Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 60

Casket of Pearls 60

Tags: Marriage, Divine Treasures, Egypt, Misr, Hazrat Maryam

Q591 It is common knowledge that in paradise there is no farming, business or factory work or any such physical toil. Therefore please tell us what kind of activities will there be in paradise, which will give that real happiness of construction and progress?
A591

The wisdom-filled answer to this question is in the four verses of Surah-yi Ya Sin, (36:55-58): "Verily, on that day the inmates of the garden (paradise) shall have joy and comfort in whatever (spiritual and intellectual work) they do; they and their spouses (students), in pleasant shades (Sacred Sanctuary), reclining on raised couches; for them therein shall be (fresh spiritual and intellectual) fruits, and for them shall be whatever they wish for. 'Peace' shall be the greeting from the Lord, the most merciful (that is, the greatest bounty of paradise in which there is the guarantee of peace is the Kalimah-yi Kun = the Word Be)."

Q592 Since this statement is extremely necessary and revolutionary, would you kindly elaborate further on it.
A592

Matrimonial life is very important in the faith of Islam and there is great wisdom in nikah or marriage, the ta'wil of which is spiritual marriage, that is, the law of teaching and learning.
Thus the greatest joy of paradise is in giving knowledge and receiving knowledge. The spouses and hurs of paradise represent its students of knowledge.
Reflect carefully on the verses above – the centred and focussed model of paradise is the Sacred Sanctuary whose secrets are the most amazing and marvellous.
The spouses, i.e., the students of the people of paradise are in four ranks: physical, subtly physical (as in jinn and pari), spiritual and intellectual.

Q593 It is said in Surah-yi Hadid verse (57:3): "He is the first and He is the last, the manifest and the hidden and He has knowledge of everything." What is the ta'wil of these four names?
A593

These holy names of Allah are the Universal Intellect, Universal Soul, natiq and asas. These four living and great treasures of Allah are also His exalted names and loci of manifestation.
Allah's beautiful names are par excellence luminous, living and speaking as well as intellectual and wise. By recognising these supreme names of Allah the people of faith can attain countless benefits.

Q594 It is said in Surah-yi Hijr verse (15:9): "Verily, We have sent down the reminder (Qur'an), and We will certainly be its guardian." Please explain the wisdom of this verse. How is He its guardian?
A594

A little further along in this very Surah, is the law of treasures (15:21), which is that Allah has treasures of everything. Thus the Qur'an too, is sent down from the Divine treasures and those never ending Qur'anic treasures are:
Kalimah-yi Kun, Qalam (Angel/Universal Intellect), Lawh (Angel/Universal Soul), Israfil, Mika'il, Jibra'il, natiq, asas, Imam-i mubin and the Qur'an, which is guarded in these treasures.

Q595 The translation of the verse following the Verse of Lamp (24:35) is: "(This lamp is lit) in houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted, and His name to be remembered therein. He is glorified therein in the mornings and evenings." Where does one find such houses? Which exalted people's houses are being praised here?
A595

The lamp of Allah's light is lit in the house of the personal world of every Prophet, every Imam and every `arif.
In the beginning this house is on the earth and then later, by Allah's command, it is elevated to the Sacred Sanctuary, where it becomes Allah's house or the Ka`bah of batin in which countless miracles continue to take place.

Q596 It is said in Surah-yi Yunus verse (10:87): "And We revealed to Musa and his brother (Harun): 'Provide houses for your people in Egypt, and make your houses qiblah (places of worship) and establish prayer [in them], and give glad tidings to the believers'." What ta'wili secrets are there in this statement?
A596 Its secrets are the same as those mentioned above. 'Misr' (Egypt) is one of the names of the personal world. Therefore Allah commanded Musa (May peace be through him) and Harun (May peace be through him) to build certain houses for their community in the personal world and through knowledge, `ibadat and personal resurrection to elevate them to the Sacred Sanctuary in order to make them Allah's houses and the batini qiblah. They were also told to give glad tidings to the people of faith so that they too could progress like the higher hudud. If for some reason they are unable to make satisfactory progress there is no need for despondency because the souls of the believers are always with the Imam-i mubin.

Q597 You said that 'Misr' is one of the names of the personal world and this beautiful word occurs in five places of the holy Qur'an (10:87; 12:21; 12:99; 43:51; 2:61). Could you please expound on its ta'wil actually being the personal world?
A597

The ta'wil of 'Misr' in verse 10:87 has been given above.
Al-Misr: Every city (that is bound by a wall) is called by this name.¹² The original story of Hazrat Yusuf (May peace be through him) also occurred in the personal world (12:21), and to enter 'Misr' means to enter the personal world (12:99).
The Pharaoh had claimed that he was the king of the personal world (43:51). "Ihbitu misra" = descend all of you from the Sacred Sanctuary to the earth of the personal world (2:61). This is a brief ta'wil of the word 'Misr'.

Q598 Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through her) was neither a Prophet nor an Imam, however her story in the great Qur'an is full of extremely sublime and amazing miracles. Please tell us the wisdom in this.
A598

Whilst it is true that Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through her) did not have any rank of Prophethood or Imamat, she was certainly a 'siddiqah' (a woman who verifies the ta'wil of the tanzil, 5:75).
She may be referred to as a hujjat or an `arifah, but remember the key point that Allah's hujjat is the Prophet and his hujjat is the Imam. Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through her) was the Imam's hujjat.

Q599 What was the difference between the soul that Allah had breathed into Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through her) (21:91; 66:12) and the soul or an angel He had sent to her after that on another occasion (19:17)? What was the difference between the two souls? Was it the same soul? What is his name?
A599

He was a soul as well as an angel and therefore he was the same person. When that soul or angel came near Hazrat Maryam (May peace be through her) by Allah's command, he manifested in the form of a subtle human being (juththah-yi ibda`iyyah).
He is a sacred and elevated soul, therefore Allah has called him "ruhina" (Our Spirit). He is a miraculous and qiyamati soul, that is the soul of the Perfect Man and Jibra'il.
He is a soul which is nothing but light. It is possible that some people may think that he is only one soul, whereas under this Divine Soul all souls gather together.

Q600 Please indicate an exhortation from among the many counsels of the holy Qur'an, in the light of which the parents of their beloved children can understand their obligations, and can work hard for their children's ethical and spiritual progress.
A600

Surah-yi Tahrim verse (66:6) says: "O you who believe, save yourselves and your families from the fire whose fuel shall be men and stones."
It is clear from this command of the Qur'an, that Allah has charged the believers with the responsibility of saving not only their own souls but also the souls of their family members from the fire of ignorance.
It is said in a noble hadith: "Every child is born according to nature (Islam), but it is (mostly) parents who make it a Jew or Christian or Magus (fire-worshipper)."¹³ This means that a great majority of parents in the world take their naturally born Muslim children far away from the true religion.

¹²Al-Mufradatu'l-Qur'an, p. 489.
¹³Al-Bukhari, p. 222, hadith 1385.

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