The question of mystic revelation and spiritual schedules – Grand Ayatullah Safi Golpayegani

Question: I am a young boy and I want to ask for a set of spiritual rules from your highness so that a revelation may happen to me, even if it is a short on, which, God willing, could strengthen my faith?

Answer: Son! In the beginning of your youth and at the age of responsibility, take inspiration and instructions from the Holy Qur’an in the light of narrations and authentic supplications, such as those in as-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, and do not waste your time and life in pursuit of this idea of ​​supernatural disclosure and mystical revelation, which some even profess to have experienced.

There is just so much out there to discover. All these proofs and signs of God and the discoveries that the human mind has made by thinking about the cosmos: the earth, the sky, the sun, the moon, the systems of galaxies, mankind, animals, living things, and the vast world of plants and the human psychology, etc. are all means of enlightenment and revelation of the truth.

There is no such concealed knowledge and religious wisdom that can be acquired through mystic revelation. To contemplate about yourself, your own creation, the wonders of the creation of universe and all these secrets and signs of God and the reality, is revelation in itself. Is not what you see with your two eyes, enough? Are all these clear depictions that you see, not signs and proofs of the unseen world that you want to strengthen your faith by knowing God through visions and supernatural revelations?

گــر اهـــل معـرفتی هر چه بنگری خوب است
که هر چه دوست کند همچو دوست محبوب است

کـــدام بــــرگ درخـــت است اگر نـظر داری
کـــه ســـرّ پــاک الهی در آن نه محجوب است

All these different plants, all these fruits with variety of flavors and attractions, all these colorful blossoms and flowers are signs of God.

بــرگ درخــتان سبز در نـظر هـوشیار
هر ورقش دفـتری است معرفت کردگار

Contemplate and think, read the book of creation: look at the wonders of the land and the oceans, potentials of humans, characteristics of plants and stones. Ponder over it all. All of it is revelation, discovery and witnessing.

God has revealed himself to everyone with these signs of his omnipotence and divine wisdom. Every small part and section of this world is a big book of discovery and revelation, but man must wish, and see, and praise the glory of God. The Quran says:

وَ فِی الْأَرْضِ آیاتٌ لِلْمُوقِنِینَ وَ فِی أَنْفُسِکُمْ أَفَلاَ تُبْصِرُونَ. (سورہ الذاریات، الأیات 20، 21)

Translation: “There are countless signs on earth for those with sure faith, as there are within yourselves. Can you not see?” (51: 20, 21)

Is revelation not achieved by all these verses of the Qur’an? Why should we go after the revelation in the form of a dream, and not realize the revelation by considering the creation of the sky and the earth, which is the real revelation, unlike the made-up revelations of mystics?

Intellectual journey in the horizons of soul, natural science, zoology, anthropology, hydrology, soil science, botany, etc., is a means of revelation. Why are we going far away? Why not explore oneself!

مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّهُ‌ (1)

“Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord.”

تویــی تـو، نســـخـه صـنع الـهی
بجو از خویش هر چیزی که خواهی

If all human intellect is conferred on one person to think in himself for centuries and centuries, his self exploration will not end. The true discovery and revelation is as the saying goes: from whatever you observe around yourself and from what phenomena appear to you outwardly, discover the underlying truths. True revelation comes from meditation on the verses like this one:

إِنَّ فِی خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّیلِ وَ النَّهَارِ لَآیاتٍ لِأُولِى الْأَلْبَابِ الَّذِینَ یذْکُرُونَ اللّهَ قِیاماً وَ قُعُوداً وَ عَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ وَ یتَفَکَّرُونَ فِی خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلاً سُبْحَانَکَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّار. (سورة آل عمران – الآية 190 – 191)

Translation: “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying]: Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” [3: 190, 191]

On this path, what is important and makes a person more successful is diligence in worship and following the rulings of religion, adherence to the guidance of the infallible Imams (peace be upon them), piety, self observance, and avoiding sins as well as the undesirable acts.

I hope that you, dear young man, will succeed in attaining the highest levels of knowledge, character, morality and benevolence, and especially would remember the Imam of the time and the axis of existence, our lord the Twelfth Imam al-Mahdi, peace be upon him. Let’s not forget Him and try to please Him by our actions and good behavior, which is the ultimate ambition. (2)

Question: As in the case of specialized fields, such as the knowledge of Hadith, it is necessary to obtain permission from an expert, is permission of a mentor necessary in reciting the supplications narrated from the infallible Imams (peace be upon them)?

Answer: In order to recite supplications, it is sufficient for a person to recite supplications and remembrances from authentic books such as the books of Allama Majlesi, and the book “Misbah ul-Mutahajid” by Sheikh Tusi and “Mafatih ul-Jinan”, and the opinion of some particular person and his permission is not required.

Rather, some of the programs based on similar excuses – i.e. permission from some guide is obligatory, which mystics and some others claim and do – are baseless, and some forms of these are heresy and forbidden. In short, the program of prayers and worship and all duties should be in accordance with jurisprudence and the guidelines of the infallible Imams, peace be upon them, and one should not imitate the fabrications of others. (3)

References:

1. Muhammad Muhammadi Rey Shahri, “mizan ul-hikmah”, vol. 6, p. 142, No. 11923, reported from Ghurar ul-Hikam, no. 7946.

2. Grand Ayatullah Safi Golpayegani, “ma’arif-i deen”, vol. 3, question 265, pages 328 – 332, Qom, 1391 Hijri Shamsi.

3. Grand Ayatullah Safi Golpayegani, “ma’arif-i deen”, vol. 3, question 224, page 275, Qom, 1391 Hijri Shamsi.