Topics

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

'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 


PARAPSYCHOLOGY

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