Quintessential Truths  


Principle 1

The words of people of Shariah (Divine Law) [1] describing the Eminent-Realm explaining how the Sublime Haqq (True & Absolute Reality, The Lord) created it  

Section 1

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Know that people of the Shariah (Divine Law) talk about two beingness: One the Qadim (Time Immemorial & Preexistent) being and the other the Hādeth (Nascent, Transient & Temporal) being [2]. Qadim (Time Immemorial & Preexistent) being has no beginning yet the Hādeth (Nascent, Transient & Temporal) does have a beginning. These words are Zāhir (Evident) and nothing hidden within.

Due to the above, the beingness has only two states i.e. either has the beginning or no beginning. If no beginning then it is Qadim (Time Immemorial & Preexistent) being and if it does have a beginning then it is Hādeth (Nascent, Transient & Temporal) being.

Now that you understand both beingness then know that Qadim (Time Immemorial & Preexistent) being is called the God and the Hādeth (Nascent, Transient & Temporal) being is called ‘Ālam (This Universe). God is other than ‘Ālam (This Universe) and ‘Ālam (This Universe) is other than the God. God is the Sāne’ (Producer & Manufacture) of ‘Ālam (This Universe). And ‘Ālam (This Universe) is produced by the God. The Sāne’ (Producer & Manufacture) of ‘Ālam (This Universe) is characterized by paragon attributes and purified from any foul ones. When IT willed, IT created ‘Ālam (This Universe) and again when IT wills shall destroy ‘Ālam (This Universe).

Once this introduction is made clear, now know that the people of Shariah (Divine Law) say: The first ‘entity’ produced by the Sublime & Sanctified Divine Sāne’ (Producer & Manufacture) was Johar (An Intrinsic Essence) called Ruh_Awwal (Primordial Soul) [3]. When the Lord willed to create the Realm of Molk (This Universe) and the Malakut (Realm of Souls), IT glanced upon that Johar (Intrinsic Essence) [4] and thus the Johar (Intrinsic Essence) was extremely heated and boiled. What was the condensed essence of that Johar (Intrinsic Essence) float on top [5], like the foam for sugar. And what was less pure sediment to the bottom, like the impurities of the sugar.

Therefore The Haqq (True & Absolute Reality, The Lord), from that pure condensed essence created the realm of the Souls, and the remaining impurities were used to create the physical universe. The realm of the Souls is segmented into thirteen sections; counting the said Johar (Intrinsic Essence) the number is fourteen. Rational for this count is that the segments of the physical worlds are thirteen (human, animal, plant…), what is on the surface maps to what is deep within—the physical world is an epitome of the Malakut(Realm of Souls).

O Dervish:

Some have said, the creation of the physical universe is the simile of the Malakut (Realm of Souls) and the foundation of Malakut (Realm of Souls) is the simile of the Jabarut (Realm of Divine Intellect & Knowledge). Therefore one can reason based upon the Molk (Physical Universe) assertions about the Malakut (Realm of Souls) and from Malakut (Realm of Souls) reason about the Jabarut (Realm of Divine Intellect & Knowledge). [6]


End.


Apercu   

The Sufism concerns itself with the question: How we originated in the other sempiternal universe and how we came into beingness in this nascent & temporal universe? It also concerns itself with another question: How from a Singleton Divine Being all these variations came about!

Our origin is from an indivisible & immaterial continuum where our Souls have been portioned from, yet still inexorably linked with that continuum. Some Sufis believe that the Souls within us, the angels’, the animals’, the plants’ and even that of the inanimate nonliving matter, are inescapably linked via this continuum.

Our minds are enchained within the bondage of nascence, transience and temporalness. Yet our origin is from a causeless, beginning-less and endless sempiternity. Sufism formed a language capable of expressing either world as well as their linkage. Often the Morid (Seeker) reads the Sufi text but mixes up the worlds and thus not getting the full benefit of the Sufi language. 

It is imperative for the Morid (Seeker) to realize that s/he did not originate from this universe. The feelings of transience and the orders of the nature imposed upon them are only temporarily. S/he is linked to other souls, in some fantastic continuum, beyond the grasp of the rationalization but yet somehow felt.

The denial of our origination from this earth and affirmation of our unbreakable linkage to other souls is the foundation necessary for the Morid (Seeker) to rely upon to take the first steps on the path.

 




[1] “People of Shariah” are those who follow the strict sense of Prophetic teachings. They believe in order to reach the Haqq (True & Absolute Reality, The Lord) the only path is via how & what the prophets preached.

[2] Most Western Sufis are not aware of the distinction between the said two worlds. This lack of discernment poses a problem: The Morid (Seeker) does not know which language of Sufism applies to which universe!? Indeed the Sufi language divides itself into when talking about this world and when words are with regards to the other realm. What Nasafi attempts here is to describe how we came from the realm of Qadim (Time Immemorial & Preexistent) to this realm of the Hādeth (Nascent, Transient & Temporal). Note: Hādeth is the same Arabic word as Mohdath.

[3] Sufism concerns itself with the knowledge of how from the Ahad (Singleton Nonesuch One) such variations of life and existence have come about? The answer they found in Prophetic Knowledge: An ‘entity’ was emanated or released from the Ahad (Singleton Nonesuch One) and this ‘entity’ was endowed with the gift of variation.

[4] Johar is an ‘entity’ independent of anything else in the universe. If this world were to be destroyed its Johar or its essence would carry on unharmed and undiminished. Johar may need a place to reside within. Johar is able to transform into substance or it may be immaterial.

With regards to IT glancing upon the Johar I could not find any reference in the books of Hadith (Prophetic Narrations). Given the fact that this section is that of Shariah (Divine Law) I am sure Nasafi had the references but over the ages those are lost or obscured. However I found a Hadith that explains IT is veiled by intense light or fire in other words if IT comes close to objects they burn up with intense heat so to say. So IT allowed the Johar close by to look at it and the Johar boiled away. Again I need more research here INSHALLAH (TODO).

The name of the book ‘quintessential’ comes from the pure foam formation during the boiling of objects.

[5] This expression tries to address the issue that we all came from the same indivisible Soul though some more pure than the others.

[6] Nasafi says, look if there was no mapping from this world to the other world, no way we could understand anything about it. Therefore there is a correspondence between Here and There! This corresponding map is within the essence of all things, as was described by the Johar being the common factor in the entire creation.



© 2004-2002,  Dara O. Shayda