Recognition of Imam Part III - Key 10 Mu'mins are given Everything
Key 10 Mu'mins are given Everything
Tags: Everything
It is said in verse (14:34): “And He has given you of all you asked of Him, and if you would count the bounties of God, you cannot reckon them. Lo! Man is verily very unjust, very ungrateful.” It is clear from this verse that, whatever the real mu'mins have asked for from the Sustainer, He has granted them all either in corporeality or spirituality and either with the spoken language or circumstantial language. Now the question arises: What is the thing which contains everything? The answer is that the most comprehensive (jami`u'l-jawami`) thing which contains everything is the recognition of the manifest Imām. For it is his holy light in which there is everything.
According to the glorious Qur'ān, the length and width of paradise is that of the universe, which alludes to the Universal Soul. That is, the Universal Soul is the spiritual paradise which contains everything and which is the spirit, namely the light of the Imām. [Having understood] this, the question of whether everything should be found in paradise or in the soul of the Imām does not arise, because paradise and the Imām's soul and its recognition are one and the same reality.
Thus, the following verse of the noble Qur'ān does not differ from the above-mentioned purport: “He has subjugated to you whatever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; it is all from Him.” (45:13)
One should always remember the principle that when a great thing is attained, all those things which are related to it are automatically gained. For instance, if a person is given a garden, he automatically gets all those things that are in the garden, such as fruits of all sorts, scenic spots, comfortable shade, fragrant flowers of various colours, etc. Similarly, if a fortunate person attains the greatest treasure that contains the keys to all the treasures of God, may He be exalted, then undoubtedly he receives all of God's treasures. The treasure that contains the keys to all the treasures of God, may He be exalted, is the recognition of the manifest Imām, by gaining which everything is gained.
It is said in a noble hadith: “Man kana li'llahi kana'llahu lahu = He who belongs to God, God belongs to him.” That is, he who becomes God's possession with all one's resources (tan, man, dhan se) by following His commands, then as a result, God also becomes his Invaluable Treasure. Undoubtedly, God is the Hidden Treasure and according to a Hadith-i qudsi (Sacred Tradition), this Treasure can be found on the path of ma`rifat (recognition). However, everyone knows that without the recognition of the Prophet, the recognition of God is not possible and nor is the Prophet's recognition possible without the recognition of the Imām of the time. Again one finds the same reality that everything is contained in the manifest Imām.
It is said in the holy Qur'ān in verses 2:155-157: “Indeed, we are God's and we return unto Him.” Who are they who say so? It is the patient ones who say so. They have full conviction that they have come into this world from the Presence of God, i.e., His light, therefore they are hopeful that when they will return, they will merge again in the Unity of God. In that state, they will be given everything in the form of the spiritual kingdom. But here, the question arises as to whether anyone can be called patient without acting according to the Divine command: “Obey God and obey the Messenger and those who possess the command from amongst you [i.e., the Imam].” If the reply is negative, then we are justified in our claim that all the beauties of Islam (submission) and iman (faith) can be found from the manifest Imām.
Prophets and Imāms come into this world in order to guide the people of the world correctly, so that they may walk on the Right Path steadily and may reach the Presence of God. Thus they (the Prophets and Imāms) guide the people, not only by word of mouth, but also through presenting a practical example of following the guidance, and also openly declaring the reward which is going to be granted for following the guidance. What is that reward? It is the Messenger and the Imām of the time, in whose holy light there is everything. As God, may He be exalted says: “And He will make them to enter the heaven, which He has made known to them (beforehand)” (47:6)
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