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Book of Healing - Healing Through Knowledge - Tajaddud-i Amthal

Tajaddud-i Amthal

Tags: Tajaddud-i Amthal, Sun, Misbah, Siraj, Chillah

1. The above title, which is a Sufic term, is literally derived from Arabic, but its meaning is based on the Qur'an, Islam and the universe, the evidence of which can be found both in the external world and the internal world (41:53). Thus this subject is extremely interesting and useful with respect to knowledge and gnosis. For, many kinds of conscious and unconscious questions can be solved automatically in its discussion.

2. Tajaddud means renewal, novelty, innovation, revival. Amthal is the plural of mathal and mithl, and means like-shaped, alike, resembling, homomorphic. Thus tajaddud-i amthal means the constant renewal of the existence of a thing, while its form remains as before. Like the flame of a lamp which is renewed every moment without any change in its shape, or a water-fall which constantly falls in the same condition, or a river which constantly flows. Now, reflecting on these things the meaning of tajaddud-i amthal can be understood to mean that life is not something frozen and static, but is like a lamp whose light continues every moment. (See my book: "What is soul??").

3. Qadi Sajjad Husayn, referring to Mawlana Bahru'l-`ulum `Abdu'l-`Ali, writes: "Tajaddud-i amthal means that the forms of the universe continue to change every moment: one form disappears and the other takes its place, but the essence remains intact. Since the disappearing form is like the appearing form, therefore, the change is not realized. It apparently seems that the previous form remains intact." As it is said in the Mathnawi of Mawlana Jalalu'd-din Rumi: 

	Pas tura har lahzah marg-u raj`atist; 
	Mustafa farmudah dunya sa`atist. 

	Thus every moment you have a death and a return; 
	Mustafa has said that this world is but an hour (a moment)
	(Mathnawi, I, 25).

4. The sun itself is the greatest among the Divine signs of the universe of the solar system, in which the planet earth and its inhabitants exist. If we interpret the Qur'an in the light of the macrocosm, then we have to compare the verse of "Misbah (24:35)" with the sun, the verse of "Siraj (33:46)" with the moon and the other verses of light with the stars and we should think deeply, with peace of mind, whether or not the meaning of tajaddud-i amthal is mentioned, not only in these examples, but also in the very words misbah (lamp), light upon light and siraj (lamp).

5. The sun is not a solid substance, but an extremely tempestuous and stormy gas, to which the glorious Qur'an in giving the name "siraj (lamp)", has indicated that the act of tajaddud-i amthal always continues in it. Further, its light which appears on the moon and stars, also continuously renews itself according to the law of origin (qanun-i asl). Thus the chain of renewal always continues in the sunlight, the electric light and the flame of the lamp. Perhaps there is a great secret hidden in the background of this constant movement and renewal of all material lights. Yes, certainly all these examples are for the sake of the Light of Intellect and the word "Be (Kun)".

6. Since man, in himself, contains a priceless treasure of innumerable secrets of soul and ma`rifat, therefore he is called the "book of soul (kitab-i nafs)." So let us see how the examples of tajaddud-i amthal are recorded in this practical book. First of all, observe the respiratory system, then the beating of the heart, the pulse and the circulation of blood. There is no doubt that, each of these signs and movements of life, is a long chain of tajaddud-i amthal.

7. Chillah (the span of forty days) has great importance in the glorious Qur'an and religion of Islam. For, it is sufficient time in which, if a human likes, he can cure himself not only from all spiritual diseases, but also God willing, progress in spirituality to a great extent. For in forty days (i.e. chillah), his previous existence wears out and falls apart totally and is replaced by a new existence. Usually this event is not noticed, for it takes place gradually without any feeling. Thus in one year, that is 360 days, a person passes through the process of tajaddud-i amthal nine times completely, in which it is usually not possible to feel the combined annihilation-and-revival (fana'-u baqa') of the particles of existence, which is both continuous as well as complex.

8. You should note this secret with zeal and responsibility that, in the spiritual journey and the stages of ma`rifat when the stage of `Izra'il comes, a special tajaddud-i amthal of every Prophet and every wali (siddiq 4:69) starts to take place. Innumerable subtle bodies and angels are created by the command of God from the Holy Spirit which comes forth from them, and in the language of Qur'anic wisdom they are called sarabil (shirts,16:81).

9. Although spatially Paradise is equal to the length and width of the universe (3:133; 57:21), non-spatially, in spirituality or in Resurrection, it is brought near (50:31; 81:13), that is, spiritually the Universal Paradise can be contained in every person. This means that like the Prophets and awliya', there is the tajaddud-i amthal of Paradise as well, since all sublime things are very close to the Command of "Be (Kun)", therefore the instantaneous (ibda`i) manifestations constantly take place in them.

10. Man is both subtle and dense. Where he is subtle, the tajaddud-i amthal does not take much time, but where he is dense, it takes time to be renewed and changed. It is for this reason that the time of chillah is prescribed. For instance, Hazrat Musa, by the command of God went to Mount Sinai to do `ibadat for forty days, so that a complete spiritual change may occur in his blessed personality (2:51; 7:142).

11. If you want, you can practise the chillah (the spiritual exercise for forty days), but how? and with what intention? Do you want to improve your nafs (carnal soul) and attain the pleasure of God by this exercise? If yes, start with the name of God and you should practise this in such a way that nobody should know it, otherwise, there will not only be failure, but also loss. It should be remembered that for any successful prayer, `ibadat, dhikr, and i`tkaf, the holiest, most exalted, most blessed and the best place is the house of God, in which countless favours and blessings are available. Thus, how can a wise mu'min choose a place other than the house of God for worship? The religious intellect demands that a mu'min should do anonymous chillah while living among other mu'mins. In this way, while performing his usual duties, he should continue in the recesses of his heart the luminous dhikr of God abundantly and with utmost humility. After forty days he should examine his external and internal condition. God willing, he will progress by this exercise. This can be done repeatedly or constantly.

12. Arabic is the king of the languages of the world. Moreover, the beauties of the miraculous expression of the wise Qur'an are so many that, they are beyond the capacity of enumeration of both jinn and mankind together. Let us ponder for a while over a short and wisdom-filled verse of such a magnificent, unprecedented and unique book, which is (81:11): "When the heaven will be peeled", that is when the external veil of the universe will be removed and that which is veiled in it is shown. Here is a question related to knowledge: when in a dream the sun, the moon and the stars are seen in the heaven, is it the spiritual aspect of these things or is it their material aspect? The correct answer to your question should be that, since the dream is an example of spirituality, therefore, the heaven which is seen in a dream is the inner and spiritual one. It is also the miracle of the special and instantaneous (ibda`i) tajaddud-i amthal as has been mentioned in points 8 and 9.

N.N. Hunzai,
Sunday, 25 Dhu'l-Qa'dah 1408
10th July, 1988.

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