The term “درجات” “darajat” [degrees] has been mentioned frequently in the Qur’an and it has appeared with diverse interpretations—a fact which elicits subtle points. For some, the Qur’an states: ﴾ دَرَجات لَهُمْ ﴿ “For them, there are degrees.”[1] For others, however, it says: ﴾ دَرَجات هُمْ ﴿ “They (themselves) are degrees”[2] It is like the case of great figures who even if they sit at the lower section of an assembly, that section can become “high”; they are themselves makers of degree and rank, and are not subject to degree and station.
This spiritual ranking is not exclusive to human beings; for, there is also hierarchy among the angels. The Qur’an thus says regarding Jibra’īl (Archangel Gabriel) (‘a): ﴾ اَمين ثُمَّ مُطاعٍ ﴿ “One who is heard and trustworthy as well.”[3]
In any case, the degrees of human beings in obedience to God are not similar:
1. Sometimes man obeys [muṭī‘], but not out of pleasure.
2. At some other times, he obeys [muṭī‘] as well as loves [muḥibb]; that is, he obeys God based on love and affection.
3. There are also times when he attains perfect gnosis [ma‘rifah] far higher than obedience [iṭā‘ah] and love [muḥabbah] and whatever he sees is only God. Hadrat ‘Alī (‘a) says:
“.مَعَه و بَعْدَه و قَبْلَه الله رَأَيْتُ و اِلاّ شَيْئاً مارَأَيْتُ”[4]
“I do not see anything except God, before it, after it and with it.”
We have to love God for the sake of God
It is said that in order to test the loyalty of his courtiers, Sulṭān Maḥmūd Ghaznawī set out with a caravan and placed an unlocked container of jewelry on a camel. Along the way, they reached a valley. He roused the camel and thus the container turned upside down and the jewels fell into the valley.
The Sulṭān said: “Whatever jewels one may get belongs to him.” Those who were around him left him, and they engaged themselves in amassing gold and silver. Meanwhile, it was observed that Ayyāz had abandoned the jewels and pursued the Sulṭān. The Sulṭān asked him: “Why did you not amass jewels?” In reply, Ayyāz said:
نپرداختم نعمت زخدمت مىتاختم تو قفاى در منم
For me, I prefer to cling to you and thus I did not serve the grace [ni‘mah].
