Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 11
Casket of Pearls 11
Tags: Universal life, Paradise, Rizwan, Nuzul, Messengers, Surat-i Rahman, Image of the Compassionate, Pictures of Paradise
Q101 This truly amazing and revolutionary question is with reference to the wisdom-filled verse (39:42), according to which every time man sleeps his soul is seized and every time he wakes up, it is revived. In such a case, where man's life consists of sections of life and sections of death, why does he say "I am alive" and "this is my life"? If it is absolutely correct to say so and it is in accordance with the law of nature, then can we say that our partial life (this life) is an example and proof of our universal life, in which surely there are intervals, but longer ones?
A101 Well done! This is not only a revolutionary question, but it is also a unique answer. Now, (God willing) by this great universal law we will be able to solve other questions too. For instance, man's sempiternal life is always in paradise, although for the sake of "the renewal of action (tajdid-i `amal)", he also comes out of it and passes through all stages/routes and forgets his universal life. There is a great wisdom hidden in this.
Q102 Would you kindly give us another example of solving questions by this universal law?
A102 Almost all the people have forgotten the previous life of paradise. Thus, when those who believe and do righteous deeds will be given sustenance from the fruits of knowledge of paradise, they will say that this bounty was given in the paradise of the previous time (2:25). This shows that paradise is being given to people innumerable times, without a beginning and without an end, and they receive the subtle new attire and noble ancient knowledge every time, as it is said: "Thos gatu jo men shuro jo, that is, "(O Lord!) Grant (me) new attire and grant (me) old sustenance".
Q103 Would you kindly give us a third example?
A103 The wisdom-filled allusion of the wise Qur'an is that mu'mins of every age receive paradise as an inheritance. Inheritance is something that is received by succession, as the Qur'an says in verses (23:10-11): "They are the heirs of those who inherit paradise and there they abide forever."
Q104 How is it possible for man to abide in paradise forever and come to this world time and again to farm (cultivate) for the sake of the Hereafter? Could you please explain this.
A104 God willing! It should be known that God has created human beings with miraculous abilities. One of their great miracles is that their spiritual representation is not only in ordinary human beings, but also in the Prophets and awliya', peace be upon them. And it is known that the ranks in paradise are never empty of people. Thus, everybody is always in paradise, sometimes personally and sometimes in representation.
Q105 Is there a hadith that substantiates this belief?
A105 Yes, there is also a hadith, which is: "There is none among you who does not have two dwellings: one in paradise and the other in hell. Thus, if he dies and enters hell, the people of paradise inherit his dwelling."23
Q106 There is no doubt that the entire Qur'an from the beginning to the end praises paradise and every kind of its bounty, yet in verse (9:72), it is also said that the pleasure of Allah (Rizwanu'llah) is greater than paradise. Would you kindly shed some light in this connection?
A106 God willing, I will try. The verse that sheds light in this connection is (9:72): "God has promised to the believers, men and women, gardens underneath which rivers flow, forever therein to dwell, and pure dwelling-places in the gardens of Eden; and God's good pleasure is the greatest. That is the supreme triumph." There is nothing in paradise without the Holy Spirit and Perfect Intellect. That is, paradise in the form of the personal world. Since it is a miraculous thing, it can therefore extend and become equal to the entire universe and can contract and adopt the human form.
If you had truly seen the exalted Imam in the luminous body, then it is he who is paradise, angel, spirit, subtle body and your own higher "I"; the subtle world, believing jinn, living miracle, light, manifestation of Tur, and it is the same angel whose name is Rizwan. Almighty God has made the manifest Imam (36:12), the comprehensive of comprehensives (jami`-i jawami`) and the universal of universals (kull-i kulliyyat), therefore nothing remains out of his miraculous domain. Thus, the Imam is the angel Rizwan who is the living and luminous pleasure of God as well as the guardian of paradise, as in verse (39:73) those who are in charge of paradise are called khazanah (sing. khazin).
Q107 Various kinds of examples are mentioned in the wise Qur'an, which are full of the kernel of wisdom. Among such examples is there any example related to the entertainment of the people of paradise or hell? If so, does it allude that they have to leave that place?
A107 Yes, among other examples, this is also mentioned in the holy Qur'an and I am sure that it is an allusion to what you have said. However, the circular chain of the coming and going of these guests is continuous and the word that is used for their entertainment is called "nuzul", which is mentioned in eight places (3:198; 18:102, 18:107; 32:19; 37:62; 41:32; 56:56, 56:93).
Q108 What is the wisdom of verse (21:33; 36:40): "Everything revolves in a circle"?
A108 The indication of every law is first and foremost to humankind. Thus, it is evident that for human beings there is the throne of equality and the circle of ranks.
Q109 Would you kindly explain the wisdom of verse (2:285): "We make no distinction between any one of Our Messengers."
A109 Although the personal ranks of the Messengers are different, there is no difference in the light of guidance that they have for their communities. There is equality among them in this respect, because it is the right of the people of every time that they should have complete guidance.
Q110 What are the pictures in the market of paradise like?24 Are they silent or moving? Are they spiritual and intellectual? Are the pictures of kamils included in them? Are they separate or are all of them hidden in the same one picture?
A110 Those pictures are alive like the people of paradise and they are spiritual and intellectual. Among them are also included the pictures of the kamils. This is the unique picture of the personal world, called Surat-i Rahman (Image of the Compassionate), which is the unique treasure of all the pictures.
23 Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i, al-Mizan fi tafsiri'l-Qur'an (Beirut, 1393-1394/1973-1974), XV, 16.
24 Abu `Isa Muhammad Tirmidhi, Jami`u't- Tirmidhi, ed. Salih Al al-Shaykh (Riyaz, 1999), p. 579, hadith 2550.
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