A003
Surah: 057 - Ayah: 003
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57:3
Now, it is appropriate to ask why this booklet is given the name "Manifestations of Wisdom"? The answer to which, God willing, will be quite interesting and useful, as Shaykh Attar says:
Chashm bikusha kih jilwah-i dildar
Mutajallist az dar-u diwar
Open the eye so that the manifestation of the beloved
Is resplendent from door and wall.
He is the first as well as the last, He is apparent as well as hidden (57:3). Therefore, He is unlimited. That is, He is not confined within the unseen world. There is no place without Him. He is present everywhere. He is waiting to give di'dar, but the opening of the eye of lovers takes time.
Zahir (Apparent, manifest, external, visible)
In verse (57:3) God says about His holy light: "He (i.e. the light of God) is the first, the last, the apparent and the hidden, and He knows everything."
It should be remembered that the laws of Islam are in accordance with the Divine attributes and sunnat (law) and that no religious law is outside the domain of His names.
Thus when God says of Himself that: "He is the First, and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden" (57:3), from this luminous teaching of His names, the wise discover the places of religious realities and recognitions, that not only light and luminosity, but also religious wealth is found where an attribute of God shines forth. We see this external world, shining and full of marvels and beauties because it exists and is maintained by His name " az-Zahir" (the Manifest). This shows that the existence of the four worlds depends on the four attributive names of God. That is, the world of pre-eternity (azal) depends on "The First", the world of post-eternity ( abad) on "The Last", the physical world on "The Manifest" and the spiritual world on "The Hidden". In light of these realities, it is evident that there are four fundamental laws of religion, namely the law of pre-eternity, the law of post-eternity, the law of matter and the law of soul or the Pen, the Tablet, the Natiq and the Asas. God willing, we will now discuss this subject further by the use of questions and answers.
Q1. What is the difference between the Imam-i mustaqarr and the Imam-i mustawda'? When did the function of the entrusted Imam commence? Is the entrusted Imam’s presence in every age necessary? What wisdom is hidden in these two ranks of Imamat?
A1. The difference between these two Imams is that the permanent Imam is the king of religion and is present throughout the ages and his line of Imamat continues uninterrupted whereas the entrusted Imam is only present when by God’s command, the permanent Imam is to be veiled. The function of the entrusted Imam began in the time of Hazrat Ishaq, son of Hazrat Ibrahim. The presence of the entrusted Imam is not necessary in every age. In these two ranks of Imamat there are many wisdoms. One of them is that just as the soul has two ends, two ‘I’s and thus simultaneously it is in both the higher and the lower worlds, so in order to guide and allude to this reality in knowledge and action there are these two personal manifestations of the light of Imamat.
Q2. The line of the permanent Imams continued through the children of Hajirah (Hagar), who were the forefathers of the Holy Prophet, but did not Hazrat Ibrahim’s prayer (2:124) for the continuity of the chain of Imamat in his progeny apply to the children of both of his wives, Hajirah and Sarah? What is the excellence and superiority of the line of Hazrat Ismacil that through it continues the spiritual kingdom, as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an (4:54)?
A2. Some of the virtues of Hazrat Isma’il, son of Hazrat Ibrahim were:
1. Even before his birth, Hazrat Ismacil was addressed by the lovely name of "ghulamun hal.m" (forbearing boy) by God (37:101).
2. He was asked to sacrifice himself in the path of God and he willingly accepted (37:102) and this was why God counted him among the "muhsinin" (those who do good).
3. Hazrat Ismacil and his mother were expelled by Hazrat Sarah.
4. The prayers of his great father and the supplications of his noble mother for him were accepted by God and all the various forms of acceptance are found in the meaning of his blessed name "Isma’il". For an angel speaking in Hebrew, said: " Shama’il" (Shama’, to listen, il, God) the literal meaning of which is "listened to by God".
5. He was blessed by participating with his father in the construction of the House of God.
6. Both father and son accepted God’s covenant to purify His house (2:125). This means that he was to succeed his father.
7. Hazrat Ismacil took part in many prayers of his father, particularly those related to the ascension and
elevation of their progeny. This was why the Holy Prophet manifested in his progeny and why the line of permanent Imams continues in his children forever.
Q3. How does the entrusted Imam become a veil for the permanent Imam? Can one Imam act as a veil for another? If so, please provide an example from Divine law (sunnat) and from the Divine names.
A3. A proof from the Divine names is that one of the names of God is "The Manifest ( az-zahir)" and another is "The Hidden (al-batin)". Thus the name "Manifest" indicates to the entrusted Imam and the name "Hidden" to the permanent Imam. A proof from His law is that when He wishes to speak to a human being, He speaks from behind a veil, and when He wants to make a special sign (wahy-i khas) He manifests Himself (42:51). A proof from the Qur’an is that its words are a veil for its meanings, and the tanzil (exoteric meaning) for the ta’wil (esoteric meaning). We also see that the mithal (parable) is a veil for the mamthul (meaning) and all these things are found in the Qur’an. Similarly, the Imam in a sense is a veil for himself. That is, the true light is hidden in the veil of a body just as the interior of the sun is concealed by the exterior of the sun.
Q4. This article is about the "spirit or soul of Islam". What is meant by this? Does the religion of Islam actually have a living soul or by this are meant the fundamental matters which are important and are like the essence of religion?
A4. The fundamental matters of religion have their own importance and are the essence of religion, but nevertheless, Islam also has an actual soul which has continued from the time of Hazrat Adam (15:29, 38:72), and is both the soul and light (42:52) and is always with the Heavenly Book as its soul (5:15). And it is also true that the luminous Book is the soul and light of the religion of God (3:184; 22:8; 31:20; 35:25). One special name for the spirit of Islam is the luminous lamp (33:46), and there should be no doubt that the light of the True Guide is the spirit of Islam and the light of Islam (57:28).
How can it be possible for such a noble thing like religion to be as lifeless as a mineral or to have a lower soul like that found in animals or even to be like the soul of an ordinary human being?Thus it is a Qur’anic reality that the soul of religion is the highest soul, among whose names one is ruhu’l-iman (the soul of faith) and which at the appropriate time enters the human heart (49:14) and makes the heart a world of lights (49:7). Thus in religion there is not only the supreme soul but also the perfect Intellect which is not separate from this soul and light.
Similarly, at the level of haqiqat, the Imam of the time is the exalted house of God, in proof of which there are numerous bright proofs in the Qur'an, the Hadith and reasoning. One of the proofs is that according to verse (57:3) Allah is the First, the Last, the Apparent and the Hidden. That is, Allah is present and living in every world. Thus, if in the world of shariat, His house is the Kabah, in the world of haqiqat His house is the pure personality of the Imam of the time, because the shariat is the exoteric (zahir) and haqiqat is its esoteric (batin) aspect. It is impossible to think that in zahir God should have a specific house, but not in batin. Rather, the fact is that the Kabah is a symbol (mithal) and the exalted Imam is the symbolised (mamthul) and there is no doubt that both the symbol and the symbolised of God are extremely sacred, blessed and venerable.
Q511 Please explain some realities and esoteric meanings of verse (57:3): “He is the first, the last, the manifest and the hidden.”
A511
- Arifs recognise that it is Allah, may He be exalted, who is the first, the last, the manifest and the hidden.
- Here the most important question relates to the manifest, which should be answered with respect to three contexts: the external world, the world of religion and the personal world.
- The answer with regard to the external world is that He is the light of the heavens and the earth (24:35), but the law of recognition never ceases due to the manifestation of the light.
- The answer in the context of the world of religion is that the holy Prophet and the Imam are the mazhar of Allah’s light.
- The answer in the context of the personal world is that it is distinguished for the sake of the vision (didar) and recognition therefore, there cannot be any doubt in His theophanies and manifestations occurring in it.
This verse has been referred 12 times.