بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

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

ÎMÂN-BELIEF - 1

 

“Îmân is a nûr produced by affirming in detail all the dharûriyyah of religion brought by Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm and the rest in general.” Signs of Miraculousness ( 49 )

 

“Know too that as expounded by Sa'd al-Din al-Taftâzâni," îmân is a nûr that Allah Taâ’lâ instils instantaneously in the hearts of those of His ‘abds that He wishes - that is after they have used their juz’ al-ikhtiyârî. Yes, îmân is a nûr for the human conscience, a ray from the Pre-Eternal Sun, that suddenly bathes in nûr the conscience's malakût. It affords it a feeling of familiarity with all the universe and establishes relations between it and all things. It imparts such ma’nawî strength to a person's heart that he can overcome all the events and misfortunes that beset him. It affords him such breadth he can endure the past and the future. Yes, as îmân is a ray from the Pre-Eternal Sun, so it is a flash of eternal happiness, that is, of the resurrection of the dead. Through the light it emits, the seeds of man's hopes sprout, and the potentialities lodged in his conscience start to grow and to stretch out towards eternity, and the seeds of his potentialities are transformed into a Tree of Tuba.” Signs of Miraculousness ( 50 )

 

“The word مِنْ 1 indicates that hidâyah is both created by Allah and granted to them by Him.

The word "Rabb" indicates that giving hidâyah is the mark of rubûbiyyah, so just as He does  tarbiyyah them with rizq, He does tarbiyyah them with hidâyah.” Signs of Miraculousness ( 69 )

 

If the bestowal of hidâyah and îmân on a man who suffers the ghastly ma’nawî pains of dhalâlah is considered from the point of view of tawhîd, suddenly, the azalî and undying beauty of the One, Who is Karîm and Muhsin, is seen on the face of that supreme bestowal, which is to make the insignificant, transitory and impotent man an ‘abd, who is the addressee of Ma’bûd, Khâliq and Sultân of all the universe, and which is to bestow on him eternal happiness and a broad and splendid everlasting property and eternal world by means of îmân, and which is to honour all mu’mins like him with those favours according to their degree. One flash of that beauty makes all the people of îmân companions to itself and the pure ones amongst them fall in ‘ashq.

The Second Ray-1st Station/1st Fruit

 

The human mind does not have the breadth and scope to measure Janâb-i Haqq

“It is a characteristic of man that when he does tafakkur on something in order to weigh it up, he, first of all, seeks criteria for it and its relations and principles, in his own nafs; then in his fellow humans; and if he cannot find them there, in other contingent beings around him. When he does tafakkur over Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, even, Who in no way resembles contingent beings, his quwwa al-wâhimah forces him to take the above-mentioned evil wahm as his principle, and use that deceptive analogy as a telescope. However, As-Sâni’ (Jalla Jalâluhu) cannot be observed from this point, for His Qoudrah cannot be restricted.

The Fifth: His Qoudrah, ‘Ilm, And Irâdah (jalla jalâluhu) are like the light of the sun, وَ لِلّٰهِ الْمَثَلُ اْلاَعْلٰى  they embrace everything and encompass all matters. They cannot be restricted or be compared with anything. Just as they look to the vastest things, like the ‘arsh, so they look to the smallest, like a particle. And just as they create the sun and moon, so they create the eyes of the flea and gnat. And just as they lay down the elevated order of the universe, so they place a fine order in the guts of microscopic organisms. And just as they bind together the celestial bodies and stars, suspended [in space] by that law of His known as gravity, so they order minute particles through a similar law, as infinitesimal samples of them. It is through the intervention of impotence that different degrees occur in qoudrah. So all things are equal in the face of the Qoudrah of the One for whom impotence is impossible. For impotence is the opposite of Qoudrah.” Signs of Miraculousness ( 83-84 )

 

“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 )

 

“KNOW, O FRIEND, that Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd does not resemble contingent beings, which are absolutely dependent upon Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd for their existence, in His Essence, Attributes, and acts. For example, in His view, there is no difference between near and far, few and many, small and large, individual and species, part and whole. Unlike the contingent, He acts with ease, in no time, and does not busy Himself with anything. This is why the mind (aql) cannot understand the acts of Taâ’lâ and goes so far as to deny the One Who does them.” Al-Mathnawi al-Nuri (256 )

 

KNOW that if you turn to Taâ’lâ supposing that He is known and recognized, He will be unknown and unrecognized for you. Because this knowing and recognizing are the results of a commonplace familiarity, an imitation (taqlîd) through hearing and the common conventional terms. Such knowledge has no share from the haqiqah. That knowledge is limited and is far from explaining the absolute attributes of Allah. They may be a sort of title for the consideration of The Most Pure and Holy Essence (Dhât  Al-Aqdas).

But if you turn to Him by accepting Him as unknown, then the rays of His ma’rifat and the flashes and nûrs of the attributes of Allah will be unfolded to you.

Al-Mathnawî Al-Nûrî 287

 

By the way of deduction (al-istidlâl) Allah can be recognized through the evidences on the universe, which are His work of art, His works and His acts

“Consider this: a proof is [in the form of] either the argument from material cause to material effect (limmî) or the argument from effect to cause (innî). This latter is sounder, and it is either based on contingency (imkânî), that is, the argument that since contingent beings (imkân) are equal in respect of being and non-being, there must be [a Necessary Being] who has chosen this,2 or it is based on createdness (hudûthî) that is, the argument that since there are constant change and renewal in beings, there must be One to give them existence (al-mûjid). Each of the above proofs is in respect of either the essences of things or their attributes and in respect of either the giving of existence or the continuation of it. And all of them are either the proof that things are given existence out of nothing (dalîl ikhtirâ'î) or the proof of 'inâyah. The present âyah alludes to all these types of proofs. Included here is [only] a summary of them, for we have explained them in detail in another book.

The proof of 'inâyah is the proof of As-Sâni’ that is indicated by this âyah and consists of the order included in the universe. For the order is a thread to which is attached all benefits and instances of hikmah. All the Qur'anic âyahs that enumerate the benefits of things and mention their hikmahs are 'the weaver' of this proof and are where this argument is manifested. For just as the order, with which all the instances of hikmah and benefits comply, proves the existence of the Orderer, so it demonstrates As-Sâni’s intention and hikmah and repulses the wahm of blind chance and unseeing coincidence.

Now see! If you cannot encompass this elevated order, adorned with bezels of hikmah, with your sight, and you are incapable of understanding it through inductive reasoning, look through the prying eyes of the sciences which are the senses of your species and are formed through the meeting of minds and conjunction of ideas, and are like the ideas of the human race for you will see an order that dazzles the mind. You will know too that each of the physical sciences discloses through the universality of its principles, the order and harmony, the more perfect than which cannot be conceived of. For there is a science [to study] every group of the universe, or there will be [that is, each could sustain a science].

Science consists of universal principles, and this universality demonstrates the beauty of the order. For there can be no universality in something without order. Don't you see that if we say: "All ‘Ulamâ wear white turbans," it is confirming the universality, for there is an order among that group. It leads on from this that by reason of the universality of their principles, all the sciences demonstrate through inductive reasoning a total, all-embracing order; each is a shining proof pointing to the benefits and fruits hanging in bunches from the links of the chains of beings, indicating too the instances of hikmah and advantages concealed in their changing states. The sciences raise the banner of As-Sâni’s hikmah. Each of them is a shining star piercing the darkness and repulsing the shaytans of wahm.

If you like, now disregard the general [order] and consider the following example: a microscopic organism so small it is invisible to the naked eye comprises an extremely fine and wonderful Ilahî machine. Necessarily and self-evidently, this machine, which is contingent in both its essence and attributes and states, did not come into existence of itself without a real and effective cause (‘illah). Like the pans of some scales, contingent beings are equal in respect of both existence and non-existence; if one preponderates, it remains in non-existence. Thus, as all reasonable people agree, there has to be a real and effective cause (‘illah) to make the choice. It is impossible that this should be a natural cause. For the exquisite order of [the machine] necessitates infinite ‘ilm and perfect intelligence, and it is impossible to conceive of these in such causes, about which [the Naturalists] deceive themselves. The causes are simple, few, and lifeless and cannot specify their course or restrict their motions, hesitant as they are between thousands of possibilities, some of which have no primacy. So how does [a cause] follow a specific course and travel a defined path, and how can it choose certain aspects of the possibilities so that it produces this marvellous, well-ordered machine the subtlety of the instances of hikmah of which leave minds in astonishment? You could only convince yourself and feel happy at it if you ascribed to every single particle the intelligence of Plato and hikmah of Galen and you believed that all these particles communicated with each other. And this is a sophistry that would put even the Sophists to shame.

Although the forces of attraction and repulsion form the basis of physical matter in the smallest indivisible atoms, this appears to be the combining of opposites. Yes, the law of attraction and that of repulsion and others are the names of the 'Âdâtullah and Taâla's Sharî‘ah of fitrah, which is called nature. Such laws are acceptable on condition they do not cease being principles and become nature, and exist only in the mind and are not ascribed external existence, and do not cease being merely i’tibârî and become haqiqah, and do not cease to be seen as means and are considered effectual.

Now if you have understood this example [of the microscopic organism] and you have seen its vastness despite its infinitesimal size, and its breadth despite its narrowness, raise your head and observe the universe: you will see the clarity of the proof of 'inâyah and that it is as clear and obvious as the universe. All the Qur'anic âyahs that recount the ni’mahs and recall their benefits manifest this proof. When the Qur'an orders tafakkur, it generally directs the one it addresses to the method of this [deductive] reasoning (istidlâl): فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَۙ هَلْ تَرٰى مِنْ فُطُورٍ 3 And this âyah, how [clearly] it points to this proof: اَلَّذ۪ى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اْلاَرْضَ فِرَاشًا وَالسَّمَٓاءَ بِنَٓاءًۖ وَاَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَٓاءِ مَٓاءً فَاَخْرَجَ بِه۪ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَكُمْۚ 4 Signs of Miraculousness ( 163 - 165 )

 

“The Qur'an's main aim is to instruct the mass of people about its four basic principles, which are proof of the Single Sâni’, nubuwwah, the resurrection of the dead, and justice. Thus, its mention of the universe is secondary and digressive, for purposes of deduction (al-istidlâl), for it was not revealed to teach geography or cosmography (astronomy). It mentions the universe in order to conclude from the Ilahî art in it and its unique order [the existence of] the True Orderer (Jalla Jalâluhu). It is a fact that traces of art, purpose, and order are to be seen in all things, but however, they were formed does not concern us since it is unconnected with the main aim.” Signs of Miraculousness ( 194 )

 

Recognition Of The Doer From His Works

Just as this great book of the universe gives us the lesson of takwînî âyahs concerning the existence (Wujûd) and wahdah of Allah, so too, it testifies to all attributes of that Zuljalâl One pertaining to His perfection (Kamâl), beauty (Jamâl) and glory (Jalâl). And they prove the perfection of His faultless Essence free of deficiency. For it is self-evident that perfection in a work indicates the perfection of the act which is the source and origin of the work. As for the perfection of the act, it indicates the perfection of the name, and the perfection of the name indicates the perfection of the attribute, and the perfection of the attribute indicates the perfection of the shuûn pertaining to the essence, and the perfection of the shuûn indicates, by hads, necessarily and self-evidently, the perfection of the essence possessing those shuûn.

For example, just as the perfect embroideries and adornments of a faultless palace show the perfection of a craftsman's acts behind them. The perfection of those acts shows the perfection of titles and names, which show the ranks of the craftsman, who is the doer of those actions. And the perfection of the names and titles shows the perfection of the attributes concerning that craftsman's art. And the perfection of the art and attributes shows the perfection of the abilities and dispositions belonging to the essence of that possessor of the art, which are called the shuûn belonging to the essence. And the perfection of those shuûn and abilities belonging to the essence shows the perfection of the craftsman's essence.

In the same way, as for the faultless and flawless works seen in the ‘âlam, which is the place of manifestation for the mystery of هَلْ تَرَى مِنْ فُطُورٍ5 , and the art in these well-ordered beings of the universe, they self-evidently indicate the perfection of the acts of an active possessor of power. As for the perfection of the acts, it self-evidently indicates the perfection of the Names of a Fâ’il6 Zuljalâl. As for the perfection of the Names, it necessarily indicates and testifies to the perfection of the attributes of the Zuljamâl One, Who bears those Names. As for the perfection of the attribute, it certainly indicates and testifies to the perfection of shuûn of the Zulkamâl One Who is qualified with that attribute. As for the perfection of shuûn, by haqq al-yaqîn7 , it indicates the perfection of the Essence of the One Who possesses those shuûn in such a way that it demonstrates that all kinds of perfection, which are seen in the whole universe, are the âyahs of perfection (Kamâl), allusions of glory (Jalâl) and indications of beauty (Jamâl) of a Zulkamâl One, in the form of faint, weak shadows in comparison with His perfection.

 The Twenty-Second Word/The Second Station/Tenth Flash

 

The First Haqiqah is the comprehensive, permanent, well-ordered and magnificent haqiqah of invading and pervading8 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’9 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.

The Seventh Ray-Nineteenth Degree of the First Station

 

“Miracles are to prove the claim of nubuwwah, persuading those who deny and not to compel. Therefore, miracles have to be displayed to those who hear the claim of nubuwwah at a degree that will persuade them. Just as displaying them all over the world self-evidently to a degree compelling is contrary to hikmah of Al-Hakîm Zuljalâl, it is also contrary to the mystery of man's accountability through the obligations placed on him by Allah. For the mystery of man's accountability requires "opening the door to the mind (aql), not taking its will away." The Thirty-First Word-Addendum-Third Point

 

“All the states and acts of Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm may testify to his sidq and nubuwwah, but not all the states and acts of his have to be wondrous. For Janâb-i Haqq sent him in the form of a human being so that he may be a guide and imam to the acts and deeds of man in by means of which they attain happiness of the world and the âkhirah and to their social affairs and so that he may display disposal of Ilahî Qoudrah and Rabbânî art that are wondrous within the customary, each of which is a miracle of Ilahî Qoudrah. He could not have been an imam personally if he had abandoned the human state and become wondrous; he could not have instructed with his acts, states and demeanour. But only to prove his nubuwwah to the obstinate people, he became the place of manifestation for wondrous works and displayed miracles on occasion, when the need arose. But as a requirement of examination and trial which is the mystery of man's accountability, certainly, miracles would have not occurred in an evident degree and to a degree that would compel to confirm willingly or unwillingly. Because the mystery of testing and the hikmah of man's accountability requires opening the door to the mind (aql) and not taking the mind’s will away. The will of the mind does not remain if it is so evident. Abu Jahl may believe as Abu Bakr believed. Test and man’s accountability through the obligations placed on him by Allah may remain fruitless. Coal and diamond would have remained at the same level.” The Nineteenth Letter-Fourth Subtle Sign-First Principle

 

“Îmân is a single haqiqah, which, composed of its six pillars, cannot be divided up. It is a universal that cannot be separated into parts. It is a whole that cannot be broken up. For each of the pillars of îmân proves the other pillars with the proofs that prove itself. They are all extremely powerful proofs of each other. In which case, a bâtil idea that cannot shake all the pillars together with all their proofs, in the view of haqiqah, cannot negate any one of the pillars, or even a single haqiqah, and cannot deny them. Under the veil of non-acceptance, one might only, by shutting his eyes, commit obstinate kufr. He falls into ‘kufr al-mutlaq’ by degrees and ruins his humanity, and goes to Jahannam, both physically and ma’nawî.” The Rays ( 256 )

 

“One time when events like old age, exile, illness, and defeat were shaking my being it coincided with a period of ghaflah. Causing me grievous anxiety that my being, to which I was intensely attached and with which I was captivated, indeed all creatures, were departing for non-existence, I once again had recourse to the âyah حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ . It told me: "Note my meaning carefully and look through the telescope of îmân!"

So I looked and with the eye of îmân and saw that like all mu’mins, my minuscule being was the mirror of a limitless being, and through infinite expansion, the means of gaining innumerable existences, and a word of hikmah producing the fruits of numerous permanent existences far more valuable than itself. I knew with ‘ilm al-yaqîn that in this connection to live for an instant was as valuable as an eternal existence. For through the consciousness of îmân by understanding that this being of mine was the work of art, artefact, and manifestation of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd, through being saved from the wild wahm and innumerable separations and from the pains of innumerable mutual separations, I knew that there was a permanent union in a temporary separation with all the beings that I loved and formed relations and bonds of brotherhood with the number of Ilahî acts and Names connected with beings and especially living beings. And so, through îmân and the relation (intisâb) in îmân, like all mu’mins, my existence gains the nûrs of innumerable existences without separation. Even if it departed, they would remain behind it, and it would be happy as though it had remained itself.

In short, death is not separation, it is union; it is a change of abode; it is the producing of an eternal fruit.” The Flashes ( 324 )

 

The heart is the seat of îmân; the mind is where the nûr of îmân is reflected.

Sometimes, it is a mujâhid; sometimes, it is a sweeper. If the waswasas and various possibilities in the mind do not enter the heart, îmân and conscience will not be shaken.

For if, as some people suppose, îmân is in the mind, numerous possibilities become merciless enemies oppose haqq al-yaqîn, which is the rûh of îmân.

The heart and conscience are the seats of îmân. Hads and ilham are evidence for îmân. They are the sixth sense, a way to îmân. Thought and mind are the guards of îmân.

The Gleams

 

“The word (قلوبهم)10 precedes hearing and sight because it is the seat of îmân; and because the first evidences of as-Sâni’ are manifested from the heart's consultation with its nafs, and from the conscience referring to its fitrah. For when a person consults his nafs, he feels an acute sense of powerlessness that drives him to seek out a point of support, and he perceives his clamouring need to fulfil his hopes and is compelled to find a source of assistance. But there is no support to be found and no help except in îmân.

What is meant by the heart is the Rabbânî subtle faculty - not the piece of flesh shaped like a pine-cone - the emotions of which are manifested in the conscience and the thoughts of which are reflected in the mind. The term heart indicates that the Rabbânî subtle faculty is to man's ma’nawî dimensions what the cone-shaped piece of flesh is to the body. For just as the physical heart is a life-machine that pumps the water of life to all the parts of the body, and if it is obstructed or ceases from activity, [life departs and] the body stiffens; so the subtle inner faculty dispenses the nûr of true life to all the parts of the corpus composed of man's ma’nawî aspects, and his states of rûh (hâl), and hopes. And if, Allah forbid, the nûr of îmân fades away, his being, with which he contends with the universe, becomes like a motionless spectre, dark in its entirety.” Signs of Miraculousness ( 85 )

 

“In Maktubat, Imam-i Rabbani (Radiallahu ‘anh), the hero and a sun of the Naqshbandi Order, said: "I prefer the unfolding of a single matter of the haqiqahs of îmân to thousands of azwâq, ecstasies, and instances of karâmât."

He also said: "The final point of all the tariqs is the clarification and unfolding of the haqiqahs of îmân."

He also said: "Walâyah is of three sorts: one is the 'lesser Walâyah,' which is the well-known Walâyah. The others are the 'middle Walâyah' and the 'greater Walâyah.' 'Greater Walâyah' is to open up by way of the legacy of nubuwwah a direct way to haqiqah without entering the barzakh of tasawwuf."

He said also: "The ma’nawî journeying on the Naqshi way is with two wings." That is, "Through having a firm belief in the haqiqahs of îmân and carrying out the religious fardh. If there is a defect in these two wings, the way cannot be traversed." In which case, the tarîq of Naqshi consists of three 'veils':

The First and most important is direct service to the haqiqahs of îmân; Imam-i Rabbani (ra) travelled this way in his later years.

The Second is service to the religious fardh and Glorious Sunnah under the veil of the tarîqah.

The Third is to work to eliminate the sicknesses of the heart by way of Tasawwuf and to journey with the feet of the heart. Of these, the first is the equivalent of fardh, the second wâjib, and the third Sunnah.

Since this is the haqiqah, it is my estimation that: If persons like Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadîr Jilânî (ra) and Shah Naqshband (ra) and Imam-i Rabbânî (ra) were alive at the present time, they would expend all their efforts in strengthening the haqiqahs of îmân and aqâid of Islam. For they are the means to eternal happiness. If there is a deficiency in them, it results in eternal misery. One may not enter Jannah without îmân, but very many have gone to Jannah without Tasawwuf. Man cannot live without bread, but he can live without fruit. Tasawwuf is the fruit, the haqiqahs of Islam are the essential sustenances. In former times, a person could only rise to some of the haqiqahs of îmân through the ma’nawî journeying from forty days to as many as forty years. But now, if, through the rahmah of Janâb-i Haqq a way is found to rise to those haqiqahs in forty minutes, to remain indifferent is to surely not sensible.11

Thus, those who have carefully read it reach the decision that the thirty-three pieces of Words have opened up such a Qur'anic way. Since this is the haqiqah, I am of the conviction that the Words written about the mysteries of the Qur'an are a most appropriate medicine and salve for the wounds of this age, and a most beneficial nûr for the totality of Islam which is being subjected to the assaults of darkness, and the truest guide for those bewildered in the valleys of dhalâlah.

You know that if dhalâlah arises from ignorance, it is easy to dispel. Whereas if it proceeds from science and ‘ilm, it is difficult to eliminate. In former times, the latter was one in a thousand, and of this only one in a thousand could come to the way through guidance. For such people fancy themselves. And they do not know, but they suppose that they do know. I think that Janâb-i Haqq has bestowed the Words at this time, which are ma’nawî flashes of the Qur'an's miraculousness, as an antidote to this zandaqa of dhalâlah.” The Fifth Letter

 

“Imam-i Rabbânî, the Mujaddid of the Second Millenium, Ahmad Faruqi (ra), said: "In my opinion, the unfolding and clarification of a single of the haqiqahs of îmân is preferable to thousands of azwâq and karâmât. Moreover, the aim and result of all the tarîqahs are the unfolding and clarification of the haqiqahs of îmân." Since a hero of tarîqah like Imam-i Rabbani made such a pronouncement, the Words, which expound the haqiqahs of îmân with perfect clarity and proceed from the mysteries of the Qur'an, can indeed yield the results sought from walâyah.” The Letters ( 418 )

 

“The Words and those Nûrs, which proceed from the Qur'an, are not only scholarly matters pertaining to the mind (aql), they are rather matters of îmân which pertain to the heart, the rûh, and hâl12 . They resemble most elevated and valuable Ma’rifatullah.” The Letters ( 419 )

 

 

اَللّٰهُمَّ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَ ارْحَمْ اُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلاَةُ وَ السَّلاَمُ وَ نَوِّرْ قُلُوبَ اُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلاَةُ وَ السَّلاَمُ بِنُورِ اْلاِيمَانِ وَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ نَوِّرْ بُرْهَانَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ عَظِّمْ شَرِيعَةَ اْلاِسْلاَمِ آمِينَ