Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 37


Casket of Pearls 37

Tags: Sab`-i Mathani, Circle of Recognition, Dabbah, Dabbatu'l-arz

Q351 It is said in verse (15:87): "Wa-laqad ataynaka sab`an mina'l-mathani wa'l-Qur'ana'l-`azim". What is its ta'wili secret?
A351

  • Literal translation: "And We have certainly given you sab`-i mathani (seven repeated verses = surah of Fatihah) and the great Qur'an."
  • Ta'wili translation: "And We have certainly given you sab`-i mathani (the chain of seven seven Imams) and the great Qur'an (qa'im)."

Q352 Verse (13:7) reads: "Verily you are a warner, and to every people there is a guide." Please expound this part of the verse for us.
A352

  • By the warner is meant the holy Prophet and by a guide, Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him).
  • There has not been a people from the time of Adam (May peace be through him) to the resurrection of the resurrections, for whom there has not been a guide on behalf of God.

Q353 It is said in verses (54:17, 22, 32, 40): "And verily We have made the Qur'an easy (yassarna'l-Qur'an) to admonish and remember. Is there anyone who may admonish and remember?" Please explain to us how God has made the Qur'an easy. Is the Qur'an so easy by itself or are there other means to make it easy?
A353

  • God has also appointed Light together with His magnificent and unique Book (the Qur'an), so that remembrance, `ibadat, guidance and admonition may be easy in its illumination.
  • The Qur'an, not only has a zahir but a batin too, which is far greater. Therefore, the Qur'an as a whole is extremely difficult. The greatest miracle of the Qur'an is that it is the wisdom-filled speech of God, the Knowing, the Wise. It is because of this that if men and jinn had come together to bring a book like the Qur'an, it would not be possible for them to do so (17:88).

Q354 It seems that the above wisdom has very great importance, would you kindly elaborate further on it?
A354

  • The above-mentioned verse implies that the Qur'an as such is very difficult, but God has made it easy by appointing the Light (the Divine Teacher) on His behalf, because "yassarna'l-Qur'an" means: "We made the (difficult) Qur'an easy".
  • The wise Qur'an becomes easy according to the ranks of knowledge and recognition of people. The recognition of the silent Qur'an is hidden in the recognition of the speaking Qur'an.
  • This is because the spirit and the light of the Qur'an is in the Divine Teacher, a point we have mentioned several times.

Q355 What is the extent of the circle of recognition (da'irah-i ma`rifat)? What things does this circle include? What is the means of God's recognition? Can the spirit of the Qur'an be recognised? If yes, what is the means of it?
A355

  • The circle of recognition is equal to paradise and the universe, but God brings them close in the personal world of His `arifs, so that the extremely extensive recognition may be confined and made easy [to attain].
  • The recognition of each and every thing is included in this circle (personal world).
  • The recognition of one's own soul is the means to God's recognition.
  • Why can the Qur'an's spirit not be recognised while it is the light (42:52)? The way of its recognition is the same as that of one's own soul and God's recognition. The recognition of the Qur'an is not separate from the recognition of God, the Prophet and the Imam, because it is the speech of God and His hidden light which was revealed to the holy Prophet and the heir to which is the Imam (the speaking Qur'an). Thus, the recognition of the Qur'an cannot be separate from their recognition.

Q356 How can we gain more and more benefit from the "prayer of light (du`a-yi nur)" and the wonderful wisdom with which the holy Prophet has taught it to us?82 Is there not a treasure of the recognition of light in it for the wise people? Is this prayer not the gist of the recognition of the blessed subject of light, which is spread throughout the Qur'an?
A356

  • I too, wonder why all those people who claim to be the lovers of light, do not recite it shedding tears and prostrating and thus acquire the pearls of knowledge and recognition contained in it.
  • Indeed, a precious treasure of the recognition of light is hidden in it for the people of intellect.
  • The significant wisdoms of the subject of light can be revealed only in the illumination of the luminous lamp (33:46) and the revealed light (5:15). Therefore, reflect carefully on this noble hadith, which is in the form of a prayer and note with what wisdom light is praised and how profoundly its actions are alluded to.

Q357 In verse (41:53), there is a special promise of God, as well as a Qur'anic prophecy that soon God will show His ayat (signs) to the people in the external world as well as in their own souls. Is the present age in which a scientific revolution has occurred, the age referred to in this verse? If this is the case, why should one feel reticent to explain spiritual miracles through the examples of scientific inventions and instruments?
A357

  • Yes, this is the age of the appearance of the ayat and the scientific inventions and instruments are among the signs of God.
  • There is no need to feel shy in understanding and explaining spiritual miracles through the examples of material science, because the wise Qur'an clearly says that God is going to show His signs to the people in the external world as well as in their personal worlds.

Q358 It is mentioned in verses (94:5-6): "Verily, with every hardship there is ease, verily with every hardship there is ease." What is the esoteric wisdom of these verses?
A358

  • Every difficult task becomes easy by one means or another.
  • Similarly, every difficult work of the Qur'an and Islam becomes easy through the light of guidance.
  • God did not say that difficulty does not exist rather He has said that it is there, but there is also a means of ease with it. Praise belongs to God, the Lord of the worlds!

Q359 It is said in verse (27:82): "And when the word shall come to pass concerning them, We shall bring forth a live created being (dabbah) from the earth who shall speak to them, that the people did not believe in Our signs." What is this dabbah or the live created being? Which earth is alluded to here? In which language will the dabbah speak?
A359

  • This is the light of Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him), which is in the personal world as the da`i (summoner) of the resurrection.
  • This is not the external or physical earth, rather it is the earth of the personal world, which is the earth of the da`wat.
  • The da`i of resurrection can speak every language.
  • The ayat of God are the Imams (May peace be through him), in whom most people did not believe.

Q360 Please present the proofs of the above statement.
A360

  • Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him), said: "I am the dabbatu'l-arz".83 Therefore, this is the light of `Ali (May peace be through him), which as the da`i of resurrection invites people to the place of resurrection. Together with this there is also the voice of the sur of Israfil.
  • The voice of the da`i is like that of a gnat (ba`uzah, 2:26), therefore Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) has said: "I am the gnat by which God has struck an example".84 The da`i of resurrection who is the light of Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) speaks in every language of the world. Study the phrase "He has no crookedness" (20:108). Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) says: "I speak every language of the world".85 He has also said: "I am the signs of God".86

82 `Allamah Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai, (Karachi, 2000), pp. 140-45.
83 Muhammad Salih Kashfi, Manaqib-i Murtazawi, translated into Urdu by Sharif Husayn as Kawkab-i Durri (Lahore, n.d.), p. 199.
84 Ibid., p. 205.
85 Ibid., p. 201.
86 Ibid., p. 208.

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