Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 79

Casket of Pearls 79

Tags: Remembrance, Dhikr, Personal World, Bearers of Throne, Light, Three stages of spiritual life

Q781 In verse (21:10) of Surah-yi Anbiya' it is said: "Indeed, We have sent down to you a book in which is your remembrance. What! Do you not then understand?" What is its esoteric wisdom?
A781

Its wisdom is that the personal world is mentioned everywhere in the esoteric of the Qur'an. In this sense the human being is mentioned throughout the Qur'an.
Another wisdom is that by dhikr or remembrance is meant recognition, in which lies the grandeur of man and his recognition is in the Qur'an itself.

Q782 From which fountainhead of knowledge and wisdom does a clear allusion and praise of the personal world begin?
A782

It begins with the blessed verse of Hazrat Amiru'l-mu'minin `Ali (May peace be through him), the translation of which is: 'You think that you are a small body, while the great cosmos is contained in you?'
In this blessed verse of Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) there is the clear exegesis of all those Qur'anic verses that are related to the enfolding of the universe.

Q783 Surah-yi Haqqah (69:17) says: "And eight angels on that day will bear the throne of your Lord above them." Please give us the wisdom of this verse.
A783 Here, by the throne is meant the Light of the throne, the bearers of which are the seven Imams and the lord of the personal world who has undergone qiyamat.

Q784 You have said that the 'bearers of the throne' mean the 'bearers of the throne's Light'. Are there separate Lights or is it one Light with many meanings?
A784

Light is one but it has numerous meanings, just as Allah, the Exalted, is one but He has numerous attributive names.
The bearers of the throne, that is, the bearers of the throne's Light are the Imams (May peace be through him). You can also call them angels, although except for them, the other angels cannot be the bearers of the throne.

Q785 Are Allah's light, the holy Prophet's light, the true Imams' light, the light of the mu'mins and mu'minat (57:12; 57:19; 66:8) four separate lights?
A785

No, never. Light, which is ever-reaching, all-inclusive and self-sufficient in every respect, is in reality one only.
When Allah, the Exalted, the Blessed's single Light is basit (simple), encompassing and present everywhere, how is it possible for there to be another light!

Q786 It is said in Surah-yi A`raf (7:157): "Those who believe in him (Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny)) and honour him and help him and follow the light which has been sent down with him are those who achieve success." Please tell us which light was sent down with the holy Prophet?
A786

The light which was sent down with the noble Prophet is Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him). Refer to the noble hadith, which is in Kawkab-i Durri.²⁸
In the above-mentioned verse, first there is the mention of belief in the Prophet, in which there is the indication of the revelation of the Qur'an to him. At the end of the verse, in connection with this belief there is the mention of following the light. Therefore, that light is certainly Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him), who is the successor of the Prophet.

Q787 You praise 'Light upon light' (nurun `ala nur, 24:35) all the time, so today please give us an amazing wisdom related to it.
A787

The blessed universal principle (kulliyyah) of 'Light upon light' is a great mirror of secrets. If Adam (May peace be through him) is viewed in this mirror it becomes known that he was not the beginning of light, rather he was in the chain of 'Light upon light'.
In the same way if every Prophet and every Imam is observed in this mirror, he will appear to be a link in the chain of light according to the principle of 'Light upon light'. So, although Prophethood came to an end with the Chief of Prophets, Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny), the chain of light continues and is everlasting.

Q788 Surah-yi Saffat (37:109) says: "Salamun `ala Ibrahim". What is its ta'wili wisdom?
A788

Translation: "Peace is upon Ibrahim".
That is, Ibrahim (May peace be through him) is living and safe in every personal world together with all his spiritual miracles. This is also the case with all the Perfect Men.

Q789 "Al-i Ya Sin/Al-i Muhammad's light is living and safe in the personal world." Where is the reference to this wisdom in the Qur'an?
A789

It is in Surah-yi Saffat (37:130), which reads: "Salamun `ala Il Ya-Sin".
Here Hazrat Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (May peace be through him) has read "Il Ya-Sin" as "Al-i Ya-Sin".²⁹

Q790 In Surah-yi Maryam (19:15), it is said about Hazrat Yahya (May peace be through him): "Peace be on him the day he was born, and the day he dies and the day he shall be raised up alive." Please tell us its ta'wili wisdom.
A790

A Perfect Man's spiritual life has three stages:
When he begins to observe silent lights, this is his day of birth
The beginning of qiyamat: this is the day of the carnal soul's death and the beginning of the spiritual life
The time of spiritual merging and intellectual survival
The Qur'an has referred to this as dying twice and reviving twice (40:11). In short, the Perfect Men continue to receive peace and security, that is, heavenly ta'yid in the three stages of their spiritual lives.

²⁸Kawkab-i Durri, Chapter 2, manqabat 1, p. 152.
²⁹Da`a'imu'l-Islam, Vol. 1, p. 31.

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