Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 62

Casket of Pearls 62

Tags: Ranks, Mi`raj, `Asr, Surah-yi `Asr

Q611 In the chapter Ha Qaf Qaf of the book Mufradatu'l-Qur'an it is stated that the holy Prophet had said to a companion: 'Each and every real thing (haqq) has a meaning (truth), so what is the meaning of your faith, that is, how do you know that the thing you claim is true?' Is this noble hadith not a universal law of its own kind? According to this law can we say that the Qur'an is true and it too has a meaning? Does this not clearly indicate that just as there is a shari`at and a tariqat in Islam (5:48), similarly there must also be a haqiqat and a ma`rifat?
A611

Indeed this is a powerful universal law.
Certainly, the wise Qur'an has a haqiqat too and that is its esoteric wisdom.
Yes, in Islam there are four stages to reach Allah: shari`at, tariqat, haqiqat and ma`rifat.

Q612 Is there a mention of ranks in the Qur'an? If so, from which aspect?
A612

You can see that the wise Qur'an mentions ranks in many different ways. The first example is sabiqu (race one another, 57:21) and sari`u (vie one with another, 3:133) that is, Allah commanded: Compete with each other in [acquiring] knowledge and [performing] good deeds and do it with speed. It is obvious that this will create ranks.
The second example is the sirat-i mustaqim (true path), on which the travellers going towards Allah will be in ranks, some ahead and some behind. Since people cannot all walk abreast all the time, inevitably there will be ranks depending on their level of knowledge and deeds.
The different stages in Islam are based on faith, knowledge and action.
There is also a wisdom-filled topic of ranks in the wise Qur'an.
The clearest example of ranks in Islam and the Qur'an is that of the ladder, that is the mi`raj (spiritual ascent) of the holy Prophet, because he had reached the Divine presence stage by stage in his spirituality and luminosity.

Q613 Is mi`raj the name of the holy Prophet's spiritual journey and ascent or is it the name of some special place in the higher world? Where had the miracles of mi`raj taken place? In the physical heaven, or in the heaven of the personal world?
A613

The word mi`raj means a ladder, which is an example of the spiritual ascent of Allah's Prophet.
The miracles of the noble Prophet's mi`raj are preserved in the Sacred Sanctuary.

Q614 Would you kindly explain some of the secrets of Divine favours from the magnificent and wisdom-filled verse (6:122) of Surah-yi An`am: "Is he who was dead, then We raised him to life (in the Holy Spirit) and made for him a light by which he walks among the people."
A614 Every person usually walks among other people but in this instance it is with reference to the `arifs. They recognise the soul and in their personal world they walk among the representative souls of people.

Q615 Refer to Surah-yi Naml (27:62): 'Who is He who answers the distressed when he calls to Him, and removes the distress? And who is He who makes you the vicegerents (khulafa') in the earth?' The allusion of this heavenly teaching and its law is truly amazing. Please explain its wisdom to us.
A615

The people of faith experience trials and tribulations in order that they continue to pray, supplicate and do giryah-u zari, so that Allah, the Holy can hear and accept their humble supplications and remove their difficulties.
In this way Allah has the power to bestow the vicegerency and kingdom of the personal world on His special slaves both now and in the future.

Q616 Please give us the detailed ta'wil of Surah-yi `Asr (103:1-3).
A616

"By the time, verily man is in loss, save those who believe (in a true sense) and do good deeds (with knowledge), and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to patience."
`Asr means to squeeze fruit and other things. There are many examples of the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time, amongst which one is that he is the essence of both time and the people of the time.
Thus, Allah swears by the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time and indicates that the greatest loss of human beings is that they do not recognise the Imam of their time (May peace be through him).

Q617 A noble hadith says: 'You should die [the death of the carnal soul] before you die [physically]'.¹⁵ Is this command also mentioned in the wise Qur'an?
A617 Many verses of the Qur'an refer to this command, for example in (2:54) it is said: 'Turn to your Creator in repentance (because you have wronged yourselves by taking a calf as your God) and slay yourselves (by strenuous spiritual exercise)'. This hadith is absolutely the correct exegesis of this verse, because the real trial of the calf is in a spiritual sense. It is necessary to have perfect spiritual exercise and knowledge and recognition in order to save oneself from it [worshipping the calf, i.e., the nafs] and progress beyond. Reflect carefully also on the verse of Surah-yi Nisa' (4:66).

Q618 Surah-yi Al-i `Imran (3:33) states that Allah chose the Prophets and Imams from amongst all the people. In the following verse (3:34) their offspring are mentioned: "Offspring one of the other". What is the real meaning of this?
A618

Gist of the first verse: Allah chose Adam (May peace be through him), Nuh (May peace be through him), Ibrahim (May peace be through him), `Imran (May peace be through him) and their families above all His creatures. Gist of the second verse: They are a luminous chain of progeny by being offspring one of the other; Allah is All-hearing and All-knowing.
This pure chain is also Allah's rope and the sirat-i mustaqim.

Q619 How can we attain more realities and recognitions of the chain of the progeny of Ibrahim (May peace be through him)?
A619

There are many verses in the Qur'an which describe the attributes of Hazrat Ibrahim (May peace be through him)'s progeny, but here we will refer only to one key verse, by which the doors of three great treasures can be opened.
'We have given Ibrahim's progeny the book and wisdom and We gave them the great kingdom' (4:54).
The progeny of Ibrahim (May peace be through him) subsequent to the coming of the holy Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) is known as the progeny of Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny), and they are the true Imams. It is to them that Allah has granted the inheritance of the heavenly book (Qur'an), esoteric wisdom and the great spiritual sovereignty.

Q620 It is said that neither the command of 'Kun (Be)' of Allah, nor His work, nor His promise are new. In fact everything of Allah continues to exist forever. Is there a mention of these realities in the Qur'an?
A620

Yes indeed, it is mentioned in the wise Qur'an. See for yourself in the seven verses in which the word 'maf`ula (=done)' is mentioned (4:47; 8:42; 8:44; 17:5; 17:108; 33:37; 73:18).
Allah is eternal, His attributes too are eternal and every work of His is eternal, but He can make the old work new by the process of renewal (tajaddud).
Eternal (qadim) means that which is without beginning or an end.

¹⁵Ahadith-i Mathnawi, p. 116.

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