SIR MAZHAR

[swamidada786]

In one sat sungh gathering Sir Mazhar delivered following lecture on spirituality of Prophet Adam.

Before creation of Adam, according to Quran Allah said to angels," And when I perfect him and breathe into him My Spirit, then fall down before him prostrating. فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُۥ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى فَقَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ سَـٰجِدِينَ. 38/72 . By the creation of Adam which is mentioned in the above verse, is not meant his physical creation, but rather his spiritual perfection. When Adam made spiritual progress and had perfect perfection then he attained the Holy Spirit. In a Hadith Qudsi (Sacred Hadith) Allah said," I kneaded the clay of Adam's creation with My both hands every morning for forty days. There are few instances given in the Bible referring to clay. In Job 33:6 it states: "I also am formed out of the clay".
Another passage that refers to clay is found in Isaiah 64:8: But now, "0 Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand."
In Quran Allah has mentioned about His both hands. Allah asked, “O Iblis! What prevented you from prostrating to what I created with My both Hands? (38/75). Why Allah took 40 days of hard labor to made staute of Adam? Allah has unlimited number of angels, He should have ordered angels to make statue of Adam, or Allah should have said 'KUN FAYAKUN'? Obviously that by this creation of Adam is meant his spiritual creation which was the result of his constant worship during the night and early morning, in which two hands of Allah that is Universal Intellect and Universal Soul were working for his spiritual creation. The spiritual clay of Adam was kneaded for 40 days and nights. The importance of number 40 can be understood by the example of Prophet Moses (Musa Nabi). Prophet Moses went to Mount Sinai for 40 nights to do I'tikaf (constant worship) (2/51). According to Ismaili ta'weel, clay stands for Imaan. When Adam perfected in Imaan and worship, Allah made him His Vicegerant on earth. Firstly angels resisted and objected to the succession of Adam to the lofty and exalted office of Vicegerant. According to Quran; Remember when your Lord said to the angels, “I am going to place a successive human authority on earth.” They asked Allah, “Will You place in it someone who will spread corruption there and shed blood while we glorify Your praises and proclaim Your holiness?” Allah responded, “I know what you do not know.” (2/31)
Here question arises, Why angels resisted creation of Adam? What bad experience they had with previous creation which made them to request Allah, that the new creation will indulge in corruption and shed blood?
This statement of angels prove that there had been the Adam like creation on planet earth. Sufis claim that there had been thousands of Adams created before this final Adam.
Pir Sadruddin has said in Ginan," ASHTTA CRORE BRAHAMA AAGEY TE UPAYA" means God created 80 million Prophets before creation of last Adam (these prophets represented different forms of creation which God knows).
In early Islam, a common belief held that mankind is actually the successor of other intelligent creatures such as jinn and hinn. Medieval Muslim traditions referred to the jinn as pre Adamites, depicted as human like in various ways. Although the notion of Jinn as pre-Adamites was generally accepted, the idea that other humans lived before the known Adam was controversial. From the mid-ninth century onward the idea appeared that God created several Adams, each of whom presides over an era lasting around 50,000 years. This concept was regarded as heretical, but was widely accepted by some Sufis.

The breathing of Divine Spirit into Adam is related to Ta'weel. Before receiving the Holy Spirit, contrary to the exoteric aspect of traditions, Prophet Adam was not a life less statue of dust and clay, but rather he was a chosen and fully alive human being. His heart and mind were full of Divine knowledge through the spiritual guidance of Mowlana Hunayd, the then perfect man of that time. Mowlana hunayd taught Adam wisdom and spiritual knowledge. A title of Mowla Ali is ABU TURAB means father of clay.

(It is not necessary that every one should accept thinking of Sir Mazhar.You have right to contradict or discard it)

[swamidada786]

DIVINE GRACE HAS GIVEN MAN IN HIS OWN HEART THE POSSIBILITIES OF ILLUMINATION AND OF UNION WITH REALITY.(IMAM SULTAN MUHAMMAD SHAH)

MON NE MI GUYAM ANAL HUQQ YAAR MI GUYAD BIGU
MON NA MI GUYAM MRA DILDAAR MI GUYAD BIGU
I SAID NOT ANAL HUQQ IT IS MY FRIEND IN ME WHO SAID SO
I SAID NOT BUT MY BELOVED IN ME SAID SO
MOWLANA RUMI

Lately I found an article on Al Hallaj in his writing. Sir Mazhar was a fan of Hallaj. He was impressed by philosophy of Al Hallaj. Indeed he delivered a waiz on Hallaj's 'ANAL HUQQ' philosophy in Garden JK which was highly appreciated. The papers which I found lately, he wrote, Al-Hallaj is one of the most influential Sufi writers and an important figure in Islamic history.
The situation in which Al-Hallaj taught and wrote was shaped by social, economic, political, and religious stress, which eventually led to his arrest. Sufism was new at the time, and it had provoked extensive opposition from the Muslim orthodoxy. Sufi masters considered his sharing the beauty of mystical experience with the masses undisciplined at best, disobedient at worst. He was an outspoken moral-political reformist. Before long political leaders began making a case against him.

He used to become so enraptured in ecstasy by the presence of the Divine that he was prone to a loss of personal identity, During his arrest he experienced one of these breaks and uttered: "Anal Huqq," or "I am the Truth" (or God). The statement was highly inappropriate in Islam, Those three little words would mark the beginning of the end for Al-Hallaj. Still, his trial was lengthy and marked with uncertainty. Sir Mazhar was of opinion that Hallaj did said 'Anal Huqq' but he NEVER uttered 'Ana Allah'. Generally HUQQ means TRUTH, SATYA;

HUQQ SU(N) HAQIQAT YARA JINI RE KAMAAI
TIN DIL BHITAR HUI ROSHNAI.. SO ALLAH GUN(N) TERA...
In Ismaili Tariqa Huqq can be achieved through Wasilah and that Wasilah is Murtaza Ali, as Hazar Imam said, " through Noor of Ali, through Noor of Imamat you will come close to HE WHO is above all else".

Hallaj spent 11 years in confinement in Baghdad, and was finally brutally tortured and crucified. There were many witnesses that stated that al-Hallaj was strangely serene while being tortured, and sincerely forgave his persecutors. On order of Abbasid caliph Muqtadar Billah Al Hallaj was crucified brutally. When he was taken to gallows some one on way asked Hallaj "ISHQ CHEEST" What is love? He replied;

IMROZ BEENI, WA FARDA BEENI, WA PUSS FARDA BEENI
YA'ANI IMROZ BIKUSHAND, DUWUUM JISM BI SUZANAND
WA SUWUUM KHAKISTER JISM BARBAAD DHAHAND
Meaning: you will see today, will see tomorrow, and will see day after tomorrow.
Today they will kill me, tomorrow will burn my body and day after tomorrow will disperse my ashes.

Before beheaded he said,"Mairaaj e mardaan ishq ast", mairaaj of braves is ishq.
After Hallaj’s beheading, his body, which was still seen to writhe, was wrapped in a naphtha-soaked mat and burnt, while the head was sent to a cupboard in the Caliph’s palace which was used for storing severed heads.

Among other Sufis, Al-Hallaj was an anomaly. Many Sufi masters felt that it was inappropriate to share mysticism with the masses, yet Al-Hallaj openly did so in his writings and through his teachings. This was exacerbated by occasions when he would fall into trances which he attributed to being in the presence of God.

Hallaj was also accused of ḥulūl "incarnationism", the basis of which charge seems to be a disputed verse in which the author proclaims mystical union in terms of two spirits in one body. This position was criticized for not affirming union and unity strongly enough; there are two spirits left where as the Sufi fana' texts speak of utter annihilation and annihilation in annihilation (the annihilation of the consciousness of annihilation). Hallaj said;
I am the One whom I love,
and the One whom I love is myself.
We are two souls incarnated in one body;
if you see me, you see Him,
if you see Him, you see us.

Rumi said:
NEY NEY KE HUMHI BUUD MI GUFT ANAL HUQQ
MANSOOR NA AA(N) BUUD KE BUR DAAR BAR AAMAD
Meaning: NO no that was not Mansoor who said Anal Huqq, but it was He Himself (God) who declared Anal Huq and was hanged.

Famous Sindhi mystical poet Sachal Sarmast said:
AA(N) KHUDA UU RA AMANAT E ISHQ DAAD
DAR NAHADESH SIR E ASRAAR NIHAAD
Meaning: God gave love in trust to man, and put all lover's secrets in man.

HAST AA(N) AADAM KUJA AALAM KUJA
AA(N) KHUDA MOUJUD BASHED JA BAJA
Meaning: When God is present in all, and evey where , then where is man? where is universe?

After Al Hallaj it was Sachal Sarmast who declared Anal Huqq, he said:

MI ZANAM NA'IRA E ANAL HUQQ ASHIKAAR
UNDDER EE(N) ZAMMAAN MANSOOR VAAR
NAUBAT E AA(N) BADSHAHI MI ZANAM
SHAHARYARAM SHAHARYARAM SHAHARYAR

I declare openly Anal Huqq like mansoor in this world in real time.
I acquired the spiritual kingdom. I am Shah, I am Shah of this (spiritual) Kingdom.

Shabaaz Qalander of Sehwan in Sindh said:
MONAM USMAAN MARWANDI KE YAAR E KHWAJA MANSOORUM
MULLAMAT MI KUNAD KHALQ E KE MON BAR DAAR MI RAQSUM
Meaning: I Usmaan Marwandi is friend of Khwaja Mansoor, though I am condemned by public (I don't care) I am moving to gallows dancing.

Shabaaz Qalander also said;
SARWAR HER KE MURTAZA BASHID
PIR WA DIN MURTAZA BASHID
BI SHAK UU SHAKHS AULIYA BASHID
WIRD UU NAAM E MURTAZA BASHID
HYDERI UM QALAMDAR UM MASTUM
BANDA E MURTAZA ALI HASTUM (FARSI )

Translation;
Every one's chief is Murtaza
Pir and Din is Murtaza
Indeed that person is saint
Who recites name of Murtaza Ali
I am Hyderi, I am Qalander, I am Mast ( intoxicated )
I am banda (slave) of Murtaza Ali

Many sufis and western scholars have praised Al Hallaj, like Shaikh Farid al- Din Attaar in Tazkaratul auliyaa, Datta gunj Bukhsh in Kashful Ma'juub, Mowlana Rumi in Mathnavi, Shah Latif in Risalo, Louis Massignon in 'The Passion of Al Hallaj' and so on.

His death is described by Farid al-Din Attar as a heroic act. When his legs were cut off, he smiled and said, "I used to walk the earth with these legs, now there's only one step to heaven, And when his hands were cut off he paints his face with his own blood, when asked why, he said: "I have lost a lot of blood, and I know my face has turned yellow, I don't
want to look pale-faced (as of fear)...”.
Before put to death Hallaj said;

Now stands no more between Huqq and me
Or reasoned demonstration,
Or proof of rvelation,
Now brightly blazing full, Truth's lumination
Each flickering, lesser light.

Hallaj says about God:
“Before” does not outstrip Him,
“after” does not interrupt Him
“of” does not vie with Him for precedence
“from” does not accord with Him
“to” does not join with Him
“in” does not inhabit Him
“when” does not stop Him
“if” does not consult with Him
“over” does not overshadow
Him “under” does not support Him
“opposite” does not face Him
“with” does not press Him
“behind” does not limit Him
“previous” does not display Him
“after” does not cause Him to pass away
“all” does not unite Him
“is” does not bring Him into being
“is not” does not deprive Him from Being.
Concealment does not veil Him
His pre-existence preceded time,
His being preceded non-being,
His eternity preceded limit.
If thou sayest ‘when’,
His existing has outstripped time;
If thou sayest ‘before’, before is after Him;
If thou sayest ‘he’, ‘h’ and ‘e’ are His creation;
If thou sayest ‘how’, His essence is veiled from description;
If thou sayest ‘where’, His being preceded space;
If thou sayest ‘ipseity’ (ma huwa),
His ipseity (huwiwah) is apart from things.
Other than He cannot
be qualified by two (opposite) qualities at
one time; yet With Him they do not create opposition.
He is hidden in His manifestation,
manifest in His concealing.
He is outward and inward,
near and far; and in this respect He is
removed beyond the resemblance of creation.
He acts without contact,
instructs without meeting,
guides without pointing.
Desires do not conflict with Him,
thoughts do not mingle with Him:
His essence is without qualification (takyeef),
His action without effort (takleef).

Hallaj wrote;
I saw my Lord with the eye of the heart
I asked, 'Who are You?'
He replied, 'You'. He, may Allah
Ibrahim Al-fatik wrote;
Hallaj spoke about the Holy Qur'an saying: "In it there are signs of Divine Lordship (rubbubiyya), tidings of the Resurrection, and news about the future until the Eternity of Eternities. Whoever knows the Qur'an, for him it is as though he were in the Resurrection." For he, may Allah be pleased with him, believed that only the Saints are destined to reach the Secret of Lordship (as-sirr ar-rubbubiyya).

He said, "He who looks for Allah by the light of faith is like he who seeks the sun by the light of the stars." At the same time, he acknowledged faith as the foundation for all calling upon Allah, which should be followed by seeking His Face, as he said, "No one can lay claim to Allah in any way except through faith, but in reality there can be no claim to having attained Him." For He, Praised and Exalted is He, has said: "Call upon Allah, or call upon the Merciful, which so ever you call upon, to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names." (17:110)

Mowlana Rumi has said in mathnavi;

BAYA DAR WADI E AIMAN TU NAGAH
DARAKHTE GAWIDAT INNI ANA ALLAH
Meaning; Come to blessed valley and you will find tree saying indeed I am Allah.

Mahmud Shabistri has given good logic about Anal Huqq, he wrote;

RAWA BASHED ANAL HUQQ AZ DARAKHTI
CHIRA NA BUWAD RAWA AZ NEEK BAKHTI
Meaning; If a tree can say Anal Huqq, why a man who is Ashraful Makhliqaat can not utter Anal Huqq.
(In valley of tuwa Moses was looking for burning light for his family as it was a cold night, at some distance he saw s burning tree, but that was strange light coming out of tree. Moses was scared, the voice came from tree 'Moses don't be afraid I am Lord of universe').

Rumi said;
GUFT FIROUNI ANAL HUQQ GHASHT PASST
GUFT MANSOORI ANAL HUQQ WA BARASST
Meaning; When Firoun said Anal Huqq was doomed but when mansoor said Anal Huqq was elevated (to union with Allah).

Pir Sadruddin in BHUJ NIRINJIN said;
JUB TAWHID E ILLAHI AAWEY
AIN GAIN TUB UTHH KAR JAAWEY
ANAL HUQQ WOH UTT HI BAKHEY
JUB LIZZAT MANSOOR KI CHAKHAY
(PART 22 Bhuj Nirinjin)

Hallaj inhis poetry said;
Kill me, my faithful friends,
For in my being killed is my life.

Love is that you remain standing
In front of your Beloved
When you are stripped of all your attributes;
Then His attributes become your qualities.

Between me and You, there is only me.
Take away the me, so only You remain.

[swamidada786]

3 times or 5?
In YARK class Sir delivered the following lecture.

He started saying I wished Prophet Muhahammad should have settled few burning issues before his demise which till today are bothering Muslim Ummah, and because of these issues Muslims are divided, hundreds of sects popped up with different philosophies and started killing each other. He mentioned main problematic issues. In his opinion;

Prophet should have declared his Wasi (successor) openly and clearly, and have bayat in his presence. That should have stopped killing of each other since that time, and should have given clear guidelines for future successor.

Prophet should have given clear formula for Moon sighting mainly about month of Ramadan.

In his life time Prophet should have clearly mentioned how many times to recite Salat (Dua or Namaz) and how to perform, because in the beginning Muslims offered 2 times Salat morning and evening before migration to Medina. In Medina for many years mostly 3 times and later before demise of Prophet it became 5 times, but the Prophet did not issued firm hidayat to continue 5 times!!

For education of girls/women, he should have given proper guidance.

For marriage he should have allowed one woman at a time. After demise of first wife if person wanted, should have been allowed marry second time. Marring 4 women/girls one after other have created social problems and social evils in society. 4 times marraige have been misused in Islam.

He should have prohibited writting or collecting Hadiths. After his demise factories of Hadiths popped up in Islamic world. 100/150 years after demise of the Prophet there were around 2 million Hadiths in circulation.

In the century after Prophet Muḥammad's demise, Muslims sought to consolidate their faith and identity in institutional, legal, and theological terms. To this end, scholars (ulama) and jurists (fuqaha) devoted considerable attention to debating and determining the religious duties of Muslims. What it meant to be a Muslim in terms of doctrines and practices was still in a state of flux, and salat was part of this process of discovery and construction of identity.

According to Sir, After the Prophet's death, the Islamic jurists sought to standardize the prayers. They took the three Qur'anic prayer times and added the Noon and Afternoon prayers that they heard the Prophet do some times, to make Five Prayers. Some say the Five Prayers became standard shari'ah in the time of second Caliph Hazrat Umar, others say 5 times prayers were consolidated in times of Abbasid Caliphat. Hazrat Umar made some important Shariya changes in his tenure. For example Tarawih Namaz in Ramadan. Prophet during Ramadan offered some time 2/4 or 8 rak'ats of Nafal Namaz after 'Isha Namaz. When companions saw this they also started same tariqa. Hazrat Abu Bakar did not change anything, but when Hazrat Umar saw that type of Nafal Namaz, he descided to make it uniform. After consulting few Sahaba he ordered that in the month of Ramadan after 'Ishah Namaz every rozadar offer 20 raka'at of Nafals in uniform way in masjid. In Sir's opinion it was a good practice, reason at iftari rozadars ate much and to digest food this was a kind of good exercise. Sir laughingly said; look now adays at iftari rozadars eat samosas, pakoras, biryani, chicken, Ruhafza, juices etc. He questioned, did prophet and his companions ever did iftari with chicken, samosas, pakoras, and Ruhafza, though in these days people talk much about sunnah and Sharia, but who is obeying Prophet's real Sharia?
Hazrat Umar added a sentence more in Fajr Azan that is "as-Salatu khairum min-nan noum", means (morning) prayer is better than sleep. Till today Sunnis say this sentence in Fajr Azan, though at Prophet's time it was not added. It is mentioned in Islamic books that Hazrat Umar changed or added 40 Sharia rules. Sir said, basic Tenets of Islam (Usulat e Deen) stay the same but in Furu'aat e Deen changes can be made according to changing times. That's why Ismailis have Imam who make changes in Furu'aat according changing times. Sir quoted a Hadith of Prophet narrated in Tirmidhi. When a companion of Prophet questioned saying, "Ya Rasulullah, at present we pray a lot, fast, do charitable work, spread teachings of Islam, and Allah promises in Quran that we shall be rewarded accordingly. After many centuries will the Muslims of that time be rewarded as we are promised today". Prophet Muhammad answered, Prophet Muhammad answered, "Guidance change according to changing times. Many centuries after me the time will be different and difficult, there will be different set of problems. At that time followers of Islam even perform 10% of religious duties which you perform today, still they will be rewarded as you are".

In Sir's opinion 5 times prayer and word Namaz was adopted in Islam from Zoroastrian religion because they pray five times daily. For prayer majority of Muslims use the word Namaz except Arabs, they call it Salat as used in Quran, the word Namaz is not used in Quran.

Hindus pray 3 times a day.
There are three prayers in a day as per Hinduism, Early morning, Noon time and Sunset time. But now as an average, it has remained in two only, morning & evenin. Any how the devotion & concentration is more important during the prayer, instead of number of prayers.

The Gita teaches that prayer should embody surrender. By relinquishing one's ego and desires, one acknowledges a higher power beyond the individual self. This surrender through prayer is seen as essential to spiritual progress, allowing for guidance and support on one's spiritual journey.

Gita says;
sandhya vandana bhadram astu bhavato bhoh snana tubhyam namo
bho devah pitaras ca tarpaṇa vidhau naham ksamah ksamyatam
yatra kvapi nisadya yadava kulottamsasya kamsa-dvisah
smaram smaram agham harami tad alam manye kim anyena me

"O my prayers three times a day, all glory to you. O bathing, I offer my obeisances unto you. O demigods! O forefathers! Please excuse me for my inability to offer you my respects. Now wherever I sit, I can remember the great descendant of the Yadu dynasty (Krsna), the enemy of Kamsa, and thereby I can free myself from all sinful bondage. I think this is sufficient for me."

Ismaili Ginanic view according to above part of Gita:

Ashaaji Sandhyaa velaa tamey mat koi chuko
Eh chhe Gur ni endhaanni ji
Ehi velaa tam ne deedhi
kidhi te deen ni bhaari
Hari anant..... (Anant Akharo)

Oh Lord, Don't miss(the prayers) at the time of the command
This is the sign of the Gur ji (Guide)
This time is given to you
and it is the gateway to deen (religion)
Haree You are eternal...

Eji uattam hoi naai dhoi
Apna Alakh ne aaradho

After taking shower (bath), be neat and clean, then pray to Lord.

Before pro Alamut period Ismailis prayed 5 times. After conversion in subcontinent on Pir's hidayat Ismaili Khojas started 3 times, though at same time Ismailis in Central Asia, Afghanistan, China, and Arab Isamilis continued 5 times prayers.

Judaism has three set prayers in the day. The morning service takes about 45 minutes, the afternoon about 10, and the evening about 15. evidence is attributed to Psalms 55:17, and Book of Daniel 6:11.
According to halakha, Jewish men are obligated to perform public prayer three times a day, within specific time ranges (zmanim), plus additional services on Jewish holidays.

Daniel always prayed to God three times every day. Three times every day, he bowed down on his knees to pray and praise God.

Early Christians in the beginning used to prayer the Lord's Prayer 3 times a day;
Christians are asked to pray unceasingly.

Sikhs have a set of prayers (called the Nitnem) to be done daily. In the morning just before sunrise, in the evening and then one before going to sleep.

(I have cut short this lecture and added some material from my side).

[swamidada786]

In a gathering of 25/30 students, Sir Mazhar delivered a lecture on MANTIQUL TAYR (conference of birds), sufi poetry written by Shaikh Fariduddin Attar of Nishpur. Sir had a copy of Mantiq in Farsi in his collection. He said the phrase Mantiqu Tayr is used in Quran;

وَوَرِثَ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ دَاوُۥدَ ۖ وَقَالَ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ عُلِّمْنَا مَنطِقَ ٱلطَّيْرِ وَأُوتِينَا مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ ۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلْفَضْلُ ٱلْمُبِينُ

And David was succeeded by Solomon, who said, “O people! We have been taught the language of birds, and been given everything 'we need'. This is indeed a great privilege.” Surah Namal Ayat #16

The Prophet Solomon was the youngest son of the Prophet David. His Hebrew name Solomon is a synonym of Salim (right minded, affable). He succeeded the Prophet David in 965 B.C. and ruled his kingdom for forty years, till 926 B.C. The historians have greatly exaggerated the vastness of his kingdom, and have held that he ruled over a large part of the world. The fact is that his kingdom comprised only the present Palestine and Jordan and a part of Syria. There is no mention in the Bible that the Prophet Solomon had been taught speech of the birds and animals, though the Israelite traditions contain a reference to it.

Mantiq is roughly 4500 lines long, Mantiq is an allegory of the human quest for the Divine. May be Shaikh Farid was inspired by the treatise "The Recital of the Bird", a short Arabic treatise written by Avicenna/Ibn Sina (980-1037) in which a bird representing the human soul is freed from a cage by other birds and flies off with his new companions on a journey to the “Great King”.

It is a masterpiece of Persian Sufi literature and a profound exploration of philosophical and spiritual ideas. Its philosophy centers on the Sufi path to divine realization, utilizing a rich allegory involving a group of birds on a quest to find their mythical king, the Simurgh. In Farsi SI means thirty and MURGH means birds.

The hoopoe (hud hud) was selected as pir to guide them to cross seven valleys in order to reach the abode of Simorgh. These valleys are;

1. Valley of the Quest, where the Wayfarer begins by casting aside all dogma, belief, and worldly affairs.
2. Valley of Love, where reason is abandoned for the sake of love.
3. Valley of Knowledge, where worldly knowledge becomes utterly useless.
4. Valley of Detachment, where all desires and attachments to the world are given up.
5. Valley of Unity, where the Wayfarer realizes that everything is connected and that the Beloved is beyond everything, including harmony, multiplicity, and eternity.
6. Valley of Wonderment, where, entranced by the beauty of the Beloved, the Wayfarer becomes perplexed and, steeped in awe, finds that he has never known or understood anything.
7. Valley of Poverty and Annihilation, where the self disappears into the universe and the Wayfarer becomes timeless, existing in both the past and the future.
The voyage of this group of birds in search of their leader is both physically and spiritually strenuous, and the group travels through a series of difficult episodes that largely resemble the Sufi maqams, or stations. When they finally reach the Simurgh, the birds see a reflection of themselves, and realize what they had sought is indeed present within themselves. This poem is an allegory for a Sufi in search of God who eventually finds the divine within himself.

RANJHA RANJHA KARDE NI
MAIN AAP HI RANJHA HOI
(BHULLEY SHAH)

PEEI JA PAAN(N) MEIN KAYUM RUH RIHAAN(N)
NAKO DHUNGHAR DHEH MEIN NAKA KECHIN KAA(N)
PUNHU THIYUS PAAN(N) SUSUI TAA SURR HUUAA

As I turned inward and conversed with my soul
There was no mountain to surpass and no one to care for
Susui became Punhu after grief, trials and turbulence
(Susui being adept, merged with Punhu ie Lord)
(SHAH LATIF BHITTAI)

In essence, Mantiqul Tayr is a symbolic map of the spiritual path, guiding the reader toward self-discovery and a deeper understanding of the divine through allegory, storytelling, and an exploration of fundamental Sufi concepts.

[swamidada786]

Sir Mazhar delivered a lecture on NOORUN ALA NOOR (light upon light).

Sir asked, How can we explain light upon light? Is it a kind of layer of light on other layer of light? Is it explained as stages of light? Or one light will depart and other will take its place? Is this light transparent or colorful? Can we look at this light without harming eyes? Is this light has fragrance or it is without fragrance. Is this light visible with naked eyes?

Sir quoted;
ALLAHUMA YA NOORU TANNAWARTA BI NOORI WA NOORU FI NOORI NOORUKA YA NOOR.

Ya Allah, you are radiant with Noor (light) and Noor by your Noor, O (ever living) Noor. (Allah's Noor radiates (emits) all over Universe without pause).

Sir said, Noor is blood of universe, Noor is heart beat of universe, Every creation has Noor particles. The movement in universe and creation is because of Noor. Noor is the binding force of universe. The Noor is like glue which binds particles of different bodies small or large together. There is a very beautiful line said by Allamah Iqbal the famous poet of subcontinent;

LAHU KHORSHEED KA TAPKE GAR ZAREY KA DIL CHEEREI(N)

Trans; If some one split or dissect the heart of ray, the blood (Light or Noor) of sun will trickle.

Noor is not a substance though it is embedded in all substance and matter.
Noor is faceless, colorless, formless, odorless, foamless.....
All our Imams from Mowla Ali to Imam Shah Karim have declared that Allah is beyond imagination and comprehension. The word Nirinjin in Ginans also indicates the same theme. As Allah is beyond imagination so His Noor is also beyond imagination.

We can not compare Allah with any object in universe. 'LAISA KA MISLI SHAI'.
Allah does not have any opposite word or gender.

In reality Allah has not described or defined what is Noor? Things are recognized by their opposites. Opposite to Noor (light) is Zulimat (darkness) as mentioned in Quran. Noor has its opposite but God is beyond comparison for which the word NIRINJIN is used in Ginans. There is no opposite word for Nirinjin.

In Quran the word Noor is used 24 times, Nooran 9 times, Nooruhu 4 times, and Nooruhum 4 times. Allah in Quran says;

ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ٢٥٧

Allah is Wali (the Guardian) of the believers. He brings them out of darkness and into Noor (light). As for the disbelievers, their guardians are false gods who lead them out of Noor (light) and into darkness. It is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever.
Question is, Allah is not visible, then who is the guardian on planet earth and that is His Mazhar.

In Surah Noor ayat #35, Allah has explained Noor not directly but in parables;

Allah is the Noor of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Noor is as a niche and within it a lamp: the lamp is in a glass, the glass as it were a star Durriyyun, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth, though no fire touched it. Noor upon Noor. Allah guides to His Noor whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.

Sir explained, all humans are equal and according to law of equality every human has right to know the origin of Noor, to see Noor, and have it, but Allah being smart He introduced Noor in parables and leave it on humans to find this Noor on their own. Now according to Quran it is not right of every one to know or get Noor as Allah says, "Allah guides to His Noor whom He wills". Shah Karim al Hussaini said," Noor is not yours to be taken, it is yours to be given". Prophet Moses beseeched Allah to show His face "RUB ARENI", the reply was "LUNN TARANI", you can not see me.

Qadi Noaman has compared Noor with Ilm (knowledge, wisdom), in his words"Al Ilmu Noor".

Sir quoted Bhagavad Gita;
The Supreme Being as the Source of Light: The Gita mentions that the Supreme Soul (Paramatma) is the source of all light, including the sun, moon, and stars. This implies a source of illumination that transcends the material realm.

Knowledge (wisdom) as a Shining Lamp: Krishna refers to the knowledge he imparts as a "shining lamp" that destroys the darkness of ignorance. This highlights the illuminating and transformative power of spiritual wisdom.

“God makes all things luminous. It is by His luminosity that all luminous objects give light.” “By His radiance, the sun and moon become luminous.” In other words, the luminosity of the sun and the moon is borrowed from God.

asato ma sad gamaya
tamaso ma jyotir gamaya
mrtyor mamrtam gamaya (Upanisad)

Oh Lord, lead me from illusion into the eternal reality. Lead me from darkness into the light. Lead me from the realm of death into the nectar of immortality.

In Sanskrit “tamas” means – darkness, gloom, mental darkness, ignorance, illusion, error; whereas its opposite “jyotis” means – Light, brightness, light as the divine principle of life or source of intelligence.

Sir said, in Ginans the word Noor is used in different ways, he quoted;

NOOR VERA NOOR PIYO, AAEIN KARYO MON AANAND JI

NOOR NA PIYALA HURAAN CHHANDHTI AAEI

GINAN BOLO NITT NOOREY BHARIYA

NOOREY TE KHAAK NIPAYA WAN(N) THUMBEY RACHIYO AASMAN

NOOR NIRWAAN(N) JHALKIYA TANN MAHEIN

SAHEB NAAM SAMAREIYEN TOU ANTAR WARSEY NOOR

SATGUR KAHEY NOOREY MINDAR SAMARIYA
ANEY NOOREY RACHIYO AASMAN

AY VEERA BHAI NOOR KHALIFA ISS JUGG MAHEIN AAVIYA

KE TAMEY AMI RUS PIJO DIN NE RAAT KE NOOR NOORANIYA RE LOL

SWAMI RAJO PARTAK NOOR CHHEY
JEM PACHHAMEY UGHIYO BHAAN(N) RE

SAACHEY SUKREET SUN GALIYA MOMIN
SO TANN NOOR MANHEIN NOOR SAMAYA

KAYA NAGRI MAHEIN MON RAJA
CHAITAN NOOR MAHEIN NOOR

NOORANI KAYA MOMIN NI HOYASHE
TE MOMIN AMARAJ HUWA

JE NU NAAM MUHAMMAD NOOR KE
AAKHIR AMBHIYA RE LOL

JIS MAHEIN NOOR PRAGHATTIYA
TENI AANKHUN HUI HAZAAR

JIS MUKH THI ALI NAAM JUMPIYEIN
TISS MUKH WARSEY NOOR

Sir said, in literature of many languages the word Noor is used in different forms.

MAIN NOORI HUN AUR NAARI BHI...

AANKH KA NOOR DIL KA NOOR NAHI HOTTA...

TERI ZAAT HAI MAZHAR E NOOR E KHUDA...

NOOR E BASEERAT AUR NOOR E BASAARAT MEIN FARQ HAI...

DEEN E HAQQ KHUDA KA NOOR HAI...

QURAN BATIN MEIN NOORANIYAT SE BHARPUR HAI..

KHUDA KA NOOR KABHI BHUJTA NAHI HAI...

NOOR MEIN HAR CHEEZ MOUJUD HAI...

NOOR KE SAANCHEY MEIN DHALNA...

PHUNKO SE NOOR BHUJAYA JA NAHI SAKTA...

NOOR E NAZAR. NOOR E CHASHAM. NOOR BARASNA
NOOR KA DARYA. NOORANI HONA.

Then Sir quoted two couplets of Hafiz Shirazi on topic of Noor.

SAQI BI NOOR BADA'H BER AFROZ JAAM E MA
MUTREB BIGO KAAR E JAHAN SHUD BIKAAM E MA (HAFIZ SHIRAZI)

Trans: Beloved fill my cup of wine with NOOR so that my goblet of wine enlightened.
Mutreb (singer) sing that all happening in universe is going according to my desire.

DAR KHARABAAT MUGHAN NOOR E KHUDA MI BINEM
EE(N) AJAB BEIN CHI NOORI ZA KUJA MI BINEM (HAFIZ SHIRAZI)

Trans; In tavern (bar, mai khana, sharab khana) I see Noor e Khuda. It is strange what kind of this Noor is which I am seeing in such place.

Sir also quoted poetry of Sachal Sarmast. Sachal is known as Mansoor saani (second).

SACHAL SARA NOOR E ILLAHI
ALI WALI DI HAI HUMRAHI
MAIN HAR DUM RUB RUB KARDI

At the end Sir said, NOORAN ALA NOOR is very important in Ismaili theology. It is related to Silsila e Imamat. He quoted a part of Ginan;

satgur kahere noor e mindar samariya
ane noor e rachyo aasmaan
te noor manhey thi noor praghattiya
tenu satgur chhe naam

Satgur says: The world originated from the Noor, and the heavens were created from Noor. From this Noor manifested Noor. His name is the True Guide.

Sir said, The heightest level is that of He who is not comparable, the formless and unknowable. Then on worldly level is the Universal Intellect through which the guidance is given and is manifested in the Imam e Mubin.

Sir quoted Rumi;

PIDAR NOOR WA PISAR NOOR HAST MASHHUR
AZ EEN FAHIM KUN NOORUN ALA NOOR

Trans; Father is Noor and son is Noor and it is famous. Understand this (keep in mind) this is NOORUN ALA NOOR.

Sir also quoted a Farman of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah; " We (Imams) change the physical bodies in the world but our Noor is eternal and originates from the very beginning. You should therefore take it as one Noor. The Noor is ever present, only the names are different. The throne (of Imamat) of Mowla Murtaza Ali continues on and it will remain till the day of Judgement.

At the end Sir said, Ignite the light that makes the inner world bright with blessings of Noor e Imamat.

( I have omitted explanation of Ginanic verses and literal quotations).

[swamidada786]

A 11th grade girl student asked Sir Mazhar about Bibi Paak Daaman. Sir said let me research and I shall get back in 2 weeks. Following is the historical fact about Bibi Paak Daaman as mentioned by Sir Mazhar.

Syeda Bibi Pak Daman is Bibi Ruqayyah daughter of Mowla Ali Murtaza and sister of Al-Abbas son of Mowla Ali. Al Abbas is step brother of Hazrat Hasan and Imam Hussain (Abbas was martyred in Karbala). Bibi Ruqayyah was wife of Muslim ibn Aqeel, She is considered an Alid saint, her mother is Al-Sahba bint Rabi'a. Bibi Ruqayyah's shrine is believed to be burial site of her and five other Sadaat women located in Lahore, Pakistan.
The shrine is a place of pilgrimage, particularly for women seeking blessings for marriage and fertility. Bibi Pak Daman literally means, ‘lady of purity’ or "chaste Lady". Legend claims that the shrine is the last resting place of Syeda Ruqayyah bint Mowla Ali.

After event of Karbala many family members and relatives of Ahl Bait in Taqya moved to Sind and Punjab because Banu Umayyads were looking for Ahl Bait members to Kill them be male or female. According to Sir Mazhar it is possible that Hussaini Brahmins may have helped to relocate family members of Mowla Ali, Hazrat Hasan and Imam Hussain. In Shia histories it is mentioned that after Karbala many Syeds along with their families migrated to sind from Iraq through Balochistan. At that time the ruler of Sind was RAJA DHAHER who gave protection to Syeds and their family members. When Hajjaj bin Yusuf governer of Iraq heard this, he ordered to attack Sind and punish Raja Dhaher, the commandar of Hajjaj's army was Muhammad bin Qasim, who was nephew of Hajjaj. It is true that Sindhi and Hindi population of then Hindustan respected and protected Ali's descendants.
Hussaini Brahmins are a unique community, primarily associated with the Mohyal Brahmins of Punjab, who have a strong historical connection to Imam Hussain and the events of Karbala. They are known for their blend of Hindu and Islamic traditions, participating in both Hindu rituals and Muharram observances. The community reveres Imam Hussain and commemorates his martyrdom.
Hussaini Brahmins are believed to be descendants of Rahab Dutt, a Brahman leader who, according to their tradition, supported Imam Hussain in the Battle of Karbala. They are said to have fought alongside him and later revered his memory.

It is said the renowned saints like Data Ganj Baksh Ali Hajveri, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Syed Jalaluddin Bokhari and Moinuddin Chishti are known to have found spiritual enlightenment from this sacred shrine, where they paid regular homage and were the devotees. These historical figures along with common people have come and put faith into these pious ladies over ages, which shows the place and level of these ladies.

The story, as it's widely believed, is that Bibi Ruqayyah including 5 other pious ladies and their entourage arrived in Lahore after the tragic events of the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. They came seeking refuge and to spread Islam in the region. Some accounts suggest they faced threats and persecution, even from local Hindu rulers, but their faith and the support of converts like Prince Bakram Sahi, who embraced Islam, allowed them to continue their missionary work.
One popular narrative tells of the women praying for protection when faced with danger, and the ground miraculously opening up to shelter them. A shawl is said to have remained as a marker of this event, which is now part of the shrine. In Sir Mazhar's opinion the opening of ground is a myth. He said such kind of mythical stories are related to Sita in Hindu mythology and in Sind such story is related to Sasui (Sasui Punhu story). He said there are couple of more myths related to shrine but these are not reliable.

The shrine is a popular destination for both Shia and Sunni Muslims, especially during Muharram, a period of mourning for the Battle of Karbala. Visitors often bring offerings and tie rings upon fulfillment of their wishes. The shrine, while historically significant, has faced challenges due to space constraints, with plans for expansion to accommodate the large number of devotees. This Holy ground was once the sole fountain for the spread of Islamic preaching. The sanctity of this land has stood the test of the times. It has been miraculously gathering hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from rich and poor circles of the society over the centuries which in itself is a proof of miracles of Bibi Pak Daman. It has been attracting millions of people since ages and may well continue to do so as for the devotees the miracles attributed to the tomb are being manifested every day.
This shrine is not only a place of comfort for the deprived and grieved ones, but it has been promoting religious harmony and interfaith unity since ages proving to be an important portal for all religious sects. Its symbolic and spiritual appeal has an undeniable impact upon the society. The shrine is of great importance to both Shias and Sunnis. To make the traditions alive, an Urs is held every year where millions of devotees come to pay homage.
Lately mausoleum of Bibi Paak Daman has been reconstructed by Punjab Government.

Also, Sir Mazhar gave an interesting information. He said, 12th Shia imam (in occultation), Mahdi's mother was a Christian Roman princess. Her name was Narjis, in Urdu and Hindi pronounced Nargis. she was believed to have been a Christian before converting to Islam. The name of famous Indian movie star Nargis's husband name was Suneel Dutt, father of Sanjey Dutt both movie stars and belong to Hussaini Brahmin community.

[swamidada786]

تیری روزی تجھ کو ڈونڈے

YOUR SUSTENANCE IS LOOKING FOR YOU
The above line is from Kalam e Moula.

What a soothing idea.

In a Sat Sungh Sir Mazhar delivered a lecture on the above topic. Sir said that not only human beings but for every breathing creatures God has arranged for RIZK (sustenance). He said Allah is Razaak, a human being wake up in the mornning empty stoamach but before night sleep in one way or other, the person is provided with food.

اللھ سب کی روزی کا ضامن ھے

It is said Allah is the guarantor of every one's sustenance, but still there are cruel persons out who deprived humans from food and water and keep them hungry.
Allah says in Quran;

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِلَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

O believers! Eat from the Paak things We have provided for you. And offer Shukar (thanks) to Allah if you truely obey Him.
Al Baqarah 172.

The Command to eat Pure Things, Allah commands His obedient believers to eat from the pure things that He has created for them and to thank Him for it, if they are truly His servants.

This verse 172, focuses on the importance of eating lawful and good things provided by Allah and expressing gratitude for them. It emphasizes that true worship necessitates acknowledging Allah's blessings and abstaining from what He has forbidden. Rizq is sustenance, provision, as well blessings.

The word Rizq is mentioned 123 times in the Quran and two times in our Dua, and most of which essentially addresses how it comes from Allah the Exalted. It is He who determines what a person will obtain in this life. It is Allah who gives us happiness and Allah who sets the events for sadness. He is Allah, Ar-Raziq and Ar-Razzaq, The Provider. This is described by Allah Himself in the Quran:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ

“Indeed, it is Allah who is the (continual) Provider, the firm possessor of strength.”
(Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:58)

وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ

And indeed, it is Allah who is the best of providers.
(Surah Al-Hajj, 22:58)

There is a famous hadith that reports on how every human shares the same initial stages of life, starting from being in the womb for 40 days, and then into a clot of blood for the same period, before phasing into a lump of flesh for also the same amount of time. Afterwards, the hadith states that:

ثم يرسل إليه الملك فينفخ فيه الروح، ويؤمر بأربع كلماتٍ: بكَتْبِ رزقه وأجله وعمله، وشقي أو سعيدٌ

“Then (Allah) sends to it an angel who is tasked to breathe soul into it. (The angel) is then commanded to write down four matters: the writing of the (developing child’s) rizq (sustenance), his life span, his actions, and whether he will be truly happy or miserable”

(Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)

Allah has guaranteed sustenance for all living things on this earth. He has promised that no creature will lack sustenance. This is stated in the verse of the Qur’an:

“And there is not a creeping thing on the earth but Allah provides for it, and He knows the place where it dwells and the place where it is stored. It is all written in the Book that is manifest (Lauh mahfuzh).” (Hud: 6)

گر روزی بدانش برفزودی
ز نادان تنگ تر روزی نبودی
ب نادان آن چنان روزی رساند
ک دانا اندر آن حیران بماند
Shaikh Sa'adi

If sustenance (rizq) were to earn by knowledge, intelegence or wisdom only, then ignorant persons should have died out of hunger. But God provides food to such ignorant (and mentally retarted) persons in such a way that knowlegdable persons are surprised and perplexed.

Sir quoted a couplet of Ginan;
MOWLA MAARO ROZI NU PURANHAAR
JIN KI JAISI QISMAT KAHEITEN
TESA DEVEY DATAAR

Sir laughingly said, God is guarantor of rozi, He has not promised to provide a car, house, jewlery, or any other perks. For these one has to work hard and should not depend upon God to provide such items.
He said wants are multiplied but one has to control his desires.

Sir said; there are two aspects of rizq, one wordly and other spiritual. Ta'weel of rizq is (spiritual) Ilm (knowledge- wisdom)

وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ ۖ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

And remember when We shaded you with clouds and sent down to you manna and quails, saying, “Eat from the good things We have provided for you.” The evildoers certainly did not wrong Us, but wronged themselves. Al Baqarah/57

Sir explained Mann wa Salwa (Manna and Quail) are spiritual food. Heaven is not a worldly model but Spiritual domain in which spiritual food will be provided. In Quran wordly examples are given for human understanding. Allah says;

❝ In heaven is your sustenance and whatever you are promised ❞
al Quran [51:22]

Sir said a couplet of Allamah Iqbal;

AY TAIR E LAHOTI USS RIZQ SE MOUT ACCHI
JIS RIZQ SA AATI HO PARWAZ MEIN KOTAHI

O bird of divinity, death is better than this provision. The provision that comes like a down fall in flight.

[swamidada786]

PUGH GHUNGHURU BAANDH MIRA NAACHI RE

In a Sat Sungh gathering at Karimabad, Sir Mazhar deliverd a lecture on life of Mira bai. In his collection of books, I saw a book on Mira and Bhagvad Gita.
According to Sir;
Mirabai was a poet, mystic, and devotee of the Hindu god Krishna. As one of the most famous woman poets of India, Mirabai has become a figure of cultural importance and imagination.

Mirabai was born into a Rathore Rajput royal family in Kurki (modern day Beawar district of Rajasthan India) in 1498, and spent her childhood in Merta. She was the daughter of Ratan Singh Rathore and grand daughter of Rao Dudaji of Merta. She passed away in 1547.

Mira was married to Bhoj Raj, the crown prince of Mewar in 1516. Her husband was wounded in one of the ongoing wars with the Delhi Sultanate in 1518, and he died from battle wounds in 1521. Both her father and father-in-law (Rana Sanga) died a few days after their defeat in the Battle of Khanwa against Babur, the first Mughal Emperor of India.

After the death of Rana Sanga, Vikram Singh became the ruler of Mewar. After death of her husband, Mira’s life was filled with trials. She faced hostility from her in laws, a kind of social boycott
among her relatives, and the hardships of wandering as an ascetic. Yet, her faith never wavered. Mira's in laws including Vikram Singh disliked the religious activities of singing and dancing in mandirs and sat sungh with rishies singing Bhajans. According to a popular legend, her in laws tried to assassinate her multiple times. These attempts included sending Mira a glass of poison and telling her it was nectar, and sending her a basket with a snake instead of flowers. According to hagiographic legends, she was not harmed in either case, with the snake miraculously become a garland of flowers. Yet another legend states that the third Mughal emperor, Akbar (when learnt about her), came with Tansen to visit Mira and presented her with a pearl necklace but Scholars doubted this story.
Once Mira's friends stressed her to give up singing and dancing because Rana is very angry on your these activities.
Mira replied;

SESO DEV RUTHIYO TOU HAMRO KAAI KAR LESI
MAIN TOU GUN(N) GOBAND GASIYAN HO MAI JI
RANA JE RUTHIYO TOU WARUUN DESH RAKHSEY
HARI JE RUTHIYO TOU KITHEY JASIYAN MAI JI

If Rana is angry, what harm will he do to me? I shall keep praising my Lord Goband. If Rana is angry he will send me to some other desh (country), but if Hari (Bhagwan) is displeased where shall I go (I shall be of no where)!

Mira eventually sought refuge in Vrindavan, Krishna’s birthplace. She spent her final years there, completely absorbed in devotion. Her fame spread, and she attracted many followers.

Mira Bai’s legacy lives on. She is regarded as one of the most prominent saints of the Bhakti movement and a symbol of female spiritual empowerment. Her poetry composed in Rajasthani a dialect of Hindi, is still sung by devotees today. Her life story inspires people to seek a personal relationship with the divine, free from societal constraints.

Mira’s teachings though simple hold deep meaning. She taught that true devotion requires full surrender to the divine. No external force be family, society, or religious institutions can stand between a devotee and God. Her love for Krishna was both emotional and spiritual, embodying the essence of Bhakti. God is ever present in the heart of the devotee.

Mira’s life demonstrates the power of devotion and the transformative strength of faith. Living in a time when women, especially from royal families, were bound by strict social norms, she transcended these limitations through her unwavering love for Krishna. Her songs, filled with divine longing, continue to resonate with spiritual seekers around the world, reminding us that love for the divine can free us from all earthly constraints.

Mira remains an enduring icon of devotion, courage, and spiritual freedom. Her life and teachings light the way for those who seek to walk the path of the heart.
Sir quoted a bhajan of Mira:

SAKHI MAIN TOU PREM DEVANI
MERO DARAD NA JAANE KOI
SUULI UPPAR SEEJH HAMARI
KUS VADH SON(N)A HOI
GHAAIL KI GHAAT GHAAIL JANE
KE JIN LAAI HOI
JOHAR KI GHAAT JOHRI JANE
KE JIN JOHAR HOI
DARAD KI MAARI BUN BUN DHOLUN
VAID NA MILYA KOI
MIRA KE PRABHU PEER MITTE JUB
VAID SANVALIYA HOI

Sakhi (saheli) I am mad with Love
And no one understands my plight.
Only the wounded Understand
the agonies of the wounded,
When the fire rages in the heart.
Only the jeweller knows the value of the jewel,
Not the one who lets it go.
In pain I wander from door to door,
But could not find a vaid (doctor).
Says Mira: Harken, my Master,
Mira's pain will subside
When Shyaam (prabhu-God) comes as the doctor
(Sir often listen to this bhajan sung by lata ji)

DARAS BIN DUKHAN LAAGAN NAIN
JUB SE TUM BICHHRE PRIBHU
KABHI NA PAYO CHAIN
MIRA KE PRIBHU KUB MILO GE
DUKH MITTAIN SUKH DIYEEN

Since you have seperated Pribhu, Without your sight my eyes are in pain.
Mira beseech you Swami, when you will meet me, so that my pains wither away and I get (spiritual) comfort and happiness.

Sir said, in Ginans, Bhajans, sufi poetry, Qawalis, in some movie songs, there is good explanation of pure love and logging.
He gave an example of song;

LAGA CHUNRI MEIN DAAGH MITTAUN KAISE
GHAR JAAUN KAISE LAGA CHUNRI MEIN DAAGH

YEH CHUNRI AATMA MORI YEH DUNYA JANJAAL
JA KE BABUL SE NAZREIN MILLAUN KAISE
GHAR JAAUN KAISE...
(here chunri means soul, aatima)

Once sahelis (friends) of Mira lashed at her saying, why don't you listen to your in laws, reduce your religious activities, pay attention to your household. Mira replied, I respect my in laws, I serve my husband as a wife, but there is something burning inside me that is love for Bhagwan and she said the following couplet:

AISEY VAR KO KI VARUUN JO JANMEY AUR MAR JAAI
VAR VARIEN GOPAL JI KE MARO CHARLO AMAR THAI JAAI

My var (husband) is mortal, he is born and will die. Why not I take Gopal (Bhagwan) my var who is ever living so that my charlo becomes amr for ever.
(here charlo means soul like chunri)

Also, Sir gave some quotations from Ginans;
HUUN RE PIYASI PIYA TERE DARSHAN KI

JAL VINA JEM MACHHALI TARFAREY
TEM NAR VINA NI NAAR

PREM PEERA TISE PUCHHO JAAI
JEENEY BHAAN(N) KALEJEY KHAI

ISHQ TOU WAARI MAAN NA NEEPJE
AE ISHQ HAATTEY NA WECHAI
ISHQ TOU HAIRA MAHEIN NEEPJE
ANNEY HAIRO KORI KHAI

TERI RAMAZ KA PIYA MAIN HUN DEEVANA
ISHQ AQL BHULAYA MEREY SAHEB

AISA JO JAANTI TOU CHALAN(N) NA DETI PIYA
MAIN CHALTI TUMAREY SAATH RE MAHERBAN MEREY SAHEB MEREY
YA SHAH TUJH BIN DIN JAVEGO KAISA RE PIYA JI

SAKHI MARI AATAM NA ODHAR
KE ALGA NA JAJHO RE
EWA SAWRUP MINDARIYO SAAR
TIYAN TAMEY BHIRAJO RE

SAKHI SAHEJ ANUPAM SAAR
PALANG PAR WARI RE
HUN TOU PREM PIYA JI KE PAAS
DUKHRA VISAARI RE

Few more Bhajans of Mira:

If you want to offer love
Be prepared to cut off your head
And sit on it.
Be like the moth,
Which circles the lamp and offers its body.
Be like the deer, which, on hearing the horn,
Offers its head to the hunter.
Be like the partridge,
Which swallows burning coals
In love of the moon.
Be like the fish
Which yields up its life
When separated from the sea.
Be like the bee,
Entrapped in the closing petals of the lotus.
----------
Mine is Gopal, the Mountain-Holder; there is no one else.
On his head he wears the peacock-crown: He alone is my husband.
Father, mother, brother, relative: I have none to call my own.
I've forsaken both God, and the family's honor: what should I do?
I've sat near the holy ones, and I've lost shame before the people.
I've torn my scarf into shreds; I'm all wrapped up in a blanket.
I took off my finery of pearls and coral, and strung a garland of wildwood flowers.
With my tears, I watered the creeper of love that I planted;
Now the creeper has grown spread all over, and borne the fruit of bliss.
The churner of the milk churned with great love.
When I took out the butter, no need to drink any buttermilk.
I came for the sake of love-devotion; seeing the world, I wept.
Mira is the maidservant of the Mountain-Holder: now with love He takes me across to the further shore.
---------
Life in the world is short,
Why shoulder an unnecessary load
Of worldly relationships?
Thy parents gave thee birth in the world,
But the Lord ordained thy fate.
Life passes in getting and spending,
No merit is earned by virtuous deeds.
I will sing the praises of Hari
In the company of the holy men,
Nothing else concerns me.
Mira's Lord is the courtly Giridhara,
She says: Only by Thy power
Have I crossed to the further shore.
----------
We do not get a human life
Just for the asking.
Birth in a human body
Is the reward for good deeds
In former births.
Life waxes and wanes imperceptibly,
It does not stay long.
The leaf that has once fallen
Does not return to the branch.
Behold the Ocean of Transmigration.
With its swift, irresistible tide.
O Lal Giridhara, O pilot of my soul,
Swiftly conduct my barque to the further shore.
Mira is the slave of Lal Giridhara.
She says: Life lasts but a few days only.
--------
Mira danced with ankle-bells on her feet.

People said Mira was mad; my mother-in-law

said I ruined the family reputation.

Rana sent me a cup of poison and Mira

drank it laughing.

I dedicated my body and soul at the feet of Hari.

I am thirsty for the nectar of the sight of him.

Mira’s lord is Giridhar Nagar; I will

come for refuge to him.
---------
Listen, my friend, this road is the heart opening,
kissing his feet, resistance broken, tears all night.
If we could reach the Lord through immersion in water,
I would have asked to be born a fish in this life.
If we could reach Him through nothing but berries and wild nuts
then surely the saints would have been monkeys when they came from the womb!
If we could reach him by munching lettuce and dry leaves
then the goats would surely get to the Holy One before us!
If the worship of stone statues could bring us all the way,
I would have adored a granite mountain years ago.
----------
Mira danced with ankle-bells on her feet.

People said Mira was mad; my mother-in-law

said I ruined the family reputation.

Rana sent me a cup of poison and Mira

drank it laughing.

I dedicated my body and soul at the feet of Hari.

I am thirsty for the nectar of the sight of him.

Mira’s lord is Giridhar Nagar; I will

come for refuge to him.
---------
If we could reach the Lord through immersion in water,
I would have asked to be born a fish in this life.
If we could reach Him through nothing but berries and wild nuts
then surely the saints would have been monkeys when they came from the womb!
If we could reach him by munching lettuce and dry leaves
then the goats would surely get to the Holy One before us!
If the worship of stone statues could bring us all the way,
I would have adored a granite mountain years ago.

[swamidada786]

IMAM IS CENTER OF ORGANIZATION

While giving lecture on the above topic Sir gave a reference of following live interview;
Mowlana Hazar Imam and the London Newspapermen on television. Interview was conducted on 2nd May, 1958.

115 Questions answered with artistry and insight.

Representatives of four leading English Newspapers viz, Marshall Pugh of the "Daily Mail", Rene McColl of the "Daily Express", John Connell of the Evening News and John Freeman, Assistant Editor of the "New Statesman" held a Conference with Mowlana Hazar Imam on 2nd May 1958, which was televised. 115 questions touching upon His personal life as well as His position as the 49th Imam of Ismailis. The picture gave an impression of a "QUIZ" and some of the answers given by Mowlana Hazir Imam throw considerable light on the principles of Ismailism and the belief of Ismailis.

One of the question was,"You are already a total individual yourself when you are Imam"?

Hazar Imam replied,"Well, one is in fact the Imam which is the center of the organisation".

Sir explained Ali is the axis of universe and center of our Tariqa. Ismailis must look at this center for guidance. He said you can not draw circle without center. If you try to draw circle on your own it should not be perfect, circumference should be crooked at some point. He said for every country, every corporation, every organization, every community center is must. Ismaili community is an organized community because of the center which is Imam of the time.
Sir quoted a couplet said by Allamah Iqbal;
قوم را ربط و نظام از مرکزیی
روزگارش را دوام از مرکزیی

Nation is successful if connected with central system. The continuity of (prosperous) life depends on (strong) center.
Sir quoted Pir Sadruddin;

SHAH MAARO CHATUR SUJAN(N) HAI
AAPEY SURESHTH DIWAAN
JIS KE BHAROSEY STHIR RAHIYA
RAHIYA ZAMEEN AASMAN

My Lord is very wise, intelligent and all knowing. He is the Diwaan (administrator) of universe. Earth and heavens are stable because OF Him. (He manages affairs of universe).

Also Sir quoted Shah Latif Bhittai;

JO MULLAN KHEY MEHAN(N)U SO HI MU(N) SARDAR
AAHEY ASAD ALLAH JO AALAM KHEY AADHAR
JAABAR ZULFIQAR HAR DUM JAI(N) JE HATH ME

Mullah deny authority of Ali, where Ali is my master (sardar). The universe is supported and depend on Asad Allah. The mighty Zulfiqar is always in his hand (to manage the universe).

Sir said; The spiritual and sufi message of Ginans and Shah jo Risalo is same with different expressions and with popular stories of their times.

Sir compared some parts of Ginan with poetry of Shah Latif;

EJI AVICHAL ALLAH AVICHAL KHALIQ
AVICHAL QAIM DAYAL EJI

Everlasting is Allah, everlasting is the Creator, everlasting is the Enduring and Merciful One.

EJI AVICHAL REHAN(N)A AVICHAL REHMAT
AVICHAL DURAS DIVAN EJI

Everlasting is His existence, everlasting is His mercy, everlasting is His righteous court.

Shah Latif:

AWWAL ALLAH 'ALEEM A'ALA 'AALIM JO DHANI
QADIR PAHENJE QUDRAT SEE(N) QAIM AAH QADEEM
WALI WAHID WAHDAHU RAZIQ RUBB RAHIM
SO SAARAH SACHO DHANI CHAE HAMD HAKEEM
KAREY PAN(N) KARIM JURU(N) JORR JAHAN JUN

(In above stanzas words Rahim and Karim are used) Swami.

The very first is Allah, He is omniscient
Supreme and Lord of the universe
By His divine might He exists since infinity
He is the Lord, one and only, fosterer
Merciful (Rahim) and compassionate
Praise Him- The real Lord by reciting
the admiring verses for Him
It is He (Karim), the compassionate who planned and perfected the universe.

Ginan:

ALLAH ALLAH SUBHAN JINEY KIYA
ILALLAH DIYA QARAR RE
PIYU MINDER JINEY DEKHIYA
SO TAR KAR LANGHIYA PAAR RE

Those who recite name of Allah and invoke zikr of Subhan Allah
Have enlighten their hearts with oure name
These are persons who realized beloved within
Have swim through the ocean of love

Shah Latif:

SAARI RAAT SUBHAN KHE JAGI JIN YAAD KAYO
UNN JE ABDUL LATIF CHAI MITTI LADHO MAAN
KOREI(N) KUN SALAM AAGHEH ACHIYO UNN JE


Remembering Allah at night Those who kept vigil
even their dust was honoured
Millions would call on their courtyard to pay homage.

Ginan:

PIR SADARDIN BOLIYA
KOI MON APANU SAMJHAVEY
KAPADA DHOVEY TOU KIYA HUWA
DIL DHOVEY SO PAVEY

Pir Sadardin says enlighten your heart
Washing of clothes is of no avail
But by washing of heart you will merge with Him

Shah Latif:

SUFI SAAF KAYO DHOEI WARQ WUJUD JO
TIHA(N) POY THIYO JEIREY PASAN PREE'(N) JO

The Sufi purged the inner-self from egoism
thereafter he could behold the Beloved during his life.

Ginan:

EJI ESO GINAN PIR BHAN(N)VEY SADARDIN
YA SHAH FAZAL KARO TOU JEEV CHHUTAN(N)A

This Ginan is said by Pir Sadardin, O Lord have mercy
so that the soul be redeemed

Shah Latif:

ADAL CHHUTA(N) NA AAU(N)
KO PHERO KAJH FAZAL JO

By your justice I shall not get salvation
It is only through your mercy I shall be redeemed

Ginan:
EJI NINDDHIRA NEY VAARO PRAN(N)I
TAMEY JAAGO KAIE(N) SUTTA
JAAGI JUNMPO TOU HARI NIT JAI PONCHO

O soul searcher avoid long sleep
Wake up and don't sleep long hours
Wake up and do zikr that's how you will be near to Lord

Shah Latif:
SUTTA UTHI JAAG NINDH NA KAJEY EETRI
SULTANI SUHAG NINDHIN KUNDEY NA THIYEE

O’ sleeping one! Awake, sleep not that much,
One can not obtain Sovereign Beloved just by sleeping

Ginan:
EJI UTHH BAITH BUNDAA TUU(N) KAEI(N) SUTTO
SOVAN BHALA NAV HOYA
JAAGANTA SAHEB NEY SUB KOI PAAVEY BUNDA
SUTTA NA PAMMEY KOI

O' slave get up why keep sleeping
Too much sleeping won't help you (to get salvation)
By remembering Lord attentively one can get spiritual vision
But those who keep sleeping shall not get His vision

Shah Latif:
SUTTEY NA SARANDIYAI KAR PACHAR PREI(N) JI
VIHAAMI VEINDAI GHAN(N)A HAN(N)ANDEY HATHARA

Sleep will not benefit you, remember the Beloved
The life will pass away, and you will repent a lot

Ginan:
UTHI ALLAH NA GHUREY BUNDA TU(N) SUTEE(N) SAJHI RAAT
NAKA JORI JIV JI BAANA NAKO SAMAR SAATH
SHAH JO MUNJHIARO TINI KHEY JEY KEY SUBHAREY JAAGAN
SUBHAREY NA JAAGIYA TINN KHEY HURU(N) NA EINDHIYU(N) HATH
SEY HAI HAI KUNDHA HATH HUN(N)ANDA JEI(N) HAARI VINJHAI WATT

You did not wake up early morning and remembered Allah, but slept all night.
Neither you cared for the soul nor prepared any prvision to take along.
Only those earn reward from Lord who wake up early in the morning.
Those who do not wake up early morning will not get Huurs (rehmat, n'amat).
They will repent and wring their hands like those farmers who lost the
season of sowing feild (agricultural).

Shah Latif:
PARAH FUTTI RAAT WAEI JHEN(N)A THIYA NIKHATT
HAARI WAI WATT GHAN(N)A HAN(N)ANDEY HATHARA

The dawn has appeared, the night has passed
and the stars are dimmed
O’ imbecile! You have lost valuable occasion
Like a farmer waste his timing of sowing field (and you will repent a lot).

Ginan:
EJI MON MERA MUSALAH ALLAH MERA QAZI
KAAYA HAMARI MASEETA EE BHI ALLAH

EJI ANDAR BAITH MEI(N) NAMAAZ GUZAARU(N)
MURAKH KIYA JANEY TA'AT HAMAARI EE BHI ALLAH

My mon (qalb, heart, mind) is my namaz carpet and Allah is my judge
My being is like masjid, this is also Allah (means Allah is within me)

Inside (within my heart) I perform namaz (pray to Allah)
A foolish person will not understand my this (type of contemplation) salat, this is also Allah (within me)

Shah Latif:

TAN KHADHI MON HUJRO KAYAM CHAALIHA RUKH
KOH NA PUJHIYO PUJHIYEIN ATHHAI PAHAR ALAKH
TAA(N) TU(N) PAAN PARAKH SUBB DHAH(N) SAMHUU

Making the body a mosque
the heart a chamber for contemplation
observe not only the forty days conventional meditation
Remember the Invisible (Lord) all the times
then you will know by yourself
that He is every where

Ginan:
KOI KENI MA KARJO NINDA
SATGUR MALYA NA EE CHHEY BHED
RIKHISER KENO MA KARSHO KHED

Do not backbite any one
Follow (teachings of) true guide to attain secrets of salvation
O follower do not backbiting any one

Shah Latif:

HU CHAWANAI TU(N) MA CHAU WATAA(N) WARAI WEEN(N)
SUBNI SEE(N) SYED CHAWEY MON MAAREY KAR MEEN(N)
KHANDH WADHYAI KHEN(N) KEENEY MUNJHA(N) KEEN THIYEY

If they criticize you, counter back not
“Make your soul humble” says Syed
“and be soft like wax with everyone”
Self-restraint is a good reward

Ginan:
MEETHEY WACHANEY BOLAWO VEERA
TOU TAMARA MONDHA MAHEI(N) JHALKEY HIRA

My dear, talk any one sweet and in humble manner
So that the listener feel the words are like diamonds coming out of your mouth

Shah Latif:
HU CHAWANAI TU(N) MA CHAU WATAA(N) WARAI
AGH AGHRAI JO KAREY KHATA SO KHAAI
PAANDH MEY PAAI WIYO KEENEY WARO KEEN KI

If they criticize you, do not counter back
He, who starts aggression, will have to regret
The malicious, would gain nothing, at the end

Sir said, the dilemma of Islamic world is that they are without central authority. Every Islamic country acts upon its own. These countries are not united on main issues, Where as Ismailis have central authority that's why they are united and prosperous. All main issues are solved by the Imam of the time. When Imam makes Farman all followers are obliged to obey. Imam is a protection shield for his obedient followes.
He said Muslims are good at killing each others. At a time there were 3 different powerful caliphats. If they were on one page would have conquered half of Europe and Muslims should not lost Spain. Defeat of Spain was a serious blow to Islamic world. Wars between Arabs and Iranians, between Turks and Iranians, between Muslim states of India have destroyed Muslim Ummah. If Ghaznavis, Ghoris, Mughals, and Duranis would have stayed longer in India and propagated Islam then today half of India could have been Muslim.

(lately we see what is happening in Gaza and surrounding countries. If Islamic world was united, the acts of cruelty should have been stopped, where as on guidance and help of Hazar Imam thousands lives of followers are saved, relocated and resettled in western countries, for example Burma, East Pakistan, Uganda, Afgfhanistan, Syria, now Tajikistan, where is turmoil Imam is there to help his followers. Swami)

Note: There are couple of paragraphs from my side.

[swamidada786]

Though he was busy, but when ever he got time he participated in Sat Sungh. During his stay at Hyderabad there is no record he attended any Sat Sungh. In one of Sat Sungh in Karachi he deliverd a lecture on SEPARATION.

He said, separation is a very unfortunate, painful, and sad feeling. The longing for a kind of connection that’s right there but just out of reach.

Separation is: Spiritual detachment, Emotional distance, Disconnection, Alienation, Estrangement, Division. He said separation is very painful, for example separation of mother and children, of lover and beloved, of husband and wife while divorce, of murshid and disciple. It is said in Arabic," AL FIRAQU ASHADU MINAL MOUT", means separation is worst than death. In death a person dies once but in 'FIRAAQ' separation the lover dies many times.

Sir quoted and explaind Quranic ayat;
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَآ ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَـٰذَا غَـٰفِلِينَ

And remember when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam their descendants and had them testify regarding themselves. Allah asked, “Am I not your Lord?” They replied, “Yes, You are! We testify.” He cautioned,“Now you have no right to say on Judgment Day,‘We were not aware of this.’Al Aa'raf ayat 172.

The phrase "Qalu Bala" refers to the pre-existence covenant where Allah asked the descendants of Adam, "Am I not your Lord?", and they replied, "Yes, You are, We testify". This declaration serves as a reminder that humanity was aware of Allah's Lordship before its existence in this world, establishing a foundational testimony of faith and a warning against denying this truth on Judgment Day.

Sir Mazhar qouted Shah latif in this regard;

ALAST BI RUBBIKUM JADHHEE(N) KUN PIYUUM
QALU BALA QALB SE(N) TADHE(N) TITT CHAYUUM
TAHEE(N) VEL KAYUUM WACHAN VERIVHAN SEE(N)

When “Am I not your Lord?” fell on my ears
I heartily said there “Yes, You are!”
At the very moment I made a covenant
with my Lord.

NAKA UBTADA ABD JI, NAKA INTAHA
SE WAJHA(N) KHE VIYA, JIN SU(N)JHATO SUPREE(N)

There is neither begining nor any end
to a worshipper
Those who recognized the Beloved
went a long way for ever.

PAHREIN TU(N) PAREEJ PARAR(N) POY PUNHU TE
BOL MA WISAREEJ HO JO KAYOEI HOTT SEE(N)


Firstly you carry out the covenant
thereafter the Beloved is to carry out
Forget not the promise

Ginan says; MAIN AAVI QOUL KARARIYAN

Meaning and Significance of Qalu Bala;

Pre-existence Covenant:
The phrase signifies a covenant made in pre-eternity, also known as Alam Dharr (the world of pre-existence) or the Day of Alast.

Allah's Lordship:
In this pre-existent state, Allah established the fundamental relationship between Him and humanity, confirming His absolute Lordship.

Testimony:
The declaration "Yes, we testify" is humanity's initial and unwavering acknowledgment of Allah's divine authority over them.

Accountability:
This testament serves as a perpetual reminder that on the Day of Judgment, no one will be able to claim ignorance of Allah's existence or Lordship, as this initial agreement forms a part of their spiritual foundation.

In Sufism, separation is the soul's initial, painful realization of its distance from the divine source, a feeling that fuels a deep spiritual longing and motivates the path toward union (fanaa) with God. This journey involves shedding the ego's illusions and attachments to the worldly self to achieve a state of oneness with the Divine, transforming the feeling of distance into a bridge for mystical connection

Rumi:
At the heart of Rumi’s philosophy lies the idea that the pain of separation is intrinsically linked to the very essence of love. This concept is perhaps most famously encapsulated in his metaphor of the reed flute, which he uses to open his magnum opus, the Masnavi:

“Listen to the reed and the tale it tells, How it sings of separation…”
This powerful imagery serves as a metaphor for the human soul, separated from its divine origin. The mournful song of the reed flute represents the soul’s longing to return to its source, a yearning that Rumi sees as the fundamental driving force behind all human striving and spiritual seeking.

The reed flute, cut from its reed bed, cries out in anguish, its music a lament for its lost connection. Similarly, Rumi suggests, that the human soul, separated from its divine origin, experiences a profound sense of loss and yearning. This separation is not a punishment or a flaw in creation, but rather an essential part of the human experience, designed to awaken us to our true nature and purpose.
Building on the foundation of love and longing, Rumi presents the pain of separation as a vital catalyst for spiritual growth and evolution. In his view, it is precisely through the experience of separation that individuals are compelled to embark on the inward journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening.

Rumi often uses the metaphor of polishing a mirror to describe this process. The pain of separation, he suggests, acts as an abrasive force that strips away the accumulated dust and grime of ego and worldly attachment, revealing the pure, reflective surface of the soul beneath.

Gita teaches;
The Bhagavad Gita advocates for spiritual detachment, which is not about renouncing the world but about releasing mental attachment to outcomes, people, and possessions, thereby fostering inner freedom and equanimity. By cultivating this detached, focused approach, individuals can perform their worldly duties perfectly, maintain a stable mind, and direct their focus toward their eternal soul and God

The Gita categorically says that the soul is not just some conception or metaphor. The soul is a concrete reality. There is a spiritual level of reality different from the material level. If you consider the top and bottom of a mountain, the top is spiritual consciousness, and the bottom is material consciousness.

Ginan says about detachment;

AISA JO MAI(N) JAANTI TOU CHALAN(N) NA DETTI PIYA
MAI(N) BHI CHALTI TUMHAREY SAATH RE MAHRBAAN MEREY

If I knew your are departing, I shall not have let you go
I shall have followed you my dear love

Shah Latif:
LAGHEE JO LATIF CHAI NAKO QAAL NA QEEL
LAKHAI LAAMU KHORIYU(N) NAIN(N)AN WAHEY NEER
HUNEIRA THI SUDHIR KALEH QARIBAN LADHIYO

“Love can neither be described nor expressed”, Says Latif, The fate asserts itself and the eyes shed violent flow of tears. O’ Heart! Have patience the Beloved departed.

Sir said there are many Ginans in which Pirs, Syeds, and Syedat have explained about separation (judai), union (wasal), annihilation (fana), writhing (tarrup), remembarance (yaad, zikr), spiritual vision (didaar, darshan). He gave many examples from Ginans, here I am quoting few;

EJI KHOLO PARDAH SUNMUKH DEKHUN
HANSI HANSI MUKH DIKHLAWO MEREY SAHEB

EJI TERI SURAT KA PIR SHAMS PIYASA
DARSHAN DAAN DILLAO MEREY SAHEB

EJI AANKH-LARRI JOI JOI THAAKI
KIYAREY AAWEY MORO SHAH JI

HUUN RE PIYASI PIYA TEREY DARSHAN KI
AASH PURO PIYA MOREY MON KI

EJI DARSHAN DIYO MORA NAATH
DAASI CHHUN TERI

EJI HAYAREY KE BHEETAR AGAN JALTI RE PIYA
SO TU(N)-HI BHUJAWAN(N)-HAAR RE MAHERBAN MEREY

EJI DARSHAN DEKHIYA MON SANTOKHIYA JI
MAHAPAD PAAMI CHHUN RAAJ AANAD HUN PAAMI

PREM PEERA TISSEY PUCHHO JAI
JEN(N)EY BAAN(N) KALEJEY KHAI

SAKHI MAARI AATUM NA ODHAR ALGA MA JAJO RE
EVO SAWRUP MINDARIYO SAAR TIYAN TAMEY BHIRAJO RE

HUM TUM DONU SAIYAN EK HAIN

At the end Sir quoted very beautuful and meaningful couplets of Mirza Ghallib;

ASAL E SHUHUD WA SHAHID WA MASHUD EK HAI
HAIRAN HUN PHIR MUSHAHIDAH HAI KIS HISAAB MEIN

HAI GHAIB E GHAIB JIS KO SAMAJHTEY HAIN HUM SHUHUD
HAIN KHUWAB MEIN HANUZ JO JAAGEY HAIN KHUWAB MEIN
(Mirza Ghallib)

[swamidada786]

A student asked about Barzakh. According to him, his Islamic studies teacher gave lecture on Barzakh; saying it is a place in space where after death souls stationed till Qayamat and then their fate will be descided by Allah after Qayamat e Kubra, justice will be done to send them either in paradise or hell. Also after death there will be religious questioning in grave by angels.
Sir said, this is a sensetive topic give me some time to prepare lecture on this topic. After few weeks he delivered lecture on Barzakh,(it was habit of Sir to gain some time for preparation of topic).

Sir started saying, من مات فقد قامت قيامته (hadith), judgement commences immediately after one dies. According to Sir, there is no waiting period. He argued that every person's good deeds and bad deeds are recorded contineously by KARAMAN KATIBEEN. When evey minute act is in the book of angels, then why there should be cross questioning in grave. Sir said; "there is no rewind button attached with soul", (this was his personal thinking).

Sir said; Barzakh is an Arabic word meaning "obstacle", "hindrance", "separation", or "barrier".
The word barzakh is used in the Quran. It appears three times, each conveying the meaning of a barrier, partition, or separation.
The three ayats in the Quran that mention barzakh are:
Surah Al-Mu'minun (23:100): This is the only verse that refers to the intermediate state between death and resurrection. When an unbeliever faces death, they will plea to be sent back to life to do good deeds, but God will refuse, saying: "It is but a word he utters, and behind them is a barzakh until the Day they are resurrected". In this context, barzakh is the barrier separating the dead from returning to the worldly life. Sir said, this ayat negates the notion of 'azaab e qabar', for answering, soul has to return in body for questioning, where above ayat clearly says, '...they will plea to be sent back to life to do good deeds, but God will refuse...". It means once souls reach Barzakh, they won't be allowed to come back in this world for questioning in grave.

Sir quoted Pir Sadruddin;

SATGUR KAHEY RE
UJAR KHERA TOU PHIR WASEY
ANEY NIRDHANA DHANWANT HOY
PUN(N) EK ACHHAMBO AA KAHIYEIN
BHAI MUVA NA JEEVEY KOI RE

The True Guide says: The deserted village will rehabitate and the poor will become rich. However, there is one astonishing sight. Brother, nobody can come to life(physical) after dying.

In the above Ginan Pir Sadardin has explained Sir said, that a deserted village can be rehabitated, and it is possible that a poor can become rich but contrary a dead person can not come to life, it is THE END for physical life.

MSMS has said elevation of soul in higher spheres, a soul can not take rebirth. Soul created will stay as it is.

Surah Al-Furqan (25:53): This verse uses the word to describe the barrier between two bodies of water. "And it is He who has released [simultaneously] the two seas, one fresh and sweet and one salty and bitter, and He placed between them a barrier (barzakh) and prohibiting partition".

Surah Ar-Rahman (55:20): Similar to the previous verse, this describes the boundary between fresh and salt water: "Between them is a barrier (barzakh) [so] neither of them transgresses". Sir said, it is the power and miracle of Allah Who makes to run side by side oceans of fresh sweet water and salty water.

quran says; وَهُوَ ٱلْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِۦ ۖ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَفَظَةً حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ ٦١

He reigns supreme over all of His creation, and sends recording-angels, watching over you. When death comes to any of you, Our angels take their soul, never neglecting this duty. (Al An'am- 61)

In Islamic eschatology, the concept of al-Barzakh is based on Quranic verses and elaborated upon in the Hadith and scholarly interpretations. It represents the spiritual realm or intermediary period that souls enter after death, where they await the Day of Judgment. The state of the soul in barzakh can be one of comfort or suffering, depending on a person's deeds in their worldly life.

Sir said, Muslim scholars have explained that it denotes a barrier separating the world of humans (heaven, earth, underworld) from the world of spirits. It can also refer to astage between an individual's death and their resurrection in "the Hereafter". It is also considered as a place where souls rest until the day of judgement.

Some scholars believe that good Muslims will have a heavenly experience during this time, and sinners will experience suffering, while some Shia scholars believe the experience will not be like the physical pain or pleasure of the temporal world.

In Islam, the soul and the body are independent of each other. This is significant in Barzakh, because only a person's soul goes to Barzakh and not their physical body. Since one's soul is divorced from their body in Barzakh, the belief is that no progress or improvements to one's past life can be made. If a person experienced a life of sin and worldly pleasures, one cannot try to perform good deeds in order to reach haven. Whatever one does in his or her lifetime is final and cannot be changed or altered in Barzakh.

In mainstream Sunni and Shia Islam, Barzakh has been defined as "an intermediary stage between this life and another life in the Hereafter"; "an interval or a break between individual death and resurrection"; "The Stage Between this World and the Hereafter"; the period between a person's death and his resurrection on the Day of Resurrection. Based in least in part on the verse "Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up." (23:100) Some scholars believe that good Muslims will have a heavenly experience during this time, and sinners will experience suffering. Mainstream scholarly discourse
Some Muslim scholars stress the importance of Barzakh, while others simply ignore it.
Modern Muslim thinkers de-emphasize Barzakh, and focus instead on a person's individual life and the Day of Judgment. In this view, the state of Barzakh is simply looked past and skipped once a person dies.

Muslim scholars who do believe in Barzakh still have varying interpretations of this intermediate state based on different traditions. Some traditions suggest that a person's deeds in their life will affect their experience in Barzakh. In these traditions, the state known as "azaab e qabr," will be one where a person is punished for his or her deeds in their past life. While those in a second state will receive Allah's blessings because of his or her faith and good deeds.

Sir quoted Ibn'Arabi, he defines Barzakh as the intermediate realm or "isthmus". It is between the World of Corporeal Bodies and the World of Spirits, and is a means of contact between the two worlds. Without it, there would be no contact between the two and both would cease to exist. It is described as simple and luminous, like the World of Spirits, but also able to take on many different forms just like the World of Corporeal Bodies can. In broader terms Barzakh, “is anything that separates two things”. It has been described as the dream world in which the dreamer is in both life and death.

During lecture a student asked; 'Is the word Barzakh used in Ginans'?

Sir replied, it is highly likely that the word barzakh is used in Ginans. The concept of barzakh, an intermediary stage between death and resurrection, is an important idea in Islamic eschatology. While specific examples were not immediately retrieved, the concept is well integrated into broader Ismaili thought. Ginans which are often rich with Islamic and Qur'anic terminology, would naturally include such a significant concept. Ismaili interpretations of Islamic eschatology, cosmology, and metaphysics are often explored and expressed in the symbolic language of the Ginans. As the concept of barzakh is a core part of Islamic cosmology, it is appeared in Ginans as death, hereafter, resurrection, accountability, punishment, reward and so on.
Ginans are for esoteric and spiritual instructions to teach fundamental religious concepts, and topics concerning death and the afterlife are central to their spiritual message. For example, the concept of barzakh in the context of resurrection.
Sir mentioned references from Ginans about death and hereafter;

MARANA HAI RE ZARUR

MATTI SO MITARI, MITTI MAHEIN RHIRI BHIRI JAYA SHEE

SAHEB LEKHA LESEY TIL TIL KO

SAU WARAS LAGEY JEEVAN(N)A, AAKHIR MARNA BHI HOI HOI

SAYAAN JI MOREY DARR LOGO RE EK DIN KO

TIL BAAR TULNA KHANEY KI DHAAR CHALANA
TIL TIL KA LEKHA DIAN(N)A MEREY JIV KU

EK DIN SAHEB SUB KO BULLAVEY
TOU LEKHA LESHEY TIL TIL KO

AE SABAGHA DEHI TERI KHAAK MEIN RULSI
KERREY KHAAVAN MAAS SABAGHA

One other student asked Sir to describe condition of a dying person.

Sir replied;
Death is accompanied by something called the sakarat of death and it is painful. The person loses the faculty of rationality at this point. There is a hadith that indicates the soul of the disbeliever leaves the body reluctantly, Surat al-Qiyamah:26 indicates that the soul leaves from the throat/collarbone area.

At the time of death, the angel of death is dispatched to retrieve the soul from the person (al-An`am:61). The form these angels take depends on the state of belief of the person. The people around him see the effects of these things happening, but not the events themselves. The form these angels take depends on the state of belief of the person. The taking of the soul starts at the feet and is pressed up the body, like a toothpaste tube when some one emptying it. It collects in the chest before being pulled out from the throat area; painful for the unfortunate and a soothing process for the pious. Medically, it is proven that during the time of death, the sensation begins to erode starting at the feet. The last thing to remain is the hearing.
At the end Sir quoted a Ginan part of Pir Sadruddin;

JI RE PRAN(N)I
HAATH GHASEY NE DUSASA MELEY
JEEBLARIYE TARA DHEEDA
GHAN(N)ERO GHAN(N)ERO PRAN(N)I ROWA NE LAGO
PUN(N) SHAH JI NU NAAM NA LEEDHU RE

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UMMI

It was my habit when Sir or any missionary or lecturar delivered lecture on any forum, or Sat Sungh or even waiz, I used to take important notes. With me many other students and collegues did same also. That's how I collected information delivered by Sir Mazhar. Quite few times he gave me his hand written articles and notes when I requested him.
Once in a gathering he delivered a lecture on 'The Prophet being Ummi'. He said personally I do not believe that The Prophet was illitrate means he knew not how to read and write. Sir said, mostly Muslims, mojority of Sunnis do believe The Prophet was Ummi means illitrate or unlettered. In Sirs's view it is disrespect for The Prophet.
Sir was of the opinion that Ummi is derived from UMM means mother, means Rasul is like mother of Ummah. Also UMM means Asas or foundation or origon, means Rasul is the foundation of Islam. One more reason he gave was; The term Ummi is most commonly understood to mean that he was illiterate and unable to read or write, which is believed to have been a divine sign to prevent his opponents from accusing him of authoring the Quran. Some scholars suggest that ummi could also refer to him being sent to an unscriptured people or being from the community of Mecca, Umm al-Qura. Some scholars conclude that the correct meaning of the word 'Ummi' in the Quran is a gentile; one who has not received a Scripture.

The Prophet Muhammad himself explained the meaning of the word "Ummi" in his sayings. Bukhari narrated a hadith from Abdullah ibn Umar, where the Prophet said:

"We (Arabs) are an unlettered (Ummi) nation; we neither write nor calculate." (Sahih Bukhari, 1/631, Hadith: 1913, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

In another hadith, the Prophet stated:

"I have been sent to an unlettered (Ummi) nation." (Sahih Ibn Hibban, 3/14, Hadith: 739, Mu'assasat al-Risalah, Beirut)

Similarly, the word "Imam" has the same root. An "Imam" is someone towards whom the followers turn, whose signals they obey, and who is the guide and leader in all matters.

Sir said the word "Ummi" is used in the Quran, where it appears in several verses to describe the Prophet Muhammad and other people. It has several meanings depending on the context, including "unlettered" or "illiterate".
Describing the Prophet Muhammad: It is often used to describe the Prophet Muhammad as "the unlettered prophet," meaning he was uneducated until the Quran was revealed to him.
The misconception that Prophet Muhammad was "illiterate" stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of the Arabic word "Ummi." Historically and linguistically, "Ummi" refers to someone who is unlettered, particularly in reading and writing. However, equating this with "illiterate" in the English context is a grave error that fails to capture the essence of the Prophet's profound knowledge and wisdom and his Khutbas full of eloquence.

This issue is not limited to a few individuals; it arises from a broader misunderstanding that prevails among those who, due to their own lack of knowledge, inadvertently adopt this flawed translation. Consequently, many begin to echo this erroneous interpretation without grasping its implications. It is essential to recognize that Allah describes the Prophet Muhammad as "Ummi (Asas,Foundation)" and this designation carries profound wisdom, acknowledged by scholars from the earliest days of Islam to the present

The word 'ummi' has been used in the Quran in a number of verses. The following verse is one example:
Ummi in the Quran refers to people who are not followers of the Scriptures, i.e.pagans.

The Jews used to call the pagans "Ummi", to signify they had no Scriptures to follow as a religion.
The prophet ofcourse was from Mecca which was a pagan community and Mecca is known as UMMUL QURA.

Many translations of the Quran have wrongly translated the word "ummi" as illiterate. With a quick analysis of various Quranic verses where the word 'Ummi' is used, it can be verified that this word does not mean illiterate. The correct meaning is gentile or someone who has not received a Scripture.

Quran says;
Say to those who were given the Scripture and the 'ummiyeen', "Have you submitted?" 3:20

In this verse, God commanded The Prophet to invite those who received a Scripture (the Jews and Christians) as well as the ummiyeen (plural of ummi) to submit to God.

If we use the wrong interpretation used by Muslims interpreters today of the word "Ummi" of the one who cannot read or write, we would have the following translation: "Proclaim to those who received a Scripture as well as those who cannot read or write to submit" It is clear that this is an inaccurate translation.

Also, in ayat 62:2 Quran says;

He is the One who has sent to the 'ummiyeen' a messenger from among them. 62:2

Once again, if we assume that the word "Ummi" means illiterate then that would mean that God has in fact sent Muhammad only to those who cannot read or write!

It is quite obvious that God would send a messenger with a Scripture to all who did not receive a Scripture, and not only to those who cannot read and write!
Indeed, prophet Muhammad was sent to those who never received a messenger before him as confirmed in the following words: Or do they say, "He fabricated it"? Rather, it is the truth from your Lord so that you would warn a people to whom no warner has come before you, so that they may be guided. 32:3

In the following verses there are given more conclusive evidence that the word 'Ummi' does not mean illiterate:

And among them are 'ummiyoon' who do not know of the Scripture except through hearsay. They are merely guessing.
Therefore, woe to those who write with their own hands what is supposed to be the Scripture, then say, "This is from God," that they may trade it for a cheap price. Therefore woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn. 2:78-79

The word "ummiyoon" is immediately followed by the words "who do not know the Scripture", which confirms the definition of the word 'Ummi' as, and it is exactly as the words say: The one who never received a messenger and thus does not know the Scripture.

The title "Ummi" ascribed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) carries profound meanings that highlight his unique status and the divine wisdom in his character.

Divine Designation: The title "Ummi" emphasizes that the Prophet did not learn from any human teacher, ensuring the purity and authenticity of the revelations he received. This divine designation safeguards against any claims of human influence on his prophetic knowledge.

To conclude, the correct meaning of the word 'ummi' in the Quran is a gentile; one who has not received a Scripture.

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SIBGHATULLAH

Sir Mazhar delivered the following lecture in a satsungh majlis. He said the phrase "Sibghatullah" (صبغة الله) is used in the Quran only once in Surah Baqarah, (Chapter 2, Verse 138).
Quran says:
صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدُونَ

Color (hue) of Allah. And who could give a better color (to life) than Allah, and we truly worship Him.

According to Arabic language, the root word, Saad-ba-Gh means: to dye, color, baptize, dip, immerse, hue, assume the attribute, code of law, religion, nature.
The “Sibgha” of Allah and who is better in “Sibgha” than that of Allah, it is an all encompassing term describing “All attributes” hidden and manifest qualities.

It is one of the verses that forms the basis of sufi’s search for Nafs e Mutmainna meaning the highest realization of self or the super ego.

Sir quoted a part of Ginan;

AASH PUNI HAM SHAH DAR PAYA
RAYAN(N) BEENI MOREY SHAH JAGAYA
SHAH JAGAYA SHAH KA NAAM LIAN(N)A
BI SAAIYAN HETT PAYE RUNG LAAGO
BI SAAIYAN PIR PAYE RUNG LAAGO
BI SAHEB TOU SAATHEY MON BAANDHIYO
MORO DIL BAANDHIYO JI
Pir Hasan Kabiruddin

My wishes were accomplished when I found the gate of Shah (Imam)
The Imam awakened me from the night (of darkness and ignorance)
Since the time when Imam awakened me, I have been reciting His name
Oh Lord, through love, I have attained the colors (of you)
Oh Lord, through the (guidance of the) Pir, I have attained the colors.
Oh Imam, my mind and heart is bound with you

Sir also quoted Mirza Ghalib;

عاشقی صبر طلب اور تمنا بے تاب
دل کا کیا رنگ کرون خون جگر ہونۓ تک

Love demands patience but desire is impatient. I shall color (pant) the heart with my blood until it turns into liver.

Sibghatullah is a powerful metaphor that translates literally to the "color" or "dye" of Allah and interpret "Sibghah" to mean the divine religion of Islam, which provides a complete way of life that is Sirat e Mustaqeem as well true love for Allah.

Sir mentioned the philosophy of colors in poetry of Rumi. He described and expained as follow quoting Rumi;

“ Every drop,
of my blood calls out.
Dye me with,
the color of your Love.
Make me,
the Jewel of Your affection.”

Rumi mentions colors extensively throughout his major works, especially the Diwan e Shams Tabriz and the Masnavi, using them as rich metaphors for spiritual states and realities. Rather than providing a single poem, Rumi's approach involves using specific colors in various contexts to evoke different romantic, mystical, or didactic meanings.

The 7 colours of rainbow are always observed in the same order due to how light bends and spreads. These are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. They form the famous band known as the visible spectrum.

A study analyzing the use of colors in Rumi's lyrics found that the most frequent and symbolically significant colors are black, red, yellow, and green.

Green: Often symbolizes the natural world, vitality, and the "verdant field of Time and Space" as an expression of divine perfection and the grace within. Rumi describes the "earth in green" as a cloth for a graceful robe, linking it to spiritual renewal and the presence of the divine in nature.

Red: Frequently associated with passion, divine love, and the intoxicating effects of spiritual awakening. It can represent the intensity of emotion, the "rosy cheek" of beauty that ignites the flame of love, and the blood crying out in unity with the Beloved's love.

Black: Can represent the "dark folds of night" where love finds a heart entangled in tresses, or the state of being beyond worldly perception. It's a complex color that also relates to the concealment of the divine's true beauty.

Yellow: Often appears in the context of the transient world, like "yellow leaves" that make room for the new, or it can symbolize illness and the unfulfilled longing for divine love that causes the heart to "turn you yellow".

White: The contrast or absence of worldly colors is also a key theme. Rumi speaks of a realm "beyond these colors and these perfumes" where "other colors in the heart and the soul" exist, referring to the purity and light of the spiritual realm. The "Light is the same" even if the lamps (forms) are different, highlighting the unity behind all outward appearances

The Manifestation of Allah's Color; The metaphor of a dye is deeply meaningful; just as a dye saturates a cloth and becomes its defining characteristic, the religion of Allah is meant to saturate the believer's heart, mind, and actions. This inner transformation inevitably becomes visible in a person's character.

To apply a dye, we look for Allah’s Sibgha in this world. Everything Absolutely everything is His Sibgha. Day, night, sun, moon, stars, water, air, us, animals; everything. Slowly we are drawn to the beauty of it all, the colors, the sounds, the textures; everything. We advance in our love of His signs till we feel love for Him, the creator.
Assuming a hue, once He becomes our beloved, we look for His signs in everything. We are happy if He is happy and we are scared and upset if we do something that He dislikes. We wear what He likes. We say what He likes.
Inhaling the Beloved with each breath Once one assume His hue, he feels empty inside. He likes but this intensifies inner hunger, thirst for the beloved and begin thinking about Him all the time. We breath in with Him in our breath and breath out all our EGO which hinder view of Him. Complete IMMERSION in the vastness of Beloved. Imagine a baby inside its mother. Is there a better, more secure, more peaceful place in this world? One reaches a point in love for Allah and recites His Ism e Azam. At this stage one sees the outside world through the veil of His love, and nothing in the whole world can hurt because His hand is over his heart.
Finally, one is so deeply immersed that he give up himself to Him. Now he assume His attributes, and one can attain the place He has specified for His “Humble servants”. Just as a Hadith Qudsi says: “O Son of Adam! You proceed towards Me with love and I love you in return. You keep coming towards me till I become the eyes with which you see and I become the hands with which you work and I become the tongue with which you speak”.
It also refers to natural Fitrah, the pure natural inclination towards 'Mono Realism' and submission to Allah.
This verse suggests that a believer's entire existence becomes imbued with the attributes of faith, such as honesty, justice, and compassion, creating a spiritual hue that is unmatched.
The use of this phrase highlights that the true "coloring" is an internal spiritual transformation and commitment to Allah's way of life.
Quran says: َا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً

“O you who believed, enter into Islam completely…” (2:208)

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Once Sir Mazhar gave lecture on the famous couplet of Rumi;
پای استدلالیون چوبین بود
پای چوبین سخت بی‌تمکین بود

Pa-ye istidaliyan chubeen buvad
Pa-ye chubeen sakht bi tamkin buvad

Translation:
The feet of the rationalizers (those who rely only on argument) are wooden.
Wooden feet are extremely unstable (unreliable, powerless can be cut easily).

This means that arguments based purely on logic and reason are like wooden legs, which are inherently weak, can be easily cut or broken, and provide no stable foundation, especially in matters of deep spiritual truth. Rumi often used such metaphors to prioritize inner spiritual experience over dry philosophical debate.

Rumi uses the image of a "wooden leg" (like a prosthetic or a crutch) to describe the intellect ('aql) when it tries to walk the path of divine love alone. He argues that while logic is a useful tool for worldly affairs, it lacks the "grip" or stability (tamkin) needed for spiritual heights. He often follows this by suggesting that the "feet" of the heart or spiritual intuition are much more stable and sure footed

Sir narrated the story as mentioned in Masnavi where the above couplet is used;

This occurred after an elderly woman from the Ansar and her son, a carpenter, approached the Prophet. They wanted to make a pulpit for the Prophet for his Friday sermons. The Prophet graciously accepted the idea, saying, “If you wish to do so,” and this is what caused the date palm to weep, feeling that it would lose its beloved companion who was always with it every Friday.

The loss was so sorrowful for the date palm, and the Prophet, with full understanding, acknowledged the tree’s feelings. He descended from the pulpit and embraced the trunk of the date palm. The loving embrace of the Prophet alleviated the sadness felt by the tree. At this point Sir said a very important couplet in Urdu;

سننے کی مہلت ملے تو آواز ھے پتھرون مین
اجڑی ھوءی بستیون مین آبادیان بولتی ھین

If you have time to listen, there is a voice in the stones. The inhabitants of the ruined bastions speak.

Sir, quoted Farman of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah,"Pathar maan pun(n) Ruh chhey", that there is soul in stone (which is called mineral soul). At this point Sir quoted one more couplet of Rumi,

پنج حس است جز این پنج حس
آن چو زر سرخ و او چو مس

There are five senses, except these five senses, that is (hidden) like red gold and that (apparent) like copper.

Sir explained; every human have 5 sences which according to Rumi are like copper (less value), but there are other hidden 5 sences related to soul which are spiritual have more value like gold. The Prophet listen to voice of tree with spiritual hearing power of soul. He talked to tree and comforted it.

The story of the weeping date palm in front of Prophet Muhammad teaches us that everything in this world, including living beings and plants, has feelings and emotions. The date palm could feel love, loss, and happiness. Therefore, we, as humans, must always be kind to all of Allah’s creations, including animals and plants. Biologists, ecologists, foresters, and naturalists argue that trees speak, and that humans can learn to hear this language.


The story of the Weeping Date Palm in Front of Prophet Muhammad serves as evidence of the Prophet’s compassion towards all of Allah’s creations, even towards plants. This event illustrates the close relationship the Prophet had with his surrounding environment, such that even a date palm felt the loss when he was no longer present. This was love of tree towards The Prophet. Love begetes love, this kind of love, a worldly person or a philosopher cann't understand.
This highlights the instability and unreliability of purely rational arguments (intellect/reason, 'aql) compared to the certainty of mystical love or intuition ('ishq).

عاشقی صبر طلب اور تمنا بے تاب
دل کا کیا رنگ کرون خون جگر ہونۓ تک

Love demands patience but desire is impatient. I shall color (pant) the heart with my blood until it turns into liver.

[swamidada786]

Sir Mazhar often said, if any Ismaili want to know the true Tariqa and philosophy of Ismailism should read and understand the Mathnavi of Rumi. He also suggested, if any non Ismaili ask questions about Ismaili Tariqa and philosophy tell them read Mathnavi of Rumi. I am posting complete story of moaning tree Hananah in words of Rumi.
Howard Nemerov had beautifully said;

BEFORE YOU CAN LEARN THE TREES, YOU HAVE TO LEARN

THE LANGUAGE OF TREES, THAT IS DONE IN DOORS

OUT OF A BOOK, WHICH NOW YOU THINK OF IT

IS ONE OF THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF A TREE
(Howard Nemerov)

How the moaning pillar complained when they made a pulpit for the Prophet, and the tree said, “We do not see thy blessed face when thou art exhorting us”, and how the Prophet and his Companions heard that complaint, and how the Prophet Muhammad conversed with the pillar in clear language.
نالیدن ستون حنانه چون برای پیغامبر علیه السلام
منبر ساختند که جماعت انبوه شد گفتند ما روی مبارک تو را به هنگام وعظ نمی‌‌بینیم و شنیدن رسول و صحابه آن ناله را و سؤال و جواب مصطفی صلی الله علیه و اله و سلم با ستون صریح‌‌
استن حنانه از هجر رسول
ناله می‌‌زد همچو ارباب عقول‌‌
The moaning pillar was complaining of (its) separation from the Prophet, just as rational beings (might do).
گفت پیغمبر چه خواهی ای ستون
گفت جانم از فراقت گشت خون‌‌
The Prophet said, “O pillar, what dost thou want?” It said, “My soul is turned to blood because of parting from thee.
مسندت من بودم از من تاختی
بر سر منبر تو مسند ساختی‌‌
I was thy support: (now) thou hast run away from me: thou hast devised a place to lean against upon the pulpit.”
گفت خواهی که ترا نخلی کنند
شرقی و غربی ز تو میوه چنند
“Dost thou desire,” said he, “to be made a date-palm, (so that) the people of the East and the West shall gather fruit from thee?
یا در آن عالم حقت سروی کند
تا تر و تازه بمانی تا ابد
Or that He (God) should make thee a cypress in yonder world, so that thou wilt remain everlastingly fresh and flourishing?”
گفت آن خواهم که دایم شد بقاش
بشنو ای غافل کم از چوبی مباش‌‌
It replied, “I desire that whereof the life is enduring for ever.” Hearken, O heedless one! Be not thou less than a piece of wood!
آن ستون را دفن کرد اندر زمین
تا چو مردم حشر گردد یوم دین‌‌
He (the Prophet) buried that pillar in the earth, that it may be raised from the dead, like mankind, on the day of Resurrection,
تا بدانی هر که را یزدان بخواند
از همه کار جهان بی‌‌کار ماند
That (hence) thou mayst know that every one whom God has called (to Himself) remains disengaged from all the work of this world.
هر که را باشد ز یزدان کار و بار
یافت بار آن جا و بیرون شد ز کار
Whosoever hath his work and business from God, gains admission there and goes forth from (abandons worldly) work.
آن که او را نبود از اسرار داد
کی کند تصدیق او ناله‌‌ی جماد
He that hath no gift (portion) of spiritual mysteries, how should he believe in the complaining of inanimate things?
گوید آری نه ز دل بهر وفاق
تا نگویندش که هست اهل نفاق‌‌
He says “Yes,” not from his heart (but) for agreement’s sake, lest people should say that he is a hypocrite (in his religion).
گر نیندی واقفان امر کن
در جهان رد گشته بودی این سخن‌‌
Unless there were knowers of the (Divine) command “Be!”, this doctrine (that inanimate things are capable of speech) would have been rejected in the world.
صد هزاران ز اهل تقلید و نشان
افکندشان نیم وهمی در گمان‌‌
Myriads of conformists and legalists are cast into doubt by a half-imagination,
که به ظن تقلید و استدلالشان
قایم است و جمله پر و بالشان‌‌
For their conformity and their drawing evidence from logical proofs and all their wings and wing-feathers (every means which they employ in order to arrive at the truth) depend on opinion.
شبهه‌‌ای انگیزد آن شیطان دون
در فتند این جمله کوران سر نگون‌‌
The vile Devil raises a doubt (in their minds): all these blind ones fall in headlong.
پای استدلالیان چوبین بود
پای چوبین سخت بی‌‌تمکین بود
The leg of the syllogisers is of wood: a wooden leg is very infirm,
غیر آن قطب زمان دیده‌‌ور
کز ثباتش کوه گردد خیره‌‌سر
Unlike the Qutb (supreme saint) of the age, the possessor of (spiritual) vision, by whose steadfastness the mountain is made giddy-headed (amazed).
پای نابینا عصا باشد عصا
تا نیفتد سر نگون او بر حصا
The blind man’s leg is a staff, a staff, so that he may not fall headlong on the pebbles.
آن سواری کاو سپه را شد ظفر
اهل دین را کیست سلطان بصر
The cavalier that became (the cause of) victory for the army, who is he for (the army of) the religious? The Lord of (spiritual) sight.
با عصا کوران اگر ره دیده‌‌اند
در پناه خلق روشن دیده‌‌اند
If, with (the aid of) a staff, the blind have seen their way, (yet) they are under the protection of the clear-sighted people.
گرنه بینایان بدندی و شهان
جمله کوران مرده‌‌اندی در جهان‌‌
Were there no men of vision and (spiritual) kings, all the blind in the world would be dead.
نی ز کوران کشت آید نه درود
نه عمارت نه تجارتها و سود
From the blind comes neither sowing nor reaping nor cultivation nor tradings and profit.
گر نکردی رحمت و افضالتان
در شکستی چوب استدلالتان‌‌
If He (God) did not bestow mercy and grace upon you, the wood of your logical deduction would break.
این عصا چه بود قیاسات و دلیل
آن عصا کی دادشان بینا جلیل‌‌
What is this staff? Inferences and (logical) demonstration. Who gave them (the blind) that staff? The all-seeing and almighty One.
چون عصا شد آلت جنگ و نفیر
آن عصا را خرد بشکن ای ضریر
Since the staff has become a weapon of quarrel and attack, break that staff to pieces, O blind man!
او عصاتان داد تا پیش آمدید
آن عصا از خشم هم بر وی زدید
He gave you the staff that ye might approach (Him): with that staff ye struck even at Him in your anger.
حلقه‌‌ی کوران به چه کار اندرید
دیدبان را در میانه آورید
O company of the blind, what are ye doing? Bring the seer between (you and God)!
دامن او گیر کاو دادت عصا
در نگر کادم چها دید از عصی‌‌
Lay hold of His skirt who gave thee the staff: consider what (dreadful) things Adam suffered from disobedience.
معجزه‌‌ی موسی و احمد را نگر
چون عصا شد مار و استن با خبر
Consider the miracles of Moses and Ahmad (Mohammed), how the staff became a serpent and the pillar was endowed with knowledge.
از عصا ماری و از استن حنین
پنج نوبت می‌‌زنند از بهر دین‌‌
From the staff (came) a serpent and from the pillar a moaning: they (the staff and the pillar) are beating (the drums of honour) five times daily for the sake of the Religion.
گرنه نامعقول بودی این مزه
کی بدی حاجت به چندین معجزه‌‌
Unless this savour (perception of spiritual truths) were non-intellectual, how should all these miracles have been necessary?
هر چه معقول است عقلش می‌‌خورد
بی‌‌بیان معجزه بی‌‌جر و مد
Whatever is intelligible, the intellect is swallowing (receiving) it without the evidence of miracles and without contention.
این طریق بکر نامعقول بین
در دل هر مقبلی مقبول بین‌‌
This virgin (untrodden) Way deem unintelligible, deem (it) accepted in the heart of every fortunate (elect) one.
همچنان کز بیم آدم دیو و دد
در جزایر در رمیدند از حسد
As in fear of Adam devil and wild beast fled to the islands, from envy,
هم ز بیم معجزات انبیا
سر کشیده منکران زیر گیا
So in fear of the miracles of the prophets have the sceptics slunk away under the grass,
تا به ناموس مسلمانی زی‌‌اند
در تسلس تا ندانی که کی‌‌اند
That they may live in hypocrisy with the reputation of being Moslems, and that you may not know who they are.
همچو قلابان بر آن نقد تباه
نقره می‌‌مالند و نام پادشاه‌‌
Like counterfeiters, they smear the base coin with silver and (inscribe on it) the name of the King.
ظاهر الفاظشان توحید و شرع
باطن آن همچو در نان تخم صرع‌‌
The outward form of their words is profession of the Divine Unity and the religion (of Islam): the inward meaning thereof is like darnel seed in bread.
فلسفی را زهره نی تا دم زند
دم زند دین حقش بر هم زند
The philosopher has not the stomach (courage) to breathe a word: if he utter a word, the true Religion will confound him.
دست و پای او جماد و جان او
هر چه گوید آن دو در فرمان او
His hand and foot are inanimate, and whatever his spirit says (commands), those two are under its control.
با زبان گر چه که تهمت می‌‌نهند
دست و پاهاشان گواهی می‌‌دهند
Albeit they (the sceptics) propound (reasons for) suspicion with their tongues, their hands and feet give testimony (against them).

(Adopted from Mathnavi of Rumi)

[swamidada786]

MANSOOR THANI
منصور ثانی
Sir Mazhar delivered the following lecture in a private gathering, where mostly seniors beside his students were present. In his lecture he gave quotations from the book 'ASHKAAR', A Farsi collection of Sachal Sarmast's poetry. The book Ashkaar was gifted to Sir by his father (I saw that book in collection of Sir Mazhar), آشکارmeans visible, evident, obvious, apparent, known, clear, openly.

Sachal Sarmast (intoxicated) is known as Mansoor Thani منصور ثانی(second Mansoor), because he raised the slogan 'Anal Haqq' in his time, he said;

MI ZANAM ANALHUQQ ASHIKAAR
UNDDER EE(N) ZAMAAN MANSOOR VAAR
NAUBAT E AA(N) BADSHAHI MI ZANAM
SHAHARYARAM SHAHARYARAM SHAHARYAR

I declare openly Anal Haqq like mansoor in this world in real time.
I acquired the spiritual kingdom. I am Shah, I am Shah of this (spiritual) Kingdom. (a quatrain from Diwan e Ashkaar)

Sachal Sarmast (1739–1827), known as the "Shair e Haqiqi" (Poet of Truth), centered his philosophy on Wahdat-al-Wujud (Unity of Existence), advocating that all creation is a manifestation of the Divine. He preached absolute love, breaking down ego, and rejecting rigid religious dogmas to achieve oneness with God, often emphasizing that the Divine is found within oneself.

Like Shah Latif, Sachal also was an Awaisi Faqir, although his uncle Abdu’l Haq first awakened him, to a sense of divine reality. Awaisis either receive direct hidayat from God or from 'Al Insaan ul Kamil' (spiritual Master). Sachal, in his Persian, poetry, says about the Persian mystic poet Attar:

ATTAR NA BUUD AANK KHUDA BUUD KHUDA BUUD

UU PAAK WUJUD AANK KHUDA BUUD KHUDA BUUD

He was not Attar but was God, he was God

He was a Pure as God, he was God.

(Sachal Diwan e Ashkaar)

The saint poet perhaps had some spiritual connection with Attar as Shah Latif owed allegiance to Rumi, the immorlal poet.

Sachal said about Attar;

AY DILA KHUSHBU ZI SHAH ATTAR DAR JAANAM RACEED

O Heart, fragrance of shah Attar has penetrated my soul

Sachal is regarded as 'shair e haft zaban' (poet of seven languages) due to his poetical works in Arabic, Sindhi, Saraiki, Punjabi, Urdu, Persian and Balochi to address the wider audience in these languages. He spread the message of love for humanity through his poetry.
Sachal, unlike Shah Latif, was a learned scholar. He achieved mastery over Persian and Arabic. He was Hafiz e Quran.
Sachal is like Hafiz Shirazi, the great Persian mystic poet, whose Diwan is considered so sacred that his devotees consult it for augury in times of difficulty and distress. Like Hafiz, Sachal castigated Mullas and Maulvis, so that he rendered himself unpopular with the religious hierarchy of his time. He became unpopular with the Muslim religious leaders not only because of his
harsh criticism of them but also because of his calling himself God, singing openly of wine and beauty. A single illustration of his poetry is enough to inform why the custodians of religion were infuriated with him. Like Hafiz, He said;

Abandoning the Mosque, we get drunk in the Tavern
All this beauty and splendour that encircles us is ours
Exempt from righteousness and unrighteousness
We, O Sachal became Truth (Haqq)

Sachal declared himself 'SUBHAAN' in his Sindhi poetry as Ba Yazid Bastami said 'Subhani ma A'zam shani'.

Kalimay keen kayo, muun khey musalman
Na ko Ahmad mokiliyo Arab khaan Imaan
"Sachoo" paan(n) Subhan, par maarun lekhey Aadami

The kalma did not make me a Muslim
Nor did the Prophet sent faith from Arabia
Sachoo (Sachal) is himself divine, though public think him human.

Sachal said;
Ko keean chavey, ko keean chavey,
Aaoon joee ahiyaan, so hee ahiyaan.
Ko kafir chavey, ko momin chavey,
Aaoon joee ahiyaan, so hee ahiyaan

Some say one thing, some say other,
I am what I am.
Some say I am an infidel, some say I am a believer,
I am what I am.

In Saraiki poetry he said;

NA MAI(N) TAAB NA MAI(N) BETAAB
NA MAI(N) ABBAR NA MAI(N) AFTAB
NA MAI(N) GOYA NA MAI(N) JOYA
NA MAI(N) SAWAL NA MAI(N) JAWAB
NA MAI(N) KHAKI NA MAI(N) BAADI
NA MAI(N) AAG NA MAI(N) AABB
NA MAI(N) JINNI NA MAI(N) INSI
NA MAI(N) MAAI NA MAI(N) BAAP
ZAAT SACHAL DI KEHI PUCHHANDEY
NAALEY TAA(N) NAYAAB

I am not dying for my splendor
I am neither cloud nor sun
I am neither speaker nor a seeker
I am neither a question nor answer to it
I am neither from dust nor from air
I am neither of fire nor of water
I am neither jinni nor a human
I am neither motherly nor fatherly
what to ask about my nature
I am obsolete

Key aspects of his philosophy include:
Wahdat-al-Wujud (Unity of Being):
Sachal believed in a non-dualistic reality, where the Creator and creation are not separate. He famously stated, "He is, You are not," encouraging followers to lose their self-identity in the Divine ocean.
Truth and Fearlessness: As a "Poet of Truth," he championed, "The brave speak the truth, let others like it or not". He criticized religious hypocrisy and rigid social, class, or sectarian divisions.

Ishq (Divine Love): Love was deemed the supreme virtue and the path to reaching the Divine, overriding ritualistic worship.

Universalism: Known as "Sarmast" (intoxicated), he embraced a universal approach, showing respect for different traditions, including Hindu and Sikh, which was reflected in his poetry and teachings.

Anti-Egoism: He emphasized that true humanity is achieved when "I" and "you" (ego) become meaningless, leading to the "extermination of the lower self" for an eternal life in the Supreme Self.
His poetry, delivered in a state of Wajd (ecstasy) or spiritual trance, often challenged conventional religious norms of his time.

Mansoor Al-Hallaj (executed 922) is the most famous Sufi to proclaim Anal-Haqq ("I am the Truth/God"). While other mystics throughout history have echoed this, Sachal Sarmast, a Sufi poet, is indeed renowned for proclaiming this in his poetry, emphasizing the annihilation of the self and unity with the divine, similar to Hallaj, Known for the ecstatic utterance Anal Haqq in 10th-century Baghdad, which was interpreted by authorities as a blasphemous claim to divinity. However, it is understood in Sufism as a state of total ego annihilation (fana) where only God remains. Sachchal was a follower of the Wahdat-ul-Wujood (unity of existence) philosophy and, like Hallaj, openly declared his oneness with the Creator.
Both mystics utilized this phrase to express the ultimate mystical union, often leading to conflict with orthodox interpretations of Islam.

Sir Mazhar said, by studying and understanding Diwan e Ashkaar, we would come to know about Ismaili Khwaja philosophy of "Ali Muhammad yak Khuda" as mentioned in old Dua. According to Ashkaar Khuda Muhammad Ali is one entity..

AA(N)KE DAR AHMAD AHAD DAANIST FARAQ
DARJA E UU DAR FANA FI ALLAH NEEST

IF ANY ONE DIFFERENCIATE BETWEEN AHMAD (PROPHET) AND AHAD (ALLAH)
SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO REACH FANA FI ALLAH

JUZZ MUHAMMAD NEEST DAR KOUN WA MAKAAN
JUZZ ALI DEEGAR KASSI HAMRAH NEEST

THERE ISN'T ANY ONE ELSE IN BOTH WORLDS WITHOUT MUHAMMAD AND ALI
AND WITHOUT ALI THERE IS NO PATRON AND HELPER IN BOTH WORLDS

EE BIJUZ DARWAZA AHMAD RAAH NEEST
GAR NA MEEDAANI DILAT AGAAH NEEST

O FRIEND THERE IS NO WAY OUT WITHOUT DOOR OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD
IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS MEANS YOUR HEART IS AWAY FROM REALITY

GAR KASSI RA ISHQ E UU DAAMIN GARIFT
BILYAQEEN DAANI KE AA(N) GUMRAH NEEST

IF ANY ONE IS ABSORBED IN LOVE (WITH MUHAMMAD AND ALI)
INDEED HAVE FAITH THAT PERSON WILL NOT GO ASTRAY

AA(N) KHUDA WA AA(N) RASUL EE ASHIKAAR
UNDDER EE(N) NA SHAK WA ISHBAAH NEEST

O ASHKAAR KHUDA AND RASUL ARE SAME
THERE IS NO DOUBT OR SUSPICIOUS IN IT

AA(N) MUHAMMAD AA(N) AHAD DAANI TU YAK
YAK BUUD AA(N) YAK BUUD TU AARI NA SHAK

Believe Prophet Muhammad and Ahad (Allah) as one
Have no doubt in this, both are one.

AA(N) MUHAMMAD AA(N) ALI BASHED YAKI
UNDDER EE(N) RAAH NA AARI TU SHAKI

Muhammad and Ali are also one
have no doubt in the truth of oneness

Sachal said, fana fi Noor is fana fi Allah;

SACHAL SAARA NOOR E ILLAHI
ALI WALI DI HAI HUMRAHI
MAI(N) HURDAM RUBB RUBB KARDI
IKK ALLAH KANU MAI(N) DDARDI
IKK MOULA KANU MAI(N) DDARDI
SAEI(N) YAAD GHARULI BHARDI......

Sachal is full of Noor of Allah (fana fi Allah)
Ali who is my Wali is my supporter and helper
All the time I invoke name of Rubb
I am scared of Rubb (so that I should not go astray)
I am scared of Moula Ali (so that I should not be away from him)
I remember Saei(n) my master all time.

In Ishq nama (other famous book of poetry) Sachal said:

Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither a talker, nor a seeker, nor am I argumentite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither earthy, nor the wind, neither water nor as fire ignite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither from jinns, nor from humans, neither mother nor father recondite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither Sunni, nor Shia, neither sinner nor recompensite
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither law-abider nor abstemious, nor given to physical delight
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Neither a scholar nor a judge, nor rowdy drink's acolyte
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light
Which substance of School do you look for? he's with you and in flight
Light makes me restive sweet Lord, restive am I for light.

(My suggestion; if some one find Diwan e Ashkaar should read it. It is available with Urdu translation by Qazi ALI AKBAR DARAZI, mostly it resembles with our philosophy)

[swamidada786]

A girl student asked about the founder of Pakistan; Was he an Ismaili Nizari Khoja Agakhani? Sir Mazhar replied, yes he was.
Again girl asked, what is the proof, because many in Pakistan consider him as a Sunni Muslim.

Sir replied, the real name of Jinnah Saheb was માહમદ અલી ઝીણાભાઈ (Muhammad Ali jeen(n)a bhai Khoja). It was hard on NON Gujrati, Kachhi, and Sindhi persons particularly Urdu speaking to pronounce "ણા", therefore JEEN(N)A became JINNAH.

The Jinnah's ancestors belonged to a village called Paneli in the princely state of Gondal in the Kathiawar region (here Sir informed that his maternal grand mother was also from Kathiawar). Jinnah's paternal grandfather, Poonja bhai, ran a business relating to weaving of coarse cloth in the village. He had four children: a daughter, Maanbai, and three sons, Vali bhai, Nathoo bhai and Jeen(n)a bhai. The youngest son, Jeen(n)a bhai, who was born around 1850, left Paneli and established his business in Gondal town. In 1874, his parents married him off to Sakina bai (Mithi bai), a girl from Khoja community. Finding Gondal too small for his ambitions, Jeen(n)a bhai decided to move westward, to Sindh, which was emerging as a new centre of trade and commerce. He settled in Jherruk which was at that time bussiness hub.

Jherruk was basically a riverine port located on the Indus, about 100 kilometres from Karachi. In the absence of a viable road and rail network in the region, the British introduced an elaborate navigational system, the ‘Indus Flotilla’, with operational headquarters at Jherruk. This place offered tremendous opportunities related to trade and commerce, and attracted enterprising people from far and wide.

When Muhammad Ali was 1 or 2 years old his father moved to Karachi for better business opportunities. In Karachi, he rented 2 bed apartment in Wazir mansion in Kharadar, at that time owner of buiding was Wazir Ali Ponawala an Ismaili Khoja Agakhani. In around 1904 Wazir Ali purchased the building from Gowardhan Das who was previous owner and the building got its name ‘Wazir Mansion’ since then.
The two-storey building standing solemnly on a street known as Chagla Street (now Barkati Street), Kharadar, Karachi. In 1953, the Government of Pakistan acquired this historic building and protected it under Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904, and the Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD) was assigned the work of its renovation and conservation.

Grown up Muhammad Ali was admitted in Sindh Madrasatul Islam school, now adays a university. Many Karachi Ismaili Khojas before and after partition were students of madrasah among them many future Ismaili leadership. While admitting in madrasah his father mentioned Karachi as place of birth may be thinking Karachi as a growing metro city, obviously he knew not that one day his son will be a great leader.

Till early 50's in school text books Muhammad Ali's birth place was mentioned Jherruk. Sir said, I personally read those school text books that's why it is clear in my mind that he was born in Jherruk.
Main proof is, still there is a house (property) in name of Jeen(n)ah bhai in Jherruk, Other proof is, still alive seniors be Ismaili Khojas or Khoja Isna'ashiri confirm Muhammad Ali was born in Jherruk.

Some information about Sind Madrasatul Islam; Sir Mazhar said, this prestigious and influential school now university was established by Hasan Ali Afandi who migrated from Iran to Sind was a cousin of mother of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah. Sir also mentioned that his mentor Mr. H.M Khoja was one of the trusties of this prestigious Madrasah.

Though Jinnah's birthday officially is celebrated as 25 December 1876 , there is reason to doubt that date. Karachi did not then issue birth certificates, no record was kept by his family (birth dates being of little importance to Muslims of the time), but his school records reflect a birth date of 20 October 1875.

In early 50's few changes were made about Muhammad Ali Jinnah in history books of Pakistan;
1. Officially the place of birth declared Karachi being a metro city.

2. Date of birth confirmed 25th December 1876, though it is disputed as some historians have mentioned October.

3. It is well recorded that Jinnah family was Ismaili Agakhani Khoja. Muhammad Ali was born as an Ismaili. Pakistani public in respect called him Qaid e Azam (great leader) but few religious parties taunted him as Kafir e azam. Reason is because they considered Ismaili Khoja as non Muslims.
Now how to over come this problem, the Pakistan government officially declared that though he was Agakhani but at the end of his life he converted to Sunnism, just to satisfy mullahs and 85% pakistani Sunni public.
Also Government of Pakistan as a proof said that Quaid e Azam in his final days offered Eid Namaz on Sunni Hanafi Tariqa with thousands of Muslims.

Here Sir Mazhar cleared that till 1977, before and after partition Ismaili Khoja Agakhani performed Eid Namaz, Janaza Namaz, Juma Namaz on Sunni Hanafi Tariqa in subcontinent as ordered by Sir Aga Khan 48th Imam of Ismaili Muslims. Sir said, he himself lead jamaits in Hyderabad and at Karachi performing Eid and Janaza Namaz on Sunni Tariqa till 1977, then it was changed to FATIMI TARIQA. According to Sir, it is not a valid proof that Jinnah turned as a Sunni because he performed Eid Namaz on Sunni Tariqa. Also Government spread fake news that Jinnah converted to Sunnism on preaching of Mowlana Shabir Ahmad Usmani. Mawlana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, a Deobandi scholar, was a prominent supporter of the Pakistan movement and believed that Pakistan should be an Islamic state. He was a close ally of Jinnah in the final years before partition and later led Jinnah's funeral prayer but it is not a proof that Jinnah accepted Sunnism on his advice.

Not only governmnet of Pakistan who declared him Sunni but Khoja Isna'ashiri (chhotti jamait seperated from main Ismaili Khoja jamait) declared that he and his sister Fatima and Shireen adopted Isna'ashiri Tariqa. Though it is true that 2 sisters and a brother of Jinnah converted under pressure and financial help from Seth Habib ( Seth Habib Khoja the founder of Habib bank who was staunch follower of Aga Khan 3rd left Ismailism with some dispute to Khoja leadership of that time and converted to Khoja Isna'shiri jamait, which is also called chhotti jamit), but there is no proof Muhammad Ali Jinnah himself declared any such thing in his life. He was follower of Aga Khan 3rd and stayed Ismaili.
Sir said in 1958 when he was studying at Nawabshah, he saw a magazine in his mentor's personal library published by UK for commonwealth countries. In magazine there was an article on 'Pakistan and Jinnah', on one page a sentence was blackened with a black marker. Sir said out of curiosity, I scratched that sentence slowly with knife. The sentenced read 'Muhammad Ali Jinnah was follower of Aga Khan 3rd'.

Sir said; The word Agakhanism was coined before creation of Pakistan and was frequently used by some religious/political parties to discredit and disrespect FATHER OF NATION QUAID E AZAM MUHAMMAD ALI JINNAH WHO HAPPENED TO BE ISMAILI AGAKHANI KHOJA. The religious parties called JINNAH AS KAFIR E AZAM AND NOT QUAID E AZAM. Founder of Pakistan was follower of Hazar Imam Sir Aga Khan 3rd, the 48th Imam of Ismailis who played main part in creation of Pakistan.

After Jinnah died, his sister Fatima asked the court to execute Jinnah's will under Shia Islamic law. This subsequently became part of the argument in Pakistan about Jinnah's religious affiliation. Iranian-American academic Vali Nasr claimed that Jinnah "was an Ismaili by birth and a Twelver Shia by confession, though not a religiously observant man." In a 1970 legal challenge, Hussain Ali Ganji Walji claimed Jinnah had converted to Sunni Islam. Witness Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada stated in court that Jinnah converted to Sunni Islam in 1901 when his sisters married Sunnis. But in 1976 the court rejected Walji's claim that Jinnah was Sunni; effectively implying that he was a Shia. In 1984 a high court bench reversed the 1976 verdict and maintained that "the Quaid was definitely not a Shia", which suggested that Jinnah was Sunni. According to the journalist Khaled Ahmed, Jinnah publicly had a non-sectarian stance and "was at pains to gather the Muslims of India under the banner of a general Muslim faith and not under a divisive sectarian identity." Liaquat H. Merchant, Jinnah's grandnephew, writes that "the Quaid was not a Shia; he was also not a Sunni, he was simply a Muslim". An eminent lawyer who practised in the Bombay High Court until 1940 testified that Jinnah used to pray as an orthodox Sunni. According to Akbar Ahmed, Jinnah became a firm Sunni Muslim by the end of his life.

In March, Jinnah, despite his declining health, made his only post-independence visit to East Pakistan (East Bengal), the eastern wing of Pakistan. In a speech before a crowd estimated at 300,000, Jinnah stated (in English) that Urdu alone should be the national language, believing a single language was needed for a nation to remain united. The Bengali speaking people of East Pakistan and mostly Bengali students among them Mujeebur Rahman strongly opposed this policy and there were riots in which few persons dieD; and in 1971, the official language issue was one of several factors in the secession of the region to form Bangladesh.

Jinnah died at his home in Karachi on 11 September 1948 at the age of 71, just over a year after Pakistan's creation. He was buried on 12 September 1948 amid official mourning in Pakistan; Today, Jinnah rests in a large marble mausoleum, Mazar-e-Quaid, in Karachi.

At the end of the lecture Sir jokingly said, I saw Jinnah. Students started laughing and asked, Sir you were not even born at that time. Sir replied, I saw ditto same Jinnah as a duplicate copy in chief JK in Karachi, same height, skinny, wearing sherwani and Jinnah cap same looking like jinnah. In early 50's as a kid Sir attended JK with his father. There he saw nephew of Jinnah and asked his father, is this Jinnah? His father replied no son, he is nephew of Jinnah looks like him, who usually attended Kharadar chief jamait khana off paria street.
Based on historical accounts of Muhammad Ali Jinnah's family, the nephew who was recognized for bearing a striking physical resemblance to him was Akbar Peerbhoy son of Jinnah's sister, Mariambai.

[swamidada]

In a gathering of around 20 students, a student asked; Was Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan 111 a Sindhi national?
Sir Mazhar replied YES, by birth Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah al- Hussaini was Sindhi, though he was direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad.
Also, by birth founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah was Sindhi because he was born in Jherruk Sindh.
Sir laughingly added, I am also a Sindhi, because I was born in Karachi Sindh.
Sir clarified that any one born is Sindh is Sindhi doesn't matter what language he/she speaks or belong to any different culture. He said, one born in USA is called American, or born in England called British, or born in Canada is canadian. Same way a person born in Sindh is Sindhi.

Aga Khan III, was born in Karachi Sindh, which was then part of the Bombay Presidency in British India (now in Pakistan).
He was born at his ancestral home on November 2, 1877, known as "Honeymoon Lodge" Karachi. This location is also referred to as Aga Khan Taikri (or Aga Khan Hill), situated near what is now Defence Korangi Road in Karachi.

(Aga Khan Hill is a very hot property. I heard some Generals, political figures, and builders tried to purchase this property and build highrise there, but Agakhani community leadership refused to sale this property because 48th Imam of Ismailis was born there. Later on the Government of Pakistan protected it under Monuments Preservation Act, 1904. Swami).

Aga Khan 111 was the only son of Aga Khan II Aqa Ali Shah, his mother's name was Nawab A'lia Shamsul-Muluk. She was a grand daughter of Fateh Ali Shah King of Persia, belonging to the Qajar dynasty. He succeeded his father as the 48th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Nizari community in 1885 at age of 8 years.

Another student asked; Is Sindh older than Hind?
Sir Mazhar replied:
Sindh is generally considered the older term, with its roots as "Sindhu" (referring to the Indus River) dating back to ancient Sanskrit and the Indus Valley Civilization. The term "Hind" is a later Persian derivative, evolving from "Sindh" as ancient Iranians replaced the "S" sound with "H" referring to the land beyond the river. The ancient Indus Valley civilization, flourishing as early as 3000 BCE.

Origin of Hind: The term "Hind" originated from the Persian modification of the Sanskrit Sindhu to Hindu (Avestan hapta hindu). It was used to describe the land to the east of the Indus River.

By the 6th century BCE, the Achaemenid Empire referred to the Indus valley (Sindh) as Hindu. Hence Sindh (Sindhu) served as the basis for the term Hind, making Sindh the older geographical designation.

Sir gave a reference from the book "Aaina e Qadeem Sindh, written by Abdul Karim Bhatti (or Burghari, I don't recall exact last name) published in 1955, that," in ancient times, thousands of years back almost whole Asia territory was considered Sindh". Historical literature confirms that ancient Sindh (or the Indus Valley Civilization) was a vast, influential empire that operated as a major commercial and cultural hub linking South Asia to Central Asia and the Middle East. Before the Arab conquest in 712 CE, ancient Sindh, particularly under the Rai Dynasty (c. 489–632 AD), was a "vast and prosperous kingdom" that included areas well beyond its modern boundaries.

Then, Sir talked about Raja Dahir last Hindu ruler of Sindh.
Shias of subcontinent consider Raja Dahir as their hero besause he saved lives of Ahl Bait (this is the reason Shias in India mostly cooperate with Indian Hindu government). According to some historical narratives and popular accounts, Raja Dahir, the last Hindu ruler of Sindh, provided refuge to descendants of Imam Hussain who were fleeing persecution by the Umayyad Caliphate. This protection is often cited as a key reason for the conflict between Raja Dahir and the Umayyad governor Al-Hajjaj, who sent Muhammad bin Qasim to attack Sindh. Sources suggest that members of Prophet Muhammad's family, including descendants of Imam Hussain, sought refuge in Sindh to escape the Umayyads after the Battle of Karbala. Raja Dahir refused to turn these individuals over to the Umayyad Caliphate, leading to the invasion. Some sources state this refuge and the refusal to submit were central to the conflicts of that period, while others often frame the Arab invasion primarily around the looting of Arab ships (Sunni version). Sir mentioned the book named Chach Nama, in which detailed account of the Arab conquest of Sindh is mentioned though perspectives on the specifics of this protection vary.
Qasim fought Dahir at Aror ( in between Sukkar and modern Nawabshah) in 711, eventually killing him. After Dahir was killed in the Battle of Aror on the banks of the River Indus, his head was cut off from his body and sent to Hajjaj bin Yousuf. After conquest of Sindh, Hajjaj ordered his nephew Muhammad Bin Qasim to rounded up members of Ahl Bait and send them to Iraq. Bin Qasim turned deaf ear to his command because he did not wanted that innocent Ahl Bait be killed for hatred. Hajjaj was angry and summoned him to Iraq and later on orders of uncle Hajjaj the young commander and conquerer of Sindh was executed not obeying his order to arrest members of Ahl Bait and sent them to Iraq.

Also Sir shed light on Hussaini Brahmins as questioned by a girl student.

Sir said; As per Mohyal history, a Mohyal Brahmin of the Dutt clan had fought on behalf of Imam Hussain in the Battle of Karbala (680 C.E.), more specifically in the storming of Kufa sacrificing his seven sons in the process. According to legend, Rahab Sidh Dutt was the leader of a small band of career soldiers living near Baghdad around the time of the battle of Karbala.
To this day, many Hussaini Brahmins Observe Muharram rituals recite marsiyas (elegies), Participate in taaziya processions. Their story is a powerful reminder that truth knows no religion and sacrifice, when noble, is honored across faiths.

Few families can still be found in parts of Iraq but most families of Hussaini Brahmins are now settled in Pune, Delhi, Chandigarh Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu region in India. Sindh, Chakwal and Lahore in Pakistan and Kabul and South Afghanistan. Some of them also observe Muharram every year.
Sir mentioned famous Bollywood movie stars Sunil Dutt and his son Sanjey Dutt belong to Hussaini Brahmins clan. Colonel G.D. Bakhshi has also been listed as a notable figure belonging to this community.

(Note: I have added few paragraphs on my own for information)

[swamidada]

NUQTA
This was an interesting subject. Sir Mazhar delivered a lecture on the above topic which was appreciated by listeners.

A NUQTA نقطہ literally means a "dot" or a "point" in Arabic, Persian, and other subcontinent languages. In Urdu it means point, center, zero. In Farsi it means dot, zero, place, center, point. There is a phrase in Farsi 'Nuqta e Daira', means center of circle. This phrase is also used for Prophet Muhammad as center of Islam as well universe. Hazar Imam Shah Karim in an interview had said, 'Imam is the center of organization'.

Sir said, foundation of universe started with NUQTA. If we start writing it will start with point. If we draw a straight line, or square, or rectangle, will start with point. A line is composed of dots. Writing a word will start with point.

In Sufi philosophy, the NUQTA symbolizes the oneness of Allah (tawhid) and the metaphysical point of origin from which all existence unfolds. It is referred to as the starting point of writing and creation, often linked to the dot underneath the letter "Ba" in Quran.

The NUQTA is a fundamental dot that serves as a marker for phonetics, a measure in art, a focus point in argument, and a symbol of metaphysical origins.

The NUQTA assumes a powerful symbolic status in Islamic Sufism and Shia philosophy. A celebrated statement attributed to Mowla Ali, central to Shia theology, is often quoted in this context. “All that is in the Quran is in the Fatiha, all that is in the Fatiha is in the Bismillah, all that is in the Bismillah is in the letter Ba ( ب), and I am the dot beneath the Ba.
أنا النقطة التي تحت الباء
"I am the Point (al-Nuqta) beneath the letter Ba".

NUQTA E BISMILLAH ZEBA E ALI
IFTIKHAR E HAR NABI WA HAR WALI

The dot (point) under ba of Bismillah is grace and beauty of Ali.
It is glory of each nabi and wali.

Sir said, while reading or reciting Quran, we start with Bismillah, and Ali said I am the dot under Ba of Bismillah, means hidden or inner meaning of Quran is contracted in dot of Ba which is Ali. Hence real inner meaning and ta'leem will come from Ali who declared I am the 'NUQTA' dot under Ba.
Sir said, NUQTA is the starting point of universe. From NUQTA the universe started expanding in all directions. Therefore Ali is the foundation of creation. Sir said NUQTA is related to Kun Fayakun and in it is Ism Azam.

Sufi thinkers, particularly those influenced by the metaphysics of Ibn Arabi, have adopted the symbolism to represent the point of origin from which all existence and meaning unfold. Here the NUQTA is not merely a letter marker, But it’s the metaphysical origin a cipher for the hidden reality from which all multiplicity arises.

In Sufism, the NUQTA (dot or point) represents the singular, indivisible point of divine unity the absolute oneness of Allah from which all creation emanates. It symbolizes the "first determination" of existence, where the unknown essence becomes known, often linked to the core of Divine Consciousness and the origin of Being.
The NUQTA is the source of all manifestation. The entire universe is generated from this single, silent point.

Symbol of Mowla Ali: Often, Sufi thought refers to a tradition where Mowla Ali says, I am the dot below Ba". The NUQTA is seen as the "Alphabetical Locus," the foundation of all revealed knowledge.

Letter Mysticism (Ilm ul Huruf): The dot is the origin of letters (like the alif), which in turn create words and the created world. Even writing alif we have to start with point.

Cosmic Blueprint: It signifies the transition from the invisible to the visible, encompassing the stages of awareness (Idraak), imagination (Khayal), and feeling (Ehsas).

Inner Reality: It is the inner point of awareness in the heart, connecting the human spirit back to the Divine Source.

The concept emphasizes looking within, as the entire universe's mystery is contained within the single point of the heart's true realization.

The role of the NUQTA in preserving the integrity and clarity of Arabic script is thus indispensable. In early Islamic history, scholars wrote many manuscripts without dots or vowel marks, leading to potential ambiguities in reading and interpretation. The eventual standardization of diacritical marks, including the Nuqta, was pivotal in safeguarding the accurate transmission of the Qur’an and Hadith. Both Sunni and Shia traditions universally share this understanding, as it pertains to the foundational concern of preserving the sacred text. Mowla Ali was the one who founded Arabic gramar by introducing and explaining subject, verb, and object.

NUQTA is Symbol of Divine Unity. In Sufi metaphysics, particularly in the doctrine of wahdat al wujud (unity of being), the NUQTA is a profound symbol of tawhid the oneness of God. Just as all letters are derivations of the dot, all existence is seen as emanating from the One. The NUQTA becomes the invisible essence underlying all form, much as God is the hidden source behind creation.

The idea that all knowledge originates from a primal point aligns with the epistemologies of both Sufi and Shia thought. In these frameworks, knowledge is not merely rational or transmitted, but unveiled through spiritual insight. The NUQTA symbolizes the moment of disclosure, the first emergence of knowledge from divine silence into human comprehension.

Sir quoted a phrase "Shun Mahein Thi Shabad Nipaya", is a profound line from Gurbani in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Ang 945). It means, "From within the Absolute Void (Shunya, zero, nothing) the Shabad (Divine Word) was produced.

Also, Sir quoted Syed Imam Shah;

AAD THAKI EK SHUN NIPAYA
TAREY SHUN MAHEIN THI SHABDA NIPAYA
JUGESAR JOG KA MARAM KOI NA JAN(N)E...

In the beginning was a void (nothingness, zero), from it the word was created. O believer, nobody understands the inner mysteries of divine unity except a true yogi...
Syed Imam Shah

The NUQTA represents the "first spark of awareness" in the soul, where the Divine Light is reflected into the human heart. It is the "point of unity" within the heart that must be awakened to understand divine mysteries.

Dr. Allamah Iqbal said;

الله الله باء بسم الله پدر
معنی ذبح عظیم آمد پسر

“O Allah, what an exalted position Imam Hussain (a.s) possessed, as his illustrious Father (Mowla Ali) was the first letter of the Quran”.

Doubtless Mowla Ali was acknowledged to be the best expounder of the Holy Quran. The Holy Prophet had himself declared: “Ali is with Quran, and Quran is with Ali”.

So inspired by the philosophy of “NUQTA” Baba Bulleh Shah alludes the same notion in his poetry:

Pharh Nukta Chourh Hisabaan Nu
Chadd Dozakh Gor Azaabaan Nu
Kar Bund Kufar Diyaan Baabaan Nu
Ker Saaf Dile Diyan Khuwabaan Nu
Gal Aise Ghar Vich Dhukdi Eh
Ik Nukte Vich Gahl Mukdi Eh

Hold tight to this point, forget your calculations,
Leave the miserable state of unbelief,
Do not torment yourself with the fear of death and hell,
For these are imaginary fears.
Only into such a house will the truth enter.
At this one point, all talk ends.

Louis Massignon, in dealing with the 'Metaphysical data' of Hallaj, translates the following passage from Hallaj's Akhbar in illustration of his the "notion of the point, nuqta" (•):

The point [• ] is the origin of every line, and the entire line is nothing but points joined together. Now, the line cannot do without the point [• ] nor the points without the line. And every line that one draws, perpendicular or oblique, departs, by a movement, from this same point [• ]. And everything on which a person's look falls is a point [• ], between two other points. This indicates clearly that God makes Himself explicit through everything which is perceived and considered; everything that one sees face to face signifies Him. And this is why I have said: "I have seen nothing in which I have not seen God" (tr. Massignon, Passion III: 68).

The NUQTA, though visually minute, occupies a vast space in the intellectual and spiritual landscapes of Islam. From its role in clarifying sacred script to its status as a symbol of divine unity and epistemic origin, the dot traverses multiple dimensions of meaning. Sunni, Shia, and Sufi traditions variously emphasize its linguistic, aesthetic, and metaphysical aspects, each contributing to a rich tapestry of interpretation. In understanding the NUQTA, one encounters a singular point that holds within it the possibility of infinite expression.

Note: I have rearranged and added some pointe from my side.

[swamidada]

I am posting this article as it is on NUQTA for further study on this topic.

The Alphabetical Locus as the Nuqṭah (Point) within Abrahamic and Islamic Literatures...

The Arabic Letter "B" with its lower Diacritical Nuqtah (Point/ Dot).

أنا النقطة التي تحت الباء ...
"I am the Point ( al-nuqtah) beneath the letter B"

Stephen Lambden UC Merced

It is the purpose of these notes to examine the scriptural theology of the Bab (d. 1850) and Baha'-Allah (d. 1892) with respect to the alphabetical, diacritical dot or point which is fundamental to their messianic claims and to modes of letter mysticism within their voluminous Persian and Arabic writings. Special attention will be given to the Arabic-Persian letter "B" which can be written with the conjunction of an upper, slightly curved line underneath which is subdot or point which is fundamental to its spelling (cf. note its threefold forms initial, medial and final). One or more superscripted or subscripted dots characterize several of the Arabic-Persian shapes of the letters of the alphabet. A mysticism surrounding these letters and their various forms, has long, for more than a millennium. played a part in the esoteric interpretation of the Arabic Qur'an and of the twenty-eight or so Arabic letters which spell it out. The Arabic and Persian alphabets use the same 28 letters though the latter Persian language adds four extra letters making a total of thirty-two (28+4 = 32).

In Arabic and Persian the subdot of the letter "B" is referred to as the nuqtah, the "dot" or "point". It has been considered the locus of creation or generative reality as well as the scribal origin of all of the other twenty-six (or more) letters of the alphabet. The Alphabetical Locus as the Nuqṭah (Point) has its place in Jewish mysticism as well as many religious movements born out of or relating thereto. Islamic and other Abrahamic literatures contain thousands of interpretations of the letters of the alphabet and their place in the spelling of sacred words and ideas. The theology of the Bab (d. 1850) and Baha'-Allah (d. 1892) often looks back to this scriptural, cosmological and etiological mysticism. From the first major 1260/1844 work of the Bab, the Qayyum al-asma' (see below, QA1), to the Lawh-i Nuqtah (scriptural `Tablet of the Point', mid-late 1860s) and numerous other later writings of Baha'u'llah, letter symbolism and numerology play a significant role. This is well illustrated by the Arabic word Baha' which is composed or three or four letters (= B-H-A'-' = 2+5+1+1 = 9) having a numerological value of nine (the highest intiger). This is considered the al-ism al-a`zam (Mightiest/Greatest Name of God) as the quintessence of the Name and Person of Mirza Husayn `Ali Nuri entitled Baha'-Allah (the Splendour/Glory of God). The letter B is the first letter of the titles or name of the Bab (B+a+b) and Baha-Allah and of the Torah or Hebrew Bible (Be-reshit = "In the beginning..." Gen. 1:1a) and the opening basmala of the Arabic Qur'an, the Bismillah = In the Name of God ... Q.1:1.

At this point we may cite from the 1987 article of Schimmel.

But there is still a more interesting tendency in letter mysticism. Among the letters, it is particularly the alif [Arabic letter A], with the numerical value One, about which the Sufis speculate, and the relation of this single letter, which points to the Divine Unity and Unicity, to the first letter of the Koran, that is the ba' of the basmala with its numerical value Two, was as deeply pondered among the Sutis as the role of the [Hebrew letter B] bēth in the be-reshith [Heb. Gen. 1:1a "In the beginning..."] by the [Jewish] Cabalists, because, for the Sufis, the b, which can be united with the other letters, is the "letter of the created worlds", humble and obedient besides the unconnected "Divine" alif" [letter A] (see Schimmel 1987: 352).

The same writer concludes her 1987 article by writing :

One can, of course, also refer to the dot beneath the bā', which corresponds, according to an old tradition, to the position of `Alī, and expresses once more the descent from the pure Divine world into the world of matter, of duality, as expressed by the b. However, it seems to me that the image of the primordial dot should be understood, in the first line, as a calligraphic symbol typical of lslamic culture, and as such, it shows how practical calligraphy and mystical interpretation could be combined to form a meaningful symbol which, in its simplicity, yet expresses beautifully the whole secret of creation (Schimmel 1987: 356).

Some Aspects of the Abrahamic - Islamic Background

Terminological, conceptual and other parallels certainly exist between works of the Bāb and certain Jewish qabbalistic writings. Such echoes of Bābi terminology as exist in these qabbalistic mystical texts are also echoed and paralleled in the works of lslamic mysticism, gnosis and theosophy which have themselves been subject to Jewish influence. Notable in this respect is al-Bunī's Shams al-ma'ārif which at certain points has a definiate Jewish substrate (Vajda, XX:XX). The question is whether the Bāb is predominantly influenced by lslamic irfānī literature or by Jewish mystical texts. It will be argued here that it is the lslamic writings which form the most direct and central background to the Bāb's esoteric, qabbalistic type style. Aspects of the Jewish roots of these ideas are worthy of investigation.

The Hebrew Bible, Judiams and the nuqṭa ("Point") motif.

The Zohar or `Book of Splendour' was known to Jews and others in 19th century (Qajar) Iran. The Zoharic doctrine of emanation from a AAAAA (Aram. Noqteh), a "primordial point" (Zohar 1. 25a.f. etc) furnishes a good example of a motif that is common to both the Bāb and the qabbalistic mysticism of the Sepher ha-zohar. The following extracts from this 'Book of Splendour' must suffice to indicate the terminological parallels regarding the Bāb's concept of the "Primordial Point" as the dot (•) beneath the Arabic letter "B" (al-bā' = cf. Heb. beth , the first letter of the Torah). ln the Zohar we read:

"ln the beginning" (Genesis 1:1a) - At the very beginning the king made 1 The dot (•) in some respects corresponds to the locus of smallest Hebrew letter yod ' ("Y") which is the first letter of the tetragrammaton, YHWH engravings in the supernal purity. A spark of blackness emerged in the sealed within the sealed, from the mystery of En-Sof... It penetrated, but did not penetrate ... until from the pressure of its penetration a single point shone, sealed, supernal. Beyond this point nothing is known, and so it is called reshit (beginning): the first word of all.. Zohar [brightness] is that from which all the words were created, through the mystery of the expansion of the point of this concealed brightness ... thus did En-Sof burst out of its air and reveal a single point: [cf. the Hebrew letter yod = ] …" (Zohar 1, 15aff. in Tishby 1 : 309-315).

Islamic traditions and the Cosmology and Theology of The Nuqta (Point).

أنا النقطة التي تحت الباء ...
I am the Nuqtah (Point) beneath the Letter B.

The above line comes from an Islamic Tradition (hadith) often (though not always) attributed to the Prophet Muhammad and/or the first twelver Imam, Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib (d. 40/661). One form of the tradition reads as follows :

The Arabic text cited above may be translated thus:

All that is in the Qur'an is in the [Surat] al-Fatiha (`The Opening', Q.1) and all that is in the [Surat] al-Fatiha is in the Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim ("In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate", Q.1:1) and all that is in the Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim ("In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate", Q.1:1) is in the [1st letter] ba' ("B") of Bism ("In the Name..."), And I am the Point (•) [Dot] (al-nuqtah) which is beneath the [letter] B (al-ba')" (trans. Lambden as cited from text above).

Imam 'Ali' then, the cousin, son in law and (for the Shi`a) immediate successor of the Prophet Muhammad (d.632 CE), allegedly uttered the above words to the effect that the whole of the Arabic Qur'an (114 surahs and over 6,000 verses) is indicated in its opening Surat al-Fatiha (`The Surah of the Opening', Q.1) which contains seven verses, the first of which is the basmala or Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim (In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate) which is spelled out in 19 letters of the Arabic alphabet. All that is in this opening invocatory basmala is in its intial letter "B" (Ar. al-ba') and Imam `Ali adds, "I am the Point [Dot] (al-nuqtah • ) beneath the letter "B" (al-ba')".

Forms of this tradition are cited in numerous Sunni and Shi`i sources, especially Sufi writings and those of an esoteric nature. They are not always attributed to Imam `Ali. Early versions include those cited by Abū Ḥamid Muhammad al-Ghazâlî (c. 448/1056–505/ 1111), "one of the most prominent and influential philosophers, theologians, jurists, and mystics of Sunni Islam" (Frank Griffel, SEP., al-Ghazâlî, Winter 2016 Ed.). This in his massive forty book, the well-known Ihyâ’ ‘ulûm al-dîn (The Revival of Religious Sciences). This reads :

وجاء رجل إلى الشبلي رحمه الله فقال له ما أنت وكان هذا دأبه وعادته فقال أنا النقطة التي تحت الباء

A man came unto al-Shiblī - may God be merciful unto him - and said to him,`What [manner of person] are you?' for such was his habit (da'b) and practice (`ada). He [al-Shibli] replied. `I am the Nuqtah (the Point) which is beneath the [Letter] B (al-ba')" (Ihya `ulum al-din. vol. III : 342).

The person referred to above by al-Ghazali as al-Shiblī is the early Maliki Sunni Sūfī mystic and theorist Abū Bakr al-Shiblī (b. Baghdad or Samarra, 247/861 - d. 334/946). He was among those who joined the Sufi circle of the `sober' or balanced love-mystic Abu al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn al-Junayd (d. 298/ 910) and had an interest in the `ilm al-huruf' (gnosis of the letters). We shall see below that Ibn al-`Arabi also connects the claim to be the point of the letter B with al-Shiblī and others.

Ibn Mansur al-Hallāj (al-Ḥallāj (d. 304/922) and the Dot-Point (• ) of the Letter B.

"The Koran contains the knowledge of everything. Now the science of the Koran is in its initial letters! The science of the initial letters is in the lam-alif [L-A] the science of the lam-alif [L-A] is in the alif [= letter A]; and that of the alif [letter A] is in the point [ of the letter B]" (cited Schimmel, 1987: 355 and translated from Massignon, "La philosophie orientale",10).

Schimmel comments on the above passage from al-Hallāj as follows making reference to the ideas of al-Hārith ibn Asad al-Muhāsibī (b. Basra, c. XXX /781 - d. Baghdad, 243/847):

"Why that? The alif [letter A] develops out of the point and is measured by the point... Hallāj's lifetime (d. 922) coincides with that of the vizier lbn Muqla (d. 940), who invented the method of measuring the letters by means of points according to the size of the pen, and by geometrical construction of the letters through circles and semi-circles. He made the alif [letter A] the first and most important letter in calligraphy, for according to its length and width every other letter is measured. It is, indeed, the Divine letter, and all the other letters are created 'alā suratihi, "according to its shape", as Adam was created "in His shape". This idea of Muhāsibī was elaborated by `Attar and remained a standard topos of Suti poetry in the Persianate world" (cited Schimmel, 355 and referring to Nwyia, Exegese coranique et langage mystique, 166).

The Nuqta in the Kitab Tāwasīn (the Letters Ta and Sin) of al-Hallaj.

lslamic mystical statements about the 'B" and its • point or dot have a long history within lslam going back beyond the time of the Suti martyr Manṣūr al-Ḥallāj (d. c. 304/922) who had some important foundational observations about the letter B and its subdot. The fourth section of Ḥallaj's Kitab Tāwasīn (The Book of the "T" [Ṭā] and "S"[Sīn]) is about the Tā-Sin of al-Da'ira, `The T S of the Cosmic Circle of Reality'. Here al-Ḥallāj sets out a graphic image of the surat of al-haqiqa ("the Form/Image of Reality"), its determinents (tallab), its gates (abwab) and its causal aspects (asbab) :

Commenting on a portion of this graphical diagram, al-Ḥallaj states "The al-da'ira (circle) which has its associated Gate (bab) and the nuqta (• ) (Point-Dot) which is in the centre of this circle, has the meaning al-haqiqa (Reality) (p.126 line 3).

ln the fifth section of al-Ḥallaj's Kitab Tāwasīn which is headed `The Book of the "T" [Ṭā] and "S"[Sīn]) about the Tā-Sin al-Nuqta' ( the "T"-"S" of the Point/Dot) there are some cryptic statements about this nuqṭa (• Point). al-Hallaj states that it is something supremely subtle or focused (adaqq) in that it is a basis or foundation (al-asI) beyond any notion of augmentation, diminution or passing away (Hallāj, Dīwān, [Tā'wasīn],127).

Massignon, in dealing with the 'Metaphysical data' of Hallāj, translates the following passage from Hallāj's Akhbar (No. 4) in illustration of his the "notion of the point, nuqta" (•):

The point [• ] is the origin of every line, and the entire line is nothing but points joined together. Now, the line cannot do without the point [• ] nor the points without the line. And every line that one draws, perpendicular or oblique, departs, by a movement, from this same point [• ]. And everything on which a person's look falls is a point [• ], between two other points. This indicates clearly that God makes Himself explicit through everything which is perceived and considered; everything that one sees face to face signifies Him. And this is why I have said: "I have seen nothing in which I have not seen God" (tr. Massignon, Passion III: 68).

Here Hallāj relates the nuqṭa [• ] to the writing of a line; a line being a succession of conjoined points. Human perception of God is a vision of directness in a context of multiplicity. That God makes himself "explicit" in everything perceived "face to face", is almost mathmatically anthropocentric or expressive of the nearness of the Divine when closely observed. In his Persian Bayan and elsewhere, the Bab makes some very similar observations about the Nuqta (see below Pt. II).

Ibn Shahrāshūb al-Māzandarānī, Muhammad ibn `Alī (d. 588/1192).

In the second volume of the imamocentric compilation of Ibn Shahrāshūb, entitled Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib, there is interesting reference in a section relating to knowledge or gnosis (`ilm), to a statement of one of the ancient philosophers. It reads,



Among them stand the philosophers (al-falasifa). He who is among their most eminent stated: `I am the Nuqta (• ) Point, Dot), I am the Script [Line] (al-khatt); I am the Script [Line] (al-khatt), I am the Nuqta (• ) Point, Dot); I am the Nuqta (• ) Point, Dot) and I am the Script [Line] (al-khatt)'. And thus a group (jama`a) stated: `If the Power / All-Powerful (al-qudrat) is the foundation (al-asl) and the body (al-jism) is its veil (hijab) and the form (al-surat) is the veil of the body (hijab al-jism), then the Nuqta (• ) (Point, Dot) is the Foundation (al-asl) and the script [Line] (al-khatt) is its Veil and its Positioning (maqam); the veil (hijab) then is other than its [my] worldly [corporeal] body (al-jism al-nasuti) (Manaqib, 2:60).

Aḥmad ibn `Alī, Muḥyī al Dīn, Abū’l `Abbas ibn al Būnī (d. Cairo c. 622/1225)

The Shams al-ma`ārif and other writings,

A recension of his four volume (500pp) Kitāb shams al ma`ārif wa laṭā’if al awwārif (`The Book of Sun of Gnosis and the Subtleties of .. Cairo, 1904) is fairly well known in various of its three or more recensions of varying length. It was certainly known in Qajar, 19th century Iran. This work makes creative use of abjad and other number correspondences, (magic) number letter squares and deals with jafr and the construction of amulets and circles of astronomical, talismanic and magical import.

Examples of Jewish influence are not uncommon in the Shams al-ma`ārif where we find a number of obscure though obviously Hebraic angelological names with the genitive 'EI= [`of God'] termination). Apart from the usual four archangels (Jibrīl, Mī kā'īl, lsrāfil and 'Azrā'īl, Shams, 76, etc) there is mention , for example, of Asyā'il, Dunyā'il, Hizqiyā'il, Dardiyā'il, Maxmā'il and Surā'īl (Shams, 52-52, 57, 71). Certain of these names derive from the Jewish pseudepigraphical, angelologically intensive incantation textbook, the Sepher Ha-Razim (Book of Mysteries, 4th cent.CE?). This latter source presents itself as having been revealed to Noah by the angel Raziel (The Mystery of God) before he entered the ark. Thereafter it came to be in the possession of the lsraelite king Solomon whose famed wisdom encompassed all secrets (Shams, 117, 52- 55; Vajda 1948:400; Morgan, 1983; Gruenwald, 1980:224f; cf. Dietrich, El2 Supp., 56-7).
The Shams al-ma`arif has a very high opinion of the Qur'an and the Arabic language in which is it written:

Know .. that the secret of every [religious] community is in its Book and that the secret of the Book of God is in the letters (al-(hurūf) [in which it is written]. The letters express a diversity of forms (mukhtalafa al-ashkāl) . When Our prophet [Muhammad] appeared the Qur'ān was sent down unto him which was the secret of this [Muslim] community. It abrogated the law of every [existing] body of laws and the letters of this mighty Book [the Q.] are Arabic. When he [Muhammad] was asked about the letters of the alphabet he spoke [the 28 letters] which are curved in Arabic hence he called it Arabic (al- `arabiyya). Within it are the secrets of all the revealed [sacred] Books and Scolls (al-kutub wa'l-suhuf) [ of the past] and others besides them. As for abjad, it is Sryiac (al-suryāniyya) which was the medium of revelation unto Adam, Enoch (ldrīs), Noah, Meses and Jesus ... " (Al-Būnī, al-Shams, 31 :3-4).

The Basmala and the (• ) Nuqtah in the writings of Muhammad Muhyi al-Din Ibn al-`Arabi (d. 638/1240).

We were lofty letters not yet pronounced,
Latent in the highest peaks of the hills.
I was you in Him, and we were you, and you were He
And the whole is He in Him - ask those who have attained! (Ibn al-`Arabi, cited Schimmel 1987: 353).

Ibn al-`Arabi wrote a great deal about the concrete and esoteric meanings and mystries of the letters of the arabic alphabet; both individual letters and their shapes and components as well as the letters making up key grammatical and theological terms in the massive universe of Qur'anic vocalulary and post-Qur'anic terminology. A number of his books are specifically focused in this area and many pericopae (`paragraphs') within his 300-500 or more volumes of his writings deal with the `ilm al-huruf (gnosis of the letters) and related subjects. For Ibn al-`Arabi the meanings of the Arabic alphabet encompass theological, cosmological, ethical and mystical dimensions of Reality. Key texts authored by Ibn al-`Arabi include,

Kitab al-Alif (Book of the Letter "A");
Kitab al-Ba' (Book of the Letter "B");
Kitab al-Mim wa'l-Waw wa'l-Nun (The Book of "M" and "W" and "N")
Kitab al-Ya' (The Book of the letter "Y").
Inshā’ al-dawā’ir (The Genesis of the Circles).
Kitab al-Jalala wa huwa kalimat Allah (The Glorious Book about the word Allah),
These and numerous related works were foundational and highly influential in the evolution of Islamic mysticism and gnosis, both Sunni and Shi`i. The al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya contains many sections and sub-sections on the Letters of the alphabet; especially those nineteen letters comening with the letter "B" making up the basmala or the Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim ("In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate"). The al-Futuhat, the massive magnum opus of the Greak Shaykh, early on contains a fifth section entitled, `On the gnosis of the mysteries of the basmala and of the [Surat al-) Fatiha (Q.1) and of a Countenance (wajh) which is not like other faces (wujuh) / according to a perspective unlike other perspectives' (al-Futuhat 1:101-103). A few extracts from this section may be tentatively translated here.

From al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya (Meccan Illuminations)

`Section five on the gnosis (ma`rifa) of the mysteries of Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim (In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate) and the [Surat] al-Fatiha (the Opening, Q.1), an aspect thereof among its numerous aspects'.

This summary heading is followed by an Arabic poem in 9 verses in 18 hemistichs (cf. the letters in the basmala). Loosely translated it reads as follows:

[1] The Basmala of the Names is indicative of [sublime] panoramas (du nanzarin)! Tis betwixt Eternality [Preservation] (ibqa') and Annihilation (ifna'), [save for a] Glimpse [Eye, Essence] thereof (`ayn)!
[2] Save that is, for whomsoever Thou do not assent thereto, though it be for but a moment (hin)! Fearful thereat was even the ant (al-naml) on account of the possibility of being shattered in twain!
[3] Wherefore in jest did it exclaim : `How can but a trace (athar) [ant] go in search thereof given [the consequences of] such a Glimpse (`ayn)!'
[4]
We do indeed desire that we might divulge the gnosis of Existence (ma`rifat al-wujud) and the origin of the World [Universe] (ibtida' al-`alam) for such is with us the Mighty Codex [Book] (al-mushaf al-kabir) which the Real One [God] (al-haqq) has recited unto us

(al-Futuhat, 1:101)

In her article on the `Primordial Dot', Schimmel sums up aspects of Ibn al-`Arabi's ideas about the primordial point
When one realizes that this dot is the place beyond which nothing can reach - as there would be no harmoniously shaped letters unless they could grow out of and be mcasured by the dot, and when one recalls that in Ibn `Arabī's thought, this primordial dot can be equated with the haqiqa muhammadiyya [Muhammadan Reality], which forms the suture between the primordial and the created world, the necessary and the contingent existence, one can fully appreciate a poem by Jamī, perhaps the most ingenious interpreter of letter mysticism in the Persian language. It is well known that, while alif [the Arabic letter A] is the letter of Divine Unity and Unicity, mīm [the Arabic letter M] is the letter typical of Muhammad, and the mystics' speculations about it are almost endless" (Schimmel 1987: 355)

Abū Sālim al-Naṣībī, Kamāl al-Dīn Muhammad ibn Ṭalḥah ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Qurayshi al-`Adawi al-Naṣībī al-Shafi'i (b. XXX, 582/1186 - d. Aleppo, 652/1254 or 5).

The above named Muhammad ibn Ṭalḥah al-Naṣībī was a Sunni and Sufi Muslim thinker with a special interest in Tafsir (Qur'an Commentary) and the `ilm al-huruf (letter mysticism), talismans and associated esoterica as is evident from his several books on these subjects (listed by Ibn ibn Aḥmad al-ʻAṭīyah in his bio-bibliographical note in his edition of the al-Durr al-muntaẓam, 1425/2004 p.10-11). al-Naṣībī or al-Shafi'i also had a special interest in twelver Imami messianism and apocalyptic and was influential in both the Sunni and Shi`i worlds. He closely associated the expected messianic Mahdi with the twelver Shi`i 12th Imam (see al-Durr, Madelung, in EI2 XX).

Among his nine or more books is one entitled الدر المنتظم في السر الأعظم : بحث أهل الكشف والعرفان في علامات مهدي آخر الزمان al-Durr al-muntaẓam fī al-sirr al-aʻẓam : baḥth ahl al-kashf wa-al-ʻirfān fī ʻalāmāt Mahdī ākhir al-zamān (The Well-Orgaized Pearls regarding the Most Great Mystery...). Some have it that Muhammad ibn Ṭalḥah was the first to cite the hadith associating the claim to be the nuqtah (• ) (Point) under the Arabic letter "B" with the fourth Caliph and / or the first twelver Imam, `Ali ibn Abi Talib. The text as cited in the 2004 edition of the al-Durr al-muntaẓam reads as follows :

So know that all of the mysteries of God, exalted be He, are contained in the heavenly books. And everything that is in the heavenly books is in the Qur'an. All that is in the Qur'an is in the al-Fatiha (Surah of the Opening, Q1) and everything that is in the al-Fatiha (Q.1) is in "In the Name" (Bism) and "God" (Allah). And all that is in the Bismillah (In the Name of God) is in the [1st letter] ba' ("B") of the Bism ("In the Name...") and Allah (God). And all that is in the Bismillah (In the Name of God) is in the [letter] B (al-ba')". And all that is in the [letter] B (al-ba') the Bismillah (In the Name of God) is in the (• ) Point [Dot] (al-nuqtah) which is beneath the [letter] B (al-ba'). He, Imam `Ali said, "And I am the (• ) Point [Dot] (al-nuqtah) which is beneath the [letter] B (al-ba')" (trans. Lambden as cited from al-Durr al-muntaẓam, 58).
Among the many other passages in the al-Durr al-muntaẓam of al-Naṣībī al-Shafi'i bearing upon the letters Alif (A), al-Ba' (B) and the Nuqta (Point-Dot) are the following :

Know that the mystery of God (sirr Allah), exalted be He, is in the Book (al-kitab), And the mystery of the Book (sirr al-kitab) is in the Letters (al-huruf). And the mystery of the Letters (sirr al-huruf) is in the Alif (A). And the mystery of the Alif (A) (sirr al-alif) is in the al-nuqta (• )(the Point). And the mystery of the al-nuqta (• ) (the Point) is in al-wahdaniyya (the Unicity). And the mystery of the al-wahdaniyya (the Unicity) is in al-ahadiyya (the Oneness). And the mystery of al-ahadiyya (the Oneness) is in the al-huwiyya (the Divine Ipseity), And the mystery of the al-huwiyya (the Divine Ipseity) is in the Unseen (al-ghayb). And the mystery of the Unseen (al-ghayb) is in the Unseen of the Unseen (ghayb al-ghayb) (trans. Lambden as cited from al-Durr al-muntaẓam, 63).
Amīr al-Muminīn [Imam] `Alī ibn Abi Ṭālib said : “The first thing that God created was the (• ) Point-Diacritical Dot (al-nuqtah) [of the letter B] and the first thing He caused to be made manifest was [the imperative exclamation] “Being!” (al-kun), by means of the [letter] alif (A). ( Al-Durr, 130).

Ṣadr al-Dīn al-Qūnawī (d. 673 /1274-5)

al-Qūnawī was the Great Shaykh’s disciple and stepson through whom Ibn `Arabī’s teachings "reached the Persian speaking world" (Chittick, ibid 666). He also commented upon the prophetogical-theosophical chapter headings of the Fuṣūṣ al-Hikam in his Kitab Fakk al-fukūk ("The Unsealing of the Constituents").

Rajab al-Bursī (d. c. 814 / 1411).

The letter alif (A) is upstanding (qāi’m an) by virtue of the mystery [interiority] of the Intellect (sirr al-`aql). And the Intellect (al-`aql) is upstanding (qāi’m an) on account of it (Rajab al-Bursi, Mashariq, 23).

Through these [Arabic] letters (al-huruf) came about the sending down [revelation] of the Qur'an. They are expressive of the interpretive configuration (tarjuman) of the Persona [essence] of the Lord (dhat al-rabb), glorified be He! The Qur'an has an outward (zahir) and an inward (batin) level ... (Mashariq, 35).

Among the numerous often `irfānī (esoteric-gnostic) collections of tradition significant in esoteric Shiism and the Bābī-Bahā’ī religions, is that revolving around traditions ascribed to Imām `Alī in the Mashāriq anwār al-yaqīn fī asrār Amīr al-mu’minīn (The Dawning-Places of the Lights of Certitude in the mysteries of the Commander of the Faithful’) of Rajab al-Bursī (d. c. 814 / 1411). This roughly 250 page work contains, towards its beginning, in its third section, half a dozen or so lines about the letters Alif (A) and Ba' (B) which may be loosely translated as follows:

Now as for the outstretched [letter] Alif (A). It is [in reality] the [letter] al-ba' (B). Such is the commencement of divine [Qur'anic] revelation (wahy) which was sent down unto the Messenger of God [Muhammad]. It was [also] the first of the scriptural writings (sahifa pl. suhuf) of Adam, Noah and Abraham, their interiority [mystery] (sirr). This as a result of the extended nature of the [letter] Alif (A) which was [implicit] within it, the secret of [its] uprising (qiyamat) on account of the elevation of its [constricted] tip [the outermost locus of the point] (taraf). It is the mystery of the Genesis [Origination] (sirr al-ikhtira') and the Lights (al-anwar) as well as the secrets (al-asrar) which constitute Reality (al-haqiqa) expressed through the [extension of the] Point-Dot (• ) of the [Letter] al-ba' (B). Of this there is allusion in the statement of Amir al-Muminin (`The Commander of the Faithful'[ = Imam `Ali) :

I am the Point [Dot] (• ) (al-nuqtah) which is beneath the outstretched [letter] B (al-ba' al-mabsuta) which, in its essence (dhat), is indicative of a mode of the outstretched, upright [letter] A (al-alif al-qa'im al-mabsura), veiled away therein".

Thus did Muhyi al-Din al-Ta'i [Ibn al-`Arabi] state, "The [letter] al-ba' (B) is the Veil of Lordship (hijab al-rububiyya). And if the [letter] al-ba' (B) be in its upraised state, the people would indeed witness their Lord (al-rabb), exalted be He" (trans. Lambden as cited al-Bursi, Mashariq, 20-21).

Scattered throughout the rest of al-Mashariq are many further comments about the nuqta (Point) (• ) and the letters Alif (A) and al-Ba' (B) and their scribal, mystical and numerological relationships. Some ten sections or paragraphs after the above translated passage al-Bursi includes a section about the "knowledge of the Point (• ) (`ilm al-nuqtah) and the circle (al-dawa'ir). The text and translation are as follows:

Now as for the knowledge of the Point" (`ilm al-nuqtah) (• ) and the circle (al-dawa'ir). This is among the most glorious of sciences (al-`ulum) and the abstruse level of the mysteries (ghawanid al-asrar) since the ultimacy of speech (muntaha al-kalam) is realized through the letters (al-huruf) and the ultimacy of the letters is realized through the [letter] al-alif (A). The ultimacy of the [letter] al-Alif (A) is within the diacritical Point [Dot] (• ) (al-nuqta). Relative to the foregoing, the diacritical Point [Dot] (al-nuqta) (• ) is indicative of the descent of Absolute, Outward and Inward Existence (nuzul al-wujud al-mutlaq al-zahir bi'l-batin). This from the Beginning unto the Culmination [End] (al-ibtida' bi'l-intiha'). That is to say, from the manifestation of the Divine Ipseity (zuhur al-huwiyya) which is the very genesis of existence (mabda al-wujud) for which there is neither intimation or allusion (al-Bursi, Mashariq, 23).

After a further extended set of sections or paragraphs about the mystical senses of various letters of the Arabic alphabet and associated esoterica (see ibid. pp. 23-37), al-Bursi sets forth a further section which includes important materials relating to the nuqta (Point-Dot) and its related Letter B :

The Basmala and the Nuqtah in the writings of `Abd al-Karīm al-Jīlī (d. c. 832/1428)

The Insān al-kāmil (The Perfect Human) and al-Kahf wa'l-raqim of the Shī`īte Sufi of the school of Ibn al-`Arabī, `Abd al-Karīm al-Jīlī (d. 832/1428) contain much of interest to the subject discussed here.

In his al-Kahf wa'l-raqim fi sharh Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim ("The Cave and the Inscription in Commentary on the "In the Name of God the Merciful. the Compassionate") al-Jīlī cites from the Prophet Muhammad, a shortened version of the tradition cited above and ascribed to the 4th Caliph or 1st Imam `Ali which is further supplemented with a further report. It reads as follows :

The Prophet [Muhammad] said: `Everything that is in the revealed Books is in the Qur'an and all that is in the Qur'an is in the al-Fatiha (Q.1). And all that is in the al-Fatiha is in the Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim. [Additionally] It has been reported [from Muhammad or `Ali] `Everything that is in the Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim is in the [letter] B (al-ba') and all that is in the [letter] B (al-ba') is in the Point [Dot] (• al-nuqtah) which is beneath the [letter] B (al-ba')" (Translated from the text in Lo Polito, 144; see also Lo Polito trans, p, 172).

Having cited this still incomplete - there is no claim `And I am the Nuqtah (• ) beneath the Letter B - composite tradition al-Jīlī writes a lengthy and interesting commentary. According to Lo Polito, it will be convenient to further note, "Al-Jili [in the al-Kahf wa'l-raqim] identifies in the Prophet the privileged embodiment of the manifestation of the Absolute. The nuqta is Al-Haqiqa al-muhammadiyya, and Muhammad is Al-Haqiqa al-nuqtiyya (p. 36), describing as a “white nuqta” the small space in the letter Mim of the Prophet’s name (p. 45).

Nur al-Dīn `Abd al-Raḥman Jāmī (d. 898 /1492).

"And Jāmī, again in the succession of lbn `Arabī, has composed a longish qasida about the basmala, which is the Greatest Name of God, and whose 18 letters give blessings to the 18,000 worlds" (Schimmel 1975: 353 fn. 13 = Jāmi, Diwan-i kamil, 68). Schimmel also notes that `Abd al-Rahman Jāmī "devotes a highly interesting poem to the name of Ahmad, which was always considered to be the heavenly name of the Prophet", and that he writes as follows "in the encomium for the Prophet in his Tuhfat al-albrār, dedicated to the successful Naqshbandi leader `Ubaydullāh Ahirār:

(trans, Schimmel 1987: 356 from Haft Aurang, ed. Gilanī, 376).

Summing Jami's perspective (indicated above) Schimmel further notes,

"Jāmī offers an absolutely correct pictuŗe of the construction of the alif: the primordial dot, the first thing to appear on the blank sheet of Divine lpseity, grows into an alif, which, as calligraphy demands it, forms the exact diameter of the Divine circle, and thus the Prophet's position as barzakh lā yabghiyān [a barzakh-"barrier" which cannot be overcome", Q. 55:20] ... is secured." (ibid 1987: 356).

An extract from the 1980s Lamden 1980s Pd.D
The Bāb’s view of pre-qur’ānic sacred scripture is very much in line with that of `Abd al-Raḥman Jāmī (d.898/1492) and other Sufīs of the school of Ibn `Arabī including `Abd al-Karīm al-Jīlī (d. c. 832/ 1428 ; al-Insān,1:111-4). The 28th section of al-Jāmī’s composite Arabic-Persian Naqd al-nuṣūṣ (The Deliverance of the Texts), which comments upon aspects of Ibn al-`Arabī’s Naqsh al-fuṣūṣ (The Imprint of the [235] Bezels) focuses upon the mysteries of the bezel relative to “the peerless wisdom in the Muhammadan word”. Here the Q. is equated with the Logos-like nafs (“Self”) and ḥaqīqa (Reality) of Muhammad. It is seen as “a singular expression (aḥadiyya) of the combination of the entirety of the divine books (jam` al-jamī` al-kutub al-ilāhiyya).”

The Q. Jāmī continues,

came about through the Prophet [Muhammad]... He said, “God revealed one hundred and four books from heaven”. Wherefore did he deposit the knowledge of these one hundred in these four; that is, [1] Tawrāt, (Torah), the [2] Injīl (Gospel[s]), [3] the Zabūr (Psalter) and the [4] Furqān (“Criterion” = the Q.). Then he deposited the knowledge of these four in the Q. He then deposited the knowledge of the Q. in the substance (mufaḍḍal) of its [114] sūrahs. Then he deposited the substance of its surahs into al-Fātiḥa, (= Q.1). Whoso has a knowledge of the commentary on the [sūrah of the] Opening (tafsīr al-fātiḥa) has a knowledge of the commentary (tafsīr) upon all the revealed books of God. Whomsoever recited it [Q.1 the Fātiḥa ] it is as if he had recited the Tawrat, the Injīl, the Zabūr and the Furqān [= Q.] (Jāmi`, Naqd, 275).

This conflation of the substance of the revealed books into the first sūra of the Q. is probably inspired by the tradition that the whole of the Q. is in the point (•) of the letter “b” ( ب) of the basmala of the first surah, al-Fātiḥa (Q.1), a tradition well-known to the Bāb. Jāmī`s mystical conflation of all previous revealed books into the first surah of the Q. reflects exactly the way that the Bāb viewed pre-Islamic revelations. The reality of the Bible as the Tawrāt , Zabūr and Injīl were spiritually subsumed within the essence of the Q. Its mysteries were implicit within the Islamic sacred book, more or less rendering the citation, direct knowledge (of translations) of the HB ( Psalms) and Gospel / NT unnecessary. It has likewise been noted how Sayyid Kāẓim Rashtī expressed a similar opinion in his Sharḥ al-Qāṣida al-lāmiyya.

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T-Safi = Tafsīr al-ṣāfī. 5 Vols., ed. Shaykh Ḥusayn al-A`lam. Mashhad: Sa`āda n.d.
Knysh, Alexander D.

1999: Ibn Arabi in the Later Islamic Tradition: The Making of a Polemical Image in Medieval Islam. New York: State University of New York Press.
2000: Islamic Mysticism: A Short History. Leiden-Boston-Köln: Brill.
Lo Polito, Nicholas.

`Abd al-Karīm al-Jīlī : Tawhid, Transcendence and Immanence. A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Department of Theology and Religion, School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion, College of Arts and Law, University of Birmingham, September 2010. This excellent thesis includes the editing and translation with commentary, on one of al-Jili’s The Cave and the Inscription [al-Kahf wa'l-Raqim...].
MacEoin, Denis.

Massignon, Louis

La philosophie orientale d'Ibn Sinā et son alphabet philosophique", Memorial Avicenna IV, Cairo: Institut d'Archēologie Orientale, 1954, pp. 1-18.
Nwyia, Paul

Exegese coranique et langage mystique, Beirut : Dār al-Mashriq,1970,
Rajab al-Bursī (d. c.814/1411),

Mashāriq anwār al-yaqīn fī asrār Amīr al-mu’minīn (The Dawning-Places of the Lights of Certitude in the mysteries of the Commander of the Faithful’).
Schimmel, Annemarie.

1975, Mystical Dimensions of Islam. Chapel Hill, N.C. 1975.
1984 Calligraphy and lslamic Culture. New York University Press 1984, esp. Chapter III.
1987. `The Primordial Dot. Some Thoughts about Sufi Letter Mysticism' in Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam JSAI 9 (1987), 350-356. "One of the most fascinating themes in Islamic mysticism is its "cabalistic" aspect, which seems to belong to the oldest layers of mystical interpretation of the Koran. At least the art of jafr, prognostication by means of letters and their numerical value, is ascribed to lmam Ja'far al-Sādiq (d. 765), and its knowledge was connected, originally, with the family of the Prophet" (opening paragraph, 1987:350).

al-Shāfiʻī / al-Naṣībī, Muḥammad ibn Ṭalḥah Abū Sālim (d. Aleppo )

ابي سالم محمد بن طلحة

al-Shāfiʻī, Abū Sālim Kamāl al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Ṭalḥah ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Qurashī al-ʻAdawī al-Naṣībī al-Shāfiʻī.

al-Durr al-muntaẓam fī al-sirr al-aʻẓam : baḥth ahl al-kashf wa-al-ʻirfān fī ʻalāmāt Mahdī ākhir al-zamān', ed. Mājid ibn Aḥmad ʻAṭīyah. Beirut: Dār al-Hādī, 2004.
Maṭālib al-suʼūl fī manāqib Āl al-Rasūl. al-Najaf : Maktabat Dār al-Kutub al-Tijārīyah, [1951?].
al-Durr al-muntaẓam fī al-sirr al-aʻẓam : baḥth ahl al-kashf wa-al-ʻirfān fī ʻalāmāt Mahdī ākhir al-zamān =by Kamāl al-Dīn Muhammad ibn Ṭalḥah al-Shāfiʻī ; ed. Mājid ibn Aḥmad al-ʻAṭīyah. Beirut: Dār al-Hādī, 2004.
Kitāb al-ʻiqd al-farīd lil-malik al-Saʻīd, [Cairo] : Maṭbaʻat al-Waṭan, 1306/1888 or 1889.
Kitāb Jafar al-jāmiʻ va'l-nūr al-lāmiʻ ... min imlāʼ Rasūl Allāh va imr bi-tadvīnah, fakutbah ʻAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ... ma ʻmiftāḥ al-istikhrāj [taʼlīf Mahmūd Dihdār]. [Bombay] : [Muhammad Malik al-kitāb], 1326/1908.

https://hurqalya.ucmerced.edu/node/3961

[swamidada]

During question/answer session, Sir Mazhar was asked," What is the significance of ع (Ayn)and غ (Ghayn)in sufism and Ginanic literature"?

Sir said, one explanation is that Ayn ع represents Ali and Ghayn غ stands for 'Ghayr' those who have no faith in Ali.

Ayn: Vision, Source, Knowledge, Essence.

Ghayn: Mystery, Veil, Manifestation, Distinction.

In Sufism, the Arabic letters 'Ayn (ع) and Ghayn (غ) are significant not only as phonetic characters but as essential symbols in ‘ilm ul huruf' (the science of letters), representing profound cosmological, spiritual, and mystical realities. They are often interpreted in the context of divine attributes and the journey of the soul.

The relationship between the two letters Ayn (ع) and Ghayn (غ) is often interpreted through the single dot (Nuqta) above the Ghayn. This dot acts as a "veil" or a "separation" between the known/witnessed (Ayn) and the hidden/mysterious (Ghayn).

The Nuqta assumes a powerful symbolic status in Islamic Sufism and Shia philosophy. A celebrated statement attributed to Mowla Ali, central to Shia theology, is often quoted in this context. “All that is in the Quran is in the Fatiha, all that is in the Fatiha is in the Bismillah, all that is in the Bismillah is in the letter ba ( ب), and I am the dot beneath the Ba. "I am the Point (al-Nuqta) beneath the letter B".
If a person understand and attain this spiritual Nuqta will see Noor e Ali with Ayn (eye) of his soul.

EEK NUQTA MA'RIFAT KERA
MURSHID JIS KU BATLAWEY
SO WASIL HOWEY ZAAT E HAQQ MEIN
ASAL APNI KU PAAWEY
Kalam e Mowla

Sir quoted a couplet from Bhuj Nirinjin;

JUB TAWHID ILAHI AAWAY
TUBB AYN GHAYN UUTH KAR JAAWAY

When Tawhid is attained, the separation between Ayn and Ghain disappears.
(Hum tum donu saiyan eek hain)

Sir gave example of Baba Bhulley Shah;

Aina Te Gainaa nuu main samajh na jaana,
Gal Alaf samjhaai

Bulleyaa Kaul Alaf De Purey,
Jehrey Dil Di Karan Safaaii

I don't understand Ayn and Ghayn that is 'mon wa tu', 'you and I', it is Alif that means Allah. Bhulla says, Alif's qoul (promise) is right through which inner self is cleaned.

In Sufi poetry, Ayn and Ghayn serve as a bridge between the unseen world and the visible world, with Ayn representing the hidden, inner reality, and Ghayn representing the externalization or "wrapping" of that reality

Ayn (ع) is the Source of Knowledge and Vision. Ayn literally means "eye." In Sufi symbolism, it represents the "eye of the heart" or divine vision (basirah), allowing the mystic to perceive spiritual truths.
Ayn is considered the origin of the intellect ('aql), symbolizing the inward knowledge or gnostic understanding (ma'rifah).
Many key Sufi terms starting with Ayn highlight its importance: 'Ilm (Knowledge), 'Ishq (Divine Love), 'Abd (Servant), and 'Arsh (Throne of Allah).

While 'Ayn signifies vision, Ghayn its variant with a dot often represents "total mystery" (ghayb) and that which is hidden, covering, or veiled from human comprehension.
Where as Ghayn is used in terms indicating change, such as ghayyara (alter), representing the transformative journey of the soul, which involves passing through various states of concealment and revelation, and represents a deeper, more subtle layer of divine, esoteric knowledge.

[swamidada]

Continued from explanation of Ayn and Ghayn.
In the same sitting Sir was also asked about AYN and MEEM.

Sir replied; Ayn stands for Ali and Meem stands for Muhammad. In Sufism, letters are not merely tools for communication but are considered vessels of divine secrets, vibrations that affect the soul. The letters Ayn (ع) and Meem (م) hold deep esoteric significance, particularly regarding divine knowledge, Prophetic/Imamat light, and the journey of the soul. It is viewed as the door that leads to Ahad (Oneness). In Sufi thought, the difference between Ahad (the Oneness of Allah) and Ahmad (a name of the Prophet) is the Meem, signifying the Prophet's role as a bridge between the creator and creation. Meem represents the flow of divine light and mercy from the Creator to the creation.

Sir quoted Shah Latif Bhittai

احد احمد پان مین وچان میم فرق
آھی مستغرق غالم انہی گال مین

In between Ahad and Ahmad, the difference is Meem. The world wander in the mystery of Meem.

EK AHMAD EK JAGATPATI
EK GUR SUUN CHIT LAEIYEN
GUR SERVEY AHMAD MILEY
TOU AHMAD MEEM GAMAYE
(Bhuj Nirinjin-Pir Sadruddin)

One is Ahmad(the Prophet) and one is King of the universe. Concentrate upon the guidance given by the Guru (Guide). If you serve the Guide and obey his guidance you will attain Ahmad, and you will find Meem disappears from Ahmad remaining Ahad that is Allah.

The letters Ayn and Meem represent the beginning and end of a Sufi's journey toward divine union, assisting in the process of fana (annihilation).

The Letter Ayn (ع) stands for Ali, Ayn literally means "eye" in Arabic and is used in Sufism to represent 'ilm (knowledge), 'aql (intellect), and the "eye of the heart" or "eye of perception" that witnesses divine truths. It symbolizes the ability to see beyond the physical world into the spiritual, witnessing the inner reality of existence. It is often linked to the inner yearning to witness the Divine, reflecting the spiritual "sight" that recognizes God in all things. All 4 main sufi tariqas consider Mowla Ali as father of Islamic sufism. Spiritually Noor e Ali and Noor e Muhammad are not seperate entities. In old Dua it was mentioned; ALI MUHAMMAD NOORULLAH BAR HUQQ.

گر جدا دانی علی از مصطفا
دشمن جانت خداي کبریا است

GAR JUDA DAANI ALI AZ MUSTAFA
DUSHMAN E JAANAT KHUDA E KIBRIYA AST
Rumi

If you separate Ali from Mustafa, God Almighty will become enemy of you.

Sir explained one can not seperate Ali from Muhammad. Noor e Ali and Noor e Muhammadi is same. The Prophet said,"ANA WA ALYUN MIN NOORIN WAHID", I and Ali are from 'Wahid' same Noor. Sir said, Ahad, Ahmad, and Wahid have same roots.

ALI MUHAMMAD SAACHA KALMA
TIN BINA MOKSH NAHI RE

Ali and Muhammad is one true kalma, there is no salvation without them.

Sir quoted Mir Anees;

AFZAL HAI AGAR EK TO A'LLA HAI EK
GAR GOUR KARO TO MOUJ WA DARIYA HAI EK
HAA(N) NOOR E MUHAMMAD WA ALI HAI WAHID
HAI(N) ISM (name) DOU (2) MAGAR MUSAMMA (entity) HAI EK
Mir Anees

Sir Mazhar said, by studying and understanding 'Diwan e Ashkaar' by Sachal Sarmast the famous sufi poet of Sind (Ashkaar his pen name), we would come to know about Ismaili philosophy of "Ali Muhammad yak Khuda". According to Ashkaar 'Khuda Muhammad Ali' is one entity..

Some Farsi couplets from Diwan e Ashkaar;

AA(N)KE DAR AHMAD AHAD DAANIST FARAQ
DARJA E UU DAR FANA FI ALLAH NEEST

IF ANY ONE DIFFERENCIATE BETWEEN AHMAD (PROPHET) AND AHAD (ALLAH)
SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO REACH FANA FI ALLAH

انا احمد لا میم هم دانی من راءنی
لی وقت مع الله است فرموده پیغمبر

I am Ahmad without Meem. The Prophet said all the time I am with Allah."

There is a Hadith of the Prophet "ANA AHMAD BILA MEEM", "I am Ahmad without Meem".

JUZZ MUHAMMAD NEEST DAR KOUN WA MAKAAN
JUZZ ALI DEEGAR KASSI HAMRAH NEEST

THERE ISN'T ANY ONE ELSE IN BOTH WORLDS WITHOUT MUHAMMAD AND ALI
AND WITHOUT ALI THERE IS NO PATRON AND HELPER IN BOTH WORLDS

EE BIJUZ DARWAZA AHMAD RAAH NEEST
GAR NA MEEDAANI DILAT AGAAH NEEST

O FRIEND THERE IS NO WAY OUT WITHOUT DOOR OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD
IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS MEANS YOUR HEART IS AWAY FROM REALITY

GAR KASSI RA ISHQ E UU DAAMIN GARIFT
BILYAQEEN DAANI KE AA(N) GUMRAH NEEST

IF ANY ONE IS ABSORBED IN LOVE (WITH MUHAMMAD AND ALI)
INDEED THAT PERSON WILL NOT GO ASTRAY

AA(N) KHUDA WA AA(N) RASUL EE ASHIKAAR
UNDDER EE(N) NA SHAK WA ISHBAAH NEEST

O ASHKAAR KHUDA AND RASUL ARE SAME
THERE IS NO DOUBT OR SUSPICIOUS IN IT

AA(N) MUHAMMAD AA(N) AHAD DAANI TU YAK
YAK BUUD AA(N) YAK BUUD TU AARI NA SHAK

BELIEVE PROPHET MUHAMMAD AND AHAD (ALLAH) AS ONE
HAVE NO DOUBT IN THIS, BOTH ARE ONE

AA(N) MUHAMMAD AA(N) ALI BASHID YAKI
UNDDER EE(N) RAAH NA AARI TU SHAKI

MUHAMMAD AND ALI ARE ALSO ONE
HAVE NO DOUBT IN THE TRUTH OF ONENESS

Sir quoted Bhulley Shah, the Punjabi sufi poet;

ALLAH AADMI BUN(N) AAYA
ANNT BIRAH DI KHABAR NA KAI
ALLAH AADMI BUN(N) AAYA
AYN DA BURQA MEEM DI CHAADAR
MUKH WHICH GHUNGHATT PAAYA
ALLAH AADMI BUN(N) AAYA

Allah came in garb of man
This mystery is unknown
Allah came in garb of man
He came in the veil of AYN and MEEM that is Ali and Muhammad by covering His face
Allah came in garb of man

JEN(N)E RUNG NE RUUP NAHI
NAHEE KUCHH NAAM NE THHAAM RE
SO GUPTA PRAGATT BHAYO
LAAKH DHARO TISS NAAM RE
(Bhuj Nirinjin-Pir Sadruddin)

Who does does not have any colour or form, nor any name or abode; so when this hidden entity became manifest, it assumes hundreds of thousands of names.

Sir quoted Rumi;
خود خدا اندر لباس آدمی
خود خدا اندر لباس خادمی

God Himself in the Garb of a Man
God Himself in the Garb of a Servant

At the end of lecture, Sir quoted a Farman of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah when he was around 8 years of age on coronation day;

Jamaits, do not consider me small. I am the decendant of Prophet Muhammad and my grand father is Hazrat Amirul Mu'minin Hazrat Ali and my grand mother is Khatoon e Jannat Hazrat Bibi Fatima. I am the Noor of both Hazrat Ali and Holy Prophet. Though young in age I am exalted.
Bombay, Sep 1st 1885.

[swamidada]

يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ (Yaqbidu wa Yabsutu)

This was an interesting subject. The topic was universe is expanding contineously.

The Arabic phrase يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ (yaqbidu wa yabsutu) means "He constricts (squeeze) and expands." This phrase appears in the Holy Quran in Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 245, describing how Allah controls, squeeze and expand universe and life.

يَقْبِضُ (Yaqbidu): He constricts, withholds, or decreases.
يَبْصُۜطُ (yabsutu): He expands, extends, or grants abundantly.

This phrase highlights two of 99 Names of Allah:
Al-Qābiḍ (القابض): The Withholder / The Restricter.
Al-Bāsiṭ (الباسط): The Expander / The Extender

Sir quoted a Quranic verse from Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:47, which states the universe is expanding.
The Verse reads:
وَالسَّمَاءَ بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ
Translation:
"And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander." (51:47)

The phrase 'wa innā la-mūsiʿūn' (وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ) is interpreted as "We are certainly expanding it". This aligns strikingly with modern cosmological discoveries that the cosmos is continually expanding.

Sir quoted Allamah Iqbal;

یے کاءنات ابھی ناتمام ہے شاید
ک آ رھی ہے دمادم صداے کن فیکون

Perhaps this universe is not complete yet, as there is contineous voice coming of 'kun fayakun' means 'Be and it is'.

Recent astronomical discoveries have dramatically expanded our estimate of the universe’s scale from 'billions' of galaxies imagined to as many as 6–20 trillion galaxies today. Modern telescopes like Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope have revealed an ever-growing cosmos, detecting countless faint and distant galaxies that earlier instruments missed. Intriguingly, the Quran spoke of an expanding universe nearly 14 centuries ago.

With the James Webb Space Telescope (launched 2021), our cosmic inventory has expanded even further. JWST’s infrared eyes can see smaller, fainter, and more distant galaxies that were previously invisible. Indeed, “with JWST’s eyes, discovered even more galaxies. Recent studies suggest that there may be between 6 and 20 trillion galaxies in the observable universe. In other words, the cosmos is teeming with far more galaxies than we ever imagined. Each galaxy, in turn, contains billions or trillions of stars, along with untold numbers of planets. Such a vast universe challenges the limits of human comprehension.

Crucially, this immense scale is coupled with continuous expansion. The space between galaxies is stretching, an observation first made by Hubble in 1929 and now a cornerstone of cosmology. Every moment, the universe’s fabric expands, carrying galaxies farther apart (on large scales). The Quran appears to allude to this expansion in a remarkable verse revealed in the 7th century: “And We have built the heavens with might, and indeed We are expanding it.” (Quran 51:47). Many modern translators and scholars interpret the Arabic phrase “wa innā la-mūsiʿūn” as meaning that God is continuously expanding the sky or universe.

It is worth appreciating how extraordinary this statement is in historical context. In antiquity and the medieval era, the dominant view (across various cultures) was of a static, finite cosmos. For example, the Bible’s Book of Genesis describes a “firmament” a solid dome separating the heavens and earth reflecting an ancient belief that the sky was a fixed canopy. Likewise, Greek astronomers for centuries assumed the stars were attached to crystal spheres encircling a stationary earth Change or expansion on a cosmic scale was inconceivable in those paradigms. Yet the Quranic text broke from these prevailing notions with an image of dynamic expansion, a fact only empirically confirmed in the 20th century.

Sir demonstrated يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ (yaqbidu wa yabsutu) means "He constricts (squeeze) and expands." He showed palm of his hand moving it forward slowly saying, this is how universe is expanding, this is an example of َيَبْصُۜطthen he closed his palm of hand and said this is an example of يَقْبِضُ
means on doomsday God will fold the universe as closing palm of hand. He explained;
مٹہی کہولنے سے مراد پہیلنا ہے اورمٹہی بند کرنے سے مراد لپیٹنا ہے۔
(the example of palm he gave was just for understanding).

Sir said; when we say ALLAHU AKBAR (Allah is great), we can not measure His greatness. Sir quoted first paragraph of first sermon by Mowla Murtaza Ali from Nahjul Ballaghah;

Praise is due to Allah whose worth cannot be described by speakers, whose bounties cannot be counted by calculations and whose claim cannot be satisfied by those who attempt to do so, whom the height of intellectual courage cannot appreciate, and the divings of understanding cannot reach; He for whose description no limit has been laid down, no eulogy exists, no time is ordained and no duration is fixed. He brought forth creation through His Omnipotence....

Hazar Imam said, Allah is beyond imagination.

Sir said, I wish some advanced country in scientific research send a rocket or a flying machine with atomic engine to travel in universe to find end of universe and send data on earth how many miles it traveled in univrse.

Science is helpless to calculate lenght and width of universe. About greatness of Allah, Hazar Imam in BK Farman 1966 said;" If you think of two thousand universes that there may be He is above those universes.

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah in Memoirs has written;
Thus Islam's basic principle can only be defined as mono-realism and not as monotheism. Consider, for example, the opening declaration of every Islamic prayer: "Allah-o-Akbar". What does that mean? There can be no doubt that the second word of the declaration likens the character of Allah to a matrix which contains all and gives existence to the infinite, to space, to time, to the Universe, to all active and passive forces imaginable, to life and to the soul....
Memoirs of Aga Khan

Note: I have added couple of paragraphs from my side on Hubble and James webb space telescope.

[swamidada]

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ

And He who created the night and the day and the Sun and the moon; all in an orbit are swimming. Surah Anbiya 21:33

We live in an age where the motions of heavenly bodies are well documented and understood. Mostly people know that the Earth orbits the Sun and the Moon orbits the Earth. Many are also aware that other planets have moons and that those moons circle their planets. Yet it comes as a surprise to many that our entire Milky Way Galaxy is rotating, all its billions of stars (including our Sun) orbit around the Galaxy’s center. This galactic rotation is a fact uncovered by astronomers only in the last century. Imagine the enormity: just as the Earth makes a yearly loop around the Sun, the Sun itself, along with our whole solar system, is hurtling around the center of the Milky Way in a giant orbit taking roughly 200–250 million years to complete.

Sir Mazhar explained, all heavenly bodies in universe are orbiting and moving, they are like swimming (in vast ocean). Every star and planet has to move in its orbit, as predetermined by the Divine Design.
Before Islam, it was believed that the earth is stationary and the heavy and big celestial bodies like the sun and the moon revolve around it. Until second half of the twentieth century it was known that the Sun and and all celestial bodies, including earth along with other planets revolve and move in a direction prescribed by Allah.

The Holy Quran around 1400 years ago announced that every celestial body in the space is floating. The Quranic word which has been employed in this contex is: يَسْبَحُوْنْ which means: “They swim”. The swimming always is generated from the inherent quality to move; and it implies that all celestial bodies which are moving, in their orbits, have been bestowed, in the Divine Design, with the quality for such movement. Since every planet has to move in its orbit, as pre-determined by the Divine Design, it cannot move against that for which it has been ordained.

Sir Mazhar said; Quran is my passion. Imam Shah Karim al Hussaini during an interview said,"Quran is the miracle in Islam". Sir said, Quran is like a deep ocean of wordly knowledge as well spiritual. Those who stand on beach can see only superficial things like, boats, ships, people swimming, various types of fishes and so on. But what is hidden deep in ocean hardly any one knows. The different types of mammals, unknown type of creatures, mountains, valcanos, rare earth materials, different kind of chemical elements, gold, diamonds, petrol, natural gas name it. Though due to modern scintific research and deep diving, we have some knowledge of treasures under water, but still 90% is hidden and unknown. Then Sir said, consider Universe as a vast ocean unmeasurable in which trillions of heavenly bodies are swimming keeping distance with each other.

Sir said, till today, there are over 100,000+ exegesis (Tafsirs), explanations and commentaries of Quran are available written by Mufassirs, and till Qayyamah (doomsday) millions more will be written. Sir said, one Mufassir can not blame other for wrong interpretation. Each Mufasir has expressed himself according to knowledge he acquired through different sourses. In this regard Sir quoted from Memoirs of Aga Khan chapeter Islam;

"Fortunately the Quran has itself made this task easy, for it contains a number of verses which declare that Allah speaks to man in allegory and parable. Thus the Quran leaves the door open for all kinds of possibilities of interpretation so that no one interpreter can accuse another of being non Muslim. A felicitous effect of this fundamental principle of Islam that the Quran is constantly open to allegorical interpretation has been that our Holy Book has been able to guide and illuminate the thought of believers, century after century, in accordance with the conditions and limitations of intellectual appreciation imposed by external influences in the world. It leads also to a greater charity among Muslims, for since there can be no cut-and-dried interpretation, all schools of thought can unite in the prayer that the Almighty in His infinite mercy may forgive any mistaken interpretation of the Faith whose cause is ignorance or misunderstanding".

Until 16th century, it was thought that the Earth was the center of the Universe. This is known as the Geocentric model. This belief was questioned by the famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus in 1543 and later Galileo Galilei in 1610, they scientifically established that the Earth revolves around the Sun, thus opposing the official dogma of the Roman Catholic Church. In Muslim communities, this happened even in late 20th century as one famous religious cleric Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz from Saudi Arabia claimed that the earth did not move and that anyone who asserted the contrary was considered to have committed a blasphemy.

Our Earth rotates around its axis at 1600km/hr, which causes day and night on Earth. Then it revolves around the Sun at 107,000km/hr which is responsible for our 12 months year and different seasons on Earth. But Quran almost around 1440 years ago told us about the movement of planets, Earth and all celestial bodies in space and also around their own axis. Sir quoted few more ayats of Quran on orbit and swimming;

With regard to the movement of celestial bodies as being pre-determined by the Creator, it is repeatedly claimed by the Quran. For example, Allah says:

"فَالِقُ ٱلْإِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ ٱلَّيْلَ سَكَنًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ حُسْبَانًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ".

He (Allah) Who breaks the dawn. And He made the night for rest, and the sun and the moon for calculation. Such is the disposition and calculation of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. Surah: 6/96

It is very recent that the scientists understood that the sun is not stationary rather it is moving towards the “unknown”; which has been named by Quran as its destination. Allah says:

"وَٱلشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ".

And the sun runs towards its destination. Such is the design of Almighty, the All-Knowing. Surah: 36/38

ٱلشَّمْسُ يَنۢبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تُدْرِكَ ٱلْقَمَرَ وَلَا ٱلَّيْلُ سَابِقُ ٱلنَّهَارِ ۚ وَكُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ".

The sun must not catch up the moon, nor does the night to outpace the day. Each one is travelling in an orbit (with its own motion. Surah: 36/40.

The Quran is not a book of Science or Astrology or Arithmatic. Since the human being live on this planet Allah invites us to ponder about the system under which the life and the habitat have been regulated here. The fineness and the intricacies of the natural laws and as they are being operated will lead us to our Creator Almighty Allah.

Imam Shah Karim al Hussaini has said, in a Farman given in Khorog, Tajikistan on May 27, 1995, He stated:"The Qur'an refers very often to nature as a reflection of Allah's power of creation, and it says, look at the mountains, the rivers, the trees, the flowers, as evidence of Allah's love for the people whom He has created. Today, I look at this environment, and I say to you, I believe Allah is smiling upon you, and may His smile always be upon you".

[swamidada]

AZWAJ-PAIRS

Sir Mazhar discussed 'pairs' according to Quran. He quoted following Quranic Ayats;

وَمِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقْنَا زَوْجَيْنِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

And We created pairs of all things so perhaps you would be mindful. 51/49

سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَزْوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Glory be to the One Who created all things in pairs be it what the earth produces, their genders, or what they do not know! 36/36

وَخَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا

And we created you in pairs • Quran [78:8]

Sir Mazhar quoted great Quranic scholar Allamah Suyuti; in his masterwork Al-Itqan fi Ulumul Quran (The Perfect Guide to the Sciences of the Quran), he categorized the branches of knowledge serving the Quran into 80 distinct types. In Sir Mazhars's OPINION, if a person knows classic Arabic and master in Quranic teachings, can explore Quran deeply and deliver lectures on more than 100,000 topics that is; Quran's Zahir, from Zahir to Batin (inner-esoteric meaning), from Batin's Batin to 7 layers of Batin, Sufi explanation of Quranic terminologies and commentaries, and Scholary work on Tafsirs. There are more than 100,000+ Tafsirs available today by Mufassirs, also various topics have sub titles explained by Mufassirs.

A hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad is essential in understanding the inward aspects of the Quran, and it is fundamental to Quranic exegesis,"The Quran possesses an external appearance and a hidden depth, an exoteric meaning and an esoteric meaning. This esoteric meaning in turn conceals an esoteric meaning so it goes on for seven esoteric meanings (seven depths of hidden depth)."

The concept of Seven esoteric Layers Come From the teaching of Imam Ja'far Sadiq also.
This narration states that the Quran has an exterior, an interior, a limit, and a rising point, and that its inner meanings extend into seven successive depths of hidden meaning. While later Sufi and esoteric commentators adopted or referenced this framework.

In Islam, the concept of "pairs" refers to the fundamental Quranic principle that all of creation is made in dualities. This includes male and female, day and night, life and death, and concepts like faith and disbelief. It points to the Oneness of God by showing that everything imperfect requires a counterpart.

In Quran, the concept of pairs (azwaj) signifies that all creation exists in complementary, balanced, and binary forms. This includes animate beings (males and females), plant life, cosmic elements and even abstract concepts, pointing to the absolute oneness of the Creator. The Quran frequently contrasts concepts to maintain balance, such as night and day, heaven and earth, life and death, joy and sadness, and guidance and misguidance.

The Quran highlights parity across several dimensions:

Humanity and Life: "And we created you in pairs" (Surah An-Naba, 78:8). This encompasses male and female, ensuring companionship, love, and the continuation of life.

Nature and Plants: "Exalted is He who created all pairs - of what the earth grows, of themselves, and of that which they do not know" (Surah Ya Seen, 36:36). This aligns with biological phenomena such as male and female reproductive parts in plants.

The Universe: "And of everything We created two mates [pairs]; perhaps you will remember" (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:49). This verse highlights duality across the cosmos. The discovery of matter in pairs was only discovered in the 1930s by Paul Dirac, a British scientist, who discovered that matter has a pair called
anti-matter. By the third millennium, scientific research on the structure of the atom has revealed a more complex, delicate and perfect nature; that creation in pairs is also valid for the smallest particles of atom.

A student questioned; Does this principle of pair apply to God? Sir replied NO, it does not apply to Allah according to surah Ikhlaas, neither it is applied to Imamat and Risalat. Sir further explained that this principle is not applicable for spiritual entities. Sir said soul has no pair, soul can not be 'he soul' or 'she soul'.
According to Quranic exegesis (Tafsir), the purpose of creation existing in pairs is to demonstrate that everything needs a counterpart to function, thrive, or complete its purpose. While opposites may seem different, they are complementary. Ultimately, the existence of pairs points to the perfection and uniqueness of Allah, as He alone is independent and without a partner or equal.

[swamidada]

SPIRITUAL FRAGRANCE
Sir Mazhar delivered waiz on 'RUHANI KHUSHBU' in Baitul Khayal majlis. He said many sufis have claimed that during ibadat of many years and pious life they sensed fragrance having no match with worldly scents or perfumes. He recited the following Quranic ayat and explained the tafsir.

ولما فصلت العير قال ابوهم اني لاجد ريح يوسف لولا ان تفندون

When the caravan departed (from Egypt), their father (Yaqub) said, You may think I am senile, but I certainly sense the smell of Yusuf (Joseph).
Surah Yusuf- 94

Verse 94 opens with the words: وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ الْعِيرُ‌ And when the caravan set out (and had reached barely outside the limits of the city), then, Hazrat Yaqub (Jacob) said (to those around him): I sense the scent of Yusuf if you do not take me to be senile.
According to a narration of Ibn Abbas there was a travel distance of eight days from the city of Egypt to Canaan (Palestine), Unique is the power of Allah who, from such a distance, carried all the way to Prophet Yaqub the scent of his son Yusuf through the shirt of his son.

After the separation from his father Hazrat Yusuf lived in the neighbouring country of Egypt for more than 20 years, but Yaqub remained unaware of it. But during his last days, when Yusuf's garment was being brought back from Egypt, Yaqub started smelling the garment’s fragrance before it reached him.

The story of Prophet Yusuf is told in Surah Yusuf in the Quran. It is a complete narrative of patience, betrayal, chastity, and ultimate triumph.

Yusuf tells his father, Prophet Yaqub (Jacob), about a dream where eleven stars, the sun, and the moon bowed down to him.
Yaqub tells Yusuf to keep the dream secret, knowing it means a great future.
Yusuf's older half-brothers grow jealous of the love and favor their father shows to Yusuf and his younger brother, Binyamin.

The brothers convince Yaqub to let Yusuf play outside with them. They throw young Yusuf into a deep well and leave him there. They return to Yaqub with a false story and Yusuf's shirt stained with fake blood, claiming a wolf ate him.

A passing caravan finds Yusuf in the well and sells him into slavery in Egypt.
A high ranking Egyptian official (Al-Aziz) buys Yusuf and raises him in his home.
Al-Aziz's wife (Zulaikha) grows obsessed with Yusuf because of his beauty and tries to seduce him.

Yusuf resists her temptation and runs toward the door, tearing his shirt.
Witnesses prove his innocence, but to quiet the scandal, Yusuf is sent to prison despite being innocent.

In prison, Yusuf interprets the dreams of two inmates predicting one will be executed and the other freed to serve the king. Later, the King of Egypt has a troubling dream about seven fat cows and ears of grain eaten by seven lean ones.
The freed inmate remembers Yusuf, who interpreted his dream, he told king about Yusuf. King summoned Yusuf from jail and told about dream to interpret. Yusuf interpreted that in coming years Egypt will face seven years of abundance followed by seven years of severe famine.
Impressed by his wisdom, the king frees Yusuf and makes him the minister in charge of the granaries.

During the famine, Yusuf's brothers travel to Egypt to buy food and do not recognize him. Yusuf tests them, brings his younger brother Binyamin to safety, and eventually reveals his identity.
Yusuf forgives his brothers completely, attributing their past actions to the whispers of Satan.

He brings his entire family including his aging father Yaqub to live in Egypt.
His parents and brothers bow to him in respect, fulfilling the childhood vision from decades prior dream.

In sufi world it is claimed, there are 2.5 or two-and-a-half Qalandars. It is a popular folk and Sufi term in South Asia used to describe three specific revered mystical figures. Two are considered full Qalandars (an elevated spiritual title in Sufism) and the third, a woman, is referred to metaphorically as the "half" Qalandar.

The group consists of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (Syed Usman Marwandi). A major 13th century Sufi saint based in Sehwan, Sindh, Pakistan.
Hazrat Bu Ali Shah Qalandar, A renowned 13th century Sufi saint from Panipat, Haryana, India.
Hazrat Bibi Rabia Basri, the famous 8th century female Sufi mystic and ascetic of Basra, Iraq, traditionally designated as the "half" Qalandar in this folklore because she was a woman. (Sir Mazhar was of opinion that he considers Bibi Rabia as complete Qalander and not half as Allah has created a man's and a woman's sole equal, and soul has no gender.

Sir Mazhar narrated a story about Bu Ali Shah (Bu e Ali) Qalander, adopted from a magazine named Taj. Taj was a monthly magazine published by Baba Zaheen Shah Taji a sufi settled in Karachi.

Bu e Ali Shah Qalandar (1209–1324 CE) was a renowned Sufi saint and poet of India. His real name was Shaikh Sharfuddin, and he spent a major part of his life preaching, writing, and meditating in Panipat, Haryana. He completed his religious and secular education at an early age and taught near the Qutub Minar in Delhi for 20 years. He became very famous in Delhi. During this period,he gained a lot of respect from the public.
From young age he had love for Ali Murtaza, a kind of obsession and to possess Him.

His mausoleum at Panipat remains a popular center for pilgrimage till today.
His finely refined Persian divan includes a masnawi that has been repeatedly published alone and with interlinear Urdu translation. It begins with an explosive eulogy celebrating the birth of Prophet Muhammad (quoted and tr. Ann Schimmel in Islamic Literature of India, Wiesbaden, 1973, p.15, and Mystical Dimensions.

The legendary account of his life in Aʾin-e Akbari (tr., III, p. 410) mentions his meeting with Shams Tabrizi and Moulana Rumi, while other writers refer to some early saints, i.e., Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaaki and Nezamuddin Awlia, as his spiritual mentors.

He is said to have had a double grave. When he died in 725/1324, he was first buried in Karnal, then reinterred in Panipat (apparently because the inhabitants of both cities claimed the right to possess his body). But he miraculously appeared as a complete corpse in two coffins in both cities, with the result that his death celebration is simultaneously celebrated at Karnal and Panipat to the present day. His popularity is further indicated by the claim of some Rajput clans that he was instrumental in their conversion to Islam (T. W. Arnold, The Preaching of Islam, London, 1913, p. 285).

One day Bu e Ali Shah Qalandar was teaching his students in the historical mosque “Masjid Quwatul Islam” as usual. Suddenly a dervesh appeared at main gate of masjid. The dervesh addressed him directly and said: Sharufuddin, recall the purpose for which Allah has sent you to this world. Why did you forget that? You should first finish the work you came to complete. The words of this dervesh captivated Bu Ali Shah Qalandar at that very moment. Later on he gave up teaching and out of his state of absorption (Jazb-o-Masti) he started zikr by standing in a river near his residense for 12 years at night time.

According to the famous historical Urdu document on the Saints of Indian Subcontinent Tazkira-e-Awliya-e-Hind-o-Paak, He undertook severe penance and meditation, stood in a state of absorption doing meditation for 12 years at night time in water. One night as he was engaged in meditation, he heard a voice. It said, "Sharfuddin, we granted your bandagi say, what do you want?" Bu Ali said, "I need none but you. I will give away my life in love while standing at this place." The voice again descended, "Get out of water, you have to do much for us." He replied, "I will not emerge myself from the river of love. If you want it, then do it." Saying this he was lost again. Suddenly a miraculous person appeared and lifted him out of the river and placed him on the bank. Sharfuddin opened his eyes and saw a Noorani person in white attire infront of him. In saddness and shock, tears rolling down his cheeks he said to that person,"What you did to me. I was about to achieve my goal. You ruined my tapasia, you destroyed me". That miraculous person politely said,"Sharfuddin donn't be sad. You have achieved your goal, your bandagi is accepted, I AM ALI". Saying this Mowla Ali hugged Sharfuddin and disappeared.
Since then people sensed a pleasant scent (KHUSHBU) from body of Sharfuddin which had no comparison with worldly fragrances and he became famous with name BU ALI QALANDAR.
Sir Mazhar quoted a couplet of Allamah Iqbal in proof of Bu Ali's fragrance;

دارا و سکندر سے وھ مرد فقیر اولی
ھو جسکی فقیری مین بوۓ اسد الاھی

That Dervesh (Sufi) is higher in (spiritual) status in comparison to (Emperors) Dara (Darius) and Sikandar(Alexander), in eleveted soul of sufi (dervesh) one feel fragrance (aroma) of Allah's Lion (Murtaza Ali)
(ASADULLAH is title of Murtaza Ali).

Note: If some one is interested in life of Bu Ali Qalandar should read the book,"Bu Ali Shah Qalander" written by Pir Syed Irtaza Ali Kirmani. The book was published in 2004.

[swamidada]

SURAH RAHMAN

Sir Mazhar had memorized Surah Rahman. In a Satsung he delivered a lecture on this Surah.

Surah Ar-Rahman (The All-Merciful) is the 55th chapter of the Quran, famously known as the "adorned one" of the Quran because of its distinct rhythm, profound beauty, and focus on divine grace. The Surah opens directly with the name Ar-Rahman (The Most Compassionate, The All-Merciful), showing that the entire universe and all blessings within it stem from His boundless mercy.
Surah Rahman is considered powerful because it profoundly emphasizes Allah's boundless mercy, balance in creation, and a repeating refrain that pierces the human heart to inspire deep gratitude. Often called the "Bride of the Qur'an", it carries a unique spiritual and emotional resonance.

Sir shed light on the starting ayats of Surah Rahman.

ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ
The Most Merciful
عَلَّمَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ
Taught the Qur’an,
خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ
Created man,

عَلَّمَهُ ٱلۡبَيَانَ
[And] taught him eloquence.

ٱلشَّمۡسُ وَٱلۡقَمَرُ بِحُسۡبَانٖ
The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation,

وَٱلنَّجۡمُ وَٱلشَّجَرُ يَسۡجُدَانِ
And the stars and trees prostrate.

The word Quran comes from the Arabic verb qara'a, which means "to read" or "to recite".
Sir explained, the most mercyful first taught the Quran and then created man that is 'Insan' and then taught him speech. Sir said if we pay attention to the sequence of ayats then question arises, to whom Allah taught Quran before creation of Insan? Sir questioned, was that Quran which was taught to special soul being different than which was revealed on the Prophet Muhammad in 23 years? Sir said to solve this, one has to go deep in Ta'wil.

Sir said there can be few possibilities;

1. Allah first taught Quran to Universal Intellect in primordial time.
2. Allah first taught Quran to Noor e Muhammadi.
3. That Quranic knowledge was given to Al- Insanul Kamil.
4. After creating first Adam, he was taught Quran and was given power of speech.
5. Is that Quran as book of natural laws and functioning of univrsal principles taught to some special soul.

In Sir's opinion, that spiritual knowledge of Quran was transmitted to Universal Intellect. Here, Sir pointed that in Hadith it is said,"Ali is with Quran and Quran is with Ali". He elaborated that it was Ali who taught Quran.

In the entire Surah, Allah's bounties worldly as well spiritual are continuously recounted. The greatest of all bounties is the knowledge of the Holy Qur'an, because it is an all-comprehensive Book directing man in temporal and spiritual matters and in matters relating to this world and the next.
Allah says;
ٱلشَّمۡسُ وَٱلۡقَمَرُ بِحُسۡبَانٖ

The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation.

Following Natural Laws, Stars follow exact astronomical orbits and calculations, while trees grow, bloom, and provide shade or fruit according to the innate laws God programmed into them.

Quran says; وَٱلنَّجۡمُ وَٱلشَّجَرُ يَسۡجُدَانِ
And the stars and trees prostrate.

This concept is important that the stars and the trees bow down (in submission). (The Arabic word najm in this verse can mean either celestial stars or stemless plants/herbs. In Islamic theology, prostration by creation means yielding entirely to God's will and functioning according to His divine design. The Quran teaches in other verses (such as Surah Al-Hajj 22:18) that everything in the heavens and earth including trees, animals, and the sunglorifies and worships God, even if humans do not understand their exact mode of praise. According to the Quran, trees and stars prostrate through their complete submission, obedience, and alignment with the physical and spiritual laws set by God, rather than through human like physical actions.

Surah Rahman, mainly describes the boons and bounties of Allah, of this world as well as of the Hereafter. Thus when a particular bounty of Allah is described, the verse: فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَ‌بِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ fa-bi-ayyi' ala'i Rabbikuma tukazziban (So, which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?) is used deliberately as a refrain in order to awaken the people and urge them to give thanks to Allah for His favours. This verse is repeated thirty one (31) times in the Surah, repetition of an expression serves the deliberate purpose of 'emphasis'. In reality, the repeated sentence is each time related to a new subject, and having its own significance, cannot be taken as redundant. Likewise, in Surah Ar-Rahman, after the description of every new bounty the verse فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَ‌بِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (So, O mankind and Jinn,) which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?) is repeated, which being related to a new subject is not redundant. Allamah Suyati terms this device of repetition as "At-tardid". Arab masters of eloquence, regard this device as aesthetically beautiful, polished, effective, moving, forceful and persuasive use of language. The device is used both in prose as well as in poetry. It is used not only in Arabic but also almost in all the languages of the world, as for instance the most accomplished and consummate poets of Persian and Urdu have used them.

Following few paragraphs are added by me on significance of number 31.

The verse: فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَ‌بِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ fa-bi-ayyi' ala'i Rabbikuma tukazziban (So, which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?) This verse is repeated thirty-one times in Surah Rahman.

The core significance of the number 31 in numerology lies in its unique balance between raw creative energy and practical, grounded execution. It is a compound number that brings together the vibrations of 3 and 1, which ultimately reduce to the root number 4 (since 3 + 1 = 4).

The Numerological Breakdown

The Energy of 3: Represents communication, joy, optimism, and artistic expression. It is the spark of imagination.
The Energy of 1: Represents leadership, individuality, ambition, and new beginnings. It is the drive to pioneer a path.
The Foundation of 4: When 3 and 1 merge, they produce the stability, discipline, organization, and hard work of the number 4.

Because of this unique blend, 31 is often considered the most creative and innovative expression of the number 4. While a typical 4 energy can sometimes be rigid, the influence of 3 and 1 ensures that a person or entity aligned with 31 remains highly original and adaptable

Gallium: The number 31 is the atomic number for gallium, a metal that can melt in the palm of hand.
Phosphorus: Phosphorus-31 is the only stable isotope of phosphorus.

The Cyrillic alphabet is a bit larger than the English alphabet, with 31 letters. This alphabet is commonly used in a number of countries, including Russia, Belarus, and Bulgaria.

The Macedonian alphabet, which is closely adapted from the Cyrillic alphabet, also has 31 letters in it.

There are 1,000,000,000 (one billion) seconds in 31 years.