2.3.2 - The Opening

Opening refers to the sciences and knowledge of taste that are revealed to the servant in the way of God, unlike the science that comes through thinking, which is the intellectual science, or even normal narration. Opening is thus the activating the eye of insight so that the servant begins to perceive the inner spiritual world with his insight, just as people perceive the visible world with their sight.

In chapter sixteen of the Meccan Revelations: “on the knowledge of the opening and its secrets”, the Greatest Shaykh says that the opening is of three types: the first is the verbal opening, which is manifest in speech and phrases, and it is the result of the sincerity of intention. The second opening of sweetness in the inner-sense, which is the result of attraction by the Real from His benevolences. The third type is opening of disclosure, that is the cause of knowing the Real, as we shall speak about this science of unveiling in section 3.2.7 of Chapter III. He then adds that, in all these types if the knowledge comes without work or foresight or request then it is opening whether manifest or hidden, and its correct sign is that one does not take from the openings of others or the results of thought. Shaykh Abu Madyan used to say about that: “Feed us soft meat, and do not feed us cured meat”, i.e., do not transfer to us from the opening except what is opened to you in your hearts.

Then the Greatest Shaykh said in the same section that the divine opening can either be after knocking, or without. The latter is superior because opening should be expected or sought, although the work of worshiping leads to it necessarily, but it should be expected or required, otherwise the opening may be luring [Futuhat: II.505].