Four Doors is a concept in Sufism and in branches of Islam heavily influenced by Sufism such as Isma'ilism and Alevism. In this system, there are four paths to God, starting with Sharia (exoteric path), then to Tariqa (esoteric path), then to Marifa (mystical knowledge), and then finally to Haqiqa (truth).
In Alevism, ten stations are listed for each of the Foor Doors. Hence, in full, the Four Doors are also known as the Four Doors and Forty Stations (). These Forty Stations are listed below.
The Door of Shari'ah 1. The Door of Sharîʻah/Divine Law to believe to learn knowledge (‘ilm) to worship to earn only what sustenance is permitted (halâl) by its creator in a way that is also permissible abstaining from that which one's creator has forbidden (harâm) to perform marriages / to marry oneself to abstain from sexual relation during inappropriate times to be a member of the community following the tradition of Muhammad to be compassionate, to dress simply and to consume simple foods to enjoin that which is right and abstain from that which is wrong
The Door of Tariqah 2. The Door of Tarîqah/Sufi Path taking the hand of a Sufi sheikh and repenting willfully becoming a disciple (murîd) of a Sufi sheikh keeping one's clothes, hair: beard both clean and in order struggling against the desires of one's flesh (nafs) serving others being in a state between excessive fear and hope taking lessons from and providing guidance to others distributing God's bounties to others reaching a state of intense love and a high level of enthusiasm seeing his inner essence as poor
The Door of Ma'rifah 3. The Door of Ma'rifah/Divine Knowledge proper morals (adab) fear abstinence patience and frugality feeling embarrassment generosity knowledge (‘ilm) intense poverty maʻrifah knowing oneself
The Door of Haqiqah 4. The Door of Haqîqah/Truth becoming earth not scorning the 72 nations of humanity being as merciful and compassionate as possible not seeing anyone's faults to be in agreement with the principles of singleness, uniqueness: oneness of God (tawhîd) Guarding and not revealing the divine secrets (kitmân al-sirr) following a specific spiritual path (sayr-i sulûk) secret (sirr) beseeching God (munâjât) witnessing God's manifestation in creation (mushâhadah)
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