A038
Surah: 002 - Ayah: 038
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2:38
Reflecting Light (Nur-i mun'akis)
Q. 83. Light literally means brightness, but we would like to know what the state and quality of the reflecting light is, when God illumines the souls of the people of marifat by His Perfect Light? Are the spiritual light and physical light alike or is there a great difference between them?
A. It is true that light literally means brightness, but with respect to mankind, it means the perfect and supreme guidance. Guidance is of three kinds: guidance of intellect, guidance of soul and guidance of body. The guidance of intellect is in the form of knowledge and wisdom and awareness of the secrets of the physical and spiritual worlds; that of the soul is in the form of aptitudes, such as yearning for bandagi, dhikr, religious zeal and success in doing good deeds. The guidance of body is in the form of the demonstration of physical abilities and virtues, such as patience, high ambition, bravery and courage.
Light in the lower stages is full of astonishing colours and in the higher stages, either it is moderate or is free from colour and form. The name of this colourful and colourless state is called "sibghatu'llah (the colour of Allah)" (2:138).
External light is an allegory (mithal) and internal light is the object or meaning of it (mamthul). Therefore, material light in comparison to its meaning is very trivial, lifeless and unreal, while the internal light is adorned with the perfect qualities of intellect and soul. "Chih nisbat khak ra ba'alam-i pak = So low (it) bears no comparison to the high". Read also "The state and reality of light" in the book "The Ascent of Soul".
Hubut (Descent)
God Almighty told Hazrat Adam and all his companions: "Descend from it (paradise), all of you." (2:38). This shows that all people have come to this world from paradise. But how? They have come like a shadow, because the upper end of the soul is always merged in the origin, therefore that cannot come to this world, as it is said: "Ma amadah nistim in sayah-yi mast", i.e. In reality, we have not come to this world, this physical existence is only our shadow. (Kulliyyat, p. 1350; Gulshan-i Khwudi, p. 9).
Q383 By the way you have explained the recognition of the intellectual houris in the above explanation of the Surah of al-Waqicah, we have understood that this is a miracle of knowledge of the Imam from the progeny of the holy Prophet. Therefore, please explain the attributes of the houris of ashabu’l-yamin (those on the right hand) in the illumination of his light.
A383
- First of all, it is necessary to accept that the world of the hereafter or paradise is a subtle world, whereas this world is dense. Thus, the people of paradise were subtle, but when they were told to go down and came here (2:38), they became dense.
- However, when by the universal mercy of God, they will go to paradise, they will be subtle again. In such a state, because of subtlety and luminosity, all women will be called houris.
- This wisdom-filled description is in the light of verses (56:35-36) and these are the houris of ashabu’l-yamin.
Q401 It is said that some personalities, after living an extremely long life of paradise come to this world by God’s command. Is this concept correct? If yes, what is its evidence in the wise Qur’an?
A401
- Yes, this concept is correct and there are numerous Qur’anic evidences of it.
- The most famous evidence for it is that Adam(c) and Eve(c) and their companions came to this world after living the universal life of paradise (2:38), and this is the story of every Adam(c).
- It is mentioned in verse (36:68): “And whomsoever We grant long life, We reverse him into [the world of] creation [from the world of command]”. In other words, the concept is that a personality, who comes from the higher to the lower world, becomes reversed.
- Everything rotates on a circle and this law is related to humankind as well.
This verse has been referred 8 times.