A098
Surah: 006 - Ayah: 098
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6:98
Wisdom 12: Alas, if only our souls were sacrificed in the path of our Beloved time and again! He has always kept Adam/man in Paradise in the form of the Permanent Soul and sends his transitory soul again and again to this world as a shadow clothed in human attire (6:98), because the Great Qur'an alludes in its wisdom-filled way that God has made for mankind a useful shadow of everything (16:81). Thus the external (physical) existence of man is the shadow of the internal (spiritual) existence, and the appearance of the shadow again and again is but natural.
Ranks of the Light of Imamat: Although the light of Imamat in its origin, namely, at the rank of pre-eternity, is the same and there is no difference in it, according to the Divine programme and the exigencies of different times, it performs its function in different ranks. Thus when the light of Imamat functions as a teacher of a Natiq, it is called Imam-i muqim, when it becomes the disciple of a Natiq, it is called Asas. Since the Imamat of the Imam lasts forever from one generation to another in his line, in this sense he is called the Imam-i mustaqarr (the Permanent Imam), sometimes there becomes an Imam whose Imamat returns to the Permanent Imam after a generation or more, in this position he is known as the Imam-i mustawda or Entrusted Imam (6:98). And every seventh Imam of the chain of Imamat is called Imam-i mutimm or the Completer Imam (61:8).
Two Ends of Soul
Q. 80. How are the two ends of our soul and in what sense do the souls have pairs?
A. It should be remembered well that the main source of our soul is in the world of command and paradise. Therefore, we have come to this world not in total, but in a partial sense, as the rays, light and heat of the sun constantly reach the surface of the earth while the sun itself is in its own place. If we, in the light of the sun, place a mirror or a pot containing water in front of us, we will see a dim reflection of the sun in it. This is a beautiful and cogent example of our two-end existence of spirituality and materiality. In this sense, it is said that our soul has two ends or we have two "I’s".
The Wise Qur'an (6:98) implies that when all human beings were created from the Universal Soul by the Divine command, each of them was granted two souls: one mustaqarr (permanent) and the other mustawda' (transitory). The mustaqarr remained in the world of command and the mustawda’ came to this world. Thus, in this world, those who obey Allah, the Prophet and the Lord of the command, as it ought to be and attain the recognition of their soul, will meet their permanent soul (ruh-i mustaqarr). The Holy Prophet, in his last time, alluding to this reality, had prayed to meet the "Companion on High (rafiq-i a'la' = ruh-i mustaqarr)”. In this statement we have sufficiently answered your question.
Hazrat Adam, may peace be upon him, is the first and last unity of all human beings, for he is the single soul (nafs-i wahidah) (6:98; 31:28). That is, all human beings in their origin, are his spiritual copies. These countless living pictures of the soul of Hazrat Adam were taken by Hazrat `Izra'il, by the command of God. However, they gradually moved away from their origin and reality. In other words, they fell sick. The holy Qur’an is revealed for their cure, so that everyone may gradually return to his origin and become the true picture of Hazrat Adam, may peace be upon him. In other words, leaving behind multiplicity and duality, he may annihilate himself in the unity of the single soul.
Nafs wahidah (Perfect Man)
It is said in verse (6:98): "And He it is Who has created you from a Single Soul, then there is a permanent place (mustaqarr) and a transitory place (mustawda)”. This blessed verse shows that every human being has two "I’s" - higher "I" and lower "I".
Wahidah (One, unifier)
Question: How did God create people, or in other words what is the fountainhead of souls? Answer: God created people from the Single Soul and it is the Single Soul which is the fountainhead of the souls of people (6:98; 7:189; 31:28; 39:6). Question: Can the last creation be like the first creation from the Single Soul? The answer to this question is very difficult for the common people, but not for the chosen ones. What does the wise Qur’an say in this connection?
Wildan mukhalladun (Eternal youths)
Eternal youths are always in paradise as well as they come to this world and are born. Therefore, they have two “I’s”, the higher “I” and the lower “I” (6:98; 56:17).
Q295 Would you kindly explain the ta’wili wisdom of verse (6:98): “He it is who has created you from a Single Soul, then there is a permanent place (mustaqarr) and a transitory (mustawdac) place (for every individual).”
A295
- The higher “I” of a human being is in paradise, that is, the permanent place (mustaqarr).
- The lower “I” is sent to the world, which is a transitory place (mustawdac). This human reality is alluded to and confirmed by the law of Imamat, that the permanent Imam is always there in history, but the entrusted Imam is sometimes there and sometimes not.
This verse has been referred 10 times.