of Nokounam, may his secret be sanctified (Session 1801)
Surah fft, one of the Meccan and profound chapters of the Holy Qur'an, invites humanity, through a profound contemplation on the cosmic order, the role of unseen beings such as angels and jinn, and the stages of the hereafter, to reflect on inner realities and progress toward existential perfection. This surah, in a meaningful connection with Surah Y-Sn, transitions from general principles to specific examples and, with illustrative expression, delineates the geography, history, and persons of the hereafter. The present writing, inspired by the discourses of a learned scholar, explicates these concepts with clear and dignified language, inviting humanity to escape the cage of materialism and soar toward unseen realms. These reflections not only assist in understanding the verses of the Holy Qur'an but also serve as guidance for attaining spiritual empowerment and approaching the Truth.
Surah Y-Sn, with a comprehensive and profound style, introduces the Divine Kingdom and Gods dominion over all creatures. This surah, with a verse such as:
فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
"Exalted is He in whose hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall be returned."
invites humans to reflect upon the Divine grandeur and return to Him. This verse acts like a key that opens the gates of the Kingdom to the seeker and guides him towards comprehending the reality of existence. Surah Y-Sn, through this approach, provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the unseen realms.
Surah fft, following Surah Y-Sn, offers a specific elucidation of the concepts related to the Kingdom. This surah, with its opening verses:
وَالصَّافَّاتِ صَفًّا وَالزَّاجِرَاتِ زَجْرًا فَالتَّالِيَاتِ ذِكْرًا
"By those who arrange themselves in ranks, and those who drive away (the evil), and those who recite the message."
refers to the diverse roles of angels in the cosmic order. These verses introduce angels as beings who, in orderly ranks, repel devils and recite the Divine remembrance, playing a pivotal role in serving humanity and executing Divine commands. This specific elucidation invites humanity to a more concrete understanding of the unseen beings and their relation to humans.
Surahs Y-Sn and fft, like two wings for the flight toward truth, cohesively guide humanity from the generalities of the Kingdom to the specificities of the unseen realms. Surah Y-Sn sketches the overarching map of the Kingdom, while Surah fft details these realms, inviting humans to contemplate spiritual authority and the possibility of attaining the unseen realms.
The Holy Qur'an introduces humanity as beings capable of establishing communication with unseen entities such as angels and jinn. This capacity is rooted in human spiritual authority, which distinguishes him from other creatures. Surah fft highlights this possibility by describing angels as beings in service to humans. For instance, the story of Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) in Surah Saba:
وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ
"And to Solomon the wind was made subservient, blowing at his command, gently wherever he directed; and We caused the fountain of molten copper to flow for him; and among the jinn were those who worked before him by the permission of his Lord."
This verse exemplifies human ability to benefit from angels and jinn to achieve Divine goals, manifesting his spiritual authority.
The Holy Qur'an, in approximately two thousand verses concerning the hereafter and resurrection, emphasises humanitys potential to access these realms. A verse such as:
لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ
"If you had certain knowledge, you would surely see the Hellfire."
attests to the reality that humans, through the acquisition of certain knowledge, can perceive and reach the unseen realms, including Hell and Paradise. This possibility, akin to a journey through celestial spheres, is not impossible but is attainable through spiritual practice and purification of the soul.
One of the principal obstacles to attaining the unseen realms is the simplistic approach in religious understanding and reliance solely on exoteric sciences. Religious knowledge, if confined to rote memorisation and imitation, cannot guide humanity toward inner cognition. The Holy Qur'an invites humans to deep contemplation and movement toward truth rather than remaining at surface levels. A verse such as:
وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللَّهُ
"And fear Allah; and Allah teaches you."
emphasises the role of piety in acquiring Divine knowledge. This knowledge, beyond exoteric sciences, guides humanity toward the unseen truth.
Humanity, as a being endowed with spiritual authority, is capable of communicating with angels and jinn and reaching the hereafter. This ability requires purification of the soul, spiritual practice, and transcending simplistic religious understanding. The Holy Qur'an, through multiple verses, invites humans to this spiritual journey and deters them from remaining at surface appearances.
The spiritual journey is difficult without the guidance of a knowledgeable mentor. In the Islamic mystical tradition, the guide is like a lamp that illuminates the path of the seeker. A narration in this regard states:
مَن لا شيخ له فشيخه الشيطان
"He who has no guide, the devil is his guide."
This narration stresses the importance of the presence of a guide in leading the seeker toward inner cognition. The guide, by providing the necessary prerequisites, protects the seeker from the pitfalls of the ego and Satan.
Access to the unseen realms requires practice and preparation. Just as a person needs tools and training to journey to celestial spheres, he must also prepare himself through purification and spiritual practice for the journey to the intermediate realm, resurrection, and paradise. This preparation is like wings that enable the seeker to fly towards the heavens of knowledge.
The spiritual path is one that is hard to traverse without a guide and practice. The guide, by leading the seeker and providing the necessary prerequisites, directs him toward inner cognition and access to the unseen realms. This path requires commitment, practice, and preparation, bringing the human closer to existential perfection.
The perfect humans, recognised in Islamic mysticism as the Divine saints, progress through the existential path toward the Divine Essence. This path transcends the descending and ascending realms and pays no attention to paradise and hell. A narration from the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) states:
لا خوفاً من نارك ولا طمعاً لجنّتک بل وجدتک أهلاً للعبادة فعبدتک
"Neither from Your fire do I fear nor from Your paradise do I hope; rather, I found You worthy of worship, so I worshipped You
