QAB QAWSAYN - قاب قوسَيْن

 

Literally: The distance of two bow-lengths.

The name of the ma’nawî station where our Prophet Muhammed (asm) received the favour of Ilahî ru’yat at the utmost stage of his miracle of Mi’râj. Qab Qawsayn is mentioned in the Risale-i Nur as “the station between imkân and wujûb”.

Imkân is defined as: Contingent beings. The entire creation. The existence of them and non-existence of them have the same possibility. Whatever exists other than Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd. Allah, Who is Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd chooses the existence of them, through His will and Irâdah and gives them a particular essence, a specific form, a distinct identity, particular attributes, qualities with hikmah, and beneficial organs from amongst the infinite possibilities.

“Contingent beings (imkân) are equal in respect of being and non-being, there must be [a Necessary Being] who has chosen this.” Signs of Miraculousness (163)

“in the terminology of ‘Ilm al-Kalâm, contingency (imkân) is the equality on the two sides (Al-imkân musawî ad-darafayn). That is, if there is not a cause, things which are not necessary (wâjib) and unattainable but contingent and the attainment of which are possible are equal in regard to existence and non-existence, there is no difference. Few or many, big or small are the same in regard to this contingency (imkân) and equality.

Thus, creatures are contingent, and since within the sphere of contingency (imkân) their existence and non-existence are equal, it is as easy for the boundless pre-eternal qoudrah of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd to give existence to a single contingent being as it is to give all contingent beings existence, He clothes everything in an appropriate existence, spoils the balance of non-existence. And when the being's duties are completed, He takes off its garment of external existence and sends it apparently to non-existence, but in fact, sends it to a ma’nawî existence within the sphere of ‘Ilm.” The Rays ( 625 )

Wujûb is defined as: The totality of the Ilahî essence, Shuûn, Attributes and Names.

(For Qab Qawsayn refer to Qur’an 53:09 -17:01) (For imkân and wujûb please refer to Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd compilation)

 

“The commands and authoritative Shuûn of the Sultân of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, Who is Al-Hâkim of the samâwât and the earth, Owner of the command of كُنْ فَيَكُونُ , and the Absolute Âmir, are in force in all the levels of creatures and are conformed to with perfect obedience and order. Each appears as a sphere of Rubûbiyyah, a level of rulership in the levels of creatures and classes of beings, which stretch from particles to the planets and from flies to the samâwât, and which, great and small, particular and universal, are all different but are such that they look one to the other.

Now, the way to understand the exalted aims and mighty results of the entire universe and to see all the different duties of ‘ubûdiyyah of all its levels; and, through observing the sovereignty of Rubûbiyyah of the One of Grandeur and the splendour of His rule, to understand what is pleasing to Him; and to be the herald of His sovereignty, is to make a journey through all those levels and spheres until al-‘arsh al-â’dham, which is the title of the greatest sphere, is reached; until Qab Qawsayn, that is indicated as the ma’nawî station between imkân and wujûb. It is to meet there with Al-Jalîl Zuljamâl. And this journey is the haqiqah of the Mi’raj.” The Words ( 590-591 )