Fruit of Paradise - The Spirit of Islam

The Spirit of Islam

Tags: Islam, Hazrat Ibrahim, Hazrat Isma`il, Imam-i Mustaqarr, Imam-i Mustawda`, Ruhu'l-Iman

Ruh or spirit means the soul, light, essence, substance or heart and by Islam is meant the true religion which by God's command was presented to humanity by the Holy Prophet. Since Islam is the religion of God, it follows that it is the same religion that was revealed to all the Prophets and is called the religion of nature.

In connection with this important subject it is necessary to appreciate that the Qur'an tells us that all the Prophets in their respective times conveyed and taught this same one, true and unique religion, the religion of one God and which later, in the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, was expressed by the word "Islam". As God says: "He has ordained for you that religion which He enjoined upon Nuh and which We have revealed to you (Muhammad) and which We enjoined upon Ibrahim, Musa and `Isa, (saying): Establish the religion and be not divided therein." (42:13).

From this wisdom-filled verse it is completely clear that the religion of Islam and its exalted law (shari`at) started from the time of Hazrat Nuh. This means that Islam is the religion of nature and in the universe the best example of nature is man (30:30). There are many allusions in the Qur'anic verse (30:30): "The nature of God is that upon which He created people". Because Islam is the religion of nature it has the capacity of being in harmony with the requirements of both space and time. It is the universal religion and is living, flexible and dynamic, and not rigid and moribund. As it says in the language of wisdom, in verse (42:13) whilst the Prophets have presented religion to people in accordance with the requirements of space and time, the true spirit and reality of religion has always been the same.

Despite this explanation, one can ask how the law of Muhammad(s) and the law of Nuh(`a.s) were the same when the Holy Qur'an says "We appointed to each one of you a law (shir`ah) and a way (minhaj)". The answer is that religion (din) is the name given to that sacred compendium of teachings which are related to all the stages of Islam: shari`at, tariqat, haqiqat and ma`rifat. Religion taken as a whole and in its essence is the same, but in certain matters related to shari`at and tariqat it is modified according to the requirements of space and time. Thus shari`at has two aspects. One aspect is the same and has remained unchanged from the very beginning, and the other aspect is that which, by God's command, has been modified continuously through time. As God says: "Verily, of his (Nuh's) persuasion was Ibrahim." (37:83). According to this verse, Hazrat Ibrahim was a follower of Hazrat Nuh and that he had a shari`at and tariqat of his own. Similarly, the Holy Prophet was a follower of the path (millat) of Hazrat Ibrahim, but also had a shari`at and a tariqat of his own. As it says in the Qur'an: "Say: As for me, my Lord has guided me to a right path, an established religion, the path of Ibrahim the upright." (6:162). From this it is clear that although God had given a specific shari`at and a tariqat to every great Prophet, they all had one common religion which began to be revealed from the time of Hazrat Nuh. Because it is the right path and the established religion it has to be there throughout time and cannot be absent.

Here, it is appropriate for someone to ask what was the religion of Hazrat Adam? What is the secret behind the fact that the Wise Qur'an does not mention anything about the shari`at and tariqat of the time of Hazrat Adam? The answer to this question is that not only in the time of Hazrat Adam but also before him, there was the religion of Hazrat Qa'im and this religion was Islam. But it is a requirement of the law of wisdom that details relating to the beginning and end of religion are kept under a veil of secrecy so that the system of trial and test is not disrupted and that the lazy and neglectful do not discover these great secrets before time. This is the reason why the story of Hazrat Adam's religion is mentioned only with extreme brevity and terseness.

Another question that can be asked is that if all the Prophets followed the same religion called the straight path (1:6, 4:69) then why is it that the Holy Prophet followed the path of Hazrat Ibrahim and not that of Hazrat Musa and Hazrat `Isa? Does this mean he was greater than them? If this is so, then he should not have followed the path of Hazrat Ibrahim either, for surely he was the last and greatest of all the Prophets? The answer to this is that the Holy Prophet followed the path of Hazrat Ibrahim because this is in accordance with the Divine plan. It was not a choice made after a study of history, but due to an historical event which took place in accordance with Divine will. This event was that Hazrat Ibrahim had two sons, Hazrat Isma`il, who was the Permanent Imam (Imam-i mustaqarr) and Hazrat Ishaq, who was the Entrusted Imam (Imam-i mustawda`). Thus the permanent Imamat continued in the progeny of Hazrat Isma`il whilst the entrusted Imamat continued in the progeny of Hazrat Ishaq until the advent of the Holy Prophet when it merged with the permanent Imam. This means that the holy chain of the permanent Imams continued in the family of the Holy Prophet and it was through this that he specifically followed the path of Ibrahim before he received Prophethood.

It was Hazrat Ibrahim's desire that, not only in his own lifetime, but also for the future a tongue be granted to him through which the realities and recognition of religion could be expressed, for as it says in the Wise Qur'an: "O Lord! Grant me a hukm (i.e. recognition of the Divine Word) and unite me with the righteous (salihin) and appoint for me a truthful tongue among posterity." (26:83-84). Despite some verbal differences this prayer is similar in meaning to the prayer in which Hazrat Ibrahim asks God to continue Imamat in his progeny (2:124) and indeed God granted him his wish (4:54). This means that the Imam is living and present in every age and that he speaks the truth and is the tongue of Hazrat Ibrahim, whose teachings the Holy Prophet himself followed.

It should be remembered that the laws of Islam are in accordance with the Divine attributes and sunnat (law) and that no religious law is outside the domain of His names. Thus when God says of Himself that: "He is the First, and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden" (57:3), from this luminous teaching of His names, the wise discover the places of religious realities and recognitions, that not only light and luminosity, but also religious wealth is found where an attribute of God shines forth. We see this external world, shining and full of marvels and beauties because it exists and is maintained by His name "az-Zahir" (the Manifest). This shows that the existence of the four worlds depends on the four attributive names of God. That is, the world of pre-eternity (azal) depends on "The First", the world of post-eternity (abad) on "The Last", the physical world on "The Manifest" and the spiritual world on "The Hidden". In light of these realities, it is evident that there are four fundamental laws of religion, namely the law of pre-eternity, the law of post-eternity, the law of matter and the law of soul or the Pen, the Tablet, the Natiq and the Asas. God willing, we will now discuss this subject further by the use of questions and answers.

Q1. What is the difference between the Imam-i mustaqarr and the Imam-i mustawda`? When did the function of the entrusted Imam commence? Is the entrusted Imam's presence in every age necessary? What wisdom is hidden in these two ranks of Imamat?

A1. The difference between these two Imams is that the permanent Imam is the king of religion and is present throughout the ages and his line of Imamat continues uninterrupted whereas the entrusted Imam is only present when by God's command, the permanent Imam is to be veiled. The function of the entrusted Imam began in the time of Hazrat Ishaq, son of Hazrat Ibrahim. The presence of the entrusted Imam is not necessary in every age. In these two ranks of Imamat there are many wisdoms. One of them is that just as the soul has two ends, two I's (Ana) and thus simultaneously it is in both the higher and the lower worlds, so in order to guide and allude to this reality in knowledge and action there are these two personal manifestations of the light of Imamat.

Q2. The line of the permanent Imams continued through the children of Hajirah (Hagar), who were the forefathers of the Holy Prophet, but did not Hazrat Ibrahim's prayer (2:124) for the continuity of the chain of Imamat in his progeny apply to the children of both of his wives, Hajirah and Sarah? What is the excellence and superiority of the line of Hazrat Isma`il that through it continues the spiritual kingdom, as mentioned in the Holy Qur'an (4:54)?

A2. Some of the virtues of Hazrat Isma`il, son of Hazrat Ibrahim were:

Even before his birth, Hazrat Isma`il was addressed by the lovely name of "ghulāmun halīm" (forbearing boy) by God (37:101).
He was asked to sacrifice himself in the path of God and he willingly accepted (37:102) and this was why God counted him among the "muhsinin" (those who do good).
Hazrat Isma`il and his mother were expelled by Hazrat Sarah.
The prayers of his great father and the supplications of his noble mother for him were accepted by God and all the various forms of acceptance are found in the meaning of his blessed name "Isma`il". For an angel speaking in Hebrew, said: "Shamā`i īl" (Shamā`, to listen, il, God) the literal meaning of which is "listened to by God".
He was blessed by participating with his father in the construction of the House of God.
Both father and son accepted God's covenant to purify His house (2:125). This means that he was to succeed his father.
Hazrat Isma`il took part in many prayers of his father, particularly those related to the ascension and elevation of their progeny. This was why the Holy Prophet manifested in his progeny and why the line of permanent Imams continues in his children for ever.

Q3. How does the entrusted Imam become a veil for the permanent Imam? Can one Imam act as a veil for another? If so, please provide an example from Divine law (sunnat) and from the Divine names.

A3. A proof from the Divine names is that one of the names of God is "The Manifest (az-zahir)" and another is "The Hidden (al-batin)". Thus the name "Manifest" indicates to the entrusted Imam and the name "Hidden" to the permanent Imam. A proof from His law is that when He wishes to speak to a human being, He speaks from behind a veil, and when He wants to make a special sign (wahy-i khas) He manifests Himself (42:51). A proof from the Qur'an is that its words are a veil for its meanings, and the tanzil (exoteric meaning) for the ta'wil (esoteric meaning). We also see that the mithal (parable) is a veil for the mamthul (meaning) and all these things are found in the Qur'an. Similarly, the Imam in a sense is a veil for himself. That is, the true light is hidden in the veil of a body just as the interior of the sun is concealed by the exterior of the sun.

Q4. This article is about the "spirit or soul of Islam". What is meant by this? Does the religion of Islam actually have a living soul or by this are meant the fundamental matters which are important and are like the essence of religion?

A4. The fundamental matters of religion have their own importance and are the essence of religion, but nevertheless, Islam also has an actual soul which has continued from the time of Hazrat Adam (15:29, 38:72), and is both the soul and light (42:52) and is always with the Heavenly Book as its soul (5:15). And it is also true that the luminous Book is the soul and light of the religion of God (3:184; 22:8; 31:20; 35:25). One special name for the spirit of Islam is the luminous lamp (33:46), and there should be no doubt that the light of the True Guide is the spirit of Islam and the light of Islam (57:28).

How can it be possible for such a noble thing like religion to be as lifeless as a mineral or to have a lower soul like that found in animals or even to be like the soul of an ordinary human being. Thus it is a Qur'anic reality that the soul of religion is the highest soul, among whose names one is ruhu'l-iman (the soul of faith) and which at the appropriate time enters the human heart (49:14) and makes the heart a world of lights (49:7). Thus in religion there is not only the supreme soul but also the perfect Intellect which is not separate from this soul and light.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

The slave of the slaves of the Imam of the time,
Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai,
2nd December, 1984.

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