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INTRODUCTION
"Finally, in the fourth manner, the wayfarer should recite the name of Allāh once over his right knee, then over his left knee, and again over where his heart is and the fourth Darb, or Impact, should be vigorously pronounced just in front of himself.
"In the practice of Negative and Affirmative Recitation, the wayfarer should close his eyes, facing Mecca-ward, then begin the recitation of the sentence: Läilāh mālāh- "There is no God except God” by starting the phrase Lāilāh- "There is no God," from the navel bring it up to his right side where Illal-except-is to be uttered, and finally Lāh, to be carried to the left side where the heart is, and finished at that point. It is necessary, however, to concentrate upon the inner meaning of the Negative of all that is not God and in Affirmative of God's Existence. .....
"The recitation in these manners, uttered in a loud voice, is considered to be conducive of concentration so that the voice of the Wayfarer should drown all other external voices and sounds that detract the attention; and it is further recommended that after the prayer of morning and late afternoon, the Brothers of the Order should sit in a circle in order to perform this recitation in a loud voice in the presence of their Spiritual Guide.
"Anotherspiritualexerciseconsists of reciting mutely:Allāho-Saini, Allāho-Baseer, Allāho-'Alleem-God hears, God sees, God knows all. The Sufi should commence with the first name at the point of the navel, carrying the next name to the chest upward and finishing towards the sky with his head upraised. The process is to be repeated in its reverse direction and finished at the navel with the order of the names reversed. The spiritual excellence is reached through continual Meditation and Recitation of the above Methods."
While concluding we shall quote Prof, William James' remarks on the authoritativeness of the mystic consciousness.
- "(1) Mystical states, when well developed, usually are, and have the right to be, absolutely authoritative over the individuals to whom they come.