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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 #67 :: Knowledge and Conviction of Three Types of People ::

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

Ya Ali Madad! Let us reflect deeply on the following sayings of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) which have been extracted from a book entitled 'Peak of Eloquence NAHJUL BALAGHA'—Sermons, Letters and Sayings of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Sixth U.S. Edition 1996. In today's posting, let us examine and reflect deeply the following gems of wisdom on the topic of three types of people.

The following quotation is the conversation of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) with Kumayl ibn Ziyad an-Nakhai who was the holder of the secrets of the Imamat and one of the chief companions of Amir al-Mu'minin. He held a great position in knowledge and attainment and a loft place in abstinence and Godliness. He was Amir al-Mu'minin's Governor of Hît for sometime. He was killed by al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ath-Thawafi in the year 83 A.H. at the age of ninety years and was buried outside Kufah.

This is a long conversation and I am presenting it in its entirety so that we can learn about those people who are ones whom the Holy Imams yearn to see!

"Kumayl ibn Ziyad has related: Amir al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him, caught hold of my hand and took me to the graveyard. When he passed through the graveyard and left the city behind, he breathed a deep sigh and said:

"O Kumayl, these hearts are containers. The best of them is that which preserves (its contents). So, preserve what I say to you.

People are of three types: One is scholar and divine. Then, the seeker of knowledge who is also on the road of deliverance. Then (lastly) the common rot who run after every caller and bend in the direction of every wind. They seek not light from the effulgence (i.e. brightness) of knowledge and do not take protection of any reliable support.

O Kumayl, knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge guards you, which you have to guard wealth. Wealth decreases by spending, while knowledge multiplies by spending, and results of wealth die as wealth decays.

O Kumayl, knowledge is belief which is acted upon. With it man acquires obedience during his life and a good name after his death. Knowledge is the ruler while wealth is ruled upon.

O Kumayl, those who amass wealth are dead even though they many be living while those with knowledge will remain as long as the world lives. Their bodies are not available but their figures (i.e., images) exist in the hearts. Look, there is a heap of knowledge (and Amir al-Mu'minin pointed to his bosom). I wish I could get someone to bear it. Yes, I did find (such a one); but either he was one who could not be relied upon. He would exploit the religion for worldly gains, or by virtue of Allah's favours on him he would domineer over the people and through Allah's pleas he would lord over His devotees. Or he was one who was obedient to the hearers of the truth but there was no intelligence in his bosom. At the first appearance of doubt he would entertain misgivings in his heart.

So, neither this not that was good enough. Either the man is eager for pleasures, easily led away by passions, or is covetous for collecting and hoarding wealth. Neither of them has any regard for religion in any matter. The nearest example of these is the loose cattle. This is way that knowledge dies away with the death of its bearers.

O my Allah! Yes; but the earth is never devoid of those who maintain Allah's pleas either openly or reputedly or, being afraid, as hidden in order that Allah's pleas and proofs should not be rebutted. How many are they and where are they? By Allah, they are few in number, but they are great in esteem before Allah. Through them Allah guards His pleas and proof till they entrust them to others like themselves and sow seeds thereof in the hearts of those who are similar to them.

Knowledge has led them to real understanding and so they has associated themselves with the spirit of conviction. They take easy what the easygoing regard as hard. They endear what the ignorant take as strange. They live in this world with their bodies here but their spirits resting in high above. They are vicegerents of Allah on His earth and callers to His religion. Oh, oh, how I yearn to see them!"
(Quotation number 147, page 600-601)

Tawils of the word 'Salm?n':

  1. Salmân (A name) :
     
    It is said in a Hadith: "Salmân is from us, the ahl-i bayt." This Hadith alludes to the fact that mu'mins of the first rank, male or female, can also be included in ahl-i bayt."
    (Tawil 448, A Thousand Wisdoms, page 241)
     
  2. Salmân (Salmânu'-khayr) :
     
    1. Salmân was an exemplary mu'min of the time of Prophethood.
    2. Salmân is proof of the verse of the sound heart (26:89).
    3. He became one of the doors of paradise.
    4. The sacred light of holy ahl-i bayt had arisen in the personal world of Salmân.
    5. In the time of every Imam, some pure mu'mins (men and women) become like Salmân-i Fârsi.
    (Tawil 450, A Thousand Wisdoms, page 242)
     
  3. Salmân (Salmân as an 'âlim of given knowledge) :
     
    When the Commander of the faithful Mawla Ali was asked about Salmân, he said: "He is given the first knowledge and the last knowledge, and that which he has, cannot be grasped." (Tabaqât, IV, 85). The Imam also said: "He has the knowledge of the first ones and ths last ones." (Sirat-i Salman, p. 155)
    (Tawil 452, A Thousand Wisdoms, page 243)

Let us pray and act to become first category pure mu'mins like Salmân-i Fârsi in the time of our present and living Imam, NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini (a.s.).

Related Links:
Foundation of Faith :: Curriculum for Spiritual Enlightenment
Higher Spiritual Enlightenment :: Educational Resources

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, Oct. 6, 2009

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