The Unseen Worlds

[M.H.Mubarak]

786

May the Peace of Allhu Subhanna wa ta'ala shine Upon Us All!

I enjoy the sense of calm on this board.

In another thread on the General Board regarding sufism, someone raised the question of whether the Kabbalah was to Judism what sufism is to Islam. The answer is yes.


The kabbalah is to Judism the same as sufism is to the body of Islamic Knowledge. The Unseen realities of our universe is the "Esoteric" body of Knowledge. ie. The state of "Dhat" is the equivalent ot the state of "Equipoise". On the lower scale the Divit is perhaps the equivalent of the Jinn. The geometric object of two intersecting equilateral trianges represent the saying: "As Above, so Below" meaning that our reality is a reflection of the Higher Reality...In as much as it stems from Hadrat Daud (peace be upon him) it has become known as the "Star of David".

Every human society forms its own codification of the esoteric body of knowlege, not because they "invented" it, but because is a part of the human condition that every human needs to function in "real-time" (The Chinese talk of the "Superior Man". The Native Americans, "The Complete Human Being") However, the bulk of society has a fear of things "unknown" and things "unseen", some persist in denying the validity of "esoteric knowlege" But it has by necessity, become something that needs to be understood by at least some segment of each society. The rules of Halal and Haram are the same. What is good of it originates with our Creator. What is evil of it has been the corruption by The Prince of Darkness(Iblis)(Shaitan)(the devil) or whatever name you whish to use.

The Blessed Prophet Muhammad would sit and talk with his closest Companions about the Absolute Reality of Allahu ta'ala. There is one Hadith where someone asked one of those companions what was being discussed, and he said most of it was above his head. ( my apologies, I don't have that Hadith at my fingertips) But the point is, the esoteric knowlege is not something which is foriegn to "Isalm". Those "Muslims" who deny the body of esoteric knowledge are in danger of denying Quran, which is replete with more than it's share of things unknown to our feeble minds. So for any Muslim to deny this knowledge as something which is Bida, is ludicrous. They have no clue of their own reality. For them to talk of "Fana-ul-Sheikh" as if they had knowlege of it, is ludicrous. Forgive me, I begin to digress.

Too often, we are too quick to form judgements based on exterior criteria. More often than not we come to the wrong conclusions. We must learn to activate the Language of the Heart that abides within us all. It was put there by our Creator that haply we would use it to build the Brotherhood/Sisterhood
of Mankind.

[Hierophant]

Well thankyou very much for responding to my query in the other forum. I see that not only is there a parrallelism in philosophy between the kaballah and sufism, but there is also striking similiarities between how muslims view sufism and how jews view kaballah and how christians view cabbalah.

To me, however, enlightenment is enlightenment. I guess I see it as my responsibility, my duty to God.

thanks again for the response.

[M.H.Mubarak]

Enlightenment is a vast Ocean. Not all visitors there are exposed to the same thing, or being exposed to the same thing, color their accounts of that experience with their individual understanding.

The Blessed Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on the Night of Miraj, had his body heart and soul purified of all sin and corruption, and in that state, he was taken by the Arch Angel Gabriel through all the "Heavens" to a point where even Gabriel could not tread without being cosummed. No created creature in all time ventured beyond the Lote Tree. But Allahu ta'ala invited His Beloved Prophet to come within a "bow's length" of His Eternal Presence and taught him things revealed to no other prophet.

This one Blessed Event differentiates the Rasul Allah(pbuh) from all the other Prophets (peace be upon them all) It is the root of all the Five Pillars of Islam.

[Hierophant]

Where does the naration of this story come from? and what is the Lote tree?

[M.H.Mubarak]

The sourses for this story are both the Quran and Hadith.I have to go to work shortly, but I will get back to you at a later time.

[Hierophant]

I appreciate that, and will be patient :) In the mean time I will gladly do some research into this myself.

[M.H.Mubarak]

Here is one Hadith, which gives you part of the account. I'm still searching for the other referrences.

Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: I was brought Al-Buraq which is an animal white and long, bigger than a donkey but smaller than a mule who would place his hoof at a distance equal to the range of vision. I mounted it and came to Jerusalem (Bait Al-Maqdis), then tethered it to the ring used by the prophets. I entered the mosque and prayed two rak'ahs in it, and then came out and Gabriel brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel of milk. I chose the milk, and Gabriel said: You have chosen the thing of natural disposition. Then he took me to heaven. Gabriel then asked the gate of heaven to be opened and he was asked who he was. He replied: Gabriel. He was again asked: Who is with you? He (Gabriel) said: Muhammad. It was asked: Has he been revealed to? Gabriel replied: He has indeed been revealed to. And the door of the heaven was opened for us, and there! we saw Adam. He welcomed me and prayed for my good. Then we ascended to the second heaven. Gabriel (peace be upon him) asked the gate of the heaven to be opened, and he was asked who he was. He answered: Gabriel. He was again asked: Who is with you? He replied: Muhammad. It was asked: Has he been revealed to? He replied: He has indeed been revealed to. The gate was opened. When I entered Jesus, son of Mary, and John the Baptist son of Zachariah (peace be upon both of them), cousins from the maternal kinship, welcomed me and prayed for my good. Then I was taken to the third heaven and Gabriel asked for the opening of the door. He was asked: who are you? He replied: Gabriel. He was (again) asked: Who is with you? He replied: Muhammad (may peace be upon him). It was asked: Has he been revealed to? He replied: He has indeed been revealed to. The gate was opened for us and I saw Joseph (peace of Allah be upon him) who had been given half of (world) beauty. He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being. Then he ascended with us to the fourth heaven. Gabriel (peace be upon him) asked for the gate to be opened, and it was asked: Who are you? He replied: Gabriel. It was (again) asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad. It was asked: Has he been revealed to? He replied: He has indeed been revealed to. The gate was opened for us, and lo! Enoch was there. He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being. (About him) Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, has said: And We raised him to a high station Then he ascended with us to the fifth heaven and Gabriel asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked: Who are you? He replied: Gabriel. It was (again) asked: Who is with you? He replied: Muhammad. It was asked: Has he been revealed to? He replied: He has indeed been revealed to. The gate was opened for us and then I was with Aaron (peace of Allah be upon him). He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being. Then I was taken to the sixth heaven. Gabriel (peace be upon him) asked for the door to be opened. It was asked: Who are you? He replied: Gabriel. It was asked: Who is with you? He replied: Muhammad. It was asked: Has he been revealed to? He replied: He has indeed been revealed to. The gate was opened for us and there I was with Moses (peace be upon him). He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being. Then I was taken up to the seventh heaven. Gabriel asked the gate to be opened. It was asked: Who are you? He said: Gabriel. It was asked: Who is with you? He replied: Muhammad (may peace be upon him). It was asked: Has he been revealed to? He replied: He has indeed been revealed to. The gate was opened for us and there I found Abraham (peace be upon him) reclining against Al-Bait Al-Ma'mur and there enter into it seventy thousand angels every day, never to visit (this place) again. Then I was taken to Sidrat Al-Muntaha whose leaves were like elephant ears and its fruit, like big earthenware vessels. And when it was given a cover by the Command of Allah, it underwent such a change that none among the creation has the power to praise its beauty. Then Allah revealed to me a revelation and He made obligatory for me fifty Prayers every day and night. Then I went down to Moses (peace be upon him) and he asked: What has your Lord enjoined upon your Ummah? I said: Fifty Prayers. He asked: Return to your Lord and beg for reduction (in the number of Prayers), for your community will not be able to bear this burden. As I have put to test the Children of Israel and tried them (and found them too weak to bear such a heavy burden). He (the Holy Prophet) said: I went back to my Lord and said: My Lord, make duty lighter for my Ummah. (The Lord) reduced five Prayers for me. I went down to Moses and said: (The Lord) reduced five (Prayers) for me. He said: Verily your Ummah will not be able to bear this burden; return to your Lord and ask Him to make things lighter. I then kept going back and forth between my Lord, Blessed and Exalted, and Moses, till He said: There are five Prayers every day and night. O Muhammad, each being credited as ten, so that makes fifty Prayers. He who intends to do a good deed and does not do it will have a good deed recorded for him; and if he does it, it will be recorded for him as ten; whereas he who intends to do an evil deed and does not do, it will not be recorded for him; and if he
does it, only one evil deed will be recorded. I then came down and when I came to Moses and informed him, he said: Go back to your Lord and ask Him to make duty lighter. Upon this Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) remarked: I returned to my Lord until I felt abashed before Him.


Also, from Quran Isra' 17:1
1. Glory to ((Allah)) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things).

However, there are other Quranic Ayats which also refer to the Night Journey, and other Hadith as well. As I find them, I will sharethem with you.

[M.H.Mubarak]

Surah 53. The Star
1. By the Star when it goes down,-

2. Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled.

3. Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire.

4. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him:

5. He was taught by one Mighty in Power,

6. Endued with Wisdom: for he appeared (in stately form);

7. While he was in the highest part of the horizon:

8. Then he approached and came closer,

9. And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer;

10. So did ((Allah)) convey the inspiration to His Servant- (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey.

11. The (Prophet's) (mind and) heart in no way falsified that which he saw.

12. Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw?

13. For indeed he saw him at a second descent,

14. Near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass:

15. Near it is the Garden of Abode.

16. Behold, the Lote-tree was shrouded (in mystery unspeakable!)

17. (His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong!

18. For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest!