Recognition of Imam Part II - Light as a Living Zikr (Remembrance)

Light as a Living Zikr (Remembrance)

It should be known that a miracle is always extremely wondrous and marvellous. Had it not been so, it would not have been called a miracle. Thus some true mu'mins, in a higher stage of the recognition of their self, come to know that the light of Imamat is a bright and resplendent world, not only in itself, but also in the heart of every `arif, where it appears as a resplendent and luminous world. As far as the light of Imamat itself is concerned, there is no doubt that its intellect and soul are the Universal Intellect and the Universal Soul, but the amazing thing is that everything in it is like an angel, who also has a pure soul and a perfect intellect.

Thus it should be known that among the countless attributes of the light, each one is as an angel. For instance, in this connection one living attribute of the light is “zikr”, which means: (1) Remembrance of God, which is of many kinds; (2) Memory or the faculty of remembrance; (3) the wise Qur'an; (4) Exhortation; (5) A title of the Prophet and the Imam.

Q. In what sense does light mean zikr or the remembrance of God?
A. The true mu'mins should be sure that the sun of the light of Imamat is in the heaven of Imamat, as well as in the state of reflection in the mirror of an `arif's heart as a constant, miraculous remembrance of God. That is, it is among the miracles of light in which one of the Supreme Names of God automatically turns into a Divine voice and remembers itself continuously and constantly. An external example of it is when an astronaut goes beyond the domain of the gravitational pull of the planet earth in his rocket, then the state of weightlessness continues to propel him and his rocket whether he flies it or not. This is the state of an `arif whose zikr has gone beyond the domain of the gravity of the sensual desires and has reached the space of the light of Imamat.

Q. We accept that one of the names of light is zikr, but how is the light in the sense of the zikr, the Qur'an?
A. The light in the sense of zikr is the Qur'an for the reason that if the zikr is the light on the one hand, on the other it is the spirit of the Qur'an. Thus the light, the zikr and the spirit of the Qur'an are different names of the same one reality. The proof of this is that according to verse (42:52), even now the Qur'an is a great spirit and a light in the state of revelation. Also, the same spirit and light is called zikr in verse (54:22). As it is said: “And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember but is there any that remembers?” Making the Qur'an easy for remembrance means that the living spirit of the Qur'an is in the Supreme Name of God, which is the light of the Imam of the time. Before [receiving] the Prophethood, the holy Prophet used to remember this Supreme Name and it is this Supreme Name from which the holy Qur'an revealed. Even today the spirituality and luminosity of the holy Qur'an is in this name and in this zikr.

Several other meanings of zikr have been mentioned above, such as (1) Remembrance of God, which is of many kinds; (2) Memory or the faculty of remembrance; (3) the wise Qur'an and (4) Exhortation. Further one of the names of the light is also zikr in the sense of a title of the Prophet and Imam. In verse (45:10-11) God says about this reality: “Indeed Allah has sent down unto you a zikr, a messenger, who recites the clear signs of Allah so that he may bring forth those who believe and do good deeds from darknesses unto light”.

The exoteric meaning of these wisdom-filled verses is that God sent down to the world of Islam, a living and embodied zikr, which contained all the above-mentioned meanings and attributes in the most perfect form, and that was the Prophet. Their esoteric meaning is that the zikr, the Supreme Name which contains the one light of the Prophet and the Imam and which always recites the bright signs of spirituality, guidance, knowledge and wisdom, is cast in the pure hearts and minds of the true mu'mins and `arifs so that they may be brought forth from the darknesses of ignorance into the light of the ultimate recognition of their self.

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