to fall that was empty of the Real. He knew the proper conduct concerning spitting set out in the Revealed Law, so he was bewildered.
I saw another like him in Seville in al-Andalus. We have transmitted of al-Hallaj that he tasted this station until its state appeared upon him. He had a room called the House of Magnificence; when he entered it, his person filled it entirely in the observer’s eye. This was even attributed to the occult art of simiyaʾ, because of their ignorance of the states of the people of God.
(The State of Magnificence and Its Attributes)
One firmly established in this station does not display through his state what indicates that he possesses this tasting. Rather, his attributes, not his state, proceed according to this station’s ruling. For the state yields breaches of customary order. Thus, when the author of Mahasin al-majalis mentioned that states belong to aspirants, he said, ‘States are for charismatic wonders,’ meaning breaches of customary order. In the terminology of this language, charismatic wonders are only breaches of customary order accompanied by uprightness within the state, or producing uprightness immediately. They require this.
The reason for this definition is that a breach of customary order may not be an honor granted by God to the servant. The most complete among them in the station of magnificence is therefore one whose state is unknown and who is not recognized so that the manner of treating him might be known. An observer is bewildered concerning him, yet he stands upon clear proof from his Lord and insight concerning his affair.
Whoever wishes to know this imam’s states should ponder the verses of
