One day Ali, karam Allahu wajhahu, the cousin and
son-in-law of the Holy Prophet {S}
asked, “Oh Muhammad, both my parents shall be my ransom, pray tell me what the
Lord Almighty created before all other beings of creation?” This was his
blissful reply:
Verily, before your Lord made any other thing, He
created from His own Light the light of your Prophet {S}, and that Light rested
haithu mashaAllah, where Allah willed it to rest. And at that time there
existed aught else‑not the Preserved Tablets, not the Pen, not Heaven nor Hell,
not the Angelic Host, not the heavens nor the earth; there was no sun, no moon,
no star, no jinn nor man nor angel–none was as yet created, only this Light.
Then Allah – glorified be He – by divine decree willed
the Creation to be. He therefore divided this Light into four parts. From the
first part He created the Pen, from the second the Tablets, from the third the
Divine Throne.
Now it has become known that when the Lord had created
the Tablets and the Pen, the Pen had on it one hundred nodes, the distance
between two nodes being that of two years wayfaring. The Lord then commanded the
Pen to write, and the Pen asked,
“Oh Lord, what shall I write?” The Lord said,
“Write: la ilaha illAllah, Muhammadan Rasulullah.”
Thereupon the Pen
exclaimed, “Oh, what a beautiful, great name is that of Muhammad that it is to
mentioned in one with Thy hallowed Name, oh Lord.”
The Lord then said, “Oh Pen, mind your manners! This
name is the name of My Beloved, from his Light I have created the Throne and the
Pen and the Tablets; you, too, are created from his Light. Had it not been for
him, I would not have created a single thing.”
When Allah Almighty had spoken
these words, the Pen split in two from awe of the Lord, and the place from which
its speech issued became blocked, so that to this very day its nib remains
cloven in two and clogged up, so it does not write, which is the sign of this
great divine secret. Therefore, let no one fail in veneration and honoring of
the Holy Prophet {S}, or become
lax in following his shining example, or contravene the noble custom he has
taught us.
Then again the Lord commanded the Pen to write. “What
shall I write, oh Lord?” asked the Pen. The Lord of the Worlds then said, “Write
that which will be until the Day of Judgment!” Said the Pen,
“Oh Lord, with what
shall I begin?” Said the Lord, “With these words you shall commence:
Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim.” In perfect respect and deference, the Pen
then set out to write these words upon the Tablets, and it completed writing
them in seven hundred years.
When the Pen had written these words, the Almighty spoke
and said, “It has taken you seven hundred years to write three of My Names; the
Name of My Majesty, My Mercy and My Compassion. These blessed words I have made
as a present to the nation of My Beloved Muhammad {s}. By My Majesty I pledge that
whenever any servant from this nation pronounces the words of the Bismillah with
a pure intention, I will write seven hundred years of countless reward for this
servant, and seven hundred years of sins I will erase.”
Now, the fourth part of this Light I have again divided
into four parts:
from one part I have created the Throne-bearing Angels (hamalat
al-`Arsh);
from the second I have created the Kursi, the Divine court
(the upper Heaven supporting the Divine Throne, the `Arsh);
from the third I created all the other heavenly angels;
and the fourth part I have partitioned once more into
four: from its first part I made the skies,
from its second I made the earths, from its third I made
the Jinn and the fire.
Its fourth part I have again divided into four parts:
from one part I made the light upon the faces of the believers; from the second
part I made the light within their hearts, imbuing them with knowledge of the
divine;
from the third the light upon their tongues which is the
light of Tawhid (the Unity of Allah), and from the fourth part I made the
different lights of the soul of Muhammad {s}.
This lovely soul came into being 360 thousand years
before the creation of the world, { There is No Time in Heaven }
and it was shaped most beautifully and made of
incomparable matter. Its head was made from guidance, its neck from humility,
its eyes from modesty, its forehead from closeness (to Allah), its mouth from
patience, its tongue from truthfulness, its cheeks from love and admonition, its
belly from abstemiousness and other worldliness, its feet and knees from
following the straight path, and its noble heart was filled with mercy. This
much-honored soul was taught with mercy and equipped with all manner of wondrous
powers. It was given its message and its prophetic qualities were installed.
Then the Crown of Divine Proximity
was placed upon its blessed head, eminent and exalted above all else,
embellished with Divine Pleasure and given the pure, holy name of
Habibullah (Beloved of Allah).
{ 12 Months 12,
Constellations, 12 is Mirror for 21}
After this the Lord Almighty, blessed be He,
created
twelve Veils.
-
The first of these was the Veil of Power within which the
Prophet’s soul remained for twelve thousand years, reciting Subhana rabbil-’ala
(Glory be to my Lord, the Lofty).
-
The second was the Veil of Grandeur in which
he was veiled for eleven thousand years, saying, Subhanal ’Alim al-Hakim
(Glory be to my Lord, the All-Knowing, the Wise).
-
Ten thousand years he remained
shrouded in the Veil of Kindness, saying Subhana man huwa da’im, la yaqta
(Glory to Him who is perpetual, who never ends).
-
The fourth veil was the Veil of
Mercy, therein the noble soul remained for nine thousand years, praising Allah,
saying: Subhana-rafi’-al-`ala (Glory be to the Elevated, the High).
-
The
fifth veil was the Veil of Bliss, and therein he remained for eight thousand
years, glorifying the Lord and saying, Subhana man huwa qa’imun la yanam.
(Glory to Him who is ever existent, who sleeps not).
-
The sixth veil was the Veil of Munificence; he remained
enfolded in it for seven thousand years, praising, Subhana-man huwal-ghaniyu
la yafqaru (Glory be to Him who is rich, who never grows indigent).
-
Then
followed the seventh veil, the Veil of Rank. Here the enlightened soul remained
for six thousand years, praising the Lord and saying: Subhana man huwal
Khaliq-an-Nur (Glory to Him who is the Creator, the Light).
-
Next, He veiled
him in the eighth veil, the Veil of Guidance where he remained for five thousand
years, praising Allah and saying, Subhana man lam yazil wa la yazal.
(Glory to Him whose existence does not cease, who does not vanish).
-
Then followed the ninth veil, which was the Veil of
Prophethood where he stayed for four thousand years, glorifying the Lord:
“Subhana man taqarrab bil-qudrati wal-baqa.” (Glory to Him who draws nigh to His
Omnipotence and Immortality).
-
Then came the Veil of Eminence, the tenth veil
where this enlightened soul remained for three thousand years, reciting praises
on the Creator of all Causes, saying, “Subhana dhil-’arshi ‘amma yasifun.”
(Glory be to the Owner of the Throne, above all else attributed to Him).
-
The
eleventh veil was the Veil of Light. There he remained for two thousand years,
praying, “Subhana dhil-Mulk wal-Malakut.” (Glory to the Lord over the heavenly
and earthly Kingdoms).
-
The twelfth veil was the Veil of Intercession, and there
he remained for one thousand years, saying “Subhana-rabbil-’azhim” (Glory to my
Lord, the Sublime).
Thereafter the Lord created a tree which is known as the
Tree of Certainty.
-
This tree has four branches. { Power of 4, 4 Nitrogens
in DNA}
-
He placed this blessed soul upon
one of its branches, and it continued to praise Allah for forty thousand years,
saying, Allahu dhul-Jalali wal-Ikram. (Allah, Possessor of Might and of
Kindness). After it had thus praised Him with many and varied praises, the
-
Almighty created a mirror
{secrets of 11 and Yaseen}, and He placed it so as to face the
soul of
Habibullah, and commanded his soul to gaze into this mirror.
-
The soul looked
into the mirror and saw itself reflected as possessing the most comely and
perfect form.
-
He then recited five times, Shukran lillahi ta’ala (thanks
be to Allah, Exalted be He), and fell down in prostration before his Lord.
-
He
remained in each sajda for one hundred years, saying Subhanal-aliyyul-azhim,
wa la yajhalu. (Glory be to the High, the Sublime, who ignores nothing);
-
Subhanal-halim
alladhi la yu’ajjalu. (Glory be to the Mild One who hastens not);
-
Subhanal-jawad alladhi la yabkhalu. (Glory be to the Generous who is
unstinting).
-
Therefore the Causer of all Being obliged the nation of Muhammad {s} to perform
sajda (prostration)
five times a day – these five prayers in the course of one day and night were a
gift of honor to the nation of Muhammad {s}.
Next the Lord created a lamp of green emerald from the
Light,{ Al Hay, Al-Nur}
-
and attached it to the tree by a chain of light.
-
Then He placed the soul of Muhammad {s} inside the lamp
and commanded it to praise Him with the Most Beautiful Names (Asma al-Husna).
-
This it did, and it began to recite each one of the
Names for one thousand years. When it reached the Name
ar-Rahman (the Merciful), the gaze of Mercy fell upon it and the
soul began to sweat from modesty. Drops of sweat fell from
it, as many as there were to be prophets and messengers, each drop of
rose-flavored sweat turning into the soul of a prophet. {
Divine Love of Heat Gazes and Descends Tanzila, to The coolness of HabibAllah-
Salaamun creates that Dew of Humidity}.
"Eternal Station of The
Muhammad RasulAllah No Time in Heaven World of Light:"
They all assembled around that lamp in the tree, and the
Almighty addressed the soul of the Prophet Muhammad {s},
“See here this multitude of
prophets whom I have created from the pearl-like drops of your sweat.” Obeying
this command, he gazed upon them, and as the light of the eye enfolds the
object, so the souls of all these prophets were suddenly engulfed in the light
of Muhammad {s}, and they cried,
“Oh Lord, who has wrapped us in light?” { Muzzamil}
The Lord answered them, “This is the
Light of My Beloved Muhammad, and if you will believe in him and confirm his
prophetic message, I will grant you the honor of
Prophethood.” { Establish Chain of Command- Allah - Muhammad- Then All
Messengers answer to Muhammad (s).
Thereupon all the
souls of the prophets declared their belief in his prophethood, and the Lord
said, “I bear witness to your acknowledgment,” and they all assented. As it is
declared in the Holy Quran:
And when God took compact with the Prophets: That I have given
you of Book and Wisdom; then there shall come to you a Messenger confirming what
is with you–you shall believe in him and you shall help him; do you agree? He
said. And do you take My load on you on that condition They said, ‘We do agree.’
God said, ‘Bear witness so, and I shall be with you among the witnesses.’
(The House of Imran, 3:75-76)
Then this pure, holy soul took up its recital of the
Most Beautiful Names again.
Muhammad (s) Holy Face:
When it came to the Name
al-Qahhar, {Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim, La ilaha
ill’Allah, Muhammadan Rasulullah. Kullu shay’in halikun illa wajhahu, al-Wahid
ul-Qahhar.}|} its head began to sweat once more from the intensity of
His Divine Majesty and Awe, and from these beads of sweat the Almighty created
From the sweat of his
chest
From the
sweat on his back were made
-
the Bayt-al-Ma’mur (the heavenly house),
-
the Kabatullah (the Kaba), and
-
the Bayt-al-Muqaddas (the Haram of Jerusalem), and
-
the Rauda-i-Mutahhara (the Tomb of the Holy Prophet {s} at Madinah),
as well as all
-
other mosques in the world.
From the sweat on his brows were made the souls of all
the believers,
and from the sweat of his lower back (the coccyx) were made the
souls of all the unbelievers, fire worshippers and idolaters.
-
From the sweat of his feet was made all the ground from
east to west, and all that is within it.
-
From every drop of sweat the soul of
one believer or unbeliever was created.
That is the reason the Holy Prophet
r is referred to as
“Abu Arwah”, Father of Souls.
-
All these souls gathered round the soul of Muhammad
{s}, circling round him with
praise and glorification for one thousand years;
-
then the Lord commanded these souls to look at the soul
of Muhammad {s}. The souls all
obeyed.
Now, those among them whose gaze:
-
fell upon his head were destined to become kings and
heads of state in this world.
-
Those who gazed at his forehead became just chiefs.
-
Those who gazed at his eyes would become hafiz of the
Word of Allah (i.e. one who commits it to memory).
-
Those who saw his eyebrows became painters and artists.
-
Those who saw his ears were to be of those who accept
admonition and advice.
-
Those who saw his blessed cheeks became performers of
good and reasonable works.
-
Those who saw his face became judges and perfumers, and
those who saw his blessed lips became ministers.
-
Whoever saw his mouth was to be of those who fast much.
-
Whoever looked at his teeth would be of comely appearance, and
-
whoso saw his
tongue was to become the ambassador of kings.
-
Whoever saw his blessed throat was
to become a preacher and mu’adhdhin (who calls the adhan).
-
Whoever looked at his beard was to become a fighter in
the way of Allah.
-
Whoever looked at his upper arms was to become an archer
or a diver in the sea, and
-
whoever saw his neck became a merchant and a trader.
Whoso saw his right hand became a leader, and who saw
his left hand became a dispenser (who holds the scales and measures out
provisions). Whoso looked at the palms of his hands became a generous person;
whoso looked at the backs of his hands became a miser. Whoso saw the inside of
his right hand became a painter; who saw the fingertips of his right hand was to
be a calligrapher, and who saw the tips of his left hand would be an ironworker.
Whoso saw his blessed chest would be of the learned,
ascetic and scholarly. Whoso saw his back would be a humble person and obeying
the laws of the Shari’a. Whoso saw his blessed sides would be a warrior. Whoever
looked at his belly would be of the contented ones, and whoever looked at his
right knee would be of those who perform ruk’u and sujud. Whoever looked at his
blessed feet became a hunter, and who saw the bottom of his soles became one of
those who take to the road. Who saw his shadow were to become singers and saz
(lute) players. All those who looked but saw nothing were to become unbelievers,
fire worshippers and idolaters. Those who didn’t look at all were to become
those who would declare themselves to be gods, such as Nimrod, Pharoah and his
ilk.
Now all the souls lined up in four rows.
-
In the first
row stood the souls of the prophets and messengers, on whom be peace; in the
second row were placed the souls of the holy saints, the Friends of God;
-
in the
third row stood the souls of the believing men and women;
-
in the fourth row
stood the souls of the unbelievers.
-
All these souls remained in the world of
spirits in the presence of Allah Almighty until their time had come to be sent
into the material world. No one but Allah Almighty knows how much time elapsed
from the time of the creation of the Prophet Muhammad’s
blessed soul to
his descent from the spiritual world into his physical form.
It is narrated that the Holy Prophet Muhammad {s} asked the angel
Jibra'il
u, “How long is it since you
were created?” The angel answered, “Oh Rasulullah, I don’t know the number of
years, all I know is that every seventy thousand years a tremendous light shines
forth from behind the Canopy of the Divine Throne; since the time of my creation
this light has appeared twelve thousand times.” “Do you know what this Light
is?” asked Muhammad {s}. “No, I don’t know,”
said the angel. “It is the light of my soul in the world of the spirit,” replied
the Holy Prophet
r. Consider then, how
immense a number it must be if 70,000 is multiplied by 12,000!
Know then, oh ye who wish to learn divine secrets that I
have set forth herein the stories of the prophets as they have been transmitted
to us through the traditions and commentaries, in the Torah, the Zabur, the
Injil and the Holy Quran in clear language and most pleasing style. It is
confirmed beyond doubt in the sublime verses of the Holy Quran, in convincing
signs and with evident miracles that the Holy Prophet, Muhammad, peace and
blessings be upon him, is the Seal of the Prophets and the Prince among the
Messengers.
Let us now mention the decrees of divine ordinance as
revealed to various prophets and explanations pertaining thereto; after which we
shall discuss the law brought by the Prince of the Universe and the Essence of
all Creation, Muhammad, on whom be peace, inshaAllah.
Let it be known that in the time of Adam
u, the first man
and the first Prophet, judgment was pronounced according to the following
procedure: after a sacrificial offering was made, one had only to wait. If a
fire came down from Heaven to consume the sacrifice, the claimant was in the
right; if, however, he was wrong, no fire came down to consume his sacrificial
offering, and thereby he was judged.
In the time of the Prophet Nuh
u, judgment
proceeded in this way: when two litigants appeared before a court, they were
both placed within a fire. If the fire burned one of them, he was judged to be
in the wrong; the one who was not burnt by the fire was judged to be in the
right.
In Da’ud’s
u time, justice was
achieved by the following means: a chain was hung suspended in court. The
litigant who was able to reach up to the chain was thought to be in the right,
the one who failed to reach it, was judged to be in the wrong.
In the time of Sulayman
u legal cases were
decided as follows: there was a pit in King Sulayman’s
u retreat. If two
people came before the king, they were led to the pit, and he whose foot sank
into the pit was judged as being in the right, while the other was judged as
being wrong.
In Prophet Zakaria’s
u time judgment was
pronounced thus: Zakaria
u had two iron
pens. When two people came before him seeking a legal decision, he would write
their names upon these pens and place them in a container of water. The pen that
floated to the surface bore the name of the litigant, who won his case, while
the pen that sank to the bottom bore the loser’s name.
The Prophet Musa
u was given the
Torah and all judgment proceeded according to its law.
The Prophet ‘Isa
u was given the
Injil and justice was done according to its precepts.
Then dawned the time of the most perfect being of all
creation, our noble Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, who
brought us the highest and most complete law (Shari’a) that has ever existed,
and who said:
It is for the plaintiff to bring forward evidence (for his
case), and for the defendant (who protests his innocence) to place himself under
oath.
And praise be to Him who has made us to belong to the
nation of the Prophet of the best of all religions. Truly, He, Allah is full of
Mercy and Compassion.
Oh ye who are versed in holy knowledge! Oh ye who seek
to meet your Lord Almighty! Ye who have attained your goal! Who have set out in
quest of divine secrets! In this book you will find all the knowledge of truth
and the source of divine knowledge, inasmuch as Allah Almighty – exalted be He –
has made it plain to the people of perfection through emanations of both general
and particular nature. However, it is not disclosed herein in which aspect any
of the prophets may be superior to any other, be it from consideration of the
spiritual essence or some other reason, but Allah knows best the truth of any
matter and its hidden implications. This humble dervish, Ahmet Bijan, was thrown
thereby into a state of confusion and entrusted himself entirely to the guidance
of the Almighty and the pure soul of the Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace. The
Almighty then made clear to me some matters mentioned in the compiled works of
the commentators.
Now it should be known that each of the prophets was
distinguished by attributes from the attributes of Allah, and that emanations of
His holy names were manifested in them and that each became known by an
unmistakable spiritual flavor and a distinct revelation. Therefore, Adam
u was the original
model, as it were, both in his physical form and his spiritual composition, and
Allah willed it so that Adam
u became the father
of mankind.
As regards Adam’s
u inner truth and
spiritual reality, it is from the light of the name of Allah’s essence, and this
is His proper name: Allah. His mind and heart are from the light of two divine
attributes: one of them is the Merciful (ar-Rahim), and one is the Compassionate
(ar-Rahman), inasmuch as Allah Almighty has spoken:
And for Mercy I have created you, oh Adam!
Therefore Adam
u was distinguished
from both high and low through mercy. Adam’s
u self was created
from the light of Allah’s action. Al-Badi’, the Creator, the Originator, whereby
the singularity of Adam’s
u creation is
indicated: he was made unlike and not resembling any other created being: he is
the original specimen.
When Seth
u was given to Adam
u as a “gift of
God”, he was made to resemble his father in form. As regards Seth’s
u inner truth and
spiritual reality, it is made from the light of the Name of divine essence, and
it is the name: Malik, the owner, inasmuch as Seth
u became the owner
of the world after his father Adam
u. His mind and
heart are from the light of the divine attribute: al-Barr, the Pious, the Good,
and for that Seth
u was extremely good and
compassionate towards his parents. Allah sent Seth
u to Adam
u and Hawa to make
up for the loss of their beloved son Habil (Abel). Seth’s
u self was from the
light of two divine actions: one was al-Jami’, the Gatherer, the other: al-Mughni,
the Enriched, the Independent, for after his father it was Seth
u in whom was
gathered all the perfection of mankind, thus he can be said to be rich and
independent of all but Allah Almighty.
The Prophet Idris
u was granted
ascension to the heavens during his lifetime where he mingled with the angels
and the insubstantial spirits. For ten years he remained with them, during which
time he never once ate, drank or slept at all, so that his mind became free and
cut off from all ties of material existence. In this exclusive devotion he was
the predecessor of the Prophet Nuh
u, and such was his
holy station in the divine presence. His inner truth and spiritual reality were
of the light of Allah’s essence, and this is al-Quddus, the Hallowed, the
All-Holy. His mind and heart are from the light of the divine attribute al-Muta’al,
the Elevated, the Supreme, which refers to the high station assigned to him by
the Almighty, as it is written in the Holy Quran:
We raised him up to a high place.
(Maryam, 57)
His self was from the light of two divine actions: one
of them ar-Rafi’, that is He who raises aloft, and al-Basit, that is He who
spreads, extends, inasmuch as Idris
u was raised up to
the heavens and found his enjoyment in looking down upon the worlds spread out
beneath him.
As for Nuh
u: when his people
began to ascribe human characteristics to Allah and to worship idols, Nuh
u was sent as a
prophet to call them to the Truth and to purify their beliefs, for essentially
Allah’s attributes and actions are free from any attribute of form or
similitude. Nuh
u was sent to heal them by
proclaiming the message that Allah was free from any defect. His inner truth and
spiritual reality are from the light of the name of Allah’s Essence which is as-Salam,
the Giver of Safety, for that he made them safe from idolatry (anthropomorphism)
and from drowning (in the flood), as it is written in the Holy Quran:
It was said, ‘Noah, get thee down in peace from Us, and
blessings upon thee and on the nations of those with thee.
(Hud, 50)
His heart and mind are from the light of the divine
attributes as-Shakur, the Grateful, as it is written in the Holy Quran:
The seed of those We bore with Noah; He was a thankful
servant.
(The
Night Journey, 3)
His self is from the light of two divine actions: al-Muntaqim,
the Avenger, and al-Hafiz, the Keeper, Protector; for Nuh
u avenged himself
on the enemies of Allah and sent them down to the lowest pits in Hell.
When Idris
u through his
veneration, and Nuh
u through his belief in
Allah’s freedom from defect had established a true description of divinity, and
Allah’s Oneness had become manifest, the Prophet Hud
u was sent to his
people to invite them to the creed of unity; thus his inner truth and spiritual
reality are from the light of the Name of Allah's Essence which is al-Mu’min,
the Believer. For the path of righteousness lies solely in Iman (faith) and
Islam (submission to the divine will).
His heart and mind are from the Light of the divine
attribute al-Qahhar, the Overwhelming, the Crushing; thus Hud
u crushed the
pagans with a wasting wind. His self was from the Name of two divine actions:
al-Hadi, the Guide and ad-Darr, He who sends harm, for that Hud
u sought to guide
his people upon Allah's paths, while they chose to persist in their stubbornness
and Allah therefore punished them with harm, and they remain forever in the
darkness of their unbelief.
After the divinity had manifested through devotion,
through purity and unity, the appearance of a cause was decreed, created from
the keys to the unseen world. As for Salih
u, his inner truth
and spiritual reality were from the light of the divine essence, al-Muhaymin,
the Guardian, Protector which also means the Witness, for that Allah Almighty
saw it fit to show him His creative power. His heart and mind were of the light
of the divine attribute al-Muhsi, which is the Reckoner, for that Salih
u counted three
days for his people as the duration of their destruction.
His self is from the name of two divine actions: one is
al-Fattah, the Opener, the other is al-Qabid, the Constrictor. His act of
opening occurred when he brought forth the camel from the rock, and his
constricting lay in his reproaching his people for their excessive love of this
dunya and their complete absorption in its pleasures. In the end they perished
and were deprived of all they had ever coveted.
As for Ibrahim
u: after the divine
perfection had shown itself through the manifestation of devotion, purity, unity
and asceticism, divine love made its appearance in Ibrahim Khalil-ullah
u, the Friend of
God. Nimrod, driven by his commanding self, engaged on a dispute with this
prophet, and in order to test whether he was truly a prophet and not a liar or
impostor, he had him thrown into the fire. Nimrod’s fire, “Nar-i-Ibrahim”, was
turned into a garden of light for the Prophet. His inner truth and spiritual
reality are from the light of the divine essence, al-Aziz, the Glorious, for
that Allah made him great despite the unbelievers' insults. He attained great
honor in the divine presence and was shown the heavenly worlds and spiritual
kingdom. His heart and mind are from the light of the divine attribute al-Halim,
the Clement, as it is written in the Holy Quran:
Abraham was compassionate, clement.
(Repentance, 115)
Therefore, it was given to Ibrahim
u to be forbearing
towards all and everyone. His self was from the Name of two divine actions:
ar-Razzaq, the Provider, and ar-Rashid, the Righteous. Allah Almighty gave to
Ibrahim
u the means for providing, and
through him provision became manifest. Regarding his quality of righteousness,
it is written in the Holy Quran:
We gave Abraham aforetime his rectitude, for We knew him when
he said to his father and his people... (The Prophets, 53)
As for Ismail
u: after the divine
love had manifested in Ibrahim
u, Ibrahim
u gave away his
life and soul on the path of love; consequently, by divine decree he fathered
two prophets to be his successors. One of them was distinguished by his
willingness to surrender his very soul, namely the Prophet Ismail
u, while the
Prophet Ishaq
u was distinguished by his
resistance to his carnal impulses.
As for Ismail
u, his inner truth
and spiritual reality were from the light of the name of the divine essence
al-Jabbar, the Compelling, for that he mortified his flesh for the sake of
divine love and for that he constrained his soul to comply with the divine will.
Therefore, Allah Almighty sent a large ram to be sacrificed in his stead. His
heart and mind were from the light of the divine attribute al-Halim, the Mild,
Forbearing, for that he showed great forbearance in the face of the divine
decree, as it is written in the Holy Book:
Then We gave him good tidings of a prudent
boy.... (The Rangers, 101)
His self was of the names of three divine actions: one
of them was al-Mujib, He who replies; another was al-Hasib, He who takes
account; and finally there was ar-Raqib, He who is on guard, for Ismail
u replied to the
divine command and acquiesced; he bowed to his father’s orders and controlled
his lower self through watchfulness.
As for Ishaq
u: when Ibrahim
u was flung into
the ocean of love, his soul was transformed into the precious substance of which
are made all the holy spirits. Therefore it was said that no prophet would come
to the spiritual world except he be a descendant of Ishaq
u, the sole
exception being our Prophet Muhammad (on whom be peace and blessings) who was
descended from Ismail
u, and Allah Almighty
alone knows the secret that lies hidden therein.
This much, however, can be said: Ibrahim’s
u soul was created
from the secret of divine unity, while his carnal soul, his self, was made from
the plurality of secrets of the divine decrees. Therefore, Allah’s unity was
manifested through Ismail
u, while Ishaq
u was made to be
the wellhead of plurality, the father of multitudes. His inner truth and
spiritual reality were from the light of the divine essence, al-Mutakabbir, the
Proud. His heart and mind were from the light of the divine attribute ar-Ra’uf,
the Clement, the Benign. Therefore he was of great mildness towards the
believers. His ego was of the name of two divine actions: al-Wakil, the Deputy,
the Representative; and al-Ba’ith, the Inspirer, the Awakener. Therefore he was
made steward over the treasury of blessed souls (i.e. the prophets).
As for Ya’qub
u: When the souls
of the prophets began to appear in the material world, the first to come was
Ya’qub
u, for he was made to be the
storehouse for the ordinances of the majority of prophets that were yet to come,
and he became the father of twelve sons. Allah Almighty deigned to create one of
these as the mirror image of the beauty of divine light. Ya’qub
u perceived this
light and fell in love and remained in bewilderment before this divine beauty.
When it was later removed from his sight, he fell into a state of grief at this
separation, and was beset by an abiding melancholy. For love is the fruit of
affection, and grief is one of its necessary adjuncts, wherefore the people of
perfection have ever maintained that love requires beauty and beauty
necessitates calamity, while calamity brings grief.
Yaqub’s
u inner truth and
spiritual reality were from the light of the name of the divine essence al-Kabir,
the Great, for that he was a begetter of prophets and thus a great treasure for
his people, the sons of Israil. His heart and mind were of the light of the
divine attribute al-Wadud, the All-Loving; therefore he fell in love when the
divine beauty manifested in the person of his son Yusuf
u. His self was of
the names of two divine actions: al-Khaliq, the Creator, and al-Bari, the Maker;
therefore he begat a large number of sons.
As for Yusuf
u: when the love of
Ya’qub
u necessitated a manifestation
of divine light, Yusuf
u was born into the world
as the perfection of beauty. His inner truth and spiritual reality were of the
light of the name of the divine essence, and Yusuf
u embodied this
divine light. Therefore, whoever gazed upon him fell in love, even so his
father, his mother and his brethren who all were enraptured by his beauty and
fell down in prostration before him. His heart and mind were from the light of
the divine attribute al-Qadir, the Powerful, wherefore he became powerful in the
land of Egypt. His self was of the names of three divine actions: al-Musawwir,
the Designer, He who forms, for he appeared in the most perfectly formed shape;
al-Hafiz, the Protector, for he kept the storehouses of Egypt under his care;
and al-Afuw, the Forgiving, for that he forgave his brethren (for their crime
against him).
As for Ayyub
u: If love had
become manifest in Ya’qub
u, and beauty in
his son Yusuf
u, the Divine Will thereupon
decreed the appearance of another prophet who was to be subjected to trials and
suffering, for love is necessarily associated with pain.
Therefore Ayyub
u was born into
this world and suffered all manner of affliction, as troubles are the
prerogative of the Friends of God. It is transmitted to us that the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (on whom be peace) once said:
Affliction is one of the whips of Allah with which He drives
His servants towards Himself.
Ayyub’s
u inner truth and
spiritual reality was from the light of the name of the divine essence al-Ghani,
the Wealthy, for after he had been stripped of all his wealth and family, Allah
Almighty gave back to him what he had lost, and made Ayyub
u rich not once,
but twice. His heart and mind were of the light of the divine attribute as-Sabur,
the Long-Suffering, the Patient, inasmuch as the Almighty proclaims in the Holy
Quran:
Surely We found him a steadfast man. How excellent a servant
he was! He was a penitent. (Sa`ad, 44)
Ayyub’s
u self was made
from the light of two divine actions. One
of them was al-Wasi’, the Copious, the Comprehending, and the other
at-Tawwab, the Oft-Returning, the Penitent. For he was able to carry the burden
of so many afflictions, and returned always to his Lord, penitent.
As for Shu’ayb
u: following the
Prophet Ayyub
u who had manifested all the
trials of affliction on the path of love, Allah Almighty wished to send a
prophet who was consumed by a fervent desire to be united in the meeting with
his Lord.
Thus Shu’ayb
u was sent to the
material world. From his exceeding love of God he wept for three hundred years,
and thrice he became blind. Once every hundred years his eyes opened and he saw
again. His inner truth and spiritual reality were of the light of the name of
the divine essence al-Majid, the Illustrious; therefore he became a chieftain of
his people and earned the title of “preacher of the prophets”. His heart and
mind were of the light of the divine attribute al-Karim, the Generous, the
Munificent, for his kindness toward his nation was great. His self was of the
light of two divine actions: al-Hakam, the Ruler, and al-Muqsit, the Just, the
Equitable, for he governed his people and judged them at all times, exhorting
them to measure with just measure.
Regarding Musa
u: when the love of
Allah had manifested perfectly through the friendship of Khalilullah (Ibrahim
u), the passionate
ecstasy of Ya’qub
u, the beauty of Yusuf
u, the patience of
Ayyub
u and the ardent yearning of
Shu’ayb
u, the Almighty decreed that
they be succeeded by a prophet embodying perfectly the Majesty of Allah, who
would completely vanquish the misguided unbelievers. Therefore Musa
u was sent to this
world of material existence. His inner truth and spiritual reality were of the
light of the name of the divine essence al-Jalil, the Mighty, Majestic, and
al-’Ali, the High, the Lofty, for that he had vanquished the foes of the Lord
and risen above them, as He Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
Fear not, surely thou art the uppermost.
(TaHa, 20)
His heart and mind were of the light of the divine
attribute al-’Alim, the Wise, the Knowing, for he was knowledgeable in the
learning of the Torah, and the Torah was the book of law for all prophets up
until the time of ‘Isa
u, the son of Maryam. His
self was of the light of two divine actions: one al-Mu’izz, the Exalter, the
other al-Mudhil, the Abaser, for that he exalted the station of the believers
while abasing the unbelievers.
As for Harun
u: after the
appearance of a majestic prophet, the Grace of God willed a prophet of Mercy to
succeed him. Thus Harun
u was sent to be a
helpmate to Musa
u, as Allah Almighty says in the
Holy Quran:
Appoint for me of my folk a familiar, Aaron, my brother...
(TaHa, 30)
His inner truth and spiritual reality were of the light
of two names of the divine essence: az-Zahir, the Manifest, the Outward, and al-Batin,
the Hidden, the Inward, for his kindness was manifest while his secret was
unrevealed, hidden. His heart and mind were of the light of the divine attribute
al-Ghafar, the Pardoner; thus Allah Almighty forgave the sins of his nation. His
self was made of the light of two divine actions: one al-Ghafur, the
All-Forgiving, the other al-Latif, the Fine, the Subtle. Therefore he covered
the sins of his nation and showed them subtle kindness.
As for Ilyas
u: when Allah
Almighty had manifested His Majesty and His Mercy, the divine will ordained for
these prophets to be succeeded by a prophet who would explain their works to the
world. His inner truth and spiritual reality were from the light of the divine
essence. Therefore his people needed him to give them various healing plants.
His heart and mind were of the light of the divine attribute: al-Jamil, the
All-Gracious. His self was of the light of two divine actions, al-Wahhab, the
Bestower, and al-Muqtadir, the Powerful, the Mighty. It was given to him that he
should ascend the mountain of the Lebanon and regard things on earth below and
in the heavens above as the angels do.
As for Da’ud
u: after the
manifestation of divine majesty and divine mercy had reached completion, Allah
Almighty willed a prophet to come into the world who was to suffer the
affliction of love of Allah and many other troubles, and he was to be tried with
the trials of beauty. Thus Da’ud
u came into this
world. His inner truth and spiritual reality were of the light of the name of
the divine essence: al-Hakim, the Absolutely Wise, inasmuch as Allah Almighty
has said:
…and We gave him wisdom and speech decisive....
(Sa`ad, 20)
His heart and mind were of the light of the divine
attribute al-Qawwiy, the Strong, the Mighty One, wherefore he became a strong
and mighty ruler, as it is written in the Holy Quran:
We strengthened his kingdom...
(Sa`ad, 20)
His self was of the light of two divine actions: one was
al-Muqaddim, He who causes to precede; the other was al-Muakhkhir, He who
delays; wherefore he sent the commander Uriah out to battle in front of the Ark
of the Covenant while he himself stayed behind. When he repented of his wrongful
action, he was made to be Allah’s representative on earth.
As for Sulayman
u: after Da’ud
u had witnessed the
wonders which Allah revealed to him, after he had endured the afflictions Allah
tried him with and wept for a full forty years, the divine will decreed a
prophet to succeed him whose kingdom should be even greater and stronger than
that of Da’ud
u, so that his sovereignty
should attain a degree of perfection. Thus Sulayman
u was born into a
position of worldly power. His inner truth and spiritual reality were of the
light of the name of the divine essence al-’Azim, the Magnificent, the Glorious;
therefore he rose to eminence above the people of this world.
His heart and mind were of the light of the divine
attribute al-Matin, the Firm, the Trustworthy, wherefore his kingship, his
judgment and his knowledge were sound and firmly grounded. His self was of four
divine actions: one was al-’Adl, the Just; the second was Malik-al-Mulk, the
Lord over worldly and spiritual dominion; the third, al-Hafiz, the Protector,
the Keeper, and the fourth: ar-Rafi’, the Exalter. He was just because he
practiced perfect equity towards anyone he met; he was a protector because he
set anyone who raised his head against him firmly in his place, be he of mankind
or of the Jinn; he was exalted because his throne, when he mounted it, rose up
into the air with him; and he was Lord over all dominions because by divine
decree he was made ruler over all peoples.
As for ‘Uzayr
u: when the
perfection of kingship had been achieved through the rule of Sulayman
u, the divine will
decreed that he be succeeded by another prophet who was to be witness to many
workings of the other world, such as coming to life again after having been
dead, and he was made to witness absolute certainty, as it is written in the
Holy Quran:
So We would make thee a sign for the
people.... (The Cow, 187)
Thus ‘Uzayr
u was born to the
world. His inner truth and spiritual reality were of the light of two names of
the divine essence, al-Awwal, the First, and al-Akhir, the Last. He was the
first because in his life he witnessed his former condition; then he died. And
he was last, because after death he witnessed his own coming back to life a
second time. His heart and mind were of the light of two divine attributes, as-Sami’,
the All-Hearing, and al-Basir, the All-Seeing. He was hearing because he heard
the Word of the Lord, inasmuch as He speaks in the Holy Quran:
Nay, thou hast tarried a hundred years.
(The Cow, 263)
He was seeing because he perceived himself in his second
life. His self was of the light of the divine action al-Wali, the Guardian, the
Trusted Friend, as he was trusted to witness the perfection of divine power.
As for Yunus
u: after Allah
Almighty had shown various aspects of His power, one example being the Prophet
‘Uzayr
u, His divine will caused
another prophet to be sent to the world, who enjoyed divine protection, even
though he was made to live in the depths of the sea and to make his home in the
belly of a fish. Thus Yunus
u was born into the
world. His inner truth and spiritual reality were of the light of the name of
divine essence: al-Wajid, He who brings into existence, the Creator, by reason
of his light-filled existence in which there was no darkness. His heart and mind
were of the light of the divine attribute: al-Ghafur, the Pardoner, for that he
attained forgiveness from his Lord and was saved from drowning and rescued from
his solitary confinement.
For Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
So We answered him and delivered him out of grief; even so do
We deliver the believers. (The Prophets, 86)
His self was of the light of two divine actions: one was
al-Muqit, the Nourisher, the other was an-Nafi’, the Beneficial. Allah nourished
him by spiritual fortification when he resided in the belly of the fish. He was
helpful to people when he lived among them, and they benefited from him.
As for Zakaria
u: when by the
Grace of the Almighty the quickening of the dead had been achieved in ‘Uzayr
u, and by divine
munificence His Protection had been extended, the divine will decreed the
succession of two prophets who both willingly gave their lives in the way of
union with the divine. Thus Zakaria
u and Yahya
u came into the
world.
Zakaria’s
u inner truth and
spiritual reality were from the light of the name of the divine essence al-Qayyum,
the Eternal, Self-Existent. He became permanently established in the love of
Allah and was so steadfast therein that even when he was hewn into two pieces he
was able to persevere in patience.
His heart and mind were of the light of the divine
attribute al-Hamid, the Praiseworthy, for through his actions he became worthy
of praise. He even gave his life and soul in the way of Allah. His self was of
the light of two names of the divine essence: one was al-Muhiy, the Life-Giver,
the Quickener, the other was al-Majid, the Most Glorious, for his Lord called to
him and spoke: “I have given you a son and I have called him Wali. His is to
inherit his father’s knowledge as well as to give new life to his father’s
name.” That is how the names al-Muhiy and al-Majid came to be manifested.
As for Yahya
u: when Zakaria
u had given away
his life and soul for the love of God, the divine will decreed for a prophet
endowed with perfection to succeed him and so necessitated his appearance. Thus
Yahya
u came into the world. His inner
truth and spiritual reality were of the light of the name of the divine essence
al-Haqq, the Truth. This name was given to him for his great endurance in
preaching and his outstanding spiritual vision. His heart and mind were of the
light of three divine attributes: al-Warith, the Inheritor; ash-Shahid, the
All-Witnessing, and al-Baqi, the Permanent, Remaining. He inherited his father’s
knowledge; therefore he is an inheritor, an heir. He witnessed the unseen world
as well as being martyred in the way of Allah; therefore he is a full witness.
Allah Almighty Himself bears witness to Yahya
u:
Yahya has never sinned against Me; therefore, I do also love
him.
Therefore, it is inevitable that the lover who is slain
on the path of the beloved becomes permanently united with his beloved.
His self was of the light of a divine attribute,
al-Wali, the Saint, the Friend of God. For none of Yahya’s
u actions was ever
rooted in any motivation of his lower soul.
As for ‘Isa
u: when the divine
and universal order of things had reached its maturity, the divine will decreed
the appearance of a prophet who would awake the dead and manifest many miracles
and divine signs, so that knowledgeable and informed folk no longer could deny
that Allah quickens the dead. For Allah has revealed:
That is how Allah brings the dead to life again....
(Baqara, 73)
Thus ‘Isa
u came to this
world. `Isa’s
u inner truth and spiritual
reality were from the light of the name of the divine essence, al-Ahad, the One,
for that he came to be born without a father, and was living proof for the Unity
of God. His heart and mind were of the light of the divine attributes al-Wahid
and al-Khabir. He is al-Wahid, the Only, for that in both the physical and the
spiritual world he is unique. As for al-Khabir, it is because he encompassed the
knowledge of both the manifest and the hidden. As Allah has revealed in the Holy
Quran:
…and I have taught you (to write) the book, and wisdom, the
Torah and the Injil.
(The Table, 110)
The knowledge obtained from the Torah is outer
knowledge, while that of the Injil is inner, spiritual knowledge. His self was
of the light of three divine actions: al-Muhiy, the Life-Giver; al-Mumiyt, the
Life-Taker; and al-Khaliq, the Creator. He is Muhiy on account of his raising
the dead to life again.
When the perfection of the divine had completed its
manifestation in the realities of men, on earth as in the unseen world, the
divine will necessitated the coming of yet another prophet in whom all qualities
of perfection would be expressed, and he was to be a messenger and all signs
would be manifested in his person. This prophet was to be Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him), Habibullah, the Beloved of Allah. In him are gathered
all the (achievable) stations of this base world and the spiritual world
separately and collectively. His spiritual reality encompasses the entirety of
spiritual realities; he is a prophet in this world, as he is also a prophet in
the world of spirits, and in the world of the divine.
After ‘Isa
u departed from
this world, nearly six hundred years went by before the Seal of the Prophets and
Prince of all Messengers came to the world. Inasmuch as Allah Almighty has
spoken in the Holy Quran:
People of the Book, now there has come to you Our Messenger,
making clear to
you many things You have been concealing of the Book, and effacing many things.
There has come to you from God a light, and a Book manifest whereby God
guides whosoever follows His good pleasure in the ways of peace, and brings
them forth from the shadows into the light by His leave: and He guides them
to a straight path. (The
Table, 17-18)
As Muhammad {s} was of Light, his
station in the Lord’s Presence was an exalted one. His inner truth is of the
truth of all truths, and his name is the greatest name, it combines all divine
names and attributes within itself. His spiritual reality is from the light of
the divine essence itself. His mind is from the light of the names of the divine
essence. His heart is from the light of all the divine attributes combined. His
self is from the light of the names of all divine actions.
When Allah Almighty sent him to perform his prophetic
mission, He made him the Prince of all divine messengers, and He sent him as a
mercy to the worlds, as it is revealed:
We have not sent thee, save as a mercy unto all
beings. (The Prophets, 107)
And Allah gave him knowledge of the stories of all the
prophets who had gone before him. Thereafter Allah spoke to him: “Be patient,
practice the patience of Asiya (wife of Pharoah)!” As He says in the Holy Quran:
So be thou patient, as the Messengers possessed of constancy
were also patient.
(The
Sand Dunes, 35)
By the “Messengers possessed of constancy” (the “ulul-’azm”)
are meant the great prophets like Nuh
u who was patient
with the great troubles his people heaped upon him; and like Ibrahim
u who was patient
in the face of the fire of Nimrod; and Ismail
u who was patient
as he was about to be sacrificed; and as Ya’qub
u was patient
during his separation from Yusuf
u, and with the
blindness that beset him on account of the pain he felt; as Yusuf
u was patient when
he was cast into a well and later thrown into prison; as Ayyub
u showed patience
in the midst of so very many trials, and as Musa
u was patient with
the injustice and violence of his people. Da’ud
u patiently wept
for forty years over the mistake he had made. Yunus
u was patient when
he was swallowed by the fish. Zakaria
u was patient when
he was sawn in half. Yahya
u was patient when
he was martyred in the way of Allah Almighty. ‘Isa
u was patient while
laying brick upon brick, and he said:
Truly, the world is but a bridge; seek to pass over it, and do
not try to repair it.
Therefore, should they ask you: how are the prophets
able to perform their calling of inviting people to the Truth while they are
aware of Him at every station? Then the answer is as follows: the Lord has
placed a veil of light between His prophets and Himself. By means of these veils
they are able to address their people.
Some have also said: In the world of spirits Allah
Almighty counseled His prophets thus: “I have sent you to My servants living in
the world of base matter: therefore, show them no anger by ascribing to them
certain actions, and veil yourselves from Me. Likewise, show them no pleasure on
account of certain actions which they ascribe to themselves, and remain veiled
from them also through spiritual concealment, for it is upon you to perceive the
Lord Almighty in people, and to discern the people in the Almighty.”
Know then that no one may reach the inner secrets of the
prophets, and no one may know their states but Allah Almighty. Oh ye who are
seekers of the divine! Of this you must be mindful: to follow from beginning to
end what I have made clear to you, without deviating into denial or falsehood,
but by keeping to the path of moderation and admonition. So that, perhaps, in
the end you will comprehend the highest form of wisdom, and maybe at the final
outcome you will drink of the wine of knowledge. For I have made plain the code
of Divine Law of the prophets, their spiritual realities and their exemplary
conduct; you must hold them in highest respect and try to follow their example.
In their stories is surely a lesson to men possessed of minds.
(Joseph, 111)
Insha’Allah, we will now attempt to complete our
instruction, to inform of the outer and inner aspects of religious law, and of
the attributes and qualities of the Prophet Muhammad, on whom be blessings and
peace.
Praise be to Allah, the Exalted, the Wise; He who
created man for Himself, possesses the entire universe.
Oh ye wishing to apprehend the divine secrets! Know then
that Allah Almighty laid in the Prophet Muhammad {s} the base for the
edifice of the prophets (on all of whom be peace), and that in him He would
complete it; and to him He revealed the Glorious Book of the Quran. In it He has
made plain his authority, and He has described him in all the holy books, the
Torah (Old Testament), the Zabur (Psalms), the Injil (New
Testament)and the Furqan (the Quran).
He has made him perfect by giving him the
Liwa-al-Hamd,
the Banner of Praise, and the Maqam-al-Mahmud, the Station of the
Praiseworthy, thereby making him the light of both worlds, messenger to both
Jinn and men, and enabling him to attain the secrets of proximity to the divine
station by two bows’ lengths, and becoming the king of the world. Peace and
blessings be upon his pure and meritorious family and his worthy companions who
are pursuing the way of greatest righteousness.
Then Allah Almighty spoke thus:
Alif. Lam. Mim. Allah, there is no god but He, the Living, the
Everlasting. He has sent down upon thee the Book with the truth, confirming what
was before it, and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel aforetime, as guidance
to the people and He sent down Salvation. As for those who disbelieve in God’s
Signs, for them awaits a terrible chastisement; God is Almighty, Vengeful.
(The House of
Imran, 1-4)
-
And in a Hadith al-Qudsi He has said: “Were it not for
you, I would not have created the universe.”
-
It is
related by Abdullah bin Abbas that the Holy Prophet
{S} said:
“The very first thing that Allah Almighty ever created was my soul.”
-
In another place he is reported to have said: “First of
all things, the Lord created my mind.”{ AGL}
-
In yet another place he is to have said: “I am from
Allah, and the believers are from me.”
How many proofs has He not brought to bear that all
existent things are from Him, and that he
r, is more
excellent than all of creation!
The Qutb-al-Muhaqqiqin, the most eminent of those who
verify, Sayyidina ‘Ali, has said:
-
Before the Lord Almighty created the divine
throne and the divine court, Heaven and Hell, the worlds and the skies,
-
He
created the light of our Prophet Muhammad {s}.
-
He created his
soul three hundred twenty-four years before He created the soul of Adam
u.
Thereafter Allah Almighty created twelve veils, namely:
Thereafter the
Prophet’s
r soul remained wrapped in the
veil of power for twelve thousand years; and for eleven thousand years it
remained within the veil of grandeur. For ten thousand years it remained in the
veil of kindness; for nine thousand years in the veil of mercy; for eight
thousand years in the veil of bliss; for seven thousand years in the veil of
munificence; for six thousand years in the veil of high station; for five
thousand years in the veil of guidance; for four thousand years in the veil of
prophethood; for three thousand years in the veil of eminence; for two thousand
years in the veil of awe; and for one thousand years his soul remained in the
veil of intercession.
-
After this it stayed on the divine throne for six
thousand years.
-
Thereafter the Lord Almighty took it and brought it to the
offspring of Adam’s
u loins.
-
From Adam’s
u loins it passed
to Seth
u, from Seth
u to Idris
u and from Idris
u to Nuh
u.
-
Thus it was
transferred all the way down to Abdullah bin Abdul-Muttalib. Finally it came to
this world in the city of Mecca.
It is reported that the Lord Almighty created a tree
from the light of him who is the pride of the world. This tree had four
branches, and it was called the tree of certainty.
-
The light of Muhammad {s} was manifested as a veil made
of white pearls.
-
It was placed upon this tree shaped as a peacock, and
there it remained for one thousand years,
-
steeped in the remembrance of Allah Almighty.
-
Then the Lord created the mirror of modesty and placed
it opposite the peacock.
-
When the peacock looked into the mirror, he beheld a
most beautiful face and form in it, and it became shamed before its glorious
aspect, and prostrated itself five times.
-
Therefore, five daily prayers became incumbent upon us,
from that prostration.
-
The Lord Almighty trained His gaze upon that light once
more.
-
From shame, that light began to perspire under the gaze
of the Almighty.
-
From the sweat upon his brow, the Almighty then created
the angels.
-
From the sweat upon his face, He created the throne, the
divine court, the tablets and the pen, the sun, the moon and the stars.
-
From the sweat upon his breast, He created the prophets
and the messengers, the holy martyrs and the men of knowledge, and those of
righteousness.
-
From the sweat on his feet He then created the worlds
and what is contained within them, up to the lowest of all stations of Hell and
what is in it.
Then the Lord Almighty spoke: “Oh Muhammad, look before
you!” Muhammad {s}
did so and he saw that all was replete with light.
-
The light before him was the light
of Abu Bakr.
-
The light behind him was the light
of ‘Umar.
-
The light to his right was the
light of ‘Uthman,
-
the light to his left was the
light of ‘Ali, may Allah be well pleased with them all.
-
Then the light of Muhammad {s} began to praise the Lord
for seventy thousand years.
-
After this, the souls of the
prophets were created.
When Allah had created the souls of the prophets, they
all spoke
La ilaha illAllah, Muhammad-ur-Rasulullah.
Then Allah created a lamp.
-
He placed the soul of
Muhammad {s} upon this lamp in the very
same shape he was to appear in this world, and he was as if in prayer.
-
The souls
of all the prophets performed tawaf (circumambulation) around the soul of
Muhammad {s} for two hundred thousand years.
-
Then the Lord ordered them to look at Muhammad {s}.
-
The souls then gazed upon him.
-
Whoever gazed upon his head became a king in this world.
-
He whose gaze fell upon his forehead became one of the
just. He who espied his chest became a man of learning.
-
In brief, whichever part of his blessed body the soul
cast its gaze upon, it was endowed with just such an art or craft as
corresponded to that member.
Thereafter Allah Almighty commanded the people to
perform their ritual prayer in the shape of the name “Ahmed”.
-
That is to say:
the prayer position of qiyam (standing upright) resembles the Arabic letter
‘alif’.
-
The ruk’u (bending from the waist) resembles the letter ‘ha’,
-
the sajda
(prostration) resembles the letter ‘mim’, and
-
the final position of jalsa
(kneeling) resembles the letter ‘dal’.
-
(In Arabic the name Ahmad contains these
consonants: alif, ha, mim, dal).
Then the Lord Almighty created the Prophet's {s}esembling
in their forms the shape of the name “Muhammad”.
-
The head is round, like the
letter ‘mim’.
-
The two hands resemble the letter ‘ha’,
-
the belly again resembles
a ‘mim’, and
-
the feet resemble a ‘dal’.
And now, oh ye desirous of learning divine secrets! I
will now put forth to you the circumstances of the birth of the Holy Prophet
, his mission and
the revelation of the Quran and its holy words, by the leave of the Almighty
Lord, Allah.
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