Qur'anic Minarets - Soul and Matter Part 2

Soul and Matter Part 2

External Difference: Externally soul and matter are opposite of one another because the soul is subtle, living and invisible, it is indivisible and is beyond time and space, it has neither spatial nor temporal distance, it does not have three dimensions (length, width and depth), nor has it any direction, it cannot be stopped because it does not have any obstacles. Things like air can be blocked or stopped but this is not possible for the soul. As for matter, it does not have these characteristics. It is dense, dead (when there is no soul in it), and it is visible and divisible, it is under time and space, it is restricted by the distance of time and space and has three dimensions. Therefore, it has sides and many obstacles. This shows the great difference between soul and matter, which has been mentioned here briefly.
Participation of Soul and Matter: The characteristics of soul and matter mentioned above belong to them when they are separate from each other. However, as long as they are bound together, their characteristics are different. For instance, the soul which was originally indivisible in its essence, became divisible through many bodies, just as the world adorning sun that is indivisible in itself, can be seen in as many mirrors as are placed in front of it. The example of the body in this participation is that by itself it is dead and will remain dead, but as long as the soul is with it, it will remain alive. The gist of this description is:
1. One has to reflect upon soul without body or abstract body,
2. The body without soul,
3. Then there will be the need to observe their bound existence together so that it will become known what is the reality of each of these three states and this may help in recognising oneself, in which is hidden the recognition of God.
Oneness of Soul and Matter: It is only through the concept of azal that the knowledge of the real state of everything becomes possible. You have heard several times that the renewal of azal occurs in the personal world. You may also call this the demonstration in which the light of unity and monoreality rises. It is impossible to know which are the things whose unity is in this light except through the mighty Qur'an and the true Imam (May peace be through him). That sacred and pure light, despite being one, is comprehensive as well as representative of all the realities and recognitions. It is so because it is the Hidden Pearl by expanding which both the worlds come into existence and then again, the Divine hand enfolds the entire universe into this unique Pearl. Thus, the same Pearl is the Pearl of pearls, the Reality of realities, the Comprehensive of comprehensives, the Essential of essentials, the Intellect of intellects and the Light of lights. Thus, the same Light is the Soul of souls as well as the white Stone, that is, here soul and matter are two names of the same thing. This means that the same light is the gradational ladder of the universe and existents as well as the roof or the royal Throne of Divine Equality (Musawat-i Rahmani). Here all questions that raise objections come to an end.
One Place and One Reality of Every Name and Named: The Benevolent Lord gave Hazrat-i Adam (May peace be through him) the knowledge of names in three levels: In the physical world (zahir), in the spiritual world (ruhaniyyat) and in the intellectual world (`aqlaniyyat). On the first level in the physical world, he was taught only one Supreme Name, on the second level were given several Supreme Names and on the third level were taught the Perfect Words (3:31, 3:37). At their end was given the Divine Word (kalimah-yi bari). The Divine Word (Be!) [which because of its completeness and perfection] was considered to be the first. Now, God's Elect, Adam (May peace be through him) observed the place of azal where was the scene of the togetherness and monoreality of every name and every named (musamma) because it is appropriate to say at this point that just as in the world of multiplicity, things are scattered and many, in the world of oneness they are centred, organised and are one. In other words, there is only one and that is the Light of oneness, which has countless names, because He is the real and `irfani (related to ma`rifat) representative of every named. Thus, He is not only soul and matter but everything of the universe and existents. The same Light is the symbolised of every symbol of the wise Qur'an and the object of each and every wisdom-filled indication (musharun ilayhi) of every verse.
Heaven and its Things: Since every knowledge and everything is mentioned in the exoteric and esoteric of the wise Qur'an (16:89), definitely the knowledge of names too is preserved in it, by acquiring which Hazrat-i Adam (May peace be through him) became eminent. Thus, the wisdom-filled allusion of the holy Qur'an is such that in the world of oneness (the world of Intellect) the light of azal itself is everything. Thus, the truth is that every named and the name exists in the luminosity of this Light, for instance, it is the light itself which is the heaven and all its things: sun, moon, stars (whether in singular or plural), cloud, lightning, rain, day, night, morning, evening, east, west, week, month, year, solar eclipse, lunar eclipse, constellations, missiles, also all the allusions related to the Throne, the Pedestal (kursi), Pen and Tablet are moving in the light of Intellect. In short, in the light of the knowledge of names (knowledge of the realities of things) [we have] the concept of the world of Command and the light of azal. We therefore come to know that [even] this material heaven and everything of it exists in the form of a living light. Thus, it is evident that even matter in reality is an eternal soul, which at present due to Divine power and wisdom is frozen, but when the Resurrection of resurrections occurs, this frozen state will be shattered and the soul concerned will wake up.
Divine Treasures: These are mentioned in verse (15:21) of the holy Qur'an. Where are these treasures? They are with God (`indana). There is nothing in this material world which has not come down from the Divine treasures, even if it is a black stone. Think of the Light of azal, what a great treasure there is with the Benevolent Lord. There are such other treasures of the intellect and soul. Every kind of blessing continues to descend from all these treasures, and some of these spiritual blessings are transformed into physical form. This is one very great secret of materiality, the knowledge of which was extremely necessary [to discover] so that the harmony of religion and science can be understood.
Matter is from Soul and the Soul is from Command: There are three worlds. The highest is the world of Command, which is the world of intellect and the world of oneness. Below it is the spiritual world and the lowest is the physical world. It is evident from this that not only the physical but the spiritual world too is under the Command, i.e., "Be" (kun). Thus, it is a fact that in reality the soul and body are both from the fountainhead of instantaneous origination (ibda`) as the following blessed verse of the Qur'an shows: "He (Allah) is the Originator (badi`) of the heavens and the earth. And when He decrees a thing, He says to it only: Be! and it is." (2:117). There are three fundamental wisdoms in this verse:
1. There are two states, spiritual and material of the universe (the heaven and the earth). In a spiritual state it originated instantaneously from the command of "Be!", then materiality completed in it gradually.
2. Similarly, every star and planet comes into existence.
3. Just like night and day, there are great cycles of mergence (fana') and survival (baqa') or non-existence and existence and this is a never-ending chain (28:88; 2:117). The same is the allusion to the concept of azal, in which the sun of light, by its constant rising and setting, shows the rotation of things on the circle of mergence and survival.
Proof of the Whole from the Part (Universal from Particular): The universe and the existents, such as the heaven, elements, minerals, vegetables, animals, human being, jinn and angel are all from the same single origin and that is the Treasure of treasures (15:21). Their being very different and separate from one another is due to grades or ranks. In grades, there is the possibility of ascent [progress] and descent [regress], as it is said in the glorious Qur'an (17:50): "Say: Become stone or iron." This is not an impossible hypothesis, rather it is the overwhelming law and powerful command of the Omnipotent God Who can transform a fire into a garden (21:69) and a human being into a monkey (2:65). Thus, indeed the souls of those people who were commanded so became frozen in the form of stone or iron after their death. It is clear from this Qur'anic proof that the existence of matter is created from the soul, therefore scientific preponderance and inclination of matter is towards the soul itself. There are many examples of this, such as the transformation of matter into any kind of power.
The Initial Habitation of the Planet Earth: The wisdom of the law of treasures says that a thing does not descend from a single treasure. It descends from the first to the last of them so that this may be a means of receiving the blessings of all of them. Thus, the inner form (soul) of the planet Earth descended in this way. It [appeared] dressed in the attire of materiality of the frozen soul, in which elements as well as mountains are mentioned. Ibda`i seeds were sown in order to grow vegetables and trees. Insects and tiny animals were also created from ibda`i eggs. Large animals such as human beings and others appeared in the beginning in subtle bodies and then gradually, they appeared in the present physical state. This is evident from the story of the descent of the primordial Adam (2:38), who together with all his companions, descended on the planet earth in subtle bodies. Human beings have continued to be transferred from one planet to another and will continue to do so (84:19) [in the future].
Subtle Life: The external universe is immersed in the luminous circumferential ocean of the Universal Soul. The same luminous ocean of the Supreme Soul, i.e., the Universal Soul is called the manifest Imam and the Guarded Tablet, in which without any exception, the subtle, living and speaking pictures of all things are swimming like fish and are preserved forever. This is the most extensive and understandable concept of the Guarded Tablet. This boundless ocean of Soul and souls is the third invisible treasure after the Divine Word and the Divine Pen, from which according to the above-mentioned Law of Treasure things continue to descend on the planet earth, without the slightest decrease in the Divine Treasures. Finally, I humbly pray that may the Benevolent Lord illumine the planet earth with the knowledge of His treasure of light (39:69).

30 Jumada II 1410 AH/28th January, 1990 AD

Note: Read the first part of this article in the book "Sublime Realities".
For the wisdom of freezing, see the farman of Hazrat-i Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq (May peace be through him) in the Book of Healing, p. 291 [or read point #10 here].

Chapter Index

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter