Chirag-i Rawshan - Hakim Pir Nasir-i Khusraw; A Universe of Knowledge
Hakim Pir Nasir-i Khusraw; A Universe of Knowledge
Tags: Nasir-i Khusraw, Hassan bin Thabit, Ibda`, Mubda`, Dahr
In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful
It is a known fact that the external world is a macrocosm and man himself is a microcosm. As Pir Nasir-i Khusraw says in his Rawshana'i-namah:
- Mar īn rā `ālam-i sughrāsh guftand
Mar ān rā `ālam-i kubrāsh guftandThis one (man) is called microcosm
That one (universe) is called macrocosm
For an elaboration of `ālam (world) see Qamusu'l-Qur'an (p. 344) where, on the authority of Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq, the reality of the words `alam and `alamin are explained. But, in this meaning of man, can the common and the chosen be alike without any difference or distinction? No, not at all. The fact is that although man is potentially a world, it is only the perfect ones who find themselves actually a universe of spirituality and knowledge. It is this status in its perfect degree which is undoubtedly the status of Hakim Nasir-i Khusraw.
First Treasure: “Rawshana'i-namah”
- Hazārān sāl agar gūyand-u pūyand
Dar ākhar rukh ba-khūn-i dīdah shūyandEven if they continue to speak about and search for Him for thousands of years,
Eventually they will wash their face in tears of blood.
Then he says:
- Chunīn guftand raw bi-shinās khwud rā
Tarīq-i kufr-u dīn-ū nīk-ū bad rāThey said: Go and recognise yourself
The way of disbelief and religion, good and bad.
That is, the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.) and Imam `Ali (a.s.) said that one should recognise oneself, so that by self-recognition one would be able to recognise disbelief and faith and good and bad. Here Pir Nasir alludes to the Prophetic Tradition: “A`rafakun bi-nafsihi a`rafakum bi-rabbih (He who knows more about his soul knows more about his Lord)”, and the Farman of Mawla `Ali: Man `arafa nafsahu faqad `arafa rabbah (He who recognises his soul, indeed recognises his Lord)”. One must reflect upon the wisdom of these sayings.
It is necessary to ask what according to Hakim Nasir-i Khusraw the human ego “I” really is? Which soul is referred to in the above sayings? The vegetative soul, the animal soul, the rational soul or the Holy Spirit? Is a satisfactory answer given to this important question? Yes, the answer is as follows:
- Tū'ī jān sukhan-gū'ī-i haqīqī
Kih bā rūhu'l-qudus dā'im rafīqīBa-chashm-i sar jamālat dīdanī nīst
Kasī kū dīd ru'yat chashm-i ma`nīstZa jāy-ū az jihat bāshī munazzah
Bi-bīn tā kīstī insāf-i khwud dihNigar tā dar gumān īnjā na-yuftī
Qadam bi-fishār tā az pā na-yuftīSifat-hā-yat sifat-hā-i Khudā'īst
Turū īn rawshanī zān rawshanā'īstHamī bakhshad kazū chīzī na-kāhad
Turā dād-ū dihad ān rā kih khwāhadZa nūr-i ū tū hastī hamchū partaw
Wujūd khwud bi-pardāz-ū tū ū shawHijābat dūr dārad gar na-jū'ī
Hijāb az pīsh bardārī tū ū'īAgar da`wā kunam wa'llāh kih jā'īst
Haqīqat Nāsir-i Khusraw khudā'īstYou are the true rational soul
Because you are always the Holy Spirit's companion.Your beauty cannot be seen with the physical eye
He who has seen this vision has the spiritual eye.You are free from place and direction
See, who you are and do justice to yourself!See! Lest you doubt here;
Keep a firm footing, lest you trip!Your attributes are God's attributes
You have this light from that light.He bestows but nothing decreases from Him
He gave you and gives to whom He wills.You are from His light like a reflection,
You abandon your existence and become Him.Your veil separates you, when you do not seek (Him)
If you remove the veil, then you are He.It would, by God, be appropriate if I were to claim,
In reality Nasir-i Khusraw is an example of annihilation and survival in God!
Abandoning Blind Conformity - Invitation to Reflection, Research and Ta'wil:
Hazrat Pir, on the basis of the Qur'anic verse (47:24): “Do they not reflect on the Qur'an or are there locks on their hearts?”, emphatically invites to reflection, research and ta'wil and condemns taqlid or blind conformity. Thus regarding the Qur'an, he says:
- Sarāsar pur za tamthālast tanzīl
Tū zū tafsīr khwāndastī nah ta'wīlTanzil is full of similitudes from beginning to end,
Of which you have read only the exegesis and not the ta'wil.
Second Treasure: “Khwan al-Ikhwan”:
For brothers in Islam and revered friends Khwan al-Ikhwan is a dining table ever-spread with varied bounties of knowledge and wisdom, whose spiritual and intellectual pleasures never end. Every material bounty either comes to an end or, due to satisfaction becomes insipid, but the taste of the bounty of knowledge increases according to intellectual progress and eventually begins to touch the imperishable sweetness of the Paradise of spirituality.
The table reminds us of the great miracle of Hazrat `Isa in which, at his request, God sent the table spread with spiritual knowledge for his disciples. The great spiritual secret of this miracle is: “... It may be a recurring happiness for us, for the first of us and for the last of us.” (5:114). That is, may there be in it a demonstration of that all-embracing favour of God which encompasses the hudud-i din in every age.
An Example from the Table of Bounties:
How wonderful is the grace and attractiveness of the extremely pleasant bounties of this wide and spacious table of knowledge and wisdom on which Paradisiacal foods in a hundred rows one after another are served! For example, I kept thinking in bewilderment which one of the unique pearls from this precious treasure should I choose when every pearl of ma`rifat is splendid and invaluable. I closed the book for a while and then opened it again with resolution, and it was the twenty-fourth Saff (Row) (p. 79) in which our great sage, in his pleasant way, explains the ta'wil of the Supreme Name “Allah”. He says: “Know! that the four letters (alif, lam, lam, ha') which are in this Supreme Name indicate the four roots, two spiritual and two physical, upon which all spiritual and physical creatures depend, as it is clear from (the example of) the close angels and the righteous servants. And each of these letters is a mine of blessings of both the worlds. Alif symbolises the Universal Intellect, who is the fountainhead of ta'yid (spiritual help), the lam symbolises the Universal Soul, who is the fountainhead of tarkib (composition), the other lam is for the Natiq, who is the fountainhead of ta'lif (compilation) and the ha' is for the Asas, who is the fountainhead of bayan and ta'wil (esoteric interpretation). Thus, the letters of the name of God are symbols of the fountainheads of good in both the worlds (namely, Universal Intellect/Pen, Universal Soul/Tablet, Natiq and Asas).
Third Treasure: “Gusha'ish wa Raha'ish”:
In this wisdom-filled epistle Hazrat Pir has provided sagacious answers to thirty extremely intricate questions. Such questions could not be solved by anybody in his time except him. He took on the responsibility of solving these questions and in the lofty position of the Hujjat of the Imam, scattered gems of spiritual knowledge from every phrase of explanation. It should be pointed out here with great regret that due to blind conformity and fanaticism, in some places the text of this esteemed and exalted book, some sentences of an inimical nature have been interpolated in such a way that it has become difficult for students to discern them, because they are not included as footnotes or margin notes or in brackets. However, the translation by my esteemed friend Jon Ayliya, which is preserved at ITREB in Pakistan, is free from such stains, because when he was translating it, I was able to indicate these adulterations to him.
An Example: Sixteenth Question:
O brother, you asked me what is the “`alam (world)”, and what is that thing to which the name “`alam" applies? And how should we describe the `alam as a whole? And how many `alams are there? Explain so that we may recognise!
Answer: Know, O brother, that the name “`alam” is derived from `ilm (knowledge), because the traces of knowledge are visible in the parts of the physical world. Thus we say that the very nature (nihad) of the world is complete wisdom, by being pairs of the four elements, each one of them with the other is harmonious on the one hand, and different on the other. Such as fire and air are pair with respect to heat and different from one another with respect to wetness and dryness, and water and earth are pair with respect to coldness and are different from one another with respect to heat (and wetness) ....
Fourth Treasure: “Risalah-i Hikmati”:
Although this epistle consists of only twenty pages, it abounds with the ta'yidi knowledge given to the Hujjat of the Imam of the time. It is therefore a compendium of miracles of knowledge in the eyes of the people of wisdom. Although a physical river cannot be contained in a jug, Shah Nasir by the grace of God, has condensed the ocean of knowledge and wisdom in a jug everytime. It is because of this that his precious books are getting increasing publicity in the world of knowledge and many scholars spend their entire lives researching them. We need to consider and reflect on why the whole world is inclining towards him? After all, there may be a great secret in it! Yes! there is a secret and it is because of his “given knowledge (`ilm-i ladunni)”, which shines through his treasures of knowledge even today.
Gems in Risalah-i Hikmati:
This epistle deals with the answers to the ninety-one short questions related to philosophy, logic, physics, grammar, religion and ta'wil. Thus in discussing “dahr”, he says that it is the absolute survival of pure souls which have no relationship with the physical bodies, and that it does not have any corruption or change at all. He further says that “dahr” is self-subsistent and that which is self-subsistent never dies .... And he says that dahr is beyond the movement of time.
Fifth Treasure: “Safar-namah”:
The eye is dazzled by the splendid writings of great and renowned scholars, literati and poets of the world of knowledge and the way they have praised the profound and precious works of Hakim Nasir-i Khusraw. There is a strong sense of shame, for my heart says: Alas! if only we could also introduce these works with such golden words, for we are truly lovers of the knowledge of Imamat, which has been received through our Hujjats and Pirs, who according to the Qur'an and the Hadith, are spiritual parents of mu'mins.
A Miracle of the “Safar-namah”:
Published by Anjuman-i Taraqqi-yi Urdu (India), No. 137, Delhi, 1941, Safar-namah-yi Hakim Nasir-i Khusraw, translated by Mawlawi Muhammad `Abd al-Razzaq Kanpuri.
Introduction:
Mawlawi Kanpuri writes: In 1316/1898 I happened to be visiting Delhi. During my studentship I had the honour of the acquaintance of Shamsu'l-`ulama' Khan Bahadur Dhaka'u'llah Dehlawi, therefore I visited him to greet him and enquire about his health.
During one conversation we discussed the travels of certain eminent Arabs, and then also of eminent non-Arabs. During this discussion Mawlana mentioned the Safar-namah in Persian of Hakim Nasir-i Khusraw and said: “A few years ago Khwajah Altaf Husayn Hali published it with an introduction. You must study it.”
After taking leave of Mawlana I went to the Daribah (Delhi's famous bazar) and visited the famous bookshops. Fortunately I found the above-mentioned Safar-namah, which had been published in 1300 A.H./1882 A.D. This rare Safar-namah had been copied from the manuscript of Nawab Ziya'u'd-din Ahmad, Khan Bahadur, the Loharo chief. I read it during the journey (from Delhi to Kanpur) and was delighted with it. It was very comprehensive and interesting not only from a literary point of view, but also with respect to the events of the journey and the wonders of the world. Because of its significance, I studied it critically twice. When I had understood its subjects and unique writing style, I decided to translate it and in this connection I wrote to Khwajah Altaf Husayn Hali in January 1318/1900, to seek his permission to do so.
Sixth Treasure: “Jami`u'l-Hikmatayn”:
This is a book in which exoteric wisdom (philosophy, etc.) and esoteric wisdom (ta'wil) are both used. The book was written in answer to various very difficult questions. But for those with whom ta'yidat (pl. ta'yid, help) of the Supreme Soul work, no question is difficult. It was the custom of the Hujjat of Khurasan to solve extremely difficult questions and gordian knots as it is evident from his blessed books. You know that it is easy for someone to speak and write according to his own likes and knowledge, but the greatest test of knowledge and wisdom is faced only when one is asked a difficult question. We say with certainty that Hujjat-i Mustansir (Imam Mustansir's Hujjat) was an exalted personality to whom the doors of given knowledge were always open.
A Specimen of Wisdom from the “Jami`u'l-Hikmatayn”:
The people of ta'wil have said concerning the attribution of the seven lights to the world of ibda`: Whatever exists in the sensory world (i.e. physical world) is an influence of that which exists in the higher world. We can see that there are seven planets in the physical world from which the generated things take light and fineness. These luminous existents (i.e. planets) indicate that in the higher world there are seven primordial and pre-eternal lights which are the causes of physical lights. Among those, one is ibda`, the second is the essence of intellect, the third is the combination of intellect which has three ranks, namely, intellect, intellecting and intelligible. And this characteristic does not belong to any existent except to the intellect which (i.e. the angel of intellect) is both knowing and known. The fourth is the soul which has been resurrected from the intellect, the fifth is Jadd (Israfil), the sixth Fath (Mika'il) and the seventh Khayal (Jibra'il).
Seventh Treasure: “Diwan-i Ash`ar”:
The following titles of Hazrat Pir show his spirituality, luminosity, knowledge and wisdom: Hujjat, Hujjat-i Khurasan, Hujjat-i Mustansiri, Hujjat-i Farzand-i Rasul, Hujjat Na'ib-i Payghambar, Safir-i Imam-i Zamanah, Ma'mur-i Imam-i Zaman, Amin-i Imam-i Zaman, Mukhtar-i Imam-i `Asr, Musta`in-i Muhammad and Barguzidah-i `Ali al-Murtaza (Diwan-i Ash`ar, second edition, introduction and biography of Nasir-i Khusraw by Aqa-yi Taqi-zadah, pp. 14-15).
A Very Important Question:
What is said in the Wise Qur'an regarding poetry and poets? Every poet tries to fly to the heights of his imaginary world and revels in self-praise. How can Nasir-i Khusraw's poetry be different from ordinary poetry and self-praise?
Answer: The wisdoms of the Qur'an and the Hadith show that poetry is of two kinds. One is based on truth and the other on falsehood. That is, the poetry of the poet who seeks favour from the luminous guidance of the True Guide automatically contains wisdom, but the poetry of one who has deviated from the straight path and has gone astray, contains nothing but deviation. This is why in the Holy Qur'an it is condemned to follow poets who have gone astray (26:224-225). Thus, if poetry is condemned due to deviation, then why should it not be praised when it contains guidance, for as the Holy Prophet said to Hassan bin Thabit: “Recite! the Holy Spirit is with you.” This shows that where poetry is in defence of the truth, it is accompanied by the favour of the Holy Spirit, and certainly this is true of the poetry of Pir Shah Nasir. His wisdom-filled poetry is free from self-praise and quite different from ordinary poetry.
Self-praise is when the poet is aware of himself exclusively, but when he praises himself because of the closeness he has to someone else, then the praise belongs to the one to whom he claims a relationship, for as Khwajah Hafiz says:
- Ay dil ghulām shāh-i jahān bāsh-u shāh bāshO heart be a slave of the king of the world and be a king!
That is: O heart, the slavery of the king of the world is a great honour, therefore be his slave and be a king of such a great honour. You should reflect on this verse and determine whether this is his own (Hafiz's) praise or is it that of the king of the world?
Second Important Question: In verse (36:69) God says about His Prophet: “And We have not taught him poetry, nor is it worthy of him.” Here the question is: In what way was the poetry helped by the Holy Spirit lacking, due to which it was not worthy of the Holy Prophet?
Answer: There are different stages of the ta'yid (help) of the Holy Spirit. Some Prophets are given precedence over others (2:253), and the same is true of the Awliya' and mu'mins (3:163) and each one of them is able to receive ta'yid according to his rank (58:22). This means that the sacred Psalms of Hazrat Da'ud and Hazrat Sulayman were not without Divine teachings. However, the personality which comprised all virtues and to whom the Great Qur'an was revealed was free from the need for poetry because of its blessing. Thus this verse implies that to whoever God wills, He teaches Divine poetry through the Holy Spirit, and that the exalted rank of the Holy Prophet is far higher than this.
Examples of Pir Nasir's Poetry:
- Marā Hassān-i ū khwanand azīrāk
Man az ihsān-i ū gashtam chū HassānI am called his (Imam Mustansir bi'llah's) Hassan, because I have become like Hassan because of his favour.
By Divine help, in this wisdom-filled and soul-nourishing verse of Pir Nasir, there are many beauties, such as:
a) This verse alludes to Hassan bin Thabit's poetry and the Prophetic Traditions about it. b) It reminds one of the time of Prophethood and the great Companions of the Prophet. c) This verse is a proof of the importance and usefulness of poetry in True Religion. d) It is mentioned in this verse that Pir Nasir had become like Hassan due to the favour of the Exalted Imam. e) “Hassan” means handsome and pious. f) Pir Nasir says that due to the Exalted Imam's favours his soul became very beautiful and he had become pious. Pir Nasir in his Diwan has compared himself six times with Hassan, so that we should understand that his verses are illumined by given knowledge (`ilm-i ladunni).
Pir Nasir's Diwan is an ocean from which precious pearls are acquired only from its depth, although ships full of wealth and goods sail on its surface. That is, Pir Nasir's poetry has an aspect of wisdom which is not understandable by everyone. For example take this qasidah which begins with:
- Ay khwāndah basī `ilm-ū jahān gashtah sarāsar
Tū bar zamī-ū az barat īn charkh-i mudawwarO widely read and globally travelled one,
You are on the earth and above you is this circular sphere.
Further on in this qasidah, he says:
- Rūzī bi-rasīdam ba-dar-i shahrī kān rā
Ajrām-i falak bandah bud āfāq musakhkharOne day I reached the gate of a city to which,
The heavenly bodies are slaves and the world subjugated.
Can you tell me which city in this world has such a gate? Is this not really an example of the spiritual journey and reaching the sacred light of the Imam of the time? Is this not a practical ta'wil and exegesis of the Hadith: “I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its gate.” This is so and this indeed is the wisdom in it.
Pir Nasir says: It was a city whose gardens were full of fruits and flowers, whose walls were all decorated with floral patterns and whose earth was full of trees. Its forest was painted like a brocade and its water was pure honey like Kawthar. A city in which without (knowledge and) eminence there is no abode and without intellect no tree; a city in which sages wear brocades which are not spun by a female nor woven by a male. A city which, when I entered it, my intellect told me: Seek what you need here and do not leave this place. Then I went to the gate-keeper of the city (by whom is meant the Imam of the time) and told him of my problems. He said: Do not worry, because now your mine has turned into gems ....
Truly speaking, Hazrat Pir presents the events and the observations of his initial spirituality in accordance with the Hadith: “I am the city of knowledge and `Ali (the Imam of the time) is its gate”. It is clear that the focus of praise everywhere in this poem is the city of knowledge (and not the poet himself). Nonetheless, it is strange that inspite of entering the city, it is the gate-keeper to whom recourse is made and great wisdom lies in this. In the same qasidah, Hazrat Pir Shah Nasir says:
- Dastam ba-kaf-i dast-i nabī dād ba-bay`at
Zīr-i shajar-i `ālī pur-sāyah-ū muthmarHe (the Imam of the time) placed my hand into the hand of the Prophet for the bay`at
Which took place under the exalted tree with extensive shade and abundant fruit.
This is a description of the practical ta'wil of the bay`at-i ridwan which occurs at the final stages of spirituality and at the rank of intellect. This stage has countless names, one of which is “tree” under which the spiritual and intellectual bay`at is taken. But you may be amazed that the same tree is in fact the tree of Hazrat Musa, the Olive tree and also the farthest Lote-tree described in the Holy Qur'an.
Eighth Treasure: “Tahlil-i Ash`ar-i Nasir-i Khusraw”:
This pleasant book has been compiled by Mahdi Muhaqqiq, a Professor at Tehran University, in which the verses are analysed and linked to the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith, or to Arab proverbs. Thus, by God's grace, an additional treasure has been provided.
Examples from the Tahlil-i Ash`ar:
Pir Nasir says:
- Har kas kih nayalfanjad ū basīrat
Fardāsh bah mahshar basar nabāshadHe who does not acquire insight (for himself) here,
Tomorrow on the Day of Judgement will not have sight.
In this verse it is alluded to the Qur'anic verse: “And whoever is blind in this, shall (also) be blind in the hereafter; and more erring from the way.” (17:72).
- Īzad `atāsh dād Muhammad rā
Nāmash `Alī shinās-ū laqab KawtharGod granted him to Muhammad as a gift
Whose name was `Ali and title Kawthar (108:1).Tan turā gūrast bī-shak ham-chunān chūn wa`dah kard
Rūzī az gūrat bi-rūn ārad Khudāy-i dād-garUndoubtedly body is the grave for you, and as God the Just has promised, He will raise you from it (22:7).
This shows that the ta'wil of the grave is the human body.
- Ba-ghār-i sangīn dar nah ba-ghār-i dīn andar
Rasūl rā ba-dil-i pāk sāhibu'l-ghārīmNot in the cave made of stone but in the cave of religion (i.e. spirituality),
We, due to our pure hearts, are the companions of the Prophet (9:40).
Here it is evident that by the cave is meant spirituality and therefore, “people of the cave” is the name for certain souls.
- Chū jānat qawī shud ba-īmān-ū hikmat
Bi-yāmūzī āngah zabānhā-yi murghānBi-gūyand bā tū hamān mūr-u murghān
Kih guftand azīn pīsh-tar bā SulaymānWhen your soul because of faith and wisdom becomes strong,
You will understand the language of birds.The ants and birds will say to you
What they used to say to Hazrat Sulayman (27:16).
It is the path of spirituality which is the straight path and the path of the Prophets, Awliya' Shuhada' (martyrs, witnesses) and Salihin (the righteous ones) and it is their path which the mu'mins have to follow (4:69). This path contains only miracles so that ma`rifat can be attained.
- Āl-i rasūl-i Khudāy habl-i Khudāyīst
Garash bi-gīrī za chāh-i jahl bar ā'īThe progeny of the Prophet of God (Imam of the time) is the rope of God,
If you hold it, you will emerge from the well of ignorance (3:103).
There are many examples of good and bad in this world. One of them is the example of a dark well, and in order to bring people out of it, God has sent down the rope of His sacred light from the higher world.
- Rasūl khwud sukhanī bāshad az Khudāy ba-khalq
Chunākih guft Khudāwand dar haq-i `Īsā(In addition to) the Book, the Prophet is also a word from God to the people,
Just as God says about Hazrat `Isa.
This is a reference to the Qur'anic verse (3:45): “O Maryam! Surely Allah gives you good news with a word from Him (bi-kalimatin minh)”, which establishes that the Holy Prophet and the Imam of the time are the Qur'an-i natiq or the “Speaking Qur'an”.
- Ba-sān-i tayr-i abābīl lashkarī kih hamī
Bi-yūftad guharī zū ba-jāy har hajarīThe flocks of birds (which had pelted the owners of the elephants with stones) will come
And from each of their stones will fall a pearl (105:3-4).
When one reflects upon its verses, one realises just how amazing Qur'anic wisdom is.
- Qissah-i Salmān shunīdastī-ū qawl-i Mustafā
Kū za Ahlu'l-bayt chūn shud bā zabān-i pahlawīYou may have heard the story of Salman and the Hadith of the Prophet,
How he became a member of the Ahlu'l-bayt despite being a Persian and speaking the Persian tongue.
The Holy Prophet said: “Inna Salmāna minnā ahli'l-bayt (Indeed (in a spiritual sense) Salman is from us, the Ahlu'l-bayt).
- Garchit yakbār zādah and bi-yābī
`Ālam-i dīgar agar dubārah bi-zā'īEven though you are born once, (now) you will be given
Another world if you are born again.
As Hazrat `Isa has said: “He who is not born twice (by dying in this life), cannot enter the kingdom of heaven (i.e. spirituality)”.
- Ba-miyān qadr-ū jabr rah-i rāst bi-jūy
Kih sūy ahl-i khirad jabr-ū qadr dard-ū `anāstSeek the straight path between free-will and predetermination,
Because according to the wise, predetermination and free-will are only pain and distress.
As Hazrat Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq has said: “Lā jabra wa-lā tafwīda bal amrun bayna'l-amrayn (There is neither (absolute) predetermination nor (absolute) free-will (in the actions of man) but it is a matter in between.” (See at the end of Ghusha'ish wa Raha'ish).
- Sūy ān bāyad raftanat kih az amr-i Khudāy
Bar khazīnah-i khirad-ū `ilm-i Khudāwand darastYou should have recourse to him who by the command of God
Is the gate (and gate-keeper) of the Divine intellect and knowledge.
For as the Prophet has said: “I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its gate, and whoever wants knowledge should come through the gate.”
- Parrat az parhīz-ū tā`at kard bāyad kaz Hijāz
Ja`far-i Tayyār bar `ulyā ba-dīn tā`at parīdYou should make your wings from abstinence and obedience,
Because Ja`far-i Tayyar (bin Abi Talib) flew from Hijaz to the higher world with (the wings of) this obedience.
For as the Holy Prophet has said: “I saw Ja`far in Paradise with two wings”.
- Bi-farmūd justan ba-Chīn `ilm-i dīn rā
Muhammad shudam man ba-Chīn-i MuhammadThe Holy Prophet Muhammad said: Seek knowledge (of religion) in China,
Therefore, I went to the Holy Prophet's China (i.e. the luminosity of the Exalted Imam). Hadith: “Seek knowledge, even if it is in China”.Andak andak `ilm yābad nafs chūn `ālī buwad
Qatrah qatrah jam` gardad wāngahī daryā shawadWhen the soul of someone becomes fortunate and elevated,
Then it always receives (given) knowledge little by little, just as drop by drop water gathers and turns into a river.Wa-qatrun ilā qatrin idha'jtama`at nahrun
Wa-nahrun ilā nahrin idaha'jtama`at bahrunWhen drops join one another they become a river,
And when rivers join one another they become an ocean.
Ninth Treasure: “Zadu'l-Musafirin”:
Zadu'l-Musafirin means the provision of the spiritual path and the path of the hereafter. About this unique and unprecedented book, it is beyond my capacity to describe it properly, and I should make this clear for otherwise my childish words may become a veil for it. However, there is another way of describing it and that is that we should describe it using Hazrat Pir's own words for, as he says about it:
- Za tasnīfāt-i man Zādu'l-Musāfir
Kih ma`qūlāt rā aslast-ū qānūn
Agar bar khāk-i Aflātūn bi-khwānand
Thanā khwānad marā khāk-i FalātūnAmong my works, Zadu'l-Musafir is
Like the “Principles and Laws” (to examine and scrutinise the knowledge) of intelligibles.
If it is read at the grave of (the famous Greek philosopher) Plato,
Even his dust will praise me (because of the wonders of this book).
Such is the praise of this treasure of pearls of knowledge and wisdom!
Examples of the Wisdom of this Book:
Zadu'l-Musafirin (pp. 519) contains 27 major subjects which are subdivided into 335 sections. Pir Nasir wrote this noble book in 453 A.H. Since he was born in 394 A.H. he wrote it at the age of 59. In chapter sixteen he writes about “mubdi`-i haq, ibda` and mubda`” and says that the mubda` is the trace (athar) of the True mubdi`. This point is of key importance and belongs to the knowledge of secrets. He also says: Intelligible things are above time and sensible things are under time (p.117). When a thing comes to an end, its (movable) time comes to an end, but the dahr or immovable time does not come to an end like the time of an individual comes to an end with his death. Thus if the heaven whose movement surrounds all movements, comes to an end, then the universal time will come to an end, but not the dahr, because dahr is not movable time, but it is the life of a thing which is self-subsisting whereas the movable time (zaman) is the name of the life of something which subsists by something else. Dahr does not move, rather it remains in the same state because it is the life of a thing whose state never changes. When this reality is conceived, then it will be evident that zaman or movable time is not applicable to the spiritual entities (ruhaniyyin).
Man is sovereign over everything which is in the creation and he is the vicegerent of God on earth (p. 462). God has made man the sovereign of the spiritual kingdom also (p.464). Man in this world is like a traveller and his desired destination is the presence of the Creator of the universe (p. 465).
This world is the first destination and the life of man is like a path and man travels on this path towards the desired destination so that he may reach the presence of the Creator of the universe. Thus in this noble and exalted book of Hazrat Pir Nasir-i Khusraw, there are countless wisdoms to describe which, let alone this small article, it would be difficult to do even in an encyclopaedia.
Tenth Treasure: “Wajh-i Din”:
Although it is a bright and well established fact that every book of Pir Nasir-i Khusraw is a precious and everlasting treasure of knowledge and wisdom, nonetheless his Wajh-i Din, in many respects, is the quintessence and compendium of all his books. Thus we can rightly say that this book stands for the treasure of treasures, because it is his final work.
Examples of the Wisdom of this Book:
I am very fond of books and I have enjoyed and benefitted from the study of various books as much as possible, yet the books of Pir Nasir-i Khusraw are full of wonders and marvels, particularly the Wajh-i Din. Because this book is so amazingly comprehensive and full of the kernel of wisdom that, despite constant struggle, the blessings of its knowledge never come to an end. And the reason for this is that it specifically deals with the ta'wil of the Qur'an and Hadith and the knowledge of Imamat and all this is the result of the inner and spiritual path. That is, there is the world of unveiling and spiritual miracles in this book.
Even though you may have studied the Wajh-i Din for a long time, you can be sure that there are still many ta'wili secrets which have not been revealed. For instance, in the eighth chapter of this book, read the passage regarding the six directions of the planet earth carefully and experiment with it and answer how can its six directions, namely, front, back, right, left, above and below be determined while it is always rotating?, so that we may be sure that the inhabitants of the earth have six directions and God has sent them a great Prophet from every direction. But nobody, by marking the six places of the globe of the world, can establish that from these six directions six great Prophets have come to the people, because they do not live only in a particular city or country, rather they are scattered in different continents and therefore, they do not have collective directions except the above.
The spiritual example and recognition of how the six Prophets came to the people from the six directions is found in the personal world (microcosm). Thus in the personal world, without any doubt, there are six directions of the human body. Thus, Hazrat Pir alludes that in the personal world the light of Hazrat Adam comes from above the head, the light of Hazrat Nuh from the left ear, the light of Hazrat Ibrahim from the back, the light of Hazrat Musa from the feet, the light of Hazrat `Isa from the right ear and the light of the Holy Prophet enters from the forehead, as Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq has said in his prayer:
“O Allah! make for me a light in my heart, and a light in my ear, and a light in my eye, and a light in my tongue, and a light in my hair, and a light in my skin, and a light in my flesh, and a light in my blood, and a light in my bones, and a light in my nerve, and a light in front of me, and a light behind me, and a light on my right side, and a light on my left side, and a light above me and a light below me.” (Da`a'imu'l-Islam, Vol. I, Dhikr after the salat).
Subjects of the Wajh-i Din:
In this blessed and miraculous book there are 51 major subjects and there are 24 sub-subjects. However, the subjects which are spread throughout the book are more than this, such as the recognition of God, science of Tawhid, Prophethood, Imamat, science of hudud, spirituality, resurrection, Hazrat Qa'im, Hujjat of Qa'im, science of ta'wil, numerical ta'wil, ism-i a`zam (Supreme Name), physical world and spiritual world, prophecy, secrets of spirituality, roots of religion, branches of religion, keys of wisdom, self-recognition, the chain of guidance, law of wasayat (legateeship), secrets of the Qur'an, etc.
A Miracle of Wajh-i Din:
Long ago one of the devoted and knowledge loving students of the late eminent Sayyid Munir Badakhshani told me that he began to gain tremendous pleasure from the study of Wajh-i Din, therefore it became a daily practice for him to study it. His happiness increased more and more and consequently his inner eye opened. This was a miracle of the exercise of knowledge of Wajh-i Din. It should be remembered that if you get tremors of happiness from knowledge and wisdom, this is a glad tiding of the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Key Ta'wil:
There is a great treasure of ta'wil of a practical and key nature, due to the blessings of which are removed not only doubts and ambiguities of the readers, but answers to countless questions are also provided. The disease of ignorance can most effectively be cured only by ta'wil and ta'wili wisdom is the honey about which God says: “In it there is healing for men (from diseases)” (16:69).
Hudud-i Din:
The foundation of ta'wil is based on the hudud-i din, without which it is not possible and this is evident from the Wajh-i Din. Now, even though there is the cycle of qiyamat and except the sun of Imamat no other star is visible, how can we forget the spiritual history of our sacred Tariqah in which are mentioned the feats of Pen, Tablet, Israfil, Mika'il, Jibra'il, Natiq, Asas, Imam, Hujjat, Da`i, etc. This is called ta'wil and this is the path of ma`rifat.
Exalted Imam - Personal World:
Hazrat Imam `Ali (a.s.) says:
- Do you think that you are a small body;
Yet the great cosmos is contained in you;
You are the speaking book;
By whose letters the hidden secrets are revealed.
This saying and its meaning are first and foremost applicable to Mawla `Ali himself and then every Imam, because it is he who is the luminous personal world and the Speaking Book from which reveal the secrets of ta'wil. Now arises the great question: In what form was the light of the Imam of the time shone on Pir Nasir-i Khusraw? Pir in his Diwan says: “When the light of the Imam of the time shone on my soul, I became the bright sun, though previously I was pitch dark night”. The amazing answer to this extremely important question is that the light of the Imam of the time shone upon him in the form of the personal world, which contains everything. It was this luminous world which was the Speaking Book and Pir Nasir's science of ta'wil is related to this subtle world which is discussed in the fourth chapter of Wajh-i Din.
`Ilm-i Bayan - `Ilm-i Ta'wil:
In many places in Wajh-i Din, Pir uses another synonym for ta'wil - the word “bayan”. From this subtle teaching of the celebrated sage appears an extremely beautiful revolution in meaning, such as at the end of the 46th chapter, Pir explains: “Thumma inna `alaynā bayānah (Again on Us (devolves) the ta'wil (bayan) of it.” (75:19). That is, O Prophet! We will make the ta'wil of the Qur'an through your successor, as it is obvious from the noble Hadith, mentioned in Wajh-i Din, chapter 35, p. 269.
Imam-i Mubin (36:12):
When it is established that in Wajh-i Din another word for ta'wil is bayan, let us see the word “mubin” also in the Qur'an. From verse (43:18), it is evident that in this verse the word mubin has come in the sense of “speaking” or “one who explains”. Thus Imam-i Mubin means the Imam who is manifest and makes ta'wil. Because, he in whom are confined and encompassed all spiritual and intellectual things, can be the custodian of ta'wil also.
Numerical Ta'wil:
In Pir Nasir's Wajh-i Din the numerical ta'wil is also very conspicuous. The essential reference to this hidden science is given in the 48th chapter of this book, in which is mentioned the obligation of wajibat on mu'mins. You can see clearly here that according to the will of God and the Prophet, the numerical ta'wil in the true religion was started first of all by Mawla `Ali (a.s.). (See pp. 330).
A Universe of Knowledge:
According to me the most pleasant and understandable thing to say is that Pir Nasir is a universe of knowledge and wisdom. However, this description is not only due to his treasure of books, but it includes many other things which are increasing with the passage of time. For instance, what is the extent of the circle of da`wat of Pir Nasir and the extent of the circle of blessings of his books? What can be the number of those fortunate people who have become attached to the holy hem of the True Imam as a result of the da`wat-i haqq which has continued for approximately a thousand years? Is everyone who is a student of Nasir-i Khusraw not himself a personal world? If all these extents of his tradition are true in their respective places and all this is happening in the universe of his da`wat or da`wat-i Nasiri, then let us see those wisdom-filled and inspiring verses in which allusion is made to all these facts, which are:
- Gar bāyadat hamī kih bi-bīnī marā tamām
Chūn `āqilān ba-chashm-i basīrat nigar marāMa-nigar ba-dīn da`īf tanam zānkih dar sukhan
Zīn charkh-i pur sitārah fuzūnast athar marāHarchand maskanam ba-zamīnast rūz-u shab
Bar charkh-i haftumast majāl-i safar marā.If you want to see me fully
Then see me with the inner eye like the wise ones.Do not look at my feeble body, because in speech
I have a greater effect than this sphere full of stars.Although day and night my dwelling is on earth
I have the power to travel to the seventh sphere (i.e. the sphere of spirituality).
In the eyes of wise people, the collective purport of these meaningful and wisdom-filled verses is very clear and evident that Hakim Nasir-i Khusraw, both in an exoteric and an esoteric sense is a universe of knowledge. Had it not been so, he would not have said: “See me with the inner eye like the wise ones”. I would like to say that a religious sage who has the rank of Hujjat or Pir, never exaggerates. His speech is full of veracity, truth and wisdom so that thereby the luminous guidance of the True Imam may be available. Thus, without any doubt, the sacred light of the Imam of the time shone on Hazrat Pir Nasir-i Khusraw completely and perfectly, by which his personal world was illumined as mentioned in the beginning.
Conclusion:
It is greatly satisfying and useful that a two day seminar on Hazrat Pir Nasir-i Khusraw has been arranged in Gilgit. Indeed, this will give great happiness to the entire Jama`at and will also have far-reaching benefit and will spread the fragrance of the recognition of the Imam in all directions. When the people of the world like to have flowers all around them, then why should there not be an abundance of the flowers of knowledge and fruits of wisdom?
Al-hamdu li'llah, I was also graciously invited to this historical seminar by the esteemed Tariqah Board on 8th September, 1990, which invitation I received on 15th September in Gilgit. To comply with the writing of this paper, I came to Karachi on 24th September. The seminar was held on 8th and 9th November, 1990.
I beg forgiveness for any defects in this paper due to the shortage of time. Let us pray that may the Holy Lord enable us to thank Him for each and every favour. Amin!
Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai,
Day of `Id Miladu'n-Nabi, 12 Rabi` I 1411/3rd October, 1990.
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