A Thousand Wisdoms - Chapter Sin

Chapter Sin

Tags: Sin

417 - Sahirah

Plain, the earth, plain of resurrection, the earth of the personal world:

It is a hidden name of the earth of the personal world, which is given with respect to the vigil of the night, as the one who keeps vigils frequently is called "sahhar" or "suharah" and "sahirah" (f.). Verses (79:13-14) say: "Verily, it shall be but a single (violent) blast, when lo! they shall be in the sahirah (plain of resurrection)."

418 - Sabab

Rope, means:

Internally the Qur'an and `itrat (ahl-i bayt=Imam) are the same one light which is like a rope or ladder between the heaven and the earth, and this is also the straight path. This rope is extended from the supreme heaven to the earth, so that people may reach the Lord of the Throne through this rope or ladder of knowledge and recognition. This is the most marvellous as well as the most understandable example. Thus, when an `arif gradually progresses upwards, at every level he sees the Qur’an and the Imam in the form of one Light. He sees the upper end of this luminous rope even in the presence of God, which is both the great Qur'an and the manifest Imam.

419 - Sab` (1)

Seven:

It is mentioned in verse (15:87): "And We have certainly given you seven repeated (suratu'l-Hamd) and the glorious Qur’an." One great ta'wil of this is that by the seven repeated (sab`-i mathani) are meant the seven Imams. In the cycles of previous natiqs every cycle used to consist of seven Imams, but God did (special) favour to the holy Prophet and extended the chain of the seven repeated (Imams) for the sake of his work and granted him the glorious Qur’an (i.e. qa'imu'l-qiyamat).

420 - Sab` (2)

Seven:

The universal and far reaching ta'wil of the above-mentioned verse is that, in reality from the very beginning, the chain of the seven repeated (i.e. sab`-i mathani) Imams is in the blessed name of the holy Prophet, because it is he who is the chief of the Prophets, the lord of the great cycle (dawr-i a`zam) and the purpose of the very creation of the universe.

421 - Sab`ah ahruf

Seven letters:

The holy Prophet says: "The Qur'an is revealed on seven letters, each of those letters is sufficient (in knowledge and wisdom) and healing (from inner diseases, i.e. spiritual and intellectual diseases)." According to Sayyidna Mansuru’l-Yaman, the ta'wili wisdom of this Hadith is that by the Qur'an is meant his wasiyy (legatee) and asas (foundation), because he is the custodian of the ta'wil of the Qur'an and mazhar (locus of manifestation) of its wonders and marvels and by seven letters is meant the pure Imams from his children, of whom each one is sufficient (in knowledge and wisdom) and healing (from inner diseases) for the people of his time (Sara’ir, p. 88).

422 - Sittah ayyam (1)

Six days:

It is mentioned in verse (7:54): "Verily your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established equality (musawat) on the Throne." By this creation is meant the creation of the world of religion which became complete in six major cycles and the creation of the personal world which became complete in six minor cycles.

423 - Sittah ayyam (2)

Six days:

The six blessed days of Allah are: Hazrat Adam, Hazrat Nuh, Hazrat Ibrahim, Hazrat Musa, Hazrat `Isa and Hazrat Muhammad (a.s.). The world of religion became complete in the six major cycles of these natiqs and the seventh day which is Saturday is Hazrat qa’imu’l-qiyamat in which God established equality (musawat) through the Throne (light of Intellect), which is renewed and recognised in the personal world.

424 - Sittah ayyam (3)

Six days:

One day of God is a thousand years (22:47). According to this, the creation of the world of religion completed in six thousand years and the last cycle of one thousand years is assigned for Hazrat qa'imu’l-qiyamat (11:7; 25:59).

425 - Sakhkhara

He subjugated, he made obedient:

God has potentially made everything of the heaven and the earth obedient to mankind. This is mentioned in various Qur'anic verses. In this Divine teaching attention is drawn to both external and internal science. Those verses are mentioned under the heading of "wa sakhkhara lakum (And He has subjugated to you)” (45:13; 31:20).

426 - Sidrah (1)

The lote-tree:

The lote-tree of the utmost boundary is one of the examples of the Universal Soul, who is beyond time and space, as mentioned in verses (53:13-14): "And he (the Prophet) saw Him yet another time near the lote-tree of the utmost boundary." Here there is a special question for the seekers of truth: Whom did the Prophet see? Who had invited him? Obviously he was seeking the vision of God and this he attained.

427 - Sidrah (2)

The lote-tree, the Universal Soul:

It is said in verses (53:15-16): "Close to which is the paradise of abode, while the lote-tree was hiding (a precious thing) and showing." The sacred Sanctuary is the treasure of the secrets of both the worlds, where there is everything and no real bounty is outside of it.

428 - Sidrah (3)

The Universal Soul:

The lote-tree of the utmost boundary namely, the Universal Soul, who is beyond time and space, is at the end of the spiritual journey and resurrection, and therefore many things come to an end there, such as humanity, multiplicity, duality, doubt, ignorance, separation, death, indigence, humility, fear, grief, etc. Thus the name sidratu'l-muntaha or the lote-tree of the utmost boundary is in the sense that by reaching it, the above-mentioned things come to an end. In this state, space and time are transformed into a non-spatial and non-temporal state (dahr). Also resurrection, man, multiplicity and duality, doubt, ignorance, separation, death, indigence, humility, fear and grief are transformed into the hereafter, angel, unity, the truth of certainty, knowledge, union, eternal life, treasure, everlasting honour, peace and permanent happiness, respectively.

429 - Sidrah (4)

The lote-tree of the utmost boundary:

In connection with mi`raj, it is mentioned in this way: "And he saw that manifestation twice at the lote-tree of the utmost boundary, near which is the garden of abode, when the lote-tree was concealing what it was concealing." (53:13-16)

The great scholars of the people of zahir (exotericists/literalists) have confessed that they do not know the reality of the lote-tree of the utmost boundary, because to discover such secrets is extremely difficult. However, such secrets of the Qur'an are certainly in the treasure of the Imam of the time.

430 - Sidrah (5)

Lote-tree:

By sidratu’l-muntaha or the lote-tree of the utmost boundary is meant the Universal Soul at which the spiritual journey of the personal world comes to an end. The word "muntaha (utmost boundary)" alludes to this meaning. It is a lote-tree in the sense that it has the precious pearls of Divine treasure which are compared to lotes, and these were the extremely precious pearls which were shown and concealed repeatedly.

431 - Sarabil (sing. sirbal)

Shirts:

"And He has made shirts for you to protect you from the heat, and shirts to protect you in your fighting." (16:81). These miraculous shirts are such that they are affected neither by heat, nor by cold, nor can they be destroyed by war. These subtle cosmic shirts are not lifeless, rather they are living souls and the Supreme Soul in them encompasses all of us. This means that we live on the stars even now in the ibda`i body which is our higher "I".

432 - Siraj (pl. suruj) (1)

Lamp:

In the wise Qur’an the sun is compared to the lamp (siraj) and the moon is called luminous (munir) and a light (nur) (25:61; 71:16; 78:13). The great wisdom of this is wondrous: just as the lamp is lit with the oil and in order to keep it lit during the whole night, oil is poured into it repeatedly, similarly, in order to keep the sun burning, the Divine hand continuously casts the cosmic fuel into it. For the detailed explanation of this see the "Balance of Realities", pp. 59-61.

433 - Siraj (2)

Lamp:

One of the noble names of the holy Prophet is a "luminous lamp (sirajan munira, 33:46). This means that those fortunate souls who are annihilated in the Prophet and the Imam as a result of true love, are transformed into light forever, just as the cosmic fuel being cast into the sun turns into light.

434 - Siraj (3)

Lamp:

There is no doubt that the luminous lamp, i.e. the holy Prophet is the sun of the world of religion and his wasiyy (legatee) is its moon, as God says in verses (91:1-2): "By the sun and his forenoon, by the moon when she follows him." Here, by the sun is meant natiq and by the moon, asas, who are the sun and the moon of the world of religion.

435 - Sa`a

He ran, he strove:

In verse (53:39) it is mentioned: "And that for man there is nothing save what he strives for." In this verse there are satisfactory answers to many questions. Praise belongs to Allah for His kindness and favour!

436 - Safinah

Ark, Nuh’s ark, ahl-i bayt:

The holy Prophet says: “The example of my ahl-i bayt among you is like that of Nuh’s ark. He who embarks on it is saved and he who did not, drowned.” (al-Mustadrak, III, 163)

437 - Sikkin (pl. sakakin)

Knife:

By knife is meant the covenant and ism-i a`zam, because it is by its remembrance that the cow of the carnal soul can be slaughtered, as verse (2:67) says: "And when Musa said to his people: Verily, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow."

438 - Sulalah

Quintessence, extract:

In verse (23:12), it is mentioned that man is created from the quintessence of clay and in verse (32:8) it is mentioned that he is created from the quintessence of base fluid. By the quintessence of base fluid is meant the particle of soul which comes from the loins of the father, which in reality is from the Divine treasure (15:21). O my dears! Initially everything is a particle and nothing is exempt from this law of nature.

439 - Salam (1)

Peace, protection:

God says in verse (37:79): "Peace be upon Nuh among the people of the world." Since all people do not send peace upon Hazrat Nuh, therefore it is important to understand its ta'wili wisdom which is very concise but most comprehensive, which is that “there is peace upon Hazrat Nuh in every personal world”. That is, the spiritual or luminous record or movie of the spiritual science of Hazrat Nuh is safe and preserved intact in the personal world.

440 - Salam (2)

Peace, eternal protection:

It is said about Hazrat Ibrahim in verse (37:109): "Peace be upon Ibrahim." That is, there is peace upon Hazrat Ibrahim in every personal world. He is eternally alive and safe in the personal world and also whatever is said about him in the Qur'an is also safe and preserved spiritually. In short, the personal world is the mirror of spirituality, in which all things related to the perfect recognition of Prophets and Imams are completely observed.

441 - Salam (3)

Eternal peace:

It is said about Hazrat Musa and Hazrat Harun in verse (37:120): "Peace be upon Musa and Harun." That is, there is peace upon them in all personal worlds. This peace can be granted to all mu'mins of all ummats through natiqs and asases, because those who are appointed by God, spread His mercy.

442 - Salam (4)

Eternal peace, source of protection:

God says in verse (37:130): Peace be upon “Il-Yasin". Regarding “Il-Yasin” there are two readings: One is “Ilyas". In that case it means: There is peace upon Hazrat Ilyas in all personal worlds. The other is “Al-i Ya-Sin”, i.e. “Al-i Muhammad (s.a.s.). The ta'wil in the latter case is that there is peace on the progeny of Muhammad (s.a.s.) in every personal world. There is no doubt that al-i Muhammad (s.a.s.) is the manifest Imam as well as the actual personal world. Therefore, he is both peace and the source of peace from God (36:12), other than whom there is no personal world.

443 - Salam (5)

Peace, peace of baqa’ bi’llah:

In addition to the above-mentioned verses, there is verse (37:18) in the same surah, in which God also says: "And peace be upon all Messengers." That is, there is peace on all Messengers in the personal worlds. That is, the Prophets have attained the rank of fana’ fi’llah and baqa’ bi’llah, therefore, they are eternally alive and safe in His blessed name "as-salam". And this is the meaning of God saying "peace be upon them".

444 - Salam (6)

Everlasting bounty of eternal peace:

O the light of my eyes! When men say customary peace to one another, it is used only in the sense of prayer, but when God uses it, it is not in the sense of prayer, there is actually the bounty of peace, because God's speech transcends prayer.

445 - Salam (7)

Abode of eternal peace, paradise:

It is said in verse (10:25): "And Allah invites to the abode of peace", which is the personal world of the Imam-i mubin in this world as well as in the next, and it is his personal world which is the living paradise full of the treasures of intellect, knowledge and wisdom.

446 - Salsabil

Name of a spring in paradise:

It is mentioned in verse (76:18): "It is a spring in paradise, named Salsabil." Salsabil = sal sabil (ask for the path). This is one of the names of the Lord of command who is the fountainhead of knowledge and guidance, and shows the path of guidance externally and internally if he (Imam) is duly asked. Praise belongs to Allah, the Sustainer of the worlds!

447 - Sullam (pl. salalim, salaleem)

Ladder:

It is said in verse (52:38): "Or do they have a ladder by which they can (climb up to the higher world and) listen (to the secrets)? Then let them bring a manifest proof." This is a clear indication that after the holy Prophet it is only the Imam of the time who is the rope of God and the ladder to the higher world.

448 - Salman (1)

A name:

It is said in a Hadith: "Salman is from us, the ahl-i bayt." This Hadith alludes to the fact that mu'mins of the first rank, male or female, can also be included in the ahl-i bayt.

449 - Salman (2)

Salman:

It is stated in a Hadith: "Inna Salmana minna ahli’l-bayt = Indeed Salman is from us, ahl-i bayt." This name was given to Salman-i Farsi by the holy Prophet. Therefore, it is among the most comprehensive words, as the holy Prophet says: "I have been given the most comprehensive words." That is, every word of the Qur'an and the Hadith is most comprehensive and thus has several meanings. The name "Salman" is one such comprehensive and selected word.

450 - Salman (3)

Salmanu’l-khayr:

Salman was an exemplary mu'min of the time of Prophethood.
Salman is a proof of the verse of the sound heart (26:89).
He became one of the doors of paradise.
The sacred light of the holy ahl-i bayt had risen in the personal world of Salman.
In the time of every Imam, some pure mu'mins (men and women) become like Salman-i Farsi.

451 - Salman (4)

Salman, one of the ahl-i bayt of the Prophet:

It is said in a Hadith: "Indeed, Salman is from us, the ahl-i bayt." (Safinatu'l-bihar, I, 647). The holy Prophet has also said about Salman: "Salman is given a part of knowledge." Also "Salman is so learned that nobody can reach him." (Sirat-i Salman, p. 146; Kanz, XI, 690).

452 - Salman (5)

Salman as an `alim of given knowledge:

When the Commander of the faithful Mawla `Ali was asked about Salman, he said: "He is given the first knowledge and the last knowledge, and that which he has, cannot be grasped." (Tabaqat, IV, 85). The Imam also said: "He has the knowledge of the first ones and the last ones." (Sirat-i Salman, p. 155)

453 - Saluni (1)

Ask me!:

Mawla `Ali said to the people present in his time: "Ask me (the maxims of knowledge and wisdom) before you lose me." It is a fact that the exalted Imam, whom the Benevolent God and the holy Prophet had appointed for the sake of the guidance of the people, has been lost by many groups. (Kawkab, p. 299)

454 - Saluni (2)

Ask me!:

Mawla `Ali (a.s.) says: "Ask me whatever is under the Throne (i.e. the light of intellect)" (Ibid., p. 298). That is, I have the light of the Intellect which encompasses all things. Therefore, ask me about whatever you want to know, according to the way ordained for asking me.

455 - Salim (1)

Faultless, flawless, pure, sound heart, the heart which is free from inner diseases:

In verse (37:84), it is mentioned about Hazrat Ibrahim: First translation: "When he came to his Lord with a faultless heart." Second translation: "When he came to his Lord with a heart worthy of submitting", so that God may take it in His blessed hand and may turn it between two of His fingers the way He wants to turn it and make it the mirror of His beauty, elegance and perfect attributes and the treasure of the secrets of azal and abad. So that a luminous example of guidance would remain forever for the people in this guiding act of Hazrat Ibrahim, who was the Imam of the people (2:124).

456 - Salim (2)

The heart which is submitted to God:

"Muqallibu'l-qulub, i.e. the Turner of (the intentions of) the hearts" is one of the names of God. In this there is a ta'wili wisdom which we will explain under the following Hadith: "Indeed, the hearts, all of them, are between the two fingers of God (which He turns as He likes)." Those `arifs who have attained the holy vision of God can tell that by the five fingers of Rahman are meant the five higher hudud: the Universal Intellect, the Universal Soul, Israfil, Mika'il and Jibra'il. The ta'wil of all hearts being between the two fingers of God is the "qalb-i salim (sound heart)" which is the heart (intellect) of the Imam which represents all hearts and is between the Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul.

457 - Salim (3)

The heart which is free from inner diseases:

It is said in verse (26:89): "Save to him who comes to Allah with a faultless heart." To go to the presence of God in such a way (i.e. with a faultless heart) is not an ordinary thing, it is the excellent character of Hazrat Ibrahim and his spiritual companions (60:4) and that of the holy Prophet (33:21).

458 - as-Sama’ ad-dunya (1)

The nearest heaven:

The nearest heaven is mentioned in verses (15:16; 37:6; 41:12; 67:5). This is the heaven of the personal world, which due to its being under the seven spiritual heavens, is the nearest one, as mentioned in verses (37:6-8): "Verily We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of the stars and have protected it against every rebellious devil, (so that) they are not able to listen to the (conversation of the) exalted chiefs."

459 - as-Sama’ ad-dunya (2)

Heaven of the personal world:

It is mentioned in verse (41:12): "And We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and (made it) guarding (the heavens above it from devils)”. A few great devils with extreme difficulty can fly to the heaven of the personal world. The colourful lights there are so attractive and so fascinating that they become trapped there and cannot come out of them and go to the higher heavens.

460 - as-Sama’ ad-dunya (3)

The heaven which is nearest:

The heaven of the personal world which is illumined with lamps is both light as well as fire, as mentioned in verse (67:5): "Verily, We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and We have made them missiles to drive away the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the flaming fire." The devils are deprived of the great secrets of the higher world because they did not recognise the Vicegerent of God.

461 - as-Sama’ ad-dunya (4)

The nearest heaven:

In verse (41:12) it is mentioned: "And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and made it as a guard (against devils)." God has protected the intellectual and spiritual heavens from devils in the way that He has decorated the nearest heaven (the True Guide) with the lamps of knowledge and wisdom, in which there is the light of guidance for the people of faith, and flaming missiles for the devils. (67:5)

462 - as-Sama’ ad-dunya (5)

The nearest heaven:

God made His Prophet the luminous lamp of guidance (33:46). He, in his time, was that living and speaking heaven of knowledge and wisdom who could come closer to the people. His every word and deed was a lamp from which the mu'mins used to receive the light of guidance, whereas flaming missiles were thrown upon the disbelievers.

463 - as-Sama’ ad-dunya (6)

The nearest heaven:

In verse (71:11) it is said: "He will send upon you the heaven which pours plenteous rain." That is, due to obedience and humility, the spiritual heaven will be very kind to you and will pour the rain of knowledge and guidance.

464 - as-Sama’ ad-dunya (7)

The nearest heaven:]]

In verse (72:8) it is mentioned: "And We sought the heaven, but We found it filled with strong guards and shooting flames." It is clear that this is that heaven of spirituality which is close to man and jinn, i.e. the rank of Imamat, but there are many lamps of protection in it, from which light spreads and flaming missiles are hurled.

465 - Sam` (pl. asma`)

Ear:

In verse (32:9) it is indicated that the natiq acts as the spiritual hearing of the people of batin, because this verse alludes to the recognition of the Perfect Man and hence the physical ears are not mentioned in it.

466 - Samiyy

Namesake, equal, alike:

In verse (19:7) it is mentioned that before Yahya, son of Zakariyya, none had this name. Then in the same chapter in verse (19:65), it is mentioned that God does not have a namesake. He says: "Do you know of any who is worthy of the same name as He?" That is, the Prophets and Imams in their respective periods are the beautiful supreme Names of God, therefore, they are unique and have no namesake. In this sense God has no namesake, since the Prophets and Imams with their countless beauties are His names.

467 - Sunnah

Habitual practice, customary procedure or action, norm, law of God, wisdom, law of nature:

The subject of sunnat is among the fundamental subjects in the wise Qur’an. There is no change in the fundamental and principal matters of the true religion. The sunnat of God continues to manifest itself in the personal world of the Perfect Men, and its renewal always continues. Study carefully the verses related to the subject of the sunnat of God.

468 - Sawiyy

Straight, equal, correct:

In verse (19:17) the meanings of "basharan sawiyya (the sound human being)" are:

Ibda`i body,
The appearance of the angel in the form of a Perfect Man,
Astral body,
Paradisiacal attire,
Creature of paradise,
Believing jinn,
Manifestation of mubda`,
Subtle body,
Miracle of ibda`,
Miracle of inbi`ath,
Similitudinal body (jism-i mithali),
A new creation,
Mihrab,
Saffa,
Saffan saffa,
Macrocosm,
Essence of the universe,
New attire (thos gatu), etc.

Praise belongs to God for His kindness and favour!

469 - Siru

Travel:

In verse (29:20) it is mentioned: "Say: Travel in the earth and see how He originated creation; and then Allah brings forth another creation." That is, through true knowledge and special `ibadat, enter the personal world and travel in its earth, so that you may have the recognition of creation and the Creator. Otherwise the purpose of recognition cannot be attained by simply travelling on the external earth.

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