Universal Dimensions of Islam Part 3

If your veil of "otherness" is lifted away,

The monastery's form will become a mosque.

It does not matter what state you're in,

Oppose your inverted self and find deliverance.

Idol and belt, Christian and church bell

Are all symbols of rejecting fame and good name.

If you want to become one of the Special Servants,

Become prepared for sincerity and ethical behavior.

Go and pull yourself from the way of selfishness;

At every moment renew your faith in selflessness.

Since our hidden selves are the real infidels,

Don't be satisfied with an outer wors.h.i.+p of Islam.

With every new moment turn to refresh your faith,

Be a Muslim, be a Muslim, yes, be a Muslim!

Mahmud Shabistari.

Footnotes.

1 The word hadith in Arabic refers to a single utterance or saying of the Prophet. The plural is ahadith. We will use the singular "hadith" in all cases, which is now an accepted term in the English language, because the plural will undoubtedly confuse too many readers. When used with the uppercase "H" (i.e. "Hadith"), we are referring to the formal collection of the many individual prophetic utterances.

2 Our two most frequently used translations are by Marmaduke Pickthall and Yusuf Ali. We have also consulted the translations by Shakir and A.J. Arberry and occasionally subst.i.tuted one of their formulations or added a parenthesis with an alternative formulation to add clarity. Even with this process it is impossible to convey the multiple levels of meaning that are inherent in the revealed Arabic text.

3 The death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 A.D. started a three-hundred year process of collecting and archiving all of his sayings and actions. Great care was taken to authenticate each saying by tracing it back to Muhammad through an unbroken chain of valid interlocutors (isnad). The chain of transmission is usually recounted together with the text (matn) of each hadith to allow the reader to judge its degree of authenticity. A fourteenth century collection ent.i.tled theMishkat Al-Masabih contains the six compilations of hadith that are almost universally considered as canonical. To insure authenticity, all of our selections come from the 5,945 hadith contained in the Mishkat Al-Masabih, but for easy readability we have chosen not to present the corresponding list of interlocutors and compilers that always begins each hadith.

4 In the Arabic language, a prophet (nabi) is a person inspired by G.o.d to bring a warning. A divine messenger (rasul) promulgates a new sacred law, which often results in a new religion. Not every prophet is a messenger, but every messenger is by implication a prophet. The Koran also addresses "those who are sent" (mursaleen), which refers to both the prophets and the messengers sent by G.o.d.

5 This verse, 2:136, is virtually identical to verse 3:84. The first verse is addressed to all believers and the second verse is addressed to Muhammad. The Arabic is slightly different in use of prepositions, but it is almost impossible to convey that fine a difference in English.

6 The phrase "People of the Book" refers to the common spiritual ancestry of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, which are all traced back to the Abrahamic tradition, and highlights the fact that each of these religions possesses a revealed scripture: the Torah, the Gospels, and the Koran.

7 The award-winning book, The Universal Spirit of Islam, edited by Judith and Michael Fitzgerald (Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006), contains a much larger selection of quotations about each of these topics, together with additional materials and ill.u.s.trations. All of the pa.s.sages presented here are included in that book.

8 This Appendix is only a partial list of the most a.n.a.logous pa.s.sages and is not a comprehensive concordance that lists all references to religions other than Islam. It provides a starting point to locate additional primary references.

9 This is the most evident meaning of the Koran 4:156-159: "But [the Jews] killed not [the Messiah Jesus], nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them; . . . for of a surety they killed him not. Nay, G.o.d raised him up unto Himself." The resurrection of the Messiah Jesus is also confirmed in this Koranic pa.s.sage: "(And remember) when G.o.d said, 'O Jesus! Verily I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto Me'" (Koran 3:55). Many Muslim theologians do not accept the most straightforward interpretation of these pa.s.sages and postulate alternative interpretations. The entire verses are presented in the text, together with explanatory footnotes.

10 The Koran and Hadith put forward two specific exaggerations by Christians from the Islamic point of view: the requirement of celibacy in the priesthood and the idea that G.o.d is one of three equal partners in the "Trinity" of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These criticisms are presented in the text and discussed at more length in the subsequent notes.

11 The great majority of such hadith do not make references to other religions, so they have not been included in this article.

12 There are 30 million people in the United States who openly acknowledge they have no religious faith, a number which has grown at more than 5% per year over the past fourteen years, which is twice as fast as our population growth.

13 s.p.a.ce does not allow us to provide canonical quotations to illuminate the universal truths in Islam. The Universal Spirit of Islam contains a section, ent.i.tled, "Islam-Universal Truths from the Koran," that clearly demonstrates the inner unanimity of Islam.

14 Zachariah is the father of John the Baptist and the uncle of the Virgin Mary, who looked after Mary in the Temple of Solomon when she was a temple virgin; in Arabic, Zakariah.

15 The Koran identifies monasticism in the priesthood as an exaggeration in Christianity. It is important to note that this injunction does not forbid monasticism, but states that G.o.d did not ordain or command monasticism for the Christian priesthood. Islam does not separate the sacred and the secular domains, as does monasticism; rather, Islam seeks to bring the essence of monasticism (humility, charity, veracity) into the world (see Frithjof Schuon, "The Universality and Timeliness of Monasticism" in Light on the Ancient Worlds [Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006] and Crossing Religious Frontiers: Studies in Comparative Religion, edited by Harry Oldmeadow [Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2010]).

16 Gog and Magog are two nations led by Satan in a climactic battle at Armageddon. Cf. Revelations 20:8 and numerous hadith.

17 Cf. Koran 21:96.

18 Sodom and Gomorrah are the two ancient cities destroyed because of their wickedness. Cf. Genesis 18-19; Koran 15:51-77; and numerous hadith.

19 Cf. Koran 39:68.

20 Goliath is the giant warrior of the Philistines whom David killed with a stone from a sling. Cf. I Samuel 17:4851.

21 Various Koranic translators use the terms "Day of Judgment" and "Day of Resurrection" interchangeably to refer to what is commonly known to Christians as the Day of Judgment.

22 Imran is the father of Mary, mother of Jesus.

23 Asiya was the woman who saved Moses and raised him as a son.

24 This pa.s.sage clearly refers to the ascension of Jesus prior to the Day of Judgment: "G.o.d said, "O Jesus! Verily I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto Me . . . until the Day of Judgment".

25 The majority of Muslims interpret the phrase, "nor crucified him" to mean that the Jews did not crucify Jesus, ignoring the subsequent phrase, "but so it was made to appear to them," and the context provided by many other Koranic verses. This issue is also discussed by Martin Lings in "Do the Religions Contradict One Another?" (AReturn to the Spirit: Questions and Answers [Louisville, KY: Fons Vitae, 2005]) and by Frithjof Schuon in "The Sense of the Absolute in Religions" (Gnosis: Divine Wisdom [Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006]).

26 Many interpret this statement by Jesus to refer to his resurrection: "Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!"

27 See Reza Shah-Kazemi's article "Jesus in the Qur'an: Selfhood and Compa.s.sion-An Akbari Perspective" (Sufism: Love and Wisdom, edited by Jean-Louis Michon and Roger Gaetani [Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006]).

28 Although the Koran and Hadith accept many basic tenets of Christianity, the Koran identifies the concept that G.o.d is one of three in a "Trinity" as an exaggeration. A fundamental principle in Islam is the unity of G.o.d, thus any idea that relativizes this primordial Unity is considered an exaggeration. Frithjof Schuon addresses this question in "The Sense of the Absolute in Religions" in Gnosis: Divine Wisdom.

The G.o.d Conditioned by Belief.

Emir 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza'iri.

Say: we believe in that which has been revealed to us and in that which has been revealed to you: your G.o.d and our G.o.d are one G.o.d, and we surrender (muslimun) to Him.

(Koran 29:46).

What we are going to say comes from subtle allusion (ishara) and not from exegesis (tafsir) properly speaking.1 G.o.d commands Muhammadans to say to all the communities who belong to the "People of the Book"-Christians, Jews, Sabeans, and others, "We believe in that which was revealed to us" that is in that which epiphanizes itself to us, namely the G.o.d exempt from all limitation, transcendent in His very immanence, and, even more, transcendent in His very transcendence, who, in all that, still remains immanent; "and in that which was revealed to you"-that is, in that which epiphanizes itself to you in conditioned, immanent, and limited forms. It is He whom His theophanies manifest to you as to us. The diverse terms which express the "descent" or the "coming" of the revelation2 do not designate anything other than the manifestations (uhurat) or the theophanies (tajalliyat) of the Essence, of His work or of one or another of His attributes. Allah is not "above" anything, which would imply that it is necessary to "climb" towards Him. The divine Essence, His word, and His attributes are not localizable in one particular direction from which they would "descend" towards us.

The "descent" and other terms of this type have no meaning except in relation to the one who receives the theophany and to his spiritual rank. It is this rank which justifies the expression "descent" or other a.n.a.logous expressions. For the rank of the creature is low and inferior while that of G.o.d is elevated and sublime. If it were not for that, there would be no question of descending or "making [the Revelation] descend," and one would not speak of "climbing" or "ascending"; "lowering" or "approaching."

It is the pa.s.sive form [in which the real subject of the action expressed by the verb remains hidden] that is used in this verse, since the theophany in question here is produced starting from the degree which integrates all the divine Names.3 Originating from this degree, the only Names which epiphanize themselves are the name of the divinity (the name Allah), the name al-Rabb (the Lord) and the name al-Raman (the All-Merciful). [Among the scriptural evidence for the preceding] Allah has said: "And your Lord will come" (Koran 89:22) and, similarly, one finds in a prophetic tradition: "Our Lord descends. . .".4 Allah has further said, "Only if Allah comes" (Koran 2:210), etc. It is impossible for one of the divine degrees to epiphanize itself with the totality of the Names which it encloses. He perpetually manifests certain of them and hides others. Understand!

Our G.o.d and the G.o.d of all communities contrary to ours are in truth and reality one unique G.o.d, in conformity to what He has said in numerous verses, "Your G.o.d is one unique G.o.d" (Koran 2:163; 16:22; etc.). He also said, "There is no G.o.d but Allah" (wa ma min ilahin illa Llahu, Koran 3:62). This is so in spite of the diversity of His theophanies, their absolute or limited character, their transcendence or immanence, and the variety of His manifestations. He has manifested Himself to Muhammadans beyond all form while at the same time manifesting Himself in every form, without that involving incarnation, union, or mixture. To the Christians He has manifested Himself in the person of Christ and the monks, as He said in the Book.5 To the Jews, He has manifested Himself in the form of Uzayr [Ezra] and the Rabbis. To the Mazdeans He has manifested Himself in the form of fire, and to the dualists in the form of light and darkness. And He has manifested Himself to each person who wors.h.i.+ps some particular thing-rock, tree, or animal-in the form of that thing, for no one who wors.h.i.+ps a finite thing wors.h.i.+ps it for the thing itself. What he wors.h.i.+ps is the epiphany in that form of the attributes of the true G.o.d-May He be exalted!-this epiphany representing, for each form, the divine aspect which properly corresponds to it. But [beyond this diversity of theophanic forms], He whom all of these wors.h.i.+ppers wors.h.i.+p is One, and their fault consists only in the fact that they restrict themselves in a limiting way [by adhering exclusively to one particular theophany].

Our G.o.d, as well as the G.o.d of the Christians, the Jews, the Sabeans, and all the diverging sects, is One, just as He has taught us. But He has manifested Himself to us through a different theophany than that by which He manifested Himself in His revelation to the Christians, to the Jews, and to the other sects. Even beyond that, He manifested Himself to the Muhammadan community itself by multiple and diverse theophanies, which explains why this community in its turn contains as many as seventy-three different sects.6 Indeed, within each of these it would be necessary to distinguish still other sects, themselves varying and divergent, as anyone who is familiar with theology can confirm. Now, all of that results only from the diversity of theophanies, which is a function of the multiplicity of those to whom they are destined and to the diversity of their essential predispositions. In spite of this diversity, He who epiphanizes Himself is One, without changing, from the eternity without beginning to the eternity without end. But He reveals Himself to every being endowed with intelligence according to the measure of his intelligence. "And Allah embraces all things, and He is All-Knowing" (Koran 2:115).

Thus the religions are in fact unanimous regarding the object of wors.h.i.+p-this wors.h.i.+p being co-natural to all creatures, even if few of them are conscious of it-at least insofar as it is unconditioned, but not when it is considered in relation to the diversity of its determinations. But we, as Muslims, as He has prescribed, are subject to the universal G.o.d and believe in Him. Those who are destined for punishment are so destined only because they wors.h.i.+p Him in a particular sensible form to the exclusion of any other. The only ones who will understand the significance of what we have said are the elite of the Muhammadan community, to the exclusion of the other communities.7 There is not a single being in the world-be he one of those who are called "naturalists," "materialists" or otherwise-who is truly an atheist. If his words make you think to the contrary, it is your way of interpreting them which is flawed. Infidelity (kufr) does not exist in the universe, except in a relative way. If you are capable of understanding, you will see that there is a subtle point here, which is that someone who does not know G.o.d with this veritable knowledge in reality wors.h.i.+ps only a lord conditioned by the beliefs which he holds concerning him, a lord who can only reveal himself to him in the form of his belief. But the veritable Wors.h.i.+pped is beyond all of the "lords"!

All this is part of the secrets which it is proper to conceal from those who are not of our way. Beware! He who divulges this must be counted among the tempters of the servants of G.o.d. No fault can be imputed to the doctors of the law if they accuse him of being an infidel or a heretic whose repentance cannot be accepted. "And G.o.d says the Truth, and it is He who leads on the straight way" (Koran 33:4).

Translated by a team under the direction of.

James Chrestensen and Tom Manning.

Footnotes.

1 [Editor's Note: all the footnoted text below is by Michael Chodkiewicz, editor of The Spiritual Writings of Amir 'Abd al-Kader.] The distinction between showing the "subtle allusions" (isharat) and commentary properly speaking (tafsir) is often affirmed by Ibn 'Arabi. In the chapter of the Futuat specifically devoted to the isharat (Futuat al-makiyya, vol. 1, p. 278), Ibn 'Arabi emphasizes the fact that spiritual men do not designate as tafsir the interpretation they "see in themselves" (ma yarawnahu fi nufusihim). This not only corresponds to a difference in nature between two modes of intellection, but it also serves as a measure of prudence to avoid controversies with the "literalists" (aib al-rusum).

2 The Arabic text gives the terms nuzul, inzal, tanzil, ita' which, although they have certain differences of meaning, are often used interchangeably to designate the "descent" of the Revelation.

3 This degree is that of the Name Allah insofar as it applies to the uluhiyya, the "function of divinity" (and not insofar as it applies to the divine Essence, which is "anterior" to the distinction of the Names).

4 The adith evoked here is that, reported in most of the canonical collections (for example, Bukhari, tawhid, 35, da'awat, 13, etc.) according to which: "Each night, Our Lord descends to the heaven of this lower world, where He remains only during the last third of the night and says: 'Is there someone who invokes Me, that I may respond to him? Is there someone who addresses a prayer to Me, that I may answer it? Is there someone who asks Me for pardon, that I may pardon him?'"

5 This phrase alludes to verse 31 of Sura 9 where it is said of the Christians: "They have taken their doctors and their monks, along with Jesus, son of Mary, as Lords alongside of Allah." For 'Abd al-Qadir, the "error" of the Christians is relative and not absolute. It does not consist in the fact of recognizing the created beings as manifestations of the divine Names, but in the reductive identification of G.o.d with one or another of His theophanies. The same remark is valid in reference to the Jews, envisaged in the following phrases, where the reference is to the Koran 9:30 ["And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah"]. This interpretation of "infidelity" (kufr) is a.n.a.logous to that which Ibn 'Arabi gives in the Fuu al-ikam with respect to Jesus (vol. 1, p. 141) where he says that the error of the Christians does not reside in the affirmation that "Jesus is G.o.d" nor that "He is the son of Mary," but in the fact of "enclosing" (tamin) the vivifying power of G.o.d in the human person of Jesus.

6 According to a adith (Ibn anbal, 3, 145) the Muhammadan community is divided into 71 or 73 sects.

7 This remark should be understood as follows: just as the Prophet Muammad is the "Seal of Prophethood," to whom "the knowledge of the first and the last" was given, so his community-in the person of its spiritual elite-inherits, by reason of its function at the end of the human cycle, the privilege of recapitulating, and thus validating, all the modes of knowledge of G.o.d corresponding to the specific perspectives of previous revelations.

The Shaykh Ahmad al-'Alawi.