A017
Surah: 019 - Ayah: 017
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19:17
Is Soul Perceptible or Intelligible?
Q. 42. Please tell us whether the soul is among the perceptible or the intelligible? Please explain your view concerning this in the light of proofs.
A. Soul, as such, is intelligible. That is to say, it cannot be recognized by the external senses, rather, only by the intellect. However, when it is linked with the subtle or the dense body, then in a sense, it can also be called perceptible, particularly in the form of the subtle body. That is to say that, when our soul is dressed in the attire of the celestial body, we can see it with the physical eye with all its beauties, we can hear its conversation, we can smell its fragrances, etc.
When the Holy Spirit appeared before Hazrat Maryam, it was in the form of a Perfect and Complete Man (19:17). Sometimes, by the command of God, angels also appear dressed in the human attire (11:69-81). In short, whereas the small souls appear in the form of particles, the great souls, which are angels, appear in perfect human form.
What is Soul 25
If we reflect on the story of Hazrat Maryam, we realise that when Hazrat Maryam practiced special ibadat secretly, away from the people, God sent her His Holy Spirit, Jibril, who through the act of ibadat, appeared in front of her in the form of a Perfect Man (ibdai body) (19:17). If the ibda had happened once only in pre-eternity (azal), or was confined only to the world of command, then Hazrat Maryam would not have experienced this miracle of ibda.
This fact can be seen in the story of Maryam, that the Holy Spirit or Jibril, who is granted the great title of the “Spirit of God” appeared in front Hazrat Maryam in the form of a Perfect Man (19:17). If we therefore consider this Spirit of God or Light of God, the Divine Form (surat-i Rahman) on the one hand and the human form (surat- i Insan) on the other, then by what logic can this conclusion be against the Holy Qur’an and therefore false? Since according to this story, the adoption of the human form by the spirit of God is a Qur’anic fact, then it must also be true that Hazrat Adam was the Divine Form in his own time.
Tamaththala (He took the form, he appeared)
According to verse (19:17), the archangel, by the command of God, appeared in front of Hazrat Maryam in the form of the Perfect Man, who in the language of ta'wil is called the ibdaci body of the Imam of the time, and which can be seen by the asas, imam, bab, hujjat and daci. Maryam in her time was one of the hujjats, therefore she is an example of the hujjat.
Tamaththala (He took the form, he appeared)
Hazrat Maryam is the example of those fortunate people who become successful in the sacred dhikr of ism-i aczam, as God says in verse (19:17): "Then We sent to her Our Spirit, and he appeared to her exactly like a perfect man." It should be noted that Hazrat Maryam was one of the hujjats, and therefore, she is the example of the rank of hujjat.
Sawiyy (Straight, equal, correct)
In verse (19:17) the meanings of "basharan sawiyya (the sound human being)" are: (1) Ibdaci body, (2) The appearance of the angel in the form of a Perfect Man, (3) Astral body, (4) Paradisiacal attire, (5) Creature of paradise, (6) Believing jinn, (7) Manifestation of mubdac, (8) Subtle body, (9) Miracle of ibdac, (10) Miracle of inbicath, (11) Similitudinal body (jism-i mithali), (12) A new creation, (13) Mihrab, (14) Saffa, (15) Saffan saffa, (16) Macrocosm, (17) Essence of the universe, (18) New attire (thos gatu), etc. Praise belongs to God for His kindness and favour!
Q141 It is mentioned in verse (19:17): “Then We sent to her Our spirit, and he appeared (tamaththala) to her exactly like a sound human being.” Would you kindly explain some of its secrets of recognition?
A141 Our spirit (ruhana) means light, angel, spirit of the Prophet, spirit of the Imam. Tamaththala means to take on the form, basharan sawiyya means a Perfect Man in every respect. Thus, he was the manifest angel or the manifestation of the Prophet or the Imam in the luminous body. The same is the body of similitude (jism-i mithali). There are many other secrets in it, but the main and necessary point is that it is one of the stages of spirituality, which is called the stage of ibdac (manzil-i ibdac), in which the Imam, salawatu’llahi calayhi, manifests himself to a salik in the luminous body. That is, the Imam blesses him with his holy didar in the ibdaci body.
Q443 With respect to the body, what was the special soul or angel who came to Hazrat Maryam(c) by God’s command and appeared to her in the form of a sound and perfect man (19:17)? Was his body a compound of the four elements? Was he really an angel in human form? Can we call him the ibdaci body? Can we call it the mubdac?
A443
- He is a luminous body.
- He is not made of the four elements.
- Yes, he is really an angel in human form.
- He is the ibdaci body.
- Indeed, he is the mubdac, but the meaning of the mubdac in ancient philosophy is different.
This verse has been referred 13 times.