Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 81

Casket of Pearls 81

Tags: Light of the Qur'an, Light upon light, Qiyamat, Kufur

Q801 Was the wise Qur'an revealed written on paper or some other material thing? If not, in what form was it revealed?
A801

The Qur'an was not revealed written on paper etc. (6:7), rather it was in the form of spirit and light (42:52).
A human being's pen cannot transfer light to a piece of paper. Therefore the light of the Qur'an which was in the Chief of Prophets (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny), was transferred to his successor `Ali al-Murtaza (May peace be through him).

Q802 There is a question worth considering with reference to Surah-yi An`am (6:91) as to whether the Torah, which was light in Hazrat Musa and Hazrat Harun (May peace be through them) and a guidance for the people, was put onto parchments by the Jews, an action which the Qur'an condemns. What is its real reason?
A802

Although it is important to put the heavenly book onto paper, it was far more important for the Jews to see the Torah's light in their Prophet and Imam's light in order that they could learn the knowledge and wisdom of the heavenly book through their light.
The Qur'an's condemnation is not with respect to the hudud-i din but applies to the common people.

Q803 Please provide us with such a clear and strong proof that we can all be certain that the spirituality and luminosity of the heavenly book is present in the person of the Prophet or the Imam.
A803

There are many clear and strong proofs for this reality, for example reflect carefully on Surah-yi Anbiya' (21:48), in which Allah had granted Hazrat Musa (May peace be through him) and Hazrat Harun (May peace be through him) the Criterion (Furqan), light and dhikr and this everlasting wealth was for those who were righteous (muttaqin). That is, the muttaqin (hujjats) were also witnessing their Prophet and Imam's miracles in their personal worlds.
Do you not remember the hadith of 'Resemblance of Harun [with `Ali]'?³¹ Was Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him) in relation to the holy Prophet (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) not the same as Hazrat Harun (May peace be through him) to Hazrat Musa (May peace be through him) except that there was no Prophet after Hazrat Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny)? This means that all those attributes of Hazrat Harun (May peace be through him) mentioned in the Qur'an, with the exception of Prophethood, were gathered in Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him). This proof is sufficient for real mu'mins.

Q804 According to Allah's will, Prophethood certainly came to an end with the holy Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny)? Did the chain of 'light upon light' also cease with it? If the answer is 'no', where did the light of the Qur'an and the light of guidance, which were in the holy Prophet, go?
A804

The law of 'light upon light' has already been discussed. It continues forever without any beginning or end, therefore it was essential that the living spirit/light of the holy Qur'an should transfer from the holy Prophet to the Imam-i mubin.
Reflect carefully on the fact that the Qur'an was revealed in the form of spirit and spirituality and then Allah made this spirit a living light (42:52).

Q805 It is now the turn of a very deep, very subtle, very difficult and very useful question, which is in Surah-yi An`am (6:94) as follows: Every human being has to leave everything behind and finally return alone to Allah, in the same way as he was first created. What is the wisdom-filled explanation of this?
A805

This is about the Perfect Man who in his personal world gradually leaves all physical, spiritual and intellectual things behind and merges in Allah in the Sacred Sanctuary.
This is his 'becoming alone', that is, to become alive in Allah, whereas the common people are created from the Single Soul and their return too is limited to that. However, all people are also represented in the Perfect Man.

Q806 Every Prophet and every Imam is also an `arif, but every `arif is not a Prophet or an Imam. Please tell us what is the meaning of 'going to Allah's presence one by one' (6:94)? Is it true that qiyamat is seen only by an `arif because it is a spiritual event? Is qiyamat related to the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time? Is it also true that every `arif's qiyamat is individual from one aspect and collective from another?
A806

In their respective times the Perfect Men go to Allah's presence one by one because for every time there is a different qiyamat, although everybody is represented in the form of particles.
Yes, it is true that only an `arif observes the qiyamat spiritually.
There is no doubt that qiyamat is related to the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time (17:71).
Yes, it is absolutely true that all people's collective qiyamat is hidden in the `arif's personal qiyamat, however people are unaware of it.

Q807 The translation of (6:94) is: "And you will come to Us one by one in the way We had created you first." Please tell us at which stage of the personal world does Allah say this? Also tell us how 'return to Allah' and 'first creation' can be in the same way?
A807

Allah addresses this blessed statement to the Perfect Man at the time when he has entered the Sacred Sanctuary in his forehead.
Since all the realities and recognitions are abstract and alike in the Sacred Sanctuary, therefore inbi`ath and ibda` (return and first creation) are one and the same thing, that is, the manifestation of the Pearl is both inbi`ath and ibda`.

Q808 The last verse of Surah-yi Takathur (102:8) says: "Then you shall be questioned on that day about the bounties (you enjoyed)." What type of bounties are these about which people will be questioned?
A808

They are general worldly bounties as well as special religious bounties, such as the ever-presence of the Imam in the world, knowledge and recognition, etc. and all the spiritual and Qur'anic bounties which we do not appreciate at all. [Unfortunately] we consider the exalted Imam's miracles of knowledge as something of little value.
However, there are some amongst the `azizan, for whose giryah-u zari and munajat we sacrifice ourselves.

Q809 It is said in Surah-yi Bani Isra'il (17:89): "We have displayed to the people in this Qur'an every (kind of) examples, yet most of the people (not only) refuse to accept but (also) deny (kufur) it." Please explain this to us.
A809

In this verse, the word kufur is a veil over a great wisdom. In reality this word kufur refers to those people whom Allah has bestowed with the everlasting treasure of knowledge and recognition, but they are ungrateful (kufur).
You should study this word kufur carefully in the dictionary of the Qur'an and other lexicons.

Q810 Please tell us the wisdom of the first verse of Surah-yi Dahr (76:1).
A810

Translation: "Did not a span of time pass over man when he was not anything worth mentioning?" That is, it is such a time in which man is in the world of fana' fi'llah and baqa' bi'llah.
This extremely great secret is experienced by every `arif at the height of recognition.

³¹ The Holy Ahl-i Bayt in the Prophetic Traditions, pp. 1-3

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