The Seventh Ray

Nineteenth Degree of the First Station

Then, the curious and yearning travelling man, who has come into the world and seeks the Creator of the world and who, through a miraj of îmân, which rises through eighteen degrees and reaches the ‘arsh of haqiqah, ascended from a degree of ma’rifat without seeing the Creator, not being in front of His presence and addressing Him1 to a rank as though being in front of His presence and addressing Him, said to his rûh:

Just as, in the noble Fâtiha, from the beginning of the surah to the word اِيَّاكَ2, one rises to the address of اِيَّاكَ and the presence of Allah through a form of praise and glorification uttered without seeing Him, being in front of His presence and addressing Him. We should also stop seeking the One we seek for indirectly; instead, ask the One we seek for directly from the One we seek; it is necessary to ask the sun that displays all things from the sun itself. Yes, the one that demonstrates all things shows itself more than everything. So, just like seeing and knowing the sun through its rays, we can strive to know our Khâliq through His asmâ al-husnâ and sacred attributes, to the extent of our ability.

In this risale, we will briefly and summarily declare two ways from among the numberless ways of this aim, and two degrees from among the infinite degrees of those two ways and two haqiqahs from among the numberless haqiqahs of those two degrees and their very long details.

The First Haqiqah is this:

• the comprehensive, constant, well-ordered and magnificent haqiqah of invading and dominant3 activity that manages, changes and renews all beings in samâwât and on the earth and encompasses the universe is seen,
• within that haqiqah of activity, every aspect of which is full of hikmah, the haqiqah of the manifestation of rubûbiyyah is perceived evidently,
• and within the haqiqah of the manifestation of rubûbiyyah, every aspect of which scatters rahmah, the haqiqah of the manifestation of ulûhiyyah is known necessarily.

Thus, from this continuous dominant activity full of hikmah and behind its veil, the actions of a Fâ‘il, Who is Qadîr and ‘Alîm, are perceived as if they are seen. And from these nurturing and administering actions of Ar-Rabb and behind their veil, the names of Allah, manifestations of which exist on everything, are known to an extent as if they are perceived. And from al-asmâ al-husnâ that manifest with glory (Jalâl) and beauty (Jamâl), and behind their veil, the existence and continuity of the seven sacred attributes are understood at the degree of ‘ilm al-yaqîn, rather ‘ayn al-yaqîn even haqq al-yaqîn. And, through the infinite manifestations of seven sacred attributes — with the testimony of all artful beings — that possess life, power, knowledge, hearing, seeing, will and speech, the existence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, Who is the Owner of these attributes, the One Who is named Al-Wâhid and Al-Ahad, and Al-Fâ’il, Who is Fard and Samad, is certainly known, as if it appears evidently and necessarily to the eye of îmân in the heart to the degree of ‘ilm al-yaqîn in a way more evident and brilliant than the sun. For a beautiful and meaningful book and a well-ordered house evidently necessitate the act of writing and building, and the acts of writing beautifully and building well-orderly evidently necessitate the titles of writer and builder, and the titles of writer and builder evidently necessitate the arts and attributes of writing and building and the arts and attributes evidently necessitate the one who possesses these attributes, arts, names and actions. Just as it is impossible for an action to be without a doer and a name without a possessor, so too is it impossible for an attribute to be without an owner and an art without an artist.

Thus, in consequence of this haqiqah and rule, the universe with all its beings are meaningful infinite books, letters, countless buildings and palaces written by the pen of Qadar and built with the hammer of Qoudrah. Just as through the endless acts of Ar-Rabb and Ar-Rahmân, the infinite manifestations of the thousand and one names of Allah, which are the sources of those actions, and the infinite manifestations of the seven attributes of Subhân, which are the sources of those beautiful names, each of them in thousands of ways, and collectively in numerous ways indicate and testify to the necessary existence and wahdah of azalî and eternal (abadî) Zuljalâl One, Who is the owner and mine of those comprehending and sacred seven attributes, in endless and numerous ways. So too, all the beauties, values and perfections found in all those beings testify evidently to the sacred beauty and perfection of the actions of Ar-Rabb, names of Allah, attributes of As-Samad and shuûn of As-Subhân that are befitting and worthy of those actions, names, attributes and shuûn. They collectively testify to the sacred beauty (Jamâl) and perfection (Kamal) of the Most Pure and Holy Essence (Dhât Al-Aqdas).

Thus, the haqiqah of rubûbiyyah that manifests within the haqiqah of activity shows and makes itself known with disposals and shuûn such as creating, bringing into existence, forming artfully and ibdâ’4 with ‘ilm and hikmah, and determining, shaping, administering and arranging with order and balance, and changing, transforming, diminishing and perfecting with a purpose and through irâdah, and feeding, giving ni’mahs, bestowing and granting bounties with compassion and rahmah. And the haqiqah of the manifestation of ulûhiyyah that is evidently perceived and exists within the haqiqah of the manifestation of rubûbiyyah, makes itself known and acknowledged through the compassionate and generous manifestations of al-asmâ al-husnâ and the beautiful (Jamâl) and glorious (Jalâl) manifestations of the attributes of Hayât (Life), ‘Ilm, Qoudrah, Irâdah, Sam’ (Hearing), Basar (Seeing) and Kalâm (Speech), which are as-sifât as-thûbûtiyah5.

Just as the attribute of Kalâm makes the Most Pure and Holy Essence (Dhât Al-Aqdas) known through wahy and ilham, so does the attribute of Qoudrah make the Most Pure and Holy Essence (Dhât Al-Aqdas) known through its artful works, which are its embodied words, and it describes and defines a Qadîr Zuljalâl with His attributes through demonstrating the universe from end to end in the essence of a material Furqân.

As for the attribute of ‘Ilm, to the number of all creatures administered, arranged, adorned and distinguished through ‘Ilm, and to the number of all well-ordered and balanced artful beings full of hikmah, it makes known the single Most Pure and Holy Essence (Dhât Al-Aqdas) described with those attributes.

As for the attribute of Hayât, just as all the works that make Qoudrah known, all well-ordered, balanced and adorned forms and states filled with hikmah, which indicate the existence of ‘Ilm, and all proofs, which make other attributes known, along with the proofs of the attribute of Hayât, indicate the existence of the attribute of Hayât, so does Hayât, with all of its proofs, make known the One, Who is Al-Hayy and Al-Qayyûm, by showing all living beings, which are the mirrors of the attribute of Hayât, as witnesses. And in order to display continuously fresh and various manifestations and embroideries from end to end, it transforms the universe into a continuously changing and refreshing vast mirror composed of countless mirrors. With this comparison, each attribute of seeing, hearing, choosing and speaking makes the Most Pure and Holy Essence (Dhât Al-Aqdas) known and recognised to the same extent as the entire universe.

Furthermore, just as the above attributes prove the existence of the Zuljalâl One, so do they prove the existence and truth of life clearly, His being alive and possessing life because knowing is a sign of life, hearing is an indication of life, seeing belongs only to the living, will can only exist through life, the power to choose is found only in living beings, and speech is an act of those who know and are alive.

Thus, it is understood from these points that the attribute of Hayât has proofs as much as the seven universes and has evidences to reveal both its own existence and the existence of the One Who possesses it; consequently, the attribute of Hayât has become the foundation and source of all attributes, the origin and source of al-ism al-â’dham. Since the Risale-i Nur proves this First Haqiqah with strong proofs and explains it to an extent, now, we suffice with the abovementioned drop from this ocean.

The Second Haqiqah is Allah’s speech, which arises from the attribute of Kalâm. According to the mystery of the âyah, لَوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّى6, the Kalâm of Allah is infinite. The clearest indication that makes the existence of a person known is his speech. That is to say, this haqiqah infinitely testifies to the existence and wahdah of azalî Mutakallim.

Since two powerful testimonies of this haqiqah, as well as a vast testimony regarding wahy and ilham, declared in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Degrees of this risale, and another most brilliant and comprehensive testimony of this risale regarding sacred samâwî Books is indicated in the Tenth Degree of this risale, and regarding the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition in its Seventeenth Degree were mentioned in this risale, we refer to those Degrees for the exposition and testimony of this haqiqah.

The traveller sufficed with the nûrs and mysteries of the mighty âyah شَهِدَ اللّٰهُ اَنَّهُ لاَ اِلهَ اِلاَّ هُوَ وَالْمَلٰئِكَةُ وَ اُولُوا الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ لاَ اِلهَ اِلاَّ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ7 that miraculously proclaims this haqiqah and expresses its testimony along with the testimonies of other haqiqahs, so he could not go any further. Thus, as an indication of the short meaning of the lesson the traveller received at this sacred Station, it has been said at the Nineteenth Degree of the First Station:

لَٓا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ الْوَاجِبُ الْوُجُودِ الْوَاحِدُ الْاَحَدُ لَهُ الْاَسْمَٓاءُ الْحُسْنٰى وَ لَهُ الصِّفَاتُ الْعُلْيَا وَ لَهُ الْمَثَلُ الْاَعْلٰى اَلَّذ۪ى دَلَّ عَلٰى وُجُوبِ وُجُودِهِ ف۪ى وَحْدَتِهِ اَلذَّاتُ الْوَاجِبُ الْوُجُودِ بِاِجْمَاعِ جَم۪يعِ صِفَاتِهِ الْقُدْسِيَّةِ الْمُح۪يطَةِ وَ جَم۪يعِ اَسْمَٓائِهِ الْحُسْنٰى اَلْمُتَجَلِّيَّةِ بِاِتِّفَاقِ جَم۪يعِ شُؤُنَاتِهِ وَ اَفْعَالِهِ الْمُتَصَرِّفَةِ بِشَهَادَةِ عَظَمَةِ حَق۪يقَةِ تَبَارُزِ الْاُلُوهِيَّةِ ف۪ى تَظَاهُرِ الرُّبُوبِيَّةِ ف۪ى دَوَامِ الْفَعَّالِيَّةِ الْمُسْتَوْلِيَةِ بِفِعْلِ الْا۪يجَادِ وَ الْخَلْقِ وَ الصُّنْعِ وَ الْاِبْدَاعِ بِاِرَادَةٍ وَ قُدْرَةٍ وَ بِفِعْلِ التَّقْد۪يرِ وَ التَّصْو۪يرِ وَ التَّدْب۪يرِ وَ التَّدْو۪يرِ بِاِخْتِيَارٍ وَ حِكْمَةٍ وَ بِفِعْلِ التَّصْر۪يفِ وَ التَّنْظ۪يمِ وَ الْمُحَافَظَةِ وَ الْاِدَارَةِ وَ الْاِعَاشَةِ بِقَصْدٍ وَ رَحْمَةٍ وَ بِكَمَالِ الْاِنْتِظَامِ وَ الْمُوَازَنَةِ وَ بِشَهَادَةِ عَظَمَةِ اِحَاطَةِ حَق۪يقَةِ اَسْرَارِ - شَهِدَ اللّٰهُ اَنَّهُ لَٓا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ وَ الْمَلٰئِكَةُ وَ اُولُوا الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ لَٓا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ الْعَز۪يزُ الْحَك۪يمُ