Quintessential Truths (Zobdatol Haqāyeq)
 
The Minor Realm
 

The Third Principle

Discussion   Join   
 
Describing the nature of Sulūk (Voyage) and Intentions of Sālek (Traveler) upon Sulūk (Voyage)?
 
Section 1
 
 
Know that Sulūk in the language of the Arabs means to travel in the sense of release & liberation in absolute & unrestricted manner. Meaning the traveler may move in the realm of Zāhir (Outer Manifest) or may travel in the realm of Bāten (Introspect & Intrinsic).
 
Amongst the Nation of Sufism this travel is Khās (Specialized):
 
1.      Travel towards Allah, which is finite. (Because once you die you reach Allah)

2.      Travel near the company of Allah, which is infinite. (Because the Divine Essence is infinite and Divine nearness requires infiniteness) [1]
 
However if you do not understand these words I will rephrase and repeat as follows.
 
Know that amongst the Nation of Sufism the Sulūk (Voyage) consists of [2]:
 

1. Traveling from bad words to good words
2. Traveling from evil deeds to good deeds
3. Traveling from atrocious behavior & attitude to good behavior & attitude
4. Traveling from subsisting upon the Self’s existence to subsist upon the Divine Beingness

 
This means that once the Sālek (Traveler) traveled from bad words to good words, once he traveled from the evil deeds to good deeds, once he traveled from the atrocious behavior to good behavior—once he traveled through the first three voyages—the rays of Ma’refat (Divine Gnosis) shall shine upon him, therefore [3]:
 
He will be cognizant of everything the true way they are created & He will behold everything the true way they look like.
 
Once he turns his face to Ma’refat (Divine Gnosis) eventually attains the Kamāl (Perfection) therefore understands things the way they are and sees things the way they are i.e. not fooled by the Self’s deception.
 
‘Aref (Divine Cognoscente) is the one whose beingness dies whereat revives to subsist upon the Divine Beingness (Evanesce prior to biological death):
 
Truly the Sālek (Traveler) never existed, he just thought he was.
 
To reach to this stage is the desire of every Sālek (Traveler) and the object of the desire of every seeker. In other words the Kamāl (Perfection) of humanity is the above said four items: good words, fine deeds, wonderful behavior and Ma’refat (Divine Gnosis).
 
Hark O Dervish!
 
All Sāleks (Travelers) are someplace around the above said four stages and from every hundred thousand Sāleks (Travelers) only one makes the Kamāl (Perfection) and the rest are drown within the failure thus deprived from Kamāl (Perfection). [4]
 
End.
 
 
 
 
[1] First item uses the Arabic word ELA, which means towards. Second item uses the Arabic word FI, which means near, with, in the company of.
 
[2] Reading books, chants, prayers, attending lectures and whatsoever you may consider as important exercise on the path, has nothing to do with your success as a Sālek, until & unless you fix your words, deeds and behavior.
 
[3] I think this is the most truthful and prettiest definition of Ma’refat. All my spiritual troubles stem from the fact that either my Self or others fool my eyes and I see things that there are not there.
 
[4] Behold the Haitian dying on his voyage braving the vexed waves of our gluttony; behold through his vapid eyes the truth about your Self dying along life’s voyage whereupon behold your Lord or fail and die upon the shores of amnesia.



Background: Medical personnel transported by the Coast Guard treat the Haitian migrants stranded on Flamingo Cay on 27 Apr.  Many suffered from severe dehydration, kidney failure, and exposiure.   Photo by PA1 John Gaffney.



© 2004-2002,  Dara O. Shayda