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 - الواجب الوجود -2

1. The works seen in the universe and the activities behind those works serve as proof of the existence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd with His attributes and names:

The First Haqiqah is this:

• the comprehensive, constant, well-ordered and magnificent haqiqah of invading and dominant1 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’2 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-thûbûtiyah3.

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.

The Seventh Ray/The Nineteenth Degree

2. The life (Hayât) of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd:

وَهُوَ حَىٌّ لاَ يَمُوتُ That is, His life is constant; it is azalî and eternal. Death and annihilation, non-existence and transience cannot befall Him because life belongs to His essence. Something that belongs to the essence cannot be transitory. Yes, the One Who is azalî is indeed eternal. One Who is permanent and uncreated (Qadîm) is certainly eternal. One Who is Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd is certainly perpetual. Yes, such a life that all the existences with all their nûrs are its shadow. How can non-existence taint it? Yes, it is such a life that its title and requirement are a wâjib existence; indeed, non-existence and annihilation cannot taint it in any aspect. Yes, such a life that all lives continuously come into existence through its manifestation, and all proven haqiqahs of the universe rely on it and constantly exist through it; indeed, annihilation and transience cannot taint it in any way. Yes, such a life that a single flash of its manifestation gives wahdah to the multiple things subjected to annihilation and fade, makes them a place of manifestation of eternity, saves them from dissolution, preserves their existence and honours them with a kind of permanency. That is to say, life gives wahdah to multiple things and makes them permanent. If life departs, they disperse and go into annihilation. Certainly, annihilation and transience cannot approach such a wâjib life, a single manifestation of which is the infinite flashes of infinite lives.

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

The Twentieth Letter-Second Station-Eighth Phrase

3. The qoudrah of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd:

The creation of Jannah is as easy as that of the spring and the creation of the spring is as easy as that of a flower for the qoudrah of Al-Qadîr, Who controls and administers the universe through visible activities. 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 three things:

First: The necessary existence of As-Sâni’ and His being divested of materiality.

Second: His essence being opposite and different from His creation and His being unrestricted.

Third: Undividedness and not being bound by space.

…

Thus, the existences of creatures, which are newly created and do not belong to their essence, and the unstable and powerless stability of contingent beings are infinitely easy and simple for the qoudrah of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, which belongs to His essence and is wâjib for Him. Raising all rûhs from death and judging them at the great assembly of judgment is as easy as resurrecting leaves, flowers and fruits in springtime, or rather leaves, flowers and fruits of a garden or a tree.

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

4. The level of existence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd:

Thus, وَ لِلّٰهِ الْمَثَلُ اْلاَعْلٰى , As-Sâni’ Zuljalâl of the universe is Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd. It means that His existence is essential, azalî and eternal; the non-existence of His existence is impossible; the cessation of His existence is impossible; and His existence is the firmest, strongest and most perfect of all the levels of existence.

The other levels of existence are extremely weak shadows compared to His existence. The existence of Al-Wâjib is so firm and true, while the existence of contingent beings is so pale and weak to such an extent that numerous ahl al-tahqîq, such as Muhyiddîn bin 'Arabî, have degraded the other levels of existence to the level of wahm and imagination; they said,

لاَ مَوْجُودَ اِلاَّ هُوَ4

that is, compared to the existence of Wâjib, other things should not be called existent. They have judged that other things are not worthy of the title existent.

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

 

Wahdah ash-shuhûd, which is a significant path of the tarîqah and called wahdah al-wujûd, by restricting the look to the existence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, sees other beings as mere shadows and weak in comparison to the existence of Al-Wâjib. It goes so far as to judge them unworthy of being called existent and to conceal them behind the veils of imagination, consider them as nothing in the station of abandoning all things other than Allah, and even imagine them to be non-existent and give them the state of being mere imaginary mirrors for the manifestations of the names of Allah.

Thus, there is a significant haqiqah in this path: when compared to the existence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, the existence of contingent beings diminishes — through the strength of îmân and the progress of an elevated walâyah to the degree of haqq al-yaqîn — to such an extent that in the perspective of this path, the contingent beings hold no rank other than that of imagination and non-existence; it is as though this path denies the universe for the sake of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd.

The Twenty-Ninth Letter/The 9th Section/5th Allusion

 

Question: The matter of wahdah al-wujûd is considered to be the highest rank by many people. But the path of wahdah al-wujûd in this way was not seen explicitly in the Sahâbah, foremost the four Khalîfah, who were at the rank of the greatest walâyah, or in the Imams of ahl al-bayt, foremost the five people of al-‘abâ5, or mujtahids and tâbi’în, foremost the four madhab Imams. So did those who came after them advance further than them, or did they find a better way?

The Answer: Hâsha! Nobody at all has the ability to advance further than those asfiyâ who were the closest stars to the sun of risalah and its closest heirs. The greatest highway indeed belongs to them.

As for wahdah al-wujûd, it is a path, an ecstatic and ma’nawî state and a deficient degree. However, most who reach that rank on their ma’nawî journeyings do not want to leave it because it is pleasurable and intoxicating; they remain there and assume it to be the ultimate rank.

Thus, if one who takes this path possesses a rûh divested of materiality and intermediaries, and he pierces the veil of causes and is honoured with a state of witnessing (shuhûd) to a degree of being entirely immersed in ecstatic contemplation and blessedness, then an ecstatic and ma’nawî state of wahdah al-wujûd — not arising from ‘ilm but arising from the path of wahdah ash-shuhûd — would provide him perfection and rank for him. He even goes so far as to reject the existence of the universe for the sake of Allah. But if one who takes this path is plunged in causes and preoccupied with materiality, then his talking about wahdah al-wujûd may reach a point where he denies Allah on account of the universe.

Yes, the great highway is the highway of the Sahabah, Tâbi’în and Asfiyâ. The phrase 6 حَقَائِقُ اْلاَشْيَاءِ ثَابِتَةٌ is their universal rule. And in accordance with لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ7 nothing resembles Janâb-i Haqq. He is free of taking up space or being divided into parts. His relation with beings is being their Khâliq (khâliqiyyah). Beings are not imaginations or wahm, as stated by those who follow the path of wahdah al-wujûd. Visible things are also the works of Janâb-i Haqq. It is not "Heme Ost8 " but "Heme Ezost." That is, “Everything is not Him,” but rather “Everything is from Him.” For events cannot be without a beginning and an end.

…

Thus, the Sahâbah, the Asfîyâ from among mujtahidîn and the Imams of ahl al-bayt said, 9حَقَائِقُ اْلاَشْيَاءِ ثَابِتَةٌ ; there exists a real manifestation of Janâb-i Haqq, with all His names. Through being created by Him, all things have an existence that does not belong to their essence and exist subsequently. Although their existence is an extremely weak and unstable shadow compared to the existence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, it is not imagination and wahm. Janâb-i Haqq gives existence to them and makes their existence continue through His name Khallâq.

The Eighteenth Letter-Second Important Matter

5. The philosophy appoints resembling Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd as the point of perfection for mankind instead of being an ‘abd, the perfection point appointed by religion:

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, all of which are inherent in the essence of man. They could not find the wide door of shukr due to sinking into nature and failing to fully 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 10 which is one of the results of the principles of nubuwwah concerning the individual life, and the boastful rule of philosophy “Work to resemble Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd,” according to the rule “Being like Al-Wâjib is the ultimate perfection of mankind.”

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 need (mustaghni).

 The Thirtieth Word-The First Aim

6. The human mind cannot completely grasp the attributes of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd:

The human mind does not have the scope to measure the grandeur of Taâ’lâ, weigh up His perfections, or find the means to judge His attributes. It is not possible in any aspect. Man can only grasp the attributes that pertain to His Jalâl through a nûr attained by way of tafakkur at the degree of witnessing the artful creation of As-Subhân Taâ’lâ and through ma’rifat aquired from what is manifested from all His artful works and encapsulated in all His actions. Yes, a particle can only be a mirror, not a criterion.

If you have understood these matters, know that Al-Wâjib Taâ’lâ cannot be compared with contingent beings because the difference 11 between them is like the distance between the ground and the Pleiades. Surely you can see that it is because their quwwa al-wâhimah dominates over their minds through this false comparison, how the Naturalists, the Mu'tazilites and the Majûsî (Zoroastrians) attributed an actual effect to causes, and the creation of the actions of animals to themselves and the creation of sharr to something other than Taâ’lâ.

Due to their wahm, they think, “How could Allah Taâ’lâ lower Himself to create these base matters and ugly things despite His grandeur, sublimity and freedom from defect?” How did they make the mind enslaved by such a wahm? But alas! This wahm also dominates over mu’mins by means of waswasa. So be careful to avoid it!

Signs of Miraculousness-153

 

Since Janâb-i Haqq exists, everything exists. Since relation (intisâb) to Janâb Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd exists, all things exist for everything because by being related to Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, each being creates a connection with all beings through the mystery of wahdah. It means that through the mystery of wahdah, each being, which knows its relation (intisâb) to Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, or whose relation to Him is known, becomes related to all beings related to Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd. It means that at the point of that relation (intisâb), each thing can be a place of manifestation for the infinite nûrs of existence. There is neither separation nor death at that point. To live for a passing moment is a means for the infinite nûrs of existence.

If that relation (intisâb) does not exist or is not known, each being becomes a place of manifestation for infinite separations, deaths and non-existence. Because, in such a case, there exists a separation, distance and death for each being with all the other beings it could have been connected to. It means it loads on its individual existence the burden of 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 of life with that relation (intisâb) in its first state. Therefore, the people of haqiqah have said, "Illumined existence for a passing moment is preferable to a worthless and destitute million years of existence." That is, “One moment of existence with the relation to the existence of Al-Wâjib is preferable to a million years of existence without the relation to the existence of Al-Wâjib.” Because of this mystery, ahl al-tahqîq have also said, "The nûrs of existence exist through recognising Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd." That is, "In that case, the universe appears as full of malâikah, rûh beings and intelligent beings amidst the nûrs of existence. If He does not exist, the darkness of non-existence and the pain of death and separation would envelop each being. In that man’s perspective, the world appears to be an empty, desolate, frightful and wild place."

Indeed, each fruit of a tree has a relation with all the fruits on that tree, and since through that relation, there exists a friend and a brother for that fruit to their number, it possesses existences not belonging to its own essence. But when the fruit is plucked from the tree, separation and death come into existence between each of those fruits. Each fruit becomes non-existent for it. An exterior darkness of non-existence comes into existence for it. In the same way, in point of being related to the qoudrah of Al-Ahad Who is Samad, all things exist for everything. There are exterior non-existences for all things to the number of things if relation (intisâb) does not exist.

Thus, from this allusion, look to the greatness of the nûrs of îmân and see the terrifying darkness of dhalâlah. This means that îmân is the title of the essence and reality of the elevated haqiqah explained in the Fifth Allusion, and the essence and reality of this elevated haqiqah can be benefitted from through îmân. If there is no îmân, just as everything is non-existent for a blind, deaf, mute and mindless man, so is everything non-existent and dark for someone without îmân.

 

The Twenty-Fourth Letter/1st Station/5th Allusion

 

سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا اِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ