Section 3

And assuredly We have created human being from ringing clay of loam moulded.
And the Jinn, We had created them afore of the fire of the scorching wind.
And recall when your Rabb said to the angels: I am about to create a man from ringing clay of loam moulded.
Then when I have formed him and breathed into him of My Spirit, fall down unto him prostrate.
So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together.
But Iblis did not; he refused to be with the prostrate.
Allah said: O Iblis! How is it that you are not with the prostrate?
He said: it was not for me that I should prostrate myself before a human being whom You have created from ringing clay of loam moulded.
Allah said: then get you forth herefrom, verily you are one damned.
And on you shall be the curse of all on the Day of Judgment.
He said: Rabb! Respite me then till the Day on which people will be raised up.
Allah said: well, then you are of the respited.
Till the Day of the Time Known.
He said: Rabb! Because You have led me to err I will surely make things alluring to them on the earth, and I will surely seduce them all.
But not such of them as are Your sincere bondmen.
Allah said: this is the path leading to Me straight.
Verily as for My bondmen, no authority shall you have over them, except over erring ones who follow you.
And verily Hell is the place promised to them all.
To it are seven portals; to each portal is a portion of them assigned.

Secrets of Revelation

Jinn Preceded Man in Creation

Prior to the creation of man Allah had created Jinn from a flame of fire, that is, the heat of fire in the form of hot air. The fire becomes visible only when it combines with dense elements. Otherwise it is very subtle. The Jinn were created from fire, hence they cannot be seen. And the earth was inhabited by them before the creation of mankind.

Then there was a time when Allah informed the angels that He was going to create a human being out of ringing clay of loam moulded. And when its structure is complete He would breathe into it of His Ruh, whence the angels must do Sajdah to him.

Ruh and its Blowing in

The scholars have extensively discussed the reality of the Ruh; giving thousands of arguments about whether it is a subtle being or is an incorporeal substance. According to the author of Mu‘arif-al-Quran, majority of the scholars agree that it is a subtle being, and this indeed is the truth. The theory of incorporeal substance is presented by philosophers and has been accepted by some Sufis also. Yet the most excellent research on this topic has been rendered by Qazi Thana Ullah Panipati-RUA, the illustrious author of Tafsir-e-Mazhari. He writes that the Ruh is of two kinds, Alvi (celestial) and the Sifli (inferior). The former is a creation of Allah, pure of any matter. The comprehension of its quintessence is beyond human understanding. Those who have been blessed with Kashf cite its origin to be the ‘Arsh, as it is subtler than the ‘Arsh itself. And it is felt in five levels consecutively, that is, Qalb, Ruh, Sirr, Khaffi and Akhfa. These are the Lataif of ‘Alam-e-Amr and according to Quran, “Ruh is from the Amr of my Rabb”.

A further explanation seems appropriate here. In fact there are nine ‘Urush whose expanse is beyond human understanding. The earth, the space and the seven heavens put together, when compared with the first ‘Arsh appear as if a ring lying in a vast desert. When human knowledge cannot grasp the volume of the stars and heavenly bodies and the distance between the earth and the heavens, how can it assess the magnanimity of the ‘Arsh? And the second ‘Arsh is far greater than the first; the third bigger than the second in the same way, until the farthest end of the ninth ‘Arsh marks the end of ‘Alam-e-Khalq and the beginning of the ‘Alam-e-Amr. No matter or material body exists there because ‘Alam-e-Khalq has ended. The first Circle of ‘Alam-e-Amr itself is so vast that compared to it, the nine ‘Urush including all that lies within them appear to be a ring lying in a desert. These Circles are forty-two in number, each vaster than the former in the aforesaid proportion, beyond which lie the Veils of Divinity. It is from this ‘Alam-e-Amr that the Ruh is commanded to enter into the human body (after 120 days in the womb) to make it alive. It enters directly into the heart which comes to life first, and then the remaining Lataif are enlightened.

According to Qazi Thana Ullah Panipati-RUA the inferior Ruh comprises the subtle vapour produced by the combination of the four elements i.e. fire, clay, air and water and their interaction with the warmth of Ruh after it is blown in. This subtle vapour penetrates through each and every vein and vessel of the human body and it is this perpetration which is alluded to as the breathing or blowing in of the Ruh. This inferior Ruh is responsible for arousing desires and physical needs as well as the sense of their fulfilment. If the celestial Ruh dominates, a person observes the limits set by Allah while fulfilling his needs. As a result it gains more strength and its ties with ‘Alam-e-Amr continue to grow stronger. However, if the inferior Ruh also termed us Nafs (soul) becomes dominant in a person, he simply follows his fancies, which plunge him into the darkness of sin. Then the splendour of the celestial Ruh reflecting upon the inferior one honouring it to be human begins to fade away and eventually gives way to infidelity. That is why the Quran compares the non believers with animals who have inferior Ruh only, having nothing in common with the extremely subtle splendour from ‘Alam-e-Amr called the celestial Ruh. This is why the non believers will not even be given a human face in the Akhirah, and will scream and howl like animals in the Hell. When the Prophets-AS are raised, it is the celestial Ruh of the people which they revitalize. And a single glance of a Prophet-AS elevates the believers to the status of Companionship, the highest state of enlightenment of the celestial Ruh. It is for this revitalization that the company of an accomplished Shaikh is needed. Otherwise the inferior Ruh that is, soul carries on its functions in routine.

The celestial Ruh is an extremely subtle entity, created purely out of Rabb’s Command free from any matter. This is why it has the capability to withstand His Splendour, an honour singularly enjoyed by human beings. Qazi Thana Ullah Panipati-RAU further elaborates that since clay is the dominant element in a human body, it is referred to as created of clay, whereas in reality a human being comprises ten elements. Of these, five belong to ‘Alam-e-Khalq, namely, clay, fire, air, water and the subtle vapour produced by the interaction thereof, that is, the inferior Ruh or Nafs. The other five belong to ‘Alam-e-Amr namely, Qalb, Ruh, Sirr, Khaffi and Akhfa. It is because of this combination that man can withstand the Divine Lights of cognition and is capable of feeling a passionate love for Him, resulting in the subtle attainment of His Company. It is because of this human excellence that the angels were commanded to bow down before him. Allah knows the best!

Iblis

So all the angels did Sajdah to Adam-AS save Iblis who refused. Although he was a Jinn yet had been admitted to the ranks of angels due to his extensive worship. Thus he was present at the time when Sajdah was Commanded and it also applied to him but he refused to bow down. Allah asked him the reason for his behaviour. He said that he was not an ordinary being who would prostrate before a man made out of loam and moulded clay. Iblis was therefore, condemned and expelled, and also deprived of Divine Mercy till the Day of Judgment, in fact eternally, as after that there is no hope of any improvement. A very important fact has been established here. Just as Iblis had worked hard on worships keeping his own superiority in mind and had managed to get into the ranks of the angels, a seeker can also cover the stations of the Suluk in the company of a Shaikh, while harbouring in his heart a desire to gain personal fame. And as the Satan was ultimately exposed and damned, so will such a seeker be deprived of all that he had earned and will die as a loser.

Having been condemned, Iblis pleaded for a respite until the Day of Resurrection when the dead will be raised, so that he could encounter man and mislead him. He was granted respite until a time pre-ordained, that is, until the Day of Judgment when he too shall die. Instead of acknowledging his mistake, he blamed Allah for misleading him out of arrogance and waywardness and vowed to seduce man by making evil very attractive. However, he confessed his inability to mislead Allah’s chosen bondsmen as they will not fall for his tricks and will not be allured. The possibility of human error exists but Allah’s bondsmen do not persist on it, rather, they seek His Mercy through repentance. Allah said: It is this sincerity and dedication for the attainment of My Pleasure which is the straight path leading to Me. And certainly you will fail to allure My chosen people; for you will be able to seduce only those who will abandon My Path to obey you. All such followers of yours will be condemned to Hell, which has seven portals or grades, and everyone of them will be graded according to the gravity of his misdeeds.

<< Previous | Next >>