The Influence of Imam Ali’s Speech on Sarrāj Tūsī’s View about the Explanation of the Spiritual Station of Contentment

As one of the spiritual stations “Contentment” stands out. In view of its importance in the mystical journey, this study seeks to descriptively and analytically examine the spiritual station of contentment in al-Lumaʻ by Sarrāj Tūsī as the oldest work on mystical teachings, to criticize it on the basis of Imam Ali’s speech, and to understand how this work may be influenced by the Imam’s teachings. Sarrāj among other mystics draws distinction between stations and states by using indicators and considers contentment a station. Comparing Imam’s speech about contentment with the indicators shows that mystics’ views like Ibn ‘Arabī’s are more consistent with his speech. These mystics hold that the difference between stations and states refers to their intensity and weakness and they are not distinct in nature. In Imam’s words, stations and states are not demarcated. There are hadiths indicating that contentment is a station and can be acquired, and also there are hadiths indicating that it is a state and must be given. In the light of Imam’s words, the third level that Sarrāj attributed to those with contentment is not possible. This is a problem with his triple classification.