The Sixteenth Word
The Divine Essence, Unity, and Acts
In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. When He wills a thing to be, He but says to it: “Be,” and it is. So All-
Glorified is He in Whose hand is the absolute dominion of all things, and to Him you are being brought back. (36:82–3)
[NOTE: This Word was written to enlighten my blind soul by pointing out four rays from the light of the above verses. The rays dispel darkness and give conviction and certainty.]
Four rays
FIRST RAY: O my ignorant soul! You mention the following Qur’anic truths: the Divine Being is One, despite His Acts’ universality; the Divine Person is One, yet His Lordship’s acts (e.g., sustaining, upbringing, and administering) are universal and unassisted; He is One, yet His control is all-embracing and unshared; He is not contained in space, yet is omnipresent; He is close to all beings despite His infinite transcendence; and He is One, yet dominates everything simultaneously. The Qur’an is wise, so it does not impose non-reason on reason. Reason sees an apparent contradiction between these “truths.” I want an explanation that will cause reason to submit.
The Answer: Relying on the Qur’an’s enlightenment, I say that the Divine Name of Light has solved many of my difficulties and will solve this one. Choosing the method of comparison, which clarifies the mind and enlightens the heart, I say as Imam Rabbani did:
I am neither of the night nor a worshipper of the night;
I am a servant of the sun, therefore I give tidings of the sun.
Since comparison is a most brilliant mirror to the Qur’an’s miraculousness, I will use it to explain this truth. A being may gain universality via mirrors. While being only one individual, it may become like a universal thing with general functions. For example, the sun is one being, but is made so universal by all transparent objects that it fills the earth with its reflections and images. Although its heat, light, and the seven colors in its light encompass whatever they confront, each transparent thing contains the sun’s heat, light, seven colors, and image, making its pure heart a throne for the sun. The sun is manifested in all objects with all its attributes (unity), and so encompasses all things confronting it; yet it is manifested in one object with all or many of its attributes simultaneously (oneness), and so is present, with many of its attributes, in each item.
We have passed from comparison to discussion of a thing’s reflection or presence somewhere through some sort of manifestation of its being. Out of the many types of possible reflection, I will discuss three:
THE FIRST: REFLECTIONS OF DENSE, MATERIAL OBJECTS: Such reflections are other than the thing reflected, and so have a different identity. They are also lifeless, having no quality other than their lifeless appearance. For example, if you enter a store full of mirrors, one Said will become thousands of Saids, but only the one living Said is Said—the others are dead.
THE SECOND: REFLECTIONS OF MATERIAL, LIGHT-GIVING OBJECTS: Such reflections are neither identical with nor other than the original. While not of the same nature as the original, they have most of its features and may be considered as living. For example, the sun is reflected in countless objects. Each reflection either contains its heat or light, together with its light’s seven colors. If the sun were conscious, with its heat as its power, its light as its knowledge, and its seven colors as its seven attributes, it would be present in everything simultaneously, and able to rule over or make contact with each one freely and without one hindering the other. It also would be able to meet with all of us via our mirrors. While we are distant from it, it would be nearer to us than ourselves.
THE THIRD: REFLECTIONS OF PURE SPIRITS CREATED FROM LIGHT AND HAVING THEIR ORIGINAL PURITY: Such reflections are living and identifiable with the original. However, since they reflect or manifest themselves according to the receptive object’s or mirror’s capacity, the reflections are not wholly of the same nature as the original. For example, Gabriel could be with the Prophet in the form of Dihya (a Companion), prostrating in the Divine Presence before God’s Most Exalted Throne, and be in innumerable other places relaying the Divine Commands simultaneously. Performing one duty does not block another. In the same way Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, whose essence is light and whose identity is of light, hears each member of his community in this world call blessings upon him simultaneously. On the Day of Judgment, he will meet with all purified people at the same time. In fact, some saints who have acquired a high degree of purity and refinement (abdal: substitutes) are seen in many places and doing many things simultaneously. Just as glass and water reflect material objects, so do air, ether, and certain beings of the World of Ideas or Immaterial Forms reflect and transport such beings with the speed of light and imagination. This allows them to travel in thousands of pure realms and refined abodes at the same time.
Helpless and subjugated items like the sun, and creatures like matter restricted spirit beings, can be present in many places at once because they are either light-giving creatures or created of light. Despite being particulars bounded by certain conditions, they become like absolute universals. With their limited power of choice, they can do many things at once.
The All-Holy, All-Pure Being is wholly transcendent and free of matter, far above and exempt from any restriction and the darkness of density and compactness. All lights and luminous beings, whether light-giving or created of light, are dense shadows of His Names’ sacred lights. All existence and life, as well as the World of Spirits and the World of Ideas or Immaterial Forms, are semi-transparent mirrors of His Beauty. His Attributes are all embracing, and His essential Qualities are universal. What could escape or hide from His manifestation with all His Attributes, particularly His universal Will, absolute Power, and all-encompassing Knowledge? What could be difficult for Him? Who could be distant from Him? Who could draw close to Him without acquiring universality?
The sun’s unrestricted light and immaterial reflection makes it nearer to you than your eye’s pupil, while your being bounded by certain conditions keeps you far from it. To draw near, you must transcend many restrictions and rise above many universal levels. Simply, in terms of spiritual transcendence, you have to become as large as the earth and rise as far as the moon. Only then could you directly approach, to a degree, the sun in its essential identity and meet with it without veil. In the same way, the All-Majestic One of Grace, the All-Gracious One of Perfection, is infinitely near to you, while you are infinitely far from Him. If you have enough power of heart and sublimity of mind, try to see certain other realities in the other aspects of the comparison.
SECOND RAY: O my senseless soul. You say that such verses as: When He wills a thing to be, He but says to it: “Be,” and it is (36:82); and: It is but one single blast, and see, they are all arraigned before Us (36:53); show that things happen instantaneously and through a command. However, such other verses as: This is the pattern of God, Who has perfected everything (27:88); and: He Who makes excellent everything that He creates (32:7), say that a thing’s existence is gradual, that it comes about through a vast power on the basis of knowledge, and that it is a fine art depending on wisdom. How can these be reconciled?
The Answer: Relying on the enlightenment of the Qur’an, I say:
FIRSTLY: There is no contradiction here, for some things happen instantaneously like repeating the original, and others are gradual as in the original creation.
SECONDLY: The infinitely perfect order and firmness and solidity, and extremely delicate and fine artistry and perfect creation vis-à-vis the ease, speed, multiplicity, and liberality observed in the universe, testify to the truths contained in such verses. Therefore, such a discussion is unnecessary Instead, we should discuss the wisdom in them. So, consider the following comparison: A tailor makes something with much difficulty, as well as with great artistry and skill, and then fashions a model. After that, a copy can be made quickly and easily. Sometimes it becomes so easy that it seems to result from one command, and acquires such a perfect order that it seems to be the result of one touch.
In the same way, after originally making this world and all its contents, the All-Wise Maker, All-Knowing Designer, destined a measure and pro portion (like a model) for everything. Making each century a model, the Eternal Designer clothes it with a new world bejeweled with His Power’s miracles. Making each year a measure, He sews a new system artistically fastened with His Mercy’s wonders. Making each day a line, He inscribes on it recruited and renewed creatures adorned with His Wisdom’s subtleties.
The Absolutely Powerful One also makes the earth, each mountain and plain, each garden and orchard, and each tree a model. He continuously sets up new systems on the earth and creates new worlds. Removing a world, He replaces it with a new, perfect one. Season after season, He displays His Power’s miracles and His Mercy’s gifts in all gardens and orchards, wherein He inscribes a new wisdom-displaying book and sets up a fresh kitchen of His Mercy. He clothes each in an ever-renewed garment full of art. He dresses all trees in garments of brocade every spring, adorns them with fresh jewels, and fills their hands with gifts of His Mercy.
Thus, the One Who does these things with an infinitely fine art and perfect order, Who varies the moving worlds following each other along the string of time with innumerable instances of wisdom and favor, and with perfection of power and art, is infinitely Powerful and Wise, All Seeing and All-Knowing. Chance cannot interfere. By declaring: When He wills a thing to be, He but says to it: “Be,” and it is (36:82); and: The matter of the Hour is but the twinkling of an eye, or even quicker (16: 77), the All Majestic Being proclaims His Power’s perfection and the ease with which His Power can destroy the universe and raise the dead. To express the ease in His creation, He declares in the Qur’an that He does everything via a mere command, for His command of creation consists in Power and Will, all things are subjugated and obedient to His command, and He creates without physical contact or gradualism.
In conclusion, some verses proclaim the extremely fine artistry and infinite perfection of wisdom in beings, especially at the start of their creation; others describe the extreme ease, speed, and infinite obedience, especially in repeating and renewing created beings.
THIRD RAY: O my transgressing soul, full of doubts and subject to evil suggestions. You say that such verses as: In His hand is the absolute dominion of all things (36:83); No moving creature is there but He holds it by its forelock (11:56); and: We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (50:16), show that God is infinitely near to us. On the other hand, such verses as: To Him you are being brought back (36:83) and: The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years (70:4), as well as the hadith: “God Almighty is beyond seventy thousand veils” and such truths as those contained in the Prophet’s Ascension, show that we are infinitely far from Him. I want an explanation which will make this profound mystery understandable.
The Answer: O my soul, consider the following: At the end of the “First Ray,” I said that due to its unrestricted light and immaterial reflection, the sun is nearer to you than your eye’s pupil, your spirit’s window and mirror. However, because you are bounded by certain conditions and imprisoned within matter’s walls, you are very far from it. You can make contact with it only through some of its reflections and shadows, meet with it through its particular manifestations, and draw close to its colors (attributes) and rays and images (a grouping of its names).
If you seek direct contact, you must transcend numerous restrictions and rise above many universal levels. Simply, in terms of spiritual transcendence, only after becoming as large as the earth, expanding in spirit like the air, rising as far as the moon, and directly confronting the sun as the full moon does, could you claim to meet with the sun in person and without any veil, and draw near to it to some degree. In the same way, the All-Majestic One of Perfection, the Peerlessly Beautiful One, the Necessarily Existent One, the Creator of All Things, the Eternal Sun, the Monarch with no beginning and end, is nearer to you than yourself, although you are infinitely far from Him. If you have enough power (of heart and sublimity of mind), try to see certain other realities in the other aspects of the comparison.
SECONDLY: A king has many names or ranks, one being Commander in-Chief. With this rank, he enjoys full authority in all military offices and ranks from the office of Field Marshall to that of Corporal. A private acknowledges a corporal as his superior, and through him is in touch with one connected to the Commander-in-Chief. If he wishes direct contact with the Commander-in-Chief, he must rise higher in the ranks. This means that the king is extremely close to the soldier in many different ways (e.g., through his name, rule, law, knowledge, and so on). If he is purified spiritually, he may oversee every soldier simultaneously without being seen. Nothing can block him. But many ranks and veils block the private from the king’s presence. Sometimes, however, the king admits a private to his presence out of his compassion, and favors him with his grace.
In almost the same way—The highest comparison is (and must be put forth) for God—the All-Majestic One, the Lord of the command Be! and it is, for Whom the suns and stars are like obedient soldiers, is nearer to all things than themselves, while all things are infinitely far from Him. If you wish to enter His Presence of Grandeur directly, you would have to pass through seventy thousand veils of darkness and light (i.e., material and physical veils as well as those of the Divine Names and Attributes), transcend thousands of particular and universal degrees of each Name’s manifestation, rise through the most elevated levels of His Attributes, and ascend as high as His Greatest Throne, which is favored with His Greatest Name’s manifestation. If God does not favor you by drawing you to Himself, you would have to strive and journey spiritually for thousands of years.
For example, if you want to draw near to Him through His Name of Creator, you must connect with Him first on account of His being your creator, and then on account of His being the Creator of all human beings, then His being the Creator of all living creatures, and then the Creator of all beings. Otherwise, you will remain in shadow and only find a particular manifestation.
A NOTE: As the king in the above example is relatively impotent, he uses such intermediaries as field marshals and generals to execute his commands. But the Absolutely Powerful One, in Whose hand is the absolute dominion of all things, needs no intermediaries. The intermediaries [like angels and natural causes] are only appearances, veils to His Dignity and Grandeur, and heralds and observers of His Lordship’s sovereignty in worship, amazement, helplessness, and want. They are not His assistants, and cannot be partners in His Lordship’s sovereignty.
FOURTH RAY: So, O my lazy soul. The reality of the Prayer (a kind of Ascension) is like a soldier being admitted to the royal presence as a pure favor; it is being admitted to the Presence of the All-Majestic One of Grace, the All-Gracious One of Majesty, the True Object of Worship, as an instance of pure mercy.
Declaring “God is the All-Great,” this world and the next are left behind in spirit and imagination, or by intention. Transcending matter’s restriction, you rise to a universal rank of worship or a shadow or form of it. Being honored with admission to the Divine Presence, you are favored (according to your capacity) with the most exalted attainment of addressing God directly: You alone do we worship (1:5). Through repeating “God is the All-Great” in its acts, the Prayer is a sign of attaining higher spiritual ranks, of rising from being an insignificant, particular being to a universal one. It is a concise title to the perfections of God’s Grandeur, which are beyond our knowledge. It is as if each “God is the All-Great” shows the attainment of a new degree on the way to Ascension. To attain to even a shadow or a ray of the Prayer’s reality in spirit, intention, or imagination is a great happiness.
This is why “God is the All-Great” is frequently repeated during the Hajj (pilgrimage to Makah), for Hajj is the kind of worship at a most comprehensive level for every pilgrim. For example, like a general, a private can participate in a special occasion like a festive or celebration day held by the king, and can receive his favors. Similarly, like a saint who has left behind many ranks, a pilgrim, however ordinary a person he is, turns toward his Lord as the Mighty Lord of the whole earth. He is honored with universal worship.
The Hajj is the key that opens up many degrees of the Divine universal Lordship’s manifestation, and the telescope through which many horizons of Divine Grandeur are observed. Its acts or rites cause both the spheres of servanthood and worship on the part of humanity and the levels of Divine Magnificence to expand more and more in pilgrims’ hearts and imagination. The awe and amazement, and feelings of majesty in front of Divine Lordship that ensue from all these experiences can be quietened only by repeating: “God is the All-Great,” it is only with this proclamation that such degrees of manifestations to humanity can be announced.
After the Hajj, this sublime, universal meaning is found in different degrees in the religious festival (‘Id) Prayers, and the Prayers for rain, during solar and lunar eclipses, and in congregational ones. That is why Islam’s public symbols and rites, including the sunna ones, are so important.
All-Glorified is He Who has placed His treasuries between Kaf and Nun.70 All-Glorified is He in Whose hand is the absolute dominion of everything, and to Him You are being brought back.
All-Glorified are You. We have no knowledge save what You have taught us. Surely You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise
Our Lord, take us not to task if we forget or make mistakes.
Our Lord, do not let our hearts to swerve after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your Presence. Surely You are the All-Bestowing.
Bestow blessings and peace upon Your most noble Messenger, favored with the manifestation of Your Greatest Name, and upon his Family, his Companions, all brothers and sisters in religion, and followers. Amin, O Most Merciful of the Merciful!
Bediuzzaman Said Nursi
70 Kaf and Nun are the letters forming Kun, meaning Be!, which symbolizes God’s creation of things. (Tr.)