Recognition of Imam Part II - The Sun and the Moon
The Sun and the Moon
Tags: sun, moon, monorealism, monotheism, hamah ust, hamah az ust
In verses (10:5, 25:61 and 71:16), the sun and the moon are mentioned together in a way that the sun is the source of the external and material light of this universe and the moon is its mazhar.
These wisdom-filled verses are related to the same one subject, namely, the light and its explanation. By studying these verses together and reflecting on them, we come to know many realities and recognitions, which significantly help to understand, in addition to the concept of light and its mazhar, other sublime concepts of tawhid such as, 'hamah az ust (Everything is from Him)' or 'hamah ust (He is everything)'.
Thus in verses (71:15-16), God says: “See you not how Allah has created seven heavens corresponding to one another, and has made the moon a light therein and made the sun a lamp (siraj)”.
It should be known that one of the principles of Qur'anic wisdoms is that a pearl of reality (gawhar-i haqiqat) is shown not only from its different dimensions, but also every dimension from different angles. Thus in the abovementioned verses, which are related to the sun, the moon and their light, sometimes it is said that the sun is a lamp, i.e., an empty vessel; sometimes a resplendent lamp and sometimes the sun is like the vessel of a lamp and the moon, its light (i.e., flame).
The true mu'mins should know that the meanings (mamthulat) of the above mentioned parables are that, where the sun is likened to an empty lamp which needs oil to light it, there it is alluded to the concept of 'hamah ust (monorealism)'. That is, just as all the particles of the parts of the solar system reach the place of the sun one after another and are transformed into light, similarly, when the soul of everything reaches the essence of God, it merges in it and is transformed into the light of His attributes. This is the concept of “hamah ust (He is everything)” or “monorealism”.
Where it is mentioned that the sun is a resplendent lamp which spreads light throughout the solar system, there it signifies “hamah az ust (Everything is from Him)” or “monotheism”. For just as the physical existence of everything is from the sun, similarly, the spiritual existence of everything is from God.
Where with respect to night, the sun is considered the lamp and the moon its light i.e., flame, there it means that the light of the invisible attributes of God and His true Prophet manifests itself from the Imam of the time. For, it is the Imam who is the Perfect Man and who is the mazhar of God.
As for the light itself, whether it is directly from the sun or indirectly from the moon, in any case it is one and the same and there is no duality in it. Nonetheless, there is definitely the difference that the light which comes from the moon to the earth during the night does not come directly, rather it reaches the earth by reflecting off the surface of the moon and therefore is not as intense and hot as the light of the sun. However, if we go to the moon during the night, there it will be day instead of night and we will see the sun directly. The ta'wil of this example is that for someone who accepts the Imam of the time, the Imam's personality is like the moon and his guidance the light of the moon. When passing through the stations of ma`rifat, he reaches his holy essence, the guidance of the Imam will prove to him to be the guidance of God and that of the Prophet.
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