A107
Surah: 021 - Ayah: 107
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21:107
In the Holy Qur'an the most clear and bright realities are related to the light, and the most understandable examples also are regarding the light, the reason for which is the very existence of the light itself and its Importance and usefulness. As the world-Illumining sun is the source of all material blessings and favours, in the -same way, the sun of the light of religion is the fountainhead of all religious blessings. Then how was it possible that the light should sometimes exist and sometimes not?
Allah says that He is the light of the highness and lowness of the universe. Then He says that the similitude of His light is like a niche in which there is a lamp, in this Divine teaching, we should not proceed further, without understanding the allusions of the niche and the lamp. We see in this similitude, that the first relation of the Divine light is with the niche, then with the lamp, because of its being in the niche. This means that the niche of the inner house of God has the supreme rank, which is eternal like the concept of God and His kingdom. The prophets and imams, by the permission of God, have been attaining this rank, as the blessed being of the Prophet is a bright proof of this reality that he, in his own time, was a luminous lamp. In this case, can any wise person dare to say that the lamp which was shedding light in the niche of the house of God was separate from the lamp of the Prophet? Never, never. Rather, the fact is, that just as he was a mercy for all worlds (21:107), he was the light of the heavens and earth in the status of the light of God. For, where the Divine mercy can reach all the worlds through him, there the Divine light can also reach them through him,. For, other than this, there ls no such concept in the Qur'an, according to which, we should accept the Essence of God as light. And everybody knows that this verse is a mithal or similitude and not mamthul (reality or tawil). And its mamthul, as mentioned above, is that the Intellect of the Perfect Man, who is the true guide, vicegerent of God or the vicegerent of the Prophet, mazhar of God, the speaking Qur'an, inheritor or the Book and living lsm-i a zam from God, has been made the lamp of guidance and been placed in the niche of honour and supremacy and is given the status of the light of God, by God. Now let us see the entire verse of light:
Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth, the similitude of His light is as a niche in which ls a bright lamp and the lamp is in a (chandelier of) glass, and the chandelier is as though it were a star of pearl; it (lamp) is lit from a blessed tree, an Olive neither of the east nor of the west, the oil of which would well-nigh give light though no fire touched it, light upon light; Allah guides to His light whom He pleases; and Allah strikes out parables for men; and Allah all things doth know, (24:35).
The Words of Durud:
First wisdom: Since God has sent His beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) as an universal mercy for the personal worlds (21:107), therefore all people need his intercession, but he himself is free from and above the intercession of anybody else.
The favours which God, the Blessed, the Exalted, has showered on the world of humanity in general and on the world of Islam in particular, by sending Hazrat Muhammad, the Chosen, may peace and salutation of God be on him and his progeny, as the Seal of the Prophets, cannot be enumerated by anyone, as He, the Knowing, the Wise, says in a wisdom-filled verse; "And We did not send you except as a mercy (rahmat) for (the people of) the worlds". (21:107). Here it is necessary for the one who is at one of the stages of love for the Prophet as well as the one who does not duly recognise him, to think well about what kind of a universe of mercies and blessings is the exalted personality of the Prophet. For mercy is a Qur'anic word, in which is implied the fulfilment of every kind of spiritual need and every kind of benevolence of all personal worlds and that this universal mercy is permanent and perpetual in the form of vicegerency, in its all-inclusive and universal nature.
Spiritual Light:
There are many people in this world who are always suffering from the darkness of spirit and spirituality and who deny the realities of the hereafter, because they have no relation with and are not interested in faith and religion. According to them, this external and worldly life is everything, whereas according to religion it is the life of spirituality and the hereafter which is far better and superior. Thus Almighty God has appointed the spiritual light in order to remove the darkness of spirit and spirituality. That is, in every age He has appointed the blessed and sacred soul of the True Guide as the fountainhead of spiritual light, so that for the people of inner eye, the spiritual light, so that for the people of the inner eye, the spiritual world may be far greater, more luminous and brighter than the material world.
God says in verse (21:107): “And (O Muhammad!) We sent you not but as a mercy unto the worlds”. This means that, according to the Divine Will, the light of Muhammad (s.a.s.) rose from the world of lahut and continued forever in the worlds of jabarut, malakut and nasut in the form of knowledge, wisdom and guidance. It should be known that nasut, which if the world of human beings, is the lowest, above which is malakut, which is the world of souls and angels, above which is jabarut, the world of actual angels and Divine attributes and above which is lahut, the world of oneness or the world of essence, which is the highest. It should be noted that this order of elevation is not spatial, rather it is in the sense of honour.
God, the Beneficent, the Merciful, has ordained the light of guidance and mercy in order to help man, who has come to this world from the presence of God and has to return to Him according to “we have to return to Him” (2:156). God knew that man is weak in every respect and cannot be successful without His succor and help in the long chain of this journey. Thus, He decided to help him through the means of the light of guidance and to lead him step by step, stage by stage and world by world until he merges in the ultimate origin.
Regarding the word “alamin (pl. of alam)”, which literally means “worlds”, Imam jafar al – sadiq says that this means the world of humanity. The world “alamin”(worlds), is used in plural because every person, either potentially or actually, is a world in himself. As God says regarding the Holy Prophet: “wa ma arsalna-kailla rahmatan li’l-alamin, (i.e. We sent you not save as a mercy for the peoples”(21:107).The gist of this verse is that the prophet is a Divine mercy for the world of humanity, but because all human beings are not equal in the capacityof attainingit (mercy) the word is used in plural (i.e. alamin, worlds).
The world is the ocean of mercy, as it is the ocean of knowledge, (21:107, 40:7), and its flow is towards the world of mankind through the holy Prophet, the mercy for the worlds.
You should be the well-wisher of Muslims in particular, for they believe in the holy Prophet with soul and heart and also believe in this command of the holy Qur’an that he has been sent by God, the Great, the Exalted, as a mercy for all worlds (21:107), by which are meant all human beings. This means that the holy Prophet, through the mediation of all prophets, is the mercy for the human beings of all ages. Yet, you may ask this question: “Without differentiating between believers and unbelievers and despite the eternal existence of Paradise and Hell, how is it possible for him to be a mercy for all people equally?” My answer to this question is that, there cannot be any doubt for a Muslim in what God has said about believers and unbelievers and Paradise and Hell. Yet, it is also a Qur'anic proof that the holy Prophet is a mercy for the entire world of humanity. It is my suggestion that you should reflect profoundly on verses (11:107-108), God willing, you will find the answer to your question to the fullest satisfaction.
Rahmah (Mercy, kindness, every bounty which is necessary for the soul)
It is mentioned in verse (21:107): "And We sent you not but as a mercy unto the worlds (personal worlds)." According to Imam Jacfar as-Sadiq, by the worlds are only meant human beings and human beings are born in all times. Thus, the holy Prophet is made the treasure and centre of mercy or the universal mercy for the cycle of Prophets as well as for the cycle of Imams. Therefore, the holy Prophet, according to his own blessed words, is the chief of Prophets. If someone is truly the leader of his community, then he is the chief both in word and deed. That is, the true chief is the one who benefits the community in every respect.
Salawat (Benedictions):
Question: Please tell us the true meaning or the ta'wil of the salawat. Since according to the Qur'anic verse (21:107) the Prophet himself is the source of blessings, how can the intercession of sending mercy on him be appropriate?
Answer: This question was previously asked by some students, and I have answered it in Panj Maqalah IV, on pp. 27-9. See also Wajh-i din, (Urdu translation) Part II, kalam, 50, Falsafah-yi Dua, pp. 61-9, and also the answer to Question 13, in the first part of this book.
God, the most Just of judges, sent His beloved Muhammad, the chosen, salla'llahu alayhi wa alihi wa sallam to the world as “a mercy for all the worlds” (21:107), and granted him a wisdom filled Book which contains, not only the details of spiritual realities, but also the solutions of the most complex and intricate worldly problems of the present and the future which have arisen or are going to arise as a result of an astonishing scientific revolution and [its concomitant] advancement. That heavenly holy Book is the wise Qur'an. It is obligatory to reflect on its verses to understand their meanings and with the help of their wisdom to find correct solutions to our problems.
The sacred position of the Holy Prophet is described in numerous verses of the Qur'an. In fact it can be said that: "The entire Qur'an is a description of his perfection - Qur'an tamam wasf-i kamal-i Muhammadast)". One of the verses is: "We sent you not save as a mercy for the (human) worlds." (21:107).
It is well-known that among the great names of Allah, two are very famous, namely Rahmᾱn and Rahim, which are derived from rahmat, which means mercy, compassion, love and the loving care of God. And this implies that all the means of true love and affection are available to mankind,because the affection, love and mercy of God, the Beneficent, the Meciful, are not possible without a means, as the Qur’ᾱn says: “And we sent you not but as a mercy to the people of the world”. (21:107). Now the question is that if Holy Prophet is sent to the world as the universal mercy, then is he himself the mercy of God, or not? If the answer is in the positive, then certainly he is the explanation of the names Rahmᾱn and Rahim. He is the fountainhead of Divine mercy and the light of God manifests from his luminous attributes. The holy Qur’ᾱn says: “Say (O Muhammad): I do not ask of you any recompense for it (the toils of Prophethood) save the love of (my) relatives (ahl-I bayt)”. (42:23)
Evidence of the Prophets:
It is famous narrative that 124,000 Prophetws have come from God for the guidance of people, But according to Divine wisdom and the exigency of time and space, they were not equal in excellence and rank, as God says: “Of those messengers, We have exalted some over others: “(2:253). Thus, this excellence and rank became complete with the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and among the numerous proofs of this fact, one is mentioned by God Himself: “(O Prophet!) We sent you not but as a mercy for the people of the world.” (21:107). Thus, only the Holy Prophet, among all the Prophets, is the universal mercy and the mercy of God, and this mercy of God and the Prophet, first of all, appears in the form of guidance. This results in the fact that the Holy Prophet was the centre of guidance for the erlier and the later generations. It is fact that the centre is in the midst of things and the Holy Prophet was between the end of the cycle of Prophethood and the beginning of the cycle of Imamat, and from this centre of guidance, the earlier people were guided by the prophets and the later people, by the Imams. Thus, it is evident that the Holy Prophet is undoubtedly the chief of the Messengers and the Guide of the paths. Thus, it is as clear as broad daylight that the existence of a religious and spiritual head appointed by God, is necessary for the people of every age. For, had it been proper and possible in the Divine law for a group of people or the people of an age to dispense with a Divinely appointed spiritual head and instead to exalt some over others from within themselves, then this would have been possible in the case of the Prophets, who themselves are guided and the chiefs of the people, contrary to the verse 2:253, mentioned above.
Rabbi’l-calamin (Nourisher of the worlds):
Rabbi’l-calamin means that God has innumerable worlds. According to some sages of religion, these worlds are of three kinds: The subtle worlds (pure spiritual worlds), the dense worlds (pure physical worlds) and the combined worlds (the worlds which are a combination of body and soul), i.e. the worlds of human personalities.
The worlds that are purely spiritual are beyond space and time and are ever-living angels. For, according to the above mentioned statement, if human beings can be combined worlds of body and soul, then necessarily angels can also be purely spiritual worlds. As for the purely physical worlds, there cannot be any doubt at all that they are the planets and the stars and the elements, vegetables and animals, in which corporeality is predominant and hence they can be called purely physical worlds.
Thus it is evident that in the meaning of rabbi’l-calamin is specifically mentioned the nourishment of human worlds. For, in the above-mentioned three kinds of worlds, the angels do not need as much nourishment as human beings and the pure physical worlds due to their being devoid of intellect and awareness are not capable of [receiving] Divine nourishment as are human beings.
Further, it is a clear fact that the word calamin in the holy Qur’an is used mainly in the sense of human beings, as God says: “Wa-ma arsalnaka illa rahmatan li’l-calamin (And We sent you not save as a mercy for the peoples)” (21:107). Thus it is evident that Divine nourishment, which is mentioned in rabbi’l-calamin is the nourishment of the human worlds in a special sense and that of the other worlds in a general sense. For, if we accept that God nourishes this universe, it has to have fruit; and if there is one, it is humankind. In this case too, the fruit of Divine nourishment is the human being and it is specifically provided for him, just as in reality nourishment of a tree is for the sake of its fruit.
The wisdom-filled words of the Fatihah or the Ummu’l-kitab, which are as the titles of the details of the Qur’an, have endless meanings, which cannot be described extensively in the present booklet. Therefore, we will explain briefly only those words in whose meanings there is no controversy.
Section on the words of Salat:
“Sajada wajhi ilayka = O Allah! my intention, attention and face are prostrated before You with submissiveness and humility.” Sajdah means to bow down with submissiveness and humility. Wajh here is used in the sense of intention, attention and face. And the appropriate translation of ilayka here, is ‘before You’. “Wa-tawakkaltu calayka = And I trusted in You”. That is, I entrust those matters to You which are beyond my power, and rely on You. “Minka quwwati = From You is provided my strength”. That is, if I can do anything within my power, spiritually and physically, this is through the means granted by You. “Wa-anta cismati ya rabb’al-calamin = And it is You Who is my protection and refuge, O Lord of the worlds”. That is, it is You Who protects me from sins and affliction through Your spiritual and physical guidance and miraculous power. For it is You Who sustains the worlds. And it is the nature (habit) of the Sustainer to sustain and protect more the one who is more needy and cries more.
“Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadini’l-mustafa = O Allah! send mercy through the chosen MuÈammad”, whom You have sent as an all-embracing mercy for the people of the worlds (21:107), “Wa-cala cAliyyini’l-murtada = And through the selected cAli, whom You have given the title of al-Kawthar (the one who has abundant children) and considered him as the son of Hadrat Muhammad; “Wa- cala’l-a’immati’l-athar = And through the pure and true Imams”, who are the luminous and spiritual children of Hadrat Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny and al-Kawthar (i.e. cAli). For God, in the surah of al-Kawthar, considers them the children of the Prophet and his true heirs, successors and bearers of his light of guidance, and refutes the accusation of the infidel who said that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny, had no male issue. This infidel, according to some reports was cAsbin Wa’il, and according to others, cAqabah bin Abu Mu’ayyit and according to Ibn Abbas, this accusation was made by Kacab bin Ashraf and a group of the Quraysh.
“Wa-cala hujjati’l-amri sahibi’z-zamani wa’l-casri imamina’l-hadiri’l-mawjudi mawlana Shah Karimi’l-Husayni = And send mercy through our present and living Imam Shah Karim al-Husayni, who is the proof of Your command and master of external time (zaman) and internal time (casr)”. The proof of the command means that God has never left this world without a guide. For, had He done so, on the Day of Judgement people would have said: O our Lord, there was no present and living guide from You in our time and therefore we could not understand the ultimate purpose of Your Book. In such a case, in view of the law of justice, they would have been right in their argument against God, and He would have been accountable for not having provided guidance. But the fact is that the argument stands against the people, for in every age He has sent a messenger for their guidance, and then He has appointed a true successor to him so that the people would not have an argument against Him about the lack of guidance, for as He says: “So that humankind might have no argument against God, after the messengers” (4:164). Thus, after the holy Prophet until the Resurrection, the Imam of every age in his time is the proof of the command and guidance of God over humankind therefore people have no argument against God on the Day of Resurrection.
“Inner time (casr-i batin)” is the name of the spiritual time, which is linked with external time (zamanah-i zahir), just like the soul is linked with the body. In other words, casr is the name of the spiritual cycle, which is hidden in the physical cycle and when this cycle will come to an end, that cycle will appear, just as the day appears when the night ends. Let us give an example to make the reality of casr or spiritual time understandable: Sometimes, as a result of a good deed or good cibadat, you may have seen a luminous dream and you might have realised that time in the world of dreams is utterly different from that of the external world. It is possible that in such a luminous dream you may have seen spring, although physically it is not the season of spring. Such time is called casr. Another example from the state of wakefulness: Take an example of a pure darwish or a faqir, who is in constant dhikr, or a sufi of haqiqat or a true mu’min, who in addition to good deeds has attained perfection in cibadat and macrifat, to such an extent that when he wants to see the luminous world with his inner eyes, he closes his external eyes and the luminous world is before him. Now time in this luminous world is different from the time in the external world through which his body passes. Time in the luminous world is called the inner or spiritual time (casr-i batin), whose majesty and grandeur is such that God swears by it: “By the casr (spiritual time)! Verily man (due to his negligence about the casr) is in great loss” (103:1-2).
“Allahumma laka sujudi wa-tacati = O Allah! my prostration and obedience is for You”.
Part 3
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
It is mentioned in verse (21:107): “And We sent you not but as a mercy to the people of the world.” This verse about the holy Prophet Muhammad is a bright proof that ultimately all people have to go to paradise. The above noble verse guarantees this and no wise person can deny God’s law of universal mercy.
Thus, although the hell of ignorance exists in the world, when the Imam of the time, by God’s command, causes spiritual resurrection (17:71), he gathers all the people together and brings them into paradise. It is in this sense that the holy Prophet has said: “The people are God’s household”.
Praise belongs to Allah for His grace and beneficence!
Part 37
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The wisdom-filled verse (21:107) says: “And We sent you not but as a mercy to the personal worlds”, that is, for every personal world or the world of humanity. This programme of Allah’s universal mercy, which is for the sake of all human beings is going to be accomplished, for it is absolutely impossible that Allah wills some work and it remains unaccomplished.
It is mentioned in verse (58:21): “Allah has decreed: I shall prevail, I and My Messengers. Verily Allah is strong and mighty.”
Part 51
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
According to one calculation, there are altogether 6666 verses of the holy Qur’an. Every verse is multifaceted, and therefore whatever its exoteric description, esoterically there is definitely some wisdom in it concerning the world of humanity directly or indirectly. There is no doubt that the Qur’an is a mercy for the world of humanity. Why not, while its teacher is a mercy to all human beings from God (21:107).
According to verse (2:245) God is the Enfolder and Unfolder, therefore He spreads every subject of the Qur’an from one end to the other and again He condenses it in the same place. It is because of this that internally the soul of all subjects is in each subject, just as all souls are potentially present in each human soul. That is, if an individual like the Single Soul is able to bear the burden of the spiritual resurrection, all people will gather in him spiritually and become his army or his dhurriyyat (offspring). This capacity exists in every soul. It is said in verse (67:3): “You will never see a difference in the creation of the Compassionate (Rahman).” One verse in my poems, concerning this reality is:
Part 80
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
It is extremely necessary to duly reflect on the blessed and wisdom-filled saying of the holy Prophet: “People are Allah’s household.”90 This saying strongly guarantees that eventually Allah’s household is going to be taken to paradise. This is confirmed by the verse in which there are the greatest glad tidings to the world of humanity that Allah has sent the holy Prophet as a mercy to all human beings (21:107).
Allah has also made the Imam of the righteous the Imam of humankind so that by God’s command he may benefit His household, that is, all human beings by the infinite bounties of the spiritual resurrection (17:71). Since the Imam from the progeny of the holy Prophet is himself the spiritual resurrector, the names of resurrection mentioned in the Qur’an are his names related to his position as the lord of the resurrection and ta’wil.
Q212 In verse (21:107), Allah says about His beloved Messenger: “And We sent you not but as a mercy unto the worlds.” Please explain how this fountainhead of mercy could reach the people of the past while he was the seal of the Prophets and therefore the last Prophet?
A212 Indeed, it apparently seems so, but the inner secret is that Allah first created the Light of Hazrat Muhammad(s.a.s), as he says: “The first of what Allah created is my Light”. This Light is the supreme angel, who is the Universal Intellect and the supreme Throne, the Divine Pen, as well as the first Adam. In short, nur-i Muhammadi (Muhammadan Light), which is the universal mercy, is being received by the personal worlds in every age through the Prophets and the Imams. It is in this sense that the holy Prophet is the chief of the Prophets and the fountainhead of mercy for all the worlds. Reflect carefully on the names of the holy Prophet, that he is also the first, the last, the manifest and the hidden. Thus, the holy Prophet is undoubtedly the universal mercy for all personal worlds.
This verse has been referred 22 times.