Spiritual Stations

[jinnzaman]

As-salamu alaikum wa rahmutallahi wa barakatahu,

May this reach you in the best state of health and iman. Ameen.

Does anyone have any information on a complete list of the different types of spiritual stations and how to determine where one is and how to ascend?

Jazakallah khairun.

masalama

[muhammadnur]

As-salamu alaikum wa rahmutallahi wa barakatahu,

May this reach you in the best state of health and iman. Ameen.

Does anyone have any information on a complete list of the different types of spiritual stations and how to determine where one is and how to ascend?

Jazakallah khairun.

masalama

There is no "complete list" because no two people reach exactly the same station, but there's several books that give indication to major categories.

The Degrees of the Soul
The Hundred Steps
and Shariat and Tasawwuf
are a few.
And you normally need a Sheikh to determine where you are and advise you how to ascend.

[seeker_ikb]

Journey through the Spiritual Stations

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http://www.muftisays.com/shop/produc...look-(pb).html


Imdaadus Suluk ,by Hadhrat Rashid Ahmad Gangohi ( RA ) in Farsi trans.

Irshadul Mulook , by Hadhrat Aashiq Ilaahi Merathi ( RA ) in Urdu trans.

Risalah Makkiyyah , by Shaykh Qutbuddin Damashqi ( RA ) in Arabic ,orignal

Note :
Lateefah : This is a spiritual entity just as the nafs and rooh are spiritual entities.
Lata-if : Plural of Lateefah
Mushahadah : Spiritual observation , a special type of vision ,eyeless vision , not imagination

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Know that the realities of all visible things (in this material world) exist in Alam-e-Mana (the world of Meanings). These forms which become luminous in Alam-e-Mithal (the world of symbols) are the shadows and reflection of these realities (which exist in Alam-e-Mana). The mureed should not develop an affinity with them because Allah taala has created seventy thousand veils of light and darkness in the path of sulook. On account of reverence and splendour he has described them as the veils of the mysteries of the Kabah. Thus Rasulullah (SAW), alluding to this mystery, said there are seventy thousend veils of noor (celestial light) and zulmat (spiritual darkness) Of Allah Taala. If these veils are lifted, the entire universe will be reduced to dust. These veils are the anwar-e-roohaniyyah (the celestial brightness of the soul) and zulmat-e-jismaniyyah (the darkness of the physical body) viz. the five senses, temperaments, physical phenomena (such as colour, length, etc), the lowly disgraceful attributes, the nafsani desires, lust, shaitan,etc.

Since the purified nafs has a natural aversion for darkness and a natural affinity for anwar (celestial illumination), the lifting of the veils of darkness is easy for the Talib. In contrast, the lifting of the veils of Light is extetremely difficult for it (the purified nafs). There are 10000 veils of zulmat (darkness) in the Lateefah-e-Qalib (the meta-physical
skeletal form) which, in fact, is the existence of the Salik. These veils of zulmat are brownish in colour. As a consequence of constancy in Thikr, these darknesses, on account of the light generated by Thikr, appear to be rising and falling, and when the body becomes spiritually healed by virtue of the noor of Thikr, these veils of darkness assume
the form of a pure white cloud.


The Lateefah-e-Nafs(this is a propensity of the nafs) contains 10000 noorani veils (Veils of Light). These veils have a sky blue colour. It should be understood that the behaviour of the nafs is in accordance with man's training. The nafs constantly impresses its evil on man's existence. After the nafs has been trained and purified, the lustre of virtuous deeds will assert itself and permeate the Salik. Thus, the dark veils will disappear.


Then there are 10000 noorani veils of the Lateefah-e-Qalb (the propensity of the spiritual heart), which are red like fire. If one eats according to desire, these veils will be contaminated with smoke, resulting in the 'flames' smouldering at low level, without being able to rise upwards quickly. On the other hand, if eating is curbed, these flames rise rapidly.

Then there are 10000 noorani veils of Lateefah-e-sirr. These veils are transparent as glass.
They glitter as if sunlight is shining on them.

There are 10000 noorani veils in Lateefah-e-Rooh. They are yellowish in colour and are
perfect in purity.


There are also 10000 noorani veils in Lateefah-e-Khafi. They appear highly polished like a mirror and have a colour of the pupil in the human eye.

In the Lateefah-e-Haqeeqat there are 10000 noorani veils of a green colour. All the various Lateefah are hinged onto this Lateefah-e-Haqeeqat. The coolness of the eyes and the comfort of the heart originate from this Lateefah. This in fact is the colour of the life of the heart. After this remains the colour of cornelian (a reddish-yellow variety of gemstones).


According to Najimuddin Kubra (rahmatullah alayh), the Salik who has acquired these colours whether intentionally or unintentionally, will certainly reach the stage of Fana. The volitional intention of the Salik is of no significance in this attainment. After considerable hardship and numerous acts of mujahadah, this colour easily asserts itself. Once the aforementioned veils have been lifted, the anwar (celestial illumination) of the seven Lata-if become manifest to the Salik. This mushahadah of the seven Lata-if unfolds as follows:


The Lateefah-e-Qaleb beholds the Jinnat;
the Lateefah-e-Nafs beholds Jahannum;
Lateefah-e-Qalb beholds Jannat;
Lateefah-e-Sirr beholds the Angels;
Lateefah-e-Rooh beholds the Auliya-e-Kiram;
Lateefah-e-Khafi beholds the Ambiya (alayhimus salam) and
Lateefah-e-Haqeeqat beholds Fakhr-e-Rasul Rasulullah (SAW).

After the attainment of these stages, Noorul Anwar (The Divine Lustre- The Noor of all Celestial lights) manifest Itself.
In this Manifestation, all the anwar mentioned earlier are relegated into oblivion. Sulook thus attains completion- the Goal having being attained and the journey of the Talib is transformed into the state known as Jazbah Jali which is explained hereunder.


Let it be known that when the Salik adopts Sulook for Allah's Love, involving himself in noble acts of worship, Salat, Saum, Taharat, etc. and searches for the proximity of Allah, then this state of his quest is termed Jazbah Khafi and
Ser-Ilalla (The journey towards Allah). This state is regarded as the inaugural stage of Sulook. Minus this jazbah (enthusiasm), it is not possible to tread the path of sulook. This state is conveyed by Allah's statement (in the Quran):

“'They Love Allah”

If the Salik is constant in this stage, Allah Ta'ala makes him His beloved. He draws the Salik towards Himself and He unravels the mysteries of His Love. Thus, the Salik becomes Wasil (i.e he meets Allah Ta'ala). This state of Wusool (attainment of Divine Proximity) is called Jazbah Jali. This is referred to in Allah's statement:

'He loves them'

It is absolutely impossible to attain this elevated rank of Jjazbah Jali without obedience to the shariat of Rasulullah (SAW). Hence Allah Ta'ala says:

'Say (O Muhammad!) If you love Allah, then obey me ( Muhammad ) and Allah will love you.'
(Surah Al-Imram, ayat 31)

Whoever has not tasted this secret remains unaware thereof.

If the Talib-e-Sadiq remains steadfast in the conditions (of this ibadat and thikr) for a consecutive period of forty days, InshaAllah, the door of Mukashafat (revelations from the spiritual realm) will open up for him. Firstly, spiritual noor and spiritual stars will become visible, followed by the manifestation of angels. Then will come the mushahadah of Sifat (Divine Attributes). By virtue of these Sifat certain haqa-iq (transcendental realities) will become unravelled to the Salik. This hal (condition) occurs in the state of bidayat (the initial state).


When he has transcended the stage of 'Alam-e-Mithal, he will behold only truth in everything. When he return from this lofty stage to this mundane world which is just like a shadow, he takes pity on creation. He is merciful to them as he knows that they are deprived of the True Beauty and dwell in the deception of this world of falsehood, contenting themselves
with phantoms. Although this person is physically with creation, his heart is far away from them.


He looks on with surprise at the pre-eminence accorded to creation and is astonished to observe that creation has not annihilated itself in the presence of Divine Manifestation. On the other hand, people are surprised at him. They ask: 'What has happened to him?' They wonder in surprise at his annihilation- that inspite of his physical body and existence, he
is oblivious of himself.


These states are all the effects of Thikr. Initially it was verbal Thikr. This progressed to the Thikr of the heart. Then followed the predominance (ghalbah) of Thikr. This leads to absorption in Thikr - the Thakir becomes annihilated in the object of Thikr (i.e In Allah Ta'ala). In actual fact, this is the result of virtuous action and following the Sunnat. This is the Nihayat (Ultimate Goal) of sulook, which can be attained only after the reformation of the Bidayat (Initial stage).