In section 4 of this chapter we followed the jurist and theologian Ghazali (d. 1111 C.E.) on his voyage of discovery of Sufism as he described it in his Deliverer from Error. At the end of his quest he attempts to define what he has found, beginning with a comparison with the ablution that purifies a Muslim for prayer.
In general, then, how is the mystic way described? The purifying which is the first condition of it is the purification of the heart completely from what is other than God Most High; the key to it, which corresponds to the opening act of adoration in prayer, is the sinking of the heart completely in the recollection of God; and the end of it is complete annihilation in God. At least this is its end relative to those first steps which almost come within the sphere of choice and personal responsibility; but in reality in the actual "way" it is the first step, what comes before it being, as it were, the antechamber for those who are journeying towards it.
With this first stage of the "way" there begin the revelations and visions. The mystics in their waking state now behold angels and the spirits of the prophets; they hear these speaking to them and are instructed by them. Later, a higher stage is reached; instead of beholding forms and figures, they come to stages in the "way" which it is hard to describe in language; if a man attempts to express these, his words inevitably contain what is clearly erroneous.
In general what the mystics manage to attain is nearness to God; some, however, would conceive of this as "infusion," some as "union," and some as "identity" (with God). All that is erroneous. He who has attained the mystic state need do no more than say that "Of the things I do not remember, what was, was; think it good; do not ask an account of it." …
In general, the man to whom He has granted no immediate experience at all, apprehends no more of what prophetic revelation really is than the name alone. The miraculous graces given to the saints are in truth the beginnings of the prophecy, and that was the first "state" of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) when he went out to Mount Hira, and was given up entirely to his Lord, and worshiped Him so that the bedouin said, "He loves his Lord passionately."
Now this is a mystical "state" which is realized in immediate experience by those who walk in the way leading to it. Those to whom it is not granted to have the immediate experience can become assured of it by trial [that is, observation of Sufis] and by hearsay, if they have sufficiently numerous opportunities of associating with mystics to understand that [that is, the mystical experience] with certainty by means of what accompanies the states. Whoever sits in their company derives from them this faith; and no one who sits in their company is pained. (Ghazali, Deliverer 132–135) [GHAZALI 1953: 60–62]
Ibn Khaldun too attempts to explain the Sufi experience, though now not through the sensibilities of one who had himself traveled the path but from the perspective of the cultural historian.
Mystical exertion, retirement, and the recollection exercise are as a rule followed by the removal of the veil of sensual perception. The Sufi beholds divine worlds which a person subject to the senses cannot. The spirit belongs to those worlds. The reason for the removal of the veil is the following. When the spirit turns from external sense perception to inner perception, the senses weaken and the spirit grows strong. It gains predominance and a new growth. The recollection exercise helps to bring that about. It is like food to make the spirit grow. The spirit continues to grow. It had been knowledge; now it becomes vision. The veil of sensual perception is removed, and the soul realizes its essential existence. This is identical with perception. The spirit now is ready for the holy gifts, for the sciences of divine presence, and for the outpouring of the Deity. Its essence realizes its own true character and draws close to the highest sphere, the sphere of the angels.
The removal of the veil often happens to people who exert themselves in mystical exercise. They perceive the realities of existence as no one else does. They also perceive many future happenings in advance. With the help of their minds and psychic powers they are active among the lower existents, which thus become obedient to their will. The great Sufis do not think much of the removal of the veil and of activity among the lower existents. They give no information about the reality of anything they have not been ordered to discuss. They consider it a tribulation when things of that sort occur to them, and try to escape them whenever they afflict them.
By the "great Sufis" Ibn Khaldun means the earliest generation of Muslims, beginning with the men of Muhammad's own generation. Though they received abundant visitations of the divine grace, they paid little attention to such manifestations. The self-conscious pursuit of such experiences set in only at a later date, among more recent mystics.
Recent mystics have turned their attention to the removal of the veil and the discussion of perceptions beyond sensual perception. Their ways of mystical exercise in this respect differ. They have taught different methods of mortifying the sensual perception and nourishing the reasoning spirit with recollection exercises, so that the soul might fully grow and attain its own essential perception. When this happens they believe that the whole of existence is encompassed by the perceptions of the soul, that the essences of existence are revealed to them, and that they perceive the reality of all the essences from the divine throne to light rain. This was said by al-Ghazali in the Revivification, after he had mentioned the forms of spiritual exercises. …
The recent Sufis who have occupied themselves with this kind of removal of the veil talk about the real character of the higher and lower existents and about the real character of the kingdom, the spirit, the throne, the seat, and similar things. Those who did not share their approach were not able to understand their mystical and ecstatic experiences in this respect. The muftis partly approve of these Sufis and partly accept them. Arguments and proofs are of no use in deciding whether the Sufi approach should be rejected or accepted, since it belongs to intuitive experience. (Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddima 6.16) [IBN KHALDUN 1967: 3:81–83]