Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 84

Casket of Pearls 84

Tags: Ism-i a`zam, Asma'-yi husna, Beautiful Names of God, Munkar and Nakir, Sea, Witness

Q831 There is no doubt that the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time's light rises in the personal world when the blessed `ibadat and spiritual discipline of the ism-i a`zam is fulfilled and reaches perfection. However, a necessary question here is: Is there a command or indication in the holy Qur'an to perform this most special `ibadat?
A831

Indeed, such indications are everywhere in the Qur'an. For example, at many places there is the command to remember Allah all the time, thus the intellect asks by which name should Allah be remembered? The natural and logical answer to this question is that He should be remembered by the ism-i a`zam.
There are many indications of this kind in the noble Qur'an, further to which there is the clear command to perform the `ibadat of the ism-i a`zam.

Q832 Where in the Qur'an is the verse in which it is clearly commanded to remember Allah and to do His `ibadat with His great Names (asma'-yi `izam)?
A832

Remember this wisdom that in the language of the wise Qur'an the beautiful Names (asma'-yi husna) are themselves the great Names (asma'-yi `izam). They are both verbal as well as embodied.
The asma'-yi husna are prominently mentioned in four places of the Qur'an and amongst them the translation of one (7:180) is: "And to Allah belong all the beautiful names, so call on Him by them, and leave alone those who use profanity in His names; soon they shall be requited for what they were doing."
There is a revolutionary concept in this for the people of wisdom. Reflect carefully on it.

Q833 What is the farman of Amiru'l-mu'minin `Ali (May peace be through him) about asma'u'l- husna?
A833

Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him)'s exalted farman is: "Ana'l asma'u'l-husna'llati amara'llahu an yud`a biha = I am those beautiful names of Allah about whom Allah has commanded to remember Him by."³³
This explanation and ta'wil of asma'u'l-husna is full of batini wisdom, because it is Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him)'s eminence and glory that he is the speaking Qur'an as well as the mu'awwil (one who does the ta'wil) of the silent Qur'an and the door to the holy Prophet's (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) knowledge and wisdom.

Q834 It is said in Surah-yi Maryam (19:65): "Do you know of any who is worthy of the same name as He?" What is the wisdom in this?
A834

Allah, the Exalted is unique in His name, because His name is living, luminous, speaking and wise. His name is not purely verbal like that of a human being.
Human beings are not eternal, they are temporary, that is, they were not there at first but exist now. Allah, however, is eternal in His essence and in His attributes. Allah's sacred attributes have actual manifestations, who are extremely beautiful in all meanings and these are the asma'u'l-husna, which have already been discussed.

Q835 This question relates to those verses and ahadith in which it is exoterically mentioned that the souls of those who die remain in the graves until qiyamat. What is your research in this matter?
A835

The graves which are mentioned in the Qur'an and the ahadith are not real graves, they are simply examples and symbolic. There are two real graves which are in the personal world: one is at the stage of Israfil and `Izra'il and the second is far advanced in the Sacred Sanctuary.
According to a noble hadith all souls are always in the form of an arrayed army continuing to work in the spirituality of the perfect men.
"Subsequent to his physical death a mu'min's soul is kept in a body just like his body in this world".³⁴ This noble hadith decisively asserts that the soul is not kept in the earthly grave.

Q836 What is your belief or view in the matter of Munkar and Nakir?
A836

These are two angels who carry out many tasks in the personal world, one of them representing good, and the other evil.
Both are angels but in view of wisdom one is referred to as jinn and the other as an angel.
They are also called Harut and Marut in the Qur'an (2:102).

Q837 It is mentioned in Surah-yi Nahl (16:14): "Allah is He who has made the sea subservient (to you) that you may eat fresh meat from it, and obtain ornaments which you wear." What is the ta'wil of sea, fresh meat and ornament here?
A837

The sea symbolises the sea of spirituality, fresh meat is the knowledge of spirituality and ornaments mean those secrets of recognition that are attained by the indications of the intellect.
From this it is clear that all these greatest bounties are attained by true believers in the luminosity of the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time, al-hamdu li'llah!

Q838 It is mentioned in Surah-yi Bani Isra'il in verse (17:45): "When you (O Muhammad) recite the Qur'an, We place a hidden veil between you and those who do not believe in the hereafter." Please tell us its wisdom.
A838

Those who truly do not believe in the hereafter do not receive the inner eye, therefore they cannot see the Prophet (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny)'s light and the miracles of the Qur'an.
There are many stages of faith and, here by the faith in the hereafter is meant the perfect faith, which is also called the light of faith.

Q839 All your students are praiseworthy in every respect. Al-hamdu li'llah, they are the lovers of Qur'anic wisdom, and in sha'a'llah by their intensive struggle the light of the knowledge of qiyamat will spread. It is hoped that they will work with the army of the earth and the heavens. What is your opinion?
A839

In sha'a'llah, all these statements are according to the prophecy of the Qur'an and the Imam (May peace be through him).
All of us are the army of knowledge of Hazrat Qa'imu'l-qiyamat (May peace be through him). This much indication is sufficient.

Q840 The wise Qur'an states that the Imams (May peace be through him) are witness over the people, and the holy Prophet (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) is witness over the Imams (May peace be through him) (2:143; 22:78). What is the wisdom in this?
A840

The ta'wili wisdom of this is that in every time the Imam (May peace be through him) is witness over people in the sense that he is present before them physically and spiritually, so that whoever wishes to see him physically can do so and whoever creates the capacity to see him spiritually can also certainly see him and can attain knowledge and guidance.
The Prophet (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) is witness over the Imam (May peace be through him) in the sense that the latter's spiritual and luminous guidance is attained from the former.

³³Kawkab-i Durri, Chapter 3, manqabat 29, p. 200.
³⁴.

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