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A Thousand Wisdoms - Preface

Preface

Tags: Hazrat Adam, Qur’anic wisdom, Ta'wil, Spiritual science, Astral body, Sarabil, Laden Ark, I, Throne

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The holy Lord says in a wisdom-filled verse: “Verily Allah and His angels send blessings through the Prophet (i.e. Muhammad and his progeny). O you who believe, seek blessings through him (and them) and submit to him (and them) as ought to be.” (33:56)

In verse (33:43) in the same surah, prior to the above-mentioned verse, it is also said regarding salawat: “He it is Who sends blessings on you, and His angels also, that He may bring you forth from the darknesses (of ignorance) unto the light (of knowledge and wisdom). And He is merciful to the mu’mins.” The combined purport of these two wisdom-filled verses is: O Allah, send blessings on mu’mins through Muhammad (s.a.s.) and his progeny, as you have mentioned in the wise Qur’an, so that they may attain the light of certainty! Amin.

The slip of Adam and Hawwa’: The Adam and the Hawwa’ of the personal world are the intellect and the soul. There are countless benefits in knowing the secrets of recognition of the intellect and the soul. God says in verse (2:36): “Then Satan caused them to slip from it (paradise).” That is, Adam and Hawwa’ (intellect and soul) were strolling with the feet of special dhikr (remembrance of God) in the paradise of spirituality, when Satan caused their feet to slip. That is, he interfered in their dhikr and they slipped because here by paradise (`an-ha) is meant the supreme Name (ism-i a`zam).

In the recognition of the personal world lies the recognition of the Prophets and awliya’ (Imams), in which in turn lies the recognition of God, which is the eternal Treasure or the Treasure of treasures. If you are a true seeker of this Treasure of treasures or the recognition of God, enter the wisdom of the Qur’an as it ought to be entered through the recognition of your own self (i.e. the personal world). Otherwise, today there are many greater difficulties than previously, because this is the age of the cycle of qiyamat (resurrection) in which many difficult problems are caused by the enormous stormy revolution of material science and it is impossible to maintain religion and faith intact without ta’wili wisdom. I am certain that the solution of these problems is in the Qur’anic wisdom, that is, ta’wil. The Teacher of ta’wil is always in this world and so also the special system and way of asking him.

Hidden Favours: It would be a great ingratitude and lack of appreciation if we do not reflect upon the favours of God at least to the extent of the knowledge of certainty (`ilmu’l-yaqin), as mentioned in verse (31:20): “Do you not see that Allah has subjugated to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and has completed His favours, both apparent and hidden, on you?” This is a representative verse and therefore, it contains within itself all meanings, as the heavens and the earth and the apparent and the hidden mean everything without any exception. In short, the hidden favours are in abundance in the Qur’an and they are in the form of its ta’wili wisdom, which is repeatedly praised in the Qur’an and the Hadith.

Invitation to reflection: It is an indubitable and indisputable fact that many Qur’anic verses emphatically invite to reflect upon the Qur’an and the external world (afaq) and the internal world (anfus), to the extent that in verse (47:24) God says: “Do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks on (their) hearts?” It is because of this that Hakim Pir Nasir says:

Hazar Hikmat: We have named this lovely book “Hazar Hikmat (A Thousand Wisdoms)”, because, praise be to God, it consists of a thousand wisdoms. It can also be called Qamusu’l-hikmah or Ta’wili Encyclopaedia. This work, in reality, is not the result and outcome of my humble efforts, but a special gift of the ardent giryah-u zari (shedding of tears with utmost humility) and supplication in the court of the Purveyor of needs by `azizan (students) who support me. Moreover, according to the law of Monoreality they live in my heart and soul in such a way that they are the ones who do everything for me as the angels of my personal world.

Principles of study: O my dears! If you want to benefit fully from the study of this book, study my other books also. Particularly study very carefully the quotations from the holy Qur’an and their context (i.e. the verses preceding and following them). Further, you should also use my audio and video cassettes. If there is still a wisdom which you cannot understand, consult our senior scholars. God willing, you will progress in knowledge and spirituality.

I always advise my students to study carefully every sacred farman of the exalted Imam, particularly those which are related to spiritual progress, those which teach heavenly love, those in which attention is drawn to spirit and spirituality and those which are related to the recognition of one’s own self and recognition of God.

Spiritual science: Science whether it is material or spiritual, is revealed from the treasures of one God (15:21). The place of its revelation is also the same, that is, the human heart and mind. Then the science (wisdom) has two branches, material and spiritual, so that ease and comfort may be provided for both body and soul. If a great bounty like science were limited to the body only and the soul deprived of it, it would be a great injustice. However, it is not so, in fact, the science which is for the sake of spiritual ease and comfort is very great indeed.

The comparison of material and spiritual sciences: Just as there is a world of difference between the body and the soul, similarly, there is a difference between material science and spiritual science. This is because material science is only a symbol and example of the real science, which is the spiritual science. Material science is a fleeting sign to that permanent and everlasting bounty; it is a desire and feeling to attain that supreme goal, just as an aeroplane though apparently very useful for travelling, in comparison to a flying saucer which is the product of spiritual science, is quite insignificant. In this comparison I do not intend to give only this brief introduction, I have already spoken and written quite a lot about this subject.

Some discoveries of the Personal World:

1. There are subtle human beings on the stars.
2. Flying saucer, in reality, is the astral body by using which man will be able to travel through the stars.
3. That which is called a human soul is a sum of countless souls.
4. A flying subtle particle has been seen which is a compound of matter and soul.
5. Jinn and pari are the same creature and the same community.
6. In subtle or astral body man can comfortably live on any star in the universe, because it is free from heat, cold, dryness and wetness.
7. There are subtle nourishments hidden in the air in the form of various fragrances.
8. The concept of higher “I” and lower “I” is very amazing.
9. There is going to be absolute and universal accord among the nations of the world, then all of them will be united.
10. Soon, first a great war and later on, small wars will cease to take place.
11. The cycle of spiritual science is coming.
12. Audio and video instruments of material science will be replaced in spiritual science by one spiritual power which will function as everything.
13. Until there is the subjugation of the self, the subjugation of the universe is not possible.
14. Just as an insect after a certain period turns into a moth and flies, man in a certain age will also turn from dense into subtle or from human being into an angel and is going to fly.
15. It is only Adam and man who is the tremendous and unique workshop in which all marvels and wonders of God are prepared.
16. Astral body (i.e. the subtle luminous man) is like a cold flame, because he is free from the elemental body.

Board of Governors: Although literally this is an ordinary phrase, it is special, rather unique in meaning, because the governors of this board are the mu’mins (men and women) who have high ambition and accomplish an unprecedented and lasting sacred service which is the sovereign of all services. This service is the tremendous feat of the gradual spreading everywhere of Qur’anic wisdom. It is a matchless service. This Qur’anic wisdom is the spiritual science and the knowledge of the Imam as well. Thus, how fortunate and eminent are our governors!

Army of knowledge: Hazrat Mawlana Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, salawatu’llahi `alayhi, has said: “Now I will fight with the Dhu’l-faqar of knowledge and wisdom and not with the Dhu’l-faqar of steel.” Since it is now the cycle of qiyamat and the age of ta’wil, therefore the Imam is waging the war of ta’wil against ignorance externally and internally and inviting his army of knowledge to take part in this war necessarily and compulsorily.

Office-bearers and members: I salute all office-bearers and members of Khanah-i Hikmat, ARIF and B.R.A. in such a fond and affectionate way that it embraces all exalted meanings of Monoreality, because the progress which we and our organisations have made is due to their support and efforts. God willing, the secrets of recognition will be divulged to them and He in His infinite mercy will bless them in this world and in the next and will keep them attached to the service of knowledge of the holy Imam, generation after generation. Amin!

Shirts (sarabil): They are the celestial miraculous bodies which are affected neither by heat, cold, dryness and wetness, nor by war, including nuclear war. These cosmic shirts or garments according to the Qur’an (16:81) are specifically for the people of faith. Another name of this garment according to the Qur’an (16:5) is dif’ (warm clothing made of camel’s hair). Our `azizan have an ample store of the knowledge of certainty, therefore, they are aware of the secret that those miraculous shirts, namely, the copies of the Perfect Man are made in the destination of `Izra’il and at the rank of Intellect. Here, the wonderful wisdom should be noted that dif’ comes from lawful animals, which are one of the Qur’anic similitudes for the hudud-i din (the ranks of religion) (16:5).

The world of creation and the world of command: It is mentioned in verse (7:54): “Verily, His is the creation and the command. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” By the creation is meant the physical world in which everything comes into existence after a certain time and by the command is meant the spiritual world where everything comes into existence instantaneously without any delay by the command of “Be (kun)”. There is diversity and abundance of mercy and knowledge in both these ways of coming into existence of things.

Whether God says “Be!” to a thing or just wills it, the willed thing comes into existence. Here the interesting point should also be noted that every decree (hukm) of God is exactly like the “command of Be”. That is, He is omnipotent and doer of what He wills (85:16). Therefore, when He commands a thing to be done, it is instantaneously and immediately accomplished in the world of command without any delay, even though it takes time to be accomplished in the world of creation.

Treasure of a Sacred Hadith: God says: “O the son of Adam! I have created you for eternity. I am everliving and I do not die. Obey me in what I have commanded you and refrain from what I have forbidden you. I will make you everliving and you will never die. O son of Adam! I have the power that if I say to a thing “Be”! it becomes; obey me in what I have commanded you and refrain from what I have forbidden you, so that I may make you powerful that if you say to a thing “Be!”, it becomes.” (Rasa’il, I, 298).

Laden Ark: It is mentioned in verse (36:41): “And a sign unto them is that He bore their off-spring in the laden ark.” Esoteric translation: “And a miracle for them is that We bore the particles of their soul in the laden ark.” The off-spring of a person are not in the past, rather in the present and in the future. Therefore, here it is correct to say that by off-spring (dhurriyyat) are meant the particles of soul which by the command of God, were borne in the spiritual ark of Hazrat Nuh and in this lies a very great secret.

O my dears! Try to ascend higher and higher in the ranks of true knowledge to attain complete certainty of the secret that in your higher “I” you are always merged in the origin, and you have also come to this world with respect to the lower “I”. Thus, when by the mercy of God, you will see the ark and the captain of the ark on the ocean of knowledge, gradually the secret of recognition will be revealed to you that the captain of the ark is the Single Soul (nafs-i wahidah) who encompasses everyone. And in this sense the Single Soul is the laden ark, that is, the pure personality who is in the ark is perfect and complete and full of higher “Is”. Thus the meaning of embarking on the laden ark is that you become certain that you are already in it.

Throne or Ark?: In the light of the wise Qur’an and the recognition of the personal world, the earthly throne of God was/is/will be on the water (11:7). The same symbolic throne is also the ark, and in such Qur’anic similitudes there is a great test for our knowledge and actions. According to another similitude, God’s throne is in the higher world. It should be noted that the ultimate destination of the true religion is recognition (ma`rifat), recognition is not possible without didar (vision), didar is not possible without the recognition of self, recognition of self is not possible without the spiritual journey, the spiritual journey is not possible without the beautiful names and the beautiful names can be attained only by the teaching of the true successor of the holy Prophet. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

N.N. (Hubb-i `Ali) Hunzai,
Karachi,
Thursday, 3 Jumada II,
1417/17th October, 1996.