ISTIDRÂJ – إِستِدراَج

Etymology and Literal meaning:

Derives from the Arabic root d-r-j (د-ر-ج), which carries the primary sense of moving step by step, proceeding by degrees, or ascending/descending a staircase (darajah). In the derived form istidrâj (إِستِدراَج), the word takes on the active meaning of drawing someone in or leading him along incrementally. Thus, it literally signifies:

• The act of enticing or drawing someone in step by step;

• A gradual, imperceptible leading towards a specific condition;

• Raising or lowering a person by subtle degrees without their conscious awareness.

As an Islamic term: A law of 'âdâtullah whereby Allah gradually draws a persistent sinner or transgressor towards absolute ruin and destruction. This is executed by granting them worldly success, ni’mahs, a vast following and occasionally extraordinary acts that outwardly resemble karâmât. It consists in leading an individual along a path conforming to their base desires to a juncture where catastrophe awaits. The recipient of istidrâj presumes this trajectory to be advantageous progress, whereas in reality, he is being dragged towards the abyss.

The Qur'an decrees this law of 'âdâtullah in surah al-A'râf (7:182) and surah al-Qalam (68:44):

سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

"We shall draw them on step by step in ways they do not perceive."

Allah continuously bestows upon such a person apparent ni’mahs that are ultimately to his detriment. Misinterpreting these ni’mahs as marks of approval of Allah and validating his bâtil way as haqq and his wrongdoings as right, the individual inflates in pride and transgression until he suddenly confronts severe retribution. For istidrâj appaers to be a favour, but in reality it is a punishment. This is also referred to as كيد (kayd)— a subtle stratagem of Allah whereby He catches the transgressor unawares in his misdeeds.

In a hadith, istidraj is expounded as follows:

إِذَا رَأَيْتَ اللَّهَ يُعْطِي الْعَبْدَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا مَا يُحِبُّ وَهُوَ مُقِيمٌ عَلَى مَعَاصِيهِ فَإِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ اسْتِدْرَاجٌ

“When you see that Allah bestowing upon an ‘abd of His the worldly things he desires whilst he remains persistent in his sins, know that it is merely istidrâj.”1

In his celebrated work At-Ta'rîfât, Sayyid Sharîf al-Jurjânî defines karâmât as "an extraordinary state manifesting through a person endowed with îmân on account of his 'amal as-sâlih." He further clarifies: "If such an extraordinary state manifests through a person devoid of îmân, or one whose conduct deviates from the Sharî'ah, it is istidrâj."

Istidrâj may manifest through deceptive worldly leaders as well as individuals within religious spheres who are driven by ananiyyah. Since Allah tests His ‘abds through triumphs as much as through tribulations, a Muslim must never place uncritical trust in mere outward successes, but rather continually weigh his actions on the scale of the Sharî‘ah.

Selected excerpts from the Risale-i Nur on the haqiqah of istidrâj:

Know that the meaning of karâmât is the exact opposite of that of istidrâj. For karâmât, like a miracle, is an act of Allah. The one endowed with it is acutely aware that it is bestowed by the Subhân, and does not arise from his nafs; finding his heart at ease in the knowledge that Allah is his Protector and Guardian Who wills what is khayr for him, his certainty (yaqîn) and tawakkul increase. Sometimes, he may be conscious of the fine details of these karâmât with Allah’s permission, sometimes he may not, and the latter is safer and better.

For example, Allah grants him speech expressing what is in someone’s heart, or causes a haqiqah to be visualised before a person in a state of wakefulness (yaqadhah) so as to be the means for his hidâyah — yet the one honoured with such karâmât remains unaware of what Allah is effecting through him for His ‘abds.

As for istidrâj, it consists the unveiling of matters of the ghayb to a person while he is in a state of ghaflah, or his performing extraordinary acts. Yet he attributes these to his nafs and power. Consequently, his distance from Allah, his ananiyyah and his pride only increase. Then he says,

اِنَّمَا اُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ2

and, "It was unveiled to me by virtue of the purity of my nafs and the illumination of my heart!" Yet, there is no confounding between those subject to istidraj and the people of walâyah in the intermediate degrees of ma’nawî ranks.

As for those who have reached total annihilation (al-fanâ’ al-atam) among the highest ranks, to whom matters of the ghayb are unveiled by Allah’s permission, they perceive these realities through their senses and feelings, which are dedicated entirely to Allah — in accordance with the noble hadith

فإذا أحببته: كنت سمعه الذي يسمع به، وبصره الذي يبصر به، ويده التي يبطش بها، ورجله التي يمشي بها3

Here, the distinction is even more manifest, for the inner luminosity of their hearts, which overflows into their outward demeanor, is far too elevated to ever be confused with the darkness of one who acts out of ostentation and calls others to his own ananiyyah.

Al-Mathnawi al-Nuri (518)

To disclose a karâmât without necessity is harmful, whereas the disclosure of a bestowal is the declaration of the ni’mah of Allah.

If a person honoured with karâmât is aware that an extraordinary act is manifested through him, and if his nafs al-ammârah remains, it might transform into istidrâj in respect of relying on himself, trusting his nafs and kashf and falling into pride.

If he is not aware that an extraordinary act is manifested through him — for instance, there is a question in someone’s heart, and Allah grants him speech that gives a perfectly matching answer to that question, only understanding it afterwards, and after understanding it, his trust increases not in his own nafs, but in his Rabb, and he says, "I have a Hafîdh, Who conducts the tarbiyyah of me more than I do myself,” thereby increasing his tawakkul — this kind is a harmless karâmât; he is not charged with concealing it, yet he should not intentionally strive to display it for the sake of boastful pride. For since, apparently, man's kasb has a share in it, he might attribute it to his nafs.

As for a bestowal (ikrâm): it is even safer than the safe, second kind of karâmât, and in my view, is more elevated. Disclosing it is the declaration of the ni’mah of Allah. Man’s kasb has no share in it, and his nafs does not attribute it to itself.

The Ninth Letter

4 اَمْ يُرِيدُونَ كَيْدًا فَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هُمُ الْمَكِيدُونَ Or, like charlatan munâfiqs and deceptive zindiqs whose fitrahs are corrupted and consciences rotted, do they want to deceive the people, trick them and turn them away from the hidâyah, which they themselves cannot obtain? Do they want to make others believe what they themselves do not even believe by calling you at one time a soothsayer, at another time a madman and another time a sorcerer? Do not deem such deceitful charlatans as human beings, nor be saddened by their wiles and denials or become dispirited! Rather, increase your efforts even more! For they only trick their own nafs and harm themselves; and their success in evil is temporary; it is istidraj and a stratagem of Allah.

The Twenty-Fifth Word/First Light/First Ray/5th Point

Mentioned in the riwâyât are the wondrous enactments of the two Dajjals and their extraordinary power and grandeur. It is even reported that certain unfortunate people attribute a form of ulûhiyyah to them. What is the reason for it?

The Answer: وَ الْعِلْمُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ‌ As for their enactments being so great and extraordinary: Since these mostly consist of destruction and incitement to the carnal desires of the nafs (hawâ), they easily accomplish such extraordinary feats that it has been said in a narration: "One day of theirs is a year" — that is, what they accomplish in a single year cannot be carried out in three hundred years.

As for their power appearing to be so extraordinary, this stems from four aspects and causes:

The First: Since, by way of istidrâj, in their despotic and vast regime, the progress and positive outcomes that occur through the power of brave armies and a striving nation are unjustly attributed to them, it causes the power of thousands of men to be imagined in their persons. However, in haqiqah and according to fundamental principles, the positive virtues, glory and spoils that come into existence through the actions of a community are divided among that community and given to its members. As for the malpractises, destructions and losses, they are attributed to its leader's failure in his administration and his faults. For example, if a battalion conquers a fortress, the spoils and glory belong to their bayonets; whereas if losses occur due to misdirected measures, they belong to their commander.

Thus, entirely contrary to this fundamental principle of haqq and haqiqah, because positive progress and positive outcomes are attributed to those fearsome leaders while negative enactments and harmful outcomes are attributed to their unfortunate nation, those individuals, who deserve public hatred, gain public love from the people of ghaflah by way of istidrâj.

The Fifth Ray-The Second Matter