Rapt Associate, the Associate Enrapt

Intuition comprises two types of knowledge. In Sufism, one is called the Acquired knowledge (Ilm-e-Husooli) and the other is termed as the Presented knowledge (Ilm-e-Huzoori). When anything is in the stages of the Incumbent, Collectannea or Ethereal Realm its name is the Presented knowledge. This knowledge is the ultimate goal of a spiritual associate and the enrapt whether they are following the course of Obligatory worshipping (Faraiz) or that of the Supererogatory worshipping (Nawafil). Sufis have been often delusioned about the definitions of an Associate (Salik) and Enrapt (Majzoob). A person ordained with the outward appearance and the ostentatious deeds is considered to be an associate. This is wrong. To perform rites and rituals including Faraiz and Sunnah [commemoration of rites performed by the Holy Prophet (PBUH)] is altogether insufficient in order to be a spiritual associate (Salik). Primary qualification for an associate is that either the innate moods and conditions should be present in him instinctively or in case of learning his subtleties must be receptive to the shades of Love and Functional Unity. A person cannot be termed an associate if his subtleties are not kinetic and have not been toned with the functional unity. Someone may say that variegation and toning of subtleties is not optional therefore those who consider this association an optional thing are in the wrong, nevertheless, striving in the ways of spiritual association is a matter of option.

 Ordinarily, efforts and striving on one's part is given the name of spiritual association and people call him an associate who is striving on these paths. In fact, an associate is the person whose subtleties have been toned up. If someone's subtleties have not been toned then calling him an associate is merely an indication in this regard. One who, according to the people, has accomplished his mission is Shaikh (preceptor, chief) or Sahib-e-Villayat (one who is enjoying a domain). Whereas he is the one with accomplished mission who has succeeded in toning his subtleties and the one whose subtleties have been toned up is entitled to be called an associate only. Such a person has no right to be called a 'Shaikh' or 'Sahib-e-Villayat'. Shaikh or Sahib-e-Villayat is a person who has progressed from the Functional Unity to the state of Attributive Unity.

 There exist many fallacies regarding the meanings and comprehension of the world 'Majzoob' (Rapt). Usually a lunatic and insane person is called a Rapt. In other words, any frenzied or mad person is called a Majzoob and declared exempted from execution of religious duties. It is such a mistake which is required to be pointed out during the course of our discussion about intuition. A controversy exists on the subject of the Rapt associate or the Associate enrapt. Few think a Rapt (Majzoob) enjoys supremacy over an Associate but cannot decide for sure that who is the Rapt associate and who should be called the Associate enrapt. A detailed examination of the same also seems necessary.

 Only that person is required to be called 'Majzoob' (Rapt) who has been attracted towards Allah. The state of raptness or absorption if acquired by the Rapt because of observation of commanded rites or due to direct intimacy of the Being. Performance of supererogatory rites has nothing to contribute in achieving this state of absorption.

 Rapture takes place in such a person who suddenly jumps from the state of Functional Unity i.e. variegation of subtleties and enters into the state of Unity of the Being without having a chance of acclirnatizing himself with the Attributive Unity.

 A person with a natural fertility and tenderness of the soul does not need to strive hard to tone up his subtleties, that is, some particular incident or event taking place in his thoughts causes the revelation of Functional unity in him. By witnessing a sign or symbol, introvertly or extrovertly, he understands that behind the veil of invisible lights there exists a Reality and the unseen and obscure realm is working as per the directives of that Reality and this universe is only a shadow of the activities, functions and movements of that unseen and obscure realm. It has been mentioned in the Holy Quran that he is picked up by Allah, this indicates the very same.

 Mankind and jinns have two types of affinity with their Lord Creator. One of them is called Rapture (Juzb) and the other is that of the Knowledge.

 In the primary ages of Islam and during the era of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) those who had been gifted with benevolence had their subtleties toned up with the love of the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) They did not know much about these two types of affinities. They assiduously deliberated and thought about the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for most of time. Because of the very reason they did not bother much to venture into the domain of the spiritual values as by paying attention and contemplating on the sayings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) they quenched their spiritual thirst. They were very much interested in Ahadiths. The main reason for their interest in Ahadiths was that they could appreciate their literary values besides comprehending the true meanings in depth. After hearing the words of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and by reciting them they enjoyed the maximum benifits of the luminescences (the electrifying effects) of the Ahadiths. Thus they ever felt like delving into the words of Ahadith for their luminous illustrations. They were fully versed and familiar with the luminous illustrations of the words without any conscious knowledge and any particular efforts on their part in this regard.

 When I had the occasions to visit the celestial realms, I noticed that the substantialities of the souls of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) were radiating with the luminescences of the Holy Quran and the Ahadiths i.e. They were full of luminescences of the Divinity and the Prophethood. So, I concluded that they did not require to strive hard to get their subtleties toned up. Perhaps, for this reason the Literature of that era is found to be devoid of recital and other like materials regarding the spiritual values. But when the glow of luminescences of the Holy Quran and the Ahadiths started fading away from the hearts of the people after the third generation of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), people owing to their spiritual thirst began to look for the means of contiguity with Allah. Shaikh Najamuddin and his students like Shaikh Shahabuddin Suharwardi and Khwaja Moeenuddin Chishti deviced many styles for the contiguity of Allah through supererogatory prayers, and a variety of recitational exercises and practices were started by them. These things are not found in the era of Shaikh Hasan Basri. They discovered that affinity with Allah which could be termed as Correlation of Knowledge, that is, they engaged themselves devotedly to have the knowledge of the Attributes of Allah and contrived the standards for understanding the Supreme Being. This very affinity is termed by the Sufis as the Correlation of Knowledge, because the main ingredients of this affinity or the correlation are mostly comprising of knowledge. That is when a Sufi cogitates to understand the Attributes of Allah he is on those paths of cognition which are decorated with the contemplation besides the recitational exercises.

 Any spiritual associate in this situation said to be enjoying the Correlation of Knowledge. This Correlation or the path is altogether different from that of the Correlation of Rapture and for this reason it is known as the 'closeness because of supererogatory rites’ (Qurb-e-Nawafil). 

 Very few of that era except Khwaja Bahawuddin Naqshband and Hazrat Ghous-ul-Azam (May Allah be merciful to them) had the chance of acquainting themselve with the ways of raptness.