Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 30

Casket of Pearls 30

Tags: Ta'wili War, Fear, Grief, I, Soul, Abundant Dhikr

Q291 Hazrat Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) has said: "Even if the veil were to be removed nothing in my yaqin (certainty) would increase".⁷⁴ Please explain this farman to us.
A291 Three levels of yaqin are well known: `ilmu'l-yaqin, `aynu'l-yaqin and haqqu'l-yaqin and thereafter there is no additional level. Since Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) is the treasure of the secrets of haqqu'l-yaqin, there cannot be any lack of yaqin in him. Thus, if the veil is removed, there can be great amazement for the people, but there cannot be any amazement for him.

Q292 Kindly explain what wisdom is alluded to in verse (17:95): "Say: If there were in the earth angels walking in peace, We would surely have sent down an angel to them from the heaven as a messenger".
A292 This shows that there are two kinds of angels: the physical and the spiritual. The physical angels are the Prophets and awliya' who walk on the earth without any fear, because of the remembrance of Allah. And, by the command of God, the spiritual angels are helping the earthly angels and bring revelation to the Messengers in the cycle of Prophethood.

Q293 It is said in a hadith: "Indeed, from among you is he who will fight for the sake of the ta'wil of the Qur'an, as I fought for the sake of its tanzil".⁷⁵ It is well known that this hadith is about Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him). The question here is: What is ta'wili war in reality?
A293

Ta'wili war, in reality is a spiritual war that is a hidden resurrection and it is on the basis of this that there is also open ta'wil.
Thus, there are three great hudud for ta'wil: asas, Imam and qa'im and the ta'wili war cannot be fought physically or spiritually without an army.

Q294 Please explain to us what are the secrets in verse (10:62): "Beware that the awliya' of Allah have no fear, nor do they grieve."
A294

Fear is related to the future and grief to the past, but the reality of the awliya' of God is beyond space and time.
The awliya' of Allah are manifest simultaneously in paradise and in this world and they have also become fana' fi'llah. Then in such a state how can the scale of temporary fear and grief be heavy for them?
There is another explanation for this, that there is the mercy and wisdom of God in each and every fear and grief of His friends. In this sense, too, the concept of fear and grief ceases to exist.

Q295 Would you kindly explain the ta'wili wisdom of verse (6:98): "He it is who has created you from a Single Soul, then there is a permanent place (mustaqarr) and a transitory (mustawda`) place (for every individual)."
A295

The higher "I" of a human being is in paradise, that is, the permanent place (mustaqarr).
The lower "I" is sent to the world, which is a transitory place (mustawda`). This human reality is alluded to and confirmed by the law of Imamat, that the permanent Imam is always there in history, but the entrusted Imam is sometimes there and sometimes not.

Q296 Your book "What is Soul?" is invaluable for the recognition of soul. Would you kindly tell us briefly what it is? Is it an insignificant and finite particle? Or, is it an infinite thing? Is it spatial or non-spatial? Can we call it simple and all embracing? Is it an all-embracing and universal reality?
A296

In God's kingdom, the soul is the most wondrous and amazing thing.
The soul is finite as well as infinite.
Essentially the soul is non-spatial, but due to its relation with the body, it is spatial.
The soul is indeed simple, all-surrounding and everywhere.
The soul is all embracing and universal, because it is the reflection of the light of God.

Q297 Al-hamdu li'llah! God is my witness that I believe in all Pirs and dignitaries of religion. Here is a verse of Hakim Pir Nasir-i Khusraw, which seems to be unique in solving questions. Would you kindly explain it for friends and readers. The verse is:

Zi nur-i u tu hasti ham-chu partaw
Hijab az pish bardar-u tu u shaw⁷⁶

You (in your inner self) are a reflection (living picture) of His light
Remove the veil (of ego) in front of your eye and become He.
A297

How excellent and blessed is this similitude that the human heart is the mirror of the manifestation of God.
If you can, see with the inner eye how great are the secrets of monoreality hidden in this mirror that shows God (mir'at-i khuda-numa).
At this place, one should remember the sacred hadith "I will make you like Me".
It should be remembered that the Sacred Sanctuary is the paradise of great secrets.

Q298 Please explain the ta'wili wisdom of verse (12:4): "When Joseph said to his father: O my father! Verily I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating to me".
A298

Hazrat Jacob (May peace be through him) had the Imamat that was transferred to Hazrat Joseph (May peace be through him) some time earlier.
Therefore, eleven hujjats, the previous Imam and his bab bowed to Hazrat Joseph (May peace be through him).
Prostration has many meanings, one of them being obedience.

Q299 It is mentioned in verses (33:41-42 ): "O you who believe, remember Allah abundantly and do His tasbih morning and evening". What benefits accrue from abundant dhikr? What loss occurs from neglecting dhikr?
A299

There are countless benefits of abundant dhikr. The fact that the pleasure of Almighty Allah is attained by dhikr-u `ibadat is the most important of these benefits.
The devil gains the upper hand when we forget to do the dhikr of Allah.
Abundant dhikr empowers the angel appointed for you and performs angelic deeds for you, whereby you can progress spiritually.
The heart gains peace due to abundant dhikr (13:28). Peace is in many meanings and ranks.
If you are remembering your Lord through His supreme Name, be sure that there are countless blessings in it (55:78). Never forget that the secret of spiritual progress is the living and supreme Name of God.

Q300 What is the meaning of the "wind blowing violently" and which is the blessed land mentioned in verse (21:81): "And to Solomon (We subdued) the violently blowing wind, which blew at his command towards the land which We have blessed."
A300 The real miracles of the Prophets take place in the personal world. Thus, the throne of Hazrat Solomon (May peace be through him) was spiritual and the violently blowing wind that was carrying it on its shoulder was also in spirituality. The blessed land is the sacred Sanctuary. If the flight of the Prophets and awliya' was physical and not spiritual, then in the present context where we have aeroplanes, such a miracle would have lost its magnificence and importance. This is not possible.

⁷⁴ Al-Mu'ayyad fi'd-Din Shirazi, al-Majalisu'l-Mu'ayyadiyyah, ed. H. Hamid al-Din (Bombay, 1975), I, 461.
⁷⁵ Hakim Naysaburi, al-Mustadrak, ed. M.A. `Ata (Beirut, 1990), III, 132, Hadith 4621.
⁷⁶ Nasir-i Khusraw (Pir), Diwan-i Ash`ar, ed. Nasru'llah Taqawi (Tehran, 1988), p. 523.

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