بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَ الصَّلاَةُ وَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آلِهِ وَ صَحْبِهِ اَجْمَعِينَ

AL-WÂJIB AL-WUJÛD - The Necessarily Existent One

الواجب الوجود

Thus, وَ لِلّٰهِ الْمَثَلُ اْلاَعْلٰى , As-Sâni’ Zuljalâl of the universe is Wâjib Al-Wujûd. That is His existence is essential1 , azalî, eternal2 , its non-existence is impossible3 , its cessation is impossible4 ; it is the most firmly rooted, the most sound, the strongest, and the most perfect of all the levels of existence5 .6 ...

… As-Sâni’ of the universe, surely, is not of the same kind of the universe. His Essence does not resemble any other essence...

… the sacred Essence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd is not of the same kind of the essences of contingent beings…

 The Twentieth Letter-Second Station-The Tenth Phrase/The Fourth

 

 “The First Haqiqah: These are the haqiqahs of hudûs7 and imkân8 seen and proved with countless evidences by the genius ‘Ulamâ of Usul ad-dîn and ‘ilm al-Kalâm and philosophers of Islam. They have said that:

“Since there is change and transformation in the ‘âlam and all things, most certainly the ‘âlam is transient, it newly comes into existence and is formed, it cannot be eternal and uncreated. Since it newly comes into existence and is formed,  most certainly there is a Sâni’ who creates it. And since, in the essence of everything, if there is no cause, their existence and non-existence are equal, they most certainly cannot be wâjib and pre-eternal (azalî). And since it has been proven with decisive evidences that it is not possible to create each other through the continuous causal chain which is impossible and bâtil, it is a necessity the existence of a Wâjib Al-Wujûd that whose like cannot exist, whose similitude is impossible and which everything other than He is contingent and all other than He are His creatures.

Yes, the haqiqah of hudûs has subjugated the universe. Many of it is seen by the eye; the rest are seen by the mind. For in front of our eyes such an ‘âlam dies every autumn together with hundreds of thousands of species of plants and tiny animals which each of having infinite members and each of are a living universe. It is, however, so orderly a death that in the spring they leave behind in their places seeds, cores and eggs which are the source of their resurrection and sprouting and the miracles of rahmah and hikmah, wondrous of qoudrah and ‘ilm, they hand their book of deeds and program of their duties to them under the protection of Al-Hafîdh Zuljalâl and entrust them to His hikmah and then they die. And, as being the hundreds of thousands of examples, samples and proofs of the great gathering of the resurrection, in the season of spring, dead trees, roots and some of the animals are given life and revived exactly as they were. And, some of them too, in place of themselves, similars and exact resemblers of those are brought into being and given life. And, the beings of the preceding spring demonstrate an example of the âyah وَاِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْۙ by publishing the pages of their deeds and duties like a proclamation.

Also, with respect to the state of the whole, each autumn and each spring a great ‘âlam dies and a fresh ‘âlam comes into being. That death and constant change and renewal in beings (hudûs) occur so orderly, and in that death and constant change and renewal in beings (hudûs), such species die and newly come into existence by extreme order and balance that it is as if the world were a guesthouse where living universes become guests in, where travelling ‘âlams and wandering worlds come to, fulfil their duties and leave. Thus, the necessary existence, infinite qoudrah and boundless hikmah of a Zuljalâl Being Who newly brings into existence and creates in this world such living worlds and employed universes, with perfect ‘ilm, hikmah, equilibrium, balance, order and regularity, and Who employs them with rahmah for Rabbânî purposes, Ilahî aims and Rahmânî services, with full qoudrah, appear to the minds clearly like the sun. We close the discussion by referring the matter of hudûs to the Risale-i Nur and the books of the Muhaqqiqîn.

As for imkân, it too subjugates and embraces the universe. For we see that all beings, universal or particular, big or small, from ‘Arsh down to the earth, from the particles to the planets are sent to the world with a particular essence, a specific form, a distinct identity, particular attributes, qualities with hikmah and beneficial members. Whereas, to give that particular individual and essence its peculiarities, from amongst the infinite possibilities... to clothe it with that embroidered, distinguished, appropriate and defined form from amongst the possibilities and probabilities to the number of the forms... to specially designate by distinction to that being, which is violently shaken amidst the possibilities to the number of the members of its species, worthy personalities to place special, appropriate and beneficial attributes to that being with art which is formless and hesitant amidst the possibilities and probabilities to the number of the varieties of attributes and degrees... to affix and equip qualities with hikmah and members with ‘inayah to that aimless creature, perplexed and bewildered amidst the innumerable possibilities and probabilities in point of being in the infinitude of paths and modalities... surely, are indications, proofs and evidences -to the number of all the contingent beings, universals or particulars, and to the number of each contingent being’s essence, identity, whole, form attribute and situation, that are discussed- to the necessary existence, infinite qoudrah and infinite hikmah of a Wâjib Al-Wujûd Who designates, chooses, specifies and newly creates. They are also indications, proofs and evidences that nothing and no matter is hidden from Him, that nothing is difficult for Him, that the greatest thing is as easy for Him as the smallest, that He can create a spring as easily as a tree, and a tree as easily as a seed. All of these indications, proofs and evidences emerge from the haqiqah of imkân and form one wing of this great testimony of the universe.” The Seventh Ray/The Eighteenth Degree

 

The First Haqiqah is the comprehensive, permanent, well-ordered and magnificent haqiqah of invading and pervading9 activity, which is observedly seen by our eyes and which   manages, changes and renews all beings in samâwât and on earth and encompasses the universe, being seen and within the haqiqah of activity every aspect of which is hikmah, the haqiqah of manifestation of Rubûbiyyah evidently being perceived and within the haqiqah of manifestation of Rubûbiyyah every respect of which scatters rahmah, the haqiqah of manifestation of Ulûhiyyah necessarily being known.

Thus, from this continuous ruling activity with 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 this 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, which manifest with glory (Jalâl) and beauty (Jamâl), and behind their veil, the existence and truth of the seven sacred attributes are understood at the degree of ‘ilm al-yaqîn, rather ‘ayn al-yaqîn even haqq al-yaqîn. And with the testimony of all beings created with art, through the infinite manifestations of the seven sacred attributes in a manner that possesses life, power, knowledge, hearing, seeing, will and speech, the existence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, Who possesses these attributes, a Wâhid Al-Ahad bearing Names and a Fâ’il, Who is Fard and Samad, is known as if it appears to the eye of îmân in the heart self-evidently, necessarily and with ‘ilm al-yaqîn in a way more evident and brilliant than the sun. Because 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 these arts and attributes evidently necessitate the one who possesses these attributes and arts and names and actions. Just as it is not possible to be an action without a doer and a name without a possessor, so too it is impossible to be an attribute 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 and letters and countless buildings and palaces written by the pen of Qadar and built with the hammer of Qoudrah; just as each of them, in thousands of ways and together in infinite ways, with the endless acts of Ar-Rabb and Ar-Rahmân and the infinite manifestations of the thousand and one Names of Allah, which are the source of those acts, and the infinite manifestations of the seven attributes of Subhân, which are the sources of those Beautiful Names, in endless and infinite ways, indicate and testify to the necessary existence and wahdah of azalî and eternal Zuljalâl One, Who is the owner and mine of those all-comprehending, sacred seven attributes, so too all beauties, perfections and values exist in all those beings evidently testify to the sacred beauties and perfections of the acts of Ar-Rabb, the Names of Allah, the attributes of As-Samad and shuûn of As-Subhân, which are appropriate to and worthy of them, and all together they testify to the sacred beauty (Jamâl) and perfection (Kamal) of the Most Pure and Holy Essence (Dhât  Al-Aqdas).

Thus the haqiqah of Rubûbiyyah, which manifests within the haqiqah of activity, shows and makes itself known with disposal and shuûn such as creating, causing to exist, forming artfully and ibdâ’10 with ‘Ilm and hikmah, determining, shaping, administering and arranging with order and balance, chancing, transforming, diminishing and perfecting with purpose and Irâdah and feeding, giving ni’mahs, bestowing and granting bounties with compassion and rahmah. And the haqiqah of the Ulûhiyyah being manifested, which is perceived and exists within the haqiqah of manifestation of Rubûbiyyah, makes itself known and recognized through the compassionate and generous manifestations of Al-Asmâ Al-Husnâ and through the beautiful (Jamâl) and glorious (Jalâl) manifestations of the attributes of Hayât (Life), ‘Ilm (Knowledge), Qoudrah (Power), Irâdah (Will), Sam’ (Hearing), Basar (Seeing) and Kalâm (Speech), which are As-sifât as-thûbûtiyah.

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 through showing the universe, from end to end, in the essence of a material Furqân, it describes and makes known a Qadîr Zuljalâl.

As for the attribute of ‘Ilm, to the number of all administered, directed, adorned and distinguished creatures and to the number of all well-ordered and balanced artful beings bearing hikmah, it makes known the single Most Pure and Holy Essence (Dhât  Al-Aqdas), Who possesses all their attributes.

As for the attribute of Hayât, just as all the works that make Qoudrah known and all well-ordered, balanced and adorned forms and states with hikmah, which indicate the existence of ‘Ilm, and all proofs, which make other attributes known, together with the proofs of the attribute of Hayât indicate the existence of 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 as witnesses, which are the mirrors of those proofs. And in order to show fresh and various manifestations and embroideries, from end to end, all the time, it turns the universe into a continuously changing and refreshing supreme mirror composed of countless mirrors. And compared to this, the attributes of Seeing, Hearing, Decreeing and Speaking, each makes the Most Pure and Holy Essence (Dhât  Al-Aqdas) known and recognized as much as a single universe.

Also, just as those attributes indicate the existence of the Zuljalâl One, so do they indicate evidently the existence and truth of Life and His being alive and possessing life. For knowing is a sign of life; hearing is an indication of life; seeing belongs only to the living; the will can only be through life; power to choose is found only in living beings; speech is an act of those who are alive and knows.

Thus, it is understood from these points that the attribute of Hayât has proofs seven times as numerous as the universe and has evidences to make known its existence and the existence of the One Who possesses it, whereby, it 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 powerful proofs and explains it to an extent, now, we suffice with the aforementioned drop from this ocean.

The Second Haqiqah is Allah’s speaking that arises from the attribute of Kalâm. According to the mystery of the âyah: لَوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّى 11 Kalâm of Allah is infinite. The clearest sign that makes known the existence of a person is his speech. That is to say, this haqiqah infinitely testifies to the existence and wahdah of Azalî Mutakallim.

The Seventh Ray-Nineteenth Degree of the First Station

 

“For it is established through the rule of ‘ilm al-Usûl and Hikmah مَالَمْ يَجِبْ لَمْ يُوجَد that "If a thing is not wâjib, it may not come into existence”. That is, there has to be an ‘illah at-tâmmah; then it may come into existence. The ‘illah at-tâmmah necessarily requires generated by a cause in which a reason exists.” The Twenty-Sixth Word-2nd Topic

‘Illah at-tâmmah is the Irâdah of Allah (‘Azza wa jalla);

“A being may not come into existence unless its existence is wâjib; when Irâdah al-kulliyyah12 and irâdah al-juziyyah13 connect with that thing; its existence becomes wâjib, it then has existence instantaneously.” Signs of Miraculousness-Âyah-7-Eleventh

 

Even men like Plato and Aristotle, Ibn-i Sina and Farabi, who were the perfect members of the chain of philosophy and the geniuses of that chain, said, “The ultimate aim of mankind is to be like Al-Wâjib”, that is, “It is to resemble Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd.” They judged like Pharaoh and opened the way to numerous different disciplines of shirk, like ‘ibâdah to causes, ‘ibâdah to idols, ‘ibâdah to nature and ‘ibâdah to the stars, by whipping up ananiyyah and galloping it free in the valleys of shirk. They have obstructed the road of ‘ubûdiyyah by closing the doors of impotence and weakness, poverty and need, deficiency and imperfection, which are contained in the essence of humanity. They could not find the wide door of shukr due to sinking in and sticking to nature and not being completely able to emerge from shirk.

…

There is no comparison between the principle “Be an ‘abd in the presence of Allah, by being endowed with His morals, turning submissively towards Janâb-i Haqq and recognising your impotence, poverty and fault,” according to the ruleتَخَلَّقُوا بِاَخْلاَقِ اللّٰهِ 14 which is one of the results of the principles of the nubuwwah concerning the individual life, and the boastful rule of philosophy “Work to resemble Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd,” according to rule “Being like Al-Wâjib is mankind's extremity of perfection.”

There is no comparison between the essence of humanity which has been kneaded with infinite impotence, weakness, poverty and need, and the essence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd which is infinitely qadîr, powerful (qawî), self-sufficient (ghanî) and without the need (mustaghni).

The Thirtieth Word-The First Aim

 

THE EIGHTH PHRASE: وَهُوَ حَىٌّ لاَ يَمُوتُ That is, His life is constant; it is azalî and eternal. Death and annihilation, non-existence and trancience cannot befall Him. Because life is in His essence. Something that belongs to the essence cannot be transitory. Yes, One Who is azalî is certainly eternal. One Who is permanent and uncreated is certainly perpetual. One Who is Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd is certainly everlasting. Yes, such a life, the shadow of which is all the existences with all their nûrs, how can non-existence touch it? Yes, such a life for which a wâjib existence is its necessity and title, surely, non-existence and annihilation cannot touch it in any aspect. Yes, such a life that, through the manifestation of it, all lives continuously come into existence, and all enduring haqiqahs of the universe rely on it and exist permanently through it; indeed, annihilation and trancience cannot touch it in any aspect. Yes, such a life that one flash of manifestation of it gives a wahdah to the multiple things subjected to annihilation and fade, makes them a place of manifestation for eternity, saves them from dissolution, preserves their existence and honours them with a kind of permanency. That is, life gives a wahdah to multiple things and makes them permanent. If life departs, they disperse and go into annihilation. Certainly, annihilation and trancience cannot approach such a wâjib life, a manifestation of which is the infinite flashes of all lives.

Decisive witnesses for this haqiqah are the trancience and annihilation of the universe. That is, just as beings indicate and witness to the life of that Undying Hayy and to the necessary existence of that Life through their existence and lives, {Note: Against Nimrod, about giving death and life, Hazrat Ibrâhîm Alayhissalâm changing the subject to the rise and set of the sun was a change from a particular action of giving death and life to a universal action of giving death and life; it is a progress. It is not to rise the obvious proof by abandoning the hidden one, as some mufassîrîn have said, but to demonstrate the most brilliant and widest sphere of that proof.} in the same way, they indicate and witness to the perpetuity and eternity of that Life through their deaths and their fade.

The Twentieth Letter-Second Station-Eighth Phrase

 

“The creation of Jannah is as easy as that of the spring and the creation of spring is as easy as that of a flower in relation to the Qoudrah of Al-Qadîr One, who administers the universe with visible acts. The beauty of a flower’s art and the subtleties in its creation may be as subtle and valuable as the spring. The mystery of this haqiqah is threefold:

First: The necessarily existent (wujûb) and immateriality of As-Sâni’.

Second: The opposition and difference of His essence and His being unrestricted.

Third: His not being bound by space and His indivisibility…

…In comparison with His existence, the other levels of existence are like extremely weak shadows. The existence of Allah is firm and true to such an extent, and the existence of contingent beings is so light and weak to such an extent that many of ahl al-tahqîq, such as Muhyi al-Din al-‘Arabi, have degraded the other levels of existence to the level of wahm and imagination; they said: لاَ مَوْجُودَ اِلاَّ هُوَ 15 That is, in relation to the existence of Allah, other things should not be named as existent. They asserted that they are not worthy of the title existent.

Thus, for Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd’s Qoudrah, which is both wâjib and his essence, creatures’ existences, which are newly created, not essential and exist subsequently, and contingent beings’ both unstable and powerless stability are infinitely easy and simple. To raise all rûhs from death and judge them at the great gathering of judgment is as easy as resurrecting leaves, flowers and fruits in the spring, rather in a garden, or on a tree.” The Twentieth Letter/Second Station/The Tenth Phrase/The Fourth

 

“Wahdah ash-shuhûd, which is an extremely important way of the tarîqah titled wahdah al-wujûd, through restricting the look to the existence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd sees other beings to be very weak and shadow-like in relation to the existence of Wâjib. It goes as far as asserting that their unworthiness of the name of existent, envelops them to veils of imagination, counts them as nothing in the station of 'abandoning all things other than Allah,' and even forms the idea of their being non-existent, it only gives the state of being as imaginary mirrors to the manifestations of the Ilahî Names.

Thus, a significant haqiqah about this way is that the existence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, through the strength of îmân and unfolding of an elevated walâyah to the degree of haqq al-yaqîn, the existence of contingent beings decrease to such a degree that, in its view, other than imagination and non-existence no degree of them remains; it is as though it denies the universe on account of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd.” The Twenty-Ninth Letter/The 9th Section/5th Allusion

 

“The human mind does not have the breadth and scope to measure Taâ’lâ’s grandeur, weigh up perfections, or to judge His attributes. This is not possible except in one respect they may be gauged only from the sum total of His artefacts, and from what is manifested of all His works, and from what may be epitomized from all His acts. Yes, an atom can only be a mirror, not the measure.

If you have understood these matters, know that Al-Wâjib Taâ’lâ cannot be compared with contingent beings, for they are as different from one another as are the ground and the Pleiades. Surely you can see that it was because of this false comparison, that with the Naturalists, the Mu'tazilites, and Zoroastrians their quwwa al-wâhimah overpowered their reasons, and they ascribed an actual effect to causes, and the creation of acts to living creatures, and the creation of sharr to one other than Taâ’lâ. With their wahm, they asked how with His grandeur, sublimity, and freedom from defect (tanazzuh) Allah Taâ’lâ would condescend to [create] these base matters and ugly things. How could they shackle the mind with such a wahm? But alas! As a wahm, it afflicts mu’mins also. So be careful to avoid it!” Signs of Miraculousness ( 84 )

 

“Thus, Sahâbah, asfîyâ of mujtahidîn and Imams of Ahl al-Bayt said: حَقَائِقُ اْلاَشْيَاءِ ثَابِتَةٌ 16 Janâb-i Haqq has a manifestation in a true form with all His Names. Through being created by Him, all things have an existence which is not essential and exist subsequently. Although their existence is an extremely weak and unstable shadow in relation to Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd's existence, it is not an imagination, it is not wahm. Janâb-i Haqq gives existence through His Name Khallâq and He continues their existence.” The Eighteenth Letter-Second Important Matter

 

“Since Janâb-i Haqq exists, everything exists. Since there is relation (intisâb) with Janâb Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, all things exist for everything. Through the relation with Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, each being procures a connection with all beings through the mystery of wahdah. That means, through the mystery of wahdah, each being that knows its relation with Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, or whose relation is known, becomes related with all beings that are related to Him. This means, in the point of that relation, each thing may be a place of manifestation for the infinite nûrs of existence. There is no separation or death at that point. To live for a passing moment is the means to infinite nûrs of existence.

If that relation does not exist or is not known, each thing becomes a place of manifestation to infinite separations, deaths and non-existence. For in that case, in the face of each being with which it could have been connected, it has a separation, a parting and a death. That means it burdens its own individual existence with infinite instances of non-existence and separation. Even if it remains in existence for a million years [without relation (intisâb)], it would not be living as much as a moment, being related in the former point. Ahl al-haqiqah have said, therefore: "Illumined existence for a passing moment is preferable to an unprofitable million years of existence." That is to say: “One moment of existence with the relation to the existence of Wâjib is preferable to a million years of existence without relation to the existence of Wâjib.” And it is also because of this mystery that ahl al-tahqîq have said: "The nûrs of existence are through recognition of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd." That is to say: "In that case, the universe is seen to be full of malâikah, rûh beings, and intelligent beings amidst nûrs of existence. If that relation did not exist, the darkness of non-existence and pain of death and separation would encompass each being. In that man’s view, the world would appear to be an empty and desolate frightful place."

Indeed, each fruit of a tree has a relation with all the fruits on a tree, and since through that relation, each is its friend and brother, it possesses existences to their number, which are newly created, not essential existence but subsequent. But when the fruit is plucked from the tree, separation and death result in the face of each fruit. For it, each fruit becomes as though non-existent. For it, an external darkness of non-existence results.

In the same way, in the point of being related to the Qoudrah of Al-Ahad Who is Samad, all things exist for everything. There are external non-existences for all things to the number of things if that relation does not exist.

And so, from this sign look to the greatness of the nûrs of îmân and see the terrifying darkness of dhalâlah. That means, îmân is the title of the essence and reality of elevated haqiqah which is described in this sign; and may be benefited from through îmân. In the absence of îmân, just as everything is non-existent for someone who is blind, deaf, mute and mindless, so is everything non-existent and dark for one who does not have îmân.”  The Twenty-Fourth Letter/1st Station/5th Allusion

 

 

سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا اِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ