'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)

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