Forty Questions - Questions 11 to 20
Questions 11 to 20
Tags: Harut and Marut, Hazrat Maryam, Sidratu'l-muntaha, Hazrat Jibril, Allahu Akbar, Miracles of Hazrat Musa, Ka'inat, Angel
Q.11. In what respect does the Imamat of our present Imam, Shah Karim al-Husayni, who is the forty-ninth Imam, have very great importance, while the rank of all the pure Imams is the same?
ANS. The office of Imamat has two aspects: esoteric and exoteric. Esoterically, the exalted rank of all Imams is similar, but exoterically, they hold different ranks. The reason for this is the Divine programme, which extends throughout the entire cycle from the beginning to the resurrection (qiyamat), according to which the Imams have to work in different ranks. Thus Mawlana Shah Karim al-Husayni, Hazir Imam has to work in many important positions. One to these positions is that he is in the rank of 7x7=49. One other position is that he is the Imam of the atomic age.
Q.12. "Harut and Marut at first were two angels, but later on due to worldly love they turned into devils, who are still captive in a well in the city of Babel and the people learn magic from them". How is it possible? Please shed light on this.
ANS. This ta'wili question is related to the Qur'anic verse (2:102). The gist of the ta'wil of this verse is that by the kingdom of Sulayman in this verse, is meant the spiritual kingdom of the Imam of the time. And in this kingdom of spiritualism, Babel is a place of trial for the ashab-i shimal (those on the left hand), where the two angels are always discussing between themselves, the state of the heart of the person on trial. The names of these angels differ in the Qur'an and the Shari`at, with respect to their different positions, such as Nakir and Munkar, Harut and Marut. One of these angels is censuring very severely, every moment, the lower thoughts of the heart, and the other one defending them with extreme affection and kindness. But since this place does not belong to the ashab-i yamin (those of the right hand), therefore, a mu'min should neither take any worldly benefit from here, nor should he stay in it. The rest of the narrative is not related to the Qur'an and is also illogical.
Q.13. What is the meaning of Hazrat `Isa being born through the ear? Is it true that he started to speak with the physical tongue immediately after birth?
ANS. It should be remembered that according to the verse (4:69), the mu'mins who obey God, the Prophet and the Imam of the time, have the spiritual companionship of the prophets, asases, Imams, hujjats and da`is. This means that a true mu'min can very well experience the path of spiritualism, from the beginning to the ultimate destination, and the numerous examples of this experience are mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. If we think in the light of the above mentioned verse, we will come to know that Hazrat Maryam was given the Supreme Name (ism-i a`zam), in which Hazrat `Isa was as a living and real ism-i a`zam. In this sense, Hazrat `Isa entered Hazrat Maryam though the ear, in the form of a word, and in a short time, he started to speak inside (batin) of his mother, while he was a newly born baby of prophethood. And the entire story of Hazrat Maryam is related to her inner and spiritual aspect. Thus when a fortunate Isma`ili murid (follower), male or female, becomes duly successful in the spiritual course of ism-i a`zam, then he or she in his or her individual world, becomes like Hazrat Maryam and gives birth to a light like Hazrat `Isa. At that time, it becomes a duty for the light not to neglect to treat its mother well.
Q.14. Cannot even a prophet bear the manifestation of God? It is said about Hazrat Musa, that he could not bear the manifestation of God and became thunderstruck.
ANS. There are many levels of manifestations, and your question is related to the greatest and final one. An example of this manifestation can be given from the disc of the sun, that, by looking at it directly, the eyesight can be destroyed. Thus the supreme didar (vision) is possible only for a few seconds, in which there is no limit of bewilderment. Bewilderment in the language of ta'wil is called thunderstruckness or dumbfoundedness. The place and means of such a great and supreme didar is the juththah-yi ibda`iyyah or the astral body which is the centre of the manifestation of the command 'Be (kun)'. And when the rational and gnostic explanation of this ibda`i manifestation is understood, it is called "to come to the senses".
Q.15. An infidel and enemy called "Dajjal (Antichrist)" will have a third eye and mislead the people from the straight path and will appear during the manifestation of Imam Mahdi. Please shed light on this narrative.
ANS. The words of the question need to be rectified. However, regarding this question, read 'Wajh-i Din', which contains the ta'wil of Dajjal.
Q.16. It is said that "sidratu'l-muntaha (the lote-tree of the utmost boundary)" is the limit beyond which Jibril cannot go. What is its ta'wil?
ANS. The answer may be given by a simile. For instance, God is the host, the true mu'min is the guest and Jibril is the servant. Since this entertainment is specifically related to the secrets of the recognition of tawhid, therefore, Jibril has to stay at the level of Jabarut (the world of Divine attributes) and cannot go towards Lahut (the world of Divinity). Another example we can take from the numbers: 1, 2, 3. In this example, one stands for God, two for the mu'min who believes in One God and three for Jibril, for in the spiritual journey the importance of Jibril is after the mu'min. That is to say, he works as a result of the good deeds of the mu'min. In this example you can see that the number two is very close to one, but three is farther than two. Therefore, Jibril should not enter the house of seclusion of tawhid with the soul of the mu'min who believes in One God (mu'min-i muwahhid). The third example we can take from the principle of return (ruju`): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Suppose that these numbers have to merge in the origin through annihilation and return; then as a principle, the nine will merge into eight, eight into seven, seven into six, six into five, five into four, four into three, three into two and finally it is the two which can merge into one. Therefore, it is said in the Qur'an that you have to return to the presence of God individually (6:64).
Q.17. When we say "Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)", "Subhan Allah (God is Sacred)", are there any limitations in this greatness and sacredness or are they unlimited?
ANS. Although when akbar is used for ordinary creatures, it is used as a superlative, as the eldest brother is called akbar. But when it is used for the Creator, then there is no question of comparing God with lower creatures. However, there is an allusion to the higher ranks of religion, that God is greater than these ranks and then their meanings become unlimited.
Q.18. What is the ta'wil of the miracles given to Hazrat Musa?
ANS. Staff of Musa (2:60): the practical ism-i a`zam and its various miracles; Gushing out of the twelve springs from the revered rock (hajar-i mukarram) (2:60): the existence of the knowledge of twelve hujjats and their twelve levels of teachings from the spiritualism of Hazrat Musa. Sacrificing of an ox and reviving of the dead (2:67-73): to kill the carnal soul by true `ibadat and spiritual exercise by a mu'min and to see the miracle of pure life as a result of that. The White Hand (7:108): The bright result of thinking, of knowledge and the Pearl of Intellect. The flood of locusts, the vermin, the frogs and the blood (7:133): Spiritual perdition and the appearance of abhorrent and harmful souls like locusts, lice and frogs and contamination of knowledge with doubts. Striking of staff in the sea and making a dry path (20:77): To cause the community to cross the sea of spiritualism in such a safe way that the spiritualism may not harm them. Drowning and perishing of the Pharoah and his community in the sea (20:78): Perdition of Infidels in the sea of spiritualism of Hazrat Musa and Hazrat Harun. Coming out of the carcass of Pharoah from the sea (10:52): Dying out of the enemy of the true guide spiritually and existing only physically in front of the people like a carcass (without the soul of faith).
Q.19. Since when does the ka'inat or universe exist? And when it did not exist, what was its state and condition or what was there?
ANS.
- When we think of the non-existence of the universe, then the question of 'when' and 'where' also becomes extinct. For 'when' is based on time and 'where' on space. That is to say, that space and its dimensions themselves are this world and the time is the name of its rotation and the sun also is a bright part of the space. Further, as a result of this concept, the ka'inat or universe cannot have any kind of physical shape and state. For, ka'in means 'becoming', from the root of 'kawn' (existence) and ka'inat is the plural of ka'in. Thus is there are no becoming things, there cannot be anything.
- Study one of my articles 'Concept of Creation' in which I have explained that the concept of creation is not lineal; rather, it is circular; it has neither a beginning nor an end. Rather God always creates the universe.
Q.20. If the angels are elevated souls, then were they not given the knowledge of names (`ilm al-asma') from the very beginning and why were they in need of the teaching of Hazrat Adam?
ANS. It should be remembered that there are two kinds of angels: universal (jalali) and personal or particular (jamali). The question you have asked is regarding the first category, while that of the second category is different. The example of the second category is that if you are an Adam from among innumerable Adams, then the people of the entire world in the form of the spiritual particles will enter you as your offspring. Now these spiritual particles are your personal angels who will be taught the knowledge of names through ism-i a`zam in your spiritualism.
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