A001
Surah: 053 - Ayah: 001
Click here to see the translations
53:1
In order to present an example of the rank of the spirit and the marifat of the Prophet, some of the wisdoms of the chapter al-Najm (the Star) are explained here: Here, first of all, Hazrat Mubdl is likened to a falling star and God has sworn by this great miracle and the Mubdi through ibda manifested in front of the Prophet. And in wa ma dalla sahibukum (Your companion did not err)", the way the ascension and the elevation of the Prophet has been described and praised, indicates to the guidance of the Prophet and the access of the mumins to this place, for lnbi ath is the final destination of the mumins. In the verse " allamahu shadidu'1-quwa (He was taught by one mighty in power)" is mentioned the overpowering knowledge of God before that of any other mighty power. And "dhumirrah" means the one who does an action repeatedly. In "fa-lstawa (then He appeared)" is mentioned the act of ibda. That is to say, that the Mubdi is the one who repeats the act of ibda . He appeared in luminosity and then He came closer and the higher I descended in the lower I. And their concept became such that they are like two bows and like a circle as well.
In this event, there were many far-reaching allusions. The Prophet had this vision the second time with his inner eye, at the lote-tree of the utmost boundary (sldratu'1-muntaha), near which is the paradise of abode (jannatu'1-ma'wa). This lote-tree was showing and hiding a treasure repeatedly. This was not a manifestation that one could leave it and tumaside the eye, nor was there a boundary to go beyond it. The Prophet saw the extremely great miracles of his Nourisher (rabb) (53:1-18).
Proof 10: in verses (53:1-11), it is mentioned: “By the star when it came down” (i.e. by the Holy Spirit when it was revealed within the Holy Prophet and his true legatee (wasi)). “Your companion did not go astray, nor did he err” (i.e. when the Holy Spirit was revealed to him and he went along the path of spirituality, he was so steadfast that his step never slipped). “Nor does he speak of (his own) desire” (i.e. he started to convey the message after traversing the stages of spirituality). “It is but a revealed” (i.e. whatever he speaks in this work of mission is of revelation which is through the Holy Spirit which was sent within him). “He was taught by (God) Supreme in power, imbued with wisdom; then he overcome (spirituality) and was in the highest horizon (of spirituality)” (i.e. he reached the heaven of the Universal Soul). “Then he drew near” (i.e. to the light of God). “And came close“ (i.e. he was shown the pearl of knowledge and wisdom). “And was at a distance of two bow’s length, or even nearer, then He revealed to His servant that which He revealed (without a veil). His heart did not belie what he saw (in the miraj)” (i.e. all the events and miracles of the miraj of the Holy Prophet happened within his heart, therefore he accepted them as truth and was convinced of what he saw in his blessed heart).
It is evident that the Holy Prophet’s miraj was not physical, rather it was spiritual, as the above-mentioned verses show, particularly the verse in which it is said: “His heart did not belie what he saw” (53:11)
Sahib (Companion)
It is mentioned in verses (53:1-2): "By the star (of azal) when it set (after rising), that your companion (the holy Prophet) neither erred nor did he go astray." In the first verse there is an allusion to the ultimate destination, which is the sacred Sanctuary and the place of azal where the light of Intellect by its shortest rising and setting makes countless signs. This light of the world of oneness is its sun, moon, and stars, in fact it is everything, because it is the quintessence and pearl of the universe and existents.
Q35 The wisdom-filled mention of micraj is also made in verses (53:1-18), whose wisdom nobody knows except the rasikhun fi’l-cilm (those who are well-grounded in knowledge), i.e. the Imam of the time. It is from him that we receive the zakat of knowledge. Thus, the question is: have you heard that the light of guidance also runs (57:12; 66:8)? In which destination? In the ultimate destination, in micraj, or in the sacred Sanctuary?
A35 In verses (57:12; 66:8) it is mentioned that the light of mu’min men and women runs before them and on their right. This event takes place in the ultimate destination, the stage of oneness, where their souls merge in the light of the holy Imam and become one with him. This final destination is called micraj as well as the sacred Sanctuary.
Q37 In verse (53:1), why has God sworn by the falling star? What is its relationship with the story of micraj? Is it true that it is not a star of the physical world, rather it is the light of the sacred Sanctuary, which has countless names and is the famous sign of the place of micraj?
A37 Yes, it is true that it is not one of the stars of the external world rather it is the light of the sacred Sanctuary. It has many names and it is the famous sign of the place of micraj.
Q205 The great secrets of the micraj of the holy Prophet are mentioned in verses (53:1-18). Would you kindly indicate some of them?
A205 In the first verse, God swears by the light of azal (light of Intellect), which scatters countless pearls in the paradise of the sacred Sanctuary by the allusions of its rising and setting. In the second verse, it is said as a complement of the oath that the holy Prophet accomplished the duty of guiding people with utmost diligence, and as a result all of us were potentially with him in micraj.
In the third and the fourth verses, the holy Prophet is praised in the sense that his own words were also cast in the mould of revelation. In the fifth verse it is mentioned that Allah is the One Who has the supreme power and therefore, He taught His friend in a unique way. The implication of the sixth verse is that the holy Prophet became powerful because of the power granted by God and he was at the highest horizon (the place of Intellect).
The eighth verse alludes that the holy Prophet became extremely close to God and then attained the rank of fanÀ’ (merging). The ninth verse says that the concepts of providence (rububiyyat) and servitude (cubudiyyat) became like two bows (half circles) or nearer still, like the centre of a pair of compasses. The tenth verse says that the micraji revelation takes place in the state of merging. The eleventh verse says that the micraj of the holy Prophet was spiritual therefore it was his blessed heart which saw all this and confirmed it. The twelfth verse says: Do you dispute with the Prophet about the things that he saw.
The thirteenth verse alludes that the holy Prophet had micraj twice. The wisdom of the fourteenth verse is that he had those two micrajes or didars near sidratu’l-muntaha (the lote-tree of the utmost boundary). By sidratu’l-muntaha is meant the Universal Soul. The fifteenth verse teaches that jannatu’l-ma’wa (the garden of abode) is near sidratu’l-muntaha. The sixteenth verse indicates that the Universal Soul had a Divine wonder in his blessed hand, which was being shown and concealed. In the seventeenth verse the inner eye of the holy Prophet is praised because he attained the purpose of the observations of micraj entirely and completely. The wisdom of the eighteenth verse is that he saw extremely great miracles of his Lord in the micrÀj. These are some of the great secrets related to the micraj of the holy Prophet. Al-hamdu li’llÀh!
Q206 What is the reason that you do not mention JibrÀ’Äl in the secrets of the above-mentioned verses (53:1-18)?
A206
- There is no mention of Jibra’il here.
- Jibra’il is not alone, rather there are five angels of revelation. The highest one is well known by the name of Pen, the next is Tablet, then Israfil, then Mika’il and the lowest is Jibra’il.
- Imam Jacfar as-Sadiq(c) says: “Thus, Nun is an angel who conveys [the news] to the Pen and the Pen conveys it to the Tablet, and the Tablet to Israfil and Israfil conveys it to Mika’il, who conveys it to Jibra’il, who conveys it to the Prophets and Messengers”.
The glorious way in which the Holy Prophet saw the realities and recognitions of azal and abad are mentioned in verses (53:1-18). In these eighteen verses the way his miraj (spiritual ascent) appears merged with the rank of azal is extremely amazing. For instance, “falling of star”, i.e. the demonstration of the Pearl of Intellect, and in another example, the eternal movement of the Divine Pen; “the praise of the Holy Prophet’s being rightly guided and his guiding mankind’’, i.e. in this praise is alluded not only his reaching azal and abad, but also his successful guidance. Because with respect to this ultimate destination, God calls His beloved Prophet the spiritual companion of the mumins (sahibukum, 53:2). There is no doubt that in this blessed name of the Holy Prophet and in this verse there are glad tidings for the mumins that they, by following the Holy Prophet’s footsteps, can reach the treasure of azal, which is full of the pearls of secrets of Prophethood and Imamat.
This verse has been referred 8 times.