Direct exposition of spiritual theme is avoided in the holy scriptures of most religions. The glare of the sun is too strong and blinding to the watery eye. If one wishes to have a view of its penumbra, one must use coloured glasses. Direct facts are misleading and confusing to the ordinary man; esoteric writers and speakers have all along clothed realities in may-hued garbs, so that those who have eyes to see may see. Jesus Christ (a.s.) has spoke in parables; he, even said, that pearls should not be thrown before swines. Common people, not realizing the drift of argument, go astray; it requires a certain amount of leavening in one’s temperament to grasp facts.. leavening implies fermentation of feelings to the proper degree, in addition to training of the intellect.
We are dealing here with the Esoteric side of Islam… If Islam is denuded of Esotericism, it become a mere skeleton of formalities which people of a rationalistic turn of mind would accept only a formalities. Unless this skeleton is clothed with flesh and vivified, the real beauty of Islam cannot be appreciated.
The whole drama of human existence is played in the context of God’s kindness and mercy. God desires to make human beings aware of their own nothingness so that they will put aside claims and open themselves up to His gentleness, love, and forgiveness. People should never forget that the fall of Adam from paradise was directed by the divine compassion from behind the scenes.
“O tree, put up your head next to Adam’s throne!”
“O appetite for fruit, enter into Adam’s heart!”
“O accursed one, let loose the reins of your whispering!”
“O Eve, you show the way!”
“O Adam, don’t eat the fruit, have self-restraint”
“O self-restraint, don’t come near Adam!”
Then the question is: O God, God, What is all this?
The answer is: “We want to bring Adam from the throne of indifference to the earth of need. We want to make evident the secret of love.”
“O servant, avoid disobedience and stay away from caprice!
O caprice, you take his reigns!
O world, you display yourself to him
O servant, you show self-restraint
O self-restraint, don’t come near him
O God, O God, what is all this?
We want to make the servant plead with Us. We want to make apparent Our Attribute of forgiveness.
God’s reality is mercy and compassion. The existence that He spreads out in the universe is nothing but mercy for all created things. His mercy and love make the Hidden Treasure manifest so that it might be known. When God’s own servants, created upon His form, come to know the Treasure, they experience it as sheer good and utter joy. God set up the drama so that His creatures may reap the fruit of existence, awareness, and
bliss. Even the angels with their superior knowledge of affairs were not able to see into this mystery.
The angels said, "What, will you place therein one who will wok corruption there, and shed blood?" God did not reply that He was not doing that. He said, I know what you do not know. In other words, “I know that I will forgive them. You know their disobedience, but I know My forgiveness. In your glorification, you make manifest your own activity, but in My forgiveness I make manifest My own bounty and generosity. I know what you do not know, which is my love for them and the purity of their belief in loving Me. Although outwardly their good works are barefoot, inwardly their love for Me is pure. I know what you do not know which is my love for them. No matter what they are, I love them.
No more can I speak. If you truly want to realize the ocean of wisdom of what I just mentioned, I can share to you one beautiful prayer of our beloved Prophet Muhammad “O Lord, show me ‘things’ as
they really are.”
I pray with you all so that The One show us things as they really are. No other prayer you will ever need to seek and realize the truths and the Ultimate Truth (Al-Haqq)
May Allah bless Muhammad and his holy households, and
May Allah send millions of salaams upon him and them.
