Coolness of the eye - The Greatest Ta'wili Secret - `Arsh-i A`la or The Supreme Throne

The Greatest Ta'wili Secret - `Arsh-i A`la or The Supreme Throne

Tags: `Arsh, Throne, Istawa, Monoreality, Forehead

`Arsh literally means an elevated place and in this sense, it is used for the throne, which implies the concept of king and kingdom. Thus, in religious terms, `arsh means the kingly throne of God, the Blessed, the Exalted. According to the teachings of the Qur'an, `arsh has prime importance not only externally, but it is also the greatest ta'wili secret. Therefore, it is necessary to explain some of its wisdoms with the help and support of the true Imam, salawatu'llahi `alayhi.
In the Holy Qur'an, there is the mention of the creation of the heavens and the earth, but there is no direct mention of the creation of the `arsh. Rather, it is said that the `arsh or the throne of God was on the water (11:7). This means that the Divine Throne has always been there. For, it is the world of command and therefore is eternal and above creation.
According to the sages of religion, the Divine Throne is not of a material nature. It is rather, an example (mithal) and the meaning (mamthul) of it is a great angel, whom God has made the fountainhead of all intellects and hence it is called the Universal Intellect. This greatest angel is also the Divine Throne and the Divine Pen.
Every wise person accepts that the Divine Throne was on water, not only in the past, but is also in the present. For by water is meant knowledge and by the Throne, the Universal Intellect. This is the meaning of the Divine Throne being on water.
The spiritual observation of the Divine Throne, which is the greatest angel, is in human form. For angel himself is the advanced form of man and man is created in the Divine image and character.
The way the grandeur and eminence of the Divine Throne is described in Islam is not in a physical and spatial sense, but in a spiritual sense and in the sense of honour. To say the greatest Throne or the highest Throne does not mean that it comprehends and comprises the vastnesses of the universe in volume and bulk, but that it is the greatest and the highest in luminosity and spirituality.
What is said in the noble Hadith that the heart of a believing servant is the Throne of God, is also a concept of ma`rifat which shines and abides only in the heart of a true mu'min as a result of faith and certitude.
The Divine Throne is in the soul and not in the body, but as there is a link between the soul and the body, accordingly, there should be a place in the body, which may be called its example, counterpart or mazhar (locus of manifestation). And there is definitely such a place and that is the forehead.
In the individual or personal spiritual world, the forehead is the place where for the people of inner eye, all those events which are related to the Supreme Throne in the Qur'anic story, take place.
It is a fact that the Pedestal (kursi), which is the Universal Soul, surrounds the universe and the Pedestal is surrounded by the Throne, which is the Universal Intellect. But this surrounding is spiritual and intellectual and not physical and material. The example of this is the human body, which is controlled by the soul without any material surrounding and similarly the soul is surrounded by the intellect without any physical enclosure.
There is a great Divine wisdom in that He has created the external world, the world of religion and the personal world analogous to one another, so that the secrets of reality are not concealed from his sincere servants and the people of the inner eye may observe and study the signs of Divine power and wisdom within themselves.
It is mentioned in verse (27:40) that the throne (which in Arabic is `arsh) of the Queen of Sheba, Bilqis, was brought to the presence of Hazrat Sulayman, before her surrender and coming to him. Here the ta'wil of the throne is her spiritual image, upon which was her "I" (ana'). This example reveals the reality that the greatest Throne is the spiritual reflection or picture of the Perfect Man, who holds the recognition of God and the concept of His oneness.
In verse (27:26), in which is mentioned "Rabbu'l-`arshi'l-`azim (the Nourisher of the Supreme Throne)", it means that God is the Master and Nourisher of the Supreme Throne. This also means that God is the Nourisher of those angels and souls which are near the Throne. That is, the Throne is the highest centre of spiritual nourishment.
The portion "thumma'stawa `ala'l-`arsh" (7:54) has many ta'wils. One of them is the revolutionary ta'wil that God has ordained many ranks in the creatures of the heavens and the earth, but in those who reached the Throne He created unity and uniformity among them and established the equity (Musawat) of His compassion.
God says: "And the whole earth shall be in His grip on the day of Resurrection and the heavens rolled up in His right hand" (39:67). This means that all things in the earth and the heaven will be in the right hand of God and this Divine act will take place on the Throne. For, at that time, the existence of the earth and the heaven in the Divine grip will be equal to a pearl. This is the ta'wil of "istawa `ala'l-`arsh".
The verse (21:104) also has the same meaning in that, God, by His perfect power, will roll up the entire universe and make a pearl of it, as it was before the creation of the world and Adam, and from which was created the universe, so that the people of the inner eye, by observation in the light of ma`rifat, may understand that there is only one reality of realities, both in pre-eternity and post-eternity, which is called monoreality.
He who has no recognition of the Throne, has no recognition of God. For God is the real King and the Throne is His Throne. Also the Divine Throne is in the position of the light of recognition with which are linked the higher realities and ma`rifats. It is because of this that the Throne is mentioned in the Qur'an several times when the wrong concepts of people concerning the recognition of God, are mentioned, as is said: "The Lord of the heavens and the earth, (Who is also) the Lord of the Throne, is free from what they (infidels) describe" (43:82). That is, for the recognition of God, it is not enough to reflect upon the signs of the heaven and the earth, rather more important is the recognition of the Throne.
When the heart of a believing servant becomes the Throne of God in the true sense, through knowledge and good deeds, he becomes absolutely close to the Throne, and in that state, he becomes aware of the secrets of the Throne and understands the secrets of the equity of the Compassionate.
The heart and mind of the people of ma`rifat is the water of true knowledge, upon which is based the luminous concept of the Divine Throne. Thus, they can see the Throne spiritually and understand its wisdoms.
By the bearers of the Supreme Throne are meant the pure Imams. Since the Throne is the light and the bearers of it are the holy Imams. The light and the supreme soul are one. And the holy Imams are the supreme angels, both in spirituality and corporeality.
It is mentioned in verse (12:100): "And he (Yusuf) raised his parents upon the throne and they prostrated themselves before him." That is, Yusuf, by obeying his spiritual parents (Imam and Bab) raised them on the Throne of the forehead in spirituality, and then when the time came, the Imam, the Bab and the eleven Hujjats obeyed him. That is, Yusuf himself became the Imam. Thus, here it is alluded that the forehead is the throne of the personal world.
In verse (2:213), it is said that the people were one ummat or community in the beginning. This is a description of the state of pre-eternity and similarly, they will be one in post-eternity. For, a thing in post-eternity will be the same as it was in pre-eternity. This is the meaning of "istawa `ala'l-`arsh" (7:54).
The verse (17:42) says: "Say: If there were with Him gods as they say, then certainly they would have been able to seek a way to the Lord of the Throne." This means that in pre-eternity and post-eternity, the Throne is the place where all have to necessarily be one.
According to the principle of the Holy Qur'an and practical spirituality, the spiritual unveiling (kashf-i batin) and spiritual conversation (ruhani mukhatabah) take place from three places. For the closest ones (muqarrabin) from in front (namely, forehead), for the people of the right side (ashab-i yamin) from the right ear and for the people of the left side (ashab-i shamal) from the left ear. And the record of deeds, which is going to be given in three ranks, is also the same. Since spirituality itself is the Resurrection, therefore, the highest door of spirituality opens from in front, namely, the forehead, and that of the second and the third from the right ear and the left ear. This also shows that the forehead is the place of the Supreme Throne (in the personal world).
The ascent (mi`raj) of the Holy Prophet had taken place in his blessed forehead, for, in the personal spirituality, the forehead is the mazhar of the Throne. The Holy Prophet had many ascents, but the one which happened for the first time is mentioned prominently. Thus, it should be remembered that the spiritual wonders and marvels which take place in the forehead, contain the great secrets of the Divine Throne.

The servant of the `azizan to impart knowledge,
Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai,
21st August, 1980. Haydarabad, Hunza, Gilgit.

23rd August, 1991,
London.

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