Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 76

Casket of Pearls 76

Tags: Subtle Creature, Subtle Nourishments, Manna, Salwa, Fragrance, Stone, Seven, Heavens, Heavenly Ladder, Recognition

Q751 Your newest and most wonderful subject of "Spiritual Science" is most revolutionary and amazing. Please tell us: do subtle creatures inhabit deserted areas? If so, what is the wisdom in it?
A751

Subtle creatures live away from inhabited areas in mountainous and deserted areas. The wisdom-filled allusion in this is that such subtle creatures also live on all the deserted stars [and planets] of the universe.
In Da`a'imu'l-Islam it is mentioned that, prior to Adam (May peace be through him) the planet earth was inhabited everywhere by jinns, that is the community of paris, who were then driven to the deserted areas of the earth.²⁷ Just as human beings sometimes go to mountainous and deserted areas, in the same way the jinns and paris can also come to the areas inhabited by us.

Q752 You have previously said that it is the subtle human beings who are jinn and pari. Please tell us what their nourishment consists of.
A752

Their nourishment is the essence of things, that is, spiritual fruits, which are in the form of spiritual particles.
There is great fragrance as well as energy in them. Sometimes there are only particles and sometimes there is a lovely scent as well.
These nourishments are not from some garden or orchard, rather they are from the invisible [Divine] treasure.

Q753 Every Qur'anic story is not merely a story but there is wisdom in its esoteric meaning, therefore please tell us where spiritual nourishment is mentioned in the Qur'an?
A753

Spiritual nourishments are mentioned in several places of the Divine speech. The most prominent mention is as manna and salwa in the story of Bani Isra'il.
Manna is spiritual fruit or spiritual essence and salwa is spiritual fragrance, which is the essence of fruits as well as that of nourishment.
It is said that salwa was a bird like the quail, which used to descend as a heavenly nourishment for the Bani Isra'il at a particular time. However intellect, logic and wisdom dictate that it was a miraculous, nourishing essence and not a physical bird.
Physical birds which are permitted to be eaten need to be slaughtered, cleaned and cooked, whereas heavenly nourishments are from paradise and are in the form of essence and various kinds of fragrances.

Q754 You say that everything has its spiritual fruit or essence. Do things like stones also have their spiritual fruit or essence?
A754

Yes indeed, since everything has descended from the Divine treasures (15:21), therefore everything has its soul, which is also its fruit or essence. However, despite descending from the Divine treasures, everything is also in it.
Thus, Allah, the Exalted, creates the spiritual fruit or the particle of soul even in things like stones and makes it work for the `arifs. Refer to verse (31:16) for its Qur'anic indication.

Q755 Does the spiritual particle of everything and every creature of the heaven and the earth come to the representative qiyamat of an `arif? What is its proof?
A755

Yes indeed, and one of its proofs is in Surah-yi Luqman (31:16) as follows: "(Luqman said): O my son, verily though it be equal to a mustard seed in weight (i.e. particle of soul), and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah (at the time of qiyamat) will bring it forth."
See also in Surah-yi Zilzal (99:7-8): "Then whosoever has done (even) an atom's weight of good shall see it; and whosoever has done (even) an atom's weight of evil shall see it."

Q756 The last verse of Surah-yi Talaq (65:12) is: "Allah is He Who created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof." The question is: are there seven earths like the seven heavens? Does not mithlahunna (the like thereof) mean that the seven heavens and the seven earths are all the same in number as well as in length and breadth?
A756

Yes indeed, it is clear from this noble verse that like the seven heavens there are also seven earths.
Certainly the seven heavens and seven earths are also of the same size. This means that this same one universe is 7x2 = 14, the ta'wil of which is that the seven lords of the cycles are the heavens and their seven hujjats are the earths.

Q757 It is stated in Surah-yi Tur (52:38): "Or do they have a ladder by which they can (climb up to heaven and) listen (to the angels)? Then let their listener bring a manifest proof." Please explain the mamthul (symbolised) and the esoteric wisdom so that the readers can benefit.
A757 Spiritual progress is the heavenly ladder and the practical ta'wils of the Qur'an are like bringing the heavenly news.

Q758 There are many ways of attaining the benefits of knowledge and action from the holy Qur'an, therefore is it possible to observe and recognise the spirituality of the Qur'an with the inner eye? If so, in what way is it possible?
A758

According to the hadith of 'Man `arafa', since it is possible to recognise the Lord through the recognition of one's soul, therefore it is also possible to recognise the Divine speech.
The great Qur'an is the speech of Allah the Exalted, and it is first heard from and then continues to repeat from the kalimah-yi kun.
Simultaneously there is the extreme blessing of the sacred vision and the Divine Pen is a light and an angel who continues to write on the Guarded Tablet.
The Guarded Tablet too is a light and an angel. The hidden book is also at this place and it too is a light in which are hidden the secrets of the Qur'an. All these miracles are known by the name of the 'great signs'. Therefore, why should the recognition of the Qur'an together with Allah's recognition not be in the paradise for the sake of recognition when the Qur'an is Allah's wisdom-strung speech.

Q759 Does the recognition of the wise Qur'an occur together with Allah's recognition or is it separate from it? In which noble verse is there the mention of the Qur'an's batini recognition?
A759

The great Qur'an's recognition is not separate from Allah's recognition, because the renewal of the miracle of the Qur'an continues to take place in the kalimah-yi amr/kun.
The Qur'an's recognition is mentioned in the last verse of Surah-yi Naml (27:93).

Q760 With respect to the above-mentioned noble verse, please explain in what form does the Qur'an's recognition occur?
A760

God says: "And say: Hamd (Universal Intellect) is for Allah, He will soon show you His signs (miracles) so that you shall recognise them (i.e., the miracles of the Sacred Sanctuary, the compendium of which is the Qur'an)."
The wise Qur'an is in the Guarded Tablet, but it is not like an old, silent record. In fact there is the miracle of renewal [of the Qur'an] in it and therefore, there is always the demonstration of the revelation of the Qur'an.

²⁷Da`a'imu'l-Islam, Vol. 1, page 291.

Chapter Index

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter