Written transcript of the lecture
The Meshkat-e Noor teachings series🌻🔆The Brilliant Pearl of Creation🔆🌻
🌼🔆🌼Imam Sajjad, the Radiant Beauty of Creation🌼🔆🌼
🌹🔅☘️ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ ☘️🔅🌹
🔅🌹 “The Brilliant Star of Divine Light” “The Brilliant Star of the Verse of Light” “Proof of Divine Unity” “The world is a dream, and we are a troubled dream” “The night of Imam Sajjad’s birth, peace be upon him” and more … Summary with an addendum 1404.11.03 Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat) 110.141(903) 🌹🔅
✳️❇️✅💫✨🔅🔆☘️🌷🌹🌸
🔅🌼 🌼🔅
✳️❇️✅💫✨🔅O Light of the heavens and the earth🔆☘️🌷🌹🌸
🌹The heart’s beloved, the radiance of the stars, the light of our eyes and the world’s resplendent adornment: Zayn al-Abidin, the sweet draught cherished by the Shi‘a (Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be upon them both)
May his radiant, pearl-like rising be blessed and everlasting
🌸A secret from Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Sajjad, peace be upon him
✳️The portrait of Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, in this world of being
❇️ الزُّجاجَةُ كَأَنَّها كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ
💫 حَدَّثَنَا ظَرِيفُ بْنُ نَاصِحٍ عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ كَمِشْكاةٍ فِيها مِصْباحٌ قَالَ الْمِشْكَاةُ نُورُ الْعِلْمِ فِي صَدْرِ النَّبِيِ ص- الْمِصْباحُ فِي زُجاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ صَدْرُ عَلِيٍّ ع صَارَ عِلْمُ النَّبِيِّ ص إِلَى صَدْرِ عَلِيٍّ ع الزُّجاجَةُ كَأَنَّها كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَكَةٍ قَالَ نُورٌ- لا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِيَّةٍ قَالَ لَا يَهُودِيَّةٍ وَ لَا نَصْرَانِيَّةٍ- يَكادُ زَيْتُها يُضِيءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ قَالَ يَكَادُ الْعَالِمُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ع يَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْعِلْمِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ- نُورٌ عَلى نُورٍ يَعْنِي إِمَاماً مُؤَيَّداً بِنُورِ الْعِلْمِ وَ الْحِكْمَةِ فِي إِثْرِ إِمَامٍ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ع وَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ لَدُنْ آدَمَ إِلَى أَنْ تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ.[1]
💫 Ẓarif ibn Nasih reported from Isa ibn Rashid, from Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn (Imam al-Baqir), peace be upon him, that he explained the words of God, Mighty and Majestic: کمشکاة فیها مصباح: “The niche” is the light of knowledge in the Prophet’s breast, may God bless him and his family.
“The lamp is in a glass”: the glass is Ali’s breast, peace be upon him; thus the Prophet’s knowledge was conveyed to Ali’s breast, peace be upon him.
“The glass, as though it were a brilliant star”: this is the Light.
“Lit from a blessed tree”: that is, neither eastern nor western—meaning neither Jewish nor Christian.
“Its oil would almost shine, even if no fire touched it”: that is, a scholar from the family of Muhammad, peace be upon them, speaks with knowledge almost before being asked.
“Light upon light”: an Imam, confirmed with the light of knowledge and wisdom in the message of another Imam from the family of Muhammad, peace be upon them. This continues from the time of Adam until the Resurrection.
❇️ فَنَحْنُ الْمِشْكَاةُ
💫 عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَثَلُنَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ الْمِشْكَاةِ فَنَحْنُ الْمِشْكَاةُ وَ الْمِشْكَاةُ الْكُوَّةُ فِيها مِصْباحٌ وَ الْمِصْباحُ فِي زُجاجَةٍ وَ الزُّجَاجَةُ مُحَمَّدٌ ص كَأَنَّها كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَكَةٍ قَالَ عَلِيٌ زَيْتُونَةٌ لا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكادُ زَيْتُها يُضِيءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ نُورٌ عَلى نُورٍ الْقُرْآنُ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ يَهْدِي لِوَلَايَتِنَا مَنْ أَحَب[2]
💫 It is narrated from his father [Imam Sajjad], from Ali ibn Husayn (peace be upon him), who said: “Our likeness in the Book of God is that of the niche. We are the niche, and the niche is the opening in a lamp. فیها مصباح؛ the lamp is in glass, and the glass is Muhammad (may God bless him and his family).
As though it were a brilliant star, kindled from a blessed tree. [Imam] Ali said: “It is the olive tree.”
Neither of the east nor of the west; its oil nearly gives light, even though no fire has touched it. Light upon light. This is the Qur’an.
God guides to His light whoever He wills—that is, He guides to our walaya whomever He loves.”
❇️ نَحْنُ الزُّجَاجَةُ
💫 عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ حَدَّثَ أَصْحَابُنَا أَنَّ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع كَتَبَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جُنْدَبٍ قَالَ قَالَ [لِي] عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع أَنَّ مَثَلَنَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ الْمِشْكَاةِ وَ الْمِشْكَاةُ فِي الْقِنْدِيلِ فَنَحْنُ الْمِشْكَاةُ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ وَ الْمِصْبَاحُ مُحَمَّدٌ ص الْمِصْباحُ فِي زُجاجَةٍ نَحْنُ الزُّجَاجَةُ يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَكَةٍ عَلِيٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ مَعْرُوفَةٍ لا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِيَّةٍ لَا مُنْكَرَةٍ وَ لَا دَعِيَّةٍ يَكادُ زَيْتُها يُضِيءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ نُورٌ الْقُرْآنُ عَلى نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ يَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ بِأَنْ يَهْدِيَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ إِلَى وَلَايَتِنَا[3]
💫 Yunus ibn Abd al-Rahman narrated: “Our companions reported that Abu al-Hasan (Imam Kazim) (peace be upon him) wrote to Abdullah ibn Jundab. [Abdullah said:] Ali ibn Husayn (peace be upon him) told me: ‘Our likeness in the Book of God is that of the niche, and the niche is in the lamp. We are the niche. فیها مصباح؛ the lamp is Muhammad (may God bless him and his family). المصباح فی زجاجة؛ we are the glass. یوقد من شجرة مبارکه؛ this is Ali, an olive tree known to all. لا شرقیة و لا غربیة؛ neither denied nor falsely claimed. یکاد زیتها یضیء و لو لم تمسه نار؛ this is the light of the Qur’an. علی نور؛ یهدی الله لنوره من یشاء و یضرب الله الأمثال للناس و الله بکل شیء علیم؛ that is, He guides to our walaya whomever He loves.’”
❇️The Moons of the Divine Lantern
How shall we be moons? How shall we shine? What will our mission and our radiance be in the night?
How shall we be beneath the light of each Imam?
❇️The Divine Lantern
💫روي عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري، قال: دخلت إلى مسجد الكوفة، و أمير المؤمنين (صلوات الله و سلامه عليه) يكتب بإصبعه و يتبسم، فقلت له: يا أمير المؤمنين، ما الذي يضحكك؟ فقال: «عجبت لمن يقرأ هذه الآية و لم يعرفها حق معرفتها». فقلت له: أي آية، يا أمير المؤمنين؟
فقال: «قوله تعالى: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكاةٍ، المشكاة: محمد (صلى الله عليه و آله)، فِيها مِصْباحٌ، أنا المصباح. فِي زُجاجَةٍ الزجاجة الحسن و الحسين (عليهما السلام)، كَأَنَّها كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌ و هو علي بن الحسين (عليه السلام)، يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَكَةٍ محمد بن علي (عليه السلام)، زَيْتُونَةٍ جعفر بن محمد (عليه السلام) لا شَرْقِيَّةٍ موسى بن جعفر (عليه السلام)، وَ لا غَرْبِيَّةٍ علي بن موسى (عليه السلام)، يَكادُ زَيْتُها يُضِيءُ محمد بن علي (عليه السلام)، وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ علي بن محمد (عليه السلام)، نُورٌ عَلى نُورٍ الحسن ابن علي (عليه السلام)، يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ القائم المهدي (عليه السلام) وَ يَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ».
قوله تعالى:
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَ يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيها بِالْغُدُوِّ وَ الْآصالِ* رِجالٌ لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجارَةٌ وَ لا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ- إلى قوله تعالى- وَ اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِساب[4]
✨Niche: like a city of light; a vessel for light and knowledge; a treasury of light and knowledge; a lantern, an eye and a spring of light; the breast
✨The lamp: the doorway to light, the key to light, the secret of receiving light, the permission to enter light; the eyelid, the heart.
✨ «فِي زُجاجَةٍ»: al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn (peace be upon them)—the retina of light, its display screen, its tablet.
✨ كَأَنَّها كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌ And he is ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn (peace be upon him): light appearing as a star, light taking form. When light takes form, it becomes ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn; when it shines and reveals itself, when the veil is drawn aside from light’s beauty, al-Sajjād appears. They are the very essence, the manifestation, the majesty and beauty of divine light.
The interpretation of the niche, the soul of the niche, the translation of the niche, the gateway to the niche:
a niche that shines like a radiant star.
A star that puts on a display! A display within a display: the heart of illumination, the heart of knowledge.
The niche of light and the radiant star form the halo of the niche of light.
Imam al-Sajjād, peace be upon him, is the quintessence of light, a singular manifestation of light, light revealed to the world.
When light becomes visible, it becomes a star.
Its light is a star, and its star is a pearl—a gem, the jewel of the stars, their adornment, their milk and honey.
Light is a mighty reality; its radiance is light revealing itself.
Every Imam is an open window onto the reality of light, and every window is a vast constellation of knowledge!
The radiant star is the shining star of al-Sajjād’s knowledge.
✨يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَكَةٍ Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī (peace be upon him): the inner core of light, light’s hidden depths, its launching ground and site of emergence, its reactor, its root, before the eruption of light; the seed of light, the tree of light.
✨«زَيْتُونَةٍ»: Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad (peace be upon him)—light’s distinctive workings, its special reactor, the tree of light in its own particular form, the fruit of light.
✨«لا شَرْقِيَّةٍ»: Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar (peace be upon him)—the boundlessness of light, the dawn of eternity…
✨«وَ لا غَرْبِيَّةٍ»: ʿAlī ibn Mūsā (peace be upon him)—the unseen horizon of light, the path of light’s eternity; light without extension or end, light beyond dimensions, light that breaks through dimensions.
✨يَكادُ زَيْتُها يُضِيءُ Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī (peace be upon him): the oil of light, an oil that awakens.
✨وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad (peace be upon him): light without fire, the singular light.
✨نُورٌ عَلى نُورٍ al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī (peace be upon him): light upon light, radiance upon radiance; light as vast as sea and sky, reality within reality, layers and degrees, a tower of light, light that gathers all.
✨يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ al-Qāʾim al-Mahdī (peace be upon him): the supreme locus of light’s manifestation; active light, the vessel of light, swift-moving light, light that opens and cleaves a way, light that travels and flows; the bringer of sight, making sensation perceptible, giving light a taste.
وَ يَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ».
❇️The possibility of journeying and wandering through the world of light
🌸The essence of light is distinct from its effects. Though its essence may elude understanding, its effects can be perceived!
💫عَنْ أَبِي خَالِدٍ الْكَابُلِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ قَوْلِهِ: فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ وَ النُّورِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْنا، فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ. النُّورُ وَ اللَّهِ الْأَئِمَّةُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَ هُمْ وَ اللَّهِ نُورُ اللَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ- وَ هُمْ وَ اللَّهِ نُورُ اللَّهِ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ، يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ! لَنُورُ الْإِمَامُ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ- أَنْوَرُ مِنَ الشَّمْسِ الْمُضِيئَةِ بِالنَّهَارِ- وَ هُمْ وَ اللَّهِ يُنَوِّرُونَ قُلُوبَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ- وَ يَحْجُبُ اللَّهُ نُورَهُمْ عَمَّنْ يَشَاءُ فَتُظْلِمُ قُلُوبُهُمْ، وَ اللَّهِ يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ! لَا يُحِبُّنَا عَبْدٌ وَ يَتَوَلَّانَا حَتَّى يُطَهِّرَ اللَّهُ قَلْبَهُ وَ لَا يُطَهِّرُ اللَّهُ قَلْبَ عَبْدٍ حَتَّى يُسَلِّمَ لَنَا وَ يَكُونَ سِلْماً لَنَا- فَإِذَا كَانَ سِلْماً لَنَا سَلَّمَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ شَدِيدِ الْحِسَابِ- وَ آمَنَهُ مِنْ فَزَعِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ الْأَكْبَرِ.[5]
💫 It is narrated from Abu Khalid al-Kabuli that he said: I asked Abu Ja‘far (Imam al-Baqir) (AS) about God’s words: “So believe in God, His Messenger, and the light We have sent down.” He replied: “O Abu Khalid! The light is the Imams from the family of Muhammad (PBUH), until the Day of Resurrection. By God, they are the light God has sent down, and by God, they are God’s light in the heavens and the earth. O Abu Khalid! By God, the light of the Imam in the hearts of the believers is brighter than the shining sun on a clear day. By God, they illuminate the hearts of the believers, while God withholds their light from whomever He wills, and so their hearts grow dark. O Abu Khalid! By God, no servant loves us and is devoted to us unless God purifies his heart; and God purifies no servant’s heart unless he submits to us and makes peace with us. When he is at peace with us, God saves him from the severe reckoning and keeps him safe from the great terror of the Day of Resurrection.”
The divine lantern is in our hearts, with all its components: its lamp, its glass, and its star; and
the Verse of Light, in all its majesty, is in our hearts. Its essence and effects transform us within.
All truths will be clear to us.
This verse, in all its grandeur, is in our hearts, from its exegesis to its esoteric interpretation.
What would it be like if it shone within us!!!
❇️ “کَأَنَّها كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ”
🌸 The Ka‘ba of Light captivates the eyes: a sublime vision of truth, the light of the lover, the lover’s star.
The brilliant pearl-star is a constellation of grace, adornment, and allure.
💫 Al-Saffat: 6 إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا السَّماءَ الدُّنْيا بِزينَةٍ الْكَواكِبِ
🔆We have adorned the nearest [lower] heaven with stars,
❇️Aboard the vessel of the wisdom of the Sajjadiyya, journeying through the world of truth
🌸In this hadith, Imam Sajjad (AS) unveils one of the greatest mysteries of existence—a mystery no philosopher has managed to explain so beautifully in so few words!
❇️Turn this world into a true dream
💫عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع الدُّنْيَا سِنَةٌ وَ الْآخِرَةُ يَقَظَةٌ وَ نَحْنُ بَيْنَهُمَا أَضْغَاثُ أَحْلَام[6]
🔆“Imam Sajjad (AS): This world is sleep, and the Hereafter is waking; between the two, we are passing, troubled dreams.”
We are troubled dreams in the realm between this world and the Hereafter—not that we see troubled dreams; even our dreams are dreams within dreams!
We ourselves are the characters and substance of the dream—the vision that is this worldly life!
🌸We must be the world’s blessed, truthful dream, and awaken the world from its sleep!
❇️Be a dream whose interpretation is good
🌸We will be held accountable for these dreams, so we must learn to govern them!
The world is a dream, and we ourselves are its visions!
What—or who—is this “I” within me that creates dreams?
An action that is itself a dream, or a dream that is itself an action!
When we think, our opinions and thoughts differ from what we see in dreams only in quality, not in their very nature!
❇️Those who are the world’s ill-omened dream
Some are the ill-omened dream, the nightmare, of this existence; others are its blessed, truthful dream. In which company do we stand?!
Dreams will be interpreted after we awaken! The Hereafter is where the dreams of this world are interpreted!
The relation of sleep to wakefulness is like that of death to life.
«موتوا قبل ان تموتوا» means: awaken before you wake; awaken to the reality of this world before you reach the Hereafter.
This world is a screen set before the majesty of creation. The relation of this world to the Hereafter is like that of sleep to wakefulness, of death to life! When and where have we fallen asleep?!
❇️The body sleeps on earth, while the soul’s sleep in heaven will be sheer wakefulness
Any part of us that clings to this world is bound to dream ill.
💫 وَ صَحِبُوا الدُّنْيَا بِأَبْدَانٍ أَرْوَاحُهَا مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِالْمَحَلِ الْأَعْلَى أُولَئِكَ خُلَفَاءُ اللَّهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَ الدُّعَاةُ إِلَى دِينِهِ Ah! Ah! شَوْقاً إِلَى رُؤْيَتِهِم[7]
🔆 They lived in this world in bodies whose souls were attached to the higher realm (malakūt). They are God’s vicegerents on earth and callers to His religion. Ah! Ah! How I long to meet them!.
❇️Whoever escapes the world’s captivity will awaken
💫 أَرَادَتْهُمُ الدُّنْيَا فَلَمْ يُرِيدُوهَا وَ أَسَرَتْهُمْ فَفَدَوْا أَنْفُسَهُمْ مِنْهَا[8]
🔆 The world sought them, but they did not seek the world; it took them captive, so they ransomed their souls from its clutches.
❇️The life of this world is illusory; true life is in the Hereafter
🌸The Hereafter is the abode of awakening.
🔆العنكبوت : 64 وَ ما هذِهِ الْحَياةُ الدُّنْيا إِلاَّ لَهْوٌ وَ لَعِبٌ وَ إِنَّ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوانُ لَوْ كانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
🔆This worldly life is nothing but amusement and play; the true life is the life of the Hereafter, if only they knew!
🔆محمد : 36 إِنَّمَا الْحَياةُ الدُّنْيا لَعِبٌ وَ لَهْوٌ وَ إِنْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَ تَتَّقُوا يُؤْتِكُمْ أُجُورَكُمْ وَ لا يَسْئَلْكُمْ أَمْوالَكُمْ
🔆The life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. If you believe and are mindful of God, He will grant you your rewards and will not ask you for your wealth,
❇️With reason, a person is ever awake
🌸The human being, migrating from the best of forms to the lowest of the low, sees everything on the screen of the heart. By the light of reason and its hosts, one’s dreams and judgments are true; with ignorance and its hosts, they are false.
The more veiled a person is, the farther from wakefulness and the closer to sleep!
The heavier a person’s heedlessness, the deeper the sleep of their confused, tangled dreams!
One enslaved by desire is captive to accursed, confused dreams!
The captive of this world is captive to confused dreams.
Let us not sink into ominous dreams: “the sleep of ignorance, the sleep of Satan, the sleep of sensual desire, the sleep of this world”—dreams that are ill-omened, confused and false.
❇️The lover of this world loves sleep and death
🌸We can soar on the strength and breadth of our hearts. A cramped, dark heart has no wings with which to leap and fly!
💫 وَ مَنْ عَشِقَ شَيْئاً أَعْشَى بَصَرَهُ وَ أَمْرَضَ قَلْبَهُ فَهُوَ يَنْظُرُ بِعَيْنٍ غَيْرِ صَحِيحَةٍ وَ يَسْمَعُ بِأُذُنٍ غَيْرِ سَمِيعَةٍ قَدْ خَرَقَتِ الشَّهَوَاتُ عَقْلَهُ وَ أَمَاتَتِ الدُّنْيَا قَلْبَهُ وَ وَلِهَتْ عَلَيْهَا نَفْسُهُ فَهُوَ عَبْدٌ لَهَا وَ لِمَنْ فِي يَدَيْهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْهَا حَيْثُمَا زَالَتْ زَالَ إِلَيْهَا وَ حَيْثُمَا أَقْبَلَتْ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهَا لَا يَنْزَجِرُ مِنَ اللَّهِ بِزَاجِرٍ وَ لَا يَتَّعِظُ مِنْهُ بِوَاعِظٍ وَ هُوَ يَرَى الْمَأْخُوذِين[9]
🔆 Whoever loves anything of this world’s vain desires blinds his sight and sickens his heart. He sees with impaired eyes and hears with deaf ears. His passions have torn his reason to shreds; the world has slain his heart, and his soul has become delirious with longing for it. Thus he is the world’s servant—and the servant of whoever holds any part of it in his hand. Wherever the world goes, he follows; wherever it turns, he turns towards it. Neither does he heed God’s warnings, nor does he take admonition from a preacher, even as he sees those who have been ensnared.
❇️Sacrifice the lesser for the greater
💫 وَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا سَمَاعُهُ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ عِيَانِهِ وَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ عِيَانُهُ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ سَمَاعِهِ فَلْيَكْفِكُمْ مِنَ الْعِيَانِ السَّمَاعُ وَ مِنَ الْغَيْبِ الْخَبَرُ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ مَا نَقَصَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَ زَادَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا نَقَصَ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ وَ زَادَ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَكَمْ مِنْ مَنْقُوصٍ رَابِحٍ وَ مَزِيدٍ خَاسِرٍ إِنَّ الَّذِي أُمِرْتُمْ بِهِ أَوْسَعُ مِنَ الَّذِي نُهِيتُمْ عَنْه[10]
🔆 Everything in this world is greater to hear about than to see, while everything in the Hereafter is greater to see than to hear about. So hearing is enough for you in place of seeing, and reports are enough for you concerning the unseen. Know that whatever is diminished in this world and increased in the Hereafter is better than what is diminished in the Hereafter and increased in this world. How often a loss turns out to be a gain, and how often an increase turns out to be a loss. What you have been commanded to do is far broader than what you have been forbidden.
❇️Sacrifice dreaming for wakefulness!
🌸Spend this world for the sake of the Hereafter. This is the key by which a dream becomes true; and then this world is interpreted, in the finest way, as the abode of the Hereafter.
❇️We ourselves engineer our own ill-omened dreams
🌸How, indeed, does this world turn into a confused dream!
If only our sins, too, were confused dreams! They are!
💫 وَ إِنَّمَا الدُّنْيَا مُنْتَهَى بَصَرِ الْأَعْمَى لَا يُبْصِرُ مِمَّا وَرَاءَهَا شَيْئاً وَ الْبَصِيرُ يَنْفُذُهَا بَصَرُهُ وَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الدَّارَ وَرَاءَهَا فَالْبَصِيرُ مِنْهَا شَاخِصٌ وَ الْأَعْمَى إِلَيْهَا شَاخِصٌ وَ الْبَصِيرُ مِنْهَا مُتَزَوِّدٌ وَ الْأَعْمَى لَهَا مُتَزَوِّد[11]
💫 In truth, this world is the limit of the blind man’s sight: he sees nothing beyond it. But the one who sees clearly looks past it and knows there is a home beyond. The clear-sighted person faces away from it, bound for the Hereafter; the blind person faces towards it, intent on remaining in this world. The clear-sighted person gathers provisions to leave it; the blind person gathers provisions to remain in it.
❇️Let us awaken our souls with the words of the Imam
💫 أُفٍّ لَكُمْ لَقَدْ سَئِمْتُ عِتَابَكُمْ- أَ رَضِيتُمْ بِالْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ عِوَضاً وَ بِالذُّلِّ مِنَ الْعِزِّ خَلَفاً إِذَا دَعَوْتُكُمْ إِلَى جِهَادِ عَدُوِّكُمْ دَارَتْ أَعْيُنُكُمْ كَأَنَّكُمْ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ فِي غَمْرَةٍ وَ مِنَ الذُّهُولِ فِي سَكْرَةٍ يُرْتَجُ عَلَيْكُمْ حِوَارِي فَتَعْمَهُونَ- [فَكَأَنَ] وَ كَأَنَّ قُلُوبَكُمْ مَأْلُوسَةٌ فَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْقِلُونَ مَا أَنْتُمْ لِي بِثِقَةٍ سَجِيسَ اللَّيَالِي وَ مَا أَنْتُمْ بِرُكْنٍ يُمَالُ بِكُمْ وَ لَا زَوَافِرُ عِزٍّ يُفْتَقَرُ إِلَيْكُمْ مَا أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا كَإِبِلٍ ضَلَّ رُعَاتُهَا فَكُلَّمَا جُمِعَتْ مِنْ جَانِبٍ انْتَشَرَتْ مِنْ آخَرَ لَبِئْسَ لَعَمْرُ اللَّهِ سُعْرُ نَارِ الْحَرْبِ أَنْتُمْ تُكَادُونَ وَ لَا تَكِيدُونَ وَ تُنْتَقَصُ أَطْرَافُكُمْ فَلَا تَمْتَعِضُونَ لَا يُنَامُ عَنْكُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ سَاهُونَ غُلِبَ وَ اللَّهِ الْمُتَخَاذِلُونَ وَ ايْمُ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّ بِكُمْ أَنْ لَوْ حَمِسَ الْوَغَى وَ اسْتَحَرَّ الْمَوْتُ قَدِ انْفَرَجْتُمْ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ انْفِرَاجَ الرَّأْسِ وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ امْرَأً يُمَكِّنُ عَدُوَّهُ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ يَعْرُقُ لَحْمَهُ وَ يَهْشِمُ عَظْمَهُ وَ يَفْرِي جِلْدَهُ لَعَظِيمٌ عَجْزُهُ ضَعِيفٌ مَا ضُمَّتْ عَلَيْهِ جَوَانِحُ صَدْرِهِ أَنْتَ فَكُنْ ذَاكَ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَأَمَّا أَنَا فَوَاللَّهِ دُونَ أَنْ أُعْطِيَ ذَلِكَ ضَرْبٌ بِالْمَشْرَفِيَّةِ تَطِيرُ مِنْهُ فَرَاشُ الْهَامِ وَ تَطِيحُ السَّوَاعِدُ وَ الْأَقْدَامُ- وَ يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ما يَشاء[12]
💫 Shame on you! I am truly weary of reproaching you. Are you content with the life of this world instead of the Hereafter, and willing to trade honour for humiliation? Whenever I call you to fight your enemies, your eyes roll as if you were caught in death’s whirlpool, stupefied with bewilderment. Your understanding is sealed off, and you wander aimlessly. It is as though your hearts have been bewitched, so that you cannot understand.
You are no support for me, nor a pillar on which I can lean, nor a source of strength I can depend on. You are nothing but camels whose herdsmen have gone missing: gather them from one side, and they scatter from the other. By God, what wretched fuel you are for the fires of war! You make a show of striving, but cannot devise a plan; your ranks are whittled away, yet you feel no distress. Your enemies are not unaware of you, while you remain heedless and oblivious.
By God, those who abandon one another are the losers. By God, I believe that if the fires of war blaze and death closes in, you will desert the son of Abu Talib as a head is severed from its body. By God, a man who lets his enemy overpower him, cut his flesh, break his bones, and tear his skin, is surely utterly helpless, and weak in spirit. If that is what you choose, then so be it. As for me, by God, before I accept it—humiliation and surrender—I will strike with a Yemeni sword, a blow that sends the coverings of heads flying and leaves hands and feet scattered. Then God will do whatever He wills.
❇️Another saying from the wisdom of Sajjad, the Ark of Sajjad’s Oneness
This saying of Sajjad revives the spirit of divine oneness within us, stirs our innate sense of tawhid, and, in the most eloquent words, teaches us humanity’s most essential need.
❇️Knowledge means affirming divine oneness, not defining the Essence
💫Imam al-Sajjād, peace be upon him: … الْمَعْرِفَةُ إِثْبَاتُ التَّوْحِيدِ أَوَّلًا ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ الْمَعَانِي ثَانِياً … إِثْبَاتُ التَّوْحِيدِ وَ مَعْرِفَةُ الْمَعَانِي أَمَّا إِثْبَاتُ التَّوْحِيدِ مَعْرِفَةُ اللَّهِ الْقَدِيمِ الْغَائِبِ الَّذِي لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ وَ هُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ وَ هُوَ غَيْبٌ بَاطِنٌ سَتُدْرِكُهُ كَمَا وَصَفَ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ وَ أَمَّا الْمَعَانِي فَنَحْنُ مَعَانِيهِ وَ مَظَاهِرُهُ فِيكُمْ اخْتَرَعَنَا مِنْ نُورِ ذَاتِهِ وَ فَوَّضَ إِلَيْنَا أُمُورَ عِبَادِهِ فَنَحْنُ نَفْعَلُ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا نَشَاءُ وَ نَحْنُ إِذَا شِئْنَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَ إِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ وَ نَحْنُ أَحَلَّنَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ هَذَا الْمَحَلَّ وَ اصْطَفَانَا مِنْ بَيْنِ عِبَادِهِ وَ جَعَلَنَا حُجَّتَهُ فِي بِلَادِهِ فَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ شَيْئاً وَ رَدَّهُ فَقَدْ رَدَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ جَلَّ اسْمُهُ وَ كَفَرَ بِآيَاتِهِ وَ أَنْبِيَائِهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ يَا جَابِرُ مَنْ عَرَفَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى بِهَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ فَقَدْ أَثْبَتَ التَّوْحِيدَ لِأَنَّ هَذِهِ الصِّفَةَ مُوَافِقَةٌ لِمَا فِي الْكِتَابِ الْمُنْزَلِ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ وَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى لا يُسْئَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَ هُمْ يُسْئَلُونَ
🔆💫Imam al-Sajjād, peace be upon him: … Recognition (maʿrifa) is, first and foremost, the affirmation of divine unity; second, it is knowledge of the meanings… The affirmation of divine unity and knowledge of the meanings. The affirmation of divine unity consists in knowing God as the Eternal, the Unseen—He whom eyes cannot perceive, though He perceives all eyes; He is the Subtle, the All-Aware. He is the hidden Unseen: you will apprehend Him only as He has described Himself. As for the meanings: we are His meanings and His manifestations among you. God created us from the light of His own essence and entrusted the affairs of His servants to us. By His leave, we do whatever we will. When we will, God wills; when we intend, God intends. God, Mighty and Majestic, has placed us in this station, chosen us from among His servants, and made us His proof on earth. So whoever denies anything of this and rejects it has in truth rejected God, Glorified be His Majesty, and disbelieved in His signs, His prophets and His messengers. O Jābir! Whoever knows God, Exalted is He, in this way has affirmed divine unity, for this description accords with what was revealed in the Book, namely God’s words: «Vision does not perceive Him, but He perceives all vision; there is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.» And God, Exalted is He, also says: «He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.»
❇️Knowledge is the affirmation of divine unity
🌸Imam al-Sajjād, peace be upon him: «الْمَعْرِفَةُ إِثْبَاتُ التَّوْحِيدِ أَوَّلًا ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ الْمَعَانِي، ثَانِياً,…»
Knowing God does not mean knowing His essence; it means knowing His oneness—knowing the meanings.
To affirm the truth is to interpret the truth, to become a tablet of divine unity, to bear witness to God’s oneness, to become a testimony to divine unity.
The purpose of creation is worship, and worship without divine unity is impossible!
🌸In truth, «اللهم عرفنی نفسک» means «اللهم عرفنی توحیدک».
«اللهم عرفنی نبیّک و عرفنی حجتک» is knowledge of the meanings: that distinctive system for knowing God—a dynamic, fluid, ever-moving system, ever attuned to a new divine reality.
🌸Knowledge of the meanings means raising our own system of knowledge to the system of knowledge possessed by God’s proof, and through that system attaining knowledge of divine unity; reaching its summit and experiencing that knowledge to the fullest of our capacity!
Let us forge bonds of connection with the meanings. Love, devotion, following, intellectual striving, and immersing ourselves in the words and intimate prayers of these noble figures are among those bonds!
❇️Establishing divine unity,
🌸Establishing divine unity in every aspect!
Bringing divine unity to life within the soul and making it steadfast; shining with the flame of divine unity;
affirming and embedding divine unity in every aspect, limb and part of our being; making it manifest; transforming ourselves into a whole ordered by divine unity.
❇️The Innate Nature: The Book of Divine Oneness
🌸The innate nature must be opened, brought forth and firmly established in its foundations. It is the Qur’an and the Ahl al-Bayt who open it within us and bring it to fruition! The Two Weighty Things set the innate nature in motion.
The Qur’an and the Ahl al-Bayt are a mirror of the innate nature!
Present your beliefs to the Qur’an and the Ahl al-Bayt.
The Qur’an and the Ahl al-Bayt are the centre where divine oneness is recorded and made known!
❇️Expressions of divine oneness carry its spirit
🌸Expressions and supplications devoted to divine oneness are like guides and vessels that carry us towards it, and we are its practitioners.
Pay close attention to general expressions and to the cadence of descriptions in the Qur’an and hadith!
Bring yourself into harmony with the rhythm and resonance of the verses of God, attuning yourself to their measure of divine oneness!
Let the melody, rhythm and song of the Qur’an’s descriptions and of the sincere ones work upon your spirit and soul.
Let the song of the Merciful’s descriptions unlock the innate nature within you.
When we recite the word of divine oneness and the surah of divine oneness with both outward and inward care, the life of divine oneness is awakened and established within us.
Let the spirit of God’s verses breathe into your soul.
💫وَ يُرَتَّلُ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلا[13]
🔆Recite the Qur’an with measured, deliberate recitation.
🌸Qur’anic tartīl means reciting and chanting with proper articulation of the letters, observing pauses and applying both the outward and inward rules of recitation; preserving its principles, respecting its bounds, and fulfilling the rights of its verses, with a humble heart, an unoccupied body, a focused posture, and …
Do not let observing the bounds of the letters distract you from observing the bounds of the Qur’an’s allusions and inner meanings, or cause you to neglect them!
Do not let careful tartīl and tajwīd in the wording distract you from observing tartīl and tajwīd in the Qur’an’s allusions, subtleties and truths!
The Qur’an is not merely for recitation; it is meant to be lived with excellence.
The Qur’an’s words are its pure wine. After drinking it sincerely, with a pure heart, we must come to perceive its effects of divine oneness.
❇️Make your heart a field for the Qur’an’s miracles
The Qur’an’s verses work miracles. Place your heart and soul where their miraculous power can reach them!
The supplications of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, arose from their pure souls; they are imbued with purity and work miracles!
💫 إِثْبَاتِ التَّوْحِيدِ فَهِيَ مَعْرِفَةُ اللَّهِ الْأَزَلِ الْقَدِيمِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ الَّذِي لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ وَ هُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ وَ هُوَ غَيْبُ بَاطِنٍ لَيْسَ يُتَدَارَكُ كَمَا وَصَفَ نَفْسَهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ
🔆The affirmation of divine oneness—that is, knowledge of divine oneness—consists in knowing God, the Eternal, the Pre-existent, the Exalted and the Mighty, whom the eyes cannot perceive, though He perceives the eyes; and He is the Subtle, the All-Aware. He is the Unseen, hidden from perception, just as He has described Himself, mighty and exalted is He.
❇️The radiance of the verses and supplications must seize our souls
🌸The sequence and arrangement of supplications form a world of effects and blessings. Let us attend to their system and structure, and attune ourselves to them.
The woven descriptions, supplications and ordered verses are an architecture of divine oneness. The entirety of the supplications, verses and descriptions presents the highest vision of divine oneness.
We must savour the verses, supplications and descriptions of the Two Weighty Things.
The arrangement and ordering of verses and narrations form a healing draught, which must be drunk with a sound heart!
❇️Prove divine oneness through the Qur’an’s miracles
🌸A practical way to affirm divine oneness: How can we drink the pure wine of knowledge and recognition? How can we drink deeply of the wine of divine oneness, so that its effects may appear in our souls?
💫 قَالَ الصَّادِقُ ع مَنْ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ وَ لَمْ يَخْضَعْ لِلَّهِ وَ لَمْ يَرِقَّ قَلْبُهُ وَ لَا يُنْشِئُ حَزَناً وَ وَجَلًا فِي سِرِّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَهَانَ بِعِظَمِ شَأْنِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَ خَسِرَ خُسْرَاناً مُبِيناً فَقَارِئُ الْقُرْآنِ مُحْتَاجٌ إِلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَشْيَاءَ قَلْبٍ خَاشِعٍ وَ بَدَنٍ فَارِغٍ وَ مَوْضِعٍ خَالٍ فَإِذَا خَشَعَ لِلَّهِ قَلْبُهُ فَرَّ مِنْهُ الشَّيْطَانُ الرَّجِيمُ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَإِذا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطانِ الرَّجِيمِ فَإِذَا تَفَرَّغَ نَفْسُهُ مِنَ الْأَسْبَابِ تَجَرَّدَ قَلْبُهُ لِلْقِرَاءَةِ وَ لَا يَعْتَرِضُهُ عَارِضٌ فَيَحْرِمَهُ بَرَكَةَ نُورِ الْقُرْآنِ وَ فَوَائِدَهُ فَإِذَا اتَّخَذَ مَجْلِساً خَالِياً وَ اعْتَزَلَ عَنِ الْخَلْقِ بَعْدَ أَنْ أَتَى بِالْخَصْلَتَيْنِ خُضُوعِ الْقَلْبِ وَ فَرَاغِ الْبَدَنِ اسْتَأْنَسَ رُوحُهُ وَ سِرُّهُ بِاللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ وَجَدَ حَلَاوَةَ مُخَاطَبَاتِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عِبَادَهُ الصَّالِحِينَ وَ عَلِمَ لُطْفَهُ بِهِمْ وَ مَقَامَ اخْتِصَاصِهِ لَهُمْ بِفُنُونِ كَرَامَاتِهِ وَ بَدَائِعِ إِشَارَاتِهِ فَإِنْ شَرِبَ كَأْساً مِنْ هَذَا الْمَشْرَبِ لَا يَخْتَارُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْحَالِ حَالًا وَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ وَقْتاً بَلْ يُؤْثِرُهُ عَلَى كُلِّ طَاعَةٍ وَ عِبَادَةٍ لِأَنَّ فِيهِ الْمُنَاجَاةَ مَعَ الرَّبِّ بِلَا وَاسِطَةٍ فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ تَقْرَأُ كِتَابَ رَبِّكَ وَ مَنْشُورَ وَلَايَتِكَ وَ كَيْفَ تُجِيبُ أَوَامِرَهُ وَ تَجْتَنِبُ نَوَاهِيَهُ وَ كَيْفَ تَتَمَثَّلُ حُدُودَهُ فَإِنَّهُ كِتَابٌ عَزِيزٌ لا يَأْتِيهِ الْباطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَ لا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ فَرَتِّلْهُ تَرْتِيلًا وَ قِفْ عِنْدَ وَعْدِهِ وَ وَعِيدِهِ وَ تَفَكَّرْ فِي أَمْثَالِهِ وَ مَوَاعِظِهِ وَ احْذَرْ أَنْ تَقَعَ مِنْ إِقَامَتِكَ حُرُوفَهُ فِي إِضَاعَةِ حُدُودِه[14]
💫 Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: Whoever recites the Qur’an without becoming humble before God, without a tender heart, and without awakening grief and fear within, has surely made light of the majesty of God Most High and brought manifest loss upon himself.
The reciter of the Qur’an therefore needs three things: a humble heart, a body free from distractions, and a quiet place. When the heart humbles itself before God, Satan the Accursed flees from it. God Most High says: «So when you recite the Qur’an, seek refuge in God from Satan the Accursed». When the soul is free from worldly concerns and distractions, the heart becomes wholly devoted to reciting the Qur’an, and nothing intervenes to deprive it of the blessings of the Qur’an’s light and its benefits.
And when, having attained these two qualities—humility of heart and freedom of body—the reciter chooses a quiet place and withdraws from people, his spirit and innermost self find intimacy with God, the Mighty and Majestic. He tastes the sweetness of God Most High’s intimate address to His righteous servants, and perceives His kindness toward them and the special rank He grants them through manifold acts of grace and the novel insights conveyed by His allusions.
If he takes even one sip of this drink, in that state and at that moment he will prefer no other state or moment. Indeed, he will prefer it to every act of obedience and worship, for in it he communes with his Lord without intermediary.
So consider how you read the Book of your Lord and the letter of your guardianship: how you respond to its commands, keep clear of its prohibitions, and put its limits into practice. This is a mighty Book, to which falsehood cannot come from before it or behind it, a revelation from the All-Wise, the Praiseworthy. Recite it slowly and deliberately; pause over its promises and warnings; reflect on its parables and counsels. And beware lest, by giving due form to its letters outwardly, you neglect its limits inwardly.
💫 إِثْبَاتِ التَّوْحِيدِ فَهِيَ مَعْرِفَةُ اللَّهِ الْأَزَلِ الْقَدِيمِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ الَّذِي لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ وَ هُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ وَ هُوَ غَيْبُ بَاطِنٍ لَيْسَ يُتَدَارَكُ كَمَا وَصَفَ نَفْسَهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ
💫 Affirming divine oneness: this means knowing God, the Eternal, the Pre-Existent, the Exalted and the Magnificent, whom the eyes cannot perceive, while He perceives the eyes; He is the Subtle, the All-Aware. He is the Unseen, hidden beyond perception, as He has described Himself, Mighty and Majestic.
🌼Ali Sa‘i (Abdullah Meshkat) 110.141(903)🌼
✳️❇️✅💫✨🔅🔆🌷🌹
Lecture summary: 🌻🔆The Radiant Pearl of Creation🔆🌻 🌼🔆🌼Imam Sajjad (AS), the Radiant Beauty of Creation🌼🔆🌼
❇️Part One: The Ontology of Sleep and Wakefulness (An Interpretation of This World and the Hereafter)
🌷Until I awaken, I will not be able to visit the Imam of Awakening.
Imam Sajjad (AS) is the radiant star and the Sign of Light who unveils the secret of awakening.
In a novel interpretation, he describes this world as “sleep” and the Hereafter as “awakening.”
Between these two stages, people see troubled dreams.
The material reality of this world depends on our minds, and we ourselves are the troubled dreams of this world.
The thoughts, words, and actions of those absorbed in worldly life are where these restless dreams take shape.
The relationship between this world and the Hereafter is like that between death and life.
True and everlasting life is revealed in the world of the Hereafter.
We are carrying out our duties on the screen of the dream of this world.
Those who are awake are the ones who have freed themselves from the captivity of this world.
Before entering the Hereafter, the Godfearing awaken even in this world, and their very being becomes a source of light.
This world tries to ensnare the Godfearing with its wealth and adornments, but they escape its trap.
True God-consciousness means sacrificing the sleep of this world for the awakening of the Hereafter.
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❇️Part Two: Diagnosing the Harm of Worldly Attachment and Heedlessness
🌷Loving this dream—the world—blinds a person’s insight and sickens the heart.
Captive to this world, a person sees illusions with unhealthy eyes and hears the most wondrous things with unhealthy ears.
Desires tear apart the mind of the heedless.
Such a person’s soul is captive to, and bewitched by, the world, reduced to a lowly servant.
This person sinks into sleep, worships the dream, and circles in a whirlpool of illusions.
Those captive to this world heed no preacher’s counsel, even when they witness the troubles of others.
The way to salvation is to sacrifice the troubled dream of this world in order to attain true awakening.
Our Master, the Commander of the Faithful (AS), says: “Hearing of the things of this world is more impressive than seeing them, but seeing the delights of the Hereafter is preferable to merely hearing of them.”
So we must accept the world’s losses for the sake of the Hereafter’s gains, and awaken from the pleasant sleep of heedlessness.
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❇️Part Three: The Epistemology of Divine Unity and the Spiritual Journey
🌷The essence of knowledge is affirming divine unity, not attaining the boundless Divine Essence.
It is impossible for human beings to know the Divine Essence, but the way to know God is to affirm His oneness.
The first level of knowledge is to inscribe divine unity in the soul.
The second is to know the meanings and manifestations of God.
The Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) are God’s manifestations among His servants and the intermediaries through whom His grace flows.
To reject the Imams (AS) is to reject God and disbelieve in His messengers.
Knowing the meanings entails connecting one’s system of knowledge to the system of the Ahl al-Bayt and the Proof of God.
This connection raises the level of knowledge and makes divine unity an immediate experience.
The way to know these meanings is through loving devotion in the precincts of the Ahl al-Bayt and immersion in the sea of their light.
Divine unity must take root in every part of a person’s being, permeating every cell.
Every part of one’s being must become a unified system centred on divine oneness, and every breath a channel for it.
✳️❇️✅💫✨🔅🔆🌷🌹
❇️Part Four: The Methodology of Quranic Recitation and Fellowship with the Quran
🌷The human nature can be unlocked only with the sacred key of the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt.
The Quran’s and the narrations’ affirmations of divine unity have a spirit that must be breathed into the soul.
One must attune oneself to the melody of the Quran’s descriptions so that the lock of human nature may be opened.
Quranic recitation should involve both outward and inward tartil.
The whispered prayers of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) unleash a storm of divine unity within the human soul.
Entering the world of the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt calls for reverence, humility, and a humble approach.
A Quran reciter should possess three qualities: a reverent heart, a body free from distractions, and a place where no one else is present.
Reciting without presence of heart and reverence is a form of disrespect toward the divine verses.
First, one must be alone with God and empty the heart of all that is other than Him.
One must seek refuge in God so that the space may be cleansed of Satan.
Then, in solitude, one should attune the soul to God and harmonise it with the sacred attribute, so that the sweetness of intimate prayer may be tasted.
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❇️Part Five: Knowing the Imam and the Place of Light in Existence
🌷Imam Sajjad (AS) is a brilliant star and a manifestation of the divine light in the verse «الله نور السماوات والارض».
The Messenger of God (PBUH) is the lamp, and Imam Sajjad (AS) is the glass that makes its light shine brightly.
Light is not merely illumination; it is a tremendous reality through which God displays His artistry.
Each Imam is a window opening onto realities and a constellation of divine knowledge.
God’s light is present in the hearts of the faithful, and Imam Sajjad (AS) manifests this light on earth.
The light of wilayah in a believer’s heart shines more brightly than the sun at midday.
God purifies no one’s heart unless they submit completely to the command of the Ahl al-Bayt.
Submission to wilayah is a condition for an illuminated heart and true faith.
Imam Sajjad (AS) is the very embodiment and face of light, and the manifestation and splendour of the beauty of God’s light.
Imam Sajjad (AS) is the soul and essence of light, and the quintessence of the luminous being of Imam Husayn (AS).
Imam Sajjad (AS) is the Kaaba of light and the place where moths enamoured of the Beloved take flight.
This brilliant star shines through history, in Karbala, and in the realms of the seen and unseen; it is the destination of those who journey in love toward the Real.
✳️❇️✅💫✨🔅🔆🌷🌹
[1] التوحيد (للصدوق) ؛ ؛ ص158 Ibn Babawayh, Muhammad ibn Ali, Society of Seminary Teachers – Iran; Qom, first edition, 1398 AH.
[2] تأويل الآيات الظاهرة في فضائل العترة الطاهرة ؛ ؛ ص357 Astarabadi, Ali, Islamic Publishing Institute – Iran; Qom, first edition, 1409 AH.
[3] تأويل الآيات الظاهرة في فضائل العترة الطاهرة ؛ ؛ ص357 Astarabadi, Ali, Islamic Publishing Institute – Iran; Qom, first edition, 1409 AH.
[4] البرهان في تفسير القرآن ؛ ج4 ؛ ص72 Bahrani, Sayyid Hashim ibn Sulayman, Ba‘thah Institute – Qom, first edition, 1374 SH.
[5] تفسير القمي ؛ ج2 ؛ ص371 Qummi, Ali ibn Ibrahim, Dar al-Kutub – Qom, third edition, 1404 AH.
[6] Majmuʿat Warām, vol. 2, p. 24 Warām ibn Abī Firās, Maktabat Faqīh, Qom, first edition, 1410 AH.
[7] Nahj al-Balāgha (Ṣubḥī Ṣāliḥ ed.), p. 497 Sharīf al-Raḍī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn, Hijrat, Qom, first edition, 1414 AH.
[8] Nahj al-Balāgha (Ṣubḥī Ṣāliḥ ed.), p. 304 Sharīf al-Raḍī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn, Hijrat, Qom, first edition, 1414 AH.
[9] Nahj al-Balāgha (Ṣubḥī Ṣāliḥ ed.), p. 160 Sharīf al-Raḍī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn, Hijrat, Qom, first edition, 1414 AH.
[10] Nahj al-Balāgha (Ṣubḥī Ṣāliḥ ed.), p. 170 Sharīf al-Raḍī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn, Hijrat, Qom, first edition, 1414 AH.
[11] Nahj al-Balāgha (Ṣubḥī Ṣāliḥ ed.), p. 191 Sharīf al-Raḍī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn, Hijrat, Qom, first edition, 1414 AH.
[12] Nahj al-Balāgha (Ṣubḥī Ṣāliḥ ed.), p. 78 Sharīf al-Raḍī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn, Hijrat, Qom, first edition, 1414 AH.
[13] Dalāʾil al-Imāma (modern edition), p. 319 Muḥammad ibn Jarīr ibn Rustam al-Ṭabarī al-Āmulī al-Ṣaghīr, Baʿthat, Iran, Qom, first edition, 1413 AH.
[14] Miṣbāḥ al-Sharīʿa, p. 28 Attributed to Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad, peace be upon him, al-Aʿlamī, Beirut, first edition, 1400 AH.
