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April 3, 2009
the fire of gnosis
The degrees of gnosis have an analogy in fire, which may be known to some people through hearsay as an existent that reduces to nothing anything that comes into contact with it and affects everything shat is near it, as something that is not diminished by anything that may be taken away from it, and whose nature is opposed to that which is distinct from it, and that such an existent is called “fire”.
In respect of the knowledge of God, the Exalted, those who are such are called imitators (muqallid), such as those who affirm the statements of authorities in this regard without considering any proof.
And some are at a level higher than this group and their analogy is that of those who on confronting the smoke arising from the fire know that this smoke arises from something. Thereupon they infer that there is an existent whose effect is the smoke. In gnosis, those whose analogy is such are the speculative thinkers (ahl-e nazar) who know through conclusive proofs that there is a Creator, the effects of Whose power bear evidence of His existence.
Above this level are those who have felt the heat of fire by being near it and having benefited from it. In gnosis, those of this rank are the believers in the Unseen, who know the Creator from behind a veil.
Above this level are those who see the fire and their eyes behold other existents in its light. This group, in respect of gnosis, consists of the seers who are called gnostics (urafa), and it is they who possess true knowledge (ma'rifah).
Others who have higher ranks above this level are also reckoned as gnostics, and they are called `the people of certainty' (ahl al-yaqin).
And of them is a group whose knowledge is of the category of direct vision, and they are called `the people of presence' (ahl al-hudur) and to them belong special intimacy (uns) and ecstasy (inbisat).
The ultimate degree of gnosis is where the gnostic ceases to exist, like something burnt away in fire and reduced to nothing.
Nasir al-Din Tusi - Awsaf Ashraf
Posted by amin at April 3, 2009 8:00 PM