AL-‘ÂLAM AL-MITHÂL -   العالم المثال

 

Literally: ‘Âlam is a world. A realm. A universe. A class of beings. A state or period of life. A condition or circumstance of life. The generality of mankind. The public.

Literally: Mithâl is alike, a match, a semblance, an example, a model, a precedent.

Al-‘âlam al-mithâl is a sort of ma’nawî ‘âlam that comes into existence and is arranged from the same actions that have occurred and all things that exist in this world. The world of similitudes, representations, or immaterial forms. This word is also used in the meaning of dreams.

 

“is man a unit of measurement, an index, a scale, and a balance to the haqiqahs of the universe.

For example, an extremely decisive evidence of the existence of Al-Lawh Al-Mahfûdh in the universe and an example of it is the faculty of memory in man. And a decisive evidence of the existence of al-‘âlam al-mithâl and an example of it is man's faculty of imagination. {Indeed, just as the elements in man indicate and point to the elements in the universe, and his bones to its stones and rocks, his hair to its plants and trees, and the blood which flows in his body and the fluids which issue from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth to the spring and mineral waters of the earth, in exactly the same way, does man's rûh point to al-‘âlam al-arwâh, his faculty of memory to Al-Lawh Al-Mahfûdh, and his power of imagination to al-‘âlam al-mithâl, and so on. Each of his members and faculties points to a different ‘âlam and bears decisive witness to their existence.} And an evidence of the existence of rûh beings in the universe and an example of them are the powers (quwwas) and subtle faculties in man. And so on. In a small measure, man may display, in a degree of shuhûd, the haqiqahs of îmân in the universe” The Flashes (458-459 )

 

“I saw that al-‘âlam al-mithâl is innumerable photographs, and each photograph takes innumerable events occurring in this world at the same time without confusing them. I understood that it is a gigantic camera, and a vast cinema of the âkhirah thousands of times larger than the world for showing in eternal theatres the fruits of the transient, impermanent states and lives of transient beings, for showing to those enjoying everlasting bliss in Jannah scenes from their old memories and adventures in this world.

While the powers (quwwa) of memory and imagination, which are two proofs, two small examples, and two points of both al-lawh al-mahfûdh and al-‘âlam al-mithâl situated in man’s head, are as tiny as lentils, within them are written in perfect order and without being mixed up as much information as may be contained in a large library. This proves decisively that al-‘âlam al-mithâl and al-lawh al-mahfûdh are large examples of those faculties.

It is definite and as certain as the ‘ilm al-yaqîn that the elements air and water, particularly fluid of nutfah and the air, are far superior to the element earth and are written with more hikmah and irâdah, and with the pen of qadar and qoudrah, and that it is completely impossible for chance, blind force, deaf nature, and lifeless and aimless causes to interfere in them, and that they are a page of the pen of qadar and the hikmah of Al-Hakîm Zuljalâl. This was known with the ‘ilm al-yaqîn.

The rest of this was not permitted to write for now.” Emirdağ letters (259)

 

“in order to display the eternal, endless manifestations of His Names, He sends caravan after caravan, indeed, world after travelling renewed world, and the tribes of creatures to the guest-house of this ‘âlam and the arena of trial which is worldly life. He records for the cinemas of the âkhirah set up in al-‘âlam al-mithâl, with the photographs of the barzakh, all their images, deeds, and circumstances, and after releasing them from their duties, sends other tribes, caravans, and flowing, travelling worlds to the arena in order to perform those duties and be mirrors to the manifestations of His Names.” The Rays ( 579 )

 

“How do they know that Qadar, which neglects nothing, does not record every act and recitation of those orderly, blessed lines on the pages of al-‘âlam al-mithâl, in which all things are preserved eternally?” Al-Mathnawi al-Nuri (117)

 

“فَاَوَّلاً: بِتَبَدُّلِ التَّعَيُّنَاتِ اْلاِعْتِبَارِيَّةِ مَعَ اِسْتِحْفَاظِ الْمَعَانِى الْجَمِيلَةِ وَالْهُوِيَّاتِ الْمِثَالِيَّةِ 1 This section expresses the following: a being, after departing from existence, apparently itself goes to non-existence and annihilation, but the meanings it has expressed stays eternal and are preserved. Its mithâlî identity, form, and essence are preserved also in al-‘âlam al-mithâl and on al-alwâh al-mahfûdh, which are samples of al-‘âlam al-mithâl, and in memories, which are samples of al-alwâh al-mahfûdh. That is, it loses a visible existence, and gains hundreds of ma’nawî existences and existences in ‘ilm.” The Letters ( 346 )

 

“If you ask: “The Muhaqqiqîn of Sufis depicted Qaf2 in many ways didn’t they?”

I say in reply: The renowned ‘âlam al-mithâl is where they make their peregrinations. They slip out of their bodies as we take off our clothes, and journeying in the rûh gaze on that strange wonder’s occasion. As for Qaf, it is represented in that ‘âlam as they describe it. Like the samâwât and the stars may be displayed in a small piece of glass, even tiny things in this ‘âlam ash-shahâdah -like seeds- become huge trees in al-‘âlam al-mithâl through the embodiment of meanings’ effects. The laws of the two ‘âlams should not be confused.” Rational Arguments ( 66 )

 

“And secondly, al-‘âlam al-mithâl, which resembles al-‘âlam ash-shahâdah in form and al-‘âlam al-ghayb in meaning and a barzakh between them, solves that enigma. Whoever wishes may behold that ‘âlam to a degree through a window of true kashf, the aperture of ru’yâ as-sâdiqah3 , the telescope of transparent objects, or at least beyond the veil of imagination. There are numerous indications that al-‘âlam al-mithâl exists and that meanings are embodied in it.”Rational Arguments ( 67 )