Theophanies and Manifestations
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For the beloved service of the cazīzān of K̲h̲ānah-yi Ḥikmat, Karachi:
May the Holy Lord grant peace in both worlds to all the cazīzān of the east and west, Āmīn.
I am writing this letter at this time, from my village of Ḥaydarābād (Hunza). Yesterday after K̲h̲ānah-yi Ḥikmat had an important meeting which lasted until 12:00, I was given more time during it. I was extremely pleased to meet the cazīzān here. Why not? All of my cazīzān are living flowers of the holy Imām's spiritual gardens. Such superb and pleasant flowers, which are filled with the colors and fragrances of intellect, knowledge and wisdom and whose companionship illumines the eyes and aromatizes the mind. This is how the story of light and joy and theophany of Mount Sinai begins.
My extremely dear friends! The endless treasures and everlasting wealth which is in the sacred love and recognition of the exalted Imām should be remembered like the perpetual arrival of spring, in fact more than this it creates the happiness of the numerous manifestations of light.
We should reflect profusely in the illumination of the light of reality regarding the meaning of verse 55:29: "Every day He is in a new glory", just as days never end similarly His glories and manifestations are endless. Here [glories] mean manifestations which are of three types: intellectual or cilmī, spiritual and physical. We should discuss among ourselves the differences between intellectual, spiritual and physical manifestations.
For the people of wisdom, the recognition of God, which is associated with manifestations, is a universally accepted reality.
These diverse theophanies and manifestations are related to the attributive names. As mentioned above, every attribute has three facets, three manifestations and three places of manifestation. As an example, one of the names of Almighty Allāh is an-nūr whose manifestation is on three levels: world of intellect, world of spirituality and world of humanity. Each position has several subsidiary ranks and collectively, the higher and lower ranks are respectively called heaven and earth.
One attribute of God is rabb, meaning sustainer, who nourishes humanity intellectually, spiritually and ethically. The observation of theophanies is extremely important to a traveler on the path of spirituality (sālik), ardent lover (ᶜās̲h̲iq) and the one who has attained Divine recognition (cārif) because according to the law of recognition, a detailed observation is necessary. The purpose of all the guidance of the sacred Qur'ān is to observe the names (asmā') which begins with one specific name (ism) of God, which is closer and easier for the fortunate people. [This is because] Allāh desires all kinds of ease, not difficulties, for His servants. The name of the sustainer of the world is the Imām of the time which, in the language of the wise Qur'ān, is aẓ-ẓāhir. This very name which is ẓāhir is also living (ḥayy), as well as everlasting (qayyūm). It is also the locus of manifestation (maẓhar) and the one who manifests (muẓhir) just as it is manifest (ẓāhir). The meaning of muẓhir and maẓhar contains a mirror of attributes and manifestations, as well as the light of God.
God is one, therefore His Supreme Name is also one, however there are multiple manifestations. The numerous names of God are various manifestations of the Supreme Name. There is no doubt that the supreme and living Name of God is the Imām of the time.
15th April, 1984
Kitāb-i Maknūn (Hidden Book)
May Mawlā protect my very dear President of K̲h̲ānah-yi Ḥikmat, Fatḥ `Alī Ḥabīb and our heavenly daughter Guls̲h̲akar.
With thousand-fold well-wishing and with utmost sincerity, I say Yā `Alī Madad to you and all cazīzān of the east and west. I remember you in every humble prayer, may the Holy Lord accept it. Āmīn!
It is very pleasant and full of truth and which should be repeated that both of you are like my own children, students deserving pride and cilmī children, my senior office bearers and very dear children, aware of my intellectual secrets, my protectors, a fruit-bearing tree of my K̲h̲ānah-yi Ḥikmat, whose lovely branches are its people and institutions, filled with flowers, fruits, fragrance and sweetness.
It is a great fortune for people associated with K̲h̲ānah-yi Ḥikmat and Idārah-yi cĀrif that they collect precious gems of knowledge and wisdom from the exalted treasures of the Qur'ān and spirituality, so that they may offer the best cilmī service to the lovely jamācat. Indeed, the secrets of the holy and pure Imām are amazing, which only the blessed people know. These secrets are great favors of Almighty Allāh in which are hidden great honor and eminence for mu'mins.
Another example in this connection is that the exalted Imām is the Hidden Book in which is concealed the wisdom of the wise Qur'ān. This implies that the Imām's cilmī status is hidden from people. Furthermore, the light of Imām also works in the spirituality of believers. It is also correct that the Hidden Book is the Book of Intellect, that is, the light of intellect, which is the ultimate rank of spirituality. In all these meanings there is the praise of the Imām of the time.
The Hidden Book, which contains the Qur'ān, cannot be touched save by the purified ones (56:77-80). This means that utmost purity, i.e., every kind of purity is necessary to acquire knowledge and recognition from the sublime rank of the holy and pure Imām. However, this purity, as mentioned in the Qur'ān, is through the Command of God, the most benevolent Prophet and the Imām of the time.
Although the Qur'ān is physically before us, its great secrets are concealed within the Hidden Book. If you comprehend the Qur'ānic secrets at the level of the knowledge of certainty, this is a great fortune for you and your "I" is pure. Otherwise, this virtue cannot be attained.
Indeed, the exalted Imām is the Hidden Book and to reach his holy personality, which is 'to touch' in the language of the Qur'ān (mas 56:79), is completed at three levels. First is physically, second is in spirituality and third is at the level of the intellect. Just as touching any silent book is to read it, similarly, to touch a speaking book means accessibility and extreme closeness so that the Imam's own personality of knowledge and recognition continues to recite to make you listen and learn.
Believers attain extreme closeness to the Hidden Book (the light of Imāmat) in a resurrection, i.e., spirituality. This Book runs along their front and right sides (57:12) and all wisdoms are gathered in this act.
Qur'ānic words and sentences are intrinsically related. Therefore, the Hidden Book and the Hidden Pearl have the same meaning. Similarly, the pearl is associated with treasure and treasure is linked with key (miftāḥ) which in turn is related to victory (fatḥ). Thus, the domain of collective meanings expands greatly.
Dust under the feet of mu'mins 19th April, 1984
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