Derived from the lecture series delivered by Nokounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session Fourteen Introduction Section 14), this segment embarks upon an examination of one of the most foundational issues within theoretical mysticism, namely, the existential relationship between the Truth (al-aqq) and Creation (al-Khalq). The central axis of this section is the concept of ill al-Talwn (the Shadow of Colouration) alongside a critical appraisal of perspectives that construe creation as an illusory or non-existent entity.
Within the framework of theoretical mysticism, the metaphorical notion of ill al-Talwn serves as an allegory for additional existence or created being. This existence, impregnated with the colour of creation, is likened to a shadow devoid of autonomous luminosity, deriving its meaning solely through relation to the existence of the Truth. According to this viewpoint, God manifests His Essence within the realm of creation; this manifestation, by virtue of its dependence on the Truth, is thus characterised as a shadow. The metaphor of shadow denotes the absence of ontological independence in creation; however, this absence does not connote negation or illusion, but rather the manifestation of creation relative to the Absolute Being of the Truth.
الذَّى مَدَّ ظِلَّ التَّلْوِينِ عَلَى الْخَلْقِيَّةِ مَدًّا طَوِيلًا. اِسْتَعَارَ الظِّلَّ لِلْوُجُودِ الْإِضَافِيِّ الَّذِي لَوَّنَ الْحَقُّ بِهِ ذَاتَهُ بِلَوْنِ الْخَلْقِ.
This phrase metaphorically likens the created existence to a shadow originating from the light of the Truth, which, owing to intrinsic veils, lacks independent radiance. Nonetheless, this passage asserts that creation is not a mere negational shadow but rather a manifestation of the Divine Reality, possessing an ontological veracity.
In Islamic mysticism, creation is regarded as the manifestation and revelation of the Truth. God manifests His Reality within the mirror of creation, and this manifestation is imbued with the colour of creation. This imbibing is not to be understood as a defect or deprivation but as an indication of the Truths revelation within the multiplicity of created forms. Creation does not possess an independent existence; however, this lack of independence does not denote non-existence but expresses its manifestation. All that exists in the cosmos is ultimately the Truth, and creation is but the manifestation of this truth in diverse forms.
Certain mystical perspectives regard creation as an illusory or non-existent entity, denying its ontological reality. Such a stance, which reduces created existence to mere imagination or negation, has been subject to rigorous critique. This interpretation is not only incompatible with the principles of Islamic mysticism but approaches sophistry. Creation possesses a subtle but real manifest truth, whereas the Truth itself remains the absolute and genuine reality. This distinction between the real truth (the Truth) and the subtle truth (creation) safeguards the balance between the Divine and the created and precludes disparagement of creation.
Mysticism, as an intuitive and epistemic science, requires coherent principles and rules. Employing terms such as illusory or non-existent to describe creation engenders ambiguity and misguidance, which are incompatible with the dignity of mysticism. Mysticism must utilise precise and logical terminology to articulate Divine realities with clarity and elegance. Creation, as the manifestation of the Truth, possesses a reality that must be described with terms befitting the grandeur of Divine knowledge.
Mysticism, as the language of love and an embodiment of beauty, ought to be expressed with eloquence, grandeur, and grace. Employing incongruous expressions such as imagination or vapor not only diminishes mysticism but also degrades it to an irrational and base level. Mysticism represents the most beautiful of sciences, capable of captivating every seekers heart and displaying Divine truths with sound logic. The language of mysticism must be a mirror that harmoniously and enchantingly reflects the beauty of both the Truth and creation.
The Holy Quran introduces man as a being possessing ontological reality, progressing along the spiritual path towards the Truth. This reality is manifest, not independent or imaginary. An exquisite verse from Surah Al-Inshiqq expresses this truth:
O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet Him. (Al-Inshiqq 84:6)
This verse regards man as an entity striving with effort towards the encounter with the Truth. This movement denotes a manifest reality that distinguishes man from illusion or non-existence.
The relationship between the agent (the Creator) and the act (creation) constitutes a foundational principle in Islamic mysticism. To disparage creation equates to disparaging the Creator, for the act is a reflection of the agent. If creation is deemed non-existent or illusory, such an interpretation indirectly attributes these qualities to the Divine Majesty, which is untenable. Creation is the manifestation of the Truth and possesses a reality that derives from the illumination of the Truth.
Some mystics have employed verse 45 of Surah Al-Furqn to explicate the concept of ill al-Talwn, yet this interpretation has been critically examined. The verse addresses issues of creation and Divine signs, not the additional or manifest existence of creation:
Have you not seen how your Lord extends the shadow? If He willed, He could make it stationary; then We made the sun as its guide; then We gradually withdraw it to Us. (Al-Furqn 25:4546)
This verse describes natural phenomena such as shadow, sun, night, and day, as parts of Divine signs. Using it to elucidate mystical concepts like additional existence constitutes an unwarranted hermeneutic extension, incongruent with the apparent meaning of the text.
The addition of terms such as Talwn or madda awlan within Quranic verses, particularly in mystical literature, is subject to censure. Such interpolations distort the meaning and detract from the scientific and spiritual authority of the text. Mysticism must remain faithful to the Quranic principles without affixing extraneous embellishments.
The attribute awl (long) proves inadequate to characterise created existence, since it denotes finitude and limitation, whereas created existence, as the manifestation of the Truth, is eternal and everlasting. Attributes such as long or short are inappropriate to describe the transcendent nature of creation, which surpasses temporal and spatial constraints.
Creation is the manifestation of the Light of the Truth, not a veil or negational shadow. This perspective is confirmed by a Quranic verse:
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. (An-Nr 24:35)
This verse introduces the Truth as the Absolute Light, of which creation is the manifestation. There exists no veil between the Truth and creation; rather, creation itself is the manifestation of the luminosity of the Truth.
The La Shay (nothingness) viewpoint, which reduces creation to pure nothingness, is critically evaluated. Creation possesses a manifest truth that originates from the Light of the Truth. This truth is neither negational nor illusory, but a certain, manifest reality.
The Truth is Absolute Existence, while creation is the manifestation of this existence. This distinction is pivotal in understanding the doctrine of the Unity of Existence (Wahdat al-Wujd). Creation is neither non-existence nor illusion, but a manifestation that gains meaning through its relation to the Truth. Although creation lacks ontological independence, this lack does not amount to absence of reality.
Recognition and gratitude towards creation lead to recognition and gratitude towards the Creator, for creation is the manifestation of the Creator. This principle is grounded in the prophetic tradition: Whoever does not thank the created, does not thank the Creator. Disparaging creation equates to disparaging the Creator, since creation is the mirror of the Creator.
Shadow (ill), as an intrinsic component of divine creation, possesses an ontological reality. This reality is meaningful solely in relation to the Absolute Truth (al-aqq) and cannot be considered either non-existent or illusory. Shadow, like other creatures, manifests the divine act and embodies a reality emanating from the Light of the Truth.
Perspectives that reduce creation to mere mental constructs (itibrt aqlyah) have been critically examined. Creation possesses an objective reality that stems from the Light of the Truth. This reality is neither imaginary within human intellect nor confined to divine intellect; rather, it is an existent actuality external to both.
Mysticism must extol the beauty of the Truth and creation through an elevated and rational discourse. The Holy Quran describes the Creator as Asan al-Khliqn (the best of creators):
Fa-tabraka llhu asanu l-khliqn
(Srah Sadah, 32:7)
: So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.
This verse presents creation as a beautiful entity that reflects the beauty of the Creator. Mysticism must reflect this beauty in its discourse and abstain from depreciating creation as illusion or non-being.
Human beings, as the perfect mirror of the Truth, are the manifestation of all Divine Names and Attributes. God has manifested all His attributes within humanity and created it as a complete and beautiful creation. This perspective coheres with the concept of the Perfect Man in Islamic mysticism and portrays human beings as entities wherein all divine perfections are reflected.
The unity of existence and manifestation constitutes a foundational principle in Islamic mysticism. Existence and manifestation are but a single reality, and creation is the manifestation of this reality in the form of multiplicity. True mysticism involves the capacity to perceive this unity within plurality, which purifies the seekers heart and guides them towards the direct witnessing of the Truth. Such witnessing leads to a profound understanding of the relationship between the Truth and creation.
This section of Manzil al-Sirn, focusing on the existential relationship between the Truth and creation, elucidates the concept of ill al-talwn (shadow of coloration) as a metaphor for created existence. Creation, as the manifestation of the Truth, possesses a subtle reality that is neither non-being nor illusory. Critique of views reducing creation to mere illusion or non-existence constitutes a central theme of this section. Additionally, emphasis on the refined and rational language of mysticism, critique of erroneous Quranic interpretations, and the portrayal of humanity as the perfect mirror of the Truth render this section a rich source for understanding Islamic mysticism. Elevated metaphors, such as creation as the mirror of the Truth, and spiritual allegories, accentuate the epistemological depth of the text.
The treatise Manzil al-Sirn, inspired by the lectures of Nokounam (may his sanctity be preserved), provides a lucid path for comprehending theoretical mysticism. The fourteenth section, by explicating the relationship between the Truth and creation, introduces creation as the manifestation of the Light of the Truth and repudiates any depreciation of creation as illusion or non-existence. Key concepts such as the unity of existence, the ontological reality of created manifestation, and the necessity of elevated language in mysticism are presented in a scholarly manner.
