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Book of Healing - Spiritual Healing - Ummu'l - Kitab

Ummu'l Kitab

Tags: Ummu'l Kitab, Suratu'l-Fatihah, Suratu'sh-Shifa', Ba', Sab`u'l-mathani

1. For those fortunate people who believe in the Qur'an with their heart and soul, God has kept innumerable mercies and blessings in this unique and unprecedented Book. There is no doubt that among the stores and treasures of these mercies and blessings every kind of medicine and healing is also included. Here, it should be remembered that what is in the entire Qur'an, is condensed in the Ummu'l-Kitab (Suratu'l-Fatihah). Thus if a Muslim/mu'min wants to benefit easily from the bounty of healing of the Qur'an, he should have recourse to the Suratu'l-Fatihah, which is the Suratu'sh-Shifa'. For it is the Ummu'l-Kitab and the essence of the Qur'an.

2. Many scholars have added to this Hadith: "Indeed, God has gathered the sciences of the first and the last in four Books and their sciences in the Qur'an and its sciences in the Fatihah", "the sciences of the Fatihatu'l-Kitab in Bismi'llah and those of Bismi'llah in its letter Ba'." The reason for this is that the purpose of all sciences is the union of the servant with his Lord, and the letter Ba' in Bismi'llah is used in the sense of ilhaq, i.e. connecting and joining. Therefore, this sense or allusion joins the servant to the Lord of Honour, which is the ultimate purpose. (al-Ittiqan, IV, 127).

3. There is an extremely beautiful and cogent explanation in the exposition of the above-mentioned noble Hadith that, as all the sciences and wisdoms of all the heavenly Books are gathered in the Suratu'sh-Shifa' and as their treasure of treasures is enfolded in Bismi'llah and then in the Ba' of Bismi'llah, the purport and ultimate allusion of all this is that the believing servant may get rid of all spiritual diseases, become secure, sound and healed and unite with the Benevolent Lord. In other words, he should attain the rank of fana' fi'llah (annihilation in God) and baqa' bi'llah (survival by God), for it is the highest and greatest bounty among the most marvellous and extremely pleasant bounties in God's Godhead.

4. Ummu'l-Kitab is given many attributive names due to its countless virtues and beauties, such as (1) Fatihatu'l-Kitab, (2) Fatihatu'l-Qur'an, for the Mashaf (Qur'an) begins with this surah as well as the teaching of the Qur'an and the recitation of the salat (namaz), (3) Ummu'l-Kitab and (4) Ummu'l-Qur'an. One of the reasons for this naming is that ummu'sh-shay' means the origin of a thing, and the Suratu'l-Hamd is the origin of the Qur'an, because it contains all the purposes of the Qur'an and all its sciences and wisdoms. Another reason for naming it so, is that it is the most excellent of all the surahs. Thus, as the chief of a community is called the Ummu'l-qawm, similarly, it is called Ummu'l-Kitab and Ummu'l-Qur'an. According to another version, it is so called because its honour is equal to that of the entire Qur'an. It is also said that the reason for naming it so is that it is the refuge of the people of faith and the gathering place while returning, just as the ensign of an army under whose shadow the soldiers take refuge and gather, is called umm.

5. (5) Al-Qur'anu'l-`azim and (6) al-Sab`u'l-mathani. The holy Prophet has said: It (Ummu'l-Kitab) is the Ummu'l-Qu'ran, and it is al-Sab`u'l-mathani and it is al-Qur'anu'l-'azim. It is called al-Sab`u'l-mathani because in it there are seven verses, which are repeated (in prayers). It is al-Qur'anu'l-`azim because it consists of all those meanings which are found in the Qur'an.

6. (7) Al-Wafiyah, because it contains all the meanings of the Qur'an in the perfect form, (8) al-Kanz, because it is the treasure of sciences and wisdoms, (9) al-Kafiyah, because in the performance of the salat this surah alone is sufficient, but without it, no other surah on its own can suffice, (10) al-Asas, for it is the origin and first surah of the Qur'an, (11) an-Nur, because it contains the light of knowledge and wisdom, (12) the Suratu'l-Hamd, and (13) the Suratu'sh-Shukr, because God's praise and gratitude is performed by it.

7. (14) The Suratu'l-Hamdi'l-ula and (15) the Suratu'l-Hamdi'l-qasra, because the initial praise and brief praise is performed by it, (16) al-Raqiyah, (17) ash-Shifa' and (18) ash-Shafiyah, because in it there is incantation, cure and healing for every pain and disease, (19) the Suratu's-Salat, (20) as-Salat and (21) the Suratu'd-Du`a, because Salat depends on this surah. According to some scholars, one of its names is also Salat, and it also contains the prayer which is "Ihdi-na (guide us)".

8. (22) The Suratu's-Su'al, (23) the Suratu'-Ta`limu'l-Mas'alah, (24) the Suratu'l-Munajat and (25) the Suratu't-Tafwiz, because in it there is the asking of God and the way of asking, which is based on praise. In it is munajat and also trust, for the servant by saying "And from You alone we seek help", entrusts all his affairs to God.

9. The above mentioned twenty-five names of Ummu'l-Kitab and the reasons for their naming are mentioned in al-Ittiqan (Vol. I). Now we would like to say that, in order to benefit more and more from the countless mercies and blessings of the Ummu'l-Kitab, it is necessary to have more and more certainty, and this depends on knowledge alone. Thus there is wisdom in increasing your knowledge about the wise Qur'an and the Ummu'l-Kitab, so that the practice of the recitation of the Qur'an, Salat, prayer and healing may be with certainty and in the true sense. For, spiritual healing is not possible without faith and certainty, as mentioned in the Da`a'im (II, 135-36).

10. It is narrated from Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq (a.s.), that one day he went to the governor of Madinah, Muhammad bin Khalid, who complained to the Imam of a stomach ache: The Imam said that his father Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) had narrated this Hadith to him from his father, Imam Zaynu'l-`Abidin (a.s.) and the narrative had come through Hazrat `Ali (a.s.), that one day someone complained to the holy Prophet of a stomach ache. The holy Prophet said: Make syrup of honey and drink it with three or five or seven grains of black caraway. By God's grace you will be healed". The person acted accordingly and was healed. Therefore, you should also act accordingly. At this time, one of the people of Madinah, who was present there objected and said: O Abu `Abdu'llah! We had also heard this Hadith and had also acted accordingly, but it did not benefit us. On hearing this Imam Ja`far as-sadiq (a.s.) became angry and said: "By this cure God benefits only the people of faith, and it benefits those who believe His Prophets. God does not benefit the hypocrites and those who act without believing in the Prophet ...".

11. The sacred things of the holy Qur'an are of three kinds: the names of God, the verses and the surahs. Just as among the names, the Supreme Name is the greatest, so among the verses, the greatest is the ayatu'l-Kursi and among the surahs, the greatest is the Suratu'l-Fatihah. Although the Supreme Name is not apparent in the Qur'an, the greatest verse and the greatest surah are clearly apparent. Therefore, a mu'min, who eagerly wants to know the Supreme Name should, with the same eagerness, benefit from the Ummu'l-Kitab and the Ayatu'l-Kursi. Because without gratitude and appreciation for the great bounties granted, it is not possible for the other greater mercies to be revealed.

12. In "Qur'anic Healing", under the title of we have written the exegesis of the Ummu'l-Kitab in the light of love. Here, God willing, we will try to write its exegesis in the light of ma`rifat:

  1. In "Bismi'llahi'r-rahmani'r-rahim" the dot under the Ba' of Bismi'llah symbolises the Pearl of Intellect, which is also in the Divine Pen, and which at the height of the rank of azal joins the `arifs (the people of ma`rifat) to the Lord, the Beneficent, the Merciful (for the "ism" is derived from "sumuw" which means "to be high"). That Pearl is the origin and foundation of the universe and the existents, as well as its gist and quintessence, just as the world of letters comes into being from a dot and again logically contracts into the same dot.
  2. Al-hamdu lillahi rabbi'l-`alamin (Praise belongs to God, the Sustainer of the worlds): Everybody praises God according to his ambition and access, so the people of ma`rifat praise Him on the basis of the observation of lights and the bewilderment caused by His beauty and majesty. For, they see that God has created extremely pleasant and exalted bounties for the nourishment of the soul and the intellect in the personal world.
  3. Ar-rahmani'r-rahim (the Beneficent, the Merciful): In these two names of God, there is the mention of heavenly love, the feeling of whose countless pleasures and sweetnesses is in every destination. In particular, that of the effacement and annihilation in the destination of Israfil, is unique and unforgettable.
  4. Maliki yawmi'd-din (the Master of the Day of Judgement): Today, in this world, every individual is the master of his choice, but when the Resurrection will take place, no one will have a choice. Thus God alone will be the Master of decision and of reward and punishment.
  5. Iyyaka na`budu wa-iyyaka nasta`in (You alone we worship and from You alone we seek help): We worship You recognising You in the illumination of the light of ma`rifat as One and Alone and seek help only from You.
  6. Ihdina's-sirata'l-mustaqim (guide us on the right path): Although they are guided by the favour of God and the guidance of the true Prophet, as teachers and as a community, they pray to be guided on the right path, just as the Prophet himself was the guide, but on behalf of his community, he used to say this prayer.
  7. Sirata'lladhina an`amta `alayhim (the path of those upon whom You have conferred favours): On the path of those upon whom You have showered the most special favours of the soul and the intellect, whose supreme purport is none but ma`rifat.
  8. Ghayri'l-maghdubi `alayhim wa-lad'-dallin (not the path of those who have earned Your wrath, nor the path of those who have deviated): For they have not been fortunate to obtain the luminous wealth of Your love, therefore, they deviated from the right path and became deprived of the invaluable treasures of ma`rifat.

13. One extremely important key Hadith of which the learned people are aware, is: "Actions depend on intentions" (Da`a'im, I, 4). That is, in Islam, good intention is extremely important. For no action is acceptable without good intention and the heart of a believing servant becomes prosperous and illumined with good intention only through knowledge and ma`rifat. Thus, good intentions will prevail in the heart of the one who reads the Ummu'l-Kitab in the light of knowledge and ma`rifat and believes firmly in its blessings and benefits. For, when the veil of the Ummu'l-Kitab will be lifted for a fortunate Muslim, he will sacrifice himself for its beauties as an ardent lover and his heart will be illumined with the light of love. What great radiance of good intention! Glory be to God! Now you should continue to read the Ummu'l-Kitab with love, for though it is a very short surah, in the comprehensiveness of its gems, it is a complete heavenly Book, rather, it is the Mother of the Book. Praise be to God for His grace and favour! By doing so you will have countless benefits, including the great bounty of recovering from diseases.

Nasir Hunzai,
Karachi,
28 Safaru'l-muzaffar, 1409
11th October, 1988.

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