Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 22
Casket of Pearls 22
Tags: Mercy, Resurrection, Blind, Tree, Pure word, Rabbaniyyun, Ahbar, Shuhada', Guidance, Torah, Gospel, Rope of Allah
Q211 The holy Prophet said: "He who obeys me, indeed obeys God, and he who disobeys me, indeed disobeys God and he who obeys the Imam, indeed obeys me and he who disobeys the Imam, indeed disobeys me".56
A211 This hadith shows that the Imam is appointed by God and the Prophet, therefore it is obligatory to obey him. Since Islam is a living religion, the presence of the true Imam and obedience to him are necessary.
Q212 In verse (21:107), Allah says about His beloved Messenger: "And We sent you not but as a mercy unto the worlds." Please explain how this fountainhead of mercy could reach the people of the past while he was the seal of the Prophets and therefore the last Prophet?
A212 Indeed, it apparently seems so, but the inner secret is that Allah first created the Light of Hazrat Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny), as he says: "The first of what Allah created is my Light".57 This Light is the supreme angel, who is the Universal Intellect and the supreme Throne, the Divine Pen, as well as the first Adam. In short, nur-i Muhammadi (Muhammadan Light), which is the universal mercy, is being received by the personal worlds in every age through the Prophets and the Imams. It is in this sense that the holy Prophet is the chief of the Prophets and the fountainhead of mercy for all the worlds. Reflect carefully on the names of the holy Prophet, that he is also the first, the last, the manifest and the hidden. Thus, the holy Prophet is undoubtedly the universal mercy for all personal worlds.
Q213 The holy Prophet, by the command of God, used to accept sadaqah (religious levy) from the mu'mins' wealth and through it purify them and pray for them and ensuring peace for them by providing them with heavenly blessings (9:103; 33:43). He used to pray for their difficulties to be eased, recite the verses of God, purify them and teach them the Book and wisdom (62:2). In short, the mercies and blessings, which the companions/followers used to receive from the holy Prophet, were countless. However, the door of Prophetic revelation closed after his demise. Would you kindly tell us how people can benefit from his knowledge and wisdom at present?
A213 The holy Prophet says: "I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its gate. So whoever intends to gain knowledge, let him come through the gate".58 He has also said: "I am the house of wisdom and `Ali is its door".59 This shows that the door of knowledge and wisdom is the Imam of the time from the progeny of Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him)] and there can be no doubt in it for staunch mu'mins. Al-hamdu li'llah!
Q214 You have been writing and stating that resurrection is an inner and spiritual event, in which only the souls of people are present. That is, there is only representation [of the people] by their subtle particles, and apart from the `arifs, nobody else is aware of it. What are the Qur'anic verses that testify to this fact?
A214
- Read verse (27:66): "Nay, they are in doubt about it. Still more they are blind to it." Reflect well upon the point here that the hereafter is even farther than the resurrection and there should be complete knowledge about it. It is possible to have `ilmu'l-yaqin, `aynu'l-yaqin and haqqu'l-yaqin about the hereafter. Had it been impossible to see the resurrection and the hereafter, it would not have been said "they are blind to it".
- In verse (17:72), it is mentioned: "And whosoever is blind in this world, shall [also] be blind in the hereafter, and far astray from the [right] way." This too, shows that the recognition of resurrection, the hereafter and paradise is possible in this world.
- It is mentioned in verse (20:15): "Indeed, the resurrection is going to come, but I will keep it hidden." That is, resurrection is something spiritual and hidden.
- It is mentioned in a hadith: "He who dies, his resurrection takes place".60 That is, resurrection takes place for those who die spiritually or physically, which shows that the chain of resurrection always continues.
Q215 Verse (14:24) contains the parable of two sacred things, one is the pure word and the other the pure tree. What is meant by the pure word? Which is the sacred tree whose root is firm in the ground and whose branch reaches the heaven?
A215 The pure word is the supreme Name. The pure tree is the Light of Prophethood and Imamat, in which the firm root is the holy Prophet and the branch in heaven is the Imam of the time. Thus, the pure word is the supreme Name that rises from the earth of the personal world and reaches the higher world. The supreme Name, in reality, is the Imam of the time and it is a great miracle that the light of the Imam first manifests potentially and then actually in the supreme Name that he grants to some [of his murids]. This is the reason why the Imam of the time teaches the science of secrets to the people of recognition in the personal world, particularly in the sacred Sanctuary.
Q216 The question of whether the light was in the literal words of the Torah or in its spirituality is related to verse (5:44). Who are rabbaniyyun (sing. rabbaniyy)? Who are ahbar (sing. hibr)? What is the meaning of being witnesses (shuhada', sing. shahid) to the Book of God?
A216
- There is light in the spirituality of every heavenly book.
- Rabbaniyyun (rabbis) mean the Imams.61
- Ahbar (scholars) mean the da`is.
- The witnesses to Allah's Book mean those who have seen the entire spiritual form of the Book. They are the `arifs, who are the da`is.
Q217 It is mentioned in verses (5:44, 5:46) that there were light and guidance in the Torah and the Gospel. What is the difference between light and guidance?
A217 The spirituality of the heavenly Book surrounds the personal world. During the spiritual journey, guidance works in all the stages, but the absolute light works [only] in the ultimate destination, as God says: "He guides unto His Light whomever He wills" (24:35). This has two meanings, one exoteric and the other esoteric. Thus, it is evident that first comes guidance and then the absolute light.
Q218 Please explain some wisdoms of verse (37:83): "Verily, of his followers was Abraham."
A218 This is proof of the fact that the chain of Prophets continued in the cycle of Prophethood, just as the chain of Imams continues in the cycle of Imamat, as God says in verse (2:285): "… we do not separate any of His Messengers (rather we consider them as one chain)."
Q219 Since when has Allah's rope (3:103) existed and what is meant by it?
A219 The rope of Allah is very strong and very long and has always been there and is eternal. This rope means the chain of the light of the Prophets and Imams, which continues from Hazrat Adam (May peace be through him).
Q220 Are the straight path, the rope of Allah and the revealed Light three different things, or the names of one reality?
A220 These three names and many more names and parables are used for the Prophet and the Imam.
56 Ibn Majah, Sunan, ed. Salih Al al-Shaykh (Riyaz, 1999), p. 413, Hadith 2859.
57 Badi`u'z-Zaman Furuzanfar, Ahadith-i Mathnawi (Tehran, 1968), p. 113.
58 Qazi Nu`man, Sharhu'l-Akhbar, ed. Muhammad al-Husayni al-Jalali (Qumm, 1987), p. 89.
59 Mishkat al-Masabih, IV, p. 545.
60 Muhammad Ghazali, Ihya'u `ulumi'd-din (Beirut, n.d.), IV, 64.
61 Qazi Nu`man, Da`a'imu'l-Islam, ed. A.A.A. Fyzee (Cairo, 1963), I, 36.
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