Beyond the Self

Question: Statements are often made about witnessing Allah the Almighty, hearing His words, or even physically perceiving His presence. What is the meaning behind such assertions? Please provide clarity on this matter.

Answer: A sense of Divine intimacy with Allah the Almighty is frequently experienced, yet an intrinsic veil persists, maintaining separation between the seeker and the Divine. Occasionally, within the realm of perception, it seems as though one has physically touched Allah the Almighty, felt His hand placed upon them, or sensed His sacred foot resting upon their head in a state of prostration. However, upon deeper contemplation, the inescapable conclusion remains that a transcendental barrier endures between the individual and Allah the Almighty, preserving the reality of veiled proximity.

The perception of the Blessed Feet of Allah the Almighty is beyond expression, for it is only discerned, not fully described. It is experienced in a state where the veil exists, yet within the understanding, it becomes clear that Allah the Almighty resides beyond it. The interest in true servitude leads the devotee into the sacred posture of prostration (Sujud). In this state, the realization dawns that Allah the Almighty has accepted servitude, symbolized by placing His Blessed Feet upon the devotee’s head, signifying the acceptance of the devotion.

The vision of Allah, the Almighty, upon the Throne(Arsh) and the Kursi can, in some way, be expressed through descriptions of His features, but it cannot be definitively stated that Allah, the Almighty, has a particular form. It can only be hinted at symbolically. We may say that Allah, the Almighty, is seated upon the Throne (Arsh). The perception of sight is that Allah, the Almighty, is a Light. We may claim to have seen Allah’s hand, but we must also acknowledge that we only saw the hand, not the entire body. There is a Being seated upon the Throne (Arsh); but what its features are remains unspeakable. There is a Divine Being seated, Who is Allah, yet this sacred Being has concealed Its form behind a veil. We may have observed Allah's eye, but if the question arises whether Allah, the Almighty, has eyes like human eyes, the answer would be that we only saw the eye. We cannot claim that Allah, the Almighty, has two eyes upon His face in the same manner as humans do.

Within the human being, the very foundation of the cosmos unfolds continuously, and within us, the universe is perpetually being created. The duality, represented by the two aspects of the triangle, exists within our being, with this triangle being encompassed by a circle. Within the triangle, a continuous flow of Noor (Divine Light), referred to as "flow of ray," cascades without interruption. Upon contact with the triangle, this light scatter and disperses within, and this dispersion constitutes the cosmos. An analogy can be drawn with the workings of a cinema: light waves emanate from a machine and strike the screen, whereupon the impact causes various forms to emerge.

Similarly, within the human being, a stream of divine information or command from the realm of the unseen flows and strikes the individual (symbolized by the triangle), where it disperses and fractures across the "screen" of the self. As the waves scatter, they take on various forms. Enclosed within this wave are all of creation—humankind, jinn, angels, celestial bodies, the Throne(Arsh), the Kursi, and the veils. However, only the Blessed self of Allah, the Almighty, lies beyond this wave. The existence of Allah is a distinct and separate reality. The veils and the realms of observation that emerge from them exist within the wave and the triangle, while the Divine Self itself transcends both. This is why the Sacred and Exalted Self of Allah is beyond the limitations of dimensions and forms.

We cannot confine the existence of Allah, the Almighty, to shape, form, or features. However, we can perceive the essence of Allah. When Allah, the Almighty, grants the honor of speaking with us, the voice comes from behind a veil, and in our perception, we are aware of the existence of Allah. However, we cannot claim that, at the moment of speaking, His lips were moving.