Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 18


Casket of Pearls 18

Tags: Israfil, Hazrat David, Zabur, Al-kitab, Yudabbiru'l-amr, Azal, Abad, La Makan, Be, Adam, Jesus, Makhraj, Dabbah

Q171 To which Prophet was the Book of heavenly love revealed? What is the name of the angel of love? The holy Qur'an states that there is everything in the Divine treasures (15:21). Is true love also in them? If all or some mu'mins love God intensely, should such love be called `ishq-i ilahi or not?
A171

  • The Book of heavenly love that is known as the Zabur (Psalms) was revealed to Hazrat David (May peace be through him).
  • The angel of love is known as Israfil, the owner of the Sur (sahib-i sur).
  • There is nothing that is not in the Divine treasures, including Divine love.
  • Blessed are those mu'mins who love God intensely, for they are the true lovers of God.

Q172 Was the Qur'an in the previous Books? Are the previous Books in the Qur'an? Please explain with proofs and examples.
A172 Yes, this is true and the proofs and examples are:

  • Verse (26:196): "And verily it is in the Scriptures (Books) of the ancients."
  • Verse (5:48): "And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book with the truth, confirming what is before it of the Book and a guardian over them." The Qur'an confirms the previous heavenly Books and guards them in the sense that their meanings and extracts are in it.
  • See verse (2:213) that all heavenly Books have a collective name, which is "al-kitab" (the Book), which today is the Qur'an.
  • See verse (4:54) concerning the progeny of Abraham (May peace be through him) and the progeny of Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) that God gave them the Book which is the Qur'an.

Q173 From the above-mentioned proofs it is clear that there is an explanation of everything in the exoteric and esoteric aspects of the magnificent Qur'an and that the essence of the previous heavenly Books is also preserved in it. Yet, it is appropriate to ask whether it contains any kind of criticism or rejection of the way Hazrat David (May peace be through him) used to recite the Psalms with different musical instruments?
A173 Not at all. God Himself by His grace made him the teacher of heavenly love, so that people may learn a lesson of the secrets of heavenly love.

Q174 What is the real wisdom of verse (73:18): "As-sama'u munfatirun bihi; kana wa`duhu maf`ula"?
A174

  • First translation: [On that day] the heaven will be rent asunder. His promise is bound to be fulfilled.
  • Second translation: On that day the heaven is going to be split. His promise has already been fulfilled (several times). That is, such a spiritual resurrection has been taking place in the past behind the veil, because the semantic link of maf`ul (past participle) is with the past.

Q175 Once explaining "yudabbiru'l-amra" (10:3), you stated that God continues to repeat the Word of Command (Be), because He maintains the chain of creation by this command. Is this correct?
A175 Yes, it is correct and it is because of this that God says in verse (33:37): "And Allah's command is that which has been accomplished [several times]." Thus, there is no work with God that has never been accomplished, but there is renewal in everything, which is a new creation (khalq-i jadid). See verses (13:5; 14:19; 17:49, 17:98; 32:10; 34:7; 35:16; 50:15).

Q176 What is azal? How should we conceive abad? Where is la-makan?
A176 Azal is the name of immovable time, which is dahr and abad is not separate from it. It is inappropriate to use "where" for la-makan (space-less) because words such as here, there, where are used for space and not for space-less. Rather, the question concerning la-makan should be asked: Can la-makan be known, or is its observation and recognition possible? The answer is, yes, it is possible to observe azal, abad and la-makan if someone goes beyond time and space.

Q177 Please explain the wisdom of verses (6:73-74): "Wa huwa'lladhi khalaqa's-samawati wa'l-arza bi'l-haqqi wa-yawma yaqulu kun fa-yakunu. Qawluhu'l-haqq."
A177

  • First translation: And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth with truth. And the day [when] He says: Be! It is. His word is true.
  • Second translation: And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth [of the personal world] by haqq (Word of Command), and when He says: "Be", then it becomes a world. His qawl (Word of Command) is true.
  • This verse is related to the personal world.
  • Haqq means the Word of Command, which is haqqu'l-yaqin (the truth of certainty).

By uttering "Be" there, a universe comes into existence every time.

Q178 Please explain the essential wisdom of verse (3:59) to us: "Inna mathala `Isa `inda'llahi ka-mathali Adam. Khalaqahu min turabin thumma qala lahu kun fa-yakun".
A178

  • First translation: "Verily, the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam; He created him out of dust, then He said to him: "Be! And he was."
  • Second translation: "Verily, the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam; He created him out of dust (according to the law of creation, 30:30), then He said to him: "Be!" [at the place of Intellect after spiritual progress], and he became [a luminous creature].

Every human being is born of parents (16:4; 76:2) and so too Adam (May peace be through him) and Jesus (May peace be through him), who were also human beings. From the above-mentioned verse, it is evident that the application of "Be" is at the place of Intellect, by which the Perfect Man is created intellectually. This is the place where seventy thousand angels/copies/worlds come into existence. Angel, copy and world are synonymous.

Q179 Would you kindly explain the wisdom of verses (65:2-3): "Wa-man yattaqi'llaha yaj`al lahu makhrajan wa-yarzuqhu min haythu la yahtasib".
A179

  • First translation: "And whosoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him and provide him with sustenance from where he does not reckon."
  • Second translation: "And he who is pious [in a true sense], God makes a makhraj (the fountainhead of knowledge) for him and provides him with the sustenance of knowledge from where he does not reckon."
  • The sublime purpose of piety is knowledge.
  • By makhraj is meant the fountainhead of knowledge.
  • The hidden knowledge of the Qur'an and hadith is provided from places where there was no expectation [of finding it].

Q180 Please give us an example from the Qur'an, which nobody would consider as containing treasured knowledge.
A180 God willing! Let us see in verse (11:56): "There is no creature that crawls (dabbah) but He holds its forelock."

  • By dabbah or crawling creature is meant only a salik who walks and advances on the spiritual path.
  • By forelock is meant the inner senses, which are in God's Hand, so that he may be able to walk towards the ultimate destination by this spiritual attraction.
  • The following ta'wil is also possible: The inner senses of the salik are in the grip of the love of the true Guide, as the last part of the verse shows: "Verily, my Lord is on a straight path." The straight path means the Guide of the time, because it is he who guides on behalf of God.
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