Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 46

Casket of Pearls 46

Tags: Hazrat Zachariah, Hazrat Maryam, Ibda`i Body, Ruhana, Palm Tree, Hazrat Jesus, Delight to the Eyes, Image of Rahman, Ark, Hazrat Aaron, Ta'wil

Q441 Please explain the esoteric wisdom of verse (19:5):"So grant me an heir from Your nearness."
A441

This is the prayer of Hazrat Zachariah (May peace be through him) in which he sought from his Lord a special child with physical, spiritual and intellectual perfections.
There is a very great wisdom in the words "an heir from Your nearness" (min ladunka waliyyan).
If the given (ladunni) knowledge is highly praiseworthy, why should the given offspring not be so too?
By the heir mentioned here is not meant the one who inherits lands, house, property, etc., but the one who inherits the spiritual book and knowledge and wisdom.
If it is a definitive law that every Prophet has to have an heir, why should there be any doubt in the holy Prophet's having his heir, who was `Ali (May peace be through him)?

Q442 What is the ta'wili wisdom in verse (19:12): "O John! Hold fast the book."
A442

It is a very great ingratitude to do `ibadat half-heartedly. Therefore, remember the supreme Name (ism-i a`zam) with full strength.
The heavenly book is both in a physical as well as a spiritual form, therefore strive strenuously [to understand them].
Continue to struggle hard for the sake of knowledge and wisdom.
According to the wider meaning of the book, it can also be said [that it means to] reflect on the silent book, the speaking book, the book of the soul and the book of the universe attentively.

Q443 With respect to the body, what was the special soul or angel who came to Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through him) by God's command and appeared to her in the form of a sound and perfect man (19:17)? Was his body a compound of the four elements? Was he really an angel in human form? Can we call him the ibda`i body? Can we call it the mubda`?
A443

He is a luminous body.
He is not made of the four elements.
Yes, he is really an angel in human form.
He is the ibda`i body.
Indeed, he is the mubda`, but the meaning of the mubda` in ancient philosophy is different.

Q444 Could you explain in the light of the Qur'an the fact that Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through him) had given birth to Hazrat Jesus (May peace be through him) not only in a physical sense, but also at the level of the soul and intellect?
A444

God willing, when such a great angel whom God called "ruhana" (Our Spirit), came to Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through him), this shows that at this time she had reached the highest level of spirituality. In this state, His saying "I may give you a pure child" (19:19) is a bright proof and good news that Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through him) has to give birth to Hazrat Jesus (May peace be through him) at the level of the intellect.
"Then the birth pangs led her to the trunk of a palm tree" (19:23). This means the sacred Sanctuary and the level of the intellect.

Q445 It is said in verse (4:171): "Verily, al-Masih, Jesus, son of Maryam, is only a Messenger of God, and His Word which He cast unto Maryam and a Spirit from Him." In what sense was Hazrat Jesus (May peace be through him) a Word of God? And how is he a Spirit from Him?
A445

The Word of God is the supreme Name and Hazrat Jesus (May peace be through him) in his cycle was the supreme Name of God. This supreme Name which had Hazrat Jesus (May peace be through him)' light in it, was given to Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through him), who was a siddiqah, by which the great spiritual revolution gradually took place in her personal world. All the allusions to this are found in the wise Qur'an.
There are three souls in every human being: vegetative soul, animal soul and rational soul. However, in the Perfect Man there is an additional soul and that is the Holy Spirit, in which all the miracles of God are gathered together. This Spirit was manifesting itself in Hazrat Jesus (May peace be through him) too, like all other Perfect Men.

Q446 This morning (27-2-99) whilst reading the fourth letter of Hubb-i `Ali in the Durr-i Maknun guest class, it was said to further elaborate those bounties of paradise that give delight to the eyes. Please kindly elaborate them.
A446

The amazing and great wisdom in this letter is that all human forms or images come from the treasure of the surat-i Rahman (Image of Rahman, 15:21). Indeed, whoever enters paradise is in the form or image of his father, Adam (May peace be through him), who was created in the Image of Rahman.
It now becomes easy to understand that in paradise the didar or beatific vision of the true Beloved is possible in different forms as the holy Prophet says that every dweller of paradise becomes the image of Rahman.
Thus, the reality of those bounties of paradise that are created to give delight to the eyes, become clear, as mentioned in verse (43:71): "And in it (paradise) is whatever the souls desire and the eyes delight in." See also verse (32:17).

Q447 Many ta'wili secrets of the noble Qur'an have been discovered by the luminous guidance of God, the holy Prophet and the ulu'l-amr. For instance, if the throne on the water means the ark of salvation, that is, the ahl-i bayt then please tell us whether those similitudes of the ark mentioned in the Qur'an are also related to the ark of salvation in a wisdom-filled way or not? If they are related, please give us an example.
A447

The ta'wil of all those similitudes of the ark mentioned in the holy Qur'an are related to the ark of salvation.
See verse (2:164) where it is mentioned: "And the ships (in which there is a sign of God) sail across the sea with that which profits humankind." One has to reflect here about which ark is the great sign of God, the external or the internal ark? Or which benefit is more necessary for humankind, the material or the spiritual? This shows that the reality of the spiritual or internal ark is hidden in the similitude of every physical or external ark.

Q448 In the light of the hadith about resemblance to Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him), you told us: "Continue to do didar of `Ali (May peace be through him) in Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him)'s mirror". What does this mean? What is such a mirror and where is it?
A448

This means that you should accept Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him) like Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him) in all meanings except Prophethood.
This mirror is in all those blessed verses that are revealed about Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him).
Thus, Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him)'s mirror is in the Qur'an itself.
Hazrat Moses (May peace be through him)' story is the longest among the stories of the Qur'anic Prophets. He is mentioned 136 times. In this entire story Hazrat Aaron (May peace be through him) is also there, although apparently he is mentioned only twenty times.

Q449 This highly important and delicate question is about verse (7:53) and whether the time of ta'wil has come. Whose ta'wil is this? What is the other name of ta'wil?
A449

Yes, the time of ta'wil has come.
It is the ta'wil of the wise Qur'an.
Its other name is resurrection. Resurrection, namely ta'wil has come time and again spiritually, but the ta'wil or qiyamat of this time is extremely effective and universal and it is because of this that the scientific revolution has taken place.
Scientific marvels and wonders are those signs (ayat) of Divine power that are prophesied and are promised to be shown in the verse of afaq and anfus (41:53).

Q450 In verse (14:48), it is mentioned: "On the day when the earth shall be changed into other than the earth, and the heavens (likewise), and they will come forth unto God, the One, the Overwhelming." If in this verse it is meant that humankind will be transferred to another planet, then the heaven will not have changed, therefore kindly tell us its correct ta'wil.
A450

This is a mention of the resurrection and its place. The place of resurrection is indeed the personal world, whose heaven and earth are different from the external world, because they are inner and spiritual.
The meaning of God being One or the Unifier and Overwhelming is that He is going to unite all people by force.

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