Precious Treasure - Three Great Questions

Three Great Questions

Tags: Five Senses, Knowledge, External Senses, Mind, Intellect, Soul, Non-spatial world, Non-temporal world, World of imagination, Dreams

I have a very dear friend in [the field of] spirituality and knowledge. By the grace of the Lord of honour, he is endowed with great wisdom and higher qualities. At present, he is engaged in the higher stages of worldly and spiritual knowledge in a renowned university of the west. In order to promote knowledge and as an encouragement, he has asked me three important questions in an extremely lovely letter. They [the answers] are prepared with great wisdom in the light of both spiritual knowledge and philosophy. These questions [and their answers] are therefore extremely important. God willing such meaningful and useful questions and their answers will help, first in research and creative work, and then they will be an addition to the treasure of knowledge. The questions are:

What part do the five senses play in acquiring real knowledge?
What is the relation between the mind (dhihn) and soul? What role do they play in acquiring knowledge?
How can the act of entering the boundary of the non-temporo-spatial world and returning from it to the temporo-spatial world during `ibadat and dhikr be described?

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Allahumma salli `ala Muhammadin wa al-i Muhammad (O Allah send blessings through Muhammad and his progeny). In the hope of the infinite mercy of the Lord of the worlds, I, a humble darwish, would like to sacrifice my dear soul for the sake of all friends and mu'mins. O my friends! Why do you give so much respect and eminence to this humble servant? Let him not die the death of pride or you will not feel good. Therefore, my friends come, tread on me and trample me under your feet! Call me the dust under the feet of mu'mins! This name gives me great pleasure and great wisdoms are hidden in it.

Answer 1: With utmost humility, love, sincerity and respect to my esteemed friends, we have to first examine what real knowledge (haqiqi `ilm) is or what its definition is? Does it mean spiritual knowledge? Yes, perhaps by real knowledge is meant spiritual and religious knowledge and the question is indeed about this knowledge. Therefore, knowledge literally means to know and in a secondary sense it means to know the reality of things. The knowledge through which the reality of things is understood and recognised is spiritual knowledge, which is also called real knowledge. For, it is this, which in a real and true sense, is knowledge.

Further, before discussing the senses, it is also necessary to know the grade or levels of knowledge and to do so we need to see how many kinds of things there are in the external and internal existents. As you know, things are altogether divided into three kinds: physical, spiritual and intellectual and accordingly, there are three levels of knowledge: the knowledge of certainty (`ilmu'l-yaqin), the eye of certainty (`aynu'l-yaqin) and the truth of certainty (haqqu'l-yaqin). Since knowledge is related to the understanding of the reality of things, therefore three levels are determined to acquire knowledge: the level of the body for the knowledge of certainty, the level of the soul for the eye of certainty and the level of the intellect for the truth of certainty.

If someone asks: How can knowledge be called certainty (yaqin)? With due humility, the answer is that knowledge is both common as well as special and each has many levels. Indicating such a special knowledge which is free from all doubts, the Qur'an refers to it as `ilmu'l-yaqin, or the knowledge of certainty,¹ namely, knowledge in the form of certainty. The paramount significance of certainty lies in the fact that the main source of real knowledge is the rank of the truth of certainty, namely, the fountainhead of the light of Intellect. From it knowledge descends to the level of the eye of certainty, namely the level of spirituality, and from there it descends to the level of the knowledge of certainty [namely, the physical level]. Therefore, the knowledge of certainty is that treasure of knowledge which has been revealed to this world through the Prophet, and which the Imam of the time teaches us.

Now, this humble servant would like to explain the part which the external senses² play in acquiring real knowledge. In this connection, there are three states of the external senses. The first is that as far as the knowledge of certainty is concerned, the external senses need to participate fully, since this level of knowledge of certainty is external and is in the corporeal world. The second state is to awaken the inner senses or to actually acquire knowledge from the level of the eye of certainty. [In this context] the external senses have to be silent, dormant or dead-like, for so long as the external senses are not suspended, the inner senses remain dead or dormant. This is why silence is imposed on the external senses during the special bandagi. The third state is that if the stages of the eye of certainty have been traversed and the individual resurrection occurs, the Gog and Magog (18:94-96 ) eliminate the wall of Dhu'l-Qarnayn by licking it and hence with the inner senses being revived, they become one with the external senses and work together. It is a fact that in the normal [human] condition, the inner senses lie dormant within the external senses. That is, the inner eye is hidden in the external eye and inner ear in the external ear and so on and so forth. The answer to the first question is completed here.

For further information in this connection, the knowledge of certainty is apparent since it is related to the external senses; the eye of certainty is hidden since it is related to the inner senses and the truth of certainty is the hidden of the hidden, and it therefore needs the intellectual senses (`aqli mudrikat).

Now, the holy and pure Imam's humble slave says that in order to acquire real knowledge, it is of paramount importance that the Holy Spirit (ruhu'l-qudus) is gradually breathed into the external senses in the form of knowledge. That is, the particles of the Holy Spirit enter the obedient and sincere mu'mins as they continue to acquire real knowledge. The Holy Spirit is breathed into them twice, first potentially and then actually. In the first, it continues from the beginning to the end of the level of the knowledge of certainty and the second breathing is with the blowing of the sur of Israfil (May peace be through him).

At this point the question may arise: How is it possible for mu'mins to observe and experience such [lofty] spiritual stages whereas this progress, destination and favour on the path of spirituality have been granted only to the Prophets and Imams as their share? The answer is that hundreds of proofs can be provided to show that it is possible for mu'mins to observe such stages. However, for the wise it is enough to mention just one Qur'anic proof and that is that the Lord of the worlds, through His grace and mercy, has wanted all mu'mins to follow those of His chosen servants upon whom He has bestowed His favours in the form of intellect, knowledge and spirituality and He has emphatically commanded them to say: "Guide us on the right path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favours" (1:5). That is, grant us such high ambition and clear guidance with which, with gratitude, we will be able to follow the Prophets, the truthful (siddiqin) the martyrs (shuhada') and the righteous ones (salihin) on the path of spirituality (4:69).

The magnificent and special favours of God, may He be exalted, are in an intellectual and spiritual form. There is only one Divine law (sunnat-i ilahi) to grant these favours, which is that the Holy Spirit is breathed into that fortunate person whom God wills to grant these favours. Spiritual favours are not possible without the breathing in of the Holy Spirit. If these spiritual favours are not possible for obedient mu'mins, then in what sense can they be in the companionship of the Prophets and Imams, which is praised for those who follow them (4:69)? Therefore, it becomes clear that the Divine or the Holy Spirit can indeed be breathed into real mu'mins, but on the condition of the absolute obedience to God, the Prophet and the waliyy-yi amr (the holder of the Command), which also includes the duty to acquire knowledge. Further, in this connection, the gift of the ism-i a`zam from the Imam of the time has prime importance. All of this is in the sense of the breathing of the Divine Spirit potentially at the first stage, which is related to the external senses and corporeality.

The Divine or the Holy Spirit is the light of the Imam of the time, which brings everything with it according to the Qur'an (36:12). This light includes one [more] extremely important thing and that is the individual resurrection, with which the door of complete spirituality opens and the inner senses wake up completely. Although the inner eye opens quite early on, the world of colourful lights which is in front of it is silent and devoid of speech.

The Divine law (sunnat) and the law of nature (30:30) are one and the same, the example of which is found in a human being or the personal world. For instance, when an affectionate mother wants to persuade her suckling child to suck milk, she says: "My dear baby, this nipple is beautiful and the milk is very sweet." But when she wants to wean him, she blackens the nipple and says: "Pooh, pooh! It has become bad. I don't know what has happened to it", etc. For the wise people this example is quite thought provoking. They can be sure that in spiritual and intellectual upbringing, the (Divine) Nurse of power and mercy also has the same habit or law, such as the law of abrogator (nasikh) and abrogated (mansukh) (2:106), and effacing one thing but establishing another thing (13:39) as mentioned in the Qur'an. This law is not only in the personal world, but also in the world of religion so that there should not be any impediment in the progress of knowledge and recognition (22:78).

Answer 2: Mind (dhihn) means the faculty of understanding in the brain. A suitable example to explain its quality and reality is that in its material constitution the brain is in a way a clean and clear mirror, the soul through the intellect is [like a] sun and the mind is that light of the sun which is reflected in this mirror. In this sense, the mind is a reflection and a living picture of the light of the soul. This then is the relation of the mind and the soul.

The intellect is mentioned here in order to discuss the question of the mind and the soul. The human soul consists of a basic intellect called the 'innate intellect' (`aql-i gharizi) namely, the inborn, natural and original intellect, which needs real knowledge because of its progressive nature. Further, the mind does not mean anything without the concept of the intellect.

More examples are presented here regarding the relation between soul and mind:

The mind is the product of the soul because the intellect is from the soul and the mind from the intellect.
The mind is the instrument of the soul, which it uses for perception and conception.
The soul is like the oil of the lamp, the intellect like the flame and the mind is the light, which scatters and reaches everything in the house and illumines it.
The soul is like a fruitful tree, the intellect like its branch and the mind is like its fruit.
The soul is like a fountainhead of clean, clear and sweet water, the intellect like a canal [branching] from it and the mind like a fertile habitation.
The soul is like a cultured lady, the intellect like a wise husband and the mind like a promising child.
The soul is like the ink pot, the intellect like a pen and the mind is like the writing.

All these examples demonstrate the reality of the relationship between the soul and the mind.

Since the relation between the soul and the mind through the intellect has been established, some more examples of their mutual relation are given here:

Human personality is a microcosm in which the soul stands for Eve and the intellect for Adam.
The soul and the intellect are like the parents of the human 'I', in which the soul stands for the mother and the intellect for the father, for the soul is the representative of the asas and the intellect is the representative of the natiq.
The soul is the indication of the Universal Soul and the intellect that of the Universal Intellect.
The soul is the moon of the personal world and the intellect is its sun.
The soul is the indication of the hujjat and the intellect is that of the Imam.
The soul in the personal world is the queen (i.e., the female sovereign) and the intellect her sagacious minister.
The soul is a sage and the intellect its lustrous and dignified countenance.

Through all these examples the relationship between the soul and the intellect has been made quite clear, so that it may help one to understand how the mind is the reflected light of the soul and the intellect.

Now, as for the part of the question: "What is the function or act of the soul and the mind in acquiring knowledge?" The answer is that the soul is like a refined and intelligent queen, the intellect like a wise king, the brain is the [country's] capital, and the heart is the powerhouse and the electric system. This is a ministry consisting of the faculties of the brain. In this ministry, the mind is the prime minister, the external senses are the servants of the department of communication, who being equipped with the wonderful instruments of communication constantly send the knowledge or information of the external world to the central office (mind) of the brain. In this example, an attempt has been made to give a true picture of how the soul and the intellect are accomplishing their function through the mind and the senses in acquiring knowledge.

However, if the question is regarding the acquisition of spiritual knowledge, I would like to say with utmost humility that the temporary suspension of the external senses and self-forgetfulness is necessary. This blissful state, which is also called fana' (merging) is imposed on oneself through the special `ibadat, so that the Holy Spirit may function [without the interruption of the external senses] for miraculous knowledge.

The fact is that through real obedience, `ibadat and knowledge, we need to elevate the ordinary human soul and the mind to the level of the satisfied soul (nafs-i mutma'innah)!³ In other words, we must cause the third soul,⁴ the human soul to merge into the fourth soul, the Holy Spirit. Here one should ask the following pertinent question: Why is there the concept of holiness or purity in the Holy Spirit? The answer is that in Islam purity has very great importance and it is of three kinds: intellectual purity, which is through real knowledge, spiritual purity which is through `ibadat, and physical purity which is through obedience. Obedience means every kind of obedience, without which the body cannot be purified.

Answer 3: Firstly, to make the answer understandable, it is necessary to explain what the non-spatial world is and what the non-temporal world means, so that the related question may be clearly answered. The non-spatial world means the state which is free from space and its dimension, that is, the spiritual and intellectual world, which is opposite to the material world. The non-temporal world means that state which is not related to time and is inert and static. It is also called the immovable time (dahr) (76:1).

If we forget this material world for a while, or imagine that we have travelled beyond this world, or suppose that this world has vanished, this would be the non-spatial and non-temporal world. For when space vanishes, logically it not only becomes non-spatial but also non-temporal. For time is the name of the rotation within space (universe). That is, if there were no sky, sun and earth, there would be no time too. However, there is no doubt that in that case there would be immovable time or dahr.

There are two levels of the non-spatial or the inner world: the level of the spirit and the level of the intellect. Similarly, there are two examples of the non-spatial state in this world: the world of imagination and the world of dreams. These two examples are so sufficient and complete that if we reflect on them well, we can understand a great deal about the non-spatial and non-temporal world. This means that the journey of the non-spatial world can be compared either with the imagination or dream. For instance, a person closing his eyes silently enters the world of imagination. His imagination is an ocean of pleasure and fascination. He is immersed in it and dives into its depth. Now, despite being physically in this world, he has consciously reached the non-spatial world, for the forgetting of the material world is itself entering into the non-spatial world. Now, in his imagination, he observes the events of the past one by one in such a way as if no time has passed for him. Although the undeveloped imagination is as dim as the false dawn, nevertheless all the things of the heaven and the earth are seen in it in some way. This example is concerning an ordinary imagination. However, if the imagination is trained morally, religiously and spiritually it is then not only an example, but can itself become the non-spatial world. Therefore, the example of the journey to the non-spatial world and the return from it is like a fascinating and deep imagination into which someone gradually and silently immerses and re-emerges after some time.

Another example of the non-spatial world is the world of dreams. In sound sleep, the lamp of the external senses of a human being is gradually extinguished. The reason for this is that the attention of the soul is centered in the opposite direction to that of the external senses. This is the journey of the world of dreams that is very brief and the journey of the non-spatial world is similar. However, it is worth mentioning here that not only can the imagination of a human being progress, but so can his dream, to the extent that both imagination and dream merge with spirituality. In an ordinary state the proof of how the world of dreams is the example of the non-spatial world is that the things which are seen in the world of dreams are immaterial, non-spatial and non-temporal. For instance, if someone eats something in a dream it does not fill his stomach. The reason is obvious that material things do not exist there. Further, if it is autumn in the external world, it is not bound to be so in the world of dreams. It is never so. For, the world of dreams in its essence and nature is the fountainhead of the manifestations of the non-spatial world and many other diverse things. This nature of dream is among the Divine miracles. As the Qur'an says: "And of His signs is your dream (manam) by night and by day, and your seeking of His bounty. Verily there are signs (miracles) in this for those who listen (with the ear of understanding)" (30:23). The ta'wil of this verse will be explained later. Here, at the place of tanzil the meaning of manam as dream is correct, and it (dream) is among the Divine miracles.

In this verse, the word 'manam', which means sleep and dream, is full of wisdom. Its ta'wil is to enter the spiritual or non-spatial world through dhikr and `ibadat. For one of the states of spirituality resembles sleeping or being overtaken by sleep, as already mentioned in connection with imposing sleep upon the external senses in order to awaken the inner ones.

The complete ta'wil of the verse is: And your spirituality (manam) by night and day which is like sleeping and dreaming and your seeking of knowledge and wisdom in it and its results, are indeed the Divine miracles for those who listen with the real ear. This shows that the state of entering the boundary of the non-spatial and non-temporal world is like sleeping and the return from it is like waking up from a dream.

The following verse is also in this connection: "Then, after grief, He sent down the state of satisfaction upon you which was as a slumber which overcame a party of you" (3:154). This refers to the defeat at the battle of Uhud, in which the special mu'mins in the state of fear and grief, remembered God abundantly. The result came forth in the form of spirituality. That is, the miraculous sleep was imposed upon them, which brings spirituality with it. Otherwise, no sleep of negligence can be praised in this way.

Another verse in this connection is: "When He made the slumber (nu`as) fall upon you as the state of satisfaction and fearlessness and sent down water from the sky upon you, that thereby He may purify you, and remove from you the filth of Satan, and make strong your hearts and firm (your) feet thereby" (8:11). Here too, nu`as is the wisdom-filled dream, namely spirituality, water is knowledge and filth is doubt and disturbing thoughts (waswasah), tying (rabt) is to establish the ism-i a`zam firmly in the heart and firm-footing is to advance in dhikr without slipping. Here, this spirituality of real mu'mins is related to the battle of Badr. One of the implications of this verse is that spiritual progress results from accomplishing dangerous religious tasks like jihad. The second is that spirituality is compared to sleep, and the third is that during sleep the external senses are suspended and the link with the non-spatial world is established.

When the individual resurrection and spirituality reach the treasure of the Hidden Pearl (gawhar-i maknun) the non-spatial world of the rank of Intellect is reached. For, in that state, intellectually the concept of space and time come to an end and the manifestation of pre-eternal (azali) and post-eternal (abadi) realities and recognition begin while the entire world is rolled up in God's grip, as the Qur'an says: "The day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolls up a written scroll. As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise (binding) upon Us. Verily We are to perform it" (21:104). Another verse on this subject is: "When the whole earth is in His grip on the day of Resurrection, and the heavens are rolled up in His right hand." (39:67).

Both these blissful and wisdom-filled verses are specifically related to [the explanation of] the concepts of the fundamental and final realities, such as:

azal (pre-eternity), abad (post-eternity), Command, Khalq, survival (baqa'), merging (fana'), space-less, space, time-less, time, light, Throne, Pen, Hidden Treasure, `Illiyyun, Imamat, etc.
From one aspect it is the mention of the material world and from another it is the mention of the world of knowledge.
In the wise Qur'an, the concept of the Divine Throne is both prior and posterior to the [creation of the] Universe and that is the same concept as mentioned above.
This is the concept of the Divine Pen which is the fountainhead of all heavenly knowledge.
This is the Hidden Treasure, namely, the treasure of the secrets of recognition (of God).
The journey of spirituality and knowledge of a human being is on a circle, on which he starts the journey form pre-eternity and going around the circle reaches the same pre-eternity, another name of which is post-eternity.
This is the concept of the Hidden Book (kitab-i maknun) in which is the Qur'an.
The Archangel who bears the Throne and in whose hand is the bezel of wisdom is mentioned in this concept.
The east and the west of the light of oneness (nur-i tawhid) is the same place.
This concept shows the concept of the kingdom of God.
This is the concept of the supreme similitude which embraces all similitudes.
This is the mountain upon which if the Qur'an were to descend, it would have been rent asunder into pieces.
This is the White Stone, the similitude of which is the Black Stone.
This is the mountain, which had scattered into pieces by the manifestation of God.
This is the pearl and coral which are mentioned in the Qur'an.
This is the rock, by the falling of which, the water of knowledge gushes forth.
At this place is the fountain of Salsabil.
In this place, there is the miracle of the white hand.
This is the place of the merging of the intellect and knowledge.
This is also the light, niche, lamp, glass and the glittering star.
Here is the blessed tree of the Olive, which is neither of the east nor of the west, for it is non-spatial.
At this place there is the light in front and on the right side [of mu'mins].
This is the concept of the Perfect light.
This is the luminous book.
This is the mountain of Qaf of knowledge.
This is `Illiyyun.
This is the main place of purification (tasbih) and sanctification (taqdis).
This is also the ark of knowledge and wisdom.

Karachi,
24th August, 1983.

¹Regarding the knowledge of certainty, the holy Qur'an says: "Nay, would that you knew the knowledge of certainty, you would have seen the hell fire, then you would have seen with the eye of certainty" (102:5-7 ). Here knowledge of certainty and the eye of certainty are mentioned respectively. Regarding the truth of certainty, it is said: "Lo this is the truth of certainty" (56:95). Indeed, it is the same truth of certainty, namely, the rank of the Pearl of Intellect.
²There are three categories of the external senses:

the senses of animals,
the senses of animal-like human beings, for the Qur'an says that they are like cattle (7:179; 25:44) and
the senses which work in mu'mins. From this example one can realize the importance of the external senses of a mu'min. Thus, those mu'mins who are successful in acquiring the knowledge of certainty, have done so through their external senses.

³Regarding the satisfied soul, the holy Qur'an says: "O the satisfied soul! Return unto your Lord content in His good pleasure! Enter among My (special) servants! Enter My paradise!" (89:27-30 ). When is the soul satisfied? When the duties of obedience, `ibadat and knowledge are fulfilled. How does the return take place? In this world because of the satisfaction and in the next because of death.
⁴Every human being has three souls: vegetative, animal and rational or human soul.

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