Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 75

Casket of Pearls 75

Tags: Potential vs Actual, Hadd-i Quwwat, Hadd-i Fi`l, Pari, Qur'an

Q741 Please give us an example of potential (hadd-i quwwat) and actual (hadd-i fi`l) and explain the difference between them.
A741 There is a great difference between these two and there are many examples of it in the holy Qur'an, for instance in Surah-yi Luqman (31:20) it is said: "Do you not see that Allah has made subservient to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and has completed His favours, both apparent and hidden on you?" However, this subjugation of the universe is not as people understand it, it is spiritual sovereignty through merging (fana' fi'llah) and subsisting in Allah (baqa' bi'llah). This extremely great bounty is an actual reality for the chosen of God and a potential one for the rest.

Q742 One purport of Surah-yi Dhariyat (51:20-21) is: 'And in the universal earth there are signs and miracles for the people of certainty, and all these miracles are also in your souls, do you not see?' Please could you explain this.
A742

In this verse people are invited to follow in the footsteps of the people of certainty and see the miracles of the external world and the inner world, so that they can attain the treasure of recognition.
Potentially there is everything in every human being, which has to be actualised by knowledge and action.

Q743 Your dear students sometimes ask you questions on the telephone and you become happy if they concern knowledge and wisdom. This morning (6th July 1999) Mukhi Nizar Ali from Atlanta, U.S.A. was asking some questions and you were answering him with great joy. Would you be able to share the gist of them with us?
A743

Our students in the west are all lovers of true knowledge therefore they remain keen and anxious all the time for the manifestations of knowledge.
I am happy with Mukhi Nizar Ali's questions and with his progress in knowledge and there are also other lovers of Mawla there.
There were very nice points in the chain of questions and answers, which are too many for the space here.

Q744 It is said in Surah-yi Bani Isra'il (17:104) that on the day of qiyamat Allah will enfold people and take them to His presence. How does this happen?
A744

It is Allah's unchangeable habit (sunnat) which has been mentioned many times that the spiritual qiyamat occurs through the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time, during which the world of humanity is enfolded in the Single Soul (nafs-i wahidah).
In other words, just as the souls of creatures were spread out from Adam (May peace be through him), in the same way all of them will again be enfolded in Adam (May peace be through him)'s heir or the Adam (May peace be through him) of the time (31:28).

Q745 What is the difference between jinn and pari? Would it be wrong to say: 'male pari and female pari'?
A745

There is no difference between jinn and pari, because they are the same subtle creature and the same community who are called jinn in Arabic and pari in Farsi.
Since pari is the name of the entire community, it is absolutely correct to say male pari and female pari.
The word pari stems from 'paridan', which means 'to fly', because this creature (jinn or pari) can come and go with lightning speed. It is therefore called pari, that is, the one who flies.

Q746 It is said that when a mu'min transforms from dense to subtle, i.e. when he or she receives the living subtle body, they become a pari and if you wish you can also call them angel or jinn. Is this true?
A746

Indeed, this is definitely true because when a mu'min progresses spiritually he becomes pari, jinn, angel or the Perfect Man.
Countless such miracles appear in the personal world.

Q747 A hadith says: "Everything has a heart and the Qur'an's heart is the Surah-yi Ya Sin."²⁶ Please tell us its wisdom.
A747

The heart of everything is according to its nature and necessity, thus the Qur'an's heart is light (nur, 5:15) and soul (ruh, 42:52) and it is mentioned beautifully in the Surah-yi Ya Sin (36:12).
In order to understand the wisdom of the holy Qur'an, the words of dictionaries cannot be sufficient until one reflects deeply on the heavenly lexicon and exegesis itself, that is, the Qur'an.

Q748 The wise Qur'an is Allah's most perfect and peerless book and it states that Allah also possesses a speaking book (23:62; 45:29). Are these two books of Allah utterly separate or are they linked to one another? If they are separate, surely one will be incomplete without the other. Please tell us its reality.
A748

Allah's silent and speaking book are both externally separate but are internally linked together and are one. It is indeed its miraculous perfection and a great trial for people.
Indeed, we all call the holy Qur'an the Muhammadan miracle, but alas, if only we recognised and knew its great spiritual miracles!

Q749 Could you kindly tell us something about the great spiritual miracles of the wise Qur'an?
A749

God willing. Remember that the Qur'an is the eternal speech of everlasting Allah. Its first manifestations and miracles are at the place of azal or the paradise for the sake of recognition.
The Qur'an is 'amr' (command) and therefore it is always manifesting in the kalimah-yi kun. It is intellect, knowledge and wisdom and thus it is the continuing miracle of the Divine Pen (Universal Intellect).
The Qur'an's secrets never come to an end, which is why it is in the hidden book as well as in the Guarded Tablet.

Q750 Who are the intermediaries between Allah and the holy Prophet for the sake of revealing the inspiration?
A750 They are the Pen (Universal Intellect), Tablet (Universal Soul), Israfil, Mika'il and Jibra'il.

²⁶Tirmidhi, p. 649, hadith 2887.

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