Stations
SECTION I
- 001 Wakefulness - اليَقَظَةُ
- 002 Repentance - التَّوْبَةُ
- 003 Self-Reckoning - المُحَاسَبَةُ
- 004 Returning - الإنَابَةُ
- 005 Reflection - التَّفَكُّرُ
- 006 Remembrance - التَّذَكُّرُ
- 007 Taking Shelter - الاعْتِصَامُ
- 008 Fleeing - الفِرَارُ
- 009 Training - الرِّيَاضَةُ
- 010 Hearing - السَّمَاعُ
SECTION II
- 011 Grief - الْحُزْنُ
- 012 Fear - الْخَوْفُ
- 013 Concern - الإشْفَاقُ
- 014 Submissive Solemnity - الْخُشُوعُ
- 015 Serene Submissiveness - الإخْبَاتُ
- 016 Disinterest - الزُّهْدُ
- 017 Pious Conscientiousness - الْوَرَعُ
- 018 Dedication - التَّبَتُّلُ
- 019 Hope - الرَّجَاءُ
- 020 Desirous Quest - الرَّغْبَةُ
SECTION III
- 021 Caring - الرِّعَايَة
- 022 Observance - المُرَاقَبَةُ
- 023 Veneration - الحُرْمَةِ
- 024 Devotion - الإخْلَاصُ
- 025 Refinement - التَّهْذِيبِ
- 026 Straightness - الِاسْتِقَامَة
- 027 Reliance - التَوَكَّل
- 028 Delegation - التَّفْوِيضِ
- 029 Trust - الثِّقَةِ
- 030 Surrender - التَّسْلِيمِ
SECTION IV
- 031 Patience - الصَّبْرِ
- 032 Contentment - الرِّضَا
- 033 Gratefulness - الشُّكْرُ
- 034 Modesty - الْحَيَاءِ
- 035 Truthfulness - الصِّدْقِ
- 036 Altruism - الإيثَارِ
- 037 Character - الخُلُق
- 038 Humbleness - التَّواضُع
- 039 Pietistic Heroism - الْفُتُوَّةِ
- 040 Affability - الانْبِسَاط
SECTION V
- 041 Intent - الْقَصْدِ
- 042 Resolve - الْعَزْمِ
- 043 Willfulness - الْإِرَادَةِ
- 044 Propriety - الأدَبِ
- 045 Certainty - اليَقِين
- 046 Comforting Intimacy - الْأُنْسِ
- 047 Remembrance - الذِّكْرِ
- 048 Poverty - الْفَقْرِ
- 049 Richness - الْغِنَى
- 050 The Sought - الْمُرَاد
SECTION VI
- 051 Excellence - الْإِحْسَانِ
- 052 Knowledge - العِلْمِ
- 053 Wisdom - الحِكْمَةِ
- 054 Insight - الْبَصِيرَة
- 055 Astuteness - الْفِرَاسَةِ
- 056 Exaltation - التعظيم
- 057 Inspiration - الإلهام
- 058 Tranquility - السَّكِينَةُ
- 059 Serenity - الطُّمَأْنِينَة
- 060 Drive - الْهِمَّةِ
SECTION VII
- 061 Love - المَحَبَّةُ
- 062 Protectiveness - الْغَيْرَة
- 063 Yearning - الشَّوْقُ
- 064 Anxiety - الْقَلَقُ
- 065 Thirst - الْعَطَشُ
- 066 Ecstasy - الْوَجْدُ
- 067 Bewilderment - الدَّهَشُ
- 068 Mystification - الْهَيَمَان
- 069 Lightning - البَرْق
- 070 Taste - الذَّوْقِ
SECTION VIII
- 071 Noting - اللَّحْظ
- 072 Timeliness - الْوَقْتُ
- 073 Clarity - الصَّفَاءُ
- 074 Bliss - السُّرُورُ
- 075 Privacy - السِّرُّ
- 076 Breath - النَّفَسُ
- 077 Stranger-ness - الْغُرْبَةُ
- 078 Submersion - الغَرَق
- 079 Absence - الْغَيْبَةُ
- 080 Establishment - التَّمَكُّنِ
SECTION IX
- 081 Disclosure - الْمُكَاشَفَةِ
- 082 Witnessing - الْمُشَاهَدَةُ
- 083 Beholding - المُعَايَنَةُ
- 084 Life - الْحَيَاة
- 085 Constriction - الْقَبْضٌ
- 086 Expansion - الْبَسْطُ
- 087 Intoxication - السُّكْرُ
- 088 Sobriety - الصَّحْوُ
- 089 Connection - الِاتِّصَال
- 090 Detachment - الِانْفِصَال
SECTION X
Allah, the Almighty, said:
{When he saw a fire…}574 [Ṭâ-Hâ 20:10]
قَالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وجَلَّ: "إِذْ رَأَى نَارًا"
Lightning (barq) is an initial spark that invites the servant to set out on this road.575The difference between it and wajd (ecstasy) is that wajd occurs after embarking on the path, while barq occurs before it. Thus, wajd is a sustenance and barq is a permission. It is of three levels:
الْبَرْقُ بَاكُورَةٌ تَلْمَعُ لِلْعَبْدِ، فَتَدْعُوهُ إِلَى الدُّخُولِ فِي هَذا الطَّرِيقِ. وَالْفَرْقُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْوَجْدِ أَنَّ الْوَجْدَ يَقَعُ بَعْدَ الدُّخُولِ فِيهِ، وَالْبَرْقُ قَبْلَهُ، فَالْوَجْدُ زَادٌ، وَالْبَرْقُ إِذْنٌ. وَهُوَ ثَلَاثُ دَرَجَاتٍ:
The first level is lightning that glows from promises for the hopeful,576 thereby the servant finds:
- little favors plentiful
- large burdens light
- sour destinies sweet
الدَّرَجَةُ الْأُولَى: بَرْقٌ يَلْمَعُ مِنْ جَانِبِ الْعِدَةِ فِي عَيْنِ الرَّجَاءِ:
- فَيَسْتَكْثِرُ فِيهِ الْعَبْدُ الْقَلِيلَ مِنَ الْعَطَاءِ
- وَيَسْتَقِلُّ فِيهِ الْكَثِيرَ مِنَ الْأعباءِ
- وَيَسْتَحْلِي فِيهِ مَرَارَةَ الْقَضَاءِ
The second level is lightning that sparks from threats for the vigilant;577 thereby the servant:
- finds all hopes short
- grows disinterested in people despite their closeness
- desires to purify the innermost self
والدَّرَجَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ: بَرْقٌ يَلْمَعُ مِنْ جَانِبِ الْوَعِيدِ فِي عَيْنِ الْحَذَرِ:
- فَيَسْتَقْصِرُ فِيهِ الْعَبْدُ الطَّوِيلَ مِنَ الْأَمَلِ
- وَيَزْهَدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ عَلَى الْقُرْبِ
- وَيَرْغَبُ فِي تَطْهِيرِ السِّرِّ
The third level is lightning that glows from kindness for the broken,578 thereby:
- generating clouds of joy
- bringing down showers of euphoria
- causing the rivers of pride to flow 579
والدَّرَجَةُ الثَّالِثَةُ: بَرْقٌ يَلْمَعُ مِنْ جَانِبِ اللُّطْفِ فِي عَيْنِ الِافْتِقَارِ:
- فَيُنْشِئُ سَحَابَ السُّرُورِ
- وَيُمْطِرُ قَطْرَ الطَّرَبِ
- يُجْرِي نَهْرَ الِافْتِخَارِ
574 This is in reference to the fire seen by Moosâ (peace be upon him) on his way back from Madyan to Egypt. This marked the beginning of his prophethood. The sheikh uses the verse at the beginning of this chapter to say that the lightning (barq) marks the beginning of one’s walâyah (intimate friendship).
575 Every great move in one’s life is induced by a great influence. Taking the road to devotion and purification is inspired by an invitation from Allah. That invitation could be in the form of a transformative experience that enlightens the heart and guides the soul. It could be as brief as lightning. One must be careful not to miss these opportunities. Allah said:
{And We will turn away their hearts and their eyes just as they refused to believe in it the first time…}(al-An‘âm 6:110)
576 This is the diligent servant working for the promised rewards. Their certainty in His promises and their rajâ’ (hope) make them acknowledge all His bounties, belittle all their efforts, and accept all His destinies.
577 This is the servant who fears the approaching of death and punishment and fears that their deeds are not devoted and their hearts are not pure. They are always on alert, hurrying to purify their interiors before the time of meeting their Lord arrives.
578 This is the one who came to the Lord counting on nothing other than their brokenness. When He accepted them, they started to experience His gentleness and graciousness.
579This is not the pride of the arrogant, but the broken. Allah said:
{Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy—in that let them rejoice…} (Yoonus 10:58)