Quranic Irfan (Mysticism) Seeks to Help Man Become God-Like
A Divine Aref (mystic) is a monotheist and seeks to become God-like and, as the Holy Quran puts it, find the Sibqat-Allah (religion of God), a scholar said.
Speaking to IQNA, Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Javad Roudgar regretted, however, that there are some in the society today who claim to be after mysticism and are trying to reach certain hidden powers or gather devotees around themselves.
Elaborating on the characteristics of Quranic Soluk (spiritual journey toward God) and those of false mysticism, he said sticking to the Sharia, intuitive (Shohudi) knowledge of the self, and rationalism based on the teachings of the Quran and Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) are among the main features of pure Quranic mysticism.
“On the contrary, disregarding the Sharia, ignorance towards the self, ignorance toward the Fitra (nature) and disregarding wisdom and rationality are some of the features of false Soluk or false mysticism.”
He referred to following the guidance of the Perfect Human as another characteristic of Quranic Irfan. “It is a fundamental principle of Quranic Soluk that the Salek (one who treads on the path of Soluk) would not take one step unless instructed by the Perfect Human.”
Head of the Islamic Culture and Thought Research Center emphasized that through commitment to the general guidance of the perfect Human, the Aref can attain the required capacity and aptitude to be under the special leadership of the Perfect Human.
“Basically, in Quranic Irfan nothing can be gained except with following the guidance and leadership of the perfect human,” he said, adding that at first, the Aref goes through the preliminary stages of Soluk under the guidance of the Perfect Human and then he will get under full leadership of the Infallible Perfect Human to reach the most sublime stages of spiritual elevation.
Hojat-ol-Islam Roudgar noted that accepting the guidance and leadership of the Perfect Human in Quranic Irfan is a manifestation of devotion to Imamate and Velayat (leadership of the Infallibles), adding that another meaning of Velayat is for the Aref to reach a status where he sees all the entire world and all human beings to be in God’s dominion and sees the world as a manifestation of Divine beauty and power.
He termed that status as the Fana Ila-Allah (annihilation in God).
The cleric, who has written an annotation on Allameh Tabatabaee’s Risalat-ul-Vilaya, also said that in Quranic Irfan, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Infallible Imams (AS) as well as those trained in the school of the Prophet (PBUH) and Imams (AS), are the masters and guides.
He said another characteristic of Quranic Irfan is that it revolves around monotheism. “In other words, a Salek only seeks God in his Soluk and demands nothing but God from God.”
Hojat-ol-Islam Roudgar explained that the Salek is not even after going to Heaven or being spared from Hell, adding that the worshiping of the Salek are out of devotion and love. “He only seeks Qurb (closeness) to God. Hence, the Quranic Irfan invites us to God not to discoveries and Karamat (miraculous powers), etc).”
He underlined that in Quranic Irfan, the Salek in his path to perfection ultimately disappears and only God remains.
“A Divine Aref is a monotheist and invites others to God, not to himself. Basically, no “self” remains for him to invite others to it. He, himself has become God-like and, as the Quran puts it, has found the Sibqat-Allah… Such a person is never after attaining certain natural or supernatural powers or gaining control over the Jinns and angels or finding about others; secrets, etc.”
Hojat-ol-Islam Roudgar further referred to Allameh Tabatabaee’s interpretation of the verse 105 of Surah Al-Maeda and said, “Allameh divides the Riyadat an-Nafs (disciplining the self) into two types: One by which man seeks God’s Ridha (contentment). This is done by a monotheist and his Riyadat an-Nafs is a monotheistic act. The other type is one in which the individual seeks material gains such as worldly positions, wealth, fame, etc, and this type is against monotheistic Irfan.”
He went on to say that in monotheistic and Quranic Irfan, the Salek does not consider any of his virtues such as knowledge, power, life, etc) to be his own but attributes all of them to God.
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Elaborating on the characteristics of Quranic Soluk (spiritual journey toward God) and those of false mysticism, he said sticking to the Sharia, intuitive (Shohudi) knowledge of the self, and rationalism based on the teachings of the Quran and Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) are among the main features of pure Quranic mysticism.
“On the contrary, disregarding the Sharia, ignorance towards the self, ignorance toward the Fitra (nature) and disregarding wisdom and rationality are some of the features of false Soluk or false mysticism.”
He referred to following the guidance of the Perfect Human as another characteristic of Quranic Irfan. “It is a fundamental principle of Quranic Soluk that the Salek (one who treads on the path of Soluk) would not take one step unless instructed by the Perfect Human.”
Head of the Islamic Culture and Thought Research Center emphasized that through commitment to the general guidance of the perfect Human, the Aref can attain the required capacity and aptitude to be under the special leadership of the Perfect Human.
“Basically, in Quranic Irfan nothing can be gained except with following the guidance and leadership of the perfect human,” he said, adding that at first, the Aref goes through the preliminary stages of Soluk under the guidance of the Perfect Human and then he will get under full leadership of the Infallible Perfect Human to reach the most sublime stages of spiritual elevation.
Hojat-ol-Islam Roudgar noted that accepting the guidance and leadership of the Perfect Human in Quranic Irfan is a manifestation of devotion to Imamate and Velayat (leadership of the Infallibles), adding that another meaning of Velayat is for the Aref to reach a status where he sees all the entire world and all human beings to be in God’s dominion and sees the world as a manifestation of Divine beauty and power.
He termed that status as the Fana Ila-Allah (annihilation in God).
The cleric, who has written an annotation on Allameh Tabatabaee’s Risalat-ul-Vilaya, also said that in Quranic Irfan, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Infallible Imams (AS) as well as those trained in the school of the Prophet (PBUH) and Imams (AS), are the masters and guides.
He said another characteristic of Quranic Irfan is that it revolves around monotheism. “In other words, a Salek only seeks God in his Soluk and demands nothing but God from God.”
Hojat-ol-Islam Roudgar explained that the Salek is not even after going to Heaven or being spared from Hell, adding that the worshiping of the Salek are out of devotion and love. “He only seeks Qurb (closeness) to God. Hence, the Quranic Irfan invites us to God not to discoveries and Karamat (miraculous powers), etc).”
He underlined that in Quranic Irfan, the Salek in his path to perfection ultimately disappears and only God remains.
“A Divine Aref is a monotheist and invites others to God, not to himself. Basically, no “self” remains for him to invite others to it. He, himself has become God-like and, as the Quran puts it, has found the Sibqat-Allah… Such a person is never after attaining certain natural or supernatural powers or gaining control over the Jinns and angels or finding about others; secrets, etc.”
Hojat-ol-Islam Roudgar further referred to Allameh Tabatabaee’s interpretation of the verse 105 of Surah Al-Maeda and said, “Allameh divides the Riyadat an-Nafs (disciplining the self) into two types: One by which man seeks God’s Ridha (contentment). This is done by a monotheist and his Riyadat an-Nafs is a monotheistic act. The other type is one in which the individual seeks material gains such as worldly positions, wealth, fame, etc, and this type is against monotheistic Irfan.”
He went on to say that in monotheistic and Quranic Irfan, the Salek does not consider any of his virtues such as knowledge, power, life, etc) to be his own but attributes all of them to God.
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