Caskets of Pearls Vol. 1 - Casket of Pearls 48

Casket of Pearls 48

Tags: Mashhud, Kara'imu'l-Qur'an, Fire of Hell, Inheritors of the Qur'an, Ark of Peace, Tabut-i Sakinah, Alif-lam-ra, Alif-lam-mim-ra

Q461 Since every Qur'anic ayat is filled with heavenly wisdom, please explain verse (17:78): "Inna Qur'ana'l-fajri kana mashhuda."
A461

This verse has three meanings:
1. To recite the morning salat,
2. to recite the Qur'an in the morning,
3. to recite the ism-i a`zam in the morning at its fixed time.
Al-mashhud and ash-shahadah mean to observe something either with the physical eye (basar) or the spiritual eye (basirat). They are also used in the sense of becoming present.¹⁰⁵
Translation: Indeed, the inner light, i.e. the special guidance, which can be attained from the Imam of the progeny of the holy Prophet can be observed by the `ibadat of the morning.
You should make hard work and arduous riyazat a habit. Become among the lovers of the sacred light, get up at night in the nick of time and engage in arduous giryah-u zari and `ibadat, God willing you will be successful.

Q462 The Commander of the true believers, Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him) has said: "The Qur'an is revealed in four quarters. One quarter is our praise and virtues, one quarter is the condemnation and vices of our enemies, one quarter is about biographies, stories and parables and one quarter is about the obligations and rules of the shari`at and the best of the Qur'anic verses (kara'imu'l-Qur'an) are about us".¹⁰⁶ What kinds of wisdoms are there in this farman of Imam `Ali (May peace be through him)?
A462

There are extremely wonderful and marvellous wisdoms in this farman.
The praise of Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) is in the Qur'an both directly and indirectly, in parables, in rules and in the best of its verses. However, since people are not equal in the recognition of the Imam, therefore different ranks are found among them.

Q463 What is the example of the best of the Qur'anic verses (kara'imu'l-Qur'an)?
A463

It is mentioned in verse (5:15): "There has come to you from God a light and a manifest Book (the Qur'an)". This is among the best of the Qur'anic verses, which are in praise of Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him).
Indeed, this light was with the holy Prophet and after him in Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him), so that the esoteric wisdom of the Qur'an may appear clearly in the illumination of this light. It is because of this unique function of Imam `Ali (May peace be through him)'s light that his praise is in the entire Qur'an. This is only one example of the numerous best verses of the Qur'an, in praise of Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him).

Q464 Would you kindly explain to us what are the best of the Qur'anic verses?
A464

God willing. Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him)'s farman is mentioned in Q462 about the division of the Qur'an in four quarters and that the best of its verses belong to him. In the Qur'an there are special verses and also the special of the special verses, which are called the kara'imu'l-Qur'an or the best verses of the Qur'an, just like kara'imu'l-mal is used for the best or the most prized of possessions.

Q465 It is mentioned in verse (4:54): "Indeed, We gave to Abraham's progeny the Book and wisdom and We gave them a great kingdom." Is this verse among the kara'imu'l-Qur'an? Is this verse a special of the special verses?
A465

There is no doubt that it is among the kara'imu'l-Qur'an and this confirms Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him)'s farman that just as God has sent Prophets and Imams from His side, He, by His mercy, has also praised them specifically.
Yes, it is a special of the special verses about the glory of Abraham (May peace be through him)'s progeny and Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny)'s progeny and it is necessary to pay attention to it again and again.

Q466 It is mentioned in verse (66:6): "O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from the fire whose fuel is men and stones." How can one put into practice this Divine farman. How can a mu'min save his family from the fire of hell?
A466

First of all, it is necessary for a mu'min to know what things are within the domain of his obligations. If he knows his obligations and also fears God, then he will be trying to save himself and his family from the fire of ignorance through knowledge and action. For, the fire whose fuel is men and stones is the fire of ignorance.

Q467 It is said in verse (35:32): "Then We gave the Book as inheritance to those whom We chose from among Our servants." Who are those chosen by God and given the Book (the Qur'an) as inheritance? What is the proof of this inheritance?
A467

They are the Imams from the progeny of the holy Prophet whom God has chosen from among His servants and made them the inheritors of the Qur'an.
It suffices here to quote just two proofs of this inheritance: Firstly, God has made the progeny of Abraham (May peace be through him) and the progeny of Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) the inheritors of the heavenly Book (4:54); secondly, the Qur'an's spirit and spirituality and ta'wili wisdom cannot be received except from the Imams from the progeny of the holy Prophet, for it is they whom God and His Prophet have appointed for this task.

Q468 What does the ark of peace (tabut-i sakinah) as mentioned in verse (2:248) mean? In what sense was it sakinah (peace of heart) from the Lord? What do the relics of the progeny of Moses (May peace be through him) and the progeny of Aaron (May peace be through him) that were in the ark mean?
A468

The ark of peace means the enfolded resurrection and spirituality.
The peace from the Lord means the miracle of knowledge and recognition.
The relics of the progeny of Moses (May peace be through him) and the progeny of Aaron (May peace be through him) are the secrets of the light of Prophethood and that of Imamat.
This means that the real ark is in spirituality, in which are gathered all the gems of the secrets of resurrection and they are of three kinds: secrets of divinity, secrets of Prophethood and the secrets of Imamat.

Q469 If you have received the charity [of knowledge] of the disjointed letters from the sacred door of the progeny of the holy Prophet, please tell us what are the secrets of the disjointed letters in verse (10:1): "Alif, lam, ra. Those are the verses of the wise Book".
A469

God says: "By the supreme Pen, the guarded Tablet (and) the raqim (writing) (which is in the guarded Tablet)", that they are the ayat (miracles) of the wise Book.
Raqim and marqum both mean writing. This writing is the glorious Qur'an, which is in the guarded Tablet (85:21-22). The guarded Tablet is the light of the Imam-i mubin, as already mentioned.
For alif, lam, ra, see in the beginning of the five surahs: 10:1; 11:1; 12:1; 14:1; 15:1.

Q470 It is said in verse (13:1): "Alif, lam, mim, ra. Those are the ayat of the Book". You have seen the esoteric miracles of the Imams from the pure ahl-i bayt, and you have confided them to some of your selected students. If possible would you kindly also tell us the secrets of these disjointed letters?
A470

God, the knowing, the seeing, says: By the First (who is the Pen), the guarded Tablet, the writing [and] the vision (ru'yat), which are the Book of miracles.
The highest place where the light of the Qur'an and the light of the Imam-i mubin is the same one light, there vision is also a great miracle (ayat). This is vision, observation and study (mutala`ah) as well.

¹⁰⁵ Raghib Isfahani, Mufradat Alfaz al-Qur'an, ed. N. Mar`ashli (Beirut, 1972), p. 276.
¹⁰⁶ Ibid., p. 118.

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