In essence, there are two types of people in the world. On one hand, there is the “Arif,” or “The one who knows.” What the “Arif” knows is gnostic knowledge as a result of “Marifat,” or “The Divine Union.” What prompts “The Divine Union,” or “Marifat,” is Tajalli, or the manifestation of God, the divine essence, and the divine light in concrete form. Tajalli strikes an individual through another individual in most cases. But in the case of Moses, Tajalli occurred through a rock on Mount Sinai, which turned part of Mount Sinai into ashes. In the case of Majnun, Tajalli occurred through Layla.
Because of the effects of Tajalli – namely, disorientation and intoxication – gnostic knowledge is known as “Mai,” or “Wine” in the Farsi language. Once a person becomes an “Arif” and knows the effects of gnostic knowledge (“Mai” or “Wine”), he becomes part of what is known in Christianity as “The Elect.” Gnostic knowledge (“Mai” or “Wine”) and the “Divine Union” (“Marifat”) are the byproducts and final results of Tajalli. And as a result, Tajalli causes intense disorientation and intoxication because gnostic knowledge – which is the byproduct and final result of Tajalli – equates to “Mai” or “Wine.”
According to Islam, those who are part of “The Elect” and have experienced the effects of gnostic knowledge (“Mai” or “Wine”) are 4,401 in number. Thus, only 4,401 people out of approximately 7.6 billion people are part of “The Elect” in international society and the global human population. There are two schools of thought as to how a person becomes part of “The Elect.” For one, there is “Unconditional Election,” whereby God chooses a person and abandons everyone else because of their sins and transgressions. Another school of thought is “Conditional Election,” whereby people are able to become part of “The Elect” through free will if they put in the work and make the necessary efforts.
The predominant school of thought is “Unconditional Election.” However, both schools of thought are credible and make good points. But then again, how can an individual or a set of individuals become part of “The Elect” when they are responsible for fostering the environment for the creation of ISIS in the heart of the Middle East by uprooting a state in the name of “Yellow Cake” which never existed? Thus, “Unconditional Election” is the predominant school of thought when you take these kinds of facts and reasons into consideration.
So, if you were once sober and ignorant and then you become one of the 4,401 people in the world who know gnostic knowledge (“Mai” or “Wine”) and are then permanently enraptured and enveloped in intense intoxication, it would be a sin and a moral transgression if you wish to be sober and ignorant again. To preserve one’s status as part of the 4,401 people in the world who constitute “The Elect,” you need to preserve the intoxication by preserving the gnostic knowledge (“Mai” or “Wine”). To preserve the gnostic knowledge (“Mai” or “Wine”) and thus the intoxication, one needs invisibility and seclusion. The only thing that can lure an “Arif” or “The one who knows” out of invisibility and seclusion is either the source of Tajalli (God) or the conduit for Tajalli which in turn gave the member of “The Elect” or “Arif” the gnostic knowledge (“Mai” or “Wine”). Otherwise, “The Elect” or “Arif” (“The one who knows or has tasted the wine”) cannot come down for any sober person.
Adam A. Azim 