Caskets of Pearls Vol. 2 - Casket of Pearls 55

Casket of Pearls 55

Tags: Kursi, Universal Soul, Hands of God, Witness, Hazrat `Ali

Q541 Is there some other bright proof of the existence of soul in every particle of the universe?
A541

God willing! The brightest proof is in the ayat al-Kursi (2:255): "His Kursi has encompassed all the heavens and the earth." Kursi means the Universal Soul. It is the ocean of light in which the whole universe is immersed.
This is the magnificent exegesis of the verse of Lamp, in which it is said: "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth" (24:35). In reality it means that each and every particle of the universe is immersed in the ocean of light. The soul, which is light, is more subtle than fire, and therefore every particle of the heaven and earth is physically and spiritually illumined by the light of the greatest Soul, i.e., the Universal Soul.

Q542 Ayat al-Kursi is the greatest of all verses. From its hidden treasure we have come to know the great secret of the law of nature and the cosmos that the entire universe is in Allah's fist, that is, it is in the grip and control of the Universal Soul. In this case the concept of gravity ceases. Are you able to present another proof that the universe is under the control of the Universal Soul?
A542

God willing! Everything, that is the universe, is encompassed in Allah's Kursi. Allah has encompassed everything in the Imam-i mubin. Both these statements mean the same because Kursi or the Universal Soul is the encompassing light of the Imam-i mubin.
Look under the root of sin, kha, ra' in the wise Qur'an as well as verses (31:20; 45:12) and other verses which state that even now merciful Allah has subjugated the entire universe for humankind. A courageous person should merge in the Imam-i mubin and experiment for him/herself!
For wise people a question such as whether Allah Himself writes whatever He wishes or whether the Pen does so by His command, does not arise. You know that the Pen is the Throne as well as the Universal Intellect and the Tablet is the Kursi as well as the Universal Soul.
Thus the Universal Soul is both the attributes of al-Qabiz (Enfolder) as well as al-Basit (Unfolder) of Allah because he always continues to enfold and unfold the universe.

Q543 This question is with reference to Surah-yi Ma'idah (5:64): What is meant by the two hands of Allah?
A543

Allah's two hands in the higher world are the Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul and in the lower world, natiq and asas.
There is no doubt at all in the reality that Allah, the Holy, performs all His work through these hands.
Read the great praise of Divine grace in the Qur'an and see that this very sublime treasure is in Allah's blessed hand in verses (3:73; 57:29).
The unique and everlasting sovereignty of the universe is in Allah's hand (67:1); the magnificent kingdom of everything is in Allah's hand (23:88; 36:83).

Q544 The last two verses of Surah-yi Hajj (22:77-78) are related to the Imams from the progeny of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny). Please tell us some wisdoms regarding the recognition of the Imams with reference to them.
A544

The gems of all the physical and spiritual prayers and good deeds of the religion of Islam are with the Imams (May peace be through him).
One's struggle against the carnal soul becomes possible in the light of their luminous guidance because Allah has chosen them and thus they do not have any obstacles in the matter of religious knowledge.
Since Islam is the religion of their progenitor Hazrat Ibrahim (May peace be through him), Allah has called the Imams 'Muslims' from the very beginning, that is, they are those who really obey Allah and who submit themselves to Him. The Qur'an too, refers to them as Muslims, such that the Prophet is witness over the Imams and they are witnesses over the people.

Q545 Hazrat `Isa (May peace be through him) said: "... I was a witness over them so long as I was among them; then when You did take me up, You were the watcher over them; and You are witness over all things" (5:117). In the light of this principle of witnessing could you tell us in what way is the holy Prophet witness over the Imams? In what way can the Imams be witness over the people?
A545

The above-mentioned Qur'anic words clearly demonstrate that only the one who is present among the people can be their witness. Therefore, the Prophet is witness over the Imams in the sense that his light is present with every Imam.
The Imams are witness over the people in the sense that in every time the True Imam is present amongst the people. Thus the law of witness is that the Imams are witness over the people, the holy Prophet is witness over the Imams and Allah is witness over the Prophet and this is among the great wisdoms of the wise Qur'an.

Q546 The last ayat of Surah-yi Ra`d (13:43) says: "Those who disbelieve say: 'You are not the messenger sent (by Allah).' Say (O Muhammad): 'Allah is sufficient as witness between me and you, and he who has knowledge of "al-kitab" (the heavenly Book)'." Please tell us who is the person who has knowledge of the (heavenly) Book? Does 'the Book' refer only to the Qur'an (2:213) or are the previous Scriptures also included in it? How does the knowledge of the (heavenly) Book work for this second witness?
A546

The person who has the knowledge of the (heavenly) Book and is the second witness of the messengership of the holy Prophet is Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him).
"Al-kitab", 'The Book' is the name of all the heavenly Books as well as the great Qur'an and there is absolutely no doubt that Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) is the one who possesses the knowledge of all the heavenly Books.
The knowledge of the heavenly Book is not ordinary or common, it is in fact a miraculous and observational knowledge. That is, Allah, the Exalted, had become Mawla `Ali's (May peace be through him) ear, eye, hand and foot as mentioned in the hadith of Nawafil.
Someone who is intellectual and wise should show whether or not Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him) possessed the miraculous and observational knowledge of the heavenly Books. Thus, it is a certain reality that Allah had also made Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) witness over the messengership of the holy Prophet with Himself.

Q547 Does the attribute mentioned in the above question belong to every Imam? Does every Imam possess the miraculous and observational knowledge of the heavenly Book like Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him)? Can they also be witness over the messengership of the holy Prophet?
A547

Yes indeed, every Imam is the bearer of the revealed light because in his time he is the treasure of Divine knowledge.
There is no doubt that, like Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him), every Imam from the progeny of Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) and `Ali (May peace be through him) possesses the miraculous and observed knowledge of the heavenly Book. That is, the first treasure of the heavenly Book is Divine vision (ru'yat), in which there is the speaking allusion (isharah-yi natiq) as well as the silent one (isharah-yi samit) (42:51). The second treasure is the Command of 'Be' (kalimah-yi Kun), the third is the Divine Pen, the fourth the Guarded Tablet, then the three great angels and then the personal world of the Prophet and wali (Imam).
Allah, the Exalted makes every Imam observe all the treasures and all the stations of revelation, so that he becomes the witness over the messsengership and prophethood of all the Prophets and Messengers.

Q548 Surah-yi Tatfif, verses (83:18-22) say: "Nay, the record of the righteous shall be in `Illiyyun. What will make you know what `Illiyyun is? (It is) a written book, which only those who are nearest (to Allah) see." Please explain their wisdom.
A548 It is certainly not as the ordinary people perceive. Indeed the exalted and collective Record of Deeds of the righteous people is in the sublime personalities of the Sacred Sanctuary; they are like a written living book, which can be seen in this world only by those who are the nearest (to Allah).

Q549 It is mentioned in Surah-yi Baqarah (2:143): "And thus We have made you a justly balanced group, so that you may be witnesses over humankind, and so that the messenger may be a witness over you." What wisdom does it contain?
A549

This noble verse is about the Imams from the progeny of Hazrat Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny).
Its wisdom is that as long as people exist in this world, the chain of the pure Imams will continue so that on the Day of Judgement none of the people of any era can claim that there was no means of guidance in the world.

Q550 It is said in Surah-yi Tawbah verse (9:105): "Say (to them, O Prophet): 'Act! Allah beholds your deeds, and His messenger and the believers;...'" Who can be such believers who possess the inner eye, who recognise the hidden (batin) and who, after God and the Prophet, can behold the actions of the people?
A550 Such perfect believers (mu'mins) are the True Imams,⁷ because ordinary believers cannot behold the deeds of others.

⁷Da`a'imu'l-Islam, Vol. 1, Walayat-i a'immah-yi ahl-i bayt, p. 21.

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