What is the nature of ascension and why was the prophet Muhammad
favoured
with it?
The Ascension is one of the greatest miracles of the Prophet Muhammad,
upon him be peace and blessings. The Prophet realized a spiritual perfection
and full refinement through belief and worship and, as a reward, God took
him to His holy Presence. Escaping from the imprisonment of ‘natural’ laws
and material causes and rising beyond the limits of bodily existence, the
Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, crossed distances swiftly and
transcended all dimensions of the material world until he reached the holy
Presence of God.
Multi-dimensional existence
Atomic physics has changed many notions in physics and established that
the material world is a dimension or an appearance of existence. Besides
this world, there are many other worlds or dimensions of existence, each of
which has its own particularities. Einstein put forward the notion that time
is only one of the dimensions of existence. Science has not yet drawn the
final conclusions about existence and new findings and developments
continually change our view of it. Therefore, especially in our day, it is
completely illogical to question the event of Ascension. People have
difficulty in understanding how one can penetrate all time at the same
moment as a single point. In order to understand this subtle matter,
consider the following analogy.
Imagine that you are standing with a mirror in your hand, with everything
reflected on the right representing the past, while everything reflected on
the left represents the future. The mirror can reflect one direction only
since it cannot show both sides at the same time as you are holding it. If
you wish to reflect both directions at the same time, you will have to rise
high above your original position so that left and right directions are
united into one and nothing remains to be called first or last, beginning or
end.
In the Ascension, the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings,
must have moved with the speed of the spirit and he travelled through all
time and space and all dimensions of existence in a very short period.
During that heavenly journey, he met with the previous Prophets, saw angels
and beheld the beauties of Paradise and the terrors of Hell. He also
observed the essential realities of all the Qur’anic issues and the meanings
and wisdom of all the acts of worship. He went as far as the realms where
even the greatest of angels, Gabriel, cannot reach and was honoured with
vision of God’s ‘Countenance’ free from any qualitative and quantitative
dimensions and restrictions. Then, in order to bring humanity out of the
darkness of material existence into the illumined realm of belief and
worship, through which they could realize a ‘spiritual’ ascension each
according to his capacity, he returned to the world where he was made
subject to all kinds of persecution.
Note: Belief in the Prophet’s Ascension is the result of belief in
the pillars of faith and draws its light and strength from those pillars.
For sure, the Ascension cannot be proved independently to irreligious
atheists who do not accept the pillars of faith, because it is impossible to
discuss the Ascension with those who neither know God, nor recognize the
Prophet, nor accept the angels, and who deny the existence of the heavens.
Firstly, those pillars must be proved. Since this is so, in the following we
shall address the believer who, since he deems it unlikely, has doubts about
the Accession. However, from time to time we shall turn to the atheist who
is the third party in our discussion and is in the position of listening,
and speak to him.
The Qur’an declares:
Glorified be He Who carried His servant by night from the
Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) to Masjid al-Aqsa, the neighbourhood of which
We have blessed, that We might show him of Our signs. Surely He is the
All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. (al-Isra’, 17.1)
Then he drew nigh and came down, till he was two bows’
length or even nearer, and He revealed unto His servant what He revealed.
The heart (of His servant) lied not (in seeing) what he saw. (al-Najm,
53.8-11)
In the Name of God, the merciful, the Compassionate.
Glory be to Him Who transported His servant by night from
Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa’, the environs of which We had blessed, so
that We might show him some of Our signs. Surely He is the One Who is the
All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. (al-Isra’, 17.1)
It is naught but a revelation revealed. One with mighty power taught it,
one exalted in wisdom and strength: he rose, while he was in the highest
horizon. Then he approached and came nearer. He was at a distance of two
bows’ length or even nearer. And He revealed unto His servant what He
revealed. The heart did not falsify what he saw. Will you then dispute with
him concerning what he saw? Surely he saw him (another time when) he
(Gabriel) descended, near the Lote-tree of the farthest limit, beside it is
the Garden of Abode. It was when what enveloped the Lote-tree enveloped it.
The eye did not waver, nor did it stray. Truly did he see some of the
greatest signs of his Lord. (al-Najm, 53.4-18)
Out of the vast treasury of the first mighty verse above, we shall only
describe two points which the pronoun He in Surely He is refers to as a
principle of eloquence, since they are included in our present concern here.
After mentioning the journey of the noble Beloved of God, upon him be the
best of blessings and most perfect peace, from Masjid al-Haram in Makka to
Masjid al-Aqsa’ in Jerusalem, which was the beginning of his Ascension, the
Wise Qur’an concludes: Surely He is the One Who
is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Together with this phrase itself,
the pronoun in the Surely He is, which
alludes to the furthest point of the Ascension indicated by the verses from
sura al-Najm (sura 53), refers either to Almighty God or to the Prophet,
upon him be peace and blessings.
If it refers to the Prophet, according to the rules of rhetoric and the
relationship between the pronoun and its antecedent, the meaning is this:
this journey, which is apparently particular, is in reality so comprehensive
and signifies such universal ascent that the Prophet, upon him be peace and
blessings, heard and saw during it all the signs of the Lord and the wonders
of Divine art which caught his sight and encountered his ears as the results
of the manifestations of Divine Names in universal degrees as far as the
Lote-tree of the farthest limit and the distance of two bows’ length. Thus,
through its conclusive phrase, the verse describes that particular journey
as the key to understand a (higher) journey that is universal and full of
extraordinary events.
If the pronoun in Surely He is, refers
to God Almighty, the meaning is this: in order to call a servant of His on a
journey to His presence and entrust him with a duty, after sending him from
Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa’, which is where the Prophets gather, and
causing him to meet with them and showing that he is the absolute,
indisputable heir of the principles of the religions of all the Prophets, He
took him through both the external and inner dimensions of His dominion as
far as the Lote-tree of the farthest limit and the distance of two bows’
length.
For sure, he was a servant and that journey was a particular ascension.
However, since he was given a Trust which is connected to the whole of the
universe, was accorded a light which would change the colour of the
universe, and also had with him a key with which to open the door to eternal
happiness, Almighty God describes Himself as the One Who hears and sees all
things so that His world-embracing, comprehensive and all-encompassing
wisdom in the Trust, the light, and the key, might be observed and
understood.
This mighty truth contained in the Ascension may be dealt with under four
heads or four principles:
Why was the Ascension necessary?
It is asked: Almighty God is nearer to one than one’s jugular
vein. He is closer to everything than itself; He is absolutely free of
corporeality and space. Therefore, while all the saints are able to converse
with Him in their hearts, why was it necessary for the sainthood of
Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, to make a long journey like the
Ascension in order to succeed in holding a conversation with God that any
saint is able to do in his heart?
Answer
We shall make this profound mystery easier to understand by means of two
comparisons. Consider the following two comparisons from The Twelfth Word
which concern the mystery of the Qur’an’s miraculousness and the mystery of
the Ascension.
First comparison: A king holds two kinds of conversation and
interview and has two modes of address and favor. One is that he converses
with an ordinary subject or citizen about a particular matter or a special
need by means of a private telephone. The other is that under the title of
supreme sovereignty, and in the name of supreme kingship and on account of
being the ruler of the whole country, and with the aim of publishing and
promulgating his commands, he converses with an envoy of His connected to
those affairs or with a high official of His related to those commands, or
speaks to him by means of a magnificent royal decree manifesting his
majesty.
God has two kinds of conversing and speaking
As in the comparison (and God’s is the highest comparison) the
Creator of this universe, the Master of the whole existence in its external
and inner dimensions, and the Lord of eternity, has two kinds of conversing
and speaking, and two manners of favoring. One is particular and private,
the other, universal and general. The Ascension is the manifestation of the
sainthood of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, in a form more
universal than, and much superior to, all other sainthood. It is the
Prophet’s being honoured with the conversation and direct address of
Almighty God through His Name of the Lord of the whole universe and His
title of the Creator of all existence.
Second comparison: A man holds up to the sun a mirror he has in
his hand. According to its capacity, the mirror receives from the sun light
which contains seven colours. The man has a relation with the sun by means
of the mirror and in accordance with its capacity of reflecting the sun. If
he directs the shining side of the mirror towards his dark house or his
small, private garden which is covered by a roof, he can benefit from the
sun not in proportion to the sun’s value but in accordance with the capacity
of the mirror.
Another man, however, puts down the mirror, and facing the sun directly,
sees its splendor and comprehends its grandeur. Afterwards, he climbs a
very high mountain and stands in the sun without veil, witnessing the
majesty of its broad dominion. Then he comes back and in order to have a
direct connection with the constant light of the sun, he makes large windows
in his house or in the roof of his garden, and obtains other means of
benefiting from the sun directly. Facing it, he may speak to the sun in
indebtedness, and say: ‘O amiable sun, the beauty of the world and darling
of the skies, who gilds the face of the earth with light and makes it and
all the flowers smile in joy and happiness! You have illuminated and heated
my house and garden as you illuminate the whole world and heat the face of
the earth.’ However, the former one with the mirror cannot say the same,
since the reflection of the sun through the mirror is restricted and in
accordance with the mirror’s capacity.
How God manifests Himself in human nature?
Likewise, the manifestation in human nature of the Single, Eternally
Besought-of-All, Who is the Sun without beginning and the Lord of eternity,
is in two forms, which comprise innumerable degrees.
The first is a manifestation occurring in the mirror of the heart
by means of one’s relationship with the Lord. Whether particular or
universal, everyone may receive a manifestation of the light and
conversation of the Eternal Sun in accordance with his capacity and the
character of his spiritual journeying in traversing the degrees toward
sainthood, and his ability to receive the manifestations of Divine Names and
Attributes. That is why there are innumerable degrees in sainthood which is
attained through journeying within the shade of some particular Name or
Attribute.
The second is that since by virtue of having a comprehensive
nature and being the most enlightened fruit of the tree of creation, man is
able to reflect all together, in the mirror of his spirit, the Divine Names
manifested in the universe, Almighty God manifests Himself and all His
Beautiful Names in the greatest of mankind at the greatest level and most
comprehensively. It was thus this form of manifestation that occurred in
Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, in His Ascension, in which his
sainthood found its meaning and became the first stage of his Messengership.
Is it believable that the Ascension took place almost in an instant?
In sainthood there are veils or screens between a man’s heart and the
manifestations of Divine Names; it is as in the case of the first man in the
second comparison above. While in Prophethood there are neither veils nor
screens; as in the case of the second man in the second comparison, it is
connected directly with the manifestation of the Majestic Being with all His
Names in a single being. Since the Prophet Muhammad’s Ascension was the
greatest wonder of his sainthood and marked its final, greatest station, it
was transformed into the rank of Messengership. The Ascension, in its inner
aspect, signifies sainthood and was a journey from the created to the
Creator. As regards its apparent aspect, it is Messengership and signifies a
return from the Creator to the created. Sainthood consists in journeying
through the degrees of nearness to God; it requires attainment of many ranks
and therefore needs some length of time. As for Messengership, whose light
is greatest, it proceeds from the realization of Divine nearness in all its
comprehensiveness, which occurs in an instant. It is for this reason that a
tradition says: ‘The Ascension took place in an instant. The Prophet went
and returned in the same instant.’
Now we say to the atheist who is the third party in our discussion and
therefore in the position of listener: Since this universe is a like a most
orderly country, magnificent city, or adorned palace, it surely must have a
ruler, owner, and builder. Since there is such a magnificent, Majestic
Owner, All-Perfect Ruler, All-Gracious Maker; and since there is a man with
a universal view who has relationship with that entire country, city or
palace, and is connected to all of them through his senses, feelings and
faculties, certainly, the Magnificent Maker will have sublime relationship
to the fullest degree with that man, whose view is universal and
consciousness comprehensive, and will favor him with a sacred address.
Since among those who have been honored with this relationship from the
time of Adam, upon him be peace, up to now, according to the testimony of
his achievements (he has taken half of the world and a fifth of mankind
under his control and influence and enlightened the universe, giving it a
new spiritual form and furnishing it with a sublime meaning (the Prophet
Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, displayed this relationship at
the fullest degree. Most certainly, the Ascension, which consists in the
fullest degree of that relationship is most deserved by, and suitable for,
him.
What is the reality of the Ascension?
It is the journeying of the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and
blessings, through the degrees of perfection. That is, Almighty God has
various Names and titles manifested in the arrangement and disposition of
creatures, and displays diverse works of His Lordship (His upbringing,
training, sustaining and providing) as the results of execution of His
absolute authority in invention and administration of creatures in the
levels of the heavens where He executes His Lordship in different ways
according to the conditions of each level.
Thus, in order to show those works of His Lordship to that special
servant of His and thereby make him a being encompassing all human
perfections and receiving all the Divine manifestations, one who would view
all the levels of the universe and announce the sovereignty of His Lordship,
and who would proclaim the things of which He approves and unveil the
enigmatic meaning of creation, God Almighty mounted him on Buraq (a mount of
Paradise) and had him travel through the heavens like lightning, promoted
him to higher and higher ranks, and caused him to observe the Divine
Lordship from mansion to mansion and from sphere to sphere, and showed him
the Prophets, his brothers, whose abodes are in the heavens of those
spheres, one after the other. Finally, He raised him to the station of the
distance of two bows’ length and honoured him with the special manifestation
of all of His Names to the fullest degree and with His Speech and the vision
of Himself.
We may examine this sublime truth through the telescope of two
comparisons.
First comparison: As is explained in The Twenty-fourth Word, a king has
different titles in the departments of his government, different names and
attributes vis-à-vis the different classes of his subjects, and different
designations and marks in the spheres and offices of his rule. For example,
just ruler in the department of justice, sovereign in the civil service,
Commander-in-Chief in the army, chief teacher in the department of
education, and so on. In each sphere and department he has a seat or chair,
which has the meaning of a throne. That single king may have a thousand
names and titles in the spheres of his sovereignty and departments of his
government. He may have a thousand thrones of sovereignty one within or
adjacent to the other.
It is as if that ruler is present, and knows what is going on, in every
sphere through his collective personality and through his telephone. He sees
and is seen in every department through his laws and regulations, and
representatives, and he administers and observes from behind the veil in
every level through his rule, knowledge and power. He has a different center
and headquarters in every sphere. The rules of every sphere and department
are different from one another. That king designates a person among his
subjects, and showing him to all those spheres and departments of his
government and making him witness his imperial dominion and commands special
to each, brings him to his presence. Then he entrusts him with certain
general and universal commands concerning all those spheres and departments
and sends him back.
Likewise, the Lord of the Worlds, Who is the Sovereign of eternity, has
attributes and qualities in the levels of His Lordship that are all
different but that are related with one another; and Names and signs in the
spheres of His Divinity that are all different but appear one within the
other; and manifestations and inspirations in the performance of His
majestic acts that are all different but resemble one another. He has also
titles in the execution of His Power that are all different but hint at one
another; and sacred revelations in the manifestation of His Attributes that
are all different but point to one another; and operations in the
manifestation of His actions that are all different but complement one
another; and He has aspects of His majestic Lordship in His colorful art and
multi-colored creatures that are all different but observe one another.
It is because of this mysterious reality that He has organized the
universe in an amazing and wonderful fashion with different formations one
over the other from particles (which are the smallest level of creatures) to
the heavens, and from the first level of the heavens to the Greatest Throne
of God, each heaven being the roof of a different world, a chair for
exercise of Divine Lordship, and a center for the Divine operations.
Although on account of His Absolute Oneness, all the Divine Names may be
found in all those spheres and levels, and He may manifest in them Himself
with all His titles, just as in the department of justice the title of Just
Ruler is dominant with the others subordinate, so too, in each level of
creatures, in each heaven, a Divine title is dominant and the others are
subordinate to it. For example, in whichever heaven the Prophet Muhammad,
upon him be peace and blessings, met with the Prophet Jesus, upon him be
peace, who had been made distinguished with the manifestation of the Divine
Name of the All-Powerful, Almighty God is in constant manifestation in that
heaven primarily with His Name, the All-Powerful. Again, in the sphere of
the heavens which is the Prophet Moses’ abode, upon him be peace, God’s
title as Speaker, with which He distinguished Moses, is most predominant.
And so on.
The Prophet Muhammad was connected to all the spheres of Divine Lordship
Finally, the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings (since he
was honored with the manifestation of the Greatest Name of God and also with
those of all His other Names, and since his Prophethood is universal) must
certainly be connected with all the spheres of His Lordship. Also, it was
certain that the reality of the Ascension would require the Prophet
Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, to meet with the Prophets whose
seats are in those spheres, and to pass through all those levels.
Second comparison: The title of Commander-in-Chief, which is one of the
titles of a king, is manifested in every rank in the army from that of the
head of the military staff to that of a corporal. A private sees in the
person of his corporal the sample of the imposing title of
Commander-in-Chief, and so takes his orders from him and obeys him. When the
private becomes a corporal, he sees the sergeant in the commanding position
and obeys him. Then, if he becomes a sergeant, he sees a sample of the title
of Commander-in-Chief and a manifestation of it in the lieutenant’s office.
And so on. He will see the title in each of the spheres of captain, major,
colonel, general, and field-marshal in proportion to the smallness or
largeness of the sphere.
If the Commander-in-Chief wills to entrust a private with a duty
connected with all the offices of military ranks, if he wills to accord him
a rank where he can appear in every office and control it like an inspector,
then, for sure, in order that the private should have the necessary
knowledge of all the offices and be recognized by the personnel, he will
cause him to make a tour of study and inspection of the offices from that of
a corporal to the highest. Then he will admit him into his presence, and
honoring him with private conversation and bestowing on him a decoration and
decree, will send him back whence he came.
The following point must be noted in the comparison: if the king is not
powerless and, besides governmental, has also spiritual power, he will not
deputize persons like field-marshal, general and lieutenant to act in his
name in different offices, but himself will be present everywhere in person
and give orders directly, appearing in the form of those persons of certain
ranks. In fact, there are narrations that certain kings who were saints of
the highest level executed their rules in many spheres in the form of
certain individuals. As far as the truth we are trying to explain in this
comparison is concerned, since the Commander-in-Chief is in no way
powerless, the decrees and commands come directly from him in every office
and are executed through his command, will, and power.
So, as in the comparison, the Ruler of the heavens and the earth, Who is
the Absolute Sovereign and the Lord of Eternity having the command of ‘Be!’
and it is, has a sphere of Lordship, a level of ruler-ship in the levels of
creatures and classes of beings, ranging from particles to the planets, from
flies to the heavens, which, whether small or great, particular or
universal, are all different but related with one another. In each of these
spheres His regulations, statutes and commands are carried out in perfect
order and obedience. Thus, in order to comprehend the elevated aims and
tremendous results in the whole of the universe and, witnessing the duties
of worship particular to each of those levels and classes and observing the
sovereignty of Lordship of the One of Grandeur and the majesty of His rule,
to understand what is pleasing to Him, and to be a herald of His
sovereignty, one must make a journey through all those levels and spheres of
His ruler-ship until one reaches the Supreme Throne, which is the title of
the greatest, all-encompassing sphere, and attain to the rank which is the
ultimate one a servant can reach, and is called the distance of two bows’
length, and meet with the One of Majesty and Grace. This journey constitutes
the reality of the Ascension.
Like ordinary human beings travelling in the mind with the speed of
imagination and saints journeying in the heart with the speed of lightning,
like angels, whose bodies are of light, circulating with the speed of spirit
from God’s Throne to the earth, from the earth to God’s Throne, and like the
people of Paradise who will rise from the Place of Gathering to Paradise
covering a distance of five hundred years (a distance which is normally
covered in five hundred years on foot) with the speed of Buraq, it is certain
that the body of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, will go as far
as God’s Throne together with his elevated spirit. For the body of Muhammad,
upon him be peace and blessings, is the store of the faculties of the spirit
of Muhammad and the means for the performance of its duties, which is of
pure light and has the abilities of light, and is more refined than the
hearts of the saints, lighter than the spirits of the dead and the forms of
angels, and finer than the energetic envelopes of beings.
Now, turning to the atheist who is in the position of listener, and says
to himself: ‘I do not recognize God or know of the Prophet, so how should I
believe in the Ascension?’, we say to him:
The universe must have an Author
Since there is the universe with all the creatures and many diverse acts
in it, and a continual creation is observed, and since an orderly act cannot
occur without an author, a meaningful book cannot be without a writer and a
skilful design cannot be without a designer, for sure, the wise and
purposeful acts that fill the universe must have an author, and the
meaningful letters and amazing inscriptions or designs that cover the earth
and which are renewed from season to season, must have a writer and
designer. Also, since when two rulers interfere in the same affair, it
causes disorder, and since there is a perfect order in everything from the
wings of a fly to the lamp of the skies, then the ruler is One. For if He
was not One, since the art and wisdom in everything are so wonderful and
amazing that they require an All-Powerful and All-Knowing Maker, then there
would have to be gods to the number of creatures. Since in this case those
gods would be both opposite and similar to one another at the same time
[because the acts and creatures in the universe are in infinite diversity
and yet resemble one another in many ways], it is infinitely inconceivable
that this amazing order would not be upset.
Again, since those creatures are clearly seen to be moving with a command
in an order a thousand times more organized than an army; and since each
group of creatures from the sun, the moon and stars to almond flowers,
display in a perfect and organized manner and in a thousand times more
orderly fashion than an army, the uniforms, decorations and other kinds of
beautiful garments that the Eternal All-Powerful One has accorded them, and
exercise the movements that He has assigned to them (since this is so, then
this universe has an Absolute Ruler behind the veil of the Unseen, Whose
commands all of the creatures heed and carry out.
Furthermore, since, as testified by both all of His wise acts and the
majestic works He displays, that Ruler is a Majestic King; since, as is
demonstrated by His favors, He is an extremely Compassionate Lord; since, as
the most beautiful works of art He has produced bear witness, He is a Maker,
Who is Lover of art and loves His own art; since, as is apparent from the
decorations and curiosity-exciting arts He exhibits, He is a Wise Creator
Who wants to attract the appreciative gaze of conscious beings to His works
of art; since, as is understood that, due to the wisdom of His Lordship, He
wants to inform conscious beings of the meaning of the amazing and wonderful
decorations He has displayed in the creation of the universe, and of where
creatures come from and where they are bound to go; then, for sure, this
Wise Ruler and All-Knowing Maker wishes to demonstrate His Lordship. Also,
since He wills to make Himself known to, and loved by, conscious beings
through all those traces of grace and mercy and the wonders of art that He
displays, then, of a certainty, He will by means of an envoy inform
conscious beings of what He wants them to do and what is pleasing to Him. He
will choose one among conscious beings and declare His Lordship by means of
him. In order to exhibit His favorite arts, He will honor a herald with the
nearness of His presence and employ him in exhibiting them. In order to
display His perfections by informing conscious beings of His lofty purposes
for the creation of the universe, He will appoint one among them as a
teacher. He will certainly appoint a guide so that the mystery of creation,
the enigma of existence do not remain meaningless. In order not to allow the
beauties of art that He displays for the eyes to see, to remain useless, He
will choose a guide who will teach the purposes contained in them. Also, He
will pick out one among conscious beings and, in order to communicate to
them the things that please Him, raise him to a rank above the others, and
inform them of those things by means of him.
Since reality and wisdom require it to be so and the one most worthy to
perform these duties was the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and
blessings, because He actually performed them most perfectly, a fact to
which the world of Islam that he founded and the light of Islam that he
showed are truthful and just witnesses, then he would have to rise high
above all other creatures and attain to a rank where he held a universal and
elevated conversation with the Creator of the universe. This is what lies in
the reality of Ascension.
In short: Since Almighty God has formed, organized and decorated this
vast universe in this way for mighty purposes and great aims such as those
mentioned above; and since among beings there is mankind to see the
universal Divine Lordship with all its subtleties, and this mighty Divine
sovereignty with all its truths, most certainly, that Absolute Ruler will
speak to mankind and inform them of His purposes. However, since everyone is
not able to free himself from being a simple individual occupied with low
matters and rise to the highest, universal position to directly receive the
Ruler’s universal address, then, for sure, certain special individuals among
mankind will be entrusted with that duty. Those individuals should be from
among mankind so that they can teach human beings, while, in order to be
able to be the direct addressees of God, they should also be extremely
exalted spiritually.
So, since among human beings the one who taught the purposes of the
universe’s Maker most perfectly, unveiled the mysterious meaning of the
universe and creation, and heralded the beauties of the dominion of His
Lordship in the best way was Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, most
certainly, in order to rise spiritually high above all other human beings to
the most exalted and comprehensive rank, he would make an Ascension in the
form of journeying through the corporeal world and then reaching beyond
seventy thousand veils which consist in the manifestations of Divine Names,
Attributes and acts, and all the levels of creation. This is the Ascension.
How should I believe it? What does it mean to cover a distance of
thousands of years to a Lord Who is nearer to all things than themselves and
to meet with Him after passing through seventy thousand veils?
Answer
Almighty God is nearer to everything than itself but everything is
infinitely far from Him. Consider that if the sun had consciousness and the
power of speech, it would be able to converse with you by means of a mirror
in your hand. It would have the power of disposal over you as it wished.
Although it is nearer to you than the pupil of your eye, which is like a
mirror, you are millions of miles away from it and could in no way draw
closer to it. If you rise to a position corresponding to the moon and come
to the point of being face to face with it, you would still only be able to
be a kind of mirror to it.
Likewise, the Majestic One, Who is the Sun of Eternity, is nearer to
everything than itself but yet everything is infinitely distant from Him. In
order to be honored with some sort of nearness to Him, one should pass
through all the levels of existence, and being freed from the restrictions
of being a single particular to rise higher and higher beyond thousands of
veils in the degrees of universality, draw near to a Divine Name
encompassing the whole of the creation, and then traverse many other degrees
beyond it.
Again, for example, as mentioned above, a private is far below the rank
of the Commander-in-Chief. He views him through an insignificant sample of
command that he sees in a corporal, at a great distance and beyond many
veils. In order to be nearer to his position, the private should be promoted
to the higher and comprehensive ranks of lieutenant, captain, major, and so
on. Whereas the Commander-in-Chief is always present with the private
through his rules, decrees, knowledge, and commanding. Since this truth has
been convincingly argued in The Sixteenth Word, I cut short the discussion
here.
Question
I deny the levels of the heavens and do not believe in angels. How should
I believe in one’s journeying through the heavens and meeting with angels?
Answer
It is really difficult to convince those like you whose minds are
dependent on their eyes. But since the truth is so brilliant as even the
blind can see, we say: As scientists generally agree (and have been trying
to establish for almost two centuries), space is full of some matter called
‘ether’. Subtle and refined matters like light, electricity and heat point
to the existence of some more subtle and refined matter which fills space.
For just as fruits demonstrate the existence of trees that bear them,
flowers their flower-bed, shoots their field, and fishes the sea, the stars,
also, present to the mind’s eye the existence of their origin, field, sea,
and flower-bed. Since there are different formations in the celestial realm
above us and different rules are in force under different conditions, then
the heavens which require the existence of those rules must also be
different. Since, just as in man there are immaterial ‘worlds’ apart from
his material body, like the mind, heart, spirit, imagination, and memory,
certainly, in the universe, which is the macro-human and the tree of which
man is the fruit, there are other worlds apart from the corporeal one. Also,
each world has a heaven, from the world of the earth to the world of
Paradise.
As far as the angels are concerned, we say this: On the earth,
medium-sized among the planets and insignificant and dense among stars,
animate and conscious beings, the most valuable and enlightened among
creatures, are to be found in countless numbers. So, of a certainty, the
stars, which are like adorned castles and perfectly-built palaces compared
to the earth, which is like a dark house, and the heavens, which are like
the seas of the stars, will be the dwelling-places of angels and spirit
beings, who are conscious, animate, extremely numerous, and of different
sorts. Referring the reader to The Twenty-ninth Word concerning angels, we
cut short the discussion here.
In short: The heavens are formed of ‘ether’ and they are the source of
subtle and refined matters or energies or forces like light, heat,
electricity, and gravity. As pointed to in the hadith, The heaven is a wave
stretched and restrained, they were made favorable for the motion of stars
and planets. Wisdom and reason require that, from the Milky Way to other
further systems and the closest planet, the heavens should consist of seven
levels in different states and formations, each being a heaven to a world,
from the world of the earth to the intermediate world of the grave and world
of symbols or ideal forms and to the world of the Hereafter.
Question
Man is only able to ascend to some height by means of aircraft. How then
could someone go and come back bodily within a few minutes covering a
distance that would normally take thousands of years?
Answer
According to science, whose findings you accept without question, a heavy
body like the earth with its annual movement cuts a distance of about six
hundred miles in one minute. In one year it covers a distance of
approximately one hundred and sixty million miles. Should an All-Powerful
One of Majesty, Who causes the earth to make that regular motion and
revolves it like a stone in a sling, be unable to convey a human being to
His Supreme Throne? Should a Wisdom which causes the heavy earth to revolve
around the sun like a Mawlawi darwish through a law of Divine Lordship known
as gravity be unable to raise the body of a human being like lightning to
the Throne of the All-Merciful One through the ‘gravity’ of the All-Merciful
One’s Mercy and the attraction of the Eternal Sun?
Question
Let us accept that he could ascend, but why did he and why should he?
Would it not have been enough if he had ascended just in heart and spirit
like the saints?
Answer
Since the Majestic Maker has willed to show His amazing signs in the
inner and external dimensions of His domain, and to make the ‘workshops’ and
sources of this world observed, and to display the results of man’s actions
pertaining to the Hereafter, most certainly and as required by the reason
and wisdom, together with Muhammad’s spirit, He would take to His Supreme
Throne his eyes, the key to the world of visible objects, his ears, which
perceived His signs in the world of sound and voices, and to cut it short,
his blessed body, which is like the machine of his spirit comprising
different members and components by means of which he performed his
countless duties. Just as the Divine Wisdom makes the body accompany the
spirit in Paradise, because it is the body that is the means by which
numerous duties of worship are performed and the means of innumerable
pleasures and pains, so also it is pure wisdom that He would make his
blessed body accompany his spirit ascending to the Lote-tree of the furthest
limit, which is the ‘trunk’ of the Garden of Abode.
Question
According to reason, is it not impossible to cover in a few minutes a
distance which would normally take thousands of years?
Answer
In the art of the All-Majestic Maker, the motions are of infinitely
different degrees. For example, everybody knows how different are from one
another electricity, spirit, imagination, and sound. Also, as has been
established by science, the speeds of the motion of different planets are so
different that it astonishes the mind. So, why should it be deemed contrary
to reason that the body of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, which
acquired some sort of refinement, accompanied his spirit in the Ascension
and moved at its speed? It sometimes occurs that you sleep for ten minutes
but have one year’s experiences. Even, if the words one spoke and heard in a
dream lasting one minute were collected together, it would take a day and
even more to speak or hear them in the waking state. That means a single
period of time means one day for one while a year for another.
Consider this by means of an analogy. Let us imagine a clock to measure
the speed of man, a cannon-ball, sound, light, electricity, spirit, and
imagination. The clock has ten hands to show the hours, minutes, and seconds
down to fractions of an hour to the power of ten, and also it has ten
circles one round the other and sixty times larger than it respectively. If
the circle with the hand showing the hours was the size of a normal clock,
the circle we imagine to have a hand showing fractions of an hour to the
power of ten would have to be the size of the annual orbit of the earth, or
even much greater.
Now let us suppose there are two people. One is as though mounted on the
hour-hand and observes according to its motion while the other is on the
hand showing fractions of an hour to the number of ten. There will be an
enormous difference, as great as the proportion between our clock and the
annual orbit of the earth, with respect to the things these two individuals
observe in the same period of time.
Thus, since time is like an aspect or a ‘ribbon’ of motion, a rule which
is in force in motion is also in force in time. While the things we observe
in the period of one hour are of the same amount as the observations of the
individual mounted on the hour-hand, which moves in the smallest circle at
the lowest speed, like the one mounted on the hand showing fractions of the
hour to the power of ten, God’s noble Messenger, upon him be peace and
blessings, gets on the mount of Divine assistance and in the same space of
time, in that same hour, like lightning, traverses the entire sphere of
contingency, and seeing the wonders of the external and inner dimensions of
Divine dominion and rising as far as the limits of Divine realm, is honored
with Divine conversation and vision of His Beauty, receives the decree, and
returns to his duty. It was possible for him to do that, and he did it.
Question
So, it is possible. But everything possible does not occur. Is there
anything else similar to this so that we could accept it? How can we accept
the occurrence of something to which there are no similar cases, only
because it is possible?
Answer
There are so many cases similar to it that they cannot be enumerated. For
example, anyone with sound sight can ascend with his eyes from the ground to
the planet Neptune in a second. Any astronomer can mount the laws of
astronomy in his mind and travel beyond the stars in a minute. Anyone who
believes can mount in thought on the acts and pillars of the prescribed
prayers, and leaving the universe behind through some sort of Ascension, go
as far as the Divine presence. Any perfected saint who sees with his heart
can, through his spiritual journeying, traverse in forty days the Divine
Throne and the spheres of His Names and attributes. Certain persons, even,
like ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani and Imam Rabbani, truthfully reported that they
used to ascend spiritually as far as the Divine Throne in one minute.
Furthermore, the angels, whose bodies are of light, come and go between
the ground and Divine Throne in a very short time. The people of Paradise
will ascend to the gardens of Paradise from the Place of Gathering in a
short period of time. Many examples such as these demonstrate that it is
pure wisdom, and completely rational, and it undoubtedly occurred, that the
Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who is the lord of all
the saints, the leader of all the believers, the head of all the people of
Paradise, and is accepted by all the angels, made an ascension which would
be the means of his spiritual journeying (beyond the ranks of sainthood),
and that it would be in a form appropriate to his position.
What is the wisdom in the Ascension?
The wisdom in the Ascension is so elevated that human minds cannot reach
it. It is so profound that the mind cannot comprehend it, and so subtle and
fine that the intellect cannot grasp it. However, even if we cannot know the
reality of the wisdom in the Ascension or the exact Divine purposes for it,
we can nevertheless, by means of some indications, show the existence of
some of those purposes. They are as follows.
In order to demonstrate the light of all of His Names throughout the
universe and the concentration of the manifestations of His Names on certain
beings and thereby show His Unity or Oneness, the Creator of this universe
distinguished an eminent individual with an Ascension in the form of a link
between the furthest limit of the realm of multiplicity and corporeality and
the starting point of the dominion of pure unity and spirituality.
Addressing him on behalf of all the creatures, He explained all the Divine
purposes to him in the name of conscious beings and made them known through
him. He also willed to observe through his sight the beauty of His art and
the perfection of His Lordship in the mirrors of His creatures, and also to
cause them to be observed by others.
Furthermore, as is testified by His works, the Maker of the world has
infinite beauty and perfection. Both beauty and perfection are loved because
of themselves. Since this is so, the One with infinite beauty and perfection
has a boundless love for His beauty and perfection. That boundless love
manifests itself in many ways in the works of His art. He loves His works of
art because He sees His beauty and perfection in them. The most lovable and
elevated among His works of art are animate beings. The most lovable and
elevated among animate beings are conscious beings, and by virtue of their
comprehensiveness, the most lovable among conscious beings are to be found
among human beings. The most loveable individual among human beings is the
one who has most fully developed his potentiality and manifested the samples
of the perfections observed in all the creatures.
Thus, in order to see at one point and in one mirror all the
manifestations of His Love pervading all of the creatures, and to display
all the varieties of His beauty, focused on one individual, the Maker of
beings chose one among human beings who is of the quality of an illustrious,
enlightened fruit of the tree of creation and whose heart is like a seed
containing the essential elements of that tree. Then, in order to
demonstrate how He loves that individual in the name of the universe, He
drew him to His presence through an Ascension, which is like a thread
linking the seed, which is the origin, with the fruit, which is the end, and
honored him with the vision of His Essential Beauty. In order that the
others could copy him in his holiness and excellence, He favored him with
His Word and entrusted Him with His Decree.
In order to comprehend this exalted wisdom, we shall observe it through
the telescope of two comparisons.
First comparison: As is explained in detail in the parable of The
Eleventh Word, suppose there is a glorious king who has vast treasuries full
of many varieties of jewels. He has great skill in strange crafts,
comprehensive knowledge of innumerable curious arts, and profound learning
in numberless sciences. Since anyone with beauty and perfection wants both
to see and display his beauty and perfection, of course that skilful king
too will wish to set up an exhibition where he will reveal before the
people’s eyes the majesty of his dominion, the glitter of his wealth, the
wonderful works of his art and the marvels of his skills. By doing so, he
also wants to observe his own beauty and perfection in two ways: he wants
both to see them with his own eyes penetrating as far as the fine, delicate
points, and also to observe them through the sight of others.
So, the king begins to build an imposing, magnificent, extensive palace.
He divides it into apartments and mansions in an amazing way. Then, He
adorns it with jewels of great variety from his treasures, and decorates it
with the finest, the most beautiful works of his art. He furnishes it with
the most delicate works of his knowledge and science, and decks it out and
completes it with the miraculous works of his learning. Next, he spreads
tables with varieties of bounties and the most delicious of foods worthy for
each group and prepares a general banquet. Then, in order to show his
perfection, he invites his subjects both to eat of the foods and to see the
palace with everything in it.
Then he appoints one among his subjects as representative and accords him
the highest rank with himself. He invites him up from the bottom floor to
tour all the mansions and floors one after or above the other. Showing him
the successive machinery and all the workshops of his wonderful art and the
storehouses for the produce coming from below, he brings him up to his own
private apartment. There, he honors him with his presence and the vision of
his blessed person, who is the origin of all those perfections, He informs
him of the true nature of the palace and of his own perfections. Appointing
him as a guide for the rest of his subjects, he sends him back to describe
to the people the maker of the palace by means of its contents,
inscriptions, and wonders. The guide will also inform them of the meanings
of the inscriptions, what the works of art and well-proportioned and
well-arranged furniture and decorations signify, and how they point to the
perfections and skills of the palace’s owner. Again he will teach them the
correct behavior and formalities in visiting the palace and beholding the
exhibition in it, and describe the protocol and ceremonies that are in
accordance with the pleasure and desires of the learned and skilful king,
who does not appear to them.
In exactly the same way (God’s is the highest comparison) the Majestic
Maker, Who is the Lord of Eternity, desired to see and display His infinite
Beauty and perfections. So He made the palace of this world in such a
fashion that each creature voices His perfections in numerous tongues and
points to His Beauty with many signs. Through all the beings in it, this
universe shows how numerous immaterial treasuries are hidden in each of His
Most Beautiful Names and how many subtleties are concealed in each of His
sacred titles. It shows this in such a way that although together with all
their laws and principles all sciences have studied this book of the
universe since the time of Adam, they have not yet been able to discover
one-hundredth of the meanings and signs which that book contains concerning
the Divine Names and perfections.
Thus, the Wisdom of the Majestic One of Beauty, the Beautiful One of
Majesty, the Maker having perfection, Who has made that palace of the
universe like an exhibition to see and display His perfections and
transcendent Beauty, requires that He should inform someone of the meanings
of His signs contained in that palace so that they do not remain vain and
without benefit for conscious beings on the earth. His Wisdom really
requires that He should have someone to travel through the exalted worlds,
which are the sources of the wonders in that palace and the storehouses
where the results of their lives accumulate; that He should raise him above
all others, honor him with nearness to Him in His presence and get him to
tour the worlds of the Hereafter, and entrust him with many duties such as
being a teacher to all His servants, a herald of the sovereignty of His
lordship, a conveyor of the things pleasing to Himself, and an expander of
His signs in the creation and operation of the palace of the universe; that
He should show his preeminence through the decorations of the miracles which
He would enable him to work, and that He should proclaim through a decree
like the Qur’an that that person is a truthful personal interpreter of the
Majestic One.
We have so far demonstrated through the telescope of this comparison a
few of the instances of wisdom in the Ascension only as examples. You may
infer others by analogy.
Second comparison: Suppose there is a knowledgeable, skilful person. If
that person wants to write a miraculous book, on each page of which are as
many truths as would fill a hundred books, and in each line of which are as
many subtle meanings as would fill a hundred pages, and in each word of
which as many truths as would fill a hundred words, and if all the meanings
and truths of that book point to the transcendent perfections of its
miracle-displaying writer, he most certainly would not leave such a treasury
closed and thereby make it worthless. He would surely teach it to some
others so that such a valuable book would not remain meaningless and vain.
He would teach it so that his hidden perfections would be unveiled and his beauty (his intellectual and spiritual excellence) would be seen; and so that
he should himself be pleased and make himself loved. To this end, he would
have someone go through that wonderful book from the first page to the last
and instruct him in all its meanings and truths so that that person would
then teach them to others.
In exactly the same way, in order to display His perfections, Beauty and
the truths of His Names, the Eternal Inscriber has ‘written’ the universe in
such way that all creatures proclaim and express in innumerable ways His
infinite perfections, Names and Attributes. Of course, if the meaning of a
book is not known, then it would have no value. But a book (such as the
universe) each letter of which contains thousands of meanings cannot be
reduced to nothing, nor are they allowed to do so. That being the case, the
One Who has written that book will certainly make it known and cause each
group of creatures to explain a part of it according to capacity. He will
also teach the whole of it to an individual who has the most comprehensive
view, the most universal consciousness, and the greatest capacity. However,
to teach the whole of such a book with all its universal truths requires
that, starting from the furthest limits of the levels of multiplicity (the
corporeal world) which is the first page of the book, as far as the realm of
Unity, which is the final page, the individual should be taken on a most
elevated and universal journey. Thus, thorough this comparison, to a degree
you can look at the exalted instances of wisdom in the Ascension.
Among the Prophets, only he Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and
blessings, was honored with so great a gift as the Ascension. The reason why
he was distinguished with such a divine gift lies in his essential
perfection and he nature of his Prophethood.
- Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, had been expected
for long and his coming was promised through many signs. For this reason,
the proofs of his Prophethood are numerous. Although elaborated in previous
chapters, as related to this particular addendum, we will briefly list the
signs that demonstrate the perfection of the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be
peace and blessings, and the proofs of his Prophethood, in order to show
that he was the most worthy to make the Ascension.
- Despite many corruptions in the previous Scriptures like the Torah, the
Gospels and the Psalms, a discerning scholar like Husayn al-Jisri, still in
this century, was able to find in them one hundred and ten signs indicating
the Prophethood of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, and quoted
them in his Risala al-Hamidiya.
- As authentically recorded by history, many soothsayers such Shiqq and
Satih, some time before his Prophethood, accurately foretold his Prophethood,
and even that he was the Last of the Prophets.
- Before his Prophethood, there were many extraordinary events, famous in
history, called irhasat, that is, signs forewarning people of a coming
Prophet. For example, on the night of his birth, the idols in the Ka‘ba were
toppled over, and the pinnacles of the famous palace of Chosroes, the
Persian ruler, broke.
- He satisfied the thirst of an army with water flowing from his fingers;
he split the moon, as confirmed by the Qur’anic verse, The moon split, and
the dry wooden pole against which he leant while preaching his sermons in
the Mosque moaned like a camel in the presence of a large congregation
because of separation from him. With all his miracles such as these
numbering almost one thousand, related by history and biography, he was
distinguished and made superior to all other prophets.
- Friend and foe alike agree that all the good qualities were to be found
to the highest degree in his character, and that, as demonstrated by his
conduct, the attributes and character of the highest excellence were
apparent in the way he performed his mission, and, in accordance with the
moral principles prescribed by the religion of Islam, praiseworthy virtues
of the highest order are to be found in the Law he brought.
- It is a requirement of wisdom that Divinity be manifested because of
Its perfections. It is the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and
blessings, who manifested the Divinity of God at the greatest level and in
the most brilliant fashion through the most perfect and comprehensive way of
worship contained in his religion.
- The Creator of the world wants, as a result of wisdom, to display His
most perfect beauty and grace through some appropriate means, and it is
evidently Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who demonstrated and
described His beauty and grace in the most perfect fashion.
- The Maker of the world wants to exhibit and draw attentive gazes
towards His perfect art of infinite beauty, and, again, it is evidently
Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who proclaimed that art with the
clearest voice.
- Again, it is necessarily Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings,
who, in response to the desire of the Lord of the worlds to proclaim His
Oneness in the realms of multiplicity, announced Unity with all its aspects
in the most perfect way.
- The Owner of the world wants, as a consequence of His wisdom, both to
see and to show in the mirrors of all beings, His infinite essential beauty
and grace, with all their manifestations, and again it is evidently
Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who reflected them in the most
brilliant fashion and made others love them.
- It is evidently Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who, in
response to the desire of the Builder of the palace of the world to describe
His perfections by exhibiting His unseen treasuries full of invaluable gems,
displayed and described them in the most perfect way.
- The Maker of the universe has decorated the universe with the most
beautiful and exquisite kinds of embellishments and included in it His
conscious creatures in order that they should travel therein both to get
enjoyment and to ponder over it and reflect. He therefore wants, as a result
of His wisdom, to communicate to people who observe and reflect the meaning
and value expressed by the works of His art. Again, it is evidently
Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who guided, in the most
comprehensive way, men and jinn, and even angels in this respect by means of
the Qur’an.
- Also, the All-Wise Ruler of the universe wants, by means of an envoy,
to reveal to all conscious beings the purpose of the changes and
transformations in existence and the answer to these three perplexing
questions, Where do beings come from? Where are they going? What are they?
Again, it is evidently Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who
revealed, by means of the truths of the Qur’an, this purpose and provided
the answer in the clearest and most perfect way.
- The Maker of this world also wants to make Himself known to conscious
beings through His exquisite works and bestows upon them precious bounties.
As a result, He desires to communicate to them by means of an envoy what He
wants them to do and how they may obtain His approval in return for those
bounties. It is evidently Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who
communicated, by means of the Qur’an, the things that please God in the most
exalted and perfect way.
- The Lord of the worlds has endowed man, who is the fruit of the tree of
creation, with such a comprehensive disposition as will encompass the whole
universe, and accordingly with an ability, and even need, to perform a
universal worship. Man, on the other hand, because of his feelings, is
usually inclined to the world with its varying attractions. So, God wills,
by means of a guide, to turn man’s attention from worldly multiplicity to
Divine Unity, from transience to eternity. Again, it is evidently Muhammad,
upon him be peace and blessings, who, in response to this will, by means of
the Qur’an, guided man to this end in the most desirable fashion and
performed the duty of Messengership in the most perfect way.
Thus, the most superior among creation are living beings, and among
living beings the most superior are conscious beings. The most superior of
conscious beings are true human beings, and among the human beings the one
who carried out all the duties mentioned in the most perfect and
comprehensive way would, of a certainty, rise through an all-embracing
Ascension to the nearness of two bowstrings, that is, to the station nearest
to God, knock at the door of eternal happiness, open the treasury of Mercy,
and become a direct witness of the unseen truths of faith.
- As observed in the whole universe, everything displays the most
pleasing instances of beauty and utmost degree of adornment. This beauty and
adornment clearly demonstrate that their Maker possesses a most vigorous
will to make things beautiful and to adorn them. This will in turn shows of
a necessity that the Maker has a strong inclination and sacred love towards
His art. Therefore, the one among beings who has the most comprehensive
disposition to display in himself all the wonders of art, one who knows them
and makes them known and thus makes himself lovable, and who also deeply
appreciates the beauties manifested in other beings in full appreciation of
their having come from the Maker will evidently be the most beloved in the
sight of the Maker, Who greatly loves His art.
- It is the same being who, in full awareness of the exquisite qualities
that adorn all beings, and of perfections that illuminate them, makes the
heavens echo the words: Glory be to God! What wonders God has willed, and
all these are from God! God is the greatest!, and who causes the universe to
reverberate with the sounds of the Qur’an, and enraptures land and sea with
his appreciative reflections and glorifications, and his proclamation and
demonstration of Divine Unity. Such a being is he that, according to the
principle, the cause is like the doer, he receives the reward equivalent to
that of all the good deeds performed by each member of his community; his
spiritual perfections draw strength from the blessings prayed for him by
each member of his community, and, as a result of the duties he performed in
his Messengership, receives immaterial recompense and infinite emanations of
Divine Mercy and Love. It is, therefore, the certain result of pure truth
and absolute wisdom that this being should advance by means of Ascension as
far as Paradise, Sidra al-Muntaha-the Lotus Tree, which is the farthest
limit of contingency, the Divine Throne, and to the nearness of two
bowstrings.
What do you mean by saying that the Prophet Muhammad is the seed of the
universe? You also say that the universe was created from his light, and
also that he is its farthest and most enlightened fruit. What does that
mean?
Answer
The truth in understanding of which you have difficulty, is so elevated
and profound that the mind cannot comprehend it; it can be discerned only
through the light of belief. However, we will try to make it understandable
through comparisons.
When considered with regard to the wisdom in its purposes, this universe
appears to have the meaning of a mighty tree. Just like a tree, this world,
has branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits: the elements are like its
branches, the plants its leaves, the animals its flowers, and human beings
its fruits. His Name the All-Wise requires that any law of the Majestic
Maker which is prevalent in trees should also be prevalent for this greatest
tree. So it is a requirement of Wisdom that this tree of creation would have
to be formed from a seed also; a seed which would, besides those of this
world of corporeality, also have to encapsulate the models and foundations
of other worlds. For the origin and essential seed of the universe, which
comprises thousands of different worlds, cannot be a dried, inanimate piece
of matter. Since there had been no other trees prior to that tree of
creation, for sure, it is again the requirement of the Divine Name the
All-Wise that the meaning or the light which constituted the seed or origin
of that tree would have to be clothed in the covering of a fruit. Since a
seed cannot remain naked for ever, and since at the beginning of creation it
was not clothed in the coat of a fruit, and since, as was previously pointed
out, among human beings the most well-known and illustrious fruit is the
Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who has attracted the
attentions of all mankind to himself, who has caused the attentions of, in
particular, half of the globe and one fifth of mankind to be fixed on
himself, and through his spiritual beauties and personal virtues made the
world consider him with the view of either love and amazement, then, for
sure, the light which constituted the seed of the universe would be clothed
in his body and appear in the form of the final fruit.
O listener! Do not deem it unlikely that this amazing, mighty universe
was created out of the particular nature of a man. Why should the
All-Powerful One of Majesty, Who creates a huge pine tree, resembling a
world of some sort, from a seed the size of a grain, have not created or
have not been able to create the universe from the light of Muhammad, upon
him be peace and blessings? The tree of the universe being, like the Touba
tree of Paradise, upside down, with its roots and trunk upwards and branches
downwards, there is a link of light, a link in meaning, between the position
of the fruit below and that of the essential seed above. The Ascension is
the form of that link, that the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and
blessings, opened up that way; he went through sainthood and came back with
Messengership, leaving the door open to it, to some sort of ascension. The
saints among his community travel in heart and spirit on that highway of
light under the shadow of the Prophetic Ascension and rise to the elevated
stations each according to his capacity.
Also, as argued previously, the Maker of the universe has made the
universe in the form of a palace for the purposes pointed out in the answer
of the first difficulty. Since the means for the accomplishment of those
purposes is the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, prior to
the universe he would have to be under the eyes of the favor of the
universe’s Maker and receive His Manifestation first of all. For the result
or the fruit of something is considered first. That means the latest in
existence is the first in meaning. So, since the Prophet Muhammad, upon him
be peace and blessings, is both the most perfect fruit and the means for the
value of all other fruits and the cause for the realization of all the
purposes (for the creation of the universe), then his light would of a
necessity receive the first manifestation of Divine creation.
Question
In your foregoing explanations you say that he made his Ascension in
order to rise to the elevated realm and to see the machinery and workshops
whose produce or works are exhibited in the realm of the earth and the
storehouses where the results of the earthly lives of those works are kept.
What does this mean?
Answer
This is so comprehensive that narrow-minded people like us cannot
understand it. We can only have a glimpse of it from afar.
The life of this material world and the laws to govern it are
pre-determined in the celestial worlds. The results of the actions of the
innumerable beings living on the earth, which is the place teeming with all
kinds of creatures, and the consequences of the deeds of men and jinn take
on form also in those worlds. Together with the testimony of numerous
indications and many Prophetic traditions, the wise Qur’an suggests and the
wisdom in the universe and the Divine Name the All-Wise require, that the
good deeds of men and jinn take on the forms of the fruits of Paradise,
while their evil deeds take on the forms of the bitter, poisonous fruits of
the tree of Hell.
Indeed, creatures exist on the earth in such abundance and creation has
been divided into so many branches that the groups and species of beings and
divisions of creatures are to be found on the earth in much greater number
than all other creatures in all other parts of the universe. These beings
and creatures are constantly replaced by newer and newer ones, the world
continuously filling with, and being emptied of, them. All these particular,
multiple beings and creatures have their sources and origins in the
universal laws and universal manifestations of Divine Names, which are first
of all reflected in, and received by, the heavens. Simple to some degree and
pure, each of those heavens is like the roof of a different world, and it
represents a center or an aspect of the Supreme Divine Throne (from which
God administers that world), and regulates its affairs. One of those worlds
is the Garden of Abode, an apartment of Paradise, which is beside the Lote-tree
(Lotus Tree) of the farthest limit. The Truthful Reporter, upon him be peace
and blessings, informs us that the praises and glorifications of God
performed on the earth take on the forms of the fruits of that Garden. That
means, the storehouses where the results or fruits of the works done on the
earth accumulate are in those heavenly worlds; the harvest obtained on the
earth is sent there (to ‘reap’ on a pre-determined day.)
Do not say: Now does a single utterance of mine, All Praise be to God,
which is lost in the air, become embodied in a fruit of Paradise? Because,
sometimes you utter an agreeable word while awake in the daytime and have it
back and ‘eat’ it in dreams in the forms of a delicious apple. A
disagreeable word you utter in the daytime is returned to you at night as a
bitter thing to swallow. If you backbite someone, they will make you eat it
as decaying flesh. That being so, whatever good or bad words you utter in
this worldly sleep, you will eat them in the forms of fruits in the world of
the Hereafter, which is the world of being awake. You should not deem that
unlikely.
What are the fruits and benefits of the Ascension?
Out of numerous fruits of the Ascension, which is like an elaborate tree
of Paradise in meaning, we shall mention only five as examples.
First fruit
The vision of the truths from which the pillars of faith originate and
the seeing of angels, Paradise and the Hereafter and even the Majestic
Being, became the cause of such a treasury and an eternal light and gift for
the universe and mankind that it has freed the universe from being seen as a
disordered heap of things doomed to destruction and showed that, in reality,
it is the harmonious collection of the sacred ‘writings’ of the Eternally
Besought-of-All and lovely mirrors where the Grace and Beauty of the Single
One are reflected. It has pleased and rejoiced the universe and all
conscious beings. Again, through that light and gift, it has freed man from
the confused state of misguidance in which he was seen as a wretched,
completely helpless and destitute being entangled in innumerable needs and
hostilities and doomed to eternal annihilation, and showed that, in reality,
he is of fairest composition and the best pattern of creation, one who,
being a miracle of the Power of the Eternally Besought-of-All and a
comprehensive copy of the collection of His ‘writings’, is addressed by the
Sovereign of Eternity, and one who is His private servant to appreciate His
perfections, His friend to behold His Beauty in amazement, and His beloved
and an honorable guest of His designated for Paradise. It has implanted
infinite joy and enthusiasm in those who are truly human.
Second fruit
The Ascension brought to men and jinn as a gift the essentials of Islam,
including primarily the prescribed five daily prayers, which contain all the
things pleasing to the Ruler of Eternity, Who is the Maker of creatures, the
Owner of the universe, and the Lord of the Worlds. People must be so curious
about perceiving those things pleasing to Him, and the perception of them
brings so great happiness that it cannot be described. For everyone is
desirous of knowing the wishes of a renowned benefactor or a benevolent king
to the degree that he says: ‘I wish I had a means of communication and
talked to him directly! I wish I knew what he asks of me! I wish I knew what
things of me are pleasing to Him!’ God has the possession of all creatures,
and the grace, beauty and perfections shared by all creatures are but a dim
shadow in relation to His Beauty, Grace and Perfection. You may understand
to what degree mankind, who need Him in infinite respects and receive His
boundless bounties every moment, should be curious about and desirous of
perceiving His wishes and the things pleasing to Him.
It was as a fruit of the Ascension that having left seventy thousand
veils behind, the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, heard
of the things pleasing to the King of Eternity directly from Him with
absolute certainty and brought them to mankind as a gift.
Mankind are extremely curious to know facts about the moon and any other
planet. They desire that someone will go there and tell them about it. They
are ready to make great sacrifices for this end. But the moon travels in the
domain of such a Master that if flies around the earth like a fly. The earth
flies around the sun like a moth. As for the sun, it is only a lamp among
thousands of other lamps and functions like a candle in a guest-house of the
Majestic Master of Kingdom. Thus, such are the acts and qualities of the
Majestic Being, and the wonders of His art and the treasuries of His Mercy
in the eternal world, that the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and
blessings, saw during the Ascension and then told mankind about. You may
understand how contrary to reason and wisdom it will be if mankind do not
listen to that person with utmost curiosity and in perfect amazement and
love.
Third fruit
The Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, saw the hidden
treasury of eternal happiness during the Ascension and brought its keys to
men and jinn as a gift. Through the Ascension he saw Paradise with his own
eyes, observed the everlasting manifestations of the Mercy of the Majestic
All-Merciful One, and perceived eternal happiness with absolute certainty,
and then he brought to men and jinn the good tiding that there is eternal
happiness (in an everlasting world).
It is indescribable how great happiness it aroused in the mortal,
wretched men and jinn who had regarded themselves as condemned to eternal
annihilation, that such a good tiding was given to them at a time when all
creatures were giving out heart-rending cries at the thought of being in a
flux amidst the convulsions of death and decay in an unstable world, going
into the ocean of non-existence and eternal separation through the flow of
time and the motion of particles. Consider how such a tiding delights a man
if he is given a palace by the king in the vicinity of his residence just
when he (the man) is about to be hanged. Add together the instances of joy
and happiness to the number of all men and jinn, and understand the value of
this good tiding.
Fourth fruit
As the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, himself
received the fruit of the vision God’s Beautiful ‘Countenance’, he brought
it to men and jinn as a gift that every believer may be honored with the
same vision. You can understand how delicious, fine, and beautiful that
fruit is when you make a comparison like this:
Anyone with a heart loves a beautiful, perfect and benevolent one. This
love increases in proportion to the extent of beauty, perfection and
benevolence and mounts to the degree of adoration and self-sacrifice. It
even increases to the degree that one may sacrifice whatever one has and
one’s life for the sake of a single vision of the beloved one. Whereas, when
compared to His, all the beauty, perfection and benevolence shared by the
whole of the creation cannot even be like a few flashes of the sun in
comparison to the sun itself. You may understand from this what a pleasant,
beautiful, rejoicing and blissful fruit it is that one deserves in the abode
of eternal happiness the sight of a Majestic One of perfection, Who is
worthy of infinite love, the sight of Whom deserves to inspire an infinite
eagerness.
Fifth fruit
It was understood through the Ascension that man is a valuable fruit of
the universe and a darling beloved of the Maker of the universe. This
understanding is one of the fruits of the Ascension, through which man, who
is outwardly an insignificant creature, a weak animal and an impotent
conscious being, has risen to a position so high that it is the cause of
pride for man above all other creatures. The joy and happiness it must give
to man is indescribable. For if you tell an ordinary private that he has
been promoted to the rank of field-marshal, he will feel infinite joy. While
being a mortal, helpless, reasoning and articulating animal that had been
continually receiving the blows of decay and separation, man was told
unexpectedly through the Ascension:
‘In the inner and external dimensions of God’s dominion and in an
everlasting Paradise, enveloped by the Mercy of an All-Merciful,
All-Compassionate and All-Magnificent One, you may succeed in realizing all
the desires of your heart and in recreation, in travelling, to and fro with
the speed of imagination and in the broad sphere of the spirit and the mind.
You may also succeed in seeing His Most Beautiful ‘Countenance’ in the abode
of eternal happiness.’ You may imagine what great joy and happiness one who
is truly human will feel in his heart on hearing this.
Now, turning to the one in the position of listener, we say: Tear apart
the shirt of atheism and put on the ears of a believer and the eyes of a
Muslim. By means of two comparisons, we will show you the degree of the
value of one or two of those fruits.
For example: Suppose you and I are together in a land. We see that we
have chanced upon an unfriendly environment; everything and everyone is
hostile and strange both to us and to one another. Everywhere is filled with
dreadful corpses. Whatever we hear is either the cries of orphans or the
laments of the oppressed. While in this state, if one gets a good tiding
from the king of that land, through which all those hostile to us become
friendly, enemies change into friends, those dreadful corpses emerge as
worshipping beings occupied with praising and glorification in veneration
and humility, the cries and wailings are heard as shouts of approval or
acclamations, and deaths, killings, and robberies change into acts of
discharge from the duties of life, and if, together with experiencing ours,
we share the joy and happiness of others, then certainly you will understand
how joyful that tiding is.
Prior to the light of belief, which is one of the fruits of the Ascension
of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, when considered with the view
of misguidance, all creatures in the universe seemed to be strange, harmful,
troublesome and frightening objects, and such bodies as mountains seemed
like dreadful corpses. Death cut off the head of everybody and threw it into
the well of non-existence. All the voices heard were cries of lament coming
from deaths and separations. Having come just at that time when misguidance
presented everything to the mind thus, the truths contained in the pillars
of faith, which are a fruit of the Ascension, show you every creature as a
friend or brother to you and something which mentions and glorifies its
Majestic Maker, and death as discharge from the duties of life, and voices
as praises and glorifications of God. If you want to comprehend this truth
perfectly, you may refer to the Second and Eighth Words.
Second comparison: Suppose you and I are in a place like a big desert.
Caught by a sand storm in the midst of night, we cannot see even our hands.
While in this wretched state (hungry, thirsty, hopeless and without
protection) if someone appears unexpectedly with a car, and picking us up,
takes us to a Paradise-like place where an extremely merciful lord welcomes
us and takes us under his protection, where our future has been secured, and
a banquet has been prepared for us, you may guess how we will rejoice and
feel happy.
So, the desert is the world, and the sands stand for helpless men and
other creatures tossing about in the violent disturbances of time and
events. Every human being is anxious about his future, at which he looks
with the view of misguidance, and sees it in a thick darkness. There is no
one he knows to hear his cries. He is extremely hungry and thirsty. But
thanks to God’s wishes and the things pleasing to Him, which we come to know
as a fruit of the Ascension, the world is the guest-house of an extremely
Generous One with men in it being his guests and officers; when, in such a
guest-house, the future appears to you as beautiful as Paradise, as lovely
as mercy and as brilliant as eternal happiness, you may understand how
lovely, pleasant and beautiful that fruit is.
We conclude:
O brother! I congratulate you. May God Almighty include us in the
intercession of His noble Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings. Amen.
O God! Bestow blessings from the beginning of the world until the end of
the Day of Judgement, on him by whose sign the moon split, and from whose
fingers water gushed forth like the spring of Paradise; who made the
Ascension and whose eyes did not waver (our master Muhammad, and on all of
his family and Companions.
Glory be to You! We have no knowledge save what You have taught us.
Surely You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
O Lord! Accept from us (our prayers and all other forms of worship);
surely You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. O Lord! Do not call us to
account if we forget or make errors. O Lord! Do not make our hearts swerve
after You have guided us. O Lord! Complete our light for us and forgive us.
Surely You are powerful over all things. The last of their call is all
praise to God, the Lord of the Worlds.
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