A040
Surah: 007 - Ayah: 040
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07:40
In the Quraan there are numerous examples of the ascent and descent of spirit and angles. For example, see 7:40; 15:14; 35:10; 42:52; 53:7; 57:4; 58:22.
Abwab al-jannah (Eight hudud-i din, the eight ranks of religion)
The Throne is based on eight ranks: Kursi and seven heavens. They are the same eight bearers of the Throne as well as the eight paradises, whose gates are called abwabu's-sama' (gates of the heavens), namely the gates of paradise, as mentioned in verse (7:40): "Verily, those who belie Our signs and turn away in haughtiness from them, the gates of heaven shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter paradise until the camel passes through the eye of the needle."
We also need to reflect well upon this wisdom-filled verse (7:40): "Verily, those who belie Our signs and turn away in haughtiness from them, the gates of heaven shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter Paradise until the camel passes through the eye of the needle."
Wisdom 1. By the signs of God are meant the holy Imams. Therefore to belie them is to belie the signs of God, and to claim their office is the worst haughtiness.
Wisdom 2. Since there are seven heavens, seven doors of spirituality are mentioned here.
Wisdom 3. Here, the ta’wil of camel is to aggrandise oneself. And the ta’wil of the passing of the camel through the needle’s eye is that man should follow religion in the true sense and with true humility should transform the frozen camel of his soul into particles. Now this camel, which like the she-camel of Hazrat Salih, is in the form of particles of soul, can pass through the eye of the needle.
It is clear from the above-mentioned verse that mi'raj, ma'arij and the path of Paradise all have the same meaning. For, at the highest place of the soul and intellect, where the extreme proximity to God is attained, is mi'raj as well as Paradise. That is, the journey of mankind is from the lowness of this world to the heights of the higher world and this journey is likened to the climbing of a ladder. And the
ladder of spirituality is the blessed personality of the True Guide.
Mr. Ghulᾱm Abbᾱs, a resident of Upper Murtazabad, Hunza, now residing in Karachi is asking about the wisdom of verse (7:40): “ verily those who belie our signs and turn away in haughtiness from them, the gates of heaven shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter Paradise until the camel passes through the eye of the needle. Thus do We requite the guilty.” It should be known that in the above-mentioned verse by the miracles or signs of Allah are meant the Imams from the progeny of Muhammad (s.a.s.). Thus it is these holy Imams who are the miracles and signs of God on the surface of the earth, as Mawlᾱnᾱ Ali (a.s.) says: “I am Allah’s miracles and His trustworthy (of knowledge and wisdom).” (Manaqib-I Murtazawi, p.77). this is a farman of the light of imᾱmat which, at the time of Mawlᾱnᾱ Ali, was in him and which continues in the chain of the Imams.Now with regard to the fact that the gates of the spiritual heaven are the Divine light, Mawlana Ali says: “I am the gate of Allah about which He has said: verily those who belie Our signs and turn away in haughtiness from them.” (Manaqib-I Murtazawi p.76) The other proof is the two famous Ahᾱdīth, according to one of which the Holy Prophet is the city of Divine knowledge and Mawlᾱnᾱ Alī is its gate and according to the other, the Holy Prophet is the house of everlasting wisdom and Mawlᾱnᾱ Alī is its door. This shows that it is only by entering through the gate of the Imam that one attains knowledge and wisdom and the eternal light of God and the Prophet. Thus it is obvious that the Imams in their respective times are the doors of the heaven of spirituality, by opening which mu”mins enter Paradise and for the rest to enter Paradise is as impossible as it is for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle.
Q222 The question is related to verse (7:40): “passing of the camel through the eye of the needle”. Is it a supposition or is it possible and is a ta’wili parable?
A222 This is not a hypothesis, it is a parable, which has ta’wils: • A person, however great he may be, should for the sake of spiritual progress consider himself to be humble, insignificant and a worthless particle. • When a salik enters the stage of Israfil and cIzra’il, his spiritual existence is scattered into particles, which are so tiny that they can easily pass through the eye of a needle.
This verse has been referred 10 times.