The Twenty‑Eighth Point of the Twenty-Eighth Flash
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
(So) they should not strain their ears in the direction of the Exalted Assembly, but be cast away from every side ❋ Repulsed, for they are under a perpetual penalty, ❋ Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness. ❋ And We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles to drive away the evil ones. An important point concerning verses like these will be explained in connection with criticisms made by the people of misguidance. It is as follows:
Spies from among the jinn and satans eavesdrop on events in the heavens, and like soothsayers, mediums, and some spiritualists, convey news from the World of the Unseen. So that their giving information about the Unseen should not give rise to any doubts when the Qur’an was first revealed, their continual espionage was prevented to a greater extent and they were repulsed by shooting stars. The following is a brief reply to an extremely important question in three parts concerning the above verses, which are about this subject.
Question: It is understood from verses like these that spying satans infiltrate the distant lands of the heavens in order to learn of some minor and even personal event in the Unseen. Rumours of such minor events as though spread everywhere in those vast lands, and any satan anywhere may hear a confused version of them and pass it on. However, reason and science cannot accept such a thing.
Also, it is said that some of the people of prophethood and some wonder‑workers as though pluck the fruits of Paradise from nearby, which according to definite verses of the Qur’an, is above the heavens, and they sometimes gaze on Paradise from near at hand. This matter, which concerns infinite distance within infinite proximity, is not conformable with the understanding of the present age.
Also, the unimportant situation of an unimportant person being the subject of discussion in the Sublime Assembly in the universal, vast land of the heavens is not conformable with the wisdom of the utterly wise administration of the universe. Nevertheless, these three matters are considered to be among the truths of Islam.
The Answer:
Firstly: In the seven ‘Steps’ of the treatise called the Fifteenth Word, the repulsion and ejection with stars of diabolical spies from the heavens, expressed by the verse, And We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles to drive away the evil ones, is proved so certainly with seven premises that it convinces the obdurate materialist, silencing him and forcing him to accept it.
Secondly: We shall allude to those three truths which are supposed to be far from the reason with a comparison that will bring them close to narrow minds. For example, if a state’s Army Office is in the east of the country, its Ministry of Justice in the west, its Education Ministry in the north, its Religious Affairs Department in the south, and its Civil Service in the centre, and each department and ministry communicates and is connected with the others by means of radio, telephone, and telegraph in most regular and orderly fashion, the whole country will quite simply be its Army Office the same as it is its Ministry of Justice, and will be its learned establishment as it is its Civil Service.
And for example, it sometimes happens that numerous countries and states whose capitals are different have sovereignty over a single country in different ways, through colonies, or concessions, or trade. Although the country’s subjects and nation are one, through its concessions, each state has connections with them. The affairs of those states, which are distant from one another, touch on each other; they come close to each other in all the houses of the country, and they share in each of its people. Its minor matters are seen in a minor sphere in its points of contact. For each minor matter is not taken from the universal sphere. But when those minor matters are discussed, they are mentioned as though they are taken from the universal sphere, since they are directly in accordance with the universal sphere’s laws; they are given the form of a matter discussed in that sphere.
Like these two comparisons, although the land of the heavens is extremely distant in respect of its centre and capital, it has immaterial telephones reaching the hearts of men in the land of the earth. Furthermore, it does not only look to the corporeal world, but in one respect encompasses the Manifest World since it comprises the Spirit World and World of the Inner Dimension of Things.
The sphere of influence of Paradise too, which is from the world of eternity and everlasting realm, stretches out and spreads in luminous fashion beneath the veil of the manifest, despite its infinite distance. Just as although, through the wisdom and power of the All‑Wise and Glorious Maker, the centres of the senses in man’s head are all different, each governs the body taking it under its disposal; so the universe, the macroanthropos, comprises thousands of worlds one within the other like concentric circles. Sometimes the situations and events that occur in them are the object of attention in respect of their universality and particularity and insignificance and immensity; that is to say, those particulars are to be seen in particular, near places, while the universals and immense matters are seen in universal, vast stations.
However, sometimes a minor, particular event occupies a vast world. In whichever corner of the world you listen, you will hear about it. And sometimes some vast mobilization is not against the enemy’s forces, but for a show of pomp and majesty. For example, the event of Muhammad (UWBP) and sacred occurrence of the Qur’an’s revelation were the most important events in the land of the heavens and were bruited in every corner of it. Then there were more falling stars, which was a dominical sign proclaiming the degree of splendour of the Qur’anic revelation and its glittering sovereignty and the degree of its truthfulness, which could be penetrated by no doubt, and was expressed and illustrated by the sentries posted on the distant, towering bastions of the vast heavens raining down missiles to drive off and repulse the devils. The Qur’an of Miraculous Exposition expounds and proclaims that cosmic proclamation, and alludes to those heavenly signs.
Yes, such a tremendous heavenly sign, and the spying satans, who being made to do battle with the angels although they could have been blown away at the puffing of an angel, was surely to show the majesty of the Qur’anic Revelation’s sovereignty. Also, this splendid exposition of the Qur’an and vast heavenly mobilization indicate that there was nowhere the jinns and devils could interfere on the long way from the heart of Muhammad (UWBP) to the world of the heavens and the Sublime Throne, not that the jinns and satans possess some power which drove the inhabitants of the heavens to fight them and defend against them. The Qur’anic Revelation was a truth discussed by all the angels in the heavens; in order, the satans were compelled to rise to the heavens to draw close to it a little, but were not successful and were repulsed. This shows that the Revelation that came to the heart of Muhammad (UWBP), and Gabriel who came to his presence, and the truths of the Unseen which appeared to his gaze, were sound and straight and could be pierced by no doubts. The Qur’an of Miraculous Exposition tells this in miraculous fashion.
As for Paradise being seen from very close despite its great distance and being part of the World of Eternity, and sometimes fruits being plucked from it, this transient world and Manifest Realm is a veil to the World of the Unseen and Everlasting Realm as may be understood from the above two comparisons. Paradise may be seen everywhere by means of the mirror of the World of Similitudes, despite the distance of its supreme centre. So too, where there is belief at the degree of ‘absolute certainty’, Paradise may have sorts of colonies and ministries in this transient world – if there is no mistake in the comparison – and by means of the telephone of the heart, may communicate with elevated spirits, and its gifts may come to them.
As for a universal sphere being preoccupied with particular, personal matters; that is to say, satans rising to the heavens and eavesdropping in order to bring reports of the Unseen to soothsayers, and their bringing false, confused news, as is described in Qur’anic commentaries, it must be as follows: it is not a question of their going as far as the capital of the land of the heavens and gathering particular news; but of there being certain places resembling police outposts – if the metaphor is not mistaken – in the country of the heavens, which encompasses the atmosphere. In these they have relations with the country of the earth. The satans eavesdrop on particular events in those particular places. The human heart even is one such place, where the angel of inspiration and personal devil do battle. Also, however particular the truths of belief and the Qur’an and the events connected with Muhammad (UWBP), they are as though the greatest and most universal and important events and are published at the Sublime Throne and in the sphere of the heavens, the most universal sphere, in – if the comparison is not mistaken – the newspapers of the appointed events of the universe. They are discussed on every corner. Since from the heart of Muhammad (UWBP) to the sphere of the throne there is no way the satans can interfere, they do nothing apart from listening to the heavens. Thus, the verse proclaims and shows most eloquently, indeed, miraculously, how elevated and true are the Qur’anic revelation and prophethood of Muhammad (UWBP), and that it is in no way possible to oppose them or draw close to them with subterfuge or falsehood.
Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed, You are All‑Knowing, All-Wise.
Said Nursi