'O God, carry us in the ships of Thy deliverance, give us to enjoy the pleasure of whispered prayer to Thee, make us drink at the pools of Thy love, let us taste the sweetness of Thy affection and nearness, allow us to struggle in Thee, preoccupy us with obeying Thee, and purify our intentions in devoting works to Thee, for we exist through Thee and belong to Thee, and we have no one to mediate with Thee but Thee!' Imam Sajjad ('A); Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya

Sunday 26 August 2007

The Arsh of Allah


Do know that concerning the Arsh and its carriers there are different opinions.
…according to the Gnostic view and demonstrative way, the Arsh covers so many meanings.
One of its meanings-which I did not see in the language of "the people" [qaum] - is the Unity [hadrat-i wahidiyat] which is on the level of the ‘Holiest Emanation’ and its carriers are four names, of the Great Names: The First (al-Awwal), the Last (al-Aakhir), the Outward (al-Dhaahir) and the Inward (al-Baatin).
Another-which also I did not see in the language of "the people" [qaum] - is the "Holy Emanation" which is on the level of the Greatest Name, and its carriers are: al-Rahman, ar-Rahim, ar-Rabb and al-Malik.
Another one of its concepts is the phrase "all that is other than Allah" [ma siwallah] and its carriers are the four angels: Seraphiel, Gabriel, Michael and Izrael.
Another is the "Universal Body" [jism-i kull], which is carried by four angels who are the images of the Archetypes [arbab-i anwa'], as is referred to in al-Kafi. (Usulul Kafz, vol. 1, pp. 131 and 132.)
Sometimes it is regarded to be the "Knowledge", which may be Allah's Active Knowledge [ilm-i fi`li] which is the state of the great guardianship [wilayat-i kubra] and its carriers are four of Allah's perfect friends from the ancient nations: Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus [peace be upon our Prophet, his progeny and upon them], and four persons of the perfect ones of this nation: the Seal of the Prophets, Amirul Mu'mimn 'Ali, al-Hasan and al-Husayn (AS).
How does the above tie with our daily recital (Surah Fatiha)?
[a bit of reflection]
ar-Rabb, ar-Rahman, ar-Rahim and Malik, are particularly mentioned in the opening of Surah Al-Hamd, maybe in respect of the inside [batin], while their outer appearances [dhahir] are Allah's four favourite angels who are the carriers of the Arsh of "Realization' [tahaqquq].
So, the blessed name of ar-Rabb is the inside [batin] of Michael who, as ar-Rabb's manifestation, is in charge of the provisions and the education in the world of existence.
The noble name of ar-Rahman is the inside [batin] of Seraphiel who is the caretaker [munshi] of the spirits, the blower of the Trumpet and the spreader [basit] of the spirits and the images, as the spread [bast] of existence is also in the name of ar-Rahman.
The noble name of ar-Rahim is the inside of Gabriel who is in charge of teaching and perfecting the beings.
The noble name of Malik is the inside of Izrael who is in charge of taking [qabd] the spirits and images, and of returning the outside [zahir] to the inside [batin].
So, the blessed surah of Surah Al-Hamd, up to ‘Maliki yawmidin’ includes the Arsh of Unity and the `Arsh of Realization, with reference to its carriers.
Thus, the entire circle of existence and the manifestations of the invisible and the visible, which are translated by the Glorious Qur'an, are mentioned up to this part of this surah.

This very concept is also entirely covered by the Bismillah, which is the Greatest Name.
It is also in the "B" [ba'], which is in the position of causality, and in the dot of bism, which is the secret of the causality. And, as 'Ali (AS) is the secret of guardianship [wilayat] and causality, therefore, it is he who is the dot under the "B" (Al Asjaarul Arba `ah, vol. 7, p. 32. Asrarul Hikam, p.559.)
That is, the dot under the "B" is the translator of the secret of guardianship.
The reason for contemplation is the difficulty, which is in the hadith.  And Allah knows better!
(Imam Khomeini; Adabus-Salat - The Disciplines of the Prayer. 324-326)

Sunday 19 August 2007

A good parable explaining God to non-Muslims‏

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. Barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of ALLAH, the barber said: 
"I don't believe that ALLAH exists."
Why do you say that?" asked the customer
"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that ALLAH doesn't exist. Tell me, if ALLAH exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If ALLAH existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving ALLAH who would allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbers shop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair & an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barbershop again and he said to the barber:
"You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me."

"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! ALLAH, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."


QUESTION: What is the difference between nature and God? If we sow a seed then the tree of that particular seed grows. Then what did God do in that case? Similarly, in the case of rain. We know the procedure of rain. Then what’s the work of God?   
ANSWER: When you take a car (in perfect condition), put in petrol and switch the engine on, it starts running. Then what did the Ford or Nissan or Mitsubishi Company does in this case?  You know the process how the said engine works, then what's the work of its manufacturer?

Wednesday 8 August 2007

Smelling sense of the Souls

Sayyid Ibn Tawus [may his soul be sanctified] quotes from 'Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS):

He [may his soul be sanctified], quoting az-Zahri, in Fathul Abwab, says:
"I, together with 'Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS), called upon 'Abdul Malik ibn Marwan. 'Abdul Malik, regarding it as magnificent to see the mark of prostration between the two eyes of 'Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS), said: `O Abu Muhammad, perseverance is obvious on your face, and Allah has already been beneficent to you, as you are a part of the Messenger of Allah (SA), a close relative with a firm relation to him, and you have a great favour upon your family and your contemporaries. You have been given such merits, knowledge, godliness and piety that have been given to no one like you or before you, except your past ancestors.' He continued praising and extolling him.

'Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS) said: `All that which you have described is of Allah's favour, support and grace. But how is [my] thanking Him on what He has favoured [me], O Amirul Mu'minin? The Messenger of Allah (SA) used to stand in his salat on his feet till they got swollen, and he remained thirsty during his fasting such that his mouth would dry up. He was asked: `O Messenger of Allah! `Did not Allah forgive what has passed and what is to come of your sins?' He replied: `Am I not to be a thankful servant?' Praise be to Allah for what He has favoured us with and for His testing us, and praise be to Him in the Hereafter and in this world. By Allah, even if my limbs were cut to pieces and my eyeballs ran down my chest just to pay tribute to Allah, the Most Glorified, for just a tenth of one tenth of a single one of all His favours, which no reckoner can reckon, nor the praise of the praisers can pay the tribute due to a single one of them, I could not pay the due tribute to Him. Never, by Allah, unless He grants me that nothing should keep me from praising and remembering Him all days and nights, secretly and publicly. Had I not been under obligations to my family and to other people, in particular and in general, who have rights against me, and which I cannot but fulfil to them as it is possible and as is in my capacity, I would have turned my eye to the heaven, and my heart to Allah, and then I would have never taken them back till He would take my breath-He is the best of judges.' Then he (AS) wept, and so did 'Abdul Malik ... " as the hadith goes.

Biharul Anwar, vol. 46, p. 57, "Fathul Abwab"