Book of Healing - Healing Through Knowledge - The Path of the Prophets and Spiritual Health
The Path of the Prophets and Spiritual Health
Tags: Spiritual Health, Path of the Prophets
1. The straight path and the desired destination, for the guidance of which we pray (1:5-6), is the path of the Prophets and the guidance is their guidance (4:69), which in reality is the Manifest Religion, namely Islam (42:13). For, religion in reality is one (9:36) and that is the Religion of God (6:161), in which all Prophets, may peace be upon them, were one (6:90). Also in the beginning, people whether in this world or in the world of particles or in azal, were one community (2:213) and the original book of all Prophets, called "the Book (al-kitab)", was also one (2:213). "The Book or al-kitab" is the wise Qur'an (3:3), for this blessed heavenly guide-book is perfect, complete, most comprehensive and the guardian (5:48), (i.e. guardian of the previous heavenly scriptures) in every respect. Therefore, the wise Qur'an comprises the states and conditions of all Prophets. Thus here, in the light of the wise Qur'an, we want to mention the example of the six great Prophets who, in their cycles, were like the criteria of the spiritual health of the people.
2. Criterion of Hazrat Adam: Every Prophet, by the command of God, guides his community on the straight path, due to which, those fortunate ones who are obedient and pious, continue to progress gradually. For, the true religion is the path to the closeness of God. The sincere and pure intention, speech and action of a believing servant are the movement on this path, and it is also the religious life. By reflecting on numerous wisdom-filled verses of the Qur'an, you can study and see the reality that the supreme purpose of Islam is the closeness to God, for which, to move and to walk is extremely necessary. This is the underlying meaning in the countless words of the Qur'an, such as sirat, sabil, tariq, qurb (proximity, closeness), madhab (37:99), maslak, shari`at, tariqat, minhaj (5:48) which also mean path or way, and hidayat (guidance), hadi (guide), ittiba` (following), siqa (was driven), sa`a (he ran), tamshuna (you walk), sabiqu (vie, outstrip, excel), sari`u (rush!), sabiqun (those who excel), etc.
3. See "Qur'anic Healing" for the reference to the sacred Hadith concerning the closeness of God which is: "My servant always seeks my closeness through additional prayers until I love him. When I love him, I become his ear with which he hears and I become his eye with which he sees and I become his hand with which he grasps and I become his foot by which he walks". It is obvious that these additional prayers, movement, progress, closeness and pure love are possible simply and only when progressing on the straight path. The rest of the miracles of light which are related to the ear, eye, hand and foot of a believing servant are possible at the desired or ultimate destination. Thus those who attain this rank of closeness and annihilation are completely cured from all spiritual and intellectual diseases.
4. The concept that God first creates His friends physically, then He creates their spiritual form and then He becomes their ear and eye and makes them aware of the secrets of His ma`rifat, and they, in the radiance of His light, see the great event of how and in what sense all angels prostrate themselves to Adam is in the light of verse (7:11). For although apparently the story of Hazrat Adam is a story of the past, but when God opens the inner eye of the mu'min in his personal world, then every past and future event comes in front of him in the form of the present. Thus in the example of Hazrat Adam, the standard of spiritual health is to see the event of Hazrat Adam in the personal world.
5. Criterion of Hazrat Nuh: If I am permitted, I would like to say with due humility and respect that, in the perspective of the above-mentioned sacred Hadith, how can a true mu'min and a true lover claim that he is not spiritually sick, his inner ear and inner eye are open and the work of knowledge and gnosis progresses smoothly, while his inner senses are still inactive? When the spiritual creation of the friends of God becomes complete, they see themselves in the form of particles in the Ark of Hazrat Nuh, in the deluge of the world of particles. God mentions His supreme favour and this spiritual miracle in the holy Qur'an in verses (17:3; 36:41) that He bore the particles of souls in the laden ship; at that stage such fortunate mu'mins become enriched with the lasting wealth of spiritual health.
6. Criterion of Hazrat Ibrahim: The holy Prophet says: "He who recognises more his soul among you, recognises more his Lord among you" (Zadu'l-Musafirin, p. 287). In this luminous teaching of the Prophet on the one hand, there is the mention of a mu'min's recognition of his own soul and the recognition of God, and on the other, the mention of the different ranks of recognition. Thus it is a clear fact that, in this complete recognition, the recognition of the Prophets and the Messengers is also included. For recognition is not possible without following the footsteps of the Prophets and awliya' in the stages of spirituality. This act has many names, such as guidance, obedience, following, proximity, etc. Thus Hazrat Ibrahim said: "Then he who follows me will be from me" (14:36). That is, he will be a part of my existence. In other words, he will attain the rank of annihilation in the Prophet. This is an example of the criterion of the spiritual health which is related to the cycle of Hazrat Ibrahim.
7. Criterion of Hazrat Musa: The place of the human soul is extremely high. Its upper end is in the world of command, where there is the sovereignty of the word "Be (kun)" (17:85). Thus the explanation of the rank of soul is very amazing and astonishing. Soul is a simple substance and a complete picture of the light of God like the world-illumining sun and its radiant reflection in a cleansed mirror. Although this reflection in comparison to the sun is an insignificant thing, nonetheless, it is not separate from the sun. Rather, by a little reflection it will reveal that to consider the reflection separate from the sun is an illusion. For there is nothing in the mirror, it only directs our sight towards the sun, which is in the sky.
8. According to the above-mentioned example, mu'mins are kings in the higher world, but in the lower world they are poor. Regarding the mu'mins of the time of Hazrat Musa, it is said in the Qur'an: "And when Musa said to the people: O my people! remember the favour of God upon you when he raised Prophets among you and made you kings (in spirituality) and gave you what He had not given to any other among the nations" (5:20). This is the glad tiding of becoming annihilated in God and being protected from every kind of spiritual disease.
9. Criterion of Hazrat `Isa: The Prophets are the intellectual and spiritual physicians of the people on behalf of God, the clear example of which can be found in the pure life of Hazrat `Isa. He used to cure spiritually more than physically, for in comparison to physical health, spiritual health is more important. Thus, it is a fact that spiritual miracles are hidden in the background of all physical miracles of Hazrat `Isa. For instance, in the journey of spirituality when a mu'min used to reach the stage of annihilation (stage of `Izra'il), he used to see how, by the command of God, Hazrat `Isa used to revive the dead. This supreme miracle used to take place in the personal world under the effect of the Supreme Name. In such a state, a mu'min is relieved of all spiritual diseases.
10. Criterion of Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa: In the holy personality of the beloved of God, the most noble of the Prophets, the king of Messengers, the guide of paths, the mercy of the world, the pride of the children of Adam, Hazrat Muhammad, may peace be on him and his progeny, are gathered together all the Prophets and Messengers and all their virtues, achievements and miracles as well. For if religion has a beginning and an end, then all the virtues of all the Prophets are found in Hazrat Adam potentially, and actually in the holy Prophet, the seal of the Prophets. For God enfolds not only the universe, but also all souls and intellects in the personal world.
11. It was clear in the knowledge of God, the Exalted, that humanity has suffered from the disease of ignorance. Therefore, He sent the holy Prophet, so that he with the panacea of the wise Qur'an, may cure it. Thus the light of the manifest religion Islam, spread during the time of the holy Prophet directly and after him indirectly, and the love for the Prophet and the Ahl al-bayt and annihilation in the Prophet continued forever, due to the blessings of which, the door of recognition (ma`rifat) never closed and complete healing remained attainable.
12. Sometimes points of wisdom are easily understood in the form of questions and answers. Therefore, I ask myself: What is the the straight path and the ultimate destination of guidance on it? The answer is, it is God (11:56; 75:44?). If people have to go to the presence of God one by one (6:94), how are all of them enfolded (17:104)? By this act of God all become one (31:28). The holy Prophet had gone to the place of mi`raj (ascent) all alone. What is the secret in it, while he had to take all the Muslims with him and make them reach God? Indeed, the holy Prophet had gone to mi`raj alone, but within his exalted personality there was the world of particles, in which all those who loved him were hidden in the form of particles. That is, they were annihilated in the holy Prophet potentially, and later on they became annihilated in him actually and attained sound health forever.
Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai
14 Rajabu'l-murajjab 1408 A.H. / 4th March 1988.
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