As mentioned in the previous post, once truth is achieved, the truthful seeker will traverse the stations safely from missteps in the shortest time.
The stations are Islam, Iman, and Ihsan or Sharia, Tariqa, and Haqqiqa.
The nine major stations are:
- The reality of repentance: repentance from repentance: Allah is the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful. (9:118)
- The reality of steadfastness: subsistence after annihilation: Allah commands what He wills. (5:1)
- The reality of piety (taqwa): not allowing anything besides Allah to cross the mind, even for a moment, That is because Allah is the Truth (22:6)
- The reality of truthfulness (sidq): is directing oneself solely toward Him: Everything is bound to perish except He Himself. (28:88)
- The reality of sincerity (ikhlas): is to see the action not from you, not to you, and not for you: whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Surely to Allah all matters will return. (42:53) The kingdom is His, and all praise is for Him. (64:1)
- The reality of tranquility (tumaniyah): is not to wish for the removal of what has been or the existence of what has not been: for Allah certainly knows and you do not know. (16:74) He cannot be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned. (21:23)
- The reality of vigilance (muraqabah): is the constant attachment of the heart to Allah: your Lord is truly vigilant. (89:14) There is no activity you may be engaged in or portion of the Quran you may be reciting, nor any deed you may be doing except that We are a Witness over you while doing it. (10:61) We know what their souls whisper to them, and We are closer to them than their jugular vein. (50:16) If three converse privately, He is their fourth. (58:7) And the verse Surely Allah knows best what is in the heart. (3:119)
- The reality of witnessing (mushahadah): is the direct vision of the Truth: wherever you turn you are facing Allah. (2:115)
- The reality of knowledge (marifah): is the Face [of Allah], witnessing the perfect Essence: There is nothing like Him. (42:11)
These stages or maqamat were explained in two letters written to Omar ibn Malick at the beginning of the year fifty (1350 AH/1931AD), as Shaykh Ibrahim explained.