Precious Treasure - Wisdoms of Peace (Salamati)

Wisdoms of Peace (Salamati)

Tags: Salam, Islam, Daru's-Salam, Abode of Peace, Ta'yid

The general meaning of salamati are soundness, good health, protection, life, intactness, well-being, peace, safety, security, etc., and its specific meanings are spiritual help (ta'yid) and conversation (mukalamah), submission, to be in God's protection, eternal life and to know the secret of monoreality.
In the wise Qur'an the original word for salamati is salam, which is derived from the root letters sin-lam-mim. Therefore, all such Qur'anic words which are derived from this root, are related to the subject of salamati. We find many meanings in the Qur'an concerning this subject, some of which, God willing, we will explain here. One such word is musallamah, which in verse (2:71) is used in the sense of sound, unimpaired, unblemished, flawless; and in verse (4:92) in the sense of resigned, surrendered or submitted. This surely shows that soundness and submission are both included in the meanings of salam and salamati.
The original meaning of Islam is 'to surrender' or 'to submit'. Thus, Islam means to surrender oneself to God, as has been mentioned regarding Hazrat-i Ibrahim (May peace be through him): "When his Lord said unto him: Surrender (aslim)! He said: I have surrendered (aslamtu) to the Lord of the worlds" (2:131). Further, Islam also implies knowledge and action, as it is said: "Whosoever submits (yuslimu) his (inner) face to Allah and is doer of good (muhsin), he verily has grasped the firm handle" (31:22). To accept the concept of Islam and to act upon it accordingly are [specifically] mentioned in this verse.
When the Prophet implemented the concept of Islam and made his inner face, the vicegerent of God's Face in the light of knowledge and recognition, God commanded him to explain his model of action in the light of wisdom to the people, as He says: "And if they argue with you, (O Muhammad) say: I have submitted my (inner) face to God and (so have) those who follow me (i.e., the Imams of true guidance)" (3:20). In the Prophet's excellent example, had there not been this indication of submitting his inner face to God, no Muslim would have hope of an eternal life, since [the Qur'an states that] everything and every person is perishable, except God's Face (28:88; 55:27). It is God's great law that nothing remains alive and safe outside the paradise of His Holy Face. This sublime reality clearly reveals that every mu'min's salamati lies in the recognition of God's Face and merging in it.
The fundamental wisdoms of salamati are hidden in the following verse. God says: "Now has come to you a light from God and a manifest Book, whereby God guides those who seek His good pleasure on paths of peace (salam = ta'yid). He brings them out of darkness unto light by His permission (idhn), and guides them on a straight path" (5:15-16 ). In this verse, light means the Prophet since he has come first in the order of things in Islam. The holy Qur'an is mentioned next. It is obvious that the purpose of both is salamati, that is, to show the paths of ta'yid (Divine help), and by these paths are meant the Imams such that every Imam in his time is the path of spiritual or Divine help. The ta'wil of idhn (permission) is hujjat, pir, etc., who are not physically present today, because of the cycle of qiyamat (Resurrection). Another ta'wil is ism-i a`zam, which is God's idhn or permission through the Imam of the time and the ta'wil of the straight path (sirat-i mustaqim) is Hazrat-i qa'im. You can see that all the means of Divine guidance are directed towards this holy personality. Otherwise, if we reflect on this verse without its ta'wil, the mention of either sabil (path) or sirat-i mustaqim would have sufficed [rather than 'paths of peace']. However, it is not so and the reason for this is the wisdom of ta'wil as mentioned above.
In this connection, it is said: "And God invites to the abode of peace (daru's-salam), and guides whom He wills on a straight path" (10:26). Daru's-salam has four meanings:
1. the abode of peace or ta'yid,
2. the abode of paradise, as it is the name of paradise,
3. the abode or God's house, for al-salam is among God's names, and
4. from one aspect, God Himself, for He is al-salam, which means salamati or peace, namely, light is the abode of peace because peace is not separate from light.
His extreme proximity and closeness is attained by merging, which is the peace and the abode of peace, as the Qur'an says: "For them is the abode of peace close to their Lord and He will be their friend because of what they used to do [in this world]" (6:127). God's friendship is a mu'min's supreme bliss, as said in verse (10:62): "Verily the friends of God are (those) on whom fear (comes) not, nor do they grieve; these are the people who believed and used to practise piety, they have glad tidings in this life and in the Hereafter – there is no changing in the words of God, that is the supreme triumph." (10:62-64 ). Here, it should be remembered that fear is related to the future and grief to the past. For instance, if someone fears becoming extinct in the future, or if he feels he has been sleeping in the sleep of nothingness for a long time and has thus been deprived of God's bounties during that time, such conditions reveal his fear and grief regarding the past and the future. Whereas what God has said regarding His friends gives them the guarantee of pre-eternal and post-eternal peace. Divine mercy is such that everyone can attain the recognition of that permanent and perpetual subsistence (baqa') and peace which is linked with the abode of peace without any beginning or end.
The leader of God's friends is the Imam of the time, in other words this is like the mu'mins and their prince (amir al-mu'minin). The secrets of peace are hidden in the light of the Imam of the time, who is God's mazhar; his friends are God's friends and the secrets of peace are his prerogative. Thus, when one prays in God's presence: "Guide us on the straight path", it certainly does not mean that the mu'min has lost the straight path rather it means that he wants to advance on it more and more and reach the ultimate destination. In the same way, mu'mins living in the abode of peace, pray: "O God! Usher us in the abode of peace." This prayer seeks such a knowledge and recognition that may reveal the hidden secrets, due to which they may realise that they were already in that ultimate destination or in the abode of peace.
In verse (36:57-58 ) God says: "In it (paradise) are fruits for them and whatever they ask for is present for them; a word from a Merciful Lord". Here 'a word' means the Divine Word, which is the light of ta'yid. Thus, numerous kinds of fruits are provided in paradise for the intellect, the soul and the subtle body. Further, the people of paradise receive everything they desire: for instance, in the light of the knowledge of the soul's secrets they want to find themselves in the abode of peace without any beginning or end. The limited and wrong concept of life, which they had in this world will prove to be as baseless as a painful dream from which one wakes up and is grateful that the pain in it has no lasting existence. Such will be the state in paradise and the people of paradise will come to know that they were already there, in peace. This is due to their 'higher I' having never come to this world; only the 'lower I' has descended here. The sun and its rays are an example of the 'higher I' and the 'lower I', namely, that the sun remains in its own place, it does not come down to this world, but its rays continue to reach everywhere.
The secrets of the highest ta'yid and supreme salamati or peace are hidden in 'a Word of a Merciful Lord (kalimah-yi bari)' (36:58), as God says in a hadith-i qudsi: "O son of Adam! Obey me, I will make you ever living like Myself that you will never die, almighty that you will never be humiliated and ever rich that you will never be needy". (al-Majalis al- Mu'ayyadiyyah, Majlis No. 12). A question arises here: Will this be a new creation which was not there before? No. Here God does not say "I will create you (akhluquka)" rather He says "I will make you (aj`aluka)". This means that God will reveal to His obedient servants such secrets that they will recognise themselves, and they will see their 'higher I' or higher soul in the abode of peace without any beginning or end.
If mu'mins have already been living in the abode of peace in their 'higher I', the question is: Why is this prayer said time and again: "… and salamati is from You and salamati returns to You. O Lord! Give us life through peace (ta'yid), and usher us in the abode of peace." The answer to this question is that although it is true that the 'higher I' of every mu'min is in the abode of peace, but with respect to the 'lower I', he has come to this world and has completely forgotten his reality. This forgetfulness can only be amended through knowledge and recognition. Therefore, he is taught the prayer in which the main object is true knowledge: "You are the light of ta'yid and the light of ta'yid is from You and this light of ta'yid – guiding our 'lower I' returns towards You. O Lord! Give us life through this ta'yid and join us with Your 'higher I' in the abode of peace (daru's-salam). Regarding "anta's-salamu wa minka's-salamu wa ilayka yarji`us-salam" i.e., You are the peace, and from You is the peace and peace returns towards You", some friends requested that this humble servant should explain it. This article is specifically written in response to it. Apparently to raise a question about the sacred words of this prayer is logical, for according to the external intelligence after saying "You are the peace" to God, to say "From You is the peace" amounts to saying: "You are God" and "God is from You". However, we are fully aware that it's ta'wili wisdom is something different, which is that God cannot be ascribed any attribute except figuratively. Thus, al-salam means al-nur (the light), which is not a real but a figurative name of God. Light and darkness are opposite to each other, but the essence of God has no opposite. Other than God, everything has an opposite and the pairs of opposites are created by God, as is mentioned in verse (36:36). In this context, the universal principle to remember is that although God is not ascribed any attribute, nonetheless some names are selected for His Holy Essence, such as Allah, Subhan, Rahman etc., which are not used for creatures, whereas other names which are not real but figurative names of God are used for the creatures as well. Nur and Salam are among the names which are used in the Qur'an, both for God as well as for the creatures. For example, the name "nur" in verse (24:35) shows God's attribute of guidance and in verse (5:15), it is used as one of Prophet Muhammad's names (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny).
Salam is the name of the light of ta'yid. First, it rises in the form of the Divine Word or Word of Command. Since at that place all pre-eternal and post-eternal realities and recognitions are one, therefore, one of the many names of the Divine Word is Salam, as in verse (36:58): "Salamun qawlan min rabbin rahim (A word i.e., Divine Word of the Merciful Lord is the light of ta'yid)." Prophets and Imams receive this light and in this sense God says: "Subhana rabbika rabbi'l-`izzati `amma yasifuna wa salamun `ala'l-mursalin, i.e., your Lord, the Lord of honour, is free from what they ascribe to Him" (37:180-181), and the Prophets have continued to receive the light of ta'yid. Three great wisdoms are mentioned in this verse:
1. God is free from what people ascribe to Him without recognition.
2. He nourishes the religious, spiritual and intellectual honour and elevates it.
3. Prophets and Imams receive the light of ta'yid, and it is they who recognise God.
Salawat or peace from God and His angels to the mu'mins (33:43) is mentioned in the holy Qur'an. Nonetheless, ordinarily they do not receive the heavenly peace (salam), rather it is bound to and conditional on following [Divine] guidance (20:47; 36:58; 13:24). This is why salam is not recited for every mu'min, except the Prophet, the Imam, the archangel and the ahl-i bayt. This is because salam or peace is the light of ta'yid.
If someone asks why a mu'min does not receive salam from God and His angels in his present condition and salam should not be recited for a mu'min, why do Muslims and mu'mins say: as-salamu `alaykum wa `alaykumu's-salam? The answer to this question is that, when God says salam, it shows the meaning of a practical salamati (peace), as shown in "salamun `ala …" about Prophets. In such a case, to know this Divine mercy and to understand the rank of a Prophet or an Imam, we should also say: "`alayhi's-salam …", whereas it should not be said for any other human being who has not attained this excellence. However, where salam is for each other in a general sense, it is used in the sense of prayer and in that sense it must be said for each other.
Full light is shed on the meaning and wisdom of the word "salam" by the way Hazrat-i Yahya and Hazrat-i `Isa (May peace be through them)'s spiritual birth, death of carnal soul and inbi`ath (resurrection) are mentioned in verses (19:15, 19:33). These verses do not mention the salamati or protection of the physical body; it is the protection of the soul and the intellect, which is in the form of luminous ta'yid. In this example it is important to know that Hazrat-i Yahya (May peace be through him) and Hazrat-i `Isa (May peace be through him) are representing the spirituality of all Perfect Men, because the path of salamati for all of them is one. Had the path of every Prophet's spirituality been different, God forbid, God's sunnats (laws) would also have to be different. But the sunnat of God has continued to be one and the Divine sunnat or law is that the spiritual birth, the death of the carnal soul and inbi`ath of people depends on the Guide of the time (hadi-yi zaman). For, it is he who is the nafs-i wahidah, the single and unifying soul (31:28) and the abode of peace (daru's-salam). Otherwise, how is it possible that God should invite people to the abode of peace when it does not exist? Further, it is impossible that someone may reach God directly without any means.
In addition to an external deluge, Hazrat-i Nuh (May peace be through him) was also passing through a spiritual deluge. When the spiritual deluge subsided, God commanded him: "It was said (unto him): O Nuh! Come down with peace (salam) from Us, and blessing on you and those people who are with you" (11:48). Salam (ta'yid) is a very great thing. It is because of this that, first the Perfect Men are tried rigorously and then they are granted the wealth of luminous ta'yid. You can see that Hazrat-i Nuh (May peace be through him) received God's salam or ta'yid after passing through great and arduous trials as did Hazrat-i Ibrahim (May peace be through him) (21:69).
Regarding the verses: "And We left for him among the later generations (recognition of his status); peace be unto Nuh among the worlds! Verily thus do We reward those who do good" (37:78-80 ), a wise person can ask: what wisdom is hidden in them? The answer to this question is in the following explanation: And We left the recognition of the status of Nuh (May peace be through him) in the Perfect Men to come. It is in the sense that this spiritual deluge will continue to take place in every personal world, where he will continue to receive salamati and ta'yid and We reward Perfect Men like this.
The miracles of every great Prophet take place in the personal world, and therefore their spiritual status which is mentioned in the Qur'an, is recognised. For instance, it is said about Hazrat-i Ibrahim (May peace be through him): "And We left the recognition of the status of Hazrat-i Ibrahim in the Perfect Men-to-come" (37:108-110 ). That is, the miracles of Hazrat-i Ibrahim (May peace be through him) will take place in every personal world. That is, Hazrat-i Ibrahim (May peace be through him) will repeat his spiritual and religious life in every Prophet and Imam. In this sense, there is salamati and ta'yid for him, which is granted to every Prophet.
An ordinary person can easily understand that things in the world of multiplicity exist separately, but it is extremely difficult to know how the Prophets and Imams exist together in the world of unity. In this connection it is necessary to know that the world of unity is extremely wondrous and extremely difficult to understand, because it is in the form of a person, in whom are first gathered the righteous ones. It is this person who is the abode of peace, as the Qur'an says: "And for those who (duly) believe and (duly) do good works, We verily shall make them enter in the righteous ones" (29:9). That is, that they will be able to enter the personal world of the Guide of the time, for it is he who is the abode of peace where all the righteous ones of the past are gathered. If we accept the example that in the language of Qur'anic wisdom, "fi al-kitab" cannot be translated as "on the surface of the pages", rather it means meaningfulness and depth of words, similarly "fi al-salihin" does not mean the external closeness and companionship of the Perfect Men, but rather to enter their personal world.
One of the everlasting and unchangeable laws of the Qur'an is that God's things are not scattered or dispersed, they are arranged systematically in His treasures. All things of this world have descended from these Divine treasures (15:21). According to this law, paradise too is like a treasure, for which God appoints treasurers, as He says: "And the treasurers of it (paradise) say to them: Peace be on you! You have become purified, so enter paradise forever" (39:73). The treasurers of paradise are the Imams from the progeny of Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) and paradise is their personal worlds. That is, the personal world of the Imam of the time is the paradise for the people of his time. Thus, the Imam of the time is the abode of peace and ta'yid (daru's-salam) in this sense.

The Divine law that the mamthul or reality is one, but its examples are numerous should also be remembered, as mentioned in the Qur'an: The Divine Pedestal has encompassed all the things of the universe and existents (2:255), everything is confined in a book (78:29), all things are recorded in the record of deeds (18:49), all things are in the manifest Imam (36:12), God has counted all things and included them in a single number (72:28; 19:94), everything is in the Guarded Tablet (6:59), heavens and earth, i.e., the entire universe and the existents are in God's hand (21:104; 39:67), all possible things are in God's treasure (15:21), all people will be present in God's presence (36:32), and He has given you what you had asked Him (14:34). These are representations of some of the great [Qur'anic] examples and their reality and mamthul is the holy personality of the Imam of the time, who, in the status of God's House, is the House of peace and luminous ta'yid. For, it is through him that God and the Prophet are obeyed; and it is he who is God's vicegerent and the representative of the Prophet in this world. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds!

Note:
All the Qur'anic verses quoted in this and other articles should be studied with their preceding and subsequent verses to understand and to increase Qur'anic knowledge.

London,
20th July, 1984.

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