Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 72


Casket of Pearls 72

Tags: Holy Word, Sacred Tree, Az-Zahir, Sharaban Tahura, Divine Treasures, Manifestation

Q711 To repeatedly study and understand the meaning of the parable of the holy word and the sacred tree mentioned in Surah-yi Ibrahim (14:24-25) is a prayer of knowledge, therefore please explain one of its wisdoms.
A711

  • The holy word, which is the ism-i a`zam is granted by the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time and works in the personal world.
  • The sacred tree represents the Prophet (May peace be through him) and the Imam (May peace be through him) in that the root and the trunk are the Prophet and the branch which reaches the heaven is the Imam (May peace be through him).
  • This sacred tree continues to give the fruit of luminous guidance, knowledge and wisdom at all times by the command of its Lord.
  • Every wisdom of this verse deserves great attention.

Q712 Since the worship of knowledge is definitely more excellent than the worship of action, it is therefore important to teach the special wisdom of the Qur'an and the hadith repeatedly, because this is continuous worship. Here a very important question arises: Does the meaning of every Qur'anic verse lead towards the Imam-i mubin?
A712

  • Indeed it does, since every subtle thing is encompassed in the Imam-i mubin and his light is the Guarded Tablet in which the holy Qur'an is in the luminous form.
  • Thus the esoteric meanings or ta'wil of every verse is in the Imam (May peace be through him), which only the people of wisdom know.

Q713 Please tell us about any blessed farman of the Imam in which he gives the example of physical science for a spiritual miracle.
A713 That example is: "A mu'min's heart is like the telegraph or the telephone, at one end of which is the murshid and at the other, the mu'min, ...".23

Q714 It is said in a blessed farman: "A true mu'min sees Allah everywhere."24 What is its explanation?
A714

  • In verse (2:115) the holy Qur'an says: "Fa aynama tuwallu fa-thamma Wajhu'llah = Wherever you turn, there is Allah's face."
  • Since He is ever-present and ever-seeing, His power, light and miracle are everywhere.
  • A true mu'min (`arif) is granted such perfect insight that he beholds Allah in many meanings.
  • Allah is the Lord of manifestations, and these can only be observed by an `arif.

Q715 Amongst the attributive names of Allah four are mentioned in Surah-yi Hadid (57:3) and in these there is certainly an invitation [to attain] the light of recognition. What is your opinion?
A715

  • There is no doubt that the light of recognition shines from those blessed names at every moment.
  • Those blessed names are: al-Awwal (the First), al-Akhir (the Last), az-Zahir (the Manifest), and al-Batin (the Hidden). The choice of these blessed names of God is specifically for His recognition.
  • With respect to manifestation and recognition these sacred names are also used for the Prophet and the Imam-i mubin.

Q716 Amongst these noble names, az-Zahir (the Manifest) requires more explanation.
A716

  • Az-Zahir (the Manifest) also means an-Nur (the Light), and their mazhars (loci of manifestation) are the holy Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) and Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him). In view of this Allah has also made them light.
  • We have now come to know why these four names have been selected from among the rest and why the name az-Zahir (the Manifest) is among them. Indeed, it is Allah's programme for the people to recognise them.

Q717 Surah-yi Dahr (76:21) says: "Wa saqahum Rabbuhum sharaban tahura = And their Lord will give them to drink a pure drink." What is the ta'wili wisdom in this verse?
A717

  • Sharaban tahura is true love as well as spiritual knowledge because in it there is the extreme purity of the heart and soul and the sublime happiness of the heart.
  • Since in [giving a pure drink] there is the clear indication of Divine vision, therefore the meanings of love and knowledge are inseparable.
  • I have previously written that there are many wisdom-filled allusions in the sacred vision.
  • According to the above-mentioned noble verse the one who offers sharaban tahura is the Lord Himself, in which case a diversity of manifestations is possible.

Q718 You believe that there are diverse manifestations of the Lord in paradise, so please tell us its proof?
A718

  • Its proof is very clear and praiseworthy, which is that the people of paradise can attain whichever bounty they desire.
  • It has become proverbial in this Danishgah (university) that no bounty is impossible in paradise and this is in the light of the Qur'an itself.
  • There is an abundance of delightful and exotic bounties in paradise (32:17; 43:71), by observing which there is immeasurable pleasure and happiness.

Q719 What or who are the beautiful names of the Lord?
A719

  • The beautiful names are the Prophets and Imams, therefore in paradise each of them is a mirror of manifestations. Moreover, whoever enters paradise becomes the image of his father Adam (May peace be through him), who was himself in the image of Rahman.
  • This makes it clear that all people who enter paradise are merged in the surat-i Rahman (Image of the Compassionate), and so the vision of the true Beloved is a world of diverse manifestations.

Q720 Referring to the wise Qur'an (15:21) you had said that just as all the things of the world descend from the Divine treasures, the human image too has come from one of the Divine treasures. Which is that treasure?
A720 That greatest or most sacred miraculous treasure is surat-i Rahman.


23Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, Kalam-i Imam-i mubin, (Gujarati) Vol. 1, p. 253.
24Ibid., p. 107.

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