Book of Healing - Healing Through Knowledge - Jism-i Mithali (Body of Similitude)
Jism-i Mithali (Body of Similitude)
Tags: Body of Similitude, Jism-i Mithali, Fifth element, UFO, Subtle Body
1. For some time now, I have been writing short and long essays on jism-i mithali or the body of similitude. God willing, here I intend to add some necessary details to the subject. Jism-i mithali has many names, such as jism-i falaki (celestial body), jism-i nurani (luminous body), juththah-i ibda`iyyah (ibd`ai body), qurtah-yi ibda`i (ibda`i shirt), badan-i barqi (lightning body), jamah-yi bihishti (paradisiacal attire), payrahan-i Yusufi (Yusuf's shirt), the fifth element, etc. and each of these names has an appropriate reason for it.
2. In connection with "Qur'anic Healing" and "Healing through Knowledge", it is extremely necessary to discuss the highest subjects so that in view of the highest, unique and everlasting bounties, the zeal of mu'mins for knowledge and good deeds may grow stronger, and at the same time they may realize that in order to obtain spiritual health, a lot needs to be done as yet. For what we consider to be the perfect health of the intellect and soul is not so. Intellectual and spiritual health has special meanings and its miracles and wonders cannot be estimated.
3. Jism-i mithali: The second shirt of man is called jism-i mithali (body of similitude), because each individual's jism-i mithali is like himself. Nonetheless, God has endowed it with innumerable capacities, therefore it can appear in any form. Thus the Queen of Sheba was shown her jism-i mithali, making it strange, in order to test her for its recognition. One Qur'anic name of jism-i mithali is throne (`arsh 27:41-42), and thus it was this throne or jism-i mithali of Bilqis (i.e. the Queen of Sheba) which was brought to the presence of Hazrat Sulayman (27:40). Thus the wisdom-filled mention of jism-i mithali is found in numerous Qur'anic verses.
4. Jism-i falaki (Celestial body): This is different from the elements of the earth, water, air and fire. It is the fifth element, prime matter (hayula), the luminous figure, ethereal body, astral body, nasamah (spiritual body), jinn, lightning body and luminous body, which is able to fly throughout the universe. It is both visible and invisible. In reality, it is called the world of particles and the personal world, which is the subtle attire of paradise. The same is also the shirt of Yusuf (12:93) in which all souls are gathered together as armies ("al-arwahu junudun mujannadah", Bukhari, IV, 348).
5. Jism-i nurani or Paykar-i nurani (luminous body): Do all human beings have a luminous body or only some of them? All human beings have a luminous body potentially, but the awliya', i.e. the Friends of God, have it actually. The luminous body of the awliya', by the permission of God, accomplishes great feats. The luminous body, which in the language of the wise Qur'an is called light (6:122), can reach all the people in the whole world, just as the jinn or the devil, through the lightning body can, not only reach their friends, but also penetrate them. This is an example of evil, and in contrast, the example of good is that the Friends of God, in their luminous body, can also go to their friends. This is not only a secret, but it is an extremely great treasure.
6. Juththah-yi ibda`iyyah (ibda`i body): This is the same jism-i mithali which is also called the ibda`i shirt. This name is given to it in relation to ibda`, which means the appearance or disappearance of a thing through the command of "Be (kun)". This miracle is mostly related to the intellect, soul and the subtle body. There are many means, manifestations and interpretations of the ibda`i body, for the place of ibda` is that state of unity and integrity, in which all great bounties are gathered. Thus the ibda`i body or shirt is sovereign, and within it there is a kingdom as well.
7. Paradisiacal attire: In verse (16:81) two kinds of shirts are mentioned which are for the protection of mu'mins from heat and war. These are celestial bodies and like U.F.O.'s, they are not affected by heat, coldness, dryness, wetness and war. These are the same living forts, and their innumerable armies of souls which were prepared for Hazrat Sulayman (34:13). These are the heavenly and earthly armies of God (48:4), and these are also the silken attire of Paradise, namely the subtle bodies, which are adorned with attributes of intellect and soul.
8. Shirt of Yusuf: By the shirt of Hazrat Yusuf is also meant the jism-i mithali (12:93) with which a living world of fragrances is linked. These fragrances work as the nourishment of the subtle body. It is really amazing that when man is in the womb of the mother, he absorbs his nourishment through the navel and when he is born, the path of the navel closes and the path of the mouth, i.e. throat, is used for food. When he experiences the subtle body he receives subtle food in the form of fragrances through the nostrils, and he enjoys the pleasure of spiritual and intellectual bounties through the ear whenever he wishes to.
9. Jinn or Pari (fairy): Jinn is an Arabic word, which is used for invisible creatures. Its translation in original and old Persian is "pari (fairy)". Some people have accepted jinn as male and pari as female, or as two different creatures, but the truth is that they are the same creature. Thus it is correct to say male jinn and female jinn (jinniyyah) or male pari and female pari and this is the concept of the wise Qur'an (72:6). It should be remembered that true knowledge concerning jinn or pari is extremely useful. You should study verses (72:1-15) and other related holy verses of the Qur'an minutely. For, `ibadat, spiritual excercise, observation and collective experience are the first condition of recognition (ma`rifat).
10. Kingdom of Sulayman: God, the Exalted, had elevated the status of the progeny of Hazrat Ibrahim with the gift of the Book and wisdom and the great kingdom of spirit and spirituality (4:54). Thus, Hazrat Sulayman's kingdom is a prominent example of this kingdom. His real kingdom was in spirituality. For Hazrat Sulayman, the violent wind (rih-i asifah, 21:81) was made subservient, by which is meant the jism-i mithali, and the same is the spiritual throne. He used to calm his external senses through dhikr, `ibadat and the Supreme Name, and establish a link with the subtle body. In such a state the soul does not leave the body entirely, rather only one end of it leaves the body, linked with the jism-i mithali, and the rest of the soul is centred in the brain.
11. Personal world: Qadi Zaynu'l-`Abidin in his Qamusu'l-Qur'an (p. 344), referring to Hazrat Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq, writes that by "`Alamin (pl. of `Alam, world) are meant only human beings, for each of them is an independent world". (See also Mufradat, p. 357). Thus, each individual is certainly a micrcosm or personal world, in which all the examples of the things of the external world exist in the form of subtle particles, soul and intellect. This means that all the states of what had happened in azal, that is, the events of this world from the beginning to the end, and the states from the Resurrection to abad are confined, enfolded, treasured and hidden in the personal world. The crown of ma`rifat can be conferred upon a fortunate Muslim by the spiritual observation of these great secrets. It must be remembered that it is the jism-i mithali or the subtle body which is the personal world, for the physical body is not everlasting, rather it is transitory. Therefore the recognition of jism-i mithali is extremely important.
12. Daru'l-ibda` (Abode of Ibda`): Juththah-yi ibda`iyyah or the personal world within its limits is the abode and place of the manifestation of all the miracles of "Be (kun)". That is, a new world of wonders and marvels appears in it every moment, for the infinite chain of the Word "Be (kun)" always continues, without which the existence and observation of the things of the world of command is impossible. Therefore it is said that the Words of the command of God, the Blessed, the Exalted, never cease, nor is there any end to their favours and blessings (18:109; 31:27).
13. Attributes of the Jism-i mithali or Subtle Body: God, the supreme Creator, through His perfect power, has created the subtle body perfect, majestic and everlasting in every aspect. It is the luminous body and paradisiacal attire, therefore, it is pure and subtle like the rays of the sun. It does not eat like us the inhabitants of the earth, rather, it receives various kinds of spiritual substances, i.e. spiritual fruits, which are in the form of fragrances and subtle particles. Your subtle body speaks in your own mother tongue, it does not speak through respiration, but by its substance. It never sleeps; it appears as well as disappears, its aura is in its own control. Although it is subtle and no wall can prevent it, yet it is very amazing that it comes through the door and all closed doors, instantly open and then close perhaps due to the miracle of its lightning power.
14. Flying Saucer: What is that creature which the inhabitants of the earth have named the flying saucer? Is it an extremely developed man? Is it an angel? Is it a jinn? Is it jism-i mithali? Can it be the Throne of Sulayman, or the ibda`i shirt, or the paradisiacal throne, or the paradisiacal attire, or the flying vehicle of the fairies, or the personal world? What is it after all? It is the ibda`i body and therefore it is everything; it is the source of the manifestation of the creatures and the treasures of Paradise. It is also among those signs (miracles, 41:53) of God, the manifestation of which was predicted during the revelation of the Qur'an. In short, God willing, the greatest revolution of scientific and spiritual progress is going to take place as a result of the subjugation of flying saucers.
The humble and insignificant servant,
Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai
Karachi
19 Rajabu'l-murajjab 1408 A.H. / 9 March, 1988.
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