Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 23
Casket of Pearls 23
Tags: Keys, Eye of needle, Water, Alast, Dhikr
Q221 In verse (6:59) it is mentioned: "And with Him are the keys of the invisible (ghayb). None but He knows them." In verses (39:63; 42:12) it is said: "His are the keys of the heavens and the earth." What do these keys mean?
A221 Allah's keys are: heavenly love, beautiful Names, perfect words, adhkar (sing. dhikr = to recite Allah's names) and worship (`ibadat). It is through these keys that the door of knowledge and wisdom may open, provided there is Divine help.
Q222 The question is related to verse (7:40): "passing of the camel through the eye of the needle". Is it a supposition or is it possible and is a ta'wili parable?
A222 This is not a hypothesis, it is a parable, which has ta'wils:
- A person, however great he may be, should for the sake of spiritual progress consider himself to be humble, insignificant and a worthless particle.
- When a salik enters the stage of Israfil and `Izra'il, his spiritual existence is scattered into particles, which are so tiny that they can easily pass through the eye of a needle.
Q223 It is mentioned in verse (2:50): "And when We parted the sea for you and rescued you and drowned Pharaoh's people, while you were watching." Does this event have a ta'wil? Please tell us what it is.
A223 The parable of spirituality and knowledge is water. Water is the means of prosperity as well as the cause of destruction. Thus, the children of Israel passed through the tempestuous spirituality of Hazrat Moses (May peace be through him) and Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him), but the people of Pharaoh were drowned and destroyed.
Q224 This question relates to verse (7:172) in which it is mentioned: "When your Lord took from the children of Adam, from their loins, their dhurriyyat (particles of soul), and made them witness over themselves. [Then asked them]: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes, we testify." Is this event a part of the individual resurrection of the `arif or is it a separate event? What is meant by the children of Adam (May peace be through him)? At what stage is the question "Am I not your Lord?" asked?
A224
- The covenant of alast (Am I not?) is a part of every `arif's resurrection.
- By the children of Adam (May peace be through him), in reality, are meant the kamils and the `arifs.
- The question "Am I not your Lord?" is asked in the sacred Sanctuary.
Q225 In the light of the Qur'an, please tell us whether it is the Lord (rabb) Himself Who should be remembered or His name? How?
A225 Those who are blessed with the spiritual vision (didar-i batin) of the Lord can remember both, but those who are not yet blessed with it, may remember [only] His blessed living name, because remembrance of a thing is possible only after having seen it. Remembrance of something without ever seeing it, is not possible.
Q226 What is the reference of the verse in which it is commanded to remember the name of the Lord and which is the verse in which there is a mention or an allusion to His blessed didar (vision)?
A226 The first is verse (73:8): "And remember the name of your Lord …" and the second is verse (7:205): "And remember your Lord within yourself (personal world) with humility and fear, without raising the voice, at morn and evening. And do not be of the neglectful." That is, remember the holy didar of the Lord, wherever you were blessed with it in your personal world, slowly in the way of giryah-u zari.
Q227 It is mentioned in the wisdom-filled verse (2:152): "So, therefore remember me, and I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful." How the servants remember God is well known, but please tell us how God remembers His servants?
A227 It is a parable and its ta'wil is that the light of the Divine attributes always radiates like the sun. God never withholds the rays of His mercy, but it is the servant himself who, due to his own negligence and disobedience, creates obstacles, which deprive him of the flow of His mercy.
Q228 It is commanded to remember the favours of God in many verses of the Qur'an. How can this remembrance be done?
A228
- Allah's praise and gratitude to Him are in accordance with His favours.
- If you are blessed with worldly wealth or the wealth of knowledge or any other things and you help others with it, this is a practical remembrance and gratitude for His favours.
- If someone is among the people of ma`rifat, he too, can remember the spiritual favours granted to him together with his true Benefactor.
Q229 The holy Qur'an was revealed to the heart of the holy Prophet (2:97; 26:194), therefore it was in his spirituality and luminosity without the slightest decrease, even though it was gradually dictated in a physical form. The question is regarding the command of God to His Prophet during the revelation in verses (19:16, 19:41, 19:51, 19:54, 19:56): "Remember Maryam/Abraham/Moses/Isma`il/Idris in the Book". According to the Divine command, did he do this in the physical Book or the spiritual Book?
A229 The living miracles of the Prophets and the awliya' are preserved in the personal world, therefore the holy Prophet saw and remembered them in his spiritual Book (personal world), because it is not possible to remember a thing without seeing it.
Q230 One of the holy Prophet's blessed names is "dhikr" (remembrance, 65:10-11). Why is he called dhikr?
A230
- Dhikr means the supreme Name (ism-i a`zam) and the holy Prophet was the supreme Name in his time.
- Dhikr (exhortation) is the Qur'an and the holy Prophet was the speaking Qur'an.
- Dhikr means to remember constantly and to never forget. The Divine dhikr used to continue automatically all the time in the blessed forehead of the holy Prophet. Since he was the speaking Qur'an, it was not possible for him to forget the silent Qur'an.
- Thus, dhikr is the name of the holy Prophet in all these meanings and the people of dhikr are the people of the Prophet, i.e. the pure Imams.
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