This
letter was written for Mîr Mansûr. It provides subtle information on the Attributes termed ‘ihâta’, ‘qurb’, and ‘ma’iyyat’ of
Allâhu ta’âlâ:
Terms such as ‘qurb’, ‘ma’iyyat’, ‘ihâta’, ‘sereyân’, ‘wasl’, ‘ittisâl’, ‘tawhîd’, and ‘ittihâd’, which
have been used in contexts concerning Allâhu ta’âlâ, fall into the literary category called ‘muteshâbihât’ and ‘shat-hiyyât’. (These two terms are
synonymous in their lexical meanings, ‘allegories, parables, satires’.) These terms have not been used in their lexical meanings that we know. Things that we
imagine upon hearing these terms do not exist in Allâhu ta’âlâ. Allâhu ta’âlâ has no connection or
proximity with these terms. It has been realized towards the final stage of the
path of Tasawwuf that the qurb (closeness) and the ittisâl (liaison) of Allâhu ta’âlâ is like the qurb and
ittisâl of the images seen in a mirror to the mirror itself. None of the images
seen in a mirror actually exists in the mirror. They are nothing but images.
Their closeness and relation to the mirror are of a nature of verbalization of
a closeness and relation between things that exist in imagination and things
that exist in the outside. Allâhu ta’âlâ exists actually. The ’âlam (the entire creation), on the other hand, appears to exist on the level of imagination. For that matter,
Allâhu ta’âlâ’s closeness and relation to creatures consists in a closeness and relation between something that exists in the outside and one that exists in
imagination and which is fancied to exist. Hence, it is permissible to use words like qurb (closeness) and ma’iyyat (association) in matters concerning
Allâhu ta’âlâ. That dirty and ugly things appear in a mirror, which is a phenomenon that is expressed as the ‘mirror’s closeness to them’ or ‘its containing
them’, does not detract from the mirror’s value. For, the mirror exists in the outside, whereas the images that appear in the mirror do not exist extraneously.
Vices and faults of something nonexistent do not detract from the value of one that exists. The case as it is that Allâhu ta’âlâ created the ’âlam on a
perceptional and imaginary level, He willed that they be not temporary but
permanent. So, He gave them the attributes and properties of what exists
extraneously, thus endowing the imaginary beings with the attributes and deeds
of what exists independently. Consequently, He made imaginary things like
closeness and enclosure like closeness and enclosure existing extraneously. He
turned imaginary visions into realities. We will give the following example
so that the matter should be understood
more clearly: A sweet sight in the outside will look equally sweet when its image is seen in a mirror, when it is fancied. The fact, however, is that that
sight exists separately, whereas what is seen in the mirror is not that sight
itself; it is its image. Yet they have identical functions and effects. So Kind
and Magnanimous of Allâhu ta’âlâ to make the effects and deeds of the imaginary beings similar to
those of the actually existing ones, thereby creating in the imaginary ones the
hope to have a share in the blessings bestowed on the actually existing ones,
which in turn is a harbinger of the great fortune of ataining a closeness to
the True existence. An Arabic couple translated into English:
Let the most fortunate ones rejoice in the greatest blessing;
Suffice a few morsels for the poor lover’s well-being!
Allâhu ta’âlâ bestows this highly valuable blessing of His on anyone He chooses. Allâhu ta’âlâ is the owner of
greatest blessings.
You should know very
well that to construe words like qurb (closeness) and ittisâl (attaining) in
any way different from the definitions that we have made above means to liken Allâhu ta’âlâ to His creatures, to
attribute corporealness to Him. The best thing to do is to have belief in these
words which are used in the Qur’ân al-kerîm without thinking of how they are. We should not try to find out how they are; we should say, “Allâhu ta’âlâ knows them.” If they are thought of in a manner as we have explained, they will no longer be ‘muteshâbih’; they will be ‘mujmal’ and ‘mushkil’.
Allâhu ta’âlâ, alone, knows the true essence of everything.
Rasûlullah would be fasting by day;
And by night, in namâz he would
pray.
If you are for that Chosen One an Ummat,
Avoid the makrûh, and
follow the Sunnat.
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