Imam Khomeini in his famous book of "an expostion on Forty Hadith" has undertaken a series of discussions as following:
(This is a different thing from volition, which al-Shaykh al-Ra’is Ibn Sina, in ‘al-‘Isharat’ alludes to as the initial stage of ‘irfan).
Some of our revered scholars (may God grant them longevity) also state that resolution is the essence of humanity and criterion of human freedom.
The differences in human gradation are actually indicative of the discrepancy of the stages of human resolution.
The resolution which is required for this particular stage is synonymous with laying the foundation of a good life, a resolution to purge life from sin, and to perform all obligatory (wajib) acts, and a resolution to compensate for the days lost (in sinfulness), and finally resolve to behave as a rational and religious person ought to.
That is, he should adopt a behavior that is in accordance with the codes of religious law, which would acknowledge him as a real human being, a rational man. His gait and manner should be an imitation and copy of the Prophet’s life. He must, in appearance, follow the Prophet (PBUH) as a model in his manner and actions, in his abstinences and his choices.
This is quite possible, since it is in the powers of ordinary servants of God seemingly to act in the way of that great leader of human beings.
You should know that no path for the realization of divine existence can be undertaken unless one familiarizes himself with the apparent or overt form of Shari’ah.
Unless a person fully acquaints himself with the knowledge of the Shari’ah laws and follows them faithfully, the higher values of morality cannot be attained by him.
Without adhering to the apparent teachings of Islam it is not possible that the light of the Divine Knowledge could descend upon his heart, and the wisdom of the invisible, and the mysteries of the holy law be revealed to him, Imam Khomeini further explained.
After attaining this stage, the truth unveiled for him and enlightenment bestowed upon his heart, a person would act with greater observance of the manifest forms of religion.
This falsifies the claims of pseudo spiritualists, who say that the inner perfection can only be acquired by relinquishing outer accomplishments, or, that after acquiring inner excellences, necessity of observing outward forms does not remain obligatory.
This is a mistaken conception born of ignorance about the stages of worship and the different grades of human progress.
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