A020
Surah: 005 - Ayah: 020
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5:20
Reflect also on the wisdoms of verses (5:20-23): "When He made in (each one of) you Prophets (in potentiality)." That is, He made it possible for every mumin to observe the renewal of similitudes of the manifestation of the Prophet in his personal world, through knowledge and good deeds and to become enriched with the everlasting wealth of realities and recognition. Also He says: "And He made (each one of) you a king (in the personal world)." (5:20). Then it is said: "Enter the holy land (personal world)" (5:21) so that you may actually attain all spiritual and intellectual bounties. By the "formidable people" (5:22) are meant the adversary souls and by "two men" are meant the Jibraili power and the Mika'ili power, who say: "Enter upon them by the gate; for if you enter by it, verily, you shall be victorious." (5:23). That is, the gate of spirituality, knowledge and wisdom is the Imam of the time, therefore, the great kingdom of the personal world can be attained only through him.
In the noble verse (5:20) God says: "(O Prophet, remind them of the time) when Musa said unto his. people: O my people! Remember God’s favour unto you, how He made prophets from among you, and He made you kings". It is evident from the way Hazrat Musa, by the command of God, addressed his people, that God in His infinite mercy had conferred a royal diadem on each of the children of Israel. Apparently, there was no such thing, but it is true that from the Prophets and Imams were made such angels that, each mu'min, in his great angel, was a spiritual king. Or, in other words, in the stage of Izra'il of the Prophet and the Imam, each of the mu'mins is made an angel and a king. A revolution can take place in your world of Qur'anic knowledge by this concept.
al-Arz al-muqaddasah (Holy land/earth)
The observations of the inner light and the personal world include the precious treasures of the sacred recognition of the Prophets and Imams. Reflect upon the wisdom-filled words of verse (5:20): "When He made Prophets from among you, and made you kings."
According to the above-mentioned example, mu'mins are kings in the higher world, but in the lower world they are poor. Regarding the mu'mins of the time of Hazrat Musa, it is said in the Qur’an: “And when Musa said to the people: O my people! remember the favour of God upon you when he raised Prophets among you and made you kings (in spirituality) and gave you what He had not given to any other among the nations” (5:20). This is the glad tiding of becoming annihilated in God and being protected from every kind of spiritual disease.
Mulk (Kingdom)
In the spirituality and resurrection of every wali of the time spiritual kingdoms are given to many mu'mins (male and female), as shown by the example of the time of Hazrat Musa: "And when Musa said to his people: O my people! Remember the bounties of Allah upon you, when He made prophets from among you, and made you kings." (5:20). In view of the fact that all the examples of the external world and the world of religion are gathered in the personal world, the ta'wil of the verse will be: "When He made prophets in your personal world and made you spiritual kings." This address is to the carifs.
Q. "He made among you Prophets" (5:20). How is this verse explained in the light of ta’wil given that " fikum (among you)" is not restricted only to the nation of Hazrat Musa but can also mean "within you"?
A. There is no doubt that there have been many Prophets from the children of Israel but this is related to the external world. As far as the personal world is concerned, all the Prophets are represented by the single soul ( nafs-i wahidah). Thus the meaning of " fikum (among you)" or "within you" is not restricted to only one of these meanings. In this wisdom-filled teaching it is said to the children of Israel that they should progress from potentiality to actuality through knowledge and good deeds and see what favours have been granted to them by God, the Benevolent. Within them is hidden a world in which the past and the future come in front of them as the present. One should note that this wisdom is hidden in the word "fikum" wherever it is mentioned in the Wise Qur’an.
Q. In verse (5:20) it is said: "And gave you what He has not given to any other people of the world". Does this mean that what was given to the children of Israel was not given to anyone else in the past or the future? If this is true, then why were the people of Hazrat Musa selected for such Divine bounties?
A. The wisdom of this sacred verse is that by the children of Israel is meant all those who had physical proximity to the Prophets and Imams in their respective cycles. But to actually attain Divine mercy, knowledge and good deeds are necessary in every age. Thus, the children of Israel were given preference over the people of their time only and this does not mean in the past or in the future, and also only if
they were obedient, as can be seen in the Wise Qur’an.
Hasan cAli Shah (peace be upon him):
The favourite and lovely title of Shah has been used for almost all Imams. For, in reality, the Imam is the king and love for the king of the throne of spirituality is extremely pleasant. The Qur’anic term for Shah is malik, the plural of which is muluk. True mu’mins derive immense happiness from the concept of the Imam being king, for in this concept there is a great secret and that is hidden in the following verse: “And (remember) when Musa said unto his people: O my people! Remember Allah’s favour unto you, how He made among you prophets and He made you kings” (5:20). This is in the sense that the true mu’mins of the community of Musa were kings in the light of their respective Imam of the time. For Imam of the time is the name of the supreme soul of mu’mins, which is embodied as the Perfect Man and this great bounty is the same for all times.
The title “Agha Khan” began to be used from this blessed attire (jamah-i mubarak) of the holy light. Another form of this title is “Aqa Khan”. Aqa means a great lord, nobleman, head; Khan means chief, prince; both words are Turkish. The technical meaning of “Aqa Khan” is very exalted and unique and it is obvious why the Imam has accepted it as a title.
Q375 What is the ta’wil of verse (5:20): “And [remember] when Moses said to his people: O my people! Remember the bounties of God upon you, when he appointed Prophets from among you, and made you kings, and gave you that which He has not given anyone in the world.”
A375
- It is an extremely great and wonderful bounty of God that, although the Prophets had come physically, the miracles of the personal world cannot be complete without their arrival spiritually.
- The exalted Imam and his hujjats are both spiritual kings and the moulds of resurrection. Al-hamdu li’llah, by the infinite grace of God, mu’mins too, can be kings of paradise by being gradually cast in the mould of resurrection.
Q476 Study verse (5:20-26). It is mentioned in verse (5:21) that Hazrat Moses(c) said to his people: “O my people! Enter the holy land which God has assigned to you, and do not turn your backs, for then you will turn back as losers.” Which is this holy land that the children of Israel were commanded to conquer? Is this the story of the major jihad?
A476
- This is the land of the personal world, which is holy in many senses and the conquest of which is the subjugation of the universe.
- Indeed, this is the story of the major jihad.
Q477 Verse (5:20) contains the wisdom-filled allusion that among the mu’mins of Hazrat Moses(c) and Hazrat Aaron(c), those who had entered the personal world had become kings. Is this great providence of God not possible in every age?
A477
- Divine providence is always possible, but the great pre-requisite is to enter the personal world.
- The gate of the personal world is the Imam of the time, and to enter through him it is essential to have obedience, ardent love and knowledge.
- The light of the Imam of the time had risen in the personal worlds of our Pirs and dignitaries. Countless examples of this great event are found in the Qur’an.
This verse has been referred 15 times.