Chain of the Light of Imamat - The Four Roots in the Imam of the Time
The Four Roots in the Imam of the Time
Tags: Imam, Universal Intellect, Universal Soul, Natiq, Asas, Mercy, Umm, Imam of the time
The Holy Prophet has said: "The first thing which God created is the Intellect". In another Hadith he has said: "The first thing which God created is the Pen", and in another he has said: "The first thing which God created is my Light". All these Ahadith are well-known. But the wise know that in the order of antecedence or priority, whether in time or excellence, three things cannot be first simultaneously. Thus the sages of religion and the dignitaries of Sufism have said that the gist of these three Ahadith is the same. That is, the Intellect, the Pen and the Light of Muhammad are one and the same thing. Similarly, the Holy Prophet and Mawlana `Ali are the same one light and that one light is the Imam of the time. Thus, it is the Imam of the time who is the Universal Intellect, the Universal Soul, the Natiq and the Asas.
The first proof of this reality is in the five names of the same named one, namely, Universal Intellect, Universal Soul, Natiq, Asas and the Imam. The Universal Intellect is called the one which comprises all things and nothing is excluded from it. Had there been a thing outside it, it would not have been called the Universal Intellect, and we have already established a cogent proof in the preceding chapter that, by the removal of even one particle from the whole, it cannot be called the whole.
The Universal Soul is called the one, which with respect to giving life and soul comprises all things. Had there been a thing outside the Universal Soul, it would necessarily have been in one of the three states: either more perfect, or equal or less perfect than the Universal Soul, for a fourth state is not possible. Even then these three states would have necessitated their unity. For in the case of the perfect and the imperfect, the former joins the latter with itself, and in the case of equality, if two things are equal in all qualities and are subtle and without any veil, they instantly mingle together and become one. And it is a fact that in the world of command action takes place without any time. Thus it becomes evident that in reality there is no duality between the Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul, rather they are the two names of one thing.
Similarly, the same reality is the Natiq, namely, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.). According to the Divine Word, he is the mercy of God for all the worlds, for as God says: "And We did not send you, but as a mercy for all the worlds" (21:107). By the worlds are meant the physical, spiritual and intellectual worlds or in other words all things which came into existence by the command of God. Thus the Holy Prophet became the Universal Mercy and comprises all things in his light. For the mercy of God has surrounded all the worlds and the intellect does not testify to a thing being superior to His mercy. Thus the wise will never accept that there is no mercy in the Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul, or that mercy is without intellect and life. But the fact is that the very intellect and life are the Divine mercy and Divine mercy is the intellect and the life. Thus it is established that the Holy Prophet Muhammad himself was the Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul of his time. As for the recognition of the Asas, Asas means the foundation. Thus, in reality, he was the first foundation of the universe and the existents, without which nothing can exist. He was the beginning of all things. His blessed name was `Ali, which was given by God. Since the Word of God is perfect in truth and justice, therefore that which He calls "high" is high in a true sense and nothing can be higher than it. Thus this blessed name of `Ali, which was given by the command of God, has the meaning of eminence.
Eminence is of two kinds: the eminence of excellence or honour and the eminence in place. In both senses, Mawlana `Ali is superior to all things, for his light by the names of Universal Intellect, Universal Soul and the Universal Mercy surrounds the entire universe. When Mawlana `Ali is superior to all creatures, it is absolutely correct to call him the supreme whole. Such a supremacy is not only in name, but he includes all those attributes by which it is correct to call him supreme. That is, this supremacy includes in it all those things which are included in the intellect, the soul and mercy. Thus Mawlana `Ali is the Universal Intellect, the Universal Soul and the Universal Mercy.
Similarly, the Imam of the time, whose light is the same light of Muhammad (s.a.s.) and `Ali (a.s.) is the Universal Intellect, the Universal Soul and the Universal Mercy. All the above-mentioned attributes are always present in the light of the Imam of the time. The word Imam is derived from the infinitive "ummun", meaning leader or chief. Therefore, Imamu'l-qawm and ummu'l-qawm has the same meaning, i.e. the chief of the community, or the Imam of the community. The word umm in the sense of Imam is sometimes substituted by 'ummah', as khalif by khalifah and mala'ik by mala'ikah, etc. as it is mentioned in the Wise Qur'an: "Indeed Ibrahim was an Imam; the maker to believe in the unity of God and the Imam of the believers in one God and was not among the polytheists (i.e he was the chief of those believing in the unity of God)" (16:120). Further, let us see the root of the word umm and imam. Umm or imam means the root of everything, the first thing from which emerged many things, such as ummu'l-kitab, the root of all books, and the originator of the heavenly Books of every time and every cycle. That root and that originator is the light of the Imam of the time. It should be certain by logical proof that the Imam of the time is the root of every heavenly Book and of everything and it is the root which is not preceded by any other thing. Thus it is the ummu'l-kitab, namely the Imam of the time, who is the Intellect, the soul, the mercy and the high (`Ali). That is, the same one light of the Universal Intellect, the Universal Soul, the Natiq, and the Asas is the light of the Imam of the time. "Wa- innahuma la-bi-imamin mubin" (15:79), i.e. And they two (the Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul) work through the Imam-i mubin. As Mawla-yi Rum says:
`Aql-i kull-u nafs-i kull mard-i khuda ast
`Arsh-u kursi ra madan kaz way juda ast
The Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul are the same one person,
Do not think that the Throne and Kursi are separate from him.
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