Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 14
Casket of Pearls 14
Tags: Dabbatu'l-arz, Ism-i a`zam, Misr, Qiblah, Hazrat Moses, Hazrat Aaron, Furqan, Carnal Soul, Devils, Resurrection. Mi`raj, Hazrat Jesus
Q131 What is the reality of the dabbatu'l-arz mentioned in verse (27:82), which will appear and speak with the occurrence of resurrection?
A131 When the sur of resurrection is blown, first of all the souls of mu'mins, men and women, fly to the place of the resurrection. These souls have a collective soul, which is called dabbatu'l-arz (i.e. the one which appears from the earth of dacwat and walks). The ayat (signs) mean the Imam of the time. Thus, it is this dabbatu'l-arz that has the right to speak and say that the people did not recognise the ayat (signs) of God.
Q132 Is ism-i a`zam mentioned in the Qur'an everywhere in the best parables? Is the fountainhead of the Qur'an and ism-i a`zam the same? Is it among the miracles of ism-i a`zam that when it is remembered correctly, the skins shiver (39:23)?
A132 The answer to all these questions is 'yes'. However, the meaning, reality, spirituality and luminosity of ism-i a`zam is in the Imam of the time.
Q133 Would you kindly shed some light on the importance of the best Names of God mentioned in verses (7:180; 17:110; 20:8 and 59:24)?
A133 The excellent answer to this question is given in the Qur'an itself in (7:180): "And to Allah belong the best [living] Names, so call on Him by them, and leave those who blaspheme His names. Soon they will be requited for what they do."
Q134 What are the secrets of wisdom in verse (10:87), in which there appears to be a door of mercy? The verse is: "And We revealed to Moses and his brother (Aaron): Provide houses for your people in Misr, and make your house qiblah (House of God) and establish prayers and give glad tidings to the believers."
A134 The secrets are:
- Simultaneous revelation to Hazrat Moses (May peace be through him) and Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him) (the Prophet and the Imam).
- To build houses for the entire nation in Misr, i.e. the personal world.
- To make the houses of the personal world qiblah (House of God) by spiritual progress.
- To establish the most excellent and acceptable prayer in this same House of God.
- To give glad tidings to the mu'mins by showing an example of paradise in the House of God (sacred Sanctuary).
This Divine command is not confined only to Hazrat Moses (May peace be through him) and Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him), but also alludes to the holy Prophet and Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) in a wisdom-filled way as their relationship resembles that of Hazrat Moses (May peace be through him) and Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him).
Q135 Which hadith refers to the resemblance [of Mawlana `Ali (May peace be through him)] with Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him) and what is its meaning?
A135 The famous hadith is that the holy Prophet said to Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him): "You are to me as Aaron was to Moses, except there will be no Prophet after me".29 This means that in the glorious Qur'an all those exoteric and esoteric virtues and excellences, which belong to Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him) also belong to Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him), but after the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) there is no Prophet.
Q136 What is the wisdom of verse (21:48): "And verily We granted to Moses and Aaron the furqan (criterion), a light and a dhikr (remembrance) and [through them] to the righteous ones (muttaqin)" as well?
A136 Furqan means the Torah as well as miracles, and dhikr means ism-i a`zam. Allah granted these great bounties to Hazrat Moses (May peace be through him) and Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him) and through them to the righteous ones as well. This shows that in every bounty granted by God, Hazrat Moses (May peace be through him) and Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him) were together.
Q137 The holy Prophet says: "O Children of `Abdu'l-Muttalib! Obey me, you will be the kings and rulers of the earth. Indeed, Allah never sent a Prophet except that he appoints for himself a wasi (legatee), a wazir (minister), an heir, a brother and a wali".30 A question arises here whether everyone who obeys the Prophet becomes the king of the earth? If not, what does this hadith mean?
A137 This hadith has fundamental importance and it should never be forgotten. The worldly kingdom has no significance in religion, therefore the hadith means that whoever truly follows the Prophet will be the king of the earth of the personal world and the earth of paradise. Amin!
Q138 It is said in a hadith: "If the devils were not hovering around the hearts of the children of Adam, they would have seen the [spiritual] kingdom and [the secrets of] the heaven".31 How is it possible to get rid of all such devils?
A138 It is possible through the death of the carnal soul and personal resurrection, because the devil is given respite until the resurrection (7:14; 15:36; 38:79). Since the personal resurrection of the `arif is the universal victory of the major jihad, therefore the devil and the carnal soul are subjugated and certainly the `arif can see the subtle world.
Q139 When the holy Prophet was asked whether God is in the earth or in the heaven, he said: "He is in the hearts of the faithful servants".32 Further it is mentioned in a sacred hadith: "I am contained neither by the earth nor by the heaven, I am contained in the heart of a faithful servant, which is serene and peaceful".33 The question is whether the holy Prophet had the mi`raj in his blessed heart or in heaven?
A139 The mi`raj of the holy Prophet was in the heaven of the personal world (heart).
Q140 Hazrat Jesus (May peace be through him) says: "He who is not born twice cannot enter the kingdom of the heavens".34 How can a person be born twice? Does the kingdom of the heavens mean the kingdom of paradise?
A140 The two births are related to spiritual progress. First, the saliks/`arifs of the true Religion die in this life and are reborn by the miracle of Israfil and `Izra'il and then after traversing all the stages they die very gently and are reborn at the stage of Intellect. This is the meaning of being born twice. Then they enter paradise and the kingdom of the sacred Sanctuary. Yes, the kingdom of the heavens means the kingdom of paradise.
29 Abu `Isa Muhammad Tirmidhi, Jami`u't- Tirmidhi, ed. Salih Al al-Shaykh (Riyaz, 1999), pp. 848-49, Hadith 3730.
30 Qazi Nu`man, Da`a'imu'l-Islam, ed. A.A.A. Fyzee (Cairo, 1963), I, 15-16. Ray-Shahri, Mizanu'l-Hikmat, translated into Urdu by M. A. Fazil (Lahore, 1996), II, 347.
31 Muhammad Ghazali, Ihya'u `ulumi'd-din (Beirut, n.d.), III, 9.
32 Ibid., 15.
33 Ibid., 15.
34 Badi`u'z-Zaman Furuzanfar, Ahadith-i Mathnawi (Tehran, 1968), p. 96.
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