Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 19

Casket of Pearls 19

Tags: Salam, Word of Command, Subulu's-salam, Ways of Peace, Subjugation, taskhir, Soul, Ruh, Zabur, Truthful, Sadiqin, Ta'wil

Q181 By the grace of God, we know the meaning, purport and ta'wili secret of the straight path, nonetheless a great question of what are the subulu's-salam (the ways of peace) arises here, or which ones are they, to which Allah guides by His revealed light (nur-i munazzal, 5:15)?
A181 First and foremost, it is necessary to know the meanings of salam/as-salam and finally to believe in the reality that both the source and the return of these and all other meanings is only one, and that is the Word of Command (Be!). That is, the higher and original meanings of the words of Qur'anic knowledge and wisdom have come from the treasure of the Word of Command (15:21) and the ways of peace mean that one can go up to the treasure of Command by causing to return these meanings to it.
Here are some examples:

It is mentioned in verse (36:58): "There is a word (qawl = Word of Command) from a merciful Lord, which is (eternal) peace (salam)."
In numerous verses of the Qur'an, it is mentioned that there is peace on the Messengers, such as verse (37:181): "There is peace (salam) on the Messengers." The ta'wil of this verse is that they had been able to reach the Word of Command.
Only 'peace, peace!' will be said in paradise (56:26). That is, only the great secrets of the Word of Command will be discussed there.
It is mentioned in verse (6:127): "For them is the abode of peace with their Lord. He is their guardian because of what they used to do." That is, their access in knowledge and recognition and focus of attention will be the sacred Sanctuary and the Divine Word (kalimah-yi bari).
One blessed name of Allah, may He be exalted, is "as-salam" (the Peace) (59:23). That is, where there is the Word of Command, there is His vision and recognition.

Q182 When a fortunate salik reaches the final destination and becomes fana' fi'llah by following the light of guidance, does there remain any act which has as yet not been accomplished?
A182 There are two things: one is to walk toward Allah and the other is to walk within Allah. Thus, the salik has accomplished one journey, but now begins the other, the distances of knowledge and recognition of which are called the ways of peace.

Q183 Can the ways of peace also be called the ways of ta'wil, because the practical ta'wil is the one in which the realities and recognitions are caused to return to the sacred Sanctuary?
A183 Certainly the ways of peace, in reality, are the ways of ta'wil and the way the subject of peace is explained here is itself ta'wil. Thus, it is correct to call the ways of peace, the ways of ta'wil and the same is also called wisdom, which is abundant good.

Q184 The subject of subjugation (taskhir) is among the magnificent subjects of the mighty Qur'an, in which, indeed there are great secrets. Please tell us whether the universe has already been subjugated to mu'mins, or is it going to be subjugated in the future?
A184 All the verses related to subjugation say that the universe and all that it contains has already been subjugated to humankind. However, it should be known that this supreme favour of God is related to the higher "I" (ana-yi `ulwi) and the kamils (Perfect Men) and `arifs (those who have recognised God) and who have experienced and comprehended that the universe is subjugated to all at the spiritual subliminity of the higher "I" and Monoreality. Another name of this subjugation is a magnificent kingdom of paradise (76:20), which comprises the exterior and interior of the microcosm and macrocosm.

Q185 You have written an extraordinary, unique and wisdom-filled book called "What is Soul?" and have established that you have certainly recognised the soul. Could you tell us some secrets of the soul? Is it visible or invisible? If visible, what are its features? If it speaks, in which language does it do so? [When you recognised the soul] was it your own soul, or that of the Imam of the time, or both?
A185

God willing, I can tell you some secrets of the soul.
Soul is both visible and invisible.
There are countless forms of the innumerable manifestations of soul nonetheless it is mainly in the human form. The soul speaks in the salik/`arif's own tongue. It was my own soul, the light of my Imam and all other souls. Al-hamdu li'llah!

Q186 Would you kindly tell us a wisdom of verse (17:85): "They ask you [O Muhammad] about the soul: Say [to them only this much]: The soul is from the Command of my Lord and you have been given only a little knowledge [therefore how can we tell you the secrets of the soul]."
A186

The soul has come from the world of Command as a luminous rope, the higher end of which is linked with the Word of Command (Be!) and the lower end with the Perfect Man.
It is the mention of the Single Soul (nafs-i wahidah), from which the particular souls are created.
See in the above-mentioned verse that the word is not "ruh" (a soul), but "ar-ruh" (the soul), which means that here the special soul is mentioned.
In order to ask the holy Prophet the secrets of knowledge and wisdom, one has to enter through his luminous door, which is the light of Imamat.

Q187 The word Zabur is mentioned in the holy Qur'an as the heavenly Book revealed to Hazrat David (May peace be through him). Is it also used in the sense of the book of deeds?
A187 Yes, it is also used in the Qur'an in the sense of the book of deeds, such as in verse (21:105): "And verily We have written in the book of deeds (of kamils and `arifs) after the dhikr (Reminder): My righteous servants will inherit the earth." It is also used in the plural form, such as in verse (54:52): "And whatever they have done is (recorded) in the books of deeds (az-zubur)". Az-zubur is the plural of az-zabur.

Since God has called the book of deeds of the kamils and `arifs "zabur", therefore this name contains many great secrets.
The book of deeds is not a book of paper; it is in the form of the personal world, rather, the book of the universe.
The inheritance of the earth mentioned here is the earth of the entire universe, in fact, it is the earth of the Universal Soul. The book of deeds or the book of resurrection (qiyamat-namah = zabur) contains all the spiritual miracles of the Prophets and the Imams, including Hazrat David (May peace be through him).

Q188 What is the ta'wili wisdom of verse (9:119): "O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with the truthful (as-sadiqin)"?
A188 The extremely great ta'wili wisdom in this verse is that Muslims and mu'mins of every age are commanded to fear God and be with the truthful (sadiq = Imam) of their time. There are many truthful people in worldly matters, but none is truthful in spiritual knowledge except the Prophet and the Imam. Therefore, in order to attain the truth and reality, it is necessary to be with the Imam of the time openly and hiddenly. Had it been impossible to be with the Imam in the personal world and in the sacred Sanctuary, the command of doing such an impossible task would not have been given.

Q189 It is narrated from Ibn `Abbas that the holy Prophet embraced him and prayed: "O Allah! Teach him wisdom and the ta'wil of the Book".⁴⁵ Kindly explain the meaning of this noble hadith.
A189

This hadith is a bright and clear proof of the possibility of the ta'wil of the Qur'an.
Wisdom and ta'wil are at the peak of knowledge, where there is the treasure of abundant good.
In fact, ta'wil and wisdom are the same thing.
The holy Prophet is the Master of tanzil and his successor the Imam, is the Master of ta'wil.

Q190 Could you give us another hadith in this connection?
A190 God willing! Another hadith is that the Prophet said: "Indeed, from among you is he who will fight for the sake of its ta'wil, as I fought for the sake of its tanzil".⁴⁶ It should be known that the greatest ta'wili battle is the spiritual resurrection, which takes place through the Imam of the time (17:71), in which there is spiritual fighting, as mentioned above.

⁴⁵ Ibn Majah, Sunan, ed. Salih Al al-Shaykh (Riyaz, 1999), p. 166, Hadith 166.
⁴⁶ Hakim Naysaburi, al-Mustadrak, ed. M.A. `Ata (Beirut, 1990), III, p. 132, Hadith 4612; Qazi Nu`man, Sharhu'l-Akhbar, ed. Muhammad al-Husayni al-Jalali (Qumm, 1987), III, 321.

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