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Towards the Inner Vision of the Truth

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"But God will deliver them from the evil of that Day, and will shed over them a Light of Beauty and (blissful) Joy." — Holy Qur'an 76:11

 

Candle Posts :: Motivational Gems for Higher Spiritual Enlightenment

:: Candle Post #90 :: Tusi's Journey Towards The World of Oneness ::

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

Ya Ali Madad. The following verses of the Holy Quran clearly show that the true, faithful believers will inherit light and the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women will be left in darkness:

"On the day when the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women will say unto those who believe: Look on us that we may borrow from your light! it will be said: Go back and seek for light! Then there will separate them a wall wherein is a gate, the inner side whereof containeth mercy, while the outer side thereof is toward the doom." (Holy Quran 57:13; Pickthall's translation)

"On the day when thou (Muhammad) wilt see the believers, men and women, their light shining forth before them and on their right hands, (and wilt hear it said unto them): Glad news for you this day: Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein ye are immortal. That is the supreme triumph." (Holy Quran 57:12; Pickthall's translation)

"And those who believe in Allah and His messengers, they are the loyal, and the (spiritual) martyrs are with their Lord; they have their reward and their light; while as for those who disbelieve and deny Our revelations, they are owners of hell-fire." (Holy Quran 57:19; Pickthall's translation)

It seemed to me that people will be divided into three categories based on merit. Again with the Dubai firman fresh in my mind, I started looking for answers from our own literature. I did find some great insights from Nasir al-Din Tusi book entitled "Contemplation and Action" — A spiritual autobiography of a Muslim Scholar. The book is edited and translated by S. J. Badakhchani and published in 1999 by I.B. Tauris, London in association with IIS, London. I have framed eight questions and have obtained answers from Nasir Al-Din Tusi's perspective and experience. I have also added a self assessment of one's spiritual status with respect to the World of Oneness. Smile and enjoy!

Part 1: What are the characteristics of the True Religion?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§50, top section] Despite the fact that in every age some people have remained ignorant of the [real] point and have been covered by a veil, the true religion (din-i haqq), the straight path (rah-i rast), which is free from all change, transformation, multiplicity and contradiction, has always been and always will be the one religion and the one path: 'There is no changing the words of God' (10:64). And, in every age, according to the dictate of divine wisdom and providence of God, a command emanating from God reaches humankind, a command which consists in the promotion of good deeds and a discourse on what is charitable and virtuous."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.50

Part 2: What are the attitudes of the humankind?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§50, bottom section] In respect to this, humankind takes up two religious attitudes: One group accepts to it, whether willingly or unwillingly, and is referred to as, for example, [the followers of] Islam; but another group refuses to accept it, following the practice [of Iblis who said] 'I would never prostrate myself to a man' (15:33) and show themselves to be rebellious; they are called [the followers of] unbelief (kufr). Then the first group [i.e., those who accept the revelation] divides into two groups: one who attends to the command, the other who attends to the commander (i.e., the Imam). It is in terms of this distinction that the hypocrites are separated from the faithful, the exotericists from the esotericists, the people of legal prescriptions (shari'at) from the people of resurrection (qiyamat), the people of plurality from the people of unity."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.50

Part 3: What is the condition of the people of opposition and contradiction?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§52] In the eyes of the people of opposition and contradiction, the world is forever in a state of plurality and contradiction, alteration and transformation. This the light of certainty can never shine on anyone who stumbles into this desert of bewilderment and confusion, and such a person can never reach the shore of deliverance. He will find nothing but endless wrangling, disputation and tribulation."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.51

Part 4: What is the condition of the people of gradation?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§53] However, in the eyes of the people of gradation (tarattub), everything which was, which will be and which now exists, is in its [proper] time and place, true and tied to the truth; and everything which is not in its [proper] time and place is illusory and severed from the truth. If one sees shortcomings and imperfections, it is the result of imperfections of one's vision; otherwise all the constituent parts of existing things, from the most contemptible to the most noble, are signs and indications, clear testimonies and proofs, in agreement with each other, confirming the truth of each other, and pointing to one meaning: 'We shall show them our signs in the horizons and in themselves, until it is clear to them that it is the truth (41:53)."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.51

Part 5: What is the condition of the people of unity?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§54] [Finally], in the eyes of the people of unity (wahdat), there is neither this nor that, neither truth nor falsity, neither multiplicity nor oneness, neither resurrection nor religious law, neither outward nor inward, neither origin nor return; everything is He, and apart from Him there exists nothing — nothing in nothing! 'Suffice it not that thy Lord is witness over all things? (41:53)."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.52

Part 6: What are the characteristics of three groups of people?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§55 first paragraph] For the first group [i.e., people of opposition and contradiction], truth does not exist and falsity exists; for the second group [i.e., people of gradation] truth exists and falsity does not; but for the third group [i.e., people of unity] [only] the truth exists, and that is all. The knowledge of the first group [is based on] inference from effect to cause, and their obedience is to religious law and tradition (sunnat). The knowledge of the second group [is based on deduction from cause to effect, and their obedience is to the resurrection. The knowledge of the third group] comes from the one who is knowing (arif), and their obedience is know God through God."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.52

Part 7: What are the names of these three groups of people in the Holy Qur'an?

Let us first read the following aya of the Holy Qur'an and then read Tusi's explanation:

"And ye shall be sorted out into three classes. Then (there will be) the Companions of the Right Hand;- What will be the Companions of the Right Hand? And the Companions of the Left Hand,- what will be the Companions of the Left Hand? And those Foremost (in Faith) will be Foremost (in the Hereafter). These will be those Nearest to God: In Gardens of Bliss." (Holy Quran 56:007-012; Yusufali's translation)

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§55, second paragraph] In the revelation (tanzil) three groups are called the 'people of the left', the 'people of the right' and the 'foremost' (sabiqan) [Holy Qur'an, 9:100; 56: 10-11]. The ordinary folk call them [respectively] the 'people of this world', the 'people of the hereafter' and the 'people of God'. But the elite know them as the 'people of religious law', the 'people of resurrection' and 'the people of unity'. 'Perfect is the word of thy Lord in truthfulness and justice; no one can change His words; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing' (6:115). "
Source: "Contemplation and Action", p.52

Part 8: How did Tusi progress on his spiritual journey?

Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:

"[§56] From the day I set out on this quest until now when my mind has attained such a form as described, I have, through supplication and prayer, besought from Him, the Lord of majesty, success in adhering to this way and the attainment of the pleasure of my teacher [i.e., the Imam] — may God exalt his situation and keep watch over his shadow — in my words, deeds and thoughts; and I have sought refuge in my Lord from the whisperings of the devils among the jinn and humankind, and from the evil concepts, fantasies and imaginings. From Him, I have sought the felicitation of acceptance among worthy servants."
Source: "Contemplation and Action", pp.52-53

Self assessment of one's spiritual status with respect to the World of Oneness:

Let us also learn about another spiritual hierarchy which is described in the ayat 4:69 of the Holy Qur'an:

"Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah hath shown favour, of the prophets (Nabiy-yina) and the saints (who are the Truthful Ones, Siddiq) and the (spiritual) martyrs (Shuhada) and the righteous (Salihin). The best of company are they! "

Let us self-assess our position in the above spiritual hierarchy. All people live in the world of humanity (Nasut) and are at different stages along the path of spiritual progress and development. This path is like a ladder with four steps:

  1. The True Mu'mins live in this world but have reached the first step of the ladder of spiritual progress and development. As they have achieved this, they have no fear of deviation from the Right Path and have the choice of living in this state or advancing to the next step.
     
  2. The Righteous Ones (Salihin) also live in this world, but have reached the second step of the ladder of spiritual progress and development, i.e., spiritually they have reached the world of angelicity (Malakut). They starting seeing the manifestations of light but have definitely recognized their own soul.
     
  3. The Spiritual Martyrs (Shuhada) also live in this world, but have reached the third step of the ladder of spiritual progress and development, i.e., they experience the Light (Noor) of the 99 Divine Attributes (99 Names of Allah) in the world of majesty (Jabarut). The world of majesty is also the world of pure intellect which manifests itself as Light.
     
  4. The Truthful Ones (Siddiq), also known as Wali (the Friends of Allah), also live in this world, but have reached the fourth step of the ladder of spiritual progress and development, i.e., they have reached the world of divinity (Lahut). In this world of divinity, they experience the hidden treasure of Allah and are given the knowledge of key secrets. In the material world, such persons speak most truly, and explain knowledge most clearly, because they have seen this in the World of Divinity.
     
    The World of Divinity has many names such as the World of Oneness, the World of One Reality (Monoreality), the Abode of Eternal Peace, and the place of annihilation and eternal existence.

The Holy Prophets, the Holy Imams and the Holy Pirs have all experienced the World of Divinity. Some true believers have also reached this stage so all of us have an opportunity to following the dignitaries of our faith. Also, please take a moment and reflect on Tusi's hierarchy as presented in Part 7 and the nature of the World of Unity (Oneness) as presented in Part 5 of this article. Eventually, all of us have to reach the world of Oneness, or Monoreality.

Links:

  1. Expansion of the Heart
  2. The Holy Prophet's Experience of Monoreality
  3. The Spirituality of the Holy Qur'an and the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.)

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 12, 2010

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