Divine Essence

The mind of the Prophet Muhammad, on which tadjalli constantly falls, is directly linked to the Divine. When a seeker of the Truth is  to form a spiritual closeness with the Prophet to an extent such that his or her mind fills with the blessings and the Lights of Prohethood (nur nabuwat), then the tadjalli of God begins descending on them. In order to strenghten this ability Muraqaba of Divine Essence (al dhat e'lahiya) is given to practice so that the link could be established and deepen and the journey of Gnosis of Essence (irfan e'lahiya) could go on forever. When the person achieves the desired concentration on the tadjalli of Divine Essence, then this stage is called `fana fi Al-Lah or fana fi dhat (annihilation into the Divine).

In this Muraqaba, instead of the Attributes the Essence is imagined. The Divine Essence is beyound words and could not be explained. No flight of human consciousness could ever reach its furthest boundaries;

however, within the limits of perception, God can be felt. It is stated in the Qur'an (Koran):

"And no man could ever be able to converse with Him;
unless through signs, or behind the veil or through a messenger"

[Sura Shura:51].

The above verse sheds some light on the reach of human senses. When God addresses humans, He uses signs and the heart is able to see and recognize. This divine way of communication is called vahii. In the second method God sends a messenger (angel) and the human eye is able to see the messenger. In the third way God reveals a glimpse of Himself to His servant (man). This is known as hijab (Divine Veil). In this way God reveals Himself in a beautiful and luminous (nur ca'la nur) face. This beautiful face is not God but His Veil.

In the Muraqaba of visualization of the Essence (al dhat) God is approached through different methods of dialogue. There are various types of this Muraqaba.

1.    The student visualizes that in his heart the Divine Name Al-Lah is written in a numinous way, and through its light the entire cosmos bright­ens.

2.    That he is prostrating before Him at the Divine Throne (arsh).

3.    The Divine Essence is before him in the form of tadjalli.

4.    God is focused on him and this focus is in the form of lights shining on the student.

5.    The student visualizes that God is beholding him. This is known as the Muraqaba of royet.

6.    It is stated in the Qur'an (Koran),

"Wherever thou art, God is with thee." Hence in the Muraqaba the omnipresence of God is visualized. This is known as Muraqaba of ma'eeyet (company).

7.    In the Muraqaba the following verse of the Quran (Koran) is visual­ized,

"We are closer to thee than thy cardinal vein."

This Muraqaba is called the Muraqaba of aqrab.

8.    "Wherever thou facest, thou seest God." Based on this verse, the stu­dent visualizes that God is everywhere.

9.    It is stated in the Quran (Koran) that, "God is encircling everything that exists." Hence the student visualizes that God is enveloping the entire cosmos.

10.  In the Muraqaba the God is visualized as an endless Sea in which the student is like a tiny drop immersed in it.

11.  It is visualized that the entire Universe is annihilated and the only Being that exists is God.

When the student gains excellence in these types of Muraqaba then with the help of his Spiritual Master and the grace of the Prophet Muhammad, he witnesses the tadjalli of the Divine Essence.