A024
Surah: 014 - Ayah: 024
Click here to see the translations
14:24
On many of the trees of the world of spirituality and the world of the Qur'an, there are the beehives of the bees of ta'wil, such as the pure tree (14:24), the tree of mount Sinai (23:20), the blessed tree of Olive (24:35), the tree of the blessed place (28:30), the tree under which the mumins gave the oath of allegiance to the Prophet (48:18), and there are other such trees, but all of them are the same tree.
The miraculous Word (mujizati kalimah), which is mentioned in verses (14:24-25), has already been explained under verse No. (6). It is noteworthy that there are special centers of the knowledge and wisdom of the Qur'an and spiritualism. These centers are in the form of the "Great Names of God" and "Perfect Words" (.kalimat-i tammat). You may have sufficient knowledge about [the concept of] ism-i a'zam, but I am not sure whether you have any knowledge about kalimah-i tammah (Perfect Word) or not. However, with the grace of the true Lord, I will try to explain to some extent the position of kalimat-i tammat in the Qur'an and in spiritualism, which, with respect to their being the source of abounding knowledge and wisdom, are such that each one in itself can be considered as a complete book. The greatest miracle of these kalimat (words) is that they are under the control of spiritual hudud (ranks, dignitaries), so that they will avail more and more guidance through them to true mu'mins. As it is alluded to in the Qur'an:
It (i.e. the Qur'an) is in such books (suhuf) [i.e., kalimcit-i tammat], which are honored, exalted and pure; in the hands of such scribes (i.e. angels) who are honorable and pious (80:13-16).
This is the Qur'anic definition and description of kalimat-i tammat. The ta'wil of the scribing angels is spiritual hudud (ranks, dignitaries) who are giving knowledge and wisdom to mu'mins through these kalimat. In this sense, they [the spiritual hudud who are like scribing angels] write these kalimat in the heart and mind of mu 'mins.
In verse (14:24), God has compared the Qur'an and the Light of the Qur'an (i.e. the teacher of the Qur'an), with a "pure tree". This alludes (signifies) that where the Qur'an is regarded as hikmat (wisdom) at the stage (level) of spiritualism, there it is like the fruit and kernel of the tree. And where it is considered as kitab (the Book), there it is the tree itself, for both the Book and Wisdom are mentioned separately in the Qur'an itself. This means that as the entire tree is contained in the fruit and kernel potentially, so in the same way. the entire knowledge of the Qur'an can be contained in the hikmat. As it is said: And he unto whom hikmat (wisdom) is given, he truly has received abundant good (2:269).
Light on the Tree
Q. 96. Is it an allegory or a reality that, as soon as Hazrat Musa went in search of the fire, he found God? Did he observe the light of God with the external eye or with the internal eye? If this event is related to ta'wil, what is the ta'wil of the tree (on which was the light)?
A. In this story of Hazrat Musa, the allegorical aspect is conspicuous. Here the fire symbolises the light; and the tree, the Supreme Name (Word=Tree 14:24). As for the observation of the light, it did not happen all of a sudden in one day, rather Hazrat Musa was already travelling on the path of spirituality. He was receiving the spiritual upbringing in Egypt long before his migration. His spiritual mother in Egypt was one of the da’is of Hazrat Shu'ayb. After migration, he was also receiving spiritual training directly from Hazrat Shu tayb.
The light of God is observed with the internal or the spiritual eye and not with the external or the physical one. Even when the external and internal senses become one, the external observations are considered as internal events. This means that the internal senses of the Prophets and the friends of God, dominate their external senses.
Shajarah-I Tayyibah (Pure and Holy Tree, 14:24): Pure Tree means the chain of Imamat which is the mazhar (place of manifestation) of the Universal Intellect. The root of this tree is the exalted personality of the Holy Prophet which is firm in the ground of religion. The branch is the Holy Light of the Imam of the time which functions as the Pearl of Intellect at the height of the heaven of spirituality and it yields fruit all the time by the permission of its Lord (14:25). It should be noted forever that Intellect has two places: the external world and the internal world.
A. it was the blessed personality of mazhar and veil, i.e. the personal world of Hazrat of Hazrat Musa , as well as the pure personality of Imam, for it many places in the Wise Quraan, the Prophet and the Imam are compared with a tree. Therefore, their pure personality in that pure tree which is mentioned in verses (14:24-25). That is, it is the evergreen tree of the paradise of spirituality, which always gives fruit by the command of its Lord.
Imam (Guide)
According to the will of God, although the light of Imamat was always manifest in the world of religion, He made it prominent in the great personality of Hazrat Ibrahim. If this verse is observed with insight, one becomes absolutely sure that "Imamat is the wisdom-filled fruit of the tree of Prophethood (14:24-25)".
Thabit (Firm)
It is said in verse (14:24): "Its root is firm and its branch is in the heaven." That is, the root of the tree of Imamat, which is the holy Prophet, is very firm, and its branch is in the higher world, where the sweet fruit of the knowledge and wisdom of the Imam of the time is prepared.
Zaraba (He struck (an example))
It is said in verse (14:24): "Have you not seen how Allah has set forth a parable? A pure word is like a pure tree, whose root is firmly fixed and whose branch is in heaven." The pure word is the ism-i azam, which a pious murid receives from the Imam of the time, and the pure tree is the blessed personality of the Imam of the time himself. Among these, one ism-i azam is in the form of a personality and the other is in the form of a word. But the very great miracle of God is that in the personal world both become one. That is, the Imam becomes the speaking word and the word becomes the blessed light of the Imam.
Kalimat Allah (Ism-i azam, Supreme Name)
In verse (14:24), the ta'wil of the pure word is ism-i azam, and that of the pure tree, the light of Prophethood and the light of Imamat, that of the root of the tree, the holy Prophet and that of the branch of the tree which gives fruit in the higher world, the Imam. How marvellous, magnificent and wisdom-filled this example is, according to which the Imam is externally in the physical world and internally in the higher world.
Q3 Which evergreen tree gives its fruit in every season and in which surah of the Qur’an is it mentioned?
A3
- The evergreen tree, which gives fruit in every season, is the pure tree, “shajarah-i tayyibah”.
It is mentioned in the Qur’an in verses (14:24-25).
Q215 Verse (14:24) contains the parable of two sacred things, one is the pure word and the other the pure tree. What is meant by the pure word? Which is the sacred tree whose root is firm in the ground and whose branch reaches the heaven?
A215 The pure word is the supreme Name. The pure tree is the Light of Prophethood and Imamat, in which the firm root is the holy Prophet and the branch in heaven is the Imam of the time. Thus, the pure word is the supreme Name that rises from the earth of the personal world and reaches the higher world. The supreme Name, in reality, is the Imam of the time and it is a great miracle that the light of the Imam first manifests potentially and then actually in the supreme Name that he grants to some [of his murids]. This is the reason why the Imam of the time teaches the science of secrets to the people of recognition in the personal world, particularly in the sacred Sanctuary.
The word is mentioned in various Qur’ᾱnic verses, such as (14:24-25): “See you not how Allah has explained the similitude of a pure word that, it is like a pure tree whose root is set firm and whose branch has reached into the heaven. It gives fruit always by the permission of its Lord”.(14:24-25)
The holy tree of knowledge, wisdom and guidance is mentioned in the surah-yi Ibrahim (14:24). This holy tree is the Prophet and the Imam through whose light the mu’mins always obtain the fruit of external and internal guidance. Thus in Islam the Imam of the time is the evergreen tree after the noble Prophet.
This verse has been referred 16 times.