Forty Questions - Questions 21 to 30
Questions 21 to 30
Tags: Kawthar, Tasnim, Staff of Hazrat Musa, Angel, `Azazil, Sun, Stars, Soul, Huruf-i muqatta`at, Coded Letters, Covenant, Alast, Fragrance
Q.21. What is the ta'wil of the streams of Kawthar and Tasnim?
ANS. The ta'wil of Kawthar is the Asas (Wasi) of the Prophet, namely Mawlana `Ali, who is both, the man who has numerous children (kathir al-dhurriyyat) and abundant goodness (khayr kathir). In other words, Kawthar is the esoteric and spiritual rank of Mawlana `Ali, which contains all goodnesses and all wisdoms. Tasnim is a great fountainhead of knowledge and wisdom in the form of a perfect word at the extreme elevation of spiritualism, which is called the Word of the Creator (kalimah-yi bari).
Q.22. It is said regarding Surah-yi Bara'at (Tawbah) that the Prophet first send Hazrat Abu Bakr to convey it, then God sent the revelation that it should be conveyed by Mawla Murtaza `Ali. Is this narrative correct? Was not the Prophet aware of it?
ANS. This is a historical question, therefore, you should research it in authentic historical works.
Q.23. The miraculous staff which was given to Hazrat Musa by God used to turn into a serpent, while, apparently, it does not represent a good thing? What is the wisdom in it?
ANS. It should be remembered that the miracle has two aspects. On one side, there is mercy and on the other, wrath. Mercy should be present in a beautiful and pleasant form and wrath in a converse manner. Every great prophet is both, giver of glad news and a warner. In the case of warning, the examples such as serpent, are quite appropriate. In the Prophets and Imams, the light of ism-i a`zam is the miracle, which, for the friends of God, is the source of spiritual prosperity on the one hand, and on the other, the cause of perdition for His enemies.
Q.24. The angels are full of intelligence and knowledge from top to bottom; they do not have the carnal soul. If this is the case, how did the angel `Azazil become Satan, while pride is only because of the carnal soul?
ANS. As already mentioned, there are two kinds of angels: potential (jamali) and actual (jalali). Thus disregarding the common narrative, if we look in the light of reality, we will come to know clearly that he was not an actual angel; rather, he was an ignorant and stupid person. Therefore, he became the enemy of the true guide.
Q.25. What are the celestial things, such as the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets? Are they like our planet earth or are they advanced souls? Do they have a fixed life, as the shooting and falling of a star?
ANS. The existence of the sun is different from the moon and the stars. It is a flood of the radiant boiling gas. (For details see Mizan al-haqa'iq). But the rest, the moon, the stars and the planets are different worlds like our own planet earth. The subtle body and life are on all stars and planets, but as far as the dense body is concerned, till today, it is not known whether it also exists somewhere else, other than the planet earth. Every star has a collective soul, which is an elevated and a great soul. The stars have a fixed life. They come into existence and perish in their respective times. But what is called a shooting star in common language, is something else.
Q.26. If the Divine mercy descends during the accomplishment of a good deed, and this awareness in us takes place due to the particles of good souls, then do these souls always live around us?
ANS. Yes, as the fish live in the ocean, similarly we live in the ocean of the particles of soul. Souls continuously come and go in us. Our own soul also, is a compendium of the innumerable particles of soul. And there is extremely great wisdom hidden in there being separate innumerable souls in us.
Q.27. In many places in the Qur'an there are coded letters called huruf-i muqatta`at, such as A-L-M, A-L-S, T-H, Y-S. What do they mean? And what is the secret hidden in having coded letters?
ANS. Great secrets of God are hidden in these letters. For instance, in A-L-M, A stands for Qalam (the Divine Pen = Universal Intellect), L for Lawh (Guarded Tablet = Universal Soul), M for Midad (Ink = the external creature), which is the practical book of Allah. In A-L-M-R, A stands for Qalam (the Divine Pen = Universal Intellect), L for Lawh (Guarded Tablet = Universal Soul), M for Midad (Ink = the external creature) and R for Raqim (Writing = the internal creature). By Raqim is meant the spiritual writing which is the internal creature. The purpose of keeping them in coded letters is that only the selected ones should receive their benefit. There are many other such ways in the Qur'an, through which God wants to reveal His secrets only to His selected servants.
Q.28. How is the soul of a mad person, in his body?
ANS. As there are the words and acts of a mad person externally, so are the movements of his soul internally.
Q.29. How had God taken the "Covenant of Am I not? (`ahd-i alast)" in the world of spiritualism?
ANS. It should be remembered that God brings forth the particles of souls in the individual resurrection (spiritualism) of every Perfect Man and asks them: "Am I not your Lord?" That is to say that the particles of the souls are presented there from the loins of all the children of Adam, where the practical demonstration of the entire spiritual events takes place. Thus the "taking of the Covenant of 'Am I not your Lord'" is not a single event; rather, it continues to take place in connection with the spiritual miracles.
Q.30. Why are the particles of the pure souls in the form of fragrances?
ANS. By the particles of soul is meant the souls of all things. That is to say that everything has a soul. Thus the fragrance also has a soul. That is to say, in the soul of the rose, is the fragrance of rose, in the soul of jasmine, is the fragrance of jasmine. This means that in the world of souls everything has a soul: stone and iron also have a soul. You can call these souls, spiritual seeds. Thus when the soul of musk comes to you, you will feel the fragrance of musk. When the soul of a fruit comes to you, you will feel the fragrance of that fruit.
| Chapter Index | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter |