FEB 2018-WHAT IS THE SULTAN

The universe is analogous to a mirror on which light from Loh-eMahfooz (the Preserved Tablet) disperses, and as a result, it displays forms and features within it. As the Loh-e-Mahfooz contains the record of every entity, it is a source of recognition among all creations in the universe. This acquaintance with the record enables the creations to observe life on not only the terrestrial zone, but the celestial zone too. This is the reason why an individual can see the sun, the moon, and the stars - a life different than that of their zone.

As per scientific calculations, the moon is at a distance of about 250,000 miles from the Earth and the sun is about 90,000,000 miles away. One must contemplate on the fact that irrespective of this enormous distance, the sun and moon appear to be at proximity to the Earth. However, when attempts are made to reach them through material means, the path leading to them seems to fade away. How does a sight reach an object at such a great distance, but a material body fails to do so?

This is because the zones of the earth and the sky have different spatiotemporal limits. These limitations exist everywhere, but their presence is not felt in the celestial zone like it is on Earth. In other words, the frequency of sight is modified when it travels across the space of the earth and into the space of the sky.

Eyes, spectacles, binoculars, telescopes or microscopes are different channels with diverse ranges of seeing things. However, it should be noted that it is not the lens in them that sees. Similarly, dreams and thoughts are other mediums of sight, but they surpass the aforementioned modes in terms of speed and function. The state of dream and thoughts leave their mark on an individual, and take them to different places at the same time. These states determine that the physical eye is not a source of vision, but it is only a medium, just like telescopes and binoculars. Hence, it is the medium that alters one into a state of consciousness or subconsciousness, but what enables one to see is something else.

Contemplation of the earth and sky reveals that they are two sides of an entity. The side that we are aware of is called earth, and the one of which we are unaware is called the sky. The zones of the earth and skies can also be explained as the limit of one's insight. As we enter the regions of the skies, we find that each stratum is inhabited by creations. What is sky for us, is earth to them. But their earth, in contrast to ours, is the unseen world i.e. ghaib. The holy Quran sheds light on it as follows:

"And verily in the heaven We have set mansions of the stars (Burooj), and We have beautified it for beholders. And We have guarded it from every outcast devil.'' (Quran, 15:16-17)

According to the words of God, the beauty of the Burooj cannot be discerned by an individual with a satanic thought pattern. Only the sight that is free of confinement can behold them.

It is a universal phenomenon that every creation is influenced by their surroundings. While marine creatures carry the traits of the environment they live in, the impact of the land is apparent on its inhabitants and the residents of sky are influenced by the elements therein. For example, the Earth is incarcerated in clay whereas the skies are zones of light. One of the attributes of light is to disperse, such that its limitations are not obvious to the eyes. This propels one to think,

•         Why do the objects outside the terrestrial zone appear to us in Earthly forms?

•         Do we actually look out of our Earthly zone at all?

•         Everybody who looks at the sun or the moon considers them to be round discs, and the stars to be lit as if they were lamps. Are they truly as we see them?

It unravels that the pattern with which we see things on earth, becomes the basis of how we see and are acquainted with objects in the sky. The sight, despite reaching beyond the terrestrial zones, does not see sun, stars, moon or space - but it merely views what the mind sees. It establishes that it is the mind that shows us the infinite or finite aspect of objects as per our aptitude. For instance, viewing the sky with sunglasses, does not tum the sky dark. Or things do not tum colourful when we look at them through coloured shades. Likewise, rather than seeing the celestial bodies as they are, we only see the impact they leave on our minds.

Another example is the state of dreams where one steps into infinity, whilst still being present in the finite zone. Although the state of dream is a zone of light, where time and space are different from the state of wakefulness, instead of observing the light, an individual witnesses things in their dreams in the same way they would in the state of wakefulness. The holy Quran describes this confined pattern of seeing and thinking as :

"If thou obeyedst most of those on earth they would mislead thee far from God's way. They follow naught but an opinion, and they do but guess." (Quran, 6:116)

"And they have no knowledge thereof. They follow but a guess, and lo! a guess can never take the place of the truth."

(Quran, 53:28)

God has explained the earth and its nature in various chapters within the Quran. He says,

"And He it is Who spread out the earth and placed therein firm hills and flowing streams, and of all fruits. He placed therein two spouses (male and female). He covereth the night with the day. Lo! herein verily are portents for people who  take thought." (Quran, 13:3)

"Have We not made the earth an expanse, And the high hills bulwarks?" (Quran, 78:6-7)

The earth is a being like all other creations, whose duty is to nurture vegetations and fruits of various kinds. One of its attributes is to swell or expand. To sustain the process of expansion, the almighty Lord has spread out the earth and placed therein mountains and flowing streams. When something expands, time and space proportionally increase resulting in the deceleration of its movement. And when space contracts or shrinks, the process is reversed. The reason God has pegged mountains onto the earth is to keep its apparent movement in sync with the consciousness of those who are not aware of the subconsciousness or concealed senses.

It is important to note that the actual ability of the earth is to shrink but God has nailed mountains onto it in order to curtail this process and sustain life on it. Here, the apparent aspect of the mountain is under discussion, whose trait is explained in the verse mentioned below as gravity. When gravity takes root, it distances one from reality. God has negated gravity in the following verse as:

"And thou seest the hills thou deemest solid flying with the flight of clouds: the doing of God Who perfecteth all things. Lo! He is Informed of what ye do." (Quran, 27: 88)

The process of expansion and contraction is directly proportional to repulsion and attraction respectively. Attraction is the inner facet, and repulsion is the outer facet of earth. To know what lies beneath the surface, one has to be free from the grip of gravity.

"O company of jinn and men, if ye have power to penetrate (all) regions of the heavens and the earth, then penetrate (them)! Ye will never penetrate them save with (Our) sanction."

(Quran, 55:33)

A student asked his master, "We see and reap the benefits from the sun and the moon. Does seeing them mean that our sight has crossed beyond the terrestrial zone?"

The master replied, "The laws of God are unchangeable. The reason one sees the stars and the moon is because they are familiar with the atmosphere beyond the terrestrial bounds, but it certainly does not mean that we are acquainted with what lies at their core. We are simply aware of the impact they have on us. The words 'acquaint' and 'impact' are indicative of the law of reflection. It clarifies that the consciousness only sees a reflection, irrespective of what the celestial bodies are in actuality."

The student asked, "If it is the reflection that we perceive, then are we both reflections too?"

The master answered, "The universe is like a globe. The earth and sky and the creatures within them, including you and I, are all reflections. The light beams from elsewhere, and that is where the true being is settled. A layman sees only the body enclosed in matter, but their subconsciousness observes the light within the body. This globe contains all forms and features. When we look at the matter, we actually look at the entity confined in the globe. But in dreams, the layer that conceals the matter becomes so subtle that one is able to see the hayula (prime material). We assume that we are acquainted with our surroundings, both within and outside the globe, but the truth is, what we see is a mere reflection. God has made the universe or earth a reflective mirror, so that individuals may increase their capabilities, and be attentive towards seeking the Truth. This is possible only when one becomes cognizant of the Sultan."

The student asked, "What is the Sultan? And how one can familiarise themselves with its knowledge?"

The teacher replied, "Sultan is a sight that sees the unseen realm. Abdal-e-Haq Huzoor Qalandar Baba Auliya (RA) has shared a formula so that we may become acquainted with it. He says,

"The more one grows older, the more one is engrossed in their surroundings. As a result, the elements around them are stored in their mind in a sequence with all of their features, which helps one locate things easily. The impression of the surroundings on them is so grave that they never achieve respite enough to step into the sub-consciousness. In order to enter into a higher zone, one must make efforts to be free from the clutches of crowded thoughts." (Loh-o-Qalam)

The master explained further, "It is necessary to empty out crowded thoughts because when thoughts recur, they create doubts. The words of God negate uncertainty and affirm the law of concentration, as when God intends to do something, He says, 'Be' and it becomes. Remember that a lack of concentration affects movement and speed adversely, paving the way for space to dominate over time. This dominance can be understood with the following example: when thoughts are not centralised, a write up that could be completed in a day, is not finished even after a week."

Dear friends, there is no change and delay in the works of God. As per divine law, when things are viewed through a restricted consciousness, the objects viewed are bound to contract and expand - appear and disappear. God has blessed us with the ability of the Sultan through which one witnesses that there is nothing near nor far, and that the process of expansion or contraction does not exist in reality.

Respectable ladies, gentleman and students, you may ask questions and write to us for further understanding.

ALLAH HAFIZ

MARCH 2019-QSM