The real life of man is in the Ruhu'l-Qudus (Holy Spirit)

THE REAL LIFE OF MAN IS IN 

THE RUHU'L-QUDUS

(HOLY SPIRIT)

Man has come to this world form this permanent abode or the higher world, as a traveler. Therefore, to return to It is as necessary for him as a traveler necessarily returns to his country after attaining his goal. Hence it is said: “The love of the home country is a part of faith”. It is this home country which is the real and eternal country of the soul, love for which is part of faith. As for the wealth of knowledge and recognition, which the human soul attains during the journey in this world, it is evident from this Prophetic Tradition: “Travel! So that you may attain wealth”. The hardship and the toil that the soul has to necessarily suffer is expressed in this tradition: “Travelling is of the hell”.

When the partial soul of the mu’min comes to this world, being separated from its Universal Soul, this short life of the soul in reality is considered its death, just as a grain of wheat or a stone of a tree is lost somewhere in the earth far from (the heap of) wheat or tree respectively, which then is its death. It is possible that here these things may become extinct or they may be revived. Extinction in the sense that they may be eaten by an animal, or they may perish just laying there. Revival in the sense that they may annihilate their “ I (khwudi)” once in the earth in a suitable place in an appropriate time, which may enable it to attain the true everlasting life (baqa). The sign of their everlasting life is that from this one grain are produced hundreds of grains and from the stone is produced a fruit-bearing tree.

Thus, partially, first comes annihilation or death and then survival or everlasting life. If the particular soul cannot raise this life-like (hayat-numa) death to the level of self-annihilation (fana-yi khwudi), then it cannot deserve to be granted the true everlasting life. This is testified by the Tradition of the holy Prophet: “the mu’min doses not die, rather he only departs from the abode of annihilation to the abode of survival”. If the soul of the mu’min, while leaving the body, does not die and only departs towards the abode of survival or everlasting life, then it is obvious that by reaching it, it revives and the duration for which it remained outside it, it remained concealed in the darkness of death. This same reality is also explained in detail in this verse: “And He it is who has produced you from a Single [Universal] Soul (nafsin wahidah), and then there is a permanent place (mustaqarr) and a transitory place (mustawda). We have detailed the signs for a people who understand” (6:99).

The Single Soul is the name of the Universal Soul. The holy spirits (arwah-I qudsi), in which there is the permanent abode of human survival or everlasting life came into existence from this soul. Their loci of manifestations (mazhir) are the human bodies that are the transitory abodes of the human [worldly] life. In this case a fourth soul of man is established which he had forgotten. That is, just as man while living in the vegetative soul was not able to recognize that animal soul and in the animals soul, the rational soul, similarly, living in the rational soul alone, he remains negligent of the Holy Spirit. However, just as man has passed through the previous stages, he has to also encounter the Holy Spirit willingly or unwillingly, because God’s recognition or resurrection, in reality, takes place in the recognition of this Spirit alone, as the holy Prophet has said: “He who recognizes his soul, recognizes his Lord”. In other words, man can recognize God only in his higher soul, not in any lower soul. The higher soul of man is the Holy Spirit. It is this Spirit that can be the mirror of the beauty and majesty of Divine attributes.

The example of the permanent abode and the transitory abode is that of the sun and its reflection that appears in a mirror. In order to appear in the mirror, the sun does not need to leave its place and to be completely contained in the mirror, rather, it can show its reflection in it through its luminous effect. So long as the mirror faces the sun, the reflection of the sun appears in it, but the moment it is turned away from the sun, the light and reflection disappear from it. If we observe the mirror we see that nothing goes towards the sun from it. Had the act of the sun been volitional, he/it would have possessed those feats it had accomplished through the mediation of the mirror, made them into living pictures and delighted in them. 

Dead Atom and Living Atom

Dead Atom and Living Atom

“Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth”. The heaven and the earth or the highness and the lowness are the two names of the entire universe. Spiritual highness and lowness are also mentioned in these two names. Both in the spiritual and the physical forms, the limit man reaches is his earth and the limit he has not yet reached is his heaven, 

Physical light is related to physical eyes. It helps one to see the state of external things, whereas Divine light is related to the eye of the heart (i.e. insight), which helps one to see the internal and external states of everything. Just as without the external light one cannot go to an unknown city, without internal light no inventor can achieve the goal of discovery and invention. In order to traverse physical distance man first of all walks with his two feet, while on the path of mental progress he walks with the feet of reflection. If this is done in the context of Divine light, it starts to walk with the pace of question and answer, by which the scientist can reach the stage of invention. However, there is a danger for the inventor in that whatever he has achieved through the help of Divine light, he may consider the fruit and result of Divine light, he may consider the fruit and result of his own knowledge. Thus some people deny the existence of God. However, since God is the best of contrivers (Khayru’l- makirin), He does not withhold His spiritual light. Had God withheld knowledge and light due to his reason, it would have been a source of mercy for the inventor. Since, if the inventor’s min had stopped working due to the denial of God’s existence, it would have been an indication to him implying: “O man! It was My light through which you used to see the invisible things, but since you denied My existence therefore I have left you in darkness”. On realizing this, he would have been alarmed and would have stepped forward in spiritual progress and would have, in addition to physical progress, excelled in it even over those who have devoted their entire life to His worship (ibadat).

One of the reasons for this wisdom-filled Divine contrivance can also be that, man may attain whatever he desires. That is, he who seeks this world may attain this world, and he who desires the next world may attain that world, and he who seeks both of them may attain both in moderation.

The purpose of the revelation of the Qur’an is religious and worldly guidance and teaching. There is an answer for every question in true teaching. Thus, if the holy Prophet was asked by someone: “Through which light can the darkness of ignorance be removed and the secrets of the heavens and the earth seen?” he would have certainly answered: “it is Allah Who is the light of the heavens and the earth [through which the secrets of the heavens and the earth can be seen]” This in fat is the answer to this question.

One important aspect of the reality of light is that it and the sight of the eyes work together, just as both the eyes work together. Thus “the seeing” of the inner eye and “the seeing” of the light of God have the same meaning. God says: “We will soon show them Our signs in the horizons (i.e. the external world) and in their souls until it will be manifest unto them that He is True” (41:53).

God, the Exalted, stated at the time of the holy Prophet that He would show His signs in this world in the future. Those signs are the ones that appear in the form of inventions in this scientific and atomic cycle. Then it is alluded in the wisdom of the order of the words that, after this He will show His sings in their souls until the truth of God will manifest to them. Here it is clear that, so long as the dead atom is under the control of the scientists in this world, they will consider it the fruits of their wisdom and this will be the life-less atom. Then naturally or as a result of their analysis of this dead atom when they will reach the living atom (luminous creatures), then all at once or gradually it will permeate human beings in the form of spirit. First of all, this will affect the ears of the human beings, whereby after some minor pain those veils in the ears that are between the body and the soul, will be removed. That will be the soul, and on the whole that spiritual power of Islam, an ethical force by which true peace can be established in the world and which can be the source of prosperity and true comfort for humankind.

Another proof is that a thing that indicates and ascertains an existent’s existence is call a sign. For instance, if a human voice comes from a building. Which is a sign of a human being’s existence, it would be understood that there is a human being inside the house. Thus, the above-mentioned verse first of all predicts about that stratum of scientists who are not convinced about or who do not believe at all in the existence of God. For the promise of God in “He will show them” shows that those people are far removed from being addressed by the Qur’an, and the promise is related to a time in the future after the holy Prophet. Thus the wonders of science and the marvels of the atom that have appeared as His sings in this age are by the will of God, the Omnipotent. The first and foremost among those who see them are those scientists who, despite seeing them, are not grateful to God, Who has granted them this power.

Nasir-i Khusraw

Wajh-i Din 

             Wajh-i Din

This world is the first destination and the life of man is like a path and man travels on this path towards the desired destination so that Pir Nasir-I Khusraw may reach the presence of the Creator of the universe. Thus in this noble and exalted book of Hazrat Pir Nasir-I Khusraw, there are countless wisdoms to describe which, let alone this small article, it would be difficult to do even in an encyclopedia. 

Wajh-I Din

Although it is a bright and well established fact that every book of Pir Nasir-I Khusraw is a precious and everlasting treasure of knowledge and wisdom, nonetheless his Wajh-I Din, in many respects, is the quintessence and compendium of all his books. Thus we can rightly say that this book stands for the treasure of treasures, because it is his final work. 

Examples of the Wisdom of this Book:

I am very fond of books and I have enjoyed and benefitted from the study of various books as much as possible, yet the books of Pir Nasir-I Khusraw are full of wonders and marvels, particularly the Wajh-I Din. Because this book is so amazingly comprehensive and full of the kernel of wisdom that, despite constant struggle, the blessings of its knowledge never come to an end. And the reason for this is that it specifically deals with the ta’wil of the Qur’an and hadith and the knowledge of Imamat and all this is the result of the inner and spiritual path. That is, there is the world of unveiling and spiritual miracles in this book. 

Even through you may have studied the Wajh-I Din for a long time. You can be sure that there are still may ta’wali secrets which have not been revealed. For instance, in the eighth chapter of this book, read the passage regarding the six directions of the planet earth carefully and experiment with it and answer how can its six directions, namely, front. Back. Right. Left. Above and below be determined while it is always rotating? So that we may be sure that the inhabitants of the earth have six directions and God has sent them a great Prophets from every direction. But nobody, by marking the six places of the globe of the world, can establish that from these six directions six great Prophets have come to the people, because they do not live only in a particular city or country, rather they are scattered in different continents and therefore, they do not have collective directions except the above. 

The spiritual example and recognition of how the six Prophets came to the people from the six directions is found in the personal world (microcosm). Thus in the personal world, without any doubt, there are six directions of the human body, Thus, Hazrat Pir alludes that in the personal world the light of Hazrat Adam comes from above the head, the light of Hazrat Nuh from the left ear, the light of Hazrat Ibrahim from the back. The Light of Hazrat Musa from the feet, The light of Hazrat Isa form the Right ear and the light of the Holy Prophet enters from the forehead, as Imam Jafar as-Sadiq has said in his prayer: 

“O Allah! Make for me a light in my heart, and a light in my ear, and a light in my eye, and alight in my tongue, and a light in my hair, and a light in my skin, and a light in my bones, and a light in my nerve, and a light in front of me, and a light behind me, and a light on my right side, and a light on my left side, and a light above me and a light below me.” (Da a imu l-Islam, Vol. I, Dhikr after the salat).

Subjects of the Wajh-I Din

In this blessed and miraculous book there are 51 Major subjects and there are 24 sub-subjects. However, the subjects which are spread throughout the book are more than this, such as the recognition of God, science of Tawhid, Prophet hood, Imamat, Science of Hudud, spirituality, resurrection, Hazrat Qaim, Hujjat of Qaim, Science of Ta’wil, Numerical Ta’wil, Ism-I Azma (Supreme Name), Physical world an spiritual world, prophecy, secrets of spirituality, roots of religion, branches of religion, keys of wisdom, self-recognition, the chain of guidance, law of wasayat (legateship), secrets of the Qur’an, etc. 

A Miracle of Wajh-I Din:

Long ago one of the devoted and knowledge loving students of the late eminet Sayyid Munir Basakhsahni told me that he begin to gain tremendous pleasure form the study of Wajh-I Din, therefore it became a daily practice for him to study it. His happiness increased more and more and consequently his inner eye opened. This was a miracle of the exercise of knowledge of Wajh-I Din. It should be remembered that if you get tremors of happiness from knowledge and wisdom, this is a glad tiding of the grace of the Holy Spirit. 

Key Ta’wil:

There is a great treasure of ta’wil of a practical and key nature, due to the blessings of which are removed not only doubts and ambiguities of the readers, but answers to countless questions are also provided. The disease of ignorance can most effectively be cured only by ta’wil and ta’wili wisdom is the honey about which God says: “in it there is healing for men (from diseases)” (16:69).

Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai,

Day of id Miladu n-Nabi,

12 Rabi I 1411/3rd October, 1990

Translated from Urdu into English 

by Faquir Muhmmad Hunzai

Rashida Noormohamed Hunzai

Glorification of the light of Imamat

 Manqabat-I Nur-I Imamat

(Glorification of the light of Imamat)

1. Question       After our beloved Prophet
                              Who became our Guide?
           Answer      Ali, the chosen one who
              Fights on Allah’s side.

2. Question       Why did God Call Ali
                              The Manifest Imam?
            Answer      To guide us on the right path
              And keep us safe from harm.

3.  Question     Who was chosen at Ghadir,
                             Who did Allah find?
           Answer      Ali, the Prophet’s successor
             The very best of mankind.

4.  Question     Who carries our religion’s flag,
                             Who leads the spiritual fight?
           Answer      Ali, the consistent attacker
             And keeper of the Light.

5.  Question      After God and His Apostle,
                              Who must we obey?
           Answer       Our Imam, the Light of God,
              Judge of the very last day.

6.  Question      Who was so brave in battle,
                              Whose mount was known as Duldul?
            Answer      Ali, the sovereign of men,
               Commander of the faithful.

7.  Question      When did the holy Light
                               Of our Imam first arise?
            Answer      At the beginning of time
               From Allah, the wise.

8.  Question      Who is the keeper of all knowledge,
                              Who holds the key?
            Answer      The Imam of the right path
              Ali, and only he.

9.  Question     Who is the door to religion? 
                             Tell me O wise one!
            Answer     Ali, the pure Light
             More glorious than the sun.

10.  Question     When did the chain 
                             Of the Light begin?
            Answer     when Adam was chosen
             To lead man from sin.

11.  Question    Why did all the angels
                             To Adam prostrate?
            Answer     Because the Light was in Adam,
                     As in Ali, the great.

12.  Question    Who is the Apostle’s soul,
                             And soldier on Allah’s side?
           Answer      king of the kingdom of devotion
             Ali, our beloved guide.

13. Question     Indeed he is the one 
                            But where can he be found?
          Answer     Seen with inner eye,
            When your heart is sound.

14. Question    Who has been chosen,
                            Who bears the Throne Divine?
          Answer     The Light of the Imam,
            Allah’s holy sign.

15. Question     Who wears God’s ring
                            With the gem of wisdom?
          Answer     our holy Imam that
            Rules religion’s Kingdom.

16. Question     Tell me, what is it
                            That surrounds everything?
          Answer     The essence of Imamat
             Our religion’s king.

17. Question    Is there an everlasting lamp
                           That shines a perfect light?
        Answer    Yes, the Light of Imamat
               That illumines inner sight.

18. Question    O Nasir! Who says our imam
                           Is very far from here?
        Answer   Yes, but only physically
               For in my heart he’s near.

Wisdom of Gratitude

WISDOM # 1

We ismailis believe that the light of imamat is present and living form the time of Hazrat Adam to the Day of Resurrection and this belief is an extremely great favour of God upon us.

WISDOM # 2

According to the Hadith of the Holy Prophet, Ahl-I Bayt, Namely the imam of the time, is like Hazrat Nuh’s ark for us and therefore we are saved from the deluge of ignorance and deviation.

WISDOM # 3

The glory with which are praised the progeny of Hazrat Ibrahim in the Wise Qur’an (4:54), today belongs to the progeny of Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.s), namely, the Imam of the time. In this sense it is incumbent upon us to thank God that we are linked to the Treasures of Qur’anic wisdom.

WISDOM # 4

Mawla ‘ Ali was like Hazrat Harun and the Imam of the time has the Light of Mawla ‘ Ali. Thus millions of thanks to God that we are the followers of the True Imam, who has been praised in every respect in the Noble Qur’an.

WISDOM # 5

The religion of Islam become perfect with the Holy Prophet and this perfection of religion as well as the completion of favour continue intact because of his true successors, namely, the pure Imams.

WISDOM # 6

We ismailis believe that the light of imamat is present and living form the time of Hazrat Adam to the Day of Resurrection and this belief is an extremely great favour of God upon us.

WISDOM # 7

A mu’min is born to remain alive forever, and the purpose of his coming to this world is to attain ma’rifat (Recognition of God). So that he may attain the hidden treasure as the ultimate purpose of life.

WISDOM # 8

There is a world hidden in the spirit and spirituality of every mu’min and mu’minah which is equal to the external world and in which is the personal kingdom of paradise with every kind of bounty.

WISDOM # 9

In the exoteric aspect and esoteric aspect of religion there are so many favours of God that we can neither count them, nor duly thank Him for them, so the best way is to accept our weakness and shed tears.

WISDOM # 10

The Chain of the Light of immamat is the Rope of God which we the Ismailis have held firmly. And this act is so fundamental and essential that in it is hidden the accomplishment of all fundamental injunctions.

WISDOM # 11

God’s wisdom is wondrous in that, He not only keeps His things spread, but also enfolds them whenever  He wants, just as the Holy Qur’an is spread out in 114 surahs and is also enfolded in the Umm’l Kitab (Suratu’l Fatihah). Therefore, the rewards of its recitation is equal to that of the entire Qur’an. 

WISDOM # 12

The Holy Qur’an says; “if you are grateful (to me), I will increase (My Favours) upon you”. (14:7). It so happens that by gratitude light is shed on the favours of God and their value and greatness increase, whereas due to ingratitude they are overcast by darkness.

WISDOM # 13

There are representative verses of the Wise Qur’an in which the entire Qur’an is epitomized, such as the verse (36:12): “And we have encompassed everything (of intellect, soul, knowledge and wisdom) in the Manifest Imam”.

WISDOM # 14

“The Qur’an is with ‘Ali and ‘Ali is with Qur’an”. This means that when we study the Qur’an, we also find the Light of Mawla ‘Ali and when we recognize him, we also attain the ma’rifat of the Qur’an.

WISDOM # 15

The true Imam is the fountainhead of Light. If in the external sun there is everything for the creatures of the solar system, how can there be a lack of anything in the True Imam who the mazhar (manifestation) of Divine Light?

WISDOM # 16

The greatness and eminence of spiritual bounties are such that without wisdom they can neither be recognized nor be thanked for. It is because of this that God has said: “And we gave wisdom to luqman; (and said): Be grateful to Allah.” (31:12).

WISDOM # 17

The spiritual ocean can come to and be contained in a drop of it, whereas the material ocean can neither go to, nor can be contained in a drop of it.

WISDOM # 18

Our religion is the religion of well-wishing. We like the betterment and well-being of Islam and humanity. Because people are like the household of God and the most beloved to God is he who helps His household and makes them happy.

WISDOM # 19

In our Holy Tariqah there are excellent examples of shari’at, tariqat, haqiat and ma’rifat.

WISDOM # 20

Islam is the universal religion. Its examples and proofs are found in the Ismaili Tariqah. Because in this Tariqah there is the concept that eventually all people will have salvation and therefore the well-wishing of all human beings is sought.

WISDOM # 21

The system of the exoteric and esoteric guidance of the Imam of the time is unique and unprecedented, due to which our fortunate jama’at is attaining the success and eminence of this world and the next.

WISDOM # 22

The True Imam has conferred immense favours upon us through our great Pirs, who made us drink the water of life of ma’rifat (recognition of God) and gave us true life, for otherwise, we would have remained dead.

WISDOM # 23

The many organized institutions which the holy and pure Imam has established for the religious and worldly services to the fortunate Ismaili Jama’at cannot be found in any other community. Form these institutions of the exalted Imam, not only does the Jama’at benefit, but there is also great honour for ‘amaldars and members.

WISDOM # 24

Physical hardship is temporary and spiritual comfort is permanent. This world is ephemeral and the next is everlasting and eternal and divine mercy comprises everything.

WISDOM # 25

In religion the greatest skill is to develop humility and soft-heartedness and the greatest science is giryah-u zari, because by this practice the heart and soul are purified, and innumerable benefits are hidden in this.

WISDOM # 26

Those who are true lovers of Light, get up at night for the luminous ‘ibadat. They say in their hearts: We have to go for the didar of our spiritual beloved. The spirituality of such lovers progresses day by day.

WISDOM # 27

By the blessing of the pure love for Mawla, every difficulty becomes easy and those that do not have this wisdom-filled love, find every religious duty difficult. Thus a mu’min should melt in the sacred love of the Imam of the time.

WISDOM # 28

In reality, love for the Light is special for a mu’min. It is a matter of immense happiness that by knowledge and ‘ibadat the fire of love blazes with more and more intensity and the beloved’s elegance and beauty appears in a different from each time

WISDOM # 29

All of us are the exalted Imam’s spiritual children. Reflecting on this we will come to realize how truly excellent this is, but it is also important to realize our responsibilities.

WISDOM # 30

Du’a has the status of the essence of ‘ibadat. Thus those who are commanded to recite du’a are granted the gift of the ‘ibadat of angels, because angels continue to do du’a and dhikr.

WISDOM # 31

The exalted Imam has two doors: the external and the internal, so that it may be possible for all murids of both near and far to have access to his presence.

WISDOM # 32

The secret of secrets of the Light of Imamat is that in this Tariqah it is commanded to do luminous ‘ibadat so that the pure souls may receive the knowledge of names (ilmu’l-asma’).

WISDOM # 33

A mu’min always remembers God whether he is in comfort or in hardship, for it is by this that his heart remains satisfied (13:28). He is aware of the reality that he has to remain engaged in Divine remembrance always.

WISDOM # 34

The ‘ibadat of mu’mins reaches the Supreme Throne and merging into the Word of “Be (kun)’ becomes the power of the Divine command, and thereby conditions are improved.

WISDOM # 35

The fundamental and key wisdom of the Ismaili Tariqah is that every individual should progress spiritually by attending Jama’at Khanah, because it is an extremely sacred and blessed place.

WISDOM # 36

Jama’at Khanah is the workshop of Light, where Light is created from dhikr and ‘ibadat, from knowledge and advice, from love for the Imam of the time, from every kind of good deed and service and from bol, baytu’l-khayal and naqsh.

WISDOM # 37

Angels and good souls are present in Jama’at Khanah, because the sacred and pure Light of the imam of the time is there, just as there are moths around a candle and butterflies around the flowers. Thus there is always an army of souls and angels with the Light of Imamat.

WISDOM # 38

The Imam of the time has all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom. Thus the wisdom of every mu’min lies in the fact that he should recognize his Imam of the time spiritually and acquire knowledge and wisdom from him.

WISDOM # 39

It is our greatest bliss that we are under the influence of the spiritual cycle. That is to say that, the time of Hazrat Imam Mawlana Sultan Muhamamd Shah and Mawlana Shah Karim al-Husayni Hazir Imam, is the time of spiritual and luminous knowledge and in receiving blessing form this is the greatest fortune of mu’mins.

WISDOM # 40

Every mu’min knows what the real bounty of Islam is and is also grateful for it. Thus let us pray that the Lord of the worlds grants us courage and success to recognize the bounties of religion!  Amin, O the Lord of the worlds! 

Reference: 40 Wisdoms of Gratitude by Nasir Uddin Nasir Hunzai 

                  London 29th June, 1993

Devoted Services of Allama Nasir uddin Nasir Hunzai

Allamah Nasir uddin Nasir Hunzai's Great Contribution to Esoteric Knowledge.

Allama Nasir uddin Nasir Hunzai expressing his gratitude to the imam of the time for spiritual and intellectual bounties writes in his Diwan Nasiri (Brushaski)

suwakuse har durowar mii ruwe chindak gumanis

surmanas mii numa une gaybe guriin cum dumanis

"( O our Mawla,) be our soul's support in every good deed 

May we initiate the work but its completion be by your invisible hands."

ine jaa qalamar qaw eti ke es yatise gucharchi

eer beski mathan gan bila kuli es bese warchi

"if he (my imam of the time) invites my pen for (his service),

it will walk on its head and will never tire no matter how long the path"