"Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light however much the disbelievers are averse." — Holy Qur'an 61:8
:: Post No. 38: The Process of Unveiling According to Ibn al-Arabi ::
Tuesday,
Mar. 18, 2025
Ya Ali Madad! This post has four parts.
Part 1. Knowledge Section
Here is a short excerpt from W.C. Chittick and a teaching from Ibn al-'Arabi:
W.C. Chittick writes:
"Unveiling takes place when God illuminates the heart, enabling it to see into the unseen world. "Opening" (fath, futuuh), as discussed in the introduction, is for God to "open the door" to the unseen world through disclosing Himself to the heart, or to 'open up" the heart to direct knowledge of Him. The term also signifies the beginning of something, and hence it is often used to refer to that stage of spiritual ascent when a person enters into the realm of unveiling. The door is opened for him, and he no longer has to follow an authority outside himself. "Chittick, W. C. 1989. The Sufi Path of Knowledge. p.223
Here is a description of unveiling from Ibn al-'Arabi's writings:
"If the seeker desires divine loci of witnessing and lordly sciences, he should multiply his nightly vigils and continually multiply within them his concentration (jam'iyya). If scattered lights should appear to him such that between each light darkness is interspersed, and if those lights have no subsistence but disappear quickly, this is one of first marks of acceptance and opening. Those noble lights will never cease becoming manifest to him through his acts of spiritual struggle (mujahada) and his striving until a greatest light is unveiled for him. Then the obstructions which prevented people from reaching these knowledges will be removed and mysteries of which he had nothing in himself and by which he was not described will be unveiled for him in their stations. (II 626.3)"Chittick, W. C. 1989. The Sufi Path of Knowledge. p.223
What is the Difference Between Sight and Insight?
There are two basic worlds ..., the "unseen" and the "visible". The outward eye or "sight" (basar) perceives the visible world, while the inward eye or "insight" (basira) perceives the unseen world. Here is a description of the world of insight in Ibn al-'Arabi's writings:
"...The eye of insight is veiled by such things as rust (rayn), passion (shahwa), and gazing upon "others" (aghyar) within the dense world. These things come between it and the vision of the World of Dominion, that is, the World of Unseen. But when man applies himself to mirror of his heart and polishes it with invocation and the recitation of the Koran, he thereby gains some light. And God possesses a light called the "light of existence" which is deployed over all existent things. When these two lights come together, unseen things are unveiled as they are in themselves and as they occur in existence."Chittick, W. C. 1989. The Sufi Path of Knowledge. p.223
What Happens During 60 minutes of Bandagi With Full Concentration?
Let us reflect on the following teaching of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.):
"Jêo das minute ek dhiyânthi ibâdat kari shakê chhê têoni chalis varasni ibâdat kartâ vadhâre ibâdatno faydo ha(n)shal thây chhê anê châlis varas karta vadhu kabul thâya chhê.Têthi tamê hamanâ ek kalak ibadat karo, te barâbar ek khayâlthi, to ghanu chhê. Tamo badhânâ dilmâ ekaj umêd hovi joee-ea. Tê kêvi ritê, jêm rasulillah mearaj par gayâ hatâ anê badan â duniyâmâ padyu(n) hatu. Têm tamâro ruh â duniyâmâthi âsman mathê pahonchê anê â badan duniyâmâ(n) hoy anê ruhnê tyâ pahonchâdo. Zikarno ek kalâk jê tamârâ upar faraz chhê tê barâbar khayâlthi karsho to tê kalâkma(n) das minute evi âvshê jè têni andar tamê fanâfi-Allah th-ee shaksho." (Karachi, 3-5-1920)
Literal translation: Those who can concentrate for ten minutes in bandagi will get the benefit of 40 years of bandagi (performed without concentration) and will get the acceptance of having performed more than of 40 years of bandagi. Therefore, at this time, it is enough to perform bandagi with full concentration for one hour. All of you should have only one wish in your heart: How to achieve mi'raj from the example of the Holy Prophet, in which his soul ascended the heavens and his body remained on this earth. Similarly, you should send your soul from this world to the heavens so that your body remains here but your soul goes to the other world. It is your duty to perform bandagi with full concentration for one hour. During this hour, there will be ten minutes in which you will annihilated in Allah, i.e. experience fana-fi-Allah."
In his Baitul Khyal firman made in Dacca in 1977, Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam said that when you are physically no more you should seek to be part of that Light, i.e., the Light of Hazrat Ali (a.s.). Thus, it through the Light of Hazrat Ali (a.s) that one can get a better and clearer understanding of He who is above all else.
The ism-i azam is the door to luminosity, therefore it is a treasure that should be constantly remembered. Let us pray to NOOR Mowlana Hazar Imam to empower us to practice the luminous prayer at a luminous time with a luminous word, i.e., perform bandagi with ism-i azam, the Supreme Name of God, with a greater effort, strength and enthusiasm. This effort has to be full of honesty, humility and submission so the door of luminosity opens up for all of us! Ameen!
Part 2. Affirmation of Baiyat:
Let us also reaffirm our baiyat to our Holy 50th Imam, NOOR Mawlana Shah Rahim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam by reciting the Shahada from the second part of our Holy Dua:
"La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur-Rasoolullah, 'Aliyyun Amirul-Mu'mineen 'Aliyullah Mawlana Shah Rahim ul Hussaini, Al-Imamul Hazarul Maujood."
"There is no deity except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, 'Ali - the master of believers - is from Allah. Our Lord Shah Rahim Al-Hussaini is our present and living Imam"
Shukran wa Mubarak, Shukran wa Mubarak, Shukran wa Mubarak
|
Part 3. Dhikr
Let us perform dhikr to invoke infinite blessings:
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, Al-hamdu Lillah, La ilaha illa-llah
Allah is the Greatest, Glory be to Allah, Praise be to Allah, There is no god but Allah
Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!
Part 4. Angelic Salwat
Let us recite angelic salwats to invoke Divine grace and mercy.
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Allâhumâ salli alâ Muhammadin wa âle Muhammad:
O Allah! Bestow Peace on and through Muhammad and his Descendants
or
Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!
Haizinda — Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)
Forty Esoteric Imamat Gems