Chain of the Light of Imamat - The Imam of the Time is the Divine Light
The Imam of the Time is the Divine Light
Tags: Imam, Divine Light, Light, Sun, Nur, Light upon light, Guidance, Hidayat
First it is necessary to explain the reality of Light and its different kinds. For there are many benefits in knowing the true nature of things. Light enables the state of existing things to be known through the sense of sight. Contrary to this, darkness means that state when existing things cannot be attained by sight. In other words, light is that by which the knowledge of the external state of things goes through sight to the brain and darkness is that state due to which the knowledge of the external state of things does not reach the brain. This is only the description of natural or material light, the source of which is the sun. The moon and the planets and other bright objects are not luminous themselves; they receive light from the sun. The nature of this kind of light is that it shows only external things, i.e. the external surface of opaque things. For instance, in things such as the earth, stones, plants, animals and muddy water, etc. light illumines only their external surface, it does not penetrate their surface and permeate the whole body, and shadows are cast by them. But light passes through the ethereal sphere, air, pure water, glass, etc. and all their particles are immersed in light and hence they do not cast a shadow. For there is no hindrance for light to pass through them. This leads to the conclusion that in facing the light, there are two kinds of things. Those things which do not allow light to pass through them and they also prevent other things near them from receiving light, i.e. they become a veil for them. Other things are those which allow light to pass through them and thus they become illumined and they also do not prevent light from reaching things near them. In this connection, it should be understood that the source of this light, i.e. the sun, functions according to a specific law. It is always in the centre of the system and its shape is circular. The purpose of its being in the centre and of its circular shape is that its light is not in a particular direction, so that it may spread in all directions. The other thing to know about the sun is that it spreads light through the moon and the planets, but not as much as itself gives. Another characteristic of the sun is that it always gives light and heat to things opposite it, whether they need it or not. Regarding the importance and necessity of the sun to this world, we can say that the sun is a fundamental part of this system, and on which the movement and function of the entire system depend.
To give another example, its position in the world is that of the heart in the human body. For, the movement of air and water, day, night, spring, summer, autumn, winter, year, the growth of plants, ripening of fruits, the living, moving and working of animals and the functional order of the entire world, all depend on the sun, because it is the source of light.
Now it is necessary to know whether the light which is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an, is this same natural light or is it a light different from this? In this connection, it is important to know that in addition to Islam, the spiritual or inner light is also mentioned in other religions. However, the strongest proof is in the Holy Qur'an: "He creates you in the wombs of your mothers - creation after creation - in three darknesses" (39:6). This verse shows that creation means to work constantly in order to improve the condition of a thing. Since this verse has established that there are three darknesses, then certainly we can conclude that the lights are also three. For things are recognised through their opposites, as it is said: "Tu`rafu'l-ashya'u bi-azdadiha (Things are recognised by their opposites)". Thus black and white, which are opposite to each other in attribute are recognised in their existence and attribute by each other. Similarly, light and darkness are opposites. That is, their action is different from each other. Close investigation of this suggests that things are counted as two, three or more, when they are different in one way or another. For instance, the light of the sun cannot be counted. If someone says two, three, four, etc. lights of the sun, this is nonsense. For, the light of the sun is only one and cannot be separated from the sun and put in layers one over the other. The same is true for darkness. That is, darkness, which is the shadow of an opaque body, due to the impenetrability of light into the body from its surface, always remains in the perpetual shadow of its surface. That is, apart from the surface, the rest of the body whether void or full, remains dark equally, for it is impossible to place two opposites over one another without a veil. For instance, if it is impossible to place fire over water, and water over the fire and then water over the fire, how is it possible for there to be covers of three darknesses and three lights from the womb to the surface of the body? Rather, the skin, flesh, membrane and moisture together are the body. There is no light in them and there is only darkness.
Having explained the nature or reality of material or natural light, I must now describe the other two kinds of light which people of intellect will accept. As has already been described, the sun is suspended in the centre of the planetary system and its shape is circular. Since its shape is circular, therefore, its light is in a circular form. Further, since it is in the centre, its light can spread in the entire system. The moon, planets, electricity, fire, lamp and other old and new means of light, in fact, are the manifestations of the sun. Therefore, in the presence of this fountainhead of light there is no need of any other means in the physical world. However, it has been observed that although this kind of physical light is sufficient for the physical world, it is confined to external things and their boundaries. Despite the sun's immense power, it cannot penetrate an atom flying in the air, let alone the soul. This shows that physical light is related to the body and its function is limited to it. The body needs light and body is a separate world, then this also shows that the soul also has a separate world. For, it is not possible that the body which is the mount of the soul should have a separate world of its own, but the soul should not, and remain dependent on the body. This example is tantamount to saying that animals have a separate world but that human beings do not. Clearly this is impossible, but it is a different matter that in order to use animals men go to the stable, barn, etc. But this is not the real place of man. Now that we have established that there is a spiritual world then it also needs a spiritual sun. Above body and soul is the intellect and the intellect in comparison to the body and the soul can do much more and there is much more in it. Thus as an example if we compare inanimate things with body, animals with soul and mankind with intellect, you can tell immediately which one of them is self-sufficient and sovereign. It is obvious that the one who is in the rank of intellect is self-sufficient and sovereign over the other two. When it is evident that the intellect is self-sufficient and sovereign, then it too has its own world, which in comparison to the body and the soul, is much more, and it also has its own light. This is what is meant by the three darknesses which man was suffering from in the womb of mother. That is, he was suffering from natural darkness, spiritual darkness and intellectual darkness. There is no doubt for the wise that there are three kinds of existents: body, soul and intellect. Accordingly, there are three worlds: the physical, the spiritual and the intellectual, and their lights and darknesses, i.e. opposite to physical darkness is physical light, opposite to spiritual darkness is spiritual light and opposite to intellectual darkness is intellectual light.
Now let me return to the main subject and by the grace of God inform my spiritual brothers who are going to study this book. They believe in the fact that the Imam of the time is the Divine light, and I can affirm this belief. Just as the sun which gives light to this world is always there, similarly, the Imam of the time who gives light to the world of religion is always there. Just as the disappearance of the sun from this world is impossible, similarly the disappearance of the Imam of the time from the world of religion is impossible. He is always there. For man is constituted of three things: body, soul and intellect. The body receives light from the sun, the moon and other sources of physical light, but the light which the human soul and intellect need is always only with the Imam of the time. It should be noted that the light of the soul and the intellect cannot be seen with the physical eye, otherwise, all the people of the world would have seen him and nobody would have denied his existence, just as nobody denies the existence of the sun of this world whose light can be seen. The sun does not require any proof of its existence as the light of the soul and intellect requires, for as God says He guides to His light whom He wills. Had this light of God been shining externally and had possessed some external sign, which people would have instantly recognised as the light of God, then God would not have said that He guides to His light whom He wills. The Divine light has been mentioned in detail in the verse of light (24:35):
"Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, and the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as though it were a glittering star; it is lit from the blessed tree, an Olive neither of the east nor of the west, the oil of which would well-nigh give light though no fire touched it, - light upon light - Allah guides to His light whom He pleases; and Allah strikes out parables for men; and Allah all things doth know."
Explanation: "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth" means that the entire world is contained in the absolute existence of God and nothing is hidden from Him. He sees all things and shows them in His light. In His light the entire world is seen as a globe of transparent glass. Everything is contained in His mercy and knowledge, as a transparent thing is immersed in the light of the sun, as it is said in the Holy Qur'an: "Our Lord! You embrace all things in mercy and knowledge" (40:7).
In this verse there are many real teachings. The most important point to explain is that when Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth, we should understand this example in the sense that both the heavens and the earth are body and the body has particles. In other words, body is the name of the compendium of particles, which as a whole is called the world or the heavens and the earth. And when there is the light of Allah in the entire world spiritually, it is correct to say that this world has two forms. One is a luminous form, which is visible in the light of Allah. The other is the dark form, which is visible through the human eye. Because man, in addition to hidden and dark things, cannot truly see all visible things, therefore, it is established that this world has two forms, the luminous and the dark. The two forms of the world show that there is another world hidden within this world, which is necessarily brighter than this world, but is like this world in shape and form. The truth of this statement can be seen in this verse: "Hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and to a garden the breadth of which is the breadth of the heaven and the earth; it is prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messengers" (57:21). The garden whose breadth ... is like that of the heavens and the earth is this world in a luminous form.
Example (mathal) of His Light: Example or mathal is the name of loosening and untying of wisdom through a thing which resembles it closely, namely, to make a known thing unknown and an unknown thing known. And the thing which is meant by this example is called mamthul. There is a great difference between mathal and mamthul. Particularly when the mathal or example of a spiritual thing is given by a physical thing, because due to the spiritual thing being truly alive and the physical dead, spiritual things require more examples. Thus the example of the soul can be given by all things of this world, for the soul contains the characteristics of all things. It is because of this that whatever examples of the sensible things of this world are possible to be given, are given in different ways, for as God says: "And certainly We have given for men in this Qur'an every example in varying ways; and man is the most disputatious of things" (18:54).
Like a Niche: Niche is a place in the wall where a lamp is kept. By niche is meant the Universal Soul. For, it is the Universal Soul which bears things and creates the body. The body of the Universal Soul is this world which is like a niche or base of a lamp for the lamp of the light of Allah. A niche is made where more light is needed. Similarly, it is this world where the light is needed more, and hence the Imam of the time, who is the lamp of the light of Allah, lives in this world and among the people and gives light from the height of honour. And height is of two kinds: the height of honour and spatial height.
The Lamp is in the Glass: The lamp is the Imam of the time, who is always present and lives in this world.
The Glass glitters like a Star: The protecting glass of the light of the lamp is the Natiq, namely, Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him and his progeny. For it is the Natiq who protects the light of Imamat like the glass of the lamp. That is, if the Natiq had not undertaken the exoteric da`wat and had not concealed the secrets of the Imam till the Resurrection, the Imam would have suffered physical difficulties and obstacles in carrying out the function of Imamat, just as a lantern without glass cannot give light properly. The glittering of the glass like a star means that the Natiq attained the light from the Imam and hid him within this light. The viewer supposes that it is a glittering star and there is no cavity in it, and that the glittering is like that of a star. And it actually is like this. That is, in batin or esoterically, Hazrat Mawlana Murtaza `Ali, was God's hand, foot, eye, ear, tongue, heart, etc., and as such he was entrusted with all the Divine attributes and acts, therefore the Holy Prophet received revelation (wahy), inspiration (ilham), unveiling of didar and knowledge, etc. from him. But all these matters were kept secret in a wisdom-filled way and were revealed through the Holy Prophet in connection with Prophethood. It is in this sense that the light of Allah is in the lamp, and due to its light the protecting glass becomes so bright that it looks like a glittering star.
If you study the books of the dignitaries of religion, such as Shams-i Tabriz and Mawla-yi Rum, this reality will not be strange to you and you will recognise this truth in them, for as Mawla-yi Rum says:
Muhammad bud qiblah-gah-i `alam
Wali bar takht-i dil sultan `Ali bud
The Holy Prophet Muhammad was in the position of the Ka`bah for the entire world;
But the king on the throne of his heart was Mawlana `Ali.
The Oil Burns: The oil of this lamp is the Universal Intellect. For just as the oil gives light by burning, similarly spiritual problems are solved by the Universal Intellect.
From the Blessed Olive Tree which is neither of the East nor of the West: The tree from which the Universal Intellect came into being is the Universal Command (amr-i kull), which is higher than the east and the west, namely, the Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul.
Its Oil gives Light without being touched by Fire: Fire means the ta'yid (spiritual help) of the Universal Intellect. Since in this lamp the Universal Intellect is always there like the oil with which the lamp is filled, i.e. the ta'yid is always in it, therefore it does not need any other ta'yid. And this oil, namely, the Universal Intellect, always gives the light of tawhid or Oneness.
Light upon Light: This means that in comparison to the permanence of light, the body is changeable and according to the requirements of the law of nature, it must perish. Therefore, the Imam of the time after every personal cycle changes his physical attire and accordingly a luminous form of the intellectual activity of the personal cycle of the present physical attire of the Imam about the people and the universe of the time, is added to that of his previous physical attire. For light is another name for the intellectual act or action. The example of this is that an Archangel with the pen of Intellect records in a wisdom-filled way, the collective act of every day of all the creatures in the book of the soul, which become chapters of this book. The power of writing is in the Archangel, but he writes only when the act takes place and hence this kind of act can be called "a chapter upon a chapter". The meaning of "light upon light" is in this sense. If we assume that the light increases daily, it would imply that the light was imperfect in the beginning, which then becomes perfect. This, no wise person will accept. But, as I have explained above, the act of Intellect is in accordance with the capacity and preparedness of the people and the time and, therefore, the Imam of the time does not accomplish all his work in one day in the physical world.
One of the wisdoms of "light upon light" is that if someone asks about the beginning and end of Divine light, the answer is that the chain of light is endless. Because if we think carefully about the logical law of "light upon light", we will realise that in it there is the beginninglessness and endlessness of light. For one of the laws of the presence of the Divine light is "light upon light". You have to consider that before every light it is necessary for another light to be there, so that according to this law it is proper to say for the following light "upon" the previous light. Similarly, in order to apply "upon" to the previous light, it is necessary for there to be another light before the previous one. Thus there is no beginning to this chain. Similarly, in order to say "light upon light" in a proper sense, there has to be a light after the present light, and there cannot be an end to it.
Conversely, "light upon light" means that without light there cannot be light. That is, until there is light previously, there cannot be light later on. This also proves the same reality that there has to be light before and after the light. Thus it is inevitable for the light to continue from both sides, so that every light may be truly called "upon" on one side and "under" on the other.
Allah guides to His Light whom He pleases: Guidance or hidayat means to show the path. The showing of the path becomes necessary when the traveller does not know the path and how to walk on it. The one who has to walk on the path is shown the path in three ways, for guidance is of three kinds: practical guidance, verbal guidance and written guidance. Practical guidance means the walking of the guide with the traveller who does not know the path, to the desired destination. Verbal guidance means that the guide teaches the traveller about the path and tells him about the signs and details which are necessary for the inexperienced traveller. And written guidance means that the traveller is provided with a map of the path, through which he may reach the destination. But the difference between these three kinds of guidance is that a traveller benefits from written guidance if he is literate and has no chance of committing an error, otherwise there is the danger of going astray. In verbal guidance too, there is the danger of forgetting or misunderstanding certain points. This is also true of religious or spiritual guidance and with respect to it, there are three categories of people. Prophets, Awliya' and ordinary people. Written guidance, namely, the creational writings of the external and internal worlds and the revealed Book, is the prerogative of the Prophets, verbal guidance of inspiration (ilham, ilqa') and speech from behind the veil (kalam-i ghaybi) is for the Awliya' and practical guidance is for the ordinary people, in which they need the presence of the guide so that he may show them the path in a practical way. This guidance is the easiest and without danger for ordinary people.
Allah strikes out Parables for Men; and Allah all Things does know: And Allah strikes out parables for men so that by parables or amthal they may be guided to reach the mamthul or meaning and think about what is meant by the light of Allah, niche, lamp, glass, star, burning, Olive tree, oil, fire and guidance. If He had only said "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth", who would deny this. If we do not deny His being the light of the heavens and the earth, then what does He want us to understand by these parables?
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