The Ninth Flash (9.Lema, Englisch)

[EMRE]

The Ninth Flash

 

[Everyone should not read this Flash, for they will not see the subtle errors of the Unity of Existence, and are not in need of it.]

 

 

 

In His Name!

 

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.

 

 

 

My Dear, Loyal, Sincere, Conscientious Brother!

 

The reason I did not write a separate letter to my brother Abdülmecid, was that I considered the letters I had written to you to be sufficient. After Hulû sî ”, Abdülmecid is a valuable brother for me and a student. Every morning and evening he is present in name in my prayers together with Hulûsî ”, sometimes being mentioned first. First Sabri, then Hakki Efendi profit from the letters I write you. I do not write them separate letters either. Almighty God made you a blessed elder brother to them. You correspond with Abdülmecid in my place; he should not worry, after Hulûsî ”, I think of him.

 

Y o u r F i r s t Q u e s t i o n : You ask a confidential question about one of your forefathers signing himself, "al-Sayyid Muhammed." My brother, it is not possible for me give a scholarly answer to this or to research into it. However, I told my companions: "Hulûsû resembles neither the present-day Turks, nor the Kurds. I see other qualities in him." They agreed with this. We said in accordance with the saying, "Divine grace does not make ability a condition," the great nobility to be observed in Hulûsî ” is a Divine gift. You should also know definitely that the Most Noble Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace) has two Families. One are his descendents, and the other is his Family from the point of view of the luminous collective personality of his Prophethood. In addition to your certainly being included in this second Family, I have proofless conviction that in respect of his first Family, your forefather's signature was not without reason.

 

My Dear Brother!

 

A S u m m a r y o f Y o u r S e c o n d Q u e s t i o n : Muhyiddin al-Arabi5 said: "The createdness of the spirit consists of its unfolding." With this question you are compelling a powerless wretch like me to contest an awesome, brilliant scholar of reality and genius of the occult sciences like Muhyiddin al-Arabi. However, relying on the teachings of the Qur'an I can attempt the discussion; even if I am only a fly, I can fly higher than such an eagle.

 

My brother! You should understand that Hadhrat Muhyiddin would not deceive, but he could be deceived. He is rightly-guided, but may not be the guide in all his works. What he saw was correct, but it was not reality. The reality of man's spirit, the subject of your question, is elucidated in the Twenty-Ninth Word, the discussion on the spirit.

 

Yes, in respect of its nature, the spirit is a law proceeding from the Divine command. But it is a living law clothed in external existence and possessing external existence. Hadhrat Muhyiddin thought of it only from the point of view of its essential nature. The way of the Unity of Existence considers the existence of things to be imagination. Together with his wondrous illuminations and observations, since he had chosen an important and independent way, he was compelled to apply certain Qur'anic verses to his way and observations, artificially and with forced interpretations, thus marring the clarity of the verses. In others of his treatises he expounds the straight highway of the Qur'an and of the Sunnis. That holy one holds a position all his own, and he is among those who are acceptable. But he exceeded the limits in his unbalanced illuminations, and in many matters opposed the majority of the learned authorities.

 

It is because of this that although he was such an elevated and wondrous spiritual pole, a unique one of ages, it is as though his particular way was very short, and restricted to Sadruddin al-Qunawi, and that his works are only rarely benefited from by those on the straight path. Some of the authoritive scholars do not show any inclination to study those valuable works, and some of them even prevent it.

 

Lengthy study and a very elevated and broad view is needed to show the fundamental differences together with their sources between the Hadhrat Muhyiddin's way and that of the exacting scholars. Yes, the differences are so fine and profound and the sources, so elevated and extensive that Hadhrat Muhyiddin has not been censured and has continued to be accepted. For if in regard to thought, scholarship, and illumination the difference and sources had become apparent, it would have been an extremely serious fall for him, and grievous error. Since the difference is so profound, we shall try to show it and the sources briefly by means of a comparison, and Hadhrat Muhyiddin's errors in the matter.

 

For example, the sun appears in a mirror. The mirror both contains the sun, and is qualified by it. That is to say, in one respect the sun is present in the mirror, and in another respect it adorns the mirror, becoming a brilliant colour, attribute and quality of it. If the mirror had been a camera, it would have fixed the sun's image on photographic paper. In that case, the nature of the sun appearing on the photographic paper, and the sun which adorns the mirror—since it has become like a quality of the mirror, are other than the actual sun. They are not the sun, but the sun's manifestation which has taken on another existence. As for the existence of the sun which is visible in the mirror, even if it is not identical with the sun which is visible outside, since it is tied to it and points to it, it is supposed to have the same existence.

 

As a consequence of this comparison, it may be said that "There is nothing apart from the actual sun in the mirror," meaning that the mirror contains it and intending the sun's external existence in the mirror. But if it is said that the sun's extended reflection, which has become like an attribute or quality of the mirror, and its image which has been transposed to the photographic paper is the sun, it is wrong; it is an error to say: "There is nothing in them other than the sun." For there is the reflection on the mirror's shining face and the image formed on its back, and these have their own separate existences. For sure those existences are from the sun's manifestation, but they are not the sun. Man's mind and imagination resemble this example of the mirror. It is as follows:

 

The information in the mirror of man's thought also has two faces: in one respect it is knowledge, in another, it is known. If we suppose the mind to contain what is known, then the known thing becomes something known by the mind; its existence is something different to the mind. If we suppose the mind to be qualified by the thing, it becomes an attribute or quality of the mind; then the thing becomes knowledge and has an external existence. Even if the thing known has an existence, it has an accidental external existence.

 

Thus, according to these two comparisons, the universe is a mirror. The true nature of all beings is also a mirror. They are subject to Divine creation through Pre-Eternal Power. In one respect, all beings are sorts of mirrors to one of the Names of the Pre-Eternal Sun, showing one of its embroideries. Those on the way of Hadhrat Muhyiddin unveiled them only in respect of being mirrors and containers, revealing the similitude of their existence in the mirror, from the point of view of denial; and supposing the reflection to be identical with the thing reflected, did not think of other levels. They said: "There is no existent but He," and were in error. They almost descended to the level of denying the fundamental rule: "The reality of beings is constant."

 

As for the people of reality, they have seen through the mystery of the legacy of Prophethood and the definite statements of the Qur'an that the embroideries and inscriptions that come into being in the mirrors of beings through Divine power and will are His works. They are "all from Him;" they are not "all Him." Things have an existence and their existence is constant to a degree. For sure their existence is weak compared to that of the Necessary Existence, like an illusion or imagining, but through the Pre-Eternal All-Powerful One's creation, will, and power, it is.

 

In the comparison, the sun in the mirror has an existence through its similitude apart from its external existence. And its expanded reflection also, which gives colour to and adorns the mirror, has an accidental and separate external existence. And the sun's image which is depicted on the photographic paper on the back of the mirror also has a separate and accidental external existence.

 

Similarly, the inscriptions of beings, which appear through the manifestations of the Sacred Divine Names—occurring through will, choice, and power—in the mirror of the universe and mirrors of the true natures of things, have a created existence separate from the Necessary Existence. And this existence has been given a permanence through Pre-Eternal Power. But if the connection was to be severed, all things would at once cease to be. For its continued existence everything is every instant in need of its Creator's preserving it. "The reality of things is constant," but it is constant and permanent only through His making it so.

 

Thus, Hadhrat Muhyiddin's saying that "Spirit is not created; it is a reality proceeding from the world of the Divine command and attribute of Will," is contrary to many clear statements of the Qur'an and Hadith. So too, according to the investigation above, is confused, deceived, and had not seen the weak existences of things.

 

The places of manifestation of Divine Names like Creator and Provider cannot be illusions or imaginings. Since the Names have a reality, their places of manifestation also have an external reality.

 

Y o u r T h i r d Q u e s t i o n : You want instruction in the science of jafr, which will form a key to it.

 

T h e A n s w e r : We are not carrying out this work and service at our own wish and through our own planning. A better will than ours governs in this work, over and above our wills. The science of jafr is an absorbing and pleasurable occupation, hence busying us and detaining us from our true duties. On many occasions, even, certain mysteries of the Qur'an were being revealed through that key, but when I addressed myself to them with complete enthusiasm and enjoyment, they became hidden. I discovered two instances of wisdom in this:

 

The First: It is possible that it is discourteous towards the prohibition of "None knows the Unseen save God."

 

The Second: The service of teaching the Islamic Community about the fundamental truths of belief and the certain proofs of the Qur'an has a value and merit far exceeding the occult sciences like that of jafr. The firm evidences and categorical proofs employed in that sacred duty allow no opportunity for exploitation. But in the occult sciences like jafr which are not tied to any firm rules, there is the possibility of abuse and charlatans taking advantage of them. In fact, whenever need for the service of reality arises, a little is bestowed according to need.

 

Among the keys of jafr, the easiest, and perhaps the purest and finest, are the various sorts of ‘coincidences,' which proceed from the Divine Name of Originator, have displayed their manifestation in the Name of Allah in the Qur'an, and adorn the works we have published. They have been shown to a small extent in several places of the wonder-working of al-Gawth al-A'zam. For instance, if the ‘coincidences' show something in several aspects, it forms a sign of the strength of a proof. Sometimes with a number of deductions, a single ‘coincidence' may be like a proof. However, that is enough for now. If there is serious need, it will be made known to you.

 

Y o u r F o u r t h Q u e s t i o n : That is, not your question, but Imam Ömer Efendi's, which concerned a wretched doctor saying that Jesus (Upon whom be peace) had a father. With a lunatic interpretation, the doctor tried to show that a Qur'anic verse justifies him in saying this.

 

At one time, the unfortunate man was trying to create something with the ‘disjointed letters.' He was working feverishly at this. Then I understood that he had perceived from the atheists' attitude that they were going to attempt to abolish the Islamic script. The man was working pointlessly as though he was going to save the script in the face of that flood. Now in this matter, and in the Second Matter, he had realized the atheists' terrible attacks against the fundamentals of Islam, and I reckon that he wanted to find a way to conciliation through meaningless interpretations like that. According to definite verses like,

 

The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam,

 

Jesus (Upon whom be peace) had no father, thus no importance may be given to the words of those who attempt to change through idiotic, forced interpretations this firm and authentic truth, due to supposing to be impossible contravention of a law of human reproduction. For there is no law at all that has no exceptions and from which individuals are exempt. And there is no universal rule which has not been breached by extraordinary individuals.

 

Since the time of Adam there has been no law to which there have been no individual exceptions. Firstly, the law of reproduction was violated in regard to origins by the origins of the two hundred thousand animal species, and brought to an end. That is, the two hundred thousand progenitors of the species, quite simply like Adam's, violated the law of reproduction. They were not born of a father and mother, and were given existence outside the law.

 

Furthermore, the greater part—innumerable individuals—of the hundred thousand species we see with our eyes every spring are created outside that law, on the surface of leaves and on putrified matter. So you can see just how unreasonable is someone who cannot accept with his reason the exception of a single individual in one thousand nine hundred years to a law that was violated and breached at its origin and has been so even every year, and clings to forced interpretations of the definite statements of the Qur'an.

 

The things those wretches call natural laws are the laws called ‘adatullah' or Divine practices, which are a universal manifestation of the Divine command and dominical will, and which Almighty God changes for certain instances of wisdom. He shows that His will and choice govern in everything and in every law. Certain extraordinary individuals breach those ‘practices.' This truth He points out through His decree,

 

The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam.

 

Ömer Efendi's S e c o n d Q u e s t i o n concerning the doctor:

 

The doctor behaves extremely foolishly in this matter, so that to listen to what he says or give it importance is very demeaning. The unfortunate wants to be half way between belief and unbelief. I say the following, in reply not to his unimportant discussion, but to Ömer Efendi's questioning:

 

The reason in the injunctions and prohibitions of the Shari'a are the Divine command and Divine prohibition. Advantages and instances of wisdom are to give them weight, and may be the reason for the command or prohibition from the point of view of the Divine Name of All-Wise.

 

For example, someone on a journey, shortens the five daily prayers. There is a reason for and a purpose or instance of wisdom in shortening the prayers. The reason is the journey, while the purpose is the difficulty involved. If on a journey and there is no difficulty involved, the prayers are still shortened. If not on a journey, and the person suffers a hundred difficulties in his own house, he may not shorten the prayers. For the difficulty occurring on some journeys is sufficient as the purpose for shortening the prayers, and is again sufficient for making the journey the reason.

 

Thus, in accordance with this rule of the Shari'a, the Shari'a's injunctions do not change in consequence of purposes or instances of wisdom; they look to the true reasons. Apart from the harm and illness caused by pork, as the doctor said, according to the saying, "One who eats pork becomes like a pig in some respects;" the pig is not harmless like other domestic animals. In addition to its meat causing considerable harm rather than being beneficial, it has been established medically that the powerful fat in its meat is also harmful, even in the lands of Europe which are powerfully cold, and is thus in fact and in meaning extremely harmful.

 

Thus, instances of wisdom like these are a purpose for the Divine prohibition and for its being forbidden. It is not necessary for the wisdom to be present in every instance and all the time. The reason does not change with the purpose and wisdom changing. If the reason does not change, the injunction does not change. And so, it may be seen through this rule how far from the spirit of the Shari'a the unfortunate man was when he spoke. No importance should be given to what he said regarding the Shari'a. The Creator has many animals in the form of unreasoning philosophers!

 

 

 

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AN ADDENDUM TO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT MUHYIDDIN AL-ARABI

 

Q u e s t i o n : Muhyiddin al-Arabi considered the Unity of Existence to be of the highest level. Likewise, some of the great saints who took the path of love followed him. However, you say that this matter is not of the highest level, and is not real; that it is rather the way, to a degree, of those who become intoxicated and immersed in the Divine, and of the people of love and ecstasy. So what, briefly, is the high level of the affirmation of Divine Unity pointed out by the clear verses of the Qur'an, through the mystery of the legacy of prophethood? Can you explain it?

 

T h e A n s w e r : It is a hundred times beyond the ability of an utterly powerless unfortunate like myself to judge these elevated stations with his limited thought. I shall just explain one or two extremely brief points proceeding from the effulgence of the All-Wise Qur'an. Perhaps they will be useful in understanding the matter.

 

FIRST POINT

 

There are numerous reasons for the way of the Unity of Existence, and for becoming enmeshed in it; one or two of them shall be described:

 

The First Reason: Because they could not squeeze into their brains the maximum degree of the creativity of dominicality, and could not entirely establish in their hearts that everything, through the mystery of Divine Oneness, is held directly in the grasp of dominicality and that all things have existence through Divine power, choice, and will, those who took that way were obliged to say that everything is either Him, or does not have existence, or is imaginary, or is His manifestation or emanation.

 

The Second Reason: The mark of passionate love is to want never to be separated from the beloved and to flee desperately from such separation; to tremble at the thought of parting, to fear distance from the beloved as though fearing Hell, and to abominate transience; to love union with the love of one's own spirit and life, and to yearn for closeness to the beloved with the longing for Paradise. And so, through adhering to a manifestation of Divine immediacy in all things, those who took the way of the Unity of Existence disregarded separation and distance; supposing union and meeting to be permanent, they said: "There is no existent but He;" through the intoxication of love and as demanded by the ecstasy of permanence, meeting, and union, they imagined that in the Unity of Existence was a most pleasurable way of illumination whereby they could be saved from the dreadfulness of separation.

 

That is to say, the source of the first reason was the hand of the intellect being unable to reach up to some of the truths of belief, which were extremely broad and elevated; its being unable to comprehend them, and not having developed completely in regard to belief. While the source of the second reason was the extraordinary unfolding of the heart from the point of view of love, and its wondrous expansion and breadth.

 

However, the supreme level of Divine Unity the Purified Ones—who were the people of sobriety and great saints of the legacy of prophethood —saw through the explicit expositions of the Qur'an is both extremely elevated, and shows both the maximum level of dominicality and creativity, and that all the Divine Names are real. It preserves its bases and does not spoil the balance of the decrees of dominicality. For they say that together with the Oneness of His Essence and His being free of space, with His knowledge, Almighty God encompasses and determines directly all things together with all their attributes, and through His will He chooses and specifies them, and through His power He creates them. He creates and directs the whole universe as though it were a single being.

 

He creates the huge spring with the same ease as creating a flower. Nothing can be an obstacle to anything else. There is no fragmentation in His regarding things; He is present everywhere at the same instant through the disposal of His knowledge and power. There is no division or distribution in His disposal. This mystery has been expounded and proved completely in the Sixteenth Word and in the Second Stopping-Place of the Thirty-Second Word. Since, according to the rule, "Comparisons are incontestible," attention is not paid to defects in comparison and allegory, I shall set forth a very faulty comparison so that the difference between the two ways may be understood to a degree.

 

For example, let us imagine a huge, matchless, and wondrously adorned peacock which can fly from east to west in an instant, and opens and closes its wings, which stretch from north to south, are adorned with hundreds of thousands of fine patterns, and in every single feather of which are included brilliant arts. Now, there are two men observing it; they want to fly with the wings of the intellect and heart up to the elevated qualities of this bird; to its wondrous decorations. One looks at the peacock's state and form and the marvellous inscriptions of power on all its feathers; he loves it with extreme passion and ardour; he in part abandons his attentive reflective thought, and adheres to love. But then he sees that every day those lovable decorations change and are transformed. Those objects of his love, which he worships, disappear and are lost.

 

While he should have said that through true Divine Unity, which he could not encompass with his mind, and absolute dominicality and the Oneness of the Divine Essence, they were the artistic decorations of an Inscriber possessing universal creativity, he said instead—in order to console himself—that the spirit of the peacock was so sublime that its Maker was within it, or that the peacock had become Him, and that since its spirit had become one with its being, and its being had combined with its outward appearance, its spirit's perfection and being's exaltedness displayed those manifestations, showing a different inscription and beauty every moment; it was not a true creation through its will, but rather a manifestation, an emanation.

 

As for the other man, he said that those harmonious and well-ordered decorations so full of art definitely required will, choice, intention, and purpose. It was not possible for there to be a manifestation without will, an emanation without choice.

 

Yes, the peacock had a beautiful and elevated nature, but it could not be the doer; it was passive. It could not become one with the active agent. Its spirit was fine and exalted, but it could not be the creator and disposer, only receptive and a means. For observedly in each of its feathers was an art performed with infinite wisdom and an inscription and decoration made through an infinite power. And these could not occur without will and choice. These arts showing perfect wisdom within perfect power, and perfect dominicality and mercy within perfect wisdom were not the work of some sort of manifestation. The scribe who had written that gilded notebook could not be inside it and be united with it. The notebook rather only had contact with the nib of the scribe's pen. In which case, the wondrous decorations of the similitude of the peacock known as the universe were a gilded missive of the peacock's Creator.

 

Now, look at the peacock and read the missive. Say to its Scribe: "What wonders God has willed! Blessed be God! Glory be to God!" One who supposes the missive to be the scribe, or the scribe to be inside the letter, or fancies the missive to be imagination, has surely hidden his reason in the veils of love, and been unable to see the true form of reality.

 

Among the varieties of passionate love, the one most giving rise to the way of the Unity of Existence, is love of this world. When it turns into true love, love of this world, which is metaphorical, is transformed into the Unity of Existence. A person loves a personal beloved with metaphorical love. Then, unable to situate his beloved's transience and ephemerality in his heart, he consoles himself saying that he is a mirror to the True Object of Love and Worship, and attaches himself to a reality, so acquiring permanence for him through true love.

 

In the same way, when the strange love of one who takes the huge world and the universe in its totality as his beloved is transformed into true love through the constant blows of death and separation, he seeks refuge in the way of the Unity of Existence, in order to save that great beloved of his from death and separation. If he has extremely strong and elevated belief, it becomes a pleasurable, luminous, acceptable level, like with those resembling Muhyiddin al-Arabi. However, there is the possibility of falling into abysses, entering materiality, and becoming submerged in causes. As for the Unity of Witnessing, it is harmless; it is an exalted way of the people of sobriety.

 

 

 

O God, show us what is indeed the truth, and make us follow it!

 

Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing, All-Wise.

 

 

 

 

 

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