This, the First Section, contains nine points.
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise!
My Dear, Loyal Brother and True Friend in the Service of the Qur’an!
This time in your letter you want an answer to an important question which neither my time nor my state of mind permit me to answer.
My brother! Praise be to Allah, this year the numbers of those writing out the treatises have grown considerably. The copies come to me for the second correction and I am busy doing them speedily from morning to evening. Other important jobs remain undone but I consider this duty to be far more important. The heart predominates over the reason in the months of Sha‘ban and Ramadan in particular, and the spirit becomes animated. So I shall postpone this important matter to another time and write to you about it gradually whenever my heart is inspired by Allah the Most High’s mercy. For now I shall explain three points.
First Point
The idea expressed as: “The All‑Wise Qur’an’s mysteries are not known; the Qur’anic commentators have not understood its reality” has two aspects, and there are two groups of people who say it:
The First are the people of truth and the exacting scholars. They say: “The Qur’an is an unending, inexhaustible treasury. Every era both submits to and accepts its established, incontestible matters, and receives its share of its hidden truths as a sort of supplement; it cannot trespass on the shares of other ages which are concealed.”
Yes, that is to say, as time passes the All‑Wise Qur’an’s truths are increasingly disclosed. But not, Allah forbid! so as to cause doubt concerning the self-evident Qur’anic truths that previous generations have expounded. For belief in them is obligatory; they are established, definite, fundamental, and basic.
The verse, A perspicuous Arabic Qur’an states that its meaning is clear. From beginning to end, the divine address revolves around those meanings, corroborating them and making them clear. Not to accept those authoritative meanings suggests, Allah forbid!, denying Allah the Most High and insulting the Messenger’s (UWBP) understanding.
That is to say, those authoritative meanings have been taken successively from the source of Messengership. Ibn Jarir al‑Tabari wrote his great commentary relating all the meanings of the Qur’an through chains of authentic transmission to the source of Messengership.
The Second Group are either foolish friends who cause harm and make matters worse, or they are diabolically cunning enemies who want to oppose the rulings of Islam and truths of belief. They want to find a way into the fortified Suras of the All‑Wise Qur’an, which, in your words, are each like steel strongholds. People like that spread about ideas like the above in order, Allah forbid!, to excite doubts about the truths of belief and the Qur’an.
Second Point
Allah the Most High swears by many things in the Qur’an. The Qur’anic oaths contain numerous mysteries and significant points.
For example, the oath in By the Sun and its [glorious] splendour forms the basis of the splendid comparison in the Eleventh Word; it depicts the universe as a palace and a city.
The oath of Ya. Sin. ❋ By the Qur’an full of wisdom calls attention to the sacredness of the Qur’an’s miraculousness, and indicates that it is so worthy of veneration it can be sworn by.
The oaths in By the star when its goes down, and Furthermore I call to witness the setting of the stars, ❋ And that is indeed a mighty adjuration if you but knew indicate that falling stars are a sign that jinns and devils have been prevented from receiving news from the Unseen so that they cannot cause doubts about revelation. They also point to the vast power and perfect wisdom in the awesomely vast stars being set in their places in perfect order and in the planets being made to revolve in wondrous manner.
With the oaths, By the [winds] that scatter and broadcast; ❋ By the [winds] sent forth, it attracts attention to the angels appointed to the winds, in order to call to mind the significant instances of wisdom in the disposal of the air and its movement in waves. For the elements, which are supposed to be governed by chance, perform important duties for most subtle purposes; and so on. All the oaths and their positions contain different points and different purposes.
For now, since the time is inconvenient, I shall indicate briefly only one fine point out of many in the oath, By the fig and the olive, as follows:
By swearing by the fig and the olive, Allah the Most High calls to mind the immensity of His power and the perfection of His mercy and His extensive bounties, in order to redirect those people who are heading for the lowest of the low, showing that they may progress spiritually, through thanks, reflection, belief, and good works as far as the highest of the high. The reason for specifying the fig and the olive is that as fruits they are most blessed and beneficial, and their creation comprises many notable things and bounties.
For the olive is utilized for illumination and food, and is a basic commodity in social and commercial life. The fig is the same; it displays in its creation a miracle of power by encapsulating in its miniscule seed all the members of the huge fig tree, and is a divine bounty both in its being a food, and its uses, and contrary to other fruits its continuity, and many other advantages. It calls all this to mind with the oath and instructs man to draw lessons from them so as to believe and perform good works, and not to fall to the lowest of the low.
Third Point
The disjointed letters at the start of some Suras are a divine cipher. Allah the Most High makes allusion to matters of the Unseen with them for His special servant. The key to the cipher is with that servant, and with his heirs. The All‑Wise Qur’an addresses all eras and all the groups of mankind. It contains numerous different aspects and meanings that comprise the share of every class in every age. The purest share was that of the righteous first generations of Islam, and they expounded it. The people of sainthood and the verifiers of reality have found in their writings numerous allusions to the matters of the Unseen pertaining to spiritual journeying. We have discussed them to a small extent from the point of view of the miraculousness of the Qur’an’s eloquence in the commentary called Isharat al‑I‘jaz (Signs of Miraculousness), at the start of Sura al‑Baqara; it may be referred to.
Fourth Point
The Twenty‑Fifth Word has proved that a true translation of the All-Wise Qur’an is not possible. Also, the elevated style of its miraculousness cannot be translated. It would be extremely difficult to express and make understood the pleasure and reality arising from the elevated style in the miraculousness of its meanings (mânevî i’caz). However, we shall allude to one or two aspects of it in order to show the way, as follows:
And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colours. ❋ And the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand. ❋ He creates you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness. ❋ Who created the heavens and the earth in six days. ❋ Comes in between a man and his heart. ❋ From whom is not hidden the least little atom. ❋ He merges night into day, and He merges day into night; and He has full knowledge of the secrets of [all] hearts. Through verses like these, with a wondrously elevated style and miraculous comprehensiveness, the Qur’an of Miraculous Exposition depicts the reality of creativity for the imagination, indicating the following:
“With whichever hammer the universe’s builder, who is the Maker of the world, fastened the sun and moon in their places, with the same hammer and at the same instant He fixes atoms in their places, for example in the pupils of living creatures’ eyes. And with whichever measure, whichever immaterial instrument, He arranged the heavens and unfolded them, at the same instant and with the same arrangement, He opens up the eye removing its veils; He makes it, orders it, and situates it. And with whichever immaterial hammer of His power, the All‑Glorious Maker fastens the stars to the skies, with that same hammer He fastens man’s innumerable distinguishing marks on his countenance and his external and inner senses in their places.”
That is to say, in order to show His works to both the eye and the ear while He is at work, the All‑Glorious Maker strikes a hammer on an atom with the verses of the Qur’an, and with another word of the same verse strikes the hammer on the sun; with an elevated style as though striking it right in the centre, He demonstrates His unity within His oneness, and His infinite glory within His infinite beauty, and His infinite tremendousness within His infinite concealedness, and His infinite breadth within His infinite precision, and His infinite majesty within His infinite mercy, and His infinite distance within His infinite proximity. The Qur’an expresses the ultimate degree of the combining of opposites, which is considered to be impossible, in a way that is necessary; it proves this and demonstrates it.
Thus, it is this sort of exposition and style that causes the most wondrous literary genius to prostrate before its eloquence.
And for example, through the verse, And among His signs is this, that heaven and earth stand by His command; then when He calls you, by a single call, from the earth, behold, you [straight away] come forth, Allah the Most High shows the magnificence of the sovereignty of His dominicality in the following elevated manner:
At a single command or a signal like a bugle, the beings in the heavens and earth, which are like two obedient barracks or two orderly army headquarters, will spring up with alacrity and perfect obedience from their sleep in the veils of transience and non‑existence. Declaring: “At your service!”, they will assemble on the field of the resurrection and last judgement.
With what miraculous and elevated style it describes the resurrection of the dead and Great Gathering! It points to the following convincing proof contained in its assertion:
Observedly, seeds concealed as though dead in the darkness of the earth and drops of water hidden and dispersed, non‑existent, in the atmosphere are raised to life swiftly and with perfect order every spring. They emerge onto the field of trial and examination, perpetual examples of resurrection. At the supreme resurrection, beings will emerge with same ease. Since you observe the one here, you cannot deny the other. And so on. You can compare the degree of eloquence in other verses with this one.
Would it be possible to do a true translation of this sort of verse? Surely it would not! At best it would be an abbreviated meaning, or an interpretation, with five or six lines for each phrase.
Fifth Point
For example, “All praise be to Allah” (al‑hamdulillah) is a Qur’anic phrase. Its briefest meaning, required by the rules of grammar and rhetoric, is this: Each individual instance of all the sorts of praise that has been offered by whatever to whatever since pre‑eternity and will be offered to post-eternity is particular to and due to the Necessarily Existent One alone, who is named Allah.
It is as follows: “Each individual instance of all the sorts of praise” is the consequence of the definite article “al” in “al‑hamd.” As for the qualification of “that has been offered by whatever,” since “praise” (hamd) is the verbal noun and the active participle has been omitted, it expresses generality in that sense. By omitting the passive participle it again expresses universality and generality, and therefore expresses the qualification “to whatever.” As for the qualification of “from pre‑eternity to post-eternity,” it expresses this meaning because the rule of transposing from a verbal clause to a noun clause indicates continuity. The prepositional “lām” in “li’llāh” [to Allah], expresses the meaning of sole possession and worthiness. As for the qualification of “the Necessarily Existent One, who is named Allah,” since necessary existence is the necessary requisite of the Godhead and a term signifying the All-Glorious Essence; comprising all the divine names and attributes and being the greatest name, the name of “Allah” necessarily indicates both the necessary existence and the title of “Necessarily Existent One.”
If the shortest apparent meaning of the phrase “All praise be to Allah” on which all the scholars of Arabic are agreed is thus, how could it be translated into another language with the same miraculousness and power?
Furthermore, among all the languages of the world, there is only one that can compare with Arabic in being the language of grammar, and that can never achieve the comprehensiveness of Arabic. Is it possible for translations into other composite and inflectional languages by people whose understanding is partial, comprehension short, ideas confused, and hearts dark, to take the place of the sacred words of the Qur’an, which have emerged in miraculous fashion in that comprehensive and wondrous grammatical language through an all‑encompassing knowledge that knows all its aspects at once and wills them.
I can even say, and perhaps prove, that all the Qur’an’s words are like treasuries of truths, with sometimes a single letter teaching a page of truths.
Sixth Point
I shall recount a luminous experience and true vision I had for the purpose of elucidating the above. It was as follows:
One time, I was pondering over the use of the first person plural in the verse You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help, and my heart was seeking the reason for the first person singular being transposed into the first person plural of “we worship”(na‘budu). Suddenly from that “Nūn” the mystery and virtues of performing the prayers in congregation were unfolded to me. I saw that:
My participating in the congregation in Bayezid Mosque, where I was performing the prayer, made each member of the congregation a sort of intercessor for me who testified to and affirmed each of the statements I pronounced while reciting the prayers. In the midst of the great, multiple worship of the congregation, I felt the courage to offer my deficient worship to the divine court.
Then a further veil was lifted. That is, all the mosques of Istanbul were added. The city became like Beyazid Mosque. Suddenly I felt as though I were receiving their prayers and affirmation.
Then within that, I saw myself in the mosque of the face of the earth, in the circular rows around the Ka‘ba. I declared: All praise be to Allah, the Sustainer of All the Worlds! I have intercessors to this great number; they are all reciting exactly the same words as I am saying, confirming me.” As this veil was raised by my imagination, the Noble Ka‘ba appeared to be the mihrab. Seizing the opportunity, I called on the ranks of the congregation to testify and entrusted to the Black Stone the interpreter of faith, that is, I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. While pronouncing this, a further situation was laid open before me: I saw that the congregation of which I was a part was divided into three circles:
The First Circle was the vast congregation of believers and those who affirm divine unity on the face of the earth.
The Second Circle: I looked and saw that I was part of a congregation consisting of all beings, all of which, performing prayers and glorification, were occupied with the benedictions and glorification particular to its group and species. Their worship consists of the activities we observe, called “the functions of things.” Declaring: “Allah is Most Great!” before this, I bowed my head in wonderment, and looked at myself:
Within A Third Circle I saw an astonishing microcosm which was apparently and qualitatively small, but in reality, number, and duties, great. This, from the particles of my being to my external senses was a congregation in which every group was preoccupied with duties of worship and thanks. In this circle, the dominical inner faculty in my heart was declaring: You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help in the name of the congregation. Just as in the two former congregations my tongue had said it, having formed the intention to say it in their names.
In Short: The “Nūn” of “na‘budu” indicates these three congregations. While pondering over this, the collective personality of Allah the Most High’s Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), the Interpreter and Herald of the All‑Wise Qur’an, was suddenly embodied in all its majesty in his immaterial pulpit in Medina. Like everyone, I as though heard his address of O you people! Worship your Sustainer, and everyone in those three congregations responded like me, saying, You alone do we worship. In accordance with the rule, If something is established, it is established together with the things that necessitate it, the following truth was imparted to my mind:
Taking mankind as His addressee, the Sustainer of All the Worlds speaks with all beings, and His Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) conveys that lofty address to mankind, indeed, to all beings with spirits and consciousness. All the past and the future have become like the present; the address is being delivered to mankind, all of which is in a single gathering, in the form of a congregation the rows of which all differ.
I then saw that each Qur’anic verse possesses an elevated power, eloquence, and beauty which it had received from the grandeur and compass of its station, its extremely numerous, various, and significant addressees, from the Pre‑Eternal Speaker, the One of infinite glory and grandeur, and from its exalted Interpreter, who is at the rank of Allah the Most High’s beloved; I saw each verse bathed in a brilliant, truly brilliant, light of miraculousness.
Then, not the whole Qur’an, or a Sura, or a verse, but all its words seemed to be miracles. “All praise be to Allah for the light of belief and the Qur’an,” I declared.
I emerged from my imagining, which was pure reality, the same as I had entered the “Nūn” of “na‘budu”, and I understood that not only the Qur’an’s verses and words, but some of its letters, like the “Nūn” of “na‘budu”, are luminous keys to important truths.
After my heart and imagination had emerged from the “Nūn” of “na‘budu”, my mind came forward and said: I want my share too. I cannot fly like you; my feet are evidences and proofs. The way leading to the Creator, the Worshipped One and One from whom help is sought, has to be pointed out in the same na‘budu and nasta‘īn (“You alone do we worship and from You alone /do we seek help"), so that I can accompany you.
It then occurred to my heart to say the following to my bewildered mind:
Consider all the beings in the universe; whether living or inanimate, in perfect order and obedience they all have their worship which is in the form of duties. Although some of them lack feelings and intelligence, they perform their duties in conscious, orderly, and worshipful fashion. This means there is a True Object of Worship, an Absolute Commander, who impels them to worship and employs them.
Now consider too the beings and particularly the living ones; while each has extremely numerous and various needs, which have to be met for its continued existence, its hands cannot reach the smallest of them; its power is insufficient. Yet they all receive their innumerable needs regularly, from unexpected places, at the appropriate time; this is clearly to be seen.
Thus, these boundless needs and this boundless want of beings and that extraordinary assistance from the Unseen and merciful succour self‑evidently demonstrate that the beings have a Protector and Provider who possesses absolute riches, is Absolutely Generous and Absolutely Powerful; it is from Him that everything and all living beings seek help and await succour, in effect saying: From You alone do we seek help.
So then my mind declared: “We believe in this and assent to it!”
Seventh Point
Then, when I said: Guide us to the Straight Path, ❋ The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your bounty, I saw among the convoys of mankind that were travelling towards the past, was the luminous, radiant caravan of the prophets, the veracious ones, the martyrs, the saints, and the righteous. They were scattering the darkness of the future and travelling the road to post‑eternity on a straight way, a direct highway. The phrase was showing me the way to join the caravan, indeed, it was joining me to it.
Suddenly I exclaimed: “Glory be to Allah!” Anyone with an iota of intelligence must know what a loss it is not to join that long, light‑scattering caravan which is illuminating the future and travelling in perfect safety. Where can one who deviates from it by creating innovations find a light; which road can he take?”
Our guide, Allah the Most High’s Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) decreed: All innovations are misguidance, and all misguidance is in Hell‑fire. What advantage do those wretches worthy of the epithet “corrupt religious scholars” find in the face of this certain statement? What fatwa do they issue so that unnecessarily and harmfully they oppose the clear matters of the marks of Islam (şeâir‑i İslâmiye), and deem it possible to change them? It must be that a temporary awakening caused by a fleeting manifestation of meaning deceived those corrupt scholars.
For example, if an animal or fruit is stripped of its skin, it briefly appears to be fresh, but quickly the delicate flesh and delicious fruit go black and rot, with their skins now estranged, withered, thick, and extraneous.
In exactly the same way, the prophetic and divine phrases of the marks of Islam are like a living, meritorious skin. On being stripped away, the luminosity of the meanings is temporarily naked and somewhat visible. But like a fruit that has been peeled of its skin, the spirit of those blessed meanings flies away leaving behind the human skin in darkened hearts and minds. The light flies away; just the smoke lingers. However…
Eighth Point
A principle concerning reality needs to be explained, which is related to this. It is as follows:
Just as there are two sort of rights, personal rights and general rights, which are held to be Allah the Most High’s rights of a sort; so too among the matters of the Shari‘a, some concern individual persons and others, with regard to generality, concern the public. These latter are called “the marks of Islam.” These marks concern everyone and everyone participates in them. To interfere in them without the consent of the public is an infringement of the public’s rights.
The most minor of those marks (one which has the status of Sunna) is equal in importance to the greatest matter. They concern the whole world of Islam directly. Those who are trying to break the luminous chain to which all the great figures of Islam since the Era of the Prophet till now have been bound, and to destroy it and corrupt it, and those who assist them, should dwell on what a ghastly error they are making. If they possess the smallest grain of intelligence, they should tremble!
Ninth Point
Some matters of the Shari‘a, concerning worship, are not linked to rational thinking; they are performed because they are commanded. The reason for them is the command.
There are others, the reason for which can be understood rationally. That is, they comprise some wisdom or benefit due to which they have been incorporated into the Shari‘a. But that is not the true reason or cause; the true reason is divine command or prohibition.
Instances of wisdom or benefits cannot change the marks of Islam related to worship; the aspect of them related to worship preponderates and they may not be touched. They may not be changed, even for a thousand benefits. Similarly, it is not right to claim that the uses of the marks of Islam are limited to their well‑known purposes. It is a false idea. Such purposes are only one out of many.
For instance, someone may say: “The wisdom in and purpose of the call to prayer is to summon Muslims to prayer; in which case, it would be enough just to fire a rifle.” However, the foolish person does not know that the summons is only one purpose out of the thousands. Even if the sound of a rifle shot serves the purpose, how, in the name of mankind, or in the name of the people of the town, can it substitute the call to prayer, which is a means of proclaiming worship before divine dominicality and heralding divine unity, the supreme results of the creation of the universe and of mankind?
In Short: Hell is not unnecessary; there are many things which cry out “Long live Hell!” with all their strength. Paradise is not cheap, either; it demands a high price.
Not equal are the Companions of the Fire and the Companions of the Garden; it is the Companions of the Garden who will achieve felicity… (To the end of the verse.)