“I have fashioned him and breathed into him of my Spirit.”(Quran 38:72)
IT has been previously indicated that creation came into being out of love.
However, according to Ibn-Arabi, God created this world principally out of a longing to actualize His names and attributes in creation. Much of mystical theology speculates that in order for human beings to achieve perfect love, no essential transformation of their being is necessary, but rather a realization of an already existing, albeit dormant reality. In other words, actualizing love becomes an inner journey, which liberates mankind from the state of forgetfulness, helps them to escape from all natural confinements, reach ultimate reality and have an encounter with God Himself. This process determines both the focus and goal of the individual worshiper to achieve union. It can be said that human beings do not become one with God, they already are. Ibn -Arabi upholds this notion when referring to the individual:- “His being is Allah’s being; his word is Allah’s word; his action is Allah’s action; his knowledge of himself is Allah’s knowledge of Himself.”
Allah Most High says, “Nothing is more pleasing to Me, than my slave to draw near unto Me in worship, which I have made binding upon him and my slave ceaseth not to draw unto me, with added devotion of his freewill, until I love him and when I love him, I am the hearing, which he hearth, the sight wherewith he seeth, the hand whereby he graspeth and the foot whereupon he walkeths.” (Hadees Qudasi)“Ibn-Arabi’s theological work often addresses mankind’s need to wake up from this state of forgetfulness and realize their true nature and to actualize this internal reality into existence. The culmination of this pursuit results in the breakdown of any barrier that lies between mankind and God.” He says, “Then when you see what is around you as not other than you, and all and everything as the existence of the One—when you do not see anything else with Him or in Him, but see Him in everything as yourself and at the same time, as the non-existence of yourself, then what you see is the truth.”
“The Quranic doctrine of the Divinity is based on the distinction between God in His Essence and His Names and Qualities, which are at once the same as the Essence and distinct from it also. This doctrine, elaborated by theologians, philosophers, and Sufis is also the cornerstone of Islamic spirituality inasmuch, as the invocation (dhikr) of the Names of God not only permeates all Islamic life, but also, in its technical and esoteric sense, constitutes the very heart of all Islamic spiritual practice. The Divine Essence (al-Dhat) is beyond all description and definition usually referred to by the final letter of the Supreme Name Allah. God also possesses names (asma) that represent determinations and aspects of the Divine Nature, as the Supremely Merciful (al-Raḥman) and the Forgiver (al-Ghafur) but also the Giver of Death (al-Mumit) and the Just (al-Adil).”
“God’s Names, on the basis of the Quran and Ḥadith, are usually considered to number ninety-nine. The Prophet instructed Muslims to meditate on the ninety-nine Names rather than on the Divine Essence. The Names are usually divided into Names of Majesty (al-jalal) and Names of Beauty (al-jamal). Both the qualities of rigor and mercy come from God and He is at once the stern King, who judges human actions and punishes evil, while recompensing the good, the Merciful Being, who forgives those who seek His forgiveness and whose compassion knows no bound. The life of the Muslim moves like a winding road toward a mountaintop, vacillating between rigor and mercy, fear of God’s retribution and trust in His forgiveness. God hears the voice of him, who calls upon His hallowed Name and remembers Him.
“Remember Me and I shall remember you.” Quran(II, 235). “However, this remembrance is also the invocation of His Name, for the Arabic word dhikr means at once invocation and remembrance. In revealing His sacred Names, God has not only provided the doctrine, whereby, He can be known metaphysically and theologically, but has also the means, whereby He can be known experientially and realized inwardly. The whole life of the Muslim is punctuated by constant remembrance of His Name as Insha Allah (if God wills) or Al-ḥamdu li Llah (praise be to God) are repeated throughout in everyday life. Islamic spirituality at its highest level is nothing, other than invocation of the Divine Names, until one lives in constant remembrance of God and ceases to be separate consciousness, whose power transforms the creature in such a way, that finally the invoker becomes the invocation and the invocation the invoked. “There abides only the “Face of thy Lord, the possessor of Majesty and Splendor.” (Quran LV, 27)
There is a story of great Sufi Dhul Nun narrated by Attar. “I was wondering in the mountains, when I observed a party of afflicted folks gathered together. “What befell you I asked?” “There is devotee, who lives in a cell here, they answered. Once every year he comes out of the cave and breezes on these people and they are all healed and he doesn’t emerge until the following year.” I waited patiently until he came out. I beheld a man pale of cheeks and with sunken eyes; the aura of him caused me to tremble. He looked upon the multitude with compassion, and then he raised his eyes to heaven and breathed several times on the afflicted ones. All were healed. As he was about to retire to his cell, I seized his skirt. “For the love of God I cried, you have healed the outward sickness, pray heal the inward sickness too.” “Dhul Nun, he said gazing at me, “Take your hands off me, the Friend is watching from the zenith of His Majesty. If He sees you clutching to another, than He will abandon you to that person and that person to you and you will both perish at each other hand.” Saying this he withdrew inside his cell.” To continue…
—The writer is author of six books including “Islamic Spirituality and Mysticism, the Path and destination’ & ‘The Philosophy of Rumi and its relevance in the Present Times.
(muhammadtahir50@hotmail.com)
