A Thousand Wisdoms - Chapter Kaf
Chapter Kaf
Tags: Kaf
702 - Ka's
Wine-cup, goblet:
It is said in verse (37:45): "A goblet from a spring of wine (ma`in) is brought round for them." Wherever in the holy Qur’an the wine of paradise is mentioned, it means the true love which is aroused by the Divine vision, which according to "Everyday He is in a (different) splendour" (55:29), necessitates different manifestations. This means that mazhar and mazahir (locus and loci of manifestation) are the attributive names of God.
Check a dictionary for the explanation of the word "ma`in", which is the past participle of "`ayna - ya`inu", which means to possess eyes with wide pupils. Therefore, here there is an allusion to the wine of vision (sharab-i didar) which is the wine of love. Further when it is used as an adjective of water, it means the spring which flows on the surface of the earth and is seen with the eyes.
703 - Kitab (1)
Record of deeds:
In verses (83:18-21), it is mentioned: "Nay, the record of the righteous is in `illiyyun. What makes you know what `illiyyun is? It is a written Book which can be seen only by those who are near to God." `illiyyun is the name of a luminous subtle personality. You can call it an angel. It is one as well as many. It is the Book as well as the record of deeds of the righteous. It can be observed in this world only by those who are close to God.
704 - Kitab (2)
Record of deeds:
It is said in verse (23:62): "And with Us is a Book; it speaks the truth, and they will not be dealt with unjustly." This is the sacred light of the exalted Imam who is the speaking Book (Speaking Qur'an) and as the witness over the people, their record of deeds as well.
705 - Kitab(3)
Record of deeds:
Those saliks who have experienced the spiritual death, necessarily see their own record of deeds, because personal resurrection is not possible without this. This is also the annihilation in the Imam (fana' fi'l-imam) without which nobody can enter the city of knowledge and the house of wisdom of the holy Prophet.
706 - Kitab (4)
Record of deeds:
In verse (78:29) it is mentioned: "And We have encompassed everything in (the form of) a Book." That is, the entire world is enfolded in the personal world of everybody and this is the witness of the extremely detailed book of deeds, i.e. the light of Imamat.
707 - Kitab maknun (1)
Hidden Book:
This treasure of wisdom is mentioned in verses (56:77-78): "That, verily, it is an honourable Qur'an in a hidden Book." That is, all the secrets of wisdom of the holy Qur’an are hidden in the magnificent signs of the Pearl of Intellect.
708 - Kitab maknun (2)
Hidden Book:
This treasure of wisdom is in verses (56:77-79): "That, verily it is an honourable Qur'an, in a Hidden Book, which none can touch save the purified ones." That is, the Pearl of Intellect.
709 - Kitab maknun (3)
Hidden Book:
In verse (38:45) Hazrat Ibrahim, Hazrat Ishaq and Hazrat Ya`qub are praised as having hands that could reach the Pearl of Intellect and eyes which could observe the sacred Sanctuary (haziratu’l-qudus). This indicates that they were among those pure persons able to touch the hidden book and see the sacred Sanctuary.
710 - Kitab maknun (4)
Hidden book:
Samiri was an ignorant person of the children of Israel, who did not recognise Hazrat Harun. He used his initial and trying spirituality to gain honour and respect, and misguided the people and deprived them of higher concepts, as a result he was punished in the form of "not touching (la misas 20:97)”. This indicates that without the guidance of the True Guide, nobody can touch the hidden Book.
711 - Kitab maknun (5)
Hidden Book:
There is a consummate wisdom hidden in every Qur'anic verse. That is, a wisdom which is lofty and penetrating and in which a great secret of the sacred Sanctuary is hidden, even though the verse may be about Abu Lahab, such as (111:1): "Abu Lahab's two hands perished and he also perished." That is, he would not be able to touch the hidden Book in the future, because his two inner hands had perished and he too had perished spiritually.
712 - Kitab munir
Luminous Book, the light of the truth of certainty:
By the luminous Book is meant that light of Intellect which is at the rank of the truth of certainty, also called the hidden Book, as has been said in verse (22:8): "And among the people are those who dispute about God, without knowledge, guidance and a luminous Book." That is, there are some people who dispute about God without the knowledge of certainty, the eye of certainty and the truth of certainty. For the luminous Book see also verses (3:184; 35:25).
713 - Kitabun yantiqu (1)
Speaking Book, the Qur'an within the Imam:
O my dears! Try to understand the wisdom of verse (23:62): "And with Us is a Book which speaks the truth and they shall not be dealt with unjustly". This Book is the Qur'an within the exalted personality of the Imam and in this sense the Imam is called the speaking Book. Had it not been so, the Qur'an would not have been universal, it would have been limited, which is absurd and impossible.
714 - Kitabun yantiqu (2)
The Qur’an within the Imam:
O my `azizan! Wherever in the wise Qur’an the word "kull", i.e. whole, everyone, everything is mentioned, it shows a universal law or rule, as mentioned in verse (41:21): "They (skins) shall say: Allah Who makes everything speak, made us speak." This universal law means that those things which apparently do not speak, also speak at a particular place by the command of God. Thus the holy Qur’an even though it is apparently silent, always speaks in the legatee of the holy Prophet, and therefore the Imam is called the speaking Qur’an.
715 - Kitabun yantiqu (3)
The Qur'an within the Imam, which is also the record of deeds of the righteous ones:
God says in verse (45:29): "This Our Book (which is also your record of deeds) speaks against you with truth." That is, the Qur'an and the Imam together in the state of a single Light (nur-i wahid). Had there been any other miraculously speaking Book other than the Qur’an in the Imam, then that would have been more praise-worthy and the Qur'an would not have this comprehensive and universal attribute of "And We have revealed to you the Book as an explanation for everything." (16:89). Thus it is evident that the single light of the glorious Qur’an and the holy Imam is also the record of deeds of the righteous, which is in `Illiyyun (83:18).
716 - Kitabun yantiqu (4)
The Qur’an within the Imam, which is also the record of deeds of the righteous ones:
Every Muslim accepts that the holy Prophet in his time was the embodied light (nur-i mujassam) and the speaking Qur'an, as God says in verses (53:3-4): "Nor does he speak out of (his own) desire, it is but a revelation revealed." That is, his speaking is the speaking of the Qur'an, therefore, he became the speaking Qur'an.
717 - Kitabun yantiqu (5)
Speaking Book, i.e. the Imam:
O my `azizan! With the inner eye see the fact in verse (42:52) that the Qur'an was revealed on the heart of the holy Prophet in the form of a Holy Spirit and a Light which gradually came into written form, but the Spirit and Light of the Qur'an were to remain in his heart, so that when the time came it would be transferred to his legatee.
718 - Kitabun yantiqu (6)
Speaking Qur’an:
O the light of my eyes (i.e. everyone who is a lover of knowledge)! You should not forget that if in a verse there are more than one name, there are as many things as there are names. For instance, if in verse (5:15) two names, the Light and the clear Book (kitab-i mubin) are mentioned, then definitely there are two things, and without any doubt these two things are the holy Prophet and the holy Qur’an. It has always been the Divine law to appoint a Teacher together with the heavenly Book and that same Teacher is called the speaking Book.
719 - Kitabun yantiqu (7)
Speaking Qur’an:
Here we are mentioning at least two meanings of the kitab-i mubin: the clear Book and the speaking Book. That is, when the Qur'an is apparent and in front of you (in a physical form), it does not speak, but it continues to speak where it is hidden within the Divine Teacher.
720 - Kitabun yantiqu (8)
Speaking Qur’an:
O the light of my eyes! In connection with the recognition of the Qur'an, refer to verses (85:21-22), in which the Qur'an is in the Guarded Tablet with grandeur and glory and there its adjective is majid (glorious), which is also one of the attributive names of God. You might also have read that the Divine Pen is the supreme living angel, namely the Universal Intellect, and the Guarded Tablet is the other great angel, the Universal Soul. The Divine Pen is the light of the Prophet and the Guarded Tablet is the light of Mawla `Ali. Thus by the command of God, the Divine Pen (the light of Muhammad s.a.s.) wrote the glorious Qur’an in its azali luminous form on the Guarded Tablet (the light of `Ali (a.s.)). This event took place in the higher world, and God decreed the same command to be executed in the lower world. Thus, God commanded the mazhar of the Divine Pen, the holy Prophet to transfer the spirituality and luminosity of the holy Qur’an to the Guarded Tablet, the Imam-i mubin, namely Mawla `Ali and the Prophet definitely executed the Divine command.
721 - Kitabun yantiqu (9)
The Imam who is the Speaking Book:
It is said in verse (29:49): "Nay, it (the Qur'an) is (in the form of) clear miracles in the breasts of those who are given knowledge." This blessed verse is revealed about the Imams of ahl-i bayt that, the spirit and spirituality and light and luminosity of the holy Qur’an function within each of the Imams and through the Imam of the time, this miracle also takes place in the kamils and `arifs.
722 - Kursi (1)
Dais:
The word kursi is mentioned twice in verses (2:255; 38:34). With respect to the macrocosm, the Universal Body is the earth, the Universal Soul is the Dais and the Universal Intellect is the Throne. According to this law the body is the earth, the soul the dais and the intellect is the royal throne in the microcosm or the personal world.
723 - Kursi (2)
Universal Soul:
In verse (2:255) it is said: "His kursi comprises the heavens and the earth." That is, the universe is immersed in the fathomless ocean of the Universal Soul and from its depths emerges the Pearl of Intellect.
724 - Kursi (3)
Human soul:
Reflect upon verse (38:34): "Verily, We did try Sulayman and cast upon his kursi a body, then he returned." That is, the subtle body which is given to the Perfect Men is initially trying and painful and is cast on this kursi (dais) of body and soul. Initially there are insects, etc. in it and then the miraculous subtle body appears from it.
725 - Kursi (4)
Personal world:
The blessed and sacred body of the Imam of the time is like a pure ground on which his pure soul as the Universal Soul is a unique kursi (dais) and upon which his perfect intellect as the Universal Intellect is the throne of the personal world. This is the meaning of “His (God’s) kursi comprises the heavens and the earth” (2:255), as it is also said in the Qur’an that God has encompassed everything in the manifest Imam (36:12).
726 - Kursi (5)
Universal Soul, the Soul of souls, Guarded Tablet:
It is said in verse (2:255): "His kursi comprises the heavens and the earth." By the kursi is meant the Universal Soul and by the Throne, the Universal Intellect.
727 - Kursi (6)
The Universal Soul, the cosmic Soul:
Mawla `Ali says: “Indeed, the heaven and the earth and whatever creation is between them, are created inside the kursi, which four angels carry by the command of God”. (al-Mizan, II, 341) Among the four great angels, two are spiritual, who are the Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul and two are physical, who are the natiq and asas. Since the higher world is the world of oneness, therefore there in their azali oneness, they are one great angel, who is both the bearer of the Throne and the Throne itself.
728 - Kursi (7)
Soul:
It is mentioned in the Qur'an twice (2:255; 38:34). In verse (38:34), it is said: “And verily, We did try Sulayman and cast upon his kursi a body, then he turned (to God).” Hazrat Sulayman was tried in this way that initially an inferior (adna) subtle body was cast upon his soul, which consisted of countless tiny animals, in which tremendous ibda`i wisdom was hidden.
729 - Kursi (8)
Dais:
The king is sitting on the throne and the throne is set on the dais, which is placed on the ground. Similarly, the royal throne of the human reality (“I”) is the intellect, the dais is the soul and the ground is the body, just as in the macrocosm the Throne is the Universal Intellect, the kursi (dais) is the Universal Soul and the ground is the Universal Body.
730 - Kullu shay'in (1)
Everything, all things:
O my dears! Everything exists in the word "Be (kun)" in the form of possibility. Study all those verses of the wise Qur’an in which the command of "Be" is mentioned. Similarly, everything is also in the Supreme Pen as well as in the Guarded Tablet in a spiritual form and also in the manifest Imam. It should be remembered well that by the Pen is meant the light of the holy Prophet and by the Guarded Tablet is the light of the manifest Imam. It is God Himself Who has created all these higher ranks and made their spiritual and intellectual shadows appear in the personal world (16:81). These shadows are bright, just as the reflection of the sun, which appears in the mirror.
731 - Kullu shay'in (2)
Everything, all things:
God says in verse (16:81): "And God has made for you the shadows of that which He has created." This is the mention of the supreme favour of God. Therefore, here it is not the mention of small things, rather the great wisdom in this verse is the mention of the fact that the shadow (living image) of every higher thing exists in the personal world. Those great treasures whose shadows reflect in the personal world are: the Word "Be", Supreme Pen, Guarded Tablet, the manifest Imam, etc.
732 - Kullu shay'in (3)
Everything, all things:
The wise Qur’an is the perfect and complete Book in whose exoteric and esoteric aspects there is the explanation of everything (16:89). The magnificent and unique universal principle which is the treasure of its heart cannot be praised by us human beings and that universal principle full of the quintessence of wisdom is: "And We have encompassed everything in a manifest Imam." (36:12) That is, all spiritual and intellectual subtle things of the kingdom of God can be found gathered and enfolded in the manifest Imam, provided someone recognises himself or herself.
733 - Kalb
Dog, wrath, anger, torment:
It is said in a Hadith: "Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture." (Ibn Hanbal, I, 104; Lughat, Kaf, p. 82). The external dog either watches at the door or it is used for hunting according to the permission of the Qur'an (5:4) and the internal dog (wrath, anger) lives in the house of the heart. Now, consider that when a dog is in someone's heart, would angels enter it? Similarly, there are external pictures and internal pictures. The internal pictures are the idols of worldly love. Thus, it is not possible for angels to enter a heart in which there is idolatry day and night.
734 - al-Kalim at-tayyib (1)
Pure speech:
In verse (35:10) God says: "Pure speech ascends to Him and good deed exalts it." This is the mention of knowledge, recognition and good deeds, because it is through these means that man reaches God.
735 - al-Kalim at-tayyib (2)
Pure speech:
Pure speech consists of the entire `ibadat and Divine remembrance as well as heart-burning prayer, supplication, weeping and shedding tears, and good deed consists of the service of religion which exalts the pure word to the presence of God.
736 - al-Kalim at-tayyib (3)
Pure speech:
In connection with kar-i buzurg (supreme feat), when fortunate mu'mins enter the stage of `Izra'il, the remembrance of the pure speech, i.e. ism-i a`zam rises higher than even the heavens with the help of Israfil and `Izra'il, so that, God willing, the universe may be subjugated for the future.
737 - al-Kalim at-tayyib (4)
Pure speech:
Some darwishes have seen an amazing annihilation after experiencing spiritual annihilation and intellectual annihilation, and that was indeed the annihilation of love. One evening a subtle throne appeared before me. The tender waves of the ocean of soul were moving towards the throne, together with the harmony of a living and singing perfect word and a musical instrument of paradise and the throne carrying the soul was ascending gradually.
738 - al-Kalim at-tayyib (5)
Pure speech:
The upper end of the soul is always linked with its universal fountainhead and the lower end has descended to the world of humanity for the sake of the acquisition of recognition. If this lower end fortunately accomplishes its work in time, it is lifted to the higher world with great honour as the “satisfied soul” (89:27-30, 35:10).
739 - al-Kalim at-tayyib (6)
Pure speech:
In verse (35:10), it is mentioned: "Towards Him the good words ascend and good deeds exalt them." That is, the good words of true knowledge and pure `ibadat ascend towards God and due to good deeds, they can be exalted to His presence, so that the word and deed of the salik may be annihilated in His word and deed.
740 - Kalimat Allah (1)
Ism-i a`zam, Supreme Name:
O my dears! You may be amazed to hear that ism-i a`zam and kar-i buzurg are alluded to from the beginning to the end of the holy Qur'an. Try to understand the meaning of this statement through these wisdom-filled questions: Was the holy Prophet not doing `ibadat through the beautiful names of God from the very beginning? Are the Prophet and the Imam not the ism-i a`zam? Is the purpose of the entire Qur'an not the special `ibadat? Can the ism-i a`zam be on a path other than the straight path? Can the light of guidance and the ism-i a`zam be two different things? Is the spirituality of the Qur'an and that of the beautiful names not the same? Had the Prophets and Imams not taught ism-i a`zam to chosen mu'mins in their respective times?
741 - Kalimat Allah (2)
Ism-i a`zam, Supreme Name:
It is a fact that Hazrat Maryam’s spirituality is the product of ism-i a`zam and is an example of the hujjat. The Imam gave her ism-i a`zam which is also called kalimah (word) (4:171). The light of Hazrat `Isa was potentially hidden in this word, and it became actually manifest in the heart of Hazrat Maryam after a certain time. It should be remembered that every Prophet and every Imam is kalimatu'llah (the Word of God), i.e. the ism-i a`zam. Thus, if you are granted ism-i a`zam, you should be very careful since potentially the Imam has come to your heart (batin). But now you have to become annihilated in him in this life-time so that he may guide you actually.
742 - Kalimat Allah (3)
Ism-i a`zam, Supreme Name:
In the forehead of Hazrat Maryam there was neither the light of Prophethood nor the light of Imamat, but definitely there was the light of ma`rifat. That is, she had the rank after the Prophet and the Imam. She was a hujjat, which is a bright example of the spiritual progress of the people of faith. This is possible for every mu'min, male or female.
743 - Kalimat Allah (4)
Ism-i a`zam, Supreme Name:
In verse (14:24), the ta'wil of the pure word is ism-i a`zam, and that of the pure tree, the light of Prophethood and the light of Imamat, that of the root of the tree, the holy Prophet and that of the branch of the tree which gives fruit in the higher world, the Imam. How marvellous, magnificent and wisdom-filled this example is, according to which the Imam is externally in the physical world and internally in the higher world.
744 - Kalimat Allah (5)
Ism-i a`zam, Supreme Name:
In verse (9:40), God says: "And the word of Allah (ism-i a`zam) is the most exalted." The blessed allusion of this is that the original place of ism-i a`zam is the higher world. Therefore, he who is attached to it in a real sense is exalted to the ultimate extent, as it is said in verse (94:4): "And We exalted for you your dhikr (remembrance)."
745 - Kalimat Allah (6)
Ism-i a`zam, Supreme Name:
In verse (43:28) God says about Hazrat Ibrahim: "And he made it (luminosity and recognition) a lasting word in his progeny so that they may return (to God)." The lasting word (ism-i a`zam) continues in the progeny of Hazrat Ibrahim forever, so that due to the resurrection in every age, people may return to God, since resurrection is hidden in the ism-i a`zam.
746 - Kulliyyah
General rule, principle, universal:
In verse (14:34) there is the mention of a unique and general principle of Divine favours and the treasures of His mercy. If we look into this verse with the inner eye, it becomes certain that no bounty is impossible in spirituality and paradise, as the verse says: "And He gave you of all that you asked Him." (14:34). What do the masses know which bounties are possible? Therefore it is the Prophets and the Imams who asked everything for the people, because it is they who are the true representatives of God from among the people. Thus, the kamils are those treasures of God in which He has kept all bounties for the people of faith.
747 - Kun! (1)
Be!:
In God's kingdom, the greatest secret is the Word "kun", which literally means "Be". It is mentioned 11 times in the Qur'an, of which 8 are related to God's act. (2:117; 3:47, 3:59; 6:73; 16:40; 19:35; 36:82; 40:68).
748 - Kun! (2)
Be!:
It is said in verse (2:117): "He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth and when a work is completed He commands "Be" and it becomes”. That is, it is by the Word "Be" that He originated the heavens and the earth of the world of command. And it is His everlasting sunnat (law) that when a work is accomplished, He says to it "Be!" and it becomes.
749 - Kun! (3)
Be!:
In verse (3:47) it is said: "When He decrees a thing He only says to it: Be! and it becomes." This is the Divine law which always continues in the world of command and which has neither a beginning nor an end, as it is said: "o mush o". This has many meanings. One of them is that there is no end to azal and abad. You should maintain this!
750 - Kun! (4)
Be!:
It is said in verse (3:59): "Verily, the likeness of `Isa in Allah’s sight is as the likeness of Adam: He created him out of dust, then He said to him: Be! and he became." In this heavenly teaching, there are several allusions of consummate wisdom, such as:
- the external creation of every human being is according to the law of the world of creation;
- the internal completion of every Perfect Man is according to the law of the world of command, which is saying "Be!" by God
751 - Kun! (5)
Be!:
It is said in verse (6:73): "And the day (when) He says (yaqulu): Be! and it becomes (yakunu)." That is, by the command of God, the personal world or microcosm comes into being from the external world or macrocosm in the personal resurrection of the Perfect Man. It should be noted that both the verbs yaqulu and yakunu are in aorist (muzari`) tense (that is, they embrace the meanings of both the present and the future).
752 - Kanz (1)
Treasure:
It is said in a Hadith-i qudsi: "I was a hidden treasure, I liked to be recognised, so (for this purpose) I created creatures." (Ahadith-i Mathnawi, p. 29).
O the light of my eyes! Try to understand this sacred Hadith, which is full of secrets from the perspective of the personal world and not from the perspective of the physical world, because it is in the personal world of His friends that He was a hidden treasure and when He created them spiritually and intellectually, He enriched them forever with the treasure of recognition.
753 - Kanz (2)
Treasure, treasure of secrets:
It is said in a sacred Hadith: "I was an unrecognised treasure, then I liked to be recognised so I created creatures and made them recognise Me. Thus, they recognised Me through Me." (al-Mu`jam, p. 1266).
This Hadith is not related to the external world, but it is related to the personal world, because until the salik dies spiritually, God remains for him an unrecognised treasure. It is after spiritual birth that `arifs and kamils are enriched with the everlasting wealth of didar and recognition.
754 - Kanz (3)
Treasure of recognition:
In verse (51:56) God says: "I did not create jinn and man but to worship Me." Ibn `Abbas has interpreted the last phrase of this verse “to worship Me” as “to recognise Me”. (al-Mu`jam, p. 1267).
755 - Kanz (4)
Treasure of the secrets of recognition:
It is related from Hazrat `A'ishah that the holy Prophet was asked: "Who has the greatest recognition of his Lord among the people? The holy Prophet said: He who has the greatest recognition of himself." (al-Mu`jam, p. 1261). It is true that the recognition of God is in the personal world.
756 - Kanz (5)
Divine attributes, absolute light:
Hazrat Dawud said: "O Lord! For what purpose did you create the creation? He said: I was a hidden treasure, I wanted to be recognised, so I created creatures so that I may be recognised." (Ahadith-i Mathnawi, p. 29). This sacred Hadith is related to the people of recognition. The Benevolent Lord has compared Himself to a hidden treasure so that every `arif may attain it in his personal world, as the Prophet says: "Whoever belongs to God, God belongs to him." That is, he who attains recognition, himself becomes the treasure of recognition.
757 - Kanz (6)
A treasure, a treasure of paradise:
The holy Prophet says: “Indeed, la hawla wa la quwwata illa bi'llahi'l-`aliyyi'l-`azim (There is no protection and strength except by Allah, the High, the Great) is a treasure among the treasures of paradise and it is a healing for ninety-nine diseases and the first of them is anxiety.” (Da`a'im, II, 137, 331, 352; Wajh, p. 340; Tirmidhi, V, 580; al-Mustadrak, I, 727).
758 - Kanz (7)
Treasure, hidden treasure:
The holy Prophet said: "O `Ali, indeed there is a treasure for you in paradise and you are its Dhu'l-Qarnayn (i.e. universal king)" (al-Mustadrak, III, 133). There can be many treasures in paradise, but the glad tidings of the holy Prophet which is for the Dhu'l-Qarnayn of paradise is related to the supreme treasure. This greatest and unique treasure, which cannot be described in appropriate terms, is not of silver, gold, gems and pearls, but it is the hidden treasure which is for `Ali and his friends. The characteristic of this treasure is that whoever enters it, finds himself to be that treasure.
759 - Kunu
Be!:
Every verse of the wise Qur’an is by itself a book of wisdom and a decisive decree. Thus, in the following command of God there are satisfactory answers to many questions related to religion and science: "Be stones or iron." (17:50). It should be noted that nothing in the Qur'an is without wisdom, and therefore, it is a fact that soul and matter are not two separate things, rather they are two forms of the same thing.
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