Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 65


Casket of Pearls 65

Tags: Spiritual Kingdom, Throne, Hazrat Sulayman, Subjugation, Single Soul, Nafs-i Wahidah, Usury, Sacred Sanctuary

Q641 We are certain that knowledge is hidden in every story, every statement, every event, every example, every sentence, every word, every meaning, every allusion and everything of the wise Qur'an, just as in the personal world in the end only water (i.e., the ocean of knowledge) is seen everywhere. Thus, the question is what treasure of knowledge is hidden in the story of Hazrat Sulayman (May peace be through him)? And what signs are there in it?
A641

  • The treasure of knowledge and wisdom concerning the spiritual kingdom is present in this story, which contains some special spiritual secrets.
  • The spiritual kingdom is an extremely great thing, because its true master is Allah Himself, the Blessed and the Exalted. Nonetheless, He grants His kingdom to the Prophets and Imams.
  • Those who merge in their Imam or Prophet through obedience and love, are also granted the mulk-i `azim (great kingdom, 4:54) or the mulk-i kabir (76:20), that is, a very great kingdom.
  • Thus, the story of Hazrat Sulayman (May peace be through him) includes all such allusions.

Q642 There is a question relating to Surah-yi Naml (27): What is the ta'wil of Allah's Throne? What does the throne of Bilqis mean? Why did Hazrat Sulayman (May peace be through him) want the Queen of Saba's throne? Why was there some sort of a competition to bring her throne quickly?
A642

  • One ta'wil of Allah's Throne is the Universal Intellect, who is a great angel.
  • Bilqis' throne means her intellect, soul and kingdom.
  • The law is that in the end the physical kingdom is subjugated to the spiritual one, which is why Hazrat Sulayman (May peace be through him) wanted the throne of the Queen of Saba.
  • There was a competition between knowledge and other spiritual powers to bring her throne immediately in Hazrat Sulayman (May peace be through him)'s presence, in which knowledge proved superior. People are tried in every time and only knowledge can solve their questions. It was shown that Hazrat Sulayman (May peace be through him) was the Imam-i mubin and everything was present in his personal world and his Sacred Sanctuary, thus why should Bilqis' intellect, soul and kingdom be outside his qiyamati grip!

Q643 It is said in the above-mentioned Surah (27:16): "Sulayman inherited Dawud, and he said: 'O people, we have been taught the language of the birds, and have been given all things'." Does every Prophet and every Imam have a successor? What does the language of the birds mean? In what way was Hazrat Sulayman (May peace be through him) given all things?
A643

  • It is mentioned in a noble hadith that every Prophet has a successor and every Imam too. Check in the holy Qur'an in those words which are from the root waw, ra' and tha'.
  • The language of the birds means the conversation of souls and angels and this miracle manifests in the personal world of every Perfect Man.
  • Hazrat Sulayman was in the rank of Imam-i mubin, therefore Allah had encompassed everything in him.

Q644 We believe that the Verse of Subjugation (31:20) indicates that Allah, the Exalted wishes to favour His servants. What is Allah's infinite providence and favour, which is in the form of the spiritual subjugation of the universe, like?
A644

  • Prior to the spiritual subjugation of the universe, its good tidings are truly amazing, which is that Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, enfolds the universe and keeps it in the personal world.
  • Every miracle of the individual resurrection (qiyamat) is the practical good news of the kingdom of paradise and the subjugation of the universe.

Q645 Insha'a'llah, all the officers and members of Danishgah-i Khanah-yi Hikmat are like the soul of one person, therefore the success of one person is everybody's success. This way of religious and spiritual unity is praiseworthy, because an individual cannot ever attain joy by separating himself from society. What are your thoughts concerning this matter?
A645

  • "Khisht-i awwal chun nihad mi`mar kaj – Ta thurayya mi rawad diwar kaj" = If the first brick is laid crooked by the mason – The entire wall up to the Pleiades becomes crooked. Many people do not recognise the Single Soul, because of which they are in great loss in many ways.
  • The brotherhood amongst human beings based on being the children of Adam (May peace be through him), who lived thousands of years ago, has become very old. The reality is that the Single Soul of this time is himself the Adam (May peace be through him) of this time and all human beings are his spiritual children.
  • Furthermore if one takes into account the world of particles, there people continue to work together. If one goes further to look at the Sacred Sanctuary, there all people have merged in the eternal unity and become the Single Soul.

Q646 Your wisdom-filled explanation above means that if somebody observes with insight he will note that not only is there a real, exemplary and spiritual brotherhood amongst all people, that they are all the spiritual children of the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time (Single Soul), but that they also have an everlasting unity in the Sacred Sanctuary in the form of the Single Person. However, those who do not know these secrets cannot receive happiness from this luminous relationship and eternal unity at this time. Please tell us if this is so.
A646

  • Yes, this statement is absolutely correct. It is for this reason that Allah swears an oath by the time (`asr) and says that human beings are in loss (103:1-2).
  • Thus, those who are aware of the secrets of recognition are blessed. Indeed recognition is the greatest treasure and it starts with the knowledge of certainty.

Q647 Surah-yi An`am (6:98) states: "Wa huwa'lladhi ansha'akum min nafsin wahidatin fa mustaqarrun wa-mustawda`". Please explain its wisdom to us.
A647

  • Translation: 'And He it is Who has produced you from a Single Soul and then for each there is a permanent place and a temporary place.'
  • The ordinary meaning of nafsin wahidatin is one soul and its special meaning is the Soul that unites all souls, because wahidah on the measure of fa`ilah, is the attribute of the supreme soul of the Adam (May peace be through him) of the time, who in his hidden qiyamat makes the souls of all the creatures one with itself. It is for this reason that the Qur'an calls the Adam (May peace be through him) of the time nafs-i wahidah.
  • The permanent and the temporary place for each individual means that the upper end of the soul is always in the higher world and the lower end is in the lower world for some time.
  • Every one of us in this world is the shadow of his or her 'Higher I'.

Q648 Surah-yi Baqarah (2:275) says: 'Those who swallow down usury will not rise up (at qiyamat) except as he whom Satan has enthralled and confounded.' What is its ta'wil?
A648

  • The knowledge that is attained as a result of the true obedience of Allah, the Prophet and the Imam is like trading and is permissible. Contrary to this principle, whatever knowledge is acquired [by other means] is compared to usury, which is forbidden.
  • It is forbidden because it is false and can mislead.

Q649 Hazrat Mawlana Imam Muhammad Baqir (May peace be through him)'s blessed saying is: Ma qila fi'llahi fa-huwa fina, wa ma qila fina fa-huwa fi'l-bulagha'i min shi`atina = Whatever has been said about Allah relates to us (the Imams) and whatever is said about us relates to our advanced Shi`ahs.16 Please explain this blessed farman to us.
A649

  • What can I say about this treasure of recognition, which itself is clear and like the radiant and illuminating sun.
  • I would simply like to add that this luminous teaching is at the very apex of recognition and not only is there the solution of difficult questions in it, but it is also an invitation to the highest spiritual progress.

Q650 It is said in Surah-yi A`raf (7:137): "And We made the people who were considered weak, inheritors of the land, the easts and wests of which We have blessed." Which land is this? Why is there a special indication of its easts and wests? What kind of blessings do they have?
A650

  • This is the Sacred Sanctuary, which is paradise for the sake of recognition in this world.
  • These are the easts and wests in the same place for the sun, moon and stars of the world of unity, with which are attached all the secrets of wisdom, therefore there is a special mention of easts and wests.
  • Its blessings are eternal, esoteric, spiritual, intellectual, related to knowledge and recognition and Divine.

16Ta'wilu'z-zakat, Folio 190

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