BEŞİNCİ BAB · ÜÇÜNCÜ FASIL · İkinci Madde
**Article Two**
This section describes the state of the seeker (sālik) in the third station and their submission to a perfect guide (mürshid-i kāmila), declaring their discipleship (irāda).
Beloved! Know that the friends of Allah have said: For the sālik in the third station, the most important and necessary thing is to follow their complete guide willingly and with meticulous care, submitting completely to every command and obeying it with full devotion. If the seeker in this station believes themselves to be more perfect than their kāmila guide and denies them, then what is required of them is to discipline their own nafs according to the rules of religion and restrict it according to the principles of the Sufi path. They must strive against it. Until that nafs becomes tranquil and ascends to the fourth station.
In the third station, the nafs tends towards freedom, inclining toward abandoning customs (hal’-i izār; hal’-i ādāt) and remaining indifferent and fearless. However, it is beneficial and necessary to oppose it until they progress and become tranquil in the fourth station. For the fourth station is bliss of both worlds and the light of the eye. When the sālik arrives at the fourth station through Allah’s grace, they are freed from all afflictions of the nafs. They shed all bestial qualities inherent in humanity. They advance from the degree of seeking and investigating the path (telvîn) to the degree of settling and establishing upon it (temkîn). They have reached the first rung of the degrees of perfection, their heart is at ease and tranquil with the spiritual nearness of Allah, and they remain constantly with Him.
Therefore, whoever desires to embark on the path of perfection and is sincere in their endeavor, abandons the shortcomings of the nafs and finds the lofty goals. They do not boast with “actions of unity” (Tevhid-i ef‘āl) and do not use this station as an excuse to turn away from Allah and sever their connection with Him. They raise their aspiration and reach the rank of "essential homeland" (ehadiyet). They pay no attention to any lofty radiance they see, knowing them to be nurani veils that obstruct them. For these cause the seeker to be kept away from nearness to Allah and return to the first station where bestial qualities prevail. Therefore, if the sālik in the third station constantly observes the six principles – the details of which are explained above – that govern their unfolding (inkişāf) and strives to cling to the hem of their kāmila guide, informs them of all thoughts, good or bad, that come to mind, and willingly accepts and applies the remedy they provide to eliminate them within themselves, then their progress will increase and they can ascend to the fourth station. For the seeker’s trust in their guide is certain, and their belief and reliance upon them are strong, so their heart is safe from all dangers. The strength of the guide's drawing them into the sacred realm is great, and their inclination towards humanity and desire weakens accordingly.
If the seeker in the third station develops a notion that they are more knowledgeable and perfect than their guide, then the channel of inner grace flowing from the guide to them will be closed, and they will be deprived of future assistance. In such a situation, it is necessary for the seeker to carefully read the seventh section of this chapter and remove that notion from themselves. If they accept that their guide is complete, they should immediately pledge allegiance (biat) to them, follow their path, and become included in their sacred protection. They should hope for salvation only through them and endure all hardships. They should surrender to them as a corpse would to the washerman. They should see their guide as closer than parents, beloveds, most loyal friends, and all those near them, knowing their secrets are entrusted to them. They should conceal nothing from them – neither desires nor faults – and tell them everything in private when asked. If thoughts of denying or objecting to their guide arise, they should not turn away from them but repent and express what passes through their mind. What would a sick person do if they didn’t tell the doctor their ailment? For the seeker may be exposed to situations that necessitate them questioning their guide. For example, they might see their guide scolding a servant who has ruined a small object, even striking them. They might see them expressing distress over such a minor thing.
It is narrated that a novice (mubtadi) disciple newly embarking on the spiritual journey and Sufi path saw his guide in the form of a dog and immediately turned away from him. When his guide asked him the reason for his departure, he truthfully told him what he had seen.
Thereupon, his guide ordered him to embrace him immediately. When he embraced his guide, he saw that he was embracing his own nafs. After this disciple turned away from his guide, he asked him the reason for what he had seen. His guide instructed him, saying: At that moment, the fire of anger blazed within you. The form of the dog that you saw was a reflection of that anger, which appeared to you through us.
For we are mirrors in the midst of humanity, and whoever looks into them sees himself. This meaning is conveyed by the hadith sharif: "The believer is the mirror of another believer." [131] Thus, the disciple became enlightened and realized his own state. He recognized his nafs and surrendered to his guide, receiving many blessings from him.
Therefore, when a seeker sees such things and similar occurrences from their guide, they should not turn towards denying them but should interpret what they see as auspicious and incline toward their guide. They should recount the story of Prophet Khizr and Moses (peace be upon them) to their nafs. For they say: "The states of perfect people cannot be compared with those of others. Its truth cannot be comprehended by this intellect." And they should dispel any thoughts of denial that come to mind, seek forgiveness from their guide, and follow the path of pleasing Him.
[Poem]
1- The wise old man is a distant arrow, for he is one whose vision is far;
Yet thoughts arise in the heart, and then a serpent lies in wait.
[Note: Verse 1 is incomplete and likely continues in subsequent verses.]
1- The Master of the Troubadours, where does he reside? And the heart’s friend who sees afar, where is he? A thought, like a lion in ambush, comes to the heart.
2- Wherever the Master of the Troubadours may be, he has attained his desire; we must constantly prostrate ourselves upon the earth.
3- With his face, he declares "We worship only You," and recounts it. Through his character, he seeks intercession, “We seek help only from You.”
4- How shall I describe one in whose forehead the sun shines clearly? How shall I explain him?
5- Qasimi spoke words like those of the Master of the Troubadours, but he spoke falsely. Let the Master of the Troubadours not say, "We are intoxicated with light!"