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Towards the Inner Vision of the Truth

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"Can he who was dead, to whom We gave life, and a light whereby he can walk amongst men, be like him who is in the depths of darkness, from which he can never come out?" — Holy Qur'an 6:122

 

Candle Posts :: Motivational Gems for Higher Spiritual Enlightenment

:: Candle Post #89 :: Importance of Knowledge, Submission and Obedience in Personal Search ::

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Ya Ali Madad. During his visit to Dubai in December 2003, Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam gave guidance to the Jamat to inform themselves about the practices and beliefs of our Tariqah. The article (F) in the Preamble of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim Constitution contains a powerful statement "The Imam's T�lim lights the murids' path to spiritual enlightenment and vision". I was curious to learn about insights of past scholars on this topic and the steps they took in their personal searches to attain the goal of higher spiritual enlightenment and vision of the Imam of their time.

Through Mowla's grace, I came across a book entitled "Contemplation and Action" which is the spiritual autobiography of a Muslim Scholar, Nasir al-Din Tusi. The book is edited and translated by S. J. Badakhchani and published in 1999 by I.B. Tauris, London in association with IIS, London. Here are some insights from Nasir Al-Din Tusi's perspective and experience.

Part 1: Why is it necessity to recognize the True Imam in the final steps of the spiritual journey?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§42] To sum up, from these premises and the testimonies of intellect and religious law ('aqli wa shari), it became evident to me that the final steps on the path of the seekers after truth is to be blessed with success in knowing their instructor and to become knowledgeable through his knowledge, as it is expressed in the Fusul-i muqaddas: "Knowledge of God is [through] knowledge of the Imam."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.47

Part 2: What is the importance of submission (taslim)?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§43] When I reached this stage, I realized that the result of my effort and the end of my search is that submission (taslim) which is required by the religion of the followers of talim. "But no, by thy Lord, they will not believe until they make thee [the Prophet] the judge regarding the disagreement between them; then they shall find in themselves no impediment touching the verdict, but shall surrender in full submission" (4:65). Up to this point, this spiritual traveler had been in the position of reliance on his own judgment; he had been using his own thought, reflection and reasoning, so that through intellectual deduction he may seek the original instructor (mu'allim-i-asli); he had been looking with the truth (haqq) for the one who spoke the truth (muhiqq)."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.47

Part 3: What is the relationship between knowledge, submission and obedience?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§44] Now that I have come to know that unique person who is the man of the epoch, the Imam of the age, the teacher of the followers of talim, the locus of the word (mazhar-i-kalima), he who enables one to recognize God - praise be to Him - and now that I have surrendered to the fact that he is the [real] instructor, the truthful one, the ruler (hakim), and I have attained the status of submission, utterly abandoned my own will, and arrived at the realm of learning and subjection, [I realize] that my recognition and knowledge are to be that which my teacher says are [true] recognition and knowledge, and everything else is pure unknowing and ignorance. Proof and demonstration are to be what he says are [correct] proof and demonstration, and everything else is doubt and error. Religion and obedience are to be that which he says are [true] religion and obedience, and everything else is irreligion (bidini), unbelief and innovation (bidat). Whatever comes from him is the straight path, true faith and guidance, and whatever comes from myself, my personal opinion, desire, speculation, intellect, knowledge and insight [and which is contrary to his teachings], is deviation (dalalat)."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", pp.47-48

Part 4: What are the attributes of the True Imam?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§45] Since the circumstances of this world are [always] changing, if at a certain time or under certain circumstances, the speaker of truth (muhiqqi) shows himself to mankind in a different form, expresses himself differently, manifests the truth differently, or institutes the divine law differently [from that of his predecessor], it will not mean that there is any difference on his truthfulness (muhiqqi), because [in his essence] he is free from transformation and alteration (istihala wa taughayyur). Transformation and alteration are the necessary attributes of this world, and appear as such in the eyes of the people in this realm."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.48

Part 5: What is the definition of complete and true submission?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§46] If at all [the seeker] were to think that is independent unto himself because of these changing external circumstances, he has not yet reached the rank implicit in the verse: 'Then they shall find in themselves no impediment touching thy verdict, but shall surrender in full submission' (4:65). Nor will his submission be [true] submission, because he has not acknowledged the sovereignty [of the Imam] which is the sovereignty of the absolute ruler (sulta-yi hakimi)"
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.48

Links:

  1. Imamim Mubin :: Manifesting Imam
  2. Recognizing the Light of Eternal Ali
  3. Our responsibilities towards NOOR Mowlana Hazar Imam

Ardent Supplications:
Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!

Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.

Haizinda — Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)

Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only),
Noorallah Juma
SalmanSpiritual.com
Tuesday, October 5, 2010

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