The rukū' is first...

The rukū' is first, and it is these states, and the sujūd is second, which is nothing but the state of annihilation in the Essence. It is also realized that the Absolute Proximity, which happens in the sujūd , is not accessible except through the true rukū' . Whoever wants to be fit for the second, must acquire the discipline of the rukū' and its proximity. After stating the delicacies and secrets of the rukū' and sujūd , he refers to their hearty disciplines to suit the middle class.

These are among the general matters, which we have referred to in the Preliminaries; and some of them belong to rukū' . Now, as most of these things have already been stated, we leave out further explanation.

Concerning Raising the Head from the Rukū Its secret is the return from wuqūf (standing) in the multiplicity of names, as it is said: “The perfect monotheism is the negation of ascribing attributes to Him,”[^3] because after the awakening from the annihilation in the Names [ fanā'-i asmā'ī ], the sālik servant witnesses his failure and shortcoming, since the beginning of Man's sin which is to be compensated for by his offspring is the inclination toward the multiplicities of names, which is the inside of the “tree.” Having understood the sin of himself, who is Adam's offspring, and the sin of Adam, who is his origin, he would recognize his state of humility and need, and get ready to remove the sin by way of behaving with humility in 'the presence of Allah's Majesty.

He would then stand erect out of this state, and with the takbīr after the rukū' he would remove the multiplicities of names, and, empty-handed, he would comprehend the state of humility, helplessness and the earthly origin.

The important discipline in this respect is to find out the state's great significance, and to have the heart to taste it through complete remembrance, and strive to attend [ tawajjuh ] to His Essence, forsaking attending [ tawajjuh ] to oneself, even to one's state of humility.

Know, dear, that complete remembrance of the Haqq (Allah), and absolute turning, with the inside of the heart, to the Holy Essence, will open the heart's internal eye, through which meeting Allah the pleasure of the eyes of the walī s [ awliyā' ] takes place: “ And those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in our ways.” [^4] [^1]: Misbāh ash-Sharī'ah, p. 12; Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 89, p. 108. [^2]: Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:31. [^3]: Usūl al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p.

191, “The Book of Monotheism,” ch.