of Nekounam, (Session 1648)
The Holy Quran, like a clear and boundless spring, presents divine knowledge in the form of profound words and concepts to humanity. Among these concepts, Tajil (Hastening), Tasbih (Glorification), and Subhan (Purity/Exaltation) shine like radiant gems, manifesting a distinctive aspect of divine wisdom. This treatise, relying on the luminous verses of the Holy Quran and contemplation on their profound meanings, examines these three key concepts. The aim is not only an exact understanding of these concepts but also their connection to the existential realm of humanity, the Prophets, and the Sacred Divine Essence, thereby opening a path towards knowledge and guidance.
Tajil, like a rushing river within human nature, is a characteristic rooted in his creation. The Holy Quran explicitly describes this attribute as follows:
خُلِقَ الْإِنْسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ (Al-Anbiy: 37)
"Man was created of haste."
This verse, like a mirror, reflects the hurried nature of man. Tajil is a tendency that drives man towards immediate and proximate results, as if his heart seeks to grasp a fruit within reach without pondering its bitterness or sweetness. This trait has two primary origins: first, an active and inherent cause rooted in mans creation, inheritance, and psychological characteristics; second, ignorance of the consequences of matters, which, like a veil over the eye of reason, impels man towards hasty decisions.
In opposition to Tajil, patience and composure, like precious gems, require self-discipline and refinement of the soul. Humans differ in this attribute; some are inherently hasty, while others are calm and composed. However, most humans, due to their creation, prefer the vessel of haste over patience, unless they restrain this trait through education and lofty resolve.
The Holy Quran explicitly refers to this inclination, stating:
إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ يُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ وَيَذَرُونَ الْآخِرَةَ (Al-Insn: 27)
"Indeed, these love the immediate [gain] and leave behind the Hereafter."
This verse, like a bright lamp, reveals that Tajil drives man towards a world that is cash and near, even if it comes at the expense of neglecting the Hereafter. Man is like a child pursuing a readily available sweet, heedless of eternal values, hastening towards transient pleasures. Were the Hereafter hypothetically immediate and the world deferred, perhaps people would incline towards the Hereafter; yet Tajil, like a chain, binds them to this world.
This inclination is evident in daily decision-making. For example, in choosing a spouse, some rush heedlessly, disregarding ethical and faith-based criteria, as if a lost shoe in the desert is a treasure. This hastiness stems not from foresight but from inability to control the self and internal urgency.
Tajil in the Prophets, due to their human nature, occasionally occurs, but in the divine realm, this attribute is free from defect. The Holy Quran states:
مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاءُ (Al-Isr: 18)
"Whoever desires the immediate, We hasten for him therein whatever We will."
In the Prophets, Tajil may appear due to human limitations, but in God, this attribute signifies wise promptness in the fulfilment of divine will. This speed, like a river flowing to its destination, accompanies wisdom and perfection and is free from any defect.
Tajil, like a shadow over human existence, is a predominant trait originating from creation and ignorance. This trait directs man towards the world and immediate pleasures, whereas patience and composure, like a light shining through education, require endeavour and soul refinement. In the Prophets, Tajil occurs occasionally due to human limits, but in the divine realm, it denotes wise and flawless promptness.
Tasbih, like a life-giving current in the body of creation, is the existential journey of beings along the divine path. The Holy Quran portrays this reality in a novel expression:
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالطَّيْرُ صَافَّاتٍ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ (An-Nr: 41)
"Have you not seen that Allah is glorified by whoever is within the heavens and the earth and by the birds with wings spread? Each knows its prayer and glorification."
Tasbih is not merely a verbal remembrance but an existential movement that beats like a pulse in the heart of creation. This journey supplies the vital energy and order of beings. Birds, with wings outspread (fft), exemplify this Tasbih, displaying divine order and purposefulness in their flight. Even disbelievers, in their breathing and life, engage in glorification, for their existence flows within the divine creations path.
Tasbih, as a key to liberation from deficiencies, has a special manifestation in the story of Prophet Jonah (Alayhis-Salm):
فَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ (As-fft: 143-144)
"If he had not been of those who glorify, He would have remained in its belly until the Day they are resurrected."
Prophet Jonah (Alayhis-Salm), in the belly of the fish, returned towards the divine beauty through glorification and repentance. This Tasbih was not merely verbal mention but an existential return to the divine path that guided him from torment to salvation. Like a light in darkness, Tasbih showed him the path of deliverance.
The story of Jonah (Alayhis-Salm) demonstrates that Tasbih, in the face of deficiencies and faults, acts as a healing medicine. Having fallen into divine majesty due to haste towards his people, he was guided by Tasbih towards divine beauty and mercy.
Tasbih, like a life-giving current, directs the existential journey of creation along the divine path. This journey manifests in birds flight, human breathing, and even the life of disbelievers. In the story of Prophet Jonah (Alayhis-Salm), Tasbih acted as a key to liberation from deficiency and return to the divine path, evidencing the power of this attribute in overcoming faults and guiding towards perfection.
Subhan, like a star in the sky of knowledge, refers to divine perfection and purity. The Holy Quran expresses this reality as follows:
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ إِلَّا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ (As-fft: 159-160)
"Exalted is Allah above what they describe, Except the purified servants of Allah."
Subhan, contrary to traditional interpretations that define it as mere negation of defect, is an existential attribute. This attribute signifies divine perfection, purity, and comprehensiveness, as if God is an infinite ocean free from any defect or limitation. Negative attributes, such as invisibility or indivisibility, are mental abstractions derived from Gods existential perfection.
The Holy Quran, elucidating this distinction, states:
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ (Ash-Shr: 11)
"There is nothing like unto Him."
This verse, like a blazing torch, emphasises the existential nature of divine attributes. The negation of similarity with creation is the result of divine existential perfection, not an independent attribute. God is like an inexhaustible sun, complete in His essence, and every negative attribute is but a shadow of this perfection abstracted by the human mind.
In religious sciences, sometimes the negative attributes such as invisibility or indivisibility have mistakenly been regarded as independent divine attributes. This error stems from lack of precision in distinguishing existential and negative meanings. For example, when it is said, God is not composite, this negation is derived from the existential attribute of simplicity. God is simple, hence not composite; He is perfect, thus not defective.
Subhan, like a radiant gem, indicates divine perfection and purity. This attribute is existential, not negative, and negates any defect or limitation from the Sacred Divine Essence. Distinguishing between existential and negative attributes is key to an accurate understanding of divine attributes, preventing traditional theological errors and paving the way for deeper knowledge.
The concepts of Tajil, Tasbih, and Subhan, like three branches of a mighty tree, have their roots in divine wisdom within the Holy Quran. Tajil, like a rushing river, reflects human haste towards the material world, but patience and composure, like guiding light, require cultivation. Tasbih, like a life-giving stream, displays the existential journey of creation along the divine path and reveals its liberating power in the story of Prophet Jonah (Alayhis-Salm). Subhan, like a lofty summit, manifests divine perfection and purity, free from any defect or limitation. These concepts not only assist in understanding creation and humanity but also open pathways to divine knowledge and guidance.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
