Book of Healing - Healing Through Knowledge - Allusions of Sulayman's Kingdom
Allusions of Sulayman's Kingdom
Tags: Hazrat Sulayman, Sulayman's Kingdom, Language of birds, Jinn, Queen of Sheba, `Ifrit, Fountain of copper
1. There is no doubt that the secret of the health and well-being of the intellect and soul is hidden in Qur'anic knowledge and wisdom. Therefore it has become necessary and incumbent to reflect upon the verses of the Qur'an, so that the pearls of secrets may be obtained every time from this unfathomable ocean and God willing, the wealth of knowledge of the lovers of Divine Speech may ever increase.
2. Here we do not intend to discuss the physical kingdom of Hazrat Sulayman, rather, we would like to mention some extremely hidden secrets of his spiritual kingdom. It is not impossible that, by knowing such secrets, several of your great questions may be solved automatically. It is also possible, in connection with the hidden sciences, that these secrets may work as keys. Therefore, let us humbly pray together for the favour and help of God, without which the attainment of these secrets is utterly impossible.
3. The explanation of everything is in the wise Qur'an (16:89), and the subject of the spiritual kingdom is prominent in it. Although most of its states are mentioned in secrets, there is munificence and generosity in the exalted sunnat (law, habit) of God and the Messenger, therefore why should we be disappointed (about having clear explanations of the secrets). Thus, we have full conviction that the main and real kingdom of Hazrat Sulayman was in spirituality, which is granted by God to all Prophets and awliya'. In addition to them, it has been alluded to in many ways and promised that it will also be granted to mu'mins.
4. Hazrat Sulayman's spiritual kingdom was not a new thing, it had continued from the very beginning hereditarily in the chain of Prophets, as it is evident from verse (27:16): "And Sulayman inherited Dawud". In the same verse, it is alluded in front of the inner eye that understanding the language of the birds was included among the magnificent miracles of the inheritance of Prophethood. Here it should be remembered that, by the language of birds, is meant to converse with angels. Although the Holy Spirit transforms the voice of external birds, etc. into a brief conversation, but the main secret of the language of birds is the conversation of angels, which is the greatest favour of God, as it contains knowledge.
5. Potentially, every individual is a world of particles, which is called the personal world or microcosm (`alam-i dharr). The wise Qu'ran has called it the "Valley of ants". For, countless personal souls live in the personal world of man. If fortunately, a spiritual revolution takes place in a personal world, then three additional kinds of Sulaymanian armies of jinn, mankind and birds (angels) come there. All these are (in the form of) particles (27:17) and some of their great examples come later on.
6. It is said in the Diwan of Hazrat `Ali, may peace be upon him: "Your remedy is in you, but you are unaware of it, and your illness has been generated from you, but you do not see it. You think that you are a small body, while the macrocosm is folded in you, and you are the speaking book, from the letters of which reveal the hidden secrets" (Diwan, p. 64). There are two references in a wisdom-filled way in these verses to the mighty Qur'an. One is the folding of the macrocosm in man (21:104; 39:67) and the other is the kitab-i mubin, the speaking book (10:61; 34:3). This shows that everything is in the personal world. In that case then, why should there not be the examples of Sulyaman's kingdom, which are extremely necessary to attain ma`rifat.
7. The gift of making mu'mins kings is not confined to the time of Hazrat Musa (5:20), but the mu'mins of every Prophet can attain the spiritual kingdom. However, in order to attain it, there are certain conditions by fulfilling which, mu'mins will attain ma`rifat in this life, and the kingdom in the next world. For, the mu'min cannot be a slave in Paradise, rather by the grace of God, he will be a king (2:247; 3:26; 76:20).
8. From the prayer of Hazrat Sulayman it is evident that the main aspect of his kingdom was spiritual: "So he turned (to God). He said: My Lord! forgive me and grant me a kingdom which is not fit for anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Granter of bounties abundantly" (38:34-35). Obviously, by this kingdom is meant the spiritual kingdom so that, being linked with the soul, it may be transferred to the next world and may remain with him forever as the great kingdom of Paradise (76:20).
9. The Qur'anic stories of the Prophets are full of the precious treasures of spiritual secrets, and similarly the story of Hazrat Sulayman is also full of extremely wondrous spiritual wisdoms. In order to understand this, first of all you have to be sure that God, by His perfect power, enfolds the entire universe in the personal world of the Prophets and the awliya' (21:104;39:67). This means that, as for the physical heavens and earth, they remain intact in their place, but their spiritual and intellectual form is enfolded in their personal world. By this feat of God, may He be blessed and exalted, all the souls, small and big, of the entire universe, or their copies, are gathered in the Perfect Man. Thus God also granted Hazrat Sulayman this greatest favour and made all spiritual powers subservient to him (27:16).
10. The wise Qur'an says that God had granted Hazrat Dawud and Hazrat Sulayman the everlasting wealth of special knowledge. Therefore, we should view their great miracles from the angle of knowledge and gnosis. One important topic of this wisdom-filled story is jinn. It should be known that in Arabic jinn is a generic name for both male and female jinns who, in form and shape are like human beings, but since they are in a subtle body, are extremely beautiful and handsome. Why not, after all they are the nation of fairies. Some of the jinns are mu'mins and some of them are infidels (72:14). Those who are mu'mins are on various levels of faith, to the extent of a wali or an angel. Those who are infidels are the devils from among the jinns. Now it is perfectly logical to say that, if there can be devils from among the jinns, there can also be angels from among them. From this it becomes very clear that from among the jinns of this story, some are devils and others are angels.
11. It has already been mentioned in this book that every verse of the glorious Qur'an has an exoteric aspect and an esoteric aspect. An example of this fact is mentioned here in order to understand the great secrets of the story of Hazrat Sulayman, may peace be upon him.
12. In this story, by the harth (field, crop) are meant the particles of the animal soul, by the ghanam (sheep, goats) the souls like Gog Magog, by Sulayman's throne, the subtle body and the rank of intellect; by the violent wind the angelic power and the Word "kun (Be!)"; by the blessed land is meant spirituality and the Supreme Soul is the Universal Soul; and by divers, is meant those who bring out the pearls from the ocean of the Universal Soul (21:78-82).
13. By the language of birds is meant the speech of angels; by everything, the comprehension of spirituality; by the valley of ants, personal souls and mines; by the hoopoe, the enquiring soul; by the queen of Sheba a great personality whom the Vicegerent of God wants to make subordinate to himself; by the throne of the queen of Sheba the juththah-yi ibda`iyyah, or the ibda`i body; by the letter (kitab) of Sulayman the writing which is seen in dreams or in the imagination; by bismi'llah the beginning of spirituality; by `Ifrit, jism-i mithali and the lightning attire; by the one who has the knowledge of the book, the martial subtle body; by Sulayman's palace, the exit and entrance of light (27:14-44).
14. By the fountain of copper is meant the knowledge of oneness; by fortresses, the subtle martial bodies; by images, the subtle non-martial bodies; by the basins as large as reservoirs, the lights of explanations and confirmation; by (cooking) cauldrons, the fountains of knowledge and wisdom; by death, the death of the animal soul which occurs before physical death; by the creature of the earth, the souls like Gog and Magog which gnaw away the animal soul (`asa, staff) of the Perfect Man (34:12-14), because Dhu'l-qarnayn's wall has to eventually be lifted out.
15. By the horses of highest breeding are meant the automatic adhkar (sing. dhikr) and perambulation of the planet of intellect; by the pedestal the soul; by a body (jasadan) the soul's being overpowered by an unpleasant body for the sake of trial; by the construction (ta`mir), the manifestations of the forms (images) and the observations of marvels and wonders (38:30-40).
N. N. Hunzai,
Saturday, 29 Dhu'l-Hijjah 1408 / 13th August, 1988.
| Chapter Index | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter |