Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 36

Casket of Pearls 36

Tags: Lightning, Barq, Sarabil, God's Spirit, Ibda`i body, Resurrection

Q341 What does the lightning mentioned in verses (13:12; 30:24) mean? Why does it have fear and hope?
A341

This is the miracle of the manifestation of the Imam of the time in his celestial body.
In this state there is fear of this supernatural personality of the Imam as well as yearning to be merged in it in order to be liberated from the present sick and helpless body.
Had it only been physical lightning, fear would be appropriate, but why yearning? One cannot say yearning for rain, because in physical rainfall there is prosperity as well as destruction.

Q342 Why is lightning (al-barq) one of the names of the ibda`i body of the exalted Imam? In the world of religion and in the personal world are there things similar to the ones in the external world?
A342

According to a hadith: "Indeed, Allah has created His religion on the pattern of the creation (universe and existents) so that from His creation may be inferred His religion and from His religion His oneness".⁸¹
This means that just as there are dense physical things in the external world, there are subtle spiritual things in the world of religion and in the personal world.
It should be known that the dense world is dead, therefore there cannot be the manifestation of the lightning-man here. However, the subtle world is alive, therefore his manifestation is possible there.
Today the subtle lightning-man is the Imam of the time, therefore one of the names of his ibda`i body is lightning (al-barq) and in the future there is room for you also to be so, by donning the lightning-shirt.

Q343 Please tell us what is the nature of the lightning shirt and where is it mentioned in the holy Qur'an?
A343

This great bounty is mentioned in verse (16:81) by the name of sarabil. Study its description with happiness and gratitude and be sure with soul and heart of the promise of the Compassionate God.
The lightning-shirt has many names, such as Joseph (May peace be through him)'s shirt, Jesus (May peace be through him)' bird, king of jinns, angel, subtle body, subtle world, subtle creature, subtle human being, celestial body, body of similitude, ibda`i body, astral body, paradisal body, luminous body, Sulaymanian throne, subtle fortress of the personal world, essence of the universe, universal body, all-inclusive body, new creation, flying saucer, etc.

Q344 Did the universal law of the Imam-i mubin (36:12) exist in the time of Adam (May peace be through him) too? What is the difference between God's spirit and His light? Is it true that the sur of resurrection is blown in order to breathe God's spirit into every Perfect Man?
A344

The universal law of the Imam-i mubin is eternal, therefore the Imam is in the background of the story of Adam (May peace be through him).
God's spirit is the light and His light is the spirit, thus there is no difference in their meaning.
God's spirit means the Soul of souls, which is the absolute Light. When this spirit is about to come into a Perfect Man then necessarily Israfil blows the sur and the spiritual resurrection takes place.
The spirit that God calls "My spirit" (15:29; 38:72) or "Our spirit" (19:17; 21:91) is with respect to honour or with respect to His mazhar.

Q345 It is mentioned in verse (28:20): "And a man came running from the remotest part of the city. He said to Moses! Surely the chiefs are consulting together to slay you, therefore depart [at once]; Surely I am of those who wish you well." Could you tell us who the person was who came from the remotest part of the city?
A345

It is the lord of the ibda`i body who came running from the remotest part of the city and not from its centre.
Prophets' stories are full of secrets, and there is never ordinary talk in them.
It should be noted that the holy manifestation of the exalted Imam takes place in the luminous body, and then its coming and going, etc. is like lightning.

Q346 Verse (36:20) is as follows: "And from the remotest part of the city there came a man running; he said: O my people! Follow the Messengers." Who was this man? Why did he come running? Since he was far away, how did he come to know that here people were not following the Messengers?
A346

This man was the lord of the ibda`i body.
Running, that is, coming with the speed of lightning is his characteristic, because he is in the lightning-body.
He was seeing and hearing spiritually. He spoke to confirm and defend the Messengers, otherwise people were unable to see and hear him.

Q347 It is mentioned in verse (7:27): "Surely he (satan) and his army see you from a place where you see them not." Where is this place from which satan, together with his army, can see the human beings? Why is he given this tremendous power? If satan can see them to seduce them, can the true guide not see their inner state (batin) and guide them?
A347

Satan enters the personal world with his army, from where he can see the human beings. The proof of this is the jinn who is near his heart.
The trial of human beings lies in this power of satan.
The true guide can also enter the personal world with his army (angels and souls), the proof of which is the angel who is near the heart, so that the light of guidance that is ordained by God may reach the personal world of mu'mins.

Q348 It is written in verse (58:21): "God has decreed: It is I and My Messengers [who] will most certainly prevail." About which battle is this decree of God? When will God and His Messengers prevail over satan and his army?
A348

This is the battle, which is fought against satan and his army.
Several spiritual battles, namely resurrections took place in the cycle of every natiq and each time God, the lord of the cycle (natiq), the Imam and the mu'mins are victorious.

Q349 The following is mentioned in eight places of the wise Qur'an (5:4): "Surely God is swift in taking account." It is also mentioned in verse (6:62): "Surely His is the judgement and He is the swiftest of reckoners." What is the reckoning of? Which day is the day of reckoning?
A349

It is the day of the reckoning of the deeds of the servants, by which is meant the resurrection.
The day of reckoning is one of the names of resurrection.
However, resurrection is not external, it is in an internal and spiritual state and takes place in the time of every Imam, and the moment an action is accomplished, its reckoning or account also becomes complete.

Q350 In verse (3:27) the last part of a magnificent prayer is mentioned, which is as follows: "Wa-tarzuqu man tasha'u bi-ghayri hisab". What is the wisdom hidden in it?
A350

The usual translation is: "And You give sustenance to whom You like, without reckoning." Such a translation leads to the conclusion that those nations that have abundant wealth today are praised here! However, this is not correct. The correct ta'wili translation is: "And You grant knowledge to whom You will, even without (undergoing the experience of) resurrection."
In reality, resurrection is a pre-requisite to attaining the treasure of knowledge and wisdom.

⁸¹ Al-Mu'ayyad fi'd-Din Shirazi, al-Majalisu'l-Mu'ayyadiyyah, ed. H. Hamid al-Din (Bombay, 1975), I, 348.

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