Book 2

Chapter 1  

Facts About Maqamat (Station for Meeting)

Sheikh Abu-Nasr said the answer to the question of “what is Maqamat?” Should be answered as follows: It is a Station for the slave to halt in presence of the Lord upon performance of the worships, exertion of efforts for good deeds and meditation to cut-off people and attend to the Lord:

The Lord said, “This is for him who fears Maqami (stationed or standing before me)” (Koran [14:14]).

The Angels said, “Not one of us but has a Maqam (place) appointed” (Koran [37:164]).

Abu-Bakr Waseti has said with regards to the statement of the Prophet, “Souls are soldiers standing in lines” it means: souls are ranked appropriate to their measure. And the Maqam (Stations & Ranks) for the ‘Irfan (Divine Gnosis) consists of Repentance, Righteousness, Zohd (Asceticism), Faqr (Poverty), Patience and Trust (upon the Lord) and others like these.

End.

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Chapter 2

The Meaning of Haala (Momentary State of the Heart)

Sheikh Abu-Nasr has said Haala are circumstances appearing within the heart or the heart inclined towards them e.g. pure remembrance of the Lord (Dhikr). Jonaid has said, “Haala is what appears within the heart but will not last long i.e. momentary”. Also has been said that Haala is the concealed remembrance of the Lord. The Prophet Peace Be Upon Him said, “The best of the remembrances are those that are concealed”.

Haala (Momentary State of the Heart) is different from the Maqamat (Stations for Meeting) e.g. worships or meditations. Qorb (Divine Nearness), Fervor of Loving, Hope, Shawq (Anxious Yearning) and Yaqin (Doubtless Certainty) are instances of Haala (Momentary State of the Heart).

Abu-Solayman Darani has said, “Anytime the worships are within the heart, the body is at comfort”. Perhaps this saying has two meaning. First, the hardship & stress of the worships are allayed by means of the heart kept away from shameful negligence & anxiety. Second, sincerely the body strives hard at the worships to the point that the heart tastes the sweetness the nectar within so the external hardships are overrun with this newfound beatitude.

I think that Mohammad Ibn Wase’ has said, “Twenty years day & night I suffered so that for twenty years I was in peace”. (Perhaps this means for 20 years he worshiped really hard so his heart was in comfort for the next 20 years)

Again I think Malek Ibn Dinar has said, “I read Koran for twenty years to benefit from its meaning for twenty years”.

End.


Note: The difference between the Maqamat (Station for Meeting) & Haala (Momentary State of the Heart) is first is achieved the second is received—nascent & temporal—as a bestowal of Divine Affection.


© 2007-2002,  Dara O. Shayda