Turkish

1- With love is made prosperous, this ruined house of ours. With sorrow is made joyful, our one who seeks the Beloved.

2- Whatever exists in the world is love; O friend of the soul! Our night and day, our knowledge and gnosis have become love.

3- We have been filled with love, always intoxicated. We have found poverty and annihilation (fanāʾ), eternity (baqāʾ) has become our glory.

4- Though we are as lowly as dust, pure love has become our friend. The shining moon in the heart has become our gold mine.

5- Around us the nine heavens revolve as if a wheel. The palace of the king of dominion and angels is beneath our portico.

6- Whoever is a slave of love, secretly rules as a sultan. Surely the world has become our slave by our command.

7- By God, he has become mad with the love of the Beloved. With love, he is a tavern; with longing, our bewilderment.