A255
Surah: 002 - Ayah: 255
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2:255
In God's Godhead, the power of ibda of the word of command (kallmah-i amr) is extremely great power. The main source of this power is the Divine pedestal (kursi), which is the soul of souls or the Universal Soul, which has held the heavens and earth in Its grip and their preservation does not cause tiredness in him (2:255). The great miracles of the prophets appeared through this power; the personal resurrection takes place by it and all the favours and bounties of paradise are provided by this power.
As for the spiritual paradise, it is the soul of this universe or Universal Soul. The Universal Soul has many names. One of its Qur'anic names is the Divine Pedestal (kursi-i khuda), In which lies the spiritual paradise, as it is said: "His Pedestal includes the heavens and the earth" (2:255). Thus the Universal Soul is the Pedestal of God, as well as the paradise of souls, In which all sorts of spiritual bounties are provided.
To explain this more fully, just as the subtle body of the microcosm is contained in a person who has not yet become perfect, in the same way, the subtle body of the macrocosm is contained in a person who is perfect and complete. As God says: “His pedestal (kursi) has embraced the heavens and the earth” (2:255). This pedestal of God, which contains the ibdai body or the Luminous Body of the Perfect Man, which has joined the Universal Soul.
Allama (2) (He taught)
If it is accepted that ism-i azam is in the Ayatu'l-kursi (2:255), then obviously we have to also accept that the ism cannot have any effect without acknowledging its musamma (named one). That is, the verbal ism has no effect without affirming and recognising its musamma i.e. the living ism-azam. This is the reason that many people do not benefit from the treasure of ism-i azam.
Kursi (Dai)
The word kursi is mentioned twice in verses (2:255; 38:34). With respect to the macrocosm, the Universal Body is the earth, the Universal Soul is the Dais and the Universal Intellect is the Throne. According to this law the body is the earth, the soul the dais and the intellect is the royal throne in the microcosm or the personal world.
Kursi (Universal Soul)
In verse (2:255) it is said: "His kursi comprises the heavens and the earth." That is, the universe is immersed in the fathomless ocean of the Universal Soul and from its depths emerges the Pearl of Intellect.
Kursi (Personal world)
The blessed and sacred body of the Imam of the time is like a pure ground on which his pure soul as the Universal Soul is a unique kursi (dais) and upon which his perfect intellect as the Universal Intellect is the throne of the personal world. This is the meaning of “His (God’s) kursi comprises the heavens and the earth” (2:255), as it is also said in the Qur’an that God has encompassed everything in the manifest Imam (36:12).
Kursi (Universal Soul, the Soul of souls, Guarded Tablet)
It is said in verse (2:255): "His kursi comprises the heavens and the earth." By the kursi is meant the Universal Soul and by the Throne, the Universal Intellect.
Kursi (Soul)
It is mentioned in the Qur'an twice (2:255; 38:34). In verse (38:34), it is said: “And verily, We did try Sulayman and cast upon his kursi a body, then he turned (to God).” Hazrat Sulaymin was tried in this way that initially an inferior (adna) subtle body was cast upon his soul, which consisted of countless tiny animals, in which tremendous ibdaci wisdom was hidden.
Soul in itself is believed to be an immaterial reality, but at five places, it has a link with the body. These five places are:
a) Universal body, which is the astral or subtle body of the universe, which is also the Dais (kursi) (2:255), as well as the Universal Paradise (3:133; 57:21).
b) Luminous shirt which is to protect from every kind of heat (16:81).
c) Spiritual shirt which protects from every kind of war (16:81).
d) Spiritual particle or spiritual particles, or particles of subtle body, which are to represent you in others and others in you. Also potentially, they are the spiritual army which can conquer the universe (27:17). For, there is a Sulaymanian Kingdom dormant within everyone.
e) External body which is in front of all. This body has great importance, for religion, faith, knowledge and action, all depend on it.
Q64 What is the meaning of kursi? What is the exegesis of “wasica kursiyyuhus-samawati wa’l-arz” (His kursi has encompassed the heavens and the earth) (2:255)? Is kursi a body or a soul?
A64 Kursi literally means a dais upon which a royal throne is erected, but here its ta’wil is the Universal or Cosmic Soul. Hence the ta’wil of “His kursi has encompassed the heavens and the earth” is that the entire universe is immersed in the ocean of the Universal Soul.
Finally, “Hayy-u zindah” and “Qayyum-u payindah” are recited to the right and left sides. The supreme wisdom in this action is about the two supreme Names of God “al-Hayy” (Everliving) and “al-Qayyum” (Everlasting) mentioned in the Qur’an, in verse 2:255, in which in the language of wisdom it is said that God’s supreme Name, “al-Hayy” is alive, present and living in this world and His supreme Name “al-Qayyum” is also ever lasting in this world. And these two wisdom-filled indications are to the Imam of the time.
The concept of this self subsistent substance, or the Universal Soul, (which controls and surrounds the circumferential surface) is not comparable with a body or matter, rather it surrounds the surface (muhat) of the universal body due to its intrinsic effect (jawhari athar) and spiritual act. Similarly, the pearl of the Universal Intellect encompasses the Universal Soul, with respect to its nobility and effect. As according to the testimony of the speech of God: “His kursi (Pedestal) has comprised the heavens and the earth” (2:255), it is accepted that the carsh (Divine Throne) is upon the kursi. This is the proof of the fact that the Universal Soul surrounds the surface of the universe, which no Muslim sage can reject. Another proof of this, according to the testimony of the Word of God, is: “Our Lord! You comprehend everything (whole universe) in mercy (Universal Soul) and knowledge (Universal Intellect).” (40:7). Thus, it is evident that the Universal Soul surrounds the universal surface of the (universal) body and the Universal Intellect surrounds the Universal Soul, as God says: “And God surrounds everything” (4:126). That is, God, the Exalted, through His act of power, which is the Universal Soul, surrounds the entire universe.
Wisdom 8: Ayatu'l-Kursi is called the greatest of verses and the secret of its greatness and eminence is hidden in its esoteric wisdom. One of its phrases is: "His kursi has encompassed the heavens and the earth." (2:255). That is, the entire universe with all its parts and particles is immersed in the surrounding ocean of the Universal Soul, by virtue of which, there is soul in the exterior and interior of every particle. The Universal Soul, which is the Soul of souls is not only like a cover over the universe, but is also like the human soul whose waves always run in the entire body. Thus, every planet and every star is a subsidiary universe under the Universal Soul, which has received the gift of a hidden intellect and a hidden soul.
This wide and vast universe has a magnificent soul, which has many names, such as Dais of God (2:255), Single Soul (6:98; 31:28), Paradise (3:133; 57:21), Guarded Tablet (85:22), Soul of the Qur’an (42:52), Heaven (sama’) (6:6), Universal Soul, Soul of souls, Supreme Soul, All-inclusive soul, Cosmic Soul, etc. It is extremely important that we should have some conception of the shape of the Dais (kursi) for, due to its relationship with the universe and the exterior and interior of everything in it, its shape is round just like the universe itself. That is, the ocean of the Universal Soul, in which the external world is immersed, is round. Now we have to understand how the universe is immersed in the ocean of the soul. Is it similar to a stone immersed in water? No, not really. Although a stone can be immersed in water, water cannot penetrate the interior of the stone. The entire universe is immersed in the ocean of the soul in such a way that every particle is enveloped by the soul both externally and internally, just as a clay brick when dropped into water is covered by water both externally and internally. Another example is like a piece of iron which a blacksmith has heated to white-hot in a furnace. Is it not a fact that fire has penetrated every particle of this iron? And is not the iron immersed in the fire? It is clear from this that similarly, the soul encompasses the heaven and the earth in every direction and in every place and includes in it all things both great and small.
You may have heard of the three greatest things: the greatest of names (the Supreme Name), the greatest of the verses (ayatu'l-kursi) and the greatest of the surahs (suratu'l-fatihah). One of the magnificent wisdoms of Àyatu'l-kursi is: "His kursi encompasses the heavens and the earth." (2:255). What a luminous and heart-illumining verse it is, since it reveals the great secret of how each and every particle of the inner aspect of the universe is immersed in the luminous ocean of the Universal Soul, because by the kursi is meant the Universal Soul.
“Wa-kulla shay’in ahsaynahu fi imamim-mubin = And We have encompassed everything in the essence (light) of the manifest Imam”. That is, everything exists in the form of knowledge and soul in the light of the true Imam. Further, in this light, which is the light of God and His Prophet, are contained the heavens and the earth, as God says: “His Pedestal (kursi) has encompassed the heavens and the earth” (2:255). By Pedestal or kursi is meant the light of guidance about which God says: “Allsh is the light of the heavens and the earth” (24:35). If there is the light of God in the exterior and interior of everything, the same light is in the world of humanity as well, which is the manifest Imam, for God says: “And We have encompassed everything in a Book” (78:29). This Book too, means the same manifest Imam in whose light is everything, as it is said: “O Lord! Your mercy and knowledge have encompassed everything” (40:7). By this mercy and knowledge are meant the soul and intellect of the manifest Imam, which are known as the Universal Soul and the Universal Intellect. Now according to the principles of reason and logic, let us consider whether one great and comprehensive thing should contain everything or should every thing contain all things? It is a fact that every thing cannot contain all things rather a thing, which is the greatest and the most comprehensive, can contain everything.
Q502 In the light of the Qur’an, please tell us whether the Universal Intellect is concealed in the Universal Soul or vice versa?
A502 According to the Qur’an, the Universal Intellect is hidden in the Universal Soul, as mentioned in verse (2:255): “His Kursi has encompassed the heavens and the earth.” Kursi is the Universal Soul whereas the Throne (arsh) is the Universal Intellect.
The ta’wili wisdom of the spiritual resurrection mentioned in verse (7:187) is truly amazing. However, it is extremely necessary to think deeply and understand that resurrection is the supreme light of Hazrat qa’im, calayna salamuhu, whose bearer is the Universal Soul, in whose grip the entire universe is preserved.
You may know that the Universal Soul is the kursi (2:255) as well as the guarded Tablet (85:22), the supreme light of Hazrat qa’im as well as the fountainhead of spiritual resurrection and junction of the two sciences.
Study the ayatu’l-kursi in the light of ta’wili wisdom and also the wisdom-filled description about the Universal Soul in the book Zadu’l-musafirin.3
There is a junction of the mucallim (teacher) and the mutacallim (student) in the world of religion and the same junction continues in the hudud-i din also.
Buwad zanjir ba zanjir paywand; sar-i zanjir dar dast-i Khudawand
One link joins another and the end of the chain is in the hand of Khudawand
That is, consider the hudud-i din like a chain whose links are joined to one another and whose upper and final end is in the blessed hand of the Lord of resurrection.
Try to benefit from the great tasbih of the ism-i aczam of “subhana rabbiya’l-caliyyi’l-cazimi wa-bi-hamdihi” with reference to ayatu’l-kursi (2:255) and as mentioned in the Wajh-i Din.5
This verse has been referred 27 times.