Topics
'Be!'
What is to 'be'?
The program present in the mind of the One
who uttered 'Be' should come into being, spiritually. When the program took the
shape and form of incorporeal manifestations, The One who commanded 'Be',
appeared before the spiritually displayed world so that the ignorance could
change into knowledge and awareness. We know, the sight gets activated when a
focal point to concentrate is available to it. In that stage of creation, the
focal point was the Creator and the Divine Planner. After coming to this world
the focal point undergoes a change but the law remains the same. Just as the
reality is transpired upon the mental screen, the hypothetical and temporary
senses are also carried to the screen of the mind. It is only that the
constraints of short lived and temporary states of mind keep us incarcerated in
the limiting senses. And in Muraqbah, thinking about the spiritual mentor, an
attempt to concentrative focus our thoughts on someone, so that his image could
recurring reflect upon the screen of our mind, we are liberated from the limiting
senses. The more frequently a thought is displayed upon the mental screen, the
more vivid would be the formation of a pattern in the mind. And, this pattern
of mind, in terms of spirituality, is called the 'thinking approach'.
When we imagine the spiritual mentor or
'Shaikh', as a matter of eternal law, the knowledge of Elohistic Attributes
operative in the mentor or Shaikh is reflected upon our mind with frequent
repetitions resulting in enlightenment of the mind of the spiritual associate
with the lights functional in the mentor and transferred to him. The
enlightenment of the mind of the spiritual associate finally reaches the level
of his mentor. This state, in Sufism, is called 'Affinity' (nisbat). The best
and tested way to enjoy the affinity, according to spirituality, is the longing
passion of love.
The mind of the mentor keeps on
transferring to the spiritual associate according to the passion of love and
longing for the mentor flows in him and there comes a time when the lights
operative in Shaikh which actually are the reflections of Beatific Visions of
God are transferred to the spiritual associate. This enables the spiritual
associate to be familiar with the effulgent lights and Beatific Visions. This
state, in terms of Sufism, is called 'Be one with mentor' (Fana fish Shaikh).
The Lights of Shaikh and the refulgent Beatific Visions operative in mentor are
not the personal trait of the mentor. Just as the spiritual associate, with
devoted attention and concentration, assimilates the knowledge and the traits
of his mentor, the mentor has absorbed the knowledge and attributes of the Holy
Prophet (PBUH) with devoted attention and concentration of the mind.
In the state of spiritual associate's
oneness with the mentor those abilities of the Shaikh become activated in the
spiritual associate (salik) because of which the Shaikh enjoys the affinity of
the Holy Prophet (PBUH). This stage, in terms of Sufism, is called 'Oneness
with the Holy Prophet' (Fana fir Rasool). It is the holy statement of the Holy
Prophet (PBUH), "I am a human being just like you but I receive
revelation'. When this statement is closely examined, it is found that the
exaltation of the Last Prophet is that he received Revelations from God,
Almighty which reflects the Divine Knowledge (Ilm-e-ladduni); the knowledge
directly inspired by God, the Beatific Visions of God and the refulgent Lights
upon the blessed Mind of Holy Prophet.
In the state of 'Oneness with the Holy
Prophet' a spiritual associate because of his passion, longing and love
gradually, step by step, assimilates and cognizes the knowledge of the Holy
Prophet. Then comes that auspicious moment when the knowledge and learning is
transferred to him according to his capacity from the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The
spiritual associate absorbs in the traits of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) according
to his aptitude, ability and capacity and because of his affinity with the Holy
Prophet and his support he manages to reach that state when he had acknowledged
the Lordship of Cod, the Lord of the worlds saying, 'Yes, indeed you are our
Lord God!. This affinity, in sufism, is called Oneness with Allah' (Fana
fi-lah) or simply 'oneness' (wahdat). After that, if one is bestowed with
ability one explores those areas about which narration has no words to explain
them because of their delicacy and subtleness.
The purpose of narrating all this is that
there is a screen in the human mind upon which images are transferring
ceaselessly. It is yet another thing that meaningfulness and purpose of these images
are interpreted differently by different people. If the mind of the Holy
Prophet interpretation of these images is taking place in the sphere of the
Acquired Knowledge then the information’s of these images will be considered
fictional and hypothetical. And, if the images are transferring in the sphere
of the Presented Knowledge then the knowledge contained in the images is real
and pertains to reality. But the law remains the same that man's sight and
comprehension cannot do anything if the
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
When any branch of knowledge is taken into
consideration, two things, because of their significance, immediately become
important. The first one is theoretical knowledge, which we possess about that
particular branch of knowledge and in its final stage practical demonstration
and implementation of that branch of knowledge is observed. In other words,
knowledge is the name given to the combination of theory and practice. Like any
other branch of knowledge, the spiritual sciences, too, are no exception to this
rule, that is, after learning and Rules, Laws, Principle and Formulae
Theoretically; they are tested, analyzed and examined practically. There are
two possible ways of learning and acquiring knowledge. One method is to learn
the theory first and then to use the learnt formulae, principles and laws
practically. The other method is to start learning through practical
experiments directly.Â